Mother's Day Gifts From Kids: A Book Starring Them Both

The best Mother's Day gift from a toddler or young child is one that has the child in it. A two-year-old can't shop or write a card, but they can hand Mom something that says what they would say if they could. I Love You Mom does exactly that. It's a rhyming thank-you written in your child's voice, with your child and Mom illustrated together on the cover and all 20 inside pages, and it ends signed with your child's name. You add a photo of each of them and see a free preview before you buy. In the US, Mother's Day 2027 is Sunday, May 9.

This is our guide to our own books. Below you'll find what's inside I Love You Mom, ideas for a toddler and for a first Mother's Day, a book for Grandma, and how to keep the whole thing a surprise.

Quick picks: Mother's Day gifts that star your child

The standard US one-time hardcover price is $44.99, plus shipping and tax. Mom or Grandma is a companion character that costs $4.99 USD extra for US orders. Shoppers in other countries see their own prices at checkout. Both books are in our Better Together collection, alongside I Love You Dad, I Love You Grandpa and Two of a Kind.

When is Mother's Day 2027?

In the United States, Mother's Day 2027 falls on Sunday, May 9. Federal law names the second Sunday in May as Mother's Day (36 U.S.C. § 117), which is why the date moves a little each year. Other countries celebrate on other dates, so check the local calendar if you're sending a book abroad.

What's inside I Love You Mom

I Love You Mom is a thank-you note in rhyme, one couplet to a page. It opens with Mom's smile, "like a morning light," and then moves through the ordinary days that matter most to a child: the talk on the sofa after a bad moment, learning to ride a bike, a scraped hand, the slow mornings when she waits without hurrying. "When things are hard, you stand so tall, You're there to catch me if I fall." The last page reads as if your child wrote it: "I'm so very lucky, Mom, to have you! Love," followed by your child's name.

Upload a photo of your child and one of Mom, and the two of them appear together throughout, from the cover to that last page.

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  Listening "You listen close to all I say, And chase the lonely clouds away."

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  Out together "With a quiet hug or a simple hello, You make me feel special wherever we go."

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  The last page "I love you today and all year through."

Why a book makes a good Mother's Day gift from a child

Flowers last a week. A book with the two of them in it stays on the shelf, and it keeps coming back out.

• It's in your child's voice. Every line is written as your child talking to Mom, so it says the things a small child feels but can't put into words yet.
• It shows the two of them. Mom isn't a stock character with her name swapped in. She's drawn from her photo, next to your child, on every page.
• It gets read again. Children love finding themselves in a picture. Young ones point and ask, "Is that me? Is that you?" and that's how a book becomes a bedtime favorite.
• It becomes a keepsake. One day the toddler who gave it will be old enough to read it back to her.

What should a toddler give Mom for Mother's Day?

Toddlers can't shop, but they can take part, and they're proud when they do. Three ideas that suit a two- or three-year-old:

1. Help with breakfast. Let them carry the napkin, put strawberries on the plate or choose the flower for the tray.
2. Make a handprint flower. Paint a palm with washable paint and press it onto thick paper. Three handprints make the petals; a green line makes the stem.
3. Give her a book with both of them in it. I Love You Mom does the talking for a child who can't write yet, and the other grown-up in the house can order it.

What is a good first Mother's Day gift from a baby?

For a baby's first Mother's Day, the gift usually comes from a partner on the baby's behalf: a footprint keepsake, a framed photo from the first months or a letter about the year you've had. Our books are written for ages 2 to 10, so I Love You Mom fits best a little later, from about two, when a child can point to themselves and to Mom on the page. It makes a lovely gift for a second or third Mother's Day.

A Mother's Day gift for Grandma: I Love You Grandma

I Love You Grandma thanks a grandmother for the things only she does. She waves "before I reach the door," teaches recipes "with pinches more than what was planned," saves every drawing and hums "a tune that mends it all" when feelings get tangled. Your child and their grandmother appear together on the cover and every inside page, and her name can be Grandma, Nana, Abuela, Nonna or whatever your family says. Our Help article on adding a parent or grandparent explains the photo and name steps.

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  Staying up "You let me stay up, just a bit, we find the perfect spot to sit."

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  Recipes "You teach me recipes by hand, with pinches more than what was planned."

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  Questions "You let me ask you anything, and value all the thoughts I bring."

Planning ahead for June? I Love You Grandpa does the same for Grandpa on Father's Day.

Moms, stepmoms, two moms and every name in between

The name in the book starts as Mom, and you can change it to Mama, Mommy, Mami, her first name or whatever your child calls her. It works for a stepmom and for a grandmother raising her grandchild. Each book shows one grown-up with your child, so a family with two moms can make a copy for each of them, with her own photo and name. A photo you add for one book doesn't carry over to another, so add the right one each time.

How to keep it a surprise

The other grown-up in your child's life can order it: a partner, a grandparent or a family friend, using a photo of the child and a photo of Mom you already have. Check the free preview to make sure both look right, then let your child hand it over on the day.

Buying for a family that isn't yours? Ask a parent or guardian for permission to use the photos. Our Help article on buying a book as a gift walks through it, and our gift wrap guide explains when wrapping is offered at checkout.

When to order a Mother's Day book

Every Magic Story book is printed to order, so order a few weeks before Mother's Day. In the US, printing takes 3 to 5 business days, and Standard delivery arrives 5 to 10 business days after you order. Checkout shows the estimate for your address before you pay. Read more about how long delivery takes.

If the day arrives before the book does, show Mom the free preview on Mother's Day and give her the book when it comes.

How a personalized Mother's Day book works

1. Add the photos and names. One clear photo of your child and one of Mom or Grandma, plus the name your child uses for her.
2. See a free preview. It shows the two of them in a scene from the book, not every page, and needs no account or credit card. Read more about the free preview.
3. Get the hardcover. It's printed to order after you buy, then shipped to the address you choose.

Find your Mother's Day book

• For Mom: I Love You Mom.
• For Grandma: I Love You Grandma.
• Browse all the books for two in the Better Together collection.