Who's Your Real Mum?

An empowering story about a non-traditional family that celebrates exactly what defines it — love.

 

 

‘Elvi, which one is your mum?’
‘They’re both my mums.’
‘But which one’s your real mum?’

 

When Nicholas wants to know which of Elvi’s two mums is her real mum, she gives him lots of clues. Her real mum is a circus performer, and a pirate, and she even teaches spiders the art of the web.

 

But Nicholas still can’t work it out! Luckily, Elvi knows just how to help Nicholas understand.

 

 

• 2021 Selected: White Raven 
• 2021 Shortlisted: CBCA (Children’s Book Council of Australia), Early Childhood Book of the Year
• 2021 Shortlisted: Spark! Book Awards
• 2020 Longisted for World Illustration Award 
• 2020 Book of the Year - Big Issue UK

 

IN THE MEDIA

 

"This imaginative picture book affirmation of family centres brown-skinned Elvi, who has two mothers. When Elvi’s friend Nicholas asks which of her parents is the ‘real’ one… Elvi cleverly reframes the subject, defining her mother in ways every child can understand… Hatched and stippled textures in ink and marker… offer the illustrations a snug, soft feel." — Publisher’s Weekly

 

"This is an exceptional book. It promises kindness, humour and insight, and absolutely delivers … Who’s Your Real Mum? manages that rare combination of meaningful moral and pure narrative pleasure."—Anica Boulanger-Mashberg, Books+Publishing

 

"This warm, imaginative picture book has a clear message that, with same sex parents, both mums or dads are childrens’ ‘real’ parents, and in fact parenting is about so much more than biology." —BookTrust

 

"With playful wit, Who's Your Real Mum brilliantly answers children’s questions about same-sex parenting – while also managing to silence a few narrow-minded grown-ups along the way..." - Huffington Post, France

 

 

THE AUTHOR

 

Bernadette Green grew up loving animals and being outside. She was a mushroom picker for many years before studying to be a youth worker and then a writer. She is now a part-time disability support worker and part-time writer. Bernadette’s passionate about children’s writing and believes every child should be able to see themselves in the books they read. She lives in Naarm/Melbourne.

 

 

THE ILLUSTRATOR

 

Anna Zobel is an illustrator, writer, and teacher from Naarm/Melbourne, Australia. As a child, Anna wrote and illustrated her own books, and she hasn’t stopped since. Anna is inspired — and occasionally infected — by the children she works with, and hopes to represent them in her work.