Mum's Busy Work

It’s a book that will be enjoyed and appreciated by working parents who’ve been asked “where is your child?” and “are you still working?”. And by children, who will hear that having a working mum is OK, being a working mum is OK – and missing mum is OK, too.

Katie Pickles, The Conversation

The author had the top job in Aotearoa, New Zealand, but this full colour, hardback picture book is very relatable, telling the story of many busy mums. It’s the little moments in a busy week that can mean the most and be cherished in a busy household. A game. A story. Or just a hug. This is shown with both Mum and Dad, along with household jobs. Ruby Jones’ illustrations share the love in this family across the pages, with humour and vibrancy of a young child.

Adele Broadbent, What Book Next?

The contrast between the conversations Ardern had at work and the ones she shared at home is striking—and it’s easy to see why she wanted to preserve those tender moments in a book for Neve, and for all working parents and their children...Ruby Jones’s illustrations are stylised, with crisp black outlines and bright, inviting colours. She often zooms in close to centre Neve’s point of view—kitchen benches looming large, hands mid-cuddle, shoes on the move—so the world feels exactly child-sized...This is a warm, delightful bedtime read.

Maria Gill, Kids Books NZ