The Mommies on the Bus

O'Callaghan's illustrations capture the the interactions of several different mother and children combinations, so that young readers will be able to find characters that look like they do. There are even some very cute pets!) and show lots of activity. The colors are bright and fun, with lots of blue bus seats as background for the pinks, teals, and yellows. There are plenty of details that young readers can be asked to find such as what snacks are on the bus, what is the weather like, or what sorts of things are the people carrying.

While "Mommies on the bus say 'Stop that now'" has a better rhythm than some of the lines used, this book is a more positive look at parent child interactions. There are a huge number of picture book variations on this song, including Albee and Ewers The Monsters on the Bus (Sesame Street), Mills and Mantle's The Spooky Wheels on the Bus, Charman and Sharratt's The Whales on the Bus, Hort and Karas' The Seals on the Bus, Sindelar's The Cows on the Bus, Mantle and Ardagh's The Bunnies on the Bus, and even a Deans' Pete the Cat version, but this short, sturdy book is perfect for putting in a bag and taking along on a bus ride, as long as it's keep away from the bananas and bottles!