After Jenna's baby brother Mickey is born, her Mama starts to do strange things, from forgetting to turn off the water in the bathroom, to mistaking the day of a birthday party. With so much going on, Mama feels like she is always "coming and going." Fortunately for her, and for her children, they are a loving, close-knit family, whatever direction they take...

Although Mama, Coming and Going is the first of author/illustrator Judith Caseley's picture-books about this family, it was the second I read, after the subsequent Witch Mama, set at Halloween some years later. This initial story is unusual, in that it depicts the crazy time just after the birth of a new sibling, rather than the time leading up to the birth. I have encountered far more of the latter, than the former. However that may be, this was a sweet family story, one in which an everyday family does everyday things, united by their not-so-everyday love. Recommended to anyone seeking fun, heartwarming family stories for the picture-book set, or children's books about adjusting to life with a newborn family member. ( )