There isn’t any food or cooking in Cat Cora‘s A Suitcase Surprise for Mommy (Penguin 2011), but it is a charming, heartfelt picture book.

Oldest son Zoran, misses his mother (Cat) when she goes away to New York for work. She suggests that he give her something special to take with her. He goes on a search that ends happily with the perfect something special. The illustrations by Joy Allen don’t look like Cat, but that just as well – this isn’t a celebrity book. There is no author photo on the back. It’s about a little boy missing his mother and how he ends up feeling better.

This could make a lovely holiday gift for a little boy or girl.