Together for Mama

A Story of Hope and Healing

Author Pooja Makhijani On Tour
Illustrated by Nadia Alam On Tour
Hardcover
$18.99 US
On sale Jun 23, 2026 | 32 Pages | 9798217003563

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Asha becomes a big sister and a big help to her parents when Mama struggles to find energy after the baby's birth. This touching and meaningful story will reassure families who are experiencing the hardship of postpartum depression.

Asha loves baby Maya, and she's so happy to be a big sister. But Mama seems sad. Asha hears her whisper to Papa, "I can't do this." And hears Papa on the phone to Dadi and Nani, asking them to come. The next day, the two grandmothers arrive, ready to tidy and cook and comfort. "Will Mama feel better?" Asha asks Nani. "I believe she will," Nani answers. "Especially with our help." 

This honest and empathetic story sheds light on a common challenge, providing young children and their parents with the knowledge and reassurance they need.
NADIA ALAM is a second generation Bangladeshi-Canadian. She is an avid daydreamer and meanderer who draws to capture the world as she sees it. She is the illustrator of Sarabeth's Garage; The Wishing Machine; Awake, Asleep; Mauntie and Me; and The House Without Lights. She lives in Toronto with her two lovely kids and a dog named Momo. View titles by Nadia Alam
"Pencil and digital drawings sensitively capture Mama’s isolation and hint at other ways that the new arrival has complicated family dynamics. In this necessary, child-centered story, PPD is accurately depicted as treatable, Mama is supported without shame, and the whole family shares in Baby Maya’s care. Realistic yet tenderly optimistic." —Kirkus

★"It's a compassionate, fully nonjudgmental portrait of loving and supportive care.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review
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About

Asha becomes a big sister and a big help to her parents when Mama struggles to find energy after the baby's birth. This touching and meaningful story will reassure families who are experiencing the hardship of postpartum depression.

Asha loves baby Maya, and she's so happy to be a big sister. But Mama seems sad. Asha hears her whisper to Papa, "I can't do this." And hears Papa on the phone to Dadi and Nani, asking them to come. The next day, the two grandmothers arrive, ready to tidy and cook and comfort. "Will Mama feel better?" Asha asks Nani. "I believe she will," Nani answers. "Especially with our help." 

This honest and empathetic story sheds light on a common challenge, providing young children and their parents with the knowledge and reassurance they need.

Author

NADIA ALAM is a second generation Bangladeshi-Canadian. She is an avid daydreamer and meanderer who draws to capture the world as she sees it. She is the illustrator of Sarabeth's Garage; The Wishing Machine; Awake, Asleep; Mauntie and Me; and The House Without Lights. She lives in Toronto with her two lovely kids and a dog named Momo. View titles by Nadia Alam

Praise

"Pencil and digital drawings sensitively capture Mama’s isolation and hint at other ways that the new arrival has complicated family dynamics. In this necessary, child-centered story, PPD is accurately depicted as treatable, Mama is supported without shame, and the whole family shares in Baby Maya’s care. Realistic yet tenderly optimistic." —Kirkus

★"It's a compassionate, fully nonjudgmental portrait of loving and supportive care.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review

Photos

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Each May, we honor the stories, histories, and cultures of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders. Below is a selection of acclaimed fiction and nonfiction books by AANHPI creators to share with your students this month and throughout the year. Find our full collection of titles for Higher Education here.

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