Arielle Li is a Taiwanese-Australian illustrator based in Adelaide. She has been passionate about creating art from a young age, and has been pursuing illustration as a career since 2019. When she’s not working, she enjoys long walks at the beach, chasing her cats around the house and practicing Taekwondo.

Sharon Giltrow was born the youngest of eight children and grew up on Yorke Peninsula in South Australia surrounded by pet sheep, sandy beaches and fields of barley. She now lives in Perth, Western Australia with her husband, two children, a tom cat and a miniature dog. Having worked with children for all of her career, she has been a teacher of children who are hearing impaired and Deaf-Blind, and is now an Early Childhood Educator and Teacher Education Support working with Young Children with Developmental Language Disorder. Her debut picture book was Bedtime, Daddy!, illustrated by Katrin Dreiling and published by EK Books.

Even the most reluctant risers will find the fun in the morning routine with this lively role-reversal story about a mama who just doesn’t want to get ready!

Getting Mama ready for the day can be a challenge… you’d better watch out that she doesn’t sneak back into bed, try to distract you with cuddles, get breakfast all over her top, or… wait, is Mama watching TV?! Learn how to get Mama up and ready despite her mischievous delaying tactics with this essential guide to dealing with morning mayhem!

With gorgeous illustrations and playful writing, Get Ready, Mama! is the perfect way to introduce some fun into the morning routine. Little ones will delight in the cheeky role-reversal that sees a young girl doing everything she can to get her reluctant mother out of the house, while parents and carers will gain a strategy for motivating reluctant risers.

Getting ready in the morning is a mission for many families with young children, but this inventive, tongue-in-cheek story provides a fun way of speeding things along. Full of heart and humour, Get Ready, Mama! is for anyone who has heard enough of “5 more minutes”.

Its A Librarian Life
“Get Ready, Mama!” is a fun picture book for young children. It’s a sweet and humorous story of role reversal. In this story it’s the little girl who is up and ready and trying to wake her Mama and get her ready for work.” Read more

OhCreativeDay
“A humorous look at what happens when it is Mama who struggles to get ready and out of the house in the morning.”

Reading With A Chance of Tacos
“the story is so accessible to kids and adults, and more fun than didactic, it can be used in educational settings to share your feelings and discuss routines, not getting distracted and so much

Love Four Learning (via Instagram)
“This is a fun story that reverses the narrative of a parent coaxing their child to get ready for school. This picture book centres the child and has been enjoyed by my five year olds.”

School Days Magazine

“This is a fun book to read –  with a lovely underlying message of love and caring..” Click here to read

Reading Time
“Written with a second person point of view, the reader becomes part of the story. The child reader is sure to recognise herself – and it’s just as applicable to boys. This will be a great addition to all libraries whether they be home, school, or public library.” Click here to read

Bottom Shelf – Edu Blog
“Little ones will delight in the cheeky role-reversal that sees a young girl doing everything she can to get her reluctant mother out of the house, and teachers, particularly will enjoy the twist in the tale..” Click here to read

The Pregnancy Centre
“cleverly uses role-reversal to turn the morning routine into a bonding experience for children and parents and carers, filled with giggles and relatable moments.”
Click here to read

Karen Tyrell’s Book Show YouTube review
“if you love hilarious parenting hacks, then you will love Get Ready, Mama! This role reversal parody will motive even the laziest mum. Perfect for mother’s day”
Click here to watch

Just Kids Lit
“touches on putting oneself in another’s shoes, mixed in with the amusement of a role reversal situation … offers plenty of teachable moments that are such a joy to learn.” Click here to read

Aussie Kids Books via Instagram
“The writing is fresh and fun, and the story very relatable for both carers and kids..” Click here to read

Cam McIntosh – Book Chat
“very effectively uses the idea of role reversal in GET READY, MAMA!, with a child taking on a parental role. As well as making for a very fun book, this approach strikes me as a great way to encourage children to put themselves in others’ shoes and consider different perspectives.” Click here to read

ReadiLearn
“While this book is perfect for families to share, it is also great for the classroom. I’m sure it will stimulate a lot of open and hilarious discussions about delaying tactics the children themselves, or their siblings, use..” Click here to read

What book next?
A funny picture book where a mum and daughter swap places one morning. This would be great to read to a child 4+ going off to kindy, or very young school children.

This is ingenious reverse psychology for young readers – pointing out some of their tricks to delay getting out the door in the morning.
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Picture Book Parents

“This humorous story will have both kids and parents laughing out loud as it parodies the many strategies parents use to hurry their kids along in the morning. The role reversal is perfect for discussing routines with school age children as it gives them insight into the stages of getting ready that parents need to think about while keeping the mood light and entertaining. It’s also a great reminder for parents not to sweat the small stuff. Get Ready, Mama! feels like a great big morning hug when the sun isn’t quite up. ” Click here to read

The Book Muse
“a fun role reversal story that sees a young girl urging mum to get ready, but mum does everything she can to delay getting dressed and having breakfast and heading out the door! The beauty of this book is that young kids will be learning a lesson without realising it because it presents the lesson in a fun, and safe way, without didacticism and is engaging for readers of all ages. ” Click here to read

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