Mommies at work

Montresor’s illustrations in Mommies at Work are immediately striking. The original 1961 edition uses deep purples with bright yellow accents, giving each page a sketchy, almost theatrical feel. At first, the images seem to show the familiar — moms cooking, washing dishes, zipping coats — but as the book unfolds, it turns expectations upside down. Mothers become car mechanics, astronomers, and even atom-splitters, all depicted with the same casual matter-of-factness.

The drawings are simple but precise, with enough detail to suggest motion, space, and personality without clutter. There’s a subtle humor in how Montresor portrays these jobs, and a quiet insistence that mothers belong in the world outside the household just as naturally as inside it. The contrast between domestic tasks and high-powered careers feels immediate, almost shocking, which mirrors how the book itself surprises the reader.

Despite its sparse lines and restrained palette, the illustrations feel alive. Children move through them like actors on a stage, and the sketches carry the book’s emotional core: pride, work, care, and the endless juggling of responsibilities. Montresor’s art doesn’t lecture or embellish — it simply shows women at work, and in doing so, quietly reshapes the way we see them.