What is mother love?

• The thrill of that first smile
• The reserves of strength you never knew you had
• The touch of a baby’s hand as it curls around your finger
• The pride at that first school concert

In this tribute compiled by Selwa Anthony and Selena Hanet-Hutchins, mothers of all ages – from the not-so-famous to celebrities – describe their thoughts, feelings and experiences of motherhood and of a love that is at once mysterious and practical, exhausting and revitalising, terrifying and exhilarating.

All royalties go to the Horizon Committee for the Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children (RIDBC).