I am rarely an advocate of gifting books (particularly self help ones!) for Mother’s Day and birthdays, but the following four titles are exceptions. Three are by friends, and the fourth I’m a fangirl for.
Heads up, I was sent copies of some of these books for review. But all the opinions here are my own and these are not affiliate links.
“It’s Mother’s Day, oh look, you got me a book!”
Let me break it down for you: What your mother/daughter/wife/sister/friend really wants most of all is recognition, followed very closely and quickly by a break and some appreciative pampering. That’s it folks. The magic mother’s day recipe in a nutshell.
Now the sauce is what you do to show your appreciation and I think any of these books would best be enjoyed in a hammock with drinks and snack delivery, or possibly poolside. But that part is up to you. All of these books celebrate motherhood without getting too serious. They laugh along with you.
Motherhood is a B#tch by Lyss Stern with Sheryl Berk
I know Lyss. Funny story, we spent a week on a tour bus together in the Middle East. You get to know people on a tour bus and the bullshit radar gets super accurate after day four when there’s a lack-of-coffee crisis and not nearly enough time to flat iron your hair. Lyss is the real deal. Not only is she gorgeous and put together, she is also warm and funny and practical. This book has chapter titles like “Embrace the Bitch”, “Get Your Shit Together” and “Whip Your Hubby”. It’s a bit of a manifesto that acknowledges the toughness it takes to stay sane and true to yourself while taking care of the whole damn rest of the world. I hope after I’ve finished I can look as amazing as Lyss while I tackle all that shit.
Green Enough by Leah Segedie
I also know Leah and every time I see her I immediately want to give her a hug. She makes doing the right thing seem a million times less daunting by breaking it down into chunks. Good, better, best. There are days when good is going to be good enough. Anyone ever have to purchase their kids some snacks at an AM/PM rest stop? Yeah… You know what I am talking about. Green enough makes it easy to take baby steps into a healthier lifestyle. Significant baby steps. Just get started. I reviewed Green Enough more thoroughly here.
50 Things to do Before You Deliver by Jill Krause
I first met Jill Krause when she was pregnant ( I think with her first child) and I had recently delivered my last. There’s a bit of an age gap between us but in that moment we overlapped and I thought, wow, I wish I’d had my shit as together when I was her age. Jill has given me some sound advice on topics ranging from travel to camera lenses/photography and it’s all been stellar. So while I have not yet read all of her advice in 50 Things I am going to believe the hype and glowing reviews I am seeing all over. This is the actual practical manual for expecting moms that tells them how to prep their tech, what gear they *actually* need and more. It breaks it down into trimester by trimester advice. I would buy this for all my preggo pals.
Tough Mothers by Jason Porath (Author/Illustrator of Rejected Princesses)
Jason Porath is my hero. I don’t know this dude but I wish I did. I’m willing to bet his mom kvells, a lot. I reviewed Rejected Princesses when it first came out and it is still one of my favorite books for girls and women. Now, it has a companion. What I love about his books is that finally, FINALLY, real female heroes are getting their due. In a faux glammy princessy world, it’s easy for girls, women and also moms to lose sight of what true grit really looks like. Good hair days and toned abs two weeks after delivering are lovely, but this is not the stuff heroes are made of. You want some serious mom role models? Look no further! The animated film style illustration makes this book colorful and fun to look at, and certainly most memorable. The stories are eye popping. Consider these characters:
- The Mother Who Sued to Save Her Children from Slavery—Sojourner Truth
- The Mother Who Invented Rice-A-Roni—Pailadzo Captanian
- The Mother of Rock n’ Roll—Sister Rosetta Tharpe
- Godmother of the Trans Civil Rights Movement—Marsha P. Johnson
- The Mother Who Became a Pirate—Jeanne de Clisson
- The Mothers Who Toppled a Dictatorship—The Mirabal Sisters
So there you have it – the best Mother’s Day Books out there for the women in your lives. Order these up and start planning the luxurious lounging atmosphere you will provide them with so that they can actually get to read and enjoy!
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