Books for mothers - General

Mom Book: 4278 of Mom Central's Tips--For Moms from Moms
by Stacy DeBroff

A Terrific Gift for Moms
Reviewer: Erica Kuntz

   As one of the hundreds of contributing moms in this book, I'm proud to present this review. The Mom Book is a compilation of tips from mothers, neatly arranged and expanded upon by author Stacy DeBroff. Topics covered range from Feeding your Children, to Getting (and staying) Organized, to Memories and Celebrations... and more in between. Whether the solutions offered are common sensical (Getting Organized: If you don't have a hall closet, set aside a place for shoes, coats, hats, and umbrellas near the front door. Without somewhere convenient to go, they'll wind up on chairs or on the floor.) or clever-as-can-be (Medical: numb the area of a splinter with teething medication prior to attempting to work it out), and whether the issue is day-to-day living (Homework) or life-changing (Divorce), the book offers insight useful to all moms. The scope of subject matter and variety of contributor experience result in a well- rounded book that sometimes contradicts itself... which seems OK, even expected, in this context. I'd call this book a deeply researched, personal, directory of tips and insights well worth keeping *and* passing along to *every* mom of growing children, on *any* occasion!

The Power of a Positive Mom (Paperback)
by Karol Ladd

 WHAT A GREAT BOOK!!!!!!!!!!
Reviewer: In New Mommy Heaven (Coral Springs, FL)

   I read this book while I was still pregnant with my first child. It was such an amazing inspiration. It included sweet ideas of how to express cute actions of love & positivity for your children. The prayers and scriptures were very motivational and reminded me, once again, that God's glory is great for the mind, body, & soul and is all you need when it seems that your daily routine has steered you away from the positive mental attitude you woke up with (with which you intended to face the new day). This book reminds you to take those necessary moments to pray and remain spiritually focused to enable yourself to have the power of a positive mom and wife, as well as impacting the lives of your family with words of encouragement of God's eternal love. After reading the first couple of chapters, I decided to start highlighting and book-marking certain paragraphs and pages that I wanted to refer back to once my son was born. Before I knew it, almost the entire book had been highlighted bright yellow and mini post-its were stuck in between so many pages it bulged. I have bought this book for 3 of my friends who have loved it just the same! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!! God Bless!

The Mother's Almanac
by Marguerite Kelly, Elia Parsons

A wonderful, witty, gleeful book---enjoy!
Reviewer: Karen Hudson

   My children are now 28, 25, 23, and nearly 20 years old, but today I decided to plant an avocado pit and looked up how to do it in "The Mother's Almanac." My faded, dog-eared copy is filled with notes jotted on the margins; looking at it brought back many warm memories. This book is a wonder, filled with common-sense wisdom. Over the years I have given it to many new mothers, and referred to it, and quoted from it, hundreds of times. From instructions on how to survive the exhausting early weeks, to detailed explanations of creative projects a pre-schooler can "The hours are terrible, right from the start, but remember, at least you are the boss!" Yes, young mothers, you are in charge of these fast-passing days. This book will help both you and your kids to bask in the love, joy, and creativity of the early childhood years!

101 Secrets a Cool Mom Knows
by Sue Ellin Browder, Walter Browder

For Grandma's too!
Reviewer: Darlene Duffield

   This is such a great book! Fun (and important) (how to tell a poisonous snake) things to learn in this book. And done with love with wonderful thoughts at the end of each chapter - "COOL MOM THOUGHTS"! And written - obviously with such love and enthusiasm about being a mom. What, to me, is really great is this: So many times moms have so much "momming" to do that they can't spend the time they would like with their children - and THAT IS WHERE GRANDMA'S come in! There are great and fun things I look forward to teaching MY grandson -things I never would have known how to do (we will view a hummingbird up close!) --- THIS BOOK IS A GIFT TO ALL WHO LOVE CHILDREN!

Because I Said So: 33 Mothers Write About Children, Sex, Men, Aging, Faith, Race, and Themselves (Hardcover)
by Kate Moses, Camille Peri

This is a Phenomal Book!
Reviewer: Busy Mom (Ohio)

This is one of my top Five books of 2005. In fact, this is the best book I have read this year. If I could give it a ten, I would. I identified with each of the authors in this collection of essays ~~ even though some of their experiences I may not share, they are writing from the deep reaches of their hearts and souls. This book is not only a collection of essays of women from all ages and all walks of life ~~ it is about Everywoman. It's about you and me.

When I started reading this book, I thought, oh, I'll have one favorite essay. Nope. I have more than one ~~ in fact, I love them all. These women have a wonderful and rare gift of expressing their thoughts and feelings on paper. They are inspirational for me to be the best mother, wife, friend, daughter that I can be. And if you're worried that this is all about women writing about children and parenting ~~ your fears are groundless. These women are writing about everything. They write about divorce, race, religion, abuse, love, tenderness, parenting, babysitting, watching their children grow up, dealing with prejudice,having nannies, being banned from the mosque and more.

These women write of real experiences. These women are not angry writers. They are thoughtful and reflective writers, writing with prose, humor and lyrical rhyming. These women reveal their strength and grace in their essays. They don't have any male-bashing in their essays nor are they bitter or angry. They just write and their feelings and thoughts flow together in a wonderful chime of words.

If I have any regret from reading this book, it's this one. I wish I could meet each and every single one of these essayists and sit down with them and just talk. I have learned so much from the little they've shared within this book, that I want to learn more. They are inspirational for women like me who do like to read and think. These women take in their events that changes them and in a small way, they change my perceptions and thoughts. A reader cannot walk away from this book without gleaning something from this book. It's just impossible. These writers make you stop and think about issues that you may not even be aware of. They challenge the status quo, so to speak. You cannot be comfortable with life after reading some of these essays ~~ but like I said, they're not angry writers, just perceptive and challenging writers. They force you to think, whether you like it or not.

I highly recommend this book for every woman and men too. Men can learn a lot about women and what we think just from reading this book. If you're looking for a wonderful Mother's Day gift for the thinking and reading woman in your life, this book is it. I also recommend it for high school/young women to read ~~ it gives them an idea of what women face every day as they juggle the roles of motherhood and wifehood or single parenting or just being a woman in today's world. This is a wonderful book and a best gift for everyone to add to their booklist.

The Truth Behind the Mommy Wars: Who Decides What Makes a Good Mother?
by Miriam Peskowitz

Mommy Wars & Choices Examined Carefully
Reviewer: S. Dunavan (Ann Arbor, MI)

A really good, thoughtful, well-written book. I don't know why it hasn't been reviewed anywhere in the mainstream media, when Judith Warner's book (which I haven't read yet, so no comparisons) is all over the place.

Peskowitz looks at SAH moms, moms who work PT, and WOH moms, and every permutation of work/childcare and "sequencing" you can imagine. She examines the stereotypes, politcal manipulation, media & marketing, and what women (and some men) really do, and how women's "personal choices" (as in "opting out") may actually be better described as being "squeezed out" by culture, companies, and just the time crunch that being a parent entails. She looks at feminism's role in this and in motherhood.

This book was a huge breath of common sense. Peskowitz doesn't rant, she doesn't tell gut-wrenching personal stories (or especially hilarious ones), and she doesn't over-simplify the issues. Maybe that's why it hasn't been a big hit? It's too reasonable? I don't know.

One thing lacking: an index. There are good footnotes, and you can tell that her statements are backed up by fact (and you can check the facts yourself via the footnotes), but an index would help you when you think, hmm, what did she say about FMLA (the Family Medical Leave Act)? What chapter was that in again?

Here's one of my favorite quotes: "With the kids interrupting and needing attention, who can finish a sentence, let along organize a piece of a revolution?" (p. 173).

Mommy-CEO: 5 Golden Rules
by Jodie Lynn

Mommy-CEO: 5
Reviewer: Darcy Volden Miller

   This book is a MUST HAVE! I wish that I would have picked up Mommy CEO before I began my company. Running a successful business from home is a challenge in itself but throw in the factor of running a business and raising a baby/toddler along with all the other responsibilities that come with running a family and that can equal to some serious chaos. I realize now that not only am I CEO of my business but also CEO of my family. When I took this wonderful new paradigm shift and put it into action it did wonders not only for my family but also for my business. I went from what seemed like total chaos and stress to a peaceful harmony. Jodie Lynn stresses not to forget the little things in life -- as they are the REAL essence to life and happiness! She couldn't be more right and it's often all too easy to forget that if you're living in a state of chaos. I have recommended this book to all 70 mom entrepreneurs that comprise my site.