Mums…they are always ready to help by offering great advice – ‘take a coat’, ‘trust your gut’, ‘you’re better than you think’.
What’s the best advice your mum has given you?
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Tag Archives: #mothersday
Monday Inspo
Mother’s Day is just around the corner and this week we are sharing our top picks of amazing coffee table books to gift her. But today, we have this little gem for you.
Top Picks for Mother’s Day… part two
Last week we looked at titles that both make a great gift for mum but also double as a book to borrow back for your own reading pleasure. This week we’re focusing on the younger children and have some fabulous titles that highlight the love we have for our mums…no matter what species they are!
Everything is Mama by Jimmy Fallon
Everything is . . . MAMA! Jimmy Fallon, one of the most popular entertainers in the world and NBC’s Tonight Show host, was on a mission with his first children’s book to have every baby’s first word be DADA. And it worked! A lot of babies’ first words were DADA. However, everything after that was MAMA. So take a lighthearted look at the world from your baby’s point of view as different animals try to teach their children that there are other words in addition to mama for familiar objects and activities.
A Gift for Mama by Linda Ravin Lodding
Oskar sets out with a single coin to find the perfect gift for his mother. And he spots it at once: a beautiful yellow rose. But when he meets an artist, Oskar trades the rose for a paintbrush. And when he meets a conductor, he trades the paintbrush for a sheet of music. The bustling streets are full of interesting people and delightful possible presents, and Oskar trades one gift for another, and another, and another! But what he finds by the end of the day is even more precious. Simple kindness is at the heart of this enchanting, gloriously-illustrated tale.
My Mom Has X-Ray Vision by Angela McAllister
Matthew’s mum is just like all the other mums. She has ordinary hair, ordinary clothes, and a nice smile. Matthew’s mum is just like all the other mums…except she has X-RAY VISION! How else could she always know what Matthew is up to? She knows when he jumps on the bed, or when he uses her pots and pans outside, and she even knows when he is wrestling with sea monsters in the bathtub! Matthew is sure his mum can see through things just like a superhero! One day he decides to test his theory.
My Mom is Magical by Sabrina Moyle
A magical mother is personified by a dazzling cartoon unicorn with a rainbow mane and tail. “My mom is more amazing than a billion butterflies! More sparkly than a universe of stars! Sweeter than a cloud of cotton candy!” No task is too daunting for the bipedal and fashion-forward unicorn as she frolics underwater in a sea of smiling jellyfish while clad in a pink diving suit. “Braver than a deep-sea explorer!” She even plays a pink electric guitar while wearing roller skates, rainbow leg warmers, and a disco ball on her horn. It’s a delightful book.
The Best Mother by C.M. Surrisi
When Maxine wakes up on the wrong side of the bed one morning, she wonders if the problem might be her mother. What if she could try out a new mum who doesn’t make her brush her teeth or comb her hair? Enlisting Mum to help her with the search, Maxine interviews various prospects to be her new mother at the park, the toy store, and the zoo. Unfortunately, these other mothers present a host of new problems and concerns. Maybe her “old mother” was the best mother of all? For every child who’s ever wondered if the grass is greener, The Best Mother affirms that there’s nothing better than your own mother’s love.
I Would Tuck You In by Sarah Asper-Smith and Mitchell Watley
This children’s bedtime story is filled with baby animals and their mothers. An otter tucks her little one into a kelp forest bed; a family of brown bears snuggle all through the winter; a humpback whale sings a song to soothe her calf. Lovingly illustrated and lyrically written, I Would Tuck You In is written and illustrated by husband-and-wife author and artist team Mitchell Watley and Sarah Asper-Smith.
How to Babysit a Grandma by Jean Reagan and Lee Wildish
Grab your pillow and get ready to spend some special time with your grandma! When you babysit a grandma, if you’re lucky it’s a sleepover at her house. With the useful tips found in this book, you’re guaranteed to become an expert grandma-sitter in no time. Be sure to check the sections on how to keep your grandma busy, things to do at the park and what to do when you’re both snugly tucked in at bedtime. From the author-illustrator team behind the bestselling How to Babysit a Grandad comes a funny and heartwarming celebration of grandmas and grandchildren.
Grandma’s Purse by Vanessa Brantley-Newton
When Grandma Mimi comes to visit, she always brings warm hugs, sweet treats…and her purse. You never know what she’ll have in there, fancy jewellery, tokens from around the world, or something special just for her granddaughter. It might look like a normal bag from the outside, but Mimi and her granddaughter know that it’s pure magic.
Enjoy!
Remember to say Thank You
Why not give this a go. Dr. Laura Trice muses on the power of the magic words “thank you” which can deepen a friendship, repair a bond, make sure another person knows what they mean to you.
#tuesdaychat
With Mother’s Day just around the corner we’ll be looking at some fab titles to gift Mum this Sunday…but for today we’re reflecting on the best advice she’s given us.
My mum always said ‘Just make sure you’re having fun’. What about yours?
Best Books For Mother’s Day
The market for Mother’s Day books has always been very broad and a little ‘obvious’…titles promoted often range from the latest romancy-fiction through to cookbooks that you know she’ll never actually cook from…that’s why we’ve decided to change it up a little this year and share books with you that really do deserve a spot on your mum’s bookshelf…and ones you may actually want to borrow back.
The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart by Holly Ringland
If your mum is into the latest fiction then this enchanting debut novel of 2018 is a must-read. It is a deeply moving and romantic story of a young girl who has to learn the hard way that she can break the patterns of the past, live on her own terms and find her own strength.
After her family suffers a tragedy, nine-year-old Alice Hart is forced to leave her idyllic seaside home. She is taken in by her grandmother, June, a flower farmer who raises Alice on the language of Australian native flowers, a way to say the things that are too hard to speak. Under the watchful eye of June and the women who run the farm, Alice settles, but grows up increasingly frustrated by how little she knows of her family’s story. In her early twenties, Alice’s life is thrown into upheaval again when she suffers devastating betrayal and loss. Desperate to outrun grief, Alice flees to the dramatically beautiful central Australian desert. In this otherworldly landscape Alice thinks she has found solace, until she meets a charismatic and ultimately dangerous man. Spanning two decades, set between sugar cane fields by the sea, a native Australian flower farm, and a celestial crater in the central desert, The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart follows Alice’s unforgettable journey, as she learns that the most powerful story she will ever possess is her own.
The Wisdom of Sundays by Oprah Winfrey
This book is filled with meaningful conversations from Oprah’s show, Super Soul Sunday. Organised into ten chapters, each one representing a powerful step in Oprah’s own spiritual journey and introduced with an intimate, personal essay by Oprah herself. The Wisdom of Sundays features selections from the most meaningful conversations between Oprah and some of today’s most admired thought leaders. Visionaries like Tony Robbins, Arianna Huffington, and Shonda Rhimes share their lessons in finding purpose through mindfulness and intention.
The Woman in the Window by A. J. Finn
If your mum is someone who enjoys the thriller genre, give her The Woman in the Window.
It’s been ten long months since Anna Fox last left her home. Ten months during which she has haunted the rooms of her old New York house like a ghost, lost in her memories, too terrified to step outside. Anna’s lifeline to the real world is her window, where she sits day after day, watching her neighbours. When the Russells move in, Anna is instantly drawn to them. A picture-perfect family of three, they are an echo of the life that was once hers. But one evening, a frenzied scream rips across the silence, and Anna witnesses something no one was supposed to see. Now she must do everything she can to uncover the truth about what really happened. But even if she does, will anyone believe her? And can she even trust herself?
I See You by Clare Mackintosh
Here’s another one for the Mum that loves a thrill. When Zoe Walker sees her photo in the classifieds section of a London newspaper, she is determined to find out why it’s there. There’s no explanation: just a grainy image, a website address and a phone number. She takes it home to her family, who are convinced it’s just someone who looks like Zoe. But the next day the advert shows a photo of a different woman, and another the day after that. Is it a mistake? A coincidence? Or is someone keeping track of every move they make…
The Keeper of Lost Things by Ruth Hogan
This is a charming and moving story exploring the objects that hold meaning to our lives, and the surprising connections that bind us. This book is great for the mums who have kept everything.
Anthony Peardew has spent half his life collecting lost objects, trying to atone for a promise broken many years before. Realising he is running out of time, he leaves his house and all its lost treasures to his assistant Laura, the one person he can trust to fulfil his legacy and reunite the thousands of objects with their rightful owners. But the final wishes of the ‘Keeper of Lost Things’ have unforeseen repercussions which trigger a most serendipitous series of encounters.
Only Child by Rhiannon Navin
We went to school that Tuesday like normal. Not all of us came home…
Huddled in a cloakroom with his classmates and teacher, six-year-old Zach can hear shots ringing through the corridors of his school. A gunman has entered the building and, in a matter of minutes, will have taken nineteen lives. In the aftermath of the shooting, the close knit community and its families are devastated. Everyone deals with the tragedy differently. Zach’s father absents himself; his mother pursues a quest for justice – while Zach retreats into his super-secret hideout and loses himself in a world of books and drawing. Ultimately though, it is Zach who will show the adults in his life the way forward – as, sometimes, only a child can. If you’re looking for a book to stop and make mum think, then this is it.
Enjoy!
There is a book for every sort of mum… not your usual Mother’s Day booklist
Mother’s Day only comes around once a year (most commonly on the second Sunday in May, but some countries celebrate mums at other times, such as Spring Equinox or International Women’s Day) so when it does you have to make it count. After all, our mums do so much for us and this is the one day each year that’s all about them. So on May 14th this year, why not treat your mum to to something she can enjoy and expand her horizons with.
For the Mum Who Loves a Little Mystery…
The Mystery Writers of America Cookbook: Wickedly Good Meals and Desserts to Die For by Kate White
This unconventional cookbook features breakfasts, appetisers, desserts, cocktails and other fabulous goodies from a number of mystery authors and their characters. The book also offers multiple sidebars that link the food to the fiction— like poisons people used to plant in their gardens, and an explainer about how “red herring” went from the plate to the page.
For the Mum Who Sees Everything…
Capture the Moment by Sarah Wilkerson
This book is both beautiful to page through and a thorough instruction manual for budding photographers. More than 100 contributors from Clickin Moms, the largest female-photographer social network, have included photographs and advice for capturing basic, understated moments in everyday life and beautiful ways to chronicle family in photos. She’ll be inspired to pick up her camera and finally use it without having to attend an actual photography class.
For the Mum who’s had enough of trinkets and dusting…
The Art of Discarding: How to get rid of clutter and find joy by Nagisa Tatsumi
Before there was The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo, there was this book that inspired it all. Published for the first time in English, Nagisa Tatsumi gives easy advice on how to get rid of things that are just cluttering your life, instead of adding value to it. Additionally, she gives guidelines on how to acquire less stuff in the first place, so what she calls “accumulation syndrome” doesn’t return. Tatsumi believes that by changing our attitudes about our possessions we can rid ourselves of all the stuff we don’t actually need, opening the door to find joy in a clutter-free life.
For the Mum who loves a story…
Stop Here, This Is the Place by Susan Conley and Winky Lewis
This book is a string of memories between two women. Every day for a year, Lewis sent Conley a photograph of her children, and Conley responded with a story that spoke to the photo. What resulted is a collection of moments and stories that chronicle a child’s growth and a mother’s love for her family.
Happy Family by Tracey Barone
Abandoned and then adopted when she was just a baby, Cheri finds herself 40 years old, in a bad place with her own parents and her job, and trying to have a baby of her own. But she is no stranger to dysfunction or reinventing herself when she needs to. A story of imperfect characters, who, despite constant surprises, pull through the difficult times in life.
For the Mum who could rule the world…and often does…
We Were Feminists Once by Andi Zeisler
Mums with an interest in politics will enjoy this history of the Feminist movement that follows the term from when it was once regarded as a dirty word to the present day, where it is plastered on T-shirts and adopted as a brand by celebrities. Throughout the book, Zeisler argues that, although the phrase (and its ideas) have been popularized in the mainstream, the acceptance of the phrase doesn’t mean women are any closer to becoming equal. Touching on movies, advertising, fashion and more, Zeisler explores how the “feminist” world around us has done little to push for real change.
First Women by Kate Andersen Brower
This anthology looks at powerful First Ladies who were often underestimated women who are intelligent, thick-skinned, and as important to their country as their husbands. From Jackie Kennedy to Betty Ford to Michelle Obama, this book reviews their achievements and struggles, and paints a powerful picture of female political leadership.
The Secret History of Wonder Women by Jill Lepore
Wonder Woman was created in 1941, on the brink of World War II, and is the most popular female superhero of all time. Aside from Superman and Batman, she has lasted the longest and commanded the most vast and wildly passionate following. Like every other superhero, Wonder Woman has a secret identity. Unlike others, she also has a secret history. In Jill Lepore’s riveting work of historical detection, Wonder Woman’s story provides the missing link in the history of the struggle for women’s rights, a chain of events that begins with the women’s suffrage campaigns of the early 1900s and ends with the troubled place of feminism a century later.
Enjoy!
Thanks Mum! Booko’s Mother’s Day Picks
It is nice to have a special day in the calendar to acknowledge the love and hard work of mothers – even though I would like to think that every day should be Mother’s Day. Well, a wonderful book – beautiful to look at, hers to keep forever, with captivating stories that can be revisited again and again – can stretch out that Mother’s Day feeling a little longer. Here is a selection of wonderful recent titles by mothers, for mothers and about mothers:
Room by Emma Donoghue
Jack is a cheerful 5-year-old who lives with his Ma in a small room. His days are fun and filled with activities with Ma. Gradually, we realise that Jack and Ma never leave their Room because they are held captive – and that Jack is the result of Ma’s repeated rape by their captor. Echoing several real-life cases, Room is remarkable for its tender mother-child relationship, and for having Jack as the narrator. These elements turn an otherwise horrifying story into something luminous. Room is a gripping novel that has become a much-praised film – with Brie Larson’s sensitive portrayal of Ma winning her the Best Actress Oscar.
How I Met Your Father by Aminah Hart
Aminah Hart’s autobiography has so resonated with readers that this new release is already a bestseller. Aminah has experienced the agony of losing two infant sons to a congenital disorder. Desperate to be a mother, Aminah managed to remain resilient, and eventually conceived a healthy baby girl through IVF. When she tracked down her daughter’s donor father, she found Scott Andersen – and their connection developed into attraction and love. This joyous “back to front” love story is a true triumph over tragedy.
Spark Joy by Marie Kondo
Marie Kondo’s The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up is a huge hit in over 40 countries. Her message that we should only retain items that “spark joy” speaks to us about more than tidying – to many fans, the decluttering expresses a philosophy about not becoming slaves to possessions. Spark Joy is the follow-up, and it acts as a masterclass for the KonMari method – with illustrations explaining various folding techniques, and explanations on points that readers of the first book wish to clarify.
Letters from Motherless Daughters: Words of Courage, Grief and Healing by Hope Edelman
Mother’s Day can be tough for those whose mothers are no longer with them. In Letters from Motherless Daughters, many different women share their experiences of losing their mothers. These letters were sent to author Hope Edelman in response to her bestselling self-help book, Motherless Daughters. These brave, honest letters give insight into how their writers have been changed by, and dealt with, their mothers’ deaths. Let these letters comfort and guide you in accepting and growing from this very personal loss.
A Mother’s Story by Rosie Batty, with Bryce Corbett
Rosie Batty is an ordinary mother whose life was irrevocably changed when her ex-partner murdered their son in public. Amazingly, even in the immediate aftermath, she has managed to channel her grief into incredibly positive actions – by highlighting that domestic violence can happen to anyone. Her resilience and humanity is widely admired, and has made her an influential campaigner against domestic violence. In A Mother’s Story, Rosie Batty shares her heartbreaking story, showing how her experience and her work has changed cultural perceptions around domestic violence. Her dignity and grace is truly inspirational.
Mother, Can you NOT? by Kate Siegel
There is a special (over-)familiarity in mother-daughter relationships that lends itself to hilarity and/or embarrassment – just ask Kate Siegel. The outrageous and cringeworthy text exchanges between Kate Siegel and her mother, known as @CrazyJewishMom, have become an Instagram sensation. Mother, can you NOT? is a loving tribute that shows how the combination of boundless love and lack of personal boundaries lead mothers (and not just Jewish ones!) to do awkward but extremely funny things to their children.
Nonna’s House: Cooking and Reminiscing with Italian Grandmothers at Enoteca Maria
If you have fond memories of cooking with your grandmother – or just wish you do – then you will enjoy Nonna’s House. Enoteca Maria is a very special restaurant on New York’s Staten Island, whose star chefs are ten Italian nonnas (grandmothers). The Nonnas’ families come from all over Italy, and each of them cook authentic regional dishes that have been passed down through the generations. Packed with delicious recipes, Nonna’s House is also a celebration of family, traditions and culture.
If you’re after more Mother’s Day ideas, take a look at our Pinterest board.