Books for Mother's Day
The dictionary defines "mother" as one who either gives birth to or cares and protects like a mother. Not all who mother are biological mothers. Sometimes single fathers must play the role of mother as well as father. We might find a grandmother, aunt or other caring female in the role of mothering a child who is not their direct offspring. There are stepmothers, foster mothers and mothers who've adopted their children.
Successful mothering is no simple task. Mothers must wear lots of different hats while they protect, love, teach and care for their young.
Mothers also know the importance of allowing their children the freedom to explore on their own, to make their own choices, both good and bad, while gently nudging their children out of the nest toward independence and self-sufficiency.
There is no job that has greater challenges or greater rewards than that of a mother. Our children will be off on their own sooner than we think. How we raise them will make all the difference. Happy Mother's Day!
The following book is available from public libraries.<B>"The Quilt"</B> by Gary Paulsen, Wendy Lamb Books/Random House, 83 pages; read aloud: age 8 and older; read yourself: age 8 to 9 and older.In a rural area of Minnesota in 1944, a 6-year-old boy is spending the summer with his strong and loving grandmother, Alida. The men have gone off to fight in the war, leaving the women behind to run the farms. The boy helps as much as he can, but when he and his grandmother are called to his cousin's farm to help with the birth of her first born, there is little he can do.Women quickly fill the house. All have come to help, and while they wait for the baby to come, the women work on the quilt — the quilt of the boy's family. Each patchwork holds a story, and as they share the stories with one another, the boy learns about love and sadness, sorrow and joy, death and new life.Beautifully rendered, this tender novel speaks quietly of what is most important in life.
<B>Library:</B> Prospect Community Library, Prospect<B>Library Director:</B> Jeanne Sarnese<B>Choices this week:</B> <B>"I Love You as Much"</B> by Laura Kraus Melmed; <B>"Summerland"</B> by Michael Chabon; <B>"Redwall"</B> series by Brian Jacques
The following books are available at favorite bookstores.<B>"Baby Face: A Book of Love for Baby"</B> by Cynthia Rylant; illustrated by Diane Goode; Simon & Schuster, 2008; 40 pages; $16.99 hardcover; read aloud: age 1 to 3; read yourself: age 7.Six rhyming verses celebrate a baby's day and how much a baby is loved. From taking first steps, bath time, long walks in the stroller to see the world, first teeth, bedtime and more, a baby's day is busy and filled with much love.A joyful celebration of all the wonderful, treasured moments in a baby's life, "Baby Face" is perfect for Mother's Day and every day.<B>"What's Inside Your Tummy, Mommy?"</B> written and illustrated by Abby Cocovini; Henry Holt, 2008; 20 pages; $8.95 paperback; read aloud: age 3 to 8; read yourself: age 7 to 8 and older.A child is naturally curious when his or her mother is pregnant, and this marvelous book explains what goes on inside a mommy's tummy throughout each month of pregnancy. Simple, engaging text is perfectly matched with clear, happy illustrations, making the abstract idea of pregnancy easy to understand. And, there's no mention of how the baby got into the mommy's tummy (for families who aren't ready for that talk).Help answer a child's questions about the new sibling that will arrive, as well as the child's own first beginnings with this excellent book, "Mommy, What's Inside Your Tummy?"
