Tag: motherhood

Go To Sleep (I Miss You): Cartoons From the Fog of New Parenthood (Lucy Knisley)

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Hello friends, and Happy Mother’s Day! As a special treat, today’s review is one for the moms: Go To Sleep (I Miss You): Cartoons From the Fog of New Parenthood by Lucy Knisley.

In this delightful collection of sketches and one- to four-panel cartoons – conceptualized and created during the first few years of her son’s life – graphic novelist Knisley captures the highs and lows – and REALLY lows and lunacies and laughter and tears and in-betweens – of new motherhood. Capturing hilariously specific and relatable aspects of this adjustment period, such as bizarre search histories (“How Many Poops Normal Baby?”), the endless stickiness of one’s inner elbow, the pride/exhaustion of watching them discover the world, and an entire chapter titled “Bodily Fluids.”

I loved this. I definitely had multiple laughs of understanding and sympathy as I read, even texting excerpts to mom friends who also remember the wonderment and bewilderment of that crazy time in you and your baby’s life. Knisley lays it all on the page, from gushing over her somewhat-biased designation of her son as “the best” baby; to the endless frustrations and physical/emotional toll of breastfeeding, and everything in-between. The art is frank yet fond, sarcastic yet sweet, and perfectly captures the running theme of “Motherhood is Weird”. Readers who have survived this stage of motherhood will look back on their own bittersweet memories of babyhood, and new moms may feel a little less alone in their brave new world. Just note: this one is definitely for adult readers; while JJ enjoyed looking over my shoulder at the illustrations, the subject matter was far beyond her or most any child. This one’s just for the moms, and a warm and worthy tribute to motherhood it is. Baby Bookworm’s Mama approved!

(Note: A copy of this book was provided to The Baby Bookworm by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)

You Be Mommy (Karla Clark)

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Hello, friends! Our book today is You Be Mommy, written by Karla Clark and illustrated by Zoe Persico, a sweet tribute to everything moms do for their loved ones… and what makes it all worth it.

“Can you be mommy?” an exhausted mother jokingly asks her youngest child at bedtime. After all, Mommy has had a big day. She worked a full shift at her retail job, then came home to a messy house. She helped with homework, bathed the dog, drove the older siblings to their practices, did laundry, mended clothes, cooked; and so on and so on (context clues would indicate she is a single parent as well). Mommy is just feeling a little… pooped! Gamely, her little girl plays along, wiping Mommy’s nose, tucking her in under her favorite blanket, and giving goodnight kisses and cuddles. Yet when the little girl begins to drift off herself, Mommy smiles, and does what mommies always do – takes care of her baby.

Adorable. In subdued yet amusing rhyme, the story follows a harried – yet never quite flustered – mom through her busy day, bookended by the charming and relatable exchange with her youngest child. It’s a subtle balance of celebrating hard-working moms and reminding younger readers of not only everything moms do for their families, but also why they do these things; simply, because they care. The cartoonish illustration is lush and vibrant with color; the family’s home has a fantastic visual theme of growing green plants and cozy textures. One thing I loved especially was that the super-mom was depicted as a more average-sized, curvy woman; moms in picture books are not often shown as anything other than skinny and/or hourglass-shaped. In addition to being a woman of color, it’s a nice bit of representation for super-moms. The length was perfect, and JJ and I really enjoyed it. A warm and worthy celebration of often-unsung heroes, and it’s Baby Bookworm approved!

(Note: A copy of this book was provided to The Baby Bookworm by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)

You Belong (Rachel Platten)

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Hello, friends! As we gear up to Mother’s Day, we have a few lovely mama-themed books to share with you! Today, we’re reviewing You Belong, written by Rachel Platten and illustrated by Marcin Piwowarski, a tribute to the excitement and anticipation of a new baby’s arrival.

Adapted from singer-songwriter Platten’s 2018 single of the same name (which was itself inspired by Platten’s pregnancy with her first child), this sincere title looks at the exciting and anxious days leading up to a baby’s birth – from the nursery-painting, baby showers, and simple wondering – to the arrival and childhood of the baby-to-be. Following a central expectant couple (drawn as Platten and her husband), the artwork also features a diverse cast of families also anticipating, raising, and loving their babies, assuring them that no matter who they are or what they do, they belong.

Very sweet. Platten’s earnest lyrics translate well to book format; the rhythm flows well even when recited a-melodically, and the words have a strongly story-like narrative. A section in the middle where a bridge repeats is a little awkward for readers unfamiliar with the titular tune, and probably could have been omitted, but it’s also only two pages that feature some of the most beautiful art in the book so.. fair play. On that subject, the dreamy art is colorful yet serene, and fits the text perfectly. The racially-diverse families, which also include single-parent, mixed-race, and extended family are a nice effort; one couple was possibly LGBT+, but this was visually pretty vague. Still, the length was good, and JJ enjoyed this one. A solid addition to the new-baby picture book genre that is clearly straight from the heart, and it’s Baby Bookworm approved.

(Note: A copy of this book was provided to The Baby Bookworm by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)

Little Tigers (Jo Weaver)

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Hello, friends! Our book today is Little Tigers by Jo Weaver, third in her touching series about mothers and their little ones.

One night, Mother Tiger hears the sounds of men and dogs near their den, and decides that it’s time to move further into the jungle. The next morning, she and her two cubs, Sera and Puli, set off on a search for a new home. Sera suggests a private, protected nook she knows, a cave behind a waterfall. Mother Tiger explains that it is too wet; to Puli’s suggestion of the branches of a tall tree, she similarly explains the problems with sleeping up too high. Two more locations are explored, neither the right fit for the Tiger family. Growing concerned that they will have nowhere to spend the night, Mother Tiger spots a promising locale: a ruined temple that’s been reclaimed by nature. After investigating, Mother Tiger declares it safe, and she and cubs cuddle together for a good night’s rest.

One of Weaver’s previous books, Little One, is one of my absolute favorite picture books on motherhood, and this one has many of the same elements: themes of family, nature, exploration, and motherly love, wrapped in a package of some absolutely breathtaking illustrations. The story is simple and easy to follow for young bookworms, yet teases weightier subjects – such as human encroachment and the threat to Bengal tigers – that are worthy of consideration and discussion for older readers. The length is fine for bookworms of any age, JJ was enchanted by the lifelike artwork, and, as a mom, it inspired a particularly heartwarming reaction from me. A quiet, lovely tale, and it’s Baby Bookworm approved!

(Note: A copy of this book was provided to The Baby Bookworm by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)

Silly Wonderful You (Sherri Duskey Rinker)

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Hello friends, and happy Mother’s Day! In honor of the occasion, we read a favorite from our own library: Silly Wonderful You, written by Sherri Duskey Rinker and illustrated by Patrick McDonnell. It’s an adorable celebration of moms and their little ones, and the joys, frustrations, and incomparable rewards of motherhood.

As narrator, a mother addresses her young toddler about how much life has changed since the little girl came to be. She notes that ever since there was her, the house was never so messy or LOUD! The mother could never have predicted just how many stuffed animals would move in with her daughter, or how wonderful her glitter-and-glue artworks would be. She never would have imagined the splashy baths or the sticky messes or the impromptu frolics in the park. And now that life has changed so drastically in the wake of her boisterous, joyful, aggravating, unique child? She simply wouldn’t want to imagine things any other way.

This is a classic love letter about mother and child, and it’s an absolutely lovely one. The text has an unusual cadence, using rhymes and onomatopoeia as emphasis rather than throughout, but it fits the theme of the somewhat chaotic nature of raising a toddler. Fans of McConnell’s comic strip Mutts will recognize his distinctive pen-and-ink drawings, and he draws each preposterous and precious moment with obvious fondness and care. The length is perfect, it’s one of JJ’s favorite bedtime stories, and it always warms my heart by the last page. A fabulous story for mommies and their little ones, and it’s absolutely Baby Bookworm approved!

(Note: Our copy of this book was gifted to The Baby Bookworm by the author. This does not affect the impartiality of our review.)