We all love our moms and what a perfect day to celebrate what we should be doing all year with Mother’s Day! I’m especially grateful on this Mother’s Day to still have my healthy and able-bodied 92 year old mom still living well and happily. So here are some outstanding books to help celebrate this special mom in our life! The first eight are books to learn and enjoy. The rest are picture books.
Mary The Mother of Jesus, by Camille Fronk Olson, is an account based on the limited scriptural references found in the Bible. There isn’t much written about the details of Mary’s life, but we can learn much about her character, devotion and spirituality in Luke when she is visited by the angel Gabriel to announce that she would be giving birth to a son “…and thou shalt call his name Jesus”. She trusted and obeyed the Lord and fulfilled the role of mothering the Christ child and raising him in love and spirituality. There are gorgeous paintings by various artists found throughout this smallish book. And with the author’s brilliant and devoted research, you’ll know more about the Mother of Jesus.
Doing What We Came To Do: Living a Life of Love, by Ardeth G. Kapp, teaches the basic piece of a life fulfilled: to love. In the Preface, Kapp reiterates one of Christ’s last messages to his apostles before his crucifixion, “That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.” (John 13:34) This wonderful smallish sized book is full of the keys to happiness in this life and is especially perfect for young women about to start their families and mothers who have children and grandchildren. This book demonstrates the importance of love and service. Each of the 5 sections of the book gives an easy recipe to follow in order to find love and happiness: “Ponder, Ask, Act”. By resolving to be proactive in these 3 action words, you can discover the vital importance of being beloved daughters of our Father in Heaven. I have to mention here that I have a special attachment to this special author as I grew up right behind her house.
As Sisters in Zion: The Story Behind the Song, by Debbie J. Christensen, tells about the two sisters who had to overcome much in this world to survive and thrive with the Lord on their side. They meet two Mormon missionaries back in 1852 and their travels begin. They travel over the Atlantic after working hard for four years saving money to travel to America. After arriving, they join the Willie handcart company and begin the most difficult journey of their lives. But with what they learn in that journey, and with the help of the Lord, the younger sister writes a poem about it, which eventually is set to music. This story is an inspiration!
Forget Me Not, by Dieter F. Uchtdorf, is a small book that reads like a quote book with words of wisdom and quick, easy to read distaffs of memorabilia to help make life better. Some of these quips include being patient, happy and that the Lord loves you. The book is based on a talk he gave to the sisters in the Church and can be found in the November 2011 Ensign.
Heaven Help Us! A Humorous Look at Womanhood, by Kari J. Rich, is a look inside the author’s life and thereby seeing life of LDS women and how we all can laugh a little more from the calamities that befall us all. Ms. Rich is hilarious in her take on life and how funny her experiences will surely bring more and longer lasting smiles.
Passage on the Titanic, by Anita Stansfield, is a great story of heroics, love and devotion when Ella Brown is rescued in a hospital by Irene, a sweet sister and member of the church. After Ella recovers, both she and Irene book passage to America on the Titanic. The turmoil that is about to beset Ella is a page-turner and a perfect gift for mom.
Daisy (The Newport Ladies Book Club), by Josi S. Kilpack, is another book that good ol’ mom will love. This is one of four books by four different authors that go along a parallel story line but from the viewpoint of different characters, which in this case, comes from Daisy’s view. She seems to have life all figured out as she continues in her life of empty nesting until her life suddenly turns upside down – and so the best part of the book begins!
And what mom wouldn’t want a yummy cookbook? 365 Days of Slow-Cooking, by Karen Bellessa Petersen, is the perfect cookbook for moms because it’s full of recipes that you just place in the crock-pot and leave while dinner cooks slowly. Some of the recipes include “Home-style Chicken and Stuffing”, “Fruit, Nut, and Wheat Berry Salad” and “Fudgy Graham Cookies”. The ingredients are easy to read as they are on the side-bars of each page. There are also photos of many of the recipes that will get your mouth watering.
I will end this week’s review with a list of adorable new picture books geared especially for moms and families. M. O. M. (Mom Operating Manual), by Doreen Cronin, and illustrated by Laura Cornell, is hilarious and will get mom laughing from the first to the last page. One page has just the drawing of the back of mom’s head but with eyes drawn over the hair and reads “As long as the car is moving, Mom will keep her eyes on the road. It is widely reported that moms have eyes in the backs of their heads for just such occasions.” Science has been unable to disprove this. Act accordingly.
Other great possibilities include the following books: Stay Close to Mama by Toni Buzzeo, and illustrated by Mike Wohnoutka, Ladder to the Moon by Maya Soetoro-Ng, and illustrated by Yuyi Morales, Because Your Mommy Loves You by Andrew Clements, and illustrated by R. W. Alley, Wrong Way by Mark Macleod, and illustrated by Judith Rossdell, Hey Little Baby by Heather Leigh, and illustrated by Genevieve Cote, On the Day You Were Born by Debra Frasier and Meet Me at the Moon by Gianna Marino.
