10. Northern Lights: the Soccer Trails Michael Kusugak A beautiful way for a family to celebrate the day and deal with the grief of a mother who is no longer with them.
9. A Promise is a Promise Robert Munsch & Michael Kusugak I love that Allashua is not harshly scolded for her mistake. Her mother devises a plan to help her daughter fix what she has done. Don't we all aspire to parent like this?
8. Where the Wild Things Are Maurice Sendak Any mother of a boy can appreciate this one. Max may be the most wild thing of all- the king of the wild things, but mom's homecooking tames the little beast and brings him home. Yep. That's a mother son relationship in a nutshell.
7. Horton Hatches an Egg Dr. Seuss If you are an extremely devoted step mother (such as myself), a single mother discouraged by the novelty your children's father holds, or raising a child that is not your own, you'll want to cry when you read this one. The image of an elephant with wings always reminds me that there is room in my step-daughter's life for two moms.
6. Will you Carry Me? Heleen van Rossum Not only a very cute story, this familiar tale reminds us mothers to creatively seek ways to push our children's potential, rather than carry them through life.
5. I Love You Little One Nancy Tafuri Perfect for the last book of the night. A touching book to reassure your child of the infinite depths of a mother's love.
4. Are You My Mother P.D. Eastman As toddlers become more aware of the big scary world, their anxiety levels can often sky rocket. Sharing the tale of a baby bird's quest for his mother will help to reassure them that you will always be there for them.
3. Guess How Much I Love You Sam McBratney There are a few reasons why this is near the top of my list. First, Big Nutbrown Hair seems to always out do Little Nutbrown Hair, with his demonstration of love. Only a parent could understand the difference in a parent's love for a child, as opposed to a child's love for a parent. A parent always feels that they love their child just a little bit more. Second, I love that the relationship between Big Nutbrown Hair and Little Nutbrown Hair is unspecified. I really enjoy sharing this one with my step-daughter. This is the ideal book for a parent of a non-traditional family.
2. The Giving Tree Shel Silverstein This one is guaranteed to make you look like a bozo in front of your kids. It always makes me cry. Maybe it's just the post natal hormones, but I think it's the message. The tree makes me think of a mother. She will give to her children, until the end, and even then, she will find a way to nurture them. I'll stop now before I tear up. I still have another book to get through.
1. Love You Forever Robert Munsch I dare someone to find a more definitive Mother's Day book. I never make it through this classic without a few tears (especially when my two-year-old son tells me he will hold me when I am old). According to the other mothers I know, I am not alone. Our children drive us CRAAAA-zy, but our love and concern for them does not change. We hope that it will nurture not only a mutual love between us, but that our undying love will grow in them and manifest itself in their own lives as parents. Don't we all hope to leave a legacy of love? This story is a mother's fairytale. Oh yeah, and it's quirky, and we know how I love that.
I read the other day that women are prone to give up literature in exchange for chick lit, after motherhood. I am convinced this has a great deal to do with time restraints and exhaution. I would like to wage a campaign against mommy mush brain. Tonight, after the kids are asleep, do yourself a favour and try to fit in a liitle Maya Angelou for peace of soul and inspiration, and Erma Bombeck for humour and perspective.
Happy Mother's Day!!!
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