book recommendations

Celebrating Reading Mothers on Mother’s Day

Those of us who have Mothers who loved reading know how blessed we are. Or at least, we *should*. The love of reading, when taught by example is powerful at any age. As I thought about my own mom approaching Mother’s Day, I wondered what I could do to celebrate her and women like her. This year I wanted to share how she not only gave me a love of reading, but also the kinds of books that can connect us with our mothers. So join me to discover books about Mothers we love.

Mother’s Love to Connect through Books

I realize that making the statement that mother’s love to connect through books will leave some people scratching their heads. “Well, my mom didn’t love to read.” If that’s you, I hope that there was something else that you and your mother shared and connected through. For me, it was story. Story comes in many shapes and sizes. I consumed story through music, television, films, and, of course, books. It was story that connected us as I ran through the door after school and chatting about books. Story connected us as she shared what she had read when we caught up on the phone when I became a mother. But conversations like that almost didn’t happen.

I remember my mommie telling me that when she was younger she didn’t like reading. This was a shocking thought to me. My mother always had a book she was reading and often took it with her to appointments. She confessed to me that she was slower than most readers. That’s not to say she wasn’t intelligent, I believe she was quite smart. But it took her a long time to read. When she compared herself to others, she grew frustrated and decided she didn’t like it.

So, what happened to change her from the young woman who gave up on reading to the woman who always had a bookmark moving slowly through a book? My mom blamed Jesus. Go ahead and laugh, this part always makes me giggle. She said that when she gave her life to Christ, He gave her a love of reading. Suddenly, she was hungry to tear through the Bible and that appetite extended beyond nonfiction into the land of story. By the time she had me, she was reading all the time. She loved learning about many things through the written and spoken word.

Why Do We Love Books About Mother’s?

I hope you’ll agree that one of the most pivotal relationships in life is that of a child with his or her mother. If the relationship is healthy, then the child has a chance at a well-balanced life full of promise and opportunity. But if the relationship is unhealthy, then the child will feel the impact all their lives, even if they heal. When closely examined, it is easy to see how this relationship is a magnet for storytelling. It is foundational and can set up everything in plot.

Growing up as a bookworm, I noticed mothers in books, especially fairy tales. There were mothers who died too young. Stepmothers who were evil. Mothers who accidentally traded their daughters for a head of lettuce. And yeah, that last one became the foundation for my first published series of books, a retelling of Rapunzel. But I couldn’t have noticed all these strange relationships with mothers if my own mom hadn’t taught me to read and process what I read through fascinating great discussions with her.

This is a tradition that has come through to my own little family. I miss the phone calls and visits with my mom, she died in 2013. But the books that she and my husband’s mother sent our children when they were little became an important part of our lives. First, it was just a little basket of books. My daughter, just learning to play, would turn it upside down and sit in it. One by one, she would “read” the books to herself happily kicking her legs over the side of the basket.

Later, it was a nook crowded with princess chairs where my daughters would sit and read. When their little brother came along, he didn’t care about the girlie pink chairs as long as he had a book in his hands. Every home we have ever had has housed several bookshelves filled with books on all sorts of subjects and genres. Now that my kids are older, we rarely sit and read aloud. But we have our own “unofficial book club”. You can find us discussing what we are reading, often about how mothers impact the characters in the books we love.

Books About Mothers We Love

As I chose books to recommend centered around the mother/child relationship, I noticed something. Each one of them explores how what is said and what is left unsaid is paramount. As a talkative child, the idea of leaving things unsaid seemed foreign and foolish.

{I mean, they did call me Yacky Jackie which may be why I switched to JacQueline . . . but I digress.}

Maturing meant I began to see how important it was to refrain from saying everything. It also meant I saw that withholding could also lead to damage. And yes, I learned this because my mommie and I discussed stories where these things happened. Most of these books should come with trigger warnings. *If you are a sensitive reader, please know that there are traumatic events that are worked through until the characters reach healing.

The Joy Luck Club

Though I read a great many books while in high school, The Joy Luck Club stands out in my mind. This is the story of four Chinese mothers who emigrated to America. It opened my eyes to the way immigration can add another gap of understanding between generations. As the daughters and mothers tell their stories, I was spellbound by how simple things were misunderstood because of cultural differences. I was stunned by how easy it seemed to lose fellowship because of those misunderstandings.

What I love best about this book is how there is the promise of hope and healing, even though one of the mothers has died. As the daughters learn more about their mothers and China, each woman begins to realize who she is meant to be. I know I discussed this book with my mom the first time I read it.

Marta’s Legacy

Her Mother’s Hope and Her Daughter’s Dream are part of Marta’s Legacy series by Francine Rivers. These were two of the last books that my mother and I discussed at length. I remember them so vividly because my family was on such a tight budget that I could not afford to get the second book when it came out. Her Daughter’s Dream was the last book my mother ever gave me.

Marta’s Legacy chronicles several generations of mothers and daughters as they live, thrive, and sometimes barely survive all that life throws at them. Francine Rivers weaves the threads of the stories together to show that God’s hand is at work even in the misunderstandings. She also shared that writing the series was her way of exploring what had happened between her grandmother and mother. The faith of these women is hard-won and I rejoiced over the bittersweet ending.

Within the Spell

Having thought through these stories of mothers and their children, I can now see that a great deal of what I have included in my fairy tale retellings has to do with a mother in need of redemption. As I stated before, Rapunzel’s mother trades her daughter in the free prequel, Before the Tower. When we meet Rapunzel in Beyond the Tower {free on all online bookstores}, she is unsure of who her mother is and her place in the world. As Rapunzel finds her way in Amidst the Castles, she has to reconcile what has happened to her. But it is not until Within the Spell that we truly see the way forward, both with her mother and with God.

I have discovered in life that to say you forgive someone who wronged you is one thing, but to live a life of forgiveness requires God’s help. At the heart of my stories is the need for redemption. This calls for moving past what has been done to us and looking for God’s healing in what He has done for us. If you would like to journey with Rapunzel, you can get them everywhere through the links I’ve included.

About JacQueline

As the author of  The Journey series, a young adult fantasy retelling Rapunzel’s misadventures, JacQueline also wrote Memoirs of a Headcase: Held by the God of Hope, to share hope in the battle against chronic pain and depression. Currently she lives in North Alabama with her karate husband and three book-crazy kids. All opinions expressed on this website come from her own experience. Do not substitute it for professional therapy or medical advice. Any affiliate links used on this website will provide additional income to JacQueline’s family at no additional cost to you.

If you are a reader wanting to connect with JacQueline, you can get a free book here. Each month you will receive book recommendations and other booknerd fun.

Are you a writer or an author looking for help? JacQueline has been writing all her life and loves meeting others who think writing is living. As an author coach, helping other writers on their journey gives her joy. Schedule your free coaching call to learn what steps you should take next now.

Photo Credit: Sincerely Media, Sixteen Miles Out, JacQueline Vaughn Roe, Liana Mikah.