We all know that old saying that it takes a village to raise a child, and we know that it's true. Mothering is hard, beautiful, all-consuming, and life-changing, so nobody wants to go through it alone (even though it can still feel lonely sometimes). And while real-life friends, family members, teachers, and neighbors are all critical parts of a good village, sometimes we also need the wisdom and insights about parenting that can only be found in the pages of a good book!
We also all know motherhood is all about feelings. Sometimes it is hilarious. Sometimes it is maddening and draining. Sometimes it makes us feel like we can take on and change the world (and sometimes it just makes us want to lay down and have a small coma). The good news is that no matter what mom mood we might be in, there is a book for that!
We've rounded up 16 must-read books that speak to all the many stages and feelings moms may experience. From the inside scoop on how some of our favorite celebs gave birth, to manifestos that make the argument that mothering is the most essential work that humans do, consider this the essential shopping list for a great summer of reading!
'Arrival Stories: Women Share Their Experiences of Becoming Mothers'
$28
from
Barnes & Noble
Arrival Stories is a collection of essays about the birth experience from a diverse array of women, including celebrities like Serena Williams, Amy Schumer, and Christy Turlington Burns. The book is a great read for anyone who loves birth stories, but also raises some really important points about maternal health outcomes in the United States. This is one we predict will get passed from friend to friend!
'Double Time'
Double Time is funny, raw, real, and warm memoir that details writer Jane Roper's experience parenting twins and grappling with mental health challenges, including a bout of depression and a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. This is the perfect read for mothers of multiples or anyone in the thick of trying to figure out their identity as a mom during those challenging toddler years.
'Essential Labor: Mothering as Social Change'
$23.39
from
Red Balloon Books
We dare anyone to read Essential Labor: Mothering as Social Change and to ever describe anyone as "just a mom." This book will make every mom who felt overworked, overwhelmed, underappreciated, and exhausted by the heavy burdens that COVID-19 placed on mothers. Angela Garbes makes the argument that mothering is some of the most highly skilled labor there is and perhaps the most important work anyone can do. Can we get a "hell yes!" on that?
'I'll Show Myself Out'
When we say that I'll Show Myself Out has essays with titles like "Your Husband Will Remarry Five Minutes After You Die" and "Listening to Beyoncé in the Parking Lot of Party City," how could we not want to read it? This collection of reflections about motherhood and being a woman with all the contradictions of modern life is so good. We guarantee women will be sending screenshots of some of the passages to their best mom friends with the caption "OMG. Yes. THIS." It's that good.
'Mom & Me & Mom'
Being well-loved by a present and attentive mother is an amazing experience, but, sadly, it's not something that every child gets to experience. This memoir by the incomparable Maya Angelou is an accounting of her efforts to reconnect with her mother a decade after her mother essentially abandoned her. This the book anyone who has a complicated relationship with their mom needs to read.
'Untamed'
There comes a point in many people's experience of motherhood where they have to ask themselves "wait, who am I, again?" It can be so easy to be consumed by the demands of the little people in our lives to lose ourselves in the process. Untamed is the book we need to get unstuck in our own lives. It is also prime book club material!
'And Now We Have Everything'
Some pregnancies are the result of years of planning and yearning and, well, some pregnancies come as a big surprise. This blunt, hilarious, and super honest memoir is author Meaghan O'Connell's way of grappling with an unexpected pregnancy in her 20s and the way she figured out what being a mother meant before she was totally ready for what it could look like.
'His Bright Light'
Many readers know Danielle Steel as the prolific author of nearly 200 books (no, that's not a typo!) but fans of her romance novels may not realize that she wrote a heartbreaking tribute to her son, who died by suicide when he was 19 years old. This is a story of a mother's love that might just break our hearts a little bit.
'Stepmonster: A New Look Why Real Stepmothers Think, Feel, and Act the Way We Do'
There are many paths to motherhood, but becoming a stepmother might be one of the most challenging. From clichés about wicked stepmothers to navigating the realities of co-parenting with a partner's ex, this book delves into the all of the many facets of what being a stepmom is really like.
'Exact Replica of a Figment of My Imagination'
Warning: This book is beautiful and moving, but it might not be the right choice for pregnant women who are anxious about pregnancy loss. But it might be just the book that a mom who has experienced pregnancy loss and/or the miracle of a rainbow baby needs to read as part of her healing. This is a memoir about a late in pregnancy loss and the aftermath for author Elizabeth McCracken.
'The Happiest Kids in the World'
Is it time to plant some tulips and start rocking some wooden shoes? Maybe! This book is a fascinating read and look into the Dutch approach to parenting, which is said to be less stressful, more fun, and more fulfilling than the American style. This is a great one to read for moms trying to figure out how to be less overwhelmed.
'Selfish, Shallow & Self-Absorbed'
Yes, this a book about choosing not to become a mother on a book guide for mothers! Honestly, the experience of mothering can be so all-consuming that it can feel hard to imagine a life without kids. But it can be good for moms to remember that not having kids can also be a deeply considered, equally valid life choice.
'Like a Mother'
Like a Mother: A Feminist Journey Through the Science and Culture of Pregnancy is the ultimate guide to pregnancy for moms and moms-to-be who are tired of old wives' tales and who want to do a deep dive into what pregnancy really does to the body and mind. Guaranteed to result in at least one moment of, "What? Why didn't anyone tell me that!"
'Raising a Rare Girl'
$17
from
Barnes & Noble
Raising a Rare Girl is a memoir about the experience of raising a child with a rare medical condition. Author Heather Lanier's tender story of mothering after realizing that her vision of her child and herself as a mother were wildly different than what she experienced. A great read for understanding the challenges of parenting a child with special needs.
'Idiots'
A parenting book written by an Instagram influencer is going to be super appealing to some moms and a hard pass for others — we get that. But fans of Laura Cleary will enjoy her unfiltered reflections on pregnancy and motherhood, including finding out her son is on the autism spectrum. Perfect for the Gen-Z mom!
'How to Stop Losing Your S--- With Your Kids'
We love an introspective memoir or a laugh-out-loud collection of essays, obviously. But sometimes, we also just need a book to help us get our mothering stuff together, right? This book is actually a lot about self-care and evidence-based practices for navigating the draining experience of being a mom. And who doesn't love the brutal honesty of the title?
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