I’ve never done a “Gift Guide” here before, but I got the idea this month because the e-book version of 50 Women Every Christian Should Know is on sale this week for 99 cents, which got me thinking about other books that might make great Mother’s Day gifts. So here you go…my first official Mother’s Day Book Gift Guide:
50 Women Every Christian Should Know
Starting off with a bit of shameless promotion…but honestly, you have no idea how many people have told me they have given this book to their mom or their grandmother or their favorite aunt. It really does make a good gift. And the best part: your mom won’t know that you only spent 99 cents on her gift if you don’t include the price on the receipt! 🙂 Or…you could get her the e-book and something else and be the very best offspring ever! Here’s the link to the e-book on Amazon and Barnes and Noble – it’s on sale at both places till May 8.
Everything That Makes You Mom – A Bouquet of Memories
Laura Lynn Brown
Give your mom a whole book full of memories with this sweet keepsake book, which prompts you with questions that will inspire you to jot down reflections and stories about your mom. You might even consider giving it to your mom empty and then walking down memory lane together for a “gift that keeps on giving.”
The Gift of an Ordinary Day: A Mother’s Memoir
Katrina Kenison
This one’s been around for a while now (I first read it in 2010), but it’s one of my all-time favorite books. I actually re-read it every couple of years or so. Kenison speaks so clearly to me, wherever I am on the parenting and life journey. From the back cover: “Poised on the threshold between family life as she’s always known it and her older son’s departure for college, Kenison is surprised to find that the times she treasures most are the ordinary, unremarkable moments of everyday life, the very moments that she once took for granted, or rushed right through without noticing at all.”
Operating Instructions: A Journal of My Son’s First Year
Anne Lamott
This book might not be the perfect pick for your own mom, but it would be a great one for any new mom in your life. I remember first reading Operating Instructions when Noah was an infant, and thinking, “Thank God, I’m not the only one!” Lamott writes this journal with her characteristic humor and no-nonsense style, two qualities any new mom will appreciate.
The Mother Letters: Sharing the Laughter, Joy, Struggles, and Hope
Seth Haines and Amber Haines
After his wife Amber gave birth to three boys in three years, Seth decided she needed a bit of encouragement. So he collected six hundred letters from mothers around the world who offered Amber wisdom, encouragement, and inspiration in the form of poignant, compelling, honest and often hilarious letters. Together Amber and Seth chose the best of the bunch to be included in this book.
Carry On, Warrior: The Power of Embracing Your Messy, Beautiful Life
Glennon Doyle Melton
I just listened to Glennon Doyle Melton on Rob Bell’s podcast The Robcast, which inspired me to pick up this book again. I first read it when it came out a few years ago, but let me tell you, it’s just as good the second time around. Melton is more honest than just about anyone I’ve ever read. This collection of essays is laugh-out-loud funny one minute, poignant and thought-provoking the next. And while it’s not an orthodox “Mother’s Day book,” she writes a lot about parenting, so the material is certainly accessible to any mom out there.
Happy Mother’s Day, friends. Now I’m off to find a gift for my own mom…
