Don't Miss Out On These Two Beautiful Adoptive Stories for Mother's Day!

Mother's Day is around the corner, and I'd like to introduce you to two newly published books about adoption that celebrate both birth mothers and adoptive mothers. The first one is a cozy picture book for children; the second one is a book for adults written by an adoptive mother of two Ethiopian girls.

Wonderful You: An Adoption Story [Random House Books for Young Readers] is a magical story with a happy ending. The fairy-tale-cuddle-factor of this book is evoked by the lyrical story telling of author Lauren McLaughlin and the dreamy, bright watercolor illustrations of artist Meilo So.

Lauren says in a note at the beginning of the book "I'll never forget the first time I saw my adoptive daughter.  She was perfectly formed and full of life.  When I extended my little finger toward her, she gripped it.  That was it. I was hers forever.  Since then our life together has been a wonderful adventure.  I wanted to celebrate this adventure, and the birth mother who made it all possible..."

The fairytale begins,

In a faraway land lived a lady in blue

with a babe in her tummy named Wonderful You.

The Lady in Blue finds parents for her baby after searching high and low.  They have waited so long and promise to love the child...

We will hug her and kiss her and tickle her too.

Forever and always, our Wonderful You.

In the rest of the story we read about the magic of childhood that the new family of three experiences together: adventures like birthdays, schools day, the zoo, snow days, and the seashore.

Although the experiences of adoption are as varied as families, this book would make a lovely gift for anyone who has been part of an adoption journey - a birth mother, an adoptive mother and father, or an adopted child.

My second book recommendation is from Ancient Faith Publishing.  It gives us a different perspective of the adoption journey: one of international adoption. The honesty which Ashley Lackovich-Van Gorp shares with us in her inspiring personal story, Children of My Heart: Finding Christ through Adoption, will be appreciated by anyone who has considered adoption.  

Her purposeful story recounts not only the ultimate joy of seeing her children-to-be for the first time, but the doubts, fears, and challenges that parents face during an international adoption process.  Ashley also reveals insight into the real pain and adjustment that her adopted children experienced in going home with a Mommy and Daddy after spending years in the orphanage that was their haven and home.

From the first chapter, I was completely drawn into Ashley's story. As a young professional working in Jerusalem with her husband and experiencing a bit of a faith crisis, she struggled to embrace and live out her Serbian Orthodox faith with all her heart.

She never dreamed her search for an intimate relationship with Christ would lead her to a nuns' Monastery school for orphaned girls and then ultimately to Ethiopia and into the hearts and lives of two precious little orphan girls.

Adoption is definitely at the center of Ashley's story, but this is also a book about faith.  It's about those we may not think about often: Palestinian Orthodox Christians living in the Holy Land, and about the many Ethiopians who live everyday in poverty. A inspiring read for all! You can listen to Ashley talk about her book here.

Ashley Lackovich-Van Gorp is an international consultant for Girl Child Protection and Adaptive Behavior Change. She works for international humanitarian and development organizations on issues pertaining to adolescent girls and women. She specializes in prevention of harmful practices such as female genital mutilation, child marriage, and trafficking. She currently resides in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, with her husband, daughters, and cat. She attends St. Frumentius Greek Orthodox Church.

See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.

- 1John 3:1-2

[Disclosure note:  Both books above were sent to me as review copies by the publishers.]

Celebrating Motherhood with a Giveaway!

My Giveaways are coming in twos lately!  To help you celebrate Mother's Day, I'm offering two very special books for one lucky winner...You Made Me a Mother and Mama's Milk.

The first book, You Made Me a Mother, has an interesting "story behind the story" that involves a viral video...
Originally, author Laurenne Sala wrote the text as a poem for Boba baby carriers.  That company, in turn, used it to accompany a video that stimulated 40,000 shares on their Facebook page within a week!

Harper Collins got wind of the fact that most Moms couldn't keep a dry eye while watching the video!  So they contacted Laurenne and paired her heartwarming text with fun illustrations by Fancy Nancy's Robin Preiss Glasser.

The opening lines will surely prompt good discussion with your read aloud buddy:

I felt you.

You were a pea. Then a lemon. Then an eggplant.

Today I'm giving away a beautiful hard cover edition of You Made Me a Mother.  In the meantime, I hope you enjoy the sweet video of Laurenne Sala's poem that got Harper Collins' attention and created lots of buzz (get some tissues ready)...



You Made Me a Mother is definitely a love note to mothers, but guess what?  Laurenne's also got a tribute to fathers, coming in 2018.  You Made Me a Father is the title of course, and it has been preceded by a sweet video as well!

Now on to the second hard cover picture book I'm giving away... Mama's Milk.  This sweet book was introduced to me by a missionary Mama who is with New Horizons in Romania.  She loves reading so much, she is promoting reading aloud in that country, where it is not really a common practice for families to visit the library for read aloud books (well, not for long)!  She also translated Mama's Milk, written with rhyming text by Michael Elsohn Ross, into Romanian because nursing is not a commonplace practice in Romania either.

This cozy book celebrates the warm and loving bond between mammal mamas and their babies. Sweetly illustrated by Ashley Wolff, it shows little ones doing what comes naturally - nursing their mamas! It is a perfect read aloud for young children - who may have questions about how new babies get fed - while they wait for (or after) the arrival of a new sibling. The last two-page spread gives facts about each of the mammals featured in the book.  (Did you know that foals nurse every 30 minutes?)

Get your comments ready!  I hope you're as excited about this giveaway as I am...Good Luck!

• To enter, please leave a comment here and/or on my Good Books For Young Souls Facebook page. And please share this post on Facebook with any Mamas in your life who might like these sweet picture books.  (Both are available in your library, local bookstore, and on Amazon.)
• Giveaway ends at 11:59 PST, April 28, 2016.
• Winner announced April 29, 2016.

Word of the Day: MUM

"Mothers hold their children's hand for a short while, but their hearts forever".

-Author Unknown

Spring Princess by Carl Larsson (1853 - 1919, Swedish) 

"A mother's arms are made of tenderness, and children sleep soundly in them."

-Victor Hugo

Mother And Child, Candlelight by William Rothenstein (1872 – 1945, English)

"The Mother's heart is the child's classroom."

-Henry Ward Beecher

Arthur John Elsley (1860 - 1952, English)

Happy Mother's Day to all my readers.  Who are some of my favorite literary mothers?  go here for my list!

"MY MOTHER"

A Victorian Poem by Ann Taylor (1783-1866)
illustrations by Walter Crane (1845-1915)

 Who fed me from her gentle breast,
And hush'd me in her arms to rest,
And on my cheek sweet kisses prest?
My Mother.

When sleep forsook my open eye,
Who was it sung sweet hushaby,
And rock'd me that I should not cry?
My Mother.

Who sat and watched my infant head,
When sleeping in my cradle bed,
And tears of sweet affection shed?
My Mother.

When pain and sickness made me cry,
Who gazed upon my heavy eye,
And wept for fear that I should die?
My Mother.

Who dressed my doll in clothes so gay,
And taught me how to play,
And minded all I had to say?
My Mother.

Who taught my infant lips to pray,
and love God's holy book and day.
And walk in Wisdom's pleasant way?
My Mother.

And can I ever cease to be
Affectionate and kind to thee,
Who was so very kind to me?
My Mother.

Ah, no! the thought I cannot bear;
And if God please my life to spare,
I hope I shall reward they care,
My Mother.

Who ran to help me when I fell,
And would some pretty story tell,
Or kiss the place to make it well?
My mother.

When thou art feeble, old, and gray,
My healthy arm shall be thy stay,
And I will soothe thy pains away.
My Mother.

And when I see thee hang thy head,
'Twill be my turn to watch thy bed.
And tears of sweet affection shed,
My Mother.

For Could our Father in the skies
Look down with pleased or loving eyes,
If ever I could dare despise
My Mother...

Mother's Day Giveaway (Times Three)!

Ancient Faith Publishing is offering to send three of my lucky readers Annalisa Boyd's The Ascetic Lives of Mothers!  In case you missed my review of this brand new book, you can check it out here (on yesterday's post).  UPDATE: GIVEAWAYS OVER

To enter the giveaway, leave a comment on my review posted yesterday, here at the end of today's post, or on my Facebook page link to these posts (sorry, "likes" don't count).   You can also send me an email (found in my profile info) - I'd love to hear why you'd like this book.

Already ordered yourself a copy?  Enter to win a second - this book would make a perfect Mother's Day gift for a mom, wife, daughter, grandmother, or godmother!

Enter as many times as you'd like until Friday (May 3, 2014) by midnight. Giveaway winners announced on Saturday, May 4, 2014.

One for the Mamas

Just in time for Mother's Day - Annalisa Boyd has put together a beautiful collection of devotional thoughts, prayers, and saints' stories, for you Mamas, in her newest book The Ascetic Lives of Mothers. [Update:  I'm giving away THREE copies - leave a comment to enter! Winners announced 4/3/14] 5/3/14 - Giveaway now over.  Winners: Sophia, Chris, and Adriel.  Congratulations!

 Annalisa opens the first chapter with this reflection:

"I heard it said once that motherhood is a type of asceticism.  Like the ascetics, mothers find themselves in a situation that requires their utter devotion, self-denial, daily emotional exercises, facing extreme challenges, and much prayer."

A Quick Note About the Title:
What is asceticism?  The word comes from the Greek word for "training" or "exercising"; but pursuing an "ascetic lifestyle" is not just for monks and nuns!  As Orthodox Christians, the purpose of disciplining our minds and bodies through prayer, reading of Scripture, and fasting is to help us draw closer to God and bring us back into communion with Him.

The fruit of asceticism is something all Mothers strive for, in themselves and their children: the fruit of the Holy Spirit... But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. [Galatians 5:22-23]

What You Will Find in this Practical Book:
After a discussion in Chapter I of the Virtues - or "good spiritual habits" - taught by the Church, Annalisa moves on to a frank look at despair in Chapter III, "Tea Time at the Abyss: Prayers in Times of Trouble".  She offers Scripture verses and prayers about everything from anger, anxiety, and difficult pregnancy to envy,  financial strain, and infertility.

I especially appreciated Chapter VII, "Prayers Through the Stages of Motherhood" (it included prayers for Grandmothers),  and Chapter VIII, "Prayers for Godchildren and 'Bonus' Children" (with lots of good tips regarding the responsibilities of Godparents.)  She includes an honest look at Stepmothers and "bonus" children, asking: "Did you ever think of the fact that the Theotokos was a stepmother?"

This prayer book would make a perfect Mother's Day gift for Mothers, Stepmothers, adoptive or foster Mothers, Grandmothers, and Godmothers.  These Mamas would all benefit from the Orthodox treasures found in this wonderful new offering from Ancient Faith Publishing - here.

Annalisa Boyd knows motherhood!  Married for 21 years, she and her husband have 8 children (through birth and adoption) and have fostered 31 (so far.)

Nesting...with Russian Dolls and a Book Blanket!

A dear friend brought me this cute set of nesting doll
Matryoshkas from Russia.

It's Matryoshka Madness over here! I'm doing three (3) Matryoshka-themed giveaways for May...go here for details.  You can comment on today's post and any blogs I post through May 30, 2013 to enter.

Throughout the month of May, I'll continue posting all about Russia (my trip to St. Petersburg two Decembers ago, and lots about the history, art, and children's literature of that country).

This May marks the third year I've been blogging here at Good Books for Young Souls - sharing our family's favorite books, authors, and illustrators with you, and new ones that I've discovered as well. 

That's why I'm doing three Giveaways.  Here they are, in case you missed my last post.  I'll choose three people to each win one of these three gifts...

Matryoshka luggage tag

The Littlest Matryoshka book

Matryoshka measuring spoons

I also just have to share a photo of the Mother's Day gift my oldest son gave me (he designed it) - a knit blanket, full of some of our family's favorite storybook characters -- how many do you recognize?? (Notice the Little Golden Book spine design on the left?)

MATRYOSHKA MADNESS (& Three Giveaways) FOR MAY!

Happy Mother's Day!  The first time I ever saw Russian nesting dolls, or "matryoshkas", I fell in love with them.  Maybe because they look so motherly.  In fact, the word matryoshka is literally "little matron".  The dolls were originally made to symbolize motherhood -  specifically the mothers of large peasant families who are well fed - leading to the portly figure of the doll and her "family" inside of her!

Nesting dolls were first made in China in the early 1800's (traditional Chinese nesting boxes had been started there hundreds of years earlier).  In the 1890's, when a group of Russian artists began reviving native culture and folk traditions, the idea found its way to Russia.

Shop full of matryoshkas at Izmaylovo Market, Moscow

Artist Sergei Malyutin designed the first set of Russian nesting dolls, probably inspired by a Japanese example.  He made the largest doll a peasant girl with a babushka (kerchief) on her head.  The dolls, carved and turned on a lathe by a master wood-carver, were then painted in bright colors.  Many regions of Russia - each developing its own particular style - took up the art, inspired by Malyutin's first matryoshka.  Most of the dolls are maidens, but some sets have families, animals, or characters (like St. Nicholas).

3 GIVEAWAYS: To celebrate my 3rd Blog-iversary!

Leave a comment here on today's post and on any other future blogs I post about Russia throughout May to be entered to win any one (1) of the items below.  Three (3) people will be chosen.  Giveaway ends on May 30, 2013 at midnight PST. Winners announced May 31, 2013.

#1 Remember the cute little matryoshka luggage tag I posted about, here?

#2 The Littlest Matryoshka, (1999) by Corinne Demas Bliss, illustrations by Kathryn Brown. (ages 3-7) Click HERE to read all about the making of this book on Corinne's website. Go to The Littlest Matryoshka website to see activities and games related to the book!

#3 How about these cute Matryoshka Measuring Spoons?  Perfect for you and your little bakers!

TWO NOT-TO-BE-MISSED-BOOKS ABOUT MATRYOSHKAS: 

 The Magic Nesting Doll (2000) by Jacqueline K. Ogburn, illustrations by Laurel Long. Katya is given a magical nesting doll by her dying grandmother but is told that she can only use its magic three times. After entering a land of eternal winter, the young woman discovers a prince who has been turned into "living ice" through an enchantment. Aided in turn by a bear, wolf, and firebird that appear from inside the doll, Katya is able to restore the prince to his former self and destroy the villainous Grand Vizier. Gorgeous illustrations, reminiscent of Russian iconography! (Kindergarten - 3rd grade)

The Art of the Russian Matryoshka, (2008) by Rett Ertl, Rick Hibberd. (Mainly for parents, but if you have a child who's interested in these dolls, they'll love the photos!)  A MUST have for the obsessed, like me.  Hopefully you can find this at your local library (or buy it used), because it's pricey.

MATRYOSHKA CRAFTS! (to make yourself!)...

Click here for a Bigu Handmade "How To" for Matryoshka bookmarks.

Want to  learn to make a Matryoshka fold-out CARD, found at Zakka Life?

I bet you can't resist crafting these mini-matryoshkas!

Sew to Speak has step-by-step instructions.

Make May "Matryoshka Month"!  Do you think you'll try any of these???  
Remember to leave a comment for a chance at one of my May Giveaways!  
And to all you Moms out there:

Poster available on etsy,  here.

MOST MEMORABLE LITERARY MOTHERS

Richer than I you can never be -- 

 I had a Mother who read to me.

-Strickland Gillilan (1869-1954)

My Top 10, in no particular order:

"Marmee" from Little Women (Louisa May Alcott)

Illustration by Jessie Wilcox Smith

"Money is a needful and precious thing--and when well used, a noble thing--but I never want you to think it is the first or only prize to strive for. I'd rather see you poor men's wives, if you were happy, beloved, contented, than queens on thrones, without self-respect and peace." 
-Marmee

Caroline Ingalls, "Ma", from the Little House books (Laura Ingalls Wilder)

Garth Williams, illustrator

Ma was trembling, and she began to laugh a little. “To think,” she said, “I’ve slapped a bear!”

Mrs. Darling, from Peter Pan (J.M. Barrie)

source

(Mrs. Darling was, after all an example to Wendy, who tried her best to be a Mother to the Lost Boys - telling them stories and making them take their medicine.)
Mrs. Darling first heard of Peter Pan when she was tidying up her children’s minds. It is the nightly custom of every good mother after her children are asleep to rummage in their minds and put things straight for next morning, repacking into their proper places the many articles that have wandered during the day. If you could keep awake (but of course you can’t) you would see your own mother doing this, and you would find it every interesting to watch her. It is quite like tidying up drawers. You would see her on her knees, I expect, lingering humorously over some of your contents, wondering where on earth you picked this thing up, making discoveries sweet and not so sweet, pressing this to her cheek as if it were as nice as a kitten, and hurriedly stowing that out of sight. When you wake in the morning, the naughtiness and evil passions with which you went to bed have been folded up small and placed at the bottom of your mind and on the top, beautifully aired, are spread out your prettier thoughts, ready for you to put on. 
-J.M. Barrie

The Mother Rabbit in The Runaway Bunny (Margaret Wise Brown)

Clement Hurd, illustrator

Once there was a little bunny who wanted to run away. 
So he said to his mother, "I am running away". 
"If you run away", said his mother, "I will run after you. For you are my little bunny".

The Missing Mother Bird from Are You My Mother? (P. D. Eastman)

"I must get something for my baby bird to eat!" she said.  "I'll be back."
The egg jumped and jumped...out came the baby bird! 
"Where is my mother?" he said...
"You are not my mother!  You are a SNORT!" 

(The baby bird, to our great relief, is finally reunited with his mother by end of the story!)

The Inuit Mother in Mama, Do You Love Me? (Barbara Joosee)

Illustrated by Barbara Lavallee

"Mama, do you love me?"  

"Yes, I do, Dear One."  

"How much?"

The Brave Mother in Heckedy Peg (Audrey Wood)

Illustration by Don Wood

The mother kissed her children good-bye and said, "Be careful, and remember -- don't let a stranger in and don't touch the fire."

(This story is about seven children named Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday; a witch who intrudes on the peace of their cottage; and a spell only the children's mother can break.)

Mrs.  Molly Weasley from the Harry Potter books (J. K. Rowling)

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Howler: (from Mrs. Weasley) "RONALD WEASLEY! HOW DARE YOU STEAL THAT CAR? I AM ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTED! YOU'RE FATHER'S NOW FACING AN INQUIRY AT WORK, AND IT'S ENTIRELY YOUR FAULT! IF YOU PUT ANOTHER "TOE" OUT OF LINE, WE'LL BRING YOU STRAIGHT HOME! And Ginny, dear, congratulations on making it into Gryffindor. Your Father and I are so proud." [From Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets]

And of course, we have to give honorable mention to Lily Potter - Harry's Mother - even though she has already died in the books...

“Your mother died to save you. If there is one thing Voldemort cannot understand, it is love. Love as powerful as your mother's for you leaves it's own mark. To have been loved so deeply, even though the person who loved us is gone, will give us some protection forever.”
-Dumbledore [From Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone]

Mrs. Murry from A Wrinkle In Time (Madeleine L'Engle)

"No, Meg. Don't hope it was a dream. 
I don't understand it any more than you do, but one thing I've learned is that you don't have to understand things for them to be."

"Mama" from Mama's Bank Account by Kathryn Forbes

Forbes was a radio scriptwriter before she began writing short stories. Mama's Bank Account, her most well-known work, was published in 1943 and revolved around the daily struggles and aspirations of a Norwegian family living in San Francisco in the 1910s.

Mama looked at me.  
"Is no account”, she said. “In all my life, I never been inside a bank.” 

And when I didn’t – couldn’t answer, Mama said earnestly: “Is not good for little ones to be afraid – to not feel secure.”

"HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!" and thanks to all my Facebook followers who posted their favorite literary Moms.

Here are a few more that I had to give "honorable mention" to:  Charlotte the Spider, from Charlotte's Web (E.B.White); Mrs. Rabbit - Peter Rabbit's mother (Beatrix Potter); Little Bear's Mother (Else Holmelund Minarik); Mama from All-of-a-Kind-of-Family (Sydney Taylor); Frances the Badger's Mother (Russell Hoban); Mrs. Moody from the Little Britches series (Ralph Moody); Max's mother from Where the Wild Things Are (Maurice Sendak); Critter's mother (Mercer Mayer); Betsy, Tacy, and Tib's moms (Maud Hart Lovelace); Mrs. Hamley from Wives and Daughters (Elizabeth Gaskell); Dowager Duchess of Denver - Lord Peter Wimsey's mother (Dorothy Sayers); Aunt Betsy Trotwood, who adopts David Copperfield (Charles Dickens); and of course Marilla Cuthbert, who adopts Anne of Green Gables (L.M. Montgomery).

One more adoptive "Mother" - Horton the Elephant from Horton Hatches the Egg (Maysie is probably one of the worst literary mothers!) and Horton Hears a Who (Dr. Seuss).

What about Mother Goose?  Go here.