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Notes from Motherland: The Wild Adventure of Raising Humans
Notes From Motherland: The Wild Adventures of Raising Humans is a heartfelt collection of essays capturing the rollercoaster that is motherhood. A tapestry of emotions, struggles, and triumphs, the book offers a raw and honest glimpse into the complex journey of parenting. Each story is a window into the wild world of raising humans, exploring themes from pregnancy expectations and the messiness of motherhood to the bittersweet experience of watching your children leave the nest. It’s a celebration of vulnerability, a testament to the resilience of mothers, and a nod to the universal challenges of nurturing life.
What I loved most about this book is its unflinching honesty. Chris Chandler’s essay, “Leaving the Nest,” captures that sense of raw anxiety and bittersweet freedom when a parent prepares to let their children fly on their own. Her metaphor of hawk parents fiercely protecting their young before they learn to soar perfectly encapsulates that protective instinct mixed with the sadness of separation. I felt Chandler’s pain and uncertainty, the aching yet hopeful anticipation as her sons set off into the world. It was relatable and had me nodding in agreement, thinking about all the messy and conflicted feelings parents experience. The writing was beautiful yet unpretentious, and that emotional punch stayed with me.
Then there’s Sierra Melcher’s “Mother Magic,” which almost feels like a love letter to motherhood. The way she describes those magical, mundane moments, like her child’s blueberry-stained smile or the sleepy snuggles of early morning, made me smile and ache with nostalgia. Melcher beautifully captures the paradox of wanting to savor every moment while knowing that change is inevitable. It’s poetic and deeply immersive, yet she keeps it grounded. Her reflections on raising a child in a foreign land and experiencing every day as an adventure added an extra layer of intrigue. The imagery and sensory details pulled me into her world, making even the simplest events feel significant.
This book is for anyone who wants to understand the complexities of parenthood. It’s messy, poignant, and beautiful. The stories are varied, with each writer bringing a fresh perspective and their unique voice, which keeps the book engaging. I’d recommend Notes From Motherland to anyone craving a deep and emotional read that doesn’t sugarcoat the hardships of raising humans but celebrates the joy and lessons along the way.
Pages: 172 | ASIN : B0CZPNYFYT
The World of Children’s Literature
Dogs: A Counting & Comparing Book introduces beginning readers to popular dog breeds while teaching them numbers and the skill of making comparisons. Where did the idea for this book come from?
I have always loved dogs, well any animal really! As a child we always had animals around us – dogs, cats, guinea pigs, chickens. My grandfather had a farm – so there were even more animals there. My first picture book was a counting book about Monsters (Monster Counting Book 1 to 20) and it remains a best seller for me – so I thought it would be great to complement this book and create another counting book about my favourite animal – dogs.
How has your experience as a teacher influenced your writing?
My experiences as a teacher have greatly influenced my writing career. Being a teacher enabled me to explore the world of children’s literature and to experience first-hand how children react to stories and what they enjoy most. So when I started writing my own books I wanted to make sure they were educational in some way – but most importantly – that they were fun to read.
The illustrations in your book make me smile. Can you tell us a little about your illustration process?
I am not an illustrator. I wish I was! So I have to rely on finding illustrators that match the vision for my books. I tend to choose illustrators that create funny images. I want the children as well as the adults to get a giggle out of my books.
What is the next book you are working on, and when will it be available?
My next book is a non-fiction book about the smallest animals in the world. It will have information about each featured animal as well as a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) activity to encourage children to become problem-solvers and creators.
Author Links: GoodReads | Instagram | Facebook | Website | Amazon
This book is a delightful parade of comical pooches bounding through a world of numbers; crafted to captivate the eager minds of 2 to 5 year-olds. This is where learning feels like play, and every page turn unfurls a new layer of fun.
Dogs of all breeds and sizes leap from the pages, teaching your child to count from one to ten. But it doesn’t stop there—the loveable canines bring comparisons alive: long versus short, young versus old, tall dogs juxtaposed with short ones, happy pups with sad ones, and energetic dogs sprinting past those drowsy and dozing.
Your challenge? Find all the dog breeds listed at the back of the book!
Whether snuggled up for bedtime stories or learning in early years’ classrooms, this book promises to be a treasure trove of giggles and learning. Prepare to watch your little one’s understanding of numbers and comparisons blossom, hand-in-paw with their newfound four-legged friends. So, ready for the pawfect count-along? Let the tails begin!
LITERARY TITAN 