The Reading Issue
Featuring 4 creative moms with good taste!
This post is too long for email and it might get cutoff so click to read it in browser or on the app!
I’m always interested in what everyone is reading, for themselves, but also reading with/to their kids. I decided to ask 4 moms I admire to share the books currently in their lives, as well as 5 things always in their bag, because we’re choosing fun today. More book recs and reading related favorite things below!
Writer of Land of Oaks and Roses, mom of 2
Reading:
I just finished Broken Country. It was so good! Workhorse is up next.
Penelope (6) is loving Babysitters Club, The Tea Dragon Society and Princess in Black. Sammy (4) is in his Ninja Turtles phase and has over a dozen of those books checked out from our library. The days of me curating my kids’ reading options are over but I love that they’re library kids who get so much joy out of choosing their own books every week.
In her bag:
- Kid Snacks
- Kid Art
- Kid Water Bottles (sensing a theme?)
- Workhouse (my next book!)
- Kate Mcleod Everywhere Stick
@oliviarwright, landofoaksandroses.substack.com
Writer of Bang Voyage, mom of 2
Reading:
I’m almost finished with Lost Lambs by Madeline Cash. I’ve been digging the author’s style so much I did a little deep dive and discovered she’s nearly a decade younger than me, so that’s… humbling.
We’re currently obsessed with The Cozy Book by Mary Anna Hoberman and Betty Fraser. So much so that when we couldn’t find it the other night we panic-ordered a second copy. A House is A House For Me, same author/illustrator, is another banger.
In her bag:
Hmm, I could tell you what’s in my SAHM go-bag, but let’s do the kid-free/workday bag instead. More fun, more me. Aside from the obvious (laptop, phone wallet, keys), I’m almost always carrying: 1) Lip balm, 2) Glasses (both prescription and sun), 3) Planner and pen, 4) Whatever book I’m reading that week, and 5) Dark chocolate… goes great with coffee ;)
@elinmariestrong, bangvoyage.substack.com
Writer of Ayana Gabrielle Lage, mom of 2
Ayana has a memoir called “Missing Me” coming out this week, detailing her experience with postpartum psychosis after her daughter was born. I loved her article from a few years ago about it and I can’t wait to read the book version, you can pre-order here!
Reading:
I’m currently reading The Whispers by Ashley Audrain. I’ve been on a bit of a thriller kick lately and have also recently read My Husband’s Wife by Alice Feeney and Her One Regret by Donna Freitas.
We’ve spent an unthinkable amount at the book fair this school year, so Scholastic books are pretty popular in our house. The No, David! series has essentially gone triple platinum with my daughter. We also love Grace Farris’s recent book More than a Million.
In your bag:
Touchland hand sanitizer, Fenty Gloss Bomb Stix in shade Riri, Zofran (I kept it on me during my pregnancies, and old habits die hard. You never know when you’ll feel nauseous!), my favorite pen (Pilot Precise V5 RT, for anyone wondering), and usually an applesauce pouch or crackers for my children to avoid hangry meltdowns.
@ayanagabriellelage, ayanagabrielle.substack.com, ayanalage.com
Artist, writer of Kunsthalle, mom of 3
Reading:
I’m currently reading Be Your Future Self Now: The Science of Intentional Transformation, and rereading Art & Fear. I tried reading Art & Fear multiple times and it never landed for me. I picked it up again in January and have enjoyed reading a bit every morning. I’m on my second pass and gleaning new insights each day.
My older two kids (I have three) are in the various stages of learning to read. It’s very sweet, and reminds me of how precious childhood really is. The books they request us to read to them are: Frank and Bean, the Mr. Men books (also a fave of my childhood), and a National Geographic Bird book.
In your bag:
I rarely carry a bag, typically just carrying my phone in keys in my pocket/hand, and leave the rest to chance!
However, I do bring a tote bag to my studio which has, my Ilia Hydrating Lip Balm (shade Memoir), iPad, planner, and current book or kindle. That’s it!
@ellenmote, ellenmote.substack.com, ellenmote.com
There’s a cute new bookstore, Little Blue Pigeon, opening in Denver on Larimer Square in April and I’ve had the delightful job of doing some branding work to promote their launch! The owner, Paige, has done an incredible job with the space and we’re planning some fun kids art classes and storytime events. Soft opening April 1st if you’re local!
Favorite Things
Recent favorite books:
For Max (almost 4), we’ve been loving:
Broken by X. Fang- a young girl breaks her grandmother’s mug and torments herself with guilt. There’s a hilarious standoff with a cat, tender moments with her grandmother, and utterly relatable emotional swings. Max is fascinated with this one.
Loops by Jashar Awan- duh! Read my Q&A with Jashar here if you missed it.
Bookshop on Lemon Tree Lane by Mike Lucas, illustrated by Sofya Karmazina- this is such a charming book, we both love it. A cute rhyming story about a kid and his grandpa’s favorite old bookshop that undergoes a modern makeover.
Saturday by Oge Mora- I love Oge’s “Thank You, Omu!” so I picked out this one at the library and don’t love it quite as much, but it’s still a lovely story about the one day a week a little girl’s mom doesn’t have to work and the adventures they go on together.
For me:
Signs by Dr. Tara Swart, I mentioned this in a previous newsletter but now I’m halfway through and it’s really fascinating. Dr. Tara’s story is equal parts heartwrenching and heartwarming and it’s punctuated with scientific studies about NDE’s (near death experiences). I know I’ll be coming back to this one and gifting it when needed.
Strangers by Belle Burden, maybe the most talked about book all year?! I tore through this. A woman recounts her divorce from her husband who walked out on her and their 3 kids at the beginning of Covid with no explanation. The vulnerability, famous relatives, country club gossip, mansion in Martha’s Vineyard, loft in Tribeca… and great writing, all make it irresistible to put down.
Grape Juice by Eliza Dumais. my favorite 831 Stories book so far, this got me out of a January reading slump. A fun romp inside the winemaking world at a French vineyard.
The Society by Karen Winn, I loved this book about the dark secrets inside an infamous secret society in Boston. Reads like historical fiction with a twisty plot.
Up next for me are two I’ve heard great things about: Olivia Muenter’s newest novel Little One and So Old, So Young by Grant Ginder. Olivia has a great mini podcast out called Little Pod about the behind the scenes of her book launch- including the stress, financials and realities of a book tour, the process of writing the book and how it came to be and the relatable but maybe surprising mental gymnastics that authors go through releasing their work into the world. I’ve been loving it!
Harry x Haruki
I clicked on this article absentmindedly because I love Haruki Murakami and was confused why Harry Styles was mentioned in the same sentence. Oh my gosh what an endearing interview this is! I love a literary celeb. It’s so cute how Harry idolizes Murakami and I love how they talk about running in comparison to their respective creative careers. Historically I hate running, but after reading this I dug my running shoes out of the closet, if not to run then to sit in my peripheral vision and taunt me. This tidbit from Murakami gives such a great glimpse into his writing brain: “One of the important things for human beings is to embrace the contradiction. When I’m writing, I always feel I have a contradiction and that’s why I want to express myself…to understand it. Even at my age I’m still wondering, what is this chaos in me?”
The Wanting Monster
This one deserves it’s own section because it’s a really beautiful story and book. Anything Enchanted Lion produces is guaranteed to be a special book, they’re art forward and face-out on the bookshelf worthy. This book cleverly creates a monster character symbolizing greed, making it a great book for young kids to grasp the concept without feeling like it’s a “lesson” book. The Wanting Monster chooses human victims who were happily living their lives, to inject with “want” and chaos ensues as everyone becomes selfish and resources run out. It has a happy ending!
THE END! I’d love to know what you and any kids in your life have read and loved recently, share below if you have recs <3
If you enjoy reading this newsletter, I’d love your support in sharing it so others can find it!
Share it on Substack:
Upgrade to a paid subscription
Read the archive for free here
Follow along on instagram!
If you’d like to work together you can email me at: carlymartinstudio@gmail.com
Honored to be featured here! Also, the same week this post went live I bought TWO bags (purses), so I think I’m a purse lady now?????
Such a fun issue! Just put The Wanting Monster on our library holds :)