"Fitzgerald writes simply, but in combination with Peterson’s images, her words carry force. . . . It’s a political statement, but one that flows from passion and love." —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Amazingly inclusive." —Kirkus Reviews
"Shatters monolithic depictions of motherhood. . . . By depicting love and security beyond a White, professionalized class, the book allows children of different backgrounds to see their family lives reflected authentically." —Colorlines
"A staple for any parent who wants to redefine gender roles, and raise their child in a more inclusive, sex-positive world where all work is valued." —Bust
“Wonderful." —MSN Lifestyle
"Beautifully illustrated. . . .the book provides an expanded picture of working moms and challenges head on the idea that only certain jobs are analogous with positive parenting." —Feministing
“This is a book that takes more than one stigma about women and work and chucks them right out the window." —Julie Danielson, Kirkus
“Beautiful.” —"Sex Gets Real" Podcast
"Inspired and inspiring." —Midwest Book Review
“Beautifully written and illustrated, How Mamas Love Their Babies provides a useful tool for parents who do stigmatized work to talk with their children about it in affirming and healthy ways.” —Crystal DeBoise, LCSW
“All children should see their mamas reflected in their storybooks. This is a gift to not only sex workers and their families but to all who may need a better understanding of how stripping/sex work is labor, deserving of respect and dignity.” —Juliana Piccillo, editor, Red Umbrella Babies
“This is the mothering book I've always dreamed of! How Mamas Love Their Babies shifts our narrow definition of what a mother is, what a mother does, what a mother looks like, and what caring for our babies looks like.” —Sarah Sophie Flicker, activist
01/01/2018
K-Gr 4—This picture book explores the countless ways mothers provide for their children—the domestic labor that is done directly caring for kid's wants and the ways in which moms work in order to financially meet needs. The artfully composed photo collages depict a diverse group of women from pregnancy onward. The setting of each page utilizes a number of media, mostly photographs and drawings, to depict homes, places of employment, and other areas of community. The pictures have a retro feel and will remind adults of the 1970s and previous decades. Careers held by women are explored, including house cleaners, pilots, scuba divers, doctors, and sex workers. This book is revolutionary in its representation of sex workers and its acknowledgment that though some professions look different, they do not determine the level of parenting skills. "Some mamas stay home with their babies all day long. It's hard work…Some mamas dance all night long in special shoes. It's hard work!" This book requires adult/child conversation to address the questions that may arise and would be something that would easily fit into a parenting collection. There are not many books that challenge the idea of stigmatized professions or give a voice to those parents for healthy discussions with children. This book does just that. VERDICT Complex but rewarding, this book is a strong consideration for social emotional learning or parenting collections.—Kristen Todd-Wurm, Middle Country Public Library, NY
2017-11-22
This third-wave-feminist text is illustrated by photo collages of human mothers loving their children.Bold, black lettering marches across strips of white on the first two pages, proclaiming, "Babies love mamas… / and mamas love babies." Sound familiar? Wait until readers learn how mamas express that love. Both text and art dive into areas generally untouched by traditional mother-love picture books; from the beginning, the text emphasizes, in a string of upbeat sentences, the idea that mothers use their bodies to show their love. In support, the art offers a plethora of unsurprising photographs encompassing many activities, professions, and low-wage jobs—as well as some startling ones. There's a pregnant woman practicing yoga—caring for her baby in utero—a woman unabashedly breast-feeding, and a sign-wielding strip-tease artist outside a nightclub ("some mamas dance all night long in special shoes. It's hard work!"). A colorful gallery is packed onto pages printed on paper stock that's sturdy enough for many toddlers. Throughout the book, the art consists of black-and-white photographs—most, apparently, from the 1960s-'70s era of second-wave, U.S. feminism—enhanced with bright colors, patterns, and materials. Mothers of many different ethnicities, walks of life, and lifestyles are shown loving their equally varied children, whether by caring for them at home or by working outside the home to earn money. Vintage-appearing photographs include marchers with the signs "We are the 51% minority" and "We shall overcome."Not for motherless kids—but otherwise, amazingly inclusive. (Picture book. 2-5)