I was absolutely inspired by Rebecca's (from ' the.bookplate ') guest blog post for us when she wrote about her ' bookish...

A Bookish Mother's Wish

Monday, July 17, 2017 BookBairn 24 Comments


I was absolutely inspired by Rebecca's (from 'the.bookplate') guest blog post for us when she wrote about her 'bookish mother's wish'. Holding a tiny newborn for the very first time can feel like the most wonderful thing in the world, but it can also place a heavy weight on your shoulders. "How will I raise you? How will I help you reach your dreams? How will I teach you to be a good person? What is a good person?" Ok, hormones are a bit out of whack and things are all a bit cloudy right after the baby is born but it stands true, months later, that I feel responsible for raising two little souls into good, responsible, loving and loved human beings. And of course, like Rebecca, I turn to books to help me do that.

I've started a wee list of 'Little Life Lessons' featuring books that help to share with my children what I want them to be, to believe and to place importance on. But I've decided to also write two blog posts, one to each child, sharing some of the books that will share some of the things I want them to understand and to know and to believe. I've split my list as they share age-appropriate books but also I want to share with them the things I want them to know right now.

As The Wee Page Turner is only 3 months old, there are only a few things he really really needs to know right now. But I still think he can learn some things from the stories we read.

To my darling boy,

You are loved. So much. We love to hold you in our arms and to watch you sleep. We love your cuddles. We love it when you smile at us. We love to see you discover your little hands, your face, our faces, the world around you. In 'Baby, I love You' this is all summed up so wonderfully and as we sing this story to you I hope you can feel all of the above. I just love it when you see your little face in the mirror at the end. Your face lights up as you recognise yourself.

The world is big and you are small. The world is fast and you are small. You are small. But you are getting bigger and fast! You are growing each day in front of our eyes. We enjoy watching you change and grow. Your grandparents visit you regularly and every time the utter the infamous "you're getting so big" and it's true. You are getting so big. When we read 'Me', I hope you will realise that the world is big but you (and your sister) are the biggest thing(s) in our world. You are our whole world.

Our lives changed 'On the Night You Were Born' (well, you were born in the middle of the day but allow me a little poetic license). Our lives changed when you were born. They changed forever. And so the world was changed too. There was a new little life in it. A new little person whose arrival has affected and will affect the lives of everyone you meet. Who wouldn't be moved to smile when they see you smile? Or giggle when you do? Or listen when you squeak your little stories? And you might not change the world in a big way. But you have changed our worlds and we don't want them to change back (though Mummy is looking forward to when we can sleep all night again!).

There's no need to 'Guess How Much I Love You'. I love you as much as a mother loves their child. I love you to the end of the road and back. I love you to the ocean and back. I love you across the world and back. I love you to stars and back. You cannot quantify my love for you. You just can't. It's a lot. And it grows. It grows bigger and further each day. But of all the things in this list of 'bookish mother's wishes', I wish that you know you are loved. And I know you will never know how much until you hold your own bundle in your arms and feel that love grow and grow and grow. Love is magic. It is never ending and it grows.

And it lasts 'Forever'. My life is now intrinsically linked with yours. When you're having fun, I'm having fun too. When you giggle, I'll laugh along with you. When you play, I'll join in too. I will strive to make you happy. If you're scared I'll be right beside you. I will always find you. I will never leave you. Your dreams have become my dreams. And I'll do all I can to make them come true. "Know that deep within my heart I will love you forever." I am forever your mummy and you will forever be my boy.

You already see the wonder in the world where I have forgotten. You are amazed by the sunshine streaming through the leaves of the trees. You adore the water at bathtime dripping on your skin. You watch the shadows move. You stare at your sister as she plays. You already find the joy in the little things. And when you smile you "Pass It On" and I can't help but smile too. I hope you continue to be a postive little person, seeing wonder in the little things. And keep smiling at those things and making me notice them too. Remind me to see the wonder too. I need that.

I have no doubt that your first word will be "dada". Your sister's first word was. And it's no wonder. You have a wonderful dada who loves you so very much. He has huge depths of patience. He makes you laugh and smile. He holds you when you cry. He gently places you in bed when you are asleep. He looks after mama as I hold you in my arms. He held my hand as you were born. He gasped a huge sigh of love the moment he laid eyes on you. He tears himself away from us every day to go to work so we can have our lovely home, and do lovely things, and so I can spend my days with you. He is the best dada you could have. You should say his name first. I don't mind. Dada deserves it.

I love you little chap. I hope you will take these messages on board over the next months and years. And you will enjoy reading these stories. All my love, Mummy xx


I hope you enjoyed reading this post - it's a little different from my usual review posts. But these books share all these wonderful messages and they are all superb stories. With great illustrations. But mostly I wanted to share them with you because I share them with my family.

Thank you for reading, I'll share my 'Bookish Mother's Wish for BookBairn' soon but I need to take the time to select the books carefully.
Kim x


*Some of these books were sent to us by publishers for review and others are ones that we have borrowed from the library or purchased ourselves. 




24 comments:

  1. This is a beautiful, beautiful post and I love the books that you've chosen. I absolutely love 'Forever', it's a gorgeous book. I'm looking forward to seeing what you choose for BookBairn now :o)

    #ReadWithMe

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    1. Thanks Catherine! I will need to take some real time to decide what to choose for BookBairn x

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  2. What a beautiful post about some beautiful books! I never really thought that much about the meaning of books when my kids were little (or now that they're big), I just wanted them to read books that were exciting, funny, well-written etc that they would enjoy. So that's been Harry Potter, Alex Rider, Jacqueline Wilson, Mr Gum, Jeremy Strong to name but a few.

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    1. Yes books have to be good too as well as meaningful!

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  3. Oh this is just one gorgeously wonderful and emotional post!! Thank you for sharing with #readwithme

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  4. Crying big G'ma tears. What a wonderful achievement to capture love and bestow it in words. So proud of you, my darling child x

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    1. Thank you! Each word was well considered. Love you very much x

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  5. You've captured all my thoughts about you, your brother, your daughter and your son in some lovely words and what a great choice of books to form the words around. Love you all to bits (and Dada too).

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    1. Thank you! Love you lots and glad you think I've summed that up well xx

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  6. What a wonderful post. Love your choice of books too.
    #readwithme

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  7. This is such a lovely, heart-warming post - and some great book recommendations for little ones in there too! #KLTR

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  8. A beautiful and incredibly well written post. Xx

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  9. This is such a beautiful post, it brought a tear to my eye! What a gorgeous idea, I hope you carry on writing posts like this as your children get older. Looking forward to reading your one to Bookbairn #readwithme #KLTR

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    1. Thank you! I've put myself under pressure to write a good one for BookBairn now too!

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  10. What a beautiful post. I love many of these books but a few are new to me. #kltr

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    1. Some are just classics! Others are quite new - if you've not discovered Emma Dodd yet you should definitely look up her books - they are beautiful!

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  11. My goodness what a beautiful and touching post. There are some beautiful books there to choose from too. I really love Guess How Much I Love You. Thanks for linking up to #KLTR

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    1. Thank you! Guess How Much I Love You is a brilliant book and loved by many!

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  12. This is such a heartfelt post and so lovely. I am a huge fan of Guess How Much I love you. I have not read DADA.

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    1. I love Little Nutbrown Hare! And thank you!

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