urbanmoms.ca Book Club

Inspiration. Aspiration. Expiration?

It's an odd thing, this desire to write. More to the point: to write and to be published. So many of us have it, and so few succeed. Are we drawn to criticism, failure and self-punishment? Or is the drive to express oneself and have that expression validated by others somehow universal?

I often think that's the real beauty of blogs and the internet. They take away the middleman and bring writers and readers together directly. I've often said that there's a market for anything (although I did say it in the context of eBay, not books); and it's just a matter of getting the buyer and seller in touch with each other. Honestly: spend some time on eBay, even just to amuse yourself. I swear you could sell toe lint on eBay and someone would buy it. No joke.

Of course, another thing I've often said is that there are so many crappy books out there, that surely I must be able to write something that some publisher somewhere would want to buy. Turns out I was wrong with that one. Or so far, at least.

But getting published is like getting my first job was, back in the recession of '92: you needed experience to get a job, and you needed a job to get experience. I recently had some advice from a woman in the publishing industry: avoid the slush pile at all costs (the slush pile is where publishers put all the unsolicited manuscripts they get). To avoid the slush pile? Get a literary agent. But - and here's the rub - to get a (legitimate) literary agent, you need an offer. See what I mean? How to get an offer without an agent? How to get an agent without an offer?

And just when I was about to give up, I heard about the CBC Literary Awards. Backed up by $60,000 in prize money from the Canada Council for the Arts, this is Canada's only literary competition featuring unpublished works in both of Canada's official languages. There are three categories: short story, poetry and creative non-fiction. The deadline is November 1st, and I'm almost done with the finishing touches on my first ever submission. I am most likely setting myself up for another round of literary disappointment, but I will hold my head up high and remember that that which does not kill us only makes us stronger.

And there will always be next year, because this contest celebrates unpublished works.

Kath is a regular urbanmoms.ca contributor in her blog Losing It.

The Best Books for Baby

My pregnant sister is here visiting from the UK and we threw a baby shower for her on Saturday. The theme of the shower was Build Baby's Library and guests were asked to bring their favourite baby or children's book. Seeing all of these wonderful stories (which my 5.5 yr old and 9 yr old have been reading every night) reminded me that there is some great children's literature.

Listed below are the Top 5 from this weekend's event decided by my children.

1. The Munschworks Grand Treasury - By Robert Munsch

We all love Robert Munsch and what could be more fabulous than a book full of 15 Munsch classics including The Paper Bag Princess, David's Father, and Purple Green and Yellow. My kids never tire of these stories.

It gets even better! There are four of these treasuries featuring different Munsch stories. Definitely a must have for any child's library.

2. Toot and Puddle: On Top of the World - By Hollie Hobbie

We had never heard of pig pals Toot and Puddle before but now we are in love! These two best friends could not be more different but they still love and depend on each other. In this book Puddle, the homebody, sets off on a global adventure to find his best friend, Toot, the adventurer.

This charming book is full of lessons on friendship and the importance of home. We can't wait to read the rest of the series!


3. Olivia - By Ian Falconer

Another pig character, Olivia, is a spirited and curious little girl with a wonderful imagination. My kids are big fans of Olivia and her adventures.

What I loved about the version my sister received is that it was a board book. This is a great way to make sure these books are still around for your child to appreciate for years to come.

Make sure to check out other Olivia books like, our favourite, Olivia Saves the Circus.

4. The Going to Bed Book - By Sandra Boynton

We just couldn't talk about favourite baby books without mentioning Sandra Boynton. These were a staple for years in our hous and my kids still get a kick out of the silly pictures and rhymes. I love the fact that even after all of these years I can still recite every word to this book!

Other Boynton faves include Dinosaur's Binkit, Moo Baa Lalala, and Opposites but there are tons more!

5. The Giving Tree - By Shel Silverstein

This Shel Silverstein classic actually made both me and my 9-year-old cry. It is such a sweet story about innocence, love, and sacrifice. Plus, the illustrations are wonderful (also by Shel Silverstein) and encouraged my nearly 6-year-old with a vivid imagination to add her own spin on this tale.

Although the baby may not be ready for this book for a few years the wonderful illustrations and rhythm of the story will bring years of pleasure for the whole family.

There are SO many wonderful children's books out there! I would highly recommend this baby shower theme for anyone you know who is having their first child. Please share with us your recommendations in the comments below.

This post was written by Jen.

The Best Baby Books

So, my little sister is expecting her first baby...I know! So exciting! I was in her living room the other day and noticed a book for new dads. One of those "Everything for New Dads" type of things. And I commented on it, saying something like, "awww, how cute! He has a New Dad book!"

"Yeah, I've read it," she replied.

It sounded so familiar. When I was pregnant -- especially with my first child -- I absolutely devoured books on pregnancy, birth and parenting. My husband? Not so much. I know most of my friends reported the same phenomenon.

So it would seem to be a somewhat universal trend, this insatiable thirst for information during pregnancy. And there is no shortage of books out there designed to fill the niche. But wading through what's good, bad or maybe just not right for you is usually a hit-and-miss affair. You run out and buy a book that your best girlfriend recommended only to find that it a) terrifies you or b) doesn't resonate with your personal parenting philosophy. As an midwife-using home-birther, dedicated breastfeeder and attachment-parenting devotee, I ran across this a lot when reading most mainstream pregnancy, childbirth and parenting books.

And so, when my lil' sis' asked me what baby book I'd recommend, I thought I'd put together a little list of my fave reads for pregnancy, childbirth and early parenting.

PREGNANCY:

Pregnancy And Birth: A Month-by-month Guide To Making The Best Decisions For You And Your Baby, by Teresa Pitman and Joyce Barrett MD

I loved that this book is written by Canadian authors, because it's so hard to find a non-American book in this category. Easy to read, reassuring and written from the perspective that pregnancy and birth are normal, natural experiences that usually don't need much tampering with, I found this to be a great reference. Co-author Teresa Pitman is a renowned Canadian parenting and breastfeeding expert, and for those who are on the more traditional side, the fact that the other author is an MD is reassuring.

BIRTH:

The Complete Book of Pregnancy and Childbirth, by Shelia Kitzinger

This book was my absolute Bible during both of my pregnancies, but most especially during the first, when every single sensation was new. Social Anthropologist Kitzinger reminds us that health (including pregnancy and childbirth) is not a medical artifact, rather our health is influenced by many different factors like "economics, politics, the social system in which we live, conditions in the work-place, poisons in the environment, and personal relationships". Taking all this into account, Kitzinger contrasts views of pregnancy birth from around the world and throughout the social history of our species, and examines the current Western medical model, the influence it has on our view of pregnancy and birth, and what we can do to achieve the individual birth experience we each hope for.

BABY BOOK:

The Baby Book: Everything You Need to Know About Your Baby from Birth to Age Two, by Dr. William Sears MD and Martha Sears RN

I couldn't have lived through the first few years of both my children's lives without the Sears' wise and gentle advice. In a world of parent-centred baby books geared at teaching your baby (at a very early age) how to fit into your routine and lifestyle, I found it so refreshing and reassuring to find a book that encourages us as parents to support our children's individual needs - even if it means changing our old habits a little bit. One of my favourite positions is about babies who wake a lot at night - instead of calling it "night waking" or "sleep problems", the Sears' (parents of seven children themselves) gently remind us that our job as parents doesn't stop when the lights go out by calling it "night-time parenting".

The Secret Life of Bees

I read this book in 2 days. Forty-eight wonderful hours of characters to fall in love with. I adore this type of book - character driven but with a point. This book is not without its heartbreak. The Secret Life of Bees takes place in South Carolina in 1964 during the heart of the Civil Rights movement. The novel centres around Lily Owens, whose life was forever changed by the tragic death of her mother. Lily is haunted by these memories and when her surrogate mother, a spirited black woman named Rosaleen, insults three racists Lily decides they need to escape together once and for all.

The journey that follows is one built on the love of mothers and daughters and the powerful relationship created with a group of unlikely women that become Lily's stand-in mothers. This is an inspiring story about one little girl's need for love, forgiveness, and acceptance where the politically charged times act as a backdrop to the more personal evolution taking place in the character of Lily.

This book is a definite must read especially because the movie version comes out on October 17th. I can't wait to see it! Check out the trailer here:

This review was written by Jen.