17 Books to Kick-Start Fall

When I first came upon this picture book, I thought, Wow, the women on these pages are so fierce and so real. The dynamic, colorful illustrations—collages of photos and drawings—depict mothers from all walks of life. The mix of pilots, housecleaners, waitresses, and exotic dancers ("Some mamas dance all night long in special shoes. It's hard work!") suggests that a mother's parenting skills cannot be measured by the size of her paycheck or how she earns it. I also love that the book shows women caring leads to both hope for their kids in other ways: a pregnant woman doing yoga ("Mamas care for their babies even before their babies are born"); women marching, carrying a "We Shall Overcome" sign in one hand and a child in the other. Yes, kids, mamas rock.