The Bump Book Club: Fall 2019 Reads
On the hunt for a good book? Check out the top reads The Bump editors hand-picked for fall 2019.
For the mom-to-be who wants to be prepared for one of life’s biggest changes.
Babies Are Not Pizzas: They’re Born, Not Delivered
Babies are born, not served up like a mere pizza delivery––at least that’s how Rebecca Dekker, PhD, RN, puts it. After a traumatic birth that stemmed partially from outdated hospital practices, Dekker, put her background as a nurse researcher to good use in a quest to understand why her experience had been so chaotic. Using her own childbirth experiences to educate and inspire readers, Dekker sheds light on a broken maternity care system and presents solutions to parents and professionals alike. Babies Are Not Pizzas offers an inside look at hospital births as well as remedies for some of the most common birthing challenges.
Buy it: $18, Amazon.com
The Birth Guy’s Go-To Guide for New Dads: How to Support Your Partner Through Birth, Breastfeeding, and Beyond
Alright dads, this one’s for you! When so much of pregnancy revolves around the mom-to-be, it’s common for your partner to feel a little left out. But it doesn’t have to be that way! Authored by one of the few male doulas out there, Brian Salmon, The Birth Guy’s Go-To Guide for New Dads is an empowering guide to get expectant couples speaking the same language. From learning how to support your partner through labor and delivery to helping them nail the perfect breastfeeding latch, this guide has you covered. Consider this a baby shower must-have!
Buy it: $14, Amazon.com
For the mom or dad who could use a little advice.
You Are a F*cking Awesome Mom
Let’s face it: Parenthood can feel at times like one big mess of unending, mind-numbing chaos, and the transition into motherhood can rock any new mom’s sense of self. Well, you’re not alone––just take it from the author of “You Are a F*cking Awesome Mom” and Instagram celeb, Leslie Anne Bruce. In a brutally honest and refreshingly non-judgemental approach, Bruce hones in on the importance of getting over the mom guilt and helps readers feel empowered and embrace the joyous moments of motherhood, chaos and all.
Buy it: $12, Amazon.com
Oh Crap! Potty Training: Everything Modern Parents Need to Know to Do It Once and Do It Right
Ahh potty training—every parent’s favorite milestone, right? Probably not. If you’ve heard more potty training horror stories from your friends than you can count, you need to pick up a copy of Oh Crap! Potty Training. Potty training expert Jamie Glowacki takes you through her six-step process to help take your toddler from diapers to big kid underwear in no time.
Buy it: $9, Amazon.com
For the parent who needs an escape.
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Lock Every Door
It wouldn’t be a fall book club list if we didn’t recommend something spooky—and this read fits the bill. When Jules, a young New Yorker down on her luck, comes across a job listing to housesit an apartment in one of New York’s most esteemed buildings, she takes it despite a myriad of red flags. But as she gets to know the building and its inhabitants, she discovers a dark history that sends her on a dangerous quest for the truth. Pair this terrifying tale with a PSL and your coziest blanket.
Buy it: $11, Amazon.com
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Things You Save in a Fire
If Halloween’s not your thing, don’t worry! Things You Save in a Fire is a little less spooky and a lot more heartwarming. Cassie Hanwell is a celebrated firefighter at her firehouse in Texas. But when she is forced to move to Boston to care for her estranged, ailing mother, life for Cassie drastically shifts. This is a story of strength, forgiveness, family and new possibilities. Things You Save in a Fire is a powerhouse book full of courage.
Buy it: $17, Amazon.com
For the parent who wants to feel empowered.
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On Being Human: A Memoir of Waking Up, Living Real, and Listening Hard
If you’ve ever doubted your ability to do something, read Jennifer Pastiloff’s On Being Human. After 13 years of waitressing, author Jen Pastiloff trades stability for uncertainty when she’s given the opportunity to quit her restaurant job and become a yoga teacher. Pastiloff brings readers through the journey of her own tumult, uncertainty and eventual triumph, empowering readers in the process. Her story illuminates the power of believing in yourself by accepting your own messy but beautiful humanity.
Buy it: $20, Amazon.com
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Inheritance: A Memoir of Genealogy, Paternity, and Love
When Dani Shapiro decided to use an online genealogy test in the spring of 2016, she discovered a family secret that radically changed life as she knew it—the person she grew up thinking was her father wasn’t actually her biological father. Inheritance explores the meaning of identity, family and the implications of advancing technology. If you’re looking for a heavy yet heartfelt read to dig into after the kids go to sleep, we highly recommend Inheritance.
Buy it: $9, Amazon.com
For the mom or dad who loves to get creative in the kitchen.
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Drinking for Two: Nutritious Mocktails For The Mom-To-Be
This may not technically be a cookbook, but we think you’ll appreciate its tasty drink recipes just the same. It’s no surprise that drinking alcohol during pregnancy isn’t recommended, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a cool cocktail, sans liquor. For ideas on what to whip up, turn to Drinking for Two: Nutritious Mocktails For The Mom-To-Be, written by health-conscious moms-to-be Diana Licalzi, MS, RDN, and Kerry Jane Criss, MS, RDN. Each recipe is equally as delicious as it is nutrient-packed, meaning you can enjoy them through pregnancy, breastfeeding and beyond. Plus, some recipes might even help combat nausea (score!). Mocktail, anyone?
Buy it: $13, Amazon.com
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Real Food Kids Will Love: Over 100 Simple and Delicious Recipes for Toddlers and Up
Feeding your kids healthy food doesn’t need to be hard. Real Food Kids Will Love is a cookbook designed with simplicity and wellness in mind. Whether you’re looking for lunch box meals or family dinner options, author and baby food expert Annabel Karmel offers a slew of meal ideas to help you raise happy, healthy and adventurous eaters.
Buy it: $15, Amazon.com
For Rom-Com lovers looking to indulge.
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The Kiss Quotient
The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang brings readers to the intersection of love and logic in this refreshingly sweet love story. Stella Lane is a successful, math-obsessed woman in her 30s who has Asperbergers. For Stella, logic is her guiding force, making love hard to come by. Realizing her fears of intimacy and the building pressure from her mother to get married, Stella decides to hire a professional escort to teach her how to overcome her fears (think: a reverse Pretty Woman). The Kiss Quotient follows Stella’s journey to overcoming her fear of love and how she ultimately falling right into it.
Buy it: $5, Amazon.com
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The Cactus
As any parent knows, having a baby brings with it a certain amount of chaos, something this novel’s fiercely independent protagonist, Susan Green, learns firsthand. After discovering she’s going to become a mother in tandem with the loss of her own mother, Green feels her perfectly controlled life slipping away from her––until she meets Rob. As a friend of her distant brother, Rob becomes Susan’s unlikely companion. The Cactus is a romantic, witty account of becoming a mother, falling in love and accepting the unexpected.
Buy it: $10, Amazon.com
For extra-special storytime with the little ones.
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Goodnight Bubbala
You’ve heard of Goodnight Moon, but have you heard of Goodnight Bubbala? This festive spin on a children’s classic celebrates Jewish values, incorporates some Yiddish words and even includes an easy-to-make latke recipe from celebrity chef Ina Garten. This is the perfect bedtime read ahead of the Jewish holidays.
Buy it: $18, Amazon.com
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The Pigeon HAS to Go to School!
School is officially in session—even for pigeons! Like all of Mo Willems’ other The Pigeon books, The Pigeon HAS to Go to School! will keep your little ones laughing, learning and, most of all, excited about heading off to school each day. Whether you hold onto this book for the first day of school or you save it for the days when tears accompany daycare drop-off, this book will make just about everyone excited to spend time in the classroom.
Buy it: $10, Amazon.com
One Bad Mother
If there’s one thing we know to be true, it’s that laughter really is the best medicine—especially for parents. Get your daily dose with One Bad Mother, the comedy podcast about all-things parenting. Laugh your way through parenting fails, genius hacks and embarrassing stories with hosts Biz Ellis and Theresa Thorn.
Listen in: Podcasts.apple.com
Raising Good Humans
Parenting truth number one? Everyone wants what’s best for their children. Dr. Aliza Pressman, developmental psychologist, podcast host and mom, offers realistic approaches and tools parents can use to make the best decisions they can for their children. Tapping experts and real parents alike, Dr. Aliza gives parents the support they need to raise good humans without the judgement.
Listen in: Podcasts.apple.com
Published September 2019
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, some of which may be sponsored by paying vendors.
Plus, check out our past Book Club picks:
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