This is Childhood: Reviews
Mamma Be Thy Name: I call This is Childhood The Thinking Mother’s Baby Book, and, really, I can’t say enough. If you’re a fan of exemplary writing, being emotionally moved, and your own children, you should pick up this book. Whether you’re expecting (I’d highly, highly recommend this as a shower gift), or already have children at or under the age of ten, this book is the perfect addition to any bookshelf, or disorganized nightstand, as the case may be. I admit, I devoured This is Childhood in one evening (that’s just the way I am!), but my recommendation would be to savor it slowly, like a Mediterranean dinner. It’s that good.
Mama One to Three: These thoughtful essays capture what it is to be still caught in the shadow of the previous year, with the next big changes looming. I mention all the writers here because I could not choose essays over others that best depict the mysteries of childhood; each casts a particular light on the mundane and the magical.
Mommy for Real: Savoring each story from ages one to ten reminded me of the things I loved best about each age I have experienced as a mother so far-up to nearly eight!-and it made me feel excited about what was still to come. I loved looking for pieces of my own daughters in the descriptions of each age, with all its idiosyncrasies and endearing characteristics. –Stephanie Sprenger
“It has been a very long time since I have written as Aidan Donnelley Rowley, Kristen Levithan, Nina Badzin, Galit Breen, Allison Slater Tate, Bethany Meyer, Tracy Morrison, Amanda Magee, Denise Ullem, and Lindsey Mead do here—under a closely focused lens, memorizing each tiny detail. I promise you will see reflections of your own child in the experiences recorded in this book.” – Lisa Belkin, Senior Correspondent, Yahoo News, former Senior Columnist at Huffington Post
I am the Milk: There was nothing I didn’t love about This is Childhood, starting with its format. Each chapter in the book is written by one of the magazine’s regular contributors and dedicated to a particular year in their child’s life between ages one to ten. The chapters are short, blog post-like, but intense with every word in them dripping with motherly love and wrapped in so much significance that is both private and universal. At the end of every chapter you’ll find a personal note from the author elaborating on the essay and providing it context.-Katia Barrett
“These essays make me remember exactly what I treasured (and didn’t!) at each of my children’s ages. This is Childhood is the heartwarming baby book I wish I’d kept for all of my kids, written by some of my favorite voices today. It’s an absolute joy.” -Jill Smokler, Scary Mommy
My Dishwasher’s Possessed: “Leave it to the editors of Brain Child Magazine, to create a book filled with wonderful essays from some of today’s best bloggers and writers about parenting. This Is Childhood begins with This is One, by Aidan Donnelley Rowley and ends with Lindsay Mead’s essay, This is Ten.” -Kathy Radigan
Deepest Worth: “All of my children are beyond the ages spotlighted in this book. They are old enough now to be the “keepers of their own memories” as Lisa Belkin describes in her introduction to This is Childhood. So, it is through the rear view mirror that I read the heartfelt words of these writer mothers.” –Shannon Duffy
Fairfieldista: “Just in time for Mother’s Day, the editors of Wilton-based Brain,Child magazine have published a new book that takes an honest look at the first ten years of a child’s life from a mother’s perspective. The collection of essays each written by a different author, focus on a single year of childhood, from age one to ten, and provide a tender and moving recollection of those early years or glimpse into what’s to come.” –Ann Quasarano
“Loved this book. Each essay spoke to me in a different way. While I love being a parent, there are so many moments where I feel like my heart is in my throat… and reading this book reminded me that even in those moments, I am never alone. I can’t wait to share this book with the other moms in my life.” -J. Herthel (Kindle Edition)
