Jennifer Pepito

Mothering by the Book: The Power of Reading Aloud to Overcome Fear and Recapture Joy by Jennifer Pepito caught my attention via its subtitle. Mothering my daughters and reading books are two wonderful parts of my life and the combination appealed to my bookish heart. I appreciated that this author has grown children and shared honestly about her mistakes and successes. Her perspective offered encouragement mixed with wisdom but avoided (and even called out) the false idea that following certain rules or methods will guarantee happy, healthy, and godly children.

Reading one chapter of Mothering by the Book per night fit my taste well. Although I had read only two of the literary works the author discussed, she provided the necessary information from each story and tied it into her focus concept. Each chapter deals with overcoming fear and finding joy but addresses the topics from different angles and incorporates varying practices (journaling, speaking life, thankfulness, etc.). Some chapters inspired while others challenged. I underlined many portions and spent time in my journal answering the reflection questions.

Mothering by the Book: The Power of Reading Aloud to Overcome Fear and Recapture Joy by Jennifer Pepito will likely appeal to bookish moms. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and now have several recommended novels on my wish list. Although the ideas can be applied to all types of families, the author homeschooled her children and I think the book fits with the homeschool experience well.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I was provided a copy of this book by the author or publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.… (mais)