“Show me the books she loves and I shall know the woman…“

Mother – Daughter Duet

Cheri Fuller

A harmonious relationship is possible

When your daughter was born, you had a thousand hopes and dreams for her. . .including that one day you’d be best friends.

But as life unfolds, even the best intentions go awry. There are so many challenges on the journey to adult friendship that the reality is fraught with friction and frustration. Thankfully, a harmonious relationship with your daughter is possible.

Written by a mother and daughter who have successfully navigated the minefield from distance and tension to acceptance and friendship, Mother-Daughter Duet helps moms open wide the door of communication so that daughters want to walk through it. Filled with personal anecdotes and based on proven principles, each chapter offers timeless wisdom as well as a daughter’s perspective. Often these principles apply to daughters-in-law as well.

The relationship between mothers and daughters is intense, personal, complex, and unique. But you can have the loving, authentic bond you always dreamed of—when you learn the mother-daughter duet.

Whether you are a mother or a daughter you are going to gain valuable insight, understanding and wisdom from this book.

I read this book from a daughter’s standpoint with a mother’s heart. What I mean is that as an “adult” daughter…I sadly could see myself in many of the interactions and reactions discussed within this book.  As a mother…I read it with open eyes and spirit searching for wisdom for the time my 6 year olds would be grown women.

I was instantly drawn into the book from Chapter one. Mother-Daughter Duet is not written as “self-help” book but as encouragement for other women.

As a daughter…I sometimes struggle with my mom’s desire to still parent me at age 40. Yet, I see that I may be following those footsteps with my own girls. As a mother…I long for the friendship that can be possible when my daughters are grown women with families of their own.

Reading Mother-Daughter Duet gave me such a heart for my mom and for my daughters. Will relationships ever be easy? I doubt it. Women are women…regardless of age…we are intricate, complex and sometimes (especially in my family) stubborn…but it is clear with God’s help and guidance we can achieve a success in our friendship and love for and from our mothers and daughters.

I will be keeping this book in my library for reference and encouragement. I know that the tween years are closer then I think…and they will be followed fiercely by the teens and adult hood. I want to make sure that I am fostering a relationship with my twins that will be one that will blossom and in the meantime…tending the relationship with my mom.

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“Show me the books she loves and I shall know the woman…“

I’m Up in a Tree

Mark Alden Johnson

Climbing a tree sounded like a great idea, but it turns out that getting down is much harder than climbing up! Perched on a branch high up in a tree, a young boy must decide whether to find a way to the ground by himself or wait for his dad. All kinds of animals, from bees to birds to cats, offer him advice on how to get down (Jump! Fly! Climb!), but it’s up to him to figure out if their advice is worth taking.

Told in a lyrical rhyming style and charmingly illustrated by the author, I’m Up in a Tree is a book for kids and their parents to enjoy together.

I’m Up in a Tree is a fun, lyrical journey to take with your children and young readers. It is a clear illustration of a little boy who uses his noggin rather then going by “guts” to get out of a bad situation.

As a mom and home school teacher I enjoyed the fact that Mark Alden Johnson created a  young character that was a tad mischievous and curious (how else would he have gotten up in the tree?) but who was also wise enough to not accept bad advise no matter how well meaning. Finding himself in a very odd and somewhat dangerous predicament the young man chooses not to listen to a bee, a cat or a bird. Wise move. The book provided characters that lent themselves to dramatic vocal interpretations. Which made reading the book with my twins more exciting.

My daughters instantly related to the little boy’s situation. In fact at one point they wondered aloud “Why in the world did he bother going up a tree in the first place”?  As the cat, bird and bee gave advice on how to get down my girls were eager to offer their own opinion on the advice offered.

If you are a parent or teacher I would suggest picking up a copy of I’m Up in a Tree…it offers a great lesson in trusting what you have been taught by your parents and using the common sense that is all too often not common. A great lesson taught in a simple yet meaningful story line.

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“Show me the books he loves and I shall know the man…“

Let’s Walk the Talk

Danae Dobson

I didn’t realize that this book was created for teens. Obviously I quickly caught on. While my daughters are barely in 1st grade..this will be a book that I will keep for them as they get older.

Danae Dobson creates an environment in her book that allows young girls to understand the complexities that our “modern” society offers while explaining the “true love” and “devotion” that our God in Heaven offers.

Let’s Walk the Talk doesn’t tip top around the challenges of growing up but rather meets them directly and head on in a forthright, caring manner. It truly is as if Danae is taking the role of the older sister to the young women she has in mind in her writings.

Even though it has been many years since I have been a teen…I still found gently reminders and insight how it is important for me as a women to remember to Walk the Talk.

It is a pleasure to know that there is a young writer sharing her faith and directions to young women when they need it the most…the teenage years.

Review posted at Amazon.com

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Thomas Nelson

Rick & Bubba’s Guide to the Almost Nearly Perfect Marriage

Rick Burgess & Bill “Bubba” Bussey

Synopsis: The only thing funnier than marriage is Rick and Bubba talkin’ about it!

Oh my goodness! Rick and Bubba are right on in so many ways. I have to admit that I had never heard of them before (sorry guys) but they are hilarious.

Their take and view on the way marriage and women work is hysterical yet deeply accurate.

I found myself quoting their book to my husband and for the record not just the parts about husbands. There were times I so clearly saw myself in Rick and Bubba’s descriptions of wives that I would bust out laughing. Clearly a weird moment when you do so at the doctor’s office.

My favorite concept of the book is that it is written by two men that love the Lord, their wives, their family and humor. No wonder they are considered the sexiest “fat” men alive.  What can be more attractive then men that love God and “get” their wives?

This book contains an extra added book…The Book of Blame with contains many amendments to the laws of marriage. My personal favorite was: Article XXXVIII
“If you hit a pothole in the road, it’s your husband’s fault. He should have warned you about it…on the cell phone..from his office!”

Don’t laugh! That really happened to me just recently and cost me $400 to get a new tire for the front of the car and I WAS on the phone with my husband which is why I hit the silly thing in the first place.

Rick and Bubba have a few decades of marriage under their combined belt but even more experience being men so it was an incredible insightful read.

Lighthearted, straight to the point and very informative. Give your sweetheart a chuckle and read the book together…it will definitely give you a lot of points to discuss. It did for my hubby and I and we are still married!

Great job boys!

**See The IE Mommy Review on Amazon.com