Hello, I’m , mother to three daughters aged 15, 12 and 10. I am a writer and work part-time leading communications at a not-for-profit. My husband is a teacher and together we live a bustling and often messy life on the edge of Naarm/Melbourne, on Wurundjeri Country, with easy access to rolling hills, river and bush. My family are all big readers and frequent library patrons. We love to wander around our local bookshop, and we are quite partial to lounging around on a Sunday morning reading our books in quiet companionship. One of the moments I love most as a parent include when I look up from what I’m doing at home to see all my girls with their noses in a book. Anything might have happened that day but when I see that, I can assume there must be something we are doing right.

Who inspired you to become the reader you are today?

I grew up in a household where reading was the norm and I was lucky enough to have easy access to books. I remember my parents making the big decision to invest in a set of World Book Encyclopedias (I am almost certain I remember a door to door salesman coming around to promote them, but memory is a fickle thing and I cannot be sure if it is real) and when those gold-gilded books arrived I spent hours in their pages, not quite believing just how big and fantastical our planet was. I think this may have been one of my first experiences of awe and one of the reasons I still, to this day, love reading and learning about the natural world. I loved the library at school and have strong memories of learning the cataloguing system which, at that time, was a collection of cards in wooden drawers. I have clear memories of Mum taking me to our local public library for the first time and getting my first library card. These feel like pivotal bookish memories. More recently reading inspiration has come from my daughters and their collective love of reading and story. I’ve seen firsthand just how easily their childhood could be stolen by screens and devices which has encouraged me to up the ante on my own reading habits – so much so that I decided to enrol in a Masters program, and am working on a mid-life career pivot to become a Librarian.

Who are your favourite authors?

Growing up my favourite books were The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien. I also loved books like Merryll of the Stones by Brian Caswell, and Tomorrow, When the War Began by John Marsden which was published when I was 11. I remember in primary school being selected to go with another student and my teacher to a children’s writing workshop with John Marsden and (besides the excitement of being driven in my teacher’s car, something that would never happen today!) feeling incredibly lucky to be able to spend a day talking about books and writing with an author who was ‘famous’. That experience put a few stars in my eyes. Nowadays I have so many authors I enjoy, however I can’t go without mentioning Helen Garner, Rebecca Giggs, Delia Falconer, Lee Kofman, Charlotte McConaghy, Inga Simpson, Robbie Arnott, Joëlle Gergis, and Robert Macfarlane, to name just a few.

Who do you discuss books with?

I was in a book club pre-Covid which was very serious about discussing books, however over the course of the pandemic it faltered. Now I talk about books with anyone willing. I have friends and family who love reading and talking about books. My husband and I will often read the same books and I always love hearing his perspective and what he gleaned from it, which is generally different in some way from my experience with the work. That is the beauty of speaking with others about books, you’ll always get to know the same book in a new way.

What are you currently reading?

I just finished reading I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman. I’m also reading Stoneyard Devotional by Charlotte Wood and Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus on audio.

What’s in your TBR pile?

To name just a few:

• Human/Nature: On Life in a Wild World by Jane Rawson

• Always Home, Always Homesick by Hannah Kent

• There are Rivers in the Sky by Elif Shafak

• Careless People: A Story of Where I Used to Work by Sarah Wynn-Williams

• Fifteen Million Years in Antarctica by Rebecca Priestly

• Is a River Alive? by Robert Macfarlane

What have you read so far this year that you would recommend?

• Dusk by Robbie Arnott (fiction)

• Raising Hare by Chloe Dalton (nonfiction)

• The Desert Knows her Name by Lia Hills (fiction)

• Australian Gospel by Lech Blaines (nonfiction)

• Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy (fiction)

What are your favourite genres?

I love nature memoirs like Where We Swim by Ingrid Horrocks, essay collections with an environmental slant like Signs and Wonders by Delia Falconer, and nature or climate or environmentally aware fiction like Migrations by Charlotte McConaghy. Last year I listened to all the books in Ann Cleeves’ Shetland series for fun, though crime is not a genre I usually read, and have not read since. I loved them!

What were your favourite books you read last year?

You can read all about my favourite reads of 2024 here:

Suburban Dreaming

Hello, summer

Hello friend…

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a year ago · 7 likes · Lucinda Bain

In short:

• Joëlle Gergis on Climate Peril and Paralysis – from the Quarterly Essay (nonfiction)

• Pachinko by Min Jin Lee (fiction)

• Late Light by Michael Malay (nonfiction)

• Position Doubtful by Kim Mahood (nonfiction)

• Red Bones by Ann Cleeves (fiction)

• Breakdown by Cathy Sweeney (fiction)

• The Boat by Nam Lee (fiction)

• If You Go by Alice Robinson (fiction)

What are you most looking forward to reading this year?

I was really excited about reading Dusk this year, which I read in January and was not disappointed. This year, as someone who is renowned for having over ten books coming in at once at the library, I’ve set myself a challenge to read at least five books from my own shelves. I’m looking forward to feeling less guilty every time I see books I have bought, collected or been given on my shelf that I haven’t read! This also means I’ve put myself on a (loose) ban from buying books until I’ve made a dent in those that I already have. But as I said, this is a fairly loose rule...and if I’m being honest, I did accidentally purchase Robert Macfarlane’s new book at the bookshop last week, and Hannah Kent’s new memoir at the Melbourne Writers Festival.

If you’d like to join in and pick some books from your own shelf (I’d love you to!), visit me here on Substack or over on Instagram and use the hashtag #booksinourhands to share what you’re reading.

Do you read books more than once?

Very rarely would I read a book twice. My mind is generally far too busy to entertain the thought of a repeat read. I sometimes think it might be nice to read something again and really solidify my understanding of a text, but in reality it’s unlikely to happen. In saying that, I do re-read individual essays from time to time, or I might revisit parts of a book, particularly if I’m working my own essay about something specific. As I’m answering this question however, I have thought of one book of poetry I read repeatedly each year. It’s called Earth Dwellers: New Poems by Kristen Lang and is mesmerising.

What have been your most treasured read alouds and why?

To be honest, I don’t love reading books aloud. Maybe it’s a hangover from being picked unwillingly in a classroom to read something, or that time I went to an arty house party in my twenties and we had to read parts of an unfamiliar play out loud and I couldn’t pronounce anything. I do however love the time spent with my girls while I am reading to them, and as much as possible, I get them to do the reading! I’m currently reading The Hobbit aloud to my youngest daughter a few nights each week.

What do you use as bookmarks?

Anything and everything – torn envelopes, school notices, cards from my kids, tissues (clean ones), postcards, wool. I do prefer to have an actual bookmark though. A long time ago I had one that a friend sent me in the mail with a beautiful black cockatoo on it. I loved that and used it until it was torn to shreds.

What books have shaped the person and mother you have become?

Buddhism for Mothers by Sarah Napthali was a pivotal book when I had small kids.

The Way of the Happy Woman by Sara Avant Stover is a very dog-eared book on my shelf (speaking of reading thing twice, maybe I lied: this one has been read multiple times over the seasons).

When do you read and for how long do you read for each day?

I read every night when I go to bed, without fail. I don’t know how anyone can go to sleep without reading first. I could read anywhere from ten minutes to two hours in this time, pending energy, the book, and how soon I can get to bed! Usually, I’ll read for around half an hour. Anything in addition to that is certainly a bonus.

Do you read everyday or only on certain days of the week?

Every. Single. Day.

Do you read multiple books or one at a time?

I absolutely read multiple books at a time – a fiction, a nonfiction and an audiobook on the go is a very common scenario for me.

Do you read consistently or does your reading rhythm ebb and flow?

I’m a fairly consistent reader, but place no expectations or pressure on myself. I read when I can and if I want to, and follow my interests and reading desires wherever they might take me. I regularly return library books without having read them, and I will stop reading a book if I’m not enjoying it.

Where do you love to read?

My favourite place to read is in bed, or in front of the fire in winter.

Where do you store your book collection?

I have a small mid-century bookshelf that we bought on Facebook marketplace years ago, most of my books are stored there. I also have a little bookshelf that was sourced at a vintage market that is full of books, stacked in all sorts of configurations. A stack next to my bed, a stack on the coffee table, a stack on the sideboard... I’m currently in the market for a new and bigger bookshelf to store my ever-growing collection.

Where do you source books from?

If I’m buying books new, I will try to support my local bookshops: Eltham Bookshop, Verso Books Healesville, or if I’m down on the coast, Antipodes in Sorrento is a favourite. Otherwise, I am an active library member and I often find books at the op shop. Family regularly give me books for birthday gifts, and I love browsing my Mum’s bookshelf too (she has one of those dreamy floor to ceiling shelves).

What formats do you read in?

Paperback is my preferred format but I can also listen to specific books on audio. Don’t ask me what my criteria is, all I know is there are some books I can take in via audio, and some I can’t. I don’t read ebooks (yet).

How do you keep track of what you read?

I use the Goodreads app to note down what I want to read, what I am currently reading, and what I have read. I have heard of some other apps that might be better (read: not affiliated with Amazon) however I haven’t had the headspace to investigate them. I’d welcome recommendations.

Why do you read?

For a moment this question stumped me a little, as reading is such an integral part of my life I don’t often stop to consider why. I think I read for so many reasons. I read to learn, to escape, to understand, to expand, to wonder. I read to connect with story. I read to engage with a topic or hear another perspective. I read to be entertained. I read to feel. I read to rebel. I read to feel comforted. I read to take action. I read because it is simply one of the most delightful things I can think to do. I read because sometimes when the world feels big and heavy it is the only thing you can do. I don’t think I will ever stop reading.

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Suburban Dreaming

Exploring nature, books, parenting and life in a shifting world.

By Lucinda Bain

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@suburban_dreaming

@booksinourhands

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Hello, I’m . An English and history teacher by training and experience, and currently an unpaid domestic adventurer by choice. My husband is in the military and we have a wild and curious daughter, Hazel. As such, home for us is peripatetic, an idea particularly close to my heart. I don’t have nearly as much time to read now as I did pre-Hazel, but I find slices of time to immerse myself, and, naturally, spend large parts of everyday animatedly reading her favourite books over and over.

Who inspired you to become the reader you are today?

Initially, my mum. It was a core value of hers when we were children. She spent lots of time reading to us and always made sure we had plenty to choose from. So, partly that, and also partly my temperament I think. I have three siblings, and I often escaped into books as a way to be in the proximity of family and the hub-bub of daily life without having to be at the centre. My parents often fondly say they never thought reading would be a problem, but that I rarely focused on a task with two hands because one was always holding a book, and that after my lamp was removed (because I kept staying up past midnight reading), I persisted with a glow stick and my calculator light. It’s no wonder I have glasses now! My godfather, upon reflection, also fostered this love of reading. There was always a stack of books I could select from at his house, and he would read books I had read to discuss them with me, and always genuinely wanted to hear my thoughts and recommendations about books, which as an adult I can now see was such a lovely thing to do.

Who are your favourite authors?

As a small child I loved Roald Dahl, and J.K. Rowling, but was equally captivated by specific tales like The Wind in the Willows and The Secret Garden, and I have fond memories of reading the Blackberry Farm books on repeat.

As an adult, I really had to consider this. I think it shifts and changes, but constant fiction companions have been C.J. Sansom, Charlotte Brontë, Jane Austen, Oscar Wilde, Bridget Collins, Fredrik Backman, Ben Aaronovitch, Patrick Rothfuss, Daniel O’Malley, and Keavin Hearne (can you tell I am a Harry Potter millennial who grew up with the books?)

These days I read more non-fiction and I dearly love , Raynor Winn, Robert MacFarlane, and Yuval Harari.

Who do you discuss books with?

I am not currently in a bookclub, although I have been previously. I’ve found since becoming a mum that a week night at 7.30pm is not really manageable!

I talk to some of my wonderful friends, particularly Eve at , about whatever I am reading and we swap books often (which I don’t do with many people as I am quite fond of my books).

My husband and I will often read the same book and then discuss it too; usually non-fiction or magical realism/fantasy.

What are you currently reading?

I am currently reading How to Raise a Secure Child, Chai Times at Cinnamon Gardens, and Rivers of London is on CD (yes, CD) in the car.

What’s in your TBR pile?

It’s not so much a pile as a hoard I select from when one calls to me. I am certainly not the kind of reader who methodically makes their way through a TBR list! Currently the hoard contains a lot of non-fiction:

• Belonging: Remembering Ourselves Home by Toko-pa Turner

• Modern Miss Mason: Discover How Charlotte Mason’s Revolutionary Ideas on Home Education Can Change How You and Your Children Learn and Grow Together by

• Regenerative Design for Changemakers: A Social Permaculture Guide by Abrah Dresdale

• Matricentric Feminism: Theory, Activism, Practice by Andrea O'Reilly

• Quaint Deeds - Unlikely Adventures in Teaching and Treasure-hunting: A Memoir by A.J. Mackinnon

• Up: A Mother and Daughter’s Peakbagging Experience by Patricia Ellis

• The Book Of Roads And Kingdoms by Richard Fidler

• 108 Discourses of Guru Dev by Paul Mason

• Beyond Left and Right by David McKnight

What have you read so far this year that you would recommend?

Hold On To Your Kids by Gordon Neufeld and Gabor Maté. It busts some common myths and platitudes that get thrown around about raising children. I found it insightful and provocative.

Also, The Unlikely Escape of Uriah Heap by H.G. Parry, which is actually a reread for me, but I can’t not recommend it. Unputdownable. I loved the intertextuality so much. Even if you don’t know many of the classics I still think it would be a fun read. And, there is always Google if you suspect a character is literary but you don’t already know them. It’s inspiring to me that a professor has drawn on all of her literary knowledge to craft a new work like this.

What are your favourite genres?

Nature writing, anything about walking, magical realism, and bibliomystery (fiction books about books/libraries/book shops). Having said that, I voraciously read non-fiction, and will pick up just about any genre.

Do you read books more than once?

Yes. I do. Both fiction and non-fiction. The former are generally books that feel comforting to me and take little active brain power to sink back into because I know them so well (think Rivers of London); the latter are books that either I feel contribute to my core values (Blackie for instance), or provide solace upon rereading (MacFarlane, say).

In this season of early mothering, I find myself re-reading more for that sense of comfort and knownness. I listen to the Stephen Fry Harry Potter audiobooks basically on repeat when I feel like putting something on in the background. Pure comfort.

What have been your most treasured read alouds and why?

What a wonderful question! Currently, with a toddler, I love to read aloud and the Acorn Wood books by Julia Donaldson are on repeat.

As a teacher, one of my favourites to read aloud was The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. It’s a wonderfully evocative short story that builds in pace and wildness. Students couldn’t help but be pulled in for the ride and then inevitably had questions and exclamations at the end.

What do you use as bookmarks?

I am chaotic, good you might say, so anything can be used as a bookmark so long as it doesn’t damage the book. I wouldn’t, for instance, fold down a corner. Although I do fold corners to mark non-fiction books where I have made a note.

What books have shaped the person and mother you have become?

If Women Rose Rooted by

The Nurture Revolution: Grow Your Baby's Brain and Transform Their Mental Health through the Art of Nurtured Parenting by Dr Greer Kirshenbaum

Do you read multiple books or one at a time?

Yes, always! It’s common for me to have three on the go: a non-fiction, a fiction or lighter non-fiction, and an audiobook. I chop and change depending on how I feel at the time.

Do you read consistently or does your reading rhythm ebb and flow?

My rhythm is responsive to my life and l’ve never worried overly much. For me, reading is sometimes full absorption, and at other times, squeezing in a poem is my capacity. That’s okay. All things ebb and flow, and breaks between reading often allow time for alchemising.

Where do you love to read?

My favourite is by a fire with a pot of scalding hot tea, with no background noise, but I’ll read anywhere in pretty much any conditions. One excellent thing about growing up in a full house is I can happily sink into a book despite a full cacophony of deafening proportions.

Why do you read?

There are myriad answers to this question, but they can all be distilled by considering the concept of the human experience. I read to challenge my preconceptions, gain new perspectives, reaffirm my own experiences, to foster critical thinking skills, understand and empathise with others, to delve into the depths of inquiry that are not to be found in the immediacy of modern technology, to know myself better, for comfort, and for the sheer joy that occurs when you are so immersed in a book, time and space cease to exist. I cannot fathom a life without reading. It remains one of the few resources we all have access to that is still freely accessible — a way to connect, explore, and escape.

Whenever I read, I undoubtedly feel like a human being, rather than a human doing.

Reading, for me, is life adjacent.

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Website - www.hearthsiderhythms.com.au

Instagram - @hearthsiderhythms

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Hearthside Rhythms

Returning heart to hearth — sacred stewardship from the home outwards

By Rachel

Thank you for reading Rachel’s Mother Reader Portrait.

If you are interested in sharing the ins and outs of your own reading life, reach out:

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Hello Mother Readers,

Autumn Equinox greetings to you all!

I hope I’ve found you in the midst of a cracking great book, at the climax of an exceptionally good read aloud or with a fresh stack of library books just waiting for you to get lost in.

As we say an official farewell to summer in the southern hemisphere, I thought I’d share with you my favourite reads of the last season.

It’s been a deliciously slow start to year, largely because I’ve been reading more than writing (sorry, not sorry) and embracing the joys of living a (mostly) analog life. This has included birthing my very own, real life book club - Mother Readers. I’ve drawn together a circle of women in my local community who love to read or who wanted to make more time in their life for reading. I have so much to tell you about this incredible experience, but that is all to come in time. First allow me to share with you everything I have in store for you this year.

What to expect from Mother Reader in 2025…

• Quarterly reading highlights from our family of bookworms in line with the seasonal solstices and equinoxes

• More Portrait of a Mother Reader pieces from word loving women around the world

• Themed reading lists for little and big people to dive deeper into areas of interest

• A handful of How To… posts, beginning with How to Start a Book Club and How to Raise Readers

For context, if you are new to Mother Reader, I’m , a slow, simple, seasonal living home lover who nests on the Mornington Peninsula, Bunurong Country, at the bottom of mainland Australia with my musical husband and two wildlings (aged 6 and 4). I read every day (sometimes a little, sometimes a lot) but never a day passes without a book in my hands.

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The Serviceberry

By Robin Wall Kimmerer

“In a gift economy, wealth is understood as having enough to share, and the practice for dealing with abundance is to give it away. In fact, status is determined not by how much one accumulates, but by how much one gives away. The currency in a gift economy is relationship, which is expressed as gratitude, as interdependence and the ongoing cycle of reciprocity. A gift economy nurtures the community bonds that enhance mutual well-being; the economic unit is “we” rather than “I”, as all flourishing is mutual.”

On the first day of 2025 I told my family we were all going to our local bookstore because I wanted to buy each of us a new book to kickstart a wonderful year of reading. This book was my gift to myself. I took my time wandering the shelves, in search of a book worthy of owning. I knew instinctually that this would be a treasure, a book I would turn to continually in years to come. I’d heard great things and this petit little gem holds a magnitude of wisdom. I devoured this book. It sang to me. And because it was mine I got to annotate it! A rare treat for a devout library lover.

As with any book, the happenings of my everyday life enhanced this read. As I read Robin’s poetic prose of gifts and abundance, we were up to our eyeballs in blood plums from our ever-giving orchard and were sharing them out with our family and friends, who in turn spread them amongst their friends and family. As we sent these purple jewels out into our community we were gifted back stories, recipes ideas and infinite gratitude. Our bellies and our hearts were full knowing that our produce had made someone’s breakfast that much sweeter, had brought back childhood memories, had inspired a new recipe. Everyone, everyone should read this book.

We Are What We Eat

By Alice Waters

“Once we understand the ways we are interconnected, to one another and to nature, a certain power is unleashed in us that naturally leads us to take responsibility for our lives, one another, and the world.”

Shout out to fellow Mother Reader for this recommendation, this is another delectable book to chew on. A celebration of a formidable woman and her powerful food manifesto. Alice is a pioneer of the SLOW (seasonal, local, organic, whole) food movement, a woman deeply rooted to her place and her work, the heart and soul of one of the best restaurants in the world, Chez Panisse in Berkeley, California. Having had the sheer delight of dining at Chez Panisse on our honeymoon 8 years ago, made this sentimental read even sweeter.

You don’t need to know anything about Alice or her restaurant though to gain so much from this book. This is her food philosophy distilled from 50+ years in hospitality. She outlines everything that is wrong with our ‘fast food culture’ and all we stand to gain collectively by simply changing what’s on our plates. Like The Serviceberry, this book speaks what is etched on my heart. I relate deeply to Alice’s sentiments and vision, her anger and her bewilderment. Having spent the majority of my own working life in hospitality, currently working in one of the best restaurants in Australia, I too long for systemic change in the way we eat, farm, shop, cook and feed ourselves. This book is a blueprint. It lays it all on the table.

Pride & Prejudice

By Jane Austen, illustrated by Alice Pattullo

“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.”

I'm having an Austen year.

It all began in January. I turned to my bookshelf and felt drawn to reach for my illustrated copy of Pride and Prejudice. (Side note, I adore an illustrated classic!) Unawares of the auspiciousness of this year to Austen fans across the globe, I fell completely, head over heels, back in love with the Bennett family and I honestly cannot recall reading another book in recent history that brought me that much joy and rapture. I gave it three hearts in my notebook. Three! I’ve never given three hearts to any book. One has always been enough to signify my love and gratitude, but this re-read warranted an outpouring. Not long after I closed the cover and clutched it to my chest whispering words of eternal devotion, Grandmother Reader emailed me a link to an article, which alluded to 2025 being the 250th year since Austen’s birth. Well, my plan was formed then and there. I would read all of her novels over the course of the year to come and revel in all things Austen. After reconnecting with Elizabeth, shortly after Anne became my treasured companion. The acquaintance of Emma I hope to make next, and that of Fanny, Elinor and Catherine I shall seek in due course. That her stories, her heroines, live on and continue to delight, inspire and comfort us, is worth celebrating in my books.

Do you have a favourite Jane?

The Mirror & The Light

by Hilary Mantel

Technically, I read half of this book in 2024, as part of ’s year long slow read along of the Cromwell Trilogy. I loved Wolf Hall, it was one of the best I read last year. Similarly, I was taken by Bring Up the Bodies, but fell off the wagon part way through this epic, final book. At the time I got distracted by others in my stack and once I fell behind the reading schedule, I put it to the side. It sat on my bedside for a good few months, slowly gathering dust, before I shelved it alongside the other two on our main bookcase. Oh well, I told myself, I gave it a good crack. And I forgot about it.

Until January. Oh January, what an exceptionally good reading month you were. I had just finished Pride & Prejudice and was waiting for Persuasion to come in at the library. I was in that liminal state of being between books but I wanted to keep reading really good literature. I turned to the bookshelf and there was The Mirror & The Light and I was hungry for it again. I picked up where I had left off, once again immersed in 16th century England and the downfall and ultimate demise of Crumb. It was brilliant but I felt the loss, the end. In hindsight perhaps I’d subconsciously paused reading The Mirror & The Light because I wasn’t ready to say goodbye, wanting to extend my time with Thomas Cromwell, with the late Hilary Mantel herself. This trilogy deserves all the accolades and praise it has been bestowed. If you’ve ever thought about tackling them, I cannot recommend joining Simon’s year long slow read enough. It’s like having a kindly history professor hold your hand and walk you through each scene, each chapter. Mantel’s magic is illuminated with Simon as guide. Find him at here on Substack.

Still Life

by Sarah Winman

This was the first official Mother Readers book club selection and it still lingers with me. Florence, Italy throughout a lifetime of the 20th century as told by a ragtag collection of eccentric characters who pull one another towards salvation. This is one for the art lovers. For those who love to be swept away to foreign lands and connect deeply with characters over a number of decades. It will make you laugh out loud, it will make you cry. A beautiful, lingering read.

Frog & Toad, The Complete Collection

By Arnold Lobel

“I am happy. I am very happy. This morning when I woke up I felt good because the sun was shining. I felt good because I was a frog. And I felt good because I have you as a friend.”

We have read a few Frog & Toad tales over the years, so when I saw this anthology at our local bookstore I knew my son would love it! These sweet short stories of the simple lives of two amphibian friends make the perfect read aloud for your littlest listeners. They are a delight to the young at heart as well.

Dinosaur Dig, Dinosaur Rescue, Dinosaur Pirates and Dinosaur Zoom

By Penny Dale

Have a dinosaurs and vehicle loving wee one? You can’t beat these picture books. Simple storylines, epic illustrations. These are on constant rotation in our home.

The Little Chefs

By Rosemary Wells

A cute collection of three short tales of tiny chefs who come on call to rescue any kitchen dilemma.

Aesop’s Fables

Retold by Marie Stuart and Audrey Dale, Illustrated by Robert Ayton

There are countless editions of these classic fables around, and we happened to pick up this vintage Ladybird first edition at the op shop. My youngest appreciated the vivid illustrations whilst my daughter and I enjoyed discussing and dissecting each short story’s moral.

The Little Books of the Little Brontës

By Sara O’Leary and Briony May Smith

This one caught my eye at the library and it’s my pick for the best picture book we’ve read so far this year. This is a delightful introduction to the Brontë family and the joy of creating and sharing stories. Includes a timeline of each of the siblings lives and the works they went on to publish, as well as instructions on how kids can create their own little books. This book brought tears to my eyes as I read it aloud and it completely captivated my daughter. As a precaution, illness and death do feature, but overall hope outshines despair.

Katie and the Starry Night

By James Mayhew

Mayhew’s books are treasured in our family, particularly the Ella Bella Ballerina series. When it comes to introducing small children to art, the Katie series is magnificent. We booked tickets to see Van Gogh at the Lume exhibition and in preparation I borrowed a stack of children’s books about Vincent’s life and work from the library. There are plenty of great non-fiction books, but if I could choose just one to inspire interest, this would be it.

The Children of the Cherry Tree Farm

By Enid Blyton

Enid Blyton’s presence is a constant in our home, but I hadn’t heard of Cherry Tree Farm until a friend asked if we had read it. When I told her I didn’t know of it, she insisted we borrow her copy and that we would love it. That we did! Dare I say, this may be my favourite Blyton book I’ve read. I am now on the hunt for our own illustrated vintage copy, including the sequels - The Children at Willow Farm and More Adventures on Willow Farm.

On the Banks of Plum Creek

By Laura Ingalls Wilder

We continue to make our way slowly through the Little House series and this was as enjoyable a read as all that have come before it.

Eight Princesses and a Magic Mirror

By Natasha Farrant and Lydia Corry

We loved Farrant and Corry’s first collaborative chapter book, The Girl who talked to Trees so naturally we sought out and equally loved Eight Princesses.

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And that’s a wrap!

So far this year, I’ve read 6 novels and 9 non-fiction books alone, plus 4 chapter books, 1 treasury and approximately 100 picture books aloud. Excluding picture books, that’s 20 books of note over the last 12 weeks.

I would love to hear all about the books that have stolen your heart thus far in 2025, what you are currently reading and what you’ve got sitting in your stack you can’t wait to read next…

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A little sidenote…

I intentionally choose not to link directly to websites to purchase recommended titles. I am an avid library lover, secondhand op shopper and local, independent, book store supporter. If any of these books speak to you, I encourage you to seek them out via these three places.

If you are keen to share your own reading habits, rhythms and book recommendations via the Portrait of Mother Reader series, I’d love to hear from you. I have six incredible portraits in the pipeline but the more mother readers, the merrier!

In the meantime, you can escape into the reading lives of these booking loving mamas:

Off I go to bed now with Christy Lefteri’s The Beekeeper of Aleppo…

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Firstly, hello!

It’s been a little bit, Mother Readers.

Forgive my silence over the last few months, I was wintering. I took a break from all creative pursuits, cocooned myself in a little bubble beside the wood burner and read, read and read some more. It was glorious.

Spring has now sprung in my part of the world. Blossoms, butterflies, bees and beautiful weather have brought me back to creating, not just consuming, stories.

When I first dreamed up Mother Reader at the beginning of this year I envisaged writing to you monthly about all the books I read for pleasure, for myself and with my children, including chapter books, picture books and non-fiction books as well as recommended themed book lists.

So here I am (at last!) with a round up of my favourite books and book series that celebrate all four of the seasons.

For context, if you are new to Mother Reader, I’m , a slow, simple, seasonal living home lover who nests on the Mornington Peninsula, Bunurong Country, at the bottom of mainland Australia with my musical husband and two wildlings (aged 6 and 4).

This list is a personal curation and by no means definitive. Which is why after perusing, I hope you will add to this compilation your own recommended seasonal reads, for young and old alike.

Millie-Mae Through The Seasons

By Natalie J. Marshall

These sweetly illustrated and simply told stories of a little girl experiencing a day in each season have been treasured by both my children since they were teeny tiny. You can find all four stories bound in one book (as pictured above) or in a board book box set. Grandmother Reader owns the later and was the one who first introduced us to the world of Millie-Mae.

Sing me the Summer

By Jane Godwin & Alison Lester

“Always in Autumn a soft golden light. Here is the day… and here is the night.”

Two powerhouse Australian children’s authors collaborated to create this melodic picture book that celebrates the magic of day and night throughout the changing seasons. Alison Lester’s illustrations are particularly nostalagic for me as I grew up being read Magic Beach and Imagine by Nana Reader.

All Through the Year

By Jane Godwin & Anna Walker

“September comes with daffodils and blossom buds and rain.”

Another beautifully told Jane Godwin story of a year in the life of one family. This delightful picture book aligns the months to the seasons of the southern hemisphere.

The ABC Book of Seasons

By Helen Martin, Judith Simpson & Cheryl Orsini

“Seasons come. Seasons go. Sun shines. Winds blow. Rain falls. Plants grow.”

This is one of a beautiful series of picture books which are revered in our family. Other titles include Feelings, Food, Machines and my sons favourite Cars, Trains, Boats and Planes. Like the other titles previously mentioned, the illustrations by Cheryl Orsini make these picture books keepers in our household. The prose is lyrical and often guides interaction from little people.

Seasons in the City

By Megan McKenna

Brightly illustrated, this non-fiction picture book takes kids on a world trip to experience different cities at different times of the year. Think cherry blossoms in Tokyo and tulips in Amsterdam.

What are you doing today Mother Nature?

By Lucy Brownridge & Margaux Samson-Abadie

We borrowed this book from the library and were absolutely spellbound by it. Taking our time we slowly savoured a few stories each day (there are 48 in total) so we could soak in the incredible tales of nature and how it changes throughout the seasons around the world. This is everything you want in a non-fiction read aloud - captivating content and magical illustrations. I’d love to personal own a copy of this book it’s that good. There are others short story collections in this series which we have yet to read - Wild Languages of Mother Nature and Round and Round goes Mother Nature. And off I go to email my library to request they purchase copies of both pronto!

Brambly Hedge

By Jill Barklem

It would be remiss of me to not include the classic Brambly Hedge stories in a seasonal reading line up. You can purchase the Summer, Spring, Autumn and Winter stories separately but I highly recommend the complete collection.

The Flower Fairies

By Cicely Mary Barker

“Now reigns the Lady Summer, round whose feet a thousand fairies flock with blossoms sweet.”

We adore these sweet poems with their charming personifications that Cicely Mary Barker began publishing over 100 years ago. Like Brambly Hedge you can purchase the Flower Fairies of Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter individually, but the complete collection is a timeless treasure.

Heartwood Hotel series

By Kellie George & Stephanie Graegin

Follow Mona the Mouse, a maid at the grand Heartwood Hotel, through these four chapter books, each set in a different season of the year. These are loveable stories with a gentle dose of drama that make for great read alouds for ages 5+.

Little House series

By Laura Ingalls Wilder

So far we’ve read Little House in the Big Woods and Little House on the Prairie and were enthralled with both. These classics follow Laura and her family through everyday life living off the land, in tune with the seasons on the American frontier. We can’t wait to read more.

Slow Seasons

By Rosie Steer

I have been slowly working my way through this beautiful book as the year transpires. It’s a gem. Rosie guides us through the Wheel of the Year traditions through the lense of her Scottish homeland. If anyone knows of a similar title told from a southern hemisphere perspective I am keen to read it!

Seasons - Mornington Peninsula

By Kate Donnelly

This is a very localised recommendation, but if you enjoy coffee table wanderlust you will love this beautiful photographic journey through the seasons of my home region.

Wild Power

By Alexandra Pope and Sjanie Hugo Wurlitzer

You could consider this recommendation a curve ball but this book changed my life. Before I read it, I had never thought of menstruation as a monthly seasonal cycle but once you lean into this line of thinking it has the power to change your relationship with yourself and deepen your connection to the external seasons too.

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There we have it!

I hope you enjoyed my seasonal reading round up. I feel like there are many books I haven’t listed so I now hand it over to you, fellow Mother Readers, to share your favourites.

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A little sidenote…

I intentionally choose not to link directly to websites to purchase these titles. I am an avid library lover, secondhand op shopper and local, independent, book store supporter. If any of these books speak to you, I encourage you to seek them out via these three places first before resorting to big box stores.

I’m keen to continue showcasing others reading habits, rhythms and book recommendations via the Portrait of Mother Reader series so if you are interested in sharing the ins and outs of your own reading life like and have then please reach out:

Off I go to bed now with Matt Haig’s newest The Life Impossible…

I'm , mother to three sons aged 4, 6, and 8. I am a homemaker and home educator and my husband and I live in northern Florida, U.S.A. We love to read aloud together. I started reading voraciously on my own about 8 years ago. I'm happy to share about my journey here!

Who inspired you to become the reader you are today?

My mother-in-law inspired my habit of reading aloud with my children. As a newlywed twelve years ago, I often looked through the books that lined her shelves. She still has many of the paperback books she had read to her five children. My husband often talks with gratitude about how his mother read good books aloud to him when he was young. When our oldest son was born, we began reading together a lot! As an adult, I became friends with someone who was herself a reader, and I wanted to read more so I could have something to share in our conversations.

Who are your favourite authors?

Growing up I remember loving The Little Engine that Could by Watty Piper and Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel by Virginia Lee Burton. Today, some of my favourite non-fiction authors are Alan Jacobs, Elisabeth Elliot, C.S. Lewis, Madeleine L'Engle, and Katherine Paterson. Some of my favorite fiction authors are middle grade novelists I didn't read until my 30s: E.B. White, Eleanor Estes, George Selden, and Linda Sue Park. 

Who do you discuss books with?

I mostly talk about books with my friends (over texting or in person).

What are you currently reading?

Right now I am reading:

• The Way of the Storyteller by Ruth Sawyer

• The Invisible Child by Katherine Paterson

• Middlemarch by George Eliot

• Jo's Boys by Louisa May Alcott

What’s in your TBR pile?

• You Are What You Love by James K.A. Smith

• A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

• Knowing God by J.I. Packer

• A Voice from the South by Anna Julia Cooper

• Death by Living by N.D. Wilson. 

What have you read so far this year that you would recommend?

I just finished Rembrandt is in the Wind by Russ Ramsey last weekend. It was a quick read about eight artists and their influence - recommend! I read aloud The Princess and the Goblin and its sequel, The Princess and Curdie by George MacDonald to my sons recently. I am continuing a recent foray into fantasy, a genre I'm not always drawn to but am learning to enjoy. My sons loved MacDonald's books. 

What are your favourite genres?

For my personal reading: middle grade classics, memoirs and essay collections.

To read aloud to my sons over the years: picture books like ones by Sandra Boynton, Kevin Henkes, Bill Peet, and Ezra Jack Keats, Arnold Lobel; also fairy tales and fables like Saint George and the Dragon by Margaret Hodges and Milo Winter's Aesop's Fables Treasury. I also love endearing middle grade novels, like Charlotte's Web by E.B. White or Rabbit Hill by Robert Lawson. 

What were your favourite books you read in 2023?

A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles and The Uses of Enchantment by Bruno Bettelheim.

What are you most looking forward to reading in 2024?

I have been putting off reading Middlemarch by George Eliot for too long, and I am determined that this is the year I'd complete it! I am 176 pages in.  

Do you read books more than once?

Yes. I reread the Bible because it sustains my Christian faith. I reread books which contain book lists (so I know what to add to my library list for my sons). I reread books that have been meaningful in different seasons in my life just to revisit marginalia (like Ruthless Trust by Brennan Manning, A Circle of Quiet by Madeleine L'Engle, etc). I also love paging through cookbooks over and over. For the last several years with my young children, I have reread picture books many times. 

What have been your most treasured read alouds and why?

My favorite question! Reading aloud with my sons has been one of my life's joys. Some of our favourite read aloud chapter books have been:

• The Moffat series by Eleanor Estes

• Mary Poppins series by P.L. Travers

• Sarah Plain and Tall by Patricia Maclachlan

• A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park

• Rabbit Hill by Robert Lawson

• A Cricket in Times Square by George Selden

• Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin

• Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

• James Herriot's Treasury For Children

• Tippy Lemmey by Patricia McKissack

• My Father's Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett

As my sons and I read each of these books, we grew more connected to one another and to the characters in the story. We laughed together, we puzzled out what might happen next, we wondered what we might have done if we were a part of the book, and we repeated beautiful or funny passages together. Not only did these books bond us but they also held my sons' interest. They asked me to keep reading, a sure sign that something important was happening in their hearts and minds. 

What do you use as bookmarks?

Scraps of paper, mostly: old receipts, a torn corner of last Sunday's church bulletin, etc. Something not too bulky and not too precious. 

What books have shaped the person and mother you have become?

Growing up, I was not a regular or confident reader. Even when I majored in English in college, I still didn't read for pleasure. When I taught middle and high school English, I read the books I taught (my favourite of which was Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred Taylor which I read together with my 7th grade Language Arts class). I probably only read a couple of novels in my 20s. 

But it wasn't until I entered my 30s that I began to read for pleasure and conceive of myself as a reader. Now, I have been a reader for about as long as I have been a mother (8 years). These books have shaped me over the last several years:

• The Bible

• A Circle of Quiet by Madeleine L'Engle

• Keep a Quiet Heart by Elisabeth Elliot

• Invitation to Silence and Solitude by Ruth Haley Barton

• Home Education and A Philosophy of Education by Charlotte Mason

• Charlotte's Web by E.B. White

• Several Short Sentences About Writing by Verlyn Klinkenborg

What is your favourite book of all time ever?

I'm going with Charlotte's Web by E.B. White. 

When do you read and for how long do you read for each day?

I generally read between 30 minutes and 2 hours every day. I read around 10-30 minutes in the morning, then anywhere from 15 minutes to 1 hour in snatches throughout the day, then around 10-30 minutes in the evening.

Do you read everyday or only on certain days of the week?

Every day.

Do you read multiple books or one at a time?

Multiple. 

Do you read consistently or does your reading rhythm ebb and flow?

I vacillate between slow spells and bursts of reading, depending on my schedule, my family's needs, and my own capacities. I love when I can get totally immersed in a long-ish book. I was able to read A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles this way over a couple of days last summer and it was wonderful!

Where do you love to read?

While sitting on my couch, in a backyard chair in the shade, at my dining table, or at a coffee shop. 

Where do you store your book collection?

I'd like to say most of the books are in a couple of central locations on tidy, comely shelves. Alas, books reside haphazardly in nearly every room in the house. Some we keep together on shelves, like the tall shelves in our living room, the shelves in my husband's office, or the cubby-style shelves in my sons' bedroom. Beyond that, tottering stacks abound.

Where do you source books from?

I get most books from the library, a used bookstore, Thriftbooks, other online booksellers and also as gifts from friends and family. 

Where do you get book recommendations from?

I get ideas from the footnotes of the books I read, mostly. Then, I get ideas from friends, books with book lists (like Honey for the Child's Heart by Gladys Hunt, Jim Trelease's Read Aloud Treasury, and The Well-Educated Mind by Susan Wise Bauer), and some online sources such as Joel Miller's newsletter or Marvin Olasky Books at The Discovery Institute. 

What formats do you read in?

When my children were 5 and under, I listened to a lot of audiobooks. I still listen to audiobooks sometimes, like Year of Wonder: Classical Music for Every Day by Clemency Burton-Hill, which I've been savoring for the last several months. But these days, if I am reading a book, it's probably the in-print kind.

How do you keep track of what you have read?

I used to be more fastidious about this.  For about 10 years, I kept up yearly Pinterest boards that catalogued what I read. I liked looking through the book covers. But I'm moving towards doing fewer things online, so I think I'll just have an old-fashioned list in a book or on my fridge or something from now on. I do try to keep an up-to-date list of what I read with my sons in Google Drive. 

How do you keep track of what you want to read?

Sporadically. I sometimes add books to shopping carts on Thriftbooks or Amazon and just leave them there until I think I'll remember the book, then I'll just remove them from the cart (I read in other interviews here that I am not alone in this habit). I sometimes take screenshots on my phone or email myself ideas. I sometimes write myself little notes and then misplace them. I find if I make an official list, I just want to shirk it. I like the freedom of reading "at whim," as writer Alan Jacobs talks about in his book The Pleasures of Reading in an Age of Distraction. So I get ideas here and there, but then I just read what I want to at any given time. 

Why do you read?

I read because it is intellectually satisfying, spiritually nourishing, emotionally regulating and reliably refreshing. I also read aloud with the children in my life because the depth of connection that comes with that particular shared experience is priceless.   

The Roundup

Bimonthly reflections on books, music, food, and life with my sons (ages 4, 6, and 8).

By Susie

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Thank you for reading Susie’s Mother Reader Portrait.

If you are interested in sharing the ins and outs of your own reading life, reach out:

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I’m , currently home educating my two children in London, UK. They’re 6 and 8. I don’t work for pay, but I do write the Substack newsletter How We Homeschool. My husband is here too, and we often read side by side, but rarely the same books.

Who inspired you to become the reader you are today?

I’ve been a keen reader for as long as I can remember. My dad always had a book on the go, and I particularly remember that my mother was very respectful of my reading— if I had a few pages to go to the end of a book she made sure I was left alone to savour it. My husband is a big reader and certainly encourages me by example. 

Who are your favourite authors?

As an adult, in recent years, probably Dickens. Mark Twain. Willa Cather. I’ll read anything by Curtis Sittenfeld. I don’t remember my childhood reading very clearly, alas. For my children I keep a reading record of the books they’ve read, which I hope will mean they have a better memory of these reading years. 

Who do you discuss books with?

I don’t especially like discussing books. With fiction, I let myself become completely absorbed by the world of the story, and I don’t want to hear other people’s opinions or critical responses! With non-fiction, I often talk ‘around’ the subject with my husband.

What are you currently reading?

As it’s taken me a while to complete these questions, I have three different answers to this. Initially, I was reading 1776: America and Britain at War by David McCullough. For the past few years I’ve been learning about American history (and reading American literature) and I just can’t get enough. Then I read Hampton Sides’ The Wide Wide Sea: The Final, Fatal Adventure of Captain James Cook, which coincidentally begins in 1776. I don’t normally read maritime history/exploration books but I loved this one and highly recommend it. Once I finished that I moved on to Days at The Morisaki Bookshop, by Satoshi Yagisawa. I think this is my first Japanese novel. It’s slim and charming (so far!).

What’s in your TBR pile?

Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men which I’ve never read (more America reading, but also I just noticed it on the shelf when I put back Muriel Spark’s The Girls of Slender Means, and thought it was a very slim book that I haven’t read and ought to. If you can’t tell, I like a slim book. I alphabetised my husband’s fiction shelves so when I read from his shelves it’s often on an alphabetical theme! I don’t have much of a TBR pile. It gets overwhelming and once a book has sat out for a while I lose the urge to read it. I do, however, have a long list of books I want to read as soon as I can get my hands on them, of which more later.

What have you read so far this year that you would recommend?

I’ve read 21 books so far this year. Looking back through my list I have loved: 

• Bleak House and David Copperfield by Charles Dickens

• True Grit by Charles Portis

• My Àntonia by Willa Cather (I adored this book)

• The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan-Doyle 

• Hatchet by Gary Paulsen

• Gilead by Marilynne Robinson

What are your favourite genres?

I increasingly enjoy the classics. When I read a so-so modern book I think regretfully that I could have read a brilliant nineteenth century classic instead and that I’ll never get that time back. I read a lot of history, in phases. I like fiction by and about women.

Persephone is a good source for older fiction. I loved One Fine Day by Mollie Panter-Downes, Invitation to the Waltz by Rosamond Lehmann, Miss Buncle’s Book by D.E. Stevenson and Mrs Palfrey at the Claremont by Elizabeth Taylor. Newer examples are Brother of the More Famous Jack by Barbara Trapido (1982) and Make Lemonade by Virginia Euwer Wolff (1993).

I have a niche interest in old housekeeping books, which is ironic given the state of my house:

• The I Hate to Housekeep Book by Peg Bracken

• How to Run Your Home Without Help by Kay Smallshaw

• Orchids on your Budget by Marjorie Hillis

I like science but I find it hard to retain the detail amidst the tiredness and frequent interruptions of family life. I like short stories. Tobias Wolff’s ‘Bullet in the Brain’ from The Night in Question has stayed with me for years. 

What were your favourite books you read in 2023?

• The Ruin of All Witches by Malcolm Gaskill

• All the Wolves of Willoughby Chase books by Joan Aiken (children’s books but I inhaled them) 

• The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro 

• A Black Boy at Eton by Dillibe Onyeama 

• Black and British by David Olusoga 

• John Adams by David McCullough

• Middlemarch by George Eliot

• Lincoln by Jan Morris

What are you most looking forward to reading in 2024?

I am wildly excited about Amor Towles’ collection of short stories (which is published the day that I’m typing this, hurray!). I’m waiting for Percival Everett’s book James to be ready for me at the library. The Pirate King by Sean Kingsley, (‘The Strange Adventures of Henry Avery and the Birth of the Golden Age of Piracy’—maybe I am about to become a maritime history obsessive). The Heart in Winter by Kevin Barry—more America reading but with an Irish twist. A few years ago I really enjoyed Barry’s collection of short stories, Dark Lies the Island. Oh also Kendra Adachi’s The Plan, coming out in October, which I will add to my housekeeping books and hope will revolutionise my life. 

Do you read books more than once?

My memory’s not great, and I have been known to reread an entire book without realising it was a reread until the end! It was Saplings by Noel Streatfeild, which is so good it merits an intentional reread. I often want to reread a book as I’m reading it the first time, but I very rarely do—there are too many other books I want to read. I’m a greedy reader.

What have been your most treasured read alouds and why?

Reading the Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder was very special because the children loved them so much. They would listen for hours at a time until I was literally hoarse. Animals of Farthing Wood by Colin Dann, The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett, and Tom’s Midnight Garden by Philippa Pearce were other very popular ones. When I used to read them a bedtime story I especially enjoyed Shirley Hughes books. I also read them the whole of Rosemary Sutcliffe’s Black Ships Before Troy, which they were really too young for but they adored it. Now, though, they have no memory of it at all, which is karma because my mother read me The Secret Garden, and I have no memory of that. 

What do you use as bookmarks?

Receipts, playing cards, instruction leaflets, envelopes, shopping lists. We do own a few bookmarks with beautiful paintings by Emily Patrick, and those are my favourites. But mostly it’s whatever’s to hand. 

What books have shaped the person and mother you have become?

I don’t know how much books have shaped me, as a person and mother. I’m not sure I’m introspective enough to give them the chance. That makes me sound like an awful Englishwoman, trudging onwards in her wellies while literature’s arrows bounce off her anorak. I read as an escape, and as something for my brain to work at outside family life. Books generally make me a much nicer, kinder person, but I’m not sure specific books have shaped me in specific ways. 

What is your favourite book of all time ever?

That’s an impossible question! I’ve dutifully looked through all my books to try to answer it for you but I can’t pick just one. 

When do you read and for how long do you read for each day?

I often read in bed in the morning, for how long depends on the children. Sometimes half an hour or more if they’ll let me (when this happens it’s because they’ve also got good books and we all just want to read), sometimes just a few minutes. I take books on journeys and to the park when I remember, I sometimes read when the children have a bit of TV after lunch (but at that time I also feel I should be tidying up, washing up, replying to things on Substack, eating my own lunch etc), I often read in the evenings and I always read in bed before I go to sleep. Maybe an hour or more each day, more or less depending on what’s going on.

Do you read everyday or only on certain days of the week?

Every day. I think I’d get quite grumpy if I didn’t read each day.

Do you read multiple books or one at a time?

Normally one at a time. My brain can’t handle more than that. 

Do you read consistently or does your reading rhythm ebb and flow?

It does ebb and flow. I tend to read a lot in December and January. Long dark evenings, perhaps? Beyond that I’m fairly consistent, but I do sometimes hit a block where I can’t find a single book I want to read. When that happens I quite like reading National Geographic as what calls a ‘palate cleanser’. I subscribe, and it’s such a treat when a new magazine comes through the letter box.

Where do you love to read?

On the sofa or in bed. Especially in bed. In the summer I quite like reading outside, but the grass is never as comfy as it looks!

Where do you store your book collection?

Ugh. My books are precariously piled onto one shelf tall and we don’t have space for another one. There’s also usually a stack on my bedside table. 

Where do you source books from?

My whole family is incapable of walking past a second hand bookshop without walking in. With the children I go to several different libraries. Online I often use ebay or bookfinder. I use Amazon or a high street bookshop if there’s a new book that I just have to have right now. And my husband has thousands of books which I often use as my own personal library. 

Where do you get book recommendations from?

Sometimes my husband. I read The Week magazine and sometimes get new book recommendations there. For children’s books, I spend a lot of time researching good ones. I like this list from a London private school, is on the same history schedule as us and I like a lot of her book suggestions, and the lists in The Well-Trained Mind have a lot of good books. 

What formats do you read in?

Has to be a real book, on paper. I can’t concentrate on a screen (and I don’t want to spend any more time on a screen than necessary). I hate wearing headphones/ear phones and also find my mind wanders when I listen to an audio book so I’m not actually listening at all. This must be partly why we have so many books in the house!

How do you keep track of what you have read?

I keep a dated list in a notebook. Possibly I started that after rereading Saplings unwittingly! In the same book I note down words I want to look up and passages that I especially love (except I’m always too desperate to keep reading to do much of that.). 

How do you keep track of what you want to read?

I often put things in my Amazon basket which I use as an enormous digital TBR list, even though I will ultimately find many books second hand or in the library. I sometimes jot down a list but I often find reading one book leads me onto the next one, so a list planned in advance rarely comes to fruition. 

Why do you read?

My husband once said that everything we do is an excuse not to do something else, which haunts me. I’m sure I read partly to avoid doing the washing up. But I also read because it is entirely for me, entirely about what I want. I certainly get addicted to fiction and I read because I simply have to. I read because there are so many good books out there and so much knowledge to be gained about the world around us. I read because I’m a confirmed introvert, and books never try to talk to you. And I read to relax, to put my feet up, and have some peace and quiet after a day of often constant interaction with my children. 

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Thank you for reading Catherine’s Mother Reader Portrait.

If you are interested in sharing the ins and outs of your own reading life, reach out:

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And lastly, don’t forget to tell us all…

My name is Jo Lloyd. My husband Cliff and I live in regional New South Wales, not too far from Canberra. I’m a homeschooling mother, actively involved in different facets of home education, including preparing homeschool resources to help others teach with confidence. We have two children loving learning at home, while our eldest son has opened a new chapter, studying Biotechnology at the Australian National University. All of us are avid readers, and our new puppy Freya has quickly settled into loving pats and naps during reading time. 

Who inspired you to become the reader you are today?

I’ve been fortunate to have many fellow readers inspire me to love books, including family members, friends, lecturers, work colleagues, and mentors. 

Fun fact: When I was working full-time my assistant informed me that I had an evening function coming up and that I needed a new outfit for it. So, I headed to the shops to find something to wear. However, I came back with a new book instead of a dress. She shook her head and laughed, but made sure I did find a frock. 

Who are your favourite authors?

Beatrix Potter and AA Milne were firm favourites as a child, as were the verses of Robert Louis Stevenson. Then, it turned to LM Montgomery, Ethel Turner, Frances Hodgson Burnett, and Jane Austen. I still love them all and I’ve always had a soft spot for Shakespeare.

As an adult, I love reading and Tim Marshall’s offerings as I definitely have a non-fiction bent. Simon Winchester, Mark Kurlansky, and Robert Macfarlane are excellent too. If you take a peek at my bookshelves, you see a lot of CS Lewis, Elizabeth Goudge, Barbara Kingsolver, Marilynne Robinson, and Wendell Berry.

Who do you discuss books with?

I am in a couple of book clubs specifically relating to education, and I’m about to start running one in the Asia-Pacific region. These are ordered and organised, which is so helpful as it means I intentionally carve out time to discuss the set books and ideas. However, outside of these, other book discussions simply pop up. Often when I spot a book at a friend’s house, or they pass one onto me insisting I should read it. 

Being homeschoolers, we spend a lot of time reading together as a family, so there is constant vibrant discussion about books. We always have a few read alouds going on at any one time, and because we favour the Charlotte Mason method (which is founded on using quality books), the children have a stack they are reading. This means a lot of our chatter is centred around this literary life we lead.

What are you currently reading?

As always, an eclectic mix! I’ve recently been elected to Board of Management for a beautiful heritage building, so I’ve got a few books related to the site in my pile, along with our current education reads for book clubs. I am also currently loving The Book of Wilding by Isabella Tree and Charlie Burrell, a gift from my husband. 

For homeschooling, I’m reading Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings – Fellowship of the Ring aloud at the moment. It is the first time my youngest has read it, which is special (and the lads are enjoying hearing it again). Amongst other titles, we are also loving Lad: A Dog by Albert Payson Terhune. Anthony from Living Books Press sent it to us as a gift when our new puppy arrived, and it is a winner.

What’s in your TBR pile?

The very honest answer is “too many”. At the moment there are a lot of titles around a new project I’m working on, which is exciting, and I also have a few about puppy and dog training.

What have you read so far this year that you would recommend?

If food and travel light you up, definitely have a look at Tessa Kiros’ new book, Now and Then. It is a beautiful book to look at, read, and cook from. 

For those seeking fabulous titles to read aloud to their children that feature history, science, and technology, I definitely recommend Frozen in Time by Mark Kurlansky. 

Anna Koska’s From Coast & Cove and From Field & Forest are just gorgeous. A perfect mix of art, nature, and beautiful words. After having them for quite a while, I finally stopped just looking at the pictures and read them over summer. 

I also loved Chemistry for Breakfast by Dr Mai Thi Nguyen-Kim. Quirky and engaging.

What are your favourite genres?

I definitely read more non-fiction and bend towards geopolitical and natural science titles. But, I am conscious to read widely and so always keep a novel on the go, even if it just our book club pick (which is currently Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell).

What were your favourite books you read in 2023?

I seemed to read a lot of titles relating to house and garden in 2023. We had only just moved back into our home after living in a hotel for half a year following suffering extensive flooding damage to our place. It was a long process to clean up and rebuild. Being out of the hotel, I could finally cook again, and so I loved returning to read (and cook from) my cookbooks, including anything from the Monday Morning Cooking Club ladies and everything to do with Singaporean food (given my husband’s heritage).

In our homeschooling life, there were many highlights, but here is a shortlist:

• Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World by Jennifer Armstrong

• He Went with Marco Polo by Louise Andrews Kent

• A Place to Hang the Moon by Kate Albus

• From Snow to Ash by Anthony Sharwood

What are you most looking forward to reading in 2024?

Emily Wilson’s translation of The Iliad is planned for next term. I read her version of The Odyssey to the children a few years ago and they all loved it. Very accessible and enjoyable.

I am also looking forward to Taiwanese inspired deliciousness at home when my copy arrives of Tiffy Chen’s cookbook arrives.

Do you read books more than once?

Yes, but I am selective about it because there are so many new titles I want to read. For homeschooling, I do find myself returning to books as the next child has a particular title land in their lap. For me, there are a few other titles which are like old friends and so I do return to them too.

What have been your most treasured read alouds and why?

Oh, there are so many – I could write a book just on this one question! 

I treasure all the well-loved Lynley Dodd board books that I read to my eldest during his hospital stints as a baby, along with the piles of picture books read while snuggled on the lounge (like the beautiful onomatopoeic “ku-plink, ku-plank, ku-plunk” of Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey). There’s also the Shakespeare and poetry I still read aloud knowing that my great-grandmother read aloud to my Grandpa and his siblings from those very same books. Given my career and role with the public service, I so value sharing speeches that have shaped history with the children; and then there are the wonderful novels like the Narnia books, Tolkien’s work, and so many more.

In essence, the read alouds I treasure are the Living Books that endure. These have become embedded into our family culture; parts of these books are a part of us. 

As a mother I see how much parenting can be done through a well-chosen book. This means that the read alouds are treasured for the book, but also for the chapter in life they represent. For example, during our challenging stint of being out of our home I chose some read alouds that were about other people also overcoming difficulties. This helped the children, and now the books and that time in the life of our family are remembered with warmth.

What do you use as bookmarks?

I have some gorgeous delicate metal book darts that I love. Living Books Press used to stock them. I also use tags to help me return to certain places as I read, particularly if it is for work. The ones from Bespoke Letterpress I find are just the right size and amount of stick. (Not sponsored!)

What books have shaped the person and mother you have become?

There are a few books of faith that were transformative for me as a new mother, including some by Edith Schaeffer and early works of . Coming to motherhood straight out of a demanding professional career that I loved and had thrived in, such books were so encouraging to me. 

Home, kitchen and garden are important to me as a mum and within that Rhonda Hetzel definitely help shape me as a homemaker and through Holly Kerr Forsyth’s titles I learned to garden better. Books from River Cottage in the UK and Charmaine Solomon gave me more confidence as a cook. 

Yet, behind these few noteables stand stacks and stacks of other books that have served to help and inspire me in countless small ways and have made me the person I am.

When do you read and for how long do you read for each day?

I spend at least an hour everyday reading books aloud to my children. In our homeschool rhythm we also have 30 minutes dedicated to our own reading every day. This is just after lunch and a spot precious to us all. I can sometimes read while they are working on their lessons, otherwise, it is before bed. That said, depending on how big our day has been this may just be a short read before I fall asleep. 

Do you read everyday or only on certain days of the week?

Everyday.

Do you read multiple books or one at a time?

I always have a few going at one time and a basket more waiting to be opened.

Do you read consistently or does your reading rhythm ebb and flow?

While my reading is consistent, the topics and themes I’m reading on tend to ebb and flow. This is often due to where we are up to with homeschooling, or what I’m focusing on for work. Our librarians are fabulous for suggesting titles when they can see from my reservations that I might be delving into something in particular. I’ve lost count the number of times there are extras on my pile because they thought we’d like them too.

Where do you love to read?

While I’d like to be able to say that reading in my back garden is my favourite place, because I love the idea of it, the reality is that I look around and see what needs to be done, so it just doesn’t work out that way.

Where I do really love reading is in our lounge room, where we are all snug and comfortable, with cups of steaming hot tea; or in our sunny back room, which is where we do our homeschooling. The oval table is always covered with a pretty tablecloth and a glowing candle, flowers, teacups, books, notebooks, pens, and often cake.

Where do you store your book collection?

We have a home library but that turned into my husband’s office when Covid lockdowns hit and years later, he still works from home a few days a week. I also have a large bookshelf in our backroom. This houses most of our homeschool paraphernalia and the titles we use frequently. The children have bookshelves in their rooms for their beloved titles, and we also have some beautiful, treasured books in our lounge room, along with the big baskets of books on loan from the library. 

Where do you source books from?

We borrow a lot of books from the library. I so appreciate our local library! It is fantastic.

There are a couple of fabulous bookshops in Canberra, and I really appreciate having our local bookstore just down the hill, especially if I want to buy a gift. I like to head to the Lifeline book sales and there is an amazing second hand bookstore not too far from us. If I am looking for a title that is hard to get, then there are a couple of online sellers that I favour, and our postman knows how exciting those deliveries are!

Where do you get book recommendations from?

I feel like book suggestions just pop up. One of our librarians always has book recommendations, including some that he knows may not be on my radar. Many friends are quick to offer their ideas too, which is lovely. 

What formats do you read in?

While my husband loves audiobooks, I gravitate to physical books, preferably hardcovers. 

How do you keep track of what you have read?

I keep a Book of Commonplace. I have done since I was a teenager (except that I didn’t know this practice even had a name then). This allows me to keep a track of the books I’ve read, a little summary of what it was about and what resonated with me. I also include quotes that I adore. All those years of notetaking at university still shine through apparently…

However, a few years ago I decided I needed a better system to keep up with everything I was reading – one notebook wasn’t cutting it within the juggle of a few books at the same time on widely diverse topics. So, I now use notebooks for different themes. It might look more complicated to have more notebooks, but it is actually much easier to manage.

How do you keep track of what you want to read?

With this, I’m not so ordered! I jot down ideas in my homeschooler planner, on bits of paper, take a picture of books I like the look of with my phone, cut out reviews from the bookstore monthly newsletter, make a note on my phone, or just get on and reserve them from the library straight away. 

Why do you read?

At university I minored in English Literature. We read great novels, poetry, and plays penned by respected and talented authors. I learned about the metaphors, historical contexts, writing techniques, the lives of these authors, but also how these words had given meaning to so many over the decades and beyond. Good books serve as windows into other places and times, but also as mirrors to help us reflect upon our own lives. In this way, they serve as teachers, guides and offer connections and wisdom.

I read because I always have, and because it is so much a part of who I am. I read to my children so they can learn, discover, feel, and imagine. But the deeper question of why I have this practice of reading in my life bringing forth this greater depth is perhaps summed up best by CS Lewis:

There are a couple of spots to connect with me, but perhaps the best place is through:

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Instagram - @grace_and_clarity

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I'm Jenna and I live with my husband and 3 kids by the sea near Cardiff in the UK. My daughter is 9, my middle son is 6 and my youngest son is 1. I’m a Coach for Mums and I also host The Inspiring Mums Podcast.. I write over on The Motherhood Connection on Substack which is all about how mums can make positive changes in their lives and treat themselves with more self-compassion. I also share the ups and downs of life as a mum of three and how I fit in my writing and coaching work alongside being a stay at home mum.

I’ve always adored reading myself and I love reading with my kids too. I try to pass on my love of reading to them, but I’m not sure they are as into books as I was at their age. But then, back when I was growing up, it was a different time with less distractions and more time to be bored. 

My 9 year old really enjoys graphic novels like Dog Man by Dav Pilkey, Cat Kid and The Investigators, although I’m trying to get her into reading more chapter books but haven’t succeeded yet. She also loves reading Horrible Histories books and has built up quite a collection of those. 

My 6 year old has recently got into Dog Man too and I’m reading him the Treehouse books by Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton - they got us through a hard week of medical appointments and an unexpected hospital stay this week. They are really funny books so I love reading those for light relief. 

My 1 year old loves books - especially books with pictures of trucks, diggers and emergency vehicles in them. He loves reading out and about too, in the buggy and in the car seat. I love it when he chooses a book from his little bookshelf in the lounge then sits in my lap pointing to all of the pictures - safe to say I’m an expert in the names of construction vehicles now! 

I’d love to have more chunks of time to read with my kids. I’m getting a bit more time now that my youngest is getting a bit older, but I would like more time to read with my eldest especially. She got really interested in women’s football when the Women’s Football World Cup was on, and we got lots of books from the library - I actually found it fascinating too learning about the history of women’s football and it sparked a conversation around feminism and equal rights between us. 

A mum I spoke to recently said she’s really slowed down her weekends and she spends time reading aloud to her kids, and that sounds lovely to me. I'd love to incorporate that more into our days.

Who inspired you to become the reader you are today?

My Dad always loved reading so I definitely got my love of books from him. He was a Hotel Manager and was constantly working so he rarely got time to sit down and read, but I always remember he had lots of books in the boot of the car, so when he used to take my mum out shopping, he’d stay in the car and read - his quiet time!

My mum and my brother were the complete opposite, they never read books. 

Ever since I can remember I've just always loved losing myself in a story, it’s the ultimate form of relaxation and escapism for me. It always calms me down and soothes me. I used to love going to my local library as a child too.

Who are your favourite authors?

Growing up, I remember my absolute favourite book was Children Just Like Me by Anabel Kindersley which was a book that interviewed children in different parts of the world and asked them about what they loved and what their daily life was like. I used to read it over and over again. I actually got it for my kids too but they weren’t as enthusiastic as me about the book!

I also loved The Babysitters Club series, Sweet Valley High and all of the Point Horror and Point Romance books. I can't really remember early childhood books, I don’t think my parents read to me much, not that I can remember anyway! 

Now, I’d say my favourite author is . I loved her books 20 years ago, and her most recent book Again, Rachel was just perfect, a sequel to Rachel’s Holiday.

I also love Tia Williams, Abby Jimenez, Laura Jane Williams, Ruth Jones and Sally Rooney.

I've recently discovered Christina Lauren and Elle Kennedy too. Basically, a mix of female, British, fiction authors and female, American, romance authors.

Who do you discuss books with?

I'm not in a book club, and don't really discuss books with anyone, apart from if I see someone online who recommends a book then I comment on that or if they are looking for book recommendations. I would love to talk about books more though!

What are you currently reading?

I’ve got 3 books that I’ve just started:

• The Deal by Elle Kennedy

• The Breakup Tour by Emily Wibberley & Austin Siegemund-Broka

• Raising a Happier Mother by Anna Mathur

I love having multiple books on the go and dipping in and out of different books that I'm reading. I'm not the kind of person who has to finish one book before I read another - I like the variety and I’m easily distracted!

What’s in your TBR pile?

I have a ridiculous amount of books in my Kindle, it will be a miracle if I ever get through them all! But I love having different books to go back to.

Currently in my TBR pile are:

• Exes and O's by Amy Lea

• My Name is Maame by Jessica George

• The Book of Beginnings by Sally Page

• Rest Is Resistance by  

• The Success Myth by

• The Way of the Fearless Writer by

What have you read so far this year that you would recommend?

Gosh so many! I’ve read some great romance books so far this year like:

• The Best Book Boyfriend by

• The Graham Effect by Elle Kennedy

• Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez

• A Love Song for Ricki Wilde by Tia Williams

• The True Love Experiment by Christina Lauren 

• Do Your Worst by

Fiction wise, I really enjoyed:

• The Rachel Incident by Caroline O'Donoghue

• The Keeper of Stories by Sally Page

What are your favourite genres?

I mainly read romance books, but also enjoy personal development books too.

What were your favourite books you read in 2023?

My top three books were:

• Love Untold by Ruth Jones

• Again, Rachel by

• All My Wild Mothers by Victoria Bennett

I also loved:

• The Neighbour Favour by

• Honey and Spice by

• London with Love by Sarra Manning

What are you most looking forward to reading in 2024?

I’m looking forward to reading more Elle Kennedy and Christina Lauren books, as these are two authors I’ve recently discovered. The new book from Tia Williams, A Love Song for Ricki Wilde has just come out, and that was one of my most anticipated books - it didn’t disappoint.

I’m also looking forward to the new Abby Jimenez book and saw a new book The Lifeline is out soon too and that looks really good. 

Do you read books more than once?

If I really love them I do, I've read Normal People by Sally Rooney a few times and Seven Days in June by Tia Williams a few times. But usually I’ll just read them once. 

What have been your most treasured read alouds and why?

When my eldest was little, she used to like me reading this book Knight Time to her - a sweet little book all about how knights and dragons became friends. I read it so often to her that I could recite it off by heart!

Giraffes Can’t Dance was also a favourite of my daughter's for a while - I love the message of that book… “we all can dance when we find music that we love.”

All of my kids have loved the Spot books by Eric Hill, so we have a collection of those.

Another favourite is You Choose by Pippa Goodhart and Nick Sharratt. It’s full of colourful and fun illustrations all about choosing where you’d live, what you’d do for work, what you’d do for fun and lots of other things too. All of my kids love this book, and they never get fed up of it no matter how many times we read it.

My youngest loves books  - he likes to read in the car and in his buggy, I always have a book handy. He likes books with real life pictures of trucks, diggers and emergency vehicles in them, as well as sound books too.

What do you use as bookmarks?

I usually just turn the corner of the page, I can never find a bookmark when I need one! I mostly read on my Kindle though.

What books have shaped the person and mother you have become?

When my eldest two kids were little, I really struggled with my mental health as a mum. I remember reading The Self-Care Revolution by and it changed my view of self-care forever. It redefined what self-care was to me and showed me why it was so important as a mum. That book also showed me that I could do tiny moments of self-care and they would have an impact on my wellbeing. That book helped me personally to build up a self-care habit, and it set me on the path of becoming a Coach for Mums. 

I also love Anna Mathur’s books - she’s a Psychotherapist that specialises in motherhood. Her book Mind Over Mother really helped me understand my post-natal anxiety better and give myself more self-compassion.

My Dad passed away unexpectedly in October 2019 and It's OK That You're Not OK by Megan Devine really helped me understand my grief better. One of my main takeaways from this book was that society doesn't know how to deal with grief, we don't know what to say to a grieving person. When what grieving people need are people to sit with them in their grief and witness it. To encourage them to talk about the memories of their loved lost one. I'd encourage anyone who is grieving or supporting someone who is grieving to read this book. 

Code Red by Lisa Lister was a life-changing book for me and I recommend it to so many women. Before I read this book, I had no clue about my menstrual cycle and how different phases of my cycle would mean that my mood and energy levels would be different too. It made me more able to understand why I felt a certain way during different phases of my cycle and how I could harness the power from each stage too, and that meant I could be kinder to myself.

What is your favourite book of all time ever?

I can’t choose one! I’d say my top four books are:

• Again, Rachel by

• Seven Days in June by Tia Williams

• Love Untold by Ruth Jones

• Normal People by Sally Rooney

When do you read and for how long do you read for each day?

I usually read before bed every night. If I'm at home, I read a few pages here and there while my kids are occupied. I can read a book in a day if I love it, I basically inhale it!

Do you read everyday or only on certain days of the week?

I read every day.

Do you read multiple books or one at a time?

Always multiple books. I love the variety of having lots of different books to dip in and out of.

Do you read consistently or does your reading rhythm ebb and flow?

I read every day and it’s the only thing that I consistently do, where I don’t have to consciously plan or try to do, because I just enjoy it. 

Where do you love to read?

I love to read in bed, that’s my absolute favourite, lying down and reading before I go to sleep. Or if my youngest is napping, I’ll lie down and read, a moment of peace and calm in amongst the chaos of the day.

I like reading curled up on the sofa with a cuppa too, I always have a book next to me so I can just pick it up when my kids are occupied and playing. I like to read on a car journey too. I remember when I was younger and I used to take about 6 books with me in the car, so I wouldn’t get bored!

I love to read with my kids before bed, and cuddled up on the sofa together if we read in the daytime.

Where do you store your book collection?

I have a small bookshelf which has mostly my collection of personal development and coaching books. I have my latest fiction books in a pile by the side of my bed. My kids have a large bookcase in their room and my youngest has a bookcase in the lounge with all of his books. We do have books just randomly dotted around the house too that don’t make it to a shelf!

Where do you source books from?

I mainly read books on my Kindle or I get books from my local library too. I like looking at the bookshelves in charity shops too. I’ve got some real bargains lately - one of my local charity shops does children’s books for 25p, I can’t resist stocking up when I’m there. I always get loads of books from the library for the kids too, we always leave with a very heavy bag! I always forget to ask my local library to reserve books for me, but I do like never knowing what you are going to find in the library - I get so happy when I find a book I’ve been after for ages!

Where do you get book recommendations from?

I get a lot of book recommendations on my Kindle, or on Goodreads too. Or on social media and in magazines too.

What formats do you read in?

I mostly read on my Kindle, I don’t know what I’d do without it! I read paperback or hardback too, those will be library books or books from the charity shop. I do have audiobooks but I struggle with them - I start listening to them, then my mind wanders so I miss half of the story!

How do you keep track of what you have read?

I add books I’ve read to Goodreads or I check back and look at my Kindle library. I’m really tempted to start a book journal though!

How do you keep track of what you want to read?

I usually download samples of books I’d like to read on my Kindle to see what they are like first. If it’s an author I love, I know that their new book is coming out so I have that in the back of my mind anyway. I also have a list of ‘want to read’ on Goodreads too.

Why do you read?

It completely relaxes me and I love losing myself in a story. I read every day anyway but especially when I’m going through tough times. I find that reading stories with a happy ever after is so soothing. Reading is my most consistent form of self-care - it’s nostalgic, peaceful and comforting all at once.

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I’m Laura, unschooling mother of 3, doula, full time caravan dwelling traveller, substack writer and reader of many books.

Who inspired you to become the reader you are today?

I don’t know! Is Rory Gilmore an acceptable answer?! In all honestly I don’t remember being read to a lot as a child (sorry mum) but at school we had read aloud times and I remember really enjoying those. I have also just always, within my memory anyway, really loved stories and books. Homeschooling my children has really inspired me to be the reader I want to be. For learning myself, for exposing my children to a lot of different kinds of literature and to model that love of reading for them as well.

Who are your favourite authors?

Currently, I really love the work of Kristin Hannah, she’s an automatic read for me. I’ve also been devouring the work of Trent Dalton the past few months.

Who do you discuss books with?

Anyone that will talk books with me!  

In addition to literally anyone, I do have a book club chat group on instagram and we have a monthly zoom chat to talk books which brings me a lot of joy.

What are you currently reading?

Right now I am reading Ruthless Vows by Rebecca Ross on kindle, The Continuum Concept by Jean Liedloff in paperback form, I’m going through the ebook A Book of Days by and have just started Sand Talk by Tyson Yunkaporta on audio.

What’s in your TBR pile?

My TBR is insanely long. On goodreads right now I believe I have somewhere around 500 books on my to read list and that doesn’t even include all of the physical books, kindle books and audiobooks I have ready to go. I know, I have a problem. I definitely need a better system but I haven’t worked out exactly what just yet.

In the next couple of months I’m planning to read:

• The Women by Kristin Hannah

• The Fiery Cross (Outlander book 5) by Diana Gabaldon

• The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner

• Heir of Fire (Throne of Glass book 3) by Sarah J. Maas

• None of This is True by Lisa Jewell

What have you read so far this year that you would recommend?

I’ve started the reading year off quite well so far! I have been DNFing (not finishing) books more than I probably ever have before and it’s giving me the space and time to really focus in on stories that are drawing me in.

My favourite reads of the year so far are:

• Lola in the Mirror by Trent Dalton

• Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

• Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross

• A Place to Belong by Amber O’Neal Johnston

• The Handmaid’s Tale by

• Love Stories by Trent Dalton

• Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah

What are your favourite genres?

I love a mixture of fiction and non-fiction. I read a lot of romance, contemporary fiction, historical fiction and have recently gotten into fantasy!

What were your favourite books you read in 2023?

I wrote all about this in my “All the books I loved in 2023…” substack post:

This Wild Mama

All the books I loved in 2023…

All the books I loved in 2023… My top 10 books of the year… and maybe a few more.. I’m slow on reflecting on the year that was 2023. It was honestly a very challenging year for me in so many ways. Many that were invisible or not so obvious to others. I’ve described it as a difficult internal year, after the last several difficult external years. It was hard being in my body, hard being in my mind, hard not understanding what was going on for me and to me. On the outside things looked, and were in many ways, great. Big and adventurous! But internally I really struggled. I still don’t understand it all but I’m grateful to still be standing. Still be loving. Still be pursuing my dreams and living in connection with my beautiful family who I am more grateful for than ever…

Read more

2 years ago · 1 like · 1 comment · Laura

But here is my top 10 reads of the year (in no particular order):

• The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

• The Seven Skins of Esther Wilding by Holly Ringland

• Crescent City: House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J Maas

• Crescent City: House of Sky and Breath by Sarah J Maas

• Indigo Ridge by Devney Perry

• Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

• The Myth of Normal by Gabor Maté

• The Yield by Tara June Winch

• Raising Our Children, Raising Ourselves by

• 2000 Miles Together by Ben Crawford

What are you most looking forward to reading in 2024?

I’m looking forward to completing the Outlander series. I like to have one bigger series that I’m working through at any given time. In 2022 through to the start of 2023 it was the Earth’s Children series by Jean M. Auel (definitely recommend if you haven’t visited it yet). And then I started Outlander in May 2023. I’m currently up to book 5 so will see how I go!

As for new releases The Women by Kristin Hannah has recently come out and I’m excited to get into it this month.

And a book being released later this year that I’m looking forward to getting my hands on is The Life Impossible by Matt Haig. I really loved The Midnight Library from him.

Do you read books more than once?

I don’t usually but there have been exceptions! There are some favourites I’ve read a few times over and I have a few books I’ve read a few times as comfort reads. These include The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins, the After series by (don’t judge, lockdown was a weird time okay?!) and Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery.

What have been your most treasured read alouds and why?

I have been reading aloud the Narnia Chronicles to my children the past few months and it’s been so special and nostalgic for me. There is so much magic in sharing stories with my children that I loved so much myself as a child!

I’ve also found some beautiful stories reading aloud to my kids that have now become favourites for all of us such as The Wild Folk by and The Hedgewitch (and the sequel The Woodwitch) by .

What do you use as bookmarks?

I either have a whole stack of bookmarks that I’ve picked up from bookshops and libraries or none at all. When I can’t find a bookmark (which is often) I might use a receipt, a little ripped up piece of paper and more often than I care to admit I’m guilty of dog-earing my books. 

What books have shaped the person and mother you have become?

This is the hardest question of the bunch! I feel like books shift and change me from the inside out, sometimes without me even realising. Sometimes because they are excellent books with interesting ideas, or sometimes it’s the way they impact me and my own thoughts. 

I don’t know how to accurately represent what these books mean to me or why but here is a list of books that have impacted me and have inspired who I am today.

• Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

• Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering by Sarah J Buckley, MD

• Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year by Susun Weed

• Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

• Wild Feminine by Tami Lynn Kent

• Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

• The Call of the Wild and Free by Ainsley Arment

And I’m sure there are many more that I haven’t mentioned here!

What is your favourite book of all time ever?

I think I’d have to say Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery if I must pick just one!

When do you read and for how long do you read for each day?

I usually try to sneak in a chapter or 2 first thing in the morning. I listen to audiobooks during the day as I go for walks or do cleaning. I read aloud to my children at least once a day most days and I read again at night before I go to sleep. It’s become habit fitting my bookish moments into each day.

Do you read everyday or only on certain days of the week?

Reading is an important everyday occurrence for me. I feel weird on days where I don’t read now!

Do you read multiple books or one at a time?

I’m a multiple books at once kinda gal! I generally have a variety of books in a variety of different formats on the go at any one time. I usually have at least one audiobook, one kindle book and one physical book that I am reading concurrently. Sometimes two, a fiction and a non-fiction, in each format. And occasionally will read an ebook on my phone, however, this is my least favourite method of reading!

Do you read consistently or does your reading rhythm ebb and flow?

There is definitely an ebb and flow, as there is with life. It’s not usually that I don’t read at all but there’s definitely days and weeks where life is lifin’ and I’m not reading as much.

Where do you love to read?

I’m a bed reader. Bed is my safe space. My comfort zone and pretty much the most space I get to have to myself in this season of my life. Occasionally I’ll read in my chair outside and get some sunshine and fresh air but 9 times out of 10 I’m reading in bed (unless it’s an audiobook in which case it’s on walks, while I wash up or hang out washing or while I’m driving in the car). 

Where do you store your book collection?

Currently the majority of my book collection is in a storage shed in regional NSW as we travel full time. I do have a shelf in next to my bed which is stacked with my current or next reads. I also read a lot on kindle at the moment for the convenience!

Where do you source books from?

Physical books - little street libraries, caravan park book swaps, book fairs, op shops, independent bookstores and occasionally a department store.

Kindle books -  Amazon. I keep an eye on the deals each month.

Audiobooks - I’m trying to predominantly use Borrowbox (for free with library membership), but I also use audible and in the past have also tried out Everand (previously Scribd) and Kobo but in order to keep my book budget in check I’m trying to prioritise free and lower cost options.

Where do you get book recommendations from?

I really love the Currently Reading podcast, have gotten quite a few recommendations from there and have explored new books and genres I wouldn’t have otherwise tried from the recommendations on their show. Otherwise mostly recommendations from friends and occasionally I might save a title from an article I read, from instagram or on goodreads. I’m fairly open to book recommendations and am happy to try most books.

What formats do you read in?

As mentioned above I regularly read physical books (I prefer paperbacks), kindle and audiobooks. I also do e-books but much more sporadically as that’s not my preference but sometimes that’s the option that’s most easily available. 

How do you keep track of what you have read?

I’m currently using goodreads and StoryGraph to track my reads. I enjoy the social function of goodreads, I currently don’t have many friends on StoryGraph. I find the stats from StoryGraph so interesting. However I’m always open to new and better options for tracking. In the past I used instagram and before that I was tracking in a notebook. I have recently been eying off a specific reading journal so who knows maybe I’ll give that a go at some point!

How do you keep track of what you want to read?

Badly! I have an extremely long TBR on goodreads that I go through every now and then to get ideas on books to source, sometimes I’ll write myself a note at the start of each month of books I’m aiming to read (with varying levels of success) but otherwise I’m very much a mood reader. Picking up whatever takes my fancy at any given time.

Why do you read?

The short answer: Reading brings me joy!

The long answer: Reading has brought me a lot of joy! Reading has held me through some very difficult times in my life. Having the option to get lost in another world has been really helpful for me and my process of living and (trying to) be a conscious and intentional human and parent in this world. Reading constantly inspires me to be better, to do better, for myself and for others and the world at large. I see how my reading and love of books positively impacts my family and inspires my own children’s reading habits (and even my husbands as well). Reading expands my world in beautiful ways. Brings me a source of connection with others and with myself. Encourages me to think deeper, inspires me to see things from different perspectives and gives me a whole tonne of hope. I’m so grateful for this hobby in my life.

Substack:

Instagram: @this.wild.mama

Goodreads: Laura Shelley-Butler

Story Graph: This Wild Mama

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Thank you for reading Laura’s Mother Reader Portrait.

If you are interested in sharing the ins and outs of your own reading life, reach out:

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And lastly, please spill…

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I’m Stephanie, the creator of Mother Reader, a mother myself of two children aged 5 and 3. My husband and I are creative souls, he is a musician, I am writer, and we home educate our kids. Our family of bookworms live on the Mornington Peninsula, Bunurong Country, at the bottom of mainland Australia. We live in a small house in a semi-rural neighbourhood not far from the beach where we are surrounded by towering gum trees and our bountiful edible garden which includes a micro-orchard, many raised veggie beds, perennial herbs, flowers and five cheeky chooks. Books and stories are naturally woven into the fabric of our days and lives.

Who inspired you to become the reader you are today?

My own mother raised me to be the reader I am today. She is an avid reader herself and made sure I was never short of a good book. I fondly recall her saying to me one day in our favourite neighbourhood bookstore when I asked if we could buy the latest release in the Goosebumps series, “Stephanie, I will never say no to a book.” She held true to her word too.

Who are your favourite authors?

Growing up in the 90s I loved, and still adore, Alison Lester. Her picture books are as revered in our family now as they were in my family of origin growing up. Magic Beach will always be a sentimental favourite and Kissed by the Moon reads like a love letter to my own children. As a tween/teen, I loved Paul Jennings, R L Stine and Tim Winton’s Cloudstreet. I also adored Shakespeare and this was probably where my love for the theatre bloomed, going on to attain my Bachelor in Performing Arts and performing in numerous productions in my teens and early adulthood, including roles as Helena in A Midsummer Nights Dream in high school and as Macduff in Macbeth at university. My favourite children’s author today, aside from Alison Lester, would be Julia Donaldson; I just love the musicality of her words. Her books are a delight to read aloud. As well as E B White, Beatrix Potter and A A Milne - they are revered for a reason.

When it comes to adult reading, Holly Ringland is my favourite author, and I also adore Pip Williams, Jane Harper, Rhonda Hetzel and

Who do you discuss books with?

Up until this year I was an eager participant in my local library book club. Myself and 10 other women would meet once a month on a Thursday afternoon for a cuppa, a bikkie and chat about books - the one we had been assigned for that month and others we would recommend. Through this group I was introduced to many authors I would not have read before and as a largely non-fiction reader, a passion for reading fiction was once again relit. It was a lovely hour and a half of my month, to spend time in the company of wisened women in one of my favourite places and talk books. Council funding however stipulated that in 2024, only those over the age of 50 were eligible to take part, so I found myself suddenly and sadly bereft of my treasured book club I had hoped I would be a member of always. I contemplated seeking out a new group but an idea had begun to brew inside me, and thus I leant into dreaming up and birthing Mother Reader, an online gathering of book lovers and readers, who I hope will steer me in the direction of many great recommendations and whom I can also share my reading life with. As one chapter closes, a new one begins.

What are you currently reading?

This year I am taking part in two slow, year long reads of War & Peace by Leo Tolstoy and the Cromwell Trilogy - Wolf Hall, Bringing up the Bodies and The Mirror & The Light by Hilary Mantel, both of which are being facilitated by the incredible from Footnotes and Tangents right here on Substack. My husband and I are taking turns to read aloud a chapter of War & Peace to one another each night so we can enjoy this tome we have both always wanted to read but never got around to, together. It has been such a beautiful way to bond and connect over literature, inspite of our stumblings over the Russian character names. My take away thus far is that Tolstoy is funny, he can write a bloody long sentence with the utmost eloquence and I am able to enjoy reading a book about war (my least favourite genre). I give huge credit to Simon for his facilitation, guidance and commentary and of course the community he has generated around these epic reads.

Others I am currently working my way through (and loving) are:

• God is an Octopus by (hardcover)

• Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver (paperback)

What’s in your TBR pile?

• North Woods by Daniel Mason (fiction)

• Ancient Futures by Helena Norberg-Hodge (non-fiction)

• My Hygge Home by Meik Wiking (non-fiction)

• A Clear Flowing Yarra by Harry Saddler (non-fiction)

What have you read so far this year that you would recommend?

• Phosphorescence by Julia Baird (non-fiction)

• Write for Life by Julia Cameron (non-fiction)

• Raising Critical Thinkers by (non-fiction)

• The Clockmakers Daughter by Kate Morton (fiction)

• Homecoming by Kate Morton (fiction)

• Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder (fiction read aloud - ages 5+)

• From What Is to What If: Unleashing the Power of Imagination to Create the Future We Want by Rob Hopkins (non-fiction audiobook)

• 7 Steps to Get Your Child Reading by Louise Park (non-fiction)

• The Complete Brambly Hedge by Jill Barklem (fiction read aloud - all ages)

• The Way of the Fearless Writer by (non-fiction)

• The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams (fiction read aloud - ages 4+)

And here is a small selection of picture books we’ve also loved lately:

What are your favourite genres?

As I mentioned, and as you can tell from the above, I read more non-fiction than fiction and lean into books pertaining to parenting, education, sustainability, nature, gardening, cooking and creativity. When it comes to fiction I tend to alternate between historical fiction and thrillers, as well as dipping into classic and modern literature.

What were your favourite books you read in 2023?

Rather than re-write what I’ve already penned, here is the link to my Substack post “My year in books” which details my best reads of last year:

Splendid To Be

My year in books

For the past few years I've kept a list in a treasured notebook to track the books I read. Adult books, that is. I quickly lose count of how many childrens books we devour in a year. I recently took a look at our library borrowing history and wasn't surprised that as a family we have loaned 1087 books since April 2021. Yep, we are family of bookworms…

Read more

2 years ago · 4 likes · 7 comments · Stephanie

What are you most looking forward to reading in 2024?

Hoping to get around to reading all of the below:

• Doppelganger by Naomi Klein

• Grounded by

• Wintering by

• Until the Streetlights Come On by Ginny Yurich

• Twelve Moons by

• Lola in the Mirror by Trent Dalton

• Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries by

• Wifedom by Anna Funder

• The Weekend by

• A Different Way to Learn by

• Slow Seasons by

• The Wheel of the Year by Fiona Cook & Jessica Roux

• Tom Lake by Ann Patchett

• The Artist’s Way for Parents by Julia Cameron

• The Narnia Chronicles by C S Lewis

• The Animals of Farthing Wood by Colin Dann

• The Trumpet of the Swan by E B White

And I better stop there otherwise this could go on indefinitely…

Do you read books more than once?

Not often, but I have a treasured few I return to:

• The Simple Life and Down to Earth by Rhonda Hetzel (my simple living bibles)

• The Call of the Wild & Free by Ainsley Arment (my homeschooling bible)

What have been your most treasured read alouds and why?

The Complete Snugglepot & Cuddlepie Collection by May Gibbs was a book I had retained from my own childhood that I read with my daughter when she was four. This was a special shared experience, it was her first leap into extended chapter book reading and we’ve been devouring long format books together ever since. Other favourites include the original Winnie-the-Pooh by A A Milne, I still remember her giggles of delight at the description of Pooh with his head stuck in a pot of honey and the hilarity that ensues trying to extricate himself. Charlotte’s Web and Stuart Little by E B White will also stay with me as a sentimental read aloud experiences we have shared together. The Magic Faraway Tree series by Enid Blyton another. Other series we’ve loved are The Adventures of Sophie Mouse by Poppy Green, Ruby Red Shoes by Kate Knapp and Heartwood Hotel by Kallie George.

My little man is still blissfully content in the world of picture books and while his sister loves the novelty of a new book, he is most happy reading his favourites over and over. The ones that spring to mind most fondly are The Lorax and Green Eggs & Ham by Dr Seuss, The Little Yellow Digger by Betty and Alan Gilderdale and his most recent favourite, Bluey Cricket.

What do you use as bookmarks?

I have a collection of David Hockney art postcards I picked up at his Current exhibition in 2017 and these make the rounds in our house as bookmarks, alongside assorted bookmarks gifted from the library or book stores. My favourite would have to be a Flower Fairies bookmark that my daughter likes to perform a ceremonial tucking into a book to sleep.

What books have shaped the person and mother you have become?

I haven’t eaten meat since I read Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer, 15 years ago.

I gave up drinking with the help of Quit Like a Woman by .

Retrosurburbia by David Holmgren introduced me to a different way to live and be in the world through the lens of Permaculture.

Jamie Oliver’s cookbooks inspired my love of cooking as a newly minted adult.

Free to Learn by accelerated my deschooling.

Hold Onto Your Kids by Dr Gordon Neufeld and Gabor Mate solidified my choice to home educate.

Down to Earth by Rhonda Hetzel and Slow by inspired me to live a simpler, slower life.

A Family Guide to Waste Free Living by helped put into action our family values of living sustainably.

What is your favourite book of all time ever?

The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart by Holly Ringland

When do you read and for how long do you read for each day?

In this season of life where sleep is precious and slow mornings a god send, I aim to read half an hour of non-fiction before our day gets into full swing and then as much fiction as I can manage before falling asleep at night. The kids and I will do ‘Morning Books’ each morning, after I’ve finished my own personal reading and the coffee has kicked in, which entails cuddling up on our reading chairs next to our library book holder (which is always overflowing with an ever changing array of picture books and children’s non-fiction read alouds) and allowing them to choose what they would like me to read to them. My daughter without fail chooses to sit on or besides me whilst we read and my son will sometimes join her on my lap, other times he’s happy playing near and not so near us. Either way, I don’t coerce either of them to this reading session, it has just become a natural part of our daily rhythm.

If we are at home in the middle of the day my daughter will almost always ask for her stories, which means she’d like some quiet time on her own in her bedroom, listening to audiobooks whilst drawing, colouring or creating in some form. This is her way of resting and replenishing and I’ve come to see how vital this time is to her overall wellbeing and happiness. During this time my son and I will play but can also be drawn to picture book reading one-on-one in his room, where most of our permanent children’s book collection is housed.

We also listen to childrens audiobooks from time to time when travelling in the car. I listen to snippets of audiobooks on the rare occasion I am driving somewhere without children in the car or after dinner whilst washing the dishes while my husband runs the kids rampant in the garden. At bedtime we divide and conquer, taking it in turns to read with one child each - long form chapter books with my daughter and picture books with my son, swapping at the completion of each chapter book (every 1-2 weeks roughly). They go to bed with books read aloud to them every night and always have. Once they are asleep, my husband and I will curl up on the couch and read our nightly chapter of War & Peace aloud to one another before we head into our own inner reading worlds until we can keep our eyes open no longer.

It’s hard to quantify the hours spent reading as they vary each day but at a minimum I would say I spend 2-3 hours in the company of books, both read aloud and read alone.

Do you read everyday or only on certain days of the week?

This rhythm is an everyday occurrence for us and it is flexible enough to work around our changing days, schedules and events. It works for us in all seasons and all weather. The only seasonal addition I’d make would be that on a beautiful afternoon you may just find us outside in our garden cosied up in our reading tent with cushions, snacks and a huge pile of books. And we also make time for poetry tea time at least once a month, whereby we bake something yummy together and I read poems aloud to the kids while we stuff our faces.

Do you read multiple books or one at a time?

I was always a one-book-at-a-time kind of reader but lately I’ve noticed I have more on the go then ever before. I think this has evolved due to the season of life I find myself in and what my brain is capable of processing and drawn to read at certain times of the day. I have found that reading non-fiction in the morning helps my brain to wake up, and at a time of day when interruptions are inevitable, I find it much easier to pick up and put down non-fiction reads, where as fiction I prefer to give my whole attention to for an extended period of time, hence why I save it until the end of the day when the house is quiet and no one needs me. Being a voracious reader with limited time to read has meant separating my genres and formats into windows that they are best suited to and this rhythm is really working for me at present.

Do you read consistently or does your reading rhythm ebb and flow?

I would say I’m quiet consistent, though I do notice that sometimes after reading a book that has shifted my perspective or that I hoped would never end, I am reluctant to jump straight into another book as my mind longs to sit with the characters and ideas that have captivated me.

Where do you love to read?

At home is the short answer, as this is where I spend most of my time. I have a favourite reading chair which sits besides my beloved pink bookcase that holds a portion of our permanent collection, as well as my current non-fiction reading pile. This is where I read in the morning and with the kids throughout the day. At night my husband and I read aloud to one another on our cobalt blue couch and I am snuggled into bed always to read fiction that will transport me to sleep.

Where do you store your book collection?

The adored pink bookcase (which was a second hand gift from an old workplace that I repainted and refashioned) sits in our living room, as well as a cookbook collection beside our kitchen and an Ikea picture book holder which I use to display our rotating library read alouds. In our bedroom, my husband and I have antique bedside tables we bought at an auction house over a decade ago that are always stacked to the brim with our currently reading and TBR piles. Other books we own that don’t currently fit on the pink bookcase are housed in the top of our wardrobe for now. The kids permanent book collections are split between both of their own bedrooms.

Where do you source books from?

95% of the books our family read come from our local library. If borrowing library books were an olympic sport I have no doubt we’d be gold medalists. How can I even begin to sum up all of the reasons we love our library?

As a family of four we have only one membership, controversial I know, but it allows me to ensure we can place a large number of books on hold at any one time and pick them up smoothly in a single transaction. As the kids get older I imagine they will want their own accounts, but for now this works perfectly for us. A few years ago I replaced social media scrolling with library catalogue scrolling, putting books I thought would appeal to my husband and childrens tastes on hold, left, right and centre. I love curating what my family reads and we all love to read different things. Of course, my husband and kids supplement my selections with their own choosings too but it is a reliable given that should any one of us walk into our local branch on any day there will be a book or ten to collect under our surname.

Being library readers means sometimes waiting for the hot and new release titles though, but I have found this actually sweetens the reading experience. The delayed gratification always pays off when having to wait months to get your hands on a book you’ve been pining for. Thankfully for us, our library offers an unlimited number of books you can borrow and have on hold at any one time, with borrowing periods of three weeks that roll over three times so long as no one else has requested the title.

My biggest dilemma has been when two or more new release titles make their way to me at the same time and I have to either speed read both or return one and hop to the back of the queue to try my luck a second time around. Such is the library lottery, but I love this experience all the same as I know each book will find it’s way to me when the time is right.

I love just going to the library as well. What’s not to love about a quiet and peaceful building (until my children arrive at least) with familiar and friendly librarians, filled with books, book and more books. With my active, noisy wildlings in tow our visits aren’t long ones at this time, but they are frequent and fill my mother cup to the brim.

We very rarely buy new books, but if we do it’s from our favourite book store Antipodes in Sorrento. We love a second hand or op-shop book hunt though and both my husband and I could think of not much more we’d like to do then scour the shelves at a snails pace at the Tyabb Packing House.

I also like to raid friends and family’s bookshelves and my mother often lends me books she has read and thinks I will like.

Where do you get book recommendations from?

For someone who reads a fair amount, I can be quite picky about what I read and hence a book needs to enter my sphere of acknowledgement often in more ways than one before I might consider reading it. I like hearing a book recommended from multiple sources before I think it may be for me. I am definitely not a ‘Oh that sounds interesting I’ll try that’ sort of reader, a lot of forethought and planning goes into my selections and I will happy DNF a book that I’m not feeling. There is simply too many good words out there to read than to waste precious hours on a book that isn’t speaking to me. I keep abreast of new releases via the Apple Books app, my online library catalogue as well as books I see recommended on instagram or Substack. Plenty of books I have read are from podcast recommendations too. Friends and family (mainly my mother) also guide my reading choices.

What formats do you read in?

90% physical books from the library. If I can’t source the book I want from the library I use Borrowbox e-books to read on my iPad and as a last resort buy an e-book through Apple Books, but this is rare. For Audiobooks I also use Borrowbox, as well as Audible and Spotify.

How do you keep track of what you read?

I’m an old school pen and paper tracker. Each year I start a new notebook where I keep a list of all the books I read. I place a little hand drawn heart next to the titles I love the most.

How do you keep track of what you want to read?

I use Apple Books mainly as a digital Want To Read tracker, but sometimes I will just search and put a book on hold at the library that I’m after, knowing that it will take time to get to me anyway so I may as well get in the queue.

Why do you read?

I read both for pleasure and life long learning. If I want to know more about a topic of interest, I always seek out books as teachers, mentors and guides. It’s about expansion for me, expanding my understanding of the way the world is and why, and imagining what it could be. I read to know but I also read to escape. I read to connect with my children, my family, friends and total strangers on the internet, to share a common appreciation for words, all they hold and whisper. I read to inspire my children to be readers but also to delight in their own love of reading. I read to savour and to think deeply on one idea, one notion, one story. I read to commune, to be inspired, to feel. I read because I love to.

On Substack:

- The simple pleasures of our slow, seasonal, home centred life

- The Podcast

On Instagram:

@splendidtobe

@australianhomeschoolstories

Thank you for reading the very first in what I hope will be an ongoing series into the lives of other Mother Readers all around the globe.

If you are interested in sharing the ins and outs of your own reading life, please get in touch at splendidtobe@gmail.com

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An online community of mothers who read for themselves and to their children. This is a space to connect with other book loving families, seek out and recommend read alouds and read alones, and take a peep inside the reading lives of other Mother Readers the world over.

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A little about this mother…

I’m Stephanie, the creator of Mother Reader, a mother myself of two children aged 5 and 3. My husband and I are creative souls, he is a musician, I am writer, and we home educate our kids. Our family of bookworms live on the Mornington Peninsula, Bunurong Country, at the bottom of mainland Australia. We live in a small house in a semi-rural neighbourhood not far from the beach where we are surrounded by towering gum trees and our bountiful edible garden which includes a micro-orchard, many raised veggie beds, perennial herbs, flowers and five cheeky chooks. Books and stories are naturally woven into the fabric of our days and lives.

Read my full Mother Reader Portrait below:

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As well as monthly reading round ups and general bookish chat, I would love to showcase the reading habits, rhythms and recommendations of other Mother Readers with the Portrait of a Mother Reader series.

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