Recent reading: pregnancy book review

This is my pregnancy book library. I think I got lucky in that I very much enjoy all my books - some more than others but I'm glad I have each one for specific reasons.

I'll start from the right.

Birth Day by Mark Sloan, M.D.

I could write a whole blog about this single book. It is definitely my favorite pregnancy book. It's not one for specific "how big is baby this week" or "this month's symptoms" ... rather it's about the history and culture of child birth. One of my favorite historical tales is the one about why it's the norm for a woman to labor on her back. If you have any interest in child birth, this is a must read. As an added bonus, the author was my childhood pediatrician.

Girlfriend's Guide to Pregnancy by Vivki Iovine

Of all the books, this one I could probably have done without. I have definitely enjoyed reading it but it didn't add a whole lot, other than enjoyment. It's a humorous "I've so been there" look at pregnancy and the many symptoms involved. A fun read, but not super informative.

Your Pregnancy Week by Week by Curtis and Schuler

and

Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy by Mayo Clinic

These two books are quite similar so I decided to lump them together. If you had to buy only one, I'd go with the Mayo Clinic Guide. But having said that, I'm very glad I have both. Both of the books have the nitty gritty pregnancy and baby details, what to watch for red flags, and dos and don'ts. The Mayo Guide has a very helpful chart for each month that details symptoms, when to contact a doctor, and when not to worry about it. I love these charts - so far they've been very helpful with putting my concerns to rest (especially in the first few months or when I'm ill). The Your Pregnancy book has become my weekly go-to when I want to read about pregnancy but am all caught up with my other books. Since there are a few pages dedicated to each week, I always have something new to read (very helpful and reassuring the first few months). It also has very detailed photos of the baby each week - priceless!

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happy reading :)

The book fairy was kind to me

Twice a year, our local library holds a used book sale fundraiser for their library foundation. The sale was last week. I shopped. And scored a few treasures. Big time.

First, I must explain that they sell all the books by the pound: $1 for paperbacks, 50¢ for hardcovers. How can you not like that!?!

For me, this shopping trip was dedicated to kid books.

I got this whole stack for a grand total of $1.75.

In case you are wondering if our library only has books published before 1970, the answer is no. They had a whole room of kid's books but my favorites are the old ones (with fabulous illustrations).

I'll share three of my top finds.

Petunia's Christmas by Roger Duvoisin, 1952

It's a charming tale about Petunia the goose, attempting to save her boyfriend goose from ending up as Christmas dinner. Here she is dressed up as a dragon, frightening the farmer's wife. Who doesn't like a good story about a crazy goose?!

The Contests at Cowlick by Richard Kennedy, 1975

It's about Wally, the little boy who took on the angry wild west gang. The illustrations are worth it in themselves. I think that if we have a little boy, this one will get lots of use.

My favorite from the stack! Big Red Bus by Ethel and Leonard Kessler, 1957

The entire book is printed with black, red, and green ink. There are lots of stripes and polka dots. A beauty. It makes my heart sing.

Look at those buildings! The darlings. And the red bus! Love it. The story is super simple and the book is very fast to read so I don't want to spoil anything other than saying it's about a little boy and his mom's ride on the bus.

I have a feeling the library and I will become very good friends in the next few years.

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In other news - new recipe! California chicken tortilla soup