Thursday, April 14, 2011

Book Review: The Crazy Daze of Motherhood by Jane Isfeld Still


Book Description:
A mother's day is filled with all kinds of emergencies, from bumps and bruises to hospital stays. Find the perfect way to recover from your own family's little emergencies with Jane Isfeld Still's latest book on the hilarious daily challenges of a mother in the fray. You're sure to laugh and cry as you celebrate the joys of motherhood.

About the Author:
Jane is married to Rick Still, who she believes has the distinction of being the only man in history brave enough to give her earwax candles for her birthday. They had six children in eight years, and while her children were growing up, she discovered she had a great sense of humor. At least that was her take. Rick once said to her, "Honey, you know all those real corny things you say all the time? Who ever thought you could make money at it?" Her son Adam once told her, "Mom could you please stop telling jokes to my friends? It's really embarrassing." One of Jane's philosophies is, "You're not doing your job unless your children are worried about being seen in public with you."


My Review:
The first thing I liked about this book was the size. It is only 87 pages long, so it's very un-intimidating to read. It's also pink and about 6 inches square. You could probably trace around it to cut out papers for origami. I also appreciated that the chapters are pretty short, so if I only had a few minutes to read I could still finish a chapter.

When I read the title of this book, I thought it would be about humorous mothering experiences. So, I was confused when the first couple of stories were about being single and dealing with roommates. From there, I began to wonder if it was all going to be bathroom humor and I started to get nervous. Fortunately, my fears were unfounded. Not only did I find humorous mothering experiences, but many of them had nothing to do with bathrooms. The earlier stories were kind of a set-up for the mothering stories.

When I read a book that is supposed to be funny, I get defensive. I cross my arms and dare that book to make me laugh. We'll just see if you're funny, I think. I'm happy to report that this book made me laugh against my will. Some of it was genuinely funny. I wasn't rolling on the floor uncontrollably laughing, but the occasional chuckle did escape my lips. Yes, it did.

So, yes. I liked this book. I think it would make a good Mother's Day gift because, 1. It's small and affordable ($8.99 retail. you can purchase it at this link: http://www.amazon.com/Crazy-Daze-Motherhood-Jane-Still/dp/159955495X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1301328592&sr=1-1), 2. It's about imperfect mothering, which I find refreshing on Mother's Day, and 3. Everyone needs to laugh once in awhile--even against her will. Oh, and 4. How often can you buy a book that you can also use as an origami paper pattern?

You can win a fun prize from Jane to help celebrate the release of her book. Just go to her blog at http://www.janeisfeldstill.blogspot.com and become a follower, and then leave her a comment and tell her that you're a new follower. You could win:

1. Mother's Daze basket, soap, chocolate, lotion, decorative candles, and recipe cards

2. Box of blank cards with a smattering of Canadian chocolate

3. Chocolate

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