Crib Notes: 10 must-read book recommendations from writers who happen to be mothers

Welcome to Crib Notes: Succinct Book Reviews for New and Busy Mothers

I dreamed up Crib Notes in late summer last year. I had recently handed in my notice at work and —  although I fiercely wanted to spend my days with my little boy — after seven years working in publishing and bookselling, it felt strange and somewhat galling to be on the outside of that world. Crib Notes seemed a convenient overlap of mothering, reading and my desire to write, but I did not expect it to resonate with so many women. Over the last few months I have felt moved and humbled by the response to this newsletter: so many of you have written to tell me that it provides comfort and cheer amid the loneliness and tedium that can sometimes accompany looking after small children.

Now, in these uncertain first days of lockdown, with the coronavirus sweeping through the country, our online communities have become more vital than ever. It is essential that, as we scroll through Instagram and Twitter, these spaces are f…