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Mothering by the Book: The Power of Reading Aloud to Overcome Fear and Recapture Joy
"Wit and wisdom for every mother, everywhere."--ERIN LOECHNER, author of Chasing Slow
Becoming a better, happier mom starts with the stories you tell your kids
As a mom, you want to nurture a strong family, but fear steals your joy. Sometimes you wonder if you're failing your children or whether you're cut out for this.
Beloved writer and mom of seven Jennifer Pepito understands. She was intent on loving her children well, but fear and worry pushed her around. Ultimately, she found her joy in a most surprising the pages of classic literature she was reading aloud to her children every day. These stories helped her reclaim the wonder of childhood for herself and her children.
In Mothering by the Book, Jennifer takes you on a fascinating, whimsical journey that will bring freedom and fun to your parenting--one great book at a time.
Becoming a better, happier mom starts with the stories you tell your kids
As a mom, you want to nurture a strong family, but fear steals your joy. Sometimes you wonder if you're failing your children or whether you're cut out for this.
Beloved writer and mom of seven Jennifer Pepito understands. She was intent on loving her children well, but fear and worry pushed her around. Ultimately, she found her joy in a most surprising the pages of classic literature she was reading aloud to her children every day. These stories helped her reclaim the wonder of childhood for herself and her children.
In Mothering by the Book, Jennifer takes you on a fascinating, whimsical journey that will bring freedom and fun to your parenting--one great book at a time.
238 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 2, 2022
211 people are currently reading
2888 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer Pepito
14 books44 followersJennifer Pepito is the author of Mothering by the Book and the founder of The Peaceful Press (http://thepeacefulpress.shop). Jennifer is on a mission to help moms overcome fear and love their life, and her homeschool curriculum empowers this through heroic stories, heartwarming poetry, and engaging life skills development. Her resources help create joyful memories among families, which leads to deeper connections and lasting relationships. Jennifer’s writing has been featured in several online and print journals, including Wild and Free, Commonplace Quarterly, and Home Educating Family. She’s a Wild and Free podcast host and has made guest appearances on popular podcasts such as 1000 Hours Outside, At Home with Sally, and Charlotte Mason Poetry. Jennifer lives in the mountains with her beloved family, where she enjoys reading aloud, working in her garden, and watching the sunset.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 247 reviews
October 25, 2022
The lessons Pepito drew from the books she read are great. All very helpful, especially since I’ve already read most of the books and could connect with them. But some of her theology is questionable, and some of it is just bad. She is a huge fan of journaling “what God says to me” and speaks often of forgiving yourself for mistakes (sin) but never asking God’s forgiveness.
I’d only recommend this to a friend with very solid faith, and even then, I wish I could pull out the 70% that’s great and pitch the rest.
I’d only recommend this to a friend with very solid faith, and even then, I wish I could pull out the 70% that’s great and pitch the rest.
October 12, 2022
Wow I loved this book. The only reason it’s 4 stars is because unfortunately her theology isn’t great and she says a few times about God talking to her, “daddy God”, etc otherwise this book was so convicting and encouraging.
“Our chief end is to glorify God and enjoy him forever. And if you aren’t enjoying Him, it might be that we are moving too fast to notice Him”
(Speaking on social media)
“But my habit of reading aloud was still a constant, even in all the turmoil. We read every morning, and nearly every night. “
The way she ties literature into their family struggles was really wonderful and encouraging. And the way she speaks about fear, lack of joy, negative self talk, etc was just really what I needed right now. She’s a mom of 7, spread out over 14 years. If anyone can level with me in my struggles it’s totally her.
She pointed everything back to Christ, so iffy theology aside, She very clearly loves the Lord and wants me as the reader, to love Him too.
“Our chief end is to glorify God and enjoy him forever. And if you aren’t enjoying Him, it might be that we are moving too fast to notice Him”
(Speaking on social media)
“But my habit of reading aloud was still a constant, even in all the turmoil. We read every morning, and nearly every night. “
The way she ties literature into their family struggles was really wonderful and encouraging. And the way she speaks about fear, lack of joy, negative self talk, etc was just really what I needed right now. She’s a mom of 7, spread out over 14 years. If anyone can level with me in my struggles it’s totally her.
She pointed everything back to Christ, so iffy theology aside, She very clearly loves the Lord and wants me as the reader, to love Him too.
July 18, 2022
Thanks to Bethany House for the free book.
In this book, Pepito shares her struggles with fear with vulnerability and openness. Each chapter focuses on a lesson she learned through a book as she was going through various seasons of fear, depression, and anxiety. Also, she relies on the Bible heavily for pointing the reader back to what scripture says about fear. I think I expected something a bit different from this book, and I was not expecting such a heavy book and wasn't in the right place to sit with so much fear, and it took me a couple weeks to get through. I also have only read two of the books that accompany a chapter, which made it hard for me to connect with the lessons from these books at times. I think I thought that this book was going to be more focused on the reading aloud aspect over the memoir aspect, and that's where I feel like I'm missing something. I am also a mom of an only child and have no idea what schooling will look like. I think this book might be a bit more relatable in niche areas like bigger families and homeschooling. Overall, it was a read that pointed me back to Jesus, so I will take the nuggets I learned and add the books I'm interested t0 my TBR shelf.
In this book, Pepito shares her struggles with fear with vulnerability and openness. Each chapter focuses on a lesson she learned through a book as she was going through various seasons of fear, depression, and anxiety. Also, she relies on the Bible heavily for pointing the reader back to what scripture says about fear. I think I expected something a bit different from this book, and I was not expecting such a heavy book and wasn't in the right place to sit with so much fear, and it took me a couple weeks to get through. I also have only read two of the books that accompany a chapter, which made it hard for me to connect with the lessons from these books at times. I think I thought that this book was going to be more focused on the reading aloud aspect over the memoir aspect, and that's where I feel like I'm missing something. I am also a mom of an only child and have no idea what schooling will look like. I think this book might be a bit more relatable in niche areas like bigger families and homeschooling. Overall, it was a read that pointed me back to Jesus, so I will take the nuggets I learned and add the books I'm interested t0 my TBR shelf.
February 28, 2023
This is a great book if you like “Meology.”
She recommended “writing letters to yourself from God.” (Page 69) God wrote us many letters in the Bible and we don’t need to write our own. Scripture is sufficient.
One particularly awful quote is, “Jesus wants to peel off the layers that have hidden who we are and reveal our true selves.” The Bible teaches that we were once dead in our trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1) . If we peel back the layers, we are sinners in need of a savior. Jesus is our savior—apart from Him we are enemies of God (Romans 5:10). His death on the cross atones for our “true selves” and makes us blameless before God (Ephesians 1:4)
If you can get past the weak theology and sad attempts to tell you to “Be brave, be fearless” (Page 230) there are a few encouraging words about motherhood inside the book.
She recommended “writing letters to yourself from God.” (Page 69) God wrote us many letters in the Bible and we don’t need to write our own. Scripture is sufficient.
One particularly awful quote is, “Jesus wants to peel off the layers that have hidden who we are and reveal our true selves.” The Bible teaches that we were once dead in our trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1) . If we peel back the layers, we are sinners in need of a savior. Jesus is our savior—apart from Him we are enemies of God (Romans 5:10). His death on the cross atones for our “true selves” and makes us blameless before God (Ephesians 1:4)
If you can get past the weak theology and sad attempts to tell you to “Be brave, be fearless” (Page 230) there are a few encouraging words about motherhood inside the book.
August 2, 2023
If you’re looking for self-help via a smattering of characters and scenarios pulled from a broad variety of books and a psychoanalysis of those characters, wrestled into a 21st-century American viewpoint, this book is for you.
There was no cohesion, apart from a recurring need for help in varying ways and to different degrees. Her epiphany when at the Wailing Wall, as a result of a conversation with a Jewish mother, that we could help our children keep the faith if we celebrated more rituals—has she never read her Bible?? Rituals save no one.
Naturally enough, the self-help comes in the context of times of trouble. There were times of true hardship, for sure: like when her daughter was struggling with an eating disorder.
But to be honest, most of it read as an extremely spoiled, entitled American, fussing because she still sees more she can’t have. Her struggle was “not even having a Target” in Mexico while her friends had Anthropologie and Whole Foods. Or running out of toilet paper during Covid in California.
Having seen and, to a lesser extent, experienced true breakdown and genuine need in the Philippines, especially over but not limited to Covid—can someone please tell me how we can use the same word, “quarantine”, to describe such vastly different scenarios, leading people to feel they’re talking about the same thing??—this type of complaining is beyond revolting to me. One ought to realize that the world is a big place and have an inkling of an idea of the true and devastating needs enough to shut your mouth if your Amazon prime doesn’t show up or you have to miss grocery pickup for a little while. Or maybe you use tissue out of a box instead of on a cardboard roll? Please.
Many references to her online shop.
Most disturbing of all is that this is posited as a Christian book. There is only enough Christian in it as to make it dangerous. Enough disturbing elements to make it frightening. Writing letters to herself from God?! Read your Bible.
One star. Don’t read.
There was no cohesion, apart from a recurring need for help in varying ways and to different degrees. Her epiphany when at the Wailing Wall, as a result of a conversation with a Jewish mother, that we could help our children keep the faith if we celebrated more rituals—has she never read her Bible?? Rituals save no one.
Naturally enough, the self-help comes in the context of times of trouble. There were times of true hardship, for sure: like when her daughter was struggling with an eating disorder.
But to be honest, most of it read as an extremely spoiled, entitled American, fussing because she still sees more she can’t have. Her struggle was “not even having a Target” in Mexico while her friends had Anthropologie and Whole Foods. Or running out of toilet paper during Covid in California.
Having seen and, to a lesser extent, experienced true breakdown and genuine need in the Philippines, especially over but not limited to Covid—can someone please tell me how we can use the same word, “quarantine”, to describe such vastly different scenarios, leading people to feel they’re talking about the same thing??—this type of complaining is beyond revolting to me. One ought to realize that the world is a big place and have an inkling of an idea of the true and devastating needs enough to shut your mouth if your Amazon prime doesn’t show up or you have to miss grocery pickup for a little while. Or maybe you use tissue out of a box instead of on a cardboard roll? Please.
Many references to her online shop.
Most disturbing of all is that this is posited as a Christian book. There is only enough Christian in it as to make it dangerous. Enough disturbing elements to make it frightening. Writing letters to herself from God?! Read your Bible.
One star. Don’t read.
December 27, 2022
This was fun because it is discussing books and the many ways they can teach us. And her tastes are similar to mine so I’ve read a lot of her recommendations.
As a whole it didn’t resonate with me as much as others I think. I didn’t care for every chapter dealing with some type of fear. She is definitely an enneagram 6, and way more fearful about her children, etc than me. I am just not wired that way.
There were enjoyable parts and I’m looking forward to reading The Railway Children and Baby soon!😍
As a whole it didn’t resonate with me as much as others I think. I didn’t care for every chapter dealing with some type of fear. She is definitely an enneagram 6, and way more fearful about her children, etc than me. I am just not wired that way.
There were enjoyable parts and I’m looking forward to reading The Railway Children and Baby soon!😍
January 15, 2025
This is my first book by Pepito and it was even better than I had hoped it would be! For some reason I had the impression this title was going to be about the need to read aloud to your kids. That's certainly the angle that Pepito works from, but her argument isn't just to read aloud to your children but to work through issues of fear in the process of doing so.
I gleaned a lot from this read and am grateful for the happy accident which led me to it.
I gleaned a lot from this read and am grateful for the happy accident which led me to it.
July 12, 2023
I just finished Jennifer Pepito's Mothering by the Book. I thought from the subtitle the book would be focused on literature and incorporating it into your homeschool life. It was more a memoir with stories of her marriage, and life struggles. Some of the theology felt flawed to me and it was more focused on self than I think is biblical.. For example, suggesting you write a letter to yourself from god and the ideas of finding your "true selves". The part I was most interested in were the short lists of book recommendations at the ends of the chapters. She provides lists that are good for read alouds and books that are just for mom.
I personally wouldn't recommended this book.
Thanks Netgalley for a copy of the ebook.
I personally wouldn't recommended this book.
Thanks Netgalley for a copy of the ebook.
May 31, 2022
Mothering by the Book: The Power of Reading Aloud to Overcome Fear and Recapture Joy by Jennifer Pepito is a beautifully written literary memoir. This book was not exactly what I expected, since it was much more memoir than inspiration for the reader. Still, it is an interesting and worthwhile read. Readers who love books will enjoy this book. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.
April 2, 2023
Though some of her theology is different from my own, I really appreciate how human Jennifer is. The book isn't so much about everything she did right, but more about how she learned from her mistakes and the anxiety that sometimes took hold of her life. Too many mothering books leave you feeling like you've messed your kids up beyond repair, and you're a hopeless case, not with Jennifer's. She feels like an old friend, learning and growing as she goes, just as I am.
February 23, 2022
A lovely book providing a fresh perspective on parenting and homeschooling. Must read for any homeschooling parents!
April 17, 2024
Such a good resource parenting book- overcoming all types of fears as a mother, person, child of God. Loved how she used her own perosnal testimony and personal books to walk her through seasons of fears and uncertainties. Love how I read the right book just at the right time! And of course I added a bunch to my TBR pile.
In some ways it felt like a Sally Clarkson book- and come to find out Sally was her mentor and friend.
Loved all the resources mentioned. This would be a book I would want for my personal collection. A good accomapnying book to this would be Book Girl by Sarah Clarkson. I've listed her fears and how she overcame them along with what book whas instrumental.
What are my fears? How can I overcome?
Overcome the Fear of Being Alone Through Journaling- Pride and Prejudice
Overcome the Fear of the Baby Years by Staying Present - Baby
Overcome the Fear of Failure by Speaking Life- Charlotte's Web
Overcome the Fear of My Children Being Behind through Balance- Understood Betsy
Overcome the Fear of Children Leaving the Faith through Family Identity - All of a Kind Family
Overcome the Fear of Failing Our Children by Living for a Greater Purpose- The Railway Children
Overcome the Fear of the Future by Not Complaining- Little House on the Prairie Series
Overcome the Fear of Not Having Enough through Thankfulness- Little Britches
Overcome the Fear of Not Being Able to Manage by Building Good Habit- Cheaper by the Dozen
Overcome Fear by Running after Purpose- Freedom Train
Overcome the Fear of Leading through Forgiveness- Endurance
Overcome Fear by Knowing Scripture- The Hiding Place
Sing to Shut Up Fear- The Door in the Wall
💬 𝘔𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸𝘴 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘣𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘵:𝘩𝘵𝘵𝘱𝘴://𝘸𝘸𝘸.𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘮.𝘤𝘰𝘮/𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘭𝘢𝘮𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘴/
In some ways it felt like a Sally Clarkson book- and come to find out Sally was her mentor and friend.
Loved all the resources mentioned. This would be a book I would want for my personal collection. A good accomapnying book to this would be Book Girl by Sarah Clarkson. I've listed her fears and how she overcame them along with what book whas instrumental.
What are my fears? How can I overcome?
Overcome the Fear of Being Alone Through Journaling- Pride and Prejudice
Overcome the Fear of the Baby Years by Staying Present - Baby
Overcome the Fear of Failure by Speaking Life- Charlotte's Web
Overcome the Fear of My Children Being Behind through Balance- Understood Betsy
Overcome the Fear of Children Leaving the Faith through Family Identity - All of a Kind Family
Overcome the Fear of Failing Our Children by Living for a Greater Purpose- The Railway Children
Overcome the Fear of the Future by Not Complaining- Little House on the Prairie Series
Overcome the Fear of Not Having Enough through Thankfulness- Little Britches
Overcome the Fear of Not Being Able to Manage by Building Good Habit- Cheaper by the Dozen
Overcome Fear by Running after Purpose- Freedom Train
Overcome the Fear of Leading through Forgiveness- Endurance
Overcome Fear by Knowing Scripture- The Hiding Place
Sing to Shut Up Fear- The Door in the Wall
💬 𝘔𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸𝘴 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘣𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘵:𝘩𝘵𝘵𝘱𝘴://𝘸𝘸𝘸.𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘮.𝘤𝘰𝘮/𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘭𝘢𝘮𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘴/
October 20, 2022
Lots of good thoughts on how to combat the many fears in life(especially those that come with motherhood)through His word and good literature. I didn't agree with everything she said but overall it was a thought provoking read. I was also able to add a few more books to my reading list.
January 20, 2023
A great read for a weary and scared mama.
April 1, 2025
The journey of motherhood can leave a traveler very weary. Pepito seems to peer into the secret fears of mothers and through shared experiences, literary mothers and character, and scripture she soothes the worries and points us to Christ for our ultimate courage and refreshment.
Bookworm challenge 2025 A Book With Four words in the title.
Bookworm challenge 2025 A Book With Four words in the title.
July 30, 2022
I will be rereading this book and journaling through it starting tomorrow. I got the book in the mail yesterday and read it through so quickly, thinking, "This is exactly what I needed to hear right now!" Jennifer touched on so many topics that mothers face and gives practical tips for overcoming the problems we are all having. I love how honest she is without making excuses for sin. I'm inspired and I highly recommend this book.
April 4, 2024
The lessons the author draws from literature are great but the theology behind some things she says is not good. For example, we should not be writing a letter to ourselves from God. God has already written to us His words in the Bible.
August 12, 2022
This may be one of my favorite reads this summer and a top book I would recommend for homeschool mother’s. Mothering by the Book – The Power of Reading Aloud to Overcome Fear and Recapture Joy, by Jennifer Pepito will encourage you and give you a bigger book list to read! I have been following Jennifer on Instagram and her website for a long time. She is a creator of The Peaceful Press homeschool curriculum and if you haven’t checked it out, you need too! Anyhow back to the book, this is one I will reread, I have many highlights and notes throughout. I am a big time reader and so agree with her how powerful stories are and there is much to be learned by reading them! If you too are a reader and read aloud to your children you will have read many of the books she has mentioned, if not yet, will be. Wonderful classics stories, such as Pride and Prejudice, Charlotte’s Web, Understood Betsy, and many more! If you are not, this will inspire you to become a reader!
Jennifer, share her stories, life experiences, and what she has learned through reading stories, and how they have helped her overcome many fears that we as mother’s deal with. Such as fears of being present, balance, children being behind, faith, identity, living purposeful, not having enough, contentment, habits, and so much more. She also includes Biblical stories and Scripture throughout each chapter, so it all ties in beautifully. That is why I love this book so much, it is encouraging, includes Scripture, stories, and literature books. At the end of each chapter is a study guide with questions, suggestions, recommend books for adults and children, and a verse to memorize.
Here are a few quotes:
“When you pause your busy life for a moment to take stock of the pain you’ve already experience, you can break free of the prison fear has created around you.”
“As we look at these classics and identify the traits of those characters who become heroes, and the tools that guided them on their journey, we will learn to put these tools into action in our own lives so we can live out a story of hope.:
“Maybe you’ve been relying on complaining to try to secure love for yourself. Maybe it’s a habit you picked up…, but ask yourself, Is complaining serving me? Is complaining securing the love I need? Recognize that while it might serve as a relief valve, it’s also raising your cortisol levels and making you blind to God’s blessings.”
“We can teach our children to laugh in the face of fear, to find joy even when the days are dark, and to live for a purpose that is higher than themselves.”
This book would be a great book to discuss with other homeschoolers and give as a gift to a new homeschool mom or struggling moms.
Jennifer, share her stories, life experiences, and what she has learned through reading stories, and how they have helped her overcome many fears that we as mother’s deal with. Such as fears of being present, balance, children being behind, faith, identity, living purposeful, not having enough, contentment, habits, and so much more. She also includes Biblical stories and Scripture throughout each chapter, so it all ties in beautifully. That is why I love this book so much, it is encouraging, includes Scripture, stories, and literature books. At the end of each chapter is a study guide with questions, suggestions, recommend books for adults and children, and a verse to memorize.
Here are a few quotes:
“When you pause your busy life for a moment to take stock of the pain you’ve already experience, you can break free of the prison fear has created around you.”
“As we look at these classics and identify the traits of those characters who become heroes, and the tools that guided them on their journey, we will learn to put these tools into action in our own lives so we can live out a story of hope.:
“Maybe you’ve been relying on complaining to try to secure love for yourself. Maybe it’s a habit you picked up…, but ask yourself, Is complaining serving me? Is complaining securing the love I need? Recognize that while it might serve as a relief valve, it’s also raising your cortisol levels and making you blind to God’s blessings.”
“We can teach our children to laugh in the face of fear, to find joy even when the days are dark, and to live for a purpose that is higher than themselves.”
This book would be a great book to discuss with other homeschoolers and give as a gift to a new homeschool mom or struggling moms.
August 11, 2024
Audio
While this book referenced some books the author had read (to her kids, aloud, though that really didn’t factor in much) the majority of this book was about the author’s life and views and struggles with fear. Each topical chapter introduced a character or seen from literature who taught her a lesson or gave her a model. At the end of each chapter there were reading suggestions. These lessons seemed to provide the structure of the book but not the meat I expected.
This was effectively a memoir. The author underscored her life choices, and while I’m sure that landed for her target market, her lifestyle is not available to me so her views sometimes felt self-righteous.
She’s a married conservative Christian Californian homeschooling mom of 7 who has done mission work but also owned and sold some businesses and homes (so while she’s lived in hard situations by need and by choice, her hardship also feels out of touch). She’s fears public schools and government overreach. I’m a divorced mom for whom homeschooling will never be a real consideration for practical and financial reasons, but I see the public school and community (and Christian friends there) as an opportunity. She feels deeply satisfied in her role as a mom, and I do too, but she didn’t succeed in making me feel guilty that I want (and feel satisfied) by other roles too. And some of her “lessons” smacked of spiritual bypassing (with literature to support it, like Ma in Little House): just push through hardship with a smile.
She really lost me when she said immigrants don’t focus on keeping their first language a priority for their kids because they’re afraid and trying to fit in. (Um, maybe they need to integrate for the sake of their livelihoods and they can’t do it all?) It just seemed like the author is surrounded by so many people like herself she fails to see how her life is not available to others, and others’ choices aren’t bad or wrong.
This was not what I wanted my takeaways from this book to contain.
Great book in theory, not an execution that met me.
While this book referenced some books the author had read (to her kids, aloud, though that really didn’t factor in much) the majority of this book was about the author’s life and views and struggles with fear. Each topical chapter introduced a character or seen from literature who taught her a lesson or gave her a model. At the end of each chapter there were reading suggestions. These lessons seemed to provide the structure of the book but not the meat I expected.
This was effectively a memoir. The author underscored her life choices, and while I’m sure that landed for her target market, her lifestyle is not available to me so her views sometimes felt self-righteous.
She’s a married conservative Christian Californian homeschooling mom of 7 who has done mission work but also owned and sold some businesses and homes (so while she’s lived in hard situations by need and by choice, her hardship also feels out of touch). She’s fears public schools and government overreach. I’m a divorced mom for whom homeschooling will never be a real consideration for practical and financial reasons, but I see the public school and community (and Christian friends there) as an opportunity. She feels deeply satisfied in her role as a mom, and I do too, but she didn’t succeed in making me feel guilty that I want (and feel satisfied) by other roles too. And some of her “lessons” smacked of spiritual bypassing (with literature to support it, like Ma in Little House): just push through hardship with a smile.
She really lost me when she said immigrants don’t focus on keeping their first language a priority for their kids because they’re afraid and trying to fit in. (Um, maybe they need to integrate for the sake of their livelihoods and they can’t do it all?) It just seemed like the author is surrounded by so many people like herself she fails to see how her life is not available to others, and others’ choices aren’t bad or wrong.
This was not what I wanted my takeaways from this book to contain.
Great book in theory, not an execution that met me.
April 8, 2024
I’ve struggled with fear for so much of my life. This past year God has been doing a healing work in my heart to overcome that fear and trust Him. Mothering by the Book really spoke to my heart. Using books to combat fear? Now that’s speaking my love language ;).
Each chapter focuses on a topic and a read aloud that spotlights the topic struggle and how to overcome. Probably my very favorite chapter in the book was—“Overcoming the Fear of Failure by Speaking Life” with Charlotte’s Web as the read aloud. I loved this quote— “Charlotte could have agreed with the rest of the barn yard animals that Wilbur was just a piece of meat, but instead she changed his identity and his destiny.”
The way Pepito writes is both real, relatable and hope-filled. This book gives you hope you can break free from fear, and encouragement for ongoing sanctification so we can confidently say FEAR DOESN’T GET THE FINAL SAY!
Each chapter focuses on a topic and a read aloud that spotlights the topic struggle and how to overcome. Probably my very favorite chapter in the book was—“Overcoming the Fear of Failure by Speaking Life” with Charlotte’s Web as the read aloud. I loved this quote— “Charlotte could have agreed with the rest of the barn yard animals that Wilbur was just a piece of meat, but instead she changed his identity and his destiny.”
The way Pepito writes is both real, relatable and hope-filled. This book gives you hope you can break free from fear, and encouragement for ongoing sanctification so we can confidently say FEAR DOESN’T GET THE FINAL SAY!
November 5, 2022
Jennifer is a seasoned homeschool mom who shares her wisdom in this book is an encouraging and peaceful way. Her stories of fear, doubt and discontentment ring true if you’ve taken on the job of home education. But through the book she points to all the life lessons she learned through literature! She points to our Heavenly Father for comfort and strength which is always faithful to bring, you won’t want this book to end it’s such a delight
November 22, 2023
This book was so encouraging and makes a for a great resource for a homeschool mom. As a mom who enjoys reading aloud to my kiddos, I loved all the book suggestions she gave and how those books impacted her children and her at different times in her homeschool journey. There were a few things I didn’t agree with fully doctrinally, but that was not worth removing a star.
August 21, 2022
I flew through this book, I underlined this book, I jotted notes in this book, and I was constantly nodding my head in agreement. It challenged me in so many ways, yet always infused me with hope. This was not an Instagram perfect mom showcasing her perfectly curated life. Far from it. Pepito is transparent in the truest sense of the word, never holding back the ugliness she has waded through as a woman and a mom. I don't think I have ever read a book that was so honest. I admire her bravery for laying her failures out for all to see and then revealing how the Lord grew her and healed her through each difficult season of her family's life. As the title suggests, God used great literature to reveal life-changing character to her time and again. One thing I loved, however, was that this book wasn't just theoretical. Pepito gave me so many practical things to do to walk out healing in several key areas. I was also encouraged to hear this veteran mom with adult children honestly share her failures. She constantly reiterated how there is no guaranteed formula for raising children. If fear paralyzes us in mothering, we'll miss enjoying our kids and put a self-fulfilling prophesy into motion.
The only reason I gave this book four stars instead of five is because there were several parts that I didn't whole-heartedly agree with. I also was put off by how many times she mentioned the book The Brave Learner by Julie Bogart, and even lists it as recommended reading. I just cannot understand why people like that book! It's awful (see my review of it here on Goodreads). I also was expecting this book to be about why and how to read aloud to your kids, so one less star for that confusion. (Which seems a little petty, honestly, because I love what she did here, but I can see people being frustrated that it wasn't what they thought they were buying.)
One other thing people should know: in the section where she is talking about her oldest daughter's struggle with anorexia, she mentions the suicide of a teenager they knew. Even though it is briefly described, what's there was pretty graphic and upsetting, in my opinion. If you've been through that personally, it would be triggering to read. (And I don't use the word "trigger" lightly.)
Overall, however, those were all minor negatives. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, had a difficult time putting it down, and devoured it in just a few days. I highly recommend it, especially to homeschooling moms!
The only reason I gave this book four stars instead of five is because there were several parts that I didn't whole-heartedly agree with. I also was put off by how many times she mentioned the book The Brave Learner by Julie Bogart, and even lists it as recommended reading. I just cannot understand why people like that book! It's awful (see my review of it here on Goodreads). I also was expecting this book to be about why and how to read aloud to your kids, so one less star for that confusion. (Which seems a little petty, honestly, because I love what she did here, but I can see people being frustrated that it wasn't what they thought they were buying.)
One other thing people should know: in the section where she is talking about her oldest daughter's struggle with anorexia, she mentions the suicide of a teenager they knew. Even though it is briefly described, what's there was pretty graphic and upsetting, in my opinion. If you've been through that personally, it would be triggering to read. (And I don't use the word "trigger" lightly.)
Overall, however, those were all minor negatives. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, had a difficult time putting it down, and devoured it in just a few days. I highly recommend it, especially to homeschooling moms!
July 15, 2022
I have followed Jennifer on Instagram for a while and have always enjoyed her encouragement. This book is no different, it is full of real life from a mom of 7. Sharing her highs and lows of homeschooling and getting a peek behind the curtain so to speak is just what I needed in my current season of homeschooling.
Not only does she recommend some great books, she gives real examples and applications of the principals.
She breaks down a lot of books and her take aways from them. In the chapter on Endurance there was the following quote
“Fear led me to abdicate my role as a parent, to reject the authority of the Bible as a guide, and to begin a haphazard search for answers.” This quote stopped me in my tracks, literally this is the place I am right now. In my mind though, I have a hard time imagining anyone else going through this type of fear. She breaks down the ways she was able to break the fear mentality in a relatable way.
Such a breath of fresh air !
I recommend this book to any homeschool mom needing to hear that she isn’t alone in her struggles (whatever they might be) and you don’t have to stay there. Jennifer is real and doesn’t hold anything back.
It’s like having a Mom mentor !
As an additional bonus each chapter ends with a list of read aloud suggestions and also mom book suggestions.
I was given a complementary copy from NetGalley in exchange for giving my opinion
Not only does she recommend some great books, she gives real examples and applications of the principals.
She breaks down a lot of books and her take aways from them. In the chapter on Endurance there was the following quote
“Fear led me to abdicate my role as a parent, to reject the authority of the Bible as a guide, and to begin a haphazard search for answers.” This quote stopped me in my tracks, literally this is the place I am right now. In my mind though, I have a hard time imagining anyone else going through this type of fear. She breaks down the ways she was able to break the fear mentality in a relatable way.
Such a breath of fresh air !
I recommend this book to any homeschool mom needing to hear that she isn’t alone in her struggles (whatever they might be) and you don’t have to stay there. Jennifer is real and doesn’t hold anything back.
It’s like having a Mom mentor !
As an additional bonus each chapter ends with a list of read aloud suggestions and also mom book suggestions.
I was given a complementary copy from NetGalley in exchange for giving my opinion
February 18, 2024
Could not finish. Pretty bummed.
While the concept is wonderful and I fully believe in the power of reading good stories to overcome the paralysis of anxiety (I have lived this!!), this just misses the mark for me.
I appreciate the transparency with which she spoke of her life, but she made light of obvious sin without acknowledging actions as sin. Really no mention of sin or Christ’s work in redeeming sinners at all (outside brief mention of John 3:16). I know that is not the point of the book—but in anxiety, fear, darkness you cannot divorce the anxiety talk from our broken nature.
There was an undercurrent of MTD/prosperity language that just did not sit well with me at all—breaking free, experiencing, overcoming, writing/journaling as if God is writing to you, you are enough, etc.
For busy moms, this is a //very// consuming read—a tall and wide book with 230 pages. Lots of talking about personal testimony—which I love and find value in—but it’s just overwhelming, though I am sure readers will be able to relate to similar circumstances as the author. The meat of the book looked lovely—where she was talking about the actual books that have changed her life, but it was swimming through weeds to get there.
Perhaps discerning readers would want to walk through this book together through a book club, I think that might be helpful, especially within the community who is praying for you and comforting with the truth of Gods word in your fear. But overall, KSP’s On Reading Well or Reinke’s Lit may serve you better if you’re looking for the positive effects of reading. I am starting “The Read Aloud Family” next week, and that could be another option.
While the concept is wonderful and I fully believe in the power of reading good stories to overcome the paralysis of anxiety (I have lived this!!), this just misses the mark for me.
I appreciate the transparency with which she spoke of her life, but she made light of obvious sin without acknowledging actions as sin. Really no mention of sin or Christ’s work in redeeming sinners at all (outside brief mention of John 3:16). I know that is not the point of the book—but in anxiety, fear, darkness you cannot divorce the anxiety talk from our broken nature.
There was an undercurrent of MTD/prosperity language that just did not sit well with me at all—breaking free, experiencing, overcoming, writing/journaling as if God is writing to you, you are enough, etc.
For busy moms, this is a //very// consuming read—a tall and wide book with 230 pages. Lots of talking about personal testimony—which I love and find value in—but it’s just overwhelming, though I am sure readers will be able to relate to similar circumstances as the author. The meat of the book looked lovely—where she was talking about the actual books that have changed her life, but it was swimming through weeds to get there.
Perhaps discerning readers would want to walk through this book together through a book club, I think that might be helpful, especially within the community who is praying for you and comforting with the truth of Gods word in your fear. But overall, KSP’s On Reading Well or Reinke’s Lit may serve you better if you’re looking for the positive effects of reading. I am starting “The Read Aloud Family” next week, and that could be another option.
January 29, 2024
Honestly, I didn’t finish this book and am not sure that I will other than flipping through and skimming for info relevant to my family/situation.
I was definitely disappointed by this book. First, because it was completely different than what I expected. I thought this was going to be more of an instructional book on using read alouds in our home and homeschool. It really feels more of a biography, following the author and her history of overcoming fear. Second, I feel like it made me a bit uncomfortable with the author and some of her theology/ideology. I follow Jennifer Pepito and use her curriculum (The Peaceful Press). But seeing how she uses scripture inappropriately has honestly been a turn off. (Not that I’ve necessarily noticed this in the curriculum, it’s mostly just thrown in randomly with no cohesive vision of theology or teaching scripture to children).
I also just couldn’t connect to the extreme fear she seems to have experienced. It wasn’t relatable for me, but I’m sure could be for many others! Still not sure I would recommend it to those people unless they had a very solid stance on scripture and their view of psychological matters (a worldly view on how we manage/heal from trauma vs a biblical view).
I may keep flipping through it to see if any little nuggets stick out, but otherwise I think I am going to move on to other books on my list.
I was definitely disappointed by this book. First, because it was completely different than what I expected. I thought this was going to be more of an instructional book on using read alouds in our home and homeschool. It really feels more of a biography, following the author and her history of overcoming fear. Second, I feel like it made me a bit uncomfortable with the author and some of her theology/ideology. I follow Jennifer Pepito and use her curriculum (The Peaceful Press). But seeing how she uses scripture inappropriately has honestly been a turn off. (Not that I’ve necessarily noticed this in the curriculum, it’s mostly just thrown in randomly with no cohesive vision of theology or teaching scripture to children).
I also just couldn’t connect to the extreme fear she seems to have experienced. It wasn’t relatable for me, but I’m sure could be for many others! Still not sure I would recommend it to those people unless they had a very solid stance on scripture and their view of psychological matters (a worldly view on how we manage/heal from trauma vs a biblical view).
I may keep flipping through it to see if any little nuggets stick out, but otherwise I think I am going to move on to other books on my list.
August 16, 2022
Synopsis: “With the truth of Scripture…we’ll learn to take our thoughts captive and soak in the truth until it starts to transform us from the inside out…We will save childhood and freedom and fun, one read-aloud book at a time.” In Mothering by the Book, Jennifer Pepito takes a look at several different classic books and their characters and applies them and Scripture to the topic of fear. She explores a variety of fears in motherhood such as fear of failure, fear of failure, fear of being alone, and so many more. Fear has an easy tendency to take over our lives if we let it, but Jennifer guides use in fighting these fears through scripture and literature.
Analysis: When I first started this book, I had absolutely no clue what to expect, and while it took me a little while to get into, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I learned. What mom doesn’t have fears surrounding their motherhood? There are so many unknowns, and Jennifer helps us to look at literature through a Biblical perspective. She’ll walk you through well-loved books and characters and give you deep thoughts and practical tips to fight many common fears we face on an everyday basis. This was a book I didn’t know I needed and will refer back to often.
Star Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Analysis: When I first started this book, I had absolutely no clue what to expect, and while it took me a little while to get into, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I learned. What mom doesn’t have fears surrounding their motherhood? There are so many unknowns, and Jennifer helps us to look at literature through a Biblical perspective. She’ll walk you through well-loved books and characters and give you deep thoughts and practical tips to fight many common fears we face on an everyday basis. This was a book I didn’t know I needed and will refer back to often.
Star Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
October 25, 2022
I didn't love this one like I expected to! I liked the aspect of her connecting events in her life to books she read, but sometimes the lessons she learned seemed like a stretch. She also dwelt a lot on her family's difficult experience being missionaries in Mexico... I think she mentioned it in every chapter. Sometimes I wondered about her theology. For example, I don't know about writing letters to ourselves from God? I don't really get that. Anyway, it was okay but I didn't get as much from it as I thought I would.
May 3, 2023
The good: Pepito has excellent taste in books. Her featured books and the booklists at the end of each chapter are fabulous.
But Pepito's commentary is... lacking. It's not terrible, but it's not engrossing. It feels like the same-old mom-book advice, just with a bit of literature for wrapping paper.
The highlighted books (excellent!):
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Baby by Patricia MacLachlan
Charlotte's Web by EB White
Understood Betsy by Dorothy Canfield Fisher
All-of-a-Kind Family by Sydney Taylor
The Railway Children by E Nesbit
Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Little Britches by Ralph Moody
Cheaper by the Dozen by Frank Gilbreth
Freedom Train by Dorothy Sterling
Endurance by Alfred Lansing
The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom
The Door in the Wall by Marguerite de Angeli
Recommended read-alouds (overall, great choices):
Love Comes Softly by Janette Oke (I do disagree with this one)
Belles on Their Toes by Frank Gilbreth
On the Night You Were Born by Nancy Tillman
Baby Island by Carol Ryrie Brink
Seeds and Trees by Brandom Walden
Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett
Words and Your Heart by Kate Jane Neal
These Happy Golden Years by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Carry On, Mr. Bowditch by Jean Latham
Beni's Family Treasury: Stories for the Jewish Holidays by Jane Breskin Zalben
The Chosen by Chaim Potok
A Papa Like Everyone Else by Sydney Taylor
Mary Emma & Company by Ralph Moody
Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransome
Mama's Bank Account by Kathryn Forbes
Pollyanna by Eleanor H. Porter
The Family Under the Bridge by Natalie Savage Carlson
A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park
Amos Fortune, Free Man by Elizabeth Yates
The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner
Up from Slavery by Booker T Washington
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Shackleton's Journey by William Grill
Twenty and Ten by Claire Huchet Bishop
Psalm 23 by Richard Jesse Watson
Goliath Must Fall for Young Readers by Louis Giglio
It Will Be Okay by Lysa TerKeurst
Good Good Father by Chris Tomlin
The Courage of Sarah Noble by Alice Dalgliesh
Recommended books for mom (ehhhh... less impressed with this list, but still some great ones):
Stepping Heavenward by Elizabeth Pretiss
Mother by Kathleen Norris
First We Have Coffee by Margaret T. Jensen
The Light Between Oceans by ML Stedman
Papa's Wife by Thyra Ferre Bjorn
The Blessing by John Trent
Words Can Change Your Brain by Andrew Newberg
All Along You Were Blooming by Morgan Harper Nichols
Dumbing Us Down by John Taylor Gatto
The Brave Learner by Julie Bogart
Mere Motherhood by Cindy Rollins
The Call of the Wild + Free by Ainsley Arment
Garden City by John Mark Comer
The Sabbath by Abraham Joshua Heschel
Ruthless Trust by Brennan Manning
The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio by Terry Ryan
Get Out of Your Head by Jennie Allen
Love After Marriage by Barry Byrne
One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp
Ruthless Trust by Brennan Manning
Atomic Habits by James Clear
A Mother's Rule of Life by Holly Pierlot
Little Men by Louisa May Alcott
How to Stop the Pain by James B Richards
Lies Women Believe by Nancy Wolgemuth
The Gift of Forgiveness by Katherine Schwarzenegger Pratt
Evidence Not Seen by Darlene Deibler Rose
Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand
The Endless Steppe by Esther Hautzig
Becoming Myself by Stasi Eldredge
The Story of the Trapp Family Singers by Maria Augusta Trapp
A Chance to Die by Elizabeth Elliot
Breaking the Fear Cycle by Maria Furlough
But Pepito's commentary is... lacking. It's not terrible, but it's not engrossing. It feels like the same-old mom-book advice, just with a bit of literature for wrapping paper.
The highlighted books (excellent!):
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Baby by Patricia MacLachlan
Charlotte's Web by EB White
Understood Betsy by Dorothy Canfield Fisher
All-of-a-Kind Family by Sydney Taylor
The Railway Children by E Nesbit
Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Little Britches by Ralph Moody
Cheaper by the Dozen by Frank Gilbreth
Freedom Train by Dorothy Sterling
Endurance by Alfred Lansing
The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom
The Door in the Wall by Marguerite de Angeli
Recommended read-alouds (overall, great choices):
Love Comes Softly by Janette Oke (I do disagree with this one)
Belles on Their Toes by Frank Gilbreth
On the Night You Were Born by Nancy Tillman
Baby Island by Carol Ryrie Brink
Seeds and Trees by Brandom Walden
Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett
Words and Your Heart by Kate Jane Neal
These Happy Golden Years by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Carry On, Mr. Bowditch by Jean Latham
Beni's Family Treasury: Stories for the Jewish Holidays by Jane Breskin Zalben
The Chosen by Chaim Potok
A Papa Like Everyone Else by Sydney Taylor
Mary Emma & Company by Ralph Moody
Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransome
Mama's Bank Account by Kathryn Forbes
Pollyanna by Eleanor H. Porter
The Family Under the Bridge by Natalie Savage Carlson
A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park
Amos Fortune, Free Man by Elizabeth Yates
The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner
Up from Slavery by Booker T Washington
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Shackleton's Journey by William Grill
Twenty and Ten by Claire Huchet Bishop
Psalm 23 by Richard Jesse Watson
Goliath Must Fall for Young Readers by Louis Giglio
It Will Be Okay by Lysa TerKeurst
Good Good Father by Chris Tomlin
The Courage of Sarah Noble by Alice Dalgliesh
Recommended books for mom (ehhhh... less impressed with this list, but still some great ones):
Stepping Heavenward by Elizabeth Pretiss
Mother by Kathleen Norris
First We Have Coffee by Margaret T. Jensen
The Light Between Oceans by ML Stedman
Papa's Wife by Thyra Ferre Bjorn
The Blessing by John Trent
Words Can Change Your Brain by Andrew Newberg
All Along You Were Blooming by Morgan Harper Nichols
Dumbing Us Down by John Taylor Gatto
The Brave Learner by Julie Bogart
Mere Motherhood by Cindy Rollins
The Call of the Wild + Free by Ainsley Arment
Garden City by John Mark Comer
The Sabbath by Abraham Joshua Heschel
Ruthless Trust by Brennan Manning
The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio by Terry Ryan
Get Out of Your Head by Jennie Allen
Love After Marriage by Barry Byrne
One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp
Ruthless Trust by Brennan Manning
Atomic Habits by James Clear
A Mother's Rule of Life by Holly Pierlot
Little Men by Louisa May Alcott
How to Stop the Pain by James B Richards
Lies Women Believe by Nancy Wolgemuth
The Gift of Forgiveness by Katherine Schwarzenegger Pratt
Evidence Not Seen by Darlene Deibler Rose
Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand
The Endless Steppe by Esther Hautzig
Becoming Myself by Stasi Eldredge
The Story of the Trapp Family Singers by Maria Augusta Trapp
A Chance to Die by Elizabeth Elliot
Breaking the Fear Cycle by Maria Furlough
October 9, 2022
Mothering by the Book: The Power of Reading Aloud to Overcome Fear and Recapture Joy by Jennifer Pepito caught my attention via its subtitle. Mothering my daughters and reading books are two wonderful parts of my life and the combination appealed to my bookish heart. I appreciated that this author has grown children and shared honestly about her mistakes and successes. Her perspective offered encouragement mixed with wisdom but avoided (and even called out) the false idea that following certain rules or methods will guarantee happy, healthy, and godly children.
Reading one chapter of Mothering by the Book per night fit my taste well. Although I had read only two of the literary works the author discussed, she provided the necessary information from each story and tied it into her focus concept. Each chapter deals with overcoming fear and finding joy but addresses the topics from different angles and incorporates varying practices (journaling, speaking life, thankfulness, etc.). Some chapters inspired while others challenged. I underlined many portions and spent time in my journal answering the reflection questions.
Mothering by the Book: The Power of Reading Aloud to Overcome Fear and Recapture Joy by Jennifer Pepito will likely appeal to bookish moms. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and now have several recommended novels on my wish list. Although the ideas can be applied to all types of families, the author homeschooled her children and I think the book fits with the homeschool experience well.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I was provided a copy of this book by the author or publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.
Reading one chapter of Mothering by the Book per night fit my taste well. Although I had read only two of the literary works the author discussed, she provided the necessary information from each story and tied it into her focus concept. Each chapter deals with overcoming fear and finding joy but addresses the topics from different angles and incorporates varying practices (journaling, speaking life, thankfulness, etc.). Some chapters inspired while others challenged. I underlined many portions and spent time in my journal answering the reflection questions.
Mothering by the Book: The Power of Reading Aloud to Overcome Fear and Recapture Joy by Jennifer Pepito will likely appeal to bookish moms. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and now have several recommended novels on my wish list. Although the ideas can be applied to all types of families, the author homeschooled her children and I think the book fits with the homeschool experience well.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I was provided a copy of this book by the author or publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.
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