11 Books About Motherhood For New or Expecting Moms

A collection of essays, Rivka Galchen's "Little Labors" ($12, originally $14) is a fitting entry into literary motherhood. In her 2016 work, the Canadian-American writer flitters around different observations and curiosities, like how orange became the color of choice for trendy baby gear.

"Matrescence" ($22, originally $30) is a new addition to the genre from English author Lucy Jones. The word matrescence is becoming more commonly used to describe the period of transformation, much like adolescence, that takes place during early motherhood. And in this non-fiction work, Jones examines that metamorphosis, balancing her own experience with scientific research.

Sometimes, prose isn't enough to capture the complexities of motherhood. In her new poetry collection, "Mammal" ($18), Ana Maria Caballero shares her unflinching, carnal reflections on domesticity. The poems were written over an eight year period, beginning when the Colombian poet was pregnant with her daughter.

Jacqueline Woodson's 2019 novel "Red at the Bone" ($10, originally $17) is an emotional intergenerational story — backdropped by Brooklyn — dealing in themes of teen pregnancy, class, education, and gentrification.

"Operating Instructions" ($9, originally $18) is a favorite for a reason. In the 1993 bestseller, beloved author Anne Lamott chronicles the sometimes hilarious, oftentimes challenging experience of early motherhood.

Ayelet Waldman offers an honest, witty glimpse into modern motherhood in her memoir, "Bad Mother" ($7, originally $16). In the 2010 bestseller, she candidly encourages readers to abandon conceptions and anxieties around what separates the good moms from the bad.

Novelist Jennifer Weiner brings her signature wit to the world of parenting with "Little Earthquakes" ($10, originally $26), which follows three women's journeys through new motherhood.

Published in 2014, bestselling author Jennifer Senior's "All Joy and No Fun: The Paradox of Modern Parenthood" ($8, originally $19) references history, psychology, and philosophy to dig into the effects of being a parent.

Punctuated by plenty of dark humor, "Motherest" ($7, originally $26) by Kristen Iskandrian is a coming-of-age story about a college student who grapples with building a connection to her mother while becoming one herself.

Rachel Cusk's "A Life's Work" ($19) is a brutally honest, beautifully written memoir on motherhood. It's so honest, it was quite divisive when originally published in 2001. But that sentiment seems to have shifted in recent years, and following its reissue in 2019, "A Life's Work" was named one of the 50 best memoirs of the past 50 years by The New York Times.

In her 2024 memoir, "The Mother Artist" ($23, originally $29), Catherine Ricketts examines the interplay between caregiving and creativity.

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Kelsey Garcia is the associate content director of PS Balance, where she oversees lifestyle coverage, from dating to parenting and financial wellness. Kelsey is passionate about travel, skin-care trends, and changes in the social media landscape. Before joining the PS team more than eight years ago as an editorial assistant, she interned at Elle and Harper's Bazaar, among other publications.