Why am I passionate about this?

Unburdened with prejudice or beliefs, children are open to the world. I find great joy in books that reflect the child’s fresh perception and playful spirit. Such books have no intention to teach a moral lesson. They rejoice in freedom. In the non-stereotypical, not yet molded to conform reality of the child. Books beyond good or bad may shine with the light of freshness, the unfiltered seeing. In times of great political divisions, non-didactic books can be a window to the glorious amoral way of perceiving.


I wrote

Beyond the Fence

By Maria Gulemetova,

Book cover of Beyond the Fence

What is my book about?

Piggy lives in a large house with Thomas. Thomas knows exactly what Piggy needs. But a chance meeting with a…

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The books I picked & why

Book cover of Pig-Boy: A Trickster Tale from Hawai'i

Maria Gulemetova Why did I love this book?

This is one of my favorite picture books. To me, the main character is life itself. A mischievous, greedy, daring, vulnerable, colorful aliveness. The strong colors and the bold shapes of the illustrations demonstrate the raw intensity of life. And the theme of Grandmother loving Pig-Boy unconditionally is one mothers would resonate with. Such a treat!

By Gerald McDermott,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Pig-Boy as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?



Book Details: Format: Hardcover Publication Date: 4/6/2009 Pages: 32 Reading Level: Age 4 and Up


Book cover of Alphonse, That Is Not Ok to Do!

Maria Gulemetova Why did I love this book?

I would highly recommend any of Daisy Hirst’s books. To me Daisy Hirst’s books have both the ease and the force of natural phenomenon. They are like a gust of wind, rain, or sunshine. Immaculate expressions of the child’s experience. A seamless flow through the ordinary beauty of the surroundings, the thoughts and the emotions of the child. They represent the joy of creativity and play alongside the feelings of confusion, loneliness or guilt. Simply put, they are brilliant!

By Daisy Hirst,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Alphonse, That Is Not Ok to Do! as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 2, 3, 4, and 5.

What is this book about?

Brother and sister monsters fall out and make up in spectacular style in this warm, witty story.

From the creator of The Girl with the Parrot on Her Head comes a truly authentic and original story about sibling rivalry. Natalie the monster mostly loves her little brother Alphonse being there - they name the pigeons, bounce things off the bunk beds, have stories in the chair and make lots of fun stuff together. But, when Natalie catches Alphonse eating her most favourite book, well ... that is not OK! Daisy's expressive, bold screen-print illustration and unique picture book voice will…


Book cover of Guri and Gura's Magical Friend

Maria Gulemetova Why did I love this book?

Guri and Gura’s books shine with the energy of childlike wonder and vitality. Children would delight in Guri and Gura’s adventures. For the parents these books present an opportunity to tap into a possibly dormant, yet present sense of wonderment, magic, and the joy of eating, running, nature, friendship and discovery.

By Rieko Nakagawa, Peter Howlett, Yuriko Yamawaki (illustrator) , Richard McNamara

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Guri and Gura's Magical Friend as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

When the mice Guri and Gura go on a breakfast picnic they meet Bunny Buna, who can make his arms any length and who builds a boat out of clouds to take them for a ride.


Book cover of The Big Princess

Maria Gulemetova Why did I love this book?

It seems to me that the kind of imaginative senseless play (beyond good/bad, right/wrong), feels similar to the way a small kid would tell stories. A wonderful fantastic tale with joyful illustrations. Plus children and adults find very, very, very big things fascinating. Enjoy this masterpiece! (As well as Taro Miura’s other books.)

By Taro Miura,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Big Princess as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 2, 3, 4, and 5.

What is this book about?

A king, a queen and one very big princess... A witty, wonderful and warm-hearted prequel to The Tiny King by acclaimed picture book maker, Taro Miura.

Once upon a time ... a king and queen discover, among their flowers, the teensiest, tiniest princess. Such a charming, sweet little thing! They are instantly taken with her - she becomes the daughter they never had, the child they had always dreamed of. The Queen immediately sets about finding her a perfect-sized bed and only a tiny ring box will do. But, in no time at all, the princess grows too big for…


Book cover of Paul and Antoinette

Maria Gulemetova Why did I love this book?

Two siblings with very different personalities. The fun of following these two characters grows with every scene. A very skillful, beautiful depiction of the richness of life and creative collaboration. A funny and endearing book.

By Kerascoët (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Paul and Antoinette as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

We have seen a few great odd couples in picture books already, but filled with possibility as the world is, there's always room for one more pair, especially if they are as charming and unforgettable as these pigs, born from the brushes and prolific imagination of Kerascoet. Kerascoet lives and works in Paris in the worlds of cartooning and illustration. Best known for illustrating the book Miss Don't Touch Me written by Hubert, as well as a couple of the Lewis Trondheim Dungeon books, their most recent book Beautiful Darkness broke out on the US scene in 2014, winning them…


Explore my book 😀

Beyond the Fence

By Maria Gulemetova,

Book cover of Beyond the Fence

What is my book about?

Piggy lives in a large house with Thomas. Thomas knows exactly what Piggy needs. But a chance meeting with a wild pig changes everything, and Piggy finds out what lies outside the four walls, beyond the fence. A gentle book about freedom and friendship.

Book cover of Pig-Boy: A Trickster Tale from Hawai'i
Book cover of Alphonse, That Is Not Ok to Do!
Book cover of Guri and Gura's Magical Friend

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Who Is a Worthy Mother?: An Intimate History of Adoption

By Rebecca Wellington,

Book cover of Who Is a Worthy Mother?: An Intimate History of Adoption

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Rebecca Wellington Author Of Who Is a Worthy Mother?: An Intimate History of Adoption

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Why am I passionate about this?

I am adopted. For most of my life, I didn’t identify as adopted. I shoved that away because of the shame I felt about being adopted and not truly fitting into my family. But then two things happened: I had my own biological children, the only two people I know to date to whom I am biologically related, and then shortly after my second daughter was born, my older sister, also an adoptee, died of a drug overdose. These sequential births and death put my life on a new trajectory, and I started writing, out of grief, the history of adoption and motherhood in America. 

Rebecca's book list on straight up, real memoirs on motherhood and adoption

What is my book about?

I grew up thinking that being adopted didn’t matter. I was wrong. This book is my journey uncovering the significance and true history of adoption practices in America. Now, in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade, the renewed debate over women’s reproductive rights places an even greater emphasis on adoption. As a mother, historian, and adoptee, I am uniquely qualified to uncover the policies and practices of adoption.

The history of adoption, reframed through the voices of adoptees like me, and mothers who have been forced to relinquish their babies, blows apart old narratives…

Who Is a Worthy Mother?: An Intimate History of Adoption

By Rebecca Wellington,

What is this book about?

Nearly every person in the United States is affected by adoption. Adoption practices are woven into the fabric of American society and reflect how our nation values human beings, particularly mothers. In the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wade, the renewed debate over women's reproductive rights places an even greater emphasis on adoption. As a mother, historian, and adoptee, Rebecca C. Wellington is uniquely qualified to uncover the policies and practices of adoption. Wellington's timely-and deeply researched-account amplifies previously marginalized voices and exposes the social and racial biases embedded in the United States' adoption industry.…


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