Fiction Treasures for Mommas

It’s been a busy season.

You need respite.

Quiet.

Escape.

Look no further than the best, ‘curl-up’, ‘get-a-break’, fiction books for mommas!

These will replenish heart and soul, and keep you returning for more...

I had no idea how to organize these treasures, so decided upon alphabetizing by author. As such, I begin with two classics, then move into one literary delight after another.

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Little Women by Louisa May Alcott – I know, you cry, “But this is a children’s book!” And my response is, “Is it?” Having never read it as a child, I picked it up as an adult. This tale of four sisters and their making into womanhood will both compel and challenge you. A look at their mother will be an example for you. Getting lost in other’s lives, a respite for you.


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Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen – As the main character in the movie You’ve Got Mail asserts, “The heroine in Pride and Prejudice is Elizabeth Bennett. She is one of the greatest and most complex characters ever written.” Like You’ve Got Mail, I’d describe Pride and Prejudice as a romantic comedy. The conversation is witty and forthright. The assessment of character, both of self and others, masterfully interwoven. If you’re primarily a reader of modern text, then Ms. Austen’s writing style will take getting used to. I encourage you to stay with it and get involved with the story. Perhaps your own pride and prejudice will be brought to light, and redeemed.
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The Bird in the Tree by Elizabeth Goudge – The family matriarch, Lucilla, has intricately watched and woven her family, building an estate they all return to. Yet her grandson’s love of a woman who belongs to another could threaten it all. Themes of duty, courage, honor, and integrity are prevalent in all Ms. Goudge’s writing. Each story is meticulously interwoven; each character connected to the others. You will get lost in the dynamics and root for the wholeness of family. The Bird in the Tree is the first of the Eliot Family Trilogy. Her children’s book, The Little White Horse, is a personal favorite.

At Home in Mitford by Jan Karon – Welcome to the first living author on the list, and my very favorite at that! My homeschool consultant describes Ms. Karon’s writing as “A Vacation in a Book”. The hero is Father Timothy Kavanagh, an Episcopal priest and the heart of charming, small-town Mitford. Journey with Father Tim in his ordinary life, meet a plethora of characters, enjoy his encounters with a stray dog, his good-looking neighbor who just moved in, and the jewel thief hiding out in the church where he is the rector. Moments of laugh-out-loud humor, inspiring, and encouraging. Ms. Karon’s writing challenges you to embrace the impact your ordinary life can make. While each book can stand alone, At Home in Mitford is the start of the series.


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A Girl of the Limberlost by Gene Stratton Porter – Elnora’s mother, Mrs. Comstock, despises her. She’s been grieving the death of Elnora’s father these many years. As a result, she’s missed Elnora’s growing up. Yet Elnora is determined to overcome, and to attend school. With the help of the Bird Woman, loving neighbors, and sheer grit and determination, will she overcome? Will Mrs. Comstock come to love her daughter? And when Phillip Ammon arrives on the scene, will a different love come to Elnora? Superb character development, depth, challenge to self-reflect, and to live with integrity at personal cost. Captivating, inviting, and satisfying.


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Twice Freed by Patricia St. John – A fictional portrayal of the book of Philemon in the New Testament. Onesimus is a slave, and while his master Philemon is kind, and follows Jesus Christ, he longs for his freedom. When a moment of escape arrives, he takes it. Yet is freedom what he has found? I encourage you to read Philemon before and after. A story like this will remind you that the people of the Bible are real. They lived, ate, made mistakes, had thoughts and feelings, and found their way in Jesus. All of Patricia St. John’s books are geared toward children around age 10. Yet our youngest at 6-years-old to adults have gleaned blessing and lessons from her pages. Like a warm bowl of chicken noodle soup, enjoy, get nourished, and savor.

Mother Carey’s Chickens by Kate Douglass Wiggin – A little known treasure, this story celebrates family. After the sudden death of her husband, Mother Carey needs to make difficult decisions in the continued raising of her four children (who, through a funny story, are referred to as chickens). As they face financial difficulty, loss, and change, they grow in self-sacrifice, industry, courage, and love. This book challenges me in motherhood. Oh, that I would be more like Mother Carey! Opening heart and home to others with the love we share, and helping my ‘chickens’ make themselves. Endearing and compelling, you will find yourself rooting for the Carey family and all who come into their fold.


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The Hawk and the Dove by Penelope Wilcock – Imagine a monastery with its large stone walls, and other century living. The brothers live here, at St. Alcuin’s. As best described on the back of the book, “…their struggles are our struggles – to find our niche; to cope with failure; to live with impossible people; to change when we discover that we are the impossible persons; to overcome pride, resentment, and anger.” Cloaked in mystery slowly unveiled, walk through the caverns of the stone walls and the stone hearts, enter into the raw humanity, and as the brothers are changed, you yourself will be changed as well. This is the first of the series.


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Deep breath.

As I write about each of these for you, I long to read them yet again.

I’d encourage you, also, to read any book by these authors.

Louisa May Alcott and Penelope Wilcock, whose other stories I wouldn’t hesitate to pick up, I’ve read just the book mentioned.

The remaining authors I’ve read multiple of their works including: the complete works of Jane Austen and Jan Karon (wonderful!).

Every book I’ve read by Elizabeth Goudge, Gene Stratton Porter, and Patricia St. John have been a treasure in their own right. 

And Kate Douglass Wiggin’s more famous Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm is as charming as Mother Carey’s Chickens.

There is a wealth of richness awaiting you in these pages.

So, grab the one that is drawing you.
Curl up in warmth, love, and respite.

Turn off the screen and gain rest and replenishment for your heart and soul.

Enjoy!


Do you have a favorite fiction book that meets a similar criterion of:
high character,
great writing,
and excellent rest,
to tell us about?

Please share in the comments below.
I’m always eager to enjoy another great book!

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All Scripture references, unless otherwise indicated, are from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

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