Mothers and daughters have a complex and special relationship. They may fight, but they are still dear friends at the end of the day. Moms are the ones daughters call for advice, even if they don’t take it.
There are plenty of people who have documented that special bond through writing – and we have a few favorite suggestions for books on mother-daughter relationships that every mom and her teenage daughter should read.
Best Friends, Occasional Enemies: The Lighter Side of Life as Mother and Daughter by Lisa Scottoline and Francesca Serritella
Single mother Lisa and her grown-up daughter Francesca document their lives, both together and apart, as they age. Lisa gives parenting advice, because “motherhood has no expiration date” and deals with being middle-aged. Francesca writes about being on her own in New York City – with her mom on speed dial. Truly they are best friends and women can relate themselves and their own relationships with their mothers and daughters.
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
The blockbuster film started out as a book, and it’s a great read for any mother and daughter duo. Lily and her nanny Rosaleen flee their incredibly racist town and Lily escapes her abusive father, and the two continue on to discover the truth of what happened to the mother that Lily barely remembers. The only key is a group of beekeepers that take them in and help them to discover the truth. This novel shows that the bond of mothers and daughters cannot be broken, and that motherly love can come from someone else.
Love, Ellen: A Mother/Daughter Journey by Betty DeGeneres
Ellen DeGeneres’ mother writes about their complex relationship, and how her daughter telling her, “Mom, I’m gay” during a walk on a beach in Mississippi only proved to strengthen their bond. It wasn’t easy to accept her daughter for the way she is, but it only deepened their friendship with time, and that their long journey together is a loving one.
The Girl in the Red Coat by Kate Hamer
Beth is new to being a single mom, and her daughter, Carmel, likes to wander. Her worst fear occurs when Carmel wanders off at a festival and is simply gone. The 8-year-old may be gone for good, according to the police. Beth simply can’t handle that and sets out on a mission to find her. Carmel is out there on her own, and trying to get back to her mother. Join these two as they try to find each other – each with a different mountain to climb.
Leaving Time by Jodi Picoult
Jenna Metcalf refuses to believe her mother abandoned her more than a decade before when she vanished after a tragic accident. She joins forces with a psychic famous for finding missing persons and the detective who originally investigated her case. Together they study her mother’s journals and Jenna wracks her brain for something, anything that could lead to her mother’s whereabouts. To what lengths will a daughter go to for the mother who vanished into thin air?
