The Remarkable Bonds Between Mothers and Daughters

COS COB, Conn. – Samantha LaBarbera’s mother was her family’s “beacon of positivity,” a young widow who always demonstrated positive thinking while she was raising her two children. As a grandmother, she showed her grandchildren how to live her mantra—“never give up”—when they walked block after block to find an elusive ice-cream truck at the beach.

Miriam Hill felt a little silly when she gave in to a gut feeling and called the Coast Guard, reporting that she believed her daughter and son-in-law were in trouble after they paddled their canoe to an island to go camping. Sure enough, she was right, and the Coast Guard had to rescue the young couple, with her daughter saying, “We never would have made it back alive if you hadn’t used your good judgment and called for help.”

Those are but two of the 101 stories of appreciation for mothers and grandmothers in a new collection of true, personal anecdotes, Chicken Soup for the Soul: Mothers & Daughters (March 19, 2024, 978-1-611591125, $16.99). There is something truly magical about the bond between mothers and daughters… and grandmothers, too. Sometimes, it’s hard to put those feelings into words, which is why Chicken Soup for the Soul has been so successful with its books about those special relationships, with stories that illustrate the ways in which these female family members admire and depend on each other.

“We make these books as a gift to moms, grandmothers, stepmothers, mothers-in-law, or honorary mothers, with stories that will make them laugh, tear up, nod their heads in recognition, and most importantly—know they’re appreciated,” says Chicken Soup for the Soul’s editor-in-chief Amy Newmark. “That appreciation is important, because mothers spend years imparting unsolicited advice and often don’t hear much gratitude until their children are grown. This new collection of stories compiled from our library reassures mothers that their children are listening, learning, and loving them back—and that their daughters will probably grow up to be just like them!”

Of course, there’s nothing like a little family teasing as well, and this new collection contains plenty of stories that will make readers laugh. Gina Farella Howley, for example, relates an anecdote about the time her mother was sure she had won the lottery, except she was looking at a printout from the gas station that showed the winning numbers from the day before, and not at a winning ticket. After the family’s big celebration was interrupted by that realization, she made Gina swear she would never tell anyone. But what’s a daughter to do when she has that good a story?

ABOUT CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE SOUL

Chicken Soup for the Soul publishes the famous Chicken Soup for the Soul book series. With well over 100 million books sold to date in the U.S. and Canada, more than 300 titles, and translations into more than 40 languages, the phrase “chicken soup for the soul” is known worldwide and is regularly referenced in pop culture. Today, 31 years after it first began sharing happiness, inspiration and hope through its books, this socially conscious company continues to publish a new title a month. It has also evolved beyond the bookstore, with a podcast, education programs, dog and cat food, and licensed products.

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For a review copy of Chicken Soup for the Soul: Mothers & Daughters or an interview with Amy Newmark: