5 Mother’s Day Gifts for the Unstoppable Mom

Of course you could show her some love with flowers, a nice card, and a hug, but this Mother’s Day (psst, it’s May 14!) we’ve got exactly what you need for the strong, paradigm-shattering mom (or mom-figure) in your life.

1. A Guide to Breaking the Rules
Bad Girls Throughout History

What do Sojourner Truth, Marie Curie, and Joan Jett have in common? They made history by behaving badly. Bad Girls Throughout History by Ann Shen documents the impact of these rule-breakers with beautiful illustrations and compelling essays. Don't miss our author interview below, where we sit down with Shen to hear about what inspires her, and what she's learned from these 100 remarkable women.

Read up on these trailblazers!

2. Feminist Tote and Pin
Feminist Tote

Haul your feminist literature in style! Even better: add a simple, bold pin to any accessory, including your favorite knitted hat.

Tote it loud. Pin it proud.

3. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Gear
Adichie Books

Adapted from the author’s radical TED Talk, the short, powerful essay We Should All Be Feminists speaks a big message that everyone should hear. And don’t miss Adichie’s follow-up, the epistolary Dear Ijeawele, Or a Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions.

Read it, love it, become a fan.

4. Fearless Necklace
Joan of Arc Necklace

Channel your inner warrior with this hand-cast necklace from Chocolate and Steel. Joan of Arc’s timeless quote, “I am not afraid. I was born to do this,” is etched in gold.

Wear that courage!

5. A Complete Prep Set

With a mini sewing kit, emergency bandages, and more, the Pinch Mom Kit will keep her ready for whatever the future brings. Plus, there’s Stuff Every Mom Should Know, a handy guide that serves up indispensable wisdom, such as “Comebacks for Unsolicited Parenting Advice.”

Stay prepared and know your stuff.

A Conversation with Ann Shen, Author and Illustrator of Bad Girls Throughout History

Who is your biggest inspiration?

My biggest inspiration is not one person, but lots of different people who run their own businesses and lives according to their own rules. I feel so inspired when I read interviews and when I meet people in my daily life who are fully in charge of their own lives, and remain warm, grounded, and positive.

Where are you from?

I was born and raised in Southern California, and I currently live and work in Los Angeles.

When did you start creating?

I always wrote and illustrated books when I was a kid, but I decided to go pro in my mid-twenties when I went back to school to study illustration. After graduation, I dove headfirst into design and illustration work and haven't looked back since!

How did this book come to be?

Bad Girls Throughout History started out as a zine I made in art school; it was an illustration for a publishing class. I decided to make the kind of work I wanted to see, and the kind of dream work I wanted to do. At that time in my life, I was looking for role models who made their own paths and listened to their hearts because that's what I needed to hear about.

I read an article about Ada Lovelace and was absolutely inspired and surprised to find out that she was the world's first computer programmer – not first FEMALE, but FIRST. In my research I found out more about her salacious and complex personal life, and that inspired me even more. It sparked this realization that all the women who achieved incredible things were complicated, real people with doubts and fears, but overcame them anyway. That was a super inspiring concept to me, and I couldn't stop sharing all that I found with everyone who would listen.

Fortunately, the word spread with the people who really got the idea, and a few years later my literary agent found the project on a blog and reached out to me about turning it into a book (only my hope and dream in life!) and we connected with great people at Chronicle Books to make it happen.

What are you reading now?

I'm always reading a few books at a time. I like a balance of learning, self-improvement, and fun. So in the mornings I'm currently reading Eat Pretty Every Day by Jolene Hart, which has really easy-to-read daily pages of great nutritional info. In the evening, I'm reading The First 20 Minutes by Gretchen Reynolds, and a fun fiction book, Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas.

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