by Laura Falin posted in Life

I love reading with my kids at the end of the day. Whatever else I've screwed up that day, however else I've fallen short as a mom, somehow seems a little less serious when we're all snuggled in bed reading together. If we can get that one little part right, we usually all go to bed happy.
So, in honor of Mother's Day, I've rounded up some of our favorite books with awesome moms in them. The funny thing is, the moms don't play the starring role in most of these books -- their kids do. Isn't that always the way" We do our best to raise up our kids, then stand back and let them shine in their own stories.

Molly Weasley in the Harry Potter series -- she's harried, constantly worried (with good reason), loving, smart, and a fearless protector. Her house is full of people, and she's not afraid to nag any of them. She knits giant, obnoxious sweaters. And in the last book, she fights with the fury of any mom whose children are in danger. Lily Potter is also a great mother, of course, fighting and dying to save her son, but I feel like we don't get to know her the way we do Molly. Marilla in the Anne of Green Gables series -- an older adoptive mom. My favorite part is watching how every one of her preconceived ideas about how to raise kids is totally shattered. But she loves impulsive, talkative Anne. And she encourages Anne's strengths, helping her go to college and on to work.

Olivia's mom -- Olivia is a  strong, independent, precocious li...