As a teenager growing up in the 1980s, all Jerry Mahoney wanted was a nice, normal sham marriage: 2.5 kids and a frustrated, dissatisfied wife living in denial of her husband’s sexuality. Hey, why not? It seemed much more attainable and fulfilling than the alternative—coming out of the closet and making peace with the fact that he’d never have a family at all. Twenty years later, Jerry is living with his long-term boyfriend, Drew, and they’re ready to take the plunge into parenthood. But how? Adoption? Foster parenting? Kidnapping? What they want most of all is a great story to tell their future kid about where he or she came from. Their search leads them to gestational surrogacy, a road less traveled where they’ll be borrowing a stranger’s ladyparts for nine months. Thus begins Jerry and Drew’s hilarious and unexpected journey to daddyhood. From then on, they’re in uncharted waters. They’re forced to face down homophobic baby store clerks, a hospital that doesn’t know what to do with them, even members of their own family who think what they’re doing is a little nutty. One thing’s for sure. If this all works out, they’re going to have an incredible birth story to tell their kid. With honesty, emotion, and laugh-out-loud humor, Jerry Mahoney ponders what it means to become a Mommy Man . . . and discovers that the answer is as varied and beautiful as the concept of family itself.

As a teenager growing up in the 1980s, all Jerry Mahoney wanted was a nice, normal sham marriage: 2.5 kids and a frustrated, dissatisfied wife living in denial of her husband s sexuality. Hey, why not? It seemed much more attainable and fulfilling than the alternative coming out of the closet and making peace with the fact that he d never have a family at all. Twenty years later, Jerry is living with his long-term boyfriend, Drew, and they re ready to take the plunge into parenthood. But how? Adoption? Foster parenting? Kidnapping? What they want most of all is a great story to tell their future kid about where he or she came from. Their search leads them to gestational surrogacy, a road less traveled where they ll be borrowing a stranger s ladyparts for nine months. Thus begins Jerry and Drew s hilarious and unexpected journey to daddyhood. From then on, they re in uncharted waters. They re forced to face down homophobic baby store clerks, a hospital that doesn t know what to do with them, even members of their own family who think what they re doing is a little nutty. One thing s for sure. If this all works out, they re going to have an incredible birth story to tell their kid. With honesty, emotion, and laugh-out-loud humor, Jerry Mahoney ponders what it means to become a Mommy Man . . . and discovers that the answer is as varied and beautiful as the concept of family itself."

And you think your mom is too involved? Meet the mother of all mothers in this “hilarious” memoir (North Shore News). Adam Chester is the son of a very loving mom, who for almost thirty years has peppered his life with unsolicited advice, news updates, and opinions in the form of thousands of inappropriate, embarrassing, and utterly crazy letters. Here, he presents a selection of her correspondence showing the pathological extremes maternal instincts can take. Why is a grown woman so frantic that her adult son screw on his windows to keep out killer bees? Is Adam at imminent risk of frostbite should he ever decide to visit San Francisco? And are adult trick-or-treaters really that much of a threat? With time, perspective, and plenty of therapy, Adam acknowledges and accepts the comedy of it all—and in this book he shares his story of an unforgettable mom who gives “overprotective” a whole new meaning.

A little boy is kept home from school by his Mom because he has a runny nose. He learns what happens when he doesn't use a tissue to wipe his nose.

On November 4, 1990 Tim Boczkowski phoned 911 in Greensboro, North Carolina to report his wife Elaine lying motionless in the bathtub. In the days that followed the paramedics' failed efforts to revive Elaine, detectives began to suspect that Tim had murdered his wife after a quarrel. But with no eyewitnesses to the crime--the couple's three children were in bed asleep- -Tim went free to pick up the pieces of his life... Four years later Tim's second wife-a woman who had devoted herself to his children-died under similar circumstances. Immediately, his past was tightened around him like a noose, and some of those who knew him best began to believe that the mild mannered, religiously devout Boczkowski was really a madman who killed his wives with his bare hands. But Tim Boczkowski's worst crime of all may have been committed against his own children: taking away their mother not once but twice...

A vibrant picture book celebrating the strength of community and the tastes of summer from Latin Grammy-winning musician Lucky Diaz and celebrated artist Micah Player. Ring! Ring! Ring! Can you hear his call? Paletas for one! Paletas for all! What’s the best way to cool off on a hot summer day? Run quick and find Paletero José! Follow along with our narrator as he passes through his busy neighborhood in search of the Paletero Man. But when he finally catches up with him, our narrator’s pockets are empty. Oh no! What happened to his dinero? It will take the help of the entire community to get the tasty treat now. Full of musicality, generosity, kindness, and ice pops, this book is sure to satisfy fans of Thank You, Omu! and Carmela Full of Wishes. Includes Spanish words and phrases throughout, an author’s note from Lucky Diaz, and a link to a live version of the Lucky Band’s popular song that inspired the book. A Junior Library Guild Selection!

When you try to set your mom's life right, be prepared to have your own life turned upside down. Seventeen-year-old Ila Isham has serious problems. There's the angst of being an Ali Zafar groupie, for one. Then there are the extra layers of fat she owes to her part-Punjabi roots. Add to this, parents who have separated; an enthusiastic best friend whose idea of variety is dating three guys at the same time; and her mom's best friend, Aunty Maleeka, whose good intentions and savvy ways throw up more problems than solutions -and Ila's got her hands quite full. When her mother flips out over her plans to stalk Ali Zafar, Ila decides she has had enough and sets out to create a few distractions to keep her mom busy. With a little help from BFF Deepali, Aunty Maleeka and Dev of the inviting chocolate-pool eyes, Ila will have to brave everything from Lagan.com and OKCupid profiles to meeting handlebar-moustache colonels and middle-aged psychos, as she tries to set up the perfect parent trap for her unsuspecting mother.