Top 10 Tuesdays: Favorite Fictional Mothers

Little Women has saintly Marmee, and Gone With the Wind has selfless grande dame Ellen O’Hara and self-sacrificing Melanie Wilkes as model mothers of the Civil War era.  Laura Ingalls had her devoted “Ma” and the Von Trapp family had a step-mother sent from God in Maria (well, at least in the movie version) who helped save the family from the Nazis. Hard to top those, but….I did find fictional mothers I admire more.

The Winner! The #1 Fictional Mom…….Mrs. Weasley!

Photo: Harry Potter the Chamber of Secrets

Probably everyone’s favorite fictional mom these days is Mrs. Molly Weasley from Harry Potter! I agree! I love her! I love the wonderful chaos of her home, the way she ignores her husband when he’s being stupid, the way she feels for poor Harry. My vote is a double because Julie Walters, who plays Molly, is one of my all-time favorite actresses, too. From Educating Rita to Billy Elliott to the Mama Mia  to Calendar Girls to HP–I’ve loved her roles!

2. Mrs. Eve Casson

Photo shows the series with the old covers

I’ve written several posts on this blog praising this very fun, middle grades chapter book series by Hilary McKay! I adore Eve! Other than Molly Weasley Eve is my mothering soul mate! Sequestered in the garden shed painting pet portraits for ready cash, she is the ever-patient wife of Darling Bill–her big time, society artist husband who lives in London and leads an independent life. She still adores him. She adores her children, too. This is a happy, modern family and Eve is its heart and soul.

Saffy’s Angel (first book in the series) by Hilary McKay

 

3. Jess Thomas

 

Scrappy can-do single mother Jess Thomas is doing her best to support her kids and earning money is the least of it. I love her “Right, let’s get on” attitude. Poverty? Life goes on. Husband leaves you? Good things happen!

One Plus One by JoJo Moyes

My review.

 

 

 

4. Mrs. Frank B (Lillian) Gilbreth

Ok, ok! She’s NOT fictional. She’s real. But the stories of her family were helped with a little poetic license!Lilly Gilbreth has been a favorite of mine since I first read Cheaper by the Dozen in about the 6th grade. A graduate of Cal Berkeley in Psychology, she became a pioneer in the field of motion study–workplace efficiency, with her husband Frank. She bears 12 children (burries one) and then, after her husband’s sudden death, keeps the family and the family business going. My grandfather met her when she lectured at Purdue. She even was honored with a postage stamp.

 

5. Grandma Mazur

 

 

Bail Bonds-Person Stephanie Plum has the wackiest Grandma ever. Stephanie’s Mom quietly makes meatloaf and irons, but Grandma is in on the action–especially at Steva’s Funeral Home.  She loves a good open casket viewing like nothing else! Except maybe for her love of men.

 

 

 

Why not go to the Broke and the Bookish and enjoy other great Top Ten Tuesday lists from this week? Or, read the rules and post your own!

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