Shaped by Love: an Ode to Mom Bods

By: Nikki Powers

Published by Candlewick Press, 2025-12-09

"As captivating as it is important, a lovely and essential tribute to the transformation wrought by parenthood." --Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

Intimate, inclusive, and brimming with bold colors, this tribute to the physical and emotional bond between mother and child is the perfect gift for new parents to treasure and share.

Before babies enter the world and arrive in their parents' arms, they are held inside their mothers. Mother and child grow strong as one, nourished by love. Moms imagine the little ones they carry inside, dream of them, wait and long for them, and when those babies arrive, a mother's body eases their hunger, heals their hurt, and holds and soothes them when they are sad. As the years pass and mother and child grow and change, their bodies change with them--altered by time and tenderness, courage and joy. Lyrical text and warm, energetic illustrations track the evolution of a timeless bond in the lives of diverse families. Destined to be a go-to gift for new or soon-to-be parents, this portrait of the physical and emotional journey through giving birth, parenthood, and aging is a love letter to families of all kinds.