The poems were stunningly written and adorably represented being a mother, but the introduction was unnecessarily judging and ignorant of other people's situations and disabilities

Though I am not a mom and don't particularly want children, I loved this book. It travels through pregnancy, infancy, toddler years, and on through childhood with an anthology of stories showcasing the diversity, complexity, and all that comes with motherhood. Having read other reviews, I took the introduction with a few grains of salt and really just skimmed over it to get to the poems. I'd suggest that others do the same. The poems are fantastic, the introduction isn't.
Thanks to #NetGalley and the publishers of #SheHoldsaCosmos for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was very much put off this book right from the start due to Kimiko Hahn’s introduction. The author says a male critic attempted “censorship” by negatively reviewing her book – that is not what censorship is. The book was already published and out in the world, and the critic (however rude or dismissive he may have been) was not attempting to have the book destroyed, or for the author to suffer any consequences for writing it. Criticism is not censorship. It is damaging to misuse a word like that.

Hahn then, for no apparent reason, goes on to condemn women who use toddler reins. There are many reasons someone might choose to use these, such as having a child with additional needs who cannot be taught not to run into the street, or being a parent with physical needs so you cannot physically hold or run after your child. It seems foolish to present a book as loving and celebrating all mothers, and then having this horrible and needless judgement again some mothers right there in the introduction. I’m not a mother and have never used toddler reins – but if I was, and I had, I would feel very judged by this introduction. It really left a bad taste in my mouth for the rest of the book.

Which is really a shame, because the poems are all great, and well selected. My favourites were ‘Outside the New Body’ by Keetje Kuipers, ‘Self Portrait in the Backyard as Mother’ by Nicole Cooley, ‘I Want the World’ by Brenda Shaughnessy, ‘Hours Days Years Unmoor Their Orbits’ by Rachel Zucker, ‘The Real Reason’ by Ada Limón, and ‘my mama moves among the days’ by Lucille Clifton – but there wasn't a bad poem in the whole book.

If I hadn't read the introduction and had only read the poems, it would be 5 stars. But I have to review the book as a whole.