Mama Needs a Minute! by Mary Catherine Starr

A Boston Globe Most Anticipated Parenting Book of Spring 2025

“You can almost see mothers around the world nodding their heads in recognition.” —The Washington Post

From Mary Catherine Starr, the artist behind the @momlife_comics Instagram account celebrated by moms all over the world, this deeply funny illustrated memoir captures the chaos, joy, exhaustion, guilt, well-intentioned-but-clueless partners, and infinite loads of laundry that come with being a mom.
Packed with humor, warmth, and all-too-relatable anecdotes, this comic memoir explores the (often invisible) labor of modern motherhood that leaves so many moms feeling like they are losing themselves—and their minds! Whether you’re navigating a hellish sleep regression, wiping sweet potato off the walls, seething with spousal resentment (deserved and undeserved), or simply hoping to pee without a toddler watching, this candid and irreverent account perfectly captures what every mom knows in her heart to be true: motherhood is @#$% hard (and also really amazing)!

Filled with Starr’s signature wit, warmth, and observational humor, Mama Needs a Minute! tackles all the absurdities of mom life and will make you laugh, cry, and feel seen in a way only a true mom-friend can offer.
BELOVED CREATOR: Mary Catherine Starr, aka @momlife_comics, has a dedicated following and her work has appeared on Cup of Jo, Motherly, and the Huffington Post. Now, for the first time, her many fans can learn about Mary Catherine's own journey and enjoy her comic drawings and witty observations in a single, giftable package. 

REFRESHING PARENTING BOOK: Parenthood is a perennial topic, and this book addresses common experiences of motherhood. Like Horizontal Parenting and Mommy Cusses, it offers humorous, super-relatable takes on parenting that will resonate with any mom looking for comic relief.

GREAT MOM GIFT: This brightly illustrated, comic-style memoir makes a fun gift for moms for Mother’s Day, birthday, baby shower, or baby sprinkle. It is also great for giving to a friend, sister, cousin, or any mom who would appreciate a present that says, “I see you.”
Perfect for:

• Mothers of young children
• Fans of @momlife_comics on Instagram
• Mother's Day and new mom gift shoppers
• Fans of humorous takes on parenting, including Momma Cusses, Horizontal Parenting,Welcome to the Club, Go the F*** to Sleep, and There Are Moms Way Worse Than You
• Readers of Eve Rodsky’s Fair Play and Jessi Klein’s I’ll Show Myself Out