For January 2022, Jenna Bush Hager picked "The School for Good Mothers" by Jessamine Chan for the book club to read.Many dogs have a condition nicknamed “Frito Feet,” in which their feet smell little bit like corn chips. As Matt Soniak wrote in a Big Question on this site, this has to do with the kind of bacteria found on a pup’s feet, and “could be due to yeast or Proteus bacteria. Both are known for their sweet, corn tortilla–like smell. Or it could be Pseudomonas bacteria, which smell a little fruitier—but pretty close to popcorn to most noses.”
"The School for Good Mothers"
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"This debut novel was so captivating, thought-provoking and beautifully written, everything I tried to pick up next paled in comparison," Jenna Bush Hager told TODAY. "It was all I wanted to talk about, think about and read."The dystopian drama is about a young Chinese mother whose pride and joy is her only daughter, Harriet. After making one critical mistake, Frida finds herself in a government reform program for bad mothers. While the custody of her child hangs in the balance, she must prove her worth as a mother or risk losing Harriet forever."This book is every mother’s worst nightmare written in exquisitely beautiful pros," said the TODAY book lover. "It offers a sharp social commentary about parenthood and the vulnerability of mother."It's certainly unpleasant to take your dog outside when it's snowing or raining, but don't forget that dogs' paws are just as sensitive to heat as human skin.
The debut author started the book in 2014 when she was grappling with the decision of whether or not she and her partner wanted to have kids.
"Frita's very bad day came out of my very good writing day," Jessamine Chan told TODAY. "What was going on in life at the time was I was in my mid-30's and I was trying to decide whether my partner and I would have a baby. It felt like it was time to choose one path or the other. I was very freaked out about the decision of whether or not to have a baby. In a lot of ways, my anxiety about motherhood led to the creation of this dystopian novel."While grappling with this major life decision, Chan read an article in the New Yorker about a mother who was barred from seeing her son after leaving him at home that further inspired her writing."Something about that article just lodged in my mind," said Chan. "I didn't have it next to me when I was drafting but, it just stayed with me. It came back to me during that very productive day when I ended up coming up with what became the foundation for the book,"Use baking soda to get dog urine out of carpet. If you don't happen to have a product like Nature's Miracle on hand (maybe you're traveling or at a friends house), pour some baking soda over the spot, let it sit, and then sweep or vacuum it up.
While the book is dystopian in nature, Chan hopes that it will become part of the current conversation around women's rights and parenting.
Make Your Own DIY Dog Friendly Carpet Deodorizer. Do you have some dog odors you want to get rid of? If you don’t have any special products on hand don’t worry – you can make your own simple dog friendly carpet deodorizer with items you’ve got around the house.
"I think it's being published at a really volatile time for women's rights," said the debut novelist.. "I hope that the book will push the conversation forward in whatever way people access the story."
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For more book recommendations, check out:
- 7 author-approved books that make great gifts for the holidays
- 5 books to read after 'Bright Burning Things' by Lisa Harding
- All of Jenna Bush Hager's book club picks
Get Educated. The first step to being an outstanding pet owner, according to Dr. Becker, is taking responsibility. “Nobody ever says ‘I was a lousy pet owner.’ It’s always the pet’s fault.” Learn the peculiarities of your pet’s breed such as how much exercise they need, how gregarious they are, how much maintenance their coat requires, how often they need to go outside, and about new technologies, products, and nutrition that might help you care for your pet. Knowing the basics about your pet’s upkeep ensures you won’t be caught off guard by troubling behavior.