Have You Read as Many Books as Sarah Jessica Parker’s Mom?

Who first taught you the magic of books? For many of us on Team SJP Lit, it was our moms, and Sarah Jessica Parker is no exception.

This week, Sarah Jessica joined Team SJP Lit to share memories of Saturday library trips, her mother’s impressive reading calendar, and the books from childhood that we will never forget.

What did a typical trip to the library with your mother look like when you were growing up?

Our weekly visits were on Saturdays, and this is what happened:

We would wake up, and my mother would remind us that we were going to the library that day. Then, all the kids would run around looking for all the books that we couldn’t find. It was terror and excitement. Terror that we could not find our books—I could never find my library books to return. And unbridled excitement, of course, that we were going to get more books.

We loved, loved our Clifton local library, and we also had a really amazing library inside our public school, so I was double-dipping.

What was the first book your mother read aloud to you?

She started reading to us at the hospital when we were born, so I have no idea what the first book was. I do have very strong memories of my mother reading Rain Makes Applesauce by Julian Scheer and also Umbrella by Taro Yashima. Corduroy was another favorite of mine.

What kind of reader is Barbra?

She reads more than I do, just as fast, maybe even faster. She does not annotate books because she mostly borrows from the amazing library in her community. She writes every single finished book on her calendar so that she can reference her reading dates. So I’ll say, “Oh, Mommy, did you read John of John?” and she’ll say, “Yes, I got it from the library on May 5th, and I finished it on May 9th.”

She never rereads, but she does read all the time. I don’t know that she stays up late reading because she devotes a lot of her day to reading. She’ll read every book of an author that she loves—their whole oeuvre.

She collects books, but she is such a patron of the library that her shelves don’t characterize the books she’s read because she borrows more than she buys.

What favorite books do you and your mom have in common?

We have so many! Her tastes are almost identical to mine, but she reads more than I do, so she might have feelings about books that I haven’t read. She is the best reader that I’ve ever met. Between 2019 and 2025, she read 352 books.

Was there a particular book, play, or piece of art that your mom introduced you to that changed the way you saw the world? What was it?

My mom introduced me to Little Women, both the book and the movie. We would watch the 1994 movie with Winona Ryder every Christmas while decorating the tree. As a young girl and a hopeless romantic, I couldn’t understand why Jo would reject Laurie. My mom explained to me that some dreams have to take priority over others, and that knowing yourself and your own goals can be the most challenging but crucial ingredient of a fulfilled life.

Did your mom read aloud to you? If so, what was the first book you remember her reading?

I remember reading aloud every night together, from Nancy Drew to Narnia. As I became a more proficient reader, I insisted on reading aloud to her, so I decided to read her The Secret Garden. We quickly realized it was much better for me to read aloud to her, because I loved a captive audience and she reliably fell into a deep sleep (a rare feat for a working mom of two).

What kind of reader is your mom?

My mom has always found a way to keep reading fun and restorative for herself. She’s the type to read a book because her friends rave about it, and she simply can’t wait to join in on the conversation. Or to read a book set in New Mexico, because she’s planning a trip there. As a US historian, she’s also constantly reading professionally. She reads dense historical texts, first drafts of dissertations, and, most challenging, essays by freshman Engineering majors for the Intro to History survey class. And yet, my mom finds time to read for herself every day, a skill that I’m forever grateful to have inherited from her, as someone who works in book publishing.

What favorite books do you have in common with your mom?

We both love anything by Emily St. John Mandel, Barbara Kingsolver, and, of course, Jane Austen. We also both love Women and Children First by Alina Grabowski!

Was there a particular book, play, or piece of art that your mom introduced you to that changed the way you saw the world? What was it?

The Narnia books and movies my mom showed me really opened my eyes to the magic of story. As someone now working in books for a living, The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe is such a great lesson in allegory, tension, and fantasy that I’ve really carried with me.

What fictional characters remind you of your mother?

Elastigirl from The Incredibles! She’s strong and capable while also being such an amazing mom and wife—just like my mom :).

What kind of reader is your mom?

My mom is a thriller reader through and through! She’s obsessed with Frieda McFadden and has been known to read those novels in a day or two every time one comes out.

What favorite books do you have in common with your mom?

When I got to college, my mom started reading thrillers in her new empty nest. That sort of sparked an exchange of recommendations between us, and since then, we’ve traded many, many recommendations from Colleen Hoover to The Radiant Dark by Alexandra Oliva.

Was there a particular book, play, or piece of art that your mom introduced you to that changed the way you saw the world? What was it?

My memory isn’t a piece of art, but as a good consumer-loving American, it’s a store. My mom and I spent hours and hours at the Barnes & Noble at Metro Pointe in Costa Mesa. The children’s section was vast, so discovery felt endless for me. I don’t think I ever left without a new book.

I vividly remember shopping for a long flight and asking if I could get 13 books for the 13 hours to Moscow! I hope that wish was not fulfilled, but I’d imagine it was hard for her to say no. She also took me to midnight signings of the Harry Potter books there when I was 10 and 11. I have first editions of every Harry Potter book saved as a result. She always, always prioritized and indulged my love of reading!

What kind of reader is your mom?

I strongly remember her reading John Grisham books when I was a child. It was a ritual for us to read in her bed together. It’s probably more of a photo-based memory, but I would be tearing through the latest American Girl novel while she read the newest Grisham hardcover.

Did your mom read aloud to you? If so, what was the first book you remember her reading?

My mom read aloud to me every night, from before I can remember. The first book I recall loving and asking for repeatedly was Richard Scarry’s Best Nursery Tales Ever— which, they are!

What favorite books do you have in common with your mom?

My mom and I both think Elizabeth Strout’s Olive Kitteridge is a perfect book. We’re always eager to read anything Strout publishes!

What life lessons have you learned from the mother figures in your life? How have they inspired your love of reading?