Adult Reads
The Wonder Weeks: How to Stimulate Your Baby’s Mental Development
By Hetty van de Rijt, Ph.D. and Frans X. Plooij, Ph.D.
This handy dandy guide describes the ten developmental changes (leaps) that babies experience during early years, and also details the three C’s (crying, clinging, cranky), the behaviors that precede the leaps. Each leap is labeled and described (categories, sequences, program, systems, etc.), with hints on helping your baby attain success through each new phase.
This great guide helps soothe the fretful behavior and celebrate the acquisition of new skills, and pairs nicely with a wonderful app for your smartphone or tablet, too.
The New Father: A Dad’s Guide to the First Year
By Armin Brott
Focusing on all things dad, this guide gives new fathers a month-by-month description of baby development, and also provides the lowdown on baby development tailored to the modern guy. There’s even a section on parenting and technology.
With cartoons from the New Yorker and plenty of humor, Brott’s book takes the worry out of parenthood, and lets new dads relax and enjoy their little ones.
The New Strong-Willed Child
By James Dobson
There’s a reason that this 1978 book is still circulating, and remains one of the most requested parenting books at the Columbus Metropolitan Library. Parents trust it because it contains solid advice that works.
The New Strong-Willed Child is a great resource for the parent who says, “I love my kid, but I don’t like him/her very much right now.”
Untangled: Guiding Teenage Girls Through the Seven Transitions to Adulthood
By Lisa Damour, Ph.D.
Damour explains that your teenaged daughter’s erratic, maddening behavior is actually a necessary step on her way to adulthood.
Once seen on the page, the seven behaviors detailed in Untangled provide that “a-ha” moment to parents, and give faith that – much like those toddler tantrums – the stormy teenage years have sunny skies ahead.
Kids Picks
Cat’s Colors
By Airlie Anderson
Who likes a drab, gray day? Cat wanders through the world collecting colors for a surprise ending. Ages 3-7.
Tidy
By Emily Gravett
Peter the badger is so worried about keeping the earth clean, he doesn’t realize that he is harming nature. Ages 4-8
Real Friends
By Shannon Hale
For graphic novel fans, this memoir describes the ups and downs of elementary school friendships. Ages 8-12.
Scar Island
By Dan Gemeinhart
Serving time at the Slabhenge Reformatory School for Troubled Boys, Johnathan finds courage and redemption. Ages 8-12.