Great Books For Parents and Children
Here are a few to get you started. Continue to check back for additions.
For parents
I am very cautious about recommending books on parenting, because usually the focus is on what behaviors a parent needs to use to get a certain behavior from the child. The expectations we have for ourselves and our children are unique to our situations. Most of the books I recommend to parents take a critical look at parenting within our culture. The goal of these books is to make you think beyond our actions (what we do), to our intentions (why we do). One of the most profound realizations I had in all my working with parents and children is this. Anything you do will work when it is done with true thoughtfulness and good intention. Without those all the tricks in the world will leave you wanting.
- Unconditional Parenting by Alfie Kohn
- Parenting from the Inside Out: How a Deeper Self-Understanding Can Help You Raise Children Who Thrive by Daniel J. Siegel & Mary Hartzell
- Maternal Desire: On Children, Love and the Inner Life by Daphne de Marneffe
- Respectful Parenting: From Birth through the Terrific Twos by Joanne Baum
For children
These books are the ones from the shelves in my home. I love them because of the good writing and beautiful illustrations. In a picture book the illustrations are almost more important than the text. The richer and more detailed the picture the more opportunity you have to expand on the story with your child.
Very few books on this list about colors, numbers, letters, etc. I welcome you to find ones you love and will be happy to read. I have a few of these in my house, because I prefer to leave reading in the realm of story telling and fantasy; rather than a way to drill children to learn basic concepts. Reading to your children inherently shows the value of literacy. I also want you to know the best way to create life long readers is to read yourself. When our children see us read they follow our example.
I encourage you to have two sets of books. One set is in your child's reach so you can read them together, but also so your child can read alone. (There are more ways of reading than just reciting the words.) The other set is out of reach and only for when you read together. This will make those books more special as well as protect them from being touched to roughly.
You wil notice I do not have age categories for these books. This is because any book can be read to any age child. You just have to read them differently (more on this coming in a Patience's Parenting Piece of the Month)
Please share with us your favorite books on the community bulletin. I may add them to the list. Also, many of the authors on this list have other great books I encourage you to look for.
- Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You? by Dr. Seuss
- Toot & Puddle (the entire series) by Holly Hobbie
- The Shape of Me and Other Stuff by Dr. Seuss
- My Many Colored Days by Dr. Seuss
- Good Night Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann
- The Very Busy Spider by Eric Carle
- Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See by Eric Carle
- We’re Going On a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen & Helen Oxenbury
- Miss Spider’s Tea Party by David Kirk
- Miss Spider’s Tea Party: the Counting Book by David Kirk
- Mouse Paint by Ellen Stoll Walsh
- Mouse Count by Ellen Stoll Walsh
- Barn Yard Dance by Sandra Boynton
- Quick as a Cricket by Audrey Wood
- The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear by Don and Audrey Wood
- Zin! Zin! Zin! A Violin by Lloyd Moss
- The Hippo Hop by Christen Loomis
- Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge by Mem Fox