Recommended Books
By Dr. Brown
The following books I've personally found to be quite good. These books may not be exactly right for your situation. Please review them before purchase. You should be able to find these books online, if not in your local bookstore. You may also find some of the "American Academy of Pediatrics" books online at the AAP Bookstore.
****Please note that some of these books labeled with **** may contain a lot of research studies and may be a little difficult to read. Personally and professionally, I prefer these evidence-based books as real confirmation of statements made, rather than just your standard "do this", or "I believe" format in so many parenting help books. - Dr Brown
DR BROWN'S PICKS
In this section, I have listed some wonderful parent books that would be great for you to read to foster your child's development. If you could read these books, they would certainly be inspiring to you and help cultivate some of the best parenting skills possible. I have listed some ages that might be the most appropriate time to read these books. You should read these!!!
Thirty Million Words - Building a Child's Brain, by Dana Suskind, MD; Dutton Publishers. (An absolutely tremendous book that not only explains what to do to build your child's brain, but also the reasons behind why the interventions are important. Dr Suskind uses many, many references to studies that give sound scientific evidence for the interventions. You should get this book when your child is an infant - as the book explains - starting early is vitally important. This book would make a great gift for any new parent. -Dr. Brown) ****
Mindset - The New Psychology of Success, by Carol Dweck, PhD (An excellent book describing how to get your children to have a "growth mindset", enabling your child to look for challenges and strive to be better. This is a very successful book that a lot of business people read, but the principles that Dweck espouses are very useful for parents, teachers, coaches, etc. A good time to read this book is when your child is about 1.5-2 years of age. -Dr Brown)
Mind in the Making - The Seven Essential Life Skills Every Child Needs, by Ellen Galinsky (A terrific book that lists seven skills to work on - and it all makes sense! You want your child to develop many of these skills. There are suggestions at the end of each chapter on ways you can work to foster these skills in your child. Good to read as your child approaches 2 years of age. -Dr Brown) ****
Parenting That Works - Building Skills That Last A Lifetime, by Edward Christrophersen & Susan Mortweet; published by APA Life Tools www.apa.org (This is a terrific book to read early in your child's life to set you up for the future. Great suggestions to get you thinking on not just fixing what you need to fix now, but setting up for the future - having a "ten-year plan". Even though many of the topics covered in this book are for later - its great to be thinking and preparing for the future. A good time to read this is anytime, but around age 2 would be good. -Dr. Brown)
The Teenage Brain by Frances Jensen, MD; Harper Press (A very good book to help parents to understand why their teenagers do what they do. There are many suggestions on how to deal with your teenager. However, as you will find out - children at this age aren't always rational - at least this book will help you understand why things are so crazy. Best to read as your child is just approaching adolescence - or earlier if your child is acting strange! -Dr Brown) ****
GENERAL CHILDCARE
Caring For Your Baby and Young Child Birth to Age 5, by Stephen Shelov; Bantam Publ. (Published by the American Academy of Pediatrics. This book has the right mix of medical and developmental information. Its not too wordy, which makes it easy to read. -Dr. Brown)
Your Baby's First Year, by Stephen Shelov; Bantam Publ. (Published by the American Academy of Pediatrics. This is a more in-depth edition of the above book "Caring For Your Baby and Young Child Birth to Age 5" -Dr. Brown)
On Becoming BABY WISE, By Gary Ezzo and Robert Buckman; Parent-Wise Solutions, Charlestown Publishing Group. (Although I don't necessarily agree with everything in this book, a lot of the general concepts I do agree with. It's also nice to refer to if parents are looking for a "concrete" system to follow. -Dr. Brown)
Dr. Spock's Baby and Child Care by Benjamin Spock, MD; Pocket Books - Simon and Schuster. (A nice reference to have. Easy to look up things, like using an encyclopedia. -Dr. Brown)
The Wonder Years, by Tanya Remer Altmann, FAAP; Bantam Books. (I finally found a book that is easy to read and has a pretty good discussion on normal child development until age five. Unforuntately, this book is broken up by category of development, not age. - Dr. Brown)
The Wonder Years by Hetty van de Rijt. PhD; Kiddy World Publishing. (A very popular [across the globe] book with extensive information. A lot of parental "testimonials" - which I don't particularly care for, nonetheless a lot of good information. You can also get an app for this book for your phone. -Dr Brown)
Touchpoints, by T. Berry Brazelton, MD; Addison Wesley Pub. (A very nice book discussing emotional and behavioral development by an outstanding behavioral pediatrician. -Dr. Brown)
Caring For Your Adolescent Ages 12 to 21, by Donald E. Greydanus; Bantam Publ. (Also published by the American Academy of Pediatrics, a nice mix of medical and developmental info. -Dr. Brown)
Guide To Your Child's Symptoms Birth Through Adolescence, by Donald Schiff and Steven Shelov; Villard Publ. ( Published by the American Academy of Pediatrics; this is a highly reliable source. -Dr Brown.)
ADD/AADH
ADHD A Complete and Authoritative Guide; The American Academy of Pediatrics, edited by Michael Reiff; published by the American Academy of Pediatrics. (An excellent book to read once your child has been diagnosed with one of these conditions. This book describes ways to help your child with behavior modification, school, medication, etc. This book is not to help a parent decide or diagnose if their child has ADHD. -Dr. Brown)
ADOLESCENCE
The Teenage Brain by Frances Jensen, MD; Harper Press (A very good book to help parents to understand why their teenagers do what they do. There are many suggestions on how to deal with your teenager. However, as you will find out - children at this age aren't always rational - at least this book will help you understand why things are so crazy. -Dr Brown) ****
DISCIPLINE
The Kazdin Method for Parenting the Defiant Child by Alan E Kazdin, Ph.D.; Mariner Books (A wonderful book based on actual studies and science! Dr. Kazdin has developed a method and recommendations on what really works, not "what seems to make sense" - but actually doesn't work. There is a DVD included with the book to help illustrate the concepts addressed. Although some of the recommendations may seem "over the top" and a little silly, these methods do work for various ages. This book is best for preschoolers up to adolescence. -Dr Brown)
Little People, by Edward Christophersen; Westport Publ. (This book might be a little outdated, but it is a nice book to read when your child is a young toddler so that you can have a "road map" to follow to avoid problems. -Dr. Brown)
SOS Help For Parents, by Lynn Clark; SOSPrograms.com (A simple and clearly written book that discusses Time Out and other strategies. This is a good book to read when you are trying to set up discipline techniques before trouble begins. Go to their website to order. -Dr. Brown)
Kid Cooperation, by Elizabeth Pantley; New Harbringer Publications (A terrific book to help prevent problems as well as what to do if you already have problems. Good for all ages -toddlers and up. -Dr. Brown)
Raising Your Spirited Child, by Mary Sheedy Kurchinka; HarperPerennial Publ. (This book helps you to understand your child's temperament so that you can effectively work with your child. Lots of good tips. -Dr. Brown)
How To Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk, by Adeline Faber and Elaine Mazlish; Avon Publ. (A bestseller that tries to get you to think like and understand what's going on inside your child's head. -Dr. Brown)
The Difficult Child, by Stanley Turecki; Bantam Publ. (Lousy title, awesome book! A terrific discussion to help you understand temperament. -Dr. Brown)
1-2-3 Magic, by Thomas Phelan; Child Management Inc. (This one is straightforward, cause and effect discipline. Almost the polar opposite of "How to Talk...". For some families this is the book they need. Make sure that this seems like the right one for you. -Dr. Brown)
NUTRITION
Food Chaining: The Proven 6-Step Plan to Stop Picky Eating, Solve Feeding Problems, and Expand Your Child's Diet by Fraker, Fishbein, Cox, and Walbert; DaCapo Lifelong Books
(The Picky Eater is a very common problem we talk about in the office. Many children are just going through a "phase", but if the problem is becoming a real problem, then check out this book. I have not read through this entirely, but have read a number of sections. There is information to help you figure out why your child may be picky, and based on various reasons for his or her pickiness - remedies to try. -Dr Brown)
How To Get Your Kid To Eat . . . But Not Too Much, by Ellyn Satter; Bull Publishing (Ellyn Satter, R.D. has written many books on nutrition for kids - check out what fits for you. -Dr. Brown)
First Meals by Annabel Karmel; DK Publishing (An attractive easy to read book with many great suggestions for dishes to make. Some of the food guidelines are not necessarily on track with common recommendations - Karmel is a "food author", I don't believe she is a registered dietician. - Dr. Brown)
The Sneaky Chef by Missy Chase LaPine; Runnning Press (Many good suggestions about "sneaking" good things into your child's food. An interesting approach to a difficult problem. - Dr. Brown)
SAFETY
The Safe Child Book, by Sherryll Kraizer, Ph.D.; Fireside Publishers (A really eye opening and important book covering many topics to keep your child safe: Strangers, Staying Home Alone, Sexual Abuse and Protecting your body, Abduction, etc. A lot of issues parents don't want to think about, but really need to. This is a classic book that is easy to read and presents lots of good stratergies to prepare your child to "prevent" problems in a non-threatenting way. You can read this book for any age child, but a good age is when your child turns three years old. - Dr. Brown)
SENSORY INTEGRATION
The Out-of-Sync Child by Carol Stock Kranowitz, M.A.; Perigree Books, Skylight Press (A pretty good book to allow parents to understand what SI is and ways to try to help. -Dr. Brown)
SEX / SEX EDUCATION
Questions Kids Ask About Sex, Honest Answers for Every Age by Thomas Fitch and Melissa Cox; Revell Publishers. (This is the book that everyone needs for "stock" answers in case your child asks those embarrassing questions about where babies come from, etc - you know what I mean! The book is written to give "answers" for children based on their age. The book also talks about common and normal behaviors that parents wonder about - "is my child normal . . . " The book starts with a discussion about starting off right and having a healthy attitude about this taboo subject. -Dr. Brown)
SIBLINGS
Siblings Without Rivalry; How to Help Your Children Live Together So You Can Live Too, By Mazlish and Faber; Avon Publ. (Lots of nice tips to stop the fighting. -Dr. Brown)
SLEEP
Solve Your Child's Sleep Problems, by Richard Ferber, M.D.; Fireside Books by Simon & Schuster (This is the one! This book teaches the reader about sleep and helps you to understand what's going on and the reason for the suggested intervention. -Dr. Brown)
The No Cry Sleep Solution, by Elizabeth Pantley; Contemporary Books. (Pantley gives several suggestions to try to get your baby back to sleep. Parents can then choose the method(s) they think will work for their child. This is definitely NOT a quick-fix approach, and will take a lot of time and effort on your part. A much gentler method than the book listed above - which one is right for you? - Dr. Brown)
SOCIAL/BEHAVIORAL RELATIONS, EMOTIONS, ANXIETY, BULLYING
What to Do When You Worry Too Much: A Kid's Guide to Overcoming Anxiety, by Huebner and Matthews; Magination Press. (A very nice book to review with your child. This is written in workbook style so that you can read and participate with your child through activities. Probably best for children 5 to 10 yeras of age. -Dr Brown)
Helping The Child Who Doesn't Fit In, by Stephen Nowicki and Marshall Duke; Peachtree Publ. (Some very interesting things in this book, I really enjoyed reading it. It made me aware of a lot of social nuances that we take for granted, but may be missing in some children. Read this one first, then the next book. -Dr. Brown)
Teaching Your Child The Language of Social Success, by Marshall Duke, Stephen Nowicki, and Elisabeth Martin; Peachtree Publ. (Tips and suggestions to help your child with the things that you learned from the previous book. -Dr. Brown)
SOS Help for Emotions - Managing Anxiety, Anger, and Depression; by Lynn Clark, PhD; SOSprograms.com (A very easily read and somewhat simplistic book that enables parents to understand their child's emotions and how to work to minimize their effects. -Dr. Brown)
Best Friends, Worst Enemies -Understanding the Social Lives of Our Children, by Michael Thompson et al; Ballantine Books. (Don't be deceived by the apparent young age of the children on the cover of the book; this book is especially written for middle school children as well as younger and older. This is an inciteful book to help parents understand bullying and "fitting in" - one of the most difficult aspects of growing up for children (and parents). Although there are not a lot of things that parents can do about this, this book helps parents understand the problems so that maybe parents can "prevent" problems by being "in tune". - Dr. Brown)
SPECIAL TOPICS
PARENTING:
Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters by Meg Meeker, MD; Ballantine Books(Recommended to me by a patient, this is a wonderful book for fathers. Of course, anytime is a good time to read this book, however, I think it's best to be read somewhere when your daughter is 5 years or older and re-read later. Buy it for your husband as a gift - I'm sure he'll appreciate it. -Dr. Brown)
SIGN LANGUAGE:
Baby Signs - How to Talk with Your Baby Before Your Baby Can Talk by Linda Acredolo and Susan Goodwyn; McGraw Hill (A wonderful book that gives very convincing evidence why you should sign with your child, presents an approach, and gives many sample signs to use for everyday needs and interests. -Dr. Brown)
SPORTS
Kids and Sports by Eric Small, MD; Newmarket Press (The book starts out a little slow, however, the later chapters on weight training, conditioning, and injury prevention and rehabilitation are particularly good. -Dr. Brown)
The following books I've personally found to be quite good. These books may not be exactly right for your situation. Please review them before purchase. You should be able to find these books online, if not in your local bookstore. You may also find some of the "American Academy of Pediatrics" books online at the AAP Bookstore.
****Please note that some of these books labeled with **** may contain a lot of research studies and may be a little difficult to read. Personally and professionally, I prefer these evidence-based books as real confirmation of statements made, rather than just your standard "do this", or "I believe" format in so many parenting help books. - Dr Brown
DR BROWN'S PICKS
In this section, I have listed some wonderful parent books that would be great for you to read to foster your child's development. If you could read these books, they would certainly be inspiring to you and help cultivate some of the best parenting skills possible. I have listed some ages that might be the most appropriate time to read these books. You should read these!!!
Thirty Million Words - Building a Child's Brain, by Dana Suskind, MD; Dutton Publishers. (An absolutely tremendous book that not only explains what to do to build your child's brain, but also the reasons behind why the interventions are important. Dr Suskind uses many, many references to studies that give sound scientific evidence for the interventions. You should get this book when your child is an infant - as the book explains - starting early is vitally important. This book would make a great gift for any new parent. -Dr. Brown) ****
Mindset - The New Psychology of Success, by Carol Dweck, PhD (An excellent book describing how to get your children to have a "growth mindset", enabling your child to look for challenges and strive to be better. This is a very successful book that a lot of business people read, but the principles that Dweck espouses are very useful for parents, teachers, coaches, etc. A good time to read this book is when your child is about 1.5-2 years of age. -Dr Brown)
Mind in the Making - The Seven Essential Life Skills Every Child Needs, by Ellen Galinsky (A terrific book that lists seven skills to work on - and it all makes sense! You want your child to develop many of these skills. There are suggestions at the end of each chapter on ways you can work to foster these skills in your child. Good to read as your child approaches 2 years of age. -Dr Brown) ****
Parenting That Works - Building Skills That Last A Lifetime, by Edward Christrophersen & Susan Mortweet; published by APA Life Tools www.apa.org (This is a terrific book to read early in your child's life to set you up for the future. Great suggestions to get you thinking on not just fixing what you need to fix now, but setting up for the future - having a "ten-year plan". Even though many of the topics covered in this book are for later - its great to be thinking and preparing for the future. A good time to read this is anytime, but around age 2 would be good. -Dr. Brown)
The Teenage Brain by Frances Jensen, MD; Harper Press (A very good book to help parents to understand why their teenagers do what they do. There are many suggestions on how to deal with your teenager. However, as you will find out - children at this age aren't always rational - at least this book will help you understand why things are so crazy. Best to read as your child is just approaching adolescence - or earlier if your child is acting strange! -Dr Brown) ****
GENERAL CHILDCARE
Caring For Your Baby and Young Child Birth to Age 5, by Stephen Shelov; Bantam Publ. (Published by the American Academy of Pediatrics. This book has the right mix of medical and developmental information. Its not too wordy, which makes it easy to read. -Dr. Brown)
Your Baby's First Year, by Stephen Shelov; Bantam Publ. (Published by the American Academy of Pediatrics. This is a more in-depth edition of the above book "Caring For Your Baby and Young Child Birth to Age 5" -Dr. Brown)
On Becoming BABY WISE, By Gary Ezzo and Robert Buckman; Parent-Wise Solutions, Charlestown Publishing Group. (Although I don't necessarily agree with everything in this book, a lot of the general concepts I do agree with. It's also nice to refer to if parents are looking for a "concrete" system to follow. -Dr. Brown)
Dr. Spock's Baby and Child Care by Benjamin Spock, MD; Pocket Books - Simon and Schuster. (A nice reference to have. Easy to look up things, like using an encyclopedia. -Dr. Brown)
The Wonder Years, by Tanya Remer Altmann, FAAP; Bantam Books. (I finally found a book that is easy to read and has a pretty good discussion on normal child development until age five. Unforuntately, this book is broken up by category of development, not age. - Dr. Brown)
The Wonder Years by Hetty van de Rijt. PhD; Kiddy World Publishing. (A very popular [across the globe] book with extensive information. A lot of parental "testimonials" - which I don't particularly care for, nonetheless a lot of good information. You can also get an app for this book for your phone. -Dr Brown)
Touchpoints, by T. Berry Brazelton, MD; Addison Wesley Pub. (A very nice book discussing emotional and behavioral development by an outstanding behavioral pediatrician. -Dr. Brown)
Caring For Your Adolescent Ages 12 to 21, by Donald E. Greydanus; Bantam Publ. (Also published by the American Academy of Pediatrics, a nice mix of medical and developmental info. -Dr. Brown)
Guide To Your Child's Symptoms Birth Through Adolescence, by Donald Schiff and Steven Shelov; Villard Publ. ( Published by the American Academy of Pediatrics; this is a highly reliable source. -Dr Brown.)
ADD/AADH
ADHD A Complete and Authoritative Guide; The American Academy of Pediatrics, edited by Michael Reiff; published by the American Academy of Pediatrics. (An excellent book to read once your child has been diagnosed with one of these conditions. This book describes ways to help your child with behavior modification, school, medication, etc. This book is not to help a parent decide or diagnose if their child has ADHD. -Dr. Brown)
ADOLESCENCE
The Teenage Brain by Frances Jensen, MD; Harper Press (A very good book to help parents to understand why their teenagers do what they do. There are many suggestions on how to deal with your teenager. However, as you will find out - children at this age aren't always rational - at least this book will help you understand why things are so crazy. -Dr Brown) ****
DISCIPLINE
The Kazdin Method for Parenting the Defiant Child by Alan E Kazdin, Ph.D.; Mariner Books (A wonderful book based on actual studies and science! Dr. Kazdin has developed a method and recommendations on what really works, not "what seems to make sense" - but actually doesn't work. There is a DVD included with the book to help illustrate the concepts addressed. Although some of the recommendations may seem "over the top" and a little silly, these methods do work for various ages. This book is best for preschoolers up to adolescence. -Dr Brown)
Little People, by Edward Christophersen; Westport Publ. (This book might be a little outdated, but it is a nice book to read when your child is a young toddler so that you can have a "road map" to follow to avoid problems. -Dr. Brown)
SOS Help For Parents, by Lynn Clark; SOSPrograms.com (A simple and clearly written book that discusses Time Out and other strategies. This is a good book to read when you are trying to set up discipline techniques before trouble begins. Go to their website to order. -Dr. Brown)
Kid Cooperation, by Elizabeth Pantley; New Harbringer Publications (A terrific book to help prevent problems as well as what to do if you already have problems. Good for all ages -toddlers and up. -Dr. Brown)
Raising Your Spirited Child, by Mary Sheedy Kurchinka; HarperPerennial Publ. (This book helps you to understand your child's temperament so that you can effectively work with your child. Lots of good tips. -Dr. Brown)
How To Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk, by Adeline Faber and Elaine Mazlish; Avon Publ. (A bestseller that tries to get you to think like and understand what's going on inside your child's head. -Dr. Brown)
The Difficult Child, by Stanley Turecki; Bantam Publ. (Lousy title, awesome book! A terrific discussion to help you understand temperament. -Dr. Brown)
1-2-3 Magic, by Thomas Phelan; Child Management Inc. (This one is straightforward, cause and effect discipline. Almost the polar opposite of "How to Talk...". For some families this is the book they need. Make sure that this seems like the right one for you. -Dr. Brown)
NUTRITION
Food Chaining: The Proven 6-Step Plan to Stop Picky Eating, Solve Feeding Problems, and Expand Your Child's Diet by Fraker, Fishbein, Cox, and Walbert; DaCapo Lifelong Books
(The Picky Eater is a very common problem we talk about in the office. Many children are just going through a "phase", but if the problem is becoming a real problem, then check out this book. I have not read through this entirely, but have read a number of sections. There is information to help you figure out why your child may be picky, and based on various reasons for his or her pickiness - remedies to try. -Dr Brown)
How To Get Your Kid To Eat . . . But Not Too Much, by Ellyn Satter; Bull Publishing (Ellyn Satter, R.D. has written many books on nutrition for kids - check out what fits for you. -Dr. Brown)
First Meals by Annabel Karmel; DK Publishing (An attractive easy to read book with many great suggestions for dishes to make. Some of the food guidelines are not necessarily on track with common recommendations - Karmel is a "food author", I don't believe she is a registered dietician. - Dr. Brown)
The Sneaky Chef by Missy Chase LaPine; Runnning Press (Many good suggestions about "sneaking" good things into your child's food. An interesting approach to a difficult problem. - Dr. Brown)
SAFETY
The Safe Child Book, by Sherryll Kraizer, Ph.D.; Fireside Publishers (A really eye opening and important book covering many topics to keep your child safe: Strangers, Staying Home Alone, Sexual Abuse and Protecting your body, Abduction, etc. A lot of issues parents don't want to think about, but really need to. This is a classic book that is easy to read and presents lots of good stratergies to prepare your child to "prevent" problems in a non-threatenting way. You can read this book for any age child, but a good age is when your child turns three years old. - Dr. Brown)
SENSORY INTEGRATION
The Out-of-Sync Child by Carol Stock Kranowitz, M.A.; Perigree Books, Skylight Press (A pretty good book to allow parents to understand what SI is and ways to try to help. -Dr. Brown)
SEX / SEX EDUCATION
Questions Kids Ask About Sex, Honest Answers for Every Age by Thomas Fitch and Melissa Cox; Revell Publishers. (This is the book that everyone needs for "stock" answers in case your child asks those embarrassing questions about where babies come from, etc - you know what I mean! The book is written to give "answers" for children based on their age. The book also talks about common and normal behaviors that parents wonder about - "is my child normal . . . " The book starts with a discussion about starting off right and having a healthy attitude about this taboo subject. -Dr. Brown)
SIBLINGS
Siblings Without Rivalry; How to Help Your Children Live Together So You Can Live Too, By Mazlish and Faber; Avon Publ. (Lots of nice tips to stop the fighting. -Dr. Brown)
SLEEP
Solve Your Child's Sleep Problems, by Richard Ferber, M.D.; Fireside Books by Simon & Schuster (This is the one! This book teaches the reader about sleep and helps you to understand what's going on and the reason for the suggested intervention. -Dr. Brown)
The No Cry Sleep Solution, by Elizabeth Pantley; Contemporary Books. (Pantley gives several suggestions to try to get your baby back to sleep. Parents can then choose the method(s) they think will work for their child. This is definitely NOT a quick-fix approach, and will take a lot of time and effort on your part. A much gentler method than the book listed above - which one is right for you? - Dr. Brown)
SOCIAL/BEHAVIORAL RELATIONS, EMOTIONS, ANXIETY, BULLYING
What to Do When You Worry Too Much: A Kid's Guide to Overcoming Anxiety, by Huebner and Matthews; Magination Press. (A very nice book to review with your child. This is written in workbook style so that you can read and participate with your child through activities. Probably best for children 5 to 10 yeras of age. -Dr Brown)
Helping The Child Who Doesn't Fit In, by Stephen Nowicki and Marshall Duke; Peachtree Publ. (Some very interesting things in this book, I really enjoyed reading it. It made me aware of a lot of social nuances that we take for granted, but may be missing in some children. Read this one first, then the next book. -Dr. Brown)
Teaching Your Child The Language of Social Success, by Marshall Duke, Stephen Nowicki, and Elisabeth Martin; Peachtree Publ. (Tips and suggestions to help your child with the things that you learned from the previous book. -Dr. Brown)
SOS Help for Emotions - Managing Anxiety, Anger, and Depression; by Lynn Clark, PhD; SOSprograms.com (A very easily read and somewhat simplistic book that enables parents to understand their child's emotions and how to work to minimize their effects. -Dr. Brown)
Best Friends, Worst Enemies -Understanding the Social Lives of Our Children, by Michael Thompson et al; Ballantine Books. (Don't be deceived by the apparent young age of the children on the cover of the book; this book is especially written for middle school children as well as younger and older. This is an inciteful book to help parents understand bullying and "fitting in" - one of the most difficult aspects of growing up for children (and parents). Although there are not a lot of things that parents can do about this, this book helps parents understand the problems so that maybe parents can "prevent" problems by being "in tune". - Dr. Brown)
SPECIAL TOPICS
PARENTING:
Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters by Meg Meeker, MD; Ballantine Books(Recommended to me by a patient, this is a wonderful book for fathers. Of course, anytime is a good time to read this book, however, I think it's best to be read somewhere when your daughter is 5 years or older and re-read later. Buy it for your husband as a gift - I'm sure he'll appreciate it. -Dr. Brown)
SIGN LANGUAGE:
Baby Signs - How to Talk with Your Baby Before Your Baby Can Talk by Linda Acredolo and Susan Goodwyn; McGraw Hill (A wonderful book that gives very convincing evidence why you should sign with your child, presents an approach, and gives many sample signs to use for everyday needs and interests. -Dr. Brown)
SPORTS
Kids and Sports by Eric Small, MD; Newmarket Press (The book starts out a little slow, however, the later chapters on weight training, conditioning, and injury prevention and rehabilitation are particularly good. -Dr. Brown)