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It's all about the books...

Everyone knows how great it is to read with your children. The well known benefits

include helping them build language skills, learn about the world, and develop

empathy and emotional awareness.

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For me, my favorite part of reading together was having them on my lap with my arms wrapped around them while we held the books.

Early Childhood Books
(Common & Uncommon)

12 MONTHS

  1. Dinosaur Roar - Paul & Henrietta Stickland ❤️

  2. Good Night Moon - Margaret Wise Brown

  3. Where Is Baby’s Belly Button? - Karen Katz

  4. Pat the Bunny - Dorothy Kunhardt

  5. Peek-a-Baby - Karen Katz

  6. Guess How Much I Love You - Sam McBratney

  7. My First Activity Book 8-Page Soft Book - Melissa & Doug

  8. *** board books, soft books, quiet books, books with touch and feel and books that promote movement and hugs are great for this age 

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2 YEAR OLDS

  1. Good Night Gorilla - Peggy Rathman ❤️

  2. Dear Zoo - Rod Campbell (flap book) ❤️

  3. Chica, Chica, Boom, Boom - Bill Martin

  4. Stomp, Wiggle, Clap & Tap - Rachell Burke

  5. Barnyard Dance - Sandra Boynton (many other books of hers are also wonderful)

  6. Llama, Llama Red Pajama - Anna Dewdney

  7. Where’s Spot? - Eric Hill (flap book) ❤️

  8. Eric Carle books - Extensive Series

  9. First 101 Words: A Highlights Hide-and-Seek Book with Flaps - Highlights Learning

      *** Books with flaps, rhythmic rhyming or clapping are great at this age

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3 YEAR OLDS

  1. Is Your Mama a Llama? - Deborah Guarino

  2. Dr. Suess (different books are for different age groups)

  3. Corduroy (part of a series - 28 books) - Don Freeman

  4. I Spy (extensive series of books) - Jean Marzollo

  5. Opposites with Frank Lloyd Wright - Mudpuppy

  6. Harry McClarey and Zachary Quack - Lynley Dodd ❤️

  7. Richard Scarry (extensive series)

  8. Click Clack Moo Cows That Type - Doreen Cronin

  9. The Mitten - Jan Brett 

  10. The Gruffalo - Julia Donaldson 

  11. Good Night, Good Knight - Shelley Moore Thomas ❤️

       *** Activity books and books with stickers are great for this age

 

4 YEAR OLDS

  1. The Giant Hug - Sandra Horning (I love, love, love this book) ❤️❤️

  2. Mole Music - David McPhail (a beautiful story about music and peace) ❤️❤️

  3. Stone Soup - Classic European Folk Tale (a classic with a beautiful message of community)

  4. Spooky Riddles - Marc Brown (my son had me read this over and over and over)

  5. Curious George (what can I say?)

  6. Caps for Sale - Esphyr Slobodkina (great for repetitive phrases to say together)

  7. The Story of Ferdinand - Munro Leaf (so sweet and beautiful) ❤️

  8. Winnie the Pooh - AA Milne (an absolute must for growing up)

  9. There’s a Nightmare In My Closet (Series) - Mercer Mayer (great for overcoming and mastering fears)

  10. The Berenstain Bears (extensive series) - Jan Berenstain (can't get much better than Berenstain Bears)

  11. Where’s Waldo? (Extensive series) - Martin Handford (so much fun for parents and children to do together)

  12. I’ll Love You Forever - Robert Munsch and Sheila McGraw (lots of hugs involved in this great story)

  13. Filbert Flies - Karl Ruhmann (really beautiful illustrations) ❤️

  14. Lyle Lyle Crocodile - Bernard Waber (I grew up with this so I had to include it!)

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❤️ = my particularly loved books... although they are all great. Find your own favorites!

BOOKS & ARTICLES

(Always Evolving!)

PARENTING

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Delahooke, M. (2019). Beyond Behaviors: Using Brain Science and Compassion to Understand and Solve Children's Behavioral Challenges. PESI Publishing and Media

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Glowacki, J. (2019). Oh Crap! I Have a Toddler: Tackling These Crazy Awesome Years-- No Time Outs Needed. Simon & Schuster.

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Grosshans, B. A. & Burton, J. H. (2008). Beyond Time-Out: From Chaos to Calm. Sterling Publishing Co.

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Hargis, A.  (2018). Toddler Discipline for Every Age and Stage: Effective Strategies to Tame Tantrums, Overcome Challenges, and Help Your Child Grow. Rocklidge Press.

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Payne, K. J. (2015). The Soul of Discipline: The Simplicity Parenting Approach to Warm, Firm and Calm Guidance - From Toddlers to Teens. Ballantine Books. 

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Pressman, A. (2024). The 5 Principle of Parenting: Your Essential Guide To Raising Good Humans. Simon & Schuster.

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Siegel, D. J. & Bryson, T. P. (2020). The Power of Showing Up: How Parental Presence Shapes Who Our Kids Become and How Their Brains Get Wired. Ballantine Books. 

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Siegel, D. J. & Bryson, T. P. (2012). The Whole Brain Child. Ballantine Books.

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Soderlund, A. 10 Emotion-Coaching Phrases to Use When Your Child Is Upset. Nurture and Thrive.   https://nurtureandthriveblog.com/emotion-coaching-parents/

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Fuchs-Kreimer, N. (1996). Parenting As a Spiritual Journey: Deepening Ordinary & Extraordinary Events into Sacred Occasions. Harper Collins. 

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Shrier, A. (2024) Bad Therapy: Why The Kids Aren't Growing Up. Penguin Random House.

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NEURODIVERSITY

​​​​​Attwood, T. (1998). Asperger's Syndrome: A Guide for Parents and Professionals. Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

 

Biel, M. A. & Peske, N. (2005). Raising a Sensory Smart Child: The Definitive Handbook for Helping Your Child with Sensory Integration Issues. Penguin Books.

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Hallowell, E. M. (1994) Driven to Distraction: Recognizing and Coping with Attention Deficit Disorder from Childhood through Adulthood.Pantheon Books. 

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Kranowitz, C. S. (2005) The Out-of-Sync Child: Recognizing and Coping with Sensory Processing Disorder. Skylight Press.

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Lantz, J. Play Time: An Examination of Play Intervention Strategies for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. https://www.iidc.indiana.edu/irca/articles/play-time-an-examination-of-play-intervention-strategies-for-children-with-autism-spectrum-disorders.html 

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Myles, B. S. (2005). Asperger Syndrome and Difficult Moments: Practical Solutions for Tantrums, Rage, and Meltdowns. 2nd Ed, Rev. Autism Asperger Publishing Co.

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Wharff, J..Twelve Popular Games Adapted for Children with Autism. https://blog.stageslearning.com/blog/12-popular-games-adapted-for-children-with-autism

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Taylor, B. (2007) ADHD & ME: What I learned From Lighting Fires at The Dinner Table. New Harbinger Publications

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MENTAL HEALTH

 

Greene, R. W. (1998). The Explosive Child: A New Approach for Understanding and Parenting Easily Frustrated, Chronically Inflexible Children. Harper Collins Books.​

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Haidt, J. (2025). The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness. The Penguin Press. ​

 

MISCELLANEOUS

Goleman, D. (1994). Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ. Bantam Books. ​

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Rosenberg, M. B. (2015). Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life. PuddlePrancer Press.

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