These are some of the best books to help curious parents navigate childrearing, from newborns to college-aged kids and a few fun reads, too, because sometimes we need to laugh about this incredible, crazy journey we're on!
The Happiest Baby on the Block
1 of 21
Harvey Karp, MD helped get me through the beginning of motherhood by explaining the first three months of a child's life as the "fourth trimester." Essentially, a newborn is more easily soothed when their surroundings are womblike. He teaches the 5 S's: Swaddling (firmly), Side/Stomach, Ssshhhing, Swaying and Sucking, which for me at least, worked almost every time.
All Joy and No Fun: The Paradox of Modern Parenthood
2 of 21
This isn't so much a parenting book as it is a look at modern parenting from an anthropological standpoint. Jennifer Senior is a contributing editor at New York Magazine, where she writes profiles and cover stories about politics, social science and mental health. The way she looks at parenting weaves these focuses together beautifully.
Will Puberty Last My Whole Life?
3 of 21
For more than 20 years, Julie Metzger, RN, MN, and Robert Lehman, MD have been conducting classes with preteens and their parents to discuss puberty and growing up. The question and answer format of this book is easy for parents and kids to read, and is full of real questions submitted on notecards by the kids in these classes. Tackling topics such as body hair, periods, emotions, sex, pimples and physical attraction, this book is a great way to kick off some of the conversations parents need to have with their preteens. My favorite aspect of this book is that half of the book talks to boys, and the other half talks to girls. It's a wonderful way to learn about the opposite gender, and as a mom of a boy and a girl, I only needed to buy one copy!
Queen Bees and Wannabes: Helping Your Daughter Survive Cliques, Gossip, Boys, and the New Realities of Girl World
4 of 21
This is the book that changed the way we see and understand adolescent girls, and was the inspiration for the movie Mean Girls. Rosalind Wiseman explains girls with humor, respect and profound insight. Get this book before the middle school years, because many of the topics discussed begin in the elementary years.
Masterminds and Wingmen: Helping Our Boys Cope with Schoolyard Power, Locker-Room Tests, Girlfriends, and the New Rules of Boy World
5 of 21
My son is 10 years old and I'm already having a hard time figuring out what's happening in his head. Too many people say boys are so much easier to raise than girls, which is a disappointing oversimplification. With an abundant amount of research, as well as help from over 150 boys, aged 8 to 24, Rosalind Wiseman (yes, her again!) digs deep into the minds of adolescent boys, and will enlighten even the most tuned in parents and educators.
Where You Go Is Not Who You'll Be: An Antidote to the College Admissions Mania
6 of 21
If you and your child are wading into the college admissions process, you know how harrowing the ride can be and how much pressure is put on getting into a great school. Your future depends on it, right? Wrong, says Frank Bruni, a bestselling author and a columnist for the New York Times. Bruni uses statistics, surveys and anecdotal stories from wildly successful people who hailed from lesser known colleges to tell every parent and teen what they need to hear: A student's efforts, both in and out of the classroom, are the true springboards of success, and where you go is not who you'll be.
But Did You Die?
7 of 21
The latest installment in the New York Times Best-Selling "I Just Want to Pee Alone" series, this collection of essays is full of hilarious parenting stories, terrible (but also kind of amazing) parenting advice and a whole lot of humor from some of the funniest parenting bloggers on the internet--and that one super helpful childless friend who likes to tell us we're all doing it wrong. If you like to laugh (you can even read these quick essays in the school pickup line) or want to feel better about your own parenting, this book is for you.
Dad is Fat
8 of 21
Jim Gaffigan is a comedian and father to five children, which makes him an excellent spokesperson for parents who like to laugh and who see the humor in the trials and tribulations of parenting. You don't even need to have kids to appreciate the way Gaffigan loves his family but really wishes they would quit breaking things.
Fun on the Run: 324 Instant Family Activities
9 of 21
This little lifesaver can be toted around and pulled out when the kids are "soooo boooored." It's perfect for doctor waiting rooms, restaurants when the wait is long and the kids are starving and for road trips. Fun on the Run is great for a wide age range, and doesn't require any props.
Caring for Your Baby and Young Child: Birth to 5 Years
11 of 21
From the American Academy of Pediatrics, this book is a great reference for everything from preparing for your baby, to brain development, to feeding and even to childhood illnesses. As a new mom, I appreciated having this one-stop shop for many of my new parent concerns, and this was the only book I kept looking back on while my kids were growing.
The Happiest Baby on the Block
12 of 21
Harvey Karp, MD helped get me through the beginning of motherhood by explaining the first three months of a child's life as the "fourth trimester." Essentially, a newborn is more easily soothed when their surroundings are womblike. He teaches the 5 S's: Swaddling (firmly), Side/Stomach, Ssshhhing, Swaying and Sucking, which for me at least, worked almost every time.
All Joy and No Fun: The Paradox of Modern Parenthood
13 of 21
This isn't so much a parenting book as it is a look at modern parenting from an anthropological standpoint. Jennifer Senior is a contributing editor at New York Magazine, where she writes profiles and cover stories about politics, social science and mental health. The way she looks at parenting weaves these focuses together beautifully.
Will Puberty Last My Whole Life?
14 of 21
For more than 20 years, Julie Metzger, RN, MN, and Robert Lehman, MD have been conducting classes with preteens and their parents to discuss puberty and growing up. The question and answer format of this book is easy for parents and kids to read, and is full of real questions submitted on notecards by the kids in these classes. Tackling topics such as body hair, periods, emotions, sex, pimples and physical attraction, this book is a great way to kick off some of the conversations parents need to have with their preteens. My favorite aspect of this book is that half of the book talks to boys, and the other half talks to girls. It's a wonderful way to learn about the opposite gender, and as a mom of a boy and a girl, I only needed to buy one copy!
Queen Bees and Wannabes: Helping Your Daughter Survive Cliques, Gossip, Boys, and the New Realities of Girl World
15 of 21
This is the book that changed the way we see and understand adolescent girls, and was the inspiration for the movie Mean Girls. Rosalind Wiseman explains girls with humor, respect and profound insight. Get this book before the middle school years, because many of the topics discussed begin in the elementary years.
Masterminds and Wingmen: Helping Our Boys Cope with Schoolyard Power, Locker-Room Tests, Girlfriends, and the New Rules of Boy World
16 of 21
My son is 10 years old and I'm already having a hard time figuring out what's happening in his head. Too many people say boys are so much easier to raise than girls, which is a disappointing oversimplification. With an abundant amount of research, as well as help from over 150 boys, aged 8 to 24, Rosalind Wiseman (yes, her again!) digs deep into the minds of adolescent boys, and will enlighten even the most tuned in parents and educators.
Where You Go Is Not Who You'll Be: An Antidote to the College Admissions Mania
17 of 21
If you and your child are wading into the college admissions process, you know how harrowing the ride can be and how much pressure is put on getting into a great school. Your future depends on it, right? Wrong, says Frank Bruni, a bestselling author and a columnist for the New York Times. Bruni uses statistics, surveys and anecdotal stories from wildly successful people who hailed from lesser known colleges to tell every parent and teen what they need to hear: A student's efforts, both in and out of the classroom, are the true springboards of success, and where you go is not who you'll be.
But Did You Die?
18 of 21
The latest installment in the New York Times Best-Selling "I Just Want to Pee Alone" series, this collection of essays is full of hilarious parenting stories, terrible (but also kind of amazing) parenting advice and a whole lot of humor from some of the funniest parenting bloggers on the internet--and that one super helpful childless friend who likes to tell us we're all doing it wrong. If you like to laugh (you can even read these quick essays in the school pickup line) or want to feel better about your own parenting, this book is for you.
Dad is Fat
19 of 21
Jim Gaffigan is a comedian and father to five children, which makes him an excellent spokesperson for parents who like to laugh and who see the humor in the trials and tribulations of parenting. You don't even need to have kids to appreciate the way Gaffigan loves his family but really wishes they would quit breaking things.
Fun on the Run: 324 Instant Family Activities
20 of 21
This little lifesaver can be toted around and pulled out when the kids are "soooo boooored." It's perfect for doctor waiting rooms, restaurants when the wait is long and the kids are starving and for road trips. Fun on the Run is great for a wide age range, and doesn't require any props.
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