Casares, Whitney. The New Baby Blueprint: Caring for You and Your Little One. American Academy of Pediatrics. Mar. 2020. 144p. ISBN 9781610023757. pap. $14.95. CHILD REARING
Casares, a pediatrician, founder of modernmommydoc.com, and a mother of two daughters, knows both personally and professionally the struggles parents face in the first few months of their child’s life. The American Academy of Pediatrics has long been an organization parents in all stages look to for guidance on the medical and psychological struggles they face with their children. Brief and easy to browse for information, Casares’s book answers frequently asked questions, such as what baby supplies are needed and which are pointless, how to find a pediatrician, and how to prepare for the possible challenges of breastfeeding. The appendix provides checklists, spaces for journaling, and ideas for possible self-care. However, one limiting factor is that a few of the recommendations may be cost prohibitive for some parents (e.g., the best pick for a child-care provider is a nanny; hiring a housecleaner is recommended as the first suggestion in how to automate and delegate). VERDICT A quick read with a parent-friendly format, this will be especially helpful for new parents, though some may find a few suggestions lacking in applicability.
 

Cerny, Julie. The Little Gardener: Helping Children Connect with the Natural World. Princeton Architectural. Mar. 2020. 224p. ISBN 9781616898601. $24.95. CHILD REARING
An outdoor educator who works at the Farm at the Landing in Stuyvesant, NY, Cerny has been teaching about gardening and nature for over a decade. Why should students pursue gardening? It cultivates ecological literacy, which is vital for children understanding how ecological systems support all life on Earth and how our personal choices affect the environment. Cerny captures the child’s imagination by asking them to envision their dream garden, then turns their visions into reality by setting goals for its creation. The cycle is completed when children bring their own gardens to life and are able to sustain their own well-being by eating the foods they grew themselves. Multidisciplinary in scope, this book contains reading lists, journal prompts, and math and art tie-ins.
VERDICT A comprehensive, fun, and colorful hands-on guide to gardening that will be enjoyable for children of all ages.
 

Dismondy, Maria. Sunny Side Upbringing: A Month-by-Month Guide to Raising Kind and Caring Kids. Cardinal Rule Pr. Mar. 2020. 236p. ISBN 9781732841864. spiral. $22.95. CHILD REARING
Dismondy (Pink Tiara Cookies for Three) here shares practical suggestions for developing values that lead to kindness and caring. Goal setting, love, empathy, honesty, and creativity are a few of the chapter sections, each of which include a booklist for reads that incorporate both the time of year and that month’s designated value. Also provided are a fun list of holidays for each month (care to celebrate Chocolate Chip Cookie Day on August 4th? Ideas abound to do just that!). An activity list is included for each age level: toddlers and preschoolers and elementary students. Most materials can be either easily obtained or may already be present in the home. A bonus chapter provides resources and ideas around more serious topics such as stranger danger, screen time, moving, or discussing items in the news with young children. Librarians should note for circulating collections that an envelope in the back of the book contains stickers and a poster with an extensive booklist. VERDICT While not ideal for circulation, this activity-filled offering may prove extremely useful for children’s librarians.
 

Kellett, Jo. The Little Book of Baby Massage: Use the Power of Touch To Calm Your Baby. DK. Feb. 2020. 144p. ISBN 9781465491077. $14.99. CHILD REARING
Aromatherapist and infant massage practitioner Kellett states that baby massage is a part of child-care practices around the world. Humans are tactile beings, and physical touch is a way of bonding and promoting healthy communication, as well as aiding physical well-being. Massage may lead to higher levels of melatonin, which in turn provides the sleep so many new parents crave. Also cited as a boost to the immune system, blood circulation, skin tone and texture, and improved digestion, massage requires only a few supplies, most of which parents will already have at home (vegetable oil, towels, wipes, and distraction items to keep the child busy). Kellet provides step-by-step diagrams, along with information about the benefits of each type of massage. She also shares how to incorporate massage at playtime, bedtime, diaper time, and while away from home. Ideas on how to use massage to help alleviate everyday baby health issues (colic, constipation, teething, congestion, and skin issues) are provided. A bonus section includes ideas for massage with toddlers and older children, preemies, and babies with disabilities.
VERDICT An easy-to-use, distinctive resource for new parents interested in baby massage.
 

Levine, Madeline. Ready or Not: Preparing Our Kids To Thrive in an Uncertain and Rapidly Changing World. Harper. Feb. 2020. 288p. ISBN 9780062657756. $28.99. CHILD REARING
Levine (The Price of Privilege) notes that anxiety is the number one diagnosed mental health disorder for both adults and children. Anxiety affects our children’s ability to thrive mentally and emotionally in a world that is volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous. Moreover, actions and decisions stemming from our own anxiety keep children from experiencing adversity that, channeled properly, can result in character growth and the ability to face challenges in their adult years. Maintaining a goal of growth rather than a fixed mind-set is necessary to help kids during their formative years, when the brain is developing and their thinking is flexible. Levine argues that soft skills, data analysis, and critical thinking will move our children forward in an unpredictable world, and that focusing too heavily on grades and performance only furthers a child’s struggles to get ahead.
VERDICT Backed by extensive research from entrepreneurs, military leaders, scientists, and academics, Levine’s latest is a must-read for parents, teachers, and all who work with children and are concerned about their future.

Meeker, Meg. Raising a Strong Daughter in a Toxic Culture: 11 Steps To Keep Her Happy, Healthy, and Safe. Regnery. 2019. 256p. ISBN 9781621575030. $24.99. CHILD REARING
Meeker (Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters) cites her years at a residential home for teens where she noticed the healing power of adult attention. The author believes that most self-destructive behaviors are actually attention-seeking, and that parents are meant to be the force guiding daughters through the disappointments and struggles of life. Meeker believes every daughter wants to give love, form strong attachments, nurture others, and be loved herself. She explores each of these topics with specific guidance for moms and dads. Taking control of screen time, body image, developing a healthy sexuality, and helping your child forge strong friendships are among the main topics Meeker covers. In a final chapter, Meeker explores how to encourage your child in a growing faith.
VERDICT Evidence based and filled with practical strategies, this volume will provide valuable ideas for most parents, although Meeker’s faith-based viewpoints may be a limiting factor for some.
 

Nilles, Kathleen & others. Success Strategies for Parenting Gifted Kids: Expert Advice from the National Association for Gifted Children. Prufrock. 2019. 412p. ISBN 9781618219039. pap. $21.95. CHILD REARING
This exhaustive volume compiles articles from Parenting for High Potential, a magazine for parents and educators of gifted children, and includes multiple writers with expertise in the area of gifted education. Pervasive myths about the particulars of parenting gifted children can keep parents from finding the help they need, and the authors hope to fill in the gaps. Are there better ways than IQ to measure which students need gifted services? What is the best method to deal with an advanced, out-of-the-box learner who struggles with traditional academics? How does one go about choosing an optimal education? Featuring a variety of talented children, the work has a final section that includes articles on parenting learning disabled, twice exceptional, ADHD, and LGBTQ children. Each chapter additionally boasts reflection questions and a list of further references. VERDICT Extensive and inclusive, this useful guide addresses nearly every issue imaginable faced by gifted children. Recommended for all parents and educators.
 

Powers, Lindsay. You Can’t F*ck Up Your Kids: A Judgment-Free Guide to Stress-Free Parenting. Atria. Mar. 2020. 320p. ISBN 9781982110130. pap. $16.99. CHILD REARING
Journalist and founding editor in chief of Yahoo! Parenting, Powers parents two children herself and is the creator of the viral #NoShameParenting movement. She states that parenting today has become a blood sport, every decision fraught with anxiety and fear of judgment. Here, she tackles controversial parenting topics, including not breastfeeding, giving time outs, and letting babies cry it out. Parents are being too hard on themselves, and experts take advantage by using scare tactics fearful parents falsely buy into, argues Powers, who believes there’s no such thing as normal and that many parents stress about decisions that simply don’t have the impact they perceive they do.
ERDICT Whether or not readers agree with all of Powers’s ideas, she provides a thought-provoking look at parental judgment and solid ways for combatting it.
 

Stein, Joshua David. To Me, He Was Just Dad: Stories of Growing Up with Famous Fathers. Artisan. Mar. 2020. 192p. ISBN 9781579659349. pap. $22.95. CHILD REARING
Stein (editor, Fatherly.com) was inspired to write this volume by a conversation with Ethan Wayne, son of actor John Wayne, and an image of Ethan and his famous father walking together while holding hands. As Stein’s preconceived image of the actor was challenged, he wondered about the lives of other famous fathers? Did the true experiences of children of famous fathers match the public perceptions of these well-known men? If you’re curious about Samuel L. Jackson’s reading habits or the experience of Jonas Salk’s son (think polio shots at the kitchen table before they were tested), this work can shed light into their quirks. Heavy on descriptions of the emotional journey of familial ties, this title explores Julian Lennon’s quest to forgive his legendary father John Lennon, and how French chef Jacques Pépin taught his son the values of deep and enduring friendships (as well as how to make a killer omelet).
VERDICT A compelling read for anyone interested in a behind-the-scenes take on the parental lives of men in the spotlight.
 

Warner, Judith. And Then They Stopped Talking to Me: Making Sense of Middle School. Crown. May 2020. 320p. ISBN 9781101905883. $27. CHILD REARING
The middle school years are a stage of cognitive, behavioral, and social development during which the rapid brain changes rival those that occurred in the first three years of life. In addition, identifying with children’s social trauma during this period can lead to secondary trauma in adults as past issues from their own lives are triggered. Warner (We’ve Got Issues: Children and Parents in the Age of Medication) further states that middle age, which many parents reach during the middle school years, is marked with similar struggles about status and identity. Growth can be fostered, says Warner, by letting go of our need to achieve our own goals through our children, understanding the complexity of kids’ brains during this crucial era, providing context to help them make sense of the world and people around them, and raising rather than lowering our standards. VERDICT A fascinating entry on the middle school years and the struggles both children and adults face during this time. The addition of bulleted takeaways at the end of each chapter would have enhanced what is occasionally a dense read for busy parents.