Best Children's Maturing Books
The definitive book about puberty and sexual health for today’s kids and teens, now fully updated for its twentieth anniversary. Gr 1 & Up—These highly acclaimed titles have been go-to guides for a whole generation of children, teens, and their parents wishing to address these delicate, often difficult-to-discuss topics. It's Perfectly Normal, which is geared toward children nearing puberty, has sold more than one million copies, been translated into more than 35 languages, and has been endorsed and used by teachers, librarians, clergy, health care and mental health professions across this country. It also has the distinction of being listed as #7 on the American Library Association's list of most frequently challenged books of the 21st century.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Please note that this book does not hold back when talking about sex nor does it hold back with its pictures."
"It does have cartoon graphics to illustrate each chapter, but there is nothing "sexy" about those (you can find them online if you search). It does discuss homosexuality, birth control, abortion, as well as menstruation, puberty, etc, etc. So, this is a very personal decision, but I decided that a book this thorough would be the perfect guide to use with my kid. Because, next year she will go into 5th grade and they will start teaching a class on a watered down version of these topics. I said we should not talk about this at school, but the reason I am going through it with her is because I know she will hear bits and pieces out there, and I don't want her to feel confusion, embarrassment, or fear. So approaching controversial topics may seem tough, but we are still going through it, and it's amazing how many questions she has, and how open and comfortable she felt. for instance: homosexuality... We read the chapter and then I asked her what she thought, before I spoke. I won't go into how I handled each topic, because maybe it's overkill, but already five other friends have bought this book."
"Since this is an intro to sex book, I really had a hard time with the fact that it introduces anal sex."
"It does clearly state that abstinence is the most effective way to prevent pregnancy and STD's, and stresses that the decision to become sexually active should be a conscious and deliberate one by a responsible person. Something that I thought was a very good inclusion in the this edition was conduct on phones, texting, computers, digital media, etc., and the potential consequences of misusing them. Depending on your views as a parent or caregiver, the age suggestion of 10 and up may be higher or lower than what you think is appropriate, but it's pretty reasonable considering what most kids have learned on the playground by 10 years old."
By teaching kids simple concepts about the brain and the process of addiction, and by giving them a specific strategy for keeping safe in all situations. The 5-point CAN DO Plan™ teaches kids how to avoid the brain-warping images of pornography and minimize the troubling memories of accidental exposure that often tempt kids to look for more. I knew there needed to be a resource that would make it easy for parents to warn their kids about the dangers of pornography addiction. My hope is that our book will help parents begin a positive and proactive conversation to inoculate their young children and give them a plan to reject pornography. Sean Covey, Executive Vice President FranklinCovey Co. and international bestselling author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens. "Our kids deserve to be warned about the very real dangers of pornography in a simple way they can understand. What a gift to be able to sit with our little ones on our laps, look at these beautiful pictures, and read and discuss together a daunting topic in such an easy way!" Forest Benedict, LMFT, SATP-C, author of "Life After Lust: Stories & Strategies for Sex & Pornography Addiction Recovery."
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"It gave my children a real understanding about the brain and its natural response to pornography, how it can affect you if you look at it, and how to be prepared when you do come across it (since, let's face it... it's gonna happen at some point). The reason why it doesn't go there, is because it doesn't go into detail about what is involved in pornagraphic videos- it simply describes pornography as "pictures, videos or even cartoons of people with little or no clothes on"."
"At the end of each chapter, she wanted to dictate her notes to me and have me record them in the book. As you can see, she missed the boat slightly in some areas, but some of her comments show impressive maturity and comprehension. My feeling brain makes me thirsty and decide what to eat and also rewards me for what I do right. I learned to try to not get addicted to stuff like pornography or drinking or smoking or taking yummy pills even if I don’t need them. Say I just got home from “Color Me Mine” and I run across the street without stopping to think. Drugs will probably make you get pictures of pornography and trick people into looking at them even if they don’t want to."
"After my boys stumbled into some really bad pictures online, we read this book to them."
"I've felt that way for quite some time and finally found a solution - Good Pictures Bad Pictures."
"This book was great for my four-year-old."
"There is very little available for this age, and yet statistics show that children, who are naturally curious, are being lured into pornography at younger and younger ages, the average as early as eight to 11 years old today."
Featuring detailed illustrations and real-life stories throughout, plus an introduction for parents and a helpful resource section, this bestselling growing-up guide is an essential puberty education and health book for all boys ages 10 and up. Lynda Madaras es la autora de doce libros sobre la salud, el cuidado de ninos y la crianza de los hijos. Durante mas de veinticinco anos ha ensenado sobre la pubertad y la salud en escuelas de California, y ha sido invitada de Oprah , CNN, PBS y el Today Show .
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"-- Your kid will learn all the basic chemistry and biology behind sex and sexuality -- far more than they will pick up in any public school curriculum. -- They will be given quotes, advice, and/or told of experiences by other ordinary people throughout the pages on topics ranging from the simple facts of puberty to relationships and sex in adolescence, and these words of wisdom will come from people running the gamut from early adolescence to well on the far side of adulthood. -- They will learn the same vulgar speech teenagers and adults have used since the beginning of time (words you yourself know, parent, whether you find them offensive or not in your role as parent) and that they would otherwise and completely unavoidably pick up from their peers anyway, only sans book lacking the foreknowledge to give them a sense of respect for their own bodies, others' bodies, and what any sexual slang and cussing means and how it can be harmful and how it can be helpful. Part of this will include how to have sex responsibly (no contraceptive method left undiscussed and condoms heavily emphasized for STI protection) in your teenage years if they instead feel ready. They will get first-hand accounts and other advice of how to deal with breakups and growing apart for relationships (whether or not they have become sexual), from the point-of-view of breakups both amicable and terrible, and they will get the information they need to be aware of to identify abusive relationships and how they can seek to remove themselves from an abusive situation. The language used to describe sexuality and relationship is largely neutral throughout, and where any unique risk factors exist, those are discussed. This book is a calm resource for anyone who may be experiencing any tumult in their life as a result of their sexual orientation."
"He found the It’s Perfectly Normal book to be “more comic’y and less squeamish.” He found the Bird and the Bee characters thru-out the book to be “really funny.” It’s Perfectly Normal contained the most information about sexual intercourse whereas The Boy’s Body Book and What’s Happening to My Body have more about health. Overall, if parents want a book that is more about emotions, then he recommends the Boy’s Body Book; and if parents want a book that is more detailed about sex and genital changes, then he recommends What’s Happening to My Body or It’s Perfectly Normal."
"I am SO impressed with this book as a female: I was taking a Buzzfeed quiz on female anatomy with my son alongside me and he knew the answers to most of the questions! It's because of this book and I am very pleased that it discusses female as well as male anatomy."
"A wonderfully well done book for the beloved almost-tween in your life."
"Handy for when your little boy starts to grow into a young man!"
"Good Book for young Boys."
"Book was purchased for my nephew was 15 but this book has a lot more detailing information then we were ready to explore with him."
"Not quite enticing for a kid to read."
Best Children's Safety Books
Review By Jean Glasser: This is a delightful book for young children. Sigal Adler is an Israeli children's author with a refreshing, rhythmic writing style. The combination of catchy rhymes spiced with humor and an ethical message appeals to the hearts of children.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"And this poem was well done both as a story and as a rhyme. I read this poem to my granddaughter, and she drew pictures of the story as I read it."
"Sometimes life’s lesson’s can simply be put into short, easy-to-read picture books simple enough for a kindergartener to read and understand."
"This is a fun and entertaining book to read for kids."
"I believe that Please Don't Sneeze is a wonderful story for beginning readers with its easy to follow rhymes.The beautiful lyrical quality coupled with the fun plot will keep young minds engaged and also help to learn valuable lessons."
"This book is great, but short and my children wanted to find more."
"Best book ever."
"They befriend the dragon and he becomes a good friend, but one day he plays in the rain and gets sick and when his temperature rises he sneezes FIRE."
"Cute enough, I suppose."
Best Children's Fitness Books
The definitive book about puberty and sexual health for today’s kids and teens, now fully updated for its twentieth anniversary. Gr 1 & Up—These highly acclaimed titles have been go-to guides for a whole generation of children, teens, and their parents wishing to address these delicate, often difficult-to-discuss topics. It's Perfectly Normal, which is geared toward children nearing puberty, has sold more than one million copies, been translated into more than 35 languages, and has been endorsed and used by teachers, librarians, clergy, health care and mental health professions across this country. It also has the distinction of being listed as #7 on the American Library Association's list of most frequently challenged books of the 21st century.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Please note that this book does not hold back when talking about sex nor does it hold back with its pictures."
"It does have cartoon graphics to illustrate each chapter, but there is nothing "sexy" about those (you can find them online if you search). It does discuss homosexuality, birth control, abortion, as well as menstruation, puberty, etc, etc. So, this is a very personal decision, but I decided that a book this thorough would be the perfect guide to use with my kid. Because, next year she will go into 5th grade and they will start teaching a class on a watered down version of these topics. I said we should not talk about this at school, but the reason I am going through it with her is because I know she will hear bits and pieces out there, and I don't want her to feel confusion, embarrassment, or fear. So approaching controversial topics may seem tough, but we are still going through it, and it's amazing how many questions she has, and how open and comfortable she felt. for instance: homosexuality... We read the chapter and then I asked her what she thought, before I spoke. I won't go into how I handled each topic, because maybe it's overkill, but already five other friends have bought this book."
"Since this is an intro to sex book, I really had a hard time with the fact that it introduces anal sex."
"It does clearly state that abstinence is the most effective way to prevent pregnancy and STD's, and stresses that the decision to become sexually active should be a conscious and deliberate one by a responsible person. Something that I thought was a very good inclusion in the this edition was conduct on phones, texting, computers, digital media, etc., and the potential consequences of misusing them. Depending on your views as a parent or caregiver, the age suggestion of 10 and up may be higher or lower than what you think is appropriate, but it's pretty reasonable considering what most kids have learned on the playground by 10 years old."
Best Children's Disease Books
Over 6 million people have read the #1 New York Times bestseller WONDER and have fallen in love with Auggie Pullman, an ordinary boy with an extraordinary face. "Wonder is the best kids' book of the year," said Emily Bazelon, senior editor at Slate.com and author of Sticks and Stones: Defeating the Culture of Bullying and Rediscovering the Power of Character and Empathy . Homeschooled all his life, August heads to public school for fifth grade and he is not the only one changed by the experience--something we learn about first-hand through the narratives of those who orbit his world. What is essential is invisible to the eye.” From The Little Prince and R.J. Palacio’s remarkable novel, Wonder .-- Seira Wilson August, nicknamed Auggie, is a 10-year-old with a facial deformity that causes others to avoid and even shun him.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I'm a 54 year old grandfather who served in the Marine Corps (just for a little context). Palacio...I can't believe how she so accurately and consistently pegs human nature."
"The most emotional moment for me came toward the end of the book when Auggie's father tells him that he loves the way Auggie looks, because that it exactly how my husband and I feel about our son."
"Author R.J. Palacio writes the book in multiple voices -- Auggie's, some of his friends', his sister's -- and the different points of view are mostly very well-realized and show the inner feelings of the different characters."
"I would also highly recommending reading (or listening to the audiobook) of the "Julian Chapters" as his perspective was the only thing I wish it included, and this additional reading material made an amazing story even better."
"I believe people who are beautiful on the inside, people will eventually see only the beauty; people who are ugly on the inside, that is what people will ultimately see."
"I had not planned to purchase this, as I was reading the book aloud to my 4th graders."
"I have never met or seen anyone with this issue."
"This was such a great, well written book full of well defined and diverse characters."
Best Children's Toilet Training Books
A new toddler title charts a crucial achievement. In the first book, the toddler has to "go potty." These appealing books feature simple text, bright acrylic illustrations, and everyday situations that are certain to engage the very young. —School Library Journal.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This book shows (so you can decide if it matches your needs): - A gender-less baby character (12 months to 24 months max). - Child using a toddler potty (not the regular toilet). - A naked baby with privates cleverly covered; one image of a bare butt (see pic). - A dog and cat going potty outside and in cat box. - No actual poop or pee. - Baby running with toilet paper in celebration at the end (see pic). The story, in a nutshell [I say he, but baby could easily be a girl]: Baby has to go potty and wonders where he should go (in diaper or somewhere else). Last page spread just depicts all kinds of underwear, presumably to help your little one can get excited about wearing them (boy and girl styles shown). This book has short, simple sentences and clearly target the younger potty training crowd (definitely for under 2, though older toddlers may still enjoy). I'll be reviewing every potty training book I can get my hands on in the near future as I find the ones I like best so stay tuned!"
"I missed out - oh darn ;-) - on most of the process with our middle grandson since my daughter-in-law became a stay-at-home mom as he was almost ready to begin, and now it's coming time for the youngest grandson to start. ), VERY simple words that a 2 year old can relate to, and the nice thick pages on this 7" x 7" book (perfect for a youngster to hold while waiting for something to happen on the pot), but ALSO how terrifically it reflects the growing awareness a child must have before he/she is ready to begin the process. It's so sad to think that - according to the American Academy of Pediatrics - more abuse occurs during toilet training than at an other stage of development, with parents'/caretakers' expectations sometimes exceeding a child's abilities/understanding, mistaking a child's imperfect attempts for acts of willful disobedience. Not all kids are ready at the same time, and trying to force it too early is going to backfire in terms of stressing a child out and prolonging the process."
"My kid loves this book."
"However, she LOVES the book."
"We just started potty training."
"I have a lot of books from this collection and love love them."
"Really fun book written the right level for kids."
"She still read it while on the potty just about every day."
Best Children's Diet & Nutrition Books
In a smart, compelling format with updated facts, plenty of photos, graphs, and visuals, as well as a new afterword and backmatter, The Omnivore’s Dilemma serves up a bold message to the generation that needs it most: It’s time to take charge of our national eating habits—and it starts with you. Grade 7 Up—Based on Pollan's best-selling adult book of the same title, this (slightly) shortened version will appeal to thoughtful, socially responsible teens. The book is divided into four sections: "The Industrial Meal" (exemplified by the fact that only two companies, Cargill and ADM, buy nearly a third of all the corn grown in the U.S.); "The Industrial Organic Meal" (covering most of what's found in stores like Whole Foods); "Local Sustainable" (small farms typically based on grass, not corn); and what he calls the "Do-It-Yourself Meal" (where he hunts a wild pig and gathers wild mushrooms).
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"If you'd like to know what you're eating, where it comes from and what the dilemna is, this book is for you."
"Taught it as part of my 8th grade ELA curriculum and it spawned incredible conversation with my students."
"As a kid, I was expecting such a long book to be boring and not worth a read."
"This book and In Defense of Food should be required high school and college reading."
"I just finished reading the book myself and am so excited to share this with students."
"I am now more aware of what I eat, but changing my habits and my family's will be difficult."
"Very informative."
Best Children's Personal Hygiene Books
But when the fever begins to strike closer to home, Mattie's struggle to build a new life must give way to a new fight-the fight to stay alive. Later, after much hardship and terror, they return to the deserted town to find their former cook, a freed slave, working with the African Free Society, an actual group who undertook to visit and assist the sick and saved many lives. As first frost arrives and the epidemic ends, Mattie's sufferings have changed her from a willful child to a strong, capable young woman able to manage her family's business on her own. The opening scene of Anderson's ambitious novel about the yellow fever epidemic that ravaged Philadelphia in the late 18th century shows a hint of the gallows humor and insight of her previous novel, Speak. Sixteen-year-old Matilda "Mattie" Cook awakens in the sweltering summer heat on August 16th, 1793, to her mother's command to rouse and with a mosquito buzzing in her ear.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Great book."
"Laurie clearly does her research (very Gabaldon-esqe) and puts together a gripping historical fiction tale that moved me and caused me to stay up late just to find out what happened next!"
"This story does a nice job so describing the setting and context of the epidemic as well as showing the hard work everyone did during the time."
"The Yellow Fever epidemic is very frightening to anyone who lived through it and our heroine makes the reader comprehend all aspects of it."
"My daughter and I loved this book!"
"I've long known about the yellow fever epidemic in Philadelphia but this book brought it to life through the eyes of the protagonist."
"A neighbor read it and liked it."
"I loved it, it started out kind of slow then built up until you couldn't put it down like a good story should."