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Best Family & Parenting Literature Guides

Hans Christian Andersen: The Misunderstood Storyteller
Based on thirty-five years of researching and writing on Andersen, this new book is a welcome reconsideration of Andersen's place and of his reception in English-speaking countries and on film. Following an introduction to Andersen's life and personality, Zipes explores his subject's prodigious output of works including travel books, essays, novels, plays, autobiographies, and 156 fairy tales, only a few of which were actually written for children. Readers interested in Andersen's contributions to the literature of Denmark, to the modern fairy tale, and a more authentic look at a less-than-happy life, as presented for children in Hjørdis Varmer's Hans Christian Andersen: His Fairy Tale Life (Groundwood, 2005), will find this volume valuable. "Fans of Andersen and any who would study his works would do well to include Jack Zipes’ Hans Christian Andersen: The Misunderstood Storyteller."
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Prairie Fires: The American Dreams of Laura Ingalls Wilder
One of The New York Times Book Review 's 10 Best Books of the Year Millions of readers of Little House on the Prairie believe they know Laura Ingalls—the pioneer girl who survived blizzards and near-starvation on the Great Plains, and the woman who wrote the famous autobiographical books. It was only in her sixties, after losing nearly everything in the Great Depression, that she turned to children’s books, recasting her hardscrabble childhood as a celebratory vision of homesteading—and achieving fame and fortune in the process, in one of the most astonishing rags-to-riches episodes in American letters. An Amazon Best Book of November 2017: Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House books are perhaps the best known and beloved American stories for children. Though Wilder and Rose Wilder Lane, her politically cranky journalist daughter, defended the books’ historical accuracy, Fraser’s meticulous, smart, historically informed biography shows where the books hew to – and diverge from – the facts of Wilder’s long and eventful life. This image of Charles Ingalls, Fraser writes, “contains elements of moral ambiguity missing from the portrait his daughter would one day so lovingly polish.” Fraser got a head start on her work for this biography when she edited the Library of America editions of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s writing. We’ve long understood the Little House series to be a great American story, but Caroline Fraser brings it unprecedented new context, as she masterfully chronicles the life of Laura Ingalls Wilder and her family alongside the complicated history of our nation. Prairie Fires represents a significant milestone in our understanding of Wilder’s life, work, and legacy.” ―Wendy McClure, author of The Wilder Life: My Adventures in the Lost World of Little House on the Prairie. Meticulously tracing the Ingalls and Wilder families’ experiences through public records and private documents, Fraser discovers failed farm ventures and constant money problems, as well as natural disasters even more terrifying and devastating in real life than in Wilder’s writing.
Reviews
"The Zumbro river runs under my porch and canoeing downstream takes me to South Troy where Laura and her cousins waded, and where baby Freddie is buried. But that book is dominated by Laura's narrative, and there's only so much that editorial commentary can correct or expound when entire facets of her life were simply omitted. Enter Caroline Fraser and "Prairie Fires," a biography of two women, a textual history of their work, and the historical context of their times skillfully interwoven as a narrative. The Prairie Queen, New York Review Books, circa 1994) to learn everything that can be known about Laura Ingalls Wilder, including her family, her daughter, her times, and even the natural history of the Midwest. Prairie Fires starts strong, with genealogical research harking back to the colonial Pilgrim era, then flashing forwarding to the Dakota War of 1862 (a skirmish of which wiped out the Dustin family just ten miles from my childhood home, six months *after* the mass-execution at Mankato). For me the book was literally a page turner, I couldn't put it down, took it on vacation, read it in every spare moment, several times hiding in the bathroom just to get to the end of a chapter. But Prairie Fires is not only about Laura, spilling a considerable amount of ink on her daughter Rose Lane, a very unflattering picture: selfish, immoral, manipulative, petty, mentally ill (manic depressive), dishonest, modestly talented, irreligious (flirting with Islam her whole life), plagiarizing, economically incompetent, politically hypocritical, casually anti-semitic. You will finish Prairie Fires in no doubt whatsoever about the absurdity of charges that Rose Lane ghost-wrote the LIW series, and you will wonder how it was possible for such a hack to ever make a dime as an author. Ms. Fraser seems generally in favor of collective politics, supportive of Roosevelt's New Deal programs, and bothered by Wilder's criticism thereof. She spends a great deal of energy detailing the misguided attempts by Laura's successors to corral her work into the Conservative/Libertarian cause, and in this she is somewhat successful. But her attempts to explain away the fundamental reasons why people like Laura Wilder resented the very New Deal programs intended to help them come across as feeble and condescending. But we hear again and again and again the litany of supposed hypocrisies: the homestead act was a Government Program after all, everyone necessarily took jobs off the farm, the bank where Laura worked administered Government Lending, the frontier was only open thanks to the Army, Pa cheated the Railroad, Almanzo lied on his Homestead Application... and that's about it. It's a mighty thin list to set against decades of hard toil, thrift and scrupulous morality, and it doesn't bear the weight of being Exhibit A in Wilder's Real Politics On Trial."
"Wilder struggled to turn her family's pioneer story into the inspiring, heart-warming, heroic tale that fills the Little House books. And yet, Fraser's affection for the books and their author shows through her admission of their myopic worldview, omissions, and outright fabrications. My own grandmother was born in a log cabin in Wisconsin, and she married my grandfather, whose family homesteaded not far from Walnut Grove. When Wilder presents the pioneer story while minimizing or totally ignoring the plight of the displaced and murdered Native Americans, she is telling the tale as my family would have told it. Fraser expands the view to encompass what we must admit if we are honest: our success and wealth were built on the suffering of real people."
"I am a Wilder fan, having visited her home twice, taught her books many times, and been quotingly familiar with them since the age of seven. After all this valuable light brought to our subject, which is a rocky life covering nearly a century, one comes away, if anything, even more impressed by the resilience of Laura Ingalls. And she did it, in league with her daughter, beginning in later life, in a farmhouse, on Big Chief nickel tablets that are a handicap to write on, besides."
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How to Analyze People: The Complete Guide to Human Psychology, Body Language, Personality Types and Speed Reading Anyone
Birth Order’s Impact on Personality: Did you know that being the last born or first born affects who you are today? In chapter four, we will discuss what impact this has, so that you can instantly understand those around you just with the simple knowledge of the order they were born. In chapter five, you will learn how to recognize the limiting beliefs of other people and draw conclusions about how this impacts who they are.
Reviews
"If you are a beginning psychologist or a person who wants to learn to understand and read people better, this book is for you."
"Body language provides an amazing amount of information on what other people are thinking if you know what to look for."
"Each signal has a specific and definite meaning that will reveal a world of information about others."
"If you are interested to know & get better understand about people’s nonverbal & verbal actions or you want to analyze them within a short time frame, then this read will give you better ideas, guides, tips and various methods."
"I really liked this reading that what fully loaded with lots of info, guides, outlines & step by step instructions."
"This is book has everything that will help you get better understanding."
"Whether someone's lying to you, hitting on you, or bossing you around, you can read their intent and emotional state in their body language if you know what to pay attention to."
"This is an amazing book that will help you to learn about how to analyze someone."
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Best Literary History & Criticism

Camino Island: A Novel
A generous offer of money convinces Mercer to go undercover and infiltrate Bruce Cable’s circle of literary friends, ideally getting close enough to him to learn his secrets. a fresh, fun departure . a most agreeable summer destination.” — USA Today “Tasty . a most agreeable summer destination.” — USA Today.
Reviews
"I was originally expecting a few more "thriller" elements, but I'm actually glad that Grisham did not include chases or high suspense, because I think they would have weakened the story in the end."
"Another issue with the book was the basic unbelievability of the idea that an insurance company would consider a young, underachieving woman potentially valuable in uncovering a master thief who was hiding extremely valuable manuscripts that had been stolen from Princeton University - enough so that they would invest heavily in her as an undercover agent. I had no desire to stay up all night finishing the book, but I don't think it was meant to be an all night thriller - just a very pleasant read for lovers of books and book business."
"I’ve gotten several books recently that were a waste of effort (mine and the author’s), but I am happy to report this was nto the case."
"Not one of Grisham's best but still entertaining."
"If John Grishams name was not on this book,it would have never been published.It is banal ,trite and dull.Save your money and time,it isn't worthy of either one.."
"I'd gotten to the point where I thought I knew what to expect from him, so I automatically buy his new books the day they're first available."
"It starts out with some promisingly interesting characters pulling off a heist, 4 F Scott Fitzgerald manuscript, from the Princeton U library."
"I guess I am one of those kind of readers looking for entertainment that wraps everything up in a neat little package and the bad guys pay for their crimes."
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Best Teen & Young Adult Biography eBooks

The Diary of a Young Girl
Since its publication in 1947, it has been a beloved and deeply admired monument to the indestructible nature of the human spirit, read by millions of people and translated into more than fifty-five languages. Doubleday, which published the first English translation of the diary in 1952, now offers a new translation that captures Anne's youthful spirit and restores the original material omitted by Anne's father, Otto -- approximately thirty percent of the diary. A beloved classic since its initial publication in 1947, this vivid, insightful journal is a fitting memorial to the gifted Jewish teenager who died at Bergen-Belsen, Germany, in 1945. Her marvelously detailed, engagingly personal entries chronicle 25 trying months of claustrophobic, quarrelsome intimacy with her parents, sister, a second family, and a middle-aged dentist who has little tolerance for Anne's vivacity. The diary's universal appeal stems from its riveting blend of the grubby particulars of life during wartime (scant, bad food; shabby, outgrown clothes that can't be replaced; constant fear of discovery) and candid discussion of emotions familiar to every adolescent (everyone criticizes me, no one sees my real nature, when will I be loved?).
Reviews
"I first read this book (the edited down version) when I was nine years old, I received the book as a gift, and again when I was twelve for school. There is no reason for the edited version to still be used because children read Anne Frank's diary around ages 11-14 years old which was around age when Anne herself was writing the diary. I think this should stay on school book lists because some kids these days see the Holocaust as something that happened a long time ago that is meaningless now, without realizing that genocides and racial motivated violence still happens every day. Anne Frank's diary gives kids perspective and helps makes the tragic loss of life during WWII a tangible thing they can understand. The diary is so relate-able and reflects so many feelings that all teens have had, that she becomes three dimensional to them and no longer a just some person that died a long time ago. As we read the diary we see how much potential was lost not only in Anne but in her entire family. All that potential was lost millions of times over during WWII, and this is what we feel deep in our hearts upon closing the book. Toward the end of the diary we see just how difficult things have become for the family which is not always accurately represented in the movie versions of the diary. It's so important for kids to read about these conditions and contrast them with their own in order to not only feel grateful but to feel sympathy for those who lived in these terrible times. If you want to know more about what happened to Anne Frank after the diary, there is a book called "The Last Seven Months of Anne Frank" by Willy Lindwer which includes stories from people who met her in the camps."
"A recent trip to Amsterdam and a tour of the Secret Annex prompted me to buy the book and read it again. At times, it is just overwhelming to consider what it was like for her, her parents and sister, and the other residents of the Annex, to be couped up inside for around 2 years."
"I was quite surprised as I thought everyone knew who Anne Frank was. It is VERY important that each generation understand what happened during WWII so that we can recognize and stop it from happening again."
"I bought this book because I remember reading it when I was younger in school, but could not really remember most details or events. Her diary starts off when she was living with her family in Amsterdam and they kept hearing stories of the Germans seperating families and sending them to some camps."
"There was also more information about Anne and her natural curiosity about sex. If there is ever a book that every one gets to read in their life time, The Diary of a Young Girl is it."
"The Diary of a Young Girl, Anne Frank is a very compelling novel about the last two years of Anne's life and seven other individuals."
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Best Parenting Reference

What to Expect the First Year
Some things about babies, happily, will never change. But how moms and dads care for their brand-new bundles of baby joy has changed—and now, so has the new-baby bible. Announcing the completely revised third edition of What to Expect the First Year . The comprehensive month-by-month guide that clearly explains everything parents need to know about the first year with a new baby. With special sections on the older sibling; selecting the right physician; seasonal concerns and traveling with baby; managing childhood illnesses; and nurturing the adopted baby, the low-birthweight infant, and the baby with specific problems. She is also the creator of WhatToExpect.com and the WhatToExpect app, which reach over 11 million expecting and new parents, and the What to Expect Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping underserved families expect healthy pregnancies, safe deliveries, and healthy, happy babies.
Reviews
"It guides you through each phase: breastfeeding, diapering, nursery furniture purchase, buying baby's clothes and gear. I can skip through it, focus on the sections I am interested in the moment, and this is where Kindle version comes extremely helpful - click on the links - get connected to WTE website or app, check reviews, product recommendations and ratings, all from my Ipad."
"This book saved our lives.. even some of the smallest things are covered here."
"Easy to read, not boring, not judgemental, and 100% informative, this is a MUST read for any new parent (or even parents that are going for the 2nd or 3rd time)."
"Love this book, it is an absolute must-have resource for every parent."
"This helped tremendously. *by facilitating great and well-informed conversations before a Dr's wellness check-up visit. *gave peace of mind on minor incidents. Chapters are categorized and indexed well so I did not have to read everything in one sitting."
"I chose the Kindle version as one of my Amazon registry perks."
"I have three kids and this book was like a Bible to me for the first one."
"I wish there was more space for each daily entry and also other areas like doctors appointments and questions, but overall it is the best pregnancy journal I have found."
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Best Family Activities

The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World 2018 (The Unofficial Guides)
The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World 2018 explains how Walt Disney World works and how to use that knowledge to make every minute and every dollar of your vacation count. "If a restaurant serves bad food, or a gift item is overpriced, or a certain ride isn't worth the wait, we can say so, and in the process we hope to make your visit more fun, efficient, and economical." And because they've found that "spontaneity and self-discovery work about as well at Walt Disney World as they do on your tax return," The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World is packed full of essential advice for anyone braving the frontiers of the mother of all theme parks. "Indispensable". ― The New York Times.
Reviews
"Recommend, if you are going to Disney."
"You don't want a rained on Kindle (God forbid ) It seemed as thought there was a lot of "filler" in this book, I understand this is a subjective book , but just my opinion."
"However, many rides in WDW have been closed (Maelstrom, Backlot Tour, Pirates of the Caribbean, the sorcerers hat in DHS, etc) that are so significant they need to urgently put out a revised edition."
"So informative, it's insightful, and it's the go-to book for how to successfully navigate Disneyworld."
"Just got back from my first trip to Disney, information made the trip much better."
"I have used this book every time to help plan my trip. I have learned that if you do not plan a WDW trip as a "type A" personality, you will lose out not only on time, but money, and in the case of Walt Disney World....time equals your money spent."
"This fantastically organized and well-researched book includes attraction details for all four Disney Parks (Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Animal Kingdom, and Hollywood Studios), plus the same level of attraction details for both Universal Parks (Universal Studios and Universal Islands of Adventure). We admittedly went during the slower season, but following the touring plans in the book (with my modifications due to our interests) prevented us from having to ever wait in line for more than 10 minutes - and we got on most rides and attractions within about 2-3 minutes of arriving at the attraction. The Kindle version works great for how I use the book, but if you want to be able to have a hard copy of the park maps and touring plans with you, the paper book would be better. While older versions of this book would work in a pinch, I will likely continue to buy the latest edition of this book each time I plan a trip to Disney - the parks are constantly changing. I then use the touring plans in the back of the book to get an order in which to view the attractions in. Because we can ride things like that at any county fair in the state, we don't ride those sorts of rides at Disney - a fact which inevitably means the touring plans I used won't work for families with young children, as those are the rides they most want to see!"
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Best Parenting

What to Expect the First Year
Some things about babies, happily, will never change. But how moms and dads care for their brand-new bundles of baby joy has changed—and now, so has the new-baby bible. Announcing the completely revised third edition of What to Expect the First Year . The comprehensive month-by-month guide that clearly explains everything parents need to know about the first year with a new baby. With special sections on the older sibling; selecting the right physician; seasonal concerns and traveling with baby; managing childhood illnesses; and nurturing the adopted baby, the low-birthweight infant, and the baby with specific problems. She is also the creator of WhatToExpect.com and the WhatToExpect app, which reach over 11 million expecting and new parents, and the What to Expect Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping underserved families expect healthy pregnancies, safe deliveries, and healthy, happy babies.
Reviews
"Love this book, it is an absolute must-have resource for every parent."
"Mrs. Murkoff is a great author, woman, and encourager to all mothers."
"Reading this and looking up things like how to treat an infant's cold helped me as a brand new mom a lot!"
"I chose the Kindle version as one of my Amazon registry perks."
"It also helps me keep reality in check when other offer "advice"."
"Large book that seems somewhat daunting but quick read and able to skip over things that don’t apply (circumcision if your having a girl for example)."
"I bought this book for my pregnant sister, if it's anything like the edition I owned during my little ones first year than it's a must have for new moms."
"This book is very helpful for first time parents and even parents who are not beginners!"
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Best Aging Parents & Eldercare

The Glass Castle: A Memoir
Now a major motion picture from Lionsgate starring Brie Larson, Woody Harrelson, and Naomi Watts. MORE THAN SEVEN YEARS ON THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER LIST The perennially bestselling, extraordinary, one-of-a-kind, “nothing short of spectacular” ( Entertainment Weekly ) memoir from one of the world’s most gifted storytellers. Jeannette Walls's father always called her "Mountain Goat" and there's perhaps no more apt nickname for a girl who navigated a sheer and towering cliff of childhood both daily and stoically. In The Glass Castle , Walls chronicles her upbringing at the hands of eccentric, nomadic parents--Rose Mary, her frustrated-artist mother, and Rex, her brilliant, alcoholic father. As Rose Mary and Rex, motivated by whims and paranoia, uprooted their kids time and again, the youngsters (Walls, her brother and two sisters) were left largely to their own devices. Walls describes in fascinating detail what it was to be a child in this family, from the embarrassing (wearing shoes held together with safety pins; using markers to color her skin in an effort to camouflage holes in her pants) to the horrific (being told, after a creepy uncle pleasured himself in close proximity, that sexual assault is a crime of perception; and being pimped by her father at a bar). While Walls's father's version of Christmas presents—walking each child into the Arizona desert at night and letting each one claim a star—was delightful, he wasn't so dear when he stole the kids' hard-earned savings to go on a bender.
Reviews
"“We take a chance from time to time. And put our necks out on the line. And you have broken every promise that we made. And I have loved you anyway”. -- “Like a Fool” - Keira Knightley/ Lyrics - John Carney/“Begin Again” Soundtrack. Dysfunction and crushing poverty are at the heart of this memoir, but love is there, as well. Readers might find it difficult to accept these things in the casual “this was my life” presentation, as though it had no effect on her, as though she is used to having others feel that one must choose to either love and embrace or cast aside the person who inflicted the craziness upon them. Nothing about this memoir seeks pity, or condemnation of those who raised her, or even of the way she was raised, it just is the way it was, and now her life is different."
"This book deserves its status as a bestseller because it's fascinating and enlightening and because the author so masterfully tells her story without leading the reader to judge her family way one or the other."
"It is truly a fascinating exploration into the complicated dynamics of a lower class family struggling with alcoholism and mental illness, and is similar in many ways to the highly lauded Hillbilly Elegy."
"It's not often that I read the first few pages and I'm hit with a scene so enthralling that I'm scrambling to find the time to get to the end of the entire book."
"Then I saw where there was a movie made from this book."
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Best Family Health

On Becoming Baby Wise: Giving Your Infant the Gift of Nighttime Sleep
For over 20 years, On Becoming Babywise has been the de facto newborn parenting manual for naturally synchronizing your baby’s feeding time, waketime and nighttime sleep cycles, so the whole family can sleep through the night. Practical discussions then focus on broad and niche topics including feeding philosophies, baby sleep problems, baby scheduling challenges, nap routines, sleep training multiples, baby sleeping props, Colic and Reflux and many other dimensions which impact breast feeding schedules, bottle feeding tips and baby sleep training. 1) Taking care of baby and mom. 2) A timeline of what to expect and when. 3) Baby Sleep Training Problems and Solutions. 4) Monitoring Your Baby’s Growth. 5) Healthy Baby Growth Charts. My residents report a positive difference in the confidence of new mothers who work with this plan compared to those who do not. They consistently produce babies who are healthy, content, and who sleep through the night at an early age. "Since being introduced to the principles of Babywise, I have been convinced of its effectiveness in establishing sleep patterns and in decreasing the frequency of problems associated with infant feeding." This is the current and completely revised & updated version of On Becoming Babywise (the 5th edition, February 2012). It has a new chapter, several important revisions, the latest in medical updates, and is 19% longer than the former version. In becoming one of America's leading infant management guides, On Becoming Babywise has continued to improve its methods and practices throughout its 30 years and this latest version is the result of all the best over the last three decades. The Babywise method continues to gain global recognition for its common-sense approach to parenting a newborn. and co-author Gary Ezzo which helps parents successfully and naturally synchronize their baby's feeding time, waketime and nighttime cycles. Rather, our larger objective is to help prepare minds for the incredible task of raising a child. Your baby will not care if his head rests on designer sheets or beside Disney characters, nor is your success tied to his wardrobe or bedroom accessories, but rather to the beliefs and convictions that will eventually shape your parenting experience. It is our opinion that the achievements of healthy growth, contented babies, good naps, and playful wake times, as well as the gift of nighttime sleep, are too valuable to be left to chance. We realize there are a number of parenting theories being marketed today, most of which come gift-wrapped with unrealistic promises and unnecessary burdens. Spend time with relatives and friends who follow the Attachment Parenting style of infant care. The Appendices section in On Becoming Babywise contains charts, worksheets, and additional information relating to infant care. And while 70% of our mothers are still breast-feeding after six months, the national average encourage to follow demand feeding without any guidelines is only 20%. The authors demonstrate how order and stability are mutual allies of every newborn's metabolism and how parents can take advantage of these biological propensities. In particular, we note how an infant's body responds to the influences of parental routine or the lack thereof. Examine carefully the alternative theories and approaches, and specifically observe the end results. The best evaluation of any parenting philosophy, including Babywise, is not found in the reasoning or the logic of the hypothesis. " As family physicians and a husband-wife team, we are often asked questions related to parenting and the general care of children.
Reviews
"On Becoming Babywise taught me to tap into my God-given parental instincts while providing me medically-sound advice to equip me in teaching my infant to sleep through the night."
"My baby was sleeping 8 hours at night at 8 weeks old thanks to this book."
"Followed this sequence for my first child and he was sleeping through the night with a few weeks."
"Very informative book, looking forward to putting into practice."
"The tips in this book are great."
"Good book and easy read."
"Good guidelines like the pattern of "feed, wake, sleep" but I could have used more guidance like, how long do we let our 4 week old cry in her crib before picking her up to soothe her?"
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Best Family Relationship

Spilled Milk: Based On A True Story
Brooke Nolan is a battered child who makes an anonymous phone call about the escalating brutality in her home. When social services jeopardize her safety condemning her to keep her father’s secret, it’s a glass of spilled milk at the dinner table that forces her to speak about the cruelty she’s been hiding. When jury members and a love interest congregate to inspire her to fight, she risks losing the support of family and comes to the realization that some people simply do not want to be saved. Several colleges and high schools have incorporated the novel into their lesson plans and I've received tons of feedback from my voracious fans- I knew I needed to come out with a more polished and professional edition that was appropriate for the education system, my fans, and in general. Randis, author of bestselling novel Spilled Milk and thePillbillies series, started journaling at the age of six and had shortstories and poetry published by the time she was thirteen.She is a graduate of Pennsylvania State University and a certifiedexpert in the field of domestic violence. Randis engages audiences on a local and national level to raise awareness about child abuse, serving as a frequent commentator to media outlets.
Reviews
"A lot of us close our eyes and turn our backs to frightening things that were written about in this book."
"Sometimes bad things happen to good people and that thought breaks my heart."
"I think anyone that has or is experiencing domestic or sexual abuse should read Spilled Milk."
"A story of courage of a young child in a very dysfunctional home."
"It's surprising that his mum was such a friendly, helpful and understanding person given that her son was the complete opposite."
"there were times I had to put it down and collect myself because I could feel tears forming in my eyes."
"I just know after reading the conclusion that she has not only written a best seller but has helped save many lives by writing her story."
"Concisely written, she moves swiftly into illustrating her rise from a hell ruled by her father into an adolescence marked by determination to change the dynamic; she forges a life for herself in spite of her father and mother who want her to remain dependent."
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Best Special Needs Parenting

The Reason I Jump: The Inner Voice of a Thirteen-Year-Old Boy with Autism
It’s truly moving, eye-opening, incredibly vivid.”—Jon Stewart, The Daily Show NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY. NPR • The Wall Street Journal • Bloomberg Business • Bookish. Written by Naoki Higashida, a very smart, very self-aware, and very charming thirteen-year-old boy with autism, it is a one-of-a-kind memoir that demonstrates how an autistic mind thinks, feels, perceives, and responds in ways few of us can imagine. Using an alphabet grid to painstakingly construct words, sentences, and thoughts that he is unable to speak out loud, Naoki answers even the most delicate questions that people want to know. In his introduction, bestselling novelist David Mitchell writes that Naoki’s words allowed him to feel, for the first time, as if his own autistic child was explaining what was happening in his mind. “It is no exaggeration to say that The Reason I Jump allowed me to round a corner in our relationship.” This translation was a labor of love by David and his wife, KA Yoshida, so they’d be able to share that feeling with friends, the wider autism community, and beyond. Andrew Solomon is the author of several books including Far From the Tree and The Noonday Demon . David Mitchell: Autism comes in a bewildering and shifting array of shapes, severities, colors and sizes, as you of all writers know, Dr. Solomon, but the common denominator is a difficulty in communication. While not belittling the Herculean work Naoki and his tutors and parents did when he was learning to type, I also think he got a lucky genetic/neural break: the manifestation of Naoki's autism just happens to be of a type that (a) permitted a cogent communicator to develop behind his initial speechlessness, and (b) then did not entomb this communicator by preventing him from writing. Language, sure, the means by which we communicate: but intelligence is to definition what Teflon is to warm cooking oil. I guess that people with autism who have no expressive language manifest their intelligence the same way you would if duct tape were put over your mouth and a 'Men in Black'-style memory zapper removed your ability to write: by identifying problems and solving them. The only other regular head-bender is the rendering of onomatopoeia, for which Japanese has a synaesthetic genius – not just animal sounds, but qualities of light, or texture, or motion. DM: Their inclusion was, I guess, an idea of the book's original Japanese editor, for whom I can't speak. But for me they provide little coffee breaks from the Q&A, as well as showing that Naoki can write creatively and in slightly different styles. DM: Naoki has had a number of other books about autism published in Japan, both prior to and after Jump . This involves him reading 2a presentation aloud, and taking questions from the audience, which he answers by typing. (I happen to know that in a city the size of Hiroshima, of well over a million people, there isn't a single doctor qualified to give a diagnosis of autism.). It’s truly moving, eye-opening, incredibly vivid.” —Jon Stewart, The Daily Show “Please don’t assume that The Reason I Jump is just another book for the crowded autism shelf. This is an intimate book, one that brings readers right into an autistic mind—what it’s like without boundaries of time, why cues and prompts are necessary, and why it’s so impossible to hold someone else’s hand. This book takes about ninety minutes to read, and it will stretch your vision of what it is to be human.” —Andrew Solomon, The Times (U.K.). [Naoki Higashida’s] startling, moving insights offer a rare look inside the autistic mind.” — Parade. With about one in 88 children identified with an autism spectrum disorder, and family, friends, and educators hungry for information, this inspiring book’s continued success seems inevitable.” — Publishers Weekly “We have our received ideas, we believe they correspond roughly to the way things are, then a book comes along that simply blows all this so-called knowledge out of the water. Once you understand how Higashida managed to write this book, you lose your heart to him.” — New Statesman (U.K.) “Astonishing. In Mitchell and Yoshida’s translation, [Higashida] comes across as a thoughtful writer with a lucid simplicity that is both childlike and lyrical. Higashida is living proof of something we should all remember: in every autistic child, however cut off and distant they may outwardly seem, there resides a warm, beating heart.” — Financial Times (U.K.) “Higashida’s child’s-eye view of autism is as much a winsome work of the imagination as it is a user’s manual for parents, carers and teachers. “ The Reason I Jump is a wise, beautiful, intimate and courageous explanation of autism as it is lived every day by one remarkable boy. Naoki Higashida takes us ‘behind the mirror’—his testimony should be read by parents, teachers, siblings, friends, and anybody who knows and loves an autistic person. I only wish I’d had this book to defend myself when I was Naoki’s age.” —Tim Page, author of Parallel Play and professor of journalism and music at the University of Southern California “[Higashida] illuminates his autism from within.
Reviews
"I read a lot of books about autism because my brother is severely autistic. I am very thankful to Nagoki Higashida for answered questions that I have about my brother's behavior and the way that he thinks. His voice came through this book as very genuine and I have recognized some of the same feelings in my brother as Nagoki Higashida. I have read quite a few books written by Asperger's but this one by a boy who has autism rings home for me. I received this book as a win from FirstReads but that in no way influenced my thoughts or feelings in the review."
"Naoki-san repeats several mantras including “striving to do his best.” The book does challenge you to appreciate differences. “The conclusion is that both emotional poverty and an aversion to company are not symptoms of autism but consequences of autism, its harsh lockdown on self-expression and society’s near-pristine ignorance about what’s happening inside autistic heads.” As Naoki-san confirms, “I can’t believe that anyone born as a human being really wants to be left all on their own, not really.” Most telling for me was his confession that he wouldn’t want to ‘become normal.’ As he wisely states: “To give the short version, I’ve learned that every human being, with or without disabilities, needs to strive to do their best, and by striving for happiness you will arrive at happiness."
"I have a grandson with Asperger."
"The book gave insight into the struggles of a severely autistic person."
"Would recommend this book with anyone who has a child who sees the world differently to most."
"We all need to remember that any issue a child has, as Autism does not end at the age of 18. Before we judge someone, ask ourselves if there isn't something going on that we do not understand."
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Best Fertility

Taking Charge of Your Fertility: The Definitive Guide to Natural Birth Control, Pregnancy Achievement, and Reproductive Health
Enjoy highly effective and scientifically proven birth control without chemicals or devices Maximize your chances of conception before you see a doctor or resort to invasive high-tech options Expedite your fertility treatment by quickly identifying impediments to pregnancy achievement Gain control and a true understanding of your gynecological and sexual health. A fully revised and intuitive charting system A selection of personalized master charts for birth control, pregnancy achievement, breastfeeding, and menopause An expanded sixteen-page color insert that reflects the book’s most important concepts Six brand-new chapters on topics including balancing hormones naturally, preserving your future fertility, and three medical conditions all women should be aware of. Taking Charge of Your Fertility has helped literally hundreds of thousands of women avoid pregnancy naturally, maximize their chances of getting pregnant, or simply gain better control of their gynecological and sexual health. A fully revised and intuitive charting system A selection of personalized master charts for birth control, pregnancy achievement, breastfeeding, and menopause An expanded sixteen-page color insert that reflects the book’s most important concepts Six brand-new chapters on topics including balancing hormones naturally, preserving your future fertility, and three medical conditions all women should be aware of.
Reviews
"Every woman should know exactly how their bodies work and this book def opened my eyes. I also find that charting both bbt and cervical fluid works better than any ovulation app or period tracker. Its also a very helpful tool for your gyno so they can better pinpoint if there is an issue with ttc or another reproductive problem."
"Extremely informative book, good to use as a reference."
"I’m learning so much about my body and can’t stop raving about all the insight!"
"This book is so educational."
"So much great information, presented in a very clear and easy to understand way!"
"The book to get AND read."
"It's a really great book very informative very easy to read very easy to understand I would suggest it for anybody that's either trying to get pregnant or prevent pregnancy the natural way."
"I have LOVED this book."
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Best Adoption

Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand In the Sun and Be Your Own Person
The mega-talented creator of Grey’s Anatomy and Scandal and executive producer of How to Get Away With Murder chronicles how saying YES for one year changed her life―and how it can change yours, too. With three hit shows on television and three children at home, the uber-talented Shonda Rhimes had lots of good reasons to say NO when an unexpected invitation arrived. Except… except that Rhimes, the creator/producer of such intelligent TV shows as Grey’s Anatomy and Scandal is not only wiser, funnier, and cooler than your average therapist – she’s also been there, if “there” is the land of the angry, scared and emotionally dysfunctional. She also discovered that self-acceptance doesn’t always go smoothly: as she pithily observes, sometimes the people who loved you when you were angry, dark and “twisty” don’t like to hang around when you lighten up. “There’s real value in the experiences Rhimes shares… When, for example, she discusses learning to take better care of herself, the memoir feels honest, raw and revelatory.” — The Washington Post. She's warm, eminently relatable, and funny… Like a cashmere shawl you pack just in case, Year of Yes is well worth the purse space, and it would make an equally great gift. Rhimes opens up, and inspires, discussing her personal experiences as a sister, daughter, mother, friend and boss tempered with biting insights on societal expectations of women…[a] blend of biography and badassery.”. — Ebony.com. “Rhimes guides the reader through her transformative yearlong experiment, each chapter dealing with a different personal challenge for herself, and she lets us deep inside her brain, carefully laying out all of her fears and self doubt…candid and friendly, almost as if the two of you were catching up over drinks.”. — Slate.com. “A self help book dressed in casual clothes, lessons for living a better life told through relatable personal essays from the woman who set out to, in the course of a year, make her own better… There’s an uncanny familiarity to the journey Rhimes goes on… Never do you feel preached at while reading Rhimes’s book. This woman of huge fame and fortune is speaking directly to you, and she’s doing it with familiarity, humor, and earned wisdom… Year of Yes is an awakening as much as it is a reckoning. “Shamelessly entertaining…an antic, funny and surprisingly funky portrait of what it’s like to be one of the most fascinating forces in contemporary network television.”. — Buffalo News (Editor's Choice Review). “This memoir/call to arms from the one woman force behind Grey’s Anatomy , Scandal , and How to Get Away With Murder is basically a New Year’s resolution between two covers. “Brilliant…a peek into Rhimes' wise, funny, surprisingly candid brain, which contains opinions on everything from accepting compliments and balancing showrunning with single motherhood to, yes, the recent weight loss that's been (unfairly) making the most headlines.
Reviews
"And this is a praiseworthy, life affirming, sister-centric, love filled, thank you Jesus!, Where-has-this-book been-all-of-my-life kind of read. Let me count the ways: 1) First off, unlike a lot of authors, she did not pre-seed Amazon with preselected reviewers hitting up all 5 stars and offering formulaic praise. 3) In addition to being funny, she's pitch perfect in her capacity to convey authenticity, vulnerability, and confidence all within the same paragraph. 5) Her year of living fearlessly by fully stepping into her life and saying YES inspires because it shows that even a Shonda Rhimes can suffer from the "Who Me?" Granted, Shonda needed to say yes to things like hanging out with the Obama's or being honored as a Human Rights Boss, but she brilliantly shows that despite the loftiness of her life, like many of us she too struggled with stepping into her well earned right to "stand in the sun" without fear or apology."
"Willing to keep trying the reviews were great I guess I just don't have patients to wait that long for a book to get good."
"Her writing is candid, hysterical (I would frequently smile and giggle while reading on the subway), and enlightening. Even Shonda Rhimes has experienced anxiety, fear, & denial regarding herself and packaged it in such a way that reminds you that we all are human and get afraid and lie to ourselves, but we can all pull ourselves up and out from the trenches if we open ourselves up to life. Living life means saying yes to it and if you are already on your path of gaining deeper awareness of yourself and the world, this book will strengthen that spark and encourage FIRE!"
"I've recommended this book to my book club members (it's not even time for is to choose a new book) and to many others who would listen."
"Somewhere after the initial bunch of pages i dint quite frankly feel like going ahead with completing it...but i am not a quitter lol so i kept on and to my great pleasure the book just got more interesting to me after the initial 20% and i totally LOVED it to the last page."
"This titan of television tells us how one word completely changed her life and level of enjoyment and participation in her own life."
"This book seems to be the product of people telling Shonda Rhimes to write a book, and her agreeing to do it for the money."
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