Books for Parents

Last updated April 5, 2009

To submit an item, please click here. Items that are partisan, sectarian, discriminatory, commercial, or otherwise inappropriate will not be accepted. PTA Council retains sole editorial discretion. The Palo Alto Council of PTAs provides this sampling of book titles for information and education only. PTA strives for accuracy, but cannot be responsible for errors.


COLLEGE & CAREER

 
9-12
   CAREER.
•
 Krumboltz, John D. & Al S. Levin. Luck is No Accident: Making the Most of Happenstance in Your Life and Career. 2004.
 
     
     
 
9-12
   COLLEGE.
•
 College Board. The College Board College Handbook. (current year)
•
 Fiske, Edward. Fiske Guide to Colleges. (current year)
•
 Harvard Independent. 100 Successful College Application Essays. 2002.
•
 Jones, Marilee, & Kenneth R. Ginsburg. Less Stress, More Success: A New Approach to Guiding Your Teen Through College Admissions and Beyond. 2006.
•
 Mathews, Jay. Harvard Schmarvard: Getting Beyond the Ivy League to the College That is Best for You. 2003.
•
 Pope, Loren. Colleges that Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About Colleges. 2006.
•
 Rugg, Frederick E. Rugg's Recommendations of the Colleges. (current year)
•
 Springer, Sally. Admission Matters: What Students & Parents Need to Know About Getting Into College. 2005.
•
 Steinberg, Jacques. The Gatekeepers: Inside the Admissions Process of a Premier College. 2002.
•
 Thacker, Lloyd. College Unranked: Ending the College Admissions Frenzy. 2004.
•
 Yale Daily News Staff. The Insider's Guide to Colleges. (current year)
 
     
     
 
9-12
   GUNN & PALY COLLEGE/CAREER CENTERS.
The College & Career Centers at [Gunn] and [Paly] have lots of useful information on their web sites. In addition, each of them maintains a lending library of useful books.
 
     
     


LIBROS EN ESPAÑOL

  El Palo Alto Council de PTAs provee libros solo para información y educación.  
     
 
K-5
6-8
9-12
   LIBROS.
•
 Clark, Lynn. SOS Ayuda Para Padres: Una Guia Practica para Manejar Problemas de Conducta Comunes y Corrientes. 2003.
•
 Covey, Sean. 7 Habitos de los Adolecentes Altamente Efectivos. 2005.
•
 Dabbah, Mariela. Ayude a su Hijo a Tener Exito en la Escuela: Guia Especial para los Padres Latinos. 2006.
•
 Faber & Elaine Mazlish. Como Hablar para que Los Niños Escuchan: y Como Escuchar. 2005.
•
 Levine, Mel. Contra el mito de la pereza: Como niños -- y padres -- pueden ser más productivos. 2004.
•
 Levine, Mel. Mentes diferentes, aprendizajes diferentes: Un modelo educativo para desarrollar el potencial individual de cada niño. 2003.
 
     
     


FAMILY

 
K-5
6-8
9-12
   DIVORCE.
•
 Ferguson, Bill. . 1999.
•
 Fisher, Bruce. Rebuilding: When Your Relationship Ends. 2005.
•
 Harley, W. F. Jr., & J. Harley Chalmers. Surviving an Affair.
•
 Ricci, Isolina. Mom's House, Dad's House. 1997.
•
 Spring, Janis A. How Can I Forgive You? The Courage to Forgive, the Freedom Not To. 2005.
•
 Subotnik, Rona B. Surviving Infidelity: Making Decisions, Recovering from Pain. 2005.
 
     
     
 
K-5
6-8
9-12
   GRIEF.
•
 James, John W., and Russell Friedman. The Grief Recovery Handbook: The Action Program for Moving Beyond Death, Divorce, and Other Losses. 1998.
•
 Kübler-Ross, Elisabeth. On Death and Dying. 1997.
•
 Kübler-Ross, Elisabeth, & David Kessler. On Grief and Grieving: Finding the Meaning of Grief Through the Five Stages of Loss. 2005.
•
 Noel, Brook, & Pamela D. Blair. I Wash't Ready to Say Goodbye: Surviving, Coping and Healing After the Death of a Loved One. 2000.
 
     
     


GATE (GIFTED & TALENTED EDUCATION)

     
     


HEALTH

 
K-5
6-8
9-12
   STANFORD HEALTH LIBRARY.
Extensive collection of books, videos, medical journals, health letters, databases and periodicals. Many books and videos are available online. The scope ranges from basic to professional, technically-oriented info. The Stanford Health Library also boasts one of the most comprehensive collections of Chinese-language consumer health information in the country. Free research assistance and information packets on medical diagnoses and treatment are available. An ongoing series of community education talks on relevant health topics is offered, all presented by Stanford physicians and researchers. FREE and open to the public.
Location: Stanford Shopping Center, facing El Camino Real (next to Fleming's).
Hours: Mon-Sat, 10 to 6; Thursdays until 9 p.m.
Info: http://healthlibrary.stanford.edu, 725-8400, healthlibrary@stanfordmed.org.
 
     
     


LEARNING

 
K-5
6-8
9-12
   HOMEWORK.
•
 Bennett, Sara, & Nancy Kalish. The Case Against Homework. 2006.
•
 Canter, Lee. Homework Without Tears. 2005.
•
 Kohn, Alfie. The Homework Myth. 2006.
•
 Schumm, Jeanne Shay. How to Help Your Child With Homework. 2005.
•
 Zeman, Anne, & Kate Kelly. Everything You Need to Know About Math Homework. (Series: ... about ... Science, World History, American History, English, Geography Homework)
 
     
     
 
K-5
6-8
9-12
   MATH.
•
 Boaler, Jo. Experiencing School Mathematics. (6-8)
•
 Ma, Liping. Knowing and Teaching Elementary Mathematics. (K-6)
 
     
     
 
K-5
6-8
9-12
   READING.
For info about difficulties in learning to read, see also Special Education.
•
 Bouchard, David. For the Love of Reading: Books to Build Lifelong Readers. 2004.
•
 Codell, Esmé Raji. How to Get Your Child to Love Reading: For Ravenous and Reluctant Readers Alike. 2003.
•
 Fox, Mem. Reading Magic: Why Reading Aloud to Our Children Will Change Their Lives Forever. 2001.
•
 Thomas, Adele. Families at School: A Handbook for Parents. 1999.
•
 Trelease, Jim. Hey! Listen to This: Stories to Read Aloud. 1992.
•
 Trelease, Jim.The Read-Aloud Handbook. 2006.
 
     
     


PARENTING

 
K-5
6-8
9-12
   BOOKS FOR PARENTS.
•
 Boston University School of Education Parent Booklist: http://www.bu.edu/sed/caec/files/parentlist.htm
 
     
     
 
K-5
6-8
9-12
   PARENTING -- GENERAL.
•
 Calkins, Lucy. Raising Lifelong Learners: A Parent's Guide. 1997.
•
 Cline, Foster W., & Jin Fay. Parenting Teens with Love and Logic. 2006.
•
 Covey, Sean: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens. 1998.
•
 Doherty, William J., & Barbara Carlson. Putting Family First: Successful Strategies for Reclaiming Family Life in a Hurry-Up World. 2002.
•
 Edgette, Janet Sasson. Stop Negotiating with Your Teen: Strategies for Parenting Your Angry, Manipulative, Moody, or Depressed Adolescent. 2002.
•
 Elkind, David. The Hurried Child: Growing Up Too Fast, Too Soon. 2001.
•
 Faber, Adele & Elaine Mazlish. How To Talk So Kids Will Listen. 2001.
•
 Goldberg, Donna. The Organized Student: Teaching Children the Skills for Success in School and Beyond. 2005.
•
 Gurian, Michael. Boys and Girls Learn Differently!: A Guide for Teachers and Parents. 2002.
•
 Levine, Madeline. The Price of Privilege: How Parental Pressure and Material Advantage are Creating a Generation of Disconnected and Unhappy Kids. 2006.
•
 Levine, Mel. The Myth of Laziness. 2003.
•
 Meier, Deborah. In Schools We Trust: Creating Communities of Learning in an Era of Testing and Standardization. 2003.
•
 Mogel, Wendy. The Blessing of a Skinned Knee. 2001.
•
 Nelson, Jane, & Lynn Lott. Positive Discipline for Teenagers. 2000.
•
 Neufeld, Gordon, & Gabor Maté. Hold On to Your Kids: Why Parents Need to Matter More than Peers. 2005.
•
 Phelan, Thomas W. Surviving Your Adolescents: How to Manage -- and Let Go Of -- Your 13-18 Year Olds. 1998.
•
 Pope, Denise Clark. Doing School: How We Are Creating a Generation of Stressed-Out, Materialistic, and Miseducated Students. 2001.
•
 Riera, Michael. Staying Connected to Your Teenager. 2003.
•
 Riera, Michael. Uncommon Sense for Parents with Teenagers. 2004.
•
 Rosenfeld, Alvin. The Over-Scheduled Child: Avoiding the Hyper-Parenting Trap. 2001.
•
 Simon, Katherine G. Moral Questions in the Classroom: How to Get Kids to Think Deeply About Real Life and Their Schoolwork. 2003.
•
 Stepp, Laura Sessions. Our Last Best Shot: Guiding Our Children Through Early Adolescence. 2000.
•
 Stipek, Deborah. Motivated Minds: Raising Children to Love Learning. 2001.
•
 Thomas, Adele. Families at School: A Handbook for Parents. 1999.
•
 Wolf, Anthony. Get Out of My Life, but First Could You Drive Me and Cheryl to the Mall? 2002.
 
     
     
 
K-5
6-8
9-12
   PARENTING -- BOYS.
•
 Gurian, Michael. The Good Son: Shaping the Moral Development of Our Boys and Young Men. 1999.
•
 Gurian, Michael. The Wonder of Boys.
•
 Gurian, Michael & Kathy Stevens. The Minds of Boys: Saving Our Sons from Falling Behind in School and Life. 2007.
•
 Kindlon, Dan, & Michael Thompson. Raising Cain: Protecting the Emotional Life of Boys.
•
 Pollock, Williams, & Mary Pipher. Real Boys: Rescuing Our Sons from the Myths of Boyhood. 1999.
•
 Thompson, Michael, & Teresa Barker. Speaking of Boys: Answers to the Most-Asked Questions About Raising Sons. 2000.
 
     
     
 
K-5
6-8
9-12
   PARENTING -- GIRLS.
•
 Costin, Carolyn. Your Dieting Daughter ... Is She Starving for Attention? 1996.
•
 Dellasega, Cheryl. Surviving Ophelia: Mothers Share Their Wisdom in Navigating the Tumultuous Teenage Years. 2002.
•
 Gurian, Michael. The Wonder of Girls: Understanding the Hidden Nature of Our Daughters. 2002.
•
 Pipher, Mary. Reviving Ophelia: Saving the Selves of Adolescent Girls. 1994.
•
 Shandler, Sara. Ophelia Speaks: Adolescent Girls Write About Their Search for Self. 1999.
•
 Simmons, Rachel. Odd Girl Out: The Hidden Aggression in Girls. 2003.
•
 Tannen, Deborah. You're Wearing That? Understanding Mothers and Daughters in Conversation. 2006.
•
 Wiseman, Rosalind. Queen Bees and Wannabees: Helping Your Daughter Survive Cliques, Gossip, Boyfriends, and Other Realities of Adolescence. 2003.
 
     
     


SAFETY

 
K-5
6-8
9-12
   BULLYING.
•
 College Board. The College Board College Handbook. (current year)
•
 Fiske, Edward. Fiske Guide to Colleges. (current year)
•
 Harvard Independent. 100 Successful College Application Essays. 2002.
 
     
     
 
K-5
6-8
9-12
   RACISM.
•
 Anti-Defamation League. Hate Hurts: How Children Learn and Unlearn Prejudice.
•
 Bullard, Sarah. Teaching Tolerance. 1997.
•
 Mathias, Barbara. 40 Ways to Raise a Nonracist Child. 1996.
•
 Reddy, Maureen. Everyday Acts Against Racism: Raising Children in a Multi-Racial World. 2000.
 
     
     


SPECIAL EDUCATION

 
K-5
6-8
9-12
   ADHD, LEARNING DISABILITIES,
& BEYOND LABELS.
•
 Hamaguchi, Patricia McAleer. Childhood Speech, Language, & Listening Problems: What Every Parent Should Know.
•
 Rief, Sandra F. How to Reach & Teach Children with ADD/ADHD: Practical Techniques, Strategies, & Interventions.
•
 Fletcher, Jack M., G. Reid Lyon, Lynn S. Fuchs, & Marcia A. Barnes. Learning Disabilities: From Identification to Intervention.
•
 Jensen, Peter S. Making the System Work for Your Child with ADHD (Making the System Work for Your Child)
•
 Eide, Brock, & Fernette Eide. The Mislabeled Child: How Understanding Your Child's Unique Learning Style Can Open the Door to Success.
•
 Sternberg, Robert J., & Elena Grigorenko. Our Labeled Children: What Every Parent & Teacher Needs to Know About Learning Disabilities.
•
 Klass, Perri, & Eileen Costello. Quirky Kids: Understanding & Helping Your Child Who Doesn't Fit In -- When to Worry & When Not to Worry.
 
     
     
 
K-5
6-8
9-12
   ANXIETY, DEPRESSION,
OCD, & BIPOLAR DISORDER
•
 Spence, Sue. Helping Your Anxious Child: a Step-by-Step Guide for Parents.
•
 Barnard, Martha Underwood. Helping Your Depressed Child: a Step-by-Step Guide for Parents.
•
 Fitzgibbons, Lee, PhD. Helping Your Child with OCD: a Workbook for Parents of Children with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.
•
 Faedda, Gianni L. Parenting a Bipolar Child: What to Do & Why.
 
     
     
 
K-5
6-8
9-12
   AUTISM, PDD, ASPERGER'S,
& DEVELOPMENTAL DELAYS
•
 Exkorn, Karen Siff. The Autism Sourcebook: Everything You Need to Know about Diagnosis, Treatment, Coping, & Healing.
•
 Wiseman, Nancy. Could It Be Autism?: A Parent's Guide to the First Signs & Next Steps.
•
 Bashe, Patricia Romanowski, Barbara L. Kirby, Simon Baron-Cohen, & Tony Attwood. The OASIS Guide to Asperger Syndrome: Completely Revised & Updated: Advice, Support, Insight, & Inspiration.
•
 LeComer, Laurie Fivozinsky. A Parent's Guide to Developmental Delays: Recognizing & Coping with Missed Milestones in Speech, Movement, Learning, & Other Areas.
•
 Gutstein, Steven E., & Rachelle K. Sheely. Relational Development Intervention with Young Children: Social & Emotional Development Activities for Asperger Syndrome, Autism, PDD & NLD.
 
     
     
 
K-5
6-8
9-12
   DOWN SYNDROME
•
 Logan, Patricia. Teaching Reading to Children with Down Syndrome.
 
     
     
 
K-5
6-8
9-12
   INCLUSION
•
 Thomas, Gary and Andrew Loxley. Deconstructing Special Education & Constructing Inclusion.
•
 Corbett, Jenny. Supporting Inclusive Education: A Connective Pedagogy.
 
     
     
 
K-5
6-8
9-12
   PHYSICAL DISABILITIES
•
 Albrecht, Donna G. Raising a Child Who Has a Physical Disability.
 
     
     
 
K-5
6-8
9-12
   SPECIAL EDUCATION RIGHTS UNDER THE LAW
•
 Special Education Rights & Responsibilities (SERR). (Updated Dec 2005). (Available through http://www.pai-ca.org.)
•
 Wright, Peter W. D., & Pamela Darr Wright. Wrightslaw: From Emotions to Advocacy -- the Special Education Survival Guide.
•
 Wright, Peter , & Pamela Darr Wright. Wrightslaw: Special Educaztion Law, 2nd Ed.
 
     
     
 
K-5
6-8
9-12
   SENSORY INTEGRATION DISORDER
•
 Kranowitz, Carol Stock, & Larry B. Silver. The Out-of-Sync Child: Recognizing and Copying with Sensory Integration Dysfunction.
 
     
     
 
K-5
6-8
9-12
   SPECIAL NEEDS, SPECIAL EDUCATION
•
 Winter, Judy. Breakthrough Parenting for Children with Special Needs: Raising the Bar of Expectations.
•
 Greenspan, Stanley I., Serena Wieder, & Robin Simons. The Child with Special Needs: Encouraging Intellectual & Emotional Growth.
•
 Stehli, Annabel. Dancing in the rain: Stories of Exceptional Progress by Parents of Children with Special Needs.
•
 Lavin, Judith Loseff. Special Kids Need Special Parents: A Resource for Parents of Children with Special Needs.
•
 Poon-McBrayer, Kim Fong, & Ming-Gon John Lian. Special Needs Education: Children with Exceptionalities.
 
     
     
 
K-5
6-8
9-12
   SPEECH, LANGUAGE,
& READING COMPREHENSION
•
 Dougherty, Dorothy P. Teach Me How to Say It Right: Helping Your Child with Articulation Problems.
•
 Bell, Nanci. Visualizing & Verbalizing for Language Comprehension & Thinking.
 
     
     


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