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Go from "Cover to Cart" . . . What does that mean? EACH BOOK'S COVER IS AN AMAZON.com ORDERING LINK |
Karr-Morse, Robin and Wiley, Meredith S. Ghosts From the Nursery: Tracing the Roots of Violence .(Introduction by Dr. T. Berry Brazelton). The Atlantic Monthly Press: New York. 1999.
We have been witnessing some shocking events in the lives of children. The latest was a 6-year old boy shooting his classmate in school in front of his teacher and other students. Ghosts From the Nursery presents startling evidence that violent behavior is linked to abuse and neglect during the first two years of life. The author presents case after case to illustrate this relationship. The media is also full of stories describing infants and young children dwelling in chaotic environments where drugs, felons, abuse and neglect are the norm. What will these children become? What will happen to these children? What can WE do to stop this trend of children becoming violent people?Resilience is a quality that needs to be nurtured. The unconditional love by even one person during the 0-3 years period will often be enough to strengthen children through their difficult lives. Without this "special" person's love, many children slip through the cracks and make their way into adulthood carrying scars from the nursery. This book is a necessary read for those trying to make policy changes that affect the lives of children. Do you know about "Cover to Cart"? |
Katzen-Luchenta, Jan. Awakening Your Toddler's Love of Learning . Emunah Publishing Co., 1999.
 Jan Katzen-Luchenta is a Directress of a Montessori Toddler House. Her approach to guiding children is true to the teaching of Maria Montessori. For parents who desire to establish a Montessori setting at home, this book gives wonderfully practical suggestions. Jan delves into the developmental stages of toddlerhood and has real insight into the growth of toddlers. She provides useful ideas for handling everyday problems as well as giving us an understanding for “why” those problems occur. This would be a good book for discussion by team teachers working with toddlers in any setting. (This book available privately only!) |
Kramer, Rita. Maria Montessori, A Biography. Reading, MA: Addison- Wesley Publishing Co., Inc., 1988.
 Kramer has given us an in-depth look at Maria Montessori's life and how she developed her fresh philosophy of education. This book covers the political and historical situations that affected Montessori and follows her travels in search of a place in which to put her application to use. The reader becomes intimately acquainted with the "big names" of the Montessori movement. |
Lickona, Thomas, Ph.D. Raising Good Children: From Birth Through the Teenage Years. New York: Bantam Books, 1983.
How do we as parents instill a "sense of honesty, decency, and respect for others" in our children? The teaching of values is of great concern to parents and this book clearly demonstrates practical methods to use. It is organized in an easy format and covers most problems parents encounter over the years. |
Lieberman, Alicia F., Ph.D.The Emotional Life of the Toddler. New York: The Free Press, 1993.
This book does a wonderful job of presenting the reasons for a toddler's behavior. Lieberman provides realistic and encouraging examples to help your child navigate his / her way through this time of life. It is often difficult for us to think of the right words to use when our child throws us a new piece of misbehavior. This book provides all the "proper" words and explains simply WHY those phrases are the best. Remember that "toddler" encompasses all children who have just learned to walk until about the middle of the second year. There are many references to the emotional life of infants also. A good read! |
Montagu, Ashley. Touching: The Human Significance of the Skin. New York: Harper & Row, Publishers, 1986.
Montagu has brought together in one book the best research on all aspects of touching. The emphasis is on the importance of tactile stimulation in infancy. His discussion of infancy is excellent. This book should be required reading for all, but especially for parents and Caregivers of children. |
Montessori, Maria. The Absorbent Mind. Oxford, England: Clio Press, 1994.
 Based on lectures given by Montessori at Ahmedabad, this book covers the early development of language, motor skills, social adjustments and work habits. Physical and psychological growth is discussed. The idea of the mind absorbing information during the first three years of life is of enormous importance coinciding with the new information about brain development. |
Montessori, Maria. The Discovery of the Child. India: Kalakshetra Publications, 1966.
 This book is broader in scope than Montessori's other books. She describes how the Montessori Method covers the entire development of the human being, from infancy to adulthood. This method has been used on all five continents by many cultures, religious groups, and all social classes. This translation by Mary A. Johnstone is a little different than the usual translation by M. Joseph Costelloe. It is more true to Montessori's style of speaking and is almost musical in quality. |
Montessori, Maria. The Secret of Childhood. New York: Ballantine Books, 1966.
 This translation by M. Joseph Costelloe covers the application of the Montessori Method to all children. There is good coverage of infancy with emphasis on the "spiritual embryonic stage" as well as the absorbent mind. Even those educators not using this method will benefit from Montessori's discussion of the early years of life. |
Nilsson, Lennart. A Child is Born. New York: Dell Publishing, 1993.
 This book is important for all those studying infant development. Along with the accompanying video tape, it contains a complete program in prenatal development. The photographs are stunning and the text is easily read. Besides development, the topics discussed are: How to have a healthy pregnancy, problem deliveries, premature births, infertility, and the latest research in human reproduction. |
Payne, Ruby K., Ph.D. A Framework for Understanding Poverty. Highlands, Texas: aha! Process, Inc., 2001.
 A MUST read for educators! Dr. Ruby Payne shows us that the divide between rich and poor is made of much more than just economic concerns. Children who start school at any level (Preschool-12) have an entire package of learning to acquire in order to be successful. Language is different, expectations are different and hidden messages are difficult to decode. Dr. Payne provides a rich discussion of this issue and how it impacts school success for all children. Be sure to read the notes at the end of the book. They broaden the message Dr. Payne gives us. |
Pearce, Joseph Chilton. Magical Child. New York: Penguin Books, 1977.
 This is an intriguing book which gives us hope for the future of our world. In the Western world we have continually underestimated the capabilities of infants. The recent outpouring of information about brain development has opened our minds and this book carries us even further into the "World of Infants". It is exciting to read in spite of its academic nature. |
Sammons, William, A.H., M.D. The Self-Calmed Baby. New York: Little, Brown, 1989.
 The guidelines in this book help with the early formation of self-esteem, confidence and stress-coping skills in the infant. This, in turn, creates a stress-free relationship between infant and parents. By learning to listen to and truly pay attention to the infant, an adult Caregiver can help the child learn to calm him/her self. This is also a useful book for child care personnel as these techniques work well in a group setting. Some ideas in this book are questionable. Use caution. |
Sherman, Joanne, M.S., R.N., A.P.N., C. Because It's My Body! New Jersey: S.A.F.E. For Children Publishing, L.L.C., 2002.
This book demonstrates a gentle, nonthreatening method of teaching young children how to keep control over "who" does "what" to their bodies. The text does not specify good or bad touches or even sexual touches, but gives a general technique to handle ALL touches. This book can provide dialogue between children and their parents. It can also be shared with others who provide care for children. The underlying theme is respect which leads to safety. Illustration is by John Steven Gurney.
You may order this book here. This book is not available through Amazon.com. "This book has received rave reviews from pre-k through 1st graders." |
Shonkoff, J., & Phillips, D. (Eds.). From Neurons to Neighborhoods: The Science of Early Childhood Development. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press, 2000.
The product of a two and one half year investigation involving 22 members of the Committee on Integrating the Science of Early Childhood Development. This committee is part of the National Academy of Sciences. The funding for the study came from a wide range of public and private sponsors. The best minds in the fields of neurobiological studies and behavioral and social sciences converge to create the "SCIENCE" of early childhood development. The old "nature vs. nurture" battle is revisited as well as the impact of culture on development. This book contains an in-depth discussion of the latest early brain development information. Research well-documents the fact that the first years of life are important! They build the base for future development. "Windows of opportunity" do not "close" at certain ages making learning impossible. However, learning of some skills is easier in early life. The effort to develop these skills past the "window of opportunity" involves not only more work but the extra cost of intervention. Environment is important to early learning. Relationships, however, are the core of it all in early childhood. This book clearly spells this out so policy makers and businesses will know what is necessary in the making of our next generation. This is a valuable resource for any professional library. Go "Cover to Cart" to really support caregivers! |
Small, Meredith F. Our Babies, Ourselves: How Biology and Culture Shape the Way We Parent. New York: Anchor Books, 1999.
The subtitle of this book is, “How Biology and Culture Shape the Way We Parent”. Meredith Small gives us an anthropological view of infancy. She looks at the history of parenting babies over a multicultural vista. Her discussion of nursing, the make-up of mother’s milk, co-sleeping and SIDS are top notch. There is much to think about after reading this book. One has no choice but to reconsider the value of some of the present methods used in rearing today’s babies. This is a MUST read for parents, educarers and, most especially, policy makers. Find out what "Cover to Cart" purchasing is! |
Wegner-Hay, Martha. Embracing Laura. Omaha, NE: Centering Corporation, 1998.
Have you ever grieved over the loss of a child, or watched friends or family do so? Were you at a loss of words to describe the feelings you experienced? This little book, only seventeen (17) pages, by Martha Wegner-Hay conveys her family's grief process following the loss of Laura, one of her twins. It provides an understanding for the words to say to others who are experiencing the depths of a personal loss, whether or not for a twin. Some hospitals provide this book to parents as they grapple with the pain of "WHY our baby?". Martha's pain is evident in her writing. However, she takes us to the plane of acceptance and peace. This is a good resource for all parents, grandparents and caregivers. Embracing Laura sharpens our sensitivity and makes us better for the experience. "Cover to Cart"! |