(Part 2) Best parents books for children according to redditors
We found 285 Reddit comments discussing the best parents books for children. We ranked the 162 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the products ranked 21-40. You can also go back to the previous section.
I work at a kid's bookstore and get this question all the time! Here are some of my favorite recommendations:
The Chrestomanci books by Diana Wynne Jones, and some of her other books too, like Howl's Moving Castle would be fantastic. She writes great fantasy.
The Emerald Atlas series is great for adventure.
Shannon Hale writes wonderful fairy tale type books. Start her off with Princess Academy or Goose Girl.
Jessica Day George is also a favorite at our store. Tuesdays at the Castle or Dragon Slippers would be great starts to new series.
Kate DiCamillo is wonderful. Her newest book Flora & Ulysses was awesome.
I loved Savvy and Scumble by Ingrid Law. If she likes those she could also try A Tangle of Knots and A Snicker of Magic. Not all one series, but similar ideas.
And lastly maybe something by Brandon Mull? He writes really fun fantasy adventure stories.
I'm so sorry, but so glad for those kids that they have you under the circumstances. I'm sure this isn't a high priority right now, but once the kids get settled in, you might get some age-appropriate picture books to help them process their mother's death. For their ages, I recommend Missing Mommy (though you'll want to change the word "Daddy" to your own name when you read it) and I Miss You: A First Look at Death. Sesame Street offers some good online resources as well. I also HIGHLY recommend reading this PDF guide to talking with children about death. And of course, get some counseling support for them and for yourself. This is an incredible undertaking, and I just want to thank you on behalf of those kiddos.
I recommend this book:
https://www.amazon.com/Clean-Your-Room-Easy-Steps/dp/0375844104
https://www.amazon.com/Clean-Your-Room-Easy-Steps/dp/0375844104
Reading level: 4-8 years
This is tough. My two best pieces of advice are just mom & daughter stuff, but that will hopefully make the “Girl Scout” stuff better.
The first is to choose a time when you’re both calm and nobody is hyped up or already angry. Talk with her, but mostly just listen. This is not the time to deliver a lecture. You’re going to just ask her why she behaved that way in that situation, and you’re going to hold all of your comments until she’s done. When she’s finished talking you’re going to remain nonjudgemental. And then, when you tell your side of what happened, you’re going to draw a very bright dividing line between her feelings and her behavior. You DON’T judge her for her feelings, but she IS responsible for her behavior and how it impacts other people.
So for example this is what I might say to my own daughter: “I’m sorry that you were feeling ignored and wanted my attention. And I’m sorry that was happening at the exact same time we were having our meeting. I know what it’s like to feel ignored, and it’s an awful feeling. What I need to tell you is that your behavior was not in line with what I expect from ALL of you girls during meetings, and the way that you chose to behave actually impacted Jill and Annie really negatively- they were talking after the meeting about possibly leaving the troop. The choices that you made: to talk over others, interrupt, and go off-topic? That made it really hard for everyone to get business done. I’m sorry that you were feeling not quite like yourself, but you need to do your best to be on good Girl Scout behavior, especially during Girl Scout events. I’m not asking you to be a perfect little plastic Barbie doll at all times, but I DO expect you to behave respectfully to everyone during meetings. I’d like you to call Jill and Annie directly and apologize for how your behavior impacted them. And then I need you to think about whether you can agree to make better choices next time.”
The second piece of mom/daughter advice is to look online for a mother-daughter journal, where you can write back and forth privately. It’s been great for me and my daughter. She and I can both write about stuff that might be too embarrassing or “heavy” to talk about in person, and we also don’t have to be in the same room at the same time to “talk”. I write and put it on her pillow and she writes back and puts it on mine.
This is the one we have now. Some prompts are cheesy, most are really thoughtful, and there’s also enough blank pages to talk about other things.
Good luck!
> I don't think I can name one picture book we have that deals with a child's parent going to jail.
I'm confused. The picture this thread is for is of an picture book called "The Night Dad went to Jail". So shouldn't you be able to name that one?
Here's a few others from a quick search https://www.amazon.com/My-Daddys-Jail-Anthony-Curcio/dp/0692470433, https://www.amazon.com/My-Dad-Jail-Amber-Ryan/dp/0615897568, https://www.amazon.com/Far-Apart-Close-Heart-Incarcerated/dp/0807512753
Do you just mean that your library doesn't have any?
This book is SO much fun. It’s an interactive one so more fun when they get a little older.
A fun story about sharing and the importance of friendship when you need help.
This one is a hilarious story about a mean dog falling out a window lol. It was recommended to me by a little girl at Barnes and Noble. She picked it up and said “Wanna read about the worst dog ever?” She wasn’t wrong haha.
Just a nice little rhyming bedtime story about construction equipment.
Yes, like the Raffi song! Singing books are sooo great to help get your little one interested in talking. This was one of my favorite songs as a kid but I only recently found out about the book. My son loves singing this with me.
About loving your kid no matter who they are. Although I feel like it’s slightly geared toward moms of boys, it’s great for any kid or parent (they don’t actually use pronouns for the kid in the book FYI).
About the dreams and wishes for your baby as they grow up. Definitely on the sappy side, geared a little more toward moms of girls but I read it to my son often (and cry while I do it).
Cute rhyming story about the importance of friendship and being nice to those you meet.
This one is a little older but idk if everyone has heard of it. It’s essentially an interactive book that teaches your kid that they have control of monsters. Each page pieces together a picture of a monster (it’s not a scary one), until you tell the monster to go away, and then each page takes a piece of the monster away.
The Pigeon books, Elephant and Piggie books, and Knuffle Bunny are all great. Funny for adults and engaging for kids.
(Will edit and add more later as I think of them)
Mama, Do You Love Me by Barbara M. Joosse
Link: http://www.amazon.com/Mama-Do-You-Love-Me/dp/087701759X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1373500262&sr=8-1&keywords=mama+do+you+love+me
Generally, I would just go through here.
Specifically, here are some lists of my favs:
one
two
[I](http://www.amazon.com/Appetit-Delicious-Life-Julia-Child/dp/0375869441/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=3RPKDHM4EC9XE&coliid=I2BZYDMR4J2UQQ_ L LOVE BOOKS TOO!! :)
Isn't there a song about diarrhea? :)
(Ever since I came across songs about mixing cement and washing dishes --- I've been delighted to keep them in a mental list.)
If you wanted to add a tinge of adventure (and maybe extra amusement when you read?) you can add Neil Gaiman's "The Day I Swapped My Dad for Two Goldfish"
Yes! I found this book at Target one day and it is my absolute favorite!! I cry my eyes out every time I read it! Highly recommend this one as well: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1416928111/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1
It isn't about infertility, but it is so, so special.
I love Mitchell Goes Driving
Another book, illustrated by the same guy, that I loved as a kid.
I came out when my youngest niece was 5 years old. I gave her a copy of the book I Am Jazz. I have also heard the books Jacob's New Dress and Annie's Plaid Shirt are good.
How My Parents Learned to Eat by Ina R. Friedman?
We dealt with something similar where BM would smother the SD's constantly when they were over there, so any time they came to our house they weren't used to not being taken care of constantly or having a cheerleader shadowing them all the time. Which meant any second they had to themselves to think, they immediately went to "I miss mommy". It was sooooo frustrating, and it took SO a long time talking to them about how it was perfectly ok for them to do their own thing sometimes. That they are getting older and as such will need to be able to soothe themselves out of discomfort. Their feelings are legit, they are allowed to have them, but we couldn't let them just wallow in misery the whole time. We'd also focus on positive things when they'd come over, like what their favourite part of their day was, what made them laugh, etc.
Maybe look into some books on feelings, missing the other parent, growing up. The Invisible String is a good one. SO spent a lot of time during the bedtime routine, which was usually when their anxiety and "I miss mom" was the worst. He's STILL doing the same routine now. Just letting the kids know the routine, know what to expect, and having that predictability really helped.
A photo mug with our daughters first 5 months of birthday pictures plus new born pictures
You are the father Maury tshirt https://www.etsy.com/listing/279532822/you-are-the-father-maury-povich-fathers?ref=shop_home_active_23
And these two books
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1452102511/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1416941207/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
How My Parents Learned To Eat ?
Journey to Nowhere
https://www.amazon.com/Journey-Nowhere-Mary-Jane-Auch/dp/0440414911
Oh, I <3 looking for books for my kids!! They are 14, 13, 12, 11, and 5. Our son is the youngest, and he loves all the books that his older sisters loved when they were younger. :D
Oh my gosh...Get those kids some books!
I would love this book for our oldest daughter if I win, please.
/u/DrUsual...can you think of any?
Thank you for the contest!
We found this book helpful:
https://www.amazon.ca/Can-Catch-Like-Cold-Depression/dp/088776956X
Thanks for the chance! Lets have a Dance Party! I just made a wishlist to stock on books for a fifth grade class I help at. I know the students love these books.
I had no idea what a Mukluk was until my son was born last year. Now I think of it as a place to put lemmings when you're feeling naughty.
Monkey Puzzle?
Daddy hugs! https://www.amazon.com/Daddy-Hugs-Classic-Board-Books/dp/1416941207
My 3yo loved this book when she was tiny and my 7mo loves it currently. So colorful and lots of fun stuff you can enact while reading it.
Absolutely! Just ordered one with writing prompts from Amazon for my wife and daughter.
link
My son is 2.5, I love reading to him.
He absolutely loves The Gruffalo and can remember all the words. He even says randomly "Daddy, i'm going to tell you a story about the gwuffawo"
Monkey Puzzle is also a fave.
Hungry Caterpillar is a must really. One of my childhood favourites.
The Lauren Child books are great fun too.
Join the library if you havent already (my boy has his own library card which he thinks is pretty cool) it means you don't have to buy them all and aren't stuck with piles of them. He also likes going and choosing them too.
This comment will be after the funeral, but for what it's worth, I took my two daughters to see my wife's body, and it was more upsetting for me. But my oldest was just 4 at the time, youngest 2. So I think the 9 yo is a different equation altogether. But it leads me to my answer to this - "For those single fathers who lost their partners, how did you stay strong for the children? " Well, the truth is the kids have been the motivation to stay strong in general. Again, it might be different with an older kid. But in the end, it's been about openness, honesty, grieving openly together. About 2 years in now, and still I feel I'm just at the beginning. The kids are doing great, but it is the older one that is confronted more often with feeling the reality of it emotionally. As for advice on what to do, I think it depends so much on the personalities involved. I have found that offers of help frustrate me for showing and highlighting my weekness and vulnerability, and can sometimes be intrusive. At the same time, when people withdraw or are just giving me space, I think they are cold and thoughtless. Perhaps understand that you might have to tread lightly, but perhaps an ongoing reminder that you're there to help, and picking up on subtle queues as to where that help might be welcome. Be there for the long haul. I think someone bugging me with a very quick and polite and unobtrusive concerning phone call or text or email once a week, that continues despite my wavering response and assertions that everything is OK - I think that would help. What a tough time for you and your cousin. We read this book a lot in the beginning .... not for everyone I'm sure, but maybe gently offer to buy it for the little one to read together with her dad? http://www.amazon.com/Missing-Mommy-Book-About-Bereavement/dp/0805095071/ It brought us a lot of tears, but helped us have something appropriate (albeit painful) to work through every night in the beginning.
I did some looking around but can't find anything where I can match those specific details. Here's a guess:
Journey to Nowhere by Mary Jane Auch
or maybe something from this list on Goodreads
The Mitchell books are great. My son loves them. Dad is a ginger, mom is... I'm really not sure, "brown." So the child is mixed race.
The Captain Underpants Series has a set of best friends, one is black and one is white... one also (spoiler alert) is gay in a time travel book.
A Bad Case of Stripes about a young girl who is so concerned about what others think, she gets stripes. I believe, in the beginning she's Hispanic(?.)
I know the artist! He's a super neat guy. I'm not sure he cares that his artwork isn't used anymore. Anyways, he's illustrated a few children's books since then, and you can definitely tell it's him: http://www.amazon.com/Monster-Mama-Liz-Rosenberg/dp/0698114299
Thank you, I was 17 a few months away from being 18 on 9/11 (giving away my age 😋) am in Illinois and lost absolutely no one but spent the day and the next few weeks off and on sobbing like a baby. (Also burst into tears on the 10 year anniversary after not crying for years at the "I'm still here" memorable video. The Phoenix is a sap...) So I have no grasp on how bad it was for you and how bad you must have felt being disrespected like that, I'm so sorry and thank you.
As for your niece well they made a "I Survived " book for 9/11. It might be something age appropriate that would help her understand a little better. It's a chapter book so if it's past her reading level it could be something her and her parents (or her and you) read together. I haven't actually read it myself but I was curious when it first came out and read the ending and the boy it's centered around had a uncle who was a first responder and he lives (So it might be an extra personal and appropriate book for your niece) In the authors note the author states that he was originally going to kill off the uncle but he couldn't do it.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0545207002/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1505372647&amp;sr=8-1&amp;pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&amp;keywords=i+survived+9%2F11&amp;dpPl=1&amp;dpID=517U6wkkFnL&amp;ref=plSrch
I linked to the Amazon page, which was very thorough in its description. For some reason my submission removed the link. Are only self submissions allowed in this subreddit?
http://www.amazon.com/Day-Swapped-Dad-Two-Goldfish/dp/0060587032/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;s=books&amp;qid=1266977882&amp;sr=8-1