Best children reference books according to redditors
We found 210 Reddit comments discussing the best children reference books. We ranked the 89 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
We found 210 Reddit comments discussing the best children reference books. We ranked the 89 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
if she is serious, the real astronomers love. best book for adults and kids, by same author as curious george. Guaranteed satisfaction or I'll buy it back from you
https://www.amazon.com/Stars-H-Rey/dp/0547132808
Quantum Physics for Babies https://www.amazon.com/dp/1492656224
the 3 people above me should do themselves a favor and get this book
...Like Roald Dahl? Because I've never felt right living in a world where I can't eat my wallpaper. Fortunately the hard work has already been done for you anyway.
I am a nanny and have seen this situation play out a few times. It works far better when the parents are on the same page. You need to set your boundaries prior to the birth. Tell the parents there will be no baptism and that is final. Also, this is your child and they are not to interfere with what you chose to (or to not) them him/her. That you live in a country that does not openly encourage religiosity like the US is a good start. But if it's like what I see in the states, baptism might be a dealbreaker for whether they actually want anything to do with the grandchild in their life. This is where you have to hold firm. I have also been see posts of atheists who were baptized at birth and are now resentful it was forced on them, so might be another angle to consider.
Fill your child's room with books about science. As your child ages, if any of the books contradict was your in-laws have said to her in private, your child will most likely tell you and that is when you can explain what the grandparents said is not true. I once posted a list of books for kids on here that are good introductions to science but I can't find it, I will keep searching, but offhand I can tell you Grandmother Fish, Older than the Stars, and any book by Chris Ferrie.
The judgement is inevitable but you can judge them right back. Parents can weigh on on the family dynamics better than I can, but from the atheist families I have been with, what helped the most was having the parents on the same page as well as myself since we were the three then children were most likely to come to with questions and eventually they just began ignoring the grandparents.
Awesome!
I'm always on the hunt for anything science or space themed for my girls.
It's harder to find than it should be.
There are also these cool science themed books for kids that my older girl loves. Here is one of them in the series that her uncle got her:
Rocket Science for Babies (Baby University) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1492656259/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_apa_QPpFzbAY2FQJ5
I always recommend The Way Things Work. Not just math, but applied math, engineering, physics, etc.. All done in a way that a 13 year old will get.
In no particular order I will list what my parents gave me that doomed me to a life of engineering. Granted, some of these things are pretty pricey, so I'd go for the book as a starter. Don't worry the book is awesome and full of mammoths.
Capsela : Amazing modular design tools that lets you neat little machines.
Robotix : Slightly more futuristic where you can build your own robot. I actually had a 2 foot dinosaur on wheels that I could drive around and make 'roar'.
Legos : This seems pretty standard.
The New Way Things Work by David Macaulay : A great book I got around the age of 5 that I forced people to read to me
K'Nex, Erector Sets, and a grandfather who happens to be a carpenter can also help.
https://www.amazon.com/Quantum-Physics-Babies-Chris-Ferrie/dp/1492656224
I don't know a lot of titles for the youngest ages, though the Junie B. Jones and Magic Treehouse books are favorites of my mother's elementary-aged students. Speaking of magic, you can't go wrong with The Magic Schoolbus. Oh! And Where the Wild Things Are.
As suggested by /u/jpop23mn, the Berenstein Bears are great books for young readers (I loved them so much as a kid), and Dr. Seuss is classic.
For middle-schoolers, I recall enjoying Maniac Magee (though I don't recall much about it), lots of Bruce Coville's monster books, the Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark series, and one of my favorites, The Phantom Tollbooth. My sister enjoyed the Warriors series (and still reads them now as a college student). Then there's classics like Where the Red Fern Grows and Bridge to Terabithia, though those books cover some difficult subject matter (death).
Ghost stories are much beloved, and if you can find folklore and fable specific to various cultures, you can learn about other cultures while enjoying a good story!
Some other fantastic books to have around are The Daring Book for Girls and The Dangerous Book for Boys, both of which teach all kinds of fantastic information and skills while also being entertaining. I especially urge you to get the Daring Book for Girls if you have a daughter, because it not only teaches useful skills like changing tires and woodworking, but it also teaches about strong, independent, successful women through history. It promotes independence, self-esteem and self-confidence, which (in my opinion) are vital to any young person's upbringing, but especially women, since so much of the media and society seems bent on making women insecure, dependent and subservient. (Please excuse my politics.)
The Chronicles of Narnia are fantastic, if you don't mind that they're a religious allegory. When I was a kid, I read them for fun, and didn't give a damn about the religious aspect. (I'm agnostic.) Another good series is the Dark Materials series, though some parents avoid it because of Pullman's anti-religious sentiments. Again, I didn't care about that, I just enjoyed a good story.
Hopefully, with a big enough selection of books, your kids will be able to choose their own books by high school. But it's still nice to keep around some young adult and adult novels for the kids to explore. The Dragonlance novels are fantasy novels set in a D&D-inspired world, but this setting has more of a chivalric, idealistic mood, which is good for young adult readers as well as adults. You've also got the Harry Potter series, which is kind of a given...
The challenge is finding adult novels that are appropriate for your kids. If you are trying to avoid exposing your children to certain ideas before a certain age, then you'll have to personally read and consider each book before you put it on their shelf. If you're the kind of parent who allows their kid to read what they want to read, doing your best to answer their questions and put the stories into context, then it's a little easier. If your kid reads Jurassic Park, they're going to be exposed to an awful lot of violence, but they're also going to learn some fascinating scientific information as well. Crichton's books are science-fiction with a strong scientific background, so they're educational as well as thrilling, but they've got adult themes that might be better for more mature readers. (That being said, I was reading them at a young age.)
I hope this is a decent start. There are lots of good lists online, too. I'd suggest checking out GoodReads and various Amazon lists. Just remember that it's up to you to choose what you want your kids to be exposed to.
Edit: As a male, I have a distinct lack of experience with books aimed at young females. I would like to think that a good book can be enjoyed by boys and girls alike, but some books have more of a gender-focus than others.
Hah, these are quite different to our baby girls first books that we got at our baby shower!
My Dad Thinks he's funny
Quantum Physics for Baby
and Avocado Baby
I'm looking forward to reading our girl "My dad thinks he's funny", because my god I do all those things already.
Check the "Customers Who Bought This Also Bought" section for lots of fun stuff.
Pretty sure it's from this one, the editorial review mentions a Saturn V fold out.
There's actually a Roald Dahl cookbook with a recipe for the chocolate cake. My son and I made it together it was delicious! But we both agreed it would have been too much to eat alone and in one sitting. https://www.amazon.com/dp/0140378200/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_WMBNzbR2SJQT6
Baby University books by Chris Ferrie. My 6 yo loves these books. I also use these as an introduction in some of my units (high school).
Amazon link (US)
kvantemekanik for begyndere
Spanish version: http://imgur.com/RRJ4V.jpg , some of the character generation ideas have been reused.
Looks like there is a new version around, it's been honorably added to my wish list. http://www.amazon.com/New-Way-Things-Work/dp/0395938473
Firstly, fucking adorable.
Secondly, buy her this:
http://www.amazon.com/The-New-Way-Things-Work/dp/0395938473
There is this book: https://www.amazon.com/Quantum-Physics-Babies-Baby-University/dp/1492656224
And this paper: https://arxiv.org/abs/quant-ph/0510032
But in my (biased) opinion, it's hard to appreciate quantum science without the mathematics. I think it would make sense to just keep your kids interested in science in general, and then as they mature mathematically/scientifically introduce some quantum. It makes no sense to talk about quantum with someone who doesn't know what probability is or possibly even what an electron/photon is or maybe even what a wave is.
I think there are definitely some prerequisites needed in order to actually discuss quantum physics properly.
It exists, apparently. https://www.amazon.com/Quantum-Physics-Babies-Baby-University/dp/1492656224
With this book.
http://www.amazon.com/Comics-Super-Heroes-Character-Encyclopedia/dp/1465444548
/r/flatearth
/r/theworldisflat
It's dangerous to go to these subreddits. Take this!
EDIT funny how you are getting downvoted. I wonder by who
Get a copy of The Way Things Work and pretend you're on wikipedia.
Forager here. One of my most rewarding hobbies, starting with several years of "Arizona" units in school where we learned about mesquite flour, using nopal fruits, and how to get by if you get lost in the desert; the great Willy Whitefeather (https://www.amazon.com/Willy-Whitefeathers-Outdoor-Survival-Handbook/dp/0943173477) even paid us a visit. I'm out of practice in the Sonoran Desert, but have picked up John Slattery's book to get reacquainted: https://www.amazon.com/Southwest-Foraging-Flavorful-Edibles-Regional/dp/1604696508
National Geographic's Big Book of Why is good. They also have other great science books. So it Time's Big Book of How.
Time, National Geographic and other companies do kid's almanacs that are great. My kid and his friends still devour them.
The Magic Schoolbus books are a good place to start.
Girls Think of Everything is a great book on women inventors.
The Way Things Work is great.
Sick Science Kits are neat. But I think younger kids might need a little oversight.
As a kid at that age I loved, "The way things work".
http://www.amazon.com/The-New-Way-Things-Work/dp/0395938473
There are lots of chemistry sets out there. Also, the toy rockets that you build and launch - tons of different kits with different difficulty levels.
Oh, and I always liked these books - The Way Things Work and The New Way Things Work
Merci pour l'idée et ce superbe sub que je ne connaissais pas !
Notre fils de 2 ans 1/2 (ou presque) adore lire au point de connaitre par coeur les phrases et de les terminer à notre place. Nous avons donc une bonne bibliothèque à la maison mais on est toujours à l'affut de nouveaux ouvrages. Voici une petite liste de livres que nous avons et qui nous plaisent beaucoup, j'en ai surement oubliés mais tant pis ! :-)
Je n'ai pas cité la série "P'tit Garçon"/"Ptite Fille", les livres sont bien mais tellement carricatural ( garçons = voiture, hélico, ... et fille = poupée, princesse, ...).
You should buy your son this book:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1406322229/
I believe he would enjoy it immensely. I know I enjoyed reading The Way Things Work when I was his age. (Note that the latter link goes to the 2nd edition. I read the first edition.)
The font and illustrative style reminds me of The Way Things Work by David Macaulay, except there are no mammoths.
My favorite book as a kid, by the way.
Maybe something like this: Oh, Yuck: The Encyclopedia of Everything Nasty
I was lucky enough to stumble on Logic Gates while reading David Macaulay's amazing "The Way Things Work." I probably learned more from that book than I did in high school (Well, maybe not quite). It certainly was more interesting.
Something about them has always fascinated me though, ever since I saw them in his book. The idea that you can make all these gates, gates that do basic logic operations with electric signals, just by wiring a few transistors (and a diode or two I think?) together blows my mind. And then that you can take those gates and build...computers basically. That's what chips are (mostly at least): piles and piles of gates crammed into an incomprehensibly small space.
The fact that I could buy a cheap pile of transistors, diodes etc from radioshack, wire them together and build a calculator, from scratch, drove me crazy as a kid (in a good way). Still does.
This is such a fun book for learning a wide array of basic scientific principles.
YES! Just gave my copy to my nephew, but then I realized it horribly out of date and they made a new one!
The Way Things Work is pretty awesome.
There was a yellow covered book from the 80's called How Do They Do That but I don't know if that included cross section diagrams.
Could it be Stephen Biesty's Incredible Everything Cross Sections
Other than Biesty and Macaulay, I think Usborne & DK Publishers did similar books so you might search those as well
Oops, forgot Quantum Physics. And no, I'm not kidding!
Baby University Four-Book Set https://www.amazon.com/dp/149267043X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_IEwBCbKZ1M0ZK
Here’s the link:
https://www.amazon.com/Baby-University-Four-Book-Chris-Ferrie/dp/149267043X
Here is the Amazon preorder link for the US. The article has the UK link.
> Is this DK Books?
It's one of the Stephen Biesty books, Incredible Everything. I don't believe he was affiliated with DK, although his books did have a similar style to some of theirs.
EDIT: Apparently Stephen Biesty did work with DK for at least one of his books (Cross Section Castle). Not sure if he worked with them for Incredible Everything though. It appears his earlier books were published through Knopf Publishing (which was owned by Random House, which also owns DK).
SECOND EDIT: As I dig deeper, I'm finding some conflicting info. Some sites are insisting that they were only published through DK, but I'm seeing references to them being published through Knopf (including pictures of the book jackets with the Knopf logo and no sign of the DK logo). It may be that earlier printings were through Knopf, but it was then handed off to DK at some later point.
FINAL EDIT: Incredible Everything was published by DK, as was Castle and Man O' War. Incredible Cross Sections was Knopf. Not 100% sure on the others. It seems that they used Knopf through 1992, then switched to DK in 1993. Most of the books didn't have the DK logo on the cover, which was throwing me off a bit (looks like Incredible Everything was the first to include the logo).
Ohhh! That sounds like such fun! I went through the same phase as a 7-9yo girl w/ a hovering mother. Went off into the woods behind my house with my cousin for a long weekend every year.
Scavenger hunt sounds fantastic! You could even get her a compass and a "map"(one you made of your back yard) for her to mark off what she found. One thing I would do, is have them involved in the things you have to do for safety, i.e. gather wood and set up the fire for you to light. Hey, and good job supporting your niece's interest in this. This is what fond childhood memories are made of.
Here are some books you might want to look at for your niece so she can "study" before her adventure: Camp Out!: The Ultimate Kids' Guide
This one is for a kids a little older Ultimate Explorer Guide for Kids
Good question. Maybe someone who knows better can chime in? I'm not even sure how the traditional configurations evolved. They seem to vary a bit from author to author, though they are often similar.
H.A. Rey (of Curious George fame and an avid stargazer) published a book in 1952 called The Stars. It has been very popular and re-edited and reprinted several times. It's still for sell on Amazon. In this book he suggests new configurations which actually suggest modern stick figure representations of the constellations, such as the one mentioned by /u/Other_Mike.
The different configurations use the same bright stars, but people may choose different dimmer stars. H.A. Rey, for example, occasionally chooses some rather dim 5th magnitude stars to make his figure come out the way he wants. He includes some 4th magnitude stars, but not others. But the bright stars (3rd magnitude and brighter) are the same for everyone and people are just connecting them differently.
Books for Young Children
I Can Read - Books
Books for Older Kids
https://www.amazon.com/Baby-University-Four-Book-Chris-Ferrie/dp/149267043X/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa?keywords=baby+university+books&qid=1574595280&sprefix=baby+uni&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExRUcxM0ZGS1RZNUNUJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNjMzNTU5U1VVNEs4TExXTDVMJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTEwMTExMDcyNUJXQjdDTDE2VjkzJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfcGhvbmVfc2VhcmNoX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=
It's Not the Stork is a good one for this age about reproduction. For a more general anatomy book you might try the First Human Body Encyclopedia or My Amazing Body Machine.
My kids really like the DK First Human Body Encylopedia.
Edit... This 3D one looks really neat too.
Used copies shipped for under $5:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/0395938473/ref=tmm_hrd_used_olp_sr?ie=UTF8&condition=used&qid=&sr=
Might I recommend: For Boys
And For Girls
I have two nieces and two nephews.
Perhaps Willy Whitefeather's Outdoor Survival Handbook for Kids?
May I suggest this important book for babies on quantum physics?
My parents gave me this great book called [How Come?] (http://www.amazon.com/How-Come-Kathy-Wollard/dp/1563053241) when I was about 6. I learned to read early and was asking way too many questions. I've been a scientist ever since. I'm pretty sure I'm an atheist because of this book. I started Catholic school about the same time. Imagine the look on my religion teacher's face when I asked how we know that the Bible isn't just made up.
I have several National Geographic books on my son's wishlist. He'll be 2 soon and I want to get him hooked on science as soon as possible. He's still quite little, but right now asking him to do chores has really started getting him to think. He drew on my bedroom door with chalk and I told him to erase it because we only draw on the chalk board. The look on his face totally showed that his gears were moving. In about a minute he was back from his room with the chalkboard eraser. When it didn't erase from the door well, he picked up a towel from my bedroom and wiped the rest of it off. It's the little things, right? haha.
Out of the books on his list, I'd say "The Big Book of Why" might get him thinking the most. Thanks for the contest!
The New Way Things Work
Roald Dahl's Revolting Recipes
I've been custom building and working in shops since I was... well technically too young to be legally employable.
Emily Dickinson factors in here: "The heart wants what it wants, or else it does not care".
​
As a competitive BMXer, my bent toward building was a product of necessity: I'd have a bike I liked, typically upgraded the cranks right out of the box, and would replace parts as I broke them, or as parts I liked the look of would be offered in trade from other bmxdiots. BMX kids aren't known for the depth of their pockets (maybe their individual parents are, but not the bmxdiot himself). So I learned valuable technical skills, and did what I had to do to keep my wheels spinning.
​
Fast forward a few surgeries later:
I have short extremities for my height, so once I got over my prejudice toward spandex and drop bars, Building up my Allez was basically a necessity, because I have a bent for shorter cranks and stem than most people my size. I also have very wide shoulders, which means wider bars than most people my size.
​
However, A Cannondale F29 (alloy, lefty fork) in size large fit me just fine out of the box, so I bought it, raced it, crashed it, killed it, and loved the living hell out of it while I still had it. Hated the bland colors, but I feel that made me more competitive because I wasn't afraid to chip the paint.
​
I'm a pro mechanic and I have been for years, one of the primary benefits to building is aesthetic. My Allez looks like something out of TRON or Rainbow Brite. I've also swapped the group on it multiple times. A close second is fit. For me, personally, It's all about the thrill of the build. In fact I frequently get bored with bikes once I get them dialed in. Coincidentally, This is the first book my parents ever got me. And it made an impression.
​
If you absolutely need your bike to be one of a kind, you have no choice but to build. If you absolutely have to have the latest and greatest fighter jet for racing purposes, out of the box options like SWORKS and things like Cannondale's Black INC are gonna be your go to.
​
Also, for clarification for those who do need to limit their budget: What I haven't factored in so far, is that I'm a trained professional and an expert when it comes to bicycle fuckery. I know exactly what I am doing when it comes to part compatibility, and specialty tools. This is how hotrods work! Hot rod culture came out of skilled, but underprivileged kids who had more hard earned knowledge than money for a fast car. If you don't have the skills, or the time (and primarily) humility to learn them, the path of least resistance (and lowest cost) to a sub 11 second quarter mile is to buy an off the showroom sports car.
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EDIT: Hope this helps and Keep Kickin'
Did you mean this? This book was my favorite when I was a kid
Physics for babies: https://www.amazon.com/Baby-University-Four-Book-Chris-Ferrie/dp/149267043X/
Love those books.
Depending on how old you are if you saw it growing up, it could have been [The Way Things Work] (https://www.amazon.com/New-Way-Things-Work/dp/0395938473) or possibly the How Stuff Works [book itself] (https://www.amazon.com/How-Stuff-Works-Marshall-Brain/dp/0785824324/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1491399864&sr=1-1&keywords=how+stuff+works)
The Way Things Work
Organic Chemistry for Babies (Baby University) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1492671169/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_VBPXBbXF58RM9
https://www.amazon.com/Rocket-Science-Babies-Baby-University/dp/1492656259
Sorry, couldn’t resist. ;-). I’ll see myself out now.
(Seriously though, the whole series is kind of awesome.)
i had the Daring Book for Girls as a child and i LOVED it! its full of empowering stories, knowledge on things “most girls dont know” like tying knots, survival skills, etc. Im so glad my parents bought me it!!
heres a link: The Daring Book for Girls https://www.amazon.com/dp/0062208969/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_.z3-BbFEWK81F
Most of them do not look much like what they're supposed to be. H.A. Rey came up with alternative versions of the same constellations which look more like what they depict. I had this book as a child and I now see some constellations with the classical shapes, and some with Rey's.
working with a microcontroller will be a good way to have hands on learning about electronics backed up by your programming skill.
You could also look at the kids book http://www.amazon.com/The-New-Way-Things-Work/dp/0395938473. It has mammoths, and is pretty fun, alongside being quite descriptive of the innards of technology. This is an update to the one I had. I still enjoy looking at my copy, and my son liked it when he was 4.
How well are their reading skills? This has been a life-saver for a while: https://www.amazon.com/Camp-Out-Ultimate-Kids-Guide/dp/0761141227/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1538072538&sr=1-5&keywords=camping+for+kids
For two boys, they can feed off each other and try things in the book. Just be careful when they get really quiet.
Also, camp/park closer to the bathrooms than you normally would. Wait, you have boys though....nevermind.
The Baby University including Baby Loves Rocket Science (https://www.amazon.com/Rocket-Science-Babies-Baby-University/dp/1492656259/) and Baby Loves including Baby Loves Aerospace Engineering (https://www.amazon.com/Baby-Loves-Aerospace-Engineering-Science/dp/1580895417/) books might be good.
It's hard to define great nonfiction books because they're not books kids cherish and read for years to come. The books are severely limited by the target age of the reader. Whereas, I'm sure my daughter will still own her Harry Potter set when she's 25-years-old.
http://www.amazon.com/The-New-Way-Things-Work/dp/0395938473
Were there mammoths? Could be The New Way Things Work
The Way Things Work FTW! There's a sequel that just came out, too. Must put it on my Christmas list.
Perhaps the book The Way Things Work? I loved this book when I was a kid.
From the Amazon page:
>... this installment of the Baby University board book series is the perfect way to introduce basic concepts to even the youngest scientists. After all, it’s never too early to become a quantum physicist!
Revolting Recipes Used $4.00 Prime. From Cooking and A Museum Mystery for Kindle from Kindle Stuff $5.99
I gunna guess this Lego book. Looks like a pretty cool book actually .. http://www.amazon.com/LEGO-Minifigures-Encyclopedia-Daniel-Lipkowitz/dp/1465401725/ref=wl_it_dp_v_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=VAYXJSFW4ICM&coliid=I24RDQ383VO1NE
That item looks mighty fine
Lego Minifigures: Character Encyclopedia
That item looks mighty fine.
The Way Things Work looks like a good choice. There's an updated version... from 1998. Well, I guess physics don't update that often, so it's all good.
http://www.amazon.com/The-New-Way-Things-Work/dp/0395938473/ref=pd_sim_b_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=1D5PAH7X04JQNKQ0DQD9
Not an engineer, but I did love this book when I was a kid.
When it initially exits the body, it is sterile. As time goes on, like you say, it accumulates germs.
As a kid I had this book and recall a little tidbit in there claiming even Mahatma Gandhi may have begun the day by drinking his pee for whatever reason, but that it was "okay" because he drank it so soon after peeing that it was still sanitary. While it is very unlikely that Gandhi drank his own pee, as far as I'm aware, most of the other things they say about its properties are accurate. Even Nathan For You, one of my favorite shows, made a joke about this a few seasons back, for a shameless plug.
Quantum Physics for Babies
https://www.amazon.com/Quantum-Physics-Babies-Baby-University/dp/1492656224
You're welcome.
So, I think the book ya'll were deprived of this wonder in your childhoods, The Way Things Work
Gorgeous illustration, combined with diagrams that a 5 year old can understand, i5's a great way to learn some basic science!
I think it's really normal at 4-5 for kids to be thinking about sameness and differentness and try to make sense of what they see.
The approach I take--after a lot of thought and research--is to teach and talk about skin color the same way we would about eye color or hair color. There are some good books that talk about the science of skin color - First Encyclopedia of the Human Body touches on it--my kid is obsessed with that book, All the Colors We Are takes a matter of fact and scientific approach. The book Children Just Like Me is another really useful resource when talking about different cultures and people.
I've also made a point to buy black, brown and Asian baby dolls and Barbies (not just the standard white ones) since she was about 2. At first I felt really self-conscious about doing this, but I think it's helped her see variety as the norm instead of thinking of her whiteness as normal and everything else as "other."
At this stage, that's the message you want to be instilling - everyone has lots of differences and they're all pretty darn normal and cool.
And finally--how to deal with loud kid comments in public. A few days ago my daughter shouted and pointed, "LOOK MOMMY! A little person!!! THAT'S NOT A KID!" I was embarrassed and felt bad and I told her in the moment that it's not nice to yell out people's differences because it might make them feel like everyone is looking at them--she got that--attention can be embarrassing.
When we got home we talked about dwarfism just like hair color or normal height -- it's something about you that get when you're born. I think I said something like, "even if a person is born to be a little person, their brain grows up just like yours or mine as they get older and when they're grown ups they have jobs and families just like any other grownup." She thought it was really really cool.
I'm sure she'll do it to me again. I don't know if there's a better way to handle it in the moment to be more respectful of others--but my main focus is trying to get a message of inclusiveness to my kid.
I dunno. This stuff is hard.
Baby University Four-Book Set https://www.amazon.com/dp/149267043X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_C8izDbCFMSZ8X
First Big Book of Why looks like an awesome book for my preschooler. She loves reading and learning, especially anything about animals.
One of my favorite things that I do with my daughter is the HIPPY (Home Instructions for Parents of Preschool aged Youngeters) program that was offered free through her preschool. We get a book and a packet every week. It teaches my daughter a variety of skills and she really enjoys her HIPPY time with mom. This week we learned what a matrix is and how to sort items in the matrix. The HIPPY activities my daughter liked best was making applesauce, making a clock with moving hands and making puppets out of socks.
Thank you for the contest.
forgot to proofread.
My Tiny Turtles and I love learning together, especially about the outdoors and nature. We enjoy bird-watching together, as well as ID'ing various flora and fauna on our many hiking trips.
One specific thing we did recent was dissect owl pellets, which my daughter enjoyed the most!
This NatGeo book would be great. Since it covers many topics, all three of my kiddos would find something to interest them. And being short tidbits of info, even my emerging-readers would enjoy it.
Thanks again! <3
Like I said, people are not ignorant, just lazy. I was implying that a parent ought to impart the mental tools needed to explore the world themselves.
I was taught to read and to ask questions. My parents played the "why" game with me till I was so invested in my stubbornness that they handed me an "encyclopedia for kids" and I actually read it.
I started reading this when I was in the 2nd grade. Reading on and off again I finished it in the 4th grade. The Way Things Work.
newer version: The New Way Things Work
If you don't have The Stars by H. A. Rey, that's a great place to start.
Yes, it's by the guy who wrote Curious George, but it's a highly used and respected book.
This will help.
http://www.amazon.com/Stars-H-Rey/dp/0547132808/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1324559707&amp;sr=1-1
I'm not sure if it has a section on prison breaks, it's been a while since I read it, but could it be Do Not Open? I think it fits in your time frame!
The Stars by H. A. Rey
http://www.amazon.com/Stars-H-Rey/dp/0547132808/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1322713066&amp;sr=8-1
I loved this cookbook when I was a kid; you should check it out!
Roald Dahl's Completely Revolting Recipes: A Collection of Delumptious Favourites is absolutely charming!
Cook It Together is beautifully illustrated and is a very good starting point.
Good luck! :D
If you like the advise if the comment above you, check out this book , "the way things work" it's under teen and young adult section but I (31, M.D) still check it every now and again because it explains how things work in a great and informative way, from a simple slope to a computer and everything in between.
It's a great starting point on each topic and once you get the basics of say a motor you can google and wikipedia the particular aspects that interest you the most.
I have had a bunch of books, but I have given a lot away to another 3-year-old who loves bodies, so some of the out-of-print or rare books are not easy to find for me. I have this one:
http://www.amazon.com/First-Human-Encyclopedia-Reference-Series/dp/0756609976/ref=pd_sim_b_3?ie=UTF8&amp;refRID=14M5S3ATR6T05TJT3MTQ
I don't have the ones I listed below, but they look interesting. I have always had slightly "older" books than my kids, and let them look at the pictures and read what they were interested in. For example, my 4- and 7-year-olds have some books about the brain and are reading about neuroanatomy and neurotransmitters, and the central and peripheral nervous system, but sometimes they just pick up the books and look at the pictures and learn that the brain is responsible for all kinds of actions and thoughts and sensations.
http://www.amazon.com/Uncover-Human-Body-An-Book/dp/1571457895/ref=pd_tcs_compl_t_3?ie=UTF8&amp;refRID=0991ESGG92BTT0FW65QQ
http://www.amazon.com/Body-Science-Books-Patty-Carratello/dp/1557342113/ref=pd_sim_b_4?ie=UTF8&amp;refRID=1MF77N2TKN3B7D84Y692
Finally, these videos look pretty interesting, but I have not tried them:
http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/videos/humanbody.html
Like this?
Older version was one of my favorite books as a child. Got few others on electricity, lasers, optics and such specifically. Best... thing...ever! Sparked my interest in, well, everything :)
Are you familiar with Quantum Physics for Babies ?
This? New Way Things Work by David Macaulay
Could it be 'How Come?'. http://www.amazon.com/How-Come-Kathy-Wollard/dp/1563053241
The Daring Book for Girls?
Update:
Thank you all for your suggestions!! I bought a few of the ones mentioned here as well as some others. I went a little overboard, but I figure I can space out the gifts for later in the year, and some are for her little brother too.
(She's French born, so I made sure to include some American artists in there too.)
Thank you /u/mariposamariposa, and /u/moration!
Edit: For the commenters saying I should just give her princess stuff if that's what she likes - I have and will continue to. This year I spent over 100 hours making her an Elsa from Frozen dress for her birthday. This should be proof enough that I encourage and share her enthusiasm. http://imgur.com/a/ga9DQ
You can try National Geographic First Big Book of Space.
Gotta get 'em this book:
http://www.amazon.com/The-New-Way-Things-Work/dp/0395938473
I love this idea. However, I can't think of any that I know of aside from ones that I find through Googling "kids science magazines." I do, however, know a pretty neat book that I read as a child that really opened my mind to the way things worked (I assume this newer version is just as good). From what I remember, it doesn't really delve into stuff like religion, but satisfies that curiosity every kid probably had at one point regarding the why of everything. I can't say that this is what made me become as scientifically-minded as I am now, but I can say that this was a start.
Also your nephew will develop a strange love for mammoths.
for me it was this minus the 'new'
I recently bought the updated version after seeing a post like this a while ago. Here is a link to Amazon.
The New Way Things Work
The encyclopedia of weird shit, or David Icke's The Biggest Secret, an encyclopedia of weird shit?
Seconding this suggestion. Not just because anything in your original budget would be little better than a toy that might leave him uninspired (seriously, look at 114mm-130mm Dobs). But also, in my experience, leading by example is the best way to foster a lasting interest. Also recommended - picking up a few space books (example) to talk about what you're looking at, if he doesn't have any already.
Not sure if it’s the right book but reminds me of Roald Dahl’s Revolting Recipes, illustrated by Quentin Blake: https://www.amazon.com/Roald-Dahls-Revolting-Recipes-Dahl/dp/0140378200
I don't have any kids... but I think every kid and LEGO fan should have this book.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY HDATZ
National Geographic Little Kids First Big Book of Space
National Geographic Kids Ultimate Space Atlas
National Geographic Kids: Space Encyclopedia
Go For Launch by Abby Garrett
The ones I grew up on may be a little dated at this point, but are still worth a read:
"The Stars" by H A Rey
"Stars and planets" by WS KALS (ISBN: 0-871561671-0)
"How to make a telescope" by Jean Texereau (ISBN:0-943396-04-2)
More on the math side, but still helpful: "celestial navigation step by step" by Warren Norville (ISBN: 0-87742-177-3)
"Field guide to the night sky" by National Audubon Society (ISBN: 0-679-40852-5)
[edit:] and I found the most recent one I bought, "atlas of the universe" by Sir Patrick Moore (ISBN: 1-55297-819-2)
This one was I actually used as a stand-in for the assigned college level astronomy course (mostly for accurate data)
[edit 2:] you may also want to study a little chemistry for a better understanding of the stars themselves
If you're ok with used, you can pick one up for less than $5 on Amazon
Its funny because I knew about this a year ago at least. This exact info was published in this book. I mean, it wasn't confirmed until Snowden came along, but any thinking person knew we were being watched.