Books
As you might have guessed, listening to any of my podcasts, I love books! This page is devoted to books I love, or my kids have loved, organized by general age range and subject matter. Most of these books can be purchased through our LD Podcast store on Amazon.Com by clickng here. Links to books mentioned in specific shows can be found in the show notes on the LD Podcast blog through Blooger and GNM Parents.
There is a subpage on the Amazon Store for all the children’s books recommended, as well as one for authors that have appeared or have been mentioned on the LD Podcast.
I do not recommend any book I don’t own or have not read myself, and these reviews are all written by me personally and reflect my own opinion, not those of any author or publisher.
Adult Reference Books Appear First, Followed by a List Of Favorite Kids Books that make reading exciting for children and help them WANT to read.
More detailed reviews and recommendations are in the works!
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Books on Learning Disabilities and Parenting
Raising Resilient Children by Dr. Robert Brooks – Dr. Brooks in an excellent speaker, and his books are equally informative. Studies show that children need to have at least one significant adult in their lives, who love, support and encourage them without any strings attached. Many times, that significant adult is not even a child’s parent, but a teacher or other mentor. Dr. Brooks’ book helps us seee the negative scripts we ooften have in parenting, and how to change that around,m to help give our children the tools and the mindset they need to succeed as emotionally happy adults.
A Mind At A Time and The Myth of Laziness by Dr. Mel Levine – Dr. Mel Levine is the founder of the All Kinds of Minds Institute. He is a world-reknowned expert in neurodevelopmental and behavioral pediatrics. He has written many books and textbooks, with A Mind at a Time and The Myth of Laziness making it to the NYT best-sellers list. Both a Mind at a Time and The Myth of Laziness discuss children in a case-study format, helping parents to understand that most learning disabilities are based around specific brain-wiring weaknesses or differences. He explains the complexities of learning and how to pinpoint the exact areas whwere your child might be having problems. Self-described at the ultimate splitter vs. lumper, Dr. Levine’s advice is vitally important, but doesn’t help you find a “label” for your child that you might need in order to recieve services in public school. Dr. Levine’s All Kinds Of Minds Institute and its website are fantastic parent and teacher resources. His Schools Attuned program seeks to teach educators how to understand and teach children who learn differently.
It’s So Much Work Being Your Friend by Rick LaVoie – Rick LaVoie is another fantastic public speaker you should not miss! Rick has been the headmaster at a school for children with learning disabilities, and a long-time contributor to LD Online. This is his first book, and he concentrates on how to help children with learning disabilities negotiate the social maze they encounter every day. So many small aspects of learning disabilities have social effects as well. The awkward kid with fine motor problems has a problem writing in the classroom, but also isn’t very good in art class or playing legos with other kids. Those with gross motor planning issues are often not good in sports, making them socially different on the playground. Those with organizational problems can be picked on by teachers and coaches who expect them to be more organized and responsible, despite the fact that this just is not part of this child’s skill set. Rick really helps parents understand the interaction between learning disabilities and its spill-over into a child’s social life at home and at school, and how to help your child succeed. I often quote Rick, and he has been instrumental in helping my family become a happier, more centered place for everyone involved. He has a number of his essays available through his website, and has a podcast available through iTunes that has periodic episodes Rick records as he travels the world, talking to parents and teachers about kids with LD.
Connect, Driven By Distraction, Delivered From Distraction and Crazy Busy by Edward Hallowell - Each of these books from Dr. Edward Hallowell is a treasure of information. In his Distraction series, he talks about ADHD and common treatments, as well as problems parents often encounter. Dr. Hallowell has ADD himself, so he speaks not only with the authority of a Harvard physician, but as an ADD’er himself. Dr. Hallowell has formed the Hallowell Center, and is currently involved in a number of interesting projects, including an online class on Raising Boys in an ADHD World, Dr. Hallowell will be teaching with Michael Thompson, another wonderful Boston-based psychologist.
The Myth of the First Five Years – John Bruer A great early resource, with emphasis on brain development
The Overscheduled Child – Alvin Rosenfeld and Nicole Wise : Information for parents about the competitive parenting trend, and how we don’t always make kids better by giving them schedules that rival those of CEOs. Kids need downtime, too.
Smart Moves: Why Learning isn’t all in your head – Carla Hannaford
Sometimes I get all Scribbly – Maureen Neuville – This is a special order book all about a child with ADHD and the different aspects of an ADHD child’s life, from meds, to school, to behavior, family interactions, etc.
Living with Atttention Deficit/Hyperactivity disorder
The Discipline Book – Dr. William & Martha Sears
The Successful Child – Dr. William & Martha Sears
The ADD Book – Dr. William Sears
Learning to Learn – Carolyn Olivier & Rosemary Bowler
Overcoming Dyslexia – Sally Shaywitz
Raising Cain – Michael Thompson
ADD Friendly ways to organize your life – Judith Kolberg & Kathleen Nadeau
No Easy Answers- the Learning Disabled Child at Home and at School – Sally Smith (founder of the Lab School in Washington, Baltimore, and now a new branch in Manayunk, PA.)
Smart Kids with Learning Difficulties: Overcoming Obstacles and Realizing Potential – Rich Weinfeld, Linda Barnes-Robinson, Sue Jeweler, and Betty Roffman Shevitz.
Attention Deficit Disorder: The Unfocused Mind in Children and Adults – Thomas E Brown, PhD.
Brain Based Learning, Psychology
Mind Wide Open – Steven Johnson
Mind Hacks - Tom Stafford
Mind Performance Hacks – Ron Hale-Evans
The Owner’s Manual to the Brain – Pierce Howard
Strengthsquest – Donald O. Clifton: This is a fabulous book that comes along with a code to take an online evaluation of strengths geared towards late high school kids, college students and adults. there is another program geared towards younger children, available through Gallup. Please see our links plage for more information.
Now, Discover Your Strengths - Marcus Buckingham And Donald Clifton: This is primarily a book about business management. But I contend that managing a family and managing children is no different than managing others in business- the same principals apply. After all, you can look at families as being small businesses, and the children are either employees you can’t fire, or in the alternative, long term research and de3velopment projects!
How Full Is Your Bucket? – Tom Rath & Donald Clifton: A more general book based on the same positive psychology principals, where the emphasis is on spreading positive emotions ofr the betterment of everyone, rather than poisoning the proverbial well.
Timeshifting - Stephan Rechtschaffen: This is a great book all about the importance of living in the moment.
Genius Denied - Jan & Bob Davidson: The same people that brought you great educational software like Pajama Sam write about the gifeted and learning disabled children.
Teaching with the Brain in Mind – Eric Jensen – Eric Jensen is a psychologist who advocates keeping the brain’s abilities in mind when designing curriculum and interacting with children. After all, if the brain;s functioning is keeping children from being able to do what we want them to do, can we blame them for this? All parents need to understand the hardware vs. software issue in my opinion.
No Easy Answers- The LD Child at Home and at School - Sally Smith (of the famous Lab School)
Quirky Kids - Perri Klass
Effective School Interventions - Natalie Rathvon
A Parent’s Guide to Developmental Delays – Laurie Le Comer
Books and Authors My Kids LOVE
Eoin Colfer – The Artemis Fowl Series – Very much Harry Potter meets Tom Clancy . EOin Colfer came to one of our local book shops a few years ago, and he gave a wondeful presentation. James even had him sign his cast-He was wonderful and generous and funny and warm- Don;t miss his upcoming book tour for the latest Artemis Fowl book, The Half-Moon Detective Agency, and his line of books for younger readers John loves, such as the Legend of Spuds Murphy and The Legend of the Crow’s Teeth.
JK Rowling – All the Harry Potter Books- the audio productions are wonderful! Her website is wonderful for kids as well!
Kate Mc Mullen – The Dragon Slayer’s Academy series
Jon Scieszka – The Time Warp Trio series- so popular, it’s become a cartoon series! Mr. Sciezka is a great advocate of boys reading, and has done a bunch of wonderful children’s books, including the Stinky Cheese Man. MathCurse, and the True Story of the Three Little Pigs.
Christopher Paolini- Eragon
Angie Sage: Septemus Heap:Magyk and Flyte
Cornelia Funke – Dragon Rider
Johnathan Stroud – the Bartemius Trilogy- Good audio versions available through Audible.com
Gideon The Capture - Linda Buckley-Archer
Phillip Pullman - the “His Dark Materials” Series, including The Subtle Knife and the Golden Compass
Jennie Nemmo- Charlie Bone series
Georgia Byng-Molly Moon series
Madeliene L’Engle and the Wrinkle Of Time book series
The Narnia Books - CS Lewis: great to share with children of differing ages
P.B. Kerr - The Children of the Lamp series. There are three books to date in this original and fun series of books about twins who find out they are djinn (genies).
Hank Zipzer series - Henry Winkler co-writes this series of books about a child with learning disabilities, based on Mr. Winkler’s own life. Woinderful for kids struggling with reading and learning- they are not alone! there are books about kids other than boy geniuses!
For the Younger Set
Junie B. Jones
The Magic Treehouse Series
Geranamo Stilton
Flat Stanley
Jack Sparrow – a new series of pirate adventure books John is addicted to- Quick story- the latest scholastic flyer that came home from John’s school had one of these books in it, but the book blurb was totally unrelated to the book but instead, based on the Pirates of the Carribean movie – this series features Cap’t Jack as a boy, and are not directly related to the movie at all- john picked up on this and pointed it out to use right away, that the “Grown-ups had made a mistake”- Eagle eyes Hoffman- can’t get anything past him!
Roald Dahl: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory; Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator; James & the Giant Peach
John D. Fitzgerald – the Great Brain Series
My Favorite Junior Chick-Lit Authors When I was Growing Up:
Laura Ingalls Wilder – The Little House books- a girl’s first taste of romance;
Louise Fitzhugh - the Harriet The Spy books;
Judy Blume - All of them, but many deal with touchy tween and teen subjects;
Beverly Cleary
Paula Danzinger – deals kindly with that tween awkwardness we all felt in middle school and high school.
Meg Cabot- The Princess Diaries books are fun
Audio Books Worth the Money:
Any of the JK Rowling Harry Potter books – US and UK versions are great!
Junie B. Jones – great production
Jonathan Stroud and Bartemious Trilogy
Peter and the Starcatchers – a variant of Peter Pan by Dhumorist Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson.
Any of the Philip Pullman His Dark Matrerials series, including the Golden Compass, His Subtle Knife, etc.
Charlie Bone series
Any Dan Brown mystery book – Digital Fortress, DaVinci Code, etc. James, even at 11, loves them. I was skeptical about the content, but he has widened his vocabulary significantly and learned alot of history along the way, so we’ll just forget about the less pediatric friendly parts for now.
Any Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy production – the radio shows are now available on CD and are simply fantastic.
A Series of Unfortunate Events – Tim Curry reads a good many of these, and does a wonderful job.