No catches, no fine print just unadulterated book loving, with your favourite books saved to your own digital bookshelf.
New members get entered into our monthly draw to win £100 to spend in your local bookshop Plus lots lots more…
Find out moreThe world is changing rapidly, with technology advancing at breakneck speed and the constant bombardment of social media. The changes in the world are difficult to navigate as it is without the struggle of parenting. Our featured parenting books are here to offer some help. Whether it is an insight into the brave new world of technology through the eyes of a teenager, or perhaps information on the latest trends to keep you in the know. This selection hopes to offer you the information you need to help you do the best you can.
Second Thoughts by Lynn Berger is a literary and scientific insight into having and being a second child. Translated from Dutch, it is part memoir and part discussion about birth order, sibling rivalry and sibling relationships. By the time the author wrote this book, she already had two children. But here she recaps on her decision-making process to have a second child after her daughter was born. Second Thoughts is a balanced look at second-time parenthood. There’s a lot packed into its 200 or so pages – it’s written in a balanced, non-judgemental way and isn’t intended to sway readers in one direction or another. Lynn Berger explores psychological research and speaks to experts to see whether (or how) birth order may influence personality and development. She brings the science to life with personal anecdotes about growing up with a young sister and the interactions between her son and daughter as they discover each other and the world around them. Having a second child tends to be a heart-led decision, rather than a scientific one. But this will be helpful background to anyone with an interest in psychology.
Beautifully presented, packed with puns, and shot-through with an environmental ethos, Heather Buttivant’s Beach Explorer is the perfect companion for days at the beach, with fifty activities and oceans of facts that are sure to inspire and astound children and adults alike. Highlights of the practical projects include finding fossils, starfish bums and mermaid purses (yes, you read that right!), and the step-by-step instructions for pressing seaweed and making your own plankton net. What’s more, alongside all the “how to make and find” activities, Beach Explorer is packed with facts that are sure to enliven even the most dedicated of beach bums, from finding out about the world’s largest poo (which, by the way, is the “bright-orange rancid-smelling poo” of the mighty blue whale), to discovering how fish camouflage themselves. The book ends with an excellent chapter on how to “Be a Wildlife Champion” that highlights how “humans are creating environmental problems”. Importantly, the author shares lots of ways young eco-minded explorers can help combat these problems through the likes of picking litter and planning climate-friendly beach trips.
From finding your sparkle (which the author defines as “unleashing the natural talent inside you” and "feeling and believing you can do anything”), to dealing with anti-social media, Suzanne Virdee’s A Girls’ Guide to Being Awesome is a pitch-perfect guidebook for girls navigating the confusing path to adulthood. The author, an award-winning TV journalist and radio broadcaster, contextualises her approach and advice through her experience as a tenacious, aspiring journalist who refused to give up. Sassy inspirational soundbites (“life is tough but so are you”; “success is a decision”; “don’t wish for it, work for it”) sit alongside detailed discussions of big issues, among them education, anxiety, sex and online grooming. The book also suggests empowering practical exercises, and provides nicely-designed space for readers to jot down their own thoughts on the likes of dreams and ambitions, using one’s sparkle, social media, and feminist icons, which will surely prompt deeper thinking and help young women hone valuable life skills.
Your Baby Skin to Skin is a reassuring common-sense companion for new parents. There’s no such thing as ‘normal baby behaviour’ and no baby is going to fit in exactly with your expectations from before they’re born. In Your Baby Skin to Skin, midwife Rachel Fitz-Desorgher teaches you how to trust your baby’s instincts – and yours – from your baby’s birth and throughout their first year. The book explores your baby’s basic needs – food, comfort, love, care, sleep etc. – and how these vary and develop as your baby grows. It focuses on the fact that there is no ‘normal’. Your baby isn’t born with preconceived ideas or expectations – just survival reflexes and instincts, the same as all babies since primitive times, no matter how modern living has advanced since then. The author describes how you can use this knowledge to learn, understand, nourish and care for your baby. She explains clearly why babies may act in a certain way and how you can cope more easily – letting your baby take the lead. The book is written in an easy-to-read non-judgemental style with a sense of authority but not patronising, using realistic Q&As and easy-to-read practical explanations – as if you’re chatting to a midwife in the same room. There’s a lot packed within its pages, including separate chapters on ‘suckling made really easy’ (simplifying breastfeeding and dealing with any issues that may arise) and ‘suckling the bottle-feeding way’ (with details about making up feeds, choosing formula milks and how much to give your baby). Your Baby Skin to Skin makes perfect sense – taking away some of the stresses of new parenthood to put minds to rest. An ideal gift for new parents or parents-to-be!
Every parent wants their child to be happy and every parent wants to avoid screwing them up. But how do you achieve that? In this absorbing, clever and funny book, renowned psychotherapist Philippa Perry tells us what really matters and what behaviour it is important to avoid - the vital dos and don'ts of parenting. Instead of mapping out the 'perfect' plan, Perry offers a big-picture look at the elements that lead to good parent-child relationships. This refreshing, judgement-free book will help you to: · Understand how your own upbringing may affect your parenting · Accept that you will make mistakes and learn what you can do about them · Break negative cycles and patterns · Handle your own and your child's feelings · Understand what different behaviours communicate Full of sage and sane advice, this is the book that every parent will want to read and every child will wish their parents had.
This is a book which any adult who deals with children, and not just teachers and others who work in school settings, would find enlightening, thought provoking and revealing. As we learn from the little snippets from the school reports of Paul Dix at the end of each chapter, the author has direct experience of being one of the ‘bad boys’ and now has more than 25 years of working to transform the most challenging behaviour in schools, referral units and colleges to call upon. As a 14-year-old he vowed he would change the way adults deal with behaviour and I defy any reader not to rethink their own strategies as a result of reading this book. Responsible adults should be just that – always in control of themselves before they attempt to take control of others. But this book is nothing to do with blaming teachers. Paul Dix is angry but he is angry with the lack of proper training in behaviour management and angry with the unrelenting drive for ‘progress’, pleasing Ofsted and analysing data which is destroying any ethos of pastoral care. Here chapter by chapter he asks hard hitting questions about school policies and behaviours and shows how these impact on students and often in a very counter- productive way. He writes with humour and the occasional frank expletive, he shares personal anecdotes, observations and tried and tested strategies backed up by theory, case studies and international examples. Each chapter concludes with three helpful checklists: Testing, Watch Out For and Nuggets which sum up, encourage and act as a quick aide memoire going forward. Ultimately the author’s message is about consistency and kindness. “ Visible consistency with visible kindness allows exceptional behaviour to flourish” This is a genuine must read that can genuinely transform schools and as his many examples show where improved behaviour leads, improved attainment follows. ~ Joy Court You can also access When the Adults Change, Everything Changes on Audible as an audio book here.
Full of information and sensible advice, this is an excellent guidebook for any young person who is considering turning vegan, or who just wants to cut back on meat and dairy. For one thing, it is packed with delicious and faff-free vegan recipes, easy to follow, easy to make and certain to be a hit with everyone in the family, even dyed-in-the-wool carnivores; but it’s also full of equally useful and appealing information on the whys of being vegan. Niki Webster explains it all in a way that feels friendly and do-able, making sure to answer FAQs on getting enough protein and vitamins as well as on the best vegan substitutes, and laying out clearly, but with a sense of passion, why veganism is about more than just food and diet. The illustrations and design make this look good enough to eat, and it successfully provides lots of food for thought too.
Part of a successful series of books written by the author, who is an experienced specialist in PSHE and SRE education, this provides a child friendly introduction to mental and emotional health and will prove its value within both home and school contexts. The publisher describes the series as ‘helping grown-ups have difficult conversations with little people’ and this is exactly what this book does. The lively and amusing illustrations help to engage the reader and the scenarios provide prompts for discussion and the explanations are perfectly pitched and yet in enough depth to provide many a useful reminder to adults. The opening page even explains the difference between your brain and your mind which is quite a difficult philosophical concept to master! Covering positive self-image, emotional intelligence, relationships and mindfulness with strategies for developing the right sort of mental habits and approaches at an early age can only be a positive help for children. Just giving them the right vocabulary to be able to talk about their feelings is incredibly useful. There is a fascinating section explaining the dangers of rumination – a word I had not considered in this context before- but undue dwelling upon an issue has now been identified as a cause of, for example, OCD or eating disorders. The advice and guidance section for parents and carers at the end of the book is particularly well considered and helpful. With the current situation undoubtedly causing children and families additional anxiety this could not be more useful and relevant. Highly recommended for home and school. You can find more books on this theme in Anxiety & Wellbeing - Helping Young Ones Cope
Babies & Toddlers for Men offers a fantastic ‘hands-on’ approach to parenthood, written by a journalist dad, covering the good, the bad and the demanding. This practical guide takes new dads on an emotional rollercoaster journey, from the moment of their baby’s birth to having an inquisitive chatty toddler roaming around. Through nappies, sleep deprivation and feeding choices to teething, crawling and walking, playing and first aid, there isn’t much (if anything) this book doesn’t cover. While this is a ‘man’s guide’ to fatherhood, it’s also about (and for) the whole family – dealing with baby while also supporting (and understanding) their partner’s needs. The book includes ‘Words from your fellow fathers’, offering not just practical tips but also honest comments about dads’ emotions at different stages of their child’s life. The book is written in a fun, chatty and straight-talking style. It’s split into sections according to the baby’s age, so Months 0-3, Months 4-6, Months 7-9 and so on, which makes it very easy to navigate. The factual content is based on scientific research and official guidance (references are listed at the end of the book, along with a bibliography and index). At the end of each chapter, there’s ‘Your progress report’, which summarises how baby has developed and how mum and dad are likely to be feeling too. The book emphasises (very well) that there’s no ‘single approach’ to parenthood and also that it’s normal for dads to feel overwhelmed and exhausted at times. I really love this book and wish it had been around when my two teenagers were born.
As the parent of a son who intends to go to university later this year, A Guide to Uni Life is a welcome read – and a reminder of my own university days. The book covers all of the excitement and enthusiasm, fears and worries of any new student as they venture into the unknown, often living away from home for the first time. This book covers pretty much everything a student will need – and want – to know, from what to pack before they go and how to make the most of freshers’ week to managing finances, halls and housing and dealing with any health needs. There is information on cooking and food hygiene (including some simple recipes to get students started) and, of course, the reason why students will be at university in the first place – to study. A Guide to Uni Life provides realistic insight into what to expect, with useful tips from current and previous students. It’s fun to read, well-planned and well-structured, making it easy to dip into, and provides helpful reassurance for students (and their parents). It covers topics that students may not even consider, such as security and safety, and budgeting and finding work. There’s also a chapter on when things don’t go to plan – the wrong university, the wrong course, the wrong accommodation, and so on – so that students realise they’re not alone and help is available rather than panic instead. If you know someone going to university, this would be a useful gift – ideally read before they go so they can plan in advance, but helpful once they’ve arrived too.
A scaldingly intimate, powerful, and actually rather beautiful autobiography where the author reflects on her relationships and love. Lucy Fry is a journalist and currently training to be a psychotherapist, here she tells her story which includes her mental health, polyamorous relationship, and parenthood. It is pointed out that the truth is always someone’s story, but this just feels so incredibly heartfelt and rawly honest. It is as though she has reached inside herself, split open and poured out her innermost feelings and thoughts; and yet the way she writes ensured that I didn’t ever, ever feel as though I was intruding. She examines the hidden, concealed, and mysterious side of love, and as I read, I thought… of course, I see, yes! Easier Ways to Say I Love You is unflinching and intense, yet incredibly thoughtful and warm, it touched my heart, and opened my mind, in fact, I rather fell in love with this book.
A scaldingly intimate, powerful, and actually rather beautiful autobiography where the author reflects on her relationships and love. Lucy Fry is a journalist and currently training to be a psychotherapist, here she tells her story which includes her mental health, polyamorous relationship, and parenthood. It is pointed out that the truth is always someone’s story, but this just feels so incredibly heartfelt and rawly honest. It is as though she has reached inside herself, split open and poured out her innermost feelings and thoughts; and yet the way she writes ensured that I didn’t ever, ever feel as though I was intruding. She examines the hidden, concealed, and mysterious side of love, and as I read, I thought… of course, I see, yes! Easier Ways to Say I Love You is unflinching and intense, yet incredibly thoughtful and warm, it touched my heart, and opened my mind, in fact, I rather fell in love with this book.
I wish this book had been produced when I first started teaching, I would have loved all the different ideas and the clear and interesting way the pages are laid out. As an experienced teacher, however, I found that many of the ideas, story starters and writing suggestions a little predictable. Nonetheless, the ideas/brainstorming pages were brilliantly written with some super ideas to inspire, such as the A-Z of character traits, the use of a dice to choose settings for a story and the work on genres and choosing better words. It is a very accessible book and I would definitely use many of the ideas included. I do think the author has missed a trick, however, as it would be very easy to tuck in some grammar in amongst the creative suggestions. Key words such as ‘alliteration’ and the use of descriptive adjectives and verbs could easily have been mentioned or even disguised amongst the pages, making the book a more valuable resource. As with any activity book, it is one to dip in and out of rather than follow religiously, but is certainly idea provoking and very accessible to both teacher and child. Its accessibility and clear concise instructions would also lend itself well to the parent who wants to work on some writing tasks at home, or for a keen, creative child who wants some extension tasks or a fun writing task to work on independently. A fun and well-constructed workbook that I am sure will prove a popular resource for parents and guardians of children in KS2 & KS3.
Having reviewed and enjoyed Creative Writing Skills last year, I was excited at the thought of another book by Lexi Rees. Wicked Writing Skills, as with its predecessor, is a book packed with original ideas for busy teachers. It is clear and concise, and it is easy to dip in and out of the extremely creative chapters. As an English teacher, I am a firm believer in mixed ability classes and lessons that can be differentiated happily and successfully. This book achieves this so well as the ideas are varied, clearly laid out and interesting, with enough stimulus to appeal to the reluctant, and enough thought provoking phrases to appeal to the most eloquent and able. The layout is fun and eye-catching, with helpful hints from the author, dotted throughout. The author’s obvious enjoyment in writing this book, certainly shines through. I like the variety of ideas, from debates and newspaper articles, to instruction and diary writing. It is a book packed with ideas and inspiration and a brilliant ‘home schooling’ resource.
White Blood is a history of human milk and tells the story of how babies have been fed from antiquity to modern times and why it matters. 'Breast is Best' is the popular mantra, but there is a perennial debate about the pros and cons of 'breast and bottle'. White Blood explores this vital question, which has implications for the health and wellbeing of mothers, their young, families, communities and even countries. Starting in Ancient Greece and Rome, where human milk was thought to be blood diverted from the womb to the breast and there whitened and vivified, it lets the voices of those concerned with the care of newborn infants, and those who followed them, speak across the centuries of how they were, and should best be, nourished.
.gif)
The world is changing rapidly, with technology advancing at breakneck speed and the constant bombardment of social media. The changes in the world are difficult to navigate as it is without the struggle of parenting. Our featured parenting books are here to offer some help. Whether it is an insight into the brave new world of technology through the eyes of a teenager, or perhaps information on the latest trends to keep you in the know. This selection hopes to offer you the information you need to help you do the best you can.