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50 Best Parenting Books

Once upon a time, we parented in communities, with the accumulated wisdom of generations of family members at our disposal. Now parents are more isolated, but the fact remains that we aren't meant to do this job on our own. For many of us, parenting books have helped fill the gap.

They say that kids don't come with an instruction manual - it's true - but if you're like me, you've found parenting books that speak to you. To meet the daunting task of picking and ranking the top 50 parenting books, I've considered a slew of texts in terms of how relevant and popular they are, how scientifically sound, how challenging or fresh their perspective, and how influential they have been to other books in their genre.

Just remember as you stock your library that while we know a lot about psychology and medicine, parenting is not an exact science - it's an art form. - Heather Turgeon

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What’s Going on in There? How the Brain and Mind Develop in the First Five Years of Life | Lise Eliot

50 Best Parenting Books - What's Going on in There? How the brain and mind develop in the first five years of life

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What’s Going on in There?’s Rankings

The book: Neuroscientist and mother Eliot takes us on a journey through the development of sight, smell, taste, vision, emotion, language, and memory, from conception to the end of preschool.

Why we picked it: This is a masterpiece. There is no other written work for parents that is as comprehensive, substantive, and fascinating as this book. Caution: It isn’t a quick read – we’re talking diagrams of the brain and heavy use of words like “synaptic density.” But Eliot’s writing is clear and accessible, and anyone interested in the details of how children’s brains develop should pick this up immediately.

Get it from: Amazon, $13.60

4 Responses to “Top Parenting Books- What’s Going on in There? How the brain and mind develop in the first five years of life”

  1. Rufus Griscom June 28, 2011 at

    I just bought “what’s going on in there” on amazon — so up my alley — and I am checking out the others. Nurtureshock is wonderful … highly recommended.

  2. Heather McDuffy Tristan June 28, 2011 at

    I love What’s Going on in There! It is one of my go-to baby shower books! That and The Read Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease (how did this not make the list?) and Aden and Anais swaddling wraps. Although I think NurtureShock is going to have to go on my to-give list too after reading it.

  3. shawna June 30, 2011 at

    all the spam listed below.. Horrible. :(

  4. Julissa July 9, 2011 at

    Going to put this atrcile to good use now.