Favorite Category: For Parents

Please note, All of You Counseling earns a small commission from qualifying purchases on the All of Our Favorites page.

What to Do When… Series

Multiple Authors
Why we recommend this book:
  • Written specifically so caretakers can read these with children – no therapist interpretation needed
  • Developed by the American Psychological Association
  • Clear language and kid-friendly examples and explanations
Recommended by: Megan Adair Casteel

Ninja Life Hacks Collection

By Mary Nhin
Why we recommend this book:
  • A fun way to help kids learn about their feelings and reactions
  • Great for younger kids up through early/middle elementary age
  • Because who doesn’t love ninjas?!
Recommended by: Megan Adair Casteel

Race Cars: A children’s book about white privilege

By Jenny Devenny, LMSW
Why we recommend this book:
  • Through the experiences of two race cars who are friends, the story helps explain in a kid-friendly way the unfairness of white privilege.
  • The story is a little repetitive, and is written more for adults to read to children than for independent children to read on their own.
  • This can be a very helpful opening for important family conversations about privilege
Recommended by: Megan Adair Casteel

ABC Mindful Me

By Christiane Engel
Why we recommend this book:
  • Younger kids are often big fans of alphabet books
  • Colorful illustrations help keep the book and its ideas engaging
  • Offers simple mindfulness techniques that any family can practice
Recommended by: Megan Adair Casteel

I Just Don’t Like the Sound of No! My Story About Accepting No for an Answer and Disagreeing the Right Way!

Written by Julia Cook, Illustrated by Kelsey De Weerd
Why we recommend this book:
  • A fun approach to a problem a lot of kids/families have.
  • Helps parents who have been worn down by a “little negotiator.”
Recommended by: Megan Adair Casteel

A Little SPOT of Feelings Collection

By Diane Alber
Why we recommend this book:
  • A fun way to help kids learn about their feelings and reactions
  • Bright, colorful illustrations help make the books fun to read
  • Great for younger kids up through early/middle elementary age
Recommended by: Megan Adair Casteel

How to Talk so Little Kids Will Listen: A Survival Guide to Life with Children Ages 2-7

By Joanna Faber and Julie King
Why we recommend this book:
  • Clearly written for parents and caregivers
  • The authors sympathize with parents’ difficulties communicating with their little kids, and in a supportive, no-blame way offer strategies for parents to improve that communication.
  • An updated take on the How to Talk… strategies, written by a new generation of authors
  • I read this as a parent because I needed it, and I found it helpful
Recommended by: Megan Adair Casteel

How to Talk So Teens Will Listen & Listen So Teens Will Talk

By Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish
Why we recommend this book:
  • Clearly written for parents and caregivers
  • The authors sympathize with parents’ difficulties communicating with their teens (and you thought talking with your younger kids was hard?!), and in a supportive, no-blame way offer strategies for parents to improve that communication.
Recommended by: Megan Adair Casteel

Working with Worry: A Workbook for Parents on How to Support Anxious Children

By Melissa L. Kilbride, LICSW and Samantha C. Sweeney, PhD
Why we recommend this book:
  • A couple members of our team used to work with Dr. Sweeney, and she’s awesome!
  • This workbook was written during the height of COVID-19, so addresses a deeper than average experience of child and parent worry
  • Intelligent, accessible, with lots of tips parents can start to use right away
Recommended by: Megan Adair Casteel

It’s Perfectly Normal: Changing Bodies, Growing Up, Sex, Gender, and Sexual Health [for age 10 and up]

By Robie H. Harris and Michael Emberley
Why we recommend this book:
  • This book is clearly written and illustrated
  • While discussing human sexuality and sexual development with a child is never easy, this book provides accurate terms, clear illustrations, and matter-of-fact descriptions about the body and its sexual development and functioning
  • This book can be read front-to-back over time, or individual sections can be jumped to as needed

 

Recommended by: Megan Adair Casteel

Beneath the Mask: For Teen Adoptees: Teens and Young Adults Share Their Stories [a workbook for teens]

By The Center for Adoption Support & Education
Why we recommend this book:
  • A companion workbook for Beneath the Mask, created to help adopted teens and young adults reflect on and process their journeys and feelings
  • Helpful for teens/young adults, parents, and clinicians who might be supporting them
  • Has been strongly recommended to us by other professionals who work extensively with adopted teens

 

Recommended by: Megan Adair Casteel

Beneath the Mask: Understanding Adopted Teens: Case Studies & Treatment Considerations for Therapists & Parents

By Debbie Riley, LCMFT, with John Meeks, M.D.
Why we recommend this book:
  • From the Center for Adoption Support & Education, this book is the rare resource that discusses the experiences of adopted teens
  • Provides information about common challenges in raising the adopted teen, and what parents might expect at their child’s new life stage 
  • Information and assistance for clinicians working with adopted teens
  • Has been strongly recommended by parents of adopted teens

 

Recommended by: Megan Adair Casteel

The Family Firm: A Data-Driven Guide to Better Decision Making in the Early School Years (The ParentData Series)

By Emily Oster
Why we recommend this book:
  • Written by the economist who gave us “Expecting Better” and “Cribsheet”

 

Recommended by: Megan Adair Casteel

Cribsheet: A Data-Driven Guide to Better, More Relaxed Parenting, from Birth to Preschool (The ParentData Series)

By Emily Oster
Why we recommend this book:
  • Written by the economist who gave us “Expecting Better”
Recommended by: Megan Adair Casteel

How to Stop Losing Your Sh*t with Your Kids: A Practical Guide to Becoming a Calmer, Happier Parent

By Carla Naumburg, PhD
Why we recommend this book:
  • Clearly written for parents and caregivers
  • The author sympathizes with parents, and shares some of her own weaker parenting moments
  • A good blend of theory about how the mind and nervous system work, combined with real action steps you can start taking right away – to improve your self-care, and to react better with your kids
  • Because sometimes cussing helps 🙂
  • I read this as a parent because I needed it, and I found it helpful
Recommended by: Megan Adair Casteel

How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk

By Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish
Why we recommend this book:
  • Clearly written for parents and caregivers
  • The authors sympathize with parents’ difficulties communicating with their kids, and in a supportive, no-blame way offer strategies for parents to improve that communication.
Recommended by: Megan Adair Casteel

Raising Kids with Big, Baffling Behaviors: Brain-Body-Sensory Strategies that Really Work

By Robyn Gobbel
Why we recommend this book:
  • Offers sympathetic guidance and tools for parents who are struggling with their child(ren)’s “big, baffling” behaviors.
  • Describes the Owl (wise), Watchdog (fight/flight) and Possum (freeze/fawn) reactions that all humans experience.
  • Helps parents learn ways they can think and react differently, to help reduce their child(ren)’s behavior.
  • Author Robyn Gobbel has a website that includes a podcast and a parent support club
Recommended by: Megan Adair Casteel

The Explosive Child [Sixth Edition]: A New Approach for Understanding and Parenting Easily Frustrated, Chronically Inflexible Children

By Ross W. Greene, Ph.D.
Why we recommend this book:
  • Dr. Greene states at the front of the book, the word “explosive” will sound right to some parents, but too extreme to others.  It is attention-grabbing and helps his book stand out, but many parents and caregivers who could benefit from this book, would not describe their child’s behavior as “explosive”
  • Clearly written for parents and caregivers
  • A good blend of theory about how the mind works, combined with real action steps.  This is a process, not one-and-done tools, but can be very effective over time.
Recommended by: Megan Adair Casteel

The Whole-Brain Child Workbook: Practical Exercises, Worksheets and Activities to Nurture Developing Mind

By Daniel J. Siegel, M.D. and Tina Payne Bryson, Ph.D.
Why we recommend this book:
  • Clearly written for parents and caregivers
  • Helps visual learners have hands-on materials to develop and practice strategies discussed in the book, The Whole-Brain Child
Recommended by: Megan Adair Casteel

The Whole-Brain Child: 12 Revolutionary Strategies to Nurture Your Child’s Developing Mind

By Daniel J. Siegel, M.D. and Tina Payne Bryson, Ph.D.
Why we recommend this book:
  • Clearly written for parents and caregivers
  • A good blend of theory about how the mind works, combined with real action steps you can start taking right away
Recommended by: Megan Adair Casteel

Bubble Gum Brain Activity and Idea Book (workbook)

Written by Julia Cook, Illustrated by Allison Valentine
Why we recommend this book:
  • This workbook builds on the lessons taught In the Bubble Gum Brain book
  • Offers fun ways for parents and kids to learn more about and work on cognitive flexibility (flexible thinking)
Recommended by: Megan Adair Casteel

Bubble Gum Brain

Written by Julia Cook, Illustrated by Allison Valentine
Why we recommend this book:
  • Provides a fun way to discuss “cognitive flexibility” in kid-friendly language
  • Helps parents and kids find non-shaming ways to think about and handle mistakes and fears
  • Even though some adults (like this therapist) find the bubble gum brain illustrations a little gross, kids love them!
Recommended by: Megan Adair Casteel