Use this alphabetical index to find books that have been reviewed for the Harried Parent's Book Club.
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J-L | M-N | O | P-Q | R | S | T | U-V | W-Z
Damaged Angels
Cover image courtesy of PriceGrabber
By Bonnie Buxton; 331 pages. From the Book Cover: "Part heartfelt memoir, part practical guide, 'Damaged Angels' recounts Bonnie Buxton's years-long struggle to raise a child whose biological mother drank alcohol during pregnancy."
Bottom Line: Like most FASD memoirs, this one is full of tragic and scary choices that will make you want to hold your child a little tighter. The fact that Buxton's daughter survives to the end of the book and seems headed for a better future makes it a relatively upbeat entry in the genre.
Bottom Line: Like most FASD memoirs, this one is full of tragic and scary choices that will make you want to hold your child a little tighter. The fact that Buxton's daughter survives to the end of the book and seems headed for a better future makes it a relatively upbeat entry in the genre.
Diabesity
Cover image courtesy of Random House
By Francine R. Kaufman, M.D.; 326 pages. Subtitle: The Obesity-Diabetes Epidemic That Threatens America -- And What We Must Do to Stop It.
Bottom Line: Kaufman doesn't mince words in exhorting readers to put down the doughnuts, throw out the sweetened soda, hand back that Big Mac, get up and exercise, or tomorrow you and your children will be dealing with diabetes and all its complications. This isn't a book to browse through while enjoying your midnight snack.
Bottom Line: Kaufman doesn't mince words in exhorting readers to put down the doughnuts, throw out the sweetened soda, hand back that Big Mac, get up and exercise, or tomorrow you and your children will be dealing with diabetes and all its complications. This isn't a book to browse through while enjoying your midnight snack.
Disconnected Kids
Cover image courtesy of Perigee
By Dr. Robert Melillo; 274 pages. Subtitle: The Groundbreaking Brain Balance Program for Children With Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia, and Other Neurological Disorders - Achieve Results at Home and Without Drugs
Bottom Line: Would you have thought we needed another neurological diagnosis, one even broader than the autism spectrum? Disconnected Kids proposes Functional Disconnection Syndrome, which besides autism covers ADHD, dyslexia, ODD, and more. The book offers a detailed plan for remedying the condition, and though you may not get the big results promised, it probably won't hurt.
Bottom Line: Would you have thought we needed another neurological diagnosis, one even broader than the autism spectrum? Disconnected Kids proposes Functional Disconnection Syndrome, which besides autism covers ADHD, dyslexia, ODD, and more. The book offers a detailed plan for remedying the condition, and though you may not get the big results promised, it probably won't hurt.
Don't Feed the Monster on Tuesdays!
Cover image courtesy of PriceGrabber
By Adolph Moser; 55 pages. Subtitle: The Children's Self-Esteem Book.
Bottom Line: Not a parenting book so much as a book for parents to read with their children, Don't Feed the Monster helps kids understand negative self-talk by picturing a nasty green monster who lives in your head and says mean things. With colorful cartoons and kid-friendly language, the book offers explanations for those bad feelings and ways to overcome them.
Bottom Line: Not a parenting book so much as a book for parents to read with their children, Don't Feed the Monster helps kids understand negative self-talk by picturing a nasty green monster who lives in your head and says mean things. With colorful cartoons and kid-friendly language, the book offers explanations for those bad feelings and ways to overcome them.
Don't Swear With Your Mouth Full
Cover image courtesy of Cary S. Chugh, PhD
By Cary S. Chugh, Ph.D.; 177 pages. Subtitle: When Unconventional Discipline Fails Unconventional Children
Bottom Line: If time-limited discipline (say, one minute of time-out for every year of your child's life) hasn't helped in your home, the behavior-limited discipline described here may be worth a try. It involves understanding that release from time-out is a reward, and allowing kids to earn and learn from that reward by practicing what they should have done before they landed in time-out in the first place. It's about giving kids control over their punishment, and self-control's a good goal.
Bottom Line: If time-limited discipline (say, one minute of time-out for every year of your child's life) hasn't helped in your home, the behavior-limited discipline described here may be worth a try. It involves understanding that release from time-out is a reward, and allowing kids to earn and learn from that reward by practicing what they should have done before they landed in time-out in the first place. It's about giving kids control over their punishment, and self-control's a good goal.
Dr. Thompson's Straight Talk on Autism
Cover image courtesy of Brookes Publishing Co.
By Travis Thompson, Ph.D.; 282 pages. Subtitle: The expert guide parents can trust!
Bottom Line: If you're like me, you prefer your parenting books to be light on theory and heavy on practical advice for getting your child and yourself through the day. By that measure, this book's a clear winner. The author, a professor of the Autism Program at the University of Minnesota School of Medicine and the grandfather of a child with autism, gives good and readable instructions for teaching skills and handling behavior problems. It may not all work for you, but there are a lot of options to try.
Bottom Line: If you're like me, you prefer your parenting books to be light on theory and heavy on practical advice for getting your child and yourself through the day. By that measure, this book's a clear winner. The author, a professor of the Autism Program at the University of Minnesota School of Medicine and the grandfather of a child with autism, gives good and readable instructions for teaching skills and handling behavior problems. It may not all work for you, but there are a lot of options to try.
Dyslogic Syndrome
Cover image courtesy of Jessica Kingsley Publishers
By Bernard Rimland; 192 pages. Subtitle: Why Millions of Kids Are "Hyper," Attention-Disordered, Learning-Disabled, Depressed, Aggressive, Defiant, or Violent -- and What We Can Do About It
Bottom Line: If the "what we can do about it" part of this slim volume was more of the story than the "why millions of kids are messed up" part, I might have liked it better. By the time Dr. Rimland gets done sharing statistics on widespread brain damage, toxic environments, and medical malpractice, hope seems like kind of an afterthought.
Bottom Line: If the "what we can do about it" part of this slim volume was more of the story than the "why millions of kids are messed up" part, I might have liked it better. By the time Dr. Rimland gets done sharing statistics on widespread brain damage, toxic environments, and medical malpractice, hope seems like kind of an afterthought.
