New Books


Recent "finds" -- an eclectic bunch of stuff from a number of different areas of interest. Click on the title for more information, including details about how to order online.

Harris, Judith Rich.  The Nurture Assumption -- Why Children Turn Out the Way They Do.  Free Press, 1998.

Whether it's musical talent, criminal tendencies, or fashion sense, we humans want to know why we have it or why we don't. What makes us the way we are? Maybe it's in our genes, maybe it's how we were raised, maybe it's a little of both--in any case, Mom and Dad usually receive both the credit and the blame. But not so fast, says developmental psychology writer Judith Rich Harris. While it has been shown that genetics is only partly responsible for behavior, it is also true, Harris asserts, that parents play a very minor role in mental and emotional development. The Nurture Assumption explores the mountain of evidence pointing away from parents and toward peer groups as the strongest environmental influence on personality development. Rather than leaping into the nature vs. nurture fray, Harris instead posits nurture (parental) vs. nurture (peer group), and in her view your kid's friends win, hands down.

Reynolds, Peter. The North Star.   FableVision Press, 1997.

Janie Roskelley and Pat Visher (San Ramon Valley USD) recommended this to me.

The North Star is the story of a young boy's journey through life. It is an allegory that raises questions about which road we take, and how to seek out our own unique path through life. The magical illustrations and gentle text reveal the empowering wonder of navigating our true potential. The North Star celebrates the individual. It invites us to rethink curriculum, career choices and other critical life decisions in a way that respects who we really are and our own unique gifts.

Sachs, Steven L.  Street Gang Awareness -- A Guide for Parents and Professionals.  Fairview Press, 1997.

This important book demystifies gang behavior by exposing its secret systems of signs and symbols: clothing and hair styles, body ornaments and tattoos, graffiti, and hand signals. Copiously illustrated, it not only helps readers identify and understand gangs, but also offers a range of strategies and resources for combating them.

Ms. Foundation for Women. Girls Seen and Heard -- 52 Life Lessons for Our Daughters. Jeremy Tarcher Publishing, New York, 1998.

In Girls Seen and Heard, we’ve transformed the insights of the extraordinarily popular Take Our Daughters To Work® Day into the successful habits of a lifetime. Girls are looking intently at our lives: how we act with them and with one another; when we speak up and when we choose silence; how we resolve conflict and deal with power. They aren’t looking for perfection, for perfect women with perfect jobs. They are looking for truths and realities. As you read this book, remember that yours is a voice of strength, authority, and compassion. Through your own courage to speak and act, you can help a girl become all that she can be: visible, valued and heard. Marie C. Wilson, President, Ms. Foundation for Women

Rodriguez, Luis J. Always Running -- La Vida Loca: Gang Days in L.A. Simon and Schuster, New York, 1993.

On the high school recommended books list for a number of school districts. An effort to remove the book is currently underway in San Jose Unified. See my News Page for details. A very powerful read.

In the tradition of The Autobiography of Malcolm X and Manchild in the Promised Land--an explosive memoir of hopelessness and resurrection that vividly portrays the brutality of barrio gang life. A timely exploration into the roots of Latino rage.

Lamott, Anne. Crooked Little Heart -- A Novel. Doubleday, New York, 1997.

At 13, Rosie plays a gangly, pigeon-toed second fiddle to her juicy, sexy friend Simone. The two are junior tennis champs who often cart home trophies. But driven by the gnawing fear that she's a loser, Rosie starts to cheat. Meantime, boy-crazy Simone dabbles in off-court disaster. Up in the bleachers a weird loner named Luther obsessively follows Rosie's games, while at home her mother wrestles her own demons. Anne Lamott (Operating Instructions) has turned in a fair depiction of the blood and bones of adolescence that's thankfully leavened by sharp humor and transcendent moments. The novel is uneven and heavy-handed at times, but often rewarding.

Keene, Ellin Oliver. Mosaic of Thought -- Teaching Comprehension in a Readers' Workshop. Heinemann, 1977.

Recommended by Joanne Trupp, John Muir Elementary, Long Beach USD

Winik, Marilyn. The Lunch-Box Chronicles -- Notes from the Parenting Underground. Pantheon Books, New York, 1998.

"Take Erma Bombeck, add the obsessions of a single mother with two boys under the age of 10, lace with a mild streak of wildness, and you have Marion Winik, as companionable a writer as a crazed parent ever found." So says the New York Times Book Review about this hilarious look at child rearing from NPR commentator Marion Winik.

Glasser, William M.D. The Quality School Teacher (Revised Edition), HarperPerrenial, New York, 1998.

Lewis, Valerie & Mayes, Walter. Valerie and Walter's Best Books for Children -- A Lively Opinionated Guide. Avon Books, New York, 1998.

Magid, Ken & McKelvey, Carole A. High Risk -- Children Without a Conscience. Bantam Books, New York, 1987.

Wachtel, Ted. Real Justice. The Piper's Press, Pipersville, PA, 1997.

Cain, Jim and Jolliff, Barry. Teamwork and Teamplay. Kendall-Hunt Publising, Dubuque, Iowa, 1998.

Burns, Marilyn. Math -- Facing an American Phobia. Math Solutions Publications, Sausalito, CA, 1998.

Recommended to me by Julie McNamara, School of Education, St. Mary's College.

Hewlitt, Sylvia Ann & West, Cornel. The War Against Parents: What We Can Do for America's Beleaguered Moms and Dads. Houghton-Mifflin, New York, 1998.

Joan Ryan's column in the Sunday Chronicle Examiner (4/19/98) is about this book.

The average worker is now at work 163 hours a year more than in 1980 -- shortchanging their children Sometimes I've wondered why we don't seem to be as adept at parenting as our parents were. Why do we feel more squeezed for time, less sure of ourselves? And why do we seem to be raising a nation of lost, out-of-control kids?

Duckworth, Eleanor. 'The Having of Wonderful Ideas' & Other Essays on Teaching & Learning. Teachers College Press, 1996.

Hornbacher, Marya. Wasted : A Memoir of Anorexia and Bulimia. HarperCollins, New York, 1998.

A very compelling, powerful, gritty first-person narrative. Also available in audio cassette format.

Wolf, Anthony E. 'It's Not Fair, Jeremy Spencer's Parents Let Him Stay Up All Night!' : A Guide to the Tougher Parts of Parenting. Noonday Press, 1996.

Wolf, Anthony E. Get Out of My Life, but First Could You Drive Me and Cheryl to the Mall? : A Parent's Guide to the New Teenager. Noonday Press, 1992.

Strachota, Bob. On Their Side -- Helping Children Take Charge of their Learning. Northeast Foundation for Children, Greenfield, MA, 1996.

Recommended to me by Rick Kleine, 4/5 grade teacher, Federal Terrace Elementary School, Vallejo, CA.

Erion, Polly. Drama in the Classroom -- Creative Activities for Teachers, Parents, & Friends. Lost Coast Press, Fort Bragg, CA, 1997.

The author is my daughter's drama instructor. A terrific resource!

Ingersoll, Dr. Barbara D. & Goldstein, Dr. Sam. Lonely, Sad, and Angry -- A Parent's Guide to Depression in Children and Adolescents. Doubleday, New York, 1995.

Kovalik, Susan. Integrated Thematic Instruction -- The Model (3rd Edition). Susan Kovalik and Associates, Kent, WA, 1997.

Covey, Stephen R. The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Families. Golden Books, New York, 1997.

This title is also available in audio cassette and audio CD formats.

DeMille, Richard. Put Your Mother on the Ceiling -- Children's Imagination Games. Viking Press, New York, 1973.

Greenspan, Stanley I., M.D. The Challenging Child -- Understanding, Raising, and Enjoying the Five Difficult Types of Children. Addison-Wesley, Reading, MA, 1995.

Greenspan, Stanley I., M.D. Playground Politics -- Understanding the Emotional Life of Your School-Aged Child. Addison-Wesley, Reading, MA, 1993.

Dishon, Dee & Moorman, Chick. Our Classroom : We Can Learn Together. Institute for Personal Power, 1986.

Recommended to me by Adrienne Rogers (3rd grade teacher, Happy Valley Elementary School, Lafayette, CA.)

Rich, Dorothy. MegaSkills -- Building Children's Achievement for the Information Age. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, NY, 1998.

A new, revised, and updated edition published 1/1/98.

Bloch, Douglas. Positive Self-Talk for Children -- Teaching Self-Esteem through Affirmations: A Guide for Parents, Teachers, and Counselors. Bantam Doubleday Books, New York, 1993.

Glasser,William, M.D. Choice Theory: A New Psychology of Personal Freedom. HarperCollins, New York, 1998.

Calkins, Lucy McCormick. Raising Lifelong Learners -- A Parent's Guide. Addison Wesley, Reading, MA, 1997.

One of the best books for parents I have ever come across. Clear, concise, and written from a parent-educator's perspective. Am recommending it widely these days. Along the same lines, the following book is in the same league.

Coles, Robert. The Moral Intelligence of Children -- How to Raise a Moral Child. Random House, New York, 1997.

Also available in audio cassette format.

Nowicki, Stephen & Duke, Marshall. Helping the Child Who Doesn't Fit In. Peachtree Publishers, Atlanta, GA, 1992.

Nowicki, Stephen & Duke, Marshall. Teaching Your Child the Language of Social Success. Peachtree Publishers, Atlanta, GA, 1996.

Pennac, Daniel. Better Than Life -- The Secrets of Reading. Coach House Press, Toronto, 1994.

The Reader's Bill of Rights:

1. The right not to read.
2. The right to skip pages.
3. The right not to finish.
4. The right to reread.
5. The right to read anything.
6. The right to escapism.
7. The right to read anywhere.
8. The right to browse.
9. The right to read out loud.
10. The right not to defend your tastes.

Pipher, Mary. The Shelter of Each Other -- Rebuilding Our Families. Ballantine Books, New York, 1996.

Sheldrake, Rupert. Seven Experiments that Could Change the World -- A Do-It-Yourself Guide to Revolutionary Science. Riverhead Books, New York, 1995.

Trott, Susan. The Holy Man. Riverhead Books, New York, 1995.

A profound book of delightfully inspiring stories. Thanks to my friend Sue (aka Sioux) for recommending it to me!

Grudin, Robert. Time and the Art of Living. Ticknor and Fields, New York, 1982.

Csikszentmihalyi, Mihaly. Flow -- The Psychology of Optimal Experience: Steps Toward Enhancing the Quality of Life. HarperPerennial, New York, 1990.

Service, Robert. The Best of Robert Service/Illustrated Edition. Philadelphia, PA, 1983.

Includes The Cremation of Sam Magee and The Shooting of Dan McGrew.

Covington, Martin V. Making the Grade -- A Self-Worth Perspective on Motivation and School Reform. Cambridge University Press, New York, 1992.

Males, Mike A. The Scapegoat Generation -- America's War on Adolescents. Courage Press, Monroe, ME, 1996.

Wycoff, Joyce. Mindmapping -- Your Personal Guide to Exploring Creativity and Problem-Solving. Berkeley Books, New York, 1991.

Gurian, Michael. The Wonder of Boys -- What Parents, Mentors, and Educators can Do to Shape Boys into Exceptional Men. Jeremy Tarcher, New York, 1996.

Also available in audio cassette format.

Bradshaw, John. Bradshaw on: The Family -- A New Way of Creating Solid Self-Esteem (audio cassette). Health Communications, Inc., Deerfield Beach, FL, 1996.

Segal, Jeanne. Raising Your Emotional Intelligence -- A Practical Guide. Henry Holt and Company, New York, 1997.

Senge, Peter et al. The Fifth Discipline Fieldbook -- Strategies and Tools for Building a Learning Organization. Doubelday, New York, 1994.

McCoy, Elin. What to Do... When Kids Are Mean to Your Child. Reader's Digest Press, New York, 1997.


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