Infants Books

Look Who's Talking is an excellent book. Ms. Dyer has obviously reviewed a large volume of research (see the notes section for many helpoful resources)and has covered many topics. Yet, she has managed to write in terms that are easily understood and helpful to parents and others. She has included specific examples to illustrate important points. Her book is filled with helpful and encouraging statements like these.

- You are your child's first and most important language model.
- Language is best learned by doing.
- Talking about a child's interests helps language development.
- Active learning is better than passive learning.

The author describes scaffolding as it relates to speech and language development. She includes helpful charts which provide information about a wide variety of topics including the following.

- Sound Acquisition
- Consonant Cluster Acquisition
- Recommended Staff-Child Ratios (childcare centers)
- Signs of Hearing Impairment

I have a copy of this book myself, and I have given the book as a baby shower gift. I also have the author's Little Language Songs for Little Ones tape, which my children and I enjoy listening to in the car.

You'll be glad you added this book to your personal or professional library.

This book is a treasure--a definite "must-have" for every parent's bookshelf!

Speech and Language pathologist, Laura Dyer has written the ultimate book on how children acquire speech and
language skills during the first seven years of life. The book is comprehensive in its scope, yet is very readable
and practical as well.

Are you mystified about how babies learn to talk?

Do you wonder how to tell if a child is experiencing developmental lags, or speech difficulties?

Maybe you want to know the ideal time to introduce a foreign language to a child, or how to teach English to a child
adopted from another country.

Should you use sign language to improve communication with your child, even if they aren't hearing impaired?

How can a parent or caregiver ready a child for the important task of learning to read?

In crystal clear fashion, Laura Dyer explains all that and more!
Page after page is packed with practical advice, anecdotes, resources, and sidebars filled with the easy to
understand nuggets of information any parent can understand and apply. No technical, head-scratching data. No
confusing jargon. No 64 letter words that leave you scrambling for a dictionary!

If you want a book that takes you step by step through the stages of speech and language learning in children, this
is the book for you!

I purchased this book several months ago seeking advice and tools to help my daughter who is developmentally delayed. I found this book to be filled with very practical advice and tools that a parent can use to help their child to develop great language skills. I highly recommend this book.

Knowledgeably written by Laura Dyer (a speech-language therapist especially skilled in working with children), Look Who's Talking! How To Enhance Your Child's Language Development, Starting At Birth draws upon academic research and field work alike in order to show how parents just how they can help stimulate their children's ability to use language. Individual chapters address such topics as proverbial signs and gestures; common language development concerns and warning signs; steps for successful sign language usage; bilingualism and second-language learning; the unique challenges of international adoptions; using music to enhance language development, and so much more, Look Who's Talking! offers straight answers to common questions and is highly recommended reading for the parents of bubbling young personalities wanting to express themselves with an articulation suitable to their age.

Look Who's Talking is a wonderful resource for parents who have questions about their child's speech. Laura Dyer, a speech-language therapist with a master's degree in communications disorders, has written a book that is well researched, easy to use and full of practical advice.

Look Who's Talking begins with an overview of speech and language development, including influences, potential problems and causes. Complicating issues such as auditory processing, hearing, language delays, and developmental delays are discussed. One of the key features of this book is the very detailed descriptions provided for each age and developmental stage; parents of babies and older children will find this a helpful resource.

My niece's baby was born at 28 weeks. Needless to say, this was a shock and a scary time for them. I saw this book and thought it might bring some comfort to her and her husband. She said the book is great. Brings tears to her eyes, but she can relate to all the stories that she has been reading.

I could relate to every story having been in all those situations. Being a parent of a micro-preemie is an isolating feeling. It helps to know there are others who are out there going through the same thing you are and are surviving it!

Many people don't realize that micropreemies do have a solid chance to survive and enjoy relatively normal lives thanks to modern medicine and the love and dedication of parents and NICU nurses. But with Mr. Smith's book, it takes the reader right into the lives of people who have experienced the birth of a very premature baby, and -- without sugarcoating it -- shows how these miracle babies are wonderful examples for all about the fight for precious life!
Every hospital neonatal intensive care unit should have this available by the case for those who need the support and positive reinforcement when confronted with what can be a perilous situation.

Parents facing the suspense and stress of premature childbirth can take heart by reading this! In fact, it should be in the waiting room by every hospital's preemie ward, so anxious parents can read these stories of tiny bodies with enormous courage. Tim Smith has told the tale of his own daughter's bravery, and the tales of other families going through this difficult experience, with insight and warmth. This is a must-have for anyone who needs to believe in the power of the human spirit.

I thought that the book "Miracle Birth Stories Of Very Premature Babies" by Timothy Smith was a well crafted and welcome addition to the world of medical literature. As I was reading, I felt like I was in the hospital with each set of parents, going through their triumphs and defeats with them.

One strong aspect of the book is that it is written for the average person, in basic language that we can all understand. The medical information provided is relevent and accurate, but we are not bogged down in medical and hospital terminology. Medical journals and texts are often written in a very dry, academic tone that is hard to get through. Also, as I was reading I also felt that I was learning information about a controversial topic without being preached to.

We have all heard things about this topic through magazines, television news, newspapers, tabloids, etc. Smith is a veteran newspaper reporter and it shows. Each story is special in their own situation, and the different families are tied together in a nice way through a common cord of compassion, mutual experiences, and hopes for the future. I wish that premature birth parents in hospitals everywhere could receive this book. It is truly inspirational and lets them know they are not alone.

Y NO HABRÁ MÁS...Por eso nos era muy importante un nombre especial... Y lo encontramos en este libro !

have names from this book...
It's a really fine collection !

POR SU BELLEZA Y PORQUE SE ESCUCHAN LINDOS EN CUALQUIER IDIOMA !
Elige cualquiera y pronúncialo en inglés, en italiano, en lo que quieras..¡Y ES BELLO !!

picked the name that marked with perennial beauty the life of my daugther...

VERY WELL DONE

para que el de tu bebè suene lindo en cualquier paìs y en cualquier idioma ...

PRECIOSO !

The Mom's Choice Awards® honors excellence in family-friendly media, products and services. An esteemed panel of judges includes education, media and other experts as well as parents, children, librarians, performing artists, producers, medical and business professionals, authors, scientists and others. A sampling of the panel members includes: Dr. Twila C. Liggett, Ten-time Emmy-winner, professor and founder of Reading Rainbow; Julie Aigner-Clark, Creator of Baby Einstein and The Safe Side Project; Jodee Blanco, New York Times Best-Selling Author; LeAnn Thieman, Motivational speaker and coauthor of seven Chicken Soup For The Soul books; Florrie Binford-Kichler, Founder of Patria Press, Inc.- an award-winning independent publisher and Member of The Children's Book Council; Tara Paterson, Certified Parent Coach, and founder of The Just For Mom Foundation(tm) and the Mom's Choice Awards®. Parents and educators look for the Mom's Choice Awards® seal in selecting quality materials and products for children and families. This book has been honored by this distinguished award.

Too often our views of parenthood come from what we see on the big and little screen: Woman tells man she's having his baby, followed by the birth and its afterglow. Then...nothing. But Oh, Baby! tells it like it is, looking at both the joys and the challenges. With its questions for discussion and suggestions for taking action, this book is both thought-provoking and practical. I highly recommend it for those who are new parents, pregnant, or thinking about getting pregnant!

Reviewed by Regan Windsor for Reader Views (1/07)

Few parenting books tackle the emotional and relationship impacts of becoming a parent. "Oh, Baby!" does an amazing job describing the entirely new level of love you experience with your baby, the enormous sense of responsibility, and the many challenges you will face in various aspect of your new role as parent.

Focusing on "7 Ways a Baby Will Change YOUR Life in the First Year," the book is separated into seven aspects of your life that will be impacted with the birth of a baby. However, each section is further broken down into four to six subsections giving the reader sixty-seven ways a baby will potentially change your life! Each subsection includes questions to help stimulate thoughts and invoke discussion to help the reader assess the emotional and logistical challenges they have encountered and/or overcome. Suggestions are provided to encourage the new parent to become creative in overcoming straining relationships, internal and external conflicts, and spirituality.

The seven sections covered throughout the book include:

A Baby Will Open Your Heart Like No Other Can or Ever Will
A Child Helps You Develop a Durable, Reliable -and Authentic- Sense of Self
Love, Marriage, and a Baby Carriage: Surviving and Thriving as a Couple
Making a Living and Raising a Child, A Baby Will Change your Views -and Goals- on Both
A Baby Creates Family Ties -and Bonds That Bind
A Baby Will Cause You to Examine Your Beliefs - and Question Your Faith
Friends and Your Baby: You'll Make Many Friends and Lose a Few!

While it is easy to plan for and adjust to the logistical implications of being a parent, the emotional impact can be a shocking new discovery to parents. "Oh, Baby!" is not only a tool to help prepare the new parent for the challenges to come, it is an excellence source to revisit as you face each situation and are looking for guidance and understanding, or even just the reassurance that you are not alone in it. An excellent resource for new and pending parents and especially useful for parenting groups!

'Oh Baby!' should be mandatory reading for pregnant or brand new parents. This practical and realistic manual (riddled with true life accounts) helps prepare new parents for the challenges and delights of parenthood.

'Oh Baby!' covers how a baby will change you, affect your relationship, your career, your family, your social life, and your spirituality. The book is for both Mom and Dad and is very interactive with 'Questions for Discussions' sections strewn throughout the book, where both partners can discuss and write about what they've just read.

Parenthood is something that has to be experienced to fully understand, but 'Oh Baby!' does a splendid job getting new parents prepared for what's to come, minimizing the inevitable shock.

One might think I know all there is to know about a baby's first year, just having my third child. Wrong! Reading through Oh, Baby, I found myself agreeing with others as they described the various feelings you experience during this first year. I also found myself remembering the first years of my first two children and some of the hurdles my husband and I faced, and I realized that many other couples face the same things.

The authors do a wonderful job addressing the emotional and physical demands of having a child under the age of one in your house. They break the book up into seven chapters, discussing not only the challenges, but the ways a baby will enhance your life and your relationships with others. One chapter deals with how a baby will cause you to examine your beliefs and question your faith, while another addresses how to survive and thrive as a couple.

Scattered through the book are wonderful quotes on parenthood, marriage, and babies. Each section ends with wonderful discussion questions to help you examine your thoughts and feelings. The "Take Action" boxes sprinkled throughout provide great ways in which you may apply what you have read to your life.

Oh, Baby was an easy read, and I enjoyed all the anecdotes collected from various couples. I could identify with so many of their stories. Whether sharing the first year of life with your first child or your third, you will appreciate this delightful book. It offers something for all parents.

by Kara Flathouse
for Story Circle Book Reviews
reviewing books by, for, and about women

but very good. No complaints other than it could be even thicker to cover even more areas.

Lots of helpful information on many important topics that parents of every preschooler are concerned about.

This is an excellent and easy read for parents of young children. It is full of solid, practical advice and loads of wisdom about preschoolers and the preschool experience that I have not seen in other books. It would make a much appreciated addition to most young parents' library - tuck it in with the other books on baby care for a really useful baby shower gift!

This is a Must Read for anyone with children between the ages of 2-5. The authors give sound practical advise that will benefit any parent. If you have to pick one book on parenting this should be it.

Incredibly insightful with real life solutions to issues every parent faces. The authors do a fantastic job of addressing what appear to be complicated issues (and often times are) and are able to provide solutions in a way that makes sense so that you will always remember what to do and their wisdom will become your own.

I have read a few different parenting books and Raising an Adult is the most insightful one by far. The print and layout make it easy to read but most importantly the book contains so many tools to help with day to day parenting. The approach of the author is counter intuitive, things that make so much sense once you read them, but you'd never think of them on your own. Included are great tools to foster open communication with your child and build up the way that the child thinks of himself as well as tools you can give your child how to deal with other children and the real world. This book is great no matter what age your child is. My children are 3 and 20 months and it is so amazing to see how much my 3 year old tells me once I have implemented the advice of this book. In addition, I have found that it helps keep me calm too.

This book was a pleasure to read and simple to implement.

A pleasure to read, because of the charming little pictures all
through out, the encouraging tone, and the fascinating and
insightful analysis of what is at the core of our children and their
behavior. The author refreshingly stresses the need to get to the
bottom of things-he talks about the difference between self-image
and self-esteem, the importance of getting to the root of a
problem, and the crucial need to give difficult children "skills,
not just pills."

And of course, he gives plenty of little and big parenting
techniques that any caring parent can put into practice.

Simple to implement because his suggestions are simple to follow
(not a ten-point plan!!!), and we saw immediate results. The
obvious, positive changes we saw makes it easy to endorse this book
full of practical wisdom.

What a book...what an inspiration...what a wonderful guide for all parents on the path to raising a confident, loving, inwardly peaceful and successful child. But how...there are so many books and advice on raising children...but this is THE ONLY book you will ever need. Mr. Brenner not only shows how to handle the daily problems that arise, but he shows us HOW to PREPARE our children not only for life, but for LIVING. The warmth, compassion and strength of his knowledge comes through on every page. Each page is an empowering toolbox to draw from and feel confident in applying. Just as important Mark guides the parents in how to change our reactions so our children react in a positive way. His 4 tools...are empowering knowledge. Life is what we gave our children, direction and confident guidance for their life is what Mark has provided for us. No matter what the age of your children this is a MUST read....Thank you Mark...you have provided more guidance for life to our family than you will ever know!!!

A wonderful book that provides a path for parents to be the loving, supportive and effetive parents that we want to be. It is easy to read about concepts and agree with them - Mark's book gives us the words that we need to use to start being that loving, efffective parent. I can't tell you how great it felt when my son observed to me "Hey Mommy, we aren't having our fights anymore!"

Written by licensed marriage and family therapist Mark L. Brenner, Raising an Adult: The 4 Critical Habits to Prepare Your Child for Life! is a solid guide for parents to helping children grow up psychologically well-adjusted. The four important critical habits to ingrain while parenting are learning to acknowledge the moment, speak with respect, enforce limits, and show an unrelenting and deep belief in one's child. Additional chapters cover common motivations for misbehavior, how to change a negative self-image, an overview of social development concerns, how to break negative parenting habits and shift one's mindset, and much more. "When disturbing and angry outbursts occur, and when it is practical, remove the child from the situation immediately and calmly. It is difficult to calm a child down in front of strangers or other family members. This only embarrasses and humiliates the child, and upsets your other children as well." Highly recommended for parents everywhere.

"Rattled" is a book full of practical and helpful information geared toward moms of newborns, written by a mom with the experience to back up what she writes about.

"Rattled" covers the time from pregnancy through the first year. The book is broken up into five parts, with each part split into chapters. Each chapter is further subdivided into sections such as "S.O.S-Spiritual Opportunity to Savor", which is a short devotional, "First Aid Kit" a bulleted list of practical tips, "Faith on Fire" which is a brief prayer, a few study questions, and "Food For Thought", a small sidebar (information printed off to the side) of facts and figures to supplement the chapter.

Dads aren't forgotten in this book either. She devotes pages to the equally important role of dad, for new baby is as much of an adjustment to dad as it is mom.

This book goes beyond child rearing advice and includes chapters on how mom needs to take care of herself as well.

What sets this book apart, in my mind, is Trish's honesty in writing about her own mothering experience. She includes in the book her own ups and downs, good experiences and mistakes. She also includes a chapter on miscarriage, having suffered through several of her own, a section on baby's first year and what to expect and a section with helpful links for surviving your first year. A book that I would've found helpful when my own mom journey started years ago.

Trish Berg is funny, serious, and right on target. She speaks from the heart, and from personal experience. This book is full of wonderful advice for the new mother, or anyone expecting a baby, even if she's a pro at giving birth. There are a lot of books out there about parenting, but this one shines. Berg has the ability of making the reader feel right at home. Great writing style, and a terrific sense of humor. This one is recommended.

I enjoyed reading this sometimes humorous approach to parenting the first year! I thought it was great how she brought out the fact that all babies are different. They have different personalities and will like different things. Just because your first baby hated the swing does not mean your second baby will not live in it! It is a great small handbook that would be great to give at baby showers!
Everyone has different views on childrearing, infant sleep, breastfeeding, and other things and even though I parented very different than her, I found her approach very informative and helpful. The encouragement to step out when you do not feel like it and find a mom's group is very helpful advice. It feels so good when you finally admit to another mom that you had a bad day and ate cereal for dinner and the mom next to you says "I did that yesterday!!".
She has great tips on exercise and the attitude towards exercise. Exercise should not be to get "your body back" as you are a mom now and may never have the same body, but to be healthy, to feel good and be around to raise your children!!
To sum it up, this is one of the sweetest, non-condemning mothering the first year books I have read! You will enjoy it and laugh along with Trish as she recounts her early mothering of each of her four children. There is small study questions at the end of the chapter which are really nice as well!

Although I am past my first year with my daughter, I do plan on having another first year with a baby. This book was very insightful, touching & humorous. I recommend it to all new mommies & even to mommies that have already been through one, two, or four first years! I love the 'First Aid Kit' & all the tips that Trish provides. It was refreshing to hear that she isn't a perfect mom & makes mistakes, because I certainly am not either & have made plenty mistakes. The bible stories & prayers are wonderful & I love how she incorporated them into her book. I plan on buying this book for any of my newly pregnant friends, so that they may have reassurance that every mom experiences the same things that they are experiencing.

Trish's charming writing style makes parenting sound like fun, and problems solvable. The book is filled with insightful and sometimes humorous, sometimes touching, stories about her own family (she is mom to 4) and things other moms have told her.
She offers so many good things in this book, like Mommy Truth No. 5 "You will make mistakes", and goes on to write "I see true love and compassion in my children's eyes."
One chapter to put into practice is Discovering Camp Palooza: Finding Fun In the Everyday. If you have a question for parenting babies, answers are here. How to establish good relations with in-laws. Whether to work outside the home. This is a great book for new parents to read.

This by far, was an amazing SIDS book. It's been almost a year since we lost Jacob to SIDS, and I still go back and re-read the book. It's so hard to find people that could relate to your SIDS loss, and this book is full of them. I HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend this book.

I've been through this loss. Chances are, if you're searching for this book, you have just experienced your own loss. READ this book.

If you have lost a child to sids then you must get this. It was recommended to me and it has been a valuable tool. It is fully of case studies, answers to questions you wont have thought of and usefull information on how to try and get through this.

Horchler and Rice give comfort, encouragement, and insight to the issues that surround Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and Infant Death. Families who have suffered the devastating loss of a baby will find many questions they may have answered among the pages. The topics covered bring a sense of normalcy and healing to the bereaved as the authors guide the reader down the path of surviving their loss and again finding joy in living.

The SIDS Survival Guide was my beacon of light during the darkest part of my life. My son, Dominic, passed away from SIDS on April 10, 2001, at only 4 1/2 months young. I began to reach out and search for all the information I could find on SIDS, drinking it all in by the bucket. A few months after he died, I found "The SIDS Survival Guide", and am so incredibly thankful. There was so much information, so many stories so like my own. I shed many tears while reading it for the first time, and even now, when I go back to read sections, I still cry. I am now expecting our second child in June 2002, and am scared to death. But knowing that I am informed about SIDS is somewhat of a comfort to me; in a way, I am as prepared as I can ever be. I would recommend this book to anyone expecting a child, who has a young baby, or knows someone who is or does.

My husband and I lost our son to SIDS in September of 2000. Our souls have been torn. The grieving process over his death has been draining. I recall little over the past 4+ months since his death. The one thing I do recall is thinking I was going crazy. I had wished their was another SIDS survivor I could speak with. Someone who could possibly relate to what my husband and I were going through. Someone who could understand our emotions. I searched under the keyword SIDS and found this book. I have not read the book in its entirety. I have read the sections I have needed at the particular times in my grieving. This book has helped me confirm that I am not going crazy. What I am feeling, though very personal, is normal. I feel this book is a neccesity for any parent who has to suffer this terrible tragedy. I have placed an order of these books in my babies memory to send to my state SIDS Coordinator in hopes that other parents may find comfort in its contents. Thank you Joani and Robin.

We had used signs with my daughter from about 5 months, only a few. She really started to use them back to us at about 10 months so we taught her more. For her first birthday a friend gave us this set and now she absolutely loves signs. She takes the flash cards out every day and really is so proud of herself when she gets them right. She's 13 months now and the cards in particular are definitely one of her favorite toys. I'm online now to buy two more for friends.

I really like this kit. I've had it for about a week now and have been learning the songs from the CD. My daughter is 10 months old so we've been signing for a few months but I had come to the point where I didn't know some of the signs I wanted, like "sheep" "ready" "cold" among others. The book is very helpful. It seems like signing would be obvious, just do it. But there are a lot of creative ideas in the book that I never would have thought of. So that's good, makes it more fun. The CD is good, has some really good original songs and a couple of traditional ones. Good quality. I didn't really need the flashcards but maybe we can use them or figure out something creative to do with them. I think it's a good deal because it's a good book and CD. Glad I got it.

I love this kit. My baby just turned 6 months old, and we are beginning to sign to her (she already recognizes milk). The flash cards are very easy to understand. My 10 year old memorized all the signs from the flash cards in a day, and loves teaching them to us. The CD is great, too. The music is very enjoyable, and the songs are simple, but very catchy; you won't get bored after listening to them several times. I love the songbook, too. It makes it SO easy to sign during the songs because you're not signing every single word. The sturdy cardboard box is a plus. The only reason I gave four stars instead of 5 is that there are two songs with "Mommy and Daddy" in them, and we all know there are many "non-traditional" families out there, and it would have been nice (and pretty easy, I think) to have words that include all children's families. Other than that, it's wonderful.

First of all, this kit is so complete. It's fun and easy to use. It comes with a great CD with beautiful and easy songs to pick up and sign to. It has a book of signs just for the songs. Then, it has great flash cards that are really easy to understand. And finally, it contains a main book of all kinds of signs which I've misplaced do to a move, but of what I remember, it was loaded with info and easy to decipher. I use the signs all the time and sing the songs and she always smiles in reconition when I do. She hasn't signed back yet, but hopefully one day I'll get my reward. If you want to teach your child to sign, this is a fun and easy place to start. It also has a great free website in it that you can refer to. I really enjoy using the kit and would give it a higher rating, but I misplaced the main book before I could use it and so I can't properly rate the entire kit, plus I don't know yet if it works.

I have been signing with my kids for 5 years now--and my kids now are 5, 3, and 1. I was looking for songs to use with signing besides the basic basics..and this book has it all. My 5 and 3 year old LOVE singing and signing the songs with me, and my 1 year old tries to sign along. My 3 year old will just start singing the songs on the cd so I see the songs as easy to remember, fun and appealing to kids. I see this as a GREAT activity to do in the car on trips and a wonderful way have fun together as a family. We have gotten through half the songs and I am saving the rest for our next trip! The signs are easy to figure out from the pictures and its just fabulous! I listened to Monta speak once and she is fabulous too! Definitely a great kit for moms that want to sign with their babies and toddlers. The cd is the best as well to add the music and fun into the whole experience! Definitely a great buy!

This book is a classic. All of my grandchildren have loved it. It should be on your bookshelf next to Good Night Moon.

One cannot say enough about how wonderful
Remy Charlip's books are. This book would
make a wonderful "first book" for any child,
boy or girl, to have. They are filled with simple
yet warming verse and amazing pictures.
Enjoy!!!

Wonderful gift for parents of a newborn (though even some children up to 5 or 6 years old will like to hear how much they are loved - but some this age will be put off by the baby-ish-ness of it). Simple pictures of a mom and baby hugging each other. Other pairs of objects hug, too - such as cloud moms and babies, etc. Lovely rhyme about how much a parent (pictures are of a woman) loves their child.

My 19 month old daughter loves this book, and brings it to me every night. The illustrations are fun for her to look at, and the text has us snuggling close throughout. A must for any parent who loves to hug and kiss their child!

The illustrations in this book are really gorgeous and the rhyme is simple and sweet. I really like the way it goes through the different parts of the baby that the mother loves. As my daughter gets older, it will be fun to make a game of naming off her body parts as we read through the rhyme. This is a nice book for parents to read to their new babies, but I think toddlers will really enjoy it too.