Boy's Reading List
Books on Raising and Understanding Boys ... Teens and In-Betweens
This is a collection of books on a variety of topics that may help parents to better understand issues their sons may encounter.
By Michael Gurian
In this insightful and practical book, Michael Gurian describes what boys need to become strong, responsible, sensitive men. Instead of encouraging us to stifle boys' natural propensities for competition and aggression, Gurian offers effective and practical guidelines for channeling them. He shows how the evils boys are susceptible to, including gang activity, sexual misconduct, and crime, become necessary outlets when positive role models and adult support are not available. Most important, Gurian explains what a boy really needs--a primary and an extended family, relationships with mentors, and intense support form his school and community--and details how we can provide these things for the boys we love.
The Minds of Boys: Saving Our Sons From Falling Behind in School and Life
By Michael Gurian & Kathy Stevens
Michael Gurian's blockbuster bestseller The Wonder of Boys is the bible for mothers, fathers, and educators on how to understand and raise boys. It has sold over 400,000 copies, been translated into 17 languages, and sells over 25,000 every year, which is more than any other book on boys in history. To follow up on this first book, which launched the boy's movement, he has now written this revolutionary new book which confronts what he and a lot of other parents and teachers in this country truly believe to be a "boy's crisis".
Here are the facts:
● Boys today are simply not learning as well as girls
● Boys receive 70% of the Ds and Fs given all students
● Boys cause 90% of classroom discipline problems
● 80% of all high school dropouts are boys
● Millions of American boys are on Ritalin and other mind-bending control drugs
● Only 40% of college students are boys
● And three out of four learning disabled students are boys
So what can we do?
Gurian has the answer in this enormously fascinating and practical book which shows parents and teachers how to help boys overcome their current classroom obstacles by helping to create the proper learning environment, understand how to help boys work with their unique natural gifts, nurture and expand every bit of their potential, and enabling them to succeed in life the way they ought to.
Gurian presents a whole new way of solving the problem based on the success of his program in schools across the country, the latest research and application of neuro-biological research on how boys' brains actually work and how they can learn very well if they're properly taught.
Anyone who cares about the future of our boys must read this book.
Raising Cain: Protecting the Emotional Life of Boys
By Dan Kindlon & Michael Thompson
In Raising Cain, Dan Kindlon, Ph.D., and Michael Thompson, Ph.D., two of the country's leading child psychologists, share what they have learned in more than thirty-five years of combined experience working with boys and their families. They reveal a nation of boys who are hurting--sad, afraid, angry, and silent. Kindlon and Thompson set out to answer this basic, crucial question: What do boys need that they're not getting? They illuminate the forces that threaten our boys, teaching them to believe that "cool" equals macho strength and stoicism. Cutting through outdated theories of "mother blame," "boy biology," and "testosterone," the authors shed light on the destructive emotional training our boys receive--the emotional miseducation of boys.
Kindlon and Thompson make a compelling case that emotional literacy is the most valuable gift we can offer our sons, urging parents to recognize the price boys pay when we hold them to an impossible standard of manhood. They identify the social and emotional challenges that boys encounter in school and show how parents can help boys cultivate emotional awareness and empathy--giving them the vital connections and support they need to navigate the social pressures of youth.
Real Boys: Rescuing Our Sons from the Myths of Boyhood
By William Pollack & Mary Pipher
Based on William Pollack's groundbreaking research at Harvard Medical School over two decades, Real Boys explores this generation's "silent crisis": why many boys are sad, lonely, and confused although they may appear tough, cheerful, and confident. Pollack challenges conventional expectations about manhood and masculinity that encourage parents to treat boys as little men, raising them through a toughening process that drives their true emotions underground. Only when we understand what boys are really like, says Pollack, can we help them develop more self-confidence and the emotional savvy they need to deal with issues such as depression, love and sexuality, drugs and alcohol, divorce, and violence.
Parenting Teens With Love and Logic: Preparing Adolescents for Responsible Adulthood
By Foster Cline & Jim Fay
Love means giving your teen opportunities to be responsible and empowering them to make their own decisions. Logic means allowing them to live with the natural consequences of their mistakes and showing empathy for the pain they will experience.
Parenting Teens with Love and Logic, from the duo who wrote Parenting with Love and Logic,empowers parents with the skills necessary to set limits, teach important skills, and encourage decision-making in their teenagers. Covering a wide range of real-life issues teens face―including divorce, ADD, addiction, and sex―this book gives you the tools to help your teens find their identity and grow in maturity. Indexed for easy reference.
Parenting With Love and Logic: Teaching Children Responsibility
By Foster Cline & Jim Fay
This well-known child psychiatrist has written a book to help parents raise kids who are self-confident, motivated, and ready for the world by teaching them responsibility and the logic of life by giving them the opportunity to solve their own problems from the earliest possible age. Learn how to parent effectively while teaching your children responsibility and growing their character. Establish healthy control through easy-to-implement steps without anger, threats, nagging, or power struggles.
How to Talk So Kids Will Listen and Listen So Kids Will Talk
By Adele Faber & Elaine Mazlish
The ultimate “parenting bible” (The Boston Globe) with a new foreword—and available as an ebook for the first time—a timeless, beloved book on how to effectively communicate with your child from the #1 New York Times bestselling authors.Internationally acclaimed experts on communication between parents and children, Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish “are doing for parenting today what Dr. Spock did for our generation” (Parent Magazine). Now, this bestselling classic includes fresh insights and suggestions as well as the author’s time-tested methods to solve common problems and build foundations for lasting relationships, including innovative ways to:
● Cope with your child's negative feelings, such as frustration, anger, and disappointment
● Express your strong feelings without being hurtful
● Engage your child's willing cooperation
● Set firm limits and maintain goodwill
● Use alternatives to punishment that promote self-discipline
● Understand the difference between helpful and unhelpful praise
● Resolve family conflicts peacefully
Enthusiastically praised by parents and professionals around the world, the down-to-earth, respectful approach of Faber and Mazlish makes relationships with children of all ages less stressful and more rewarding. The authors share their latest insights and suggestions based on feedback they've received over the years. Their real-world methods offer children's negative feelings; express anger without being hurtful; set firm limits and maintain goodwill; use alternatives to punishment; resolve family conflicts peacefully.
The Hurried Child: Growing up Too Fast Too Soon
By David Elkind
With the first edition of The Hurried Child, David Elkind emerged as the voice of parenting reason, calling our attention to the crippling effects of hurrying our children through life. He showed that by blurring the boundaries of what is age appropriate, by expecting--or imposing--too much too soon, we force our kids to grow up too fast, to mimic adult sophistication while they secretly yearn for time to act their age.
In the more than two decades since this book first appeared, our society has inadvertently stepped up the assault on childhood through the media, in schools, and at home. In this twenty-fifth anniversary edition of this classic, Dr. Elkind adds important new commentary to put a quarter century of trends and change into perspective for parents today, including a detailed, up-to-the-minute look at the Internet, classroom culture, school violence, and movies and television. Showing parents and teachers where hurrying occurs and why, Elkind offers insight, advice, and hope for encouraging healthy development while protecting the joy and freedom of childhood.
Bullies and Victims: Helping Your Child Through the Schoolyard Battlefield
By SuEllen Friend & Paula Fried
SuEllen Fried, a dance therapist and community activist who has headed the National Committee to Prevent Child Abuse, and her daughter Paula, a psychotherapist, here collaborate on a thorough analysis of peer abuse among children. The book opens with a definition of bullying that examines when harmless teasing crosses the line to become abuse. Later chapters examine physical, verbal, emotional, and sexual abuse among peers, with key ideas clarified by real-life examples. The final chapters suggest ways to empower children, including adult intervention and educational programs in school settings. Both broad and deep, this thoughtful overview of a common problem is recommended for public and academic libraries. Kay L. Brodie, Chesapeake Coll., Wye Mills., Md.
The Bully The Bully, the Bullied, and the Bystander
By Barbara Coloroso
It's the deadliest combination going: bullies who terrorize, bullied kids who are afraid to tell, bystanders who watch, and adults who see the incidents as a normal part of childhood. All it takes to understand that this is a recipe for tragedy is a glance at headlines across the country. In this updated edition of The Bully, the Bullied, and the Bystander, which includes a new section on cyberbullying, one of the world's most trusted parenting educators gives parents, caregivers, educators—and most of all, kids—the tools to break the cycle of violence.
Drawing on her decades of work with troubled youth, and her wide experience in the areas of conflict resolution and reconciliatory justice, Barbara Coloroso explains:
● The three kinds of bullying, and the differences between boy and girl bullies
● Four abilities that protect your child from succumbing to bullying
● Seven steps to take if your child is a bully
● How to help the bullied child heal and how to effectively discipline the bully
● How to evaluate a school's antibullying policy
● And much more
This compassionate and practical guide has become the groundbreaking reference on the subject of bullying.
Books For Pre-Teens and Young Teens
Bullies are a Pain in the Brain
By Trevor Romain
No one wants to be picked on, pushed around, threatened, or teased. With practical suggestions and humor, kids will learn to stop bullying in its tracks.Refreshed to reflect the latest research, this updated classic reassures kids that it's not their fault if they are bullied and describes realistic ways to become "Bully-Proof." It shows how bystanders can stand up for others and how to get help in dangerous situations. Even kids who bully will find ideas they can use to get along with others and feel good about themselves without making other people miserable.
Cliques, Phonies, and other Baloney
By Trevor Romain & Elizabeth Verdick
Clique: It’s a word that’s spelled funny and sounds funny, and (like a vampire) can be a pain in the neck. True friends don’t make you feel left out, but for many kids, navigating social groups is tricky (because it’s cliquey), and they end up feeling excluded. This book uses humor, fun cartoons, and kid-friendly language to explain what cliques are, why being phony is baloney, why true friends don’t exclude others online or in real life, what’s more important than popularity—and how to navigate it all. The updated edition addresses online socializing and social media.
Stress Can Really Get on Your Nerves!
By Trevor Romain & Elizabeth Verdick
More kids than ever feel worried, stressed out, and anxious every day. Their parents and teachers may not know—because kids don’t want to talk about it, or they don’t know how to put their worries into words. Their “secret stress” surfaces as stomachaches, headaches, fatigue, trouble sleeping, loss of appetite, and an inability to concentrate. These and other stress-related symptoms can have a negative effect on school performance, family life, and friendships. From the best-selling authors of True or False? Tests Stink!, this book is a helping hand for kids and an eye-opener for adults. Reassuring words, silly jokes, and light-hearted cartoons let kids know they’re not the only worry-warts on the planet—and they can learn to manage their stress. A “What, Me Worry?” section describes the causes of stress and its physical and emotional effects. “How to Be a Panic Mechanic” gives kids ideas for dealing with stress and being stronger and more assertive. Upbeat, positive, fact-filled, and friendly, this is the book on stress for kids and young adolescents.
Fighting Invisible Tigers - A Stress Management Guide for Teens
By Earl Hipp
Stress is something we all experience. But research suggests that adolescents are affected by it in unique ways that can increase impulsivity and risky behaviors. While eliminating stress from life isn’t realistic, young people can learn to control how they respond to it. This book offers proven techniques that teens can use to deal with stressful situations in school, at home, and among friends. They’ll find current information on how stress affects health and decision making and learn stress-management skills to handle stress in positive ways—including assertiveness, positive self-talk, time management, relaxation exercises, and much more. Filled with interesting facts, student quotes, and fun activities, this book is a great resource for any teen who’s said, “I’m stressed out!” Proven, practical advice for teens on coping with stress, being assertive, taking risks, making decisions, staying healthy, dealing with fears, building relationships, and more.
Hot Stones and Funny Bones – Teens Helping Teens Cope With Stress and Anger
By Brian Luke Seaward & Linda Bartlett
More than seventy-five teens from across the country were interviewed on a range of topics and issues: parents, friends, sports, clothes, school violence and peer pressure. With the passion and frustration expressed by teens in their narratives, as well as in their artwork and poetry, this book is a unique combination of original teen contributions and effective stress- and anger-management techniques from a mental-health professional. Most important, it was designed expressly for teens.
Hot Stones and Funny Bones is divided in three sections. "Telling It Like It Is" highlights problems and issues that nearly every teen faces in the middle- and high-school years, expressed in their own voices. The second section, "The Best Way to Cope with Stress", offers a host of coping skills and relaxation techniques for teens to utilize, ranging from ways to boost self-esteem and effective anger-management skills, to meditation and creative expression. The third section, "Final Comments From Teens", reveals opinions, lessons learned and advice to parents and teenagers about the struggles and triumphs of teen years. In addition, every chapter includes "Thoughts, Reflections and Action Plans", where teens can process what they've learned, using the information to make healthy behavioral changes.
With all the stress and gamut of emotions in our hectic-and at times chaotic-world, this book will be a hit with teens trying to make sense of it all and stay sane at the same time.
Puberty
The Boys Body Book: Everything You Need to Know for Growing Up YOU
By Kelli Dunham
You have questions? We have answers! This fourth edition of the #1 bestselling book for pre-teen boys has been fully updated and expanded to include everything you need to know about your changing body, texting and social media, friendship and peer pressure, leadership, and so much more!
You update your gadgets, your look, and your fantasy sports teams; now it's time to update your knowledge about the most important person in your life: You! Don't rely on what you hear in the locker room. Find out the truth about your changing body and all that goes with it in The Boy's Body Book, the #1 bestselling book on succeeding during adolescence.
Some of the topics covered include:
● YOUR CHANGING BODY: From hair care to athlete’s foot, a head to toe guide to what’s happening with your growing body
● YOUR CHANGING RELATIONSHIPS: The care and keeping of parents, siblings, teachers, friends, and coaches
● YOUR CHANGING LIFE: From dressing for success to internet safety, making better food choices to dealing with bullies (online or in-person), it's a whole new world out there. We've got your back!
There's a lot to learn about this next phase of your life. So what are you waiting for? Let The Boy's Body Book be your guide. Your whole life is waiting for you!
Whats Happening to my Body Book For Boys
By Lynda Madaras, Area Madaras, & Simon Sullivan
Everything preteen and teen boys need to know about their changing bodies and feelings
Written by an experienced educator and her daughter in a reassuring and down-to earth style, The "What's Happening to My Body?" Book for Boys gives sensitive straight talk on: the body's changing size and shape; diet and exercise; the growth spurt; the reproductive organs; body hair; voice changes; romantic and sexual feelings; and puberty in the opposite sex. It also includes information on steroid abuse, acne treatment, sexually transmitted diseases, AIDS, and birth control. Featuring detailed illustrations and real-life stories throughout, plus an introduction for parents and a helpful resource section, this bestselling growing-up guide is an essential puberty education and health book for all boys ages 10 and up.
Web Sites
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