Books

With all of those product recalls and safety alerts, it’s hard to stay up-to-date. Check out the 600 tips for parents in Consumer Reports’ recently published Guide to Childproofing and Safety. Summer-oriented sections on sun, beach, backyard and travel safety will come in handy this season, while advice on cribs (avoid antiques which may have lead-based paint), playroom pitfalls and how to be babysitter savvy are evergreen.

Visit consumerreports.org.

Mom’s not the only one with beach reads in her bag. This Father’s Day, help him be an even prouder pop with these new books.

The Baby Bonding Book For Dads: Building A Closer Connection With Your Baby
By James di Properzio and Jennifer Margulis
Husband and wife authors share honest, helpful and humorous stories and advice for new fathers.

Daddy’s Little Girl: Stories of the Special Bond Between Fathers and Daughters
By Gregory Lang
The New York Times bestselling author showcases real-life dad-daughter stories, illustrated by simple black-and-white photos.

Husband-Coached Childbirth: The Bradley Method of Natural Childbirth
By Robert A. Bradley, M.D.
This fifth edition updates obstetrician Dr. Bradley’s partner-oriented approach through the prenatal stage, labor and birth.

The Perfect Book For Dad: The Astonishingly Complete Guide to Fatherhood
By Paul Barker
New age dad or dangerous pursuits dad? This irreverent identification guide is full of quizzes, lists and tongue-in-cheek illustrations that leave no fatherly question unanswered.

There When He Needs You: How to Be an Available, Involved, and Emotionally Connected Father to Your Son
By Dr. Neil Bernstein, Ph.D.
Clinical psychologist Dr. Bernstein gives step-by-step methods to help dads bond with their sons.

Whether it’s French, Mandarin or your family’s oft-neglected native tongue, knowing another language is a skill many parents want their (obviously brilliant) tots to have under their belt.

Author and linguistics expert Barbara Zurer Pearson, Ph.D., delves into the various reasons behind bilingualism in her new book, Raising a Bilingual Child: A Step-by-Step Guide for Parents. Below are some of her tips for getting started.

Start young if you can. You want your language habits–in two languages–to be well established by the time your child is aware of choices.

Keep it fun. Children have to speak one language, but they must want to speak another one.

Praise, praise, praise. Remark often how wonderful and special it is to speak two languages. Praise the child’s (and other people’s) bilingual abilities.

Make time for the minority language. You don’t need extra time for it, but in the course of the activities of daily life, some routines should take place in the “other” language–consistently, routinely, and over a long period of time.

Don’t do it all by yourself. Language is a group activity. Find others to be language models for your child–other children are often the best motivators. Take advantage of immersion schools, camps, playgroups and travel opportunities.

A picture is worth a thousand words.

That’s why artist Suzy Lee decided to go sans speech in her new children’s book, Wave. Depicting a little girl’s day at the beach, the story’s simplicity underscores a joyful tale of sun, sand and surf. And the beachy watercolor tones make it a perfect summer day’s reading.

Rather, viewing.

Available online at amazon.com.

As a devotee to Tim Gunn, Thom Felicia and the gang, you’ve already got gay men as your gurus.

Brett Berk put his experience in early childhood education (20+ years!) into his new book, The Gay Uncle’s Guide to Parenting. Using an outsider’s perspective, Berk’s no-nonsense approach helps moms and dads break the “parenting bubble” to recognize truths like:

Children are not little grown-ups.
Young kids see, understand and react to the world differently than adults.
Your children are not your equals, they are your dependents — meaning, they depend on you.

As GUG reminds, you are a parent and a person. Now, about that hair.

Visit askgayuncle.com.

What’s the key to raising a happy and healthy child? Whether your first-born is on the way or you’ve already got a brood at home, it’s a question every parent aims to answer.

Read some inspiring stories in Mother Nurture: Life Lessons from the Mothers of America’s Best and Brightest. INCA designer Stephanie Hirsch gathered stories and advice from inspiring moms whose kids just happened to end up in the spotlight. Dot Jeter (mother of Derek), Suna Oz (mother of Dr. Mehmet), Nena Thurman (mother of Uma) and others share words of wisdom and a few little-known facts about their kids.

Nurture yourself.

For more information, visit mothernurturebook.com.

You can’t do Cabo with a rambunctious 3-year-old. But you’d still like to infuse a little south-of-the-border flavor into his life this Cinco de Mayo.

Whip up a dish from the new Handstand Kids Mexican Cookbook. You and your little bambino can try your hand at tilapia tacos, fiesta corn and apple cinnamon taquitos. Just like its Italian predecessor, many of the book’s recipes are peppered with authentic vocab.

And next year, it’s the Yucatan.

Available at handstandkids.com.

Good friends are hard to find – now imagine the odds if you’re a colossal canine.

Such is the case for the title character in Yoshitomo Nara’s The Lonesome Puppy. In his first book for children, Nara, one of the most influential contemporary artists in Japan, beings his pop style to this sweet pup that is “too big for anyone to notice.” Luckily, a determined little girl climbs up high enough to meet the dejected dog, and the two become fast friends.

The moral of the story? A new pal might be just around the corner.

Available at amazon.com.

Do you know there are 31 days dedicated to your blossoming belly?

Not only is Mother’s Day on the way, but May is now Pregnancy Awareness Month, as declared by Anna Getty. In honor of PAM, check out some of these recently released books on fertility, the first trimester and beyond:

The Joy of Pregnancy: The Complete, Candid, and Reassuring Companion for Parents-to-Be
Author Tori Krupp, R.N., a childbirth educator and perinatal nurse, emphasizes what’s normal, fun and even funny about pregnancy. The month-by-month format tracks developments, concerns and expectations.

Opting In: Having a Child Without Losing Yourself
Amy Richards delves into the relationship between motherhood and feminism. She writes: “The most pressing political concern isn’t choosing work or family, but finding some way to reconcile our seemingly conflicting ambitions.”

Perfect Hormone Balance for Fertility: The Ultimate Guide to Getting Pregnant
This third title from hormone specialist Dr. Robert Greene empowers couples to take an active role in their fertility future. The book tackles specific diet and lifestyle changes to maximize health while trying to conceive.

You’re working your way through the best-seller list, but your kid won’t pick up a book.

Maybe he’ll relate to Tyrone, self-proclaimed “king of the monkey bars.” This class clown, who declares books “so last year,” discovers the magic of reading in Read All About It, by First Lady Laura Bush and daughter Jenna Bush. Tyrone is so not into reading, he tells his teacher Miss Libro (get it?) – until story time brings some unexpected guests to life.

This charming tale of a reluctant reader shows how the library can actually be fun – and introduces kids to their own imaginations.

Available at amazon.com.