Relationships Books

These days there is a great deal of interest in raising children with bilingual skill. "The Bilingual Edge" is a great resource for parents who want to give their children the gift of bilingualism and to prepare them for the ever more connected world of the future.

The two authors are professor of linguistics specialize in second language learning. They give the book a scientific favor and much of the materials are backed by research data. Nevertheless it is written in everyday language and is not at all academic. Moreover the authors are parents themselves. They are walking their talk by raising their kids bilingually. Despite their credentials, they face many of the same parenting and social issues like we do and they also share their struggles in the book.

Just why do we want our children to become bilingual? Contrary to conventional thinking, learning a second language does not compete with the mother tongue. People who are good in a second language are actually more likely to be good in their first language. Besides the inherent advantage of speaking more than one language, studies have also shown that there is cognitive, academic and social edge in bilingual kids. In short, it makes you children smarter. I think this is more than enough motivation for most parents to consider bilingualism.

Some families are naturally more concern about bilingualism because they have emigrated to another country or they are bilingual themselves. But the authors make it clear that raising bilingual kids are not restricted to them. Indeed it is very much attainable for monolingual parents too. They guide the readers in choosing a second language by understanding the language strength in themselves, their family members and the resources available in their community.

I find their scientific approach especially relevant when dealing with the myriad of learning products being pushed to the parents. Just consider if there is any research to back the claim they make in the advertisements? Is it the product really more effective compares with other approaches, such as simply reading and talking to your children? The authors are skeptical about the claim of some popular products like Baby Einstein. Yet their opinions are actually nuanced. For example, they suggest you to watch the video with you children so that you can guide them, thereby turning a passive activity into an active learning process!

All in all this is a short and well researched book. It should answer many questions regarding learning a second language and help prepare our children into the amazing world of language learning.

I absolutely love this book. It is an excellent resource. I recommend it to anyone who is raising a bilingual child.

I enjoyed reading this book, It was very informative. If you plan on raising your child/children bilingual buy this

The authors do a great job of explaining the research in plain terms and debunking odd mythgs. It's an easy read (not "researchy") and talks about different strategies for bringing up a bilingual child. My daughter is 7 weeks from her due date and I feel very well informed about how to teach her English and Spanish in the years to come.

I bought this book because my wife are expecting a child and were wondering how to deal with the language issue in our family. We live in an English language environment, our mother tongue is Spanish, yet we are in an equally good position to talk to the child in German. The question was how to approach this "dilemma".

The book gave us many answers. Read it. And even if you decide not to, do not deprive your children of the opportunity to learn languages from the start. They have, as the book explains, nothing to lose and, as I can assure you personally, everything to gain from it.

This is *the* book to have if you are a breastfeeding counselor; it is the first one I reach for whenever a nursing mother calls for help. The information is well organized, making it easy to quickly locate topics. Quick facts are bulleted to the side of main entries, and the information provided on each topic is comprehensive and well researched. Each chapter contains a bibliography, with lists of publications for parents and references for counselors.

This book has been worth every penny, and I strongly recommend it to anyone who works with breastfeeding mothers.

I have read a few breastfeeding books and resources in the past few years. I am a mother of four children, all of whom have been breastfed. I can say without a doubt that this book is AWESOME! It has more information and more detailed answers than any other book, resource, or class that I've seen. I highly recommend it to anyone who is breastfeeding or considering breastfeeding. It's a really great book!

I loved this book! I bought this when having difficulty nursing my second baby. After having experience with nursing, I was surprised after 8wks and visiting with a lactation consultant (which cost me $75) I was still having discomfort. I found this book to be a great resource!

Having reviewed more books on lactation than I can list, the breastfeeding Answer Book stood out as the best book for both students and practitioners. The information is easy to access and is set up so that you can use it quickly.

This book is required for several programs at the Global Birth Institute and tends to be out of stock often. If you see the book listed, don't hesitate to order it.

This is a very good reference book for anyone who works in the field of lactation. It is not a book that you should read cover to cover; instead, it is a reference tool.

One downside to this book is that the index leaves a lot to be desired. It is not complete and it is poorly organized. Yes, it is in alphabetical order, but the words they indexed are often not helpful. I generally find I have to go through the TOC to find what I need - something a bit backwards from other reference material.

Other than that, this is well worth the money.

I was looking for a book like this, one that doesn't go by month to month of what I should expect physically, medically. It's a book that gives you some perspective from personnal short stories. I brought it to read during my "baby moon" and it just made me feel whole-especially mentally. Too bad there isn't a more recent version but, I would buy this as a gift-especially for a first time mother.

I really hate to give any "Chicken Soup" book less than a 5 star because I am a huge fan.

I was slightly disappointed in the content of this book. I really was hoping and expecting that it would have more stories about giving birth. It says on the cover that the 101 stories inspire and warm the hearts of soon-to-be-mothers but I felt like the subjects were too general.

For example, the contents are 1. We're Pregnant, 2. Nine Months and Counting, 3 Expectant Fathers, 4. Challenges along the Way, 5. Special Delivery 6. Small Miracle 7. Memorable moments, 8. On Motherhood, 9. Expectant Wisdom.

I didn't find many birth stories - in fact, I don't think there was even one.

However, in spite of my need for positive birth stories, I still love the stories that they put in the book.

Sheri Menelli, childbirth educator, doula, speaker and author of "[...]"

If you're an expectant mother you will appreciate the stories in this book. They are touching and funny and strike a universal chord that make you realize you're not alone. Five stars! Debbie Farmer, parenting author of 'Don't Put Lipstick on the Cat'

Although I read almost every single publication of Chicken Soup, I must say this is definitely my favourite, especially that we are expecting our third child.

Before reading this book, I must admit I was not sure if we did the right thing to concieve a third child but now I know more than missing to cherish every moment of our pregnancy.

This book has moved every kind of feelings in us from happiness to excitement, to sadness at some times and made me thankful for this beautiful gift from God.

This is a must for every expectant parent.

this book was exactly what i needed to help me love the feeling of being pregnate. during my second pregnancy i wasn't feeling all that hot until my hubby came home with the book. i read this book three times already, even my four year old loves the stories. i cried and laughed and cried some more...read this book if you're looking for something to cheer you up while you're feeling down! An excellent book--I promise!!!!

I'm the mother of a two year old boy. I bought this book to read about other peoples relationships with their sons. I can relate to some and hope to relate to some later in our lives. The bond between us is so strong and its great to see others have that special bond too. Definitely a great book for all! It made me cry, smile and laugh pretty hard.

Every mother likes stuff like this so it was particularly meaningful. Everyone needs a little sentimentality in their life. Memories should be visited often.

This book and others are helping with sending my last child, my son,
off to college. He's fine and so ready to leave home, I'm a mess!
Wonderful light-hearted stories that brought tears, smiles and memories
back. Loved the book!

"Chicken Soup for the Mother and Son Soul" will capture the heart of any woman who has a son. The lump in my throat stayed the size of a basketball throughout my reading this moving collection of Mother and son tales. "Chicken Soup for the Soul" brings back page after page of tender, memorable moments we share only with our sons. This book makes an absolutely perfect gift, and is especially powerful for mothers who have all sons! I personally am published in this book, "My Sinking Heart" page 12, and I'm proud to be in company with hundreds of other sincere mothers telling truly heartfelt stories.Pork Chops and Applesauce: A Collection of Recipes and Reflections

I have read many of the chicken soup for the soul books and I like them all. This one is especially meaningful for me. I have four kids but only one son. My son was born three weeks early. His father was so excited to have a boy after three girls. The day I came home from the hospital I went to put my son to bed and came back to the living room to find my husband had collapsed. I called for an ambulance and it turned out that my husband had an aneurysm. They did tests and were able to find out exactly where it was and attempted surgery. Unfortunately it was not successful and he died a few weeks later. I did not want to be pessimistic when he went in the hospital but I knew he would not come out of the hospital. I believe my son was born early for a reason and that reason was so his father could know that he had a son. That is another reason my son is so special to me. This book had many stories I could identify with. If you are a mother with a son or sons I highly recommend reading this book.

A Camus-like romp through the twisted fantasies of a totally narcissist middle-aged Romeo. A fun read.

I had no expectations when I first started reading Confessions of an Internet Don Juan, other than being amused by the title. However, I was immediately drawn into the story of Cast Hughes due to Cameron Chambers' direct (and sometimes raw) writing style. Hughes is an interesting, seemingly honest character who shares his experiences with on-line dating. Throughout, his vices and skewed sense of reality are in a constant struggle with his compassion and need for human attachment. Hughes talks about sex more than your average college fraternity - but he is likable. His exploits, no matter how bizarre and tawdry, still make him seem like an underdog who actually wants a meaningful relationship. For this reader, it is not clear if Cast Hughes gets the "happy ending" that he is looking for... Well done, Mr. Chambers.

Having read Cameron Chambers' prior books, I can say that I've enjoyed this one the most. By laying his main character (with all his endearing qualities and faults) bare, you feel you know him, and agonize at times over Cast Hughes' sometimes desperate and dangerous attempts to find true love. Great attention to character development is what I enjoy best about Cameron Chambers' writing.

The author does a more than adequate job of taking the reader along for a funny ride on the journery of a philanderer with a heart and a computer. This story made me laugh -- sometimes with and sometimes at the main character and his many online dates. I liked how each chapter was almost a self-contained novel or thought, while still working to tell the overall story. Made it fun summertime reading... and the sex didn't hurt either.

Confessions of an Internet Don Juan is certainly a different and most entertaining read. It's definitely fiction, but I don't know that I would call it a novel - certainly not in the traditional sense. It is instead a series of confessions (I would call them vignettes because the word "confessions" implies a degree of guilt over improper behavior) by which our narrator, Cast Hughes, describes all of the post-divorce adventures he has had via Internet dating. For a self-described middle-aged failure with a history of mental illness, it's rather astonishing to learn that he has scored more often than a young Wayne Gretzky in Edmonton, mainly with foreign women. Cast does go into some detail on the roller coaster relationship ride he embarked upon after finally divorcing his ex-wife (who was apparently trying to poison him in the last year of their marriage). He doesn't proceed in a purely chronological order, but the overall structure of the book does lead us to an ending - at least insofar as our character's Internet dating days are concerned. There's a lot of humor in this book, as Cast encountered many a freak over the weeks and months following his divorce, from the sad and pathetic waif to outright liars to scam artists - and even a few women whose company he truly enjoyed. I'll just go ahead and tell you that there will be sex scenes, but I found nothing too terribly lurid.

I found Cast to be a somewhat slippery character to grab on to. I can't say I approve of his sowing his wild oats in such a wide-ranging number of fields, and I never got a firm handle on the true nature of his mental problems (although the reader certainly runs into a number of plausibly causative issues in his past). Even when he found the relationship he was after, love in the traditional sense seemed to be something of an after-thought in the story. On the other hand, he's a fairly decent guy for the most part, pretty sympathetic due to his past problems, and refreshingly honest. His humanity is easily revealed upon many an occasion. There is, for example, the case of the glamorous model who turned out to be a poor, starving mother with a disabled child. While he admittedly froze upon discovering this particular situation, Chase does make an effort to help them - and then wonders if he should have done more after the fact. Another poignant scene involves his interaction with a stranger he recognizes as mentally ill in some fashion, forging a connection with a man most of us would ignore. Cast can be naïve, though, sometimes sending money or plane tickets overseas to women he has never met, inviting them to visit him in Florida. This continues even after he's learned a lesson or two about scam artists and their techniques (it's never a good thing to learn that the woman you've been chatting with is the equivalent of a prostitute or - what's worse - a man pretending to be a woman).

Cast has a wonderful and telling theory or summation of men, and I imagine many will think he really hits the nail on the head when he talks about the two driving forces in most men's lives. He does wax philosophical from time to time, offering up several bits of the wisdom and perception he has gleaned from experience. So, as you can see, Confessions of an Internet Don Juan is not some shallow piece of tripe chronicling the sexual conquests of a modern-day great lover. I found the book candid, but not shocking or offensive. Yes, Cast has sex with more than his share of women, but I wouldn't call him a reprobate, and he's certainly no kind of sexual predator. Cast views women as beautiful creatures, not as objects. Shoot, the man doesn't even hold a grudge against his ex-wife, even after she tried to poison him.

In my opinion, the heart of this book isn't about sex at all; instead, it is about the need for companionship along life's journey. As such, you're going to get a lot more food for thought than you might be expecting from these pages, so don't judge this book by the title alone. Confessions of an Internet Don Juan is really a surprisingly worthwhile read.

I received my copy of this book late one day just before I was to leave the office and ended up sitting down to read the whole thing right then! It is so powerful.

If you're a therapist, I recommend this book as a tool to aid your clients. If you're a relative/friend of a survivor, this book will encourage you that recovery is possible! The American Psychiatric Association, the American Psychological Association, and the American Medical Association do not recognize "False Memory Syndrome" as a legitimate medical condition. They do, however, recognize the validity of Recovered Memory Therapy.

I'm amazed at the human brain and the defense mechanisms that kick in and take the person on auto-pilot through a traumatic situation. This book is a heart-rending collection of insightful letters from adult Zandra to her inner child. Zandra's touching letters to herself sparked repressed feelings and memories long buried. Adult Zandra was not conscious of the part of her named "stupid" until Little Zandra felt safe enough to reveal her secret. When asked why she named her "Stupid," Little Zandra replied, "She's not smart enough to stop what's happening." What Little Zandra didn't know was that "Stupid" was just as smart and creative--she dissociated herself from the pain and found her own way to escape the nightmare. It sounds like there were several inner children here??

I read DEAR STUPID from the point of view of a professional and as a survivor. I'm a counselor and I believe this book would be an invaluable tool to help survivors understand the healing process.
To the author: I admire your courage and ability to share your pain and healing with others. You are definitely a dragon slayer.

My wife asked me to read this book because I want to support her through her healing process. This book made me feel angry--because somebody took something away from a child that cannot be given back. As a man I want to protect and defend. I really believe this book will help so many people and touch their hearts and even help them on their way to recovery and happiness.

Although I haven't had breast reduction surgery, I did have surgery to remove a small lump in my left breast. My surgeon told me that I'd have no problems breastfeeding (the incision was quite small), so I was completely surprised when my first child was born and our breastfeeding experience did not go well. I am now pregnant with my third child and I wish that I would have had this book from the beginning. It seems like most doctors and lactation consultants do not necessarily have a lot of info on BFAR (BreastFeeding After Reduction), and this book can really fill in the gaps.

While most breastfeeding books discuss the anatomy of the breasts and how they make milk, this may or may not be the same for post-surgical breasts. For example, where an incision is made, even if the incision is tiny, can greatly affect the breast's ability to make milk depending on which nerves or how many ducts are severed. This book also has great information on how the ducts and nerves can repair themselves, which is something that I was unaware of. The book provides methods specific to BFAR mothers for increasing supply, which can be different from the methods recommended to mothers that haven't been surgically treated. I think one of my favorite aspects of this book is that it is very non-judgemental. Many breastfeeding books make formula out to be poison; this book acknowledges that breast milk is best, but that an infant's nutritional needs come first and some women do need to supplement. A definite must-read for any BFAR mother!

This is the only useful book I've seen about breastfeeding after breast reduction surgery, and it really does a great job. The majority of the book would really be useful for women who have had any type of breast surgery and are worried about breastfeeding successfully. There's really detailed information about just about anything you'd need to know -- and a lot of information that it would have never occurred to me to look for, but I'm so grateful to have! The book has a lot of detail on how to prepare in advance, where to go for support, what positions might work best, how breast surgery can affect latch and let-down and the rest of the breastfeeding process, the pros and cons of using pumps to increase supply, using at-breast supplementers rather than bottles, different techniques to increase supply, etc.

Some of the information in the book is now out-of-date (especially regarding the use of artificial nipples for bottle feeding and pacifiers), and the author has updated information on the website (www.bfar.org). The other concern is, of course, that the book is now out of print.

Luckily on both counts, the author's website reports that a revised edition is in the works -- I can't wait, but I'm glad I have this copy -- and the author's website -- in the meantime.

This book was suggested by a doula friend and it was exactly what I needed to read. It had all the information necessary as well as all the what if's. If you had a previous surgery and plan to breastfeed you must read this. Because of this book I was able to fully feed my child without supplementing!

I'd been doing BFAR (Breastfeeding After Reduction Surgery) for three months before I discovered this book and I really wish I'd had it from the beginning. It's basically a textbook and goes into great detail about how the surgery could have affected your breastfeeding ability and what you can do if you have a low milk supply (herbs, prescription medications, pumping, psychological exercises). It goes into the emotional issues you may be dealing with and discusses methods of supplementing your baby with donated human milk or formula. There is also a section in the back for professionals who may be working with BFAR mothers.

It is very pro breastfeeding, but not in a way that I felt bullied. I did feel a little guilty that there were things I could have done in the first month that I didn't know about until reading the book, but the section on emotional issues helped with that, saying not to feel guilty over decisions you made in the past when you had different information.

This book is informative and encouraging - and HIGHLY recommended for any doctor, mid-wife, or nurse, as well as for anyone who has had this type of surgery.

This book is a great book for a Akita owner. The author gives you lots of insight into the Akita behavior. Being a Akita owner, I found the book enlightening and a joy to read. This book is a must for any Akita owner or anyone considering a Akita.

I don't own an Akita, but this book caught my eye because it was a different kind of story. The subjects of sexual discrimination, poverty, wartime in Japan, and the Morie's singlemindedness in raising dogs are explored. If you love Akitas, you'll love this book. If you're not a dog person, you'll like this book, but may not go ga-ga over it. I thought the writer jumped around a bit in telling the story, and could have been better with the continuity. But all in all, I recommend this interesting look at a life far different from ours in America.

I bought this book for my brother, who loves dogs as much as I do. When he finished it, he sent it back, so I read it as well, and we both enjoyed it. This is a very sweet book which makes a great gift book for someone who loves dogs, someone who loves Japan and its history, and especially for someone who loves both. I would have liked to see Penguin go the extra mile for Martha Sherrill and spring for glossy pages for the many great photos in the book, but that would be my only criticism.

I had to leave it at the library because i wanted to leave it for my friend who i intended to send right down to check it out. It's about an eccentric in a culture not known for eccentrics. It's about his wife and family. His wife is a stoic and her relationship with her husband is like reading science fiction to a 21st century American. The dogs are great. Great. Please do not go out and buy an Akita though. This is a lot of dog. A whole lot of dog. They almost need a mountain.

This book has touched me. The main character is morally strong, and the result of his strength has affected a breed of dog to a point beyond comprehension. If you own an Akita, this is a must read. If you do not own an Akita, you need to read this as well.

Outstanding Service, received book very quickly and the book was in better shape then described. Would do business again with Marla

My daughter is 4 and she is too young to understand it.

My son who is almost 7 has always wet the bed. It was a non-issue in our house as we knew he couldn't help it. He wore Pull-ups nightly. But about a month ago, he came to me expressing his desire to stop. I researched the various methods which can help children become dry. I was intriqued by the reviews for this book that I read on here, so we decided to buy it. We also bought a Wet-Stop bedwetting alarm. My son loves this book and we happily reviewed it every day. Within days of using the alarm and this book, he started having a few dry nights. This is a child that had only one or two dry nights a YEAR before we started this. It is now almost a month since we started this program and he has had 14 totally dry nights in a row!! We are ready to stop the use of the alarm tonight and he is so, so excited and proud! We will look at his book together until he decides to stop (he likes it so much, I'm not sure when that will be!) Of course, since we used the two methods, it's not totally possible to say how this book would have worked for us by itself, but I have an inkling that the book helped the most. It is also very good for a child's self-esteem. We are so very happy with this wonderful book and want to thank the author, too! Because of a family history of bedwetting, we assumed that my son would probably go on bedwetting for years. What a wonderful surprise for us and especially for him. This book has helped turn this whole thing into a positive experience for my little boy. He feels confident and now feels that he has control over this part of his life.

I tried this on my four-year-old daughter, although only half-heartedly because I did not want to pressure her. First, she stopped wetting during her naps. Then she would stay dry at night on and off. Then she said she wanted to stop doing the chart. ANd then she stayed dry night after night. That was six months ago and she doesn't even have accidents.

What I love about this book's approach is that it empowers the child to have control over their bladder. I find other approaches, such as alarms, to be a bit punitive and makes the child feel like it's their fault for wetting at night. The author obviously understands and loves children. Her compassion shines through every page.

Thank you very much, Alison Mack!

I used to wet the bed, but after reading this, I stopped!! I thought that after 16 years of bed wetting, I was doomed to a life on wet lonliness, but no longer!! Thank you David Wilensky, you've saved my life, now I can share a bed with other people!!

Thank you for this miracle of a book. This is a beautiful and honest story about a very special family. The author has done a huge service for the autism community with this exquisitely written work.

This was one of the first books I read after discovering my son had Asperger's. Valerie Paradiz's insight, vulnerability, and unswerving truth have helped me every day in dealing with my children... The joys and miracles, and the difficult, difficult challenges. I truly love this book and recommend it for a strong understanding of the human side of asperger's an the challenges a family faces.

Valerie and Ben are devastated when their then 2-year-old son was diagnosed with autism in addition to epilepsy. Ben has trouble accepting the diagnosis and in time the marriage dissolved.

Instead of condemning Elijah to a life of labels and misperceptions about autism, Valerie Paradiz educated her small upstate New York community as well as the world at large in this book about her personal experiences with autism. Her son and father are both on the spectrum and this book is one of many that points out the genetic basis autism has.

Elijah was enrolled in special programs from the age of three and his greatest progress is made at home and with a friend he and Valerie meet. Sharron, an independent artist is herself struggling with Asperger's, the spectrum partner to autism. She recognizes in Elijah similar traits and experiences she contends with and finally receives a diagnosis. She bonded immediately with the boy and was his regular sitter for some years.

I like the way Valerie worked with Elijah; I like the way she taught him more appropriate ways of responding to peers, such as Trevor in the chess club. Trevor came away with empowered with knowledge and a chance to be more accepting of someone he sees as being "different" and Elijah understands what he can do to regulate his behaviors and move more comfortably in social circles.

I like the conversations mother and son had; I also like the outdoor programs for people on the autism/Asperger's (a/A) spectrum that are described in the book. Best of all, having autism is CELEBRATED!

I've banged on the different drum for a long time about how being on the a/A spectrum is something to celebrate. People on the spectrum have novel perceptions and unique insights that many neurotypical (NT) counterparts do not. One misperception is that people with autism all think in pictures, which simply is not true. Ben Levinson, co-author of "Finding Ben" and Sean Barron, co-author of "There's a Boy In Here" are not picture thinkers and neither are many other people on the a/A spectrum.

Meltdowns due to sensory overload are not uncommon among the spectrum. Sadly, the NT world often looks askance at those on the a/A spectrum simply from a lack of understanding of what people with autism contend with on a routine basis. Elijah, for example would vomit during thunderstorms as the noise upset him. I like the way another reviewer said in re a/A, "Vive la difference!" Wave that banner of interlocking puzzle pieces proudly - autism is NOT something to be ashamed of having!

Two songs seem to underscore this book so perfectly - Herman Kelly & Life's "Let's Dance to the Drummer's Beat" and Linda Ronstadt & the Stone Poneys 1968 song, "(Beat of a) Different Drum." With more drums beating, you get quite a tune! With more drums being beaten, you have different drummers!

People on the a/A spectrum enrich the world tremendously. The contributions are NOT limited to Temple Grandin, Andy Warhol and Einstein and other public figures. People with autism also provide ample opportunity to learn acceptance and realize the world is for everybody and not just the NT population. All too often, people on the a/A spectrum are expected to make all the concessions, especially social concessions to the NT world and try to keep track of the Tacit Social Codes & Rules, which always seem to change at the whims of the NT world.

Now let's all march to our different drummers.

Elijah's Cup is not ony a superb read that I would recommend to all teachers of children but also an adventurous journey into what it is to be autistic as well as to have aspergers syndrome. Paradiz writes beautifully, bringing her story to life in graphic detail while informing her reader in a broad and comprehensive manner concerning both Autism and Aspergers. She has a comprehensive index, bibliography, and reference section that will be of help to many. Tasha Halpert

This is an extraordinary, rare and unique book about an autistic child. The thing that makes it this way, is his mother's pure and loving acceptance of him, just the way he is. His mother's creative solutions to make living with him the best it can be. Everyone having anything to do with an autistic child, should read it, if only for the different point of view. The view that every child has value, and there is something to be said for treasuring him just for who he is.

Elijah is a fascinating child. He has been able to absorb much comprehension about the world, and his own disability, and how to cope, through his endless questioning of his mother, and her amazingly patient, honest, and encouraging replies. He will be an adult with a tremendous advantage over other children like him, for having had Valerie Paradiz for a mother.