SingaporeMotherhood | Family Fun
April 2013
Librarian-recommended! Good books for parents and kids
Mums are busy people who hardly have time to sit down with a book, let alone search for a good one from the vast selection out there. That’s why we have asked the librarians from the National Library Board to recommend us books for every stage of motherhood: on Pregnancy, to read to Babies and Toddlers, to read with Preschoolers, and on Parenthood (to share with the husband!). All these books are available at libraries in Singapore. Their call numbers are included to make it even easier for time-strapped parents to locate, and borrow them. Happy reading!
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Expect the Best: Your Guide to Healthy Eating Before, During & After Pregnancy
by Elizabeth M. Ward, Hoboken, N.J.: Wiley, c2009.
Call No. : English 618.242 WAR-[FAM]
Expect the Best is useful for anyone planning on getting pregnant, or who is already pregnant. It details easy-to-follow steps for achieving the kind of healthy lifestyle that will benefit women through pregnancy and beyond. The book is a comprehensive resource for pre-pregnancy nutrition and exercise plans, pregnancy diets, as well as post-pregnancy weight-loss suggestions.
Your Pregnancy Day-by-Day
by Stuart Campbell, London: Carroll & Brown, 2012.
Call No. : English 618.2 CAM-[FAM]
Your Pregnancy Day-By-Day is a handy book that provides just the right amount of information for each day of gestation, accompanied by diagrams and pictures. The book is colour-coded for easier reference, with a different tone to represent each trimester. The first trimester covers basic information from how to prepare for pregnancy, to explaining in simple terms the process of impregnation and what happens immediately after. This would be an especially welcome tome for first-time mothers-to-be as it can help to ease their worries about pregnancy, hence helping them to relax and enjoy the journey.
Baby Body Signs: The Head-to-toe Guide to Your Child’s Health, from Birth Through the Toddler Years
by Joan Liebmann-Smith, New York: Bantam Books Trade Paperbacks, 2010.
Call No. : 613.0432 LIE – [HEA]
It is natural to worry and question the slightest blemish on Baby’s body or her behaviour, especially if she is the first child. This book is a helpful guide that answers parents’ worries, and helps them to discern whether the condition is serious enough to warrant medical attention. There is also an additional resource section which makes the book easier to navigate.
All of Baby, Nose to Toes
by Victoria Adler, New York: Dial Books for Young Readers, 2011, c2009
Call No. : JP ADL-[BA]
Celebrate family love while reading the lively verses of this book. Explore baby’s anatomy, from nose to toes, and witness the joy that a baby can bring to a family. Your child will enjoy looking at the close-up illustrations of the baby, as well as the repetitive consonant and vowel sounds.
The Falling Raindrop
by Neil Johnson, Singapore: Neil Johnson, 2006
Call No. : JP JOH
The sky is dark and the first raindrop falls, flies and zooms through the air, that is, until it realises it’s not flying – it’s falling. It then frets and worries about all the horrible things that could happen when it hits the ground, but all’s well that ends well for this children’s picture book. The vocabulary used is suitable for preschoolers.
Yawn
by Sally Symes, London: Walker, 2011
Call No. : JP SYM
Some say yawning is contagious and so is this aptly-titled book. A little boy named Sean yawned and “spread” it to others, including a “cheeping, chirping” feathered buddy, a “splishy, splashy” scaly pal and a “floppy, hoppy” furry friend. This simple yet endearing book will surely entertain little ones, engaging readers to guess what comes next through die-cut holes in the centre of the book cover and the pages that follow.
Sensory Parenting from Newborns to Toddlers: Everything is Easier When Your Child’s Senses are Happy!
by Britt Collins and Jackie Linder Olson, Arlington, Tex.: Sensory World, c2010.
Call No. : 649.1 COL – [FAM]
A child’s sensory system develops rapidly from birth to the age of five, influencing his physical, emotional, social and language abilities. Hence, when children develop certain peculiarities, such as being fidgety or a picky eater, it may be an indication that their heightened senses require guidance. This book offers insights to help parents to understand what to expect from their children, and ways to handle their challenging behaviour at different developmental stages.
101 ways to get your child to read
by Patience Thomson, Edinburgh : Barrington Stoke, 2009
Call No. : 649.58 THO-[FAM]
What can you do if your young child just does not want to read? Having worked with parents and dyslexic children for many years, Thomson shares the insights she has gleaned from experience. At a handy 135 pages, this book makes no claims of being comprehensive but rather provides many useful tips in helping children pick up core vocabulary, become interested in reading and also in choosing appropriate books for them. One area the book excels in is highlighting the various learning difficulties children may face, especially with dyslexia. The author writes with Great Britain in mind so some of the more specific tips with regards to seeking help from British organisations may not apply locally. However, the majority of tips are very relevant and useful. Parents will also appreciate the plain English and the many real life examples sprinkled throughout.
Source: Courtesy of Public Libraries Singapore, National Library Board. You can check the availability of these titles via NLB’s online catalogue at www.pl.sg. The book covers are the copyright of the respective publishing companies.
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