Infants Books

I have read a lot of books on child development/parenting/etc but this short book is one of the best. Everything is there that is in the longer books (and more) but as a busy parent I actually have time to read it. Even better, I can give it to my husband to read ( a chapter or two) and he'll do it! I've also read the toilet training book by this author and it is much much better than anything else--no formulas, just good common sense.

Parents, this book is wonderful! If you have a 2 year old child that will not seem to listen and you have tried everything then you need this book. It explains why screaming, yelling and spanking do not work on some children. This book explains why your 2 year old acts like he or she does and how to deal with your 2 year old when they misbehave. I have read several books on this subject and this one I definitely like the best. It is small and easy to read. Good luck!

I recommend this book to all of my friends because it is very thorough and very short! This is especially helpful if the other parent isn't much of a reader (at least about child development) I highlight a few chapeters when I want my husband to understand more about what our daughter is going through.

Shaken baby syndrome, abusive head trauma, shaken impact syndrome, however it is described, this book was an excellent account of what may have been going on in the minds of not just the perpetrator but the parents as well. It is a fantastic read. I recommend it to anyone who wants some insight into the physical abuse of children but especially for medical trainees. The language was straightforward, powerful and suspenseful as well. A very interesting read!
Leena S. Dev, MD
Child Protection Team

A great read! I very much enjoyed this book. My son was a victim of Shaken Baby Syndrome and I've often wished that there was a book to further educate the public on the harm shaking a baby causes. Despite all my research on the matter, I was unaware of the history behind how SBS was discovered and this novel brings that to light. Every high schooler should be required to read this so they would know to never shake a baby!

One of the most professionally challenging problems facing those of us who seek to protect children from abuse and neglect is abusive traumatic head injury, otherwise known as Shaken Infant Syndrome, Shaken Baby Syndrome or Shaken Impact Syndrome. Regardless of what one chooses to call it, the reality is that frustrated or angry people who unleash these emotions on infants will, as part of this, shake them. Theyt may slam them or otherwise impact their heads, but they do, indeed, shake them. Prior to John Caffey's descriptions of the Whiplash Shaken Infant Syndrome in 1972, this was not widely known. It was well understood that by impacting the infants head with an object or impacting the head onto an object, you could cause serious head trauma. John Caffey "put it all together" and a major part of how he did this was the confessions of Virginia Jaspers.

"Lilacs In the Rain" is the riveting story of Ms. Jaspers and the infants that she abused. It describes how she became a notorious child abuser, and how the system at that time was blind to the abuse. Most of all, it describes how individuals, sometimes working against the system, can make a real difference in the welfare of Children. It puts into perspective the period of time when the protection of children was dawning on the medical profession.

James Peinkofer, who is a recognized expert in the field of Shaken Baby Syndrome, has done an excellent job in piecing together the puzzle of Virginia Jaspers. All protection professionals, as well as concerned parents, would enjoy reading about his important piece of our history.

Stephen Lazoritz, MD
Co-editor, "The Shaken Baby Syndrome: A Multidisciplanary Response"
Co-author, "Out of the Darkness: the Story of Mary Ellen Wilson"
Co-authot, "The Mary Ellen Wilson Child Abuse Case and the Beginning of Children's Rights in Ninteenth Century America"

This is one of the sweetest books I have ever read. I don't want to spoil the ending but basically it is about three little angels in heaven. They are best of friends, until one by one it is their turn to be born on earth. The story mainly focuses on the littlest and the last angel who feels left behind in heaven after his two friends were gone. He goes on a journey to search for them. The illustrations are charming -- with soft colors and expressive faces.

This is my favorite children's story. It is the most touching story I have ever read. I reccommend it very highly. I only wished they would bring it back into print! It is such a beautiful story and really will tug at your heart strings!

The Little Luv Angel by Toby Bluth was one of the most interesting children's books I have ever read. It was written with such a compassion to be instilled within the hearts of all children. Teaching them that even if they have a heavy heart, as so many of us do, you can still believe that you will make it through. I read this book at least 100 times to my children when they were growing up, and still till this day, they are fighting over which one will get the book. The illustrations are delightful and wonderfully done. My hats go off to Toby Bluth. He is one author who should have written so many, many more!

Babies' bodies do amazing things. In this gorgeous picture book, young children can enjoy exploring a few of these things with their parents. Fingers, toes, hair and nose, there are many ways babies use their bodies. Don't forget the diapers, too!

The sweet illustrations and gentle prose in this book make it a winner. Babies and toddlers will enjoy seeing other babies and toddlers, while preschoolers will love to see what they were like not so long ago. Parents, friends, and relatives who read this book to their warm lap-bundles will smile at the tenderhearted pages as much as their children.

This book is cute, sweet, and sure to be a hit.

Reviewed by Christina Wantz Fixemer
02/02/2007

This has been our baby's favorite book from the age of 6 months on, which is why we are buying another copy, as she has succeeded in ripping the others to shreds. While not Shakespeare, the text has a nice rhythm and offers a nice overview of the activities of babies (including a sequence in which a baby learns to walk, with each image showing the child slightly older) while the art is completely winning, really capturing the expressions and feelings of various children. Charming and fun, I would suggest it highly to small children that get excited when they see other babies.

Filled with the actions and activities that comprise the lives of babies, the text is verb filled, "Stand,wobble. Sway, wobble. Bump! Step, walk, toddle." It also frequently rhymes. The rhythmic prose is scattered across the pages with absolutely charming illustrations of babies and toddlers.


On pastel pages, babies of all sizes, shapes and colors are drawn in soft pencil. Some of the babies reappear in different guises as the pages are turned. Babies are difficult to draw. Just consider the babies
in famous painting across the years. This artist not only knows babies in all their guises, not always happy,he can flat out draw them. In one double-page spread, the naked baby is not only life-size, one wishes to
sweep the baby up.

When Jenna's little brother was born, funny things started happening to her mother. Mama remembered some things, but forgot a lot of others! For example, she remembered to read to Jenna, but she forgot to defrost the chicken for dinner ("so they had pizza instead."). When Mama draws water for Jenna's bath, she forgets about the water when the doorbell rings and Jenna's little brother brother, Mickey, spits up. Mama also remembers to get groceries, but forgets to close the trunk and one time even accidently locks Mickey in the car! (a friendly neighbor comes to the rescue with a coat hanger).

For any older sibling who has a newborn addition to the family, things like this are common even among the most organized parents. What can be confusing to the older sib is what exactly is going on? Why is Mama suddenly getting forgetful? While the book doesn't exactly answer this question, it does tell us that everything will work out in the end and Mamas are good at improvising (when Jenna, Mickey and her Mama go to a birthday party a week early, Mama looks ready to cry but instead they go by a bakery and have a cupcake instead).

I love this story, especially now that our second child has entered our lives and our older child is wondering why the adults are not only always tired, but why we do things like stick the cereal in the refrigerator and the milk in the cupboard, and why I've gone to work in mismatched socks on more than one occasion. As families, somehow we manage to muddle through all the little trials and tribulations and try to make the best of even the most frustrating situations (when the bathroom floor floods, "Jenna went wading in her rainboots.").

The text of "Mama..." is easy to read and understand, so young children with new sibs can easily understand these funny situations. The illustrations are soft and colorful (watercolors, I think), and they clearly convey a sense of belonging and family among the characters, even when minor disasters strike like flooded floors, open car trunks and too-early arrivals to birthday parties. The book also shows us that minor setbacks and frustrations are simply a part of being in a family, and instead of complaining about it, what can we do to make the situation better? (Jenna entertains Mickey in the back seat while Mr. Carbone jimmies the door lock).

For the delightful illustrations, for the ease of text and for demonstrating that everyday frustrations are part of life, I highly recommend this book to parents and families of all kinds!

This is a wonderful look at the forgetfulness and distractions of a new mother of 2.

This is one of those great books that will entertain children (especially older siblings with new babies in the house) as well as making mom laugh out loud. The illustrations are great, and the story is right on target. I especially love the warm relationship that is shown between Mama and Jenna. This is one of my favorite all-time books. It would be a perfect present for a family who just had their second baby. (Check out Judith Caseley's other books too...they're all wonderful).

To the outside world, Mahler was a gifted researcher and analyst who had authored many groundbreaking papers and books that revolutionized how we view child development. Her insight was heralded as the golden key to understanding child pathology. Many of us came to love Mahler through her innovative work and her words. And now, after decades of research, author Bond (who worked for Mahler) has given us a look of the woman behind the mask.

As Bond's lens focuses on Mahler, we begin to see into the dark depths of this complex woman. We are exposed to her quick temper and intolerance of anything less then perfection. She was a woman on a mission. We discover there were myriad conflicting interviews and memos--many hated her, but many loved her, as well. And all the while, whether they loved her or hated her; they surrounded her and basked in her status as a "living legend."

It is said, "Eyes are the mirror of the soul." Bond relates how in infancy Mahler had the ability to stare down her wet-nurse with the eyes of a lynx so she would continue to cradle her. A lynx has the ability "to immediately tell truth from error," according to author Bond. The infant Mahler was born equipped with the observation tools she needed to fulfill her destiny.

Bond begins with Mahler's birth in Hungary and parallels her life with the relentless advancement of Hitler's war machine. Her mother was only a teenager when she became faced with the pregnancy of an unwanted child. Years later, her mother gave birth to another daughter, whom her mother favored. To emotionally survive, Mahler became attached to her father, and she idealized and emulated him on an intellectual level.

We see how Mahler overcame early academia hurdles at a time when girls were not allowed in high school. But in typical Mahler fashion, she found a way. She left home, completed her studies, became a medical student and earned her diploma. Later in analysis, her bungling analyst rejected her and said she could not analyze her, which was a requirement in Malher's profession. It nearly cost her a place in the coveted Vienna analytic community. Mahler had shared her all only to be horribly rejected. This seemed to be another piece of Mahler's life that impacted the formation of her developmental concepts

As Hitler unleashes his storm troopers, Mahler escapes with only the clothes on her back, leaving her family behind in peril.

Far away in America, Mahler eventually secures grants to begin her research and her conceptualization of the pre-Oedipal phase, namely "symbiosis," the four sub-phases of "separation-individuation," and then "on to object constancy." These developmental blueprints emerged from years of research done by a team that observed mothers and their children. Theory formulation, of course, did not happen in a vacuum and the author makes clear that Mahler's concepts grew out of intellectual conversations with her colleagues. She didn't like to think alone and surrounded herself with professional peers and friends. Bond implies that this served as a sort of "trial symbiosis," a need that was unresolved from the relationship with her mother.

Bond illustrates for us how Mahler's arrested developmental framework from her childhood was perhaps the original template for her theories, which was reflected in her research. It was if she knew where she was headed all along - driven by instinct and insight from her own unfinished developmental business. Mahler seemed to oscillate between the symbiotic libidinal pull and the resolution of the rapprochement crisis. Bond sprinkles bright commentary throughout and correlates Mahler's own developmental snags and milestones to Mahler's theories.

The author brings us ringside to the embattled personal, brilliant, and complicated life of Mahler through photos, memos, interviews, data, her professional publications and more. She depicts Mahler much like a courageous explorer who discovers the world is indeed round and then, in certain elite professional circles, is snubbed for it.

To my surprise, author Bond includes a chapter on highlights from a film interview with Mahler as she candidly dispenses concerned advice to new mothers. Many of the questions directed at Mahler were challenging, e.g., in addressing the importance of the mother-infant dyad, she was asked, "What about mothers that have to work and are not available to their children all the time?" Good question, and as is well known, theories formulated within a nice tidy framework can often be impractical in actual application. The interview questions challenged Mahler, but she unfailing responded to the "what ifs" with clarity and an almost uncanny personal insight.

All in all, Bond shows us how the name of Margaret Mahler became bigger then one woman. Her theories seem infallible, unlike the woman behind them. It brings to mind a saying I recall: "Keep your heroes afar because if you get to know them, then you will find out they are really human after all." I think the Dr. Sam Vaknin said it best, "For she was Eve, no less, in the field of child psychology and therapy."
Kathi Stringer, author of the book "5150, The One Who Flew Into the Cuckoo's Nest"

This is the story of a child unloved by her mother, adored by her father, rejected by her peers, admired by her students, hated by her ostensible friends. A tough, no-nonsense European forced by the Nazi cataclysm into a tough and no-nonsense New World where she flourished and created one of the most insightful theoretical bodies of work in psychoanalysis. Never really a therapist, Mahler was at her best teaching and researching.

On the surface, the book is merely a recounting of her times, life, and work. But, it is much more than that. It is a fascinating study of the founts of creativity and of the inevitable and agonizing interaction between one's inner dynamics and outer circumstances and one's output and art. For, Mahler was an artist whose raw materials were her observations of mothers and children in the wilds of her itinerant laboratories.

The book delicately and empathically - but never sycophantly - traces Mahler's battle against a legion of inner demons (her "Repetition Compulsion"). She was a tortured soul who sought to alleviate her torment by deciphering and deconstructing the mechanics and dynamics of early infancy. Motherhood looms large in this barren woman's work as do love (of which she was consistently deprived) and freedom. Her lasting theoretical contributions, the Separation-Individuation subphases, and the scores of child therapists she had trained over the years are her true offspring. She never felt a real woman. Well, she was wrong. For she was Eve, no less, in the field of child psychology and therapy. Sam Vaknin, author of "Malignant Self-love: Narcissism Revisited".

Reviewed by Karrie Grobben for RebeccasReads (6/08)

Margaret Mahler grew up in an oppressive and difficult period for women and for Jews--she was both. Anti-Semitism was steadily rising in the wake of WWI, from which Hungary had suffered bitter effects and women, especially well brought up upper middle-class women, were not expected to doggedly pursue higher education and a career. Mahler may have been at still more of a disadvantage, having been exposed to her mother's indifference and blatant favoritism of her younger and more feminine sister. Yet Margaret, even as Hitler steadily grew in popularity, overcame every hurdle to pursue her doctorate and study what was still a relatively new field: psychiatry. Later she would be known for many things: her brilliant work with children, the development of separation-individuation theory, her ambition, her oddities and ultimately, her humanity.

The story of Margaret Mahler, as author Bond announces in the opening pages, "encompasses her shortcomings as well as her strengths," and indeed, Mahler has plenty of those. Many accounts of her behavior suggest stubbornness bordering on pigheadedness as well as self-absorption and insensitivity. Many of even Mahler's closest friends had to admit that where there was genius, there was an equal amount of eccentricity. Even so, I found it difficult not to be fascinated by this strange character, whose upbringing clearly scarred her at an early age and yet really kindled her thirst for knowledge and eventually became the inspiration for the development of her groundbreaking concept of separation-individuation. Beyond this, how can you help but respect and admire a woman who defeated every obstacle and ultimately got what she wanted?

At least, she attained the goals she set for herself as a young woman. Mahler was always intrigued by Freudian theory and though she would eventually achieve the most professionally through psychoanalytical research, she did earn her clinical degree as an analyst. She became well known for her innovative approaches in the field and her theories, according to some noted psychoanalysts today, remain relevant. Yet she never resolved the unsteady, though loving, relationship with her father. She never forgave or stopped being obsessed with the relationship between mothers and small children, after having felt so disconnected to her own mother. Her personal relationships, with lovers, husbands and friends continued to be dysfunctional. The book is not afraid to show both sides of Mahler: both how charming she could be and how warm, how much some loved her and still do, as well as her flaws.

There is a glossary of terms in the back of the book and a comprehensive list of resource materials used. Even so, some readers unfamiliar with psychoanalysis may find the use of psychiatric terms to be overwhelming. In order to really enjoy this read, you must be interested in more than her achievements and actions--this is, to some extent, a genuine analysis of Margaret Mahler as a person and as a psychoanalyst. As such, Freudian psychoanalysis of that period is discussed, explained and compared to modern psychoanalysis where it is called for.

I recommend this book particularly to readers with an interest in Freudian psychoanalysis and its workings but I also urge those unfamiliar with it to give it a try. Above all else, even her professional success, Margaret Mahler was a fascinating woman.

I received this book as a gift. I found it to be very comforting and reassuring. The passages are short (perfect) and address all of the emotions, challenges, and joys I experienced as a new mom. I have purchased this for my girlfriends who are about to become mothers.

I received this as a gift - what a gift! The passages are short, but very relevant to a new mom's emotions of joy, stress, etc. The book also addresses decisions (like going back to work)and changes in your marriage - which I found helpful. I am ordering a few copies to keep on hand for shower gifts.

After having my baby I began to read this book, which was a GREAT gift. My first thought was, WOW there is someone out there who has taken the time to write about how I am feeling. The author candidly covers various emotions that any postpartum mother would experience. During a time when I was feeling lots of emotions and uncertainty, this book soothed my soul a bit. Thanks Ms. Lehman for taking the time for new moms.

This is such a practical, loving and very kind book for how to enjoy your child's toddler stage. It contains all kinds of suggestions for making life fun for both you and your tot -- all surrounded with lots of hugs and comforting. The sleep, feeding, potty training, and other advice seems spot on. It also offers lots of British-y nursery rhymes and classic book and toy suggestions. I highly recommend it to parents with 1- to 3-year-olds.

Classy hardcover guide to parenting with plenty of sound advice. Beats all those paperback 'supernanny' type guides hands-down. This one is from a professional who knows her stuff, not a puffed up overnight TV personality. Starts at 6 months and includes all the basics, plus fun recipes and advice. A nice gift for a new mother

I admit that I laughed a little when I first saw this book. Perfectly happy children? I flipped through a little, though, and took it home. The author has been a nanny for 18 years, her recipe for good childcare is "provide the safety and security of a familiar routine, set clear limits and boundaries in order to make them feel loved and cared for and to teach respect, and, most importantly, make it fun and play together." She breaks the book down into 6 months-1 year, 1 year to 2 1/2 and 2 1/2 to 5. My child is already 1 so I didn't read all the first part but she lists 10 steps to a routine, suggestions for introducing table food, games to play, etc. I do not agree with the "cry it out" sleep method but this did not detract from my enjoyment of the book. The rest seemed very common sense, but sometimes you're so sleep deprived you want something down on paper to give you a routine to stick to. The toddler section was also good, I particularly like her recipes for toddlers and "Tips for Fussy Non-eaters." Though I am devoted to attachment parenting, it does not really conflict with her philosophy (except for the cry-it-out thing and I realize parents all have strong feelings one way or another--and even she says to distinguish between actual hysterical crying and "oscar-worthy performances" and that if the child is sick and miserable to bring her to bed with you) and actually abuts nicely, the whole organic food, prepared yourself, making bed a positive association with lots of snuggles, playing with them but also reading the baby's signs for when they're done playing, hungry, tired, etc. Her philosophy seems to be a routine that is flexible "within reason." She says "it is important to remember never to compare your child with others. You have a unique, individual child who was born with a temperament and personality that you are patiently nurturing. There are no right and wrong ages for them to develop, just guidelines that you can follow. All you can do is teach and assist them, and trust that they will accomplish what they need to in their own time." This book is chock full of specific and sensible information and has lots of ideas with regards to play, discipline, potty training, nutrition, and much more. I would certainly gift it at a baby shower (perhaps with a more mainstream first 5 years books like Dr. Sears Baby Book) as it is gorgeous and a very pleasant read, interspersed with quotes to begin each new section. Don't dismiss this because it looks fluffy, this is a gem!

This book has wonderful tips for new moms. A real feel good book for when mom feels frazzled or just wants to pick something up to read. A great shower gift!

Every new mom I know will get a copy of this book. It's full of friendly, supportive tips that tell us to trust our instincts when it comes to knowing what's best for our babies. First-time moms in particular will benefit from Motherwise's loving approach.

I loved this book! It is full of concise, easy to read information and advice that truly supports what you feel as a new mom. Alice Bolster tells new moms that they know their babies best and gives them the strength to go with their own instincts. I highly recommend this book as a shower gift, and plan to give it to every expectant parent I know.

My husband and I were thrilled when we received this baby book as a gift. Not only is it a great place to record your baby's milestones, but a invaluable resource as well. It will help you get organized, and provides you with essential checklists that no parent should be without. For example, there's a Feeding Record, Medical Record, Child Care Record and many other helpful tools. It is also beautifully designed!

This book was given to my husband and I, along with many other books, when we announced our pregnancy. The practical suggestions and real-world advice that this book provides far outshines many of the highly publicized books that are currently so popular. When preparing to stock our nursery with the essentials needed upon arrival of our baby I literally took the book into the store and purchased my much needed items off the list entitled "Predelivery Essentials." It was helpful beyond words and I highly recommend new parents to obtain and actually use this book. It has made preparing for our new bundle of joy a much more focused and empowering experience than had we gone it alone. I look forward to using it as my baby grows and for having it as a keepsake for this precious time in our lives.

This book is just phenomenal! When you are close to becoming a parent, everybody makes you believe that it's so complicated, that you have to read everything or you won't be ready, and there is so much information out there, plus you get bombarded by magazines and subscriptions that you never signed up for ... anyway, it's easy to get scared, you can't find the right answer, you feel you are not going to be prepared. Well, the only book which we felt really helped us with practical tools and checklists was France Posener's. All you need is in there, she streamlines to the essentials, she even includes reassuring little anecdotes that will make you feel better. Thanks a lot France!