100 books like Oh Crap! Potty Training

By Jamie Glowacki,

Here are 100 books that Oh Crap! Potty Training fans have personally recommended if you like Oh Crap! Potty Training. Shepherd is a community of 12,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of Baby-Led Weaning: The Essential Guide

Kara Michelle Liu Author Of When You Were in My Belly

From my list on to give at a baby shower.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a mom who always dreamed of becoming a writer, but was too scared to try until I met my baby. The overwhelming urge to express my love for her in what I have always considered the most sacred way, through writing, became too much to contain. I wanted to create a meaningful experience not only for my child, but for all children; one where they could be nestled in their parents’ arms, engaged in the most significant pastime, and where they could understand for the first time how much they were loved from the very beginning.

Kara's book list on to give at a baby shower

Kara Michelle Liu Why did Kara love this book?

While baby-led weaning can be a little out of the ordinary and is definitely not right for every child, this book is an interesting read for a new parent. Coming from an early childhood background in education, I was fascinated by the prospect of my child being able to essentially play with her food while activating her five senses and honing her fine motor skills all at the same time. The book helped me to understand how to slowly introduce new foods while babies naturally wean off of milk. Best of all, as a family, we ate healthier as a result!

Let’s face it, Baby-led Weaning is not for everyone, but just think of the freedom that you could be potentially providing since your friend could be completely avoiding spoon-feeding and purchasing canned baby food.

By Gill Rapley, Tracey Murkett,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Baby-Led Weaning as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The fully updated and revised edition of Baby-led Weaning is a practical and authoritative guide to introducing solid food, enabling your child to grow up a happy and confident eater. It shows parents why baby-led weaning makes sense and gives them the confidence to trust their baby's natural skills and instincts.

Filled with practical tips for getting started and the low-down on what to expect, Baby-led Weaning explodes the myth that babies need to be spoon-fed and shows why self-feeding from the start is the healthiest way for your child to develop. Your baby is allowed to decide how much…


Book cover of On the Night You Were Born

Beth Cox Author Of All Bodies Are Wonderful: An Inclusive Guide to talking about you!

From my list on embracing who you are.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m an inclusion consultant working with publishers to help ensure all children are included in books. It’s easy to forget how important embracing all types of bodies is when thinking about diversity and inclusion. But inclusion is essentially about welcoming and appreciating all different types of bodies. The best way to promote this is to build a sense of awe about how bodies are created, understand the science behind why differences occur, and see that bodies come in many shapes and forms, and are all beautiful. There are so many books that can help with this, but alongside my book, the books on this list are a great place to start.

Beth's book list on embracing who you are

Beth Cox Why did Beth love this book?

I read this book to my son when he was a baby every single night for over a key, and it still gives me goosebumps.

Personally, the road to becoming a parent hadn’t been straightforward, and this celebration of a new life in the world put my feelings about the wonder of this into words. A key part of building self-worth and self-esteem in children is creating a sense of awe and wonder, and this book does that alongside helping each child to see how special and unique they are.

It’s relevant for any of us at any age to remind us that we all have immense value.

By Nancy Tillman,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked On the Night You Were Born as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 1, 2, 3, and 4.

What is this book about?

On the night you were born,
the moon smiled with such wonder
that the stars peeked in to see you
and the night wind whispered.
"Life will never be the same."
On the night you were born, the whole world came alive with thanksgiving. The moon stayed up till morning. The geese flew home to celebrate. Polar bears danced.
On the night you were born you brought wonder and magic to the world. Here is a book that celebrates you. It is meant to be carried wherever life takes you, over all the roads, through all the years.
This debut…


Book cover of The Good Sleeper: The Essential Guide to Sleep for Your Baby (and You)

Kara Michelle Liu Author Of When You Were in My Belly

From my list on to give at a baby shower.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a mom who always dreamed of becoming a writer, but was too scared to try until I met my baby. The overwhelming urge to express my love for her in what I have always considered the most sacred way, through writing, became too much to contain. I wanted to create a meaningful experience not only for my child, but for all children; one where they could be nestled in their parents’ arms, engaged in the most significant pastime, and where they could understand for the first time how much they were loved from the very beginning.

Kara's book list on to give at a baby shower

Kara Michelle Liu Why did Kara love this book?

The Good Sleeper was recommended to me by a mom in my neighborhood who instantly noticed that I was struggling with my new role. While my daughter was keeping me up most of the night, her baby was actually sleeping for sustained periods of time in his crib. Sure enough, after reading this book, I was finally able to understand the science behind what was happening with my baby and how I could best meet her needs. I read and reread each chapter as I tried the strategies until I found the right ones for my child. It’s no exaggeration to say that getting sleep changed my world! Pass this book along and give a new parent the gift of sleep.

By Janet Krone Kennedy,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Good Sleeper as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

This is a refreshingly straightforward method for training infants to become great sleepers for life, inspired by clinical psychologist Janet Kennedy's popular psychotherapy practice, NYC Sleep Doctor. Cry it out or co-sleep? Bassinet or swing? White noise machine or Bach? How many hours anyway? For something so important, there's too much conflicting information about how best to get your baby to sleep through the night and nap successfully during the day. This book is a straightforward, no-nonsense answer to one of the biggest challenges new parents face when they welcome a brand new baby home. This book is written for…


Book cover of Eyes That Kiss in the Corners

Kara Michelle Liu Author Of When You Were in My Belly

From my list on to give at a baby shower.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a mom who always dreamed of becoming a writer, but was too scared to try until I met my baby. The overwhelming urge to express my love for her in what I have always considered the most sacred way, through writing, became too much to contain. I wanted to create a meaningful experience not only for my child, but for all children; one where they could be nestled in their parents’ arms, engaged in the most significant pastime, and where they could understand for the first time how much they were loved from the very beginning.

Kara's book list on to give at a baby shower

Kara Michelle Liu Why did Kara love this book?

This all-around stunning picture book is representative of the last type of book that I believe to be the most meaningful to give at a baby shower. Find a book, whether it was planned to be read to a baby or not, that focuses at the heart of what is special about the baby and provides a great way to celebrate the baby’s uniqueness throughout their life.

Eyes that Kiss in the Corners is a revolutionary text that celebrates the beautiful shape of the character’s eyes, her incredible familial bond, and the story of her ancestors. As long as the book touches the parent’s soul, then the book will be read and reread countless times to their child, and what better gift is there than that?

By Joanna Ho, Dung Ho (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Eyes That Kiss in the Corners as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 4, 5, 6, and 7.

What is this book about?

A New York Times Bestseller and #1 Indie Bestseller * A School Library Journal Best Book of 2021 * Included in NPR's 2021 Books We Love List * Featured in Forbes, Oprah Daily, The Cut, and Book Riot * Golden Poppy Book Award Winner * Featured in Chicago Public Library's Best Books of 2021 * 2021 Nerdie Award Winner * A Kirkus Children's Best Book of 2021

This lyrical, stunning picture book tells a story about learning to love and celebrate your Asian-shaped eyes, in the spirit of Hair Love by Matthew A. Cherry, and is a celebration of diversity.…


Book cover of The Gardener and the Carpenter: What the New Science of Child Development Tells Us about the Relationship Between Parents and Children

Sophie Brickman Author Of Baby, Unplugged: One Mother's Search for Balance, Reason, and Sanity in the Digital Age

From my list on parenting that you actually want to read.

Why am I passionate about this?

I'm the mother of three children, ages 6, 3, and 1, and because I tend to write about what interests me, started to investigate the world of parenting when my eldest was born. (Prior to that, I was a food reporter and editor.) As my husband, a tech entrepreneur, kept bringing home pieces of technology that were supposed to make my life easier (spoiler alert: they rarely did), I found myself urgently trying to figure out what was best for my kids, and myself: the boring pile of blocks, or the flashy, sexy iPad? I spent years delving into the fields of neurobiology, psychology, philosophy, and pediatrics to get a better handle on these questions

Sophie's book list on parenting that you actually want to read

Sophie Brickman Why did Sophie love this book?

Alison Gopnik is a towering figure in the field of developmental psychology, and interviewing her at her Berkeley lab was one of the highlights of my reporting for my own book. She tackles parenting from a particularly erudite and academic angle, pulling on psychology, evolutionary biology, and more to persuade parents that parenting is, in fact—and in her words—“a mug’s game.” We may think we are carpenters, building a perfect specimen of child, but in fact the best way to raise resilient, successful kids is to act like a gardener, providing the right environment in which they can thrive. I found it to be a particularly calming message, and one that will resonate with anyone who agonizes over minute decisions. 

By Alison Gopnik,

Why should I read it?

4 authors picked The Gardener and the Carpenter as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

In The Gardener and the Carpenter, Alison Gopnik, one of the world's leading child psychologists, illuminates the paradoxes of parenthood from a scientific perspective and shatters the myth of "good parenting".

Caring deeply about our children is part of what makes us human. Yet the thing we call “parenting” is a surprisingly new invention. In the past thirty years, the concept of parenting and the multibillion-dollar industry surrounding it have transformed child care into obsessive, controlling, and goal-oriented labor intended to create a particular kind of child and therefore a particular kind of adult.

In The Gardener and the Carpenter,…


Book cover of Calmer, Easier, Happier Parenting: Five Strategies That End the Daily Battles and Get Kids to Listen the First Time

Andrew G. Marshall Author Of I Love You, But I'm Not in Love with You: Seven Steps to Putting the Passion Back Into Your Relationship

From my list on raising emotionally rounded children.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a marital therapist with thirty-five years of experience helping couples fall back in love and deal with the fall out from infidelity. I trained with RELATE – the UK’s largest couple counselling charity – and have a private practice in Berlin and lead a team of therapists based in the UK. I have heard over a thousand couples argue – more often than not – about their children. So I am always looking for books that will give a wider perspective and practical advice on how to be a parent without exhausting your marriage and forgetting to still be lovers.

Andrew's book list on raising emotionally rounded children

Andrew G. Marshall Why did Andrew love this book?

How do you get your children out of the door without stressing out them, yourself, and everybody else in the house. This book is full of strategies like not having to ask twice, preparing for success, starting new rules, and the joys of descriptive praise. I find that if parents argue better and communicate more effectively with each other that has a knock-on effect on the children but it works equally well the other way round. If you can communicate more calmly with your children, you can use the skills with your partner too.

By Noel Janis-Norton,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Calmer, Easier, Happier Parenting as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING GUIDE TO THE 5 MUST-KNOW PARENTING STRATEGIES

Tired of nagging, pleading, negotiating, or yelling just to get your kids to do the simple things you ask? You don't need to be a Tiger Mom or a Helicopter Parent. There is a better way.

Calmer, Easier, Happier Parenting brings the joy back into family life and helps parents to raise confident, responsible adults.

Based on her forty-plus years of experience, behavioral specialist Noel Janis-Norton outlines a clear, step-by-step plan that will help any parent raise a child to be cooperative and considerate, confident and self-reliant. Transform your family…


Book cover of The End of American Childhood: A History of Parenting from Life on the Frontier to the Managed Child

Sophie Brickman Author Of Baby, Unplugged: One Mother's Search for Balance, Reason, and Sanity in the Digital Age

From my list on parenting that you actually want to read.

Why am I passionate about this?

I'm the mother of three children, ages 6, 3, and 1, and because I tend to write about what interests me, started to investigate the world of parenting when my eldest was born. (Prior to that, I was a food reporter and editor.) As my husband, a tech entrepreneur, kept bringing home pieces of technology that were supposed to make my life easier (spoiler alert: they rarely did), I found myself urgently trying to figure out what was best for my kids, and myself: the boring pile of blocks, or the flashy, sexy iPad? I spent years delving into the fields of neurobiology, psychology, philosophy, and pediatrics to get a better handle on these questions

Sophie's book list on parenting that you actually want to read

Sophie Brickman Why did Sophie love this book?

Fass is the professor emerita at the University of California, Berkeley, where she taught for thirty-six years, and the author of numerous books on children’s history. This one I found to be particularly illuminating, as she traces the history of American childhood and parenting from the 1700s to today, wrestling with how shifting American notions of independence and success in turn affected how children were viewed, and how parents parented. For any history buff. 

By Paula S. Fass,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The End of American Childhood as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The End of American Childhood takes a sweeping look at the history of American childhood and parenting, from the nation's founding to the present day. Renowned historian Paula Fass shows how, since the beginning of the American republic, independence, self-definition, and individual success have informed Americans' attitudes toward children. But as parents today hover over every detail of their children's lives, are the qualities that once made American childhood special still desired or possible? Placing the experiences of children and parents against the backdrop of social, political, and cultural shifts, Fass challenges Americans to reconnect with the beliefs that set…


Book cover of The Orchid and the Dandelion: Why Sensitive Children Face Challenges and How All Can Thrive

Dona J. Matthews Author Of Being Smart About Gifted Learning: Empowering Parents and Kids Through Challenge and Change

From my list on loving and raising challenging kids.

Why am I passionate about this?

I love prickly children. I was one myself, and I’ve quite a few of them in my family. I’ve also worked with desperate families over the years, children who are out of control, parents feeling overwhelmed, nobody knowing what to do to find the calm and loving core of connection we all yearn for. I feel the suffering these authors document—the child’s sense of being misunderstood and punished unfairly, and the parent’s desperation. So, when I read a book that offers intelligent and caring solutions driven by science, compassion, and experience, I share it with everyone who will listen. I’m delighted to have a chance here to do that.

Dona's book list on loving and raising challenging kids

Dona J. Matthews Why did Dona love this book?

Thomas Boyce not only has impeccable credentials as a pediatrician, academic, and epidemiologist, but he also has deep personal history motivating his writing of The Orchid and the Dandelion. That is, he not only knows this topic, he feels it. On top of all of that, he writes with a warmth and poetic sensitivity so often lacking in evidence-based books like this. Boyce writes about orchid children being exquisitely sensitive, so they absorb their environment and thrive under the right circumstances, becoming remarkably insightful and creative. Under adverse circumstances, however, orchid children wilt. Dandelion children, by contrast, are more resilient and can accommodate more adversity without showing too much harm. Another interesting dimension Boyce explores is how the family, school, community, and society can all have an impact on an orchid child’s development.

By W. Thomas Boyce,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Orchid and the Dandelion as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

'A necessary and important book.' Philippa Perry, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Book You Wish Your Parents Had Read

'The Orchid and the Dandelion is based on groundbreaking research that has the power to change the lives of countless children - and the adults who love them.' - Susan Cain, New York Times bestselling author of Quiet

Why do some people succeed and others struggle? Why are some people's lives filled with satisfaction and happiness and others with frustration and despair? Why do some people die young, while others live into healthy old age? Is it simply chance and…


Book cover of Raising Girls: How to Help Your Daughter Grow Up Happy, Healthy, and Strong

Rachel Dodds Author Of Are We There Yet? Traveling More Responsibly with Your Children

From my list on traveling more responsibly with children.

Why am I passionate about this?

I love travel and I'm also passionate about making the world more sustainable. When I was 13, on vacation in Mexico, I saw raw sewage running down the beach. My father said to me, "you can choose to be part of the solution or part of the problem." I think that set me on a track that we need to help animals, the environment, and those who do not have a strong voice. Even if I can only do one thing better – that's still better than not doing anything at all! I'm passionate about traveling more responsibly with my family because we ultimately make life better for our children and also for ourselves.

Rachel's book list on traveling more responsibly with children

Rachel Dodds Why did Rachel love this book?

I found Raising Girls to be a wonderful insight into what my daughter needed at different ages. The book has good examples and has been a useful guide as she has grown up. It is full of ideas about how children of different ages need different levels of support. For example, it explains that it is especially key to provide a nurturing, safe environment for kids through 5 and under.

By Steve Biddulph,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Raising Girls as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A practical guidebook and passionate call-to-arms for parents of girls that empowers them to raise confident, well-rounded daughters in an exploitative world, from the author of the international bestseller Raising Boys.

In today's world, it's especially critical for girls to grow up strong and capable. In this impassioned follow-up to his bestselling Raising Boys, author Steve Biddulph brings together the best thinking from around the world on how to raise daughters of sound character who know that they are loved, and can stand up for themselves and others. Biddulph teaches parents how to build their daughters' self-assuredness, encourage friendships, and…


Book cover of Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder

Jacob Rodenburg Author Of The Book of Nature Connection: 70 Sensory Activities for All Ages

From my list on rekindling our connection to nature.

Why am I passionate about this?

As an educator and author with more than 35 years of experience in outdoor education, I’ve come to realize that children need nature more than ever.  I wonder if children are more lonely today because they feel disconnected from the very life systems that nourish us all. There are rising levels of anxiety, depression, and mental health concerns. At the same time, more studies are showing the tremendous health benefits of time spent outside. I hope that all of us take the time to connect to our “neighbourwood,” and that we come to recognize that our community is more than the buildings, houses, and streets and also consists of plants, animals, insects, birds, water, and air. Let us create spaces where both people and nature can thrive so we can create a greener, healthier tomorrow.

Jacob's book list on rekindling our connection to nature

Jacob Rodenburg Why did Jacob love this book?

Our kids need nature as part of a healthy childhood. In this groundbreaking book, Louv describes the consequences of the indoor child, how spending time within the confines of four walls can be a kind of prison, removing children from active outdoor play and nature connection.

He coined the phrase “Nature Deficit Disorder” to illustrate the human costs of being disconnected from nature, a rise in anxiety, more obesity, less resiliency, and, in the end, less healthy children for a progressively less healthy world.

By Richard Louv,

Why should I read it?

4 authors picked Last Child in the Woods as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?


 The Book That Launched an International Movement
 
“An absolute must-read for parents.” —The Boston Globe
 
“It rivals Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring.” —The Cincinnati Enquirer
 
“I like to play indoors better ’cause that’s where all the electrical outlets are,” reports a fourth grader. But it’s not only computers, television, and video games that are keeping kids inside. It’s also their parents’ fears of traffic, strangers, Lyme disease, and West Nile virus; their schools’ emphasis on more and more homework; their structured schedules; and their lack of access to natural areas. Local governments, neighborhood associations, and even organizations devoted to the outdoors…


Book cover of Baby-Led Weaning: The Essential Guide
Book cover of On the Night You Were Born
Book cover of The Good Sleeper: The Essential Guide to Sleep for Your Baby (and You)

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