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Our Favorite Books

One of the most popular questions we get from listeners is “What are your favorite books?” We have so many favorites, and we definitely want to share, so we put together a list of titles that we love! Whether you are looking for books about pregnancy and parenting, or books to read with your children, we’ve got you covered. We’ll be updating this list as we come across more fantastic books, so check back soon!

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Big Topics

Books can be a wonderful and age-appropriate way to introduce kids to some of life’s important subjects, such as death, reproduction, race, gender, inclusion, body positivity, self-acceptance, consent and more. Here’s our list of best kids books on big topics.

All Are Welcome

Wonderful book about a school where diversity and inclusion are celebrated.

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Bodies are Cool

Shanna and her girls love this inclusive book about celebrating body differences.

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It Feels Good to be Yourself: A Book About Gender Identity

A fantastic book introduces the concept of gender identity to the youngest readers. Great for children ages 3-6.

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It’s Not the Stork!: A Book About Girls, Boys, Babies, Bodies, Families and Friends

Shanna got this for her older daughter when she was pregnant with her younger daughter. It’s an honest, age-appropriate book for explaining human bodies and where babies come from.

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Kindergarten, Here I Come!

Shanna read this book of poems to help her five-year-old prepare for her first day of kindergarten.

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Let’s Talk About Body Boundaries, Consent and Respect

Fantastic book for introducing the concepts of consent to young children.

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Lifetimes: The Beautiful Way to Explain Death to Children

A simple, straightforward and beautiful book that explains the life and death cycle of all livng things in an age-appropriate way to children.

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My Body Belongs to Me from My Head to My Toes

Shanna loves this book, which has taught her girls the difference between appropriate and inappropriate touching, and has empowered them to say “stop” if they don’t like they way someone is interacting with them.

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Our Skin: A First Conversation About Race

This board book is fantastic for starting the conversation about race with your children.

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Preschool, Here I Come!

Shanna loves this book, which she bought for her daughter to get ready for preschool.

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The Invisible String

Laura loves this book and used it to help her son prepare for the separation of going to preschool for the first time.

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The Kissing Hand

Laura and her family love this sweet book, which they used to help her son prepare for the separation of going to preschool for the first time.

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We Toot! A Feminist Fable About Farting, For Everyone

A fun story that helps normalize an often embarrassing bodily function.

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What Makes A Baby

Laura loves this inclusive book about how babies are made.

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Your Body is Awesome: Body Respect for Children

Shanna and her girls love this body-positvity book that encourages children to love their bodies from an early age.

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BIPOC Representation

There is no shortage of incredible children’s books from BIPOC authors and illustrators. Here’s a list of some of our favorites!

Baby Loves: A First Book of Favorites

Really cute book that helps with object recognition and shows pictures of other happy babies!

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Bodies are Cool

Shanna and her girls love this inclusive book about celebrating body differences.

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Fry Bread

This book is an evocative depiction of a modern Native American family. And there’s a recipe for fry bread in the back that Shanna made with her girls!

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Going Up

This adorably illustrated book about a little girl and her dad going to a birthday party on the 10th floor of their apartment complex is fun and inclusive. Shanna and her girls love it!

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Hair Love

Shanna and her girls love this story about a girl and her father.

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Julián Is a Mermaid

Shanna and her girls love this beautifully illustrated and moving book about a young boy who adores mermaids.

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Niño Wrestles the World

Fun, high-energy English/Spanis book about a boy wrestling with imaginary monsters.

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Our Skin: A First Conversation About Race

This board book is fantastic for starting the conversation about race with your children.

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The Day You Begin

Wonderful book about feeling different when starting something new.

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The Snowy Day

The #1 most-checked-out book from the New York Public Library, and for a reason!

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Board Books

Board books are great for little hands, and there are no pages to rip, so they’re perfect for your babies and toddlers! Here’s our list of best board books.

All the World

A beautifully illustrated book that Laura and her toddler love.

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Baby Loves: A First Book of Favorites

Really cute book that helps with object recognition and shows pictures of other happy babies!

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Elmo Says

Cute board book from Sesame Street.

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Found

Shanna and her toddler love this adorable board book about a bear who finds a lost bunny.

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Good Night, Gorilla

Really sweet book that both Shanna and Laura’s babies love.

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Hooray for Hat!

Very sweet book about some animals helping cheer each other up.

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Little Blue Truck

One of Shanna’s favorite board books.

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Potty

Cute book about potty training.

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The Pout Pout Fish

The rhyming structure of this super-cute book is spot-on, and so are the illustrations!

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Where’s Spot?

Shanna’s toddler loves this book!

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Books for Babies

It’s never too soon to start reading to your child! Here’s our list of best books for babies.

Elmo Says

Cute board book from Sesame Street.

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Floating Bath Books

Laura and Shanna both love books that the little ones can take in the bath!

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Good Night, Gorilla

Really sweet book that both Shanna and Laura’s babies love.

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Jon Klassen Hat Box

Three really strange and adorable books for kids about animals and their hats.

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Books for Preschoolers

Preschool is a time for more complex storytelling and more intricate illustrations. There are so many wonderful picture books to share with your child. Here’s our list of best books for preschoolers.

All Are Welcome

Wonderful book about a school where diversity and inclusion are celebrated.

View on Amazon

Elephant & Piggie: The Complete Collection

The ultimate collection of Elephant and Piggie’s adventures!

View on Amazon

Fry Bread

This book is an evocative depiction of a modern Native American family. And there’s a recipe for fry bread in the back that Shanna made with her girls!

View on Amazon

Going Up

This adorably illustrated book about a little girl and her dad going to a birthday party on the 10th floor of their apartment complex is fun and inclusive. Shanna and her girls love it!

View on Amazon

Hair Love

Shanna and her girls love this story about a girl and her father.

View on Amazon

It Feels Good to be Yourself: A Book About Gender Identity

A fantastic book introduces the concept of gender identity to the youngest readers. Great for children ages 3-6.

View on Amazon

It’s Not the Stork!: A Book About Girls, Boys, Babies, Bodies, Families and Friends

Shanna got this for her older daughter when she was pregnant with her younger daughter. It’s an honest, age-appropriate book for explaining human bodies and where babies come from.

View on Amazon

Julián Is a Mermaid

Shanna and her girls love this beautifully illustrated and moving book about a young boy who adores mermaids.

View on Amazon

Kindergarten, Here I Come!

Shanna read this book of poems to help her five-year-old prepare for her first day of kindergarten.

View on Amazon

Let’s Talk About Body Boundaries, Consent and Respect

Fantastic book for introducing the concepts of consent to young children.

View on Amazon

Lifetimes: The Beautiful Way to Explain Death to Children

A simple, straightforward and beautiful book that explains the life and death cycle of all livng things in an age-appropriate way to children.

View on Amazon

My Body Belongs to Me from My Head to My Toes

Shanna loves this book, which has taught her girls the difference between appropriate and inappropriate touching, and has empowered them to say “stop” if they don’t like they way someone is interacting with them.

View on Amazon

Niño Wrestles the World

Fun, high-energy English/Spanis book about a boy wrestling with imaginary monsters.

View on Amazon

Not Quite Narwhal

Laura and her toddler love this beautifully illustrated book about a unicorn who thinks he’s a narwhal.

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Preschool, Here I Come!

Shanna loves this book, which she bought for her daughter to get ready for preschool.

View on Amazon

Star Wars Encyclopedia of Starfighters and Other Vehicles

Laura’s Star-Wars-loving son is obsessed with this book!

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The Day You Begin

Wonderful book about feeling different when starting something new.

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The Kissing Hand

Laura and her family love this sweet book, which they used to help her son prepare for the separation of going to preschool for the first time.

View on Amazon

The Pigeon Books 7-Book Set

The Pigeon books are modern classics for kids!

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We Toot! A Feminist Fable About Farting, For Everyone

A fun story that helps normalize an often embarrassing bodily function.

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What Makes A Baby

Laura loves this inclusive book about how babies are made.

View on Amazon

Your Body is Awesome: Body Respect for Children

Shanna and her girls love this body-positvity book that encourages children to love their bodies from an early age.

View on Amazon

Books for Toddlers

Toddlerhood is the perfect time to explore the types of characters and stories your child loves! Here’s our list of best books for toddlers.

All the World

A beautifully illustrated book that Laura and her toddler love.

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Daddy Honk Honk!

Really cute book about an arctic fox who adopts a baby goose and becomes a daddy.

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Elephant & Piggie: The Complete Collection

The ultimate collection of Elephant and Piggie’s adventures!

View on Amazon

Floating Bath Books

Laura and Shanna both love books that the little ones can take in the bath!

View on Amazon

Hooray for Hat!

Very sweet book about some animals helping cheer each other up.

View on Amazon

Jon Klassen Hat Box

Three really strange and adorable books for kids about animals and their hats.

View on Amazon

Not Quite Narwhal

Laura and her toddler love this beautifully illustrated book about a unicorn who thinks he’s a narwhal.

View on Amazon

Potty

Cute book about potty training.

View on Amazon

The Invisible String

Laura loves this book and used it to help her son prepare for the separation of going to preschool for the first time.

View on Amazon

The Pigeon Books 7-Book Set

The Pigeon books are modern classics for kids!

View on Amazon

The Pout Pout Fish

The rhyming structure of this super-cute book is spot-on, and so are the illustrations!

View on Amazon

The Snowy Day

The #1 most-checked-out book from the New York Public Library, and for a reason!

View on Amazon

Where’s Spot?

Shanna’s toddler loves this book!

View on Amazon

Chapter Books

If your child is ready for something more advanced than picture books, try chapter books! Here’s our list of best chapter books.

Barkus

Cute and colorful chapter book with lots of pictures for young readers. Shanna’s dog-loving daughter loved it starting at age 4!

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Mercy Watson

This is a fun first chapter book for kids! Lots of pictures, great humor and a fun story make this one of Shanna’s favorites.

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Narwhal and Jelly

These chapter books are so much fun! Shanna and her daughter love reading the adventures of these ocean creatures.

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Owl Diaries

Adorable books for young readers starting to get into chapter books!

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Parenting Books

From parenting philosophies, to sleep training, to discipline, there are no shortage of parenting topics to read up on. Here’s our list of best parenting books.

1-2-3 Magic: 3-Step Discipline for Calm, Effective, and Happy Parenting

Shanna loves this book for ideas on how to discipline her kids.

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Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle

Laura’s favorite nonfiction book of 2019. Great resource for parents who are feeling stressed out.

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Cribsheet: A Data-Driven Guide to Better, More Relaxed Parenting, from Birth to Preschool

Emily Oster was a guest on our show in episode 43. We love her and her books! This book is an amazing resource for parents!

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Elevating Child Care

Shanna and Laura’s go-to resource for raising babies using the RIE method.

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Go to Sleep (I Miss You)

Cartoons from the Fog of New Parenthood

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How to Talk So Little Kids Will Listen

An excellent handbook for learning strategies for communicating with kids ages 2-7.

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No Bad Kids: Toddler Discipline Without Shame

One of Laura and Shanna’s favorite books about raising toddlers.

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Peaceful Parent, Happy Siblings: How to Stop the Fighting and Raise Friends for Life

Laura used this book to prepare her toddler for meeting his new baby brother.

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Raising Lions

Book about compassionate discipline for kids that Shanna’s trying out with her older daughter.

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Raising Your Spirited Child

Great advice for parenting children who are “more intense, sensitive, perceptive, persistent and energetic.”

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Secrets of Feeding a Healthy Family: How to Eat, How to Raise Good Eaters, How to Cook

This book describes the “division of responsibilities” when it comes to feeding, and aims to set you up for a lifetime without feeding struggles!

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Siblings without Rivalry

Laura read this book to prepare for baby #2.

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The Happiest Baby on the Block book

How to soothe your baby, from a pediatrician and inventor of the Snoo. This is where “The 5 S’s come from”

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The Happy Sleeper: The Science-Backed Guide to Helping Your Baby Get a Good Night’s Sleep-Newborn to School Age

Fabulous resource for parents looking to improve their babies’ sleep.

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The Sleepeasy Solution

Shanna’s favorite baby sleep book!

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Understanding Your Baby: A Week-By-Week Development & Activity Guide For Playing With Your Baby From Birth to 12 Months

Ayelet was a guest on our show in Episode 39, and she has a fantastic books about activities you can do with your little ones! It provides a week-by-week guide to your infant’s development and fun activity ideas!This book is a great resource for parents of babies up to age 12 months.

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Understanding Your Toddler: A Month-By-Month Development & Activity Guide For Playing With Your Toddler From One to Three Years

Ayelet was a guest on our show in Episode 39, and she has a fantastic books about activities you can do with your little ones! This book is a great resource for parents of toddlers from 1-3.

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Your Self-Confident Baby

The original resource on the RIE parenting philosophy.

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Pregnancy Books

Pregnancy can be a time when you have so many questions. What’s going on in my body? What is safe for me to do and eat? Luckily there are some great books on the topic! Here’s our list of best pregnancy books.

Expecting Better: Why the Conventional Pregnancy Wisdom Is Wrong–and What You Really Need to Know

Emily Oster was a guest on our show in episode 43. We love her and her books! Laura and Shanna both lived by this book during pregnancy.

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Kid Gloves: Nine Months of Careful Chaos

Great graphic novel about pregnancy. Content warning: miscarriage and traumatic birth.

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