Psychology (See also Biology)

Book that will help children understand psychological concepts (e.g. emotions, relationships, human development, the senses, and the brain and nervous system). Tips on evaluating children's science books. [Link to a printable Bibliography (word doc).]

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Aliki. Communication / Aliki. New York : Greenwillow Books, c1993. 068811248X Ages 4-8. [Also available in Spanish] Grade: A

An eclectic look at communication (e.g. non-verbal, symbols, artistic, etc). States that “it takes two to communicate. One to say it. One to listen…and respond.” Discusses topics like feelings that are hard to discuss, miscommunication, and suggested responses when someone expresses their feelings to you (“It hurts, but I'm glad you could tell me.” and “Now I understand how you feel.”)

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Aliki. Feelings / Aliki. New York : Greenwillow Books, c1984. 0688038328. Ages 4-8. Grade: B

Describes some common feelings such as missing someone, happiness, anger, and fear using a variety of formats and varied book design. It has some short dialogs, some pages of sequential art, and some two-page spreads with only a single idea (i.e. feeling quiet). I was quite disappointed that the only overweight child depicted in the book is stereotypically gluttonous and described by the other children as greedy, selfish, and rude (27). On the plus side, there is a more enlightening conversation between a boy and his conscience and how he feels about misbehaving.

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Aliki. My five senses / by Aliki. New York : HarperCollins, c1989. 0060200502 [Let's read and find out books] Ages 3-6. [Also available in Spanish] Grade: A

My five senses, as the title states, looks at seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, and touching. Written for young children with simple text. For example, “I can smell! I smell with my nose. (8)” The book is summed up with these lines, “Sometimes I use more of one sense and less of another. But each sense is very important to me, because it makes me aware.”

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Althea. Being friends / Althea ; photographs by Charlie Best ; illustrations by Conny Jude. Milwaukee : Gareth Stevens Pub., 1998. 0836821157 [Exploring emotions] Ages 4-8. Grade: A

Explores the meaning of friends and friendship. Discusses making friends. For example, "When you are trying to make new friends, it's not always best to choose the most popular children." Also covers topics such as disagreements, group behavior, and more. Bright and varied book design. Includes notes for teachers and parents, lists of additional resources, a glossary, and an index.

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Brinkerhoff, Shirley. Drug therapy and childhood and adolescent disorders / by Shirley Brinkerhoff. Philadelphia , Pa. : Mason Crest Publishers, c2004. 1590845633 [Psychiatric disorders] Ages 12+. [Grade: Recommend further research to judge appropriateness for your purchasing decision.]

A well-written, but heavy book. Includes definitions and case studies of such disorders as ADHD and Tourette's. Discusses the history, risks, and side effects of different drug therapies as well as alternative treatments like special diets and "natural" medicine. Includes an index and additional resources.

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Curry, Don L. How does your brain work? / by Don L. Curry ; consultants, Nanci R. Vargus, Su Tien Wong. New York : Children's Press, c2003. 0516258591 [Rookie read-about health] Ages 5-7. Grade: B+/A-

Simple discussion of the brain, its parts, and its functions. Explains neurons and the spinal cord, too. For example, "Your brain may have as many as 100 billion (BIL-yuhn) neurons (NOO-rahnz) to do its work." Illustrations are functional, however the photos are good. Ends with a "words you know" review of vocabulary. Includes an index.

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Davidson, Tish. School conflict / Tish Davidson. New York : F. Watts, c2003. 0531122514. [Life Balance] series. Ages 9-12. [Grade: Recommend further research to judge appropriateness for your purchasing decision.]

Chapter titles are: School Conflict, Past and Present; Bullying and Harassment; The Making of a school shooter; Society's Role in School Violence. There is some good information in charts and lists. For example, "Factors That Increase the Risk a Student Will Become Violent" (34-35) and "Are You Depressed" (38-39). The resources at the back of the book also look good and include lists of books, web sites, organizations, etc. There is a glossary and index. Warning: The book loses credibility because, except for charts, sources are seldom cited. [Some topics that might be of interest in this series are: Depression, Eating Disorders, Intelligence, Phobias, and Therapy.]

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Erlbach, Arlene. The middle school survival guide / Arlene Erlbach ; illustrations by Helen Flook. New York : Walker & Co., 2003. 0802788521 Grades 7-9. Grade: A

Well organized book dealing with puberty, school, self-image and the important relationships in a middle schoolers life: peers, family, teachers, and the opposite sex. Text is broken up into short chapters with lots of lists, bullet points, and quotes from kids. There is an index and list of related books.

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Fisher, Enid. Emotional ups and downs / Enid Fisher. Milwaukee : Gareth Stevens Pub., 1998. [Good health guides] 0836821793 Ages 8-12. Grade: A+ 

Super book for pre-teens that helps them overcome problems that they might face in growing up. Focuses on giving information that will help kids make healthy decisions. Some topics covered are bullies, friends, grieving, divorce, guilt, body changes. Also coping with siblings, parents, and school. Finally, looks at being too young for some things and making up your own mind. Includes a glossary, additional resources, and an index.

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Fox, Laura. I am so angry, I could scream : helping children deal with anger / by Laura Fox ; illustrations by Chris Sabatino. Far Hills, N.J. : Small Horizons, c2000. 0882821857. Ages 8-12. [Grade: Recommend further research to judge appropriateness for your purchasing decision.]

A book about coping with anger.  Explains that, "Anger is an important emotion. You need to listen to what your anger is telling you about your feelings." Discusses appropriate and inappropriate ways of expressing anger and gives detailed instructions on making a anger management chart.  Things work out perfectly after a little talk with an aunt who is a school counselor. 

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Frost, Helen. Hearing / by Helen Frost ; consulting editor, Gail Saunders-Smith ; consultant, Eric H. Chudler. Mankato, Minn. : Pebble Books, 2000. ISBN: 0736803823 Ages 2-6. [The Senses Series] Grade: A

Great introduction to words and concepts related to sound and hearing.

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Frost, Helen. The nervous system / by Helen Frost. Mankato, MN : Pebble Books, 2001. 0736806512. [Human body systems (Mankato, Minn.)] Ages 4-8 Grade: A

Frost simply and clearly introduces the brain and nervous system.  For example, "The nervous system carries messages called signals. Signals tell the body what to do."  Photos and illustrations are good (and include male and female and various races) and the book design, though simple, is appealing. There is a glossary ("words to know"), bibliography, webography, and index. Word count: 213. Early-Intervention level: 17.

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Gardner, Robert. Health science projects about psychology / Robert Gardner and Barbara Gardner Conklin. Berkeley Heights , NJ : Enslow Publishers, c2002. 0766014398 [Science Projects] series. Ages 12+. Grade: A

Sounds boring, but its not! The introduction covers record keeping, science fairs, ethics, and safety. Chapter titles are Early Experiments in Psychology, Perception, Emotion, Personality, Learning and Memory, Thought and Thinking, and Parapsychology. Each chapter starts with an introduction to the topic and then has some related experiments. For example the experiments on Personality are Extrovert or Introvert?, Optimist or Pessimist? and Revealing Inkblots. There is a list of suppliers, bibliography, webography, and index. A related book in the series is Health Science Projects about Your Senses.

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Glover, David. The young Oxford book of the human being / David Glover. Oxford ; New York : Oxford University Press, c1997. 0195213742 (lib. bdg.) 12+. Grade: A

Covers the nervous system as well as a large section on the "Mind" including: perception, learning and remembering, intelligence and creativity, all in the mind (consciousness, dreams, etc.), and mind and health (emotions, fears, coping). Excellent photos and colorful book design. Has a glossary and index.

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Kalman, Bobby. The wonders of me from A to Z / [created by Bobbie Kalman]. New York : Crabtree Pub. Co. , c1998. [AlphaBasics] series. 0865053758 Ages 4-8. Grade: A

Nice book to teach some vocabulary related to psychology. Some of the most relevant topics are Dreams, Emotions, Friends, Imagination, Moods, and ZZZZs. The book design is bright, appealing, and varied. There is a good glossary and index that shows topics covered in more than one letter (e.g. brain, learning, skin color) from A-Z.

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Landau, Elaine. Sibling rivalry : brothers and sisters at odds / by Elaine Landau. Brookfield, Conn. : Millbrook Press, c1994. 1562943286 Grades 5-8 (to Adult) Grade: A

Landau covers coping with the feelings related to sibling rivalry. Chapter titles are Second Best; What Makes Siblings Rivals?; Parents, Comparisons, and Competitors; and Once Rivals, Always Rivals? The text includes lots of examples and is written in a way that neither judges nor dismisses the feeling siblings may feel. The book cover and illustrations are funny and interesting, but make the book look like it is for younger readers than it is. There are source notes, a further reading list, and an index.

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Lear, Munro. How to behave and why / Munro Leaf. New York , NY : Universe, 2002. (Originally published 1946) 0789306840 Ages 6-12. Grade: A

Retro look at behavior. Tells readers, “It doesn't matter [who you are]...You still have to get along well with other people and have most of them like you, if you want to be happy.” (9) Gives advice on making friends. “[T]here are four main things that you have to do if you want to make good friends and keep them. You have to be HONEST [, FAIR, STRONG, and WISE] (12, 13). For honesty, telling the truth, not stealing, and not cheating are given as examples. Reminds me a little of the school movies on behavior from the 50's (“Real strength comes from having a clean, healthy mind and a clean, healthy body.” (40), but still gives some good advice (saying please and excuse me or I beg your pardon (54)).

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LeShan, Eda. What makes you so special? / Eda LeShan. New York : Dial Books for Young Readers, c1992. 0803711565 Ages 10+ Grade: A

Discusses such topics as nature vs. nurture, child development, and how early trauma affects psychological development. Well organized and full of examples. Chapter titles are: Before You Were Born, The First Important Years, Life With Family, Life in School, the World Around Us, and Becoming Your Own Best Friend. There is a bibliography.

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Madison, Lynda. The feelings book : the care & keeping of your emotions / Lynda Madison ; illustrated by Norm Bendell. Middleton , Wis. : Pleasant Co., c2002. 1584855282 Ages 8-12. Grade: A

Dr. Madison, a licensed psychologist, writes an easy to understand guide for girls on dealing with the ups and downs of emotions. She covers such topics as physical reactions to emotions, sorting out feelings, the voices inside ones head, how to deal with different feelings and feeling positive. Cute illustrations and book design.

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Mills, Andy. Shapesville / Andy Mills and Becky Osborn ; illustrated by Erica Neitz. 1st ed. Carlsbad, CA : Gurze Books, 2003. 0936077476 Ages 4-8. Grade: A

Shapesville, told in simple rhyme, addresses self-acceptance and diversity. It encourages children to look beyond color and body shape. It stresses that there are many different ways that people can shine (sports, music, academics, etc). Nutrition and exercise are briefly mentioned. The book design is bright and Neitz's illustrations are bold, quirky, and funky.

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Mosatche, Harriet. Too old for this, too young for that! your survival guide for the middle-school years / Harriet S. Mosatche and Karen Unger. Minneapolis, MN : Free Spirit Pub., c2000. 1575420678 (pbk.) Grades 5-9. Grade: A

A survival guide that can be read or quickly skimmed for needed information. Covers such topics as puberty, self-esteem, understanding feelings, relationships, school, and taking charge of ones life. Contains a number of pages that can be photocopied like a chore chart and a goal setting guide. Includes lists of additional resources (could use more variety--most are from Free Spirit Pub.) and an index.

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Parker, Steve. Brain / Steve Parker. Chicago, Ill. : Heinemann Library, c2003. 1403407487 [Body Focus: injury, illness and health] series. Ages 10+. Grade: A

Well written, well organized, and fairly detailed book about the brain. Covers a wide variety of topics including brain: composition, functions, nerves, stem, disorders, and development.  Has many interesting and colorful illustrations, brain images, and photographs as well as a bright and varied book design. There is a bibliography, extensive glossary, and thorough index.

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Powledge, Fred. You'll survive! : late blooming, early blooming, loneliness, klutziness, and other problems of adolescence, and how to live through them / Fred Powledge. New York : Scribner, 1986. 0684186322 Ages 10-14. Grade: B

A book on surviving adolescence dealing mostly with puberty. There are no illustrations and I think it is more aimed at boys. Lets readers know they are not alone. Though text heavy, there is an index which may help readers find just the bits they are interested in.

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Riley, Susan. Success / written by Susan Riley ; photos by David M. Budd. [ Chanhassen , MN ] : Child's World, c2000. 1567666760 [Thoughts and Feelings] Ages 2-6. Grade: A-

Looks at child development and is told in simple rhyme so will probably appeal to preschool/kindergarten aged children. For example, “I'm proud of my success, of what I can do. You should be proud of what you can do, too (28).” Some of the other titles in the series include: Afraid, Jealous, Angry, Frustrated, I'm Sorry, and Sharing.

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Romain, Trevor. Cliques, phonies & other baloney / by Trevor Romain. Minneapolis, Minn. : Free Spirit Pub., c1998. 1575420457 Ages 9-12. Grade: A

A quick read that explains what a clique is and discusses fake and real friends and popularity. Also has helpful advice and examples. The text is nicely organized and broken up into bite size pieces of information. There is a bibliography and list of relevant organizations.

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Romanek, Trudee. Aha! : the most interesting book you'll ever read about intelligence / written by Trudee Romanek ; illustrated by Rose Cowles. Toronto ; Tonawanda, N.Y. : Kids Can Press, c2004. 1553374851 [Mysterious you (Toronto, Ont.)] Ages 9-12. Grade: A

Full of quick facts and interesting information on the brain and intelligence. Covers topics such as geniuses, prodigies, multiple intelligences, the nun study, Einstein's Brian, etc. Colorful and varied book design nicely divides the information. Includes an index.

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Schuette, Sarah L. I am Cooperative English & Spanish. Soy cooperativa / de Sarah L. Schuette ; traducción, Martín Luis Guzmán Ferrer = I am cooperative / by Sarah L. Schuette ; translation, Martín Luis Guzmán Ferrer. Mankato, Minn. : Capstone Press, c2004. 0736823026 [Pebble Bilingual Books] Ages 4-6. Grade: A

Part of a series that looks at behaviors such as honesty, patience, and responsibility. Follows the daily activities of a young girl who is helpful at home and school. She also works well with others in small groups. Each left page shows a colorful and good quality photo. Each right page has one or two sentences that explains being cooperative. The English is above the Spanish. For example, "I work with others on a team. Trabajo con los demás en equipo." Ends with the sentiment, "I am cooperative. I do my part." There is a glossary and an index.

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Stille, Darlene. The nervous system / by Darlene R. Stille. New York : Children's Press, c1997. 0516204459 [A True Book] series. Ages 8-12. Grade: A

Another excellent book by Stille. She organizes the information well and explains the nervous system. She describes how "the brain is the center of our emotions" (8). Covers the central, peripheral, and autonomic nervous systems. Detailed description of the brain, spinal cord, nerve cells (i.e. axons can be more than 3 feet long), how nerves talk, and nerves and muscles. There is a list of print, web, and other resources, a glossary, and index.

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Walker, Pam. The brain and nervous system / Pam Walker and Elaine Wood. San Diego, Calif. : Lucent Books, c2003. 1590181484 [Understanding the human body] Ages 12+. Grade: B- Recommend further research to judge appropriateness for your purchasing decision.

Text heavy coverage of such topics as structure, function, and probing of the nervous system.  Of interest in teaching psychology are the chapters covering the senses and the mysteries of the brain (e.g. sleep and memory).  There are a few good illustrations.  The photos are problematic.  Some color photos would be a plus, but worse, some photos are of poor quality.  More disturbing is that some photos are rather (unnecessarily) scary looking.  For example, one shows a masked person with a big knife standing over a decapitated raccoon head looking more like a butcher or a character in a horror movie than a researcher. 

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Wallace, Holly. Cells and systems / Holly Wallace. Chicago : Heinemann Library, c2001. 1575723360 (library) [Life Processes] Ages 9-13. Grade: A

Starts by explaining what cells are and comparing plant and animal cells. Several pages describe the parts of plants, making food, respiration, inside a leaf and "plant plumbing". The rest of the book explores human cells and covers such topics as bones, muscles, systems (circulatory, digestive, respiratory, nervous), waste and water, your senses, and reproduction. The book design is clear and colorful. There are excellent photographs (including many magnified views of cells) and illustrations (many labeled). There is also a glossary, bibliography, and index.

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Why can't I be happy all the time : questions children ask about feelings. New York : DK Pub., 1997. 075135600X [Why Books] series Ages 4-8. Grade: A

Looks at common childhood feelings and emotions using a Q and A format . Some topics covered are "Why do I get upset with other people?' and "Why do I feel left out now that we have a new baby?" Each topic is broken down into several related questions. Colorful, but slightly cluttered, book design.

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Wirths, Claudine and Mary Bowman-Kruhm. Are You My Type?: Or Why Aren't You More Like Me? Palo Alto, Calif. : Consulting Psychologists Press, 1992. 0891060553 Ages 12+. Grade: A

Super introduction to Jung/ Myers-Brigg type personality traits. Uses a question / answer / discussion format making this a very accessible text.

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Yikes! : a smart girl's guide to surviving tricky, sticky, icky situations / from the editors of American girl ; illustrated by Bonnie Timmons. Middleton, Wis. : Pleasant Co. Publications, c2002. 1584855304 [American Girl Library] Ages 10-14+ Grade: A

Like the The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook but targeted for pre-teen and younger teen girls. This is an interesting life-skills books, that is only minimally related to psychology. Some interesting topics are: If your teacher hates you, If you are threatened by a bully, and If you are wrongly accused. Chapter titles are: Quick thinking, Solving the impossible, Saving face, Using logic, Keeping cool in scary situations, Being strong, Things they never taught you in school.