A parenting manual that’s soft on research but warm, wise, and often original.
A debut guide to becoming a fun, supportive parent.
Many people believe they’ll be good parents before they actually have a child. Then they fall apart at the piercing screams of a toddler’s tantrum, or wonder why a child refuses to go to sleep. Authors Wipfler and Schore wrote this book for these moments. They assure parents that their children are normal, despite behavior that seems unmoored. More importantly, they reassure parents that they are normal, too—that feelings of anger and resentment are natural companions to joy and wonderment. Wipfler and Schore call their method “Hand in Hand Parenting,” because they posit that families function best when parents and children feel close and connected. They recommend five tools for strengthening those connections: “Regular Special Time,” with parents giving full attention to an activity that the child chooses; “Staylistening,” or remaining close but largely quiet as a child works through emotional upsets; “Setting Limits,” so that children do not hurt themselves or others; “Playlistening,” or play that elicits stress-relieving laughter; and “the Listening Partnership,” in which parents share feelings and experiences with other understanding adults. Together, the authors say, these tools head off problems and let children do necessary emotional work. The book’s structure allows busy parents to quickly find solutions to specific problems and shares expertise in a fun, flowing style: “We win our children’s hearts (and respect) when we get down on our knees and wrestle with them,” the authors note. “We can bond with one another over watermelon-seed-spitting contests and squirt-gun battles.” Overall, the book offers plenty of wisdom. However, the authors should have cited specific, scientific research to back up some claims. They tell many stories of children who seem to be processing the negative emotions of their own difficult births, for example, but they provide no evidence that proves that trauma is actually stored that way. Some of their solutions, such as sharing deep emotions, may not be comfortable for everyone. That said, the authors will likely help parents find imaginative, calm ways to help their children become adults.
A parenting manual that’s soft on research but warm, wise, and often original.Pub Date: Aug. 23, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-9974593-0-2
Page Count: 326
Publisher: Hand in Hand Parenting
Review Posted Online: July 14, 2016
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
An enjoyable slice of 20th-century music journalism almost certain to provide something for most readers, no matter one’s...
Music journalist and musician Wald (Talking 'Bout Your Mama: The Dozens, Snaps, and the Deep Roots of Rap, 2014, etc.) focuses on one evening in music history to explain the evolution of contemporary music, especially folk, blues, and rock.
The date of that evening is July 25, 1965, at the Newport Folk Festival, where there was an unbelievably unexpected occurrence: singer/songwriter Bob Dylan, already a living legend in his early 20s, overriding the acoustic music that made him famous in favor of electronically based music, causing reactions ranging from adoration to intense resentment among other musicians, DJs, and record buyers. Dylan has told his own stories (those stories vary because that’s Dylan’s character), and plenty of other music journalists have explored the Dylan phenomenon. What sets Wald's book apart is his laser focus on that one date. The detailed recounting of what did and did not occur on stage and in the audience that night contains contradictory evidence sorted skillfully by the author. He offers a wealth of context; in fact, his account of Dylan's stage appearance does not arrive until 250 pages in. The author cites dozens of sources, well-known and otherwise, but the key storylines, other than Dylan, involve acoustic folk music guru Pete Seeger and the rich history of the Newport festival, a history that had created expectations smashed by Dylan. Furthermore, the appearances on the pages by other musicians—e.g., Joan Baez, the Weaver, Peter, Paul, and Mary, Dave Van Ronk, and Gordon Lightfoot—give the book enough of an expansive feel. Wald's personal knowledge seems encyclopedic, and his endnotes show how he ranged far beyond personal knowledge to produce the book.
An enjoyable slice of 20th-century music journalism almost certain to provide something for most readers, no matter one’s personal feelings about Dylan's music or persona.Pub Date: July 25, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-06-236668-9
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Dey Street/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 15, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2015
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK TO SCREEN
BOOK TO SCREEN
BOOK TO SCREEN
This is not the Nutcracker sweet, as passed on by Tchaikovsky and Marius Petipa. No, this is the original Hoffmann tale of 1816, in which the froth of Christmas revelry occasionally parts to let the dark underside of childhood fantasies and fears peek through. The boundaries between dream and reality fade, just as Godfather Drosselmeier, the Nutcracker's creator, is seen as alternately sinister and jolly. And Italian artist Roberto Innocenti gives an errily realistic air to Marie's dreams, in richly detailed illustrations touched by a mysterious light. A beautiful version of this classic tale, which will captivate adults and children alike. (Nutcracker; $35.00; Oct. 28, 1996; 136 pp.; 0-15-100227-4)
Pub Date: Oct. 28, 1996
ISBN: 0-15-100227-4
Page Count: 136
Publisher: Harcourt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 1996
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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