Book Reviews
Yvette O’Dowd has been a passionate reader since childhood. Her first pregnancy in the early 1980s saw her consuming the local library collection of books about pregnancy, childbirth, child development and child care. Having ignited a life-long interest in these subjects, Yvette went on to work at Merrily Merrily Enterprises [the retail arm of the Nursing Mothers’ Association of Australia (now known as The Australian Breastfeeding Association)] from 1995 - 2000. This included the recommendation and sale of books on breastfeeding and human lactation, parenting and related titles to both parents and health professionals.
From 2008 - 2013, Yvette ran The Breastfeeding Centre In Dandenong, Victoria - the Victorian Branch Office of the Australian Breastfeeding Association. Here she curated and maintained an extensive library of books available to both members and volunteers. When establishing the Southern Natural Parenting Network in 2014, Yvette had a vision of a collection of books available to members and the wider community, establishing a community library on wheels available at meets and events. Yvette’ family are resigned to her extensive personal collection! (Thank goodness for the digital revolution!)
Yvette also has a passion for children’s books - particularly picture books - and her collection expanded as her family has. Books for children about babies are of particular interest. Stay tuned for review soon!
Browse Yvette’s recommendations:
How to Raise a Teen: A Guide for Parents of Thirteen to Twenty-One-Year-Olds
How to Raise a Teen is the final installment in Sarah Ockwell-Smith’s series of developmental parenting guides, following Between and The Starting School Book. This book offers a comprehensive, evidence-informed approach to parenting adolescents aged 13 to 21. Drawing from neuroscience, psychology, and her own experience as a mother of four young adults, Ockwell-Smith addresses the emotional, social, and practical challenges of the teenage.
Between: A Guide for Parents of Eight to Thirteen-Year-Olds
Between is a comprehensive guide by parenting expert Sarah Ockwell-Smith, focusing on the transitional "tween" years—ages 8 to 13. Drawing upon biology, psychology, and sociology, the book offers practical advice to help parents navigate the complexities of this developmental stage. Topics include understanding mood swings, discussing puberty, managing screen time, fostering mental health, and guiding children through evolving social relationships. Ockwell-Smith emphasizes the importance of empathy and open communication, providing strategies to support both the child and the parent during this period of change.
Positive Parenting: An Essential Guide
This book offers a comprehensive approach to parenting that emphasizes emotional connection over control. Drawing from her personal experiences and extensive research, Eanes provides practical strategies for parents to foster empathy, respect, and understanding within the family unit. The guide addresses common challenges such as power struggles and emotional triggers, aiming to help parents build stronger, more harmonious relationships with their children.
Heart to Heart Parenting
This book offers a compassionate guide to nurturing children's emotional intelligence from conception through the early school years. Robin Grille, an Australian psychologist and parenting educator, emphasizes the importance of deep connection and empathy in parenting. He provides insights into understanding children's emotional needs and offers practical strategies for building strong, respectful relationships without resorting to punishment or manipulation.
How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk
This influential and widely loved classic on communication between adults and children offers practical strategies to foster cooperation, emotional expression, and mutual respect. Based on the authors’ experiences with the Parent Effectiveness Training and their own workshops, the book uses real-life examples, comics, and step-by-step techniques to demonstrate respectful communication without shouting, threats, or bribes.
Hunt, Gather, Parent
Science journalist Michaeleen Doucleff travels the world with her young daughter, learning from Indigenous communities in Mexico, the Arctic, and Tanzania. These parents raise calm, confident, cooperative children — without yelling, bribes, or punishments. Doucleff distills their ancient, intuitive parenting methods and contrasts them with modern Western approaches, offering accessible tools for everyday family life.
The Evolved Nest
Drawing on anthropology, neuroscience, psychology, and evolutionary biology, Darcia Narvaez explores how our ancestral caregiving practices shaped human development — and what happens when modern life disrupts them. The book presents the “Evolved Nest” model, which includes practices like extended breastfeeding, constant physical closeness, alloparenting, and responsive caregiving, as vital to raising thriving children and healthy societies.
The Yes Brain Child
This empowering guide explores how to cultivate openness, resilience, and balance in children. Through the lens of brain science, Siegel and Bryson show how to encourage a “Yes Brain” mindset—flexible, curious, and emotionally aware—versus a “No Brain” state of fear and reactivity.
Unconditional Parenting
In Unconditional Parenting, educator and author Alfie Kohn challenges traditional approaches to discipline and behaviour management. He argues that rewards and punishments — including praise — can undermine a child’s intrinsic motivation and sense of self. Instead, he advocates for parenting based on unconditional love, respect, and thoughtful guidance.
Parenting from the Inside Out
This pioneering book blends neuroscience and psychology to show how a parent’s self-understanding can profoundly shape their relationship with their child. By reflecting on one’s own childhood and emotional patterns, parents can become more attuned, responsive, and emotionally available.