The Seven Best Books On Child Psychology

Understanding our little ones better is the best gift we can give them as parents or educators. Child psychology is more complex than it seems. That’s why it can help to read books on child psychology.

It is essential to understand the needs behind certain behaviors, how their emotions work and how their brains mature at each stage of their development.

One thing we all know: having the title of father, mother or teacher does not necessarily mean that we automatically have the skills we need to raise children.

Every child is unique and every day brings new challenges. Perhaps a new form of difficult behavior, insecurity, a learning disability, or even constant doubt.

But books on child psychology are always there for us. Whether we are parents or educators, we need to keep up to date. Science is advancing and we now know more than ever about children’s brains. We learned how to promote holistic development in children, increase their intelligence and give them tools to help them understand and manage their emotions.

However, it is never advisable to stick with one of the books on child psychology and make it ‘our bible’. Rather, the ideal scenario is to seek out multiple sources and be open to the new discoveries in the field of education.

In this article, we’ll show you seven books on child psychology that might be of great help.

The best books on child psychology

1. Building emotional intelligence: practices to cultivate inner resilience in children (Linda Lantieri and Daniel Goleman)

Today, most of us know that emotional intelligence is essential for better health and happiness. This kind of intelligence also provides a great framework for the education of our children.

As Daniel Goleman says, teaching our children about emotions makes for a brighter future. In this book on child psychology, we learn how to do that. In addition, it comes with a practical guide and audio version (narrated by Elsa Punset). Which makes it a much more complete resource for kids and teens.

2. Ugly Ducklings (Boris Cyrulnik)

Boris Cyrulnik is a well-known French neurologist, psychiatrist, psychoanalyst and ethnologist. He is considered an important reference in the science of happiness and psychiatry. In fact, he had already decided at the age of 11 what he wanted to do with his life.

At the age of 6, he managed to escape from a concentration camp, while the rest of his family, Russian-Jewish immigrants, never returned. From then on he went from one shelter to another, from one family to another, until at last he arrived at the humble peasants’ house.

A long journey of fear, alienation and sadness, which he did not allow to turn into a victim of trauma, but a resilient child.

Boris Cyrulnik presents a very interesting view on childhood trauma in this book. He teaches us that the motley crew of relationships and expression of our emotions allows us to activate a kind of biopsychic “reserve” to help us keep going.

3. (Daniel J. Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson)

This is a wonderful reference book in the field of pediatric neuropsychology. The authors, neuropsychiatrist Daniel J. Siegel and parenting expert Tina Payne Bryson, take us on an exciting journey through the young brain.

It is easy to read, fun and interesting. And thankfully, it provides very practical, actionable strategies to support our children’s emotional and intellectual development.

But there’s more. Something that makes this book different and innovative is the fact that the illustrations can help us teach certain concepts to our own children. It is a complete, excellent child psychology manual that will help us understand certain reactions, behaviors and needs in our little ones.

4. (James J. Crist)

James J. Crist is an American psychologist specializing in childhood trauma, depression, and mental disorders. The reason this book is on our list is simple: it is aimed at both adults and children. And it allows us to understand and rationalize our fears.

It is primarily intended to clear all the most common worries and fears in a child’s mind. These range from dark to loneliness, clowns to nightmares. Even an unfortunate reality in today’s world: terrorism.

As a psychologist who has seen and helped many anxious and anxious children, Dr. Crist simple explanations and strategies. After reading this book, both children and parents will be better rested.

5. (Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish)

This has been a bestseller in child psychology since its publication in the late 1990s. A lot has changed since then, but the truths in this book don’t go out of style. Truly, they are fundamental, timeless aspects of the education of children and teenagers.

Through a practical and respectful approach, we learn communication methods, innovative problem-solving strategies and good techniques for setting boundaries, controlling emotions and punishing.

6. Far from the Tree:  (Andrew Solomon)

Inspirational and magical. All parents, teachers, psychologists and anyone who wants to think about what sets us apart, what unites us, what defines us and what makes us human should read this book.

This is an unusual book that has captivated millions of people, including those  of parents and children with disabilities such as Down syndrome or autism spectrum disorders.

In the pages of this book, we see the testimonies of more than 300 families that touch even the hardest heart.

7. The Psychology of the Child  (Jean Piaget)

We cannot end our list of books on child psychology without mentioning Jean Piaget.

Not only was he one of the most important psychologists of the twentieth century, his contribution to human development and child psychology remains of great epistemological, logical, biological and sociological importance.

He laid the foundation for many concepts we are currently working on. And we can thank him for all his extensive work, articles and empirical research that we still use for reflection and interpretation.

Every few years new editions are released, allowing us to enjoy the work of Piaget and his loyal collaborator Inhelder again.

Although it is not exactly a ‘relaxing’ book, it is a must if you want to dive into the early studies of intelligence, construction of reality, categories of thought, capacity for representation, concrete operations, formal operations, moral judgment. But also in emotional and social aspects of child development.

Finally, I would like to say that this list has certainly left out many wonderful books on child psychology. However, we have tried to provide a broad list of recommendations. It is an area where emotions, fears, brain development, resilience, and psychological or intellectual deficits are areas that are not yet fully understood.

Let’s be curious and never stop learning. In addition, let’s give our children the very best we can.