Your Successful Preschooler: Ten Skills Children Need to become Confident and Socially Engaged
Jossey-Bass
By Ann Densmore and Margaret Bauman
While many parents may see the preschool years largely as a time to establish successful academic habits, Margaret Bauman, HMS associate professor of Neurology at Massachusetts General Hospital for Children, and Ann Densmore, an expert in child communication, contend in this new work that playing and learning social skills are equally as critical for a child’s future success. Aimed at parents, educators, and childcare providers, the book offers a step-by-step program to guide a child’s social development in key areas such as friendship and resilience. Honed by Densmore and Bauman after years of studying and working with children, the foundation of the program is based in the 10 key traits that are critical to forming friendships and other social relations at an early age. In a style that is both readable and comprehensive, the authors outline clear strategies for achieving each of the traits by weaving real-life examples with scientific research that draws from the their extensive knowledge on the developing brain. The book also shows adults how to employ Densmore’s theory of narrative play, a philosophy that adopts a play-based, narrative approach to socialization. In addition to this framework, the authors also include tips for ways in which parents can reinforce important social lessons in the home environment.
Saying Goodbye: How Families Can Find Renewal Through Loss
Berkley Books
By Barbara Okun and Joseph Nowinski
In a market awash with books written about the grieving process, Barbara Okun and Joseph Nowinski present a compelling guide for a unique niche of mourners—those who have been forced to see their loved ones“live with death” due to a terminal illness. Using their many years of combined experience as counselors and mental health professionals, Okun, a clinical instructor at HMS and Counseling Psychology professor at Northeastern University, and Nowinski, a nationally recognized psychologist, guide their audience through what they deem the five stages of grief following a terminal diagnosis. By acknowledging the complex reality presented by terminal illnesses—one that enables more time with a loved one but also can extend the grieving period—the authors are able to prepare their audience with the multifaceted journey that awaits them. Combining case examples with helpful suggestions, the book helps navigate readers through difficult situations—such as arranging wills, how to communicate with children, and reassessing family roles—in an effort to reach the ultimate goal of moving forward.
Beautiful Brain, Beautiful You: A 7-Step Guide to a Better, Smarter, Younger You
Hyperion
By Marie Pasinski with Jodie Gould
With phrases such as “healthy glow” and “feel rejuvenated and more energized” peppering its cover, Marie Pasinski’s new book may initially seem like yet another addition to the seemingly endless weight-loss field. However, rather than detailing how to shed pounds, Pasinki, along with award-winning journalist Jodie Gould, presents the case that achieving sharper mental clarity and focus is easily achievable through strengthening the muscles in our brain—much in the same way that we strengthen the muscles in our body. A staff neurologist at Massachusetts General Hospital and a faculty member of HMS, Marie Pasinski develops her case of the “beauty/brain” connection with up-to-date research and data regarding the close link between brain health and overall quality of life. Covering everyday topics such as diet, emotions, and relationships, each chapter explains how the brain is used in seemingly unrelated aspects of our lives and the ways in which we can modify each to reach its highest potential. In a style that is both clear and highly relatable, the book combines Pasinki’s personal vignettes, tips, and different strategies for a “brain makeover” that are easy to incorporate and mentally fulfilling.
The Zombie Autopsies: Secret Notebooks from the Apocalypse
Grand Central
By Steven C. Schlozman
A group of medical scientists isolated on a remote island, furiously working against the clock to find a cure for the disease that has already turned two thirds of the world’s population into zombies. The culprit? An airborne virus that devours crucial parts of its victim’s brains, transforming a once intelligent and emotional being into a senseless cannibal. Sound like a new-age horror film? It’s not—the storyline is lifted right of the pages of Steven Schlozman’s first novel, a detailed mixture of science, math and gore that is sure to thrill zombie enthusiasts everywhere. An assistant professor of psychiatry at HMS, Schlozman believes that using zombies is an interesting way to blend popular culture and science, thereby making abstract concepts more fun for kids to learn. Presented in the form of a recovered journal—written by the protagonist Dr. Stanley Blum— that been obtained by the U.N., the novel incorporates various aspects that are firmly rooted in science, including the concepts of infectious diseases, mutant viruses, and “prions,” brain-destroying proteins that are also found in mad cow disease. Replete with factual medical and anatomical terms that are supplemented with vivid illustrations, the novel is sure to please a wide array of readers, ranging from those interested in pathogens to the reader who wants a quick zombie thrill.
