a few book reviews...mini style

Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child, by Marc Weissbluth

This book was recommended by my friend Marika and it has been pretty helpful. One question Brent keeps asking is when the baby is supposed to do X. This book spells out the when for sleeping nicely. He uses month my month examples to help parents know what is normal and what to do if things are abnormal. We are really trying to keep Oskar on a schedule.

The Ghost Map, by Steven Johnson

Great book about how science can go stray when people become attached to an idea dogmatically. Johnson explains how a doctor (the same doctor who invented the whole field of anesthesiology, by the way) sussed out that cholera was a water born illness rather than in the air. The reader learns all about life in London in the 1800's. Bacteria really rule our world. Oh and you can cure cholera by drinking LOTS and LOTS of water, because cholera just removes water from your system. Oh and did you know beer has antibacterial qualities? Great book.

The Case for Make Believe, by Susan Linn

This author really believes that kids need time to use and develop their imagination. She also believes, with statistics and studies to back up her belief, that TV stifles children's abilities to play. She turned me into a believer. To the extent possible I would like to keep Oskar away from screens as much as possible for as long as possible. We will see how that works out.