American Girl magazine. What I Wish You Knew: Letters from Our Daughters' Lives, and Expert Advice on Staying Connected. Pleasant Company Publications, 2001. A useful resource combining real letters from girls aged 10-14 with expert advice to help mothers maintain a close relationship with their daughters.
Angelo, Bonnie. First Mothers: The Women Who Shaped the Presidents. Perennial, 2001. If you're wondering how a US President became the person he became, this candid, well-researched, insightful book gives you a look at their mothers and family relationships.
Barnes, Emilie. 15 Minute Family Traditions & Memories. Harvest House, 1995. Hundreds of practical, simple ideas for strengthening family ties through holidays, fun projects, special meals, and inexpensive gifts.
Bosak, Susan V. How to Build the Grandma Connection. The Communication Project, 2000 (visit www.grandmaconnection.com). From the author of Something to Remember Me By, this book is based on her popular Grandma Connection Workshops and filled with inspiration and wisdom. It includes a discussion of the benefits of intergenerational relationships for children, grandparents, and parents; a five-step plan for building intergenerational bonds; the Life Lessons of Grandparenthood; and dozens and dozens of practical ideas for grandparents near and far to help "make the connection" with their grandchildren (e.g. storytelling, visits, play, traditions, gift giving, and more). Also includes a complete list of the best storybooks to share with grandchildren.
Bosak, Susan V. Science Is...: A Source Book of Fascinating Facts, Projects and Activities. Scholastic, 1991, 2000 (visit www.bigsciencebook.com). Science is an educational, fun adventure young and old can share. When adults help children explore and understand the world around them, they instill a life-long love of learning. This classic has over 450 easy-to-do activities, projects, games, puzzles, and stories.
Christopher, Doris. Come to the Table. Warner, 2000. Whether you're hoping to restore the ritual of Sunday dinner or simply establish the routine of family meals, this helpful and heartfelt book honors one of the most important family traditions: togetherness around the meal table.
Coloroso, Barbara. Kids Are Worth It! Giving Your Child the Gift of Inner Discipline. Somerville House, 1995. Solid advice and practical parenting techniques -- including a discussion of the three different typical family types -- to help parents raise self-assured, responsible, and loving children.
Cook, Mariana. Generations of Women: In Their Own Words. Chronicle, 1998. Handsome family portraits coupled with excerpts illuminating the perspective of each generation of woman pictured -- sometimes spanning five generations in a single family.
Coontz, Stephanie. The Way We Never Were: American Families and the Nostalgia Trap. Basic Books, 2000. A thought-provoking book that compares the nostalgic ideal of the family to some of the historical facts.
Coontz, Stephanie. The Way We Really Are: Coming to Terms with America's Changing Families. Basic Books, 1997. In this companion to the book above, this social scientist offers helpful, thoughtful, well-researched insights into the causes, consequences, and opportunities in today's family trends.
Covey, Stephen. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families. Golden Books, 1997. With clarity and practical wisdom, Covey discusses principles for building a strong, loving family that lasts for generations.
Cox, Meg. The Heart of a Family: Searching America for New Traditions That Fulfill Us. Random House, 1998. A well-written, helpful guide for families seeking to create meaningful traditions and rituals of their own.
Crichton, Jennifer. Family Reunion. Workman, 1998. A comprehensive, step-by-step guide to planning and executing a memorable, enjoyable family gathering.
Crittenden, Ann. The Price of Motherhood: Why the Most Important Job in the World Is Still the Least Valued. Metropolitan Books, 2001. This highly-readable, well-researched book explores the challenges facing most women today and proposes some bold solutions.
Davis, Donald. Telling Your Own Stories. August House, 1993. Whether your goal is telling family stories and sharing memories or writing your family history, this book guides you through all the steps. It includes a series of memory prompts, a family lifespan chart, and story-form format.
Dodson, Shireen. The Mother-Daughter Book Club: How Ten Busy Mothers and Daughters Came Together to Talk, Laugh and Learn Through Their Love of Reading. Harper Perennial, 1997. Includes heartwarming insights and practical advice (with reading lists) on how you can start a similar club.
Doherty, William J. The Intentional Family: Simple Rituals to Strengthen Family Ties. Avon, 1999. A practical guide for building strong, loving families.
Edelman, Hope. Mother of My Mother: The Intricate Bond Between Generations. Dial, 1999. An evocative look at the relationships between grandmothers, mothers, and daughters.
Edelman, Marian Wright. The Measure of Our Success: A Letter to My Children and Yours. HarperPerennial, 1992. An inspiring, wise book about the legacies parents should pass down to future generations.
Engelbreit, Mary. Mother O' Mine. Andrews McMeel, 2001. Liberally illustrated, this keepsake book includes excerpts from classic literature such as Little Women, contemporary prose from authors such as Alice Walker and Anna Quindlen, and beloved songs and lullabies.
Engelbreit, Mary. Words for Mothers to Live By. Andrews McMeel, 2000. A celebrated illustrator couples her maternal illustrations with special passages from, about, and devoted to moms.
Esders, Viviane. Our Mothers: Portraits by 72 Women Photographers. Stewart, Tabori & Chang, 1996. A stunning, honest book about the complex relationships between mothers and daughters.
Floyd, Elaine. Creating Family Newsletters. F&W Publications, 1998. 123 ideas for sharing memorable moments with family.
Gerbrandt, Michele and Deborah Cannarella. Memory Makers' Family Scrapbooks: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow. Hugh Lauter Levin Associates, 2001. Scrapbooks record, celebrate, and connect us to the cherished events, people, and traditions of our past and present -- and help carry those memories into the future. Filled with creative ideas, innovative techniques, and expertly crafted projects to help you record your own family's story across generations.
Gold, Lois. Between Love and Hate: A Guide to Civilized Divorce. Plume, 1996. An honest, practical book that offers an achievable model of what divorcing parents can do that is positive for themselves, their spouse, and their children.
Goode, Erica (ed). Letters for Our Children: Fifty Americans Share Lessons in Living. Random House, 1996. A series of moving letters by ordinary people -- parents, grandparents, mentors, and friends -- to the young people in their lives that will make you think about what is important and human in each of us.
Gorsline, Douglas W. What People Wore: 1,800 Illustrations from Ancient Times to the Early Twentieth Century. Dover, 1994. A great book for adults and to share with children that traces clothing, hairstyles, and accessories. Very detailed illustrations and substantial information.
Green, Donna. To My Daughter, With Love: A Mother's Memory Book. Smithmark, 1993. A beautiful keepsake book for recording memories of your childhood and your daughter's.
Greene, Bob and D.G. Fulford. To Our Children's Children: Preserving Family Histories for Generations to Come. Doubleday, 1993. An accessible guide for creating written and oral histories.
Greer, Colin and Herbert Kohl (eds). A Call to Character: A Family Treasury. HarperCollins, 1995. A wonderful reader for grandparents to share with grandchildren. Includes stories, poems, plays, proverbs and fables which will prompt discussion and help develop character and values.
Hansen, Joyce. Women of Hope: African Americans Who Made a Difference. Scholastic, 1998. An inspiring book for children and adults with striking photographs and well-crafted biographies of 12 African-American women.
Hoobler, Dorothy and Thomas. Vanity Rules: A History of American Fashion and Beauty. Twenty-First Century Books, 2000. An entertaining, informative, easy-to-read book for both teenagers and adults.
Janeczko, Paul B. (ed). Strings: A Gathering of Family Poems. Bradbury Press, 1984. This book is out of print, but it's worth tracking down in a library if you're looking for one of the best compilations of poems about family.
Kack-Brice, Valerie (ed). For She is the Tree of Life: Grandmothers Through the Eyes of Women Writers. Conari Press, 1995. A unique collection of heartwarming, evocative stories and photographs from female writers such as Marge Piercy, Maya Angelou, Margaret Atwood, and Leslie Marmon Silko.
Kotre, John. Make It Count: How to Generate a Legacy that Gives Meaning to Your Life. The Free Press, 1999. Have you ever asked yourself what the purpose of your life is? This thoughtful book is an original, step-by-step guide for finding meaning and purpose.
Kotre, John and Elizabeth Hall. Seasons of Life: The Dramatic Journey from Birth to Death. Ann Arbor Paperbacks, 1997. A companion book to the acclaimed PBS television series, this fascinating book combines the research of social scientists with stories of ordinary families as it traces the human journey through life.
Lanese, Janet. Grandmothers Are Like Snowflakes... No Two Are Alike. Dell, 1996. A book of quotes, anecdotes, and reflections about grandmothers and their grandchildren.
L'Engle, Madeleine and Maria Rooney (photographer). Mothers & Daughters. Gramercy, 2001. This award-winning author has teamed with her photographer daughter to create a loving tribute to the unique relationship that exists between mothers and daughters.
LifeStories by Talicor (www.talicor.com, available in many stores). It's not a book, but a great intergenerational, family board game for telling tales and sharing. An award winner!
Lindbergh, Reeve. Under A Wing: A Memoir. Delta, 1999. An intimate, compelling portrait of a family in all its complexity led by Lindbergh's intensely private father, aviator Charles Lindbergh, and mother, writer Anne Morrow Lindbergh.
Lindbergh, Reeve. No More Words: A Journal of My Mother, Anne Morrow Lindbergh. Simon & Schuster, 2001. A sensitive, moving tribute from daughter to mother, from one writer to another who was her model and mentor, written with insight into life's final stage.
Lowry, Lois. Looking Back: A Book of Memories. Delacorte, 2000. An album memoir for adults and children to share, with reflections on and photographs from Lowry's own family past and present.
Lurie, Alison. The Language of Clothes. Owl Books, 2000. A classic book about the clothes we wear and what they say about us.
Lustbader, Wendy. What's Worth Knowing. Jeremy P. Tarcher/Putnam, 2001. People in their seventies, eighties, and nineties share the single most important piece of knowledge each has gained through a lifetime of living.
MacDonald, Margaret Read. The Parent's Guide to Storytelling. August House, 2001. A book full of helpful hints and techniques to help parents and grandparents capture and keep children's attention. Chapters focus on storytelling for the youngest listeners, bedtime stories and expandable tales, scary stories, improvisational ideas, and family folklore.
Maguire, Jack. The Power of Personal Storytelling: Spinning Tales to Connect with Others. Putnam, 1998. For anyone who wants to share family stories and make memories more meaningful.
Marlow, Joyce. Making Memories: Celebrating Mothers and Daughters Through Traditions, Crafts, and Lore. Fireside, 2001. Traditional in orientation, this compendium offers mothers and daughters many ideas for shared activities to enjoy a sense of mutual love and appreciation.
Marshall, Carl with David Marshall. The Book of Myself: A Do-It-Yourself Autobiography in 201 Questions. Hyperion, 1997. This grandfather/grandson team have created a keepsake "fill-in" book that's fun and has excellent memory prompts.
Martin, Tovah and Richard W. Brown (photographer). A Time to Blossom: Mothers, Daughters, and Flowers. Houghton Mifflin, 2001. Written by a well-known garden writer, this book shares her childhood memories and includes mother-daughter flower projects.
Martz, Sandra and Shirley Coe (eds). Generation to Generation: Reflections on Friendships Between Young and Old. Papier-Mache, 1998. A wonderful, inspiring collection of stories, poems, and photos.
Massing, Phyllis and E. Rhoda Lewis. From Generation... To Generation. 1995. LIFE STORIES/A Video Legacy, PO Box 260436, Encino, CA 91426, (818) 995-3315. How to record your family history on audiotape and videotape.
Maushart, Susan. The Mask of Motherhood: How Becoming a Mother Changes Everything and Why We Pretend It Doesn't. Penguin, 2000. Written by a sociologist, a provocative, candid look at the realities of motherhood, ultimately confirming it as one of the toughest yet rewarding jobs.
McBride, James. Family: A Celebration of Humanity. William Morrow, 2001. A stunning pictorial journal that cuts across race and nationality to bring to life the intimate moments and emotions shared by all families. By both professional and amateur photographers, part of the photo exhibit Moments of Intimacy, Laughter and Kinship (M.I.L.K.).
McFadden, Tara Ann (ed). Mothers: A Loving Celebration. Courage Books, 1997. 60 images of loving mothers from contemporary and ancient artists coupled with quotations divided into four chapters -- initiation, newborns, friends, my mother.
Menzel, Peter. Material World: A Global Family Portrait. Sierra Club Books, 1995. An utterly amazing, thought-provoking portrait comparing life in 30 nations, in all its similarities and disparities. Starting with a "big picture" photo outside their home with all their worldly goods around them, average families are intimately profiled through photos, statistics, and stories.
Miller, John (ed). Legends: Women Who Have Changed the World, Through the Eyes of Great Women Writers. New World Library, 1998. An exquisite collection of essays and photographs of 50 women including Amelia Earhart, Audrey Hepburn, Mother Teresa, Gertrude Stein, Margaret Thatcher, and Eleanor Roosevelt.
Moore, Robin. Creating a Family Storytelling Tradition. August House, 1999. A great guide for creating, telling, and listening to stories.
Morgan, George. Your Family Reunion: How to Plan It, Organize It, and Enjoy It. Ancestry Publishing, 2001. A well-organized guide with great tips for all types of reunions from a casual backyard barbecue to a get-together at a hotel or resort to a weeklong cruise.
Newman, Cathy. Fashion. National Geographic, 2001. From historic turn-of-the-century portraits of Native Americans to captivating photos from all over the world, this is a reference tool and coffee table book in one volume. Lively and provocative essays drawn from interviews with prominent fashion industry insiders offer insights into the role fashion has played throughout history.
Newman, Sally, Christopher R. Ward, Thomas B. Smith, Janet O. Wilson, and James M. McCrea. Intergenerational Programs: Past, Present, and Future. Taylor & Francis, 1997. An excellent reference source that includes information on the history and philosophy of intergenerational programs, and a comprehensive bibliography and list of programs.
Newman, Susan. Little Things Long Remembered: Making Your Children Feel Special Every Day. Crown, 1993. A collection of hundreds of ideas to create family moments that become special memories.
Nicholaus, Bret and Paul Lowrie. Who We Are: Questions to Celebrate the Family. New World Library, 2000. From the bestselling "question guys" comes a fill-in book with unusual, thought-provoking, and inspiring questions to ask each member of your family.
Nolte, Dorothy Law and Rachel Harris. Children Learn What They Live: Parenting to Inspire Values. Workman, 1998. Since its publication in 1954, Dorothy Law Nolte's inspirational and educational poem has been published worldwide. Each of the 19 couplets of the poem is developed into a chapter -- on jealousy, criticism, praise, recognition, honesty, fairness, tolerance, and more -- to offer a clear, constructive perspective on teaching basic life lessons.
Orenstein, Peggy. Flux: Women on Sex, Work, Kids, Love, and Life in a Half-Changed World. Doubleday, 2000. A thought-provoking exploration of what it means to be a woman at the beginning of this century.
Pavuk, Stephen, Pamela Pavuk and Diana Thurman illus. The Story of a Lifetime: A Keepsake of Personal Memoirs. TriAngel, 2000. A "fill-in" book with many thought-provoking questions to cover everything in your personal story from your family background and childhood to your regrets, milestones, and advice for your children and grandchildren.
Pawel, Jody Johnston. The Parent's Toolshop: The Universal Blueprint for Building a Healthy Family. Ambris Publishing, 2000. Proven, flexible tools for implementing language and actions for effective parenting.
Peters, Joan. Not Your Mother's Life: Changing the Rules of Work, Love, and Family. Perseus Books, 2001. With real-life examples of women doing it their way, this book offers one roadmap to help today's generation of young women combine work and family.
Pipher, Mary. The Shelter of Each Other: Rebuilding Our Families. Ballantine, 1996. A practical, hopeful book about nurturing families.
Plumez, Jacqueline Hornor. Mother Power: Discover the Difference That Women Have Made All Over the World. Sourcebooks, 2002. Through in-depth interviews with over 50 women from all walks of life, this book explores how mothers have become powerful forces for justice, fairness, and social change.
Ragan, Kathleen (ed). Fearless Girls, Wise Women, and Beloved Sisters: Heroines in Folktales from Around the World. W.W. Norton, 2000. 100 folktales that feature courageous mothers, clever young girls, and warrior women who stand as models of creativity, intelligence, loyalty, kindness, perseverance, eloquence, and ultimately wisdom. Ideal for young and old to share.
Rosenberg, Liz (ed). Roots & Flowers: Poets and Poems on Family. Henry Holt, 2001. Forty poets share their poems along with their thoughts about family with all its turmoils, triumphs, and transitions.
Rountree, Cathleen. On Women Turning 30: Making Choices, Finding Meaning. Jossey-Bass, 2000. Part of a series that shares the insights of women -- some famous, others not -- to celebrate and explore womanhood in all its complex dimensions.
Rountree, Cathleen. On Women Turning 40: Coming Into Our Fullness. The Crossing Press, 1991. Part of a series that shares the insights of women -- some famous, others not -- to celebrate and explore womanhood in all its complex dimensions.
Rountree, Cathleen. On Women Turning 50: Celebrating Mid-Life Discoveries. HarperCollins, 1993. Part of a series that shares the insights of women -- some famous, others not -- to celebrate and explore womanhood in all its complex dimensions.
Rountree, Cathleen. On Women Turning 60: Embracing the Age of Fulfillment. Three Rivers Press, 1997. Part of a series that shares the insights of women -- some famous, others not -- to celebrate and explore womanhood in all its complex dimensions.
Rountree, Cathleen. On Women Turning 70: Honoring the Voices of Wisdom. Jossey-Bass, 1999. Part of a series that shares the insights of women -- some famous, others not -- to celebrate and explore womanhood in all its complex dimensions.
Rubin, Rhea Joyce. Intergenerational Programming: A How-To-Do-It Manual for Librarians. Neal-Schuman, 1993. Details the "what and why" of library-based intergenerational programs -- from one-time events to story/reading projects to pen pal programs.
Saline, Carol and Sharon Wohlmuth. Mothers & Daughters. Doubleday, 1997. An album of essays and photos celebrating the mother-daughter bond in all its complex forms; includes contributions from Cindy Crawford, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Margaret Atwood.
Self-Discovery Tapestry Kit by Life Course Publishing (www.lifecoursepublishing.com, (310) 540-6037, PO Box 3924, Redondo Beach, CA 90277-1725). It's not a book, but a kit. A colorful, interactive life review instrument particularly appropriate for activity directors working with seniors. Use different color pens on a specially designed form to review and explore events in your life.
Stone, Douglas, Bruce Patton and Sheila Heen. Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most. Viking, 1999. How to handle difficult situations, communicate effectively, and constructively resolve conflicts in your family, with your friends, and at work. Based on the work of the Harvard Negotiation Project.
Tannen, Deborah. I Only Say This Because I Love You: How the Way We Talk Can Make or Break Family Relationships Throughout Our Lives. Random House, 2001. Exploring the "metamessages" in family communication, this useful book includes commonsense tips, reminders, anecdotes, and sample dialogues.
Thomas, Joyce Carol. A Mother's Heart, A Daughter's Love: Poems for Us to Share. Joanna Cotler Books, 2001. Meant to be read by a mother and daughter, 25 poems are written in two voices -- mother and daughter -- to paint a portait of this unique, lifelong bond.
Trelease, Jim. The Read-Aloud Handbook (5th edition). Penguin, 2001. The classic book that helps parents and grandparents read aloud to children and encourage them to become avid readers themselves. Includes a treasury of read-aloud suggestions.
Warlow, Constance (ed). From Daughters to Mothers, I've Always Meant to Tell You: An Anthology of Letters. Pocket Books, 1998. 75 distinguished daughters -- novelists, poets, essayists, cartoonists, journalists -- write to their mothers, both living and deceased, to explore the complexity of the mother/daughter relationship.
Wels, Susan. The Story of Mothers & Daughters. CollinsPublishers, 1997. Based on the ABC television special, an intimate portrait of mothers and daughters from all walks of life.
Winston, Linda. Keepsakes: Using Family Stories in Elementary Classrooms. Heinemann, 1997. Practical approaches to drawing on family stories to enliven and enrich the curriculum.
Wolfman, Ira. Do People Grow on Family Trees? Genealogy for Kids & Other Beginners. Workman, 1991. A book for adults and for sharing with children, it's a complete introduction to genealogy -- from how to track down documents to creating an oral history to compiling a family tree.
Wollman-Bonilla, Julie. Family Message Journals: Teaching Writing Through Family Involvement. National Council of Teachers of English (www.ncte.org), 2000. How to involve children and parents in the learning process through a family journal that invites interaction and becomes a keepsake.
Wyse, Lois. Family Ties: The Legacy of Love. Simon & Schuster, 2001. Through stories of marriages, babies, siblings, parents, grandparents, and friends, this bestselling author explores with wit and insight the visible and invisible relationships that connect the generations.
