Books like Grow Up! How to Raise an Adult by Being One Yourself — picked by fans

I love how this little children’s book summarises some complex adult concepts in easy-to-understand ways.

The story is full of ups and downs, sparking in me sadness and joy. There is the literal meaning of the story, but the metaphorical one is what interests me. The prince represents eternal youth – innocent, playful, and comes to earth to learn about adult life.

My favourite example of the call to maturity is when the prince meets the fox, and the fox teaches the prince about how authentic relationships help ‘tame’ his ego. We learn the importance of being reliable and caring and trustworthy in our relationships.

We learn that to really connect with someone, we need to shift our egos from ME to WE, and that this is a very important stage of our maturity. We also learn that what matters, what is the most important thing in life, is invisible,… show more.

I love this book because it is short yet full of wisdom about life.

It is really a graduation speech turned into a book, and I’m glad it was. The author tells simple stories in meaningful ways, which had me instantly reflecting on my own life, which is why I keep returning to this book every year. For example, Foster Wallace asks us to question how we construct meaning, in order for us to be more conscious of this process inside us all. I think that is an important part of growing up and taming the ego – being able to differentiate between our inner and outer worlds.

I also like how the author doesn’t use the word ego, but he talks about it throughout the book. He doesn’t offend the reader, particularly as he talks about all of us being in the same dilemma, for example, by the way… show more.

I love the way this book explains how our individual development contributes to the greater whole, the expansion of the collective consciousness, which is the only way the world can improve.

It’s a big topic, but I do love the way Tolle argues that our egos are the problem (in the form of our delusions and irrationality) as well as the solution (our ability to mature beyond just thinking of ourselves) to humanity. I admire how Tolle asks us to consider our complaining, criticisms, and judgments in terms of our fragile and needy ego, and how we need to take better responsibility for how we impact others.

There is a whole section on living as a performance as opposed to being authentic and true to yourself, which got me questioning myself in a constructive way. 

Again, this is a little book that packs a big punch.

I love how it explains the metaphors within medieval texts and how they relate to us today. Its main message is that we all need to heal our psychological suffering and mature in order to reach our potential as humans.

I found the book very insightful, particularly about the inferior and superior sides of our insecurities, and the artificial versus the authentic sides of us all. The medieval stories are described as universal hero stories of adventure and maturity. The book warns us about what happens when we refuse the call to inner work.

Full of meaning, this book argues that the answers lie within if the reader has the courage to take the inner hero’s journey, which is described as the integration of masculine and feminine energy within us all. I relate to this concept strongly. It reminds… show more.

Korczak was a pediatrician, an educator, a champion of children’s rights, the director of orphanages, and much more.

He said, “A child has a right to grief, even if it is for the loss of a pebble.” And he knew about grief.

He cared for orphans in the Warsaw Ghetto, and he accompanied the children to a concentration camp, even though he was offered the chance to escape.

He said, “They children will be scared without me there with them.” He marched with them to the train, carrying a green flag, which was the symbol of his beloved character King Matt, a child king who tried to unite all the children of the world in peace.

He did not survive, but we are very lucky to have his writings. He is my biggest hero, and my biggest inspiration.

I have long been interested in Seigman's work on positive psychology. Increasingly, we are living in a world where hope is a diminishing commodity. Wars, economic downturns, and the climate crisis are all making life feel more uncertain, and 24-hour news culture and an omnipresent internet make it difficult for young people to escape the negative images that bombard them.

Statistics on children and young people’s mental health are frightening, with NHS England estimating that in 2023, 1 in 5 children and young people aged between 8 and 25 had a probable mental health disorder. Parents and practitioners alike are looking at these statistics in dismay and wondering how we can best equip and safeguard our children. Seligman’s book confronts these issues head-on in a thought-provoking and evidenced-based way.

This highly practical book considers how optimism can be learned and that by viewing setbacks as temporary, children and young people… show more.

Books offering support to parents have come on in leaps and bounds since the days when Gina Ford and Supernanny-style discipline reigned supreme. This book is my go-to book for practical advice.

Perry, a psychotherapist with more than 20 years of experience, is not interested in manipulating children’s behaviour with naughty steps and sticker charts. Her approach may incidentally help to get your children to brush their teeth and eat their vegetables, but her emphasis is on the far deeper and more important business of how to build a mutually respectful and cooperative relationship. Her voice is wise and refreshingly nonjudgmental.

This is one for parents who, in Perry’s words, "Not only love their children but want to like them, too”.

I love Wenner Moyer’s warmth and humor interwoven with good old-fashioned science about how to parent kids to be decent human beings.

I devoured the book on Kindle and then immediately bought a hard copy so I could easily pull it off the shelf for reference. And I often do.

She is the furthest from preachy or self-righteous while giving rationales and tips for how to raise empathic kids who aren’t racist, sexist, or completely self-absorbed. It’s a must for every parent’s bookshelf.

I love this book because it explains how a child’s brain works and what they need to access self-control. It gave me insight into why I saw challenging behaviors even when the child “knew better.”

I loved that when I finished reading it, I felt like I had actionable strategies for supporting my child’s mental well-being while navigating tantrums and meltdowns. 

This collection of 11 essays, all written by different authors, surveys the most salient issues in the ethics of procreation.

I view the scope of this volume as its greatest asset: topics covered include (among others) the environmental case against procreation, arguments for antinatalism, the rationality of deciding to have children, the morality of adoption, and the scope of parental responsibility.

I consider this collection the ideal starting point for someone who, as I once did, wants a snapshot of the most foundational issues in procreative ethics.