Books in My Toolkit

by Mike Terkeltaub,
Community Solutions Director of Project Development

   
Much of my inspiration as I continue to support children and families comes from stories of resiliency.  Many of the books on this list are these types of books.
 
“The Pact” is this type of book.  “The Pact” is the story of three young men figuring out life as teenagers.  They make a pact to become doctors even though the odds are long.
 
“An Unquiet Mind” is this type of book.  Kay Redfield Jamison’s journey as a survivor of mental illness is inspiring.
 
“It Gets Better” is this type of book.  Dan Savage and Terry Miller write a terrific book supporting young people in the LGBTQ community and calling for a stop to bullying.
 
I hope folks pass this list along and send me books I should add to this collection.

•  “Three Little Words” by Ashley Rhodes Courter

• "Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids" by Dr. Laura Markham
• “It Gets Better” by Dan Savage and Terry Mille
• “An Unquiet Mind” by Kay Redfield Jamison
• “Ask Elizabeth” by Elizabeth Berkley (a fabulous book for young women by  one of  the stars of “Saved by the Bell”  
• “The Pact” by Doctors Davis, Jenkins and Hunt
• “The Heart Knows Something Different: Teenage Voices From the Foster Care System” by Youth Communications
  
•  “Hope’s Boy” by Andrew Bridge
  
•  “Dear Bully” edited by Hall and Jones
  
• “Please Stop Laughing at Me” and “Please Stop Laughing at Us” by Jodee Blanco
  
• “Three Cups of Tea” by Greg Mortenson
  
• “Life in Prison” by Stanley “Tookie” Williams, Cottman and Stevens (Stanley Williams was a founding member of the Crips who devoted his life in prison to writing. 
  
• “What’s Going On” by Nathan McCall
  
• “Finding Fish: A Memoir” by Fisher and Rivas
  
• ”A Child Called It”, “The Lost Boy” and “A Man Named Dave” by David Pelzer
  
• “The Giving Tree” by Shel Silverstein (A remarkable children’s book with a great life lesson)
  
• “Everything is Normal Until Proven Otherwise” By Karl Dennis and Ira Lourie (If I could only read one thing about Wraparound)
  
• “Building Systems of Care: A Primer” (If I could only read one thing about Systems of Care.  A technical “how-to” book)
  
• “Chicken Soup” edited by Canfield and others (I pull any of the “Chicken Soup books out when I need a boost.)
  
• Any journal or sketch book brings joy and learning for children, families and professionals.
  

 
There are so many other books out there that build on resiliencies while teaching “professionals” how to support children, families and communities.  I look forward to learning about them from you.
 
Have a great time reading!

Mike

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