10 Best Parenting Books UK 2024 | Daniel J. Siegel, Joanna Faber and More

Wise, down-to-earth and non-judgemental, How to Talk so Little Kids Will Listen is an indispensable companion for life with children between 2 and 7. Joanna Faber and Julie King have known each other since childhood and both have extensive experience in teaching and supporting young people. 

Organised according to common everyday challenges and conflicts parents face, it's a survival manual of communication tools including a chapter addressing the special needs of children with sensory or autism spectrum disorders. This book shows parents how to make their child feel heard whilst making their own lives more harmonious at the same time. A total gem!

We've included a second offering from the doctor team who created The Whole-Brain Child, which particularly focuses on discipline that fosters optimal development. No-Drama Discipline is aimed at families currently having issues with tantrums, tears or tensions to bring harmony to the home once again.

Based on recent discoveries in the brain development of children, this book provides further insight into what your child needs and how to discipline them using a relational approach. Featuring playful illustrations and candid stories, No-Drama Discipline does exactly as the title suggests whilst helping your child to build social and emotional skills that will aid them throughout their life.

More like a helpful chat with a friend than an instruction manual, First-Time Parent by Lucy Atkins is an absolute lifesaver aimed at new mums. No-nonsense, simple and easy to read, it's not a book that introduces unchartered concepts or philosophies but it is one that will have your back when you need it!

This book is basic and honest and includes lots of invaluable advice about feeding, bathing and what you actually need to buy before the baby arrives, so it's an absolute must-have for new parents. All of this is written in a feisty and funny style from a busy mother of three who is also a health journalist.

The Whole-Brain Child is an accessible introduction to child development and the child's brain by Dr Tina Payne Bryson and Dr Daniel J Siegel. It is a reader-friendly guide illustrating the science of how a child's brain is wired and how it matures.

Including 12 strategies that really work, presented alongside fun illustrations, this is essential reading for any new parent. In addition, this book is particularly useful for helping to turn tantrums and outbursts into chances to integrate your child's brain, to raise happier and calmer children.

Sarah Ockwell-Smith is a mum of four who trained in Psychology and went on to work as an Antenatal Teacher and Doula after the birth of her first child. She has worked extensively with parents over the last 15 years, with a special interest of child sleep, and needless to say, she has lots of nuggets of wisdom to share.

In The Gentle Discipline Book, Sarah explores an alternative approach to traditional discipline, debunking many of our commonly-held beliefs about punishment and motivation. In her trademark practical style, she offers solutions to the most common discipline challenges parents face, to foster a mutually respectful relationship between parent and child.

Middle childhood is often the most overlooked phase of a child's development, but it is one in which play still has an important role in helping them to develop emotionally. However, this is also likely to be the time we stop playing with our kids. In 15-Minute Parenting, Joanna Fortune shares her proven techniques to foster a good relationship with your child on their way into adolescence.

With over 20 years of clinical expertise as a psychotherapist and parenting expert, Fortune shares her invaluable techniques and strategies. Packed with 15-minute games and activities, she also explores the neurological, emotional and physical development of 8-12-year-olds. The advice on dealing with friendships, bullying and self-esteem is brilliantly useful, too.

Focusing on the deeply nurturing therapeutic parenting style, this book is especially effective for children with attachment difficulties or those who have experienced trauma. Naish is an adoptive parent, a director of a training group which delivers training on attachment issues, and founder of the National Association of Therapeutic Parents – bringing a much-needed perspective.

The book provides parents or caregivers with an easy-to-follow process to use when responding to issues and conflicts with their children. Covering common concerns such as aggressive behaviour and sleep problems, this book is written in a straightforward style whilst giving you the tools for optimal therapeutic parenting.

Written by Neil Sinclair, an ex-commando, PCSO and security guard to the UN, Commando Dad is a no-nonsense training manual for new fathers or carers. Used by Prince William himself after the birth of Prince George, this highly rated book is aimed at the first three years of fatherhood.

Full of common sense and straight-to-the-point advice, Commando Dad is handy for learning how to complete specific tasks, such as burping a newborn! Just be aware that the army-style basic training in this book is just that – it isn't the sort of book that ponders the big questions around emotions and development in parenting.

If you're not already familiar with the Montessori style of education, it is a holistic approach to raising children developed by Dr Maria Montessori through decades of working with children around the world. The Montessori Toddler by Simone Davies is a simple and unintimidating guide to incorporating the approach into your life and home.

It is simply laid out with a bright, airy design and beautiful illustrations that make it a joy to read. The only thing that could improve the book would be to make it more inclusive – it's assumed that the reader has a certain degree of wealth to allow for various home modifications, and there's no perspective offered on children with additional needs or disabilities.

The Book You Wish Your Parents Had Read is a Sunday Times Bestseller by Philippa Perry, a renowned psychotherapist and wife of artist Grayson Perry. Using the psychodynamic approach of looking to your own upbringing to examine any unresolved issues, this book aims to help parents build and improve relationships with their own children.

Perry offers a "big-picture" look at the elements that lead to better parent-child relationships, such as sections on the birthing experience, communication and sleep. However, this book is based largely on opinions from a progressive viewpoint, rather than facts, which can come across a little narrow and judgmental at points.