Reddit mentions: The best social skills books for children

Books, books, books! My babies love(d) Look, Look! (three year old loves "reading" it to his brother), Black & White, Art Cards, the Babyfaces series (esp Hugs and Kisses and Smile!. The World Snacks series is also great; they're bright, (mostly) well-written, and not irritating. Plus, My toddler still loves them, and we started reading them to him when he was three months. I like Yum Yum Dim Sum and Let's Nosh! best. Indestructables are great for babies who eat books. And the Leslie Patricelli books have been a huge hit around here since toddlerdude was a wee baby.

Don't forget non-board books good for reading, such as a Mother Goose (there are also "chunky" ones that are kid-safe), Beatrix Potter, The Wind in the Willows, or even Shel Silverstein.

Toys for this age that I like are sensory balls, music makers, rattles (we had to buy two of those because wee babydude likes it so much), stackers, links, these bead things (a large, four-sided activity cube is gold for this age through toddler hood--like this), stacking cups, and baby's first blocks. We have veriations on all of these (or the exact one listed), and they are popular with both our three year old and the eight month old.

>it's just surreal that the natives of this land only gained the right to vote in it less than one century ago and it's kind of sickening to think about how archaic this time is.

I don't want to look like I'm forming a pity party, but the Civil Rights Movement didn't really help out Indian Country. We had to have our own round of protests and fighting in the 1970s. Check out the American Indian Movement, the Occupation of Alcatraz Island and especially the Alcatraz Proclamation, among others. What really stunning is that the American Indian Religious Freedom Act didn't come about until 1978, let alone the fact that they had to pass it at all!

>Are there any books, movies, or another form of media that are true stories or realistic fiction that depict American Indians in a way that you find to be interesting and faithful?

Anything by Vine Deloria, Jr. is awesome, although he is more historian and scientist than he is story-teller. A short list of my favorites:

• Custer Died for Your Sins: An Indian Manifesto
  
• God Is Red: A Native View of Religion
  
• Red Earth, White Lies: Native Americans and the Myth of Scientific Fact
  
  If you want to read some great fiction that depicts American Indians accurately, start with Sherman Alexie:
  
  
• Smoke Signals
  
• The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven
  
• The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
  
  Outside of those authors, some popular picks are Black Elk Speaks and Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee.
  
  As far as movies go, any self-respecting Indian has seen the movie Smoke Signals dozens of times. Powwow Highway is a favorite of mine, and Dance Me Outside is movie gold, although it doesn't get enough attention.
  
  >I'm thinking - why hasn't HBO or some big network done a drama that focuses on American Indians? This could be a very interesting book, as well... Or is this idea something even somewhat appealing to you as a young American Indian?
  
  I'm not sure what you are thinking, but I have my own ideas. I'd like to see a series that focuses on a single reservation for each episode, and details the hardships that the people of that reservation deal with on a daily basis. Call it a pity party, but there are children in the United States right now that live in houses with dirt floors and sleep on pallets and go to school on 30-year-old school buses on unkempt dirt roads (and sometimes off-road) where they learn a curriculum outdated for a decade or more........ I can go on and on. Get in your car and drive to Pine Ridge Reservation RIGHT NOW, you'll be convinced that you walked into a third world country in the middle of a war. Its not pretty. The corruption in the tribal government needs to be put in the spotlight, and the part that the Federal and State governments have played in this tragedy need to be righted. That's the facts.

>"Because you were ordered to,"

I think it's worth point out that this isn't quite right. Technically, you (and the rest of us) agreed to it.

I would suggest getting some books and lectures more focused on hashkafa and taamei hamitzvos. Off the top of my head, I would recommend The Thinking Jewish Teenagers Guid to Life and Sefer Ha'Chinuch, though I'm sure others could recommend plenty of good stuff too.

Lastly, I'd say really delve into some good mussar. Be practical and work to change your habits and outlooks. Make concrete goals and work toward them. Nothing makes you feel better than knowing that you're accomplishing being a better person.

Popular books are iSpy, Where's Waldo, and Look and Find: Disney. Enjoy! They're super fun! :)

Acting classes, plural! I took a few as electives in college because it was fun and I am so very grateful I did! Now, as a "seasoned" teacher, I recommend them to the student teachers and practicum students I deal with daily. You HAVE to know how to improvise for more reasons than I could explain here.

As far as books I would base my recommendations on the population you want to serve, and you have to WANT to serve. As a general rule I would start with Educating Esme, A Kind and Just Parent, Lies My Teacher Told Me, and a lot of kid and young adult books. If you want specifics just let me know. I teach banned books!

My daughter liked all of these books:

• Keena Ford - several books in this series. Here is one - https://www.amazon.com/Keena-Second-Grade-Mix-Up-Melissa-Thomson/
  
• The Ugly Vegetables - https://www.amazon.com/Ugly-Vegetables-Grace-Lin/
  
• A chapter book by the same author - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/031606002X/
  
  World Snacks Series introduces the idea of different cultures to toddlers:
  
  
• https://www.amazon.com/Yum-Dim-Sum-World-Snacks/dp/1582461082/
  
• https://www.amazon.com/Chaat-Sweets-Amy-Wilson-Sanger/dp/1582461937/
  
  The "who was" and "I am" books are pretty good for a diverse group of historical figures. For example (we haven't read all of these):
  
  
• https://www.amazon.com/Martin-Luther-Ordinary-People-Change/dp/0525428526
  
• https://www.amazon.com/Gandhi-Ordinary-People-Change-World/dp/0735228701
  
• https://www.amazon.com/Who-Helen-Keller-Gare-Thompson/dp/0448431440/
  
• https://www.amazon.com/Who-Sacagawea-Judith-Bloom-Fradin/dp/0448424851
  
• https://www.amazon.com/Who-Was-Anne-Frank-Abramson/dp/0448444828/
  
• https://www.amazon.com/Who-Malala-Yousafzai-Was/dp/0448489376/
  
• https://www.amazon.com/Rosa-Parks-Yona-Zeldis-McDonough/dp/0448454424/
  
  
  A might girl is also a great resource for books about powerful girls and women:
  https://www.amightygirl.com/books
  
  They have categories for "multi-cultural fiction", "world regions" and "prejudice / Discrimination":
  
  
• https://www.amightygirl.com/books/fiction/multicultural-fiction
  
• https://www.amightygirl.com/books/general-interest/world-regions
  
• https://www.amightygirl.com/books/social-issues/prejudice-discrimination

I would start explaining it to him now. It doesn't need to be a huge in-depth discussion around how autism could affect him, or anything too much about neurology or anything like that. Explaining over time starting now will be much easier for him than having to process it in one big chunk, or having to struggle through his adolescence not knowing why he is so different to many of his peers. There are a few books on the topic of explaining autism to your child which can help if you're struggling with the wording:

• Can I Tell you about Autism - Jude Welton
  
• Can I Tell you about Asperger Syndrome - Jude Welton
  
• A Book about What Autism Can Be Like - Sue Adams
  
• My Autism Book - Tamar Levi

I'll recommend this again and again and again. Go buy this right now and read it, it will change your life and everyone who has two seconds to listen to you about this book (like me) The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie

Assuming that when OP said it doesn't have to be historical fiction that he meant that he'd be ok with contemporary fiction (as opposed to historical non-fiction), I second the Sherman Alexie recommendation.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is a classic.

Green Grass, Running Water by Thomas King is also a trip.

First Book of Sushi by Amy Wilson Sanger ? Or you could go with a sushi play set so he could have something to practice with.

Jk - actually, Enthusiasm

Love You Forever

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie

Goodnight Moon

Wynken, Blynken, & Nod

G is for Googol. This is about the only math-related book I could have possibly understood as a 6 year old.
http://www.amazon.com/G-Googol-Math-Alphabet-Book/dp/1883672589

Punished!

https://www.amazon.com/Spy-Spooky-Night-Picture-Riddles/dp/0590481371/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_14_img_0?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=B5JD4SHJXHZTDXC36SWN

https://www.amazon.com/Spy-Treasure-Hunt-Picture-Riddles/dp/0439042445

http://www.walterwick.com/behind-the-scenes/

So I am writing an epileptic MC... Beyond the scientific research, I've also been doing a lot of lurking in forums. It's one thing to read about potential side effects, etc, etc, and another to see what most people are complaining about.

I've also got a lot of reading to do.

Books with Epileptic Characters

The Queen's Fool (adult historical)
Incarceron & Sapphique (YA steampunk)
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian (MG contemporary - doesn't come up, just a passing line about history)
How Evan Broke His Head and Other Secrets (contemporary)
The Universe Versus Alex Woods (YA magical realism? contemporary? I don't know yet)
Epileptic (graphic novel)
Prizefighter en Mi Casa (MG contemporary)
The Way of Kings (Supposedly. Adult fantasy in any case.)

Haven't read the ones at the bottom of the list yet.

Punished?

http://www.amazon.com/Punished-Darby-Creek-Exceptional-Titles/dp/1581960638/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1415928249&sr=1-1&keywords=punished+david+lubar

> Apparently it's "banned" from certain school libraries, because "muh racism" (which is frankly absurd; it was written by a native)

Blah blah "internalized racism" blah blah "we know best" blah blah

Typical bullshit. If it goes against what's been established as "the acceptable truth", it needs to be suppressed.

Here it is on Amazon, in case anyone is looking to get a copy.