September 9, 2026

parenting guide: books for parents and children

reading is the best medicine

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Anna Steppacher’s favorite children’s books

These books explore illness, accidents, and the resulting visits to the doctor or hospital. They bring great joy and plenty of laughs to readers both young and old, helping to ease any fears or worries surrounding these topics:

  • Sharon Rentta: Animal Hospital
  • Ninette Sarnes: Where Does It Hurt?
  • Christa Kempter: Doctor Mouse
  • Janosch: Oh, How I Love You, Little Bear

Sparking a sense of adventure for the whole family:

  • Michael Rosen: We're Going on a Bear Hunt

For those with wanderlust and the urge to escape the daily grind (something every parent knows well):

  • Julia Donaldson: The Snail and the Whale

On the topic of moving, the loneliness that comes with it, and the challenge of making new friends:

  • Jim Helmore: My Friend the Snow Lion

The classic book on sibling rivalry. The best and unflinchingly realistic preparation for the arrival of a new family member:

  • Astrid Lindgren: I Want Siblings Too

Books on the Body and Sex Education

These books explore discovering one's own body and encourage a natural approach to genitalia. They lay the foundation for a positive body image and the healthy self-esteem that comes with it. In addition, all these books address individuality, diversity, and the variety found in our society:

  • Hotter, Sonnenberger & Staffelmayr: Lina the Explorer
  • Ziegelwanger, Staffelmayr, Horak: Bruno Wants to Reach for the Stars
  • Tyler Feder: Bodies Are Cool
  • Jessica Love: Julian Is a Mermaid

Books for Parents

You can't go wrong with the Zurich classics. The well-known and charismatic pediatrician Remo Largo was the head of the renowned "Growth and Development" department at the Zurich University Children's Hospital starting in the 1970s. He gained international recognition through numerous scientific publications and as the author of the parenting guides Baby Years and Child Years:

  • Remo H. Largo: Baby Years: Development and Upbringing in the First Four Years.
  • Remo H. Largo: Childhood Years: The Individuality of the Child as an Educational Challenge. A parenting guide for individual child development.

A must-read – ideally during pregnancy. . Katrin Fasnacht loves this book: It not only puts your own worries about your offspring into perspective, but also brings a warm smile to the faces of tired parents page after page. Furthermore, some of the tips and tricks that journalist and mother Pamela Druckerman researched on her parenting journey are genuinely excellent.

  • Pamela Druckerman: Bringing Up Bébé: One American Mother Discovers the Wisdom of French Parenting.

Navigating the first months and years with a child through humor. The German comedian talks about his life, which is suddenly a trio and so different from what he expected. Your funny bone will be put to the test, and suddenly the oh-so-exhausting everyday life with a child looks rosy:

  • Michael Mittermeier: Achtung Baby!

Harvey Karp showed Anna Steppacher that exhaustion and sleep deprivation during the infant phase don't just have to be accepted and that parents should also take care of themselves. The "5 S's" method carried us through the toughest early infancy phase, and Anna Steppacher's children still fall asleep to the white noise of ocean waves today:

  • Harvey Karp: The Happiest Baby on the Block

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