Tiny humans, big emotions: New parenting books

Whether you’re parenting a tiny human, or a tween or teen — or even an emerging adult — there are books that can support you as you go. Have a browse of the latest parenting books below, or head to our catalogue for the topic that interests you!

What’s my tween thinking? : practical child psychology for modern parents / Carey, Tanith
“Parenting just got tougher. As your child’s brain rewires, hormones kick in, and independence beckons, a perfect storm for family conflict emerges. But help is at hand. Divided into two sections – aged 8 to 10 and aged 10 to 12 – this practical parenting book is grounded in evidence-based psychology, exploring the science at work during this period of your child’s development.” (Catalogue)

When life sucks : parenting your teen through tough times / Prendergast, Jo
When Life Sucks is an essential guide to supporting your teen’s mental health. As a parent and psychiatrist, Dr Jo knows how hard it can be – especially if a teen communicates only in eye rolls and grunts! Covering everything from anxiety, depression, trauma and eating difficulties, to understanding neurodivergence and gender identity, this book is a first-aid manual for some of life’s toughest challenges. It’s not easy being a parent in a world of TikTok and bubblegum-flavoured vapes, but When Life Sucks gives you the practical tools to help make your life a little lighter and to support your teen towards a healthy headspace.” (Catalogue)

The mediatrician’s guide : a joyful approach to raising healthy, smart, kind kids in a screen-saturated world / Rich, Michael
“Dr. Michael Rich, dubbed the ‘Mediatrician’ thanks to his acclaimed work as a pediatrician, child health researcher, and children’s media specialist, offers a science-backed approach to give parents the confidence they need to raise a child well (and to raise a well child) in the digital age.” (Catalogue)

Tiny humans, big emotions : how to navigate tantrums, meltdowns, and defiance to raise emotionally Intelligent children / Campbell, Alyssa Blask
“Emotional development experts Alyssa Blask Campbell, M.Ed. and Lauren Stauble M.S. are at the forefront of a movement to foster little ones’ emotional intelligence. Their revolutionary Collaborative Emotion Processing (CEP) method has been a game changer for parents and educators, and now they are sharing it with readers in this indispensable guide.” (Catalogue)

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All ages and stages: New parenting books

Three parenting book covers silhouetted against a baby's hand clasped with a parent's hand

Need to delve into the parenting hive mind for help? Whether it’s parenting teens or feeding babies, our collection of parenting books can help you find and put words to your experiences as you navigate parenthood. Have a browse of what’s new this month!

The queer parent : everything you need to know from gay to ze / Jeffs, Lotte
“LGBTQ+ people have more options than ever before when it comes to starting a family, but a lack of both focused information and mainstream representation can leave parents, prospective parents, friends and relatives in the dark. Authors Lotte Jeffs and Stu Oakley spoke to dozens of experts and queer families, and this hugely-needed book is the product of those conversations and their own experiences of becoming parents through IUI and adoption respectively. 90% of queer parenting is just…parenting, but being LGBTQ+ when you’re a parent does bring along questions and concerns that mainstream guides — which tend to assume heterosexuality — do not address. From adoption, surrogacy, fertility treatment and other routes to parenthood, to donors, trans parenting, how to deal with family-focused homophobia, coming out at the school gates and much more, The Queer Parent is a groundbreaking toolkit for LGBTQ+ parents.” (Catalogue)

What your teen is trying to tell you / O’Malley, Stella
“Stella takes parents inside the teenage brain and provides practical advice for each of the key milestones teenagers need to tackle during adolescence to become happy, healthy adults. You will learn how to navigate many issues, including anxiety, obsession with technology, body confidence and the sexual self. Rather than always looking to ‘fix’ the situation, you will instead be empowered to know when and how to intervene and when to allow your teen to work it out for themselves. Ultimately, you will understand your teen better and learn to rekindle joy in your relationship” (Catalogue)

Feed the baby : an inclusive guide to nursing, bottle-feeding & everything in between / Facelli, Victoria
“This is a book about feeding babies. Nothing more, nothing less. How to Thrive: An evidence-based guide to feeding your baby is the first book from Victoria Facelli, the certified lactation consultant, who struggled to feed her child post-partum. With kindness and compassion, Facelli explains the science of infant anatomy and breastmilk, celebrates the medical marvels of formula and feeding tubes, and helps parents of any gender use every tool in the modern parent’s arsenal to make their own feeding choices. Her mission is to help parents feel proud of achieving what they set out to do, but equally proud of letting things go when they aren’t working.” (Catalogue)

A girlhood : letter to my transgender daughter / Hays, Carolyn
“A parent’s love letter to a daughter who has always known exactly who she is. One ordinary day, a caseworker from the Department of Children and Families knocked on the Hays family’s door to investigate an anonymous complaint about the upbringing of their transgender child. It was this knock, this threat, that began the family’s journey out of the Bible Belt but never far from the hate and fear resting at the nation’s core. Self-aware and intimate, A Girlhood asks us all to love better, not just for the sake of Hays’s child but for children everywhere enduring injustice and prejudice just as they begin to understand themselves. A Girlhood is a call to action, an ode to community, a plea for empathy, a hope for a better future.” (Catalogue)

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Youth Poetry Workshop at Newtown Library, Friday 25 August

Are you aged between 10 and 18? Enjoy writing and poetry? Sign up and come along to our Youth Poetry Workshop this Friday 25 August, from 4-6pm, at Newtown Library in collaboration with Landing Press!

We’ll be celebrating National Poetry Day and writing on the theme of ‘generations’, so bring your thoughts, feelings and ideas and come and join a published poet and workshop your poems!

Spots are limited, email to register (put ‘Newtown Poetry Workshop’ in the subject line):

Email enquiries@wcl.govt.nz

OverDrive app retirement 1 May: Helpful resources

Libby will soon replace the legacy OverDrive app - Helpful resources

Libby will soon replace the legacy OverDrive app - Helpful resourcesThis is a quick reminder that from 1 May, the original OverDrive app will be discontinued and replaced with OverDrive’s Libby app. The OverDrive app was removed from app stores in February last year for new downloads.

Need help getting started with Libby? Find some resources below!

‘Getting Started with Libby’ webinar recording

On Thursday 27 April, OverDrive ran a one-hour webinar for New Zealand libraries that covered many topics to do with getting started with Libby. You can watch a video of the recording here (transcript also available):

Watch the webinar recording

PDF Getting Started Guides

Here are some handy PDFs that link to help articles and short video clips to make getting started and learning new tips and tricks easy for you:

  • Getting Started with Libby PDF - downloading the app and signing in
  • Libby Tips and Tricks PDF - get the most out of the Libby app

Further links, or get in touch!

For more information about this upcoming change, read:

Please note, the OverDrive website will remain available as this is built-in functionality for some eReader devices — just the original OverDrive app is being retired.

If you need support or would like any further information about these changes, please email us at enquiries@wcl.govt.nz

OverDrive app retirement 1 May, and Libby webinar 27 April

Register for a Zoom webinar on Libby with OverDrive

Register for a Zoom webinar on Libby with OverDriveThis is a quick reminder that from 1 May, the original OverDrive app will be discontinued and replaced with OverDrive’s Libby app. The OverDrive app was removed from app stores in February last year for new downloads.

Need help getting started with Libby? Join us for a one-hour Getting Started with Libby webinar, 10am Thursday 27 April, run by OverDrive for New Zealand libraries.

Register for the Webinar

Can’t attend the session live?

The session will be recorded and emailed to everyone registered 24 hours after the webinar. Please register to receive the recording.

From downloading the app & signing in, to searching & borrowing titles, placing holds, adjusting reading settings, and more, OverDrive’s Libby experts are here to get you started.

Please note, the OverDrive website will remain available — just the original OverDrive app is being retired.

For more information about this upcoming change, read:

If you need support or would like any further information about these changes, please email us at enquiries@wcl.govt.nz

Leadership author talk with Brenda James – 27 April

Brenda James and her book, 'Believe'

Facebook link to Brenda James eventCome along on Thursday 27 April at to a lunchtime author talk with leadership specialist Brenda James. Brenda will be presenting on the topic of ‘Self-awareness for new leaders’.

This talk will be based on her recent book Believe : How new leaders step up and into their full potential. Believe is an insightful and practical read for new and challenged leaders. It will take you on an inspiring journey that will guide you from self-doubt to self-belief to embody the confident and influential leader you’ve always wanted to be.

Believe in yourself as a leader : Brenda James (Author Talk)
Thursday 27 April, 12:30-1:30pm
Te Awe Library

Facebook Event Link