Parenting Without Tears

Cook with Kids by Rob Kirby

Soon to be seven, Toby proved to be a master chef using recipes from Cook with Kids to make a delicious birthday tea for his granny, as Alex Bell reports.

The Starting School Survival Guide by Sarah Ebner

Harriet Elliott isn't a fan of self-help books but Sarah Ebner's The Starting School Survival Guide from White Ladder Press changed her mind. The book takes parents through what can be a mine field and is appropriate long after the first term has passed.

Applying to start university in 2012

September is the month when your teens can actually start on their UCAS application. Anne Coates whose book Applying for University The Essential Guide has just been updated for those applying this year, gives parents her ten top tips on what to expect.

Bright Young Things – Modern Baby and Children's Knitting Patterns from MillaMia

Olivia Coates, a new convert to knitting, was delighted to receive a copy of the MillaMia book of patterns: Bright Young Things and can't wait to to start clicking her needles!

100 Great Wonders of the World

Travel writer – and book reviewer – Debbi Scholes checks out the AA's 100 Great Wonders of the World and is inspired to make more of her travelling experiences.

Serious Fun by Carolyn North

Debbi Scholes reviews Serious Fun: Ingenious Improvisations on Money, Food, Waste, Water and Home by Carolyn North (Findhorn Press) that seems to echo David Cameron's vision of the Big Society, dealing as it does with the theme of joining together to effect change.

What Is, Is! The Power of Positive Acceptance by Graham W Price

Published by HotHive Books, Graham W Price's book What Is, Is! outlines the tools and other steps for achieving satisfaction, resilience and success, writes Anne Coates.

Cozy's Complete Guide to Girls' Hair

Subtitled The Cutest Cuts and Sweetest Hairstyles to Do at Home, this is a book packed full of hair care tips and styles with step-by-step illustrations and photographs which have inspired Alex Bell's three year-old daughter, Pippa.

Win a copy of Applying to University The Essential Guide by Anne Coates

Published by Need-2-Know and updated for 2011 applicants, Parenting Without Tears has ten copies of Applying to University The Essential Guide to be won.

Photographing babies and toddlers

Helen Webb, author of Shoot the Baby, gives her top ten tips for taking perfect pictures.

Children's Nutrition by Angela Falaschi & Andrea Childs

With so many of out children now at risk from obesity and the health problems that entails, Children's Nutrition: A Parent's Guide explains what we ought to be feeding our children and how to make sure their diet meets their needs.

Express Housekeeping by Anna Shepard (Dorling Kindersley)

Whether it's a spring clean or rapid return to order in any room, Express Housekeeping has all the practical advice and tips you need to achieve a spotless home.

Love Not Smoking: Do Something Different by Professors Karen Pine and Ben Fletcher

No Smoking Day sees the publication of a new book by Professors Karen Pine and Ben Fletcher: Love Not Smoking:Do Something Different and Parenting Without Tears has ten copies to be won in our latest competition.

Tricks and Mortar The Little Book of Property Wisdom by Laura Henderson

Published by Book Guild Publishing, Laura Henderson's Tricks and Mortar The Little Book of Property Wisdom encourages the reader to be realistic about home owning, writes Debbi Scholes.

Amazing Book of Cards by Joshua Jay

Sue O'Neill went throught Joshua Jay's Amazing Book of Cards with her 11 year old son, Mattie and was fascinated by what the book revealed

Stitch 'n Bitch Superstar Knitting by Debbie Stoller

Having always wanted to join a Stitch ’n Bitch group from the name alone but never finding the time, reviewer Debbi Scholes was delighted to find Stitch ’n Bitch Superstar Knitting, from Workman Publishing, stuffed with ideas and inspiration.

How to inspire your child

It isn't all down to our genetic make-up, says David Shenk in his latest book The Genius In All Of Us, and there is much we can do as parents to encourage our children to achieve as well as mistakes to avoid.

Britain: The Ultimate Guide

The AA's ultimate guide to Britain is perfect for families wanting to explore their nation and make the most of holidays, breaks and days out, writes Anne Coates.

Books for parents