Grandparenting, Intergenerational, and Legacy Books for Adults

Bosak, Susan V. How to Build the Grandma Connection. The Communication Project, 2000 (visit www.grandmaconnection.com). From the author of Something to Remember Me By, this book is based on her popular Grandma Connection Workshops. It includes a discussion of the benefits of intergenerational relationships for children, grandparents, and parents; a practical, five-step plan for building intergenerational bonds; the Life Lessons of Grandparenthood; and ideas for grandparents near and far to help "make the connection" with their grandchildren. Also includes a complete list of the best storybooks to share with grandchildren.

Bosak, Susan V. Science Is...: A Source Book of Fascinating Facts, Projects and Activities. Scholastic, 1991, 2000. Science is an educational, fun adventure grandparents and grandchildren can share. This classic has over 450 easy-to-do activities, projects, games, puzzles, and stories.

Carson, Lillian. The Essential Grandparent: A Guide to Making a Difference. Health Communications, 1996. A wonderfully practical, warm, and intelligent book on modern grandparenting.

Carson, Lillian. The Essential Grandparent's Guide to Divorce: Making a Difference in the Family. Health Communications, 1999. An excellent guide on how to remain an effective parent and grandparent in the complicated and delicate situations of divorce and blended families.

Covey, Stephen. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families. Golden Books, 1997. With clarity and practical wisdom, Covey discusses principles for building a strong, loving family that lasts for generations.

Croom, Emily Anne. Unpuzzling Your Past: A Basic Guide to Genealogy (3rd edition). Betterway Publications, 1995. A popular guide that makes genealogical research easy, from talking with people to making discoveries in public records.

Davis, Donald. Telling Your Own Stories. August House, 1993. Whether your goal is telling family stories and sharing memories or writing your family history, this book guides you through all the steps. It includes a series of memory prompts, a family lifespan chart, and story-form format.

Davis, Shari and Benny Ferdman. Nourishing the Heart: A Guide to Intergenerational Arts Projects in the Schools. 1993. City Lore, 72 East First St, New York, NY 10003, (212) 529-1955. Thoughtful, detailed projects to explore intergenerational topics including traditions and legacies.

Edelman, Hope. Mother of My Mother: The Intricate Bond Between Generations. Dial, 1999. An evocative look at the relationships between grandmothers, mothers, and daughters.

Edelman, Marian Wright. The Measure of Our Success: A Letter to My Children and Yours. HarperPerennial, 1992. An inspiring, wise book about the legacies parents should pass down to future generations.

Elgin, Suzette Haden. The Grandmother Principles. Abbeville Press, 1998. Practical and fun, this book suggests what not to do, and has ideas for building close bonds with grandchildren.

Floyd, Elaine. Creating Family Newsletters. F&W Publications, 1998. 123 ideas for sharing memorable moments with family.

Ford, Judy. Wonderful Ways to Love a Grandchild. Conari Press, 1997. Practical insights on being a modern grandparent.

Forest, Heather. Wisdom Tales from Around the World. August House, 1996. From simple truths to common sense to the wisdom that comes from past generations' experience, this is a book for young and old to share.

Freedman, Marc. Prime Time: How Baby Boomers Will Revolutionize Retirement and Transform America. Public Affairs, 1999. A look at the opportunities an aging population brings, including intergenerational mentoring and community service. Includes information on the Experience Corps.

Friedman, Barbara. Connecting Generations: Integrating Aging Education and Intergenerational Programs with Elementary and Middle Grades Curricula. Allyn and Bacon, 1999. A step-by-step guide on developing meaningful intergenerational programs. Includes lesson plans.

Gerbrandt, Michele and Deborah Cannarella. Memory Makers' Family Scrapbooks: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow. Hugh Lauter Levin Associates, 2001. Scrapbooks record, celebrate, and connect us to the cherished events, people, and traditions of our past and present -- and help carry those memories into the future. Filled with creative ideas, innovative techniques, and expertly crafted projects to help you record your own family's story across generations.

Greene, Bob and D.G. Fulford. To Our Children's Children: Preserving Family Histories for Generations to Come. Doubleday, 1993. An accessible guide for creating written and oral histories.

Greer, Colin and Herbert Kohl (eds). A Call to Character: A Family Treasury. HarperCollins, 1995. A wonderful reader for grandparents to share with grandchildren. Includes stories, poems, plays, proverbs and fables which will prompt discussion and help develop character and values.

Kack-Brice, Valerie (ed). For She is the Tree of Life: Grandmothers Through the Eyes of Women Writers. Conari Press, 1995. A unique collection of heartwarming, evocative stories and photographs from female writers such as Marge Piercy, Maya Angelou, Margaret Atwood, and Leslie Marmon Silko.

Kettmann, Susan. The 12 Rules of Grandparenting: A New Look at Traditional Roles and How to Break Them. Facts on File, 2000. A practical book that helps grandparents create a role that works for them.

Kitzinger, Sheila. Becoming a Grandmother: A Life Transition. HarperCollins, 1996. A look at the passage into grandmotherhood, and finding satisfaction and enjoyment in relationships with adult children and grandchildren.

Kornhaber, Arthur. Grandparent Power!: How to Strengthen the Vital Connection Among Grandparents, Parents, and Children. Crown Publishers, 1995. A classic book by a grandparenting pioneer.

Kotre, John. Make It Count: How to Generate a Legacy that Gives Meaning to Your Life. The Free Press, 1999. Have you ever asked yourself what the purpose of your life is? This thoughtful book is an original, step-by-step guide for finding meaning and purpose.

Kramp, Erin Tierney, Douglas H. Kramp with Emily P. McKhann. Living With the End in Mind: A Practical Checklist for Living Life to the Fullest by Embracing Your Mortality. Three Rivers Press, 1998. A life-affirming, inspiring look at preparing yourself and your family for the eventuality of death, no matter what your present state of health.

Lanese, Janet. Grandmothers Are Like Snowflakes... No Two Are Alike. Dell, 1996. A book of quotes, anecdotes, and reflections about grandmothers and their relationships with grandchildren.

Linsley, Leslie and Jon Aron illus. Totally Cool Grandparenting: A Practical Handbook of Time-Tested Tips, Activities, and Memorable Moments to Share for the Modern Grandparent. St. Martin's Press, 1997. The title of this book says it all!

Lustbader, Wendy. What's Worth Knowing. Jeremy P. Tarcher/Putnam, 2001. People in their seventies, eighties, and nineties share the single most important piece of knowledge each has gained through a lifetime of living.

MacDonald, Margaret Read. The Parent's Guide to Storytelling. August House, 2001. A book full of helpful hints and techniques to help parents and grandparents capture and keep children's attention. Chapters focus on storytelling for the youngest listeners, bedtime stories and expandable tales, scary stories, improvisational ideas, and family folklore.

Marshall, Carl with David Marshall. The Book of Myself: A Do-It-Yourself Autobiography in 201 Questions. Hyperion, 1997. This grandfather/grandson team have created a keepsake "fill-in" book that's fun and has excellent memory prompts.

Martz, Sandra and Shirley Coe (eds). Generation to Generation: Reflections on Friendships Between Young and Old. Papier-Mache, 1998. A wonderful, inspiring collection of stories, poems, and photos.

Massing, Phyllis and E. Rhoda Lewis. From Generation... To Generation. 1995. LIFE STORIES/A Video Legacy, PO Box 260436, Encino, CA 91426, (818) 995-3315. How to record your family history on audiotape and videotape.

McDuffie, Winifred G. and Judith R. Whiteman (eds). Intergenerational Activities Program Handbook (3rd Edition). 1989. Broome County Child Development Council, Inc., 29 Fayette St, Box 880, Binghamton, NY 13902-0880, (607) 723-8313. A practical resource for developing intergenerational programs; includes activity suggestions.

McPhelimy, Lynn. In The Checklist of Life: A "Working Book" to Help You Live and Leave This Life. AAIP Publishing, 1997. In addition to being a practical book to help you get your affairs in order, no matter what your present state of health, this book is also meant to be a keepsake, with space for writing down memories and special thoughts.

Moore, Robin. Creating a Family Storytelling Tradition. August House, 1999. A great guide for creating, telling, and listening to stories.

Newman, Sally, Christopher R. Ward, Thomas B. Smith, Janet O. Wilson, and James M. McCrea. Intergenerational Programs: Past, Present, and Future. Taylor & Francis, 1997. An excellent reference source that includes information on the history and philosophy of intergenerational programs, and a comprehensive bibliography and listing of programs/organizations.

Newman, Susan. Little Things Mean A Lot: Creating Happy Memories with Your Grandchildren. Crown, 1996. Hundreds of quick little ideas and inspirations to build close, meaningful relationships with your grandchildren.

Nicholaus, Bret and Paul Lowrie. Who We Are: Questions to Celebrate the Family. New World Library, 2000. From the bestselling "question guys" comes a fill-in book with unusual, thought-provoking, and inspiring questions to ask each member of your family.

Orr, Clarice Carlson. The Joy of Grandparenting. Dageforde Publishing, 1995. Ideas and insights for building relationships with grandchildren.

Pavuk, Stephen, Pamela Pavuk and Diana Thurman illus. The Story of a Lifetime: A Keepsake of Personal Memoirs. TriAngel, 2000. A "fill-in" book with many thought-provoking questions to cover everything in your personal story from your family background and childhood to your regrets, milestones, and advice for your children and grandchildren.

Pipher, Mary. The Shelter of Each Other: Rebuilding Our Families. Ballantine, 1996. A practical, hopeful book about nurturing families.

Pipher, Mary. Another Country: Navigating the Emotional Terrain of Our Elders. Riverhead Books, 1999. A sensitive, thought-provoking look at aging.

Rose, Christine. The Complete Idiot's Guide to Genealogy. MacMillan, 1997. An easy-to-use guide that covers the basic techniques needed to conduct a search, including how to gather names, dates, places, relationships, and family documents.

Rubin, Rhea Joyce. Intergenerational Programming: A How-To-Do-It Manual for Librarians. Neal-Schuman, 1993. A practical guide that details the "what and why" of library-based intergenerational programs -- from one-time events to story/reading projects to pen pal programs.

Schachter-Shalomi, Zalman and Ronald S. Miller. From Age-ing to Sage-ing: A Profound New Vision of Growing Older. Warner, 1995. An inspiring book that encourages older adults to use their life experiences to enrich their later years, repair relationships, and develop a regenerative spirit that allows you to transmit your wisdom to younger generations.

Schaefer, Dan and Christine Lyons. How Do We Tell the Children?: A Step-by-Step Guide for Helping Children Cope When Someone Dies (3rd edition). Newmarket Press, 2001. An excellent book which discusses age-appropriate messages and includes a quick-reference section.

Smith, Elsdon C. New Dictionary of American Family Names. Gramercy, 1988. A comprehensive list of family names and their origins.

Trelease, Jim. The Read-Aloud Handbook (5th edition). Penguin, 2001. The classic book that helps parents and grandparents read aloud to children and encourage them to become avid readers themselves. Includes a treasury of read-aloud suggestions.

Wassermann, Selma. The Long Distance Grandmother (4th edition). Hartley & Marks, 2001. A great source of practical, creative ideas for nurturing relationships with grandchildren that don't live nearby.

Westheimer, Ruth K. Grandparenthood. Routledge, 1998. Information and advice on grandparenting in Dr. Ruth's own inimitable style.

Wigglebits, Wanda. Building a School Web Site: A Hands-on Project for Teachers and Kids. Duomo Press, 2000. A straightforward and accessible guide to creating a school website -- which is a great place to publicize and report on a Grandparents Day event.

Winston, Linda. Keepsakes: Using Family Stories in Elementary Classrooms. Heinemann, 1997. Practical approaches to drawing on family stories to enliven and enrich the curriculum.

Wolfman, Ira. Do People Grow on Family Trees? Genealogy for Kids & Other Beginners. Workman, 1991. A book for adults and for sharing with children, it's a complete introduction to genealogy -- from how to track down documents to creating an oral history to compiling a family tree.

Wyse, Lois. Funny, You Don't Look Like a Grandmother. Crown, 1989. A lighthearted look at being a modern grandmother.

Yolen, Jane ed. Gray Heroes: Elder Tales from Around the World. Penguin, 1999. A treasury of tales that celebrate and explore the riches of age. Great for adults to read on their own or share with children.

Zullo, Kathryn and Allan Zullo. The Nanas and the Papas: A Boomer's Guide to Grandparenting. Andrews McMeel, 1998. This modern guide includes defining your grandparenting role, dealing with adult children, and legal and financial issues.