Support Us
Five Books
 
Search
MENU MENU
  • Nonfiction
        • NONFICTION BOOKS
        • BEST NONFICTION 2023
        • BEST NONFICTION 2024
        • BEST BIOGRAPHIES
          • Historical Biographies
          • The Best Memoirs and Autobiographies
          • Philosophical Biographies
        • True Crime
        • History Books
          • World War 2
          • World History
          • American History
          • British History
          • Chinese History
          • Russian History
          • Ancient History (up to c. 500 AD)
          • Medieval History
          • Military History
        • Art
          • Art History
        • Travel Books
        • Essays
        • Philosophy Books
          • Ancient Philosophy
          • Contemporary Philosophy
          • Ethics & Moral Philosophy
          • Great Philosophers
          • Social & Political Philosophy
        • Classical Studies
        • Science
          • New Science Books
          • Astronomy
          • Biology
          • Chemistry
          • Maths & Statistics
          • Popular Science
          • Physics Books
        • Nature
        • Environmental Books
          • Climate Change Books
        • Language
          • How to Write
          • English Grammar & Usage
          • Books for Learning Languages
          • Linguistics
        • Politics & Society
          • Political Ideologies
          • Migration
          • War
          • Foreign Policy & International Relations
          • American Politics
          • British Politics
        • Religion
          • Theology
          • Buddhism
          • Christian
          • Islamic
          • Jewish
          • Religious History Books
        • Law
        • Psychology
          • Mental Health
          • Neuroscience
          • Self Help
          • Child Psychology
        • Music & Drama
          • Film & Cinema
          • Opera & Classical Music
        • Economics Books
          • Behavioural Economics
          • Development Economics
          • Economic History
          • Finance
          • Financial Crisis
          • World Economies
        • Business Books
          • Investing Books
        • Technology
          • Artificial Intelligence/AI Books
          • Data Science Books
          • Computing
        • Health & Lifestyle
          • Happiness
          • Sex & Sexuality
          • Death & Dying
          • Education
        • Food & Cooking
        • Sports, Games & Hobbies
  • Fiction & Literature
        • FICTION BOOKS
        • BEST NOVELS 2024
        • BEST FICTION 2023
        • Contemporary Fiction
          • New Literary Fiction
        • World Literature
        • Literary Criticism
        • Literary Figures
        • Classic English Literature
        • American Literature
        • Poetry
        • The Best Memoirs and Autobiographies
        • Comics & Graphic Novels
        • Fairy Tales & Mythology
        • Historical Fiction
        • Horror
        • Humour
        • Crime Novels
        • Science Fiction
        • Short Stories
        • Romance
        • Thrillers
        • Mystery
        • Fantasy
  • World
        • Africa
          • Egypt
          • Ghana
          • Nigeria
          • Rwanda
          • South Africa
          • Zimbabwe
        • Americas
          • Latin America
            • Argentina
            • Brazil
            • Caribbean
            • Chile
            • Cuba
            • Mexico
          • United States
          • Canada
        • Arctic & Antarctica
        • Asia
          • Afghanistan
          • Bangladesh
          • Myanmar (Formerly Burma)
          • China
          • India
          • Japan
          • Kazakhstan
          • Korea
          • Pakistan
          • Sri Lanka
          • Singapore
          • Vietnam
        • Australia
        • Europe
          • Azerbaijan
          • Belgium
          • Britain
          • France
          • Georgia
          • Germany
          • Greece
          • Ireland
          • Italy
          • Netherlands
          • Norway
          • Russia
          • Spain
          • Ukraine
        • Middle East
          • Iran
          • Iraq
          • Israel
          • Palestine
          • Syria
          • Turkey
          • Yemen
  • Kids
        • Kids Recommend Books for Kids
        • High School Teachers Recommendations
        • Prizewinning Kids' Books
        • Popular Series Books for Kids
        • BEST BOOKS FOR KIDS (ALL AGES)
        • Books for Toddlers and Babies
        • Books for Preschoolers
        • Books for Kids Age 6-8
        • Books for Kids Age 9-12
        • Books for Teens and Young Adults
        • THE BEST SCIENCE BOOKS FOR KIDS
        • BEST KIDS' BOOKS OF 2024
        • BEST BOOKS FOR TEENS OF 2024
        • Best Audiobooks for Kids
        • History
        • Economics
        • Environment
        • Mental Health
  • Best Books of 2024
        • Best Books for Teens of 2024
        • Best Kids' Books of 2024
        • Best Novels of 2024
          • Historical Fiction
          • Science Fiction
          • Fantasy
          • Mystery & Crime
          • Romance
        • Best Nonfiction of 2024
          • Travel Writing
  • New Books
    • NEW BOOKS
    • New History Books
    • New Literary Fiction
    • New Historical Fiction
    • New Biography
    • New Memoirs
    • New World Literature
    • New Economics Books
    • New Climate Books
    • New Math Books
    • New Science Books
    • New Philosophy Books
    • New Psychology Books
    • New Physics Books
  • Audiobooks
    • THE BEST AUDIOBOOKS
    • Actors Read Great Books
    • Best Audiobooks for Kids
    • Books Narrated by Their Authors
    • Best Audiobook Thrillers
    • Best History Audiobooks
  • Book Awards
    • Nobel Literature Prize
    • Booker Prize (fiction)
    • Baillie Gifford Prize (nonfiction)
    • Financial Times (nonfiction)
    • Wolfson Prize (history)
    • Royal Society (science)
    • NBCC Awards (biography & memoir)
    • Pushkin House Prize (Russia)
    • Walter Scott Prize (historical fiction)
    • Arthur C Clarke Prize (sci fi)
    • The Hugos (sci fi & fantasy)
    • Audie Awards (audiobooks)
    • Wilbur Smith Prize (adventure)
  • Experts

Nonfiction Books » Psychology » Child Psychology

Browse book recommendations:

Psychology

  • Applied Psychology
  • Autism
  • Child Psychology
  • Consciousness
  • Mental Health
  • Neuroscience
  • New Psychology Books
  • Psychoanalysis
  • Psychology Research
  • Self Help
  • Social Psychology

Child Psychology

Last updated: November 04, 2024

Find below some of the best books on child psychology ever written, as recommended by some of the greatest experts in the field.

Child psychology, or developmental psychology, is the study of how an individual's cognitive, linguistic, emotional and social skills change and progress over the course of his or her lifetime. Areas of interest in this field include attachment theory, infant perception, the influence of gender and the development of theory of mind.

We've spoken to experts including the clinical psychologist Tanya Byron,  the professor of perinatal psychobiology Vivette Glover and the psychologist and philosopher Alison Gopnik—who argues that children's minds and how they develop can provide insight into profound philosophical questions—and asked them to recommend the best books on child psychology and their specialist areas of expertise.

    The best books on Autism and Developmental Psychology, recommended by Simon Baron-Cohen

  • Read
    The best books on Autism and Developmental Psychology - The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon

    1

    The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
    by Mark Haddon

  • Read
    The best books on Autism and Developmental Psychology - The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser by Werner Herzog

    2

    The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser
    by Werner Herzog

  • Read
    The best books on Autism and Developmental Psychology - Animals in Translation by Temple Grandin

    3

    Animals in Translation
    by Temple Grandin

  • Read
    The best books on Autism and Developmental Psychology - The Language Instinct by Steven Pinker

    4

    The Language Instinct
    by Steven Pinker

  • Read
    The best books on Autism and Developmental Psychology - Attachment by John Bowlby

    5

    Attachment
    by John Bowlby

  • Simon Baron-Cohen, the longstanding director of the University of Cambridge's multidisciplinary Autism Research Centre, offers some recommended reading (plus a film to watch) to help you improve your understanding of the experience of those on the autism spectrum, or of developmental psychology more generally.

  • The best books on Autism and Developmental Psychology - The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
  • The best books on Autism and Developmental Psychology - The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser by Werner Herzog
  • The best books on Autism and Developmental Psychology - Animals in Translation by Temple Grandin
  • The best books on Autism and Developmental Psychology - The Language Instinct by Steven Pinker
  • The best books on Autism and Developmental Psychology - Attachment by John Bowlby

The best books on Autism and Developmental Psychology, recommended by Simon Baron-Cohen

Simon Baron-Cohen, the longstanding director of the University of Cambridge’s multidisciplinary Autism Research Centre, offers some recommended reading (plus a film to watch) to help you improve your understanding of the experience of those on the autism spectrum, or of developmental psychology more generally.

The best books on Autism and Developmental Psychology, recommended by Simon Baron-Cohen

    The best books on Children, recommended by Jo Boyden

  • Read
    The best books on Children - Pricing the Priceless Child: The Changing Social Value of Children by Viviana A Zelizer

    1

    Pricing the Priceless Child: The Changing Social Value of Children
    by Viviana A Zelizer

  • Read
    The best books on Children - Social Development by H. Rudolph Schaffer

    2

    Social Development
    by H. Rudolph Schaffer

  • Read
    The best books on Children - The Roads of Chinese Childhood by Charles Stafford

    3

    The Roads of Chinese Childhood
    by Charles Stafford

  • Read
    The best books on Children - The Child in the City by Colin Ward

    4

    The Child in the City
    by Colin Ward

  • Read
    The best books on Children - The Spirit Level: Why Greater Equality Makes Societies Stronger by Richard Wilkinson and Kate Pickett

    5

    The Spirit Level: Why Greater Equality Makes Societies Stronger
    by Richard Wilkinson and Kate Pickett

  • We all know how children should be brought up, and rarely question the cultural norms that underly that certainty. But what does that mean for the policies we try to impose on the developing world? Jo Boyden, professor of international development at Oxford University and director of its Young Lives study, picks books that question our assumptions about how to successfully raise a child.

  • The best books on Children - Pricing the Priceless Child: The Changing Social Value of Children by Viviana A Zelizer
  • The best books on Children - Social Development by H. Rudolph Schaffer
  • The best books on Children - The Roads of Chinese Childhood by Charles Stafford
  • The best books on Children - The Child in the City by Colin Ward
  • The best books on Children - The Spirit Level: Why Greater Equality Makes Societies Stronger by Richard Wilkinson and Kate Pickett

The best books on Children, recommended by Jo Boyden

We all know how children should be brought up, and rarely question the cultural norms that underly that certainty. But what does that mean for the policies we try to impose on the developing world? Jo Boyden, professor of international development at Oxford University and director of its Young Lives study, picks books that question our assumptions about how to successfully raise a child.

The best books on Children, recommended by Jo Boyden

    The best books on Children and their Minds, recommended by Alison Gopnik

  • Read
    The best books on Children and their Minds - Imaginary Companions and the Children who Create Them by Marjorie Taylor

    1

    Imaginary Companions and the Children who Create Them
    by Marjorie Taylor

  • Read
    The best books on Children and their Minds - The People in the Playground by Iona Opie

    2

    The People in the Playground
    by Iona Opie

  • Read
    The best books on Children and their Minds - The Child's Discovery of the Mind by Janet Astington

    3

    The Child's Discovery of the Mind
    by Janet Astington

  • Read
    The best books on Children and their Minds - The Afterlife is Where We Come From by Alma Gottlieb

    4

    The Afterlife is Where We Come From
    by Alma Gottlieb

  • Read
    The best books on Children and their Minds - Mothers and Others by Sarah Blaffer Hrdy

    5

    Mothers and Others
    by Sarah Blaffer Hrdy

  • Author and psychology professor, Alison Gopnik, tells us what's going on in children’s minds – and that it's a lot more than we may think

  • The best books on Children and their Minds - Imaginary Companions and the Children who Create Them by Marjorie Taylor
  • The best books on Children and their Minds - The People in the Playground by Iona Opie
  • The best books on Children and their Minds - The Child's Discovery of the Mind by Janet Astington
  • The best books on Children and their Minds - The Afterlife is Where We Come From by Alma Gottlieb
  • The best books on Children and their Minds - Mothers and Others by Sarah Blaffer Hrdy

The best books on Children and their Minds, recommended by Alison Gopnik

Author and psychology professor, Alison Gopnik, tells us what’s going on in children’s minds – and that it’s a lot more than we may think

The best books on Children and their Minds, recommended by Alison Gopnik

    The best books on Child Psychotherapy, recommended by Judith Edwards

  • Read
    The best books on Child Psychotherapy - Narrative of a Child Analysis by Melanie Klein

    1

    Narrative of a Child Analysis
    by Melanie Klein

  • Read
    The best books on Child Psychotherapy - The Psychoanalytic Treatment of Children by Anna Freud

    2

    The Psychoanalytic Treatment of Children
    by Anna Freud

  • Read
    The best books on Child Psychotherapy - Playing and Reality by Donald Winnicott

    3

    Playing and Reality
    by Donald Winnicott

  • Read
    The best books on Child Psychotherapy - Live Company by Anne Alvarez

    4

    Live Company
    by Anne Alvarez

  • Read
    The best books on Child Psychotherapy - A Question of Technique by Monica Lanyado and Anne Horne

    5

    A Question of Technique
    by Monica Lanyado and Anne Horne

  • The Consultant Psychotherapist at The Tavistock Clinic explains the history of Child Psychotherapy and walks us through the five books that have influenced her most

  • The best books on Child Psychotherapy - Narrative of a Child Analysis by Melanie Klein
  • The best books on Child Psychotherapy - The Psychoanalytic Treatment of Children by Anna Freud
  • The best books on Child Psychotherapy - Playing and Reality by Donald Winnicott
  • The best books on Child Psychotherapy - Live Company by Anne Alvarez
  • The best books on Child Psychotherapy - A Question of Technique by Monica Lanyado and Anne Horne

The best books on Child Psychotherapy, recommended by Judith Edwards

The Consultant Psychotherapist at The Tavistock Clinic explains the history of Child Psychotherapy and walks us through the five books that have influenced her most

The best books on Child Psychotherapy, recommended by Judith Edwards

    The best books on Gender and Human Nature, recommended by Carol Gilligan

  • Read
    The best books on Gender and Human Nature - The Feeling of What Happens by Antonio Damasio

    1

    The Feeling of What Happens
    by Antonio Damasio

  • Read
    The best books on Gender and Human Nature - Deep Secrets by Niobe Way

    2

    Deep Secrets
    by Niobe Way

  • Read
    The best books on Gender and Human Nature - Mothers and Others by Sarah Blaffer Hrdy

    3

    Mothers and Others
    by Sarah Blaffer Hrdy

  • Read
    The best books on Gender and Human Nature - The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne

    4

    The Scarlet Letter
    by Nathaniel Hawthorne

  • Read
    The best books on Gender and Human Nature - Living in Denial by Kari Marie Norgaard

    5

    Living in Denial
    by Kari Marie Norgaard

  • The idea that girls are emotional and “boys don’t cry” is ridiculous, says the feminist and psychologist. She tells us about books that debunk the gender myths that continue to restrict and distort our lives.

  • The best books on Gender and Human Nature - The Feeling of What Happens by Antonio Damasio
  • The best books on Gender and Human Nature - Deep Secrets by Niobe Way
  • The best books on Gender and Human Nature - Mothers and Others by Sarah Blaffer Hrdy
  • The best books on Gender and Human Nature - The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
  • The best books on Gender and Human Nature - Living in Denial by Kari Marie Norgaard

The best books on Gender and Human Nature, recommended by Carol Gilligan

The idea that girls are emotional and “boys don’t cry” is ridiculous, says the feminist and psychologist. She tells us about books that debunk the gender myths that continue to restrict and distort our lives.

The best books on Gender and Human Nature, recommended by Carol Gilligan

    The best books on Child Psychology and Mental Health, recommended by Tanya Byron

  • Read
    The best books on Child Psychology and Mental Health - Dibs in Search of Self by Virginia M Axline

    1

    Dibs in Search of Self
    by Virginia M Axline

  • Read
    The best books on Child Psychology and Mental Health - The Unquiet Mind by Kay Redfield Jamison

    2

    The Unquiet Mind
    by Kay Redfield Jamison

  • Read
    The best books on Child Psychology and Mental Health - Portraits of the Mind by Carl Schoonover

    3

    Portraits of the Mind
    by Carl Schoonover

  • Read
    The best books on Child Psychology and Mental Health - The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat by Oliver Sacks

    4

    The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat
    by Oliver Sacks

  • Read
    The best books on Child Psychology and Mental Health - No Fear by Tim Gill

    5

    No Fear
    by Tim Gill

  • Clinical psychologist, author and broadcaster discusses the stigmas attached to mental health problems, and asks whether, as a society, we are really doing what's best for our children

  • The best books on Child Psychology and Mental Health - Dibs in Search of Self by Virginia M Axline
  • The best books on Child Psychology and Mental Health - The Unquiet Mind by Kay Redfield Jamison
  • The best books on Child Psychology and Mental Health - Portraits of the Mind by Carl Schoonover
  • The best books on Child Psychology and Mental Health - The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat by Oliver Sacks
  • The best books on Child Psychology and Mental Health - No Fear by Tim Gill

The best books on Child Psychology and Mental Health, recommended by Tanya Byron

Clinical psychologist, author and broadcaster discusses the stigmas attached to mental health problems, and asks whether, as a society, we are really doing what’s best for our children

The best books on Child Psychology and Mental Health, recommended by Tanya Byron

    The best books on Life Before Birth – And Life After It, recommended by Vivette Glover

  • Read
    The best books on Life Before Birth – And Life After It - Love at Goon Park by Deborah Blum

    1

    Love at Goon Park
    by Deborah Blum

  • Read
    The best books on Life Before Birth – And Life After It - The Social Baby by Lynne Murray, Liz Andrews

    2

    The Social Baby
    by Lynne Murray, Liz Andrews

  • Read
    The best books on Life Before Birth – And Life After It - A Child Is Born by Lennart Nilson, Lars Hamberger

    3

    A Child Is Born
    by Lennart Nilson, Lars Hamberger

  • Read
    The best books on Life Before Birth – And Life After It - Life In The Womb by Peter Nathanielsz

    4

    Life In The Womb
    by Peter Nathanielsz

  • Read
    The best books on Life Before Birth – And Life After It - The Fetal Matrix by Peter Gluckman, Mark Hanson

    5

    The Fetal Matrix
    by Peter Gluckman, Mark Hanson

  • The professor of perinatal psychobiology at Imperial College, London tells us how our understanding of foetal development and the importance of mother-child bonding has changed in recent decades

  • The best books on Life Before Birth – And Life After It - Love at Goon Park by Deborah Blum
  • The best books on Life Before Birth – And Life After It - The Social Baby by Lynne Murray, Liz Andrews
  • The best books on Life Before Birth – And Life After It - A Child Is Born by Lennart Nilson, Lars Hamberger
  • The best books on Life Before Birth – And Life After It - Life In The Womb by Peter Nathanielsz
  • The best books on Life Before Birth – And Life After It - The Fetal Matrix by Peter Gluckman, Mark Hanson

The best books on Life Before Birth – And Life After It, recommended by Vivette Glover

The professor of perinatal psychobiology at Imperial College, London tells us how our understanding of foetal development and the importance of mother-child bonding has changed in recent decades

The best books on Life Before Birth – And Life After It, recommended by Vivette Glover

    The best books on Play, recommended by Dorothy Singer

  • Read
    The best books on Play - A Dynamic Theory of Personality by Kurt Lewin

    1

    A Dynamic Theory of Personality
    by Kurt Lewin

  • Read
    The best books on Play - Childhood and Society by Erik H Erikson

    2

    Childhood and Society
    by Erik H Erikson

  • Read
    The best books on Play - Play, Dreams and Imitation in Childhood by Jean Piaget

    3

    Play, Dreams and Imitation in Childhood
    by Jean Piaget

  • Read
    The best books on Play - Psychotherapy With Children by Frederick H Allen

    4

    Psychotherapy With Children
    by Frederick H Allen

  • Read
    The best books on Play - Dibs in Search of Self by Virginia M Axline

    5

    Dibs in Search of Self
    by Virginia M Axline

  • Play is a vital learning experience. But not all play is equal. Some helps children develop their imagination and learn cooperative behaviour. Some doesn’t. The Yale psychologist explains all

  • The best books on Play - A Dynamic Theory of Personality by Kurt Lewin
  • The best books on Play - Childhood and Society by Erik H Erikson
  • The best books on Play - Play, Dreams and Imitation in Childhood by Jean Piaget
  • The best books on Play - Psychotherapy With Children by Frederick H Allen
  • The best books on Play - Dibs in Search of Self by Virginia M Axline

The best books on Play, recommended by Dorothy Singer

Play is a vital learning experience. But not all play is equal. Some helps children develop their imagination and learn cooperative behaviour. Some doesn’t. The Yale psychologist explains all

The best books on Play, recommended by Dorothy Singer

    The best books on Understanding Infants, recommended by Tobias Hecht

  • Read
    The best books on Understanding Infants - Tired of Weeping by Jónína Einarsdóttir

    1

    Tired of Weeping
    by Jónína Einarsdóttir

  • Read
    The best books on Understanding Infants - The Afterlife is Where We Come From by Alma Gottlieb

    2

    The Afterlife is Where We Come From
    by Alma Gottlieb

  • Read
    The best books on Understanding Infants - Anthropology and Child Development by Robert A LeVine and Rebecca S New (ed)

    3

    Anthropology and Child Development
    by Robert A LeVine and Rebecca S New (ed)

  • Read
    The best books on Understanding Infants - Our Babies, Ourselves by Meredith F Small

    4

    Our Babies, Ourselves
    by Meredith F Small

  • Read
    The best books on Understanding Infants - The Evolution of Childhood by Melvin Konner

    5

    The Evolution of Childhood
    by Melvin Konner

  • The anthropologist explains how infants are socially aware and why behaviour thought inevitable in some cultures, such as tantrums, can be uncommon elsewhere

  • The best books on Understanding Infants - Tired of Weeping by Jónína Einarsdóttir
  • The best books on Understanding Infants - The Afterlife is Where We Come From by Alma Gottlieb
  • The best books on Understanding Infants - Anthropology and Child Development by Robert A LeVine and Rebecca S New (ed)
  • The best books on Understanding Infants - Our Babies, Ourselves by Meredith F Small
  • The best books on Understanding Infants - The Evolution of Childhood by Melvin Konner

The best books on Understanding Infants, recommended by Tobias Hecht

The anthropologist explains how infants are socially aware and why behaviour thought inevitable in some cultures, such as tantrums, can be uncommon elsewhere

The best books on Understanding Infants, recommended by Tobias Hecht

    The best books on Essentialism, recommended by Susan Gelman

  • Read
    The best books on Essentialism - The Mismeasure of Man by Stephen Jay Gould

    1

    The Mismeasure of Man
    by Stephen Jay Gould

  • Read
    The best books on Essentialism - The Bad Seed by William March

    2

    The Bad Seed
    by William March

  • Read
    The best books on Essentialism - How Pleasure Works by Paul Bloom

    3

    How Pleasure Works
    by Paul Bloom

  • Read
    The best books on Essentialism - The Edge of Islam by Janet McIntosh

    4

    The Edge of Islam
    by Janet McIntosh

  • Read
    The best books on Essentialism - Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dweck

    5

    Mindset: The New Psychology of Success
    by Carol Dweck

  • Putting people and things into categories is something we all do. It’s a useful shortcut but reveals biases. And it plays a role in everything from ethnic violence to childhood development, as psychologist Susan Gelman explains.

  • The best books on Essentialism - The Mismeasure of Man by Stephen Jay Gould
  • The best books on Essentialism - The Bad Seed by William March
  • The best books on Essentialism - How Pleasure Works by Paul Bloom
  • The best books on Essentialism - The Edge of Islam by Janet McIntosh
  • The best books on Essentialism - Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dweck

The best books on Essentialism, recommended by Susan Gelman

Putting people and things into categories is something we all do. It’s a useful shortcut but reveals biases. And it plays a role in everything from ethnic violence to childhood development, as psychologist Susan Gelman explains.

The best books on Essentialism, recommended by Susan Gelman
Page 2 →

About

We ask experts to recommend the five best books in their subject and explain their selection in an interview.

This site has an archive of more than one thousand seven hundred interviews, or eight thousand book recommendations. We publish at least two new interviews per week.

Five Books participates in the Amazon Associate program and earns money from qualifying purchases.

Newsletter Contact us Privacy Policy Terms of Service Mastodon Social

© Five Books 2025

Get our newsletter