Understanding Your ‘Terrific’ Toddler

It’s hard to imagine what a toddler may be thinking. And while movies like “Look Who’s Talking” with John Travolta and Kirstie Alley give us a fictional view into the toddler mind, “Terrific Toddlers,” a new book series co-authored by Rhona Silverbush of Mattituck, aims to help parents see what their children are truly thinking and feeling.

Silverbush and New York native Carol Zeavin created books in the series such as “All Mine!” and “Boo-Boo!” to explain everyday concepts such as sharing and injury, respectively, in a way that both toddler and parent can comprehend.

“Toddlers can’t tell you what they don’t understand,” said Silverbush. “And you don’t know what they don’t know. They’re trying to tell you. Our books are trying to smooth all of that out and create a deeper bond between the child and the parent.”

“Terrific Toddlers” is published by Magination Press, which presents books for kids from the American Psychology Association, giving them a unique and in-depth look into a child’s psyche. “Most of our books are written by mental health professionals,” according to the Magination Press’s mission statement. “Our books help children understand their feelings, provide information about the topic or situation, and offer extensive practical coping strategies.”

Silverbush added, “We set out to base these books on solid developmental psych research and to make sure that the book is a good story. That’s first and foremost. At the same time that it’s really for the toddler, we are modeling for the adults in that they really just don’t know about toddler development.”

Interested readers can find the two abovementioned books as well as “Bye-Bye!” in the local author section of Burtons Bookstore in Greenport, and at other book retailers. The co-authors are working on three more books in the series, which will be available soon.