Brain plasticity, play, and books... an annotated reading list

A reader wrote and asked me for a book lists dealing with brain plasticity and play. Since I like nothing better than to make lists of books, I thought I would share it so you all could see it. Plus, while I haven't felt horrible today after my second Covid vaccine, I also haven't felt quite myself. I can't get warm and have much less energy than I normally do. It was kind of nice to fall asleep in the sun this afternoon, though. Anyway, all that to say this is the perfect post for the evening.

On to the book lists. Like all my book lists, this is hardly definitive and is much more a reflection on my own idiosyncratic reading style. If you use the bibliographies, you will end up with more than enough reading material. Note that I have linked each title to Amazon through my Amazon Associates account (and thank you to those who do purchase through these links, the small amount of money I make allows me to buy more books). I have also linked to any previous blog posts I have written about a title.

Brain plasticity... or just plain weirdness

The Body Knows its Mind: The Surprising Power of the Physical Environment to Influence How You Think and Feel by Sian Beilock

     These will not all be about brain plasticity only, but many of them deal with the intersection of mind, brain, and body. This is one of those. (Movement and Cognition) (Don't be a Sea Squirt)

Neurologic: The Brain's Hidden Rationale Behind our Irrational Behavior by Eliezer J. Sternberg

     This is a really interesting list of all the ways brains can go wrong. Really interesting and vaguely disturbing. (A Little Light Summer Reading)

The Well-Balanced Child: Movement and Early Childhood Learning by Sally Goddard Blythe

     Another book on how physical movement affects the brain's functioning.

When Listening Comes Alive: A Guide to Effective Learning and Communication by Paul Madaule

     This books tackles how hearing can affect the brain's functioning.

The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk

     Pretty much, if you are parenting a child who has experienced trauma or if you have experienced trauma yourself, you need to read this book. (More brain and trauma stuff)

The Overflowing Brain: Information Overload and the Limits of Working Memory by Torkel Klingberg

My Plastic Brain: One Woman's Yearlong Journey to Discover if Science can Improve her Mind by Caroline Williams

     This is more dabbling into brain plasticity, but it can expose you to some of the weirdness that is out there.

Unthinkable: An Extraordinary Journey through the World's Strangest Brains by Helen Thomson

     Lots and lots of weird brain stuff in this one. A quick and engaging read. (National Book Lover's Day)

The Brain's Way of Healing: Remarkable Discoveries and Recoveries from the Frontiers of Neuroplasticity by Norman Doidge

     If you are looking for hopeful, this is the one you should read. I'll warn you, some of the things he writes about are kind of 'out there' in relation to what has always been assumed about the brain. He's also written The Brain that Changes Itself.

The Well-Gardened Mind: The Restorative Power of Nature by Sue Stuart-Smith

     This books makes a very good case for the importance of being outside in nature in terms of cognition and emotional health. (Brain Science and Plants)

On to books about play...

The Interpersonal Neurobiology of Play: Brain-Building interventions for Emotional Well-Being by Theresa A. Kestly

     I loved this book! It is all marked up and has sticky notes all over it. Highly recommended. (The Need to Play)

A Child's Work: The Importance of Fantasy Play by Vivian Gussin Paley

     This is Ms. Paley's title dealing with the reasons behind her thinking about play. It is very good. But I think reading about her classes and the problems she and her students solve together are just as enlightening or even more so. If you only read one author about play, this is one I would read. Some of her other titles: The Girl with the Brown Crayon; The Boy who would be a Helicopter; You Can't Say You Can't Play. (On Reading Vivian Gussin Paley)(You Can't Say You Can't Play)

Play: How it Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination, and Invigorates the Soul by Stuart Brown

     Truthfully, I cannot remember this book at all, though there it is on my reading list from 2016. The title sounds intriguing, so I'm including it here.

The Play's the Thing: Teacher's Roles in Children's Play by Elizabeth Jones and Gretchen Reynolds

     Very much along the lines of Vivian Gussin Paley (Master Players)

Finally, a post I wrote in 2015 which has a few more titles on it. Children and Play: a reading list