Erika Jurney of Momsational has high praise for Practical Wisdom for Parents: Demystifying the Preschool Years by Nancy Schulman and Ellen Birnbaum of the 92nd Street Y Nursery School:

Can I say again how I wish I had this book 5 years ago? For example, in the How to Choose a School section, there are notes about elements you may want to watch for when visiting the schools in person.

There’s a chapter called “What is Preschool?” and it isn’t a fluff piece—it actually tells you in depth what to expect from a typical day at a typical daycare. And they don’t stop at age 3, the advice and tips will take you through preparing for Kindergarten and beyond.

Written by the Directors of the 92nd Street Y Nursery School in New York City, Nancy Schulman and Ellen Birnbaum, these two women clearly have not only a wealth of knowledge at their fingertips, but the organizational skills to present it clearly and without condescension.

Tracy Pollan and Michael J. Fox are fans as well.

Meanwhile, Wonderplay, Too: Games, Crafts, & Creative Activities for 3- to 6-Year-Olds, by the Y’s own Fretta Reitzes and Beth Teitelman, has been busy garnering 5-star Amazon customer reviews (not to mention celebrity endorsements). Steven A. Shaw writes:

The Parenting Center at the 92nd Street Y in New York City has long been at the forefront of child development. Our son has attended several of the classes offered by the Parenting Center, and they have been outstanding. This book brings the accumulated wisdom of that organization to bear on the question of what kinds of fun activities to pursue with kids. “Wonderplay, Too” picks up where “Wonderplay” leaves off, with hundreds of great ideas for games to play with 3- to 6-year-olds. It’s full of so many great ideas, any one of which can save your sanity on a rainy day. Highly recommended.

You can purchase Wonderplay, Too direct from the 92nd Street Y for only $9.50 (27% off the cover price!). Both books make great gifts.