Perfect Summer Read for Nannies and Au Pairs

Book Review of What the Dog Saw by Malcolm Gladwell
Weekly Trip to the Library

What the Dog Saw is a collection of stories reported by The New Yorker journalist Malcolm Gladwell.

The author specializes in taking ordinary or overlooked subjects and writing about them in entertaining and insightful ways. The nineteen chapters range from the simple, such as ketchup, to the complex, such as birth control pills.

A few chapters specifically deal with child development, intellectual growth, and human behavior.

The story most interesting for nannies is the chapter also titled "What the Dog Saw." Here, Gladwell tells the story of Cesar Millan, "The Dog Whisperer." Gladwell imagines looking through the eyes of the dogs Millan trains and explains why Cesar is so successful in modifying the behavior of the pets and of the owners. Millan's philosophy is that the dog's master must be a calm and balanced leader of the pack. A nanny might follow the same advice with her charges and her own children and thereby be an admirable role model.

This book is an ideal summer read: each chapter is captivating, self-contained, simple, yet profound. If you enjoy good storytelling from a different perspective, you will enjoy this book.

Do you have a book review for nannies or au pairs? Send your ideas to stephanie@bestnannynewsletter.com. Stop by next Saturday for another Weekly Trip to the Library for nannies and au pairs.