Bringing Up Bebe

American journalist Pamela Druckerman did not aspire to become a French parent when she had a baby in Paris. She noticed, though, that French children were sleeping through the night at two or three months, eating braised leeks and playing on their own while parents drank coffee, yet stayed boisterous, curious and creative. With a notebook tucked in her diaper bag, she set out to investigate how French parents managed it. The account blends personal memoir with reporting on child rearing in France and was researched over three years. Its findings went on to spark a national debate about parenting.

Jessica Lauria, co-founder of By Karen and Jess, read it a few months after having a baby and found it fascinating, saying it showed how neurotic American parents can be.