Best Educational Psychology Books of 2026

The Thriving with ADHD Workbook for Kids is a great resource for parents looking for engaging activities to help their children manage and regulate their ADHD. This workbook is designed for children ages 7 to 12 and includes skill-building exercises and action-oriented learning to help kids reframe the way they think about ADHD. What sets this book apart is its strength-based approach, which helps kids see their ADHD as a special asset rather than a hindrance. Overall, this practical workbook is a must-have for parents, teachers, and counselors of children with ADHD.

Visible Learning: The Sequel by John Hattie is an essential read for anyone involved in education. The original book was a publishing sensation, and this sequel builds upon its success. Hattie's model of teaching and learning is based on evidence of impact, and this book highlights the major story, taking in the big picture to reflect on the implementation of Visible Learning in schools. It asks crucial questions and covers various areas, including the evidence base and reactions to Visible Learning, intentional alignment of learning and teaching strategies, and the impact of technology. This book is a must-read for researchers, teachers, students, school leaders, teacher trainers, or policy makers.

Outsmart Your Brain is a comprehensive guide to understanding how the brain learns and how to study more efficiently. Dan Willingham, a professor of psychology and bestselling author, provides clear and specific strategies while explaining why traditional study processes do not work. This book is perfect for anyone looking to improve their grades or simply understand the power of their own brain. It is highly informative and inspiring, making it a must-read for students of any age. Overall, Outsmart Your Brain is a charming and practical book that should be required reading for any college student or professional looking to improve their learning abilities.

Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning is a book that challenges commonly held beliefs about how we learn. By drawing on recent discoveries in cognitive psychology, the authors provide concrete techniques for becoming more productive learners. The book emphasizes the importance of memory in our ability to carry out complex cognitive tasks and offers insights into how memory is encoded, consolidated, and later retrieved. Through stories about people who have achieved mastery of complex knowledge and skills, the authors illustrate their arguments about how successful learning occurs. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in the challenge of lifelong learning and self-improvement.

The book "Teach Yourself How to Learn" by Saundra McGuire is a practical guide that helps students to improve their learning skills and achieve academic success. The author explains the differences between college and secondary school expectations and introduces the concept of metacognition, which is essential for understanding oneself as a learner. The book offers highly specific learning strategies, such as how to read a textbook, manage time, and take tests. With engaging exercises and thought-provoking reflections, this book is an ideal motivational and practical text for study skills and first-year experience courses. Overall, this book is an excellent resource for any student who wants to become a successful learner.

The book "Speed Reading: Learn to Read a 200+ Page Book in 1 Hour (Mental Performance)" has been the #1 Speed Reading Book on Amazon for four consecutive years. It offers a unique approach that taps into the brain and eyes' natural ability to read more words in a shorter time, helping readers double or even triple their reading speed in minutes. The book is not just about skimming and scanning, but it presents simple tips to accelerate reading, understanding, and memory, making it an essential read for students, teachers, professionals, and anyone who wants to improve their reading skills. The book is well-supported by research and offers detailed instructions and explanations. Overall, this book is an excellent resource for anyone looking to improve their reading speed and comprehension.

Permission to Feel by Marc Brackett is a must-read for anyone interested in improving their emotional well-being and that of their children. Brackett, a professor at Yale University, shares his effective plan for understanding and using emotions to enhance success and well-being. The RULER system, developed by Brackett, has already transformed thousands of schools, reducing stress and burnout and improving academic achievement. This book combines passion, inspiration, rigor, and science to offer readers a tested and effective approach to emotional intelligence. Highly recommended for anyone seeking to improve their emotional health.

Groups: Process and Practice is a practical guide to blending theory with practice in group counseling. Written by Marianne, Gerald, and Cindy Corey, this book provides up-to-date examples, guidelines, and insights to help group leaders apply key concepts of the group process to various groups. The book includes activities that encourage active learning, making clinical applications come to life. The MindTap online learning experience, which includes videos of group counseling sessions, further prepares readers for professional practice. This book is an excellent resource for anyone interested in group counseling and therapy.

Academic Conversations: Classroom Talk that Fosters Critical Thinking and Content Understandings by Jeff Zwiers and Marie Crawford is an insightful book that addresses the challenges of bringing productive academic conversations into the classroom. The authors identify five core communication skills needed to help students engage in academic conversations across different content areas. This book provides practical activities for each conversation skill and how to use conversations to teach and assess. It also emphasizes the importance of creating an academic environment that fosters respect for others' ideas, equity of voice, engagement, and mutual support. Overall, this book is a valuable resource for teachers who want to help students develop critical thinking and communication skills.

The Self-Driven Child by William Stixrud and Ned Johnson is a groundbreaking book that offers a combination of cutting-edge brain science, the latest discoveries in behavioral therapy, and case studies to help parents set their child on the road to success. The authors discovered that the best way to combat stress is by giving kids more control over their lives. The book provides practical advice for parents to help their children become self-driven individuals while still maintaining their authority. This book is a must-read for parents who want to help their children develop resilience and imagination to tackle the road ahead.