First 5 LA frequently partners with the national child advocacy organization ZERO TO THREE, and I recently received an e-mail from them promoting a "summer reading list." The list is primarily aimed at professionals and others interested in learning more about working with children. Below are a few of the books recommended by ZERO TO THREE with their descriptions:

Practical Approaches to Early Childhood Professional Development: Evidence, Strategies, and Resources, by Pamela J. Winton, Jeanette A. McCollum and Camille Catlett
The key to improving the early education of all young children, including those with special needs, is the effective preparation and development of the professionals who work with them. The authors rely on evidence-based practices and their many years of experience to present an organized and accessible format for building quality into professional training and development programs. 

Evidence-Based Practice in the Early Childhood Field,edited by Virginia Buysse and Patricia W. Wesley
This book examines how evidence-based practice is changing the way research is conducted and how evidence can be applied to solve real-world problems. Evidence-based practice is helping early educators, special educators, early interventionists, child care professionals and mental health professionals transform the services provided to children and families.

Mental Health Consultation in Child Care: Transforming Relationships With Directors, Staff, and Families, by Kadija Johnston and Charles Brinamen
As young children spend more time in child care programs, those programs have an increasingly significant effect on a child's healthy social and emotional development. This book reviews current theory and offers practical suggestions to improve parent-professional relationships and to identify and remove obstacles to quality care.

Children's Play: The Roots of Reading, edited by Edward F. Zigler, Dorothy G. Singer, and Sandra J. Bishop-Josef
The value of play for both cognitive and social development is well documented by scientific research. This practical book offers captivating facts about the importance of play in helping children learn basic literacy skills, social awareness and creative problem solving.