Hand that Rocks the Cradle is a book that lists recommended fiction, presented in both alphabetical order by author and by subject area. It includes 400 titles with annotated reviews. Some titles are described with time settings, publication date and story summaries. It includes some modern fiction but mostly "classic" titles from authors such as Marguerite De Angeli, Daniel Defoe, Frank Gilbreth, Marguerite Henry, C.S. Lewis, E.B. White, Mark Twain, and Jack London.