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Category: For Kids

Gift Ideas for Babies & Toddlers

[ 4 ] October 22, 2010

I always have trouble finding gifts for babies and young toddlers. I recently attended a birthday party for a little boy who seemed more interested in ripping off the elaborate gift wrapping than in the actual gifts. There was a mound of expensive toys and he couldn’t care less!

In looking for kids’ gifts to add to the Holiday Gift Guide, I wanted to find items that are educational and that have the potential to hold a recipient’s attention for more than a minute. And of course, I preferred for these items to be books!

I recently read an article in a parenting magazine that listed tips for turning your child into a book lover – what could be better than that? The article recommended letting children handle books very early on so that they begin to understand what a book is and how it works. In that spirit, here are some adorable books from Workman Publishing that are perfect for babies and toddlers, and that will also be light on your pocket!

Gift Idea #1

The INDESTRUCTIBLES line is made up of beautifully illustrated short books made especially for babies. Better yet, they are only $4.95 a piece!

I had a chance to play with a few of these and to test out their indestructibility. The books are made of paper-like material which is also used in shipping envelopes. I pulled, twisted, crumpled and so on, and they were as good as new and no worse for the wear. These books are also chew-proof, but I will leave that one to the babies! Better yet, they can also be thrown into a dishwasher or washing machine if there is any drool involved.

My favorite INDESTRUCTIBLES: Mary Had a Little Lamb, Mama and Baby!, and Hey, Diddle Diddle.

Gift Idea #2

The Perfect Piggies! Book and Plush Set is so cute it’s likely to elicit oohs and aahs from kids and parents alike- it certainly got both from me! It’s also a bargain of a gift at under $12 on Amazon. Although some sites list it as appropriate for ages 4-8, the set is marked for kids ages 1+. The Perfect Piggies! book is full of colorful images for kids to explore, and the plush toy is the perfect accompaniment to bring those images alive. Both items come packaged in a clear box, ready for gifting.

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Review: Zen Ghosts by Jon J. Muth

[ 5 ] October 15, 2010

Reviewed by Jennifer J.

Halloween has always been a night of mysticism and magic for me, and so reading Zen Ghosts by Jon J. Muth really appealed to me. The beginning pages start out with three children, Karl, Addy, and Michael excitedly talking about their Halloween costumes. Their panda bear friend Stillwater takes them trick-or-treating, and then as a bonus after they collect their candy shares with them a chilling supernatural tale.

Picture books are best enjoyed when read aloud. I took the book with me to my neighbors’ house and read it aloud to her 7-year-old daughter while my 2-year-old daughter pranced around the living room chasing their cat. Her daughter gave me her complete attention (my daughter of course did not), her brown eyes growing wider when I read Stillwater’s ghost story. The tale tells of a man and woman who grow up together, and eventually fall in love. The young woman’s family falls to financial ruin, and instead of offering her hand in marriage to her best friend, she is to wed another man from an affluent family. That night, the young woman and her best friend sail away together. Eventually they decide to return to their small village, and that is when Stillwater’s tale takes a shocking twist.

[amazonify]043963430X[/amazonify]The illustrations didn’t really make an impact on me until we came to a 2-page scene that perfectly depicted an enchanting Halloween night, thick with the magic of children’s imaginations. I must have stared at every detail of this spread for at least a minute before continuing on with the story.

Zen Ghosts is a picture book that adults will appreciate for entirely different reasons than the children. I was verygrateful for the author’s note at the end of the book so I could learn what inspired him to write it. Stillwater’s story is taken from an ancient Japanese koan (a paradoxical question) and will absolutely inspire a discussion between those who have discovered this charming book.

Jennifer graduated from the University of Utah with a BA in English. She occasionally dabbles with her own fiction writing, particularly with the Young Adult and Paranormal genres. She currently resides in Utah with her husband and daughter.

This book was provided free of any obligation by Scholastic Press. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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Review: Fix It and Forget It Kids Cookbook by Phyllis Pellman Good

[ 6 ] October 14, 2010

Check back for our reviews of the new Fix-it and Forget-it Christmas Cookbook and an opportunity to win both titles!

Reviewed by Jen K.

An experienced cook like Phyllis Pellman Good seems to be the perfect person to write a cookbook for kids. Author to eight very successful cookbooks in the Fix-It and Forget-It series, she knows what does and doesn’t work in the kitchen. Obviously, she believes kids should work in the kitchen and the slow cooker is a great tool to help them.

The simple truth is that while I think it’s terrific to have kids helping out in the kitchen, that assistance comes saddled with some safety concerns. lt’s easy to line up prep jobs for younger folks that don’t require sharp knives. The biggest roadblock we run into is at actual cooking time, as the oven and burners are pretty much off limits. Do you see the true genius of the slow cooker in this application? No open flame, just a pot that uses the same amount of energy as a 60 watt light bulb. Phyllis refers to the slow cooker as “the easy-to-get-along with appliance.”

Fix-It and Forget-It Kids’ Cookbook construction and overall setup are very kid friendly. A spiral binding encourages little hands to leaf through the pages, while the instructions and preparation methods are clearly aimed at a child’s level. The ham in Ham and Potato Chowder is cut into strips using kitchen shears and the microwave is used for some advance cooking steps in several recipes. Directives like “Use potholders to remove the bowl from the microwave” and “Cover your slow cooker” may seem obvious to an adult, but not so for a child learning to cook. I love that each recipe is nicely spaced out on a full page, for easy consultation, with a large full-color photo of the dish on the opposing page.

We already know how great it is to get home for the day and find a crock pot piping away on the counter. Consider how much better than scenario would be if it wasn’t your hands doing all of the work the night before. Your kids can help get Tempting Tortilla Casserole or Creamy Lasagna on the table for dinner or prepare Crunchy Snack Mix or Pizza Dip for their own after school snacks. There are a host of breakfast dishes and desserts to choose from, including some amazing looking Chocolate Covered Pretzels that I am coveting. In all, there are fifty fabulous recipes that can help get your kids cooking and building some confidence in the kitchen.

Check out our interview with Phyllis Pellman Good here!

Jen lives in Michigan with her husband and six year old son. She writes reviews of children’s books on her blog, FIRR-Kids and loves filling her shelves with cookbooks.

This book was provided free of any obligation by Goodman Media International. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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Review: Sports Illustrated Kids All Access

[ 3 ] September 13, 2010

Reviewed by Jen K.

Even non-rapid sports fans are bound to find this book really, really cool. Of course, Sports Illustrated has the power to give us the real behind-the-scenes look at some pretty awesome locations, players and gear. There are the great photos you would expect, plus all sorts of tidbits and sports trivia tucked in on the pages. The overall effect is an exciting book that sweeps you right up and drops you off in some of the most exciting sports arenas.

Athletes: How do you stack up against the pros? Actual size photos of the hands of Shaquille O’Neal (7’11″) and Shawn Johnson (4’9″) allow kids to see how their measure stack up. Ever wonder what those big guys eat? NBA great Grant Hill throws open the doors of his fridge and explains his healthy food choices. We also get a look at a snowboard collection from an Olympic gold medalist, four professional athletes show off their pets, and we learn how a signature sneaker is designed.

Places: Take tours of The New York Mets’ amazing clubhouse, the Dallas Mavericks’ locker room, and the University of Miami’s weight room. Learn how a NASCAR racing team hauler works and exactly what is inside that big box, then count how many steps it take the Staples Center to transform from hockey ice rink to a basketball arena. After that, you won’t believe the cool things inside The Fantasy Factory in California – beside the world’s largest skateboard. Wrap up your tour by finding out what secrets are hiding behind Fenway Park’s famous green wall.

[amazonify]1603201548[/amazonify]Gear: Find out more about the NFL uniforms, NHL helmets, and MLB bats and balls. It isn’t just a flat description of each item, but detailed explanations with full, clear pages that lift away to show more underneath. Find out how shoulder pads evolved with the sport, and what the markings on those hockey helmets mean on a team by team basis.

I found myself incredibly taken in by Sports Illustrated Kids All Access and completely entertained by the insider information that was presented. If a non-sports lover like me was so impressed by this book, can you imagine how a kid who loves sports would feel to be presented with it?

Jen lives in Michigan with her husband and six year old son. She writes reviews of children’s books on her blog, FIRR-Kids and thinks there is nothing better than instilling a love of reading in your child.

This book was provided free of any obligation by Goodman Media International, Inc. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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