Believe it or not, 100 Grand Bars, Laffy Taffy and candy corn are not the only treats that scream, “Halloween!” If you are looking for a sugar-free/fat-free/calorie-free/peanut-free/gluten-free goodie to give kids on All Hallows’ Eve, consider Mia: Time to Trick or Treat! The adorable and affordable children’s book (it retails for less than $5) is an amazing alternative to candy and can be passed out as a Halloween party favor, a prize for a costume contest, or used to spice up your kid’s bedtime story collection. There’s nothing like a little seasonal spice to get youngsters excited about reading, and … Continue reading →

If you give a mouse a pumpkin… he’s going to make pie? Pancakes? Donuts? Cookies? Wrong, wrong, wrong, and wrong. Wrong book, right series. The oh-so right collection of If You Give A… books is growing, just in time for Halloween. It’s Pumpkin Day, Mouse! features the same feisty rodent from the award-winning children’s classic, If You Give A Mouse A Cookie; however, the story doesn’t employ the same trademark circular format used in the popular series. Not that young readers will miss it. The colorful board book has its own Halloween-themed hook that will keep your kids at the … Continue reading →

When was the last time your child’s bedtime story included details on the book’s main character crashing her two-wheeler and her mom recording the entire incident on an iPhone? Not exactly Goodnight Moon, but this is 2012, baby. If you are looking for a book modern-day kids can really relate to, then My Brave Year of Firsts is sure to be a fast favorite. While the playfully written page-turner has a classic theme–celebrating the triumphs and tribulations associated with a child’s major milestones–its approach is far from traditional. Actress turned bestselling children’s book author Jamie Lee Curtis and award-winning illustrator … Continue reading →

What’s in a name? If you are my young daughter, not so much. In her world, playing the name game is a piece of cake because what you see is typically what you get. Case in point: Her stuffed dinosaur’s name is Dino; her fuzzy black lab = Blackie; her plastic fish-shaped bath toy, Fishy; and her life-sized plush monkey, you guessed it–Monks. Of course, not all kids are able to slap a moniker on a prized possession as quickly and easily as my kid does. In fact, for some children, the task of naming a beloved toy is serious … Continue reading →

What do Three Billy Goats Gruff and Fancy Nancy and the Mermaid Ballet have in common? Believe it or not; an important lesson in parenting. Allow me to explain. A few months ago, my daughter’s second grade class decided to put on a play. Yup. Three Billy Goats Gruff. Tryouts were held and my seven-year-old did her best to score the part she had her heart set on: Baby Goat. Fortunately, I had enough time to emotionally prepare her in case she didn’t get the coveted role. “That’s okay, Mommy,” she reasoned “if I don’t get to be the Baby … Continue reading →

There’s nothing quite like a package full of pink to beat the summer blues. Enter Pinkalicious: Pink-a-Rama. The new box set filled with five fabulous Pinkalicious titles is the perfect addition to a family vacation. Whether you are traveling by air, land or sea, the collection of Level One, I Can Read stories by Victoria Kann couldn’t be easier to tote. Not only can your pretty princess escape to the world of Pinkalicious during a family getaway, she can do so in style. Pink-a-Rama comes packaged in a sturdy box with Velcro closures and a hot pink handle. Inside the … Continue reading →

Some book title, huh? It takes guts to bestow such a lofty label on your debut work, but there seems to be a method behind Dallas Clayton’s madness. Clayton penned and illustrated the psychedelic children’s picture book about dreaming big, and there’s no doubt he has equally high expectations for its future. At first glance, An Awesome Book! appears to be a sweet bedtime story, which encourages young readers to never stop dreaming, or perhaps, more importantly, never allow anyone to limit their visions. However, as pint-sized bookworms dig deeper into the 64-page explosion of colorful images and whimsical wording, … Continue reading →

Looking for a way to rev up your kid’s summer vacation? Have him go along for the ride when a burly blue freight train challenges a hot little red sports car to a cross-country race. The high-octane adventure is detailed in Kate and Jim McMullan’s colorful literary creation: I’m Fast! The race begins in Sacramento, California, and ends in Chicago, Illinois. In between young readers are treated to a series of twists and turns through the desert the mountains, urban jungles and country passes where herds of cattle aren’t keen about moo-ving off of train tracks. Despite having to haul … Continue reading →

Summer and learning. For most kids, the two don’t go hand in hand. Fortunately, if you disguise the lessons with a fun-filled feline adventure, you can likely avoid summer brain drain. That’s where Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons comes in handy. The eye-popping picture book written by Eric Litwin and illustrated by James Dean combines reading, math, music and slew of helpful life skills in a delightful tale featuring a laid-back cat with a passion for wearing button-down shirts. Thanks to Pete’s panache for crafting catchy tunes your kids won’t even realize they are getting schooled in … Continue reading →

Talk about middle child syndrome. And you thought the Duggar family had issues. Chloe Bunny was born smack in the middle of 10 older brothers and sisters and 10 younger ones. Don’t worry; the carrot-loving clan is not making their debut on “21 Bunnies and Counting;” rather, they’re fodder for a funny bunny tale, Chloe, by New York Times bestselling author Peter McCarty. In McCarty’s latest literary venture, Daddy Bunny surprises his bustling brood with a new TV. The entire Bunny clan makes a beeline for the electronic entertainment option, save for Chloe and baby Bridget. Young Chloe is not … Continue reading →