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 →

When we watch the Sound of Music she sings Frederick’s part. When we watch The Magic School Bus she pretends she is Ralphie. She’s Miguel instead of Maya, Gil instead of Molly and Dash instead of Mags. So when my 6-year-old daughter read the back of Jeremy Bender vs. the Cupcake Cadets, I wasn’t the least bit surprised that she was instantly intrigued. “This boy wants to be a girl just like I like pretending I’m a boy,” my lizard king-loving female offspring exclaimed. And so began my first grader’s newest adventure in chapter book reading and another chapter in … Continue reading →

My Mommy Hung the Moon. Do book titles get any better that? The only thing better would be if your kid actually uttered those five validating words… and meant it. Lucky for me, my child actually does… sometimes… when she’s well-rested, well-fed, and I’ve just played Guess Who? with her for the bazillionth time and agreed to endure combat “just one more little time, Mommy, please, please, please!” Okay, so the words, “My mommy hung the moon,” have never passed her lips, but when the stars are aligned just right, the sentiment is there, and she is not afraid to … Continue reading →

A few weeks ago our washing machine died after suffering a long and agonizing battle with a litany of ailments. As luck would have it, dealing with the death of the washer paled in comparison to coordinating the delivery of a new machine with a well-known big-box appliance retailer. “I’m about to pull out all my hair,” I exclaimed after hanging up the phone with what had to be the most unprofessional customer representative outside of the commercial aviation industry. “Oh Mommy,” my 7-year-old daughter responded a bit sheepishly. “I don’t think you will look good bald.” She’s right. Actually, … Continue reading →

If you give a dog a donut… you might end up with a nasty stain on your carpet. But in the wonderful world of children’s books, if you give a pooch a pastry with a hole in the middle, you get hours of reading fun. If You Give a Dog a Donut is lucky 13 for the famed writing/illustrating team of Laura Numeroff and Felicia Bond. The duo is the mastermind behind the uber-popular and irresistibly delicious If You Give… series, which my 7-year-old daughter devours every chance she gets. In fact, we own the entire collection of If You … Continue reading →

“Oh my goodness! Look at that strange bird,” I exclaimed while pointing to a black object that kept darting and diving around a sledding hill near our home. “That’s not a bird, Mommy,” replied my 6-year-old. “It’s a helicopter.” Lo and behold my daughter was absolutely right. What I saw as a mutated black buzzard was actually a remote control helicopter being piloted by a neighbor kid. Even with contacts, my 20/500 vision cannot be corrected well enough to compete with my child’s razor-sharp eagle eyes. “I don’t even need binoculars to see,” she added proudly. “My talents are reading, … Continue reading →

Roses are red Some orchids are green I love you so much Except when you’re mean I wrote that little ditty when I was in the fourth grade. I’m a poet, and ya didn’t even know it! Unfortunately, poetry is not fully embraced by the American school system. Consequently, many youngsters these days don’t get the chance to fully appreciate the many benefits of metrical composition. According to top researchers for early childhood education, “poetry should be included as an integral part of the language and literacy curriculum because it enriches students’ lives as they discover words, sound, and rhythm … Continue reading →

Have you ever bore witness to something so incredibly cute that it made you… ovulate. I dare you to look at the unequivocally adorable illustrations that fill Charlie the Ranch Dog and not turn into a puddle of mush… or want to spawn, ASAP. I about died from the cuteness the first time I paged through the charming children’s book courtesy of HarperCollins. But then, when my 6-year-old daughter and I actually sat down to read Charlie the Ranch Dog, I discovered the story was as delightful as the pinch-your-cheek cute pictures. Continuing in our week-long series of super summer … Continue reading →