Reviews for Books & Magazines
Sabu & Me has great appeal as a children’s book because its author is a child. 7-year-old Maura Lane tells of her relationship with her dog Sabu — from the day Maura arrived home from the hospital until now — in very simple terms and style. Since Sabu was a rescue dog, Maura has decided to donate profits from the book sales to PAWS Chicago, an organization dedicated to helping homeless pets. Kids and their parents will appreciate Maura’s expression of unconditional love for Sabu. Kids and family members who have dogs (or who have had dogs in the past) will identify with the story of how Sabu has always been there for Maura. Regardless of whether or not they have pets themselves, young children seem to universally enjoy stories about them. As we all know, animals, especially dogs, are adored — simply for being themselves. Sabu & Me’s one-sentence per page format allows for the book to either be read to a very young child, or for early readers to read it themselves. It begins with “When I arrived home from the hospital Sabu sniffed me,” and goes on to explain how from that point on, Sabu was right by Maura’s side as she learned to crawl, talk and walk, and how he has hugged her goodbye as she leaves for school, kept her company when she is sick, and snuggled with her at bedtime. The cheerful full-page illustrations by Hazel Mitchell nicely complement the story. Sabu and Me is an everyday kind of story that is easy to relate to and touches one’s heart.
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Whimsmoore, a start-up company that sends toys-of-the-month and sells “pretend play” products and related children’s books, evolved from a family wanting to share their cherished tradition with new generations of young children and their grandparents, aunts & uncles, etc. It all started as a relationship between an aunt and her young niece a thousand miles away. When Rachel would visit Aunt Linda, she would rush to the secret magical play house under Aunt Linda’s stairs, deemed the “Elfery,” to see if there were any signs of the “Elves of Glimmer Glen.” When not visiting, Aunt Linda would send monthly gifts to Rachel on behalf of the Elves. A special bond developed between Rachel and her little imaginary friends, and more importantly, between Rachel and Aunt Linda. Many years later, with the bond still strong between them, Rachel and Aunt Linda decided to start a business together, reviving the Elves and sharing them with other families. Should you purchase the gift-of-the-month, Whimsmoore will send enchanting little gifts to your grandchild each month for up to 12 months (monthly gifts can also be purchased separately). Elfish gifts include a Lavender Eggling Plant (just crack the top of the “egg,” water, and watch it grow!), Mini Valentine’s Mailbox, Mini Bake Set, to name a few. Each monthly gift comes with an original Elfery Storybook written by Aunt Linda. Whimsmoore features a nice selection of related imaginary play products, which can be purchased from their website. The toy-of-the-month gift is suggested for children age 5-7, and the “Elves” are a unique and playful way for distant relatives to connect with the young children in their lives.
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Our daughter loves her new personalized book, If I Were Big. Of course, young kids always love being the star of a book — seeing their name in print and hearing it read to them out loud. And, if the story and illustrations are engaging, even better! If I Were Big is one of four titles currently offered by MJM Books. Their other customizable books include: Ruler of Space, What Animal are You, and A Day at the Park. If I Were Big seems to tap into the inherent desire young children have to be older and bigger than they are, walking your grandchild through an adventure in which s/he continues to grow bigger and bigger, larger than everyone and everything else around, and eventually using “a house as a chair, a tree for a toothbrush, buildings for stairs,” etc. The story concludes by admitting that your grandchild (the star of the book), is not big at all, and, in fact, is small enough to fit in Mommy & Daddy’s arms — the best size of all. The illustrations that accompany the exaggerated examples of “big-ness” are really quite adorable, and have a simple yet sophisticated (almost retro) look. Each book has its own style and theme and you should be able to find a title that fits you grandchild’s interests and personality. You get to choose the appropriate skin, hair and eye color, and you can have a special message printed in the first page of the book. The order is easily placed online from the publisher’s website, where you can page through a sample of each book virtually.
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Goosie Cards$16 and up at Goosie |
Goosie Cards are a great product for several reasons. First, they’re extremely high quality. Large, durable, glossy lamination enables them to withstand a fair amount of bending and biting (it happens occasionally). Next, they’re educational. Using a combination of visual images and printed words, they help babies and toddlers with speech development, preschoolers with pre-reading skills, and young school-aged children with early reading. But what makes Goosie Cards most interesting is that you can personalize each card with your own family photos, thus creating your own custom set of memorable photo flash cards to present to your grandchild. Since they are high quality, in addition to providing a fun learning experience, a set of personalized Goosie Cards have the potential to become a keepsake of sorts, that grandchildren can use to remind themselves of you and other family members, friends, pets, vacation memories, etc. Of course, we love the simple yet effective way Goosie Cards help to strengthen intergenerational family connections. It’s easy to upload photos to their website, and Goosie Cards are produced and delivered quickly. And, if you don’t want to personalize your set, Goosie Cards has a fantastic library of stock photography to choose from to design what they call “Chic” flash cards. Or, you can even purchase a gift certificate so parents can make their own set for your grandchild. You may also appreciate the fact that Goosie Cards were invented by a new mom who saw a unique opportunity to enhance early learning — as well as the fact that they’re made in the USA. Another classic product with a new twist, and executed perfectly!
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We all lead busy lives, and today’s kids are no exception — often running from school and work to sports and other activities, then rushing home to do homework, have dinner, and hopefully get enough sleep… only to do it all again the next day. Weekends and school vacations are sometimes the only time family members really have to relax, play, spend time together, and… talk. Talks don’t always have to be serious, and sometimes just plain silliness is the best way to connect. Other times (and I suspect we don’t use these moments nearly enough) are great for discussion, and getting to know each other — even if you think you already know all there is to know. Meanings in Motion life skills card deck is a new activity developed by a social worker who counsels children of all ages. It’s basically a tool to help us all — regardless of age — to do some self-reflecting. The card deck is actually a fun way to remind us of some important qualities and life skills we should use and exhibit throughout life. Each card prompts us to ask ourselves, and each other, questions relating to these practices (and how they make us feel), and we respond to these questions as honestly and accurately as possible. Of course, the depth of responses can vary radically depending on the age of the family member, but what’s so unique and refreshing is that grandparents, parents, children, and other family members or friends, are all on the same playing level — and there are no wrong answers! One great place to start with a younger child is the “feelings” card, the illustrated side featuring simple smiley faces, silly faces, sad faces, confused faces… you get the picture. The questions on the back include: “why do we have feelings,” “what purpose do they serve,” “what is one feeling you struggle with the most,” and “can you have more than one feeling at a time.” Some of the other life skills highlighted in the cards are: integrity, gratitude, honesty, compassion, self-esteem, positive thinking, forgiveness, building boundaries, balance, empathy, creativity, and peace (a state of calm). Now you see why this is a great activity for all family members of any age. We can all use these reminders, and talking to each other about how these qualities come into our lives can only bring us closer together. In addition to carefully crafted questions, each card also includes suggested activities. For instance, the “positive thinking” card suggests limiting exposure to negativity, choosing to be around positive people, and avoiding negative gossip and bad news. It also suggests reading inspirational books and poems, and re-telling stories that you’ve found to be uplifting. Another thing that makes Meanings in Motion successful is that each card is so beautifully designed. The sturdy, laminated, oversized cards feature colorful, whimsical, and often comical photographs and illustrations to represent the idea each card is meant to convey. For instance, the card dealing with “diversity” features a full tray of donuts, all decorated in their own unique way, yet all looking equally delicious. Meanings in Motion is a different kind of gift, for sure. But it has the potential to help family members of all ages with their own individual self-development, while at the same time bringing everyone closer together.
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Dear President Obama: Letters of Hope from Children Across America$17.95 at Amazon.com |
Children in America were well aware that history was made in November 2008, but their thoughts and reactions were bound to get lost among the flurry of news reports and adult conversations. That’s why it’s refreshing to read this new collection of children’s letters to President Obama, complete with hopes, fears, well-wishes, illustrations, and expressions of downright elation. Children ages 4 – 18 from all areas of the U.S. are represented and have a lot to say. Some of the letters made me smile — kids have been know to do that! For instance, I got a chuckle out of “Have fun at the White House,” “Do you believe in ghosts,” and much more. Other letters made me realize just how aware kids are of what our country’s issues are. Questions like, “Is the White House Eco-Friendly,” and “P.S. I’m 8 years old and I want to change the world. How Can I,” are just a sampling of some of the thoughts going through kids’ minds. 200 letters and drawings were collected by journalists Bruce Kluger and David Tabatsky immediately following the election. Linda Ellerbee wrote the Foreword, a nice addition that does not outshine the very real sentiment expressed by our youngest, yet extremely active and concerned citizens. Letters to President Obama makes a great gift for your grandkids, but adults will equally appreciate it.
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Squiggle On-The-Go doodle pads are a super creative travel activity. We surprised our kids (4 and 7) with them last week as we began a fairly long drive towards our vacation destination. They immediately began creating, and the more they doodled, the bigger their smiles and sillier their giggles became! Squiggle pads are a cleverly simple concept. Each sheet contains a “squiggle,” or randomly drawn line that your grandchild can use as the basis for their own creative doodle, or full-blown picture. Most of the sets also include a spinning wheel for added game-like dimension. For instance, the original Squiggle On-The-Go (shown here, 5 and up), has you spin and land on any of the letters A through D, each letter corresponding with a different side of the doodle pad. Your grandchild then rotates the pad so that the letter spun is at the top of the pad. However the squiggle line appears in that position is the starting point for their picture. How my son immediately envisioned (and then skillfully drew) a scarecrow in front of a farm — all from just a slightly curved line — is beyond me. It’s all in the way each child sees things — everyone potentially seeing something different — sort of like looking at clouds, or a Rorschach picture. Kids 4 and up will enjoy the themed Sguiggles, such as: Shapes and Colors, which has them draw pictures from shapes; Alphabet, where they spin and land on a letter, then draw a picture from the letter; and Barnyard, where they spin and land on an animal, and then draw that animal from the squiggle line provided on each sheet. Each pad comes with a small travel pencil (Shapes and Colors comes with four colored pencils for coloring/filling in), and the sheets easily tear off the pad. You can either leave the sheets on the pad, or carry a little ziplock bag to easily store all of the completed sheets. Squiggle On-The-Go is a simple yet clever and creative concept — a welcomed alternative to today’s typically electronic road-trip activities. Available through the link below or at all Barnes & Noble locations.
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MunchMats Nutrition for the Brain$19.95 per set at MunchMats |
MunchMats educational and interactive learning placemats have my kids completely engaged in what I would call “school work that’s fun.” They are essentially a version of what restaurants sometimes provide — disposable paper activity sheets that double as placemats. But MunchMats are full-color and bursting with outstandingly-designed curriculum and learning objectives. MunchMats are sold in sets of 30 original sheets for 3 different age groups and 3 different themes: colors, shapes, letters and numbers for ages 3-6; the alphabet for ages 4-7; and U.S. geography for ages 8-12. As you can imagine, in the 3-6 year-old placemats, there is a lot of tracing of letters and numbers encouraged, along with coloring, counting and number sequencing activities, word searches, mazes and much more. In the alphabet-themed MunchMats for ages 4-7, there’s a great Pictionary Matching game, where a word definition can be read by your grandchildren (or you can read it to them). They then draw a line from the definition to the picture of the word, and then a line from the picture to the actual word. There are also fun fill-in-the-blanks activities, hidden picture puzzles, rhyming activities, and on and on. Regarding the geography-themed mats for ages 8-12, combing through each of the sheets is like taking a virtual cross-country trip (complete with great pictures) with a lot of extra information, such as facts about each region, famous landmarks, map-reading (including latitude and longitude), state abbreviations, common road signs, locations of famous people and events, etc. Each MunchMats 30-pack is printed using vegetable ink, and comes with a parent (or grandparent) lesson plan, a review page, and certificate of completion. It also comes with a large sturdy plastic zip-lock carrying case for storage in the car, at home, etc. I can think of so many uses for MunchMats. Aside from simply encouraging quiet learning time at home, they are invaluable for travel, in restaurants, etc. You can even tear off a sheet or two, fold it up and keep it in your purse for when the need arises. For an additional $12.95, you can purchase a MunchMats lap board that enables your grandchild to work on the activities in the car, on a plane, or anywhere where a table is not available. This is such a great opportunity for many hours of interactive learning time with your grandchild — and it’s fun!
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Ask Magazine, for kids ages 7-10, is one of several kids educational magazines by Carus Publishing (see our review of Muse Magazine). Ask’s articles focus on arts and sciences, answering questions a grandchild might ask (for instance, Why do we sleep?), in articles that are in-depth and appropriate for kids this age. The Case of the Disappearing Bees, an article appearing in the September 2008 issue, discusses the current crisis that is stumping beekeepers and scientists, and scaring farmers, food manufacturers and all of us who eat the crops bees have always dutifully pollinated. The article’s content is challenging, yet not over the top. An adult would probably need to read along with a 7 or 8 year old, and a 9 or 10 year-old would enjoy reading and learning on their own. Another great article, titled, Say Cheese! The Science of Smiling, discusses the many types of human smiles, as well as those of some animals, such as monkeys. Ask Magazine also includes shorter news stories, called, Scoops, as well as comic strips, contests and letters. A subscription to Ask Magazine makes a great year-long birthday or holiday gift idea. Stay tuned for reviews of more great kids magazines, such as: Babybug Magazine for infants to 3 years; Ladybug Magazine & Click Magazine for ages 3-6; Spider Magazine and Appleseeds for ages 6-9; and Cricket Magazine, Dig Magazine (all about archaeology!), Faces Magazine (about people, places and culture), and more, for ages 9-14.
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Think It Ink It creative writing kits for kids are like mini creative writing courses, with tools and templates to help your grandchild get the juices flowing, while gaining a sense of completion and satisfaction as they literally publish their own storybook. Choose from four professionally illustrated wordless picture books — with illustrations that are playful and colorful, and that invoke a sense of wonder. The kit includes a sticky-note pad and pencil for the budding author to write a rough draft of the copy to accompany the illustrations and complete their storybook. There are also plenty of helpful tips for the child authors, as well as for adults who may be helping them. The first two pages of each book are instructions that can be read by your grandchildren or can be read aloud to them. They mainly consist of questions to assist with the creative process. For example, in Phase I, or the “Think It” phase, they may want to ask themselves: Who are the characters in the story? What are their names? What happens in the story? How does the story end? In Phase II, or the “Ink It” phase, they can begin writing or dictating their story onto their sticky notes, which then get placed on the appropriate pages with corresponding illustrations. There are similar questions they should ask themselves to guide them in the writing process, such as: What is happening in this picture? Then what happened? And, so on. Finally, in Phase III, or the “Publish It” phase, there are two options for publishing the storybook. One way is for your grandchild (or a helpful adult) to write, or “ink” the story directly into the template book, where the book’s title and author’s name can be written on the front cover. That is how it works if you purchase one of the Think It Ink It kits for $9.95. Or, for a more professional look, and for $29.95, their story can be written online via the company’s website, and then published into a custom hardcover book that includes the author’s photo and bio on the back cover. Either option makes a wonderful gift and a definite keepsake to mark another step in your grandchild’s understanding of the creative process and the power of words.
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