Great Gifts For Your Kids

The cold and eventful festive days are coming up quickly, which means lots of fun events for adults but long stuffy days indoors for kids! Being stuck inside during holidays can be boring, making your little ones cranky.

Let me introduce to you some creative solutions to beat the hard-to-cure holiday cabin fever! Cooper and Kid–creatively curated kits designed especially for kids to have fun while learning. Squirrel King–craft kits that transform a child’s reality into an imaginative world of colorful squirrels and the homes they live in. And last but not least, Zoonicorns–the unique combination of unicorns and zebras into adventurous plush toys, with a creative children’s book to bring the characters to life.

STEM learning kits

Cooper and Kid is all about making dad cool again and doing what matters most–bonding with the kids! Cooper & Kid has everything a dad needs in the winter for educational fun (think STEM) with his kids! Each Cooper Kit is fun-in-a-box with endless hours of amusement…no more mindless TV shows! Each kit contains a huge box of fun, with themed projects, toys, books and ideas that dads and kids will truly enjoy. Together they can build rocket ships, take off with sky lanterns or explore the world of butterflies — there is so much to create and discover!

An activity book guides dads through the theme and the contents of the box for hours of fun. Plus, the shipping box turns into a toy too! Sign up for the Cooper & Kid subscription online and every three months a Cooper kit is delivered to dad at home. The subscription price is $65 per quarter.

pic5

The fun, unique and ingenious Squirrel King kits are a swirl of intellect, engineering and creativity delivered with a hands-on approach that inspires a thirst for knowledge. Designed for ages 8 and up, the Build with Stickers kits combine two things kids love — stickers and building. Each colorful kit includes novel stickering techniques — no glue involved — and all the materials for children to build, create and explore, making awesome toys in the process…and making those rainy days educational and fun! With Build with Stickers kits, STEM (science, technology, education and math) principles are explored in an age-appropriate manner.

pic6

The new Build with Stickers Kits are available on the Squirrel King Craft website and at select retail stores, priced from $5.99 to $7.99. The original Squirrel King Craft kit is also available on the website and in over 200 stores across the country, and in a range of choices for $9.99 to $69.99.
pic6

Zoonicorns are enriching youth with life adventures™ and creating wonderful imaginative worlds.  My son really enjoyed the book and the plush zoonicorn- something to cuddle and a friend to take to bed later and give him good dreams, just like the young animal in the story.  He thought that was fun.  As my child often has bad dreams, this was comforting to him.   The book was cute, with an easy to follow story and adorable illustrations.  I would recommend this to any parents with young children of either gender.

Fairy-tale Zoonicorns are enchanting creatures that pop up in the dreams of young zoo animals. Zoonicorns are unique, plush toys for children that a combine an exotic animal (zebra) and a mythical creature (unicorn). The Zoonicorn herd is ready for adventure in the enchanting world of your youngster’s imagination and keep them occupied for hours on end.

Super-soft Valeo is the leader of the Zoonicorn pack, who likes to pal around with animal friends like African giraffes. Shy and gentle Promithea is a good friend who can be trusted to keep your little one’s secrets. Playful Ene likes to catch forty winks before bouncing to life to rumble and tumble with. Outgoing Aliel loves to speed around and will challenge any kid to keep up with her.

Each Zoonicorn is $9.99 or you can get the entire family plus children’s book for $49.91

Great Books for Snoopy and Disney Princess Fans

This winter, Thunder Bay Press presents three titles perfect for any pop culture fan’s collection: The Snoopy Treasures by Peanuts expert Nat Gertler, Disney Frozen Crochet by Kati Gálusz, and Disney Princess Crochet by Jana Whitley and Jessica Ward

Timed to the release of The Peanuts Movie, The Snoopy Treasures (November 2015; $34.95; ISBN: 978-1-62686-440-5) tells the story of everyone’s favorite beagle from the beloved childhood pet who inspired his creation, to his status as a cultural icon and beyond.

pic4

This comprehensive guide is divided into 12 sections covering Snoopy’s origins, his alter egos from Joe Cool to the Flying Ace, his family at the Daisy Hill Puppy Farm, his friends in the beloved Peanuts gang, and his prevalence in pop culture – in songs, movies, books, plays, parades, museums, and even NASA, who named a lunar landing module after him as they prepared to put man on the moon in 1969.

Each page features original Peanuts panels, side-by-side comparisons showing the evolution of Snoopy into the universally recognizable style we know today, photographs from the Schulz museum, and ten pieces of pullout memorabilia: an original Schulz drawing, a Snoopy baseball pennant (popular dorm décor in the 60s and 70s), a letter from President Ronald Reagan to Schulz, a bookmark, a bumper sticker, a punch out model of the Red Baron’s plane, the last Peanuts strip ever printed, and more.

Lifelong fans and first-timers alike will discover something new within the pages of this in-depth compendium, making The Snoopy Treasures the perfect holiday gift for Snoopy lovers of all ages.

disney frozen

Disney Frozen Crochet (November 2015; $24.95; ISBN: 978-1-62686-443-6): Do you want to crochet a snowman? How about Elsa and Anna, too? Let it go and create all twelve cuddly characters from the Frozen tundra! All the materials you need to create Elsa and Anna are included, and your creativity is sure to snowball from there. The Queen of Cold and all her friends will make great gifts, or adorable additions to your own collection. Don’t hesitate! For the first time in forever, let these characters melt your heart.

  • 12 adorable crochet characters, including Elsa, Anna, Olaf, Sven, and more!
  • Step-by-step instructions accompanied by full-color photos in a 76-page book.
  • All the materials you need to make Elsa and Anna are included.
  • Kit includes 8 colors of yarn, crochet hook, stuffing, safety eye beads, 4 colors of embroidery floss, tulle, and a tapestry needle.

disney princesses

Disney Princess Crochet (November 2015; $24.95; ISBN: 978-1-62686-444-3): Create 12 of Disney’s most enchanting characters! A full-color, 76-page instruction book with detailed patterns and colorful photos will guide you from “once upon a time” to “happily ever after” using your yarn and hook. To start you off, the kit includes all the materials needed to create Cinderella and Ariel. Each amigurumi princess is sure to be a treasured part of any crochet collection!

  • Detailed instructions to make 11 Disney princesses— Ariel, Cinderella, Belle, Aurora, Jasmine, Tiana, Rapunzel, Mulan, Snow White, Pocahontas, and Merida—and Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother.
  • Full-color photos accompany step-by-step instructions in a 76-page book.
  • Kit includes 9 colors of yarn, crochet hook, stuffing, safety eye beads, red embroidery

floss, and a tapestry needle.

  • Featured projects are Cinderella and Ariel.

Operation ResCUTE Book & Plush Set – Gives Back to Pets @OpResCute

Have you heard of the inspirational non-profit called Operation ResCUTE™ ($29.99), packaged for young readers as a book-and-plush set. It stars the true-life-story of Jingles, a homeless puppy in New York City that gets to live happily ever after. Youngsters discover (as they snuggle with their plush pup) that shelters are full of friendly faces. With the purchase of this boxed set, they become a ResCUTER.

pic7

It’s no wonder Operation ResCUTE is getting two paws up from animal lovers of all ages. The illustrated book is written from the dog’s point of view, in her own voice. After reading the storybook, kids will want to share the importance of being a ResCUTER, a solution to shelter dog adoption. Packaged in a cage-like gift box, the book and plush pal opens their eyes to the many four-legged friends locked away in cages, longing for a loving home. And it really happened to Jingles.

20150916_230437

We have our own adopted dog, and usually a foster dog as well, so we loved this story as well as the idea of ResCUTE.  Giving a gift that is not only cute and sweet but also gives back is one we can fully support.  Kids on your list and any animal lover would appreciate this adorable gift set.

pic4

Like many happy-ending stories, this one began tragically when NYC marketing powerhouse Laurie Brown-Nagin spotted an Animal Control Officer carrying a puppy to a pro-bono veterinarian. The animal lover and mom fell in love with Jingles, the shelter pooch that desperately needed a warm, loving home. As a marketing researcher, Brown-Nagin discovered only 30 percent of pets in homes come from shelters and rescue organizations. Worse, an estimated 2.7 million healthy pets remain in shelters each year! She started a non-profit, www.OperationRescute.com, and used her years of marketing prowess to package this inspiring boxed set for the next generation to read and feel empowered to make a difference.

During this season of giving, parents and grandparents can give a pawsitive present, with 100% of profits going directly toward helping shelter dogs get adopted. Brown-Nagin reports that profits will be used by shelters for marketing /outreach efforts for placement of dogs with families.

Operation ResCUTE Book & Plush Set • $29.99 • Ages 3+

Jingles the dog, the first in the Operation ResCUTE series, shows youngsters the value of opening their hearts and helping someone/something less fortunate. Each boxed set includes an illustrated book and huggable plush pup. Animal shelters give it two paws up! For sale at Amazon.com.

Win National Geographic Kid’s Books

National Geographic Kid’s Books Fall season is in full swing with several titles that are perfect for holiday gift giving as well as year round reading.   Long after the video games and toys have lost their allure, kids will keep coming back to big, bold, and beautiful books that catch their eye and capture their imagination. Below are a selection of topnotch books for kids of all ages — and also one great recommendation for a memorable and thoughtful teacher’s gift.

pic3

Treasury of Norse Mythology:  Stories of Intrigue, Trickery, Love and Revenge by Donna Jo Napoli (ages 8-12, $24.99) — Kids are fascinated by Norse mythology and thanks to the blockbuster movie franchise The Avengers and Rick Riordan’s highly anticipated Norse mythology fiction series debuting this Fall, these ancient tales of Scandinavia have never been hotter. The Treasury of Norse Mythology  makes a great gift for fans to delve more into their favorite characters, like Thor, Loki and Odin. The classic tales come to life with page after page of beautiful illustrations featuring the gods, goddesses, heroes and monsters of Norse myths.
Ultimate Weird But True! 3 (ages 8-12, $19.99) — Have a fact-loving tween?  Over 1,000 of the weirdest facts coupled with amazing graphics and photos packaged in an oversized gift-giving-worthy format makes this book a slam dunk selection for avid readers, reluctant readers and boys and girls alike.
NG Kids Why?:  Over 1,111 Answers to Everything by Crispin Boyer (ages 8-12, $19.99 ) – The concept is simple. Got a question? Well now you have an answer! 1,111 of them, in fact. Want to know why your snot is yellow? Flip to the human body chapter. What’s on the inside of a turtle shell? The animal section’s got you covered. What’s in the deepest part of the ocean? Why doesn’t Earth just float off into space? Check, check, and check. With hundreds of topics ranging from silly to serious, this book has the expert information kids need in a fun and entertaining format that will keep them digging for answers.
pic4
Ultimate Reptile-opedia: The Most Complete Reptile Reference Ever – (ages 7-10, $24.99) – Snakey, slimey, scaley, and sensational! Welcome to the amazing world of the most popular reptiles on Earth. With colorful photographs and fun facts, this easy-to-use encyclopedia profiles snakes, lizards, amphibians, turtles and tortoises, crocodilians, and tuatara. Profiles are accompanied by Did You Know? details and fast facts including scientific name, size, diet, and habitat.
STOCKING STUFFER – 100 Things to Make You Happy (ages 8-12, $9.99) – Sized perfectly to fit into a stocking, this cheerful and inspirational book will make kids go “WOW!” and “Awwww” in equal measure. It’s packed with adorable animal facts, heartwarming nuggets from history, snippets of cool new science, amazing photography, inspirational advice from Nat Geo explorers, and fascinating weird-but-true facts. Sprinkled throughout are expert tips, jokes, quotes, and exercises to boost kids’ dose of daily joy and get them actively involved in their own well-being.
GREAT FOR TEACHERS — National Geographic Book of Nature Poetry (ages 4-8, pub date 10/13/15, $24.99) – Beloved former U.S. Poet Laureate J. Patrick Lewis curates a collection of over 200 poems celbrating the natural world, coupled with photographs that float, zoom and bloom!. From trickling streams to deafening thunderstorms to soaring mountains, discover majestic photography perfectly paired with contemporary (such as Billy Collins), classics (such as Robert Frost), and never-before-published works.
One of you can win these books.  Feel free to enter below using the RC form.  Good luck!  Ends Nov 23, 2015.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Rootlets – Cute Children’s Book

Disclosure: The Rootlets – Super Rootabilities was provided for me in order to facilitate my review. All opinions are my own and honest. I am disclosing this in accordance to FTC Guidelines. Please see “Disclose” tab for more information.
Rootlets

As you already know, I definitely love new books. I could read a book everyday and not ever get bored or tired with reading. I love when I find great new stories for my girls, and I must say that Rootlets did not disappoint.

About Rootlets:

The Rootlets: Super Rootabilities was created and written by Vicki Marquez and illustrated by Jeremy Russnak, introduces readers to the Rootlets – Brocc, Carrotina, Cornelius and Kaley – who live on Planet Planted in the town of VeggieVille with their dog, Basil, and their guardian and caretaker Yammy Grammy, who plucked them from the ground when they were just sprouts. Hilariously fun with bright, bold, colorful illustrations. The Rootlets: Super Rootabilities is a thrilling journey that showcases the super powers of plant-based foods and explores the magic of friendship and imagination.

[Read more…]

Review and Giveaway- Little Gestalten Books

There are seemingly no end to the good reasons that parents should read to their children, not the least of which is the simple act of bonding time. I read with my son all the time, but he knows that as part of his bed time ritual, he gets his song, his story, his “made up” story, and then we have to put good dreams into his head.  It’s kind of a long story how that came about, and bedtime starts about 40 minutes before actual bedtime, but it’s a nice way to end the night.

We are always looking for great new books.  We find them everywhere- the bookstore, the library, book sales at his school book swaps- you name it.  His newest books are really beautiful, and something a little different.  If you are a big reader, and have little ones who love to read (or to be read to), you will want to check out the new Berlin-based children’s book publisher Little Gestalten and their debut line of beautiful, high concept, totally unique picture books. Critically acclaimed, The New York Times Style Section says “Little Gestalten….marries thoughtful storytelling with supercool visuals.”

pic7Issun Boshi: The One Inch Boy – This classic Japanese fairy tale tells the story of Issun Boshi, the tiny son of an old, long childless couple. His mother had longed to have a child for so many years that she finally added “even if it is a very small one” to her wish. When the elderly couple did in fact bear a son, he turned out to be only one inch high. He was thus called Issun Boshi, Japanese for one-inch boy. Tiny and brave — these are the two most striking characteristics of Issun Boshi. Although his parents raised him very lovingly, Issun Boshi realized one day that he would not grow any taller. He then left his home to set off on a journey to find his place in the world.
[Read more…]

Cricket Magazine – Ask (Just for Kids!)

Disclosure- I am a Cricket Media Ambassador, and received the below in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own and honest.  For more information, see “I Disclose”.

ask magazine

My son with this month’s magazine

Over the next few months, we will be featuring a line of Cricket Media magazines. For our second feature we will be featuring Cricket’s science and arts magazine Ask. This month’s feature is Ask, geared toward 7-10 year olds.

The key feature of Ask revolves around arts and science to keep curious minds interested. With either answering good questions about the environment and creatures around them of explaining some difficult concepts in terms kids can understand Ask tackles some fun topics like what do to if you see a bear and even has some experiments such as making a field journal and comic strips too.

easy reader magazineSome of Ask’s recurring sections include Marvin and Friends, which follow a case of characters who comment on the articles in the margins, Contests and Letters which is a section with contributions by readers, Scoops, Ask Jimmy and the Bug and many more.
[Read more…]

Belfry’s Christmas Gift – Children’s Book

If you are looking for a sweet book to add to your Christmas collection this year, Let me suggest “Belfry‘s Christmas Gift“, the second book in the ‘Tales of Little Overhill’ series. Written by Mike Joens, this adorable tale revolves around Belfry, a cute woodland animal who is trying to think of the perfect gift to give to Theo for Christmas.  Along the way, he comes across the village curmudgeon, who he tries to befriend.

According to my son (7 years old), he says that in the book, “it shows just because you look mean on the outside, doesn’t mean that you are really a bad guy.  And God loves you how you are, no matter what.”

Belfry’s Christmas Gift is a really great book for kids of all ages, to tell the true meaning of Christmas.  The book is also fun for them to hear, and the animals are always a good touch for children (what child doesn’t love animals?).  The book is beautifully illustrated by Len Simon, with the images and expressions just right for kids.  The animals are cute and cuddly (well, most of them!) and the scenery is pretty- we all know that we are visual creatures, and that the illustrations for kids especially are nearly as important as the story to keep them interested.  They will love both the pictures and the story here, and it’s available now in time for the holidays for just under $15.
[Read more…]