The title of this book by Barney Saltzberg could have been,  “Mistakes are OK,” or “Hooray for Mistakes,” or maybe, “Hmm, Now What Do I Do?”  The unexpected often happens, and learning to be flexible is an essential life skill.  Kids can be particularly sensitive when something goes wrong––this book teaches about making lemonade from lemons in a fun, entertaining way.

“Beautiful Oops” is an interactive book.  Kids can lift flaps, poke fingers into holes, pull out an accordion “telescope,”  and examine an alligator’s mouth.  There are overlays and pop-ups all demonstrating the ability to turn a mistake––a smudge, smear, drip, tear and other such mishaps into something creative and beautiful.  Exceptional in every way!

I was so surprised when I saw the book, People, written and illustrated by Peter Spier in a bookstore in California.  My gosh, we had that book at Little Folks in the mid 80′s.  Those were the days when it was very difficult to find photographs or illustrations in books or posters or even wooden people and dolls in any color but white.   We’ve come a long way, baby!

I purchased this amazing book for my grandson.  He will be three in a few months and true to developmental stages, he has started to notice that people are different — their skin color, their hair, their eyes and the clothes they wear.   Of course the book gets into languages, transportation, and celebrations.  The ideas for curriculum are awesome and i noticed there are some lesson plans online.  Check this book out, you won’t regret it!

As I’ve said before, I hardly ever find a parenting book I can recommend wholeheartedly, but I’ve found another one! Dr. Mehmet Oz, host of television’s The Dr. Oz Show, and Dr. Michael Roizen, chair of the Wellness Institute of the Cleveland Clinic, have written a new book, You Raising Your Child:  The Owner’s Manual from First Breath to First Grade It’s loaded with information, from troubleshooting health issues to the fine art of discipline.

The back jacket says, “Imagine child development––and your child’s journey through life––as a ride down a long, often unpredictable river.  You are the guide, there to control the direction and speed that you travel.”  There’s some great stuff in here about brain development––and it’s written in terms we can all understand.  Learn about the various approaches to parenting, and find out if you’re a Marshmallow Mommy or an Iron Maiden, a Pudding Pop or an Iron Master.  The goal is to reach middle ground and be an effective parent. This book is worth adding to your body of knowledge concerning the joyful but daunting parenting journey.  There’s lots of information caregivers in all settings can appreciate as well.

Forget being a princess, Isabella takes a journey through history pretending to be powerful, legendary females from Sally Ride the first female astronaut to Rosa Parks, the activist, and Marie Curie, the scientist.  Of course, we learn that Isabella thinks it’s pretty special to be the greatest mom in the world, too!  This beautiful book by author and mom Jennifer Fosberry introduces boys and girls to female role models who have achieved great things.  Mike Litwin, the illustrator, captures Isabella and her spirit for adventure perfectly.

In the back of the book is a “Women Who Changed the World” section that includes short biographies of the women Isabella aspired to be.  This book has Girl Power written on every page!

I’m a little skeptical about DVD’s for babies and toddlers so when I was asked to review the Baby’s First Words Series produced by So Smart, I was not enthusiastic. Luckily for me, my almost 2-year-old grandson was more open-minded and so we watched it together. He barely moved a muscle and being the critic that really matters we sat there together and watched all five skits. The characters Edward the dog, Iggy the pig, DeeDee the duck, and Larry the lion are precious, and their high contrast images are perfect for very young children. These engaging characters introduce new words while exploring common themes of Sounds in my House, Taking a Bath, Hiding in the House, Where is Edward’s House?, and Clean-up Time.

I appreciated a DVD that was not frantically blasting music and movement faster than my grandson could process it. The series is developed for 1-3 year-olds and the gentle, rhythmic pace is a winner with me. It gives children an opportunity to listen and watch at a pace their eyes and brain can keep up with. The follow-up questions at the end of each adventure were perfect. Printable activities can be downloaded from their website:  www.SoSmart.com. I highly recommend that you check this award winning company out. They also produce CD’s for older children.

Take a look at this book and you’ll go beyond Ants on a Log!  Most of us have spread a piece of celery with cream cheese, tucked in a few raisins, called it “ants on a log” and watched in amazement as children scarfed them down like candy! That recipe has been around for a couple of decades, and we need more!

Gryphon House has just published a new book titled Snacktivities! 50 Edible Activities for Parents and Children by MaryAnn F. Kohl and Jean Potter. It’s loaded with creative food ideas that will have children munching on snacks like Abacus Waffles, Snow White Snowflakes, and Nest in a Blanket.  Sound delicious and fun?  Try a few of these easy recipes and they’ll become favorites!

I Always, Always Get My Way by Thad Krasnesky, David Parkins, illustrator, is hilarious.  Three-year-old Emmy  gets into all kinds of sticky situations, but she wiggles and pouts her way out, because, after all––she’s only three.  Big brother and sister get in trouble for Emmy’s wild behavior, and their patience begins to wear thin.  When Steve, the Iguana, mysteriously escapes his cage and the over-flowing bathtub, Emmy is finally sent to her room.  Even her sweetest plea to mom and dad, “Don’t blame me.  Did you forget?  I’m only three!” can’t save her this time!

This book will be a favorite for years to come.  The illustrations are amazing and children (and adults) will be eager to turn page after page.

My Silly Body and Book by P. Hanson and Eric Nagourney engages children right away with a life-size, interactive,        cardboard cut-out figure that folds out of the book.  It includes lift-and-learn flaps that reveal the inside of the body––heart, intestines, and the brain.  Flip the figure over and children can examine an x-ray like skeleton with all of the bones in place from the skull to the tiny bones in fingers and toes.

The book is filled with 64 pages of information on how the body works and includes experiments, jokes, and even takes children on a journey of the digestive system to find out why we eat what we eat.  Finally, a book that can unlock the mysteries of the body to young children.  I love it and I even learned a few things myself!

You have probably seen the Good Night Our World series in all kinds of places from libraries to airports. Each board book celebrates a certain area or topic such as Denver, Montreal, California, the Beach or the Farm.  But Good Night World, the latest book in the series allows toddlers and preschoolers to travel the planet just before they’re tucked into their own cozy beds for the night.  As if mountains, dinosaur digs, and volcanoes aren’t enough to stimulate the curiosity of any child, this board book introduces children to camel rides in the desert, kayaking on the Arctic and a quick tour of the Great Wall of China.

New and exciting vocabulary words are just a page away, and new concepts like protecting wetlands, cleaning up beaches, and conserving water and electricity are presented in rhyming words and colorful illustrations little kids can understand. The book ends with that wonder of all wonders, gazing at the stars above.

This Spanish program has won awards galore!  And it’s no wonder.  Whistlefritz, which produces The Spanish for Beginners series is irresistible.  I watched Adentro y Afuera (Inside & Out) with my daughter and twenty-two-month-old grandson.  He had a one word response, “more” which I’m sure he will be saying in Spanish soon!  And my daughter wanted to borrow the video until she could purchase it.

The DVD features a proven Spanish immersion technique.  It engages children immediately with teacher Maria, an adorable group of children, and Fritzi the mouse.   We learn all around the house and if that’s not enough fun, we go outside for picnics, playground adventures, and hide and seek!  While children watch, they are learning Spanish in a hands-on way that is meaningful in their world.   Whistlefritz is a great Spanish immersion program for individual families, but it’s also perfect for preschools, schools, and other child care programs.   Check out the website: whistlefritz.com to order and to learn more about their other products.