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By Mom Unplugged, July 15, 2007 10:36 am

This is a book that can be read on many different levels.

You could take the tale literally and say that it is about the life-cycle of an acorn. Or you could take a more metaphysical view and say that the book teaches how we are all part of one another, all made up of the same “stuff”…we are all one with nature and each other. Maybe this is a tale of letting go of fears and realizing how far you can go. You could even say the story is a life and death metaphor.

Whatever you choose to see in this lovely book, your kids will see a beautiful, comforting story, vividly illustrated, of a single little acorn and all it becomes…even after death.

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By Mom Unplugged, June 20, 2007 8:37 pm

This is a find-it alphabet book with a twist. The challenge is to find each letter of the alphabet in very realistic paintings of scenes of city-life (New York City is the inspiration). Some letters are very obvious, others not so easy.

I did an experiment, and upon opening the book randomly, the letters were hidden well enough that I couldn’t always figure out what I should be looking for. But if I went through the book in order so that I KNEW what was supposed to come next, it was easy (for me as an adult), but often quite cleverly disguised.

This is a really fun book for pre-readers (no words, just letters to search for) and readers alike. It is a great travel book, or one to keep in the car. It really makes both kids and adults learn to look at everyday objects with new eyes.

The artwork is truly amazing and each page is a pleasure to look at. No wonder it is a Caldecott Honor Book!

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By Mom Unplugged, April 19, 2007 10:01 pm

I found this little book at a garage sale for 10 cents. Even if you are not that lucky and have to pay full price for it, it is well worth it!

This is a book of poems all about penguins, that are both very amusing and educational. This is not high literature, but these poems are so clever, that even I enjoy reading them! Kids will learn a lot about penguins as they laugh.

To give you an idea, the titles of the poems are the following:

• A Hatchling’s Song
• Mother Penguin’s Vacation
• My Father’s Feet
• Regurgitate (my kids’ favorite)
• I Am Looking For My Mother
• Penguins’ First Swim
• Predator Riddles
• Diary of a Very Short Winter Day
• Belly Sliding
• Be My Penguin
• Antarctic Anthem

If you have a penguin-lover in your family, then you MUST get this book! Also, check out this very cool live wild penguin webcam from Antarctica that I found recently!

Gentoo Penguins, Base O’Higgins, Antarctica

Isn’t the Internet amazing? It looks pretty cold there, doesn’t it!

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By Mom Unplugged, April 1, 2007 3:24 pm

I discovered this book at Chinaberry about five years ago, when my oldest daughter was one. She LOVED it, then my son LOVED it, in fact this book was starting to be loved to pieces.

Just as my youngest daughter is getting to the age where books are of interest, I was fortunate enough recently to find a brand new hardcover copy of it in our grocery store bargain book bin for about $5.00! I snapped it up and now we have a nice new copy for the baby.

Like all DK books, the photos are simple and colorful. This book is arranged into 33 chapters such as “Around The Home,” “Clothes,” “Noises,” “Me And My Body.” Each chapter consists of one or two pages of many fascinating photos related to that topic, each with a one word caption.

The pictures in this book promise hours of investigation and learning opportunities for many ages. Little ones like looking at the pictures while being told what it is. Older children might try to read the accompanying word.

I am looking forward to watching a third child thoroughly enjoy every picture in this book!

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By Mom Unplugged, March 27, 2007 10:04 am

While we are on the subject of picky eaters, I want to feature a cool book that teaches kids that the world does not revolve around mac & cheese. I have already written a post about this book, but since it is SUCH a great book, I thought I ought to write about it again.

The book is called Let’s Eat: What Children Eat Around the World (author Beatrice Hollyer). Each chapter features a child from one of five countries: India, France, South Africa, Mexico and Thailand. Through text and numerous colorful photos, we see a bit of their daily lives and the food involved, as well as a festival or a special day involving food.

At the end there are also five easy recipes, one from each child: Condensed Milk Tart (South Africa), Tomato Salsa (Mexico), Thai Fried Eggs, French Chocolate Cake, and Coconut Sweet (India). None of these is shockingly exotic, but some might introduce a bit of a new taste to American palates. Reading a chapter of this book and then cooking the corresponding recipe could be a fun “Kids Cook Night” activity.

An added bonus: all royalties go to Oxfam, so by buying the book, you are actually helping children and families around the world too!

PS: “Great Diaper Challenge” update: Sorry we have not started yet. The baby is suffering from some sort of gastrointestinal bug so I thought it best to wait until her digestive tract and her mood have returned to normal before we try out the new gDiapers!