It isn’t often that I stumble upon a book that I believe needs to be added to EVERY parent’s bookshelf, but this is definitely one of them!  With a title like if your kid eats this book, everything will still be okay it’s immediately obvious that Lara Zibners, MD has written a book completely unlike anything else out there.

If you have a friend that is expecting a baby…give them this book, if you have just become a grandparent or have friends who recently had a child and you would like to give them a great book just because….give them this book.   Get the idea…buy this book for every parent you know.

It’s funny, intelligent, witty, honest, medically balanced and definitely a great read!  You won’t find this to be one of those boring medical how-to or info books that you can read to go to sleep!  With this book you’ll be sucked in and drawn to read chapters on subjects that you know you may never need to know about, but it’s funny to hear what she has to say about it anyway.

Just an example….as I was reading through it to present to all of you, I stumbled upon the section on Colic.  If you have never had a child with colic, or been very close to someone who has, you will have absolutely NO understanding or appreciation for the amazing advice being given in this section.  I called my sister…the queen of daughters with colic (and figuring out how to cope with it) and read the entire section to her knowing full well that she would LOVE it…she did!  She especially loved that Dr. Zibners mentioned the only book that has gotten my sister through her two girls with colic.  Prompting me to give Dr. Zibners two thumbs up…and a big ole hug from my sis!

Author, Lara Zibners, MD (an emergency room pediatrician) has seen far too many children taken to the ER who didn’t need to be there. I love her grounded advice on everything from what to keep in your medicine cabinet (even this experienced mom could use a refresher course in that from time to time), how to tell if the situation is really an emergency or not and if you do have to go to the ER, what to expect when you get there.

I really do encourage families do their research ahead of time. I know it isn’t something that any of us want to think about ever needing to do, but much like finding a qualified pediatrician, it does help to know up front what your best options are. Many parents don’t know that there are some hospitals that have pediatricians on hand and some that don’t…if your child doesn’t have a life threatening emergency, you should always take them to the hospital that offers pediatric care. For instance, if there is a Children’s hospital in your city, take them to the ER there. Many ER’s aren’t really equipped to be the best option for childrens’ care, especially if there are many higher level pediatric facilities within the same city…so do your homework.

You can read an excerpt from the book HERE. Dr. Lara Zibners has a great website too where she answers some great questions, has more information about her book and even has a section where you can ask a question or tell your story.

If you would like to win a copy of this book for your family bookshelf (or a friend), be sure to check out Dr. Lara Zibners’ site, then come back here and leave a comment telling me why you’d love to have a copy of this book.

There are many opportunities to get extra entries as well… (more…)

When author Eric Ruhalter contacted me recently about The KidDictionary,  he was very creative and shared a few of the words and definitions in his introduction.  Based on that first email alone,  I immediately knew that I needed to check it out and let all of you know about it.

Are you interested in knowing which word it was that he introduced me to in that first email that made it so appealing?

THREEMAGEDDON (three-muh-GED-in)–n.: The supposed hellfire and brimstone that would erupt should an annoyed mother reach the third digit while counting aloud to 3 to get a non-compliant child to get his act together..

“ONE !….TWOOOOOOO !!!!….. ”

Every single one of my boys has been subjected to “threemageddon” and I laughed until I cried when I read that one!  Now that I have the book, I’m daily able to pull it out for a great laugh.  It is truly amazing that Eric had the wherewithall to make up these great words that almost all parents can relate to in one way or another.

Eric very graciously agreed to my request for an interview! …..

Q. Tell us a little bit about your family.

My family consists of myself, my wife/best friend Kara, and our 3 fascinating and inspiring children. Two boys and a girl – Jaxen is 10, twins Maya and Crosby are going to be 7 on Feb. 19. We live in Morristown, NJ. .

Family life can hectic and difficult and trying a lot of the time, but there are precious and unforgettable moments woven in there. You have to make sure you’re always looking for them and able to appreciate and enjoy them. Because those are what life is really about (within your family and everywhere else you go.) That is one of the many important things being the father of this family has taught me. Find the good in things. The good is worth looking for.

Q. Was there a particular event that triggered a “lightbulb” moment of inspiration for this book?

One day my son Jaxen was looking in the mirror at the gap in his mouth where his upper-right bicuspid used to be. He clutched a dollar bill, courtesy of the Tooth Fairy.
“What do you think?” I asked.
And he replied “I think that if I knock all my teeth out I’ll be rich!”

And I thought … there should be a word for that – A cross between the words “Orthodontics” and “Entrepreneur”. And thus was born – “ORTHODONTREPRENEUR” (ORR-tho-dahn-truh-prehn-ORR) noun : a child interested in knocking his own teeth out in the interest of a hefty payday from the Tooth Fairy.

Q. What is your favorite word (or the one you relate to the most) from the book?

I love all the words in the KidDictionary. They’re all special because they stand for moments I’ve experienced in the upbringing of my children. Some are things that have come and gone. But because of this book I won’t ever have to forget them. The most pleasant surprise in publishing this book has been that others have mirrored this sentiment. Strangers are telling me that the words in The KidDictionary have captured precious moments that they’ve shared with their kids and will provide them with a way to keep them close to their memory after their kids grow up and move on. That really makes me feel good.

On a purely comic level though, I think my favorite word is WISHJACK: To maliciously blow out the candles on another child’s birthday cake. It’s one that resonates with a lot of people. Everyone’s seen it happen. Now there’s a word for it, and I just think that one works especially well. I also like INVISIBOOBOO quite a lot – The spot on your child’s body where you placed a band aid to appease them when they got hurt though did not bleed.

I can totally relate to being the parent of an “orthodontrepreneur” (or any word with a form of entrepreneur in it LOL).  I actually think of my sister everytime I hear the word “invisibooboo”, it’s just too funny.  Of course, any parent with a toddler or preschooler understands the terror experienced when a known “wishjack” appears on the scene at a birthday party.

I highly recommend this book for parents.  You can find purchase links at www.TheKidDictionary.com and at Amazon.com!  It would also make a fantastic gift for any expecting/new parents you know or just as a lovely pick-me-up for a friend who’s a little overwhelmed by parenting at the moment.

The KidDictionary has the uncanny ability to turn an “ordinary” event into something that’s funny.  It kind of makes me look at challenging situations with a little different perspective and a bit more humor.

Eric has very kindly offered one very lucky commenter their very own copy of The KidDictionary!  To enter, please visit the book’s website.  When you’re done, just come back here and leave a comment telling us a funny situation with your child, or a situation that you think deserves a word of it’s own!

To earn extra entries ….

… Twitter a link to this contest then come back and leave a comment with your @ twitter name.

… Blog about it with a link to this post and come leave a comment with a link to your post.

This giveaway will end on March 10th and is void where prohibited.

This contest has ended and the winner is being notified!

Last week I told all of you about Shelley Adina’s brand new book Be Strong and Curvaceous (over at Froggy Reviews) – the third book in her All About Us series for young adults.

I’m so excited to announce that I’ve been given the honor of being able to offer you the opportunity to win this entire set of books!  First though, let me introduce you to each book (you can read all about Shelley here – to check out more details about each book or to purchase them just click on the image beside each description) ….

The first book in this series is It’s All About Us. The story of a Christian girl who attends a very prestigious private high school. This book follows her as she struggles to find her place with her faith and friends. In the middle of all that, she has to deal with a boyfriend that doesn’t seem to have the best of intentions in mind for their relationship. Young women enjoy following Lissa’s journey as they relate to her complications and see how the story plays out.

The Fruit of My Lipstick is the second book in this series and this time it’s Gillian’s turn to be in the limelight. As readers follow her through her second year at Spencer Academy – a posh private high school in San Francisco – they will relate to many of her struggles to find strength in the midst of a confusing relationship.

Be Strong and Curvaceous focuses on Carly Aragon who is on a path of a different discovery, how to be comfortable with the two seemingly very different lives she lives – at school and at home. When she’s given a new and very flamboyant roommate things seem to just be going downhill from the start of the year. This book definitely takes some interesting and exciting turns and twists before landing you back on your feet in the end.

The fourth book in this series, Who Made You A Princess? is set to be released May 13, 2009 so be on the lookout for more information about that one at Froggy Reviews.

Until then though, you have the opportunity right now to enter to win the three released books that I listed above. To enter, please leave a comment telling me why you’d like to win. You can definitely get extra entry by Tweeting this contest (just @afroginmysoup and leave a direct link to this contest) then come back here and leave a comment with your @ twitter name. Want another extra entry … ok then, just blog about this contest on your blog, then come back here and leave a comment with a direct link to your post. Make sure you enter by Friday January 16th.

NOTE: This contest is open only to US and Canadian Addresses (NO PO BOXES).

So the holidays are quickly approaching and a week or so before they arrive you may suddenly find yourself in a couple possible scenarios.

Scenario one: Your kids have been home on Christmas break for three whole days and you’re trying to finish up your Christmas preparations, but they are bored … and telling you so every 5 seconds.

Scenario two: You are in desperate need of some creative gift ideas for the children on your list and don’t want to even think about looking at another toy.

What if I were to tell you that I have a great idea?? I know you’d just love me to death right?  Well here’s one of the best ideas I’ve found yet!

Recently we were sent three Toon Books for young readers.  These great books combine a child’s love of comics into stories that are good for them to read and  bound in a colorful and creative hard back book for young readers. After all, you don’t often hear the words “literary standards” or “controlled vocabulary” in reference to comic books, but like i said these are not your ordinary comic book!

These great books, although intended for early readers (K-2) these are even fun to read to preschoolers who enjoy the creative stories and vivid pictures.  Here’s a peek at the latest three books from Toon Books.

Stinky by Eleanor Davis is possibly the all-around favorite, especially for our younger three!  The story is super cute and the pictures help to perfectly present the story to youngsters!  The story of a little monster who lives in a swamp and likes anything and everything that’s mucky and gross but is terrified of people.  Enter a little boy with a red hat who loves Stinky’s swamp.  As the story unfolds young children are captivated.

Jack and the Box by Art Spiegelman was also very popular among the 5 and under crowd.  Even our 2 year olds got into that story and the older boys truly enjoyed reading it to them with all the interesting humor throughout the book.  In this story that is a twist on a classic children’s toy, Jack the bunny gets a Box that a toy lives in.  Young readers enjoy following the silliness and crazy anics of Jack’s box and all it’s interesting contents.

MO and JO: Fighting Together Forever by Dean Haspiel and Jay Lynch was by far the favorite for the older crowd, especially my 9 and 10 year old.  Telling the tale of sibling superheroes, this story depicts the not-so-uncommon sibling rivalries and arguments, but on a little more … ummm …. shall we say “super” level.  These two simply cannot stop fighting.  As they learn to work together to save their town, young readers are learning several lessons as well.

Before I let you go though, I want to show you one of the page layouts of Stinky!  This gives you an excellent idea of the great pictures and stories these books contain.

The Lollipop Book Club is a gift company specializing in a monthly gift of books for children. On the first of each month, a book is mailed to the child along with a really cute, handcrafted lollipop. The first lollipop matches the occasion with a birthday or holiday theme. Each subsequent lollipop is a unique and whimsical creation that children adore. A personal note from the gift-giver is also included with each book. The note is printed on a sticker that can be placed on the inside book cover.

They offer 3-month, 6-month, and 12-month packages in both hardcover and paperback formats.

We have organized our packages according to age and theme to make the selection process easy for our customers. Single hardcover books are also available to purchase as gifts. In addition, we offer Caldecott and Newberry Medal books, and books to help kids cope with challenges such as moving, death, bullying, adoption, and many others.

Every month we expand upon the books we offer. It is a time-consuming process because of our highly-selective nature in choosing the books. We seek out only those books that have received strong reviews from critics and readers. The research and work involved is worth it because our customers can be assured that every book is a winner. In essence, we have done all of the shopping already and our customers just have to pick the most suitable package for their child.

I received one of their great book packages and boy is it fun! Complete with an award winning book and three lollipops to appease the masses, this was absolutely a hit and the book is FABULOUS! The lollipops aren’t your average sucker either … nope, they are very fun old fashioned style lollipops with super fun animals and bugs on them! Almost too cute to eat!!!! I honestly think it would be an AMAZING gift …. Christmas anyone?

I asked Karen, owner of Lollipop Book Club, what inspired her to start this wonderful business:

I have three children and witnessed how quickly the toys accumulated, many of them sitting on shelves and hardly ever touched. For this reason, I always prefer to give them books, and though they like to read, the books were not the most popular present in the pile. So I started to find ways to make giving books more fun. Sometimes I send them on scavenger hunts to find the book. Or I give the book the night before the celebration so that it stands out in its own right.

This led me to think about how to give books more creatively as birthday presents for other children. Whenever my children were invited to birthday parties, I would mail the book ahead of time with a little treat. I received tremendous feedback from the parents, and this became my inspiration for starting The Lollipop Book Club.

There are several reasons why The Lollipop Book Club makes a great gift:

• Kids love to get packages in the mail.
• The gift is personalized with a note on sticker so that the child always remembers who sent it.
• The gift is delivered over a period of several months, creating an extended gift experience for the child.
• The gift is perfect for hard-to-buy-for children (i.e. nieces, nephews, friends’ kids etc.) when you don’t know what they have or need already. A kid can always use a new book.
• For grandparents who do not live close to their grandchildren, The Lollipop Book Club is an excellent way to stay in touch.
• A single book gift makes a great present for birthday parties when you don’t want to just give another toy.
• If a customer wants to send a gift to two children close in age in the same home, they can order one book package and then just add extra lollipops to their order.

Their best sellers are the Books for Girls and Books for Boys packages as well as the products in the 8 to 12 category.

Karen has offered all of you two discounts to take advantage of … a $3 discount off of any Single Hardcover Book gift order (promo code: sale3off) and $10 discount off of any 12-Month package (promo code: sale10off).

She has also offered one lucky reader the opportunity to choose a single hardcover gift book with lollipop! To enter, go to Lollipop Gift Club and take a look around. Come back here and tell me what you love about this idea and what book you would choose from the page linked to above. This contest ends on November 14th and is open only for shipping to USA addresses.

This contest has ended, thank you all so much for your participation. The winner is Sara Marcy, so look for the email . Remember, there are always lots more great contests here and at www.FroggyReviews.com

Made ‘ya look now didn’t I???  No, I’m not pregnant again … and no, my sister isn’t having twins.  Now that I’ve alleviated those notions, I want to introduce you to Susan Heim, author of It’s Twins!  When Susan contacted me about her book I threw aside my hesitations and said yes.

My only hesitations stemmed from the fact that when I was pregnant with the twins I purchased a lot of books on the subject, but honestly I was sorely disappointed with almost all of them.

Imagine what a pleasant surprise I found when I opened that book to the section on two year old twins and simply COULD NOT put it down!!!  It spoke to me as the parent of twins that are rampaging my house and in some ways my life – often in good ways, but sometimes they are just soooooo naughty.  This book – the moms behind it anyway – understand me and what I’m going through.

No, I didn’t relate to every single part of that section, but the point is that it was ultra thorough, but simple to read – an oxymoron, I know!  Susan talks about her experiences and recommendations from both the perspective of a mom and from an almost technically practical angle … something I love!  Mixed in with each topic in each section are many stories, thoughts and experiences from other moms of twins!

Susan was so fun to talk to and I had the opportunity to ask her some questions that I’m going to share with you!

Hi Susan, thank you so much for talking with me today and sharing with my readers about your great book!  Could you tell me what inspired you to write this book?

I started thinking about why support groups for parents of multiples are so popular, and I realized that it’s because people want to get advice from the “real experts”—other people who are raising twins and multiples. After all, parents of singletons just don’t know what it’s like to get two babies to sleep at the same time, how to breastfeed two infants simultaneously, how to potty-train twins, how to encourage individuality with their children, what to do when twins desire more separation, and how to handle all the other issues that are unique to raising twins. But not all of us have time to attend support groups. It’s Twins! solves that problem by offering parent-to-parent advice from the comfort of your home!

I definitely got that out of the book. I am one of those parents that doesn’t have time to attend a support group and I was thrilled with the information in the book. I love how the book is setup in sections of age groups and then into topics within those sections, what made you decide to lay it out that way?

I wanted to write a book that would carry parents throughout their kids’ childhoods. There are plenty of books about parenting twins on the market, but most of them stop at the end of the first year or after toddlerhood. There isn’t a lot of information available for families with twins in school, especially high school. So, I wrote a comprehensive book that could be helpful to all parents of twins, regardless of their children’s ages.

I love that the book carries on and definitely look forward to reading this book as my twins grow into each stage! Can you tell me what other publications you’ve written for and if you have any websites my readers can visit?

I’ve also written a book called Twice the Love: Stories of Inspiration for Families with Twins, Multiples and Singletons that was published by Twins Magazine. It’s a compilation of humorous and inspirational stories written by family members of twins.

My next book, Chicken Soup for the Soul: Twins and More, will be published in March 2009!

I also have a website called TwinsTalk, where parents can read and share tips, stories and advice about raising multiples. It’s updated frequently, and parent participation is encouraged.

Susan also has a general parenting blog where she offers parenting advice, product reviews and giveaways. Be sure to stop in and visit Susan Heim on Parenting and let her know I sent you!!

Susan has generously offered a copy of her book It’s Twins! for one lucky commenter. If you are interested in entering to win, feel free to let me know who you’d like to win it for and why! Be sure to enter by October 27th. Contest is open to US shipping addresses only.

I know that I don’t feature all the wonderful books I read here on this blog, but I think you’ll be seeing at least one per month featured here!  This month I actually have enjoyed MANY books!  Be sure to check them all out at www.FroggyReviews.com!  Oh, and click on the Read With Me link to easily purchase any of the books I have talked about!

This week I want to mention the book John 3:16 by Nancy Moser.  This was an amazing book.  Very emotional, but also extremely thought provoking.  This is a great novel that truly depicts how the lives around us affect us ….. and in return how our lives affect others.  There is so much more to this story based on one very crucial verse in the Bible!

I also want to recommend a great book by Camy Tang, Single Sashimi!  This was a super fun read!  If you want to hear a fun interview with Camy you can do so by clicking here!  Camy also has a fun website that you can visit at www.CamyTang.com.  She’s a real person who really likes to hear from her readers!  I know that some of you won’t understand that statement, but for those of us who deeply embed ourselves in books as we read them, authors can tend to seem almost otherworldly, so I just wanted to send out a little reminder .

I have a very special invitation for all of you and truly hope you will join me in a great writing/blogging event for moms!  Here I’ll give you all the information about the event, participation and a prize too.

A few months ago I wrote at Froggy Reviews about the book Writing Motherhood by Lisa Garrigues.  It is an excellent book that really made me think even more about how being a mom could provide great material for writing.  I just needed to look at it in a new light!  Blogging had already begun a rebirth of my love and passion for writing, but this book helped me to dig a little deeper helping me take it a step further. 

The book offers new perspective and lots of great thoughts and writing prompts (sentences and phrases that get you thinking on a certain topic) help moms incorporate everyday events that don’t seem like much at the moment, but make great memories.  Ways to keep writing, make it a habit again (I’m getting there) and helping overcome the roadblocks so many of us face in our writing. 

On September 23rd many moms around the blogosphere will publish a post based on the following writing prompt from Lisa’s book:

First Words and Other Firsts: Open any baby diary and you will find whole pages devoted to firsts: first smile, first words, first friends, first birthday. Why are firsts so significant? Because they represent a beginning. Because they push us beyond what is familiar and comfortable. Because they jolt us out of the numbness or everyday life and bring us back to our primitive selves when we saw a world through a child’s eyes. Keeping in mind that first experiences do not end with babyhood, write about a first: the first day of kindergarten, the first day of college, the first grandchild. Or simply begin with the writing start “the first time” and write down the first thing that comes to mind.  

I encourage you to begin writing a post to feature on your own blog on September 23rd.  If you want to participate with us, just leave a comment here letting us know that you will (or put in a link to a response on your own blog saying that you are participating) and you will be entered to win a copy of Writing Motherhood!  You must let me know by September 23rd that you plan to participate in order to be eligible for the giveaway. 

On September 23rd come back here and leave a comment on my “Firsts” post.  Be sure to leave us the DIRECT LINK to your “Firsts” post in your comment so that we can all visit you too!  Oh, and just a minor detail (LOL) … the author of Writing Motherhood, Lisa Garrigues, will be making the rounds that day reading all of our posts!!!

Much more than a creative title for a post, this is actually the title of a great new book!  Gorgeously Green 8 Simple Steps to an Earth-Friendly Life by Sophie Uliano.  I was excited to recieve this book to review since the whole “going green” idea has been in the forefront of my mind lately. 

The really great thing about this book is that it isn’t overwhelming.  It helps us as moms to break down the important things in our lives to change and to do this one step at a time.  I love her philosophy, “One change makes a difference”, but if you’re anything like me you need to be told which changes really do help. 

Step One: Becoming aware of your habits and purchases and the changes you can and should make. 
Step Two: Beauty the Green way
Step Three: Greening your Workout
Step Four: Shopaholics go Green – Showing you how everyday purchases can be modified.
Step Five: Find out how simple it is to have a Green Home and not feel like you’re missing out!
Step Six:  Learn about green food, cooking, recipes and sustainable eating.
Step Seven:  Green-up your transportation, vacations and entertainment.
Step Eight: Using what you’ve learned even outside of the home.

I highly recommend this book, it is very affordable and offers a wealth of information making it totally worth the expense (clicking on the image takes you to Amazon.com).   Tons of resources are also mentioned both within the book and on Sophie’s website at www.GorgeouslyGreen.com - they really do go hand in hand!

Be sure to let me know if you get the book!  I’d love to hear your thoughts!

 This contest has ended . . . thank you so much for your participation!  The winner has been announced and there are plenty more contests available and on the way to be sure to visit our contest page!

I recently had the honor of reading Sentinel: City of Destiny by Landel Bilbrey. Stay with me as I introduce you to the wonderful journey of this book and in the end I’ll give you an opportunity to receive this book too!

If you are the parent, grandparent, aunt, cousin or neighbor of a boy age 8 to 12 this book is, in my opinion a MUST HAVE! It’s whole purpose is to help guide and shape true manhood in the minds and hearts of boys. You could say it is a cross between Chronicles of Narnia and Pilgrims Progress, this intriguing story keeps boys actively involved while teaching them practical life information.

Chapters cover so many of the challenges and obstacles a boy will meet in life such as drugs, alcohol, self-centeredness, greed, envy, violence, failure, faith and much much more! You will follow 2 brothers on their quest to become men and find the 4 Keys that will open the gate at Sentinel (Vision, Courage, Integrity and Service). Their journey will be long and arduous with many twists, turns, triumphs and failures along the way.

As a mom I love the excitement and adventure this book offers my sons, but unlike many books of it’s kind it comes with ALL of the tools to completely equip parents for teaching and boys for deciphering and applying the lessons to everyday life. The direct ability to cross the adventures over into an everyday boys’ life is a key ingredient for this unique book!

The beginning of the book contains the map and legend, but it also has a note to parents and the Preface which digs deeper into the allegories throughout the book. The back of the book not only contains a glossary of words, but als an insightful and directional discussion section on key topics throughout the book. Basically, a devotional for families and young boys.

Since three of my boys fall within the specific age range for this book (though many older boys enjoy this book as well), I found it truly inspiring as I read it both from the perspective of my sons and as their mother. I have to say too that there were parts of the book where the message was so on target with what I deeply and truly want to see in my boys that I found myself with tears in my eyes.

Landel Bilbrey has very graciously offered one copy for all of you to enter to win! Entry is really quite simple:

• Leave a comment here but make sure to mention who you’d like this book for and what one thing you’d like him to learn about manhood.
• If you’re a blogger, it would be wonderful if you would link back to this contest letting everyone know about this wonderful book.

That’s it! This contest is open to US addresses only and commenting will close at 9pm on February 12. Oh and you don’t have to be a blogger to enter! Just make sure you let me know why you’re entering and you’re good to go. Oh and if you want this book now, feel free to click on the link at the top right of this contest to purchase it at a great price.