Kids books

Kristen: Thanks to Taro Gomi’s Scribbles book, I’ve gotten many an uninterrupted shower and bathroom break. That’s almost priceless.

Liz: Joanne Dugan’s 123-NYC counting book (at top) goes all the way up to 20 for a change. You don’t even have to be from New York to appreciate the wonderful photography of kids and dogs, manholes and bagels.

Kids music

Kristen and Liz: Do we have to narrow it down to one? How about two? That way we can pick new kids band The Terrible Twos (Have You Ever Seen an Owl) for amazing original kid-friendly music that never gets cloying, along with the not-to-be-missed DeSoto Records compilation, Play.

Make sure to check out our recent off-the-beaten-path book picks, plus music that won’t require a matching set of adult ear plugs.