Kate Etue, Author at Cool Mom Picks

14 magnificent children’s and YA books for Hispanic Heritage Month

September means new backpacks and football kickoff and pumpkin spice latte month (*insert eyeroll), but mid-month, September becomes Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 – October 15). So we put together some of our very favorite children’s and YA books...

5 must-read children’s books about 9/11, featuring heroes and helpers

by Kate Etue | Books for Kids

I’ve been looking for books about 9/11 for children because with the 20th anniversary of that horrific morning here this year (and it’s hard to believe that), I want to be sure my kids to really understand the importance of this day. You may want to read...

Here’s the one brilliant tip that got my reluctant teen reading more. And, the books that helped.

by Kate Etue | Books for Kids, Tips + Tricks

My kids devoured books when they were little. Now that they’re teens, the stars of YouTube and Discord seem to be a bigger draw than the classic characters of literature I wish they would spend their time with. (Of course, calling them “classic characters...

Mighty Kind: A fun, compassionate, anti-racism, pro-kindness magazine for today’s kids

by Kate Etue | Books for Kids

While a great number of people seem to be flipping out about kids learning “critical race theory” in elementary school [ed note: it’s taught in law schools, not elementary schools], we’re grateful that our readers have always been interested...

Does DefenAge 6-week Perfection Neck Tightening Cream really perfect your neck? Here are my before and after photos.

by Kate Etue | Beauty + Cosmetics

I’m a woman on the other side of 40, and when DefenAge reached out to see if I’d like to try their 6-week Perfection Neck Tightening Cream, I said, “Why the heck not!” Let’s see if in just six short weeks, I, too, can have a perfect neck!...

15 of the coolest backpacks for preschool and kindergarten this year | Back to School Guide 2021

by Kate Etue | Back to School Shopping, School Gear

For some of our kids, the wait for this school year has been two-years long. They are seriously geeking out over school supplies, starting with the quest for the perfect backpack. For those kids who are headed to preschool or kindergarten for the first time this year,...

12 must-have electronics and small appliances for dorm rooms | Back to School Shopping Guide

by Kate Etue | Back to School Shopping, School Gear

It’s kind of amazing that we’re searching for the best small appliances for dorm rooms these days — with our own teens in mind! It’s like we blinked and our team went from back to school shopping for preschool backpacks to sending some of our...

Try these must-read books for kids who like video games. Because all genres are good genres!

by Kate Etue | Books for Kids

I’ve been searching the shelves of my local bookstore to find great books for kids who like video games. And I’m sharing them here, because I know I am not the only parent whose once-avid reader would much rather pick up an Xbox controller than a book...

Making a Baby is the diverse, inclusive, very frank children’s picture book about sex and reproduction that we’ve been looking for

by Kate Etue | Books for Kids

When my kids were in early elementary school, every parent I knew seemed to be looking for the perfect children’s book about sex and reproduction. I cannot overemphasize how much I wish I’d had the beautifully inclusive and thoughtful Making a Baby by...

Hi! We’re Kristen + Liz!

Kristen Chase + Liz Gumbinner of Cool Mom Picks

We started Cool Mom Picks in 2006 to help make life cooler, more meaningful, and more fun for parents of all kinds.

Trivia: It was called Cool Mom Sh*t for the first two days. (Yeah, we rethought that.)

We had no idea our site would grow to become a major lifestyle network, that we'd end up sharing our finds with the TODAY Show and Martha Stewart, that we'd be able to make a real difference for so many small businesses and women-run companies, or that we'd end up with an incredible community of the coolest readers on the planet. (If we do say so ourselves).

We still love what we do every single day. And we're so glad you're here.