Pavarotti Lives On

Pavarotti Lives On

The passing of opera great Luciano Pavarotti this week has taken a wee bit of sunshine out of the world. In his honor, we found the Barefoot Book of Stories From the Opera by Shahrukh Husain, at one of our favorite publisher’s sites. The book tells the stories...
“Who Effed Up The Toys???”

“Who Effed Up The Toys???”

I can’t take credit for the headline – it’s was written by my friend Karen as the subject of an email she sent yesterday, alerting us all to yet another toy recall. I’m ready to just dump anything in the toy chest that wasn’t made by hand...
The Many Colors of Babies

The Many Colors of Babies

As a bi-racial woman raising a multi-racial child in a homogenous suburban neighborhood, it’s challenging to provide my daughter with a wide range of cultural experiences. In plain speak: All the kids are white!Whilebooks and magazines aren’t a replacement...
Can You Count the Potholes, Sweetie?

Can You Count the Potholes, Sweetie?

I have not been a mom all that long and already I’m tired of the same old images in counting and alphabet books. 10 apples, 9 bananas, 8 ducks…how about 1 snoring mommy? So I love the fresh take on counting in photographer Joanne Dugan’s 123 NYC: A...
Book Snob Heaven

Book Snob Heaven

My family and I are serious book lovers. Okay, we’re full-out snobs. We only have eyes for the worthwhile page-turners and even my toddler has learned to resist the call of the flashy but content-lite pages in the bargain bins and head straight for the award...
The Highlight of Their Month

The Highlight of Their Month

My daughter is a freak for magazines — heck, she’ll even spend hours with the Pottery Barn Kids catalog. So, when I found out about Highlight’s new 2-5 yearpublication, High-Five, I knew it would be a big hit. Featuring the same great fiction,...
Ooh-La-L’Alphabet

Ooh-La-L’Alphabet

Although I’m a straight-up English speaker (with a little French thrown in on those really bad days — ahem), I’ve always thought it would be wonderful for my daughter to learn another language. Most folks say that starting early is the best way to go...
Wait, So Not All Poems Rhyme?

Wait, So Not All Poems Rhyme?

Once in a while, I sit down to review something for CMP and have trouble with it. Not for lack of words, but because my daughter has somehow gotten her hands on the item and refuses to give it back. This was the case with Poetry Speaks to Children. In the spirit of...
Beyond Cheerios and American Cheese

Beyond Cheerios and American Cheese

I’m a huge fan of ethnic foods, however any attempts to get my 2-year-old to try curry or sushi has failed miserably. Well, I may just have found a solution that requires neither cooking, nor the hurling of unusual foods in the nice, quiet restaurant. Check...
It’s All About Me

It’s All About Me

From among the audacious number of gifts my daughter received this holiday, I was happy (and proud) that her favorite was a book. Of course it was a special book – one personalized with her name on all the pages. Who could blame her? I thought it was just...