Signing up is just like your traditional movie subscription service, except that you will receive books. You visit the Book Swim website and pick your plan. For this review we were offered the three books at a time plan. Once you’ve signed up it’s time to fill your queue. We didn’t have any problem finding things we wanted to read. Dominick loves Patricia Cornwell books, so we added some of those and CT has expressed an interested in reading the Percy Jackson series, so we added The Lightning Thief to the queue, as well. We added a variety of other books, but the first three we received were two Cornwell novels and The Lightning Thief. This is pretty fitting because they were the first books that we added at the time.

The quality of the books that we received varied greatly, but they were all readable. If you’re used to checking books out at the library you know what I mean. For example, one of the Patricia Cornwell novels looked almost new. On the other hand, the Percy Jackson title looked as close to worn down as it could look without ripping. One of the obvious differences was that the Jackson title was older and it was soft cover not hard cover. Obviously, it was going to be easier to gain that worn look, especially if it was well-read, which this copy seemed to be.

Once the books are read you just put them in the enclosed envelope and attach the shipping label and send them back. All books need to be sent back at the same time. You receive a certain amount at a time and send them back when you’re done. It’s really that simple.

Shipping time didn’t seem to take more than a few days at most. Once we signed up and picked the books we wanted, we had the first set within three days. Return acknowledgment happens within two to three days after you return them and a few days later you have new books. It’s safe to say that within a week or returning your books you will have new ones.

Book Swim offers a variety of membership options based on the amount you read and how fast you do it. The best plan for most is the three books at a time plan, which runs you about $24 a month. It’s worth it because Book Swim gives you the convenience of letting you pick the books you want to read from home. You won’t have to spend hundreds of dollars on books or spend gas money driving around town to get them. You will also save plenty of time and energy in the process. After all, no one has to know that you’re ordering books for the whole family in your pajamas. If you find that you have plenty of readers in your home, Book Swim is a quick and easy solution to getting the books you want at a price you can afford.

Technorati Tags: Book Swim, Rental Service, Product Review, Books, Reading, Rent, Convenient

Each book follows a similar format. According to the back of the book I Love You, Little Pumpkin is recommended for children ages 3 and up. I am going to assume that they mean the recommended age for kids playing with it alone. I don’t know how much interest they will show in this past the age of three or four, so I am going to assume that the recommended age was mainly for alone usage.

Babies and toddlers usually love when mom or dad take the time to read them a book. They will enjoy I Love You, Little Pumpkin because of the interactivity for them and because of the adorably, bright graphics that color each and every page. The book is ten pages long and on every other page is has a flap where a child can pull it down and see something pertaining to the text on the opposite page.

In keeping with the Halloween theme, each covered picture has a small child wearing a costume. One of the nicest things about I Love You, Little Pumpkin is that children of all races will find a picture that might remind them of what they look like. Each of the children in the pictures has a different skin tone, which is excellent to see because so many books will just go the easy route and make everyone look the same.

Each page is sturdy, offering plenty of use before it wears down and some natural room for wear and tear. The pages aren’t going to rip unless a child is either trying to rip them or unless they are just a seriously rough player. While babies will enjoy each costumed little one that appears behind each flap, they will certainly be most excited by the last flap, which offers a mirror and lets them see their own face!

I Love You, Little Pumpkin has a list price of $7.99 and is currently available for pre-order on Amazon.com. The book will be released in July and should be available where books are sold in your local area, as well as through online channels such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble. If you have a little one, they are sure to love this warm and loving book that offers bright colors and exciting interaction between mom and baby.

Technorati Tags: Book Review, Toddler, Baby, Softcover, Lift the Flap, Pumpkin, Halloween, I love You Little Pumpkin, Sandra Magsamen

I came across The Wonder Pets while doing reviews for Nickelodeon. We’ve reviewed a number of the DVDs and I have loved them from the start. Having a nephew that is young enough to adore them certainly doesn’t hurt. We bond because of our love the show. My favorite is Ming Ming and he’s a fan of Tuck. Personally, I think that’s just because they are both boys, but in any case as long as he likes them that’s all that matters. While I am quite familiar with the show, I have never had a chance to check out any of The Wonder Pets books. So, when Simon & Schuster sent us out two new Wonder Pets books that were released in late September, I was incredibly pleased.

If you have a Wonder Pets fan in your home then you probably are already well versed on Save the Beetles. This is where Linny, Tuck, and Ming Ming save a sweet band of beetles from harm and then get a chance to hear the beetles perform one of their songs. This is adorable for kids, but fans of The Beatles should enjoy it quite a bit, too. I know a few fans of the group that love this episode, just for the cuteness factor and the adorable use of the band.

The book, Save the Beetles is pretty similar to the television show format. It’s eight pages long with plenty of great visual depictions and simple sentences that the targeted age group will have no problem understanding. Like the show, this book is targeted to children around the Pre-K to Kindergarten age groups. Younger or older kids might still enjoy it (I wouldn’t go too much older), but this book will work the best for the suggested group.

In the book, The Wonder Pets receive a call from the Beetles because they were on their way to a concert (in the Octopus’s Garden) when their Yellow Submarine ended up getting tangled in kelp. I am sure, at this point, you can see why fans of the music would get a kick out of this. The Beetles – Jack, Pete, Greg, and Wingo are thrilled to find out the Wonder Pets are going to save them. The pets set out to untrap the Beetles and use teamwork to untangle the kelp that surrounds the Yellow Submarine. When The Beetles are set free, they become so excited they decide to invite the Wonder Pets to come to their concert and like all good episodes (or in this case, books) the Wonder Pets celebrate with some celery, this time under the sea!

Kids will adore this book for the mere fact that the art work is completely reminiscent of the show. The three pets are just as adorable in book form, if not more so. The words are easy enough for small children to read some of the book with help. If your children aren’t familiar with The Wonder Pets this would make a great way to introduce them to your kids. Of course, if you’re not sure how much they will like them you could always check out an episode on Nickelodeon, before you make any purchases.

Simon & Schuster have set Save the Beetles at a price of $6.99. Currently, this is the going price at Amazon, as well. While this isn’t a bad price you may be able to find it cheaper at discount stores or locations off of the Internet. In any case, if you have toddlers and young kids we highly recommend picking up one of these fun books.

Technorati Tags: Simon and Schuster, Save the Beetles, Board Book, Book Review, Young Kids, Pre-K, Kindergarten, Little Simon, September Releases

Today I opened a box from Simon & Schuster. It was an exciting moment, because that box and this review signify the first time that we have worked together. I had no idea what would be in the box when I opened it. When I found out, I could barely contain my excitement. The contents of the box included a few books, among them, A Pop-Up Book of Nursery Rhymes by Matthew Reinhart. It’s true, I am a little bit old for pop up books, but this one is special. In fact, I would be shocked to find a more dynamic, beautifully handled pop-up book. This is more than a book, it’s closer to a work of art.

I admit, that I am not too familiar with Reinhart or his past work, though it is more than obvious that this is not his first jump into the world of pop-up books. It appears quite the opposite actually. Based on A Pop-Up Book of Nursery Rhymes one would think that Reinhart is a seasoned pro. At the very least, it is obvious that he has a busy career ahead of him should he plan to continue down this path. If you are also new to Reinhart’s pop-up work you might want to look up other Little Simon titles like Cinderella and The Jungle Book, two other Reinhart pop-ups.

A Pop-Up Book of Nursery Rhymes includes a series of big and small pop-up nursery rhymes. The big ones take up two pages and involve elaborate pop-up scenes unlike anything you can imagine without seeing them. Meanwhile, there is one or two mini pop-up sections per page. The big pop-up scenes include nursery rhymes like Hey Diddle Diddle, Humpty Dumpty, I’m a Little Teapot, The Itsy Bitsy Spider, and Twinkle Twinkle. The smaller pop-ups offer scenes from A Wise Old Owl, The Five Little Piggies, Pat-A-Cake, Mary Mary Quite Contrary, Mary Had a Little Lamb, Eeny Meeny, Old Mother Hubbard, Baa Baa Black Sheep, Hush-a-Bye, and Star Light Star Bright.

Each setting jumps out at you. The coloring appears to fall along the antique lines and I think it is because it looks like the coloring was done with a colored pencil. I don’t know if that was the case or not, but on many of the drawings/pop-ups you can see the sketched, drawn look in the coloring. I can see where some might prefer a brighter setting with more vivid representations, but as these are nursery rhymes that have been around far longer than those of us reading this book, I find it to be quite pleasing. I like the more weathered look because it gives a nice level of authenticity to each story.

Every scene has something in it that manages to stand out. In Twinkle Twinkle, for instance, the twinkling stars are one of my favorite parts of the scene. Meanwhile, the crack in Humpty’s head or the Knight in the background that has his eyes covered because he can’t watch Humpty fall are both excellent additions to the scene. Of the large nursery rhymes, I would have to say that my favorite is Hey Diddle Diddle. I simply love the work that is shown here with the laughing dog, the fiddle playing cat, the colors in the moon, and all of the other aspects that have been included. My favorites of the smaller ones include Old Mother Hubbard, because it is such a good representation of the bare old cupboard and The Five Little Piggies because it is a pop-up with two more pop-ups inside of it, all of which are incredibly cute.

A Pop-Up Book of Nursery Rhymes is recommended for younger children. That being said, it is a pop-up book and those can be delicate. If your child is rough on books you might want to stick to reading this to them as opposed to handing it over to them and hoping for the best. It is not recommended that you let children under the age of three read this book on their own for that reason and because of the small parts. The price, according to the back of the book has a retail suggested price of $26.99. You can pick this up roughly anywhere books are sold. Amazon and other online retailers currently have it listed with a price of under $18, which is not bad at all considering the unique nature of the book.

Kids love and old will adore A Pop-Up Book of Nursery Rhymes. Parents should highly consider picking this up for their kids. It will make a great nighttime story book or could be used as something for cuddle time. No matter how you use it kids will love the highly detailed pop-up art representations of each nursery classic. A Pop-Up Book of Nursery Rhymes is highly recommended.

Technorati Tags: Book Review, Pop Up, Pop Up Book, Nursery Rhymes, Matthew Reinhart

Reading Tips

Create a summer escape in your home perfect for reading. Make sure there is good light and comfortable seating to entice your kids to spend time there.

Even if your children can read by themselves, take turns reading to each other. This helps build their skills as they listen to your tone and inflection throughout the story or article. Before, during and after you read, talk about the material. Ask you child questions and encourage you child to ask you questions.

Whether you are reading to your children or they are reading themselves, plan an event or activity that ties to the reading material. For instance, book reading can lead to picnics, museum and zoo visits, ballgames, or even family vacations.

Look for opportunities for your child to read. If you have a manual for a new DVD player, ask your child to read you the directions. Grocery lists and “to do” lists are also good items to help kids practice reading in “real life.”

Share the reading experience with your child by reading the same book or material they are reading so you can discuss it.

Even if you are not reading the same books as your children, talk to them about what they are reading. Ask them questions such as what happened in the story or what might happen next, who is their favorite character, or who is the villain. This builds summarization and recall skills, and your interest can help increase their interest.

If your children’s school program provides materials for home activities, absolutely use them.

Suggest your child read a popular series that has been turned into movies like the Harry Potter or Chronicles of Narnia books. When your child finishes reading the book, rent or go see the movie and discuss how each differed from the other and whether the book or movie was more enjoyable.

Look for materials beyond fiction. Kids often prefer to read about facts, including books and articles about the environment, animals, current events, sports, and other factual topics. Talk to them about what they like and help them find reading materials that match those interests.

Try to set aside at least one TV/video-game-free night per week for family reading. Make your family’s favorite snacks, get new books at the library and make it fun!

Technorati Tags: Summertime, Reading, McGraw Hill, Books, Book Night, Read, Fiction, Facts, Fun

Four Eco-Friendly Books Feature Environmental Adventures with SpongeBob SquarePants, Dora the Explorer, Blue’s Clues and The Wonder Pets!

NEW YORK-April 9, 2009-Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products (NVCP) has partnered with Little Simon, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, to create a series of environmentally conscious titles as part of Nickelodeon’s ongoing pro-social campaign The Big Green Help. The books, published as part of the Little Green Books line, are based on the network’s hit animated series-SpongeBob SquarePants, The Wonder Pets!, and Blue’s Clues – and will be introduced at retail in second quarter. Each book, which features tales of environmental adventures aimed at helping kids find simple ways to help protect the Earth, is made from 100% post-consumer waste recycled paper that’s FSC-certified and printed with soy-based ink. Just in time for Earth Day (April 22)–Dora the Explorer: Dora Celebrates Earth Day! will be available at retailers nationwide.

“Partnering with Little Green Books empowers our youngest readers to become environmental stewards of the earth,” said Jean Margaret Smith, Senior Vice President of Public Affairs, Nickelodeon Kids and Family Group. “Each original story presents positive solutions for kids to impact our planet while furthering the mission of The Big Green Help.”

Dora the Explorer: Dora Celebrates Earth Day! follows Dora and her friends as they explore daily ways to reduce their carbon footprints by doing simple things at home. Additional titles currently available at retailers nationwide include the original story Blue’s Clues: Watch Me Grow! Blue Plants a Seed, SpongeBob Goes Green! and The Wonder Pets: Save the Tree!–the storybook adaptation of the Nick Jr. episode that won the 2006 Environmental Media Award for children’s animated television.

Nickelodeon extends its commitment to empowering real-world environmental change among kids with a line up of eco-friendly programming and off-channel initiatives on Earth Day-Wednesday, April 22. New green-themed episodes from hit tween shows iCarly and True Jackson, VP and select preschool series including The Wonder Pets!, will air on Nickelodeon and NOGGIN throughout the day, culminating in Nickelodeon’s first-ever “Power Down”-an on-air call to action for kids to engage in environmental activity. Nickelodeon will also unveil The Big Green Help grants program to support schools and local organizations with sustainability projects, and offer kids the opportunity to take environmental action with more than 500 local grassroots Earth Day events.

NVCP’s partnership with Simon & Schuster is one of several Nickelodeon has to support its The Big Green Help campaign–a multiplatform, global pro-social initiative designed to empower kids to take action on the environment and connect them to energy saving and earth-friendly activities in their everyday lives. Earlier this year, NVCP announced a partnership with cause-driven clothing line Humanity to create environmentally themed t-shirts featuring SpongeBob SquarePants. Nickelodeon in the U.S. provides kids with local Earth Day resources and events in partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs of America; Girl Scouts USA; The LeBron James Family Foundation; National Wildlife Federation; Natural Resources Defense Council; National 4-H Council; NFL; the US Forest Service; National Environmental Education Foundation; National Education Association; and ERTHNXT to promote environmental awareness.

For more information on The Big Green Help, visit http://www.thebiggreenhelppress.com.

Little Green Books is a new eco-friendly line of children’s novelty and storybooks aimed at parents and children looking to learn more about the environment. From recycling and replanting to creating an awareness of endangered animals and much more, Little Green Books plant the seeds for earth-friendly living at an early age. The books are made from recycled materials and the line is eco-friendly, from the sell sheets to the shipping cartons.

For more information on Little Green Books, visit http://www.simonlittlegreen.com.

Technorati Tags: Little Green Books, Eco-Friendly, Nickelodeon, Simon and Schuster, Books, Adventure books, Spongebob, Dora the Explorer

To enter you need to be 18 years of age and a resident of the US. If you have won a contest within the last 30 days you are not eligible. Winners will be announced here. If we do not here from you within 3 weeks from the date the winners are announced you forfeit your prize and we will select another winner. Prizes will be shipped within 45 days from the day you win. We will make every effort to send out prizes won in December in time for the holidays, but cannot promise a before Christmas delivery.

We will choose a winner for this on December 14, 2007. This means that you have until December 13, 2007 at 11:59 PM EST to enter the contest.

For a description of The Gingerbread Man and info on the box set, keep reading. Good Luck!

PLEASE MAKE SURE TO CHECK BACK HERE ON DECEMBER 14 TO SEE IF YOU ARE A WINNER!

This hearty retelling of an old favorite is distinguished by chanting, rhythmic text and cheery, lively illustrations of the sassy, boastful Gingerbread man who jumps from the oven he’s baking in, and eludes a number of pursuers until he meets his match in a clever fox.

Technorati Tags: Scholastic Inc, The Gingerbread Man, Audio CD, Book, Children’s Book, LI Kids, Contest

To enter you need to be 18 years of age and a resident of the US. If you have won a contest within the last 30 days you are not eligible. Winners will be announced here. If we do not here from you within 3 weeks from the date the winners are announced you forfeit your prize and we will select another winner. Prizes will be shipped within 45 days from the day you win. We will make every effort to send out prizes won in December in time for the holidays, but cannot promise a before Christmas delivery.

We will choose a winner for this on December 17, 2007. This means that you have until December 16, 2007 at 11:59 PM EST to enter the contest.

For a description of The Biggest Best Snowman, keep reading. Good Luck!

PLEASE CHECK BACK HERE ON DECEMBER 17 TO SEE IF YOU ARE A WINNER!

A little girl accomplishes big things in this winning picture book. “Big Mama, Big Sarah, and Big Lizzie” tell Little Nell she’s too small to be of help, so Little Nell spends her days in the snow playing with her forest friends. When Reindeer, Hare, and Bear Cub urge her to make a snowman, she thinks she’s too small. But prodded by their encouraging words and offer of help, Little Nell constructs a splendiferous snowman that makes her family realize she’s not so small or helpless after all.

As crisp and delicately patterned as a snowflake, Cuyler’s tale brims with rhyming words (“She carefully patted and matted and batted the snow into a tiny ball”) and recurring phrases (“She rolled it and rolled it and rolled it to Reindeer”) with which children will gleefully chime in. She explores larger themes such as a child’s yearning to feel significant and the value of cooperation within the cozy context of family and friendship. Hillenbrand matches the jaunty prose with puckish style.

Readers will relish the transformation of Little Nell’s mother and siblings — who first appear as fairy-tale wicked stepmother and stepsister types with their wildly sprouting hair — into compassionate gentlefolk (except Big Lizzie, who still says “Hmmmph!”). The artist makes the most of the snowy setting: eye-popping colors, from the cardinal perched upon the snowman’s twiggy arm to Big Mama’s bright fuschia overcoat, show up with perfect clarity against the tranquil, wintry backdrop. Frustrated youngsters will find a champion in Little Nell.

Technorati Tags: The Biggest Best Snowman, Audio CD, Book, Scholastic Inc, Contest, LI Kids

Written by James Haskins (author of The Cotton Club) and Kathleen Benson, African Beginnings takes your child through the history of many of the most ancient empires in Africa. They will have a chance to learn about Nubia, Egypt, Mali, Timbuktu, Kongo, Ghana, Songhay, and other areas of Africa.

Your children will also have a chance to learn about the spread of Islam and other milestones in African History. Cultural lessons about Ancient African music and dance, art, religion, slavery, trade, and colonization are also included in the pages of this paperback book.

While this book has been marketed for children it also works well for anyone interested in African history. African Beginnings is the first in a series of books about Africa. Other books in the series include Building a New Land and Bound for America. Both authors and the illustrator, Floyd Cooper were honored with a Coretta Scott King award.

With brilliantly accurate illustrations children and adults will be whisked away to another world as they read about the history of an ancient land. A perfect book for parents and children to spend time reading together, everyone in the family can learn the lessons presented in African Beginnings. While slavery and other issues in African history can be hard for most younger children to understand, African Beginnings presents the information in an easy to understand format, which will pave the way for learning, and your child’s love of history.

Bottom Line: African Beginnings is an excellent choice for children and adults of all ages. The illustrations are marvelous and the information is concise and easy to understand no matter how old you are. Children with a thirst for knowledge will have great fun reading this or will ask you to read it to them. Additionally, it makes for an excellent supplement if you are a home schooling family.

Rating:

Technorati Tags: The Cotton Club, James Haskins, African Beginnings, Harper Collins, children books, book review