As I read Influence: How the Soaring Economic Power Will Transform Our World for the Better over the past couple of weeks I couldn’t help but consiste...moreAs I read Influence: How the Soaring Economic Power Will Transform Our World for the Better over the past couple of weeks I couldn’t help but consistently think about the increasing power of mom bloggers and the opportunities we all have to grow our businesses, no matter their size. If you have been wasting time wishing and hoping to turn your blog into a viable business, you should certainly think long and hard about bringing your career and economic dreams to fruition. After all, the Net seems custom-made for tech-savvy, digital mavens like us. And even if you don’t want to turn your blog into a business, the skills you currently have and are consistently amassing as a social media mom can catapult your business idea into an area of real significance. As women, our choices are endless and the opportunities are vast.
Influence encapsulates the might of women’s economic power, as its title suggests. But, instead of churning out to-do lists of action items to build our businesses, Maddy Dychtwald uses anecdotal stories to illustrate precisely how ingenious and creative women are and how economic empowerment renders our lives and our families’ lives richer. Using real stories from real women (some of whom I know and admire) creates a real “can-do” spirit in the book. You finish it more empowered to go forth and build a viable business.
The running theme throughout Influence is as women gain greater economic might, the world is changing with that transition. For example, work options are slowly becoming more favorable to modern families, men are realizing the option of staying home or taking on more child rearing responsibilities, brands are starting to listen harder to their women consumers, women’s political clout is increasing, and women are able to help one another more as their collective buying power and bank accounts increase.
Though empowering, Influence comes close to sounding overly optimistic at times. There are still several barriers that keep women from actualizing as much potential as we can such as the lack of venture capital opportunities, difficulty securing bank loans, and the lack of key contacts that push female-owned businesses forward. I will say, though, Dychtwald mentions these factors and shows how they can be overcome through examples of women who have pushed these barriers aside and barreled through them.
Influence: How Women's Soaring Economic Power Will Transform Our World for the Better is perfect reading for PR and brand executives who need to figure out the pulse of women, especially those of us who are creating our own content and working with brands on a daily basis. Influence is also an inspirational read for women who want to build their own businesses and need the inspiration to get going.
I have always been quite taken by creative types who have masterfully managed to write a children's book and illustrate it, too. Who are these people?...moreI have always been quite taken by creative types who have masterfully managed to write a children's book and illustrate it, too. Who are these people? I sure would like to spend a moment or two in their heads and learn a few things.
Emma Chichester-Clark, the author and illustrator behind this version of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, does a stunning job of keeping the fairy tale intact. If there is one thing I hate about modern re-tellings of classic fairy tales are they strips children from the opportunity of hearing the authentic story. This version of Goldilocks and the Three Bears is essentially untouched by the author's imagination. Surely, that has to be one of the hardest things Chichester-Clark has ever done: suppress her creativty and stick to the script.
Chichester-Clark does take a moment to change the ending slightly, but her change does not interfere with the basic premise of the story we have all come to know by heart and can recite from memory.
Chichester-Clark's illustrations are average at best. I hate to write that, but I must be honest. What Chichester-Clark lacks in illustrative spunk, she more than makes up for by bringing great detail to the scenes she draws in the book. Children fall in love with details. And in that regard her illustrations are already a gold winner.
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When I used to watch television most Saturdays were filled with watching cooking shows on PBS. I'm sure they probably still come on. They're not as se...moreWhen I used to watch television most Saturdays were filled with watching cooking shows on PBS. I'm sure they probably still come on. They're not as sexy as Food Network's lineup, of course, but their chefs and the food they cook and the recipes they share are just as delicious as anything seen on cable.
I remember watching Mary Ann Esposito's show and salivating at the pasta dishes she prepared. I could almost smell the aroma of sautéing onions and leeks ooze into my own kitchen. I loved watching her show and getting a glimpse at real Italian cuisine that's simple and traditional, not the overly processed and enriched variety we get here in the States at spaghetti houses.
Mary Ann Esposito's latest cookbook, Ciao Italia, is everything you would expect from a chef whose specialty is delicious Italian food that hearkens back to the old country. I love that all of the recipes are doable for someone like me who has limited time in the kitchen, but authentic enough to give you real Italian cuisine.
Recipes like Scallops and Fried Tomatoes (pg. 84) and Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Roasted Vegetables (pg. 49) are terribly simple to make, but the flavors blend together beautifully making the meals well worth cooking and satisfying to your palate. I only wish there were more photos of the wonderful dishes. I love to look at the possibilities of a dish before I embark on the journey of making it.
Buy Ciao Italia for occasions when you want to feed your family a simple and classic Italian dish, but don't want to go to a specialty store to buy never-heard-before mushrooms or gourmet cheese. (less)
I really miss those years when my daughters were just learning about foods, their textures, smells, and, of course, their tastes. I miss the days when...moreI really miss those years when my daughters were just learning about foods, their textures, smells, and, of course, their tastes. I miss the days when my daughters squished through their food and tossed food everywhere when I let them explore on their own. Those days are long gone for me, but for you who have babies now, there is a new baby recipe book that you should definitely check out with your babies. And, that's important.
Eeebees Mix and Match: Adventures in the Kitchen for Baby and You is a board book for your child that teaches them about foods and colors, and while they're exploring through the pages you learn new recipes for baby food that are nutritious and easy for babies and toddlers to eat.
Additionally, there is an informative CD, co-produced by Parents TV, that explains the philosophy behind Eebees and serves as a how-to video for the recipes shown inside the book.
What makes Eeebees Mix and Match: Adventures in the Kitchen for Baby and You a great read for parents and kids: The food is unique for kids and opens them up to out-of-the-ordinary finger foods that far exceeds crackers and cereal like tofu and avocados. Plus, your child gets to see gorgeous photos of other children having a colorful good time with finger foods, bowls, and kitchen utensils.(less)
Spring is just around the corner and for young ones who are just beginning to learn their colors, Raindrops: A Shower of Colors is an excellent board ...moreSpring is just around the corner and for young ones who are just beginning to learn their colors, Raindrops: A Shower of Colors is an excellent board book to teach them about animals and the various hues of the rainbow.
More and more I judge toddler books primarily by their illustrations. When my daughters were quite young their little eyes feverishly gazed across the pages of vibrantly-colored books. And while their young ears heard the stories the illustrations really told the story. That said, the illustrations in Raindrops paints the entire story beautifully and the wording is ideal for young children whose brains are constantly learning new things.
What I love most about Raindrops is each page has a see-through raindrop of its respective color.
Why I love this book: Raindrops: A Shower of Colors is a perfect book for young children to read alone when they're sitting on the floor using their tiny fingers to explore their piles and piles of board books. The illustrations in Raindrops are vibrant enough to capture and keep your child's attention and the story is simple enough to teach them new insects, animals and colors without overwhelming them or taking away from their favorite things: pictures!
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I don't bake. It's that simple. Even though I would love to get in the kitchen and whip up some baked goods, as a busy mom, I don't have the time to d...moreI don't bake. It's that simple. Even though I would love to get in the kitchen and whip up some baked goods, as a busy mom, I don't have the time to do it. Plus, everything I would bake would make me gain so much weight it is impossible for me to justify baking a cake or making a batch of cookies, no matter how fun it would be.
Bread, though, especially the kind that tastes very gourmet, is a different story. Although I am in love with bread, I can control myself with a loaf of bread better than a three-layer cake resting on my countertops. So, if I'm going to bake, it might as well be bread.
Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day is my kind of book. It has simple, quick recipes for delicious breads like Cinnamon-Raisin Whole Wheat Bagels (pg 74) and Lentil Curry Bread (pg. 168).
It is undeniable that Dr. Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe Francois put a lot of effort into devising recipes that laymen like me can master. Even though baking bread is an art that is centuries' old, they are confident in those of us who have never made a loaf of bread in our lives. Throughout the book, Hertizberg and Francois make us believe that we can be rather decent bread bakers and I believe them. The recipes look easy to follow and their selection of bread recipes makes my mouth water every time I begin flipping pages.
As a bread novice I love that Hertzberg and Francois give lessons about ingredients and technique instead of rattling off recipes that everyday people can't relate to. Hertzberg and Francois have done us a big favor. They have upped the ante on gourmet bread and have taught us that it doesn't take buying a $7 loaf of specialty bread to make us feel like gourmands. We can make that $7 loaf of bread ourselves, only cheaper.
Even though Ain't Nothing But A Man: My Quest to Find the Real John Henry is a children's book I had a real problem putting it down. That is certainly...moreEven though Ain't Nothing But A Man: My Quest to Find the Real John Henry is a children's book I had a real problem putting it down. That is certainly not to say the content will fly over the head of children. Rather, the content is so stellar it will keeps kids and adults alike riveted to the pages as the author recounts his quest to find the real John Henry.
We've all heard of John Henry, most probably in a chapter sidebar in a US History textbook during our elementary years. Although John Henry is a mere footnote in history to most of us, John Henry was a person who deserved real recognition, not the hyperbolized remembrances of a made-up hero to Scott Nelson. If John Henry was indeed a true person as opposed to a fictional Americana character, Nelson was going to find out.
In Ain't Nothing But A Man: My Quest to Find the Real John Henry, Nelson uses historic accounts to pinpoint who John Henry really was and he takes his readers along on the serendipitous journey.
One of Publishers Weekly 2008 Best Books of the Year, Ain't Nothing But A Man is a must-read for children who love history and their parents who want to teach them the joy in discovering people in our nation's past.(less)
Children grow up learning about the miraculous journeys Harriet Tubman took time and time again to the south to rescue slaves, but as children grow ol...moreChildren grow up learning about the miraculous journeys Harriet Tubman took time and time again to the south to rescue slaves, but as children grow older they need to understand more about her life aside from her keen ability to evade captors and live up to her reputation as the "Moses of her people".
Harriet Tubman, Secret Agent is a phenomenal book to help introduce your children to Harriet Tubman as an historic person who changed the course of our country instead of simply a character who is important solely during Black History Month. This book takes children into the depths of the Civil War and helps them understand the historic situation that culminated to pop off the War Between the States.
I was especially thrilled to see historic context in this book such as the professional and abolitionist relationships Harriet Tubman shared with key Civil War figures such as John Brown and Frederick Douglass.
Harriet Tubman, Secret Agent, also imparts how skilled Harriet was as a spy for the north during the Civil War and explains how essential she and other black spies were to the ultimate victory of the Union.
I like that this book utilizes maps and real photographs to ensure the historic implications of Harriet Tubman is adequately felt by the reader. For children who love history and for those who need a lesson on Harriet Tubman in more than a one-dimensional fashion, this book provides exceptional material for both.(less)
It is the annual season of giving and there is no shortage of requests for donations to charitable causes both in our local areas and nationwide. Whil...moreIt is the annual season of giving and there is no shortage of requests for donations to charitable causes both in our local areas and nationwide. While someone, somewhere is in dire need of help, it seems as though the demand is higher than ever before. People, families, and children less fortunate than us desperately need a helping hand. The sheer numbers are overwhelming to be sure, but there is a lot we can do that does not always entail writing a check.
A new book, How to be an Everyday Philanthropist, has hit book stores just in the nick of time for the giving season. With brilliant strategies and thorough research, Nicole Boles lists a plethora of charities in which you can donate your time and talents and that will make a measurable difference in the lives of those in need.
Reading through How to be an Everyday Philanthropist I was shocked, but delighted, by the types of charities you can volunteer your time to at home like reading documents to the blind over the phone or becoming an e-mentor to a young girl. As a busy mom, these are the types of charities that piqued my interest first and may pique your interest as well.
Giving to charitable causes does not always mean giving money, especially as the economy continues to do scary things to our savings accounts and discretionary income. But there are always ways of giving that utilize our skills and talents that really make a difference in the lives of others and that you can even do at home.
Learn more about charities that can benefit from your skills and devotion in How to be an Everyday Philanthropist by Nicole Boles.
I’m a cat lady. I’ve always loved my feline friends although I haven’t actually owned a cat for years. When I was a kid, though, I had many and loved ...moreI’m a cat lady. I’ve always loved my feline friends although I haven’t actually owned a cat for years. When I was a kid, though, I had many and loved them all!
Although I should genuinely be offended by Bradley Greive’s literary and literal screed against cats, I’m not. Why Dogs are Better Than Cats is such a heartwarming book full of the most amazing photos of both dogs and cats taken by Rachel Hale that I completely forgot that Greive’s entire point is to argue dogs are much better pets than cats. While he likens cats to animals with no soul he lets us know pointedly that dogs are the ultimate human companion with the sweetest dispositions and undying love. Of course, I completely disagree, cats have souls. Nevertheless, I love the book. The photos melted my heart and I have to admit that while Greives makes compellingly strong points, the cat lover in me will never be swayed.
Why Dogs are Better Than Cats is a perfect book for any dog lover this holiday season. They will spend hours leafing through the pages and pages of adorable photos of “man’s best friend” and then give the dog in their life an extra pat on the head and rub on the tummy.(less)
Every so often I run into an illustrator whose images are so beautifully rendered I become a bit obsessed with their work. It's akin to when I discove...moreEvery so often I run into an illustrator whose images are so beautifully rendered I become a bit obsessed with their work. It's akin to when I discovered Miro and Gustav Klimt while in college. I traveled to New York twice in one fall semester just to see their masterpieces up close and personal. I didn't care if those trips left me penniless by semester's end. It was worth it!
My latest creative hero isn't a dead artist. No, she's quite alive and well and utterly brilliant. Her name is Jane Ray and her illustrations are not only gorgeous, but quite magical and ethereal.
Her latest work from Candlewick Press is Snow White. I know what you're thinking: how can anyone put a new twist on such a legendary fairy tale? I'm here to tell you, she doesn't attempt to control the story or add any new flare. But she certainly adds a layer of beauty, novelty and suspense simply with her illustrations. And to make the book even more appealing, it is a three-dimensional pop-up book that Candlewick Press is widely noted for.
Jane Ray's Snow White will be a marvelous gift to any girl for the holidays. Not only will they get lost in the story, but the 3-D scenes will take their breath away.
You might be a bit like me; only buying great books once they've come out in paperback. It's least expensive and the story is the same as the hardback...moreYou might be a bit like me; only buying great books once they've come out in paperback. It's least expensive and the story is the same as the hardback edition. But, if there is one book you should pay extra for this year, I highly recommend January's Sparrow by Patricia Pollaco.
I was a bit surprised to get January's Sparrow in October to review as it seems like a book ripe for Black History Month. After reading January's Sparrow I now know it's perfect any time of year. January Sparrow is a children's book dripping with the harrowing true tale of a family of runaway slaves. Intended for an audience of eight-years-old and older, this story will stick with your children for a lifetime, especially as they identify with the main character, Sadie, who's around eight herself.
Pollaco does a masterful job infusing history and the horrors of slavery including merciless whippings and escaping in the middle of the night to reach free states. But amidst all of the terrifying pages of the Crosswhite family seeking freedom is a heartwarming story of a family that stuck together, escaped together, and a Michigan town that refused to hand them over to the perils of the south. (less)
Seasonal books are always fun. I remember my time in grade school fondly. I loved the holidays best no matter which one it was. There was always somet...moreSeasonal books are always fun. I remember my time in grade school fondly. I loved the holidays best no matter which one it was. There was always something festive going on and I loved being a part of it.
Halloween was no different. In fact, it was and still remains one of the funnest holidays of the year. I'm convinced Halloween was created for kids. What other day of the year can they dress up, stay up late and eat as much candy as they'd like?
When I was small my mother used to read holiday stories to us all the time. Books help bring the holidays to life. And Then Comes Halloween does not disappoint as it is a story full of the Halloween spirit, but nothing stood out to me that makes me think it's an exceptional book.
Although there is nothing quite noteworthy about this book, it is a nice addition to any holiday collection. It just won't be the first one you pull off the shelf each year. (less)
I am always cautious of modern re-tellings of classic fairy tales. I greatly prefer fairy tales to remain largely the way I remember them from my chil...moreI am always cautious of modern re-tellings of classic fairy tales. I greatly prefer fairy tales to remain largely the way I remember them from my childhood and I wholeheartedly believe children today should experience the same joy from these stories as generations before them. That said, I am happy to report Candlewick Press's Classic Fairy Tales written by Berlie Doherty passes my rigid authenticity test.
Doherty admits that she took the liberty to add small changes to each of the fairy tales with a "color here or a jewel there", but these inclusions don't twist the plot or characters into unrecognizable new tales.
One of the things I love most about Candlewick Press' edition of the classic fairy tales is the illistrations modernize the stories. Jane Ray, the amazingly talented illustrator of these fairy takes, render the characters more diverse and even ethereal. For example, Sleeping Beauty looks as if she was born in South America. And Beauty from Beauty and the Beast is clearly an African-American character. It is refreshing to see that the characters as they are drawn in the book changes the stories to a degree while the stories themselves remain the same.
Regardless of race, though, Ray's drawings bring each fairy tale to life with her attention to detail and gorgeous depictions of characters we have all come to love and behold in our collective imaginations.
Lauren Child is a genius children's book author and illustrator. That is truly a rare gift in the saturated literary world, and a boon to those of us ...moreLauren Child is a genius children's book author and illustrator. That is truly a rare gift in the saturated literary world, and a boon to those of us who love well-written stories our children can enjoy.
Known for her Clarice Bean and Charlie and Lola titles, Child ventured into another genre of storytelling with a stand-alone book about a poodle who hated being a dog that's lavished upon. She hated the expensive dog food, puppy salon treatments, doggy manicures and the like. All she wanted to do was jump in puddles, get dirty and chase after newspapers.
Who Wants to be a Poodle? I Don't is not only a stellar story with a relevant moral, but the illustrations are wonderfully displayed throughout as well.
My youngest daughter, who is a budding artist herself, was drawn to the embossed cover and the art inside, for the illustrations are not simply your run-of-the-mill variety. Child draws her signature illustrations, but uses fabric to decorate everything from expensive dresses and shoes to posh lampshades and opulent floor-length curtains.
Who Wants to be a Poodle? I Don't is a must-buy for Lauren Child fans and for any parent whose child relishes beautiful and unique illustrations in a children's book.
Candlewick Press also offers an activity kitfor the book with puzzles, games, and drawing exercises.
Beautiful-written stories and gorgeous illustrations undoubtedly make for a wonderful children's book. Happy Sad Silly Mad: My World Makes Me Feel is ...moreBeautiful-written stories and gorgeous illustrations undoubtedly make for a wonderful children's book. Happy Sad Silly Mad: My World Makes Me Feel is no exception. My eight-year-old immensely enjoyed this book because as she said: She loved the illustrations because they are pretty and they made her feel like she was traveling and reading books.
My daughter's favorite spread in the book is below.
She lit up when she saw it. It's probably because she has skin and hair like the little girl on this page. My daughter also liked reading all of the feeling words from being curious about the moon to being embarrassed about burps.
From a mother's perspective I can say Happy Sad Silly Mad is a joyful, beautiful look into children's feelings and the activities, journeys, and adventures they enjoy. I recommend reading this story with your children during the day instead of at bedtime and allow them to soak in the bright colors and stellar illustrations and then reinforce the emotion words the author uses to help increase your child's vocabulary.(less)
**spoiler alert** There is nothing better to a weary-eyed mom who reads to her children at bedtime than a creative, well-written children's story. It ...more**spoiler alert** There is nothing better to a weary-eyed mom who reads to her children at bedtime than a creative, well-written children's story. It also helps tremendously when the book is an imaginative, clever adaptation of an age-old fairy tale.
Agnese Baruzzi and Sandro Natalini have written what they deem the true story of Goldilocks which whets the appetites of children everywhere whose curiosity allows them to imagine what happened before Goldilocks got to the three bears' home.
Written as a novelty book, you and your children can open envelopes and find letters inside, open flaps, turn paper wheels and marvel at beautiful pop-up illustrations. You and your children will enjoy the authors' keen story about why Goldilocks was really in the woods that fateful day when she eats the three bears' food, tests out their furniture, and is discovered sleeping when they return home.
**spoiler alert** Ayelet Waldman is brilliant. Any book that keeps me coming back to it and in particular kept me staunchly riveted in the middle of a...more**spoiler alert** Ayelet Waldman is brilliant. Any book that keeps me coming back to it and in particular kept me staunchly riveted in the middle of a busy Starbucks where very eclectic people abound is a real winner. Easily distracted I don’t stay focused on any one thing for longer than ten minutes at a time. I know; I need help.
Bad Mother is filled with exceptional writing and a maternal honesty that you’d be hard pressed to find elsewhere. Her candid and raw emotional chapters made me long for the early days of my blogging career when I actually cared about penning a carefully crafted sentence. Waldman is a real pro and I feel privileged to have had the opportunity to read it.(less)
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