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Educational Resources - Book Reviews - Page 5
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The Read Aloud Handbook
by Jim Trelease
Paperback: 432 pages Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics); 6th edition (July 25, 2006) ISBN: 0143037390
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Editorial Review
The Sacramento Bee
No household with children should be without a copy of The Read-Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease.
The Denver Post
This book is about more than reading aloud. It's about time that parents, teachers, and children spend together in a loving, sharing way. (The Washington Post) The Read-Aloud Handbook promises to give parents, teachers, and all others who care about children, reading, and the pursuit of happiness new inspiration.
Reader Reviews
The best book I've read on creating readers - October 11, 2006
One and a half years ago, my kindergartener was reading at a 3rd grade level but lacked "comprehension". While he could retell basic plot elements, he appeared to lack any ability to synthesize or think about what he had read.
So I dutifully bought several comprehension workbooks and was preparing to work with him all summer. Then I stumbled across Trelease's wonderful handbook, and the light went on. What a compelling message about the importance of reading aloud to kids! What a wonderful book list! And what a beautifully simple way to transform my son into a truly comprehending reader!
All I needed to do was read to my son abundantly, ENCOURAGE discussion, rejoice and respond if he spontaneously asked questions while I was reading (THAT was a paradigm shift), and surround him with great books. I could toss out the workbooks.
My son's reading comprehension greatly improved, my children LOVE our read-aloud times - as do I - and they love to read themselves. What's not to like? This book is a wonderful resource that I have referred to repeatedly.
Very helpful if you believe reading to a child is fun and beneficial - November 9, 2006
This is a necessary book if you were not read to as a child and wonder how and what to do for your own children or grandchildren. And, if you believe being read to is necessary for a child to develop a fluency in reading and a successful academic career. This is the 6th edition and that should say it all. I read a couple of the previous editions and I still find it interesting and helpful. As far as I know being read to has never hurt a child. There are lists of suggested readings which avid readers can supplement but the lists are useful if you want a starting point.
lls, balance, and bonding just to name a few. A must-have for parents of infants!
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Mommy Guilt: Learn To Worry Less, Focus On What Matters Most, And Raise Happier Kids
by Julie Bort, Aviva Pflock, Devra Renner
Paperback: 259 pages
Publisher: AMACOM/American Management Association (April 30, 2005) ISBN: 0814408702
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Editorial Review
Amazon.com
Mommy Guilt looks like it might be one of the new breed of literate mother essay books, the kind in which writers wittily divulge those moments in which they weren't, well, perfect moms. Rather than a collection of essays, Mommy Guilt is a self-help book that aims to guide the time-deprived and stressed mom into parenting with her heart rather than her children's soccer schedule. Some techniques - singing show tunes to your recalcitrant middle schooler, for instance - seem less likely than others, and the book finds its greatest successes in the more no-nonsense advice handed down by the three authors, all of whom have raised children of their own.
What makes Mommy Guiltinteresting on a social anthropology level is that it weaves in experiences of real moms who responded to the authors' survey on mothering issues at a range of age levels and situations.
The survey questions are included in the back of the book, along with a helpful reference guide for situations ranging from how to handle tantrums in public to how to pick the right preschool. If the writing is sometimes precocious, its intent is to make mothers let go of the guilt that causes them to enjoy parenting less than they might otherwise, a sort of light-hearted literary jibe at how seriously moms can take the steady collection of dust bunnies and laundry piles over their children's (and their own) emotional well-being. One of the book's more unique features is a section on how to sustain a relationship with one's spouse, something that any parent, but particularly new or first-time parents, would find useful. - Megan Halverson
Charlotte Parent
"[C]overs life's most stressful parenting issues with a welcome sense of balance and humor."
Reader Reviews
One of the best resources in my library! October 24, 2005
As a mom of twin preschoolers, I devour mommy books ~~ simply because there are days when it's so chaotic that I need to read to clear my head. This book-highly recommended to my local chapter by the national chapter of Mothers & More ~~ is definitely a godsend. This book zeroes in exactly some of my worst guilts and these fabulous authors set the record straight!
Moms are often targeted by different sources to feel guilty ~~ if they spend more time cleaning the house than with the kids, they feel guilty that they're short-changing the kids. If they work outside the home, they feel guilty for not being there with their kids or they feel guilty that they're enjoying work. Moms feel guilty over disciplining their kids. Moms feel guilty, period. It must be one of those requirements of motherhood ~~ you will feel guilt. At one time or another.
These authors not only tell you to relax ~~ your feelings are valid ~~ but they also offer you suggestions that they have gleamed from their friends, experiences and from talking with other moms.
This book is chock full of experiences ~~ from moms dealing with potty training, breast-feeding to raising teenagers, to having a blended family and so on. Their advice are practical and common sensical. They also interject humor as well ~~ life doesn't need to be so serious, so lighten up!
The seven principles of the Mommy-Guilt Free philosophy couldn't have come at a better time for me personally. They are really simple and I would list the basic principles here ~~ but you really need to get a copy of this book for yourself to read more in-depth of what these authors are talking about. It's that good!
Some of the basic principles are: You must be willing to let some things go. Parenting is not a competitive sport. Laugh alot especially with your children, and so on. (These are the ones that I need the most right now ~~ however, I plan to apply the other principles as needed!)
This book isn't a book to read once ~~ this is a book that you probably will need to thumb through over and over again throughout your life with your children. This is also a book you might want to pass down to your children ~~ life is too short to live with guilt. And this is a pretty good start to work on getting rid of unnecessary guilt!
So, if anyone wants to borrow my copy, I will have to say, sorry. My copy is not for loan ~~ I know that I will need it over and over again. This is definitely a must-have for every mom (even dads have guilt and there is a section on that too!) ~~ even if you don't think you need it. It's just a great refresher on parenting! 10-24-05
A truly unique addition to your parenting resource library , January 13, 2006
"Mommy Guilt" takes an in-depth look at the emotion that plagues almost all mothers at least some of the time. I love the authors' combination of research (they surveyed over 1300 parents), anecdote, exploration of the concept of guilt, and down-to earth advice. They distinguish between usefull guilt that gets us to change our behavior when necessary, and free-floating guilt that serves no purpose. This dynamic team of authors has written a book that is comprehensive, informative, accessible, and reassuring. "Mommy Guilt" is a must-read for every parent.
Bidding Farewell to Guilty Mothering , February 21, 2006
This book does a great job of addressing the biggest situations in everyday life that tend to induce mommy-guilt - from mealtime to bedtime, and every single moment in between. Its advice is practical and grounded, delivered with good humor, but never dogmatic. And I love that the book's guilt-free principles can be used whether your child is a newborn or a teenager.
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Mom's Almanac
by Alice Wong, Lena Tabori
Hardcover: 256 pages
ISBN: 1932183000 |
Editorial Review
Book Description
From the creators of the best-selling The Little Big Book for Moms comes another treasure for mothers: Mom's Almanac. Part reference, advice, and resource guide, and part cookbook, keepsake, activity, and crafts book, this almanac is packed with information and fun. It is brilliantly designed to showcase more than 300 pieces of vintage children's illustrations from beloved artists such as Jessie Willcox Smith, Kate Greenaway, and Maud Humphrey. Mom's Almanac will be organized into seven themed chapters:
- The Bare Essentials - All the best basic information for mom, organized for easy reference with sleep and growth charts; first air and stain removal lists; potty training and discipline tips; age accomplishments; and developmental guides. Includes recommended books and web sites for further information.
- Feeding Time - This chapter is a book in itself! It includes basic nutritional information and advice for a family's healthy diet; handy lists and charts, such as perfect pantry list, food storage charts, and freezing charts; and recipes and ideas for meals, snacks, and treats.
- Having Fun - Suggestions, ideas, and activities for having fun, from stocking a dress-up box to raising you own butterflies; from star charts to quick retelling of favorite fairy tales; from great playground and car games to birthday party activities.
- Stepping Out - Wondering where to go with your kids? This chapter is filled with top 10 and favorite lists, web sites for information, and suggestions for everything from easy outings to trips to cities and national parks.
- Seasons and Holidays - Activities, recipes, and ideas for enjoying special times of the year with your children, including Christmas cookies and Halloween slime gelatin; nature walks in spring, and preserving leaves in autumn.
- Preserving Memories - Tips and ideas for capturing all the magic of childhood for posterity, including how to take great pictures, select items to save, make baby or school-year scrapbooks, and create rituals to treasure.
- The Best of Everything - Lists for everything from music and movies to books and toys for different age groups. Includes off-beat favorites. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
About the Author
Alice Wong has produced or edited numerous titles, including The Little Big Book for Moms and The Little Big Book for Grandmothers (both with Lena Tabori for Welcome), and Disney's Winnie the Pooh: A Celebration of the Silly Old Bear (for Disney Editions). She has three children - ages one, five, and seven.
Lena Tabori has conceived and edited numerous books including Love: A Celebration in Art and Literature (with Jane Lahr for STC), The Little Big Book for Dads (with H. Clark Wakabayashi for Welcome), and The Little Big Book of Christmas (for William Morrow).
Reader Reviews
FORGET the 'Baby' Books This is ALL you need! , November 18, 2005
My husband bought this as a gift for me. After waiting for years for our first child I needed LOTS of gifts while I was pregnant to prepare the home for his arrival.
THIS BOOK IS BY FAR THE BEST!!!! Not just for baby info, but for the formative first years. It has it all! Good baby food recipes, baby necessities list, baby and toddler first aid, fun games to play with your newborn into the toddler years, how to begin family traditions, and MUCH more.
The style of the book is delightful. Yes, the pictorals are from the twenties-forties, but all of the information is current. A much more useful book than any regular baby/new mom book on the market (I should know, I own a ton of them).
I plan to buy more of these as gifts for every new mom I know.
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A Lithgow Palooza
by John Lithgow
Paperback: 368 pages
ISBN: 0743261240 |
Editorial Review
From Publishers Weekly
Actor and children's author Lithgow (I'm a Manatee) has amassed a whimsical yet educational collection of activities parents can use to keep kids of all ages amused and engaged in learning while having fun. The book is divided into themed sections: "Big Paloozas," "Performance Paloozas," "Word Paloozas," "Music Paloozas" and other games. In each, parents will find suggestions rated by age and budget (most can be done cheaply or for free) such as building a fairy house from a shoebox, inventing a secret language or pretending to be an animal for a day. Lithgow accompanies many of the ideas, such as creating a photo essay (for children age nine and up), by noteworthy sidebars (in this case, a short history of photographer Gordon Parks). Lithgow's many years as a children's performer and author have served him well; the activities are, for the most part, varied and original. And the author, who used many of these while raising his own kids, has a knack for tapping into children's minds and worlds. Yet he presents his material in a straightforward manner that will make the games and projects easy for parents to implement and supervise, including the "running time" for each "palooza," related topics to pursue and suggested reading materials. With simple yet intriguing ideas, this is a delightful compilation to be used on rainy or sunny days with kids. Lithgow's humor and wit will inspire parents and children to rediscover the joys of good, old-fashioned imaginative play. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Book Description
What's a palooza?
An activity that keeps kids from uttering those terrifying words, "I'm bored!"
You may know John Lithgow as star of stage, screen, and television or even as a bestselling children's book author. But his most important role -- parent -- was also the most fun. Whether building cardboard castles or putting on a King and I puppet show or conducting a treasure hunt in the National Gallery of Art, John has spent years perfecting the art of the palooza.
- A palooza is easy to do!
A palooza doesn't cost much (some cost absolutely nothing)
- A palooza is instigated or organized by parents but is quickly taken over by children
- A palooza may involve a computer but never the TV
A palooza may use all varieties of arts and crafts
- A palooza may secretly teach children (and parents!) a thing or two
- A palooza is entertaining for the entire family
- A palooza depends entirely on the inexhaustible creativity, ingenuity, imagination, and sense of fun of young minds
This book contains 101 ideas for creating paloozas for children ages 3 to 12 wherever you are. Grouped according to interests and themes -- like art, drama, music, vacations, and birthdays -- and incorporating lots of extrapaloozas, fun facts for parent and child, and suggested additional reading for all ages, John's paloozas range from adopting your own soup can for a day to inventing your own secret language to establishing left-handed day or creating a self-portrait. A Lithgow Palooza! is an utterly unique collection of original activities guaranteed to transform any household from bored to bubbling with fun.
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Lithgow Party Paloozas!:
52 Unexpected Ways to Make a Birthday, Holiday, or Any Day a Celebration for Kids
By John Lithgow
Paperback: 256 pages
Publisher: Fireside (April 26, 2005)
ISBN: 0743270886
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Editorial Review
From Booklist
Lithgow, children's event coordinator extraordinaire--who knew? This follow-up to the author's well-received A Lithgow Palooza! 101 Ways to Entertain and Inspire Your Kids (2004) is all about parties, either prearranged or spur of the moment. Organized by month, the events happen both outdoors and indoors, including a very creative snow-day event (January), tracking the Iditarod online (March), Popsicle making (June), a "blueberry blowout" (August), backyard exploration (November), pet pix a la William Wegman (December), and 46 more. Lithgow is a great pal, a little silly sometimes, but he never underestimates his audience. Keen readers, for instance, are joyously led to the works of Charles Dickens, Ansel Adams, Georges Seurat, Mary Shelley, and Edward R. Murrow, among many others. Each activity suggests age range, materials needed, running time, and just why it is such a "lollapalooza." An inspired book that's certain to take readers beyond the 52 activities outlined here. Barbara Jacobs Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Book Description
Holidays, birthdays -- whatever the reason you decide to whoop it up, there's a palooza for it!
John Lithgow -- star of stage, screen, and television and bestselling children's book author -- has spent years perfecting the art of the palooza. A palooza is an invitation to a creative adventure, a jumping-off point for making your own fun. All twelve months of the year are loaded with opportunities to palooza. Sure, you can celebrate all the familiar holidays and birthdays the way you always have. Or you can turn those days -- and every other day -- into something special: a real wingding of a palooza!
This book is packed with fifty-two of John's easy and original celebrations for kids ages three through twelve. Each palooza costs little to nothing, and if you learn a little about art or music or food or philosophy along the way, hey, who's complaining! So turn off the TV, roll up your sleeves, and dive into:
- Beatlemania: Plunge into the exuberance and musical genius of the Beatles and have a party no one will ever forget.
- Opening Day: The first day of the baseball season signals a new beginning and the chance for a family of fans to invent a new tradition.
- National Bubble Day: Yes, it really is on January 8, but you can stage this party any day of the year.
- Tilting at Windmills: Make like the madcap adventurer Don Quixote on Miguel de Cervantes's birthday.
Lithgow Party Paloozas! shows us how to make holidays unique and birthdays original -- and how to party with a palooza every day of the year.
Reader Reviews
hilarious fun for kids, May 31, 2005
Do you want your kids to have fun? Of course. Do you want them to learn and grow and explore their worlds imaginatively? Certainly. But can they do both at the same time? If you don't think so, think again: this book is full of ideas that will both entertain your kids and encourage them to think creatively. Lithgow lays out crazy party plans that will definitely be a first in the neighborhood. If you're tired of the same old slumber party and birthday cake, this book is the answer.
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| Disclaimer
International Nanny Association does not endorse any of the publications listed on this and other pages, nor do the opinions of the authors necessarily reflect the positions of INA or its members. This is only a partial listing of resource materials available to the public. Readers are encouraged to research and inform themselves about the subjects that interest them. |
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