book review — MomStart

Disney’s Winnie The Pooh Book Review

December 11, 2011 By Momstart 4 Comments

By Summer,

Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Which came first, the book or the movie?

The new Winnie the Pooh animated feature, now also has a book which follows the adventures of the Hundred-Acre Wood gang. Though you can now get the book, the feature did have a theatrical release as well as a DVD release all happening this year. Sure you may have other Pooh related memorabilia, but you should also add this book to your collection. The title is Disney’s Winnie the Pooh A Hundred-Acre Treasury.

To address my original line on this post, in this case the book was released (May 2011) before the movie (July 2011), however tomAto – toMato. HA! I do believe, however, the movie came first in more of a story form as the book was adapted by Lisa Ann Marsoli.

The book is divided into three sections – Something Is Missing!; Tails, Tricks, and Traps; and Lost and Found – which are each 38 pages long:

* In Something Is Missing! all the Hundred-Acre Wood friends learn of Eeyore’s missing tail and begin to devise a plan for recover or replace it, and the prize will be a pot of honey.
* Tails, Tricks, and Traps has Eeyore trying on all of the tails his friends have brought to help win the honey pot prize. A tail is picked as Eeyore’s replacement but it all begins to unravel, and this misadventure lands Pooh at Christopher Robin’s doorstep and a note which becomes misinterpreted by Owl to say that Christopher Robin has been kidnapped by a Backson, which is a horrible, terrifying monster. So the gang has to rescue Christopher Robin, and they have a plan! Also, since Eeroye’s tail is missing again Tigger tries to “tiggerize” him.
* Lost and Found has all the friends trapped inside their own Backson trap! All except Christopher Robin, of course, and Tigger who is actually dressed like a Backson on accident. Though Piglet manages to escape the hole, he and Tigger find their way back into the pit. Yet, all the friends do get out and Christopher Robin “magically” appears because he was just supposed to be “back soon” not kidnapped by a Backson. And what do you know, Eeroye’s tail was just hanging out all along.

Disney’s Winnie the Pooh A Hundred-Acre Wood Treasury is a great way for your children to keep “re-playing” the movie when they’re not having screen time. My 2YO loves to look through this book all the time (see him sleeping with it on his lap). My 4YO will sit with me and read the entire book in one sitting; great bonding time. I loved the movie and I love the book.

My Mom Start Review Grade of Disney’s Winnie the Pooh A Hundred-Acre Wood Treasury Book: A+

As I’m writing this, Amazon only has 11 copies left at the price of only $10.87.

Lastly, we’d like to thank Disney and their PR company for providing an extra copy of Disney’s Winnie the Pooh A Hundred-Acre Wood Treasury to be given to a local school in need as a literacy donation.

Filed Under: review, Summer Tagged With: book review, Children's book review, Winnie the Pooh

Two Christmas Book Recommendations Disney’s A Magical Christmas and Flicka, Ricka, Dicka and Their New Skates

December 10, 2011 By Momstart 4 Comments

BY Summer,

One of my favorite things about Christmas is traditions! We’re currently still building our family’s traditions, like our 2YO and 4YO have a child’s tree surrounded in books instead of presents. A friend shared this tradition with us and we have a Christmas story collection of all sorts of books. We just added two new titles: Disney’s A Magical Christmas and Flicka, Ricka, Dicka and Their New Skates.

Disney’s A Magical Christmas – This is a NEW book from Disney to help celebrate Christmas. A Magical Christmas is designed for ages 3-7. Disney’s A Magical Christmas is a 16 page book that contains thick, board book like, pages; each 2 page spread has a new poem, new movie picture with your child’s favorite characters, and a lenticular with two different holiday scenes. Within the pages of Disney’s A Magical Christmas you’ll find the movies Cars, Lady and the Tramp, Finding Nemo, Mickey’s One Upon A Christmas, Little Mermaid, Mickey’s Christmas Carol, Wall-E, and Beauty and the Beast.

My two boys love this new addition to their library. They love to play with the lenticulars from the front cover to the last page. The lenticulars were what actually attracted me to this book as well. However I feel their ages aren’t correct (3-7YO), my guess on the ages is so that younger children doesn’t pull off the lenticular switching picture patches.

Thank you also to Disney and their PR company for sending an extra copy for donation to a local school that could use some extra help. Don’t forget to give when you can.

My Mom Start Review Grade of Disney’s A Magical Christmas Book: A-

Flicka, Ricka, Dicka and Their New Skates – This is a reprint of a 1950’s favorite. I know the names are different, but that’s because this book is from Swedish author Maj Lindman. My version has paper dolls of the girls, their staking outfits and their dog, Mike. This is great for some kids, but mine could care less about the paper dolls, BUT they did enjoy the book. My 4YO found it very engaging! Flicka, Ricka, Dicka and Their New Skates is a book with real problems that have real solutions.

SPOILER ALERT: In this book the girls visit their aunt and uncle who live by a lake. They have new ice skates and on the ice they meet a little boy, Bertie, who gets himself into trouble by falling through thin ice. The triplets save the Bertie; as a thank you gift Bertie’s family treats the girls to a cocoa and the following day a new doll to each girl and a bone for Mike.

Flicka, Ricka, Dicka and Their New Skates book is so cute and takes me back to my love for Christmas movie classics like “White Christmas”. Though this book is fiction, it could be non-fiction and I like discussing the book with my 4YO. I’ve discussed with him: how the girls only get one gift each, How simply their tree is decorated in the illustration, also they have candles on their tree and we talk about why we don’t have candles on out tree and what we have instead, how they are approved by an adult to go out on an iced lake and why, we talked about the harmony between the siblings and his own sibling relationship with his 2YO brother, what he thinks Bertie might do in the story, what he thinks the girl should do when Bertie is on the thin ice, what should the girls do when Bertie is in the water with Mike, does he think the triples did the right thing to help Bertie, and why it’s important to be thankful. Help your little ones think critically through books too; this not only increases your child’s though processes but helps further literacy AND writing skills.

Other Flick, Ricka, Dicka books include: and The Big Red Hen, and The Little Dog, and The New Dotted Dresses, and The Strawberries, and The Three Kittens, and Their New Friend, Go To The Market, Bake a Cake and more.

Though my 2YO will listen to Flicka, Ricka, Dicka and Their New Skates, my 4YO is the one who gets it. We all have been enjoying this adventure of Flicka, Ricka, and Dicka getting skates and learning about ice.

My Mom Start Review Grade of Flicka, Ricka, Dicka and Their New Skates Book: A+

Filed Under: review Tagged With: book review, Dicka and Their New Skates, Disney’s A Magical Christmas, Flicka, Ricka

The Family Storybook Treasury

November 13, 2011 By Momstart 123 Comments

One of Miles’ favorite stories is the one about the monkeys jumping off the bed. We have one that’s 8 little monkeys jumping off the bed but I think the original story is called Five Little Monkeys. He knows the book and can recite it over and over again. I even heard him singing the song to himself as he was getting ready for bed tonight. He’s my silly little monkey you know!

I recently received The Family Storybook Treasury and I was looking through it this evening and saw Five little Monkeys and of course I thought of him. Now my daughter, she just loves any story. She loves to have us read to her and has since she was a baby. So I know she’s going to love this book when she sees it.

Now what was unexpected was my husband’s reaction to the book.

As I was looking through it he recognized one of the stories in it. He recognized the story Mike Mulligan. He said he can’t remember why he remembers it but he does and he’s going to enjoy reading it to the kids. That’s what The Family Storybook Treasure is all about sharing it and passing it on from generation to generation.

Here is the Full Family Storybook Treasury Synopsis

Family, friends, your favorite characters…bring them all together at story time! Share the book that is sure to entertain, delight, and make the whole gang laugh. The Family Storybook Treasury is a collection of your most well-loved picture books and poetry, now available in one beautiful keepsake volume with bonus audio CD!

Includes eight complete picture books:

•          Curious George and the Firefighters by Margret and H. A. Rey
•          Martha Speaks by Susan Meddaugh
•          Lyle Walks the Dogs by Bernard Waber, illustrated by Paulis WaberSheep in a Jeep by Nancy Shaw, illustrated by Margo Apple
•          Tacky the Penguin by Helen Lester, illustrated by Lynn Munsinger
•          Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed by Eileen Christelow
•          The Great Doughnut Parade by Rebecca Bond
•          Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel by Virginia Lee Burton

A beautiful treasure to give, receive, and pass down and enjoy with your children or grandchildren.

This giveaway has ended. Congratulations to the winner, deb c.

All rules can be found under giveaway rules.

We received samples.

Filed Under: giveaway Tagged With: book review, Children's book, Family Storybook treasury, giveaway

Curious Critters by David FitzSimmons

November 12, 2011 By Momstart 2 Comments

By Reviewer Emily:

My 5 year old daughter has informed me that she has a job. I am not sure who is responsible for the paycheck, but she now considers herself an animal scientist. Her “work bag” consists of her field journal, colored pencils, binoculars and camera which she keeps handy to record any new animal she finds. To help support her budding career, we’ve made frequent trips to the library and our local book store so she can read up on her favorite subjects. We’ve now acquired a pretty decent animal book collection in our home and one of our favorites is the recently published Curious Critters by David FitzSimmons. This book is brilliant!

Award-winning author and photographer David Fitzsimmons has created a book that is not only fun to read, but equally fun to look at. The striking animal photography is the main feature of Curious Critters. Each of these animals (many found in your own backyard) is photographed against a plain, white background which brings out the animals’ colors, textures and shapes.

There are twenty-one fascinating critters in all, and each animal tells a story about itself to give young readers an understanding of the animals’ character in real life. For older readers, there is plenty of educational information that features natural history information for each animal, a two-page spread of life-size silhouettes and a glossary.

To my surprise, our little animal scientist enjoyed the bat and spider pages best. She told me these are two scary critters she would not want to find in real life so being able to see them up close in the pages of the book was pretty cool. Since many of these animals and insects are quite common, my two year old daughter liked trying to name each animal on the page and mimic their sounds.

We browsed through the book rather quickly the first time because we couldn’t wait to see what photographed on the next page. With each reading afterwards, my girls continued to become mesmerized with each page, studying all the captivating details the photos reveal.

Curious Critters is a great book to enjoy over and over. It’s a children’s book not just for the young, but for the nature lover of any age and would make the perfect gift for that person.

Curious Critters is the 2011 Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards silver medalist among Non-Fiction – Picture Books.

For more information and resources including puzzles, coloring pages, e-cards, teacher aids and stories about the making of Curious Critters. For more information about the author and his photography check out David FitzSimmons.

Samples were received.

About Emily:

Emily is also very active in the local MOMS CLUB. She raises chickens and has 2 shih tzus. Her daughter Caitlyn attends Montessori school and she hates housecleaning, loves wine and enjoys dining out. She would love to find a cure for the depression and anxiety she has dealt with on and off over the past 10 years, just like me. She is an amazing mom and friend.

Filed Under: review Tagged With: book review, Children's book, curious critters, David FitzSimmons

Children’s Book Review Razzle Dazzle Ruby By Masha D’yans

October 23, 2011 By Momstart 144 Comments

Zoe loves to read and can sit for house looking at books, reading the ones she knows and looking at the pictures of the rest. So it’s quite a bit of fun when we find a book that is really interactive. Meet Razzle Dazzle Ruby by By Masha D’yans perfect for children ages 4 – 8.

Razzle-Dazzle Ruby is a fantastic book where the kids can not only imagine themselves in a world of snow, they get to play with the pages. Each page is interactive as they can help build an evil snowman, spin him around while making a narrow escape, and sled down the hill.

About the book:

Ruby can make the ordinary extraordinary! Come skate on a shimmering pond, roll a giant snowball, sled down a snowy hill, and create soaring snow angels with her as she becomes a snow queen and transforms a typical winter day into a gleaming-beaming fairy tale.

Combining glorious watercolors, elegant paper engineering, and whimsical storytelling, this joyful novelty picture book is sure to enchant children and adults.

Watch the Razzle Dazzle Ruby book trailer:

Meet the author:

Masha D’yans is an award-winning artist. Her line of greeting cards, clothing, and home décor, featuring her alluring artwork, are sold at Target, Macy’s, Urban Outfitters, Nordstrom, as well as other major retailers and smaller specialty shops. Originally from St. Petersburg, Russia, and classically trained at the St. Petersburg Academy of Art Lyceum and subsequently at Cooper Union in New York City, she now lives and works in Manhattan. Razzle-Dazzle Ruby is her first book.

This giveaway has ended. Congratulations to the winners, Kellie Conklin and Nicole.

All rules can be found under giveaway rules.

We received samples.

Filed Under: giveaway, review Tagged With: book review, Children's book, giveaway, Masha D'yans, Razzle Dazzle Ruby, scholastic

The Deep Black Pond By Morgan Kostival Children’s Book

October 15, 2011 By Momstart 4 Comments

By Reviewer Summer:

I just don’t think I get the book, The Deep Black Pond. The author, Morgan Kostival, says of himself, “I write to preserve my child-like imagination that, sadly, too many adults forget how to use.” So maybe I’ve lost it. But I have never met a book my 4YO didn’t like, until now! I was shocked when I asked if he liked the book and he said, “No. I mean … well, no.”

In my opinion this book is like a cult classic movie. It seems like this is the type of book that would be underground and loved by few. The photographs are hard to decipher and remind me of the I Spy books. The characters have an interesting and unique look; my thought is Kostival could make a great living working with The Jim Henson Company.

If you’re interested in taking a look into The Deep Black Pond for yourself then you can do so on Amazon where you can also purchase the book for $18.00.

My MomStart Review Grade of The Deep Black Pond by Morgan Kostival: D

You can find Morgan Kostival’s Fan Page on Facebook.

About Summer:

Summer is very active in our Local MOMS Club chapter, she is the mother of two adorable active boys, and is always thinking of ways to help others. She is a friend, a wife, and always busy as all mommies are. She is very active on Facebook, addicted to Geocaching and very interested in organic and green living while cooking up a storm.

Filed Under: review, Summer Tagged With: book review, Morgan Kostival, The Deep Black Pond

The Stocked Kitchen: One Grocery List Endless Recipes by Sarah Kallio and Stacey Krastins

July 17, 2011 By Momstart 11 Comments

How many times had that happened to you that 3.30-4.00 p.m. rolled around and you had absolutely no idea what is for dinner? You aimlessly flipped through your favorite cookbooks just to find that you don’t have half of the ingredients to make some of those deliciously looking meals that peek back at you from the colored photographs. This happened to me way too many times. If you like to eat and you enjoy delicious and simple meals, this cookbook will be your best friend in the kitchen.

The Stocked Kitchen captures a simple and brilliant idea: fill up your pantry from the grocery list found in the back of the book and you will be able to make any of the 300 delicious dishes presented in this collection of receipts. Easy-peasy! I have a repertoire of meals and dishes I make over and over – don’t we all? – but this book encourages me to expand and still stay on the quick, affordable and delicious side of feeding my family.

The book starts with a simple and easy way to stock your kitchen – first get rid of what you don’t need, or items you haven’t used (and wasted your money on to use for one dish 6 month ago). Then clean, organize, shop and cook away. So I am a cook and I think my pantry is well stocked for success (and I still encounter the question of ‘what’s for dinner?’ more than 3 times a week). So to put the book to the test I went through the shopping list and surprisingly found that I have more than 90% of the Stocked Kitchen ingredients in my pantry right now. The list is simple enough to accommodate dietary restrictions such as low-fat, low-sodium, organic choices (or my little guy to has multiple food allergies) by purchasing the regular items you always buy.

An extensive glossary at the beginning of the book will allow you to understand your ingredients if you are a rookie or even a good old cook who needs a refresher. The book features the following receipt categories:

· Appetizers (like Hot Stuffed Mushroom Dip)
· Salads (like Mediterranean Rice Salad)
· Soups, Stews, Chilies, and Breads (like Roasted Red Pepper Bisque)
· Pastas and Pizzas (like Lemon Dill Seafood Pasta)
· Chicken, Meat, and Seafood (like Moroccan Roll-Up)
· Beans, Potatoes, Rice, and Veggies (like Spicy Bell Pepper Boats)
· Desserts (like Ginger Pear Crisp)
· Breakfast or Brunch (this is a super interesting section with amazing sweet and savory ideas like coffee cakes and delicious bakes)

The cooking instructions are easy to follow and each page has a communication box, providing cooking or serving suggestions. This is a really handy addition to the receipts that will help you to gain confidence and even venture out into the open sea of improvisation (one of my favorite kitchen skills). I like the personal touches to the book as the authors share their experiences and practices.

Yes, this cookbook is for you:

· If you are a beginner cook and you want to have a cooking and shopping system to get you off to a great start
· If you are looking for a quicker easier way of putting dinner on the table – by getting organized
· If you don’t go to the grocery store more than once a week.
· If you like simple meals without the fancy ingredients
· If you like to improvise – this book is a great source of ideas

No, this cookbook is not for you:

· If you like unique ingredients and flavors
· If you are a visual person and you need a picture of every meal in the book before you want to make it (there are some pictures grouped in the middle of the book but not on every page)
· If you mostly prefer fresh foods over canned and frozen options

The book is for purchase at Barnes and Noble and Amazon.

We received a sample free to us to facilitate this review.

About Orshi:

Orshi is a teacher at UCIC where she works daily with children. She shows a great love for children as she has three of her own. She also loves Facebook, gardening and baking. She was born and grew up in Hungary and now lives across the street.

Filed Under: book review, review Tagged With: book review, cook book review, Endless Recipies, Orshi, Sarah Kallio, Stacey Krastins, The Stocked Kitchen Review

Children’s Book Review: God Gave Us You By Lisa Tawn Bergren

July 15, 2011 By Momstart 11 Comments

Children have lots of question. One of the biggest is where did I come from? Writer Lisa Tawn Bergren answers this multifaceted question when a cub asks her polar bear mother with a simple, God Gave Us You. Little cub’s digging “why’s” drive this story of a husband and wife wanting to extend their family; God Gave Us You tells about the blessings of being pregnant, having a baby, and being a family.

My sons and I love this book! We’ve read it many times and I not only love the entertainment, but I value the education it is giving them as they begin to explore God, their loving creator. This is a must add to your library and would make the perfect gift. This is great book in general for birthdays or Christmas (in July), but would make an EXCELLENT gift for soon-to-be siblings or for a baby shower.

God Gave Us You has been on the market as a paper book since 2000 and has grown to include six unique titles, but for the first time now God Gave Us You is available as a board book. This is great for me because I don’t have to worry about Riley, my 23MO, tearing up a paper copy.

You can currently get a hardcover (paper page) copy of God Gave Us You from Amazon for only $4.40. The new board book addition, available July 19, costs $6.99 on Amazon and you can have it on your doorstep the day of release for most continental U.S. addresses.

If you have God Gave Us You then check out the other titles in this collection – God Gave Us Love, God Found Us You, God Gave Us Two, God Gave Us Heaven, God Gave Us Christmas, and God Gave Us the World. God Gave Us Love is about loving others. God Found Us You is about adopting a child. God Gave Us Two is about a second child coming into the lives of the bear family. God Gave Us Heaven is about what heaven is like. God Gave Us Christmas is about the relationship of Christmas and the birth of Jesus. God Gave Us the World is about God’s vast uniquely special creations. There is also God Gave Us So Much a limited-edition collection containing 3 books — God Gave Us the World, God Gave Us Love, and God Gave Us Heaven.

You can find God Gave Us You and other WaterBrook Press books on their website. Keep up with other new WaterBrook Press releases, and learn about contests and prizes on their Facebook page and by tracking them on Twitter @WaterBrookPress.

Follow the God Gave Us You author, Lisa Tawn Bergren on her web page, Lisa Tawn Bergren Facebook page, and on Twitter @LisaTBergren.

Other WaterBrook books reviewed on Mom Start have been God Gave Us the World and The Dragon and the Turtle: Go On Safari.

We received samples to facilitate this review opinions are our own.

About Summer:

Summer is the President of our Local MOMS Club chapter, she is the mother of two adorable active boys, and is always thinking of ways to help others. She is a friend, a wife, and always busy as all mommies are. She is very active on Facebook, addicted to Geocaching and very interested in organic and green living while cooking up a storm.

Filed Under: review Tagged With: book review, Children's book review, God Gave us You, Lisa Tawn Bergren, Waterbrook Press

The Answer to No TV: EYE Q Picture Puzzler

July 4, 2011 By Momstart 6 Comments

“Are we there yet?” I know you too can here the whine from the back seat of the car or right beside you on the plane. Sometimes as a parent I lack a fun tool for my kids that doesn’t involve plugging them in. I want to say no to movies, or TV, or video games – but then what? Jamison, my 4YO, is too young to really sit and read a book. Eye Q Picture Puzzler solves my problem.

The Eye Q Picture Puzzler book is eye spy meets picture puzzles. Jamison loves to play eye spy, but it’s hard to play in the car and airplane for too long. He enjoys reading Can You See What I See? books and I Spy books, but those can put a crick in my neck always looking around to read phrases and be sure he found the right thing. The Eye Q Picture Puzzler book is a step above as it provide questions which involve not only locating a target, but involve an activity around them: find 5 sets of twins, locate each treat with sprinkles, are there more orange or red berries. Brilliantly, though, anybody can improvise a new question for a fresh activity. The Eye Q Picture Puzzler book comes with a dry erase pen for marking answers; and as is characteristic of dry erase pens, it can be easily wiped from any page when an activity is complete.

I also love that Eye Q Picture Puzzler can help keep you young child current in simple math over the summertime break with collages that involve children in finding, counting, sorting, and comparing. This book is designed for children over 4YO, and during market research Eye Q Picture Puzzler tested successfully with children in grades K-2. Jamison loves this book and this is on my “Take With” list for traveling. In fact later this summer we have a trip to Europe planned, and I know this will be a life saver on our 2 flights totally about 14 hours in travel time. Jamison won’t get bored either as each page is a new scene – candy, dinosaurs, bugs, dogs, shoes, balloons, the beach. There are 24 unique pages to hunt through.

Eye Q Picture Puzzler is available for purchase for $11.99 from Downtown Bookworks Inc. and is actually on Amazon for $10.19 and if you’re not an Amazon Prime member you can get free shipping on an order of $25 or more.

You can find Downtown Bookworks on their website and on Facebook]. Mom Start has also reviewed The Do It Myself Kids’ Cookbook put out by Downtown Bookworks, Inc. Both are great summertime boredom busters. (My last Thursday Treat post was from The Do It Myself Kids’ Cookbook; Jamison and I made a modified Strawberry Tall Cake.)

Disclosure – A product was provided to me free of charge by the manufacturer or representing PR agency for the writing of this review; however, opinions expressed are my own and are NOT influenced by monetary compensation

About Summer:

Filed Under: review Tagged With: Activity book, Are We There Yet, book review, eye q, EYE Q Picture Puzzler, puzzle book

Astro The Steller Sea Lion By Jeanne Walker Harvey illustrated by Shennen Bersani

June 27, 2011 By Momstart 2 Comments

Astro is a Steller Sea Lion who lost his momma when he was only a few days old. His luck of being found by volunteers from the Sausalito Marine Mammal Center makes him a ‘people sea lion’ forever. At 10 month of age, he was attempted to be released back into the wild over and over just to return to the same place, the Marine Mammal Center every time. After failed attempts, Astro’s caretakers understand that this friendly sea lion has been around people for his whole life and living in the wild will never be a happy option for him. Steller sea lions are a threatened species so through Astro, scientist were given the opportunity to learn about these unique animals and prepare him for his final home, to become a beloved character of the Mystic Aquarium in Connecticut.

Astro the Steller Sea Lion is a lovely and educational read. I love new stories, especially stories that teach us, raise questions and intrigue us in many ways. My daughter is five now and her understanding of complex concepts has been developing rapidly. What does it mean to be an endangered species? How does Astro feel about going back to the wild? Why is this story so touching on many levels? At a young age, children get so attached to emotions and while this story provides many avenues for learning, Astro’s happiness is what touched my children the most. For older children, this book is just loaded with useful information about sea lions, what it takes to care for them, how to train them and the moral responsibilities that we have as humans to protect and care for animals. The book is beautifully illustrated with very realistic pictures, capturing emotions perfectly and fully embracing diversity.

Being a teacher, I was itching to design a lesson plan around this book …. Just to find out that the Sylvan Dell Publishing Company had 30 pages worth of online resources to put this book into the spotlight of any classroom. I might just have to do it next year …. I am so sure it will be an amazing touch to our science curriculum.

First time author, Jeanne Walker Harvey, perfectly captures her readers with this book with the help of her award-winning illustrator, Shenne Bersani.

Sample received to facilitate this review.

About Orshi:

Filed Under: book review, review Tagged With: Astro The Steller Sea Lion, book review, Children's book, review, Sylvan Dell Publishing Company