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Putumayo Picnic Playground CD Giveaway Ending Soon!

picnic-playgroue280a6image-web1Monday, Aug. 24th is your last chance to enter the Good Reads With Ronna Picnic Playground CD giveaway courtesy of Putumayo Kids.

Take a minute to enter this new contest from Good Reads With Ronna for your chance to win one of 5 Putumayo Kids Picnic Playground CDs including music from L.A.’s very own Rhythm Child by clicking here. Remember to put Picnic Playground as your subject. Contest ends Monday, Aug. 24th. CLICK HERE FOR RULES.

Putumayo is serving up summertime music fun with its latest kids compilation, Picnic Playground, which dishes out a feast of delicious songs from Denmark to Australia. Work up an appetite grooving to tunes like Asheba’s Carribean-coated “Ice Cream” and the Cuban-flavored “Bolitas de Arroz con Pollo” by Jose Conde y Ola Fresca.
For a delicious contest, visit www.putumayokids.com to enter their cool recipe contest now until August 25th.

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Spend Summer With Some Young Adult Fiction Books

Today’s guest reviewer Grace will be entering 8th grade this fall.

Ruby UNSCRIPTED

ruby_bigRuby UNSCRIPTED by Cindy Martinusen-Coloma. “Life is what happens when you lose the script.” Ruby Madden moves to what she thinks is her dream town. Marin High School is a place for rich people, but not Ruby. Ruby joins a film group and starts a new life in Madden, but will she forget about her friends in her home town?

This was a very good book about a real girl going through real issues. It is a slow read, but still good. The book is well written and I recommend it to anyone that just needs a real read.

A Time for Dancing

9780316036344_154x233A Time for Dancing by Davida Wills Hurwin. This book was about this girl, Jules, who gets sick and how she and her friend have to deal with it. These two girls have been best friends since they were nine years old and were basically inseparable! They both loved to dance and Jules had a whole career ahead of her. But then she is hit was an illness. How will the friends deal with this?

This book is very well written. I could picture everything that was happening and what people looked like because of the fantastic description. The author explained what the girls were going through in such detail that as a reader I felt like I were one of them. This was a very visual and amazing book and I don’t know any other words to describe it. I recommend it to teens and adults. Make sure you have a lot of time on your hands because you will never want to put this book down.

The Summer I Turned Pretty

9781416968238The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han is an amazing story about a girl, Belly, who measures her life in summers. She is 16 and this might be her last summer at her beach house. As she grows up that summer she finds romance, memories and sorrow. This is a really terrific book, and, without a doubt, a very fast read.

One of my favorite things about the book was, when something happened which recalls a memory from a previous summer back, Jenny Han would start a new chapter to explain the story. It was a great way to hold the interest of the reader. This was a well written book.

Though I really enjoyed the book for the most part, I found there were sections of it that I did not like as much. One of the charters really bugged me. There was this pretty, amazing, and smart girl who she finds a nerdy guy to like. This really bugged me because I personally thought she could do better (Editor’s Note: What’s wrong with nerds?). Other than that this was, like I said before, a very well written book. I would definitely recommend this book.

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Some Very Good Books

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I am Debbie Paquette from Hanson, MA. I decided to be a stay at home mom once I had my twins. Connor and Kayleen are 4 years old. We love to keep busy between cheerleading, hockey, music, story times and preschool. Our favorite place to hang out is at a library so we frequent several local libraries in order to have some variety. 07-29-2009-015We read in the mornings if they have evening activities otherwise we read at bed time. I love to search the Internet while they nap for local children’s activities that we can participate in and attend. We are always on the go, but this allows us to try new things.

Time for Bed Little One by Caroline Pitcher, with illustrations by Tina Macnaughton from Good Books.
timeforbedlittleone My children loved the illustrations in this book, they had to look at the book several times to make sure they didn’t miss anything in the pictures. It is a great book to read at nap time as well as bedtime. When we read the
book for a second time, my kids who are both 4 years old, wanted to talk
about nocturnal animals. It turned into a great learning tool. I joke that my kids are napturnal, sometimes its hard to take a nap when you feel like everyone else is playing. The story also shows kids that even when you think you are different there are others out there just like you.

Tom’s Tree by Gillian Shields from Good Books.
My kids enjoyed this book. My 4 year old son enjoyed Ned’s dreams of what
37923951 could become of his tree. I liked that it teaches kids about perseverance. Not everything provides instant gratification. What you do today can have an impact on tomorrow. My kids wanted to go out and plant a tree for their children to have. I am not sure they fully understood that concept, but it was cute to hear. It sparked their imaginations as they have had conversations between the two of them as to what they would do with their trees.

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A Bevy Of Board Books Roundup

img_01151Meet two guest reviewers new to Good Reads With Ronna who happen to be husband and wife.
Michael Faucher is a network administrator for an organ transplant research lab at Harvard Medical School affiliated with Massachusetts General Hospital. He has been a journalist and writer for 13 years, writing for The Lowell Sun (MA) newspaper, and music magazines Instant, Northeast Performer, Music & The Arts and Micstand. Candace Faucher is an elementary school teacher in Somerville, MA and is currently on hiatus to care for the couple’s new twin boys, Hunter Robert and Beckett Alexander. The family lives in North Reading, Massachusetts.

Bedtime Kiss for Little Fish (by Lorie Ann Grover, illustrations by Debra Ziss) and The Book of ZZZs, photographs and written by Arlene Alda

smbookzzzs34723267When it comes to sleep, nothing makes anyone happier, baby or adult. Bedtime Kiss for Little Fish is a very fun little book that has big, bright fish drawings perfect for reading after a bath (but before bedtime or a nap). Pretend with your baby while they’re bathing that they’re a fish or a baby shark- probably appropriate if they’re teething- and they’ll be swimming in good dreams all night! Arlene Alda’s The Book of ZZZs has sharp pictures of animals and babies in all sorts of states of nocturnal bliss, sure to encourage your newbies that it’s ok to sleep whenever the urge strikes!

Good Night World, by Adam Gamble and Cooper Kelly

51edc3lhill_sl500_aa240_Although a little loose in its mantra, what’s nice about Good Night World (most recent of the Good Night Our World series) is how it spans the world, highlighting different cultures and animals as they begin and end their day. From the beginning of “Good Morning, rain forest” to “good night stargazers, dreaming of other worlds” very colorful illustrations highlight people around the world to show young readers how everyone else begins, spends, or ends their day!

Baby Giggles, by Rachael Hale

51ekcgyqttl_sl500_aa240_Having just purchased my first digital camera, I would aspire to take such wonderful pictures of my twin boys as there are in Baby Giggles, by Rachael Hale. With large pictures and vibrant colors, infants are immediately drawn to this durable board book, while toddlers can enjoy and mimic the smiles, frowns, pouts, and other faces and emotions displayed. With such relatable images and wording that rhymes, it’s easy to show growing children other tots feeling as they often do.

The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle

9781416979173Being a first and second grade teacher, I am automatically drawn to all books by Eric Carle, and this book is certainly no exception. Created for children ages 3 and up, The Tiny Seed is able to reach a wide range of children at varying stages of development, and is an excellent tool for parents to teach about how seeds become flowers. Younger children will enjoy following the little seed on its journey using the bright bold pictures that Carle creates using tissue paper collages, while older children can engage in discussions of what happens to seeds throughout the seasons and rejoice in the tiny seed’s ability to survive and continue the plant life cycle. What I also love about this version of the book is the seeded paper and instructions that are included to grown your own flowers! This is the perfect way for children to first read about what happens to a tiny seed, plant seeds and witness what takes place. From the science lesson to the art possibilities, The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle does not disappoint!

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Book A Brighter Future Supports Literacy

Back-to-school Savings Offered to Macy’s Shoppers Who Give to Support Literacy
38848-hi-imagea2This summer Reading Is Fundamental and Macy’s have teamed up to launch Book A Brighter Future, a national partnership to raise awareness and support of children’s literacy. The Book A Brighter Future campaign is an annual promotion held at Macy’s stores during the back-to-school season to help raise money for local RIF programs and to provide reading resources to the children who need them most.

38848-lo-bookmarkThis campaign provides an opportunity for Macy’s customers to join the effort and have an impact on literacy in their community. From July 1 through August 31, 2009, Macy’s customers can give $3 and receive a coupon for $10 off a $50 in-store purchase at any Macy’s nationwide. Macy’s will donate 100 percent of every $3 to RIF.


“Giving back to the communities where we work and live is a long-standing priority at Macy’s,” said Terry Lundgren, chairman, president and CEO of Macy’s, Inc. “We are proud that, last year alone, more than a million Macy’s customers participated in Book A Brighter Future helping to raise more than $3 million dollars for children who lack access to books. It is a great way for our customers to support the education of children in their own community while enjoying special savings for their back-to-school shopping at Macy’s.”

For every $3, $1 will support local RIF programs near the Macy’s store; $1 will support RIF’s Multicultural Literacy Campaign; and $1 will help RIF’s ongoing efforts to provide reading resources to millions of underserved children across the country.

“RIF’s vision is a literate America in which children have access to books and discover the joy and value of reading,” said RIF President and CEO, Carol H. Rasco. “Nearly two-thirds of low-income families do not own any books for their children. This campaign with Macy’s allows RIF to provide free books and literacy resources to the children at greatest risk for developing reading difficulties.”

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Happy 40th Anniversary, Woodstock!

Three Days of Peace & Music

maxsaidyesbookcovercover3“Some boys and girls got the inspiration, to hold a giant celebration, where drums, pianos and electric guitars would play beneath a million stars.” That’s how Max Said Yes! The Woodstock Story (Change The Universe Press, www.maxsaidyes.com; $17.95), written by Abigail Yasgur and her husband, Joseph Lipner with illustrations by Barbara Mendes, describes Woodstock, a festival billed as “three days of peace and music” celebrating its 40th anniversary this year.

Yasgur, a cousin of Max, felt compelled to tell his story in a way that would help children understand the historical significance of the event. This tribute leaves the sex and drugs out, but keeps the rock ‘n’ roll in. I like this book for ages five and up. After being turned down by owners of many local fields, organizers seeking a location for the festival finally heard a resounding “Yes!” from upstate New York dairy farmer Max Yasgur. On August 15, 16 and 17, 1969, musicians as varied as Janis Joplin to Sha Na Na performed before a reputed half a million people. Max became a local celebrity of sorts and Joni Mitchell mentions him in her song, “Woodstock:” “I’m going down to Yasgur’s farm. I’m going to join in a rock ‘n’ roll band. I’m going to camp out on the land. I’m going to try an’ get my soul free.”

abbyjoeyIn their Note on The Woodstock Festival, Yasgur and Lipner give more details about the famous festival. Dazzling artwork from Mendes accompanies the rhyming text and richly evokes the “Aquarian age” when “Rock songs and incense filled the air.” Not only will the kids enjoy learning about the Woodstock nation, they’ll get a big kick seeing mom and dad reliving an era when entry to such a huge concert cost only $6!

I had the chance to meet Lipner and Yasgur at a launch party earlier this summer at Every Picture Tells A Story in Santa Monica. I learned that, in regards to getting Max Said Yes! off the ground, everything came together about three years ago with the help of a a truly “magical person” named Cheryl Kusner, acccoring to Yasgur. Additionally the meeting with artist Mendes was also meant to be and the collaboration turned out to not only be a colorful one, but a meaningful one as well. At the launch I was also introduced to Stan Goldstein, who worked on Woodstock as the Campground Coordinator although on the organizational charts he was referred to as Chief of Staff. He told me the music was just one element of the three day event and showed me some wonderful souvenirs including a glass milk bottle from Yasgur’s dairy farm and original tickets.

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We All Need a Monster To Call Our Own

final_cover2-249x247I wish I had I Need My Monster written by Amanda Noll and illustrated by Howard McWilliam from Flashlight Press when I was growing up!

Okay, true confessions time. I had a lock installed on my closet after being scared silly when one of my cousins (now a heart surgeon) played a prank on me during an extended session of hide and seek. Now if I’d had a monster to count on to keep all interlopers away and to keep me tucked up tightly, I’d have never gotten the lock, but then again, I had a captain’s bed so where would my monster have lived?

In this imaginative and must-have children’s book (an Indie Next Children’s Pick for summer 2009, chosen by independent booksellers), one night young Ethan looks under his bed and discovers his monster missing along with a note:

GONE FISHING. BACK IN A WEEK.

-GABE

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Now what’s a boy to do with an absentee monster? How is he supposed to fall asleep at night? In a quest for a scary substitute, Ethan knocks on his floorboards and wonders who he has summoned. Enter Herbert (his name being the first clue as to his monster-ability), but upon seeing Herbert’s lack of claws, Ethan quickly dispatches him.

16-17_cynthia-low-resWhen a new monster named Ralph, with well-groomed claws, appears on the scene, followed by a girl monster called Cynthia, Ethan remains disappointed as clearly no one fits the bill. Upon being told by yet a fifth monster that perhaps Gabe’s gone because Ethan is just “SO-O-O picky,” Ethan grows concerned that he’ll never get to sleep until some familiar loud creaking and scratches alert him to one more monster. Is Gabe back? Or will Ethan have to pull an all nighter?

This book is sure to entertain children whose fear of those “things that go bump in the night” is as prevalent today as it was during my lock-on-closet-door-days decades ago. At last we have a story that will help children discuss this perennial fear and look at it from a whole new perspective with the broadest grin on their faces…and one eye on the foot of the bed. What does your under-the-bed, blanket-stealing, pinky-nibbling monster look like?

NOTE: I loved the artwork in this book and felt that both the illustrations and characters would work well as a children’s TV cartoon series.. Ethan and Gabe would get up to all sorts of adventures together (if Ethan dared step down from the bed)! If your child is still itching for more monster fun, Flashlight Press has some great options:

1) Kids can print out a Make Your Own Monster page from the Flashlight Press website. Click here for monster parts to color, cut out and paste in all kinds of combinations. If kids want they can send a scan to the publisher and they will add it to the online Monster Gallery!

2) Look out for the book this October where it is being featured in both Borders and Barnes & Noble stores, in “Spooky Books for Kids” – a lead-in to Halloween. After buying the book and bringing it home, readers can request a free autographed bookplate to stick in the front of their copy by clicking here.



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PUTUMAYO PICNIC PLAYGROUND CONTEST PLUS RHYTHM CHILD CONCERT

clip_image002GET OUT YOUR RED CHECKERED TABLECLOTHS. IT’S TIME FOR A PICNIC!

picnic-playgroue280a6image-webIf you’re looking for something fun to do that involves music and the outdoors, read what L.A. Parent Calendar Editor Michael Berick has to say about L.A.’s very own Rhythm Child. And after you’ve arranged your schedule to see the band perform, take a minute to enter this new contest from Good Reads With Ronna for your chance to win one of 5 Putumayo Kids Picnic Playground CDs from Rhythm Child by clicking here. Remember to put Picnic Playground as your subject. Contest ends Monday, Aug. 24th. CLICK HERE FOR RULES.

Rhythm Child drums up the fun this month!

Putamayo is serving up summertime music fun with its latest kids compilation, Picnic Playground, which dishes out a feast of delicious songs from Denmark to Australia. Work up an appetite grooving to tunes like Asheba’s Carribean-coated “Ice Cream” and the Cuban-flavored “Bolitas de Arroz con Pollo” by Jose Conde y Ola Fresca.
As an extra treat, Putamayo is taking this picnic on the road, with two local shows this month headlined by L.A.’s own Rhythm Child, whose tune “Bowl Of Cherries” is part of the disc. And speaking of cherries, visit www.putumayokids.com to enter their cool recipe contest now until August 25th.

_e2b3695 Rhythm Child’s frontman Norman Jones says he feels “honored to have the opportunity to promote this record, as well as act as an ambassador for the Putumayo Kids mission that introduces children to other cultures through music. It was very important for me to connect with (Putamayo) since I felt that they incorporated a lot of the same positive messages that I wanted to present.” Jones plans to bring out some friends and special guests for these Putamayo shows.
August is shaping up to be a busy month for Rhythm Child. The group also has shows at the Zimmer Museum and the Grove, and they are preparing for a September release of their new disc, Bowl of Cherries.

PUTUMAYO KIDS PICNIC PLAYGROUND TOUR DATES

Putamayo Kids Picnic Playground with Rhythm Child, 7 p.m. Aug. 12, Levitt Pavilion, 30 N. Raymond Ave., Pasadena. Free. www.levittpavilion.org and noon Aug. 13, Pershing Square, 532 S. Olive St., L.A. Free. www.laparks.org/pershingsquare.

Wonderful Wednesday, 2:30 p.m. Aug. 19, Zimmer Children’s Museum, 6505 Wilshire Blvd., Ste. 100, L.A. Admission: $8 adults, $5 children 3 and older. 323-761-8984.

Kids Club, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Aug. 20, The Grove, 189 The Grove Dr., L.A. Free. 323-900-8080.

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An Interview with Grammy-Nominated Trout Fishing In America

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Following a successful stop at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, four time-grammy nominated Trout Fishing in America will play in various venues around the country. You can see them at the Robert Irwin’s Central Garden at the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles August 22 & 23.

This fantastic duo is on tour promoting their new storybook-music CD My Name Is Chicken Joe (for more information, please visit http://www.thesecretmountain.com) which I can wholeheartedly recommend. Not only is the book filled with funny illustrations and original, sometimes zany song lyrics, but when you listen to the accompanying music (11 songs in total) you’ll soon be humming along. I can see why it’s so easy to get hooked on Trout Fishing in America!

I recently interviewed the multi-talented Keith Grimwood who plays bass, sings, and writes songs with Trout Fishing in America. (In case you’ve seen a picture of the group, Grimwood is the shorter half of the band.) He’s really excited about the new book and I am sure you will be, too.

Q. Why write a book called My Name is Chicken Joe?

We have always felt that our songs are very visual and the idea of having them illustrated has always appealed to us. The trick was to make the connections to make it happen. Roland Stringer, of The Secret Mountain publishing company, and Dick Renko, our manager, are friends. Well, as I understand it, they got to talking one day and the idea of a book/CD came up. We jumped at the chance right away.

Q. Which came first, Chicken Joe lyrics or music?

Whew…you scared me! I thought you were going to ask, “Which came first, the chicken or the egg?” Now that’s a really hard question.

dsf7008_medWhen we write, I generally start with lyrics and Ezra starts with music. Then we get together in a co-writing session and see if any of my words fit any of his chord progressions. That’s how this song got started. So the answer is that they started separately, but pretty much at the same time. Don’t you wish that chicken or the egg question was that simple?

Q. I love the character of Chicken Joe and how he pops up throughout the book. Is he based on a cat you know?

Chicken Joe is one of my cats. I have a lot of cats but Chicken Joe is one of our favorites. When he was a little kitten, he’d turn up missing when we went to feed the cats in the morning. We’d find him out in the chicken coop. He’s a smart cat. You may not know it, but hens generate a lot of heat. They really kept him warm. That’s how he got the name Chicken Joe.

Q. The illustrations are wonderfully evocative yet simple – how did you find your artist?

Roland sent us examples of several artists that The Secret Mountain had worked with before. We were particularly fond of the beautiful watercolor works of Stephane Jorisch. He sent us some initial sketches and we gave him a few suggestions. He really captured the personalities of all these animals. I especially like his chickens. They look like a bunch of punk rockers to me.

Q. Does a reader need to be familiar with your music to enjoy the book?

Not at all. You can even read the book without the music playing, or listen to the music without the book. Of course, I think it’s best appreciated together. For those of you not familiar with the music of Trout Fishing in America, know that we strive to play music that both kids and adults will enjoy. There’s a lot of good music to listen to with lyrics that don’t sing down to the kids. We have received 4 Grammy nominations for Best Album For Children. It has been difficult to define exactly what kind of music it is that we play. Give it a listen. Go to our website at <troutmusic.com> and then you tell me. One of my favorite answers so far is “Music for people who take their fun seriously.”

page_06Q. A Cat Named Chicken Joe, It’s a Puzzle and Why I Pack My Lunch are my 3 favorites. Please give me the back story to these three songs.

Well, Chicken Joe is one of my cats, but he’s not the only animal mentioned in this song. The other animals are all real animals, too. Miss Kitty was Ezra’s mother’s dog. His mother has a weird sense of humor. She wanted to be able to say, “Here kitty-kitty,” and have a dog run up. King Kong was Ezra’s son’s parakeet, and Mister is our neighbor Fred’s mule. They all have odd, misleading names. Sometimes you need to look beyond names and labels to see what a thing really is. By the way, we promise that none of these animals were injured in the writing of this song or the publishing of this book.

It’s a Puzzle has a verse in it about wanting to go to Idaho. Trout Fishing in America has been to 49 of the 50 states, but we’ve never been to Idaho! Why? It’s a puzzle…
“Do you want to know why I want to go to Idaho?
Gotta go to Idaho, I haven’t been there.
It’s excuses and saying it’s no use
That keeps us from getting anywhere.”

Why I Pack My Lunch began with my wife, Beth. She works at the elementary school in West Fork, Arkansas, where she runs the computer lab. Every weekday when I’m home, I pack her a nice sack lunch to take with her to school. When I asked her why she didn’t just eat the school lunches, she explained by writing these lyrics. We came up with some appropriately creepy music and this lovely song emerged.

Q. Which are each of your favorite selections?

I asked Ezra and he says he likes Boiled Okra and Spinach the best. He thinks it contains one of the best lyrics we’ve ever written. “I’d rather eat boogers than black-eyed peas…” It does have a nice ring to it.

I like Something Sweet. It takes me back to my childhood. When I was a baby, I cried a lot. My mother would get frustrated and hand me to my father. She would tell him, “Say something sweet to him. Make him stop crying.” Dad would sing to me, “Say something sweet to my baby, chocolate, custard, pudding and pie.” For years I thought he was singing a song that had already been written. When my sister asked him about it, we found out he was just making it up as he went along. Ezra and I finished it for him and I love singing it. He loves it too since he’s not even a musician and he still gets writer’s royalties for it.

chicken-joe-guitarQ. Do you see yourself coming up with more books in the future?

Yes, we do. I love the way the book has turned out. We are currently working with these 4 main characters, writing stories and mapping out songs. Each character is so distinctively strong in my mind that I can see hundreds of scenarios, both hilarious and tender emerging from their interaction.

Q. What have your fans said about this new concept and has it helped garner new fans?

I am a reader. I have always loved books. I have always loved music. When you love something you naturally want to share it with your children. I think reading to kids and sharing music with kids are about two of the best things you can do for them, ranking right up there with loving and feeding.

The first day the book was available at one of our live shows, we started playing the song Chicken Joe and I saw a couple of kids open up the book and follow along as we sang. I got so choked up I could hardly make it through the song. To me, that’s what this is all about. A book and a collection of songs…what could be better for a kid?


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And Here’s to You

31yh89nhxsl_sl500_aa180_And Here’s to You, written by David Elliott and illustrated by Randy Cecil, is a cheerful, fun to read book. The illustrations are bright and colorful and really make the verse come to life. This New York Times Bestseller is a celebration of life. You can think of it as a toast to the birds, fish, bears, bugs, cats, dogs, cows, frogs and people.

This is a great, feel-good book for young readers to read aloud. There are some silly words too, which make this extra fun . . .

Dogs! Here’s to the howling ones,
The running, yipping, yowling ones,
All go and fetch a stick ones,
The lick, lick, lick, lick, lick ones.

0763614270int1And Here’s to You makes us appreciate all things
living – even ourselves. What a lovely message!
Read it with your child before bedtime.
Sweet dreams will surely follow.

dsc_0024-300x217 Today’s review comes courtesy of guest reviewer Debbie Glade. Glade is the author, illustrator and voice talent of the award-winning children’s picture book The Travel Adventures of Lilly P Badilly: Costa Rica, published by Smart Poodle Publishing. She visits South Florida schools with her reading, writing and geography programs. For years, Debbie was a travel writer for luxury cruise lines. She writes parenting articles for various websites and is the Geography Awareness Editor for WanderingEducators.com. She blogs daily at smartpoodlepublishing.com.


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Unearth FREE Nintendo Fossil Fun at Tar Pits

FOSSILS ROAR TO LIFE AT INTERACTIVE
FOSSIL FIGHTERS LAUNCH EVENT

Nintendo Fossil Fighters Launch at La Brea Tar Pits this Thursday, August 6th – Free Page Museum Admission for Adults Accompanied by a Child

la-brea-tar-pits-image-1Visit the renowned La Brea Tar Pits for a day of fun with Nintendo to celebrate the upcoming launch of Fossil Fighters for the Nintendo DS/Nintendo DSi hand-held gaming systems in advance of its August 10th release. Parents will be granted free admission to the nearby Page Museum at the La Brea Tar Pits when accompanied by a child, and there will be several activities going on throughout the day, including:

A competitive fossil dig, in which kids will be split into two teams and dig through sand pits to find puzzle pieces. The teams will then work together to complete the puzzle and build a large dinosaur-like creature known as a “Vivosaur.”

· Guided tours of the George C. Page Museum and La Brea Tar Pits

· Opportunities to play Fossil Fighters throughout the day before its release or compete in a Fossil Fighters tournament

· Trivia contest based on what the kids learn throughout the day

· Lot of chances to win prizes (while they last)

fossil_fighters_ndsboxart_160wWHO: Kids, parents, teens, fossil enthusiasts and gaming fans of all kinds

WHEN: Thursday, Aug. 6, 2009, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.

WHERE: The Great Lawn at Hancock Park
5801 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90036

51stphdugsl_aa280_WHAT: Already a world-famous destination for prehistoric discovery, L.A.’s La Brea Tar Pits will be the site of an extraordinary entertainment find as Nintendo heralds the upcoming release of its new Fossil Fighters game for the portable Nintendo DS system with a launch event for kids and their parents.

Fossil Fighters combines the fascinating fun of fossil study with the engaging hand-held game play of Nintendo DS. Players must use the stylus and touch screen to find and carefully clean fossils in order to revive and power-up battle-ready Vivosaurs, expanding their collection and attempting to become the best Fossil Fighter around.

The game also allows players to battle or trade their fossils with friends via a local wireless connection.

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What Sisters Are Like

Today’s guest reviewer is author, Esther Jantzen.  Her new book, Plus It! How to Easily Turn Everyday Activities into Learning Adventures for Kids shows parents just how to do that. You can check it out at <www.plusitbook.com>. and read Jantzen’s article in our Fall 2009 Education Directory available online.

0763641790medDid you ever wish you had an older sister? Zelda and Ivy: Keeping Secrets written and illustrated by Laura McGee Kvasnosky (Candlewick Press, 2009) can give you a taste of what that might be like.

The two charming fox sisters, who have appeared in four other books, experience plenty of the rivalry that often occurs between siblings. Sometimes older sisters can be bossy, sometimes they might try to trick you, sometimes they like to show off. And sometimes younger sisters figure out smart ways to take care of themselves without fighting or complaining.

This book, with three short chapters, is for the 5–8-year-old set. With the benefit of engaging illustrations, we first learn how Zelda sets up Ivy and her friend Eugene to test whether they can keep woozy-weasel-promised secrets. (Well, it’s very challenging…)

In the second chapter, we see how April Fools jokes can be played by the big sister AND by the little sister. And the final chapter depicts a marvelous attempt by Zelda to stage an opera when those around her are more intent on catching butterflies. One just might end up with empathy for both the elder and the younger. It’s not easy being Sis!

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Marley & Me Contest Ending Soon!

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Monday, August 3rd is the last
day you can enter the contest
for your chance to be one
of 5 lucky winners of both
the DVD and the funny new book!

CLICK HERE now
to be eligible to win one of 5 Marley & Me DVDs along with one of 5 Marley Goes To School children’s books.

marleyschoolcover-720371And good luck! WOOF!

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Got a Grumpy Grandpa?

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Jason, a first time reviewer here at L.A. Parent, will be entering third grade this fall. In his free time, Jason likes to play basketball, ride his skateboard and hang out with his friends. He’s reviewed Grumpy Grandpa written by Heather Henson with illustrations by Ross MacDonald and published by Simon & Schuster/Atheneum.

This story is about a Grandpa who is always grumpy. Grandpa likes to be alone. The grandson doesn’t get why they have to drive two days to get there when Grandpa doesn’t want any company. When the grandson visits he plays tricks on grandpa to try to get him happy. The reason I like this book is because I think it is funny! I like when the kid thinks his c_1416908110grandpa lives in a zoo. I also like it when the kid plays pranks on the grandpa, like when he threw toy cars at his grandpa when he was asleep (EDITOR NOTE: Not recommended!). The only part I didn’t like was when the grandpa got happy when they were fishing and they fell in the water. I did not like him getting happy because it was actually more funny to me when the boy annoyed the grandpa! I think grumpy people should read this book because it would make them more grumpy! And if boys read it they could learn pranks to do to grumpy people!

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This Little Bunny Can Bake

dsc_0024Today’s guest reviewer, Debbie Glade, is the author, illustrator and voice talent of the award-winning children’s picture book The Travel Adventures of Lilly P Badilly: Costa Rica, published by Smart Poodle Publishing. She visits South Florida schools with her reading, writing and geography programs. For years, Debbie was a travel writer for luxury cruise lines. She writes parenting articles for various websites and is the Geography Awareness Editor for WanderingEducators.com. She blogs daily at smartpoodlepublishing.com

1Pay close attention to the clever, retro illustrations in This Little Bunny Can Bake by Janet Stein because they really tell the story. The action takes place at “Chef George’s School of Dessertology.” Naturally, the chef, and all of the students are animals, including the Little Bunny. The illustrations are in black and white, except for the Little Bunny, who is pale pink. Chef George tries his best to teach the class the basics of cooking, but the attention span of all but one participant, is critically lacking.
The story is cute and teaches an important lesson – how much you learn and what you accomplish in life is entirely up to you.

a-dessert-should-look_spreadI read the book and looked at the pictures a few times, and I got more out of it with each read. One of my favorite parts was reading the recipes on the inside front and back covers. I think I am going to try to bake Chef George’s Crazy Coconut Macaroons. If you love to bake with your kids, you’ll both enjoy reading This Little Bunny Can Bake together.

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