Books

Scholastic Inc., the children’s publisher of favorites like the Harry Potter, Goosebumps and Clifford series, may be best known for its books, but a consumer watchdog group accuses the company of using its classroom book clubs to push video games, jewelry kits and toy cars.[From Watchdog Group Says Scholastic Is Selling Not Just Books to Children - NYTimes.com] While we like a … [Read more...] about Watchdog Group Says Scholastic Is Selling Not Just Books to Children – NYTimes.com

11 Birthdays is one of my favorite books of 2008.It is the story of a girl named Amanda who always has her birthday with a boy named Leo. For their eleventh birthday they don't have their birthday together. Then, something odd happens: their birthday starts repeating over and over again. Why is this happening? Read this book to find out! This is a great book and a mind-bending … [Read more...] about 11 Birthdays – a good book for 8+ girls

It's kind of gross, but our friend, Howard Bennett, is writing a book on "the gross facts of life." He is quoted in Monday's Washington Post discussing what happens if you drink urine or eat insects. Not exactly cocktail conversation but he hopes topics that will be fun for kids as a way into reading more about science and how the body works. In just this short article, he … [Read more...] about Howard Bennett in the Washington Post

Spiderwick Chronicles is out on DVD and a surprise hit in our household. When this movie came out last year, I thought it looked a little goofy and it seemed to be in and out of theatres in short order. Seeing it at home was the first time for us, and it was a happy surprise for both me and my eight year-old. We both enjoyed the story, the action sequences and the funny … [Read more...] about Spiderwick Chronicles – a good movie for kids and dads