Cows Can't Quack by Dave Reisman

Stars: *****

Jumping Cow Press

This book is exactly like it's cousin Cows Can't Jump except it's about animal sounds instead of what animals can do.

Cows Can't Quack starts off with:

"Cows Can't Quack...but they can moo" and then gives another animal and says:

"Moose can't moo... but they can grunt" and so on.

It's very simple but that is what makes it so great. Toddlers like repetition, it's how they learn. This book is easy to read again and again and it includes repetition in the story itself by keeping similar words in the storyline.

See the preview.

 *Disclosure: I received the product(s) mentioned above free of charge by the company or PR representative for evaluation purposes. No other compensation was provided.

Chicken, Pig, Cow and the Class Pet by Ruth Ohi

Stars: ****

Annick Press (2011)

Summary: In the newest Chicken, Pig, Cow book by Ruth Ohi, the barn is taken to school for show and tell!

If you aren't new to this blog you should know that I adore this series of books because I've reviewed them many times before.

I just love the soft illustrations and the imagination. If you aren't familiar with the series, chicken, pig and cow are made of clay and live inside a popsicle stick barn made by girl. In a later installment, they met dog who is now their friend. In this one, they are brought for show and tell and have a small adventure with the class pet.  Very cute. 

I think I'll have a Chicken, Pig, Cow reading marathon with my girls. I wonder what the next book will be about?

Read more at Annick Press.


 *Disclosure: I received the product(s) mentioned above free of charge by the company or PR representative for evaluation purposes. No other compensation was provided.

Red is Best by Kathy Stinson (Board Book) (New Year New Reads Sponsor)

Stars: *****

Annick Press
Ages 2-4

Red is Best is a old favourite, originally published in 1982 and reprinted by Annick Press in 2006. Red is Best is now available as a lap size board book, perfect to share with your little one.

If you aren't familiar with Red is Best, it's a delightful story of a young girl (toddler age) who has decided that red is the best colour, no matter what. As anyone who has or has had a toddler knows, toddlers have definite opinions about things and this little girl is no different. There is no reasoning with a toddler who has made a decision about something.

No matter how much her mom tries to encourage her to use something that is not read (for different reasons), the girl is adamant that she must use red because Red Is Best. 

Also see other reviews I've done of books by Kathy Stinson.

*Disclosure: I received the product(s) mentioned above free of charge by the company or PR representative for evaluation purposes. No other compensation was provided.

Dogs Don't Eat Jam and Other Things Big Kid Know by Sarah Tsiang

Stars: *****

Annick Press (2011)
Ages 4-6

Summary: New babies have a lot to learn; lucky for them, the older sibling in this delightful picture book is here to tell them everything they have to remember … and look forward to. - Annick Press

This is the BEST book for older siblings about a new baby I have ever seen and I've read quite a few of them. Most take the position of assuming the child will feel less important and going over how its hard because babies need a lot but mom and dad still love you. Don't Don't Eat Jam takes a whole other perspective.

The story is narrated by the older sister to her baby brother. She tells of what it was like when she was a baby and how there are some things he will have to learn but that he can do it since she was able to. It's really cute. She tells him he'll have to learn to eat baby food, get rid of his soother, crawl and walk as well as things such as dogs don't eat jam (with an illustration of the girl as a baby spoonfeeding jam to the dog.)

My girls absolutely LOVE this book and it worked well for us as my older ones are girls and the baby is a boy but even if the circumstances are different for you, this is the perfect book if your new older sister or brother is over age 4.

The illustrations by Qin Leng are ADORABLE. I love soft colours in a picture book that is about love and family. It just feels right.

Next time someone asks me for a rebook commendation for a new older sibling, this will be it!

Links of Interest: The Book @ Annick Press,

Other Reviews: Foreword Reviews, Waking Brain Cells,

You have the opportunity to win this book and others in my NYNR giveaway but hurry, it ends Jan 23!

*Disclosure: I received the product(s) mentioned above free of charge by the company or PR representative for evaluation purposes. No other compensation was provided.

Courtesy Bootcamp by Anthonette Klinkerman

Back and Front Cover

Stars: ***

Anthonette Klinkerman considers herself the mobile etiquette school. She does courses on etiquette now she has a book. The book is only available through her website currently.

The book is a quick read at 56 pages but this makes it easy to look up a certain section for a quick reminder of what it says.

I'm sure we all think we know the rules of etiquette but sometimes we forget the basics as our life gets busy and we cut corners to get things done.

There are 21 chapters in this 56 page book covering everything such as: Attire & Grooming, Cell Phones & Electronics, Driving, Job Interviews, Gum Chewing, Table Manners, Netiquette, Thank You notes, profanity, Responding to invites, at the movies and more!


You have a chance to win this book in the NYNR giveaway at Callista's Ramblings until Jan 23.

*Disclosure: I received the product(s) mentioned above free of charge by the company or PR representative for evaluation purposes. No other compensation was provided.

101 Things I Hate About Your House by James Swan with Carol Beggy (Toast to 2012 Sponsor)

Subtitle: : A Premier Designer Takes You on a Room-by-Room Tour to Transform Your Home from Faux Pas to Fabulous 

Stars: *****

Summary: 101 THINGS I HATE ABOUT YOUR HOUSE starts at the street, moves through the front door, and doesn't stop until it has taken a peek into every room of the house. Swan numbers the “101 Things” that make up this book so readers can easily reference items they find helpful, painful, or just too funny to forget. - Quote from website.


James Swan and Carol Beggy take us on a tour of the different rooms of a house and point out the most important things we should fix about our house. A lot of these tips aren't just going to make the design better but also make it more functional by default.

A few examples from the Media section of the website:

#1.  Dreary Little Mess:  Nothing screams "dreary little mess" quite like a front door masquerading as last winter's snow tires.  Clean it up.  Wipe it down.  Patch it, paint it, stain it, wax it, but just get the door to your home speaking a civilized language that is perfectly synchronized with the impression you want to make.
#71.  Age-Appropriate Design:  Mom and Dad, it’s time to get over your heels dragging on the subject of the kids growing up before your very eyes. They will grow whether you want them to or not, so make the best of a maturing problem and match their chronological age with the furnishings in their rooms. A teenager (13 and older) should be sleeping in a double bed, not in a childish twin. The progression from twin to double is a rite of passage. Make it memorable for your young lady or gentleman.
#25.  A Room without a Soul: If the gods of decorating are to be found lurking in the details of your home, what do your details say? Take a critical look at the small things that fill your table tops and shelves. Do they tell a beautiful story, the story you want told? If not, then it’s time to edit and rewrite your story.

So who are these people telling us what to do with our house?

ABOUT JAMES SWAN:  Author James Swan has built a twenty-year career crafting classically influenced interiors across the United States for clients who have included captains of industry, movie studio heads, investment bankers, and real estate developers. He is consistently in the media spotlight with speaking engagements, regular guest spots on national radio programs, and appearances on HGTV's Homes across America. He is a featured design partner with Ballard Designs, which is releasing a line of Swan's custom-designed furniture in early 2011.

ABOUT CAROL BEGGY:  Contributor Carol Beggy is an award-winning journalist who left the Boston Globe in 2008 after more than ten years as a writer and editor. She is a senior consultant with Saragoni & Company and has collaborated with photographer Bill Brett on four books about Boston.  She was also part of the team behind Ted Kennedy: Scenes from and Epic Life.

The book often mentions the website for product ideas in the Resource Section.  The back of the book has a spot to fill in the blanks and make your own list of the top things you need to fix in each room and what you are going to do about it. This is perfect as reading all these ideas is good but you won't remember to actually do it. By making a list you have something you could cross out or check off as it gets done.

I appreciate that the authors don't assume we all have tons of money and huge houses. Although all the sample photos and many of the tips apply to big houses, they do make suggestions for small houses and small budgets.

Check Out The Website and connect via facebook and twitter.


 *Disclosure: I received the product(s) mentioned above free of charge by the company or PR representative for evaluation purposes. No other compensation was provided.

New Year New Reads Giveaway - Over $300 in books split into 5 prize packages

My other blog Callista's Ramblings is host to a giveaway hop devoted to books. The giveaway is over there but I'll be reviewing the books I'm giving away over here during the event. I know this blog has been kind of slow, that's because I'm contemplating blog changes for 2012 and trying to work out a schedule as well for blogging.

So my part of the giveaway is 5 prize packages with a total RV of over $300! 

The packages are:

1. Life
2. Children's Books 0-6
3. Social Media
4. Parenting
5. Cooking

All but #2 are my favourite type of books, NONFICTION! Each prize package is over $25 and the giveaway is open till Jan 23.

There are lots of ways to enter and if you enter this special code in the SECRET box you will gain an extra entry: SMSBOOK

Keep an eye out in certain places for other codes, you can use one a day.

There is also a Grand Prize Giveaway of a Kindle and Amazon GCs. Please put Callista's Ramblings as your referrer.

Hanukkah Howie by Jan Dalrymple

Stars: ****

I've reviewed many Hanukkah picture books here before but this one took a totally different route than most.

Howie is a special boy who is uniquely connected to Hanukkah. Every day for the eight days of Hanukkah, a new spike emerges in Howie's hair until he is left with 9 spikes (1 tall one in the middle with 4 on each side) by the eighth night of Hanukkah - just like a menorah.

At first his parents do everything they can to get rid of the spikes, and then to hide them, but nothing really works. In the end, Howie (by now grown up) learns an important lesson that shows that we are all different and that's a good thing.

The story is quite cute and as I said, different from any other Hanukkah book I've ever seen. It could probably help launch a discussion about accepting people (and ourselves) for who they/we are and how we are all special.

Here's a video of the author reading from the book.



Check out more at the Hanukkah Howie site!

 *Disclosure: I received the product(s) mentioned above free of charge by the company or PR representative for evaluation purposes. No other compensation was provided.

Mommy MD Guide to Pregnancy and Birth AND Mommy MD Guide to Your Baby's First Year by Rallie McAllister

You will have a chance to win this set of books and other prizes Nov 5-Dec 6 during the 12 Days of Gifts Galore at Callista's Ramblings.

Stars: *****

Momosa Publishing

Summary: The Mommy MD Guides cover common pregnancy and parenting concerns and then are followed up with quotes from actual doctors who are moms. Each book has more than 900 tips from 60 or 70 doctors. 

The books are separated into pregnancy weeks (Pregnancy) and baby's age in months (for First Year book.) MANY different topics are covered and you can find them via the index as well.

Many people think that doctor parents must know what they are doing all the time but that isn't true. Doctor parents worry just as much as we do and they have trouble making parenting decisions as much as we do too. So reading these books was a nice change as you get to see what doctor parents really think about. I also like that some of the Mommy doctors have young children right now while others have adult children so you are getting more than one generation's advice.

It's a great book for when you don't have lots of time to read long chapters but on the other hand, if there is a specific problem you are having and you've tried some ideas already, the book isn't likely to have another solution. It's mostly like chatting with a bunch of other moms.

The website has other resources as well including a blog and a questions section. Check out the blog for a chance to win a $15 Starbucks Gift Card just for spotting the book in a store! Also check out the recommended products besides the books!

Links of Interest: Mommy MD Guides, Mommy MD Blog, Mommy MD Facebook, Mommy MD Twitter, Daddy MD Guides,

*Disclosure: I received the product(s) mentioned above free of charge by the company or PR representative for evaluation purposes. No other compensation was provided.

GIVEAWAY: $10 Cash via PayPal

I'm looking to gain more followers and comments on this blog so I put together this giveaway for $10 Paypal Cash. This giveaway is posted on both of my blogs but you only enter on one!

To enter, please use the rafflecopter form below. If you don't know how to use it, see this rafflecopter guide. A copy of the giveaway rules are below and on the rafflecopter form. Entering the giveaway means you have read and agree to the rules. If you have any problems, email me callista83@cogeco.ca

GIVEAWAY RULES:
One Person Per Household. Open worldwide to anyone who has a paypal account and is 18+. Giveaway open until December 5, 2011 @ 11:59 PM EST. Odds of winning depend on number of valid entries received. Duplicate (accidental or not) entries will be deleted before a winner is picked and winner's entries will be verified. Winner will be selected using random.org on December 6, 2011 and will be contacted by email. Winner will have 3 days to claim their prize or their prize is forfeit and another winner will be chosen. Contest Void Where Prohibited. This giveaway is not associated, nor sponsored by Facebook. We hereby release Facebook of any liability.

Click Read More if you can't see the widget.