Ripley's Believe It or Not! Enter If You Dare!

Stars: *****

Summary:  Ripley's has been reporting on the world's weirdest sites for I don't know how long. Each year since 2005 they publish an annual. It's basically a huge compendium of oddities. The 2011 version is this book, Enter If You Dare.

I reviewed last year's edition: Seeing is Believing last year.

The chapter headings are a little different than last year's edition. They are: Strange But True, Weird World, Animal Antics, Extreme Sports, Body Oddity, Travel Tales, Incredible Feats, Bizarre Mysteries, Fantastic Food, Artistic License, Amazing Science and Beyond Belief.

With all Ripley's annuals, you'll have access to 100s if not 1000s of color photos. If you want to get an idea of the layout, check out the Annual section of the website and choose the Look Inside! link.

This annual features a fold out, life size depiction of a 23" tall person and a vampire section filled with names and short descriptions of real vampire animals and people, vampire tales, tips for vampire hunters and a piece by piece explanation of a vampire kit.

Now I'd like to share a few of the stories I found most interesting:


pg 25 - For a 2009 Sikh celebration in India, Baba Balwant Singh wore a 130lbs turban on his head that weighed more than he does!


pg 79 - When a pregnant shark was bitten in the side by another shark, visitors watched in amazement as four baby sharks swam out though the gaping wound. The injured shark needed stitches - but only after four more pups were found alive inside her.

pg 135 - Over 18 million people travel on Indian trains every day so trains are often alarmingly overcrowded. Passengers sit on carriage roofs or cling to the sides, with some trains carrying over 3000 people - twice the intended capacity.

pg 154 - Guinness Rishi (who was in the last annual for a different reason) has undertaken to get his head, face and body tattooed with more than 200 national flags in full color. He has 24 on the top of his head, 25 on his face and more than 150 on the rest of his body. He is now working on a map of the countries on his stomach. (You've got to see the photos!)


pg 204 - Greg Lewis from Chesterfield, Virginia creates stunning sculptures from everyday materials that nobody would think of using for art. He made a mermaid out of 67,000 toothpicks and it took him three years. He has developed a technique that enables him to mold sharp toothpicks into smooth shapes that at first glance appear to be solid wood.

Links of Interest: Follow @RipleyWorld on Twitter. *highly recommended*, The Official Ripley Blog,

Other Reviews: Shooting Stars Mag, Charlotte's Library, Kristina's Book Blog, Books By Their Cover,

Buy Enter If You Dare at amazon.com and support SMS Book Reviews

Rediscovering Birth by Sheila Kitzinger

Stars: *****

Summary: Find out how pregnancy and birth is experienced around the world from the feelings about pregnancy, the physical and spiritual experience of giving birth, how babies and mothers are taken care of after birth and more. With real photographs from around the world, you'll find out how different pregnancy and especially birth is in the rest of the world.

First a word of warning for the faint of heart. The photographs in this book are not just of pregnant tummies. They range from bare breasts to statues of women giving birth to "crotch shots" to show what an episiotomy looks like. I had no problem with the photographs but I know not everyone is as okay with the body as me. There are plenty of photos of mostly clothed pregnant women, babies and birthing locations.

I really enjoyed this book. It did make me a bit sad though as I know I have to have a C-section this time and reading the book reminded me of the beauty of labour that I won't be able to experience this time.

It was really eye opening to see how much pregnancy and birth has been changed in the western world. Some of it is for the good because we can catch high risk pregnancies or diagnose twins but it's also not so good because we take a beautiful, natural event and turn it into a medical procedure. We aren't meant to give birth on our backs with our legs in stirrups and although home birth isn't for me, I do think we need to work towards a more natural experience and provide more help for those who do want to do a home birth.

However there are aspects of birth in some other countries that aren't for the better. In many cultures, colostrum (the pre-milk a mother's breasts have before her full milk comes in) is considered dangerous and is expressed and thrown away. In the meantime the baby is breastfed by another women or fed substitute fluids. We know that colostrum provides lots of benefits to the baby including immunities and antibodies.

If like me, you are interested in pregnancy and childbirth around the world, you will find this book enlightening. Unfortunately Rediscovering Birth is Out of Print. I got my copy from the library. However if you can find a copy, it's well worth it.

Links of Interest: Sheila Kitzinger,

Other Reviews: NONE YET

Guest Post: Reading for a Happily Ever After

© Flickr User Newton Free Library

One of the things parents should never underestimate is the value of a good bedtime story. Despite the busy schedules most families now are forced to keep, it is important that parents still try to set aside a regular bedtime schedule for their children, which includes a ten to twenty minute story time period. By maintaining this consistent schedule, children learn how to adapt to routines, develop regular sleeping patterns which can prove to be highly beneficial when they reach school age, and allow them to develop a sense of autonomy and independence as they learn to go through the pre-bedtime tasks such as brushing teeth, washing up and putting on their pajamas.

More than just that, however, is that bedtime stories are more than just rituals that can lull children to sleep. Studies show that children who are read to are more successful in school. Further, the American Medical Association highlights the value of reading aloud to children as this helps make them a more fully healthy child.

What exactly does reading aloud to children contribute to their development? For one, reading to kids helps foster cognitive development. This has been known to stimulate brain development and promote language development and communication skills. Kids who are read to are more likely able to answer questions about what he or she has heard, recall details from auditory stimuli and learn to pay attention when being spoken to. Studies have also indicated that playing music and reading aloud to a child while in the womb promotes better brain growth.

Bedtime stories also teach children the basic academic competencies that they will need as they go through life. From colors to shapes, to literacy skills and even causal relationships, bedtime stories build a reservoir of resources for children that they carry on through the rest of their lives. Stories like Eric Carle’s ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’ and ‘The Mixed Up Chameleon’ are great examples of simple, fun, and visually attractive stories that can teach academic competencies as well as highlight personal values as well.

Stories also allow children to have better logic reasoning skills. They are able to come up with conclusions, make sense of experiences that they may not have personally encountered, and essentially, have a bigger worldview from which they can draw from.

Going beyond it’s cognitive benefits, bedtime stories help build a child’s self-esteem and foster good social skills. Books are character building. Through these stories, children can understand and appreciate the importance of values such as honesty, sharing, kindness and forgiveness. Although we, as parents, tell our kids about this endlessly, they do not imbibe these until it really makes sense to them, and that is what storybooks do for them. It makes these values much more real to them. Take for example the story of ‘The Rainbow Fish’ by Marcus Pfister. Through Rainbow’s story, children can learn that being the best looking or having the nicest things means nothing if no one likes you and you are not able to share this with others.

Also, storytime can help build better bonds between parent and child. Through this very affirming activity, parents can help make their children feel secure, loved and safe in their environment. The physical closeness of reading time can also help build a sense of trust in others. This is extremely important as many psychologists show that one’s personality and ability to engage with others is deeply rooted in early childhood experiences.

Lastly, reading to children from early on can help foster a love for reading, something which many children have forgotten, mainly because books have been overshadowed by gadgets and technology. Take a look around and try to count how many children are holding a book rather than a handheld computer console. You probably will find that there are little to none. Taking time to read to them can help change this mindset.

Reading to children before going to bed is one of the most valuable gifts a parent can give their children. Not only does it help provide a comfortable night’s sleep, its long-term benefits are far reaching and life-changing.

Author Bio:
Marina Chernyak is the Co-owner of Venetian Masks store located at 1001Venetianmasks.com

Round-Up - The Great Camping Event - Day 12

Here we are at Day 12. It's been a crazy 2 weeks and I'm wiped. Today I have some links to reviews of camping books from other websites and blogs. Also don't forget about the giveaways that are still open:

Camping's Top Secrets - US  - Till Aug 9

Woodall's Campsite Cookbook - US/Canada - till Aug 12

Other Reviews:
Alvin Ho: Allergic to Camping, Hiking and Other Natural Disasters by Lenore Look @ Booking Mama
Alvin Ho: Allergic to Camping, Hiking and Other Natural Disasters by Lenore Look @ Maw Books
The Great American Camping Cookbook by Scott Cookman @ In Mamas Kitchen
Hammock Camping by Ed Speer @ The Outdoor Hammock Blog
Let's Go Camping by Sarah Bennett and Lee Slater @ Perceptive Travel Blog (For NZ)

If you've reviewed a camping book, let me know and I'll add it!

That's it for The Great Camping Event. Let me know what you thought!

Woodall's Campsite Cookbook - The Great Camping Event - Day 11

 It's Day 11 and I have another camping cookbook for you today. Along with a giveaway!

Woodall's Campsite Cookbook: Delicious Easy-to-Fix Meals for Campfire Cooks and RV Cooks by Woodalls

Stars: ****1/2

Summary: How to set up a camp kitchen and how to make delicious meals using foils, grilling and barbequing, reflector ovens and dutch ovens and casseroles and skillets if you have an RV.

First in the book you'll find a word about nutrition, setting up your camp kitchen, pantry and utensils and fire building. Then you'll find the recipes separated into these chapters: Aluminum Foil Cooking, Reflector Oven Cooking, Dutch Oven Cooking, Breads and Breakfast, Soups and Sauces, Salads, Dressings and Relishes, Vegetable Dishes, Cooking Inside Your Rig ... Casseroles and Skillet Meals, Grilling and Barbequing, Campsite Desserts, Campfire Snacks, Beverages finally a Camp Cooking Hints chapter.

The skillet meals could also be used if you are cooking on a camp stove. In fact, the casserole, skillet, grilling, and barbequing meals at least could be made at home in your own kitchen. This would be a good way to try it out first to make sure you like it. The book has a LOT of recipes and most of them are quite short and easy to follow.

I had only a few problems and they are quite small. There was a few typos, the funniest one: "hard woods bum clean" instead of "hard woods burn clean."  Also in the explanation of what gear you might use to make your outdoor kitchen, it mentions a portable oven and portable sink. I think this is getting a little ridiculous. This is camping after all, even if in an RV.

I did like the one idea to do wash in a sectioned bucket, one for soap and one for rinse. However that wouldn't work for us. In Girl Guides we wash using the 3-sink method from the Health Unit. Wash, Rinse and Bleach.

The Cooking Hints chapter has some good ideas including what to consider if cooking at a higher altitude, how to make substitutions and some other helpful ideas such as layering your meatloaf pan with bacon for added flavour and to stop it from burning to the bottom.

I saw a lot of recipes I'll be trying with my Girl Guide Unit and on family camping next time we go.

Woodall's is a website with camping articles, products and resources with a focus on RVers although they do mention tent and family camping as well. There are forums and a blog as well.

Links of Interest: Woodall's,

Other Reviews: NONE YET

GIVEAWAY CLOSED

Leave No Crumbs Cookbook - The Great Camping Event - Day 10

We're at Day 10 now. Only two more days left after this. I hope you've been enjoying The Great Camping Event.

The Leave-No Crumbs Camping Cookbook: 150 Delightful, Delicious, and Darn-Near Foolproof Recipes from Two Top Wilderness Chefs by Rick Greenspan & Hal Kahn

Stars: ****1/2

Summary:  Who says the food you make while camping has to be bland? These two authors show you how to cook outdoors with flare and taste.

The recipes are designed for backpacking as they pretty  much all contain dehydrated or freeze dried ingredients and as much prep as possible at home. However at the end of the book there are guidelines for using those recipes for car camping, where you can bring a cooler and more food.

There are a few chapters with other helpful information as well such as how to dehydrate food, how to pack, what kind of stoves to use and how much fuel and food you'll need.

Some of the tasty recipes include: Jicama & Plantain Puree, Brazilian Black Bean Soup, Cruiser-Weight Vegetarian Chili, Chinese Boiled Dumplings, Apple Butter, Deep Pockets Risotto, Sushi Rolls, Baked Trout with Rosemary, Tarragon, and Garlic, Crepes, Braided Challah, Fruit Cobbler and tons more.

Each recipe includes background info, ingredients and instructions for what to prepare at home and what to prepare at camp. There are little sidebars of related information on some pages too such as: Inventing Your Own Purees, What is Curry and info on certain ingredients you may not be familiar with.

I haven't had a chance to try a recipe yet but I will be trying them. There's a Girl Guide Camp in May where they get bonus points for cooking a gourmet meal outdoors. Now I have tons of ideas!

Links of Interest: NONE

Other Reviews: NONE YET

Buy Leave-No Crumbs at amazon.com and support SMS Book Reviews

Backpacker: Predicting Weather - The Great Camping Event - Day 9

It's Day 9! Time to talk weather....

BACKPACKER: Predicting Weather: Forecasting, Planning & Preparing by Lisa Densmore

Stars: ****

Summary: The basics of forecasting the weather when out on the trail and what to do to manage in that weather.

This book is made for backpackers but a good portion of it is helpful to any campers. This is one book in a series related to the Backpacker magazine.

I've always been interested in weather and clouds. I have a collection of cloud photos as a matter of fact. I think it is an important skill to be able to see what kind of weather is coming when you are camping so you aren't running around putting stuff away when it starts raining. If you know rain is coming, you have time to put stuff away, make sure your tent guy lines are tight, take out your rain gear and do any activities you need sunshine for. For backpackers it's of course even more important as they are closer to nature and usually more secluded. Where I camp, if it's a really bad storm, I can go into the washroom building to take cover. Backpackers cannot do that.

Contents:
Weather Basics (Ingredients of Weather)
Reading the Sky (Clouds)
Figuring Out Fronts (Warm Front vs Cold Front)
Dew, Frost and Fog (The difference and what to keep in mind)
Local Effects (Mountains, Valleys, Large Bodies of Water, Snowfields/Glaciers, Alpine Zones, Deserts,
Beat the Chill (Cold Weather - how to dress, what gear to use, how to stay warm)
Cool It (Hot Weather - how to dress, what gear to use, how to stay cool)
Weathering Wind (Winds from different directions, wind chill)
Extreme Weather (Storms, Tornadoes, Hurricanes, Hail, Sleet/Freezing Rain and Flash Floods)
Lore or Likely (Weather lore and if it's true or not!)

I will be studying this book until I've memorized the clouds and other signs of poor weather.

Links of Interest: NONE

Other Reviews: NONE YET

Buy Backpacker: Predicting Weather at amazon.com and support SMS Book Reviews

Camping's Top Secrets (+giveaway) - The Great Camping Event - Day 8

It's day 8 and time for a giveaway! But first a review.

Camping's Top Secrets: a lexicon of camping tips only the experts know by Cliff Jacobson 3rd ed.

Stars: ****

Falcon Guides - Globe Pequot Press (2006)

Summary: "[this book] goes beyond the scope of traditional camping books, revealing hundreds of field-tested tips to enhance your next outdoor adventure. With clear descriptions organized alphabetically for quick reference, this guide by veteran camping consultant Cliff Jacobson divulges the best-kept secrets of the experts." - back of book

This book has tips on all sorts of camping topics such as predicting weather, rigging a canoe, treating drinking water, tents/shelters, animals/insects, cooking, first aid, maps/GPS, camping with kids, choosing gear and much, much more.

It's written like an encyclopedia, from A to Z. Or A (Anchor) to Y (Yard Goods.)

Some sections are very short (one paragraph long) and others are a few pages long. It's more for backpackers or canoeists but there are some tips and hints that could be used when car/family camping.  Because it's like an encylopedia, you can skip the parts that don't pertain to the type of camping you do. Some of the tips have hand drawn illustrations to show what they mean. The tips are up to date and you can tell the author is very knowledgeable about what he's talking about.

These tips are for new campers, they are for those who know the basics and want more tips (like what to do if it's lightning out, how to follow topographical maps, how to create an emergency shelter, how to get dry fire wood when it's been pouring for days and things like that.


Links of Interest: NONE

Other Reviews: NONE YET

Buy Camping's Top Secrets at amazon.com and support SMS Book Reviews

GIVEAWAY CLOSED

I Interrupt The Great Camping Event for an announcement!

It has to do with me and here's your clue!!

© Flickr User Etolane

I'm sure you can guess... I'm pregnant!

Camp Out! from the Backyard to the Backwoods by Lynn Brunelle

It's Day 7. I'll have a giveaway tomorrow. For today I bring you a camping guide for kids that could teach and adult something too!

Stars: *****

Summary: Ultimate kid's guide to camping skills, projects, activities, recipes and much, much more. 

Contents and sample info:

Gearing Up (Gear, what to bring, what you should know about it, packing list and uses for duct tape.)
Home Away From Home (setting up camp by section, how to make a tent, a teepee, a no-sew sleep sack, building a fire and cooking on it, making a latrine and showers.)
Good Grub (planning meals, meal ideas, fresh foods, 36 pages of recipes and protecting food from bears)
Camping Skills (15 pages of knots, tug of war, bandanna caps, reading maps, compass including making yoru own, navigation without compass, trail signs and if you're lost.)
Somethings In the Air (Weather basics)
What's Up? (Astronomy)
Backpack Naturalist (Experiments and projects including but not limited to: field journal, investigating an old log, measuring a tree, plant pressing, bug lab and sundial.)
Crafty Camping (Crafts such as: campsite pictographs, rock sculptures, branch weavings, grass bracelet, sand candles and much more.)
Letting Loose (Car games, daytime games, night games, crazy olympics, morse cods, shadow animals and spooky stories.)
Extras (Animal tracks and campfire songs)

This is the best kids camping nonfiction book I've seen. Although I'm an adult, I will be referring back to the animal tracks and astrology sections for sure. I have also used some of the activities with my Girl Guides.

Highly Recommended

Fun Fact: The author Lynn Brunelle was a writer for Bill Nye the Science Guy!

Links of Interest: NONE

Other Reviews: NONE YET

Buy Camp Out! at amazon.com and support SMS Book Reviews