Sleep is for the Weak: The best of the mommybloggers including Amalah, Finslippy, Fussy, Woulda Shoulda Coulda, Mom-101, and More!
Edited by Rita Arens, Foreword by Stacy Morrison, editor of Redbook; Chicago Review Press, 2008; $11.95; www.chicagoreviewpress.com.

While many of these short essays from popular mommy blogs are outrageous, they are also sweet, poignant, funny and, most of all, authentic. They touch moms – who thought only they fantasized about running out for diapers and never coming home – with solace, laughter and tears born from a wide range of viewpoints and shared experiences. This is a must-read for all the “real” moms out there who curse both the experts and “super-moms” who make it seem so easy! Great reading for in-between feedings, naps, playtime and chaos – and if it inspires you to write down your own reflections and experiences, all the better.

“Much needed comic relief! My husband read one of the stories in it and got a good laugh out of it, too!”
– Mom Tester

I laughed out loud, I cried, I loved this book! It made me realize I’m not alone.” 
– Mom Tester
 

Understanding Death and Illness and What They Teach About Life: An Interactive Guide for Individuals with Autism or Asperger’s and their Loved Ones, by Catherine Faherty; Future Horizons, 2008; $24.95; www.FHautism.com.

Death and illness are difficult topics for everyone, but they are especially confusing and worrisome for children with Autism or Asperger’s. Catherine Faherty developed this book for families dealing with everything from illness and injury, to death of a pet or a loved one.

 

Faherty breaks things down into simple, concrete steps and carefully explains how to communicate difficult information, and how to listen to children who might not be able to put their feelings into words. Our testers felt her advice was helpful for not just for children with special needs, but something from which every family in this situation could benefit.

“This is truly written by an expert on both illness/death and working with people with Asperger’s/Autism; therefore it is an essential resource to prepare for those moments of need. I am so glad to see a resource for people with autism who think differently and for the people around them. I see this as being a way for an adult to process loss with a person with autism, which would allow both to face it and heal together. Very unifying.”
– Special Needs Judge
 

Safety 1st Little Men Working Potty, Dorel Juvenile Group USA; $34.99; www.djgusa.com.

The Little Men Working Potty makes potty training fun for little boys! Shaped like a truck, it encourages boys to use the potty and rewards them with truck sounds when a deposit is made. The 3-in-1 design offers a potty seat and removable trainer seat, and becomes a step stool when the lid is closed. Girl testers loved it, too!

“The sound effects enticed our child to use the potty more often!”
– Parent Tester

“Can make training fun. The stickers are great for having children involved in personalizing and decorating it.”
– Pediatric Judge

“I have more potties than anyone should but this one definitely takes the cake as being the favorite of both my children.”
– Mom Tester
 

Autism Asperger’s Digest, Future Horizons, Inc.; $49.95 annual subscription; www.autismdigest.com.

Whether you’re new to an Autism or Asperger’s diagnosis, or a veteran looking for the latest research, this bi-monthly magazine is a lifeline. It acknowledges the challenges of ASD for those diagnosed and their families, focuses on strengths and the positive aspects of not being neurotypical, inspires and navigates readers to build the best lives for their families.

“Great insights and tips for teachers. It provides helpful ways to include everyday things into therapy and therapy into everyday things. Has a fun element that other materials for people with autism lack. Great professional contributors.”
– Special Needs Judge  

AudibleKids Web Site, Audible Inc.; download children’s books starting at 99¢; www.audiblekids.com.

Too often kids are put in front of a TV for entertainment, not only in their homes, but in their cars as well. AudibleKIDS.com is an excellent website that encourages reading and lets kids use their imagination, instead of staring at a TV screen.  Children and parents can listen to a story directly from the website, or download it to an mp3 player.  AudibleKIDS has thousands of books to choose from and the website lets you search by category or age group. The site also has a helpful Parent’s Guide that offers tips to help kids get the most of their listening experience, such as providing a list of discussion questions that relate to the story.

“Kids section worksheets on the Web site give interesting discussion points for family/kids. There are three age-level sheets and they definitely show the thought put into them.”
– Tester/Editor

“Listening to books encourages reading and lets kids use their imagination. If you are in the car, the parent can listen with the child and then they can discuss the story – it can be their very first ‘book club’! This is a great way to instill a lifetime love of books and reading!”
– Mom Tester
 

Smart Steps Magic Label, Evenflo; $6.99 for 50; www.evenflo.com.

This product allows you to affix labels to food containers for school, and note freezer expiration dates on baby food and other dishes. It’s also an innovative solution for parents who want to leave a personalized message for their child or instructions for caregivers, and it’s great for keeping track of your containers sent to daycare with your children. The stickers dissolve in water so you don’t need to remove them before washing, and there is no residue left on the plastic or glass.

“They dispense easily and I use them daily for marking my child’s lunch.”
– Tester Mom

“I need to label so many things for my son and I like that these come off in water.”
– Tester Mom
 

Oobleck, Slime & Dancing Spaghetti: Twenty Terrific At-Home Science Experiments Inspired by Favorite Children’s Books, by Jennifer Williams; Bright Sky Press, 2009; $14.95; www.brightskypress.com.

What a fun way for parents and teachers to encourage cross-curricular learning! Presidential Award-winning science teacher Jennifer Williams’ new book takes classic children’s literature and creates science experiments to go along with the stories. Create the green goo found in Dr. Seuss’ Bartholomew and the Oobleck and make pasta dance as in Tomie dePaola’s Strega Nona.

 

Each chapter combines a detailed description of the featured story, step-by-step instructions for the experiment, thought-provoking questions for the children to answer, and science facts, and some can be enjoyed by preschool-age children. The Web site is interesting and offers suggestions for additional learning.

“Wonderful premise: a guide for parents for mixing science, cooking and children’s literature.”
– Mom Tester

“Great to make science part of everyday life and part of children’s literature, too. Encourages both genders equally.”
– Mom Tester

“Share the fun of learning with your child and feel like a great parent at the same time!”
– Mom Tester
 

Disney Princess Costume Organizer, Delta Children’s Products; $59.99; www.deltaenterprise.com.

This is a dream come true for children who love to dress up and for their parents who like to keep their homes organized! This pretty-in-pink costume closet comes with lots of little accents, fun knobs and storage baskets underneath. It’s so much fun for a little girl to have her very own special place to put all of her dress-up clothes. It even includes special cloth drawers for her tiara, wand and magic slippers. Our parent testers and judge loved how easy it was to assemble – in just 10 minutes. Their daughters loved the images of the Disney princesses that adorn the outside, as well as the mirror where they can watch themselves transform into princesses themselves!

“It’s so much fun for a little girl to have her very own, special place to put all of her dress-up clothes. It helps to teach children the organization skill of putting their belongings back into a closet, or a drawer, using a hanger.”
– Organization Judge

“It’s adorable! Little girls will love it! My daughter loves that all of her dress ups can go in this closet.”
– Mom Tester
 

The Siblings’ Busy Book: 200 Fun Activities for Kids of Different Ages, by Lisa Hanson and Heather Kempskie; Meadowbrook Press, 2008; $9.95; www.meadowbrookpress.com.

Ever wonder how to simultaneously engage two, three, or more children of different ages without cloning yourself? This book offers a slew of imaginative activities that really work: each starts with a useful chart specifying what you’ll need for each child by age, from infant through school age, and then provides variations for doing the activities with different ability levels.

“The information, crafts and ideas are geared right to my kids’ ages. I love being able to have resource books when I need fun and creative things to do with my kids.”
– Mom Tester

“I like the small size of the book. It’s easy to pack in the car for trips.”
– Mom Tester
 

For more fun activities for kids, check out 2008 Honors winner Gadgetology! 

Baby Smarts: Games for Playing and Learning, by Jackie Silberg; Gryphon House Inc., 2009; $12.95; www.gryphonhouse.com.

Have some “smart fun” with your baby! Veteran author Jackie Silberg, whose M.S. in Child Development serves its readers well, divides Baby Smarts into four chapters, one for each three-month period in your baby’s first year. Within each section, caregivers learn the developmental milestones for that age range and games that reinforce the skills needed to reach those milestones.

 

These delightful games do not require any expensive gear – rather, they introduce parents to rolling a ball to their baby to develop muscle coordination or singing songs to develop language abilities. Playing with your child provides wonderful bonding opportunities and Baby Smarts encourages caregivers to enjoy each stage as it unfolds, without focus on accelerating development to the next goal.

“It’s easy to follow and has short suggestions. An excellent resource for parents who want to play with their baby in a way that is developmentally educational.”
– Education Judge