Baby Books

One of the most informative and interesting books I have ever read. A must read for every woman of child bearing age well before she considers having children and then again when she becomes pregnant. I wish I had read it sooner.

Dettwyler's book: Breastfeeding: Biocultural Perspectives is an instant classic and a must-read for any health personal, parent or anyone else interested or somehow involved in breastfeeding (aka everyone!)
Dettwyler opens our eyes, not only to breastfeeding, but to many misunderstandings and wrongdoing in our society, when it comes to raising our children.

I'm currently writing a book about breastfeeding in my native language danish, and Kathy Dettwyler is quoted several times. In Denmark child upbringing is generally a far cry from natural upbringing. Hopefully the book, with Kathy's assistance, can help change that.

Thank you Ms. Dettwyler!

No other breastfeeding book compares to this one. Every woman should read this book because the information contained within is invaluable. It gives background for how and why breastfeeding works like it does. It's powerful information not found in any other book I've read.

One of the most interesting books I read on the topic of breastfeeding was Kathy Dettwyler's Breastfeeding: Biocultural Perspectives. Besides being incredibly well-researched and thorough, it also presented an amazingly logical (yet somehow overlooked) idea: breastfeeding as an evolutionary adaptation. Breastfeeding benefits the survival of the baby and the human species - not only because of its nutritional benefits, but because it keeps mother and child close during a time of vulnerability. It also fosters the mother's ability to cue in on her child's needs and respond to them quickly and efficiently-one might say, instinctually. The modern concept of "attachment parenting" is really a very ancient, practical, and life-sustaining practice. Dettwyler's book presents solid scientific evidence from studies in biology, anthropology, and sociology that reinforces this ages-old concept.

This book has changed my life! There is so much evidence and sound facts about why it is so important for a child to be breastfed until the age of 2.5- 7 years of age that a person would have to be deaf, dumb & blind to at last not consider it. It is because of this book, that I am going to continue to exclusively pump for my son until the age of 5 (he never latched). I would highly recommend this book for any breastfeeding mother that is considering whether or not she should continue to breastfed beyond the age of 12 months. Read this book. It will change your life. When I read it, not only did I see how humans create their own destruction, I saw the face of God.

My six year old had this was for summer reading and has been carrying it around to show us all

My two year old likes this book. Colorful pages. I was looking for books that had some thing to do with butterflies - her current fascination. And there are indeed butterflies in this book.

We bought this book for my two year old, as Fish Wish was his favorite and we like the author's style. Another wonderful and colorful / informative book. It was especially great as an introduction to summer.

I bought the book for my granddaughter who loves bugs.
She loves the book and has her mom read it to her everyday.

My daughter is 14 months old and she absolutely loves this book. She pages through it over and over again. We have a pile of about 20 books for her to "read" and this is always the first book she grabs. She points to the bugs and we say the name and then she'll turn the page and continue. She loves the bright color pages. I just wish it came in board book version, because she's wearing out the pages. She is just one, so she's a little rough on paper pages. ;) I love the page in the back that teaches you about the insects.

This is a perfect training book. The way it is writen keeps my two year old interested. She even knows the song now. It doesn't recommend rewards or any odd words that you may not want to have your child use for pee and poo. It talks about wanting to be older and do what the big kids do...use the potty. Buy it, you will enjoy this book. Recommended for girls because of Miss Piggy...it's too bad that they didn't do one with Kermit.

My child loves this book. I must read it to her six or seven times a day. She sings along to the song with a row row row your boat melody. When my girlfriend or myself are not reading this book to her she attempts to sing the song anyways. My daughter can relate to the troubles of not being able to have her diaper changed exactly when needed and the inconvenience of having it changed so frequently. We have a toilet for her and when the book says hello potty she goes over to it and waves. It is the cutest thing ever! Without this book I think we would be miles away from potty training my beautiful baby girl.

this book is the best potty training book available to kids. i used this book 11 years ago when i was getting potty trained. and now the child next door that i help babysit is using the book. i loved this book. and so does Lauren (the child next door). every child should get the expierence of reading this book for potty training.

When my youngest sister turned 3, she wanted to learn how to use the potty. I got this book at our local library and it really helped her learn to use the potty and wear underpants. This is a great book to teach your child to go potty. Get this book at your local library or bookstore and teach your child what it feels like to use the potty.

my child is now proud of wearing diapers. the first line in the book is --Do you wear diapers?-- my kid laughs and says yes and pats his diaper. He doesn't relate to her dislike of diaper rash or having to sit in it when mommy doesn't have time to change it. Also this book talks about diaper pins and tape which is outdated even for cloth diaper users. So this book has had the opposite effect by no error of the writers; I didn't expect that reaction when i bought it! Really is probably a decent book for every other child in the world

I am pretty fanatical about this book -- bought it for our son when he was about 6 months old and by 11 months he knew how to move like the animals in the book. Watching him learn from this book was exciting for me, and signalled the beginning of "sponge stage" for him. From this point forward, he practically absorbed every book we read together, often being able to complete lines, remember storylines, and even recite books back to us from memory with gentle prompting. We didn't know how much he was capable of, and how fast he could learn, until this book.

This was definitely one of his fundamental books during his first 18 months of life.

My my 22 mos. old son was first read this book almost a month ago at his first day of preschool. When I picked him up from school he kept singing "froggy, froggy, hop,hop,hop" over and over. I asked his teacher about it and she laughed and showed me this book. A few nights later my son would not go to sleep so we let him loose from his crib. He ran into the living room and dug two rubber frogs out of his toy basket, ran back to his room and asked to go "up" into his crib. He waved those frogs around and sang about "froggies" for five minutes while my husband and I listened and giggled in the next room. After that five minutes he fell off to sleep without another protest.

I have never seen a book that has gotten such a huge reaction with our son, other than "Jamberry" by Bruce Degen. Unable to find it at our local Border's I am so happy to find it on Amazon!

This is my daughter's favorite book. We have a ton of board books but this is the one she loves the best, never gets tired of it.

My son loves this book, and has since he was six months old. It has bright pictures. A couple of words each page and they also tell a story (this seems to be a rare combo). The little frog is so expressive and there is heaps that a parent/reader could talk about to a little one on each page. I'm sure it will continue to be a favourite for some time.

The bright simple pictures held my daughter's interest and she continually chooses it as a favorite to read. She did not like to sit still through stories (even short board books) but this kept her entertained. We did motions with each animal as we went through the book and I feel it really helped her learn to enjoy story time.

Great book for any cat lover

author of "Hobo Finds A Home"

It's a lot like the Sandra Boynton books (Pajama time, Barnyard Dance, Snuggle Puppy)....very silly, very catchy words. My son thinks it's the best.

This is hands-down one of our all time favorite books. As parents, we love it as much as our daughter. We have had had more mileage from it than most books, as it has served us well for over two years now, beginning around when our daughter was 18 months. Same story as the other reviewers - I found it in the library and immediately ordered it. It is in my top 5 for must own, right up there with the board book of Jam Berry, and I am highly selective about what I will actually buy and alot shelf space to owning. I wish I could find more books this cool.

This book is a keepsake in our household!!! Both my husband and I walk around the house chatting the versus, and we cant tell enough friends about it!!! Highly reccomend!!!

I happened across this book at the library when my son was a year old, and now at 15 months, I'm getting him his own copy. Although it says it's for 18 months and up, this is suitable for younger children~ I wish we'd found it sooner.

If you & your child like to play games with clapping or a beat to them, and you don't mind putting a catty-sounding whine in your voice to emphasise certain words (meow, chow, howl, yowl, and growl), this is very easily one of the most enjoyable books I've found to make interactive. This book had my little boy grabbing a rattle and making a beeline for my lap when he saw me pick it up. I'd lightly bounce him from side to side while I shook the rattle (except for the "Hey! Cool it cats!" part) and read through the short, rhyming pages.

As another reviewer mentioned, the length of the text is perfectly suited for babies; Although my son will discard some of his books about two-thirds of the way through, he will happily bounce through this one to the very end.

The brightly accented, loosely rendered beatnik cats and cityscapes/alleyscapes are wonderfully expressive. There's also a shadowy cat that appears on each layout that makes for a fun hide and seek element within the book, although once your child is familiar with the story, they'll have their finger on it the moment you turn the page.

This is a great lullaby CD. My daughter listens to it daily and I never tire of it either!

This is wonderful soothing collection of lullabyes for new babies and I am sure older children as well. Our newborn is 2 months old and enjoys just listening for a period before going off to sleep.

All three of my children have listened to this every night as they went to sleep when they were little. It is by far the best lullabye music I have ever found.

I have frequently ordered the CD "A Child's Gift of Lullabyes" as a gift for new parents. It seems to be very well-received and is of the quality parents appreciate and children seem to like hearing often. It is one of several similar CD's well-worth exploring.

We bought this on tape when our first son was a baby. Now he's 19, and we still listen to it. It is so unusual in its simplicity. Everyone who has heard it loves it. I've used it to accompany a slide show presentation of our kids growing up. Brought tears to people's eyes. I've given it as a baby gift, and am still being thanked. Thank you J Aaron Brown.

since we already know what the plot is about thanks to reviews, I just want to say that my favourite parts in the book are when Dawn & Whitney go shopping and when Dawn's dad and his date, along with others in the neighborhood, attend a classical music picnic. There is also a special surprise at the end of the book relating to dawn's life, read it to find out!

I enjoyed reading about the shopping trips, the music picnic, the carnivals, the baby sitting and everything else.

I really loved this book since I bought it. I think what made it more enjoyable was the way it was descriptively written, anne did a great job writing this book. The way she described the baby sitting jobs, the family dates right down to the detail and the shopping trips almost made me feel as though I were watching a movie of it.

The book is very cool! When dawn meets Whitney, Dawn finds out that Whitney has a disease so Dawn asks her if she wants to be her baby-sitter. Dawn and Whitney really had a beautiful friendship in this book. Plus, Dawn's father is having dates with another girl and Dawn and Jeff are asked to come to their father's date.

I really love this book! It was extremely well written and Dawn and Whitney had a beautiful friendship. This book illustrates that just because you have a disability doesn't mean you're different from everyone else. Also Dawn's dad is in the dating game and dawn and jeff come along for family dates, that was also an interesting read. I think this is one of dawn's better books. A great read!

Sad to say, I'd never heard of Jolly Roger Bradfield before... until I found an original book at an Antique Book Fair. It was a bit too pricey for me so I checked out Amazon... YES! They're all here! Very cute stories and GREAT artwork. I will be getting them all!

A reprint of a classic. The story line and illustrations are as artistic as they are timeless. They keep the attention of my 5 year twins as well as they kept mine 40 years ago. This book inspires imagination.

I'm glad that they are republishing Jolly Roger Bradfield's books. I had this book when I was a child. I remember loving it then, and getting it now to share with my children is even better. The artwork is fun and creative. The storyline is imaginative and when I read it to my children, I can see their minds working. I definitely recommend this to anyone who wants a good children's book!

This is a book that my Grandpa used to read to me as a child every time I went to visit him. It brings back great memories and I couldn't wait to share it with my kids. I also bought one for him as a Christmas present, as I have found that his copy has gone missing. LOVE THIS BOOK! - Also, came very fast in perfect condition!

This was my favorite childrens book growing up. Years later, when I had my first child, we searched high and low for a copy. This book must come back into print.

I loved this book and the message it is teaching. God is telling us that by helping others, we are doing His word and carrying on his message. I read it to my grandchildren on Christmas Eve.

The Bible tells of the three wise men, Magi, who came from the East, following a star to the newly born King of the Jews. But, there was a fourth wise man, Artaban, who sold all that he had, and acquired three jewels, to give as his gift to the babe. But, when Artaban stops to help a sick man, he is delayed and misses accompanying the other three, and so he must set off alone. This is the story of the fourth wise man, who seeks the King of the Jews, and finds him in the most unlikely of places.

This is an absolutely wonderful story. It takes the famous 1896 story, written by Henry Van Dyke (1852-1933), and puts it in simple and yet powerful words which can be read by the younger reader. But, this isn't just a kids' book. Indeed, the author wrote an excellent parable for all Christians, telling a powerful story in an easy-to-understand manner. I loved the story, and Jackie Morris's excellent illustrations.

I am glad to have this book, and highly recommend it to everyone!

How about something fresh and new to cut through some of the Christmas clutter that seems to spring up around the holiday each year and must always be pruned away before the season can be properly celebrated and enjoyed ?

How about a powerful and moving story that has stood the test of time for a hundred years and is available as a children's book?

How about a meaningful and inspiring tale that the whole family can enjoy together, a fictional story that helps to put the real story of Christmas into its proper historical and cultural context, and expose some of its true meaning?

Henry van Dyke (1852-1933) graduated from Princeton in 1873, was pastor of the Brick Presbyterian Church in New York City (1883-99), professor of English literature at Princeton (1899-1923), and U.S. Ambassador to the Netherlands (1913-16). He wrote the well known hymn Ode To Joy (Joyful, Joyful). He also wrote The Story of the Other Wise Man which was originally published in 1895.

He wrote how Artaban desperately desired to travel with the other three wise men to worship and adore the Christ Child, but delayed his quest to bring his gifts to the newborn king in order to help a dying man, save the life of a baby, and rescue a young girl from slavery. Artaban finally loses every one of his gifts but finds and is found by the King of kings. Henry Van Dyke wrote a touching story of someone who spends his life doing good and searching for truth and beauty.

Susan Summers was a teacher in England. During an epiphany service at a small church she first encountered Henry Van Dyke's story. She was so impressed and moved by it that she began to use it each year as a school assembly topic. After leaving teaching she rewrote the story for children, and dedicated it to her former students.

Jackie Morris created the beautiful watercolor illustrations that accompany the text. They include large panoramic vistas and moving portraits.

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This is a great book, especially for anyone trying to teach the real meaning of christmas. It is in the format of a child's book, but its language and subject matter (including the murder of all babies under Herod) is pretty advanced, so it's appropriate for kids who would normally read chapter books: I'd say 7+ years.

This book should be on the gift list for everyone you know! The original story was written by Henry Van Dyke (1852-1933). Susan Summers has rewritten and brought forth such gorgeous illustrations of a very special tale! No holiday season should go by without bringing this wonderful book out to read in a cozy gathering around the fireplace.

The Fourth Wise Man tells the story of Artaban who had originally planned to journey to Bethlehem with the other three wisemen to pay homage to the new King of the Jews but was delayed by his acts of kindness to others along the way. He does miss the birth of Jesus but continues a lifelong search of the King with a most wonderful journey and blissful end.

This is one of my all time favorites for any season and always brings tears to my eyes to think of the beauty of Artaban's life. Here's what Mr. Van Dyke had to say about his story:
"Who seeks for heaven alone to save his soul May keep the path, but will not reach the goal; While he who walks in love may wander far, Yet God will bring him where the blessed are."

This book pairs very well with doing an actual tadpole growing project. It shows the step-by-step process and growth of a tadpole.

This book was helpful telling the story of how the tadpole changes to a frog

From Tadpole to Frog is a great learning experience for little ones. I would recommend this book for any child, 4-??? The service from Amazon is great. That is the only place I purchase books anymore.

Dana Hodges

Great teaching tool for kids. My 3 and 5 year old loved it. They pretend to be tadpoles turning into frogs. I loved that it gave facts and was easy for the kids to remember and understand!!

This is a nice book with attractive artwork that describes the two-year life cycle of the American Bullfrog. As a Stage One book "From Tadpole to Frog" uses simple sentences and concepts that are appropriate for toddlers, preschoolers, and young children up to about 8 or 9 years of age.

Besides a description of the Bullfrog lifecycle, and the 'where Bullfrogs can be found' map, there are pictures with brief descriptions of 5 other frogs, including the Leopard, Pickerel, Wood, Spring Peeper, and Gray Tree frogs.

Four Stars. Good artwork on every page. The color runs from edge to edge. Okay Read-aloud. The Bullfrog is interesting as even the tadpoles hibernate for one year. Nothing objectionable in my opinion; although I should note above that there is a brief mention of reproduction. [I mention this as some parents have concerns and have told me they appreciate such notes.] The book, in any case, says the following about frog reproduction:

At night you hear "Ba-ra-rooom... ba-ra-
room... ba-ra-rooom...". The males are calling
to their mates.

The female hear the call.
The male hugs his mate. He fertilizes her eggs as
she lays them in the water. Thousands of soft
jelly-covered eggs cling together in the cool water.

The artwork shows the frogs hugging, and neither art nor wordage was inappropriate or graphic, in my opinion. Certainly my children didn't think anything of it.

The AR reading level is given as 1.6 which means this is a book for a child in the second half of the first grade. While professionally assessed, this mom thinks quite a few first graders will need some help because of the vocabulary. More difficult words include: hibernate, thousands, whistle, creatures, stretching, fertilizes, speckled, and capture. Words they might not be familiar with are: mate, female, male, breathe, gills, and cling.