Child Health Books

Contrary to one of the more unusual reviews featured for this book, "Lulu's Busy Day" is not a preachy, didactic etiquette manual for toddlers. Rather, it is simply a charming book showing a young girl conducting her normal daily activities, such as reading, eating, playing, bathing, and sleeping, all activities that a young child can relate to. The illustrations are feature large heads on a colorful background, and are appealing to young children. A good companion book is "Hello, Lulu."

My daughter (18 months) requests I read this book to her at least 5 times a day. We originally got it at the library and kept renewing it, so I finally ordered our own. I know my daughter would be devistated if we returned it to the library! We also love Hello Lulu and Happy Birthday Lulu!

My almost 3 year old son wants me to read this over and over again. I think the simple nature of this story is very appealing to young children.

We have been reading 'Lulu's Busy Day' since my daughter, Ruby was18 month old & she has requested that we read it over & over again. She loves the pictures & the simple story which relates to her world. Whenever we come to the page where Lulu is swinging in the park, she puts her foot up & tries step into the picture so that she too can swing with Lulu. She does the same with the picture of Lulu taking a bath in 'Hello, Lulu'. Caroline Uff's amazing illustrations are so vibrant that my little girl thinks she can step into the pictures & be in Lulu's world. Ruby is 2 now & 'Lulu' is still a firm favorite & whenever we go to the park she tells me she wants to "swing up high like Lulu"!

I personally know how hard it is to hold a 2 year old's attention. This book is something that can capture it. I originally discovered this book, as well as "Happy Birthday, Lulu" and "Hello, Lulu", in a group called Welcome Baby. This is a group that is part of our local hospital that gives out books to new parents, encouraging them to read to the youngest of children. They also have support groups that encourages reading to young children. This book keeps the kids entralled. My daughter was 6 months old when she first heard this book and crawled over to the book and just stared at the bright colorful pictures. The words are huge, as well as the pictures. The writing is simple. Caroline Uff really figured out how to capture the imaginations of the young. This book will not disappoint you or your children.

This is definately one of the best Maisy books my 19 month-old owns. (Or should I say, I own-since I love them all!!) Great colors, and great pulls/pop-ups. My son loves to say "Shhhh" on the last page as Maisy is going to bed.

I'm on the third copy of this book - the first two were eaten alive by my children. :)

If you are the parent of a young child, you probably know who Maisy is. She's a mouse with a duck, a squirrel, an elephant, and a crocodile for friends. Why the crocodile isn't trying to eat the others is beyond me, but that's life in Maisy's world.

Both of my daughters love the Maisy books; there's something about their simple stories and colorful pictures that even appeals to adults. The books are short and easy to read. But, the stories are never obnoxiously simplistic, like so many other books for small children.

This is a lift the flap book in which the childen are lifting flaps as Maisy prepares for bed. Believe it or not, this book helped convince one of my daughters to brush her teeth, which is frquently a battle in our house. This is one of the most fun Maisy books to read to your children. One caution, the kids might get a little aggressive with the flaps and tear a few, resulting in the purchase of a new lift the flap book (in our current copy, Maisy's tooth brush has bit the dust).

Maisy is on the way to bed. She has to do a few things before she can snuggle under her covers. Follow Maisy as she gets a drink, uses the potty, washes her hands, brushes her teeth, puts on her pajamas, reads a story, and goes to sleep.

Flaps and tabs on each page make each step fun and interactive for young children. Day turns to night in a window, the toilet flushes and toilet paper pulls out, Maisy brushes her teeth, and her storybook has several pages that children can see.

Ever the gentle, sweet mouse, Maisy is a beloved friend children love to see. The tabs and flaps add to the fun, although children who haven't mastered fine motor skills are likely to experience a little frustration when tabs don't work right or flaps pop off. The toilet seat flap popped off the page while my young daughter played with it. I anticipate an easy fix with the help of our gooey friend "Elmer."

For children who love Maisy and flap/tab books, MAISY GOES TO BED is a definite winner.

Reviewed by Christina Wantz Fixemer
10/20/2006

This is a very cute, sweet book to read at bedtime. All about a little girl mouse & her bedtime preparations.

I picked up Mama Rock's Rules by Rose Rock and Valerie Graham for my daughter who is faced with the challenge of raising two kids; my first response was I wish I'd had this thoughtful and entertaining guide to help me through some of those tough times when I was raising my daughters. Down to earth, with an emphasis on the importance of rules and respect, always balanced with a large dollop of love, the book provides a unique and meaningful approach to handling sex, love, and self respect in the chapter, "Don't Lie Down with Anything you Don't Want to Live With Forever." Another of my favorite chapters is "Feed Them and They'll Tell you Everything." Filled with warmth, Rose gives us great ideas about making the family dinner a special time for sharing and learning more about what's going on with our kids. Every chapter gives an original take on important issues that affect how we raise our children to be respectful, confident, successful people. I highly recommend this book for parents and grandparents alike.

As a long time fan of comedian Chris Rock, I was excited to get the chance to review a new book by his mother, Rose, Mama Rock's Rules: Ten Lessons for Raising a Household of Successful Children.

Assuming that the apple didn't fall far from the tree, I figured there would be some straight, no-nonsense talk from this woman who not only raised her own children, but opened her home to the neighborhood kids, as well as a host of foster children through her life. She's got way more patience than I do, that's for sure!

And I was right! The title of Chapter 1 will give you a sense of where Mama Rock is coming from -- I Am Your Mama, Not Your Friend. A lot of us moms struggle with striking the right tone and balance in our mothering lives, but Mama Rock is here to tell us to let go of our worries about whether our kids will like us, and focus more on instilling the respect they should have for parents.

She's not saying we can't have fun and enjoy our children, but Mama Rock takes a 'trust, but verify' approach to child-raising which made a lot of sense to me. I do know one thing -- I'm glad I never had to find out about her mystery can of whup-a$$!

But Mama has a soft side, too -- she's got lots of advice on creating memories for our children and the gratification we can all get from make more time to gather around the dinner table, something that we struggle with here at Chez PunditMom because of overlapping work and activity schedules.

I'm going to try to heed some of Mama Rock's advice which is the kind we need more of these days -- non-nonsense talk from a mama who's raised a group of amazingly successful kids.

Personally, I think there are some Hollywood celebrity families who could use this book right now!

This is probably the only CD you'll need for child rearing. It is marvelous.

As the parent of a 5-year old I was looking for a sensible, straight-shooting book on discipline, teaching sound values and preparing a child for life as an adult. Several parents/teachers suggested 'Love and Logic'. After several unsuccessful tries to read it, I gave up. Then the local newspaper had a favorable article on Mama Rock's Rules. It was easy to read, made a LOT of sense, reinforced the lessons my parents had taught me and was fun to read. As another reviewer mentioned, this is a book to return to over and over again. I usually borrow books from the library. The classics I buy. This is a classic.

This lady has it right!! Loved the book and appreciate Rose Rock for sharing her 'Mojo's" with others. I have bought several copies to give as gifts to young mothers I know. How I wish I had such a guide when my children were young. Recommend this book with it's great sensible advice and wonderful humor to all.

Every science fiction book must strike a balance between the science and the fiction. Too many, especially children's books, stretch the truth to the point that it breaks. This is a book that science teachers will enjoy. The fiction places the main characters in unlikely situations (access to sensitive data), but the science is impeccable. The reader will come away with a good understanding of a hidden killer, which could even save lives. This would be an excellent selection for a school library.

Memo to guys: Smart is cool. Also, be nice to your sister. Those are two important lessons, refreshingly not delivered with a cafeteria lady's heavy hand, in N.L. Eskeland's "Erin Brockovich meets Michael Crichton" thriller for the preteen set, Menace in the Walls, a fictional account of a true and controversial medical horror story from the 1990s that stems from corporate greed and research funding versus the lives of innocent children. Moreover, we would have gotten away with it too, if it weren't for those meddling kids, the Harry Potter-looking bespectacled Joshua Keegan and his firecracker younger sister Kelley, who find themselves brought together while investigating children's deaths. Sibling rivalry pales when you're running for your lives, It is not a "kids versus adults" story either: Joshua's parents, as well as a kindly researcher named Dr. Tang, prove to be great allies and protectors. In this moral, faith-filled, intelligent page-turner, Eskeland makes science cool again.

A fascinating novel about a boy and his sister and their thrilling adventure of finding out the cause of all these infant casualties. N. L. Eskeland tells the story in a way of many twists and turns,even when family could be disguised as foe. I recommend this book as an excellent mystery combining with the elements of science.

-AC, a 7th Grade Student

Menace in the Walls is a captivating quick weekend read -- "quick" because the story keeps you turning the pages! Very refreshing to enjoy a wholesome good book with educational benefits as well! "Kids" of all ages will enjoy this book.

A perfect book for children should contain these elements, in no particular order: intrigue, camaraderie in the face of the darkest dangers, sound morals, and it should be educational. Menace in the Walls has all of the above.

Joshua Keegan is very eager to work in a hospital, and he jumps at the offer to work in Dr. Channing's lab for the summer. Prior to starting his job in the lab, he helped his mother one night during a terrible storm and was surprised to see that several children were being brought to the emergency room with the same symptoms: nosebleeds, coughing, congestion, and X-Rays that reveal damaged lungs. As Joshua begins his job in the lab, part of his duties involve entering patient information into the computer. As he's doing so, he notices that eight children, all under the age of four months, and all from the same area that experienced the flooding during the storm, have large X's over their data. Finding this odd, he prints out the information.

Later he learns that his favorite horse died - from mold that it ate in its hay. Doing some quick research on the internet, he discovers a disturbing link between the infants that were brought in during the storm and his horse's death. Thus begins the intrigue, and the mystery that Joshua sets out to solve. And it is an exciting, page-turning story that I found most enjoyable.

Along the way he finds unexpected help from a school jock and, perhaps even more surprising, his younger sister, whom he thought of as a nuisance in the beginning of the book. Working together, they work better than working alone.

Joshua's character in particular was very impressively fleshed out for such a relatively short book. With the exception of one "villain", in fact, there really weren't any typical caricatures that you expect to see in children's books. These were all very real characters.

But I think my favorite part of the book was learning about micropipette tips and autoclaving. Reading without learning, regardless of how exciting the story (and this is an exciting story) is like eating mashed potatoes without salt and butter, or gravy, or whatever you like to put on them. It's just not the same.

My niece's baby was born at 28 weeks. Needless to say, this was a shock and a scary time for them. I saw this book and thought it might bring some comfort to her and her husband. She said the book is great. Brings tears to her eyes, but she can relate to all the stories that she has been reading.

I could relate to every story having been in all those situations. Being a parent of a micro-preemie is an isolating feeling. It helps to know there are others who are out there going through the same thing you are and are surviving it!

Many people don't realize that micropreemies do have a solid chance to survive and enjoy relatively normal lives thanks to modern medicine and the love and dedication of parents and NICU nurses. But with Mr. Smith's book, it takes the reader right into the lives of people who have experienced the birth of a very premature baby, and -- without sugarcoating it -- shows how these miracle babies are wonderful examples for all about the fight for precious life!
Every hospital neonatal intensive care unit should have this available by the case for those who need the support and positive reinforcement when confronted with what can be a perilous situation.

Parents facing the suspense and stress of premature childbirth can take heart by reading this! In fact, it should be in the waiting room by every hospital's preemie ward, so anxious parents can read these stories of tiny bodies with enormous courage. Tim Smith has told the tale of his own daughter's bravery, and the tales of other families going through this difficult experience, with insight and warmth. This is a must-have for anyone who needs to believe in the power of the human spirit.

I thought that the book "Miracle Birth Stories Of Very Premature Babies" by Timothy Smith was a well crafted and welcome addition to the world of medical literature. As I was reading, I felt like I was in the hospital with each set of parents, going through their triumphs and defeats with them.

One strong aspect of the book is that it is written for the average person, in basic language that we can all understand. The medical information provided is relevent and accurate, but we are not bogged down in medical and hospital terminology. Medical journals and texts are often written in a very dry, academic tone that is hard to get through. Also, as I was reading I also felt that I was learning information about a controversial topic without being preached to.

We have all heard things about this topic through magazines, television news, newspapers, tabloids, etc. Smith is a veteran newspaper reporter and it shows. Each story is special in their own situation, and the different families are tied together in a nice way through a common cord of compassion, mutual experiences, and hopes for the future. I wish that premature birth parents in hospitals everywhere could receive this book. It is truly inspirational and lets them know they are not alone.

The book New Prescription for Childhood Obesity by Dr. Billy Johnson was very informative. I was able to see the connection between what we eat and our health. It explains a lot about the health of our nation especially our children. I see so many overweight children and adults and that this epidemic makes me realize that we are slowly eating away our health.

This book gives clear and medically proven guidance for dealing with childhood obesity, but I believe that the information is also helpful for improving the health of children and adults of average weight and for adult weight management and health. It is well written, easy to follow, understand and implement. It is a practical guide to good health for children with many benefits for parents as well.

I can't agree with Dr. Johnson more than what the rest of the reviews have mentioned. The product he refers to (MonaVie) is a wonderful product for gaining a high amount of antioxindants and phytonutrients for adults and children. Not only is it good for children to curb obesity, it is also great for adults looking to get their proper daily nutrition. Taking 4 ounces daily is the equivalent to getting up to 13 servings of fruit a day. The USDA recommends getting 7-13 servings a day. Who has the time to eat that many fruits/veggies a day? Not me. It only takes 30 seconds to get your 4 ounces of MonaVie. I can't recommend it enough. For more info on MonaVie you can go to [...]/IFeelGreat.

Genre: Health & Fitness

Title: New Prescription for Childhood Obesity:
Fight Childhood Obesity with Antioxidants & Phytonutrients

Author: Billy C. Johnson M.D., Ph.D

Everyone that is aware of their surroundings must realize that childhood obesity has become an epidemic. However, few are as knowledgeable about the extremely sad, long term effects as this author, Billy C. Johnson M.D., Ph.D.
Written as a parenting guide for the 5-12 year old generation, the intention is teaching that eating less and exercising more does not work on a long term basis. Parents must teach their children the root of the problem so lifelong habits of healthy eating are established. By understanding this approach, the parents themselves adopt a healthier lifestyle, benefiting as well.
The root of the problem is the development of low-grade silent inflammation combined with decreased levels of antioxidants and phytonutrients. The result being chronic, degenerative diseases with Type 2 diabetes at the top of a growing list threatening quality of life. The multitude of traumatic diseases is not only diabetes but loss of energy and muscle, arterial plaque, poor concentration, heart disease and high blood pressure, just a few mentioned as a wake up call. Along with all of this, we are also faced with external sources such as pollution, inadequate sleep and ultraviolet radiation from the sun.
Chapter 1, is based on the philosophy that balanced nutrition can be tailored to the individual level of physical activity. Antioxidants are phytonutrients, which are chemical compounds found in non-starchy vegetables, fruits, beans and soy. They must be included in the diet for the body to be able to neutralize high levels of free radicals that cause oxidative stress, attack DNA and other healthy cells. The recommended daily serving of 7-9, falls very short in today's society. A new discovery to combat this deficiency is Mona Vie, which is a highly concentrated juice based from the Acai Berry.
This book has been meticulously written in 14 easy to understand chapters. The author, Billy C. Johnson M.D., Ph.D. leaves no stone unturned as he covers everything with clarity from food groups, to necessity of water and snacks. Planning is very important and he teaches us how to plan/shop, as well as providing a sample plan including many basic recipes.
He graduated from the University of Florida, did his residency in obstetrics and gynecology in Brooklyn and has also practiced in Virginia and Connecticut. After tragically losing his brother to heart attack secondary to diabetes he became interested in Health & Wellness. He is very active on the subject with public speaking, weekly radio program and on the Internet.
It has been an honor to learn from his book and I would highly recommend it.
Reviewer: Cheryl Ellis, Allbooks Reviews.

Quoting from the back cover:

"About one in three American children is either overweight or obese. Childhood obesity is a crisis robbing youth of health and energy, and even causing children to die prematurely. Obesity among children, which is likely to carry over to adulthood, is also linked to a greater risk of high cholesterol, diabetes, early heart disease, and high blood pressure.

"New Prescription for Childhood Obesity provides an innovative approach to fighting childhood obesity. The traditional method for weight loss and fat reduction has been to eat less and exercise more, but this does not work over the long haul. To lose weight and keep it off requires addressing the root cause of the problem: insulin resistance and the low-grade silent inflammation that is triggered by many factors, including foods and environmental causes such as pesticides, industrial pollutants, and toxins.

"Now parents have an opportunity to change their child's eating and physical activity habits even before a weight problem develops. Complete with recipes to get you on the right track, this essential guide provides specific and simple strategies, techniques, and skills that will enable children to eat the right amount of food appropriate for their level of physical activity without dieting."

This is an excellent book, and we could all benefit, not just our children, from Dr. Johnson's theories, information and eating/exercise program. There certainly is a need in this country for information and guidance to help us fight our obesity issue. This is a well written, organized and edited book, and if your child has a weight problem, you might want to read and consider Dr. Johnson's program.

Kaye Trout
Reviewer

Loved loved LOVED this book. Purchased it when we were trying to conceive, and it really helped me understand that what was happening to my body was normal. It reads easily, so I read it front to back, and then used it as a reference when I needed specific information. Highly recommend this book, and am now buying the Parenting Magazine guide to taking care of a newborn!

I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to any one who is pregnant. This was my first pregnancy and it walked me threw week by week and I totally felt prepared. I loved know when to expect movements and the heart beat. I felt more prepared when I went to the Dr. and all in all I loved the book

I absolutely LOVE this book, and no it's not just because I'm in it! I am unfortunately in the miscarriage section and since I was interviewed for the book in 96, I had yet another miscarriage. I have now had three miscarriages, but do have a healthy four year old daughter. I remain positive though. I was so excited to get this book home and see where I was in it, but REALLY found out how remarkable this book is. I was amazed with the amount of information on every subject, and will give this book to my sister Laura as soon as she finds out she is expecting. If you just found out your pregnant....this is the ONLY book you'll need! Sharon Heaps

I read sections of the book just ahead of what my wife was going through each week and found them very useful as they covered everything I needed to know. It helped me understand and as a result I became more patient with her. I found the "What if..." and "Is it true..." sections most enlightening as they clarify and debunk alot of the "myths" we in Asian culture believe in. The book is also based on updated medical research and practices. We are delighted to have received this as a gift.

Having bought a lot of books during my first pregnancy, this book clearly came out as the 'winner' in all categories. First, it is written in plain and simple english that anyone can easily understand. It is well-organized, so creatively in fact using a real pregnant model in its "four trimesters" chapters also showing the changes in her body each trimester brings. The topics progressively expand to those in which an expectant mom currently faces and the variety of 'new things' she experiences, in that certain time frame. The real-life stories of pregnant mothers, their experiences, challenges and how they've handled their trying ordeals makes any apprehensive and excited expectant mom feel positive and enthusiastic about herself. Also,it is very informative and exhausts all its efforts to do outstanding research. It is medically-sound and contains little or no biases. It even answers questions to old wives tales many infancticipating moms hear lots about. It is the most up-to-date pregnancy book among all I've read. My husband too learned much of what I've went through through this book. My only regret is that its fourth trimester chapter ended too soon.

This book offers many wonderful tools to help children relax, reinforce their value, and visualize a fantastic episode of imagination. It is organized and cross referenced which makes it easy to quickly find just the right message of the day. I teach yoga to 5th graders who now beg for "relaxation at the end of class". Some of the kids have ADHD, autism, and other learning differences. This has been one tool that will never get old or redundant. It spans a broad age range. I have coordinated some of the stories a week before big achievement tests which seems to help the kids with a bit of empowerment. Nothing speaks to the success of my class like having children ask to borrow my books, DVDs, or my music. I would like to know of a better book or another book like this one since it has been such a huge hit with everyone.

We ran through the "Ready, Set, RELAX program when our child had a serious illness. It helped him overcome his fear of treatment and helped reduce the anxiety level of our whole family. I am hoping for a sequel.

Ready, Set, Relax provides teachers and parents with an important resource for helping young children learn valuable self-regulation skills. Jeff Allen and Roger Klein make us aware that learning requires both physical and mental preparation. By introducing physical relaxation and positive mental imaging skills into the classroom environment, children develop essential learning prerequisites, increase self-confidence, and enrich creative interactions between teacher and child. The lessons of Ready, Set, Relax should be eagerly integrated into every elementary school curricula.

Great book for short relaxation scripts, with lots of em. I have used them with several kids so far (I am a child therapist) and they seem to like them. However, you can also find lots of relaxation scripts on the web and elsewhere...so if you want them all handy and in one place, buy the book. If you can be patient and scrounge together your own, go for that.

Lots of "I am calm" and "I am relaxed" affirmations. Very good selection of "scripts" which are short visualizations meant to relax children. This is very mainstream and a great way to introduce children to relaxation. Great emphasis on breathing however, to teach the mechanics of proper breathing, I have coupled this with Indigo Dreams and The Children's Awareness Curriculum. The kids really enjoy relaxing and love talking about the visualizations in Ready Set Relax. Great way to teach children, especially if you are short on time.

This book has helped me to understand epilepsy so I am not feeling as anxious or hopeless about my daughter's seizures. I highly recommend it for anyone who has seizures or knows/loves someone that does.

I personally benefited tremendously from this very positive book. My little boy has seizure disorder and i was desperate for any knowledgeable information that could guide me and help me through this terrible horrifying experience for any parent.
This is definitely a book i would recommend.

My son was diagnosed with seizures. Other than talking to his neurologist my only other source of information was the internet. I wanted unbiased factual information to educate myself and this book is the answer. I felt more empowered reading this and I would highly recommend it for other parents or even teachers with students that have seizures and epilepsy.

I did read a lot of books about epilepsy, but this one is the best!
You get all the informations you need to have a good picture about this illness. It is very well written, very easy to understand and covers all the basics and also the more deeper informations about for example side effects etc..
I can recommend this book as a standard book you should have.

This book is full of straight-forward information about epilepsy and its effects on the brain. It addresses initial medical evaluations and diagnoses, and discusses various treatments--traditional and complementary therapies--in depth. The authors handle these potentially complicated topics with simplicity of language and great compassion.

In fact, the best part of this book is the authors' ability to recognize and allay parental fears by dispelling myths surrounding the illness. A substantial section of the book offers suggestions to help a family (not just the patient) cope with epilepsy--at home, school, in extended family settings, and so on.

This is a well-researched and documented book. I highly recommend it for any parent facing a dignosis of epilepsy for the first time.

This is a must have for all teen girls. Whether you are pretty advanced in make-up and skin products, etc. or completely clueless, this book is for you! Very well organized and put together, it's easy to read and understand. I enjoyed this book for most of my teen years!

I checked out this book from the library, and I absolutely loved it! It had something for everyone. I would definitely reccomend this to every teen girl!

This book is better than any beauty magazine! I have tried to get this kind of stuff from Teen People and Teen, but Seventeen's How to Be Gorgeous is truly packed with good information. I used to be totally in the dark, now I feel very makeup-wise. However, it tends to be a little too much -- it seems like it limits everything. All of a sudden, I can't do anything that I used to do that I sort of liked. My lip gloss is fine and I've had it for seven months! Then they told me I had to trash it. I like it and I'm not breaking out! So it's a little prissy in that way. But it's still so awesome and cool and I love it!!

This book is better than any beauty magazine! I have tried to get this kind of stuff from Teen People and Teen, but Seventeen's How to Be Gorgeous is truly packed with good information. I used to be totally in the dark, now I feel very makeup-wise. However, it tends to be a little too much -- it seems like it limits everything. All of a sudden, I can't do anything that I used to do that I sort of liked. My lip gloss is fine and I've had it for seven months! Then they told me I had to trash it. I like it and I'm not breaking out! So it's a little prissy in that way. But it's still so awesome and cool and I love it!!

THis is the BEST BEST book for teen girls--it tells you everything about lokking and feeling good. The chapter on hair is awesome--I got so many cool ideas. And theres a ton on makeup, skin care and cool nails. The book is really colorful and fun to read. You gotta get!