After reading only the title of Josh Kilmer-Purcell’s new book, The Bucolic Plague: From Drag Queen to Goat Farmer, I knew I had to read it. While the only thing I know about goat farming I learned on a tour of the Surfing Goat Dairy (www.surfinggoatdairy.com) on Maui, I was intrigued. How does one go [...]

After watching a group of pre-schoolers play soccer at our local park, my two-year-old twins and I were eager to read Big Kicks, written and illustrated by Bob Kolar. This fun picture book, recently released by Candlewick Press in paperback, has wonderful digital artwork. With bright colors and cute animals, each page has so much [...]

Nothing promotes the value of idle parenting like a slipped disk and strict instructions from my doctor to absolutely not pick up my twins, who were about to turn two, for two weeks. While do I try to limit my “helicopter parenting” to an amount appropriate for my kids age, I am not idle by [...]

New York Times bestselling author, Tom Rob Smith, returns to a time of great change in the Soviet Union’s history in his second book The Secret Speech. Following the success of his debut novel Child 44, this book is set against a fascinating historical backdrop. A fast-paced page-turner, The Secret Speech completely immerses the reader [...]

Tennis pro Serena Williams shocked her many supporters with her behavior at the 2009 U.S. Open. After being called on a fault, Williams cursed at and threatened the lineswoman who made the call. Although published prior to the incident, I wondered if her background had any bearing on her actions. I have admired Williams as [...]

New and expecting parents thrive on parenting books, but once the child turns one year old most parents feel that their instincts have taken over. Unless dealing with a specific issue (potty training, biting, identifying a mysterious rash), we rarely have time, so the books get put away. But what if our instincts are wrong? [...]

My 16-month-old daughter eyes me warily as I open the mysterious box that has just arrived and pull out a strange bowl that looks nothing like any of her bowls. As I begin to remove the CaliBowl Kids Suction Bowl from its packaging, I sympathize with my little girl’s skepticism. Can a bowl really “eliminate [...]

After having watched Kung Fu Panda for the 37th time this summer, it is no wonder that your kids are now insisting that they want to learn martial arts. While the study of karate, kung fu, tae kwon do, and other forms of self-defense offer many benefits for kids and adults, parents often wonder if [...]