Atomic Family posts reviews from members of the Galley Club. Enjoy!

Adam Gidwitz has done it again! Did you know that Jack and Jill are royalty, too? Well, of course, they’re not brother and sister, but they are cousins who go on a marvelous adventure. Wait, am I forgetting something? Oh, yes, I will tell you about that in the summary.

Summary: Do you ever think you have the best mother? Because, Jill really did. Not only was she great, she was queen of märchen and she was beautiful. Jack is an imaginative young boy who has a father who wants one thing for Jack: He wants him to be a man and to break his imaginative side. But Jack’s dreams wander farther.

Jack and Jill’s paths cross and they come upon an old woman who says she can grant their wishes — if they can find the seeing glass. (Jill’s wish is to be beautiful, Jack’s to be admired by the boys.) So they set out on a quest with their three-legged frog friend. You can learn more about him when you read In a Glass Grimmly.

I love this book. I love Adam Gidwitz’s writing because of his grim details and his hilarious narrating skills. You can be in the worst of moods and his books will make you happier — at least that’s how it works for me. I also like the way reading his books makes you feel like you’ve visited another country. You really get the chance to explore. And, if you ever go to that country, you’ll know something about it!

— Meyrick

In a Glass Grimmly, by Adam Gidwitz, $16.99, Penguin Group. Recommended for ages 9-12. Available at the Little Shop of Stories, 133A East Court Square, Decatur, 404-373-6300, www.littleshopofstories.com.

The post Author Adam Gidwitz brings another grim tale first appeared on Atomic Family Magazine.

Here I am on Day 2 of Project Write All The Days, fired up and ready and L has gone and usurped my laptop (I should say though, it’s because he is fixing a problem I’m having with it. Which is nice, so I should stop being a jerk), leaving me with his PC, which I cannot operate, for reasons unknown — the weirdly spaced keyboard, maybe, or the split bar you click for the mouse. Why are there two buttons where there should be one? Why can’t I scroll with two fingers on the trackpad? Why can’t I make an EM DASH? I ask you.

On second thought, it may be the rum I put in this Coke I’m drinking that’s the problem.

But here I type, regardless! I soldier on under dire circumstances. I am a marvel. A sliiiiightly inebriated marvel.

Today was the first day back to work after a two-week holiday break and man is that email inbox a whammy when you crack it open for the first time. Also, this morning, the kids slumbered on like rocks (a never-seen-over-the-break-phenomenon), while I bashed the top of my alarm and groped my way to the shower in the dark. This, as you can imagine, is not my favorite. Max has been spending the majority of his nights lately sleeping next to me, so when the shrill EH EH EH EH of my clock goes off, here is what I am leaving:

1. warm snuggly baby (in footie jammies)
2. warm snuggly husband (I know, right? Gross. GET A ROOM.)
3. flannel sheets
4. general warmness
5. SLEEPING
6. Did I mention the adorable chubby baby

And here we come back again to the part where I am a marvel, because it’s like extracting myself from quicksand, getting out of that toasty bed. In fact, if I talk much more about it, I’m going to jump off this blog ship and go climb under the covers.

What else? I have forgotten how to do this, I think. It’s most definitely not like riding a bike. It’s more like playing the piano. You can remember how your fingers go, and even a couple of tunes if it’s been a while since you tickled the ivories, but put a piece of sheet music in front of your face, and the pauses come fast and heavy. Stick with me, though, because I still got the music in me. I’m pretty sure. I hope. I’m almost positive.

Editor’s note: We traveled back in time to recount the beginning of Rachel’s life as a mom of three. This post is from January. She’s gotten the groove with her brood in Decatur. She blogs at yestertimeblog.com.

The post She’s back in the saddle first appeared on Atomic Family Magazine.

Narrowing down all the amazing chapter books out there into this list was one of the hardest things done at Little Shop of Stories. Numerous books didn’t make the Top 10 list because the staff at Little Shop felt they were more appropriate for ages 10 and older, or because they’ve already featured the author or didn’t want to oversaturate the list with a particular topic. Little Shop wanted wanted a variety of subjects, authors and genres because we believe that well-read 10-year-olds should have a good mix of humor, classics, fantasy and history under their belts.

Because of Winn-Dixie, by Kate DiCamillo

The Call of the Wild, by Jack London

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, by Roald Dahl

Charlotte’s Web, by E.B. White

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, by J.K. Rowling

Little House on the Prairie, by Laura Ingalls Wilder

The Mouse and the Motorcycle, by Beverly Cleary

Sideways Stories from Wayside School, by Louis Sachar

Tales of a Fourth-Grade Nothing, by Judy Blume

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, by C.S. Lewis

Titles available at the Little Shop of Stories, 133A East Court Square, Decatur, 404-373-6300, www.littleshopofstories.com.

The post 10 books every kid should read by the age of 10 first appeared on Atomic Family Magazine.

Imagine a world where the fierce competition for love in The Bachelor is a mandatory requirement by the government for selected girls. Most girls would die for the chance to live a life of luxury, but not America. When America is chosen, against her will, to be a contestant for the crown — and Prince Maxon’s heart — she must move to a castle besieged by rebels and turn on her back on life as she knows it.

The Selection, by Kiera Cass, $9.99 (paperback), Harper Collins. Recommended for ages 13-17.

Fourteen kids of varying ages try to survive being trapped inside a big chain superstore while natural disasters destroy the world outside. Think about that the next time you’re waiting in line at Target.

Monument 14, by Emmy Laybourne, $9.99 (paperback), Macmillan. Recommended for ages 13-18.

Both titles available at the Little Shop of Stories, 133A East Court Square, Decatur, 404-373-6300, www.littleshopofstories.com.

The post To live a life of luxury? first appeared on Atomic Family Magazine.

HELLOOOOOOOO!! I have fallen off the face of

[insert 1.5 hour pause here to go tend to woken up Max, take out my glued-to-my-eyeballs contacts and forget that I was writing this and putz on the Web for 20 minutes]

the earth

[clicked back over to Facebook for five minutes, because I have the attention span of a cracked out gnat]

slash have been the kind of busy that no one wants to hear about, but somehow you keep telling people about like OMG I HAD TO WORK AND THEN LAUNDRY AND ALSO CHILDREN SO MANY CHILDREN. I kept writing draft posts in my head during my commute these last blog-silent weeks, and they were always either 1. sappy to the max (not even to the Max, just the regular ol’ max) or 2. all about how I was so busy I couldn’t blog, which is borrrrring.

So let’s talk about random other things. This, I’m hoping will kick things off.

BYOB(aby) … to the polls

First up, the election happened! And I will make no secret of the fact that I am relieved at the outcome. So are these babies:

Ah HA, see what I did there? That is (scrawny-legged) baby Rosie on the left from 2008, wearing one of the two Babies for Obama shirts that my friend Allen made for her at a shower thrown for me when Ro was still in utero. [sidenote: Ack! All the puns that could have been made, had I shared her name before she was born! uteRO! Get it?] She made a newborn sized one and also a 12-month sized one, and so I am starting to think that either Allen really likes Obama, or she is clairvoyant. Otherwise, HOW DID SHE KNOW WE WOULD NEED BOTH? Allen, we need to talk about some lottery numbers. And Obama prolly owes you some monies.

Speaking of babies

What can I say about Max that doesn’t sound made up? He is the most deliciously delicious of the babes, and I feast regularly on his cheek fat. At 6 months, he weighs 20 pounds and is rolling over and staying there, thankyouverymuch. His 5-days-younger cousin is totally on the move, starting to crawl and such, but Max is content laying on his padded backside (or frontside, however he’s feelin’ it) and leak rivers of drool while smiling at anything and everything that breathes.

After work when I pick him up, he grins the grinniest grin you ever did see from his swing/saucer/workstation and then proceeds to clamp his chub-hands on either side of my face and french kiss my nose for a good 10 seconds. I have decided that this means I am his favorite of all the people anywhere. Sorry about your luck, everybody else.

Also, he is a bald-ish baby (not as bald as some I’ve seen, but compared to Noh-hair and Hairsie, he’s got chump change) which I sort of wonder at from time to time. It’s harder, I think, to imagine what he’ll look like when he’s older when there’s less template to work from. And, those eyes are sticking with blue, it seems. Team blue! Rah! We should start a gang, flashing our double recessive signs and snapping aggressively at the Browns while showtune music swells behind us. (<—This is the kind of thing that happens when I decide to do a no-delete post.)

Anyway, to wrap up: at approximately half a year old, Max is the best baby there has ever been. I checked on this with the Baby Administration and they confirmed.

Famecrawler

Tomorrow Max will be in his first photoshoot for the magazine. I’ve decided to be very stage mom about it and wear giant sunglasses at all times and ask for tepid Evian. Also, I will be approving all wardrobe selections (pretty sure he’s wearing a white onesie) and once he’s “on set,” I will make sure to motivate him properly behind the camera by making all his moves for him to copy. Look for the issue to come out — I’m sure Max will get cover.

Aaaand once again I’ve stayed up too late (it’s past midnight, which is a dumb time for someone who gets up at 5:45 to see on a clock) and have not finished even a third of the things that really need to have been done before bed tonight (putting away dinner, for example). But I did do this post! Which I have no ending for. But I’m not deleting, so lalala … goodnight. Be back atcha soon.

Editor’s note: We traveled back in time to recount the beginning of Rachel’s life as a mom of three. This post is from November 2012. She’s gotten the groove with her brood in Decatur. She blogs at yestertimeblog.com.

The post Going no-delete style first appeared on Atomic Family Magazine.

Snatch up your Passport to Flavors for the Atlanta Food Truck Park & Market’s four-day anniversary celebration. Some of Atlanta’s best food trucks will be featured each day from today through Sunday along with live entertainment and a few refreshing beverages. Today’s theme is Southern Cookin’ and complimentary Arnold Palmers; Friday is Night of the Dragon with Asian-inspired dishes with Lychee Spiked Lemonade; Saturday is Masala Fest with Indian Street Food (early) and Island Vibes with Jamaican-inspired dishes (late); and Sunday is World Beats family fun day. Today, 5-9:3- p.m.; Friday, 5-9:30 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. and 5:30-9:30 p.m.; and Sunday, noon-7 p.m. 1850 Howell Mill Road, Atlanta. atlantafoodtruckpark.com

Saturday

Take a stroll through downtown Decatur or Harmony Park in Oakhurst Saturday for the pop-up art program Sidewalk Saturdays featuring artists, singers, musicians, dancers and other performers entertaining on the streets and corners of the city. Each Saturday April through June 15. 3-6 p.m. Free.

The 7^th annual Urban Forest Festival Saturday will feature hikes through the 26-acre Outdoor Activity Center and tours of the Bioponica Sustainable Farming system as well as educational exhibits, guest speakers and wildlife games. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. 1442 Richland Road SW, Atlanta. 404-752-5385 or info@wawa-onling.org.

Don’t bother getting dressed before heading out to the International Pillow Fight Day Saturday. Soft pillows and pajamas are encourage for this fun event, loosely organized by the urban playground movement. 11:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. Freedom Park, North Avenue and Freedom Parkway. 2013.pillowfightday.com/events/1141/atlanta-ga

Sunday

The whole family can get outside and exercise a bit at Kids Field Day Sunday. For ages 1-11, there will be toddler games, a shoe kick, a wiffle ball throw, tug of war, tunnel races, 3-legged races, laundry basket freethrows and more. 2-5 p.m. $5 per family. East Cobb Park, 3332 Roswell Road, Marietta. 770-591-3160.

The post Fun spring events first appeared on Atomic Family Magazine.

The truth is, the scales have tipped toward the unhealthy stress-levels in the last couple of months, and I’m not sure what exactly to do about it. I mean, number of kids is not going to change, the amount of activity they create is not going to decrease, and my job is not going to magically be closer to my house (although I am working from home on Fridays, which is just about the only thing keeping me from driving my car off a cliff, Thelma and Louise-style some weeks). Usually my solution to getting all the things (OK, most of the things) done is to stay up later, but it only takes about two days of that before things go totally to pot and I start squinting at people and forgetting simple words like “toast.”

I can’t tell you how many posts I’ve composed in my head during my 50-minute commute, though, and that makes me think that this thing I used to have time and energy for can’t die, because where then do those stories go? Where are the stories of Max I imagined would live here, with ponderings about who he’ll be? One thing I know for sure is that if the answer to that is my memory, then the answer is also: nowhere.

So for today, I want to make sure and record it here: Rosie is 4. Her party was at a public park on the coldest, windiest day of this fall so far, but she didn’t care one whip about that. She had invited everyone to come — her teachers, the mailman, the girl she met at the frozen yogurt shop, you — her excitement was too big to hold inside when she talked about it, and burst out of her in spurts and smiles so wide I thought her cheeks would crack open.

The cake was store-bought, with chocolate and vanilla insides and that stickly-sweet, too-much icing on top, and she loved it. The favors and paper plates and bags with gifts inside flopped around and fell on the ground from the blustery wind that never stopped blowing, but she didn’t notice. The crowd was slow to show up, families unsure if the festivities were a go on such a misty grey day, but she greeted each friend as they arrived as if their very attendance had made the whole party for her. “AMELIA!!!” she would shriek. “SAM!!!!” Her fervor for friendship knows no bounds.

It really was miserably cold — moreso because it had been beautiful the day before, and so no one had enough clothes on. (Max was bundled to the max, and held in warm arms the whole time — enough so that he fell asleep, the quintessential party pooper — though, thankfully, not literally.)

I don’t have many pictures from the day — because of the weather, and making sure everyone got cake, etc., but also because I was just caught up in Rosie’s excitement. How small a thing to be glad of yourself. (But how very important.) She kept me warm on that cold, cloudy day, with her rosy grinning lips and braids flying out behind her, and in a lot of ways that’s exactly what it’s been like to have her here with us these four years. She is ebullience, she is joy, she is radiance. She shines and beams drawing us all into the light with her, and we glow together, better because she is with us.

Happy birthday to my best girl. Shine on.

Editor’s note: We traveled back in time to recount the beginning of Rachel’s life as a mom of three. This post is from October 2012. She’s gotten the groove with her brood in Decatur. She blogs at yestertimeblog.com.

The post Guess who’s turning 4? first appeared on Atomic Family Magazine.

Clara has lived her entire life in the mansion where her mother works as a servant. When her mother’s wealthy boss dies, Clara begins to learn some dark — and disturbing! — secrets about how the children of the family died mysteriously many years ago. As she begins to uncover the truth behind what really happened, she also realizes that five creepy birds who live in the aviary on the estate are trying to tell her something.

The Aviary, by Kathleen O’Dell, $6.99 (paperback), Random House. Recommended for ages 8-12.

Do you like to get a good night’s sleep? If so, we strongly urge you NOT to read the two books in the series Deadtime Stories! If you don’t like to be scared to death, you should probably not read stories about pet cemeteries or bewitched antique mirrors, right?

Deadtime Stories, by Annette Cascone and Gina Cascone, $14.99, Macmillan. Recommended for ages 8-12.

Both titles available at the Little Shop of Stories, 133A East Court Square, Decatur, 404-373-6300, www.littleshopofstories.com.

The post More scary stories for the campfire first appeared on Atomic Family Magazine.

That Easter Bunny’s got nothing on a dinosaur. The second annual Dinosaur Egg Hunt Saturday features age-appropriate timed egg hunts, thousands of prize-filled eggs and other special activities like a dragon slide, temporary tattoos, a game corner, and appearances from Charlie the Dragon and the Georgia Bubbleman. Activities begin at 9 a.m.; timed egg hunts start at 10:15 a.m. (registration required). $5-$17.50. Fernbank Museum, 767 Clifton Road, Atlanta, 404-929-6400. www.fernbankmuseum.org

Callanwolde is hosting an Easter Egg Hunt Saturday with candy-filled eggs, as well as Atlanta Braves tickets and other prizes. Also available will be homemade baked goods and spring-themed arts and crafts. The egg hunts are timed and set up for three age groups. Activities begin at 10 a.m.; timed egg hunts start at 11:15 a.m. $10-$14 (advance registration encouraged). 980 Briarcliff Road, Atlanta. Shuttle bus service begins at 9:30 a.m. at Emory University Briarcliff campus, 1256 Briarcliff Road, Atlanta. No onsite parking available. 404-872-5338. www.callanwolde.org/events/

Stone Mountain is open for spring break! So many things to do during Spring Fun Break: the new 4-D theater, Geyser Towers, Wildlife Wonders’ Animal Babies show, April Fool’s Wacky Wonderland with games and crafts and Storytelling at Campfire Corner. That’s in additon to the usual fun to be had on the Scenic Railroad, Summit Skyride, the Great Barn and putt-putt golf. And don’t forget the Lasershow Spectacular in Mountainvision (relive your younger days!). Dates and prices vary. 1000 Robert E. Lee Blvd., Stone Mountain, 770-498-5690. www.stonemountainpark.com

Sunday

Sneak some of your kids’ Easter candy and hide a few eggs. We’ll be back next week with more great events.

The post Need weekend ideas? first appeared on Atomic Family Magazine.

Oh hello! It’s been a while since we’ve talked. Let’s catch up. I’ve started with my boobs. Next up: lice! Who’s excited?

Noah and Rosie had lice last week, which is exactly as horrible as you might imagine it to be. Noah’s hair is short, but he has MOUNDS of it, and Rosie’s hair goes on for miles. I think between the two of them they may have watched eight hours of movies, while L and I moussed and shampooed and combed and combed and combedandcombedandcombed through their hair. Which, one, is tedious. And two, the whole point of the tedium is to PICK TINY BUGS AND THEIR EGGS OFF THEIR HEADS. Full body shudder. I will spare you the gory details of the worst bits of it, but I will tell you that the way we discovered there was even a problem in the first place was that I saw a grown-ass louse crawling across Max’s tiny innocent bald baby head. And then I died, the end.

Speaking of Max, he is still juicy and delicious. (But not for bugs. DO YOU HEAR ME BUGS?)

He’s seriously the most contented little guy ever, which after the colicky days of yore (slash a couple of months ago) is both miraculous and fabulous. He’s started to figure out that the wavy things in front of his face can be controlled by his head parts, and so now puts on a pursed-lip concentrated look while he stares down his target and flings his arms in that general direction. It’s one of those things about babies getting older that I forgot I love so much. Which of course makes me all sunriiiiise sunnnnset over silly things like him successfully jamming a giraffe leg in his mouth to munch on. But you guys, he used to couldn’t do that! Next thing I know he’ll be waving over his shoulder as he drives his overpacked jalopy off to another year of college, and I will be OLD. Dear Max: Quit it with the getting big. (Just kidding, keep on keepin’ on. But no, really, slow down a little bit. But not too much. But …)

And while we’re on the topic of getting old, someone around here will be turning 4 in one month.

She’s already talking about what she’ll do when she’s 5. Because of course she is.

As for me, I can’t even figure out what I’m going to wear tomorrow, let alone what I’ll do with the next year of my life, so I’d better hit the sack. Or is it the hay that you hit? Who cares, as long as I go down swinging.

Editor’s note: We traveled back in time to recount the beginning of Rachel’s life as a mom of three. This post is from September 2012. She’s gotten the groove with her brood in Decatur. She blogs at yestertimeblog.com.

The post Lice, a growing baby and a birthday first appeared on Atomic Family Magazine.