"IBW titles use a new storytelling process that combines an actual print book with the interactivity of online animations. Here's how it works: you read a chapter. At the end of the chapter, you find a weblink. When you go online to the weblink, you find an animation or other multimedia called a webscene that's part of the story. After you view the webscene, you go back to the book to read another chapter, find another weblink and so on. There are six or more webscenes included in every IBW book.

The most effective way to read IBW books with a child is to have a computer nearby. This helps improve a child's focus and reduces distractions."

So, I read through and entered the weblinks into the laptop. I watched the little webscene - drawings of the scene / chapter you just read in the book "acted out" with some of the items labeled for reinforcement from the book. I thought, "ok, these are kinda neat. I think they'd get old fast." While I was viewing the scenes, my pre-reader was sitting with me looking on. She wanted the scenes played over and over again while I was reading the next chapter to myself.

Well, then I thought, I'd have one of my reading children read the book with me / on her own and do the webscenes.

She LOVED IT! Asked for more. (I wish I qualified for the giveaway.)

I have to try with my other reading child yet.

*****

There was another book in the plain yellow envelope. (Plain yellow is great, by the way! Often the surprises inside are really cool!!!!) This one blue and called: Celebration of Letters: G and H. This one comes from the Busy Preschoolers series by the same authors. This series contains poems and activities made up about or around the letters of the alphabet. On the opposite page to the poem or activity are simple directions to help parents teach skills that preschoolers will need before they get to kindergarten.

Now, this doesn't follow with my unschooling mindset, but I do agree that these skills are eventually important. So whether you teach these skills to your preschoolers in an organized and classroom type situation or whether you let your child learn them in the natural world, these books have great hints for parents and teachers.

The webscenes in this series are very simple tasks, perfect for the very young. There is a second group of activities called: ABC-TRACE-123. They are pretty neat. However, I did not find they worked well for my almost 3 year old boy, but it could just be him. He's so into Elmo and Sesame Street that he doesn't think anything else is very cool.

*****

Both books have ESL Support. Every page is accompanied by a Spanish translation. This is not a translation of the English (in the KA-Readers, specifically) but is a word-for-word comparison. They do this to aid non-English speaking parents in teaching English to their children. There are links in the books to help direct those lessons and activities.

You can visit www.IBW-Books.com for more information and to purchase books. For those interested in making some extra money, there is a booksellers' option as well at: www.IBW-Booksellers.com. If you choose to represent the product, you will receive a 20% commission (check the conditions at the site).

*****

The GIVEAWAY:

One winner will have a choice of one of two IBW prizes. Open to US and Canada. Giveaway ends November 30, 2009.

Please visit www.IBW-Books.com. Come back here and tell us what your choice of these two prizes would be.

The Busy Preschooler's Guide to Learning - fun activities build around the 26 letters of the alphabet, with step-by-step help to guide parents in how to use everyday situations to teach 105 skills their kids need before the walk in the kindergarten door. (Retail value $60.)

Three (3) KA Readers - beginning readers that use a new kind of storytelling where kids see an animation unfold at the close of every chapter! Dr. Seuss-like rhyming hooks kids on the fun of words. Online activities help parents assess a child's reading and comprehension. (Retail value $60.)

Ghost Hunter Productions (publisher of IBW books) will ship directly to the winner.
]]> I received a very unassuming package the other day. Just a simple yellow envelope marked: "Interactive Book-Webscene, as eclectic as a child's imagination". This reader that I was to review was as unassuming as the package, but I was intrigued. Simple, green, www.ka-reader.com titled: "Coming Home - KA Reader 8." Written by Trish Kline and Mary Donev.

"IBW titles use a new storytelling process that combines an actual print book with the interactivity of online animations. Here's how it works: you read a chapter. At the end of the chapter, you find a weblink. When you go online to the weblink, you find an animation or other multimedia called a webscene that's part of the story. After you view the webscene, you go back to the book to read another chapter, find another weblink and so on. There are six or more webscenes included in every IBW book.

The most effective way to read IBW books with a child is to have a computer nearby. This helps improve a child's focus and reduces distractions."

So, I read through and entered the weblinks into the laptop. I watched the little webscene - drawings of the scene / chapter you just read in the book "acted out" with some of the items labeled for reinforcement from the book. I thought, "ok, these are kinda neat. I think they'd get old fast." While I was viewing the scenes, my pre-reader was sitting with me looking on. She wanted the scenes played over and over again while I was reading the next chapter to myself.

Well, then I thought, I'd have one of my reading children read the book with me / on her own and do the webscenes.

She LOVED IT! Asked for more. (I wish I qualified for the giveaway.)

I have to try with my other reading child yet.

*****

There was another book in the plain yellow envelope. (Plain yellow is great, by the way! Often the surprises inside are really cool!!!!) This one blue and called: Celebration of Letters: G and H. This one comes from the Busy Preschoolers series by the same authors. This series contains poems and activities made up about or around the letters of the alphabet. On the opposite page to the poem or activity are simple directions to help parents teach skills that preschoolers will need before they get to kindergarten.

Now, this doesn't follow with my unschooling mindset, but I do agree that these skills are eventually important. So whether you teach these skills to your preschoolers in an organized and classroom type situation or whether you let your child learn them in the natural world, these books have great hints for parents and teachers.

The webscenes in this series are very simple tasks, perfect for the very young. There is a second group of activities called: ABC-TRACE-123. They are pretty neat. However, I did not find they worked well for my almost 3 year old boy, but it could just be him. He's so into Elmo and Sesame Street that he doesn't think anything else is very cool.

*****

Both books have ESL Support. Every page is accompanied by a Spanish translation. This is not a translation of the English (in the KA-Readers, specifically) but is a word-for-word comparison. They do this to aid non-English speaking parents in teaching English to their children. There are links in the books to help direct those lessons and activities.

You can visit www.IBW-Books.com for more information and to purchase books. For those interested in making some extra money, there is a booksellers' option as well at: www.IBW-Booksellers.com. If you choose to represent the product, you will receive a 20% commission (check the conditions at the site).

*****

The GIVEAWAY:

One winner will have a choice of one of two IBW prizes. Open to US and Canada. Giveaway ends November 30, 2009.

Please visit www.IBW-Books.com. Come back here and tell us what your choice of these two prizes would be.

The Busy Preschooler's Guide to Learning - fun activities build around the 26 letters of the alphabet, with step-by-step help to guide parents in how to use everyday situations to teach 105 skills their kids need before the walk in the kindergarten door. (Retail value $60.)

Three (3) KA Readers - beginning readers that use a new kind of storytelling where kids see an animation unfold at the close of every chapter! Dr. Seuss-like rhyming hooks kids on the fun of words. Online activities help parents assess a child's reading and comprehension. (Retail value $60.)

Ghost Hunter Productions (publisher of IBW books) will ship directly to the winner.

The Daughter-in-Law Rules

by Sally Shields

Right from the very start of my marriage, my mother-in-law and I seemed to get along really well.  We never met until over a year and one child into the marriage, because my husband's parents were unable to attend the wedding.  My relationship with my own mother became severely damaged during that first year of marriage and so it was during that time that my relationship with my mother-in-law flourished.  However, there came a time when those relationships were changed - about five years ago now.  My relationship and friendship with my own mother is stronger now than it has ever been and my relationship with my mother-in-law is strained, or at best merely civil.

Thanks to the author, Sally Shields, I was able to review The Daughter-in-Law Rules: 101 Surefire Ways to Manage (and Make Friends with) Your Mother-in-Law!  I was excited to know that "this book helps raise money for The National Breast Cancer Foundation whose mission is to save lives by increasing awareness of breast cancer through education and by providing mammograms for those in need."  (quote from correspondence with the author)

So having a rocky relationship with my mother-in-law I was eager to read this book and get the hings and tips this rule book would hopefully provide.  Nine or so pages in I said to my hubby, "I love this book."  Then the further I got in the more I was told to lie to my mother-in-law.  I was shocked and disgusted; I have a huge issue with lying.  I quit reading for a time but did eventually come back to the book and finished reading the rules.  As it turns out, the recommendations to lie were fairly well balanced with recommendations of truth and kindness.

I do not agree with lying - including half truths; I am more of a - if you don't have something nice to say, don't say anything at all - type of person.  I will tend to let things slide off my back and deal with the issue on my end.  I guess I'm not big on confrontation.  If my mother-in-law and I have a disagreement, I choose not to call until I'm okay.  If we disagree on something, we just avoid the topic.  I don't tell her what she wants to hear.  I tell her my decision on an issue and leave it alone.

So what did I decide about those rules that suggested lying?  I came up with my own rules, as the author suggests.  (She even includes a worksheet for making your own rules.)  I decided to set boundaries instead of appeasing.

Overall, I found that the rules not only apply to my relationship with my mother-in-law but also with my interactions with people everywhere - my husband, my own mother, my friends and acquaintances, my children.  I understand that our relationships with our mothers-in-law are special relationships and do require some extra attention and effort, so this book is a good, fun way to work on that friendship; just modify each rule to suite your unique situation and moral standard.

You can purchase this book at Amazon.

A copy of this book was given to me for my opinions.
]]>

The Daughter-in-Law Rules

by Sally Shields

Right from the very start of my marriage, my mother-in-law and I seemed to get along really well.  We never met until over a year and one child into the marriage, because my husband's parents were unable to attend the wedding.  My relationship with my own mother became severely damaged during that first year of marriage and so it was during that time that my relationship with my mother-in-law flourished.  However, there came a time when those relationships were changed - about five years ago now.  My relationship and friendship with my own mother is stronger now than it has ever been and my relationship with my mother-in-law is strained, or at best merely civil.

Thanks to the author, Sally Shields, I was able to review The Daughter-in-Law Rules: 101 Surefire Ways to Manage (and Make Friends with) Your Mother-in-Law!  I was excited to know that "this book helps raise money for The National Breast Cancer Foundation whose mission is to save lives by increasing awareness of breast cancer through education and by providing mammograms for those in need."  (quote from correspondence with the author)

So having a rocky relationship with my mother-in-law I was eager to read this book and get the hings and tips this rule book would hopefully provide.  Nine or so pages in I said to my hubby, "I love this book."  Then the further I got in the more I was told to lie to my mother-in-law.  I was shocked and disgusted; I have a huge issue with lying.  I quit reading for a time but did eventually come back to the book and finished reading the rules.  As it turns out, the recommendations to lie were fairly well balanced with recommendations of truth and kindness.

I do not agree with lying - including half truths; I am more of a - if you don't have something nice to say, don't say anything at all - type of person.  I will tend to let things slide off my back and deal with the issue on my end.  I guess I'm not big on confrontation.  If my mother-in-law and I have a disagreement, I choose not to call until I'm okay.  If we disagree on something, we just avoid the topic.  I don't tell her what she wants to hear.  I tell her my decision on an issue and leave it alone.

So what did I decide about those rules that suggested lying?  I came up with my own rules, as the author suggests.  (She even includes a worksheet for making your own rules.)  I decided to set boundaries instead of appeasing.

Overall, I found that the rules not only apply to my relationship with my mother-in-law but also with my interactions with people everywhere - my husband, my own mother, my friends and acquaintances, my children.  I understand that our relationships with our mothers-in-law are special relationships and do require some extra attention and effort, so this book is a good, fun way to work on that friendship; just modify each rule to suite your unique situation and moral standard.

You can purchase this book at Amazon.

A copy of this book was given to me for my opinions.

I encourage you to go check them out and support this great cause.
]]> I was looking through some emails this morning and found a link to Lenox so I thought I'd check it out; I was very pleased to find that they give 10% of proceeds to Breast Cancer Awareness. Here are some of their products that are directly related to BCA.

I encourage you to go check them out and support this great cause.

On the second annual Global Handwashing Day: Spread the word and not the germs.

As moms we are all concerned about germs and handwashing. In an effort to raise awareness of the need to wash with soap, The Wiggles have teamed up with UNICEF.

"Why a Global Day for Handwashing with Soap?" "Handwashing with soap is the most effective and inexpensive way to prevent diarrheal and acute respiratory infections, which take the lives of millions of children in developing countries every year. Together, they are responsible for the majority of all child deaths. Yet, despite its lifesaving potential, handwashing with soap is seldom practiced and difficult to promote." More at the website.

Pink PedEgg productI don't know about you, but my feet are used a lot. I am always on them, chasing my 5 little ones and doing all that entails running our household. Pedicures and foot massages are few and far between, as much because I rarely slow down as because my dh isn't one to give them. For about 10 bucks, I could do that for myself and support finding a cure for breast cancer as well.

The PedEgg is a unique “egg” shaped foot file complete with over 135 stainless steel micro files to gently remove calluses and dead skin to give feet an incredible baby soft look and feel. Ergonomically designed to fit perfectly into the palm of the hand, it is easy and convenient to use. The PedEgg traps all skin shavings in a storage compartment to allow use anywhere with no mess.

You can buy PedEgg at www.PedEgg.com and at major mass retailers such as Walgreens, Wal-Mart, Bed Bath & Beyond, Target and CVS.
]]> RE-POST REVIEW:

Pink PedEgg productI don't know about you, but my feet are used a lot. I am always on them, chasing my 5 little ones and doing all that entails running our household. Pedicures and foot massages are few and far between, as much because I rarely slow down as because my dh isn't one to give them. For about 10 bucks, I could do that for myself and support finding a cure for breast cancer as well.

The PedEgg is a unique “egg” shaped foot file complete with over 135 stainless steel micro files to gently remove calluses and dead skin to give feet an incredible baby soft look and feel. Ergonomically designed to fit perfectly into the palm of the hand, it is easy and convenient to use. The PedEgg traps all skin shavings in a storage compartment to allow use anywhere with no mess.

You can buy PedEgg at www.PedEgg.com and at major mass retailers such as Walgreens, Wal-Mart, Bed Bath & Beyond, Target and CVS.