Horribly disappointing. I was looking for a balanced, research-based discussion of ethical consumerism, and most of the book was an extremely biased, Horribly disappointing. I was looking for a balanced, research-based discussion of ethical consumerism, and most of the book was an extremely biased, zealous, one-sided tome on how George W. Bush was the closest thing we've every had to an antiChrist (the book repeatedly refers to him as "our simplest president." I don't care if that's what the author thinks -- but I DO care that the book is presented as a balanced reference guide, and it simply isn't balanced), and how the world is full of unethical people. And a lot of research and factoids won't hide narrow-minded presentation.
Not that it didn't have some interesting points. I thought the chapters on parent companies were extremely enlightening -- Did YOU know that Phillip Morris owns Kraft? -- and I appreciated that the author said that you didn't have to boycott every unethical company to be an ethical consumer. But he most of what he said didn't really support that idea. And he didn't really address any of the counter arguments to his viewpoints -- which is what I was really looking for. I think I'll stick with Pollan's views on consumerism....more
I love Mercer Mayer, and I love this book more than all of the Little Critter books, combined. Kid sees monsters everywhere. Parent's don't believe hiI love Mercer Mayer, and I love this book more than all of the Little Critter books, combined. Kid sees monsters everywhere. Parent's don't believe him. He signs up for karate classes and learns how to be confident and scare away the monsters. Also, finally takes out the trash by himself. :-) I enjoyed it immensely....more
This was a fun collection of older kids stories (K+, probably closer to 1st grade) about sibling issues, and the absurdity of quiet time, and getting This was a fun collection of older kids stories (K+, probably closer to 1st grade) about sibling issues, and the absurdity of quiet time, and getting a pet -- I thought the text of the book really captured the tone kids use when they're that frustrated. We found the book for 25 cents at a library sale and have read it out loud four times in the last two weeks. Absolutely worth it....more
This is Spurlock's follow up to the documentary (I use the term loosely) Supersize Me. If you've seen Supersize Me, some of this book will be redundanThis is Spurlock's follow up to the documentary (I use the term loosely) Supersize Me. If you've seen Supersize Me, some of this book will be redundant -- but most of it elaborates on the *whys* and *hows* of what he brought up in the film.
I enjoy Morgan Spurlock's take on modern food. It's an easy-to-follow, pop culture, entertainment-spin that makes otherwise dry information interesting. That said, I think it's important to remember that he has a degree from the Tisch School of Arts. Spurlock is not a dietitian. He's not a biologist. He's not a researcher. He is an ENTERTAINER. That doesn't mean that he doesn't make some excellent points and expose ridiculous aspects of the food industry -- but you can't get so caught up in how funny and entertain he is that you don't think critically about what he has to say. Still, I listened to this on audiobook with my husband and we laughed the whole way through, and it provoked a few great discussions about "voting with your fork."
Though I don't agree with everything he has to say, and there were logical holes in some of his arguments, he DID make me think about what I eat and how I behave and how it affects the larger picture for myself and the world. I don't recommend using this book as an authoritative source, but I highly recommend reading or listening to it (the audiobook is WONDERFUL) and considering the points he brings up: how much do you know about where your food comes from? and who profits from it? and how it affects your body?
Richard Scarry is a classic, and it's nice to see nursery rhymes that haven't been dumbed down for kids. These are the originals, and they're as wondeRichard Scarry is a classic, and it's nice to see nursery rhymes that haven't been dumbed down for kids. These are the originals, and they're as wonderful and the illustrations. Definitely better for preschool aged kids. We only checked it out because my toddler found it at the library and refused to put it down. ...more
Meh. Nothing stellar. There's a page for each letter, and each page has a teddy bear with a different name (as in, "A is for Adele, apple, and ant. B Meh. Nothing stellar. There's a page for each letter, and each page has a teddy bear with a different name (as in, "A is for Adele, apple, and ant. B is for Bruno, bear, and baby..."). The photos on each page are ok, and the rhyming isn't too bad. My 17 month-old lost interest around G or H. ...more
I can only echo what other reviewers have said. He brings up an important issue, but does a miserable job of it. Louv bases most of his arguments on "I can only echo what other reviewers have said. He brings up an important issue, but does a miserable job of it. Louv bases most of his arguments on "intuition" and terrible logic. The worst of his arguments is that
a)children with autism and ADHD can control their behavior and symptoms better when they're outside. b)there's a lot more autism and ADHD than there used to be. c)we don't play outside as much as we used to. d)not playing outside CAUSES autism and ADHD.
?????
That's a characteristic argument from the book. Similarly incoherant is his assertion that fishing is acceptable, but hunting isn't. He implies that even bicycles and playgrounds interfere with experiencing nature, and that the only way we can raise healthy, well-rounded children is to send them out into untouched fields. Anything less is a failure.
And it's sad, because instead of convincing people that we need to get away from the computer and play outside, he convinced me that he's a fanatic and a really bad writer.
I fully support the premise of the Love and Logic theory, though I struggled with how to apply the broad principles outlined in "Parenting with Love aI fully support the premise of the Love and Logic theory, though I struggled with how to apply the broad principles outlined in "Parenting with Love and Logic" to my not-yet-verbal toddler. This book outlined very practical approaches to dealing with the under 6 crowd, and especially dealing with toddlers, Most of their advice is still geared towards dealing with conversant children, but they did include ideas for handling very young toddlers, too. I disagree with a some of their explanations (why violent children are the way they are, which I thought was oversimplified) and techniques (shutting the child in their room for timeout and not using a chair or step. I understand their reasoning, but think that it depends on the child) -- though give me another three years and I may wholeheartedly agree!
Overall, I recommend this to any and all parents. It addresses common parenting issues and gives reasonable solutions....more
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