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Most anti-drug education aimed at kids is woefully bad, offering "just say no" messages with very few details about what, exactly, these evil drugs do. That's why I'm intrigued by this new picture book about marijuana called It's Just a Plant. When I first saw it written up on Cool Hunting, I thought it was a joke, but actually, it's a pretty smart little book. Rather than treat pot like a Read more
The young adolescent novel Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson is a wondrous and poignant tale of friendship, loyalty, and imagination. I read it several times over as a kid, and it still has a place in my heart. So it was exciting to see that there is a film version of the book coming out in February, though I'm not sure how I feel about the special effects-heavy trailer. As cool as Read more
We're thrilled to present this smart LearnVest story here on Savvy! In the past, LearnVest spoke to parents who chose not to use diapers with their children and dove into the stay-at-home parent debate. This time, one mother shares why she has decided to homeschool her children. In 2002, we had our third child, 10 years after our second was born. Our eldest two boys were in a private school, Read more
As a huge Harry Potter fan, I must admit my interest was piqued when I heard about a new book last month being compared to the magical series, The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. To add fuel to the buzzy fire, the film rights for the book have already been picked up by Twilight's entertainment company Summit. After reading the enchanting, sensory love story (targeted for adults, I should add) Read more
To some, they are the trifecta of children's literature — Shel Silverstein, Maurice Sendak, and Dr. Seuss. Between them, they have written more than 70 children's books including such classics as Where the Sidewalk Ends, Where the Wild Things Are, and The Lorax. While both Silverstein and Seuss are no longer alive, they join Sendak this month in introducing new books that are sure to end up on Read more
Lewis Carroll, beloved author of Alice in Wonderland once wrote that, "words mean more than we mean to express when we use them; so a whole book ought to mean a great deal more than the writer means." A highly appropriate quote from a man whose work has been interpreted as everything from an LSD-laden parable to an homage to mathematical logic. Like beauty, meaning is often found in the eye of Read more
Victoria Beckham can sell pop records and high fashion, but did you know she also influences the market for classic literature? After Victoria named her baby daughter after her favorite author, Harper Lee, sales of To Kill a Mockingbird have jumped by more than 120 percent on Amazon.co.uk. Shortly after Harper Beckham's birth on July 10, proud dad David explained how she got her name. He wrote Read more
The US Supreme Court ruled today that it is unconstitutional and a violation of the First Amendment to ban children from buying violent video games. In a 7-2 vote, the court overturned a California law banning the sale and rental of violent video games to anyone underage. Video games like Mortal Kombat and Grand Theft Auto were singled out during the trial for the violent first-person Read more
Of all the classic children's books, Miroslav Sasek's ($12) hardcover treats are my favorite. The practically antique texts have vintage illustrations adding some art deco to baby's library. Aside from teaching your lil one about the ABC's, these books actually divulge loads of rich information about each locale. This is San Francisco tells the tale of the earthquake ravaged city and its Read more
This classic book ($13), which received the Caldecott Medal for excellence for children's literature, is a great year round read, but is particularly fitting during the holidays. It's the story of a boy who begins to have doubts about Santa. While listening for sleigh bells on his roof, a steam train headed for the North Pole arrives and the conductor invites him aboard. This book keeps Read more
