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National Parenting Publications Awards 2011Rising Stars |
Rising Stars are NAPPA's "Honorable Mentions". Our judges have given special recognition to these entries for their great potential.
Parenting Resources Rising Stars
Celebrating You and Me: A Journal for Children and Their Parents, By Loui Lord Nelson; Authorhouse; 2009; $24.99; www.celebratingyouandme.com. This daily journal offers 365 discussion-starters meant to create a shared experience between a child and parent/trusted adult.
PackIt, PackIt LLC; $19.95; www.packitcool.com. The PackIt Personal Cooler is the trendy, freezable cooler invented to keep your stuff cold for up to 10 hours. It is PVC/lead free, non-toxic, environmentally friendly and reusable.
Peli's Play Pouch, KidsKit USA Inc.; $19.99; www.kidskitusa.com. Fitting over the side of the tub, this pelican designed pouch stores bath-time toys and the mesh bag allows toys to dry.
Puppy Plays – The Classics, Puppy Plays LLC; $14.99; www.puppyplays.com. The first in a series of episodes, this DVD introduces children to the world of classical music with a cast of adorable puppies. Good, clean entertainment for kids without being over the top.
Speechtails.com, Speechtails, LLC; $25/month; www.speechtails.com. This online speech learning center is a supplement or alternative to traditional speech therapy for children, ages 2-8, who have mild articulation issues.
Take Along Travels with Baby, by Shelly Rivoli; Travels with Baby Books; 2011; $10.95; www.travelswithbaby.com. This follow-up to the 2008 Gold Winning Take Along Travels with Baby deserves a special mention. This "pocket-sized" book offers tips for entertaining and taking care of baby while on the go.
Children's Products Rising Stars
Toys
Strobotop™ Lightphase Animator, Eye Think, Inc., $29.95; www.eyethinkink.com; ages 6 and up. Hand-held strobe light gun mesmerizingly alters a spinning picture.
Zylie the Bear, Arete LLC, $75; www.zyliethebear.com; ages 4 and up. Dress Zylie and read the book about her worldly adventures.
Air Hogs Hawk Eye, Spin Master Ltd., $64.99; www.spinmaster.com; ages 12 and up. Helicopter with video camera takes video and still pictures on the fly!
King’s Castle, LEGO Systems, Inc., $99.99; www.LEGO.com; ages 7 and up. Configure your own castle with working drawbridge, weapons, king’s throne and eight figures.
MusiColor, Delta Creative Inc., $49.99; www.deltacreative.com; ages 4 and up. Color in a picture and place on the turntable (included) to hear the musical note that each color triggers.
DVD
Sukey’s Circle! Volume 2, PlayMove&Sing Inc., 2010; $19.95; www.playmovesing.com; ages 1 to 3. This former NAPPA winner deserves at special mention for Volume 2. Looking forward to Volume 3 next year!
Storytelling/ Spoken Word
Tales from Captain Davy Jones’ Locker: The Legend of Quetzalcoatl, D.Jones/Tales of Davy Jones, 2010; $19.95 CD, $14.95 Book; www.talesofdavyjones.com; ages 6 to 15. A 22-voice cast and original orchestration captivates listeners with suspense, fantasy and a message of Christian love and sacrifice. Workbook makes reading fun for home schoolers, reluctant readers and others.
Story Reader 2.0, Publications International, Ltd., 2010; $24.95; www.pubint.com; ages 3 to 8. Kids put a book and a cartridge into the Story Reader console to hear a narrator read as the child turns the pages. Lots of fun titles.
Sandburg Out Loud, At Last Productions, 2002; $16.95; www.angelalloyd.com; ages 8 and up. Great storytellers make this a terrific recording for Carl Sandburg fans.
Stories to Light Our Way: Journey to the World of Good, Vol. 1, Exploring Spirituality, 2009; $13; www.exploringspirituality.org; ages 3 and up. An entertaining choice for parents interested in providing their children with stories rich in values.
Books
Engineering the ABC’s How Engineers Shape Our World, by Patty O’Brien Novak, Illustrated by Don McLean; Ferne Press, 2010; $11.95; www.pattyobriennovak.com. A creative look at what engineers do, set in an ABC format that captivates kids interested in science or how everyday things work.
Dinosaurs on the Move, written and illustrated by Cathy Diez-Luckie; Figures in Motion, 2010; $14.95; www.figuresinmotion.com. Kids make their own dino figures out of card stock and learn fascinating facts.
Music
Chanukah Fever – 13 Macca-Beats for the Whole Family, Mama Doni Production, 2009; $15; www.mamadoni.com; ages 4 and up. Lively rhythms and fun lyrics that kids and parents will enjoy – over and over.
The New Explorers Club, Flannery Brothers, 2010; $15; www.flannerybrothers.com; ages 2 to 8. These bros sing of life from a child’s perspective, with humor and intuition.
Number 3, The Kerplunks, 2010; $20; www.thekerplunks.com; ages 3 to 11. High energy group to rock and sing with; lyrics are fun and funny.
Sharing the Same Stars, Leeny and Tamara, 2009; $15; www.leenyandtamara.com; ages 2 to 9. Great range of musical styles with catchy songs that make kids laugh, think, learn and feel.
Sunday in Kyoto, The Secret Mountain, 2009; $16.95; www.thesecretmountain.com; ages 4 to 7. Storybook and song take listeners on a sweet journey that draws on Japanese themes, child’s poems, imagination and more.
A Sunny Day, Julie K Music, 2009; $13.98; www.JulieKmusic.com; ages 0 and up. Great voice and beat makes everyone smile!
Toddlerville, Baze and His Silly Friends, 2009; $14; www.mysillyfriends.com; ages 2 to 8. Listeners of any age will be up and dancing in no time to these rock ’n’ roll tunes.
Software
Dreambox Learning K-3 Math, DreamBox Learning, 2009; $12.95/month; www.dreambox.xom; ages 5 to 9. Requires: Web browser. Wonderful product for kids who need math support or who want to advance more quickly.
Emotes, Emotes by Evergrow, 2010; $13.99; www.emotes.com; ages 5 to 9. Requires: Web browser. Emotes are characters that help kidsto identify their feelings and channel their emotions in a healthy way. Other Emote-related products available.
Kerpoof, Disney Online Kerpoof Studio, 2007; free; www.kerpoof.com; ages 4 to 15. Requires: Web browser. This creative media tool kit is like a great big digital sandbox! Kids make fun drawings, e-cards and mini-animations for free; good for classroom use, too.