Bea Reviews The Sh!t No One Tells You About Toddlers by Dawn Dais

Publisher: Seal Press
Series: Sh!t No One Tells You #2
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: September 8, 2015
Challenges: NetGalley and Edelweiss ARCs
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | OmniLit* | iTunes | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

They’re getting bigger. And you’re not getting any more sleep.

Second in the Sh!t No One Tells You series, in The Sh!t No One Tells You About Toddlers Dawn Dais tells it like it is – again – offering real advice for parents of growing children. Filled with tips, encouragement, and a strong dose of humor, The Sh!t No One Tells You About Toddlers is a survival handbook for parents on the edge.
Chapters include:

You Suck at This. It’s not just your imagination.

Walking Is Hard. Bruising is considerably less difficult.

Remember When You Judged Other Parents? Prepare to eat your words, with a side of karma’s a bitch.

Restaurants Are Battle Zones. Spoiler Alert: You are not the victor.

Kids Get Sick. Then everyone gets sick.

This Childhood Will Be Televised. Hello, camera phones.

Your TV Has Been Hijacked. By things with very high-pitched voices.

Coming from one empathetic parent to another, the tips in this book are real, clever, honest, and designed to make life with a terrible two- or three-year-old a little bit more manageable. Hilarious, helpful, and handy, this book will be appreciated by any parent who has asked: “Why didn’t anybody warn me that unconditional love would be so much work?”

Bea Reviews Thirty Million Words: Building A Child's Brain by Dana Suskind

Publisher: Dutton
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: 
Challenges: NetGalley and Edelweiss Reading Challenge
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | OmniLit* | iTunes | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

The founder and director of the Thirty Million Words Initiative, Professor Dana Suskind, explains why the most important—and astoundingly simple—thing you can do for your child’s future success in life is to talk to him or her, reveals the recent science behind this truth, and outlines precisely how parents can best put it into practice.

The research is in: Academic achievement begins on the first day of life with the first word said by a cooing mother just after delivery.

A study by researchers Betty Hart and Todd Risley in 1995 found that some children heard thirty million fewer words by their fourth birthdays than others. The children who heard more words were better prepared when they entered school. These same kids, when followed into third grade, had bigger vocabularies, were stronger readers, and got higher test scores. This disparity in learning is referred to as the achievement gap.

Professor Dana Suskind, MD, learned of this thirty million word gap in the course of her work as a cochlear implant surgeon at University of Chicago Medical School and began a new research program along with her sister-in-law, Beth Suskind, to find the best ways to bridge that gap. The Thirty Million Word Initiative has developed programs for parents to show the kind of parent-child communication that enables optimal neural development and has tested the programs in and around Chicago across demographic groups. They boil down to getting parents to follow the three Ts: Tune in to what your child is doing; Talk more to your child using lots of descriptive words; and Take turns with your child as you engage in conversation. Parents are shown how to make the words they serve up more enriching. For example, instead of telling a child, “Put your shoes on,” one might say instead, “It is time to go out. What do we have to do?” The lab's new five-year longitudinal research program has just received funding so they can further corroborate their results.

The neuroscience of brain plasticity is some of the most valuable and revolutionary medical science being done today. It enables us to think and do better. It is making a difference in the lives of both the old and young.  If you care for children, this landmark book is essential reading.

Bea Reviews NeuroTribes: The Legacy of Autism and The Future of Neurodiversity by Steve Silberman

Publisher: Avery
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: August 25, 2015
Challenges: COYER Summer Scavenger Hunt | NetGalley and Edelweiss Reading Challenge
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | Kobo | iTunes | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

A groundbreaking book that upends conventional thinking about autism and suggests a broader model for acceptance, understanding, and full participation in society for people who think differently.

What is autism: a devastating developmental disorder, a lifelong disability, or a naturally occurring form of cognitive difference akin to certain forms of genius? In truth, it is all of these things and more—and the future of our society depends on our understanding it. WIRED reporter Steve Silberman unearths the secret history of autism, long suppressed by the same clinicians who became famous for discovering it, and finds surprising answers to the crucial question of why the number of diagnoses has soared in recent years.

Going back to the earliest days of autism research and chronicling the brave and lonely journey of autistic people and their families through the decades, Silberman provides long-sought solutions to the autism puzzle, while mapping out a path for our society toward a more humane world in which people with learning differences and those who love them have access to the resources they need to live happier, healthier, more secure, and more meaningful lives.

Along the way, he reveals the untold story of Hans Asperger, the father of Asperger’s syndrome, whose “little professors” were targeted by the darkest social-engineering experiment in human history; exposes the covert campaign by child psychiatrist Leo Kanner to suppress knowledge of the autism spectrum for fifty years; and casts light on the growing movement of "neurodiversity" activists seeking respect, support, technological innovation, accommodations in the workplace and in education, and the right to self-determination for those with cognitive differences.

Bea Reviews Top Dog: The Story of Marine Hero Lucca by Maria Goodavage

Publisher: Dutton 
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: October 23, 2014
Challenges: NetGalley and Edelweiss Reading Challenge | What An Animal
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | OmniLit* | Kobo | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

The New York Times bestselling author of Soldier Dogs returns with the incredible, true story of K-9 Marine hero Lucca, and the handlers who fought alongside her through two bloody wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
 
In Top Dog, Maria Goodavage takes readers into the life of Lucca K458, a decorated and highly skilled military working dog. An extraordinary bond develops between Lucca and Marine Corps dog handlers Chris Willingham and Juan Rodriguez, in what would become a legendary 400-mission career. A Specialized Search Dog, Lucca belongs to an elite group trained to work off-leash at long distances from her handler. She served alongside both Special Forces and regular infantry, and became so sought-after that platoons frequently requested her by name.

The book describes in gritty detail Lucca's adventures on and off the battlefields, including tense, lifesaving explosives finds and firefights, as well as the bravery of fellow handlers and dogs they served with. Ultimately we see how the bond between Lucca and her handlers overcame the endless brutalities of war and the traumas this violence ignites.

Here is a portrait of modern warfare with a heartwarming and inspiring conclusion that will touch dog lovers and the toughest military readers.

Bea Reviews Parenting in the Age of Attention Snatchers by Lucy Jo Palladino

Publisher: Shambhala Publications
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: May 19, 2015
Challenges: NetGalley and Edelweiss Reading Challenge
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | OmniLit* | Kobo  | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

Are your kids unable to step away from the screens?  Here is a practical, step-by-step guide that gives parents the tools to teach children, from toddlers to teens, how to gain control of their technology use.

As children spend more of their time on tablets and smartphones, using apps specially engineered to capture their attention, parents are concerned about the effects of so much technology use--and feel powerless to intervene. They want their kids to be competent and competitive in their use of technology, but they also want to prevent the attention problems that can develop from overuse. Lucy Jo Palladino shows that the key is to help kids build awareness and control over their own attention, and in this guide she gives parents the tools to do exactly that, in seven straightforward, evidence-based steps.
    
Parents will learn the best practices to guide children to understand and control their attention—and to recognize and resist when their attention is being "snatched." This approach can be modified for kids of all ages. Parents will also learn the critical difference between voluntary and involuntary attention, new findings about brain development, and what puts children at risk for attention disorders.

Bea Reviews Dinosaurs from Head to Tail by Stacey Roderick & Kwanchai Moriya

Publisher: Kids Can Press
Format Read: eGalley 
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review 
Challenges: NetGalley & Edelweiss Reading Challenge  
Release Date: March 1, 2015
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | Kobo | Barnes & Noble | 
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

From one dinosaur's head to another's tail, this informational picture book challenges readers to guess which prehistoric creature each of eight different body parts belongs to. (For example, "What dinosaur had claws like this?") For each question, the answer is given on the following spread, with an overview that includes the name of the dinosaur, an illustration of the entire animal in its habitat and facts about the featured body part, such as why it looked the way it did and how scientists believe it was used. The colorful and eye-catching collage illustrations by Kwanchai Moriya offer a unique and friendly approach to the ever-popular subject of dinosaurs. The creatures are a mix of the popular (Tyrannosaurus) and the lesser-known (Therizinosaurus) and allow children the satisfaction of guessing some correctly while learning about others. A pronunciation guide accompanies the first mention of each dinosaur's name. There is also a bonus spread at the end of the book containing a quick look at seven more intriguing dinosaurs. Balancing a captivating picture book experience with just the right level of information, it is an ideal bridge between a basic concept book and a detailed encyclopedic book. It would work perfectly in a group lesson on prehistoric creatures or on animal bodies, with the highly engaging, interactive guessing-game component providing a way of enlivening the classroom discussion. It could also be used individually by higher-level readers as an interesting nonfiction choice or a reference book.

GUEST REVIEW and GIVEAWAY: Debunk It! by John Grant

Publisher: Zest Books 
Format Read: Paperback
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: February 24, 2015
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | OmniLit* | Barnes & Noble | Kobo
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from tour kit:

We live in an era of misinformation, much of it spread by authority figures like broadcasters, politicians, and religious leaders. (The various pundits on blogs and websites don’t help either.) With so much bogus information from so many sources, how can anyone be expected to discover the truth?

In Debunk It!, author John Grant uses modern, ripped-from-the-headlines examples to clearly explain how to identify bad evidence and dismantle poor arguments. He provides a roundup of the rhetorical tricks people use when attempting to pull the wool over our eyes, and even offers advice about how to take these unscrupulous pundits down. So if you’re tired of hearing blowhards spouting off about climate change, history, evolution, medicine, and more, this is the book for you. Debunk It! is the ultimate guide for readers seeking a firmer footing in this very slippery world.

Bea Reviews The Novel Cure: 751 Books to Cure What Ails You by Ella Berthoud and Susan Elderkin

Publisher: Penguin Books 
Format Read: paperback
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: December 30, 2014
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | ARe*/OmniLit | Barnes & Noble |
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

Publisher's Weekly
"Delightful... elegant prose and discussions that span the history of 2,000 years of literature."

A novel is a story transmitted from the novelist to the reader. It offers distraction, entertainment, and an opportunity to unwind or focus. But it can also be something more powerful—a way to learn about how to live. Read at the right moment in your life, a novel can—quite literally—change it.

The Novel Cure is a reminder of that power. To create this apothecary, the authors have trawled two thousand years of literature for novels that effectively promote happiness, health, and sanity, written by brilliant minds who knew what it meant to be human and wrote their life lessons into their fiction. Structured like a reference book, readers simply look up their ailment, be it agoraphobia, boredom, or a midlife crisis, and are given a novel to read as the antidote. Bibliotherapy does not discriminate between pains of the body and pains of the head (or heart). Aware that you’ve been cowardly? Pick up To Kill a Mockingbird for an injection of courage. Experiencing a sudden, acute fear of death? Read One Hundred Years of Solitude for some perspective on the larger cycle of life. Nervous about throwing a dinner party? Ali Smith’s There but for The will convince you that yours could never go that wrong. Whatever your condition, the prescription is simple: a novel (or two), to be read at regular intervals and in nice long chunks until you finish. Some treatments will lead to a complete cure. Others will offer solace, showing that you’re not the first to experience these emotions. The Novel Cure is also peppered with useful lists and sidebars recommending the best novels to read when you’re stuck in traffic or can’t fall asleep, the most important novels to read during every decade of life, and many more.

Brilliant in concept and deeply satisfying in execution, The Novel Cure belongs on everyone’s bookshelf and in every medicine cabinet. It will make even the most well-read fiction aficionado pick up a novel he’s never heard of, and see familiar ones with new eyes. Mostly, it will reaffirm literature’s ability to distract and transport, to resonate and reassure, to change the way we see the world and our place in it.

Library Journal
"This appealing and helpful read is guaranteed to double the length of a to-read list and become a go-to reference for those unsure of their reading identities or who are overwhelmed by the sheer number of books in the world. "

GIVEAWAY! The Novel Cure by Ella Berthoud and Susan Elderkin

Thanks to Penguin Press, I have a copy of a fun new non-fiction book, "The Novel Cure" to give away.  In THE NOVEL CURE: From Abandonment to Zestlessness: 751 Books to Cure What Ails You (available in paperback December 30, 2014) authors and bibliotherapists Ella Berthoud and Susan Elderkin present a  witty and irresistible A-Z of literary remedies that recommend works of classic and contemporary fiction as  cures for ailments of the mind and body.

To create this apothecary, Berthoud and Elderkin have searched through 2,000 years of literature for the most brilliant and engrossing reads. Structured like a reference book, readers simply look up their ailment and are given the recommended novels to read as the antidote. Suffering from anxiety? Pick up The Book of Disquiet by Fernando Pessoa. A broken leg? Get Johanna Spyri’s Heidi. Had a falling out with your best friend? Try William Maxwell’s So Long, See You Tomorrow.

Steph Reviews The Making of George A. Romero's Day of the Dead by Lee Karr

Publisher: Plexus Publishing Limited
Format Read: Ebook
Source: From the Publisher for an honest review
Release Date: September 23, 2014
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

Released in 1985, Day of the Dead was the final film of George A. Romero's classic zombie trilogy, which forever changed the face of horror filmmaking. Set in an apocalyptic world where the living-dead epidemic has wiped out most of humanity, the movie quickly acquired cult status, and — with one remake released in 2008 and another planned for 2014 — its influence on popular culture can still be felt today. Now, for the first time, the full history of the making of the iconic original film is revealed. Drawing on a wealth of exclusive interviews with the cast and crew, author Lee Karr leaves no stone unturned in detailing the movie's preproduction, shoot, release, and legacy. Filled with behind-the-scenes gossip and previously unpublished stories from the set, as well as over 100 full-color photos, this book gives Day of the Dead the resurrection it deserves.

Bea Reviews Happy Handmade Home by Elsie Larson & Emma Chapman

Publisher: Potter Style 
Format Read: Trade paperback
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review 
Release Date:  August 2, 2014
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | OmniLit* | Barnes & Noble |
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

Step inside the world of Elsie and Emma, the sisters behind the décor blog A Beautiful Mess.  With tiny budgets and a crafty, can-do attitude, they overhauled each room in their first homes with DIY projects using family photos, vibrant fabrics, flea-market finds, and affordable furniture. Now, you can learn how to paint, craft, and decorate your way to a happy, bright space with distinct personality. In the same upbeat spirit and modern style found on their blog, you’ll find fresh, all-new projects including:

• An inspired geometric-pattern coffee table made of balsa wood
• A hand-lettered statement wall featuring your favorite quote
• A quick and easy electrical tape update for your refrigerator
• A set of beautifully designed serving dishes
And more!

Packed with bonus styling tips from hanging the perfect gallery wall to making mismatched furniture work, Happy Handmade Home is design inspiration for personalizing your own space.

Steph Reviews AMERICA'S MOST HAUNTED: The Secrets of Paranormal Places by Theresa Argie & Eric Olsen

Publisher: Berkley Trade
Format Read: Ebook
Source: From the publisher for an honest review
Release Date: September 30, 2014
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | OmniLit* | Barnes & Noble | 
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

Throughout the United States, there are places haunted by souls both malevolent and benign. Places where paranormal activity runs rampant. Places where we can glimpse the other side…

In America’s Most Haunted, “Haunted Housewife” investigator Theresa Argie and journalist Eric Olsen team up to take you on a first-person tour of some of America’s most active paranormal hotspots.

Experience the crawl through the death tunnel where visitors have reported sightings of an inhuman creature that creeps along the walls and ceilings. Walk the decks of the Queen Mary with the hundreds of souls that met their ends in watery graves. And get to know the spirits that wait in jails, mansions, lunatic asylums, and even a stately old hotel.

Combining spine-tingling stories, documented evidence, and interviews with some of the top names in paranormal investigation—including the stars of TV’s “Ghost Hunters,” “Ghost Adventures,” and more—America’s Most Haunted gives you a terrifying chance to tour our nation’s most famous haunted places.Are you brave enough to take a look?.

Bea Reviews Parenting Books Guide: Quick Secrets for Parenting Toddlers by Monica McBride

Publisher: Amazon Digital Services
Format Read: Kindle Book
Source: Owned by the reviewer
Release Date: October 13, 2011
Buying Links: Amazon*
* associate link; making a purchase through this link results in a small commission for the blog.

Blurb from goodreads:

So you think you weathered through the worst having nursed and cared for a colicky infant? You are probably looking forward to enjoying a restful sleep after seemingly endless months of waking up every 30 minutes or so. Well, you’re in for a surprise! As soon as your child hits the toddler age, you’re faced with a whole new set of challenges that will make 9 months of being pregnant seem like a walk in the park.

Make no mistake, parenting is profoundly rewarding. As your child turns two, you will no doubt enjoy watching your toddler knock out one milestone after another. At this stage, toddlers start to walk, talk, explore and discover the world beyond the safety and comfort of their parent’s protective embrace. They will also start to develop their own unique personalities and little by little start to assert their independence.

Stating that toddlers are a handful is a gross understatement. When you really think about it, it’s quite astonishing how a tiny child can effortlessly turn our worlds upside down and inside out.

Bea Reviews Does a Beaver Sleep in a Bed? by Harriet Ziefert, Illustrated by Emily Bolam

Publisher: Blue Apple Books
Series: Think About...
Format Read: ePub
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: January 28, 2014
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository*  | Barnes & Noble 
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from the publisher:

This title explores and explains that while every animal sleeps, only some have beds. A funny, kid-like question ("Does a beaver sleep in a bed?") is paired with a silly scenario (a beaver gnawing at a headboard). A turn of the page reveals the answer, a picture of the critter in an authentic setting (a beaver asleep in his lodge), and a few facts about that animal's sleepytime habits and habitat. The pattern follows with a baboon, polar bear, bumblebee, horse, and dog, culminating with people in different kinds of beds. A final "Think About" spread presents kids, parents, and teachers with activities that relate to and extend each book's subject matter.

Review & Excerpt - Hustlers, Harlots, and Heroes by Krista D Ball

Publisher: Tyche Books Ltd
Series: Guide Book #2
Formats Read: egalley and print
Source: egalley - the author in exchange for an honest review; print - owned by the reviewer
Release Date: April 24, 2014
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

Get ready to step into the back alleys of Jane Austen and Charles Dickens's London, and explore the alternative worlds of steampunk in this new guide book by fantasy author Krista D. Ball. Ball takes readers on a fascinating journey into the world of the Have-Nots, and explores the bustling, crime-ridden London during the Georgian and Victorian eras. Discover the world of knocker-uppers (it's not what you think), mudlarks, and costermongers. Learn how to scrub floors and polish knives, pick for bones, and catch rats. Learn about race and social status, and the difference between a lady's maid and a scullery maid. With her usual wit, insight, and snark, Ball gives historical, romance, and steampunk authors the tools to create vibrant, realistic worlds. Whether you're an author, a Janeite, or just a fan of history, Hustlers, Harlots, and Heroes gives you a fresh look into the dark past.

Bea Reviews Reading Magic by Mem Fox

Publisher: Harvest Original
Format Read: paperback
Source: borrowed from a co-worker
Release Date: September 4, 2001
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

Bestselling author and literacy expert Mem Fox reveals the incredible emotional and intellectual impact reading aloud to children has on their ability to learn to read.

All parents want and expect their children to learn to read, but few realize they can get their kids on the road to reading long before they start school simply by reading aloud to them every day. With passion and humor, acclaimed author and internationally respected literacy expert Mem Fox tells readers how she herself became aware of the astonishing effects that reading aloud and bonding through books have on very young children.

She speaks of when, where, and why to read aloud and demonstrates how to read aloud to best effect and how to get the most out of a read-aloud session. She walks readers through the three secrets of reading which together make reading possible. She gives guidance on defining, choosing, and finding good books and closes with tips on dealing effectively with the challenges that sometimes arise when children are learning to read.

Filled with practical advice, activities, and inspiring true read-aloud miracles, this book is a must for every parent-and for anyone interested in how children learn to read.

Bea Reviews The Long Way Home by Jessica Scott

Publisher: Tormia Creatives
Format Read: eGalley
Source: the author in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: March 18, 2013
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

My name is Jessica Scott. I am a soldier. I am a mother. I am a wife.


In 2009, Army second lieutenant Jessica Scott deployed to Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn. She thought deploying was the hardest thing she'd ever do.

She was wrong.

This is the story of a mother coming home from war and learning to be a mom again. This is the story of a lieutenant making the grade and becoming a company commander. This is the journey of a writer persevering through a hundred rejections. This is the story of a soldier learning to be a woman again. This is the story of a wife waiting for the end of a war.

This is the journey as it happened, without commentary.

This is her blog. There are many blogs from the Iraq war, but this one is hers. 

Bea Reviews Calm Mama, Happy Baby by Derek O'Neill & Jennifer Waldburger

Publisher: Health Communications
Format Read: egalley
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: October 1, 2013
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | Barnes & Noble

Blurb from goodreads:

Every parent of a newborn feels overwhelmed by the enormity of the tasks at hand: Suddenly responsible for feedings, diaper changes, and trying to sleep, parents are stressed out and anxious. Since babies today are born even more aware, awake, and attuned than previous generations, it's easy to see why parents--especially moms--are frazzled.  

The good news is that the cause and effect between parents' mental and emotional states and their baby's mood and behavior works both ways; when parents are calm and centered, their children are calm as well. From consulting in Hollywood's poshest nurseries to leading sold-out workshops with sleep-deprived parents, Jennifer Waldburger and Derek O'Neill share their proven arsenal of methods to calm parents and their kids, often in seconds. 

With an eye-opening blend of neuroscience research, personal stories, and cross-cultural insights, "Calm Mama, Happy Baby" empowers moms (and dads) to be proactive about how they are "feeding" their babies energetically, choosing calm over stress. While many well-meaning parents spend money safety-proofing their homes, they fail to learn the most important thing to safeguard their baby's emotional health, which is to maintain peace within themselves and within the home. "Calm Mama, Happy Baby" shows parents how to:

     Stress-proof the baby's room with a paint color that soothes instead of stimulates and learn how certain music affects your baby's mood and behavior. Stop the Mommy Guilt and turn negative "Mama mantras" into positive ones. Discover why becoming a parent brings up unresolved fears and insecurities and how to put them to rest. Use the proven CALM technique to diffuse any parenting situation, from feeding problems and sleep disruptions to separation anxiety, teething, and fussiness.   

Yes, a happy baby is paramount, but when you have a happy Mama, too, then the entire household thrives. "Calm Mama, Happy Baby" paves the path from chaos to calm.

The Friday 56 #10 Calm Mama, Happy Baby

This is a fun meme to do hosted by Freda's Voice. If you'd like to join on the fun go to The Friday 56.

Rules:
*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader.
*Find any sentence that grabs you.
*Post it.
*Link it here.

I'm reading several books right now so I chose to feature the non-fiction book, "Calm Mama, Happy  Baby" by Derek O'Neill and Jennifer Waldburger. This is from 56% in the ebook.

Not every mom who prefers to keep to herself is struggling, mind you; we're referring to the idea that handling every aspect of motherhood on your own is some sort of ideal picture, and whoever paints the picture with the most color wins.

Review of Ivory Pal: Born to Fly Higher by Cindy McCauley

Publisher: Hooves and Tails
Format Read: eGalley
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: January 1, 2012
Buying Links: Amazon* 
* affiliate link; the blog receives a small commission for purchases made through this link.

Blurb from goodreads:

Try as they might, the trainers could not get Ivory Pal to comply with the "traditional" Tennessee Walking Horse training techniques. The beautiful palomino colt had completely given up, shut down, relegated to a box stall 24/7, until he met his new partner Rafael Valle. His fate was about to take a U-turn. A heartwarming true story of a "show horse reject", his trials and triumphs, and his relationship with Valle built on trust and mutual respect rather than on fear and intimidation.