We’re happy to share another BIG Weekly Roundup this week! There’s just so many awesome products, so we’ve got to share them!
The items you see below won a Mom’s Choice Award during the week of April 2 – 8, 2017.
For more information about a product, click the product image or purchase link.
Wilbur, Son of The Big Bad Wolfe
Written by Rosemarie Lemieux; Illustrated by Jenny Campbell; Edited by Randy Martin
Do you remember the story of how the Big Bad Wolfe tried to catch The Three Little Pigs by dropping down their chimney? But instead fell right into a pot of boiling water? Well, some folks say that was the end of the Big Bad Wolfe. But what really happened was this…
Big Bad hit that hot water and jumped so hard he smashed his head, fell on the floor, and set his tail on fire. Then he ran out of the pigs’ house with eyes bulging, bruised paws waiving in the air, and screaming in pain.
But unknown to many, the Big Bad Wolfe left behind a wife and son. This is their previously unknown story.
Wilbur Wolfe is a shy, clumsy, and peaceful little wolf cub who believes that if he were like his dad he would be noticed and liked. So Wilbur sets out to restore the reputation of the Big Bad Wolfe and create one for himself. And in the process, has the adventure of a lifetime!
Wilbur, the Son of the Big Bad Wolfe is an engaging bedtime story that deals with such universal issues as bullying, single parenting, peer acceptance, self-worth, self-esteem, and positive role modeling. And it’s fun!
Children’s Picture Books:
Bedtime Stories
VTech BC8312 Wyatt the Whale™ Storytelling Baby Soother with Glow-on-Ceiling Night Light
The VTech BC8312 Wyatt the Whale™ Storytelling Baby Soother with Glow-on-Ceiling Night Light is the latest addition to VTech’s award-winning baby product line. The BC8312 comes preloaded with ten stories, providing new and classic tales for up to 40 minutes of story time. Additionally, the soother comes ready with ten calming lullabies and ten soft ambient sounds, like a trickling stream and white noise, to help baby relax. You can even record your own voice via the VTech Wyatt app, helping baby feel close to you even when you can’t be there.
The BC8312 baby soother doubles as a glow-on ceiling night light, projecting a starry night scene onto the ceiling. Plus, you can choose from three relaxing colors to help baby sleep. The soother even has an auto-off timer that can be set to shut off after 30, 45 or 60 minutes, removing the need for you to sneak into the nursery once baby is asleep.
Audio Experiences:
Babies
The Wild Life of Limericks from A to Z
Written by Jean Merrill, Douglas Munch; Illustrated by David Bygott
The Wild Life of Limericks from A to Z transforms the alphabet from the mundane to the memorable as the reader travels on a wildlife adventure of humorous limericks and witty illustrations that create indelible images of creatures great and small. To augment the joy of learning there are fun facts and a glossary of new words in the back of the book as well as photographs of the animals in the wild. As a special treat, the authors have hidden every letter of the alphabet in each illustration, sometimes well disguised, sometimes in plain view, sometimes once, sometimes several times.
Fun for the entire family!
Children’s Picture Books:
Animal Kingdom
The Day I Ran Away
Written by Holly L Niner; Illustrated by Isabella Ongaro; Edited by Shari Dash Greenspan
While Dad tucks her in, a little girl named Grace calmly recounts her day—which was anything but calm. She had a tantrum (because of some injustices involving a purple shirt and breakfast cereal) and was banished to her bedroom before deciding to run away. Understanding that kids have ups and downs, Grace’s mom wisely gave her daughter the space and time she needed to reach her own decision to return home—to open arms.
The Day I Ran Away amusingly captures Grace’s mutable moods and childlike logic. Warm, humorous digital paintings offer fun details to keep little listeners busy. Kids can compare the bedtime and daytime scenes and try to figure out how Grace got that purple paw-print on her cheek—and when it got washed away. They can mimic Grace’s facial expressions or copy her poses for some soothing bedtime yoga. And of course, they can create a safe place to run away to when the injustices of Pre-K existence become too much to bear. A pop-up tent in the yard and the haven beneath the dining room table are excellent run-away destinations, as long as you come home for dinner.
Children’s Picture Books:
Bedtime Stories
Techno Gears Quirky Copter
All kids love things that fly and the Techno Gears Quirky Copter is the perfect way to encourage them to build a machine with spinning gears and rotors that move and work! With 80+ colorful construction pieces, power motor and more, this kit includes everything your enthusiast needs to build their own Quirky Copter. The mechanics of this set includes gears and will introduce and experience the science of gear ratio. These products align and support STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math standards). Ages 6+ years.
Toys, Games & Puzzles:
Ages 5 to 8
Some Bunny’s Hiding
The Bunnies have hidden in their holes around the garden game board—colorful-disk-side down. Players need to collect all the bunnies that have the same color in order to win the game. Pick a bunny, turn it over, and see what color its disk is. Keep the bunny if it’s the right color. If not, replace it, disk down. If the next player picks (and replaces) a bunny with your color, be sure to remember where it is so you can choose it when your turn comes around. Double-sided game board features two difficulty levels to keep the game interesting and educational as your child masters memorization and color-recognition skills. Adorable plastic bunny playing pieces included! 2-4 players.
Toys, Games & Puzzles:
Preschoolers
Sew Softies™ Sea Creatures
Make a cute Crab, funky Fish and 8-armed Octopus. Dive right into your sewing lesson with this splashy sea creature collection.
Arts, Crafts & Hobbies:
Ages 9 to 12
Puzzle Globe
Spin your way into geography with this Puzzle Globe, which highlights landmarks and animals and includes a description guide. Each puzzle piece (continent) fits into one hole on the globe to make it easy for little ones to place. All 7 continents are represented (6 continent puzzle pieces plus stationary Antarctica). Globe measures 8” in diameter. Educational Benefits include: Geography, Spatial relationships and Fine motor skills. Designed for ages 3+.
Toys, Games & Puzzles:
Preschoolers
Piccadilly and the Fairy Polka
Written by Lisa Anne Novelline; Illustrated by Ryan Jude Novelline, Phillip Light; Edited by Marlo Garnsworthy
Piccadilly and the Fairy Polka (ages 4-8), the first installment in the “Piccadilly’s Magical World” series, is a life-affirming and fanciful tale about a little girl with a grand imagination, who is enchanted with the coming of summer. On a very special sunny afternoon Piccadilly is convinced that she has uncovered a magical and most delightful secret. Readers are invited to join the fun, celebrate the whimsy, and decide for themselves. What is real? What is fantasy? And ultimately, how much does it matter?
Children’s Picture Books:
Fantasy, Myths & Legends
Paint by Sticker Kids: Zoo Animals
Written by Workman Publishing; Edited by Daniel Nayari
Find the sticker, peel the sticker, place the sticker. And sticker by sticker, a koala appears! Or an elephant, frog, red panda, puffin, peacock, snake, giraffe, tiger, or gorilla. (And no mess to clean up!)
Designed for children ages 5 and up, Paint by Sticker Kids: Zoo Animals uses low-poly art—a computer style that renders 3-D images out of polygon shapes—and removable color stickers so that kids can create 10 vibrant works of art. The stickers are larger, as befits the younger audience, and the card stock pages are perforated for easy removal, making them suitable for displaying.
Children’s Picture Books:
Activities, Crafts & Hobbies ( Includes Puzzles & Games)
Link4fun Books
Written by Stages Learning Materials
Link4fun has created a brand new interactive children’s book experience that feels nothing short of magic! All you do is lay your iPad next to the book… no wires, bluetooth, wifi, or any other physical or technical connection required. Turn the pages of the book and the app comes to life!
Research shows that when more sensory activities are involved, lessons are better absorbed and more neural pathways are formed.
Combine these 3 beautiful photo books with research-based, digital learning activities. Children can dive deep, learning animal habitat, diet, physical attributes, fun facts and new vocabulary. There’s even a video on each animal, and new animal photos sent to the app on a regular basis.
The 3 book set includes Wild Animals, Farm Animals and Pets.
Children’s Picture Books:
Interactive Online Books (IOBs)
Katie & the Carpenter
Written by Rob W. Proctor
When a routine hearing test results in a stunning diagnosis, Katie Proctor and her parents Rob and Denni are propelled into the world of brain tumors. Several years later, Katie’s grandmother is also diagnosed with a brain tumor, and an entirely new set of challenges emerges.
As cancer invades his family, Rob struggles with his own spiritual beliefs. Through reflection, prayer and some miraculous experiences, he comes to a life-changing conclusion; that in spite of the daunting physical and emotional challenges facing them, throughout their journey they are being held in the hands of a caring and compassionate God.
Katie & the Carpenter provides a platform of self-discovery and a realization of the truly important things in life. Learn why, throughout their ordeal, the Proctors have laughed more than they’ve cried. And why they’re living proof that it’s not how many times you get knocked down that matters. It’s how many times you get back up.
Adult Books:
Inspirational / Motivational
Just Add Sun
Just Add Sun is a “hot” new solar oven that uses the sun’s energy to heat up tasty treats. The product includes directions to melt s’mores, make nachos, or even cook an egg, among many other activities that all use the power of the sun. With the Just Add Sun Solar Science and Art Kit you can learn how solar energy works and eco-friendly energy alternatives. See how the energy of the sun can be used for heating and cooking, and experiment with light, heat transfer, reflection, and more! Griddly Games has even included ‘upcycle’ items to create fantastic art!
Arts, Crafts & Hobbies:
Ages 9 to 12
Just Add Glue
The exciting new science activity kit that is sure to stretch the imagination! Use this cool new kit to create different forms of super stretchy polymers and make them bounce! By creating gluey gooey putties that can be picked up, stretched, and even rolled into a ball that bounces. Mix separate batches of varying amounts of two main ingredients to witness the difference that consistencies can make. The product allows an underlying lesson about states of matter including liquids and polymers. It’s a basic introduction to chemistry and material engineering
Arts, Crafts & Hobbies:
Ages 9 to 12
Jilly’s Terrible Temper Tantrums: And How She Outgrew Them
Written by Martha Heineman Pieper, Ph.D.; Illustrated by Jo Gershman
This children’s picture book for ages 3 and up models a loving, constructive, developmentally informed response to young children’s meltdowns and will benefit both children and parents. Jilly, a happy little kangaroo, has a series of Terrible Temper Tantrums. Her parents firmly yet lovingly help her through them until she is able to seek them out for comfort in the face of frustrations that in the beginning would have caused a major meltdown. Jilly comes to understand that true happiness doesn’t come from the gratification of any particular desire but from the warmth and support available within the family. Children will be very familiar with the frustrations that trigger Jilly’s upset feelings (her brother is getting all the attention, a friend won’t play what she wants, she can only have one toy at the toy store, her block tower keeps falling) and will applaud her dawning understanding that seeking help and a hug is far superior to the misery of a temper tantrum. The book is a sequel to the award-winning Mommy, Daddy, I Had a Bad Dream!
Children’s Picture Books:
Growing Up / Personal Growth
Go Go Gelato!
Using 4 scoops, 3 cones, 2 hands, and 1 challenge card fill your customers’ orders as quickly as you can! Pass the scoops back and forth between the cones, being careful to not touch or drop them. Work quickly to figure out the best way to satisfy your customer before your opponents do. Fill the order exactly like it looks on the challenge card. It’s a tasty and engaging dexterity race that’s fun for everyone!
Toys, Games & Puzzles:
Ages 5 to 8
Escape EVIL
This game is perfect for 2 to 4 players ages 8 and up.
Four scientists from across the world have been invited by the Earth Vision Industrial Labs (E.V.I.L), to create a chemical potion that would eradicate malnutrition. However, the E.V.I.L Chairman is looking to rule the world with a potent mind control potion. On refusing to cooperate, the scientists have been detained. Can you help them escape E.V.I.L?
Each player chooses a magic trick from a collection of 16 tricks that involve chemicals. Players roll dice and move on the board to collect the chemicals. Once collected, players distract the warden with their magic trick and escape. The first player to escape wins!
Toys, Games & Puzzles:
Ages 9 to 12
Dr. Microbe
Help Dr. Microbe complete her research with your tweezers, a petri dish, and the colorful microbes. Using logic, race your fellow scientists to figure out which microbes are missing from the incomplete challenge card and snatch them up fast! Find the answer using this key: the superbug must always be a different shape and color than the other three microbes in your dish. Be the fastest scientist in the lab to impress Dr. Microbe and win!
Toys, Games & Puzzles:
Ages 9 to 12
Colorology
It’s a colorful new approach to game play in Tactic Gmaes’ Colorology, a game of color association.
What color do you think of when you hear the word “Christmas”? Green, Red, White? What about the word “car”? Is a car Black, White, Blue? Then, what happens when words are combined? What color do you think of when you hear “pretty car”? Suddenly the answer could change. Red, Blue? Colorology offers a fun and unique study in personal color correlations.
To play Colorology, each player takes a turn as the COLORologist and draws a word card and chooses the color that they think best describes the word. How many of the other players will choose the same color for the word? Any player that matches the same color as the COLORologist moves forward one space. The first player to reach the finish space wins the game.
Toys, Games & Puzzles:
Ages 9 to 12
Being Me: A Kid’s Guide to Boosting Confidence and Self-Esteem
Written by Wendy L. Moss PhD
Being Me gives kids the tools they need to explore their strengths, feel successful, and be confident in school, with friends, and importantly, with themselves. Loaded with kid-relevant examples, real-life stories, and easy-to-do tips and tricks, this handy guide will empower kids to feel happier and more secure and confident with themselves and with everyone else in their lives.
Juvenile Books (Level 2 – Ages 9 to 12):
Self-Improvement
Baby Beats Monkey Drum™
As little ones tap on this drum, the monkey will move and play cool drum effects. The drum pad has two sensors and rewards baby’s tapping with a variety of drum sounds and tunes.
Press the light-up shape buttons to learn about animals, animal sounds and colors, and hear playful sing-along songs. Two modes of play include a learning mode that encourages little ones to interact with the drum by asking them to find animals or colors, or to press the flashing light.
The music mode focuses on music play with a variety of fun songs and melodies.
Toys, Games & Puzzles:
Babies
A World of Pausabilities: An Exercise in Mindfulness
Written by Frank J. Sileo PhD; Illustrated by Jennifer Zivoin
This is a rhyming guide that introduces children to mindfulness and shows them how to live mindfully by taking pauses in their lives. Pausabilities encourage children to take a breath and be present and pay attention to their thoughts, feelings, sensations, and the world around them. A World of Pausabilities reminds children that everyone can be mindful and that there is no wrong way to take a pause. Includes a “Note to Parents and Caregivers” by the author which explains mindfulness and provides tips for implementing pausabilities in their children’s lives.
Children’s Picture Books:
Values & Life Lessons
