Get Your Read on with DK's Summer Book Boutiques! There's Something for Everyone!

   

Summer is the best time to put your feet up and kick back with a great book. Whether you are a child, or an adult, DK Books has something for everyone.

My favorite thing about DK Books is that they have so many titles which appeal to kids. Like most parents, I think it's important for my kids to read and do my best to encourage them any way I can. In the summer months, my kids participate in a book reading rewards program and they can read anything they want. My oldest son almost always gravitates towards LEGO levelled reader books, as well as, super hero and other character books.

DK Books' Summer Reading Boutique has a wide variety of levelled reader books. From various LEGO themes, to Star Wars, to animals and everything in between. In addition to the Summer Reading Boutique, DK Books has so many other topics & titles that are not mentioned in the boutique. The levelled readers go from Level 1 to Level 4, which is perfect for readers who progress in their skills over the summer months. Some of these levelled reader books also have new covers with foil embellishments on them that are sure to catch the eye of your little reader. My youngster is currently reading the Level 3 LEGO Nexo Knights Monster Battles, and will then be moving on to LEGO Ninjago Team Ninja.

DK Books features a number of Canadian Editions on a variety of titles in their Oh Canada Boutique. I sampled the Pocket Birds of Canada. I was eager to get this book in particular as we've set up bird feeders around our yard this summer and have been curious to see which feathered friends have been visiting us. This book has 285 pages of different birds here in Canada. The book breaks down identifying features, where they are commonly found, as well as, what their feeding, nesting and habitat tendencies are. It's been neat to use this book as a reference, and gets the whole family involved.

Not included in a particular boutique, but definitely worth a mention all the same, is their LEGO DC Comics Super Heroes Character Encyclopedia. My son had seen this in a book store and was goo goo for ga ga over it. Aside from breaking down all the minifigure characters, it also comes with an exclusive LEGO Pirate Batman minifigure. The book is hardcover and contains 208 pages of engaging data. He thinks he's getting a cool book, but does he know that I'm all for it because he's reading without even realizing that that is exactly what I want him to be doing this summer? ;)

DK Books Canada is also featuring other boutiques this season. Their Summer Living Boutique offers titles related to smoking your own meat, growing vegetables, as well as, books for kids with regards to bugs, sleepovers, outdoor activities and a whole lot more. Their Food & Drink Boutique states the obvious, and their Back to School Boutique offers all sorts of educational material.

Get your read on people, it's the perfect season!

***** These views are mine, and mine alone. As with anything, you are responsible for assessing whether this item and/or activity is safe and suitable for your specific needs. InfoMommy does not make any warranties of any kind, expressed or implied, and assumes no responsibility and/or liability for any actions taken as a result of this blog post. *****

1,000 Stickers in DK's Ultimate Sticker Collections!

   

If your kids love stickers, then you have to consider the variety of DK Ultimate Sticker Collections available from DK Books! Whether it's Lego, Finding Dory, Frozen, Disney Princesses, Star Wars, various animals or even U.S. Presidents, there is a title for you.

I recently received the Marvel Heroes Unite Ultimate Sticker Collection, as well as, the Marvel Good Vs. Evil Ultimate Sticker Collection for review. These particular titles each feature 1,000 stickers and contain sections such as "Bases & Hideouts", "Epic Battle Weapons, "Meet the Superheroes", among other pre-determined areas where you can apply the stickers. There are also a tonne of other stickers that can be used for creating your own battles, and for general free play. 

The 2 particular titles that I reviewed were approximately $13.99CAN/$12.99USD, and contained 96 pages. DK Ultimate Sticker Collection sticker books range from 60 stickers all the way up to 1,000! I suspect the titles containing a smaller amount would be cheaper in price. 

Some titles are geared to older children as they may contain images of firearms and other weapons, however the majority are child-friendly across the board. Perhaps consider checking the content if it's a topic that could be more graphic for younger ones. 

For Marvel or other super hero fans, DK Books Canada currently has a Heroes & Villains Boutique on! DK Ultimate Sticker Collections and other DK titles are available at a wide variety of in-store and online retailers. 

***** These views are mine, and mine alone. As with anything, you are responsible for assessing whether this item and/or activity is safe and suitable for your specific needs. InfoMommy does not make any warranties of any kind, expressed or implied, and assumes no responsibility and/or liability for any actions taken as a result of this blog post. *****

Energy Bites Kick Starts Your Health Resolutions!

   

'Tis the season for resolutions. Like many people, one of my top resolutions for 2016 is to eat better. Not only because it's just plain good for you, but also because I often find myself lacking energy throughout the day.

DK Publishing is releasing a new book later this month entitled Energy Bites. It includes a basic energy bite formula, as well as 15 recipes to create Timbit sized balls of goodness. The energy bite formula consists of a variety of nutritious elements broken down into categories such as nuts and seeds and sticky stuff, used to bind all the ingredients together. You can either use the recipes that are included in the book, or mix and match one ingredient from each category. You can also improvise with your own favorite ingredients to customize them to your taste and needs. 

All recipes included in the book are vegetarian, gluten free, dairy free, and claim to be energy packed and protein rich. There are both sweet and savoury recipes, some which are baked and some that are no-bake. Some of them are raw, and all of them are made without using refined sugars. So shhhh, don't tell the kids!  

Energy Bites includes a pictured list of the author's 20 top ingredients, everything from coconut oil to goji berries, and everything in between. Many of the ingredients can be found at your local grocery store. For the other ingredients, the easiest place to get them is at your local bulk food store. Not only will they carry most, if not all of the specialty ingredients listed in book, you can buy only the amount you need. Anything else can be purchased at most health food stores. 

Because most of these bites are made easily with a food processor, we're setting aside a couple of hours tomorrow to make a whole bunch of these at one time. By doing 1 big shop for the required ingredients, we can spend a couple of hours making large batches of these bites to put in the freezer. 

No more excuses for reaching into the cupboard for something less than ideal. Simply grab one, or a couple, from the freezer and let them defrost. Voilà! By making a bunch at once, there's only a single mess to clean up, which is a huge bonus. According to the book, they can be stored in the fridge for up to 1 week and in the freezer for 1 month. 

Energy Bites retails for $9.99 in both Canada and the U.S.

***** These views are mine, and mine alone. As with anything, you are responsible for assessing whether this item and/or activity is safe and suitable for your specific needs. InfoMommy does not make any warranties of any kind, expressed or implied, and assumes no responsibility and/or liability for any actions taken as a result of this blog post. *****