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. *****

May the 4th be With You! Star Wars & Lego Star Wars Boutiques on Now!

   

It can be a challenge to get some kids reading. One of the keys is to find something that they find interesting and engages them. Something that makes them want to read, as opposed to needing to read. DK Books Canada has a wide array of DK Readers to appeal to your little learners. 

From Star Wars, to Lego & Lego Friends, to animals, and other titles, there is a wide variety of topics rated Level 1 through Level 4. These books also contain a glossary as well as an index and also includes a quiz on the content of the book. This is a great feature to not only challenge the reader, but also to help confirm comprehension of what they've read. 

DK Canada currently has a May the 4th Star Wars Boutique on right now, just in time for Star Wars Day. Featured in this boutique are 24 publications, including 3 Star Wars DK Readers from Levels 1 through Level 3.  Star Wars The Force Awakens: New Adventures is Level 1, Lego Star Wars The Force Awakens is a Level 2 and Star Wars Rebels Fight the Empire is a Level 3 reader. DK Readers in paperback generally retail for approximately $4.99CAN/$3.99USD. You can also find some Lego Star Wars titles in their Lego Boutique. 

Also included in this boutique are a number of other cool Star Wars titles. From very detailed Star Wars Character Encyclopedias, to Star Wars Ultimate Sticker Collections, to Star Wars: The Force Awakens Visual Dictionary, there is something for any Star Wars fan. These titles are typically available online and wherever books are sold.

DK Canada is also offering their free 2016 Printable Star Wars Activity Kit download which has 35 pages of various activities such as true/false trivia, colouring pages, connect the dots, find a words, and a whole lot more! Additionally, you can also download their free 6-page Lego Star Wars Activity Kit! 

To check out everything in the May the 4th Star Wars Boutique, please click here. 

May the 4th be with you!

***** 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. *****

The Get Ready For School Book/Game Series Supports PBS Kids!

 

With September approaching ever so quickly, school is on the minds of many. Especially so for those with children entering kindergarten for the first time. Some worry about how their children will handle being away from their parents and some will question whether or not their children are academically ready for what lies ahead.

DK Canada has a series of Get Ready For School books and games that aid in school readiness for early learners.  Whether you would like to work on your child's colours, numbers, or memory, there is a book or game to assist you in accomplishing these goals. They also include tips in each one that helps you and your child get the most out of what the books and games have to offer.  Purchasing any of the titles from this series also supports PBS Kids, which we all know has fantastic children's programming and resources.  

The items I sampled were:

Get Ready For School Games: Number Memory Games features a small interactive board book focusing on numbers from 1-10. The book helps in learning both numbers and counting and it comes with 40 photo cards. In addition to learning about numbers, these photo cards can be utilized to further teach your child through adding and subtracting, along with game play and other challenges for which the tips and instructions are included. This set retails for $9.99 in the U.S., and $10.99 in Canada. 

Get Ready For School Games: Color Match is very similar to the Number Memory Games set in that it has the smaller interactive board book which breaks down colours, shapes and the like. This set also includes 40 photo cards that feature pictures of a variety of coloured items to help further teach your child color concepts. There are cards with images of pencil crayons in various colours as well as a card with each colour displayed on it, with its corresponding spelling. They can also be used for game play and timed challenges, and the set comes with suggestions on which games to play with them. This set also retails for $9.99 in the U.S., and $10.99 in Canada. 

Get Ready For School: I'm Ready For School is an 18 paged board book which allows young ones to learn about colours, shapes and numbers. It features themes such as morning routines, eating meals, matching items like footwear, and the correct clothing for the weather. The 45 flaps throughout the book allow kids to satisfy their curiosity as to what's on the other side, all while learning. This book retails for $12.99 in the U.S. & $13.99 in Canada. 

For those with older kids, the Help Your Kids With Math book is chock full of visuals, explanations and aids on various mathematics starting with telling the time, adding, subtraction, multiplication and division, all the way to geometry and algebra. It also includes a section on personal finance, which I think is an important topic for children and youth. This particular book is suited for kids in grades 3 through grade 6. All of its 264 pages will be well used by me once my son enters those grades. Believe you me, math is not my strong suit, and this book will be immensely helpful not only for my son but for me as well! Help Your Kids With Math retails for $19.95 in the U.S., and $20.95 here in Canada. 

To discover the other titles in the Get Ready For School series, click here. 

Check out other titles specifically selected for DK Canada's Back to School Boutique! 

***** 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.*****

Get The Children's Book of Magic Before It Vanishes!

    

Have you ever watched a magician do a trick or perform an illusion that looked so real? My son wants to be that guy, and has a genuine interest in magic. 

The Children's Book of Magic is a brand new book that just came out this past September. It's geared for kids ages 7-10 years of age, and is a 128 page instruction, information and history book on magic and illusions. This oversized book measures almost a foot long and 10" wide and is reminiscent of a spellbook that Harry Potter would use. Only a heck of a lot more modern!

Whether you want to learn how to stack a deck, make a coin disappear (something my husband says I'm good at while at the mall! LOL), predict cards or perform a rope trick, this books is for you! There are 20 tricks in the book, covering 8 schools of magic. Each one has step by step written and pictorial instructions to help your little Houdini prepare, practice and perform the act. You will also find a list of supplies needed to perform each trick, most of which can be found in your home.

Kids can read up on historical magicians and illusionists and learn the history behind magic as far back as the Romans, Aztecs, cavemen and ancient China. It provides information on seeing into the future, prophecies, rituals, etc, an extensive glossary, as well as a layout on tools of the trade.

The Children's Book of Magic retails in Canada for approximately $20.99CAN. You can find it in local bookstores and in the DK Books Canada Holiday Boutique. Get it before it vanishes!

***** 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.*****