I’m not always up on the latest in children’s literature but, since it was released last week, I’ve been reading about Queen Raina of Jordan’s book, The Sandwich Swap, all over the web. In it, two best friends–Lily and Salma–disagree over whose sandwich tastes better; Lily prefers peanut butter, while Salma likes humus. Tensions escalate when each girl insists that her sandwich is tasty while the other’s is yucky, until together they find a way to make peace with each other (and the lunchroom).

Inspired by one of Queen Raina’s own memories, this beautifully illustrated book is a great way to introduce preschoolers and early grade schoolers to ideas of open-mindedness, communication and the value of peace and friendship.

According to the Chinese Zodiac, the Year of 2010 is the Year of The Golden Tiger, which begins on February 14, 2010 and ends on February 2, 2011.   The first day of the lunar New Year 2010 falls on the 14th day of February, which is also Valentine’s Day.  The Tiger is the third sign in the cycle of  Chinese Zodiac, which consists of 12 animal signs.  It is a sign of courage. This fearless and fiery fighter is revered by the ancient Chinese as the sign that wards off the three main disasters of a household: fire, thieves and ghosts. Chinese wisdom says that on New Year’s Day: “it is beneficial to celebrate, to be happy, to have smiling faces, and to refrain from scowling, quarreling, or criticizing anyone.”

What does the Year of the Tiger hold in store? Drama, intensity, change and travel will be the keywords for 2010. Unfortunately, world conflicts and disasters tend to feature during Tiger years also, so it won’t be a dull 12 months for anyone. The Year of the Tiger will bring far reaching changes for everyone. New inventions and incredible technological advances have a good chance of occurring. For all of the Chinese horoscope signs, this year is one to be active – seizing opportunities and making the most of our personal and very individual talents. Everything happens quickly and dramatically in a Tiger year – blink and you could miss an important chance of a lifetime!

Celebrate the Year of the Tiger in style with fun party decorations

People born in the Year of the Tiger are magnetic, passionate and charming! When the Tiger does anything, it gets noticed! Indecisiveness and stubbornness can mar the sparkle of the Tiger personality. On the one hand generous, on the other hand a little mean, it’s sometimes hard to know where one stands with the Tiger. Flexible, honest and truly entertaining, one has a friend for life with a Tiger.

Were you born in the Year of the Tiger? Know someone who was? Tiger pendants and jewelry are the perfect gift for your favorite feline.

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Superhero Foods.

Faster than a speeding bullet. More powerful than a locomotive. Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. Superman? Almost. Turns out, antioxidants found in red wine or dark chocolate are just as powerful. The O2 Diet: The Cutting Edge Antioxidant-Based Program That Will Make You Healthy, Thin, and Beautiful by Keri Glassman, MS, RD, CDN is the  most down-to-earth eating plan I’ve seen in years. Instead of counting calories, carbs or fat, you focus on delicious, nutritious bites that rev your metabolism and fight aging. The diet is based on the ORAC scale, which measures how well a food protects against free radicals, the bad guys behind aging, many forms of cancer and heart disease. By choosing ORAC-packed foods like green tea, artichokes and strawberries, you could naturally shed unwanted pounds and take years off your face. Oh, and you’ll feel smarter and have loads more energy, too.

Eat all day and still lose weight!

Go ahead. Ruin your appetite on snacks. Because if you want to be more energetic, feel younger, and lose weight, you have to eat more. That is the advice from Keri Glassman’s other wonderbook and the basis for the program you’ll find in The Snack Factor Diet. Glassman reveals how snacking helps you keep your metabolism revved, maintain high energy levels, slow the aging process, put an end to hunger-related mood swings and eliminate sugar cravings.

This proven, groundbreaking diet includes an easy-to-follow menu plan and hundreds of intensely satisfying snacks for every craving like Sweet Chocolate Pudding, Banana Peanut “Ice Cream”, Salty Pizzettes or Prosciutto Wraps. You won’t feel like you’re on a diet at all.

Skinnygirl Dish

Bethenny Frankel, star of Bravo’s The Real Housewives of New York City, presents a healthful, no-nonsense approach to eating and cooking. Comparing food to a wardrobe, she advises readers to know what classics to have on hand. Then, she adds, accessorize with items like pine nuts or sun-dried tomatoes. Frankel’s book is divided in three parts: the first (The Skinny) explains her methods and philosophy; the second includes recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks; and the third part offers tips for holidays and special occasions. Frankel teaches how to think like a chef, urging readers to use the ingredients they have in their own kitchens. In fact, the 60 recipes presented become more than 1,000 with the substitution charts Frankel provides.

Eat Right for Your Type
The gold standard when it comes to diet books and a weight-loss approach that actually makes sense. Noted doctor and author Peter D’Adamo reveals the individualized diet solution that works best for each individual. His research shows that one’s blood type reflects his or her internal chemistry, and he offers diet and exercise plans for each type.

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Based on the Book by Soledad O'Brien

One of the most highly anticipated documentaries of the year is CNN’s Latino in America series set to air tomorrow night at 9pm ET. The series is based on a recent book with the same title by CNN anchor Soledad O’Brien and co-written with Rose Marie Arce. It delves into the dynamics of Latino culture in America, chronicling personal events from O’Brien’s life as well as discussing broader events in Latino history that are often unknown or overlooked by mainstream media and the public.

O’Brien was the anchor behind the groundbreaking series “Black in America” that was critically acclaimed last year, so many are eager to see how a series based on a topic that is even closer to home for the journalist might be.

While the television series will closely follow the the book, there are more stories, photos, essays, and more detail that you may not see. A great addition to any book collection!

Buy the Latino in America book now

Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs Video Game

I think it’s practically impossible to beat a children’s book about a town where it rains everything from hamburgers to pizza to ice cream. Then I actually saw a movie about it and realized that I was, indeed, wrong. And that is why I am highly recommending that everyone go see the new Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs movie that comes out today.

Before I continue raving about how wonderful this movie is, full disclosure: my significant other worked on the animation for it. But really, aside from that, I have to say it’s one of the best movies I’ve seen this year, if not THE best. Based on the well-loved children’s book by Judi Barrett, the movie’s characters include the voices of Bill Hader, Anna Faris, James Caan, Andy Samberg, and even Mr. T!!

I don’t want to give too much away, but it’s a great movie for kids and adults alike — the humor is somewhat edgy and sophisticated, the artwork and graphics are amazing — even the closing credits are unique!

Check it out today — and definitely add the children’s book to your collection! There’s even a video game too!

Didj Customer Learning Gaming System from Leapfrog

With back-to-school season in full swing, it’s no wonder at SHOP.COM we’re seeing more people interested in educational books and toys lately. Not to mention the long car trips and poolside leisure time during the summer that are best enjoyed when the children have something to do (and I’m talking about for the parents’ sake).

I discovered Leapfrog toys a few years ago when I needed to buy some reading tools for a weekend class I was teaching, and I was floored at how great they are! I’m such a fan that I bought my cousin’s child an alphabet toy from Leapfrog a several months ago that sings in both English and Spanish and it was a hit! (Because parents love toys that sing and make tons of noise!)

So that’s why I’m letting you know that right now, Leapfrog’s having an amazing Back-to-School sale, with most of their educational books, toys, and software 20% off right now.

The Didj line from Leapfrog is always a bestseller — the Didj gamer above helps kids 6-10 play fun and educational games that help them with math, spelling, and reading skills.

For younger kids that are elementary-school age, check out Leapfrog’s “Tag” line of books — they bring your fave classics like The Cat in the Hat and SpongeBob SquarePants to life by using a special Tag reader to help build vocabulary and reading comprehension skills. The reader below comes with Dr. Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat.

Leapfrog Tag Reading System

These make great gifts and are so much fun to share with your kids — and are on sale just in time for back-to-school!

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I’ve been listening to Michael Jackson all day. Not only was he my hero as a child of the 80s growing up (along with being everyone else’s), but his song “Black and White” totally changed my young adult life in that I finally felt like a conversation about racial equality in entertainment was starting — I loved the part where he danced next to the Indian Bharat Natyam dancer. That’s only part of the reason I, along with the rest of the world is so affected by his death, or as John Mayer so eloquently Tweeted about it, “A major strand of our cultural DNA has left us.”

While this week has been tough for entertainment, it’s been booming for music retail. As I write this blog right now, Michael’s 25th Anniversary Thriller album remains at the top of Amazon.com’s music bestseller list, followed by Off the Wall, Bad, Michael Jackson: The Ultimate Collection, and the list goes on and on. Not the Transformers 2 soundtrack, not the new Green Day album — just our beloved King of Pop’s classic chart-topper filled albums.

And that’s no surprise — after all, Thriller is the best selling album of all time with all 10 of its tracks making Billboard’s Top 100 list. Now fans are reported to be scrambling to hold onto something from Michael whether it be an album, music videos, or even the books he’s written — his autobiography Moon Walk, his essays in Dancing with a Dream, or Moonwalker: The Storybook, the children’s story he wrote.

Michael Jackson’s albums have climbed to the top of Apple’s “Top Albums” list, the search for his name has devastated the internet world, dominating Twitter and Google and practically breaking both sites, and his page on Wikipedia has been viewed more than a million times in the last 2 days, not to mention it’s undergoing an editing war — just take a look at its editing history.

With all this Michael Jackson craze, I’m tempted to go out and find some comfort in the part of my childhood that died along with MJ by purchasing an album or a music video DVD that I don’t have. But I’ve decided that I’m perfectly content to dig out my old glittery silver Michael Jackson glove belt and watch YouTube all day…

Flip! for Decorating

Are you dreaming of a home makeover but don’t think you have the expertise or wherewithall to make it a reality?

Well,  design consultant and Today show lifestyle expert Elizabeth Mayhew recently published a book chock full of tips and tricks to make your abode stylish in a snap–and on a budget, too! Flip! for Decorating is a must-read for anyone who has flipped through the pages of a decorating magazine, lusted over the pretty pictures and said, “How do I DO that?”

Elizabeth, who also writes a regular column for House Beautiful, offers readers step-by-step instructions on how to decorate the four most-used rooms in your home: bedroom, family room, dining room and living room.

She describes how to use what you already own and freshen it up with new fabrics and paint.  You’ll also read about how to put together a professional looking color palette, how to dress a window and choose the right furnishings and accessories for your spaces.

Overwhelmed with the design options?  Elizabeth also has a section on how to prioritize your decorating decisions and make the right choices so you won’t waste a dime. Valuable advice this year, don’t you think?

In the Garden Children's Book

Hopefully you’ve done something fun today to celebrate Earth Day, whether it’s making your own Treetini (yes, a Treetini — it’s made with Veev Acai spirit and for every Treetini sold, they’ll plant a tree) or participating in Earth Day activities like beach cleanups, going to Home Depot (they’re giving away CFL bulbs and seeds) or just sitting still at home, with all the lights off, saving energy.

One of the really fun things about Earth Day is the amount of new green products that are designed — from gadgets to food to home decor, it’s really amazing how creative green products can get. That’s why I’m really excited about this new line of children’s books from iKids publishers called Green Start. These books are really simple, illustrated with lively images, and are made from tough, recycled materials (perfect for toddler to chew on).  They’re not preachy or overtly environmental, but they give your child knowledge of how nature works — whether it’s about the life cycle of a tree, the five senses, or how a garden grows.  I think it’s a great idea to start children off with an understanding of how complex and wonderful our planet is — rather than just learning about it only on one day of the year — Earth Day.

And for the adults — you’ve got to check out this Rickshaw Bagworks messenger bag that I read about on Treehugger — it’s made with only FOUR PIECES OF FABRIC!!

Shop the Green Start Books

Shop the Rickshaw Bagworks Messenger Bag

Twilight Directors Notebook

Unless you were hiding under a rock last November, you probably know about the swarms of girls that stood in line for the opening of the vampire movie called Twilight, written by Stephenie Meyer and starring Robert Pattinson (of Harry Potter fame) and Kristen Stewart (I have no idea what she was in).

And in case you can’t wait for the next movie in the Twilight sequel, New Moon, to release in November, here’s something that will tide you over for a bit: Twilight: Director’s Notebook: The Story of How We Made the Movie Based on the Novel is set to release tomorrow. (OK is it just me or is that the longest and most literal name ever for a book?)

You can pre-order your book today here.
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Promises in Death

I’ll admit it: I’m a snob. I am not a fan of romance novels. A good friend of mine is directing a documentary on romance novel readers, which is a concept I find totally fascinating. But as for the actual reading of the romance novel itself, I just couldn’t bring myself to do it — until now.

Nora Roberts is probably the most prolific romance novel writer ever — with 124 of her novels making the New York Times bestseller list, you’ve got to imagine she’s doing something right. Not to mention the plots of her romance novels are a twist on the traditional. (Like the  Circle Trilogy , the first NR titles that caught my eye, which is sort of this weird sci-fi/fantasy/romance novel series involving a sorcerer, a witch, a scholar, and a shape shifter. Cool, right?)

Intrigued? Check out her latest book Promises in Death that was released at the end of February, part of the “In Death” series written by her romance suspense alter ego J.D. Robb. And if you’re more into watching than reading, Lifetime Television has already adapted four of her novels for TV movies: Carolina Moon, Blue Smoke, Angels Fall, and Montana Sky.

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Do you love dogs? Do you love reading? Do you love reading heartrending stories about little boys and dogs? On farms? Well if you do, you should definitely check out Oprah’s latest pick for her book club — The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by first time novelist David Wroblewski.

Reviewers are comparing this tender story about a mute boy who can communicate with dogs to Hamlet. A barn in Wisconsin in lieu of Denmark; a young mute boy instead of Prince Hamlet; Claude Sawtelle instead of Claudius, King of Denmark, and a few other coincidences.

If you’ve got a son or daughter in high school studying Hamlet, or you’re reading it yourself, this might be a great modern-day retelling that will help solidify the core themes of Shakespeare’s greatest tragedy (well, one of them.)

And Oprah can’t be wrong — nor can the 2 million Oprah’s Book Club members.

Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.
I’m not cute or built to suit a fashion model’s size
But when I start to tell them,
They think I’m telling lies.
I say,
It’s in the reach of my arms
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I’m a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That’s me.

Read the entire poem here.

Today is poet Maya Angelou’s birthday, so I thought I’d dedicate this post to her. April is coincidentally National Poetry Month as well, so I thought I’d also share some great new poetry releases with the phenomenal women I know (and men) out there.

The Craftsman by Richard Sennett	Sea Change by Jorie Graham
The Kingdom of Ordinary Time: Poems by Marie Howe	Behind My Eyes: Poems by Li-Young Lee One of my favorite poets, Li-Young Lee’s themes deal largely with his Chinese cultural background and uses really vivid and beautiful imagery. I highly recommend his latest book.
Pizza, Pigs, and Poetry: How to Write a Poem by Jack Prelutsky	Fire to Fire: New and Selected Poems by Mark Doty Mark Doty is simply an amazing writer. His work often portrays how he grapples with his emotions since learning his partner is HIV positive. Really touching poetry, really just phenomenal.
Sixty Poems by Charles Simic	Red Bird: Poems by Mary Oliver

Vogue Living $47.15

Curious about how the world’s tastemakers live? Vogue recently published Vogue Living: Houses, Gardens, People – a beautiful 400-page book of 36 spectacular houses and gardens from some of the world’s most creative people, written by Vogue editor Hamish Bowles and illustrated with photographs taken from some of the world’s best photographers.

Some notable celebrity homes in the book include:

• Madonna’s English countryside retreat
• Oscar de la Renta’s Dominican Republic mansion
• Chrisitian Louboutin’s houseboat on the Nile
• Donna Karan’s Manhattan abode

And the forward is by Calvin Klein!

Just a shout out to this week’s New York Times Best Sellers list. I’m still stuck on an old NY Times Best Seller (and Oprah’s Book Club Pick) Middlesex, but I promise when I have some time I’ll actually read at least one of the below.

Hardcover Fiction

Plum Lucky by Janet Evanovich

Part of the Stephanie Plum series, bounty hunter Stephanie Plum travels to Atlantic City for another intriguing caper. Perfect for Nancy Drew fans.

Hardcover Nonfiction

In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan

Professor of Journalism at UC Berkeley Michael Pollan pontificates on everything food: from the history to food industry marketing to scientific data. Tough and tasty, just like grandma’s cooking.

Hardcover Advice

The Secret by Rhonda Byrne

The book that goes along with the DVD that everyone’s talking about. Self-help for the 21st century. I saw the DVD and wasn’t a big fan, but you might be. Helps you explore the power of positive thinking, the laws of attraction, and how to be successful.

Children’s Books

Gallop! By Rufus Butler Seder

Featuring a new technology called “Scanimation,” this book brings animals to life, page after page. Great for kids and adults!

Paperback Trade Fiction

Atonement, by Ian McEwan

Amazing journey of a young girl set in the English countryside. Looks good but I’ll probably just watch the movie.

Paperback Mass-Market

Plum Lovin’ by Janet Evanovich

14th in the Stephanie Plum series, this novel has a great timely Valentine’s Day theme.

Paperback Nonfiction

Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

Everybody’s talking about this book. It’s a memoir of a magazine writer’s yearlong travel from Italy to India and her search for spirituality. Sounds uplifting!

Paperback Advice

Skinny Bitch by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin

A controversial book not only for its title, but everything inside, the authors (both from the modeling/fashion world) advise the reader on how to eat healthily, and, well, be a skinny you-know-what. Recipes included!

Have you read any of these books? Please tell us what you thought!