June 2012

metrofamilymagazine.com

Celebrating Dads!Local dads offer advice to their kids

Brendan Parker of Spaghetti Eddie shares his story

Why local schools need dads

Plan your best birthday yet with our Birthday

Party Guide!Special Advertising Section

+Find over 184 fun summer

events in our

calendar!

16 www.metrofamilymagazine.com | June 2012

Reviews by Mari Farthing & Brooke Barnett.

Oklahoma Reads Great Reads for All Early ReadersChuckling DucklingsByAaronZenz(BloomsburyKids,hardcover,$16)Earlyreaderswilllovethebrightandwhimsicalpicturesofbabyanimals.Adultswilllovelearningtheanswerstothepressingquestionsoftoddlers(whoknewababy?wasa??).

Slither, Slide, What’s Outside?ByNoraHilbandSimonandSharonShapiro(FireflyBooks,softcover,$9)Afun,rhymingbookthatencourageskids(andadults)togetoutsideandinteractwiththenaturalworld,nomattertheseason.

The Buzz on HoneybeesByCathyKaemmerlen,illustratedbyKathyCoates(PelicanPublishign,softcover,$17)Areyourkidsafraidofbees?Teachthemthe

integralpartthatbeesplayinthefoodchainthroughthistale,toldfromtheperspectiveofBetty,theStorytellingHoneybee.

Grades 4+The Five Lives of Our Cat ZookByJoanneRocklin(AmuletBooks,hardcover,$19)Throughthepowerofagoodimagination,OonaimaginesalifeofadventureforhercatZook(shortforZucchini)assheandherbrothernavigatethesometimeschoppywatersoftheirlives.Animaginativetaleofresilience.

13 HangmenByArtCorriveau(AmuletBooks,hardcover,$17)Anadventurecombiningtime-travel,mysteryandtreasure.SetintheatticroomofanhistoricBostonhome,Tonyandhisfriendsworktogethertodecipherhistoricaleventsthatsolveapresent-daymystery.

AdultsJoy the Baker CookbookByJoyWilson(Hyperion,softcover,$20)Kickupyourbirthdaycakes—andallthetreatsyoumake—withthistreat-filledcookbookbyfoodbloggerJoy.Sweet(andsavory)recipestotakeyoufrombreakfasttomidnightsnack.

Dad, I Love You All the Way to God and BackByShannonShy(Authorhouse,softcover,$17)Parentsarechargedwithteachingtheirchildren,butthelessonstaughttothisauthorbyhisdaughtercapturethetruemeaningoffatherhood.

Dad’s Playbook: Wisdom for Fathers from the Greatest Coaches of All TimeByTomLimbert(ChronicleBooks,hardcover,$13)Sports-lovingfatherswillappreciatethisbookofadviceonfatheringthatechoesthelessonslearnedonthefield:motivation,mentorship,disciplineandlove.

100 Best Grilling RecipesByKathleenSloan-McIntosh(RobertRose,softcover,$20)Celebratesummerwithfoodonthegrillandthisbookofrecipesfeaturingingredientsfromaroundtheworld.Serveadifferentflavoreachdayofthesummerwiththiscollectionofsauces,marinades,startersandgrillingtips.

Let’s Let Kids Do Something BigByAnthonyRecenello(Charismatickid,softcover,$12)Anti-bullyingcoachRecenellobelievesthatkidsarecapableofgreatthings,andheshareshistipsforencouragingyourchildtotapintotheirinnerstrength.

Rabbi Rami: Roadside Assistance for the Spiritual TravelerByRamiShaipiro(Spirtuality&HealthBooks,softcover,$9each)ThroughaseriesoftitlesincludingForgiveness, Parenting, God andPsalm 23, RabbiRamioffersaccessiblelessonstocomplicatedspiritualquestionsforreadersofanyreligiousbelief.

Page to Screen: Pigeon, Knufflebunny and MoreMo Willems’ Pigeon & Pals DVD(Scholastic,DVD,$20)Withnearlytwohoursofquirkystorytellingfun,theseread-alongDVDsallowkidstojointheirfriendsPigeon,KnuffleBunny,NakedMoleRatandmorewhilesharpeningtheirreadingskills.Thetwo-discsetfeaturessixstoriesbasedonWillems'well-knownstories(includingDon't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus)thatencourageinteraction,cooperationandproblem-solving,plusaSpanishversionofoneclassicWillemsstory.