The Hunger Games Trilogy $31

Pinkalicious $9

I See Me! Personalized Books $29.95 (Variable titles – all can be personalized!)

The Dangerous Book for Boys $16

1,000 Places to See Before You Die $12

Delirium $10.98

Merry Christmas Curious George – $5.38 Hardcover Price!

Steve Jobs $19.25

Divurgent $10.98

Elf on the Shelf $29.95

But the latest I picked up was a borrow from a friend – the Memoirs of Cleopatra by Margaret George.  Margaret George writes historical fiction that’s based on fact.  I had heard of her because of her Mary Queen of Scots book.  She’s also written a novel about Helen of Troy and an Autobiography of Henry VIII.

I’m only partway in (warning: it’s long) but I’m engrossed.  While I know that the conversation and back and forth stories are fiction, it’s all based on fact and I’m learning all sorts of amazing facts I never knew.

Like did you know Cleopatra had no actual Egyptian blood in her?  She was of Greek descent and since her family believed in sibling marriages they hadn’t yet mixed with the natives!

And also of interest to me being in Philadelphia, the word “Philadelphia” comes from a Greek word that means sibling love (hence the above statement about all the in-breeding)  Kind of gives a whole new meaning of the “City of Brotherly Love”

Get The Memoirs of Cleopatra on Amazon for $13.03 with free shipping when you purchase $25 or more worth of eligible products

So while nothing can replace having a parent there in person, that modern technology allows us to do to ease the pain of feeling that absence of the parent.  Beyond just email, phone calls and video chat, there are products like Record-A-Story.  Adults can record their voices within these stories for future playback.  Children can then open their favorite childhood tale and rather than having it read in-person, it can be read via the speaker and the pre-recorded message that’s been taped.

Love this for a military family, grandparent or anyone who has a parent who is on the road.  So far, Record A Story offers the following stories:  Dora the Explorer, Guess How Much I Miss You, Twas the Night Before Christmas and Sesame Street. Get it on Amazon for $13.95-$17.95, depending on which story you chose, with free shipping.

I put off reading this because I didn’t have much interest – did I really care about Bree Tanner and her brief appearance in Eclipse?

While I didn’t care much before, I do now that I’ve finished her short story.  I did love Bree’s story and character, which only made the ending that much harder.  You can get it on Amazon for $8.50.  Did anyone else read it? What did you think of it in comparison to the official Twilight series?

Love the One You’re With, by Emily Giffin – I’ve read all but Emily’s most recent title and loved them all.  Great beach reads.  Get the hardback on BarnesandNoble.com for $4.99 (80% off!  Retail is $29.95)

When You Are Engulfed in Flames, by David Sedaris - same deal, 80% the retail price for $4.99.

Graceling, by Kristin Cashore – I read this book awhile back when it popped up on a recommended reading list for me having liked the Twilight Series.  It’s a fantasy book for young adults but I thought it was great.  $3.99 (down from $17.00) for the hardcover.

They have kids books too, like the hardcover version of the Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle for $3.99!

When he was only two, my mom gifted him My First Encyclopedia. I found it a silly, unnecessary gift back then, what 2 year old needed an encyclopedia? In the future he’d have a computer with internet access to answer his questions. And us. We could always answer questions.

But in the past 4 years that encyclopedia has seen much use and much love. It sits out on his dresser and he refers to it for questions about health, food, weather and, most recently, Earthquakes.

The writing style is basic, intended for a grade-school aged student. The book simply explains science and history to children. Its vivid images further explain each area of interest.

For Christmas this year, Santa added to our collection of research books with Scholastic’s My First Dictionary. Another wonderful resource written for young minds, we first found use for this book when Big asked “what’s a dynasty?” It was the first time we, as parents, could say “look it up.” In 3 weeks we’ve looked up dozens of words.

We’re teaching the kids one of the basic ways to get ahead in life: Ask questions; Find the Answers.

For someone who has always had a small appetite, I’ve had a lot of fun eating while pregnant.  However, it has been a challenge to answer my cravings while simutaneously fulfilling all the nutritional requirements of growing a baby.

Recently, I was sent a free copy of Feed the Belly: The Pregnant Mom’s Healthy Eating Guide, and man…I wish someone had handed me this book months ago!  Frances Largeman-Roth, RD – a dietician, mom, and Health magazine editor – wrote the book so that it was completely understandable, totally skim-able, and well worth the read.  It covers everything from what nutrients a pregnant woman needs to how to combat a caffeine addiction.  The book discusses the best diet for morning sickness and the healthiest options for dining out.  The guide also includes:

• a 7-day tear-out eating plan
• stay-fit secrets with yoga poses
• pointers on when to choose organic
• advice on the safest seafood selections
• how to pick foods to get the nutrients you need most

My favorite part of the book is the last section – 65 mouthwatering recipes organized by the cravings a typcial pregnant woman has: Sweet, Meaty, Salty/Savory, Spicy, and Thirst-Quenching.

My tastebuds have been screaming for “sweet” since the end of the first month.  So, the first recipe on my list to try was Chunky Monkey Muffins.  They certainly did not disappoint!  How could you go wrong with a chocolately banana and peanut butter muffin?  As an added bonus, the muffins are loaded with protein, fiber, and also pack in some omega-3′s.  The Peach and Blackberry Crumble is next up in my kitchen.

If you’ve got a bun in the oven, Feed the Belly is the only healthy eating guidebook that you may need.  It would also be a great read for any dad who enjoys cooking…or better yet, enjoys having a happy wife.

Children can quickly find books by clicking a favorite character on the character carousel. While reading, children can click to hear words pronounced, see definitions using the built-in dictionary, and hear trivia about the story.

My 4 year old son is nuts about “Cars” and loved hearing me read stories with the characters he adores. As a teacher, I was thrilled that he had so many options and books to hear (there are 500 books at present time). While I am into traditional literature, anything that keeps his interest in reading makes me happy. Right now, the most popular option for him was the “Look and Listen” – he was mesmerized hearing the “Look and Listen” version of “Toy Story”. He’s never seen the movie and instantly fell in love with the story. After Toy Story, we played with the Story Builder – using “Cars” characters. He loved picking the text; though I verbally narrowed down the choices for the fill in the blanks (6 was too many, so I gave him 3 choices). He loved picking the art and resizing the pictures. We were able to save the book and print it out — he was so happy that “he wrote the story”.

Some parents are going to be against the concept of going online to read books, but I look at it this way — I’d rather have him hearing/reading stories, than playing games online. Disney will be adding seasonal content and more stories every month and hopefully they will release a mobile app to be able to access the site from your phone.

The book is: If you give a Mom a Martini: 100 Ways to Find 10 Blissful Minutes to Yourself. Check it out – it’s a quick read (the authors appreciate a time-constrained Mom) but full of some fun, quick relaxation tips.

It’s a great gift for any Mom.  Plus, any book that includes the word Mom and Martini within the same sentence is alright in my book.

Now, LeapFrog has announced a new product to cater to the younger crowd — the Tag Junior Book Pal.  Geared for toddlers and preschoolers, the Tag Junior helps encourage early reading skills.  Tag Junior books help children learn the alphabet, teach counting and more.

The age range for this one is 24 months-age 4.  It’s a great little toy to have for a younger brother or sister who sees an older sibling using the regular Tag.   You have to buy the books separately – all of the books for the Tag Junior are board books.

Organizational tip:  Be sure to get it with the Storage Case too, it’s easiest if you keep the book together with the actual Tag system and having the case is key.  We’ve found the same with the regular Tag.

It sells for $34.99 on Amazon and ships for free.