Written on
February 11, 2012 by
Jennifer
The intro to Be Empowered! Eat Chocolate with Breakfast tells why Jan Bethancourt wrote this book: This collection of original sayings began as email messages to my daughter, Sarah, during her years of college. I encouraged her to believe in herself, to stare hardships in the eye, and to know that kindness is not only…
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Is there one moment that has come to define your life—a moment that changed your perspective, or your direction, or when you made a choice that has ever after changed who you are? I believe that all of us could come up with at least one example, if not more. I could write about the…
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Written on
January 22, 2012 by
Nancy
Barbara Houghteling is co-partner of Birthday Keepsakes, an online baby keepsakes website. When she came up with the idea for a personalized storybook, her daughter Jana, then a senior in high school, read her mom’s verses and decided she could do better. The Houghtelings worked with an artist to create the illustrations that accompany the…
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Written on
December 24, 2011 by
Nancy
I know today is Christmas Eve, but if you’re still looking for some last-minute gifts for those special kiddos in your life, here are a few suggestions. I’ve been seeing Jan Brett’s Home for Christmas on several must-have lists this season, and looking through her body of work I’m shocked and a little embarrassed that…
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Rum babas dripping with gooey sweetness. Crisp canolis oozing creamy goodness. A cake that looks like it came from a professional baker, sparkling with snowflakes. Get your hands on a copy of Baking with the Cake Boss and all this and more can come from your kitchen. This book is fantastic. It’s like a patisserie…
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Written on
December 21, 2011 by
Jennifer
I don’t want to beat a dead horse, but I love giving books as gifts. There are a few ways to take giving a book up a notch: Select the perfect book. Fans of the total blockbuster The Help will love The Secret Life of Bees. That book convinced people who are generally non-readers to…
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Written on
December 17, 2011 by
Jennifer
The 39 Clues is a series that just won’t quit. As a parent, I love series books, because when my child finds one he likes, he knows exactly where to go to find his next book. A series like 39 Clues that is suspenseful and action-packed is even better. The Rapid Fire stories are seven…
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