Fans of the legendary film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory will simply adore I Want It Now! A memoir written by Julie Dawn Cole (who played spoiled Veruca Salt), the book is scrumdiddlyumptiously filled with trivia regarding the cast, crew and filming of the 1971 movie starring Gene Wilder. Cole also includes letters home to her family and tons of behind-the-scenes memories, photos and facts.
One of the more memorable "mean kids," it might surprise most people that Cole's childhood was more Charlie Bucket than Veruca Salt. Handwritten notes to home illustrate Cole's sadness at being separated from her beloved mom, but also the excitement of filming Willy Wonka. She also details her crush on Peter Ostrum, who played Charlie, and her sometime rivalry with Denise Nickerson (who played Violet Beauregarde), who also vied for Peter's teenage affections.
For being only thirteen when the movie was filmed, Cole's ability to paint a complete portrait of the makings of the film are astounding, and make you feel that you were right there with the five lucky winners of The Golden Ticket.
Told through the eyes of a deserving, sweet young girl, I Want It Now! is almost as magical as the film itself ($21.95, amazon.com).
Celebrity Parents recently featured Julie Dawn Cole on our cover. Click here to see it!
Ask any mom if her kids eat veggies and she’ll either do one of two things: roll her eyes and say no, or lie and say yes. Now, eating Brussels sprouts can be (sort of ) enjoyable with the Crunch A Color game. Created by equally frustrated mompreneur Jennifer Tyler Lee, Crunch A Color is an award-winning game that makes eating veggies fun. Played at mealtime, kids earn points for eating a balanced and colorful meal (and no, Fruit Pebbles doesn’t count as a colorful meal). To win, kids collect 3 color cards, 1 protein card and at least 30 points. Why we love it: 5% of profits support children’s nutrition programs including Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution ($12.95, crunchacolor.com).
Fans of the frustrating 80’s toy Rubik’s Cube know that unless you were in Mensa, it was nearly impossible to get all the colored squares to match. Unless you peeled the stickers off and then you “won” the game. Not that we ever did that or anything.
Now, the Cube has gotten a whole lot cooler with Rubik’s Race, a fast-paced game where the object is to win the race to copy a random 3x3 square pattern of 9 colored squares by sliding the tiles on your side of the game base. It’s fun because you can play with a partner and it also has a Battleship vibe to it. It (almost) makes us want to break out the original Rubik’s Cube and play/peel again ($19.99, rubiks.com).
Whether they want to admit it or not, every parent knows that as your kids get older, your cool factor diminishes. Yes, it’s a proven fact. And no where is this more evident than in the book Crazy Things Parents Text. Written by two barely out of their teen years authors, Wayne Miltz and Stephen Miltz, the book is a riot of goofs and gaffs that parents make when trying to be cool (i.e. text their kids). Coming from a house where my mom could barely operate the Call Waiting, I LMAO at this book, and imagine all the ways that I will embarrass my own kids in the future with technology that I won’t be able to understand, either. I can’t wait ($10.99, amazon.com).
Even if you’re just dropping off your kids at the bus stop, you still want to look semi-decent. The Keratin PerfectPass Extra-Long Titanium Speed Styler makes styling fast and easy. It boasts 5” long and 1’ wide plates, which are perfect for smooth flyaways—and bedhead. Even cooler, hair holds its smoothness and style longer, thanks to a cutting-edge MCH technology that heats hair evenly from the inside out to prevent damage ($199, sephora.com).
All aboard for a wild ride on the Island of Sodor as Thomas and his engine friends deliver some Curious Cargo--from giraffes and cows to birds and bunnies! Thomas meets a tall challenge while taking a giraffe to the Sodor Wildlife Center, Percy learns to be gentle with the animals of Sodor and Belle and Toby discover the importance of listening to others. Join Thomas on his wildest adventure yet ($14.98, amazon.com).
Valentine's Day falls on a Tuesday this year, and for those who can't find a babysitter during the week--or worse, are too tired to go out after work/kids--vamp on your V-Day at home with Music & Cuisine: Manhattan. The CD features fun and flirty cocktail music, plus more than 20 recipes for a delish dinner to prepare with your sweetie. Listen to tunes such as "Manhattan by Night" as you sip your Big Appletini and dine on Crab-Stuffed Snow Peas and New York Cheesecake Squares. All the best of a romantic NYC night...right in your home ($14.00, amazon.com).
Enjoy some good clean fun with Timmy and his friends! Adventures with mud, glue and paint leave Timmy in some sticky situations. This clever little lamb uses his creativity to make tub-time fun and turn a paint fight into a masterfleece! Timmy cleans up and discovers the most fun of all is being with friends! Soak up the good times with Timmy...just don't forget to wash behind your ears and between your toes ($14.98, amazon.com).
Frances England's third album, Mind of My Own, is a darling little CD, full of sweet songs. The award-winning independent children's recording artist scores big points for its acoustic, indie-folk feel that is happy, joyful and kind.
The entire CD paints portraits of different parts of childhood that is relatable to both kids and their parents. We loved the track "Bicycle" and "Cookies and Milk." There's even a tune for the great Jacques Cousteau.
It's the kind of music you'd want as the soundtrack to your childhood.
Click below to hear Frances sing "Daddy-O." You'll be hooked.
It starts out innocent enough. Your pink-loving daughter loves dressing up in pretty gowns, plays with her dolls where the girl doll is swooning over the feats of the boy doll, and watches movies in which the princess in peril is always rescued by the handsome prince.
Have you been rescued by a prince lately?
Yeah, me neither.
And so is the battle cry of Princess Recovery: A How-To Guide to Raising Strong, Empowered Girls Who Can Create Their Own Happily Ever Afters ($21.95, amazon.com). Written by Jennifer L. Hartstein, PsyD, the book shows the dangers of letting little girls buy into the princess syndrome, where they value looks over smarts, and instead learn to build their own self-esteem based on good actions and intelligence. Each chapter highlights a Princess Symptom and a Heroine Value; instead of Entitlement, the Heroine values Hard Work...her own, that is.
Princess Recovery illustrates the point that girls can love all things girly, watch the fairy tales, but recognize them for just that--a fairy tale. So that one day, instead of a prince on a white stead showing up, it will be the princess herself showing up to become the self-confident Heroine she was always destined to be.
