Early Book Review: Parenting Advice to Ignore in Art and Life by Nicole Tersigni

Parenting Advice to Ignore in Art and Life by Nicole Tersigni is currently scheduled for release on August 22 2023. From the author of the Men to Avoid in Art and Life and Friends to Keep in Art and Life comes a collection of all-too-familiar unsolicited advice parents receive on the daily. From in-laws and other parents to complete strangers and even your own kids—when it comes to parenting, everyone's a critic. Against the classic backdrop of fine art, bestselling author Nicole Tersigni's Parenting Advice to Ignore in Art and Life pokes fun at the many "experts" who think they know more than you about your own children. Utterly (and unfortunately) relatable and hilarious as ever, Tersigni's spot-on captions provide a much-needed laugh for anyone who has had the pleasure of parenting and the pain of having a stranger tell you to put a hat on your baby. 

Parenting Advice to Ignore in Art and Life is a fun and entertaining read for parents, and a great gift for those expecting or planning on becoming parents. The pairing of the unwanted advise and comments with classic art is very well done and will be relatable to most if not all parents. I enjoyed the read and think it is well worth a look for a couple laughs and to bring home the fact that all parents get these kinds of comments, you are very far from alone in hearing any of these kinds of comments. 

Book Review: Fowl Language: Winging It The Art of Imperfect Parenting by Brian Gordon

Fowl Language: Winging It The Art of Imperfect Parenting by Brian Gordon is here to remind parents that they are not alone. Parenting is hard and often gross. Laughing about it helps. This comic collection offers readers a comprehensive view of the early parenting years in all of their maddening cuteness and sanity-depriving chaos. The book features some favorites as well as dozens of previously unpublished cartoons organized into 12 thematic chapters—including "Babies: Oh Dear God, What Have We Done?"; "Siblings: Best Frenemies Forever"; and "Sleep: Everybody Needs It, Nobody's Gettin' It". Each of these sections begins with an essay by Gordon.

Winging It is exactly what I was expecting, and then some. I have been a fan of Gordon's work for awhile and follow the related social media accounts. This means that I have seen some of the images before- but something about the style, humor, and honesty inherent in the comics never gt old for me. Too often I think parents are trying to act perfect, like they have it all together and know what they are doing. I have always felt like parents, myself included, are all just faking it and trudging ahead trying to do the best we ca for our families. I love seeing someone writing and drawing about feeling the same way. We all love our kids- but no matter how much love there is there will still be moments when selling them on Esty seems like a good idea. I think that being honest about having those moments is just as important for a parent's mental health and survival as facing the moments when they start pulling away and become more independent. There was a great deal that I related to in this collection- the sleep deprivation, picky eating, and sibling arguments most of all.  I think most parents can find something to relate to or laugh at in this book, and will enjoy the ride. 

Winging It is an enjoyable and relatable read for parents and caregivers. The combination of love and frustration that is parenting is captured with honesty and humor. 

Early Book Review: Simon and the Big, Bad, Angry Beasts: A Book About Anger by Ian De Haes

Simon and the Big, Bad, Angry Beasts: A Book About Anger by Ian De Haes is a children's book currently scheduled for release on April 26 2018. When Simon gets mad, he gets REALLY mad. So mad that big, bad, angry beasts appear. At first Simon loves having the beasts around to help scare off anyone who upsets him, but over time he realizes that no one wants to be around him or the beasts. This makes Simon sad, so he decides to try to still his mind and practice being calm. And the beasts disappear!

Simon and the Big, Bad, Angry Beasts is a book that offers children, teachers, parents, and other caregivers tools and language to talk about and deal with anger. On the surface the book is colorful and relatable, a story about a child that has used his anger to get his way, and enjoyed the release kicking and screaming could give. However, he discovers that the beast and behavior his anger brings out has made others avoid him. Simon needs to learn to cope with and express him anger in better ways. I like the imagery of the beasts to represent Simon's anger and the resulting behavior, and I loved the information and tools at the end of the book for the adults helping a child to cope with emotions. I loved the artwork, and think it will capture the attention and imagination of young readers. I think for a majority of children this book will be a helpful lesson. However, there are those with additional challenges to facing anger appropriately, and I was a little disappointed that there was no mention that some children (and adults) need more than awareness and mindfulness to deal with anger because of chemical imbalances or other issues. Unfortunately, while great tools for everyone to help, it is not the ultimate solution for everyone and that is not mentioned in the endpapers, at least not that I noticed in the advanced copy I read.

Early Book Review: Adventures in Veggieland: Help Your Kids Learn to Love Vegetables with 101 Easy Activities and Recipes by Melanie Potock

Adventures in Veggieland: Help Your Kids Learn to Love Vegetables with 101 Easy Activities and Recipes by Melanie Potock is currently scheduled for release on February 6 2018. It features a year’s worth of family-friendly recipes along with strategies for helping kids learn to become more adventurous eaters over time. Parents will learn how to introduce a new vegetable every week, plus creative and engaging ways to expose their kids to new foods. The book features 20 vegetables, organized by season, each with activities and recipes highlighting the program’s three phases to vegetable love: expose, explore, expand. The kids are involved in every part of the activity process from washing the vegetable to eating delicious food they helped make. 

Adventures in Veggieland: Help Your Kids Learn to Love Vegetables with 101 Easy Activities and Recipes is a valiant attempt to help parents with children that boycott vegetables to give them a try, and to have some fun along the way. I like that the book is organized by season, which makes getting started and planning that much easier. I like that some of the activities give the chance for kids to feel, taste, and smell the veggies before eating them even becomes part of the conversation. I also liked the idea of getting the kids involved in the preparation and cooking of the veggies. I find that being included in the work and discussion makes most kids more willing to give something a try. I can see how it can, and would, work with many children. I also see how parents that are willing to go to these strides are already on the path to kids willing to try and do new things. However, I feel like there are too many kids that this will not work with, such as those with sensory issues. Of course, that being said my daughter would adore these activities, and some of the recipes, while my husband and son would run in terror since my husband is not a veggie fan and my son is very sensitive to flavors and likes things as bland and boring as possible.  

In short, for those that are willing to go all out in getting their families to eat better, particularly in the vegetable department this would be a great addition to a home library. For those just looking for some tools to get a few more veggies, and break down some barriers, I would suggest borrowing the book from the library and trying the suggestions that might work in your home.

Book Review: Fowl Language: The Struggle Is Real by Brian Gordon

Fowl Language: The Struggle Is Real by Brian Gordon is a collection of comics about parenting, some were already published by Fowl Language online while some of it is brand new. Fowl Language is a comic for any parent or caregiver. The joy, frustration, wonder, and misery that are all part of caring for the next generation told via cartoon ducks. I follow the comic on Facebook, so I already had seen a few, but for some reason they never get old. 

Fowl Language: The Struggle Is Real is funny, sometime poignant, and almost always relatable. I love that Gordon includes the moments that we struggle with it all as well as the moments that make it all worth while. Anyone that enjoys the online comic will want to at least take a look at the book, but adding it to the home library might help get through the harder nights. This would also be a great gift to new or expecting parents, and those sending their kids out into the world on their own.