When you had your children, did you wish that they came with a manual?  Maybe the better question is who didn’t wish for that.  Now, no one has come up with an all inclusive version yet, but if you want one for naptime, the no cry nap solution is it!  I wish I had this book when my kids were born.  There is some great advice laid out in this book.  Even as a mom with two kids, I learned some things I didn’t know.  I love that they lay out exactly how much sleep your kids should be getting based on their age.  I love the chapter about what to do when you kid refuses to nap (where was this when Madison decided at 18 months she wasn’t going to nap anymore?!?!).  I love that the author does not guilt you into using every single method in the book.  It is often repeated that you need to do what works with your kids.

This is a book that every soon to be mom should read.  It definitely gives a lot of really good sleep advice that they can definitely use!

If your significant other likes to read and is somewhat technologically inclined, they will love How To be A Geek Goddess.  This book is written for a woman and they way we think (instead of the other way around which most things are done).  You can learn everything from how to buy a computer to fit your needs and budget, surf the web web, organize your fiances, keep family members safe from spyware, viruses, stalkers, and phishing scams and how to connect with friends, family, and anyone else you would like to meet online.

I found this book, so easy to read.  You really do find the author talking to you not at you.  You don’t have to have a Ph.d to figure out what she is talking about.  I even love how she talked about disaster preparation, and what you would do if a tornado, hurricane, or other natural disaster would hit your house.  How are you protecting your data?  Now, I had a hard drive fry out on my, so trust me when I agree with the author and say – backup, backup, backup!

Now, I found this book really helpful and a little below me for some of the things.  I would love to see it branch out for those of us who are a little more advanced, but still don’t know everything.  However, I still found it a great read and would recommend it to any woman in your life.

Rarely do I come across a book that inspires me just as much as my kids. However, Whats Your Red Ball is that book. This book is like no other book you’ve ever seen.  It is about how to overcome adversity and find your true passion.  As an adult, we all need to do this too, so this book, while geared at kids, can certainly get you thinking as an adult.  The author of this book, Kevin Carroll, went from an abandoned child with a love of sports to working for the Air Force, Philadelphia 76ers, and Nike.  His story, which is how the book starts, makes you want to be all you can be.  The book itself gives you the material to make your own “box of magic”.  This box is all about your gifts, your talents, your aspirations, your interests, and your hopes.  The rest of the book tells you how to figure out how to decorate and fill your box.  There are questions you need to answer and excercises you need to do, but by the end, you will have figured out whats your red ball.

Your age does not matter for this book.  At 31, I find inspiration in it.  This book is perfect for anyone who has lost their path in life and for those who are just finding it now.

Im Not Santa! is a cute book about a case of mistaken identity.  It takes a visit from the Jolly Old Man himself to sort this out.  This book is perfect for any little kids that have short attention spans.  It is simple and to the point.  The illustrations are great too.   I would actually say that this is more of a picture book than a story book.  This is under a series of books by the author.  Some other great choices would be Im Not Cute! and Im Not Scared!

Sugar Plum Fairies is a book the will resonate with little kids of all ages. It is about a little girl named Alexandrea Petrakova Johnson. She does not want to be a beautiful ballerina, and she does not want to leave her friends in Apple Creek. However, her mother feels differently and moves them to Harlem and enrolls her at the Nutcracker School of Ballet. Once at the school, she gets picked as the the Sugar Plum Fairy in the school recital! She’s a terrible dancer and has stage frights, so you will have to read the book to see how it ends!  Having moved 8 times before I was in second grade, I call tell you that this story is believable.  The illustrations are great too.  They truly add to the story.  This is the first book out of a series, and the author, Whoopi Goldberg, did a great job, because I want to read more!  This book is great for anyone who has moved around a lot (or is going to) and really any kids that are just trying to fit in.