Dr. Susan’s Fit and Fun Family Action Plan: 301 Things You Can Do Today by Dr. Susan Bartell
Sourcebooks, Inc. - September 1, 2009
Ages: Parents
Cautions: None

Kiwi Magazine Review:
I had a chance to speak to the ebullient Dr. Susan Bartell about her latest book and I was convinced that she not only knows her stuff, but really has the right approach to instilling lifelong lessons for making fitness a permanent part of family life. The advice is sound and grounded, eschewing fads for lifelong sensible solutions to eating right and exercising.

The information in the book is presented in well-organized and very digestible bites so parents can quickly track down specific, age-appropriate information for their kids.  The best part about the book is that Dr. Susan uses real situations to provide guidance for parents.  I read with vigor the section about the child who races through a meal, only to say she’s hungry 5 minutes after the dishes are cleaned up.

Everything from teaching kids about portions to making it easy to fit exercise into a busy schedule. For example, keeping a Frisbee in the car and taking the route that goes by the park make it easy to have an impromptu romp to have fun and get bodies moving.

Word of caution to parents: you actually have to set a good example by exercising and eating right, too! You’ll need to tune up, too, in order to keep up with your fit and fun family!

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Strength for Life: The Fitness Plan for the Rest of Your Life by Shawn Phillips
Ballantine Books - 2008
Ages - Adults
Cautions - None (but consult doctor before starting any programs!)
Resources: Downloadable free exercise trackers - http://www.mystrengthforlife.com/trackers.php

Kiwi Magazine Review:
On any given week, at least 5-6 nutrition, fitness, diet, lifestyle or exercise lands on my doorstep. I see celebrities on competing diet programs losing (and gaining weight). In short, if we all stepped back and looked at the sheer number of books, DVDs, programs and shows which tell us how to lose weight, it really is so overwhelming that it is no small wonder we are large as a nation. Each time I read a book, I have that feeling that the author is going to promise ‘this one is going to be the ticket to a) losing weight b) getting in shape c) magically transforming with as little effort as possible.’ Sound familiar?

You may know the book Body for Life by Bill Phillips, who is this author’s brother. The intro to this book is really authentic and specific: why can’t many of us sustain, maintain or even gain fitness?

This book is sensible, reasonable and offers no quick fixes or guarantees. It is a book that promotes strength-training exercises, but not in the mindless motions of just counting reps or monitoring amount of weight lifted. I can see taking this book in doses, trying small steps to accomplish specific goals and revisiting the advice frequently. The online tools are really helpful, and there is no fee to be a part of the community (which I really like). I felt very motivated and optimistic when I read this book, instead of that ‘here we go again’ mentality.

I just signed up for a cruise in August and I’m willing to try this book out.  I will not be a size 2 by then, but I know that this book only promises a smart approach to focusing on fitness, rather than promising a smaller dress size by cabbage, carbs or cardio alone!

From the author:
How Will Focus Change Your Life

Perhaps more than any other factor, it is the mastery of your focus-which precedes the mastery of your energy-that separates the average performers from the peak performers in life. The freedom to place your focused attention where you want it, when you want it, offers a competitive advantage in a world where the average attention span is measured in seconds, not minutes.

The result is an entirely new training experience that is at once more effective, refreshing, and engaging. And while for many men and women the superior effectiveness and excellent results is satisfaction enough, the real surprise inside is F.I.T.’s impact not just on the body but on your inner stateemotionally uplifting, strengthening your awareness and presence as well as bolstering your overall well-being. As you will see, F.I.T.’s deeply enjoyable flow state will transform not only your training but the rest of your life.

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Celebrate Green by Corey Colwell- Lipson and Lynn Colwell

Kedzie Press, 2008

Recommended readers- Adults

Cautions:

Publisher’s description:

Not only is this book bursting with tips and ideas for celebrating green, but it boasts recipes, craft projects, and actual facts! Yes! If you’re interested in the “why’s” behind their alternatives, you’ll find them. If you only want to figure out what the heck to get your mother-in-law for Christmas that will make her sing your praises to her son without costing you or the planet, it’s there too.

Celebrate Green! is sprinkled with personal anecdotes because, as amazing as it may seem, Corey and Lynn are real, live human beings. You get to meet, know and (hopefully) enjoy them through the book. And once you know them, you’ll begin to fall for their ideas even if you’re a bit skeptical at first. They don’t hit you over the head and make you feel like a complete eco-idiot for not jumping on your bicycle, and heading to the food co-op to stock up on a year’s worth of beeswax birthday candles. They simply offer you so many sensible, interesting, and creative ideas that you’ll find it hard to resist trying some of them.

KIWI Bookworm review:

The mother and daughter team offer a myriad of suggestions to green holiday décor, gifts and meals throughout the year. Instead of falling into old habits of mall dash then trash, the authors offer unique, low-impact ideas for every special occasion wrapped up in recycled paper and a repurposed bow.

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The Complete Compost by Barbara Pleasant & Deborah L. Martin
Storey, 2008
Recommended readers- Adults
Cautions:
Publisher’s description:
Turn the compost bin upside down with this natural Six-Way Compost Gardening System for keeping compost heaps right in the garden, rather than in some dark corner behind the garage. The compost and the plants live together from the beginning in a nourishing, organic environment. The authors’ bountiful, compost-rich gardens require less digging, weeding, mulching, and even planting. And here’s one of the best parts — no more backbreaking slogs from compost bin to garden. The authors even identify the plants that benefit most from compost and explain how the elements of a composted garden work together.
KIWI Bookworm review:
Turn your organic kitchen waste into gardening gold with this must-have guide to composting. This book is a complete how-to for all levels of composters and gardeners and emphasizes using the tools and materials you already have to enrich your garden. Let the worms do the work while you enjoy the fruits of their labor.
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Hey Mr. Green by Bob Schildgen
Sierra Club Books, 2008
Recommended readers- Adults
Cautions:
Publisher’s description:
Now the editors of Sierra magazine have distilled the best of “Mr. Green” into this enormously useful and entertaining book, organized for easy access: “At Home” offers tips on staying cool, cleaning up, and other domestic details; “Food for Thought” focuses on how to eat and drink better while spending less; “Out and About” covers getting around, fueling up, and enjoying the great outdoors; “The Three Rs” shows you how (and why) to reduce, reuse, and recycle almost everything; and “The Big Picture” considers how the environment, politics, religion, and other issues intersect—often at the dinner table.
Kiwi Bookworm Review:
The Sierra Club’s Bob Schildgen fields down and dirty questions from readers including whether to buy beer in bottles or cans (best to make your own beer or buy it in a keg) to proper use of your garbage disposal (use minimally – compost the organic waste instead). This book has humorous, but fact-based answers to all of your burning (gas grill or campfire?) questions.
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Goodnight Moon and Other Sleepytime Tales
HBO, 2005
Recommended viewers: Ages 2–6
Cautions:
Publisher’s description:
Everybody’s favorite bedtime story, “Goodnight Moon” comes to life on DVD for the very first time. Along with other beloved animated tales and lullabies, children and stars come together in a delightful exploration of the nighttime world. Children offer wise and witty reflections on a host of sleepytime topics, from the comfort of “blankies” to Native American dreamcatchers, from monsters and nightmares to the mysteries of dreamland.
Kiwi Bookworms review:
Susan Sarandon narrates the classic bedtime book Goodnight Moon. The 30-minute DVD also features the voices of Billy Crystal, Lauryn Hill, Tony Bennett and others. HBO has really produced a wonderful DVD with interviews with children interspersed with animation of song and story.  Lovely.

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Understanding and Managing Your Child’s Food Allergies by Scott Sicherer

The Johns Hopkins University Press, 2006

Recommended readers- Adults

Cautions-

Publisher’s description:

For children with food allergies, eating—one of the basic functions of life—can be a nightmare. Children who suffer or become dangerously ill after eating peanuts, seafood, milk, eggs, wheat, or a host of other foods require constant vigilance from caring, concerned parents, teachers, and friends. In this empathetic and comprehensive guide, Dr. Scott H. Sicherer, a specialist in pediatric food allergies, gives parents the information they need to manage their children’s health and quality of life. He describes why children develop food allergy, the symptoms of food allergy (affecting the skin, the gastrointestinal tract, and the respiratory system), and the role of food allergy in behavioral problems and developmental disabilities. Parents will learn how to recognize emergency situations, how to get the most out of a visit with an allergist, what allergy test results mean, and how to protect their children—at home, at school, at summer camp, and in restaurants. Informative, compassionate, and practical, this guide will be indispensable forparents, physicians, school nurses, teachers, and everyone else who cares for children with food allergies.

KIWI Bookworm Review:

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C is for Cooking: Recipes from the Street by Susan McQuillan

Wiley, 2007

Recommended Readers- 4-8

Cautions:

Publisher’s Description:

Introduce your kids to cooking…

with help from the Sesame Street gang!

Find more than 50 simple, tasty recipes for healthy breakfasts, lunches, dinners, sweets and treats,and more. Elmo, Cookie Monster, Grover, Ernie and Bert,Oscar the Grouch, Abby Cadabby, and more of your favorite friends from Sesame Street introduce the recipes and share food facts, letter and number activities, and other cooking fun.

All recipes include one or more “kids!” steps to get children involved in the kitchen.

KIWI Bookworm Review:

Nutritionist Susan McQuillan blends a Sesame Street flair with healthy family fare. Join the Cookie Monster as he creates simple meals and presents them in silly ways. Big Bird’s Spaghetti Pie, anyone?

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Review by Melissa Errico in Kiwi Magazine’s November 2008 issue:

Let Go, Toby Lightman (T Killa Music, 2008)

“Toby Lightman’s new album is a wonderful collection of energetic acoustic soul music to get your day started with pep. Tracks like ‘Let Go’ and ‘So Natural To Love’ are especially invigorating. I’ve performed with her a few times—Toby inspires listeners as she creates music from her heart.”  Visit Toby Lightman (who is a Cherry Hill, NJ native) at (www.myspace.com/tobylightman) to hear songs from this album.

Buy this CD on Amazon.com