Poster Brain (review and giveaway)

THIS GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED.
CONGRATULATION KIM!!

From the company: PosterBrain turns photos into gorgeous, full-size posters that will get a great reaction from anyone on your list. They do this overnight and for under $30 including shipping. Not only are they fast and inexpensive, but the quality is amazing. Consumers will receive a red-wrapped poster tube complete with a bow the next day on their door step or to the door of a loved one. What a great way to bring a smile and send a memory to those you love.

Posters Made Easy!

• Make a poster in 3 minutes - So easy it's fun!
• Use any photo (jpg, gif, png, tif, bmp - at least 1 megapixel).
• Premium quality prints - Beautiful satin finish, 200-year archival paper
• Printed & shipped within 24 hours - Same-day for orders placed by 2pm Eastern
• $4.99 flat-rate shipping - Any quantity of posters, anywhere in the US.
• 100% Satisfaction Guarantee - Unconditionally love your posters - or your money back.

My take: A personalized gift that's easy to order, inexpensive and is unconditionally guaranteed? Really, it's a no-brainer (pun intended) - Poster Brain makes the perfect gift - for the holidays and beyond! It was so easy to order my poster:

Step 1: Upload your photo.
Step 2: Choose your size (16" x 24" for $11.11 OR 24" x 36" for $24.99 OR 36" x 54" for $56.23)
Step 3: Checkout.

DONE! Just a week later the poster arrived on my doorstep and I immediately put it up in the kitchen:
PERFECT! I just love it!!! And everyone who has seen it has been impressed too. I'm thinking, what a great idea for Christmas gifts for my family...hmmmm...be sure to check out Poster Brain yourself!

The giveaway: One lucky winner will receive a code to make their own poster (including free shipping).

To win: Leave me a comment telling me who you would make a poster for if you win. Be sure to leave your email address with your comment if you are not a blogger or your email is not easily found on your blog. This giveaway is open until 11:59 p.m., EST, Monday, December 7, 2009. Good Luck!

Bonus entries: Get up to 6 extra entries for a total of 7 entries (please leave a separate comment for each extra entry):

• Blog about this giveaway (don't forget to leave the link in your comment)
• Twitter about this giveaway (leave link to your tweet in your comment)
• Subscribe to my blog via RSS or Email (see top left sidebar)
• Add my blog to your blogroll or my button to your sidebar (leave your website address for verification)
• On Technorati - click on this link, then on Fan or Fav (or use the green link on the top left sidebar)
• Follow me on Blogger (see top left sidebar)

This post was written for Poster Brain who provided the products for review and giveaway. I was not compensated in any way except for the complimentary product.

ebeanstalk.com

From Ebeanstalk: I received the following toy from ebeanstalk.com:

Solarscape Puzzle

Price: $14.95

Included with this order: Expert written Instruction Card and The Happy-Kid Guarantee (The ebeanstalk Happy Kid Guarantee: We are so confident in the toys we pick that if your toy is not age-appropriate or your child doesn't like the toy, return it to us within 30 days from the date of purchase for a refund. Happy?)

Age: 7 Year+ (Target Age: 7 Year)

Target Age: Children grow and learn at different speeds. This item can be enjoyed by younger and older children depending on their interests and abilities. The Target Age is the time most children START enjoying this toy, game or book as determined by our Child-Experts. Please be aware of small-part warnings when choosing toys for younger children.

Brand: Melissa and Doug

Description: This vibrant and eye-catching 100 piece floor puzzle is sure to become the center of attraction in any space. Featuring incredible graphics, high quality construction and impeccable detail, this Solarscape floor puzzle cannot be beat! The heavy-duty cardboard construction ensures that this puzzle will last, while the easy clean surface will keep this puzzle looking brand new. It′s hard to find good gifts for 7 year olds, but this toy is one of the best!

Features and Skills:

•What a great year the 7’s are. There a few milestones they may achieve and growing pains your typical 7-year-old may encounter.

•Hand-eye coordination is well developed, has good balance and can execute simple gymnastic movements, such as somersaults.

•Uses a vocabulary of several thousand words and is able to demonstrate a longer attention span.

•Uses serious, logical thinking, is thoughtful and reflective and is able to understand reasoning and make the right decisions.

•Begins to grasp that letters represent the sounds that form words.

•Takes direction well; needs punishment only rarely.

•Starts to feel guilt and shame.

•Initiate discussions about right vs. wrong.

My take: 'Tis the season for toy shopping, is it not? Well, at least it is for those with children on our list. And I'm not looking for just any toy for my kids. I want toys that are good for learning, education, and development and are durable, of high quality and age appropriate. Of course, my kids just want toys that are fun. That's where ebeanstalk comes in. This site is dedicated to selecting good, safe baby and kids toys. You can shop by BRAND, AGE, or CATEGORY. They even have a panel of experts to help you make your choices! Win - win: be sure to check out ebeanstalk yourself for all your holiday toy shopping this year - I know we will!

And as you can clearly see, my 7 year old absolutely loved the puzzle:

About ebeanstalk.com: As parents learn the benefits of educational toys, they naturally want to shop for new toys according to their child’s level of development. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to select toys with limited information available. The age level guides on boxes are much too broad to choose toys targeted to the specific age of your child.

It’s our mission to help parents select the best learning toys and baby gifts based on the age of the child. We offer a unique way to select the right learning toys for your child at every stage of development from birth to five years old. Toys are categorized to allow you to shop by age or further refine the search by category. Navigation is easy with the menu bar to the left of the page.

The baby toys and kids’ toys on our website have been selected by our team of specialists. The team includes experts in clinical psychology, speech-language pathology, physical therapy, pediatric occupational therapy and education, as well as over 700 mothers from across the country. They looked at over ten thousand toys to select the best development toys for babies and toddlers according to age.

Another problem parents often report is a lack of information about how to use toys with their children in order to provide the greatest benefit and have the most fun. Our team has developed instruction cards and graduated play ideas for each of our toys. Browse our website to find great developmental toys for your child. If you have any questions, please get in touch with us by phone, email or live chat.

This post was written for Ebeanstalk who provided the puzzle for review. I was not compensated in any way except for the complimentary puzzle.

K'Nex

From Wikipedia (what is K'Nex?): K'NEX is a brand name of a construction toy system invented by Joel Glickman, designed and produced by K'NEX Industries, Inc. of Hatfield, Pennsylvania, USA. Currently Michael Araten is the president of the organization. The name is, presumably, a phonetic variation of connects, and is pronounced the same way. The toys building system consists of interconnecting plastic rods and connectors, which can connect together to form all kinds of contraptions. K'NEX is a construction toy, and therefore in the same genre as LEGO, Fischertechnik and Meccano.

From Team Mom: It’s time to start building! K’NEX, the next generation of construction sets, is giving kids the chance to imagine, build and play! K’NEX inspires creativity, builds self-confidence and encourages interaction among children and parents. The possibilities are endless!

For ages 7 and above, K’NEX has created the 400 PCS Tub that comes with building ideas for 20 different models and a convenient storage tub. Kids can also use their imagination to build whatever they are inspired to create.

For ages 2-5, K’NEX has created the Sesame Street Neighborhood Collection Building Sets. These sets let children build and then play with their favorite Sesame Street friends, including Elmo, Cookie Monster and Ernie.

Bonus: K’NEX is also holding a Make a K’NEXion contest (11/4 - 12/7/09). You could win over $1,000 worth of K’NEX Toys and be featured on the KNEX.com web site. How? Make a video and include select K’NEX products (email entry to knexvideocontest@knex.com) . The possibilities are endless! Construct your own story or showcase your child’s K’NEX building skills - use your imagination! The 10 best videos will be featured on KNEX.com and the winning video will receive $1,000 worth of K’NEX Toys. Click here for all the details!!

400 Piece Value Tub

Age: 7+ Item Number: 12077B Price: $21.99


Loaded with 400 parts, including bricks, for lots of open-ended fun and endless building and play opportunities! Includes instructions and ideas for 20 models or use your imagination to dream up your own creations. The convenient storage tub means there is always a place to put your parts or take the fun with you wherever you go! For ages 7+.

Packed with 400 parts, including bricks, rods and connectors, for lots of open-ended building fun

Includes ideas/instructions for 20+ models or use your own imagination

Handy storage tub means you can take the fun with you and clean-up is easy

For ages 7+

NEIGHBORHOOD COLLECTION POLICE STATION BUILDING SET

Age: 2-5 Item Number: 85373 Price: $20.99

Officer Ernie reporting for duty! Your child will enjoy hours of fun building the SESAME STREET Police Station - plus the NEW smaller scale buildable Elmo and police officer Ernie - and creating his own Sesame Street neighborhood! Includes "Play & Learn" activity sheet and additional building ideas. Loaded with 44 parts to build the police station, Elmo, Ernie, a stop sign and traffic light. Pairs perfectly with the Neighborhood Collection Police Car for lots of building fun and after building play.

Your child can build a SESAME STREET Police Station!

Loaded with 44 parts, including 2 smaller scale buildable Elmo and Ernie

"Play & Learn" activity sheet with additional building ideasPairs perfectly with Neighborhood Collection police car

Collect all 4 Neighborhood Collection sets and your child can build his own SESAME STREET Neighborhood!

My take: Legos, puzzles and K'Nex. "These are a few of my favorite things...." Well, they are my 7 year old future architect's favorite things. He loves to build and create and K'Nex tubs are perfect for his skills and imagination. I first introduced him to K'nex back when I did a review for them last year. This time we received the two products you see above. I gave the tub to him and the Sesame Street police station to his 5 year old Elmo loving sister. As expected, they both loved, loved, loved these toys. Our son immediately set out to build another of his monster trucks and our daughter put together the police station with her dad's help and started playing with Elmo and Ernie. I think poor Elmo was arrested by Ernie all afternoon!

What do I, as a mom, like about these toys? I like K'Nex because they work with all the myriad of Legos my son has already so it's like one big building system for him. I also love the big storage tubs for easy clean up - I had to buy storage tubs for the Legos. I also love that what my son can build is only limited by his imagination! I like the Sesame Street Neighborhood Collection Building Sets because the parts are big and chunky so easy for my 5 year old to handle (she's not quite ready for the smaller Lego and K'Nex). I also like the Play & Learn activity sheets that come with the set so she can have even more fun and learn too!

All and all, you can't go wrong with K'Nex. Be sure to check out their site to see all their many, many fun products - Santa would be well advised to shop here this year!

This post was written for K'Nex and Team Mom who provided the products for review. I was not compensated in any way except for the complimentary products.

I am proud to be a member of Team Mom, which sponsored this review.

Glade Candles Holiday Collection

"Make Fragrance Your Centerpiece"

My take: There is no mistaking the time of year it is - Christmas and Chanukkah decorations are popping up everywhere. And if you are like our house, your lights are up outside and you've brought down the decorations to adorn your home. Every year, I buy new holiday candles as well - there is nothing that says Christmas to me quite like the scents of Christmas, especially the scent of a fresh cut pine (and since we have an artificial tree, I use candles to get that scent in the house). This year, I'll be getting Glade Holiday candles - they sent me 2 Bayberry Spice tins to check out from their Holiday collection and I just loved it (the scent wasn't too strong for my sensitive nose and it didn't bother anyone's allergies either). I can't wait to try out the rest of the line - who wouldn't? Just take a look at these delicious scents:

Bayberry Spice: Spice up any holiday moment with the scent of fresh bayberries, a sprinkle of ginger and a hint of cinnamon. The inviting fragrance will instantly welcome all your guests.

Homemade Gingerbread™: Few things are as welcoming as the fragrance of freshly baked holiday gingerbread. Create a joyful ambiance with the yummy scent of warm holiday goodies

Hollyberry Wreath: Walmart® exclusive - Winter's here! Brighten your home with the vibrant scent of fresh pine and red berries. Capture the spirit of the season with a fragrance that recalls the best of holidays past even while it becomes a memory for the holidays to come.

Peppermint Crush™: Exclusively at Target® - Invigorate your home with a candy cane-crisp scent of fresh holiday fun. It's a sweet way to celebrate a delicious season.

French Vanilla: Curl up and relax with the creamy richness of decadent French Vanilla. The subtle, spicy fragrance of the vanilla bean will make you feel warm inside, whether or not it's cold outside.

Apple Cinnamon : Feel right at home with the scent of fresh mulled cider and warm apple pie. Savor the essence of coming into a warm house after a day of winter wonderland fun. Discover more about the world of Apple Cinnamon

Bonus: Free Music Download with Purchase: Each Limited Edition fragrance purchase earns you one free holiday music download. Collect each Limited Edition fragrance for the best selection. View the terms & conditions.

About Scented Oil Candles: Glade® Scented Oil Candles contain a unique warming plate which melts the candle into a pool of scented oil wax, quickly releasing fragrance into the air to create a warm and relaxing atmosphere. When the oil is gone, the candle goes out, leaving no mess behind. Each candleholder is refillable with any Glade® Scented Oil Candles fragrance. Approximately 2–3 hours of burning time.

About the Tins: Glade® Scented Oil Candles Tins are an attractive way to quickly fill any room with fragrance. Each candle tin is portable and unbreakable, so you can now enjoy Scented Oil Candles in any place you choose, from your living room to your bathroom and kitchen. Each tin is refillable with any Glade® Scented Oil Candles fragrance.

This post was written for Glade who provided the item for review. I was not compensated in any way except for the complimentary product.

The review was sponsored by An Island Life;

I am proud to be part of Kailani's review team:

ProtectMyID.com by Experian

From the PR Firm: ProtectMyID.com is Experian’s newly-launched consumer-focused identity theft protection product. Identity theft criminals are becoming increasingly aggressive and sophisticated. In fact, reports of identity theft increased 22% from 2007 to 2008, affecting more than 10 million Americans last year! Everyone’s aware of the risks associated with identity theft, but not everyone is as informed on how to protect themselves, how to quickly identify fraudulent activities, or even know what to do if their information is in fact stolen.

To best protect its members, ProtectMyID.com provides daily monitoring of members’ credit reports, looks out for any change of address activities, and sweeps the Internet for any unsecured use of members’ credit/debit or Social Security numbers. Alerts are provided automatically, giving members an early warning system and more importantly, peace of mind.

My take: If you are reading this review, in all likelihood, you spend a lot of time online like I do. I recently took a vacation and was off line for a week - let me tell you, I felt like I was missing my right arm! And now that we are in the holiday season, I'll be doing more shopping online than usual. Does that make me nervous with regards to the safety of my credit card? You bet it does - we had our debit card number stolen by a waitress just a few months ago. But what can we, the average consumer do to protect ourselves and our credit that won't cost an arm and a leg? Well, let me tell you about ProtectMyID.com.

Experian came up with this cool service to help online consumers just like you and me. They provided me with a free one year membership so I could check it out (be sure to check the FAQ section for a detailed list of any questions you might have). Signing up was super easy and protection started immediately. Now every time I log into my account, I see the results from the three sections of my membership (luckily, nothing sinister has happened to me yet but I feel so much more secure knowing I have this in place):

1) DETECTION
a. Three-Bureau Credit Monitoring. What does credit monitoring have to do with identity theft? It has everything to do with it. If someone tries to open new accounts or lines of credit in your name it will show up on one, if not all of your credit reports. And if it does, we’ll send you an alert.
b. Internet Scan. We’ll scan every inch of the web, including chat rooms, to make sure no one is using your Social Security number, credit and debit card numbers on the web without your knowledge. Lucky for us that unlike people, numbers don’t lie.
c. Change of Address Monitoring. We also offer Change of Address alerts obtained via the change of address file supplied by the United States Postal Service®** or your various creditors, so if someone tries to steal your identity by redirecting your mail to a new address, you’ll know about it right away.

2) PROTECTION
a. Protect Your Cards. Lost Wallet. You are also protected should your credit or debit cards get lost, stolen or misused without your authorization. With Lost Wallet, you can call ProtectMyID.com if your cards are lost or stolen and we’ll help you cancel them. If our product fails, you'll be reimbursed for any stolen funds that your bank or credit card company is not responsible for.
b. Look After Your Family. ChildSecureSM You can’t always be there to watch your children, but we can. ProtectMyID.com now offers complete identity protection for your children. For a small additional monthly fee, you can help protect all your children from the growing threat of child identity theft.

3) RESOLUTION
a. Get Peace of Mind. We're Here For You If You Need Us. With other companies, you're on your own if you become a victim of identity theft or credit fraud. Not with ProtectMyID.com. Should you ever need one, we’ll assign you a dedicated Fraud Resolution Agent to act as your advocate and work closely with you and creditors to resolve any fraud issues and reclaim your good name.
b. Rest Easy. With a $1 Million Product Guarantee.In addition to identity theft resolution assistance, ProtectMyID.com is backed by a $1 Million Product Guarantee. If you become a victim of identity theft while enrolled in and using ProtectMyID.com, if our product fails we will reimburse you for certain identity theft expenses such as lost wages, legal fees and stolen funds not reimbursed by your bank or credit cards. Read the full Guarantee.

Cost details:

• 30 Day Free Trial (You will receive a free 30-day trial when you join ProtectMyID.com today. If you don't cancel your membership within the 30-day trial period, you will be billed $9.95 for each month that you continue your membership.)
• Price: $9.95
• Payment Frequency: Monthly
• Payment Methods: Credit card or debit card.
• Payment Policy: You may cancel your membership at any time.
  

About ProtectMyID.com: ProtectMyID.com is a leading, full-service provider of identity theft detection, protection and fraud resolution. We are passionate about helping our customers defend against identity theft and shielding them from the hassles and financial loss that can accompany this crime. Our U.S.-based team, which includes experienced Identity Theft Resolution Professionals, is dedicated to providing easy-to-use and convenient products as well as personal service that our customers can rely on. ProtectMyID.com is part of a family of online sites belonging to ConsumerInfo.com, Inc., an Experian company. ConsumerInfo.com, Inc. was founded in 1995 to give consumers quick, easy, and inexpensive access to their credit histories. It is now the leading provider of online consumer identity theft protection, credit monitoring, credit scores and credit reports to millions of U.S. consumers.

About Experian: Experian is the leading global information services company, providing data and analytical tools to clients in more than 65 countries. The company helps businesses to manage credit risk, prevent fraud, target marketing offers and automate decision making. Experian also helps individuals to check their credit report and credit score and protect against identity theft. Experian plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange (EXPN) and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 index. Total revenue for the year ended March 31, 2009, was $3.9 billion. Experian employs approximately 15,000 people in 40 countries and has its corporate headquarters in Dublin, Ireland, with operational headquarters in Nottingham, UK; Costa Mesa, California; and São Paulo, Brazil. For more information, visit http://www.experianplc.com/.

This post was written for ProtectMyID.com by Experian who provided the item (a free one year membership) for review. I was not compensated in any way except for the complimentary product.

The review was sponsored by An Island Life;

I am proud to be part of Kailani's review team:

Up!

Disney•Pixar’s Up (4 Disc Combo Pack with Digital Copy and DVD) [Blu-ray]

The #1 Animated Film of the Year! From the Creators of Finding Nemo and Monsters, Inc.Comes the Hilarious and Unforgettable Adventure

Actors: Edward Asner, Jordan Nagai, John Ratzenberger, Christopher Plummer, Bob Peterson
Directors: Bob Peterson, Pete Docter
Writers: Bob Peterson, Pete Docter, Thomas McCarthy
Producers: Andrew Stanton, Denise Ream, John Lasseter
Format: Animated, Color, Widescreen
Number of discs: 4
Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested) (Bonus Materials Not Rated in US)
Studio: Disney*Pixar
DVD Release Date: November 10, 2009
Pricing: Up has a suggested retail price of $39.99 SRP (US) or $44.99 SRP (Canada) for the 2- Disc DVD, and $45.99 SRP (US) or $52.99 SRP (Canada) for the 4-Disc Blu-ray Combo pack. A 1-Disc DVD is also available at SRP $29.99 (US), $35.99 (Canada)
Feature run time: 96 minutes
Languages: English, Canadian French, Spanish
Subtitles: French, Spanish

From the studio: An exhilarating, hilarious and heartfelt animated adventure comes home when Disney•Pixar’s Up arrives on Blu-ray™ Hi-Def and DVD on November 10, 2009 from Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment. Blending inspired whimsy with powerful emotion, the hugely successful feature film is an artistic and entertaining tour de force for the entire family. Up is available in a four-disc Blu-ray Combo Pack, and a two-disc DVD, which both include DisneyFile, a digital copy of the movie that can be viewed on an array of electronic devices, as well as enough bonus features that keep the fun coming.

Academy Award®-nominee Pete Docter (2008, Best Original Screenplay, WALL•E; 2001, Best Animated Feature Film, Monsters, Inc.) directs one of the funniest fantasy-adventures of all time featuring a gifted voice cast that includes Ed Asner (Elf), Christopher Plummer (Inside Man), Up co-director and writer Bob Peterson (Monsters, Inc.), Delroy Lindo (This Christmas) and John Ratzenberger (who has lent his voice to every Disney•Pixar feature film).

Up is the tenth in an unprecedented streak of critical and box office triumphs for Disney•Pixar that includes four Academy Award® winners for Best Animated Feature— WALL•E (2008), Ratatouille (2007), The Incredibles (2004) and Finding Nemo (2003)— as well as Cars, Monsters, Inc., Toy Story 2, A Bug’s Life and Toy Story. Up joined each of its predecessors in ranking #1 at the box office on its opening weekend.

BONUS FEATURES FOR UP
• Commentary by director Pete Docter and co-director Bob Peterson.
• Dug’s Special Mission – An all new original short film that follows the
misadventures of Dug as he attempts to complete his “special mission.” The
short is directed by Up Story Supervisor, Ronnie Del Carmen.



From the Home Entertainment Exclusive Short: Dug’s Special Mission
Dug in the Hole (Bonus)




• The Many Endings of Muntz – Many ideas were hatched about how to dispose
of the film’s arch villain, Muntz, and now viewers can see the many alternate
endings proposed during story development.
• Partly Cloudy –The hilarious short film that preceded screenings of Up.
Everyone knows that the stork delivers babies, but where do the storks get the
babies? The answer lies up in the stratosphere where the cloud Gus is a master
at creating “dangerous” babies, which prove to be more than a handful for his
loval delivery stork Peck. Directed by Pixar story artist, animator and voice actor
Peter Sohn.
• Adventure is Out There – This action-packed documentary tells the story of the
filmmakers’ own trek to the tepuis mountains of South America to research the
design and story of the film.

And, only on Blu-ray Hi-Def, hours of features, and behind-the scenes bonus features,
including:
• Cine-Explore – A visual montage of concept art, clips and documentary
coverage that illustrates the directors’ commentary.
• Geriatric Hero – A character study of Carl, from research to realization including
art and design, rigging, animation and story. It focuses on the issues of aging,
“simplexity”, shape-language and compelling character arcs.
• Canine Companions – For anyone who ever wondered where CG puppies
come from, an introduction to the design, behavior and language of dogs.
• Russell: Wilderness Explorer – A character study of Russell from inspiration
and design to finding the character arc and authentic voice for this wilderness
ranger.
• Our Giant Flightless Friend, Kevin – Find out how avian research and
development at Pixar helped bring a mythical, 13-foot tall iridescent bird to life.
• Homemakers of Pixar – Carl and Ellie’s house is an important “character” in the
film. Fans follow the development of the house from story to art to its ultimate
realization in the computer.
• Balloons and Flight – Carl’s house and Muntz's dirigible presented the
filmmakers with two different problems—how could they make a physical
impossibility possible? And, in the case of the dirigible, how would they unearth a
fallen giant and let it soar?
• Composing for Characters – Composer Michael Giacchino returns to score his
third Disney•Pixar feature film. See how the Up filmmakers collaborated with
Giacchino to create the memorable score and compelling musical themes.
• Married Life – The original story concept that became the powerful “Married Life”
scene, showing Carl and Ellie’s love story.
• Global Guardian Badge Game – Players try to locate countries, states and
capitals around the globe in a multi-layered BD-Exclusive geography game
enhanced by BD-Live.

Synopsis: Walt Disney Pictures and Pixar Animation Studios take moviegoers up, up and away on one of the funniest adventures of all time with their latest comedy-fantasy. Up follows the uplifting tale of 78-year-old balloon salesman Carl Fredricksen, who finally fulfills his lifelong dream of a great adventure when he ties thousands of balloons to his house and flies away to the wilds of South America. But he discovers all too late that his biggest nightmare has stowed away on the trip: an overly optimistic 8-year-old Wilderness Explorer named Russell. Their journey to a lost world, where they encounter some strange, exotic and surprising characters, is filled with hilarity, emotion and wildly imaginative adventure.

My take: We first saw Disney•Pixar’s Up in the movie theatre and in my humble opinion, I believe this movie just may be the best EVER Pixar movie. I should know - I've seen every Pixar movie ever made and am amazed at how much the technology has progressed. Now before I went to see this particular movie, I was warned by some friends to bring tissues - they said I'd cry. And cry I did at various parts of the movie as the relationship between Carl and his wife Ellie is explored. When you see him left all alone I pretty much lost it (having been widowed, I pretty much lose it fairly easily when someone else loses their spouse, either in the real world or on film). After that, the only way forward, literally, was "up." Carl decides to go ahead and go on his and Ellie's life long dream of an adventure to South America and the imminent takeover of his home by a "big developer" provides the perfect impetus. A zillion balloons later he is off, with an inadvertent stowaway (Russell) in tow.

The casting was spot on - Ed Asner is PERFECT as the grumpy Carl and Christopher Plummer as the demented Muntz is one great villain! My favorite character though was Dug, as "an endearingly dim golden retriever fitted with a voice box" - that is why my favorite "extra" was the piece called "Dug’s Special Mission" where he gets the chance to be a hero! The Many Endings of Muntz was pretty neat too (who knew so many endings are considered when making a movie??) as was "Partly Cloudy" - another cool Pixar short (I don't have a Blu-Ray player so I can't comment on those extras). All in all, Disney•Pixar’s Up is one of the best family movies we have seen all year. If you've not been lucky enough to watch it yet, be sure to pick up your copy today (it would make a perfect stocking stuffer!)

About the studio: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment, a recognized leader in the home entertainment industry, is the marketing, sales and distribution company for Walt Disney, Touchstone, Hollywood Pictures, Miramax and Buena Vista product, which includes DVD, Blu-ray Disc™ and electronic distribution. Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment is a division of The Walt Disney Studios.

This post was written for Click Communications who provided the movie for review. I was not compensated in any way except for the complimentary DVD.

Robot Zot!

Robot Zot! (Hardcover)

by: Jon Scieszka (Author), David Shannon (Illustrator)
List Price: $17.99
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Hardcover: 40 pages
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing (September 22, 2009)
Language: English

Product Description: From the minds of Scieszka and Shannon comes a tale of a quixotic robot determined to conquer the earth. The only problem is that the earth he lands on is a suburban kitchen and he is three inches tall. Robot Zot, the fearless and unstoppable warrior, leaves a trail of destruction as he encounters blenders, toasters, and televisions. But when he discovers the princess...a pink cell phone...his mission takes a new course. Robot Zot must learn how to be a hero - in the name of true love.

My take: We discovered David Shannon a few years ago with his "No, David!" book and have quickly collected just over half of his books now (ones he wrote and ones he illustrated), including my 7 year old's favorite, "How I Became a Pirate." So I was excited to get Robot Zot! to review. One of the reasons we are reading so much of David Shannon's books right now is because they are perfect for my early reader - with limited dialogue, the books are less intimidating to him so he loves to read them himself. And the colorful illustrations entice my 5 year old to "read along" with him. Robot Zot! is a perfect addition to our David Shannon library - it's a simple story that's fun too - and what self respecting 4 - 8 year old doesn't like robots?! It's a perfect holiday gift for your little reader.

About the Author: Jon Scieszka is the creator of Trucktown and the author of The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs!, the Time Warp Trio series, Caldecott Honor Book The Stinky Cheese Man, and many other books that inspire kids to want to read. He has worked as an elementary school teacher and is the founder of a literacy initiative for boys (www.guysread.com).

About the Illustrator: David Shannon has written and illustrated numerous award winning picture books including Duck on a Bike, the Caldecott Honor Book No David!, How I Learned to be a Pirate, and Good Boy Fergus. He is also one of the collaborative illustrators in Jon Scieszka's Trucktown series. David lives with his wife and his daughter in Los Angeles.

This post was written for Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing who provided the product for review. I was not compensated in any way except for the complimentary product.

Circle of Friends (review and giveaway)

THIS GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED.
CONGRATULATIONS "ARLA!!"

Circle of Friends®

From Circle of Friends®: Circle of Friends® was founded and nurtured by the world's great experts on children: moms. Since its inception, the mission of Circle of Friends® was to create a professional hair, bath, and body line for children, while introducing them to a world of styles and cultures.

At Circle of Friends® we believe that children deserve products designed for their special hair and bath needs, as well as ones that challenge their active minds. To achieve this goal, we carefully craft each product, using only the highest quality ingredients, such as exotic botanical extracts, natural elements, and enchanting fragrances, and bottle these magical formulas in a playful "kid friendly" package. And Circle of Friends® products are always safe and gentle, packed full of vitamins and proteins, and are never tested on animals!

Of course, it's one thing to have superior salon performance products; it is quite another getting our kids to the bath or shower to use them. Circle of Friends® discovered an enlightening way to get kids fashionably clean.

Our secret? Circle of Friends® bottles each depict a character-or friend-from a different part of the world. Colorfully illustrated, this friend lends his or her name to each product and offers a short story on the back. The story talks about the life of the character in his or her country, punctuated with fascinating facts about where he or she lives and what he or she does for fun.

And kids can continue their dialogue with their "friends" via our Web site: www.circle-of-friends.com. It features many interactive games and our monthly Kid United Newsletter-full of entertaining and informative tales that show that underneath our appearance and culture, we're really all the same. Plus our Web site has plenty of useful tips for parents about our products and their use.

Children are our business-in a diversity of ways. So at Circle of Friends® we are not only strongly committed to fostering understanding and tolerance through our engaging educational programs, but also to supporting children's educational and charitable organizations by sponsoring child related events and fund raisers.

This is just the beginning of the Circle of Friends® adventure. One we hope will open many new doors to "expressing a world of style" with our innovative and ever evolving product line and encourage an appreciation of the cultures of our global village.

My take: I first discovered Circle of Friends when I was lucky enough to do a review for them two years ago. This time I'm checking out their line of organic products:

Organics Shampoo and Body Wash Organics Shampoo and Body Wash 8oz $13.00
Our gentle, tearless shampoo and body wash leaves hair feeling soft and manageable, while helping dry, sensitive skin feel clean and soothed. It contains vitamins A & E and soothing extracts of aloe vera, calendula, chamomile, evening primrose, lavender and Echinacea. The extra-sensitive formula is free of synthetic fragrance, dyes and common allergens.
Recommended for babies, children and adults with sensitive skin.
Recommended for: Infants, Children and Adults with eczema or sensitive skin.

Organics Calming Cream Organics Calming Cream 4 fl oz $13.00
Our non-greasy cream contains a high level of vitamin A to help fortify the skin’s natural water-barrier properties. It also contains soothing extracts of aloe vera, calendula and chamomile and vitamin E. The extra-sensitive formula is free of synthetic fragrance, dyes and common allergens. Recommended for babies, children and adults with sensitive skin.

Organics Cooling Spray Lotion Organics Cooling Spray Lotion 8oz $13.00
Our light, non-greasy moisturizing lotion gives immediate relief to, and helps comfort and cool dry, irritated, itchy skin. It contains vitamins A & E and soothing extracts of aloe vera, calendula, chamomile, evening primrose oil and cooling menthol. The extra-sensitive formula is free of synthetic fragrance, dyes and common allergens. Recommended for babies, children and adults with sensitive skin.

My kids have suffered from eczema in varying forms of severity ever since birth. Their skin is also sensitive, as is mine. So we are always on the look out for bath and body products that not only work, but that won't hurt our skin either. Circle of Friends' Organic Line does just that. The shampoo smells wonderful, kind of like citrus to me and cleans without being harsh. The spray lotion is great for after bathing - it really locks in moisture without being irritating. But let me tell you about my most favorite product in the line - the Organics Calming Cream Organics Calming Cream - we received this product right when my daughter had a tiny eczema breakout behind her ears and with just a few days of the calming cream, it has disappeared. That's quicker than our prescription lotion! Now I have no idea how well it would work on a large breakout but for this small one, it was wonderful. Our daughter loves the smell on it too - not a hint of a medicine smell. So if you have sensitive skin, or other skin problems, be sure to give Circle of Friends' organic products a try!

Bonus: Use discount code: CPA20 for 20% off the webstore - I know we'll be using this code - their Chocolate Toothpaste is the ONLY toothpaste my daughter will use!

The giveaway: One lucky reader will win an entire set of the Organics line!

To win: Head over to Circle of Friends® and come back here and tell me the name of a product they carry that is not mentioned in the review above. Be sure to leave your email address with your comment if you are not a blogger or your email is not easily found on your blog. This giveaway is open until 11:59 p.m., EST, Tuesday, November 24, 2009. Good Luck!

Bonus entries: Get up to 6 extra entries for a total of 7 entries (please leave a separate comment for each extra entry):

• Blog about this giveaway (don't forget to leave the link in your comment)
• Twitter about this giveaway (leave link to your tweet in your comment)
• Subscribe to my blog via RSS or Email (see top left sidebar)
• Add my blog to your blogroll or my button to your sidebar (leave your website address for verification)
• On Technorati - click on this link, then on Fan or Fav (or use the green link on the top left sidebar)
• Follow me on Blogger (see top left sidebar)

This post was written for Circle of Friends® who provided the products for review and giveaway. I was not compensated in any way except for the complimentary products.

iso-active Foaming Gel (review & giveaway)

THIS GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED.
Unfortunately, the winners never responded.

From the PR Firm: A recent survey found that less than half (46%) of Americans feel that their toothpaste is very effective at cleaning between their teeth and only 52% feel their current oral care routine is very effective at removing bacteria.

The good news is that advances in toothpaste technology offers hope for Americans’ oral health. iso-active Foaming Gel has a revolutionary delivery system that disperses active ingredients quickly, penetrating those hard-to-reach areas of the mouth, allowing for overall oral health.

Here are just a few things that set iso-active apart from other toothpastes:
· It’s a first-of-its-kind toothpaste that’s delivered in a novel canister format
· It starts as a gel and then turns into a foam as it reacts with increases in temperature caused by the warmth of the mouth
· It generates twice the foam as ordinary toothpaste, which spreads active ingredients around the mouth reaching between the surfaces of the teeth and hard-to-reach areas of the mouth to provide a whole mouth clean.

“With 40 percent of the tooth surface in between the teeth, it is important that we are getting in those hidden areas of the mouth to achieve overall oral health,” says Dr. Kourosh Maddahi, a nationally recognized, Beverly
Hills-based dentist. “The unique foaming action and advanced delivery of iso-active ensure my patients are getting in to those hard-to-reach areas for a deeper clean.”

Iso-active is a first-of-its-kind toothpaste, delivered in a novel canister format with a gel-to-foam action. The toothpaste is dispersed from the canister as a gel and turns to foam in the mouth as a result of an ingredient called isopentane. Isopentane responds to increases in temperature caused by the warmth of the mouth. This relatively small increase in temperature causes the isopentane ingredient to evaporate which stimulates the enhanced foaming action of the product.

“The rich active foam that is produced when iso-active reacts with the warmth of the mouth is a new technology never used before in the oral health care category,” says David Urquhart, Principal Scientist of New Product Development at GlaxoSmithKline. “GSK is committed to being a leader in oral health care to provide consumers with innovative ways to best maintain their oral health care regimen.”

Iso-active is now available in both Aquafresh® and Sensodyne®. Aquafresh iso-active Whitening (click on that link for a $1 coupon) removes three times more bacteria than ordinary toothpaste. Sensodyne iso-active provides all around protection and sensitivity relief for those who experience tooth sensitivity (click on this link for a Sensodyne $1 coupon)

My take: To be honest, this toothpaste took some time to get used to. It is nothing like any toothpaste I've ever used. When the gel turns into foam, it felt like shaving cream in my mouth (you know, just like how our shaving cream gel turns to foam). Luckily, it doesn't taste that way! It tastes just like your "normal" Aquafresh and Sensodyne toothpaste.

So what did I like about it? Well, my teeth really do feel cleaner - combined with flossing, I don't think there is any area of my teeth that doesn't get clean with iso-active Foaming gel in my teeth-cleaning regiment. I like the canisters too because it saves my husband and I from the "who squeezed the toothpaste tube in the middle again" arguments (obviously we know the answer to that one but let's not get into that :-) Of course, only my dentist will be able to say if my teeth are benefiting from the new gel, but I'm willing to bet they are. iso-active Foaming Gel is definitely going to be on my shopping list from now on.

The giveaway: Two lucky winners! Each will receive either an Aquafresh iso-active or Sensodyne iso-active foaming gel full-size sample. I also have a bunch of $1.00 coupons to anyone who leaves me a comment that they want one.

To win: Leave me a comment telling me what toothpaste you use now and why you want to try iso-active Foaming Gel instead (and which of the two prizes you'd want if random.org chooses your number). Be sure to leave your email address with your comment if you are not a blogger or your email is not easily found on your blog. This giveaway is open until 11:59 p.m., EST, Monday, November 23, 2009. Good Luck!

Bonus: Get up to 6 extra entries for a total of 7 entries (please leave a separate comment for each extra entry):

• Blog about this giveaway (don't forget to leave the link in your comment)
• Twitter, Stumble or Digg this giveaway
• Subscribe to my blog via RSS or Email (see top left sidebar)
• Add my blog to your blogroll or my button to your sidebar (leave your website address for verification)
• On Technorati - click on this link, then on Fan or Fav (or use the green link on the top left sidebar)
• Follow me on Blogger (see top left sidebar)

About the Survey: An online national survey about oral health care habits was fielded among 1,078 U.S. adults (ages 18 and above) in April-May 2009 by Richard Day Research, conducted on behalf of GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare.

About GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare: GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare is one of the world’s largest over-the-counter consumer healthcare products companies. Its more than 30 well-known brands include the leading smoking cessation products, Nicorette® and NicoDerm®CQ®, and Commit®, as well as many medicine cabinet staples -- alli®, Aquafresh®, Sensodyne®, and TUMS® -- which are trademarks owned by and/or licensed to GlaxoSmithKline Group of
Companies.

About GlaxoSmithKline: GlaxoSmithKline – one of the world's leading research-based pharmaceutical and healthcare companies – is committed to improving the quality of human life by enabling people to do more, feel better and live longer. For company information visit: http://www.gsk.com/

This post was written for GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare who provided the item for review and giveaway. I was not compensated in any way except for the complimentary product.

Softsoap® BRAND body wash collection

From the PR Firm: Now that summer is over, dry skin season is in full effect. Softsoap® BRAND body wash collection has just what you need to keep your skin moisturized and glowing with high-end ingredients typically found in expensive beauty products. But, instead of breaking the bank, for less than $5 Softsoap® Body Wash is an affordable luxury that offers the advanced skin care benefits typically found in more costly treatments.

Softsoap Nutri Serums - The first body wash infused with nutrient rich softening Serum Pearls that help keep skin nourished and healthy. Restoring with Vitamin E and Moisture Retaining with Omegas 3 & 6, the Serum Pearl technology delivers a concentrated dose of essential nutrients (like shea butter and flax seed protein) and hydrators for a beauty boosting effect.

· As you age, Vitamin E production slows, leading to the breakdown of collagen and elastin, which help keep your skin tight. Vitamin E helps restore and protect against contaminants that can cause damage.

· Omegas 3 & 6 are essential fatty acids that are known to help preserve skin’s protective layer and maintain moisture.

Why Body Wash? What are the benefits of body wash versus bar soap? Body washes have a lower PH level than bar soaps and therefore are milder to the skin than bar soap. Also, body wash is proven to retain 30 percent more of skin's natural moisture versus ordinary bar soap. Many consumers find body wash to be more convenient since there is no messy bar to deal with, and some consider it more sanitary because more than one person can use it, each with their own pouf or washcloth. Others love to use body wash as a way to invigorate the senses through fragrance.

My take: I'll tell you upfront I was already a fan of Softsoap® BRAND products before doing this review. I have Softsoap® liquid hand soap at every sink in the house and Softsoap® body wash in my shower. In my humble opinion, you can't beat the value - a great product at a great price. So I was excited to get to try out their new product, Softsoap Nutri Serums. And it did not disappoint. I was sent the two bottles pictured above to test and I'm thinking this may be the only body wash I get from now on. The scents are pleasant, light and not overwhelming to my allergies. The texture is so creamy - kind of like baby oil and soft soap combined - but doesn't leave your skin oily at all, just soft and clean. It's great for lathering up and even does well for shaving in a pinch. And I like that the Vitamin E and Omegas 3 & 6 will help with the anti-aging and hydrating process (see above) ; I don't know about you but I'll take all the help I can get in that department. Softsoap Nutri Serums - check it out for yourself, you'll be glad you did.

This post was written for Softsoap® who provided the item for review. I was not compensated in any way except for the complimentary product.

The review was sponsored by An Island Life;

I am proud to be part of Kailani's review team:

Miley Cyrus Yearbook 2010: Star of Hannah Montana and More!

Miley Cyrus Yearbook 2010: Star of Hannah Montana and More!

by: Posy Edwards
Reading level: Ages 9-12
Hardcover: 64 pages
Publisher: Orion (October 6, 2009)
Language: English
$12.95 US$16.95 Canadian
Hard
all in color
8 1/2 X 10 7/8

From the publisher: With this superfun annual at hand, Miley’s millions of followers will be busy all year round! It’s got the latest info, pics, and news on the popular tween star, along with puzzles, games, and other Cyrus-centered activities. Design a red carpet dress for the MTV awards or a wardrobe for Hannah Montana, and discover Miley’s tips for becoming a singing sensation! Includes an exclusive MILEY/HANNAH calendar poster with important dates already noted.

My take: Let me tell you right off, I'm not a Miley Cyrus fan per say. Nor am I a Hannah Montana fan (though I have been known to listen to the Hannah Montana soundtrack over, and over *ahem*). But them, as a 38 year old mother of two, I'm not exactly her target audience. My 5 year old daughter? That's another story - she is a HUGE fan. So I knew I had to get this book for her. First off, this book is chock full of pictures of Miley, her family, her show on Disney and from the stage. It details her road to fame, the seasons on the Hannah Montana show ("Miley's Favourite Episodes") and fun stuff like crossword puzzles and a "how to" for duplicating her makeup! There are pages about her dogs and horses, and the boys in her love life. In short, anything and everything you want to know about Miley Cyrus and her alter ego Hannah Montana. This book is a must for fans!

About the author: Posy Edwards is the author of Hello Beautiful: The Jonas Brothers (Orion, 2008), Zac Efron Annual 2009 (Orion, 2008), Zac Efron: Me and You (Orion, 2007), Miley Cyrus Yearbook 2009 (Orion, 2008), and Miley Cyrus: Me & You (Orion, 2008).

This post was written for Sterling Publishing who provided the book for review. I was not compensated in any way except for the complimentary book.

Crocodile Tears: An Alex Rider Adventure (#8)

Crocodile Tears: An Alex Rider Adventure (#8)
by: Anthony Horowitz
List Price: $17.99
Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 388 pages
Publisher: Philomel (November 17, 2009)
Language: English

From the publisher: The Alex Rider Adventures by Anthony Horowitz have already spent over a year on the New York Times best seller list and sold 12 million copies in English alone, with sales of over 5 million in the US . The next installment of this flagship action series for boys Crocodile Tears: An Alex Rider Adventure (#8) by Anthony Horowitz will be published on November 17, 2009 followed by a 10-day national tour by Anthony Horowitz and tween boys just can’t wait. There is an announced first printing of 350,000 copies.

This past July, Nicholas Kristof of the New York Times included the Alex Riders Adventures on his “The Best Kids’ Books Ever” list: “These are modern British spy thrillers in which things keep exploding in a very satisfying way. Alex amounts to a teenage James Bond for the 21st century.” Since day one, tween boys have been gobbling up each thrilling chapter in the life of Alex Rider and as a result, Alex has even made it onto the radar of Stephen King. The Los Angeles Times lauded Anthony Horowitz as having an “Ian Fleming-esque talent for dreaming up timely, imaginative, and far-out plots.”

Alex Rider is a reluctant teenage spy who works for Britain ’s MI6 and unlike James Bond, does not have a license to kill. Instead, he uses his wits and cool gadgets to incapacitate the bad guys. Crocodile Tears: An Alex Rider Adventure (#8) feels ripped from the headlines, with a charity broker con artist raising millions of dollars in donations, only to invest them in a form of genetically modified wheat that has the power to release an airborne strain of virus so powerful, it can knock out an entire country in one windy day – a catastrophe so far-reaching that it would raise millions of dollars more in charitable donations, all of which would be embezzled by one man. The antidote? Alex Rider, of course, who survives gunfire, explosions, and hand-to-combat with mercenaries – just another day in the life of an average teen super-spy kid.

My take: More and more I'm thinking the Y.A. (young adult) fiction I'm reviewing is better than most ADULT fiction out there lately. I also thinking "where the heck were these books when I was growing up?" And at the very least, I'm thinking about when I can get myself to the bookstore to get the Alex Rider Adventures Books 1 - 7!

Not that you need them to read and enjoy Crocodile Tears: An Alex Rider Adventure (#8). This book stands alone just fine. In fact, I had never even heard of the Alex Rider series before I laid my hands on Crocodile Tears and I just loved, loved, loved it! The book is jam packed with action-action-action! Comparing Alex Rider to James Bond (abet a teenage-James Bond) is a perfect description. Actually, I had a hard time thinking he is only a teenager, what with his skills, poise and intelligence. This was another book I really had a hard time putting down. It was a few late nights to finish it up but it was well worth the loss of sleep. If you or anyone in your family loves adventure, be sure to snatch up this novel - it may be targeted at tween boys but let me tell you, it has appeal across a broad spectrum of ages and gender.

About Anthony Horowitz: Anthony Horowitz (www.anthonyhorowitz.com) is a world-renowned screenwriter for television and film, a playwright, and the author of the #1 New York Times best selling Alex Rider Adventures. Crocodile Tears is the eighth title in this blockbuster series, which has also spawned a major motion picture and a line of graphic novels. Anthony lives in London with his wife Jill, and their two sons, Nicholas and Cassian.

Alex Rider’s Official Site: http://www.alexrideradventures.com

Alex Rider on MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/alexrideradventures
Anthony Horowitz’s Official Site: http://www.anthonyhorowitz.com

About Penguin Group USA : Penguin Group ( USA ) is the U.S. affiliate of the internationally renowned Penguin Group. Penguin Group (USA) is one of the leading U.S. adult and children’s trade book publishers, owning a wide range of imprints and trademarks including Berkley Books, Dutton, Frederick Warne, G. P. Putnam’s Sons, Grosset & Dunlap, New American Library, Penguin, Philomel, Plume, Puffin Books, Riverhead Books and Viking, among others. The Penguin Group is part of Pearson (FTSE: PSON ; NYSE: PSO ). Pearson is an international media company with market leading businesses in education, business information and consumer publishing. For more information, visit www.pearson.com.

This post was written for Penguin Group USA who provided the book for review. I was not compensated in any way except for the complimentary book.

The review was sponsored by An Island Life;

I am proud to be part of Kailani's review team:

Madeline from Kids Preferred™ (review and giveaway)

THIS GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED.
CONGRATULATIONS ANITA!

From the PR Firm: Have your kids discovered the precocious redheaded schoolgirl, Madeline, yet? This year marks the 70th anniversary of the release of Ludwig Bemelmans' beloved children's story, Madeline. Kids Preferred, a leading plush manufacturer is celebrating this milestone anniversary with plush Madeline characters and, of course, plush Genevieve characters (Madeline's trusty pooch) too!

The online buzz about what’s in and who’s out changes just about every day. That’s why it’s so refreshing to (re)discover an "IT" girl who’s been around for 70 years and still looks precocious and sweet! This year’s buzz is all about Madeline, a little French girl in a signature blue coat, who made her debut in a 1939 storybook. She quickly captivated boys and girls with an illustrated tale of spunk, determination and compassion.

Kids Preferred, one of the leading plush manufacturers, scooped up the literary license from the pages of Ludwig Bemelmans’ classic tale and created several huggable versions of the precocious redhead for specialty and toy stores – one that’s right for every budget and home. This month they launch three exclusive designs for Toys R Us and http://www.tru.com/ shoppers plus introduce their line of dolls and books to e-tailers http://www.liveandlearn.com/ and http://www.ticatoys.com/.

Moms and grandmas (and great-grandmothers!) recall the story of Miss Clavel who oversees the education of 12 little girls, the littlest of whom is the mischievous Madeline. Madeline's daily adventures in late 1930s France show her with her friends in a Paris boarding school breaking bread, brushing their teeth, going for a walk in two straight lines and then, somehow, inevitably, falling into a wild adventure. Each storybook shows Madeline's bravery and kindness, especially in the face of adversity.

Designed exclusively for Toys ‘R Us, Madeline and her pup Genevieve are offered in 3 new forms. Each can be purchased in TRU stores or online only at http://www.tru.com/:

Soft Talking Madeline • Ages 3+ • $24.99
This bilingual gal stands 17” tall and speaks both French and English to who ever hold her. Lucky little ones who press the hands of this Madeline will quickly learn four French phrases. Ooh la la!

Madeline in PJs • Ages 1+ • $14.99
When it’s time for bed, take along this soft version of the literary heroine dressed in her custom printed pink pajamas with matching bunny slippers. Madeline stands 14” tall.

Madeline & Genevieve Beanie • Ages 1+ • $6.99
Say bon jour to Madeline in her bright yellow coat and hat and Genevieve. Both are sized in a take-along beanie that measures 8” and is made of oh-so-soft plush.

Kids Preferred has also designed a 70th Anniversary (1939–2009) Madeline plus a dressable and beanie version. Complete the journey to Paris with a copy of her original books. All are available online at www.liveandlearn.com and www.ticatoys.com and local specialty stores nationwide:

70th Anniversary Madeline • Ages 3+ • $30
Winner of Fall 2009 National Parenting Center Seal of Approval
Packaged in a see-through can bag with a pink rope handle, this limited edition collector’s doll is dressed in a delft blue dress adorned with famous Parisian locales from the original book. Madeline’s beautiful red hair is tied on one side with a satiny blue bow. Note her lace-trimmed dress with blue accents. It’s hard to believe anyone dressed so sweetly might wind up in a bit of mischief. With a bright smile, this plush pose-able doll is sure to be a constant companion. Madeline stands 13.5” tall.

Dressable Madeline • Ages 3+ • $30
Winner iParenting Media Award for its Greatest Products 2008
Packaged in a see-through can bag with a white rope handle, Dressable Madeline wears her signature blue school coat with a yellow hat and stands 13.5” tall. Kids Preferred incorporates little details like Madeline’s lace anklet socks, black striped lapels and black coat buttons. Separate outfits will become available this fall!

Madeline Beanie • Ages 3+ • $12
Kids Preferred are known as the plush experts and this soft doll is just the right size to carry across town or tuck under the covers. Madeline is adorned in her blue school coat and yellow sailor hat. This little Madeline measures 9” tall.

Genevieve Beanie • Ages 3+ • $10
There can’t be an adventure with Madeline without her faithful companion Genevieve. Arf! This cuddly dog sports a red collar and stands 8” tall.

To accompany these wonderful toys, Kids Preferred is distributing three classic books:

Original Madeline • Hardcover • $17.99
The 1939 story that started it all with an old house in Paris that was covered in vines, lived 12 little girls in two straight lines!

Original Madeline • Paperback • $7.99
The classic tale of 12 little girls who left their house at half past nine, the smallest one being Madeline.

Madeline and the Cats of Rome • Hardcover • $17.99
In the spring, Miss Clavel takes the girls to Rome in a story written by John Bemelmans Marciano, the grandson of Ludwig Bemelmans, author of the original Madeline books.

In summary: Kids Preferred has two different lines of Madeline plush, one line available exclusively at Toys R Us, and the other line is available at local "mom & pop" toy stores.

TOYS R US Exclusive Plush Items:
-Soft Talking Madeline, 17" tall in yellow outfit and speaks English and French phrases
-Madeline in PHs, 14" tall Madeline ready for bed in pink PJs
-Madeline or Genevieve Beanie, 8" travel-friendly beanies

LOCAL TOY STORE Items:
-70th Anniversary Madeline, 13.5" limited edition collectible doll dressed in blue and white dress adorned with Parisian landmarks
-Dressable Madeline, 13.5" Madeline doll comes dressed in her signature blue school coat and yellow hat. Additional outfits available soon!
-Madeline (9") or Genevieve (8") beanie, perfect for travel or small hands.

The books to choose from are (available at both Toys R Us and at local toy and book stores):
-Original Madeline, choose from Hardcover or Paperback book
-Madeline and the Cats of Rome book

My take: My daughter has only had a small amount of exposure to Madeline. Why, I don't know. Perhaps we've just not gotten around to Madeline yet. We do have the original book and have watched a few VHS tapes I got an the local consignment sale. I even got her a Madeline coat and hat at the last such sale for her dress up box. So I was excited to review these products a perfect chance to show our 5 year old more about Madeline, a doll I've grown to love for her heart, and her independence and spirit.

We received Madeline and the Cats of Rome book and the Dressable Madeline to check out:

I've got to tell you, this little doll is just adorable. That thick yarn hair and her bright colors reminded me a bit too of another childhood doll friend of mine (Raggedy Ann). The detailing is perfect, right down to the buttons on her little blue coat - she looks exactly like her illustrations in the books. What's best about this doll for our house is that she is dressable - so we are anxiously awaiting the other outfits to be released; my daughter loves nothing more than to dress up all her dolls a thousand times a day - how about yours? And the Madeline and the Cats of Rome book was wonderful - I can hardly believe it wasn't written by Ludwig Bemelmans himself, but by his grandson! John Bemelmans Marciano kept true to his grandfather's style and spirit - another lovely madcap Madeline adventure. I hope he writes more.

About Kids Preferred, LLC: Kids Preferred, LLC is dedicated to creating superior quality, innovative soft toys and gifts for children of all ages using unique, playful designs that help instill a love of learning and create everlasting childhood memories. They serve the specialty, juvenile, gift, and better department store trade. The Company’s distinctive soft and plush toys and gifts are marketed under the Company’s own Kids Preferred™ brand and through licensed brands including amazing baby™, asthma & allergy friendly®, The World of Beatrix Potter™, Madeline™, Charlie & Lola™, The World of Eric Carle™, Elmer, Naturally Better Peter Rabbit™, Emily Goes Wild, Guess How Much I Love You™, Harley-Davidson®, Martha Speaks™, Pat the Bunny™, The Snowman™, Between The Lions™ and Spot™. For more information, visit their website at http://www.kidspreferred.com/.

MADELINE ™ and © Barbara Bemelmans and Estate of Madeleine Bemelmans; © DIC Entertainment used under license from Barbara Bemelmans and Estate of Madeleine Bemelmans All Rights Reserved

The giveaway: One lucky reader will win their choice of the 70th Anniversary Madeline, Dressable Madeline or the Madeline (9") or Genevieve (8") beanie. All items are available at http://www.liveandlearn.com/ or http://www.ticastoys.com./

To win: Visit Kids Preferred and come back here and leave me a comment telling me the name of one of their toys with the asthma & allergy friendly™ certification mark. Be sure to leave your email address with your comment if you are not a blogger or your email is not easily found on your blog. This giveaway is open until 11:59 p.m., EST, Tuesday, November 10, 2009. Good Luck!

Bonus entries: Get up to 6 extra entries for a total of 7 entries (please leave a separate comment for each extra entry):

• Blog about this giveaway (don't forget to leave the link in your comment)
• Twitter, Stumble or Digg this giveaway
• Subscribe to my blog via RSS or Email (see top left sidebar)
• Add my blog to your blogroll or my button to your sidebar (leave your website address for verification)
• On Technorati - click on this link, then on Fan or Fav (or use the green link on the top left sidebar)
• Follow me on Blogger (see top left sidebar)

This review was sponsored by

KidStuff Public Relations
This post was written for Kids Preferred and KidStuff PR who provided the item for review and giveaway. The author was not compensated in any way except for the complimentary product.

Miss Trimble’s Trapdoor

Journey through Miss Trimble’s Trapdoor

(with Tyler and Barnabas Bailey pictured below)

New children’s book series provides positive, back-to-basics approach to U.S. history

From the publisher: A former elementary school teacher, Lori Jordan-Rice set out to create a children’s book series that was entertaining and educational, with a back-to-basics approach to U.S. history. Her two new books, Miss Trimble’s Trapdoor and Miss Trimble’s Trapdoor: The Perseverance of Christopher Columbus usher in an imaginative new series featuring a fictional classroom full of memorable modern day characters alongside historical figures such as the pilgrims, the founding fathers of the United States and, of course, Christopher Columbus.

Miss Trimble's Trapdoor: Book 1

by: Lori Jordan-Rice
List Price: $12.95
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Hardcover: 64 pages
Publisher: Synergy Books (October 1, 2009)
Language: English

Miss Trimble’s Trapdoor (book one) follows Tyler, a boy who hates school—that is, until he unlocks a secret trapdoor beneath his desk in Miss Trimble’s classroom. Tyler unexpectedly falls into a mysterious basement filled with old books and guarded by a magical talking dog named Barnabas Bailey. His new companion takes him back in time, guiding him through American history firsthand and teaching him life lessons along the way.

Miss Trimble's Trapdoor: The Perseverance of Christopher Columbus: Book 2

by: Lori Jordan-Rice
List Price: $12.95
Reading level: Ages 9-12
Hardcover: 88 pages
Publisher: Synergy Books (October 1, 2009)
Language: English

In the second book of the series, Miss Trimble’s Trapdoor: The Perseverance of Christopher Columbus, Tyler continues his travels through time with his trusted canine companion, Barney. As they witness Columbus as a boy, a young man, and finally sail aboard the Santa Maria with Columbus himself, Tyler realizes that even a great explorer can face setbacks before reaching his dream He learns he has to believe in himself to achieve his goals of playing on the school basketball team and delivering an oral report on Columbus in front of the whole class.

Bonus: Kids can visit http://www.misstrimblestrapdoor.com/ to write to main characters Tyler and Barney, as well as for helpful educational links, crosswords and word searches. The books are perfect for kids ages 6-12.

My take: History was always my favorite subject. In fact, I thought seriously about majoring in history when I went to college. A desire to make an actual living that didn't involve teaching moved me on to an accounting major instead but I never lost my interest in the past. It's a love that my husband shares and we hope to pass on to our children. How to do that without the usual barriers ("history is boring! Who cares what happened 200 years ago!?")? Have you been wondering too how to get your child interested in history? Well, Miss Trimble's Trapdoor series just might be the answer we've been looking for!

Each book joins the young boy Tyler on a trip (or two or more!) to the past. Tyler is a bit of a misfit / nerd in school and is bullied and picked on by his peers (really, is there any group alive more cruel than middle schoolers?). It doesn't help that he seems to have special needs as well (he has a special quiet area in his classroom just for him for when he needs time alone to work on is assignment). It was during one of those times that he discovers the trapdoor to the past. What I like about these books is not only their obvious appeal as living history books with a character kids can relate too, there is also a moral lesson weaved in (learning from the past, being true to yourself, persevering). I really enjoyed these books myself (and relearned a bit of history along the way) and can't wait for my 5 and 7 year old to be old enough to read them too. In the meantime, I think we'll read them together and wait anxiously for the next installments!

About the Author: Lori Jordan-Rice has a bachelor's degree in elementary education from the University of North Texas and a decade of teaching experience. She hopes to cure historical illiteracy by helping children learn in a fun, engaging way.

This post was written for Synergy Books who provided the books for review. I was not compensated in any way except for the complimentary books.

The review was sponsored by An Island Life;

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