Book Review: Sh*tty Mom

Katie September 2, 2012 1 Comments

I don’t have kids and I don’t really ever want to have kids (although this book teaches me that not wanting them does not prevent me from having them, hmm..) so I am probably not the one who should be reading this book, but from the write up it seemed funny so I had to check it out. (I worked at Toys R Us in high school and college so I’ve seen my fair share of sh*tty moms (and dads)).

The book is  relatively short, under 200 pages, but it covers a LOT of different topics and in an amusing way. I liked the section that said “Things that other people love more than you love your kid” and one was “A Belieber and Justin Bieber”, that definitely cracked me up for a bit longer than it should have! (In the chapter about non moms who think their dog is their child and they love the dog more than you love your child)

I also thought it was funny in the chapter about finding a babysitter. It mentioned to decide how important it is that your sitter knows the difference between “their and “they’re”.  To me now, it seems important.  After reading this book -I found out that my attitude really should be –  if the sitter shows up on time – nothing else matters. (And here I thought I was a good sitter because I know the difference AND am on time.)

This book was definitely a fun read, even though I am not a parent and I think for those of you who do have kids it will be even more amusing so I definitely recommend it for anyone looking for a fun, quick read about how much people can’t stand their children.

I received a free e-copy of this book in order to write this review. I was not otherwise compensated.

About the Book

Sh*tty Mom is the ultimate parenting guide, written by four moms who have seen it all. As hilarious as it is universal, each chapter presents a common parenting scenario with advice on how to get through it in the easiest and most efficient way possible. With chapters such as “How to Sleep Until 9 A.M. Every Weekend” and “When Seeing an Infant Triggers a Mental Illness That Makes You Want to Have Another Baby,” as well as a Sh*tty Mom quiz, this is a must-have, laugh-out-loud funny book for the sh*tty parent in all of us.

Laurie Kilmartin is an Emmy-nominated writer for CONAN on TBS, and, as a stand-up comedian, has appeared on CONAN, Last Comic Standing, Jimmy Kimmel Live, and Comedy Central. She lives in Los Angeles with her son. Karen Moline is a journalist and author who has written more than two dozen nonfiction books, as well as two novels. Karen and her son live in New York City.Alicia Ybarbo is a four-time Emmy award-winning producer. She has worked on NBC’s TODAY show since 2000. She lives in New York City with her husband and two children. Three-time Emmy award-winning producer Mary Ann Zoellner has worked at NBC news for 16 years. She lives in New York City with her husband and two daughters.

Book Review: The Boxcar Children Beginning

Katie September 1, 2012 0 Comments

As a kid, I remember reading quite a few of the books from the Boxcar Children series.  Since the 70th anniversary of the series is coming up, a prequel to the series has been written by Newbery Award-winning author Patricia MacLaclan.

The story follows the Alden family – Henry, Jessie, Violet and Benny through a harsh winter. Times are tough, many are without jobs but he Aldens consider themselves lucky.  When there is a car that gets stuck in the snow, the Aldens take in the family until they can get the car fixed and continue on their way.  The Aldren kids show Meg and William where they live, and take them to school with them as well.  They make the best of a bad situation and eventually the car gets fixed and the extended family continues on their way to their new home with family.

Things seem to be turning up but tragedy strikes.  The children would need to go live with the grandfather, whom they have never met.  Rather than do that they decide to take off.

While I don’t remember all the details of the BoxCar books I read as a kid, I do feel like the writing of this book would fit right in with what I remember of the others, even though it is a different author.

I definitely recommend this book for kids 7-10 as wel as those who may have grown up on The Boxcar Children series. (I was also surprised to find out there is a museum here in CT dedicated to the children! I’ll have to check it out at some point!)

I received a free e-copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in order to write this review.

To find out more about the box car series check out their website here: http://www.boxcarchildren.com/

About the Book

Before they were the Boxcar Children, Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny Alden lived with their parents at Fair Meadow Farm.

Although times are hard, the Aldens are happy–“the best family of all,” Mama likes to say. One day, a blizzard hits the countryside, and a car is stranded on the road near their farm. The family in the car needs shelter, and when the Aldens take them in, the strangers soon become friends. But things never stay the same at Fair Meadow Farm, and the spring and summer bring events that will forever change the lives of the Alden Children.

Newbery Award-winning author Patricia MacLaclan pays loving tribute to the classic novel by Gertrude Chandler Warner in this story of the Alden children’s origins and the challenges they faced before their boxcar adventures.

For kids ages 7-10.