Abrams Books for Young Readers is constantly delighting me with its releases!  I’m pretty sure I’m even more delighted than my 2-year-old when I read them… and that’s saying something since Emma is always dragging them over to me to be read to her.  Here are some of their recently published books for children and my thoughts on them:

Dotty
Written by Erica S. Pearl, Illustrated by Julia Denos

Dotty is such a sweet, imaginative book.  It’s about a little girl named Ida and her imaginary pet, Dotty.  Dotty is a very large spotted… um, creature… with horns.  And everywhere Ida goes, Dotty goes.  This seems to be a game that all of the children in her class play – they all have imaginary pets!  But as time goes by, other children start to tease Ida for still having Dotty.  Will she give up Dotty (who I’m almost convinced is real) under pressure?

This is the cutest book ever!  I love that it encourages imagination and the ending was such a nice surprise.  I recommend it heartily!

Rating:  ♥♥♥♥♥ (5/5)

Library Mouse
Written by Daniel Kirk

Let your child see a library through the eyes of two very intelligent mice, and I’m sure they’ll never look at a library (or a rodent) in the same way again!  I was charmed by these two and loved how, even though they were very different (she an explorer and he a researcher), they found a way to have fun together.

Rating:  ♥♥♥♥ (4/5)

All the Seasons of the Year
Written by Deborah Lee Rose, Illustrated by Kay Chorao

This is one of those sweet books that you’ll want to read on a cold winter’s day by the fire.  The story warms your heart and the illustrations are nostalgic.  I love that it encourages family togetherness and at the same time teaches about all of the seasons of the year.  This is a great addition to your bookshelf.  :)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥ (4/5)

Miss Tutu’s Star
Written by Leslea Newman, Illustrated by Carey Armstrong-Ellis

“Selena is a little girl ‘who does not walk so much as twirl.’ When her mother takes her to Miss Tutu’s school of ballet, Selena has a bit of trouble with some of the steps, but still she practices and practices to get them right. Finally the time comes for Selena to make her debut. But she is terrified. Will her fear stop her from becoming Miss Tutu’s star?”

We love Miss Tutu’s Star because it combines humor and a fun story for children (especially appealing to those interested in dance or dressing up).  The illustrations are detailed and the cover is glitterful (my daughter loved that).  Another delightful addition to our bookshelf!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥ 4/5

The Exceptionally, Extraordinarily Ordinary First Day of School
Written by Albert Lorenz

On John’s first day of school, he is asked by his teacher to tell her and the class about where he is from and what an ordinary day was like at his last school.  He begins an amazing, imaginative, very hard-to-believe story about what his school and classes were like.  Things like eating the science projects, going crazy in art class (“freestyle art”), and racing horses and bungee jumping during recess.  Sounds like a school I would want to go to!

This is one of my favorites because it’s just so crazy.  The illustrations are very detailed and you’ll be laughing at the antics of the kids in his old school.  This is one that boys and girls alike will love, but if you have a little boy who is iffy about reading, I recommend grabbing this one.  It’s a lot of fun!

Rating:  ♥♥♥♥♥ (5/5)

I received the books reviewed above in order to share my thoughts on them with you!

Today I’m delighted to share with you my discovery and experience with Zoodles, a popular kids’ educational and fun online browser.  I introduced Emma, my two-year-old, to it after my mom sent me the link – she thought it looked like something Emma could have fun with.  And she was right!

After about a week of playing  around with the games and seeing Emma respond positively, excited to be learning and to be able to sit at the computer all by herself, Zoodles contacted me requesting that I post a review and giveaway of their Premium membership.  I was all for it!  And so, here we are.  I’m going to share with you what Zoodles is all about and at the end of this post you can enter to win one of THREE 3-month premium memberships to Zoodles!

What Exactly Is Zoodles?

Well first of all, Zoodles is FREE!  There is a premium membership that gives you additional perks, but your child can enjoy it free!  Isn’t that great?  I love free.  :)  Zoodles is a safe way for kids (ages 2 – 8) to learn and play online independently. All content is age-appropriate and it is entirely parent-controlled, meaning that you create your virtual playground for your child, adding games you think your child might like and taking away any you don’t like.  You can time your children and set the browser to stop at the end of that time period.  You can also customize the educational games available by adding more or less of a particular subject (reading, math, spelling, etc).

How Safe is It?

All content is screened by a team of educational experts that include but are not limited to teachers, child psychologists, and learning technology designers.  One of the premium features allows parents to block ads when children are directed to a third-party website (only for games – children cannot visit links that are not approved by Zoodles).  Children cannot leave the browser unless they type in “Quit” in the upper right hand corner of the browser (effective for my two-year-old).    Parents can block unwanted characters (like SpongeBob or Barney) from the content.

Our Experience:

This is what Emma sees upon first entering Zoodles through our Firefox browser add-on (I just click the big “Z” in our browser menu).

You can make a special customized browser for each child – they just click on their name and picture.  Next, we come to a list of games and educational youtube videos and cartoons.

Emma’s favorite 2-year-old games are two ABC’s games from the Fisher-Price website.  And I love it because she can skip through to each screen (each letter) by hitting any key on the keyboard.  She repeats each letter as it comes up, and now says the letter before the game does!  I’ve put it on video for you so that you can watch for yourself how adorable it is:

Awesome Features:

• You can now record books like The Princess and the Pea and Jack and the Beanstalk online so your child canlisten to them anytime!
• Children can color in their art studio using the mouse.
• Navigational tabs for children to navigate on their own.
• Browse games by subject, characters, animals, etc.
• Adaptable for children with special needs!
• Parent Dashboard provides parents with everything they need to monitor content, see reports on what their children are learning, and promote subjects they would especially like the focus of the games to be.

Ready to download and try Zoodles for yourself?  Visit www.Zoodles.com!

Explore Zoodles Online:

View a list of all free online games
Zoodles Free & Premium Features Comparison Chart
Zoodles FAQs
Zoodles Blog
Zoodles on Twitter
Zoodles on Facebook

Zoodles is offering three lucky winners a 3-month Premium membership to Zoodles!

{Prize} Three-month Premium membership to Zoodles! (3 Winners)
{Eligibility} Open to everyone!

{Mandatory Main Entry } Visit Zoodles and tell me which games you think your child would like most!

Optional Extra Entries – Get 1 extra entry for each unless otherwise noted:
(Leave a separate comment for each extra entry!)

• Follow Zoodles on Twitter, like them on Facebook, or subscribe to their blog via RSS (1 extra each)
• Grab my Maternity Event button (sidebar) and put it in your sidebar for 2 extra entries!
• “Like” my Kindred Spirit Mommy Facebook Page
• Tweet this giveaway (daily tweets available!) – You can use the Retweet button in the top right corner of this post if you want.
  
• Stumble/Digg/Facebook, or share this giveaway in some other way (email, etc) (1 extra each)
• Add my button to your sidebar
• Follow my blog, Subscribe to my blog by feed reader, and/or Subscribe to my blog by email (1 extra each)
• Follow me on Twitter (@kindred_spirit)

• +5 extra entries: Blog about this giveaway with a link to this post.

Giveaway will be closed on September 15, 2010 at midnight PST and winner notified by email and posted on this website (either in this post or in a new winner’s announcement post).  Winner will then have 48 hours to reply to my email or I will have to re-draw another winner.  Good luck, everyone!

Disclosure:  I was provided with a 6-month premium membership to Zoodles so that I could share my thoughts and experiences with you.  This post is 100% my own opinion and written in my own words, and was not edited or reviewed by anyone.  I do not feel obligated to write a positive review – I’ll always share my honest thoughts on products.

Swarovski crystals and electronics?  What a cool combination!  I’m all for a little sparkle and cute accessories while listening to my favorite music, how about you?  Then you’ll love ChicBuds!

ChicBuds are stylish retractable earphones adorned in Swarovski crystals.  They feature a belt clip and retractable connectors, making it the perfect on-the-go accessory to throw into your purse or diaper bag.  You can buy them in black or white, with purple, blue, pink, green, or clear crystals.  They’re all gorgeous!

Thanks to ChicBuds, I received a pair of white ChicBuds with pink Swarovski crystals to review.  I’m very happy with them – the sound quality is excellent, the retractable cord works well (nice that there is no tangling), and, of course, they’re super cute!  The cord has 5 different stopping point lengths, making it perfect for a multitude of activities, and is compatible with iPods, MP3 Players, Walkmen, airplane connectors, DVD players, and personal computers.

Final Thoughts: I do feel that these headphones are worth their price of $39.00.  I love the design, am very happy with the sound quality, and like how easy they are to take with you anywhere.  The only thing that might be a con to the design is the fact that the retractable cords have to be handled carefully.  By that I mean that you wouldn’t want to let your kids use them unless they knew exactly how to do it without causing tangles.  Basically, you need pull both the earphone jack and ear buds at the same time.  If they do get tangled, though, there is a quick and easy solution for fixing it here.

ChicBuds also carries other ear bud designs for men, women, and children – check out their wireless headsets, iPod cases, sport headphones, and more!

This review was made possible by ChicExecs! I was provided with a pair of ChicBuds headphones so that I could share my thoughts and experiences with you.  This post is 100% my own opinion and written in my own words, and was not edited or reviewed by anyone.  I do not feel obligated to write a positive review – I’ll always share my honest thoughts on products.

I am a huge fan of Rosemary Wells’ animal characters, both in book form and on DVD.  The stories are heartwarming and the illustrations/cartoons are the sweetest I’ve come across!  I’ve always loved stories that featured animal characters dressed up in old-fashioned clothing, and this is no exception. :)

What’s special about Scholastic Storybook Treasures?  You can choose the Read-Along option and your child will be able to read the story as well as watch it, encouraging children who are learning to read!

About The Rosemary Wells Collection (Max and Ruby/Noisy Nora):

This two-DVD set includes eight episodes (four on Max and Ruby and four on Noisy Nora), each DVD approximately 75 minutes long.  Both include special features like an interview with Rosemary Wells, a music video, and Spanish versions of the episodes!  This set is recommended for children ages 2-7.

A Mom’s Thoughts:

This is my favorite Scholastic Storybook Treasures set!  Rosemary Wells’ stories are timeless, and I love that my daughter can watch them and learn her letters at the same time.  The only thing I don’t love is that there is an episode called “Otto Runs for President” on the Max and Ruby DVD, making only two of the episodes about Max and Ruby.  The other one is about a bunny named Morris, but it’s still a favorite.  The Otto episode not so much.  Other than that, I have no problems with this set and think it is more than worth the price of $19.99 for two Scholastic Storybook Treasures DVDs!  You can purchase it from the Scholastic website here.

Now for a giveaway!

Scholastic Storybook Treasures is offering The Rosemary Wells’ Collection DVDs to one lucky winner!

{Prize} The Rosemary Wells’ Collection on DVD
{Eligibility} Open to the US.

{Mandatory Main Entry } Visit Scholastic Storybook Treasures on NewKideo.com and look around, then come back here and tell me in a comment what else your child would like!

Optional Extra Entries – Get 1 extra entry for each unless otherwise noted:
(Leave a separate comment for each extra entry!)

• “Like” my Kindred Spirit Mommy Facebook Page
• Tweet this giveaway (daily tweets available!) – You can use the Retweet button in the top right corner of this post if you want.
  
• Stumble/Digg/Facebook, or share this giveaway in some other way (email, etc) (1 extra each)
• Add my button to your sidebar
• Follow my blog, Subscribe to my blog by feed reader, and/or Subscribe to my blog by email (1 extra each)
• Follow me on Twitter (@kindred_spirit)

• +5 extra entries: Blog about this giveaway with a link to this post and www.newkideo.com.

Giveaway will be closed on August 23, 2010 at midnight PST and winner notified by email and posted on this website (either in this post or in a new winner’s announcement post).  Winner will then have 48 hours to reply to my email or I will have to re-draw another winner.  Good luck, everyone!

Disclosure:  I was provided with the product reviewed above so that I could share my thoughts and experiences with you.  This post is 100% my own opinion and written in my own words, and was not edited or reviewed by anyone.  I do not feel obligated to write a positive review – I’ll always share my honest thoughts on products.

Sweet little Madeline is back in another great Shout! Factory DVD release:  Madeline’s Great Adventures!

Join little Madeline, her loyal canine companion Genevieve, puckish next-door neighbor Pepito and her 11 delightful classmates from Miss Clavel’s Parisian school as they encounter their very own Arabian lamp, a visit from the Prince of Monaco, a band of pirates, and even track down 40 charitable thieves in this thrilling DVD collection inspired by Ludwig Bemelmans’ beloved children’s classic!

This is probably the ultimate Madeline adventure DVD because it contains six (6) different episodes including:

Madeline and the Magic Carpet
Madeline On Safari
Madeline and the Lost Crown
Madeline and the Gypsies
Madeline and the Pirates
Madeline and the Forty Thieves

As with previous Madeline DVDs, I find this little girl with the French accent to be as charming as ever and plan to collect all of the DVDs eventually!  This one is a favorite because it has so many different episodes with different themed adventures.  The DVD is 132 minutes long, and retails for $12.99 – a great value for this classic cartoon favorite!

Buy It!

You can purchase Madeline’s Great Adventures on Amazon.com for only $10.49 right now!

Thanks to Shout! Factory, one of you will win Madeline’s Great Adventures on DVD!

{Prize} One winner will receive Madeline’s Great Adventures on DVD!
{Eligibility} Open to the US & Canada!

{Mandatory Entry } Simply tell me in a comment on this post who your child’s favorite cartoon character is!

Optional Extra Entries – Get 1 extra entry for each unless otherwise noted:

(Leave a separate comment for each extra entry!)

• “Like” my Kindred Spirit Mommy Facebook Page
• Tweet this giveaway (daily tweets available – you can use the button in the top right corner of this post)
• Stumble/Digg/Facebook, or share this giveaway in some other way (email, etc) (1 extra each)
• Add my button to your sidebar
• Follow my blog, Subscribe to my blog by feed reader, and/or Subscribe to my blog by email (1 extra each)
• Follow me on Twitter (@kindred_spirit)

• +5 extra entries: Blog about this giveaway with a link to this post.

Giveaway will be closed on August 17, 2010 at midnight PST and winner notified by email and posted on this website (either in this post or in a new winner’s announcement post).  Winner will then have 48 hours to reply to my email or I will have to re-draw another winner.  Good luck, everyone!

Disclosure:  I was provided with the product reviewed above from Shout! Factory so that I could share my thoughts and experiences with it with you.  This post is 100% my own opinion and written in my own words, and was not edited or reviewed by anyone.  I do not feel obligated to write a positive review – this website is about honest experiences with products!

Up until now, I hadn’t listened to much of Sarah McLachlan’s music beyond what I heard on the radio.  So when I was invited to review her new album, Laws of Illusion, it was only natural that I decline politely.  But something about the album caught my attention (probably the beautiful cover art), and I decided to listen to a sample song first.  And I absolutely loved what I heard! I decided to accept and waited eagerly for the review copy of Laws of Illusion to arrive at my home so that I could listen to the entire CD.

I wasn’t disappointed in the rest of the music.  The songs on this new album are enchanting and a pleasure to listen to.  I love the lyrics, too – they are pure poetry!  One of my favorite songs is Illusions of Bliss.  It’s one that I’ve been listening to over and over (yes, I’m one of those people that listens songs to death when I find one I love, haha).

Laws of Illusion is a lovely blend of Sarah’s beautiful voice, guitar, and drums.  If you haven’t listened to her music much in the past, I hope this review will convince you to give her music a try now.  And if you are already a fan, you’ll love this new album!

Listen to Samples & Purchase

You can listen to samples of Laws of Illusion and purchase the CD or buy MP3s here at Amazon.com.

Find Sarah Online:

Sarah’s Website
Follow Sarah on Twitter
Sarah’s Facebook Page

See Sarah Performing on Dancing With The Stars!

Disclosure:  I received a complimentary review copy of the product in this post so that I could share my thoughts and experiences with it with you!  All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

The newest DVD featuring the well-loved Wubbzy is now available!  And you’d better watch out – this one is all about DINOSAURS!  Rawwwwr!

But don’t worry, they’re too cute to be truly scary.  :-)

In the “Escape from Dino Island” DVD, Wubbzy and his best pals, Widget, Walden and Daizy, climb aboard Widget’s Wavy Wheeler 3000 and set out on an awesome adventure that takes them from their hometown of Wuzzleburg to the mysterious land of Dino Island.  On their journey, the four friends discover the Wazumboo Jungle and tame a Doodleberry patch that has gone wow, wow wild!

DVD Features:

Length:  80 minutes
Bonus Features:  Dino Island Photo Gallery, Coloring and Activity Sheets, & a Bonus Episode!

A Mom’s Thoughts:

My two-year-old daughter loves Wow Wow Wubbzy, so I was confident about accepting this DVD for review.  And I’m glad I did because it’s a great addition to our cartoon collection!  The characters are cute and cheerful, and there is, of course, lots of music for little ones to dance around to!

Parents may not love that all of the music is pretty much the same as every other Wubbzy DVD/episode.  My husband actually thought it was the Wubbzy Christmas DVD I reviewed not long ago because the voices and music are exactly the same.  I had to laugh.  ;-)  Emma loved the familiar tunes and danced around to them, though.  And that’s all I care about – that she has fun!

I think that kids, especially those with an interest in dinosaurs, will really enjoy this DVD.  If your kids like Wubbzy and his pals, this is an adventure they won’t want to miss!

You can watch video clips from this DVD at the official Wow Wow Wubbzy website!

Buy it!

You can purchase Wow Wow Wubbzy: Escape from Dino Island on DVD from Amazon.com!

Find Wubbzy and Nick Jr. Online

Nick Jr. Official Website
Nick Jr. on Twitter
Wow Wow Wubbzy Online
Wubbzy on Twitter
Wubbzy on Facebook

One of my readers is going to win a copy of Wow Wow Wubbzy: Escape from Dino Island on DVD!

{Prize} Wow Wow Wubbzy: Escape from Dino Island on DVD
{Eligibility} Open to residents of the United States and Canada

{Mandatory Entry }  Tell me in a comment what your kids’ favorite Nick Jr. show is (list of shows can be found here)!  If you don’t know, tell me which one you think they might like.

Optional Extra Entries – Get 1 extra entry for each unless otherwise noted:
(Leave a separate comment for each extra entry!)

• For 3 extra entries: “Like” my NEW Kindred Spirit Mommy Facebook Page
• Tweet this giveaway (daily tweets available!) (50-follower minimum)
  You can use this sample tweet: Enter to win a copy of Wow Wow Wubbzy: Escape from Dino Island on DVD from @kindred_spirit http://bit.ly/bzBeA5 @nickjr @wwwubbzy
  
• Stumble/Digg/Facebook, or share this post in some other way (email, etc) (1 extra each)
• Add my button to your sidebar (make sure it links to kindredspiritmommy.com!)
• Subscribe to my blog by feed reader and/or Subscribe to my blog by email (1 extra each)
• Follow me on Twitter (@kindred_spirit)

• +5 extra entries: Blog about this giveaway with a link to this post.

Giveaway will be closed on June 8, 2010 at midnight PST and winner notified by email and posted on this website (either in this post or in a new winner’s announcement post).  Winner will then have 48 hours to reply to my email or I will have to re-draw another winner.  Good luck, everyone!

I received a screener of Wow Wow Wubbzy: Escape from Dino Island so that I could share my thoughts on it with you. All opinions expressed are my own.

A comedy about being a mom?  I’m there!  And guess what?  This mom is a blogger - one more reason I was excited about watching Motherhood with Uma Thurman and Minnie Driver (I love Minnie Driver!).

Movie Description

Motherhood is an entertaining look at a day in the life of a busy city mom who is harried, worn out, seemingly unappreciated, and with a to-do list a mile long.  We’ve all been there, right?  But Eliza, mom of two young children, seems to have everything going against her, from the movie being filmed on their block that very day to the crazy long lines shopping and parking battles.

A very few of the things on her list:  She needs to throw a birthday party for her daughter, keep an eye on her toddler son (oh the park politics, so funny and TRUE!), and she’s given herself the task of entering a contest requiring a 500-word essay on what motherhood means to her.  Sounds easy, but she soon finds it’s not that simple – and in thinking so deeply about it she begins to wonder if somewhere along the line she has lost herself in the craziness of life.

My Thoughts

I have to say that Motherhood was totally different from what I was expecting.  Although I did enjoy it and will probably watch it again, it wasn’t my favorite mommyhood film.  With phrases like “stay-at-home mom”, “hysterical comedy”, and “mom blogger” in the movie description, Eliza sounds like a movie mom I can really relate to.   But it didn’t turn out that way.  Now I’m not saying that Eliza’s character isn’t likable, because she is!  The entire family is, really – her children are cute and her husband is good-natured though a little off in his own world.  But this isn’t, as I first thought, about the love between a mom and her children.   It is the story of a mom “finding herself”.  And I think that’s great (lol), but I feel differently than she did about family life and my role as a mom.  I guess I prefer movies that are feel-good and encourage family unity and closeness – I like to see a lot of love between the characters, and I didn’t feel that with this one.

I wouldn’t call Motherhood “hysterical”, either.  Some scenes are funny, but it’s mainly situational, “I-can’t-believe-that-just-happened” funny.  And there is one way-too-long scene where she dances around to rock music with the young, (supposed to be attractive) UPS man in a fit of “Wow, he thinks I’m intelligent…” wistful craziness.  I just didn’t get that.

All that said, it was really interesting taking a peek at the daily struggles of a big-city mom.  I can tell you one thing:  I do NOT want to live in a big city ever!  It looks very stressful, though it was presented in a comical way, from the parking wars (in front of their apartment!) to the snotty, rich, and arrogant woman living downstairs who is horrified at the thought of a bunch of 6-year-olds having a birthday party in the apartment above her.

Uma Thurman really was perfect for this part.  She has a lot of character, and that’s something Eliza definitely needs with the stuff she faces daily.  Her expressions when dealing with the arrogant neighbor, slightly scary mom she meets at the park, and rude “young people” she comes across in line at the store are really hilarious.

One thing, if you’re feeling that no one knows what you’re going through and that your life as a mom is TOUGH, watch this movie.  You may feel differently after, and you’ll certainly feel better after laughing – maybe not hysterically, but there are some very funny scenes.   ;-)  I definitely think you should watch this yourself, then come back here and tell me what you thought!

Watch the Trailer!

Buy it!

Motherhood is available for purchase at Amazon.com on DVD and Blu-Ray!

Disclosure:  I received a review copy of this DVD.  This post is 100% my opinion and in my own words.

I have a definite fondness for this little red-headed girl and it has everything to do with her sweet personality, awesome friends, adorable yellow walking outfit, and French accent!  It’s no surprise to me that she has captivated children and adults alike for over 70 years!

In this upcoming DVD release of The Madeline Movie: Lost in Paris, Madeline finds herself in a place she’s always dreamed of – she learns from a man who says he is her long-lost uncle that she has a family!   Her dreams of having a real family are about to come true for this little orphan.  Her uncle will take her to go live with them and have a wonderful life full of love, just what she’s always wanted!

Madeline is sad to leave her beloved friends and Miss Clavel, but how can she resist the lure of a real home?  So off she goes.  The place that her charming new  “uncle” takes her to, however, is not a home – it’s a nightmare!  Will Madeline’s friends be able to find her and save her from her un-happily ever after?

A Mom’s Thoughts

We really enjoyed this sweet Madeline movie!  I already love Madeline’s character, the way the girls at Miss Clavel’s all love each other (“We love our bread, we love our butter, but most of all we love each other!”), and the French accents.  This adventure was imaginative and heartwarming.

There are a couple of scenes that could be a little scary, but I don’t think it is too scary.  Madeline is abducted and made to work for the mean, gray-haired Madame LaCroque (the voice of Lauren Bacall) who carries scissors as big as she is almost (haha), but Madeline is very brave and that makes the “scary” moments less so.

Final Thoughts: I think this one is worth adding your child’s DVD library.  You’ll enjoy seeing this classic TV character on your screen, and I suspect your children will, too.  :-)  It releases on April 13th.

Free Madeline Coloring Page!

Click on the picture below to go to a PDF document to print out for your little one.  :-)

You can pre-order The Madeline Movie: Lost in Paris from Amazon.com now!

I’m giving away one DVD copy of The Madeline Movie: Lost in Paris thanks to Shout! Factory.

{Prize} The Madeline Movie: Lost in Paris on DVD!
{Eligibility} Open to the United States and Canada!

{Mandatory Entry } Tell me in a comment what from Shout Factory’s recent or upcoming releases looks like something you would like to watch/own!

Optional Extra Entries – Get 1 extra entry for each:
(Leave a separate comment for each extra entry!)

• NEW for three extra entries: Join my NEW Kindred Spirit Mommy Facebook Fan Page (Not the networked blogs page)
• Tweet this giveaway (daily tweets available!) (50-follower minimum)
  You can use this sample tweet: Enter to win The Madeline Movie: Lost in Paris from Kindred Spirit Mommy http://bit.ly/9ePKBs open to US & Canada @kindred_spirit #giveaway
  
• Stumble/Digg/Facebook, or share in some other way (email, etc) (1 extra each)
• Add my button to your sidebar (make sure it links to kindredspiritmommy.com!)
• Follow my blog, Subscribe to my blog by feed reader, and/or Subscribe to my blog by email (1 extra each)
• Follow me on Twitter (@kindred_spirit)

• +3 extra entries: Blog about this giveaway with a link to this post.

Giveaway will be closed on April 30, 2010 at midnight PST and winner notified by email and posted on this website.  Winner will then have 48 hours to reply to my email or I will have to re-draw another winner.  Good luck, everyone!

I received a review copy of this DVD free of charge so that I could share my thoughts on it with you! All opinions expressed are my own.  I was not compensated in any other way for this post.

About a week ago I shared my experiences with the new Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel Motion Picture Soundtrack with you.  This jammin’ soundtrack is a delight for children and brings on the laughs for sure!

The Squeakquel Movie Soundtrack is great entertainment for both kids and parents.  Featuring chipmunk’d renditions of classics from Beyonce, Katy Perry, the Bee Gees and many more, Alvin, Simon, Theodore and their girlfriends, The Chipettes, provide hours of fun for everyone.

In working with WB Word of Mouth Marketing to spread the word about this soundtrack, I’ve been asked to share any development and learning experiences we’ve had involving the music and the movie.  I’m happy to share!

My daughter is 2 years old and has a limited vocabulary at the moment (her two favorite words/phrases right now are “Pooh” and “There ya go”), but that causes me to notice even more how she expresses herself in other ways.  I’ve been watching as we listen to the music on the Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel Soundtrack, and besides the laughing and dancing around (which in itself is learning and developing motor skills!), I’ve been able to use the soundtrack to emphasize repeated words and try to expand her vocabulary.  I’ve been doing that a lot with everything lately, and this music is no exception!

I’ve also noticed that she has been singing by herself a lot more.  Just random things, not necessarily from this soundtrack, but I know that having cheerful music around is a huge encouragement.  It puts her in a good mood for learning, actually!

If your child enjoys the movie, listening to the soundtrack will be that much more enjoyable – especially if it’s chore time or they’re bored in the car.  :-)

Listen to Samples and/or Buy It At:

iTunes
Amazon.com

I was provided with a review copy of Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel Soundtrack and will be reimbursed for this series.  There will be one more post next week!