Shopping in St. Paul

...and Minneapolis (Part Two)

I spent a good portion of my time researching boutiques for Moms and children in last week's post. Here, I'm going to focus on even more!

Cal Surf: large selection of skateboarding / snowboarding gear
Uptown

JL Esso: stylish footwear on the edge
Southdale

Shu: global footwear
Grand Avenue, St. Paul
Grand Way, St. Louis Park

Wiggles N Giggles: shop there for their shoe section
Blaine

Awakenings: Enhancing intimacy, education & strengthening relationships
St. Paul

Bjorling & Grant: pieces with a past
Minneapolis

Happy Shopping!

Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult

This book really opened my eyes as a parent and how *easy* it is to miss important signals about our own children. My son is only three, but I'm glad I read this book now and have recommended it to parents and teachers since it deals with a high school shooting and how the shooter evolved.

Jodi Picoult jumps from year to year - past to present - to tell the story of Peter during different stages of his life, the victim who ends up retaliating and fighting back against the numerous bullies who pick on him, beat him up, make fun of him and literally make his life miserable on a daily basis.

As a mom, I wanted to embrace this young boy and protect him but then you see that his mom does just that and how the consequences of her behavior plays out. You see his childhood friend slowly forget and ignore him when he needs allies more than anything.

If you've ever made fun of someone or been made fun of you can certainly find something in this story that you can relate to. If you're a parent or educator working with children of any age, you can't help but be affected by this touching and heartbreaking story of a young boy who was too afraid to ask for help and a witness who didn't know how to speak up or speak out against the attackers (aka bullies) until it was much too late.

Jodi Picoult, 41, is the bestselling author of fourteen previous novels: Songs of the Humpback Whale: A Novel in Five Voices (1992), Harvesting the Heart: A Novel (1994), Picture Perfect (1995); Mercy (1996), The Pact: A Love Story (P.S.) (1998); Keeping Faith: A Novel (P.S.) (1999), Plain Truth (2000), Salem Falls (2001), Perfect Match: A Novel (2002), Second Glance: A Novel (2003), My Sister's Keeper: A Novel (2004), Vanishing Acts: A Novel (2005), and The Tenth Circle: A Novel (2006).

Trendy Tots

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Make sure to let them know that you heard about Trendy Tadpole from us here at Happy Healthy Hip Parenting. Exchange links are available through their website as well to help promote your business.

Ready, Set, Shop!

Ben Stein Confesses AND Happy Holidays

I grew up in a Mexican-American Catholic family and attended church every Sunday as well as private, Catholic schools from Kindergarten through High School. And yet, as an adult, I don't attend church, I no longer pray and as a parent, I am not raising my son as my own parents - or my son's father - would like me to be doing as far as religion is concerned (Father, please forgive me).

I've traveled to many places and experienced many things in my lifetime, many of which have made me realize that religion and beliefs are just as unique as fingerprints or snowflakes.

My son attends preschool in a community with a large population of Indian families (and by Indian, I don't mean Native Americans). The preschool program begins each morning with meditation and yoga. It is truly amazing to watch a group of three-and-four-year-olds sitting silently for nearly fifteen minutes with their eyes closed, backs straight and breathing deeply in a darkened room, usually with a candle glowing in the background.

When my son and I were in Minnesota last week and when he's with me on the weekends or when school is closed, we continue the daily practice of meditation as it helps us both to feel more calm, relax at the end of a long day and prepare us both for bedtime.

I am not sure where this all fits in with his ideas of religion or God, but I do know this: My son is a sensitive, well balanced and centered little boy who has been taught to be respectful, polite and kind to all living beings. I doubt there is a religion in this world that could argue with that.

This blog is certainly not a place where I ever thought religion would be brought up. But I had to comment somehow on the following commentary I recently received in an email.

The following was written by Ben Stein and recited by him on CBS Sunday Morning Commentary.

I am a Jew and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish, and it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful lit up, bejeweled trees Christmas trees. I don't feel threatened. I don't feel discriminated against. That's what they are: Christmas trees.

It doesn't bother me a bit when people say, "Merry Christmas" to me. I don't think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto. In fact, I kind of like it. It shows that we're all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year. It doesn't bother me one bit that there's a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in Malibu. If people want a creche, fine. The menorah a few hundred yards away is fine, too.

I do not like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don't think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period. I have no idea where the concept came from that America is an explicitly atheist country. I can't find it in the Constitution and I don't like it being shoved down my throat.

Or maybe I can put it another way. Where did the idea come from that we should worship Nick and Jessica and we aren't allowed to worship God as we understand Him? I guess that's a sign that I'm getting old, too. But there are a lot of us who are wondering where Nick and Jessica came from and where the America we knew went to. - Ben Stein

And, since I enjoy playing devil's advocate in many circumstances, I am pleased to present you with a look at Kane/Miller Book Publisher's non-secular holiday title that even Ben Stein would endorse: It's Christmas by Tina Burke.

Illustration from It's Christmas

by Tina Burke

(Kane/Miller Book Publishers, 2007)

No mention of God, baby Jesus or images of a nativity scene: The perfect gift for anyone who enjoys opening gifts on December 25th. And actually, come to think of it, Antonella and her Santa Claus is quite similar in that it doesn't speak about the religious aspects of the holiday.

Discuss amongst yourselves.

Cybils: 2007 Fiction Picture Book Nominations

I'm faced with a different dilemma each day. This morning, I discovered that so far, one Kane/Miller picture book from 2007 has been nominated in the 2007 Cybils Fiction Picture Book category. The dilemma is now deciding which one picture book we've published this year that I would nominate if I could.

Anne-Marie of A Readable Feast has nominated Samsara Dog, a sophisticated picture book for older readers that discusses the idea of reincarnation. Both text and illustrations were created with care and both Helen Manos and Julie Vivas did an amazing job in this collaboration that touches on the Buddhist concepts of Samsara and Nirvana.

Samsara Dog lived many lives. Some of his lives were long. Some lasted only a few days. Dog never remembered them. He lived each life as it came, until he learned the most important lesson of all.

In one of his lives Dog lived on the street...Dog loved nobody. Dog trusted nobody. Dog lived for himself...

Samsara Dog lived many lives: with a biker gang, as a sniffer dog, was born very small and very sick, shared his next life with a street juggler, came back as a rescue dog, was welcomed into a big house with four girls who adored him, and finally, he found the boy.

When he was with the boy, Dog's heart skimmed like a song. He loved the boy more than he loved himself...Nothing was better than being with the boy.

Illustration from Samsara Dog,
written by Helen Manos and illustrated by Julie Vivas
(Kane/Miller Book Publishers, 2007)

I can't possibly explain how touching this story truly is. Originally published in Australia by Working Title Press, Samsara Dog a book that one must first read, alone. There should be time set aside for reflection afterwards - and a chance to wipe away your tears before sharing this beautiful treasure with loved ones. And trust me, you will want to.


The great thing about working for such a small company is that each and every one of us has a say in the books that are published. We read them to ourselves, we read them to our children, we read them aloud to one another. And in the end, we only publish books that we are all 110% enthusiastic about. We brainstorm about who would buy it, how it would be used in a classroom / story time setting, and how we would market it to the adults who sell it to consumers (our bookseller friends who have the arduous task of choosing books for their store among the thousands that are available each season).

The difficulty I have then, is that I am equally connected to and could just as easily recommend any of the following for a nomination in the fiction category for this year: The Zoo by Suzy Lee (South Korea), New Clothes for New Year's Day by Hyun-Ju Bae (South Korea), The Story of Cherry the Pig by UtakoYamada (Japan), And What Comes After a Thousand? by Annette Bley (Germany), The Short and Incredibly Happy Life of Riley by Colin Thompson and Amy Lissiat (Australia), and My Cat Copies Me by Yoon-duck Kwon (South Korea).

Illustration from And What Comes After a Thousand?
by Anette Bley
(Kane/Miller Book Publishers, 2007)

I would not be able to choose between Could You? Would You? by Trudy White (Australia) and Who's Hiding? by Satoru Onishi (Japan) for the non-fiction picture book category nomination.

I realize that these are not all of the picture books we've published in 2007 but I know children's books. After all, I'm surrounded by the best books from around the world on a regular basis and several of the nominated books from the Cybils list sit on my son's bookshelves at home as I want to expose him to all types of books, but of course, only the best.

I can't imagine being on any committee where selecting only one or a few winners is the end result. It'd be like asking a parent to choose their favorite child. Therefore, I'm not going to select just one Kane/Miller title to nominate this year. I'll leave that up to the readers. After all, I'm going to be busy trying to narrow down which wonderful books from around the world we'll be publishing for the fall 2008 season.

Sweetest Day - Yay or Nay?

What is with Sweetest Day and why is it now suddenly important to me to not get left out on this gift-giving holiday? I find myself questioning whether or not I should choose to celebrate an event that the majority of the U.S. population has not even heard of. Those who have are not eager to dish out more money to the retail companies who profit off of these types of celebrations.

I do have sweet people in my life who I would like to recognize. Valentine's Day is certainly a holiday reserved for couples and significant others, but what's the difference between the two? Should I honor the people in my life that make the world sweeter on October 2oth, or shall I reserve giving them kudos for another four months?

And who decided to place yet another holiday in the middle of the already-overly-busy gift-giving holiday season? I mean, let's take a look at the calendar here. Between September and June we have Grandparent's Day, Halloween, Hanukkah, Christmas, Valentine's Day, Easter, Mother's Day, and Father's Day.

Why not select a summer month to add in a new holiday? There's nothing going on in July or August except simply enjoying time with family. Maybe that's the whole point. Perhaps with school and the busy schedule surrounding the time between September and June, we've forgotten to celebrate the people in our lives by simply sitting back and spending quality time with one another.

Perhaps the retail companies got it right and are just giving us what we need - something to feed the guilty conscience that we create by filling up our time with work, after-school activities, play dates, book clubs, mom's night out or girl's night in.

I haven't solved the dilemma of whether or not to introduce yet another holiday to my son. Although perhaps I could simply start a new tradition and honor the special day by doing something very special.

I just checked my calendar and it looks as though we'll have to celebrate another time. I've got plans that night. Figures.

Minneapolis Mamas

I was in the Twin Cities this last weekend. In my role of Marketing Manager for Kane/Miller Book Publishers, I was there to present our fall titles at the Midwest Booksellers Association. It was a brief seven-minute presentation, but I made the quick trip to the Minneapolis Convention Center and along the way, rediscovered the wonderful city and all it has to offer.

Now that I'm a parent, I can fully appreciate the culture and diversity in the Twin Cities and I am pleased to share some exciting new shopping sites as well. They may just be new to me, but for new parents or for holiday shopping expeditions, these are the hip places for fashion, design, and boutiques featuring clothing and other hot products for parents and children in the Minneapolis / St. Paul area.

Hot Mama: shop where hot mamas shop
3 locations (Grand Avenue in St. Paul, The Shoppes @ Arbor Lakes in Maple Grove, and of course 50th & France in Edina).

Ivy
Calhoun Square

Joynoelle: Cities couture
Como Avenue

Little Giants Boutique: Apparel ~ Toys ~ Accessories
Technically located - just outside the Cities - in Hudson, Wisconsin, this is a fun little boutique to visit and a quaint area to spend an afternoon.

Oilily: Children's boutique and fashions for women.
Galleria

Schreier Home: dare to be remarkable
Interior design center and retail store to open in Stillwater in April 2008

Sister Ugly
Northfield, MN

Stephanie's
Cleveland Avenue, St. Paul

Lulu & Luigi: the best dressed dogs in town
Located in the Wayzata Village Shoppes

Uber Baby: Hip Maternity Store
Galleria

Gravel Road Kids: as seen on The View
Woodbury, MN

The Red Balloon Bookshop
Grand Avenue, St. Paul

Club Monaco: modern, timeless, clean, graphic, essential, luxury, chic, urban
Mall of America

Martin + Osa: Here, There, Everywhere
Mall of America

Sisley: If you recognize this name (brand found in Benetton stores), imagine an entire boutique dedicated to this unique style!

Mall of America

Steve & Barry's: exclusive distributor of Bitten by Sarah Jessica Parker
Brookdale, Burnsville Center, Knollwod Mall, Northtown Mall

Kiddywampus: an inspired place for kids
France Avenue, Edina

bebe babble: children's lifestyle & design boutique
Edina, MN

Red Rover Kids: bigger, better, funner
Stillwater, MN

Did I forget to mention that there is no Sales Tax in Minnesota? Pure shopping heaven.

My First Meme

I didn't actually create this meme but I'm passing it along. Is this allowed? I'm new to the whole blogging thing so please cut me some slack if I'm not following netiquette rules.

This may be old news to many kidlit blogsters, but Kimbooktu posted a meme a few weeks back (yep, I'm that far behind) that I just have to share.

My responses to these questions (although I realize no one asked me):

1. Hardcover or paperback, and why?

Hardcover: Why not?

2. If I were to own a book shop I would call it...

Read-Head Books

(because both my son and I are red-heads)

3. My favorite quote from a book (mention the title) is...

"...sometimes bad things happen so that good things can happen. You just had to make the best of it." - Dougal the Garbage Dump Bear, by Matt Dray

4. The author (alive or diseased) I would love to have lunch with would be ....

I have nothing to say, other than not one person (so far) has commented on this major typo...I think she meant deceased?

5. If I was going to a deserted island and could only bring one book, except from the SAS survival guide, it would be...

I'm not sure why I would be going to a deserted island, but if I were, I would bring The Short and Incredibly Happy Life of Riley by Colin Thompson and Amy Lissiat, to remind myself "...to be happy with a lot less."

6. I would love someone to invent a bookish gadget that....

Created an extra hour in each day devoted just for reading.

7. The smell of an old book reminds me of...

HOME

8. If I could be the lead character in a book (mention the title), it would be....

When I was young I wanted to be Pippy Longstocking or Anne (of Green Gables). They're both red-heads.

9. The most overestimated book of all times is....

The Da Vinci Code

10. I hate it when a (good) book....

comes to an end.

And, just to keep things exciting, I tag Betsy, Pam, Liz, Mindy, Jen and Jules.

National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

I would like you to take a few moments to focus on your breasts. Seriously.

Kane/Miller Book Publishers

I have to confess that I am in the bad habit of ignoring the routine breast exams that I should be doing. I see my doctor once a year and she asks me if I examine myself on a regular basis. For about one or two weeks afterwards, I do. I make a point of spending an extra thirty seconds (30 seconds!) making sure everything is normal (as if I have ever been accused of being anything but!). But a few months later I find myself neglecting this important ritual and so I'm reminding you, and myself, to add it as a regular part of your daily schedule.

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. But why October? Why breast cancer? There are so many other cancers that don't get their own month. Many are quite rare and some you might not be familiar with or have ever heard of. For example, did you know that there are over five types of breast cancer? You'll find a list of specific forms of cancer, with links to each, from the National Cancer Institute website.

Please take a moment and ask yourself when you last visited your doctor and whether or not you have a hereditary risk that should make you think twice about skipping that daily exam. Schedule an appointment with your physician if you haven't seen him or her in a while. You want the best for your children so be sure to be your best for them as well.


The Dana Farber Research Institute, along with children's book illustrator Grace Lin, honor her husband's battle with Ewing's sarcoma through an online auction beginning in mid-November. With the support of dozens of other children's book illustrators, Robert's Snow: for Cancer's Cure is a wonderful way to help create magic in people's lives, both through the beautiful snowflakes you bid on as well as the hope that you bring to those whose lives have been, or will be, affected by cancer.

View the 2005 and 2004 archives or go directly to the 2007 snowflakes to pick out which ones you will place a bid on. And don't forget to mark your calendar so you don't miss out on the opportunity to help raise money for an important cause.

Auction 1: November 19 - 23
Auction 2: November 26 - 30
Auction 3: December 3 - 7

My personal favorite, from the 2005 archive

(by Paul O. Zelinsky):

Transformers and...making babies?

My son is into Transformers these days. What kid isn't? The marketing execs sitting inside the air-conditioned offices of Hasbro have the market cornered. Between the movie, geared towards teens and adults (my age), who remember the first generation Transformers, and the assorted toys, video games, and costumes (my son is going to be Optimus Prime for Halloween this year), transforming robot/vehicles have taken over the world, at least my world.

Mister Potato Head Transformers: Optimash Prime

This morning I was trying to figure out how to get my son involved with me in the kitchen as he was begging for me to put a video on for him (you'll never guess which one). I hadn't made him cheezy eggs in a while - Mommy's specialty - so I got the eggs, tortillas and cheese from the refrigerator and he happily obliged when I asked him to help. He climbed up on his step stool and started to mix the eggs. I quickly pointed out that he was transforming them and he got even more excited to help me. Very quick thinking considering I had not had my daily dose of caffeine at that point.

Fast forward another hour and we're in the car, on my way to drop off my son at preschool. He's almost four, so he's at that stage of curiosity and questions - most of which I can't answer. Out of the blue, as we're pulling out of the driveway he asks me, "Who built our house?," to which I replied, "Well...a long time ago construction workers built the building that we live in." Easy answer, so I thought. He then asked if they built it when I was little. "Yep. A long time ago," I replied.

As I make the standard U-turn at the corner, he then asks, following the train-of-thought of a preschooler, "Was I in your belly when you were little?" and, for some reason (can I blame it on the lack of caffeine again?) I say, "Sort of...You see, Mommies carry eggs inside them and Daddies carry sperm. When babies are made, the egg and sperm transform into a baby and Mommies carry them in their belly." Notice how I use the words sperm and egg but fail to see the irony in using belly as opposed to uterus.

There was much silence afterwards as I bit my tongue, about not correcting myself and my son, imagining the egg and sperm transforming, much like the egg that he helped transformed for breakfast, which he then watched me cook before eating it.

I cannot imagine what he must have been thinking after that. I did buy a picture book recently to prepare for this kind of conversation but I was not prepared for the question to come up in the car, when we couldn't really look each other in the eye and really talk. I imagine he has many more questions now so I have the book ready for when the time is finally right. Maybe I should put it in the car.

By the way, I'm not sure if I would recommend using the word transform when talking about making babies, or the word eggs, although that one you might not be able to avoid.