SouthernMamas reader Sally Ann Mertens wins a signed copy of a new book from Random House/Clarkson Potter, entitled “WHAT I KNOW: Uncommon Wisdom and Universal Truths from 10-year-olds and 100-year-olds.”

The autographed hardcover is a collection of life insights from opposite ends of the life spectrum, compiled as the author traveled all across the country to meet and interview centenarians and children alike.

Savannah centenarian twins Eloise Rogers and Lois Fisher were among dozens of 10-year-old youths and 100-year-old sages interviewed by author Roger Emerson Fishman of Los Angeles. The book consists of short quotes and profiles of people from around the nation.

This Thanksgiving week, a SouthernMamas reader will win a new book from Random House/Clarkson Potter, entitled “WHAT I KNOW: Uncommon Wisdom and Universal Truths from 10-year-olds and 100-year-olds.”

The autographed hardcover is a collection of life insights from opposite ends of the life spectrum, compiled as the author traveled all across the country to meet and interview centenarians and children alike.

Among those centenarians featured are Savannah’s own centenarians, Eloise Rogers and Lois Fisher, whom I spotlighted in my Savannah Morning News Sunday column shortly before their 100th birthday in 2008. Last year, things took a turn for the sisters. Fisher fell ill and Rogers moved to Greenville, S.C., at the urging of her daughter. On July 27, 2009, Fisher died at the age of 101.

Twins Eloise and Lois were among dozens of 10-year-old youths and 100-year-old sages interviewed by author Roger Emerson Fishman of Los Angeles. The book consists of short quotes and profiles of people from around the nation.

Check out the rules below to enter to win:

This book would make a lovely holiday present. It highlights unique perspectives on life and the stories behind them.

Check out the book Web site here and watch the video trailer on the book’s home page to get a sense for the tone and content of the book.

Laura Numeroff, award-winning author of “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie” and “If You Give a Pig a Pancake,” is among the many talented guests in this year’s lineup at the 2009 Savannah Children’s Book Festival.

The festival – one of the best local kids’ events – is set for 10 AM-4 PM Sat., Nov. 14 at Forsyth Park in Savannah. This beloved event celebrates the joy of reading, the power of the written word and the magic of storytelling with children’s book authors and illustrators from around the country.

The festival will also include dozens of Low Country authors, arts and crafts, food vendors, a variety of entertainment, costumed characters, and much more. The Savannah Children’s Book Festival is presented by Live Oak Public Libraries and the City of Savannah.

Rain location for the event is the Savannah Civic Center.

For more information, call 912-652-3689 or click here.

Other guests at the festival include:
David Biedrzycki, “Ace Lacewing”
Bruce Degen, “The Magic School Bus”
Dr. Jean Feldman, “A Survival Guide for Preschool Teachers”
Patrick Jones, “Chasing Taillights”
Doc Neal, “What’s in a Doctor’s Bag?”
Kyle Puttkammer, “Galaxy Man”
Charles R. Smith Jr., “Dance with Me”
Mike Thaler, “Teacher from the Black Lagoon”
John and Danita Thomas, “The Ultimate Book of Kid Concoctions”
Michael P. White, “The Library Dragon”
Mrs. Rosa, host of “PBS Kids”

Quick: Name the capital of California? How many U.S. senators are there? Where’s your diaper bag?

Can’t answer even one of those? Chances are you’re suffering from momnesia, the mental fuzziness and memory lapses that set in after childbirth and linger for months afterward. If so, or if you know a new mom who is, check out my regular Sunday newspaper column here.

Adrienne Hedger and Shannon Payette Seip, moms and authors of a new book called “Momnesia: A Humorous Guide to Surviving Your Post-Baby Brain,” sum up how our brains change post-pregnancy.

One page of their book compares what kind of information a new mother retains. She doesn’t know today’s date, but she knows her baby is 44 days, 10 hours old. She can’t name the president of France, but she has the pediatrician’s number memorized.

Moms can submit their funny memory lapses here. In one, a stranger standing in a long line at a bank asks a mom if she’s in the right place because she’s carrying an armful of dry cleaning.

Our pick this week for our new, regular feature “What to read with your kids”:

Zin! Zin! Zin! a Violin by Lloyd Moss, 1995
This book simultaneously teaches instruments and personnel line-ups, from solo to nonette. This unique counting book is the perfect introduction to classical music. Readers of all ages are sure to shout “Encore!” when they reach the final page.

FLUTE, that sends our soul a-shiver;
FLUTE, that slender, silver sliver.
A place among the set it picks
To make a young SEXTET — that’s SIX. 

Click  here to search and see where  is available to check out @ Live Oak library branches and here to see where it’s available @ Beaufort County libraries.

Every now and then, we’ll turn the spotlight on a children’s book you should check out. And we’ll throw in a few links so you can find the book at your local library branch.

We’d love suggestions from readers about their favorite library finds for kids. Email anne@southernmamas.com

Our pick this Valentine’s week for our new, regular feature “What to read with your kids”:

Mama’s Kiss by Jane Yolen
A missing kiss slips and slides around to the author’s short and snappy rhymes. Mama’s kiss, shown as a winged pair of lips, is first tossed across the bedroom at her daughter, but misses and sails off through the neighborhood to finally land….

Click  here to search and see where Mama’s Kiss is available to check out @ Live Oak library branches and here to see where it’s available @ Beaufort County libraries.

Every now and then, we’ll turn the spotlight on a children’s book you should check out. And we’ll throw in a few links so you can find the book at your local library branch.

We’d love suggestions from readers about their favorite library finds for kids. Email anne@southernmamas.com

Feel as though you’re out of touch with your children or are missing too much of their childhood?

Jodie Randisi says her book, “201 Things to Do When Your Children say I’M BORED!”, can help. Randisi will be among the writers, storytellers, spoken-word performers and children’s book illustrators in the family activities tented venue @ the 2009 Savannah Book Festival. Check out her Web site here.

The book festival is free and open to the public, this Saturday, Feb. 7.
The kid-friendly part of the festival is in Telfair Square from 10 am-3 pm and includes children’s book author Charlotte Sauers (click here to read about her book), singer-songwriter Caroline Aiken, singer-author Ysaye M. Barnwell, The Spitfire Poetry Book and more.

For a schedule of the performers, click here.

Of course, the book festival also has lots of stuff for adults – such as six literary venues with more than 40 authors speaking to audiences throughout the day; book signings after each author presentation, book sales; food vendors from local restaurants; exhibitors, including a local authors marketplace.

Introducing a new, regular feature @ SouthernMamas. Every now and then, we’ll turn the spotlight on a children’s book you should check out. And we’ll throw in a few links so you can find the book at your local library branch.

This week’s pick: Some Dogs Do, by Jez Alborough, who serves up a catchy rhyming tale of a world where some dogs do fly and little pups are encouraged to believe.

“All dogs walk and jump and run,
but dogs don’t fly – it can’t be done.
“But I did,” said Sid. “I did.”

Click here to search and see where Some Dogs Do is available to check out @ Live Oak library branches and here to see where it’s available @ Beaufort County libraries.

We’d love suggestions from readers about their favorite library finds for kids. Email anne@southernmamas.com or comment below.

My mom says I’m her sugarplum.
My mom says I’m her lamb.
My mom says I’m completely perfect
Just the way I am.
My mom says I’m a super-special wonderful terrific little guy.
My mom just had another baby.
Why?
-Judith Viorst

I thought we had the whole “how-to-help-older-sibling-adjust-to-new-baby thing” covered. But four days into being a big brother, my 2-year-old is having a rough time. Not with his baby sister, whom he loves to kiss, hug and coo over. But with ME, his once constant companion who now isn’t so constant. Last night, he summed up his feelings by swinging this statement at me several (painful) times “I don’t like Mama.”

So I’m in search of ways to help with the adjustment – starting with finding children’s books. We often read Ezra Jack Keats “Peter’s Chair,” about a boy learning to accept his new baby sister. My son loves it. Here are some others I plan to check out:

“Duck at the Door” by Jackie Urbanovic
What happens when a duck knocks at your door and wants to stay with you all winter? Young readers who bemoan the presence of a new sibling may relate to the other pets in the house, who initially are frustrated by Duck but grow to love him.

“Baby on the Way” by Dr. William Sears, author and baby care expert. Gives older siblings a realistic view of what to expect once baby has arrived and helps them sort through feelings they may be experiencing as they wait. Supposed to be especially helpful for those parents who practice attachment parenting.

“Nobody asked me if I wanted a baby sister” by Martha Alexander. A jealous big brother tries to give away his new baby sister to several people in the neighborhood.

“I used to be the baby” by Robin Ballard. A young boy with a new sibling is always there when his mother needs a helping hand and is happy about having a new brother. Deep down inside, though, he misses being a baby and all the baby perks.

“I’m a big brother” or “I’m a big sister” by Joanna Cole

“She come bringing me that little baby girl” by Eloise Greenfield.

Please comment below if you have other suggestions.

Our wonderful sponsor Love & Blessings is giving away a FREE copy of The Baby Bonding Book to anyone who visits LoveBlessings.com and signs up to receive their monthly newsletter for savvy mamas absolutely FREE.

The Baby Bonding Book makes a terrific baby shower gift. While visiting the Love & Blessings Web site, check out the beautiful, organic gift baskets for baby and mama.

The folks @ Love & Blessings.com are pros at putting special gift baskets together, for moms, new moms, expectant moms. You can create your own gift basket or select one that Love & Blessings already has set up and filled with all their goodies.

Babble.com has an interesting and quick Q&A today with Sanda Tsing Loh, author of the new book “Mother on Fire: A True Motherf%#$@ Story About Parenting.”

Loh , a writer, performer and NPR essayist, is now a staunch defender of “those scary, scary” public schools. She points an accusatory finger at moms like me who are leaning toward choosing private schools (if we can save enough money by the time my son’s ready and if we don’t make the lottery for the public school Charles Ellis Montessori Academy).

Should we feel “judged” or “disrespected” or “guilty” for choosing private schools over public?

That depends, according to Loh. If you are disgusted with the state of public education, the best solution is getting involved and making improvements as a public school parent. Loh says she has a big problem with “The very elite, wealthy blue, blue Democrat, Manhattan or L.A. people railing against the educational system” while sending their kids to exclusive private schools.

“They could make it (the public school system) better. All the money they’re dumping into the private schools, all the favors they’re doing for private schools — speaking at commencements, the fund raising, teaching the little Latin class, dumping all their resources into the private schools — then looking critically at all of us people out there in the not-so pretty schools. Those are people I would judge most harshly,” Loh says.

She also defends the stereotypical PTA mom who makes school fund raising her life’s mission, leaving other parents feeling inferior.

“It’s the moms at public schools who are doing all of it: cutting out cute heart-shaped figures, bringing snacks for field trips, figuring out the system, selling the wrapping paper, writing grants for the violins, getting money together for a music program,” Loh says. “So the PTA mom is glaring at you. . . leave her alone, she’s getting a new gym built!”

Read the Q&A here.

Below is a blurb from Amazon about her book. It sounds like an interesting, albeit guilt-provoking, read.

“Prompted by her own midlife crisis, Loh throws her frantic energy not into illicit affairs, shopping binges, or exotic trips, but into the harrowing heart of contemporary, dysfunctional L.A. life when she realizes that she can’t afford private school for her daughter, and her only alternative is her neighborhood’s public school, Guavatorina, where most of the kids speak Spanish and qualify for free lunches. “

Do you secretly mock mommy-and-me-style music classes? Moms who scrapbook? Or hipster parents who are just too cool?

Do you suspect that moms who say their kids watch absolutely NO TV are, indeed, lying?

Then you might enjoy the latest mommy lit offering by Stefanie Wilder-Taylor: Naptime is the New Happy Hour: and Other Ways Toddlers Turn Your Life Upside Down.

Wilder-Taylor, whose first book was Sippy Cups Are Not For Chardonnay, takes on the trend of moms who do everything they can- including lie – to appear to be superparents in the eyes of others.

Wilder-Taylor, mother of three, shares her irreverent take on parenting, including making fun of parents like me who made our own baby food and schlep our kids to Kindermusik. Hmmm. This read might hurt a little. But if you can’t laugh at yourself…

At least, the book makes a good gift for that first-time mom who feels overwhelmed by the new world of pseudo superparents she just entered. And serves as a painful mirror for the rest of us.

Pass the chardonnay, please.

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again.

If you haven’t taken your toddler to the 10:30 am Thursday story time @ Bull Street Library with librarian Sha Dishong, then your child (and you) are missing out on a beloved part of growing up (and raising children) in our area.

Story time @ Bull Street for 0-2 year-olds (there’s also story and craft time 10:30 am Wednesdays for 3-4 year-olds) unfolds inside a cottage playhouse that looks like it’s right out of a Golden Book.

Sha is a pro at getting and keeping kids’ attention, even toddlers, with energetic choruses of “Hurry Up, Hurry Up, Drive that Fire Truck,” “Little Red Wagon” and standards like “Wheels on the Bus.”

You can read all about Sha and her job as children’s librarian in this recent Savannah Morning News article (photo by John Carrington, SMN). The woman obviously has found her calling: helping children share her love for books. Congrats Sha and thank you!

To find out about other story times in our area, click here.