parent & child wellness

Develop Your Child's Sense of Joy and Wonder by Mariah Bruehl

Children are natural scientists, artists, mathematicians, authors, and scholars.  From the time they are born they seek out information about the world around them in an effort to construct meaning and further their development.  While children have an inherent drive to make sense of their reality, parents have a unique opportunity to harness their children's curiosity and channel it into a love of learning.  Playful learning is the magic that takes place when we meld a child's sense of joy and wonder with thoughtfully planned learning experiences.  Through easy-to-implement, hands-on projects you can engage your child in fun and creative ways that encourage learning and impart the joy of discovery.  With a little bit of information and forethought, you can play a pivotal role in the cognitive and creative development of your child. 

Mariah Bruehl has worked in the field of education for over a decade.  She has taught in the classroom, developed curriculum in many different subject areas, trained teachers, and implemented programs across many grade levels.  She is the mother of two girls and the owner of Playful Learning, a retail space and education center in Sag Harbor.

Softcover. 240 pages, 7.25 x 9.25"

Roost Books, 2011.

Check out the website of Playful Learning here.

Calling On My Inner Science Nerd to Help Navigate the Ups and Downs of Parenthood

by Lynn Brunelle

Science is the ultimate parenting tool. After all, it’s really all about observing, asking questions, solving problems, making mistakes, and trying again and again and again—just like being a mom or dad! Come along with Lynn Brunelle as she initiates you into the joys of geek-style parenting. A proud geek mom herself—and an Emmy-winning writer for the show Bill Nye, the Science Guy—Lynn has had a love of science from the time she was a child. When she had her own kids, science became like a friend she could lean on for support, helping her make sense of the joy, pain, and uncertainty of parenting. Join her as she infuses her days with science, and shares it, in all its geeky wonder, with her kids.

Each chapter offers the chance to laugh aloud along with Lynn, and then a neat and do-able experiment or exploration for your kids.

What do armpit farts, ear infections, and grass stains have in common? For geek mom Lynn Brunelle they all spark the part of her that is gleefully curious about how things work. Join her as she explores the intersection of parenting and science, where the terror of swallowing a magnet or catching lice is transformed into the heart-soaring excitement that comes from exploring the wonder of science. With great humor, Brunelle takes ordinary episodes of parenting and infuses them with a scientist’s perspective. In doing so, she shows us that science isn't just for geeks. It's the stardust that makes common things glow. Why not pass that magic along to the kids?

Lynn Brunelle is a four-time Emmy Award–winning writer for the television series Bill Nye the Science Guy, with over twenty years of writing experience. A former classroom science, English, and art teacher for kids K–12, as well as an editor, illustrator, and award-winning, best-selling author of over forty titles, Brunelle has created, developed, and written projects for PBS, NPR, A&E, the Discovery Channel, National Geographic, Disney, and ABC. She is a regular presenter of science and art projects in classrooms and schools. She lives on an island off the coast of Washington.

Softcover, 240 pages. 6 x 8.5 inches.

Roost Books.

Check out Lynn's website here.

Praise:

"Lynn loves being a mom, and she loves science. She relays tale after tale of how she engages her kids in wonder after wonder of the world around them—and around all of us. Her science enriches their lives and saves her sanity. Mama Gone Geek will do the same for you." —Bill Nye, the Science Guy

"A wonderfully hilarious romp through Lynn Brunelle’s world, complete with directions on how to turn the most awkward and smelly aspects of parenting into teaching moments. Mama Gone Geek is a memoir and a how-to book on its surface, but it is also—and more importantly so—a testament to the undying love, joy, faith, and protectiveness a mother feels for her family. Brunelle’s ability to see her world anew, even as she knows precisely how to describe it to her children, is refreshing, touching, and, ultimately, very gratifying. Brava!" —Garth Stein, author of The Art of Racing in the Rain

"Lynn Brunelle is the love child of Erma Bombeck and Mr. Wizard!" —Susan Wiggs, author of The Apple Orchard and The Beekeeper's Ball

"Mama Gone Geek is my favorite book of the year. Funny and touching. Every parent can relate to her stories. I’m buying it for all my friends." —Suzanne Selfors, author of The Imaginary Veterinary series

 

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