Children’s Retail Today

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Children’s Book Series


Imagine a young child teased in school for reading aloud. Terribly. How could that child react?

Well, this one – a shy, introvert who enjoys spending time alone, dreaming up magical worlds, singing, dancing, drawing and writing- simply stops reading.

It isn’t until her teacher notices a huge drop in her test scores that it comes to the attention of her Mom. And the race to improve the child’s reading skills begins. It actually becomes an easy job, as the child reads well above her age level; as we know, all writers are great readers. She just doesn’t enjoy it as much as she once does. Until …

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Dragonriders of Pern

For me (yes, I am this child), I don’t really enjoy reading again until a friend introduces me to the science fiction book series, Dragonriders of Pern by Anne McCaffrey. By now, I’m a young adult, working in advertising. From here, it’s Frank Herbert’s masterpiece series, Dune and the works of Robert Heinlein (Stranger in a Strange Land, Time Enough for Love and Glory Road are favorites).

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Children’s Book Series

The nature of book series -the worlds authors create, the cast of recurring characters, the richness and intimacy of the storytelling – is what hooks me to the quick. Readers of all ages are drawn in with the sights and sounds of the storied imagination, so to speak, which encourages more reading, more imagination, more satisfaction.

Nowadays, children are huge fans of J.K. Rowling’s magnificent Harry Potter series (for the best treat, listen to the award-winning audiobooks, narrated by the oh-so-talented Jim Dale); Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games, the Twilight series by Stephanie Meyer and others (can you say, Diary of a Wimpy Kid?). And you don’t have to be a child to be taken by them.

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Certainly, the fascination with book series can continue well into adulthood – consider the popularity of George RR Martin’s A Song of Fire and Ice (aka Game of Thrones) and Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series and the Earth’s Children series (Clan of the Cave Bear) by Jean M. Auel. Yes, book series can open up a whole new world to a reader and a whole new way of learning.

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Mango, Abuela, and Me


An endearing tale from an award-winning duo that speaks loud and clear about learning new things and the love that bonds family members.

Mia’s abuela leaves her sunny house with parrots and palm trees to live with Mia and her parents in the city. The night she arrives, Mia tries to share her favorite book with Abuela before they go to sleep and discovers that she can’t read the words inside. So while they cook, Mia helps Abuela learn English and Mia learns some Spanish too, but it’s still hard for Abuela to learn the words she needs to tell Mia all her stories. Then Mia sees a parrot in the pet-shop window and has the perfect idea for how to help them all communicate a little better.

Appropriate for children ages five through eight, Mango, Abuela, and Me is written by the award-winning Meg Medina, who has authored several books for young readers, including the highly acclaimed YA novel, Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass and the picture book Tía Isa Wants a Car, for which she received an Ezra Jack Keats New Writer Award. Now living in Richmond, Virginia, Meg grew up in Queens, New York.

061516_CRT_MangoAbuelaAndMe_insideimage“I turned to writing because my family wouldn’t stop talking. Ever,” Meg says. “I’m part of a very ordinary Cuban family, which is to say, a meddling clan of aunts, uncles, and grandparents who are tireless storytellers. Stories are such a powerful way to remember and make sense of what happens to you in life—and plenty had happened to them by the time they arrived in the U.S. during the early 1960s. My parents left in the middle of a revolution in their country, and they arrived the way many immigrants do: with empty pockets, no language, and in shock. But they also knew the power of stories. Families need their own tales to survive hard times, and those stories are a rope that can attach even the youngest children to their roots. Stories help you learn all the things that really matter to the people who are trying to help you grow up.”

The book is illustrated by Angela Dominguez who lives in San Francisco and teaches art at the Academy of Art University.

061516_CRT_MangoAbuelaAndMe_CoverPura Belpré Author & Illustrator Awards

Both Meg and Angela are honored with the 2016 Pura Belpré Author and Illustrator Honor Book Award, named after the first Latina librarian at the New York Public Library. Established in 1996, the awards are presented annually to a Latino/Latina writer and illustrator whose work best portrays, affirms and celebrates the Latino cultural experience in an outstanding work of literature for children and youth. It is co-sponsored by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), and REFORMA, the National Association to Promote Library and Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish-Speaking, an ALA affiliate.

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The Incomparable Sally Huss


“Happy children make a better world. I write children’s books to help brighten the lives of children and add a little dollop of wisdom in the process.”

-Sally Huss

Children need core values, good habits, handy skills and a good sense of humor to keep them moving forward in a happy, healthy and productive manner. So says Sally Huss – imaginative artist, insightful writer and a friend of mine. Sally’s 80+ children’s books are stories full of fun rhymes and truly adorable illustrations that teach kids (and adults, too!) meaningful social and emotional skills. Plus, she adds to her children’s book collection all the time (sign up here for a free download).

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Fab Review – “…Kids like their crazy outfits … and their clothes combinations are no nuttier than llamas who like to wear pajamas… This is another lovely book of cute rhymes and adorable fanciful drawings that delight the imagination.”

-Healthy Living

Growing up in Bakersfield, California, Sally started painting at 10 years old. She studied art Occidental College before graduating with a degree in Fine Art from USC. Along the way, Sally followed her dream of playing tennis – first as a U.S. and Wimbledon Junior Champion, then a semi-finalist in the Women’s division at Wimbledon. Now a top senior player, Sally is a member of the Kern County Sports Hall of Fame (1977) and the Occidental College’s Athletic Hall of Fame. (2015).

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Fab Review- “How clever is this? Through a delightful adventure to the moon, the author explains not only how moon cheese is made, but how The Man in The Moon lights up the sky by doing his work happily, thus inspiring the visitors to do the same. We loved this book and I know we will read it often.”

– Jill McDonald

060816_CRT_SallyHussAfter Sally married Marv Huss -the love of her life and a top executive with Hallmark- she created several lines of greeting cards, clothing and ceramics, plus baby bibs, wallpaper for children, and more. Sally also writes and illustrates a King Features’ syndicated, inspirational panel for newspapers called Happy Musings. In the 80’s, the two developed Sally Huss Galleries across the country. “I continue to paint commission works for homes, offices and hotels and offer many of my prints on Fine Art America,” Sally says. “These include gift prints, prints for children’s rooms and large contemporary landscapes.”

Sally’s art, her children’s books and her writings always put a smile on my face …

and I bet they’ll do the same for you and your kids. You can also find all of Sally’s books on Amazon.

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Good Night Yoga


Do you know the President’s Council has added the practice of yoga to the fitness activities in the annual President’s Challenge?

Sounds True is an independent multimedia publishing company that embraces the world’s major spiritual traditions, as well as the arts and humanities, with a library of more than 1,500 titles including children’s books.

Good Night Yoga: A Pose-by-Pose Bedtime Story 

“I wrote this book because after years of teaching children’s yoga, I wanted a way for my students to (literally) take it home,” says author Mariam Gates. With a master’s in education from Harvard University and has more than 20 years’ experience working with children, Mariam’s renowned Kid Power Yoga™ program combines her love of yoga with teaching to help children access their inner gifts. “This book became a way to hand children the tools to create their own practice and for parents, caregivers, and teachers to share in that experience.”

For parents and caregivers looking for a fun and effective new routine for bedtime, Good Night Yoga is full-color book beautifully illustrated by Sarah Jane Hinder that tells the story of the natural world as it closes down for the night, while teaching children a simple flow of yoga postures inspired by their favorite characters from nature.

“There is a power in being able to pause and take a deep breath in and a long breath out. As I teach kids and train teachers around the country, I am amazed by how this simple tool of slowing things down through breath and movement can be so essential to how we experience a moment, a day, and our lives. This book is my way of bringing that practice to life.”

As a parent, part of Mariam’s purpose for writing this book is to create more ritual around bedtime, especially for her daughter, who needed a longer lead-in to sleep. The simple flow of the story gives kids a way to relax mentally and physically “let go” of the day.

Good Night Yoga is a complete guide to a simple sequence that is both fun and ultimately relaxing. Each pose has both visual and written cues as a support, and Mariam includes a spread where the entire flow is shown so you and your child can see “where you’re going.”

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Mariam and her artist partner Sarah Jane follow Good Night Yoga with Good Morning Yoga, a practice for kids and parents to greet the morning with joy and embark on their daily adventures with intention and confidence.

Namaste

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CRT on Haitus


Due to a few important life changes and events, fresh posts from Children’s Retail Today will return in June 2016.

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The NYC Collection by Solo


Designed in New York and available everywhere.

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Solo is one of the largest and fastest growing urban lifestyle brands around. The company designs bags, backpacks, cases, sleeves and totes “for people who know what they want and aren’t shy about demanding it.”

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Inspired by its hometown and its inhabitants, Solo introduces its first New York-inspired collection of backpacks. Each bag features scenes from the five boroughs: Brooklyn graffiti, the Manhattan grid, skateboards and more; features include

  • Fully padded mesh 15.6″ laptop pockets
  • Two front pockets
  • Front zip-down organizer section with key clip
  • Side pockets fits most water bottles
  • Padded carry handle
  • Padded shoulder straps for added comfort
  • Lightweight

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Looking for teen appropriate carryalls?

Solo’s got ‘em, and at a great price. Available now on Solo.net.

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Moc Happens by Itzy Ritzy


Five Fresh Styles of Adorable Baby Moccasins

Moc Happens™ is a brand new line of leather baby moccasins by Itzy Ritzy. Made from super soft, breathable and durable leather, the spring collection includes five moccasin styles available in three different sizes for newborn babies up to 18-months-of-age.

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“At Itzy Ritzy, we wanted to create chic, high quality, leather moccasins that were affordable and would be the perfect gift for any occasion in a baby’s early life,” says Kelly Douglas, Itzy Ritzy’s Co-CEO. “Moc Happens is the latest product in the Itzy Ritzy line that marries function and style for the modern parent.”

Itzy Ritzy’s Moc Happens feature removable padded inserts for comfort and to extend the life of the shoe as baby’s foot grows, secure elastic openings for easily taking them on and off, and Itzy Ritzy’s signature chevron embossed soles for an extra touch of style and distinction. The moccasins are available in five unique and playful styles including Ritzy Dot, Dino-Monster, Diamond Rain, Precious Metals and Toasted Almond.

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Ideal gifts for baby showers, new moms, holidays, christenings or first birthdays, Moc Happens moccasins come packaged in a gift box and are fully CPSIA-tested and compliant. Moc Happens are available for purchase at fine retailers nationwide, online and at www.itzyritzy.com.

Itzy Ritzy’s products show that parenting in style is possible. By packing function and style into one eco-friendly punch, Itzy Ritzy provides attractive solutions to everyday challenges. Responsible for the great selling line of modern solutions for chic parents on the go, products include the Snack Happens Reusable Snack Bags, Nursing Happens Infinity Breastfeeding Scarf, Cozy Happens Infant Car Seat Canopy, Ritzy Sitzy Shopping Cart & High Chair Cover, Travel Happens Zippered Wet Bags, and Teething Happens Chewable Mom Jewelry. Celebrity fans include Jennifer Garner, Kelly Clarkson, Zoe Saldana, Gisele Bundchen, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Gwen Stefani, and Nicole Ritchie.

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ergoPouch


Hip-Healthy Swaddles, Sleep Sacks & Sleep Suits

Award-winning manufacturer ergoPouch’s range of baby swaddles, sleep sacks and sleep suits have received “hip-healthy” designation from The International Hip Dysplasia Institute (IHDI), a not-for-profit organization dedicated to improving the health and quality of life of those afflicted with hip dysplasia.

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“We are thrilled to receive this designation from the International Hip Dysplasia Institute,” ergoPouch founder Alina Sack says. “Baby’s health and comfort is at the forefront of every ergoPouch design and we’re pleased to be recognized for our products which promote healthy hip development during infancy by an organization of this caliber.”

040616_CRT_1stfinals-104-1Australian-based ergoPouch founded in 2009 is renowned for the design and manufacture of premium baby swaddles, sleeping bags and sleep suits made from pure natural fibers. As a mother, Alina Sack draws on her own personal experiences of sleep deprivation to conceive of innovative products designed to help babies and kids get a better night’s sleep.

The award-winning ergoPouch collection includes baby swaddles, sleeping bags and sleep suits suitable for children ages birth to six years. All ergoPouch products are made with organic cotton, bamboo or Merino wool.

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Hip-Healthy Status

In 2012, Prof Nicholas Clarke of University Hospital Southampton raised the alarm about tight swaddling. “Safe swaddling with appropriate devices should be promoted because it is recognized that traditional swaddling is a risk factor for developmental dislocation of the hip,” he says. “In order to allow for healthy hip development, legs should be able to bend up and out at the hips. This position allows for natural development of the hip joints. The babies’ legs should not be tightly wrapped in extension and pressed together.”

Using a traditional wrapping method, parents could wrap too tightly to ensure their babies stay securely swaddled. Wraps can tend to unravel, but it is really important to avoid wrapping a baby’s legs tightly in a straight (prone) position.

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There is no origami and no wrapping involved when using an ergoCocoon or AirCocoon “They keep even the most determined Houdini babies snug,” Alina says. For this reason, the IHDI has recognized these ergoPouch products as “Hip-Healthy” – ergonomically designed with a bell-shaped bottom for extra legroom and made from stretchy organic cotton or bamboo to allow babies to move their legs comfortably and adopt the “frog-leg” position. They are perfect for babies diagnosed with hip dysplasia as a brace can be worn comfortably inside the swaddle.

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Offering great functionality and versatility, ergoPouch also offers different sizes to ensure the right fit for baby with swaddles that can easily transition to a sleeping bag, and sleep suits that convert from bags to suits with legs for easy use from bassinet to stroller to baby carrier.

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Lofty Elephants


Boutique toddler clothes handmade from beautiful, unique printed fabrics.

033016_CRT_LoftyElephants_01Farah Chherawalla is owner of Lofty Elephants, what she calls a “lofty endeavor to provide boutique toddler clothes made from beautiful and unique fabrics and prints at department store prices, while employing men and women in desperate need of income to feed their babies or put their children through school.”

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This Mom-owned and operated online apparel business sells children’s clothes that are handmade in small batches in India, using materials from small businesses. “Most of our prints cannot be seen anywhere else, and chances are they will not be repeated,” Farah says.

033016_CRT_LoftyElephants_03Part of Lofty Elephants sales proceeds benefit the operation of an education center that empowers women by teaching them skills, which make them employable. In return, Lofty Elephants aims to employ most of these women.

033016_CRT_LoftyElephants_02How to Buy

Due to technical difficulties on http://loftyelephants.com, Farah asks that you email info@loftyelephants.com with any interest in buying. “We will soon be available on Amazon.com,” Farah says. “Sorry for the inconvenience and we promise you an even more exciting collection soon.” Stay in touch with Lofty Elephants on Facebook.

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Donna Pellittieri Collection


Wearable art for little girls.

Donna Pellittieri designs beautiful, vintage-inspired clothes for girls ages three months to five years. Each piece from Donna’s collections are one-of-a-kind and truly unique.

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Since graduating the Fashion Institute of Technology in 1976, Donna has been creating wearable art. Earlier in her life as an OR nurse, she continued to sew – finding her “calling” in creating doll art. In 2010, she returned to making clothes for little girls – dresses, jackets, coats and hats, bags and pillows and special occasion outfits on commission, such as flower girl dresses.

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Each of Donna’s one-of-a-kind pieces and takes between 30 and 40 hours to make. Her inspiration comes from vintage and antique catalogues and books. From there she designs and makes her own patterns, constructs the clothing and lovingly embellishes them with antique lace, ribbon and buttons. The pieces reflect different eras, from the Victorian Age to the 1960’s -though the 20’s and 30’s are her favorite decades. While the clothes she makes are influenced by other eras, she puts her own twist on them and they truly are unique.