I have a vivid childhood memory of being about 10 years old and having to read my youngest brother his bedtime stories one night (he was seven years younger than I). I read this story two or three times and he kept saying "Again, again!". I complained to my mother that I'd already read it to him but she said, "So read it again". At the time I didn't realise that she probably wanted some peace and quiet!

Reading to children is a real joy, and once they begin to read to themselves a whole new world opens up to them. Keeping track of this new world isn't always easy. Likewise, finding a suitable movie to take a child to can be a challenge, and although the ratings system is of assistance, what is appropriate for a 9 year old may not be appropriate for a 5 year old.

Please feel free to submit reviews of movies and books for this section.

Everyone's Got a Bottom - a Storybook for Children Aged 3-8 Years.
Published by Family Planning Queensland
(many thanks to Trish for letting us know about this book)

Everyone's Got a Bottom is a learning tool for parents and carers to educate children about self protection, in particlar about being inappropriately touched. The story is about Ben and his siblings talking about bodies in a friendly, matter of fact manner. It is written in a fun, easy to understand style with colourful illustrations which would appeal to its target age group, ie 3-8 year olds. Be aware that within the context of the story the correct names for our private parts, ie testicles, vagina, etc, are used. I am sure that Everyone's Got a Bottom is an excellent place to start if you want to discuss and educate your child about self-protection. Available from Family Planning Queensland's website: www.fpq.com.au/teaching_aids/everyones_got_a_bottom.stm

Home-cooked Food for Babies and Toddlers - A Simple Guide
by Sandra Beynon-Dick. Edited by Dr J McKeon

Wow! I wish I had this book when my children were babies! Sandra Beynon-Dick is a passionate cook and mother and this book contains many of the hints that are learned through networking with other mothers, but aren't always found in books. Her simple, no-nonsense style is easy to read and the recipes are easy to follow too. She includes a section on 'Healthy Eating on the Move' with tips for feeding baby when you're out and about and a basic feeding guide for 0 to 3 years. Even better, it is written and published locally!

Home-cooked Food for Babies and Toddlers is available for only $14.95 including postage from www.goodforkidz.com.au . A great gift for someone having a baby or as a reference for yourself!

Brisbane Kids has one copy of Home-Cooked Food for Babies and Toddlers to give away.
To go into the draw to win, please email info@brisbanekids.com.au with a brief paragraph about who the book is for and why: eg I'd like the book for my sister who is expecting her first child later this year. Entries close 20 June 2008 and the winner will be notified by email on 30 June 2008.

The Australian Women's Weekly Food for Fit and Healthy Kids
Published by ACP Books

The Australian Women's Weekly is well known for its quality recipe books. What I found most helpful about this book was the nutritional advice provided in the chapter. This advice applies to children from 4-18 years and includes information about serving sizes, getting kids involved in preparing food and providing a nutirtionally balanced diet. The recipes are fairly easy to preare and include breakfasts, juices and smoothies through to main meals, desserts and snacks. Some of the recipes are a little adventurous for fussy youngsters, but they provide some healthy ideas - we loved the 'Traffic Light Mash' - and older children should be happy to help prepare these meals.

The Australian Women's Weekly Party Animals, Birthday Cakes for Kids
Published by ACP Books

Wow, I can remember my mum making some of these cakes for us when we were kids! As you no doubt guessed from the title, these cakes are all animals and range from elephants to mice, platypus to redback spiders, with patty cakes and the more traditional birthday cakes catered for. The instructions all call for packet cakes but there are cake recipes at the end of the book which make up the required amount of mixture. The patterns at the back are a fantastic, trace your choice onto baking paper, cut around it and decorate your heart out. If you are anything like me, the cakes you make look nothing like the ones in the book, but the kids love them anyway.

As a young child, my mother took my brother and I to see Disney's Fantasia (yes, I'm that old!). Unfortunately, we had to leave the film early as both of us were terrified by it! I had the same experience with my four-year-old daughter when we went to see The Wild. Knowing she is quite sensitive, I researched carefully (I thought) but we both found the film quite dark and certainly too scary for her - and several other young children in the cinema. It can be just as difficult to decide what is suitable for older children - is a film with an 'M' rating ok for a 10 or 12 year old to see? Does watching on-screen violence desensitise children to real violence?

Brisbane Kids caters for families with children up to 12 years of age, so we will provide reviews for films with a G or PG rating, occasionally making an exception for M rated films we feel may be suitable for children aged 10-12 years. We welcome your feedback on these matters.

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