CoolBabyGear

Start on the Green path with Raising Baby Green: The Earth Friendly Guide to Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Baby Care by Alan Greene, M.D. ($15.25) Dr. Greene is a figurehead of the Green Baby movement, so the book is extremely informative, not to mention user friendly. (Yes, dads: there are pictures.) You’ll learn how to make healthy Green choices, from food to medicine to products. You grew up riding on the handlebars and sucking lead paint. Your baby will start out Green. Much better.

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There is no cooler, nor more beautiful way to teach spelling than ABC’s by Charlie Harper. ($10.17) Mr. Harper goes through the alphabet with his wonderful art, and your kids will hang on and learn with every page. Exquisitely illustrated and educational: what more could you ask for from a children’s book?

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Of course your kids are perfect little angels, but it doesn’t hurt to have a few reminders of what’s acceptable and what isn’t. That’s Mean! By Francesco Pittau & Bernadette Gervais ($7.95) makes learning how to behave a blast. It’s a wonderfully illustrated book that tells it like it is. Spitting? That’s mean! Telling secrets? That’s mean! Kicking the cat? You get the idea. Even the best-behaved could use a little help sometimes.

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Doodles ($19.95) may be the coolest coloring book we’ve ever seen. It’s huge – 8 ¼ x 11 11/16 and 368 pages huge. It’s smart – full of unfinished images that allow your child to fill in the blanks their way. It’s pedigreed – Taro Gomi has illustrated over 100 children’s books. With Doodles, he just starts your kids off on their own path. You’ll all love finding out where they end up.

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1 2 3 ($8) is a great way to introduce not only counting, but also shapes and art. Each image is a paper cutout that requires counting and encourages curiosity about the shapes. Tom Slaughter is a world renowned artist, with works featured in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art and the Whitney. His first children’s book continues the theme, and brings the kids along for an educational ride.

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This book ($12.21) will prove very enlightening for new parents trying to navigate a healthy, environmentally sound path for their children. Dr. Feder, a nationally respected holistic health specialist, covers all the bases, from homeopathic treatments to organic diets and clean green bathing. It’s a great read for parents who want to make a natural difference.

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There is absolutely no drive-through garbage in this book, and we couldn’t be happier. The Organic Baby and Toddler Cookbook is the ultimate start to a lifetime of healthy food choices. It features tons of easy quick menu plans for every stage of development, all totally organic and eco-friendly. It’s a lifetime of happy meals, and we totally approve.

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Cooking is a blast! And now your kids can get in on the fun with the Cooking FUNdamentals cookbook. ($8) This book is loaded with kid-friendly recipes like holey moley! Guacamole and best-ever brownies, and the book is arranged in logically ordered chapters. And best of all? No obnoxious celebrity chef pitching their own TV show and product line. Come and get it!

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Invest in the memories! The Binth Baby Book ($108) kicks the hell out of those skeezy stick-on photo albums and memory books you grew up with. This is a handcrafted gem that allows plenty of room for photos and journal entries from day of birth through third birthday. It’s screen printed on acid free archival paper, with a cotton hardcover and completely original artwork. This is as special as it gets.

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