Wednesday, October 14, 2009


Just for having my own little blog, I sometimes get press releases about new books to review. Normally they sound outrageously boring to me, and I delete the emails. I did, however, perk up a bit though when I read the email for "If Your Kid Eats This Book, Everything Will Still Be Okay" by Dr. Lara Zibners. This one actually sounded like a book I really need to read, since (as a first-time parent) I question every little thing my Rayna does as perhaps signalling some underlying medical cause that I should be worrying about. For example, Why is she pulling at her face? Does she have a sinus infection?!!? is one thought I've had even lately. Since I am a chronic worrier, I end up taking the poor kid to the doctor more times than I'd like to admit (I have a feeling they laugh at me there) and just expose her to more germs and pay more $ for co-pays.

So I accepted the free book to review under the one condition that I get an extra one to give a fresh, new copy away to a reader. Keep reading to find out how easy it is to enter to win this book!

First, here is my brief review. This book contains a bunch of things a parent needs to know about their little one's health and what is and isn't an emergency. There are little bullets on every page with useful information about different emergencies and some of them are terrifying, such as "Any rash appearing below the neck that looks like bruising or a very bad sunburn (with or without blisters) requires an immediate phone call to your pediatrician." and the even more terrifying, such as "A swallowed teaspoon of oil of wintergreen could theoretically kill an entire playgroup. Scary, eh?" Um, yeah!

So I will cut to the chase. The book does more to scare me than to make me feel at ease with what I would call the "not emergency". Not that being scared is a bad thing, because I am definitely glad that I know this information now, so that I can be more vigilant with safety in my own home. But, I just don't think the book is the emergency resource that it claims to be. For me, I would look on the Internet, call my mom, ask my mom friends on facebook or by mass-text, etc. all before I hunt down this book and try to look for Dr. Zibner's advice on whether this is an emergency. The back cover of the book touts that "even though your kid just took a swig of bleach, she may not have to go to the emergency room" yet when I looked up "bleach" in the index, it's not there. I went to the "poisoning" section of the index and they are divided up by rooms in the house. Is bleach under kitchen or bathroom? See what I mean? By the time I have found the page that answers my question I could have called Poison Control.

Other side of my coin: I think this book actually makes a great resource for new parents. I think the comprehensive nature of this book suits itself better to a baby shower gift for a new mom ready to soak up information about infant health and hidden dangers in the home. When I was sitting at home waiting to go into labor, this is all of the information I would have loved to have been reading. So I'm not totally bashing this book, I just think the subtitle should be changed from "How to Know if Your Child's Injury or Illness is Really an Emergency?" to something more like "How to be Prepared for Your Child's Injury or Illness".

Bottom line? This book is a great addition to any parent's bookshelf. Many sections, especially the Guide to the Newborn and Household Poisonings sections, should be required reading for new parents. But is this book really an emergency resource? I don't think so.

Want to get a free copy for yourself or to pass on as a gift?
Just leave a comment to enter. Be sure to include your email address so I can contact you if you win.

Want extra entries? Here's tons: Just be sure to leave a *separate* comment for each additional entry!
-Become a "loyal subject" and follow my blog
-Subscribe to my blog by email or feedreader
-Add my button to your site (leave your link!) - 5 extra entries!
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-Blog/Talk about this giveaway on another site (leave your link!) - 5 extra entries!
-Tweet about this giveaway by posting: Check out and enter the "If Your Kid Eats This Book" giveaway @queenmotherblog http://bit.ly/kidseatbook Gr8 resource for new parents! - 1 entry per tweet!

This giveaway is open to residents of the US & Canada and will end at 8PM EST 10/23. Good luck!

65 comments:

Kim said...

I already own this and LOVE it - so I want to win to give this as a gift!

Kim said...

subscriber

Kim said...

blog follower

Kim said...

twitter follower- kgail11

Colleen said...

I'd like to read this book. I've heard lots of good reviews on it. thanks for the chance.
cthompson1477@gmail.com

Jonnie (JB) said...

I would love to win this to read it myself and then pass it on.
dftrew(at)gmail(dot)com

Canadian Free Stuff said...

Cute name! I`d give the book a great read & pass it on.

jchaborek
at hotmail.com

www.canadianfreestuff.com

Tarah said...

I would love to win this book! We're going to be first time parents next year and I know this will come in handy!

Tarah
tarah716[at]ymail.com

Metal Momma said...

Would love to win this. I never know when to freak out and when not to haha

Heather B said...

oh my I could certainly use this!! my kids are always getting in to something or doing something to themselves

Gabriel S-J. said...

Great read, great contest!

Unknown said...

I could use this book with my son.

hafner611{AT}gmail{DOT}com

Unknown said...

All Hail Queen Mother :) I'm a loyal follower.

Unknown said...

I subscribe in reader.

Unknown said...

I follow on Twitter- @ksh123

erma said...

I'd love to read this.
erma.hurtt@sbcglobal.net

Molly K said...

I would love to win this for my sister. She is expecting her first baby later this year and I think this would make a great gift.

Molly K said...

I follow on Twitter as tomandmollyk

Erica G said...

I would love this! I am always worried about my baby.

egreca (at) hotmail {dot} com

Katie S. said...

I would love to give this book to my sister who is having a baby soon. She is so worried about everything ! :)

ktfereva22@aol.com

Katie S. said...

I'm a subscriber

ktfereva22@aol.com

Katie S. said...

i follow your blog too

ktfereva22@aol.com

Anonymous said...

Happy Weekend!

theyyyguy@yahoo.com

Unknown said...

Would love this book as I have a seven month old, thanks for the opportunity to win!

Amanda D. said...

I'd love the chance to win this! macd82 at gmail dot com

Unknown said...

This book would be so amazingly handy around here! 3 kids = a lot of "emergancy" questions!!

contestlover1983@gmail.com

Unknown said...

This book sounds great!

Donna said...

It looks good.
donna444444@yahoo.com

Beth said...

I'd like to read this book! I have a 12 month old boy and this might come in handy!
~Beth
bethanyev@gmail.com
http://joeandbethany.blogspot.com

Donna said...

subscribe to your feed.
donna444444@yahoo.com

Donna said...

follower
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Donna said...

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Beth said...

I'm a new follower of you blog! Glad I found you! :)
~Beth
bethanyev@gmail.com
http://joeandbethany.blogspot.com

Donna said...

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Donna said...

follow on twittr.(donnak4)
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Beth said...

I'm a subscriber!
~Beth
bethanyev@gmail.com
http://joeandbethany.blogspot.com

Beth said...

Entry #1
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~Beth
bethanyev@gmail.com

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bethanyev@gmail.com

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bethanyev@gmail.com

Beth said...

I follow you on twitter @bethanyev
~Beth
bethanyev@gmail.com
http://joeandbethany.blogspot.com

Beth said...

Tweeted:
http://twitter.com/bethanyev/statuses/5089482762

~Beth
bethanyev@gmail.com
http://joeandbethany.blogspot.com

lilyk said...

Please enter me into the contest. Thanks!

lilyk@mail2world.com

lilyk said...

I subscribed by email.

lilyk@mail2world.com

Roseann K. said...

Every family could use a book like this for emergencies. Thanks!

Marianna said...

follow you on twitter @mannabsn

Marianna said...

tweet http://twitter.com/mannabsn/status/5100234111

Andria said...

It sounds really good. I would love a chance to win. Thank you.

degood said...

I would love a copy of this book because I never know when I should call the doctor or if I should treat it myself.

kerrie@mayansfamily.com

mchavez718 said...

I would love to read this book.
mchavez718@gmail.com

Hotsnotty2 said...

I would love to read this, thanks for the chance!

Hotsnotty2@hotmail.com

cman said...

I'd love this for myself and my family :)

Sarah said...

This sounds like a good book to have on hand for anyone with kids in the house.

Sarah said...

I'm am a new addition to your collection of loyal subjects. LOL.

Sarah said...

I subscribe via Google Reader.

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masonsgranny59 said...

sounds and looks like a good book