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New York

Jack’s Wife Freda: Kid-Friendly Restaurants, SoHo, New York

May 26, 2014 / Manhattan Munchies, New York Food, SoHo / 0 comment

On what can only be called a crazy whim, we decided to brunch at Jack’s Wife Freda on an early spring morning. The wait for this restaurant is always out of control. We put our name down and went shopping during the hour and a half it took for our table to free up. The restaurant is absolutely tiny, and the tables are small and squished together. Not much room for baby stuff, so pack light and be prepared to leave the stroller outside.

What the restaurant lacks in certain kid-friendly accommodations, it makes up for in its friendly atmosphere: The staff were incredibly friendly (our server was a fellow Aussie!) and obligingly gave Missy E crayons to color in with, as well as a really cool pop out 3D elephant puzzle that entertained her for the majority of the time we were there.

There is a reason people line up for hours to get in: The food is absolutely delicious. The dishes are small, so order a few sides if you’ve been waiting for a while for your table. We ordered the Soft Boiled Eggs with Soldiers ($7) for missy E, Poached Eggs with Grilled Tomato and Haloumi ($12) for the three of us in our our party, and the French Fries ($5). Perfectly cooked eggs, great bread, fragrant tomatoes. Absolutely delicious.

Last Bite: Arrive when it opens for a better chance of a shorter wait, or put your name down and enjoy shopping in Soho. Your brunch will be worth it when you finally get it!

Highchairs: No.
Stroller storage: No.
Easy access: Yes.
Change tables: No.
Kids’ menu: No.

Jack’s Wife Freda
224 Lafayette St,
Manhattan, NY 10012
Phone: (212) 510 8550
Prices: $$
Hours: Mon-Sat 10am-12am Sun 10am-10pm
Reservations.
Get Directions

A New York Classic: Tavern on the Green, Upper West Side, NY

May 26, 2014 / Cheese, Manhattan Munchies, New York Food, Upper West Side / 0 comment

A long time ago, two Australians visited New York City while on holiday. They had a romantic lunch at Tavern on the Green, oohed and aahed at the over-the-top Versailles-like decor, then went on their merry journey. They got engaged, then married, and then, finally, moved to New York City and had an adorable (albeit crazy) toddler. All the while, Tavern on the Green was on its own journey.

Tavern was originally built to hold the sheep that lived in the Central Park Sheep Meadow. In the early 1930s, New Yorkers evicted the sheep, and the building was converted into a restaurant. The restaurant became famous for its decadent Crystal Room, a conservatory-like space decked out with colored-glass chandeliers, stucco embellishments on the ceiling, and numerous flower motifs.

In the restaurant’s hey day, during the late 1970s and ’80s, Tavern was the place for celebrities to be seen. John Lennon and Yoko Ono, Madonna and Michael Jackson were all guests.

In 2009, the owners of Tavern filed for bankruptcy and the restaurant closed its doors, opening again in April 2014 after a massive refurbishment. The new restaurant barely resembles the old one. Gone is the Crystal Room and abundance of flowers. In its place is a sleek, modern dining establishment with nods to its heritage, such as sheep heads by the fire place, and a carousel-resembling chandelier over the bar.

And so it was that this little family of three made their way back to the newly opened Tavern on an absolutely gorgeous spring day. Let me say this from the outset: the new Tavern has amazing staff. The efficient, friendly staff welcomed our wriggly toddler and her tired parents with open arms, and gave us a wonderful table in the courtyard.

We ordered Assorted Pastries with Cultured Vermont Butter and Preserves ($6) which contained two perfectly-sized plain croissants, two chocolate croissants, a lemon poppy seed scone, butter, and orange marmalade and raspberry jam by my favorite jam-makers, Bonne Maman. We had intended these for Missy E, but they were so good we all devoured them.

Alec and I both ordered the same dish off the brunch menu: the Scrambled Local Eggs with Fresh Goat Cheese and Chives with Applewood Smoked Bacon and a Sourdough Bruschetta ($21). It came with bacon, which I received on the side and added to Alec’s eggs. We added cocktails to the brunch (what’s brunch without a cocktail?) and were delighted to receive strong, well-made White Peach Bellinis and Brooklyn.

Our eggs on toast were really tasty – fluffy eggs on sourdough, as described. Even better — the meals all came quickly, before Missy E got totally bored.

We even went back for dessert – a Brownie Sundae for me, with Fudge Brownie, Caramel Ice Cream, Homemade ”Cracker Jacks”, Chocolate Sauce ($13), the Spring Pavlova for Alec, with Matcha Curd, Macerated Strawberries and Rhubarb, Chantilly Cream, Tarragon Oil ($12), and a single scoop of vanilla ice cream for E.

My brownie was rich and moist, but I would have liked a bit more ice cream to go with it. I really enjoyed the caramel ice cream however – it tasted like a salted caramel. Alec enjoyed his pavlova, but declared it nothing extraordinary. I think as Australians we’re spoiled by the amazing home-cooked pavs we’re used to back in Sydney!

After our lunch, we took a little tour around the restaurant to check it all out. I really liked the bar area with the big booths, so Central Park-goers can drop in just for a casual drink, but still be comfortable. I saw a lot of families with smaller kids in this area — a great idea when you want to stop somewhere nice in the afternoon, but know your kids can’t handle full table service.

Last Bite: A great dining option in Central Park for families. Friendly staff make this an enjoyable outing — just be sure to make reservations first.

Highchairs: Yes.
Stroller storage: Yes.
Easy access: Yes.
Change tables: No.
Kids’ menu: No.

Tavern on the Green
Central Park West & 67th Street,
New York, NY
Phone: (212) 877 8684
Prices: $$
Hours: Daily, Lunch 11am-3pm, Dinner 5pm-11pm, Late night 11pm-1am, Brunch Sat & Sun 9am-3pm,
Reservations
Get Directions

An Historical Day Trip With Kids to Roosevelt Island

May 26, 2014 / Manhattan Munchies, New York Food, Roosevelt Island / 2 Comments

For a sunny-day outing that’s out of your regular routine, catch the sky tram to Roosevelt Island. This narrow island is situated in New York City’s East River, between Manhattan and Queens.

It’s a tiny island, running from Manhattan’s East 46th to East 85th Streets, and is only about 2 miles (3.2 km) long, making it an easily conquerable size for a fun day trip with young kids.

Getting there is also a cinch (and fun!). You can either catch the F train directly there, or (our preference), get off the train at Lexington and ride the sky tram from 60th st and 2nd ave. The tram costs the same as a subway ride and comes around every 10 mins, even on weekends. It’s a gorgeous view of the city, so grab a window spot. There are elevators on both ends (strollers welcome!).

Once you’re on the island, here are our top tips on how to spend your day:

Tom Otterness Sculpture Spotting
Stroll along the western promenade and look down to see Tom Otterness’ The Marriage Of Real Estate And Money Sculptures.

Scoot!
Bring the scooters — it’s flat and smooth, and you can scoot around the entire island.

Pack a Picnic
Options for eateries on the island are slim. If it’s lovely out, either throw down a blanket anywhere on the lawn (under the cherry blossom trees is popular), or use the free bbq facilities next to the western promenade. There’s even a playground attached.

Check Out The Lighthouse
At the northernmost end of the island sits a small lighthouse. The lighthouse was built in 1872 and is around 50 feet tall. A cool spot to check out, especially for your boat-loving kiddo.

Run Off Steam At A Playground
Not enough energy expended strolling around the island? There are plenty of playgrounds dotted around the walking paths.

Admire The View
From the south end of the island, you’ll get an amazing view of midtown Manhattan.

Get Spooky
Like haunted ruins? Check out the Smallpox Hospital at the southern tip. The hospital opened in 1856, and closed a century later, after which it fell into disrepair. In 1972 it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places and was designated a New York City Landmark four years later. The ruins will be open to the public after the current $4.5 million stabilization project is completed.

Run Free
The Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park is a four-acre memorial to Franklin D. Roosevelt. Opening in 2012, it celebrates the “Four Freedoms” that Roosevelt spoke of in his 1941 State of the Union address. At the southern tip of the island you can say “hi” to Roosevelt’s bust.

Cherry Blossom Dreaming
Visit in early May for spectacular blooms along the promenade.

This article first appeared on MommyNearest.com

A Day Trip To The Cloisters, New York

May 22, 2014 / Cheese, Manhattan Munchies, New York Food, Travel, USA, Washington Heights / 0 comment

During the warmer months, a perfect family day trip is just north of the city at The Cloisters.

The Cloisters museum and gardens is the branch of The Metropolitan Museum of Art devoted to medieval European art and architecture. The building and its gardens are located in Fort Tryon Park, in north Manhattan, just a hop, skip and a jump away on the A train.

The architecture and artistic works at the Cloisters are largely from the Romanesque and Gothic periods. Four reconstructed cloisters, sourced from French monasteries and abbeys, are surrounded by early medieval gardens and a series of indoor chapels and rooms.

Walking inside the Cloisters feels very much like stroll through Medieval European monastic life. This is by very intentional and clever architectural design combined with the five thousand medieval works of art on display from the Mediterranean and Europe, mostly from the 12th to 15th centuries.

To get to the Cloisters, take the subway to 190th Street station at the base of Fort Tryon and walk from there. The walk to the Cloisters takes visitors through an herb and flower garden. It’s a beautiful place to wander through, especially with the Hudson River as a backdrop.

The aren’t a lot of food options in the area. Your easiest options are: 1. Bring a picnic lunch; 2. Buy a pre-made sandwich or salad from the Cloisters cafe; or 3. A sit-down brunch or lunch at New Leaf Restaurant.

We chose New Leaf Restaurant & Bar. Housed in a 1930s cottage, the restaurant serves modern American cuisine. On weekends, brunch is served from 11am-3pm. We were given a table on the bright, airy patio, surrounded by trees. Tres tranquil.

While the restaurant is large, it fills quickly, and by 12:30pm it was at capacity. As New Leaf does not take reservations for brunch, get there early.

The brunch menu is a pre-fixe at $19.95 for an entree, juice and tea or coffee. We ordered a croissant ($5) for missy E while we looked at the menu in more detail. Oddly, the croissant came with chutney. The croissant was absolutely delicious, while on the small side (kid-sized, one might say, except E demanded another, making it the most expensive croissants we had ever ordered). Our group ordered New Leaf Scrambled Eggs (goat cheese, scallions, roasted potatoes, field greens), the Market Omelette (tomatoes, peppers, onions and your choice of cheese, with herbed-roasted potatoes, field greens) and the Hanger Steak Sandwich (with salad and potatoes). The portions for the most part were large by New York standards, and we all struggled to finish our meals.
New Leaf Restaurant, 1 Margaret Corbin Dr, New York, NY, Phone: (212) 568-5323

A short stroll through beautiful Fort Tryon Park takes you to The Cloisters.

My favourite part of the Cloisters was the Unicorn Tapestry collection. These seven individual pieces are among the most beautiful and complex works of art from the late Middle Ages that survive today, woven from fine wool and silk with silver and gilded threads.

Spring is the best time to visit The Cloisters as the gardens are in full bloom. The famous garden you see in all the photographs is filled with bright flowers and a fountain centerpiece.

The lower-level garden is home to plants one would have found in a garden in the middle ages, like herbs and vegetables. Take the time to explore the garden and the different plants on display – many of which you’ll be hard-pressed to find elsewhere.

The purpose of the plants is explained throughout the garden: medicinal (like St. John’s-Wort, Hollyhock, MarshMallow, Meadow Clary, Liquorice, Comfrey, and Feverfew), magical (such as Bear’s Foot, Ragged-Robin, English Ivy, Cornelian Cherry, and Herb Robert) or for use in the kitchen (herbs like Winter Savory, Leek, Cardoon, Samphire, Chive, Small-Leaved Basil, and Red Valerian). As it was an herb garden and all the plants had such unique scents, we got down close to the gardens and smelled the aromatic plants such as spearmint and lavender.

Tips for taking kids:
We timed our visit so Cheese would nap in the stroller after lunch, so we were able to see most of The Cloisters before she woke up. Which was a good thing, as the museum is not so friendly for smaller kids. Babies in carriers and older children are the ideal candidates for this cultural experience.

There are lots of tiny stairwells and no ramps or elevators. You can’t leave strollers unattended. No food/water anywhere except in the cafe (including the gardens). Within the gallery rooms, keep children close as there are lots of fragile objects around.

To get to the Cloisters, take the subway to 190th Street station at the base of Fort Tryon. Directly outside of the station entrance is the Jacob K. Javits Playground, where we let Cheese run off steam before brunch. It’s a nice playground with swings, several climbing structures for children of all ages, and also space for scooting or basketball.

The Cloisters
99 Margaret Corbin Dr,
New York, NY
Hours: Daily, 10am-5:15pm
Prices: Recommended $25 per adult

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

May 20, 2014 / Indoor Play, Manhattan Munchies, Museums & Galleries, New York, New York Life, Outdoor Play / 2 Comments

As transplants to the glorious city of New York, we’re constantly seeking out fun new ways to experience everything NYC has to offer. We try to balance obvious kid-centric activities with things that we, as adults, are interested in, such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I also hope that exposing Missy E to art and culture will inspire in her an interest when she is older too.

I’ve always loved art galleries in particular, and never get sick of visiting the grande dame of museums and art galleries, the Metropolitan Museum of Art (AKA the Met Fifth Avenue).

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, located on the eastern edge of Central Park along Manhattan’s Museum Mile, is the largest art museum in the United States and one of the world’s largest and most visited art galleries. With over two million works spread throughout seventeen departments, you could easily spend an entire day inside and still not see everything the museum has to offer.

Founded in 1870, the purpose of the Met was to bring art and art education to the American people.

The Met Fifth Avenue has a permanent collection that spans over 5,000 years of history. It consists of works of art from classical antiquity and ancient Egypt, paintings and sculptures from pretty much all the European masters, and a large collection of American and modern art. African, Asian, Oceanian, Byzantine, Indian, and Islamic art is also represented, and you’ll even find collections of musical instruments, costumes and accessories, antique weapons and armor.

A favourite area of ours is Greek and Roman hall that is filled with classical sculptures. We pointed out things we thought she might be interested in, like animals or statues of people, and she was particularly concerned about the statues that were missing limbs or heads.

The fountain was also a particular favorite. She was fascinated by the money in there, so we gave her spare change and taught her how to throw in coins and make wishes. “What do you wish for?” “The playground!”. Of course. “Anything else?” “Lions. And giraffes!”. Er, sorry Miss E. Wrong spot for those. But we will keep it in mind when we next visit the zoo!

A must when visiting the Met Fifth Avenue is the rooftop garden. There is a special elevator that takes you up to the roof — ask for directions as you enter or you’ll be walking around in circles trying to find it. The garden is open seasonally, and offers spectacular views of Central Park and the surrounding buildings. Each summer the rooftop garden opens with a new seasonal exhibit. When we visited this time, the Roof Garden Commission was an installation by Dan Graham with Günther Vogt.

If you’re taking kids to the museum, be sure to stop by the Hecksher Playground next door afterwards to the Egyptian-themed play space.

Metropolitan Museum of Art
1000 Fifth Avenue (at 82nd Street)
New York, NY 10028
Hours: Daily, Sun-Thur 10am-5:30pm, Fri & Sat 10-9pm.
The Roof Garden Commission is on display April 29–November 2, 2014

The Alexis Silver Pediped shoes retail for $59 and are available on the Pediped website.

Brunch With My Baby was provided with a sample for reviewing purposes. All opinions, as always, are our own.

Going Green With zoe b organic Dish Set & Beach Toys

May 15, 2014 / New York Food, Product Reviews / 0 comment

Is there anyone left who ISN’T worried about plastic, PBAs and other nasty things leaching into our food and water, particularly with young kids? After reading a particularly disturbing report on all the nasties that can be absorbed by children from their plastic bottles, dishes and containers, I’ve spent a lot of time researching what I can use with my daughter that will be safe for her. I came up with zoë b organic (I also love stainless steel water bottles, plates, cups and dishes).

What makes the zoë b organic range different from other plastics out there? The focus for this company is on being as green as possible, which means making their sand toys and dish sets from a bioplastic derived from corn sugar grown in the USA. They contain absolutely no BPA, phthalates, or PVC. Their toys and dishes are manufactured in Pennsylvania USA, so you’re supporting the local economy when you shop with zoë b.

The bioplastic used is also a renewable resource. While ordinary plastic comes from oil and natural gas — fossil fuels that are not renewable —zoë b organic’s bioplastic fully biodegrades in 2 to 3 years when buried in soil, immersed in water, home composted, or composted in industrial facilities (ordinary plastic takes up to 500 years to degrade).

Zoë b toys are durable and designed to hold up to playing just like ordinary beach toys. They’re designed to withstand extreme heat (hello New York summer heatwave!) and endless sunlight, and are dishwasher-safe. The toys and dishes only biodegrade when exposed to microbial activity, such as in soil, home compost, industrial compost, or marine environments. When your kids outgrow the toys and dishes, if they’re not suitable to be handed down to another family, you can simply put them in your compost or bury them in your backyard.

We received a set of the dishes, containing a cup, dish and bowl, and a set of the sandpit toys, both in pink/orange. When they arrived, Missy E literally shrieked with joy and insisted on her dinner being served on the dishes (“and milk in my milk cup!”) and taking the sand pit toys into the bath with her. So tick off “instant hit with the kid”. I personally love the designs for different reasons. The cup is the perfect size for small hands to hold, and slightly sloped on the side to make it easy to drink from without excess spilling over the edge. The bowl is big enough for a big serving of cereal, and the plate is the perfect size for a large toddler dinner.

The sandpit toys are designed with function and fun in mind. While most sand toys come in a bucket and fall out everywhere, this innovative set comes as a box with a lid and toys inside, giving you an all-in-one toy kit where the container is also part of the toy. The lid is a fun sand sifter with different shapes like a star, diamond, triangle and circle for the sand to fall through, and the bottom of the box acts as the bucket. Inside are two small cups and a shovel — again, the perfect size for small hands, and also the perfect amount of equipment to either play with on ones own, or to share with a friend or two.

The zoë b organic range is available for sale on here and here. The dish set retails for $13.25 and the sandpit toys for $22.

Brunch With My Baby received samples of zoë b organic dishes and toys for reviewing purposes. All opinions are, as always, our own.

DUMBO Dreaming

May 14, 2014 / New York Life, Travel, USA / 0 comment

One of my absolutely favourite things to do is to just walk the streets of DUMBO. I did it a lot during winter with the Cheese to get her to nap, which wasn’t ideal, but it was still an amazing experience (even in the snow and sleet). DUMBO stands for Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass, and is a little old industrial neighborhood full of cobblestones, soaring bridges and, of course, stunning water views.

DUMBO was originally a manufacturing district, home to warehouses and factories that made machinery, paper boxes and Brillo soap pads. Interestingly, the cardboard box was invented in the Robert Gair building on Washington Street, which is now the home of Etsy.

Nowadays, DUMBO is home to a lot of expensive condos, tech startups, little cafes and restaurants, like my faves One Girl Cookie and Jacques Torres, and the beautiful Jane’s Carousel.

OK so this last one is actually in nearby Downtown Brooklyn, but I wanted to throw it in because I love it.

Happy 40th Birthday Alec

May 12, 2014 / Cheese, Family, New York Life / 1 Comment

Happy 40th birthday my dearest love! We celebrated in style with a festival of NYC events:

Alec's 40th Birthday

Lunch at ABC Kitchen. Cheese slept well the night before, so we all had a lovely lunch – especially when the little one slept through most of lunch so we were able to enjoy a leisurely lunch and then share dessert with her when she woke.

Alec's 40th Birthday

Alec had crab. I had ravioli, and we shared really good citrus desserts. ABC Kitchen was really kid-friendly too, which was nice, even though Cheese was asleep the whole time! When she woke up, they set her a special place at the table.

Alec's 40th Birthday

A party with friends at the KBH, Brooklyn. Nothing like beer, cake and pie with good friends. Pie and cake from Betty Bakery, Brooklyn. Alec wanted a pie rather than cake, so we had both to feed the masses.

Alec's 40th Birthday

Candles on the birthday pie. Happy birthday boy.

#Brooklyn #Nets game for Alec's 40th Birthday

Awesome seats at a Net’s game at the Barclays Center – the Brooklyn Nets vs Atlanta. My first basketball game! It was so much fun, both being so close to really see the players and the action, and the atmosphere. The view was amazing! Special seats for the birthday boy. The only celeb we saw was Katie Couric, but plenty of other fun things to watch, like the half-time entertainment and dancers. I also loved that our tickets included unlimited food.

#Brooklyn #Nets game for Alec's 40th Birthday

Last stop on the birthday train …

Alec's 40th Birthday

Dinner at Per Se. The most amazing dining experience of our lives.

Alec's 40th Birthday at Per Se #NEWYORK

Located in the Time Warner Center at Columbus Circle, Per Se has been on our bucket list since we moved to New York. It was an experience worth waiting for, and one that we will remember forever. From the moment we arrived, the staff made us feel special and welcome. They knew our names, they knew I was a vegetarian, they knew it was Alec’s birthday. They printed special menus with “Happy Birthday Alec” on them. Every tiny detail was perfect.

Alec's 40th Birthday at Per Se #Newyork

And of course the food was exquisite. Every course was a tiny delight. In addition to the courses listed on the menu were various others including amuse bouches, bread, hand-churned butter from a small dairy of 14 cows, extra desserts, a cardamon affogato, macarons, hand-made chocolate truffles and, of course, the famous donuts. All up I think there were about 12 courses.

We were so full we had to take home the macarons and chocolates. As we left we were handed our especially printed menus in a folder, our boxed up desserts, and sweet little tins filled with the most amazing hazelnut cookies for later.

Alec's 40th Birthday at Per Se #newyork

Alec's 40th Birthday at Per Se #NewYork

Alec's 40th Birthday at Per Se #newyork

The best meal of our lives, and the most amazing evening.

Alec's 40th birthday

Alec looks eternally youthful to me, with the exception of some tired bags under the eyes thanks to the bad-sleeping Cheese monster.

My love, I hope your 40th was wonderful, and here’s to celebrating every day between this and the next birthday. It’s an honor to walk through life with you by my side. You’re a wonderful father and husband. Both the Cheese and I are lucky to have you making up our little family of three.

Mother’s Day 2014 at the New York Botanical Garden

May 12, 2014 / Cheese, Family, New York Life / 2 Comments

Finally gorgeous weather after seven months of freezing cold. What better way to spend the day with my loves than in the gorgeous New York Botanical Garden? The gardens are way up in the Bronx, so makes it a good day trip for us. They are extremely relaxed at the gardens, happy for visitors to lounge anywhere and really enjoy the gardens (in contrast to the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens where they won’t let you sit on the lawn!), so we always pack a blanket and picnic food so we can hopefully spread out under a tree at some stage and enjoy the serenity.

Mother's Day at the New York Botanical Gardens

The gardens are so easy to get to by train. The B, D or 4 are all nearby, and it’s a short walk from the station to the garden. The gardens are MASSIVE. There is a tram to get around, but we always walk and haven’t found it too large for strolling between each area. Mother’s Day weekend is the perfect time to visit the garden – the tulips and daffodils were just past peak bloom, but the cherry blossom trees and azaleas were in full bloom and absolutely stunning.

Mother's Day at the New York Botanical Gardens

The gardens put on a special Mother’s Day garden party, with a live jazz band, old school lawn games like croquet, kites, and arts for the kids like making cards, baskets for (pretend) bird eggs, and water colour paintings. We grabbed lunch from a food truck (grilled cheese!) and set up under a perfectly flowering cherry blossom tree. Cheese quickly found toddlers nearby to play with, and merrily entertained herself with a little boy the same age collecting and building a house out of sticks.

We stopped to listen to the band – Cheese wanted to dance, and so we did! Nothing like dancing to a real vintage jazz band among the gorgeous trees and flowers.

Mother's Day at the New York Botanical Gardens

A stroll around the gardens after lunch for the Cheese to nap brought us to the exact same spot we paused for a picnic two years ago when we first visited the garden. After the little lady woke up and saw our picnic spread, she proclaimed it “the best picnic ever!” (from Peppa Pig perhaps?). It was the perfect Mother’s Day with my dearest loves, in one of my absolute favourite places in the city I also love.

Mother's Day at the New York Botanical Gardens

The only thing that could have made the way better was to be celebrating my own mother in person as well. I miss spending time with my parents, particularly on special days like today. Happy Mother’s Day to my amazing mum, and all the wonderful mums in my life and in yours!

Mother, What is the Moon? A Book Review

May 9, 2014 / Product Reviews, Product Reviews, Sydney Food / 0 comment

It’s always a lovely surprise to receive books in the mail. I love reading to E and hope she will end up loving literature as much as I do. The particular book we are checking out today is Mother, What is the Moon? by David Griswold, and illustrated by Eliza Reisfeld. The book is perfect for preschoolers, so if you have a kid aged 2 – 5, read on.

Mother, What is the Moon? is full of gentle poetry and beautiful art, presented in an engaging way for little ones. The book tells the story of a young boy, asking his mother what the moon is. Her answer is both wise and whimsical. The moon is a nighttime adventure through snow, fields and streams. It’s connected to the cycle of life and nature, and is a thing of dreams, magic and science, all rolled together.

My 2.5 year old is currently obsessed with the moon. Every night, it’s the same. “Where is the moon?” “I can’t see it!” “It’s hiding!” This sweet book gives me a story to tell my toddler that answers the question “what is the moon?” when the moon, like us, is always changing.

Mother, What is the Moon? has become a new nighttime favourite in our home, among both the adults and our toddler. If you’re going to read a book a hundred times a week, make sure it’s one you’re all going to enjoy!

Mother, What is the Moon? is currently raising funds for its publishing run on Kickstarter. Back it to receive a first edition copy.

Brunch With My Baby was not compensated for this post. We just love awesome kids’ books.