Jack and the Box has all the elements of a successful childrens book; it is created by a veritable powerhouse couple - Editorial Director, Francoise Mouly (Art Editor, New Yorker and founder of RAW Books & Graphics) and Writer/Illustrator, Art Spiegelman (Pultizer Prize winning, “Maus“), it has a simple storyline, it borrows heavily from the comic book genre and is drenched in colors straight from the kids’ nursery.

The premise of the story is simple enough; Jack, the bunny, gets a box from his parents and there is a little character named Mack who keeps popping out of it. At first, he is scared and a bit put off by Zack but within a few pages he’s demanding him to appear. And with that, Zack brings his friend Mack and all his ducks into the scene.

For most of the ride, Jack and the Box, comes off as a series of classic three panel Sunday comics; the “set-up,” the “conflict” and the “resolution.” Yes, thematically it licks of Dr. Seuss’ revered, “The Cat in the Hat“, but knowing the author’s long history of twisting seemingly simple stories on their head, I have to wonder if this story “speaks” to its target audience (4-8 year old) or does it go over their heads? Or mine for that matter?

As a parent, I feel childrens stories can and should encompass the same basic emotional range as any other piece of literature, so the fact that this story get a little weird or creepy, in theory, is fair game so long as there is some type of solid resolution at the end and the weird or creepy parts are well explained/defined. Yes, it is clear that the Zack & Mack we experience are a figment of Jack’s imagination, but I think it is lost by the younger Readers. There is no hard sell for that big “magical” moment when we ‘pop’ in and out of Jack’s imagination.

I understand there is a limited and attainable vocabulary being used for a reason but the use of “silly” throughout the story comes off as a verbal “twitch” more than anything, and rightly so considering Jack the Bunny is being haunted by a little Zack in the Box.

In the end, I will admit my expectations were quite high for this little book, perhaps too high. But I still admire his work, and have faith in the TOON Books line especially if Ms. Davis is still on their payroll. So, if you are looking to toss your kids into the deep pool that is the comic book genre have them wade through the TOON Book line, what a few years and introduce them to Art’s other work.

Sited Links:
Art Spiegelman | Jack and the Box
Art Spiegelman | Maus
Art Spiegelman | In the Shadow of No Towers

Dr. Seuss | The Cat in the Hat
Eleanor Davis | Stinky

They assemble with ease, and mount firmly and easily to the wall. All necessary hardware is included. The bookends are made with real wheels, and are adjustable on some models.

Also check out their skateboard picture frames!

$40 [+ shipping] at SkateLabFurniture.Com

These are made in Germany from certified eco-friendly and biodegradable felted wool.

$18/pair in red and white, or light and dark green [+shipping] at Branch.

We are all painfully aware this Christmas will pose economic challenges for most of us this holiday season. The optimist in me sees this as an opportunity to shake off the materialistic aspect of the holidays and embrace the spirit of it all, but alas the kids still expect bundles from Santa and we all want to have a box or two under the tree. I think what it really means is trimming the excess a bit, perhaps thinking a bit more about your family members and friends and going for quality gifts, practical gifts and (hopefully) memorable gifts.

Personally, I always have a hard time shopping for the older members of my family and my wife’s family, you know the parents, the grandparents and aunts and uncles. They all seem to have everything they need or want. What is slowly starting to sink in as I ramp up on my Christmas shopping is that practical gifts can be quite special, if you’re thoughtful about them.

If you’ve ever had a friend or family member with glasses curse about their bent frames (that they refuse to fix or replace) or someone with glasses who squints through the day because they don’t have prescription sunglasses, here’s my idea, get them some Holiday frames this year. For under $20 at ZenniOptical.Com you buy direct and get stylish rims with prescription lens’.

I was actually looking for a good toast or nonsequitur for Thanksgiving dinner but I stumbled across this interesting article from Smithsonian Magazine, Pilgrims Progress and the first Thanksgiving Feast. I guess I’ll have to fall back on history tidbits to fill in those quieter moments when conversations naturally wind down (such a dad thing to do, right). Just playing my role…

Be safe this holiday weekend.

Some Dads may already be on top of this, occasionally I have a moment of brilliance but most of the time it is pure luck. What is he talking about? I’m talking about having stuff on hand to entertain the kids on the drop of a dime.

Say, you grab one of the tikes to tag along with you while you make that visit to the post office only to find there’s only one window open and the line that bending around the corner conjures images of everlasting purgatory and your kid looks up at you and says with tender innocence, “Dad, this is going to take a long long time. Do we really have to mail these?” And most of the time (unfortunately), the answer is yes.

Well, the folks at Wire + Twine have a little sack of fun that may ease the pain for the little ones. What’s in it?

• Instructions for 20 activities
• Balloon
• Bandage
• Binder clip
• Birthday candle
• Carabiner
• Cotton swabs
• Dice
• Emery boards
• Flashlight
• Glue stick
• Googly eyes
• Latex gloves
• Measuring Tape
• Mirror
• Needle and thread
• Paper clips
• Permanent marker
• Plastic zipper bags
• Safety pins
• Sanitizing wipe
• Scissors
• Rubber bands
• Whistle (I save this for last because if the kid makes it this far, either you’ve fallen asleep in line or you need to make a ruckus and get the blood flowing in that line)

If you are cheap or just inspired, you could easily fashion you own kit. Regardless, consider getting one for the wife or perhaps a friend or family member, a portion of the proceeds go to Heifer International.

$25 [+shipping] at Wire + Twine

For all the time I spend on my kids floors racing cars with them or reading them stories, we are finally warming up to the idea of getting some seating options (albeit kid-sized) for their rooms. What can be better than a little monkey in the room? A sit on me Zid Zid Mini Monkey Poof !

• 100% brushed flannel cotton.
• Washable.
• Foam filling.
• Zipper at the bottom.
• 11″ d x 12″ h

Around $79 (+ shipping) at ModernMini.Com

If every family reused just 2 ft. of ribbon from holidays past, that would save 38,000 miles of ribbon—enough to literally tie a big bow around the entire planet.

2.7 million Holiday cards are sent across the country each year—that’s enough to fill an entire football field 10 stories high!

So, what to do?

Fill your recycling cart with:

• Corrugated cardboard boxes (flatten it out to fit more!)
• Gift boxes
• Gift catalogs
• Newspapers filled and all of those advertising inserts
• Wrapping paper (non-metallic only)
• Non-metallic greeting cards

How to Trim Your Waste-Line This Holiday Season;

• BYOB-Bring Your Own (shopping) Bag for every shopping excursion—make this a habit all year long.
• Send e-cards instead of paper cards (or at least make sure your paper cards are made from recycled content).
• Avoid gift wrap that is not recyclable (metallic) or not made from recycled content—or, be inventive and crafty - just decorate the box. The comics’ pages makes great wrap for kids and last years cards can become collage wrap for any box. We like to save all those paintings and craft projects that the kids do throughout the years and re-use them as wrapping paper!
• Shipping a gift? Use Pop Corn (the real kind, popped and no butter) to protect fragile items, and then have your gift recipient feed the birds.
• If you get a gift with those dreaded Styrofoam peanuts that will live longer than cockroaches, donate them to your local UPS or packaging store
• Lots of gifts have bells and whistles! Include rechargeable batteries and a charger to get your loved one off to a greener start.
• Trees, wreathes, all can be composted—and will end up as community mulch when taken care of properly. But better that that, buy your tree ‘roots and all’. Transplant that beauty after the last slice of fruit cake leaves the house.
• Don’t know what to get someone? Plant a tree in their honor!
• Consider gifts that aren’t material-like a massage, sporting event, babysitting, dog walking or tickets to the museum, this is also a clever (and personal) way to save money this year!
• Think about the packaging! If you can’t recycle it, buy something else instead! That will send a clear message to manufacturers all over.
• Holiday lights all a tangle? HolidayLEDs.com will accept your old incandescent Christmas lights, which will then be recycled. Be sure to ask neighbors and friends if they want to recycle their lights as well. You can reduce waste and shipping costs by sending all lights in one package.
• Did you get some great new things? Appliances, clothes, gadgets, cookware? Well, chances are great that you have some ‘less new things’ that would make a lot of people pretty happy. Donate them to your favorite charity or non-profit. You know -pay it forward!

Beyond the Holidays;

• Decide what catalogs you want and what catalogs you don’t with CatalogChoice.Org
• Or, write to the Direct Marketing Association at P.O. Box 9008 , Farmingdale , N.Y. 11735-9008 to have your name removed from ALL third-class mailing lists.
• Credit card offers filling your box? Opt out by calling 1-888-5OptOut (1-888-567-8688) or visiting OptOutPrescreen.Com.

Via RecycleBank.Com

Related Links:
Stop The Junk Mail Cycle…
Plastic Shopping Bag Alternatives
Safe And Green Holiday Season
Pay It Forward Parents

Photographer Joshua Hoffline has breathed life into all of the classic childrens’ nightmares in our culture. His work licks sweet like candy and has all the production value of Disneyland, enjoy.

Via Joshua Hoffine

And yes, they have equally cool furnishings for this house!

$120 [+shipping] @ ModernTots.Com