OurFavoriteThings
A Witty — and Slightly Wicked — Movie
With its dark humor and keen eye for human foibles, the 1989 movie adaptation of Roald Dahl’s The Witches
entranced me long before I became a father. Years later, when the movie popped up on cable TV, I crossed
What to Watch This Month my fingers and hoped my son and daughter would share my enthusi-
asm. Luckily, 7-year-old Will and 12-year-old Eve were enthralled with
this tale of witches who want to turn England’s children into mice. The special effects are great, but for us,
the real draw is Anjelica Huston’s hilariously over-the-top performance as the Grand High Witch. Ages 7
and up Rated PG (mildly frightening scenes) Warner Bros. Home Video, $10 — DANNY HEI TMAN
Family Favorite
A Kid-Pleasing Cookbook
My 5-year-old son, Tyler, used to loiter in the kitchen while I was cooking, repeating
the dreaded phrase, "Mommy, is my food ready yet?" It was a mealtime routine that
didn't work for anyone. Thankfully, I discovered Cooking with Kids, by Linda Collister.
Featuring fun dishes, such as hedgehog-shaped dinner rolls, easy homemade pizza,
and gingerbread people, this nifty cookbook is a great way to get kids involved in meal
prep. Tyler loves the colorful photos and the adventure of trying new recipes. I appreciate the fact that each recipe clearly states when adult assistance is needed. Ages 5
and up Ryland, Peters & Small, $18 — ANDREA MCMANN
Fun Right at
Your Fingertips
Family Favorite
The Truth About the
Tooth Fairy
We foresee hours of amusement with the fortune-
telling game Cahootie. Available in several themes, it
updates and improves upon the classic paper toy by
offering durable card stock cootie-catchers and 40
reusable peel-and-play
stickers. Our tester-
families especially
loved the Truth or
Dare Cahootie.
With questions
such as “What’s
your proudest
moment?” and
dares such as “Give your
friends 30 seconds to give
you a wacky new hairstyle,” it’s perfect for a playdate
or slumber party. Kids can even go online to create
and print their own stickers. Other favorite themes
included Sporty Girls, Wishes and Dreams, and
Birthday Wishes. Ages 7 and up Cahootie, $6
— JESSYE SICIAK
After a yearlong tooth fairy obsession, my 6-year-old daughter,
Dori, was about to lose her first wiggly when we discovered the book
You Think It’s Easy Being the Tooth Fairy? As we read Sheri Bell-Rehwoldt’s tale about the brave, frizzy-haired redhead who dresses in
purple pajamas and lowers herself through windows on a belted spool
of dental floss (only to dodge family pets trying to squash her), we
realized just how much we had underestimated the industrious sprite.
Dori loves David Slonim’s illustrations, especially the image of the
bug-size fairy pumping barbells weighted with quarters. Ages 4 to 8
Chronicle Books, $16 — DEBORAH ABRAMS KAPLAN
