The Biz

Usborne Publishing has been in the business of popular, serious fun since 1973, and has lovingly nurtured its vast array of enjoyable, educational books. Usborne is known for its charming, hands-on “Fairies” book series that encourages play and learning as well as its beloved “Farmyard Tales” collection. Its newest addition, the “Books with Wind-up Toys” series, sweeps away the protestations of even the most stubborn young reader: these books have toys! Not only does each colorful tome come with a wind-up toy, but each toy can be used inside of the book as the story progresses, keeping little hands busy and eager minds occupied.

Pregnancy brings with it a host of joys and trials. What is more exciting and miraculous than welcoming a new life? However, while there’s no denying the wonder, there is a downside. During pregnancy, a special hormone called relaxin causes the joints, muscles and ligaments to do just that –– relax. This hormone stays inside the body for about 6 to 8 weeks after birth, and can result in the permanent spreading of the hip area. New mothers need suffer no more, thanks to the folks at UpSpring Baby Their newest product, Shrinkx Hips support garment, was developed to literally help shrink the hip area after pregnancy.

Most Americans have felt the bumps and bruises from the rocky economic road of recent times. In an effort to stimulate job growth in the United States, many consumers are purchasing and getting reacquainted with American-made goods. They’re beginning to understand that the investment they make in domestic products pays off with durability, aesthetic value, and consistent quality. They’re also rediscovering the pioneering American spirit that is evident in the creative and inspired designs of items crafted in the U.S.A., such as these from IMAGINE GreenWear, LuvStuff, Nano Baby, and 32 Degrees

Fans of Dr. Seuss take heart! Seven stories by the writer, whose real name was Theodor Seuss Geisel, will be published by Random House in September 2011. The tales will be combined in a book titled The Bippolo Seed and Other Lost Stories and, according to a Random House executive, are in a league with the author’s other works that include the highly acclaimed and much adored The Cat in the Hat and How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Among the stories in the new book are Gustav the Goldfish, an early, rhymed version of A Fish Out of Water and The Strange Shirt Spot, which is similar to the bathtub-ring scene in The Cat in the Hat Comes Back.