Reading Tub Survey

As an organization, the Mom's Choice Awards feels very strongly about the importance of literacy and the need for parents to read with their children. As such, we proudly support the non- profit organization- the Reading Tub.

The Reading Tub, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) dedicated to promoting reading and literacy. The Reading Tub® is a volunteer-driven organization. All contributions (tax deductible, of course) are used to support http://www.thereadingtub.com/ web site, underwrite Community Literacy Projects, and offset the usual costs of running a business.

To further support the goals of the Reading Tub, we ask that you take a few moments of your time to fill out the following survey- http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=Lb68W2vVjLScRO_2boSrmNJA_3d_3d. By providing your input, you will help the Reading Tub design tools and services that make it easy to find a great book and encourage kids to read.

We appreciate your time and attention to this most worthy cause!

~Tara Paterson

Important Updates for the Mom's Choice Awards

The Mom's Choice Awards are currently accepting submissions fro 2009. Enter your product, book, service or company and distinguish yourself from all of the others on the market. Entries will be accepted now through October 15th, 2008.

Join us in our booth at Book Expo America in May. Book Expo is the largest publishing event in the United States and hosts several industry leaders. We will also have a surprise celebrity guest dropping by, so don't miss your opportunity to be a part of the excitement.

There is still time to book your interview spot with me at Book Expo. All interviews will be taped and available for upload on the internet. Currently, we are filming on Friday May 30th so reserve your spot now; space is limited!

We would like to thank the sponsors who have graciously offered us their support.

• The Just For Mom Foundation


• Smithfield


• Wachovia Securities


• Webiob


• JetBlue Airlines

And a special thanks to our partner in advocating family- friendly entertainment, the Dove Foundation.

One final congratulations to Josie Bissett- Estes for being honored with the "celebrity mom of the year" award. Ms. Bissett has several books to her credit which you can read about in the Mom's Choice magazine- Entro. Be the first to pick up your copy at Book Expo or reserve a copy through MomsChoiceAwards.com.

We look forward to seeing you soon!

~Tara Paterson

Book Expo America

Mom's Choice recipients and alumni make sure to book your arrangements for BEA as soon as possible! Accommodations are filling up and it's an event you won't want to miss. If you haven't scheduled your interview to be filmed live at our booth, contact the Mom's Choice team to reserve your slot. Space is limited and filling up fast.

We look forward to seeing you there!

~Tara Paterson

Josie Bissett receives Mom's Choice nomination for Celebrity Mom of the Year!

This year, we are pleased to announce the Mom's Choice selection for Celebrity Mom of the Year- Josie Bissett. Most people remember Ms. Bissett from Fox T.V.'s Melrose Place where she played the part of Jane Mancini, but few people are aware that she is also an esteemed author and mother of two.

Ms. Bissett's books- Making Memories, Little Bits of Wisdom: A Collection of Tips and Advice from Real Parents and her new book- Tickle Monster, have earned her a spot as an emerging parent expert as well as a children's author. Ms. Bissett sought the field of writing as a way to share what she and others experienced as new mothers. Her book Tickle Monster was born from her desire to bring laughter into her children's lives. "Laughing is healthy for the body, mind, and soul, and my kids can't get enough of it- I see to that," Josie says (quote from Entro magazine interview, Spring 2008).

Whether giving advice to other parents or bringing laughter to children and families, Ms. Bissett has come a long way from the screen of Melrose Place. Her mission in life she says is to be a whole and balanced person which makes her the perfect selection to receive the Mom's Choice celebrity mom of the year award!

To find out more information about Ms. Bissett's books, products and services visit her web site- http://www.josie-bissett.com/ (coming soon) or Amazon.com. You can also read more about Ms. Bissett in the spring edition of the Mom's Choice magazine, Entro. Be the first to pick up your copy at Book Expo America or you can visit the Mom's Choice site in early June for a copy. **You can view her cover shot in the column beside this post.

The Mom's Choice team would like to thank everyone who made this special feature possible and we look forward to honoring many more exceptional celebrity moms who are making a difference, in the years to come.

~Tara Paterson

Moms, why should you look for the Mom's Choice seal on books or products?

We take the guess work out of deciding what media, books, products or services are appropriate for your family. Mom's are the largest consumer group in the country, but with the millions of products on the market, it can be overwhelming trying to decide what's right for your family. That's where our organization can assist.

Our award winning selections go through several expert assessments before it can be selected to receive this prestigious honor. Our panel of judges are among the most credible and knowledgeable in their industry which ensures that each honoree meets our standard for excellence in family-friendly content. Among our experts are:

• Dr. Twila Liggett, creator of the award winning PBS' Reading Rainbow and professor for early childhood education. Each year Dr. Liggett selects the most outstanding children's book which must meet her stringent guidelines in order to be considered.


• Julie Aigner- Clark, creator of Baby Einstein and the Safe Side. Julie's expertise crosses many bridges; her background is as an elementary school teacher. Julie is also affiliated with the Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which makes her an expert with regard to our youth of today.


• Terry Doherty, founder of the non- profit, the Reading Tub (http://www.readingtub.com/). Terry spends her days evaluating children's books ensuring that the books we select to receive our award are diverse and meet a high quality standard you can feel comfortable with.

We are an organization who believes strongly that parents need to feel confident with the materials they introduce to their children. We are not a program who selects products based on marketing or high profile PR, but rather we base our selections on the core values they were created from. The MCA is not about "whose who."

Each year, many of our awards will be presented to first time or self- published authors, mom entrepreneurs, philanthropic products, family- friendly web sites, magazines or services, innovative, exceptional educational products, and the list goes on. To look at the latest Mom's Choice products, visit our store- http://astore.amazon.com/wwwmomschoice-20.

I am a mom of three children and it was important for me to create a program that would reach out to the heart of a mom and support her in the nurturing of both herself and her child. It was also important for me to acknowledge the many creative geniuses out there by giving them a place they could be recognized for their contribution to society and the world at large.

We are all a part of this together and the MCA is positioned to lead the industry in the direction of recognizing the unique quality and heart so many people bring to their products or services.

Mom's if a product you love doesn't display a Mom's Choice "stamp of approval," we need to find out why and ensure that it does. It is the only way you will be assured it meets the quality standard you want for your family!

~Tara Paterson

Take Our Poll

In an effort to continue to provide you with the highest quality and standard you've come to expect from an award's program, we have created a poll to the side of this post. Please select the item you feel sets us apart from other awards' programs and if you have a suggestion you feel we missed, please respond to this post and I will gladly add the item to our poll.

~Tara Paterson

Letting Go In Order To Grow

It was 2004 when I was approached by a colleague and friend of mine, with the idea for creating an awards program approved by moms. He was familiar with the various businesses I had established in the mom niche, so it just made sense- why not a program to honor the things mom's feel are important? We collaborated on a name and the Mom's Choice Awards was born.

I spent the first couple of years marketing heavily to the book market and attended several Book Expo conferences, encouraging authors and publishers to submit their products. It was exciting and exhausting at the same time, but the rewards were great. Our recipients began to share the impact receiving our award had on their product and one even received interest in the form of a T.V. show. How amazing it was to know we were truly having an impact on people's lives and their creations, all at once.

2007 proved to be more challenging than past years, because we were truly growing beyond my personal capability. We contracted with a remarkable company who brought the image of the Mom's Choice to new heights and the realization began to set in- I was not capable of taking this much further on my own. In the fall of last year, I was faced with a decision that proved to be a difficult one. I had a choice to make- continue to develop the MCA within the box of my limitations or let it go so it could grow. It wasn't an easy decision to make as I had formed an emotional attachment to my creation and the feeling it evoked, but in the end, it was the only choice that made sense.

I made the decision to allow the Mom's Choice to take on wings of her own and released the attachment I had to solely operating the program. Today, the awards is climbing to new heights as we form partnerships with company's like the Dove Foundation and Wachovia Securities and I am happy to say I have more pride and ownership in this company than I ever expected.

I want to honor and thank the Mom's Choice team for all of their hard work in making my dream a greater reality than I ever could have imagined.

Stay tuned, because the momentum we are building this year far exceeds my expectations and I am proud to be a part of such a great organization!

~Tara Paterson