Birthday Parties: Best Party Tips and Ideas (Lansky, Vicki) [Paperback]

Vicki Lansky (Author)

Book Description

Series: Lansky, Vicki

Lansky offers a comprehensive and creative guide filled with tips on everything from sending invitations to writing thank-you cards, with party themes, ideas for favors, entertainment, and decorations in between. Recipes and menu ideas are also included--with an emphasis on special dietary needs--and step-by-step planning and shopping checklists. 13 illustrations.

Product Details

• Paperback: 151 pages
• Publisher: Book Peddlers, The; 3rd edition (September 5, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0916773361
• ISBN-13: 978-0916773366
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 7 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,201,765 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #40 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Parenting & Families > Family Activities
  • #89 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Parenting & Families > Parenting > Child Care

More About the Author

Feed Me I'm Yours, my first book, began as a local fund raising cookbook in 1974 and turned me into an author. I thought it was the only book I'd ever write and then for a while, I thought that each new book would be my last. Was I wrong!

Along the way I also became a publisher. Feed Me I'm Yours was first published from my husband's and my home on Meadowbrook Lane (i.e., Meadowbrook Press). Our company grew very fast as we learned the publishing business. After our divorce 8 years later, I left Meadowbook Press with no plans of being a publisher again. However, as the books I wrote for others went out of print, I established my own imprint, Book Peddlers, which now publishes over half of my 30 titles...including (naturally) Vicki Lansky's Divorce Book for Parents.

When you write parenting books, everyone glances critically at your children. Thank goodness mine had the good grace to turn out well. Despite my mistakes (and they'll be the first to point them out) my thirty-something twosome have survived and thrived in spite of having had a "professional" mother. Lucky me!

I think my mother would be astonished to know that I give out cleaning and household advice to millions of people as a columnist for Family Circle magazine. After all, she 'not I' had made a career of homemaking. In 1988, when Family Circle asked me to be a contributing editor to their "Help" column, I was delighted. This would be a place for me to share "grown-up" tips. I was now moving beyond the days of needing to know that peanut butter removes gum from children's hair!

Writing about household hints has been more of an education than I ever dreamt. I'm often asked what my favorite tip is. Usually it's the one I've not heard before, which is what keeps my work so interesting. My books on Baking Soda tips and Vinegar tips have sold in the hundreds of thousands copies. Amazing. How lucky I am to be able to share so many helpful ideas...and it is good, clean FUN too.

I'm not sure of my next projects as I've decided to cut back a bit on my book life and work a little more on just my life. But I'm never far from my computer and I know there are idea gremlins scrambling around my brain waiting to escape. Stay tuned.....

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars There are better books out there to help you plan a party!, November 10, 1999

By 

T. Bradford (USA, Plano, Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Birthday Parties: Best Party Tips and Ideas (Lansky, Vicki) (Paperback)

I found the book to have basic common sense information, no real ideas! It was one of 3 books that I purchased and I ended up returning the book and keeping the other 2 books. But, if you need help with how to get organized, this is the book for you! The cover and title are misleading.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Not a good value for the price., May 8, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Birthday Parties: Best Party Tips and Ideas (Lansky, Vicki) (Paperback)

The title of this book is misleading and implies that you will find lots of ideas for party games for young children. But I did not find this book useful at all. There are much more better books you will find that are bigger in size and content wise, they give you lots more organized ideas for planning and conducting birthday party games. Most of the comments the author makes such as how to serve ice cream to children is common sense information to parents with toddlers and you don't need a book to tell you how to do that. This book is not a good value for what it costs.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An extremely handy guide for a parent of a 1-8 year old,especially those new to b-day party planning, February 8, 2006

By 

Chick lit fan (PA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Birthday Parties: Best Party Tips and Ideas (Lansky, Vicki) (Paperback)

I am a first time mom and all of my son's friends are a few months younger than him. So, basically we have not have much guideance in planning birthday parties (my husband and I only have our memories and our families' memories to go on). I am reading this book for the first time as I plan his 4th birthday party.

I knew many of the things discussed in the book but I learned new tips and advice. The book had guildelines on when away from home parties were appropriate, what age you should start giving out prizes for games (and good ideas for non-material prizes), how to handle disappointment by the birthday child, and things to do to keep the party moving smoothly (especially if dealing with younger kids that aren't so good at waiting through long turns).

I liked how the book addressed ideas for handling different dietary situations of the guests. I haven't been in that situation so I didn't really have any ideas of my own. The book had good recipes for such situations as lactose intolerance, food allergies or other sensitivities. There were good general food recommendations and recipes as well.

The book has a great breakdown of age considerations for party planning. Recommendations for party length, what kind of activities are appropriate as well as what challenges you may face depending on the age (sharing, play styles...) were included. Before I read this I hadn't really thought about how to make the birthday party age appropriate as they got older (my ideas were limited to Pin the Tail on the Donkey).

The book had unique and creative ideas for favors, invitations and games. It was nice to have a comprehensive list of all the common, popular games as well as some interesting variations.

Well organized and easy to read. I liked the real life experiences mentioned in the book. It helps to read about what did and didn't work for other families.

You can find many good sources of birthday party information on the internet but this book is worth having around in my opinion. It is just a good all pupose guide.