A Review and Giveaway: The Eco-nomical Baby Guide

This review and giveaway is overdue.  I was hoping to do it the end of March... I actually skimmed the book cover to cover when I first received it at the end of February, and have been waiting around to get to read it thoroughly and well, you know how things go...

Here's my short, honest, and a bit scatterbrained review of The Eco-nomical Baby Guide by Joy Hatch and Rebecca Kelley.

• I liked that it is written by 2 real life moms who practice what they preach (and most of the advice they dole out was self-taught in the first place).
• Very tasteful layout and presentation.  Made me eager to delve into it.
• Advises toward a thrifty, green parenting lifestyle (hence the title), which is "attainable" for just about any income level.
• Shares lists of specific product recommedationsat the end of each chapter, much like Baby Bargains, only with an emphasis on environmentally-friendly and baby-healthy.
• Covers the bases: sleeping, baby gear, food, diapering...
• As a parent of 2 children, who has researched a LOT on the internet, I didn't find any groundbreaking new information.  BUT, I would have studied this book extensively had it been given to me 3 years ago, before my first child.  And, while compared to some mothers, my practices may already be considered quite crunchy, while to others, I may be very mainstream, I did find myself encouraged to stretch even further towards a green family lifestyle.  So, all that is to say that I feels this book has something beneficial/thought provoking for you no matter where you stand on the spectrum.
• Some of my favorite green items were left out of the product recommendations... just goes to show that everybody has different preferences.
• Respectfully leaves room for making your own judgement calls in regard to family priorities (financial, time, etc.)
• This would be a great book for an expecting parent who is interested in penny pinching OR raising baby in a environmentally friendly manner.  I really appreciated how Joy and Rebecca explain that it is possible for these two to go hand in hand.  Thanks, ladies!

I've never hosted a giveaway before. But, in the spririt of being eco-friendly as well as passing on the graciousness that Joy and Rebecca shared by sending me this book to review, here we go!

The prize: The Eco-nomical Baby Guide by Joy Hatch and Rebecca Kelley

Leave a comment to enter.  If you leave an anonymous comment - which I have opened just for this special occasion so my lurker family and friends can also enter :) - be sure to leave your name, too.  One entry per person. Share the love and tell your friends to come enter, too.

You can win this for yourself, to give as a gift, or simply to read, review, and pass along, just as I did.

Winner will be drawn and announced Monday, April 19th.  Good luck!

If you don't win, look for it in a bookstore or request it at your local library...

In the meantime, you can visit Joy and Rebecca over at their blog, The Green Baby Guide.