All Scoops by Christie Matheson in Every City

There’s a new book—with a new character—coming from humorist Mo Willems, whose knack for illustrating body language cracks us up to no end. Here’s to hoping Hooray for Amanda & Her Alligator is even half as funny as Knuffle Bunny and the Pigeon books. Due out on April 26; pre-order for $10.79 on amazon.com.

The only thing we didn't love about TykeRyder's balance bikes was their relative blah-ness. But now, the Early Rider Lite ($160; ages pre-2 to 4 years) and Classic ($180; ages 2 to 5 years) models come with powder-pink handlebars and seats—featuring the same eco-friendly, FSC-certified birch and badass motorcyle-style details. There's a Bermuda blue version of the Classic, too. tykerider.com

All proceeds from the sale of Crewcuts' Japan Love graphic tee go to the Japanese Red Cross Society (pre-order now for May delivery; $25). And not that we advocate mommy-and-me dressing, but there's a grown-up version, we love, too.

The celeb gossip blogger's The Boy With Pink Hair, about embracing the things that make us different, actually sounds kinda sweet. Due out in September; pre-order now at amazon.com.

Unlike one-trick-pony pre-printed banners, the new Petit Collage Alphabet Garland by illustrator Lorena Siminovich can be used (and re-used) for just about any special occasion. With 80 five-inch letter tiles, you can spell out kids' names, "happy birthday," or perhaps, "mom needs a spa day." Coming March 30; pre-order for $16.95 at chroniclebooks.com.

With Beaba’s Babypote, you can serve up homemade purees, yogurt, and other drippy foods—at home or on the go—in a mess-free feeding vessel. And yes, it’s BPA-free. $19.95 at diapers.com.

Adorable mom-of-two Soleil Moon Frye (a.k.a. Punky Brewster, who also founded eco-friendly kids' boutique The Little Seed) has a book coming out this summer called Happy Chaos, celebrating the messiness that comes with being a parent. Yeah, it's on our list of  beach reads. Pre-order for $13.57 at amazon.com.

Unilever has recalled jars of reduced-fat creamy and reduced-fat chunky varieties of Skippy Peanut Butter due to possible salmonella contamination. Consumers with recalled products should discard the containers immediately and contact Skippy at 1-800-453-3432 for a replacement coupon. For more details, and to learn which jars are included in the recall, visit fda.gov.

There's a new Madeline book on its way: written and illustrated by John Bemelmans Marciano (grandson of Ludwig Bemelmans, who authored the original Madeline books), Madeline at the White House is due out on January 25, 2011. Pre-order now at amazon.com.

The adorable new wall easel from P'kolino takes up way less room than a freestanding model—so you won't have to rearrange furniture for your budding Picasso; $44.99, plus $9.95 for a paper roll, at pkolino.com.

The Environmental Working Group released a report this week stating that drinking water in 25 of 35 cities tested contains the carcinogen hexavalent chromium (a.k.a. the Erin Brockovich chemical) above the safe level (as proposed by the California Environmental Protection Agency) of 0.06 parts per billion. Read the report and get consumer tips at ewg.org.

The reusable (and un-rip-able) fabric gift wrap from Chewing the Cud ($12 per 28-inch square) looks way chicer than typical eco-friendly trimmings—and protects packages from curious toddlers who think every paper-wrapped box must be torn open immediately.

After more drop-side crib recalls than we can count, the Consumer Product Safety Commission has finally outlawed them altogether. Effective in June, it will be illegal to manufacture, sell, or resell cribs that don’t have fixed sides. Hotels and childcare facilities won’t be allowed to use them, either, but they’ll have a year to purchase new ones. Read more about the new rules (and what to do if you currently own a drop-side crib) at msnbc.com.

Filzfelt’s graphic die-cut felt ornaments ($9.75 for a set of two) would work even on a high-style tree, with no risk of glass or porcelain shards if dropped. Got a climber? A felt angel for the tree top ($20) makes sense, too.

This week a panel sponsored by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases issued the first clinical guidelines for diagnosing food allergies. Turns out medical history alone isn’t enough reason to keep your kid away from wheat or peanuts for the rest of his life. To learn more about the new guidelines, including the effects of maternal diet during pregnancy and soy formula vs. cow's milk formula, visit nih.gov (and ask your doc about them, too).

With up-to-the-neck and over-the-shoulder coverage, the new two-layer bib from The Green Creation ($8.99) is pretty effective—not to mention made with organic cotton. Note: not for babes who conk out on the bottle, since taking it off requires an over-the-head maneuver. thegreencreation.com

BabyCenter released its 2010 baby names report today, complete with the top 100 boy and girl names of the year, info on what’s climbing and slipping on the charts, and trend analysis (new parents are watching a whole lotta Glee and Mad Men, apparently).

It’s hardly the first recall of blinds and shades due to strangulation risk, but Lowe’s, in cooperation with the Consumer Product Safety Commission, just recalled 11 million products—6 million Roman shades and 5 million roll-up blinds. (This on the heels of a November 10 recall of more than 500,000 shades and blinds by Hanover Direct, parent company of The Company Store and Company Kids.) Read details about the Lowe’s recall at cpsc.gov.

High-quality, family-friendly specials today include the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade (NBC, 9am Eastern), the original Miracle on 34th Street (NBC, 2pm Eastern), and A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (ABC, 8pm Eastern). And then of course there's Elf (USA, 9pm Eastern), if you want to crack up while scarfing down late-night seconds.

Just when you thought you were doing the right thing by stocking up on reusable bags from your grocery store, turns out a bunch of them contain unhealthy levels of lead, according to a new report in the Tampa Tribune. The toxic ones are easy to spot—they're the painted or elaborately decorated ones; plain reusable bags (and your own canvas or organic cotton totes) are lead-free.