Lansky, Vicki 1942-

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Lansky, Vicki 1942-

Personal

Born January 6, 1942, in Louisville, KY; daughter of Arthur (a men's clothing industry executive) and Mary

(a homemaker) Rogosin; married S. Bruce Lansky (a publisher and literary agent), June 13, 1967 (divorced, 1983); children: Douglas, Dana. Education: Connecticut College, B.A. (art history), 1963. Hobbies and other interests: Tending plants, swimming, travel.

Addresses

Office—Book Peddlers, 2828 Hedberg Dr., Minnetonka, MN 55305. E-mail—[email protected].

Career

Writer and publisher. Sportswear buyer for Lord & Taylor and Mercantile Stores, New York, NY, 1965-69; freelance photographer, 1968-72; Childbirth Education Association, Minneapolis, MN, teaching assistant, 1971-74; Meadowbrook Press, Wayzata, MN, founder, treasurer, and executive vice president in charge of operations, 1974-83; Book Peddlers (publisher), Minnetonka, MN, founder and owner, 1983—. Practical Parenting (newsletter), editor and publisher, 1979-88. Associated Press Broadcast Features, daily radio commentator, 1981-82; appeared on television programs, including Donahue, Oprah, Live with Regis and …, and Today. Pillsbury/Green Giant Consumer Advisory Panel, past member; spokesperson for American Plastics Council, 1993, 3M Company, 2005, and others. Member of advisory board, Catholic Charities Office for Divorced and Separated, Parenthood Cable TV, National Parenting Center, and Children's Rights Council.

Awards, Honors

Parents Choice Award, 1990, for Vicki Lansky's Divorce Book for Parents; Best New Product Introduction selection, Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association, 1993, for Games Babies Play.

Writings

(With others) Feed Me! I'm Yours, Meadowbrook Press (Deephaven, MN), 1974, revised edition, illustrated by Kathy Rogers, 1994, 4th edition, 2004.

The Taming of the C.A.N.D.Y. (Continuously Advertised, Nutritionally Deficient Yummies!) Monster: A Cookbook, Meadowbrook Press (Deephaven, MN), 1978, published with illustrations by Lynn Johnston, Book Peddlers (Deephaven, MN), 1988, 3rd edition, 1999.

Dear Babysitter, edited by Kathryn Ring, Meadowbrook Press (Deephaven, MN), 1982, published as Dear Babysitter Handbook, Bantam Books (New York, NY), 2001.

Vicki Lansky's Practical Parenting Tips, illustrated by Kathryn Ring, Meadowbrook Press (Deephaven, MN), 1982, revised edition published as Practical Parenting Tips: Over 1,500 Helpful Hints for the First Five Years, Fine Communications (New York, NY), 2003.

Toilet Training, Bantam Books (New York, NY), 1984, revised edition published as Toilet Training: A Practical Guide to Daytime and Nighttime Training, 1993, 3rd edition, Book Peddlers (Minnetonka, MN), 2002.

Welcoming Your Second Baby, Bantam Books (New York, NY), 1984, revised edition, Book Peddlers (Deephaven, MN), 2005.

Vicki Lansky's Practical Parenting Tips for the School-Age Years, Bantam Books (New York, NY), 1985.

Traveling with Your Baby, Bantam Books (New York, NY), 1985.

Getting Your Baby to Sleep (and Back to Sleep), Bantam Books (New York, NY), 1985, published with audiocassette and compact disc as Getting Your Child to Sleep—and Back to Sleep, Book Peddlers (Deephaven, MN), 2004.

Birthday Parties, Bantam Books (New York, NY), 1986, published as Vicky Lansky's Birthday Parties, Book Peddlers (Deephaven, MN), 1989, published as Birthday Parties: Best Party Tips and Ideas for Ages 1-8, 1995.

The Best of Vicki Lansky's Practical Parenting, Book Peddlers (Deephaven, MN), 1987.

Fat-Proofing Your Kids, Bantam Books (New York, NY), 1987, published as Fat-Proofing Your Children … So That They Never Become Diet-Addicted Adults, 1988.

101 Ways to Tell Your Child "I Love You," illustrated by Kaye Pomeranc White, Contemporary Books (Chicago, IL), 1988.

Vicki Lansky's Divorce Book for Parents: Helping Your Children Cope with Divorce and Its Aftermath, New American Library (New York, NY), 1989, 3rd edition, Book Peddlers (Deephaven, MN), 1996.

Baby-Proofing Basics: How to Keep Your Child Safe, 1991, 2nd edition, Book Peddlers (Minnetonka, MN), 2002.

101 Ways to Make Your Child Feel Special, illustrated by Kaye Pomeranc White, Contemporary Books (Chicago, IL), 1991.

Another Use for … 101 Common Household Items, illustrated by Martha Campbell, Book Peddlers (Deephaven, MN), 1991.

101 Ways to Say "I Love You," Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 1991.

Games Babies Play: From Birth to Twelve Months, Book Peddlers (Deephaven, MN), 1993.

Don't Throw That Out!: A Pennywise Parent's Guide to Creative Uses for over 200 Household Items, Book Peddlers (Deephaven, MN), 1994.

101 Ways to Be a Special Mom, illustrated by Kaye Pomeranc White, Contemporary Books (Chicago, IL), 1995.

101 Ways to Be a Special Dad, illustrated by Kaye Pomeranc White, Contemporary Books (Chicago, IL), 1995.

Baking Soda: Over 500 Fabulous, Fun, and Frugal Uses You've Probably Never Thought Of, illustrated by Martha Campbell, Book Peddlers (Deephaven, MN), 1995, 2nd edition, 2004.

Transparent Tape: Over 350 Super, Simple, and Surprising Uses You've Probably Never Thought Of, illustrated by Martha Campbell, Book Peddlers (Deephaven, MN), 1995, 2nd edition, 2005.

(Coauthor) Healthy Pregnancy, Healthy Babies: A Guide to Prenatal and Baby Care, Publications International (Lincolnwood, IL), 1995.

Trouble-Free Travel with Children: Helpful Hints for Parents on the Go, 1995.

(Coauthor) Complete Pregnancy and Baby Book: A Guide to Prenatal, Infant, and Toddler Care, Publications International (Lincolnwood, IL), 1996.

101 Ways to Spoil Your Grandchild, illustrated by Rondi Collette, Contemporary Books (Chicago, IL), 1996.

The Bag Book: Over 500 Great Uses—and Reuses—for Paper, Plastic, and Other Bags to Organize and Enhance Your Life, illustrated by Martha Campbell, Book Peddlers (Minnetonka, MN), 2000.

Best New Baby Tips, Book Peddlers (Minnetonka, MN), 2001.

Vinegar: Over 400 Various, Versatile, and Very Good Uses You've Probably Never Thought Of, illustrated by Martha Campbell, Book Peddlers (Minnetonka, MN), 2004.

Sunday newspaper columnist, Minneapolis Star and Tribune, 1985-86; columnist, Sesame Street Parents, c. 1987-97. Contributing editor, Family Circle, 1988—.

FOR CHILDREN

Koko Bear's New Potty, illustrated by Jane Prince, Bantam Books (New York, NY), 1986.

Koko Bear's New Babysitter, illustrated by Jane Prince, Bantam Books (New York, NY), 1987.

A New Baby at Koko Bear's House, Bantam Books (New York, NY), 1987.

Vicki Lansky's Kids Cooking, Scholastic, Inc. (New York, NY), 1987.

Koko Bear's Big Earache, illustrated by Jane Prince, Bantam Books (New York, NY), 1988.

Sing Along as You Ride Along (with audiocassette), Scholastic, Inc. (New York, NY), 1988.

Sing Along Birthday Fun (with audiocassette), Scholastic, Inc. (New York, NY), 1988.

Vicki Lansky's Microwave Cooking for Kids, Scholastic, Inc. (New York, NY), 1991.

It's Not Your Fault, Koko Bear: A Read-Together Book for Parents and Young Children during Divorce, illustrated by Jane Prince, Book Peddlers (Minnetonka, MN), 1998.

Sidelights

In 1974 Vicki Lansky and several other mothers from a local Childbirth Education Association chapter wrote a baby food cookbook for new mothers. Although she believed the book to have commercial appeal, no publisher was interested in it. Undaunted, Lansky and her husband turned their back porch into their own publishing company, Meadowbrook Press, and began producing Feed Me! I'm Yours for distribution. Their creative promotional efforts and numerous appearances on television talk shows eventually propelled the book to bestseller status as America's best-selling baby and toddler cookbook.

As her children grew older, Lansky found the struggle to maintain good nutritional habits intensifying. Saturday-morning television commercials for junk food fueled her children's desire for processed foods during favorite cartoon programs, and Lansky realized that one way to counter this offensive was with tasty alternative recipes with child appeal. In The Taming of the C.A.N. D.Y. (Continuously Advertised, Nutritionally Deficient Yummies!) Monster: A Cookbook she provides parents with practical ways to improve their children's eating habits. The book rose quickly to the number-one spot on the New York Times trade paperback bestseller list.

Drawing on her growing reputation as a savvy parent, in 1979 Lansky began publishing Practical Parenting, a bimonthly newsletter consisting of articles and tips on childrearing issues. Remaining in publication until the late 1980s, the newsletter grew into a nationally syndicated radio feature and sparked a series of practical parenting books. Lansky designed each book to cover a single topic, providing a quick and easy source of information for inexperienced parents. Lansky explained to Sue MacDonald in the Cincinnati Enquirer that "a lot of these books [are] a replacement for the support group" because new parents often lack parents in close proximity and mothers frequently avoid asking friends of family for child-rearing advice.

In the books she has published during her long career—first with Meadowbrook Press and more recently with Book Peddlers—Lansky sometimes pairs a book for parents with a children's book on the same topic. For example, Welcoming Your Second Baby is intended to prepare parents for the issues that arise when a new baby arrives in a single-child household. The book's chapter headings take the form of questions that commonly trouble expectant parents, such as caring for a new infant without neglecting an older sibling or handling special issues like adoption, blended families, and even newborn death. For children, her related picture book A New Baby at Koko's House is designed to appeal to the older sibling via an entertaining story, while also supporting the adult reader by including parent-focused tips on each page.

As Lansky once noted: "I continue to be fascinated by the world of household trivia, the challenges of book publishing, … the changing world of divorce social services, computer online services as well as desktop publishing and, of course, the ever evolving nature of the human condition and relationships.

"I feel very lucky to be around at this point in time. I doubt that I could have made a living with this type of material seventy-five years ago and I am not sure of the need for it seventy-five years hence. Despite the fact that my titles have probably sold over six million copies, I have no illusions about the literary value of my work. There is none. But I have touched many people's lives and hopefully made it a little better or easier for them."

Biographical and Critical Sources

PERIODICALS

Booklist, September 1, 1978, review of The Taming of the C.A.N.D.Y. (Continuously Advertised, Nutritionally Deficient Yummies!) Monster: A Cookbook, p. 11; July, 1983, review of Toilet Training and Welcoming Your Second Baby, p. 1503; March 1, 1985, review of Vicki Lansky's Practical Parenting Tips for the School-Age Years, p. 915; September 1, 1985, review of Getting Your Baby to Sleep (and Back to Sleep), p. 13; December 15, 1985, review of Vicki Lansky's Practical Parenting Tips, p. 635; April 1, 1988, review of The Taming of the C.A.N.D.Y. (Continuously Advertised, Nutritionally Deficient Yummies!) Monster, p. 1298; September 15, 1990, review of Welcoming Your Second Baby, p. 126; June 1, 1991, review of Baby-Proofing Basics: How to Keep Your Child Safe, p. 1846; June 1, 1991, review of Getting Your Child to Sleep—and Back to Sleep, p. 1850; February 15, 1994, Jo Peer-Haas, review of Don't Throw That Out!: A Pennywise Parent's Guide to Creative Uses for Over 200 Household Items, p. 1045; February 15, 1995, Mike Tribby, review of Baking Soda: Over 500 Fabulous, Fun, and Frugal Uses You've Probably Never Thought Of, p. 1046; February 15, 1999, Barbara Jacobs, review of The Taming of the C.A.N.D.Y. (Continuously Advertised, Nutritionally Deficient Yummies!) Monster, p. 1022.

Bookwatch, January, 1993, review of Practical Parenting Tips: Over 1,500 Helpful Hints for the First Five Years, p. 12; April, 1993, review of Games Babies Play: From Birth to Twelve Months, p. 12.

Children's Bookwatch, June, 1993, review of 101 Ways to Be a Special Dad, p. 8; January, 1998, review of It's Not Your Fault, Koko Bear, p. 1.

Cincinnati Enquirer, August 3, 1984, Sue MacDonald, interview with Lansky.

Library Journal, July, 1978, review of The Taming of the C.A.N.D.Y. (Continuously Advertised, Nutritionally Deficient Yummies!) Monster, p. 1408; March 15, 1985, Kari D. Anderson, review of Vicki Lansky's Practical Parenting Tips for the School-Age Years, p. 58; May 15, 1989, Marcia G. Fuchs, review of Vicki Lansky's Divorce Book for Parents: Helping Your Children Cope with Divorce and Its Aftermath, p. 80; May 15, 1991, Linda Beck, review of Baby-Proofing Basics, p. 103.

Los Angeles Times, July 25, 1982, review of Dear Babysitter, p. 12.

New York Times, November 12, 1995, Laurel Graeber, review of Trouble-Free Travel with Children: Helpful Hints for Parents on the Go.

New York Times Book Review, April 2, 1978, review of Feed Me! I'm Yours, p. 41; November 26, 1989, review of Vicki Lansky's Divorce Book for Parents, p. 26.

Parents, May, 1990, reviews of Toilet Training, p. 226, and Koko Bear's New Potty, p. 228.

Party and Paper Retailer, February, 1996, "Birthday Parties: Best Party Tips and Ideas," p. 44.

Publishers Weekly, January 16, 1978, review of The Taming of the C.A.N.D.Y. (Continuously Advertised, Nutritionally Deficient Yummies!) Monster, p. 98; October 10, 1980, Sally A. Lodge, review of Best Practical Parenting Tips, p. 72; June 29, 1984, review of Welcoming Your Second Baby, p. 103; April 2, 2001, Sally A. Lodge, "Growing-Up Books Come of Age," p. 23.

Reading Teacher, February, 1981, review of The Taming of the C.A.N.D.Y. (Continuously Advertised, Nutritionally Deficient Yummies!) Monster, p. 585.

School Library Journal, June, 1998, Kathy Piehl, review of It's Not Your Fault, Koko Bear, p. 130.

Small Press, summer, 1991, review of A New Baby at Koko Bear's House, p. 57.

Special Delivery, fall, 1999, Kamal Bridge, reviews of A New Baby at Koko Bear's House and Welcoming Your Second Baby, p. 25.

Us, June 27, 1978.

Washington Post Book World, March 5, 1978, review of Feed Me! I'm Yours and The Taming of the C.A.N. D.Y. (Continuously Advertised, Nutritionally Deficient Yummies!) Monster, p. F4.

Whole Earth, spring, 1995, review of Trouble-Free Travel with Children, p. 111.