Enthusiastic, spunky, and positive, Punky Brewster was the quintessential eighties kid. Nearly thirty years later, Soleil Moon Frye—the adorable girl who played her on TV—is all grown up. Now she's a married mom of two, an entrepreneur who parlayed her successful kids' clothing line into a partnership with Target, and a social media whiz with millions of followers. Many of the same girls who watched Soleil on television are now grown up with children of their own, too, and they look to her as a go-to source for realistic, in-the-trenches parenting advice, inspiration, and fun. Happy Chaos invites those women into Soleil's world, and makes them revel in the chaos of their own lives, too.
Soleil believes that "happy chaos" is the sign of a family operating at its best—when parents accept that they'll make mistakes, that there will be messes, tears and skinned knees. She learned to love a jumbled life during her own childhood, when her own mom created an atmosphere that was thoroughly unconventional. Their house in Los Angeles was a haven for many young stars of Soleil's generation, often far from home and looking for a safe place to hang out. In this book, she shows how her happy but chaotic childhood informed her parenting: Each chapter begins with a telling reminiscence before moving into insightful advice and fun stories about life with her husband and two adorable daughters.
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"I really enjoyed the book. I did not really read it for parenting tips. After 4, I think I am mostly set. I did enjoy a look into her family and "seeing" her personality. Fun read. "
— Aldaradelilah (4 out of 5 stars)
“Frye has two children and lots of parenting advice on everything from planning a great birthday party to being flexible…For all you anti-Tiger moms out there.”
— Library JournalFrye has two children and lots of parenting advice on everything from planning a great birthday party to being flexible. . . . For all you anti-Tiger moms out there.
— Library Journal" i read this because it's punky brewster!!! i'm sure if i cared about being a parent i would have liked it more. "
— Wendy, 10/23/2011" it was just "ok" nothing special ...I wouldnt waste time reading it "
— Jessica, 10/3/2011" I thought it would be fun, but it was really, really poorly written. But she's sweet and I wish her well. She just shouldn't be a writer. "
— Rhea, 9/13/2011" It's definitely a parenting book. I wanted more Punky! :) "
— Jaime, 9/8/2011" Really enjoyed this. Practical, straight-forward parenting tips mixed with her own experiences. "
— Jen, 9/1/2011" Lightweight musings by the star of the iconic 80's TV show. "
— Dave, 8/29/2011" Sort of a Hippie Dippy mom book, but Soleil is so cute I just couldn't resist. <br/>She has a great attitude and a positive spin on the most upsetting moments. Makes me want to "totally change" It's the 'who moved my cheese' for moms or mom-wannabes. "
— Jen, 8/28/2011" totally cute book. I admit, i read it purely because i loved Punky, but Soliel is pretty cool herself and it was a fast, fun read "
— Rebekah, 8/19/2011" An enjoyable read. I don't think I learned anything new about parenting in particular. I have lots of respect for her opinions though. "
— Katie, 7/24/2011Soleil Moon Frye was the star of the 1980s sitcom Punky Brewster. Today she is better known as an entrepreneur and social media maven. The co-owner of Little Seed, a green children’s boutique that just launched a line with Target, she lives in Los Angeles.
Julia Whelan is a novelist, screenwriter, lifelong actor, and multiple award-winning audiobook narrator. She graduated with a degree in English and creative writing from Middlebury College and Oxford University. She is a former child actor who has appeared in multiple films and television shows.