reported by Holly Smith, FictionFanatic.com

With Academy Awards being handed out to movies about racist cops, gay cowboys, and communist sympathizers, Hollywood has declared an outright war on traditional values. But instead of getting angry at the movie business, parents should teach their kids to laugh at it, this according to best-selling children's author Katharine DeBrecht, whose new illustrated book "Help! Mom! Hollywood's in My Hamper" (Kids Ahead; hardcover: $15.95; ISBN 0976726912) mocks Hollywood's liberal stars and arrives in bookstores today.

DeBrecht -- whose book turned heads in Hollywood after being given out in Oscar party gift bags on Sunday night -- satirizes Barbra Streisand, Madonna, Tom Cruise, Britney Spears, Jack Nicholson, and Sean Penn with cartoon look-alikes who appear in the hamper of two young sisters to tell them how to behave and to sell them useless trinkets. The girls meet a number of other goofy celebrities along the way and in the process come to realize that stars don't always know best.

"The liberal elites running Hollywood have no intention of ceasing their relentless attack on traditional values," claims DeBrecht, a mother of three. "It's almost impossible for parents to block out all of the left-wing messages that Hollywood and its media friends are bombarding our kids with. The solution is for parents to teach their children to laugh at Hollywood and to regard celebrities as silly people."

The book reunites DeBrecht with award winning illustrator Jim Hummel in their highly anticipated sequel to last fall's surprise hit "Help! Mom! There Are Liberals Under My Bed" (Kids Ahead; hardcover; ISBN 0976726904). The book reached #1 on Barnes & Noble's website and was profiled in publications ranging from US News & World Report to Publishers Weekly, but it drew fiery criticism from liberals for its portrayal of Hillary Clinton and Ted Kennedy as cartoon villains who tax and regulate a child's lemonade stand.

"Know-it-all liberal celebrities are in our faces every day, telling people how to live, what to buy, and often how to vote," says DeBrecht. "Children need to understand that just because these people show up on television doesn't mean they know what's best for the rest of America. In fact, it's usually quite the opposite!

"Oddly enough, I didn't get an invitation to the Academy Awards this year," laughs DeBrecht. Her book, however, was included in gift bags handed out to celebrities at a black tie gala in Beverly Hills following the awards show at the Kodak Theater. Organizers said some 200 celebrities -- including dozens of current and previous Oscar nominees -- attended the event, making it one of Tinseltown's biggest award night parties.

About Kids Ahead:

Kids Ahead is an imprint of Los Angeles-based World Ahead Publishing, the West Coast's leading publisher of conservative books. Visit http://www.helpmombooks.com to learn more.