Talking about children's books and films. Useful information for parents.
07 Jan 2012 Leave a comment
in Books Tags: philosophy
Here’s an interesting list I came across today: 5 Children’s Books for Grown-ups, c/o brainpickings.org.
Pretty good list, although I am fairly certain that the last quote comes not from L. Frank Baum’s book but from the excellent 1939 movie The Wizard of Oz.
It is making me think of doing a list of 5 Children’s Movies for Grown-ups… except that it seems like every children’s film made in the last fifteen or so years was actually made more for the parents than the kids…
06 Jan 2012 Leave a comment
in Illustrators
Here’s the Guardian article on the great illustrator Ronald Searle, best known for his hilariously dark St. Trinians cartoons…
06 Jan 2012 Leave a comment
in Books, books 3+, Canadian books Tags: adventure, animals, boats, island, moose, travel, trying new things, wilderness survival
BLUE SPRUCE nominee – 2012
by Nicholas Oldland
Kids Can Press, 2010
30 pp.
Age: 3+
Interests: animals, moose, adventure, boats, islands, travel, trying new things, survival skills
Also by this author: The Busy Beaver, Big Bear Hug
05 Jan 2012 Leave a comment
in Books, books 10+ Tags: British history, folktales, history, medieval history, poetry, Robin Hood
GREENAWAY MEDAL WINNER – 1959
compiled by Ruth Manning-Sanders
illustrated by William Stobbs
London: Oxford University Press, 1959
245 pp.
Age: 10+ ?
Interests: medieval history, British history, poetry, legends, folklore, Robin Hood
Also by this illustrator: Kashtanka
05 Jan 2012 Leave a comment
in Books, books 8+ Tags: circus, dogs, Russia, theatre
GREENAWAY MEDAL WINNER -1959
by Anton Chekhov
illustrated by William Stobbs
London: Oxford University Press, 1959
49 pp. – 7 chapters
Age: 8 +
Interests: dogs, circus, theatre, cruelty to animals
Note: a little dark for children – read through it yourself first…
Other: Foxie by Ingri and Edgar Parin d’Aulaire is another version of the same story which is a little more kid-friendly
Also by this illustrator: A Bundle of Ballads
04 Jan 2012 Leave a comment
in Books, books 6+ Tags: adventure, British history, Magic, medieval history, siblings, travel, witches
by Mary Norton
Harcourt Brace, 1943
(the two original books – The Magic Bed-Knob and Bonfires and Broomsticks – are now commonly combined into this one volume)
189 pp., 20 chapters
Age: 6+
Interests: magic, witches, medieval history, adventure, siblings, travel
Next: the Disney movie Bedknobs and Broomsticks has a totally different plot than the book
Also by this author: The Borrowers series
03 Jan 2012 Leave a comment
in Books, books 7+ Tags: art, city life, family, music, New York, siblings, single parent
by Elizabeth Enright
(first book in the Melendy Quartet series)
Henry Holt and Company, 1941
177 pp., 8 chapters
Age: 7+
Interests: family, siblings, art, music
Next: the other 3 Melendy books are The Four-Story Mistake, Then There Were Five, Spiderweb for Two: a Melendy Maze
Also by this author: Thimble Summer, Gone-Away Lake
02 Jan 2012 Leave a comment
in Drawing, Introduction to... Tags: art, dragons
A holiday treat from The Guardian: “How to Draw… Dragons” by Emily Gravett, the author/illustrator of Again!, Wolves, and Little Mouse’s Big Book of Fears. Part of a terrific “How to Draw” series featuring famous children’s book illustrators.
(Thanks bundleofbooks for this link!)
01 Jan 2012 Leave a comment
Well, I’ve been at this blog now for nearly a year and I can’t tell you how much I’ve enjoyed it. Thanks to everyone who has taken a look, commented, subscribed, or just stumbled in. I hope my little ‘labour of love’ has been of use to parents and anyone else who just loves children’s books and movies.
And so, with my library card in one hand and my mile-long reading list in the other, I bravely face the new year… onward into 2012!
all the best
Kim Thompson
01 Jan 2012 Leave a comment
in Books, books 2+ Tags: animals, castle, manners, royalty, tea parties
CALDECOTT MEDAL WINNER – 1965
written by Beatrice Schenk de Regniers
illustrated by Beni Montresor
Simon & Schuster, 1964
42 pp.
Age: 2+
Interests: animals, royalty, castles, zoo, manners, invitations
Rarest Kind of Best 