Talking about children's books and films. Useful information for parents.
06 Feb 2012 Leave a comment
in Books, books 5+ Tags: airplanes, biography, France, history, inventions, scientists
CALDECOTT MEDAL WINNER – 1984
The Glorious Flight: Across the Channel with Louis Blériot
by Alice and Martin Provensen
The Viking Press, 1983
38 pp.
Age: 5+
Interests: history, biography, inventors, airplanes, France
Next: science/invention biography – Snowflake Bentley; more about France in this era – The Invention of Hugo Cabret; artistic style – look up works by Henri Rousseau
06 Feb 2012 Leave a comment
in Just Fun Stuff Tags: art
This is really fun, had to share it.
05 Feb 2012 Leave a comment
in Books, books 6+ Tags: cats, city life, community, crime, racial tension, racism, single parent, violence
CALDECOTT MEDAL WINNER – 1995
Eve Bunting, text
David Diaz, illustrations
Harcourt, 1994
32 pp.
Age: 6+
Interests: city life, crime, racial tension, violence, community, single parent family, cats
Also by this author: Fly Away Home, Coffin on a Case!, The Memory String, How Many Days to America?, Night Tree, S.O.S Titanic
05 Feb 2012 Leave a comment
in Books, books 4+ Tags: attic, dance, family, family history, grandparents, song and dance, theatre
CALDECOTT MEDAL WINNER – 1989
Karen Ackerman, text
Stephen Gammell, illustrations
Alfred A. Knopf, 1988
30 pp.
Age: 4+
Interests: family history, grandparents, song and dance, theatre
Other books on family history: They Were Strong and Good, Grandfather’s Journey
Next: pull out the old family photos!
05 Feb 2012 Leave a comment
in Books, books 7+ Tags: Africa, poetry
CALDECOTT MEDAL WINNER – 1983
Blaise Cendrars, original text
Marcia Brown, translation and illustrations
Scribner’s, 1982
36 pp.
Age: 7+
Interests: poetry, Africa
Also by this illustrator: Once a Mouse…, Cinderella, or The Little Glass Slipper , Stone Soup, Dick Whittington and His Cat, Puss in Boots, The Steadfast Tin Soldier
04 Feb 2012 Leave a comment
in Books, books 4+ Tags: American history, country life, farming, history, seasons
CALDECOTT MEDAL WINNER – 1980
Donald Hall, text
Barbara Cooney, illustrations
Viking Press, 1979
38 pp.
Age: 4+
Interests: history, farming, country life, self-sufficiency, seasons, American history, New England, folk art
Also by this illustrator: Miss Rumphius
29 Jan 2012 Leave a comment
in Books, books 5+ Tags: adventure, birds, city life, dogs, Magic, New York, travel, vacation
CALDECOTT MEDAL WINNER – 1987
Arthur Yorinks, text
Richard Egielski, illustrations
Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1986
28 pp.
Age: 5+
Interests: birds, dogs, city life, travel, adventure, vacation, New York, magic, apartments
Other Titles by this author and illustrator: Homework, What a Trip!
29 Jan 2012 Leave a comment
in Parenting
A pretty black and white commentary, not much depth to it, but thought-provoking. I definitely think it’s not such an either/or proposition, every parent tailors their parenting strategies to the needs, strengths and weaknesses of the individual child. The real concern is when a parent (or pundit) buys into one or another ideology 100% and takes it full steam ahead, refusing to temper it with doubt or amendment – damn the torpedoes!
The bigger issue re. “Thoughts and ideas have been replaced by feelings” is how this has happened in the adult sphere beyond parenting… self-help mania, reality tv, celebrity obsession, personality journalism, popularity contest elections… Children grow up mirroring adult society, not solely by reacting to how their parents treat them.
Still, useful to contemplate. Self-esteem is good, but empathy is better. And the ability to control and manage one’s emotions is a vital skill that needs to be learned.
27 Jan 2012 Leave a comment
in Books, books 5+ Tags: animals, Bible, boats, god, religion, wordless books
CALDECOTT MEDAL WINNER – 1978
by Peter Spier
Doubleday, 1977
46 pp.
Age: 5+
Interests: bible stories, animals, boats, wordless books, religion, God
Also by this author/illustrator: People, Circus, The Fox Went Out on a Chilly Night, London Bridge is Falling Down, Christmas!
26 Jan 2012 1 Comment
Much parental hand-wringing and gnashing of teeth occurs over the extent – and type – of reading that children do. It’s a high-stakes concern, since academic proficiency is greatly aided by voluminous reading. Young bookworms almost effortlessly gain a larger vocabulary and an instinctive knack for proper grammar and spelling, not to mention all the spiritual/artistic/empathetic/etc. benefits of literature.
Rarest Kind of Best 