Talking about children's books and films. Useful information for parents.
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
28 Dec 2011 4 Comments
in Books, books 5+ Tags: adventure, dragons, Fairy Tale, folktales, Magic, mermaids, Princess, Russia, witches
GREENAWAY MEDAL WINNER – 1971
written by Joan Aiken
illustrated by Jan Pienkowski
Jonathan Cape, 1971
104 pp. – 11 stories
Age: 5 +
Interests: fairy tales, folktales, Eastern European folklore, magic, princesses, princes, mermaids
Also by this illustrator: Haunted House, Meg and Mog series
Also by this author: The Wolves of Willoughby Chase series
26 Dec 2011 Leave a comment
in Books, books 4+ Tags: animals, art, folktales, India, jungle, mice, philosophy
CALDECOTT MEDAL WINNER – 1962
subtitle: A Fable Cut in Wood
by Marcia Brown
Simon & Schuster, 1961
30 pp.
Age: 4 +
Interests: mice, animals, folktales, India, magic, art, philosophy
Also by this author: Stone Soup, Cinderella or the Little Glass Slipper
23 Dec 2011 Leave a comment
in Books, books 7+ Tags: artists, bullies, bullying, class, fashion, friendship, school, teasing
by Eleanor Estes
illustrated by Louis Slobodkin
Harcourt Brace & Company, 1944
80 pp., 7 chapters
Age: 7 +
Interests: school politics, teasing & bullying, peer pressure, friendship, fashion, art
Also by this author: Ginger Pye, The Moffats, The Witch Family
21 Dec 2011 Leave a comment
in Books, books 8+ Tags: bad behavior, Christmas, church, religion, theatre
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
by Barbara Robinson
HarperCollins, 1972
80 pp., 7 chapters
Ages: 8 +
Interests: Christmas, Christmas pageant, putting on a play, religion, church
Also by this author: sequels featuring the Herdmans – The Best School Year Ever, The Best Hallowe’en Ever
Rarest Kind of Best 