Talking about children's books and films. Useful information for parents.
06 Feb 2013 Leave a comment
in Books, books 6+, books 8+ Tags: adventure, American history, country life, family, farming, First Nations, history, pioneer life, racial tension, siblings, strong girls
NEWBERY MEDAL WINNER – 1936
by Carol Ryrie Brink
MacMillan: 1935
275 pages, 24 chapters
Age: 6+ (read to); 8+ (independent reading)
Interests: history, American history, farm life, pioneers, siblings, growing up
Also by this author: sequel Magical Melons (aka Caddie Woodlawn’s Family)
Next: picture books – They Were Strong and Good, Abraham Lincoln, Ox-Cart Man; chapter books – Sarah Plain and Tall, Little House on the Prairie series, Anne of Green Gables
29 Jan 2013 Leave a comment
in Movies, movies 3+ Tags: adventure, animals, Canada, cats, dogs, nature, pets, wilderness survival
Released: 1963
Rated: G
Length: 80 min
Age: 3+
Scary Factor: various dangerous situations for animals are rather tamely presented, not disturbing at all, and no notable injuries are sustained; cat is swept away in river but later rescued; a man shoots at dog rummaging in garbage can, but mainly to scare him away; cat is chased by a lynx but escapes
Interests: pets, cats, dogs, wilderness, nature, Canada, adventure
Next: read the book The Incredible Journey
23 Jan 2013 Leave a comment
in Books, books 7+, books 9+, Canadian books Tags: adventure, animals, Canada, cats, dogs, pets, wilderness survival
by Sheila Burnford
Hodder and Stoughton, 1961
127 pp. – 11 chapters
Age: read to – 7+ independent reading – 9+?
Interests: pets, cats, dogs, wilderness, adventure
Next: 1963 Disney movie The Incredible Journey
17 Jan 2013 3 Comments
in Books, books 4+, books 7+, Classics Tags: adventure, boats, circus, horses, ocean, pirates, royalty, toys, travel
Adventures of the Little Wooden Horse
by Ursula Moray Williams
originally published by George G. Harrap & Co. Ltd., London, 1938
253 pp. – 19 chapters
Age: (read to) 4+ ; (independent reading) 7+
Interests: horses, toys come to life, travel, adventures, pirates, circus
by the same author: Gobbolino the Witch’s Cat, The Further Adventures of Gobbolino and the Little Wooden Horse
10 Jan 2013 Leave a comment
in Books, books 6+, books 9+ Tags: adventure, birds, boats, camping, country life, island, maps, nature, siblings, strong girls, wilderness survival
by Arthur Ransome
London: Jonathan Cape, 1930
363 pp.
CARNEGIE MEDAL WINNER – 1936
by Arthur Ransome
London: Jonathan Cape, 1936
433 pp.
Age: (read to) 6+, (read independently) 9+
Interests: boats, sailing, camping, adventures, summer vacation, maps, exploring
05 Nov 2012 Leave a comment
in Books, books 10+ Tags: adventure, Africa, airplanes, autobiography, biography, history, nonfiction, travel, war
by Roald Dahl
London: Jonathan Cape, 1986
210 pp.
Age: 10+
Interests: biography, travel, Africa, adventure, airplanes, war, history
Also by Roald Dahl: Boy: Tales of Childhood (autobiography about the years preceding this book)
Related Posts: A Roald Dahl Reading List More
03 Oct 2012 3 Comments
in Books, books 5+, books 6+, Classics, Quick Lists Tags: adventure, Magic
As I wrote yesterday, Harry Potter books (and movies) can be pretty scary and intense for younger children. If your child is intrigued by magic and fantasy, but you’re not certain she or he is quite ready for Hogwarts, here are a few fantasy titles they may be more comfortable with.
(Click on the titles to see full reviews.)
1. The Cuckoo Clock by Mrs. Molesworth – age 5+
A very sedate and old-fashioned (1877) story about a girl who visits some magical places and learns to behave herself a little better.
2. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum – age 5+
Quite different from the movie – a rambling, weird tale with a few scares and dustups along the way. (NB. some violence: see full review.)
3. Half Magic by Edward Eager – age 5+
One of my childhood favourites. This and other titles by Eager are lovely stories about children who come across something magic and mess things up a little. Slightly old-fashioned but charming and full of insight about sibling relations.
4. The Book of Dragons by E. Nesbit – age 6+
Snappy and very funny short stories, each about a very unique dragon.
5. The Enchanted Castle by E. Nesbit – age 6+
Nesbit books like The Enchanted Castle and Five Children and It inspired Edward Eager’s work, and are similarly about children who acquire some kind of magic and mismanage it with amusing or chilling results. This title in particular has one very creepy sequence.
And Two bonus titles… Rather long and wordy, only for the most hardy listeners (and readers).
6. Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie – age 6+
Find an abridged version if you can. (But NOT a Disney version!) The plot is captivating, but the original novel is a very dense read, and tangled with tangents.
7. The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald – age 6+
Goblins living under a mountain plot to kidnap a Princess, but she is aided by the ghost of her great-great-great grandmother and a courageous miner boy. Another very old classic, creepy and intriguing, but a trifle loooong and slow to get going. (Not sure if there are any abridged versions out there.)
As you can tell, my tastes go to the older, classic novels. I must start reading some newer books!
If you have any suggestions for early fantasy books, new or old, please share them!
02 Oct 2012 2 Comments
in Books, books 6+, Movies, movies 7+, Parenting Tags: adventure, boarding school, Magic, orphans, wizard
My six-year-old is loving stories about magic and strange creatures, and it occurred to me that we might be ready to wade into Potter-mania. Maybe. I think. Or maybe I should wait. Isn’t it too scary? Too violent? Too intense?
Fortunately I’ve come across this succinct bit of advice on Commonsense Media re. what ages are best for all the Harry Potter books, movies and games.
Here’s the gist of it… At age 6 or 7 it’s fine to read first book to them aloud (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone), and maybe watch the first movie.
After that the books and movies ramp up pretty quickly, agewise. You should check out the link for greater detail, but the last book, and the movies from Goblet of Fire onward are more appropriate for age 11 or 12.
Also included in the article are recommended ages for the various Harry Potter video games.
There really shouldn’t be any rush to put HP into your child’s hands, after all there are many, many fantasy books and movies out there more suitable for ages 5, 6, or 7, titles that are tamer, less violent and scary, and just not so grim. I’m working on a list of these right now, to be posted soon, I hope!
Let me know if you have any suggestions!
25 Sep 2012 Leave a comment
in Books, books 9+ Tags: action, adventure, American history, bad behavior, boats, British history, history, ocean, pirates, travel, violence
GREENAWAY AWARD WINNER – 2001
Pirate Diary: The Journal of Jake Carpenter
Richard Platt, text
Chris Riddell, illustrations
Candlewick Press: Cambridge, MA, 2001
112 pp.
Age: 9+
Interests: pirates, history, sailing, ships, adventure, ocean
Also by this author and illustrator: Castle Diary: The Journal of Tobias Burgess
Also by this illustrator: Ottoline and the Yellow Cat, Jonathan Swift’s “Gulliver”
05 Jun 2012 Leave a comment
in Books, books 7+ Tags: adventure, castle, fairies, Fairy Tale, Magic, monsters, ogres, prince, Princess, royalty, violence
GREENAWAY MEDAL WINNER – 1982
Sleeping Beauty and Other Favourite Fairy Tales
Angela Carter, translation
Michael Foreman, illustrations
Victor Gollancz Ltd, 1982
128 pp. – 12 stories
Age: 7 +
Interests: fairy tales, adventure, magic, princesses, princes, castles, ogres
Rarest Kind of Best 