Talking about children's books and films. Useful information for parents.
10 Jan 2012 6 Comments
in Books, books 4+ Tags: boats, Fairy Tale, folktales, Magic, Russia
CALDECOTT MEDAL WINNER – 1969
The Fool of the World and the Flying Ship
retold by Arthur Ransome
illustrated by Uri Shulevitz
Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1968
44 pp.
Age: 4+
Interests: folktales, Russia, magic, ships, flying
Also by this author: Old Peter’s Russian Tales, Swallows and Amazons series
Also by this illustrator: The Treasure, Snow, How I Learned Geography, SoSleepyStory
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
11 Dec 2011 Leave a comment
in Books, books 5+, Canadian books Tags: adventure, boats, pirates, trying to fit in
BLUE SPRUCE nominee – 2012
Small Saul
by Ashley Spires
Toronto: Kidscan Press, 2011
32 pp.
Age: 5+
Interests: pirates, adventure, travel, ships, ocean, being unique, trying to fit in
Also by this author: Binky the Space Cat
22 Aug 2011 Leave a comment
in Books, books 3+ Tags: adventure, boats, ocean, pirates, soccer, treasure
by Melinda Long
illustrated by David Shannon
Orlando: Harcourt, 2003
34 pp.
Age: 3+
Interests: pirates!, ships, ocean, adventure, soccer
Also by this author and illustrator: Pirates Don’t Change Diapers
Also by this illustrator: No, David! (Diaper David series), A Bad Case of Stripes, Alice the Fairy
08 Aug 2011 Leave a comment
in Books, books 5+ Tags: boats, ocean, pirates, strong girls
Cornelia Funke, author
Kerstin Meyer, illustrator
New York: Scholastic, 2003
30 pp.
Age: 5+
Interests: pirates, strong girls, ocean, boats
Also by this author: Inkheart Trilogy, Picturebooks: The Princess Knight, The Wildest Brother, Princess Pigsty More
31 Jul 2011 Leave a comment
in Movies, movies 5+ Tags: adoption, boats, cats, family, mice, New York
Rated: Rated PG for brief language
Length: 84 min.
Age: 5 and up. Commonsense Media sez: 6 +
Scary Factor: Stuart in the washing machine as water is filling up; chased by cat several times; two major chases from alley cats in park
Intense: concept of getting mafia-like cats to rub him out (“scratch him out”); police station conversation about killing sprees and grisly crime photos; alley cats menace a lot but don’t get very close; alley cats dispatched in end by dumping them in pond (aren’t hurt, are seen climbing out and running off)
Bad Behaviour: George pushes another boy down, fists flying, etc. and doesn’t get in any trouble for it (the impression we’re left with is that it’s all right because the other boy was so unpleasant)
Language: swearing! “damn”s, “hell”; presumably included for sole purpose of winning a PG rating; also rude language, “shut up”, “moron”, “loser”, “speak to the butt”
Interests: mice, cats, New York, adoption, family
Next: read the book! More
21 Jul 2011 Leave a comment
in Books, Quick Lists Tags: boats
Nothing says summertime to me like ‘messing about in boats’. Preferably without firm destination or deadline of course.
1. Mr. Gumpy’s Outing, by John Burningham – age 2+
2. The Story About Ping, by Marjorie Flack – age 2+
3. The Cow who Fell in the Canal, by Phyllis Krasilovsky – age 3+
4. Time of Wonder, by Robert McCloskey – age 4+
5. The Wind in the Willows, by Kenneth Graham – age 6+
13 Jun 2011 Leave a comment
in Books, books 2+ Tags: animals, boats, country life, siblings
GREENAWAY MEDAL WINNER – 1970
by John Burningham
London: Jonathan Cape, 1970
30 pp.
Age: 2+
Interests: animals, boats, river life, siblings
Also by this author: Avocado Baby, Borka, Come Away from the Water Shirley, Edwardo: The Horriblest Boy in the Whole Wide World
24 May 2011 Leave a comment
in Books, books 3+ Tags: adventure, boats, ocean, pirates, treasure
by John Ryan
London: Bodley Head, 1957
32 pp.
Age: 3 +
Interests: pirates, ships, ocean, treasure
Sequels: Pugwash Aloft (1960), Pugwash and the Ghost Ship (1962), Pugwash in the Pacific (1963) – and many more
17 May 2011 Leave a comment
in Books, books 2+ Tags: birds, boats, China, ducks, river
Marjorie Flack, author
Kurt Wiese, illustrator
New York: Viking, 1933
31 pp.
Age: 2 +
Interests: birds, duck, river, China, boats
Rarest Kind of Best 