Talking about children's books and films. Useful information for parents.
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
06 Dec 2011 Leave a comment
in Movies, movies 6+, Old Movies, Silent Movies Tags: cities, city life, class, history, romance
Black & white, Silent
Released: 1931
Rated: G
Length: 87 min.
Age: 6+ commonsense.org sez: 8
Scary factor: Guns are brandished, especially during burglary, but more for comedic effect – no harm is done.
Violence: General slapstick knock-about humour. The Tramp is (cleanly) knocked unconscious in the boxing ring.
Questionable behaviour: drinking and drunken behaviour (including reckless driving) for humour; smoking cigars; wealthy drunk friend is suicidal in several instances
Interests: silent movies, history, city life, love story, money and class
Next: The Gold Rush, Modern Times, Buster Keaton’s Sherlock Junior
12 Oct 2011 4 Comments
in Books, books 6+, Classics Tags: adoption, boarding school, class, history, London, manners, orphans, single parent, strong girls
by Frances Hodgson Burnett
first published in 1905 (prior to that the story appeared as a serialized novella and a play)
201 pp., 19 chapters
Ages: (to be read to) 6 +; (to read) 8 +
Interests: boarding schools, girls, history, class, hardship
Also by this author: The Secret Garden, Little Lord Fauntleroy
Next: MOVIES – A Little Princess (1939) with Shirley Temple, A Little Princess (1995) both with significant plot changes. TV ADAPTATIONS – 1973 and 1986, both apparently very faithful to original book.
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