Talking about children's books and films. Useful information for parents.
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!
26 Jan 2012 Leave a comment
in Books, books 6+ Tags: Africa, alphabet, country life, family, folktales, geography, nonfiction
CALDECOTT MEDAL WINNER – 1977
Ashanti to Zulu: African Traditions
Margaret Musgrove, text
Leo and Diane Dillon, illustrations
Dial Books, 1976 (now available: Picture Puffin Books)
28 pp.
Age: 6+
Interests: Africa, folklore, traditions, rituals, family life, alphabet books, geography
Also by these illustrators: Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s Ears; The People Could Fly – The Picture Book; Who’s in Rabbit’s House: A Masai Tale; Pish, Posh Said Hieronymus Bosch
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 Nov 2011 Leave a comment
in Books, books 6+, Classics Tags: adventure, family, little people
CARNEGIE MEDAL WINNER – 1952
by Mary Norton
Orlando: Harcourt Books, 1953
180 pp, 20 chapters
Age: (read to) 6 + ; (read independently) 9 +
Interests: family, old houses, little people, adventure
Sequels: The Borrowers Afield, The Borrowers Afloat, The Borrowers Aloft, The Borrowers Avenged
Also by this author: The Magic Bed Knob and Bonfires and Broomsticks (which together were made into the movie Bedknobs and Broomsticks)
21 Oct 2011 Leave a comment
in Books, books 5+ Tags: bad behavior, family, moods, school, siblings
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
by Judith Viorst
illustrated by Ray Cruz
New York: Simon & Schuster, 1972
28 pp.
Age: 5 +
Interests: school, family, siblings, bad days, bad behaviour, moods
Other ‘Alexander’ books: Alexander, Who Used to be Rich Last Sunday; Alexander, Who Is Not (Do You Hear Me? I Mean It!) Going to Move
18 Oct 2011 Leave a comment
in Books, books 6+ Tags: action, adventure, cars, crime, family, Magic
by Ian Fleming
150 pages, 12 chapters
London, Penguin, 1964
Age: 6 +
Interests: cars, magic, adventure, action, family, cops and robbers, science/inventions
Next: see the movie Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (story is much different)
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
28 Jun 2011 Leave a comment
in Books, books 4+ Tags: dragons, Fairy Tale, family, travel
GREENAWAY MEDAL WINNER – 1969
The Dragon of an Ordinary Family
Margaret Mahy, author
Helen Oxenbury, illustrator
London: William Heinemann, 1969
40 pp.
Age: 4+
Interests: dragons, fantasy, travel
Also by this author: A Lion in the Meadow, The Seven Chinese Brothers, The Man Whose Mother was a Pirate
Also by this illustrator: The Quangle Wangle’s Hat, We’re Going on a Bear Hunt, Farmer Duck
27 Jun 2011 Leave a comment
in Books, books 6+ Tags: bookworms, family, Magic, psychic powers, school, strong girls, teachers
by Roald Dahl
illustrated by Quentin Blake
London: Jonathan Cape, 1988
240 pp. – 21 chapters
Age: 6+
Interests: kids who are bookworms, school, magic, psychic powers, revenge!
Also by this author: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach, The Witches
Rarest Kind of Best 
Radio essay on Dahl’s Matilda
16 Feb 2012 Leave a comment
by Kim in Commentary, Issues Tags: family
Thanks bundleofbooks for this one, via Twitter – a BBC Radio series called Happily Ever After, all about the portrayal of family in children’s literature. I just listened to Anthony Horowitz talking about the horrible Wormwoods in Roald Dahl’s Matilda. Very interesting and with a thought-provoking finish: should Matilda have chosen to go with her parents at the end?
To listen online, click here. (The audio file is 24 min long, but Horowitz’s essay is just the first 15 minutes.)
To read my review of Matilda, click here.