The Invention of Hugo Cabret

CALDECOTT MEDAL WINNER – 2008

The Invention of Hugo Cabret

by Brian Selznick

New York: Scholastic Press, 2007

533 pp.

Ages: 8 +

Interests: mystery, Paris,history, clocks, magicians, automata (robots), silent movie history, stories about orphans, inventors

Also by this author: Wonderstruck, The Houdini Box, The Robot King, Boy of a Thousand Faces

Next: silent movies by Georges Méliès; official website of the book; movie adaptation Hugo (2011)

More

A Little Princess

A Little Princess

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.

More

The Gold Rush (1925)

The Gold Rush  (1925)

Written, directed by, starring: Charlie Chaplin

Rated:  — (unrated)

Length:  95 min. 1925 release / 72 min. 1942 re-release

Age: 5 and up          Commonsense Media sez: 8 +

Scary Factor: Little Tramp menaced periodically for comedic effect; two men struggle over a shotgun which is always pointing at the Tramp; he is also chased by starving, hallucinating miner with a gun and then an axe; cabin tipped precariously on edge of precipice; all threats are treated comically and violence is bloodless and kept at a distance

Intense Scenes: a wanted criminal shoots and kills two police officers before perishing in an avalanche

Other: a bear is shot offscreen for food; some smoking and drinking

Interests: old movies, silent movies, arctic adventure, history

Versions: restored 1925 print is 95 minutes long, with piano music and title cards; 1942 sound release is 69 minutes long, has an orchestral score, no title cards, narration written and performed by Charlie Chaplin

Next: other Chaplin – Modern Times, City Lights

See also: Top 5 Silent Movies for Preschoolers
More

Anno’s Journey

Anno’s Journey

by Mitsumasa Anno

originally published in Japan in 1977

New York: William Collins, 1978

42 pp.

Age: 6+

Interests: art, history, country life, travel, puzzles

More

Ug: Boy Genius of the Stone Age and His Search for Soft Trousers

Ug: Boy Genius of the Stone Age and His Search for Soft Trousers

by Raymond Briggs

London: Jonathan Cape, 2001

28 pp. – graphic novel

Age: 8 +

Interests: history, science, inventions

Also by this author: The Mother Goose Treasury, The Snowman

More

Chanticleer and the Fox

CALDECOTT MEDAL WINNER – 1959

Chanticleer and the Fox

by Barbara Cooney (adapted and illustrated by)

New York: Thomas Y. Crowell, 1958

32 pp.

Age: 3+

Interests: folktales, farm animals, roosters

Also by this illustrator: Miss Rumphius

More

Annie (1982)



Rated: PG (language)
Length:  126 min.
Age: 5 and up.       Commonsense Media sez: 6 +

Scary Factor: Annie is kidnapped, shoved into a car and taken away; she is also chased by Rooster (shouting “I’ll kill ya!”), climbs to a great height on a bridge, dangles over the edge before being rescued

Violence: the orphans are very rough with each other; Annie punches out a bigger boy, knocking him down; much slapsticky shoving about, pratfalls, foot-stomping; less amusing is moment at climax when Miss Hannigan tries to stop Rooster and he punches her, knocking her out; also, a ‘bolshevik’ tries to kill Warbucks with a bomb (a brief and rather lighthearted event)

Also: lots of verbal threats, between orphans and from Miss Hannigan (who likes to holler “kill kill kill!”), most used for humour

Language: “shut up”, several “damn”s, “hell”

Bad Behavior: Miss Hannigan is drunk most of the time (makes her own bathtub gin); grownups smoke quite a lot

Sex: Miss Hannigan throws herself at every man she encounters, in a manner, shall we say, unusual for a children’s film; Miss Hannigan lounges about in her lingerie; Rooster and his girlfriend paw one another, fully clothed

Interests: musicals, song and dance, New York, history

Next: OTHER MOVIE MUSICALS: Singin’ in the Rain (all ages), Mary Poppins (3), Meet Me in St. Louis (4), The Music Man, The Wizard of Oz (4), The Sound of Music (6), STAGE: see Annie the musical live if you can

More

Captain Blood (1935)


Black and White

Rated: TV-G (TV rating)

Length:  119 min.

Age: 6 and up (more for complex plot and slow pace at start)

Scary factor/Violence: slaves are beaten, and one is branded as punishment (not graphic – offscreen); many battle scenes, but generally bloodless; one big swordfight on beach, but not graphic or disturbing

Sex: scene in which pirates party in a brothel/bar is pretty harmless

Other Bad Behaviour: fair amount of boozing, especially among the naughtier French pirates

Interests: pirates, sailing ships, history, old movies

Next: Treasure Island, The Adventures of Robin Hood, The Sea Hawk
More

Shakespeare’s Theatre

GREENAWAY MEDAL WINNER – 1964

C. Walter Hodges, author and illustrator

London: Oxford University Press, 1964

102 pp

Ages: 10 + (?)

Interests: drama, theatre history, British history, Shakespeare, London

More

They Were Strong and Good

CALDECOTT MEDAL WINNER – 1941

They Were Strong and Good

Robert Lawson, author and illustrator

New York: Viking Press, 1940

62 pp

age: 5+

Interests: American history, family, family history, pioneer life, war

More

Previous Older Entries Next Newer Entries

All writings posted here are © Kim Thompson, unless otherwise indicated. For all artwork on this site, copyright is retained by the artist.