GREENAWAY MEDAL WINNER – 1977
Shirley Hughes, author and illustrator
London: Random House, 1977
30 pp
Ages: 2+
Interests: toys, family, siblings
Mei Li
10 Mar 2011 Leave a comment
in Books, books 3+ Tags: China, family, New Year's Eve, siblings, spirits, strong girls
CALDECOTT MEDAL WINNER – 1939
Thomas Handforth
New York: Doubleday, 1938
46 pp
for ages 3 +
Interests: China, family life, sibling issues
My Neighbor Totoro (1988)
28 Feb 2011 Leave a comment
in Movies, movies 4+ Tags: country life, family, illness, Magic, nature, siblings, spirits, strong girls
My Neighbor Totoro
Rated: G
Length: 86 min.
Age: 4 and up. commonsense media sez: 5+
Scary Factor: soot sprites are creepy, and provide one big Startle Moment (see below); Totoro seems scary at first glance, but is soon revealed to be friendly
Also: issue of Mother sick in hospital may bother some, but whole situation is treated gently, and without worry until late in film when girls grow concerned (see more below)
Interests: monster/spirits, magic, nature, country life, Japan
Next: Director Miyazaki has two other films for this age group: Ponyo, Kiki’s Delivery Service; for older kids try: Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle
Meet Me in St. Louis (1945)
26 Feb 2011 Leave a comment
in Movies, movies 4+, Old Movies Tags: American history, Christmas, family, Hallowe'en, history, siblings, song and dance, strong girls
Rated: Canada – PG (parental guidance?! probably because of Hallowe’en sequence) ; USA – Approved
Length: 113 min.
Age: 4 and up. (more for comprehension and attention span)
Scary Factor: Hallowe’en scene (see below)
Intense stuff: the Christmas Eve scene with the snowmen makes me cry, but I don’t think children will be such marshmallows over it!
Interests: history, family, musicals, song and dance, old movies
Next: Judy Garland: The Wizard of Oz
Rarest Kind of Best 