Visiting: The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art

 

Mom and Dad are visiting this week, and we've had a lot of fun romping around town.  Tomorrow we head north to visit a family friend in Massachusetts.  While there, Mom and I are going to visit the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art.


I confess, I am hyping this place up in my head: I kind of imagine that I'll be walking along looking at lovely illustrations, and bump right into Mr. Carle or (better) Mr. DePaola.  (Don't all our favorite New England illustrators hang out there all the time?  I thought so.)

The Eric Carle Musem of Picture Book Art was opened in 2002, and seeks to engaged the child appreciation of art through (as the mission states) "celebrating the art we know first."  They have 3 galleries with rotating selections of picture book art (we'll see exhibits of Antonio Frasconi, Leo Lionni, and Carle himself).  They also have theatre and films, art classes for kids, story-time, and special sessions for parents and educators about teaching children about art. (Read this charming review of the Museum from the Boston Globe.)

Needless to say, I am thrilled.  And I really hope to be coming back soon, and often: upcoming exhibitions include the work of Lizbeth Zwerger, Tomi Ungerer!  I will also be respectfully requesting that mom take charge of my wallet when I visit the Museum Shop.  And I promise a full report on Monday.  Perhaps with pictures. 

Oh, and P.S. I am not a huge fan of VW Bugs, but this is the best car ever.

Beautiful Stories from Shakespeare by Edith Nesbit

Claudio and Hero

 

 

I just discovered the most amazing resource: The Baldwin Project.  Their mission is to

"make available online a comprehensive collection of resources for parents and teachers of children. Our focus, initially, is on literature for children that is in the public domain in the United States. This includes all works first published before 1923. The period from 1880 or so until 1922 offers a wealth of material in all categories, including: Nursery Rhymes, Fables, Folk Tales, Myths, Legends and Hero Stories, Literary Fairy Tales, Bible Stories, Nature Stories, Biography, History, Fiction, Poetry, Storytelling, Games, and Craft Activities."

As you all know, I'm not the hugest fan of e-books and e-readers, but this is one area that I think will be very effective in the coming years.  There isn't necessarily a market big enough to make republishing many of these works worthwhile, but I know I want to read them.  (And, admit it, so do you!) 

My favorite book in their database is Edith Newsbit's Beautiful Stories from Shakespeare.  Like the (oh so wonderful) Charles and Mary Lamb's Tales from Shakespeare Nesbit has adapted many of Shakespeare's plays into stories appropriate for children.  Rather (since I am a big believer in growing up on Shakespeare--my favorite movie when I was 3 was Laurence Olivier's Henry V), makes Shakespeare's marvelous timeless stories accessible and immediate for Children.  (Nesbit's book, unlike most of the books featured in The Baldwin Project, is in print.)

Since Much Ado About Nothing is my favorite play, I always treat it as the litmus test.  Nesbit's did not disappoint.  Here's her retelling of one of my favorite scenes:

Benedick was touched to the core by this improbable story, which he was vain enough to believe. "She is fair and good," he said to himself. "I must not seem proud. I feel that I love her. People will laugh, of course; but their paper bullets will do me no harm."

At this moment Beatrice came to the summer-house, and said, "Against my will, I have come to tell you that dinner is ready."

"Fair Beatrice, I thank you," said Benedick.

"I took no more pains to come than you take pains to thank me," was the rejoinder, intended to freeze him.

But it did not freeze him. It warmed him. The meaning he squeezed out of her rude speech was that she was delighted to come to him.

We might expect, as a Victorian, Nesbit to indule in moralism and lesson learning through her retellings, but I find she does not.  Take, for example, the last line of her telling of Much Ado: "Think not on him till to-morrow: I'll devise thee brave punishments for him. Strike up, pipers."

I think I have only one complaint: Why are they wearing such silly costumes:

Benedick

Bits and Bobs

 

I have a whole bunch of links I want to share with you, and as this has been sort of a random (and reviews-less) week, now strikes me as as good a time as any.

+ Do I have any NYC readers?  Well, then pay attention to this notice about a Margaret Wise Brown (pictured above) themed walking tour of Greenwich Village with Leonard Marcus on May 23rd at 2 p.m.  Please someone go and tell me all about it!

+  A friend (expecting her first right now!) passed along this fascinating article about a charter school that encourages "philosophical" thinking and reasoning: 

“The world is new to [children] and they want to figure things out,” says Professor Matthews, who has written extensively about children and philosophy. “Young children very often engage in reasoning that professional philosophers can recognize as philosophical, but typically their parents or teachers don’t react in a way that encourages them. They might say, ‘That’s cute,’ but they don’t engage the children in thinking further about whatever the issue is.”

They use picture books, like The Giving Tree and Frog and Toad Together, to help stimulate discussion of, for examples the virtue of courage.  One of the professors at this school, Thomas Wartenberg, has written a book about his work, called Big Ideas for Little Kids: Teaching Philosophy through Children's Literature.  It is, needless to say, going in my shopping basket.

+  On a slightly less thought-provoking note: Tie-Dye tissuepaper!  And a Where the Wild Things Are themed birthday party!

+ And when the party's over, here's a great idea for thank you notes (pictured below), from the brilliant "Dinner: A Love Story" blog.

A Rather Shameful Confession

Polly and Digory ride Strawberry

If you, dear patient readers, never want to trust me and my recommendations after today, I'll understand. I have something to tell you, and I am quite ashamed about it. It seems a black mark on my credentials as a children's literature reviewer.

Up until this weekend, I had never read The Magician's Nephew by C.S. Lewis. In fact, the only Narnia books I read as a kid were the ones that were made into movies. And even of those, I never finished The Silver Chair, because I really didn't like it no matter that its your favorite book, Mom. And even of the ones I finished, the only one I ever remembered with accuracy (and really deeply loved as a child) was The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

Isn't that shameful? Well, this weekend, I finally read The Magician's Nephew and of course loved it. Lewis speaks very fondly of it in his Letters to Children, and I think that is because it addresses the subject most dear to a Christian artist' heart: creation.

The founding of Narnia
 

I needn't tell you that in it we see the creation of Narnia (since you've all already read it!). It is a stirring, lyrical narrative, full of insight and surprises for child and adult alike. And to be perfectly pedantic, what a wonderful way to make God's role as creator present to young children--Lewis makes the children present at creation! Also, the animals are too funny!

I am going to be reading through the entire series, which, needless to say, I 've never done. Expect a lot of Lewis in the coming weeks... In the meantime, I leave you with this quote, and several of the illustrations from the book:

"Aslan! Aslan! Have I made the first joke? Will everybody always be told ho I made the first joke?
"No, little friend," said the Lion. "You have not made the first joke, you have only been the first joke." Then everyone laughed more than ever; but the Jackdaw didn't mind and laughed just as loud till the Horse shook its head and the jackdaw lost its balance and fell off, but remembered its wings (they were still new to it) before it reached the ground.

Queen Jadis in London with Strawberry and the Cab

Library Sale! Huzzah!

 

This weekend was the Arlington County Public Library Sale. And it was wonderful. I took home three very full bags of books for a total of $45. About half of those were Children's Books:

+ The Mission Bell by Leo Politi: I was feeling really guilty about this one, because, though it was a library copy and therefore not in the best condition, I got it for only 25 cents. But now I see that the book isn't worth as much as I'd have expected (you can get a good copy on Amazon for $10), so I don't feel quite so bad. I'll dedicate a whole review to this wonderful book later this week!

+ Madeline and Madeline's Rescue by Ludwig Bemelmans were two of my favorite books as a kid, and now I finally own copies. Yay!

+ I picked up paperback versions of David Macaulay's Pyramid and Castle (Has anyone seen the DVDs of these books? The Pyramid one is narrated by Derek Jacobi!)

+ I found a few new-to-me titles by old favorite authors, like Allen Say's A River Dream and John Burningham's Courtney

Oh the adult side, I found copies of Miss Manner's Guide to Excurciatingly Correct Behavior and E.B. White's Essays (books I always buy to give to friends whenever I find them cheaply). I found a few Dorothy Sayers' mysteries (I love you Lord Peter!), and a collection of Graham Greene short stories (I didn't know he wrote short stories!). Oh, and J.M. Barrie's The Little Minister which I have been told I must read if I love Peter Pan. And you know I do.

All in all, it was a very successful weekend. I do love these Library sales!

Saint George and the Dragon

 
TITLE: Saint George and the Dragon
AUTHOR: Margaret Hodges
ILLUSTRATOR: Trina Schart Hyman
PUBLISHED BY: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (September 4, 1990)
ISBN: 0316367958

I interrupt this break to tell you that today is the feast of St. George, which can only mean one thing: we must grab our copy of the valiant and lovely Saint George and the Dragon by Margaret Hodges and Trina Schart Hyman. This Caldecott Winner is truly marvelous, and really appropriate for boys and girls of all ages and any religion. It shows valour, courage, charity, courtly love, faith, and prudence. It fosters a love of literature and poetry (it is based on the legend as told by Sir Edmund Spenser's The Fairy Queen). Basically: it's perfect.






(But I am not perfect...I wrote down the date wrong.  TOMORROW is the feast of St. George.  So, consider this post the Vigil.)

Note: A Week Off

Hey all.  I hate to do this, but this is going to be kind of a crazy week for me, and since I was gone all weekend, I don't have any reviews scheduled or even brimming in my mind.  So, I am going to take the week off here at LLB.  I have three posts on Ten Thousand Places are already scheduled, so if pop over there, if you like.  Otherwise...I'll see you on the 26th!

Top 100 Children's Novels -- Fuse #8

Sorry for the late posting, friends. I have had a lovely morning, and not accomplished anything, because of welcome distractions at the office. Anyway, today rather than posting a review, I am going to direct your attention to Kid-lit Blogger Extrodinaire Elizabeth Bird's Fuse #8 series on the Top 100 Children's novels as rated by students, teachers and librarians. The link is to her final list (also below), but in her archives you will find lots of posts about these books and this ranking, including individual posts for each of the top ten books, as well as posts with all the books that didn't make it.

The most grevious ommission, to my mind, is Peter Pan. It didn't even make it into the top 120. I can't call it an oversight, since this was based on voting--I just think it is a huge shame that people have lost touch with this book. Though, I discovered it in college, too, so I am hopeful that others will as well.

Obviously, I have a lot of issues with the popular ranking, but it is what it is and I have to admit, I am not as well read as I had hoped. I've read about 45% of these novels (though about 10 of them I read as a child and hardly remember).  Of the top 120 I have read 53, which is not really a better average, alas. I can only say that: its a good thing I don't review chapter books much, since I am obviously underqualified. 

How did you all do?  Which of this is your favorite?  Are there any missing that you are really shocked about?

(I should also note, while it is not my favorite, I completely agree with #1 as #1.  And you all know how much I love it's author.)

100. The Egypt Game - Snyder (1966)

99. The Indian in the Cupboard – Banks (1980)

98. Children of Green Knowe – Boston (1954)

97. The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane – DiCamillo (2006)
96. The Witches – Dahl (1983)

95. Pippi Longstocking – Lindgren (1950)
94. Swallows and Amazons – Ransome (1930)

93. Caddie Woodlawn – Brink (1935)

92. Ella Enchanted – Levine (1997)

91. Sideways Stories from Wayside School – Sachar (1978)
90. Sarah, Plain and Tall – MacLachlan (1985)
89. Ramona and Her Father – Cleary (1977)
88. The High King – Alexander (1968)
87. The View from Saturday – Konigsburg (1996)

86. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – Rowling (1999)
85. On the Banks of Plum Creek – Wilder (1937)

84. The Little White Horse – Goudge (1946)

83. The Thief – Turner (1997)

82. The Book of Three – Alexander (1964)

81. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon – Lin (2009)
80. The Graveyard Book – Gaiman (2008)

79. All-of-a-Kind-Family – Taylor (1951)

78. Johnny Tremain – Forbes (1943)
77. The City of Ember – DuPrau (2003)
76. Out of the Dust – Hesse (1997)
75. Love That Dog – Creech (2001)

74. The Borrowers – Norton (1953)

73. My Side of the Mountain – George (1959)

72. My Father’s Dragon – Gannett (1948)
71. The Bad Beginning – Snicket (1999)
70. Betsy-Tacy – Lovelae (1940)
69. The Mysterious Benedict Society – Stewart ( 2007)

68. Walk Two Moons – Creech (1994)

67. Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher – Coville (1991)

66. Henry Huggins – Cleary (1950)
65. Ballet Shoes – Stratfeild (1936)
64. A Long Way from Chicago – Peck (1998)
63. Gone-Away Lake – Enright (1957)
62. The Secret of the Old Clock – Keene (1959)
61. Stargirl – Spinelli (2000)

60. The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle – Avi (1990)

59. Inkheart – Funke (2003)
58. The Wolves of Willoughby Chase – Aiken (1962)
57. Ramona Quimby, Age 8 – Cleary (1981)
56. Number the Stars – Lowry (1989)

55. The Great Gilly Hopkins – Paterson (1978)

54. The BFG – Dahl (1982)
53. Wind in the Willows – Grahame (1908)

52. The Invention of Hugo Cabret –  Selznik (2007)

51. The Saturdays – Enright (1941)
50. Island of the Blue Dolphins – O’Dell (1960)
49. Frindle – Clements (1996)

48. The Penderwicks – Birdsall (2005)

47. Bud, Not Buddy – Curtis (1999)
46. Where the Red Fern Grows – Rawls (1961)
45. The Golden Compass – Pullman (1995)
44. Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing – Blume (1972)
43. Ramona the Pest – Cleary (1968)

42. Little House on the Prairie – Wilder (1935)
41. The Witch of Blackbird Pond – Speare (1958)
40. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz – Baum (1900)

39. When You Reach Me – Stead (2009)

38. HP and the Order of the Phoenix – Rowling (2003)
37. Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry – Taylor (1976)

36. Are You there, God? It’s Me, Margaret – Blume (1970)
35. HP and the Goblet of Fire – Rowling (2000)

34. The Watson’s Go to Birmingham – Curtis (1995)

33. James and the Giant Peach – Dahl (1961)
32. Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH – O’Brian (1971)

31. Half Magic – Eager (1954)

30. Winnie-the-Pooh – Milne (1926)

29. The Dark Is Rising – Cooper (1973)
28. A Little Princess – Burnett (1905)
27. Alice I and II – Carroll (1865/72)
26. Hatchet – Paulsen (1989)
25. Little Women – Alcott (1868/9)
24. HP and the Deathly Hallows – Rowling (2007)
23. Little House in the Big Woods – Wilder (1932)
22. The Tale of Despereaux – DiCamillo (2003)
21. The Lightening Thief – Riordan (2005)
20. Tuck Everlasting – Babbitt (1975)
19. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – Dahl (1964)
18. Matilda – Dahl (1988)
17. Maniac Magee – Spinelli (1990)
16. Harriet the Spy – Fitzhugh (1964)
15. Because of Winn-Dixie – DiCamillo (2000)
14. HP and the Prisoner of Azkaban – Rowling (1999)
13. Bridge to Terabithia – Paterson (1977)
12. The Hobbit – Tolkien (1938)
11. The Westing Game – Raskin (1978)
10. The Phantom Tollbooth – Juster (1961)
9. Anne of Green Gables – Montgomery (1908)
8. The Secret Garden – Burnett (1911)
7. The Giver -Lowry (1993)
6. Holes – Sachar (1998)
5. From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler – Koningsburg (1967)
4. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe – Lewis (1950)
3. Harry Potter #1 – Rowling (1997)
2. A Wrinkle in Time – L’Engle (1962)
1. Charlotte’s Web – White (1952)

A Kick in the Head: A Guide to Poetic Forms by Paul Janeczko and Chris Raschka

TITLE: A Kick in the Head
AUTHOR: Paul B. Janeczko
ILLUSTRATOR: Chris Raschka
PUBLISHED BY: Candlewick, 2005 (reprint 2009)
ISBN: 978-0763641320


Last evening, I sat down in one of two chairs covered by sheets in our living room, across from my roommate (busily typing and eating popcorn) put my feet on the table, grabbed A Kick in the Head and looked at her saying: THIS BOOK IS GREAT. I wish that I could bottle up my expression for all my readers so that when I introduce this book they can see my face and hear my voice as I say: THIS BOOK IS GREAT. And I know I say that a lot. But I really mean it. This is a great book.


Given that it is about poetry, I wish that I could write a limerick or a haiku or a sonnet (or even a double-dactyl) about it. But I am only a lover of poetry, not a poetic lover. Maybe I can try a Senryu (which, as I know from this book, is formally the same as a Haiku, but is concerned with matters of humanity, not nature):

“This book is so full
of wonderfulness!” I shout
while heads turn to stare.

Well, that wasn’t too bad. Not too good either.

In A Kick in the Head Paul Janeczko provides examples of 29 different poetic forms (from a couplet to a villanelle, an acrostic to a blues poem). Alongside each one are vibrant and often very funny collage illustrations done by Chris Raschka. And hidden on each page in small type are short simple descriptions of the particular form. (This is brilliant. As Mr. Janeczko says in his introduction, “You can read this book any way you wish, of course, but let me offer a suggestion, Read a poem, then read the explanatory note…then read the poem another time or two to see if you can tell how it follows—or departs from—the aspects of that particular poetic form, No matter how you read this book, though, be patient with the forms and enjoy the poems.”

I’ve never seen a book that presented so much information about poetry in such a simple, and frankly fun way. Children have a wonderful capacity to learn poetry (Mother Goose, lullabys, etc are all in verse). Why not start them as early as possible on more advanced poetic forms, so that poetry is “in the blood”. With this GREAT book, it won’t be hard.

They have two other books (I have not read either): A Foot in the Mouth: Poems to Speak, Sing, and Shout and A Poke in the I: A Collection of Concrete Poems  Also, be sure to check out this great interview of illustrator Chris Raschka on Seven Impossible Things.  Speaking of 7-Imp, this is a Poetry Friday post...a day early.  And this week 7-imp is hosting.  Check it out.

Tercet and Quatrain