Picturebooks on the Small Screen

July 9, 2013July 9, 2013 / Sharon Tyler / Leave a comment

If there is a child in your house that has a favorite book that you refuse to keep reading umpteen times a day, or are trying to pry small eyes away from the television and towards an actual book, I just might have a solution! I have discovered a series of DVD’s that my two children and I can enjoy without feeling guilty about watching.

Scholastic has a series of DVD’s that take favorite picturebooks, and some chapter books, released in a form everyone can enjoy. The picturebook DVD’s typically include the words at the bottom of the screen with a read along feature and the original artwork. This just might get a young television fan interested in picking up a book that they have seen, or checking out more by an author on the library shelves. Many of the stories are read by the authors and some contain interviews with those authors that the adults will appreciate even more than the kids do. Here are some of my favorite examples of great children’s books that use the actual text of the book in order to excite children about reading.

1. Chrysanthemum is a DVD with Chrysanthemum, Owen, and Weekend with Wendell by Kevin Henkes. It also has Picnic by Emily Arnold McCully, Monty by James Stevenson, and Wizard by Jack Kent. The DVD is recommended for ages 2 through 7 and has a read along option available. Narrators on this DVD include Meryl Streep, Sarah Jessica Parker, Mary Beth Hurt, and Marlene Danielle.

2. Click, Clack, Moo, Cows that Type by Doreen Cronin, illustrated by Betsy Lewin and narrated by Randy Travis is the title story for my second pick in this section. Other stories on the DVD include The Day Jimmy’s Boa Ate the Wash written by Trinka Hakes Noble and illustrated by Steven Kellogg with the voices of Brianna Kittrell and Heidi Stalling; The Pigs’ Wedding written and illustrated by Helme Heine; The Cow Who Fell in the Canal written by Phyllis Krasilovsky, illustrated by Peter Spier, and narrated by Rex Robbins; and Charlie Needs a Cloak written and illustrated by Tomie de Paola. This disc is recommended for ages 2 through 8 and includes English and Spanish language track (for title story only) with optional “read along” track.

3. How Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night? by Jane Yolen is the title track on two different DVD’s. One also has In the Small, Small Pond by Denise Fleming, Zin! Zin! Zin! A Violin by Lloyd MoMoss, All the Colors of the Earth by Sheila Hamanaka, The Napping House, Joey Runs Away, and Picnic. The stories are narrated by Jane Yolen, and Laura Dern; the illustrators are Mark Teague and Marjorie Priceman. The other DVD with How Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night? as the title track is a selection of several of Yolen’s How Does a Dinosaur series and other dinosaur related books.

4. Swimmy is the title story in this collection of stories from Leo Lionni. The other stories included are Frederick, Fish is Fish, It’s Mine!, Cornelius, Each Peach, Pear, Plum, Hush Little Baby, and Let’s Give Kitty a Bath. These eight classic Leo Lionni animated stories are recommended for ages 3 through 9.

5. There was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly is a classic tale. On this DVD is the version adapted by Simms Taback which is narrated and sung by Cyndi Lauper. The disc also includes Antarctic Antics, written by Judy Sierra and illustrated by Jose Aruego & Ariane Dewey; Musical Max, written by Robert Kraus and illustrated by Jose Aurego & Ariane Dewey (narrated by Mary Beth Hurt); Keeping House written by Margaret Mahy and illustrated by Wendy Smith; and Waiting for Wings, written by Lois Ehlert. This disc is recommended for ages 3 through 8 and has a Spanish version of Musical Max.

6. Knuffle Bunny by Mo Willems starts off a DVD that also has Shrinking Violet written by Cari Best and illustrated by Giselle Potter; Possum Magic written by Mem Fox and illustrated by Julie Vivas; Planting a Rainbow written and illustrated by Lois Ehlert; Brave Irene by William Steig; and Will I have a Friend? written by Miriam Cohen and illustrated by Lillian Hoban. There is a read along option on the disc as well as an interview with Mo Willems. The disc is recommended for ages 2 through 8.

For more great picturebooks and short chapter books turned into DVDs, you can search for the Scholastic Storybook Treasures series. But do not forget to take a look at the original versions of these great stories as well!

Crazy Weather? There’s a Book for That!

July 6, 2013June 5, 2014 / Linda / Leave a comment

Derecho

It seems the weather has just been so crazy this year! Recently, a new weather term (to non-weather experts, anyway) was being tossed around – derecho. This refers to a widespread, long-lived, straight-line windstorm that is associated with a fast-moving band of severe thunderstorms. The damage a derecho causes is similar to a tornado. The swath of wind damage has to be 240 miles long and have wind speeds of 58 miles per hour or higher to qualify as a derecho. Conditions were very favorable in the middle of June for a derecho to occur in the Midwest. The potential existed for 70 million people being affected. In June of 2012, a derecho caused 13 deaths and caused $1 billion in damages.

Windsor, CT

On July 1, 2013, Connecticut experienced a rare occurance – three tornadoes. An EF0 (wind speeds from 65-85 mph) began in Greenwich and
ended in Stamford. Another EF0 touched down in Enfield and an EF1 tornado (wind speeds from 86-110 mph) touched down in East Windsor, Windsor and Windsor Locks causing considerable damage. On July 19th, an EF1 tornado started in Andover, then Coventry and ended in Mansfield.

The Cheshire Library has many books about weather. They can be found in the Adult non-fiction section under the Dewey number 551.6 and in the Childrens’ section in the same Dewey section.

A few titles that might be of interest are:

Weather by Simon Seymour
Weather by Brian Cosgrove
Wild, Wet and Windy by Claire Llewellyn
The Weather Book by Jack Williams
Complete Idiot’s Guide to Weather by Mel Goldstein
Eric Sloane’s Weather Book by Eric Sloane
The Winds of Change by Eugene Linden
The Weather of the Future by Heidi Cullen
Freaks of the Storm by Randall Cerveny

O Say Can You See: Patriotic Books

July 4, 2013July 1, 2013 / Jenn / Leave a comment

Patriotism comes in many forms. Some people express it by joining the military and defending their country, both home and abroad. Some rally citizens through songs, speeches, writing, and art. And others instill patriotic values in their families, workplaces, places of worship, and in their own lives.

However you take pride in your country, here are a few books to celebrate your inner patriot.

A Patriot’s Handbook: Songs, Poems, Stories, and Speeches
A Patriot’s Handbook by Caroline Kennedy

Celebrating the Land We Love by Caroline Kennedy. This collection of more than 200 selections has themes like “The Flag”, “Freedom of Speech”, and “The Individual”. The Constitution and the Declaration of Independence are rewritten in full, along with presidential speeches, farewell addresses, and decisions from landmark Supreme court cases. Poems and selections from fiction, including authors like Alice Walker, Stephen Crane, and F. Scott Fitzgerald are included, along with popular patriotic songs. Kennedy also includes dissenting voices such as Thoreau, Oscar Wilde, and Frederick Douglass, reminding us that while we are the land of the free and the home of the brave, we still have much to do to make it so.
Mr. and Mrs. Madison’s War: America’s First Couple and the
Mr. and Mrs. Madison’s War by Hugh Howard

Second War of Independence by Hugh Howard. Perhaps the most forgotten war, the War of 1812 celebrated it’s 200th anniversary last year. This conflict was truly our second war of independence, as Great Britain was looking to assert her dominance over us on both land and water. Author Hugh Howard presents this important war as James and Dolley experienced it. More came out of this war than Dolley running from the White House with the portrait of George Washington.
Revolutionary Summer: The Birth of American
Revolutionary Summer by Joseph Ellis

Independence by Joseph Ellis. Joseph Ellis is the master of taking a large subject like the American Revolution and paring it down to the nitty gritty. His latest in his canon of American Revolution titles is Revolutionary Summer, where he examines the summer of 1776 and how it changed not only our history, but history across the world. Influential figures from both sides, including John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, General William Howe, and Admiral Lord Richard, help tell the story of one of the most important summers in human history.
Patriot’s History of the United State: From Columbus’s Great
A Patriot’s History of the United States by Larry Schweikart

Discovery to the War on Terror by Larry Schweikart. Schweikart believes that American history has been distorted by intellectuals searching for instances of racism, sexism, and bigotry in our history and seeks to right those wrongs by telling the history as it happened. He argues that more emphasis is placed on Harriet Tubman than George Washington, and more on the Japanese internment during WWII than D-Day or Iwo Jima. I can’t say I entirely agree with this statement, as American history is full of those problems and “oversights”, but for the right person who appreciates reading about “old dead white men” this book is for you.
Battle Cry of Freedom by James M. MacPherson. I would be
Battle Cry of Freedom by James M. MacPherson

completely remiss if I didn’t include something from the Civil War. During this 150th anniversary of the American Civil War, it is important to remember what led us to our nation’s greatest conflict, what happened, and what we can learn. MacPherson, a well-known Civil War scholar, makes the topic readable, approachable, and entertaining for readers of all ages, reading abilities, and knowledge. The most important lesson we today can learn from that terrible war is that divided horrific things happen, but together we can accomplish anything.

20 Book Club Picks (Part 2)

June 25, 2013June 5, 2014 / Linda / Leave a comment

Here’s another batch of favorite books for book clubs.

(If you missed the first batch, here’s the link.)

Wild – Cheryl Strayed
The Thirteenth Tale – Diane Setterfield
The Hunger Games – Suzanne Collins
Room – Emma Donoghue
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks – Rebecca Skloot
Eat, Pray, Love – Elizabeth Gilbert
Three Cups of Tea – Greg Mortenson
The Shadow of the Wind – Carlos Ruiz Zafon
The Time Traveler’s Wife – Audrey Niffenegger
Moloka’i – Alan Brennert
The Secret Life of Bees – Sue Monk Kidd
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close – Jonathan Safran Foer
The Shack – Wm. Paul Young
My Sister’s Keeper – Jodi Picoult
Never Let Me Go – Kazuo Ishiguro
The Light Between Oceans – M.L. Stedman
The Forgotten Garden – Kate Morton
The Kitchen House – Kathleen Grissom
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie – Alan Bradley
Middlesex – Jeffrey Eugenides

Top 5 Non-Fiction Books about Bullying

June 23, 2013June 6, 2014 / Sharon Tyler / 1 Comment

Bullying is a huge issue for children of all ages, and in some cases adults. The recent rise in awareness of this problem, and the sometimes tragic results, have made people sit up and take notice. Bullying has always been an issue to those involved, and a constant source of inspiration for authors, therefore there have always been books that discuss bullying on some level. However, in recent years it seems to be a much more prevalent topic in news and literature. Here are some of the non fiction books for children, teens, and the adults in their lives that I have found to be the most useful and moving on the subject.

1. Sticks and Stones : Defeating the Culture of Bullying and Rediscovering the Power of Character and Empathy by Emily Bazelon defines bullying and what it is not. This includes when intervention is essential and when kids should be given the freedom to fend for themselves.

2. It Gets Better : Coming Out, Overcoming Bullying, and Creating a Life Worth Living by Dan Savage is a collection of essays and testimonials written to teens from celebrities, political leaders, and everyday people in order to show LGBT youth that happiness, potential, and satisfaction is in their future if they can get through the early years.

3. Letters to a Bullied Girl : Messages of Healing and Hope by Olivia Gardner includes letters originally written to Olivia by that can speak to all young people who have been bullied, offer advice and hope to those who suffer, and provide a wake-up call to all who have ever been involved in bullying.

4. We Want You to Know: Kids Talk about Bullying by Deborah Ellis contains more than thirty profiles in which teens honestly and openly talk about bullying and the roles that they played: as victims, perpetrators, or bystanders.

5. Bullied : What Every Parent, Teacher, and Kid Needs to Know about Ending the Cycle of Fear by Carrie Goldman ties the advice of leading authorities to candid accounts from families that have dealt with peer victimization to offer proven strategies and practical tools for helping children speak up, carry themselves with confidence, call each other out on cruelty, resolve conflict and cope with taunting in the physical, verbal, or cyber format.