Saffron Tree

Remembering Tagore

noreply@blogger.com (Vibha) — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 13:38:00 +0000

Rabindranath Tagore(1861-1941) - 'Gurudev' of the whole India, who bestowed the title of 'Mahatma' on the father of our nation, who gifted us our identity and whose verses are sung every day at every nook and corner of our country in the form of our National Anthem - is not called the 'Complete Institute of Literature' for nothing. Tagore is one of the greatest poets and thinkers India has ever produced.

I know my words will miserably fall short of the kind of paeans the person of his stature deserve. However, I feel extremely glad to be reviewing a few of his works here.

Title : The Little Big Man

Publisher : Katha

Age : 3-6 years

I think every kid grows up hearing this - you are in the best phase of your life - Childhood and you are not realizing it. I did, when I was in my childhood years and now being a mother of two, I find myself telling the same to my kids. But then I realize perhaps that is the best part of this phase - kids do not consciously live or not live a day and their small world and its issues are big enough for them.

In fact, when the kids watch adults getting to exercise so much control over all the significant issues, decisions and also on them, they can't wait to grow up.

This is the essence of 'The Little Big Man' who wants to be as old as his father because then nobody would tell him to learn his lessons, he could leave his books, he would go wherever he likes, he would buy his own clothes when he likes and he would give money to whoever he wishes to. Through 'The Little Big Man' Tagore peeks into the mind of a little boy who is looking forward to growing up and to assume adult responsibilities.

The art work by Rajiv Eipe perfectly compliments the text. The little boy with front tooth missing looks absolutely endearing in his expression of - all grown up and responsible.

Rajiv is involved in doing animation and graphics for Television.

Title : Clouds and Waves

Publisher : Katha

Age : 3-6 years

A charming tale of a little girl who is tempted time and again by the clouds and the waves to join them in the games that they play in their magical world. The world where they play with silver moon and golden dawn. For a child this surely is an irresistible temptation but she simply declines their invite every time because what she likes the most is to be with her mother. She does not need to go to any enchanting world when she has nicer and better games that she can play with her favourite playmate. A sweet little tale conveying the tender love between a mother and her little one.

The illustrations that spread across both the pages are beautiful art work. The inquisitiveness of the little girl, her full-of-life twinkling eyes and the tender affectionate bond that she shares with her mother are brilliantly captured by the illustrator Sunaina Coelho.

Title : The Land of Cards

Publisher : Puffin Classics

Age : 8 to 12

'The Land of Cards' is a potpourri of some of his best works - poems, short stories and plays, translated from Bengali to English by Radha Chakravarty. A wonderful assortment to give children a little glimpse of the beautiful world created by Tagore's pen.

Poems - which offer different flavors in each piece - ranging from hilarious odd rhymes like the one in which a cat is trying to convince the fish to be its meal, to the ones which are brimming with sensitive emotions. The entertaining 'The Invention of Shoes' tells the story of the birth of shoes while the 'Hero' reveals the inner desire of a son to be by her mother's side and to protect her always. Through the poems like 'Two Bighas of Land', Rabindranath Tagore took up the social issues which were suffocating our country in ancient times.

The title play 'The Land of Cards' brings out the conventional restrictions of the society and in another play 'The Post Office', a boy being restrained to closed confines tries to live his life through the people who are busy in seemingly mundane activities in the free outside world and unknowingly teaches them the lesson to take pleasure in whatever they are doing.

'Kabuliwala' - a simple story bringing out the yearning of a father for his daughter, is one of the great classics which are lustrous ageless gems. I remember having enjoyed reading this story as part of course book during school years. Such are the pieces of writings which defy all barriers of age and time.

'The Land of Cards' is a book which can be read, enjoyed and appreciated by children and adults alike, offering them a peep into the world of literary genius.

The Magic of Oliver Jeffers

noreply@blogger.com (wordjunkie) — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 20:38:00 +0000

What are little boys made of?

In the universe according to Oliver Jeffers, little boys are one part adventure, two parts resourcefulness and all heart. They find the fantastic awaiting them at their doorstep, or in their cupboards, and step right up to seize it. They overcome fear and loneliness with élan, ford choppy seas and scale mountains to help a friend, and still find time to catch their favourite TV shows. And they also learn – and teach us – some remarkable lessons about companionship, patience and the art of being human.

‘Once there was a boy’, begin three of Jeffers’ best known books, chronicling the astonishing and heartwarming adventures of a nameless little boy and some truly surprising companions. Each of these books – ‘How to Catch a Star’, ‘Lost and Found’ and ‘The Way Back Home’ is, at its heart, about the same theme – the power of true friendship. Each book has our diminutive hero set out on a journey that ends with him discovering both a new friend, and something special about himself. ‘How to Catch a Star’, the book that marked Jeffers’ debut in 2004, follows the boy’s quest to do just that – catch himself a star he can play with and talk to. He spends the entire book in wild and fruitless pursuit, before realizing that good things do in fact, come to those who sit back and wait. ‘’The Way Back Home’ has the boy set out on a cruise into outer space before engine trouble leaves him stranded on the moon. But he isn’t alone – a little alien just like himself lands there too and what follows is an engaging and ‘awww’ – inducing story about overcoming differences and helping each other. And ‘Lost and Found’ has our little hero rowing all the way to the South Pole to get a lost penguin back home, only to realize that home might, after all, be where the heart is.

This is a universe Jeffers draws with breath taking beauty – spare , child like drawings rendered in amazingly rich colour. The text is much the same – a mere handful of words that seem determined to play sidekick to the drawings, though still conveying the author’s gentle humour. The first time I picked up a Jeffers book, I was struck by how solitary his characters seem – they are little more than small blobs of colour in a vast, empty expanse of white space. His boy seems almost marooned in a world of lollipop trees, surly birds and some of the prettiest skyscapes I’ve ever seen in kids’ books. Adults are peripheral at best, or just plain absent – these are books where a child takes charge , makes independent decisions and some pretty profound moral choices. Of course I speak as a nitpicking adult , and you should enjoy these books just for their lovely art, their whimsical stories, gentle humour and the unexpected twist that always, always awaits you at the end. Then again, Google these books and you will realize that Jeffers’ books strike a chord not only with children around the world but millions of adults as well.

Take ‘Lost and Found’, easily the most beloved of all Jeffers’ books. This multiple award winning book has inspired a short animation film that is itself recipient of some sixty awards, innumerable fan videos and quite possibly the most beautiful fan song ever. You are drawn right from the opening frames into the boy’s dilemma – how to help his mute and lonely friend. Faced with a world that can’t – or won’t – help, the boy decides to take the penguin home himself. And so he does. It is difficult not to be moved by his simple heroism, awed by his tremendous (and sweetly paternal) courage, or get all teary eyed when the boy and his friend make their surprising discovery at last. (Move over, Forrest Gump.) In just a few words and images, Jeffers manages to tell us a story about some universal human fears – loneliness, alienation, the inability to communicate – and the extraordinary powers you just might find in the most ordinary people around you.

Jeffers ‘ fourth book, ‘The Incredible Book Eating Boy’ is very different in style and story, taking a tongue in cheek look at a boy with a unique problem. Henry discovers, quite by accident, that he likes eating books. He starts with a word, then tries a sentence, then moves on to gulping down an entire page. What’s more, he discovers that the more books he eats, the smarter he gets, as he begins spouting all the wisdom he has quite literally digested. Thrilled by his new found genius, Henry begins eating books even faster. But all this gluttony comes with a price, and soon Henry finds himself in trouble. With its mixed media collage drawings – including the pages and covers of old books that have been directly painted upon – this story felt to me like a sly parable about the perils of rote learning. Look out for the delicious little detail built into the end of the book itself – trust me, you’ll know it when you see it.

This review merely scratches the surface of Oliver Jeffers’ impressively prolific career. Besides being an acclaimed artist, he has a whole bunch of other well received books out. There is his most recent one, ‘Stuck’, about a boy who attempts to dislodge his kite from a tree – by throwing other stuff at it. There is ‘The Great Paper Caper’, that manages to work a message about environmental conservation into a hilarious yarn about a paper plane competition among the residents a of a forest. ‘Up and Down’ continues the saga of the boy and his penguin. And then there is ‘The Heart and the Bottle’, a book that gracefully addresses the issue of bereavement in its story of a girl who seals her heart in a bottle so she won’t hurt anymore.

Much like Henry, I await my chance to gulp these down.

Image Courtesy

Crossposted here

Meet Dr. Devdutt Pattanaik

noreply@blogger.com (artnavy) — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 07:18:00 +0000

If you say Indian mythology guru it is his name that will certainly get recalled.

We are immensely pleased to have the iconic Dr. Devdutt Pattanaik here at ST.

This Q&A is in the context of the books he has penned for children and a bit more. His answers are as thought provoking and refreshing as his large and growing body of work.

We have known you as an author for adults. How was writing for kids different?
Not different really. It is just that with children you have to focus on one idea and go on elaborating it using visuals that are more fun. Honestly, I realize, adults like this too. There is a child in all of us.

That a storyteller can redefine a story is a powerful theme especially in the context of mythology/folklore. How did you conceive Hanuman’s Ramayan?
I retell the story. Redefine assumes you can change the soul of the story. I change the narration, the flesh, so that the modern mind can understand the soul better. So the story of Hanuman’s Ramayan is a very old folklore. Most people don't know it so they assume it is ‘new’.

How did the Fun in Devlok series evolve? In the series, there is no story on Hanuman and Ganesh - aren't they among children's favourite Gods?
Favorites come and go. I am interested in helping children appreciate the idea that has been part of Indian culture for centuries. For that stories are important. And there are gods in some of these stories. Fun in Devlok is about looking at gods as part of our lives, participating in our joys and sorrows, without stripping them of their dignity, without being irreverential, and without turning them into strange violent superheroes, who beat up and bully bad guys.

You have woven in pointers on eco friendliness, animal care and even self grooming into the tales- was this a conscious move?
Aren’t these part of life? Haven't they always been part of human life? I never instruct. I just tell stories and hope children appreciate the values seeping out of them.

The illustrations by Vishal Tandon are lively and support the story well - since you are an illustrator yourself, how did the collaboration work?
I like collaborating with artists with whom my energies match. Vishal was great fun. He studies art at Shantiniketan and was excited as this was a new avenue for him too.

Mythological stories sometimes promote irrelevant values/ gender bias. Your comments? How do we expose our children to these stories?
Every story has a bias and a prejudice embedded into it. Without bias and prejudice you cannot have stories.

Animals are not supposed to talk yet we make them talk and humanize them in our fables. That is unnatural. We make non-vegetarian animals villains and we apply human values to animal kingdom. That is also unnatural.

At one time, Disney women were coquette damsels needing rescue; now they are boisterous and violent just like the ‘boys’. Is that gender equality?

If you try to be politically correct, you will never tell a story to your child. There is no nobility in humanity from the point of view of a plant or an animal.

Are there live reading and narrations planned by you for children across India? If yes, when and where can we find the info on this?
No, I don’t do that. I prefer parents telling stories to their children. They are the most influential storytellers. You must not outsource this aspect of parenting, in my view.

The Talking Thali was an interesting post from you. Can you see a book in the making around this subject?
Yes, hopefully, someday.

What else are you penning for children?
Wait and watch :-D

*******

Thanks a lot Dr. Pattanaik for your time and views!!

The Prince of Mist

noreply@blogger.com (sathish) — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 12:37:00 +0000

The Prince of Mist

by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

Translated from Spanish by Lucia Graves

There are books and there are books with magic sprinkled on them. These books with magic are not apparent at the first glance. To find out if the book has magic is to open the book and start reading. The magic around these books is dense, transparent, swirling around it, waiting for the nonchalant reader to open it and read it. The words transform themselves into moving images and world around the reader disappears only to be replaced by the characters from the book. Some times, the magic acts slowly, but other times it is like a jolt of lightning. The reader is thrown into the new world at the onset of the book. The reader might want to get out of the world inside the book, but, the magic would not allow them to - it will keep them ensnared in its tight grip, till the story is told and the reader is thrown back out to the real world.

The Prince of Mist by Carlos Ruiz Zafon has a lot of magic swirling around it. The magic around the book was powerful and ensnared me easily. Usually the magic of the books make you just a voyeur in the drama unfolding page by page. This book's magic was a bit different; there were a few times when I felt that the characters in the book knew that I watching them. They tried to ask my help, but, magic would not allow me to help them out. They went screaming to their destiny, while I watched helplessly.

Max Carver's father calls his family and informs them that they are moving to the country side due to the war. The three kids (Max and his two sisters) move in reluctantly to the new house near the beach. Strange things start happening as soon as the kids move in to the village; Max finds a old graveyard filled with characters that seems to shift shape in front of his eyes. His younger sister befriends a cat that every one except her finds sinister. They find a film roll and projector that seems to indicate something about the hoary past of that house. The story starts taking further sinister turns and ends with a bang.

The book has a Gaiman-esque feel to it. The last time I felt a chill crawling up my spine slowly for a young adult novel was when I read Coraline. Initially, I thought the book was going to throw a surprise and show this as a boy-growing-into-adult kind of book. It is in a way that kind of book, but it has no pretensions about the horror that it would like to unleash on young readers. I've read the author's 'Shadow of the Wind'. This book is more simpler than his Shadow of the Wind and tells its point directly without any grandiose ideas.

Just because the magic works strong for this book does not mean it does not have any low points. I was a bit put-off by the names of the characters. For a book that is translated into English from Spanish, I expected the names of the characters to be Spanish. They have very english like names - such as Irina, Max, Carver etc. Could they not have just used the original spanish names itself? There are a few loose ends, some of the stories do not seem to be add up fully either because I was too engrossed in the story that I did not tie them properly or the author purposely left them to keep the readers thinking about it.

This a book for young adults and above. If you are determined to test the magic of the book after this review, be ready to be pulled in and spend an hour or two getting scared. And avoid listening to those tiny squeaky noises that seem to start as soon as you reach for the lights-off switch.

And next time some one tells you there is no magic in the world - point them towards the books.

Wolf! Wolf!

noreply@blogger.com (Sheela) — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 08:12:00 +0000

Wolf! Wolf!
by John Rocco

Aesop's fables have the necessary timelessness, charm, and appeal, as evidenced by their popularity even today.

The Boy Who Cried Wolf, one of the tales attributed to Aesop, takes a sharp turn from the classic in this imaginative take by John Rocco.

An old and partially deaf wolf is tending to his wild vegetable patch, infuriated by the weeds he is unable to keep in check.

He hears a boy cry "Wolf! Wolf!" and lumbers over to the source believing he is being summoned for some odd reason.

He sees seething villagers respond to the same call, armed and ready to thrash the savage beast.

He hides and watches the juicy goats he cannot have.

He hobbles back to his home, hungry and tired.

How the boy manages to not get eaten, comes to willingly give one of his goats to the wolf, and what happens to the goat and the boy subsequently has to be read first-hand to be enjoyed.

The illustrations are what attracted me to the book at first glance at the library. And now that I've read it a few dozen times to the resident 3 yo, the illustrations and the cleverness of the story has left me awestruck! [ View sample pages]

Folktales and fables blur the line between humans and animals, infusing each with characteristics of the other. Rocco's Wolf lives in a cherry blossom filled Chinese countryside, wears a traditional shirt with the symbol of longevity on it, and carries a parasol. He seems determined to be a vegetarian, tired of the daily struggle to stalk and catch his meal.

As far as the villagers go, the story is much the same classic one where they turn up to find the boy making a fool of them. However, the clever narration comes from the perspective of the wolf - information we are not privy to in the traditional telling of the tale.

Did I mention the illustrations blew me away? The warm dusty tones of timelessness, the expressions on the villagers' faces, the relative sidelining of the boy's prominence (the central character of the original story), the various close-ups and angles of perspective of the scenes depicted, the refreshing setting... each page is a work of art, as John Rocco describes in the making of Wolf! Wolf! I was particularly fascinated by this fact:

Once I got all the details right, I made a tonal pencil drawing on Strathmore bristol paper. Once the drawing was complete I scanned it into my computer and digitally painted the colors using Adobe Photoshop.

Of course, there's The True Story Of Three Little Pigs that exonerates the Big Bad Wolf, The True Story Of Goldilocks And The Three Bears which reveals the crafty side of Goldilocks, and The True Story Of Little Red Riding Hood wherein we catch the green-eyed monster rearing inside Red Riding Hood after she helps Wolf 's total transformation...

Looks like, Fresh Perspectives are becoming the norm in retelling classics these days.

[image courtesy of: Eric Carle Museum Shop]

Friendship Books at Saffron Tree

noreply@blogger.com (Sheela) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 08:02:00 +0000

Periodically, I ask my kids, "What do friends like to do?", "Who is your friend?", "How can you be a friend?", "What does friendship mean to you?"

I get different answers each time.

I ask myself the same questions and have found my answers evolving over time.

As Fred Rogers of Mr.Rogers' Neighborhood said, "When people like each other and like to do things together, they're friends." Of course, friends don't have to do things together all the time, and they don't have to like the same things. "Good friends can make each other laugh or smile; try to make each other feel better."

In the spirit of Valentine's Day, I asked our Saffron Tree family to share their favorite books on friends and friendship. Here they are!

Sandhya's picks:

Winnie the Pooh / The House at Pooh Corner
Written by A. A. Milne
Illustrated by E. H. Shepard
Published by Puffin / Dutton books
Ages: 4+

When I asked A to recommend the first book that came to her mind about friends and friendship, she promptly said- "Winnie-the-Pooh."

Contrary to the image of Pooh Bear, the Bear of Very Little Brain, as the fiefdom of very small children (no thanks to the Disney version of Pooh), Pooh belongs to everyone from 0-adulthood.

These stories are a labour of love- written by an indulgent father for his son Christopher Robin Milne, and featuring his collection of toys. I'm sure most parents would have at some point in time made up stories for their own children, with them featuring large in them.

As variegated a collection of friends as possible, staying in the wonderfully named Hundred-Acre-Wood. Muddleheaded Pooh with just one thing on his mind- food. A scaredy-cat Piglet, who can be the most courageous sometimes. A very Bouncy Tigger, who makes everyone want to 'unbounce' him at times. Rabbit, who can take his workaholic and irritating ways to limits, but has his heart in the right place. Wise Owl, (the only one who can spell, and who spells his own name as WOL) who everyone goes to when in need of some timely help. Kanga- affectionate, yet a stickler for discipline- the perfect mother figure. Grumpy Eeyore, who seems dry on the outside, but a softie inside. Roo- the littlest one of the lot, who gets into many scrapes with the irrepressible Tigger.

Enjoy the gentle humour and wonderful characterisation in the books, there is no substitute.

[image source: amazon.com]

Lord of the Flies
Written by William Golding
Published by Faber & Faber
Ages: 15+

A chillingly dystopian book, whose writer, William Golding was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature.

Set during WW2, a plane carrying children evacuating to a safe place crashes on an unknown island. The pilot, the only adult, is killed. The children are left to fend for themselves. What begins as an adventure (reminding one eerily of the Enid Blyton adventures where only children feature) slowly but relentlessly descends into a primitive desire for power and survival.

None of the children, except those in a choir group, have ever met each other before. Unlikely friendships are forged; those seemingly most like each other ending up bitter enemies, not even stopping at murder. Again, a diverse group of characters, who bond and repel in the most unexpected ways. With echoes of the cat-eat-rat mentality seen in many of today's children. Friendships gone wrong. Survival of the fittest.

[Image courtesy: flipkart]

A few more lovely books reviewed here earlier on the subject:
On My Honor
Teddy Robinson Stories
Number the Stars (voted one of the top 10 friendship books for children aged 9-12)

Utbt shares:

Title: The Indispensable Calvin And Hobbes
Author: Bill Watterson
Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing
Age: 12+

Having made this age recommendation, I have to say that my 7 year old is mad about this book. She has read the whole book from cover to cover, a minimum of 15 times in the past one year.

The first time she read it, she did not understand any of the jokes. But over a period of time, after many re-readings, she say, 'Oh! That's why this is funny!'. At times I wonder, if she does not understand the content, what keeps her going!

From a parent's perspective, I feel that the concept of imaginary friend and the gravity of content discussed makes more sense if read by a 12+ year old. I indulge her nevertheless, because there is nothing drastic in the content. Just a few 'morons' and 'sissies' here and there.

She comes back with questions like, 'Amma, Calvin tried hitting Susie with a snow ball and he missed. So he is okay, because he didn't actually hit her. Right?!'. After a few more readings, she says, 'Amma, though he did not hit her, he did think about hitting her and acted on it. The intention was there. So that is not right.'

Overall this book has been an interesting addition to our home library.

[image source: overstock.com]

Title: Horace and Morris But Mostly Delores
Author: James Howe
Illustrator: Amy Walrod
Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Age: 6-9

Some where around 6 years of age the physical definition and expected behavior patterns of 'boy' and 'girl' gets defined in a child's mind. If not encouraged by the adults in the environment, pretty soon they start playing separately.

This book is a story of three mice. Horace and Morris are boys and are best friends with Delores, a girl. They boldly 'go where no mouse has gone before'. But suddenly they find them selves pressured to join same sex clubs. Pretty soon Horace and Morris get tired of the 'boys-only Mega-Mice club'. Delores on the other hand finds the Cheese Puffs club and their ways sickening. So they break protocol and decide to hang out with people who makes them happy as opposed to what is expected of them. Thus continues the adventures of the mice.

[image source: Simon & Schuster website]

Praba's pick:

Owen & Mzee: The True Story of a Remarkable Friendship
Author: Isabella Hatkoff, Craig Hatkoff, Paula Kahumbu
Photographer: Peter Greste
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Age group: Ages 4 to 8

Owen is a baby hippopotamus that survived the tsunami in 2004 and Mzee, a giant, 130 year old tortoise. When heavy rains wash a family of hippos down the Sabaki river to the sea, one little hippo is seen stranded on a coral reef. And there, he struggles to stay alive. The locals, after an awfully long rescue operation, somehow manage to get the baby hippo out to safety. And the cheering crowd name him Owen after the volunteer who brought the hippo to the ground.

Owen immediately moves to a new home - an eco-sanctuary to protect wildlife. Exhausted and confused in his new abode, Owen reaches out to a 130 year old tortoise, Mzee, and quickly adopts him as his new friend. With the help of the tortoise, he slowly starts rebuilding his life. Though Mzee shows a little hesitation in the beginning, she gradually adopts him, exuding grace and love.

It is an amazing story that teaches love, respect and friendship - all dealt in a subtle way and where one least expects it. The book offers much material for discussion. Kenya-based photojournalist Peter Greste's photography aptly portray the drama of Owen's rescue and the warmth of the friendship between two unusual animals.

[image source: barnes and noble website]

Choxbox shares:

Vicky Angel
by Jacqueline Wilson
Ages: 8-12 years

Wilson, recently voted one of the most widely-read British children’s author, writes with intensity, she gets under the skin of her subject like few children’s writers do.So much that after I read Vicky Angel at bedtime, I could not sleep for a while, and I usually do not have issues of the sort. I would slot it to an older age group – perhaps age 12 onwards.

Here’s the story in short: Jade and Vicky are best friends – they have been inseparable ever since they started school more than ten years ago. Vicky is very popular and also the dominating party in the friendship. Jade is the submissive one who never does anything without Vicky’s consent and approval.

And then suddenly, Vicky meets with a fatal accident when the two are having a tiff. Jade blames herself and her love for her dead friend overwhelms her to the extreme. Till, Vicky turns up – as a ghost. She once again takes over Jade’s life.

What happens next? How does their bond of friendship continue even beyond death? Is Vicky really there or is it a mere fragment of Jade’s imagination? And finally, can Jade move on?

A powerful story of grieving after the loss of one’s best friend, one that led to us to talking about what friendships really ought to be. Jacqueline Wilson in her element.

[image source: shopping.com]

Beany and the Meany
Susan Wojciechowski
Ages: 6 and up

Third-grader Beany ends up with Kevin the class meany, for a science project. She lands in this predicament because her best friend Carol Ann decided to partner with the new girl in class.

Beany realises that Kevin is not as bad as he seems and they go on to ace the competition. By the end, she can count Kevin as a good friend, and Carol Ann is still her friend, as is the new girl.A lovely story that deals with the simple yet complex issues of friendships in a typical primary school scenario. It even packs in simple science lessons.

There are four more in the series, and have all been a massive hit with my 6-year old. So much that she takes them regularly to school to share them with her friends, and I was recently informed that they all even act out parts of it together!

(Special love today to Sandhya for introducing us to these books. Also to all my other SaffronTree pals for sharing their book love – here’s to you guys!)

[image source: amazon.com]

Vibha shares her favorites on friends and friendship reviewed at ST a while back:

Charlotte's Web
Flute in the Forest

My picks include:

Unlikely friendships appeal to me. 'Unlikely' is rather relative and quite subjective. In the most positive and generic sense of the word, when two polar opposite personalities come together and manage to establish a bond that stands the test of time, it is indeed heart-warming and reassuring.

Toot & Puddle books
by Holly Hobbie

Ages 3+

Holly Hobbie has created two endearing pigs in Toot & Puddle.

Puddle is a homebody who enjoys cooking and gardening, while Toot loves the outdoors and seeks out new adventures.

Opal, their cousin is a lovely little pig who makes an appearance on and off in the stories, plus takes center-stage in The One and Only, Charming Opal, The New Friend.

There are many Toot and Puddle books and quite a number of them have managed to amuse and entertain the kids (and hopefully illustrate the finer points of friendship.)

As an adult reading the books, I liked the way their personalities show through Hobbie's elegant characterization. The first few books made me ponder on the sort of relationship Toot and Puddle have, the easy comfort with which they are present in each others' lives.

The stories are endearing and sweet and the illustrations are charming and humorous; the gorgeous watercolors are priceless. The half a dozen Toot & Puddle (& Opal) books on our bookshelf has given me many hours of joy just gazing at the exquisite and lively illustrations by a master at her craft. And many wonderful read-alouds with the kids.

Other such "unlikely" friendships that the kids have enjoyed at home, reviewed earlier at ST:

Pete & Pickles by Bekeley Breathed
Ivy+Bean by Annie Barrows

[image source: goodreads.com]

Artnavy's picks on friends and friendship shared here at ST earlier:

Year of the Rat
George and Martha: Complete Stories of Two best Friends
Amos & Boris
Mr.George Baker
Mountain that Loved Bird
Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel

Runny Babbit

noreply@blogger.com (Sheela) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 08:24:00 +0000

Runny Babbit: A Billy Sook
by Shel Silverstein

Poems have been the rage for the six year old since 2011. Especially silly poems. Poems that tickle the funny bone. Poems that make her repeat the words to me and ask triumphantly, "Get it, Mama?!"

So when she got Runny Babbit for Xmas, it was delved into immediately. The book came with an audio CD of select poems read aloud.

As the title might suggest, we had a larrel of baughs reading this book. For a wew feeks we were salking tilly, learning about Spoonerism.

So if you say, "Let's bead a rook
That's billy as can se,"
You're talkin' Runny Babbit talk,
Just like mim and he.

And, the book is not all about silly. It is clever and witty and heart-warming, with Silverstein's signature illustrations, making it otterly uriginal and armingly chamusing.

Published posthumously, the book certainly has a strong kid appeal, and the (jaded) adult in me found it challenging to read aloud without the brain auto-correcting the words in real-time.

The book had the kids exercising themselves a bit, got them saying everyday things in the Runny Babbit way that made me stop and think for a second before I understood them.

A wonderful book to have on the bookshelf and reach for on a lazy afternoon curled up trying to offset the stormy winds and rain lashing the windows. Or even otherwise.

[image source: amazon.com]

Charles Dickens for children- on the bicentenary of his birth

noreply@blogger.com (sandhya) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 08:02:00 +0000

Two books that I have read over and over again- 'A Tale of Two Cities' and 'Oliver Twist' - by a well loved writer, Charles Dickens.

Charles Dickens was born on 7th February, 1812, in Portsmouth, England. Which makes today, the bicentenary of the birth of this writer who is held second only to the Bard in English literature- his contribution to the language in terms of words and phrases is that great. We often use terms coined by these literary greats as a matter of course, without even realising their origin.

The images that come to my mind when Dickens is mentioned is Victorian England, with the verdant countryside, the dirty, squalid, grimy, overcrowded back-streets of London, the romance and dangers of the French revolution, dry British humour, which comes across wonderfully in The Pickwick Papers and Bleak House, extending even to many of the characters- for instance, the characters from David Copperfield are more of caricatures. And of course, Christmas!

So of course I wanted to introduce the works of Dickens to A. And why not start early? IMO, the works of Dickens that can be read and appreciated in the original by children as young as 10 years are some of his Christmas stories, and the best known of them, 'A Christmas Carol'. But I was greedy- and impatient to introduce her to his works. Looking around for simplified versions, I found a few that had retained the original flavour of the stories. Some even for a reader as young as 5 yrs old.

image courtesy librarything

I found two- Oliver Twist and A Christmas Carol, from the Ladybird publication, Ladybird Classics.
Ages: 4-8yrs.

Absolutely great for this age group, a great introduction to these classics. Full page illustrations, with very simple, bare text, yet telling the tale wonderfully well. A loved them, and many other classics in these series.

When A was a bit older, I looked around for something more juicy, something she could really get her teeth into. Not the sundry abridged versions one encounters, but something really worthwhile. That is when I came across this one.

Image courtesy librarything

Illustrated Stories from Dickens
Illustrated by Barry Albett
Published by Usborne illustrated classics
Ages 8-12 yrs.

Meatier than the Ladybird books, these retold stories include five of Dickens' works, Oliver Twist, Bleak House, Great Expectations, A Tale of Two Cities and David Copperfield.

There is also a short biography of Charles Dickens, introducing children to his life and times. How he wrote many of his books from his experience of poverty, and of the grime in Victorian London.

And then there is the incomparable graphic novel by Marcia Williams. This is available under two titles, featuring the same stories- Oliver Twist and Other Great Dickens Stories by Walker Books and Charles Dickens and Friends, also by Walker Books, by Candlewick Press, and by Pan Macmillan India.
Ages 8+

Image courtesy walker books

Image courtesy amazon

This, in my opinion, is the best retelling of Dickens' stories that I have come across. Considering that I am generally not a fan of graphic novels, that is saying quite a lot.

Five of Dickens' stories are retold and illustrated in graphic novel form by Marcia Williams in her inimitable style, the illustrations bringing alive the various backdrops of his stories. While the retelling has text in her words, the lines mouthed by the characters are in Dickens' original words.

So we have the Artful Dodger informing Oliver (Oliver Twist) - "I know a 'spectable old genelman...wot'll give you lodgings for nothink".

Joe advising Pip (Great Expectations) - "Well, Pip, you must be a common scholar afore you can be a oncommon one".

Sidney Carter thinking to himself (A Tale of Two Cities) at the guillotine -"I see the lives for which I lay down my life...It is a far, far better thing I do, than I have ever done".

Miss Betsy Trotwood and Mr Dick in consultation over David (David Copperfield) - " 'What shall I do with him?' 'I should wash him.' "

The ghost of old Marley, his dead business partner, explaining the heavy, clanking chains that bind him, to Scrooge (A Christmas Carol) - "I wear the chain I forged in life...I made it link by link, and yard by yard."

Marcia Williams says in her foreword, "When I was a child, I liked short books with lots of pictures. So, I don't think I would ever have read Dickens, if it hadn't been for one teacher...I was always a fidget - except when she read Dickens aloud. My desk would fade from sight and I would be in Victorian England..."

Next- the originals.

Crossposted.

******************************************************

We also have Artnavy sharing an experience of reading Dickens with her 6-yr-old.

The 6 year old reader in the Artnavy household was introduced to 'A Christmas Carol' (abridged) last Christmas.

Since she was studying tense at school, she immediately grasped the essense of the Spirits from the Past, Present and Future. A beautiful tale, a bit threatening in terms of the consequence of greed, it brings home the message.

When I discussed the story with Anushka, she mentioned that the fact that it is never too late to make amends, also comes through in the story.

She took this book to school to share in their Show-and-Tell session. Proof of how much she enjoyed it. I hope she cherishes all of Dickens' works as she grows up and reads unabridged versions of some of my all time favourite books.

In conversation with Craig Jenkins

noreply@blogger.com (artnavy) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 19:19:00 +0000

Craig Jenkins is renowned in his native UK, for his holistic approach to storytelling. He has performed at a number of high profile organisations, such as the BBC, the Barbican Centre, Somerset House and the British Museum.

Working for the past five years as the resident storyteller and international ambassador for the Vayu Naidu Storytelling Company, UK, Craig is currently writing his first full length play ‘Guilt’; an interpretation of the Ramayana epic from the perspective of Surpunakha.

In 2010 Craig came to India and dazzled at Hoo’s Tales. While there he also took an artist in residency position at the Kattaikkuttu Gurukulam (Tamil Nadu), as well as leading workshops and performances for Tulika, Open Space, Pune, SOS Children’s village and a number of schools in Bangalore, Chennai and Pune.

Here is an inspiring peek into the mind of the gifted and loved story teller, Craig Jenkins.

ST- What brought you into story telling?
Craig- I first encountered performance storytelling during my Bachelors degree. I was studying Drama and Film Studies at the University of Kent and one of the classes I chose to take was ‘Storytelling: Oral Traditions of India’ taught by world-renowned storyteller, Dr Vayu Naidu.

I remember the first story Vayu told our class was the Tamil folktale of ‘The Monkey, The Crocodile and the Rose-Apple Tree’. I was in awe; completely struck by how a simple old folktale could resonate and engage so strongly with a group of students. I next heard the Ramayana and was hooked.

Upon finishing my course, Vayu invited me to train under her apprenticeship programme, which including learning the methodology of Vayu Naidu Company and working in a number of performance, education and outreach projects. In 2007, I was invited to join Vayu Naidu Company as resident storyteller and in 2012 I became to Artistic Associate and International Ambassador.

Do you prefer narrating old folklore or contemporary tales?
I like to perform old folklore with a contemporary masala twist. I enjoy taking old stories and reworking them with rhyme, rhythm and energy, and placing them in the here and the now.

My absolutely favourite stories to work with are the Indian epics of the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. I have never found any other stories that speak so much of the world today. I am particularly interested in exploring the ‘human’ sides of the raksha characters, trying to find the light within their dark.

What kind of training does one need and what makes one a successful storyteller?
The advice I would give anybody wanting to become a successful storyteller is to be your self. Storyteller is not about ‘playing a role’; it is about just being. Audiences connect when a storyteller is being true to who they really are.

I remember during my initial training as a storyteller when I would copy Vayu Naidu in the way she told stories- the way she stood, the choice of material, the words she used. I remember after one class, Vayu took me aside and said ‘Craig, you must be you’. During an improvised story about a moment of disgust (mine was uncovering mushrooms in a frying pan- I hate mushrooms!), Vayu identified a number of things that I do naturally as elements that made the story, and my storytelling style, interesting to listening. I realised that a storyteller comes from the inside, not from the out…

Who are your favourite authors and storytellers? Why?
One of my favourite authors has to be DevduttPattanaik. He has an incredible ability of taking deep philosophical and religious material and writing it in such a clear, evocative and accessible way.

‘The Little Prince’ is one of my all time favourite books. I return to the book all the time and have read it maybe one hundred times or more. It has so much truth and works on so many levels, for both adults and children. I remember returning from India, missing my friends and the place so, so much much. I picked up my dog-eared copy of ‘The Little Prince’ and found a passage that spoke deep to my heart;

‘If someone loves a flower, of which just one single blossom grows in all the millions and millions of stars, it is enough to make him happy just to look at the stars. He can say to himself… ‘Somewhere my flower is there’…

For storytellers, Vayu Naidu, still always inspires me with the grace and elegance of her telling and her ability to seamlessly bring the ancient epics and traditional folktales into the contemporary world.

I know no storyteller who has as much energy and life as JeevaRaghunath. Her characterisations of the old-woman, the rabbit and the monkey, are some of the best I have ever seen.

Mr P. Rajagopal (of Kattaikkuttu Sangam) has so much integrity and innovation in preserving tradition and telling ancient stories that really connect with the lives and experiences of audiences today.

Why this interest in India?
India is the place where I feel most alive.

Do you like using unknown/ unfamiliar stories or prefer doing Indian ones with the audience? How do you choose?
I like to mix it up. I always choose the stories that I feel are right for a particular group at a particular time. As I work with the oral tradition and never learn a story word for word, even if I perform a familiar story it will be different with every telling.

One of the things I love about being a storyteller (in scenes across the globe) is that I don’t fit the stereotypical image of a storyteller. Everyone expects a storyteller to be older, generally a woman, white hair and a stick. I am twenty six (although look about eighteen), love to wear Mickey Mouse T-Shirts and illuminous colourful trainers, and have an obsession with Ravana and his ‘raakshas’ family.

I like to show, in both the UK and India, that storytellers can come from any walk of life and share stories in any style they choose. Storytelling is open and accessible to all.

You are known to incorporate Indian pop culture into your stories while performing in India. How do you go about doing that?
I talk to people. All of my friends, students, fellow performers, teachers, waiters I meet in restaurants, the auto-rickshaw drivers who drive me home. I ask them what music they listen to, what movies I should see at the cinema, who are the ‘heroes of the moment’.

For me it is about creating a context and understanding where my stories can be placed in their lives. Children and young adults are obsessed with modern technology, cinema and multimedia, so I try to make references about things they know and like.

I never let these take preference over the essence of the story though. They are small details to help connect with the audience. The meaning of the story always stays the same.

At a performance at Hippocampus, Chennai, I took an old North-American folktale entitled ‘The Legend of Jumping Mouse’ and gave it a Tamil-flavour. I included songs from the popular Tamil movies ‘Kavalan’ and ‘Singam’, used some basic Tamil words and phrases and also drew on my own observations of living in Tamil Nadu.

The audience loved it especially my dance rendition of ‘Ad dradranakkamukkanakkamukka!! These didn’t change the story. It was still a tale about a little mouse follow his inner voice and finding his calling and talking to the audience afterwards they too could connect with a time when they too followed their heart and headed for their dreams.

If I perform the story again, in the North of India, I would draw on my knowledge of Hindi movies, so replace Surya and Vijay with Shahrukh Khan….

What are your thoughts on Story reading versus Story telling?
Both are incredibly important in early child development and actually work well in tandem with each other.

In the UK, Vayu Naidu Company works in collaboration with TULIKA publishers in an initiative entitled ‘The Live Literacy Tour’, which uses oral retellings/performances of books to encourage children to read.

Would you like to share any anecdotes with us?
In March 2011, I was preparing to head back to the UK after running a 4 month Ramayana project at the Kattaikkuttu Gurukulam, Tamil Nadu. It was the last day of the project working with the older students and I was feeling very tearful. I had made real connections with incredible students and felt soso sad to be saying goodbye.

As I sat on the ground, collecting my paper and books, Kumar, probably one of the most compassionate people I have ever met, came and sat by my side. I felt his arm on my shoulder and his sweet voice saying: ‘Anna (brother), don’t cry. You did so much for us coming here. Before you came we only knew one Ramayana. Now, with your ideas and your style, we can see our old stories in new and different ways. You make us so happy with your stories, brother’.

*********

A pleasure to have you here Craig, thank you!

Four Chapter Book Series

noreply@blogger.com (Sheela) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 08:10:00 +0000

Chapter book series are nice. If the character(s) and the plot line in general catch our fancy, there's usually more of where that came from (not always). Over the last couple of years, some series were enjoyed more than others in our house. Early favorites were Rainbow Fairies, Magic Tree House, Magic School Bus, Junie. B. Jones, Ivy+Bean, among others. But, the more recent favorites happen to be:

Ottoline and the Yellow Cat
by Chris Riddell

Ottoline is a spunky little girl who finds herself alone at home a lot, thanks to her traveling parents, who send her postcards from across the globe for some in-absentia parenting. She is not entirely alone however. Mr. Munroe keeps her company. He is a sort of short hairy creature who doesn't really say much.

In this story, lap dogs start to disappear one by one, and Ottoline investigates. With Mr.Munroe's help, they solve the mystery of the missing dogs and catch the cat burglar Yellow Cat.

The six year old instantly fell in love with this book. Equal parts of line drawings and text is one of the reasons. Each page engaged the six-year old for quite a while with its details. Ottoline's odd shoe collection with a pointer to her other collection -viz., postcards from her parents, and assorted little notes and things add to the charm, I'm sure.

Ottoline at Sea and Ottoline Goes To School are lined up for us to read later.

[Browse Ottoline And The Yellow Cat at Harper Collins]
[View a video of Chris Riddell drawing Ottoline]

[image source: Harper Collins]

Three Tales of My Father's Dragon
by Ruth Stiles Gannett
illustrated by Ruth Chrisman Gannett

This classic set of three books is a fun fantasy about Elmer Elevator and a baby dragon. The books can be stand-alone reads but when taken in all at once, they provide an unforgettable story.

My Father's Dragon, Elmer And The Dragon, The Dragons Of Blueland together tell us the story about how Elmer saves the baby dragon, returns home, and rescues the baby dragon's family. The language is a bit dated, but, that adds to the charm, imo. The original charcoal illustrations wonderfully complement the story.

The tale is inventive and engaging. Bubble gum, comb, lollipop and suchlike are all Elmer packs and they turn out to be the exact things needed in his adventure.

[image source: http://openlibrary.org/books/OL678743M/Three_tales_of_my_father's_dragon]

Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle
by Betty MacDonald
illustrations by Alexandra Boiger

Mrs.Piggle-Wiggle lives in an upside down house where children are welcome all the time. She has a cure for every common ailment that kids get once in while that the conventional medicine cannot tackle. Like the Don't-want-to-take-baths, or Won't-put-away-toys, Will-not-share, Never-go-to-bed, Ever-quarrelling...

The dated text and repetitive message had me wondering if the six year old would like it but it turned out to be a fun read. We listened to the audiobook during the long drives.

[image source: http://www.indiebound.org/book/9780064401487?aff=OblongGirl]

Mercy Watson to the Rescue
by Kate DiCamillo
illustrated by Chris van Dusen

Mercy Watson series is a simple, easy read set of books, a few of which made it to our bookshelf thanks to Nana. The then five year old soon grew out of it and declared it a "baby book" saving hers for her little brother.

Mercy Watson is a huge, silly, lovely pig who lives with Mr. and Mrs. Watson. She has her own room, and acts pretty much like a little kid, and has a lot of inadvertent adventures.

The illustrations are charming and colorful. The story is simplistic, with some possible twist at times, with Mercy coming out on top in the end.

[sample page at Candlewick Press]

[image source: Kate DiCamillo's website]

If I Built A Car

noreply@blogger.com (Sheela) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 21:18:00 +0000

If I Built a Car
by Chris Van Dusen

James Bond's gadget man Q probably had the same idea as the little boy in this book: to build a car that has everything he likes and does whatever he wants.

Imagine a car made out of a special polymer gel that absorbs shock on impact, a car with Plexiglass dome for an all round view, a car whose floor slides open to reveal a cool pool, a car that has an Instant Snack Bar to dole out goodies at the push of a button, a car that has a robot driver who can take over when you feel drowsy, a car that emits perfumed fumes rather than noxious burnt gasoline, a car which can submerge under water at the push of a button and fly up high in the air for long distance travel...

This book sparked the imagination of the 3 yo with a lot of "What if...", and made the 6 yo rather skeptical initially asking, "A pool in the car? Well, we can only use it when the car is not moving, else it will splash around".

The rhyming text is an easy read, even if quite a few of the words were beyond the 3 yo - gave us a chance to learn them, or at least get exposed to them. (I like to read to the kids at a level slightly higher than their current anyway).

The illustrations are bright, colorful, playful, and complement the text well. Front and Back inside covers have design drawings of cars that gave the 6 yo ideas for designing her own car (and trying to build it out of cardboard we were recycling).

[image source: http://www.chrisvandusen.com/books/if-i-built-a-car]

Year of the Dragon.

noreply@blogger.com (Praba Ram) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 02:52:00 +0000

Today marks the beginning of the Year of the Dragon in Chinese New Year. We at Saffron Tree, have found many wonderful books that celebrate children and Chinese culture. Sharing them once again, we thought might be a great way to ring in the Year of the Dragon. Happy Reading!

When it comes to picture books, Roseanne Thong has created some delightful ones that vibrantly capture Chinese culture. Red is a Dragon, Round is a Mooncake are great books that introduce concepts for preschoolers using Chinese traditional words and images as a backdrop. Anusha has neatly "drummed up" a review of Red is a Dragon here. Don't miss it!

Grace Lin's portrayal of Taiwanese culture in her middle grade readers have always been devoured like dumplings! Here they are for a taste of oriental flavor!

Year of the Rat - recently reviewed by Artnavy

Year of the Dog that I had reviewed earlier in 2010.

Also in the pipe is a cluster on some amazing "dragon" books that we have reviewed in the past, which are sure to capture your child's imagination! Do stay tuned! :)

The Year of the Rat

noreply@blogger.com (artnavy) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 08:15:00 +0000

The Year of the Rat , Author/ Illustrator- Grace Lin

Here is a tribute to the children of today- coming from a certain origin, making homes in a different culture. What happens when parents hold on to old traditions which may not be of much significance/ appeal to them. How much of the current new context do the children / parents adopt to be part of the mainstream?

The Year of the Rat, a sequel to the book - The Year of the Dog, is a chapter book that works even if you have not read its predecessor. It is a semi autobiographical work by Grace Lin who very subtly prods young readers to be tolerant of other cultures and be proud of your own heritage.

The protagonist, Pacy Lin, is a typical American kid- going to school and field trips, trying to complete projects, celebrating Christmas and New year and even having her first secret crush. But she is of Taiwanese origin. Does that make her odd or exotic? Neither. The author keeps her normal and therein lies the beauty of the tale.

New years are about wishes and resolutions. The Year of the Rat in Chinese mythology is about change. Pacy Lin faces separation from her best friend who moves to California. She suffers from self doubt in her ambition to become an author illustrator. She makes mistakes too. She sees prejudice against a new comer, who is different from the rest of her class because he is Chinese and barely speaks English but also similar to her for the very same reason.

But Pacy has the love and support of her family. She learns life lessons through
Chinese myths/ folklore and her family anecdotes. And we too learn a bit more about Chinese customs, festivals and food as an intrinsic part of any culture and every celebration.

The black and white illustrations by the author add to the narrative and keep it engaging for the younger reader.

********

Here is wishing all readers a Happy Year of the Dragon!!

Welcome is a Wonderful Word

noreply@blogger.com (ranjani.sathish) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 16:14:00 +0000

Welcome is a Wonderful Word
Written and Illustrated by Gyo Fujikawa
Ages 3+
Published by Grosset and Dunlap

All of us, be it adults or children, approach any change in our lives with mixed feelings. Be it a school change, a locality change, a move to another country- each of these experiences bring with them the excitement as well as some amount of nervousness.The anxiety about, how the people would be and whether we would be able to become a part of the new group comfortably, is quite normal.

The author Gyo Fujikawa has taken this significant emotion and come up with a beautiful children's book. Jenny is a fun loving little girl, who loves to collect old things from the people in her small neighbourhood. She uses these old dresses, hats, purses and tiny titbits for her play pretend games with two of her close friends- Sam and Nicholas. Reading about Jenny each time makes me pause and smile, as my five year old daughter does exactly the same things. My old duppatas, hand bags, purses, weave their way into her treasure chest and these get magically transformed into - a teacher making sure the children recite their alphabets one day, Sita of Ramayana the next day and a doctor advising her patients another day :-).

One day Jenny notices that one of the houses in their neighbourhood which had been empty for long, seemed to have new occupants.She earnestly wishes that a little girl like her, has moved in there. As she finishes her round of collecting old things from other houses, she notices a little girl peeking out of the windows of that house. Thrilled, she walks up to their door and knocks.But the girl does not open the door. Confused, she goes back to her friends Sam and Nicholas and explains what happened.

It is then that Sam suggests that may be the girl did not feel welcome in the new area. So they brain storm and come up with a brilliant idea. They decide to create a Welcome Wagon, filled with all their favourite things, to offer to the little girl as a welcome present. Armed with these goodies, the children go and invite the little girl to come out, saying they want to give her a welcome gift. The shy little Mei Su comes out and she is thrilled with all the knick knacks her new friends have brought her. The friendship is cemented right that day, with a lovely picnic. When the friends get ready to leave, Mei su says that she felt very sad when she had to move out of her old house, but now she is very happy to have been welcomed so lovingly into her new neighbourhood.

This was a feeling I could readily identify with, having moved last year to a new place.The gnawing feeling about leaving familiar people,apprehension about the new neighbours,the comfort feeling which slowly started enveloping me and finally a sense of relief, that comes with familiarity.

The illustrations are also by Gyo Fujikawa. The pictures of the characters are very expressive and even the houses that have been sketched exude a lot of personality.The pages alternate between colour and black-white sketches throughout the book. It is difficult to say which is more gorgeous, though the back and white sketches have an undeniable charm !

This is a cute little picture book which has been read many times in our house and is enjoyed by everyone.

Lessons in Manners

noreply@blogger.com (Anusha) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 14:33:00 +0000

To start off the New Year on the right note, brushing off the dust from the past, and reinforcing priorities, the family felt in need of a revision of basic manners. We were looking for best ways to communicate this to the 6 and 3yo ones, for anything preachy turns them off. The local library pointed us to this collection of simple, no-nonsense books, conveying the message using monsters and animals. Both kids related to them, and I'm happy to say, are responding well.

How do Dinsoaurs series, one of which was reviewed here by Artnavy, and No, David, reviewed by Satish, are perfect starters for the young preschooler. Here are a few more for all ages.

Please Say Please - Penguin's Guide to Manners
Margery Cuyler
Will Hillenbrand
Scholastic, 2004

Looking at themselves during worst behavior is often enough
for young kids to avoid repeat offenses. Please Say Please uses this to its advantage. Seeing inappropriate behavior among cuddly, adorable animals prompts them to admonish it. Penguin has visitors; his friends Elephant, Hippo, Lion all come to dinner. The animals should barge in and knock over the unsuspecting host. They should slurp and splat all over the table. They should loudly demand seconds. Each page makes an outrageous statement like this, followed by "Is that Right?" prompting attentive listeners to shake their head in disapproval. Turn the page and a more appropriate behavior for the moment is illustrated. I was grateful to see this included -

When a lion is served cauliflower, he should say, "I hate cauliflower." Ew! Is that right?

..and the question is answered on the next page...

No that's wrong. When a lion is served cauliflower, he should say, "I'll try some." Mm, not bad!

A good set of guidelines to practice at home every day.

Excuse Me

Lisa Kopelke
Pocket Children's Books, 2004

A loud, happy burp - signature of a satisfactory meal, and of social embarassment. The title character Frog can't help himself. How could he not love food - when there was a repertoire of gourmet choices -
fly noodles, dragonfly soup, worm burgers. He loves to eat and he punctuates his meals with loud, satisfied burps, so they would make room for dessert. He is so engulfed in his eat-burp-eat routine that he doesn't notice signs of revolt from his companions. The townsfolk have had enough, and one day, vote him out. Hurt, Frog goes on to live with fellow frogs in another city who are just as happy burpers. Who never say excuse me or pardon.
Who also live in the blissful oblivion of the effect their gastronomical excess has on creatures around them. Living amongst his like, Frog sees the disgust in his own behavior, returns home reformed, but will he be forgiven? Flamboyant illustrations in earth tones paint cartoonish facial expressions of frogs in all sizes. What I liked about Excuse Me is that it does not demean the natural biological reaction that even grown-ups sometimes have little control over. Instead, it teaches a socially appropriate way to deal with the aftermath, should a burp escape you despite your best efforts.

Monster Manners
Bethany Roberts
Andrew Glass
Houghton Mifflin, 1996

Monster Manners understands that even for the most well behaved kid, it is hard, if not impossible, to adhere to a strict guideline for behavior every hour of every day, in every circumstance. While the inconsistency and monstrous behavior might make it seem like they have no manners, it is just that they sometimes forget, and sometimes they get ahead of themselves. Sometimes they don't clean up after themselves, but other times, they are so good that they make amends for it. Ridiculous comical illustrations that show monsters behaving their best and worst, brilliantly pair the text. A dining table scene, for example, shows one monster eating another's sock. Another has a monster dressed in spaghetti sauce. Both had the kids in giggles, and they nodded approvingly when they saw on the next page how the monsters had cleaned up nicely. The point conveyed is that the whole game of manners is not to enforce an unforgiving, uptight style of living, it is okay to err, as long as the intention is right, you are willing to make quick amends and learn from past mistakes. That's a lesson in life itself, I'd say!

The Jewel Fish of Karnak

noreply@blogger.com (Sheela) — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 08:24:00 +0000

The Jewel Fish of Karnak
by Graeme Base

Graeme Base needs no introduction. Best known for Animalia, every page of every book he has illustrated so far is a breathtakingly amazing work of art! And, no wonder, considering he takes a couple of years or more to complete each book.

From our favorites like The Waterhole, Jungle Drums, Uno's Garden, My Grandma Lives in Googligulch (first book Base wrote and illustrated), The Eleventh Hour: A Curious Mystery, it was interesting to note that the books are not necessarily written for the age group for which they are marketed. I remember reading an excerpt that quoted the author regarding his books: "I write them for myself in order to fulfil a creative desire and only after these considerations do I look at the requirements of a 'children's book,' whatever that might be!"

Anthropomorphic Animals and Fantasy - an irresistible combination seen in many of his books - describe The Jewel Fish of Karnak as well. If just four main characters - a Female Feline Pharaoh, The Crocodile Prince, and two thieves Ibis and Jackal - in an exotic land doesn't sound intriguing enough, then, Graeme Base has more for you: a puzzle with clues in the story and a gorgeous last page to figure out the answer.

Jackal and Ibis, thieves as they are, are caught stealing a trinket in the marketplace at Asyut, and brought to Cat Pharaoh for justice. They beg for pardon. So Cat Pharaoh sets them on a quest: Bring back the Jewel Fish of Karnak, and

Do not take anything else while you are in Karnak. And know that the Jewel Fish is magical. Be sure it does not get wet.

If they succeed and do as told, they will be pardoned and set free.

While the quest itself may not be terribly perilous, the temptations are. They are warned sufficiently. But can thieves resist thieving?

Of course, not, or we wouldn't have a story. They take something they are not supposed to and so are pursued savagely by Crocodile Prince. In the confusion that ensues, Ibis and Jackal lose the Jewel Fish of Karnak in the River Nile which mingles among the other fish, hard to recover.

Are they doomed? Not really, that's where we come in, we the reader. The last page is a note from Cat Pharaoh which says:

Jackal and Ibis were not clever, were they?
...
But I am a merciful cat. If you bring the Jewel Fish to my palace at www. graemebase.com, I shall release Jackal and Ibis from their endless task - and reward you as well.

But be warned, I shall demand proof that you have brought me the right fish!

And, how exactly can we help? There is a code on the first page - a set of symbols - pictogram of sorts, which we use to find the encoded clue(s) that points us to the one and only Jewel Fish of Karnak.

Did we go to the palace of Cat Pharaoh and get rewarded for retrieving the right Jewel Fish? Indeed!

The inside of the jacket is full of tidbits about ancient Egypt. All in all, another fantastic book from a master.

[image source: www.penguin.com.au]

The World of Anahi and Vir

noreply@blogger.com (artnavy) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 05:31:00 +0000

Author- Kalpana Subramanian
Illustrator- Prashant Miranda
Publisher- Little Latitude
Ages- 3-6 yrs

The World of Anahi and Vir is a set of three board books that caught our eye due to the delightful water colour illustrations by Prashant Miranda. He was doing an art show at the venue and readily autographed the copy we bought!

If there was one place I could be captures the Wonders of the Sea, as seen through the mesmerised eyes of a young girl. The words rhyme and are easy even for early readers. The illustrations are simply captivating.

If I lived in A Treehouse captures the various living environs and finally affirms that home is best when loved ones keep us company. Here you see both kids, Anahi and Vir in action.

If there was one thing I could be takes flight in a boy's imagination as he visualises himself as a bird. A good introduction to birds and their distinctive features apart from indulging most children's fantasy- to fly and be free.

The collection is thus a child's journey as she absorbs the magic of creation- animal habitats, ocean life and birds. My six year old enjoyed these books and gifted them to her two year old sister who loves seeing the pictures in it.

Wonderfully Warli!

noreply@blogger.com (Praba Ram) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 22:00:00 +0000

Art appreciation has always been a favorite topic for us here on Saffron Tree. For this new year, I am delighted to share with you all a cluster post on some of the books we have enjoyed reviewing on Warli Artform.

Over the years, we've read a number of folk art oriented picture books from India, along with a few western art oriented books. Books incorporating folk art are always a hit in the homefront as they offer culturally enriching visuals that are meaningful.

Warli holds a special place among all. That's because the simplicity of the artform lends itself easily to different age-groups making it universally accessible.

At the storytime program last month here at a local children's activity center, I was thrilled to create Wonderfully Warli as a new theme for children in the 4-8 year age-group.

After a brief introduction to the simple ways of drawing Warli figures, I read to the small group that had gathered for my session, two of my favorite Warli picture books. Both by Tulika books.

One titled It's Only a Story by Cathy Spagnoli. Warli illustrations by Uma Krishnaswamy.

The book has been reviewed here by Tharini on Saffron Tree.

And here's the blurb from Tulika's website -

"An ant’s curiosity leads to adventure in this chain story of repetition and cumulative images. The illustrations within illustrations drawn in stark white on brown are adapted from the art of the Warli storytellers. Chain stories are fascinatingly illustrated in a flowing river-like fashion, capturing the pattern of the cumulative tale visually as well."

Shamim Padamsee's Dancing on Walls is yet another story featuring one delightful take on the origin of the artform. This book is again illustrated by the talented Uma Krishnaswamy (an interview with the illustrator on Paper Tiger and also an engaging review by Poppy on the book here on Saffrontree.)

The artform is so popular in modern India that it is not a coincidence that many more Warli stories have been done by other Indian publishers working for children.

It's therefore a pleasure to present here a list of what seem like equally entertaining books on Warli by other Indian publishers that I simply can't wait to lay my hands on.

1) Karadi Tales - Blue Jackal

2) Tara Books - Do!

3) Mango Books - Tales from the Warli Tribe by Sheila Dhir

4) Pratham Books - The First Farmers
(the book can also be viewed here)

Finally here's something for teachers, storytellers and parents - an entire Warli lesson plan created by our very own UTBTkids for CROCUS 2010!

Overall, I found the books that I read offered a very enriching experience for children. The children also worked together in creating a simple Warli puppet for themselves as an extension activity. I am sure there might be many other choices on Warli based books that I may have missed. If you happen to know of other Warli titles, please do drop us a note on ST. Thanks!

Much-loved Books 2011: Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Sheela) — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 04:55:00 +0000

This is the second part of the two-part compilation of books our beloved ST family child(ren) enjoyed the most - a book that possibly had the most impact, perhaps became an all-time favorite, or maybe just a book that came into their hands at the right time.

Choxbox's picks:

Like my other ST friends, I find it a rather tough task to pick out a favourite among the books we have read this year. Before I launch into it, here's a wish - may the task get trickier next year!

For my younger child, the Humphrey series by Betty G.Birney have found particular favour. These delightful tales of a hamster who is a class pet, are full of wise and witty observations of things that fill up a 6-year old’s life, like friendship, school and holidays.

For my older child, I think I'll just plug the last set of books she has read – the Septimus Heap series by Angie Sage. But oh wait, I cannot – I haven't finished the series myself. All I can tell you is that the books and the child could not separated for quite a while.

Maybe I should review the ones she is currently reading (I mean re-reading) – The Magic Thief series by Sarah Prineas, except that I haven't read these either.

Inkheart series – now we are talking. I have managed to read just the first one and can tell you it is stupendous. All about a bookbinder who finds out quite by accident that he has the magical ability to bring to life characters of stories that he reads aloud.

Enough for a master storyteller like Cornelia Funke to take off and create a thrilling saga that has been a hit world-wide, even been made into a film recently. The child tells me the first is the best of the lot, but that is not going to stop me from reading the other two as soon as I can.

[image source: Betty G. Birney's website, amazon.com]

Praba's picks:

Harry Potter
By J.K. Rowling

It was a year that screamed "POTTER" for us. Thanks to the nine year old discovering the series. We also thanked our cards for not having gotten into it during its hyped-up-heydays. As a family, we joined her to read the books and watch the movies. The books were enjoyed on several levels. Discussions based on the characters, the plot, and the writing were some. Guess-who-the-character-is game being the highlight of all.

And as for the five year old, it was always fun to watch the budding speller and reader make a mental map of characters, from A to Z...A for Arthur Weasley, B for Bellatrix Lestrange, C for Charlie Weasley, and all the way to Peter Pettigrew and Dolores Umbridge and of course, V for Voldemort, which sometimes also found itself morphing as L for Lord Voldemort. Overall, the books were fascinating reads for us filling our year with a fantastic, fantasy focus. :)

[image source: http://openbooksociety.com]

The True Story of Three Little Pigs
Written By Jon Scieszka
Illustrated by Lane Smith

Fairy tales like Goldilocks and the Three Bears, The Three Little Pigs have always been hot favorites with the five year old. Right since her toddler and preschool years in fact. Any fair tale angle and the story would promptly get picked up. Pictures are pored over while the text read over and over.

As a conscious effort to read something different this year, I picked up The True Story of Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka, in the same genre. The book weaves the classical tale from the wolf's angle.Although I wasn't sure if she fully got the humor. But here too, it was the huffing and puffing part that won the highest points. Overall, a book that begged for attention from the sprightly five year old who has been brimming with opinions and questions this entire year.

I absolutely loved Lane Smith's sepia-toned, cleverly done, vintage-style illustrations. Jon Scieszka's quirky text offered a riot of a read-aloud.Published in the 80's, it was fun to discover this picture book in the earlier part of 2011 as part of my local library's ready-to-read program for which I used to volunteer. I also found out recently from an ST friend that Lane Smith and Jon Scieska have teamed up for other similar witty ones. Lane won the Caldecott Honor medal for the Stinky Cheese Man.

[image source: http://alibrariansquietramblings.blogspot.com]

Satish and Ranjani's picks:

Sooraj, our 9 year old son, graduated to reading chapter books full time and seems to be more influenced by friends rather than parents this year. He, as usual, went through phases where he kept reading books for days without a break and switched over to a phase where he did not pick up any book for more than a month. Roald Dahl was a favorite the early part of this year, but, it kept changing over the months.

His current all time favorite for the year is the Percy Jackson series. He enjoys reading about the various gods, comparing them with Gods of other mythologies and is fascinated that kids can fight against Gods. This lead to many questions about the nature of Gods and religion.

[image source: http://kapachino.info/reading/2011/04/11/thoughts-on-the-percy-jackson-series-by-rick-riordan/]

Shraddha, our 5 year old daughter, loves to look at the picture books and make up her own stories. She was fascinated by Meerkat Mail by Emily Gravett. But, her favorite of the year remains the Lady Bird Early Learner Series. This book series gives her the confidence that she can also read books. She feels extremely happy when she finishes these books and thinks she can read as well as her parents and brother.

Wordjunkie's picks:

Finding Violet Park
Author: Jenny Valentine
Publisher: Harper Collins
Ages: YA

I read a great deal of YA fiction this year - fantasy sagas, dystopic world views, vampire mushies, coming-of-age tales that ranged from the violent to the whacky, unending trilogies about Chosen Ones on quests - but the unchallenged winner of the lot has to be the quiet, unassuming 'Finding Violet Park'.

Written by British author Jenny Valentine, this is a sweet and sad story about a boy struggling to deal with the absence of his father. Fifteen year old Lucas Swain hasn't seen his dynamic journalist father since the man vanished into thin air five years ago, leaving behind three children, a distraught wife, and a whole lot of unanswered questions. Lucas is convinced his father will return – he clings to this imagined idea of what his father was like, even when evidence suggests otherwise.

'Finding..' had me at hello – narrated by Lucas, it made me laugh and cry and grieve with this awkward teenager desperately holding onto this ideal vision of a father he has never truly known. Lucas has a terrific voice – he is sarcastic and funny, but also capable of some very profound insights into people ( though his blind spot is clearly his dad).

Author Valentine fills the book with interesting, believable characters. I loved how the plot weaves all kinds of little clues together, culminating in an ending as surprising as it is heartwarming.

[Image Source: http://www.harpercollins.co.in/BookDetail.asp?Book_Code=2039]

Right Where You Are Now
Author: Lisa Montierth
Illustrator: Ashley Burke
Publisher: Craigmore Creations
Ages: 3+

Picture books remain an addiction , and I have discovered some terrific writers and illustrators this year - Emily Gravett, Susan Roth, Mo Willems, Marcellus Hall, Don Tate, Romare Bearden. But since I can only pick one for this list, I choose the lusciously coloured 'Right Where You are Now', a bedtime tale about a very unconventional theme - evolution.

Written by Lisa Montierth and illustrated by Ashley Burke, the book conjures up visions of a world where the only constant is change, of an earth ceaselessly shifting, flowing and moving with time. "Can you imagine what may come to be, right where you are now?" the book asks in the end, prompting some very animated bedtime discussions over at my house.

A great book for introducing the concept of evolution to our tiny explorers.

[Image Source: http://www.craigmorecreations.com/right-where-you-are-now/]

Sandhya's picks:

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Written by Joanne Kathleen Rowling
Published by Bloomsbury
Age 10+

I don't think my first book requires much of an introduction. Reading the Harry Potter books has been quite an experience, especially with A. I have been a firm believer in the reading aloud of books, and I have always read aloud to A at all stages of her competence - always choosing books a wee bit beyond her. So the Harry Potter books seemed the perfect set when we began with the first when she was just 8 yrs old, finishing with HP7 this year, racing just in time to be able to watch the last movie on the big screen.

HP, I think is about more than just the story, the incredibly wonderful characterisation, the rich imagination and impeccable English. Not all of it has come across in the movies.

It is also a story with a philosophy, with a lot of logic, the interlinking of plots, the way Rowling never introduces anything which may not be significant at some other stage, the way even her comic relief has a place in the larger picture. That mountains can be moved by faith, hope, love, compassion, courage, sacrifice, loyalty, team work and hard work. That even those considered too far gone can get back on the right track if only they wanted to. That there is always a choice.

Deathly Hallows can be read at many levels. A fast paced tale. A story of good versus evil. A coming of age tale. A fantasy, fairy tale, very realistically told. A tale of true and lasting friendships. A beautifully detailed story with plots and subplots that dovetail to tie up most ends.

[Image courtesy flipkart]

A Kick in the Head:An everyday guide to poetic forms
Selected by Paul B Janeczko
Illustrated by Chris Raschka
Published by Candlewick Press

Ages: 8+

Do you know what a couplet is? A quatrain? A haiku? A sonnet? A limerick? A ballad? An elegy? An ode? You do? Great!

Now, do you know what a clerihew is? A roundel? A triolet? A villanelle? A senryu? An aubade? An acrostic? A pantoum? A cinquain? No? Do all those words sound as if they were a set of carpenter's / goldsmith's tools? Or some kind of flowers or herbs? (That is what A thought they were.) Well, they're not. They're forms of poetry, which follow certain rules.

Let's take an acrostic- one of the simplest way for a child to write poetry. "Descriptive poems- when read downward, the first letter of each line must form a word or phrase, usually the subject of the poem." It is a form that any enterprising child can experiment with, using any word that they may. Even their own or their friends' names. And it can be so much fun! An example:

Santa Claus will come out tonight
And deliver presents
Near the
Time of midnight you can hear him
And what you will hear are the words ho ho ho

All these poetic forms have certain rules that have to be followed, for them to fit in the particular category. As Paul Janeczko explains in his foreword, "Knowing the rules makes poetry -- like sports -- more fun, for players and spectators alike."

Beautifully illustrated in quirky watercolours by Chris Raschka, the book can be read as a picture book for younger children too, as the lilt and rhythm will appeal to the little ones too. Older children can appreciate the poems better, the form, the themes and the beauty of them. High school kids? The details of each poetry form will make much sense to the student with a literary bent of mind. Adults too can take a lot away from the book. Great for learning a particular form at a time, researching it, dabbling in it. Or just to keep it on the shelf to dip into a bit of poetic joy from time to time!

Acrostics, concrete poems, opposites, riddles, limericks, tanka, haiku...A and I have tried our hand a little bit at each. Why don't you try it?

[Image courtesy flipkart]

Much-loved Books 2011: Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (Sheela) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 08:03:00 +0000

As I was sifting through the highlights of 2011, focusing on replaying the treasured memories and weeding out the not-so-pleasant ones, it occurred to me that many of the wonderful moments involved reading with my kids. And, if I were to zero in on one book, and only one book, that each of my kids enjoyed reading the most this year, what would the two books be?

That was the inspiration for this post. I decided to ask our beloved ST family to pick one book that their child(ren) enjoyed the most - a book that possibly had the most impact, perhaps became an all-time favorite, or maybe just a book that came into their hands at the right time.

And thanks to their enthusiastic response, I have a wonderful set of books to share, which I am splitting into two posts so as to not overwhelm - part 1 here, and part 2 to follow.

Artnavy's picks:

The Zlooksh
by Dominique Demers
Translated by Sarah Cummins
Illustrated by Fanny

Zachary, a normal enough boy, shuttles easily into a world of make belive. His teacher sets the class a task- to draw their favourite animal. And Zachary gets busy. He lets his imagination fly and Zlooksh seems to be a figment from just that. Or is it? Read the book and you will know.

The story and the illustrations tickled Anushka, my six year old and for a while she was churning out imaginary animals after she read the book.

Picture source

Curly and straight
by Radha HS
illustrated by Ruchi Shah from Pratham

My two year old thinks she likes being read to. She will usually ask for us to read and grab the book back midway, to indulge in her own mock reading of the book. This was the book she actually sat through , pointing at the pictures and at her own curly hair. So it holds a special place for us.

Picture source

The Mad Momma's picks:

Izzy the Lizzy
Author: Renee Riva
Illustrator: Steve Bjorkman
Publisher: Waterbrook Press

Age: 4+

A book that brought much joy to adults and kids alike this year was Izzy the Lizzy. Written in the most subtle verse, Izzy the Lizzy is about a lonely lizard who sets out to explore the beauty of the bog one rainy day. There she espies a delicious looking spider. Just as she is about to attack her, she realizes the spider is actually eyeing a bee for its next meal. What follows is a delightful treatise on the virtue of mercy, told in a way that children will appreciate.

The verse is beautiful and the watercolour illustrations an absolute pleasure to behold. Told clearly and simply it’s a great lesson for kids without being moralizing. A book we return to almost every week at bedtime.

The Owl and The Pussycat
Author: Edward Lear (additional verse by Angela McAllister)
Illustrator: Kevin Waldron
Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Age: 4+

An old favourite, this one has made a comeback with shiny new illustrations and additions to thestoryline. Again, written in verse this tale is of the love of an owl and a pussycat who go to sea in a beautiful pea green boat. Children love the rhyming words, the rhythm when it is recited and the absolute lack of boundaries to imagination as the owl and pussycat set sail with only some honey and money to their name.

The additional verse by Angela McAllister fits in perfectly and gives you that little more you tend to crave when something good comes to an end. The attention to detail is breath taking and it's a particular joy to me to know that my childhood favourite now holds pride of place on my children's bookshelf.

Anusha's pick:

Touchdown Mars!
by Peggy Wethered
illustrated by Michael Chesworth

Ages 4+

In 2011, the resident 6yo spent a considerable time dreaming up living on another planet. What would it be like for the very first human adventurers to step on an uninhabited alien land? What fundamentals of existence that we take for granted here would they have to plan and pack for?

Touchdown Mars! couples imagination with scientific facts offering just enough to feed and inspire a child's inquisitiveness. The vivid watercolor illustrations contrast the bright orange color of the Martian landscape against the stark white of the space suits, and the beauty of Martian sunrise and sunset are captured in picture clarity. We read this several times in the year and learned one new fact about Mars each time.

[image source: openlibrary.org]

Vibha's picks:

The Caterpillar Who Went On A Diet and other stories
Author : Ranjit Lal

How could anyone not want to pick a book whose title goes like this… 'The Caterpillar Who Went On a Diet'? And the best part is, this book is a hilarious treasure box of not one but 14 humorous stories by none other than the great expert on huge array of fauna - Ranjit Lal. All the characters are funny insects and the stories are like a beautiful and delicious spread of all flavours in front of you. The more you savor, the more you are cajoled by them to try further...

Ranjit Lal has shared his deep research of insects through playful storytelling. The fat caterpillar Nimbu who is inspired and challenged by a stick insect to go on a diet for a delicate slim figure, the Cheeni Chor ant who discovers a well stocked refrigerator and gorges on lip smacking goodies, the Dung Beetle Dhamaka and many other such hilarious characters are sure to leave the readers in splits.

How Not To Babysit Your Brother
Author : Cathy Hapka and Ellen Titlebaum

Will's little brother Steve is quite a handful to manage. Once in the absence of their mother and grandmother drifting off to sleep, Will gets to babysit his kid brother. While he is trying to keep Steve busy so that he gets uninterrupted time to play his video game, he inadvertently learns many lessons about what not to do when on the job like this.

Many funny incidents and accidents are sure to happen in such situations and kids would love reading through Will's struggle to keep Steve out of trouble. The lively illustrations and endearing facial expressions of the brothers will keep the readers glued to the book till the very last page.

utbt's picks:

Cock-A-Doodle-Doo!! (Mudpuddle Farm)
By Michael Morpurgo

Farm. Farmer Rafferty. Farm animals that talk. Mossop the very old lazy cat. Mice menace. Mossop about to get kicked out from the farm. All animals come up with an ingenious plan to save Mossop. Fun. Loved it! Highly recommend it!

Hop On Pop
By Dr.Seuss

This book has a special place in our house. It was the first book read by my older child and it is the first book WILLINGLY read by the second child, who in general does not like to read. Now that she has figured out that she can replace the first letter sound and read the next word, she is making up new rhymes! Joy!

[image source: amazon.com, wikipedia]

My picks:

Where the Sidewalk Ends
by Shel Silverstein

Ages 4+

The tattered old hardbound book, full of memories and character, a hand-me-down from her dad, was the one most often chosen from the bookshelf by the six year old at bedtime. It is one of my favorites as well as I am partial to poetry.

From Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout to Unicorn, Yipiyuk to Afraid Of The Dark, Sick to Crocodile's Toothache, this book is full of the absurd, the funny, the weird, and the charming, making for a delightful and amusing read, anytime, every time, as evidenced in our house.

Poems, poems, poems! That's what the 6 yo gravitated towards in 2011.

Flap Your Wings
by P.D. Eastman

Ages 4+

Reading this book was almost an obsession with the 3.75 year old. Every night at bedtime, for about 5 weeks, among the stack of 4 books for the bedtime-read carefully chosen by the pre-schooler, was nestled this irresistible volume.

A little boy walks along a path; he finds an egg without a nest; he finds a nest without an egg; he promptly puts the two together. And thus stars this wonderfully rooted story with Mr. and Mrs. Bird providing the comic and the heart-warming.

While the profound concepts of the nest getting crowded and the young one learning to fly away on his own are lost on the little one, it is an equally amusing book at face-value: from the time the enormous egg hatches and we find out the "baby bird" is a crocodile till the end when "Junior" (as he is fondly called by the Birds) desperately flaps his "wings" clumsily all the way down to the water below... and swims elegantly, feeling at home, the book entertains and provokes giggles.

[image source: amazon.com, google.com book search]

The Twelve Days of Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (the mad momma) — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 17:37:00 +0000

The Twelve Days of Christmas

Author: June Williams

Illustrator: John McIntosh

Publisher: Herron Book Distributors

No, this is not the old number about The Twelve Days of Christmas and what the true love gave. It is, instead a fresh take from down under where the true love gives a range of animals from Down Under.

So on the first day of Christmas the true love sent, an Emu up a gum tree. The author goes on to expand on the Emu up a gum tree, pointing out that an Emu in trouble is rather sad to see since everyone knows an Emu cannot fly. On the fourth day came Kookaburras who did nothing but laugh all day. Wombats, Numbats, screaming pink Galahs, Jabirus, Kangaroos and Platypuses are just some of the Australian creatures children are introduced to in a very enjoyable way.

All the animals are working with one purpose - to get the protagonist to help the Emu out of the tree while all he wants to do is kick back and snooze under his hat in peace. Does he get the Emu out of the tree? Does he appreciate the gifts of love sent to him? Only one way to find out!

The children have loved the book and like all such cumulative rhymes have learned it in no time and are taking great joy in exercising their lungs and memories alike. The illustrations by McIntosh are bang on, with a grumpy man in shorts, hidden under a slouchy hat painfully putting up with all the gifts his over enthusiastic true love is sending his way.

Additionally the last page carries the music for the song should you want to play and sing along. Definitely one of our favourite books this Christmas season.