Cosgrove Hall Research

A great research on the British Animation Company, Cosgrove Hall!

Cosgrove Hall Research Portfolio

I don’t know if it’s because I grew up with them but as far as I’m concerned the 80s and early 90s will always be the best era for children’s television, especially with British animation. Shows like Superted and The Trap Door, even the ones for younger kids like Postman Pat, I could still happily watch today.

I considered quite a few different animators and studios when thinking about who I wanted to research. I thought it would be lazy of me to do someone glaringly obvious like Disney or Pixar; they’re companies that I could write quite a lot about without necessarily having to do too much research. I wanted a company I didn’t know too much about but also one whose work I was familiar with and enjoyed. I chose Cosgrove Hall. I remember it having quite a big impact on my childhood, which is strange when I…

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Cowgirls, Cowboys and Cowcookies…

Lit for Kids great list for books!

Lit For Kids

posted by Meghan

There are some obsessions that we only seem to have in childhood.  Dinosaurs, knights/princesses, trucks, cowboys – all seem to be things that we could not be passionate about as kids, but all but forget about as adults. (Ok, except the princess thing, which almost every woman I know secretly wants to turn into, and maybe the love of trucks turns to cars, specifically BMW’s and yes, I’m talking to you, honey.)  I guess because there aren’t all that many job listings for paleontologists or cowboys.  But as kids… ah, the fantasies abound.  And so, we bring you our favorite cowboys, cowgirls, and other assorted stetson- wearing creatures.

~~~~~

Giddy Up, Cowgirlby Jarret Krosoczka

Krosoczka is a huge favorite of ours, and this simple book is no exception.  Cowgirl is a big help to her Momma, in her own way, which any parent of a…

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Meryl Streep – Reading ‘The Velveteen Rabbit’

Review on the Velveteen Rabbit narrated by Meryl Streep!

Children’s Books

check out abbykutscher’s top children’s books list!

abbykutscher

When I was little, my mother, grandmother, and aunt always read to me. It is thanks to them that I have been a bookworm for my entire life. Recently, I read an article featuring the top books you should read to your children and was disappointed that only a very few of my favorite childhood books made the cut. So here is a list of my top 15. Have you read any of them? What were your favorite books as a child?

1. Stellaluna by: Janell Cannon

2. Once Upon a Potty by: Alona Frankel

3. Emily’s Autumn by: Janice May Udry

4. Mary Ann’s Mud Day by: Janice May Udry

5. Miss Suzy by: Miriam Young

6. Love you Forever by: Robert Munsch

7. How The Rhinoceros Got His Skin by: Jack Nicholson

8. Wombat Stew by: Marcia K. Vaughan

9. Freya’s Fantastic Surprise by: Libby Hathorn

10. The…

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Hubert the Pudge: A Vegetarian Tale

Vegbooks’ review on Hubert the Pudge!

Vegbooks: Reviews of Kids Books & Movies

This book by Henrik Drescher doesn’t beat around the bush.  It’s the story of a horrible pudge processing farm where the animals are kept confined until it’s time for slaughter.   Happily, one small pudge named Hubert escapes on the rare occasion that Farmer Jake lets the animals outside while he cleans the barn.  Hubert grows large in the jungle then returns to free his friends and strong-arm Jake into doing something better with his life.  In the end, Jake cleans up his act, finds love, and opens a tofu hot dog company.

I love that this book exposes the horrors of animal agriculture in a kid-friendly way (though parts might be scary for some), but I’m not nuts about the illustrations.  That said, I’ll be the first to admit that the aesthetics of this quirky book are definitely a matter of personal taste.  You and your kid might go wild…

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The Gruesome Guide to World Monsters

A great review on “The Gruesome Guide to World Monsters!”

kristyhasablog

Bibliographic citation:Sierra, Judy. The Gruesome Guide to World Monsters. Candlewick Press, 2005. ISBN 0-763-6-1727
Format Examined: Hardcover print
Annotation: Monsters from different folklore are explained.
Personal Reaction: I loved this book! I do enjoy a good scary monster tale. Little kids might actually get scared, however, because some of these monsters are reputed to be quite deadly. The monsters are all ranked on a skull and crossbones scale, five skull and crossbones being the deadliest. I thought that was a cute touch. There is a forward that explains that all these monsters come from actual folk stories from countries all over the world. I would recommend this book for very brave children! This book encourages print motivation with its very colorful (often bloody) pictures.
Age Recommendation: 2 and up
Website: http://www.judysierra.net/

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The Fool of the World and the Flying Ship

A fantastic review on the Fool and the Flying Ship!

Rarest Kind of Best

CALDECOTT MEDAL WINNER – 1969

The Fool of the World and the Flying Ship

retold by Arthur Ransome

illustrated by Uri Shulevitz

Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1968

44 pp.

Age: 4+

Interests: folktales, Russia, magic, ships, flying

Also by this author: Old Peter’s Russian Tales, Swallows and Amazons series

Also by this illustrator: The Treasure, Snow, How I Learned Geography, SoSleepyStory

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Book Reviews #11

Some awesome book reviews!

Library Mom

I can’t believe this year is almost over! I’ve done pretty good with my reading total this year. It’s been updated twice, though I’m not sure I’ll be able to make to 300 in a month and a half (we’ll see). I’m up to 265. I’ve been trying really hard to finish to finish my Caldecott Challenge by the end of the year, and I think I’m under 40 books left. Same as the last couple of months, my adult books reading total has been rather crappy as I’ve not found much that interests me. My best book-related good news is that the publishing company that sent me Without Mercy back in September is going to send me another book to review! So I am looking forward to receiving that one.

I just started reading Young Romantics: The Tangled Lives of English Poetry’s Greatest Generation by Daisy Hay, and it sounds pretty interesting. Though…

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McFig & McFly: A Tale of Jealousy, Revenge, and Death (with a Happy Ending)

Wee Required Reading’s thoughts on Henrik Drescher’s McFig and McFly.

Wee Required Reading

By Henrik Drescher

Candlewick Press, 2008

Far away from anywhere big and important, in a little cozy cottage surrounded by fruit trees and berry bushes, lived McFig and his little daughter, Rosie. One day, a stranger named McFly and his son, Anton, bought the land next door. This was OK with McFig, as long as they weren’t noisy or smelly.

In fact, they’re just the opposite. McFig and McFly have quite a bit in common and get along marvelously. So marvelously in fact, that McFig helps McFly build a cottage exactly like his own. But when McFig also builds a tall tower with his leftover lumber — making his house just a teensy bit bigger and better — so starts a competition that will consume, and eventually end, their lives.

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App Review: The Velveteen Rabbit and John Henry

Here are medgirl2001’s thoughts on the Velveteen Rabbit and John Henry!