Tiny Treasury

I love crafts. I always have. As a kid, I loved any excuse to create a little something out of paper, glue and some embellishments (I still do, which is why I love Kari’s paper blog!). I didn’t want to wait for Christmas and Easter to be crafty - and why should you? St. Patrick’s is a great holiday to be crafty - lots of color, lots of pageantry, lots of fantasy.

You can find cute and eminently do-able crafts in Kathy Ross’ Crafts for St. Patrick’s Day. Crafts include a host of shamrock-related projects, jewelry and an Irish magic wand (we have one of those in my house right now). It’s the perfect book for days like today in Philadelphia - cold and snowy out.

S. Patrick’s Day, crafts, shamrocks, paper

It’s been a difficult couple of weeks at my house. My father-in-law was admitted into hospital about a week and a half ago and required two emergency surgeries; he was subsequently admitted to ICU. He is, thankfully, officially now “out of the woods” - whatever that means.

My husband handled it very well. This is my father in law’s second serious health scare within the last five or so years (the last was a quintuple bypass) and this one was resolved much more quickly. It did not help my husband, however, that right now my kids are really into Josephine Nobisso’s book, Grandpa Loved.

The book is really lovely. The illustrations by Maureen Hyde are soft water colors which lends a nice tone to the book overall. The theme of the book is grief and how a child might reconcile their own grief. You don’t so much pick up on the theme early on in the book. The story focuses on the relationship between the narrator (a grandson) and his grandfather. Throughout the story, the child tells of the wonderful things that he learned from his grandfather. At the end of the story, however, the child reveals that his grandfather is deceased.

This is such a difficult concept, this idea of death, to convey to children. I know, I’ve tried to do it before. I like the idea of introducing the concept of death gently, as in this book. There’s no point in dancing around it, especially when it involves people that we know and love. But there’s no need to be in your face or overly explanatory either. It’s a delicate balance. I think that Ms. Nobisso “gets it” - and I’m not the only one who thinks so. Parents magazine has previously selected it as one of the “Best Children’s Books of the Year.”

I hope you’ll check it out.

grief, death, grandparents, Josephine Nobisso, Parents magazine

Okay, Madeline was never really in Peoria, so far as we know. But following the success of the first Madeline book, there were a number of sequels by author Ludwig Bemelmans, including Madeline in London.

The character of Madeline may have inherited some of her own rebellious/mischievous spirit from author Bemelmans himself. He was no angel, for sure, and moved to the United States at his parent’s urging after he was involved in a shooting in his uncle’s hotel in Austria. While in the US, his career as a waiter did not take off as his parents hoped (good for us) and he subsequently joined the Army. Eventually, he returned to civilian life and opened a restaurant. He never forgot his first love, though: as the son of an artist, Bemelmans loved to draw and paint and continued to work on his artist’s skills.

At the age of 36, Bemelmans published his first children’s book, Hansi.Five years later, Bemelsman introduced Madeline,a children’s book named after his wife, Madeleine Freund. It was rejected by a number of publishing houses who did not feel it was kid-friendly enough. Finally, Simon and Schuster gave Bemelsman the green light and Madeline was published.

Bemelmans went on to publish a number of Madeline stories, as well as a host of children’s stories. In total there were seven Madeline stories published by Bemelmans. Five of the stories were published as books during Bemelmans’ lifetime: Madeline, Madeline’s Rescue, Madeline and the Bad Hat, Madeline and the Gypsies, and Madeline in London. Madeline’s Christmas was published as a book in the mid-80s; it was originally published as a magazine story in McCall’s. Finally, Madeline in America and Other Holiday Tales, was published less than a decade ago after being discovered years after Bemelmans’ death.

Bemelmans received the Caldecott Award in 1954 for Madeline’s Rescue,just as he did for the original Madeline.

The original Madeline was perhaps such a hit because of her personality. While most little girls in children’s books of that era were all sweetness and light, Madeline had spunk. The smallest of the girls at her boarding school (not an orphanage!), she was fearless - walking on stone bridges and smiling at tigers in the zoo. Adults found her precocious and charming; children found her irresistible and maybe a little inspirational.

The spark that made Madeline so special in her stories was missing in Madeline in London, the least interesting of the five books. London is such a great destination and Bemelmans, as a world traveler, surely could have crafted a first class story. The book is, as always, beautifully illustrated - one of the more colorful of the series. But the story falls flat.

The storyline revolves around Madeline’s friend, Pepito (the son of the Spanish ambassador), who has moved to London. He misses his friends and his birthday is fast approaching. His mother, sensing his sadness, invites Madeline, Miss Clavell and the entire boarding school to London for a visit. The girls secure a horse for Pepito for his birthday, and hijinks ensue. Only, the hijinks are not only not believable, they are not particularly entertaining either.

I guess I find the story most disappointing because the other Madeline storylines were so well-crafted. In this story, however, the plot feels ill-conceived and there’s no real interplay between the characters. I happen to enjoy the relationship between Madeline and Miss Clavell; Madeline constantly challenges Miss Clavell but they remain, in an adult-child manner, friends. There are not nearly enough stories where adults are central figures and not the “bad guy” - however, you always have the feeling that no matter what kind of trouble Madeline gets into, Miss Clavell will forgive her.

That’s what makes the series - and the characters - so endearing. If you haven’t already read this children’s classic, give Madeline a chance. I highly recommend the original as well as Madeline’s Rescue. If you’re on a limited budget, you may want to skip over Madeline in London. It’s the one bad hat in the bunch.

“And that’s all there is — there isn’t any more.”

Madeline, Madeline in London, Bemelmans

During the week, our book collection at the house grew. Out of the bunch, both girls were immediately drawn to Josephine Nobisso’s Hot Cha-Cha, perhaps as a result of the colorful, fun, bright illustrations of Joan Holub (Amy’s exact quote upon seeing the books on Holub’s web site home page was “I wish I could have one of those!”).

The main character in the book is a young girl named Maria. Maria’s big coup is finding a key (the finding of the key is Katie’s favorite part) in a cookie jar. While the key, on the surface, unlocks the city playground which had previously been locked, it really opens up a world to Maria and her friends, who spend the afternoon exploring and playing - until the grown-ups crash their party!

It’s a simple story written in a fresh voice. What could have been routine (and frankly, boring) is made interesting and merry with the use of rhythmic language which challenges adult and child readers to keep the energy up (!) and delights children with its silliness:

See a What
See an ah
See an oo-la-la!

What did she find in the cookie jar?
Fireflies?
Or crackers?
Or the moolah-la?

Further keeping the energy level up are Holub’s vibrant illustrations (both of my girls give Holub high marks for the use of color - and the dog on the swing!). Each page offers a spirited glimpse into the mood of Maria and her friends. You cannot help but smile from page to page - the illustrations really do complete the book rather than simply reflect the storyline, as in so many children’s book.

If you’re in the mood for a book that’s a little bit different, check out Hot Cha Cha! It’s a rollicking good time (cha-cha!).

Philadelphia’s own Please Touch Museum has announced the winners of its 22nd Annual Please Touch Museum Book Award. The award is given annually to two books in categories based on the age of the museum’s visitors, children under the age of 7.

“Since 1985, the Please Touch Museum Book Awards have been unique in highlighting some of the best examples of storytelling for young children,” says Please Touch Museum’s President and CEO Nancy Kolb. “We’re very proud to be announcing two more outstanding books which we hope will help children discover the joys of reading and learning.”

This year’s winners are:

Age 3 and under – In the Fiddle Is a Song: A Lift-the-Flap Book of Hidden Potential written and illustrated by Durga Bernhard
Age 4 to 7 – I Love Our Earth by Bill Martin, Michael Sampson and photographer Dan Lipow

And yes, if you recognize the name Bill Martin, Jr., he is the author of a number of books including Chicka Chicka Boom Boom and Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?

Winners Durga Bernhard and Michael Sampson will be honored at the annual Delaware Valley Association for the Education of Young Children (DVAEYC) conference Friday, March 16, 2007, at 11 a.m. at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. The authors will appear at a book signing event at Please Touch Museum on Saturday, March 17, 2007 at 12 p.m. The museum will also be displaying original illustrations and photographs from both books during April and May as part of the annual “Celebrate Stories” months presented by The Albert M. Greenfield Foundation.

“I have this little sister, Lola…”

In 2001, author Lauren Childs penned the first Charlie and Lola book. Since then, she’s gone on to author a number of books as well as a Charlie and Lola series for the BBC and DVD.

My kids are hooked and I am glad. The Charlie and Lola series is witty and well-written. The illustrations are terrific. Best of all, as in any good book, is the central story. Charlie and Lola are siblings. Charlie is 7 and Lola is 4. And gasp, they get along. In that way, it’s a wonderful example for children about not always agreeing but always working it out and remaining friends.

Here’s the list of Charlie and Lola books out currently:

I haven’t read them all (I think I’m missing three). My plan is to review each of them separately but I wanted to give you a preview of things to come. Pick one up yourself at the store and give it a go!

PS - Once you start reading, I dare you to try without a British accent! It’s nearly impossible. As for me? I now sound like Madonna.

Charlie and Lola, Lauren Childs, BBC

Continuing the Dr. Seuss theme this month, it’s worth mentioning that the 2007 Theodor Seuss Geisel Award winner is ZELDA AND IVY: THE RUNAWAYS by Laura McGee Kvasnosky. It is the story of Zelda and Ivy, sisters and foxes who take off on an adventure in an effort to avoid a lunch of their father’s cucumber sandwiches.

Honorary mentions for 2007 went to:

Mercy Watson Goes for a Ride written by Kate DiCamillo and illustrated by Chris Van Dusen (Candlewick)

Move Over, Rover! by Karen Beaumont and illustrated by Jane Dyer (Harcourt)

Not a Box by Antonette Portis (HarperCollins)

The winner for 2006 was Henry and Mudge and the Great Grandpas written by Cynthia Rylant and illustrated by Suçie Stevenson (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers). Honorary mentions were awarded to Hi! Fly Guy by Tedd Arnold (Cartwheel Books, an imprint of Scholastic Inc.); A Splendid Friend, Indeed by Suzanne Bloom (Boyds Mills Press); Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa written by Erica Silverman and illustrated by Betsy Lewin (Harcourt, Inc.); and Amanda Pig and the Really Hot Day written by Jean Van Leeuwen and illustrated by Ann Schweninger (Dial Books for Young Readers, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group).

The Theodor Seuss Geisel Award was established in 2004. It is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association, for the most distinguished contribution to beginning reader books published in the United States during the preceding year. Criteria for the award includes great creativity and imagination in an effort to engage children in reading.

Don’t forget to enter our Dr. Seuss contest! Details here.

Dr. Seuss, Theodor Seuss Geisel Award, Association for Library Service to Children

At our house, neither my husband nor I knows exactly who is going to read to the children until the last minute each evening. This is because, board meetings and night classes aside, we allow the girls to choose their night time book. And the decision as to who reads is pretty easy after that: I read the English books and my husbands reads the German books. My husband is fluent in German and has access to a number of great children’s books, it’s a great way to expose the children to another language without pressure.

That said, one book that translates easily in both languages is Swiss author’s Marcus Pfister’s Rainbow Fish (oder Regenbogenfisch auf deutsch). It is, quite simply, a stunning picture book, as illustrated here in prints available on art.com:

In the books, the scales on the rainbow fish (his pride and joy) are shimmery thanks to foil inserts over watercolor prints. The illustrations are especially beautiful in dim light, perfect for right before bedtime.

You’d think that this classic, which remained on the NY Times bestseller list for ages, is pretty innocuous: it’s a book with beautiful pictures and a fairly straightforward storyline (more about that in a bit). It’s my youngest daughter’s favorite right now in English and German (we have both) - she especially enjoys the talking octopus. So imagine my surprise when I surfed over to amazon.com and found this, the most controversial customer reviews that I’ve ever seen on amazon.com for a children’s book! Yes, it’s worth following the link to see such gems as:

Give this book to your children if you would like them to grow up as communist homosexuals.

and

The message made me recoil, it honestly did. It says: if you do not do what I want you to do, I will run whinning to everyone I can and convince them that I have been injured and you will be a social pariah– different is to be fear and emotional bullying is okay.

I will not flog this horse anymore, as Mr. M. Newman, one of the reviewers, said it best any way.

This book is cruel and mean in message and should be kept away from any child that we hope to make into a good, productive citizen of this country.

and

Analysis:

1. I do understand that this is *supposed* to be about sharing, but I think that pulling parts of yourself off and giving them away is not a good idea
2. It seems rather socialist to me–everyone simply must have a shiny scale whether or not they have the capacity to grow their own shiny scales or not.
3. Why should anyone have to pay people to be their friend???

Whoa. It’s a kid’s book. But, boy did it hit a nerve with some people. I never read into what others did, especially the part about pulling bits of yourself off - c’mon, sharing the scales is a metaphor! And, psst, fish don’t really talk either, but that didn’t stop Nemo…

At any rate, I thought the book had a nice moral about sharing. In the beginning of the story, the rainbow fish has no friends and believes that his beauty might enough to make him happy. He eventually finds that it isn’t and he seeks counsel from the wise old octopus who advises him to share with others. In the end, the rainbow fish shares his scales with the other fish and he makes friends.

Despite the negative reviews to the contrary, I don’t think that giving away what makes you special makes you less special. It’s a good lesson to learn that sharing your music, art or talent with others, rather than keeping it to yourself, makes the world a better place. And I certainly didn’t think that the book was some sort of entreaty to give away all of your worldly possessions in order to make friends. Instead, I thought it was a cautionary tale about the dangers of relying upon things to make you happy.

What makes this a good story, no matter what side you come down on in terms of the moral, is that it’s a good book to discuss with your children. That’s one of the best things about children’s books, they provide an opportunity to talk to your children, which often gets lost in today’s busy schedules. You can chat with your children about their favorite characters, what they thought about the story, what the story meant to them. And if you think that there is something wrong with the message, that’s the time to talk to your children about that, too.

All of the controversy about the message notwithstanding, as I mentioned earlier, the book is beautifully illustrated beautifully. In fact, the book and its characters still enjoy a lot of popularity in the mainstream. There is even an HBO animated series based on the Rainbow Fish.

Of course, you’re the best judge of what makes sense for your children. So, rather than rely on a number of mixed reviews, I encourage you to pick up a copy and judge for yourself what the hub-bub is all about. And stop on by afterwards, I’d love to hear what you think!

Rainbow fish, Marcus Pfister, illustrations

It’s weird to me that Strawberry Shortcake is so hot again. I loved her as a kid. The Strawberry Shortcake that I knew, though, is definitely not the Strawberry Shortcake of today. No bloomers. No puffy hats. Now she’s all about tee shirts, long pants (and sometimes, capris) and trendy haircuts. Strawberry Shortcake is (to quote Amy): cool.

Strawberry Shortcake’s friends are updated, too. Apple Dumplin’s fashion sense leaves something to be desired, but that’s excusable since she’s a baby. Angel Cake sports new denim overalls and Ginger Snap brings a Latin flair. Orange Blossom is now African-American and Huckleberry Pie is (gasp) a boy. In fact, there’s a whole new slate of characters including Peppermint Fizz, Coco Calypso, Blueberry Muffin, Rainbow Sherbet, Seaberry Delight, Lemon Meringue, Raspberry Torte, Crepes Suzette, Tea Blossom, Tangerina Torta, Frosty Puff, Apricot and Cherry Cuddler (whew). And everyone of them has a pet (or two) and a backstory. 1980, it’s not.

That said, the updated Strawberry Shortcake also comes with a new line of merchandising. Fortunately for me, in addition to the normal toys, games and videos, there are books. Especially fortunate for me, there are cookbooks. Katie has, after all, decided that she will be a “cooker” when she grows up.

The thing that’s so great about cookbooks for children is that there are a number of lessons to be learned. It’s not just great entertainment. It’s an education. We learn reading and math - and science.

Additions in Berry Yummy Cookbookmake it easy to explain how things work to children, too. There is a section on “Kitchen Rules” and a description of things you might find in a kitchen (like wisks and colanders), as well as cooking terms (bake, beat, blend, you get the idea) and measuring tips. And to make it really easy for the reader, there is a “Strawberry Key” on each recipe: one strawberry means that you can do most of the steps by yourself; two strawberries mean that you’ll need an adult to help for some of the recipe and three strawberries mean that you absolutely must have an adult to help.

The cookbook is divided into chapters on Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, Dessert and Snacks & Drinks. I was expecting really easy recipes with pre-fab ingredients. Not so at all! Recipes include such fare as Spectacular Berry Pancakes, Super Stuffed Baked Potatoes, Cheese Puffs and of course, Strawberry Shortcake with real whipped cream.

Yes, the berry references can get annoying. And yes, it’s saccharine-y sweet. But the kids love it. It’s all good fun.