book or treat 2: into the woods

2002 Broadway Revival Poster [source]  

Last October, I got such a great response for my "Book or Treat: Literary Pumpkins" post, I thought I'd delve into the world of literature again this year for some fun fall celebration ideas.  So step "Into the Woods" with me for some not-so-scary Halloween/Fall Woodland Party inspiration, costumes, and pumpkins.

Woodland Red Riding Hood Party
Inspiration: James Marshall's Red Riding Hood book.

So many choices - dress up as Red Riding Hood,
the wolf, or the Grandmother. [source:birds party blog]

Red Riding Hood and the Wolf
costumes [source: martha stewart]

Woodland Gnome Sweet Gnome Party
Inspiration: Wil Huygen's Gnomes book

Woodland Party table [source: nikkiikkin]

This fall birthday party is totally adaptable as a Halloween party
[source: tradewind tiaras blog]

Better Homes and Gardens Halloween issue 2012

Woodland Forest Children and Owls Party
Inspiration: Elsa Beskow's Children of the Forest book
(More Owl books here. Click here for more books by Elsa Beskow.)

Woodland Party table [source: simplified bee]

Toadstool cupcakes [source: parents.com]

"Mrs. Owl taught them the language of all that squeaks, swims, flies, or
runs.  She taught them to listen to the message of the wind, and to see
the approach of spring even before the first snowdrop".

Give a Hoot craft, made with cardboard t.p. tubes and
cupcake liners. [source: parents.com]

Owl Pumpkins [source: hostess with the mostess]

Woodland Friends Flower Party
Inspiration: Elsa Beskow's The Flowers' Festival book
(More Fairy books here. Click here for more books by Elsa Beskow.)

Better Homes and Garden's Special Interest fall issue 2012
fairy costume here

Leaf Fairy costume [source: martha stewart]

Rose Fairy costume [source: martha stewart]

lily of the valley costumes [source: martha stewart]

Acorn cookies: Hershey's kisses, mini Nilla Wafers,
and itty bitty peanut butter morsels [source: design dazzle]

Fairy Pinecone craft [source: red ted art's blog]

Pumpkin Fairy House [source:good housekeeping]

Looking for literary themed Halloween party ideas for preteens and teens?  Stay tuned...

ELSA BESKOW: A SWEDISH ILLUSTRATOR

Cover of a Swedish school reader, Vill du läsa? (Do You Want to Read?)

Autumn is officially here, and what better illustration to post than this beautiful offering by one of my favorite children's book illustrators than Elsa Beskow (1874-1953).

In 1894 Beskow started to contribute to the Swedish children's magazine Jultomten. She went on to publish forty children's books with her own text and images. In her books Beskow used her own childhood experiences as a source for ideas. Her six children also inspired her work. Many of her books focus on nature, the relationships between children and adults, and children's independent initiative. She frequently combined reality with elements from the fairy tale world. In her stories and artwork, children meet elves, goblins, or fairies, and farm animals who can talk with people.

From Peter in Blueberry Land

Elsa Beskow is one of the most well known of all Swedish children's book artists (she's been called the "Beatrix Potter of Scandinavia"). Many of her books became classics and are continually reprinted. Beskow also illustrated ABC books and songbooks for Swedish schools. Her beautiful book pages are often bordered by decorative framework of the Art Nouveau style.

From Woody, Hazel, and Little Pip

BEAUTIFUL BOOKS BY ELSA BESKOW:

AROUND THE YEAR - Delightful verses and delicate, playful illustrations that take young children through the special joys of each month of the year, from icy February to the green shoots of April, the red poppies of July, September’s apples, and the delights of December.

CHILDREN OF THE FOREST - Deep in the roots of an old pine tree live the children of the forest. Playing hide-and-seek with the squirrels, and snowballing in winter, each season brings its own adventures.

PELLE'S NEW SUIT - Pelle shears his lamb and gets the wool carded, spun, dyed, woven and made into a fine new suit.

PETER IN BLUEBERRY LAND - Peter is looking for blueberries for his mother’s birthday and he can’t find a single one. Suddenly he feels a light tap on his shoe, and a strange and magical adventure is about to begin.

WOODY, HAZEL AND LITTLE PIP - Woody and Little Pip Acorn have an unexpected adventure when they take a ride on an oak leaf. Mr. Squirrel and their friend sweet little Hazel Hazelnut go searching for the acorn boys, and they meet gnomes, trolls, a salamander and other woodland creatures along the way. A wonderful, fun story with beautiful illustrations that capture children's imaginations beautifully.

Just a few more days to enter my SEPTEMBER GIVEAWAY!  Bob Books SIGHT WORDS set for Kindergarten and First Grade is the gift.  To enter, leave a comment, start following my blog, or "like" my Facebook page by September 29th.  Winner will be announced on September 30, 2011.  CLICK HERE for more info. CONTEST OVER.

THE UNIVERSAL STORIES OF SWEDISH AUTHOR, ASTRID LINDGREN

illustrated by Louis S. Glanzman

One of my all-time favorite chapter books as a young girl, had to be PIPPI LONGSTOCKING (published in 1945).  Have you ever met her?  She is the strongest girl in the world, has bright red hair done up in braids that stick straight out on each side, wears odd stockings with men's shoes, and lives all alone in a wacky house ("Villa Villekulla") with her horse and a monkey named "Mr. Nilsson".  She is completely independent and does things in her own, unique way:  she sleeps with her feet on her pillow and her head under the covers, she makes cookies on the floor, and takes on burglars single-handedly.   Her mother died when she was a baby, and her father was lost at sea.  She befriends her neighbors, Annika and Tommy, and they share many adventures with her.  (PIPPI GOES ON BOARD (1946); PIPPI IN THE SOUTH SEAS (1948).   (Please don't waste your time on any of the adapted films - some things are just better left to the imagination!)

Illustration by Nancy Seligohn

Another series of books written by Astrid Lindgren is THE CHILDREN OF NOISY VILLAGE.  Think of Laura Ingalls Wilder's LITTLE HOUSE books, only set in Sweden.  Charming stories of a simpler time.  These delightful tales include CHRISTMAS IN NOISY VILLAGE and HAPPY TIMES IN NOISY VILLAGE, with quaint illustrations by Ilon Wikland.  There are three Swedish farm houses that make up "Noisy Village", named so because of how many children inhabit these homes!.  The story is told in first person by 9 year-old Lisa about the mischievous adventures of the children.  All the adventures are innocent and full of fun, and will be enjoyed by boys and girls alike.

A third set of books by Astrid Lindgren that I'd like to mention is THE TOMTEN and its companion story, THE TOMTEN AND THE FOX.  These two gorgeously illustrated picture books were favorites of my youngest son.  The setting is a quiet farmstead, deep in the forest:  "Here is a lonely old farm, where everyone is sleeping.  All but one..." a  little dwarf-like creature (think of a gnome*) from Swedish folklore, called a "Tomten" who guards the farm.  No one has ever seen him, but sometimes his little footprints are visible in the snow.  He checks on all the barnyard animals and talks to them in Tomten language (a silent little language they can understand).  He tiptoes to the house and peeks in on the sleeping children before going back to his cozy corner of the hayloft, where he dreams of the coming summer.

The second story is much the same with it's moonlit scenes - as the Tomten sees a fox, Reynard, who is prowling around the hen house.  He shares his porridge with the hungry fox and the chickens are kept safe... for another night.  The restful watercolor illustrations were done by Harald Wiberg.

* THE GNOME CRAFT BOOK The Gnome Craft Book includes instructions for making Astrid Lindgren’s classic gnome, the Tomten. 

"Childhood is not age, but a state of mind".  Astrid Lindgren