FEBRUARY: A PRESIDENTIAL MONTH

If you're looking for some captivating children's picture books about our two U.S. presidents born in February - Abraham Lincoln on the 12th and George Washington on the 22nd - you won't be disappointed with the choices available from BEAUTIFUL FEET BOOKS!  These books and their authors (who also happen to be the illustrators) are exceptional! 

EDGAR AND INGRI D'AULAIRE BOOKS

George Washington

Abraham Lincoln

The D'Aulaires (husband and wife) began writing and illustrating picture book biographies that were first published for young children in the 1930's. The figures in their colorful folkart style drawings almost have a paper-doll look, which appeals greatly to kids. (In fact their illustrations of George Washington are intentionally supposed to help children conjure up images of rocking horses and toy soldiers!)  All their books are historically accurate and full of authentic detail, a result of the couple's countless hours of research at libraries and their travel to historic sites for each of their books.  And the results are breathtakingly beautiful books! (1st - 6th grade)


  
GENEVIEVE FOSTER BOOKS

George Washington's World

Abraham Lincoln's World

Genevieve Foster's books present a cross-section of history. Her historical figures are introduced and explored amidst the interconnecting events going on around the world at that time in the areas of politics, science, art, literature, and medicine. In the 1940's, her new approach to historical literature, versus just showing biographical subjects in isolation, really brought their stories to life for her young readers. She developed this style of writing from struggling herself, as a student, to better learn and understand history. Her own vivid line drawings, detailed maps, and timelines wonderfully complete these books. (4th grade and up)

BEAUTIFUL FEET BOOKS is a publisher and curriculum source especially loved by homeschooling families.  You can learn more about these titles, and order from their online catalog, here on their website. 

GOODBYE TO BRIAN JACQUES, CREATOR OF "REDWALL" AND A HERO TO MANY

Brian Jacques in 2000.  (Chris Maynard N.Y. Times Photo)

Some sad news was posted on Brian Jacques' website this week: 

"We are sorry to relay the news to all of Brian's friends and readers

of his passing on the evening of February 5th 2011. His family wish

to convey their thanks for the many messages of condolence they have

received. More information will appear here in due course." 

The New York Times posted a nice tribute today about this well-loved author and creator of the Redwall books.  You can read it here.

After many different jobs involving travel and hard physical labor, Jacques wrote the first Redwall story for children at a blind school.  The school, Royal Wavertree School for the Blind, was one of the stops on his milk delivery route in Liverpool, England. This first young audience definitely shaped the descriptive writing style that made Redwall (published in 1986), and the 20 books that followed, instant favorites with children (and their parents!)  His hero? A timid mouse named Matthias, whose mission was to protect Redwall Abbey.

"A mouse is small and can go unnoticed: but there is no limit to what a brave heart and a fearless spirit can achieve." - Brain Jacques

NORMAN ROCKWELL AND THE BOY SCOUTS

"Who am I?
I am America
as deep and warm,
great and tall,
as Norman Rockwell painted me..."

So starts the book, NORMAN ROCKWELL'S AMERICANA ABC, with text by George Mendoza.  I am lucky enough to have a copy of this beautiful book and I hope it will someday be brought back into print.

Norman Rockwell, who was born on February 3, 1894, wasn't known for being a children's book illustrator, but he definitely drew for children - his first job (when still in his teens!) was as art director for BOY'S LIFE, the official publication of the Boy Scouts of America.  Incidentally, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE BOY SCOUTS, founded on this day, February 8, 1910.

Rockwell is probably best remembered for his paintings on the covers of THE SATURDAY EVENING POST.  His first cover appeared in 1916, when he was just 22 years old.  Over the next 47 years, an additional 321 Rockwell paintings would appear on the cover of this popular American periodical.  He recruited family, friends, and neighbors as his models!

The nostalgic documentary below contains interviews from some of his neighbors who modeled, as they look back on how he set up the scenes for the photographs he painted from.  (It includes an interview with the woman who as a girl, was the model for the "Girl at the Mirror" painting, that I've shown below).

You might also enjoy watching American Chronicles:  
The Art of Norman Rockwell (at the end, you'll have the option to watch PART II)

I'll leave you with some excerpts and images from NORMAN ROCKWELL'S AMERICANA ABC:

I am an astronaut on my way to the stars...a
I am a boy, the beginnings of man, looking out to sea...b
I am Christmas and carols that I wish would stay all year...c 
I am a mirror filled with the magic of tomorrow...m

Girl at the Mirror.
Original oil painting for Saturday Evening Post cover,
March 6, 1954. Berkshire Museum, on loan from Norman Rockwell.

I am all the prayers in you...p

Saying Grace.
Original oil painting for Saturday Evening Post cover,
 November 24, 1951.  Collection Mr. and Mrs. Ken Stewart

I am the turkey on your table and the joy of giving thanks...t

Freedom from Want.  Original oil painting for poster, 1943.
Collection Norman Rockwell.

"When I go to farms or little towns, I am always surprised at the discontent I find. And New York, too often, has looked across the sea toward Europe. And all of us who turn our eyes away from what we have are missing life." -Norman Rockwell

PUBLIC DOMAIN MONDAY: SING A SONG OF SIXPENCE

 WALTER CRANE'S PICTURE BOOK, 1866

© Copyright 2000-2005 byGosh.com

PETER RABBIT AND SUPER BOWL SUNDAY...(Yes, you read my title correctly!)

The World of Peter Rabbit

As a follow-up to my last post about the YEAR OF THE RABBIT, I've decided not only to devote a whole entry to Peter, by far the most Popular Rabbit, but to also mention an NFL player who is said to be "quicker than a Jack Rabbit".


A couple of nights ago, I had fun perusing a wonderful website and resource - THE WORLD OF PETER RABBIT -  all about Peter Rabbit and his talented creator. Under the "WHAT'S NEW" tab, I discovered that this Sunday, February 6, there will be - no, not the Super Bowl! - a Chinese New Year celebration in Trafalgar Square, sponsored by London China Town (hence the cute painting)!


Which got me thinking: a great activity to do with a child who's not interested in watching the Super Bowl (bear with me Super Bowl fans - your turn is coming), would be to introduce her or him to some literary animals, all full of personality, from Beatrix Potter's imagination - found in her classic books (she wrote 23 in small format).  You can also meet her characters on this charming website by clicking on the "FUN AND GAMES" tab.  You'll also find activities, including one that puts your child into an Easter puppet show adventure with Peter (you might decide to save this for closer to the Easter holiday).

Fly Agaric 
(Amanita muscaria), 
drawn by 
Beatrix Potter 
in September 1897 
Courtesy of 
the National Trust

The tab for "BEATRIX POTTER" leads to historic photos, her artwork,  and all the information you'd ever want to know about this amazing author/illustrator. From childhood she was interested in nature and drawing (she spent hours observing and drawing her secret menagerie of pets), but she also "dedicated her later years to preserving the ecology and natural beauty of the Lake District, becoming a farmer and breeding Herdwick sheep. She worked closely with The National Trust and left them a substantial part of her estate to be preserved as a living landscape". She also donated a large collection of remarkable scientific illustrations of fossils, archaeological finds, mosses and lichens, wild flowers, microscope drawings and, most importantly, fungi to the Armitt Trust.  I saw an exhibit of her scientific illustrations years ago at a local natural history museum - they were incredible!

You may ask why PETER RABBIT has been so successful...maybe it's the timeless and compelling plot: separation from family and home, adventure, escape, and then the home-coming with lessons learned along the way (a plot as old as Homer's Odyssey!).  Or maybe it's the perfect marriage of Potter's gifted use of precise language with her detailed watercolor illustrations, which make her books so fun to read aloud.  Whatever the reason, all her stories respect the intelligence and humor of children, something all generations have appreciated. 


Now, for those of you who have kids that are into the SUPER BOWL this year...
Click HERE for some fun party ideas and crafts.  And who's the NFL player that is so quick? He's my favorite, so I'm rooting for his team, the Steelers.  Yes, it's Troy Polamalu! Read this excellent article to find out why I agree he's "head and shoulders above the rest".  I love the opening lines:

"Focus on his hair, and Troy Polamalu will play along. Ask him about his celebrity crush, and he will not.  It's an important distinction in the life of a true warrior."

If you want the "jack rabbit" comment, it was from another article, by Jonathan Mathis.  Want more? Watch this hilarious 1-minute video. (It's not exactly about football...) Still not enough?  You can read several excellent articles posted here on a wonderful blog, Adventures of an Orthodox Mom.


LASTLY, for those of you ladies who found all my football links interesting, but still don't want to watch the Super Bowl - go and rent MISS POTTER. It's one of my favorites! (Be sure to have a tissue box close by!)

HOPPING INTO THE YEAR OF THE RABBIT...

Notecards from Etsy

Today is the first day of the 2011 Chinese Lunar New Year. Welcome it with some fun books about China and Rabbits...


BRINGING IN THE NEW YEAR by Grace Lin.  Follow a Chinese American family as they prepare for the Lunar New Year. They all lend a hand as they sweep out the dust of the old year, hang decorations, and make dumplings. Then it’s time to put on new clothes and celebrate with family and friends. The celebration will include fireworks and lion dancers, shining lanterns, and a great, long dragon parade to help bring in the New Year. (The dragon parade in this book is extra long–on a surprise fold-out page at the end of the book.)



In a past post, I recommended several picture book stories set in China, that can be found HERE.  My kids and I really enjoyed reading aloud Chinese folk tales.  I've listed a couple more of our favorites:


TALES OF A CHINESE GRANDMOTHER, by Frances Carpenter.  (Ages 9-12) Wonderful folktales of the Chinese culture, told by an old grandmother. Each chapter is a different tale.


THE PAPER CRANE by Molly Bang. (Ages 4-8) Story based on an ancient Chinese folktale - a stranger enters a restaurant and is served a fine dinner by the owner of the struggling restaurant and his young son. He tries to repay the kind owner with an origami crane made from a paper napkin, that dances when they clap their hands.  Beautiful paper cut illustrations.



...And of course, I can't leave out some of my favorite books about rabbits!


HOME FOR A BUNNY by Margaret Wise Brown (ages 4-8).  This was a childhood favorite of mine, about a bunny searching for a home, with softly colored illustrations by Garth Williams.

MARSHMALLOW by Clare Turlay Newberry. (ages 4-8) About a Tabby cat named Oliver, and a rabbit named Marshmallow. In Ms. Newberry's own words, "Every word of Marshmallow is true, even to the drawing of them wrapped in each other's arms. I know people find this hard to believe, but the bunny was so little and was so convinced that Oliver was his mother, what could Oliver do but be his mother the best way he could?


SEVEN LITTLE RABBITS  by John Becker. (ages 3 and up) This has got to be one of the CUTEST counting books I've ever seen! "Seven little rabbits walkin' down the road, walking down the road to call on old friend toad." Lots of repetition and rhyme, with beautiful pictures by Barbara Cooney.