CELEBRATING "GROUNDHOG DAY" WITH SOME FAMOUS HEDGEHOGS...

If you read my February 2nd post last year, you may remember that hedgehogs have everything to do with what we Americans call "Groundhog Day" and the simultaneously occurring Christian celebration of "Candlemas" (last year's post is HERE).

Paper sculpture by Canadian artist, Calvin Nicholls [photo source here]

This year, I thought it would be fun to remind you of some famous literary hedgehogs.  As you will see, they show up quite often in British children's literature...

Hedgehogs were an intricate part of Alice's game of croquet:
"Get to your places!" shouted the Queen in a voice of thunder... and the game began. Alice thought she had never seen such a curious croquet-ground in her life; it was all ridges and furrows; the balls were live hedgehogs, the mallets live flamingoes, and the soldiers had to double themselves up and to stand on their hands and feet, to make the arches.

illustration by Sir John Tenniel
from Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1865)

The chief difficulty Alice found at first was in managing her flamingo: she succeeded in getting its body tucked away, comfortably enough, under her arm, with its legs hanging down, but generally, just as she had got its neck nicely straightened out, and was going to give the hedgehog a blow with its head, it would twist itself round and look up in her face, with such a puzzled expression that she could not help bursting out laughing: and when she had got its head down, and was going to begin again, it was very provoking to find that the hedgehog had unrolled itself, and was in the act of crawling away: besides all this, there was generally a ridge or furrow in the way wherever she wanted to send the hedgehog to, and, as the doubled-up soldiers were always getting up and walking off to other parts of the ground, Alice soon came to the conclusion that it was a very difficult game indeed.


American author/artist Jan Brett's Picture Books: 
Have you noticed who's wearing The Hat?  Hedgie also shows up in Jan's books The Mitten, and Hedgie's Surprise.  Her website has some easy instructions on "How to Draw a Hedgehog".

Hedgehogs often show up in the Redwall Series by Brian Jacques:
These prickly beasts come from all walks of life, from warriors to cooks to riverbeasts. They are typically easy-going and friendly, though a few have been known to become eccentric or insane in old age. Many Hedgehogs come from a clan or tribe, such as the Dillypins or Waterhogs, and it is traditional (though not exclusive) for the cellarkeeper of Redwall Abbey to be a hedgehog. [source: Redwall Wiki]

Note: British author Brian Jacques died last year on February 5th.  His wonderful series was a family favorite.  To read my short tribute, click here.

Hedgehogs can do laundry. 
Well, at least Beatrix Potter's "Mrs. Tiggywinkle" could.  (She is probably my favorite hedgehog.)

Water Color Artist, Valerie Greeley...
I'll leave you with this cute little hedgehog, by Valerie Greeley. You can buy the print here from her Etsy shop, Acornmoon. The print is a reproduction of a water color illustration from her children's book, Down the Lane.  Another picture book by Valerie featuring hedgehogs is Field Animals.  (Both books - though currently out of print - are available on Amazon.)

Hedgehog, by Valerie Greeley

A BOY AND HIS GRANDPA ENGAGE IN SOME MONKEY BUSINESS

My 10-year old nephew is a kindred spirit with me when it comes to good books, and he gets very enthusiastic about giving me recommendations for my blog.  Recently he lent me his copy of Summer of the Monkeys and I could barely put it down!  It shot to the top of my own list of favorites, and I can guarantee that it will engross even the most reluctant readers. This is a touching story, with a satisfying ending.
For Independent Readers: grades 5 and up
As a Family Read Aloud: ages 9 and up 

Book Description: The last thing a fourteen-year-old boy expects to find along an old Ozark river bottom is a tree full of monkeys. Jay Berry Lee's grandpa had an explanation, of course--as he did for most things. The monkeys had escaped from a traveling circus, and there was a handsome reward in store for anyone who could catch them. Grandpa said there wasn't any animal that couldn't be caught somehow, and Jay Berry started out believing him . . .
But by the end of the "summer of the monkeys," Jay Berry Lee had learned a lot more than he ever bargained for--and not just about monkeys. He learned about faith, and wishes coming true, and knowing what it is you really want. He even learned a little about growing up . . .
This novel, set in rural Oklahoma around the turn of the century, is a heart-warming family story--full of rich detail and delightful characters--about a time and place when miracles were really the simplest of things...

Why Kids Will Like It: Author Wilson Rawls (who also wrote Where the Red Fern Grows) knows how to draw kids into this action-packed story, writing in the first person from the perspective of a 14-year-old boy named Jay Berry, and sneaking some life lessons into the often hilarious narrative.  His description of the relationship between Jay Berry and his grandpa is poignant and enviable:

My grandpa was one of those old, slow-moving, boy-loving kind of grandpas.  We had been pals for as long as I could remember.  He'd do anything for me, and I'd do anything I could for him.

One of my favorite parts of the book is when, after weeks of trying to figure out how to capture the monkeys (this involved some unbelievable bravery and persistence on the part of Jay Berry), the boy's grandpa decides they need to visit a library, because, "I don't care what kind of a problem a man has, he can always find the answer to it in a library."  They take a trip to town, taking along the boy's ever-faithful companion, his dog "Rowdy".

This excerpt had me laughing out loud:
I had always known that my old hound had a beautiful voice, but I had never heard it ring like it did in that silent library.  The deep tones rolled out over the floor, slammed against the walls, bounced off the ceiling, and made books quiver on the shelves.  Boys and girls all over the place started screaming with laughter.
Like a shot out of a gun, the little lady came from behind the counter and over to Rowdy.  She stopped right in front of him.  With her hands on her hips, she stood there looking at him.  Rowdy thought he had found another friend and was acting like he was very proud of what he had done.  He just sat there, mopping the floor with his tail and panting happily.
I all but turned my chair over as I came up out of it.  I rushed over and grabbed Rowdy's collar with both hands.  I thought the lady would be angry and was going to jump on my dog -- but she wasn't wasn't the least bit made.  I could see a twinkle in her eyes and she was smiling.
"Son", she asked, "is this your dog?"
"Yes, ma'am," I said.
"I've been a librarian here for a good many years," she said, "but this is the first time I've ever had a hound dog ask if he could come in my library.  I'm honored."

Boys and girls alike will get caught up in this story about Jay Berry, his grandpa, his sister Daisy, and his dog - it's an imaginative tale full of adventure, sibling rivalry and love, family, faith, animals, and even some fairy folklore.  I think this quote sums it up quite well:

Grandpa smiled and said, "...You know, an old man like me can teach a young boy like you all the good things in life.  But it takes a young boy like you to teach an old man like me to appreciate all the good things in life.  I guess that's what life's all about."

Amen.

BAKING AND BOOKPLATES

We could hardly wait to try this recipe from For the Love of Cooking.

I just spent a couple of days with my sister's kids (while she and her husband took a little get-away trip in celebration of her birthday).  My niece Tatiana loves to bake, and she and her younger brother are avid readers, so we had plenty of fun of our own...baking blueberry scones, making bookplates, and - of course - talking about what we are currently reading.

What could be better than homemade scones and morning sunshine?

While the scones were cooling, Tati and I downloaded some cute bookplates as part of a birthday gift for her friend.

We downloaded the pdf for these fairy bookplates, by Valerie Greeley,
from her Etsy website ACORNMOON.

Are you curious to know what good book recommendations I came back with? My nine-year-old nephew, Peter, handed me two, as he gushed, "Aunt Wendy, you have got to read these and write about them on your blog!"

Two new friends...

I immediately started the first, Summer of the Monkeys, by Wilson Rawls. Tati informed me it's by the same author who wrote Where the Red Fern Grows.  Peter said that boys, especially, will love it.  The second one is A Tree For Peter, by Kate Seredy, which - according to Peter - "might make you cry".  I'll report back about these two new friends as soon as I finish them.

Oh, and if you're wondering:

"Tatiana's Fresh Blueberry Scones with Lemony Glaze" were as good as they look! She adapted the recipe a bit:  she added an extra tablespoon of sugar to the dry ingredients, and lemon zest to the scone dough (instead of putting zest in the glaze).  She also substituted half & half for the "heavy cream" called for in the scone recipe above. [hint: if you can get Meyer lemons, they are a great compliment to the blueberries]

Passing Along the Liebster LOVE

Thank you to the talented, Route 19 Writers, for honoring Good Books For Young Souls with the LIEBSTER BLOG AWARD.  [Readers: I'm sure you're asking yourself what exactly that means.  Well, the Liebster Award originated in Germany.  The word “Liebster” is a term of endearment: “beloved” or, also, "favorite".  The idea behind the award is to bring attention to bloggers who have less than 200 followers in order to create new connections and bring attention to these wonderful blogs!]

So here we are!  I'd like to bestow the AWARD to five of my favorite/liebster blogs.  Keep writing!

1.  Kinder Days
2.  The Scrumptious Life
3.  Brian Sibley: His Blog
4.  Sewing by Stephanie
5.  Saints and Spinners

These are the rules in accepting the award:
-Add the award image to your blog.
-Thank the giver with a link back to them.
-List your top 5 picks and let them know they've been given an award by leaving a comment on their blog.
-Hope that your followers will spread the love to the blogs you've spotlighted.

IT'S ABOUT A DRAGON FOR 2012...

Illustration by Grace Lin, from Bringing in the New Year

Gong Xi Fa Ca! is the traditional Chinese New Year greeting that means “wishing you prosperity” in Mandarin.  The celebration begins today, on January 23, and lasts for 15 days total, ending with a Lantern Festival.  Each year is associated with one of twelve animals in the Chinese zodiac: 2012 is the "YEAR OF THE DRAGON".

Want to read some Dragon Tales?  Click here for my past post.

Traditional Chinese Dragon used in the dragon dance. Image credit: Caseman via Wikimedia Commons.

Chinese children are given red envelopes with money for luck in the New Year.

Red envelopes Image credit: BCody80 via Wikimedia Commons.

Read aloud recommendation: 

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 at the end book is extra long–there's a surprise fold-out page.) Go to Grace Lin's website.

NEED A GOOD READ FOR A WINTERY NIGHT?

I hope you'll consider the exciting children's novel The Wolves of Willoughby Chase, (published 1962) by Joan Aiken, for your next read aloud this winter.

Most of the action of this Gothic-era story takes place inside a grand English manor house, "Willoughby Chase" (oddly enough, the wolves are mainly in the background of the story); add a wicked governess, two cousins (a plucky rich girl and a penniless orphaned girl) and a kind country gooseboy, and you've got characters and drama that would rival any Frances Hodgsdon Burnett story (with some abusive Roald Dahl-style authority figures, Agatha Christie twists and turns, and a Charles Dickens prison-like-school thrown in)...can you resist that for a cold winter's night?

Young Bonnie and her cousin Sylvia are threatened not only by wolves, but by a new governess - their distant relative "Miss Slighcarp" - who is sent for when Bonnie's doting parents leave Willoughby Chase for a healthful sea voyage.  Simon the gooseboy tries to help the girls escape the trials and misfortunes as things go from bad to unbearable, thanks to their grim governess.  But it's not all darkness and drear.  The cruel adults in the story are balanced by kind and caring ones and, in the end, good overcomes evil.

My niece and nephew recommended this book to me - I wish I'd read it as a child!  Your child will like it, especially if he or she enjoyed The Secret Garden, A Little Princess, Little Lord Fauntleroy,  James and the Giant Peach, Matilda, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator, or Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events.  If you are the designated adult reader, you will like it if you enjoyed Jane Eyre, David Copperfield, Oliver Twist, or any of the Agatha Christie mysteries.

The Wolves of Willoughby Chase is the first in a series of books by Aiken. Click HERE to read more about Joan Aiken's 12 fantasy books that make up the Wolves of Willoughby Chase Chronicles. (Disclosure: I have not personally read the whole set.  The first book stands alone just fine). Ages 10 and up.

ORIGINS OF WINNIE-THE-POOH

Happy Winnie-the-Pooh Day!  Today marks the anniversary of the birth of author A.A. Milne in 1882.   Christopher Robin's "Silly Old Bear" holds a special place in my heart, being one of the early favorite characters I introduced my children to during our read aloud time.  I enjoyed Milne's books as much as they did - and there's a reason for that...

Peter Dennis, an English actor who for many years performed a one-man-show, "Bother!", and lent his vocal talents in recording all of Milne's stories and verses (available HERE), said:  For too long, Winnie-the-Pooh has been relegated to children's bookshelves and Disney children's cartoons. But A. A. Milne didn't write the stories and poems for children. He intended them for the child within you – and me – and countless millions of others. Milne rarely read the stories and poems to his son Christopher, preferring rather to amuse him with the works of P.G. Wodehouse. In a letter to me, Christopher wrote, "My father did not write the books for children. He didn't write for any specific market; he knew nothing about marketing. He knew about me. He knew about himself..." [source: Pooh Corner]

photo source: nypl.org

If you're ever in New York City, be sure and stop by the Public Library's Children's Center (their home in the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building at Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street), where you can see Christopher Robin's beloved bear and other treasured toys preserved for viewing in a glass cabinet.  Below are some "Fun Facts" from the NYC Public Library website...

FUN FACTS ABOUT THE REAL WINNIE THE POOH AND HIS FRIENDS

-The curious name of "Winnie-the-Pooh" came from Christopher Robin, from a combination of the names of a real bear and a pet swan. During the 1920s there was a black bear named "Winnie" in the London Zoo who had been the mascot for the Winnipeg regiment of the Canadian army. "Pooh" was the name of a swan in When We Were Very Young [Milne's first book of poems].

-Pooh was purchased at Harrods department store in London and given by A.A. Milne to his son Christopher Robin on his first birthday, August 21, 1921. He was called Edward (proper form of "Teddy") Bear at the time.

-The rest of the toys were received as gifts by Christopher Robin between 1920 and 1928.

-Not only Christopher Robin played with the toys; so, apparently, did the family dog, which may have contributed to their well-worn appearance.

-The baby kangaroo stuffed animal (named Roo) was lost in an apple orchard during the 1930s.

-Winnie-the-Pooh had adventures with Piglet, Eeyore, Kanga, Roo, Owl, Rabbit, and Tigger in the 100 Aker (Acre) Wood (based on the Ashdown Forest in southern England, located near the Milne family home).

-Owl and Rabbit were brought to life to join Pooh and pals Eeyore, Piglet, Kanga, Roo, and Tigger, by Milne and illustrator Ernest H. Shepard.

-The stuffed animals range in height from 25" (Eeyore, the biggest) to 4 1/2" (Piglet, the smallest).

Want more information?  You can also see NYP Library's A REAL POOH TIMELINE, here.

Make a Honey Cake, to celebrate the day: Click HERE for the recipe, from my past post, "Proper Tea with Winnie-the-Pooh".

My book recommendation for today: Three Cheers for Pooh, by Brian Sibley. You'll love Brian Sibley's richly detailed account, with lavish illustrations of Ernest Shepard's full-color artwork and original sketches (as well as photographs, newspaper reports, and manuscript pages in Milne's own handwriting). This creatively designed book is perfect for both seasoned Pooh admirers and those eager to get better acquainted with Edward Bear - known to most as: Winnie-the-Pooh.