KNOCK, KNOCK. WHO'S THERE?

"We looked! Then we saw him step in on the mat! We looked! And we saw him! The Cat in the Hat!"


Happy Birthday to Theodor Geisel...Dr. Seuss!  (Read on to learn some interesting facts about Ted Geisel and to find out about a free downloadable gift that will help your child celebrate his birthday.)

[source]

"...it was The Cat in the Hat that solidified his reputation and revolutionized the world of children's book publishing. By using a limited number of different words, all simple enough for very young children to read, and through its wildly iconoclastic plot—when two children are alone at home on a rainy day, the Cat in the Hat arrives to entertain them, wrecking their house in the process—The Cat in the Hat provided an attractive alternative to the simplistic 'Dick and Jane' primers then in use in American schools, and critics applauded its appearance...

The enthusiastic reception of The Cat in the Hat led Geisel to found Beginner Books, a publishing company specializing in easy-to-read books for children. In 1960 Random House acquired the company and made Geisel president of the Beginner Books division." [source: The Poetry Foundation]

(These "beginner books" included: Green Eggs and Ham, Hop On Pop, Dr. Seuss' ABC, and Fox in Sox, to name a few.)  

A little bit of Trivia: Did you know Theodor Seuss Geisel also wrote some children's books under the pseudonym of "Theo. leSieg"? (LeSieg is Geisel spelled backwards.) A couple of these include: Ten Apples Up on Top! and I Wish That I Had Duck Feet.

What are your family's favorite Dr. Seuss books? Click here to read about our top three:

How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
Horton Hears a Who!
If I Ran the Circus (this is also one of Weird Al Yankovic's favorite childhood books.  How do I know? He told me - here.)

So, who's there?  The Cat in the Hat?  Yes, and here's the gift:  to celebrate Dr. Seuss's birthday and "Read Across America" Day, you can download a free printable CAT IN THE HAT doorknob hanger for your child by clicking HERE.  There's also a two-sided version, HERE.

WHAT IF WE DIDN'T HAVE BIRTHDAYS...

If we didn’t have birthdays, you wouldn’t be you. 

If you’d never been born, well then what would you do? 

If you’d never been born, well then what would you be? 

You might be a fish! Or a toad in a tree! 

You might be a doorknob! Or three baked potatoes! 

You might be a bag full of hard green tomatoes.

Or worse than all that…Why, you might be a WASN’T! 

A Wasn’t has no fun at all. No, he doesn’t. 

A Wasn’t just isn’t. He just isn’t present. 

But you…You ARE YOU! And, now isn’t that pleasant! 

-Dr. Seuss

LEADING LITTLE HEARTS TO GOD

“Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” (Matt. 19:14)  I'd like to highlight two wonderful picture books that you will want to share with your young ones this Lent.

The first is Pictures of God: A Child's Guide to Understanding Icons, by John Kosmas Skinas.

Book Description:
This delightful 32-page book is a visual feast, full of early Christian images, or icons - which are also sometimes called "windows to heaven". Each two-page spread contains an icon, a devotional text related to the subject of the image, and a "Notice This" section, explaining in simple terms a unique feature about the icon.  One appeal of this book is that it is perfect for families with children of different ages, since the littlest ones will be drawn to the pictures, and the older ones will be interested in the explanations given in the text (ages 4 and up).

Some of the featured icons you'll find in this beautiful book:
Christ the Pantocrator (the Holder of All Creation); Christ Walking on the Water; The Annunciation; The Hospitality of Abraham; Noah and the Ark; Guardian Angel; All Saints of America; Christ Blessing the Children.

The second picture book I'd like to recommend today is THE JESUS PRAYER AND ME, by Vasiliki Tsigas-Fotinis, illustrated by Joanne Dallis.  

Book Description:  This book will help introduce children to one of Orthodox Christianity's shortest prayers. Illustrated with beautiful watercolors, it takes a child through the actions of a typical day by emphasizing the opportunities for repeating the "Jesus Prayer". 


Written to reflect the spiritual reality of God's perpetual presence that children often times experience, The Jesus Prayer and Me is perfect for ages 5-8.  Children encounter the Lord in simple ways.  We, too, need to refresh that encounter.  What better way than through the eyes and heart of a child of God and the Jesus Prayer? (read my past post about Princess Ileana and the Jesus Prayer here).


If you liked this post...
You might want to read my other Lenten posts, found here, as well as a past post highlighting these picture books by Claire Brandenburg, about monks and prayer.

A BEAUTIFUL SHORT FILM, INSPIRED BY BOOKS - AND A HURRICANE

Morris and Humpty Dumpty [source]

Have you seen the Oscar nominated short film, "The Fantastic Flying Books of Morris Lessmore"?  The animation is riveting, but so is the story. The first scene opens, with "Pop Goes the Weasel" playing in the background, and the camera shot panning down to Morris. He is sitting on his (New-Orleans-French-Quarter-looking) balcony, humming to himself and writing in his journal when, suddenly a strong wind kicks up, blowing his words right off the page.  Ultimately - in true Wizard of Oz style - he and all his books are swept away as well.  This occurrence, like the song accompanying it, seems nonsensical.

"Why" and "Where" are the questions that make you want to watch until the end.  And the engaging little Humpty Dumpty flip-book character, stylized animation, and Buster Keaton dance numbers (albeit with stick-leg books!), won't let you look away.

In doing some quick investigating, I discovered that the impetus for this film, all about Book Love, was born in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.  These words of author/creator/director William Joyce brought tears to my eyes:
"The main thing I guess," Joyce said, "was going into the shelters and seeing the displaced people and seeing the kids in these, usually a sports arena, with no privacy or any of the stuff they knew as home. But they had been given books -- there were different organizations to make sure kids had books to read while they were in the shelter. Seeing these kids reading these books and being able to shut out all the sadness and the uncertainty and lose themselves in a book..." [source]

I don't know how long the film will be available to view on YouTube, but here's the link - enjoy! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkJPMsWw6Z8
(And if you would like to give a book to a child in need, or support groups doing this, visit one of these sites: BookEnds, Better World Books, Reading Is Fundamental [RIF], or Save The Children.)

I'VE GOT SUNSHINE, NOT A CLOUDY DAY...

Wherever you go, no matter what the weather, always bring your own sunshine. ~Anthony J. D'Angelo 

source

Admittedly, I am often spoiled by the weather we enjoy here in Southern California: even though it's late February, on my morning walk yesterday I was enjoying clear skies, sunshine, temperatures in the high 70's, along with the sounds of dogs barking, church bells chiming (in my neighborhood, yes, this is true!) and lots of birds chirping in the trees to keep me company.

I suppose I should blog about books that are relative to the season most of you are experiencing right now, but once home from my sun-kissed walk, I just couldn't bring myself to recommend picture books about cold, winter, or snow (although you're welcome to read about some of my favorites here).

I've got Lent on my mind and I really wanted to write about springtime!  Lent is a time for gladness, not despondency...even if you still see snow on the ground, the church fathers talk of the Fast as a spiritual springtime:

The lenten spring shines forth,

the flower of repentance!

Let us cleanse ourselves from all evil,

crying out to the Giver of Light:

Glory to You, O Lover of man!

-from Cheesefare Wednesday Vespers

Well, I've arrived at a happy medium: I've decided to stick with the topic of weather in general, along with some Lenten food for thought thrown in...

Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces us up, snow is exhilarating; there is really no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather. ~John Ruskin  

Whether you've got rain, snow, sun, or cold in your part of the world, I think this book covers just about everything!  (And it's guaranteed to have you and your kids laughing)  First published in 1978, it's CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS, by Judi Barrett, with illustrations by Ron Barrett.

Grandpa tells a bedtime story about the town of Chewandswallow, where instead of snow, wind, or rain, the citizens get a different kind of weather that falls from the sky three times a day: breakfast, lunch, and dinner. You'll find helicopters attempting to lift a giant pancake off of a school and enormous slices of pizza draping the houses and streets...while a storm of hamburgers blows in.

And no one is too worried about the weather, until it takes a turn for the worse — the portions of food (such as donuts) get larger and larger and fall faster and faster, until everyone in the town fears for their lives. They all need to think of a plan, and they need one fast! With teamwork, smarts, and some extra-large bagels, Chewandswallow residents are able to save themselves from the torrential weather.

A cheerful approach to gearing up for a science lesson about weather, or just a fun read aloud, this book is perfect for ages 5-8.

And with Lent is starting, this book might also start a discussion about whether too much of a good thing is always the best thing!  Dr. Philip Mamalakis says, "Lent is a time that we are invited to change our lifestyle in preparation for Easter...a time for families to reorient themselves toward God".  This can be helped through choices from a "Lenten buffet" that will nourish our souls: fasting, prayer, reading Scripture and the lives of the Saints, helping others (almsgiving), and attending church more.  So turn off your television and enjoy God's creation!

On cable TV they have a weather channel - 24 hours of weather. We had something like that where I grew up. We called it a window. ~Dan Spencer

Good Lenten Reading:
FOR KIDS:
The Tale of Three Trees, by Angela Elwell Hunt


The Book of Jonah, by Niko Chocheli


The Life of St. Brigid, by Jane Meyer


Saint Patrick, Enlightener of the Irish, by Zachary Lynch


The Blackbird's Nest, St. Kevin of Ireland, by Jenny Schroedel

Song of the Swallows, by Leo Politi


Saints: Lives and Illuminations by Ruth Sanderson


FOR PARENTS/ADULTS:
Great Lent: Journey to Pascha by Alexander Schmemann

The Lenten Spring by Thomas Hopko

DO YOU THINK THIS BOOK BELONGS IN SCHOLASTIC MAGAZINE'S #1 SPOT?

Scholastic's Parent & Child Magazine recently completed its 100 Greatest Books for Kids list. Their Number One Pick?  E.B. White's beloved book, Charlotte's Web.  I think it was a perfect choice...a wonderfully illustrated story (thank you, Garth Williams), told from the perspective of animals, revealing many truths about humanity, friendship, sacrifice, and the fleeting nature of life.

Don't you love the innocence of Garth Williams' pen and ink illustrations?

I'll never forget my third grade teacher reading Charlotte's Web aloud to our class. We all loved the plot and characters:
the Terrific, and yet Humble Pig, Wilbur;
Fern, the compassionate farm girl who is Wilbur's loving owner;
Templeton, the sneaky rat who always has food on his mind;
and finally Charlotte, the kind spider who be-friends Wilbur when none of the other animals will, and who ultimately saves the pig from being butchered.

Original illustration [source]

My schoolmates and I were so drawn into the story, I doubt we realized E.B. White was helping to expand our vocabularies (did you utilize Strunk and White's The Elements of Style for a college-prep English class?  Yes he's that "White"):

And then, just as Wilbur was settling down for his morning nap, he heard again the thin voice that had addressed him the night before.

"Salutations!" said the voice.

Wilbur jumped to his feet. "Salu-what?" he cried.

"Salutations!" repeated the voice.

"What are they, and where are you?" screamed Wilbur. "Please, please, tell me where you are. And what are salutations?"

"Salutations are greetings," said the voice. "When I say 'salutations,' it's just my fancy way of saying hello or good morning.”

We were also being led by E.B. White to not only consider the treasure of true friendship, but to look at the wonder of nature:

“Do you understand how there could be any writing in a spider's web?"

"Oh, no," said Dr. Dorian. "I don't understand it. But for that matter I don't understand how a spider learned to spin a web in the first place. When the words appeared, everyone said they were a miracle. But nobody pointed out that the web itself is a miracle."

"What's miraculous about a spider's web?" said Mrs. Arable. "I don't see why you say a web is a miracle-it's just a web."

"Ever try to spin one?" asked Dr. Dorian.”

Original illustration [source]

The list of 100 Greatest Books for Kids was selected by the editors of Scholastic's Parent & Child Magazine from more than 500 titles suggested by ten contributors  The books were chosen from 4 categories:

"Books to Cuddle With": Ages 0–3

"Books to Explore Together": Ages 4–7

"Books to Grow On": Ages 8–10

"Books to Discover": Ages 11+

Click HERE for the interactive virtual bookshelf, with all 100 titles.

STILL CELEBRATING THIS WRINKLE AFTER 50 YEARS!

It was a dark and stormy night. In her attic bedroom Margaret Murry, wrapped in an old patchwork quilt, sat on the foot of the bed and watched the trees tossing in the frenzied lashing of the wind...
-opening sentence from A Wrinkle in Time

Taeeun Yoo [source]

Today marks the 50th Anniversary of the publication of Madeleine L'Engle's classic novel (fantasy sci-fi), A Wrinkle in Time.  I wrote about it in my monthly column for the website "Travelin' Local", HERE.

There have been many different covers by a variety of talented artists for this book. The one above is from the current edition, illustrated by Taeeun Yoo. Below is one of my personal favorite covers, the hardback, done by Diane and Leo Dillon.  I also found the original hardcover with artwork by Ellen Raskin (scroll down).  To see more cover art for A Wrinkle in Time, go HERE.

Leo and Diane Dillon's hard cover [source]

Original hard cover artwork, Ellen Raskin [source]

LAST MINUTE VALENTINE'S DAY...BUTTONS?

Button Hearts (for some reason, I called Candy Dots "buttons" when I was little):
These are the easiest homemade Valentines ever - make a bunch in a hurry!
From Martha Stewart [Source]

Try these cute last-minute Valentine's Day ideas I recently found on  (click the red "button" to follow me there, but I'm warning you: pinning all those ideas/recipes/crafts/books onto virtual bulletin boards can be addictive!).  Look what I found to make: Button Hearts,  Valentine Pretzel Buttons, Cute-As-A-Button Valentine Cards, and a Sorted Button Valentine Heart.

At the end of my post you'll also find some fun books about buttons (and about something else, that most of us can't resist!)

Valentine Pretzel Buttons - Lately, when I go and visit my sister's kids, we make some form of these.  It started when a friend gifted them to me for Christmas one year (using the square butter pretzels, Rolo candies, and red and green M&M's)  I can't wait to try this version!

Recipe found HERE

Cute-As-A-Button Valentine Cards - A great way to use all those extra buttons you've collected through the years. I think these are adorable, but to make them with kids, I would just glue or tie on any cute "extra" buttons you have (without first making them into earrings).  The dowloadable card template is free...

Download the cards and tutorial HERE 

Sorted Button Valentine Heart - Look at this little guy, sorting his buttons into a muffin tin and gluing them onto his red paper heart!  What could be more fun?

Check out the finished MASTERPIECE!
[Source - Hands On: As We Grow]

HERE ARE THE BOOKS:

Corduroy, by Don Freeman. Remember the teddy bear in green overalls who lives in a department store and wants a home? One day a little girl named Lisa comes and wants to buy him, but her mother tells her she's already spent enough money; and besides, the bear doesn't look new: he's missing a button. This fact sends him off in the middle of the night to search for it...maybe someone will buy him if he can find his button and fix his broken strap!

All at once he saw something small and round. "Why, here's my button," he cried. And he tried to pick it up. But, like all the other buttons on the mattress, it was tied down tight.

Will Corduroy ever find his button - or a home?

The Button Box, by Margaret S. Reid, Illustrated by Sarah Chamberlain.  This little book takes me back to a rainy day during my childhood, when I remember my mom getting out her Mason jar full of "extra buttons".  My siblings and I spent the afternoon counting and sorting all the colorful buttons. We eventually ended up threading one onto a sturdy, but thin piece of string or ribbon to play "Button Button, Who's Got the Button?" The colorful illustrations in this book show the buttons the boy discovers in his grandmother's button box - how they can be sorted, and where they may have originally come from.

The Belly Button Book, by Sandra Boynton. Okay, well I know this isn't really a book about "buttons", but who can resist bare-bellied hippos and reading aloud the word, "Bee-Bo"?

Did you know Sandra wrote and illustrated a book for us grown-ups, too:  New York Times bestseller Chocolate: The Consuming Passion (you knew I had to work chocolate in here somewhere for Valentine's Day!  That was for you, Carol B-McK!)  It's out of print now, but hopefully you can find it at the library.

From the book jacket: Boynton's apologia for chocolate misses nothing. Myths are debunked: "chocolate is not fattening", she argues, "especially when the caloric expenditure of carrying it home from the store and hiding it from company is factored in". Directions are supplied: "to remove stains, lick them". Plus, "how to grow chocolate at home", a foolproof method for determining if chocolate is in season (does the name of the month contain the letter A, E, or U?), and a recipe for Hippo Pot de Mousse.