The Guardian’s Christmas List for Children’s Picgure Books

08 Dec 2011 4 Comments

by sherylbooks in For Parents Tags: , ,

If you have a thing for picture books, as I do, you’ll want to check out The Guardian’s list of recommended picture books.  It’s rather different than the NYT’s list.  Here are two of the books for the list.

 

Ok, to be fair, these were the only two books that featured ahem…bodily functions.  But I found it quite interesting that Harvey, The Boy Who Couldn’t Fart and The Pop Up Book of Poo where chosen alongside Mother knows Best! and A River of Stories.  Some of these titles almost seem to come out a different time and place…

 

And Christmas Eve At The Mellops’ is actually  a reprint from the 1970’s.  What an interesting mix of sensibilities.

Bacteria As Art

08 Dec 2011 Leave a comment

by sherylbooks in Nature

I love it when science and art intersect…Bacteria As Art — Biophysicists Grow Pretty Bacteria In Petri Dishes To Find Antibiotics.

Human Rights, and Human Reality

06 Dec 2011 Leave a comment

by sherylbooks in For Educators, For Parents, News Tags: , ,

According to the UN Human Rights Declaration, All people are born free and equal in dignity and rights.  This is not conferred by governments but is a birthright of all people.  “Because we are human, we therefore have rights.  Because we have rights, governments are bound to protect them.”

One of the great accomplishments of the last century came on the tailcoats of one of the our history’s greatest shames…In order to protect the humanity and dignity of all people, on December 10th, 1948, the UN Assembly voted in favor of adopting the UN Declaration of Human Rights.

Although a few abstained, there wasn’t a single vote that opposed this important declaration which was carried by an overwhelming majority.  Have a listen to Hillary Clinton’s landmark speech to the UN.  She couldn’t be more clear.  She has never been more persuasive.

Pamela Paul sees the wonder and the magic in books for kids

06 Dec 2011 Leave a comment

by sherylbooks in For Educators, For Parents Tags: , ,

You may have noticed a few changes to the children’s section of the New York Times Book Review over the last year; expanded pages devoted to children’s books, short thematic book review groupings on Sundays, and a weekly, in depth on-line picture book review. Pamela Paul, children’s book editor, is the driving force behind these changes and she has more improvements planned (the expansion of the Notable Children’s Book List from eight books to twenty-five is one change in the works but there are others). While many newspapers are shrinking their children’s book coverage in favor of covering technology, Paul has no difficulty seeing the wonder and magic in books for young people.  She expects to “… to provide expanded coverage of everything from board books and middle grade stories to young adult fiction and nonfiction. There are so many ways to tell a story. I’m trying to make room for them all.”

So, if you haven’t checked out the children’s book pages of the New York Times Book Review lately, it’s time to stop by.  I guarantee that you won’t regret it. Their breadth of coverage of children’s and young adult literature is refreshing.

We have to put an end to bullying NOW

05 Dec 2011 3 Comments

by sherylbooks in For Educators, For Kids, For Parents, for teens, Worthy Causes Tags: ,

I watched this video on facebook this afternoon and it made my heart break.  Bullying takes a terrible toll.

After I watched Jonah’s video, I read his update.  He’s doing better.  He’s come out to his family, he’s no longer pretending that everything is ok.  He’s taken a stand against bullying.  Jonah is an incredibly strong kid.  He’s come through this terrible experience.  He’s survived.  Even though his scars are healed, Jonah will carry them for the rest of his life.  No child show have to know such fear, isolation and sadness.  And what about those children who don’t have Jonah’s strength?  Will they survive being bullied?  We must protect our children.

We have to put an end to bullying NOW. 

REEL: Children and Poetry by Joel Shapiro

05 Dec 2011 Leave a comment

by sherylbooks in For Educators, For Kids, For Parents, for teens, interviews Tags:

REEL: Children and Poetry by Joel Shapiro is an interview with children that is articulate, inspiring, and truly wonderful.  I love the fact that the film maker chose not to include the interviewer, letting the children’s words carry the film.  Thank you Joel Shapiro for a most wonderful film.

The Christmas Truck Parade

04 Dec 2011 5 Comments

by sherylbooks in Events, News Tags:

I’m not sure if this happens anywhere else, but every year in Victoria, there’s a Christmas Truck Parade which collects money and food items for the food bank.  It’s a huge deal, with the decorated trucks winding their way through the city on a route that takes them 3 hours. Here’s a short video. I love the truck parade even more than the Santa Parade.  My favorites are the cement trucks because their mixers are lit up with moving lights…so cool!  And I totally love that it’s for a worthy cause.  Note the postal truck decorated with Santa’s postal code which we all know is H0 H0 H0.

New York Times Notable Children’s Books for 2011

04 Dec 2011 Leave a comment

by sherylbooks in For Parents

For those of you on the hunt for great Xmas gifts for kids, you may want to check out the New York Times Holiday Gift Guide.  They have included a list of “Notable Children’s Books for 2011” that have been divided into three categories to help guide your shopping needs: young adult, middle grade, and picture books.  I haven’t gotten through all the titles on the list, but there are most definitely some good ones.

Quinhagak, Alaska’s version of the Hallelujah Chorus from The Messiah

03 Dec 2011 Leave a comment

by sherylbooks in For Educators, For Kids, For Parents, for teens Tags: , ,

This little gem of video footage comes by way of a retired teacher friend of mine in Alaska, Barbie Jackson.  Back when Barbie and I first met, in Ottawa in the early 1970’s, we were both a little homesick around Xmas time and went to the sing along version of The Messiah.  When she sent me this little treasure made in Quinhagak, Alaska yesterday, it brought all those wonderful memories rushing back.  Just so you know, Quinhagak is a tiny community of about 500 located about a mile from the Bering Sea near the Aleutian Islands . This video has broken a million views and I won’t be surprised if it doubles that by this Xmas.  You can easily see why.  It was made last year, just before Xmas, by the students, some community members and a grade five teacher whose students were too embarrassed to perform the Hallelujah Chorus from the Messiah in a Xmas concert.  The teacher came up with this idea instead.  I love teachers.  I love how creative and yet how simple this is.  It totally warmed my heart.  Thank you Barbie.  Friendship is a treasure isn’t it.

This is an incredibly moving video made by non-professionals that will bring a tear to the eye of even the most jaded!

December 3rd is Take Your Child to a Bookstore Day

01 Dec 2011 4 Comments

by sherylbooks in Events, For Kids, For Parents, News Tags: ,

Saturday is Take Your Child to a Bookstore Day, which is an absolutely wonderful idea that began in 2010 when Jenny Milchman, a mother an mystery writer wrote a blog post.  Within a month, the idea had gone viral.  Publisher Weekly reported that 80 bookstores participated in 2010.  This year, 150 bookstores plan on participating.  It’s a wonderful opportunity to share the joy of literature with your children, grandchildren, or the children of a friend.

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