The Greatest Sheep in History by Frances Watts

Nov25

Cybils nominee: Early Chapter Books. Nominated by Anita Eerdmans.

Superhero trainees Extraordinary Ernie and and his sidekick, Marvelous Maud the sheep, are headed for the National Superheroes Conference to meet with superheroes from all over the country. However, when super villain Chicken George disrupts the conference by stealing President Stupendous Sue’s speech right out of her hands, the superheroes are all shocked and “more stupefied than stupendous.”

Marvelous Maud has her own worries in addition to Chicken George’s villainy. No one can name even one heroic sheep from history, and Maud isn’t sure anymore that sheep can be heroes. (Can you name a sheep hero?)

How will the superheroes stop Chicken George?

Can a sheep be a hero?

What will Extraordinary Ernie write about for his school research project on heroes?

Will Super Whiz be able to make his speech for the convention without interruptions?

will Extraordinary Ernie be able to meet his favorite superhero, The Daring Dynamo?

Read The Greatest Sheep in History (Ernie and Maud) to find out the answers to these and many more superhero questions, such as Ideal Cape Length, Below the Knee or Above the Knee?

I thought this third book in the series was a good lesson on the meaning of true heroism encapsulated in a fun story. The first two books in this series from Eerdmans Books for Young Readers are:

Extraordinary Ernie and Marvelous Maud. Ernie wins a superhero contest but discovers, to his dismay, that his sidekick is a sheep.
The Middle Sheep. Ernie and Maud learn the value of teamwork when Ernie must deal with an unusually grumpy Maud.

*This book is nominated for a Cybils Award, and I am a judge for the first round thereof. However, no one paid me any money, and nobody knows which books will get to be finalists or which ones will get the awards. In other words, this review reflects my opinion and Z-baby’s and nothing else.

Giving Books: Series for 10 Year Old Girls

Nov25

I happen to have a 10 year old, Z-baby, and she’s also a reluctant reader. I would suggest the following series for the 8, 9, and 10 year olds in your life, especially for the baby of the family, the reader who needs a little “push”, or the precocious six or seven year old.

Clementine books by Sara Pennypacker. I love Clementine, and there’s a new book in the series, Clementine and the Family Meeting. In this fifth book in the series, Clementine’s family is experiencing some changes. But according to Clementine’s Awesome Dad, who reminds me a little bit of Engineer Husband, “It will be fine, we’ll adapt. Because this how we roll, Clementine, this is how we roll.” (I’m going to start using that phrase with my urchins and see how they like it.)
Semicolon review of Clementine’s Letter.

Dyamonde Daniel books by Nikki Grimes. Semicolon review of the third book in the series, Almost Zero. Dyamonde is growing up in a lower middle class single parent family in the city, and she’s learning how to appreciate what she has and share with others. This series is the perfect antidote to Christmas (or anytime) greed and consumerism.

Ruby Lu books by Lenore Look. Semicolon review of Ruby Lu, Star of the Show. Ruby Lu is a star—a Chinese American, Spanish-learning, Haiku Heroine, dog training, hair cutting, hard working, list making, washing machine wearing, self-sacrificing center of attention and activity.

Moxy Maxwell books by Peggy Gifford. Semicolon review of Moxy Maxwell Does Not Love Stuart Little.

Ramona books by Beverly Cleary. These stories still hold up quite well after, what, 30 years? You can get The Complete Ramona Collection, beginning with Beezus and Ramona, for $23.78 at Amazon.

The Boxcar Children books by Gertrude Chandler Warner. Not the new books added to the series, but the old ones that Ms. Warner wrote more than thirty years ago. The idea of children living on their own and solving mysteries by themselves is irresistible to a certain type of child.

Sammy Squirrel and Rodney Raccoon to the Rescue by Duane Lawrence

Nov24

Cybils nominee: Early Chapter Books. Nominated by author Duane Lawrence.

This second book in the series Stanley Park Tales comes from Canada and takes place in Vancouver. Sammy and Rodney leave the safety of their home in the park to brave the dangers of the big city, all for the sake of a friend. Judy Crow has been crow-napped, and Rodney and Sammy feel they must try to rescue her, no matter how unqualified they might feel for the task.

The animals in the story all have alliterative names, and each has his or her own special personality characteristics. Rodney is always hungry. Sammy is a reader and user of big words like “serendipity.” Judy Crow, who prefers to be called Judith Raven, is a bit uppity and proud, but as Sammy says, “No one’s perfect” and ‘Isn’t it important for an animal to stand up for a friend and do the right thing?” And so they do.

The drawings that illustrate this simple story of friendship are lovely, as you can see from the cover illustration. Illustrator Gordon Clover certainly deserves some of the credit for making this book work as a gentle tale of woodland wonder. It won’t be right for everyone; the pace and plot are not movie-style exciting. But for those children, and adults, who enjoy a slower pace, meandering through the woods rather than rushing breathlessly through non-stop adventures, Sammy Squirrel and Rodney Raccoon will be a welcome breath of fresh Canadian air.

*This book is nominated for a Cybils Award, and I am a judge for the first round thereof. However, no one paid me any money, and nobody knows which books will get to be finalists or which ones will get the awards. In other words, this review reflects my opinion and Z-baby’s and nothing else.

1939: Movies

Nov23

1939 was the Year of Great Movies. In fact, motion picture historians and fans often call 1939 “the greatest year in the history of Hollywood.”

August: The Wizard of Oz premiers at Grauman’s Chinese Theater in Los Angeles, California. The movie, based on L. Frank Baum’s book, stars Judy Garland as Dorothy. The film studio MGM almost deleted Ms. Garland’s famous song, “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” from the movie because they thought it was too long and that it was degrading for her to be singing in a barnyard. The song went on to win many awards, including an Academy Award for Best Song in 1939.

October: Frank Capra’s Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, starring my favorite actor, Jimmy Stewart, premiers in Washington, D.C. The movie tells the story of a young man from the midwest who accidentally gets appointed to the U.S. Senate. There he comes into conflict with a bunch of cynical and crooked politicians, and he heroically sustains a filibuster (back when a filibuster was real) in the Senate to fight for the cause of honesty and the rule of law.

December: Gone with the Wind premiers in Atlanta, Georgia, of course. What a movie! If you’ve never watched Gone With the Wind, you’ve missed about the best movie Hollywood ever made. Gone With the Wind won eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture. The music in this video of clips from the movie is called Tara’s Theme.

Other films of 1939: Ninotchka with Greta Garbo, Dark Victory starring Bette Davis, Stagecoach, directed by Jon Ford and starring John Wayne, Wuthering Heights with Laurence Olivier and Merle Oberon.

1939: Arts and Entertainment

Nov22

First, take a look at this series of color photographs taken from 1939-1940. “These images, by photographers of the Farm Security Administration/Office of War Information, are some of the only color photographs taken of the effects of the Depression on America’s rural and small town populations.”

Now, listen to my playlist of music from the 1930’s on Spotify..

Finally, take a look at these paintings by American artist Grandma Moses who was discovered as an artist in 1938-1940 when she was almost 80 years old.

Saturday Review of Books: November 19, 2011

Nov18

“Books, nowadays, are printed by people who do not understand them, sold by people who do not understand them, read and reviewed by people who do not understand them, and even written by people who do not understand them.” ~~G. C. Lichtenberg

SatReviewbuttonIf you’re not familiar with and linking to and perusing the Saturday Review of Books here at Semicolon, you’re missing out. Here’s how it usually works. Find a book review on your blog posted sometime during the previous week. The review doesn’t have to be a formal sort of thing. You can just write your thoughts on a particular book, a few ideas inspired by reading the book, your evaluation, quotations, whatever.

Then on Saturday, you post a link here at Semicolon in Mr. Linky to the specific post where you’ve written your book review. Don’t link to your main blog page because this kind of link makes it hard to find the book review, especially when people drop in later after you’ve added new content to your blog. In parentheses after your name, add the title of the book you’re reviewing. This addition will help people to find the reviews they’re most interested in reading.

After linking to your own reviews, you can spend as long as you want reading the reviews of other bloggers for the week and adding to your wishlist of books to read. That’s how my own TBR list has become completely unmanageable and the reason I can’t join any reading challenges. I have my own personal challenge that never ends.

1938: Arts and Entertainment

Nov17

In 1938 Kate Smith sings Irving Berlin’s “God Bless America” and makes the song a classic expression of American patriotism.

Also in 1938, a young Mary Martin captivates theatergoers with her rendition of “My Heart Belongs to Daddy” in Cole Porter’s Leave It to Me. In the 1946 movie, Night and Day, Mary Martin reprised the song playing herself in the movie with Cary Grant as Cole Porter.

Top Hits of 1938:
“A Gypsy Told Me” by Ted Weems And His Orchestra With Perry Como
“A-Tisket, A-Tasket” by Ella Fitzgerald with Chick Webb
“Begin the Beguine” by Artie Shaw
“Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen” by The Andrews Sisters
“Cry, Baby, Cry” by Larry Clinton
“Don’t Be That Way” by Benny Goodman
“I’ve Got a Pocketful of Dreams” by Bing Crosby
“Music, Maestro, Please” by Tommy Dorsey
“My Reverie” by Larry Clinton
“Roll ‘Em Pete’ by Big Joe Turner And Pete Johnson
“Thanks for the Memory” recorded by Bob Hope And Shirley Ross
“Ti-Pi-Tin” by Horace Heidt
“Walking In The Kings Highway” by The Carter Family

Elephant, Piggie, and Mo Willems

Nov17

Cybils nominees: Easy Readers.
Should I Share My Ice Cream? by Mo Willems. Nominated by Sarah at Page in Training.
I Broke My Trunk by Mo Willems. Nominated by Becky of Becky’s Reviews and Young Readers.
Happy Pig Day! by Mo Willems. Nominated by Danielle Smith at There’s a Book.

What is there to say about Mo Willems and his easy reader creations, Elephant and Piggie? The books are deceptively simple, a long comic strip in book form. However, this form is not so simple to conceive, write, and illustrate well. I’ve seen attempts by other authors fall flat. Mr. Willems has the gift or the genius or the 99% perspiration or something.

In Should I Share My Ice Cream?, Gerald Elephant obsesses over whether or not to share his ice cream with his friend Piggie, until the issue becomes moot when the ice cream cone falls splat on the ground. Of all the elephants in children’s literature, Gerald is the Charlie Browniest. But unlike good old Charlie Brown, Elephant has a friend in Piggie, and in this story Piggie saves the day.

The story of how I Broke My Trunk begins with Elephant and a bandaged trunk. Of course, Piggie (and readers) want to know how Elephant broke his trunk, but hold on, because it’s a long crazy story. Suffice it to say that “two hippos, one rhino, and a piano on your trunk are very, very heavy,” and very, very funny. But that’s not even the whole story.

Happy Pig Day! Is it just for pigs, or can Gerald Elephant celebrate Pig Day, too? Again, I am reminded of what Charlie Brown could have been if he had had even one faithful friend. (Peppermint Patty doesn’t count. She couldn’t even get his name right, and she was undependable.)

The exciting thing about these books is that beginning readers of all ages can enjoy them over and over again. My fourth/fifth grader whose reading skills and interest leave a lot to be desired loves Elephant and Piggie. She reads the books to herself, reads them to her dad, reads them again to herself, and chuckles softly. Then she tells me to read them or else she reads them to me. Elephant and Piggie and other books like them are what the Sunday comics were to another generation. How many adults can say they learned to love reading and stories from their reading of the comic strips on Sunday mornings?

*These books are nominated for a Cybils Award, and I am a judge for the first round thereof. However, no one paid me any money, and nobody knows which books will get to be finalists or which ones will get the awards. In other words, this review reflects my opinion and Z-baby’s and nothing else.

1938: Events and Inventions

Nov15

February, 1938. U.S. chemical company, du Pont, produces the first nylon-product, toothbrush bristles.

March 14, 1938 The Anchluss. Germany and Austria unite as one country. Hitler makes a speech in Vienna and tells the Austrian people, “The German nation will never again be rent apart.” Not much of a prophet, was he? By the way this event is the climax of the movie, The Sound of Music, as the von Trapp family must decide what to about the Anchluss and the German army’s orders for Herr von Trapp to report for duty.

April, 1938. US. chemist Roy J. Plunkett accidentally discovers a new non-stick substance and calls it Teflon.

May, 1938. Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini meet in Rome and pledge friendship and mutual cooperation.

Early June, 1938. Japanese bombers reduce the Chinese city of Canton to rubble. Nationalist leader General Chiang Kai-shek has no more troops available to defend the city.

July 14, 1938. Multimillionaire Howard Hughes flies around the world his in specially built Lockheed 14 Electra in a world’s record time, 3 days, 19 hours, and 8 minutes.

September 30, 1938. After threatening to invade the Czech territory of Sudetenland all year, Adolf Hitler invites Italian Duce Benito Mussolini, French Premier Edourd Deladier, and British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain to one last conference in Munich. The Czechs themselves are not invited. At the end of the conference, Hitler is promised that the British and the French will not oppose his takeover of Sudetenland, and Hitler promises no more German aggression in Europe. Prime Minister Chamberlain says that his policy of appeasement has led to “peace for our time.”

October, 1938. U.S. physicist and lawyer Chester Carlson makes the first successful Xerox copy with his Xerox machine.

November 10, 1938. Kristallnacht or “The Night of Broken Glass”. More than 7000 Jewish-owned stores and businesses are vandalized and looted. Synagogues are burned to the ground, and Jewish people are beaten in the streets in riots organized by the Nazi party.

1937: Books and Literature

Nov13

The first issue of Look magazine goes on sale in the United States.

Newbery Medal for children’s literature: Roller Skates by Ruth Sawyer.

Pulitzer Prize for Poetry: A Further Range by Robert Frost.

Pulitzer Prize for the Novel: Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell.

Published in 1937:
Dumb Witness, Death on the Nile, and Murder in the Mews by Agatha Christie.
Out of Africa by Isak Dineson.
To Have and Have Not by Ernest Hemingway. More about Hemingway.
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston.
Life and Death of a Spanish Town by Elliot Paul.
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck.
The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien. I was blogging through The Hobbit earlier this year as Z-baby and I were reading it aloud, but I only made it through chapter seven with the blog entries. Z-baby and I finished the entire book and enjoyed it very much.