Thursday, November 17, 2005

Looking forward to kids' stuff

Amazing what tea, chicken soup, and a day's sleep'll do for a bad cold. I'm up and at 'em now, ready for a full day's work (plus one, since I'll have to make up for yesterday's lost time). Onward!

Still in need of comfort food (books, movies), I'll stick to kid-themed stuff this morning.

The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy by Jeanne Birdsall won this year's National Book Award for Young People's Literature. Well, ya' gotta love the title alone. Looks like a great potential Christmas gift - for me!

I don't give a fig about criticisms aimed at either Harry Potter or his creater J.K. Rowling, I still love the books and the movies. So I can hardly wait to sit my butt in a movie seat this weekend with my bud Alexander and revel in the latest Potter film, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Woo-hoo! Even at 14 Alexander wants to keep the tradition of our Potter movie dates, started when he was 10. Joanna saw the previews when we did our Gromit/Corpse Bride movie-fest last month and has decided to pass, yet again, on the latest Potter flick. She's always just one step behind them as they ratchet up the fear factor with each film. Mmm. Feelin' warm and cozy anticipation . . .

Who doesn't love Goodnight, Moon? It looks so harmless but something about it can lull even the crustiest insomniac to sleep. But did you ever notice that the picture of illustrator Clement Hurd had him holding a cigarette? Run - go get your copy and check it out. But hang on to that book because from now on, Hurd's photo will be sans smoke, thanks to a little PhotoShopping. Read about it here.

It's crisp and sunny in Atlanta. Hope it stays this way for Thanksgiving!

5 comments:

petercmoore said...

Hi Mary,

Discovered that you've blog-rolled my blog -- you're the first person to do this who isn't a close friend or member of my family. And for that I'm very chuffed. Thank you. Have added you to my blogroll in return.

As this is a comment, I must say that I do enjoy the Harry Potter books (they've got better as they've gone along). The films though, for me, because they need to cut out so much of the story to stay manageable, do tend to whizz along and don't have as much depth.

Pete

MaryB said...

You're blog's hilarious - I like the way you think! I found you via a British blog list (which I posted on last week). I'm always on the lookout for the good stuff. Cheers!

re: Potter movies - yeah, they have to leave a lot out (which is why I hate to hear folks say they don't read the books, just see the movies) - disappointing. On the other hand - and call me sappy - I love watching the "kids" grow up, including Malfoy and Co.

Anonymous said...

Yay for Harry! The last film - of my favorite book in the series - was such a disappointment. I have high hopes for this one though as I'm a Mike Newell fan.

The Goodnight Moon thing annoys me. What, we can't admit that an illustrator ever smoked? It makes his illustrations worse? I understand the importance of not glamourizing smoking for children but it's not like the freaking bunny is lighting up. Are those who write for children not allowed to themselves be adults, bad habits and all? I suppose if I ever actually sell one of my middle grade books I'll have to take my blog down. SWEARING, you know. Not to mention glamourizing candy consumption.

MaryB said...

re: Goodnight Moon smoker-man: Yeah! It took me a while to figure out what the article was talking about. I thought, Wait! Is there a picture of a bunny smoking? Nope - just the 1940's illustrator. You have to look reeeeeeaaaal hard to even see the ciggie!

NotCarrie said...

I LOVED HP3 so I'm excited for this one...I hope it lives up to the expectations