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Piece Of Children’s Book Reflects The Loss In Oklahoma Town

Categories: childrens-books, News, Picture Books Tags: , , ,
By HulaMonkey on May 23, 2013

Reprinted CNN iReport By jaredbowieXV  05/22/13

In the debris filling the yards of the Moore, OK, neighborhoods surrounding those devastated by the F5 tornado Monday, Mark Toney, a volunteer helping with tornado clean-up, had an incredible find: a simple page from a children’s book.

A simple page with incredible meaning.

It showed a cartoon-image of a house, with these words below it:

“I remember my old house,

it’s rooms so bright and wide.

It’s halls will echo for all of time,

with the laughter heard inside.”

The children’s book’s page had an amazing impact on Mr. Toney. “It more than likely came from a house that had been demolished, he said, “and then I thought about how many houses were full of laughter and memories. It reminds me of the laughter and memories yet to come in the new houses that will be built. The memories are truly found in the heart, not the house. It really reminds me of LifeChurch.tv’s recent series, ‘Bless This Home’.”

CNN PRODUCER NOTE     Jared Bowie was with Mark Toney, a fellow volunteer from LifeChurch.tv, when Toney found a telling page from a children’s book amidst the debris at a house in Moore. ‘Somehow that page was in someone’s yard. It was just incredible,’ Bowie said. He was stunned at the symbolism: ‘I was looking at it, and how it’s scratched off, it almost looks like the tornado is going down the house.’

This isn’t the first symbolic photo Bowie has shared with iReport. Remember his stunning image of a cross with a tornado in the background?
- zdan, CNN iReport producer

To read more CLICK HERE

Sendak’s ‘Brother’s Book’: An Elegy, A Farewell

Categories: Children's literature, childrens-books Tags: , , , , ,
By HulaMonkey on February 4, 2013

Reprinted NPR  by

Maurice Sendak, one of America’s most beloved children’s book authors, evocatively captured both the wonders and fears of childhood. His books, including Where the Wild Things Are, In The Night Kitchen and Outside Over There, revolutionized picture books by adding danger and darkness to the genre.

Over the course of his life, Sendak wrote and illustrated more than a dozen widely acclaimed books and illustrated almost 80 more. And although he died last May, at 83, Sendak still has one more volume on the way.

Maurice & Jack Sendak 1956
- from the jacket of Circus Girl

My Brother’s Book was written as a tribute to Sendak’s older brother, Jack, who died 18 years ago. Published posthumously, it pairs a meditative poem with a dreamscape of watercolors; in it, two brothers in a fantastic world confront separation, longing and reunion.

While the book looks backwards toward Jack’s death, it was written so close to the end of Sendak’s own life that, for those who knew him, it has taken on a double meaning. The playwright Tony Kushner, who was a close friend of Sendak’s, says, “I really feel that the book is a goodbye from him to everybody who loved him — which was a lot of people.”

Kushner joins NPR’s Renee Montagne to talk about Sendak’s elegiac last work, his artistic heroes and why his characters were so often in danger of being devoured.

 

To read more, including an excerpt from the book CLICK HERE.

Dennis Rodman Has Released A Children’s Book, Obviously

Categories: childrens-books Tags: , , ,
By HulaMonkey on January 31, 2013

Reprinted Yahoo Sports by  By

Dennis Rodman is known for many things: historically fantastic rebounding, ridiculous action movies in which Jean-Claude Van Damme fights a tiger, wedding dresses, etc. What he’s not known for, though, is being anything close to family-friendly. He likes to shock people, and for the most part that does not include imparting valuable life lessons to the children of the world.

So it may shock you to learn that Dennis Rodman has a real children’s book available for purchase (although it’s only on Amazon.com via an unaffiliated seller). From the Associated Press:

The Hall of Famer’s book, “Dennis The Wild Bull,” came out today, and fans will immediately recognize Rodman’s influence. The large red bull on the cover has flowing red hair, two nose rings, a tattoo and red stubble under his chin. [...]

“More than anything, I just want little kids today just to understand: Ain’t no matter what you do in life — be different, rich or poor, man — guess what? It’s OK to be who you are pretty much and you’ll be accepted,” Rodman said. [...]

The author, whose previous works include titles such as “Bad as I Wanna Be” and “I Should Be Dead by Now,” chose a different audience this time. He said even now, he is recognized by children who never saw him play, and those are the ones he wanted to reach.

“For a guy like me to be very eccentric, to even go to extremes to write a children’s book with all the wild things I do and make it believable was pretty much incredible,” Rodman said.

Co-written with Dustin Warburton, the book tells the story of Dennis, a bull who is taken away from his family and forced to live with other bulls in a rodeo. Though he looks nothing like them, they come to accept him and they all become friends.

I think it’s wise that Rodman chose a different audience and lesson for this book, because a children’s book with a Rodman-esque title like “All Your Dreams Will Be Crushed” or “Let Me Show You My Piercings” probably wouldn’t sell very well. Then again, maybe I don’t understand the today’s kids.

This venture is a big change from Rodman, who these days finds himself in the news for stories involving coaching a topless women’s basketball team, a crazy birthday party held two months after his actual birthday, and failing to pay child support. You could be forgiven for thinking he’s not the best role model for children, no matter his message.

The message, though, is pretty good, and we hope that kids all over the world learn the importance of being comfortable with themselves. Whether or not they need “Dennis the Wild Bull” for guidance is a separate issue.

 

To read more CLICK HERE

Former Hipster CEO Unveils The Little Book Club,

Categories: book clubs, childrens-books Tags: , , ,
By HulaMonkey on January 30, 2013

Reprinted The Next Web  By on 29 Jan ’13

Former Hipster founder and CEO Doug Ludlow and his wife Sara have two children and found that there was something magical about their family’s nightly storytime. As years go by, finding time to spend together can be increasingly difficult and having the right book to support their child’s development wasn’t always in supply. The Ludlows decided to change this: today, it is announcing the launch of The Little Book Club, a children’s book subscription service that grows as your offspring does.

With The Little Book Club, subscribers will receive at least three books in the mail each month: a hardcover book, paperback, and an activity book. Some months may vary and contain a different combination of books, and every month will follow a different theme, such as “Dinosaur Month”, “Colors Month”, etc.

Ludlow says that the company’s goal is to “change the world, one kid at a time.”

Books sent to each child are well-suited for them based on their development level. Before getting started, the company compiled a list of the best books for children from various child education expert organizations like the National Education Association, the American Library Association, the New York Public Library, the New York Times, and Caldecott Medal awarded books.

All book titles are sorted by age group to ensure that a one year old will not receive a book written for a five year old. This criteria is determined by both the publisher’s recommendation and The Little Book Club’s editorial team.

Ludlow says that at launch, children up to age six are the focus of its business and it currently has about 100 subscribers, although he says the company is “growing at a good pace.”

 

To read more CLICK HERE

‘Magic Tree House’: Author Mary Pope Osborne looks back

Categories: childrens-books Tags: , , ,
By HulaMonkey on July 31, 2012

A tiny wooden structure just for you, filled with books and toys, nestled in the branch of a big sapling with the wind rustling through the leaves. What could possibly improve a treehouse?
Just ask children’s fiction protagonists Jack and Annie. The stars of Mary Pope Osborne’s Magic Tree House series are the possessors of just that, a magic structure that they use to travel through time and space and embark on adventures. The series currently consists of more than 40 books, including the newest, “A Perfect Time for Pandas,” which was just released on July 24. The first 28 books follow Jack and Annie and their travels through time, while the rest center on the characters meeting up with famous wizard Merlin, who gives them tasks to accomplish as they go to each time period.
The series also consists of Fact Tracker books, nonfiction titles which delve into topics covered in the books such as dolphins and ancient Egypt.

Surviving Harvard: 7 stories from freshman year

The “Tree House” books have been adapted into a stage musical, co-written by Osborne’s husband Will Osborne, and the book “A Good Night for Ghosts,” in which Jack and Annie meet jazz musician Louis Armstrong, will be the basis for a musical titled “Magic Tree House: A Night In New Orleans,” also co-written by Osborne, that will premiere at the James Moody Democracy of Jazz Festival in Newark in October.

Author Mary Pope Osborne, who recently donated 28-book sets of the series to every third-grade student and teacher in Newark, N.J., discussed how she settled on a treehouse as a mode of transport, how she hopes to inspire kids about history, and which of the books young readers love the most. Here are excerpts of the interview.

The most recent book in the ‘Magic Tree House’ series by Mary Pope Osborne (l.) is ‘A Perfect Time for Pandas,’ which finds protagonists Jack and Annie traveling to the mountains of China.
L: By Elena Seibert

Q: How did the idea of a magical treehouse come to you?

A: I’d tried many things to get kids back in time: a magic cellar, magic whistles, magic artist’s studio, magic museum. Nothing was working and I was really about to give up after a year. I was walking through some woods in Pennsylvania near a cabin that Will [Osborne] and I used to have, and we saw an old treehouse that was all rickety and pretty well run-down. We started talking about, “What if I put the characters in a treehouse?” Because then it would always be hidden up in the trees and they could travel anywhere with stuff in it. Finally, that night, we thought it’d be cool to have the treehouse filled with books, because books are magic. The moral of the story is the simplest ideas are the hardest to find.

. . .  to read more  [click here]

Where the Wild Things Are

Categories: childrens-books Tags: , , , , ,
By JAGed Otter on May 8, 2012

I believe I first read “Where the Wild Things Are” by Maurice Sendak on a dare.

“You’re not afraid of the monsters, are you?” asked Rod, the other kid assigned to the “reward” table for finishing class work early. This tiny table at the back of the room was covered with the picture books and being a voracious reader even then, I had read everything—but that. The bulbous yellow eyes and long claws were from out of my nightmares. I ignored him, but he persisted.

Unwilling to be bested by a mere boy, I read it – and then read it and read it and read it at every opportunity. I was the new girl in the second grade with a baby sister at home and no sense of terra familiar. The Wild Things became my companions, always longing for their queen. Reading it made me feel empowered. It is no exaggeration to say that it became one of the most important books of my early childhood.

Sendak’s work didn’t begin with Wild Things, nor did it end there. According to NPR, he illustrated 80 children’s books and wrote 20 of them, including the other two books of the Wild Things trilogy: “In the Night Kitchen” (1970) and “Outside Over There” (1981). His illustrations brought to life such beloved characters as “Little Bear.” He worked in adult realms, too. He designed theatrical sets and collaborated on an opera with Tony Kushner based on his brilliant book “Brundibar” (2003), which was published 50 years after Wild Things.

But I think what most endeared him to children, and made his contribution to children’s literature so monumental, was that he understood that children know the world isn’t made up of sunshine and lollipops. Children know that life has its darker aspects. Sendak acknowledged the darkness and gave children a lantern to light the way.

It is somehow fitting that we lost this master storyteller during Children’s Book Week. I plan to read Wild Things to a 6-year-old friend and perhaps my teenage son. I can think of no better tribute to Sendak.

“But the wild things cried, “Oh please don’t go–we’ll eat you up–we love you so!”
And Max said, “No!”
The wild things roared their terrible roars and gnashed their terrible teeth and rolled their terrible eyes and showed their terrible claws but Max stepped into his private boat and waved good-bye.”

– Maurice Sendak, Where the Wild Things Are

MeeGenius Announces Winners of Nationwide Author Challenge for Children’s Books

Categories: author, childrens-books Tags: , , , , , , ,
By HulaMonkey on March 7, 2012

NEW YORK, March 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ – MeeGenius, Inc, the world’s largest virtual store for enhanced children’s books, today announced the winners of their nationwide Author Challenge.

Gregory G. Allen, of Nutley New Jersey, has won the MeeGenius Author Challenge People’s Choice award for the touching story he wrote for his autistic godson. Allen, the managing director of Bloomfield New Jersey’s Westminster Arts Center, beat out over 400 entries from across the country to take home the top prize. Inspired to write a book from the perspective of his autistic godson, Allen’s story Chicken Boy: The Amazing Adventures of a Super Hero With Autism, touched readers from every corner of the United States.  As the winner, Allen receives a $1,500 cash prize, a publishing contract with MeeGenius and a digital library of more than 300 titles to be donated to Radcliffe Elementary School in Nutley, New Jersey, the very school that his godson attends.

“MeeGenius is extremely proud of the work that Gregory has done,” said Wandy Hoh, CEO and Co-Founder of MeeGenius. “This book speaks not only to parents and children who are familiar with autism, but also to anyone who loves a great kid’s book,” she continued.

The MeeGenius Author Challenge is a 6-month, multi-round contest that solicits entries from across the country. The People’s Choice and Runners Up awards are determined by popular vote. The Editor’s Pick is chosen by the MeeGenius editorial panel, which is comprised of MeeGenius senior staff member and industry experts.

Other winners included: Editor’s Pick Winner, Bobbi Gale from Houston Texas, the First Runner Up, Tanya Valentine from Lilburn Georgia, the Second Runner Up, Gwendolyn Conover from Baldwin City Kansas and the Third Runner Up, Kelly Ehasz from Upper St Clair Pennsylvania.

“The huge number of great submissions and the high quality of our winners reflects the deep and versatile talent pool of children’s books authors that is the MeeGenius community,” said Hoh. “This challenge has been hugely successful and we encourage authors to stay tuned for our next contest,” she concluded.

The MeeGenius Author Challenge launched in September 2011. The full list of MeeGenius Author Challenge award winners is below and can also be found at: http://meegenius.com/challenge/winners/.

People’s Choice Winner: Gregory G. Allen from Nutley New JerseyEditor’s Pick Winner: Bobbi Gale from Houston TexasFirst Runner Up: Tanya Valentine from Lilburn GeorgiaSecond Runner Up: Gwendolyn Conover from Baldwin City KansasThird Runner Up: Kelly Ehasz fromUpper St Clair Pennsylvania

Little Red Riding Hood – ReTold

Categories: Book Art, childrens-books Tags:
By HulaMonkey on February 23, 2012

A fun little retelling of this childhood classic. This was one of a series put out by M. A. Donohue & Company in the early 20th century, none of which indicated authorship or gave credit to an artist. Others in the series included Peter Rabbit, Chicken Little, The Three Bears, and other popular stories of that type. I have also scanned and reproduced here the endpapers, which include all the character from the different stories in a forest together.

Granny doesn’t get eaten. The woodman is homeless. Little Red Riding Hood climbs on top of the canopy bed and fall asleep there. A few things were changed for this telling. I have included at the end of the gallery full scans of the book so the text is viewable as well.

 

 

Title: Little Red Riding Hood – Retold
Author: unattributed
Artist: unattributed
Publisher: M. A. Donohue & Company
Date Published: 1921

Following are some samples form the book. There are 27 in all, not including the unedited scans of the full text. I have edited them a bit to brighten the tones and eliminate some aging and other small flaws.

Where does your Grandmother live?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When the Grandmother saw his wicked face, she jumped out of bed and ran.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The better to eat you with!' cried the wolf, and leaped out of bed; but he became entangled in the bedclothes...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When the wolf found he could not reach her, he got back into bed again. It was very quiet in the little house for some time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"And the next day Grandmother had the nicest tea party"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reprinted: http://www.oldbookart.com/2008/08/20/little-red-riding-hood-retold/ written by John

 

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