Human beans is thinking they is very clever

Quote of the week:

"Of Course I don't believe that," Sophie said.
The BFG regarded her gravely with those huge eyes of his. "I hope you will forgive me," he said, "if I tell you that human beans is thinking they is very clever, but they is not. They is nearly all of them notmuchers and squeakpips."

-Roald Dahl, The BFG

Escape to Witch Mountain Book Review

Book Review
Title: Escape to Witch Mountain
Author: Alexander Key

About three weeks ago I was in the library picking up a copy of The Forgotten Door for my fifth grade teacher wife, when I spotted Escape to Witch Mountain (both books were written by Alexander Key). Escape to Witch Mountain was one of my favorite books when I was in Elementary School, so I decided to check it out and see how the book has held up over time. Unfortunately, before I had a chance to read it my 8 year old daughter lay claim to it and I have just recently got it back and was able to finish it.

When I first read the book I loved and related to the main characters Tony and Tia. These brother and sister protagonists are orphans that feel "different" and as "outsiders" and have amazing, almost magical abilities. They keep hoping to somehow stumble across the world they had come from, a place where they would be accepted for who they were. Of course as a child, I often waited to discover my own "true" magical or other-worldly home as well, but that is another story...

These characters are just as appealing today, as are the other main actors in the story: Father O'day, the helpful Vietnam Veteran Priest, and the sinister Mr. Deranian, the antagonist of the book. Escape to Witch Mountain is an adventure story, with the kids Tony and Tia running from the evil Deranian and trying to find their true home and family. Alexander Key does a wonderful job building the suspence of the story at the same time he slowly unveils the truth behind Tony and Tia's abilities and origins.

There is also some social commentary here - about how we, the people of Earth, treat our planet, the animals we share it with, and anyone who is percieved as "different". This is nicely done as part of the story and not in preachy asides.

Overall a good exciting, suspenceful read, with interesting, believable (even if they are alians with special "abilities") characters. Recommended. And my eight year old daughter seconds the recommendation!

Note: if you have seen the Disney movie based on the book, be forwarned that the book is quite different. Of course the book is much better...

The Other Mother

Quote of the week:

"Now I think you're being silly, dear," said the other mother. "I love you. I will always love you. Nobody sensible believes in ghosts anyway- that's because they are all such liars. Smell the lovely breakfast I'm making for you."

- Neil Gaiman, Coraline

Personalized books for Easter

Looking for a unique gift to stick in that Easter basket this year? Think personalized children's books! With personalized books you are promoting literacy (children love to read when the story is about them), you can put a personalized dedication (Happy Easter, From Mom and Dad, etc.), and if you want there are a number of religeously themed books.

Here are a few suggestions from MadLuck Books:

Mother Goose Personalized Book - Personalized versions of well known Mother Goose Rhymes.







Little One, Little One Personalized Book- A great choice for the youngest Easter bunnies






Let Us Thank God Personalized Book - A warmly illustrated book for early readers who need to give thought to the many reasons we need to be thankfull.






God's Special Gifts to Me Personalized Book - This wonderful book explains God's love to children with easy to understand text.









The Sibling Book - Great for that new big brother or sister.

2007 Newberry Honor Books

I stumbled across this article on the three 2007 Newberry Honor Books: "Penny From Heaven," "Rules" and "Hattie Big Sky". This is what first caught my eye:

Like the 2007 Newbery Medal-winning book, "The Higher Power of Lucky," all three of the Newbery Honor books also feature narratives by strong-willed, interesting female protagonists.

And therein lies a potential problem for readers.

There's a saying in the children's-literature world that girls will read books with a boy protagonist, but boys won't read a book with a girl protagonist.


My two daughters have no problem reading books with boy protagonists, but I must admit that when I was a wee lad, I was generally uninterested in books with a girl as the main character. My wife, a fifth grade teacher, has also seen this in action: given a choice between two books, one with a girl protagonist, and one with a boy, the fifth grade boys will inevitably choose the one with the boy, while the girls will not necessarily choose the book with the girl character. Why is this? Don't ask me, I am sure there is a sociologist out there somewhere who has studied the phenomenon...

Anyway the rest of the article gives a good review of the three honor award winners.

The Plan of the Rats of Nimh

Quote of the week:

Mrs. Frisby spelled it out slowly: The Plan of the Rats of Nimh. What, or where, was Nimh? The name had a strange and faraway sound. Had these rats, then, come here from someplace else? Did that explain why they had books and electric lights and wires and an electric motor?
- Robert C. O'Brien, Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH


Personalized Children's Books

First view of Witch Mountain

Quote of the week:

He would rather have gone in the opposite direction, but he wanted his first view of Witch Mountain to be in the dusk, when he could catch the homey glow of lights through the mist, and hear again the magic of music that would never be forgotten.

- Alexander Key, Escape to Witch Mountain

The Cat turns 50!

Here's a press release about The Cat in the Hat's 50th Birthday:


The Cat in the Hat Turns 50!
Random House Children's Books Launches Literacy Initiative in Honor of This Important Milestone; Join the National Read-Aloud on March 2nd!

NEW YORK, NY -- (MARKET WIRE) -- February 27, 2007 -- On March 1, Dr. Seuss' beloved classic The Cat in the Hat will celebrate its 50th Birthday. Originally published by Random House in 1957, The Cat in the Hat was embraced widely and enthusiastically, becoming an instant bestseller and turning Dr. Seuss into a household name virtually overnight. Random House has since sold an estimated 10.5 million copies of the book, not including the millions more sold by Random House via a direct mail program administered by Scholastic-at-Home.

Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss, wrote The Cat in the Hat in response to a perceived literacy crisis in the United States. In the mid 1950s, many Americans were asking themselves: Why can't Johnny read? In a Life magazine article, Pulitzer Prize-winning author John Hersey maintained that American children couldn't read because the Dick and Jane primers were boring and could not compete with cartoons, comics, and other more fun and interesting stimuli, so he challenged Dr. Seuss to write a story "first graders wouldn't be able to put down." And that's just what Dr. Seuss did, using a vocabulary of only 236 words. Seuss' 236 words revolutionized the way children learn to read, ultimately making an enormous and positive impact on the looming literacy crisis in the United States.

TM and (C) Dr. Seuss Enterprises, L.P. 1957. All Rights Reserved.

TM and (C) Dr. Seuss Enterprises, L.P. 1957.
All Rights Reserved.


Random House Children's Books

In honor of Dr. Seuss and his Cat, Random House Children's Books, Dr. Seuss Enterprises, and First Book (a national nonprofit literacy organization) are sponsoring a national initiative -- Project 236 -- to raise awareness of literacy issues and help combat the literacy crisis in the United States. The program's goal is to revolutionize the way children in our country learn to read all over again, by ensuring that all children have access to books. Studies show that access to books remains essential to reading development and recent statistics have shown that while children in middle-income homes have roughly 13 books of their own, in low-income communities, the ratio of books to children is just one book for every 300 children.

Project 236 asks kids, parents, grandparents, caregivers, teachers, librarians, and community leaders: What can you do to make a difference? For example, for every birthday card sent to the Cat in the Hat, Random House will donate one new book to First Book. First Book gives children from low-income families the opportunity to read and own their first new books. Random House is also encouraging readers of all ages to join the Project 236 chorus and read The Cat in the Hat aloud at 2:36 pm on March 2nd -- Dr. Seuss' birthday and the National Education Association's Read Across America Day. Visit www.catinthehat.com for information on how to participate in Project 236 and support local literacy initiatives.

Random House Children's Books is the world's largest English-language children's trade book publisher. Creating books for toddlers through young adult readers, in all formats from board books to activity books to picture books to novels and narrative nonfiction, the imprints of Random House Children's Books bring together world-famous franchise characters, multimillion-copy series, and top-flight, award-winning authors and illustrators. The company's award-winning website, kids@random (www.randomhouse.com/kids), offers an array of materials and activities free of charge for children, parents, and educators. Random House Children's Books is a division of Random House, Inc., whose parent company is Bertelsmann AG, a leading international media company.

First Book is an international nonprofit organization with a single mission: to give children from low-income families the opportunity to read and own their first new books. Through hundreds of local Advisory Boards, the First Book National Book Bank, and the First Book Marketplace, the organization provides an ongoing supply of new books to children participating in community-based mentoring, tutoring, and literacy programs. First Book has provided more than 46 million new books to children in need in thousands of communities nationwide. For more information about First Book, please visit www.firstbook.org.