“Boggis and Bunce and Bean
One fat, one short, one lean
Those horrible crooks
So different in looks
Were nonetheless equally mean.”

Forgive me but this song is on the brain these days. Both Wiley and I find ourselves humming the melody or mumbling the lyrics under our breath several times a day.

Wiley has come to know Roald Dahl’s stories through his movies. Like 99% of American children he has seen Charlie and the Chocolate Factory at least 15 times. And our new favorite is now Fantastic Mr. Fox. After renting it from the local movie store the other evening, we decided it was one DVD we had to add to our collection. Wes Anderson’s stop-motion picture version of the book really is, fantastic!

I am not a movie critic, but if I had to sum it up in just a few “critic-esque” phrases I’d say things like: visually stunning, deliciously imaginative, an artistic adventure. (If you are so inclined, I think this critic has a wonderful piece on the film, although the comments are a varied and nasty lot.

Walk a Mile in His Shoes

Watching the film I really thought that Anderson was true to Dahl’s book and after watching a promo video for the movie on amazon.com Dahl’s widow confirms that sentiment, saying that the film “took her breath away.” Apparently, Anderson lived at Dahl’s home in the English countryside and wrote the screenplay there. I know just a little bit about Dahl and am have just started his biography–Boy: Tales of Childhood–but the character of Mr. Fox is based on the author himself. His own childhood obviously shaped many of his stories. He witnessed horrible forms of corporal punishment (child abuse by contemporary standards) in his youth at boarding school. And interestingly the Cadbury Chocolate Company would often send samples of chocolate to the students to solicit feedback. Surely the precursor to the world famous Wonka Bar!

I am not usually a fan of films featuring Hollywood’s A-List because I find it distracting but I didn’t find that to be the case with the narration in the film. George Clooney’s voice as Mr. Fox is positively hypnotic. If there was ever a model for reading aloud, he is IT!

To be honest, I would have been hard pressed to recall the plot before watching the film. But as I watched the movie, there was a reassuring feeling of familiarity. I began recalling certain details about the characters and the incidents that must have been filed in the vast archives of my brain. I don’t recall when I read the book as a child– I suspect I was probably seven or eight years old. (My childhood home was just three houses down from a smaller branch of the city library and I was a regular fixture there after school.)

Anyway, the movie stirred up a nostalgia for a childhood now decades past. To say watching it “took me back” is a gross understatement, but I am at a loss to better articulate the feelings the movie conjured up for me but to say: I found a happy place.

Now I am desperate to find a first edition printing of the book like the one I remember reading so that I can read it with Wiley. Apparently, I am not the only parent who shares this sentiment! A Google search revealed that first edition hardcover copies ranged from $68 to $10,000 for a copy signed by the author! So I think I’ll settle for the borrowing from the library. Unless you have a copy you could loan me?

See larger image Fantastic Mr. Fox (Paperback) By Roald Dahl New From: $4.05 In Stock Used From: $0.02 In Stock

The bottom line is whether you read the book or watch the movie, you are in for a delightful adventure!

Image credit: Lazymuse’s shop on Etsy.com

I have been hunting for something for Wiley, my 5 year old, and finally stumbled upon Anorak magazine. I was won over immediately and against my better-budget conscious judgement, sprang for a subscription. (If you are an iPhone user, they have an app which would be a much more affordable option).

I received my second issue of Anorak just last week “por avion” from the UK and delivered to my mailbox. I absolutely love the eclectic mix of illustrations, stories, activities and illustrations they collect in each issue. They call it the “happy mag for kids” and I’d say that label fits quite nicely!

So far we’ve enjoyed the adventures of Munkie and Horace–a stuffed monkey, teddy bear and an entire cast of “plush” characters whose antics are painstakingly choreogreaphed and photographed.

The activities are probably Wiley’s favorite part. He retreated under the kitchen table the other night while I was preparing dinner to do one of the activities–finding 3 houses that look *exactly* alike in an illustration with about 40 from which to choose.

The best part is that I don’t have to think about it. As a subscription, each wonderful issue just “automagically” arrives in our mailbox every so often (it’s published quarterly). We can read it at our leisure as there is nothing to return. No late fees lurking anywhere.

This subscription model should really find it’s way to more facets of childrearing. For example, I wish diapers and milk were available by subscription too. And maybe fashionable (but sensible) shoes for moms.

What’s a mom to do?

One of his other homework assignments this week was to write a few 2-3 word sentences. When pressed to do this along with his standard penmanship worksheets he was nonplussed. Later that evening though, when our attention turned to reengineering the trap, he mentioned he wanted to write “Lucky” (the leprechaun) a note. Horray! We’d get our sentences done afterall. And sure enough, given the right inspiration he wrote out *several* sentences taunting Lucky that he wouldn’t outsmart us this time!

Lesson learned: Never underestimate the value of self-motivation. Or to put it more eloquently:

Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.
-William Butler Yeats

While we are no longer reading tales about leprechauns and how to entrap them, the story we read tonight definitely details a feat of mechanical engineering that kids will enjoy. Lazy Tommy Pumpkinhead details the misadventure of a VERY lazy little boy.

Tommy is so lazy; he needs several machines to help him through his day. When the morning sun warms his window sill, his bed lifts up and dumps him into the bathtub. The bathtub tilts and dumps him into the drying room where is teeth are brushed and his hair is combed for him. Then he slides down a chute into a harness, which guides him into his shorts, pants, socks, and shoes. A sailor suit drops down over his head. Then the harness takes him to the feeding machine. Finally, his mouth is wiped for him.

Lazy Tommy Pumpkinhead (Library Binding) By William Pene Du Bois List Price: $12.89 USD Used From: $119.95 In Stock

I also had to chuckle when I noticed in the jacket cover the retail price of the hard cover edition we have was $2.57 in 1966. A family member bought it for me for my birthday a few years ago when I found it on eBay. I think the price was just north of $60. It’s out of print now and a bit hard to come by, but if you ever encounter it, do pick it up. As Wiley says “it’s the most awesomest book.”

We like to discuss why Tommy is sooo lazy. But reflecting on the leprechaun lesson, now I wonder perhaps Lazy Tommy was just lacking a little inspiration?

The Staircase That Swallowed People

So in exchange for my candid feedback on the story, Jade McBlade agreed to an interview (a first for Little Nutmeg!). This marks Jade’s publishing debut, but I suspect we’ll see more clever stories in the near future!

So picture Jade and I seated next to a sunny window, tea cups in hand, chatting about great children’s literature, our kids, debating whether to have a first birthday party for our little ones (against my better judgement I am planning a big bash for Piper, Jade, a little older and wiser opted just to do a small gathering with family)… and our conversation went something like this:

What inspired you to write this story?

Would you believe that I don’t really know? I just once said to myself, why don’t you write a story about a dangerous staircase. In general, I love stories about things, I like the idea that under special circumstances they might start to behave like live creatures.

Have you ever lived in a house with a “history” like the one in The Staircase?

No, I haven’t but I have lived in an ordinary yellow house on an ordinary London street in an ordinary neighborhood. I guess I just need a little more excitement in my life so I made it up.

The story takes place in London. Do you live there too?

No, I don’t, I live in California, but I used to live there before. It is a very busy, but a very charming city. Full of character, history and mysteries. No place for yellow-bellies.

What were some of your favorite stories/authors when you were growing up?

I really loved The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, I read it at least one hundred times. It is a very gentle story about a boy coming to Earth from a distant planet. It is meant for children but it does not underestimate them like many other books do. If you haven’t read it yet, go and get a copy of it straight away!

What do you think makes a good story?

A smart story-teller and a smart reader/listener?

What kinds of things do you do when you are not writing?

You know, writers are completely normal people. So I play marbles with my sons, Skype with my friends all over the world, hike on weekends, help my daughter with her homework, watch TV when I am folding laundry and believe it or not I also sleep, I love to sleep!

Thank you for the answers.

Thanks for having me.

http://www.lilnutmeg.com/?p=110 With only two days until Thanksgiving I realized it may be a good time to review table etiquette with my little one. As much as I love this holiday we will be the only couple with chilldren at my family’s celebratory feast this year! Ack! That means lots of adult expectations. This is one year I would have no objection to sitting at the kids table!

So how do we talk about etiquette or table manners but make it fun?

I found some inspiration in that Alice in Wonderland book again! We read the book and then hosted our very own mad cap tea party.

“They buttered the gears. They sugared the springs. They strawberry jammed the wheels.”

- from the Tea Party in Alice in Wonderland

I let my son Wiley enforce the “rules” when our “guests” got out of hand. He felt very much in control and I think now that he knows the “rules” he’ll feel much more confident at a table with all the adults this Thanksgiving.

Tea parties are a great way to teach a variety of things. We counted out the place settings. He set the table. We had made rice crispies treats so we served those to our guests. While pouring the teddy bear some tea, the top to the pot came off and Wiley exclaimed “look mom, there goes the hubcap!”

Of all the gems of wisdom she imparted that night, the piece of advice that I immediately implemented was this:

“Don’t just read to your children at bedtime.”

It is so simple and seemingly obvious but I needed to hear it. I realized that books could replace television in our home to get us through the late afternoon when my 5 year old Wiley usually started asking to turn it on.

The next afternoon, instead of television, we went to his room and pulled a few books from his shelf and began reading together. Wiley bounced around on his bed, his little sister crawled over the covers in search of a new toy to ogle. We passed the time not just reading a fun story but also talking about it.

This “talking about it” was some more of Frankenstein’s advice:

“Read a book and ask a question.”

Again, it was so simple and intuitive, but I needed a reminder. “Children come into the world breathing out questions,” Frankenstein said. (So true!) “When reading ask your child a personal, open-ended question, like: ‘Is there a character in the story that you would like to be friends with?’ ‘What did you think about xyz?’ ‘What did you notice?’ Avoid ‘ambusing’ them with comprehension questions or yes-no queries that force them into a corner, such as ‘did you like the book?’

“When children talk about a book, we build their confidence” she explained. “Kids will remember the story better if they talk about it and children who have these stories in their repertoire will develop a love of reading and learning. It’s not about how many books they have, but how many conversations they have had about them.”

That leads me to my new favorite quote that Frankenstein shared that evening:

“What good are books without pictures and conversations?” – Alice in Wonderland

Frankenstein didn’t mince words when it came to television and technology. They are no substitute for the interaction between a child and his peers or a child and her parent or caregivers. She offered Jane Healey’s Endangered Minds: Why Children Don’t Think And What We Can Do About It
as recommended reading to parents who wanted to explore the topic further. It looks like a great book, but at this point I am sure it will just confirm what I know—we have got to turn off the television and just read more. Or play more. I can’t let “I’m bored” send me into a panic, afterall:

“The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity.” – Dorothy Parker

So I credit Diane Frankenstein for helping me get back on track with making reading and conversations replace idle time in front of the tv. Since we’ve cut afternoon tv time out, and spend most weekday afternoons in his room, I have also been inspired to update the room a bit to create a “book nook” or a reading area. I want it to be a cozy comfortable little corner of his room. Right now we read together, but I hope he will also find this activity so enjoyable, he’ll retreat there on his own when he wants to unwind.

How do you create a haven for your young reader?

I am such a visual person, I immediately went to Flickr and scrolled through hundred of photos of classrooms, nurseries, playrooms to find inspiration. I have compiled a gallery on Flickr with photos that inspired me. What really impressed me was that I didn’t need to go buy anything special, just by adding a lamp, some low shelves and a some floor pillows, we have all that we need.

Do you have a haven in your home?

I’d love to see it! Or perhaps, like me, you found inspiration on the Internet! If you have an inspiration you’d like to share, include the URL in your comments below. Or include your email address and I’ll contact you. Then you can email the photo back to me as an attachment.

Giveaway!

I’ll be giving away one copy of:

Walt Disney’s Alice in Wonderland (Hardcover), Jon Scieszka (Author), Mary Blair (Illustrator)

To enter:

Leave a comment below (1 entry)
Include a link to your ideal reading haven (2 entries)
Send me a photo of your reading haven (2 entries)

Contest will close at 11:59 pm PT November 19, 2009. Winner will be posted here and notified on Friday, November 20.

Suggested Reading:

• Reading Together: Everything You Need to Know to Raise a Child Who Loves to Read
  Diane Frankenstein
• Endangered Minds: Why Children Don’t Think And What We Can Do About It Jane Healy
• Walt Disney’s Alice in Wonderland
  Jon Scieszka (Author), Mary Blair (Illustrator)
• The Annotated Alice: The Definitive Edition Lewis Carrol (Martin Gardner, Editor)

More Inspiration:

• Audrey Blissful: New Reading Nook
• OohdeeDoh: Children’s book area in a bedroom
• Flickr: Book Look Gallery

So I created our fabulous sign up sheet. I even attempted to translate it into Spanish as there are 6 families who speak Spanish at home and whose parents know little or no English. After studying Spanish for 12 years I am embarrassed at how little I remember, but alas, I was able to piece something together with the limited vocabulary I could recall coupled with the online translations sites like wordreference.com. I am happy to report that all the slots were filled within 24-hours. (Can you say rock star room parent!? Ha!)

Are you planning a party for Halloween? If so, here are some tips for minimizing the SUGAR and WASTE factors, but maximizing the FUN.

With the party planning under control, I turned my attention to gathering a few books for the festivities. In addition to Over in the Hollow, these are three other books that are my list of must reads this fall.

Fletcher and the Falling Leaves This book has a winning combination—adorable illustrations and a meaningful storyline. The fox is just as cute as he can be and he is such an endearing character—concerned that his poor friend the tree is losing his leaves. Wiley’s Kindergarten class has been studying trees too so this is just perfect fit. Did you know, only broad leaf trees loose their leaves? Conifers are evergreen. We can’t take a walk anymore without discussing which trees are which.

Room on the Broom is a great read! Like Over in the Hollow, this book highlights the characters and antics of Halloween with a fun rhyming structure. The illustrations really bring the characters to life and while she’s not quite, Glenda the good witch, this witch is not the gruesome scary variety so it’s a safe bet for kids of all ages.

The House in the Night is not about Halloween or even fall per say, but the color scheme (just black & white with yellow) and the storyline: a house at night—makes it appropriate for Halloween. The illustrations are truly unique and remarkable. If they made a print of these pages, I’d order it and frame it! The words are so simple but as we read it together, we spend a lot of time on each page looking at the different items that are highlighted in yellow and talking about why they are highlighted.

I look forward to attending the class party and volunteering to read a story to the very subdued group of sugar-deprived children. Staying true to the CONTROL THY SUGAR mandate from the teacher, I ordered two dozen of these little treats for the kids. How clever! If you are enterprising enough, I am sure you can make them at home too. But I prefer to leave melting to the experts at Halloween ☺

What are you doling out this Halloween?

Happy Haunting!

So when it comes to baby showers for first time moms like the one I attended today for my cousin, I just can’t resist buying my favorite gift–books. Now I suppose there is still an element of savvy here. I have learned which books make the best gifts for the little ones and I am not just talking about the title of the book, but also how the book is made.

Here are my suggestions for truly memorable baby shower / new baby gifts. WARNING: these will very will get you a lot of attention at the shower. The mom to be will probably gush for several minutes. It may so impress the new parents you may be tapped later to serve as the child’s godparent. Okay, with that in mind, let’s proceed.

• “Soft books” (also called plush books or quiet books) are a great choice for babies from birth to one year. During most of this time babies explore their world by touch, whether it’s with their chubby little hands (so cute!) or those drooly little mouths (erupting with teeth-ouch!). One of my favorite places to purchase these soft books is www.etsy.com. Here you can find all manner of these cloth books already made, OR kits available for download that will walk you through how to make one yourself (again see warning above). Shop early as customization is also available. I like the one pictured in particular because it is has wonderful textured pages and at seven months my little one loves exploring texture. I love to watch her scratch at the pages and marvel at her reaction to the different sensations. The topic is shoes too which was perfect for the expecting fashionista. Best of all many of these books are washable! And they are not made of plastic nor do they require batteries. Hallelujah!
• Board books are another great choice for the very little ones as if you attempt to read the conventional book, pages tend to get malled by those chubby hands and drooly mouths. The pages are extra sturdy and also make it easier for the them to grasp and as their fine motor skills develop, eventually turn the pages. I have found that in those first months with my own kids they are drawn to real photographs moreso than illustrated books. As such the Baby Food and Dog Food books by Joost Elffers are two of my all-time favorite board books. I also love that they are not yet so well known that you run the risk of being the “duplicate” at a shower. This may be a bit selfish, but they are also fun for adults too! I get such a kick out of how the photos and the clever puns that make up the very simple text. There are several in the series: Baby Food, Dog Food, Fast Food. I am rediscovering them again with my seven month old. We currently have the Baby Food book next to her high chair and read it before meals.

Over the years I have received many heartfelt thank you notes or hugs from friends that have received these books. I really LOVE giving them and when I do, I always recal the joy the book gave me as I read it to my own little ones. I hope like me, they come to cherish the evening ritual of books before bed. Their little one, squeaky clean from an evening bath, dressed in the warm footed pj’s, seated on their lap with their back pressed against your chest and listening intently (or gnawing contentedly as is the case with my seven month old who is teething!).

As we all try to be a little more “thoughtful” about our purchases, books like these are also an eco-friendly gift. They work for boys and girls equally, can be passed on to the next child, and later recycled.

As we acknowledge the arrival of my favorite time of year, I am inspired to find the *perfect* book that captures some of the sentiments of the season to read to my son at bedtime.

At our local Books Inc. on Monday I must have picked up ten different books about fall or Halloween. Nothing seemed to impress me until I found this one.

Over in the Hollow (cover)

Over in the Hollow by Rebecca Dickinson

The illustrations on the cover had me on the hook as soon as I picked it up. An adorable owl. An enormous harvest moon. A bat. A pair of Casper-esque ghosts.

I turned the pages.

The story mirrors the rhyming pattern of one of my all-time favorite bed time reads — Over in the Meadow.

The author’s dedication makes my maternal-spidey sense tingle:

“For my mother, who shared with me her love of reading and the lovely sounds of words strung together ‘just so.’”

It is published by Chronicle Books. I am a devoted fan. Their attention to detail is always impressive. Everything from the colors, to the fonts (”Whoa Nellie” is one of the fonts used for the quotes in the book, and it’s as cool as it sounds!), to full bleed on the illustrations’ layout, is well done.

The price tag? $15.99 (yep, I splurged, but did I mention I LOVE fall?)

I am not sure who loves it more, me or my five year old. But it held his attention the whole way through. I think he could sense my enthusiasm, as at one point he told me to read in a softer voice

What are your favorite children’s books for fall?