“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: $3.86 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?

Leprechaun Trap Illustrated

“Huh?” I thought. And then it clicked. The “they” that could hear me were the leprechauns! What was I thinking revealing our plan to capture them when they were in our midst?!

Ah well, live and learn. Looks like we are going to have to be EXTRA crafty because the cat is out of the bag. The leprechauns staking out our house now know what we’re up to. I share this with you so you can learn from my mistake and make sure to speak in hushed voiced, or plan your conversation to take place out of their ear shot. We don’t want word to spread about what we’re up to!

Keep the comments and tweets (#Leprechauns) coming!

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=231

Wool Felt Play Food

Leprechaun Facts and Folklore

We are determined to trap a leprechaun! We’ve done a bit of research we can share with you below. We are also recording our observations. We are formulating a hypothesis. And then we’ll begin crafting our leprechaun traps. Join in the fray by leaving us some comments. What do you know about these petit pranksters? What do the look like? How little are they? What do they like to eat? Lucky Charms? The Wool Felt Play Food pictured above? Irish Soda Bread? Or do they eat at all? These are some of the questions we are pondering right now.
Facts

• They are crafty and cunning but they don’t tell lies!
• They make shoes for fairies and work mostly at night.
• They don’t like to share their pot of gold!
• They are able to make their pot of gold appear/disappear at the end of rainbows.

Our research sources include these lovely picture books:

See larger image Leprechauns Never Lie (Hardcover) By Lorna Balian, Lecia Balian List Price: $14.95 USD New From: $10.15 In Stock Used From: $10.07 In Stock

See larger image Too Many Leprechauns: Or How That Pot o' Gold Got to the End of the Rainbow (Hardcover) By Stephen Krensky List Price: $12.99 USD New From: $5.12 In Stock Used From: $0.62 In Stock

Our “Leprechauns!” Campaign!

We’ve realized we are vastly outnumbered. Possibly outsmarted. We do have the height advantage going for us though. And a lively imagination to boot. So we are enlisting all of you out there in Internet-land to join us in an adventure! Do you have any thing to add to our facts or folklore research? Please do comment below or tweet with the #Leprechauns! (be sure to spell L-E-P-R-E-C-H-A-U-N-S correctly and include the exclamation point at the end for emphasis!) We’ll keep a log and publish our findings. If we work together we can capture these wiley wonders in time before they disappear for another year after St. Patty’s Day.

Photo credit: bugnikdesigns, Etsy.com

I found this printable template online that called for lots of cutting of hearts. And cutting. And still more cutting. But once all that cutting was behind us, gluing them together was quick and easy. We also added our own little “sweet” embellishments. Since penguins are fond of fish, we opted for these colorful candy Swedish fish.

We haven’t quite completed them yet, but I am thinking we’ll try to come up with something clever to print out on labels and affix to the back, maybe: “Valentine, You’re Cool” or “You Melt My Heart.”

If you are looking for a unique “do it yourself” idea that involves slightly less work, these Valentine bookmarks I found on Martha Stewart.com are pretty darn cute (and practical!) too.

• The PDF of the bookmark template
• The Instructions

Indestructibles

Since her older brother Wiley is learning to read right now, we spend a lot of time looking at books, talking about them, being “read” to (recalling from memory more than actually processing the words on the page). I just marvel at the progress he is making, every day a few more of the pieces of the reading puzzle fall in line and I imagine by this summer, he’ll truly be reading books to his little sister. Right now however, most of the time, Piper just wants to eat the book. I want to encourage her interaction with books and keep it positive, (thank you Mem Fox for your fantastic advice on this subject) but sometimes, especially with soft cover books, it is a little … err… mushy…

So I was delighted when I found this book at my local Books Inc. today. They are called “Indestructibles” and they are built for the way babies read. Invented by a mom of triplets, they won’t tear, they are safe to chew or “mouth,” non toxic, and washable. I couldn’t wait to share this exciting purchase with the family! I gave it to Piper as soon as we arrived back at home. Ironically, she had NO interest in putting this book in her mouth, but any of the other books we present to her get a a friendly gnaw… Ah well, I still think the books are really novel! (no pun intended). We’ll keep this one in the rotation. Tomorrow I imagine she’ll love it and will have nothing to do with the leftover Risotto.

Fiber anyone?

Celebrate the Season with Picture Books about Winter

Let these books help you start that conversation:

Snowballs (board book) by Lois Elhert
(pair with snowballs or build a snowman can)

See larger image Snowballs (Board book) By Lois Ehlert List Price: $6.95 USD New From: $2.25 In Stock Used From: $0.01 In Stock

White Snow, Bright Snow (Hardcover) by Alvin Tresselt (Author), Roger Duvoisin (Illustrator)
(pair with Red Mittens Hair Clips or Mittens)

See larger image White Snow, Bright Snow (Hardcover) By Alvin Tresselt List Price: $17.99 USD New From: $7.99 In Stock Used From: $3.53 In Stock Released April 1, 1947.

Owl Moon (Hardcover) by Jane Yolen (Author)
(pair with Snow Owl)

See larger image Owl Moon (Hardcover) By Jane Yolen List Price: $16.99 USD New From: $6.94 In Stock Used From: $3.59 In Stock

If you are looking for gifts, these book selections are holiday-agnostic. No worrying if the recipient is a believer or not, observes this or that, these books celebrate the season (winter that is).

Picture Book + Handmade Item = Heartfelt Gift

Traditionally, I’ve purchase a holiday picture book and new set of cozy fitted pajamas for the little ones on my Christmas list. With the winter-themed picture books (above) selected, I was inspired by the imperfect beauty of the natural world to find related gifts. But I wanted gifts that were more meaningful than something that mass produced, imported from faraway, or encased in clamshell packaging and laden with anti-theft devices.

I’m funny like that I guess.

Celebrating the Work of our Hands

While watching a holiday movie depicting a scene in Santa’s workshop Wiley remarked about the elves making the toys for the children. He was so impressed. It occurred to me that with web sites like etsy.com, we can celebrate the work of our own hands. There is just something about that connection to the person you are purchasing from that adds a new level of thoughtfulness and maybe even a bit more intimacy. Many of these items are handcrafted with great care and with an eco-friendly sensibility.

And for that I say: rejoice and be glad.

Handmade Gifts for the Young (and Young at Heart):

Snowballs

Felt Fuzzies - Red Mittens Hair Clips (Pair)

Navy Snowflake Mittens for Kids, Upcycled Felted Wool

$14 at FeltSewGood’s Shop

I CAN BUILD A SNOWMAN CAN

$25 at PitBullLadyDesigns’ Shop

Snow Owl

$3.50 at Emmalees Boutique

There really is nothing like the hush that falls on the landscape when it is being blanketed with snow. It’s like the world stops spinning quite so furiously fast to allow us to enjoy the moment.

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