Every once in awhile I like to use my Picture Book Saturday in a themed way, typically based around a holiday, but often due to the finding of more fabulous bedtime books. This category of the children's book genre is one of my favorites, so I'm also on the lookout for more wonderful titles to add to my bedtime book shelf (which just happens to be filled to the brim already...ahhh I need more shelves). Enjoy!
Good Night, Baby Ruby written and illustrated by Rohan Henry has a concept that many authors have followed before, with a child that is supposed to go to bed, but attempts to escape her parents and stay up later. The unique part of this one is one the very cool illustrations, done in very simple black line drawings with an infusion of baby blue, yellow, and a touch of red color. Definitely going to be attractive to babies looking at the pictures...something I'm always looking for. I want the littlest ones I'm reading the book to, to be interested, even if it's only for a few seconds.
Your kids will enjoy not only looking at the illustrations, but also trying to find out where Baby Ruby went. Very good for bedtime!
Good Night, Baby Ruby
Rohan Henry
32 pages
Picture Book
Abrams Books
9780810983236
March 2009
Sleepsong, written by George Ella Ryan and illustrated by Peter Catalanotto, is definitely a sweet choice for reading to your kids before they go to sleep. Based around an actual song, written by the author and included on the last page, you can either sing it...or talk it, as I did.
Following the simple routine of getting a young girl into bed and asleep, the reader sees the usual tasks: putting away play, turning out the light, but we also get to see animals, on the bottom of the page, doing the same actions as the little girl. Burrowing underground to sleep, flying home to their nests. Very sweet for a one on one reading at night.
Sleepsong
George Ella Lyon
40 pages
Picture book
Atheneum
9780689869730
December 2008
Finally, My Love Will Be with You, written by Laura Krauss Melmed and illustrated by Henri Sorensen, is not exactly a "bedtime" book in the sense that it's about going to sleep, but one that I think would be perfect for reading at bedtime, especially between a father and a son.
Different animal daddies explain to their sons that even though, someday, they'll be off doing their own thing, his love will always be them. The different animals are always fun for kids to look at and their sweet promises to their sons are just adorable.
Not only is this great to read before putting your little ones down for the night, but I also think this one would make an awesome baby shower gift. Several friends of mine are expecting now and I'm guessing they'll probably be getting a copy of this with their gifts!
My Love Will Be with You
Laura Krauss Melmed
24 pages
Picture book
HarperCollins
9780061552601
April 2009
To learn more about any of these titles or to purchase, click on the book covers above to link to Amazon.
Where I’m From with notes
Originally uploaded by teachergal
When my former students and I published DEAL WITH IT! Powerful Words from Smart, Young Women in 2007, we decided to write “Where I’m From Poems” by George Ella Lyon in lieu of short paragraphs about each one of us.
At the start of the 2007-08 school [...]
Authors and Illustrators for Children THIS I DREAM Campaign...
In 2004 authors Bruce Balan and April Halprin Wayland created Authors & Illustrators for children (AIC), with the goal of "using our collective energy to create a future where children can read all of our books in health, happiness, safety and peace." AIC supported the John Kerry for President campaign and more than 400 authors and illustrators lent their names to an advertisement which was placed in national publications targeted at teachers, as well as newspaper and periodical ads in swing states.
Now, in preparation for the 2008 Election, AIC has launched a new project: THIS I DREAM. Inspired by NPR's "This I Believe," each month AIC rolls out a new DREAM essay by noted authors and illustrators who were asked: “What do you dream for the next generation?” Says AIC: "They've shared their dreams and poured their souls onto the page for us. Now we need to share those dreams with the world."
A DREAM essay written by Viginia Euwer Wolff with art by Elsa Warnick is currently posted on the AIC homepage. You can also find an essay by George Ella Lyon with Art by Janie Bynum. There will be a new essay posted each month.
AIC encourages the printing and sharing of THIS I DREAM essays with teachers, principals, and librarians; bookstore owners and their employees; students; political representatives; and anyone else. "Let these people know that this isn't just another essay–it's the dream of a noted author and it expresses a future that we can make real."
If this you're interested in reading essays, learning more about AIC, or volunteering, visit www.aiforc.org . (You can even order a cute T-shirt.)
Dear Neil,
I thought you might be interested to know that tickets for
The Wolves in the Walls are now available to the general public. The show runs from October 5 to October 21 at the family-oriented New Victory Theater in NYC.
The Direct link:
http://www.newvictory.org/show.m?showID=1028522The Make-them-work-for-it link:
http://www.newvictory.orgBest Regards,
T.R.
Hurrah. I'm not yet sure if I'll be there -- I'll only just have got back from the massive traveling-everywhere-trip to China, Italy, Sweden, Japan, and the UK, and there's a point where it's nicer to be home than in New York, even if it
is New York. But
Wolves is a wonderful show. And I really do want to see what they've done to
The Wolves In the Walls during the recent rehearsals. (I believe this version will be closer to the one that premiered in Glasgow in the Spring (
as discussed here) than the one that toured in the
Autumn.)
...
Let's see -- a few people wrote to ask why I hadn't announced here that
Hard Candy director David Slade was going to be directing
Neverwhere, as widely reported on the web. For example...
Hi Neil,
Mania is reporting that Neverwhere is going to get the big screen treatment with director David Slade and your script from 2000.
http://www.mania.com/55713.html#commentsI was surprised, because I hadn't heard anything about this here but reading it makes me very excited! It's not too early for me to get excited about this, is it?
Dave
Yes, it is a bit early I'm afraid.
It's my fault;
I'd mentioned to the journalist from MTV, after the filmed interview was over, that Lisa Henson and I would be seeing David Slade, who loves
Neverwhere, at Comic-Con, but I'd assumed that bit of the conversation was off-the-record. And we did see him, and he's enthusiastic, and so are we, but nothing's set and signed yet, so it isn't news. (And this will, I suppose, remind me to say less when the cameras aren't rolling.)
And on the subject of things that aren't news, I was fascinated today by a new definition of "reportedly", which is apparently now a synonym for "we just made this up". As in several newsfeeds suggesting that
Stardust's budget "reportedly ballooned to $200 million". (The budget was $70 million, and that, I'm afraid, was that; Matthew Vaughn's MARV films put in half, Paramount put in half. If it'd ballooned even to an extra million, we'd have had a Lion and Unicorn battle.) (Here's
an article on the Visual Effects in Stardust for the curious.)
The curious can keep track of
Stardust's takings around the world over at
http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=stardust.htm(My favourite strange
Stardust story was the journalist interviewing me in the UK a few months ago who wanted confirmation on the rumour he'd heard that Matthew Vaughn had proved so willful that he'd been quietly removed toward the end of shooting and that "the producers" took over directing. Even after I pointed out that the producers on the film were, in order of power, Matthew Vaughn, rather distantly followed by Lorenzo Di Bonaventura -- who was mostly off in the US dealing with
Transformers stuff, and who doesn't direct -- Michael Dreyer -- who was rather busy producing
Stardust -- and, er, me, and I wasn't going to try and fire Matthew and direct
Stardust, not for all the little plastic toys in China -- and this was obvious nonsense, he still gave me the unconvinced Where's There's Smoke look, because a friend of a friend had
told him...)
My favourite movie discovered today is an animation of the Bayeux tapestry --
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDaB-NNyM8oThere are review sites I've never dreamed existed. STARDUST was rated
Very Offensive at the Christian Spotlight website, while the
Catholic Bishops Conference seem to find it less so (while warning of both implied premarital sex and a character born out of wedlock as a result of said implied premarital sex).
I wanted to let you know that your fish probably did not die of lack of oxygen during the thunderstorm. Occasionally, when there’s a power outage due to a storm, you get a little bit of a surge, which, if it gets into the filter, can cause an electrical jolt into the water of your fish tank. You may want to unplug it during future storms- I reasonably healthy goldfish wont die from lack of filter or bubbler in one day- especially if you put some fresh water in, and make sure they don’t get too hot.
Sorry for your loss,
TeriThat's good to know. We buried them deep in the pumpkin patch.
Hello, Mr. Gaiman,Regarding the Coraline musical, do you know if Mr. Merritt intends to release it as a CD? It's extremely unlikely that I'll be able to get to go see it live, but I am a huge fan of both of you, and would love to be able to hear the musical, even if I can't witness the spectacle for myself.Thank you!
Down the line, I hope so, yes. It's a bit early to say. I'm not completely sure where it will premiere, but I'd love to hear an original cast album...
...
There are now ripe tomatoes, although I'll be in China when we get that magical surplus of tomatoes that leads to Salsa making day. I'll miss the grapes ripening on the trellis, and the apples on the tree. And it's the first decent grape crop we've ever had.
At least I'll have the Birdchick (and Occasionally-Beeing Bill) to keep me informed on Honey, bees and birds and suchlike. (Sharon's latest post about birding out here is at
http://www.birdchick.com/2007/08/benefits-of-dead-tree.html)I'll also miss my family and I'll definitely miss my dog (I know I ought to miss the cats, but they never seem to mind me leaving). I won't miss Holly as much though, because by the time I wash up in the UK she will have moved there for good, and she probably will be looking for a job and a flat, and a father who can be hit up for a meal will definitely be a good thing.
Last Impressions
George Ella Lyon, illustrated by Christopher Cardinale,
This is a terrific "farewell WWW, JM." Thanks for sharing it, and for being a terrific TA! Good luck with your classes this fall.
Thank you, Jeanne Marie, for sharing this terrific exercise!
I quickly Googled George Ella Lyon's poem to add to your shared exercise which I cut-and-pasted to create a document now entitled "Where I'm From."
Then I emailed it pronto to two of my writers needing to learn their characters' Back Stories (as well as their own).
I won't be alone in missing you.
Sigh.
Your posts brought our readers The Real World, as well as, sometimes, your beautiful, clever children.
I'll simply say, "Au revoir!" - and hope you'll return to share news of your newest book.
I now crown you our TAF - TeachingAuthorForever!
Your Fan Esther
Loved this exercise. Sharing what you inspired:
I am from afros and kaftans and peace symbols on a protest sign.
I am from the smell of homemade cookies, clean towels and the neighbor’s spilled beer.
I am from the freshly turned dirt, the broccoli patch
I am from expertly packed suitcases and pride and stubbornness, from Charlie and Alonzo and Pam, now Sarah.
I am from those who look ahead and look away.
From beauty and ability.
I am from an erased and redrawn Star of David. And erased, again.
I'm from rocky mountains, the share croppers fields, ham hocks and beans and McDonald’s.
From the temporarily disowned mother, the four-times divorced grandmother, and the Air Force-bound grandfathers.
I am from mantels and walls of mounted and framed photos and no where but “It’s all up here.”
Jeanne Marie, I'm going to miss your humor, your honesty, and your warmth. BEST of luck as you move on to other endeavors! Hugs.
You loved the exercise, Serene.
I loved that you shared it's completion with us - and let us get to know you better.
Serene, what a beautiful (and fascinating) poem! I would love to hear more of your story.
Esther, Jill, Carmela (and April and Mary Ann), I send eternal love and thanks.