Posts tagged with children-s-books
Spirit's Princess and Spirit's Chosen, by Esther Friesner
After writing everything from poetry to TV novelizations to books with titles like Witch Way to the Mall and Fangs for the Mammaries, Esther Friesner has expanded her résumé yet again, embarking on a series of YA books inspired by famous princesses from history and mythology. Previous books in the series have featured Helen of Troy and Nefertiti, but her latest effort focuses on Himiko, a shaman queen of ancient Japan...
Is it three-dimensional, though?
I have no use for this utterly awesome mobile based on the art work of Belgian children's author and illustrator Tom Schamp, but I want one. (Maybe hanging mobiles above adults' beds will become a hot design trend...?) I also want more of Schamp's books to be translated into English...
RIP, E. L. Konigsburg.
We've been meaning to write about children's author E. L. Konigsburg's death for a week now, but we're disorganized. Sorry, Ms. Konigsburg, no disrespect was meant—we will always love you and your glorious 1968 novel From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, which opens with a paragraph that spoke to the very souls of thousands of nerdy, finicky children...
This is real thing, apparently.
April Fools' Day is so close, but we're not actually there yet. So I'm assuming this isn't a joke: someone actually wrote a children's book called Mr. Penny and the Dragon of Domeville, and it's about a "singular" little penny who battles a dragon that represents a bloated federal government...
Clifford's big birthday
NPR recently posted an article celebrating the 50th "birthday" of Clifford the Big Red Dog. Created by author and illustrator Norman Bridwell in 1962, the Clifford series has sold more than 126 million copies and is available in 13 languages. The article includes a really sweet interview with Bridwell and his wife Norma...
Digital storytime
When we first heard about the Reading Rainbow app, details were pretty limited, but now this sucker has hit (virtual) stores. According to CNN, the free app contains 150 books and 16 video field trips, but the "full experience" will cost parents $9.99 per month...
Please do Alice in Wonderland next.
Much to my delight, Penguin has released three more "Penguin Threads" editions. The new titles, which feature a variety of styles of embroidery-inspired cover art, are Little Women, The Wizard of Oz, and The Wind in the Willows, and they're all so gorgeous I'm even tempted to buy Little Women (and you guys know how I feel about that book)...
Casting coup
PublishersWeekly informs me that Hachette Audio has landed Tom Hanks to narrate the audio edition of Stephen Colbert’s children’s book I Am a Pole (And So Can You!). Actually, he'll be co-narrating, as Colbert will apparently make his presence felt by periodically interrupting Hanks's performance...
A legacy to be proud of
We were sorry to hear that Jan Berenstain, who co-wrote and illustrated the perennially popular Berenstain Bears series with her husband Stan, suffered a severe stroke on Thursday and died Friday without regaining consciousness. Ms. Berenstain was 88, and is survived by two sons and four grandchildren.
Utterly bizarre
Scholastic Parent & Child magazine has trotted out their list of the 100 Greatest Books for Kids, awarding the top spot to Charlotte's Web, second place to Goodnight Moon, and third place to A Wrinkle in Time.
It's almost Halloween, right?
Slate recently posted an article about the original Pinocchio story, which they claim is considerably creepier than the 1940s Disney version. Now, normally this wouldn't come as much of a surpris...
Peter Rabbit continues
According to Publishers Weekly, Frederick Warne has announced that it will publish The Further Tale of Peter Rabbit, written by actress Emma Thompson, in September 2012. The book is the 24th tale ...
Two-for-one
I've never read Michael Morpurgo's novel War Horse (I don't like wartime tearjerkers or sad animal stories, and this sucker manages to be both), and I am now 100% certain I won't be seeing the mov...
Let them read read Pat the Bunny.
After years of finding Gwyneth Paltrow unbearably full of herself, I'm learning to appreciate her. I still think she's insane, but insane in a fun way, you know? But while reading her GOOP newsl...
Striking while the iron is hot
Has everybody seen this awesome fake political ad for the upcoming City of Ember adaptation?I like the idea of this spot, but I think Bill Murray is too smirky for the role. We like our politicia...
In need of a little electronic babysitting?
If so, you might want to invest in this:Barnes and Noble currently has this 6-DVD set on sale for $35.99--not a bad price, considering the quality, entertainment value, and overwhelming wholesomen...
Man convicted of killing 'Curious George' co-author
A jury convicted Vincent Puglisi on Tuesday of killing Alan Shalleck, the writer and director of dozens of short episodes of the Disney TV show Curious George and co-writer (with original creator ...
Johanna Spyri turns 181
The NPR feature The Writer's Almanac informs me that today is Heidi author Johanna Spyri's birthday.I haven't read Heidi in 15 years, but it's been lurking around in the background of my mind late...
A swift (visual) punch to the eye
Slate is currently featuring an entertaining but much too short slide show about the evolution of children's book art from the dull "improving" stories of the mid-19th century to the weirder and m...
Wear 'em with pride.
Check out this cute Madeline shirt, available for a paltry (okay, not really) $24.50:Aside: This has no literary significance, and I don't think I'd actually wear it, but I also really like their ...
*Not* an alphabet book
Roald Dahl fans take note: the paperback edition of Wendy Cooling's D is for Dahl: A Gloriumptious A to Z Guide to the World of Roald Dahl, is due out on August 16th. Dahl was just as weird as an...
Babies with books, Part II
And if you're in the market for a great book to share with your zero- to two-year-old, we (as always) have some suggestions!Try Lane Smith's The Happy Hockey Family! and its sequel, The Happy Hock...
Babies with books, Part I
We here at Wordcandy HQ try not to get too upset over statistics about the dwindling popularity of reading, but this survey, featured in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, is pret...
The Magic Pudding
The hardworking people at Dover Thrift have just released a handsome illustrated edition of Norman Lindsay's 1918 novel The Magic Pudding: Being the Adventures of Bunyip Bluegum and His Friends Bi...
Wordcandy loves Mr. Blake
If you're in the market for a little Wordcandy-approved, kid-friendly, TOTALLY FREE artwork, download this "Rights of the Reader" poster, illustrated by longtime Roald Dahl collaborator Quentin Blake.
Odds and ends
Sorry about this post wandering all over the Wordcandy map, people...Eric Schlosser and Charles Wilson have released Chew On This, a kid-friendly book exploring the same territory that Schlosser c...
Happy birthday, Margaret Wise Brown!
And thank you for Goodnight Moon.Apparently, the New York Public Library banned Goodnight Moon when it first came out, which just goes to show you that even super awesome librarians who work in su...
More from Hollywood.
Man, Hollywood has been going crazy for Wordcandy authors recently. (You have good taste, Hollywood. Too bad so many of your movies suck.) It was announced this week that Guillermo del Toro will b...
Oh, God, ew!!!
One of my favorite childhood books has been made into a movie. The film version of Thomas Rockwell's "How to Eat Fried Worms" is due for release this summer. It's been a really long time since I r...