Peter Pan

Peter Pan
J.M. Barrie
276 pages
Classic, Fantasy, Fiction
Published in 1911

Peter Pan is the tale of a boy who finds the fountain of youth located on the 'second star to the right and straight off 'till morning'. That place is Neverland. In Neverland there are adventures to be had, and it is the dreamiest world to be for any young boy, because it contains all the fantasies with none of the responsibilities of getting older. Peter and the lost boys fight pirates, they can fly, they magically have food to eat and they get to run around with real swords and weapons! There is never a bedtime to be kept, no rules, no nagging or chores to do, there is time for everything in a life free of cares and hardships.

When Peter brings in Wendy and her siblings though, things start to get funky. The lost boys begin to dream of the mother they have never had, of a mother who loves them. For a while Wendy fills this role, but then she too misses her own mother.

Peter Pan is certainly a classic worthy of all the hype as it has graced the stages from Broadway to Disney, to Hollywood, to so many different book publishers who hope to carry on this glorious favourite. I think somewhere in marketing however has made a mistake. I believe the story should not be marketed towards children, as they have yet to know what the abandoning of youth really means, but that it should be read more often by adults. Kids grasp the fun that this Neverland world would be, but neglect to see the implications of living there forever.

I don't cry when I read books, so I was astonished when I cried in the final lines of Peter Pan. It is that forgetting of childhood, of moving to a new season, of letting go of things that were once all that you dreamed of and thought about. I have never understood it more clearly than with the finishing of this text, the sadness that it would be to live as a child for the rest of your life and watch everything else grow and change except you.

For me this book is a coming of age tale, a choice we all have to make of weather to stay in our own fantasies, of having everything taken care of for us or actually having the bravery to face our fears and then enjoy along with the responsibilities, these are the benefits of aging. More than a dream, to live forever in an mortal world would be a curse, it makes me sad thinking about it, Peter is not a hero but a victim of a place and an imagination that he cannot will himself to escape for fear. We are meant to embrace each new stage, each step and grow and learn with them. I loved the impact that Peter Pan had on me as an adult. When I was younger I really didn't get the point, and it seemed so anti-climactic in the end, I didn't get it at all. I am in love with this classic now for sure. I can relate in so many ways to the war of embracing the future- while still longing for the past, the fear things will change and not knowing how that will feel. There is also no question about it, Peter Pan gets all my chickens clucking and the Stellar Five Chicken Book Award.

Have you ever read Peter Pan? What is your favourite children's classic? Have you found out like me that when you read a childhood classic later on in life it has much more meaning than when you were a kid? Which classic was it?

Cover of 1915 edition of J.M. Barrie's novel, first published in 1911.

Peter Pan playing the pipes, from the novel Peter and Wendy published in 1911

Anne Of Green Gables

Title: Anne of Green Gables
Author: L.M. Montgomery
Pages: 304
Published: 1908
Genre: Classic Children's Literature

Anne of Green Gables is the tale of Anne and orphan girl child who comes by mistake to live at Green Gables. Which is the mistake? Well, that she should have been a boy, they requested a boy! She is the chattiest creature to have ever entered the life of the older brother and sister, Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert, maybe the chattiest creature I have read ever. Still, she is genuine, sweet and no matter how obnoxious- she is lovable. I must say that somewhere in the middle of the book she was no longer bothersome at all and I completely fell in love.

For the first several chapters I didn't really know if I'd make it through the book, and then I felt a duty to get at least a little ways into this classic before renouncing it forever. I would have made a horrid judgment call if I had! I don't know where it happened, but it did I fell in love with Anne. It may have been right around where she died her hair green, or where she should have forgiven her best enemy Gilbert, but I am not sure because all of the sudden I just couldn't get enough of her. When the book was done I immediately tried to get my hands on the next book, which is Anne of Avonlea. This is a classic that deserves it's title and honoured position, there is no doubt about it!

Have you read Anne of Green Gables too? Did you read it as a child or an adult? What book do you love that is considered a childhood classic that you just can't get enough of even being an adult?


Find it at: Powell's

Pet Show

Title: Pet Show
Author: Ezra Jack Keats
Genre: Children's Classics

Loved it. Ezra Jack Keats has all of our votes. His images are kidlike- in that they make sense to the kids, and they are high quality and cleaver as well. The writing of this book is cool, calm and perfect. It is easy to sit back and enjoy Keats and his beautiful characters Archie and Peter in this classic.

Pet Show is about a place where there will be a judging of all the neighborhood pets, however Archie's pet Cat (the star from HI, Cat!) is missing. His mom tries to help him understand that Cat is not that reliable and cannot be asked to know when to appear for the show. Archie ends up staying home while Peter and the rest of his friends gather up their pets and head off to win some prizes. You'll have to read the rest on your own, as I wouldn't want to spoil the clever ending for anyone! It is pretty cute, the boys and I sat and enjoyed the story just as much as the artwork in this book.

I tremble at admitting this, but this is my first Ezra Jack Keats book! Yes, I know this isn't even the one that I see everywhere, The Snowy Day is THAT book. What do you think? Have you read Keats? Which is your favourite book?

Make sure you enter my giveaway!! I have tons of copies of Sundays at Tiffany's to give!

Visiting Langston

Title: Visiting Langston
Author: Willie Perdomo
Illustrator: Bryan Collier
Genre: Children's, African American
Awards: Coretta Scott King Award

These days it seems that quality in the writing is good, but many times it is not ready for kids. This book is an example, it is filled with poetry like writing, but yet because of that it hardly says what is most important for kids to learn- it just describes this girls visit to Langston Huges house with her father. The only information given about Langston is that he lived in this house, and enjoyed writing poetry. Seriously, that could be any number of people. I found the content of this book dumbed down for kids, but not challenging them in any way- and I have little kids! There is nothing about this book that will make me even want to read it again, nothing happens and nothing is explained.

However, because this is a kids book it has to be also reviewed based on the images worked onto the pages. As far as illustrations go, amazing. Collier uses different fabrics and mixed media to convey texture and life in this children's book. The illustrations are true art, very beautiful and classy-yet modern in appeal. They are worth looking at.

The words, skip them.

Make sure you enter my giveaway!! I have tons of copies of Sundays at Tiffany's to give!

Ben's Trumpet

Title: Ben's Trumpet
Author: Rachel Isadora
Awards: Caldecott Honor Book
Genre: Urban, Children
Published: 1979

I decided to pick up some books at the library this month in honour of Black History Month. I have read some others, but I fell in love with this one, Ben's Trumpet. It is the story of a boy who dreams in music form, the pictures are stunning and all done in black and white. My two little guys (3 and 5 years old) were entranced by the details of the art and loved the story as well.

Ben visits the Zig Zag Jazz Club every day. He goes there to watch the musicians work their magic, as music streams effortlessly through their drums, trombones, and saxophones however the one he most admires is the trumpeter. He has his own trumpet that he plays from the fire escape of his house, he is made aware by some other kids that it is just imaginary, not real, pretend stuff.

This is a story of sticking with something, following your own beat and having musical heroes. It is a book where kids are kids, a classic with its thick paper and high quality take-your-time feel. What can I say, my boys and I- well, we loved everything about this Caldecott Honor Book. It has earned its keep as it has a library card holder and is all ragged and loved. It was around 30 years ago, before all the library books were scanned. It is perfect. I know that when we bring it back I'll be itching to head to Powell's and get our own.

Which are your favourite kid books that you remember reading and re-reading?

Make sure you enter my giveaway!! I have tons of copies of Sundays at Tiffany's to give!

i love dirt

Title: i love dirt
Author: Jennifer Ward
Pages: 153
Publisher: Trumpeter (Shambhala Publications)
Yearly Count: 24

Dirt, leaves, worms, bugs, stars, raindrops and watching trees grow...all that fills i love dirt to capacity with 52 activities for parents and kids to do together. If I read thorough a book and can't help but dog-ear the pages I know it is a great one. i love dirt by Jennifer Ward is a book about kids, and exposing them to the nature and outdoors while siultaneously leaning of the wonderful nature of earth science. From bugs, to leaves, from trees to snowmen this is a book to enjoy through all the seasons. i love dirt is divided up into activities that would work best in the seasons of Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter so that children and adults can observe and enjoy every new stage as it comes and admire what is different and beautiful about them.

i love dirt is Jennifer Ward's antidote to the current situation of "nature deficit" that children are experiencing. The generations previous to this one relied on nature. Our schools were even let out and in during the communities harvest time, and daylight savings time was initially agreed upon because of the impact another hour of light could do in the farmer's life. It was not all working outside, but also the playing in nature and with nature that was important. Participating in such activities as picnics, mid-afternoon fishing trips, laying under the sky's blanket to see just one shooting star, and the amazing world of mud pie making! To go outside and play, to put on rain gear and jump in puddles, or camp outside in the backyard on a warm summer night, or to explore the woods and make a fort these need not be things of the past. Outdoor activities are a learning and teaching experience that if neglected will fill our nation with a bunch of kids who can learn through books, but not from the beauty that surrounds them. Weather in the city, or country there are opportunities in i love dirt to get down and dirty and feel the particles of nature on your skin.

I personally loved this book so much, seriously does it get any better than a book that discusses all the fun things you can do to learn about nature and the processes that engulf us humans? Each section of the book, each activity has a short (kid friendly) explanation of the activity and its importance and a Help Me Understand question and answer as well. Here are some Q and A examples:

Q: What is Dirt?
A: Dirt is a mixture of all kinds of things: broken rock and stones, minerals and organic matter such as broken down bits of plants. (p.44)

Q: What makes new plants sprout in the spring?
A: They get more sunlight than they were getting in the winter. In the spring, the days get longer, brighter and warmer. These things help new plants to grow. (p.4)

There are so many more tid-bit facts of things every child asks, or at least mine do! I have decided to use this book for our outdoor explorations. I am very impressed with Jennifer Ward and i love dirt, too! This would not just be a great book to use for parents, but also for grandparents, and teachers as well. I am going to use this book for our science course when we begin homeschooling next year. To be honest though, it is all but burning though my hands, and since it is spring right now, I really see no need to wait...we're going to dive into this one with rubber boots, or barefoot! For when nature calls, we listen!

i love dirt is ON SALE tomorrow, may 13th! here is link to i love dirt on amazon.com


Jennifer Ward has written many children's books, check out her website here: Jennifer Ward, Award winning author of wildly fun books

Making Stuff For Kids

Title: Making Stuff For Kids
Author: Victoria Woodcock
Crafts by: Contributors (compiled by black dog publishing)
Publisher: black dog publishing
Pages: 160
Yearly Count: 20

The beauty of this craft book lies not just in its recipe for "Sparkle and shine playdough", or its "Pebble Pals", or the " Cute as a button necklace", but it is much deeper. The brilliance of it is where it calls out to parents and children alike: pick me up!!! Be creative!! Get messy! Don't stress! Making Stuff For Kids will bring parents and kids or kids and other kids together in order to create-and with their own hands make something to enjoy.

Making Stuff For Kids, is a complete child's craft book, divided into helpful (age appropriate) sections: teeny talents, cunning crafters, super sills, and tough cookies. This way you will know if your child, or even if you are in way over your creative head. The beginning includes a section of how to's: how to knit, how to do appliqué, papier mache, pompoms and sewing- just in case you, as a parent need to learn or refresh your skillz right along side your child.

The book is composed of craft ideas by contributors, I believe causing Making Stuff For Kids to break away from the traditional nerdy-kid-craft-mold(and parents wondering: what do I do with THIS mold) to a more interesting and involved crafting, where kids are really creating stuff that they are interested in! The creativity level is pretty alarming so beware!!!

So far we have only had a chance to do several of the crafts- as my children are a little young, and things can get crazy while crafting (they are ages 2 and 4 and there are already some really fun projects for them in this book!!) We have done (and loved) the Pebble Pals (p.51), the Peg People (p. 52), The Scratch it and see (p. 53) and the potatoes for T! (p. 64). Next on our list (it has actually been the craft my 4 yr. old has been begging for since he looked through the book) Creepy Crawly Wormery (p. 47)!! Our young family will definitely grow into this book, so if you have older kids- there is a lot of things they could do, even some crafts designed for them to do without you! This is one of those books, that we will keep coming back to on those days of- "mom, I'm bored", or "there's nothing to do, mom!". I know it will be one we constantly have handy as our boys get older, I dread the stains it will suffer, but as any well loved book I am already aware of this unstoppable, impending doom- love stains.

I love it, and obviously recommend it %100!!

CRAFT ON!!!

A Spoon For Every Bite/ Una Cuchara Para Cada Bocado

Title: A Spoon For Every Bite/ Una Cuchara Para Cada Bocado
Author: Joe Hayes
Illustrated: Rebecca Leer
Publisher: Cinco Puntos Press
Awards: Land of Enchantment Book Award
Yearly Count: 19

The story of wealth and poverty, and how a little ingenuity will cause fate to turn on all. There is a rich, prideful man- who finally gets what he deserves when his less fortunate neighbors teach him what becomes of a man who is never content, yet always wanting more. The rich man tries to prove that no one is as wealthy as he, because he can use a different spoon for every bite he eats! This is a classic book on being content with what you have, and seeking for beauty in what surrounds you.

A Spoon For Every Bite is a completely bilingual gem of a book. You do not have to be bilingual to enjoy it though because on one page it is in Spanish, on the next English, so if you speak just one, you would have no problem with this book at all...but if you are bilingual this is an added bonus!! The story line would be captivating on its own, but the artwork is so incredible, that you will want to read it again and again. The faces shine with life, the gestures are so real and beautiful. The wink at eachother, or smile with pride and the whole while you can tell exactly what the illustrator has intended. It is astonishing to little and big readers alike! Beautiful, this book is too stunning to pass up!

ABeCedarios: Mexican Folk Art ABC's in English and Spanish

Title: ABeCedarios: Mexican Folk Art ABC'S in English and Spanish
Author: Cynthia Weill and K.B. Basseches
Art by: Moisés & Armando Jiménez
Publisher: Cinco Puntos Press
Yearly Count: 18

A beautifully bright book, each page displaying an original Oaxacan Woodcarving by the Jimenez family in Mexico. The whole family works through the entire process of completing each individual piece and the outcome are incredible, stylized, creatures that kids will not keep their eyes off! Every page consists of a picture of one of these Oaxacan animals, and a different letter of the alphabet. The craftsmanship would not be better, and the book itself is made with extremely high quality. Turning the pages it is so easy to see that every creature is a complete work of art.

Children love the two languages that the animal's names are written in, my children (ages 2 and 4) repeat the English and Spanish animal ABC's right along with me every time. We have had this book for a week and they consistently have chosen it and want to "say" the animals- and tell me their favourites (over and over) again! You cannot go wrong with this book, I would even use it for babies as the pages are so incredibly coloured and bright I think they would love it, but it would be easiest for my kids probably between the ages of 1-5 to be completely taken by it. It almost feels like it is sunny outside, when here in Oregon all it is doing is rain. Looking at the pages, the colours lift you up and carry you to a much brighter imaginary place.