Archive for the 'Childrens book' Category
April 9th, 2008 - Childrens Books = TV Series
Anyone born after 1986 knows that after school cartoons are the best. Which included “Tiny Toon Adventures” (shockingly a Steven Speilberg production), “Animaniacs” (Pinky & the Brain), “Goof Troop”, “Doug”, “Rocko’s Modern Life”, “Hey Arnold”, “Gargoyles”, ”Aladdin”, ‘Mighty Max”, and the Batman, Superman and Spiderman series. Ah memory lane…stroll with me won’t you?
A lot of childhood shows are spinoffs from popular movies i.e. “Timon & Pumba” from the Lion King or “Aladdin” from the Disney Aladdin movies. Some of our favorite childhood shows (cartoon or otherwise) started with a book. Does anybody remember wishing they had Mrs. Frizzle as a school teacher?
Mrs. Frizzle’s 4th grade class had to be the most envied in the 90’s. Not only did they go on field trips but they had adventurous hands on learning– and never did a lick of homework.
The Magic School bus series became so popular with the 90’s generation, that in 1994, it was made into a afternoon TV show, airing until 1997 (on and off the air between 98′-02). Who can forget the opening song by Little Richard…
Copyrighting won’t allow the video to be posted, so here’s the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8KaZeNA7Ys
R.L. Stine is most famously known for his “Goosebumps” and “Fear Street” series.
Stine, originally a joke book writer, decided to write scary books about ghouls, ghosts, masks, evil dummies, and the general angry undead. Titles like Say Cheese and Die!, The Werewolf of Fever Swamp, A Night in Terror Tower, Night of the Living Dummy — scared kids of the 90’s for years.
Stine wrote for the 90’s teens as well — there was a fear street for every scary interest. Dead End, The Prom Queen, First Date and One Evil Summer, every book promised chills, thrills and all around stereotypical highschool drama with a little death thrown in the mix.
To complete our quick stroll, here’s the intro to one of the most recognized show’s of the 90’s:
In the case of technical difficulties:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=feKHgAtqXBc
April 8th, 2008 - Childhood Favorites
For some, growing up with our favorite books entow has kept us in love with reading. I stumbled upon a few titles at an indepent bookstore in Lakeland and thought I’d post a few. 
If you’ve read them before — enjoy!
Happily ever after stories didn’t interest me as a child — mostly because they ended right after the wedding. Anyone that has parents, knows the real drama doesn’t start until after a couple gets married.
That’s why my #1 pick would have to be The Frog Prince Continued by John Scieszka with illustrations by Steve Johnson.
The story is cute enough for children to enjoy (8-12) but has a lot of references to actual marital problems. A classic example: The Princess (the frog prince’s wife) is tired of his “froggy” habits, she is lonely at the castle, and their connection has dwindled.
The story takes an interesting twist when the Frog Prince tries to make a drastic change which includes: a gingerbread house, a witch, a spell, dark woods, spells poison apples, et cetera et cetera.
The illustrations in this book are amazing! It’s a great book for kids or Disney movie pessimists.
A happier genre of children’s book would have to be Mercer Mayer’s Little Critter Series. Little critter isn’t really a specific type of animal, more like mix between a hairy beaver and a fat porcupine. His adventures are fun and entertaining and every one teaches kids a lesson.
Little critter books are my #1 series of book — mainly because there is a book for any little lesson you can think of: The New baby, Just so Thankful, Just a school project, I was so Mad, I just Forgot, and (a really cute one about careers and growing up) When I get Bigger .
There is (my favorite) Happy Easter, Little Critter, which is pictured the the left. These are just a few of my childhood favorites — but I’m sure there are more! Children’s Books rock my literary socks!