Please Mrs. Butler

It's Poetry Friday in the Kidlitosphere. Book Aunt is hosting this week's round-up of poetry themed blogging.

I'm in with a link to one of my favourite children's authors reading one of my favourite kidlit poems.

As I was obsessively google-ing the Ahlbergs  (Peepo, Each, Peach, Pear, Plum, The Baby's Catlalogue etc.) I turned up these fantastic recordings of Allan  reading a selection of his poems for the Children's Poetry Archive. His reading of Please Mrs Butler, about a slightly batty school teacher, seems like an appropriate one for this time of year. Take no offense teachers, Allan was an educator himself. To listen to Allan recite in full Midlands accented glory click here.

Parents and teachers can download a lesson plan for Please Mrs Butler from The Poetry Archive

Fall Kid Lit Wish List

Check out Publishers Weekly Fall 2010 Children's Announcements. I feel like Christmas is coming early this year. Here is our top-ten fall reading wish list:


Little Black Crow
From extraordinary children's book illustrator / writer Chris Raschka (Charlie Parker Played Be Bop). A chance meeting between a boy and a crow inspires a rush of childhood questions


Caldecott medalist Chris Raschka,  himself the boy perhaps,has created a book in the sparest language against the simplest setting, to inspire in any young listener the wonder of wondering. (Publisher's description)


Publisher: Atheneum/Richard Jackson Books, August 2010

13 Words

13 must-know words from Lemony Snicket.

Publisher: HarperCollins, October 2010






Absolutely Beastly Children
Tricycle Press, September 2010

A whimsical and cautionary tale about the perils of bad behavior.


In this book you’ll find 26 children who are almost certainly nothing like you. You always eat your peas and say please. You, unlike Oscar, would never tell lies. And in your wildest dreams you wouldn’t play with your food the way Nancy does. But even the sweetest child can be tempt-ed to behave badly. Thankfully, Dan Krall has put together this collection to remind us just how unpleasant beastly behavior can be. (Publisher's description).

Tricycle Press, September 2010

Man Gave Names to All the Animals
A picture book adaptation of the whimsical Bob Dylan song from the album Slow Train Coming. Includes a CD of Dylan's original recording. A must for all Bob Dylan fans and their budding folkies.


The revered musical legend rarely allows his songs to be illustrated, and Arnosky has done the song proud with a parade of spectacular creatures ready to receive their names-until the surprise ending, when children get to name an animal themselves! (From the Publisher's description)


Publisher: Sterling, September 2010

Mad At Mommy
Mad Bunnies - enough said.


Little Bunny is VERY MAD at his mommy.

She sleeps too late.

She talks too much.

She watches her silly shows instead of cartoons.

And she gets mad for no reason -- just a few little bubbles on the floor.

The only thing left to do is run away. But does he really want to leave Mommy behind forever?

With the charming illustrations and spot-on understanding of young children's thinking that distinguished THE SNOW DAY and EMILY'S BALLOON, Komako Sakai brings us a REALLY ANGRY -- and ultimately sweet -- new story. (From the Publisher's description)

• Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books, October, 2010

Knuffle Bunny Free: An Unexpected Diversion
The third and final book in the #1 New York Times bestselling and two-time Caldecott Honor–winning Knuffle Bunny series from the reigning kid of little kid 
lit, Mo Willems.

• Publisher: Balzer + Bray (September 28, 2010)
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Interrupting Chicken
We like both chickens and goofy jokes - looks like the perfect book for us.


A favorite joke inspires this charming tale, in which a little chicken’s habit of interrupting bedtime stories is gleefully turned on its head. (From the Publisher's Description)

• Publisher: Candlewick, August 10, 2010

A Bald Chimpanzee, an Adventure in ABC's

A super-fun way to learn the alphabet. Letters are introduced through short and funny sentences like A Bald Chimpanzee Devours Eighty Four Giant Hamburgers and Prickly Porcupines Picking Perfectly Purple Plums.

• Publisher: Frog Legs Ink, December 2010
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Doggy Slippers
No reading wish list is complete without a good book of poetry.

Children everywhere love pets, and some are even lucky enough to get their own. In Doggy Slippers Jorge Luján offers a collection of poems about pets inspired by children. Luján turned funny and touching anecdotes his young readers sent him about the role of pets in their lives into fresh poems, selecting the 12 best for this book. His status as one of the most important poets writing for children today, combined with Isol’s unique, childlike take on the world, makes this the perfect poetry collection for young readers. (Publisher's Description)

• Publisher: Groundwood Books
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The Missing Golden Ticket and Other Splendiferous Secrets
Last but not least, this one is for Mommy.


In Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Charlie Bucket loves chocolate. And Mr. Willy Wonka, the most wondrous inventor in the world, is opening the gates of his amazing chocolate factory. Charlie just needs one golden ticket, and Mr. Wonka's delicious treats could all be his. . . . But what's missing? Who is Miranda Piker? And did Mr. Wonka really invent a spotty powder that would keep kids out of school? Find out in the top-secret chapter that was taken out of the original book!

Publisher: Puffin

On Hiatus

Little Kid Lit is going on hiatus for a couple of weeks. My family and I are moving house - with lots of cleaning, painting etc to do. Needless to say - reading still trumps moving. Even though I won't be writing about it, Oona and I will make sure to read together everyday.

Poems Every Child Should Know

Its Poetry Friday in the kidlitosphere. This week the round-up is being hosted at my juicy little universe. Hop on over to to see whose blogging about poetry today. I'm sharing a poem from the anthology Poems Every Child Should Know edited by Mary E. Burt and first published in 1904. The poem is by Robert Browning, the introductory text was written by the editor.

Pippa.

"Spring's at the Morn," from "Pippa Passes," by Robert Browning (1812-89), has become a very popular stanza with little folks. "All's right with the world" is a cheerful motto for the nursery and schoolroom.

The year's at the spring,The day's at the morn;Morning's at seven;The hillside's dew pearled; The lark's on the wing;The snail's on the thorn;God's in His heaven—All's right with the world! Robert Browning.

Ms.Burt's belief in the necessity of teaching poetry to children is so passionately articulated in the preface to the book that I thought I'd include it here as well:

There  are people who believe that in the matter of learning poetry there is no "ought," but this is a false belief. There is a duty, even there.... Children should build for their future--and get, while they are children, what only the fresh imagination of the child can assimilate.

They should store up an untold wealth of heroic sentiment; they should acquire the habit of carrying a literary quality in their conversation; they should carry a heart full of the fresh and delightful associations and memories, connected with poetry hours to brighten mature years. They should develop their memories while they have memories to develop.

The frontis piece from the original edition:

Poems Every Child Should Know was obtained from Project Gutenberg. This e-book is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg license. Visit Project Gutenberg at www.gutenberg.net

The Great Dr.Seuss Read Aloud Competition

HarperCollins has launched The Great Dr.Seuss Read Aloud Competition. Readers of all ages are invited to upload a video of themselves reading one of five Dr.Seuss stories. Besides the opportunity to become a YouTube darling there are some fabulous prizes up for grabs, including a trip to Orlando for the first place winner. Videos will put to a public vote and the Dr.Seuss Grand Judging panel will pick the winners.

According to the competition website "extra points will be awarded for imagination, innovation and cat-participation". If your looking for some inspiration the kind folks at HarperCollins have included tips and downloadable props. Click here for more info.

Sir Charlie Chaplin, the Funniest Man in the World

See him? That little tramp twitching a postage stamp of a mustache, politely lifting his bowler hat, and leaning on a bamboo cane with the confidence of a gentleman? A slapstick comedian, he blazed forth as the brightest movie star in the Hollywood heavens.

Everyone knew Charlie—Charlie Chaplin.

Thanks to the late Sid Fleischman and his book Sir Charlie Chaplin, the Funniest Man in the World a whole new generation will know Charlie as well.

I was thrilled to find this book. I love Charlie Chaplin. So much so that I named my daughter Oona after Charlie's beloved wife. At 19-months, it will be awhile before Oona and I can enjoy this book together (recommended reader age for this bio is 9 - 12 years) but what can a film programmer / mom do? Its a must have for our library.

Fleischman has rich material in Charlie's life; a classic rags to riches story Hollywood-style. Young Charles spent a Dickensian childhood in the slums of London (including a stint in the poor house). He started his career in Victorian music halls before making his way to America and the movies. Once in Hollywood Charlie gave birth to his Little Tramp character and together they charmed movie goers around the world. Sadly Charlie's off-screen life wasn't without troubles and during the McCarthy era Charlie was forced to leave America because of his left wing political leanings.

It is a testament to the respect Fleischman held for his young readers that he doesn't shy away from the more troublesome aspects of Chaplin's life while keeping the focus on the art. The author's obvious love for the subject matter is infectious and sure to engage young readers.

Besides the sheer brilliance of his work there is much to be celebrated in the life of Chaplin. He championed freedom of expression, equality amongst people and basic human decency. For all of these reasons, and many more, this biography is worth the read.

Here's Oona at 4 months old hanging out with Charlie

And here is an old rhyme we sometimes sing:

Charlie Chaplin went to France

to teach the ladies how to dance
he did the rhumba
he did the kicks
he did the samba

then the splits!

Check out reviews of nonfiction children's and YA books from the kidlitosphere at Nonfiction Mondays. Hosted this week by Abby the Librarian.

Good Sports: Rhymes about Running, Jumping, Throwing and More

Inspired by the sheer joy 19-month-old Oona derives from physical activity I recently picked up a copy of Good Sports: Rhymes about Running, Jumping, Throwing, and More. Written by former Children's Poet Laureate Jack Prelutsky this collection of poems celebrates the highs, lows and in-betweens of participating in athletics. Most of the major sports are here (football, soccer, skating, gymnastics, baseball etc.) and everything that goes along with them (winning, losing, practicing and good old fashioned just goofing around).


Using simple language and a light tone befitting the audience and subject matter, Prelutsky captures the boundless enthusiasm of kids. More impressively he manages to encourage good sportsmanship without moralising or unrealistic expectations about the emotions of. After all, it really does feel awesome to win and it really is kind of a bummer to lose. But you'll find the full range of  in these rhymes: the thrill of winning, the drag of loosing, and the fun of doing something even if you're not very good. 


Illustrator's Chris Raschka's whimsical watercolors add an additional layer of fun and depth to the collection. Using exaggerated angles and skewed perspectives these abstract-y pictures evoke movement and speed from a kid's point of view.


With sports central to the lives of many children this is a great book for introducing poetry to those who snicker at the mere mention of the word "poem". Parents take note, sport-rhyme may be gateway poetry to harder verse.


Click here to check out the Jack Prelutsky website. While you're there be sure to check out Jack's sports cards  (odes to his complete ineptitude in the realm of athletics), and a hilarious sampling of fan mail from young readers.