When it comes to designing fabrics they don’t come more beautiful that Liberty’s. Their Spring Summer 2011 collection features collaborations with award-winning illustrators such as Lauren Child and David McKee who wrote children’s classics such as Clarice Bean and Elmer. In addition to this there are pieces from up and coming illustrators, so imagine fun and fresh prints on luxe fabrics to brighten up your room this spring.

Here are a few of About your Dress’ favourites:

David McKee of Texas was indicted last year on charges he raped an intoxicated and unconscious woman in July 2006. She had been drinking with the 26-year-old McKee and his friends, all minor league hockey players in town for the Anaheim Ducks hockey camp.

The Orange County Superior Court jurors deadlocked 11 to 1 Friday, with the majority voting not guilty.

McKee’s attorney argued in court that his client had consensual sex with the woman.

The Los Angeles Times reports that a pre-trial hearing to determine whether McKee will be retried has been scheduled for Jan. 7.

(© Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

I think that ‘Elmer’ by David McKee and ‘Meg & Mog’ by Helen Nicoll and Jan Pienkowski could quite easily be the two favourite published books that I can actually remember being asked to have read to me again and again as a child. They are also two books that I can remember actually reading to myself and I do wonder if that added factor of actually learning to read with specific books makes them all the more cherished in memory?

The pictures though are what I vividly remember and when I was sorting through what to read next (I might have had a mini sulk that the girls didn’t want either of these titles or any other in the series – I read them all when they had a morning nap instead) I found the images that send me straight back to my childhood both in Derbyshire and Newcastle. With ‘Elmer’ it had to be the vivid celebrating painted elephants…

And with ‘Meg & Mog’ for some unknown reason it’s the scene where they are all eating breakfast. I wonder if again that’s to do with the colours…

I did then have a god long think and came up with some other adored titles such as ‘Each Peach, Pear, Plum’ and ‘Burglar Bill’ by Allan and Janet Ahlberg (I read another collaborative Ahlberg book that weekend and spent half of it frowning, sometimes you shouldn’t go back it can ruin the memories), ‘Gumdrop’ by Val Biro, ‘The Giant Jam Sandwich’ by John Vernon Lord and Janet Burroway and, of course, ‘The Hungry Caterpillar’ by Eric Carle though I think it went out of favour. Oh, and also the He-Man and She-Ra books though they were when I got older actually.

Now I mentioned those were my very favourite published children’s books because my truly treasured collection were tales of a witch called Esmerelda, a cat called Marmalade, a mouse called Mitch, a duck called Rapunzel and some hens… oh and a little boy called Simon! These were a series of books that my granddad ‘Bongy’ made for me, I have mentioned this series before (but do pop back if you haven’t seen it), and would send me in the post every week or so when I was living with my Mum in Newcastle and are unquestionably my very favourite children’s books of all.

So what were your favourite first books, which ones did you ask for again and again? Do we have any in common? What’s your first memory of books?

I have not stopped reading and working towards my goal.  However many of the books have gotten much longer so it’s taking me a bit more to get through them and I’ve taken to listening to some, either on Playaway, via E-book audio from our library, or on CD.

Here we go!

0-3 years

Only one this time and it’s a substitute for one that is unavailable at our local library.  I only have two more to go in this section!

The New Puppy - Nicoletta Costa.  I really wish I could find Julian the Rabbit.  It sounds absolutely adorable and I would love a copy for my nephew!

3+

Burgler Bill – Allan Ahlberg

Mr Archimedes Bath – Pamela Allen

Window – Jeannie Baker – This is an absolutely fabulous wordless picture book!  Both children and adult could enjoy this!  There is so much to look for and see and it is very interesting to see how time changes the setting of this child’s story.  The illustrations are gorgeous!

Mousehole Cat – Antonia Barber

Peter in Blueberry Land – Elsa Beskow

Mister Magnolia – Quentin Blake

Runaway Train – Benedict Blathwayt

Father Christmas – Raymond Briggs

Grandparents - Roser Capdevila.  This was a substitute for We are the Triplets.

Farmer Barnes Buys  a Pig – John A. Cunliffe.  This was a substitute for Postman Pat’s Treasure Hunt.

Pamela Learns to Ride – Gilbert Delahaye.  A substitute for Martine.

Hairy Maclary Sit! and Hairy Maclary and Zachary Quack – Lynley Dodd

The Gruffalo – Julia Donaldson.  I first heard this book when Zoe, now a 3rd grader was in 1st grade.  Very cute for the early elementary aged crowd!

The Story about Ping – Majorie Flack.  I read this book as a child but couldn’t resist reading it again!

Possum Magic – Mem Fox

Corduroy - Don Freeman.  A true classic!

Marigold Garden – Kate Greenway

Orlando, the Marmalade Cat – Kathleen Hale

The Story of the Little Mole – Werner Holzworth

Crocodile Beat – Gail Jorgensen

Who’s Seen the Scissors? – Fernando Krahn

The Cow Who Fell in the Canal – Phyllis Krasilovsky

Oliver’s Pool – Antoon Krings.  This is a substitute for The Garden of Little Creatures.

The Story of Ferdinand – Munro Leaf

Christoph Wants a Party – Mira Lobe.  A substitute for Little I Am I.

Ivor the Engine – Oliver Postgate

Freckly Feet and Itchy Knees – Michael Rosen

Little Ghost Godfrey – Inger Sandberg

My Cat Likes to Hide in Boxes – Eve Sutton

One Woolly Wombat – Rod Trinca

Frog in Winter – Max Velthuijis

Ernest and Celestine Have Lost Gideon – Gabrielle Vincent

33 books

5+

Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s Ears – Verna Aardema

A Necklace of Raindrops – Joan Aiken

Miss Nelson is Missing – Harry Allard

Linnea in Monet’s Garden – Christina Bjork.  This is a great book especially of you enjoy the artwork of Claude Monet.

Milly-Molly-Mandy Stories – Joyce Lankester Brisley.   A collection of short stories.

Voices in the Park – Anthony Browne

The Giant Jam Sandwich – Janet Burroway

The Enormous Crocodile – Roald Dahl

Llama Llama Misses Mama – Anna Dewdney

Elsie Piddock Skips in Her Sleep – Eleanor Farjeon

Joyful Noise – Paul Fleishman

The Girl Who Loved Wild Horse – Paul Goble

Wolves - Emily Gravett

A Balloon for Grandad – Nigel Gray

Yellowbelly and Plum go to School and The Devil You Know – Nathan Hale.  Subs for The Orange Cow.

The Night Pirates – Peter Harris

Old Tom – Leigh Hobbs

The Tiger Who Came to Tea – Judith Kerr

Henry and Amy – Stephen Michael King

Bridget and the Moose Brothers – Pija Lindenbaum

Pippi Longstocking – Astrid Lindgren

The Magic Pudding – Norman Lindsey – Just barely made it through this book.  Contrary to the claims made in the introduction, I did NOT laugh all the way through this book.

The School Bus Comes at 8 o’clock – David McKee

The Last Noo-Noo – Jill Murphy.  A sub for The Worst Witch.  Still hoping to find The Worst Witch.  It has to be better than The Last Noo-Noo!

Two Little Bears – Hanna Muschg

Haunted House – Jan Pienkowski.  Sorry, but if I were in charge of making up this original list, this book would NOT be on it.  I can think of at least 10 other books that are more worthy that didn’t make the list.

The Day the Babies Crawled Away – Peggy Rathman

Mrs. Pig Gets Cross – Mary Rayner.  A sub for Mr. and Mrs. Pig’s Evening Out.

Michael Rosen’s ABC’s - Michael Rosen.  A substitute for Mind Your Own Business.  Zoe and I enjoyed this alphabetical poetical offerings and the illustrations were amazing!

Captain Pugwash – John Ryan

The Stinky Cheese Man and Math Curse – Jon Scieska

A Bad Case of the Stripes and No David! – David Shannon

The Zaba Jaba Jungle and Grownups Get To Do All the Driving – William Steig

The Real Thief – William Steig

The Quinkins – Percy Trezise and Dick Roughsey

A Tree is Nice – Janice May Udry

Crictor – Tomi Ungerer

The Biggest Bear – Lynd Ward

The Boy and The Dog – Siv Widerberg

Fox – Margaret Wild

Detectives in Togas – Henry Winterfeld – This would be a cute little book if someone was homeschooling and doing a unit about Mythology.  Wish I would have had it around 9 years ago!

A Bee in Your Ear – Frieda Wishinsky.  A substitute for Jennifer Jones Won’t Leave Me Alone.

The Big Ugly Monster and the Little Stone Rabbit – Christopher Wormell.  This is a new favorite!!  I absolutely adore this book.  Go and find it right this minute and read it.  It is a beautiful story that brought tears to my eyes!

Hey Al! - Arthur Yorinks

The Quiet Mother and the Noisy Little Boy – Charlotte Zolotow.  A substitute for Mr. Rabbit and the Lovely Present.

49 books!

I also listened to some retellings of several Japanese folk tales as substitutes for The Tales of Otogizoshi and The Adventures of Peach Boy.

So 53 in all in the 5+ age group counting extras!

8+ age group

My Brother’s Ghost – Allan Ahlberg.  Ethan is reading this now!  Ahlberg is a great author and seems to be able to write  for a variety of audiences!  This is a sub for Please Mrs. Butler.

The School for Cats – Esther Averill

Hitler’s Daughter – Jackie French

Betsy- Tacy – Maud Hart Lovelace

4 for this group.

12+

I Am Not Esther – Fleur Beale.  This is an EXCELLENT book that tells of a young girls experiences after being left in the care of her uncle who is heavily involved in a pretty wild religious cult.  It tells of her early rebellion and her feelings of losing herself in the practices of this group of people.  And it tells of her escape and that of her cousin thanks to the help of a school counselor.

Robinson Crusoe – Daniel Defoe.  Great classic book- just very long winded is Mr. Defoe.  I listened to this one on Playaway from our local library.  I don’t think I could have made it through physically reading it.

By The River and Kissing Annabell – Steven Herrick.  Herrick is a very well known poet in his native Australia and for good reason.  His novels in verse are so vivid and real and compelling!  It’s rather easy to get through his books in a very short amount of time!  I would recommend starting with Naked Bunyip Dancing tho, especially if the person to read it is younger than the age of 16.

Number the Stars – Lois Lowry

Witch Child – Celia Rees.  Set during the era of the Salem witch trials and such.  This one takes place very early in that era and does have a sequel that I haven’t gotten to yet.

The Witch of Blackbird Pond – Elizabeth George Speare.  Exellent!  Also about the Salem witch Trial era.

7 books in this grouping!

For a total of 98 books since my last post!  I’ve given up counting too as I tend to read extras that tickle my fancy by the same authors.  I’ll get a good count up with my next post.  I’ll be back in a few weeks with another list, but before that I need to catch up on the daily life around here with science fairs and art shows and basketball games – oh and the crashing of my computer and the arrival of the new puppy.

More next time!

take care.

Mr Benn was on telly in the early seventies, but I’ve never forgotten him. In fact I think of the street where I live as being very much like Festive Road, although there is no number 52. I also live in the kind of town where it seems feasible that you could pop into a shop and be given a space suit to try on by an enigmatic shopkeeper without any conversation or explanation being necessary.

Mr Benn is a man of mystery to be sure, and you sense there is a desire for fun lurking behind that shy smile. Leading such a sensible life, yet yearning to rip off that black suit and stripy tie, toss off his bowler hat and put on a hot outfit that would make the Village People green with envy. Whenever I see an intelligent, thoughtful but buttoned-up sort of chap, I can’t help wanting to throw those pens out of his lapel pocket and unbutton him. 

And when I’m in a changing room trying on clothes, instead of frightening myself by looking in the mirror, I think of how much fun it would be to be joined by the lovely Mr Benn. 

I thought he was rather dashing as a cowboy. But he didn’t mind baring flesh either. Caveman, and sexiest of all – gladiator – stepping through that door into a fantastic adventure where he’d use his wits to solve a problem. What a man. What a hero.

Posted by Inkface

In the mean time, we spotted this Where the Wild Things Are 36-piece floor puzzle by Mudpuppy for $3.99 at Lots for Tots in Falmouth. The same puzzle retails for $10.00 online. Later that day, we were thrilled to find more Mudpuppy puzzles at the HomeGoods store in South Portland, also for $3.99.

We love these mini puzzles because they feature some of our favorite story book characters, like Lois Lenski’s Cowboy Small and David McKee’s Elmer. Plus the cute packaging includes a carry handle, making the puzzle a perfect holiday gift for toddlers.

Lots for Tots, 240 U.S. Route 1, Falmouth, 347-8601

HomeGoods locations in South Portland, Bangor and Rockland:

http://www.homegoods.com

Im not quite sure where my obsession for the rag trade came from, it may have been the shopping excursions with my mum, when she would take me out of school to go down to Petty Coat Lane, and Oxford St, to help her select new outfits……… And more importantly my own ! (my mum was once a seamstress for Ossie Clark, but thats another story)

However I’m guessing like many kids of my generation my passion for dressing up was fueled by the adventures of Mr Benn and the mysterious shop keeper. I’m glad he is still being celebrated, and I look forward to one day sharing him with future generations.

This is great! Lots of fun to be able to read the story in English, then it is translated into Italian in the next line, on the same page!

Product Description
Elmer, every child’s favorite patchwork elephant is colorful and different and so are his friends.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Elmer’s Friends (English?Italian) (Elmer series) (Board book)

Thought this was a wonderfully seasonal book to share (and another David McKee classic!)

You can read the text of the book here.

Our favourite line of the book is the observation from King Rollo that “Trees are funny. They take off their clothes, just when people are putting on more”.

We also have the spring, summer and winter books and will probably be sharing these in future posts!

It’s from the much-loved 1970s kids show Mr Benn, the magical adventures of a city gentleman whose visits to an extraordinary fancy dress shop - owned by a mysterious, fez-wearing shopkeeper – transported him into a series of exciting escapades dictated by the costumes he tried on.

The series was based on a character created by David McKee and only 13 episodes were made between 1970 and 1971. They were, however, regularly repeated throughout the 70s and 80s and a 14th episode was made for broadcast on a kids’ digital TV channel in 2005.

Here are those classic opening and closing titles and the excellent theme tune:

Everyone’s a winner in Putnam County Spelling Bee

Una colección ya estable es la de TusBooks, de SM, que incluye por ejemplo libros de Gabriela Rubio (web | blog), premio Lazarillo por el divertido y mareante Bzzz…, quien después ha optado por un estilo de ilustración quizá más fauve (aunque además de escritora, es una ilustradora inquieta como pocas, cuyo estilo no me parece nada fácil de resumir).

Entre los recién llegados, dentro de nada aparecerá en las librerías Clara Secret, de Javier Fonseca, ilustrado por Joaquín González Dorao (web | blog) y publicado por Macmillan. Esta es la presentación de Clara:

Me llamo Clara y tengo casi nueve años. Tengo el pelo moreno y corto y los ojos oscuros. Mi madre dice que todavía no he visto suficientes cosas como para que mis ojos dejen de ser de agua, y que todavía brillan porque soy curiosa y me queda mucho por aprender. También soy alegre, viva, y tengo tanta imaginación que a veces parece que sueño despierta. Mi socio y yo hemos creado una agencia de detectives secretos: CS-123. CS por Clara Secret, y 123 por Uan Two Three -yo le llamo Uan-, mi socio inglés: un peluche blanco con manchas de color té con leche en las patas, el hocico y las orejas, que se ha convertido en compañero de aventuras inmejorable. Vivo con mis padres, Bruno y Pepa, en la calle de la Luna nº 25. No es una casa bonita. Ni siquiera tiene piscina o un parque cerca. A cambio, tenemos a Cosme, el portero, que no hace más que quejarse y decir que se quiere jubilar, y un montón de vecinos bastante gruñones que solo ven problemas por todas partes. Por eso se nos ocurrió crear CS-123 con un objetivo: llenar de colores nuevos y alegres la casa, aunque a veces los vecinos no lo entiendan.

No resumiré aquí todo el panorama editorial; para terminar diré solo que yo mismo he comido y me he divertido gracias a esa tendencia, pues soy el culpable de haber adaptado los primeros libros de la colección Junior Detective, de Langenscheidt: ¡Atrapados!, El misterio del perro callejero y ¿Dónde está Mrs. Parker? (dic. 2008, a partir de 10 años; tengo tres más sobre la mesa). Y algo antes hice también, para primeros lectores, la versión española de Leemos-We Read, en Anaya, que incluye títulos de McKee (como el casi brutal Ahora no, Bernardo) y Ross (como el divertido Juan el perezoso, primo hermano de Epaminondas y Hans el tonto), y se acompaña de un CD con la lectura del cuento en inglés.

(David McKee en Imaginaria)

¿El día está terminando o la noche está comenzando? Esa es la discusión que se traían dos monstruos que vivían tranquilamente en caras opuestas de una montaña. Nunca se vieron, pero a veces hablaban entre ellos a través de un agujero que atravesaba la montaña.

No terminaban de ponerse de acuerdo sobre la cuestión, se enfadaron y empiezaron a insultarse.

Wake up, you numskull, night is ending.

Despiértate, tarugo, ¡la noche está terminando!

Corriendo por la Casa de Campo, no sé si la noche está terminando o el día está comenzando. - Foto: Commedia, Paseo de los Piñoneros, 2009

La cosa pasa a mayores y empiezan a tirarse piedras mientras siguen lanzándose flores. Mientras uno dice…

You’re a hairy, overstuffed, empty-headed, boss-eyed mess!

¡Eres una caca peluda, abotargada, cabeza hueca y bizca!

… el otro le contesta…

You’re a pathetic, addlebrained, smelly, lily-livered curstard tart!

¡Tú eres una lamentable tarta de crema, aturullada, apestosa y cobardica!

… y tira otra piedra. Pero como tienen muy mala puntería, con cada piedra que tiran sólo consiguen romper un trozo de la montaña. Y así continúan hasta que, por fin, llega la noche.

Dos monstruos es un cuento que trata sobre la incomunicación y los prejuicios, sobre la importancia de aprender a dialogar mirando las cosas desde el punto de vista del otro (eso que se llama empatía). Quizá no tenga unas ilustraciones tan elaboradas como otros títulos suyos (se me ocurre Odio a mi osito de peluche o la serie de Elmer) pero comparte con ellos (y creo que supera) la fuerte carga de simbolismo, bien acompañadas por un texto irónico que hace reir siempre (meditar también, a veces) y lo convierte en uno de mis cuentos favoritos de David McKee.

Dos monstruos también es una magnífica elección para aprender inglés y divertirse, leyendo cuentos. Hay que reconocer especialmente a la editorial Anaya por la cuidada edición de la colección We Read – Leemos y, muy especialmente, la labor de traducción de Gonzalo García Rodríguez para toda la serie, manteniendo la ironía y la frescura del original.

Referencias:

• McKee, David, Dos Monstruos/Two Monsters (edic. original inglesa 1985), trad. Gonzalo García Rodríguez, Madrid, Anaya, col. We Read – Leemos (incluye CD con locución en inglés), 1ª edición, 2007, ISBN: 978-84-667-6250-2.

I es mi ahijada, y aun queriendo a los tres por igual, no puedo negar que lo es, y que me derrite con esos abrazos que da. A ella le he comprado un libro muy bonito titulado “Boda en el castillo mágico ” (SM) , un libro de juego con el desplegable de un castillo de hadas.

Y para E, la pequeña (de momento), un clásico que siempre quise que me regalaran cuando era pequeña y que termino regalando yo para quitarme la espinita, uno de los álbumes infantiles más populares del mundo con ilustraciones de David Mckee…no puedo dar más pistas, es…¡El elefante Elmer!, claro que sí.

Como El dragón lector tiene muy buen corazón, ha metido en la bolsa un regalito para mí, que sin saberlo él, ha sido el primer regalo de mi inminente cumpleaños. He pedaleado hasta casa rápidamente, con ganas de hojear el precioso y ya inolvidable “Princesas olvidadas o desconocidas”, y soñar con las ilustraciones de Rebeca Deutremer (dedica por favor unos minutos a su página, merece la pena).

]]> http://mnemosine.wordpress.com/2008/05/07/lelmer-de-david-mckee/ Wed, 07 May 2008 17:58:40 +0000 mnemosine http://mnemosine.wordpress.com/2008/05/07/lelmer-de-david-mckee/ L’Elmer, de David Mckee, és el primer d’una sèrie d’àlbums que l’autor ha dedicat a aquest elefant de coloraines conegut amb el nom d’Elmer.

L’àlbum, publicat per primer cop l’any 1989 i dirigit a infants de fins a cinc anys, és una altra de les obres mestres de la literatura infantil.

El llibre constitueix un pas més en la trajectòria de Mckee, un pas més en el tractament que l’autor fa de la diferència i la diversitat com a tret inherent de les societats.

Si ja el 1985, amb Els dos monstres, Mckee dedicava un espai a tractar aquest tema i a transmetre als infants que tots som diferents i que havíem d’intentar conèixer aquesta diferència abans de rebutjar-la, el 1989 estira el fil del tema i ens ofereix la primera peripècia de l’Elmer; fil que continuarà estirant el 2005 amb Tres monstres.

En aquesta obra ens trobem amb l’Elmer, un elefant que, en lloc de ser de color elefant com els seus companys, és de coloraines diverses i variades. Encara que la resta d’elefants no troba cap problema en què l’Elmer sigui diferent, i el tenen per un dels elefants més estimats del grup, l’Elmer no vol ser diferent; ell vol ser un elefant com tota la resta: un elefant de color elefant.

Ara, el problema ja no és el rebuig de la diferència abans d’haver-la conegut, sinó que la qüestió és la por d’algú diferent a no ser acceptat, el veure la diferència com quelcom dolent perquè pot fer que ens rebutgin.

Però això no és així, i Mckee ho té molt clar. Amb una història senzilla i amena l’autor transmet sense cap problema que ser diferent és bo i que, lluny de veure-ho com un defecte, hem de saber apreciar-ho com la millor de les qualitats.

Les il·lustracions també juguen un gran paper, accentuant la qualitat de L’Elmer. Mckee acompanya la història amb uns dibuixos senzills però molt cridaners. Utilitza uns colors molt vius al llarg de l’àlbum que obliguen a parar atenció, a aturar-nos i mirar les il·lustracions.

L’Elmer: color, alegria i un gran ensenyament.

I never saw it as a kid – but watching it has been great fun! Mr Benn is a very ordinary person who, trying on costumes, is transported into adventures where with quiet kindness he Solves the Problem. You can get the DVD amazingly cheap.

The author David McKee is another of my Heroes of the Children’s Book. He only produced two books of Mr Benn as far as I know. But of course there’s Elmer everywhere, the multicoloured elephant who teaches the other elephants to laugh. We like Anytime Tales which is a DVD of some David McKee’s stories, and some of Tony Ross’s as well. How is it that these treasures cost so little??

UPDATE: Mr Benn intro: