Banjo for Kiddos

Thanks to the comment left by Playing by the Book on Kim's previous "Dolly" post, I've been listening to lots of banjo in the car with the kids. (OK this recording has been out for a while but I'm a little slow catching up with it.)

Anyway, thought I'd share a you-tube clip of Steve Martin, Bela Fleck and Tony Trischka playing a track from The Crow below.

And, because I'm having fun with this ad I'm working on for the store I'll post what I have so far. I think all you book lovers will appreciate it.
I still have a couple of days to finish it and
I might change the Mark Twain quote to something more practical like: Open 7 days a week. Free gift-wrapping. ????

Happy Birthday Dolly Parton!

Today is January 19th and it's Dolly Parton's birthday. Dolly has a few books of her own out and this is one of my treasured favorites: Coat of many Colors. It's actually a true story told from her childhood and also the lyrics to her very popular song.

Dolly is one of 12 children raised in poverty in Sevierville, Tennessee. One winter, when she was a child, she did not have a winter coat, so, her resourceful mother made her a "coat of many colors" from a donated box of rags. It was handsewn with love and her mother told her the story of Joseph and his colorful coat from the Bible. She wore her new coat proudly to school the next day, only to be laughed at and teased by the other children.

Most children I know have way too much stuff, so this book could be used to teach an important lesson. The way Dolly handles the teasing is wonderful. Because she is so secure and strong from her family's love, she doesn't need things to be complete.

Judith Sutton's illustrations are beautiful and heartwarming, a perfect match for Dolly's story.

Here's a clip of Dolly singing Coat of Many Colors:

It's a Secret!

Nancy and I were talking about some of our favorite new children's books and she told me about this one that she just got in her shop : It's a Secret! by John Burningham.

It's a wonderful, magical story that takes the reader on a secret adventure with an ordinary house cat named Malcom and a little girl. Marie Elaine wonders where her cat goes at night and finally catches him decked out in a fancy outfit, sneaking food from the fridge! When she finds out he is going to a party, she insists on going. Malcom agrees to take her with him under the circumstances that she dresses up in a party dress and gets smaller, to fit through the cat door. When the neighbor boy, Norman catches them sneaking out, they invite him along so that he won't tattle. They narrowly escape a dog pack and across a fire escape and over a crane, they finally make it to the rooftop party. There is music and dancing, a feast and gifts for all from the Queen of Cats.

The night is filled with magic, fun and excitement and in the morning, Marie Elaine's mother exclaims "You look as if you were out all night with the cat."

The illustrations in this book are mixed media, crudely drawn, rough, childlike and with beautiful full page spreads. John Burningham (who has written and illustrated more books than I can count) should win many awards for this one!

Little Fur Family

Little C just received a copy of Little Fur Family from my dearest childhood friend Karen. Here she is, sharing it with the chickens. She takes it everywhere. It's her new favorite.

Margaret Wise Brown was a genius and Garth Williams' illustrations are gentle and heart warming. It's the perfect book to start off the New Year.