Kristen McLane

Posted by Kristen McLane on February 19th, 2008 in Books and Resources for Children, Books/Reviews, Film/Television

Children’s Books
Marshmallow

My children’s book pick of the week is Marshmallow by Clare Turlay Newberry. Originally published in 1942, this Caldecott Award winning book is a classic. What makes this book stand out are the intoxicatingly (is that even a word?) cute illustrations. For a peek at the illustrations go to this website devoted to the drawings of Ms. Newberry. The story is charming as well.

Oliver is a tabby cat who is always the center of attention.

Marshmallow is a baby rabbit who moves into Oliver’s home.

At first Oliver does not welcome Marshmallow, but the little bunny’s charms are impossible to resist. This is the true story of how Oliver and Marshmallow become friends.

Clare Turlay Newberry’s lifelong passions for cats and for drawing come together in this elegantly illustrated book, winner of the 1943 Caldecott Honor. Her legacy as an author of more than fifteen picture books, most of which feature cats, still endures. (Harper Collins)

Novels
A Golden Age: A Novel

Last night I finished reading A Golden Age, a captivating first novel by Tahmima Anam.

Set against the backdrop of the Bangladesh War of Independence, A Golden Age is a story of passion and revolution, of hope, faith, and unexpected heroism. In the chaos of this era, everyone–from student leaders protesters to the country’s leaders, from rickshaw-wallahs to the army’s soldiers–must make choices. And as she struggles to keep her family safe, Rehana will find herself faced with a heartbreaking dilemna. (Author’s Website)

I found this book fascinating in the same way that I loved A Thousand Splendid Suns for tangibly bringing history to life. The characters are fictional but the story is based on real events. Particularly gripping is the story of Rehana, a mother who will stop at nothing to protect her children. It is with the same passion (of a mother interceding for her children) that East Pakistan fights for her independence.

Netflix

It is week three of our Netflix subscription. I wasn’t impressed with The Waitress. The story had some redeeming qualities but it is not a movie that I will want to watch again. Last week we also watched After the Wedding. I gave it a four out of five stars.

At the house this week are No Reservations and Memoirs of a Geisha. It was odd watching No Reservations because Adam and I had already watched it’s German-made counterpart Mostly Martha. The two scripts were almost word for word but the endings were slightly different. What No Reservations had going for it is child actress, Abigail Breslin. I caught Adam giggling at the screen a few times. He has been smitten with that girl ever since we saw Little Miss Sunshine in the theaters last year. In the end, Mostly Martha stands out in our minds as the better of the two movies. The story is more pure in the German version - even if you have to read the subtitles like I did. Adam knows some German and he was able to figure out most of the dialogue on his own.

We haven’t gotten around to watch Memoir of a Geisha. I enjoyed the book several years ago and I’m looking forward to the movie. I just have to be able to stay up past 9:00 when the kids are in bed - but last night that didn’t happen for me!