#children's

[omgthatdress]

"Christmas Cake" girl's fancy dress costume

1929

The Victoria & Albert Museum

#1920s #children's

[jadafitch]

Went out to the pond to take this photo, and heard the first spring peepers of the year. Yay! It's officially spring in Downeast, Maine.

This illustration is one over 100 I did for the forth Nature Smarts activity book from Mass Audubon and Storey Publishing. Nature Smarts Workbook: All About Water, Ages 4-6 is available for preorder now, and out May 21st. You can find it through Amazon, Mass Audubon, and other book sellers.

#vernal #pond #pool #amphibians #frogs #illustration #jada fitch #art #maine #drawing #nature #naturalist #kid's illustration #kid #children's #outdoors #outdoor #activity book #outdoor activities #kids #workbook #ages 4-6 #educational #mass audubon #homeschool #new england #wildlife #water #all about water #vernal pond

[gregabbott]

"Rabbit Bear Fox" © Greg Abbott. V 2024-02-11

#illustration #bear #animal #rabbit #fox #cute #children's #minimal #flat #graphic #vector #print #symmetry #clean #friendly #bright #orange #greg abbott #greg #abbott

[intomore]

Consuelo Kanaga, She is a Tree of Life to Them, 1950,

Gelatin silver print,

Image: 13⅜ by 9⅝ in. (33.8 by 24.4 cm.)

Courtesy: Sotheby's

#art #photography #black and white #vintage photography #history #still life photography #portrait #consuelo kanaga #1050 #tree of life #mother #children's #sotheby's #southern #african american #african america history #migrants #madonna #iconic #human rights

[the-imaginary-library]

Song of the Seafolk by Marjorie A. Penrose is a standalone children’s fantasy from 1954 that not exactly obscure, but definitely deserves to be better-known than it is.

It’s set on an island in the northern Atlantic, and centers around Annabel Norris, twelve years old, who’s out on a fishing expedition with her father. When a storm capsizes their boat, they’re rescued by mermaids, and the rest of the story is about their continued interactions with the people of this underwater world. It’s a very gentle, atmospheric story, almost more like magical realism than pure fantasy, where the interactions with merfolk are just as grounded and ordinary and awe-inspiring as the more mundane wonders of home and family.

Annabel and her father have the most active interactions with the merfolk, mediating some complicated undersea family feuds about missing treasure that spill over onto the land, but one of the things that I love about this story is that  even the quieter stay-at-home members of the family have a vital impact on the story. Some of their simple interactions with the merfolk who swim up the rivers provide a bridge between the two cultures that helps to resolve some of the conflicts (and provide some of the most sparkling moments of the book).

In general, the family interactions here are are fantastic. This is a fantastical world where no one is hiding secrets from anyone else, where the parents are loving and supportive even when the children are the ones who happen to be tasked with some genre-appropriate adventuring, and the siblings (there are five Norris children) have a strong bond even when they feel like throwing each other into the ocean. The merfolk have just as strong family ties (the worldbuilding of that aspect in particular is fantastic) and that shared love of home and family that drives the conflicts while also providing a bridge of understanding between the two cultures. There’s also a subtle but strong spiritual thread that provides some added depth (the story does some lovely things with the idea of the merfolk as “fishers of men”) and gives the story a lot of its staying power.

I can’t say much more without diving into spoilers--this is a story that should be experienced as a gently unfolding exploration of this new world. The strength of this story is in its specificity, its love of the tiniest details of a person, plot, or place. Penrose is better known for her poetry, and it shows; her prose flows like music and her love of the Atlantic seascape drips off the page. If you can, find an edition that includes the original illustrations; there’s one on almost every page, taking up a corner or winding through the margins, providing glimpses that deepen the world of the story. I’ve seen it said that this would make an excellent Ghibli film--and it would--but those illustrations provide all the visual image I’ll ever need of this book. If you haven’t read it yet, I encourage you to seek it out, and if you have read it, then you know as well as I do that this book is worth multiple rereads.

#imaginary book rec #song of the seafolk #fantasy #children's

[trulyinspiringmovies]

Puss In Boots

“Puss In Boots” has some of the modern-day fairy tale charms of the “Shrek” movies, but doesn’t fully commit to them, so it ends up being a middle-of-the-road movie.

Puss In Boots is running away from the law. He learns that Jack and Jill are in possession of some magic beans that Puss didn’t believe were real. When trying to steal the beans for himself, Puss is interrupted by another cat thief who wanted the beans. It turns out that the other thief was Kitty Softpaws and she’s working for Humpty Dumpty, a friend from Puss’s past that he wants to forget about.

I used to love Puss In Boots as a kid. If I had seen this movie as a child, I think I would’ve liked it a lot. As an adult, I think it’s decent. I’m someone who loves modern interpretations of fairy tale creatures. The “Shrek” movies had really great characters and used them to the story’s advantage. “Puss In Boots” has a couple of characters, but they seem very surface-level. Jack and Jill are now a Bonnie and Clyde-type couple, but that’s all they are. They’re not really utilized in the movie so they seem like an obstacle more than actual villains. Humpty should work for me. I like that they’ve taken the term ‘egghead’ literally and made him an inventor. The problem is, his backstory is generic, so it seems like this great character idea was pasted onto a Mad Libs story. I even like his weird human-like face. It’s just the right amount of unsettling that makes it funny. I also felt like there was some missed potential. The movie has passing mentions of the Chupacabra which is a Spanish cryptid. This makes sense because “Puss In Boots” takes place in Spain. It got me hopeful that maybe this spin-off will utilize folklore of other countries to differentiate itself from “Shrek”. That’s not what happens. Instead, we get a few “Jack And Jill” references and a few “Jack And The Beanstalk” references. It’s all just surface-level or just a backdrop that rarely feels creative or integral. I’m really struggling to say anything about this movie because it just feels middle-of-the-road. There are decent things in this movie, but nothing too notable. It’s not a bad time either. I’m still glad I watched it because I’m super excited about the sequel. I heard a lot of great things about it and I’m hoping it doesn’t disappoint.

★★★

Watched on January 8th, 2023

#Puss In Boots #October #2011 #Action #Children's #Comedy #Adventure #Fantasy #Animation #PG #Chris Miller #January 2023 #3 stars

[authormdluna]

More longhand writing this morning!

I am continuing with my story about the retired Christmas elf.

I hope to have it finished and released in the next week or two.

Sincerely,

MD Luna

Website | Patreon

#diary #creativity #writeblr #short stories #fantasy #low fantasy #children's #elves #yule

[mumka-fanfic]

Mood boards inspired by one of my favorite films growing up: Coraline by Neil Gaiman.

Board 1- Coraline's wonderful neighbors

Board 2- hunting for the button eyes

Board 3- the Other Mother's horrible secret

All images freely distributed by : Pexels . Com

#coraline #coraline jones #coraline laika #laika films #laika studios #neil gaiman #otherworld #other mother #wybie lovat #Cat #Collage #Aesthetic #Horror #Children's #Book #animated movies #Halloween #Autumn

[blogparanormal]

Fake Paranormal Is Not Allowed. Hi I'm Anthony and I Iove paranormal truths.

#paranormal #spirituality #supernatural #cryptid #ghost #ufo #spirit #ghosts #spirits #cryptids #god #books #halloween #halloween stories #kids #Children's #children's books #adult books #religious #christianity #bible #jesus #christian #the bible #theology #monotheism #jews #jewish #islam #muslim

[mugrootbeer]

MUG ROOT BEER causes children's heads to get wider!

#MUG ROOT BEER #CAUSES #CHILDREN'S #HEADS #TO #GET #WIDER

[educationaldm]

Not much time left in the summer holidays, but here's an Articulated Dragon Puppet from Phee McFaddell.

https://www.pheemcfaddell.com/crafts/christmas07/07DecDragonPuppets.html

#Phee McFaddell #Dragon #Puppet #Articulated #Fantasy #Home #Craft #Children's

[omgthatdress]

Girl’s Ensemble

1954

The Goldstein Museum of Design

Red means life.

Central Florida Emergency Trans Care Fund

Equality Florida

ACLU Florida

Tampa Bay Abortion Fund

#1950s #children's

[jadafitch]

The newest Nature Smarts Workbook: All about Water (Ages 4-6), won't be out until May, but there's three others that are available now. As well as some other books from Storey Publishing that feature my illustrations. Here's some links...

Nature Smarts books (All about Water preorder available) Owling Wildlife Ranger Storey's Curious Compendium of Practical and Obscure Skills (Features a few owl illustrations from Owling)

#nature #naturalist #kids #activity book #workbook #teaching aid #teacher #wildlife #owls #owling #book #children's #kid's #water #all about water #learn #educational #audubon #mass audubon #jada fitch #ages 4-6 #outdoor #education #animals #new england

[gregabbott]

"Everybody's Equal" ISBN 9781838914936.

#greg abbott #book #picture book #cover #book cover #publication #commission #cute #friendly #children's #illustration #animals #bear #fox #rabbit #bunny #owl #mouse #hedgehog #frog #kidlit #forest

[libertyreads]

Book Review #53 of 2023--

Greenglass House by Kate Milford. Rating: 3.75 stars.

Read from May 5th to 7th.

This book surprised me so much. I think I went into it knowing so little that I had no idea where this story was headed. This is a middle grade story about an adopted boy living with his adoptive parents at a smuggler’s inn during the week of Christmas. His plans for the holiday were thwarted when the bell rings to let them know guests have arrive. But, as more and more guests arrive, a mystery unfolds.

I think I enjoyed this more as a middle grade than I ever could have as an adult novel. This is because the main character teams up with a girl to solve some of the mysteries and they use a role playing game as a method to solve it all. I liked that I could look at it all through the eyes of a child which kept a lot of the unsettling and scary feelings at bay. I also think the author did a good job with the house and making it so whimsical and child like. I would love to stay in a place like the Greenglass House. Maybe not while these people were there, but still. I also loved that Christmas was still included in the story. There’s a ton of stuff to distract from Christmas, but it still manages to be festive in moments here and there.

The major flaw in the story for me was the logic. Which might just be a me thing and not a book thing since this is a middle grade and I am not a middle grade reader. I thought the main characters would make decisions that we’re really great for themselves or for the situation, but that’s to be expected with children. I also wish that Milo’s parents were present more. I know it’s a staple of middle grade and young adult novels, but as an adult I can’t help looking at the situation and asking where the adults are. Again, a me thing. I know.

Overall, it was a fun read. I think it’s great for around the holidays if you want the Christmas vibes. It’s also such a fun and quick read.

#greenglass house #Kate milford #book review #book reviews #booklr #bookblr #bookstagram #bookish #books read in 2023 #2023 reading challenge #goodreads challenge #goodreads #books #book #children's #children's lit #children's book #middle grade

[trulyinspiringmovies]

Chicken Run

“Chicken Run” is a movie I appreciate more and more as I grow older.

Ginger is a chicken who lives on an egg farm and desperately wants to get out. She and her friends and family all have to produce eggs or else they’ll be eaten by Mr. and Mrs. Tweedy. One day, her prayers are answered and a flying rooster named Rocky Rhodes falls out of the sky. Ginger agrees to help hide Rocky from his circus captors if he agrees to teach all the chickens to fly out of the egg farm.

While doing some research for this film, I found out that “Chicken Run” is the highest-grossing stop-motion animated movie of all time. It’s crazy to think since when you think about stop motion movies, you immediately think of “Coraline” or even Aardman’s other work, “Wallace And Gromit”. Then I thought about it for a bit and realized that this movie deserves that prestigious title. Everything about this movie is top-notch. The character designs are amazing. As a child, I was a bit scared of them because of their bulging eyes, but as an adult, I can see that it was an inspired choice. The two comedic rats have this facial structure that matches perfectly with their characters. Mrs. Tweedy just has a quality about her that makes her look rotten to the core. I seriously can’t put my finger on it because just looks like a normal person, but something about her just feels evil. The comedy actually slaps hard. As I mentioned before, the rats were funny as hell. It’s such a simple trope to put a shady business guy with a dopey partner, but it still holds up. The idiocy of Mr. Tweedy is infinitely quotable. Babs’s naiveté is hilarious, yet endearing. The story itself is brilliantly simple. They framed prisoner-of-war camps around chickens and their coops and managed to deliver heavy-hitting themes in a way that’s easily accessible for a child. This is the type of movie that I look at when I say children’s movies aren’t an excuse to make a bad movie. The standard of children’s movies shouldn’t be dumbed-down versions of other movies. The standard should just be child-friendly and accessible. Then good storytelling and creative messaging wouldn’t be mutually exclusive to movies made for children. I’ve also found out that there’s a sequel in the works for this movie so when that eventually releases, I’ll definitely be in theaters to check it out.

★★★★★

Rewatched on November 3rd, 2022

#Chicken Run #June #2000 #Comedy #Children's #Adventure #Drama #Animation #G #Nick Park #Peter Lord #November 2022 #5 stars