Have you ever wanted to control sound waves? Or spook your friends with an eerie melody? If you answered yes, check out OUP's instrument of the month, the theremin.
The post Ten fun facts about the theremin appeared first on OUPblog.
Have you ever wanted to control sound waves? Or spook your friends with an eerie melody? If you answered yes, check out OUP's instrument of the month, the theremin.
The post Ten fun facts about the theremin appeared first on OUPblog.
Happy Halloween, one and all. May you have more treats than tricks.
The post Daily Drawing: Monster 22 appeared first on rob-peters.com.
Add a CommentHere’s a grumpy fellow. He doesn’t like Tuesdays for some reason.
The post Daily Drawing: Monster 19 appeared first on rob-peters.com.
Add a CommentEvery group of Monsters needs one that’s completely bizarre. This is this month’s weirdo. But he’s a happy weirdo.
The post Daily Drawing: Monster 18 appeared first on rob-peters.com.
Add a CommentSome have said that the coming of a creature that’s half turtle/half squid is a sign of the coming end times. I think it’s just Friday. Have a great weekend!
The post Daily Drawing: Monster 17 appeared first on rob-peters.com.
Add a CommentI’m a little later than usual this morning, but here’s today’s monster. Cue the applause.
The post Daily Drawing: Monster 16 appeared first on rob-peters.com.
Add a CommentEach month we bring you the best new release books in our Book Brief. Get FREE shipping when you use the promo code bookbrief at checkout Fiction Books The Secret Chord by Geraldine Brooks This is a story about war, murder, sex, romance, betrayal and incest. King David is a man we think we […]
Add a CommentEach month we bring you the best new release books in our Book Brief. Get FREE shipping when you use the promo code bookbrief at checkout Fiction Books The Secret Chord by Geraldine Brooks This is a story about war, murder, sex, romance, betrayal and incest. King David is a man we think we know […]
Add a CommentEach month we bring you the best new release books in our Book Brief Fiction Books The Rosie Effect by Graeme Simsion I am not going to ruin this outrageously funny book for you by telling you what happens this time round to Don. However Rosie and Don have been married for 10 months so […]
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Here are a few picture books that we're enjoying in my house, as we prepare for Halloween:
Pinkalicious: Pink or Treat by Victoria Kann (HarperFestival). We've been taking this little paperback story with us everywhere. When a power outage threatens to cancel trick-or-treating in Pinkville, Pinkalicious must channel supergirl Pinkagirl to save the day. She takes her clever idea to the mayor, and makes her case. This book comes with a page of stickers, which makes it extra-popular with my three-year-old.
Just Say Boo! by Susan Hood (ill. Jen Henry) (HarperCollins). This was one of our favorite picture books last year, and has been brought back into rotation recently. It's about a family that goes out trick-or-treating, and all of the things that seem scary at first, but turn out to be fun. There's a toddler-friendly question and answer refrain, with which the answer is usually "Boo!". My full review is here.
It's Pumpkin Day, Mouse! by Laura Numeroff (ill. Felicia Bond) (Balzer + Bray). This is a board book spin-off to the "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie" series, in which Mouse decorates pumpkins to reflect different emotions (happy, sad, surprised, etc.). Though meant for the youngest of readers ("Mouse paints a happy face on this pumpkin", etc.), my daughter still enjoys going back to this one, because she likes Mouse's antics.
Duck and Goose Find a Pumpkin by Tad Hills (Schwartz & Wade). In this oversized board book, Duck and Goose muddle about looking for a pumpkin (looking in ever-more ridiculous places), until Thistle clues them in to the fact that there is a pumpkin patch. It's typical silly Duck and Goose fun, and still makes my daughter peal with laughter. My full review is here.
Vera's Halloween by Vera Rosenberry (Henry Holt). This is a 2008 title that I had kept, and just introduced to my daughter this week. It's part of a series of books about a young elementary school girl named Vera. In this book, Vera goes trick-or-treating after dark with her father and big sisters for the first time. She gets separated from them, and then a sudden storm leads to a bit of misery. It all turns out safe and cozy in the end, after she happens to knock on the door of a classmate, and the classmate's parents help her. I found some of the details a bit implausible in this one, but my daughter (who very briefly lost track of me at a church function this weekend) loved it. And I did like the subtle message that if something goes wrong, other parents will try to help (as happened with me this weekend).
Splat the Cat: What Was That? by Rob Scotton (HarperFestival). This one is a little paperback lift the flap book in which Splat and his friend Spike visit a haunted house in search of missing mouse Seymour. The house is filled with mysterious and scary sounds, some of which are explained at the end of the book... While she's generally a bit beyond lift-the-flap books, my daughter likes Splat as a character, and has been enjoying this book.
Honorable mention to Creepy Carrots by Aaron Reynolds (ill. Peter Brown) (Simon & Schuster), which I haven't introduced to my daughter yet. Though not directly about Halloween, this is a deliciously creepy picture book in which a greedy young rabbit ends up stalked by carrots. It's quirky, unique, and just a touch scary, with a satisfying ending. My full review is here.
© 2013 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved. You can also follow me @JensBookPage or at my Growing Bookworms page on Facebook. This site is an Amazon affiliate.
I haven’t (completely) forgotten to post October releases by authors of color. I’ve wanted to devote more time to looking as I cannot believe there are only 7 books! October has one of the longest lists in general for YA, yet on 7 by authors of color?? Nonetheless, we’ve got repeat performances by some talented writers and I expect each of these to prove to do quite well. Here’s hoping!
October releases on Pinterest
January- October 2012 releases by authors of color on the blog page
Below: Spot #1 from “A Busy Day” in High Five magazine.
Below: The AD’s sketch and my rough. I like to deviate from normative perspective so wanted to depict this scene from the side. It also made it so that everybody’s face could be seen.
(Copyright Highlights For Kids 2011)
...to be reminded what it's supposed to be like and here's one by Robert Frost. I presume he was writing about New England and I love the amethyst/mist rhyme (although I probably wouldn't volunteer to read it aloud).
There's nothing mauve and misty about old England right now. July got lost and ended up here, leaving a metallic taste in the mouth. There is gold in the air from a warm winter sun and bronze on the pavement from fallen leaves: there's even silver in the cash registers from unexpected visitors.
October, the tenth month! And what a month it is!
Children’s Book Week (England) – First Week of October
National Day (China, People’s Republic of) – October 1
Independence Day in the Republic Of Cyprus – October 1
Independence Day in Nigeria – October 1
Gandhi Jayanthi in India. Birthday of Mahathma Gandhi. – October 2
International Day of Non-Violence – October 2
German Unity Day (Germany) – October 3
Proclamation of Portuguese Republic (Portugal) – October 5
International World Teachers’ day – October 5
Armed Forces Day in Egypt commemorating the Yom Kippur War – October 6
My birthday – October 6
Independence day in Croatia – October 8
Leif Erikson Day – October 9
National Day (China, Republic of) – October 10
National Day of Spain – October 12 (Discovery of America)
World Food Day – October 16
Remembering the Hungarian Revolution of 1956 – October 23
United Nations Day – October 24
National Day of Austria – October 26
Independence Day in St. Vincent & the Grenadines – October 27
Independence Day in Turkmenistan – October 27
Ochi Day (No Day) in Greece – October 28
Republic Day in Turkey – October 29
Filipino American History Month (in United States)
LGBT History Month (in the United States)
Black History Month (in United Kingdom)
And, if that’s not enough the following books will be release. Also, check out the books at Diversity in YA Fiction
African Mythology Rocks! by Linda Jacobs Altman (Author), William Sauts Bock (Illustrator); Enslow Publishers, October 2011
Break up diaries vol 2 by Nikki Carter and Kevin Elliott; Kensington Press, Oct
Saga of the Sioux: An adaption of Dee Brown’s Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee by Dwight Jon Zimmerman (adapter); Dee Brown (author); Henry Holt and Co., 25 October
Wolf Mark by James Bruchac; Lee and Low Books, October
Bridges to Understanding: Envisioning the World through Children’s Books by Linda Pavonetti; Oct 16, 2011, Scarecrow Press
It has officially begun, a new series.
Wasn't the best day at school whatever day had a field trip scheduled? Yes. It was. And wouldn't the best field trip have been one wherein you and your gang of scrappy best friends solved a mystery? Wouldn't it???
I remember my field trips mostly for the bus rides. When I first started concepting the Field Trip Mysteries series a couple of years ago, I asked a friend who's a middle-school English teacher if I could go on one of her school's field trips. We saw an IMAX movie on the ocean, and I remember the 3-D made someone feel sick. But mostly I remember that the bus smelled exactly like I remember field trips smelling back in the last century when I was a girl.
Did you know that October is Field Trip Month? And it's also Mystery Month? Isn't that perfect for October? It does feel like field trips and mysteries.
Tell me something about how you're spending your October by next Friday (the 15th) and I'll pick a winner at random to receive a copy of the Field Trip Mysteries special limited edition (four stories in one gorgeous book!), On the Bus, On the Case.
Happy October!
Beth
October marks the launch of Auntie Anne’s Bookmark fundraising campaign to benefit First Book. The month- long effort, illustrating Auntie Anne’s commitment to community giving and improving literacy, offers Auntie Anne’s customers the opportunity to donate $1 to First Book in exchange for a keepsake bookmark. The bookmark also includes a coupon for $1 off the next purchase.
To make a local impact, the proceeds raised through the bookmark campaign will benefit communities of Auntie Anne’s participating stores. Participating stores have been matched up with low-income schools and programs registered with First Book, and proceeds will enable these schools and programs to purchase books on the First Book Marketplace. So visit your local Auntie Anne’s store today, enjoy a delicious pretzel and help support First Book and the programs we serve.
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Since 1985, teachers, parents and other individuals who make a difference in the lives of children and adults with learning disabilities, have taken the month of October to educate the public about dyslexia, ADHD and more. This month, help spread awareness about learning disabilities by sending an article, interesting fact, or story to a friend, colleague or family member.
For more information about Learning Disabilities Awareness Month, including articles, book recommendations, and even a children’s art gallery, check out: http://www.ldonline.org.
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So...October looms.
I love the month, of course. I love being an English teacher during October. I love the camp, the cobwebs, the creepiness of it all. For one month, overwrought horror tropes are okay: spiders and skulls and moldering tombs...
I've rearranged my teaching schedule to squeeze in a little more of the macabre this year. We always read a little Poe, a bit of H.P. Lovecraft ("In the Vault" is pretty accessible to high school students), and the occasional monkey's paw, but I need a few more stories, nothing which might find me out of a job, but something the kids might like to read.
So...suggestions? Anyone have a great ghost story we should tackle? Something delightfully dark yet more camp than vamp? Maybe I could throw in a little M.R. James or E.F. Benson. Public domain works tend to be a little less risky (because of their age, not the copyright status). Of course, I'm always open to something a little more contemporary...what are your favorite short works of terror and the supernatural?
Last week my husband and I celebrated our 1 year anniversary! It’s hard to believe that a year ago I was immersed in mini-wedding planning. We had dinner at the very same place where my husband proposed. I, finally, got one of our wedding pictures properly framed. And I even bought a beloved cookbook to honor the occasion (because paper is the traditional first anniversary gift, right?).
Anyway, I remembered that I was going to post some post-wedding, “non-reception” celebratory photos. Looking through them, I don’t have very many with actual people; I think I was too busy having a blast to take many photos which often happens! So, I’m just going to post some of my more craft-related ones.
These pics are from non-reception #1 which took place at our home last October. Rather, they were taken during preparations before anyone showed up.
Since it was October I wanted a slightly spooky theme but not in a costume-party kind of way (see our party invitations here). The colors were black, white, silver, pink and orange. In the photo, above, you can see our pretty bunting crafted with paper doilies, silver glitter card stock letters and black & white striped twine. The wee cake is pre-wedding topper, silvery glitter initials much like the ones used in the bunting. Originally I wanted to make a larger 2-tiered cake but became petrified by the thought as I’ve never made one. But a sweet little cake plus cupcakes galore did the trick. (By the way, the frosting was pearly and marshmallow-y, while the cake was yellow with chocolate chips. So good!)
My lovely friend Kara, who came down for the weekend, was very kind and totally game for any party-decorating ideas I threw her way including decorating our high ceilings with paper streamers.
The mantle was decorated with various pumpkins, candles and a fabric-covered accordion-style scrapbook filled with photos from the wedding, backed with craft paper I printed and designed myself. The plastic cauldron on the coffee table was later filled with candy for the young and young at heart. (We did have real food, I swear, like cheese and dip and charcuterie, but those things were set out just before people arrived.)
Kara and I spent the previous night making these fun cupcake toppers with Victorian clip art butterflies in October-ish colors. We (and by we, I mean Kara) put that scalloped paper punch to good use!
BOO!!!
Have a happy and safe Halloween...
MC
Hi. Very cool. Love the art. You really took this all the way Nicki! Do you still have any of the drawings you made for me back in the day?
considering I'm not quite sure who " anonymous" is, I can't really answer that question.
however, thank you (whomever you are) for the kind words.
and it's "Nicole", please :)