Kids And Parents

Friends care
Friends share
We need friends
Everywhere!

I have a friend
Whose name is …..
And we have fun together.
We laugh and play
And sing all day
In any kind of weather.

Swedish artist, Carl Larsson (1853 - 1919) is known as portraitist, book illustrator and printmaker. His most famous works are the house he designed in the small village Sundborn and watercolor scenes of everyday life there. His paintings are filled with warm, cosines and kindness, especially these 2 ones which are relating with Christmas Days. So this is the cause why I choose to put them here today.

Christmas Morning.

Fairy Tales.
Carl Larsson came from a poor family and studied (1866–76) at the Konstakademi in Stockholm, supporting himself throughout this period. From 1871 to 1878 he contributed illustrations to the comic journal Kaspar and the Ny illustrerad tidning . From 1875, for several decades, he was a prolific book illustrator, his most renowned work in this field being his drawings for Fältskärns berättelser (‘The Barber-surgeon’s tales’; pubd 1883–4) by Zacharius Topelius, and the Rococo-inspired watercolours for the Samlade skaldeförsök (‘Collected attempts at poetry’; pubd 1884) by the 18th-century Swedish author Anna Maria Lenngren. However, that Larsson produced most of his own prints.

Christmas is the most wonderful time in a year when some of our dreams could come true. Maybe today the real meaning of Christmas Tradition is often forgotten but one should know that real Christmas story is based on Christian Bible. It is told in two different books: Matthew and Luke chapters 1 and 2 and you can easily find to read it online. So the Holiday celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. The actual birthday of Jesus is not known; therefore, the early Church Fathers in the 4th century fixed the day around the old Roman Saturnalia festival (17 - 21 December), a traditional pagan festivity. The first mention of the birthday of Jesus is from the year 354 AD. Gradually all Christian churches, except Armenians who celebrate Christmas on January 6 (the date of the baptism of Jesus as well as the day of the three Magi), accepted the date of December 25th.
In American/English tradition, Christmas Day is the day for opening gifts brought by jolly old St. Nick or ‘Santa Claus’ which was a real person. He was a Christian leader in the 4th century AD and gave money to poor people without them knowing about it. It is said that one day, he climbed the roof of a house and dropped a purse of money down the chimney. It landed in the stocking which a girl had put to dry by the fire! This may explain the belief that Father Christmas comes down the chimney and places gifts in children’s stockings.
Many of our current American ideals about the way Christmas come from the English Victorian Christmas, such as described in Charles Dickens’ in his novel “A Christmas Carol.”. Dickens began writing his “little carol” in October, 1843 finishing it by the end of November in time to be published on 17 December 1843 with illustrations by John Leech wich provided eight illustrations for A Christmas Carol.

The first and best of his Christmas Books, A Christmas Carol has become a Christmas tradition and easily best known Dickens’ book. And maybe till now this book stays as a wonderful Christmas gift for children and not only. Anyway you can find the novel in “Reading Together” section to read “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens together right now.

Percy Muir B.T. in his book “English Children’s Books, 1600 to 1900″ published in 1954 marked such famous children book illustrators as Mary Belson, Kate Greenaway, Toby Teachem, Marshall and others great names wich played remakable role in art of illustration.

PERCY H. MUIR writes in the dediocation asressed to Edgar Oppenheimer:
My dear Oppenheimer,
It is fitting that this book should be dedicated to you for, apart from the constant
help and advice which you have given me since I began to write it, it is doubtful
whether, but for you, it would ever have been written at all. Let me explain how
this comes about.

In 1945 I was engaged in planning a publishing venture in which children’s books
were intended to figure very prominently. On my advice the collection of the late
F. R. Bussell was secured as a whole on its being offered at Sotheby’s auction rooms.
The first and only use to which it was put in this country was the Exhibition with
which the National Book League opened its doors at No. 7 Albemarle Street in May
1946. Most of the 1,001 exhibits came from the Bussell Collection.

The publishing venture came to naught; and the books were stored until 1949,
when a selection of them was sent on a touring exhibition in the United States.
Before they were sent to America I secured for my own collection of children’s toys
and games all that was suitable in it; and thereafter my interest in children’s books,
as such, flagged until it was reawakened by your own infectious enthusiasm, and
especially by the fortunate opportunity to see a part of your collection when I was
in New York.

Since then, partly I am happy to say at my instigation, you have acquired the
major portion of the Bussell Collection; and although the gaps caused by my incur­
sions have been remarked upon by you more than once, added to the riches that you
already possess the Bussell books make you the owner of by far the finest collection
in existence of children’s books of all nations.

This book does not presume to teach you anything; neither are its occasionally
controversial opinions intended to commit you to anything. It is no more than a
tribute and an offering to a great collector, and a very good friend.

Yours most sincerely,
PERCY H. MUIR

Takeley, 1953.
This book is very informative and filled perfect factual materials and no dough can be interesting for all book’s lovers.
As a matter of fact there are many books which are commonly regarded as “classic” children’s literature speaks on multiple levels and which are able to be enjoyed by both adults and children and here a good illustration has important role in understanding or interpretation of the text.
I’d like to write more but Bennie does not let me to do it. He wants to go out right now and he is asking me about. So I have to go.
Have a nice day.
(the illustration by Kate Greenaway)

Do you know that thirty-eight percent of all fourth graders in the United States can’t read this simple poem? Certainly millions of children in America can’t be stupid, lazy, or have ADD. Children sitting in the best classrooms in the country struggle with reading. Moms and dads are scratching their heads wondering whether to get a part-time job to pay for tutoring for Jerome or Ashley. What is the cause I don’t know really I’m just sure that in the most cases it depends from us, their parents? Is your child one of them?

May be you have to start to help to your child right now? First of all reading together is great chance both to learn and to understand what the problem of such situation is. Besides there are great number resources in internet you can find which can help both of you on the way.

(the picture you see here is drawn by me)

All parents know how a reading is deemed necessary for almost every aspect of life. So it’s no wonder that they want their children to be good readers as soon as possible.
During early childhood, kids are first exposed to language through listening and speaking. This starts as babies look at parents who are speaking, and it continues as kids learn to use sounds and gestures to communicate their wants and needs. Typically, at the age between 1 and 1.5 y.o. they use words to label objects and ask for things. By 3 years, most children are speaking in sentences and able to follow basic rules of grammar (for example, plurals and verb tenses).

During these early years, you have to start to learn you kids to read and to write, primarily through their interaction with books. That said, make sure to starting reading to your child early and often — it will encourage an interest, and it’s a really lovely way to spend time together. When you help their children learn to read, you help them open the door to a new world.

Today my daughter Rachel is really happy. She has got the gift, seventth book about Harry Potter, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. The success of the novels among our children has made aothor Rowling the highest-earning novelist in history.
“You are protected, in short, by your ability to love! The only protection that can possibly work against the lure of power like Voldemort’s! In spite of… temptation and suffering… you remain pure of heart, just at you were at eleven when you stared into a mirror that reflected your heart’s desire… and it showed you only the way to defeat Voldemort, and not immortality or riches”. This is just a short quotation from the book. What can I say - right words.

here is several icons with quotes from Harry Potter that I’ve found in inet for her.

One of the most important part of kid’s books or may by the most important is illustration. That’s without question.
Very often we remember exactly illustration much more than the text in. Some artists create imagines that we remember through life over. One from the most favorite artists who created such memory imagines is still Mabel Lucie Attwell. We remember this beautiful pictures, we prefer books with her illustrations and we love carton and animation based on pictures as well. Her books still bring us and our kids into a wonderful land.

So, Mabel Lucie Attwell (1879-1964).
She became a household name during the 1930’s and 40’s with her illustrations of pudgy and appealing toddlers. The public’s insatiable appetite for her illustrations generated an extensive market for Mabel Lucie Attwell ephemera.

Childhood & Education
Mabel Lucie Attwell was born 4 June 1879 at Mile End in London, the ninth child out of ten children born to a butcher.
She studied at both the Regent School of Art and Heatherley’s School of Art, but because she disliked formal training and grew bored with copying, she never completed either course. She preferred to illustrate her own fantasies.
Professional Career
By the time Attwell was sixteen years old, she had enough drawings of fairies and children to bring them to a leading London artists’ agency. The lukewarm reception that she received was upsetting to the young artist but short-lived. She was notified several days later that not only had all the drawings sold, but that they wanted more!
In 1908, Attwell married the illustrator Harold Cecil Earnshaw, and had two children, Peter and Peggy. Their daughter Peggy was the inspiration for the typical Mabel Lucie Attwell toddler and achieved immortality through the illustrations in Attwell’s books. Peggy (Wickham) later became a talented artist and illustrator in her own right.
Between 1905 and 1913, Attwell illustrated ten books for W. & R. Chambers, providing 4 to 8 color plates for each. By 1911, she was designing postcards and greeting cards for Valentine & Sons of Dundee.
She illustrated two gift books for Hodder & Stoughton. The first was Peeping Pansy in 1918 by Marie, Queen of Roumania. The Queen even invited Attwell to stay at the Royal Palace in Bucharest. The second book was Peter Pan and Wendy by J. M. Barrie who admired her work and personally requested her to illustrate this edition.
During Attwell’s career, she designed advertisements, posters, calendars, figurines and wall plaques. During the First World War, thousands of her colored postcards were sent to cheer up the troops in the trenches. One of her most famous drawings, ‘Diddums’, was made into a doll, a typically Attwell styled boy doll which was to be found in nurseries around the world. In 1937 and 1938, Princess Margaret commissioned her to do her personal Christmas card. Attwell also contributed to several periodicals and annuals. In 1943, she started a comic strip in the London Opinion called “Wot a Life”. Sets of Mabel Lucie Attwell China were used in the Royal Nursery of Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret, and later Prince Charles.
In 1945 Attwell moved to Fowey, Cornwall to live with her son Peter. She died at home on 5 November 1964.

There are stories that every child should know, no child left behind. Next time I’try to public my list of such books, but now I’d like to put here the fragmrnt of wellknown book that we are reading now. So…
There was once a child, and he strolled about a good deal, and thought of a number of things. He had a sister, who was a child too, and his constant companion. These two used to wonder all day long. They wondered at the beauty of the flowers; they wondered at the height and blueness of the sky; they wondered at the depth of the bright water; they wondered at the goodness and the power of God who made the lovely world.

They used to say to one another, sometimes, supposing all the children upon earth were to die, would the flowers, and the water, and the sky be sorry? They believed they would be sorry. For, said they, the buds are the children of the flowers, and the little playful streams that gambol down the hill-sides are the children of the water; and the smallest bright specks playing at hide and seek in the sky all night, must surely be the children of the stars; and they would all be grieved to see their playmates, the children of men, no more.

There was one clear shining star that used to come out in the sky before the rest, near the church spire, above the graves. It was larger and more beautiful, they thought, than all the others, and every night they watched for it, standing hand in hand at a window. Whoever saw it first cried out, “I see the star!” And often they cried out both together, knowing so well when it would rise, and where. So they grew to be such friends with it, that, before lying down in their beds, they always looked out once again, to bid it good-night; and when they were turning round to sleep, they used to say, “God bless the star!”
(to be continued )

From “Famous Stories Every Child Should Know “
Lisa Jane’s picture as illustration

Hey, guys, are you OK?
“The original paintings used on the UK cover of the second Harry Potter book failed to sell at an auction on Thursday because no one was prepared to pay enough money.

It was thought that the original design for the front cover would go for Ј30,000 - but it remained unsold.

Two other watercolours did sell, but only for their minimum asking price.

The back cover went for Ј4,700 and a painting of the Ford Anglia went for Ј14,100.”

By the way, about “Harry Potter”, it’s the most popular books among Guantanamo prisoners. And one prisoner has requested the movies. What does it mean? There are people everywhere.