Bookworm List: Egg-cellent Reads ( plus movies!!)

Well, I'm hoping Tuesday was the last time we'll see snow (or else the Easter Bunny will be wearing a coat and boots to hide the eggs and deliver the baskets of jellybeans, chocolates and Peeps. I have the new Birthday Cake Peeps, good to add to coffee! Or yes, explode in the microwave but what a mess!)

So after the egg hunts and gathering with family for ham ( or lamb) and bunny cake, you'll probably want to wind down with some Easter and spring-related books. Here are a few recommendations, which you might find on our display shelf by the front desk or the ABC box by the New Book Elephant (which might also have some new Easter/spring books):

• *NEW* Pete the Cat: Big Easter Adventure by Kimberly and James Dean- Pete the Cat helps the Easter Bunny decorate the eggs and hide them ( plus dress like a bunny. A cat dressed like a bunny, now that's funny!!!)

• The Easter Bunny's Assistant by Jan Thomas-The Easter Bunny has a new assistant named Skunk and he's going to help decorate the eggs. But when he gets excited, it....stinks!!

• *NEW*Here Comes Peter Cottontail by Kristen Depken- Picture book adaptation of the  1971 Rankin-Bass cartoon.

• Easter Parade by Irving Berlin ( illustrated by Lisa McCue) Picture book adaptation of the classic Irving Berlin song from the movie Easter Parade ( lyrics included at the back. Kind of wished it came with a CD for those not familiar with the song, especially because it features the lesser-known opening verse.)

Now, the kids might also want some Easter/ spring related movies. This... might be hard because unfortunately, most people think religious ( most of which are too much to handle due to subject material and length. The classic Ten Commandments, airing this Saturday on ABC is 4 hours long!!!). And of what there is bunny and eggs, very hard to find ( there were about 10 or so special back in my 80s-90s childhood, like Peter and the Magic Egg and Family Circus Easter. Plus ABC used to air the Walt Disney Easter Parade, featuring Southern Belles and a sing-along to Peter Cottontail or Easter Parade. Check the Youtube). So here is my best recommendations that I can think of:

• It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown!- Love Snoopy and the dancing bunnies ( plus Patty's attempt to teach Marcie to die eggs.) It will be airing this Sunday on ABC at 6 pm ( along with a Charlie Brown baseball cartoon)
• Here comes Peter Cottontail- Based off the book The Easter Bunny that Overslept, it's the story of how the Easter Bunny came to be (and sort of a sequel to Santa Claus is Coming to Town because it features the mailman voiced by Fred Astaire.)
• Prince of Egypt- For those that want Moses but not the long movie, there is 1998 Dreamworks musical cartoon featuring the voices of Val Kilmer and Patrick Stewart. 
• Alice in Wonderland- The Disney 1951 animated movie (or the lesser-known 1985 CBS TV-movie with Carol Channing, Sammy Davis Jr., and  a bunch of big stars, which we have over at Dyer, Hobart, Lake-Station, and Munster ) are my favorite takes on the Lewis Carroll tale ( and actually I am using the Disney soundtrack for my Easter program this Monday). The 2010 Tim Burton is okay ( but more appropriate for Halloween because of Burton freakiness).

I am also recommending a few movie musicals that take place during the 1800-1900s, like Hello Dolly, My Fair Lady,Gigi, Mary Poppins, Newsies and of course, Easter Parade. ( Why? Because the Victorian/Edwardian clothes and designs show up in a lot of Easter decorations and some of the songs from these musicals, especially " Easter Parade" and " Put on Your Sunday Clothes" are used alot in Easter parades.)


 We will be open tomorrow and Saturday at our normal hours but closed Sunday due to the Easter holiday.
Happy Easter!!

Let's Get a Movie: Holiday Movies for All Ages

Last month, I mentioned some family movies of the not so scary kind of Halloween . With Thanksgiving this Thursday ( which all the branches of the Lake County Public Library will be closed that day), I decided to do a list of family friendly movies(and some TV specials) for the holiday season ( some of which may be airing between now and Christmas. I even added one Thanksgiving and one for New Year's). While  all are family friendly ( and I even put in the ratings), please view them ahead of time if you feel it might be a problem for the children.

1. A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving ( 1973)- Since I haven't seen Free Birds, I'm not recommending it, and most of the Thanksgiving movies that exist are not child-friendly ( I love 1995's Home for the Holidays with Holly Hunter and Robert Downey Jr, but not really good for the under 7 crowd.) You can't go wrong with Charlie's last minute attempt at Thanksgiving with toast, pretzels, and jelly beans. ( ABC will be airing it Thanksgiving night, along with a Lady Gaga/Muppet special.) Rated G

2. A Christmas Story ( 1983)- A Hoosier holiday classic, this year marks the 30th anniversary of one's boy's hope for a Red Ryder BB gun ( if only the adults would stop telling him " You'll shoot your eye out!") I look forward TBS's annual Christmas Day marathon (and those who really love the movie, the Indiana Welcome Center in Hammond presents a big exhibit each year, featuring contests and more. They even added a statue this year of Flick and the flag post. For more info, see http://www.southshorecva.com/achristmasstory/) Rated PG.

3.Elf (2003)- Christmas ten years ago gave us two great Christmas films, this one and Love Actually  (also a favorite of mine, but  unfortunately is rated R, unless you catch it on basic cable, where they edit out the foul language and adult themes. ) I'm not really a Will Ferrell fan, but this is one of his good ones. He stars as Buddy, a orphan who was raised by elves but comes to New York to seek out his real family. A few years ago, this was turned into a Broadway musical.Rated PG

4. Polar Express ( 2004)- The elves are little creepy, but I really love this computer-animated adaptation of Chris Van Allsburg's classic book about a young boy's magical train ride to the North Pole. Rated PG

5. Hallmark Holiday Movies- Nothing says Christmas like the sappy, happy TV movies of the Hallmark Channel ( or Hallmark Movie Channel, ABC Family, and Lifetime. Yes, Lifetime steps away from the ripped from the headlines movies during November-December). Most of the older movies are available on DVD. ( My favorites are 2008's Most Wonderful Time of Year with Henry Winkler and 2011 's A Princess for Christmas with Roger Moore of James Bond fame.) Not rated.

6.White Christmas (1954)- Inspired by the 1941 song by Irving Berlin ( which was introduced in the film Holiday Inn and won the Oscar for Best Song the following year), this holiday classic stars Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye as former WWII soliders/entertainers who, along with pair of singing sisters, plan a Christmas show at a Vermont inn owned by their former general.

7. Mickey's Christmas Carol ( 1983)- Over the years, there have been many takes on Charles Dicken's Christmas classic ( and many interesting takes, from the computer-animated Disney movie with Jim Carrey to Michael Caine and the Muppets.) But this version featuring the appropriately-named Scrooge McDuck in the lead role and many Disney character, is my favorite.

8.Santa Claus The Movie (1985)-This underrated gem of the 80s was a favorite as a kid (in fact, it might show up once and awhile on AMC or WGN).  The film follows how a woodcutter named Claus becomes the legendary man in the red suit with flying reindeer and how he saves Christmas from a greedy toymaker (and fuchsia pops that make people fly.) Rated PG

9. A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)- I still try to catch this and Frosty every year.  Charlie Brown is depressed about the over-commercialization of Christmas till asked by Lucy to direct to the school's play. Will it put him in the Christmas spirit,or does he need the help of Linus and a little tree? I really love when Lucy asks Snoopy to be the animals ( even a penguin!)

10. New Year's Eve ( 2011)- There are a few kid specials ( like Happy New Year Charlie Brown and Rudolph's Shiny New Year) but for a full film about the last day of year, check out Garry Marshall semi-sequel to Valentine's Day. A plethora of stars from Bon Jovi to Sarah Jessica Parker celebrate love, hope and new beginnings 2012 will bring  in New York on New Year's Eve. Rated PG-13

For my runner up, I going to recommended any popular classic family movie ( like Wizard of Oz), any Disney movie, or any popular movie series ( How about instead of watching the annoying New Year Eve countdown shows with one hit acts, do a Star Wars marathon or Harry Potter marathon?) I'm also adding the Doctor Who Christmas specials ( thank you British television for giving us something new instead of repeats, movies, and last-minute holiday shows).

Happy Holidays and good viewing!

Let's Go Get a Movie:Not-so Scary Movies for Friendly, Fearful Nights

It's the first week of October and the bewitching hour is upon us. Hopefully everyone is coming for some spooky boooooooks ( I am, I'm currently rereading Meg Cabot's   YA series, The Mediator ).

Besides being the time for  spooky and pumpkiny tales, this is also the time for scary movies . However, not everyone is into Saw or Halloween ( including yours truly). I much prefer old-fashioned haunts or silly and scary. So, here are some of my favorite not-so scary movies( a bit of a different bookworm list) to check out. Most can be found on DVD, but they also be playing this month on TV ( or you can always Netflix or Youtube). While these are mildly scary, it's best to screen ahead of time before showing it to the kids.

• Hocus Pocus ( 1993)- Directed by Kenny Orgeta ( High School Musical), this frightfully fun Disney movie of twenty years ago stars Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy, and Sarah Jessica Parker as three witches that return on Halloween to seek out the souls of children to gain immortality. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll go "amuck, amuck, amuck." (Best line of the movie!) Rated PG.

• Haunted Mansion ( 2003)- After the success of Pirates of the Caribbean, Disney decided to turn another beloved attraction into a movie, this one featuring Eddie Murphy and Jennifer Tilly. It wasn't successful as Pirates, but if you are a fan of the actual ride, you'll enjoy all the nods to its elements, from singing busts to Madame Leota.Rated PG.

• Adams Family (1991)  and Adams Family Values (1993)- Possibly one of the better TV to movie adaptations, both ghoulishly fun movies feature Anjelica Huston as Morticia, Christina Ricci as Wednesday, and the late great Raul Julia as Gomez. I actually like Values more because of the summer camp that features perky counselors, the Harmony Hut ( a shed filled with oh so adorable stuff where Wednesday, Pugsley, and another misfit are forced to watch Annie and other oh so cute movies) and the inaccurate Thanksgiving pageant with Puglesy the singing turkey ( "Eat me!")  Both are rated PG-13.

• Casper ( 1995)- After playing Wednesday Addams, Christina Ricci starred in this wonderful cartoon/live action film of the friendliest ghost. It's silly, it's sweet, but you will need lots of tissues toward the end. There are also a few direct to DVD sequels, but I don't anything about them ( other than Casper and Wendy has a young Hillary Duff.) Rated PG.

• The Wizard of Oz (1939)-Because of witches and costumes (oh my), I think Oz is perfect during this time of year ( plus they are starting their 75th anniversary celebrations a bit early). For a triple feature, I am also recommending the Disney-inspired sequels, 1985's Return to Oz ( which features a lot of characters from the Baum books, like Ozma and Tik-Tok) and this year's Oz the Great and Powerful ( which is bright and beautiful, and features the most awesome transformation scene of the Wicked Witch of the West.) Rated G.

• Any Tim Burton film- Well, not Sweeney Todd ( a bit too violent.) For younger kids, I would go with Nightmare before Christmas and Corpse Bride. For older kids, check out Beetlejuice, Alice in Wonderland, and Sleepy Hollow. ( Rating vary from G to PG-13.)

• Women in Black (2012)- This is just good old-fashioned jump in your seat horrors, starring Daniel Radcliffe in his first non-Harry Potter role. Set in Edwardian era, a young lawyer (Radcliffe) travels to a remote village where he discovers the vengeful ghost of a scorned woman is terrorizing the locals. Very good thematic elements, lots of loud noise (so you know the scariness is coming), but not so nuts about the ending. ( Note-Radcliffe is starring another horror-like movie coming out next year is  Horns. Having seen some of the early pictures, I'm looking forward to this). Rated PG-13.

• The Good Witch series (2008-)  Only  the first movie, The Good Witch, is available on DVD. For the rest of the series, you might want to try Youtube or check the Hallmark Channel website to see when the movie(s) are airing. A mysterious woman (Catherine Bell of JAG) causes a stir when she moves to a small town and begins having a strange effect on those around her, including the town police chief and his family. Being that this is from Hallmark, this and the five other movies are cute and sappy and enjoyable. A new one, The Good Witch's Destiny, will air the weekend before Halloween ( and there will be a marathon of all the movies before this one). No Rating
•  Harry Potter  movies ( First two movies of the series are rated PG, later movies in the series are rated PG-13.

• Twilight movies ( All five movies are PG-13.)

I am also going to recommending anything involving a character (s) that could pass for a costume. In other words, any Disney movie, any superhero movie, Spongebob, Indiana Jones, Scooby-Doo, etc. 

And not to forget, there's always It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. 

 Happy Halloween and good viewing!