Strollerderby : Goodnight Moon

Dick Cheney whispering hush: Goodnight Bush

Brett Singer — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 15:00:00 GMT

"Goodnight Bush" is a new take on an old classic, but probably not something you'll be reading (and reading, and reading, and reading – what is it about "Goodnight Moon"?) to your kids at bedtime.

According to the New York Times, the book was an unsolicited manuscript received by Little, Brown, who noticed it in the pile because it was mailed in a clear envelope. Good move – the package stood out, and the book is now on sale; it currently holds the #1 spot on Amazon.com in the Political Humor category.

"Goodnight Constitution. And goodnight evolution."

Hee hee.

The authors actually take their parody more seriously, with one of them saying, "We wanted it to be the definitive requiem for everything they've done." Um, okay. Can I just think it's funny?

image: sfgate.com

What's Up With No Cell Phones in Kids Books?

Madeline Holler — Wed, 14 May 2008 19:01:00 GMT

On about our 20th reading of Llama Llama Red Pajama, it struck me that Mama Llama was doing dishes while talking on a slimline, wall-mounted, spiral corded phone, and I wondered if my kid even knew what that was. I asked, she shrugged her shoulders, which could have meant "no" or could have meant "I'm not a trained monkey ... keep reading!"

Later, I flipped back to see when it was published, 2005. Christ, even my in-laws had upgraded to a cordless by then. That's when I started seeing dated technology in everything we read.

Slate has a nitpicky slideshow -- Llama Llama Red Pajama launches the pictoral thesis (I'm vindicated!) -- delving into why kids lit illustrators don't bring the most updated technology to the pages of kids books. One idea is that by dating the technolgy, parents are able to harken back to their own childhoods and develop a fondness for the book. In deconstructing the huge set of headphones on a passerby in Knuffle Bunny, the writer detects a nod to some Brooklyn dwellers' purposeful embrace of old technologies (yes, but would they call for take-out on that clunker of a phone in Goodnight, Moon? Just asking.)

Image: Slate

Goodnight Moon: The Musical

Amy Kuras — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 16:17:00 GMT

I have to admit I am torn on this one between Awww and Oh Hell Naw: "Goodnight Moon: The Musical. "
On the one hand, awww. It's such a sweet book, and yes it can drive you up the wall when your little one says "Read again?" for the fourth time in a row. But the simple rhymes and gentle look of the illustrations are soothing to tired babies and exhausted parents alike –and have been working their magic for 60 years. Plus, you can totally zone out and think about how you're only minutes from blessed bedtime freedom when you read it because after about the 10th time you’ve got the thing memorized (oh, don’t look at me like that, you know you've done it).
On the other, a musical? Really? The book: 125 words, total (this post is longer). The musical: An hour and fifteen minutes. And apparently the red balloon has gas. Helium. Sigh.
Playwright Chad Henry said he wanted to stay true to the "whimsical and strange" character of the book. Apparently the mittens and socks do a softshoe and the rabbit and the little white mouse that creeps around the room are best friends.

If you want to check it out, it's at the Manhattan Children's Theatre through Dec. 9. http://www.mctny.org/