City Section, page B5, donating to the Globe Santa . More photos can be found here.
photo by Zara Tzanev for the Boston Globe
Month: December 2007
Shutter Lag
This is a great time waster — it’s a lot like trying to get a photo of both Finn and Leo looking at the camera.
And speaking of which, if you need a new $300 digital camera, David Pogue has a good review of the latest. It’s always interesting to look at the slideshow comparing camera’s photos side by side.
Busy Day in Boston
Leo joining the harpists at South Station for “Jingle Bells” (check out the cast of characters!)
Jumping for joy after getting a personal tour of the Acela
Our nice tour guide, who didn’t like trains when he was a boy…
…and this little boy, who LOVES them.
Asking for a present for Finn (who didn’t talk to Santa)
Leo with the Boston Globe Santa, of whom Leo asked, “Where is your house?” He was satisfied with his answer of “the North Pole”.
Little Red
Ever since Leo saw “Wolfie”(as he likes to call him) at Storyland (below) last summer, Leo has been fascinated by “Little Red Riding Hood”.
Apparently, he joins some good company in this.
Little Red Riding Hood was my first love. I have the impression that, if I had been able to marry her, I would have known perfect happiness. -Charles Dickens
In my house, when I was a little boy, it was my grandfather who told me stories. He was wonderful. He told violent, mysterious tales that enchanted me. There were just two or three, always the same, but my favourite one was Little Red Riding Hood. I knew it by heart, but I never stopped asking Grandfather to tell it. I identified with Little Red Riding Hood, I had the same fears as she, I didn’t want to die. I dreaded her death — or what we think death is. I waited anxiously for the hunter to come. – Luciano Pavarotti
So, we’ve been reading the book since last summer. There are lots of variations on the story (what Little Red takes to Grandmother, why she leaves the path, whether or not Little Red gets eaten along with Grandma, and whether or not the wolf has rocks sewn into his stomach, to name a few). This makes it much more interesting than, say, “Hansel & Gretel”, which seems to be always the same.
A “fun” moment in the story is when Wolfie suprises Grandmother. Most old books didn’t illustrate it at all, but these days, there are lots of images of that scene. Here’s how a few different illustrators have handled it, from subtle
illustration by Daniela Chudzinski
to foreboding
illustration by Andrea Wisnewski
to extreme
illustration by Nicoletta Ceccoli
None of this scares Leo. His favorite version is the James Marshall one where Grandmother shouts, “Go away you horrid thing!” before she is eaten. Later she complains that there was no light to read by in the wolf’s stomach — typical James Marshall.
If you want to read the inspiration for Little Red Riding Hood, go here (but be warned, don’t read it over your lunch hour!). And this is an excellent summary of its history and many variations.
More no-TV stuff
This might help you keep it turned off (would anyone pay money for this?)
And this is a good anti-TV rant by an experienced parent
Reading “The Polar Express”
Auntie Steph, Cousin Finn, Leo and Sophie enjoy “The Polar Express”, which got hauled out with all the other Christmas books on Saturday. Finn had never heard the story.
These kids have never seen the movie and we hope to keep it that way! There aren’t that many resources/role-models for tv-free parenting, but I just found a couple that look interesting
http://www.tvturnoff.org/
http://www.turnoffyourtv.com/tv.links.html
Life with Leo 