The Artists

I think we've all been in this position before:

A little competition is a good thing - it can make you exceed your limits and drive you to become a better artist - just don't be a jerk while you're at it. Thanks to Elizabeth Dulemba for the tip!

The Hunger Games Hamburger Helper

The Hunger Games film trailer may have gotten all of my fellow book nerds in a tizzy, but I think I prefer the version made by my old RISD classmate, Adam Sacks:

This is definitely more satisfying to me than the books! I'm hoping the real film series will overcome some of the issues I had with the text, as well.

Sick Day

I've been trying unsuccessfully to get over an epic cold all week, and by order of my husband, I'm taking the weekend to rest. No outings or working allowed, just sketching, movies, and hot tea in bed. If you feel like taking it easy with me, please enjoy this 1968 film adaptation of the children's book, Heidi:

Have a great weekend, everybody!

Library of the Early Mind Film Screening

Thanks to a generous sponsorship from MELSA (Metropolitan Library Service Agency), a very special documentary is coming to the Twin Cities. Enjoy an afternoon at the movies and a grown-up conversation about children’s books!

Screening of Library of the Early Mind
Date: Sunday, March 27, 2011
Time: 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Place: Minneapolis Central Library, Pohlad Hall, 300 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, MN 54401
Fee: Free and open to everyone! Seating is first come, first served so get there early! 

Library of the Early Mind is an exploration of the art and impact of children’s literature on our kids, our culture, and ourselves. From the first stories we hear told to us to those childhood heroes that stay with us a lifetime, the impact on our culture runs deeper than what we might expect. The film features nearly 40 prominent authors and illustrators talking about their work, its genesis and its impact.

Join the film’s director Edward J. Delaney and Minnesota SCBWI members David LaRochelle, John Coy, Catherine Thimmesh, Julie Reimer, and Marsha Wilson Chall for a panel discussion after the screening.

For more information about the film, please visit www.libraryoftheearlymind.com. We hope to see you there!

Movie Review: Beezus and Ramona

I was feeling pretty apprehensive about this film when I heard it was being made, and when the trailer was released. But one lazy weeknight this week I decided to rent Ramona and Beezus to see if would be as bad as I anticipated.

To my surprise, it’s actually pretty good! I’m now feeling a little guilty for judging the work so harshly before I’d had a chance to see it. In my defense, I absolutely loved the Ramona books as a girl and I think anyone would be worried about Hollywood messing with their childhood favorites. But while the film isn't (and possibly couldn't be) entirely faithful to the books, it’s an enjoyable interpretation.

Many of Ramona's classic adventures were included in some way, and the acting and casting choices were decent.  Selena Gomez’s Beezus is a bit of a departure from the character in the books, but fortunately she’s not a pivotal role. Josh Duhamel, on the other hand, was a surpisingly welcome addition to the film as Howie's Uncle Hobart. His scenes with Ramona’s Aunt Bea might help keep adults in the audience from zoning out completely.

I would recommend this film to fans of the books. Even if this isn’t the Ramona we’ve grown up with, she’s still a decent Ramona. Had the trailer not been so schmaltzy, I probably would've seen this sooner.