Announcing the Tag for November

[Sushicat]

Blueberry wrote: "These are from three-time Newberry Award winner Gary Paulsen. I have read 15 of his books and very much enjoyed about 95% of them.

[book:Winterdance: The Fine Madness of Running the Id..."

Loved Winterdance!

[Ashley Breanna]

AJ wrote: "Ashley Breanna wrote: "I picked up Seabiscuit: An American Legend without even thinking about November's theme, so that turned out well!

I recommend Water for Elephants..."

I think it does. It is tagged by many people as "animals." Plus, it is about the circus. I would recommend.

[Kate]

My favorite topic!
Sex in the Sea: Our Intimate Connection with Sex-Changing Fish, Romantic Lobsters, Kinky Squid, and Other Salty Erotica of the Deep sounds interesting and the title reminds me of one of my all time favorites:

Dr. Tatiana's Sex Advice to All Creation

second the suggestion of
Parasite Rex: Inside the Bizarre World of Nature's Most Dangerous Creatures
I'm a big fan of Carl Zimmer.

Just about anything by David Quammen

[Denizen]

A late recommendation is Cormac McCarthy's The Crossing.

[Susie]

Should we start with All the Pretty Horses? I've only read The Road and I adored it so I really should read more of him.

[Booknblues]

Susie wrote: "Should we start with All the Pretty Horses? I've only read The Road and I adored it so I really should read more of him."

Each one of Cormac's trilogy except for the last is a stand alone. I read them in order, but I don't think it would make much difference if you read All the Pretty Horses or The Crossing first... in fact I could see the advantage of reading The Crossing first now that I think about it... I agree with Den in that The Crossing was my favorite.

[Susie]

Thanks!

[AsimovsZeroth]

I'd say Gentle Ben and Scrub Dog of Alaska by Walt Morey are good children's books.

I've heard good things about Fast into the Night a memoir about a woman and her dogs in the Iditarod and to keep to my Alaska/Animal theme here, The Cruelest Miles is about the 1925 race for medicine that started the Iditarod tradition.

[Jennifer]

What age is Watership Down good for? Thinking of reading it my kids this month for the tag... They are 6 and 8. I didn't even realize this was a children's book.

[Jennifer]

Susie wrote: "Superhero squirrel! That sounds great!! How old is your daughter Jen?"

Oops, I thought I replied Susie, my daughter is 8 1/2.

[Book Concierge]

Jennifer P. wrote: "What age is Watership Down good for? Thinking of reading it my kids this month for the tag... They are 6 and 8. I didn't even realize this was a children's book."

It wasn't marketed as a children's book when it first came out, which is when I read it.

[Book Concierge]

By the way ... LOVE the banner this month!

[Jgrace]

Jennifer P. wrote: "What age is Watership Down good for? Thinking of reading it my kids this month for the tag... They are 6 and 8. I didn't even realize this was a children's book."

When I have a question about children's books, I go to the Scholastic book site. They assign a reading level and an interest level. This one is given an interest level of grades 9 - 12 and an approximate 7th grade reading level. That matches what I remember of it. I think your children might be too young for it.

How about Rabbit Hill ; Huge Harold; or Bunnicula if you are set on rabbits. The interest level is still a little old for your children, but that might not matter if they are experienced listeners.

[KateNZ]

Jennifer P. wrote: "What age is Watership Down good for? Thinking of reading it my kids this month for the tag... They are 6 and 8. I didn't even realize this was a children's book."

I read it to my boys when they were about that age and it was fine - it's a gripping adventure story and they both adore animals. I can't remember if I sneakily skipped over some of the longer descriptive passages (quite possibly).

We often see rabbits on our highway entrance/exit roundabout - nice sandy dunes, grass, and plants to hide in. I have been known to call "Morning, Hazel" as I pass ...

[KateNZ]

Book Concierge wrote: "By the way ... LOVE the banner this month!"

Ditto! It is fabulous!

[annapi]

Watership Down, in the author's own words, is "a proper grown-up novel for children". I read it to my kids when they were around 8, but although they enjoyed it, I quickly realized they would appreciate it more at a later age. I read it myself somewhere between 8-12, I can't remember exactly, so it really depends on the child. I would re-read it over and over through the years, and I came to memorize many passages. It's one of my all-time favorite books.

[Jgrace]

annapi wrote: "Watership Down, in the author's own words, is "a proper grown-up novel for children". I read it to my kids when they were around 8, but although they enjoyed it, I quickly realized they would appre..."

It's true that readability and interest levels are subjective. It depends a lot on the child. Scholastic lists a 6th grade interest level for Redwall, but I read it to my daughter when she was 7, knowing she would understand and love it. I would never have tried it with her brother at a similar age.

[Denizen]

Watership Down is a long book and suitable IMHO for older kids and adults although I read it to my daughter when she was about 10. My son at 8 was totally disintered. I was once again totally captivated. I originally read it for a Science Fiction and Fantasy class in college that did not include children's books per se.

[LibraryCin]

Book Concierge wrote: "By the way ... LOVE the banner this month!"

So do I! Nicole found it for us!

[Amy]

One reason to actually go on the computer. My phone doesn't show banners.

[Jennifer]

Hmm, I've been convinced the 1st grader is too young but I'm undecided about my 3rd grader. I may just check it out and let her read the first chapter and see if she likes it. She usually has strong opinions. If it's a no, I'll read it on my own. We own Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh, which was a favorite movie of mine, but I've never read it.

[annapi]

Jennifer P. wrote: "We own Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh, which was a favorite movie of mine, but I've never read it."

The movie (Secret of NIMH) pales in comparison to the book. (Same with Watership Down.) I hated the NIMH movie, because I loved the book so much. I read it as a child, and I was expecting something corny (rats, after all!) but I was amazed at how good the story was. I highly recommend it!

BTW don't bother with the sequels to NIMH - they were not written by the same author and they were corny, not worth reading.

[Denizen]

IMO, Nimh was very much worth reading. I read it during my college years so feel it is one of those children's books that still resonate with adults.

[AsimovsZeroth]

Jennifer P. wrote: "Hmm, I've been convinced the 1st grader is too young but I'm undecided about my 3rd grader. I may just check it out and let her read the first chapter and see if she likes it. She usually has stron..."

Just whatever you do - dear god don't let your children watch the movie. The book is probably fine, though there is some violence. The movie is nightmare fuel, so if your kids love the book, avoid the movie at all costs. It goes from cute little bunny movie to bloodbath and scenes I can only assume were written on LSD. I wasn't a particularly sensitive kid... but I still remember that one vividly. The thing about Watership Down, is it was originally written for adults to push a more environmentally friendly agenda. All well and good, but because it takes a "scare 'em straight" tactic, the author isn't afraid to get a bit brutal with those cute, relatable bunnies.

[Jenni Elyse]

It's so funny to me that people are ripping on the Secrets of NIMH movie. I watched it as a child (and I was VERY sensitive and had nightmares easily) and I loved it. It's one of my favorite movies as a child.

I haven't read the book, so I obviously don't know how it compares to the book. But, movies rarely are as good as the book. I'll have to read the book, I think, since I love the movie so much.

[annapi]

Kathryn wrote: "Jennifer P. wrote: "The thing about Watership Down, is it was originally written for adults to push a more environmentally friendly agenda."

I don't know about the movie, but the book was not written with any agenda in mind - the author started telling his daughters the story off the top of his head on road trips and it just built from there. When he finally finished it, they encouraged him to write it down and publish it.

The producers of the movie may have latched on to the environmental aspect of it, I don't know. I found the film boring, it put me to sleep. I did like the song Bright Eyes, though.

[LibraryCin]

Jenni Elyse wrote: "It's so funny to me that people are ripping on the Secrets of NIMH movie. I watched it as a child (and I was VERY sensitive and had nightmares easily) and I loved it. It's one of my favorite movies..."

I also saw and enjoyed the NIMH movie when I was a kid. I was an adult by the time I read the book, though, so I wasn't able to compare.

[Jennifer]

Haha, I loved the Nimh movie too. Also a favorite from childhood.

[AsimovsZeroth]

annapi wrote: "Kathryn wrote: "Jennifer P. wrote: "The thing about Watership Down, is it was originally written for adults to push a more environmentally friendly agenda."

I don't know about the movie, but the b..."

You're right, I just looked it up and I was mistaken. I know I read that somewhere several years ago, because I remember having a bit of an "Aha!" moment. Must have been someone's analysis of the book, rather than straight from the author. It seemed to explain the blood flying around during the fight scene and the brutality of some of those other scenes - bunnies in traps, bunnies trapped in their warrens, fields of blood... ect. Some of it even felt a little like something designed on LSD. Just search youtube for Watership Down Violence.

It started off a bit slowly, so I can understand why it might have put you to sleep, but it horrified me and I've talked to a lot of people who felt the same way.

Part of that may have been that we were all expecting a Disney-like cartoon or something more along the lines of the early 90's Peter Rabbit movie. Instead, we got a mix of nature documentary, Peter Rabbit, conservation propaganda (don't read too much into the phrase - I'm a tree hugger) and a bad drug trip.

[annapi]

I don't remember the film much, I will have to watch it again. I saw the Youtube video you mentioned, and all of those scenes were in the book. I agree the film is not for young kids - same with the book. I can imagine how traumatized kids would be if they were expecting a Disney movie! I wasn't expecting Disney, so I didn't mind. Matter of fact I loathe Disneyfied stories, so I was more concerned about how true to the book the film was, and I think it was ok, but left out some parts.

What I remember not liking about it when I saw it (I was a teen) was the atmosphere, which was (as you said) kinda trippy and "whoo whoo". The eerie background music together with the pacing was what put me to sleep. I wish someone would redo it today with modern CGI technology, because now we have the capability to do the story justice. But it would still have some bloody parts if it stayed true to the book, and I have no problem with that. Just don't market it to children! But I imagine that clueless parents would still subject their children to it regardless of any warnings - there were so many young kids taken to the South Park movie!

[Book Concierge]

I remember that a local university was showing the movie and my boyfriend, at the time, asked if I wanted to go see it. Of course I did! I was surprised he was so eager for the movie because I didn't think it was his kind of thing. It wasn't. When he saw the title in the alumni newsletter, he thought it was GREY LADY DOWN (a movie about a submarine) .... Boy, was HE surprised!