Home » Archive by category "Uncategorized" (Page 485)

Giant Princesses

Around Halloween, my daughter decided she wanted to be a princess. Cinderella, specifically. I personally think Cinderella is a kick-butt princess, so that was cool with me. I wasn’t all that keen on a Disney Cinderella costume, though. They looked kind of cheap, plus Disney’s Cinderella isn’t my favorite version of that particular princess.  I like Jim Hines’ version a lot, but then I can’t exactly read his stuff as bedtime stories to my three year old. Now, her older brother had an obsession with dinosaurs that had lasted a long time, and right around then it started to morph into an obsession with dragons. Finding a cool dragon costume is a challenge, let me tell you, but we found one that rocked. My mother found an elegant, sparkly royal blue princess dress with a hoop for my daughter, and she was in princess heaven. But her princess wasn’t going to be the victim of any dragon. She announced that she was a “giant princess” who could beat the dragon. And she has steadfastly stuck to that. She insisted on wearing the dress to our Mother’s Day brunch, and was really cute, but whenever someone tried to compliment her appearance, she announced indignantly “I’m a GIANT princess”!

Our zombie editor, the lovely and talented Michele Lee, has brought a link to my attention that makes me think of my daughter’s princess attitude (although she’s a little young to share it with). She likes Disney princesses, but sometimes she just doesn’t get why they act the way they do. Princesses that can take out dragons, now that she can understand.

Posted on May 17, 2011 by , 1 comment

Thirteen Reasons Why

When I mentioned Jay Asher’s Thirteen Reasons Why a few days ago, I knew it was a major YA bestseller as well as a powerfully emotional, horrifying book. What I didn’t know, and have since discovered via Publisher’s Weekly that there is a dedicated YouTube channel tied in to the book. The video itself is simple- you are watching an audiotape spool around and around on the most basic kind of tape recorder. What’s compelling is the voice on the tape, the accusatory voice of the now-dead Hannah Baker. You can also go the the novel’s website to find the videos as well as a comment tool.

Teens can also contribute to an online scrapbook, the Thirteen Reasons Why Project showing how the book has changed their lives, using either text, image, or video.

Thirteen Reasons Why is on its way into being a movie- but how a full length movie could do justice to the book, or have the impact of the short videos on YouTube, I cannot imagine. If you haven’t read the book, check out the videos. You’ll want to read the book.

Posted on May 16, 2011 by , Reply

Hug a Triskaidekaphobic Today!

After all, it’s Friday the 13th, so they may need some extra support. If you, however, would personally like to get seriously creeped out by the number thirteen, I’d like to suggest that you check out the YA title Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher. While we haven’t reviewed it here, I can tell you that for me at least it is one of those dark, unforgettable books that, months later, still unsettles me. Voices from beyond the grave can do that.

In other news, Sammy Terry is making a comeback! If you are of a certain age and time, you might remember a local midnight movie hour- they used to be fairly common. Think Elvira, but really, really low budget. In Indiana, the midnight movie show was called Nightmare Theatre and was hosted by Sammy Terry (played by Bob Carter) on WTTV, Channel 4.  He had totally grotesque makeup, a chilling cackle, slept in a coffin, and had a floating spider sidekick named George.  Sammy Terry’s show shut down in 1989, but now Carter’s son, Mark, is bringing Sammy Terry back! As usual, I am not the first in the know, but learning that Sammy Terry is back in business has made this Friday the 13th a memorable one for me!

Posted on May 14, 2011 by , Reply
First « 483484485486487 » Last