Monday Story Time

Since we had such a beautiful snow and it was so cold I decided to read stories about snowmen for Story Time Monday.  But when I got into the library and looked over the available books I realized that I was a bit bored with the offerings I had read so many times before.  Instead I read Linda Glaser's nonfiction book, Winter, and Carl Meister's story, Tiny the Snow Dog.  Tiny is a short but cute story about how great big Tiny "gets lost" while playing with his owner.  It's fun for wee little ones to spot Tiny hiding behind the tree or up in the barn window and it's fun to read how Tiny "slurped" his owner a kiss when they are reunited.  

But the Kindergarten classes needed something a bit longer and more complex than Tiny so I was happy that a search in the catalog revealed a book that was new to me, Tacky and the Winter Games by Helen Lester with pictures by Lynn Munsinger.  As I read through it I couldn't believe that I had missed this fun book in the years I had been working in the school library.  

 Such a funny story of Tacky, the "odd" penguin, who is a de facto a member of the Team Nice Icy Land.  He is the odd man out as they train and perform in the Winter Games.

How his team finally wins a gold medal is a funny story and gives a lively introduction to the Olympic winter games.   

Speaking of winter, it was, indeed, very cold here today with temperatures starting out around 3 degrees this morning.   Our pond did not freeze over, so I guess the Acquascape folks know what they are talking about.

My sister Jean and I braved the cold to see Saving Mr. Banks. It was well worth the effort to see Tom Hanks and Emma Thompson work together in this interesting story of how Walt Disney coaxed P. L. Travers, the author of Mary Poppins, to give him the movie rights to her book. 

I wasn't expecting it to be funny, but I laughed and laughed at the intersection of rigid Mrs. Travers and  Walt Disney's world. You can see her distain in the photograph above, and here's a few examples from the dialog:   

Walt Disney: Look at you! I could eat you up!

P.L. Travers: That wouldn't be appropriate.

P.L. Travers: [as she throws a Mickey Mouse doll off her bed] You can stay over there until you learn the art of subtlety.

P.L. Travers: You are the only American I have ever liked.

Ralph: May I ask why?

P.L. Travers: No.

Funny as it was, it was also sad and moving.  I really enjoyed it.