Tag Archives: Scholastic video

Click, Clack, Moo: Cows that Type

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Farmer Brown has some problems.

It was bad enough the cows had
found the old typewriter in the
barn, now they wanted electric
blankets! “No way,” said Farmer
Brown. “No electric blankets.”

So the cows went on strike.
They left a note on the barn door.

Sorry.
We’re closed.
No milk
today.

Soon the hens join the work stoppage. And what are those seemingly-neutral ducks up to?

If workers’ rights are civil rights, as the slogan goes, we have a mini theme going this week. (When the boys stage a sit-in protest of my menu choices, I’ll have only myself to blame.) This book is very funny and I can’t read it aloud without hearing (and slightly mimicking) the Scholastic video version narrated by Randy Travis.

Author: Doreen Cronin
Illustrator: Betsy Lewin

Harry the Dirty Dog

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Harry, a white dog with black spots, hates baths. But he loves exploring and getting dirty. After becoming a black dog with white spots (that his family doesn’t recognize), bathing suddenly becomes more appealing.

We enjoyed the Scholastic Video version of this simple, cute book a great deal when the boys were younger.

Author: Gene Zion
Illustrator: Margaret Bloy Graham

Good Night, Gorilla

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My youngest loved this book as a young toddler.  He’d ask for it every night before bed and we’d watch the gorilla release all of his animal friends so they could follow the zookeeper home.  We’d loved the details, like the toy in each animals’ cage,  the balloon that drifts through each double-page spread, and the mouse constantly lugging around a huge banana.  He would giggle and giggle when one of the characters got a big surprise.  A real charmer and, of course, perfect for bedtime. (He also loved the Scholastic video version of the book, which is less detailed but equally sweet.)

Author:  Peggy Rathmann
Illustrator: Peggy Rathmann

The Wheels on the Bus

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When the boys were around 2 years old, this was one of our most popular books.  We read (sang) this over and over and over and over again.  Watching the people on Sylvie Kantorovitz Wickstrom’s bus go all through the (beautiful French) town was fun, even the 7th time in a row.

Sometimes we read the Paul O. Zelinsky version for a bit of variety and to enjoy the paper engineering.  And the boys enjoy the video Scholastic made from the Zelinsky version.  (Who knew Kevin Bacon could sing?)  But it is the Wickstrom version that my youngest “read” to daddy tonight.

Author:  Unknown
Illustrator:  Sylvie Kantorovitz Wickstrom