He’s won an Emmy, Tony, and a Golden Globe and now John Lithgow will be returning to host Turner Classic Movies’ Essentials Jr. for a second season. TCM’s weekly movie series is perfect for the whole family. The series kicks off June 6th with Old Yeller and is followed by:
June 13: Duck Soup (1933)
June 20: To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)
June 27: The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T (1953)
July 4: Bye Bye Birdie (1963)
July 11: Speedy (1928)
July 18: Beauty and the Beast (1946)
July 25: Buck Privates (1941)
Aug. 1: The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1939)
Aug. 8: Road to Morocco (1942)
Aug. 15: The Secret Garden (1949)
Aug. 22: Swiss Family Robinson (1960)
Aug. 29: Young Mr. Lincoln (1939)
You might be wondering why John Lithgow is such a good choice to host this series. The guy has written seven New York Times best-selling children’s books and two activities books for parents and kids. He has earned two Parents’ Choice Silver Honor Awards and performed concerts for children with the Chicago, Pittsburgh, Detroit, Baltimore and San Diego symphony orchestras.
Now I know these films don’t have the latest CG effects or robots that can turn into cars , but some of them are worth checking out with your kids–especially Duck Soup. I’m sure your children will get a kick out of Harpo!
There’s nothing more soothing than the image of a new baby snoozing—especially if you’re a new, sleep-deprived parent yourself. Now imagine dozens upon dozens of bambinos snuggled up in a variety of sleep spaces: a hammock, a sweater-lined wicker basket or even in a pair of strong, ample-sized hands. That’s the premise of Sleeping Beauties: Newborns in Dreamland (Sellers Publishing), the just-released coffee table-sized book devoted to the simplicity of sweet slumber.
The photography team, twin sisters Tracy Raver and Kelley Ryden, bring a keen eye to the camera, as they capture these brand-new babies—many of whom were just days old—in the most endearing poses. Page after page of glossy photos show just how calming the sight of a sleeping baby can be. (Do you remember the last time you felt that relaxed after a good night’s sleep?) In fact, many of the babies featured look as though they are back in the womb, with little arms and legs tucked in ever so securely…amazing. If you’re looking for a unique present for a mom-to-be or for someone who just loves babies, this book is sure to be passed around at baby showers and treasured for years to come.
If you have never seen a Cirque du Soleil production, simply imagine the most creative circus and then add sun. While that might seem too literal, their productions are really like no other circus around, and now Cirque de Soleil is going to create a show choreographed to Michael Jackson’s music.
The first project will be an arena-touring show debuting in fall 2011. The second one is a permanent show in Las Vegas set to open in late 2012. Cirque du Soleil has already created imaginative productions based on the music of the Beatles (Love) and Elvis Presley (Viva Elvis). Both are eye-popping productions that your kids will love (pun intended!). As their jaws drop, they’ll also get an earful of some truly classic music.
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Like the saying goes, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. So with a name like Uglydoll in a looks-obsessed culture, it’s liberating to love something that’s…well, not so beautiful. This near-cult phenomenon has caught on with kids and grown-ups alike, so don’t feel guilty if you too are the proud owner of one of these plush pals. True blue fans will love the latest Uglydoll incarnation: make your own T-shirt. Simply visit the Uglydoll site and choose from among a handful of graphics starring your favorite characters: Bop ‘n Beep, Ice-Bat, Babo, Peaco and Ox.
Each is paired with witty sayings like “Ugly is cute” or “C is for not cute.” I’m partial to the alphabet shirts starring your favorite letter—a fun birthday present idea. You can even position and size your chosen image however you like. Then choose your color (white, pink, blue, gray or black) and size (toddler, kid, women or men), and you’re good to go.
How awesome that you can watch your shirt being “built” as you go, so you’ll know exactly what you’ll be getting. Pretty cool. Or, should we say, pretty ugly.
