Play School turns 45

I always knew that Play School is fully scripted (no autocue) but I didn't know that it's filmed in one episode, as if it's live to tape. Parents, prepare for some new presenters as well as all the not-so-old favourites.

Happy 45th anniversary, Play School!

Pic via ABC TV blog

Movie review: Ramona and Beezus

We watched this movie on dvd recently after it slipped under my radar when it came out in cinemas last year. Based, of course, on the wonderful books by Beverley Cleary, the film remains true to the books' spirit. The Ramona books do that beautiful thing in truly good children's literature -- give an insight into the adult world from a child's perspective. As adults we can be reminded how mystifying, alarming and confusing the world can be for children. But also, that children can be full participants in family life and all the good and bad times. The children are quirky, the adults are not perfect (but they are unusually good looking) and the parenting is not straight out of the box. This film gets it all just right. And it ends with a wedding -- what's not to like?!

True Grit

One of the regular passengers on the Omnibus has small children and therefore does not Get Out Much. But, not one to be easily defeated, when she sees that a movie on at the cinemas at the moment is based on a book, then she is Very Pleased and happily purchases said book in the hope of still being somewhat up to date with popular culture. True Grit* by Charles Portis, in this edition with an Introduction by Donna Tartt, features what must be one of the greatest young characters in literature. Mattie Ross is fourteen and seeking justice for the murder of her father and she won't let anything, anything, get in her way. Highly recommended.

* Not a children's book, but in that grand literary tradition of narrating from the perspective of a child.