9 (2009)

Acker, S. (director). (2009). 9. (Motion picture). United States of America: Focus Features

I just watched a CGI movie called "9." The main character is one several burlap covered mechanical dolls, their names respective to their numbers which are painted on their bodies. They live in a post apocalyptic world where AI machines have destroyed humanity... or at least that what it seems like at first.
This movie has atmosphere! The graphics are very well done and are both magical and creepy. The Brain, the mastermind AI machine that began the war on humans is particularly scary. Also several characters die. There's hope at the end, but it is a dark tunnel traveled to get there. Probably not suitable for kids younger than 10... unless you want to stay up hugging them all night.
BUT,
It's not THAT scary and there is a philosophical side to the story that is very thought provoking. The purpose of origin for each burlap doll I found rather moving. My favourite part was the curiosity and independence expressed by the main character, 9. It might be peculiar to accept a computer animation of a burlap covered mechanical doll as a role model, but I don't care, that's how easy it was to relate. There’s tons of appropriate behaviour modeling in this movie that is particularly relevant for people in their tweens, people who are transitioning from having everything dictated to them to having to make their own decisions:

9: Why do you listen to 1?
5: A group must have a leader.
9: But what if he's wrong?

Boo-ya! Critical, independent thought, the importance of which cannot be overemphasized enough.

Picture Book: That's Dangerous

Pittau, F. & Gervais, B. (2004). That's Dangerous. New York: Black Dog & Leventhal Pub. Inc.

While I classified this book as a picture book I feel it should be stressed that this is NOT for toddlers (c'mon folks be reasonable not reactionary). This book serves a very useful purpose. It is a great tool for introducing children to information literacy. The book is visually simple in text and illustration, the stories are absurd, and it is very apparent that there is a disconnect between the message of the text, the message of the illustrations, and the potential audience for the item. For example the text says that it is dangerous to play inside the dryer, but the illustrations clearly show enjoyment in this circumstance. The pictures seem made for toddlers, but is this book really intended to be a teaching tool for them? Life IS dangerous, and that is why teaching children to think critically about appearances and content is necessary, and this book will make that experience easy and enjoyable for all.

Website: Starfall

Starfall Education. (2010). Learn to Read with Phonics. Retrieved from http://www.starfall.com/


I found the Starfall website by perusing links in the Halifax Public Libraries kids section. The website is divided into four levels; ABC’s, Learn to Read, It’s Fun to Read, and I’m Reading. The most advanced level, I’m Reading, is a good match for the literacy level of a struggling 9 year old, but I’m not sure their attention would be held by the juvenile layout and simple, albeit sometimes amusing, animations. I was reading a story in the I’m Reading section and was disappointed to be asked to complete a math question between the pages of the story. What’s 3 + 4? Is it 6, 7, or 8? This is stuff for kindergartners. A literacy deficiency does not denote a math deficiency and kids who have low self-esteem about reading don’t need to be condescended to about their numbers too. This is an excellent site, but I’d keep it to kids who are five years old or younger.

TV Show: Spongebob Square Pants

Hillenburg. S. (Creator). (1999). SpongeBob SquarePants [Television series]. United states of America: Nickelodeon

I'm a little late on the whole SpongeBob phenomenon, but was glad to have a reason to investigate. The over the top goofiness of the show had been a bit of a hurdle to get over, but after a couple of episodes I became accustomed to SpongeBob's shrill voice and actually started enjoying myself. I was a little shocked at the sadistic undertones that pop up, especially in the interactions between SpongeBob and his tightly wound neighbour Squidward. Most of the humour in the show can be classified under immature cartoon sledge hammer humour and there is a lot of reliance on gags and one-liners. I do enjoy the mix of innocence and creepiness this show encompasses (SpongeBob is an “innocent,” but actually looks quite freakish). There’s not a lot to be learned from SpongeBob beyond increasing ones marine vocabulary, but the zaniness of the show is a good model for kids helping them think outside the box.

Historical Fiction: Terror in the Harbour (Penelope)

McKay, S.E. (2001). Terror in the Harbour: Penelope. Toronto : Penguin Books.

To be honest I picked this book because it satisfied my criteria for:
a) Historical fiction
b) Canadian
c) For girls
I had not picked this book because it appealed to me itself. With this in mind I am happy to say that it was an absorbing read. The story quickly hooked me and the descriptions took me to Halifax in 1917 with ease. Whether other books in the Our Canadian Girl series, or even if the three other books in Penelope's series would interest boys is uncertain, but this one definitely did. This is due to the narrative covering several of the categories Jon Scieszka laid down on his website Guys Read. There is at least one explosion (the biggest man made one EVER), war, blood, swearing, and the knocking over of a chamber pot. What else could a guy ask for in a book marketed as written for girls?

Realistic Fiction: Zee's Way

Butcher, K. (2004). Zee's Way. Victoria, B.C.: Orca Book Publishers


Orca publishes levelled readers for older kids. Orca soundings is for tweens and teens, Orca Currents is for middle school students, and Orca Echoes is for kids 7-9. There is also Orca Sports and Orca for young readers. Zee's Way by Kristin Butcher is from the Sounding series, and it shows. The book opens with a bunch of tattooed, punked out teens in some beef with a group of bullying store owners. Given the books racy start I found the ending to be slightly cliché. The book is small, but has an attractive cover. It is just over 100 pages, but the font is large, legible. These features keep it looking like an age appropriate book, but keep it at the appropriate literacy level for those who read reluctantly because of difficulties. Orca books are the best example I’ve found that might get teens reading and draw them away from equally racy TV dramas.

Audio (CD): The Dino 5 - Baby Loves Hip-Hop

The Dino 5. (2008). [recorded by Prince Paul] Baby Loves Hip Hop Presents the Dino-5 [CD]. New York: Baby Loves Hip-Hop.

Unlike the CD of lullabized Nirvana songs I LOVE this disc! I love this CD because the music is good! It sounds like adult hip-hop. After my first listen through I already had a few chorus lines stuck in my head. This is because the five members of the group come from internationally renowned hip-hop groups. This means that as baby grows into a child and teenager they have sources for intelligent, adult music. The format of the CD is interesting. The tracks alternate between a mother reading to her son at bedtime and the musical tracks that rap out the narrative of that story. This format emphasizes the need for parents to engage in literature with their children and provides them with a model of how to do so. For both quality and content this is one of the best resources I have found.