J 294.52 (The Ramayana)

It all started because I wanted to read something scary without necessarily reading something "Halloween-y." It was the week before Halloween and the library shelves had slim pickings for anyone wanting a genuine Halloween story. So....I brought home Linda Ashman's The Essential Worldwide Monster Guide illustrated by Caldecott Medal winner David Small. In rhyme, the author describes 13 mythical beasts from around the world. At our house, Ravana, demon king of the Rakshasas quickly became the favorite. With his ten heads and 20 arms, what little boy could resist him? Next thing I know, big brother is on the phone to Nana asking her to accompany him to India. "Just to look, Nana." Because, of course, Ravana is far too dangerous to approach."Now Nana, if we see Ravana and I say let's go, what are you going to do? Good. Let's practice. Let's go! Now, what do you do! Very good!" We watched Alfonso Cuaron's version of A Little Princess which frames Sara Crewe's story with portions of the Ramayana, drawing parallels between the two. (I'll admit that the movie is truer to the Shirley Temple movie of 1939 than to the original book, but Cuaron is a genius. His use of color and imagery take both this movie and the third Harry Potter movie to another level. But I digress.)

The next step was a trip to the library for books on India, the Ramayana, and maps (to figure out how to get there, of course). I am always up for the teachable moment, so off we went. I can recommend Hanuman: based on Valmiki's Ramayana retold by Erik Jendresesn and Joshua M. Greene for a child-friendly but detailed retelling of the story; little brother prefers Jessica Souhami's Rama and the Demon King, a simpler retelling with bold shadow puppet style illustrations. The Hindu festival of Diwali was this past week -- a great time to introduce this ancient story to your eager readers.

NB: Big brother has decided to be Ravana for Halloween next year. Feel free to contact me if you have any idea how to fit 9 more heads on a first grader's shoulders!

The person you need...

is Nanny McPhee. I loved this movie! Of course, I've thought Emma Thompson is a goddess for quite a while now. From her work in the movies Dead Again (obscure, but one of my favs) to Much Ado About Nothing and Love, Actually (Now which doll shall we give Daisy's little friend Emily? The one that looks like a transvestite or the one that looks like a dominatrix?) Did you know that she wrote the screenplay (and won the Oscar for it) for Sense & Sensibility? She adapted Nanny McPhee from the Nurse Matilda books by Christianna Brand.

"Once upon a time there was a huge family of children; and they were terribly, terribly naughty." How's that for an opening line? The first book, Nurse Matilda, is, in my opinion the best. While Thompson changed much of the storyline for the movie, separate incidents occur in both and the essence of the magical nanny is unchanged. Frighteningly unattractive, complete with warts and a snaggle tooth, Nurse Matilda/Nanny McPhee becomes lovelier each time children obey her. In the movie, there are 5 lessons to be learned: To go to bed when told, to get up when told, to get dressed when told, to listen, and to do exactly as you are told. Lesson 5 is a biggie at our house. I have to thank both Ms. Brand and Ms. Thompson for providing me with a fun way to encourage my own rapscallions to follow directions. By the third book, things seem a little formulaic, with the culminating dream chase, etc. but both the book and the movie are well worth the visit.

Did I mention that Colin Firth plays the father in the movie? No one said that mommies can't enjoy kid movies, too.