STARDUST

You ever get that feeling when you are reading a fantastically amazing book, when you want to wiggle your nose ( Bewitched style) and jump into the book? I thought so. I found I wanted to do this whilst reading Stardust by Neil Gaiman recently. It was a very magical, enchanting read.
Imagine my excitement when scouting the charity shops in Cardiff ( more on that trip to come) when I happened upon the DVD of Stardust - or was it www.thedaytodavis.co.uk who found it for me in there? Needless to say I am the proud owner of a copy of the dvd with Michelle Pfeiffer, Robert De Niro and Sienna Miller in it to name but a few. I had promised the boys I would sit down with them last night and watch it. I had been raving about the book so much JT was sooo very excited at seeing the movie.

We had a wonderful roast meal whilst the heavens opened outside, the wind was picking up and the temperature outside was starting to take a more seasonal turn. PJ's were the order of the evening as we set up the movie, all snuggled on the sofa.
All too often the film version of great books are somewhat disappointing but Stardust was in no way in that category. It was a most beautiful tale told with an amazing cast, true cross-generational film magic. JT was transfixed for the 2hr 5 min and I was enjoying having "jumped" into the book all over again.
JT was being taken to school this morning by http://www.ayres-rocks.blogspot.com/ who by all accounts might as well have watched the movie now as well. According to Mrs A, JT re-told the story of Stardust to her on the journey to school, didn't stop talking about it. Do you get the impression he liked it as much as his mum???!!! As soon as it had finished he wanted to see it again!

Winter evenings are made for moments like these. It's starting to feel a lot more like Xmas in the Trewin household now, thanks to a little sprinkling of stardust x

INSPIRED TO READ

Yippeeeee!!! I am so happy that we have finally been able to arrange another book club meeting this last week. I believe it has been at least 8 months since our last one and I have to say that I have missed it.

We don’t  follow the traditional book club agenda, by which I mean we do not all read the same book and then discuss. We bring or talk about the books we have been reading or those we have read that have made an impression on us, either good or bad, to share with the group. There were 6 of us this time and I came away with 2 books to read, one I had read about 18 years ago and had loaned to a friend and had never had returned to me. This book was Wild Swans by Jung Chang and it really did make a big impression on me, I am very much looking forward to re visiting it again. It is an autobiographical family history by the writer, which envelops the reader in a world that makes for tough reading at times due to the 3 women within the book all struggling to survive the Communism within China.  The evil and terror these women endure throughout the period between 1900’s and 1978 packs an emotional punch, great suffering is described as well as a great courage and bravery. Comes highly recommended by myself and Mrs Stubbs and it doesn’t get better than a recommendation by Mrs S!!!

The second is a graphic novel, Jimmy Corrigan, the Smartest Kid on Earth by Chris Ware recommended to me by Katie. Katie’s love of literature is very evident in her reading and writing and in turn this had led me with much vigour to get my head stuck in books again. I have remarked on her being the Lauren Laverne of books in my eyes as her choices are somewhat alternative from the mainstream, which in turn opens up some very interesting novels that I would have otherwise failed to pick up. I thank you Mrs D for being a literary genius.

I dibbled and dabbled with reading between my university days and having children but could never call myself an avid reader. Nowadays it is very rare for me to not have a book on the go and I am loving it. I am all fingers and thumbs trying to choose which one to read after my current read of Room by Emma Donoghue which in itself is proving to be a fascinating, if not slightly disturbing read.

Looking forward to the next meet already with some great conversations which arguably steer away from books per se, but are amazingly thought provoking and utterly engaging. Thank you Ann, Pete, Franca, Emily and Katie.

I’M GONNA TELL YOU WHAT I WANT, WHAT I REALLY, REALLY WANT!

That is how it feels right now to be in a conversation with my 6 year old son!! It feels like he is making a lot of demands and doing very little to help with the feeling of me wanting to do things for him or even with him. I have always enjoyed JT’s company and he really is a wonderfully engaging boy, although that one seems to be in hiding right now and a new JT has surfaced making his presence felt forcefully. Away with you, bring back the other JT!!!

At times like these, I go back to my books. I admit that I haven’t resorted to “the books” for some time now, but this feels like the time when I need them!! These books are Raising Boys by Stephen Biddulph and How To Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish. I have ascertained from Raising Boys that JT may be starting his “learning to be male” stage. Well, if learning to be male consists of calling his mother a moron and insisting that I know nothing and he has all the answers then yeh he is! I am so very aware of our responsibility to help these boys become happy and well-balanced men but right now it feels like an uphill struggle with JT.

Taking a quote from Biddulph’s book, between the ages of 6 – 14 years, “A boy knows that he is turning into a man. He has to download the software from an available male to complete his development.” Biddulph touches on the subject that I seem to be dealing with at present, “Don’t be deterred if your son acts “cool” as he has learned to do at school. Persist and you will find a laughing, playful boy just under the surface.”

One request that I have been able to grant JT is that his best friend can come over for a sleepover. This happened on Saturday night and was the highlight of the week I think for JT. He was literally watching the clock for the time when Hayley brought Jamie round and we had got the supplies in. Popcorn, Haribo Starmix and some home baked chocolate chip buns. The evening took a very mellow route by way of the boys having a play when Jamie first arrived to putting a DVD on, The Goonies, a very well received film at that, thanks Hayley. Popcorn, hot chocolate, haribo and buns eaten, bed time was imminent. Teeth cleaned, PJ’s on and after 15 minutes of chatting in bed together they were firmly in the land of nod by 10.15pm. A perfect way to spend a Saturday evening when you are a 6 year old boy having quality time with your all time bestest friend. Mr T and I really enjoyed seeing the 2 of them enjoying each other’s company and my laughing, playful boy was illuminated very clearly that evening.

I think he will need some help downloading the correct software at some points, we may have a few viruses to deal with over the coming years, but I know that the male role models he is surrounded by will help steer him in the right direction, eventually!!!!

WORLD BOOK DAY

Yesterday was World Book Day and I spent a very sunny morning enjoying a trawl through the charity shops in Holsworthy before getting my grocery shopping. Rarely do I come home empty handed after a trip to this lovely market town and yesterday was no different. I managed to grab a set of 10 books by authors including Michael Morpurgo for JT and a folder of Disney audio books for the boys whilst we amble along in the van. Costing me a total of £4, I felt joyous.  JT devoured the books the minute I presented them to him, firstly looking at each one in turn and choosing his first one within 5 minutes. He proceeded to inform me each time he had read a chapter and as I type he is on Chapter 5 of a 7 chapter book.

He is becoming very passionate about reading.  We were talking about the fact that some councils are closing their libraries the other day and his response really took me by surprise – he was outraged. He stated how unfair it was and wanted to know who was closing them and how he “hated them” for doing so. He has now decided (in his infinite wisdom that a 6 year old possesses) that he wants the other prime minister back and this one has to go!!!!

I must admit I share his outrage regarding the closures of libraries alongside  the general consensus that the arts, literature and education are surplus to requirements in certain areas and are the domain of only those with the means to hunt them out or pay for them. I am happy to report that we still have our local library although it will be closing one day a week as of mid April.

Alongside World Book Day the Guardian have launched a children’s book website which I know JT will want to be registered to – on the home page it has a Harry Potter Quiz – they know how to get the kid’s interested!!  It encourages children to review books as well as encourages siblings to read to each other. I know that the boys would love this concept and am surprised to report that I don’t believe that has happened in our household so far. I am guessing that will change shortly!!  

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/childrens-books

Audio books are also a great hit in our house and we very often have some playing in the van on various journeys we take. A recent favourite has been a David Henry Wilson book called Please Keep Off The Dinosaur. Jeremy James is the main character and takes an hilarious trip to London with his father, where they see all the sights, Houses of Parliament, etc. Great pronunciations by Jeremy, Poly Tishuns ( politicians) and Pry Monster ( prime minister) make JT, TJ and myself laugh out loud.  I’m thinking that we will need to take another of his audio books out of the library when this one goes back.