Day: March 4, 2011

Harry Potter in the News

| Tasha

Harry Potter frenzy is picking up with the anticipation of the final film.  Here are a couple of interesting recent news items:

Daniel Radcliffe will be appearing on Broadway in How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying.  Unfortunately, it seems Radcliffe has double-booked himself, since that’s the same time that he should be doing publicity for the final Harry Potter movie!

What is a studio to do if their star can’t make the PR tour?  Well, if you are Warner you rent the entire Hirschfiend Theater for five nights to keep the star’s schedule clear for your PR tour.  How much?  $500,000.

In other news for Harry Potter fans, you can now attend the Grey School of Wizardry!  A real world version of Hogwarts for young and old wizards alike.  Tuition is a very reasonable $30 per year though you do pay a bit more as you advance through the courses.  I wonder if a diploma would get me in shorter lines at Universal’s Harry Potter rides? 

Peter Pan–The Movie

| Tasha

Moviefone has the news that a new Peter Pan movie may be in the works.  The movie will be an “origin story” that is tentatively called Peter Pan Begins.  So my guess is that it is the story of how Peter Pan himself became a Lost Boy.

Now if it can just be better than the last few Peter Pan movies.  Anyone want to take bets on that?

Tall Story: A Magical Giant of a Book

| Tasha

tallstory

Tall Story by Candy Gourlay

Andi is a very petite 13 year old and has just found out that she won’t be able to play point guard on her school basketball team, because her family is moving.  The move from their small apartment to a larger home will hopefully allow her older brother, Bernardo, to join their family at last.   But there is no basketball team for girls at Andi’s new school and when her brother does arrive, he is a giant!  Bernado feels very guilty leaving the Philippines and his small village behind.  Over the years, he has become an almost folk hero for his village, where he is credited with stopping the daily earthquakes.  Now he and Andi have to figure out how to be siblings to one another, what family means, and how basketball plays into it all.  This is a funny, touching and heartwarming story that has a great depth to it as well.

The novel is written from both Bernardo’s and Andi’s points of view, allowing readers to relate to both protagonists.  This also underscores their different attitudes about family and their relationship with one another.  The book weaves magic into a realistic story in a way that will have readers convinced that there is magic at work, yet able to also think it may simply be coincidence.  It is very subtly crafted.

This book deals with deep subjects of culture, family and belonging.  At the same time, it remains upbeat and celebratory of our diversity.  This is a book that would work well as a classroom discussion thanks to its natural depth and its positive attitudes.  There is plenty here to discuss that is timely and relevant to any community.

Highly recommended, this is a book that will put a smile on your face and warm your heart.  Appropriate for ages 10-13.

Reviewed from copy received from Random House.

You can check out the book trailer below:

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