Hugo

More than two years ago we were given this book as a Christmas gift

This fall I finally felt like the children were big enough to appreciate it.

So bit by bit every evening we have been reading it. 

It is one of those books that is like a treasure.

and now... 

They have made it into a film! I take a breath in and hope that it is half as wonderful as the book.
This Christmas we are looking forward to watching it -  (trailer for Hugo here).

Lessons learned

It occurred to me this week, (perhaps it was related to the rainbow paintings the kids have been drawing) to show the children the film The Wizard of Oz, remembering the songs and some of the classic characters, got me quite excited (I need to buy the old books, the original pictures are wonderful, so too the other books in the series). 

Suffice to say the kids loved the songs, the Munchkins, the Tin Woodsman, the Lion and the Scarecrow but I had slightly forgotten the potency of that Wicked Witch of the West! Even with forwarding through the scary parts, the memory of the green faced witch had a very lasting impression!!  

My middle child, the chocolate loving curly topped girl, could not fall asleep, then woke throughout the entire night with nightmares. Oh the lacking skills! I tried everything, talking about happy thoughts, books, movies characters... but how to remove that witch image from her mind!!?? We are on day three and still she is waking in the night with nightmares. What have I done?! So lesson learned, wait till your children are perhaps over the age of six to show them this film. Although little D at age two seems to be fine, (could be a factor of a more sensitive nature and intense imagination of which the 'sweets' child is). 

Other books in the original series

* as I was writing this, little D came up and pointed at the picture of the witch saying OHHH that the scary one!!