Idea: Brilliant. Execution: Brilliant.

Artist Bill Zeman invited his daughter to "commission" illustrations for him to create "on spec." The results of these are predictably wacky, but the best thing about this book is the critiques: Zeman documents in detail his daughter's occasionally approving but frequently withering and capricious assessments of his work. Tiny Art Director is a steal at about $10 on Amazon.com.

Tiny Art Director - Jeremiah

If you bought the boxed set of the 26-episode 1980s star-studded ball of quirks that was Fairy Tale Theatre when it came out last year (come on, everybody, raise your hands) you might be sorry to hear that the whole series is now on Hulu. This is a very wacky series and much of it hasn't aged well - how can a show that brings together Mick Jagger, James Earl Jones, Robin Williams, and dozens of other name celebrities to perform richly-costumed and stiffly-directed rewrites of classic children's stories not add up to a whole that is less than the sum of its parts? - but you will get a kick out of seeing some of the big names of the day taking the time to do some "serious television," and your kid will love at least some of this tale-telling, at least on the first go-around. In other words, this is perfect for Hulu in a way it was not perfect for a multi-disc DVD extravaganza.

Here's a sample: "Aladdin and His Magical Lamp" directed by Tim Burton and featuring Valerie Bertinelli, James Earl Jones, and Leonard Nimoy. Man, you just can't make this stuff up:



Via kottke.org - Jennifer

As a middle school teacher, I’m always elated to discover a story that will hook reluctant readers. In her new series "Conspiracy 365," Australian crime writer Gabrielle Lord has crafted an incredibly readable novel and a fairly ingenious concept for a series.

Fifteen-year-old Cal Ormond must survive the next 365 days. In order to do so, he’s going to have to unravel the mysteries surrounding his father's untimely death and outsmart the thugs who are hunting him down. The story will unfold, one book at a time, each month throughout 2010. I read January, a fast-paced and engaging first installment that lays out a series of questions, but no answers. February and March installments have arrived on schedule, with new releases planned for the beginning of each month.

For my money, Lord has developed a sure-fire recipe for keeping young readers hooked, one cliffhanger after another, until the end of the year. If the author is able to maintain the momentum through the remaining books in the series, she's going to have a hit on her hands. Middle grade fans of television's 24 and the Jason Bourne trilogy will enjoy the twists and turns Lord has up her sleeve. Be prepared to suspend your disbelief for just long enough to enjoy this quick ride, because you'll be glad you did.

Erica Fry is a middle-school teacher in Brooklyn, NY. - Erica

Wear a sweater.

And take a moment to watch a few Mr. Rogers clips or full episodes to remember what Fred Rogers brought to children's television. - Jeremiah

Indie animator and composer Cyriak has finally made something I can show my five-year-old without supplying her with a decade's worth of nightmare material. The video about teddy bears is engaging, richly patterned, and laugh-out-loud funny. Enjoy it with a child!


For an example of a Cyriak piece with dozens of ingenious jokes (and plenty of mildly amusing ones), try his entertaining "Animation Mix." If you start watching it and think it would be ok for your young child to enjoy with you, don't be fooled. Things get ugly and, for young viewers, very creepy.

Here's an interview with Cyriak that gives a few hints of his creative process. It contains a bit of the artist's gore but nothing likely to really scare a kid. But that's just my assessment.


- Jeremiah

Microsoft's new gaming interface, dubbed Project Natal, takes the concept of Nintendo's Wii (much loved in our household) a step further by eliminating the controller altogether and enabling the interface to track 11 different points on the player's body. It's pretty incredible, as you can see:



Not sure about a game designed simply to have you flailing, but the potential for this interface is pretty exciting. - Jeremiah