Video Sunday: Better better better whooo!

You know, I was all set to begin with the Harry Potter trailer this morning, but after seeing Kyo Maclear’s original Bob Dylan inspired book trailer for a picture book I really love (Spork) it was clear who the first video of today should really be.  Big time thanks to Naseem Hrab for the link!

Haven’t a clue if the film will be any good but it’s hard to resist watching the newest Harry Potter trailer. Not a lot o’ laughs, but then the last book wasn’t a chuckle a minute either. I do like the seven different Harrys. If you pause the shot you can can of figure out who is each one.

Thanks to Kidsmomo for the link!

Now here we follow up one kind of trailer with a trailer of a different sort.  There’s a film in the works right now, a documentary, called Better Things: Life & Choices of Jeffrey Jones.  It consists of interviews with various artists and illustrators around the world, including Dave McKean, who has illustrated more than one Neil Gaiman children’s book.  I really liked the feel of this trailer.  You may feel the same way.  Click here if you can’t see it on this blog.

I got sent this next link via the Brooklyn Library and I have to say . . . I’m a little jealous that New York Public Library doesn’t have a tween acting troupe of its own.  This is an original screenplay written by the kids of Brooklyn and it also happens to be a pretty good look at the inside of the main branch of BPL (for those of you curious at looking at other library branches around the country). Note how the exterior of the library is built so that it looks like you’re entering a book.

Pretty cute.  Thanks to Leigh Fox for the link.

Okay.  Here’s another video partly created by students.  Only this time it’s the Caldecott winning anti-war Vietnam era classic Drummer Hoff . . . set to a beatbox rhythm.  Kind of silly, I’ll admit.  But if you got kids to do the same thing without the music it might be kind of cool.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tatWSjVuejg&feature=player_embedded

Actually, the blog Ms. Houghton’s Class actually found another video where kids perform it in concert.  Altogether now . . .  awwwwwwwwwwwww.

Thanks to Ms. Houghton’s Class for the links.

My buddy Don knows what I like.  He sent me this link to a book trailer of sorts.  It’s not a children’s book, but I think you’ll get a kick out of it anyway.  Called The Exquisite Book, it’s a visual version of The Exquisite Corpse.  Odds are that there’s probably someone in there that’s done children’s illustration at some time.

Thanks to Don Citarella for the link.

Book trailers.  You can drag them out or you can make them short and sweet.  Your call.

Serious now.  First off, what a great idea for a project.  This is part of the It Gets Better Project.  Various prominent members of the gay community tell their stories on YouTube in the hopes that maybe some kid somewhere who feels awful about life will stick it out, and make it through high school.  And of course this applies to more than just gay kids.  High school is an awful, horrible, magnificently terrible time.  The idea that it’s the “best years of your life” is the saddest lie ever conjured up.  I’m including the Dan Savage video here because I love whenever I get to hear him speak.

Our off-topic video is a treat.  This was a good week for folks to send me links.  Gregory K sent this to me and darned if he doesn’t have my taste down to a tee.

Thanks to Gregory K for the link.

Filed under: Videos