SUBSCRIBE
SUBSCRIBE
SLJ Blog Network +
  • 100 Scope Notes
  • A Fuse #8 Production
  • Good Comics for Kids
  • Heavy Medal: A Mock Newbery Blog
  • Teen Librarian Toolbox
  • The Classroom Bookshelf
  • The Yarn
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About/Contact
  • Fusenews
  • Reviews
  • Librarian Previews
  • Best Books
    • Top 100
    • Best Books of 2022
    • Best Books of 2021
    • Best Books of 2020
    • Best Books of 2019
    • Best Books of 2018
    • Best Books of 2017
    • Best Books of 2016
    • Best Books of 2015
    • Best Books of 2014
    • Best Books of 2013
  • Fuse 8 n’ Kate
  • Videos
  • Press Release Fun

February 20, 2011 by Betsy Bird

Video Sunday: Uncle Shelby’s Corner

February 20, 2011 by Betsy Bird   4 comments

When I first started to work for New York Public Library I was placed at an amazing near 150-year-old part of the system called the Jefferson Market Branch in Greenwich Village.  My husband once shot a fantastic short film there in the clocktower, and I believe a Law & Order episode took place there once involving a man and a sword.  This little PSA is also set there and takes advantage not only of the architecture (gorgeous, right?) but also my former boss Frank who takes great glee in his role as Library Ghoul.  Love you, Frank!

I’m not entirely certain the universe is big enough for me to imagine Weird Al and Shel Silverstein having a conversation with one another.  But huge thanks to Mr. Schu for this amazing piece of info.

SCROLL TO KEEP READING THIS POST

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

I would have watched Uncle Shelby’s Corner.  Absolutely, you bet!

Recently I was asked to blurb a new edition of Oscar Wilde’s The Selfish Giant.  Now normally I’d think twice about that kind of request because, let’s face it, Oscar Wilde was one weird children’s author.  We sometimes think of Hans Christian Andersen as an odd duck (Red Shoes, anyone?) but I doubt he ever created much of anything to compare to The Happy Prince and its ilk.  The Selfish Giant has always been way too didactic for my tastes (too much of an allegory) but there is a way to make it palatable.  First off, you give the book great art.  Then, if possible, you hire an orchestra and turn the book into a kind of Peter and the Wolf type gig.  Here’s a taste.

Cool, eh?

I wouldn’t call this next video of a jazzed up version of The Three Bears any real threat to Hey There, Little Red Riding Hood, but it’s still interesting.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KG1l0TPJj2k&feature=player_embedded

Thanks to BoingBoing for the link!

This week I was pleased to be asked to come up with a list of great Black History Month titles for our local channel NY1’s coverage of what to read with your kids.  Fellow librarian Robyn Mutnick did a top notch job of presenting the books themselves.

I should note that there was one change made to the books I recommended.  While I pushed for the Althea Gibson title by Sue Stauffacher Nothing But Trouble, I suspect that Robyn’s library branch only had copies of Playing to Win by Karen Deans.  A good book but I’ve a personal preference for the Stauffacher title.  The art’s just so fantastic (as is the writing) and I feel it’s been forgotten.  Just my two cents.

I was so very very pleased to see Levar Burton on Community this past week, playing himself.  If you haven’t seen the episode, Troy is such a huge Levar Burton fan that he is rendered mute whenever he’s around the man.  This is the last bit between them during the credits.  Best. Thing. Ever.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JP8XQT6ZTXM&feature=player_embedded

Took me a couple views before I realized that Levar was drinking out of a Troy & Abed in the Morning mug.

And for our final off-topic video, I missed a lot of movies in the 80s and have spent the remainder of my years catching up.  I also played surprisingly little Legend of Zelda.  Still and all, I know enough to appreciate this pretty amazing little mishmash of 80s tropes for a faux Zelda film.

Filed under: Videos

SHARE:

Read or Leave Comments
CommunityjazzJefferson Market BranchLegend of ZeldaLevar BurtonNYPLOscar WildeReading RainbowShel Silversteinvideo gamesVideo SundayWeird Al

About Betsy Bird

Betsy Bird is currently the Collection Development Manager of the Evanston Public Library system and a former Materials Specialist for New York Public Library. She has served on Newbery, written for Horn Book, and has done other lovely little things that she'd love to tell you about but that she's sure you'd find more interesting to hear of in person. Her opinions are her own and do not reflect those of EPL, SLJ, or any of the other acronyms you might be able to name. Follow her on Twitter: @fuseeight.

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Posts

July 2022

Guest Post: The 90-Second Newbery Film Festival Is Back, Baby!

by Betsy Bird

February 2022

One Sky: An Aaron Becker Board Book Video Premiere

by Betsy Bird

September 2021

When Carrot Met Cookie: Book Trailer Premiere!

by Betsy Bird

September 2021

Warrants a Discussion: David Wiesner Discusses His Carle Museum Exhibit

by Betsy Bird

August 2021

Book Trailer Reveal: Friends Forever by Shannon Hale & LeUyen Pham

by Betsy Bird

ADVERTISEMENT

SLJ Blog Network

100 Scope Notes

Name That LEGO Book Cover! (#40)

by Travis Jonker

A Fuse #8 Production

Fuse 8 n’ Kate: Bea & Mr. Jones by Amy Schwartz

by Betsy Bird

Good Comics for Kids

Archie & Friends Chills and Thrills #1 | Preview

by Brigid Alverson

Heavy Medal

Adding to the Mock Newbery List: Submit your August suggestions

by Steven Engelfried

Teen Librarian Toolbox

Beating Burnout and Scribing Shipshape, a guest post by E. E. Dowd

by Amanda MacGregor

The Classroom Bookshelf

The Classroom Bookshelf is Moving

by Erika Thulin Dawes

The Yarn

What’s New, Newbery Authors? Meg Medina and Christina Soontornvat

by Travis Jonker

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Articles on SLJ

SLJ Book Reviews Editors’ Favorite Quotes from 2021 Best Books

Best Graphic Novels 2020 | SLJ Best Books

Best Nonfiction 2020 | SLJ Best Books

Missed the SLJ Summit? You Can Access the Full Program on Demand.

Best Chapter Books 2021 | SLJ Best Books

About Betsy Bird

Betsy Bird is currently the Collection Development Manager of the Evanston Public Library system and a former Materials Specialist for New York Public Library. She has served on Newbery, written for Horn Book, and has done other lovely little things that she'd love to tell you about but that she's sure you'd find more interesting to hear of in person. Her opinions are her own and do not reflect those of EPL, SLJ, or any of the other acronyms you might be able to name. Follow her on Twitter: @fuseeight.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Elizabeth Dulemba says

    February 20, 2011 at 8:17 pm

    More fish for Kunta! GREAT! 🙂 e

  2. marjorie says

    February 21, 2011 at 4:58 pm

    Awesome. I love Community SO MUCH.

  3. Christine Bird says

    February 23, 2011 at 12:42 am

    Re Kunta: We used to call your husband Matt “Kunta Kinte” as he tried to scale the walls of his playpen. “Roots” was on TV at the time.

Trackbacks

  1. What Do Professors Do All Day? Sunday Edition says:
    February 21, 2011 at 5:31 am

    […] […]

ADVERTISEMENT

Archives

  • External Links

    • A Fuse #8 Production Reviews
  • Follow This Blog

    Enter your email address below to receive notifications of new blog posts by email.

    This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

    This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

    Primary Sidebar

    • News & Features
    • Reviews+
    • Technology
    • School Libraries
    • Public Libraries
    • Age Level
    • Ideas
    • Blogs
    • Classroom
    • Diversity
    • People
    • Job Zone

    Reviews+

    • Book Lists
    • Best Books
    • Media
    • Reference
    • Series Made Simple
    • Tech
    • Review for SLJ
    • Review Submissions

    SLJ Blog Network

    • 100 Scope Notes
    • A Fuse #8 Production
    • Good Comics for Kids
    • Heavy Medal
    • Neverending Search
    • Teen Librarian Toolbox
    • The Classroom Bookshelf
    • The Yarn

    Resources

    • 2022 Youth Media Awards
    • The Newbery at 100: SLJ Celebrates the 100th Anniversary of the Award
    • Special Report | School Libraries 2021
    • Summer Reading 2021
    • Series Made Simple Spring 2021
    • SLJ Diverse Books Survey
    • Summer Programming Survey
    • Research
    • White Papers / Case Studies
    • School Librarian of the Year
    • Mathical Book Prize Collection Development Awards
    • Librarian/Teacher Collaboration Award

    Events & PD

    • In-Person Events
    • Online Courses
    • Virtual Events
    • Webcasts
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Subscribe
    • Media Inquiries
    • Newsletter Sign Up
    • Content Submissions
    • Data Privacy
    • Terms of Use
    • Terms of Sale
    • FAQs
    • Diversity Policy
    • Careers at MSI


    COPYRIGHT © 2022


    COPYRIGHT © 2022