BrooklynBlowback is a cutting-edge, fun-filled cable access TV show for children & YA of all ages produced live-to-tape in-studio in Brooklyn, NY. We take picture books, songs, fairy tales, biographies, and add music, puppets, pictures and a surveillance KittyKam. We've reached more than 500,000 homes every month since August 2002! New episodes air on the 3rd Saturday of every month at 4:30 PM on BCAT Ch. 35/68 & streams on http://www.bcat.tv Ch 2. The world in a snowball. We Get Naked with the Truth.
An abandoned Fireboat was a hero during the rescue mission from 9/11. Beautifully illustrated and imaginative true story by Maira Kalman. CHeck Out Maira's NYTimes blog at http://kalman.blogs.nytimes.com
1. Howdi Do by Woody Guthrie; illus. by Vladimir Radunsky perf. by Tommy Yesterday This ebullient picture book is a cheerful song-story about a bright yellow dog who has to say hello to and "shakey paw" with absolutely everyone. It's perhaps the most contagiously cheerful book on the planet--a puppy madly running through town shaking everyone's hand, spreading good cheer, and saying "howdi do," of course. Radunsky's crisp, colorful collages shout and wave and bound with the simple song. Read text and sing-along
2. Jabberwocky by Lewis Carroll; Illus. by Joel Stewart Carroll's classic nonsense poem gets a fresh visual interpretation here. In a series of spreads, a child mounts his quest for the fearsome Jabberwock in an "other" world in keeping with the delicious unknown conjured up on first hearing, "'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves-." After a glimpse of the hero, the real world shows up in the form of facing oval frames-one containing the poem, the other a Victorian father-and-son read-aloud scene... Read along here
3. Stealing Home: Jackie Robinson Against the Odds by Robert Burleigh; illusMike Wimmer Burleigh's text features vivid, sharp images that describe Brooklyn Dodger Jackie Robinson stealing home during Game One of the 1955 World Series against the New York Yankees. Wimmer's oil paintings are simply gorgeous--rich, thickly painted close-ups of pitcher, runner, batter, crowd (he chooses to focus mostly on black faces in the stands, which adds a powerful effect). See also Looking For Bird in the Big City.
KittyKam 31: And so it goes. Cattribute to Kurt Vonnegut starring Gwyneth Meowtrow and Cat Vonnegut.
5. The Adventures of the Dish and the Spoon by Mini Grey
Hey Diddle Diddle, The Cat and the Fiddle, The Cow jumped over the Moon, The Little Dog laughed, To see such fun, And the Dish ran away with the Spoon. That's the bit we know - but have you ever wondered what happened next? Part love story, part crime caper, "The Adventures of the Dish and the Spoon" is the rags-to-riches and back again tale of the most dazzling crockery-cutlery duo of all time. Narrated by the Spoon himself. See Wikipedia for info and text.
6. Mr Ferlinghetti's Poem by Lawrence Ferlinghetti; woodcuts byDavid Frampton "Fortune," a short poem by beat icon/Brooklyn native Ferlinghetti appears to be an account of a summer day in Brooklyn when they closed off the street and FIREMEN turned on their hoses…A joyous gathering takes place, with kids running out & practically flying into the air on cold streams of water. Or is the narrator's memory helped along by a healthy imagination? Frampton's signature woodcuts are wonderful, balancing cool and warm colors, and also managing to look both blocky and fluid at the same time. Read poem here:
Brooklyn Blowback Credits:
Creative Director/Producer: David Kay
Music Director/Musician: Tom Siler (aka Mr. Yesterday)
