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Everyone who read Beowulf in high school raise their hands. O.K., now all of you who either enjoyed reading it or remembers what it’s about, keep your hands raised. I’m guessing there aren’t many hands up because most people thought reading Beowulf in English class was the height of drudgery. It was for me and I like mythology.

So when I received a review copy of the unrated director’s cut of Beowulf from Click Communications, I was hoping to have my faith restored in epic poetry and mythic hereos. Here’s the movie description:

In the age of heroes comes the mightiest warrior of them all, Beowulf. After destroying the overpowering demon Grendel, he incurs the undying wrath of the beast’s ruthlessly seductive mother who will use any means possible to ensure revenge. The ensuing epic battle throughout the ages, immortalizing the name Beowulf.

Academy Award® winner director Robert Zemeckis tells the oldest epic tale in the English language with the most modern technology, advancing the cinematic forum through the magic of digitally enhanced live action. A stellar cast is led by Ray Winstone (“The Departed,” “Sexy Beast”) in the title role. Joining him are Academy Award winner Anthony Hopkins as the cursed King Hrothgar, John Malkovich, Robin Wright Penn, Brendan Gleeson, Crispin Glover, Alison Lohman and Angelina Jolie as Grendel’s mother.

Sounds cool right? Well, Beowulf ended up being an R-rated Shrek. I wouldn’t recommend showing it to even the most mature teenager since it’s violent, gory, and there’s too much sex and lust. First, Hrothgar, King of the Danes disrobes, and tells his people to make merry. (And boy do they ever.) I love Anthony Hopkins, but don’t want to see a nude cartoon version of him doing pelvic thrusts. Ick.

Then super hottie Beowulf shows up (Ray Winstone) to fight Grendel. And he must disrobe to do so. (Can you say beefcake?) It’s amusing - and distracting - to see how the director always placed something in front of Beowulf to hide his crotch. Of course, Grendel’s mom (Angelina Jolie) is naked too and she gets it on with Beowulf, his predecessor and his heir, which doesn’t exactly happen in the original tale. Oops.

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Custom Made for Kids publishes the personalized hardcover children’s book, The First Adventures of Incredible You,a  rhyming story of YOUR child’s everyday experiences - playing in the park, going to a sporting event, and being with their family and friends. Click here to see the virtual book tour.

Custom Made for Kids was founded by two Sarahs, Sarah Riley Headrick and Sarah Foreman Rivera. Their friendship began at a weekly suburban playgroup and turned into a business venture when they realized that the gifts that they most enjoyed giving and receiving were personalized and had special meaning for the recipient’s family. Their first personalized children’s book is The First Adventures of Incredible You. Custom Made for Kids also offers gift certificates and custom bookmarks. It would make a great baby shower, birthday or holiday gift.

When the Sarahs, as I like to call them, approached me about doing a review, I was hesitant. I’ve seen so-called customized books at craft fairs - cheaply bound laser printed books obviously produced at home or the local Kinko’s. But knowing how easy it is to self-publish books these days, I thought I’d give it a try.

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Stop by my blog, A Mama’s Rant and enter my Get your toddler to sleep with a little help from Johnson’s contest. I’m giving away $50 worth of Johnson’s baby products!

While setting up the contest, I learned that a leading sleep expert, Dr. Jodi A. Mindell, recommends that you use Johnson’s bedtime products (bath wash and lotion) followed by quiet activities like reading books is the best way get your child to go to sleep. You may also want to try some sleep-inducing snacks.

Here are some sleepy time book recommendations from a few of my favorite publishers.

Kane/Miller Book Publishers

Sophie’s Big Bed by Tina Burke. Even though she’s been sleeping in a big girl bed for years, my daughter really enjoyed this book. If you’re trying to transition your child from crib to bed, this is a wonderful book to read together. Also available in Spanish. (Baby/Preschool)

I Don’t Want to Go to Bed by Tony Ross. Why do I have to go to bed when I’m not tired and get up when I am? asked the Little Princess. Why indeed? Because the King and Queen know best, that’s why. Never mind about spiders and monsters, never mind another glass of water, it’s time to go to bed! But when the Little Princess finally goes and the King comes in to kiss her goodnight…she’s gone! Baby/Preschool.

Marc Just Couldn’t Sleep by Gabriela Keselman and illustrated by Noemi Villamuza. It’s bedtime, but Marc just can’t sleep. He’s scared. He’s worried. Mom to the rescue! One of the first things you learn as a parent is you can’t force anyone, particularly your own child, to fall asleep. If they just can’t sleep, they just can’t sleep. Marc’s resourceful and resilient mom know this, but, like the rest of us, tries anyway. Ages 4 to 8.

The Nights Of The World by Corinne Albaut and illustrated by Arno. Everyone closes their eyes the same way, but then what? An original way in which to discover other places and people and to learn about similarities and differences. Read about five children from five different regions of the world and learn how each child sleeps. Ages 4 to 8.

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Recently in school, Nathan had to write the story of his ancestry. It was part of what his class was learning about the United States as a nation of immigrants. Since Paul and my families’ backgrounds are complex - we have ancestors from England, Wales, Scotland, France, Denmark, Germany and Greece who immigrated as long ago as the 1600s and as recently as 1960 - the paper ended up being two pages. Needless to say this was a fairly intense assignment for a second grader. (It’s part of the Core Knowledge curriculum - see What Your Second Grader Needs to Know.)

Nathan had a hard time understanding that my father, who was born in England, was both English and Jewish. It was even more confusing that my dad became a citizen when he was a kid and was more American than English having grown up in Brooklyn in the ’20s and ’30s and serving as an American soldier in World War II.

Exploring through TV and video

Just around this time, PBS was showing their wonderful documentary, The Jewish Americans. If Nathan was older, I would have had him watch watch it with me to understand more about Jewish immigrants and how they contributed to American society. I only caught the first marvelous episode, so I was happy to receive a review copy from Click-Comm.com of the newly released DVD so I could watch the episodes I missed. The description:

The Jewish Americans is a three-night (6 hour) documentary that explores 350 years of Jewish American history. Written and directed by award-winning filmmaker David Grubin, The Jewish Americans is a journey through time, from the first settlement in 1654 to the present. It is about the struggle of a tiny minority who make their way into the American mainstream while, at the same time, maintaining a sense of their own identity as Jews. Focusing on the tension between identity and assimilation, The Jewish Americans is quintessentially an American story, which other minority groups will find surprisingly familiar. Louis D. Brandeis, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Henry Morgenthau, Hank Greenberg, Betty Friedan, Molly Goldberg, Carl Reiner, Sid Caesar, and Tony Kushner are all interviewed for the documentary.

PBS’s The Jewish Americans website also has video outtakes, links to the history of being Jewish in America, and a place to share your own story.

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In a genius move by the Bush Administration, the President’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2009 eliminates the Inexpensive Book Distribution Program, which is the RIF book distribution program. Unless Congress reinstates funding for this program, RIF would be unable to distribute 16 million books annually to the nation’s youngest and most at-risk children. This would be devastating to the children in your community as well as the 4.6 million children and their families who receive free books and reading encouragement from RIF programs at nearly 20,000 locations throughout the U.S.

Please act now and help RIF build support for reinstating the funding by sending an e-mail to your members of Congress. You can also tell your friends online:
Facebook

• Become a RIF Fan
• Join RIF’s Group: Reinstate RIF’s Funding

MySpace

• Become RIF’s Friend
• Join RIF’s Group: Reinstate RIF’s Funding

YouTube

• Visit RIF’s YouTube Page
• Create and upload a RIF testimonial video

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