Media today 120

Reading: Nina Weger, Die sagenhafte Saubande: Polly in Not, ch. 11-14; David Macaulay, Das große Mammut-Buch der Technik, 106-107 (flight). Listening: Dimiter Inkiow, Griechische Sagen I, 44:00 - 86:00 (end); Ich weiß was, Albert E. erklärt die Werbung, 38:00 - 47:00 (end); Roald Dahl, Charlie und die Schokoladenfabrik, 0 - 1.05; Ingo Siegner, Der kleine Drache Kokosnuss: Schulausflug ins Abenteuer (57 min.). Viewing: Hallo Benjamin, "Krank sein" (26:00); Sendung mir der Maus. Sachgeschichten: bicycle chain (6:30), generator axle (12:00); "Intuitives Bogenschießen" (12:00); "Die Kunst des Bogenschießens" (0 - 19:00).

The Medusa story is especially well done; the episode where Perseus meets and tricks the "Grey sisters" is very lively and funny and J wanted to hear it four times in a row. 

This is J's second time through the Dahl, both in English and in German. The last time was about eight months ago. My wife has just started reading it again with him in English, and we are tracking it closely in German. 

I have found this kind of simultaneous English-German reading highly productive, especially when the translations are very good, as is this one by Inge Artl. 

As I've mentioned before, the Hallo Benjamin videos are great because they capture the language dynamics of a lot of children interacting in a classroom-type setting.

In today's chapters of the Weger story there is a gripping argument between the two friends, Matheo and Polly. Polly is suspected of doing something quite terrible. Matheo has been defending her the whole time and trying to discover the real perpetrator. But finally he thinks there is no other possibility than that she did it, and he broaches the subject with her. Polly is totally destroyed by his failure to believe in her and says she will never be friends with him again. J listened to this section with great attention and concern. Matheo's soul-searching over his friendship with Polly is very eloquent and powerful. This is one of the best interactions I have read in children's fiction. 

I really love Polly as a character. I wish the author had decided to make her the main protagonist. It's really exasperating how many female authors who can write great female roles nonetheless feel they have to have a male characters as the main protagonist. Harry Potter, for example. 

Total audio 2015: 29.34
Total video 2015: 48.31
Age 5.6.20

Media today 13

Reading: Brandon Justiz, Monster und mythische Kreaturen: Altes Griechenland. 

This is a great little read (and cheap!), designed for tablet, with delightful quirky pictures and nice short physical descriptions of the monsters. Excellent practice of the dative and genitive case, including with weak nouns, for example Der Greif hat den Körper eines Löwen und Flügel und Gesicht eines Adlers.

When J noticed one evening that some of the snakes have different expressions, I asked him how he thought each of them was feeling about being in Medusa's head helping turn folks to stone. We proceeded to ask them, one by one, and they gave various answers, most infamous of course, but a few conscience-stricken. Now we go through this each time and J does most of the voices. So it's not such a short read anymore!


Listening: Otfried Preußler, Der kleine Wassermann (1:02-1:06); Brothers Grimm, "Die Bremer Stadtmusikanten." See my other post on this today.

Viewing: Die furchtlosen Vier (c. 0:00-60:00)

Age 4.12.19