Flashback Friday - Look and Read (part 1): Through The Dragon's Eye.

I was going through the bookcase last weekend to work out what to read in our Chapter Book Challenge when I uncovered my old copy of Through the Dragon's Eye.  Slightly battered and every bit it's 23 years old but there none the less to enjoy with my kids,  But it wasn't the book that sparked my love of Through the Dragons Eye (tho at least I couldn't see scary Charn in text) but the TV
series,  The 10 x 20 minute episodes of Look and Read, shown in the Music Room when I was in Primary School.

 Once a week we would file into the little room, sit cross legged on the carpet and eagerly await the tales from Pelamar on our BBC VHS (not live as I was only 7 when it first aired in 1989 and I am sure it was the juniors, possibly year 6 when we watched it).  My teacher always brought the teachers notes in with her, a folder of activity and helpful hints for the 'working out' elements.  Not that I can ever remember her opening and using them.  Thanks to YouTube I can now share the enjoyment with my 2 boys

Chickywiggle's Christmas guide to .......... essential TV viewing (part 1).

It's the 20th December tomorrow and do you know what that means???

OK, as it's Christmas I'll let you try again, .. here's another hint .... it's the last Saturday before Christmas.....

Got it??

YUP, It's Christmas TV guide day - the official day that the Double Christmas Guides Start and this year they run from the 20th December to the 2nd January.


Are you a circler or a highlighter???  when I was little we all had a different colour highlighter pen and went through the TV guide as soon as it arrived in the house marking out what it was we wanted to watch.... this year I couldn't find the highlighter pen so I had to draw rings around things.  It is most definitely not as easy to see what you have marked out so I shall be buying a new highlighter and amending it :)

In the first of a 2 parter, here is my Top 7 picks (1 a day) of what we shall be watching this holiday season, not including films (I'll cover them tomorrow).

Here's One We Made Earlier .... a history of Children's BBC @The Lowry

As my #FlashbackFriday posts will hopefully have shown you I love living in the past.  I am convinced that children's TV past is far better then it is today, but perhaps that's my age as when I sit the boys down with some of the old programmes they find them boring (eeek how dare they!!).  So when I was told about the 'Here's One We Made Earlier' exhibition at The Lowry in Manchester I was counting down the days until I could take the boys.

This exhibition explores the story of over 90 years of BBC Children's broadcasting, from 1922, when the BBC launched Children's Hour, right up to the present multi-media moment with plenty of interactive exhibits along the way. This is something you need to keep an eye on, whilst some of the things are touchable a lot are not, however you have to spot a tiny sign before your excited children do which is not always easy.

Flashback Friday - The Girl from Tomorrow

Picture the scene, an 8 year old me saving the world with an alice band around my forehead with a 'jewel' (read piece of paper) stuck in the middle.  I also have 3 dots on the side of my face (thanks to mums eyeliner pencil!). Who else could I have been but Alana, The Girl From Tomorrow. 

The Girl from Tomorrow was another Australian born children's television series broadcast in 1990 with a sequel in 1993.  Each series aired 12 x 25 minute episodes and aired on the BBC in the UK.

It was based around Alana, a girl from the year 3000. who was kidnapped by Silverthorn, a criminal from the year 2500, and brought back in time to the year 1990.  Confused yet?  Funnily enough it wasn't to a child!

Flashback Friday - Greenclaws

"In the Greenhouse

Greenclaws' Greenhouse

Greenclaws grows them ............

........... amazing plants"

You had to be quick to catch this series as it only ran for 1 year, 1988-1989.  During this time CBBC made 26, 15 minute episodes. Aimed at pre-schoolers it was usually shown around lunchtime on BBC2.  It has been repeated since but the last time I remember was 2000.