A Lithgow Palooza!

By John Lithgow

Book Overview

What's a palooza?
An activity that keeps kids from uttering those terrifying words, "I'm bored "
You may know John Lithgow as star of stage, screen, and television or even as a bestselling children's book author. But his most important role -- parent -- was also the most fun. Whether building cardboard castles or putting on a King and I puppet show or conducting a treasure hunt in the National Gallery of Art, John has spent years perfecting the art of the palooza.

A palooza is easy to do
- A palooza doesn't cost much (some cost absolutely nothing)
- A palooza is instigated or organized by parents but is quickly taken over by children
- A palooza may involve a computer but never the TV
- A palooza may use all varieties of arts and crafts
- A palooza may secretly teach children (and parents ) a thing or two
- A palooza is entertaining for the entire family
- A palooza depends entirely on the inexhaustible creativity, ingenuity, imagination, and sense of fun of young minds
This book contains 101 ideas for creating paloozas for children ages 3 to 12 wherever you are. Grouped according to interests and themes -- like art, drama, music, vacations, and birthdays -- and incorporating lots of extrapaloozas, fun facts for parent and child, and suggested additional reading for all ages, John's paloozas range from adopting your own soup can for a day to inventing your own secret language to establishing left-handed day or creating a self-portrait. A Lithgow Palooza is an utterly unique collection of original activities guaranteed to transform any household from bored to bubbling with fun.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0743261240
• ISBN13: 9780743261241
• Release Date: April 2004
• Publisher: Atria Books
• Length: 351 Pages
• Weight: 1.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 7.4" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Lithgow Mania

I was given this book as a gift, and our family loves it. Lithgow has an amazing mind--and he's just quirky enough to cater perfectly to kids. We have used many of the ideas in the book, and have even expanded by creating our own "paloozas." You'll never run out of ideas or creativity if you buy this book. He has several others out now too.

A world-wide wonder for children to learn and play from!

This is a playful, richly informative book giving lots of interesting ideas to make kids THINK and HAVE FUN. I checked out the book from the library and now I need my own copy... because the age ranges are so broad, it's a resource you will be using for YEARS. (And yes, even if you are an adult I can almost guarantee you'll find something new and fun!) Lithgow creates interesting paloozas, and side-notes offer more details and resources for further exploration. Some of my favorites: Labyrinths (no, it isn't the same as a maze!) Kolam Backwards Party

5 stars is not enough!

Creative, innovative, superlative, outstanding. I just received my copy today and have read through one half of the book so far, but am very impressed. Every new parent should be given this book at baby showers. Lightow writes in an understandable, friendly conversation manner which is easy to understand.As a left hander in my middle years who has struggled with the challenges and redicule of being "different", I especially appreciated the chapter relating to lefties. Creaping/galloping degeneration in usefulness of my left hand is forcing me to become ambidextrous in performing the simplest daily activities. Thanks to a very literate and intelligent person for this great resource for parents.My advise: Throw away the coloring books and remote controls and, buy this book.Thanks to you Mr. Lightow for this enlighting and entertainig book. By the way, we loved Third Rock also.CV

a delightful surprise

I'm a grade school teacher and I picked up this book looking (as ever) for a few new ideas for activities for my students. I hit the mother lode. This is as creative and refreshing a presentation of activities for kids that I have ever come across. These activities show a tremendous respect for the inherent creativity in children and prove that if you give them the time and inspire them with smart ideas, they'll create. And learn. For example, "Bibliomancy" is a whimsical little "fortune-telling" game that asks the child to randomly choose a word from the dictionary to answer his own question about the future. So he has to read and understand the word, and then use some mighty creative logic to prove how the word points to his optimum outcome. "Color Concentration" adapts the classic memory game by using paint chips from the hardware store. So at once, kids are playing a familiar and fun memory game, becoming aware of the nuance of color, and reading those evocative paint color names. I loved "Museum Hunt," which gives adults a great way to thoroughly involve a child in the museum experience-or even replicate the experience from your own home using online art resources. And I will absolutely do "Palio" with my class next year, when they'll invent their own adaptation of the wild horserace that takes place in Siena, Italy every summer. For the most part, the activities, or "paloozas," just require the adult to set it up and let the kids have at it. This book is a terrific resource for getting kids genuinely engaged in their own creative possibilities. It is also, by the way, a wonderfully enjoyable read for grownups, who are tossed rich and tasty tidbits on art and literature and culture that remind them of why they want to expose their kids to this stuff in the first place.