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CHILDISH FILMS

Childish Films is a program of children's cinema for ages 3 and up. Curated by Deb Girdwood and Isabelle Harder, children's film organizers for the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival, each screening features a pre-show activity and educational intro for children's film fans. Whole Foods Market will provide complimentary healthy snacks. Admission is free with open seating to the public.

This fall, Childish Films will take place the third Saturday of the month at the Minneapolis Central Library and the last Saturday of the month at the Southdale Library.

Thanks to a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, we will bring more Childish Films events to the Southdale, Brookdale and Ridgedale libraries later this season and expand programming at the Minneapolis Central Library. Check back here for updates.

Childish Films is made possible in part by a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, through an appropriation by the Minnesota Legislature and a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, and members of the Library Foundation.

Refreshment sponsor: Whole Foods Market
Series sponsor: Weston Woods Studio
Media Sponsor: Minnesota Parent
Additional Support: Target
Activity Sponsor: Minnesota Center for Book Arts and MacPhail Center for Music

Call 952-847-8107 for more information.

Rock and Read! Kick it at the Library!

Enjoy a program of short films inspired by favorite picture books.

There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly, Weston Woods, 2002. A silly old lady swallows a fly and we don't know why, sung by a 80's pop star. 8 min.
Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus, Weston Woods, 2009. The voice of author Mo Willem is the mischievous pigeon who insists on driving a bus. 7 min.
A Picture for Harold’s Room, Weston Woods, 1969. In Crockett Johnson's ingenious story Harold makes a picture for his room and is drawn into it. 7 min.
Leo the Late Bloomer, Weston Woods, 1999. Everyone except his mother wonders what's wrong with Leo, Jose Aruego's wonderfully illustrated tiger. 7 min.
Swimmy, Weston Woods, 1986. Leo Lionni's beautifully illustrated underwater tale of a fish named Swimmy. 5 min.
The Three Robbers, Weston Woods, 1972. Tomi Ungerer's dark story of three robbers thwarted by a spunky orphan girl. 6 min.

SHOWTIMES:Sat., Sept. 18, 10:30 AM, Minneapolis Central Library, 300 Nicollet Mall
The extras: Enjoy a pre-show concert of original rock songs adapted from books performed by the local band Clementown, headed by Kate Lynch and Chris Beaty.

Sat., Sept. 25, 2:30 PM, Southdale Library, 7001 York Ave. South, Edina
The extras: Make a pop-up book of your own with the staff of Minnesota Center for Book Arts.

Halloween Toons for Tots

Watch vintage cartoons with skeletons, spiders, ghosts and (slightly spooky) monsters. Come in costume!

The Skeleton Dance, Walt Disney, 1929. Skeletons, bats, and cats dance in a moonlit graveyard. 6 min.
Spooks, Metro-Goldwn-Mayer, 1932. Flip the Frog enters a spooky house and is entertained by a host of skeletons. 8 min.
Cobweb Hotel, Paramount, 1936. A couple of unsuspecting flies who check into a creepy spider’s hotel. 8 min.
Hell’s Bells, Walt Disney, 1929. Satan and friends throw a party down below. 6 min.
Leonardo the Terrible Monster, Weston Woods, 2007. A little monster tries to scare the tuna salad out of someone. 8 min.
Where the Wild Things Are, Weston Woods, 1988. A costumed boy goes off to meet wild things in the night. 7 min.

SHOWTIMES:Sat., Oct. 16, 10:30 AM, Minneapolis Central Library, 300 Nicollet Mall
The extras: Make your own Halloween craft to take home and take part in a costume parade around the auditorium before the films.

Sat., Oct. 30, 2:30 PM, Southdale Library, 7001 York Ave. South, Edina
The extras: Decorate cookies with the culinary director from Whole Foods Market and take home your holiday treat.

Instrumental Movies

Ignite your imagination by watching a program of beautiful, old-style animated films featuring instruments as characters.

Tubby the Tuba, Paramount, 1947. A stop-motion animated “Puppetoon,” narrated by Danny Kaye, about a little tuba who wants more from life than going "Oompa Oompa.” 9 min.
Peter and the Wolf, Walt Disney, 1946. An adaptation of Prokofiev’s fairy tale about a boy, his grandfather, a wolf, and other forest creatures. Each character is expressed by a different musical instrument. 15 min.
Music Land, Walt Disney, 1935. A saxophone falls in love with a violin. The lands of symphony and jazz enter a battle that must be resolved by harmony. 9 min.
After You’ve Gone, Walt Disney, 1946. A wildly imaginative animated film of dancing instruments set to the music of Benny Goodman, “the King of Swing.” 4 min.

SHOWTIMES:Sat., Nov. 20, 10:30 AM, Minneapolis Central Library, 300 Nicollet Mall
The extras: Before the films, explore real instruments with Katie Condon of MacPhail Center for Music.

Sat., Nov. 27, 2:30 PM, Southdale Library, 7001 York Ave. South, Edina
The extras: Create a musically-inspired book with the staff of Minnesota Center for Book Arts.