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Walls Were Everywhere
Walls were meant to keep out invaders, outsiders, sickness, death and chaos. Within the walls were royals, warriors, priests, traders, merchants, outsiders and the poor.
And there were stories. With time, most walls failed. The stories evolved and endured.
The Stories Reflected Life
"Anyone who returns to the original Grimms after their modern saccharinization sees the deep horror in the tales, the gruesomeness, the tragedy, the dark beliefs and practices."
Seth Lerer: Children's Literature, A Reader's History from Harry Potter to Aesop
The illustration from Snow White is by Angela Barrett.
Tales Were Told and Retold
"In the Middle Ages, the majority of the population lived in the countryside, and some 85 percent of the population could be described as peasants. Peasants worked the land to yield food, fuel, wool and other resources. The countryside was divided into estates, run by a lord or an institution, such as a monastery or college. A social hierarchy divided the peasantry: at the bottom of the structure were the serfs, who were legally tied to the land they worked." Alixe Bovey, British Library
Before and after the printing Press in Europe (1452), people passed on spoken tales that told in a direct, imaginative, and often entertaining way about the outrages, cruelties, and inequities of everyday life. These stories (wonder tales), told in a tavern, a market place, or a farm house could satirize directly, or by analogy, those in power -- their greed, cruelty, and incompetence, without persecution of the story teller. For example;
Unlimited Royal greed is personified in Rumpelstiltskin. And the incredible metaphor of the Fisherman's Wife poses the question. . .Can anyone who inherits power, even it the power comes from a talking flounder, be as greedy (constantly wanting more) as the woman who ultimately wanted to be God?
Outrageous and often brutal royal behavior can take many forms, even within one family. What should we think of a royal family with a son who has sex with a beautiful young woman in an enchanted coma, and who goes off, after impregnating her. Later, he leaves his new family with his mother, a cruel queen, who will try to cannibalize the now awakened young princess and her royal grand children.
And what of the boundless lust of a widowed king who tries to force his beautiful daughter into marriage, only to have her escape and survive. She is extremeley resourceful and disguises herself by wearing a Donkeyskin. She also has courage, resiliance, and imagination.
The conversations that followed these tales carried them far beyond their immediate listeners. They were told throughout Europe. Here was a way to laugh at the nobility, and talk about their own lives. We have parallels today with our TV news, internet fictions, media, books and movies.
The illustration of the Gleaners is by Leon Augustin Lhermitte.
The illustration from Rumpelstiltskin is by Paul O. Zelinsky
Fear and Chaos
For centuries the disputes of both minor nobles and powerful kings brought chaos to the lives of peasant families. Marauding knights, famine, and sickness were often compounded. The forests could be refuge or a nightmare.
And so you had tales of desperate children lost in the great and dangerous forests saved by their own resilience, courage and quick wits: Hansel and Gretel work together to overcome their abandonment, the witch, and being lost in the forest; Fearless and resourceful, Perrault's Little Thumb, saves his brothers, outwits a murderous ogre, and returns home with wealth and power; and, in Russia there were tales of Vasilisa, an abused young beauty, who must walk through a dark forest and enter the house of Baba Yaga, the evil witch of many Slavic tales. All fear Baba-Yaga, who is powerful and devours humans. Vasilisa survives with courage, by alone facing the dark side, and through an enchanted doll that her dying mother gave her.
The illustration from Snow White is by Tina Schart Hyman.
Lost and Abandoned
"Their father and mother brought them into the thickest and most obscure part of the forest; when, stealing away into a by-path, they there left them. Little Thumb was not very uneasy at it; for he thought he could easily find the way again, by means of his bread which he had scattered all along as he came. But he was very much surprised when he could not find so much as one crumb; the birds had come and eaten it up every bit. They were now in great affliction, for the farther they went, the more they were out of their way, and were more and more bewildered in the forest.
Night now came on, and there arose a terrible high wind, which made them dreadfully afraid. They fancied they heard, on every side of them, the howling of wolves coming to eat them up. . ." Little Thumb by Charles Perrault.
The illustration from Little Thumb is by Gustave Dore.
Warriors, Weapons and War
In movies, videogames, and in legends, knights are usually romantically portrayed as noble, men of honor. Yet, the reality of these ruthless warriors usually brought a nightmare of fear, brutality, and pain to the common people who lived outside the castle walls.
Knights, Violence, and Brutal Chivalry
"Chivalry in later ages may have had merits, but in the eleventh century it was a social disaster. It produced a superfluity of conceited illiterate young men who had no ideals except to rise and hunt and fight, whose only interest in life was violence and the glory they saw in it. . . They were no good at anything else, and despised any peaceful occupation". . . David Howarth, author, The Year of the Conquest
The Great Unknown of the Forest
"And yet, despite all the fairy tale warnings, sometimes we're compelled to run to the dark of the woods, away from all that is safe and familiar -- driven by desperation, perhaps, or the lure of danger, or the need for change. Young heroes stray from the safe, well-trodden path through foolishness or despair. . .but perhaps also by canny premeditation, knowing that venturing into the great unknown is how lives are transformed." Terri Windling, Myth and Moor
The Enchanted White Snake
"He went out for a last walk in the woods which he loved. And there, in a sunny glade, strewn with fillaries, purple spotted and delicate, he encountered a white snake, with bright gold eyes and a green forked tongue.
Conversing with snakes is dangerous, for they are in league with the Devil himself; but a man with clear eyes, a quiet mind and a gentle heart can do with impunity what others should not risk. . .the man approached the snake quietly and gently, and smiled at it. The snake stared back unblinking for a few moments and then, with a side slip wiggle, it smiled, then turned and vanished into the long grass." From the retelling of the Grimm's The White Snake, by Sara Maitland.
The image of the white snake is courtesy of KidsWorld.
Music Within the Walls
Medieval music, often tied in with religious ritual, celebrations, and festivals, also transported people beyond their everyday lives. Usually heard in cathedrals, an otherworldly environment where the mysteries of life, evocative rituals, and incense filled the air. Several years ago, when I first heard medieval music in the church of Saint Lawrence (1450) in Vantaa, Finland, it was a musical surprise. Emotions and imagination were evoked. The photo was taken in that church.
Here is a link to delightful performances by different sources: MedievalMusic. Here is a link to Gregorian chants
Common Bonds
"On the whole, though, the historical reality that can be excavated from fairy tales does not carry the memory of extreme horrors, specific tragedies, or individuals, but rather dramatizes ordinary circumstances, daily sufferings, needs, desires -- and dangers, especially of dying young."
Marina Warner, Once upon a Time
The photo of Russian peasants is by an unknown photographer.
Fallen Walls
Hitler was destroying Europe- His troops were in North Africa. It was then that an excellent children's book, Yussuf, the Ostrich, appeared. Emery Kelen, a talented Hungarian illustrator, who had escaped to the USA from Nazi Germany in 1938, used the North African war as a background for a delightful anti-Nazi children's book. The book tells and shows with abundant illustrations, the story of a brave ostrich who outwitted the German general, and braved gunfire, to run at great speed and deliver the secret Nazi plans to an American general.
Yussuf the Ostrich was rediscovered and edited by Jack Zipes, and is published by his Little Mole and Honey Bear Publishing Company.
The illustrations are by Emery Kelen.
The Human Struggle
"At their best, the storytelling of fairy tales constitute the most profound articulation of the human struggle to form and maintain a civilizing process. . . The more we learn to relate to other groups of people and realize that their survival and the fulfillment of their interests is related to ours, the more we might construct social codes that guarantee humane relationships. --Jack Zipes on The Art Of Storytelling Show
The illustration, by an unknown Russian postcard illustrator, is from Fearless Ivan and His Faithful Horse Double-Hump, by Pyotr Yershov. as retold by Jack Zipes.
Movies and Animation
Soul from Pixar
Soul is streaming on Disney+.
Soul has received a multitude of good reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. Here is their Critics Consensus:
"A film as beautiful to contemplate as it is to behold, Soul proves Pixar's power to deliver outstanding all-ages entertainment remains undimmed."
Here are excerpts from two of my favorite reviewers: "In about 100 jaunty, poignant minutes, "Soul," the new Pixar Animation feature, tackles some of the questions that many of us have been losing sleep over since childhood. Why do I exist? What's the point of being alive? A.O. Scott NYTimes
"A gentle, thoughtful picture with big ideas about personality, life and death. . .What comes after a metaphysical dramedy set against an often trippy, post-Sergeant Pepper vision of life before life and life after death, Soul is an imaginatively rendered mid-life crisis." Tara Brady Irish Times
Here is the Link to the trailer for Soul
Exceptional Independent Animation
Knife Hanging from a Tree
Surreal, Imaginative
You are pulled into an offsetting dimension
Surprises somehow make sense
Directed by JiHee Nam, CalArts, Music Mid-Air Thief
Link: Knife Hanging from A Tree Time: 3.27
Batfish Soup
Bizarre Surreal
Another reality
Created by Amanda Bonaiuto CalArts
Link: Batfish Soup Time: 4.35
An incredible journey.
If mice were us.
The story of many; Imagination unlimited;
Created by Steve Cutts, Music by Bizet and Greig.
Link: Happiness Time 4.13
Bookmarks by Netflix Jr Opens Doors to Reading Books in the IT World
I was curious about Sulwe, a prize winning book about a young black girl who doesn't like her dark color. This led me to a wonderful reading of Sulwe on Youtube by the author, Lupita Nyong'o. The book is outstanding, the writing and the story flow gracefully, and there is the wonder of love pervading the entire story. Lupita Nyong'o is also an amazing actress having won multiple awards in theater and film. These include an Oscar for her performance in 12 Years a Slave.
This reading of Sulwe also led me to an outstanding Netflix Jr series, Bookmarks, wherein celebrities and authors read outstanding books, written for black children, that focus on "empathy, equality, self-love, and antiracism." Charming illustrations blend perfectly.
Here is a link to your choice among many authors reading their books to children: NetflixBookmarks
Here is a link to author Lupita Nyong'o reading her book Sulwe on youtube.
The illustrations for Sulwe are by Anoosha Syed.
Refugee Children
Excerpts from a painful, sad, disturbing article by Abdu Latif Dahur in the NYTimes
Almost 51,000 Ethiopian refugees — nearly a third of them children — have crossed into Sudan from Ethiopia since the Tigray conflict began.
Almost a third of the Ethiopian refugees are children, with at least 361 of them arriving unaccompanied, according to the United Nations refugee agency — a stark sign of the sudden nature of the violence that sent them running.
With the violence still continuing, some 2.3 million children in the Tigray region do not have access to humanitarian assistance, according to UNICEF, the U.N. agency for children.
Many of the unaccompanied children said they were separated from their families as they bolted from their homes in the middle of the night, trekking hours and days with nothing but the clothes on their backs to reach safety.
Photo by Tyler Hicks in the NYT. If you click the photo, a world opens up.
The Human Canine Connection -- 4 Paws For Ability
It seems that it is difficult to find service dogs for young children with special needs, a dog that will alert others if a child has a seizure, who will awaken confidence in an autistic child, or open the door to much more of life for a crippled child.
4Paws For Ability is a remarkable organization where they train service dogs and then give them to children and veterans with special needs -- children with epileptic seizures, Downs Syndrome, Autism, physical disabilities, and combinations of these and other challenging conditions.
"Based in Xenia, Ohio, and Anchorage Alaska, 4 Paws For Ability is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to place quality service dogs with children with disabilities and veterans who have lost use of limbs or hearing; help with animal rescue, and educate the public regarding use of service dogs in public places."
Visit their site, watch the videos, read the heartfelt, positive testimonials. Here is the link: service
Photo from Memories by Beverly.
Who Chains You Publishing
Author Tamira Ci Thayne is the founder of Who Chains You Publishing. The company was founded to publish books for and about animal lovers, activists and rescuers—in all genres from children's to fiction to autobiographies. The mission of Who Chains You is to amplify the voices of the animals through the empowerment of animal lovers, activists, and rescuers who write books elevating the status of animals in society . . .At the deepest level, WCY books explore which chains humans must break within themselves in order to free the animals.
Previously, Tamira was the founder and CEO of Dogs Deserve Better, a rescue devoted to ending dog chaining.
Ariel Wulff is a dog enthusiast, dog owner and advocate, artist, and author of several dog books. She has also been illustrating a variety of delightful children's books for Tamira Ci Thayne. The covers of two of those books are posted here.
Planet of the Dogs
"Our story begins long, long ago, before there were dogs on Planet Earth. . .
And then there came a time when the abundance and happiness found on Planet Earth were threatened by people like the warrior tribes of Stone City. They had forgotten how to love. . .Their numbers began to grow and soon they were taking the homes, land, and farms where peaceful people lived. . . Something had to be done -- but what could anybody do? No one knew it at that time, but help would come from far, far away, from the Planet of the Dogs."
The Planet Of The Dogs series, including Castle In The Mist and Snow Valley Heroes, A Christmas Tale, is available from many Internet sources and through independent bookstores of all sizes.
The illustration of the Black Hawk Castle is by Stella Mustanoja McCarty.
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"Owners of dogs will have noticed that, if you provide them with food and water and shelter and affection, they will think you are god. Whereas owners of cats are compelled to realize that, if you provide them with food and water and shelter and affection, they draw the conclusion that they are gods."
― Christopher Hitchens
Posted by Robert McCarty on January 01, 2021 at 09:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Tags: A Christmas Tale; Planet of the Dogs, anti-war books, Born Without a Tail; librarians, CA Wulff, Castle in the Mist, Celebrating Reading, children's books, children's fantasy books, children's literature, Circling the Waggins, Dog books, early reader books, fairytales, Fantasy, Finding Fido, first chapter books, Grimm Tales; Sulwe4 paws for Ability, How to Change the World in 30 Seconds, Kid Litosphere, Kids Books, Kids dog books, Lit World, Maria Tatar; Jack Zipes, Myth and Moor, Parade of Misfits, Planet of the Dogs Productions; Yussof, Seth Lerer, Snow Valley Heroes, tales of wonder, Terri Windling, Therapy dogs, Why Am I, Yelodoggie
When Charles Dickens wrote the book, A Christmas Carol, it was a book about bringing joy to the world. It was written in the midst of a tumultuous industrial revolution, a time of expanding empire, and wide spread poverty. In the midst of British societal indifference to human suffering, it helped change the English attitude and ultimately, that of much of the Western World. The conservative British oligarchy was influenced by Tiny Tim and the three Ghosts of Christmas. And ordinary people took the message of charity to heart. The Christmas season has continued to evolve. In our era, it has become a time of celebration, charity and gift giving. And, a profitable marketplace.
Christmas Book Nostalgia
MR. Dog's Christmas at the Hollow Tree Inn
The wonderful book, Mr Dog's Christmas at the Hollow Tree Inn brings the timeless charm of an earlier era to us. The author, Albert Bigelow Paine (1861-1937), was a friend and biographer of Mark Twain, as well as the author of novels, biographies, and many children's books. These included stories of The Hollow Tree Inn, and all the animal inhabitants of The Inn and the Big Deep Woods. The wonderful illustrations by Adam McCauly in this reclaimed version add to the original story.
Paine created and told a multitude of stories to his own children. Over time, he wrote, among other children's books, three very popular books about the animal characters of The Hollow Tree Inn and the Big Deep Woods. These included: Mr. Coon, Mr. Possum, Mr. Crow, Jack Rabbit, Mr. Dog, and many others. They are all imaginative, charming, and well written.
Mr. Dog knew things that others did not know because he lived in the house of Mr. Man. He shared stories of things he had heard, or adventures he had, with his forest friends. Until Mr. Dog told them about Santa, his animal friends had never heard of him. The story unfolds when Mr Coon, Possum, and Crow put out big Christmas stockings, not knowing that Santa only visited children.
Mr Dog's Christmas at the Hollow Tree Inn is a rescued treasure of Betsy Cordes. Originally published in 1898, it was a favorite in her family and read aloud at Christmas for three generations.
Here is a link to this delightful new edition of Mr. Dog's Christmas at the Hollow Tree Inn.
Here is a link to many books by Albert Bigelow Paine on Project Gutenberg.
The cover and the illustrations are by Adam McCauly. Book design by Cynthia Wigginton.
"As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly, when they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky. So up to the house-top the coursers they flew, with the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too. "
Clement Clarke Moore (1823)
Christmas Memories in the Great Meadow of Kenneth Grahame
The Wind in the Willows is a celebration of life, a holiday from the everyday world. The world of the Great Meadow, and beyond, has a comfortable beauty that offers the young and the young at heart a respite, a good place to be. This is especially true when the Christmas holidays are celebrated. . .
"I think it must be the field-mice," replied the Mole, with a touch of pride in his manner. "They go round carol-singing regularly at this time of the year. They're quite an institution in these parts. And they never pass me over—they come to Mole End last of all; and I used to give them hot drinks, and supper too sometimes, when I could afford it. It will be like old times to hear them again."
"Let's have a look at them!" cried the Rat, jumping up and running to the door.
It was a pretty sight, and a seasonable one, that met their eyes when they flung the door open. In the fore-court, lit by the dim rays of a horn lantern, some eight or ten little field-mice stood in a semicircle, red worsted comforters round their throats, their fore-paws thrust deep into their pockets, their feet jigging for warmth . . . As the door opened, one of the elder ones that carried the lantern was just saying, "Now then, one, two, three!" and forthwith their shrill little voices uprose on the air, singing one of the old-time carols . . . "
Here is a link to read The Wind In The Willows
Here is a link to Inga Moore illustrations.
The illustration is by Inga Moore.
Father Christmas and Inga Moore
It was In an excellent article in the Guardian by Joanna Carey about the wonderful illustrator, Inga Moore, that I first read about Father Christmas(1973) by Raymond Briggs, another celebrated book from an earlier era. Brigg's book was a turning point in Moore's life. Moore told Joanna Carey about her reaction to Father Christmas: " 'It was uplifting, life-enhancing, and I realized that making a picture book was one of the finest things one could aspire to.' She got started as an illustrator and in the early 80s, inspired by childhood memories, returned to England."
I then learned that Raymond Briggs was an award-winning and very popular author/illustrator of children's books, and very well known in England. Among other books, he wrote and illustrated The Snowman, Father Christmas, and Father Christmas Goes on Holiday. Each of these books became popular videos. The two Father Christmas books were combined into one story in their video versions. These are timeless books for young children.
Here is a link to a delightful 25 minute video version of the book for kids: Father Christmas.
Here is a link to the very different and charming 25 minute version of the Brigg's book: The Snowman.
The illustration above is by Raymond Briggs.
Randolph the Reindeer -- A New Book
The story opens with Randolph's excitement at being in a competition to be selected as part of the team that will pull Santa's sleigh. That very night is Christmas Eve. However, Randolph, although extremely fast, is out of control and he is, inadvertently, a sleigh crasher. He means well, but he is immature, and seems unable to change.
Randolph ultimately redeems himself when he courageously flies Jeremy the Elf, through a terrible blizzard, to the home of a boy named Jamie. He promised to find a way to repair a camera that was broken through Randolph's out of control sleigh pulling. The camera meant a lot to Jamie, as it was a gift from his mother. Jeremy, being a member of Santa's workshop is able to repair the camera and Randolph has saved the Christmas day. This is a fun Christmas adventure book for young kids by Sean Patrick O'Reilly and with lots of colorful Disney-like illustrations by David Alvarez.
Interview With Santa
Lost in the mists of time is a true Christmas story. . . Long ago, the unthinkable happened and there was to be no more Christmas. Click this link for more: Interview with Santa
Ode to Joy -- Flashmob in Sabadell
Every year, when preparing this December edition of our blog, I treat myself to watching and listening to several Ode To Joy concerts. Watching ordinary people and children as the music grows before them, combined with the extraordinary music, is a very special experience.
Here is link for you to share in this wonderful Ode to Joy video from Sabadell, Spain. The photo was taken early on as the musicians continued to arrive.
Tree Beings -- A Book for All Seasons
This is a wonderful book for children with fascinating content and extraordinary illustrations. It incorporates free association of facts and imagination with solid information regarding the wonder and importance of trees. Written with passion by New Zealand educator and talented author, Raymond Huber, and with superb illustrations by an Australian, Sandra Severgnini, Tree Beings succeeds in being entertaining, educational, and fearlessly wide ranging. The 2 page forward is an appreciation and strong endorsement by Jane Goodall.
This book could become a classic.
The cover and illustrations are by Sandra Severgnini.
Truth Exaggerated
The fairy tale survives because it presents experience in vivid symbolic forms; Sometimes we need to have the truth exaggerated and made more dramatic, even fantastic, in order to comprehend it. . .
Alison Laurie, Boys and Girls Forever
The illustration from Snow Valley Heroes, A Christmas Tale, is by Stella Mustanoja McCarty
An imaginative, joyous, black musical update of Dicken's Christmas Carol.
Here is the exciting trailer: Jingle Jangle. The film is playing now on Netflix, directed and created by David E. Talbert. Here is a review excerpt from the NYTimes Critics:
The magic of "Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey," a fun seasonal Netflix offering, hinges on belief — in reinvention, imagination and the ability of even the most familiar stories to offer fresh lessons. . . The movie is packed with thrilling sequences, charming songs (by Philip Lawrence, John Legend and others), flashy dance numbers and a delightful cast. Although parts of the film veer on cliché, its intentions are well-meaning and its messages about nurturing curiosity and fostering community are well worth hearing right about now.
Come Away-- Alas, this Peter Pan "revision" has stumbled. Here is the Critics Consensus from Rotten Tomatoes: "Largely lacking the fairytale magic it seeks to conjure, Come Away is an initially intriguing fantasy that never really takes flight."
A Normal Day In the Life of Sassi
An imaginative and charming visit to the future.
Sassi lives and works in a magical future world.
Friendly fantasy.
Perfect for kids and the young at heart.
Made by Choi Keeweso; DayDream Sound
Here is the link: Sassi time 6.42
Fear of the Deer
A deer who is not like the others.
Darkness in Santa Land.
Awesome. Not for kids.
Happy Holidays from animator Steve Cutts.
Intro music by Admiral Bob.
Link: Fear of the Deer time 1.45
My Favorite War
Poignant, Meaningful, Imaginative trailer for the full length version.
"My Favorite War teaches the global value of freedom and demonstrates how a very personal story can be of universal interest". A quote from the Annecy Festival where the film won the award for best feature. This is a personal, animated documentary that tells the story of the director growing up in Latvia, part of the Soviet Union, from 1970 to 1990."
Here is a link regarding the film from the program of the Norwegian Film Festival
Created by Ilze Burkovska Jacobsen, Ego Studios,Latvia
Here is the link: My Favorite War 2 minutes
You can find magic wherever you look. Sit back and relax all you need is a book!" – Dr. Seuss
Little Mole and Honeybear
Jack Zipes new publishing company, Little Mole and Honeybear is publishing exceptional children's books that have been lost because of time, fashion, or the vicissitudes of the publishing business. The range is extensive since Zipes is able to translate books which may have originally appeared in non-English speaking countries. The results are a cascade of fascinating, eye-opening children's books. I have previously written about some of them: Laboulaye's myriad tales; Fearless Ivan and His Faithful Horse, Double Hump; The Giant Ohl and Tiny Tim; and Keedle the Great. Next month, I will write about Emery Kelen and Yussuf the anti-fascist ostrich. From the Little Mole and Honeybear website:
We are cultural excavators. Some of our biggest political and moral challenges have been addressed by voices long lost to history. We will unbury neglected authors and books from the twentieth century, before we are buried.
Mission: Founded in January 2018 by Jack Zipes, Little Mole & Honey Bear publishes unusual books for children and adults largely published during, before, and after World War I and World War II. They celebrate the poetic power of fantasy and illustrate how writers and illustrators have used their art to generate hope in their readers. Though conceived, created, and published in the twentieth century, all these works are still highly relevant today.
The illustration from Yussuf the Ostrich is by the author, Emery Kelen.
Free Books for Mothers of Infants That Open the Doors to More Books
Mommy Talk and Talk to Me are two delightful complimentary books available to new mothers, in Spanish and English. They are a tangible stimulus for parents and other caregivers who are readng with and talking to very young children ages 0 to 4.
"As of today, the Nancy M. and Douglas M.Yeager Family Foundation has distributed free of charge 94,076 printed copies of our four books. . .We have four titles available: Mommy Talk, Mi Mama Me Habla, Talk to Me, and Habla Conmigo. . .The books continue to be distributed primarily through nonprofits, government agencies, pediatricians, pediatric clinics and pediatric hospitals and, interestingly enough, about a thousand copies were distributed recently at food banks in New York. We also welcome direct requests submitted to our Foundation at P.O. Box 20622, Estes Park, CO 80511." Here is a link to the: Yeager Foundation Website.
Children's Books Ireland for the Poor
All over Ireland there are children who do not own a book. This December, Children's Books Ireland is gifting a bedtime story to Irish children as they face into a difficult Christmas. With the support of the Arts Council and KPMG, 6,000 Irish books will be given to children and young people in direct-provision centres, hospitals and homeless services nationwide through charity partners. . .All 6,000 books are by Irish artists, many of them Irish-published.
Link to this article: The Irish Times
The photo is courtesy of Baenados, an Irish Charity
Hanukkah -- December 22-30
Hanukkah is the Jewish Holiday that takes place over 8 days in December. According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, the Holiday celebrates Jewish strengths, perseverance, and continuity. It has origins dating to 165BCE when Judea was freed from oppression and conquest of the Seleucid king. Hanukkah is a celebration of freedom and being.
"Unlike Christmas and Hanukkah, Kwanzaa was not born out of religion. Instead it is a largely social and communal holiday that grew out of the civil rights movement. Established by professor and activist Maulana Karenga in 1966, Kwanzaa was meant as a way to bring the African-American community together once a year for a celebration of its culture and heritage. Over the years, the exclusive nature of Kwanzaa was stripped away by Karenga, and it is now looked at as a chance for people of all races and backgrounds to celebrate African culture the same way we celebrate Irish and Mexican culture on St. Patrick's Day and Cinco de Mayo."
Here is a link to read more about Kwanzaa
Winter Memories from Born Without a Tail
Born Without a Tail is a real life memoir by C. A.Wulff, author of dog books, blogger, and life-long rescuer of animals -- especially dogs. Here is an excerpt that I find particularly telling in the Christmas season.
"Whenever I think back over the years...my thoughts return to the time when Gypsy, Dillon, Pluto and Troll were the cornerstones of our pack. These four dogs completed us...my favorite part of each day was when we would all settle down together to sleep...In winter months, the wind would howl outside and I would feel warm and safe, denned with my pack. These were times of total contentment. Times when a deep abiding sense of belonging warmed me to my soul."
The photo of Troll is by C.A.Wulff.
A Holiday Smile for Dog Lovers
Here is a link to a festive holiday occasion where you will see 13 well dressed dogs and one cat at a dinner table eating with human hands.
Thanks to Richard Bradley for the photo. Every year at this time we post a photo from Richard's Blog, A Rock in My Shoe. The dogs, Darcy and Caboose, have passed on but their holiday spirit remains.
Happy Holidays to all...
And a special greeting to the therapy dog owners and therapy and service dog organizations who make this world a better place.
I am awed by and grateful to the dog lovers and their therapy dogs who help so many people, of all ages, in so many ways. Dogs have a unique quality that helps people heal, release fear, and find joy. When you think about the blessings that dogs bring to people's lives, especially therapy and service dogs, it boggles the mind.
A Memory of Rose, a Therapy Dog . . . Below is an excerpt from my correspondence with Susan Purser, a retired school teacher, about working with her therapy dog, Rose, for over 15 years -- until Rose passed on.
Susan carries on her therapy dog work as her puppy, Tazi, who also loves to be with people, continues to grow.
"No matter who you are or why you do pet therapy, it is the dog that opens the door…doors that would otherwise be closed to a well meaning human. . . doors that are sometimes closed to family, friends, care givers and staff of facilities. There is something very special about these canine creatures and they have been saving and comforting humans for thousands of years. It is their touch or look that gives people that inner peace when their world is shrinking or spinning so fast they have lost control. When doors begin the final closing, there is that one last smile, nod, a hand that reaches for a dog that allows some of them to say good bye and close their eyes in peace."
The photo of Rose visiting a friend was taken by Susan Purser.
Snow Valley Heroes, A Christmas Tale
"The Barking Planet series of illustrated kids' books full of mythic fairy tale dog heroes is unabashedly humane, uplifting, and morally improving, which may not be everybody's cup of tea (or bowl of kibble), but it does make for interesting relief in a kid lit world increasingly obsessed with violence, family dysfunction and personal trauma." Barbara Julien for Animal Literature.
"Snow Valley Heroes, A Christmas Tale. . .the exciting story of the dogs from Planet Of The Dogs who come to earth to help save Christmas...this book brought me back to my youth, a time when it seemed my imagination was endless, something that gets lost in adulthood. The holidays are just around the corner and this book would make a great stocking stuffer." From the review by Horst Hoefinger on Dogster
To Read Sample Chapters of Snow Valley Heroes, A Christmas Tale, Click here: Christmas Books
The illustration from Snow Valley Heroes is by Stella Mustanoja McCarty.
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"I think dogs are the most amazing creatures; they give unconditional love. For me, they are the role model for being alive." – Gilda Radner
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Posted by Robert McCarty on December 01, 2020 at 02:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Tags: A Christmas Tale; Planet of the Dogs, anti-war books, Born Without a Tail; librarians, CA Wulff, Castle in the Mist, Celebrating Reading, Charles Dickens, children's books, children's fantasy books, children's literature, Circling the Waggins, Dog books, early reader books, fairytales, Fantasy, Father Christmas, Finding Fido, first chapter books, Flash Mob Sabadell, How to Change the World in 30 Seconds, Inga Moore, Jingle Jangle, Kid Litosphere, Kids Books, Kids dog books, Lit World, Little Mole and Honeybear, Maria Tatar; Jack Zipes, Mommy Talk, Mr.Dog, My Favorite War, Myth and Moor, Parade of Misfits, Planet of the Dogs Productions; A Christmas Carol, Richard Bradley's Dogs, Seth Lerer, Snow Valley Heroes, tales of wonder, Terri Windling, Therapy dogs, Tree Beings, Why Am I, Yelodoggie
In the country of fairies, one knows everything in one hour or one day.
"In the happy country of fairies, one leaves it only to find one's way back. One suffers only to become happy, whereas pain is for us an enigma and life a struggle without end where the better people are the first to fall.
There, in the country of fairies, one does not get old, and one always loves. Here, no sooner does our heart barely recover from those foolish acts of our youth than it turns serious and begins to love an object worthy of our heart. Then, our face becomes wrinkled, and our hair turns white leaving us with the feeling of ridicule. There, in the country of fairies, one knows everything in one hour or one day. Here, we pursue truth at the cost of our lives as it evades us. It flees like the marvelous bird, and when, at last, after 30 years of pain, we feel it near us, when our hand lowers to seize it, another hand more powerful freezes us and carries us off to the country from which nobody has ever returned." -- –Édouard Laboulaye, Contes bleus, 1863
The top illustration from Kenneth Grahame's Wind In The Willows is by Inga Moore.
The illustration of Laboulaye's fairytale, The Castle of Life, is by Edward McCandlish.
Growing, Expanding, and Prospering
The USA, in the first part of the 20th century, was growing, expanding, and prospering. Ceaseless immigration. The industrial revolution, trains crossing the country, canals, steamships, and cars for the burgeoning middle class.
Progress was the byword, from Chicago to the coastlands, and cities kept growing.
Competition and big rewards. Hardship and corruption. Prosperity and poverty.
Mulberry Street, New York City 1900
Opportunities and Problems
"The Industrial Revolution began the transition of the United States from a rural to an urban society. Young people raised on farms saw greater opportunities in the cities and moved there, as did millions of immigrants from Europe. Providing housing for all the new residents of cities was a problem, and many workers found themselves living in urban slums. . ." Library of Congress
Life Got Faster and Grueling for Many
"Rapid advances in the creation of steel, chemicals and electricity helped fuel production, including mass-produced consumer goods and weapons. It became far easier to get around on trains, automobiles and bicycles. At the same time, ideas and news spread via newspapers, the radio and telegraph. Life got a whole lot faster.
Factory jobs were grueling. It was an era when industrial growth created a class of wealthy entrepreneurs and a comfortable middle class supported by workers who were made up by immigrants and arrivals from America's farms and small towns." -- The History Channel
The photo is from Getty Images.
Meanwhile in Sandwich, Massachusetts
During these halcyon days in the crowded cities, Thornton Burgess (1874-1965), who would later become a writer of children's books set in the natural world, was growing up in Sandwich, a small Cape Cod town of 1,448. His father had died in the year he was born (1874). So it was that the boy worked at a variety of jobs to help earn money for the living needs of his widowed mother and himself. From his work in the fields, woodlands, and wetlands, he acquired an intimate knowledge of nature and wildlife.
According to Wikipedia, his boyhood jobs were many: "He worked tending cows, picking trailing arbutus (mayflowers) or berries, shipping water lilies from local ponds, selling candy, and trapping muskrats." During these formative years he came to know and love nature.
Later in life, as a father and a widower, he was raising his young son with the help of relatives and working as a reporter for the Springfield Homestead. He began making up stories for the little boy, stories about nature and animals inspired by his own boyhood experiences. He soon began writing them down. This was the beginning of an extraordinary career as a beloved children's book writer.
The vintage farm scene above is from Antique Maps.
Annals of Old Mother Westwind
In 1910, Old Mother Westwind, Burgess first book appeared and became nationally popular. As other books and stories followed, animals and places from Mother Westwind -- Peter Rabbit, Johnny Chuck, Grandfather Frog and many others -- reappeared. Sales grew into the millions and were translated into several overseas editions. Over the next 50 years, he wrote 170 books; 16,000 stories, a daily newspaper column (Bedtime Stories), and in 1924, a popular weekly radio show, the Radio Nature League. He also became an active, lifetime, conservationist.
A Beautiful World of Nature for Young Children.
To get a sense of Burgess' writing voice, here is the opening of Old Mother West Wind:
"Old Mother West Wind came down from the Purple Hills in the golden light of the early morning. Over her shoulders was slung a bag—a great big bag—and in the bag were all of Old Mother West Wind's children, the Merry Little Breezes. . . When she reached the Green Meadows Old Mother West Wind opened her bag, turned it upside down and shook it. Out tumbled all the Merry Little Breezes and began to spin round and round for very joy, for you see they were to lay in the Green Meadows all day long until Old Mother West Wind should come back at night and take them all to their home behind the Purple Hills. . .
When the Merry Little Breezes left Johnny Chuck they raced across the Green Meadows to the Smiling Pool to say good morning to Grandfather Frog who sat on a big lily pad watching for green flies for breakfast.
"Chug-arum," said Grandfather Frog, which was his way of saying good morning.
Just then along came a fat green fly and up jumped Grandfather Frog. When he sat down again on the lily pad the fat green fly was nowhere to be seen, but Grandfather Frog looked very well satisfied indeed as he contentedly rubbed his white waistcoat with one hand. . ."
The illustrations here, above, and all the illustrations for Burgess' books were by his friend, Harrison Cady.
Project Gutenberg's Old Mother West Wind.
Project Gutenberg's Mother West Wind's Animal Friends, by Thornton W. Burgess
The Thornton W. Burgess Society and Greenbriar Nature Center in Sandwich, MA.
Could a Bear be a Prince ?
Creating stories with animals behaving like people with human traits, personalities, and behaviors has a long tradition going back to Aesop. Good stories, like Aesop's Fables, capture the imagination and teach. Children's literature is filled with wonderful anthropomorphic animals from Carroll's Mad Hatter and Beatrix Potter's Peter Rabbit to Milne's Pooh Bear and Grahame's Toad. From Kipling's jungle to powerful bears under a spell, the literature of the young has also become literature for YA and adults.
The illustration is by Alice and Martin Provensen.
Richard Scarry's World
I know from experience that reading a book like Scarry's What Do People Do All Day to a young child is a special experience. Young children have strong responses to Scarry's books. They feel a connection and want to look at them -- and listen to them being read -- for years (and their parents like them, too). They explain things about the world around them. They are fun, for young and old.
In 1963, after thirteen years creating illustrations for other writers, he completed the first book that he both wrote and illustrated :The Best Word Book Ever. The book was brilliant, filled with words and illustrations of more than 1400 objects. Hundreds of animal characters were doing things that people do. The book was an immediate success, selling 7 million copies in twelve years. Scarry had the imagination and talent to make his books a fun way for children to learn. He said, "Everything has an educational value if you look for it. But it's the fun I want to get across."
Scarry married Praticia Murphy, a writer of children's textbooks. He had previously illustrated books for her. Over the years, she collaborated with her husband. He named his son, Huck, after Huckleberry Finn, a favorite book of Scarry's. He later named Huckle Cat -- a character who appears in many of his books, after his son. Scarry died in 1994. His son, Huck, has carried on the tradition and created more wonderful books under the name, Richard Scarry.
Book sales, in many languages, total over 100 million. Toys, puzzles, and animated TV series in abundance have been produced based on Scarry's books and characters.
Here is a link to the Busy World of Richard Scary TV series.
Updating the Busy World
"His Best Word Book Ever, which first appeared in 1963, was issued in 1980 as a "new revised edition" which altered images and text to remove material which could be perceived as offensive due to gender, racial, or religious misconceptions. . .Moral and religious elements and depictions of gender roles were altered or removed (for instance, a menorah was added into a Christmas scene, and the words "he comes promptly when he is called to breakfast", referring to a father bear, were changed to "he goes to the kitchen to eat his breakfast"). Characters engaged in activities reflecting traditional gender roles were altered so as to make the scenes more gender-neutral (e.g., a male character was added into a kitchen scene, a cowboy was replaced with a female gardener and a female scientist. . ." Wikipedia
A Busytown Update
There is a Busytown Update from Tom the Dancing Bug, a YA and satirical adult comic strip by Ruben Bolling.
Bolling has changed the image and description of several characters to Include: a swamp drainer; a fake news troll; and a millennial complainer. Here is the Link: Busytown Today.
Children as Silent Witnesses
"Of all the recollections of childhood reading that I have encountered, my favorite comes from an essay by the novelist Penelope Lively entitled 'Essential and Eternal.' Lively makes the point that child readers obliterate the threshold between reality and fantasy as they enter other worlds, But rather than identifying with characters, they become silent witnesses -- observers who see the characters as role models and companions rather than second selves. They participate in the lives of others without liquidating their own identities." -- Excerpted from Enchanted Hunters by Maria Tatar.
Anthony Iannuci has directed a film adapted from Charles Dicken's book, David Copperfield.
"To a remarkable extent, the new movie is full of cheer. It feels boisterous, bustling, and, at times, perilously close to a romp. Of the young David's deep and dawdling loneliness there is no sign; later . . .
Iannucci's movie. 'Although it's set in 1840, for the people in the film it's the present day,' he said in an interview. 'And it's an exciting present.' That is a compelling claim, and 'The Personal History of David Copperfield,' despite its shortcomings, is an enterprise full of hope. Like Mr. Micawber, it thrives on the ridiculous belief that something, somewhere, will turn up." ♦ -- Anthony Lane in the New Yorker
Netflix is now showing Studio Ghibli Films, including all of the wonderful films by the extraordinary Hayao Miyazaki. Spirited Away is a classic celebration of magic and wonder. This is a film of the imagination that stands alone.
Full of surprises and extraordinary animation, the film follows the saga of a young girl who must use her wits and find the courage to survive and prevail in an alternate dimension populated by ghosts and the spirit world.
Independent Animation
Extraordinary independent animation is being created around the world.
The techniques and subject matter vary with the talented creators, giving us many wonderful moments.
Below are three imaginative animated films.
The illustration is from Forget Me Not by the Animation Workshop.
Brilliant concept and animation
Totally original and very inventive
Created by Nata Metlukh
Music and sound by Daruma Audio
Link: Awkward: time 3.37
The Turning Point
Darkly powerful and imaginative
Climate change as you have never seen it
Created by Steve Cutts
Music by the Wantaways
Link: The Turningpoint: time 3.21
Remarkable, engaging, moving.
Magic of life, beauty of the natural world.
Produced by Encyclopedia Pictura Productions.
Written/Directed by Isaiah Saxon. Lead animator, Pavel Mishkin.
Music by Dirty Projectors, Dave Longstreth; vocals Kristin Slipp.
Link; Earth Crisis time 7 minutes
Keedle the Great
In 1940, when Keedle the Great was first published, Europe was in turmoil. Civilization was being torn apart. Poland was defeated and occupied. Norway had surrendered. Relentless Nazi air attacks were destroying British cities. Hundreds of thousands of British children were evacuated from cites. Russia invaded Finland. The Balkan countries, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania were overrun. Italy declared war, Fascists had conquered Spain and Hitler's Nazis had entered Paris. Jews were beaten, robbed, and forced into Ghettos.
In the USA, Deirdre Conselman and her father, writer William
Conselman Jr, were so concerned about the nightmare in Europe, that they wrote Keedle the Great, All You've Ever Wanted To Know About Fascism. It is a children's book, with resonate illustrations by Fred L. Fox, about a nasty kid who looks like Hitler, and grows up to be an evil ruler, before he is destroyed. Remarkably, it is effective today and entirely appropriate for kids.
Keedle is now republished by Jack Zipes' new publishing company, Little Mole And Honey Bear. Their Mission Statement: "History is doomed to repeat itself. We must preserve the things that make us human, and stand up to forces that would tear our society apart."
Here is a link to Zipes' informative new website.
The photo of British child refugees is courtesy of the Guardian.
We Salute the United Nations World Food Program
"The World Food Program was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. . . for its efforts to combat a surge in global hunger amid the coronavirus pandemic, which has swept around the world with devastating impact."
Read more: NY Tmes
Photo of refugee children by Behouz Mehi, AFR Getty Images
Paws for People .. Making the Human Canine Connection
PAWS lovingly provides elders, children, and persons with disabilities individualized, therapeutic visits with a gentle and affectionate pet.
From hospitals and skilled care facilities to chemical dependency centers and elementary schools, thousands of people are experiencing the benefits of one-on-one therapeutic visits thanks to hundreds of dedicated volunteers and their loving therapy companions every year.
Here is a link to a video that documents the PAWS for People program with dogs and people in action.
Here is a link to Paws for People.
Photo courtesy of Paws for People.
Circling the Waggins
"This book was recommended to me by a friend. Once I got into the book, I couldn't put it down. . . I highly recommend this book to animal lovers. You will definitely laugh and cry. You may even learn a few things about animal care and the treatment of various health issues pet owners often face. I enjoyed this book so much that I am now reading another of this author's pet tales."
This is an excerpt from a United Kingdom review by BrittdogPub on Amazon. (Link)
Snow Valley Heroes -- A Christmas Tale
The third book in the Planet of the Dogs series
Santa Claus and the elves are faced with a disaster in Snow Valley Heroes, A Christmas Tale. Dasher and Dancer, two of Santa's reindeer, are missing, and without the reindeer to pull the sleigh, there can be no Christmas.
The King of the North has taken the reindeer and hidden them in the great Ice Castle.
The only source of hope, the only source of help, for rescuing the missing reindeer comes from the Planet of the Dogs.
This is the true story of how the the dogs saved Christmas.
Reader copies are available for therapy dogs, librarians, teachers, bookstores and reviewers...Send your request with a postal address to barkingplanet@aol.com
"You want a friend in Washington? Get a dog." – Harry S Truman
Posted by Robert McCarty on November 01, 2020 at 04:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Tags: A Christmas Tale; Planet of the Dogs, anti-war books, Born Without a Tail; librarians, Busytown, CA Wulff, Castle in the Mist, Celebrating Reading, children's books, children's fantasy books, children's literature, Circling the Waggins, Crossover books, Dog books, early reader books, fairytales, Fantasy, Fantasy, Finding Fido, first chapter books, How to Change the World in 30 Seconds, Keedle the Great, Kid Litosphere, Kids Books, Kids dog books, Laboulaye, Lit World, Maria Tatar; Jack Zipes, Miyazaki, Mother Westwind, Myth and Moor, Parade of Misfits, Paws for People, Planet of the Dogs Productions; Carterhaugh School, Refugee Kids, Richard Scarry, Seth Lerer, Snow Valley Heroes, tales of wonder, Terri Windling, Therapy dogs, Thornton Burgess, Why Am I, Wonder Tales, Yelodoggie
A Hard Life . . .
Stories Were Told
"Both the oral and literary forms of the fairy tale are grounded in history: The fairy tale sets out to conquer the concrete terror that emanates from specific struggles to humanize bestial and barbaric forces, which have terrorized our minds and communities in concrete ways, threatening to destroy free will and human compassion. The fairy tail sets out to conquer this concrete terror through metaphors." Jack Zipes -- Spells of Enchantment
A Mother Fails Her Daughter and a Fantastic Elf Saves a Life
Rumpelstiltskin is many centuries old. As this and other stories were told over time, they evolved, a reflection of both the story tellers and the life they knew. Written tales followed oral tales and in rewriting these tales, writers made them more relevant to changing times.
The most stunning version of Rumpelstiltskin that I have read was Words Like Pale Stones by Nancy Kress. True naming and the power of words remain very important in this story. The narrator is a courageous and resilient young woman named Ludie. She is the oppressed protagonist, a victim of failed parents and a brutal despot. She lives in a time when lives were controlled by a cruel King.
As in the traditional Grimm's version, the King offers life and marriage to Ludie if she can spin straw into gold. If she fails, he promises a slow and painful death. Kress adds another dimension to the king, one that will run through the entire story.. . ."He only smiled, for of course, he was not mortal.The old blood ran somewhere in his veins, mixed but there. 'Fevered and tainted', some said. Only the glimmerings of magic were there, and glimmerings without mastery were what made the cruelty."
Weaving straw into gold and the magic power of the Old People carry the early part of this legend made fresh. And then comes the chilling revelation that Ludie bears a son who has inherited the dark side from his father, the King. The surprising (to me) resolution was just right. The writing of Nancy Kress creates a dark momentum that flows through all of this outstanding tale.
The top illustration is by Walter Crane.
The bottom illustration is by H.J Ford.
A Fantastic Witch House of Confection and a Dark Tale of Famine
Amidst eons of uncertainty, tales were passed on that reflected many facets of the world, from the adventures of poor peasants, to the dilemmas of Royal ladies of the Court. They were fueled by imagination. They dealt with poverty, fear, and brutality. They satirized the powerful, amused listeners, and usually gave hope.
Hansel and Gretel is a very dark tale and disturbing tale. The central characters are children who must deal with war, famine, fear, abandonment, cannibalism, a witch, dark forces and death in a rather overwhelming confluence. The story began to evolve with the famines of the late Middle ages (1250-1500); the following centuries that led up to the Grimm's version of the story (1812) were fraught with war, poverty, and chaos.
Warfare, Violence, Everyday Life
"Warfare was a near-constant preoccupation for medieval Europe's governing elites. . . Medieval European society tolerated very high levels of violence as a fact of everyday life. Men (and some women) resorted to force without much compunction in order to achieve their goals, and highly personal motivations could lead up to war.. . . And at all stages in its evolution, medieval European warfare found it easy to accommodate the very personal reasons that lead human beings to inflict pain on each other."
Hywel Williams -- A History of the Middle Ages.
Hunger and Chaos
The Great Famine: "In some regions of Europe, the Great Famine of 1315-17 killed a tenth of the population, shattering social norms and local economies. Villages were abandoned, religious houses were dispersed, and minor feudal lords pawned their land to whoever could pay. Peasants and the urban poor were left to fend for themselves." *The Great Famine was followed by other famines (until 1322 ); the Black Death (1347) and the Hundred Years War (1337-1453). Amy-Davidson Sorkin .. The New Yorker
The painting of a peasant woman sitting in her cottage is by Jozef Israels.
The etching of the dancing skeletons is by Michael Wolgenut (1493).
Hansel and Gretel was rewritten and brought to life by Neil Gaiman. Here is an excerpt:
"The woodcutter's family was never certain who was fighting whom, nor why they were fighting, nor what they were fighting about. But beyond the forest, fields of crops were burned and barley fields became battlefields, and the farmers were killed, or made into soldiers in their turn and marched away. And soon enough the miller had no grain to mill into flour, the butcher had no animals to kill and hang in the window, and they said you could name your own price for a rabbit."
Here is an excerpt from the excellent review of Gaiman's book by Maria Russo in the NY Times: "Written with a devastating spareness by Neil Gaiman and fearsomely illustrated in shades of black by Lorenzo Mattotti, the newest version of "Hansel and Gretel" astonishes from start to finish. . .Their rendition brings a freshness and even a feeling of majesty to the little tale. Some great, roiling essence of the human condition — our fate of shuttling between the darkness and the light — seems to inhabit its pages. . . In Gaiman's hands, the humble woodcutter's decision to abandon his children speaks not just to the cruelty that surfaces during desperate times, but to the needless suffering and waste of war."
The illustrations are by Lorenzo Mattotti.
"There is something else which has the power to awaken us to the truth. It is the works of writers of genius. They give us, in the guise of fiction, something equivalent to the actual density of the real, that density which life offers us every day but which we are unable to grasp because we are amusing ourselves with lies."
― Simone Weil
Inspired by the Essence of Beauty and the Beast
Angela Carter wrote, "My intention was not to do "versions". . .but to extract the latent content from the traditional stories and to use it as the beginnings of new stories." To her friend Robert Coover, she wrote, "I really do believe that a fiction absolutely self-conscious of itself as a different form of human experience than reality (that is, not a logbook of events) can help to translate reality itself."
Angela Carter wrote a fresh and compelling new story, The Courtship of Mr. Lyon, inspired by the 17th century version of Beauty and the Beast written by Madame Le Prince de Beaumont. Their are many variations in several languages of this centuries-old tale. It is said that Madame Le Prince de Beaumont wrote this tale as a warning metaphor for young women, preparation for the very real possibility of an arranged and loveless marriage.
Carter's story is fresh from beginning to end. When certain events are recounted -- such as the father stealing the Rose for his daughter -- they have been recreated with great imagination. They come to life. Carter's descriptive powers and woven detail is brilliant. Here is an excerpt, a passage that takes us into another dimension, the dimension of magic realism as we, and Beauty's father, enter the world of Mr. Lyon:
"The door behind him closed as silently as it had opened, yet this time, he felt no fear, although he knew by the pervasive atmosphere of a suspension of reality that he had entered a place of privilege where all the laws of the world he knew need not necessarily apply . . . "
Here is one more excerpt. It is the turning point that takes place when the father leaves the Beast's mansion:
"Great wreaths of snow now precariously curded the rose trees and, when he brushed against a stem on his way to the gate, a chill armful softly thudded to the ground to reveal, as if miraculously preserved beneath it, one last, single, perfect rose that might have been the last rose living in all the white winter, and of so intense yet delicate a fragrance it seemed to ring like a dulcimer on the frozen air.
How could his host, so mysterious, so kind, deny beauty her present?"
This story was first published in 1979 in The Bloody Chamber, a collection of ten exceptional stories by Angela Carter. They were inspired by ten classic wonder tales, including Bluebeard, Snow White, and Sleeping Beauty.
I have read several versions of the Beauty and the Beast story with detachment. In reading them, I didn't relate to the characters or the final transformation. In Carter's story all the character's, even the dog, came alive, and I cared about them. And for the first time, I was moved at the conclusion. Angela Carter was truly a gifted writer.
The illustration of Beauty and Mr. Lyon is by Hazel Fisher, Deviant Art.
The Rose is from a BBC announcement.
The photo of Angela Carter (1988) is by John Mahler, Toronto Star.
New Initiatives by Jack Zipes
Jack Zipes is still filled with energy, purpose, and commitment to make a positive difference. Here is the opening greeting from his new website: ZIPES
For years I have tried to intervene in politics through critical theory, work with university students and children, storytelling, theater, and artwork. Throughout all my projects, fairy tales have played a major role because they offer a utopian alternative to the deplorable real conditions of our times. Consequently, my website is my endeavor to share my work with readers interested in changing the world, that is, democratizing democracy and fostering social justice. Keywords in everything I have done and continue to do are — truth and hope in keeping with Herbert Marcuse's concept of the Great Refusal. I believe we must all reject and resist the degradation of humanity, and so I'll conclude my brief welcome with a call for all power to the imagination and compassion for all living creatures on this earth!
Zipes has a new publishing partner, Little Mole and Honey Bear (https://www.littlemolehoneybear.com/); and two rediscovered, anti-fascist children's books: Keedle and Yussuf the Ostrich. Both books just launched through Minneapolis Bookstore, Magers and Quinn (https://www.magersandquinn.com/)
The above illustration is from Keedle. Here is an Excerpt about Keedle from Amazon: "In 1940, two young people decided to publish a strange book with the title Keedle to give Americans hope that the world can overcome dictatorships. To them, Keedle represented more than just Hitler. Indeed, Keedle represented all the dictators in the world then and now."
Though I personally will defend the value of bedtime stories to my last gasp, I have learned to value imagination in a much broader sense. Imagination is not only the uniquely human capacity to envision that which is not, and therefore the fount of all invention and innovation. In its arguably most transformative and revelatory capacity, it is the power that enables us to empathise with humans whose experiences we have never shared.
J.K.Rowling Harvard Commencement Speech 2008
The photo of J.K. Rowling is by Deborah Hurford Brown
Carterhaugh School Retellings.
Brittany and Sara, the imaginative ladies of the on-line Carterhaugh School of Folklore and the Fantastic have continued to offer innovative workshops and seminars throughout the Corona era. I am on their mailing list and receive ongoing emails that are far-ranging and fascinating. A recent blog featured this headline: Cinnamon Rolls and Crystal Chokers: Six of Our Favorite Fairy -Tale Retellings. Here is the link to this diverse and imaginative blog post.
The photo is of Brittany and Sara.
Netflix is now showing Studio Ghibli Films, including all of the wonderful films by the extraordinary Hayao Miyazaki. My Neighbor Totoro is a celebration of childhood, innocence, and wonder. This is a film of childhood and the imagination that stands alone.
Extraordinary animation is appearing from around the world. The techniques and subject matter vary with the many talented creators, giving us many wonderful moments. Below are three imaginative animated films.
The illustration is from the animated film Passage Des Oiseaux by Florence Miailhe
Rhapsodie pour un Pot-au-feu (French beef stew)
A delightful, fun, imaginative, musical treat.
Centered around a crowded eccentric hungry family and a non-stop beef stew preparation
By Charlotte Cambon, with Soizic Mouton, Stéphanie Mercier and Marion Roussel.
Link to Rhapsodie pour un Pot-au-feu Time 3 minutes
French 79 - The Remedy
A fantasy of design and color
A boy visits an abandoned fairground
Created by Daniel Stanker Album Joshua Out
Link to French 79 - The Remedy Time 4.20
An Animated Awakening
A Meaningful Surprise
Award Winner by Po Chien Chen
Link to the video: Selfish Time 2.27
More Movies
Mulan .. War, Destruction, and Disney
The trailer seems to tell the story: Visually excellent, simplified version of an oft-told tale, dating back to the fourth to sixth centuries, with an awareness of today's feminism. Here is an excerpt from Manohla Dargis' review in the NY Times. "Set jointly in the Old World and in that newer mythic realm of happily-ever-after female empowerment, this live-action "Mulan," directed by Niki Caro, is pretty much what happens when a legend meets Disney's global bottom-line."
Link to the trailer: Mulan
Critics Consensus: "An animated adventure perhaps best appreciated as a visual experience, Children of the Sea is strikingly lovely if less than satisfying on a narrative level." -- RottenTomatoes
Link to trailer: Children of the Sea
The Tortoise or the Hare book by Toni Morrison & Slade Morrison
This classic story has been retold many times since the days of Aesop. Toni and Slade Morrison add dimension and twists to the classic story with questions about the meaning of winning and losing. The book is fun to read and the illustrations by Joe Cepeda are wonderful, adding to the overall reading experience: Both of the main characters, Jimi Hare and Jamie Tortoise, are a delight for the reader if not for all their neighbors. Here is an excerpt describing Jamie Tortoise.:
"Everyone in the neighborhood avoided him.
Because he was so smart, they said he had no heart.
They called him
stuck-up show-off
too rough, too soft,
stupid know-it-all
selfish do-it-all.
so slick, too quick,
a trick! A trick!
So Jamey studied alone."
The illustration of Jamie Tortoise is by Joe Cepeda.
If You Go with Your Goat to Vote By Jennifer Altmann
Jan Zauzmer
"I wanted a way for grown-ups to talk about the election with their kids," says Zauzmer, whose book is aimed at 2- to 5-year-olds. It's never too early to foster excitement about participating in our democracy.
The book follows 13 animals and their offspring as they head to the polls, stand in line, enter the booth, cast a vote, and watch the returns come in. It also shows a duck casting his vote by mail. Included in the book are stickers that say "I Voted" and cute campaign slogans.
Guion the Lion
Guion the Lion, by Rebecca Macsovits, is an imaginative, colorful, fun fantasy adventure for young children. It teaches tolerance in perception of others. And, it is a labor of love. The exuberant, playful illustrations are by Milena Kirkova. Here is an excerpt from their website:
"Rebecca Macsovits is a Colorado mother of three, including her oldest son, Guion, who happens to have Down syndrome. He inspired her to create the world of Guion the Lion, which shows readers that understanding those different from us doesn't have to be difficult; it just takes a little curiosity to begin a new adventure."
Rae, the Bushbaby, learns from Guion to use her imagination and see things in different ways as Guin takes them through a world of animals and fantasy.. Additional pages offer ideas for play including Story Questions, Scribble Games, and Spy in the clouds -- all to stimulate thoughts about perceptions and the way we see others.
This Unicef video of Refugee Kids Gave Me Hope
Profiles of 4 refugee children who are all moving to reading and possibilities.
Unicef supports refugees in multiple ways
Here is the Link: Refugee Children (2.07 minutes)
PGI -- Paws Giving Independence
PGI's service dogs benefit individuals with spinal cord injury, muscular dystrophy, arthritis, developmental delays, cerebral palsy, balance problems, and more. PGI is run exclusively on public donations and endowments.
PGI places its dogs free of charge. . . Most of PGI's dogs are rescued dogs. They are trained specifically for an individual's needs. The training process for each individual takes more than a year. The bonus is unconditional love.
PGI. . . Paws Giving Independence has been growing and helping people in need since 2008, over ten years!
Congratulations to this wonderful non-profit, volunteer therapy service dog organization that began at Bradley College (Peoria, Illinois) with two dog-loving nursing students. The young girl in the photo is going home with her PGI dog, Monty. Here is the website link: PGI
Saving a Dog...an excerpt from C.A. Wulff's blog, Up On The Woof
"There is nothing more joyous and grateful than a dog who has been saved. Dogs don't keep those sorts of feelings to themselves, they want to share them. That dog becomes the most loving, faithful companion you can imagine. He will protect his new family in times of danger and comfort them in times of sadness. He will teach the children in the family to love and respect animals. Maybe knowing him will inspire a child to grow up to be a vet, or a zoologist. The dog will bring hours of laughter and joy to his people. He will keep them healthier in body, mind and spirit..."
C.A. Wulff is a dog rescuer, advocate, artist and author. Her books range from How To Change the World in Thirty Seconds to her memoir, Circling the Waggins. She is also the creator of Yelodoggie.
Castle in the Mist -- the world of adventure and the human-canine connection.
"Do you think that it is possible for dogs to stop a war. . . I said in my review of McCarty's Planet of the Dogs (Volume I), 'Author Robert J. McCarty has created a charming fantasy-allegory that can be read and understood on at least two different levels. Children will enjoy the story about dogs who come from another planet to help people on earth. But under the surface are the important messages of friendship, love, loyalty, and how to overcome evil with good.' The same things are true as the story continues in Castle in the Mist. The book is well written and easy to read. It will keep you turning the pages to find out what happens next, and, as with Volume I, leads to a satisfying conclusion." Excerpted from a 5 Star Review Review By Wayne Walker in Stories for Children Magazine.
The illustration is by Stella Mustanoja McCarty.
"The one absolutely unselfish friend that man can have in this selfish world. the one that never deserts him, the one that never proves ungrateful or treacherous, is his dog."-
Samuel Coleridge (Table-Talk 1830)
Posted by Robert McCarty on October 01, 2020 at 03:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Tags: A Christmas Tale; Planet of the Dogs, Angela Carter, anti-war books, Born Without a Tail; librarians, CA Wulff, Castle in the Mist, Celebrating Reading, children's books, children's fantasy books, children's literature, Circling the Waggins, Crossover books, Dog books, early reader books, fairytales, Fantasy, Fantasy, Finding Fido, first chapter books, How to Change the World in 30 Seconds, Kid Litosphere, Kids Books, Kids dog books, Lit World, Maria Tatar; Jack Zipes, Miyazaki, Myth and Moor, Nancy Kress, Neil Gaiman, Parade of Misfits, Planet of the Dogs Productions; Carterhaugh School, r, Refugee Kids. Paws Giving Independence, Seth Lerer, Snow Valley Heroes, tales of wonder, Terri Windling, Therapy dogs, Toni Morrison, Why Am I, Wonder Tales, Yelodoggie
Fantasy is everywhere
"You know very well you're not real."
"I am real!" said Alice, and began to cry.
"You won't make yourself a bit realler by crying," Tweedledee remarked: "there's nothing to cry about."
"If I wasn't real," Alice said—half laughing through her tears, it all seemed so ridiculous—"I shouldn't be able to cry."
"I hope you don't suppose those are real tears?" Tweedledum interrupted in a tone of great contempt.
Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There -- Lewis Carroll
Illustration by John Tenniel
Crossing Over -- The Threshold Between Reality and Fantasy
Children's books weave spells of enchantment so powerful that readers cross over into fantasy worlds as effortlessly as Lyra and Will vanish from Oxford and emerge in Cittagazze in Philip Pullman's The Subtle Knife. Oz. Narnia, Wonderland, and Hogwarts all maintain their narrative coherence and become credible through the uncanny detail with which they are evoked. . .
Maria Tatar -- Enchanted Hunters
The illustration for Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials is by Peter Bailey for the Folio Society.
"He dared to do what men and women don't even dare to think. And look what he's done already: he's torn open the sky, he's opened the way to another world. Who else has ever done that? Who else could think of it?" ― Philip Pullman, The Subtle Knife
The illustration is by Dan French, Cosmicstories, Deviant Art
Masters of Crossover Books
I remember the surprise on the part of journalists, publishers, and booksellers at the number of adult book buyers when Harry Potter (and later, Hunger Games) proved to be so very popular. As Maria Tatar, in the excerpt above, and others over the years have recognized, this was not a new phenomenon. The sheer volume of sales was unprecedented, but not the fact that so many adult readers were involved. Actually, adult readers had been finding and reading wonder tales and fantasy since Gulliver landed in the land of the Lilliputians -- if not before.
The illustration of Hogwarts is by Jim Kay.
Never Ending Crossover
In addition to Lewis Carroll's Alice as a leader in nineteenth century crossover, there was Tolkien with his alternate world of wizards, elves,and dragons. Consider the strong appeal of Andersen and his many worlds ranging from Frozen and Match Girls to Ugly Ducklings and naked Emperors. And today, this ongoing fascination of adult readers with Wonder tales and fantasy ranges from Ursula Le Guin to Neil Gaiman and Philip Pullman. It is an integral part of the world of books and reading.
The excerpt below on YA books, from Publisher's Weekly was part of the book world response that began with the Harry Potter book explosion. It was published in September 2012.
The illustration of the Little Match Girl is by Liiga Klavina, Deviant Art.
Adults Read YA Books
55% of YA (Young Adult) Books Readers are Older than 18: "More than half the consumers of books classified for young adults aren't all that young. According to a new study, fully 55% of buyers of works that publishers designate for kids aged 12 to 17 -- known as YA books -- are 18 or older, with the largest segment aged 30 to 44, a group that alone accounted for 28% of YA sales. And adults aren't just purchasing for others -- when asked about the intended recipient, they report that 78% of the time they are purchasing books for their own reading. The insights are courtesy of Understanding the Children's Book Consumer in the Digital Age, an ongoing biannual study from Bowker Market Research that explores the changing nature of publishing for kids..."
Here's the link to read more of this article: publishersweekly
The illustration from the Philosopher's Stone is by Jim Kay.
"Your mother died to save you. If there is one thing Voldemort cannot understand, it is love. Love as powerful as your mother's for you leaves it's own mark. To have been loved so deeply, even though the person who loved us is gone, will give us some protection forever."
― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Andersen . . . Stories for Children and Adults Alike
"Andersen combined humor, Christian sentiments, folklore, and original plots to form tales which amused and instructed old and young readers at the same time. More than any other writer of the 19th century, he fulfilled what Perrault had begun: to write tales such as 'The Ugly Duckling', 'The Little Mermaid', and the 'Princess and the Pea' which could be readily grasped by children and adults alike."
-- Jack Zipes... Oxford Companion to Fairy Tales
Life is a broken-winged bird
Photo by Robert W. Kelly/Time Life Pictures/Getty Images
Leena Krohn
"Leena Krohn, one of Finland's greatest writers, is the kind of storyteller who rewires your brain.She forces you to adopt to her pace, her particular and unique ideas of urgency, and of characterization and plot . . .In her fiction, however, this philosophical quest is often entwined with the visceral -- her novels are not abstractions, but alive with details of character, and setting and situation that display a keen eye for observation of the world around her."
Jeff VanderMeer, Introduction to Leena Krohn: Collected Fiction
Photo credit: Kauppalehti.fi.
Transported Me The Furthest
I also found myself hypnotized by Leena Krohn, a Finnish writer whose collected stories and novels, rendered into English by many different translators, have just been published as a single volume, "Leena Krohn: Collected Fiction." Broadly speaking, Krohn is a speculative writer; one of the novels in the collection, for example, consists of thirty letters written from an insect city. ("It is summer and one can look at the flowers face to face.") Krohn writes like a fantastical Lydia Davis, in short chapters the length of prose poems. Her characters often have a noirish toughness; one, explaining her approach to philosophy, says that when she asks an existential question, "life answers. It is generally a long and thorough answer. . . Looking back, I realize that my favorite books this year were those that drew me away from the ordinary social world and into very different spaces. I don't know why that was the dominant theme, but I know that these books transported me the furthest. —Joshua Rothman, The New Yorker
Tainaron
This is the opening paragraph of Leena Krohn's Tainaron. . . . "First letter: How could I forget the spring when we walked in the University's botanical gardens: for there is such a park here in Tainaron, too, large and carefully tended. If you saw it you would be astonished, for it contains many plants that no one at home knows; even a species that flowers underground."
The photo by Katri Lassila is somewhere in Northern Finland.
Cracking the Codes of Leena Krohn
This is the title of an insightful and enthusiastic New Yorker article by Peter Berbergal. In addition to reflections on Krohn's work, it contains interviews. Here is an excerpt from his fascinating article
"Leena Krohn: Collected Fiction," published late last year by Cheeky Frawg Books. . .The collection is the most extensive English translation yet of work by the celebrated Finnish writer, who has been a finalist for the prestigious World Fantasy Award and is a winner of the Finlandia Prize, the country's most important literary honor. The novels, novellas, excerpts, and short stories included in the Cheeky Frawg collection are not narratives in the traditional sense so much as a series of contextualized impressions. Plot is hard to come by. Instead, Krohn offers up the narrated inner lives of characters trying to make sense of their environments, and of the other people whom they encounter. Many of the works are set in cities, but the worlds that Krohn's characters inhabit never feel concrete: everything is mediated through particular characters' perceptions. The reader is left with the sense of having intruded on someone's dream, in which symbols are revelations of intimate details.
The painting is by Andrea Kowch
The Pelican's New Clothes -- A Children's Book
Leena Krohn writes about an intelligent pelican who wants to be human with all the accoutrements of city life. This is a wonderful children's book for YA and adults.
Adults see him and know him as the very well-dressed, well-spoken, Mr. Hendersen. Children see him as a pelican wearing clothes. His dream is to be human. After some time, he gets a job as a ticket taker and chorus singer at the Opera. He is particularly fond of Mozart's Cosi fan tutte.
His tutor and best friend is a early adolescent boy, Emil, who is also new to city life, his life having been recently uprooted when his parents divorced.
As a reader, following the Pelican's journey, I was seeing humanity and human customs through fresh, naive, eyes. The experiences of this outsider trying to become one of us, ranged from quite poignant to humorous.
Here is an excerpted early conversation on the occasion when Emil and the Pelican first meet and the Pelican asks how Emil ". . .'how you came to discover my' (here he hesitated for a moment) 'my origins?'
"Oh for goodness sake!" The boy was amazed. "There was no discovering about it. It's obvious."
"Not to humans," the bird argued. "Humans have such special eyes that they can't see anything with them except what they think they see. . . " Because I wear human clothes, I am human. That is the general consensus."
The Pelican and Emil have many experinces together and on their own. The Pelican has a thirst for knowledge and he loves the arts, especially, music. He is deeply disturbed, after he learns how to read, when he learns in the newspaper about war and human brutality.
Ultimately, he is discovered to be a bird, a pelican at that, and taken to a cage in the zoo. Emil, his loyal friend, helps him and there is a rather lovely ending.
Above, cover of Finnish edition.
Lower Illustration: The Pelican and Emil say goodbye in the movie by Magda Osinska.
Movies, Video, and Independent Animation
Netflix and Amazon Plus are now showing Studio Ghibli Films, including all of the wonderful films by the extraordinary Hayao Miyazaki.
The image on the left is from the wonderful Kiki's Delivery Service. The story and the animation are terrific. Like wonder tales, survival or winning in Miyazaki films depends on endurance, courage, and using your wits. And there is hope at the end. Here is a link to the delightful trailer: Kiki
Meaningful, Excellent Animation, Important
150 Years Marie Curie's remarkable legacy in 2 minutes
An homage to a great scientist
Link: Marie Curie 2 minutes
A Single Life
Pia travels through time through music
Charming and poignant multiple prize winner
Created by Job, Joris, and Marieke
Link to A Single Life 2.18 minutes
4 People trapped in memories
Brilliant and ominous
Many Prizes, presented by Royal College of Art with support by Blinkink
Directed by Stephen McNally, Score by Adam Cullen
Link to Meanwhile 5.13 minutes
The New Secret Garden Movie -- Mixed Reception
Disney releases the new movie on the Internet. Audiences rate it highly. Critics are mixed.
I have read several mixed reviews of The Secret Garden after first being delighted by the promise of the trailer. There are several questions from reviewers about story revisions. However, there is great praise for Itxaso Moreno, who plays and reinvents the leading character, Mary Lennox. And the lush visuals of the land, the house, and the garden are well received and sometimes praised..
My own feeling is for a new young audience, seeing the film for the first time, plot and character digressions from the book that disturbed several critics are missing the point. Here are conclusions that do make sense to me, from a review by Tomris Laffly writing in Roger Ebert : "The Secret Garden", as it always has, aims to open a gate for kids, a passage to a rejuvenating place that both validates and soothes adolescent fears too scary to handle unaccompanied. This essential version does exactly that when big minds trapped in little bodies might need it the most."
Niroz Is Remarkable
Niroz is a 10-year-old Syrian refugee girl who lives with her surviving family members in Domeez refugee camp in Kurdistan. Niroz appears in this 5 minute UNICEF video after one minute. She is unvanquished, articulate, very intelligent, and engaging. She likes her friends, school, and playing chess. Her dream is to become a cardiac surgeon. She is your guide to life in the camp. She is quite wonderful. This is an exceptional video.
Here is the YouTube video Link: Niroz
"We must fight against the spirit of unconscious cruelty with which we treat the animals. Animals suffer as much as we do. True humanity does not allow us to impose such sufferings on them. It is our duty to make the whole world recognize it. Until we extend our circle of compassion to all living things, humanity will not find peace."
Albert Schweitzer,The Philosophy of Civilization, Quoted in Real Cool Dogs
Ariel Wulff Update
Ariel Wulff is a dog enthusiast, dog owner and advocate, artist, and author of several dog books. She has also been illustrating a variety of delightful children's books for Tamira Ci Thayne, founder of Who Chains You Publishing. Here are excerpts from Wulff's blog, Up On The Woof, with information about this humane endeavor:
Tamira Ci Thane is the founder and former CEO of the humane organization Dogs Deserve Better. . . When she left DDB, Tami founded Who Chains You Publishing in order to publish books for and about animal lovers, activists and rescuers—in all genres from children's to fiction to autobiographies. The mission of Who Chains You is to amplify the voices of the animals through the empowerment of animal lovers, activists, and rescuers who write books elevating the status of animals in society . . . At the deepest level, WCY books explore which chains humans must break within ourselves in order to free the animals. Here is a link to: Who Chains You Publishing Cover by Ariel Wulff.
Fences for Fido - Unchained - One Dog at a Time - All Volunteer
"Fences for Fido is an award-winning, non-profit organization that builds donor-funded fences free of charge for families who keep their dogs on chains, tethers and in small enclosures. We also provide: A warm, insulated dog house; Spay/neuter services; Critical vet care."
During Corona Virus, a modified Fences for Fido carries on their work.
"We were able to work with all of our Client Outreach team members to list our highest-need cases. Using the smallest possible crew with safety measures in place, we were able to visit those dogs and: Set up temporary panel fences if needed; Schedule urgent veterinary care as needed; Deliver dog houses or food as needed.
AND MOST OF ALL, We're protecting OUR VOLUNTEERS: the most valuable part of this amazing, life-saving, kindness-spreading, hard-working machine we've created together.
Here is a link to a terrific video montage of Joyous Dogs after a visit from Fences for Fido.
The photo is of Fences For Fido Central Oregon Volunteers, taken before the Corona Virus.
Planet of the Dogs Book Series
"Our story begins long, long ago, before there were dogs on Planet Earth.
There was plenty of space in those days for people to settle and grow things. . .There were clear lakes and cool streams with lots of fish. There were fields and woods with game to hunt. . . Many people settled in these places of abundance and prospered. . .
................................................................................................................................................................
"Their lives are balancing acts between a humanized being and an older, wilder nature. Dogs are interstitial beings, not yet human, but no longer wolves. That is the unresolved paradox of doghood." Leena Krohn
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Posted by Robert McCarty on September 01, 2020 at 12:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Tags: A Christmas Tale; Planet of the Dogs, anti-war books, Born Without a Tail; librarians, CA Wulff, Castle in the Mist, Celebrating Reading, children's books, children's fantasy books, children's literature, Circling the Waggins, Crossover books, Dog books, early reader books, fairytales, Fantasy, Fantasy, Fences for Fido, Finding Fido, first chapter books, How to Change the World in 30 Seconds, Kid Litosphere, Kids Books, Kids dog books, Leena Krohn, Lit World, Maria Tatar, Maria Tatar; Jack Zipes, Miyazaki, Myth and Moor, Parade of Misfits, Planet of the Dogs Productions; Carterhaugh School, Refugee Girl, Seth Lerer, Snow Valley Heroes, tales of wonder, Terri Windling, Therapy dogs, Why Am I, Wonder Tales, Yelodoggie
The Book, Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World, Combined Fantastic Adventure and Savage Satire.
Travels and Beyond
The shipwreck that landed Lemuel Gulliver in the land of very small people (Lilliputians) was the opening of a momentous book that became known as Gulliver's Travels. It combined fantastic adventures with a savage satire of the British ruling class and politics. Written by the brilliant Anglo-Irish author, Jonathan Swift, it was published anonymously (1726) to avoid punishment and prison. It rocked the British establishment. It was a huge success, was widely read, and was one of the books that gave birth to the novel form. It has also proved popular with young adult readers and has never been out of print.
Gulliver was forced by circumstances to travel onward four times, to four very different lands, before he could return to England. He is condemned but escapes the Lillyputians; more misadventures occurred in the land of giants (Brobdingnag) and after many learned conversations, followed by trouble, he finds safety for some time in an erudite civilization that exists on a floating land (Laputa); his travels then take him to an extraordinary country, ruled by very intelligent horses horses (the Land of the Houyhnhnms) They ruled over dirty, crude, hapless humans who were called Yahoos.
When he later returned home, Gulliver was so frustrated and despairing of people that he spent much of his time talking with his horses rather than the Yahoos he found representing England in Dublin.
Furious, Raging , Obscene
Robert McCrum writing in the Guardian, ranks the book number 3 in his appraisal of the 100 best novels written in English. Here is an excerpt from his article: "In its afterlife as a classic, Gulliver's Travels works on many levels. First, it's a masterpiece of sustained and savage indignation, 'furious, raging, obscene', according to Thackeray. Swift's satirical fury is directed against almost every aspect of early 18th-century life: science, society, commerce and politics. Second, stripped of Swift's dark vision, it becomes a wonderful travel fantasy for children, a perennial favourite that continues to inspire countless versions, in books and films."
During and after Swift's lifetime, the British establishment wielded its power, as they had for centuries, to subjugate and punish the Irish, most of whom were very poor, worked the land, and were Catholic. Poverty and periodic famines dominated their lives. The Anglo-Irish, although they owned much of the land taken from the Irish, were not considered the equal of the British establishment. those who wielded the power. Swift was a victim of this elitism. That he was also deeply moved by the painful lives of the Irish people is well illustrated in other writings directed at the elite British government responsible for the poverty and famine of the Irish.
Contempt for Heartless British Attitudes
In A Modest Proposal, a savage satire, he opens with a listing of the painful, joyless conditions of life oppressing the Irish. Here is an excellent, succinct summary of the article from Wikipedia:
"A Modest Proposal, is a Juvenalian satirical essay written and published anonymously by Jonathan Swift in 1729. The essay suggests that the impoverished Irish might ease their economic troubles by selling their children as food to rich gentlemen and ladies. This satirical hyperbole mocked heartless attitudes towards the poor, as well as British policy toward the Irish in general."
Transit Points to an Alternate Reality
A storm and a shipwreck were transit vehicles for Jonathan Swift in the same way that C.S. Lewis used a wardrobe to take children to Narnia; or that Lewis Carroll had Alice going down the Rabbit hole to Wonderland, or, more recently, Neil Gaiman's character, Door, in Neverwhere who was the very embodiment of a transit point.They were all transit phenomena that took characters in stories to an alternate reality, a world of fantasy. Fantasy, in the world of Gulliver's Travels provided Swift a way to attack the arrogance and ideas of the smug British establishment with a wide impact. It also became a wonderful crossover book for young readers.
"Though now we think of fairy tales as stories intended for very young children, this is a relatively modern idea. In the oral tradition, magical stories were enjoyed by listeners young and old alike, while literary fairy tales (including most of the tales that are best known today) were published primarily for adult readers until the 19th century."
Terri Windling -- Black Swan, White Raven
The illustration is by Knut Ekwall
Who Are Called To Write Wonder Tales ? And Why?
The diversity of written tales is as extraordinary as the oral tales that developed over the centuries in cultures around the world. They embody unlimited imagination. As a reader, consider for a moment the images and stories that come to mind at just the mention of names like Gaiman, Tolkien, Carroll, Twain, Pullman, Le Guin, Rowling, Yolen, Barrie and many more. Are there qualities, characteristics, that are common to all of them that propelled their creativity to the writing of wonderful books for the young, and often, books that also have great appeal for adults?
From talking trees and magic dust, to schools for wizards and talking dragons, despite very different personas, life experiences, and eras, they have one thing in common: all have written stories of wonder that resonate with readers. The answer probably lies in these words by Ursula Le Guin. "Fantasy is a different approach to reality, an alternative technique for apprehending and coping with existence. It is not antirational, but pararational; not realistic but surrealistic, a heightening of reality. "
The illustration is from The Wizard of Earthsea.
New Worlds in Wonder Tales
Jack Zipes has written extensively about how oral tales and written tales emanate from and relate to real events in the lives of people.
"Fairy tales will continue to intrigue and influence their audience as long as they continue to " awaken our wonderment and enable us to project counter worlds to our present society, [fairy tales] will serve a meaningful social and aesthetic function, not just for compensation but for revelation.
Jack Zipes, When Dreams Came True, Classical Fairy Tales and Their Tradition.
Photo of Serbian Migrants by Marko Djurica/Reuters
Magic happens on the threshold of the forbidden .. Maria Tatar
Eduard Laboulaye, French Jurist, Wrote Wonderful Tales
Eduard Laboulaye, an overlooked writer, wrote of a multitude of imaginative fairy tales for both children and adults. He lived in 19th century France during unsettled and difficult years of internal conflict, wars, and colonialism. Here is an excerpt from Jack Zipes regarding "the forgotten fairy tale genius of Edouard Laboulaye."
"Eduard Laboulaye, one of France's foremost jurists and politicians of the 19th century, published highly unusual political fairy tales. . . Laboulaye was a great admirer of American democracy, supported the antislavery cause of the North, wrote several books on the history of the United States and American constitutional law, and played a key role in developing the plans for the Statue of Liberty. Some of his American contemporaries considered him America's greatest friend.
His production of stories and novels is stunning in its variety. It includes three collections of tales, Contes bleus (Blue Tales, 1863), Nouveaux contes bleus (New Blue Tales, 1868), and Derniers contes bleus (Final Blue Tales, 1884); experimental works of fiction, such as the moralistic novel Abdallah, ou Le trè e à quatre feuilles (Abdallah, or The Four-Leaf Clover, 1859), based on traditional Arabic folk tales; the time-travel fantasy novel Paris en Amérique (Paris in America, 1862); and the fairy-tale novel Le prince-caniche (The Poodle Prince, 1867–68)."
The illustrations are by Edward G. McCandlish.
Fairy Tales for His Children
Laboulaye's children were treated to wonderful tales by a loving father with great imagination. I have been reading the excellent Project Gutenberg version of his nineteenth century Fairy Book. These tales are filled with magic, trials, quests, magic, miracles, and all the delights that wonder tales might offer.
There is the story a quest in the book by a boy to find the Castle of Life -- and the Fountain of Immortality -- wherein a magic bird, a loyal dog (Fido), and a courageous heart carry the boy onward despite hardships and temptations. Mysteries, enchantments, and shape-shifting abound. At the core of everything is love.
And there is Dubrunka, in The Twelve Months, an orphan child with a cruel stepmother and crueler stepsister. "The poor child was obliged to do all the work of the house; she had to sweep, cook, wash, sew, spin, weave, cut the grass, and take care of the cow, while Katinka (her stepsister) lived like a princess—that is to say, did nothing." Dubrunka endures many hardships, including being lost, famished. and freezing in the snow filled woods. Ultimately, with her good heart and courage, she survives many trials.
"Dobrunka lived to a good old age, always virtuous and happy, having, according to the proverb, winter at the door, summer in the barn, autumn in the cellar, and spring in the heart."
One story deals with the idea of Destiny and unfairness. And each story, even the strange Noses, in some way, concludes on a note of hope. I found the variety and quality of the stories in this collection of ten tales to be delightful.
The illustrations from the Castle of Life and The Twelve Months are by Edward G. McClandish.
The Truest and Sweetest Things in Life
The following was passed on by author Kate Douglas Wiggen (author of Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm ) in her Introduction to the 1926 English version of Laboulaye's Fairy Book.
"In his preface to the first American edition Laboulaye writes a letter to Mlle. Gabrielle Laboulaye, aged two! In it he says: 'When you throw away this book with your doll, do not be too severe with your old grandfather for wasting his time on such trifles as fairy stories. Experience will teach you that the truest and sweetest things in life are not those which we see, but of which we dream.' Happy the children who have this philosophy set before them early in life."
The illustration from Noses is by Edward G McClandish
The image on the left is from the wonderful Porco Rosso. The story and the animation are terrific. Like wonder tales, survival or winning in Miyazaki films depends on endurance, courage, and using your wits. And there is hope at the end. Here is a link to a brilliant montage (2:48) of Porco Rosso
White Birds Black Birds
A parable, elegant in its simplicity, and art
by Florence Miailhe
Good thoughts and bad, light and darkness
Producer Yves Billion, Music Denis Colin
Link to:White Birds and Black Birds (3:51)
This is a composite trailer, from cutting edge to top-drawer traditional animation of multiple diverse styles.
Autour de Minuit is a Paris-based, multi-faceted and innovative, animation production and distribution company.
This film will give you a dynamic animation overview in a whirlwind 1 minute and 30 seconds.
Link to; Autour de Minuit
Here Winter
A Journey of Wonder from Lee Kyutae
Timeless Abstract Fantasy
Music by Shin Hyunmo
Link to:Here Winter 6:10
A Miyazaki Movie Guide
Nancy Coleman, in the NY Times, has written a laudatory Miyazaki/Ghibli Guide.
"Studio Ghibli has also, with impeccable consistency, struck a rare balance that most family-oriented movies struggle to achieve. These are undoubtedly children's movies — but they also have a loyal following of adult fans, who devour their favorites over and over again."
The illustration is from My Neighbor Totoro.
Squirmy Hermie's Heroics
"Snip, snip . . . snip, snip. . . Squirmy Hermie poked his head out of his pink and yellow-painted shell, peering out into the darkening room. Where was that noise coming from? The store had closed for the night; the only sounds this late came from his newfound crab friends as they began their nocturnal hunt for food and entertainment. . . And maybe a way out of here? The nagging hope slipped into his mind for the hundredth time since he'd arrived in this place only a few days earlier. . . Squirmy and his friend Hairy had been taken, along with many others, from their beach homes in the Caribbean islands. Why? Where were they now? And how could they free themselves from this cage and the toxic shells they'd been forced into?
This exceptional new children's book, Squirmy Hermie's Heroics, is the 4th volume in the wonderful Animal Protector series from author Tamira Thayne, with full color illustrations by C.A. Wulff. Available in Paperback and Kindle; coming in Audiobook.
What Would Mickey Say About Families Taking Risks?
This is an excerpt from an article by Laura Bradley in the Daily Beast :
"Disney World shut down in March due to the novel coronavirus pandemic. But over the weekend, as Florida set a record for new cases of the novel coronavirus in a single day—outpacing all of Europe combined—the park reopened the doors to its Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom. . . A new guide map for the Magic Kingdom includes a chilling warning for guests: "By entering Walt Disney World, you voluntarily assume all risks related to COVID-19."
Brigadoon Service Dogs
I have come to like very much Denise CoStanten. We have never met. However, I I have watched and listened to her in many Brigadoon videos covering several years. She is a plain-spoken, caring, down to earth woman and the founder and developer of Brigadoon. They are community-based in Bellingham, WA, They are outstanding.
"Therapy dogs and the many volunteers who work with Brigadoon help children, adults, veterans, and even incarcerated people. The latter train dogs to help veterans with PTSD and other debilitating problems . .
We've trained dogs for children and adults with a variety of disabilities such as hearing or visual impairments, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, PTSD, other mental health diagnoses and people with medical conditions requiring dogs trained to alert to an impending crisis."
The man in the photo on the left is a veteran who was seriously wounded (IUD explosion, both legs severe damage, trauma) and suffered from PTSD. His Brigadoon therapy dog has changed his life in many good ways, as he testifies in this video.
Here is the link to their website: Brigadoon
Here is a link to an early Brigadoon video
Another World -- Refugee Children
"Devastating conflict in the Syrian Arab Republic has forced a million children to flee their homeland."
Amidst the chaos and pain there is hope. Take 2:43 and warm your heart with a video visit to the world of Aya an 8 year old Syrian refugee girl.
UNICF produced the film. They, and other non-profits like the IRC and Save the Children try to provide hope and the basic necessities of life.
The photo following a Syrian or Russian bomb attack is by Thaer Muhammed/AFP.
Castle In The Mist is the second book in the Planet Of The Dogs Series -
"...Castle in the Mist is full of the same elements I enjoyed in Planet of the Dogs and Snow Valley Heroes: beautiful, detailed, soft, mood setting drawings; the fun and antics of the dogs, and the people who are discovering them for the first time; encroaching danger and suspense; the lovely fantasy of a planet of dogs who are so concerned with the people of earth; and the forgiveness, unconditional love and loyalty that the dogs are able to subtly impart."- Excerpt from a 5 star Amazon review by Lisa Harvey, Book Thoughts by Lisa...
The illustration of Prince Uuko,leader of the Black Hawk tribes is by Stella Mustanoja McCarty.
"Dogs are our link to paradise. They don't know evil or jealousy or discontent. To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden, where doing nothing was not boring--it was peace."
― Milan Kundera
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Posted by Robert McCarty on August 01, 2020 at 10:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Tags: A Christmas Tale; Planet of the Dogs, anti-war books, Born Without a Tail; librarians, Brigadoon Service Dogs, CA Wulff, Castle in the Mist, Celebrating Reading, children's books, children's fantasy books, children's literature, Circling the Waggins, Dog books, early reader books, fairytales, Fantasy, Finding Fido, first chapter books, Gulliver's Travels, How to Change the World in 30 Seconds, Jonathan Swift, Kid Litosphere, Kids Books, Kids dog books, Laboulaye, Lit World, Maria Tatar; Jack Zipes, Myth and Moor, Parade of Misfits, Planet of the Dogs Productions, Seth Lerer, Snow Valley Heroes, Squirmy Hermie's Heroics, tales of wonder, Terri Windling, Therapy dogs, Why Am I, Yelodoggie
The painting of Flying Penguins is by Michael Sowa.
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Stories of Real Life
"Why are so many of us enspelled by myths and folk stories in this modern age? Why do we continue to tell the same old tales, over and over again? I think it's because these stories are not just fantasy. They're about real life. We've all encountered wicked wolves, found fairy godmothers, and faced trial by fire. We've all set off into unknown woods at one point in life or another. We've all had to learn to tell friend from foe and to be kind to crones by the side of the road. . . ."
― Terri Windling
The painting, Bird Girls, is by Terri Windling.
Terri Windling -- The Lady of Myth and Moor
I first came to know Terri Windling through books she edited with Ellen Datlow. They were thoughtful collections of re-told wonder tales and fantasy that remained quite magical. I then read her wondrous and magical novel, The Wood Wife. At the same time, I discovered her amazing blog, Myth and Moor. I know of no other website like it. Her blog is a continuous journey through worlds of wonder, from the hills of Dartmoor and the natural world that surrounds her, to other authors, art, and the sounds of music from earlier times -- music that renews the heart. Myth and Moor is abundant, generous, and is clearly the voice of Terri Windling. Here is a link: Terri Windling
The photo is of Terri and her dog,Tilly, on Meldon Hill, Dartmoor.
Time Shifts
"The calendar turns, the lock-down rolls on, and time is going funny on us. It feels like we've been in lock-down forever; and it also feels like it hasn't been long at all, surely not six weeks since the UK lock-down began on March 23rd.
I've been thinking about the way time warps in so many fairy stories and myths. When we enter a story, and enter enchantment, we are in a place of profound uncertainty where even the steady ticking of the clock is something we cannot take for granted."
Terri Windling -- Excerpted from Myth and Moor
The Avocado Tree Clock is by Rima Staines.
A Mirror Held Up To The World I Knew
"I hungered for a narrative with which to make some sense of my life, but in schoolbooks and on television all I could find was the sugar water of Dick and Jane, Leave it to Beaver and the happy, wholesome Brady Bunch. Mine was not a Brady Bunch family; it was troubled, fractured, persistently violent, and I needed the stronger meat of wolves and witches, poisons and peril. In fairy tales, I had found a mirror held up to the world I knew — where adults were dangerous creatures, and Good and Evil were not abstract concepts. . .
Through fairy tales, however, I understood my past in different terms: not as an illness or weakness, but as a hero narrative. It was a story, my story, beginning with birth and ending only with death. Difficult challenges and trials, even those that come at a tender young age, can make us wiser, stronger, and braver; they can serve to transform us, rather than sending us limping into the future."
― Terri Windling, excerpted from Mirror, Mirror on the Wall: Women Writers Explore Their Favorite Fairy Tales
The painting of Donkeyskin is by Terri Windling.
The Erasure of Safety and Comfort and Trust
"The reason that most people value fairy tales, I would say, is that they do not detain us with hope but simply validate what is. Even people who have never known hunger, let alone a murderous stepmother, still have a sense—from dreams, from books, from news broadcasts—of utter blackness, the erasure of safety and comfort and trust. Fairy tales tell us that such knowledge, or fear, is not fantastic but realistic. Maybe, after this life, we will go to Heaven, as the two little girls who starved to death hoped to. Or maybe not. Though Wilhelm tried to Christianize the tales, they still invoke nature, more than God, as life's driving force, and nature is not kind."
Joan Acocella, Once Upon A Time, New Yorker
The illustration from Brother and Sister is by Alexander Zwick.
The Wood Wife
Maggie, a woman poet of 40 years, journeys to the Rincon mountains of Arizona and enters another dimension. The Wood Wife is a very personal book, an intimate story, where reality shimmers in magic realism. The natural world and people Maggie meets are alive and vivid, often in unexpected ways for the spiritual realm is omnipresent. Reality has many levels in this mountain world and, as with shape shifting, many forms. Mysteries and shamanism abound as part of Maggie's daily journey of discovery. Here is an excerpt:
"Her heart seemed to beat to a rhythm that was pulsing in the stones, in the ground beneath her feet. The night was filled with scents and sounds that were strange to her, and heady. There was something primal about this land, a language spoken by the stones and the wind. What had Davis's letter said? The stars, the stones, the very trees reveal the language of the earth."
I found that The Wood Wife had the ability to transport me from the actual, everyday world, to another -- a simultaneous realm of magic, without my being aware that it was happening.
The late highly regarded fantasy author, Robert Holdstock, described the book as "A wonderful, elegant fantasy -- sensuous, fascinating, and eerily spiritual."
The Wood Wife was published by Tor Books in 1996. It won the Mythopoeic Award for Novel of the Year.
The cover illustration of the Wood Wife is by Susan Seddon Boulet.
The Carterhaugh School Featured The Wood Wife
I have long admired the Carterhaugh school.Their post about The Wood Wife, with its insights, information, and passion has added to and reinforced my admiration. Here is an excerpt:
"Our Carterhaugh Book Club selection for March is Terri Windling's absolutely wonderful novel The Wood Wife! We are SO excited to dive into this one with you – it's full of art, poetry, deep connection to place, and the subtle, soft magic we both love. . ."
A principle character in the book, a painter, Anna Naverra, is a major influence throughout the story because of both her persona and the work she left behind. Both the character and her art were inspired by the amazing Mexican surrealist painter, Remedios Vara.
"In honor of our new book club selection, we thought we would share a few of our favorite Remedios Varo pieces. One of the things we love most about her work is that each painting feels like a story in progress. We look at each piece and start imagining a whole fairy tale to go with it! You absolutely get this feeling from Windling's descriptions of Anna's paintings too (and obviously Davis is inspired to do just that!). . ."
Link: CarterhaughWoodWife
The painting, The Ascension of Mount Analogue, is by Remedios Varo.
Fantasy Is. . .
"Fantasy is a different approach to reality, an alternative technique for apprehending and coping with existence. It is not antirational, but pararational; not realistic but surrealistic, a heightening of reality. In Freud's terminology, it employs primary, not secondary process thinking. It employs archetypes, which, as Jung warned us, are dangerous things. Fantasy is nearer to poetry, to mysticism, and to insanity than naturalistic fiction is. It is a wilderness, and those who go there should not feel too safe." Ursula K. Le Guin
The illustration of the Dragons of Earthsea is by Shane Gallagher.
'But I don't want to go among mad people,' Alice remarked.
'Oh, you can't help that,' said the Cat: 'we're all mad here. I'm mad. You're mad.'
'How do you know I'm mad?' said Alice.
'You must be,' said the Cat, 'or you wouldn't have come here.'
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, ch. 6, by Lewis Carroll.
The illustration of Alice and the Cheshire Cat is by John Tenniel.
The Oz Books -- American Wonder Tales
Reading Alison Laurie's insights about the Oddness of Oz in her book, Boys and Girls Together, Children's Classics from Cinderella to Harry Potter, has motivated me to write again about the Oz books, and L. Frank Baum. I found there was much that I hadn't previously discovered.
I knew that the Wonderful Wizard of Oz was an instant success, with great reviews, following the first printing in 1900. I also knew that the book had sold millions of copies over the years; sparked 13 successful sequels; inspired many stage and film productions; and was translated into a very large number of foreign languages.
However, what I did not know until I read Alison Laurie, was that the Wonderful Wizard of Oz was looked down upon by the entire literary establishment.
All of the illustrations from the book are by W.W. Denslow.
Subversive Message
Alison Laurie provides insights into the "official" literary establishment position:
"Yes, you can escape from your dreary domestic life into fairy land, Baum's books say: you can have exciting but safe adventures, make new friends, live in a castle, never have to do housework or homework, and, maybe most important of all -- never grow up.
This subversive message may be one of the reasons that the Oz books took so long to become accepted as classics. For more than half a century after L. Frank Baum discovered it in 1900, the Land of Oz had a curious reputation. American children by the thousands went there happily, but authorities in the field of juvenile literature, like suspicious and conservative travel agents, refused to recommend it or even to handle tickets. Librarians would not buy the Oz books, schoolteachers would not let you write reports on them, and the best known histories of children's books made no reference to their existence. In the 1930s and 1940s they were actually removed from many schools and libraries."
Far Ahead Of Their Time
Early in her observations, Laurie points out unique qualities about The Wizard of Oz that have escaped notice by many:
"Those who recall the story only from childhood reading, or from the MGM film, have perhaps never realized how strange the original book and its sequels are.
For one thing, the Oz books are far ahead of their time both scientifically and politically. They are full of inventions that would not appear on the market for most of the century, among them a robot man, an artificial heart and limbs, a television monitoring system, anti-gravity devices, and a computer-type news service. . . "
All illustrations from the book are by W.W. Denslow.
Early Feminism
Laurie also points out that Baum's books are quite feminist in several regards:
"Dorothy like Matilda (Baum's wife) and Maud Gage (Baum's mother-in-law, a very active feminist and influential suffragette), is clearly a New Woman. Her virtues are those of a Victorian hero rather than a Victorian heroine: she is brave, active, independent, sensible, and willing to confront authority."
Alison Laurie provides many other insights and examples of how the OZ books were innovative and ahead of their time. This included Baum's symbiotic relationship with the talented illustrator, W.W. Denslow.
Alison Laurie is professor emerita of English Literature and Children's Literature at Cornell University. Her books include many well received novels, excellent non-fiction (articles and criticism), and children's literature. She received a Pulitzer Prize for her delightful novel, Foreign Affairs.
A fearless Dorothy confronts the flying monkeys in this illustration by W.W. Denslow.
The Library of Congress has named The Wizard of Oz as "America's greatest and best- loved homegrown fairy tale."
A Visionary Landscape
"In Oz, turn-of-the-Century America, (be it Chicago or California) becomes a visionary landscape, and at the same time the visionary is made commonplace. In Oz, a familiar thing like a scarecrow is magically a person, and at the same time, a magical person like the wizard is actually a balloonist from Omaha." -Jerry Griswold, Audacious Children
The Chicago Columbian Exposition of 1893, above, a celebration of America, drew over 27 million visitors.
A Buried Universal Note
Insights into The Wizard of Oz Movie by Roger Ebert . . .
"We study all of these details, I think, because 'The Wizard of Oz' fills such a large space in our imagination. It somehow seems real and important in a way most movies don't. Is that because we see it first when we're young? Or simply because it is a wonderful movie? Or because it sounds some buried universal note, some archetype or deeply felt myth?
I lean toward the third possibility, that the elements in "The Wizard of Oz" powerfully fill a void that exists inside many children. For kids of a certain age, home is everything, the center of the world. But over the rainbow, dimly guessed at, is the wide earth, fascinating and terrifying. There is a deep fundamental fear that events might conspire to transport the child from the safety of home and strand him far away in a strange land. And what would he hope to find there? Why, new friends, to advise and protect him. And Toto, of course, because children have such a strong symbiotic relationship with their pets that they assume they would get lost together.
This deep universal appeal explains why so many different people from many backgrounds have a compartment of their memory reserved for 'The Wizard of Oz.' "
Movies and Video
Miyazaki is on Netflix. The image on the left is from the wonderful Castle In The Sky.
How To Float
Imaginative, provocative, fantasy. . .
An evocative fantasy of moving design on the cutting edge of imagination from the Toronto based Good Form Studios formed by partners Julian Ablaza and Dylan Carquez.
4:25 flowing minutes.
Link; How To Float
Bendito Machine V Pull the Trigger
Exceptional Sci-fi drama. . . "an acute commentary on humans and their weaknesses, their machines, their dreams and the mysteries of the universe." Producer/creator Jossie Malis, Zumbakamera Films.
"The 5th installment of the machine's saga! "'An exotic traveler from far away. An unexplored territory. A turbulent conflict. The storm will pass.'"
Link: Pull The Trigger Time: 12:28 wondrous minutes
About a Mother
Totally different in concept, art , and style.
Produced as a student film in Moscow by Dina Velikovskaya, this film is fun and imaginative.
Follow the link and smile: About a Mother Time 7:15 minutes
Yelodoggie Covid Face Masks by C. A. Wulff are available on Fine Art America
Do Young Readers Play Video Games?
Perhaps I underestimate the value of video games. I know that there are some good "educational" games. However, I read descriptions and look at video segments that lead me to believe that most video games are cotton candy for the mind. I also read that video games, for vast numbers of young people, are obsessive and time consuming.
There are 2.5 billion gamers world-wide and revenues currently exceed $50 billion!
Last month I posted this: "Opening a new front in the campaign to dominate digital entertainment, Amazon is investing hundreds of millions of dollars into becoming a leading creator and distributor of video games.The Internet giant said it intended to release its first original big-budget game, an ambitious science-fiction shooter called Crucible, in May." Excerpted from a NY Times article by Steve Schiesel.
The illustration is from the game.
Animal Crossing/ New Horizons
Since writing the above about Amazon's major investment in the video game industry, I have read about a new version of a Nintendo Game, Animal Crossing/New Horizons, that is selling, in a short time, well over 11 million games:
"Animal Crossing has been a thing for almost 20 years, but this year it has exploded. You cannot scroll through any social media feed without seeing one of its benign, big-headed characters in a screenshot or video showing off someone's beautifully tended desert island. . . People who've rarely played games before have been picking it up as a lockdown distraction . . . Since the latest game, New Horizons, came out on 20 March. . . it's been setting new records, selling 11m copies by the end of March! "
Excerpted from an article in the Guardian by Keza MacDonald. Here's a link to the game trailer: Nintendo
Keza MacDonald's article casts a benign glow on this game and the phenomenal sales it has engendered. I'm not so sure about it. She is a highly educated woman with 12 years of experience playing games. Perhaps the gamer point of view is limited to gamers and their ever-growing universe. I hope the gamer kids are also reading.
A Smile
A Funny Video of a Dog Having Dinner.
Perhaps your dog has good manners when she or he eats.
But only Mariele eats dinner in a fine restaurant with elegant manners.
Here is the Link: Mariele
Brigadoon Service Dogs -- The Human-Canine Bond
Bellingham, in the beautiful North Western area of Washington State, is the home of Brigadoon Service Dogs, a wonderful volunteer organization that provides vital help to the daily lives of many people.
"Brigadoon Service Dogs is a unique organization. Our mission is to provide trained service dogs for combat veterans, children, and adults with physical, developmental, and behavioral health disabilities to promote a more independent and enriched life. We change lives one partnership at a time. . .
Brigadoon is one of the few training facilities that trains dogs for children under the age of 16. We train with the child and their entire family to ensure the service dog is a good fit in the home."
The photo was taken at Brigadoon's Volunteer Center of Whatcom County. Visit their website at: Brigadoon.
Millions of refugee children. Their plight is staggering. Will they live? Will they ever find a home?
"Many Syrian children have lost a close relative or have a parent or sibling, and thousands have been orphaned or separated from their families in the chaos of war. Many have missed years of education, with 2.1 million children in Syria currently out of school. The conflict has devastated the lives of a generation of young people."
Here is the link: Save The Children
The photo of the Syrian refugee girl is by Muhammed Muheisen AP.
The Planet Of The Dogs Series
Castle in the Mist, is very exciting. . . I really recommend these books to all kids looking for some good summer reading. . ,Thomas Jarvis (10), The Magic Bookshelf
The Planet Of The Dogs series, including Castle In The Mist and Snow Valley Heroes, A Christmas Tale, is available from many Internet sources and through independent bookstores.
The illustration from Castle In The Mist is by Stella Mustanoja McCarty.
There is no doubt that every healthy, normal boy...should own a dog at some time in his life, preferably between the ages of forty-five and fifty. -- Robert Benchley
Posted by Robert McCarty on June 01, 2020 at 05:46 PM in Books, Children, Dogs, Film, Kids, Movies | Permalink | Comments (0)
Tags: A Christmas Tale; Planet of the Dogs, Alison Laurie, Animal Crossing/New Horizons, anti-war books, Born Without a Tail; librarians, Brigadoon Service Dogs, CA Wulff, Castle in the Mist, Celebrating Reading, children's books, children's fantasy books, children's literature, Circling the Waggins, Dog books, Donkeyskin, early reader books, fairytales, Fantasy, Finding Fido, first chapter books, How to Change the World in 30 Seconds, Jerry Griswold, Kid Litosphere, Kids Books, Kids dog books, Lit World, Maria Tatar; Jack Zipes, Miyazaki, Myth and Moor, Parade of Misfits, Planet of the Dogs Productions; Carterhaugh School, Roger Ebert, Save the Children, Seth Lerer, Snow Valley Heroes, tales of wonder, Terri Windling, Therapy dogs, Ursula Le Guin, Why Am I, Wizard of OZ, Wonder Tales, Yelodoggie
The photo was taken in the Medieval Church in Inkoo, Finland.
The Great Plagues -- A Time of Great Fear
There were many time periods, over the centuries, where religion brought some comfort during difficult times of drought, famine, and war. Religion had answers to the mysteries of life.
The great plagues, however, presented devastating problems that religion could not solve.
The Black Death of the fourteenth century moved, at great speed, across Asia, the Silk Road, Africa, and Europe. There are no exact figures but scholars estimate that some 200 million people died including 30 to 60 percent of Europe's population. At that time, nine out of 10 people eked out a living from the earth; peasant farmers and the poor of the cities were the hardest hit.
Most people believed that the Black Death and the overwhelming events that followed it were caused by God who was punishing people for their sinfulness. For many, it was seen as the coming of the Apocalypse.
The end of the world was near. Fear, chaos and death were everywhere. Especially with the poor. . ." the story of apocalypse is an old one, one of the oldest humans tell. In ancient religious traditions beyond Christianity — including Judaism, Islam and Buddhism — it is a common narrative that arises in moments of social and political crisis, as people try to process unprecedented or shocking events."-- Elizabeth Dias in the NY Times.
The illustration of the Triumph of Death is by Pieter Bruegel.
A Poignant Witness
In Sienna, Agnolo di Tura survived the devastation, and wrote a moving account of his devastating experiences. Here is an excerpt: "The mortality in Sienna began in May. It was a cruel and horrible thing. . . . It seemed that almost everyone became stupefied seeing the pain. . . The victims died almost immediately. . . Father abandoned child, wife husband, one brother another; for this illness seemed to strike through breath and sight. And so they died. None could be found to bury the dead . . . Members of a household brought their dead to a ditch as best they could, without priest, without divine offices. . . And they died by the hundreds, both day and night, and all were thrown in those ditches and covered with earth. . . I, Agnolo di Tura . . . buried my five children with my own hands. . . . And so many died that all believed it was the end of the world."
The stained glass window illustration is from the Great East Window at York Cathedral.
The Book of Revelations and The Apocalypse
The Book of Revelations is the final part of the New Testament. Today, controversy surrounds virtually every aspect of Revelations, from the author, the meaning, the timeline, to its religious significance. The book of Revelations was written based on visions of a prophet named John. For a modern reader, the ecstatic style and hallucinogenic content are difficult to relate to.
However, in the time of the fourteenth century plague, a world of chaos, fear, and death, where Saints were known to raise the dead and perform other miracles, the prophesies of apocalyptic events made sense.
The illustration of the Dance of Death is by Michael Wolgemut (1493).
The Apocalypse
In this excerpt from Revelations 6:7-8, published in the The New American Standard Bible, is the vision of Death, The Pale Rider, one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. The other horsemen are War, Famine, and Pestilence.
"When the Lamb broke the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, "Come." I looked, and behold, an ashen horse; and he who sat on it had the name Death; and Hades was following with him. Authority was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by the wild beasts of the earth. "
Wonder Tales Survived and Gave Hope
How did people endure, for centuries, the dark times of plague, famine, drought and war?
Life was short and often brutal. Courage, endurance, and using your wits were vital traits and could mean the difference between life and death.
Wonder tales were often tales of becoming, tales of overcoming the great hardships of life, even under dangerous circumstances.
The illustration is by Leon-Augustin Lhermitte.
Donkeyskin is a tale of a royal young woman escaping incest, using her wits -- royal beauty hidden by a grotesque disguise -- and having courage to endure hardships, and, in the end, triumphing. This ancient story was told for many centuries where women seldom had rights and abuse was common.
The illustration of Donkeyskin is by Nadezhda Illarionova.
In the tale of Puss In Boots, even an animal can prevail. Puss uses his wits and manipulates everyone from the king to an ogre. His cleverness and courage extends to tricking an ogre into becoming a mouse -- and therefore an edible snack for a cat. His cleverness ultimately allows Puss to gain a fine castle with servants and all the trappings for his simple master -- and for himself.
The illustration of Puss In Boots is by Gustave Dore.
In Little Thumb, once again the underdog -- the smallest of seven brothers -- wins, even escaping death. In a time of famine and despair, Tom manages to save his family, including his brothers. He demonstrates that his small size doesn't matter if you have courage and can keep your wits about you. He tricks an ogre, charms his wife (who saves the lives of all the boys), steals the ogre's magic Seven League boots; and finally, tricks the ogre's wife into giving him the ogre's gold.
The illustration of Little Thumb stealing the Giant's boots is by Alexander Zick.
Wonder Tales -- The Most Vital Connection
"For most of human history, 'literature,' both fiction and poetry, has been narrated, not written — heard, not read. So fairy tales, folk tales, stories from the oral tradition, are all of them the most vital connection we have with the imaginations of the ordinary men and women whose labor created our world." -- Angela Carter
The illustration for Red Riding Hood is by Vanya Nastanieva.
This poem (excerpted) by W.B.Yeats was written between the slaughter of WW 1 and the beginning of the Irish uprising for Independence. Both of these events were like a man-made plague, bringing pain, brutality, chaos, and death.
The illustration is by Gustave Dore.
Here is a link to Liam Clancy reading The Second Coming.
Theaters are closed. The pandemic is here. Most of the openings for new films are delayed indefinitely or being released on video.Video rentals and streaming videos abound.
Netflix is now showing Studio Ghibli Films, including all of the wonderful films by the extraordinary Hayao Miyazaki. Like wonder tales, survival or winning in Miyazaki films depends on endurance, courage, and using your wits.
One of my favorites, Howl's Moving Castle, revolves around exactly those qualities -- and love. Inspired by a book by Diana Wynne Jones, the film soars with magic, imagination, and a suspenseful story.
In the first ten minutes of the film, Sophie, a lovely young girl, is bewitched and becomes the old lady seen in the illustration at the left. She is trying to reach Howl's Moving Castle at the top of the hill where she hopes to find Howl, the wonderful good wizard.
The witch who cast the spell is part of the evil empire whose army has taken over the city. There are parallels in this film with events that led to World War 2. However, the film is also filled with hope.
Here is the trailer: Howl's Moving Castle
Dolittle opened in Jauary with the wonderful Robert Downey Jr. Critics gave it bad reviews and it lost a lot of money. The film version is not true to the original story. Reading reviews and comments suggests that this is a fatal flaw.
However, looking at the trailer, I think that young kids would like it.
Take a look. Here is the trailer: Dolittle
Other Ways of Being
"I think hard times are coming when we will be wanting the voices of writers who can see alternatives to how we live now and can see through our fear-stricken society and its obsessive technologies to other ways of being, and even imagine some real grounds for hope. We will need writers who can remember freedom. Poets, visionaries, the realists of a larger reality." -- Excerpted from Ursula Le Guin's acceptance speech, 2014 National Book Foundation, Lifetime Achivement Award.
The photo is by Lamoma Ash.
Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night -- Dylan Thomas
Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.
The photo is courtesy of the Nation.Cymru news service, Wales.
Bellen Woodard and the Missing Colors
Bellen Woodward is a special fourth grader in Virginia: she influenced Crayola and there are now colors in their crayon box for multi-racial children. The link below will take you to the CBS news coverage of the story, to Bellen in her own world, and to the crayons for children of the world.
Link: Bellen Woodard
The photo of Bellen and her teacher is by Byron Woodard.
"Paws 4 Autism trains service dogs for those challenged by neurodiversity or PTSD. We also train professional therapy dogs for schools, facilities, counselors and therapists."
"Haley was diagnosed with autoimmune Juvenile Poly-Arthritis in 2016 at age 14. . . Nikko came into our lives at a low point for Haley. She is on multiple medications, 2 of which are weekly shots, with awful side effects. Nikko immediately bonded with Haley. What does he do for her? He gives her unconditional love, he snuggles with her on days she must stay in bed or on the couch. He sleeps beside her and keeps her warm because the cold makes her joints hurt. He absorbs her pain and anxiety and he calms and comforts her in a way we cannot. He has no agenda, no ideas for a cure, no judgement, no pity and no disbelief in her condition. These are things she must deal with from family and the public, but not with Nikko. In public situations, Nikko is focused on Haley and taking care of her. This is a huge comfort to her. He accompanies her to her many physician and clinic appointments and buries his head in her lap to ease her anxiety and pain. . . As parents, we thank God every day for Nikko and the amazing organization of volunteers who train these amazing animals."
Visit the Paws 4 Autism website to learn more.
The Photo is of Haley and Nikko.
"The second book, following Born without a Tail, is if possible better than the first. The author brings alive the small pleasures and also the pain of those who live with a pack. Rescue people have some of the most extraordinary stories to tell and this book tells them well. The pain of loss and the unexpected beauties of life are shared in this book and I'm the richer for the reading. I have a pack myself and I could empathize with the author and feel as though I'd recognize the dogs and cats if I saw them! The author has spent a lifetime in exploration of the terrain where human and non human lives intersect and left us this treasure map. Read it, you'll be glad you did."
Written by a verified Amazon Reviewer.
The cover design is by Wulff.
Kidlitosphere
"The 'KidLitosphere' is a community of reviewers, librarians, teachers, authors, illustrators, publishers, parents, and other book enthusiasts who blog about children's and young adult literature." Here is a link to their website: KidLitosphere
The illustration from Through The Looking Glass is by John Tenniel.
What Happened to this Family Seeking Asylum ?
A Honduran refugee family seeking asylum in the United States was arrested and this little girl was taken away from her mother.
" Almost immediately after President Trump took office, his administration began weighing what for years had been regarded as the nuclear option in the effort to discourage immigrants from unlawfully entering the United States.
Children would be separated from their parents if the families had been apprehended entering the country illegally, . . 'in order to deter more movement along this terribly dangerous network. . . ' " By Julie Hirschfield Davis and Michael D. Schear, NY Times
The photo is by John Moore/Getty
Buying My First Gun in the Dark Heart of America
This is the title of an insightful article by R.J. Young that takes the reader into a world of its own -- Oklahoma's enormous Wanenmacher Tulsa Arms Show.
"In Oklahoma, there's a gun show almost every weekend of the year, which is right in line with the national trend. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives estimates there are more than 2,000 gun shows held in the United States annually. But the National Association of Arms Show puts that figure closer to 5,200, or 100 gun shows every weekend of the year.
Wanenmacher's Tulsa Arms Show occurs twice a year. . . located at the Tulsa Fairgrounds, covers 11 acres and boasts more than 4,200 tables and 7,000 vendors. Nearly 40,000 people visit the show on a given weekend."
Excerpted from Let It Bang, A Young Black Man's Reluctant Odyssey into Guns.
Amazon Opens new Gaming Enterprise -- Relentless Studios
There are multitudes of young (mostly) people deeply involved in gaming fantasy worlds. And now. . .
Opening a new front in the campaign to dominate digital entertainment, Amazon is investing hundreds of millions of dollars into becoming a leading creator and distributor of video games.The Internet giant said it intended to release its first original big-budget game, an ambitious science-fiction shooter called Crucible, in May after several coronavirus-related delays. It is also developing a full-fledged cloud gaming platform under the code name Project Tempo. And it is working on new casual games that broadcasters on its popular Twitch streaming service can play alongside viewers in real time. . . Gaming is expected to generate more than $160 billion in revenue in 2020, making the business more than twice the size of the global recorded music industry (around $19 billion) and worldwide film box office (around $43 billion) combined.
Excerpted from a NYTimes article by Steve Schiesel
Michelle Obama Is Reading to Kids
Michelle Obama does a warm and animated reading of books to kids on Mondays with Michelle. I enjoyed watching and listening to her read a delightful book, The Gruffalo, by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler. In the true wonder tales tradition, a brave little mouse, in the deep, dark forest, uses his wits to escape being eaten -- several times. If you click the link, you can enjoy the book and the reading on PBS Kids. Link: Michelle Obama.
Castle in the Mist -- the world of adventure and the human-canine connection
"Every dog should have a man of his own. There is nothing like a well-behaved person around the house to spread the dog's blanket for him, or bring him his supper when he comes home man-tired at night." -- Corey Ford (1902-1969)
Posted by Robert McCarty on May 01, 2020 at 01:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Tags: A Christmas Tale; Planet of the Dogs, anti-war books, Apocalypse, Born Without a Tail; librarians, CA Wulff, Castle in the Mist, Celebrating Reading, children's books, children's fantasy books, children's literature, Circling the Waggins, Dog books, Donkeyskin, early reader books, fairytales, Fantasy, Finding Fido, first chapter books, How to Change the World in 30 Seconds, Howl's Moving Castle Dylan Thomas, Kid Litosphere, Kids Books, Kids dog books, Lit World, Maria Tatar; Jack Zipes, Michelle Obama, Miyazaki, Myth and Moor, Parade of Misfits, Paws for Autism, Planet of the Dogs Productions; Carterhaugh School, Seth Lerer, Snow Valley Heroes, tales of wonder, Terri Windling, The Black Death, the Great Plague, The Second Coming, Therapy dogs, Ursula LeGuin, Why Am I, Wonder Tales, Yelodoggie
These people are taking part in the annual Burning Man Festival, a living fantasy world for 80,000 people camping in the very hot Black Rock Desert of Nevada.
Wonder Tales brought fantasy to the world and over time opened doors of the imagination for children. Books followed the books. Imagination and the mysteries of existence opened adult's minds even more. Writers ranging from Lewis Carrol to Ursula Le Guin, and from J.K. Rowling to Neil Gaiman continued the traditions of fantasy, creating new worlds and new possibilities.
From books to ballet and modern dance, and from Stravinsky to Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, the creative arts have gone beyond the old horizons. Traditions are still respected and appreciated, while choices have become endless. And like the Wonder Tales that were told for thousands of years, the creative arts continue to open the doors of fantasy and imagination.
The people in the photo above will witness the final event, the burning of the towering burning man statue.
Both of the above photos are from an annotated collection created by Nikki Gloudeman and Sara Kluta: Far and Wide.
A Woman Speaks
"For after all, as great scientists have said and as all children know, it is above all by the imagination that we achieve perception, and compassion, and hope."
- Ursula Le Guin
Imagination and Tales of Other Worlds by Three Women
Beatrix Potter, Angela Carter, and Ursula Le Guin all created other worlds. Very different worlds. All were breakthroughs. And each helped open the way for other women writers.
Beatrix Potter broke away from her staid, narrow Victorian family and wrote and illustrated books of another world where the lives of animals, and especially rabbits, awakened the minds of the young to her fantasy world. Potter had always loved the natural world and the rolling green hills of the Lake District. She was drawing and painting animals and nature from an early age. And the stories flowed from her imagination. Her magic continues today, over 100 years later, with two million Beatrix Potter books sold across the world every year.
The illustration of Peter Rabbit is by Beatrix Potter.
Angela Carter and her legacy have been most eloquently described by Marina Warner in her wonderful book, Once Upon a Time, A Short History of Fairy Tale:
"The most incandescent work to arise from the feminist explosion is undoubtedly The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter, a stretch of virtuoso imaginative writing and potent critique. . . The Bloody Chamber has become the founding charter of modern fairy tale, and the catalyst of a million awakenings for readers (especially girls) coming upon it for the first time."
The impact of Angela Carter's courage and creativity continues to this day. The Bloody Chamber book contains ten tales, rewritten from the early, traditional versions. They are dark tales, but the women protaganists are now empowered.
The illustration for The Bloody Chamber is by Benedict Mayer for the Folio Competion.
Many years ago a friend introduced me to Ursula Le Guin's The Left Hand of Darkness, and Arthur Clarke's The City and the Stars. I was in an amazing whirl. Here was a new genre of wonderful literature. I then learned that Le Guin had also recently written Earthsea, an alternate world fantasy for kids.
Two years after The Left Hand of Darkness, Ursula Le Guinn published a fantasy adult crossover novel that dealt with power, dreams and the subconcioious, metaphysical issues and more. The Lathe of Heaven created a stir of contoversy, won the Locus Award for best Novel, and Le Guinn was cited by Theodre Sturgeon in the N.Y. Times for " a rare and powerful synthesis of poetry and science, reason and emotion."
She was an advocate for underdogs, outcasts, morality and feminist issues. And she never stopped writing wonderful fantasy books, both crossover and for children, until her death in 1918.
The illustration of the Dragon Cliffs of Earthsea is by Sithness from Deviant Art.
Three Women and Doors to Infinity
I believe the influence of these three women alone on the life experience of their readers has no limits. And they are but a part of those who have created stories, poems, and music that continues to resonate in this difficult world. They are brilliant contributors to the flow of tales reaching back thousands of years.
The illustration is from The left Hand of Darkness.
Our Cultural Heritage
"Fairy Tales, like myths, are a part of our cultural heritage passed from generation to generation, connecting us to the dreams and fears of men and women who have gone before us."
- Terri Windling and Ellen Datlow, Black Thorn, White Rose
The cover art is by Thomas Caty.
Where Will They Take You
"There's something delicious about writing those first few words of a story. You can never quite tell where they will take you. Mine took me here, where I belong."
― Beatrix Potter
The photo is of a teen age Beatrix Potter.
Rags of Love
"We must all make do with the rags of love we find flapping on the scarecrow of humanity."
― Angela Carter, Nights at the Circus
The photo of Angela Carter is from the Oxford University Press by way of the Atlantic.
"We read books to find out who we are. What other people, real or imaginary, do and think and feel... is an essential guide to our understanding of what we ourselves are and may become."
― Ursula K. LeGuin
The photo is by Dan Tuffs/Getty.
Exploring the Nature of Being Human
"I was interested in human psychology, and that is absolutely a realistic concern. It just happened that fantasy offered me a wider range of metaphors for exploring the nature of being human than straightforward realism did."
Phillip Pullman Irish Times
The illustration of Lord Asriel and Malcolm from The Book of Dust is by Chris Wormell.
Where Did the Easter Bunny Come From?
"Easter is the Christian celebration of the resurrection of Jesus, but the seasonal chocolate eggs
and the bunny who delivers them are nowhere to be found in scripture.
The exact origins of the Easter bunny are clouded in mystery. One theory is that the symbol of the rabbit stems from pagan tradition, specifically the festival of Eostre—a goddess of fertility whose animal symbol was a bunny. Rabbits, known for their energetic breeding, have traditionally symbolized fertility." This information is from: Time
First Cow is a crossover film. If the YA market can support the explosions of Marvel, and the brutality of the Joker, they can see First Cow, a realistic portrayal of pioneer days in the American west.
A.O. Scott, writes in the NY Times that First Cow is a masterpiece. . . "The people believe they have dominion over the animals, the land and its products, but their sovereignty is an illusion. We are, for the most part, big talkers with meager destinies, at the mercy of luck, global capitalism (which was a thing even then) and one another.
Though it surveys a grim, Hobbesian struggle for survival, 'First Cow' has more on its mind and in its viewfinder than the nasty, brutish war of each against all, or the systems of domination intended to keep that war in check. Even in the harshest circumstances, there is still room — still a primal need — for sweetness, for companionship, for art."
Link to the Trailer for First Cow
There is a world of video games, a multi-billion dollar business, of which I know very little. Sonic the Hedgehog, a Sega product, has been a very popular video game and a big financial success. Critics have thus far been divided about the film adaptation, but audiences are more inclined to like it. Here is a summary by Rotten Tomatoes.
"Fittingly fleet and frequently fun, Sonic the Hedgehog is a video game-inspired adventure the whole family can enjoy -- and a fine excuse for Jim Carrey to tap into the manic energy that launched his career."
The trailer suggests that the film is not for YA or cross over: Sonic the Hedgehog
Forms In Nature
Concept: Through scientific study and understanding, we deepen our connection to the natural world. 2 minutes and 04 seconds: Link
Can You Care Too Much For Your Dog?
"Being a dog guardian has been a learning process. I'm astounded by people who think they know it all because they have a dog. . . I'm equally astounded by the people who have had a dog, or two dogs, or half a dozen dogs during their life, and still think of them as 'just animals.'
Every day, science discovers more and expands our knowledge about the sentience of animals: that they have an emotional life, that they think and communicate, that they form relationships with others, that they are self aware, that they understand us when we speak to them.
What makes humans so great? We're the ones who are destroying the planet. We're the ones who cause all the pain and suffering.
Like children, dogs need us to be responsible and take care of them. . . in a way that ensures they are living their best life. And, like children, they are at our mercy." Excerpted from C.A.Wulff's website: Up On The Woof.
Wulff is an animal advocate and the author of Circling the Waggins and other popular dog books. The photo is of Wulff and her beloved dog, Waldo, who has passed over.
Stephen Colbert reads aloud from the NRA version of Little Red Riding Hood.
Sara and Brittany, the Amazing women of Carterhaugh School, bring their own fascination, knowledge, and energy to their interactive internet courses, discussion groups, book club, blog and more. They are self proclaimed lovers of "folklore, creativity, cats, chai, and bringing magic into the everyday!"
They offer an ongoing variety of ideas and free offerings through their blog and website. Here are recent excerpted examples:
"We know there's a lot of anxiety and uncertainty and that a lot of stuff just sucks right now. But as ever, we will continue to conjure up a bit of enchantment for you, because we all need it now more than ever. So we've been drinking an unholy amount of chai tea and willfully ignoring our poor neglected cats who NEVER get pet (this is a lie) to put together a little mischief and magic. Here's what we've got for you this week:
1) We're SO thrilled that Rapunzel's Toolkit, our mega list of enchanted resources, was so useful to you last week! We've been updating it daily, so keep checking back for more ideas, more freebies, and more low-cost ways to be creative and enchanted in your own towers. . ."
Their imaginative and wide ranging list of ideas and offerings goes on. For instance, if you click the above link to Rapunzel's Toolkit, you will be offered (free), "Folk Magic: 10 Things You Can Do TODAY to Bring Magic Into Your Life Through Folklore".
Thoughts by Toni Morrison
"If you surrendered to the air, you could ride it." -- Toni Morrison, Song of Solomon
"Writing is really a way of thinking--not just feeling but thinking about things that are disparate, unresolved, mysterious, problematic or just sweet." -- Toni Morrison
The photo of Toni Morrison is by Michel Euller/AP.
Picks up the rice in the church where a wedding has been
Lives in a dream
Waits at the window
Wearing the face that she keeps in a jar by the door
All the lonely people
Where do they all come from?
Where do they all belong?
Written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney; here is a link to Paul singing the music to Eleanor Rigby
The painting is by Edward Hopper.
A Memory of Rose, a Therapy Dog
This is an excerpt from a response sent to me by Susan Purser, a retired school teacher, about her therapy dog, Rose. She and Rose worked together for over 15 years, until Rose passed on. Susan continues her therapy dog work with Bandit.
The photo of Rose and a friend was taken by Susan.
Out Of Balance
The world is out of balance. The number of ruthless politicians and military leaders seeking power is out of control.
The number of refugees and suffering refugee children is staggering. The number of refugees keeps growing. And now we have a plague sweeping the planet.
For 85 years, The International Rescue Committee has been a souce of support and hope in every area where refugees are found.
"The IRC is the gold standard of aid groups working with refugees. I've seen it in action in Darfur, Chad, Central African Republic, Greece, Jordan, South Sudan and other places." -- Nicholas Kristof, NY Times. Here is a link to a very quick excerpt from a 60 Minutes video about refugee kids.
The photo is from Beira, Mozambique, was taken by Karel Prinsloo, AP/Guardian.
Lewis Carroll Society of North America
The LCSNA 2020 Spring Meeting in Cleveland, OH will not be held on the originally scheduled dates of May 8-10, but is rescheduled to Saturday, Oct 3 -Sunday October 4 [with the Schaefer Memorial Reading on Friday, Oct 2], and will still be hosted at Case Western Reserve University.
The illustration of the mad tea party is by John Tenniel.
Reach Out And Read Reaches Families Early
Reach Out and Read is a nonprofit organization that gives young children a foundation for success by incorporating books into pediatric care and encouraging families to read aloud together.
When families read aloud to their young children, they can give them a better start to life. With unparalleled access to families with young children, Reach Out and Read medical providers give books to children at more than 10 well-child visits from infancy until they start school. More importantly, they encourage families to read aloud and engage with their infants, toddlers and preschoolers.
The Planet of the Dogs Books
They stood together and looked out at the lovely green valley, with a wide stream of clear water running across it. Three of the dog towns could be seen from this place – Muttville, Poodletown, and Shaggy Corners -- as well as big farms filled with dogfood trees and biscuit bushes. The most amazing thing for the children was knowing that all those small shapes moving around far below them were more dogs.
They went down a path and into Waggy Valley, receiving greetings from dogs of all sizes and shapes. Not long ago, they had never even heard of dogs. And, of course, they had never seen one. And now here they were in Waggy Valley, where dogs were everywhere, and all were friendly and happy to see them. . . Excerpted from The Planet of the Dogs.
The illustration of Daisy, Bean, and Robbie from Planet Of The Dogs is by Stella Mustanoja McCarty.
He had as much fun in the water as any person I have known. You didn't have to throw a stick in the water to get him to go in. Of course, he would bring back a stick to you if you did throw one in. He would even have brought back a piano if you had thrown one in. -- James Thurber
Posted by Robert McCarty on April 01, 2020 at 03:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Tags: A Christmas Tale; Planet of the Dogs, Angela Carter, anti-war books, Beatrix Potter, Born Without a Tail; librarians, Burning Man, CA Wulff, Castle in the Mist, Celebrating Reading, children's books, children's fantasy books, children's literature, Circling the Waggins, Dog books, early reader books, fairytales, Fantasy, Finding Fido, first chapter books, How to Change the World in 30 Seconds, IRC, Kid Litosphere, Kids Books, Kids dog books, Lit World, Maria Tatar; Jack Zipes, Myth and Moor, Parade of Misfits, Peter Rabbit, Planet of the Dogs Productions; Carterhaugh School, Reach Out and Read, Seth Lerer, Snow Valley Heroes, Stephen Colbert, tales of wonder, Terri Windling, Therapy dogs, Ursula Le Guin, Why Am I, Witches, Yelodoggie