6/27/2023 0 Comments Swimmy by leo lionni![]() Some might think that this could be a deterrent for students used to bright colors and fast motion. Swimmy drifts on the currents, carrying the reader gently from one animal to the next, one experience to the next. Impression: At first glance, Swimmy is a quiet story, with subtle pictures and a simple narrative. ![]() Leo Lionni’s beautiful illustration and use of a wax resist technique captures the watery beauty of the sea. After careful thought, he convinces the fish to swim close together, appearing as one great red fish, with Swimmy as the eye, chasing the other fish away. They are too afraid to venture out, nervous that the big fish lies in wait, but Swimmy is determined to share his new found love of the sea with his friends. From the beautiful jelly fish, past a “forest of seaweeds growing from sugar-candy rocks” to swaying sea anemones, Swimmy travels the ocean until he comes upon another school of fish. At first, Swimmy is very scared and lonely, but his eyes are opened to the beauty of the ocean as he begins to encounter some of the amazing creatures found there. Summary: Swimmy is the story of a tiny black fish, left all alone in the world after his school of little red fish is eaten by a “swift, fierce and very hungry” tuna. ![]()
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6/26/2023 0 Comments Nigel and the moon book![]() "This book made my heart swell to the size of the moon. It is a must-read for every person that has ever held dreams close to their hearts, whispered them to the sky, or lived to make them real.” - Joanna Ho, New York Times bestselling author of Eyes that Kiss in the Corners And be proud of who you are.'" - Publishers Weekly (starred review) "Hitting notes of hope, fear, love, and pride while subtly tackling themes of class, gender expectations, and race, Eady’s debut is matched beat for layered beat by Zhang’s (Lala’s Words) fluid ink, gouache, and watercolor illustrations, which depict Nigel as small but trusting against a looming, ponderous moon. Nothing is more empowering to children than loving adults telling them to ‘dream big’ and ‘be proud of who you are.’ stirring tale of self-acceptance and parental support.” - School Library Journal (starred review) Poetic language paired with bold brushstrokes reveals the magic of the night sky. ![]() 6/26/2023 0 Comments Play the Piano Drunk Like a Percussion Instrument Until the F... by Charles Bukowski![]() The family name was anglicized in pronunciation from Boo-kof-ski to Boo-cow-ski and Heinrich Karl eventually became Henry Charles. ![]() His father tried to make a living as building contractor after the war but this proved to arduous in the prevailing conditions in Germany and he moved back to the US in April 1923 and settled in Baltimore. Bukowski claims he was illegitimate but records show his parents were married a year before his birth. Charles Bukowski was born Heinrich Karl Bukowski on Augin Andernach, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany where his father was serving as an American army sergeant. His life at that time bordered on insanity and death, two prevalent themes in his writing. He spent a lot of time roaming from job to job living in rooming houses from the East coast to the West coast before joining the United States Postal Service in Los Angeles. ![]() He was first published in his 20s., but gave up serious writing for the world of work and bars. Charles Bukowski was one of the most famous of the American poets of his time. ![]() 6/26/2023 0 Comments Weird tales hp lovecraft![]() ![]() I wonder how many other geeky teens are out there reading the stories found between the covers of Weird Tales. Weird Tales has been in and out of publication over the years, in 1988 it hit the newsstands again as a magazine, and has recently found new life online. In the dim light of my ancient pilfered lamp, I'd go to far off places and imaginary lands, or I'd get totally freaked out. ![]() My copies were all anthologies of the pulp magazine that I'd find in dusty old used book stores. ![]() ![]() HP Lovecraft, Robert E Howard and Theodore Sturgeon and Robert Bloch. Starting in 1923, the pulp magazine Weird Tales, published stories of fantasy, science fiction and horror from some of the strongest writers of the time. They chilled, they excited, they shocked, they frightened, and the cover art certainly provoked my mother! In Weird Tales I found stories that tickled the dark corners of your brain.stories about Cthulu, Conan, and Shadowy Worlds. other girls loved Madonna and Duran Duran. I'm a girl and it was the late 70's early 80's. Losing myself in fantastic stories like Weird Tales was my escape (keep in mind. As a teen, I would rather read than anything else. ![]() 6/26/2023 0 Comments Serpent of venice![]() ![]() Shakespeare and Poe might be rolling in their graves, but they're rolling with laughter. ![]() and he's got more than a few tricks (and hand gestures) up his sleeve. ![]() (How can such a small man, be such a huge obstacle?). Desperate to rid themselves once and for all of the man who has consistently foiled their grand quest for power and wealth, they have lured him to his death. But their invitation is, of course, bogus. This trio of cunning plotters-the merchant, Antonio the senator, Montressor Brabantio and the naval officer, Iago-have lured Pocket to a dark dungeon, promising an evening of spirits and debauchery with a rare Amontillado sherry and Brabantio's beautiful daughter, Portia. Three prominent Venetians await their most loathsome and foul dinner guest, the erstwhile envoy of Britain and France, and widower of the murdered Queen Cordelia: the rascal Fool Pocket. New York Times bestselling author Christopher Moore channels William Shakespeare and Edgar Allan Poe in The Serpent of Venice, a satiric Venetian gothic that brings back the Pocket of Dog Snogging, the eponymous hero of Fool, along with his sidekick, Drool, and pet monkey, Jeff. ![]() 6/26/2023 0 Comments The great learning confucianism![]() Among his many books are The Life and Teaching of Confucius (1867), The Religions of China (1880), and the 50-volume Sacred Books of the East (1879-1891). 11: Acquire new knowledge whilst thinking over the old, and you. Scottish scholar JAMES LEGGE (1815-1897) was the first professor of Chinese language and literature at Oxford University, serving from 1876 to 1897. The essence of knowledge is, having it, to apply it not having it, to confess your ignorance. ![]() This three-in-one volume, originally published in this form in 1893, also includes *The Great Learning, * the Confucian illustration of illustrious virtue, and *The Doctrine of the Mean, * the thinker's explication of the path of duty. Here, Legge offers an enlightening introduction to the *Analects, * copious notes that place the sayings in cultural context, and much more assistance for the lay reader in understanding the depth of Confucius' wisdom. From the disposition of a land's rulers to the value of prayer, the thoughts of Confucius have powerfully shaped the moral life and political structures of Asian nations, and influenced the direction of the Western world as well. Features three biographies discover Confucius ancient world Scholarly ordering of texts into literary genres. Notable not only for its comprehensiveness but also for its inclusion of the Chinese pictograms, this complete text of the *Analects* of the greatest philosopher of Chinese history is a must-own volume for any student of Confucius (551BC-479 BC). ![]() 6/25/2023 0 Comments Phantastes amazon![]() ![]() The “live” version of this book group (including the online forum) opens May 24 and will include Zoom chats every Tuesday night at 7:00 p.m. ![]() MacDonald scholar and lecturer Kirstin Jeffery Johnson leads a read-through and discussion of Phantastes, providing context and guidance for navigating an often bewildering but profoundly moving and influential fantasy novel. He returned to it again and again, claiming in later years that Phantastes had shaped his philosophy of life and even his vocational attitude more than any other book. Lewis, who said the journey of Anodos showed him holiness and “baptized” his imagination. ![]() Reading this short novel radically impacted C. Within the realm of faerie, he begins to build a completely different way of engaging with the world and to adopt a whole new understanding of honor and even of self. ![]() What happens when a self-assured university student comes home as a “chivalric” English gentleman, ready to assume responsibility for his sisters and the family estate, but somehow wakes up the next morning as a stranger in Fairyland?Ĭome join us on an adventure in which the young Anodos is forced to reassess his assumptions about both himself and others–and eventually to deconstruct his entire concept of a hero. ![]() 6/25/2023 0 Comments Farmer giles of ham first edition![]() ![]() His reputation spread far and wide across the kingdom. The people of the village cheered: Farmer Giles was a hero. More by luck than skill, Farmer Giles managed to scare him away. Then one day a rather deaf and short-sighted giant blundered on to his land. He was fat and red-bearded and enjoyed a slow, comfortable life. Farmer Giles of Ham did not look like a hero. A commemorative golden anniversary edition of Tolkien's classic book, including a new introduction, a map, a copy of Tolkien's unpublished short story which he expanded for publication, his notes for an aborted sequel, and the original first edition illustrations by Pauline Baynes. ![]() 6/25/2023 0 Comments Heart berries book![]() ![]() ![]() I didn’t work my way through “Bake” because many recipes are too fussy for me: a berry cheesecake with a graham cracker base, two fillings, and a jellied topping the popular French macarons olive bread sticks chocolate doughnuts. In short, you want to think that everything he makes is exemplary. He’s written many books, starred in his own TV shows, and according to his website, he trains at the corporate level and works with the Flour Advisory Bureau of the UK. Hollywood is professionally trained, of course, and worked in prestigious hotels in the United Kingdom. He’s the intimidating judge from “ The Great British Baking Show” who seems to know every confection in the world, what it should and shouldn’t look and taste like. I decided to try the Almond and Orange Biscotti from “Bake: My Best Ever Recipes for the Classics,” by Paul Hollywood (2022). ![]() After baking, when you cut the logs, they can be so crisp that shards of almonds and cookie crumbs scatter all over your counter and floor. A sticky dough means you’re awkwardly spooning it onto the baking sheets into logs, then smoothing them to make them neater. There’s enough fat and liquid in eggs alone to turn flour and almonds into a dough. Real biscotti are not made with any added fat. But the recipes I use all produce a very sticky dough. ![]() 6/25/2023 0 Comments The Snowbear by Sean Taylor![]() ![]() ![]() This is, I think a new author/artist collaboration: in her eloquent, soft focus illustrations, Claire Alexander brings out the drama of Sean Taylor’s deliberately understated narrative, as well as showing young children’s ability to immerse themselves completely in the here and now. “ … he could have gone back in the woods and he’s alive down there.” I wonder …Ī lovely wintry tale with just a frisson of fear, and an acknowledgement of the boundless imaginations of young children. Frances Lincoln, 16.95 (24pp) ISBN 978-1-84507-904-8 The titular assertion of this lighthearted story gets put to the test when a donkey, seen lounging. Next morning though, the sun has melted their snowbear right away at least that’s Martina’s suggestion. Could it be that something or someone is coming to their rescue in that chilly white wood? ![]() But the climb is steep and there’s something watching them from between the trees. Having completed their chilly enterprise, the children take to their sledge and go hurtling downhill, faces a-tingle, towards the woods.Įventually they come to a halt and decide home is where they now most want to be. Slips and slides are inevitable and a snowman, of sorts is duly built, although they decide their creation looks more like a snowbear. But be careful because the hill is too steep and slippery,” is their mother’s warning as they sally forth into the great outdoors. Two small children, a brother and sister wake to find that overnight their world has turned completely white. ![]() |