Artists Books

This is such a treasure! It shows life inside Termite Terrace and preserves the history like a textbook. The author shares stories that aren't covered in other books and talks about the people who weren't in the spotlight of the Golden Era. I was amazed to find someone who had lived through it and been there had written this. Any students of Looney Tunes, animation, or cartoon history should read this book.

If you've read any other animation history books, you've gotten a basic idea of how things were during "Golden Age" of the 30's and 40's. But not only is Living Life Inside The Lines one of the few books written someone who actually worked in animation during that period, it's the only book I've seen written by an ink & paint artist, which gives it a point of view of the animation world that other books never mention.

Sigall also tells stories of people like Irv Spence and Phil Monroe who were a big part of animation history, but have never gotten much mention in books. And having worked at numerous studios and ink & paint houses, she has very broad perspective on how the animation industry has changed from the 30's thorough to the 80's. Plus her pleasant demeanor makes for a nice, easy-going read.

If you're interested in animation, this book is a perfect supplement to your library.

I know the son of the writer and was eager to read her book. I have done computer animation and presently am in involved in video production. I found this personal history of the early days of animation to be fun, informative, and came away feeling I had a better knowledge of the people involved in this wonderful form of visual art!

If you love animation, history of early animation days...this book is a wonderful read!

When Chuck Jones received his special Academy Award in the mid-1990s, he wondered aloud from the stage where all the "laughing faces of Termite Terrace" had gone. They're right here in Martha Goldman Sigall's wonderful book. Martha was a central participant in the Golden Age of the animated short: she inked and painted on timeless, classic films directed by Chuck Jones, Tex Avery, Bob Clampett, Friz Freleng, Bob McKimson, Frank Tashlin, Bill Hanna and Joe Barbera, and others, and almost certainly contributed to more animated films than all of them combined, probably without receiving a single screen credit in that era. But she sketches the men and women who sketched Bugs Bunny and Tom and Jerry masterfully in this extremely well-written book, which, like Martha herself, is very warm, funny, and people-oriented. Her personal portraits of artists like Treg Brown, Virgil Ross, Ben Washam, and many others are a crucial contribution to animation history as well as a fun and funny reading experience.

This is the best book on the Schlesinger studio (birthplace of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, and many others), and provides perhaps a thousand important details about that historic cartoon studio and MGM's that aren't found elsewhere. Martha sketches the 1941 strike, the Red Scare, wartime Hollywood, and other events from the animation community's perspective, and also sheds light on the historic industry locations such as 861 Seward, where six different studios sought shelter through the years; the neat and clean (but long gone) MGM building in Culver City, and the shabby Van Ness home of Leon Schlesinger and his "kids".

In what may be the last major eyewitness account of the classic era of animation, Martha raises the spirit of those long-gone laughing faces, and humanizes the creation of the great cartoons and timeless characters that will last forever. The joy she obviously felt in her career infuses the book and the reader.

Martha and her husband Sol, who, happily, is also heard from here, have always been like beloved grandparents to animators in Southern California (one of which this author was for a few years), but in 1996 they kindly donated themselves to the Warner Brothers Museum and are now officially public treasures. If you're not in the area, you can claim your share of them right here in this wonderful book. They should designate a rating higher than five stars for it.

I love reading stories from animations golden age and this book is especially charming.
Most people don't know it, but the ink and paint departments in all the major and minor studios were the real unsung heroes of the cartoon business-many ladies being accomplished artists in their own right and having the ability to take well drawn line drawings and just adding the right touch to each cel that the scenes would really shine. Water effects being one of the areas of animation that without great inkers and painters could tend to look "hokey".
I give this book 5 stars, but I wish it had more pictures!!

I really LOVE this book! From start to finish, I LOVE everything about this book-Tara's dedication "To everyone who has loved and lost"; Frank Kozik's wonderful Foreword speaking about the appreciation of an art culture and discovering such a unique artist like Tara McPherson; to all of the amazing rare & hard to find works of Tara Mcpherson's art this book features...this book is truly a must have!!! This book does not have a great deal of text...The most text you'll find in this book is the Foreword by Frank Kozik, which says everything that needs to be said! This book focuses on the art, which for me is a breath of fresh air as Tara's beautiful, intense, colorful art speaks for itself! "LIFE IS ART & ART IS LIFE"...I found that to be the case with this book, which I love seeing being an artist myself...to find an artist like Tara who shares her life through her art...what a gift! I purchased a couple of copies of this book, because I am a fan of Tara's art & this book FEATURES some of her SOLD OUT, RARE & HARD TO FIND Paintings, Prints, Posters, drawings, an interview with Tara & some of her personal photos which is a nice personal touch!

Nerdy BirdLonely Heart: The Art Of Tara McPherson

This compilation of Tara McPherson's work is simply amazing.
I could spend hours pouring over the pages.
She's so talented and this book is a must have for any Tara fan.
Very decent price also.

Tara McPherson is a NY based artist who seems to gently dominate all of the fields she works in.

She's made her mark in Comic Books, Poster Art, vinyl toy design and fine art. This book collects a body of work from sketch to finished piece, including transparent layover pages that bring her process to life. And for it's very affordable price, should be on every art collector's shelf.

This book is fantastic, the quality of the colours is great and i love the tracing paper pages that show the process from drawing to prints. Tara Mcpherson is an inspiring modern artist, I am a high school teacher and my students love this book.

Love, light as the air, but sometimes as dark red as the blood running through your veins (see my customer images).
"This book is dedicated to everyone who has loved and lost" reads Tara McPherson's dedication on the first page.
Love, broken hearts, innocence and its loss, yet neverending hopes and dreams come to mind when I look at these drawings.
Tara's work is beautiful, seems innocent at first sight. The colors - mostly pastel - at first have you think you're in bubble gum heaven. But you don't need a second look to discover the deeper and often darker side in Tara's art.
Tara created posters for bands like Supergrass, Green Day, Dandy Warhols, The Hives, The Strokes, Duran Duran and Suzanne Vega, Josh Rouse, Elvis Costello, PJ Harvey, and various covers for DC Vertigo.
The book contains beautiful reproductions of posters, portraits, comic book pages, drawings, roughs, an interview with Tara, polaroids, and a foreword by the legendary Frank Kozik.
A beautiful gift!

Lisa Thaler has brought Sacha Kolin, a wholly unique and talented artist, back to life in her beautifully written book LOOK UP. It details a life lived with a fierceness and bravery that only few people have ever possessed. I challenge anyone to find a more fascinating or complicated life than the one explored here.

Ms. Thaler's passion for the artist is expressed in the most generous, intelligent, detailed way. Her writing is simply beautiful and she introduces us to Sacha Kolin's work - which is breathtaking.

This stunning book is a gift to her, her family, the art world and to all of us.

I cannot remember when I've enjoyed a biography more than "Look Up - The Life and Art of Sacha Kolin" by Lisa Thaler. Ms. Thaler's experience as a geneologist gives us a thoroughly researched history and timeline of this little-known modernist. The book is written beautifully and captures the reader from the first page.

"Look Up," Lisa Thaler's biography of artist Sacha Kolin is, in itself a work of art. Thaler's detailed biography is a tribute to the artistic spirit. She describes the hardships endured by Kolin, made all the more poignant by her generosity to other artists and the bouyant spirit evidenced by her work. The organization of the book is unique and paints a vivid picture of the life, not only of its subject, but of those artists, collectors, and gallery owners who enrich our lives while not necessarily enriching their own monetarily. While Kolin was never able to reach the top tier of the post-war artists, she did her part in reminding the world that World War II was perhaps as much about freedom of expression as about physical and political freedoms. Mrs. Thaler's book is as unique as was Kolin's art.

Without "Look Up" Sacha Kolin -- a gutsy artist who stood her ground and survived by bartering her way through New York -- simply would have faded away. Lisa Thayler's pursuit of Sacha's story came just as most people who could share memories of Kolin and her work were nearing the end of their own lives. Thayler's timing, great research skills, persistence and creative ability to accurately reconstruct an artist's life are evident throughout this book. Those who knew Sacha said that Thayler captured her ability to take advantage of everything she possibly could without losing her dignity. Thayler's rigor sounds an alarm for all artists. Most hate doing it, but as "Look Up" demonstrates, organization and record keeping are just as important as the work itself for artists who hope to be remembered. Kolin wanted fame, and her work, some of which I have seen, deserves recognition, but she was not neat and certainly not organized. Curators, collection managers and art buyers also can learn a great deal from Thayler's methods and approach to research. The book makes clear that in an ideal world, every Sacha should have a Lisa from the start! Suzanne T. Isaacs, President, Ampersand, Inc.

"Look Up" is a magnificent job in every respect: purpose, content, layout, presentation, and above all, dedication. This book is also a window into the trials and tribulations of life in the art world; lessons that are as relevant today as they were for Sacha. Congratulations upon congratulations!

Sacha would be speechless with delight in what you have done for her, but only speechless for an instant while she gathered her many thoughts of your triumph, and hers.

I have ther previous books that showed Robert's past work, but they suffered from not being the best printing and some non color reproductions of this color work. Well, this book corrects all that. It's all in glorioous color and full of Beautiful reproductions of his work. YOU NEED THIS BOOK if you are a Robert Williams fan. GET IT NOW.

This is really an excellent book that represents Robert Williams art. No other books are needed, it even has the painting used in the Guns 'n Roses Appetite for Destruction album. There's plenty of big beautiful prints in this large format book. I'd give it five stars but it turns out i'm not as much a fan of his art as i thought I was. The content is so busy and almost too much after a while. Maybe just soaking in a few prints at a time is the best way to enjoy it. With that said, deffinately a great addition to anyones art book collection.

This book is in my opinion, the best collection of Robert Williams art work. Nuff said!

A real great book, full of paintings, sketchs, pages, and fun.
Buy "Hysteria in remission " to a complete collection about the msater Robert Willians.
Para o pessoal do Brasil , pode comprar que é diversão garantida , livro para a vida toda!

A must have for aserious Williams fan. Considerd by most to be the founder of this genre. Exceeded my expectations.Xlnt value.

i was introduced to Mark's images through her wonderful work in the picture book of the film BABEL. I was very impressed with her Magnum-esque images and after purchasing this book, i was equally as impressed by her talents. he Book whilst quite compact, beautifully presents some very strong and memorable images.

I read about the Phaidon 55S series in Popular Photography and thought I would check out the volume on Mary Ellen Mark. I have been drawn to her photographs for years and had recently seen an exhibition of her work in NYC. She has Walker Evan's gift for capturing moments in people's lives and she finds the life beyond the smile or grimace of the subject.Her subjects are lively and a bit wicked at times, but there is supreme truth in her photographs. This series gets its title from the fact that each book has 55 photos by the subject. The price is excellent for someone who wants to collect some great art for a low price. Great introduction to a talented artist....highly recommended.

This is yet another in a spectacular series of Phaidon 55 books devoted to some of the most important photographers of our time. This terse volume on Mary Ellen Mark's work includes all of her major documentary photography essays, ranging from her landmark series on homeless teens in Seattle, featuring Tiny, the waifish prostitute she'd befriend, to circus performers in India and Mexico. Indeed her work truly demonstrates her strong interest and compassion for people, depicting homeless Americans, Irish Tinkers (Gypsies) and India's impoverished masses with much interest and empathy for each of her subjects. This splendid book truly captures the immense breadth and depth of Ms. Mark's work. For years I have greatly admire her work and am pleased that some of her finest images are available now in this inexpensive book. Photographer and writer Charles Hagen has a superb introductory essay on Ms. Mark and her career. Without question, this fine volume is an exceptional introduction to Mary Ellen Mark and her critically acclaimed documentary photography.

Summary: These black-and-white images are produced on wonderful paper and with great quality. They explore the underlying human qualities we all share. The work is introduced by a Maya Angelou poem, and is concluded by an excellent essay in which Ms. Mark explains her work. Her subjects are mostly people of the economic and social underclasses as they pursue their hopes and dreams, while dealing with their day-to-day problems. Viewing these photographs will draw you closer to people who, on the surface, are quite different from you. The models are often captured over time and in alternative settings to help explain their lives and personalities.

Content Caution: The images in this book contain a few involving minor female nudity that would earn its contents an R rating if it were a motion picture.

Review:

"I note the obvious differences

in the human family."

" . . . but we are more alike, my friends,

than we are unalike." -- Maya Angelou

The theme of this poem nicely captures the focus of this book of loving photographic images. As Ms. Mark says, "I much prefer to photograph people I care about." She wants to "build a rapport with my subjects." In studying them, "I am guided by what moves and surprises me." That final element will affect you as well. Too often, we mentally pass by those around us. Ms. Mark's images make us want to reach out with our hearts and minds.

The book shows people from all parts of America over the period from 1963 through 1999. The photographs portray all kinds of races, creeds, colors, and political and sexual persuasions. Ideas that you may not like are portrayed involving people you will probably find appealing. That juxtaposition of people and issues will cause you to rethink how you relate to others. It will probably make you more modest and humble, and that's good. Special themes involve the mentally ill, twins, homelessness, beauty contests, political rallies, and families over time.

My favorite images in the book are as follows:

Santa Claus at Lunch, New York City, 1963;

Marky Mark concert, Jersey City, New Jersey, 1993;

Hot Tub, West Orange, New Jersey, 1999;

Bodybuilder, Daytona Beach, Florida, 1991;

Russell, Kansas, 1986;

Mary Frances in the tub, Ward 81, Salem, Oregon, 1976;

Jail, Houston, Texas, 1977;

Husband and wife, Harland County, Kentucky, 1971;

Jesse Damm, Llano, California, 1994;

Hurstie Laxton after the flood, St. Louis, Missouri, 1993;

Million Youth March, New York City, 1998;

Lakiesha, South Dallas, Texas, 1988;

Clinton Albright and his father, Santa Clarita, California, 1982;

Nightclub off of Highway 61, Michigan, 1991;

Vashira and Tashira Hargrove, twins, H.E.L.P. Shelter, Suffolk, New York, 1993; and

Tiny, pregnant, Seattle, Washington, 1985.

After you see these photographs, you will probably agree with Ms. Mark that she has been on "a long and blessed journey" that has opened her heart and ours.

Seeing these photographs should encourage you to become acquainted with people you see who you would normally not think to speak to. Try living that way for a day. If you enjoy the experience, keep on going -- taking it . . . one day at a time.

Find the common ground . . . wherever you go!

I was fortunate enough to see the exhibition of these photographs at the International Center of Photography a few days ago. If you can, go to see the show before it closes. If you can't, buy this book and get a glimpse at the power of a photograph.

Though no expert, I enjoy the art of photography. I am particularly interested in portraits of real people. Mary Ellen Mark has the ability to capture people with extra-ordinary depth and feeling. Almost without fail, her images are moving. With a skill beyond the normal artist, however, her images have the ability to be thought-provoking.

Consider a photo labelled "Aryan Nations, Hayden Lake, Idaho, 1986." Three pleasant-looking, smiling women--the cherubic face of the woman on the far right particularly draws the eye--set in counterpoint to their white supremacist garb. Or consider the series of photographs of Tiny who has clearly experienced many things in her life but who face, amazingly, holds the same soul in each image. Or consider the contrast between the photographs of Julie d'Aquili and Cynthia Galves despite their similar poses. Julie is a healthy young woman but her somber expression stands out starkly against the cancer-ridden Cynthia who still manages a smile.

I believe that I could write something about every single photograph in this collection. Let me instead just say that these photographs will grip you and hold your attention for hours. You will come back to them again and again. And, unlike reproductions of paintings in a book, photographs do not suffer from the process nearly as much. I would encourage anyone with an interest in photography to take a look at this book.

I've had one of these beautiful calendars on my desk since 2000 and look forward to one each year. They make a nice gift too!

I bought this as a gift for my mother, an Elementary School Secretary, and she just loves it. She often uses the inspirational quotes in the daily bulletin for her school. Wonderful Optimism.

I got this one year and it made a huge difference in my life. I thought I outgrew it the next year and didn't get one. Then felt like a baby if I bought it again the following year. I tried to get mature challenging calenders. I finally treated myself to this again this year and I feel so much better already. It's a way to treat yourself well. Adds sweetness and kindness and simple pleasure to the daily grind. It helps make me a better person in my day. Get it, give it. It's a treat worthwhile.

This is the 5th year my desk has been graced with a Mary Englebreit calendar. The artwork and printed thoughts (sometimes very thought provoking) bring sunshine to the start of every day. I have purchased others throughout the years, but keep coming back to Mary's. I enjoy the smile it brings to my heart on a daily basis. Try it, you'll love it!

Last year I purchased 20 of these calendars for all my girl friends. Owning this calendar is akin to having a little bit of personal sunshine in your life, each and every day. Very positive, happy, cheerful stuff and strangely enough, personally relative, quite often. If you need a "bright spot" in your day, this is the calendar page to turn. I've had one of these calendars every year for so many I can't remember and have turned many others on to her--who subsequently become hooked. I can't imagine a year without ME's upbeat quips and uniquely happy artwork.

This is a very good overview on the subject and I dare you to find better color reproductions of these murals.

I am gald I was able to get this book and it fit with my budget perfectly and I am glad that I got it.

After having this on my wish list for a couple of years, and I finally purchased it after another trip to the Detroit Institute of Arts. If you're interested in Diego and his contemporaries, this book is a must-have!

This is definitely one of the best books out there for anyone interested in Mexican art. Few books can inspire as much as this one, especially for people from Zapotlanejo, Jalisco. It's loaded with many pictures and chronicles the lives of these three muralistas and has in depth coverage of specific murals, i especially enjoyed the coverage on "History of Mexico" mural by Diego Rivera. This book is definitely worth the price and a great addition to any collection. Orale!

Read the editorial reviews first and if you are still not convinced that this book does a good job covering the Big Three than get individual books on each. The text is outstanding and puts the works of art into a political context of the time period. The author is analytical, insightful and definitely well versed in the subject matter.There is an exhaustive bibliography, extensive endnotes on each chapter and spectacular reproductions on thick quality paper stock. There are historical photographs of public works in progress and a varity of camera angles of individual murals to show the enormity of the works. I have seen many of these murals on location and this book does an excellent job of portraying them as they are. When you see a Rivera fresco on a wall at the National Palace live or in this case from a pulled out camera angle and see the railing leading to the next floor being dwarfed by the images it is truly impressive. Looking at the details within the murals is the ultimate visual experience where you can get lost in the picture and the meaning. The closeups and details of individual segments are superior. This is art for the peoples public viewing brought directly to you from Mexico to hold in your hands and examine at your leisure. There are several good books out there on Mexican Murals but this one for the money is outstanding. The three artists each had a distictive style but each brought a unifying nationalistic approach to the walls of public buildings. Is one artist better than the other? You be the judge, everyone has their own favorite. If you are unfamiliar with the works of the Big Three than check it out, you are in for a treat.

I love the illustrations in this book. They reflect such joy, love, and contentment. A treasure!

An old woman is sitting on her porch with her cat and is dreaming of her husband, lost at sea. Her dreams lead to new ideas for the quilt she is making, and her life takes on new purpose and reflection as she stitches in the changes in this warm title of an old woman's activities.

I just received this book and it is already becoming a favorite of mine as well as my 3 year old daughter. The story reads beautifully and delicate, like an enchanting poem. It stirs all the senses, and the gorgeous illustrations bring it all together in a warm, cozy feeling. I'd call this a "home cooked" book. It truly feels like we own a little piece of magic in this book. A great bedtime read.

THE MOON QUILT by Sunny Warner is enchanting! It's the story about the last few months in the life of an older lady. In the story she is referred to as the "old woman."

Her days are spent sitting with her cat and dreaming. When she's awake the cat sleeps and when the old lady sleeps the cat is awake! The lady is dreaming of her old man who was lost at sea. In her dreams he is crossing from his boat to a rainbow which reaches to the moon. She decides to sew her dream into a lovely quilt. The old woman never forgets her daily chores and also works in the garden and plants pumpkins. Her evenings are spent working on her quilt. Her quilt is becoming a story and she sews a picture of herself and her cat onto the fabric.

When Halloween comes she makes delicious pumpkin pies for children who live nearby. The children arrive dressed in costumes and have a fun evening carving pumpkins and eating pie! The old lady sews the entire Halloween experience with the children into the quilt.

One evening as winter approaches the old woman and her cat sit outside watching the moon and they both fall sleep. The last illustration shows where they went.

The story is told simply and the book has many colorful pictures. This book is proof that good and meaningful stories are being written for young children

This is a beautiful book, with many of the illustrations looking like they are fashioned from snippets of cloth, as a quilt top would be. The story is gentle and cheerful. Here is the old woman working in her garden, and here she is entertaining a group of happy youngsters at Hallowe'en. Clearly she has a full and fulfilling life. And then in the next-to-the-last frame, after she has added her cat and herself to the quilt, they sit down together under the moonlight and...die??? I guess i'm used to authors who clobber you over the head with the punchline. I had to go back and read the story again to make sure i'd reached the right conclusion. Then i had to go look at some reviews of the book to see if other reviewers reached the same conclusion. I suppose that this book can be used to show children that death is a gentle thing when it comes to those who have lived a long and useful life...except that the ending really startled and upset me. I guess i didn't see it coming, and i didn't want the story to turn out that way. I would only recommend reading this book to children if you are prepared to have a potentially upsetting discussion about death and dying.

definitely worth the price tag. Book is packed with period medical photographs, which while grotesque are also very artistically framed. All of the pictures are together, a page per picture so you can flip though the images without text interrupting the artistic presentation. The back of the book is devoted to thorough captions for each photo. Some of the photos look staged but this too fits the period represented.

This collection of photographs and plates are some of the most concise findings on the medical world I have ever seen. It has opened my eyes to these people and has given me something new and interesting to learn about. I really enjoy seeing how far we have come in the field of medicine but also the advancement has diminished the frequency of medical oddities that are found in this book. I really recomend this to anyone who has an interest in the medical field and all of its mishaps.

This book of stunning, yet disturbing, photographs of medical anomalies spanning 100 years from the mid-19th c., may not be for everyone. It is a comprehensive visual essay into things that we find fascinating, yet repulsive. Unlike a carnival sideshow, however, the purpose of this wonderful book is not to cynically trivialize the individuals illustrated. Like the Mütter Museum, (Mütter Museum: Philadelphia College of Physicians, 19 South 22nd Street, between Chestnut and Market Hours: Mon-Sat 10am-4pm, Sun 12-4pm), Stanley Burns' book is a window into the 19th century propensity to gather esoteric information of all types, organize it and, ultimately, to exhibit it as the means to greater knowledge.

Stanley Burns is a physician and a collector of medical history photographs. You may remember his previous book of mortuary photographs entitled "Sleeping Beauty" which is long out of print and fetches incredible sums among used book dealers. (Fortunately, a sequel - "Sleeping Beauty II" is more readily available.) "A Morning's Work" is a collection of 127 vintage medical photographs from 1843 to 1939 along with a helpful narrative explanation of the photographs and their cultural significance. Although some of the pictures are more historically significant than interesting, the bulk of the images are of medical curiosities - and some of them are absolutely head-scratchingly bizarre. Among the images featured are mortuary photographs, images of amputations, surgical procedures, disfigurement, and a wide assortment of congenital and acquired diseases. The title "A Morning's Work" is taken from an image of a pile of amputated limbs taken during the Civil War, when the horrific wounds inflicted by the large leadshots used at the time resulted in amputations for even the most minor of injuries. Many of the photographs take us back to the Dark Days of medicine, before antiseptic procedures were implemented, and when a small wound could result in a deadly infection in a matter of days.

The narrative explanations of the photographs add a special poignance to them. For example, a photograph of a dead man would not be nearly so interesting were it not for Burns' explanation that the man was Dr. James Howe who contracted Cholera while treating patients during the St. Louis epidemic of 1849 and was fatally afflicted. That one sombre portrait seems to symbolize the bravery and sacrifice of physicians the world over during times of pestilence, and if there's anything that you come away with after viewing this book, it's a newfound appreciation for modern medicine. All told, "A Morning's Work" is a fascinating book - and a must for enthusiasts of the bizarre and medical historians alike.

This book is very harsh, unpleasant, but impressive. Not at all for anybody because you need to have the guts to keep your glance at the pictures mirroring the abnormal, the illnesses, the horror of nature, the facts of the old times of surgery. As Bacon's paintings these pictures have a very sui-generis aesthetics, based upon the ugly and the deformity.

I had this book as a child and I can remember making my parents read it to me over and over. I used to bring it to babysit with me and read it to the kids that I was watching. I recently purchased this book for my children, ages 1, 3 and 5 and they really enjoy it. It has cute pictures and a great lesson about determination, a dream and trying your best!

This is an excellent children's book. I totally disagree with Hook's assessment that this is uninspired. It has inspired our family. Anytime something is difficult my 5 year old states "anything is possible with a little practice and determination".

This cow makes her dream possible even in the face of others laughing at her. A good lesson in "not having to go along with the crowd and peer pressure".

This is one of the few Jack Kent books currently in print. Buy it now before it, too, is OOP! Jack Kent was not only a delightful story teller, but he was a wonderful illustrator. Cute story sure to please toddlers & preschoolers (even young elementary).

My parents bought this book for me in 1973. It has always inspired me to try harder no matter what. I now share my copy with my children and plan to buy a copy for each of them. This book would make a wonderful first book for any child (a baby shower gift for my brother)or an addition to any adult's book collection. Buy it, share it and live by Ms. Mooley's moto "all it takes is a little practice and determination"

Several times a day my two year old will place himself squarely in front of my wife or myself and simply demand "Mrs. Mooley!"

That's about the best endorsement I can give for a children's book.

This tale is of a cow who is inspired by a misplaced book of nursery rhymes to accomplish one -- the cow jumping over the moon.

All of the other animals laugh at Mrs. Mooley as she practices for her attempt. Their laughter turns to wide eyed adoration as she clears the moon on her final attempt, just as dawn is breaking over the barnyard.

As Mrs. Mooley states: "all it takes is a little practice and determination."