Literature in Art Books

In "How To Draw Magnificent Mammals", artist and illustrator Earl Phelps draws upon his more than 30 years of experience and expertise in the field to create a fun and effective 'how to' book for children wanting to learn how to accurately and easily draw all manner of animals including the two-toed sloth, a polar bear, an African elephant, a pipistrelle bat, a dingo, a markhor, a walrus, a giraffe, an hyena, a rhinoceros, a wart hog, a leopard, a baboon, a slender loris, a red kangaroo, a llama, an aardvark, a gorilla, and a lion. Each animal is showcased with step-by-step instructions that are as effective as they are 'kid friendly'. Information as to each individual animal's behavior, habitat and diet are also featured. Also very highly recommended for rainy day fun activities and art class curriculum supplements are Earl Phelps' earlier 'how to' art instruction books: How To Draw Supercharacters And Supermonsters"; and "How To Draw Spectacular Reptiles.

In "How To Draw Magnificent Mammals", artist and illustrator Earl Phelps draws upon his more than 30 years of experience and expertise in the field to create a fun and effective 'how to' book for children wanting to learn how to accurately and easily draw all manner of animals including the two-toed sloth, a polar bear, an African elephant, a pipistrelle bat, a dingo, a markhor, a walrus, a giraffe, an hyena, a rhinoceros, a wart hog, a leopard, a baboon, a slender loris, a red kangaroo, a llama, an aardvark, a gorilla, and a lion. Each animal is showcased with step-by-step instructions that are as effective as they are 'kid friendly'. Information as to each individual animal's behavior, habitat and diet are also featured. Also very highly recommended for rainy day fun activities and art class curriculum supplements are Earl Phelps' earlier 'how to' art instruction books: How To Draw Supercharacters And Supermonsters"; and "How To Draw Spectacular Reptiles.

I am a teacher for children with special needs and I have found using this book with the general eductaion population has helped them understand the disability. I have several students included into the general education classroom and this book helps the children understand the student with Autism. It has made the transition for inclusion so much smoother for my students.

This book is an extraordinary resource for teachers and parents. Connor shares in a unique voice the realities of living with an autistic brother in an uplifting way. I am his Mom, but I have had people tell me that they cried the first time they read his book because it was the first one that they could share with the youngest of siblings. When you read it I am sure you will agree with my five star rating. And that you will learn something from this very insightful child.

I really loved this alphabet book because the animals were so funny. I especially liked the monster driving in the truck. I will read it to my cousin Danny.

Ryan Age 7 and his mom Debi

"I Saw An Ostrich In A Chair" is a beautiful,delightful book for
young children and their parents.The poems show great humor and charm, and the illustrations are exquisite.I plan to buy this book for all the youngsters on my holiday list.

Gloria Newberger,Orlando,Florida

This is a lovely book that introduces girls to beautiful paintings in a way that they can relate to. Not only is the introduction to beautiful art invaluable; the book encourages delving into the imagination in a wonderful and subtle way. The subject matter, even the expressions on the subjects' faces brings the art to life. I highly recommend this to parents of thoughtful, reading girls. Kudos to American Girl Library for bringing us such a special book.

There's nothing more exciting than having kids tap into their creative minds to weave their own stories. IMAGINE offers them the chance to explore not only some of the great works of art by American artists, but their own ideas about the story the artist is wanting to tell us. From Winslow Homer's "Two Girls Looking at a Book" to Norman Rockwell's "Girl at Mirror," the illustrations provide endless possibilities for sharing their thoughts and emotions as they view the paintings --- and opening the door to a wealth of discussion by putting themselves into the painting and letting their imaginations fly.

For example, one lovely painting by Luther Van Gorder entitled "Japanese Lanterns" portrays two small girls admiring the wonders of paper lanterns being hung in the garden. Their parents are preparing for a party in the year 1895, and the girls are all dressed up to attend this "grown-up" event. The magical glow of light and the curious smiles of the girls create a joyful picture that makes us recall our own happy discoveries. Can you remember being amazed by something as magical as a Japanese lantern? Feeling the tingle of anticipation before a family party?

Each work of art is accompanied by a brief essay that sets the stage for viewing the art, and asks questions to start kids on the path to seeing deeper within themselves. Short biographies on each artist are included in the back. An added bonus --- the cover is designed in the form of a picture frame, allowing the reader to insert their favorite reproduction of some of these paintings from a packet that's included with the book. IMAGINE: THE GIRL IN THE PAINTING is a wonderful way for parents and kids to share the beauty of art and the fun of storytelling together!

--- Reviewed by Ann L. Bruns

Collaboratively researched and written by Janet Carey Eldred (Associate Professor of English, University of Kentucky) and Peter Mortensen (Associate Professor of English, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign), Imagining Rhetoric: Composing Women Of The Early United States is a scholarly and revealing study of how women's writing developed in the era between the American Revolution and the Civil War. A truly fascinating look at how educated women used the power of the pen to promote civic goals, as well as how a new female readership emerged and changed the as yet fledgling book industry, Imagining Rhetoric is a highly recommended contribution to Women's Studies and Literary History reference collections and academic reading lists.

Collaboratively researched and written by Janet Carey Eldred (Associate Professor of English, University of Kentucky) and Peter Mortensen (Associate Professor of English, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign), Imagining Rhetoric: Composing Women Of The Early United States is a scholarly and revealing study of how women's writing developed in the era between the American Revolution and the Civil War. A truly fascinating look at how educated women used the power of the pen to promote civic goals, as well as how a new female readership emerged and changed the as yet fledgling book industry, Imagining Rhetoric is a highly recommended contribution to Women's Studies and Literary History reference collections and academic reading lists.

Matisun has the most beautiful way of bringing her personal connection with Spirit out her words. As I read this book, I felt so connected, so inspired and so touched that I was transported to a place of peace within me that I had not felt in some time. If you or those in your life need to get in touch with the peace within, this book makes a fabulous gift.

I absolutely LOVED this book. This collection of thoughts, poems, stories, and prayers spoke to me in such a profound way. I felt a spark of light flicker in me that was waiting to be lit up to shine again as it never has before. Matisun so beautifully shares her words, prayers, conversations with God in a way that I felt as if they were my thoughts at some point or another. In her book, Matisun refers to us "being one," well, this would answer why I felt that I had these thoughts before. It is a beautiful addition to the library of any Course In Miracles student, or anyone for that matter!

In THE SILENCE, Matisun says, "Sometimes the silence makes me cry, not because it is so empty, but because it is so full." Wow. I am feeling that right now!

For the 3,4, and 5 year olds in my preschool classroom, this book especially with the song was spellbinding. The children said "read it again" immediately. The illustrations are incredibly beautiful. All the elements of a winning book are here.

Kudos to Mr. Eakle. He has successfully combined an easy to read beautifully illustrated story with printed music on every page. Grandmother's Garden is currently the preferred bedtime book and song of my seven grandchildren. Thanks to this book - they are all very excited about learning to read musical notes, as well.

In Praise of Folly (Encomiun Moriae in Latin) was written in 1509 by the Dutchman Erasmus of Rotterdam when he was guest to his English famous friend Thomas More,or Morus if you prefer, the author of the celebrated book Utopia. Given internal religious strife in Europe, and England was in no exception mood, these were pretty much dangerous times and many heads rolled and were to roll, More"s included, due to the persecution by Henry VIII. Whatever was to be said about the nettlesome religious matter had to be done with extrema caution in order to avoid the perilous verdicts of the Holy Tribunal.

Along with Thomas More, Desiderius Erasmus was one of the most important representatives of the Renaissance literary movement in northern Europe and what was casually presented by Erasmus as a booklet inspired by a casual play of words with the surname More (which is almost equal to Moriae, madness in Greek), was in fact an attempt to salvage what should be rescued of the Classical Greek Antiquity in Erasmus' opinionated argument and incorporated in the Christian thought of the time. Beneath an almost non-descript façade was an issue of utmost significance to the evolution of the so-called Natural Sciences, that were to benefit from advances of recent discoveries in Physics, Chemistry and later on Biology, but which were hindered to evolve by the so-called aristotelian taint inherited by the Scholastic medieveal tradition so dear to the traditionalist Catholic Church, a task difficult in itself but which Erasmus easily outdone with a satyrical style that offended no one, preserving all the respect to the Church hierarchy and its dogmas and, most importantly, the figure of Jesus Christ.

The book is in fact a small one but the reader is much rewarded by the richness of its content, where the author takes him by his hands and strolls with him trough ancient Greek and Roman mithology in a verbose prose at the same time easy, vigorous and stimulating, where one is impressed by the author's astounding erudiction, as if he was a northern true inheritor of the Tuscan Dante Aligheri (the Divine Comedy) in this purpose. This is certainly one of the best literary works of late Renaissance and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Desiderius Erasmus was surely the most logical and objective viewer of Europe's plight in the early 16th century. He was a reformer without being an extremist, and a Catholic without being a slave to superstition or conservatism, truly the quintessential intellectual.

This book is good for both those with casual interest in Japanese culture and specific interests in the field of Buddhism. Special attention is paid to the relationship between religion and the traditional theatre forms of Noh and Kyogen.

This is a truly amazing study. I read it for a class I was taking on medieval Japan. The professor warned that this book was very dense and difficult to read, but I thought - No problem! It's under 200 pages, I'm a fast reader, I like the subject.

So let me restate: this book is a DENSE read. Every sentence has deep significance, and don't be surprised if you have to reread paragraphs several times, even if you're used to memorizing things with a once-over.

That said, this book was so good that it gets 5 stars despite the difficulty of reading it. LaFleur deftly weaves together strands from medieval forms of Japanese Buddhism (specifically Tendai and Shingon) during the Kamakura and Ashikaga bakufus with earlier cultural tendencies from Heian times right through to the flowering of new cultural ideas in Tokugawa Japan. He does not shy away from appreciating art or fine points of theology on their own terms, but also does not hesitate to show how the two blended together and shaped one another.

I personally enjoyed the sections on the Hojo-Ki by Chomei more than his sections on No and Kyogen, but that's personal preference. You will also gain a new understanding of major poets and monks of the era, such as Chomei, Basho, and Zeami. Rather than try and define such difficult concepts as yugen, he illustrates them through use of those individuals and their own efforts at definitions.

Read a chapter at a time or all at once, a great book.

I teach art and have had many requests to teach anime. I don't draw in the anime/manga style and struggled to do so. Christopher Hart's book is a great tie-in or introduction to Fantasy Manga. His style is similiar to mine in that it is a bit more cartoony than traditional anime/manga style. While some people might criticize the book for that, I think it's an awesome book with lots of color pictures. It even had some tips and tricks I didn't know. It would be useful for a beginner or a resource for someone more experienced. If you are looking to draw like someone else or in the more traditional style of anime/manga then this book is not for you. But if you are looking to develop your own style or like the more Americanized look to your anime/manga drawing then I would highly recommend it!

Motivating for the young beginner cartoonist. My kids loved this easy to follow instructive book. Fantasy goes wild with just a few tips and direction. Beginning with the basic figures, adding hair styles, eye shapes & general body posture brings the magna life & character. Many examples to follow or just be inspired by makes this book a fantastic entertaining guide to manga drawing