Art Books

I have sculpted for the past 15 or twenty years and bought this book specifically for the page that dealt with plaster piece molds. Unfortunately, piece mold making is a lost art and few books even attempt to describe them, never mind explain how to make them. I'm still not sure how to tackle piece molds of fully articulated figures, but relatively solid pieces, like the portrait head illustrated in the book, would be reasonable to attempt.

After receiving the book from Amazon, I was pleasantly surprised by the thoroughness of the book on a host of topics. Trust me, for anyone who is starting out, you can save yourself years of trial and error by referring to this book. In the chapter titled "modeling the figure" Langland explains the importance of building up slowly in "strings" that follow the forms of the muscles and stresses the importance of creating a solid pelvis, rib cage and head making sure that they align properly with the spine. I found myself nodding in agreement at countless points reading the book. It is remarkable how many processes and artistic concerns he manages to thoughtfully and clearly address throughout the book. As an example, Langland describes three methods to mark locations where holes will be drilled through a base to facilitate mounting a bronze sculpture. Now, this sounds like a very straightforward thing to do, but in practice it is a little tricky. Typically, underneath a bronze sculpture, a foundry will drill and tap two or more holes that can receive screws that pass through counter-bored holes in a stone or wood base. How would you locate hole centers in a blank base so that they will match the existing hole pattern in a bronze sculpture?

really good technical manual for the whole sculptural process, and clearly and simply written and illustrated. I would certainly recommend this book.

I have been sculpting only a short time. This book has become a great resource for me to consider having some of my work bronzed. I had no clue as to where to call or what to ask. After finishing this book I was very comfortable calling a local foundry and getting quotes via the formula the author suggested.

He also shows how you could, (if you had time and resources), make your own bronze casting at home. Either way the steps are useful for when you are prepping your piece for the foundry. Also included is a nice full-color section on patina's for bronze and the effect each chemical has on the metal.

A refreshing component to this book is the authors use of wit and light-hearted look at this art form. It makes the reading very enjoyable and easy.

If your an artist that wants to take your work to the next level then I highly recommend this book!

I have owned this book since 2001, and still find myself referencing it for additional insight and techniques. As my work evolves I find this book an invaluable manual to refresh me and acquaint myself with alternatives to what I have been already doing. Finally it has been very helpful for me in working with foundries to check their process and verify the quality of work produced- whether speaking of molds, waxes or finished bronze.

This is a very helpful book for anyone creating sculpture and wishing to mold and cast into another material. Langland is very knowledgeable in the history and practice of casting in a variety of materials. His depth of knowledge shows in the attention to methods for wax, plaster, bronze and other metals.

This book covers so many aspects of sculpture from start to finish. You are never left with unanswered questions or uncertainty to any of the processes. The color section on patinas is marvolous. I love this book and have enjoyed reading it. Highly recommended!

Good book but mixed feelings. Here's my take on the pro's and con's of the Frugal Editor.

The Format of this book: It is noted that it is a 208 page book, but it's actually 192 pages. Subtract from that, 29 blank pages and 6 pages of paragraph length chapters and you have a 158 page book for 18.95. Now in her book, the author states that formatting standards of what side a chapter should start is the culprit of white pages (because chapters should begin on the right side). However, this standard gets overused, so the format stretches a small book into a roughly 200 page book. This is a huge pet peeve of mine. As it seems lately, many self-published books are using this tactic. I don't mind purchasing a 90 page book filled with excellent information as long as it is priced right. But a 150 page book for $19 plus shipping made me feel cheated.

On the plus side, she does include shaded boxes to highlight important tidbits or summaries of information, which I found extremely helpful, especially for the visual learner.

Now for the content. On her website/blog, she promotes how this book goes into the Flesch-Kincaid Readability tool. Something that I was really interested in knowing and it is what finally prompted me to purchase the book. But the only info. her book delves into is on how to access it. She does NOT offer any concrete interpretation on what the Flesch scores mean and how to specifically use it. She does, however, send you to a link of audio files she produced on using the Flesch for an additional cost, of course. Albeit, you can't even purchase that audio because it is not even available on the websites listed within the book. For me, that was slick advertising and left me really disappointed. Thankfully, I own another book by James V. Smith, "The Writer's Little Helper" which goes into the Flesch tool quite a bit. I was just looking to find more innovative ways to use it thru the Frugal Editor book, but I was left empty handed.

A main premise throughout this book is on the utilization of Microsoft's Find and Replace tools and how to search for redundancies in terms of adverbs, gerunds, and the such. I found these sections very helpful because it never occurred to me to use this tool in such a way. If you are not familiar with this, then the purchase of this book will make it worthwhile.

There are a few sections on grammar that the Frugal Editor delves into with enough explanation to help you implement the author's points within your editing. But then there are many other sections where she just wraps it up with a very brief summary of a few lines and sends you off to various website links. Although, some of these sources were excellent, for 18.95 and having about 35 blank pages within the book, the author could have summarized better and offer more examples on the topics she touched so that one could utilize her book as a usable reference. I didn't need to pay 18.95 for a list of website links for grammar usage tips when a Google search would cost me nothing.

On the plus side, the Frugal Editor does contain an extensive set of appendixes and some were very beneficial such as a website that offered free searching tools of adverbs, prepositions, passive words, word & phrase frequency. You can find it at www.rogerjcarlson.com . Then there is another similar tool for about a hundred dollars on a U.K website for a Concordance Tool that does the above, as well as indexing and other tools. I wasn't aware of these tools, so just finding out about it within this book did help to lessen my other gripes.

The author also included sample query letters and cover letters although meant to be helpful, had no connection with the editing purposes of this book. Just seemed like "helpful" filler - a nicety.

All in all, the author seems very likeable and enthusiastic especially about her books. She has an extensive professional background and seems to be a respectable member of the community. Her advice is not to be taken lightly. I really liked what she had to say about the editing process and had only hoped that she would have dispelled more of her experience and background into her book as she does in her audios (she has an extensive list of audios - each about 60 minutes long, but I found no way of purchasing many of them). Perhaps a future updated edition of this book is due soon (Hint).

If you can find this book elsewhere for a lot less, then I definitely recommend purchasing it.

***********UPDATE****************

This is my second writeup for my update. Somehow it got suspiciously deleted. Hmmmm. For reasons I don't understand because all I wanted to relay to you prospective buyers is another book by BOBBIE CHRISTMAS titled "Write In Style: Using Your Word Processor and Other Techniques to Improve Your Writing", which surpasses the Frugal Editor book in so many ways. Christmas's book offers very detailed explanations about style and punctuation, as well as a few other elements of craft as it pertains to using the "search and find" function in your word processing program. This book is everything and more than what the Frugal Editor offers and should have been. Although, the Frugal Editor has its merits, buy this book instead.

Should you be your own editor?

The Frugal Editor will answer this question while giving you an insight to editing. In the end, it is up to the author, whether or not they want to self-edit their manuscript. Carolyn will give you information and links to information while also giving you some tools in Microsoft Word, albeit, pre Vista and Word 2007.

With a bit of internet searching, you can find the subtle differences, I did. Word 2007 will also save your work in a format that someone using an earlier version will not be able to read. You will learn this also as you become more familiar with Word 2007. Hint: save your docs as Word 97-2003; that way people using earlier versions of Word will be able to read your docs easily.

In The Frugal Editor, Carolyn gives you a wealth of information gleaned over the years by trial and error. It is easier to learn from someone that' been there and done that than fight it yourself. I know I have, and I welcome the information to help me save time and energy by reading this book and visiting some of the links. Unfortunately, as the internet is, links don't seem to last. I found a link here and there that didn't work; that being said, I found more than enough links that did work for me to bookmark many sites for further perusal.

No matter what level of writer you are, The Frugal Editor is a must read, whether novice or pro, you will gain something. I plan on telling my writer friends about this book. I found it fun and informational at the same time. As a freelance writer, The Frugal Editor, can be, and, should be, used if you are considering writing of any type.

Do yourself a favor, pick up a copy and read it. You will not be disappointed, and you might just learn something new about writing in the process.

This is a fantastic editing reference for writers. With so many style guides out there, it's sometimes hard to know which books are really worth owning. This book teaches you how to effectively edit your work (as much as is possible on your own), use the tools in your word processing program, and avoid deadly words and tell-tales of amateur writing.

Oh, how I wish I'd read this book before I published mine! This book will sit forever on my bookshelf alongside my Roget's Thesaurus and my Chicago Manual of Style.

As an author and being involved in the publishing world I highly recommend this book to all those wanting to break into the market, those already in the market, and those afraid to step into the market. Carolyn dispels all myths, gives encouragement, and certainly filled the book with tips and techniques to get past road blocks and fear. Concise, easy to read and follow, "The Frugal Editor" is a must-have book in the writer's library to create those killer manuscripts. I just know it will get dog-eared from use within a very short time, and as a writer you will easily have your foot into the door of successful publishing.

Carolyn Howard-Johnson's "The Frugal Editor" is an eye-opening journey into the often tedious realm of editing. Carolyn's book is both informative and entertaining in the way she presents the technical subject matter as she interjects bits of wit and humor throughout. Her explanations for solving common writing problems were informative and detailed.
Even readers with a professional knowledge of Microsoft's Word program will discover great editing tools designed to assist authors in their quest for a perfected end product.
As an author, I found "The Frugal Editor" an enlightening read and a valuable reference book, and one that should be used by everyone looking to perfect their writing skills.

THE GOLDEN KEY by George MacDonald is nothing short of fascinating. It is all at the same time a fairy tale and a unique mystery. The first time I read it, (and now I honestly cannot figure out why) I didn't care for it. But I kept hearing more and more wonderful things about it. So, I read it again, and it enveloped me. Recently, I read it for a third time. And loved it still more.

To describe the plot of this story would do it no justice. Reading this little story is much more like wrapping up in a warm, thick blanket on a cold and rainy night. It is filled with wonder, suspense, beauty, and innocence.

I can't wait to read it again.

I love fairy tales, and this story is a most excellent example of the genre. It follows two children on their journeys through Fairyland and their interactions with various fantastic people and creatures. I loved the pure innocence of the story and found it very captivating. The narration was also very excellent and energetic, making this story a very good listen.

While The Golden Key may not be my all-time favorite book, it certainly has a strong connection to the book that I treasure most of all (well, second to the Bible). You see, George MacDonald, author of The Golden Key, was in fact the mentor of Lewis Carroll, who wrote my favorite non-Biblical book, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. That's a very powerful and indeed shocking connection if you ask me. But you can kind of see it if you look closely. I mean, the kids in the Golden Key grow both old and young. Alice in Wonderland grows big and small. Kinda similar there.

Yet, I did not know about the relationship between the two books until AFTER I had finished The Golden Key and decided to do some research on its origin. I simply read The Golden Key like I would any other book, and developed some commentary on the work as a whole that I would now like to communicate:

First, the book is very short. I finished it in two days. And because its so short, events move incredibly fast to make room for heavy amounts of whimsical feeling and fantastical description.

But again I have to go back to the Alice thing. I noticed how SO many sentences in the story turned the reader upside down and made him say, "huh?" It was as if the Fairy World did everything it could to stay all out of whack. Whether it was to make speech that could be heard without ears, or to make the oldest people in the world look like little kids, the topsy-turvy nature of everything couldn't help but instill an amazing sense of awe. Truly, The Golden Key opens eyes to such incredible abstract possibilities of the imagination, and perhaps even life itself.

The out of whack sense of awe, while wonderful in this book, developed into full maturity in the Alice books. While The Golden Key merely mentions things that make no sense, the Alice books actually attempt to explain the senselessness of senseless things.

I hope I will always have a special place in my heart for MacDonald's prototype of Alice in Wonderland. Oh, if we only knew how much the imagination behind The Golden Key has really changed the world. I think we would all be very surprised.

I purchased this book as a Christmas gift for my 20-year-old daughter. It was one of her favorite books as a child and she frequently checked it out of our local library until it disappeared from the shelf there, never to be seen again. She was very excited when she saw that she had her own copy and she took the book back to college with her after Christmas break. Although I haven't actually read the book myself, I can tell you that my daughter thinks it is great!

This book is like a drink of the freshest, clearest water on the brightest, bluest spring day you can imagine. It was lovely every step of the way, somehow beautifully sad and wonderful at the same time. With the aid of the creatures of fairyland, mistreated Tangle and adventuresome Mossy go on an enchanting journey which takes them straight through to a wisdom and sense of wonderment that is somehow greater than that found in adulthood (or childhood). George MacDonald truly had an eye for the worlds of fairy, and an unsurpassed talent for expressing beauty in all things. The stories are not always meant to be understood, but deep in that inner place in one's heart, they make sense.

When a book appears on the same Newberry Award shelf as: The Island of the Blue Dolphins, Julie of the Wolves, Number the Stars, Dear Mr. Henshaw, Sounder and and other classics, one sits up and takes notice because it means the best in children's literature. This recent addition to the honour roll, made up of narrative poems reminiscent of The Canterbury Tales, gives the young reader a real sense of what daily life was like in the Middle Ages.

A few of the monologues deal with complex topics which may require some adult guidance to guarantee comprehension. For example, in the story told by Simon, the Knight's son, the Crusades are mentioned, which are a key to understanding his story. To familiarize the young reader with this intricate historical episode, the book provides a two page summary of the Crusades crammed with many facts and more in the margins. These summaries have been inserted beside the half-dozen selections dealing with the more difficult topics, but may serve to further confuse the reader with fact overload. Topics like the Christian attitudes toward the Jews, Pilgrimages, the Crusades, and Feudal customs, call for some direct teaching and/or guided research to assure comprehension. In short, they will need to be explained to most children. The majority of the narratives, however, can be read independently. The stories in this fine piece of historical fiction are the right stuff for engaging reader's theatre.

Winner of the 2008 Newberry Medal, Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! was actually written to be performed. Laura Amy Schlitz has written here a series of interconnected monologues and dialogues which, taken together, depict the life of kids of all kinds in a medieval village. There's the Falconer's Son, the Blacksmith's Daughter, the runaway villein, the Young Lord, The Pilgrim and The Sniggler, all of whom help complete the picture.

The reviewers have covered it all, but such a truly great book deserves ongoing praise. How nice to see that this jewel of a book won the Newbery! Standing ovation from this reader.

A wonderful book from a wonderful person. This is especially good for lower- and middle-schoolers. Quite usable for in-school performances.

I didn't really realize it would be a children's book when I placed the item on hold at my library. I just knew that I wanted to read the latest Newberry award winning book. I guess I figured that if it fell into the same category as "A Wrinkle in Time" by Madeleine L'Engle then it must be good.

I was a little surpised at how thin it was. I was also surprised at how it is not just one coherent story (or even a story in the general prose form).
They are monologue and dialogue plays written by a librarian for the children in her school classes. She wrote them so that each child would have a starring role for three minutes.

They are poetic and easy to read with nice large print. The tone and vocabulary is all medieval - let's face it, I learned a few new words. Large colorful pictures are on every page and even the margins are colored and have text that explain certain words or aspects of the medieval culture/life. A large colorful map is on the first or second page and instead of locations being labeled the specific characters in the story are shown and labeled.

The tempo of the words is good and interesting -- I was particularly impressed with the two monologues done by the sisters talking about the apprentice boy their father has taken and how one of them must marry the apprentice for the apprentice to inherit the shop. The older daughter likes the boy and wouldn't mind marrying him but thinks the boy would want her sister (younger, prettier) instead. The younger sister thinks the boy will want her older sister (so he doesn't have to wait to inherit) but thinks that it's terrible that one of them will have to marry the boy in the end. The dialogues are completely different but manage to come together for a chorus type of refrain.

Another one that does this is the dialogue between the Jewish boy and the Catholic girl. They are able to put aside their differences for a little while and just be children playing together. The dialogue ends with the children saying together "Almost like she's a Jew;" "Almost like he's a Catholic."

The one down spot I can see - if I were the one performing the plays - would be having to play the role of the beggar child or the child of the villein where you obviously are not well-cared for and have to scrimp to survive. Or maybe that's just me being a girl and wanting the character I embody to be noble somehow...

All in all, it was a beautiful book and very easy to read. It took me maybe forty minutes of carefully thumbing through and looking at the pictures to complete it.

Once you get past the strange layout (described in other sections), this is a great edition of Henry V. It is easy and fun to read and offers valuable insights (not just for students either). Well worth a flutter.

This play is best known for the St. Crispian's Day "Band of Brothers" speech given by King Henry just before the battle at Agincourt. It is a powerful speech that rallies people at all times and everywhere. Sir Lawrence Olivier made a film version in 1944 during WWII and Kenneth Branagh made another as recently as 1989. You can count on there being more versions. Epecially so when computers can help them make spectacular battle scenes (that aren't really in the play) with less expense.

Audiences love this play and they should. There is a lot to like and enjoy. I think upon repeated readings Henry becomes a more equivocal character than he seems at first. And readers of the King Henry IV plays will know him before he became King Henry and know something deeper about his personality.

And of course there is the whole bit about the drive to France being sponsored by the Church to avoid confiscation of property by the Crown. Moreover, there is the slaughtering of the French prisoners, and his treatment of Falstaff (who dies offstage in this play). This isn't revisionist stuff, it is right there in the play, but it is easy to miss the first time you are trying to take in the play.

In any case, this Arden edition is the one to buy and read from. Why? Because it has the most authoritative text, but that is only the beginning. It also shows variants between the early sources. The notes at the bottom of each page of the play are simply fabulous. The editor includes not only helpful notes explaining what might be obscure in the text of the play, he provides sources Shakespeare probably used such as Holinshed and makes for some very interesting study. There are also some helpful notes on how various scenes have been performed over time.

And to make this sound more like an infomercial, you get more! The introduction provides great background material on the play, its sources, and how it has been performed throughout history. After the play, there is a photo reproduction of the first Quarto from 1600 and it is fairly readable. There are also a couple of maps showing the path of the English Army from Harfleur through other towns on its way to Calais and makes clear how they had to pass through Agincourt.

There is also a helpful genealogical table so you can see the confusing claims used by Henry and the French nobility to make their claims. And there is a doubling chart so you can see how theater companies can perform all the roles with fewer actors.

This is a great edition as are all the plays published by the Arden Shakespeare. The amount of work collected in these volumes is stunning and they will enrich your experience of the plays tremendously. I can't recommend them enough.

This play more than any others in the histories glorifies Englishmen and England. His characters in this one are larger than life, but each has their own limitations and flaws. The play covers the time of the Battle of Agincourt when the French King Charles was so sure of victory that he sent a messenger to Henry to ask him to give up and to pay a ransom before the battle. On the eve of the Battle of Agincourt, the English were outnumbered five to one, Henry's troops were on foreign soil and riddled with disease. The scenes where Henry dons a disguise and goes out amongst his troops to bolster their confidence are great. The English managed to triumph in this battle where all was stacked against them mostly because of Henry's leadership. This is such a sweeping story that it is hard to condense in a few words, the plot of the play, but it is a wonderful example of Shakespeare's skills as a writer.

'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers.' What more need I say? Henry V is an imortal classic of western literature. And this edition is complete and accurate. See the film if you want, but be sure to read the words at least once. They are inspiring.

"Now, if these men do not die well, it will be a black matter for the King that led them to it."

Particularly poignant poetry in these times of pompous presidential sabre rattling and wars based on questionable facts.

Mardy Grothe's new book, I Never Metaphor I Didn't Like, is a first class meal in the back row of the plane. It's a waterfall after three weeks in the Sahara. It's a brand new Beatles album at an estate sale. It's....it's....you see why I like this book? I need help with my metaphors!

Seriously, this book is a gem. The historical and literary references make it more than a book of great quotes. It's fascinating reading and a terrific tool for would-be writers. Pick it up and start reading anywhere. It's harder to let go of than a hot date at the prom.

-- Greg Tamblyn, Motivational Humorist, recording artist, author of "Atilla The Gate Agent." [...]

Atilla The Gate Agent (Travel Tales and Life Lessons from a Musical Laf-ologist

Saving the World from Whiny Victim Love Songs

I could peruse this latest book by Dr. Mardy for hours and never tire of it. As a writer who enjoys quotations of all sorts I have long been a big fan of Dr. Mardy Grothe's weekly column. With i never metaphor i didn't like, he has so won my heart that it is now and always the first place I will ever look to discover helpful quotations to illustrate or embellish my thoughts. So long Bartlett's, you've been replaced. Simply reading the pages of this book is a vastly entertaining experience. Like many who enjoy cooking, I appreciate perusing cookbooks. For a writer, a book of quotations is not unlike a compilation of recipes, and just as worth reading for the stimulation it provides. I especially appreciate the further explanations he appends to the quotations as they do much to help me to learn more about a variety of interesting things. All hail the Master Chef of Cordon Blue wordsmithery: Dr. Mardy Grothe and his wonderful i never metaphor i didn't like.
Tasha Halpert author of Heartwings: Love Notes for a Joyous Life.

I enjoyed every metaphor, simile and analogy in this book-- but why, pray tell, did he have to ruin them by explaining what they mean? Anyone literate enough to buy and read this book should able to understand them without having them explained. But he overloads on the explanations. The pleasure of a metaphor, etc, comes from thinking about the meaning. He gives them, then right away tell what they mean like he's teaching a bunch of school children. He talks down to his readers. On page 181 we read " Courtship to marriage; as a very witty prologue to a very dull play." Then he proceeds to tell us dummies what a prologue is. Same all thru the book. I guess he thinks the people who read this book are stupid. If he had left out the explanations it would have been so much better.

This is an excellent book for those of us who find ourselves writing all the time. It helps us realize we are like nuclear reactors--always creating waste that we must store somewhere, and liable to have a disastrous accident at any time that will cause readers to give us money in order to get us off their backs--or maybe not. Who knows? Anyway enjoy this book and get back to work.

This is a good book regarding metaphors, similies, and analogies. After reading it, you're more or less inspired to try a few. If you write or just like to read about reading, this is a good book.

As a child, my favorite movie was THE WIZARD OF OZ. For Chirstmas ,I received this wonderful book that is all about the famous "pet-actress" named "Toto". (Yes, Toto was actually a little female dog named Terry,not a male , as most people would think).

Anyhow, this book is all about the tiny Cairn Terrier "Toto" (Terry) and how she came about becoming one of the principal characters in the movie.

The photos are just amazing also. My favorite photos are the behind-the-scene photos showing Toto "acting" in the actual movie, just as the trainer was in the background giving Toto her directions. Sooo cute!

If you are a dog fan, or a Cairn Terrier fan, or a Wizard of Oz fan, you'll love this book.

I, Toto is a delightfully well written book by Willard Carroll about the life of Terry, a Cairn Terrier who became famous in movies. The book is based on a scrapbook Willard Carroll found that documented the life and movie career of this well trained dog; and the book is primarily set up to look just like a book typed on an old typewriter--written, of course, by the dog itself.

The book starts with the story of how Terry was born, adopted and eventually given up by her owners because of her troubles with housetraining; and we learn how Carl Spitz professionally trained dogs to perform in movies. Spitz, an excellent trainer who worked with many dogs, wound up training Terry professionally. Spitz used both kindness and discipline to train his dogs, including Terry, very well; his talents are obvious when we consider that Terry (aka Toto) appeared in at least fourteen major motion pictures including The Wizard Of Oz.

Carroll cleverly writes the memoirs of Terry, or Toto, in the first person as if the dog herself had written the book. This provides the reader with an extra slice of humor when Carroll writes about things that happened on the sets of pictures or in Carl Spitz's training camp for dogs. Carroll does an excellent job of getting readers to be charmed out of their trees by Terry who eventually becomes renamed Toto for the sake of her career. A movie star dog has to consider Hollywood politics, after all!

The book is filled with wonderful reproductions of ads for the movies Terry was in; and we see numerous publicity shots from movies including Bright Eyes with Shirley Temple and Terry as Rags the dog. Of course, we get plenty of stills from The Wizard Of Oz and there are very nicely done "hand written" asides to the reader that also appear to be written by Terry. The result is a charming look back at the life of Terry, the dog who became Toto and enjoyed great movie fame--and treats along the way!

Overall, classic movie buffs will enjoy this book; and people who love The Wizard Of Oz will appreciate this book very much since so little was known about Terry before Willard Carroll wrote this book. The book is well written and a real page turner; it grabs your attention and never lets it go.

Great job, Willard Carroll!

A must read for any Oz fan as well as dog lovers of all kinds. I never knew how many movies Toto was in, and the Oz trivia was really fun, too. It was very cleverly written from Toto's point of view. I actually laughed out loud at some parts. Don't pass by picture captions and comments on the sides of the pages. It's all worth reading! Not bad for a dog no one wanted!

Since my all-time favorite dog star is Toto, this book was easy for me to love. However, once I began to read, I found it to be something extra special. I, Toto is a mood lifter as well as an interesting piece of Hollywood history. Beautifully written in the first person, I, Toto will captivate the heart and mind of any dog lover.

I was looking at silver-screen bio's in the library when I came across this clever little volume. Author Willard Carroll knows a lot about Oz, and he also understands a lot about animals and the people who love them. Whether you are a fan of the Wonderful Land of Oz, a dog-lover, or both, you are going to get such a kick out of this book. If you're like me, you're going to breeze through it, and then go back and read it again, preferably with someone nearby to whom you can read the funniest, most touching or trivia-friendly bits. Toto, who began as Terry, a little dog abandoned by her owners, has a very good friend indeed in Mr. Carroll.

This is a story about Toto, but it is also the story of Carl Spitz, who had been training dogs since 1919. When he came to Hollywood in 1927, he opened a training school which combined kindness and discipline, an innovation which most at the time considered "nonsense." Mr. Spitz and his dogs broke into silent movies; he developed a series of silent commands when talkies came along. His dogs appeared with the stars: Prince the Great Dane and Lawrence Olivier in Wuthering Heights; Buck the Saint Bernard and Clarke Gable in The Call of the Wild. The English mastiff and the Scottish terrier were in major productions, too.

Mr. Carroll captures Toto's "voice" so perfectly, even using a font that looks like my mother's old portable Underwood typewriter for the star's narrative. Toto also comments on the dozens of photos, movie stills and other memorabilia of a busy career with red pen.

Toto hobnobs with the stars and has some once-in-a-lifetime moments, such as when Mr. Gable came to visit the kennel owned by Carl Spitz, the trainer who adopted and worked with Toto and many other canine performers. (Don't want to tell you what happened, but it made Mr. Gable smile. Eventually.) She works with Spencer Tracy in Fury and Shirley Temple in Bright Eyes. (Of the latter, Toto reports, "Shirley had her hair cut and recurred and had endless wardrobe fittings and makeup tests. I had a flea bath, a toenail trim, and an enema.")

And then there was Oz. Toto is miffed when a studio official gushed, "She's the one! Looks just like the dog on the cover," for she considers said beast "a genetic mutation of terrifying proportions," but the role is hers and she revels in it, for she soon realizes that the story "IS ALL ABOUT ME!!! ... I'M IN ALMOST EVERY SCENE IN THE BLESSED PICTURE!!!" Toto includes a page from the shooting script with all six of her lines circled, as proof positive of her importance to the film.

Of course, it isn't all green grass and marrow bones. There are those scary wind machines and the shock of seeing that nice Maggie dressed up in black, with her face painted green and the biggest nose since Durante, cackling away. Oh, and the Winkie guard that stepped on her paw by accident. Ouch! And the creepy flying monkeys. But Mr. Spitz' training paid off; Toto found herself able to rebound from such situations and perform like the trooper that she was.

I, Toto is now one of my favourite movie books. Cute but never mawkish, sentimental but never saccharine, informative but never overwhelming, this little story of a little dog is a big winner.

My daughter had been looking for this book for some time after seeing it on Reading Rainbow TV show. The book is fun for her (5 yrs old). Great buy at a great price.

I have an autographed copy of this book, and from the moment I read of a little girl with antlers, I was hooked. Years later, this story still captured me, enough that when my husband asked me what we would name our new little kitten, I piped up with "Imogene!". It fits, believe it or not, some of the time! This book I talk about with all the childhood wonder and love, and reverence due to it. Its the most wonderful book to read to a child, and the ending is just as fun! Too bad David Small hasn't written another book to follow up! I'd buy it in a heartbeat!! I treasure this book and I CANNOT wait to read it to my children!

This is a darling book! David Small has created such a lively story and pictures that my children have loved. We raised 4 kids who are now teenagers who fully enjoyed this book; they first saw it on Reading Rainbow. Now, we're starting over with a new baby who will undoubtedly wear out her copy of this book. As a former English teacher, I can say with authority that this is a childrens' classic and a must-have.

Our Daughter loves this book!!! Her Daddy is a deer hunter so seeing a little girl grow antlers is really funny to her!!

This book has received great reveiws far and wide. I hate to admit it, but I just don't see why. The protagonist, Imogene, wakes up with a set of antlers on her head. To many of us, this would be a big problem. But, Imogene doesn't seem to mind all that much. Her family, however, hates the whole idea. Now, in most children's story books, the protagonist is faced with a certain conflict and at the end of the story he/she has solved it and has grown somehow from the experience. In this story, Imogene isn't bothered by her problem and does nothing at all to solve it. In fact, the problem solves itself. She wakes up and voila, no more antlers. Instead, she had grown a new problem. (Another that she doesn't seem to mind.) In no way do I see that either Imogene or her family has grown or changed in any way. I admit, some of the situations are comical and in their own way pull the book along. But again, there is no solution to the problem and I have issue with that.

This book is one of my little girl's favorite books and it was a great introduction to Monet for the entire family. Our children also enjoyed the DVD version.

This is a delightful living book. An opportunity to learn a lot about Monet, his work and his life while enjoying a beautifully told story.

Fabulous book about places I have visited and loved -- I actually
know Michelle who owns the Hotel Esmerelda (she will autograph my
copy of book), and have spent many happy hours in the bookstore
around the corner (never go to Paris without visiting it), and
of course, Monet's art and home are the pinnacle. A wonderful
and inspirational book for all!

I absolutely LOVED this book when I was younger. So, if you're having doubts about your child liking it, I wouldn't...I had the doll of Linnea and I carried it around with me everywhere...and I also brought the book everywhere I could as well.

Linnea, a young Swedish girl has developed quite a friendship with the elderly Mr. Bloom, her upstairs neighbor. Mr. Bloom is a retired gardener who is the proud owner of a lovely book about the great French artist, Claude Monet. After hours and hours of studying Monet and his life, the pair begin the ultimate adventure: a trip to Paris, and where it all began! Linnea and Mr. Bloom visit the Marmottan museum to observe the many paintings of Monet. They study his artwork and how the genius painted. They learn about other Impressionist artists--many who were great friends of Monet. Eventually the young child and elderly gentleman make the ultimate trek to Giverny, where Monet lived and painted.
This book could almost be a 'fun' textbook. The artwork, both of the author's and of Monet's is absolutely exquisite. Becoming familiar with Monet's life and his paintings become a marvelous art history lesson. As an adult, I not enjoyed reading this lovely book but I learned a lot. In fact, a few days after reading LINNEA in Monet's Garden I was watching a Sex in the City episode where Charlotte was showing a group of people one of Monet's 'lily' murals. Being familiar with that painting because of this book was an exciting moment for me!

This classic story carries a message, not only for children that don't want to help with their chores, but for anyone who hasn't quite got into the gardening mood. This book is all about helping, sharing, and making an effort in your own behalf. I bring it along with me when doing presentations on gardening and food security, and the grown ups pick it up read it, and they really get it. Great for families and class rooms . . .

This fable tells about the lazy animals who did not want to help the hen. They let her do all the work, but did not do a thing themselves. Then at the end when the hen reaps of the fruit of her labor, all of a sudden they want to share in that fruit. However, the hen gets it all to herself and they get nothing.

This version is a classic one. The story and illustrations are very inviting for any child. I love the classic moral of the story too.

I purchased this book for my children and did it bring back memories! I had it read to me when I was little. So the story line is cute and teaches a valuable lesson with the moral the lazy cat, dog, and mouse do not get the snack. All of my children from 2-6 love this story, it never grows old.

Her ability to cook empowers this little red hen to motivate her housemates. Help me with some of the housework if you want cake. A final illustration shows all the animals working, sweeping and dusting!

After reading the story as it is written, follow along with Heather Forest's Little Red Hen from the album, Sing me a Story. End on that final illustration with her words, "Sharing the work makes working fun."

Different versions may use different characters. This one uses the traditional Dog, Cat, Mouse.