These people are taking part in the annual Burning Man Festival, a living fantasy world for 80,000 people camping in the very hot Black Rock Desert of Nevada.
Wonder Tales brought fantasy to the world and over time opened doors of the imagination for children. Books followed the books. Imagination and the mysteries of existence opened adult's minds even more. Writers ranging from Lewis Carrol to Ursula Le Guin, and from J.K. Rowling to Neil Gaiman continued the traditions of fantasy, creating new worlds and new possibilities.
From books to ballet and modern dance, and from Stravinsky to Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, the creative arts have gone beyond the old horizons. Traditions are still respected and appreciated, while choices have become endless. And like the Wonder Tales that were told for thousands of years, the creative arts continue to open the doors of fantasy and imagination.
The people in the photo above will witness the final event, the burning of the towering burning man statue.
Both of the above photos are from an annotated collection created by Nikki Gloudeman and Sara Kluta: Far and Wide.
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A Woman Speaks
"For after all, as great scientists have said and as all children know, it is above all by the imagination that we achieve perception, and compassion, and hope."
- Ursula Le Guin
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Imagination and Tales of Other Worlds by Three Women
Beatrix Potter, Angela Carter, and Ursula Le Guin all created other worlds. Very different worlds. All were breakthroughs. And each helped open the way for other women writers.
Beatrix Potter broke away from her staid, narrow Victorian family and wrote and illustrated books of another world where the lives of animals, and especially rabbits, awakened the minds of the young to her fantasy world. Potter had always loved the natural world and the rolling green hills of the Lake District. She was drawing and painting animals and nature from an early age. And the stories flowed from her imagination. Her magic continues today, over 100 years later, with two million Beatrix Potter books sold across the world every year.
The illustration of Peter Rabbit is by Beatrix Potter.
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Angela Carter and her legacy have been most eloquently described by Marina Warner in her wonderful book, Once Upon a Time, A Short History of Fairy Tale:
"The most incandescent work to arise from the feminist explosion is undoubtedly The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter, a stretch of virtuoso imaginative writing and potent critique. . . The Bloody Chamber has become the founding charter of modern fairy tale, and the catalyst of a million awakenings for readers (especially girls) coming upon it for the first time."
The impact of Angela Carter's courage and creativity continues to this day. The Bloody Chamber book contains ten tales, rewritten from the early, traditional versions. They are dark tales, but the women protaganists are now empowered.
The illustration for The Bloody Chamber is by Benedict Mayer for the Folio Competion.
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Many years ago a friend introduced me to Ursula Le Guin's The Left Hand of Darkness, and Arthur Clarke's The City and the Stars. I was in an amazing whirl. Here was a new genre of wonderful literature. I then learned that Le Guin had also recently written Earthsea, an alternate world fantasy for kids.
Two years after The Left Hand of Darkness, Ursula Le Guinn published a fantasy adult crossover novel that dealt with power, dreams and the subconcioious, metaphysical issues and more. The Lathe of Heaven created a stir of contoversy, won the Locus Award for best Novel, and Le Guinn was cited by Theodre Sturgeon in the N.Y. Times for " a rare and powerful synthesis of poetry and science, reason and emotion."
She was an advocate for underdogs, outcasts, morality and feminist issues. And she never stopped writing wonderful fantasy books, both crossover and for children, until her death in 1918.
The illustration of the Dragon Cliffs of Earthsea is by Sithness from Deviant Art.
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Three Women and Doors to Infinity
I believe the influence of these three women alone on the life experience of their readers has no limits. And they are but a part of those who have created stories, poems, and music that continues to resonate in this difficult world. They are brilliant contributors to the flow of tales reaching back thousands of years.
The illustration is from The left Hand of Darkness.
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Our Cultural Heritage
"Fairy Tales, like myths, are a part of our cultural heritage passed from generation to generation, connecting us to the dreams and fears of men and women who have gone before us."
- Terri Windling and Ellen Datlow, Black Thorn, White Rose
The cover art is by Thomas Caty.
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Where Will They Take You
“There's something delicious about writing those first few words of a story. You can never quite tell where they will take you. Mine took me here, where I belong.”
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Rags of Love
“We must all make do with the rags of love we find flapping on the scarecrow of humanity.”
― Nights at the Circus
The photo of Angela Carter is from the Oxford University Press by way of the Atlantic.
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Who We Are
“We read books to find out who we are. What other people, real or imaginary, do and think and feel... is an essential guide to our understanding of what we ourselves are and may become."
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Exploring the Nature of Being Human
"I was interested in human psychology, and that is absolutely a realistic concern. It just happened that fantasy offered me a wider range of metaphors for exploring the nature of being human than straightforward realism did.”
Phillip Pullman Irish Times
The illustration of Lord Asriel and Malcolm from The Book of Dust is by Chris Wormell.
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Where Did the Easter Bunny Come From?
"Easter is the Christian celebration of the resurrection of Jesus, but the seasonal chocolate eggs
and the bunny who delivers them are nowhere to be found in scripture.
The exact origins of the Easter bunny are clouded in mystery. One theory is that the symbol of the rabbit stems from pagan tradition, specifically the festival of Eostre—a goddess of fertility whose animal symbol was a bunny. Rabbits, known for their energetic breeding, have traditionally symbolized fertility." This information is from: Time
The illustration of Peter Rabbit is by Beatrix Potter.
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MOVIES
First Cow
First Cow is a crossover film. If the YA market can support the explosions of Marvel, and the brutality of the Joker, they can see First Cow, a realistic portrayal of pioneer days in the American west.
A.O. Scott, writes in the NY Times that First Cow is a masterpiece. . . "The people believe they have dominion over the animals, the land and its products, but their sovereignty is an illusion. We are, for the most part, big talkers with meager destinies, at the mercy of luck, global capitalism (which was a thing even then) and one another.
Though it surveys a grim, Hobbesian struggle for survival, 'First Cow' has more on its mind and in its viewfinder than the nasty, brutish war of each against all, or the systems of domination intended to keep that war in check. Even in the harshest circumstances, there is still room — still a primal need — for sweetness, for companionship, for art."
Link to the Trailer for First Cow
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Sonic the Hedgehog
There is a world of video games, a multi-billion dollar business, of which I know very little. Sonic the Hedgehog, a Sega product, has been a very popular video game and a big financial success. Critics have thus far been divided about the film adaptation, but audiences are more inclined to like it. Here is a summary by Rotten Tomatoes.
"Fittingly fleet and frequently fun, Sonic the Hedgehog is a video game-inspired adventure the whole family can enjoy -- and a fine excuse for Jim Carrey to tap into the manic energy that launched his career."
The trailer suggests that the film is not for YA or cross over: Sonic the Hedgehog
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Forms In Nature
Concept: Through scientific study and understanding, we deepen our connection to the natural world. 2 minutes and 04 seconds: Link
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Can You Care Too Much For Your Dog?
"Being a dog guardian has been a learning process. I’m astounded by people who think they know it all because they have a dog. . . I’m equally astounded by the people who have had a dog, or two dogs, or half a dozen dogs during their life, and still think of them as 'just animals.'
Every day, science discovers more and expands our knowledge about the sentience of animals: that they have an emotional life, that they think and communicate, that they form relationships with others, that they are self aware, that they understand us when we speak to them.
What makes humans so great? We’re the ones who are destroying the planet. We’re the ones who cause all the pain and suffering.
Like children, dogs need us to be responsible and take care of them. . . in a way that ensures they are living their best life. And, like children, they are at our mercy." Excerpted from C.A.Wulff's website: Up On The Woof.
Wulff is an animal advocate and the author of Circling the Waggins and other popular dog books. The photo is of Wulff and her beloved dog, Waldo, who has passed over.
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Stephen Colbert reads aloud from the NRA version of Little Red Riding Hood.
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Sara and Brittany, the Amazing women of Carterhaugh School, bring their own fascination, knowledge, and energy to their interactive internet courses, discussion groups, book club, blog and more. They are self proclaimed lovers of "folklore, creativity, cats, chai, and bringing magic into the everyday!"
They offer an ongoing variety of ideas and free offerings through their blog and website. Here are recent excerpted examples:
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Thoughts by Toni Morrison
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Eleanor Rigby
Picks up the rice in the church where a wedding has been
Lives in a dream
Waits at the window
Wearing the face that she keeps in a jar by the door
Who is it for?
Where do they all come from?
All the lonely people
Where do they all belong?
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A Memory of Rose, a Therapy Dog
"No matter who you are or why you do pet therapy, it is the dog that opens the door…doors that would otherwise be closed to a well meaning human. . . doors that are sometimes closed to family, friends, care givers and staff of facilities. There is something very special about these canine creatures and they have been saving and comforting humans for thousands of years. It is their touch or look that gives people that inner peace when their world is shrinking or spinning so fast they have lost control. When doors begin the final closing, there is that one last smile, nod, a hand that reaches for a dog that allows some of them to say good bye and close their eyes in peace.”
This is an excerpt from a response sent to me by Susan Purser, a retired school teacher, about her therapy dog, Rose. She and Rose worked together for over 15 years, until Rose passed on. Susan continues her therapy dog work with Bandit.
The photo of Rose and a friend was taken by Susan.
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Out Of Balance
The world is out of balance. The number of ruthless politicians and military leaders seeking power is out of control.
The number of refugees and suffering refugee children is staggering. The number of refugees keeps growing. And now we have a plague sweeping the planet.
For 85 years, The International Rescue Committee has been a souce of support and hope in every area where refugees are found.
"The IRC is the gold standard of aid groups working with refugees. I’ve seen it in action in Darfur, Chad, Central African Republic, Greece, Jordan, South Sudan and other places." -- Nicholas Kristof, NY Times. Here is a link to a very quick excerpt from a 60 Minutes video about refugee kids.
The photo is from Beira, Mozambique, was taken by Karel Prinsloo, AP/Guardian.
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Lewis Carroll Society of North America
The LCSNA 2020 Spring Meeting in Cleveland, OH will not be held on the originally scheduled dates of May 8-10, but is rescheduled to Saturday, Oct 3 -Sunday October 4 [with the Schaefer Memorial Reading on Friday, Oct 2], and will still be hosted at Case Western Reserve University.
The illustration of the mad tea party is by John Tenniel.
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Reach Out And Read Reaches Families Early
Reach Out and Read is a nonprofit organization that gives young children a foundation for success by incorporating books into pediatric care and encouraging families to read aloud together.
When families read aloud to their young children, they can give them a better start to life. With unparalleled access to families with young children, Reach Out and Read medical providers give books to children at more than 10 well-child visits from infancy until they start school. More importantly, they encourage families to read aloud and engage with their infants, toddlers and preschoolers.
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The Planet of the Dogs Books
They stood together and looked out at the lovely green valley, with a wide stream of clear water running across it. Three of the dog towns could be seen from this place – Muttville, Poodletown, and Shaggy Corners -- as well as big farms filled with dogfood trees and biscuit bushes. The most amazing thing for the children was knowing that all those small shapes moving around far below them were more dogs.
They went down a path and into Waggy Valley, receiving greetings from dogs of all sizes and shapes. Not long ago, they had never even heard of dogs. And, of course, they had never seen one. And now here they were in Waggy Valley, where dogs were everywhere, and all were friendly and happy to see them. . . Excerpted from The Planet of the Dogs.
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We have free reader copies of all the books in the Planet Of The Dogs series for therapy dog organizations, individual therapy dog owners, librarians, teachers and independent bookstores. Email us with a postal address to [email protected] and we will send you the books.
To read sample chapters of any book in the series, visit PlanetOfTheDogs
The Planet Of The Dogs series, including Castle In The Mist and Snow Valley Heroes, A Christmas Tale, is available from many Internet sources and through independent bookstores of all sizes.
The illustration of Daisy, Bean, and Robbie from Planet Of The Dogs is by Stella Mustanoja McCarty.
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He had as much fun in the water as any person I have known. You didn't have to throw a stick in the water to get him to go in. Of course, he would bring back a stick to you if you did throw one in. He would even have brought back a piano if you had thrown one in. -- James Thurber
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