Ever Tales

Have you met Arnie? A little on the short side, cheerful smile peeking out from under frosting and sprinkles? Yup, that'd be him--Arnie, star of Arnie, the Doughnut by Laurie Keller. The story begins with our quick-witted, talking doughnut-hero being born--er, baked. Arnie is thrilled with his life and excited to make friends with the man who picks him. That is, until Mr. Bing tries eat him. Far too spunky to accept a doughnut's fate, Arnie takes matters into his own frosted little hands. The following romp is perfect for anytime--a refreshing nighttime story, ideal to read with your breakfast of . . . broccoli. Laurie Keller is one of the most creative, hilarious and wacky children's authors/illustrators out there. Her illustrations are a delightful smash of cartoon-and-collage (she uses strips of maps to create roads). Pay close attention so you don't miss all the "extra" stuff (read every page--even the dedications!). Children (and adults) will find so...

I have six copies of The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle on my shelf. I used to collect them under the pretense of "giving them away"--and indeed, I have--everyone who knows me has a copy. However, my current six copies have become part of my being and are unlikely to be gifted. The Last Unicorn is the story of the world's last unicorn and her journey to discover why she is the last. You may remember the old movie (soundtrack by America, voiced by Mia Farrow and Angela Landsbury , among others), both haunting and silly. However, far from being just a children's book The Last Unicorn is a story for children and adults that pushes us to explore a fantasy world--and the world inside our own dreams and hearts. What is immortality worth? Can we capture it and hold it? Does true magic exist? Are we fooling ourselves out of magic and beauty every day in our attempts to define? From page one, we become aware that Beagle is a masterful word conjurer: "[the unicorn] ...