Katharine Briggs enjoys an unchallenged reputation in the world of folklore studies. The theme of this volume, the witch figure as a malevolent intermediary in folk belief, was chosen to reflect that aspect of Briggs's scholarship exemplified in her study of witchcraft, Pale Hecate's Team. The contributors draw on the disciplines of archaeology, comparative religion, sociology and literature and include: Carmen Blacker, H.R. Ellis Davidson, Margaret Dean-Smith, L.V. Grinsell, Christina Hole, Venetia Newall, Geoffrey Parrinder, Anne Ross, Jacqueline Simpson, Beatrice White, John Widdowson. Originally published in 1973.
“This spellbinding fantasy begs for a cozy chair and several hours of uninterrupted reading time.” —The Washington Post When Ned and his identical twin brother tumble from their raft into a raging river, only Ned survives. Villagers are convinced the wrong boy lived. Across the forest that borders Ned’s village, Áine, the daughter of the Bandit King, is haunted by her mother’s last words: “The wrong boy will save your life, and you will save his.” When the Bandit King comes to steal the magic Ned’s mother, a witch, is meant to protect, Áine and Ned meet. Can they trust each other long enough to cross a dangerous enchanted forest and stop the war about to boil over between their two kingdoms? “Barnhill is a fantasist on the order of Neil Gaiman.” —Minneapolis Star Tribune “[The Witch’s Boy] should open young readers’ eyes to something that is all around them in the very world we live in: the magic of words.” —The New York Times “This is a book to treasure.” —Nerdy Book Club A Washington Post Best Book of 2014 A Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2014 A Kirkus Reviews Best Children’s Book of 2014 A Chicago Public Library “Best of the Best” 2014
After the wild time the gang had in "The Zeros and The Man Who Could Not Die," it's pretty understandable that the guys need a vacation. Where do they go? No, not the Jersey shore. What's better than the Jersey shore? Obviously the Delaware beaches (cue Delaware joke). Everything is hunky dory until the crew learns that children are disappearing, and a trail of breadcrumbs is leading towards a shadowy witches' coven that would rather conduct their business unnoticed. New friendships are forged, old ones are tested, and a few familiar scoundrels may just make an appearance before the Zeros figure out what's rotten in the state of Delaware…
A brand new bind-up edition of three classic Pongwiffy stories including Pongwiffy and the Pantomime and The Spellovision Song Contest and Back on Track! Pongwiffy and the rest of the witches need to earn some money, and fast! But every idea they come up with to raise funds seems so BORING ... until Pongwiffy suggests they put on a pantomime and sell tickets. Get ready for some theatrical chaos with the wiches of Witchway Wood... In the second story, all the witches are transfixed by spellovision and no one wants to do anything fun anymore. Until Pongwiffy decides to launch a song contest to liven things up! Finally, Pongwiffy decides that being a witch of dirty habits is holding her back. It's time to get healthy, but can a witch who prefers sludge to sprouts really get back on track? THREE laugh-out-loud stories of humour and warmth, enticingly mixed with much sludge, slime and very bad habits. Now with brand new illustrations from Katy Riddell!
Analyzes the portrayal of German fairy-tale figures in contemporary North American media adaptations. Craving Supernatural Creatures: German Fairy-Tale Figures in American Pop Culture analyzes supernatural creatures in order to demonstrate how German fairy tales treat difference, alterity, and Otherness with terror, distance, and negativity, whereas contemporary North American popular culture adaptations navigate diversity by humanizing and redeeming such figures. This trend of transformation reflects a greater tolerance of other marginalized groups (in regard to race, ethnicity, ability, age, gender, sexual orientation, social class, religion, etc.) and acceptance of diversity in society today. The fairy-tale adaptations examined here are more than just twists on old stories—they serve as the looking glasses of significant cultural trends, customs, and social challenges. Whereas the fairy-tale adaptations that Claudia Schwabe analyzes suggest that Otherness can and should be fully embraced, they also highlight the gap that still exists between the representation and the reality of embracing diversity wholeheartedly in twenty-first-century America. The book's four chapters are structured around different supernatural creatures, beginning in chapter 1 with Schwabe's examination of the automaton, the golem, and the doppelganger, which emerged as popular figures in Germany in the early nineteenth century, and how media, such as Edward Scissorhands and Sleepy Hollow, dramatize, humanize, and infantilize these "uncanny" characters in multifaceted ways. Chapter 2 foregrounds the popular figures of the evil queen and witch in contemporary retellings of the Grimms' fairy tale "Snow White." Chapter 3 deconstructs the concept of the monstrous Other in fairy tales by scrutinizing the figure of the Big Bad Wolf in popular culture, including Once Upon a Timeand the Fables comic book series. In chapter 4, Schwabe explores the fairy-tale dwarf, claiming that adaptations today emphasize the diversity of dwarves' personalities and celebrate the potency of their physicality. Craving Supernatural Creaturesis a unique contribution to the field of fairy-tale studies and is essential reading for students, scholars, and pop-culture aficionados alike.
When the eerie performances of a life-size puppet begin to haunt the old Van Pelt estate, where an amateur acting group – The Footlighters – have their theater, Nancy Drew is called upon to unravel the baffling mystery. From the moment the detective and her friends Bess and George arrive at the mansion, the dancing puppet puzzle is further complicated by Tammi Whitlock, the Footlighters’ temperamental leading lady, and Emmet Calhoun, a Shakespearean actor. Nancy’s search of the mansion’s dark, musty attic for clues to the weird mystery starts a frightening chain reaction. A phone call from a stranger with a witchlike, cackling voice warns her to “Get out!” Next an encounter with two jewel theft suspects adds another perplexing angle to the puzzle. When Nancy finally sees the life-size puppet flitting across the moonlit lawn and chases it, she learns that someone with a sinister motive is determined to keep her form solving the case. Is it one of the Footlighters? Or is it an outsider?
'Beautiful story... historical fiction at its best... The fashion world, the characters in WWII and present times come alive. A book that drew me in and kept me turning the pages' Reader review, five stars 1942, Paris: Working in her father's tailors shop, Nathalie Leroux dreams of being a famous designer. But with her beloved city under Nazi occupation, her dreams must be put on hold for survival during these dark days. When the Germans take away the person she loves most, Nathalie accepts a dangerous mission from the Resistance. One that will use her skills as a dressmaker and put her at the heart of the Nazi high command in the Ritz hotel. With every stitch she makes, Nathalie moves closer to avenging those she loves and freeing her country from tyranny. But it will also put her in terrible danger... 2022, England: When Darcie takes possession of an old suitcase, abandoned at a railway station, she doesn't know what to expect. Opening the stiff clasps, she discovers a beautiful silk evening dress from the 1940s and a notebook full of sketches. Written inside is the name: Nathalie Leroux. Who was Nathalie? Why did she leave this at the station eighty years ago? And what stopped her from returning for it? Darcie's quest for answers will draw her into the dangerous world of the French Resistance. But is Darcie prepared for what she will find? And for the power of Nathalie's secrets to change her world forever... A heartbreaking and epic wartime story of the bravery of ordinary women and the enduring power of love. Fans of Kate Quinn, Pam Jenoff and Suzanne Goldring will be hooked from the very first page.
