Heidi Anne Heiner's Blog, page 112

New Book: Of Beast and Beauty by Stacey Jay

Of Beast and Beauty by Stacey Jay is released next week. And it appears to be a science fiction Beauty and the Beast retelling.

Book description:

In the domed city of Yuan, the blind Princess Isra is raised merely to sacrifice herself someday to ensure her people's vitality. In the desert outside, Gem, a mutant boy, fights to keep his people from starvation. Neither dreams that together they could return balance to their world. Isra, a Smooth Skin, bound by magical covenant to the city of Yuan, wants to help the Banished people of her city, second-class citizens despised for possessing Monstrous traits the blind princess believes she also possesses. One night, Gem is captured while trying to steal the city's enchanted roses, and he becomes Isra's beastly prisoner from the desert. But when Isra enlists the aid of Gem to help her grow herbs that will prevent mutation, she discovers just how human he is, and she begins to question everything she's been raised to believe. As dark secrets from the past are revealed and Isra's sight returned, she will have to choose between duty to her people and the beast she has come to love.

New Ebook Release: The Glass Slipper by Eleanor Farjeon

I was looking for something else--not even fairy tale related, but Amazon knows me too well--when I saw this ebook pop up in my recommendations the other day. If I was one who squeeed, I would have squeeed when I saw it. Moments like this make me grateful to live in the digital age. Back in the bad old days, I hunted and hunted for this book. It was out of print. It was hard to find. I ended up getting a copy through interlibrary loan and copying it so I could write notes in it. I would have bought a copy if I could have found one although a used one wouldn't have contributed to Farjeon or her estate either way.


So what I love about our digital age--besides carrying a thousand books with me on a trip or even on my phone!--is that nothing really ever has to go out of print again. Of course, there is the backlog of books from 1923 to roughly 2008 which may or may not ever be digitized, but each time one is, I feel a little bit of triumph on behalf of its creator(s). And more and more are appearing, albeit at a turtle's pace, so I have little bits of jubilation every week.


Obviously, the book is The Glass Slipper by Eleanor Farjeon which was originally published in 1955, a novel based upon Farjeon's 1944 play of the same name. Farjeon was one of the best known fairy tale retellers of the mid 20th century. She was a kindred spirit to readers here--one of her earliest books was a nonfiction title about Arthur Rackham. She also was the first person to receive the Hans Christian Anderson Award for Writing. She shared our loves here at SurLaLune.


Farjeon's publishing career began before 1923 so some of her books are available for free online, one of her fan favorites is Martin Pippin in the Apple Orchard which is a free download on most bookseller sites. I included an excerpt from it in my Rapunzel and Other Maiden in the Tower Tales From Around the World (SurLaLune Fairy Tale Series) where I was charmed by the story. I wrote this brief introduction to "The Imprisoned Princess":

The following story can be found in Martin Pippin in the Apple Orchard by Eleanor Farjeon, considered to be one of Farjeon’s best books in her long and successful career. The book is a collection of six stories told by Martin Pippin as he tries to coax six maidens to give him the keys to a wellhouse where Gillian has been locked away by her father from her lover, Robin Rue. Thus the entire novel is an imprisoned princess tale and this is the final of the six stories framed within it. Farjeon also wrote novel-length versions of Cinderella (The Glass Slipper) and Rumpelstiltskin (The Silver Curlew).

You may have never read her work before but you have heard her words if you've ever heard Morning Has Broken popularized by Cat Stevens. She wrote the lyrics to the popular hymn. You can read more about her life at, yes, Wikipedia.


Anyway, Farjeon is worth a visit and now it's easier to make one. Most of her work shows a strong folklore influence. She herself influenced many authors and others who came after her and she has been mentioned by name by filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki (My Neighbor Totoro and Howl's Moving Castle) as an important early influence. Kate Forsyth, an author featured here on SurLaLune before, wrote a wonderful post about Farjeon earlier this year. Forsyth even named her daughter for Farjeon.

Book description for The Glass Slipper:

More than anything, Ella wants to go to the ball at the Royal Palace.

But Ella is the slave of the household, waiting on every wish and whim of her horrible stepsisters. They call her Cinderella for the ashes that cling to her face, hands and hair. How can Ella go to the Royal palace?

Then, on the evening of the ball, something wonderful happens. Ella's Fairy godmother comes to her rescue.

Now her dreams may come true at last . . .

Now I just hope this one sells well enough for her publisher to warrant releasing The Silver Curlew, Farjeon's retelling of Rumpelstiltskin. We have so few Rumpelstiltskin retellings of note in novel length and this one deserves to be remembered, too.

Bargain Ebook: Howl's Moving Castle (Howl's Castle) by Diana Wynne Jones

Howl's Moving Castle (Howl's Castle) by Diana Wynne Jones is Amazon's Deal of the Day for only $1.99 for ebook version. This was bargain priced in November, too, but if you've acquired a Kindle or Kindle app since then, you may not have it yet.

Book description:

Sophie has the great misfortune of being the eldest of three daughters, destined to fail miserably should she ever leave home to seek her fate. But when she unwittingly attracts the ire of the Witch of the Waste, Sophie finds herself under a horrid spell that transforms her into an old lady. Her only chance at breaking it lies in the ever-moving castle in the hills: the Wizard Howl's castle. To untangle the enchantment, Sophie must handle the heartless Howl, strike a bargain with a fire demon, and meet the Witch of the Waste head-on. Along the way, she discovers that there's far more to Howl—and herself—than first meets the eye.

Bargain Ebooks: Sisters Grimm Series by Michael Buckley

 
The first six books in the Sisters Grimm series by Michael Buckley are bargain priced right now with  temporary price drops. The first book has been bargain priced before but not the others to my knowledge. They are $3.47 each, 56% off their list price. The final three books (there are nine in the series) are still regularly priced, although book seven is cheaper than the others.

The Sisters Grimm (Book One): The Fairy Tale Detectives and The Sisters Grimm (Book Two): The Unusual Suspects: Bk. 2 and The Sisters Grimm (Book Three): The Problem Child and The Sisters Grimm (Book Four): Once Upon a Crime: Bk. 4 and The Sisters Grimm (Book Five): Magic and Other Misdemeanors: Bk.5 and The Sisters Grimm (Book Six): Tales from the Hood are all part of the sale for $3.47.

The Sisters Grimm (Book Seven): The Everafter War is $5.35. The Sisters Grimm (Book Eight): The Inside Story is $6.60. The Sisters Grimm (Book Nine): The Council of Mirrors is $7.95. All of these titles are $6.95 or more each in paperback. The last one was just released in paperback, a year after the series ended.

In book one of this bestselling series, sisters Sabrina and Daphne are sent to live with their mysterious grandmother, Relda Grimm. The sisters learn they are descendants of the Brothers Grimm, whose famous book of fairy tales is actually a collection of case files. The girls are the latest in a long line of fairy-tale detectives, and their new hometown is filled with Everafters (as magical folks like to be called) - some good and some very, very bad. When a mysterious Everafter sets a giant loose on the town, it’s up to the Sisters Grimm to save the day.

Bargain Ebooks: Gail Carson Levine Titles

I just expanded my ebook library of Gail Carson Levine books thanks to some nice price drops. The best drop (and arguably best book) is for the modern classic, Ella Enchanted (Trophy Newbery), which is currently $2.49, a price I do not expect to last long. Of course I own it in paper, but hadn't picked it up in ebook until now. It is one of my favorite Cinderella retellings and I know most SurLaLune readers feel the same affection for it.

How can a fairy's blessing be such a curse?

At her birth, Ella of Frell was the unfortunate recipient of a foolish fairy's gift -- the "gift' of obedience. Ella must obey any order given to her, whether it's hopping on one foot for a day and a half, or chopping off her own head! But strong-willed Ella does not tamely accept her fate. Against a bold backdrop of princes, ogres, giants, wicked stepsisters, and fairy godmothers, Ella goes on a quest to break the curse -- once and for all.

In this incredible debut novel comes the richly entertaining story of Ella of Frell, who at birth was given the gift of obedience by a fairy. Ella soon realizes that this gift is little better than a curse, for how can she truly be herself if at anytime anyone can order her to hop on one foot, or cut off her hand, or betray her kingdom'and she'll have to obey? Against a bold tapestry of princes, ogres, giants, wicked stepsisters, and fairy godmothers, Ella's quest to break the curse once and for all and discover who she really is is as sharply funny as Catherine, Called Birdy and as richly poignant as Beauty, and has all the marks of a classic in the making.

But wait! There's more!

 
Ever (Enchanted) and Fairest are $2.99 each. Fairest has been bargain priced before--I already owned it in both paper and ebook.



The Two Princesses of Bamarre (Enchanted) and A Tale of Two Castles are both $3.49 each.

This means you can get all of the Enchanted books for $15.45. That's about what I paid for just one of my hardcover copies.

Bargain Ebooks: Chronicles of Prydain by Lloyd Alexander

The Book of Three (The Chronicles of Prydain) and The Black Cauldron (The Chronicles of Prydain) and The Castle of Llyr (The Chronicles of Prydain) and The High King (The Chronicles of Prydain), all by Lloyd Alexander are all marked down to $2.49 each in ebook format right now, more than two dollars less than their most recent price for each. I imagine this is a temporary discount and one I took advantage of immediately. For some reason Taran Wanderer (The Chronicles of Prydain) and The Foundling: And Other Tales of Prydain (The Chronicles of Prydain) (pictured below) are still priced at $4.73 but I am hoping they will experience a price drop, too. Although $4.73 is a great price for those, too!

Since The Book of Three was first published in 1964, young readers have been enthralled by the adventures of Taran the Assistant Pig-keeper and his quest to become a hero. Taran is joined by an engaging cast of characters that includes Eilonwy, the strong-willed and sharp-tongued princess; Fflewddur Fflam, the hyperbole-prone bard; the ever-faithful Gurgi; and the curmudgeonly Doli--all of whom become involved in an epic struggle between good and evil that shapes the fate of the legendary land of Prydain.

Released over a period of five years, Lloyd Alexander's beautifully written tales not only captured children's imaginations but also garnered the highest critical praise. The Black Cauldron was a Newbery Honor Book, and the final volume in the chronicles, The High King, crowned the series by winning the Newbery Medal for "the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children."

Henry Holt is proud to present this classic series to a new generation of young readers. Jackets have been handsomely redesigned while retaining the original art of Caldecott Medal-winning artist Evaline Ness. Each retypeset volume now includes a pronunciation guide prepared by Lloyd Alexander. A companion book of short stories, The Foundling and Other Tales of Prydain, is also available in hardcover for the first time in twenty years.

In their more than thirty years in print, the Chronicles of Prydain have become the standard of excellence in fantasy literature for children.

 

Princess Carriage Light and Sandwich Cutters at Pottery Barn Kids

I am in no way affiliated with Pottery Barn Kids, but I always appreciate their non-licensed character fairy tale inspired products. Today only they have free shipping on their site--which isn't very often--so I thought I would share a few recent finds on the site.
First is the Princess Beaded Carriage Table Lamp which happens to be on sale pictured above. Very cute. Love that for a girl's room. And wouldn't they make pretty, albeit expensive, centerpieces for a wedding reception, too? (And they could be reused or given as gifts to attendants or even resold. And are they that much more than elaborate flower arrangements?)

They still have their bedding inspired by Princess and the Pea (only the duvets are left at Phoebe) and The Frog Prince (sheeting and bedding at Grace). I've been using my Phoebe pillow case this week which always makes me smile.

And on the low end of the price scale and also on sale--clearance actually at $6.99--is the set of Princess Lunch Punch Sandwich Cutters. With free shipping, code FREESHIP, that is great.

Sandwiches cut into fairy tale shapes make lunchtime magical for your little princess.

Search for the Unicorn: The Cloisters

No, the SurLaLune blog has not been abandoned, I promise. It is a demanding and time consuming enterprise, however, and my time has been needed elsewhere. I plan to return with more regular posting after this holiday week--in the U.S. this is one of the most popular vacation weeks of the year. I am spending the week not on vacation but catching my breath and regrouping after several weeks (months!) of living at a higher speed. Really, it feels like I have been doing that since last year when I bought a new house. I've never really caught up!
Anyway, since others are on vacation this week, perhaps in New York City, I wanted to share this email I received--the design is prettier than the imagery on the website, but I will direct you there, too. I cannot be too enthusiastic about the Cloisters for myself. My visit was my last stop during a multi-day trip to NYC five years ago and was an unexpected highlight. I have copied and pasted my description of the experience below. So if you are in NYC, don't miss a trip to see the Search for the Unicorn exhibit. I would love to see it myself!

From my June 2008 journal:

Then we headed to the Cloisters. I was along for the ride at this point, interested, but not intent. Mom’s interests lie in Medieval Art so she was the primary fan girl. At least until we got there. Then I became one, too.

The Cloisters is beautiful. It is an amazing blend of old and new, seamless to the untrained eye. I walked from room to room and enjoyed the art, but I thrived on the architecture and atmosphere. For the first time in five days, even longer really, I was at peace. The thick walls, dense foliage, and dazzling sunlight all served to divorce me from the noises of New York. I began to understand the appeal of a cloistered life, surrounded by art and peace, divorced from the outside world.

Then I met the Unicorn Tapestries. I’ve managed to meet several famous works of art over the years, the ones that are so familiar they feel anticlimactic when you finally meet them. Some leave you amused, like the Mona Lisa. Others leave you confused, like the Blue Boy. A few leave you breathless. Winged Victory did that to me in the Louvre.

The Unicorn Tapestries stunned me. I understand the appeal. I read about them years ago, as an early teen, when I was in my unicorn loving state of being. Yes, I went through that. The story wasn’t quite romantic or fantastical enough for me then, so I forgot most of it and just smiled whenever I saw the tapestries in books or elsewhere. Not of much interest to me, I thought.

Wrong. They are beautiful. I’ve never met other tapestries like them. My timing to their room coincided with a school group and a learned guide, so I got to hear a longish lesson about them as I gazed upon the intricate weaving and marveled at their size. I fell in love. I wanted to bring one home with me. I have to settle for a book and a Michael Michaud necklace of holly leaves derived from one of the tapestries.

I snuck back to the room thrice to view them “one last time.” A friendly guard came up and pointed out the hidden frog to me, delighted with my delight in them.

We ate lunch in a courtyard where Dad and I snuck bits of bread to tiny sparrows I couldn’t help but converse with. They are so much friendlier and sweeter than pigeons. Mom just rolled her eyes, convinced someone would tell us to stop. I couldn’t help myself, but there weren’t any signs so I was breaking no rule I knew of.

Then we explored the kitchen garden full of herbs and other plants, carefully and clearly labeled, so many that I have read about over the years since they figure so well in fantasy literature but have never met in person. So the Cloisters offered many unexpected delights and a peacefulness that encompassed me the rest of the day as we traveled back to the hotel, to the airport and on to home.

New Book: Fairy Tales With a Black Consciousness: Essays on Adaptations of Familiar Stories

Fairy Tales With a Black Consciousness: Essays on Adaptations of Familiar Stories edited by Vivian Yenika-Agbaw, Ruth McKoy Lowery and Laretta Henderson was released earlier this month although it's availability with various online retailers is inconsistent. This book helps to fill a largish hole about Black (as in races with dark skin tones, and no, not just African American because that is more limited) interpretations of fairy tales. I haven't read the book yet--don't own a copy yet--but I am intrigued and interested in it.

Book description:

The all new essays in this book discuss Black cultural retellings of traditional, European fairy tales. The representation of Black protagonists in such tales helps to shape children's ideas about themselves and the world beyond--which can ignite a will to read books representing diverse characters. The need for a multicultural text set which includes the multiplicity of cultures within the Black diaspora is discussed.

The tales referenced in the text are rich in perspective: they are such as Aesop's fables, Cinderella, Rapunzel and Ananse. Readers will see that stories from Black perspectives adhere to the dictates of traditional literary conventions while still steeped in literary traditions traceable to Africa or the diaspora.

About the Editors

Vivian Yenika-Agbaw is an associate professor of language and literacy education at Penn State University, University Park. Ruth McKoy Lowery is an associate professor in the College of Education at the University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida. Laretta Henderson is an associate professor at the School of Information Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

You can preview the book's first pages including the introduction on Amazon so I captured a screen shot of the Table of Contents. It is a refreshing and diverse collection of essay topics so I am even more intrigued. Some I expected--such as Pinkney (how about I link to both father and son) and Rachel Isadora--and some I didn't expect because there hasn't really been enough scholarship in this particular area yet. (On the other hand, some collections with different themes, say fairy tale and film, are all too predictable these days. I can almost give you the essay themes before I look inside the book. Disney's Snow White, check. La Belle et la Bete, check. Company of Wolves, check. Etc.)

Table of Contents:

Happily Ever After: The Fairy-tale Formula for Lasting Love by Wendy Paris

Happily Ever After: The Fairy-tale Formula for Lasting Love by Wendy Paris is on sale for 99 cents in Harper Collins 99 Cents Sale and more titles here on Amazon. (Really, I dropped a few dollars after sorting through the titles.) There are many great books in this sale, but only one had a fairy tale inspiration. This is a self-help title, a small gift book that I actually own in hardcover from back when it was published and somehow acquired it since it has the fairy tale themes. Not the usual fare or interest for readers here but still in theme and its always interesting to see where authors take fairy tales.

Book description:

Find Your Inner Princess and Live Happily Ever After

Don't let anyone tell you true love is a fairy tale. You can find the romance of your dreams, and this book will tell you how.

In Happily Ever After, author Wendy Paris offers a contemporary spin on ten classic fairy tales, going behind the scenes with these legendary romantic heroines to show what they did to live happily ever after. Contrary to popular belief, fairy-tale heroines are not weak and passive. They are noble, brave, optimistic women who know that the formula for success in a chaotic world is to hold fast to their own beliefs despite what fate happens to throw their way. Ultimately, it is their character that saves them, not the prince on the white horse.

Take Cinderella, for example. Despite having a less than ideal job, she didn't let bitterness and regret give her an ulcer, bad skin, and frown wrinkles. She knew "cinder maid" was a job title, not a life description.

She didn't hide in her carriage, crying, "I can't go to the ball by myself! Everyone will think I'm a loser! " She had the courage to attend a party alone.

At the stroke of midnight, she didn't cling to the prince's hand and wail, "Save me from my miserable life!" She had the confidence to know that if he liked her, he'd come calling.

This humorous, heartfelt book shows women how to focus on their strengths and character rather than resort to manipulative strategies to "land" a man. The perfect antidote to negative dating guides that just don't work, Happily Ever After offers practical, empowering advice that's been proven effective for the last 500 years and is still relevant today.