Two of our most beloved young heroines hail from the Victorian Era – Alice of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (1865, Lewis Carroll) and Dorothy of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900, L. Frank Baum.) I grew up with their stories, but perhaps because they are such a part of our culture, I never thought about […]
I found this book in the manga section of Bookmans’ used bookstore. The gears on the cover screamed “steampunk” so I had to buy it. This volume is a compendium of the entire series, was published in 2009 by Seven Seas Entertainment. It’s not “authentic” manga in the sense that the creator, Madeleine Rosca, is […]
(With apologies for the horrible rhyme.) Today is National Read Across America, the day for the promotion of reading popularized by the National Education Association. It just happens to coincide with the birthday of Theodor Seuss Geisel (1904-1991), better known as Dr. Seuss. The books of Dr. Seuss have been a profound influence on children […]
* Owl’s birthday message to Pooh. Today is the birthday of Alan Alexander Milne, creator of Winnie-the-Pooh, born in 1882 in London, England. He wrote his famous “Winnie the Pooh” books for his son, Christopher Robin. Pooh and the other characters were based on Christopher’s toys, and the 100-Acre Wood was based on a forest […]
This animated masterpiece by Hayao Miyazaki is based on a 1986 novel by British author Diana Wynne Jones. It might best be described as a crossover between steampunk and urban fantasy since it has many supernatural elements. It takes place in an alternate universe much like ours, where war is erupting between rival nations. The […]
I can guess what you’re thinking – what? That’s not steampunk! I’ll admit there’s no steam in it, but this beloved children’s book has all the other elements: adventure, fantastic gadgetry, and a setting in the more genteel days of the early 20th Century. As a plus, it’s also set in England. This book was […]
