Download or read book Stories of an Imaginary Childhood written by Melvin Jules Bukiet and published by Univ of Wisconsin Press. This book was released on 2002 with total page 212 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In Stories of an Imaginary Childhood Melvin Jules Bukiet inscribes the world that might have been his own if not for the catastrophe that destroyed most of Jewish life in eastern Europe during the 1940s. Set before the Holocaust in the tiny Polish shtetl of Proszowice, each interconnected story follows the young protagonist through the pleasures and humiliations of childhood and the rites of manhood, as he fights against historical, social, and psychological forces that threaten to pull him down. "Bukiet proves that he is an expert at the [short story] form. His stories lift and soar, encompassing a world of truth in just a few pages. His characters have flesh and life. . . . Bukiet's topics are varied and universal: first love, growing up, trying to get along with people who are different. Each of these is approached with great humor and a deep respect for life experience."--Daniel Neman, Richmond News Leader "Jewish-American fiction of a new order, one able to bring the best that has been thought and said about voice and literary texture to the service of a world with richer meaning and a deeper resonance."--Sanford Pinsker, Midstream "Bukiet is enchanting, original, and thoroughly irresistible in any disguise. Stories of an Imaginary Childhood is an extraordinary achievement, an immensely enjoyable collection of truly remarkable tales."--Susan Miron, Miami Herald

Download or read book Imaginary Companions and the Children Who Create Them written by Marjorie Taylor and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2001-05-03 with total page 224 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Many parents delight in their child's imaginary companion as evidence of a lively imagination and creative mind. At the same time, parents sometimes wonder if the imaginary companion might be a sign that something is wrong. Does having a pretend friend mean that the child is in emotional distress? That he or she has difficulty communicating with other children? In this fascinating book, Marjorie Taylor provides an informed look at current thinking about pretend friends, dispelling many myths about them. In the past a child with an imaginary companion might have been considered peculiar, shy, or even troubled, but according to Taylor the reality is much more positive--and interesting. Not only are imaginary companions surprisingly common, the children who have them tend to be less shy than other children. They also are better able to focus their attention and to see things from another person's perspective. In addition to describing imaginary companions and the reasons children create them, Taylor discusses other aspects of children's fantasy lives, such as their belief in Santa, their dreams, and their uncertainty about the reality of TV characters. Adults who remember their own childhood pretend friends will be interested in the chapter on the relationship between imaginary companions in childhood and adult forms of fantasy. Taylor also addresses practical concerns, providing many useful suggestions for parents. For example, she describes how children often express their own feelings by attributing them to their imaginary companion. If you have a child who creates imaginary creatures, or if you work with pre-schoolers, you will find this book very helpful in understanding the roles that imaginary companions play in children's emotional lives.

Download or read book Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend written by Matthew Dicks and published by St. Martin's Press. This book was released on 2012-08-21 with total page 320 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Imaginary friend Budo narrates this heartwarming story of love, loyalty, and the power of the imagination—the perfect read for anyone who has ever had a friend . . . real or otherwise Budo is lucky as imaginary friends go. He's been alive for more than five years, which is positively ancient in the world of imaginary friends. But Budo feels his age, and thinks constantly of the day when eight-year-old Max Delaney will stop believing in him. When that happens, Budo will disappear. Max is different from other children. Some people say that he has Asperger's Syndrome, but most just say he's "on the spectrum." None of this matters to Budo, who loves Max and is charged with protecting him from the class bully, from awkward situations in the cafeteria, and even in the bathroom stalls. But he can't protect Max from Mrs. Patterson, the woman who works with Max in the Learning Center and who believes that she alone is qualified to care for this young boy. When Mrs. Patterson does the unthinkable and kidnaps Max, it is up to Budo and a team of imaginary friends to save him—and Budo must ultimately decide which is more important: Max's happiness or Budo's very existence. Narrated by Budo, a character with a unique ability to have a foot in many worlds—imaginary, real, child, and adult— Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend touches on the truths of life, love, and friendship as it races to a heartwarming . . . and heartbreaking conclusion.

Download or read book Nothing Makes You Free Writings by Descendants of Jewish Holocaust Survivors written by Melvin Jules Bukiet and published by W. W. Norton & Company. This book was released on 2003-04-17 with total page 397 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A groundbreaking collection of Holocaust literature by the heirs to the greatest evil of our time. History is preserved in the memories of the survivors of the Holocaust and the imaginations of their children, the so-called Second Generation. Nothing Makes You Free considers the heritage of the descendants of those who faced the horrific lie that adorned the gates of many German concentration camps: "Arbeit Macht Frei" ("Work Makes You Free"). In the words of this groundbreaking anthology's introduction: "Other kids' parents didn't have numbers on their arms. Other kids' parents didn't talk about massacres as easily as baseball. Other kids' parents loved them, but never gazed at their offspring as miracles in the flesh....How do you deal with this responsibility? Well, if you were a writer, you wrote." Gathered here are writings of both fiction and nonfiction, ranging from farce to fantasy to brutal realism, from an international selection of writers, including Art Spiegelman, Eva Hoffman, Peter Singer, and Carl Friedman. Contributors: Lea Aini, David Albahari, Tammie Bob, Lilly Brett, Melvin Jules Bukiet, Leon De Winter, Esther Dischereit, Barbara Finkelstein, Alain Finkielkraut, Carl Friedman, Eva Hoffman, Helena Janaczek, Anne Karpf, Alan Kaufman, Ruth Knafo Setton, Mihaly Kornis, Savyon Liebrecht, Alcina Lubitch Domecq, Gila Lustiger, Sonia Pilcer, Doron Rabinovici, Henri Raczymov, Victoria Redel, Thane Rosenbaum, Goran Rosenberg, Peter Singer, Joseph Skibell, Art Spiegelman, J. J. Steinfeld, Val Vinokurov "Nothing Makes You Free is a wide-ranging, exuberant, and altogether powerful collection. A necessary reminder of the lingering effects of the Holocaust and of all the embers—in each generation—saved from the fire."—Aryeh Lev Stollman, author of The Far Euphrates and The Illuminated Soul "What happens to a generation of writers born after but indelibly shaped by the Holocaust? From the bitterly sardonic title of Bukiet's clear-eyed and refreshingly unsentimental collection to its last words, this volume will cause all to see this past in startlingly new and unexpected ways. This is certainly not their parent's Holocaust. But in all their immense variety, dexterity, oppressed imaginativeness, pain, and wonder, these writings show how even as a 'vicarious past,' the Holocaust continues to shape both inner and outer worlds of the survivors' offspring and now, by extension, our own as well."—James E. Young, author of At Memory's Edge and The Texture of Memory "A superb anthology...tenderness mixes with rage, sorrow with bitterness, in this first-rate gathering of pieces by those who refuse to forget."—Kirkus Reviews, starred review "A trenchant array...convincingly demonstrate[s] that the Second-Generation experience and the artistic vision growing from it is not merely a diluted version of the survivors' experience, but a distinct phenomenon and ethos of its own."—Miami Herald "An important book."—Booklist

Download or read book Inventing Imaginary Worlds written by Michele Root-Bernstein and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2014-06-18 with total page 285 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How can parents, educators, business leaders and policy makers nurture creativity, prepare for inventiveness and stimulate innovation? One compelling answer, this book argues, lies in fostering the invention of imaginary worlds, a.k.a. worldplay. First emerging in middle childhood, this complex form of make-believe draws lifelong energy from the fruitful combustions of play, imagination and creativity. Unfortunately, trends in modern life conspire to break down the synergies of creative play with imaginary worlds. Unstructured playtime in childhood has all but disappeared. Invent-it-yourself make-believe places have all but succumbed in adolescence to ready-made computer games. Adults are discouraged from playing as a waste of time with no relevance to the workplace. Narrow notions of creativity exile the fictive imagination to fantasy arts. And yet, as Michele Root-Bernstein demonstrates by means of historical inquiry, quantitative study and contemporary interview, spontaneous worldplay in childhood develops creative potential, and strategic worldplay in adulthood inspires innovations in the sciences and social sciences as well as the arts and literature. Inventing imaginary worlds develops the skills society needs for inventing the future. For more on Inventing Imaginary Worlds, check out: www.inventingimaginaryworlds.com

Download or read book The Imaginary written by A.F. Harrold and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2014-10-23 with total page 216 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Rudger is Amanda's best friend. He doesn't exist, but nobody's perfect. Only Amanda can see her imaginary friend – until the sinister Mr Bunting arrives at Amanda's door. Mr Bunting hunts imaginaries. Rumour says that he eats them. And he's sniffed out Rudger. Soon Rudger is alone, and running for his imaginary life. But can a boy who isn't there survive without a friend to dream him up? A brilliantly funny, scary and moving read from the unique imagination of A.F. Harrold, this beautiful book is astoundingly illustrated with integrated art and colour spreads by the award-winning Emily Gravett.

Download or read book Knuffle Bunny Free written by Mo Willems and published by Harper Collins. This book was released on 2010-09-28 with total page 54 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Trixie and her family are off on a fantastic trip to visit her grandparents—all the way in Holland! But does Knuffle Bunny have different travel plans? An emotional tour de force, Knuffle Bunny Free concludes one of the most beloved picture-book series in recent memory, with pitchperfect text and art, photos from around the world, and a stunning foldout spread, culminating in a hilarious and moving surprise that no child or parent will be able to resist. Bestselling, award-winning author Mo Willems has created an epic love story as only he can, filled with the joys and sadness of growing up —and the unconditional love that binds a father, mother, daughter, and a stuffed bunny.

Download or read book IMAGINARY WORLD written by SANMEET K SETHI and published by BOOKSQUIRREL. This book was released on 2021-12-25 with total page 138 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “THE IMAGINARY WORLD” is all about love and life. Everyone has experienced betrayal in their life but not everyone has seen true love… it’s not easy. This book brings many writers together to show how love feels, with society issues in their way. I am very grateful to have so many amazing writers by my side, and I would like to thank each and every person present in this book and also those who aren’t. My Parents for supporting me in this and my best friend Jeet Kakkar for making me strong enough and believing in me that I can do this, I love you. Lastly, A big Thank you to TOC for this opportunity and Somya Dii our project head for holding my hand the whole time, it wouldn’t have been possible without you. Make the world a better place With your smile… Live life with no regrets Love life with no debts. ~ Sanmeet K Sethi

Download or read book The Creation of Imaginary Worlds written by Claire Golomb and published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers. This book was released on 2011 with total page 186 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Alongside everyday reality, the young child develops a rich imaginary world of child art, make-believe play, imaginary friends, fairy tales and magic. This book charts the imaginative development of children, conveying the importance of art-making in childhood years, and highlighting the potential that imaginative behaviors hold for development.

Download or read book My Ex Imaginary Friend written by Jimmy Matejek-Morris and published by Carolrhoda Books ®. This book was released on 2021-02-02 with total page 222 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Eleven-year-old Jack thought he had outgrown his imaginary friend, George—until his dad also disappears from his life. His mom's bipolar disorder isn't being properly treated, so while in the throes of a manic episode, she ditches Jack with his aunt, uncle, and cousins. Jack decides that only George can help him figure out where people go when others stop believing in them—and how Jack can put his family back together. Meanwhile, the imaginary George—half-walrus, half-human, all magic—has a problem of his own: with nobody to believe in him, he is slowly disappearing. Rejoining Jack is his only hope for survival. Or is it?

Download or read book Marilyn s Monster written by Michelle Knudsen and published by Candlewick Press. This book was released on 2020-04-29 with total page 40 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The best-selling author of Library Lion pairs with award-winning illustrator Matt Phelan to create a picture book gem with an unexpected twist. The best-selling author of Library Lion pairs with award-winning illustrator Matt Phelan to create a picture book gem with an unexpected twist. A lot of Marilyn’s friends have monsters. It’s the latest thing. Each one is just right for its boy or girl. Marilyn really wants a monster, too, but despite her efforts to be the kind of girl no monster could resist, hers just doesn’t come. What could be taking it so long? Everyone knows you just have to wait for your monster – but the spunky and determined Marilyn thinks there may just be other ways that things can work. Matt Phelan’s expressive artwork brings Michelle Knudsen’s appealing cast of children and monsters to life, creating a sweet, warm tale of friendship perfect for sharing.

Download or read book Imagine Childhood written by Sarah Olmsted and published by Shambhala Publications. This book was released on 2012-10-16 with total page 242 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For children, potential is limitless, curiosity is an electrical current, and every moment is open to the possibility of the unexpected. Day-to-day life is filled with adventure. Road blocks are invitations to try new routes. And the world is vast and expansive. This book is a celebration of childhood through the crafts and activities that invite wonder and play. The twenty-five projects and activities in this book are meant to speak to the way children engage with the world. These projects are not about what is produced in the end (although that part is fun too) but rather they are stepping-off points—activities that spark curiosity, an adventure, or an investigation. They’re about the process of getting there. They’re about the conversations that happen while making things together. They’re about getting to know the world inch by inch. They’re about exploring imaginary universes and running through real forests. They’re about living in childhood . . . regardless of your actual age. They’re about being a kid.

Download or read book Lottie Walter written by Anna Walker and published by Clarion Books. This book was released on 2019 with total page 45 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Lottie secretly knows there is a shark in the pool waiting to eat her, until her new walrus friend, Walter, helps her to conquer her fear.

Download or read book Invisible Companions written by J. Bradley Wigger and published by Stanford University Press. This book was released on 2019-07-23 with total page 265 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From the US to Nepal, author J. Bradley Wigger travels five countries on three continents to hear children describe their invisible friends—one-hundred-year-old robins and blue dogs, dinosaurs and teapots, pretend families and shape-shifting aliens—companions springing from the deep well of childhood imagination. Drawing on these interviews, as well as a new wave of developmental research, he finds a fluid and flexible quality to the imaginative mind that is central to learning, co-operation, and paradoxically, to real-world rationality. Yet Wigger steps beyond psychological territory to explore the religious significance of the kind of mind that develops relationships with invisible beings. Alongside Cinderella the blue dog, Quack-Quack the duck, and Dino the dinosaur are angels, ancestors, spirits, and gods. What he uncovers is a profound capacity in the religious imagination to see through the surface of reality to more than meets the eye. Punctuated throughout by children's colorful drawings of their see-through interlocutors, the book is highly engaging and alternately endearing, moving, and humorous. Not just for parents or for those who work with children, Invisible Companions will appeal to anyone interested in our mind's creative and spiritual possibilities.

Download or read book Imaginary Citizens written by Courtney Weikle-Mills and published by JHU Press. This book was released on 2013-01-15 with total page 278 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How did Ichabod Crane and other characters from children’s literature shape the ideal of American citizenship? 2015 Honor Book Award, Children's Literature Association From the colonial period to the end of the Civil War, children’s books taught young Americans how to be good citizens and gave them the freedom, autonomy, and possibility to imagine themselves as such, despite the actual limitations of the law concerning child citizenship. Imaginary Citizens argues that the origin and evolution of the concept of citizenship in the United States centrally involved struggles over the meaning and boundaries of childhood. Children were thought of as more than witnesses to American history and governance—they were representatives of “the people” in general. Early on, the parent-child relationship was used as an analogy for the relationship between England and America, and later, the president was equated to a father and the people to his children. There was a backlash, however. In order to contest the patriarchal idea that all individuals owed childlike submission to their rulers, Americans looked to new theories of human development that limited political responsibility to those with a mature ability to reason. Yet Americans also based their concept of citizenship on the idea that all people are free and accountable at every age. Courtney Weikle-Mills discusses such characters as Goody Two-Shoes, Ichabod Crane, and Tom Sawyer in terms of how they reflect these conflicting ideals.

Download or read book This Book Can Read Your Mind written by Susannah Lloyd and published by Frances Lincoln Limited. This book was released on 2021-04-20 with total page 34 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: You have opened a very special book. This book can do something that has NEVER been achieved before. This book can read your mind. You just need to think of something, but whatever you do, don't think of anything SILLY. You know, like a pink elephant…

Download or read book The Imaginary Age written by Leanna Petronella and published by LSU Press. This book was released on 2019-10-01 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Leanna Petronella’s The Imaginary Age is an unwaveringly confident debut collection and an exciting contribution to contemporary poetry. This collection does not invite us but compels us to look with the poet, as Petronella addresses the female body and female relationships with rare candor and emotional resonance. This collection is remarkable in its lyrical precision as well as its unique command of narrative, which together reveal a storyteller whose power is speaking aloud what has been deemed unspeakable. Her stories are of loss, yet Petronella refuses to romanticize grief, choosing instead to highlight the many guises and contours of grief’s ugliness. Petronella’s speakers are therefore appropriate in their disgust, their suspicion of meaning, even as the poet herself tries to make meaning through language, acknowledging its limits as well as its freedoms along the way—and taking head-on the underlying fear of both the poet and the aggrieved that “this is something / I can’t turn into something else.”