Once Upon A Time In Golden Glen

Imagine a village in a beautiful, densely forested valley with hills and meadows as well as rivers and streams. The village fronts on an ocean to the west. Here, no one ages, illnesses and injuries heal in seconds. Work is rewarded with free housing, free meals, and beautiful clothing one can pick off a shelf and take home. Useful articles and deliciously prepared restaurant meals are . No money exists. Creative solutions are encouraged and sought after and shared. Love and glory are the parts of life that cause competition. Here, people can be true to themselves without suffering condemnation. People work to serve others. Government is committed to serving the needs of the people. There are no cars, no heavy machinery. Glenners travel long distances on the backs of horses or Maximum Monarchs, twenty-five foot tall monarch butterflies rigged with seating for human beings. King SkyGolden, a half elf, can transform himself into the flying horse named Trumpet. His wife, Rubikan, can do likewise. Golden Glen, a little piece of paradise! Or is it? This is a land where elves once ruled, where their descendants still possess magic. Eagles grow ten foot wingspans. They have teeth reminiscent of fossilized birds. Living in the Pariah Forest are strange creatures created by Kelpie eugenics. Terror Trees and Octopoda Grasses, bees as large as basketballs, a Royal Lamia, the owl that can change to many things, one a half snake, half woman. In addition, the Kelpie queen keeps an obedient pet, a beautiful Lepainea, created by genes from a leopard mixed with those of a hyena. The Kelpie are astonishingly beautiful women and they use magic to destroy men. They behave in vicious and murderous ways, transforming into flying horses. By using their beauty, the magic, and indulging in shocking sexual practices, the women are able to control men and destroy them. Ultimately, it is the intention of the Kelpie to conquer Golden Glen and turn it into Glendura, a place where they can create a commercial paradise by selling the secret of eternal life to people in the Left Behind, the world where the three newcomers are from. In the eastern mountains are the Troll, an ugly, misshapen little people with heads one third the size of humans. Very muscular but stupid, they are led by a queen who has entranced the Cenotaur, a beast born of a rape of a tiny female centaur by the Minotaur of Crete. Once enslaved by the elves, the Troll queen is determined to take over the Glen. The Troll and Kelpie continue their conflict, amoral women of great beauty who are offended by the ugliness of the little people. Battles between them were once commonplace but now, the battles break out only now and then. Kelpie use lepainea to attack the Troll, the Troll have the Cenotaur to counter the cats. But important for both, Glenners are their enemy. If they Troll and Kelpie unite, they could overrun the Glen in a day. This is the world into which the three young people, Sarabeth, Nita, and Zack are thrust, a world with different rules, where no death exists, yet people die. War lurks over each hill, even a sunrise is suspect. But love, like the Glen, is fragile, a tender bud aching to bloom.

Judy Freeman, author of the Books Kids Will Sit Still For series, gives practical how-to tips on how to tell a story, and write and stage a Reader's Theater script that gets children involved with creative drama. Reader's theater teaches children how to become better listeners, enriches their thinking skills, and encourages their response to literature. Included are ideas on using folk and fairy tales, songs, chants and nonsense rhymes, and a reader's theater script. Also included in this handbook are 400 plus annotated children's books every storyteller should know, 100 great titles for creative drama and reader's theatre and professional books and Web sites for storytelling, creative drama and reader's theater. Grades PreK-6. Judy Freeman, author of the Books Kids Will Sit Still For series, gives personal and practical how-to tips on how to learn and tell a story, how to act out a story using creative drama, and how to write and stage a Reader's Theater script. All are guaranteed to get your children listening, thinking, reading, loving, and living stories with comprehension, fluency, expression, and joy. Once Upon a Time pulls together a wealth of ideas, activities, and strategies for using folk and fairy tales, songs, chants, and nonsense rhymes. Also included in this handbook are the texts of 10 of Judy's favorite stories you can read today and tell tomorrow; a songbook of songs, chants, and nonsense rhymes; and a Reader's Theater script. You'll also find annotated bibliographies: 400+ children's books every storyteller should know; 100+ great children's books to use for creative drama and Reader's Theater; professional books and Web sites for storytelling, creative drama, and Reader's Theater; and a title and author index. Chapters include: ; Getting Started with Storytelling ; Judy Freeman's Songbook: Including Songs, Chants, Riddles, and Plenty of Nonsense ; Judy Freeman's Storybook: Tales You can Hear Today and Tell Tomorrow ; 400+ Children's Books Every Storyteller Should Know ; Getting Started with Creative Drama and Reader's Theater ; 100+ Children's Books Just Right for Creative Drama and/or Reader's Theater

"The Golden Spears" by Edmund Leamy is a collection of Irish fairy tales and legends that capture the rich storytelling tradition of Ireland. These tales are a reflection of the country's folklore, steeped in myth, magic, and the supernatural. The stories in "The Golden Spears" are a testament to the enduring oral tradition of passing down tales from one generation to the next in Ireland. They are filled with colorful characters, enchanting landscapes, and moral lessons, often featuring themes of bravery, cleverness, and the triumph of good over evil. While specific stories may vary, many of the tales in this collection have common elements, such as encounters with fairies, leprechauns, and other mythical creatures. They also often include references to ancient Irish customs, beliefs, and traditions. One of the notable aspects of "The Golden Spears" is how it provides readers with a window into Irish culture and mythology. The stories offer glimpses into the way the Irish people once viewed the world around them, the importance of nature, and the significance of the supernatural in their lives. Overall, "The Golden Spears" serves as a literary treasure trove, preserving the oral storytelling heritage of Ireland for future generations. Edmund Leamy's collection of tales allows readers to immerse themselves in the magical and mysterious world of Irish folklore, where the ordinary and the extraordinary often intersect, making it a captivating and culturally significant work.

The Agatha Award Winner for Best First Novel In Korina Moss's cozy series debut, Cheddar Off Dead, cheesemonger Willa Bauer discovers that her new home in a small Sonoma Valley town is ripe for murder... something here stinks to high heaven, and Willa knows it's not the cheese. Cheesemonger Willa Bauer is proving that sweet dreams are made of cheese. She’s opened her very own French-inspired cheese shop, Curds & Whey, in the heart of the Sonoma Valley. The small town of Yarrow Glen is Willa's fresh start, and she's determined to make it a success – starting with a visit from the local food critic. What Willa didn’t know is that this guy never gives a good review, and when he shows up nothing goes according to plan. She doesn’t think the night can get any worse... until she finds the critic’s dead body, stabbed with one of her shop’s cheese knives. Now a prime suspect, Willa has always believed life’s problems can be solved with cheese, but she’s never tried to apply it to murder...