The Lizard Princess

“Complex and gripping. . . . Newcomers to Arcadia will be captivated by the rich history, while those familiar with it will find that Sophia’s legend grants them a new perspective on the earlier tales.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review) “[The Lizard Princess] encourages big-picture thinking. . . . The combination of a straightforward quest complicated by hindsight, with magic, science, and meditations on the building of myths and the role of stories, makes for a book not like much else out there. . . . Gorgeously written and complex.” —New York Journal of Books “This fantasy quest lends a hand toward making our contemporary world a little better.”—Foreword Reviews “The impressive The Lizard Princess continues Tod Davies' imaginative History of Arcadia series with her trademark brilliant storytelling.”—Largehearted Boy "Look inside this world and find wonder."—Kate Bernheimer, editor of Fairy Tale Review "Blending the magic of fairy tales with the great existential mysteries, Tod Davies leads us into a phantasmagorical world that resurrects the complex lore of times past with vibrant narrative energy."—Maria Tatar, editor of The Cambridge Companion to Fairy Tales "Imaginative."—Jack Zipes, author of The Irresistible Fairy Tale "Innovative form and spellbinding content . . . Stories, as Tod Davies's History of Arcadia novels ultimately suggest, serve as a civilization's backbone, and it is therefore in stories too that we can discover the potential for fundamental change and a better society."—Marvels & Tales Bittersweet. Lush. Human. The Lizard Princess crosses mountains, oceans, deserts, and the Moon Itself to meet her fate and the fate of Arcadia on the Road of the Dead. Her reward is the Key that opens the door to the Domain of Life where wisdom trumps knowledge, as it should in all good tales about the world, whether Arcadia's, or our own. Tod Davies is the author of Snotty Saves the Day and Lily the Silent, the first two books in The History of Arcadia series, as well as the cooking memoirs Jam Today: A Diary of Cooking With What You've Got and Jam Today Too: The Revolution Will Not Be Catered. Unsurprisingly, her attitude toward literature is the same as her attitude toward cooking—it's all about working with what you have to find new ways of looking and new ways of being.

The Princess and the Lizard is the story of an unconventional and inquisitive princess. She is a young explorer who prefers outdoor explorations to proper manners and High Tea. In poetry rather than prose, her adventures, determination, and strong spirit come to life. Page by page we learn about her daring discoveries and meet her outdoor friends, most notably a lizard who would prefer to be left alone. Underneath the make-believe story of a princess befriending a lizard are themes that encourage a child's imagination, and embolden the natural curiosity of an innocent soul. In it are combined traditional elements of a medieval kingdom, with the spunk of a 21st century, wild and free, nature-loving girl. This sets the stage for the main character to challenge the norms of what might be expected of her, in order to embrace a life full of excitement and discovery. She is strengthened by the freedom that comes from being allowed to be herself, and with this freedom she gains boldness and bravery, and even a new friend.

Grandpa called and needed help catching a lizard. Teddy, Charlie, and Lily run to his house to help. The boys try to catch the lizard, but Lily is the one who figures it out.

This book covers the time from 1547-1620. Which is experienced through the eyes of what may be considered an average family of the time, by the name of Estevan. The first half of the book involves the father, Francisco Estevan, and his struggles of choice between Priesthood or a young female Huguenot. Whether he should stand with the French or Spanish, and then there was the evil Frenchman John Gyrot who refused to give him a moments peace. The second half of the book, begins with the English pirate Sir Francis Drake destroying the village of Francisco and abducting his sons. This second half will be about his son Philip, and his enslavement for the next 20 years at sea. It will be the next forty years through great hardships and adventures before this family is again reunited.

Western Theatre in Global Contexts explores the junctures, tensions, and discoveries that occur when teaching Western theatrical practices or directing English-language plays in countries that do not share Western theatre histories or in which English is the non-dominant language. This edited volume examines pedagogical discoveries and teaching methods, how to produce specific plays and musicals, and how students who explore Western practices in non-Western places contribute to the art form. Offering on-the-ground perspectives of teaching and working outside of North American and Europe, the book analyzes the importance of paying attention to the local context when developing theatrical practice and education. It also explores how educators and artists who make deep connections in the local culture can facilitate ethical accessibility to Western models of performance for students, practitioners and audiences. Western Theatre in Global Contexts is an excellent resource for scholars, artists, and teachers that are working abroad or on intercultural projects in theatre, education and the arts.

Evil can be a corrosive force. especially when you grow up within it. The Dark Princess is a fifteen-year-old who realizes the evil reign of her uncle, the Dark King, must be stopped before the land of Taintis falls into turmoil.That to her is known, but her name is not. The journey she takes gives her a new outlook on her country and its inhabitants. The Dark Princess meets magical creatures, unusual circumstances and complicated, secretive people. Who is an ally, who is an enemy? Her adventure leads her to see who she really is and who she has yet to become. Is the Dark Princess on her way to defeating Darkness, or are her actions and choices only going to pull Taintis further under her uncle's influence? She knows the Dark King and his force of Darkness are evil, merciless and blood thirsty. but can the Dark Princess wash that all away to find freedom and peace for the citizens of Taintis? And for herself? Amanda Kostro, now fourteen, began The Dark Princess when she was twelve. She had such an urge to write, that she would take advantage of any opportunity, often writing through the night in lieu of sleep. The idea for The Dark Princess came suddenly while riding in the car. The story unfolded around the central idea of a girl, born into evil, who eventually realizes she must escape the maleficent bonds of her childhood in order to change the future for herself and the citizens of Taintis. Amanda lives in Riverside, Illinois. An only child, she shares her life with a menagerie of animals including a dog, cats, birds and her horse Micki. She recently graduated from Hauser Junior High School and will be an incoming freshman at Riverside Brookfield High School in the fall. When asked if there will be a continuation of The Dark Princess, Amanda reports, "I think there is more to the story. I just have to write it." For updates, check out: www.thedarkprincess.net

The Lizard of Oz is a satiric, child-like fantasy, for children fifth grade and up and also for adults. This is a revised and expanded version of the underground classic, self-published in 1974. "When an elementary class sets out on a quest to save the world from disenchantment, their adventures reveal paradoxes of the human mind and ways of awakening the magic within us." The Lizard has captured the imaginations of an enthusiastic cadre of fans, who enjoy reading it to their children. The "other Stories" include: Now and Then -- Once upon a space there was a time, a cute little time. Her name was Now... She saw him. And he saw her. And Now and Then. Then and Now played and played and played. Now and Then -- the greatest playmates of all time. Julie's Book: The Littler Princess -- Long ago, there was a castle with towers taller than church steeples, with stairs that wound round and around a thousand steps high. And at the top of one of those towers lived a little princess named Julie... But in spite of everything she did to make herself miserable, she lived happily ever after. Mary Jane's Book: the Book of Animals -- It was summer vacation, and everything was different: Mary Jane didn't have to go to school, and everything she just loved turned into a car -- all the animals, that is... And Leroy and James and Ricky and Raymond and Michael and David and Penny and Frank and Julie and Desire and Miss Morgan rode on horses and cows and birds and brand-new animals. And everybody was happy -- especially the animals. The Little Oops Named Ker Plop -- Once beneath a space there was an oops named Ker Plop. She had fallen all the way down through that vast empty space and had landed in the middle of nowhere... Soon they felt like they had everything they ever wanted. And they loved everybody, and everybody loved them. And they were at home everywhere. Just the little oops named Ker Plop and the nobody named Norris. Other stories in this collection: Hundreds and Hundreds of Gerbils -- A parent who is trying to avoid getting pets is outmaneuvered by his kids and winds up with hundreds and hundreds of gerbils.