Books by Ari Berk
Goblins 2006 Wall Calendar
by Brian Froud, Ari Berk
Based on the bestselling book Brian Froud's Goblins! This 2006 calendar includes illustrations by Brian Froud and a hilarious text by Ari Berk. WARNING: Publisher is not responsible for mischievous insertions by goblins throughout.
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The Runes of Elfland
by Ari Berk
The fantasy artist interprets the runes of Celtic origin, diving headlong into the fertile land of myth and lore about faeries, elves, and creatures of the forest, collecting these stories into a single compelling volume that is sprinkled generously with beautiful illustrations depicting the many creatures of Celtic mythology. 50,000 first printing.
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William Shakespeare: His Life and Times (Historical Notebooks)
by Ari Berk, Kristen McDermott
A lavish, interactive introduction to the great poet’s life, his work and the times he lived in.
In this enthralling scrapbook that William Shakespeare compiled for his daughter, he looks back on his life as he retires from the theatre. Discover late-sixteenth- and early-seventeenth centurystories of love, war, kings and queens, fellow playwrights and actors, explorers and life in London.
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The Secret History of Mermaids
by Ari Berk
From the loremaster who brought us THE SECRET HISTORY OF GIANTS comes an intriguing new chronicle revealing the mysterious ways of merfolk.
Since ancient times, seafarers and coast-dwellers the world over have reported encounters with merpeople. Variously known as Finfolk, Dinny Mara, Nereids, Blue Men, and Merrymaids, merfolk have been the source of both gifts and disasters for humankind. Now a lavishly illustrated resource offers insight into the lives, origins, language, and magic of these elusive peoples. Like a siren’s song, this fascinating tome is sure to enthrall all who fall under its spell. Special features include:
— paper novelties — including sundry flaps, booklets, and gatefolds
— a lavish cover with foil, embossing, and glittery jewels
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Lady Cottington's Pressed Fairy Letters
by Ari Berk
The Cottington Archive reluctantly announces that more information about the infamous Lady Cottington has surfaced: a scrapbook compiled by the fairy smasher herself of her correspondence with luminaries such as Queen Victoria, Annie Oakley, Igor Stravinsky, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Andrew Lang, P.T. Barnum, and more. All about fairies, these hilarious letters contain everything from wisdom to suggestions to chastisement. Lady Cottington has made notes in the margins not to mention smashed fairies throughout (will she EVER STOP this nasty habit?!). And the fairies...ah the fairies...they too have done their part, sprinkling magic and mayhem throughout.
Lady Cottington's Pressed Fairy Letters, a facsimile reproduction of Lady Cottington's original volume, combines the nutty artistry of the first two Lady Cottington books with delightful novelty components. Containing "actual" letters, invoices for "spiritual services," a fairy Valentine, an invitation from Alice Liddell to tea, and more, this newest interactive addition to the Lady Cottington series is the most innovative to date.
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Goblins! A Survival Guide and Fiasco in Four Parts
by Ari Berk
The illustrator of the popular Pressed Fairy albums and the author of The Runes of Elfland share their collaborative "investigations" into the maleficent world of goblins, in a nonsensical volume that profiles common goblin traits and offers advice on what to do if one's home becomes goblin infested. 50,000 first printing.
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Coyote Speaks: Wonders of the Native American World
by Ari Berk, Carolyn Dunn
A one-of-a-kind compilation of beliefs, stories, and cultural artifacts from Native American tribes.
Coyote Speaks explains how to look at and appreciate Native American culture. For thousands of years, tribal ways and wisdom have been passed down in story, song, dance, and art from elder to child, from tribe to tribe, and from Native peoples to the world at large. This book gathers many of these beliefs and traditions, enabling the outsider to appreciate the vast and diverse world of the First People. Among the subjects addressed are: the meanings of certain animals and symbols, what shamans and medicine people do, and how the natural world, the animal world, and the spirit world interact. Of the more than five hundred known tribes, nearly fifty are represented, from all regions of North America.
The book is profusely illustrated with paintings, artifacts, and photographs and includes a glossary of tribes and an index.
From Children's Literature:
"This generously sized and exquisitely presented mix of original poetry, retold traditional stories and linking commentary is an answer from within Native America to two centuries of decontextualized appropriation of story. Of the more than 500 tribes of North America, nearly 50 find expression in this meticulously crafted collection that opens windows onto indigenous traditions while avoiding the pitfalls of essentialism. The stories are contained within chapters focused on medicine people, word magic, creation, the magic of art and artifacts, hero figures, guardians of wild places, trickster and related animal characters, and stories from tribal memories. A final chapter looks forward, addressing mythmaking in the 21st century. Within each content area, however, the lines between story and commentary are gently blurred, so that form and content both reflect societies with story at their heart. Even the introduction begins with brief text that erases distinctions between what we think of as real and imaginary, then moves through a Cherokee ballgame story and concludes with this reminder: "When we walk the lands of these stories in our imaginations, it is vital to understand that we are guests and need to tread softly." The retellings are simple, vital, fluid and direct, each in a style fitting to the story. Some like the transformation tales are short and pointed. Others like "The Daughter of Sun" span vast periods of mythic time, so we can feel the sweep of the storyteller's prose. Still others such as "Song of the World" (Pima) employ both prose and song. Here the tale moves from its launching in primordial time, through the journey of the first man, and then in a swift one-twoconclusion, arrives right into the reader's here and now: "He picked up the sun and placed it in the sky, and it is still there, just as he made it." Parchment-effect pages showcase the rendering by Berk of selected petroglyphs. The book is additionally enriched by the incorporation of a range of artwork from photographs of southwestern kachinas and bone artifacts from the Arctic, to stunning contemporary art such as Hazel Merritt's iconic painting of a satellite dish with a Navajo wedding basket design on it. As an example of how text and form are perfectly married, the facing page carries a poem titled "Beautyway" that evokes both the Dine ceremony and the troubled ecology and history of the Four Corners region. Back matter contains a list of tribes and nations mentioned in the book, a select bibliography, a note on sources, extensive illustration credits and an index. In all, Coyote Speaks is a gift offered up with a delicate and caring touch, inviting both young readers and adults to explore its pages again and again."
Reviewer: Uma Krishnaswami
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Nightsong
The second book in bestselling author Michael Cadnum's thrilling collection of myths from Ovid's METAMORPHOSES.
Orpheus, a brave musician who is dearly loved by the gods and admired by all of humankind, attempts to use the power of song to rescue his beautiful wife, Eurydice, from the Underworld after she dies from a serpent bite on their wedding day. When Orpheus finally reaches the center of the Underworld, Hades relents to his beautiful music and agrees to set Eurydice free. However, he tells Orpheus that he must not look back at his wife as he leads her to the surface. Just before the couple reaches the upper world, Orpheus cannot help but look back at Eurydice, and he therefore loses her forever.
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Nightsong
A breathtaking picture book by award-winning author Ari Berk, illustrated by mega-bestseller Loren Long, about a young bat setting off into the world using only his good sense!Sense is the song you sing out into the world,
and the song the world sings back to you.
With these words, Chiro's mother sends him off into the night for the first time alone. It's an adventure, but how will he find his way? And how will he find his way home? As the young bat discovers, navigating the world around him is easy as long as he uses his good sense.
This beautiful and touching coming-of-age story, with mesmerizing artwork from New York Times bestselling illustrator Loren Long and lyrical text from Ari Berk, conveys a heartwarming and universal message: No matter how far away you go, you can always find your way home.
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