Service Alert
Website maintenance April 24 10pm ET
On Wednesday April 24 at 10pm ET the CELA website will be unavailable for about 15 minutes for planned maintenance.
On Wednesday April 24 at 10pm ET the CELA website will be unavailable for about 15 minutes for planned maintenance.
Showing 1 - 20 of 28 items
By Robert Michael Pyle. 2018
A nature writer searches for evidence of Bigfoot, the humanoid creature said to roam the remote forests. He spends time…
in the Dark Divide region near Mount St. Helens, interviewing other Bigfoot hunters. Includes a chapter written in 2017 about new developments in the search. Some strong language. 1995By Jim Murphy, Jon Scieszka, Douglas Florian, Sy Montgomery, Candace Fleming, Elizabeth Partridge, Nathan Hale, Steve Sheinkin, James Sturm, T. Edward Nickens, Thanhhà Lai. 2014
Award-winning authors and journalists provide a collection of essays, biographies, travelogues, and more--all geared to males. In "Sahara Shipwreck," author…
Steve Sheinkin tells the true story of capture, enslavement in the desert, and urine consumption in order to survive. For grades 5-8. 2014By Ellen Wahi, Ashley Stewart. 2017
By H. Dwight Weaver. 2008
There are over 6000 caves in the state of Missouri, created by limestone rock slowly dissolved by groundwater. They have…
much to tell us about extinct species and Native Americans; they have been hideouts for outlaws, and have been mined for saltpeter and guano. H. Dwight Weaver, a former show cave operator, tells of the historical and social impact they have had on the stateBy Scott Reynolds Nelson. 2006
History professor explores the truths behind the legend of railway man John Henry. Recounts his imprisonment and forced labor for…
the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad. Confirms Henry's 1871 contest with a steam drill, explores his mysterious death, and traces the evolution of the folk song that immortalizes his exploits. 2006By Anne M. Birrell. 1999
English translations of some three hundred representative myths from more than one hundred classical Chinese texts. Selections are grouped thematically…
covering topics such as creation, gods, divine birth, love, heroes, the natural world, and immortality. Includes introduction and explanatory notes analyzing the context and significance of each narrative. 1993By Paul Barber. 1988
The author covers centuries of folklore about vampires and the mysterious phenomena associated with death. He offers an explanation for…
the origins of vampire legends based on forensic medicine and the property of bodily decompositionBy Jerry Pallotta, Rob Bolster. 2018
Five previously published books featuring dangerous animals and the characteristics that make them deadly and likely to win in a…
fight. Includes Killer Whale vs. Great White Shark, Rhino vs. Hippo, Tyrannosaurus rex vs. Velociraptor, Wolverine vs. Tasmanian Devil, and Alligator vs. Python. For grades K-3. 2014By Elizabeth Silverthorne. 1996
Texas is home to more than five thousand species of wildflowers. South Texas native Elizabeth Silverthorne has compiled a collection…
of folklore about the forty-four wildflowers that she found the most interesting of all. For each of the flowers described in her book, Silverthorne explains the significance and origin of its common name, identifies where the flower grows naturally, what uses it has had historically, and what legends are associated with itBy Kelly Milner Halls, Rick Spears. 2019
Cryptozoology is the study of mysterious creatures that fall between the realm of real and imaginary on the scientific spectrum.…
This book offers a closer look at fifty of these amazing creatures, examining the best possible evidence for each, including scientific papers, magazine and newspaper articles, and credible eyewitness accounts. For junior and senior high readers. . UnratedBy Matt Kaplan. 2012
Science journalist examines ancient and modern myths of monsters, from the Nemean Lion of ancient Greece to King Kong and…
the Terminator. Uses archaeology and other disciplines to theorize on the sources of these tales and the reasons they fascinate us. Young adult appeal. Some violence. 2012By Robert Louis Stevenson. 2011
By Wilt L. Idema, Stephen H. West. 2005
No cycle of historical legends has enjoyed greater or more enduring popularity in China than that of the Three Kingdoms,…
which recounts the dramatic story of the civil wars (c. AD 180-220) that divided the old Han empire into the Shu-Han, Wei, and Wu states, and the eventual reunification of the realm under the Western Jin in AD 280.By Caspar Henderson. 2013
From medieval bestiaries to Borges s "Book of Imaginary Beings," we ve long been enchanted by extraordinary animals, be they…
terrifying three-headed dogs or asps impervious to a snake charmer s song. But bestiaries are more than just zany zoology they are artful attempts to convey broader beliefs about human beings and the natural order. Today, we no longer fear sea monsters or banshees. But from the infamous honey badger to the giant squid, animals continue to captivate us with the things they can do and the things they cannot, what we know about them and what we don t. With "The Book of Barely Imagined Beings," Caspar Henderson offers readers a fascinating, beautifully produced modern-day menagerie. But whereas medieval bestiaries were often based on folklore and myth, the creatures that abound in Henderson s book from the axolotl to the zebrafish are, with one exception, very much with us, albeit sometimes in depleted numbers. "The Book of Barely Imagined Beings "transports readers to a world of real creatures that seem as if they should be made up that are somehow more astonishing than anything we might have imagined. The yeti crab, for example, uses its furry claws to farm the bacteria on which it feeds. The waterbear, meanwhile, is among nature s extreme survivors, able to withstand a week unprotected in outer space. These and other strange and surprising species invite readers to reflect on what we value or fail to value and what we might change. A powerful combination of wit, cutting-edge natural history, and philosophical meditation, "The Book of Barely Imagined Beings" is an infectious and inspiring celebration of the sheer ingenuity and variety of life in a time of crisis and change. "By Wilt L. Idema, Shiamin Kwa. 2010
The legend of Mulan--the daughter who disguises herself as a man, dons her father's armor, and heads off to war…
in his place--remains one of the most popular Chinese folktales despite (or because of) its lack of supernatural demonstrations or interventions.This volume offers lively translations of the earliest recorded version of the legend and several later iterations of the tale (including the screenplay of the hugely successful 1939 Chinese film Mulan Joins the Army), illustrating the many ways that reinterpretations of this basic story reflect centuries of changes in Chinese cultural, political, and sexual attitudes.An Introduction traces the evolution of the Mulan legend and its significance in the history of Chinese popular culture. Annotation explaining terms and references unfamiliar to Western readers, a glossary, and a comprehensive bibliography further enhance the value of this volume for both scholars and students.By James S. de Benneville. 1986
A young lord undertakes the restoration of his family's fortunes and honor in this gripping retelling of a 15th-century Japanese…
epic. Gripping and evocative, it recounts the rebellions, plots, and battles that culminate in a vendetta's thrilling resolution. James S. de Benneville's Western-style narrative offers an exceptionally faithful retelling. 44 black-and-white illustrations.By Joseph Jacobs. 2009
Soils and national characteristics differ, but fairy tales are the same in plot and incidents the world over. So proved…
the leading British folklorist Joseph Jacobs (1854-1916) with this now classic volume of 29 traditional tales from India, including some of the oldest recorded tales known."The Lion and the Crane," "How the Raja's Son Won the Princess Labam," "The Broken Pot," "The Tiger, the Brahman, and the Jackal," "The Talkative Tortoise," "The Ass in the Lion's Skin," "Why the Fish Laughed," "Sun, Moon, and Wind Go Out to Dinner," "The Prince and the Fakir," and all the other stories make delightful reading or listening for youngsters who are tired of the same familiar old favorites. John D. Batten's nine full-page plates and his 37 other drawings are reproduced from the original edition.By Haruo Shirane, Keller Kimbrough. 2018
Monsters, Animals, and Other Worlds is a collection of twenty-five medieval Japanese tales of border crossings and the fantastic, featuring…
demons, samurai, talking animals, amorous plants, and journeys to supernatural realms. The most comprehensive compendium of short medieval Japanese fiction in English, Monsters, Animals, and Other Worlds illuminates a rich world of literary, Buddhist, and visual culture largely unknown today outside of Japan.These stories, called otogizōshi, or Muromachi tales (named after the Muromachi period, 1337 to 1573), date from approximately the fourteenth through seventeenth centuries. Often richly illustrated in a painted-scroll format, these vernacular stories frequently express Buddhist beliefs and provide the practical knowledge and moral education required to navigate medieval Japanese society. The otogizōshi represent a major turning point in the history of Japanese literature. They bring together many earlier types of narrative—court tales, military accounts, anecdotes, and stories about the divine origins of shrines and temples––joining book genres with parlor arts and the culture of itinerant storytellers and performers. The works presented here are organized into three thematically overlapping sections titled, “Monsters, Warriors, and Journeys to Other Worlds,” “Buddhist Tales,” and “Interspecies Affairs.” Each translation is prefaced by a short introduction, and the book features images from the original scroll paintings, illustrated manuscripts, and printed books.By James Herriot. 1997
Few authors in memory have delighted readers around the world thoroughly as the beloved veterinarian James Herriot. And, with his…
recent volumes of hugely popular illustrated tales—James Herriot's Cat Stories and James Herriot's Favorite Dog Stories—his name has been introduced to a whole new generation of readers. Now, this gorgeous new collection finally brings together ten of his best-loved stories celebrating all the creatures in his wonderful world—creatures bright and beautiful, great and small. Here are lambs, horses, cows, dogs, even a whimsical pig or two, along with their colorful human counterparts—all brought vividly to life by Herriot's storytelling magic. From a prickly horse young James encountered early in his veterinary-school experience, through Dorothy the goat—star of the entrancing holiday tale "There's Christmas—and Christmas"—we are reacquainted with all the charming companions of Herriot's Yorkshire menagerie. Once again illuminated by the radiant watercolors of Lesley Holmes, each of Herriot's animal friends is rendered with the kind of warmth and humor that comes with old, familiar friendship. With a special introduction by Herriot's own son Jim, the stories in this bright new collection will warm readers of every age.By Jing Jing Ding, Nelson Daboud. 1996
A story of three Buddhist monks based on a traditional Chinese folk tale about cooperation. Without cooperation, one monk can…
fetch two buckets of water, two monks will only be able to fetch one bucket of water, and three monks will fetch no water at all.