Brambletale Blog
The Very Hungry Imagination of Eric Carle
Eric Carle was born in Syracuse, New York, in 1929, but his childhood took a major turn when his family moved back to Germany when he was six. He studied art there and graduated from the Akademie der bildenden Künste in Stuttgart. Still, Carle never lost his fond memories of America. In 1952, he returned to New York with a portfolio and just forty dollars in his pocket.
The Polish Writer Who Reforged Folklore
Andrzej Sapkowski is sometimes compared to J. R. R. Tolkien, but his fantasy has a very different flavor. Tolkien built a grand mythic world filled with ancient evil, noble quests, invented languages, and sweeping moral stakes. Sapkowski’s world is more crooked, cynical, and human. His stories often ask what happens when old legends meet ordinary greed, prejudice, fear, and survival.
Green Eggs, Grinches, and Genius: The Legacy of Dr. Seuss
Dr. Seuss eventually found his true calling in children’s literature, and he completely changed the way kids learn to read. The Cat in the Hat was written to replace dull school primers, using only a limited list of simple words.
From Daydreamer to National Treasure: The Story of L.M. Montgomery
L.M. Montgomery’s stories teach us about friendship, hope, and finding beauty in simple things.