Books & Writing – Page 17

The Art of How to Train Your Dragon

How to Train Your Dragon was recently released on DVD and Blu-ray, but if you’ve already worn your disc out and need a new Dragon fix, then pick up a copy of the film’s companion book, The Art of How to Train Your Dragon by Tracey Miller-Zarneke. Published at the beginning of this year to coincide with the film’s premiere, publisher Newmarket Press has posted an announcement on their website that the title is now back in stock.

The Art of How to Train Your Dragon is a gorgeous hardcover, divided up into five easily accessible sections:

The Dragons: The next best thing to having a Dragon Manual — the dragon field guide that Hiccup consults on-screen (and needs to be replicated in real book form) — this chapter details each of the dragons that appear in the film, from preliminary design sketches through to finished CG animation stills. Stats on the different species, some that aren’t revealed in the film, accompany the illustrations, and thumbnails of several dragons that didn’t make it to the screen are included, as well. Budding fantasy artists will find the material in this section invaluable, not only as a tutorial on how to draw credible dragon anatomy, but as a creative reminder that dragons come in more shapes and sizes than the traditional green dragon seen in storybooks. Not surprisingly, Toothless, as the main dragon and the character who underwent the most changes as he winged from book page to silver screen, dominates The Dragons, with considerable coverage also given to his nemesis, the monstrous Red Death, who received a number of progressively scarier make-overs.
The Vikings: Early sketches, character studies, CG models, and biographies of the film’s human characters add background and depth to the main cast: Hiccup, Astrid and the other dragon trainees, Chief Stoick the Vast, and blacksmith/dragon trainer Gobber. As an added bonus, original drawings by the author of the How to Train Your Dragon books are reprinted alongside the film drawings. A two-page spread is devoted to the design of Berk’s Viking “extras”, and Hiccup’s mother, Valhallarama, who didn’t survive the journey from book to screen, is memorialized.
The Dragon World: Dragon Island’s forbidding environment is showcased, with a focus on the immense Dragon Cave. A maze of shadowy dragon dens, pits, and winding passageways, the intricate Dragon Cave proved to be quite a challenge to build in 3D, leading to it being dubbed “the Swiss Cheese set”.
The Viking World: In an exploration of Berk’s varied landscapes, from the sea to the highest mountain peak, digital paintings take readers on a breathtaking tour of the Viking village, houses, Meade Hall, harbour, and training grounds. In addition, visits are made to Toothless’ secret cove and some intriguing locations that were unfortunately dropped during script revisions. A wealth of sketches and illustrations delve into Viking culture, examining the Vikings’ props, iconography, boats, weapons, statues, and the fascinating Meade Hall carvings and tapestries.
Bringing the Worlds Together… and Bringing It All to the Screen: The final chapter offers a run-down of the tasks assigned to individual units of the film team: story, layout, cinematography, 3D rendering, animation, character effects, general effects, lighting, and editorial. Filmmaker comments take viewers even further behind the scenes of creating a full-length animated film, and the job descriptions may help those who aspire to work in feature animation decide where their skills lie, much like Hiccup finding the place he fits best in Viking society.

The book’s preface is written by Cressida Cowell, whose children’s book of the same name (the first in a series) inspired the How to Train Your Dragon film, which The Art of How to Train Your Dragon classifies as a prequel of sorts to Cowell’s stories. In her introduction, the author engagingly relates the story of her family’s annual camping trips to a remote Scottish island, a tiny, rugged spot that sparked the idea for How to Train Your Dragon and served as a model for the Isle of Berk, the place that her imaginary tribe of Vikings inhabits. Comedian and late-night television host Craig Ferguson, the voice of Gobber, provides a humorous yet heartfelt foreword that reveals how he conquered his fear of flying, singling out a favourite scene from the movie that expresses his newfound passion for flight.

Expertly penned by Walt Disney Feature Animation alum Tracey Miller-Zarneke, The Art of How to Train Your Dragon benefits from the knowledge of an animation insider, coming to life as Miller-Zarneke deftly pulls quotes from the production crew, sprinkling them throughout the book to enhance her narrative. Compared to other “The Art of…” books, the The Art of How to Train Your Dragon does seem to have less of a text-to-pictures ratio, but is still as enjoyable and informative a read as Miller-Zarneke’s prior film animation book, The Art of Kung Fu Panda, and Dragon’s 350-plus images really do speak for themselves. Beautifully printed in full colour on large, glossy pages, the development art, sketches, pencil and marker drawings, storyboards, digital paint renditions, and finished artwork collected in The Art of How to Train Your Dragon makes reading the book feel like a stroll through a fantasy show at an art gallery. The volume’s binding is stitched, rather than glued, so the book lies perfectly flat, which is particularly handy for artists using it as a reference work.

Fans of Disney’s Lilo & Stitch, the previous film helmed by How to Train Your Dragon writer-directors Chris Sanders (whose unique visual style is evident in the look of both films) and Dean DeBlois, will obviously be drawn to this book, but, as Newmarket Press points out, The Art of How to Train Your Dragon is actually “a book for anyone who loves moviemaking, animation, art, Vikings, and, of course, dragons.”

Order now at Amazon.com:
The Art of How to Train Your Dragon
How to Train Your Dragon Book 1
How to Train Your Dragon (Single Disc Edition)
How to Train Your Dragon (Double DVD Pack)
How to Train Your Dragon (Blu-ray/DVD Combo)
How to Train Your Dragon (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Dragon Double Pack)

The Art of How to Train Your Dragon is distributed by Newmarket Press. Follow Newmarket Press on Twitter. For more information about How to Train Your Dragon, please visit DreamWorks Animation’s official How to Train Your Dragon website.

Vork One-Shot Comic & Vote for “The Guild”

from The Guild:

Today sees the release of the one-shot comic Vork from Dark Horse Comics, the continuation of the comic book series set in the time period before the events of Season One of The Guild. From Dark Horse:

As leader of the Knights of Good, Vork rules with an iron spreadsheet. Having devoted his life to gaming and the pursuit of Goodness, he’s earned the nickname “Goody–Two–Greaves” within the game world, but there’s more to Vork than his guild knows. Written by Felicia Day and Vork himself — actor Jeff Lewis — this hilarious one-shot delves into the man behind the rule book!

As previously announced by Dark Horse, The Guild comics will continue with a one-shot for each of the remaining Guild characters. The Vork comic can be found in your local comic shop, find a shop at ComicShopLocator.com or by calling 1-888-ComicBook, and is available online from Things from Another World and other online retailers. Coming a day after the release of Season 4 to DVD and iTunes (see yesterday’s blog entry) and recent release of The Guild trade paperback/graphic novel, it’s a very Guildie Holiday for us as for the first time, we have some great brand new merchandise out for the holidays.

In other, holiday/end-of-year news, we’d love it if you voted for The Guild for Clicker’s Best of 2010, the show is in the category Best Web Comedy (Serial). There’s no registration required, and please take a look at the many other web series listed there — we’re betting you’ll discover some new ones that would love for you to check them out.

The Guild graphic novel has been nominated by fans for a Goodreads Choice Award in the graphic novel category, and we’d love your votes for the book there (NOTE: you need to sign in to Goodreads to vote, but creating an account doesn’t take too long). If you don’t know Goodreads, it’s a social networking site built around books and reading. You can vote for The Guild here, and be sure to friend and follow Felicia, who’s a very active Goodreads member.

An Epic Adventure Reaches Its Climax in “Shaman King” Manga Finale, New from VIZ Media in January

from VIZ Media:

VIZ Media unleashes the final volume of Hiroyuki Takei’s Shaman King as the long-running manga (graphic novel) series reaches a grand climax. The concluding installment, Volume 32, (rated “T” for Teens; MSRP: U.S. $9.99 / $12.99 CAN) hits nationwide on January 4th, 2011.

Yoh Asakura has spent years training for the Shaman Fight, an epic tournament to determine who will become the Shaman King and shape humanity’s future. Unfortunately for Yoh, every shaman in the world is also vying for the same prize.

To most people, ghosts are the stuff of horror stories and nightmares. But to Yoh Asakura, a transfer student at Shinra Private Junior High, they’re his friends! Yoh Asakura is a shaman, one of the gifted few who can speak to spirits by channeling ghosts into his body — like the long-dead samurai Amidamaru. He can also allow them to possess him and use their powers. But a modern-day shaman faces great responsibilities, because spirits — and the people who work with them — can be very dangerous indeed. In the series’ grand finale, A Song Someday, Yoh and his gang finally reach the end of the line after all these years and all the hard work. Who will be crowned the next Shaman King, and who will go home in defeat?

Unconventional author/artist Hiroyuki Takei began his career by winning the Osamu Tezuka Cultural Prize. After working as an assistant to famed artist Nobuhiro Watsuki (Rurouni Kenshin, published by VIZ Media), Takei debuted in Weekly Shonen Jump in 1997 with Butsu Zone, an action series based on Buddhist mythology. His multicultural adventure manga Shaman King, which debuted in 1998, became a hit and was adapted into an anime TV series. His new series Ultimo (also published by VIZ Media), a historic collaboration with comics legend Stan Lee (co-creator of many iconic superheroes including Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, and the X-Men), is currently being serialized in the U.S. in Shonen Jump. Takei lists Osamu Tezuka, American comics and robot anime among his many key influences.

VIZ Media Announces the Season Finale of the Online Adventure “Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan”, and the Manga Debut in February

from VIZ Media:

VIZ Media has announced that the season one finale of the online streaming anime hit series Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan will conclude on VIZAnime.com, the company’s premier website for anime, on December 27, 2010. Also announced is the manga (graphic novel) version of Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan, which the anime is based upon. Created by Hiroshi Shiibashi, Vol. 1 will have its North American debut under the Shonen Jump imprint on February 1st 2011, is rated “T” for Teens and will carry an MSRP of $9.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN.

While the day belongs to humans, the night belongs to yokai, supernatural creatures that thrive on human fear. Caught between these worlds is Rikuo Nura. He’s three-quarters human, but his grandfather is none other than Nurarihyon, the supreme commander of the Nura clan, a powerful yokai consortium. So, Rikuo is an ordinary teenager three quarters of the time, until his yokai blood awakens. Then he transforms into the future leader of the Nura clan, leading a hundred demons.

Hiroshi Shiibashi debuted in Japan in Business Jump magazine with the series, Aratama. Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan is his breakout hit. He also worked as an assistant to manga artist, Hirohiko Araki, the creator of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure (also published in North America by VIZ Media).

VIZAnime.com is a free-to-use web destination that is now the permanent home to some of the company’s best-loved animated series. Over 1,100 episodes are currently available, and new content is added on a weekly basis. Series currently featured on VIZAnime.com include Bleach, Buso Renkin, Death Note, Honey and Clover, Hikaru no Go, InuYasha, InuYasha: The Final Act, Kekkaishi, Nana, Naruto, Naruto: Shippuden, One Piece and The Prince of Tennis.

To view subtitled Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan animated episodes (rated “T” for Teens) and other VIZ Media animated titles, please visit VIZAnime.com.

For more information on Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan and other Shonen Jump manga titles, please visit ShonenJump.com.

“Vampire Knight”, “Otomen”, “Ouran High School Host Club” and “Rurouni Kenshin” Join Lineup of Legendary Manga Series Available

from VIZ Media:

VIZ Media announces the launch of Vampire Knight (rated “T+” for Older Teens), Ouran High School Host Club (rated “T” for Teens), Otomen (rated “T” for Teens), and Rurouni Kenshin (rated “T+” for Older Teens), available now from the VIZ Manga App on the Apple iPad mobile device. The VIZ Manga App is available for free download through the iTunes Store, and all manga volumes are available for purchase and download in the U.S. and Canada directly within the application for $4.99 per volume.

The recently launched VIZ Manga App is the leading application to read Japanese manga on the iPad, with a downloadable library of the most popular manga series in the world. Readers are encouraged to check the app regularly, as new additions to the store and free Chapter 1 previews of other forthcoming manga series for the iPad are featured.

Other series now available for download on the VIZ Manga App include volumes from Bleach (rated “T” for Teens), Bakuman (rated “T” for Teens), Death Note (rated “T+” for Older Teens), Dragon Ball (rated “T” for Teens), Naruto (rated “T” for Teens), and One Piece (rated “T” for Teens).

In Otomen, a romantic comedy by creator Aya Kanno, Asuka Masamune is a guy who loves girly things — sewing, knitting, making cute stuffed animals and reading shojo comics. But in a world where boys are expected to act manly, Asuka must hide his beloved hobbies and play the part of a masculine jock instead. Can Asuka ever show his true self to anyone, much less to Ryo Miyakozuka, the girl that he’s falling for?

In the screwball romantic comedy Ouran High School Host Club by Bisco Hatori, Haruhi, a poor girl at a rich kids’ school, is forced to repay an $80,000 debt by working for the school’s swankiest, all-male club — as a boy! There, she discovers just how wealthy the six members are and how different the rich are from everybody else…

Action, romance, and historical intrigue help make Nobuhiro Watsuki’s Rurouni Kenshin, the tale of a wandering swordsman set against the backdrop of the Meiji Restoration, one of the most popular Shonen Jump titles among fans to date! Himura Kenshin, once an assassin of ferocious power, is now a humble rurouni, a wandering swordsman fighting to protect the honor of those in need.

In fan favorite hit Vampire Knight, by Matsuri Hino, Cross Academy is attended by two groups of students: the Day Class and the Night Class. At twilight, when the students of the Day Class return to their dorm, they cross paths with the Night Class on their way to school. Yuki Cross and Zero Kiryu are the Guardians of the school, protecting the Day Class from the Academy’s dark secret: the Night Class is full of vampires!

For more information on the VIZ Manga App, please visit VIZ.com/apps.

VIZ Media’s Shonen Jump Magazine Evolves for 2011

from VIZ Media:

VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry’s most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, announces the relaunch of its popular Shonen Jump monthly manga (graphic novel) magazine, and also grows the publication’s online presence. Beginning with the January 2011 issue, available now from retailers, Shonen Jump magazine welcomes the new decade with a fresh, contemporary look, and expanded print and web content.

As part of this upgrade, the magazine also launches several new subscriber-only initiatives on the Shonen Jump website at: ShonenJump.com. Among these features will be digital subscriber-only premiums and content, as well as the debut of a brand new manga series, Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan (rated “T” for Teens) that will be serialized online. This will be Shonen Jump’s first title to be serialized digitally on ShonenJump.com.

For its print counterpart, Shonen Jump, which continues to be the best-selling manga anthology in North America, debuts 2 new series — the science fiction thriller, Psyren, and fan favorite Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s. As a special treat to both current and new readers, the January 2011 issue will also include a free Yu-Gi-Oh! trading card, The Winged Dragon of Ra, printed with the autograph of original Yu-Gi-Oh! creator Kazuki Takahashi. These titles join other current monthly Shonen Jump series, Bleach, Naruto and One Piece.

Manga previews are a cornerstone of Shonen Jump coverage and this will continue with newly expanded sneak peeks, both online and in print, starting with massive online manga previews of popular series Toriko and Bakuman. VIZ Media also plans to deliver plenty of fan appreciation throughout 2011 with a variety of contests, sweepstakes and inside information about the exciting and ever-changing world of manga and anime.

“Paying careful attention to all the input from our loyal fans, the Shonen Jump team has revamped the magazine, keeping what devotees already know and love and adding in more awesome stuff than before!” says Christopher Boily, Editor-in-Chief. “The world of media and comics is changing and we’re excited to explore the opportunities that now exist for the magazine and our manga. New series like Nura and Psyren will fit in right alongside Naruto and Bleach to create the best manga mix we’ve ever had, both in print and online. And the new look and feel of the magazine is exactly what our fans have been asking us for!”

For more information on Shonen Jump Magazine and other Shonen Jump titles, please visit ShonenJump.com.

Action-Packed “Gantz” Hits Big Screens Nationwide in One-Night World Premiere

from VIZ Media:

Gantz, a live-action Japanese feature event, is making its world premiere in 325 movie theaters in an exclusive one-night Fathom event on Thursday, January 20th, 2011 at 8:00 p.m. ET / 7:00 p.m. CT / 6:00 p.m. MT / 8:30 p.m. PT (tape delayed). Following the feature, Gantz’s two leading actors, Kazunari Ninomiya (Letters from Iwo Jima) and Kenichi Matsuyama (Death Note, Detroit Metal City) will participate in an exclusive live interview that can only be seen at this event.

Tickets are available at participating theater box offices and online at FathomEvents.com. For a complete list of theater locations and prices, please visit the web site (theaters and participants are subject to change).

Presented by NCM Fathom and NEW PEOPLE, in association with Dark Horse Comics, Gantz (English dubbed) tells the story of childhood friends Kei Kurono and Masaru Kato who are accidentally killed while trying to save another man’s life. Rather than find themselves in the hereafter, however, they awaken in a strange apartment in which they find a mysterious black orb they come to know as “Gantz.” Along with similar abductees, they are provided with equipment and weaponry and manipulated into playing a kind of game in which they are sent back out to the greater world to do battle with alien beings, all while never quite knowing whether this game is an illusion or their new reality.

Ninomiya and Matsuyama are two of Japan’s biggest stars. Ninomiya, best known in America for his role in Clint Eastwood’s 2006 blockbuster, Letters from Iwo Jima, is both an actor and a singer. He is world-renowned as a member of the Japanese boy band “Arashi,” which topped Japan’s music charts in 2009 with the three best-selling singles. Matsuyama has been one of the most sought-after actors in Japanese film and has won several awards including Japanese Academy Awards Best New Actor (2007) and Most Popular Actor (2009). Matsuyama is recognized for his part as L in Death Note (2006), Death Note II: the Last Name (2006) and Death Note: L, change the WorLd (2008).

“Gantz is the kind of kinetic action film that pushes the boundaries of the sci-fi genre,” said Seiji Horibuchi, founder of NEW PEOPLE. “We’re very excited to work with NCM Fathom and Dark Horse Comics to organize this special event and look forward to the property’s domestic popularity growing even more following this new release.”

Gantz will appear in 325 theaters, including AMC Entertainment Inc., Cinemark USA Inc., Clearview Cinemas, Cobb Theatres, Goodrich Quality Theatres, Hollywood Theaters, Marcus Theatres, National Amusements, Rave Motion Pictures, R/C Theatres and Regal Entertainment Group movie theaters, as well as The Beacon Cinema (Pittsfield, MA), The Carolina Theatre (Asheville, NC) and Palace Cinema 9 (South Burlington, VT), through NCM’s exclusive Digital Broadcast Network — North America’s largest cinema broadcast network.

“Gantz offers a thrilling world that nobody has ever seen in live-action,” said Dan Diamond, vice president of NCM Fathom. “Incredibly popular in Japan as well as among American manga and anime enthusiasts, this new Gantz rendition is sure to thrill audiences in local movie theaters around the country.”

“Star Wars Visions” Artists Speak

from StarWars.com:

Thumbing through the pages of the recently released Star Wars Art: Visions from Abrams, one is confronted with an image on page 80 that both amuses and captivates — Will Wilson’s “Dawn of Maul”, which re-imagines the tattoo-faced Sith Lord as an enfant terrible in a Byzantine-era portrait. It appears to seethe with symbolism, from the two-headed serpent gripped in Maul’s left hand to the eclipsing Death Star at sunrise. It’s an image that immediately commands our attention — and provokes our imagination.

Artist Will Wilson was tapped by Lucasfilm Executive Editor J.W. Rinzler for the Visions project after discovering his work at the John Pence Gallery in San Francisco, a gallery which actually provided a handful of artists for the project. “Dawn of Maul”, Wilson’s stunning contribution to Visions, speaks to both the classic nature of the Star Wars saga and the mythic underpinnings of its storyline. It’s an image that begs intimate exploration — a journey we begin with a few questions for the artist:

I understand your painting was inspired by a dream?

You know I get a lot of ideas for my work from that lucid state when you’re waking up in the morning — when you’re kind of dreaming and you’re half-awake. For some reason I can solve problems when I’m stuck on a painting… it’s kind of a netherworld I can get a lot of ideas from and solve a lot of problems in. The very first night I was trying to think of something, I had this image, this dream of a red baby writhing around in a cradle of eels. And I woke up kind of excited because I immediately made the connection to Darth Maul, who was one of my favorite characters — albeit his appearance was brief in the movies.

I immediately thought I could paint Darth Maul as a baby. One of my best friends who’s also a painter has a one-year-old girl, so I went over that day to take photographs and started the painting — which is almost unheard of for me.

So you were pretty much given carte blanche in terms of direction?

It was the best kind of illustration job where they let you do whatever you want. I didn’t feel there were any guidelines at all as long as you were inspired by the Star Wars movies in some way.

Read the rest of the Will Wilson interview here, and read the second Star Wars Art: Visions artist interview with William Stout here.

Alivan’s 2010 Christmas Ornament is Here

from Alivan’s:

Greetings, friends… in this edition of The Clairvoyant: The seventh annual edition of our Magic Wand Christmas Ornament and FREE SHIPPING (orders over $40) when you purchase it… or ANYTHING else in stock…

THE 2010 CHRISTMAS ORNAMENT IS HERE! … our limited edition 2010 ornament is handcrafted from solid Purpleheart (adorned with a twinkling silver snowflake), and, this year, only 495 pieces are available… We want all of our subscribers to get this year’s ornament so please remember that last year this beautiful ornament sold out in under 4 DAYS! Click here to get yours and take part in this wonderful holiday tradition!

Magically,
Finneas Alivan

P.S. Free shipping… free shipping… free shipping… we’re so excited we had to say it three times. Every order over $40 gets free shipping now through 12/14.

Simon’s Cat: Beyond the Fence

Geeks sure do love their online kittehs, the reigning feline of the moment being the star of Simon’s Cat, an award-winning series of short animated films that launched in 2008 and instantly became a YouTube phenomenon. Simon’s Cat made the leap to print last year with the publication of the bestselling Simon’s Cat book, and this season sees the release of its much-anticipated sequel, Simon’s Cat: Beyond the Fence.

The first Simon’s Cat book focused on the homelife of Simon’s Cat, giving readers a peek into his daily routine: exasperating his owner Simon with mischievous antics, hatching plans with his garden gnome friend, playing with a family of hedgehogs that live in the yard, and trying (mostly without success) to get one over on the birds who invade his territory. Simon’s Cat: Beyond the Fence offers up another, bigger helping of Simon’s Cat’s charming, signature style of black-and-white line drawings, but instead of being a fairly random collection of sketches, this book’s illustrations string together to form a loose story. After an encounter with the vacuum cleaner, and being subjected to the indignity of a bath, Simon’s Cat decides to hit the road in search of greener pastures. Along the way, he makes new friends and experiences things that he never imagined as a sheltered housecat, but ultimately realizes, as he eventually tires of his wild adventures, that he had it pretty good back home with the doting Simon. On his return trek — during which he reveals how cats are connected to crop circles! — he’s followed by everyone that he’s met on his journey, resulting in quite a reunion with his old friends… and an even bigger surprise for the poor, unsuspecting Simon.

Publisher Canongate Books says on their website — referring to volume one of Simon’s Cat — that “Simon Tofield’s beautiful drawings and warm humour come alive on the page in the first of a series of irresistible stocking-filler humour books”, hinting that readers can look forward to several more books to paw through between film releases. To that tease, fans of the ever-hungry Simon’s Cat can only respond with a demanding “Meow!”, while pointing expectantly to their mouths.

Order now at Amazon.com:
Simon’s Cat (Canada)
Simon’s Cat (US)
Simon’s Cat: Beyond the Fence (Canada)
Simon’s Cat: Beyond the Fence (US)

In addition to the books, a line of Simon’s Cat merchandise, such as mugs, calendars, and plush, is available at the Simon’s Cat Official Web Shop. The brand manager of the Simon’s Cat online store promises that “T-shirts will come eventually. We’re working on getting them into the web-shop.”

Simon’s Cat and Simon’s Cat: Beyond the Fence are distributed by Canongate Books and its international affiliates, including Penguin Group (Canada) and Grand Central Publishing, an imprint of Hachette Book Group. For more information about Simon’s Cat, please visit The Official Simon’s Cat Website. Simon’s Cat may also be followed on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

“When I Grow Up” by “Weird Al” Yankovic

Billy’s classmates may have never considered careers in snail training or sumo wrestling before, but by the time the exuberant eight-year-old is done cataloging his dream jobs, they just might share his belief in unlimited potential!

Virtuoso wordplay, irresistible rhythm, and laugh-out-loud humor abound in the first picture book by the one and only “Weird Al” Yankovic. This unbridled celebration of creativity and possibility invites readers of all ages to consider afresh what they want to be when they grow up.

Browse and buy the book.

A Free Wand to Make Magic This Holiday

from Alivan’s:

In this edition of The Clairvoyant: $2.99 shipping continues… and… a FREE Nature Made Rosewood Wand with your order… read below for details.

$2.99 Shipping and a FREE Nature Made Rosewood Wand ($8.99 value) with EVERY order over $20 (now through 12/8 only). You must visit alivans.com and use coupon code INCFREEWAND to get your Free Rosewood Wand. If you don’t use the coupon code we cannot include your free gift!

Do something magical this holiday season! Be sure and forward this email to all of your friends who may not have heard about Alivan’s… a Free Wand is a great way for them to find out about us.

Magically,
Finneas Alivan

P.S. Brand new house patches! Be sure and check out our embroidered house patches and pins here — they are available in all four houses and Hogwarts as well… and they look great on all sorts of Halloween costumes!