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These are all very good picture books for children that feature monsters. I will add to this list as I find more.
Love Monster by Rachel Bright
Monsters Eat Whiny Children by Bruce Kaplan
The Monster’s Monster by Patrick McDonnell
Even Monsters Need Haircuts by Matthew McElligott
Some Monsters are Different by David Milgrim
Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich by Adam Rex
Wanda’s Monster by Eileen Spinelli
“Artists paint apples because they have the urge to paint apples. And if people like the art, that’s a bonus.” – Jeanne-Claude (partner of Christo)
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“You should paint pictures because you want to paint them, not because everyone wants you to paint them.”
“It’s your picture, and all that is important is developing your own vision. It only needs to please you semicolon pleasing everyone is impossible, anyway.”
From “Urban Watercolor Sketching” by Felix Scheinberger
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“Don’t think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it’s good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art.” – Andy Warhol
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“The point is, art never stopped a war and never got anybody a job. That was never its function. Art cannot change events. But it can change people. It can affect people so that they are changed…because people are changed by art – enriched, ennobled, encouraged – they then act in a way that may affect the course of events…by the way they vote, they behave, the way they think.” -Leonard Bernstein
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“If you hear a voice within you say ‘You cannot paint’ then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced.” – Vincent Van Gogh
“But I’ll tell you what hermits realize. If you go off into a far, far forest and get very quiet, you’ll come to understand that you’re connected with everything.” – Alan Watts
“How much better is silence; the coffee cup, the table. How much better to sit by myself like the solitary seabird that opens its wings on the steak. Let me sit here forever with bare things, this coffee cup, this knife, this fork, things in themselves, myself being myself.” – Virginia Woolf
“You talk when you cease to be at peace with your thoughts; and when you can no longer dwell in the solitude of your heart you live in your lips, and sound becomes diversion and a pastime.” – Kahlil Gibran
“All the unhappiness of men arises from one single fact, that they cannot stay quietly in their chamber.” – Blaise Pascal
“You rest now. Rest for longer than you are used to resting. Make a stillness around you, a field of peace. Your best work, the best time of your life will grow out of this peace.” – Peter Heller
“There is a loneliness more precious than life. There is a freedom more precious than the world. Infinitely more precious than life and the world is that moment when one is alone with God.” – Rumi
“While I am looking for something large, bright, and unmistakably holy, God slips something small, dark, and apparently negligible in my pocket. How many other treasures have I walked right by because they did not meet my standards?” – Barbara Brown Taylor
“Silence is the language of God, all else is poor translation.” – Rumi
“I felt in need of a great pilgrimage, so I sat still for three days.” – Hafiz
“Prayer is sitting in the silence until it silences us, choosing gratitude until we are grateful, and praising God until we ourselves are an act of praise.” – Richard Rohr
“Silence is precious; by keeping silence and knowing how to listen to God, the soul grows in wisdom and God teaches it what it cannot learn from men.” – Blessed Anne of St. Bartholomew
Here is a short list of books that would be useful to anyone who is interested in learning more about Judaism, especially if they are Christian. They are in no particular order.
Menorahs, mezuzas, and other Jewish symbols by Chaikin, Miriam
The book of letters : a mystical alef-bait by Kushner, Lawrence
God was in this place and I, i did not know : a spiritual encounter : Genesis 28:16 by Kushner, Lawrence
The book of words by Kushner, Lawrence
The book of miracles by Kushner, Lawrence
Living Jewish life cycle by Milgram, Goldie
Jewish ritual by Olitzky, Kerry M
Reclaiming Judaism as a spiritual practice by Milgram, Goldie
Traditions : the complete book of prayers, rituals, and blessings for every Jewish home by Shendelman, Sara
How to run a traditional Jewish household by Greenberg, Blu
Jewish living: a guide to contemporary reform practice by Washofsky, Mark
The Jewish home : a guide to the Jewish holidays and life cycles by Syme, Daniel B
Honey from the rock : an introduction to Jewish mysticism by Kushner, Lawrence
And here’s small selection of Jewish movies that might be useful –
Ushpizin
Arranged
Under the domim tree
I spent one summer studying what makes a Japanese garden distinctly Japanese. These books were very helpful on my quest. Some of them cover interiors as well as exteriors of Japanese homes, so there is more to them than just gardens. I found it quite interesting that the Japanese word for “home” is composed of two characters – the one for “house” and the one for “garden”. A house isn’t a home unless it has a garden. The home is often designed around the garden, rather than the other way around.
A Path Through the Japanese Garden by Bryan Albright and Constance Tindale
The Japanese House: Architecture and Interiors by Alexandra Black
Zen Gardens by Erik Borja
Quiet Beauty: The Japanese Gardens of North America by Kendall Brown
The New Asian Architecture: Vernacular Traditions and Contemporary Style by William Lim
Japan Style: Architecture Interiors Design by Geeta Mehta
Japan Modern: New Ideas for Contemporary Living by Michiko Rico Nose
The Art of Japanese Architecture by Michiko Young
Serene Gardens – creating Japanese design and detail in the western garden. by Yoko Kawaguchi
Creating Japanese Gardens by Philip Cave
Do you want start or become better at sketching? You can’t go wrong with these books –
The Art of Urban Sketching: drawing on location around the world by Gabriel Campanario
Urban Sketching: the complete guide to techniques by Thomas Thorspecken
The Creative License: giving yourself permission to be the artist you truly are by Danny Gregory
An Illustrated Life: drawing inspiration from the private sketchbooks of artists, illustrators and designers by Danny Gregory
Watercolor Journeys: create your own travel sketchbook by Richard Schilling
For inspiration, look at:
When Wanderers Cease to Roam: a traveler’s journal of staying put by Vivian Swift
Drawing from Memory by Allen Say
For mixed-media artistic experiments, try these –
Art Lab for Kids: 52 creative adventures in drawing, painting, printmaking, paper and mixed-media for budding artists of all ages by Susan Schwake
Drawing Lab for Mixed Media Artists – 52 creative exercises to make drawing fun by Carla Sonheim.
Also, look at anything by Keri Smith to get your head out of that rut. “Wreck this Journal” is a mandatory purchase.
The Syrian Bride. (NPL collection)
Mona’s wedding day is the saddest day of her life. She knows that once she crosses the border between Israel and Syria to get married, she will never be allowed back to her beloved family in the Golan Heights, occupied by Israel since 1967. Once you cross the border there is no way back and at the end of a long day, the family, the government and military officials and all those gathered on both sides of the border find themselves facing an uncertain future, trapped in No-Man’s land between Israel and Syria.
Herman’s House (NPL collection)
Herman Wallace may be the longest-serving prisoner in solitary confinement in America – 40 years and counting in a 6-by-9-foot cell. This award-winning documentary is a moving account of the remarkable expression his struggle finds in an unusual art project. The revelatory installation — featuring a full-scale model of Herman’s cell and detailed plans of his dream home — has brought thousands around the world face-to-face with America’s cruel and unusual punishment: long-term solitary confinement. (description from Amazon)
Arranged. by Zoe Lister-Jones (NPL Overdrive)
Rochel is an Orthodox Jew, and Nasira a Muslim of Syrian origin. They are both beautiful young teachers at a public school in Brooklyn. They also have something else in common – they are going through the process of getting “arranged marriages” through their respective religious and traditional customs. With both family pressure on the one hand, and the rejection of traditional values by the outside world on the other, Rochel and Nasira will have to rely on each other and their friendship to pull through this difficult time of their lives, striving to be strong women in charge of their own happiness, while keeping their deep religious and cultural convictions.
Discover the Gift (NPL Hoopla)
Within each of us, there are special Gifts simply awaiting discovery. The sense of joy, power, fulfillment, freedom, and unconditional love that we experience in our lives is directly related to these Gifts, yet so many of us have yet to unlock their full potential, leaving us longing for a sense of happiness and fulfillment. For sister and brother team Shajen Joy Aziz and Demian Lichtenstein, something was missing in their lives until they tapped into the power of their own unique Gifts, leading to a profound personal transformation that has enabled them to connect to the fullness of life. Their incredible personal journeys of spiritual growth have fueled their desire to share what they have learned and in Discover The Gift, they share their story and take us step-by-step through this journey of discovery which has the power to change not only individual lives, but can transform our entire world.
The Exorcist in the 21st Century (Amazon, NPL Hoopla)
Director Fredrik Horn Akselsen reveals the secret and mystical world of Catholic exorcisms in his documentary THE EXORCIST IN THE 21st CENTURY. In the film, Constanza, a Colombian woman, claims to have been possessed by demons for 15 years and sees the Spanish exorcist as her last hope for spiritual liberation.
Vision (NPL Hoopla)
Hildegard von Bingen was truly a woman ahead of her time. A visionary in every sense of the word, this famed 12th-century Benedictine nun was a Christian mystic, composer, philosopher, playwright, poet, naturalist, scientist, physician, herbalist and ecological activist. Vision is a profoundly inspirational portrait of a woman who has emerged from the shadows of history as a forward-thinking and iconoclastic pioneer of faith, change and enlightenment. (German with subtitles)
The Machine that Made us. (NPL Hoopla)
The printing press was the world’s first piece of mass-production technology. Its invention changed the world as dramatically as splitting the atom or sending men into space. It ignited a cultural revolution that shaped the modern age. It changed the way our brains work, replacing a spoken culture with a written one. It is the machine that made us who we are today. Take a trip with Stephen Fry to explore the story of the machine and the man who created it – Johann Gutenberg.
A Will for the Woods (NPL collection)
What if our last act could be a gift to the planet? Musician and psychiatrist Clark Wang prepares for his own green burial in this immersive documentary.
While battling lymphoma, Clark has discovered a burgeoning movement that uses burial to conserve and restore natural areas, forgoing typical funeral practices that stress the ecosystem. Boldly facing his mortality, Clark and his partner Jane have become passionate about green burial, compelled by both the environmental benefits and the idea that one can remain within the cycle of life, rather than being cut off from it. The spirited pair have inspired a compassionate local cemetarian, and together they aim to use green burial to save North Carolina woods from being clear-cut.
Resurrect Dead: The Mystery of the Toynbee Tiles
Justin Duerr is obsessed with uncovering the meaning behind the Toynbee Tiles, an urban phenomenon of cryptic plaques embedded in the asphalt of major U.S. and South American intersections.
The Forgotten Kingdom
Atang is an unemployed, aimless young man who spends his days in the slums of Johannesburg. When his father dies, Atang must give up his selfish ways and fulfill his father’s humble last wishes: to be buried in the rural, mountainous Kingdom of Lesotho.
– On Amazon Prime –
The Way (with Martin Sheen, Emilio Estevez)
A father heads overseas to recover the body of his estranged son who died while traveling the “El camino de Santiago” from France to Spain.
With One Voice
With One Voice illuminates the unity of humanity through the single message and mystical tradition that binds all faiths together.
The Monastery and Mr. Vig (True story, no actors)
Jørgen Laursen Vig owns a Danish estate, with a ramshackle castle, on the island of Fyn. He dreams of turning his castle into a Russian orthodox monastery.
The Human Scale
With the majority of the world population in urban areas, architect Jan Gehl is reimagining how to make cities more sustainable and livable. Rather than examining structures, Gehl & his team meticulously analyze spaces where people interact.
The Calling
A story of personal and spiritual fulfillment, THE CALLING follows young Joanna on her journey to self realization.
The Philosopher Kings
In search of wisdom found in unlikely places, The Philosopher Kings takes us on a journey through the halls of the most prestigious universities in America to learn from the staff members who see it all and have been through it all: the custodians.
Buying the Spirit
Beautifully-made with unbelievable access to voodoo practitioners, this film offers an unrivalled insight into this frequently misunderstood religion.
Padre Pio Sanctus
The definitive biography of the saint from Pietrelcina, Italy.
Hildegard
A drama of the life of Hildegard of Bingen – abbess, visionary, playwright, and composer.
Brother Sun, Sister Moon
A drama about the life of Saint Francis of Assisi.
Frequencies
In a parallel world where human frequencies determine luck, love, and destiny, Zak, a young college student, must overcome science in order to love Marie, who emits a different frequency than his own. This unique and experimental drama blends science fiction and romance to create a futuristic tale where love, science, and fate collide.
Senn
Charles Dickens meets Arthur C. Clarke–A lowly factory worker is delivered from a world of misery and discovers his destiny via an ancient object on the other side of the stars. – – The acting is uninspired, but the story and the photography (setting and special effects) are more than worth your time.
Sometimes in April
(Drama) In April 1994, one of the most heinous genocides in world history began in the African nation of Rwanda. Over the course of 100 days, an estimated 800,000 people were killed in a terrifying purge by Hutu nationalists against their Tutsi countrymen. This harrowing HBO Films drama focuses on the almost indescribable human atrocities that took place a decade ago through the story of two Hutu brothers–one in the military, one a radio personality–whose relationship and private lives were forever changed in the midst of the genocide. Written and directed by Raoul Peck, (HBO Films’ Lumumba) the movie is the first large-scale film about the 100 days of the 1994 Rwandan genocide to be shot in Rwanda, in the locations where the real-life events transpired.
The White Meadows
In this dreamlike film, Rahmat the boatman navigates the brackish waters of a coastal land, collecting the heartaches and tears of its inhabitants. But he remains powerless against their misguided attempts to appease the gods and make the land green again, whether by offering a bride to the sea or forcibly “treating” the eyes of a painter who sees in different colors.
Foreign Letters
In this touching tale of young friendship Ellie, a 12-year-old Israeli immigrant, and Thuy, a Vietnamese refugee, form a powerful bond that helps Ellie cope with the hardships of adjusting to her new life in the states.
The Life and Faith of C.S. Lewis
Narrated by Academy Award-winner Ben Kingsley, this multi-award-winning program is the most complete portrait of the world-renowned author considered by many to be the greatest Christian writer of the 20th century.
Jellyfish
Winner of the Caméra d’Or at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival, JELLYFISH is a richly imaginative portrait of three very different women emotionally adrift in Tel Aviv. While Batya, a struggling waitress, cares for a mysterious child that appeared to her out of the sea, newlywed Keren nurses a broken leg and a ruined honeymoon and Filipino migrant worker Joy tries to support her son back home.
Dimensions
Love, betrayal and time travel in 1920s England. A brilliant scientist becomes obsessed with revisiting his past – no matter what the cost. Jealousy, desires and greed surround him, clouding his judgement and sending him spiraling towards madness.
Kiss the Moon
In the midst of a rapidly changing Pakistan, three generations of eunuchs bravely unravel the ancient rituals and religious beliefs surrounding their spellbinding community. Could the encroachment of Western conceptions of homosexuality be the beginning of the end for the once-prized eunuchs?
(The majority of the descriptions are taken from the listing)
So, interested in what books have inspired me in creating this series? Here they are – but really the push for it came from a dream that lasted all night. Perhaps these authors had a similar kind of dream.
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“The lion, the witch, and the wardrobe” by C.S. Lewis
“The Long Earth” by Terry Pratchett
“The Skin Map : a bright empires novel, quest the first” by Stephen Lawhead
“Vengeance for a Lonely Man” by Simon Green
Here’s a short list of some illustrated books that I’ve enjoyed, that you might too. Many of them explain or discuss something very deep in a very good way.
The arrival Tan, Shaun.
What it is like to be a foreigner. This deeply moving, beautiful book tells a story without words, illustrating how hard it is to fit in if you don’t speak the language. This applies even to those situations where people do speak the language, but just don’t fit in.
How to understand Israel in 60 days or less Glidden, Sarah.
Follows a young Jewish woman who goes to Israel on her birthright trip. She thinks about the problems in Israel from many sides, and like in reality, comes to no resolution.
Marbles : mania, depression, Michelangelo, & me : a graphic memoir Forney, Ellen.
Mental health from the side of a mental health consumer. Raw and honest.
Harvey : how I became invisible Bouchard, Hervé, 1963-
A young boy experiences the grief of his father’s death.
Kampung boy: Lat.
A story about a young Islamic Malaysian boy as he grows up in a village.
Star Wars : Tag & Bink were here Rubio, Kevin.
This one is just funny. It is about two storm troopers who always seem to be in the wrong place at the right time.
When Wanderers Cease to Roam: A Traveler’s Journal of Staying Put by Vivian Swift
ISBN-13: 978-1596914612
Gorgeous watercolor illustrations of a year in a small town. A feast for the soul.
The Principles of Uncertainty by Maira Kalman ISBN-13: 978-0143116462
An illustrated journal of sorts by one of my favorite minimalist artists. Beautiful and sad and wonderful.
Through the Woods by Emily Carroll 978-1-4424-65954
Young-adult graphic novel featuring 5 short illustrated stories – all a little odd and creepy, but in a good way.
Saga – -series by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples.
Cosmos-spanning adventure mixing cultures and races.
Interested in the Circle process for conflict resolution? Here’s a list of books that are helpful.
Calling the Circle: The First and Future Culture. Christine Baldwin.
The Circle Way: A Leader in Every Chair. Christine Baldwin & Ann Linnea.
Doing Democracy with Circles: Engaging Communities in Public Planning. Jennifer Ball, Wayne Caldwell & Kay Pranis.
The Millionth Circle: How to Change Ourselves and the World. Jean Shinoda Bolen.
Peacemaking Circles and Urban Youth: Bringing Justice Home. Carolyn Boyes-Watson.
Heart of Hope: A Guide for Using Peacemaking Circles to Develop Emotional Literacy, Promote Healing & Build Healthy Relationships. Carolyn Boyes-Watson & Kay Pranis.
Wisdom Circle: A Guide to Self-Discovery and Community Building in Small Groups. Charles Garfield, Cindy Spring & Sedonia Cahill.
The Little Book of Circle Processes. Kay Pranis.
Peacemaking Circles: From Crime to Community. Kay Pranis, Barry Stuart & Mark Wedge.
Circle in the Square: Building Community and Repairing Harm in School. Nancy Riestenberg.
Building a Home for the Heart: Using Metaphors in Value-Centered Circles. Patricia Thalhuber, B.V.M. & Susan Thompson
The Way of the Council. Jack Zimmerman, in collaboration with Virginia Coyle.
List gotten with permission from Tracy Roberts at http://www.TheCircleCenter.com
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