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Hairy Maclary From Donaldson’s Dairy by Lynley Dodd Analysis
Hairy Maclary From Donaldson’s Dairy is a cumulative rhyming picture book written and illustrated by New Zealand storyteller Lynley Dodd.
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Eloise by Kay Thompson and Hilary Knight
Eloise is a classic 1955 picture book written by Kay Thompson, illustrated by Hilary Knight. Writer Kay Thompson (1909–1998) was also a composer, musician, actress and singer. Illustrator Hilary Knight was born in Hempstead, Long Island, New York, in 1926.
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Definition of logical fallacy
Fallacy is a specific kind of mistaken belief: You arrive at a conclusion through faulty thinking.
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The October Game by Ray Bradbury Short Story Study
“The October Game” (1948) is a short Hallowe’en horror story by American author Ray Bradbury. It has the plot of an urban legend with the characterisation of a written narrative.
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Eric Carle-esque Collage In Children’s Illustration
Some children’s illustrators use paper collage to illustrate their books by painting and and decorating their own assortment of cut paper. Think The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Eric Carle’s artwork is often shown in classrooms as a model for children creating paper collages. Today I’d like to introduce you to a few artists who create similar artwork.…
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Invisible Bird by Claire-Louise Bennett Short Story Analysis
Claire-Louise Bennett’s story is a great mentor text if you’re writing (perhaps autobiographically) about a period in someone’s life, looking back after much has been forgotten, when memories come episodically. The difficulty with these stories is: How to end them?
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Aliens and UFOs in Storytelling
A brief history of aliens, UFOs and otherworldly creatures in art, literature and storytelling more generally.
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Hairy Maclary and Zachary Quack by Lynley Dodd Analysis
Hairy Maclary and Zachary Quack (1999) is a picture book written and illustrated by New Zealand storyteller Lynley Dodd. A duckling saves Hairy’s life. Although many of the Hairy Maclary stories are written with the carnivalesque picture book structure, this one is not. Hairy is not on a fun adventure this time; it is summer,…
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We Didn’t by Stuart Dybek Short Story Analysis
“We Didn’t” is a short story by American writer Stuart Dybek, included in The Best American Short Stories 1994. A man addresses his first love. With the insight that comes from middle-age, the narrator feels sad about the tragicomic incident that that led to their breakup.
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Charles by Shirley Jackson Short Story Analysis
“Charles” is a very short story by Shirley Jackson, first published in 1948. Told in first person from a mother’s point of view, this is the story of a little boy who starts school and immediately transforms from a little boy into a smart-mouthed brat. He talks constantly about a boy called Charles who gets…
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The Falls by George Saunders Short Story Analysis
“The Falls” (1996) is a short story by American writer George Saunders. Two men walk along a river and face a moral dilemma. Should one risk one’s own life in the hope of saving two drowning girls?
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The Ways Of Ghosts (An Arrest) by Ambrose Bierce Short Story Analysis
“The Ways Of Ghosts”, also called “An Arrest”, is a very short ghost story by American writer Ambrose Bierce, first published in October 1905. Perfect for a 1905 Hallowe’en?
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A Case of Eavesdropping by Algernon Blackwood Short Story Analysis
A Case of Eavesdropping” is a ghost story by Algernon Blackwood first published in December 1900 in Pall Mall Magazine.
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There Will Come Soft Rains by Ray Bradbury Short Story Analysis
“There Will Come Soft Rains” (1950) is a short story by American author Ray Bradbury. I thought I’d better read it because August 4 2026 is looking nearer and nearer, and I’d like to know what to expect in four years’ time.
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Ridley Scott’s Alien (1979) Film Analysis
Alien is a 1979 film directed by Ridley Scott. The story was created by Ronald Shusett, also known for Total Recall. The screenplay is by Dan O’Bannon, also known for The Return of the Living Dead.