Books with author Ian. Robinson

Have you ever wondered what it was like to be an identical twin? To have people ask who is who, and how can we tell you apart? Sometimes it's tough when people don't know who you are. Read this honest, heart-felt story inspired from the words of a four year old named "Ellie" and learn about the mixed blessing it can be when you are an identical twin...

In this collection of four assorted projects, young artisans will learn to batik scarves, book covers, and wall tapestries as they begin to undertake this Indonesian art of decorating cloth by applying wax resists and then dyeing it. This simple and user-friendly approach to batik mixes brightly colored dyes with eye-catching fabrics and papers, demonstrating effective and quick techniques for exotic results.

Hailed by The New York Times as "America's Aristophanes," Will Rogers was one of this century's most astute and beloved humorists. If as he often remarked, he never met a man he didn't like, it is also true that Rogers never met a man he didn't like to make fun of. Everyone from congressmen and Presidents to Hollywood movie moguls and wealthy industrialists bore the brunt of his gently lacerating wit--and seemed, mostly, to be charmed in the process. So popular did Rogers become--through dozens of films, a daily column that ran for nine years in newspapers across the country, and countless lectures and stage performances--that he was often urged to run for Congress and even the Presidency. Upon receiving a mock appointment as Congressman-at-Large for the whole United States, Rogers protested, "I regret the disgrace that's been thrust upon me here tonight. I've tried to live my whole life so that I would never become a congressman." In American Original, Ray Robinson chronicles the trajectory of Will Rogers' remarkable life. Written with engaging immediacy and filled with a wealth of delightful anecdotes, this lively portrait follows Rogers from his childhood in the Indian Territory of what is now Oklahoma, to his first spellbinding lariat performances in the Wild West shows (where he would often lasso prominent audience members and drag them on stage), to his stardom in vaudeville and the Ziegfeld Follies, to his early silent movies and the later "talkies," and finally to his astonishing influence as a "cowboy philosopher" columnist read by over 40 million Americans. Far more than other biographers, Robinson excels at conveying Rogers' impact as a political commentator ("I belong to no organized political party. I am a Democrat.") and his great success as an actor in Hollywood, where he was the leading star of Fox Films. And along the way, Robinson paints a vibrant portrait of one of America's most colorful eras. We follow the early evolution of modern entertainment, enjoy vivid snapshots of W.C. Fields, Charlie Chaplin, Florenz Ziegfeld, Eddie Cantor, Samuel Goldwyn, Shirley Temple, and John Ford, and, perhaps most important, witness the major political events of the era through Will Rogers' uniquely perceptive eyes. American Original succeeds most appealingly in bringing Will Rogers before us with all the spontaneity, intimacy, and honesty of a live performance. In it we are given front row seats to the life of a character unabashedly American and unforgettably original.

Lot has made his home in Sodom just about the time Sodom - through a warrior named Shamis - has rebelled against King Kedorloamer and the Elamites. The Mesopotamian war machine comes and crushes the city, taking Lot and his family. Abram hears of his nephew Lot's capture and pursues to save him but he can only do it with the help of a boy, a boy named Arun, an outcast who is struggling to find his place.

From rebel uniforms to Yankee jargon, these interactive educational tools cover all the details that kids need to authentically portray a Civil War soldier for either the Confederacy or the Union. The more than 25 activities include a myriad of Civil War topics, including the battle names used by the Southern states, the famous army and government leaders of both the Confederacy and the Union, and the proper dress and symbols associated with both sides. Fun, hands-on activities are also presented for kids' educational entertainment, from baking army victuals and learning how to load a musket to creating their very own Civil War–era currency.

A tale for the child within us all. When we meet Theodore “Teddy” Roberts, he is on the verge of crossing over to the world of grown-ups. His childlike imagination is fading with every passing year, his once grand and wondrous adventures are fewer and further between, and the powers and secrets that once came so easily to him are slowly drifting away. Yet there is a grand world within Teddy that has been waiting patiently—if only he can unlock the door that only the truest believers can open. His curiosity getting the better of him, Teddy enters the land of imagination and his destiny unfurls: to save the magical creatures who call it home. Along the way he discovers the secrets that have entwined his own family to the magic that lies within the golden gates. This will be the journey of a lifetime—to correct the mistakes made so long ago, to understand and hopefully save his own powers of imagination before the door closes forever…Theodore Roberts and the Key to the Imaginary Door is a fantasy/adventure novel that celebrates the glory of imagination as its young hero journeys to a wondrous world—a world where dreams are born, magic is commonplace, and childlike hearts are rediscovered.