9 Unusual Deserts

Kilometers of sand, rocks, sandbanks, and sceneries evoking lunar landscapes are all about a journey in a desert and are certainly, a unique adventure. All the deserts are not the same. Here are the most unusual deserts of the world.

01. A Desert With Lagoons - Lencois Maranhenses, Brasil

 Photo Link

Amazingly stretched in Brazil, it is almost impossible to believe that the desert where water has no word is full of lagoons. Situated in the State of Maranhao on the north shore, this desert is in the Lencois Maranhenses National Park where white dunes and blue lagoons have a contrasting match. 08 more after the break...

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France Month: Tristan et Iseult by Anne Jonas (Auteur) Anna et Elena Balbusso (Illustrateurs)

Tristan et Iseult by Anne Jonas (Auteur) Anna et Elena Balbusso (Illustrateurs). So, no, this is more folklore and legend than fairy tale, but we don't have many Tristan and Iseult picture books in English, so this one in French caught my fancy.

Book description:

Une des plus grandes histoires d’amour de tous les temps portée par les illustrations originales d’Anna et Elena Balbusso et la spécifi cité éditoriale des albums classiques Milan (mise en pages élégante, papier de qualité, etc.). Un texte de la tradition orale qui, retranscrit par différents auteurs dans le courant du XIIe siècle, annonce la naissance du roman moderne. Une très grande aventure, composée d’errance, de guerres, de loyauté, de jalousies, de culpabilité, de tolérance et d’AMOUR FOU!

New Book: Nursery Rhyme Comics: 50 Timeless Rhymes from 50 Celebrated Cartoonists

Nursery Rhyme Comics: 50 Timeless Rhymes from 50 Celebrated Cartoonists made the NYPL's Children's Books 2011: Graphic Novels list. There weren't many other fairy tale or folklore related books on any of their lists this year, other than Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu which I think ended up the most recommended fairy tale retelling in the end of the year lists. It certainly appeared on quite a few of them. Perhaps Disney should look to it for their Snow Queen interpretations.

But back to why we have this post:

Which reminded me that I hadn't featured the book on SurLaLune yet.

I am a Nursery Rhyme fan and I admit a soft spot for Hickory Dickory Dock, so the illustrations for it sold me on the book. But I have more to share which I will let speak for themselves along with the usual publisher description and such.

Book Description:

First Second is very proud to present Nursery Rhyme Comics. Featuring fifty classic nursery rhymes illustrated and interpreted in comics form by fifty of today’s preeminent cartoonists and illustrators, this is a groundbreaking new entry in the canon of nursery rhymes treasuries.

From New Yorker cartoonist Roz Chast’s “There Was a Crooked Man” to Bad Kitty author Nick Bruel’s “Three Little Kittens” to First Second’s own Gene Yang’s “Pat-a-Cake,” this is a collection that will put a grin on your face from page one and keep it there.

Each rhyme is one to three pages long, and simply paneled and lettered to ensure that the experience is completely accessible for the youngest of readers. Chock full of engaging full-color artwork and favorite characters (Jack and Jill! Old Mother Hubbard! The Owl and the Pussycat!), this collection will be treasured by children for years to come.

Nursery Rhyme Comics cartoonists:

Nick Abadzis; Andrew Arnold; Kate Beaton; Vera Brosgol; Nick Bruel; Scott Campbell; Lilli Carre; Roz Chast; JP Coovert; Jordan Crane; Rebecca Dart; Eleanor Davis; Vanessa Davis; Theo Ellsworth; Matt Forsythe; Jules Feiffer; Bob Flynn; Alexis Frederick-Frost; Ben Hatke; Gilbert Hernandez; Jaime Hernandez; Lucy Knisley; David Macaulay; Mark Martin; Patrick McDonnell; Mike Mignola; Tony Millionaire; Tao Nyeu; George O’Connor; Mo Oh; Eric Orchard; Laura Park; Cyril Pedrosa; Lark Pien; Aaron Renier; Dave Roman; Marc Rosenthal; Stan Sakai; Richard Sala; Mark Siegel; James Sturm; Raina Telgemeier; Craig Thompson; Richard Thompson; Sara Varon; Jen Wang; Drew Weing; Gahan Wilson; Gene Luen Yang; Stephanie Yue; and an introduction by Leonard Marcus.

France Month: Cendrillon by Agnès Lestrade (de) (Auteur), Princesse Camcam (Auteur)

Cendrillon by Agnès Lestrade (de) (Auteur), Princesse Camcam (Auteur) looks rathering generic from the outside which is emphasized when one realizes this is part of series from the publisher. But then one looks at the interior and sees some charming illustrations with--wait for it!--a BRUNETTE Cinderella. I'm in love. So, tell me, is it slightly jarring for you to see the traditional Cinderella story with a dark-haired beauty? I'm used to non-white Cinderellas, but not non-white and non-blonde. I feel like I stepped into the wrong fairy tale.

Book description:

Une nouvelle collection de grands contes classiquespour les 4-7 ans! Un conte de toujours, des personnages merveilleux, des illustrations pour rêver et une fin comme vous ne l’avez jamais vue… Bienvenue dans la forêt des contes.

France Month: Jack et le haricot géant by Sébastien Mourrain

Jack et le haricot géant by Sébastien Mourrain (Auteur), Joseph Jacobs (Auteur) is a charming Jack and the Beanstalk picture book.

Book description:

Un classique de la littérature enfantine proposé dans une édition de grande qualité. L’auteur est retourné aux sources du texte d’origine, pour réaliser une traduction fidèle et très contemporaine de ce conte tra-ditionnel britannique. Les illustrations de Sébastien Mourrain s’accordent parfaitement à l’esprit espiè-gle et merveilleux du récit, dans un style graphique très personnel et résolument moderne. Menacés par la famine, Jack et sa mère décident d’aller vendre leur vache au marché. En chemin, Jack fait la rencontre d’un étrange personnage qui lui propose, en échange de l’animal, une poignée de graines magiques… Jack décide de lui faire confian-ce. Il en sera grandement récompensé : une fois plantées, les graines donnent naissance à un fabuleux haricot qui grimpe jus-qu’au ciel. Cet étrange escalier va lui donner accès à la maison de l’ogre et à ses trésors. Ainsi, après avoir triomphé de plusieurs épreuves, Jack s’en retournera chez lui doté d’une fortune qui permettra à la mère et au fils de couler des jours heureux, libérés pour toujours des soucis et du besoin.

10 Adorable Beaches

It doesn’t really matter where a beach is located it is always beautiful. But it always remains a center of attraction for the visitors. People get spell bounded by the scenic beauty of the beaches. They simply want to lose themselves in the warm water of the beaches and some beaches are exceptionally adorable. Here are some of the most unique and magnificent beaches of the world.

01. Glass Beach

no one ever considered that a dumping place for the deteriorated materials of the 2nd world war would become so colorful and exceptionally beautiful of the current modern time. This wonder happened in California. 09 more beaches after the break...

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Ritemail Picdump

Ritemail Picdump  more images after the break...