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G.I. JOE , THE 'REAL' ONE DISCUSSES THE MOVIE WITH HIS NAME IN IT
BY Eleanor Tylbor


After a stressful period of being relegated to a toy factory along with his love, BARBIE and her ex, KEN, the real G.I. JOE is quite upset that a movie has been made using his name as a draw. In a hastily called press conference, G.I. JOE with BARBIE by his side in his words, "wanted to clear the air."

"This is really bisrusting," G.I. Joe blustered waving his trusty machine gun in the air to emphasize his emotional angst. "They've gone and used my name and they didn't even ask me if they could!"

"Disgusting, Joe" the designer-dressed Barbie commented, smoothing her body-fitting dress and smiling for the photographers.

"Wha...?"

"You said, 'bisrusting'. There's no such word as bisrusting," Barbie emphasized, fixing her blond, vinyl hair and cleaning her teeth with her finger. "It's disGUSTING."

"Yeah! You're right on, babe! It is disbust...disrust...whatever she said! This G.I. Joe movie thingie isn't even a real person, like me. It's a military unit! Nobody bothered to ask me, a gen-u-ine soldier if I wanted to be in it. I would'a liked to, 'ya know!"

"Um...GI - remember you lost a foot when we busted out of the warehouse," Barbie interrupted the rant. "

"So? I could have sat at a table or something and held down the fort! Nobody would'a noticed." G.I. explained. "On top of it all, some dudes who call themselves Duke and Ripcord got jobs! But not me, G.I. Joe, the original soldier. It ain't fair!"

"I'll tell you what's not fair," Barbie intervened, "to have to walk on tippy-toes all your life, like me."

"Yeah - you're right as usual, babe. That's much worse than having your leg shot off. Hey - wanna go see the movie with my name in it? I got free tickets."

Placing a crutch under one arm and leaning on Barbie with the other, the pair left the room.

"Do you have to lean on me so much?" Barbie commented. "You're crushing my hair."

http://www.gijoemovie.com/

Details on Disney Garden (More on Disney licensing its characters for placement on healthy foods, i.e. High School Musical avocados. Plus, the Star Tours ride at Disneyland gets an upgrade) (Washington Post) (Los Angeles Times) - MTV agrees to... Read the rest of this post

Tweens' tamer style (takes a cue from the wholesome on-screen look of Miley Cyrus and the"HSM" cast. Plus EW asks whether the JoBros need to grow, i.e. rethink their upcoming Disney show, to keep their fanbase interested) (Los Angeles Times, reg.... Read the rest of this post

Barbie packs on pounds (in an ad campaign for an organization called Active Life Movement to raise awareness of childhood obesity.) (AdFreak) - Bristol Palin on abstinence (Fox News talks to the former Vice Presidential candidate's daughter about... Read the rest of this post

Webosaurs (the latest virtual world for tweens from Reel FX Entertainment. Plus COPPA Kids, a really funny site with quotes from kids who have been age blocked - thanks Andrea! And more news from the kids online world) (via Izzy Neis) (COPPA Kids... Read the rest of this post

I've always appreciated Barbie. 

Barbie is the kind of woman who says 'Hey, girls! You can be a surgeon or a sign language teacher or a UN Ambassador or an astronaught or a paleontologist. And wear a nice hat and pretty shoes.' Barbie had careers. Barbie ran for President in 2000, long before Hillary or Palin came on the political scene. Barbie was never defined by her male partners. And Barbie showed us that deformity can be beautiful too. We don't judge Barbie for her scary legs or her twisted pointy feet.

Barbie is equal opportunity. She has black and Hispanic friends, as well as a friend with cerebral palsy, who gets around in a pink wheelchair. She cares about the environment, and about children's rights.

In the current billion-dollar lawsuit of Barbie vs Bratz, I am 100% on Barbie's side.

And now, Barbie's latest campaign is for the smart girl. She's launched a web TV show with Amy Pohler (of SNL fame), called Smart Girls At The Party. It's basically a show that celebrates smart girls - girls who write, read, play music and think. I highly recommend.

I finally got an entire day to work on my projects(almost). Time sure can fly! I just sharpen the pencils, turn on the music, and next thing I know, it's bedtime.

Well, it's not EXACTLY like that. With 3 kids, there's always interruptions. You know, they all want snacks or something to drink - and NEVER at the same time. When you finally get settled, one of them needs you for something. A few minutes later, the next child comes out. But, one day that will end (and I'll miss it).


While I made a lot of progress today, I'm not ready to share. So, for your viewing pleasure, I'm posting a picture of one of my family members - Basha - with her favorite toy. We discovered that - like most little girls - she loves Barbies. When we first got her, we'd catch her sneaking out of my girls' room with one. So, every time they get a new one for a birthday, they give an old one to the dog.

Of course, she plays with them a little differently. She likes to chase it after you've chucked it across the room. Other times, she rolls around, swinging it by its hair. So much fun!

BARBIE, KEN AND THE REST IN PLASTICVILLE
(The continuing story about life among the plastic people)
BY ELEANOR TYLBOR

SCENE: A WAREHOUSE… SOMEWHERE. ROWS AND ROWS OF BOXES COVER THE FLOOR SPACE. HANGING LIGHT BULBS CAST SHADOWS ON THE WALLS. IT IS THE PLACE OF SOLITUDE AND EXILE FOR BARBIE, KEN, G.I. JOE AND OTHER DOLLS, WHO HAVE HAD TO ADJUST TO LIFE IN A CARDBOARD BOX


BARBIE
(muffled voice)
Hel-lo? Like…can anybody hear me?

G.I. JOE
Yeah – me babe! Your best buddy and boyfriend and love of your life, G.I. Joe, here to save and serve you! Is the enemy near? I can smell the bad guys!

BARBIE
First of all I’m not your girlfriend…why am I bothering when we’ve gone through this a zillion times, already. Like…we are friends. Just friends. Got that? Gee whiz I hate this place!

G.I. JOE
(laughing)
…just friends. Sure babe. I get it! You don’t wanna tell that douche bag, Ken, we’re shacked up. Right?

BARBIE
Say what? How can we be shacked up when we’re living in boxes?

G.I. JOE
Well…see… Uh-oh…I hear something!

BARBIE
(sighing)
You’re always hearing something…

KEN
(sobbing)
Is…that…you…Barbie? I-I’m so scared!

G.I. JOE
Ten-shun! Get a grip, sissy boy! You’re a marine!

BARBIE
Like…G.I. – it’s Ken! Think back! Ken? Surfer dude? The summer house?

G.I. JOE
Ken…Ken… I knew a Ken. Always walked around wearing underwear. A filthy pervert

BARBIE
That’s him. I mean – he’s not a pervert! He’s always prepared for the next big wave

KEN
When are they coming to get us? I’m sure surf’s up!

BARBIE
There are more important things in life than surfing, Ken!

KEN
Oh? Like what?

BARBIE
Well… like getting out of here. I’m so sick of living in a box. Like…my outfit is soooo passé and those Bratz have probably taken my place opening night clubs and everything. Ohhhhhh I’m so depressed!

G.I. JOE
Hey! I can do something ‘bout that with this here hand grenade I just happen to have on me. If I can just…get…at…it… I’ll just pull the string and blow our lids off

BARBIE
Oh fer… You do realize you’ll blow us up, too

G.I. JOE
…if I can just move my arm across here and…almost there…

(lights suddenly go on. There is the muffled sound of voices getting closer)

BARBIE
They’ve come to get us! I knew they’d find us sooner or later! Better fix myself up for the press… Hello? It’s us! Thank goodness you’re here!

VOICE
…yeah. These are them. Been here for a while now… We need the space so we better bring in the big shovels.

BARBIE
What do you mean, ‘big shovels’? You-you can’t do that…

G.I. JOE
…just a little more…I can feel the side of the grenade…the string is right on top…

(WILL THE GANG BE RESCUED FROM THE WAREHOUSE OR WILL THEY FACE A FATAL FATE?)

TO BE CONTINUED…

Writers & Friends

www.jrslater.com/forum

BARBIE, KEN AND THE REST IN PLASTICVILLE
BY ELEANOR TYLBOR

The continuing and sometimes funny, sad but always interesting story about life and love among the plastic people)

The story so far: Barbie, famous fashionista and media doll celebrity and cyber star of the continuing cyber soap opera, BARBIE KEN AND THE REST IN PLASTICVILLE, has now been relegated to a warehouse, somewhere, along with her friends, KEN, G.I. JOE, BLAIN, the BRATZ, due to a product recall. In stark contrast to their former lives of wearing expensive high end clothes and doing the club scene, they are now in the dark in the true sense of the word, stashed away in boxes.

As we pick up the story, they are in the midst of planning a rebellion to draw attention to their plight and get free in time for the Christmas rush.


BARBIE
Okay. Can we get started? Is everyone here?

G.I. JOE
Oh I’m here babe! Big time! All I gotta do is flip the trigger on this here weapon of mass destruction and then… Boom! We’re outta here big time!

BARBIE
Joe, Joe, Joe… Get this through that thick plastic blob sitting between your shoulders…

G.I. JOE
…I love when you talk dirty like that babe…

BARBIE…whatever. Like...has it hit you yet you are lying down flat on your back in a cardboard box, unable to move?

G.I. JOE
Has what hit me? Nothing hit me! At least I didn’t feel nothing… Uh-oh - it's the enemy planning to strike and I gotta act like…fast and protect youze all! All I hav'ta do is pick up my weapon here... Arm - move! It's gonna move now... I...think...I...feel...something cold...in...my...hand...

BARBIE
(sighing)
Like...just forget about your weapon. 'Kay? Focus Joe - focus!

G.I. JOE
I'm...not sure of...what...this is... I don't remember...them...making weapons with long tails. Then again...a soldier has'ta be prepared for everything and I'm the best, y'know

BARBIE
You’re a legend in your own mind. Ken? Are you around, here, somewhere?

KEN
I-I’m scared, Barbie! It’s so…dark here. And...and I'm soooo cold... Why am I so cold, Barbie?

BARBIE
'Cause it's winter and you're wearing your surfing outfit! You don't have to be scared. I'll protect you

G.I. JOE
Hey! That’s a soldier’s job!

BARBIE
Listen G.I. – like…let me lay it on you the way things are. You are stuck in a cardboard box along with the rest of us

G.I. JOE
Hey! A soldier is never stuck! A soldier always has options!

KEN
(sobbing)
Mommy! I want my mommy!

G.I. JOE
Oh shut your trap, sissy boy! Act like a man and not a cry-baby for pete's sake! ‘I-want-my-mommy…’ This man’s army would make a man out’ta you. Ten-shun!

BARBIE
Like…how did this happen? Me, a former fashionista whose biggest problem was what outfit to wear and which club opening to be at? Look at what I’m reduced to? Can we get on with this meeting? Blain? Are you around somewhere?

BLAIN
Here! Trying…to…lift…this…top… Forgetaboutit. When I was in Australia…

G.I. JOE
There he goes again, talkin’ about that there strange soundin’ place ‘Stra-li-a! ‘Stralia this and Stralia that.’ We don’t care about your weird sounding place with a foreign name! Got that? Or maybe you need a little convincin’ with some lead…

BARBIE
Don’t listen to him, Blain. Like…his elevator don’t go to the top floor if you get my drift. Can we start now? Like…Christmas is almost here and like…we gotta be on the shelves in toy stores or we’ll never be here…forever! We hav'ta make our move, now

(sound of sobbing coming from KEN’s box)

G.I. JOE
There he goes again. ‘Wa-wa-wa!’ Be a real doll for once in your life, soldier! Ten-shun!

BARBIE
Know what’s really sad?

G.I. JOE
I’ll tell you what’s sad, babe! I could run out’ta bullets!

BARBIE
Like…I’ve been wearing the same outfit for like…months! I mean, a fashionista like me deserves better! And…and…nobody will wanna buy me because my beautiful blond hair will be flat and…and…

BLAIN
It’s okay. In my eyes, Barbie – you’ll always be the most beautiful sheila around

G.I. JOE
What’s that? Who’s Sheila? Did he make a pass at you, babe? ‘Cause if he did…

BARBIE
Oh Blain! If only…if only…we weren’t stored away in boxes and…and…we could like…reach out and touch each other…

BLAIN
We have to make a big push to get out. What if your friend, Joe, there, could shoot himself out of his box and then he could do the same for us…

BARBIE
Like…I dunno. The last time he fired his weapon, he shot his right foot off

G.I. JOE
Hey! You promised that would be our secret. Did I cry, huh? Did I? No I didn’t because I’m a real soldier! Not like sissy-boy over there… Anyway, I still got one good foot

BLAIN
Listen – we don’t have much choice, here. Um…G.I. – we need your services as a soldier!

BARBIE
Like…I dunno. I’m getting a bad feeling about this


QUESTION DU JOUR: WILL G.I. JOE BE ABLE TO FREE THEM FROM THEIR CARDBOARD PRISONS? MORE TO THE POINT, WILL THEY SURVIVE? STATE TUNED FOR THE NEXT INSTALLMENT OF “BARBIE, KEN AND THE REST IN PLASTICVILLE”

A first edition copy of Pumpkin Moonshine, Tasha Tudor's first book, is coming up for auction on July 12, 2007 at PBA Galleries.

Published by Oxford University Press in 1938, Pumpkin Moonshine first edition books do not surface for sale very often. There is currently only one first edition book with dust jacket on the market. The Children's Picturebook Price Guide estimates Pumpkin Moonshine to be valued at over $3,000 in Very Good condition. The first edition book being auctioned is in Near Fine condition, with a Very Good + dust jacket.

The photographs being displayed on this page are from the actual book being auctioned.

The July 12, 2007 PBA Galleries auction includes a rare first edition Curious George, along with a first edition The Little House, and a a first edition The Gremlins.

Pumpkin Moonshine Background

From the Women Children's Book Illustrators:

Pumpkin Moonshine published in 1938, was done as a gift for a young niece. The "dummy" book she took to editor Eunice Blake at Oxford University Press was bound in calico cloth. The publishers liked the look so well they produced Tudor's first five books in a calico-look binding, leading collectors to refer to Pumpkin Moonshine, Alexander the Gander, Linsey Woolsey, Dorcas Porkus and Country Fair as her "calico books."

Having illustrated nearly one hundred books, Tasha Tudor is well known for her delicate watercolor and ink illustrations. Tudor's artwork is often compared to Kate Greenaway and Beatrix Potter, which is not too surprising when one considers her 19th century lifestyle.

She had four children, and the Tudor's emulated a nineteenth-century rural lifestyle, on farms in Connecticut, New Hampshire and Vermont. These homes often lacked electricity and running water. The Tudor's washed clothes by hand, learned to spin and weave, made bread from scratch, and decorated their homes with antique furniture. From her Tasha Tudor website:

Her home, though only 30 years old, feels as though it was built in the 1830's, her favorite time period. Seth Tudor, one of Tasha's four children, built her home using hand tools when Tasha moved to Vermont in the 1970's. Tasha Tudor lives among period antiques, using them in her daily life. She is quite adept at 'Heirloom Crafts', though she detests the term, including candle dipping, weaving, soap making, doll making and knitting. She lived without running water until her youngest child was five years old.

Tasha Tudor has received two Caldecott Honor Awards, in 1945 for Mother Goose, and again in 1957 for 1 Is One. Tasha Tudor also received the Regina Medal from the Catholic Library Association in 1971 for her contributions to children's literature. and an honorary doctorate from the University of Vermont.

First Edition Identification - Book

The key identifying point is no additional printings stated on the copyright page.

First Edition Identification - DJ

The key identifying point is the '$.75' price on the bottom of the front DJ flap.

A first edition copy of The Gremlins, the 1943 book written by Roald Dahl, is coming up for auction on July 12, 2007 at PBA Galleries.

A Walt Disney Production published by Random House in 1943, The Gremlins first edition books do not surface for sale very often. There are currently five first edition books with dust jacket on the market, ranging in price from $6000 to $2200, none of which are in as nice a condition as the book being offered. The first edition book being auctioned is in Near Fine condition, with a Near Fine dust jacket.

The photographs being displayed on this page are from the actual book being auctioned.

The July 12, 2007 PBA Galleries auction includes a rare first edition Curious George, along with a first edition The Little House, and a a first edition Pumpkin Moonshine.

The Gremlins Background

Roald Dahl served in the Royal Air Force as a fighter pilot and he became a Wing Commander. In 1940 Dahl's plane was hit by a machine gun fire, and he was severely injured. He was rescued by a fellow pilot and took him six months to recover.

Dahl was sent to the U.S. as an air attache. while his outspoken style made him unpopular with his Air chiefs, it made him a favorite of the cocktail set. He was sent back to England, and is said to have been recruited by the British Secret Service by 'Intrepid,' aka William Stephenson, who was trying inspire sufficient public sympathy to enable Roosevelt to openly support Britain. Dahl was sent back to the U.S. with a promotion, much to the chagrin of the Air chiefs.

In 1943, Dahl wrote The Gremlins, a book for children about the hazards of being an RAF pilot. The Gremlins were little havoc causing creatures, behind any mishaps experienced by pilots and their machines. RAF insider jokes blamed The Gremlins for all the technical malfunctions in airplanes. Gremlin jokes were widely used by the RAF during the World War II and so got into popular culture as well..

From Disney Goes To War:

"Walt Disney planned to make a cartoon film version of The Gremlins. The film was never made, some say because of the difficult task of making loveable creatures who exist solely to destroy Allied airplanes. Disney actively tried to stop others from making Gremlin cartoons, however. "

Dahl's presence in Washington came to the attention of Eleanor Roosevelt, who had been reading The Gremlins to her grandchildren. From Penguin Group Roald Dahl biography:

"Roald was never very keen on The Gremlins and didn’t really think of it as a children’s book. Nevertheless, it caught Eleanor Roosevelt’s eye and Roald became a not infrequent guest at the White House and FDR’s weekend retreat, Hyde Park. "

n 1953, Dahl married the actress Patricia Neal; two of his early children's books, James and the Giant Peach (1961) and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (1964) grew out of the bedtime stories he made up for their children. Both books have become children's classics, and turned into major motion pictures.

Elaine Moss, writing in the Times, called the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory "the funniest children's book I have read in years; not just funny but shot through with a zany pathos which touches the young heart."

Roald Dahl was an author and screenwriter whose awards include: Edgar Allen Poe Award from the Mystery Writers of America in 1954, 1959, and 1980 for being a " master of the macabre and the suprise denouement"; Federation of Children's Book Groups Award, 1983; Whitbread Award, 1983; and World Fantasy Convention Award, 1983. Dahl once said:

"“I’m probably more pleased with my children’s books than with my adult short stories. Children’s books are harder to write. It’s tougher to keep a child interested because a child doesn’t have the concentration of an adult. The child knows the television is in the next room. It’s tough to hold a child, but it’s a lovely thing to try to do."

First Edition Identification - Book

The key identifying point is the '1942' on the title page, and no additional printings stated on the copyright page.

First Edition Identification - DJ

The key identifying point is the '$1.00' price on the front DJ flap.

First Edition Curious George Auction

A first edition copy of Curious George is coming up for auction on July 12, 2007 at PBA Galleries.

The first edition Curious George is quite rare, and some have estimated the book will sell for over $10,000. Having never been out of print, and with over 25 million Curious George franchise books sold, this auction will garner quite a bit of interest.

After extensive search, no auction records have been unearthed showing the sale of a first edition Curious George.

The photographs being displayed on this page are from the actual book being auctioned.

Curious George Background

Created by the husband and wife team of Hans Augusto and Margret Rey (who were living in Paris at the time), the mischievous monkey Curious George first appeared in the 1939 French book Rafi et les 9 Singes. The book was followed by its 1939 UK version Raffy And The 9 Monkeys.

In 1940, due to WWII, the Rey’s escaped Paris and circuitously found their way to New York. In 1941, Houghton Mifflin published Curious George, and the book has never been out of print. Curious George was followed by Cecily G. and the 9 Monkeys in 1942, then the Rey's went on to publish five other books based upon the character.

Today, the Curious George franchise still runs strong, with over thirty different books in print. From Houghton Mifflin’s website:

For sixty years these books have been capturing the hearts and minds of readers throughout the world. All the Curious George books, including the seven original stories by Margret and Hans, have sold more than twenty-five million copies. So popular that his original story has never been out of print, George has become one of the most beloved and recognizable characters in children's literature. His adventures have been translated into many languages, including Japanese, French, Afrikaans, Portuguese, Swedish, German, Chinese, Danish, and Norwegian.

First Edition Identification - Book

The key identifying point is the '1941' on the title page, and no additional printings stated on the copyright page.

First Edition Identification - DJ

The key identifying point is the '$1.75' price on the front DJ flap.

Book Condition

The book being auctioned by PBA Galleries is in fine condition, in a very good dust jacket. The binding is tight, with sharp corners. Pages only slightly off-white.

Dust Jacket Condition

The dust jacket on the book being auctioned by PBA Galleries is in a very good condition, with several small tears and some light soiling.

There are two small tears on the front DJ. The first, about a 1" long diagonal in the top right corner, and the 2nd, also about 1" long on the bottom left corner.

The back dust jacket has a 1 1/2" tear in the bottom left corner and another tear at the bottom along the spine, with a small amount of paper loss.

First Edition Identification Points

The Happy Lion Roars; illustrated by Roger Duvoisin, written by Louise Fatio; Whittlesly House, 1957.

Childrens Picturebook Price Guide: $160 Very Good+

The Happy Lion Roars is the third of the Happy Lion books, and the sixth of eighteen books Roger Duvoisin and his wife, Louise Fatio, worked on together.

The Happy Lion books:

First Edition Identification Points

The copyright page does not state any subsequent printings.

From First Editions: A Guide To Identification, 2^nd ed; Zempel & Verkler:

Whittlesly House, 1947 statement:

“The first printing of the first edition of Whittlesey House books has no indication of edition or printing anywhere in the book. The first edition may be identified only in a negative manner. Subsequent printings have ‘second printing,’ and subsequent editions ‘second edition,’ etc… on the verso of the title page under the copyright statement.”

The price on the dust jacket front flap is $2.00, followed by a synopsis for The Happy Lion Roars. The rear flap has “And don’t forget the Happy Lion’s other exciting adventures,” followed by short synopsis.

First Edition Identification Points

A Doll For Marie; illustrated by Roger Duvoisin, written by Louise Fatio; Whittlesly House, 1957.

Childrens Picturebook Price Guide: $180 Very Good+ (with the supplemental doll book)

A Doll For Marie is an interesting collector piece because of the identical miniature copy of the book inserted in a back pocket (see photo). It is somewhat difficult to find with the miniature book in tact.

From the front flap:

Here is a most unusual picture story – actually two books, a book for a little girl and a book for her doll.

Both books tell the warm, touching story of a beautiful antique doll who had no home except a dusty […]

Once again Louise Fatio and Roger Duvoisin have combined their talents, this time to produce a story which every little girl will love. And in addition they have included the very same book in a miniature size which is just right for a little girl’s favorite doll to own.

A Doll For Marie is the fifth of eighteen books Roger Duvoisin and his wife, Louise Fatio, worked on together. The teams is best known for their Happy Lion books

First Edition Identification Points

The copyright page does not state any subsequent printings.

From First Editions: A Guide To Identification, 2^nd ed; Zempel & Verkler:

Whittlesly House, 1947 statement:

“The first printing of the first edition of Whittlesey House books has no indication of edition or printing anywhere in the book. The first edition may be identified only in a negative manner. Subsequent printings have ‘second printing,’ and subsequent editions ‘second edition,’ etc… on the verso of the title page under the copyright statement.”

The price on the dust jacket front flap is $2.50, followed by a synopsis for A Doll For Marie. The rear flap has “Everybody loves the Happy Lion books,” followed by three one-paragraph reviews.

First Edition Identification Points

Petunia’s Christmas; written and illustrated by Roger Duvoisin; Borzoi/Knopf, 1952.

Childrens Picturebook Price Guide: $240 Very Good+ (updated)

Continuing our Duvoisin theme (see Petunia), Petunia’s Christmas is the third of the Petunia books written and illustrated by Roger Duvoisin. The Petunia books:

First Edition Identification Points

The copyright page states ‘F I R S T  E D I T I O N.’ The front cover of the book is pale yellow cloth with four lightly embossed pictures of Petunia.

The first edition dust jacket has “C L O T H   B O U N D   $2.00 net” in the top right hand corner of the front flap, followed by a synopsis of Petunia’s Christmas, followed “00408” on the right. The rear flap includes a synopsis for Petunia, followed by a synopsis for Petunia and the Song.