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Welcome to Tiptoes Lightly's website ~
Kid's Books Sold: 16,975 and counting - thank you, Readers!
Now available ~ a tale for grownups ~ The Fetching of Spring.
Now available on Amazon, Bob and Nancy's Bookshop, A Toy Garden, Rudolf Steiner College Bookstore, Powell's Books, Barnes and Noble, Ginger and Pickles in Boulder, Colorado. While the big stores carry the book, ordering it from a small vendor is encouraged - thank you.
The Golden Bird has been stolen (apparently) and Tik-Tak is sent to fetch it. The naive and dreamy youth rides southwards (it’s warmer in that direction), gets kicked out of two kingdoms, meets Erce-Ma, loses his hopeless steed, gains a (much) better one, stumbles into the Undwelling and its townships, descends into Akkman’s Dwell, rescues the bird (and other abductees), returns (still not fully awake) with the bird, refuses the hand of the Princess (what!), becomes a successful entrepreneur, is jailed > is released > then steals the bird (wrong order, I know, but that’s the truth), returns to Spring, returns to Tansa, gets familied, assumes the kingship and unites the Three Kingdoms (well, it’s a work in progress).
The Fetching of Spring, written with a (sometimes) humorous nod to the fairy tale, has a deadly serious subtext. It is an awakening tale, the story all of us are in whether we like it or not. Setting out from the Kingdom of the Golden Bird our (inordinately) nascent hero descends via the earthly into contemporary sub-earthly realms. The story (and it is a story in the sense of storytelling) ends with worn-shoe idealism and a peppering of satire to spice things up. $16.50, 248 pages, 5.5 x 8.5, soft cover. Purchase Book
REVIEWS: "The Fetching of Spring is a joyful, heartbreaking, action packed, contemplative, funny, whimsical, uplifting and deeply serious fairy tale for grown-ups. It is wonderful reading of the very best sort: a story strong and true, told with joy and wonder, clarity and hope. This one is not to be missed." Nancy Parsons, Waldorf Books
"A journey is nothing without misadventure. The Fetching of Spring is a humorous spin on the fairy tale from Reg Down, following young Tik-Tak as he is sent off to recover the Golden Bird, and ends up seemingly doing everything but. A story of a young one with good intentions perhaps ending up doing more good than he ever thought he could, The Fetching of Spring is an excellent pick for anyone looking for a fun take on the fairy tale fantasy." Midwest Book Review
Also in the news
The second, revised and updated edition of Color and Gesture has been published and is now available on Amazon. It has a supplementary chapter in which all amendments and additions are found—see the Color and Gesture tab on the right for a PDF download for those who already have the first edition. In addition to supplementary material, the second edition contains a number of new eurythmy, tone and acting figures.
Also under the Color and Gesture tab you will find a review by Therese Schroeder-Sheker, founder and academic dean of the School of Music-Thanatology, Chalice of Repose Project. This review will appear in the Zoe, the journal for music-thanatology and contemplative musicianship, Coherence, a professional journal for music therapists, the newsletter of the Eurythmy Association of North America and the Eurythmy Association of Great Britain and Ireland.
Welcome to a new vendor, the Dragonfly Natural Toy and Craft Store in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Drop on in and say hello, I'm sure they'll give you a warm welcome. They are at 1607 Skye Drive.
Tiptoes Lightly (and her personal writer-publisher) wishes everyone a Happy and Joyous New Year 2012!
The Fetching of Spring has had a positive review from the Midwest Book Review (see above). Yay!
The Fetching of Spring has been given a wonderfully positive review from Nancy Parsons of Waldorf Books. You can read the full review on her site here. Thank you, Nancy.
Pine Cone thought Pepper Pot wanted to go left (which he did), but Pepper Pot thought Pine Cone wanted to go right (which he did), so Pine Cone, on the right, went left, and Pepper Pot, on the left went right, and they bumped into each other.
November 2011: I have posted a new story, The Sun and the Butterfly. It is from the upcoming book, Eggs for the Hunting, scheduled to be out in early spring 2012.
November 2011: These drawing were given to Rhonda Wildman for helping in her daughter's class - see her blog, Joy Grows, for details. The children are in Ms Crowley's grade 2 in the Waldorf School of Atlanta. There are more drawings - all of them can be seen in the Children's Art album. As you can see they are done using beeswax crayons. Thanks Rhonda and children (and Ms Crowley). A treat! :)
November 2011: This is Pine Cone as a baby. It shows how he got his name (his real birth name is a secret until the next book is published).
November 2011: I've given The Starry Bird a make-over. Sometimes it takes me a while to settle on how I want a cover to look. The Festival of Stones went through three covers before I was satisfied.
Der allerschoenste Drache in der Welt
November 2011: I have just posted a German translation of The Most Beautiful Dragon in the Whole World. It was translated by Gerburg Brauwer in Berlin, and made into a puppet show for children. Thank you, Gerburg.
November 2011: Welcome to a new vendor from Chapel Hill, North Carolina - KatieBeths Learning Garden. Her store looks both interesting and beautiful. If you live in lovely North Carolina drop in for a visit and say hi.
November 2011: Welcome to Homespun, the school store of The Waldorf School in Lexingon, Massachusetts. They carry an array of child friendly and imagination sparking items so pay them a visit and see the school for yourself.
October 2011: Here's a bunch of Tiptoes Lightly thank you cards Rhonda Wildman got from a second grade. Sweet!
See her Joy Grows blog for details.
I've posted a new tale for kindergarten and grade one: The Adventure of Willy Worm.
Enjoy!
October 2011: I've posted a (brief) new journal entry.
October 2011: Rhonda has written about her experiences with Tiptoes and crew at Joy Grows. Go take a boo at her blog and see what she's been up to. Thanks, Rhonda!
News break, October 2011: Jeremy Mouse at Occupy Wall Street!
October: I have added a Gift Book page for those who would like a signed and drawinged (a new word for the English lexicon) book for special occasions: birthdays, festivals, Christmas, Easter, get-well, or just-because-you-love-them-anyway occasions. Let's see how it goes - it's a test on my part.
September: Tiptoes comes to Alaska! Welcome to a new vendor, Enchanted Forest Toys, of the lovely city of Fairbanks. They will have a selection of Tiptoes books for sale as soon as the mail gets there. Drop in and visit them - I'm sure you'll be given a warm welcome.
September 2011: A new story, The World Egg ~ or ~ Creation according to Madam Two Pecks, has been posted. It, along with The Salmon's Tale I posted last month, is part of an upcoming book provisionally titled Eggs for the Hunting. It's the Easter tale that was written last year but which was temporarily superseded by The Starry Bird.
August 2011: Tiptoes Lightly is part of a new fundraising co-op centered on children and childhood!
We are a group of small businesses creating child-centered products for children and families. We believe our products support children in their healthy development, imaginary play and nurture their creativity. If you want to do some easy class or school fundraising please drop in online and check us out.
August 2011: Welcome to a new Australian online vendor:
Naomi has just opened her store and is bringing high quality children's and adult items to the Australian market - including Tiptoes Lightly and friends! Tiptoes has a big Australian readership, so all you folks Down Under please drop in on her store and see what Naomi has to offer!
Sept 2011: I did a summer sales count and Tiptoes Lightly's books has passed the 15,000 sales mark. I know this is small beans compared to the big guns of publishing, but to me it means that thousands of children have had a chance to immerse themselves in the nature-filled imaginative world Tiptoes Lightly represents.
Yea for Tiptoes!
August 2011: A new story, The Salmon's Tale, has been posted. For late kindergarten and up. Enjoy :)
July 2011: I have posted The Giant, the Crows, the Cow and the Moon on the Stories and Tales page. It's a humorous (and somewhat silly) moon creation myth suitable for kindergarten through grade one - or higher depending on your child.
May 2011: The Starry Bird gets a good write-up in The Midwest Book Review !
"The Starry Bird is an uplifting Easter tale written especially for children. Weaving in themes of new life, death and rebirth, wrapped in gentle touches of fantasy and humor, laced with graceful black and white pen and ink drawings, The Starry Bird is a chapter book that will appeal to children ages 8 and up. ... The Easter tale is viewed through a new lens, with the themes of redemption and rebirth freshly imagined. ... the miracle of new life unfolding is celebrated anew. Parents and children will enjoy The Starry Bird, the perfect book to send along with a favorite young person on their spring vacation or in their Easter basket."
For the full review see the review page.
June 2011: An album of the double-header storytelling of The Bee who Lost his Buzz & The Adam Child at Camellia Waldorf School, Sacramento, California has been uploaded - enjoy! A lovely sunny day and lovely sunny children! And there were more Dads than Moms this time! Go Dads!
June 3: Newly posted - a photo album from the storytelling and puppet show at Lisbon Parent Participation Preschool in South Sacramento, CA. This was a really sweet and well behaved bunch of kids! It being the last day of school, all the parents were in attendance too. Many thanks to their gracious teacher, Roberta Buck and parent Elvira Hernandez for inviting me!
May 2011: Parents in the Little Bridge Kindergarten at Camellia Waldorf School in Sacramento, California did a Tiptoes Lightly needlefelting project this spring. The items were then auctioned off at the main school fundraising event along with a number of Tiptoes' books. They created a host of beautiful, wonderfully colorful and playful items. I have created a new album so you can see their work - check it out, it's worth it.
May 2011: One of my stories, The Brown Gnome, appears in the current issue of Lilipoh magazine. The issue has a fascinating article on a scientist in Switzerland who does not eat. (Yes, the previous sentence is correct and not a typo.)
May 2011: I performed at the East Bay Waldorf School at their May Fair on May 7th - it was great fun! Their orchestra room was packed and the kids (and parents) in a great mood. I performed three of the five stories from The Adam Tales: The Adam Child, Why the Pot was moved the first Time and Why the Pot was moved the second Time (or Why the Animals didn't like the Monkey!) These stories are part of The Lost Lagoon book.
See the album for more photos.
April 6, 2011: I have posted an album of photographs taken by Sarah W. of the storytelling / puppet show at The Avid Reader in downtown Sacramento in late March 2011. Thank you all for coming - the reading area was packed! What a wonderful audience!
March 2011: I have posted the two title tales from The Starry Bird on the stories page for you to read or download.
March 2011: Karen from Little Acorns blog has written about her art and craftwork in connection to The Starry Bird. She has created wonderful 'Story Eggs' for her children - both her own and those she teaches - and has included many photographs. Check out her blog here - enjoy!
Feb 11: Sara of 'Schooling from the Heart' blogspot fame has posted some neat photographs of Jeremy and Jemima Mouse. She crafted them for her children (plus wrote some appreciative comments about Her Ladyship Tiptoes Lightly). Her blog is well written and worth a visit - especially if you are involved in homeschooling. You can see her December post here and her February post here. Thanks Sara!
Jan. 25: Thank you all for coming to the puppet show and storytelling at Belle Cooledge Library, Sacramento. About 75 people turned up - great for a Tuesday afternoon! I told tales from The Bee who Lost his Buzz. I have posted a small album for you to view.
Jan. 12: Sara has written about and posted photos of my puppet-storytelling at Rudolf Steiner College. See her blog: Love in the Suburbs. The photos are now up in the album section too. Thanks Sara!
Karen, a teacher in a small Catholic school in Indiana, has been busy crafting a fun and light-hearted Tiptoes Lightly project over Christmas for her daughter. Check it out on her blog - and enjoy!
January 2011: The three new books, The Lost Lagoon, The Cricket and the Shepherd Boy, The Bee who Lost his Buzz, all got good reviews from the Midwest Book Review! Read them on the review page.
Dec. 13: Find out what happened to me while Storytelling in Waldorf World.
The Cricket and the Shepherd Boy received a warm review from Waldorf Books. Thanks Nancy!
I have posted Peter and the Sea Maiden. It is a sea tale culled from an unpublished ms.
We now have an album of reader's art, craft and costumes connected to Tiptoes and Crew. If you have any items please take a photo and send to me - thanks!
The Children's Book Review has published an author interview with yours truly.
"Beauty will save the world." Dostoevsky
"Yes!" Reg Down