For Ethan Mordden, the closing night of the hit musical, 42nd St. sounded the death knell of the art form of the Broadway musical. After that, big orchestras, real voices, recognizable books and intelligent lyrics went out the window in favor of cats, helicopters, yodeling Frenchmen, and the roof of the Paris Opera. Mordden takes us through the aftermath of the days of the great Broadway musical. From the long-running Cats to Miss Saigon, Phantom, and Les Miserables, to gems like The Producers, he is unsparing in his look at the remains of the day. Not content to scold the shows' creators, Mordden takes on the critics, too, splaying their bodies across the Great White Way like Sweeney Todd giving a close shave. Once more, it's "curtain going up," but Mordden is not applauding.

This illustrated survey covers all known Johnny Gruelle published works, with over 400 illustrations, detailed bibliographic annotations, a complete price guide, and sections devoted to newspaper and magazine appearances, his book-length works, works inspired by Gruelle, and his creations.

Christian nonfiction-77 short stories.

Mr. Twee Deedle, Johnny Gruelle’s masterpiece, unjustly forgotten by history and never before reprinted since its first appearance in America’s newspapers from 1911 to 1914. The title character in the Sunday color page, Mr. Twee Deedle, is a magical wood sprite who befriends the strip’s two human children, Dickie and Dolly. Gruelle depicted a charming, fantastical child’s world, filled with light whimsy and outlandish surrealism. The artwork is among the most stunning ever to grace an Amercian newspaper page, and Gruelle’s painterly color makes every page look like it was created on a canvas. Mr. Twee Deedle stands as a bizarre time-warp: at a time when most children’s literature and kids’ comic strips were somewhat violent or starkly moralistic (the Brothers Grimm; the Katzenjammer Kids; and even Little Nemo itself, which often depicted nightmares, fears, and dangers), Twee Deedle was sensitive and whimsical. Instead of stark moralizing, it presented gentle lessons. It reads today like a work for the 21st century… indeed for all times, all ages.

Favorite storybook characters in teddy bears and dolls include Raggedy Ann and Andy, Beatrix Potter's creatures, Golliwog, Alice in Wonderland characters, Winnie-the-Pooh and his pals, Teddy Roosevelt bears, Punkinhead, Paddington, The Three Bears, and The Busy Bears-all are pictured and described. A collectors guide with memorabilia about these lovable characters, this book was inspired by the characters it gathers.

'Raggedy Ann's Magical Wishes' is written and illustrated by Johnny Gruelle. Gruelle (1880 - 1930), was an American artist and political cartoonist, as well as a children's book illustrator and author. The books of 'The Raggedy Ann Series' all feature their central protagonist, with red yarn for hair and a triangle nose - charting her considerable adventures. Gruelle created Raggedy Ann for his daughter, Marcella, when she brought him an old hand-made rag doll. He drew a face on it, and from his bookshelf, pulled a book of poems by James Whitcomb Riley, combining the names of two poems, 'The Raggedy Man' and 'Little Orphant Annie.' From this moment on, the much-loved children's series went from strength to strength. Sought after by collectors, this re-printed edition showcases Gruelle's original text, further enhanced by his wonderful colour drawings, in order that the two may be fully appreciated by young and old alike.

The book Why Didn't I Think of That! includes the passage "If a toy has magic, when people see it they say, 'Oooh! What is that?' . . . It appeals to the kid in everybody." That same kind of magic captures "the kid in everybody" when they pick up Timeless Toys: Classic Toys and the Playmakers Who Created Them. Timeless Toys represents one of the finest documentaries and displays of modern toys ever written. Author Tim Walsh, a successful toy inventor himself, reveals a world of commerce, toys, and wonder that is equally fun, fascinating, and nostalgic. Readers of every age and background will find it impossible to pick up this book, turn a few pages, and not become spellbound by its insightful stories and the personal memories that the text and 420 brilliantly colored photographs bring forth. Slinky, Lego, Tonka trucks, Monopoly, Big Wheel, Frisbee, Hula Hoop, Super Ball, Scrabble, Barbie, Radio Flyer Wagons: All of these and many, many more are featured in this fascinating tome, along with the toys' histories, insider profiles, and rare interviews with toy industry icons. It's simply magic!