Jan Wahl

Hedy Lamarr wasn't just a famous Hollywood actress. She was also an important inventor!In one of the first books written for children about the amazing life and work of actress and inventor Hedy Lamarr, and one of the final books written by Coretta Scott King Honor and Christopher Medal-winner Jan Wahl, readers will be entranced by all that Hedy accomplished on and off the big screen. In chapter-picture book style, Hedy and her Amazing Invention teaches kids about the pioneering scientific work and inspiring courage of Hedy Lamarr, the famous Hollywood actress who fought against old-fashioned parents, a domineering husband, prejudice, and stereotypes to become an accomplished inventor whose work helped pave the way for many of the communications technologies we enjoy today, from Wi-Fi to GPS to signal-blocking devices. Through collage-work illustrations and accessible text, Wahl and Wallace provide context to the concept of Lamarr’s most famous invention with fun and ease. This story is for anyone looking for an uplifting biography about a fearless 20th century woman who knew her worth and was determined to utilize all of her talents to make the world a better place. The first book in Penny Candy’s Amazing Women series.

Regarded by many filmmakers and critics as one of the greatest directors in cinema history, Carl Theodor Dreyer (1889--1968) achieved worldwide acclaim after the debut of his masterpiece, The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928), which was named the most influential film of all time at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival. In 1955 Dreyer granted twenty-three-year-old American student Jan Wahl the extraordinary opportunity to spend a unique and unforgettable summer with him during the filming of Ordet ( The Word [1955]).Carl Theodor Dreyer and Ordet: My Summer with the Danish Filmmaker is a captivating account of Wahl's time with the director, based on Wahl's daily journal accounts and transcriptions of his conversations with Dreyer. Offering a glimpse into the filmmaker's world, Wahl fashions a portrait of Dreyer as a man, mentor, friend, and director. Wahl's unique and charming account is supplemented by exquisite photos of the filming and by selections from Dreyer's papers, including his notes on film style, his introduction for the actors before the filming of Ordet, and a visionary lecture he delivered at Edinburgh. Carl Theodor Dreyer and Ordet details one student's remarkable experiences with a legendary director and the unlikely bond formed over a summer.

When a giraffe is taken from its beloved acacia grove in Africa and sets sail for France, it does not welcome the adventure at first. Everything is foreign; nothing is familiar. Taking his cue from the imagined perspective of the captive, author Jan Wahl crafts a sympathetic tale with roots in reality. Meanwhile, French artist Laurent Gapaillard's arresting landscapes offer a panoramic view of each episode, reinforcing the scope of The Long Tall Journey made by a 19th-century exotic gift.