Tales from Dreamland - (Hardcover)

About the Book

Everyday moments, like a cup of coffee or clouds reflected on a tabletop, are paired with imagined narratives that each moment could carry.

Book Synopsis

LA photographer Ed Valfre imagines stories from snapshots of ordinary life, inviting readers to discover the magical in the everyday.

A cup of coffee with a swirl of cream. Clouds reflected on a tabletop. A shopping cart abandoned on the sidewalk. Photographer Ed Valfre captures these little moments of everyday life in his pictures and subsequently imagines the extraordinary universes, striking feelings, and unexpected narratives each moment might contain. By turns surreal, humorous, and profound, Valfre reveals the magic to be discovered in the everyday with this collection of photographs and accompanying short stories.

Review Quotes

"A Los Angeles photographer pairs his images with brief lines of text, exploring the extraordinary amid the seemingly ordinary. Capturing the beauty of everyday life in his photography, which sometimes borders on the surreal, Valfre presents evocative vignettes that riff on each image. Most of the two-page spreads feature a single black-and-white or color photograph accompanied by a short paragraph-- occasionally just a sentence or two... This unusual volume will please browsers and is also a good source of creative prompts for language arts and fine art classes. A thoughtful, imaginative work to inspire dreamers and observers."-- "Kirkus Reviews"

"Acts to spark readers' imaginations... The spark asks readers to look again, to think again about the immediate world around them, and imagine potential stories that explain what we see and why and how it came to be or what it's trying to tell us. Matching story to photograph--black and white, sepia-toned, full color (often with shocks of gold)--the vignettes serve as acts of hope for those who need a booster shot... Tales from Dreamland would also serve as a great series of writing prompts with examples for creative writing classes and for individuals who want to kick-start their imaginations. It only takes a spark to reach the possibilities of dreamland."-- "Tom Bowden, for The Book Beat (Oak Park, MI)"

"Ed Valfre's artful collection Tales from Dreamland signposts the 'ordinary magic of the everyday' via whimsical flash fiction and eye-catching photographs... The photographs achieve unusual visual effects... Shadows and reflections prove crucial. There is a sharp awareness of the sky above and the ground below... Personal, heartfelt entries appear, too... Tales from Dreamland insists that there is a 'grace to the ordinary.'"-- "Foreword Reviews"

"Sometimes the marriage between text and photography can feel like a shot-gun wedding, forced, or at the very least apologetic, as if neither has the will or strength to stand alone. It's a tricky undertaking. But in the right hands and with the right touch, it can transcend our wildest hopes. In Tales From Dreamland, Valfre makes magic on every page. A shadow finds its boy. A kiss levitates a man. A forgotten skirt on a clothesline signals loss. The best way I can describe what is happening here is that the author offers the text to the image and the image to the text as gifts to each other. It's an act of extraordinary insight and generosity. Luckily for us, we are invited to witness meaning and geometry continually rediscover each other. And everybody wins. Don't miss out on this book. It is an absolute treat."-- "Lee Rossi"

"Think of it as street photography aiding and abetting a range of flash fiction stories...The inspiration was to awaken wonder in and openness to the everyday."--Betsy Bird "A Fuse #8 Production (A School Library Journal blog)"

About the Author

Ed Valfre is a photographer and musician, and the author of two children's books (Backseat Buckaroo and Vacationers from Outer Space). He has exhibited his photographs in Los Angeles, Bologna, and Rome. He currently resides in Los Angeles, or possibly in an alternate dimension.