Swimmy
by Leo Lionni
Average Customer Review:
School & Library Binding (01 October, 1999)
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Reviews (18)

Great book, would make a great gift
My children love this book and request this as well as Lionni's other charming tale "Frederick" The artwork is beautiful and the story is very sweet natured.I would recommend this as a gift if you are looking for something for Kindergarten and younger, boy or girl.

My childhood favorite that I can share with my kids!
I have loved these books ever since I had them as a child. Leo Lionni may have been before his time, and these artistic books have a tangible quality to them. They aren't cartoons like many books today, but pieces of art. I am so happy to be able to buy (replace & upgrade) my childhood collection so I can share it with my children.

Wonderfully imaginative and inspiring!
This book is a must for all libraries!!! Leo Lionni is well known for his orginal art and he does not disappoint in this book. The artwork is so creative and imaginative. The theme of this story is also significant that our differences are what make us unique and we can use those qualities to help others in different ways like Swimmy is able to in this story. You must read this book, if not for the sweet story for the great artwork. ... Read more

Isbn: 0833503723
Sales Rank: 711888
Subjects:  1. Animals - Fishes    2. Children's 4-8 - Picturebooks    3. Children: Grades 3-4    4. Fiction    5. Fishes    6. Social Situations - General   

Story of Ferdinand (Picture Puffin)
by Munro Leaf, Robert Lawson
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (01 June, 1977)
list price: $6.99 -- our price: $6.99
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Editorial Review

What else can be said about the fabulous Ferdinand? Published more than 50years ago (and one of the bestselling children's books of all time), this simplestory of peace and contentment has withstood the test of many generations.Ferdinand is a little bull who much prefers sitting quietly under a cork tree-- just smelling the flowers--to jumping around, snorting, and butting heads withother bulls. This cow is no coward--he simply has his pacifist priorities clear.As Ferdinand grows big and strong, his temperament remains mellow, until the dayhe meets with the wrong end of a bee. In a show of bovine irony, the one dayFerdinand is most definitely not sitting quietly under the cork tree (dueto a frightful sting), is the selfsame day that five men come to choose the"biggest, fastest, roughest bull" for the bullfights in Madrid.

Ferdinand's day in the arena gives readers not only an education in thehistorical tradition of bullfighting, but also a lesson in nonviolenttranquility. Robert Lawson's black-and-white drawings are evocative anddetailed, with especially sweet renditions of Ferdinand, the serene bull hero.The Story of Ferdinand closes with one of the happiest endings in thehistory of happy endings--readers of all ages will drift off to a peacefulsleep, dreaming of sweet-smelling flowers and contented cows. ... Read more

Reviews (42)

A nice story with a happy ending
I first read this book when Terri, the girl I had a crush on in the first grade, recommended it. While I didn't like it all that much in first grade, I remembered it and read it to my daughter when she was in first grade. Ferdinand is a bull that is growing up in Spain, and his favorite thing to do is to sit around and smell the flowers. The other bulls are fierce and fight all the time, which prepares them for the bullfighting ring.
Unfortunately, when the people arrive to select a bull for the next bullfighting exhibition, Ferdinand sits on a bee, which stings him and his gyrations appear to be anger and hostility. They select him, and transport him to the arena. When the moment of the fight comes, all of the men in the arena are afraid of Ferdinand, but he simply sits down and smells the flowers in the hats of the spectators. Nothing that they can do will get him angry, so they load him up and ship him back to the pasture where he came from.
My daughter loved this book when I read it to her, asking me to read it several times. It is a nice story for children, although it does cover up the true brutality of bullfighting.

Happily ever after
This is a classic children's story, beautifully illustrated, simple and unpretentious.Both children and adults will love the story of the unmotivated bull with the pollen habit.

Reading this aloud to your kids with the correct intonation is sure to raise giggles, one of the reasons it has been a favorite for so many generations.

What you DON'T know is what happened next......

1. The bumble bee died after taking on too much bull.

2. Ferdinand's mother named her next son "Killer" and encouraged him to hit his head as much as he liked.

3. Killer performed spectacularly at the bullfights, but was put out to pasture after he bit off the matador's ear.

4. The cork tree flourished, largely due to the daily fertilizer treatments.

5. Always a loner, Ferdinand never married, but got a job at the Spanish Botanical Gardens, in the cross pollination nursery.

Sadly, the sequel was never published due to lack of a publisher.

Enjoy book one as often as possible, because that's all you need, and that's all you're going to get.

Amanda Richards, December 4, 2004

I prefer the Disney book
I ordered this for my kids some years ago. I was disappointed because I thought it would be a book version of Disney's Ferdinand the Bull in full color. I had such a book as a kid, and never forgot the pictures.I have since been able to resurrect the original cartoon on tape. ... Read more

Isbn: 0140502343
Subjects:  1. Bulls    2. Children's Baby - Picturebooks    3. Children: Kindergarten    4. Classics    5. Fiction   

Where the Wild Things Are
by Maurice Sendak
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (09 November, 1988)
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Editorial Review

Where the Wild Things Are is one of those truly rare books that can be enjoyed equally by a child and a grown-up. If you disagree, then it's been too long since you've attended a wild rumpus. Max dons his wolf suit in pursuit of some mischief and gets sent to bed without supper. Fortuitously, a forest grows in his room, allowing his wild rampage to continue unimpaired. Sendak's color illustrations (perhaps his finest) are beautiful, and each turn of the page brings the discovery of a new wonder.

The wild things--with their mismatched parts and giant eyes--manage somehow to be scary-looking without ever really being scary; at times they're downright hilarious. Sendak's defiantly run-on sentences--one of his trademarks--lend the perfect touch of stream of consciousness to the tale, which floats between the land of dreams and a child's imagination.

This Sendak classic is more fun than you've ever had in a wolf suit, and it manages to reaffirm the notion that there's no place like home. ... Read more

Reviews (210)

Adventure Bracketed by Good Parenting
Our story begins in Max's house, where Max is running wild.When he gets sassy with his Mom, he is sent to his room without his supper.In his room, his imagination transports him away.As the story builds, the pictures build, climaxing in three two-page, full-bleed illustrations depicting the wild rumpus of Max & his new friends.

Max's attention wanders back to thoughts of home, and the story retreats there, too.As the story pulls back, so do the illustrations, with the final words filling a page absent of drawings.

The monsters are cute without being cutesy, and Max's adventure is sandwiched between his mother's discipline and her tender gesture of love.

Hooway for Woodney Rat
This book is about a little rodent named Woodney who is always teased and laughed at by his classmates. His classmates laugh at him because he doesn't know how to pernounce the letter r, instead he pernouces it like the letter w. But, then one day a new rodent arrives in to their class, her name was Camilla. She starts bulling all the other rodents, so now all the other rodents feel uncomfortable by it. Then one day they all go outside and play, the teacher tells Woodeny to be the leader of the game. Woodney did something that made Camilla go away forever, so now all the little rodents thank him.
I think that the book was great! It teaches you a great lesson. You shouldn't judge others by the way they are, or do something.

Wonderful read!
This book a great!The beginning starts out with a boy who won't eat his food and gets sent to his room.At his room, the facinating wild things come to the boy.The pictures in this book were fantasting and the main plot is just amazing.The author brought all of the charachters to life with simple vocabulary that any child could understand.I recomend this book 100%!This book will blow you away! ... Read more

Isbn: 0060254920
Subjects:  1. Bedtime & Dreams    2. Bedtime Stories    3. Children's 4-8 - Picturebooks    4. Children: Grades 1-2    5. Classics    6. Fantasy    7. Fiction    8. Imagination    9. Juvenile Fiction    10. Monsters    11. Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Magic    12. Juvenile Fiction / Classics   

Oh My Baby, Little One
by Kathi Appelt, Jane Dyer
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (01 March, 2000)
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Editorial Review

It's always hard for Baby Bird and his mama to say good-bye on their way to school and work in the morning. But Mama finds a lilting, lyrical way of showing how her love is with her child all the time--and his love is with her, too.

But even when I'm far away,
this love I have will stay.
and wrap itself around you
every minute of the day.

Warm, reassuring feelings emanate from this lovely picture book. Mama Bird tells her child how her love slips inside his lunch box, sits upon his shoulder when he sings a happy song, and snuggles on his pillow while he naps. Jane Dyer, illustrator of the bestselling Time for Bed, creates positively touchable watercolors of a pudgy-cheeked preschooler bird and his working mom. Hints of hearts nestle playfully on the pages: on the blackboard under the letter H, and sewn onto his pillowcase. Oh My Baby, Little One will resonate deeply for moms and kids alike, and may make daily separations just a little bit easier.

So blow a kiss and wave good-bye--
my baby, don't you cry.
This love is always with you,
like the sun is with the sky.

(Ages 3 to 6) --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (25)

Finally I have made it through without tears...
Stumbled across this in the library, (always scope out the books there first, in order to make sure "we" like them), the first oh, ten times, I read the book to my daughter I couldn't get through it without almost bawling.(And I only leave her twice a week, with her Grandma or Aunt).I don't think she understood (at 10 months) what was a matter with Mom.Now that I own it and have read it about 30 times, I can get through without tears and she really enjoys the story.It is told in a lovely rhyme, with beautiful illustrations.

If you are a working mom, or sending your child off to school, I highly recommend this book.

Fantastic Book!
My sister took this book out of the local library for her son several years ago and I read it to him.I wasn't even a mom yet and it took everything I had not to cry when I read this book.It is very touching, especially if you are a working mom.I went out and bought this book a few years before I became a mom and kept it and it is now my 3 year old's favorite book!I highly recommend this book!

2 1/2 Year old Son knows this is my "favorite book"
We read this book every night before bedtime as well as "When Momma Comes Home from Work Dear Child".I highly recommend both books for every working mother. ... Read more

Isbn: 0152000410
Subjects:  1. Animals - Birds    2. Children's Baby - Picturebooks    3. Children: Preschool    4. Family - General    5. Family - Parents    6. Fiction    7. Juvenile Fiction    8. Love    9. Mother and child    10. Preschool Picture Story Books    11. Social Situations - Emotions & Feelings    12. Stories in rhyme    13. Juvenile Fiction / Animals / Birds   

If Jesus Came to My House
by Joan G. Thomas
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (01 April, 1951)
list price: $15.99 -- our price: $10.87
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Reviews (15)

A Beautiful Message---Plain and Simple
I always imagined myself what it would be like if Jesus did come to my house. What were some of the things I'd do, how would I act and what would I say? Then this little book came along. The little boy in this book imagines what it would be like if Jesus spent a day with him. If Jesus were a little boy like him he thought, he would share with him the best toys he had. By lending them to the poorest boys and girls. Even though Jesus maybe not have visited, the little boy hoped that He would bless his house for all the kindness and goodness he gave to those less fortunate. It teaches young children the Christian Golden Rule of sharing with one another. And, caring for your fellow friends that brings joy to everyone's heart. The gentle message tells children how to treat others with the love of giving. This should be a classic of children's books. It teaches a valuable lesson.

How to Treat Your Guests
This was my very first book. I was about five when my mom got it for me and read it to me. I was so impressed with how this little boy went to all the trouble to see that the little boy Jesus had the best of everything when He came for a visit. It was a great lesson in reminding children how important it is to not only share when other kids come for a visit, but to treat them as if Jesus Himself had come to visit. It teaches children how to treat others with respect, courtesy, kindness and love. It's a wonderful little book and I wholeheartedly recommend that it find a home in every child's library. It's theme has stayed with me all of my life and it is the single most influential book, aside from the Bible, that I have ever read!

lesson for life
I remember this book as a child and think it taught me many lessons that I use in life.Excellent for all kids and adults. ... Read more

Isbn: 0688409814
Sales Rank: 41880
Subjects:  1. Children's 4-8 - Religion - General    2. Children: Grades 2-3    3. Religion - General    4. Juvenile Nonfiction / Religion / Christianity   

The Mysteries of Harris Burdick
by Chris Van Allsburg
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (24 September, 1984)
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Reviews (51)

Curiouser and curiouser
Picture books have a wide range of purposes in this world.They can teach and inform.They can amuse and entertain.Sometimes, though, I think that the most impressive picture books are the ones that inspire.And not in a gosh-doesn't-that-drawing-of-a-sunset-make-you-want-to-draw-a-sunset-too type mentality.I mean true inspiration.The kind you might find, for example, in Chris Van Allsburg's incredibly entertaining and mysterious picture book, "The Mysteries of Harris Burdick".I can think of no other source in this world better able to inspire children to write their own highly interesting stories."The Mysteries of Harris Burdick" has been used for years as a uniquely original source for stirring up potential tales in the minds of kids everywhere.More importantly, though, it's just a darn good book.Darn good!

Few books for small children actively encourage you to read a long wordy Introduction to them first.This is one of the few.Before we see any of the pictures we are told a tale of one Mr. Wenders and one Mr. Burdick.Mr. Wenders was once a children's book publisher.As he was sitting in his office one day a Mr. Harris Burdick arrived with fourteen illustrations.It seems that Mr. Burdick had written fourteen stories and he had brought an illustration from each of these for the perusal of Mr. Wenders.After dropping off the pictures (each with its own title and line from the book it belonged to) he left and was never seen again.This book is a presentation of those mysterious images, all suggesting that they belong to magical stories of their own.The introductory story, I should probably point out, is utterly false.But it gives some nice context to the images that follow and hopefully kids will still dig them.

If you've ever read "Jumanji" or "Polar Express" then you are familiar with Van Allsburg's style of mysterious eerily realistic drawings.All pictures in this particular book are in black and white, but they each seem just a little too real to be completely fantastical.Some pictures are sublime.There's an especially amusing one that displays a nun flying above two men in what looks to be a cathedral.The title of the print is, "The Seven Chairs" and the accompanying quote reads, "The fifth one ended up in France".Other pictures in the book vary in creepiness and wonder.There's a picture of a man attempting to beat something large under his carpet with a nearby chair.Another illustration a house lifting off into space.Another shows a woman lowering a knife to a pumpkin as it glows like a brightly lit luminary.

The advantage of this book is that as kids page through it, they feel the need to tell the rest of the stories they see presented here.If a kid looks at the picture of a boy being abducted by a ship's captain they may wish to write a tale of adventure and derring-do on the high seas.Consequently, each tale told here can be interpreted a variety of different ways.I don't want to make this book sound as if it's sole purpose is as a method of teaching writing exercises.I just want to point out that it's so lovely a collection of images that I think anyone that reads it will be pleased by what they see.Pleased to the point of extravagant imaginings, in some cases.

Every Chris Van Allsburg book contains some sort of deeply mysterious tone to it.He's the kind of illustrator that causes great love and adoration in his fans."The Mysteries of Harris Burdick" is not your normal run-of-the-mill type picture book.And if you're looking for something to read your five-year-old to sleep with, look elsewhere.You will not find anything here that will interest them.What you will find instead is a book like no other.One of my favorite picture books, even at the grand old age of 26.

The Mysteries of Harris Burdick
I am always on the look out for children's books that can be used in a high school classroom.All of Chris Van Allsburg's books are wonderful but this one will be great for the English classroom.Most students have great difficulty in writing.This book gives the students a starting point and at the same time begins to fuel their imagination.What better way to begin a creative writing assignment than by showing one of the pictures with the title and first line from the story.Anyone who believes this book is just for younger children has a closed mind.

Middle School English Teacher's Dream Book
I teach English 8 in a middle school setting, and my student writers tend to grumble and struggle with writing longer pieces of fiction.Whenever I display one of the illustrations in this portfolio, my students get out of their seats and rush for the display easel.They ooh and ahh.Then they start thinking and talking about the stories that pop into their heads--all of them different.They get to work with happy faces and elaborate tales with bright-eyed energy.When they are finished, they can't wait to read to the class.All upper grade English teachers should have this book/portfolio in their bag of magic tricks.Me?I'm waiting for the Mysteries of Harris Burdick Part 2. ... Read more

Isbn: 0395353939
Sales Rank: 16598
Subjects:  1. Children's 4-8 - Picturebooks    2. Children's stories, American    3. Children: Grades 1-2    4. Mysteries, Espionage, & Detective Stories    5. Mystery and detective stories    6. Plot-your-own stories    7. Juvenile Fiction / Mysteries & Detective Stories   

Tell Me Something Happy Before I Go to Sleep
by Joyce Dunbar, Debi Gliori
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (01 September, 1998)
list price: $16.00 -- our price: $10.88
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Editorial Review

Every little bunny should have a brother as kind and thoughtful as Willa's big brother Willoughby. When Willa can't sleep because she is so afraid of bad dreams, her brother leans down from the top bunk to encourage his little sister to think happy thoughts...about her chicken slippers, her blue-and-white jumpsuit, and tomorrow's anticipated pleasures. That very night, Willoughby takes Willa on a piggy-back ride around the cozy tree house to check on her breakfast food, her toys in their basket, and the quiet world sleeping outside, all the while explaining in soft, soothing tones how everything in their snug little world is waiting for the next morning to unfold. He tells her that the morning is waiting "For grass to grow, flowers to bloom, and leaves to flutter. For clouds to float, wind to blow, and sun to shine. For birds to fly, bees to buzz, and ducks to quack." "'That's a lot of happy things,' said Willa."Joyce Dunbar knows just how to set the scene for sleep, and Debi Gliori's charming, expressive bunnies are very, very cute. (Click to see a sample spread. From Tell Me Something Happy Before I Go to Sleep by Joyce Dunbar, illustration ©1998 by Debi Gliori, reproduced by permission of Harcourt Brace & Company.) (Ages 3 to 6) --Marcie Bovetz ... Read more

Reviews (27)

Names are too repititious
Although the illustrations are great, overall, I think the book could have been much better written.The story is a sweet story, but the names of the characters (Willa and Willoughby) are used over and over.After a couple pages, it wears itself out while I'm reading it to my 2 year old.

That said, I have just decided to omit the names while I'm reading it, and my little one does like the story.It seems to get her in the right frame of mind for bedtime.

A great bedtime story
My three children, ages 3-5, adore this book. It is one of the few books that they will all sit still for. It is a lovely story about an older brother taking care of his younger sister, helping her go to sleep.The illustrations are wonderful.

The resonance of the words are so soft and melodic
This is my second favorite "night night" book ever.(after the venerable GoodNight Moon)And it has many of the same aspects.A simple repetative story line that is comforting to young children and wording that is almost melodic to read. The wording is indeed repatitive, but any early childhood expert can tell you that for a young child that is what draws them into the story.Remember, it is not written for an adult.The fact that "Willa" and "Willoughby" are repeated on every page makes the story instantly familiar to a young child.The story is sweet and the illustrations are georgeous.My copy has been patched many times now and I smile whenever I see it. ... Read more

Isbn: 015201795X
Subjects:  1. Bedtime    2. Bedtime & Dreams    3. Bedtime Stories    4. Brothers and sisters    5. Children's 4-8 - Picturebooks    6. Children: Grades 2-3    7. Fiction    8. Rabbits    9. Juvenile Fiction / Bedtime & Dreams   

The Biggest Bear
by Lynd Ward
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (01 June, 1952)
list price: $16.00 -- our price: $10.88
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Reviews (13)

Oh sure it LOOKS cute and cuddly...
In the November/December 2004 issue of Horn Book Magazine (a title that discusses children's literature with aplomb) there was an article in which an author sobbed at the lack of positive hunting images in picture books and children's novels.I thought through this argument, but since I don't really come from a rural hunting family myself, I guess I never considered this to be a bad thing.Thoughts of this nature surfaced yet again when I picked up Lynd Ward's 1952 Caldecott winning picture book, "The Biggest Bear".A surprisingly sly cautionary tale about the dangers that accompany removing wild animals from their habitats, the book definitely shows a hunting happy family in a positive light.Fortunately, it also considers the consequences that come when you set off to kill something for no reason.

Johnny Orchard's deeply ashamed.Take a look at any barn in the urrounding area and what do you find?A bearhide hanging on its side.Take a look at the Orchard's barn and what do you find there?Nuthin'.While Johnny listens with awe to the tales other men tell of finding and killing bears, his own grandfather ADMITS that on the one occasion he saw a bear he ran as fast as his legs could carry him away from it.Taking matters into his own hands, little Johnny picks up his gun and goes into the forest to kill the biggest bear he can find.As it turns out, the biggest bear he can find is not very big at all.Just a baby.With new eyes Johnny adopts the cuddly furball and takes it into his home.Before long, however, it becomes clear that this is not a bear that is meant to live in a home and Johnny must make the ultimate sacrifice to keep it away.

I'll give away a little of the ending here so as to put your mind at rest.No, Johnny does not pull an "Old Yeller" on his fuzzy companion. He tries to though.Fortunately he's stopped at the last minute and the bear is taken to a zoo to live.Happy ending for all, despite the fact that we're talking about 1950s type tiny-zoos.This is an excellent book for any kid that has ever wanted to have an inappropriate pet of their very own, whether it be wild baby raccoons, rabbits, bears, or foxes.The story shows how domesticated animals can be more trouble than they're worth.... especially bears.

So Ward's book has a clear cut message and a delightful narrative voice.And how're the pictures?Well, they're top notch.Drawn entirely in black and white (with undulating shades of gray around the shadows and details) the pictures in this story are too lifelike to be called cartoony and too cartoony to be called lifelike.Plus, the action sequences in this tale are realistic enough to convince you of their fast pace.Personally, I was most impressed by the facial expressions of the bear.I don't want to give you the impression that Mr. Ward has done anything but make this bear appear vividly bear-like.Still, sometimes the animal gets looks in his eyes that strike you as funny.There's a part where Johnny has attempted to free the bear, only to find it in his backyard a day or two later.In one of these instances the bear appears behind a row of pigs who're poised over a slops trough.The pigs look disgruntled and a little worried that their food is about to be taken from them.The bear, on his part, has a world-weary expression of an animal that could patiently wait for food forever.I place it amongst one of the greatest picture book illustrations in the history of the form.

Unlike other old-timey Caldecott winners like "Make Way For Ducklings" or "The Snowy Day", "The Biggest Bear" has been mostly forgotten.This is a real shame since it's a truly interesting story that has a lot to say to us, even today.It's not flashy and colorful and it's method of spinning a tale won't knock your socks off.It's just a really enjoyable story about a boy, his bear, and taking responsibility for your actions. A great tale to this very day.

"Will you read this to me?"
You know you have a winner when your son (who doesn't really like books) asks that question.

The storyline is cute and the illustrations are nice.It is a perfect children's story.

A story about a child who must shoot and kill his friend.
Should a father allow his young son to take a bear cub in from the wild and raise it as a pet?When the animal gets too wild and too unruly for domestic life (think of the animal hijinks of Curious George or the Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed) what solution should the parents propose?

If you're the father in the book "The Biggest Bear,"you take your elementary-school age son aside, give him a gun and a bullet, and tell him to do what needs to be done.So the young boy reluctantly leads his beloved pet out into the woods to shoot him to death.Only the (accidental) intervention of a group of zoo trappers saves the bear from being killed by his lifelong friend.

This book was published in 1952, and won a Caldecott Award in 1953 for excellence in pictoral illustration.The black and white drawings are well done -- one well-drawn and realistic image shows a local man grinning with pride as he carries the lifeless carcass of a freshly-killed bear back to his barn to be skinned.

If you live in a frontier town bordering on a large forest, you may value this book as a cautionary tale to remind your children of the extreme foolishness of trying to feed or domesticate wild animals, and the importance of taking responsibility for your own decisions.A father with judgement this poor would never survive as a real-life hunter, trapper, or farmer.Real people who make their living in the wild have a healthy respect for nature.And a good father would never force his young son to endure the consequences of the father's bad judgement.

If you live in the city, the suburbs, or a developed rural area, you might want to think twice about a book where a young child is told that a gun and a bullet is the best solution to a problem.You also might find better ways to discuss the complex topics of friendship, consequences, killing, and betrayal with your children. ... Read more

Isbn: 0395148065
Sales Rank: 133960
Subjects:  1. Animals - Bears    2. Bears    3. Children's 4-8 - Picturebooks    4. Children: Kindergarten    5. Classics    6. Fiction    7. Juvenile Fiction / Animals / Bears   

Little Fur Family
by Margaret Wise Brown, Garth Williams
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (01 January, 1951)
list price: $15.99 -- our price: $10.87
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Reviews (16)

Exquisite
Despite a childhood filled with books, I didn't see this one until I picked it up in a secondhand store last week (at the age of 46!). I have read it several times a day since. There's something profoundly sweet and comforting about it, without the slightest trace of sappiness. It makes me feel transported the way books used to magically do before I turned 7, a rare thing indeed. Of course every child should have this book, but so should every grownup in this wicked world.

The Lilttle Fur Family
Initially put off by the miniature edition I'd ordered by mistake, I now must recommend it. We have an older hardback that my daughters love, and this small, fur covered version is another hit. My 15 month old loves to hold a little book in her hands that feels 'all soft and all warm'.

Timeless Treasure!
My mom used to read this book to me when I was a child. Now I'm reading it to my 2 year old daughter and she absolutely loves it, as I did so many years ago. ... Read more

Isbn: 0060207450
Sales Rank: 176415
Subjects:  1. Animals    2. Animals - General    3. Children's 4-8 - Picturebooks    4. Children: Preschool    5. Fiction    6. Juvenile Fiction    7. Nature & the Natural World - General    8. Juvenile Fiction / Classics   

Miss Rumphius (Picture Puffin Books (Paperback))
by Barbara Cooney
Average Customer Review:
School & Library Binding (01 October, 1999)
list price: $15.30 -- our price: $15.30
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Reviews (35)

Be the Book
If, as Clarissa or Montag in Ray Bradbury's Farenhheit 451,I were to dedicate the rest of my life to being one book - I would choose this book - as it is a simple story standing for the position that life and the creation of beauty are inseparable.I bought this book about ten years ago for my niece who was then about 10 or 11, but I never gave it to her.I kept it for myself and I have read it many times since then.My niece has just turned 21.It occurred to me to give it to her as a belated birthday gift.This is a wonderful children's book for children, but maybe even more so for adults.

An Inspiring and Beautiful Book
Themes: This book is about dreams and plans for the future. It is about the importance of not just living IN the world, but also enhancing it.

Summary: As a child, Miss Rumphius lived with her grandfather, who was an artist by the sea.When she told her grandfather that when she grew up she planned to travel the world and then live by the sea, her grandfather advised her that she should do something to make the world more beautiful. Miss Rumphius ended up fulfilling all her personal dreams and, after struggling for an idea, was eventually inspired to make the world more beautiful by helping spread lupine flowers. Now she tells her great-niece Alice (who has some of the same dreams) to be sure to do something to make the world more beautiful too.

Illustrations: The illustrations seem to be in a beautiful "naive" style--very angular, slender, and almost motionless. They are done in acrylics with prismacolor pencil accents, and they establish the settings of the book (the house by the sea, and various exotic places of the world), which is important because, as Miss Rumphius discovers, "The world is already pretty nice.

I highly recommend this book.

OK
Beautiful illustrations!But the story in itself is a little bland.Sure, Alice Rumphius is very noble and ends up following her heart and listening to her grandfather, but...Somehow i was left wishing for more.Maybe some drama? ... Read more

Isbn: 0808566555
Sales Rank: 698576
Subjects:  1. Aunts    2. Children's 4-8    3. Children: Grades 3-4    4. Fiction    5. General   

Bonjour, Babar! : The Six Unabridged Classics by the Creator of Babar
by JEAN DE BRUNHOFF, KEVIN HENKES
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (26 September, 2000)
list price: $29.95 -- our price: $20.37
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Editorial Review

Seven decades after Babar was born, the world is still very much in lovewith the noble elephant. Before his untimely death at age 37, Jean de Brunhoffwrote and illustrated six stories about Babar and his friends and family. Inthis exquisite gift edition, every one of these stories is included, with not aword or picture left out. From The Story of Babar--in which the elephantis born, loses his mother, runs off to Paris, and returns to be crownedking--through The Travels of Babar, Babar the King, Babar andZephir, Babar and His Children, and Babar and FatherChristmas, the beloved pachyderm's incredible life adventures are chronicledfor our reading pleasure. In his introduction, picture book author-illustratorKevin Henkes writes, "Where else could one find a balloon accident, a deadlypoison mushroom, a runaway carriage, an extraordinary flying machine, a snakeattack, fire, war, death, birth? These books are full of adventure and fantasy,but they also deal with the stuff of real life. And I'm convinced children longto see both the dark and the light sides of human experience reflected in theirbooks just as much as adults do, perhaps more." Adults who truly wish to sharethe joys of the classics with the children in their lives could do no betterthan to present them with this grand collection. (Ages 4 and older) --EmilieCoulter ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Great fun for the whole family
My husband and I grew up on Babar.So when we saw this book we bought for our 4 month old son.He loves to hear our voices as we read to him and he also loves the bright colored pictures.We enjoy the memories that the stories bring back to us.A great addition to anyones collection.

TIP:We take the dust cover of any of his books that have dust covers and put them in plastic sleeves for later when we are sure he will not rip them up.That way when he is older the book looks like new even though it really is old.

"Original" art?Ha!
I was so thrilled to get this book as a gift, especially since it includes the long out-of-print "Babar and Zephir."When I began to leaf through it, being very familiar with the older editions, I grew sicker with every page.Jean de Brunhoff's stunning artwork has been absolutely destroyed.

Do you know how you feel when watching an old black-and-white movie that you have long loved which has been "colorized"?Yes, your favorite golden age actress now has pink skin, fucshia lips too big for her face and what color are her eyes supposed to be, exactly?The Babar art has been colorized in the most grotesque and garish sense of the word--which is really horrid when you consider that most of Brunhoff's original illustrations were already in color to begin with.Random House has decided, apparently, that Brunhoff's colors are not bright enough.Where Brunhoff shaded, Random House has plastered one uniform cartoonish shade from line to line.Babar's green suit ranges from merely loud green to splitting-headache green.The suit which he wears while playing trumpet in the circus defies description.Suffice it to say it is very blue and very red.

The beautiful scene in which the Celesteville residents bring gifts to infants Pom, Flora, and Alexander has lost its pastoral sweetness and is positively grotesque.The babies lie in their pram, which looks as though my kindergartener re-outlined it in black magic marker, under glaring green palms and flowers with a turquoise blanket scarcely dimmer than the book's cover (see above), while royal blue butterflies flit nearby.Babar is standing in a suit that is (if possible) even greener than the greenery directly behind him.A uniformly orange cow and dromedary are in the reception line.Think Fisher Price.

Does your child really need to know that the mermaid Eleanore's sisters are peeking out of the water when Zephir captures Eleanore?Due to the paint job the sea has suffered, you may need to point this out, as Brunhoff's few lines are no longer recognizable as the tops of mermaid heads.Somebody overdid the brown on the faces of General Huc and Colonel Aristobald, these brave and clever monkeys no longer have visible eyes, mouths, or hairlines.

The subtlety, the grace, the old-world patina of the gorgeous Babar art is gone.In its place, we have. . .well, they do say that bright colors are good for babies' development.

I want to cry.

A GREAT CHILDREN'S BOOK!
We have a3 year old and a 2 year old and they both really love Babar and the gang.They love the book and Babar videos.We've had this book for over a year, and our children continue to ask us to read it to them.This book is wonderfully illustrated and humorous.Enjoyable even for adults. ... Read more

Isbn: 0375810609
Subjects:  1. Action & Adventure    2. Animals - Elephants    3. Children's 4-8 - Picturebooks    4. Children: Grades 1-2    5. Elephants    6. Fiction    7. Juvenile Fiction    8. Juvenile Fiction / Animals / Elephants   

Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse 10th Anniversary Edition
by Kevin Henkes
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (19 August, 1996)
list price: $15.99 -- our price: $10.87
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Editorial Review

The irrepressible mouse heroine of Chester's Way and Julius, the Baby of the World returns for another true-to-life and very funny episode. Lilly loves everything about school, especially her teacher, Mr. Slinger--until he takes away her musical purse because she can't stop playing with it in class. Lilly decides to get revenge with a nasty drawing of "Big Fat Mean Mr. Stealing Teacher!" but when she finds the kind note he put in her purse, she's filled with remorse and has to find a way to make things right again. Children will sympathize with Lilly's impulsive mistake and laugh uproariously at the witty and expressive pictures of the very human mice. In a starred review, Publisher's Weekly called this book "sympathetic and wise." (Ages 4 to 8) ... Read more

Reviews (41)

Wonderful Classroom Tool
I believe that Lilly's Plastic Purple Purse by Kevin Henkes is a wonderful book for children to read and a child will gain life lessons from reading this book, along with the other books by Henkes.Lilly's Plastic Purple Purse has a unique way of making Lilly, a mouse, came to life and allows the reader to connect with her.
I believe that this is a great book, and the book also meets the criteria of "what is a good book" in Children's Books in Children's Hands by Charles Temple. This book expands awareness for children, on behaving in the classroom as well as sharing with other students. This book also provides an enjoyable read for children and offers a valuable lesson, but it doesn't overly teach or moralize. This book has a wonderful theme on learning about share time and when to share your favorite things with others; however Henkes does a wonderful job with not overly teaching or moralizing. Also, this book tells the truth. The classroom setting in this book allows for students to relate by being in similar circumstances. Many young children are very eager to share their things with the class, and this book tells the truth about when to share and how to behave during class and also to the teacher. This book by Henkes embodies quality. Although the main character in this book is a mouse, the facial features illustrated and the dialogue allows for the character to become believable. Also, the plot is very convincing and the integrity of the book is satisfying. The plot, language, characters, theme and illustrations all come together to make a satisfying whole. Lilly's Plastic Purple Purse, along with many other books by Henkes, has originality and shows the reader the world from a unique viewpoint. In each of his books, more on this one, he stretches the mind of readers and offers new possibilities for them to think about.
I believe this book is a wonderful tool to have in the classroom for its moral teaching as well as the illustrations. If you enjoy reading this book by Henkes, there are many more out there with other mouse characters that are just as wonderful and appealing to young readers.

So many lessons in one fun book!
My 4 year old daughter LOVES this book.Mostly because she can relate to Lily's excitement about her new plastic purse that plays a "jaunty tune", her glittery movie-star sunglasses, and her jingly coins.I love it because it offers so many little lesson to discuss along the way.We talk about how Lily could've handled things better.We talk about why the pictures show her getting smaller and smaller (she feels remorse for her actions). We talk about how telling her parents what she had done was a great decision because they were able to help her correct her mistake.And, we talk about what to expect at school and how to have good manners, respect, etc.Lily is such a loveable character, and so much like my daughter that it's just natural that we both love her and this book so much!A must have for all pre-school/early school aged girls!

A very interactive story with a great message
My soon to be 4 year old LOVES this book, we read it at least four times a week at bed time, WOW.My daughter has me insert her name in place of Lily and her sister's name as Lily's baby brother, etc.

But mostly what I love is it gives us an opportunity to talk and read to together.When my daughter wanted to bring her new "purse" to school, we discussed what happened to Lily.When she had a fight with a friend and my daughter was wrong, we talked about "sorry."But as my daughter now enters pre-school, it gave us an opportunity to talk about how Lily loves school and my daughter will too.

... Read more

Isbn: 0688128971
Subjects:  1. Animals - MiceHamstersGuinea Pigsetc.    2. Children's 4-8 - Picturebooks    3. Children: Grades 1-2    4. Fiction    5. Humorous Stories    6. Juvenile Fiction    7. Mice    8. School & Education    9. School stories    10. Schools    11. Social Situations - Emotions & Feelings    12. Teachers    13. Toys, Dolls, & Puppets    14. Juvenile Fiction / Toys, Dolls, Puppets   

Mad About Madeline: The Complete Tales
by Ludwig Bemelmans
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (01 October, 1993)
list price: $35.00
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Editorial Review

This elegant volume--perhaps one of the best gift books on the planet--contains all six adventures of the irrepressible, mischievous Madeline (the smallest and spunkiest of the twelve little girls in two straight lines). Ludwig Bemelmans's Madeline was first published in 1939, and its five sequels have all become classics. In Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Anna Quindlen's introduction to Mad About Madeline she writes, "Amid a childhood full of children's books, amid glorious pictures and imaginative plots, it is worth wondering why this story is among a handful of books that now-grown children invariably buy for their own more than half a century after Ludwig Bemelmans began writing it on the back of a restaurant menu."

Inside this hefty, richly illustrated edition, you'll find Madeline, Madeline and the Bad Hat, Madeline's Rescue, Madeline and the Gypsies, Madeline in London, and Madeline's Christmas, in addition to Quindlen's splendidly insightful introduction, an essay by Bemelmans on how he invented Madeline, never-before-published working sketches of Madeline, and photos of the Bemelmans family. The perfect gift for anyone who has made friends with--or should be introduced to--the precocious Madeline. (The jaunty verse makes Madeline perfect for reading aloud, and readers ages 6 and older will enjoy sounding out names such as Lord Cucuface.) ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Wish I'd Known
Run, don't walk, away from this book. I regret purchasing it for my daughter, and it is now on it's way back to Amazon. I was shocked to read that Madeline's neighbor uses the gift of a tool set to build a guillotine in his backyard that he uses for chopping the heads off of chickens. Are we really so desensitized to violence in this culture that this is considered acceptable? I can't believe that this book is considered a classic. What a poor choice for any child!

Great Collection of Stories for Girls
I originally bought this book for my daughter so she could get a book of her own when the book delivery arrived in the mail.
There are 6 stories - poetic, simple, and time tested.
My daughter is a great reader now, and I attribute this book as one of those that sparked her interest in reading.

What's with Madeline?
I honestly don't know how to review these works. Obviously they are well-loved and have stood the test of time. But on closer inspection, the stories are kind of weak. The 11 girls who have the misfortune of not being Madeline are nameless, dialog-less, characterless ciphers -- for six books! Pepito changes overnight from an animal-abusing brat to a saint? And the christmas story is just plain stupid.

But like the illustrations, in the end the stories are examples of how sloppy and messy can work. The cadences of the text are wonderful. And my 3-year-old daughter loves the books. Who am I to complain? ... Read more

Isbn: 0670851876
Subjects:  1. Boarding schools    2. Children's 4-8 - Picturebooks    3. Children's stories, American    4. Children: Preschool    5. Classics    6. Fiction    7. Preschool Picture Story Books    8. Schools   

The Story About Ping
by Marjorie Flack
Average Customer Review:
Library Binding (01 March, 1983)
list price: $15.99 -- our price: $10.87
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Editorial Review

The tale of a little duck alone on the Yangtze River, The Story About Ping is a sweet and funny book with wonderfully rich and colorful illustrations. On a day like any other, Ping sets off from the boat he calls home with his comically large family in search of "pleasant things to eat." On this particular day, he is accidentally left behind when the boat leaves. Undaunted, the little duck heads out onto the Yangtze in search of his family, only to find new friends and adventures--and a bit of peril--around every bend.

The exceptional illustrations bring the lush Yangtze to life, from Ping's family to the trained fishing birds he finds himself among to the faithfully rendered boats and fishermen. Certainly intended to be read aloud, The Story About Ping deserves a place on every young reader's (or listener's) shelf. (Picture book) ... Read more

Reviews (43)

Good Classic Story
Well this book certainly dated itself when it mentioned the word "spank". It is amazing to me how people take something like that and instantly start twisting and turning the words around to make it sound so horrible. Ping was not beaten in this book. Yes he got a tiny tap on the rear as a reminder that he needs to be punctual and quick when it is time to get going. Otherwise he may get left behind on the big, scary Yangtze river. yes he did almost end up as someone else's lunch. However, i see this as a springboard for many coversation starters with your child i.e.: the eating of ducks in China, the danger of running away from your problems, and of course the kindness of the boy who releases Ping, saving him from his fate. If you are looking to spare your children any sort of scary, uncomfortable situation possible then stay clear of this book and pretty much all other books for that matter. However if you are seeking a book that will create plenty of opportunities for conversations about the consequences of actions then you may like this classic story about little Ping. The illustrations are warm and clear. They look like colored pencil was used. And last but not least, the Chinese people in the story were certainly NOT portrayed in a negative light. But leave it to our society to cry "racism!" at almost any depiction of another culture... sheesh!!

Controversial--Judge for Yourself
In a 1998 survey, (www.randomhouse.com/features/treasury/vote), online participants ranked Marjorie Flack's now-controversial 1933 book as highly as such favorites as "Horton Hears a Who," "Jamberry" (Bruce Degen), "Thomas the Tank Engine," (W. Awdry), and "In the Night Kitchen" (Maurice Sendak)!

Note that Random House asked that readers name their most "memorable" books of the century, and most participants were probably adults. As seen in these reviews, "memorable" is not necessarily favorable. It appears from the diversity and intensity of feelings here that, depending on adult and child values, personalities, and sensibilities, reading this book can be a springboard for discussion or an incubator for nightmares.

I'm always impressed with the number of excellent children's books available. If you think that the book may upset you or your small ones, or if it offends you or your values, then do not buy it. I will try to list some of the objections that reviewers have mentioned. The book shows little duck "Ping" almost being struck, his later escape and separation, birds yoked about the neck (Fishers yoke the birds so that they can't swallow the fish that they retrieve for the "Master"), Ping tricked, caught, and almost becoming dinner, and, finally, actually getting hit by a long stick. For some, it's like a kid's version of El Greco's war series. In the tradition of "Hansel and Gretel," there is horror aplenty here, and there's no ultimate escape to freedom. I can also respect those who object to the stereotypes of the Chinese and China (the boy who captures and subsequently releases Ping is as brightly yellow as the duck, and the Yangtze River is colored yellow).

Marjorie Flack wrote this and many other very popular books, and the book--written during the Depression and the sociopolitical movements of the 1930's--has historical interest. For example, one could argue that the book supports--or indicts--Fascism, Communism, Capitalism, or Social Darwinism. However, in a brief search on Google.com, I did not see any scholarly works about the book. Obviously, these are the concerns of adults and mature young teens.

There is the potential, at least, that this book will be disturbing. So, please be aware of the controversial content and the differing reactions that your young audience could have. If you get the book, talk it over with them, as several people here have suggested. On another note, there's a lot to admire in the pictures. Kurt Wiese's simple but evocative color drawings are beguiling. Wiese, a man who illustrated over 300 children's books and who twice received Caldecott honors, draws in a soft, evocative, "crayon-y" style that is appealing and powerful. "Ping" has 32 pages, excellent illustrations, and sturdy binding (if you purchase the book with the ISBN of 0-670-67223-8).

My Children Loved It
I just read so many negative reviews of this book, I felt that I needed to write a positive one.I read this book to my children (aged 5 and 2) numerous times over the course of a week, and they both loved it.They could not wait to read "Ping" each day, and my two-year-old still talks about Ping and China, 2 months after we read it.

Yes, Ping received a switch (not a beating) for being last, but he learned that being safe with his family was much better than being alone.He (and we) also learned that facing up to the consequences of being late (or any error) is definitely better than trying to hide from the consequences or lying about it.Much bigger trouble comes then.During the time we read the book, we learned about China (then and now), the Yangtze River, the artwork (drawing water, repetition, etc.), taking responsibility for one's actions, water safety, and many other things.

(...)
... Read more

Isbn: 0670672238
Subjects:  1. Children's 4-8 - Fiction - General    2. Children: Preschool    3. China    4. Ducks    5. Fiction    6. General    7. Yangtze River (China)   

Blueberries for Sal
by Robert McCloskey
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (01 September, 1948)
list price: $16.99 -- our price: $11.55
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Editorial Review

Kuplink, kuplank, kuplunk go the blueberries into the pail of a little girl named Sal who--try as she might--just can't seem to pick as fast as she eats. Robert McCloskey's classic is a magical tale of the irrepressible curiosity--not to mention appetite--of youth. Sal and her mother set off in search of blueberries for the winter at the same time as a mother bear and her cub. A quiet comedy of errors ensues when the young ones wander off and absentmindedly trail the wrong mothers.

Blueberries for Sal--with its gentle animals, funny noises, and youthful spirit of adventure--isperfect for reading aloud. The endearing illustrations, rendered in dark, blueberry-stain blue, will leave youcraving a fresh pail of your own. (Picture book) ... Read more

Reviews (46)

I Found My Thrill...On Blueberry Hill
Famed author Robert McCloskey ("Make Way for Ducklings," "One Morning in Maine," and others) wrote and illustrated this gently humorous parallel tale of two moms and their daughters on a blueberry hunt.One pair is human, and the other pair is bear!.As they proceed up opposite sides of rolling hill covered in blueberries, each member of the species copies the other:The moms focus on the task at hand, remembering the harsh winter ahead; the children ("Little Sal" and "Little Bear") focus on the immediate pleasures of eating blueberries--so much so, that each gets lost.

In a deftly portrayed switch, McCloskey shows the Little Bear following Little Sal's mom, and Little Sal following the Little Bear's mom. The two lost children are unafraid of following the mismatched grown-ups (ok, so McCloskey takes some liberties in this very light book).Eventually the two moms turn around and see who is following:Little Bear's mother discovers Sal and turns away:("She was old enough to be shy of people, even a very small person like Little Sal.")Meanwhile, Little Sal's mom discovers Little Bear, and the mother back away:("She was old enough to be shy of bears, even very small bears like Little Bear.")Each pair reunites and returns home, with an adventure and berries to savor over the winter.

McCloskey's deep blue-black drawings complement the appealing symmetry and innocence of the book, and the period furnishings, uncluttered landscape, and fashions add to the book's sentimental and enduring attraction.This is a very good bedtime story for little ones who can appreciate an affectionate and tender book.

Blue Berries For Sal
I did not like it that much because bears do not talk because bears are bad.The pictures do not have color.I like it a little bit.

Doctor DeSoto
I like the book because we got to chsnge the names.Ilike the little mouse.I like book because it funny.I like the animals.I like the book because it shows people to take good care of your teeth. ... Read more

Isbn: 0670175919
Subjects:  1. Bears    2. Children's Baby - Picturebooks    3. Children: Preschool    4. Classics    5. Fiction    6. Humorous Stories    7. Maine    8. Picture books    9. Stories