Editorial Review

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Reviews (12)

Great lesson
I just got this book yesterday for my son who just turned 3 years old. He really enjoyed it and after reading it, he kept asking me to read it over. He was very interested because he started asking questions at the end. He just started preschool and I wanted to introduce him to possible situations he might go through while in school. This story gives a great lesson on how to handle a situation when someone says something mean to you. My son also enjoyed it because the situation takes place in school and at a basketball court, which he can relate to because he started school and he loves to play basketball.

Secret Weapon Against Bullies
I was looking for a book to help my 9 year-old deal with other kids who say cruel and demeaning things.My son and I sat down and read the book together and then discussed how saying "so" when mean things are said takes away the bullies power. We decided that "so" was his new secret weapon.
Excellent Message -
An excellent message and a good chapter book for those readers who are starting to gain confidence. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Behavior    2. Children's 4-8 - Fiction - General    3. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Fiction    4. Children: Grades 2-3    5. Fiction    6. Human behavior    7. Juvenile Easy Readers    8. Juvenile Fiction    9. Readers - Beginner    10. School stories    11. Schools    12. Social Issues - General    13. Social Issues - Peer Pressure    14. Social Issues - Values    15. Social Situations - General    16. English    17. Juvenile Fiction / Movie or Television Tie-In   

Editorial Review

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Reviews (9)

Excellent message for youngsters
These level 3 chapter books are great confidence builders for those readers just getting comfortable with reading.The story is engaging and the chapters give a sense of accomplishment along with suspense (whats going to happen next).Funny with a good message also.

Pleased with product
I was very pleased on the speed of the delivery of the product. It was in excellent condition to be a used book. Thank you for your wonderful service!

A good imagination beats a video game (almost) any day
In "The Best Way to Play" Little Bill and his friends find out that their favorite television "Space Explorers" has a new video game, so they all go home and start hounding their parents to spend fifty bucks to buy it for them.However, Big Bill says for Little Bill to ask his mother, his mother thinks $50 is too much to spend on a toy, and Alice the Great thinks he should be asking his parents for a book.The situation is that Little Bill and his friends do not think that they can have any fun less they have the new game.But, as Little Bill's mother correctly points out, asking and getting are two different things.Read more

Subjects:  1. African Americans    2. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Fiction    3. Children: Grades 1-2    4. Fiction    5. Imagination    6. Imagination & Play    7. Juvenile Easy Readers    8. Juvenile Fiction    9. Play    10. Readers - Beginner    11. Social Issues - General    12. Social Issues - Values    13. Video games    14. English    15. Juvenile Fiction / Movie or Television Tie-In   

Reviews (3)

My students love this book
I teach first grade. My students love this book because the children in this book are just like them! I like the book because it is easy for them to read, has great pictures, and is in the form of a short chapter book so they feel they are smart readers. I also like the morals and lessons in the book. This book and other Little Bill books are great!

Little Bill learns a lesson about telling the truth
At the beginning of "My Big Lie," one of comedian and educator Billy Cosby's "Little Bill Books for Beginning Readers," Little Bill is in his room being punished for telling a big fib by having to copy a story called "The Boy Who Cried Wolf."Most young readers will already be familiar with that ancient story, but if they are not Young Bill retells the story and then goes into why he is being punished.Young Bill tells his parents that he is going to ride his bike to the pool to practice with a friend for the swim meet.His mother warns that they are having an early dinner at 4:30 and Little Bill says he will be back by then.But on his way to the pool he sees the guys playing basketball and ends up playing with them.The next thing he knows it is 7:00.Big Bill knows he is in BIG trouble and his friend tells him he had better think of something fast. Lessons on Trust
Every year my students have a choice of choosing a book from the stack of 'Little Bill' books, and this one is always the first one they pick.The moral of this story is one that not only teachers wish to inflict, but parents, as well.It has a great way of introducing THE BOY WHO CRIED WOLF story into the classroom.I also enjoyed how it introduced a way to discuss the definition of a "fib".This book was great for my students because we were able to explore in more detail the meaning of true "trust".I recommend this book to every teacher and every parent of elementary aged children. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. African Americans    2. Children's 4-8 - Fiction - General    3. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Fiction    4. Children: Grades 1-2    5. Fiction    6. Honesty    7. Humorous Stories    8. Punctuality    9. Readers - Beginner    10. Social Issues - Values    11. Social Situations - Values    12. Tardiness   

Reviews (1)

Little Bill builds a sailboat but then it breaks
The "Little Boy Books for Beginning Readers" are written by Bill Cosby to play up the value of friendships and family relationships while also encouraging children to solve the problems they face in fair and creative ways.Each book is dedicated to Cosby's son Ennis, who was tragically murdered, which adds poignancy to these stories for older readers.For beginning readers it is the validity of the point being made in these stories, that are set in a fairly realistic world, that will matter.These books, which are illustrated by Varnette P. Honeywood, are intended for ages 6-10, which shows that beyond being for beginning readers they are intended to teach important lessons.Read more

Subjects:  1. African Americans    2. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Fiction    3. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    4. Family life    5. Fiction    6. Juvenile Fiction    7. Readers - Beginner    8. Social Issues - General    9. Social Issues - Values    10. Toys    11. Juvenile Fiction / Readers / Chapter Books   

Editorial Review

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Reviews (5)

Little Bill searches his room for his best treasure
In "The Treasure Hunt" Little Bill is stuck at home on a day when there is no school (good news) but it is windy and rainy (bad news).His father is cleaning his scratchy old jazz records that Little Bill could not care less about and his mother is polishing her large silver platter and telling him (once again) that once day it will be passed down to him.Little Bill is so bored his brother Bobby takes him back to his room to show him the baseball cards that Uncle Al gave him, but Little Bill does not care about Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Sandy Koufax, Roberto Clemente or any other baseball player who were playing ball before he was even born (I can understand being unimpressed by jazz records, but not to be excited about baseball cards that are from 1966 or earlier is just plain wrong!). I love Little Bill
My son is 5 and he relates to Little Bill very well..All of the stories are easy to read and understand for him.I would recommend this book and all other Little Bill books to parents who read with their children on aregular basis.The language and concepts are simple yet interesting withvery open ended solutions that can be applied anywhere and my son graspsthe concepts quite well.We also watch the t.v show which is a bitdifferent from the book, but like them both the same.

The best of Bill's books
Well this is the best of Bill Cosby's books.It still falls way shortthough.Children learning to read need better than this.It stops andstarts.The pictures are great - I can't praise Miss Honeywood enough -yet the story disappoints.Best of Bill but my oh my this is pushing itOprah! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. African Americans    2. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Fiction    3. Children: Grades 1-2    4. Family - Multigenerational    5. Family life    6. Fiction    7. Heirlooms    8. Juvenile Fiction    9. Movie Tie - In    10. Readers - Chapter Books    11. Social Issues - General    12. Storytelling    13. Juvenile Fiction / Readers / Chapter Books   

Reviews (3)

Okay, so how would you spend millions of dollars?
All kids dream of finding a treasure, although usually it just ends up a really interesting looking piece of wood or a rock, or maybe something cool in somebody's garbage.In "The Day I Was Rich," a Little Bill Book for Beginning Readers, Bill Cosby's Little Bill finds something that makes him the richest boy in the whole wide world.You see, one day Little Bill and his friends are making up a game using sticks and cans that they found in the park, when he stumbles across the biggest diamond in the world.Little Bill is now the richest boy in the world and the big question is how will he and his friends spend all that money? Imgination goes wild!!
I thought this was a very well written book for youngsters. The pages are bold and colorful with easy to read words. It is a chapter book for the beginner reader with a story relating how a child's imgination can get away from them before they come back to earth. Bill Cosby writes this book for all to learn to laugh at ourself once in a while! And to think how we would react if we were in the same position as the kids in the story!!!

Another great Little Bill Book
Little Bill finds a huge "diamond" and thinks he's rich.Little Bill agrees to share the money with his friends.Their ideas for spending the money are sweet and thoughtful.They're disappointed that the"diamond" is a paperweight but they overcome the disappointmentvery quickly.They play outside and laugh at how they were fooled. Read more

Subjects:  1. African Americans    2. Children's 4-8 - Fiction - General    3. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Fiction    4. Children: Grades 2-3    5. Fiction    6. Humorous Stories    7. Juvenile Fiction    8. People & Places - United States - African-American    9. Readers - Beginner    10. Social Issues - General    11. Social Situations - General    12. Wealth   

Reviews (1)

Little Bill has to endure an adult party at his house
Early on in this Little Bill Book for Beginning Readers his father explains that the purpose of wearing a tie is "for reminding boys to be good."I suppose it is better never late than never to learn one of the reasons I have strayed from the path, but I still am not partial to ties.Read more

Subjects:  1. Behavior    2. Children's 4-8 - Fiction - General    3. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Fiction    4. Children: Grades 1-2    5. Fiction    6. Human behavior    7. Juvenile Fiction    8. Readers - Beginner    9. Social Issues - General    10. Social Situations - General   

Reviews (2)

Bill Cosby tells a great story about surviving a crush
I remember Bill Cosby, before the hit television sitcom and even before Fat Albert was a Saturday morning staple.I remember the comedy albums and the stories about being a kid.Even though he was funny, very funny, there was such a sense of pathos when he talked about having his tonsils out, or having to share a bed with his brother.When you look at everything Bill Cosby has done, from getting his doctorate in Education to his television shows, he has never ever forgotten what it was like to be a kid.The truth of that statement is very much in evidence in "Super-Fine Valentine," one of Cosby's "Little Bill Books for Beginning Readers." Wonderful! True to life.
I've read all the Little Bill books to my four year old.He likes The Best Way To Play, but this one is my favorite.It really reminds me of my own young feelings. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Fiction    2. Children: Grades 1-2    3. Fiction    4. Holidays & Celebrations - Valentine's Day    5. Juvenile Easy Readers    6. Juvenile Fiction    7. Readers - Beginner    8. Schools    9. Social Issues - Emotions & Feelings    10. Valentine's Day   

Reviews (1)

Little Bill wants to play second base on the baseball team
Little Bill has no problems with boys and girls playing together on a baseball team until a new girl shows up and wants to play HIS position (which would be second base).Of course, it is not just that Simone wants to play second base or that she is taller than Little Bill, but more that she hits the ball into the next state, runs as fast as a superhero about to take off flying, and can also catch and throw the ball.Little Bill goes home and complains to his parents.His father says that he never lost a position to a girl in any sport, but his mother points out that boys would never let girls play way back then.However, it is Alice the Great who points out that Little Bill is thinking more about himself than about his team.Read more

Subjects:  1. African Americans    2. Baseball    3. Children's 4-8 - Fiction - General    4. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Fiction    5. Children: Grades 1-2    6. Fiction    7. Juvenile Fiction    8. Readers - Beginner    9. Social Issues - Emotions & Feelings    10. Social Issues - Values    11. Social Situations - Values    12. Sports & Recreation - Baseball    13. Juvenile Fiction / Readers / Chapter Books   

Reviews (9)

Helped My Son's Night Terrors
My son loves this book! My 3 and a half year old was suffering from night terrors. His uncle purchased this book for him for Christmas and we've read it so much that he has memorized the words and can read most of the book to me! When he got it, he wanted to read it every night, sometimes twice - I think it allowed him to laugh at Little Bill and helped him feel better about the noises that a little one hears at night. It also helped me understand how he feels and what to do to make him feel safe. Now, I tuck him into bed the same way Little Bill's grandmother does, and he sleeps so much better. I recommend this book highly!

This Little Bill book is one that parents should read too
In "One Dark and Scary Night" Little Bill is alone in his dark room trying to go to sleep when he starts hearing strange sounds.He becomes absolutely convinced that there is some "mean things" in his closet that are going to touch him.But when he tries to jump into bed with his parents or Alice the Great, they keep telling him that he is a big boy now and he has to sleep in his own bed.But whereas his mother opens the door to his bedroom closet and shows Little Bill that there is nothing there, Alice the Great has a better idea.Actually, she has a whole series of them, which is good, because Little Bill has a lot of objections to all of her ideas. Ultimately supports belief in magic and monsters
I LOVED this book....right up until the end, when the grandmother has to resort to "magic" to get rid of the "monsters"---thereby supporting a child's belief in both. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. African Americans    2. Bedtime & Dreams    3. Children's 4-8 - Fiction - General    4. Children: Grades 2-3    5. Children: Kindergarten    6. Fear    7. Fear of the dark    8. Fiction    9. Great-grandmothers    10. Juvenile Fiction    11. Readers - Beginner    12. Social Issues - Emotions & Feelings    13. Juvenile Fiction / Readers / Chapter Books   

Reviews (4)

Cosby's Little Bill learns about how to solve problems
"The Day I Saw My Father Cry" tells of the very sad day when Little Bill and his father lost a special friend but that is not really what this book for beginning readers is about.The important lesson here is what that special friend, Alan Mills, always did to stop people from having an argument (telling you would take away the fun of finding out for yourself, because it is so simple that you stop and think, well, yes, that would work).But while the death of Alan Mills makes a nice point about the difference between a "heart" and a "Heart," it does not make his lesson any more valid.In fact, after Little Bill learns the lesson in the first chapter and sees Alan Mills do it in the second, I think he would have used it in the final chapter even if he did not see his father cry in the third chapter.Alvin F. Poussaint, M.D., the Harvard Medical School Clinical Professor of Psychiatry who was an advisor on "The Cosby Show" addresses parents at the front of the book, says outright that this book is about dealing with the sudden death of a family friend, but it really is about much more than that. Real life and morals
This book contains 4 short chapters.In the first chapter, the narrator meets a new neighbor, Alan Mills.Alan Mills always seems to turn up at times of conflict to remind people about the magic of Christmas, even if it's not Christmas time.In doing this, he gets people to focus back on the positive sides of the friends and family.In chapter 3, Alan Mills passes away (and the narrator's father cries about this).But in chapter 4, we find that his spirit is still alive, when the narrator and his brother remember Mills' message and stop their bickering over prime seats in front of the TV.Altogether, the book contains about 1500 words and is suitable for beginning readers.

Positive role model for boys (and girls) experiencing grief
A very touching story about how parents and children experience grief.Young boys especially do not often see the pain of grief in adult men.I'm always glad of a positive role model that shows that grown up men feel sad and miss the people they lose.This book does a nice job of demonstrating that experience. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. African Americans    2. Children's 4-8 - Fiction - General    3. Children: Preschool    4. Conduct of life    5. Death    6. Fiction    7. Readers - Beginner    8. Social Situations - Death & Dying    9. Social Situations - Emotions & Feelings   

Reviews (2)

Only $52.13 and Little Bill will be famous forever
Little Bill has an interesting plan in "Money Troubles," another Little Bill Book for Beginning Readers by Bill Cosby.His teacher has explained about the Oort Cloud that exists beyond the orbit of Pluto and how one day a comet will emerge from the cloud and travel through space toward the sun.Little Bill has decided that he is going to discover that comet and have it named Comet Little Bill after himself so he can become famous.The only problem is that Little Bill needs a telescope to be able to discover a new comet and it costs $100.Knowing his parents will never give him that much money, Little Bill is coming to have to get the money himself.When he checks his football bank, he discovers he is only $52.13 away from becoming famous. Realistic, honest, humane-- Excellent !
My kids (girls, 7 & 8) have recently fallen in love with the LittleBill books.But this one is a special discovery.The realistic approachto the subjects of money, want, need, being poor, to give or not to give,are dealt with so succinctly in this little book.All three of us weremoved by the events as they unfolded. Thought-provoking and challenging forkids AND their parents! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. African Americans    2. Children's 4-8 - Fiction - General    3. Children: Grades 1-2    4. Fiction    5. Generosity    6. Humorous Stories    7. Juvenile Fiction    8. Moneymaking projects    9. Moneymaking projects for child    10. Readers - Beginner    11. Social Issues - General    12. Social Issues - Values    13. Humour   

Subjects:  1. Children's 9-12    2. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    3. General   

Subjects:  1. Children's 4-8 - Crafts / Hobbies    2. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Nonfiction    3. Children: Grades 1-2    4. Crafts & Hobbies - General    5. Holidays & Celebrations - Valentine's Day    6. Juvenile Nonfiction   

Reviews (1)

Braintastic!!
Mr. Cosby has written a great book.My 3 year old can't get enough of this book or the other Little Bill book.Captain Brainstorm is my sons favorite superhero.I highly recommend it for its colorful illustrations and its themes of teamwork, courage, and friendship. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's 4-8 - Fiction - General    2. General