Reviews (3)

Disney Fans Must Have
This is a must have for the Disney fan.This book gives in depth detail into the man who created the "happiest place on earth", from the people who knew hime best.His family, friends, and employees.I have read many books on Disney, and this ranks in the top 2(along with Imaganineering).It tells the stories of his triumphs as well as his tragedies.I highly recommend this book.

NIce story about a true genius
This book is not a complete and detailed biography, but is a nice tribute to Walt Disney. It has a lot of photos, and the most interesting parts of the book are "personal side" sections.

Proof That Walt Disney Was The Original Dream Worker!
Walt Disney is well on his way to becoming the most written about creative talent in American film.Read more

Subjects:  1. 1901-1966    2. Animators    3. Biography    4. Biography & Autobiography    5. Biography & Autobiography - Performing Arts    6. Biography/Autobiography    7. Children's 12-Up - Biography / Autobiography    8. Children's Books/Young Adult Biography    9. Disney, Walt,    10. Performing Arts - Film    11. Rich & Famous    12. United States    13. Biography & Autobiography / Entertainment & Performing Arts    14. Disney, Walt   

Reviews (3)

Definitely Disney
Having just returned from Disneyland with my two granddaughters age 4 and 7, this was the "quintessential Disney"...it will continue to bring back the memories of our visit and the pop-up is just fantastic. It is not however, a book for the little ones to use without guidance....the pop-ups need a little help and little hands probably wouldn't work. It's worth the wait though, for now, we look at it together.

Beautiful Book
A beautiful, clever and well engineered book. Minus one star for it is missing some of the best classic moments especially Cinderella magically transforming into her ball gown.

Pop up book for Disney collectors
This book is pretty simple, 5 pop-up pages of scenes from different Disney classics from the Walt Disney era.All representing what the author explains as the "quintessential elements of Walt and his work" - romance (Lady and the Tramp), adventure (Peter Pan), friendship (Bambi), fantasy (Pinocchio), and music (Snow White).
Read more

Subjects:  1. Animated films    2. Animation    3. Biography & Autobiography - Performing Arts    4. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 10-12)    5. Film & Video - Animation    6. Juvenile Nonfiction    7. Juvenile literature    8. Pop Arts / Pop Culture    9. Specimens    10. Toy and movable books    11. Gift books   

Reviews (35)

The Man Who WalkedBetween the Towers
Artwork offers impressive, unusual perspectives which surprise the eye.

Thrilling Fun for All
This true story is well written and fantastically illustrated.It's about the amazing walk of aerealist Phillipe Petite between the two towers of the World Trade Center.When he is on the wire, the perspective showing how high he is, is so well drawn that my stomach flips.This amuses my children to no end. Added to this physical sensation is that it is on a tri-fold page which gives the viewer a real sense of being out there way above lower Manhattan.We've had this book for three years and enjoy it as much today as we did when we first brought it home.

An interesting spin to bring history into the present
The Man Who Walked Between the Towers is an incredible feat at dealing with a recent crisis and spinning it into a memorable scene of overcoming struggles and following your dreams. The struggle to handle the events of 9/11 is immense, but Gerstein uses a piece of history to bring the Towers to life, not to mention the sheer beauty in the illustrations. This book comes highly recommended. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1949-    2. Aerialists    3. Biography & Autobiography - General    4. Biography & Autobiography - Performing Arts    5. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Nonfiction    6. Children: Grades 1-2    7. France    8. Gerstein, Mordicai    9. History - United States/20th Century    10. Juvenile Nonfiction    11. Juvenile literature    12. Performing Arts - Circus    13. Petit, Philippe,    14. Tightrope walking    15. Juvenile Nonfiction / Performing Arts / Circus   

Reviews (1)

What do we do now?We dance!
How should your average adult shopper determine the difference between a graphic novel that is good and a graphic novel that is bad? It's simple. If a graphic novel is bad then it will be poorly illustrated, shamefully written, and just dull all over. If a graphic novel is good it can convert the unconvertible. I work with a woman who is a self-proclaimed woman "too old" for graphic novels. She never dug them. Never much cared for them. And then "To Dance" fell into her lap and BANG! Instant fan. This should come as no very great surprise. We're dealing with the Siegel duo. Mark Siegel the illustrator may at this point in time be best known for "Seadogs: An Epic Ocean Operattea" which he penned with aplomb. He's the editorial director of First Second (the company that gave the world that go-buy-it-right-now book "American Born Chinese" by Gene Luen Yang) and a talented artist in his own right. And Ms. Siena Cherson Siegel attended the School of America Ballet where she studied "preprofessionally" (as the book's author blurb says) for twelve years. So what couple is better suited to depict the rigor and wonder of how a child becomes a ballerina, I ask you? This is a biography like you've never seen it before.
Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography & Autobiography - Performing Arts    2. Children's All Ages - Fiction - General    3. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Graphic Novels    4. Children: Grades 4-6    5. Comics & Graphic Novels - General    6. Girls & Women    7. Juvenile Nonfiction    8. Performing Arts - Dance    9. Juvenile Fiction / Comics & Graphic Novels   

Reviews (1)

The life of Harry Houdini, the world famous "master mystifier"
This DK Biography of Harry Houdini is described as "A photographic story of a life," but I can tell you up front that it is not a collection of photographs with captions but an illustrated biography that is comparable to other volumes put out by this company. That means you will find over 100 photographs, artwork and artifacts, including photograph of his famous escapes, posters from throughout his career, and a look at things like his collection of handcuffs. For somebody like me who knows most of what they know about Houdini from the movie with Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh (and whatever television documentaries I might stumble across from time to time), this book is quite educational. Vicki Cobb tells about the life of Harry Houdini so it reads like an American success story. Born Ehrich Weiss, the kid who will become Harry Houdini leaves home at the age of 12, gets bored working in a factory, and starts practicing coin trips in his spare time. Eventually the son of poor immigrants would be selling out the theaters of Europe as the greatest magician and escape artist in the world.
Read more

Subjects:  1. 1874-1926    2. Biography    3. Biography & Autobiography - General    4. Biography & Autobiography - Performing Arts    5. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Biography    6. Children: Grades 4-6    7. Escape artists    8. Games & Activities - Magic    9. Houdini, Harry,    10. Juvenile Nonfiction    11. Juvenile literature    12. Magicians    13. United States    14. Juvenile Nonfiction / Biography & Autobiography / Performing Arts   

Reviews (3)

Escape! into this showman's spirited triumph!
Escape! The Story of The Great Houdini, a magician's tale conjured from a magician's top hat, is a showman's spirited triumph. Sid Fleischman, himself a magician as documented in The Abracadabra Kid, fills each page with enchanting insights not possible by writers outside the magic circle.Beyond that, the reader of both Fleischman books will soon discover many similarities between the author and his subject.Both Jews, both taken up by the magician's wand at an early age, both showmen, both devoted to lifelong sweethearts, and both eager to extend a hand to those just coming up the pike.No wonder Fleischmen had to write this book.
A gorgeous first edition
Oversized, full of pictures, and illustrated with a flourish, Escape! is a realistic and at the same time very personal look into the life of Harry Houdini by Sid Fleischman, who spent his youth persuing stage magic and emulating the King of Handcuffs. Fleischman even knew Bess Houdini, the magician's widow, when they both lived in California. Fleischman writes like he talks; if you've met the man and heard his speech patterns, the book is easier to follow, but at times I thought his idiosyncratic style could have used a bit of editing. He certainly enjoys his subject though, and his enthusiasm is infectious. A great introduction to a charismatic and enigmatic Harry Houdini.

No single book can hold him!
Oh me, oh my, another Houdini biography? A person could be forgiven for giving a groan at hearing that yet another such beast was being churned out of the publishing houses. Even the library with the poorest stock of literary biographies for children will find that it has at least one moth-eaten old bio of that greatest of self-promoters. So it was with great trepidation that I examined Sid Fleischman's newest contribution to the world of non-fiction. Admittedly, the man had his credentials in order. Not only can he boast to have met and conversed often with Houdini's wife, Bess, but he has actually been a magician himself. How many other biographers of the mysterious man can say as much? And then reading through "Escape!" I found the book to be an entirely enjoyable lark. Relying a great deal on Fleischman's trademark easy-going voice and writing style, the book sets out to debunk as many Houdini myths as it possibly can while simultaneously reestablishing its subject to be the amazing genius he truly was. Fleischman doesn't flinch from the less enjoyable aspects of Houdini's life, but neither does he degrade the man who could arguably have been called America's greatest entertainer.
Read more

Subjects:  1. Adventure & Adventurers    2. Biography    3. Biography & Autobiography - Performing Arts    4. Children's 9-12    5. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Nonfiction    6. Children: Grades 4-6    7. Escape artists    8. Juvenile Nonfiction    9. Juvenile literature    10. Magicians    11. United States    12. Juvenile Nonfiction / Biography & Autobiography / Performing Arts   

Reviews (37)

A VERY GOOD book for ANY age.
I've been a Bond fan since my Dad used to take me to the public library so I could take out the hardback versions of Fleming's master spy.
CRAP
This book was a load of crap. It was nothing but a bunch of boring common knowledge. They name a subject then give you 1/4 of the info on it. And there was only a couple pics of the bond actors except for Pierce who there was a lot of pics of. I think the author is gay for Pierce. The book was written like someone watched the movies once and wrote down a few facts here and there. I love the bond films but I wouldn't pay a dollar for this book.

The book is fine, some of the reviewers aren't:
This book is done in typical DK style, a fabulous pictorial representation of the people and items associated with the James Bond series of films.If you want to know more about some of what you see on the screen, this is a good choice.
Read more

Subjects:  1. 1908-1964    2. Antiques/Collectibles    3. Biography & Autobiography - Performing Arts    4. Bond, James (Fictitious character)    5. Characters    6. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    7. Film & Video - History & Criticism    8. Film and video adaptations    9. Fleming, Ian,    10. History and criticism    11. James Bond    12. James Bond films    13. Juvenile Nonfiction    14. Juvenile literature    15. Pop Arts / Pop Culture    16. Spy stories, English    17. Antiques & Collectibles / Movies    18. Fleming, Ian    19. Children's   

Reviews (3)

A very interesting double biography
On the morning of April 15, 1865, one of the United States' premier actors received the word that there had been an attempt on the life of the President, and that the would-be assassin was none other than his beloved younger brother. That actor, who was famous throughout the country for his fine acting and devoted patriotism, was Edwin Booth, and the brother was John Wilkes Booth. In spite of Edwin's fame during his lifetime, his name has quietly faded from the American mind, while the name Booth has become forever associated with treachery and assassination.
Exceedingly Disappointing
With so many beautiful books about the Booth family already out of print, it's a pity that this new book is of such poor quality. Those interested in learning about John Wilkes Booth would do far better to read Michael W. Kauffman's exquisite new biography, "American Brutus," or Gene Smith's "American Gothic," a book which, like this one, focuses on the entire family, but with far greater success and eloquence. (American Gothic, published in 1992, is already out of print, but can still be purchased cheaply online)
"an oppressed memory, and a wounded name" --- Edwin Booth
A notation in Good Brother, Bad Brother suggests that it is for readers aged 10-14, but I found it to be interesting and informative for even well-read adults and, although the writing style may be more geared towards a younger audience, it includes some nice analysis and even a little intrigue.James Cross Giblin covers Edwin more thoroughly--he lived longer, of course-from his youthful days accompanying his famous father actor Junius Brutus Booth on his theatrical tours to the beginnings of Edwin's stage career, his sometimes heated relationship with younger brother John Wilkes, fears about his future after the assassination and how the assassination continued to affect him throughout his life, his post-assassination career including the Booth Theatre and The Players club, his troubling second marriage, to his death.The chapters on John Wilkes Booth include information and reviews on his brief acting career but, of course, focus on his fanaticism with the southern cause and his conspiracy plans to kidnap (which later escalated to killing) President Lincoln.
Read more

Subjects:  1. 1838-1865    2. Actors    3. Assassins    4. Biography    5. Biography & Autobiography - General    6. Biography & Autobiography - Historical    7. Biography & Autobiography - Performing Arts    8. Booth, Edwin,    9. Booth, John Wilkes,    10. Brothers    11. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Biography    12. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    13. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    14. Family    15. History - United States/19th Century    16. History - United States/General    17. Juvenile Nonfiction    18. Juvenile literature    19. United States    20. Juvenile Nonfiction / Biography & Autobiography / Historical   

Reviews (1)

Great!!!
You will never believe everything this woman has went through. After reading this you will have so much respect for Oprah. This is a wonderful book, that is interesting. After reading this I sat there and thought what a courageous woman she is. She went through alot as a child but this book tells the message that no matter what had happenes today there is still tomorrow and that yesterday was the past. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography & Autobiography - Cultural Heritage    3. Biography & Autobiography - Performing Arts    4. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Biography    5. Children: Grades 4-6    6. Juvenile Nonfiction    7. Juvenile literature    8. Motion picture actors and actresses    9. Performing Arts - Television & Radio    10. Television personalities    11. United States   

Reviews (7)

Judging a book by the cover
I picked up the book because of the cover, a boy sitting with Interesting story
This was a good book, easy to read by people of all ages. There are some amazing life struggles depicted very well...

A REVIEW OF THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD
I think that how Ralph Helfer made this story become so true and so realistic to the readers mind really touched me it is one of the best books i have ever read and ever will read. You cant read this book with out a box of tissues near bye because I cried my eyes out through out the whole book. I can really relate to this book because currently my pony is for sale and i am going to keep track of him forever and hopefully who ever buys him will sell him back to me for my baby cousin who is too young for him now but will be a perfect match as she gets older. Ralph Helfer gets a standing applause for his book Modoc. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Animals - Elephants    2. Biography & Autobiography - Performing Arts    3. Children's 9-12 - Biography / Autobiography    4. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Biography    5. Children: Grades 3-4    6. Circus animals    7. Human-animal relationships    8. Juvenile Nonfiction    9. Juvenile literature    10. Modoc (Elephant)    11. Performing Arts - Circus    12. Social Issues - Friendship    13. Juvenile Fiction / Animals / Elephants   

Reviews (6)

This is One of The Best!
I've read a lot of books about Oprah, but this one stands out. It has new material that I'd never read before despite the plethora of biographic stuff I own on this amazing woman. Many of the photographs are new to me. I'm putting Westen's book at the head of my collection. It will be a while before any others come out that can compete. I recommend it highly. Before it goes out of print -- grab it.

This is the BEST book on Oprah ever
I am a big Oprah fan. I started watching her with my mother when I was just a child. So when my teacher said I could read this book for school I did it right away. It's so good. I learned so much about Oprah and now I love her even more. Every kid and grown up should read this book if they are interested in Oprah Winfrey. There were so many great pictires I never saw before also. Read this book and you will get all the REAL information you want to know about Oprah.I want to thank the author for writing this book. It is one of the best I've ever read.

You want this book
I had to write a book reveiw about a famous African American and Im really glad my teacher let me write it about Oprah becausee she is one of the greatest women in the world. This book was very helpful and very interesting also. I learned all about Oprah's childhood all the way up to the latest news. It has great pictures and the writing is easy to understand but very interesting. If you love Oprah it doesn't matter how old you are. This book is really great.
Read more

Subjects:  1. Actors    2. African American television personalities    3. Biography    4. Biography & Autobiography - Cultural Heritage    5. Biography & Autobiography - Performing Arts    6. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Biography    7. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    8. Juvenile Nonfiction    9. Juvenile literature    10. Performing Arts - Mass Media/Journalism    11. Television personalities    12. United States    13. Winfrey, Oprah   

Reviews (2)

mischa barton
i love the oc i think that i will marry it i love it that much. i would love to meet mischa barton and my dream is to marry her.

the o.c stars
hi pepole my name is sophie cameron im 15 yrs of age and i am sooo crazy about rhyan he is sooooooo cute i whach the o.c all the time non stop i am sooo crazy about him i would love if i got a messige from him id proply fante ha ha ha ha i looooove himmmmm soooooo muuuuuch ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Actors    2. Biography    3. Biography & Autobiography - Performing Arts    4. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Biography    5. Children: Grades 4-6    6. Juvenile Nonfiction    7. Mass Media (Young Adult)    8. O. C. (Television program)    9. O.C. (Television program)    10. Performing Arts (Young Adult)    11. Performing Arts - Television & Radio    12. United States    13. Juvenile Fiction / Movie or Television Tie-In   

Subjects:  1. Actors and actresses    2. Biography    3. Biography & Autobiography - Performing Arts    4. Children's 12-Up - Fiction - General    5. Children's Books/Young Adult Misc. Nonfiction    6. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    7. Juvenile Nonfiction    8. Juvenile literature    9. Movie Tie - In    10. One Tree Hill (Television program)    11. Performing Arts - Television & Radio    12. Television actors and actresses    13. United States    14. Juvenile Fiction / Movie or Television Tie-In   

Reviews (1)

A Must For Anyone Considering Dancing Abroad
This book was exceptionally well-written and very hard to put down - excellent photos too!I loved reading about Olympia's experiences dancing in Russia - I used this book as my travel guide and packing checklist to prepare for my own dancing adventure in Russia!Not only is this an entertaining book, but it is full of practical advice as well. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1984-    2. Ballet dancers    3. Biography    4. Biography & Autobiography - Performing Arts    5. British Columbia    6. Children's 12-Up - Biography / Autobiography    7. Children's Books/Young Adult Biography    8. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    9. Dowd, Olympia,    10. Juvenile Nonfiction    11. Juvenile literature    12. Performing Arts - Dance    13. Performing Arts - Theater    14. Travel    15. Vancouver    16. Women    17. Juvenile Nonfiction / Biography & Autobiography / Performing Arts   

Reviews (2)

MEDIOCRE AT BEST
this sticker book is inexpensive, i realize that, so i was not expecting tons of stickers, but only 4 pages?? and the stickers are big, like 2" x 2" big so that's not very many stickers for the money. i would not recommend this sticker book.

lots of colorful stickers!
Sixty-one stickers, approximately 2 inches square, cover a broad range of Disney characters and motifs. Stickers can be placed on corresponding outlines that are organized on 7 pages under several themes: Timeless Characters (Donald Duck, Chip 'n' Dale, Mickey Mouse, etc.), Favorites Forever (Bambi, Cinderella, Tinker Bell, etc.), Instant Classics (Ariel, Beauty and the Beast, etc.), and New Faces (Mike and Sulley, Stitch, Treasue Planet, etc.) This is a fun sticker book for older kids because they can read the titles and descriptions; younger children will be able to identify the correct placement by the picture outlines.Read more

Subjects:  1. Activity Books - General    2. Biography & Autobiography - General    3. Biography & Autobiography - Performing Arts    4. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Fiction    5. Children: Grades 1-2    6. General    7. Juvenile Nonfiction    8. Juvenile Nonfiction / Biography & Autobiography / Performing Arts   

Subjects:  1. Actors    2. Actors and actresses    3. Biography    4. Biography & Autobiography - Performing Arts    5. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    6. Children: Grades 3-4    7. Juvenile Nonfiction    8. Juvenile literature    9. Tisdale, Ashley    10. United States    11. Juvenile Nonfiction / Biography & Autobiography / General   

Reviews (6)

For all you tappers out there
Hello to all those tappers out there - I love all of you - Including you Savion. My name is Vaughan and I am actually Australian. My mother taught me how to tap ever since I could stand on two feet. Now, I'm 19 years old. And I'm a professional tap dancing teacher in Japan. Let me just say that I could relate a lot with what Savion was talking about. His views on tap and the way he wants it to go. Best book I've read for a long time
I couldn't put this book down. As a tapper, who is into hoofing and rythm tap, this book was amazing. It explains not only Savin's life and his career but how he uses his shoes to do what he does. This book brings an element of percusion into the dance world that needs to be more widely used.

His Voice Is Finally Heard
We've been hearing his wonderful rhythms for years, now we finally get to hear his voice.What a true inspiration!This book just makes you want to jump up and start moving your feet.Believe me, this book is not just for children.I used it as required reading for my advanced tap class at the local college. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography & Autobiography - Cultural Heritage    3. Biography & Autobiography - Literary    4. Biography & Autobiography - People of Color    5. Biography & Autobiography - Performing Arts    6. Children's 9-12 - Biography / Autobiography    7. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Biography    8. Children: Grades 3-4    9. Choreographers    10. Dancers    11. Glover, Savion    12. History    13. Juvenile Nonfiction    14. Juvenile literature    15. Performing Arts - Dance    16. Tap dancing    17. United States    18. Actors, dancers, performers    19. Dance    20. Ethnic groups    21. Juvenile Nonfiction / Biography & Autobiography / Literary   

Reviews (3)

Watch for this Author she's a Gem!
This author was new to us and we will be looking for her from now on. The pictures are sooo wonderful they transport you. The information is well done and clear, yet not watered done. This is someone that REALLY understands writing books for children that adults can enjoy using as teachers or parents. I recently bought alot of books on Shakespeare, for use in the school room this year and we have found 4 authors that made the grade on this subject! This is a keeper!

Diane Stanley Is The Queen Of Longer Picturebook Biographies
Stanley is a masterful writer/illustrator when it comes to creating longer picturebook biographies (with heavier text).Her bios on da Vinci, Cleopatra and Shakespeare are fabulous.It amazes me that she has not won a Caldecott Honor yet! I can't wait to see her bio about Michelangelo!

Excellent children's biography
Our family has recently discovered the wonderful Peter Vennema/Diane Stanley biographies.They are vivid, engaging, and thorough, yet short enough for younger readers to sit through (my daughters are 4 and6). Bard of Avon and Good Queen Bess are our favorites so far, and they go verywell together since neither Shakespeare nor Queen Elizabeth would have beenthe same without the other.Unlike other histories or biographies forchildren, this book makes a destinction between what we know aboutShakespeare's life and times and what are only guesses. It is nice forchildren to see that the study of history is not just memorizing facts anddates, but piecing together clues in the context of what is known about atime period.As a former high school English teacher,I wish that I hadhad this book when I was teaching Shakespeare plays because it would havebeen a wonderful introduction. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Authors, English    2. Biography    3. Biography & Autobiography - Literary    4. Biography & Autobiography - Performing Arts    5. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Nonfiction    6. Children: Grades 3-4    7. Dramatists, English    8. Early modern, 1500-1700    9. Juvenile Nonfiction    10. Juvenile literature    11. Shakespeare, William    12. English literature: Shakespeare texts    13. Historical figures    14. Juvenile Nonfiction / Biography & Autobiography / Performing Arts   

Reviews (1)

I don't know I have not seen it yet.
I am trying to do it for an English paper. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1928-    2. Actors and actresses    3. Biography    4. Biography & Autobiography - Performing Arts    5. Biography & Autobiography - Political    6. Careers    7. Children's 9-12 - Biography / Autobiography    8. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 10-12)    9. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    10. Diplomats    11. Juvenile Nonfiction    12. Juvenile literature    13. Motion picture actors and actr    14. Motion picture actors and actresses    15. Temple, Shirley,    16. United States    17. Vocational Guidance (Young Adult)    18. Actors, dancers, performers    19. Films, cinema    20. Politicians & political leaders    21. Temple, Shirley   

Subjects:  1. Actors    2. Biography    3. Biography & Autobiography - Cultural Heritage    4. Biography & Autobiography - People of Color    5. Biography & Autobiography - Performing Arts    6. Children's 12-Up - Biography / Autobiography    7. Children's Books/Young Adult Biography    8. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    9. Juvenile Nonfiction    10. Juvenile literature    11. Television personalities    12. United States    13. Winfrey, Oprah