Reviews (18)

The Keeping Quilt
What a beautiful family story.Our children need to know their heritage and family history and this is a beautiful way to share the events of the past with them.Patricia Polacco is a master at connecting us to our families!

The Keeping Quilt is a great book.
For a long time I searched for information about Russian quilt history. I gave up when I went to St. Petersburg, Russia and could only find new publications on how to make a modern quilt. I was very glad to see in this book the quilt made by a Russian lady. I was glad to find that it was made of fabrics of used garments of loved ones. It affirmed my conviction that women everywhere will make something beautiful of whatever they have. Russia is a very large and cold nation there must be other quilts stories. I would like to hear the stories and see the quilts.

Wonderful book!
I'd give this book six stars if I could!The story is heartwarming.I originally bought it because I'm a quilter who was lucky enough to inherit some family quilts.But I also loved the lovingly-drawn portraits of Ms. Polacco's ancestors.
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Subjects:  1. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Fiction    2. Children: Grades 1-2    3. Children: Grades 2-3    4. Emigration and immigration    5. Fiction    6. General    7. Jews    8. Juvenile Nonfiction    9. Quilts    10. Social Issues - Emigration & Immigration    11. Juvenile Nonfiction / Family / Multigenerational   

Reviews (2)

Great Book For Young Kids
This is an excellent book to teach values for younger ones. This younger version of The Traveler's Gift is a great book to read to your kids to instill certain values into them. A+!

A Great Book
The people in the book were like me because the kid was nearly my age. The story had some sad parts but a happy ending that made me feel good. I have already recommended the book to my friend at school who had already read The Traveler's Gift. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's Books/Young Adult Religion    2. Children: Grades 3-4    3. Conduct of life    4. Juvenile Fiction    5. Social Issues - New Experience    6. Social Issues - Values & Virtues    7. Teenagers    8. Juvenile Nonfiction / Religion / Christianity   

Editorial Review

Imagine a Dickens story with a Venetian setting, and you'll have a goodsense of Cornelia Funke's prizewinning novel Read more

Reviews (356)

beautifully written
The "Thief Lord" is a wonderful contemporary story full of loss, beauty, adventure and a little bit of magic.Cornelia Funke's book has one several literary prizes and even bumped Harry Potter off the best sellers list in Germany and Northern Europe for a time.It never talks down to kids and is engaging to adults as well.The imagery of Venice is dead-on (just like I remembered) and the characters(Prosepero, Scipio) are richly portrayed.This is a story that is light on the fantastic but heavy on imagery and imagination just like the classics!
A good, not great, book
As I was reading the first 50 pages of this book, I felt like putting it down. but then I absolutely loved it.
Can't put it down.
This book was wonderful! In the beginning I wasn't sure I would like it, but as it went along it was very entertaining. The plot, and characters, were written so well. I really enjoyed it and would highly reccomend it! I can't wait to see the movie!! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Action & Adventure - General    2. Brothers    3. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    4. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    5. Detectives    6. Family - Orphans & Foster Homes    7. Family - Siblings    8. Fiction    9. Juvenile Fiction    10. Robbers and outlaws    11. Runaways    12. Social Issues - Runaways    13. Juvenile Fiction / General   

Reviews (26)

I LOVE this book!
I LOVE LOVE LOVE this book. I bought it several years ago for my nephew who was starting kindergarten and he found it interesting and reassuring to know that grown-ups get nervous, too, and that his teacher was probably as nervous about meeting him as he was about meeting her. Now that my own daughter is starting kindergarten, I got the book for her. She loves the illustrations and was surprised and delighted at the end of the story to find out that the teacher was nervous about going to school. I am working on my master's degree in teaching and when I get my own classroom, I intend to read this to my students on the first day. It is a delightful book! I'm surprised by the reviewer who was actually returning the book. I can't imagine how she could possibly be disappointed in it. Yes, it does use the word 'hate' but just in the way an average child might use the word. How many of us have heard our young children say "I hate peas?" - I know I have. This is a great book. I highly recommend it.

Wonderful book
Funny, cute book with a little twist at the end. Great for going back to school!

Great for Teachers
This book is heartwarming and funny. The kids love it. It's about a teacher who is nervous about the first day of school. I used it to talk about how everyone is nervous the first day, even myself. It can even be revisited when you have a new student. The students love reading it and the other books by this author about the same teacher. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Fiction    2. Children: Grades 1-2    3. Fiction    4. First day of school    5. Humorous Stories    6. Juvenile Fiction    7. School & Education    8. Schools    9. Social Issues - Emotions & Feelings    10. Social Issues - New Experience    11. Teachers   

Reviews (2)

A Magical Story
There are not enough superlatives for this one. I read a Kirkus review that totally "got it" regarding the instructions for writing a book which are interwoven into the plot. Kirkus said, "Her explanation of how to write a book is just as interesting as the events that she's describing.Best of all, none of this detracts from the novel's emotional core." Absolutely true.
An amazing read, a story within a story
With a voice reminiscent of Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird, a young girl attempts to tell the story of a classmate who changed the life of everyone she met. And in the telling, the narrator reveals her own tough life and the ray of hope she's shown. Every student should read this book for the poignant compassion, and every writing and language arts teacher should teach this book. It wasn't until I finished the story that I realized I'd learned how to tell, or write, a story. But it's all there. As soon as you finish this book, you'll want to read it again. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Authorship    2. Bullies    3. Children's 9-12 - Fiction - General    4. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    5. Children: Grades 3-4    6. Fiction    7. General    8. Juvenile Fiction    9. Prejudices    10. School & Education    11. Social Issues - Friendship    12. Social Issues - General    13. Social Issues - Peer Pressure    14. Juvenile Fiction / Social Situations / Peer Pressure   

Reviews (4)

An important teen read with beautiful black and white illustrations
Teenager Jesse is writing the autobiography of his childhood friend and "blood brother" Rise, in a series of sketches, portraits, and comic strips from their times together.Rise is a little older than Jesse and is starting to be pulled in by the allure of the protection of gangs and the easy money of drugs.His biographer, Jesse, is confused by the change in his friend, and by Rise's attempts to turn the local boys' club into a street gang at war with neighborhood rivals.Given the title of the novel, one can only guess what the outcome of Rise's foray into drugs, guns, crime, and the power struggle is going to be.
The comic of Spodi Roti and Wise was brilliant.
This was an enthralling read. I liked the depth of this book and it painted a realistic portrait of poverty and gang life. The best part of this book was the incorporation of the comics and illustrations into the plot. The comic of Spodi Roti and Wise was brilliant. I also liked how most of the main characters in this book were not gang members or looking to be involved in gangs but simply wanted to survive long enough to explore their talents in music and artistry. It's nice to have a book about poverty and class that doesn't stereotype but gives a more realistic and in-depth picture.

An in-your-face tale of growing up and getting by in the inner-city
To pick up a book written by Walter Dean Myers is to expect nothing less than literary greatness. Among his many accolades, MONSTER was the first winner of the Michael L. Printz Award, a National Book Award Finalist, a Coretta Scott King Honor Book, and Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Book. He has received the Margaret A. Edwards Award for lifetime achievement in writing for young adults and has penned over 70 award-winning books intended for a wide age range of readers, from picture books to teen novels. His son, Christopher Myers, is a Caldecott Honor and Coretta Scott King Honor recipient, and has illustrated a number of breathtaking books for young readers, including his solo effort entitled BLACK CAT.
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Subjects:  1. African Americans    2. Children's 12-Up - Fiction - General    3. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    4. Drive-by shootings    5. Fiction    6. Friendship    7. Gangs    8. Juvenile Fiction    9. People & Places - United States - African-American    10. Social Issues - Death & Dying    11. Social Issues - Drugs, Alcohol, & Substance Abuse    12. Social Issues - Violence    13. Juvenile Fiction / Social Situations / Drugs, Alcohol, Substance Abuse   

Reviews (26)

MyDaughter Loves This Book!
This book is perfect for introducing your daughter to her body and the changes she will go through in the early stages of puberty. I got this book for my daughter when she was 9 and I let my daughter read it alone the first time, then we read it together to answer any questions she had.Since then, she's read it several more times.It's an easy read and not too much in-depth for her understanding.

Gotta Love it
This book takes you from the beginnings of every subject that any girl would want to know. It explains, in a truly enthusiastic way, all there is to talk about for growing little girls. I had my daughters reading this book to me and I had to giggle at times.

Love it, Love it, Love it!
I was searching for the "right" book, not to serious, not to juvenile and not to boring. I found what I needed in this book. I could only wish I knew half the stuff talked about in this book when I was a pre-teen. My 10 year old really enjoyed and appreciated the book. Thanks for helping me out. Diamond's mom, Kim. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's 9-12 - Diet    2. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Nonfiction    3. Children: Grades 4-6    4. Girls    5. Girls & Women    6. Health & Daily Living - Maturing    7. Health - Maturing    8. Juvenile literature    9. Menarche    10. Menstruation    11. Physiology    12. Social Issues - Adolescence    13. Social Situations - Abuse    14. Body & health    15. Juvenile Nonfiction / Social Situations / Adolescence    16. Sociology & social issues   

Editorial Review

Having a million-plus copies of the bestselling Read more

Reviews (11)

Life-Changing Youth Parable
I read this in high-school English, and it will forever change the way you understand the progression of life.This short, simple book is basically a clone of the best-selling adult counterpart, except the prologue and epilogue have been put into a high school context rather than the adult work world.The core message of the book is that life doesn't always work the way you plan it, and you should just move on to a new idea, plan, etc.This is not to say the book rejects perseverence; it utterly supports it, since trying a new method, in a way, can be just as much "moving on" as giving up and starting a whole new objective is.This has turned me from a occasional worrywart to a person who can cope with life as it comes.The ideal time to read this is January, when people make New Year's Resolutions.This, moreover, is another form of progression, as you move on to better plans for this year and not worry so much about the one that has just ended, because, of course, it's in the past.They say it's high-school level, but it seemed quite easy.Don't ever think that it's childish though, because although it has a mice/"littleperson" style, it can be viewed as a "mature Aesop's fable," because, again, it is the same in the adult edition.Go get it.You'll think twice about "going with the flow."

Great book, understandable and applicable
As an English teacher, I was looking for a good nonfiction book to assign to my 10th grade students.I'm very happy I found this book!The allegory used and the lessons taught are fantastic for high school students.I would recommend this for students of all backgrounds in all situations.There is always something to be learned.

A good, pratical book for teens.
This was a good, pratical book for teens. It deals with the subject of change and how to adapt to it. This book has helped both adults with marrige problems and teenagers with breakups. It has been called "simple" or "pointless" when really it is not. Just because the advice is not spelled-out does not make it useless. In fact, thats what makes it so great-anyone can apply the exelent advice to their current problem or situation. No teen wants to sit down with a heavy book aboout "goal-banks" "paradigms" such as THE SEVEN HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE TEENS. Having been forced to read the thing myself when I was a teen, I must say I found the whole thing rather unenjoyable and tedious. If I had been handed this helpful book with enojoyable characters, and real-life situations and discustions, well, lets just say it would save me a lot of trouble and tears. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Adjustment (Psychology)    2. Change (Psychology)    3. Children's Books/Young Adult Misc. Nonfiction    4. Children: Grades 4-6    5. Conduct of life    6. Juvenile Nonfiction    7. Juvenile literature    8. Reference - General    9. Social Issues - New Experience    10. Teenagers    11. Juvenile Fiction / Social Situations / General    12. Children's 12-Up   

Reviews (15)

Whoever you are (Reading Rainbow Book)
It is a good start on introducing children to other cultures and helping them to understand the similiararities, but it generalizes a bit..some of the people look like stereotypes

All the world's children have the same wants and needs
I am a Lutheran church librarian and I am glad I bought this very satisfactory book for our church library.Its text stresses that children are the same the world over.They have the same feelings and needs, and have the same hopes and dreams.The illustrations are a nice change from the usual.Each page is surrounded by a gold picture frame in which faux jewels are embedded.The illustrations appear to be tempera or opaque watercolor, drawn in Persian style.The colors are very saturated.The book's cover gives you an idea of what they look like.The message of this book is one of diversity--that even though children live in different parts of the world and may have different nationalities, races, ethnicities, languages or faiths, they still have the same hopes, dreams and daily needs.This is a very important message for children to hear in today's world where there is so much suspicion of those we "perceive" to be different.The more children realize that kids are the same everywhere, the more tolerant they will be.Children pick up prejudice by the time they are three years of age, say researchers, so you have to nip it in the bud very early, and this book does that in a wonderful way.

WONDERFUL Book!
This book is a big hit with my PRE-K class! I was pleasantly surprised at how responsive and attentive they were while I was reading this. They have memorized most of the book. They all loved it! An excellent resource for teaching about diversity and various cultures! I'd definitely recommend reading this book to/with ages four through maybe second grade. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's 4-8 - Sociology    2. Children: Kindergarten    3. Juvenile Multicultural Studies    4. Juvenile Nonfiction    5. People & Places - General    6. Social Issues - General    7. Juvenile Nonfiction / Social Situations / General   

Reviews (16)

THE MOST WONDERFUL , SWEET BOOK IN THE ENTIRE WORLD
Everytime, I read this book (age 43) my heart goes pang.This is a beautiful book aboutbeing young and loving your pet.A fabulous book to buy when your child's dog or cat is young,as it lets a chiild appreciate their time with their pet.Also, a terrific book to buy when an animal passes away.All around, I can't say enough good words about this book.

Why does the dog get fat?
Although I agree with the many reviewers who found the sentiment expressed in this book to be poignant and comforting, I found this book disturbing.The main canine character grows up from a puppy to become an extremely overweight dog.Yet, there is no indication in the book that obesity is an avoidable condition or that it was detrimental to the dog's health to be overweight.Obviously this book was not intended to be a book about proper animal care, I get that.But if the author was not going to address the dog's obesity in any way, why was it such a prominent element in the story?Inadvertently, the author sends the message to children that dogs get fat and we can't do anything about it.As a person who works in animal welfare, I am uncomfortable with that message.
The perfect book for all ages
This is the perfect pet loss book for all ages.A good gift to give when words do not seem appropriate.Similar to Boomerang - A Miracle Trilogy, about the short but miraculous life of a remarable Boston Terrier.And, how through love, all things are possible. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Animals - Dogs    2. Animals - Pets    3. Children's 4-8 - Fiction - General    4. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Fiction    5. Children: Grades 2-3    6. Death    7. Dogs    8. Fiction    9. Social Issues - Death & Dying    10. Social Situations - Death & Dying    11. Juvenile Fiction / Social Situations / Death & Dying   

Reviews (9)

Best Preparing for Baby Book we found!
This is a great book and a favorite with my two year-old.I was worried since it has no words, but we spend far more time on this book because of that.He notices all the little things and reminds me of when we did that too!And I love that mom takes a break and dad makes dinner- this book fits in well at our house!

Not happy that it was pictures only
I was not aware that this book was illustrations only.My 3 yr old was looking forward to me 'reading' this book about the new baby to him, and he was not happy that there were no words!

Great for preparation of a young one
This book is a perfect tool for teaching my 22 month old about the upcoming arrival.With very descriptive pictures, he can understand what's happening.Yet, because there are no words, I can narrate to suit his learning ability. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Babies    2. Brothers and sisters    3. Children's Baby - Boardbooks    4. Children's Books/Baby-Preschool    5. Children: Babies & Toddlers    6. Family - New Baby    7. Fiction    8. Juvenile Nonfiction    9. Stories without words    10. Babies & children    11. Board books    12. Brothers & sisters    13. First experiences   

Reviews (5)

growing strong
how you can feel with a little boy's hardship in a boarding school and how you hope for his stamina and how you love his intense friendships that bring him on his way.
A powerful story of courage and change
If Bryce Courtenay's The Power Of One sounds familiar, it's because this represents a young reader's condensed edition of a prior hard-hitter which became both an adult classic and an acclaimed movie of the same name. It's great to see such a powerful novel condensed with youth in mind: grades 8-12 will find compelling the story of 1930s South Africa and a boy who faces apartheid and prejudice in a country where his childhood is marked by loneliness and dreams of changing lives. A powerful story of courage and change evolves.

Great Novel - but CONDENSED
I have read the Power of One, the unedited version and it is brilliant, inspiring, and brutal - one of the best books I've read. However, this edition that is being sold here, is the Young Reader's edition, which isn't immediately obvious from Amazon's description or the picture. It does say so on the cover, but it's very small unless you enlarge the picture. So, my review gives it a 2 as it may be an unpleasant surprise for those who want to read the actual novel. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Boxing    2. Conduct of life    3. Fiction    4. Fiction - Historical    5. Historical - Africa    6. Historical - General    7. Historical Fiction (Young Adult)    8. History    9. Juvenile Fiction    10. Self-confidence    11. Social Issues - Abandonment    12. Social Issues - Emotions & Feelings    13. Social Issues - Prejudice & Racism    14. Social Issues - Self-Esteem & Self-Reliance    15. South Africa    16. Sports & Recreation - General   

Reviews (11)

A gift
I gave this book to some dear friends, to read to their 3 year old daughter when one of their baby twins died aged 8 months.I didn't give them the book until 6 months after the event and this felt right...that a little time had passed....it would have been too overwhelming at the time.The parents thought it was a very, very special book and said that it came at the right time and with a beautiful message.

Buy one to keep and several to give as thoughtful gifts....
This book is a "must have" for anyone going through the loss of a loved one...not just for children! A friend recommended this book to us after the death of our 9 yr. old son in Aug. 2003.It has been a great source of comfort for our entire family!We have also started collecting items with dragonflies on them; and surprisingly enough, they are everywhere!Our son's gravestone even has a dragonfly lasered on it, as a reminder of the meaning behind the book...we are sure we will see him again, when we "turn into a dragonfly".

Beautiful, heartfelt and inspiring
After having lost our son Adam in a drowning accident, I wanted a book to read to our children, ages 9 and 13 so that they could understand the concept of death.The book not only helped them but also helped my husband and I in our mourning.I recommend this book highly to anyone in the position of explaining or experiencing the loss of a loved one. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children and death    2. Children: Grades 4-6    3. Christianity    4. Death    5. Death, Grief, Bereavement    6. General    7. Juvenile Nonfiction    8. Juvenile literature    9. Psychology    10. Religion - Christianity - General    11. Religious aspects    12. Social Issues - Death & Dying    13. Child care & upbringing    14. Coping with death & bereavement   

Reviews (74)

Good for a laugh
After reading this book, I decided to look at the reviews to see what people had to say about it. I expected to find some funny insults and maybe some inconsistencies that I hadn't caught while reading it. I was wrong. I found mostly reviews written by 10 year olds and reviews that were obviously written by english teachers. I'm only going to say it this bluntly once, listen up:
I tried hard to like this book...
I really tried to like this book because I enjoyed "Tears of a Tiger."The author once again used dialogue to convey her story, but this time moreso in a journal/chatroom session instead of conversation.Some people hate that type of thing, but I'm such a big fan of dialogue that I like it.But this story was utterly corny and it may have been somewhat my fault.I knew that the story was somewhat like Romeo and Juliet and I hated that story too.But I was hoping that Draper was going to put some edge on it, by adding gangs, interracial relationships, an urban setting, and a guy with multicolor hair.
Disappointed
While reading "Romiette and Julio" you will meet Julio Montague and Romiette Cappelle.Two young teens who are desperately seeking companionship and love. Throughout the story you will follow the path of these two teens and the issues they are having with gangs at school. This is a heartwarming story in which friends work together to get through hard times.
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Subjects:  1. Children's 12-Up - Fiction - General    2. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 10-12)    3. Juvenile Fiction    4. Love & Romance    5. School & Education    6. Social Issues - Dating & Sex    7. Social Issues - Emotions & Feelings    8. Social Issues - Prejudice & Racism    9. Social Situations - Prejudice & Racism    10. Juvenile Nonfiction / Social Situations / Dating & Sex   

Editorial Review

Sharon Draper has indeed forged a fiery name for herself in the field of young adult literature--that of a courageous writer, willing to tackle tough, real-life problems while developing honorable, streetwise role models for troubled teens. Her previous novel, Read more

Reviews (116)

Why this book inspired me
Forged by Fire influenced me in may different ways.The more I read the book themore it became violent.It made me think what if I wa sin this situation.Would I have the courage to stand up to my step-father and get help.I learned to perserver and not give up.That is what I learned from this book.

Review by Aaron
I think that Forged by Fired is a good book for teenagers to read. I think it is a good book to read because it tells what to do if you are getting abused by your parents. This is a book that could happen in real life. I think both girls and boys would enjoy this book. I listened to this book on audio tape and I like how the guy could talk in many types of voices. The suspense of the story made me wanting to keep on listening to it. This book is the second book in a set of three. I would recommend reading the other two.

Stop fast forwarding, please press "slow"
I want to stress that the actual plot of the story and the characters were interesting and I enjoyed their purpose, action, dialogue. But I read a review about this book somewhere that said that too much happened at once in the beginning. I don't take peoples' reviews too seriously until I read the book, but this time around, I wish I would have listened.The author tried to cram FAR too much into one small book of 156 pages.The boy was 3 years old at the beginning and by the time it ended, he was 17.People were on drugs, in jail, out of jail, court cases complete, basketball tryouts, friends made, learned to cook, car accidents, dying, all within a few pages.The whole time I read this story, I felt like the author had written an outline of what should happen in each chapter and instead of fleshing it out and letting it grow progressively, she just rammed it altogether and then threw in stuff that happened in a previous book.I read one book by her and bought them all...and now I'm starting to regret it.I hope the fourth one is better, because I loved the first one about Andy, couldn't get into the "Romiette and Julio" book at all, and now this one is crammed.I'm confused over whether I like this author or not--in the book about Andy, the dialogue was on point and the plot was organized and easy-to-understand.In the "Romiette and Julio" book, the dialogue was out of wack and the story was slow. This book had great dialogue and an interesting plot like the Andy book, but it went entirely too fast.I feel like I'm reading books from several different people instead of one. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Brothers and sisters    2. Child abuse    3. Children's 9-12 - Fiction - General    4. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    5. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 10-12)    6. Family - Siblings    7. Family - Stepfamilies    8. Fiction    9. Juvenile Fiction    10. People & Places - United States - African-American    11. Social Issues - Drugs, Alcohol, & Substance Abuse    12. Social Issues - Physical & Emotional Abuse    13. Social Issues - Sexual Abuse    14. Social Situations - Physical & Emotional Abuse    15. Stepfamilies    16. Juvenile Fiction / Ethnic / African American   

Reviews (6)

READ IT NOW
This book changed my life our forth grade teacher read it to the class after we'd been having troble with cliques. evrything the book talks about is true now we solve our clique problems with out using names or using examples from the book to put the bullys in the bullyed shoes.
Friend or Clique?
As an educator (elementary principal), I see students faced daily with decisions that place them to either leave someone out, or they themselves, are left out. Trevor does a fabulous job of explaining how/why a "clique" can be hurtful. Students learn how to spot "a fake", how to make and keep friends, popularity truths/myths, and tips for cliques/friendships. The book is "kid friendly" and an easy-read. At the end of 2006, this book should be made into a dvd and we can't wait! If you are not familar with Trevor's other books/dvds, make sure you check them out. They are a great resource for students - whether you are an educator or a parent.

nice
i'd say is mostly for little kids because of the tone and because is a very small book (i read it in 10 minutes) and because it assumes the reader is a kid :)
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Subjects:  1. Children's 9-12 - Psychology    2. Children: Grades 3-4    3. Cliques (Sociology)    4. Friendship in children    5. Interpersonal relations in chi    6. Interpersonal relations in children    7. Juvenile Nonfiction    8. Juvenile literature    9. Social Issues - Friendship    10. Social Science - Sociology    11. Social Situations - Friendship    12. Social Situations - Peer Pressure    13. Social Situations - Self-esteem & Self-reliance    14. Social groups    15. Personal awareness: family, relationship & social issues    16. Sociology & social issues   

Reviews (15)

EXCELLENT!
I had to buy a SECOND copy of this book because I couldn't get my first copy away from my then 3 year old. He's 4 now, and this book sits on his nightstand.He LOVES to look through the pictures and practice the signs.
Great for a family
This book is absolutely the best that I have come across for teaching the kids. The categories are well thought out and easy to use. The index in the back is also quite easy to use. I would recommend this book for anyone looking to get the basics-to carry on a conversation.

This is a great quick reference book!
I received this book as a gift from my father who also enjoys sign language because he thought it would be a great addition to our collection of sign language books since we have used sign language for both of our hearing children since shortly after birth. It is a wonderful quick reference guide for toddlers and older children. My 2 year has been using signs from this book since she was about 1 1/2 years old. He was right it was a great addition to our collection. As an advocate of baby sign language and owner of http://www.babytalk-learn2sign.com I recommend this book to anyone who is teaching their young children sign language. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. American Sign Language    2. Children's 9-12 - language Arts    3. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Nonfiction    4. Deaf    5. Glossaries, vocabularies, etc    6. Glossaries, vocabularies, etc.    7. Juvenile literature    8. Language Arts - General    9. Means of communication    10. Reference    11. Sign language    12. Social Issues - Special Needs    13. Social Situations - Special Needs    14. Language Arts & Disciplines / Sign Language   

Editorial Review

"Some people are so color struck. They think being light-skinned is better than being dark! Mama says that's nonsense and I think so, too."Read more

Reviews (29)

Color Me Dark
In this book, Color Me Dark, the rising action is about how black and white people were separated back in the early 1900's. The main character of the story, Nellie, is trying to get used to the fact that her family will move from Tennessee all the way to Chicago because her father plans on opening a business. Because blacks and whites are together but segregated, she faces many trails.
Starts Too Slow
The author took too many pages to introduce the charactors. I really was intersted in the great mirgation North, but I just kept readind and READING and there was just no action. Not the best in the series.

Color doesn't count
My book is about this girl named Nellie Lee Love.She has a sister named Erma Jean Love.They live in Tennessee during segregation.She has a uncle Pace who was in the war, but when he comes home he gets hurt.The police say he got drunk and was run over by a train.Erma stops talking when uncle Pace dies.Nellie and her parents move to Chicago, but later find out it is almost the same.After a while Erma is able to talk.She tells everybody how uncle Pace died.
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Subjects:  1. African Americans    2. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    3. Children: Grades 4-6    4. Family life    5. Fiction    6. Historical - United States - 20th Century    7. Juvenile Fiction    8. Juvenile Historical Fiction    9. People & Places - United States - African-American    10. Prejudices    11. Social Issues - Prejudice & Racism    12. Ethnic groups    13. Historical figures    14. Illinois    15. Inter-war period, 1918-1939    16. Juvenile Fiction / Historical / General    17. Reading Group Guide   

Reviews (18)

A personal favorite
As a veterinary technician who regularly assisted in euthanasia procedures, I kept kept copies of this book on hand to distribute to families with children.Years later I'm working as a teacher and still love it.In contrast to other reviewer comments that the book is morbid, I find the underlying message hopeful - that our bodies are part of a natural cycle and that death gives rise to new life.The language is simple, elegant and understandable even for young children.If you have family pets and have not yet experienced a loss, buy this book ahead of time.You'll appreciate having it on that day when inevitable death comes calling.

You don't wanna know the 10th good thing
I finally read this book after years and years of hearing it hyped as the perfect book to help a child deal with the loss of a pet, so I expected a lot. Nothing good to say about the 10th good thing....
I work in a school library and as a cat lover am always seeking out the cat books.This one caught my eye and I was expecting something wonderful.I found the story to be hopeless and defeating.How sad the only comfort the father has to offer is composting tips and the last memory the child has to hold is that of a decomposing cat.I'm no censor, but two thumbs way down.Also, if you are looking for something wonderful for pet loss, try Cynthia Rylant's, Cat Heaven! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Animals - Cats    2. Animals - Dogs    3. Animals - Pets    4. Cats    5. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Fiction    6. Children: Grades 1-2    7. Death    8. Fiction    9. Juvenile Fiction    10. Social Issues - Death & Dying    11. Fiction dealing with specific issues    12. Juvenile Fiction / Social Situations / Death & Dying   

Reviews (1)

Briana's Gift
Thirteen-year-old Susanna (Sissy to her family) hasn't had much luck with the month of December. When she was six, her dad died in a horrible accident at work. At eight, her mother was diagnosed with a debilitating arthritis. And most recently, her spirited older sister, Briana, decides to run off to Los Angeles with her boyfriend. So this year's December is a depressing one as well. Briana sends postcards at first, but all too soon, there's no word at all. Sissy depends on her best friends, Melody and Stu, to help her through the lonely days of missing her sister, and practicing her flute helps pass the time as well. Somehow, life goes on.