Reviews (2)

Excellent book on manners
My two four year old boys love this book!We have read it over and over.They love that the book asks silly questions about bad manners and enjoy saying, 'No, that's not right!'; then they tell what the animal guests should correctly do as dinner guests.They have learned a great deal about manners from this book as is evidenced by their discussions when we are having guests for dinner.Its a great book with a good message.

"Learning good manners can be fun!"
Tired of nagging your child about manners?Get this adorable book for a little change of pace.
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Subjects:  1. Animals    2. Animals - General    3. Behavior    4. Children's Baby - Picturebooks    5. Children's Books/Baby-Preschool    6. Children: Preschool    7. Etiquette    8. Fiction    9. Juvenile Fiction    10. Penguins    11. Preschool Picture Story Books    12. Social Issues - Manners & Etiquette    13. Social Situations - Manners & Etiquette    14. Juvenile Fiction / Social Situations / Manners & Etiquette   

Subjects:  1. Children's 9-12    2. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    3. Children: Grades 1-2    4. General    5. Generosity    6. Gratitude    7. Juvenile Nonfiction    8. Juvenile Social Problems (General)    9. Juvenile literature    10. Social Issues - Values & Virtues    11. Life Skills & Personal Awareness, General Studies   

Editorial Review

If Pulitzer Prize-winning Nobel laureate Toni Morrison and her son Slade hope to reach children with their rhyming message of personal freedom and individuality, they may have missed the mark. But if even a few excessively controlling grownups learn to "let children be children," this big, colorful picture book might serve its purpose after all. Patty, Mickey, and Liza Sue live in a big brown box (locked from the inside) with all the amenities a modern child dreams of: TV, Barbie, pizza, Spice Girls T-shirts, beanbag chairs, and Pepsi. All this, but no liberty. They've been placed in this box because the adults in their lives believe "those kids can't handle their freedom." They have too much fun in school, sing when they should be studying, feed honey to the bees, and play handball where they shouldn't. Parents, neighbors, and teachers are uncomfortable with these irrepressible children, and hope to control them with strict boundaries. Meanwhile, the younger-yet-wiser children just want the freedom to become themselves: "Even sparrows scream/ And rabbits hop/ And beavers chew trees when they need 'em./ I don't mean to be rude: I want to be nice,/ But I'd like to hang on to my freedom."Read more

Reviews (28)

It's OK to be different!
Critically-acclaimed and best-selling novelist/essayist Toni Morrison delves into children's literature with this book about three youngsters that don't quite "fit into the normalcy box", thus the trio must be placed in isolation because of their uniqueness.This separation doesn't seem to be threatening because the youngsters get to have some favorite items and receive visits from parents and others.
Not for a little Kid
When I first picked up this book, it looked like a young children's book with a great concept for self control.But as I read it, the vocabulary didn't fit with the type of children the book was written for.The author tried to rhyme, but the words didn't work with each other.Also, the book was very repetitive.I don't suggest you read this to young kids because the message of "controlling freedom" was not portrayed the way kids understand.All in all, this book is meant for older children and adults who just enjoy picture books.

The Big Box review
I didn't really like this book because I think that the author was trying to rhyme, and when I read the story, it didn't really seem like it rhymed.I think also that it was too repetitive also.It had different characters, but the story with all of them was kind of the same. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Behavior    2. Children's 9-12 - Picturebooks    3. Children: Grades 3-4    4. Fiction    5. Freedom    6. Human behavior    7. Juvenile Fiction    8. Social Issues - General    9. Social Issues - Manners & Etiquette    10. Social Situations - General    11. Stories in rhyme    12. Juvenile Fiction / Ethnic / African American   

Subjects:  1. Alphabet    2. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    3. Children's Books/Baby-Preschool    4. Children: Preschool    5. Concepts - General    6. General    7. Juvenile Nonfiction    8. Juvenile literature    9. Vocabulary    10. Juvenile Nonfiction / Concepts / General    11. Life Skills & Personal Awareness, General Studies   

Reviews (7)

Good stories, straight talk, useful advice
What I like about this book is that Kay Hong has that rare capacity of remembering what it was actually like being a teenager and being able to write about it in an honest and fresh way. I think adults will enjoy and linger over stories which remind them of what it was like to be a teen (including the highs and lows of that experience) while young people will enjoy getting some real-life advice that is not condescending. All of the real-life feelings come through in Hong's writing including her humor.

A few thoughts to soothe the adolescent in everyone
Get through the teen years with a healthy outlook and little permanent damage and you have a good chance of smooth sailing until the 40s and possibly retirement. But how to get through the teen years? Can a book help? This one might. The problem isn't that science and collective wisdom haven't uncovered a few clues about getting adolescence. It's how to get these life buoys to teens drowning in hormones, self awareness and doubt. Hong tosses them underhand, makes them simple, explains how they're used, how they helped her. No PhD trying to sell a thesis. Just good advice from a friend.

no sugar coating
K. L. Hong has written a book for teens in an adult voice that conveys true family values. Kay's honesty without the sugar coating and clarity without censorship provide teens a perspective on the meaning of "real world challenges." Sure, her challenges are different than those of teens today.That's the point.Each of us can only face our own challenges. Teens have theirs, adults have theirs.In the best world, we can learn from and better understand our choices with time. Kay's book teaches about the personal values that are necessary to navigate whatever challenges life presents.Perhaps the best review I could give a book like this is: I would give this book to all the teens in my life without reservation.
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Subjects:  1. Biography & Autobiography - General    2. Children's 12-Up - Biography / Autobiography    3. Children's Books/Young Adult Biography    4. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    5. Conduct of life    6. General And Reference Works (Young Adult)    7. Hong, K. L    8. Juvenile Nonfiction    9. Social Issues - Adolescence    10. Social Problems (General) (Young Adult)    11. Social Situations - Abuse    12. Teenagers    13. Advice on parenting    14. Juvenile Nonfiction / Social Situations / Adolescence    15. Life Skills & Personal Awareness, General Studies   

Reviews (1)

Written in a highly accessible and skimmable style
There Is Nothing Wrong With You: For Teens is a spiritual, self-help book written to help not just young people from emotionally abusive backgrounds, but all people who have learned to unfairly and over-harshly criticize themselves. There Is Nothing Wrong With You: For Teens is a positive affirmation of the good people have inside, even if they have grave difficulty in seeing it themselves. The atypical typeface resembles hand-printed lettering, conveying emotion but remaining eminently readable. Enthusiastically recommended and a welcome addition to the growing library self-help literature, There Is Nothing Wrong With You: For Teens is written in a highly accessible and skimmable style, for readers of all attention spans. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Adolescent psychology    2. Buddhism - Zen    3. Children's Books/Young Adult Social Situations    4. Children: Grades 4-6    5. General    6. Juvenile Nonfiction    7. Juvenile literature    8. Religion - Eastern    9. Self-acceptance    10. Self-esteem in adolescence    11. Social Issues - Self-Esteem & Self-Reliance    12. Life Skills & Personal Awareness, General Studies    13. Self-Help / Spiritual   

Reviews (2)

Hardcore message for meanies.
I love this book, and my 5-year-old son is almost in awe of just how mean the boy in the book is.He doesn't seem to be wanting to emulate the behaviors at all, which is what I was afraid of.Instead, when my son is naughty, the phrase "That's mean!" chastens him completely, probably because he remembers the last line:
let's hope your kid doesn't get any ideas....
Pittau and Gervais tell the story of a incredibly mischievous boy whose sole hobby is to torture anyone or anything crossing his path.The majority of his devilish acts qualify as grotesque (skewering garden slugs) or cruel (making fun of blind people), more than you would expect from a children's picture book.Its morbid humor is what made me buy it, and the pictures (in red, black and grey, stick-figure-style) capture the naughty feeling of the book.Most people would say this book is for older kids (6+) and grown-ups.For younger kids, buy the Elephant Elephant opposites book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Behavior    2. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Fiction    3. Children: Grades 1-2    4. Conduct of life    5. Human behavior    6. Humorous Stories    7. Interpersonal relations    8. Juvenile Nonfiction    9. Juvenile literature    10. Preschool Picture Story Books    11. Social Issues - Manners & Etiquette    12. Social Issues - Values & Virtues    13. Fiction    14. Juvenile Fiction / Humorous Stories   

Reviews (7)

Helpful for children & adult family members - even teachers & profeesionals
I am a medical professional with lots of experience in psychiatric & social disordersm and I recommended this book to a group of women (Veteran's wives) with high rate of autism in their children.I learned a few new things from this book myself.
Dara Lane author Small Miracles Day by Day
I think this is an excellent book-warmly written by a father. The pictures are wonderful. As the parent of a low functioning autistic child, I was glad to see a book that to which our family could relate.

INDIVIDUAL PORTRAIT OF AUTISM
The author has three children, one of whom has autism.He does a good job in capturing Russell's expressions as he navigates socially within his family.The other children provide their insights on their brother's behavior. Read more

Subjects:  1. Amenta, Russell    2. Autism    3. Autistic children    4. Children: Grades 2-3    5. Family / Parenting / Childbirth    6. General    7. Juvenile Nonfiction    8. Juvenile literature    9. Mental health    10. Pediatrics    11. Social Issues - Special Needs    12. Life Skills & Personal Awareness, General Studies    13. Psychiatry   

Reviews (1)

Show How Books Can Help Children through Major Life Issues
A book "to show parents, teachers, and counselors how to develop stories to help guidechildren through new or troublesome events." This book, to be read by the parent, a teacher or counselor willbe extremely helpful for children of various ages in allowing books - thereading or writing - to work throughvarious life issues such as divorceand adoption. An excellent form of therapy. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Activities    2. Authorship    3. Bibliotherapy    4. Bibliotherapy for children    5. Child Development    6. Child psychology    7. Children's stories    8. Clinical Child Psychology    9. Family & Relationships    10. Family / Parenting / Childbirth    11. Family/Marriage    12. Parenting    13. Psychotherapy - Child & Adolescent    14. Child care & upbringing    15. Life Skills & Personal Awareness, General Studies    16. Study guides, home study & revision notes    17. Teaching of a specific subject   

Reviews (1)

Manners Please!
This is one of the best books on manners for young children. It is engaging and effective. I am a preschool teacher and have used various books to get the point across, but this one does it best! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Animals - Pigs    2. Behavior    3. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Fiction    4. Children: Grades 3-4    5. Etiquette    6. Fiction    7. Juvenile Fiction    8. Pigs    9. School & Education    10. Schools    11. Social Issues - Manners & Etiquette   

Subjects:  1. Alphabet rhymes    2. American - General    3. Animals    4. Art    5. Individual Artist    6. Poetry   

Subjects:  1. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    2. For National Curriculum Key Stage 3    3. Interactive & activity books & packs    4. Life Skills & Personal Awareness, General Studies    5. Teaching of a specific subject   

Reviews (6)

Add this one to the Scatology Collection
Like LITTLE MONKEY'S BIG PEEING CIRCUS, EVERYONE POOPS and other body-function books, this one is a bit short on plot. Perhaps you can add your own scratch-and-sniff stickers to jazz it up, although I am at a loss as to where you would find the appropriate smelly stickers. Kids will undoubtedly want to write their own family stories of sneaky poofs and hair-melting emanations after reading this one. They'll love the page where the old lady blames it on her cat.

Hilarious book!
My five year old grandson adores this book! It is such a nice sound to hear him laugh as the book is being read to him and the reader laughs also! I highly recommend this book!

My little cousin was giggling when he read this book!
This is an extremely funny book and my dear cousin loves it! It is a great book to kickstart an interest in reading, especially in children who do not like to read books. I wish I had such wacky and funny books when I was a kid! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Behavior    2. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Fiction    3. Children: Kindergarten    4. Fiction    5. Flatulence    6. Human behavior    7. Humorous Stories    8. Juvenile Fiction    9. Preschool Picture Story Books    10. Social Issues - Manners & Etiquette    11. Juvenile Fiction / Humorous Stories   

Reviews (5)

Elbert's a Good Book
This is such a cute story for explaining bad words.We love the setting of a stuffy cocktail party.The pictures are great!

A must-have addition to any classroom or childrens' library!
This is one of my favorites.It is a lively, imaginative book that is fun to read aloud.I just read it today in fact to a group of second graders and they loved it so much they all clapped at the end.You will captivate your audience and have opportunities to discuss a wonderful alternative to profanity that is logical.As one other reviewer said, this book does lend itself well to a follow up discussion or activity where children can come up with their own strong words. While I don't always appreciate Audrey and Don Wood's illustrative style as as much as others might, it is fun to look through how very elaborate and imaginative they are.You will likely notice new details several times after the first time you read it due to this aspect of the illustrations.

The Good Word about Bad Words
If your child has ever "caught" a bad word, as a character in this book phrases it, then Audrey and Don Wood's "Elbert's Bad Word" is the cure you're seeking.Rather than being one of those pseudo-psychological books of the values and feelings genre, this is a lively, witty, sophisticated story that delivers its message with subtlety and humor.Even adults will love how the Woods have depicted the bad word; it's creative and clever to say the least.It also, and this children and adults will likely find enjoyable, satirizes adults' parties, poking fun at adult party foods, clothes and entertainments.Very enjoyable--and useful for the parent dealing with a case of the "bad word." ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's 4-8 - Picturebooks    2. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Fiction    3. Children: Preschool    4. Fiction    5. Human behavior    6. Social Issues - Manners & Etiquette    7. Social Situations - Manners & Etiquette    8. Swearing    9. Wizards    10. Juvenile Fiction / General   

Editorial Review

Quentin Fenton Herter Third always does exactly what he should, from closing his mouth when he chews to putting away his toys. But Quentin Fenton has an awfully naughty shadow, who calls himself Quentin Fenton Herter Three. Three interrupts, stays up late, and never flosses. How do these two feel about each other? "They loathed each other cordially,/ did Quentin Third and Quentin Three." Strangely enough, though, they also envy each other "--a bit." And when good little Third has the opportunity to be bad one day, guess who steps in to take his place as a perfect gentleman?Read more

Features

• Bargain Price

Reviews (2)

A favorite
We first found this book at the library, and my three year old son can't get enough of it.I like it because it has nice, intelligent language and a lilting meter that makes it fun to read out loud.He likes it because a little boy sneezes on his aunts.Hilarious stuff to a three year old!Highly recommend.

A Rare Book
This is a rare picture book, funny and intelligent inan old fashioned way. My 8 year old can't get enough of it. the pictures are perfect and the rhymes are, too. It's a great book, especially for kids with a naughty streak. And what kid doesn't have a naughty streak(or at least a naughty urge, like Quentin III)?? I highly recommend it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bargain    2. Behavior    3. Children's 4-8 - Picturebooks    4. Fiction    5. Human behavior    6. Humorous stories    7. Juvenile Fiction    8. Social Situations - General    9. Social Situations - Manners & Etiquette    10. Stories in rhyme   

Subjects:  1. Careers    2. Children's Books/Young Adult Misc. Nonfiction    3. Children: Grades 4-6    4. General And Reference Works (Young Adult)    5. Job hunting    6. Juvenile Nonfiction    7. Juvenile literature    8. Social Issues - New Experience    9. Teenagers' writings, American    10. Vocational guidance    11. Youths' writings    12. Juvenile Nonfiction / Careers    13. Life Skills & Personal Awareness, General Studies    14. Vocational Subjects & Skills   

Subjects:  1. Children's 9-12    2. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    3. Children: Grades 2-3    4. Fibonacci numbers    5. General    6. Juvenile Nonfiction    7. Juvenile literature    8. Recurrent sequences (Mathemati    9. Recurrent sequences (Mathematics)    10. Science & Nature - General    11. Life Skills & Personal Awareness, General Studies   

Reviews (2)

Kids will love this book!
P. Bear is having a New Year's Party and all his best-dressed friends are invited. Each time the clock strikes the hour, a corresponding group number of exotic animals shows up. By midnight, P. Bear has a full house and your child will have a grasp of the clock face.
A fun book that makes readers & counters out of everyone!
This is a book to teach counting, but it is more than that, in just being plain fun!Numbers are displayed in quantities, in a clock, in words and their varieties.The characters are terrific! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Animals - Bears    2. Bears    3. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Fiction    4. Children: Preschool    5. Concepts - Counting & Numbers    6. Concepts - Time    7. Counting    8. Fiction    9. Holidays & Celebrations - General    10. Juvenile Fiction    11. Life Skills & Personal Awareness, General Studies   

Reviews (3)

keep the age in mind
This is a well written beginning babysitters guide. My problem with it is that it is written for 9-12 year olds and many states require that babysitters be 13 years old and have a babysitting class. If you aren't sure about your state's requirements (or didn't realize they existed), call your local department of Family and Children's Services and ask them the home-alone and babysitting age requirements.

The New Complete Babysitter's Handbook is awesome!!!
This book gives you all you need to know about babysitting and is fun to read. I think it is quite descriptive on the processes of first aid and so on. I think everyone will enjoy reading this book, kids who are just starting to babysit or who already babysit but just want to brush up on stuff.

The book was good but to basic for most people.
The book offered good information but really basic information. The book also didn't have any tips for getting started except make a flyer.So i recommend getting another babysitting book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Babysitting    2. Children's Books - Young Adult Fiction    3. Children: Grades 4-6    4. General    5. Handbooks, manuals, etc    6. Juvenile literature    7. Child care & upbringing    8. Juvenile Nonfiction / Reference / General    9. Life Skills & Personal Awareness, General Studies   

Reviews (8)

The Teenage Girl's Survival Guide: A Must Read
Yvonne Collins & Sandy Rideout
okay, but not the best.
After reading it, I didn't feel that I really related to it..it focused to much on the typical girl teen-and most girls arn't typical by someone else's standards. These kinds of books are supposed to encourage being yourself- but the vibe i got from this book was rather the opposite.

Not the best choice...
After reading reviews about this, I thought this book was going to be very good. But after getting it home, I learned it had nothing in it I actually didn't know. It seems like something a 9 year old would read. It had totally corny stories to support things and anything in the book could have been told to me in a more mature way in any of the magazines(...). I'm a freshman in high school and I wouldn't recommend this to anyone over the age of 10.Look elsewhere! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Nonfiction    2. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    3. Conduct of life    4. General    5. Girls & Women    6. Juvenile Nonfiction    7. Life Stages - Adolescence    8. Life skills guides    9. Parent and teenager    10. Psychology    11. Social Issues - Self-Esteem & Self-Reliance    12. Teenage girls    13. Life Skills & Personal Awareness, General Studies