Editorial Review

The unknowing progenitor of a whole generation of self-help books, Wally Piper's Read more

Reviews (47)

I love this book
I thought this book was great - it was really colorful. The overall feel reminded me of the book "Now I Know the Ten Commandments". I recommend it to anyone.

this story was written by a woman, not Watty Piper
This story was originally written as "The Pony Engine" by Mabel C. Bragg. The Book "Little Engine That Could" is merely "RETOLD" by Watty Piper. The story was written by a woman who NEVER gets credited for it--Mabel C. Bragg. It's a charming, timeless story and an American Children's literature classic not to be missed.

The Litle Engine That Could
I received the DVD promptly.It was in excellent condition and even contained a personal note from the sender.My experience with buying this item from this source was excellent! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's 4-8 - Picturebooks    2. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Fiction    3. Children: Kindergarten    4. Classics    5. Fiction    6. Juvenile Fiction    7. Locomotives    8. Social Issues - Self-Esteem & Self-Reliance    9. Social Situations - Self-Esteem & Self-Reliance    10. Toys    11. Toys, Dolls, & Puppets    12. Transportation - Trains    13. Early learning / early learning concepts    14. Juvenile Fiction / Transportation   

Editorial Review

Although this book was around when many of today's parents wereyoungsters, it has remained a steadfast must-have in every toddler's library. For starters, it's a great vocabulary guide that names the many things that go (and some that haven't a prayer of going, but are great fun to imagine anyway). It's also teeming with detail-rich scenes and characters on every page, teaching children the rewards of looking long and closely (such as finding the hidden "Goldbug" in each spread). Along the way it entertains with the silly and slapstick--everything from toothpaste and toothbrush cars to six fire department vehicles that show up to extinguish a ladybug-size fire in a miniature pink convertible. What's most amazing about this book, however, is its longevity. When you purchase it for your fledgling talker, you should consider it an investment. Even 11-, 12-, and 13-year-olds are known to pore over the book nostalgically, cooing at Lowly Worm and eagerly tracking Officer Flossie's book-long chase after that irresponsible, speedster driver in a cowboy hat. (Ages 2 and older) Read more

Reviews (86)

A Scarry Classic
I first read this book to my daughter 22 years ago. It was her favorite, and alas it wore out. Searching to find Goldbug on each and every page was the most fun, and the verse was very entertaining as we did so. It helped teach her words, spelling and all about the different ways to get from here to there. I just reordered a copy to surprise her for Christmas, as she prepares to start her own family. I highly recommend this book by one of the most beloved children's authors.

Simply outstanding
I grew up with Richard Scarry books, including the now out-of-print "Busy Busy World."For some reason I had forgotten what a gem this is.Any child will delight in it, and for parents it is so nice to have a book that can be different every time you read it, as most of our books are read over, and over, and over.

My son's absolute favorite book
My son (21 months and obsessed with cars and trucks) asks to read his "cars and trucks book" every single day. It seems like every time we read it, we find something new. Great for keeping kids engaged, and the photos are excellent. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Animals - Pigs    2. Automobiles    3. Children's 4-8 - Picturebooks    4. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Fiction    5. Children: Grades 1-2    6. Classics    7. Fiction    8. Transportation    9. Transportation - General    10. Trucks    11. Vehicles    12. Juvenile Fiction / General    13. Juvenile fiction    14. Things that go   

Editorial Review

Life lessons? Romance? Literary instruction? Read more

Reviews (67)

Fun Book
Our son received this book when he was 1 and started loving this book then.It's better than Dr. Suess.HE LOVES IT!

Great First Reader
The words are basic and simple so they are easily accessible to the early reader.And, of course, kids have always liked the drawings in this book.This was a favorite of mine as a child and it is one of the first books my son read on his own.He now enjoys reading it to his brothers.

My toddler son LOVES this book!
My son, who is 2.5 yrs old, LOVES this book. He has to read it before his nap and bedtime. He keeps the book in bed with him so he can read it until he falls asleep. I need to buy more copies to scatter around the house! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Animals - Dogs    2. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Fiction    3. Children: Grades 1-2    4. Dogs    5. Fiction    6. Readers - Beginner    7. Transportation - General    8. Juvenile Fiction / Animals / Dogs   

Reviews (7)

My kids love this book
I have a 3 year old and 5 year old who love the books of Mo Willems. Recently the 5 year old took this book to school as his 'show and tell' in order to read it to his class. It was a huge success! We started our Mo Willems collection with 'Don't let the Pidgeon drive the Bus', we've added 'the Pidgeon finds a Hotdog' and 'Don't let the Pidgeon stay up late' and just recently added this book and 'the pidgeon has feeling too'. I love these books because my kids love them and that encourages them to keep reading! Well done Mo Willems.

Love it!
Our first Mo Willems book was Knuffle Bunny and we were hooked. We've sinced bought 4 more of his books including The Pigeon Loves Things That Go! They're all great. Our kids love them and for kids books they're pretty darn amusing for adults too. Good stuff!

boring
great bed time book its so boring it put us all to sleep - not a cool as the hot dog or dont let the pigeon drive the bus.
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Subjects:  1. Animals - Birds    2. Children's Books/All Ages    3. Children's Books/Baby-Preschool    4. Children: Kindergarten    5. Fiction    6. General    7. Humorous Stories    8. Juvenile Fiction    9. Pigeons    10. Social Issues - Emotions & Feelings    11. Transportation - General    12. Vehicles    13. Juvenile Fiction / General   

Reviews (14)

Sharp Looking Book
My daughter has loved Thomas since she was about a year old (she's 3 now) and this was a great present because A) She LOVES anything Thomas, B) She wants to read this book all the time and C) It seems to have sparked a love for books.
great Thomas collection
My son is a large Thomas fan. he first knew Thomas just from the trains,then he saw the show. Since he loves to read I wanted to combine 2 of his favorite things. This book did just that. It's a nice hardcover edition with enough Thomas stories to keep anyone entertained for a long time. There are nice pictures and an attached bookmark for him to keep track of his place. Highly recommend

A Very Pleasant Surprise
My adorable 2-1/2 year old grandson just loves Thomas The Train.However, his Nana (me) doesn't have a clue.So not to be ignorant, I ordered this book and was thrilled to see the wonderful illustrations as well as finding it to be a "story collection" about all the different trains.My grandson actually named all the different trains (how he does this I do not know), and I could verify that he was correct by reading the stories.The book is kept at Nana's house and Braden looks forward to reading it every time he comes for a visit. I don't think anyone would be disappointed in this book.It would make a wonderful gift! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's Baby - Fiction - General    2. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Fiction    3. Children's stories, English    4. Children: Grades 4-6    5. Children: Kindergarten    6. Fiction    7. Juvenile Fiction    8. Movie Tie - In    9. Preschool Picture Story Books    10. Railroads    11. Social Issues - Friendship    12. Trains    13. Transportation - General    14. Juvenile Fiction / Transportation   

Reviews (9)

Great book for pirate lovers - parents of easily frightened young ones should take caution
I bought this for my 4 year old son who LOVES pirates right now after viewing the first "Pirates of the Caribbean" movie and seeing the "Tall Ships" on the Great Lakes.I was afraid he would be scared by the pirates turning into skeletons, etc. but he was not - in fact he wanted to watch it again and again.So when I saw this book I knew he'd love it, and he does.Every night before bed he takes out all the separate letters and cards, has me read them, then puts them back in their envelopes.He also has me read all the different types of ships over and over again - he can now name some ship types by memory.This book is very well laid out - even I find the information very interesting and learned things I did not know.
Fantastic Fun
My young son and I were both thrilled with this interesting book.All the extras fascinated my son as I hoped they would.

A Useful Resource and Just Plain Fun
This is an attractively put together book on the history and details of pirate life. I have been searching for a resource on the subject that presents information on pirates in such a way as to not seem tedious and boring, but instead inspiring and fun (which, as we all know--pirates are fun!). With all the interest sparked on the pillaging bands of men, and sometimes women, with recent films this volume is a must have for anyone with an interest in pirates. Of course, it would obviously appeal to children and is definitely appropriate for that tender age group, but adults can also find much to appreciate.
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Subjects:  1. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Nonfiction    2. Children: Grades 3-4    3. History - Military & Wars    4. Juvenile General And Reference Works    5. Juvenile Nonfiction    6. Juvenile literature    7. Pirates    8. Specimens    9. Toy and movable books    10. Transportation - Boats, Ships & Underwater Craft    11. Juvenile Nonfiction / Transportation / Boats, Ships & Underwater Craft   

Reviews (54)

the best
This was my sons' favorite story book at age 3 or 4.The language is advanced, with much more challenging vocabulary than a modern book would use for preschoolers, but it wasn't a problem, so it must be a good thing!

Stories that have aged well
Having been exposed to the contemporary "commercial" version of Thomas the Tank Engine in various forms I had low expectations for _The_Complete_Collection_. After reading all the stories over the past two months at bedtime I whole heartedly give this collection 5 stars. These are the original stories by Rev. W. Awdry--not just Thomas stories, but other trains that have been forgotten by the marketplace. The language is the Queen's English and the terminology harks back to a different place and time. Fortunately the stories are robust enough to hold up without translation for my 3-year old.
The Perfect Thomas Book
I got this book a long time ago and I must say, this book is a must have for anyone even remotely interested at all in Thomas.
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Subjects:  1. Anthologies    2. Children's 4-8 - Picturebooks    3. Children: Grades 1-2    4. Fiction    5. Railroads    6. Short stories    7. Trains    8. Transportation - Trains    9. Character books    10. Juvenile Fiction / General    11. Sale Books   

Reviews (12)

Love it!
If your child likes Lowly and the Busytown gang, they'll love this book.The cars in this book are very creative and cute.

great design, fully worth the $3.99
great design!small yet easy to read.our toddler loves the pickle car, yogurt car, and zipper car depicted. a mix of real and fantasy vehicles.

Girls like trucks too
So far every review I've read has been about people's sons and their fascination with trucks.My little girl likes trucks too. And she love this book.Like one of the other reviewers, this is also our second copy, one for at daycare and one for in the "truck" so she can read everywhere we go. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Fiction    2. Children: Preschool    3. Concepts - Alphabet    4. Transportation - General    5. Juvenile Fiction / Concepts / Alphabet    6. Road & motor vehicles   

Reviews (4)

easily understand the engineering of structures
i love this book! it truly explains why buildings behave the way they do and why they are built the way they are. it takes complicated engineeriing and makes it simple, very simple. every principle has an easy to follow sketch and example. this book is a must for architects, engineers, builders or anyone who wants to go behind the scenes and understand the 'why' of buildings. many of the principles and examples only apply to large scale commercial projects like high rises and bridges, so it may not be pertinent for the home builder, but i'd still recommend it. i love to understand why i build houses a certain way. this book explains basic building principles.

Inspiring
A dear friend gave me this book for my ninth birthday back in 1990. Today, I am a structural engineering associate with a major forensic engineering firm, and I know that much of my fascination with the field began with Salvadori's riveting explanations of the basic principles of structural design. This book is incredible for any kid with any scientific inclination!

If it had been around...
I've been rereading this lately.This morning I showed everybody in the restaurant where I was eating the book saying, "if this had been around when I was in middle school or junior high, I expect that I would bean architect or structural engineer now. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Building materials    2. Children's 9-12 - Art & Art Instruction    3. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Nonfiction    4. Children: Grades 4-6    5. Engineering - Civil    6. Handicraft    7. Juvenile Applied Sciences    8. Juvenile literature    9. Models and modelmaking    10. Structural analysis (Engineeri    11. Structural analysis (Engineering)    12. Juvenile Nonfiction / Architecture    13. Technology & Applied Sciences   

Editorial Review

One couldn't select a more delightful and exciting premise for a children's book than the tale of a young boy lying awake on Christmas Eve only to have Santa Claus sweep by and take him on a trip with other children to the North Pole. And one couldn't ask for a more talented artist and writer to tell the story than Chris Van Allsburg. Allsburg, a sculptor who entered the genre nonchalantly when he created a children's book as a diversion from his sculpting, won the 1986 Caldecott Medal for this book, one of several award winners he's produced. Read more

Reviews (199)

Great Book
I thought this book was great - it was really colorful. The overall feel reminded me of the book "Now I Know the Ten Commandments". I recommend it to anyone.

I like this book...and I think you will too!
This book is about a little boy who finds a train in front of his house. He has a chance to go on a great journey...does he get on the train? I think you will like this book. This book makes me feel happy. Your kids might like it too!

S, Bartkus Review
This beautifully written 1986 Caldecott Award winning book captivates readers young and old to love this Christmas classic.The story is told from a young boy's point of view of waiting for Santa to arrive on Christmas Eve, only to find a train waiting outside his bedroom window ready to go to the North Pole.Van Allsburg immediately draws the reader into the story by capturing the young boy leaning outside his window leading the reader to turn the page and see what the boy sees. The storyline follows the journey of a boy on the Polar Express train to see Santa in the North Pole and receive the first gift of Christmas.It teaches a strong lesson for those who believe and is appropriate for children while bringing back the warm eager memories of waiting for Santa.Van Allsburg's award winning illustrations are so realistic and fill the pages to capture the emotions and spirit of the children.His use of shading to create shadows on each page capture the essence of the Christmas Eve night.The lights in the background seem to pop out in the background as if one turned on a light switch.The detailed realistic drawings capture the emotion of the young boy especially when he lost the bell that Santa had given him.We see him on the train and empathize with him along with the other children as if we were riding right there in the train with him.Although the illustrations gained the main recognition of the story, his use of rich descriptive language also strengthen the story.Van Allsburg's use of similes to compare, give vivid details and appeal to the senses of the reader.For example, one line describes the chocolate cocoa as " melted chocolate bars."The popularity of this book was made into a blockbuster movie and Van Allsburg's talent of lasting artisitic impression and rich language was not lost.This book will continue to touch readers of all ages and capture the warm spirit of Christmas. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Fiction    2. Children: Grades 2-3    3. Children: Kindergarten    4. Christmas    5. Classics    6. Fiction    7. Holidays & Celebrations - Christmas    8. Juvenile Fiction    9. North Pole    10. Preschool Picture Story Books    11. Santa Claus    12. Transportation - General    13. Van Allsburg, Chris    14. Juvenile Fiction / Holidays & Festivals / Christmas   

Reviews (5)

Which six books are these?
This is not a review of the books, but of the Amazon entry for this item.It's a slipboxed collection of six books out of the series.Fine, but which six?There are forty books in the series, after all.Nowhere on the page can I find this information.You'd think the actual titles of the books are kind of important....
Great encouragement for Thomas fans!!
I bought these books for my 3 year old die-hard Thomas fan a couple of months ago. He absolutely loves them! He has me reading them to him over and over again. The books are well illustrated. The stories are interesting and we learned some things about the Sodor railway that we didn't know before. I now use these books to encourage him to learn to read.Definitely a good investment.

Wonderful little books
My 2-1/2 year old loves these books.We read at least one of them just about every day.They are very sturdy, and have survived repeated hurls across the room when I'm ready to stop reading, but he's not.Most of the stories are featured in the "Thomas: The Early Years" DVD series with Ringo Starr and some of the DVDs with George Carlin, and so are very familiar.I highly recommend them to little Thomas fans! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Action & Adventure - General    2. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Fiction    3. Children: Grades 2-3    4. Juvenile Fiction    5. Transportation - General    6. Transportation - Trains    7. Juvenile Fiction / Transportation   

Reviews (22)

Inside the Titanic: A Giant Cut-away Book
My 8 year old grandson is a Titanic nut. He has taken every Titanic related book out of the school library. When I gave him this book he was like estatic, "This is the best book ever Grandmom!" We are now making a Titanic model from a huge piece of styrofoam using this book as reference. The book is easy enough for him to understand (especially the cut aways) but has enough info to keep an adult interested.

Giant Cut-away Book
It was a very interesting book. As the title indicates, it shows numerous cut-away pictures of the inside of the Titanic. It was nice to see where dining rooms, sitting rooms, the gym, the pool, etc were in relation to each other and the cabins and state rooms of the passengers. Good book for middle school aged children.

Great book for kids
My five-year old son recently became obsessed with the Titanic, so I was very pleased to see that there are actually books written and illustrated with children in mind.However, the illustrations and the information in this book were interesting to me as well!Very well done - highly recommended for kids of all ages! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's 4-8 - History - General    2. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Nonfiction    3. Children: Grades 2-3    4. History - General    5. Juvenile Nonfiction    6. Juvenile literature    7. North Atlantic Ocean    8. Shipwrecks    9. Titanic (Steamship)    10. Transportation - Boats, Ships & Underwater Craft    11. Fiction    12. Juvenile Nonfiction / History / Modern    13. Pop-up & lift-the-flap books   

Reviews (41)

If your child loves trains, they'll love this.
My son's a big fan of the Thomas the Tank Engine shows/books.When he saw this story in a compilation of classic childrens liturature I was reading to him he wanted me to read it to him over and over.I bought this book because it also has the spanish words in the book so he can also read the words in spanish.The art-work is bold and eye catching.

My Sons' Favorite Book
My one year olds love this book more than any other right now. The illustrations are very bright and colorful, and the book is fun to read aloud, especially if you add some of your own freight train sounds!

Great book for reading readiness...
This book lets you teach 23 vowel-spellings using 57 vocabulary words. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's Books/Baby-Preschool    2. Children: Kindergarten    3. Color    4. Fiction    5. Juvenile Fiction    6. Railroads    7. Short Stories    8. Trains    9. Transportation - Trains    10. Juvenile Fiction / Concepts / General   

Editorial Review

Let's get one thing straight right off the bat. Children Read more

Reviews (30)

THOMAS THE TANK ENGINE DELIVERS ANOTHER TRAINLOAD OF LEARNING FUN !!!
IN A NUTSHELL: THOMAS THE TANK ENGINE + COLORS - SHAPES - SIZES - OBJECTS - LETTERS & 60+ FLAPS! Thomas the Tank Engine's Big Lift-And-look Book (Great Big Board Book)
My two year old loves to just sit and open all the doors. It keeps him occupied for quite a while.

Areal hit !!
I bought this book for my nephew's 2nd birthday. He loves looking behind the doors and saying what is behind them. He is learningand loving it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Fiction    2. Children: Preschool    3. Concepts - General    4. Fiction    5. Interactive Adventure    6. Railroads    7. Specimens    8. Toy and movable books    9. Trains    10. Transportation - General    11. Juvenile Fiction / Concepts / General   

Editorial Review

Kids love trains, and Kevin Lewis and illustrator Daniel Kirk's Read more

Reviews (62)

LOVE this book!
I have a 1 year old who is mesmerized by this book... the vibrant pictures and rhyming words keep him entertained from start to finish (and start to finish and start to finish)... I usually read it several times before he lets me put it down!
I never thought I could love a children's book so much.
This one is fun to read, with wonderful rhymes and rhythms, and it has terrific, colorful illustrations.I wish I could find more books like it, because my two sons both adore it.In fact, my 4 year old routinely sneeks it out of my toddler's bedroom, so that I can read it to him again at bedtime.

Chugga Chugga Choo Choo
A very enjoyable story.My grandson who is almost 3 loved it. We have read it over and over. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's Baby - Picturebooks    2. Children's Books/Baby-Preschool    3. Children: Preschool    4. Fiction    5. Juvenile Fiction    6. Railroads    7. Stories in rhyme    8. Toys    9. Toys, Dolls, & Puppets    10. Trains    11. Transportation - General    12. Transportation - Trains    13. Juvenile Fiction / Transportation   

Editorial Review

"The wheels on the bus go round and round.... All over town." Thistraditional song, a favorite of children everywhere, is adapted and illustratedby Paul O. Zelinsky, winner of the Caldecott Medal for his lush version of Read more

Reviews (55)

The Wheels on the Bus
This is one of the best children's books my children have ever read.My 18 year old son had this book for ever, now his son is reading the book.We had to order another one as the first book has been used so many times some of the features don't work anymore.My 3 year grandson loves all the movement the book offers.This is his favorite storybook.

Let's sing along
One of our favorite songs is now a pop-up book!This is a colorful and very busy book.It's great fun, but difficult for quick little fingers to maneuver without damaging the tabs.I will put this book away till he's 4 years old and try again then.

One of the All-Time Greats
The art is beautiful, the song is beloved and there are stories within the story, beautifully depicted, that keep the fascination level high. Overall one of the very best kids books I have ever seen. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Buses    2. Children's 4-8 - Picturebooks    3. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Fiction    4. Children's songs    5. Interactive Adventure    6. Lifestyles - City & Town Life    7. Songs and music    8. Specimens    9. Texts    10. Toy and movable books    11. Juvenile Fiction / Concepts / General   

Subjects:  1. Activity Books - General    2. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Fiction    3. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Nonfiction    4. Children: Grades 1-2    5. Children: Preschool    6. Juvenile Nonfiction    7. Transportation - Cars & Trucks    8. Juvenile Fiction / Transportation    9. Novelty, toy & die-cut books   

Reviews (6)

Excellent introduction to mysteries of the CSS Hunley
I found this book to be very well written and researched on the subject of CSS Hunley and its recovery from the bottom of the sea. The book covers the development of this boat, history of its crew, mission and possible aftermath. Then the book goes on to the history of the search for the Hunley and its discovery and recovery from the ocean floor. Upon its recovery, the book uncovers what lies within the boat. (I used the word "boat" since that is what the submariners called their vessels.)
History for The Whole Family
SECRETS OF A CIVIL WAR SUBMARINE: "Solving the Mysteries of the H.L. Hunley" By Sally M. Walker won the Robert F. Sibert Medal and the Notable Award from the Association for Library Service to Children. Although the history of the submarines dates back to the 1620's, in 1864 the Hunley Submarine was the first submarine to ever sink an enemy ship, but the Hunley never returned to port and was lost for decades."How the submarine, which lay buried in the mud of the ocean floor, left her bed there and what happened is a fascinating story of mystery, bones, and gold."The sub is now in NorthCHarleston, SC at the Warren Lasch Conservation Center.In the 1870's PT Barnum offered $10,000 for finding the Hunley, which had silently delivered a torpedo which sank a Union ship blockcading the coast of South Carolina.The Hunley was re-discovered in 1995 by archeologists. This fascinating book for young people is just as interesting and informative for adults in that it details in simple language and good photos the study of the layers of sediment for clues about the ship's sinking and about the demise of the passengers.All the archeology, history, forensics, discovery, and mystery solving are presented in an engaging way involving the intrigues of the sea and science. This is a terrific book for family or schools, good explanations, well written, and easy to read

A quick, informative read
Secrets Of A Civil War Submarine, by Sally Walker, provides a nice, quick overview of the Hunley's history, recovery, excavation, and conservation.Targeting the late grade-school reader, the book is written in the style of and at a similar level to a National Geographic article.Any reader will enjoy it and come away with a good understanding of the Hunley project.There are a few detail mistakes, such as in an explanation of neutral buoyancy, but the main point is always delivered successfully by the text.I've been studying material on the Hunley since 2000, but I found several important bits of information I haven't seen elsewhere.The explanation of archaeological techniques as applied in the Hunley excavation is the best I've read.The book is nicely illustrated, although most of the photos have been previously published, and the interpretive drawings contain some fairly large inaccuracies.Overall, I'm happy to have this in my collection of books about the Hunley and I'm glad to recommend it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 19th century    2. Charleston    3. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    4. Excavations (Archaeology)    5. H.L. Hunley (Submarine)    6. History    7. History - General History    8. History - Military & Wars    9. History - U.S.    10. History - United States/19th Century    11. Juvenile Nonfiction    12. Juvenile literature    13. South Carolina    14. Submarines (Ships)    15. Transportation - Boats, Ships & Underwater Craft    16. United States    17. United States - Civil War   

Reviews (9)

This was one of my childhood favorites, but it now features much more vibrant art!
I loved this book as a child and I still remember my mother reading it to me vividly to this day.She has since passed away, however, the underlying message of the book about having confidence in oneself stuck.I think this theme of "knowing you can do it" is a value message for children to learn.
This book is sexist
I have four children and when they were younger I read this book to all of them on a regular basis.However, after I finally figured out that all the "good" engines are female and all the "bad" engines are male I started changing up the pronouns when I read it to them.Imagine what the reaction would be if the stereotyped engines were not male?I speak against this book whenever I have an opportunity for just this reason and was disappointed to see it featured at Starbucks.

I love this book
I thought this book was great - it was really colorful. The overall feel reminded me of the book "Now I Know the Ten Commandments". I recommend it to anyone. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's 4-8 - Literature / Classics    2. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Fiction    3. Children: Preschool    4. Classics    5. Fiction    6. Juvenile Fiction    7. Preschool Picture Story Books    8. Railroads    9. Social Issues - Self-Esteem & Self-Reliance    10. Toys    11. Toys, Dolls, & Puppets    12. Trains    13. Transportation - General    14. Juvenile Fiction / Classics   

Reviews (3)

Revving up for a little Messy Fun!
This is a very basic picture book.I'm not familiar with the Authors previous work...but I thought this one was fairly well done.It's basic and probably best used as a read aloud book for younger kids (ages 1-4, I think would enjoy this best).It's short and full of colorful, descriptive language... the enthusiasm of the backhoe is catching and he sure does love his work...his VERY MESSY work!Readers and listeners alike are treated to a romp in the muck as this little guy cleans up a dirty lot.We even get some counting in, as he counts down from 10 to 1 cleaning up everything in the lot!The individual items are delineated enough in the art work for young readers to count out how many themselves as you go along...plus there are some silly items in there that will make young readers giggle too!My listeners also enjoyed making all the revving and roaring noises of the backhoe along with the story!This is a fun mix of education and just plan old vibrant fun!The art work matches the enthusiasm of the story with vibrant color pictures that have a slightly cartoonish feel to them!If you don't mind getting silly with the voices and sound effects, this book can be great fun for younger readers, I'd recommend it without hesitation.I'm Dirty gets a solid A from me!

Take a dip in mud !!!
I gave "I'm Dirty" 3 stars only because it fell short compared to its brother "I Stink".However, this is still a very cute book , especially if your little one liked "I stink", they will equally like this new edition.
Dirty, Grimy Silliness
A back-end loader has a big job to do. It starts the day sparkling clean--until it has to remove the garbage from an otherwise empty lot. The lot is very dirty, and the dirt gets all over the back-end loader as it hauls the trash away. Once the lot is cleaned up and smoothed out, one look at the back-end loader will send kids into fits of giggles.
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Subjects:  1. Backhoes    2. Children's 4-8 - Fiction - General    3. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Fiction    4. Children: Preschool    5. Cleanliness    6. Concepts - Counting & Numbers    7. Fiction    8. Juvenile Fiction    9. Lifestyles - City & Town Life    10. Preschool Picture Story Books    11. Transportation - General    12. Juvenile Fiction / Transportation