Reviews (4)

One of my absolute favorite stories
I just can't say enough about Tomi Ungerer and his books.
The camel and the eye of the needle
Nope.I missed this one as a kid.It's funny, because though I clearly remember seeing images from this book on the walls of libraries, cut out in bookstores, and displayed proudly in textbooks, I never read it myself.And you know what?It's an absolutely wonderful book that I am repeatedly regretting and regretting not having read.This story is right up my alley, and it's an amazing tale.In effect, it is a book about the power of redemption and the simplicity of doing what is right, no matter how late in the game.Said author/illustrator Tomi Ungerer himself, "Whatever the color of money, it is never too late to make good use of it".For me, this book is the story of how to make the most of your goods while you've got `em. The Three Robbers
The Three Robbers is a cute book about three robbers who transform into semi-respectable people. These robbers (like all robbers) robbed people for a living. This particular set of robbers robbed carriages.Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's 4-8    2. Children: Grades 2-3    3. Fiction    4. General    5. Orphans    6. Robbers and outlaws   

Reviews (3)

Childhood revisited
As a kindergarten teacher, I just love to read this book to my students.
Wonderful memories!
Oh, I LOVE this book!It is from the 50's, and SO well written!Instead of dumbing children down, it uses words that are more sophisticated.The story is hilarious!It uses pen and ink type drawings, which brought back so many pleasant memories!As a child, I didn't remember the story too well, but the pictures stayed in my mind, particularly the one of Crictor in what looks like a 10-foot long bed and wearing a 10-foot long armless sweater!! An old-fashioned, wonderfully charming children's book
This was one of my favorite books growing up--I must have checked it out of the school library a dozen times. It's the adorable story of an old French woman who relies on a friendly boa to see her around Paris. Not onlydoes it teach children not to judge other people -- or reptiles -- but thecharming illustrations offer fun glimpses into the city of Paris. If youloved Madeline, you'll love this book. Buy one copy for your kids and onefor yourself! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Animals - Pets    2. Animals - Reptiles & Amphibians    3. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Fiction    4. Children: Preschool    5. Classics    6. Fiction    7. Snakes    8. Juvenile Fiction / Animals / Reptiles & Amphibians   

Editorial Review

Poor Stanley. He's a perfectly normal boy until one morning he wakes up flat. After his parents peel the incriminating bulletin board off of him, Stanley must adjust to life as a pancake. He is a boy who takes this kind of thing in stride, though, and soon he's enjoying the advantages of squashedness.Sliding under closed doors is fun, and it's gratifying to be of use to his mother when she drops her ring through a narrow metal grating. Expensive plane fare to California? No problem. Svelte Stanley folds comfortably into a brown paper envelope. There's even room left over in there for an egg-salad sandwich. But Stanley's true moment of glory comes when a gang of thieves begins stealing paintings from the Famous Museum of Art. The case seems hopeless--until our two-dimensional hero saves the day. Here is one boy who doesn't let his profile-challenged body stop him from living life fully--that is, until his brother finds a way to help him become well rounded again. Jeff Brown's matter-of-fact tone and Tomi Ungerer's witty and engaging drawings tickle the funny bone, making this 1964 classic a perennial favorite. (Ages 4 to 8) Read more

Reviews (62)

A Well-Rounded Adventure
Stanley has been squashed flat by his bulletin board! Now that's he's only a half-inch thick, he can slide under doors, get mailed in extra large envelopes, and be flown like a kite. When The Famous Museum of Art needs a special favor, Stanley is ready to help.
Great!
I read this with my [...] sister and she loved it! It's a little too hard for her age because there are some vocabulary she didn't even understand but I helped her and she got along with the book very well. Very funny and humorous.

Classic Fun
A truly original premise requiring more than the usual suspension of disbelief, Flat Stanley delivers a light-hearted journey through the life of Stanley Lambchop.Stanley, a typical American boy, finds his life suddenly transformed when he is flattened by a bulletin board.His parents, in language and wit, sound like a television show family from the 50's, but with the off-beat humor and implausible story-line, it somehow all works wonderfully.Jeff Brown has created an interesting dynamic in describing the relationship between Stanley and his older brother, Arthur, who is intermittently inconsiderate and jealous of Stanley's new-found celebrity.Ultimately, however, it is Arthur who saves the day and returns Stanley to his proper size.It is a very engaging, upbeat story that is a fun read for the toddler set.I highly recommend it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's 4-8 - Picturebooks    2. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Fiction    3. Children: Grades 1-2    4. Fantasies    5. Humorous Stories    6. Juvenile Fiction / Family / General   

Reviews (3)

This Book Is A Wonderful Experience
Oh my, where to begin? Papa Snap. He is a saviour, my friends, a saviour for children. Never have I seen a book this clever, and silly, and never have I seen such witty characters or colourful, imaginative illustrations. Papa Snap has given me the power to live again. I ask you, where would you find the adventures of Mr Limpid and Mrs Lame? Where would you find little Arson Twitch, or keen fisherman Bunny Bunson Brittle? Nowhere, but in the creative mind of Tommy Ungerer which has been brought to life in "I Am Papa Snap, And These Are My Favorite No Such Stories". A wonderful experience for kids and adults alike, let Papa Snap run through your veins! Hail PSAS!

If i could give it more stars... I would.
As I child, I enjoyed the tales of Lido Rancid and Bunny Bunson Brittle. Now as an adult I've come to respect the creative genius that is Tomi Ungerer. Quirky warm tales with a secular non-didactic morality
As a child of five fed these tales in the 70s, I loved them for their shortness, their weirdness, the quirky drawings and unexpected outcomes.As an adult I see it as a collection of fairy tales for children who don't grow up but reach their 30s knowing what a critical perspective is.If anybody can come up with anything more delicately miniature and heartwarming than the story of the Limpids well I take my hat off to them.But I won't sit on that sofa. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Animals - General    2. Children's 4-8 - Picturebooks    3. Children's stories, American    4. Children: Kindergarten    5. Humorous Stories    6. Juvenile Fiction    7. Readers - Beginner    8. Short stories    9. Early learning / early learning concepts    10. English    11. English language early readers    12. Fiction    13. Humour & jokes   

Reviews (5)

Cats will be cats
This little gem of a children's book addresses the sometimes difficult relationships between parents and children with a dark humor that is hard to ignore.I have owned my copy of this book for years, and it has enough complexity to provide new meaning each time I read it.I have always found Piper Paw's world somewhat grim--perhaps the smudgey, black and white illustrations have something to do with this.His relationship with his parents, teachers and schoolmates is so antagonistic that I begin to wonder what made him so incapable of love--this of course is a conclusion I have reached recently, and not when I first read the book as a pre-teen.But Piper comes around at the end, if not completely, at least to a level of compromise that he can live with, which includes no kissing.Because of Piper's antics and some of the more bizarre illustrations, I would recommend this book for kids 9 years and older.

Simply the Best!
This is my absolute favorite Children's book! Growing up as a child, I would read this several times each summer and would laugh for hours at the expressions and the illustrations. The illustrations are brilliant. I thinkthat deep down, we all share the desire to be as mischievous as Piper.

A Lot of Fun
My mother used to love to read this to me when I was a kid; we still have one of the earlier issues.Read more

Subjects:  1. Behavior    2. Cats    3. Children's 9-12    4. Children: Grades 1-2    5. Fiction    6. General    7. Mothers and sons    8. Schools    9. Non-Classifiable   

Reviews (2)

Robber barons writing children's books?
I found this book to be appallingly outdated.The Mellopsdrill for oil in the forest while the mom cheerfully "practicesout door cooking" and then all must flee when a passing motorist carelessly sets a forest fire. This book, written in 1958 when Standard Oil was king and women were third class citizens, is 1950s pulp and remains in the past--not on any child's bookshelf.Although it could serve as a good example of how far society has come in understanding and environmental awareness.

"Adorable!"
This book was one of my sisters' and my favorites when we were kids about 30 years ago.Read more

Subjects:  1. Action & Adventure - General    2. Animals - Pigs    3. Children's 4-8 - Picturebooks    4. Children: Kindergarten    5. Fiction    6. Humorous Stories    7. Juvenile Fiction    8. Oil well drilling    9. Pigs   

Reviews (4)

Absolute Favorite
The story of a little girl and how her skills in the kitchen win over the child eating grumpy ogre, is something that should be shared with everyone.
Scrumptious!
A grumpy pirate-like Ogre terrorizes a peasant village shutting down shops, markets and even schools because of his appetite for children.Zeralda, the daughter of a poor working man loves to cook.She cooks such great dishes that when her father falls ill and she is forced to go to market in his place she is able to save the day.Rescuing the hungry Ogre from his own clumsiness and his irrational appetite, Zeralda gives him tastes he never forgets.Soon all the Ogres want what's in Zeralda's kitchen.None want it as much as Zeralda's Ogre though.In a surprise and twisted ending, she marries him.If Disney can pull it off with Shrek, then author Tomi Ungerer shouldget accolades for her work too.I read this story to a large group of preschoolers and they really enjoyed it.

A good sitting on daddy's knee bed-time story
The subject is very Grimm's fairy tale, an ogre that eats children; the tone, and the illustrations, are not. The ogre is shown walking down the village street with a bag over his shoulder, a child's arm is sticking out!But the picture includes lots of other details - children being hidden incellars, and a depessed looking teacher in gown and mortarboard; the textwith this picture says that children went into hiding, schools shut andteachers were unemployed. The light tone fits the story-line, which is,that the ogreaccidentally comes to taste young Zeralda's wonderfulcooking, goes off eating children, and they have a long, happy, life, spentthrowing extravagent dinner parties (a lavish sample menu is illustrated). ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's 4-8    2. Children: Grades 1-2    3. Fairy tales    4. Fiction    5. General    6. Giants    7. Non-Classifiable   

Reviews (1)

Charming and clever
A non-parent (so far), I was delighted with this book (a present from a colleague who is a cat-lover with a discerning eye for illustrated children's books). I look forward to reading it over and over again with my own child, if I'm so blessed. My only caveat concerns the author's reference to "the grueling torments of childbirth"-I'm not sure I'd want to undertake an explanation of this with a very young child! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Animals - Cats    2. Animals - Dogs    3. Cats    4. Children's 4-8 - Picturebooks    5. Children: Grades 3-4    6. Dogs    7. Fiction    8. Juvenile Fiction    9. Social Issues - Prejudice & Racism    10. Social Issues - Values   

Reviews (3)

Strangest Beast
Read about the beast that couldn't be, then was, then wasn't any more.It was quite ugly--strange, Monsieur Racine would say;curious, his friends would agree.That was until something incredible happened.Something embarrassing, maddening, and rather unspeakable.The beast's head was finally cut off and mounted on a plaque.And it never bothered the beast one bit. Strange.

One of the All-Time Greats
As the other reviewer says this one has a great unexpected ending, one that I--the adult reader--didn't see coming myself! Upon re-reading, there are clues
Clever and surprising
My 3-year old son and daughter enjoy this book thoroughly as the pictures are delightful and the plot is simple and engaging.It ends rather unpredictably which makes it as much fun to read to them as it is for them to hear it.It also is sophisticated enough to keep an older child's interest. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's 4-8    2. Children: Kindergarten    3. General   

Editorial Review

Tomi Ungerer, illustrator of Jeff Brown's original Read more

Reviews (2)

Childhood classic
Thank God I bought this book before it went out of print. This was without a doubt one of my favorite books as a child. Never since has a book's illustrations so deftly captured the feel and character of the story. It is a book every child should experience and every adult should appreciate.

MOON MAN - Great Story!
Moon Man is a great book! It was my "favorite" book as a child. I discovered this book in my elementary library. I must have checked it out consecutively for two years. I filled many library check out cards.Read more

Subjects:  1. Action & Adventure    2. Children's 4-8 - Picturebooks    3. Children: Grades 1-2    4. Fiction    5. Legends, Myths, & Fables - Other    6. Moon    7. Non-Classifiable   

Subjects:  1. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Fiction    2. Children: Kindergarten    3. General    4. Juvenile Fiction    5. Fiction    6. Juvenile Fiction / General   

Reviews (1)

HEIDI
Reader's please note that the Publisher's Weekly review is not a review of the book listed above. The book reviewed is an entirely different book by the same author. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's 9-12 - Literature - Classics / Contemporary    2. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    3. Classics    4. Fiction    5. Grandfathers    6. Juvenile Fiction    7. Mountain life    8. Orphans    9. Social Issues - Emotions & Feelings    10. Social Issues - Values    11. Switzerland   

Reviews (1)

A charming children's book about a flying kangaroo.
Adelaide is a delightfully written and illustrated children's book about a clever and talented flying kangeroo.This book introduces children to other lands (Australia and France) in a fanciful, charming story about Adelaide's adventurous life.The story also shows how being different can have its benefits.Read more

Subjects:  1. Animals - General    2. Children's 4-8 - Fiction - General    3. Children: Grades 3-4    4. Fiction    5. Kangaroos    6. Paris (France)    7. Non-Classifiable   

Reviews (1)

Pigs Spelunking.Good v. Evil.Great Book.
Based on my memory of thisbook from 30(?) years ago, it concerns a pig family, the Mellops, who embark on an adventure into a cave. They face not only subterranean wonders, but also a band of robbers hiding their loot. I won't give away the ending because I don't remember it. Read more

Subjects:  1. Action & Adventure - General    2. Animals - Pigs    3. Caving    4. Children's 4-8 - Picturebooks    5. Children: Grades 1-2    6. Family - Multigenerational    7. Fathers and sons    8. Fiction    9. Juvenile Fiction    10. Law & Crime    11. Science & Technology    12. Smuggling    13. Fantasy   

Subjects:  1. Animals - Pigs    2. Children's 4-8 - Picturebooks    3. Children: Grades 1-2    4. Christmas    5. Fiction    6. Holidays & Celebrations - Christmas    7. Humorous stories    8. Pigs    9. Preschool Picture Story Books    10. Ungerer, Tomi    11. Non-Classifiable   

Reviews (1)

A wonderful story
I first encountered this story in animated form on a VHS collection. My three-year-old son and I loved the story and so I sought out the book, which is out of print. The story is about this magical hat. It begins on a rich man's head, then flies off while he's en route to his honeymoon. Then it lands on the head of an empoverished veteran. The hat obeys his instructions and soon changes his life. He saves a rich woman and ends up marrying her, and then the hats flies off his head while he's en route to his honeymoon. The drawings are sweet and yet have a lot of character. My son named a stuffed dog "Badolio" after the main character. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children: Babies & Toddlers    2. Fiction    3. Hats   

Subjects:  1. Children's 4-8    2. Children: Kindergarten    3. Fiction    4. General    5. Octopus    6. Preschool Picture Story Books    7. Ungerer, Tomi    8. Non-Classifiable   

Subjects:  1. Children: Kindergarten   

Subjects:  1. American poetry    2. Children's poetry    3. Children: Grades 2-3    4. Collections    5. Humorous poetry    6. Nonsense verses   

Subjects:  1. Animals - Cats    2. Children's 4-8 - Picturebooks    3. Juvenile Fiction    4. Social Situations - Adolescence