Reviews (1)

Anno's Math Games II
This is a beautifully designed book, very inviting to the eye. The book translates mathematical concepts into pictures and little stories which are, not incidentally, visually fascinating. The concrete and specific examples illustrated give children a pathway to the abstractions behind them, teaching them to think and use their native curiosity to develop knowledge. But didactic function of the book, as well thought out as it is, is almost secondary to the pleasure of taking in the beautiful designs and drawings. I think this is a book that a child will remember into adulthood. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Dramatic and engaging
What my (now 6 yo) daughter likes is a good story. She can learn anything if there is some dramatic action involved. This story of George Washington Carver's life is just the right length for a young student (kinder to 4th grade). It starts with the drama of the baby GWC being kidnapped and returned. The illustrations are bold and capture the flavor of the text. It's everything you want in a child's book, educational, morally inspiring, and yet a truly good to read story. ... Read more

Book Description

When Cam Jansen, her father, and her friend Eric go to the library, Cam finds a mystery to read. But soon, she has a mystery to solve. Her father's shopping list has disappeared. Cam decides to use her amazing skills to investigate, and with a click, she puts her photographic memory into action. Where was the list seen last? And where can it possibly be?

The Young Cam Jansen books are "appealing mini-mysteries [that] will find a ready audience." (Booklist ) ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Youg Cam Jonsen
Cam Josen is a little girl that has an amazing memory. She loves reading mysteries. I like to read all the books of Cam Jonsen. I like to read mystery books like Cam. This book showed me that any thing I have,I must keep in a safe place, where could remember where I put it. This story is a perfect story for kids of my age. I engoyed this book and I liked it.

Can you solve it?
Cam (a shortened nickname from "camera") Jansen has a photographic memory. Along with her friend Eric Shelton, she solves a mystery. The young reader is challenged to pay attention to clues and solve the mystery as well. This is a transitional book aimed at the beginning reader who is starting on short chapter books. The full-color illustrations are appropriate for the story. A memory game is included. This is seventh in a series that should make beginning readers feel successful. ... Read more

Book Description

Returning to her own childhood for inspiration, Aliki has created an exceptional sixty-four-page book that presents Marianthe's story -- her present and her past. In Painted Words, Marianthe's paintings help her to become less of an outsider as she struggles to adjust to a new language and a new school. Under the guidance of her teacher, who understands that there is more than one way to tell a story, Mari makes pictures to illustrate the history of her family, and eventually begins to decipher the meaning of words. In Spoken Memories, a proud Mari is finally able to use her new words to narrate the sequence of paintings she created, and share with her classmates her memories of her homeland and the events that brought her family to their new country.

00-01 Arkansas Diamond Primary Book Award Reading List

Reviews (2)

Wonderful for classroom use...
I first heard about this book in a teacher magazine, and sure enough, it became an instant favorite in my second- and third-grade classroom. This was no big surprise to me as my fourteen young students represent eight different nationalities among themselves! The book has sparked some interesting conversations about feeling different and about arriving in a new country. Any early-grade classroom, but perhaps especially those in multicultural and international schools, should have a copy of this book. I cannot recommend it highly enough!

beautiful book telling about being new/not speaking English
My co-worker introduced me to this gorgeous book that tells the story of a little girl who is new in the classroom and can't speak English. She expresses her feelings by painting. However, the surprise is that the other side of the books is SPOKEN WORDS and she tells the story of her life in Greece and having to leave her native land.

Anyone would love this book, but especially ESL teachers and teachers who have "newcomer" students... It's a good book for a gift for any child and it's a really good book for a teacher to read to a class to help the children become more sensitive to the feelings of newcomers.

A gorgeous book...... ... Read more

Book Description

Everyone knows that Jamie is a dreamer. When he looks up at the sky, instead of clouds he sees knights and dragons from centuries past and fabulous creatures from far-off lands. But one day he looks up and sees something even more incredible: a man in a business suit parachuting from a plane. "Unpredictable and absorbing."--The Midwest Book Review. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Action Book!
Man from the sky

Would you like to be a kid that likes to look up at the sky and imagine seeing things or to have a neighbor that spies on you? This is a story about Jamie who loves to look up at the sky and daydream. But one day instead of daydreaming Jamie see's a man from the sky parachuting! This amazing 120 page book by Avi is about Jamie's friend, Gillian, who gets into a lot of trouble one day. If you tie everything together, you should be able to guess what happens. If I told you I would spoil it, so you should definitely read it! I would rate it a five star book because of it's exciting and suspenseful characters and what happens. The book has an ok writing style because it doesn't have unique writing every word, but it is still a great book and I strongly recommend it.

-Tomás Sowles

A review of Man From the Sky
Mrs. Davis' 5th grade class at the Hamilton School found these events to be the most exciting in the book. By parachuting from a plane, Ed Goddard was trying to escape with money he had stolen. Unable to remove the parachute he was dragged and injured and lost the briefcase with the money. Jamie saw him parachuting from the plane while studying the clouds. Jamie is dyslexic and struggles to read but can see images in the clouds. Jamie's friend Gillian Lurie found the lost briefcase and was kidnapped by Ed Goddard. She left a clue for Jamie to follow and send help. She used a stick to point in the direction she was being taken. There was some discussion about the chapters changing from one character to another making the book confusing. The class decided that Avi wrote the book this way to give the reader a "split screen" of the same events from the point of view of different characters.

Half the class felt that they would recommend the book to a friend. The whole class agreed that there were exciting moments throughout the book.(Submitted by Ms. Willett, Lower School Librarian)

Man from the Sky is interesting and suspenseful!
Book Review of Avi's Man from the Sky

Man from the Sky , by Avi, takes place in a small town in Pennsylvania near the border of New York. Jamie Peters, age 11, is a dreamer. Although he is unable to read books, Jamie spends his free time reading the sky. Jamie is able to see dragons, castles, and knights. One day while reading the sky, Jamie sees a man named Ed Goddard parachuting with a suitcase. Gillian Lurie, Jamie's neighbor, is jealous of Jamie's interesting hobby of reading the sky. In an attempt to find out how Jamie reads the sky, she watches him one day. While watching him, Gillian discovers a mysterious suitcase that leads her and Jamie into trouble.

My favorite scene in this book is when Ed Goddard makes a gun out of wood. This is impressive because the gun looks real enough to fool people. Also, the fact that Goddard is clever enough to make a wood gun so that it will pass through the metal detectors at the airport is also an exciting part of the book.

Although I enjoyed this book, I found it confusing the way the author continually switched back and forth from scenes and characters in each chapter. For example, in one chapter Ed Goddard is looking at planes, and in the following chapter Jamie is reading the sky. However, eventually the book becomes less confusing when the author brings the characters together. Man from the Sky, by Avi, is suspenseful and interesting. I recommend this book to readers my age.

Submitted by David Apfelbaum, grade 6.

this book is good
This book is a great book because it has some action not to little action and not to much action another reason that i like this book is that it is not a confusing or big long book that takes for ever. and the book is for third grade to fith grade.

ps. this book is a great book i recomend this book and this is especially good for 4th graders ... Read more

Book Description

"Welcome to our world, little baby. We've been waiting for you." "In a simple text that's perfect, Aliki conveys warmth, love, hope, and the special tenderness felt by parents at the birth of their child."--Horn Book. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Excellent gift for a newborn-one size fits all.
The story, illustrations and small size of Welcome Little Baby make it a favorite in the library. I have read it with my daughter since before she was born. Now, she "reads" it to her baby brother. It makes a sweet gift for any child.

Beautiful book that shows baby breastfeeding, no bottles.
This book is beautifully illustrated and gentle in manner. It shows the beautiful bond of mother and baby. I love it because it shows breastfeeding, with no bottles, whatsoever. It's a great book for young children who are expecting a new brother or sister. ... Read more

Book Description

Fifteen years ago, long before anyone else thought of tucking actual letters and notes inside a book, Little, Brown published The Jolly Postman by Allan and Janet Ahlberg.This wonderful book gave children a chance to read letters sent from one fairy tale or Mother Goose character to another.Among the funny notes was one from Jack, who lolled on a sun-drenched island, thanking the Giant for the gold that let him afford such a nifty vacation.All this amusing correspondence was deftly illustrated and the book attracted hordes of eager readers. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

creative book
this wonderful book is ideal for little children. it is a fun interactive book that encourages childrens' imagination. I first read this book when i was in the third grade. Now i am a freshmen in college and i saw this book and had to get it

Reading Center students ask for the information to buy it!
Being a Reading Specialist working with at risk readers from first grade through fourth grade, any book that makes them want to read is a winner with me. My fourth graders wanted the information on how to find the book! The book also gave us a reason to review nursery rhymes without feeling that it is a "baby" thing for fourth graders to do.

So Much Fun!
We got this for our daughter for Christmas. That was a year ago. We have read this book to her at least once a week since then. It is one of her all-time favorites. We don't mind reading it over and over because we love it too. Such Fun! This year, she's getting another "Jolly Postman" book. She'll be thrilled!

travel book
My children received this book as a Christmas gift just before we left for a 700 mile trip to visit grandparents. It is an ideal book to pack for such a trip. The story itself and the letters tucked inside the book kept them busy for hours, and they wanted to read it over and over. That was okay with me, I really enjoyed reading it to them. It is a fantastic book! In fact, I logged on to see if there are other "Jolly Postman" books. Thank goodness there are.

Creative and Funny
Even though I am already eleven years old I am still obsessed with this book. It is funny and the pictures are marvelous. I plan on buying this book for Christmas. This book is for all ages. It is about a postman who goes around delivering mail. On each page there is a little pocket that contains a message/mail. I loved reading this book and I bet you will too. ... Read more

Book Description

A captivating retelling of a Philippine fable about two elderly boars--one kind and cheerful, the other selfish and mean--who find their actions repaid in very different ways. "The text has a lilt and a gleam of humor...and the illustrations are among this well-know team's most engaging."--Kirkus Reviews. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

you get what you give
This ia an excellent book for young children. It has bright and active pictures to keep them captivated, and has a charming and meaningful story. Each pig gets what they deserve, the selfish pig learns her lesson, and all live cooperatively ever after. ... Read more

Book Description

For over 2,500 years the simple stories and wry humor of Aesop's fables have entertained children and adults alike. Their lessons have seeped into the very fabric of our language, as evidenced by expressions such as "sour grapes" and "a wolf in sheep's clothing." Through the centuries many artists have risen to the challenge of interpreting their favorite tales. In this magnificent edition, award-winning illustrator Helen Ward has chosen a dozen of her favorite fables, painstakingly creating with words and breathtaking watercolors a dazzling new collection destined to become a classic. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Stefanie's Review
This book is a good book for little kids just starting school. It tells them what it will be like in school. My grandma gave me this book when I was going in to kindergarden. I injoyed it then and I still do now. It is still my favorit book.

Detailed and informative pictures and text
The pictures are detailed and interesting, showing kids doing just about anything you could do in the early weeks of school---circle, outdoor play, lunch, reading, assembly and even fighting! The text takes you step by step from the first day of school to Christmas break.A note---this schoolseems like a private religious school, as the children do pray and put on aplay about Baby Jesus.One annoying part is the repeated repetition of awhole list of children's names---I am not sure what the point of thisis---each time they are referring to the group of children they list eachof the nine names---tiring when reading aloud!But an enjoyable good and agood introduction to preschool or kindergarten. ... Read more

Book Description

William is getting ready for his bath when the faucet breaks, sending him and his tub surfing through the building! On his wet ride, he collects a strange fleet in his wake -- from Uncle Nash, who sits in the trash, to Little Dottie, who sails the potty. Who will William carry off next? Bath-lovers and bath-haters alike will want to know!"Full of amusing detail that will keep young readers coming back again and again." -- School Library Journal ... Read more

Reviews (12)

No More Water in the Tub
No More Water In The Tub takes place in a bathroom. First, in the bathroom on the top floor of a tall apartment building, William was getting ready for his bath. Second, Walter, his brother, reached for the tub faucet and it broke off. William went out the door floating through the halls of the apartment building. If you want to hear the end of the story get the book. I think No More Water In The Tub is so funny.

No More Water in the Tub
No More Water in the Tub is a bathtub story. William and Walter accidentally screwed the knob off their tub and the tub broke loose because there was too much water. They went through apartments. William put out a fire and got a medal. This book is good for all ages. It's a funny story with amazing illustrations. I would give it five stars.

Fun story, delightful illustrations!
My children (ages 6, 4, and 2 years) all eagerly listen to this story again and again. They like the fanciful tale of a boy floating through his apartment complex in his bathtub and sweeping his good-natured neighbors away with him. It is a pleasure to read aloud due to its rhythmic text and rhymes (my kids' favorite line "Uncle Nash sat in the Trash" makes them giggle every time). The illustrations have lots of humorous details...the kids like to point out things like the hamster floating on a puzzle. At the end of the book, it is revealed that this was just a story that Walter told to little brother William while he was taking a bath. But as Walter starts telling another story to William, Walter forgets to turn off the water and William's bathtub floats out the window and down the fire escape! This delightfully ambiguous ending always leaves my 6 and 4 year old excitedly debating about whether this second adventure supposedly really happened or was simply another story invented by the big brother. What a fun book!

No More Water In The Tub
No More Water In The Tub takes place in an apartment building. First, William's mom told him to not put much water in the tub. Second, the tub got filled with water and it overflowed. Then, William and Walter went sailing through the whole apartment building into other apartments. Finally, William was a hero because he made a fire go out in the bottom floor apartment with the water from the tub. This is a very funny book. I was laughing so hard.

No More Water in the Tub
No More Water in the Tub takes place in the bathroom.
A boy named William and his brother turned the tub faucet and the tub flooded and came loose.William and Walter slid through the apartment building.William got a medal for putting a fire out with his tub water. This book is funny and has great illustrations. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

use in a classroom
This is a great book that will give students an insight into the life of Sacagawea. It details her time with Lewis and Clark. It also gives students an idea of what life was like for explorers traveling west in the early 19th century.

An excellent resource for grade school students.
A Picture Book Of Sacagawea is an illustrated children's book with a brief biography of Sacagawea, the Shoshone woman who served and guide and interpreter for the exploration/journey of Lewis and Clark into the great Northwest territory of the 1803 Louisiana Purchase. From her birth in 17888 or 89 in Idaho to the end of the expedition in Fort Mandan, August of 1806, the biography gives known details of Sacagawea's many helpful and courageous actions. Her eventful life is still incompletely known. The dates of her death are given as "either December 20, 1812, or April 9, 1884." But her life is definitely an example of inspiration to young readers. The colorful illustrations are complementary but not distracting from the simply written text. The author and illustrator give special thanks to Brigham D. Madsen, author of The Northern Shoshoni and Professor Emeritus of History at the University of Utah. In addition, there is a selective bibliography to encourage young readers to look further for information about this Shoshoni woman. A Picture Book Of Sacagawea is an excellent resource for elementary or middle school age students.

Nancy Lorraine, Reviewer ... Read more

Book Description

Wilma's parents don't know quite what to do when their daughter wakes up green and requests bugs for breakfast. At school, Wilma's teachers are appalled by her unusually colorful antics. Wherever Wilma goes, surprises await her--and readers of this irresistibly funny fable.Absurd and action-packed.--The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Green Wilma is hilarious
Children will love this book. It is well illustrated, keeps your attention, makes you laugh, and keeps you wanting to see what Wilma will do next. I found the book extremely enjoyable and would be a good investment in your childs reading library.

Just plain GOOFY!!
The first time I read this book I laughed out loud!! My daughter thinks it is as funny as I do-the illustrations are terrific. Buy this book!

Your toddler will love this one!
My little girl is 22 months old and loves this book! The exaggerated features of the cat, frog, and people get her laughing every time we read it.

An entertaining book for parents and preschoolers!
This book is a delightful investment! It's fun to read to yourkids and even more fun to listen to your kids "read" it backto you. Mr. Arnold's illustrations will leave you "bug-eyed" and his rhyme provides for a "hopping" good time. The audio cassette is humorous and perfectly narrated by the nasally Alice Playten.

Full of wit and surprises for preschoolers and early readers
Green Wilma is as witty as they come. Fast paced and full of charming surprises from beginning to end, this book engages readers, both young and old from the moment it's opened. Even before the first words, my son was enchanted by Wilma's darling feet, poking out from beneath the blanket.

And who could resist and opening line like, "One morning Wilma woke up green and much to her surprise, she sat up on her bed and croaked and started eating flies." From there "Green Wilma" takes you and your child on a rambling adventure through an exciting day in the life of a very unusual heroine. And you won't believe the ending! ... Read more

Book Description

How would you like to travel from a tropical rain forest to the African plains, and down into a deep canyon all in one day? Then get ready for a wild trip to the zoo and up close look at all kinds of animals! See snow leopards lurking on a ledge, zebras and ostriches running across the open plains, and a tiger splashing in a stream. Find out everything--from what elephants roll in after their baths to which bird might laugh at your jokes. Come take a visit to an amazing zoo!

... Read more

Reviews (2)

My Visit To The Zoo
This book was very interesting, and I think this is a great book for kids to read. This informational, yet very interting, and fun to read book, tells kids a lot about animals. Even though this does talk a lot about information, I enjoyed it, and I think many other kids will to.
I would recommend this book for children of all ages, because of the information that it sends out, and the way they turn it into a wonderful story. My favorite part of the book, was when they were telling me about all the different kinds of monkeys and all the indangered species. I hope that many children will read this book.

Great message, but not a five star book...
I appreciate the message that this book sends, in teaching children about endangered species. The book spends most of the content in providing information on the animals in their habitats, yet tries to pass the information off in a story. I think the facts provided are wonderful for children to learn, and the illustrations do help lure the children into asking questions, but overall the book lacks a little in keeping a child's attention. Not quite a five star book, as a result, but very worthwhile information on endangered animals. ... Read more

Book Description

As Duckling sets off to explore the world, Chick is close behind, mimicking each of his actions with a perky "Me too." But when Duckling decides to go for a swim, his friend is in for a surprise.

This charming tale, with brightly colored illustrations by Jose Aruego and Ariane Dewey, will delight small children who are also discovering the world around them. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Great for Early Childhood students.
This book is great for showing how chicks and ducks are the same, and different, in an entertaining way. It is an emergent reader book, that uses repetition and predictability to help young readers along. My Kindergarten class really loves this book. I've seen it in Big Book format, but can't find it here. Oh, well! Buy this one if you don't have it.

A lesson to learn by imitating!
I really enjoyed reading this story to my students and working with activities that went along with the book. For example miming the action words in the book, drawing, and writing a book report. This is wonderful story about a chick and a duck who hatch at the same time and become friends. The chick imitates the duck until the duck goes for a swim. However, the chick attempts to swim, but can't and is rescued by the duck. The Chick realizes that it is ok not to do everything the duck does. The duck can go for a swim with out him. The moral of the story, sometimes it is perfectly ok to imitate, but at other times be yourself, do your own things and have your own ideas.

The chick copied the duckling until it sank in the water.
Ashleigh favorite part was when the chick sank. It makes me feel like I can save my friend. Ashley liked the part when the duckling dug a hole. I liked the illustrations. ... Read more

Book Description

Firebird-the imprint-is dedicated to publishing the best fantasy and science fiction for teenage and adult readers. Firebirds is an equally special anthology. Its sixteen original stories showcase some of the genre's most admired authors, including multiple award-winners Diana Wynne Jones, Garth Nix, Lloyd Alexander, Nancy Farmer, Meredith Ann Pierce, and Patricia A. McKillip. Here you will find a sparkling range of writing, from dark humor to high sword and sorcery to traditional ballads-something for every sort of reader. Finally, to make this anthology even more of a standout, it appears first as a deluxe, jacketed hardcover. Welcome to Firebirds-a must-have for fans of contemporary speculative fiction.

Edited by Sharyn November. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

"An Anthology of Original Fantasy and Science Fiction"
Let me begin by saying that I am not a huge fan of short stories: I prefer larger novels that I can really sink into, and of course short stories can only whet one's appetite. But when I saw the calibre of the authors presented here, I had to have a read: Lloyd Alexander, Garth Nix, Diana Wynne Jones, Meredith Ann Pierce, Patricia McKillip - wow! I adore all these authors, but had never experienced any of them in short story format. Maybe because my expectations were too high, or maybe because of my bias against short stories, reading became a little tedious after a while, and though I never regret reading a book, I doubt I'll be picking up this particular anthology again. However, there are some gems spotted in amongst them, and the skill of the authors involved is to be recommended:

"Cotillion" Delia Sherman - a retelling of the Tam Lin tale in 1960's New York, with a few tweakings and an unfortunate case of love at first sight. Beautiful imagery though.

"The Baby in the Night Deposit Box" Megan Whalen Turner - a comic-fantasy tale of a bank that takes an abandoned baby into its care, and the evil enchantress than turns up many years later to "withdraw her niece".

"Beauty" Sherwood Smith - a 'sequel' of sorts to "Crown Duel", which was unbeknownst to me when I began reading it. Ironically enough, I had checked out "Crown Duel" from the library at the same time as this anthology and now know how the story ends. Sigh.

"Mariposa" Nancy Springer - a nice little story about a young woman searching for her soul, left in the care of the fishes that swim in the stream at her childhood home.

"Max Mondrosch" Lloyd Alexander - don't expect Alexander's usual fantasy-comic fare in this story: it's a dark, disturbing tale of a man who does everything he can to succeed, and *still* fails.

"The Fall of Ys" Meredith Ann Pierce - one of my very favourite authors retells the legend of sunken Ys from a slightly more feminist point of view. Pierce's stories are always worth while, and her name was the main reason why I picked up this book.

"Medusa" Michael Cadnum - a dreamy version of the Medusa myth, more poetry than prose, with a poignant ending.

"The Black Fox" Emma Bull and Charles Vess - the adaptation of an old English ballad into comic book form, in which a hunting party comes across a demonic black fox...or is it?

"Byndley" Patricia A. McKillip - again, another author that doesn't disappoint, weaving her extraordinary language about a wizard trying to find his way back into Faery, to return something that he once stole.

"The Lady of the Ice Garden" Kara Dalkey - try and see how long it takes you to see what European fairytale Dalkey has retold in a Japanese setting. A great idea, though with a rather unexpected ending for her young hero and heroine.

"Hope Chest" Garth Nix - as usual his descriptions are detailed and intricate, but the story (a blend of Western and fantasy) rather baffled me, and left about a thousand questions unanswered. Sorry Nix, I love your "Old Kingdom" trilogy, but this just wasn't my cup of tea.

"Chasing the Wind" Elizabeth E. Wein - definitely the odd one out, considering that this isn't even a fantasy story. A young girl travels over Africa to join her missionary parents.

"Little Dot" Diana Wynne Jones - quintessential DWJ fare: bizarre magics, mythological gods and creatures brought into the modern world, quirky humour, and lots and lots of cats. J. K. Rowling has *definitely* read DWJ.

"Remember Me" Nancy Farmer - a nice, but kinda forgettable story of a changeling child and her misunderstanding family.

"Flotsam" Nina Kiriki Hoffman - a short story that perhaps tries to squish too much into it: a grieving family, an otherworldly boy, the magical backstory that gives explanation for why he's there, how the family deals with the magics, a high-school crush, and how they get him back home again.

"The Flying Woman" Laurel Winter - out of all the stories, this one has the most potential for being expanded into a book. After being abandoned on a desert island (presumably due to their powers) two children fend for themselves until they find a mysterious winged woman washed up on the shore.

The editor is Sharyn November (who I've never heard of before!) and after each story is a comment from the author on the stories that they've presented here. Oh, and just in case you get the wrong idea: none of them are about Firebirds - that's the name of the imprint. Looking over my list, I concur that this *is* a decent series of stories, and for those that enjoy the authors or the format, then its well worth exploring.

Wonderful reading
There are very few books out there that I can honestly see myself reading multiple times. This, however, is definitely one of them. I had often been recommended books by the various different authors in it but had never wanted to buy their individual books with the possibility that I might not like their styles. This compilation of short stories has really given me a great respect for all of the different writers as it showcases their incredible abilities to keep an audience attentive. No matter how unusual or fanciful each story seemed to me, I was delighted and thrilled to keep reading in order to find out "what happens next?"

What I found in Firebirds was an amazing collection of stories, some very fantasy driven while others were more inclined to historical fiction. There was a fun little story by Sherwood Smith that follows the daughter of her Crown Duel characters, a different story about a female sharpshooter who stops a town from being brainwashed by a politician, a story that is unfortunately chilling about the status of unemployment levels, a tale of a young lady's journey to meet her parents in Africa, and a very funny Wicked Witch of the West meets Sleeping Beauty and small town America tale of an abandoned baby who turns out to be a princess (if you read it you will understand... it's a very different but great story).

I highly recommend the book to people who normally like authors like Tamora Pierce, Robin McKinley or Lloyd Alexander.

Not what I thought it would be...
This anthology has one basic problem, though I guess I should have known better, as the problem is that, as an anthology, there are over a dozen writers who have composed short stories for it. It's hard to like everyone's style of writing, even if the genre is the same. As it was, I only liked three of the stories - Michael Cadnum's Medusa, Sherwood Smith's Beauty, and Kara Dalkey's The Lady of the Ice Garden. Stories like Lloyd Alexander's Max Mondrosch and Nancy Springer's Mariposa I thought were a relentless bore, and there was even a comic strip in the book - totally out of place. This book really gives you a taste of the entire spectrum of sci fi and fantasy. However, if you're like me with your tastes already centered on a certain area of the genre and certain authors, beware. Consider this a warning if you, like me, can't appreciate all aspects of sci fi/fantasy.

"Firebirds" is a Must-Read Anthology
This is the first anthology I have ever read and I absolutely loved it. Almost all of the stories in here are of highest quality. The collection gets off to a great start with "Cotilion" by Nancy Springer, which is an incredible Tam Lin spinoff. "Medusa" by Michael Cadnum is another great piece, told from the title character's point of view. "Max Monderasch" by Lloyd Alexander and "Hope Chest" by Garth Nix are disturbing yet thought-provoking stories. (I personally found "Max Monderasch" eerily realistic yet comically entertaining.) However, my favorite piece is "Floatsam" by Nina Kiriki Hoffman. All in all, this is a must-read collection for YA fantasy fans. Don't miss it!

Absolutely Spectacular Collection of Stories
This is an amazing collection of fantasy and science fiction short stories. There is a variety of popular authors, and great authors waiting to be discovered. This is sure to attract many fans and make fans of non-believers!

The calibre of the stories is excellent all around, there's not just a few good stories. Patricia McKillip's "Byndley", Nancy Springer's "Mariposa", Michael Cadnum's "Medusa" and Sherwood Smith's "Beauty" are among my favourites.

Some have sword and sorcery, some are fairy tale or myth retellings, and some have such a subtle ingredient of magic, you have to look closely for it. But they all ask us to believe, even if it's just for the time it takes to read this delicious volume. ... Read more