Book Description

Reviews (154)

Easy to read, teaches colors and new words...
This was the first story my daughter learned in Primary/Kindergarten. Each day the kids learned a new color and words for each page of the book. My child really enjoyed bringing home worksheets to show me what was happening in the story.

After she learned the story, I bought the hardcover book to replace the well-worn worksheets that were getting very crumpled. This is truly my daughter's favorite book, and she loves reading it to her sister. Her reading skill has surpassed this level, yet she returns to it for the colorful illustrations, and to remember the joy she had in learning to read. This book rates 5 stars and your child will love the melodic tempo to its words as they learn to read.

Great For First Storytimes
This book is a great first book to read to baby. The text is rythmic and the illustrations are bold, simplistic, and big enough to attract young babies' attention. My son, at 4 months, enjoys this book.

Simple animals and Colors
Yes, I can recite this book by heart. Sometimes we leave the colors out, sometimes we shorten it, but it is a bedtime must. My son likes it when we make the animal noises, too. Good for animal and color identification. This is another book that is good for practicing baby sign language.

Way to Go Bill Martin and Eric Carle! Great classic books!
My son has loved this book and Polar Bear, Polar Bear since he was 1 1/2 and he is now 3. He learned his colors and animals as well as enjoyed the rythmatic way the book reads. He reads this book to me all the time from memory and it is a book we treasure in our house. My nephew has it now too and at 2 1/2 reads it to his mommy too!
Get this book! Take it out from the library and see your child's reaction if you don't believe me. By the time the book is due back, you will be headed to the book store to buy it!

How to Have Real Fun With This Book After 200 Readings
Here's the way to keep this book fresh after multiple readings....start at the last page and read it backwards! My son loved it backwards and years later still can remember me reading "Bear Brown, Bear Brown, See You Do What?" ... Read more

Amazon.com Reviews

"In the light of the moon a little egg lay on a leaf." So begins Eric Carle's modern classic, The Very Hungry Caterpillar.More than 12 million copies of this book have been sold in its original, full-sized edition, and the beloved tale of science and gluttony has been translated into 20 languages. This five-by-four-inch miniature edition is truly tiny, with tiny type, but it is a nice size for small hands to hold and flip through the pictures. Despite its diminished state, the book is complete in every detail, following the ravenous caterpillar's path as he eats his way through one apple (and the pages of the book itself) on Monday, two pears on Tuesday, three plums on Wednesday, and so on, through cherry pie and sausage--until he is really fat and has a stomachache. And no doubt you know what happens next! Kids love butterfly metamorphosis stories, and this popular favorite teaches counting and the days of the week, too. A fun gift package for caterpillar fans. (Baby to preschool) --Karin Snelson ... Read more

Reviews (146)

A fun, witty, classic tale.
We have this book in a small and large size together with anEric Carle videotape that has the story. A young caterpillar is bornand begins to eat his way through the world and through many foods that you child will be able to identify. These foods are eaten on each of the seven days of the week, an added bonus, as your child begins to learn that Sunday is a different day that Monday. The caterpillar gets very fat. He builds a cocoon and then emerges a large beautiful butterfly. My 3 year old does not tire of this story. He learns about nature, food and the days of the week in one absolutely stunningly illustrated book. You can't get much better than this for young children. If you have young children, or if you are looking for a gift for a 4 year old and younger child, this book is highly, highly recommended. Enjoy.

Perfect spring reading!
This is one of my all-time favorite children's books. One sunny day, a caterpillar pops out of an egg. He is very hungry and begins searching for food. Now, many of Eric Carle's books have gimmicks--the tactile web in THE VERY BUSY SPIDER and the chirping in THE VERY QUIET CRICKET, for example. The gimmick in this book is that the caterpillar eats holes through all the food, holes that are actually punched into the pages of the book. It's a good gimmick, actually. Also, many of Carle's books teach conventions--telling time in THE VERY GROUCHY LADYBUG and animal sounds in THE VERY BUSY SPIDER, for example. This one teaches the days of the week. On Monday, the caterpillar eats this, on Tuesday he eats that, and so forth. Very cute. Eventually, he becomes a fat caterpillar. He then spins himself a cocoon, where he rests for two weeks. And when he emerges...well, you can guess the results. It's a wonderful story. Best of all, the text is very simple as are the illustrations, so the book will appeal to toddlers as well as the pre-K and kindergarten crowd. In fact, it may appeal more to toddlers, because the story is so very simple. I know I read it as a kindergartener. I loved the holes but found the story rather boring. I read it to my two-year-old this spring, however, and he went nuts over it. The days of the week were lost on him, but he was fascinated by the caterpillar turning into a butterfly--he had no idea! Can't tell you how many times we read it. We also re-enacted it, crawling on the floor and eating, spinning ourselves into cocoons, and popping out with fluttery wings. In fact, he was so taken with the caterpillar-to-butterfly phenomenon that I ordered some caterpillars (I used "Insect Lore"--they are on-line--but I'm sure there are lots of other places to get them). We read THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR at each stage of their development and then right before we released them as butterflies. It was the highlight of our spring.

Never understood the charm; still don't
This is not one of my all-time favorite books. It strikes me as tedious, boring, and silly. I would never have bought it for my one-year-old.

Unfortunately for me, a friend gave it to him for his birthday. Fortunately for him, though, Jack loves it. I rarely get out of it without at least three repetitions.

The pictures are kind of pretty, in a modern art sort of way.

A good book to give as a gift to someone else's child -- that way, you won't have to read it endlessly.

A Classic!
I loved this book as a child, and it is now one of my daughters favorite books. This is a MUST HAVE for all children.

Perennial favorite
While on occasion I can persuade the youngster to read Michael Holt's "Rise & Fall of the American Whig Party" with me, she seems to prefer the caterpillar. Who am I to argue? I would have been disappointed if someone hadn't given us this book when she was born, and it remains one of my guilty pleasures, I suppose. We got an extremely cute onesie to go along with the book as well. ... Read more

Book Description

Warm, loving pictures accompany this upbeat look at how a family grows when a new baby comes home. A companion volume to I'm a Big Brother. ... Read more

Reviews (24)

"Big Sister" Endures
We received this book shortly after our son was born, and our 2-1/2 year old daughter loved it right away. She still asks to read it, 7 months later. She loves being a big sister, and the book reinforces it in a very positive way. She identifies with the character, down to wanting to get hair bows just like in the illustrations. We like that it is gender-specific as to the "big" sibling, but not the baby.

Great book for toddlers
My daughter is 26 months old and we are expecting our second child in another month. She immediately took to the book and has asked to have it read to her almost everyday. Before this book, we would talk to my daughter about the baby, but we weren't sure how much was sinking in. This book has really helped! After just a couple of weeks, my daughter is much more focused on the baby, and talks about how certain things will be for the baby, such as the infant seat, bouncy chair, pacifier, things like that. She also wants to see my belly all the time and will act like she is feeding the baby, or she will give the baby hugs and kisses. It is very cute, and it really seems like she understands a lot more what to expect when the baby comes. I am sure there are other good books out there, but this one seems especially appropriate for kids in the 1 to 3 year old range. It is straightforward and not too complicated, and has good illustrations. I highly recommend this book!

Nice book with one drawback
I bought this book when my son was born for my 2 year old daugther after reading all the good reviews. I like it a lot - except for the bottle feeding reference. As a breastfeeding mom I would have preferred it if the author simply left feeding out. There are plenty of other things that a big sister can do.

Good, even for young sister-to-be
Our daughter was 17-months-old when she became a big sister, and this book was the only one out there that helped her understand the concept of having a little sister.
It is written very simply, talking about what the little girl can do and how she is a big girl. It talks also about the baby and what the baby can do, what the baby needs, etc. It is very reassuring, I think, to the older child that they are still loved because they are special.
The drawings are very cute and appealing to my daughter - she loves to see the big sister and the baby, the dolls and bears, and the mommy and daddy.
I think it really helped her understand the concept and I would really recommend it for any age!

What a wonderful book
We got this for our daughter (2 1/2) to let her know she's going to be a big sister, and SHE LOVES IT. It has QUICKLY become her favorite book and like to repeat the big kid things she can do. I would HIGHLY recommend this to anyone who's going to have a new big sister in the house! ... Read more

Book Description

The author/artist creators of How I Was Adopted present this child's-eye view of family life, deftly describing the joy of welcoming a new sibling into the family. A companion volume to I'm a Big Sister. ... Read more

Reviews (29)

Good for older toddlers, preschoolers
I bought this book to help my almost-three-years-old son adjust to the idea of a new baby brother or sister. He loves it and asks to read it about four times a day. The text is easy to understand. It explains some of babies' limitations ("Too little to walk. Too little to talk.") and also talks about why babies cry, etc. The illustrations are really sweet and everyone is smiling, even the kitty cat.

The one thing I don't like about this book is that it assumes the mom will be bottlefeeding. There are bottles in several pictures (one shows the brother giving a bottle). Since we breastfeed, I would have preferred a book where the mother nurses the baby. However, this hurdle was easily overcome by some quick mommy text improvisation. ("Babies like to nurse," instead of "Babies like to drink milk"). All in all, it's a great sibling book and one I don't hesitate to recommend.

What a great little book!
I bought this book for my 6 year old son just before the birth of his brother. We loved it! It is short for kids who need an introduction but might not want to dwell on the subject, very positive about all the family relationships - especially about being a sibling, friendly and engaging. The reason I really like the Big Brother/Big Sister difference is that the sibling-to-be spends a couple of months hearing that he or she will be a brother or sister and this book follows right along! I did enjoy the breastfeeding illustration, unobstrusive and just as easily a cuddling illustration, which is something many books skip right over. If there was anything disappointing about the book it's the fact that our Big Brother had no interest in looking at it once the baby was here. But, hey, why should I be upset with a book for answering all my son's questions so soon and so easily? ... it was well worth what he got out of it for 3 weeks' worth of reading. I recommend this book highly!

a nice preparation for the new baby
My 18 mo son will sit and listen to this book, and it's the most I get to discuss the "new baby" with him. If I try to point to the new crib, or my burgeoning belly, he just says "no baby" and goes back to his cars and trucks. I agree that the book should have a nursing mother, in this breastfeeding age, or at least say "some babies have Mommy's milk and some babies have milk from bottles," or whatever. But I like that the little boy in the book is unflaggingly positive about his new sibling, and how much his parents still love him.

Great book for Big Brothers
We bought this book to help my son get ready for his little sister's arrival. It has simple text and really highlights on the differences in big kids vs babies. Gets him excited about the big kid things he already gets to do without wanting to regress. I also liked the way the book touches on the nurturing side of the big brother and the parents towards both children. The pages are a little thicker if you have a toddler prone to ripping pages, mine hasn't yet. They are holding up well. A great book that is asked for atleast twice a day by my son! I recommend it.

a much-requested story
this book is one of the favorite stories of our 18-month-old, so much so that we're able to quote the story during regular conversations during the day. we have yet to find out how well this book does for preparing our son for his little brother, but at least he knows that there are some things that big kids can do that babies cannot. i like the fact that the book emphasizes that a big brother can be very helpful with the new baby and is still very loved by his parents. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (29)

Not bad, but not a very good introduction to animal sounds
What I had expected in this book was the onomatopoeia ("buzz", "meow", etc.) that is usual to other books about animal noises.

Although this book used some familiar terms, many of the terms for animal sounds were confusing to my daughter. For example, I had a difficult time explaining what "fluting" might sound like, since I really don't know what a flamingo sounds like (I live in the frozen Midwest). It's also hard to explain "trumpeting" to someone who doesn't know or understand what a trumpet is.

The text flows beautifully, the repetition is soothing to little ears and Eric Carle's illustrations are always a treat. Despite this, I can't recommend this book as highly as some other reviewers have.

I know that my disappointment stems from the fact that I had planned to use this book to explain the sounds that some exotic animals make. I really don't need this book just for the repetition and poetry, I think that the "Brown Bear..." book by the same team does a better job at that task.

10 times a day for Tyler!
This is my son Tyler's (17 mos) favorite book. He loves the colorful pictures and loves it even more when Mommy tries to make all the animal noises for him! (Ever try to make a yelping peacock or fluting flamingo noise??) No matter how many times I read this book to him, he wants to hear it just one more time...ok, maybe two...or three... I especially love the fact that it is about more unusual animals - peacock, flamingo, walrus, as opposed to your everyday dog, cat, cow -type animals. I highly recommend this book, it's a must have!

My son loves this book!
A few weeks ago, my 13 month old son came home from daycare with this note on his daily sheet "Today we read Polar Bear, Polar, What Do You Hear over and over again. Everytime I tried to read him another book, he would push it away and point to Polar Bear". Every day since this, his daily sheet has ended with "...and we read Polar Bear" My son has favorite books at home and since he enjoys this one so much, I wanted to add it to our collection. I also ordered the Brown Bear and Panda Bear books, hoping he will like them just as much.

Interactive
This is a fun interactive book about the animals in the zoo and the sounds they make. It's a great vocabulary builder, since it uses words that small kids may not hear every day. The book is quite enjoyable for kids who like animals, and not at all scary. The story may get kids wound up, however, so it might not be the best choice for a bedtime story. The book has about 200 words.

A favorite in my house!
I just got this book for my 2-year-old nephew, Zachary, because he loves the book "Brown Bear, Brown Bear" by the same people. He asked me to read it to him four times in a row because he loved it so much! He likes it because it uses zoo animals that he loves, like hippos, walruses, zabras, elephants, flamingos, peacocks, polar bears, leopards, and a boa constrictor! (well, I say "snake" when I get to that part because that's how he knows it). The rythm is just like Brown Bear, and he loves it! I recommend it to all young children because it is a fun book. ... Read more

Book Description

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is Robert Sabuda's most amazing creation ever, featuring stunning pop-ups illustrated in John Tenniel's classic style. The text is faithful to Lewis Carroll's original story, and special effects like a Victorian peep show, multifaceted foil, and tactile elements make this a pop-up to read and admire again and again. ... Read more

Reviews (20)

fabulous addition to your Sabuda collection
Once you have one of his pop-up books, you will be drawn willy-nilly to buy all of the rest. This is not his most sublime effort on two fronts. The art work is in the exact style of the original, so while it is stunning and beautiful, I think it is not as lovely as his absolutely original imaginings. A few of the pop-up effects such as the little baby changing to a pig face(found in one of the mini books within a book) don't work very well, since only the pig is visible unless you go thro contortions to peek inside before ever opening that page. The same with the scene of painting the roses red.

While a great deal of the original text has been abridged, only a couple of the nonsense rhymes that made the original unabridged alice one of my childhoods read aloud favorites has been included.

Overall, the pop up engineering is still stunning, to see Alice's face inside the White Rabbits home with her arms sticking out windows, and her feet out the chimney and front door, the mad hatters tea party, and of course, the very first telescopic view of her fall down the rabbit hole are not to be missed! My 3 1/2 year old sits thro 90% of the story just as long as he can enjoy the pop-ups again and again!

Another Sabuda masterpiece.
As a huge fan of Sabuda's WIZARD OF OZ, I grabbed ALICE'S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND as soon as I saw it in the store, and it didn't disappoint at all.

The book is similar in design to WIZARD OF OZ, has several eye-popping pages that literally jump out at you and contains a faithful abridgement of Lewis Carroll's classic text.

The first page, featuring the forest where Alice first encounters the White Rabbit, is glorious, and Sabuda has imagined a remarkable way to give readers a look "down the rabbit hole."

This one's as good as THE WIZARD OF OZ, and it's going to be a great gift for all my cousins this holiday season.

This is the MOTHER of all pop-up books EVER!
I've never written a review of any book before, but am compelled to do so now. (I'm not a very good writer!)

I've been collecting pop-ups for a long time, and this is the Pop-Up to End All Pop-Ups!

This book exceeds all my expectations of any Pop-Up. Innovative, top quality, surprise after surprise, includes full story, just superb!

I cannot give this book enough stars. If 5 is the highest, I give this book a 15! You will not be dissappointed!

AMAZING!!!
There is a REASON that reviewers of Robert Sabuda's "Alice in Wonderland" are AMAZED. This is NOT just another "pop-up book." THIS is a WORK OF ART!!

Robert Sabuda's work is MAGICAL as you literally peer down the rabbit hole. Another page shows Alice in the house; Alice at the tea party; the Cheshire Cat; the deck of cards....

This book can be great to show young babies as it will spark their curiosity, but you have to just have them look at it and keep it out of reach as young toddlers would probably rip the art work. If you know a young boy or girl (ages 4 and up) or a young teenager or anyone who appreciates illustrative art - this is the book to buy.

My mother bought this book for me plus one for her good friend and we both loved it!

Robert Sabuda's "Wizard of OZ" was great....this might be even better!

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland: A Pop-up book
Absolutely the best pop-up book I have ever seen. A collectible for sure. Not only do you have large pop-ups on each page, but you have smaller multiple ones on the pages, too!! Beautiful color and excitment for everyone, adults included!! ... Read more

Book Description

Enter the hilarious world of 10-year-old Kenny and his family, the Weird Watsons of Flint, Michigan. There's Momma, Dad, little sister Joetta, and brother Byron, who's 13 and an "official juvenile delinquent." When Momma and Dad decide it's time for a visit to Grandma, Dad comes home with the amazing Ultra-Glide, and the Watsons set out on a trip like no other. They're heading South. They're going to Birmingham, Alabama, toward one of the darkest moments in America's history.
... Read more

Reviews (400)

heba heba heba heba
The Watsons Go to Birmingham-1963

The Watsons Go To Birmingham-1963 is a magnificent book. I really recommend you reading it. It is filled with fun things and Historical Fiction at the end.

The setting is where the story takes place. It begins in Flint, Michigan. It was very cold and Byron and Buphead teased Kenny a lot. On the road trip, Kenny's mom had planned everything out like where to stay. At the rest stops, Kenny and Byron said that rest stop's restrooms stunk and were really dirty. When they finally got to Birmingham, everyone complained how hot it was. Then there were racial problems. This is how I remembered the setting.

Kenny is very smart but is also very funny. In Chapter 2, he reads a book to Byron's class up side down. Some times Byron tortures Kenny. In Chapter 1, Byron and his friend Buphead threw Kenny around in the snow. Kenny sometimes doesn't believe what Byron says and then does like in Chapter 13. He doesn't believe in the Wool Pooh and then does when he thinks he sees the Wool Pooh. That's how I relate to Kenny Watson.

In the beginning, Byron gets his lips stuck to the car mirror. Then his dad buys the Ultra-Glide and they go on a three-day trip to Birmingham, Alabama. After Kenny seeing the Wool Pooh and to white men bombing Joey's church, the finally go back to Flint.

As I said in the beginning, The Watsons Go To Birmingham-1963 is a very good book. I recommend it to children of all ages.
By Plunky Universe

The Watsons go to Birmingham-1963 book review
The Watsons go to Birmingham-1963, by Christopher Paul Curtis, is a great book. It takes place during the Civil rights movement. It is about a Family that lives in Flint, Michigan. The family is made up of Daniel (dad),Wilona (mom), Byron,Kenny, and Joetta, also known as Joey. I think the characters in this story are really interesting. Kenny is smart. He reads stuff to higher grades than he is in. He is also one of the least popular kids in his school. And, he has a lazy eye. Kenny's big brother Byron is a trouble maker. He is known as the god of the school children at Clark elementary. Joetta, Kenny's little sister, likes to protect Byron from her mom. She also believes all the tall tales he makes up. The whole family seems so realistic. Christopher Paul Curtis does something cool with Byron in the book. Byron changes from a trouble-maker to a nice person. He changes because of a true historical event that happened in this story.In the beginning of the story is parents get so mad because of the bad stuff he did. They decide to drive to their grandma Sands house in Birmingham, Alabama. That is how they end up going to Birmingham.

Christopher Paul Curtis has a cool bad guy for the story. When they are in Birmingham, Kenny goes some where he shouldn't go and meets the bad guy of the story,The Wool Pooh. He says that it has a gray body, no face, square feet, square shoulders, and square fingers. Kenny sees the Wool Pooh twice in the story. When he is swimming where he shouldn't and after the historical event. Kenny thinks that it means death.

I think there are some bad things about the book. Christopher Paul Curtis skips the part when they are going back to Flint. There are some other things he doesn't tell about. For example,He doesn't tell when Kenny tells his Mom, Dad, and Byron that Joey is back at Grandma Sands house I give this story four stars. It is a great book to read. One of the morales of this story is how important family is. That is why Byron became changed from a trouble-maker to a nice person. So all in all I think you should definitely read this book. And if you want to find out what the historical event is, read the book.

Dy-No-Mite!
This book had me lauging one minute, and crying the next. Curtis takes his reader on an adventure with the Watson family, whom coincidentally has family members with which we can all proably relate with in one way or another. I would highly reccommend this book to my fourth grade peers.

if you like history books
I read The Watson's go to Birmingham -1963.
The author is Christopher Paul Curtis.
I loved this book . It has 5 characters.
The character that I liked is Byron. Hi's a bully,
But he cares for his brother and sister. Kenny is
a great boy. He likes to hang out with his
brother. Joetta is a four year old girl. She likes to
go to Sunday school at church. Dad is a cool
He likes to decorate the brown bomber(the car). Mom is a women that likes stuff her way.
Whenever they travel she has everything
Ordered in her note book .I Enjoyed this book because it's fun and awesome and I loved it.

Review
I read the book The Watsons go to Birmingham - 1963 and found it very interesting and funny. The story is about a boy named Kenneth Watson who has an older brother, Byron, a younger sister, Joetta, a mom, and a dad. They all live in Flint, Michigan. Byron is constantly getting into trouble, so mom and dad decide that he should spend the summer with his grandmother in Birmingham. The whole family has to go on the trip because they can't leave anybody at home. While they are in Birmingham, the church is attacked by white people who throw a stick of dynamite into it. Kenny goes into the church after this and thinks he sees Joetta's shoe, and he thinks that the Whool Pooh, an imaginary evil twin of Winnie the pooh, is trying to kidnap her, so he leaves. When he finds out that Joetta wasn't in the church, he feels guilty because even if she had been in the church he wouldn't have helped her escape the Whool Pooh. After this, they decide to leave Birmingham. When they get back home, Kenneth hides behind the couch in their house and hopes to not feel guilty about not rescuing Joetta. Byron finally (...). I like this book and would recommend it to readers of any age. It is funny and entertaining. For example, one funny part is when Byron tries to kiss his reflection is the car mirror and gets his lips stuck to it. In conclusion, I think the book is amusing though it is sad and is a good book for anyone to read. ... Read more

Book Description

The Very Hungry Caterpillar is inarguably one of the most popular children's books of all time. Now, here is the Spanish board book version of The Very Hungry Caterpillar, filling an important niche for the youngest of Spanish-speaking children. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

So cool!
In case you aren't familiar with this book, it is about a caterpillar who eats and eats and eats. The board book version has holes in the pages so the reader can see what he has eaten. It is so cute! The illustrations are adorable and the kids love it! We are a bilingual family so my boys have the Spansih version. It's super and very durable!

A wonderful way to introduce Spanish into the classroom or y
This is a wonderful Spanish translation of a classic. This story flows whether you are reading in English or Spanish. Children are so familiar with this story that they embrace the Spanish easily. This translation is a must have in the multi-lingual classroom. ... Read more

Book Description

What does an elephant do? It stomps its foot. Can you? From the creator of such beloved classics as The Grouchy Ladybug and The Mixed-Up Chameleon comes this interactive story that invites kids to imitate animal movements. Watching giraffes bend their necks or monkeys wave their arms is fun, but nothing could be better than joining in. From their heads down to their toes, kids will be wriggling, jiggling, and giggling as they try to keep up with these animals!Alligators wiggle, elephants stop, gorillas thump, and giraffes bend. Can you do it? ‘ I can do it!’ is the confidence-building message of this fun-filled interactive picture book. A variety of familiar animals invite young children to copy their antics, and as they play, they will learn such important skills as careful listening, focusing attention, and following instructions. Just as alphabet books introduce the very young child to letters and simple words, From Head to Toe introduces the basic body parts and simple body movements. And in the same way that children progress from understanding simple words to reading and writing sentences and stories, so they will progress from simple body movements to dancing, gymnastics, and other sports and activities, with confidence and pleasure.

Eric Carle's colorful collages have delighted children for more than a generation. Each book provides hours of fun while encouraging them to stretch their imaginations. His matchless words and illustrations now send out a new challenge:
Are you ready?
Here we go!
Move yourself
From Head to Toe.

A Main Selection of the Children’s Book-of-the-Month Club ... Read more

Reviews (17)

What an entertaining book...!
My 16-month old daughter loves to turn her head, wave her arms, raise her shoulders, with the colorful animals in this book. Excellent book to teach children body parts, movements and animals. (She surprised us one day by thumping her chest when she saw a gorilla picuture somewhere else.) I also read this book to her classmates in a play group and they all loved it, too. Have fun "bending your knees" with your kids!

One of Eric Carle's best!
This is a fantastic book! The large, colorful pictures and the simple, clear text keep children bending and stretching right along with the animals! Still, unlike many of the reviewers who loved this for their one-year-olds, we found that this book didn't work for my active, not very verbal daughter when she was one (even though she sat for other books). We pulled it out again around the time she turned 2 and she LOVED IT. This book was a huge hit. Now at almost 4 it is still one of her favorites. Even if she's tired at bedtime she gets on the floor to do her donkey kicks along with the donkey! My older daughter also reported that this was one of her preschool teacher's favorite storytime books. I would say that for many children this book, despite it's deceptively simple pictures and text, is more appropriate for older children (age 2-4). This is a book I buy all the time for 2nd birthdays - It's always a hit! (especially good for active kids who prefer being "active" listeners!) This is an excellent choice for a book that will last kids for years!

A surprise favorite!
OK, I admit it. This book was a gift, and not one I would have bought for my son. I completely failed to see its charm.

That is, until I read it with my one-year-old son!

"From Head to Toe" was an instant hit and the first book that made Jack laugh out loud! He asks for it over and over again, and before too long, he was making the signs along with me as we read. And shortly after that I had to laugh out loud when I saw him "reading" the book to himself, making the signs and saying "I Can Do It!" on each page!

I highly recommend this book for older babies and toddlers. Mamma may not be enchanted at first -- but I'll bet your little one will shwo you just how much fun this book really is!

Gets kids who won't sit for books to ask for this one
This book worked wonders for my children when they were about 15 months old up through 24 months old. At that time neither were interested in sitting and listening to stories but this book was terrific -- it gets them up and moving while learning different body parts. Awesome!! They thought beating their chests like a gorilla was hilarious. Head to Toe was a wonderful introduction for our children on following a book from beginning to end and opened the door for bedtime stories and more.

Great book
Though I don't recommend it for bed time, this book is great fun for the kids to do the things asked of them in the book. They move their heads, kick feet, etc. My kids really enjoy it. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Joined by destiny, the lives of the Drew children, Will Stanton, and aboy named Bran weave together in an exquisite, sometimes terrifying tapestry ofmystery and quests. In the five-title series of novels known as The Dark IsRising Sequence, these children pit the power of good against the evil forces ofDark in a timeless and dangerous battle that includes crystal swords, goldengrails, and a silver-eyed dog that can see the wind. Susan Cooper's highlyacclaimed fantasy novels, steeped in Celtic and Welsh legends, have won numerousawards, including the Newbery Medal and the Newbery Honor. Now all fivepaperback volumes have been collected in one smart boxed set. These classicfantasies, complex and multifaceted, should not be missed, by child or adult.The set includes Over Sea, UnderStone, The Dark IsRising, Greenwitch, The Grey King, and Silver on the Tree. (Ages 9 andolder) --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (163)

An excellent fantasy series that is HIGHLY underrated
I first stumbled upon Susan Cooper's THE DARK IS RISING sequence when I was in sixth grade. I was required to read a Newberry Award-winning book and do a report, and the cover of THE GREY KING looked kind of cool, so I gave it a shot. Fifteen years later I still can't believe I haven't heard more about this series.

C.S. Lewis set the standard for children's fantasy literature with THE NARNIA CHRONICLES, and Susan Cooper has equaled Lewis' accomplishment in these books. In some ways, the stories are much better because Cooper's target audience is a bit older, wiser, and more mature. Evil characters are not always obvious in Cooper's world, nor are they always super-intelligent. Cooper weaves elements of Arthurian legend and Welsh mythology into modern day England in a way that tends to swallow the reader whole. Even as an adult I find these books rich and enjoyable; it is easy to forget that one is reading 'children's literature'.

Fans of THE NARNIA CHRONICLES or HARRY POTTER will find that THE DARK IS RISING is another series readers will enjoy no matter what their age may be. My one caveat would be to parents of young children: there are scenes in these stories that may not be appropriate for children under the age of 10 or so. As always, be aware of what your children are reading. Once your children have reached an appropriate age, however, I would highly recommend THE DARK IS RISING for both you and your children!

Strong series
I re-read this series recently, wondering if it would still seem as good as it did when I was a child. And the answer is, it doesn't. But it still has a great deal to offer.
The five books are set in Britain, not tied particularly closely to any decade within the twentieth century. They are all quest stories, with the child heroes seeking various magical artefacts to help the Light in its struggle against the Dark.
"Over Sea, Under Stone" introduces Simon, Jane and Barney Drew, following a mysterious manuscript in search of a golden grail. This adventure takes place during the summer holidays in Cornwall, and introduces their enigmatic Great-Uncle Merriman.
"The Dark is Rising" is the story of Will Stanton, who comes into his power as an Old One, a champion of the Light, on his eleventh birthday. Assisted by Merriman, he is destined to find the Six Signs.
"Greenwitch" unites the Drews, Will and Merriman in Cornwall as they hunt for a second manuscript, lost in the hunt for the grail. But can they win out over the power of the Greenwitch?
"The Grey King" sends Will to Wales in search of the golden harp that is needed to wake the Sleepers, warriors of the Light. He meets Bran, a lonely and troubled boy, who proves to be surprisingly important in his search and the struggle against the Dark.
"Silver on the Tree" reunites all the characters as they search for the crystal sword, the last necessary artefact, and travel to the final confrontation with the Dark.
There's a great deal to like in these books. Cooper pitches the writing at a suitably adult level so that, while not too difficult for children, they never feel twee or condescending. They are suitably atmospheric, with the settings brought alive by good descriptive writing and a healthy injection of Celtic mythology. Many of the characters are interesting and likeable; Will is the stand-out in this regard. The two "Will" books, "The Dark is Rising" and "The Grey King" are the best of the series. There is more action and a greater sense of risk and tension in these books.
So why has my regard for this series dropped over the years? There are two reasons. The first is that, reading as an adult, I don't find the books all that well-grounded in their mythological territory. Tolkien wrote stories set in a world that feels real. Cooper's ideas of magic, Light and Dark, heroes and villains, are very thin by comparison. As a consequence, to me there is little sense of what is truly at stake in what is supposed to be an all-time epic struggle, little sense of real risk; and all too often there are deus ex machina solutions as the magical heroes suddenly "know", without explanation, just what they need to do to win out.
The second reason is "Silver on the Tree". I found this a weak end to the saga, with too many deus ex machina solutions and too many vitally important plot points coming out of nowhere (Mrs Rowlands being one, Bran's love for his human father another). Much of the book seemed pointless filler. The final confrontation lacked power (both with regard to Cooper's writing and in plot terms) and seemed all too easy.
However, these caveats are things that may seem far less important to younger readers - I know they didn't bother me the first time I read this series. And the series as a whole is certainly well-crafted, exciting and enjoyable.

Still one of the Best
It's great to start to see Susan Cooper around the place again. With all of the Potter hype and the renewed interest in the wonderful Diana Wynne Jones, Susan Cooper deserves some time in the limelight for the outstanding Dark is Rising sequence. She's steeped in anglo-saxon mythology in much the same way as Alan Garner, but has created a much warmer and more accessible world than Garner.

The first book in the sequence was clearly originally written as a stand-alone book, but I would guess it planted seeds of ideas which took a decade to germinate when she picked up the story again. After the long gap, the next four books came quite thick and fast (coinciding with my childhood) and the writing of them is dynamic and exciting. The characters are fantastic, with the Merlin figure Merry being one of the most endearing attempts to create that arch-sorcerer. They are great fun from start to finish and are as intelligent, fresh and fantastic as when I first read them nearly thirty years ago (ouch!).

The Dark is Rising Sequence
For all fans of Harry Potter the Dark is Rising books would also be a great book sequence. It includes magic, fantasy, and many other things. I cannot stop thinking about them! Susan Cooper uses such good descriptions that you actually feel as if you were there. This is a great sequence I can't get Merriaman, Lyon, Will Stanton, Jane, Simon, and Barney Drew, the lady, the Grey King, and all the others out of my head. You would reaaly enjoy these books. They are great books. (...)

The Dark Is Rising
The Dark is rising sequence - I first discovered this book in sixth grade in a friend's house. It was the hardcover edition and the pictures were interesting so I read it. Later on, I bought these books right here.
The books are about the Light and the Dark. One of the main reasons I thought this book was excellent was that they weren't just for young people. The characters were highly understandable and the language wasn't just one of those easy-to-read ones. Personally, I like 'The Dark Is Rising,' 'The Grey King,' and 'Silver On the Tree' better than others. Books taking place in Cornwall was kind of vague and not adventurous.
All in all, I highly recommend this book to fantasy lovers of all ages. ... Read more

Book Description

It’s 1936 Flint, Michigan. Times may be hard, and 10-year-old Bud may be a motherless boy, but Bud’s got a few things going for him: 1. He has his own suitcase full of special things; 2. He’s the author of “Bud Caldwell’s Rules and Things for Having a Funner Life and Making a Better Liar Out of Yourself”; 3. His momma never told him who his father was, but she left a clue: posters of Herman E. Calloway and his band of renown, the Dusky Devastators of the Depression. Bud is sure those posters will lead him to his father. Once he decides to hit the road, nothing can stop him, not hunger, not fear, not would-be vampires, not even Herman E. Calloway himself.
... Read more

Reviews (288)

Bud, Not Buddy
This book is about a ten-year-old orphan named Bud who is searching for his father, who he has never seen. Living on his own during the Great Depression, he meets his old friend Bugs. They decide to ride the rails west on a Hooverville train. Bugs makes it, but unfortunately Bud doesn't. This one event will change Bud's life, because Bud decides to walk to the next town and search for his father. After meeting new faces, Bud finds his believed-to-be-father, Herman E. Calloway, a musician. Although Mr.Calloway is not very friendly, Bud is invited to stay with him. In this book you learn how important communication is between people. Bud, Not Buddy won the Newbery Honor and the Coretta Scott King Award. I would recommend this book for forth to sixth graders because some events are hard to understand. I think this book has terrific facts on how people lived during the Great Depression. Something I particularily enjoyed about this book is how much the author described things. She used the five senses, especially the sense of smell. It was like the item was right in front of you. Is Mr. Calloway Bud's real father? Read this book to find out. Just remember to expect the unexpected. A great read for 5th and 6th graders.

A Place Called Home
Bud, Not Buddy tells the story of 10 year old Bud Caldwell, a young boy growing up in Michigan during the 1930's. Bud's mother died when he was only 6 years old, and since he never knew his father, Bud was forced to live in a home for orphans between his brief stays in various foster homes. Bud carries a battered suitcase which contains all the things that are near and dear to his heart; a special blanket and pictures of his mother. Although it seems as if Bud has very little, he has a drive to find his father, using the clues he feels that his mother left for him. After a bad experience at a foster care placement, Bud runs away using the rules he authored "Bud Caldwell's Rules and Things for Having a Funner Life and Making a Better Liar Out of Yourself" to guide him. Will the clues really lead to his father? Will Bud finally find a place to call home?

While this plot seems pretty intense, Curtis has truly captured the voice of a 10 year-old boy. The book is filled with laugh out loud humorous scenes that make it a really enjoyable read. Curtis carefully slips in a great deal of historical events through Bud's experiences without disrupting the overall flow of the book. Bud's voice is one that will draw children into the story and this is truly a book that young readers will enjoy. Check out Bud, Not Buddy for a splash of history, a heap of humor and an overall good book.

Reviewed by Stacey Seay
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

A good short story.
I liked this book becuase it was a wonderful story about history(the Great deppresion) and a boy trying to find out who he was. Or rather, who his father was. he ends up traveling with a band and finding more than he bargained for.

Exciting Blend of Mystery, History, and More!
"Bud Not Buddy" is the story of a young boy in the Great Depression whose mother has died, leaving him with what he believes to be a clue to his unknown father's identity: a flyer for a band featuring bass player Herman Calloway. When Bud exhausts other options to finding a happy home, he listens to his mother's advice ("When one door closes, another one opens") and heads to Grand Rapids to find his father. Bud's naive nature and vivid imagination lead to many humorous moments and observations along the way. Readers find themselves constantly guessing about Herman Calloway's relationship to Bud and trying to put the artfully-inserted clues together. While Bud is surprised when he finds out the truth, he ends up learning a great deal about his mother, his past, human nature, and what it really means to belong. The book is an excellent introduction to the Great Depression, while at the same time interesting readers with a likeable character and excellent mystery.

My fav book
bud, not buddy is my favorite book. this book had me laughing and crying. i read it in like, the fourth grade and its still my fav book. i suggest this book to ne1! ... Read more

Book Description

Can you find what is round? What is square? In this timeless new split-pageboard book, children can find the bottom half of a page that matches the top half. Find the rightpairs, and you will learn to identify all kinds of shapes. From dome-shaped ladybugs to diamond- shaped kites, this clever board book makes learning fun. ... Read more

Reviews (32)

Miss Rumphius
Miss Rumphius is about Lady, who when younger traveled all over the world just like she told her Grand-father she would. After she traveled many places she hurt her back, so she moved into a house by the sea(also like she told her Grand-father she would), she also planted Lupines(which she loves) and just lived life to the fullest. She was told that she also had to make the world more beautiful.

This is a very good story that says that the simplist things make your life and world a better place. I would recommend the book to everyone, it is a very good read.

Lynsi

Magical simplicity for a more beautiful world!
Miss Rumphius is everything that a child's book should be! It is filled with the beauty of simple things and simple acts that have magical results!

I always think of Maine when I read this book, and plan to give it as a gift to our out of town friends this summer as they share our daughter's Maine wedding by the sea with us! I will ask each of them to share Miss Rumphius with a child. Bravo to Barbara Cooney!

My Favorite Book of All Time
I received this book on my 8th birthday & begged my mom to read it to me over & over again. It has left such a lasting memory with me. Now 26, my 3 year old daughter begs me to read it to her. I of course, jump at the chance. Every little girl needs to have this book in their collection.

Miss Rumphius
Miss Rumphius is a very good book. It is about a little girl named Alice who lived in a city by the sea. She told her grandfather that when she grew up she would travel around the world and live in a little house by the sea. Her grandfather said that was all very well but she would also have to do something to make the world more beautiful. When Alice got older she traveled all over the world and saw many different things and did many neat things too. Then she bought a little house by the sea, but she still had not done anything to make the world more beautiful. One spring she was ill. When she looked out her bedroom window she could see the lupines she had planted the summer before. They were so pretty, she wished she could have planted more. When she got better, she went outside and found lupines all over the hill. She knew the wind must have done it. Then she had an idea; she would sprinkle lupine seeds everywhere she went. That was what she would do to make the world more beautiful. And she did.

My Favorite
This will always be my all-time favorite book. This story spans four generations as we first meet Alice as a young girl who helps her grandfather. As a girl she proclaims, "I too will travel the world and come home to live by the sea." Her grandfather informs her that there is a third thing she must do, "something to make the world more beautiful." After a time of being "grown up" it hits Alice (Miss Rumphius) that she has not yet seen the world and she sets off at once. (I love this part - as that is exactly what happened to me and other 'world travelers' I know). She then returns home to live by the sea and next she must think of a way to make the world more beautiful. The story is narrated by the great-neice of Miss Rumpius so told from a child's perspective. This book has multiple beautiful messages for people of all ages. I have even given copies to freinds who are adults. ... Read more

Amazon.com

"Pb-pb-b-b-b. Pb-pb-b-b-b." With these magic vocables, Ralph the mouserevs up a dream come true--his very own motorcycle. Living in a knothole in a hotel room, young Ralph has seen plenty of families come and go, some more generous with their crumbs than others. But when young Keith and his parents check in to the hotel, Ralph gets his first chance to check out. He has always fantasized about venturing beyond the second floor, maybe even outside. Curiosity overcomes caution, and Ralph must have a go at Keith's toy motorcycle. Soon, the headstrong mouse finds himself in a pickle, when all he wanted was to ride a motorcycle. Lucky for him, the boy understands how it is. When he discovers Ralph in his thwarted attempt to abscond with the toy bike, Keith generously encourages the rodent to ride. He even teaches him the simple trick of starting the motorcycle: "You have to make a noise... pb-pb-b-b-b." The subsequent situations Ralph motors into require quick thinking and grownup-sized courage. The team of Beverly Cleary and Louis Darling has been a great favorite for decades, introducing young chapter readers to Ramona, Beezus, Henry, and of course Ralph the mouse. (Ages 8 and older) --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (45)

The funniest adventure ever
The theme in The Mouse and the Motorcycle is responsiblity.In the book Ralph,a mouse, earns friendship with a boy {Keith} who moves into room 215. Ralph rides Keith's mini-toy sized motorcycle and looses it.Will anything esle happen?If you want to learn anything else about Ralph and his friends, read this book and all the series of Ralph S.Mouse.I think and feel that Ralph should ride all of Keith's sport-cars because each time it would be funny to imagine a mouse riding in whatever Keith's sport-cars were.It makes me wonder about things in this book.If a little mouse can ride a motorcycle...what esle could happen!Also I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars because its very, very funny and adventurous.

Join Ralph for the ride of his life!
Beverly Cleary's books have entertained kids for nearly 50 years, and this wonderful introduction to Ralph S. Mouse is no exception. Ralph is a young mouse living between the walls of the Mountain View Inn. He and his family always depend on the crumps of food that are dropped by the vacationers who stay at the Inn. It is critical that they remain hidden from human eyes lest the hotel sprays the Inn. One summer day, Ralph hears a boy making the sounds that all young children make when playing with toy motorcycles, so Ralph stealthily investigates the cycle when it's owner, Keith, is out of the room. When Keith discovers Ralph on the motorcycle, he makes a new friend by showing Ralph how to get the contraption to "go." "Pb-pb-b-b-b," goes Ralph, and away he goes on the "motorized" motorcycle, finding the freedom he has always yearned for in his young life. Now Ralph has endless opportunities for adventure, sometimes fun, sometimes scary, but always exciting. This is a special book. Kids adore it, and adults frequently love this journey back into childhood fantasy. I know I do!

A Mouse on a Motorcycle!! WOW!!!
The Mouse and the Motorcycle is about a boy mouse named Ralph, who lives in a mouse hole in room # 215. He finds this motorcycle which belongs to a boy named Keith. Keith teaches Ralph how to ride the motorcycle. I enjoyed reading this amazing book. I think it should be 4/5 stars, because it was about a great adventure.

Wonderful!! A classic book for all ages.
There are probably over 900 zillion books out there, and of all of them, this is my favorite. I love the cute sketches, witty little humor, and imaginative storyline. "The Mouse and the Motorcycle" follows the "tail" of Ralph the mouse, who's dream is to just spend those wonderful hours riding down the hallway on a red motorcycle, and keeping the bond between him and Keith (the boy) alive. I've already read the book over 20 times, and still don't get tired of it. Defenitely a treasure of all of Beverly Cleary's stories.

The mouse and the motorcycle
I llllllllllllllllllllllloved the book because it felt so realistic!
I felt like I was in the book,
and it was funny too.
I can tell it's the right book for me.

Ralph the mouse is very independent. ... Read more

Book Description

It's the Grouchy Ladybug's 20th birthday. To celebrate, we are introducing a new, larger format edition with brighter, more colorful pages created from Eric Carle's original artwork using the latest reproduction technology. The Grouchy Ladybug is bigger and brigher, as irascible but irresistable as ever and will surely delight new generations of readers, as well as her devoted fans of all ages. Happy Birthday, Grouchy Ladybug!

Reviews (38)

Great for all ages!
I am a mother of 3 aged 5,3 & 1 year. All three of my children love this book. They think the Grouchy Ladybug is a silly bug. They enjoy "reading" along with me because the book is so repetitive! Even my one year old sits & listens intently to the pattern. "Ya' wanna fight! " "If you insist..." "Oh- you're not big enough." Repetition is the best tool in teaching to read & Eric Carle books are PERFECT for that! The other concepts he introduces in his books such as TIME & DAYS are helpful in teaching too. GREAT WORK, MR. CARLE!

The Wonderful World of Insects
The Grouchy Ladybug is a wonderful Eric Carle book. I love his mosiac illustrations, and the moral he projects. The grouchy ladybug is mean to all the other insects that he meets. He does not want to share the aphids on his leaf with the friendly ladybug. He ends up making no friends at all, and the animals he is rude to are getting bigger and fiercer as the book goes on. In the end the grouchy ladybug ends up on the same leaf he started out on, and shares the aphids.

Note to teachers: This is a great book to introduce a unit on insects. Most students probably don't understand what aphids are, and the ladybugs feed on them. You could also incorporate all of the other animals in the text to do a unit on animals. There are so many wonderful teaching oportunities with all of Eric Carle's books, but this is one of my favorites.

Wonderful book--one of my child's favorites
This is a great book and the repetition is great for a emerging young reader. My 3 year old can "read" this book to himself and his baby sister because he can anticipate what will happen when he turns the page. He has language delays due to hearing problems when he repeated ear infections and these repetitious books that Eric Carle has done have been wonderful with slowly introducing him to language.

Repetition, repetition, repetition....
After reading The Very Hungry Caterpillar to my son enough times to have it memorized, I bought this book thinking that it would be a nice change, and expecting The Grouchy Ladybug to have a moral somewhere along the lines of Alexander And The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day (if you haven't read that to your kids, get it). I found The Grouchy Ladybug to be repetative to the point of parental abuse. Eric Carle has good children's books, but this one was definitely not my favorite. The only thing my son has learned from it is "Hey, You, Wanna Fight?" It was okay to read once or twice, but the next garage sale, it's going to mysteriously vanish. I would suggest The Very Hungry Caterpillar instead, if you don't have it.

This book is crap
Eric Carle has done better. Read the "Very Quiet Cricket". This book is extremely repetitive and isn't really even a story so much as an excuse for the mediocre illustrations and a kind of irritating gimmick of having differently sized pages. These pages are have for my son to turn also.

I love reading real children's stories to my kids, and I don't mind some repetition (e.g., "Guess how much I love you" and "Are you my Mother?" are great...) But the ladybug keeps saying the same thing over and over and over. Yeah, I've hid the book from my kids and they don't miss it. ... Read more

Book Description

Talk about a change of plans! Ms. Frizzle and her class are on the Magic School Bus headed for a museum. They have been studying how the body turns food into energy, and now they are going to see an exhibit on the human body. Things seem fine until they stop for lunch. A strange mishap causes the bus to shrink and then be swallowed! Ms. Frizzle's class is suddenly inside a real human body! ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Fifth Food Group: Magic School Buses
Joanna Cole and Bruce Degen outdo themselves in "The Magic School Bus: Inside the Human Body." It is their most ambitious collaboration yet, and it definitely doesn't disappoint.

As is the custom, the third book in this science series (written in 1989) picks up where the second story left off. Ms. Frizzle is showing her students a filmstrip about the human body. "We're going to learn all about ourselves," she says. Then she announces the next field trip - the class is heading to the museum to "see an exhibit about how our bodies get energy from the food we eat." However, anyone who has even an inkling as to the kind of person Ms. Frizzle is should know that things rarely, if ever, go according to plan. A field trip is never just a field trip when you're taking a ride aboard her magic school bus.

The Friz and her students stop at a park for lunch before arriving at the museum. Afterward, everyone goes back to the bus . . . except for Arnold! He's still sitting at a picnic table, daydreaming and eating a bag of Cheesie-Weesies. And before the class realizes what is happening, the bus shrinks to the size of a Cheesie-Weesie . . . where it is promptly downed in one gulp by Arnold!

"I thought we were going to the museum," says one student.

"There's been a slight change of plans," explains Ms. Frizzle. "We're being digested instead."

Why visit an exhibit about the human body when you have a magic school bus and a teacher like Ms. Frizzle who can take you directly to the source?

If "At the Waterworks" was like priming the pump, and "Inside the Earth" was like getting the ball rolling, "Inside the Human Body" is like plowing full-steam ahead. Cole and Degen have firmly established themselves as a literacy force to be reckoned with; this is proven in the confidence of the writing and the boldness of the illustrations. There is so much going on in this story that you almost need a scorecard to keep track of it all. It seems as though Cole and Degen are bound and determined to one-up themselves with every book they come out with.

A list of some things Ms. Frizzle educates her class about would include: blood cells (red and white), blood vessels, digestion, germs, the heart, lungs, molecules, oxygen, plasma, the small intestine, etc. Do you know what villi are? You will after you read this book! Any idea what the cerebral cortex does? Ms. Frizzle will show you! Ever wondered why you sneeze? The answer resides in this story!

"Inside the Human Body" deserves just as much, if not more, a home on a person's bookshelf as does "At the Waterworks" and "Inside the Earth." Cole and Degen loaded their latest adventure to the bursting-point with information. You can see the growth author and illustrator have taken since their inaugural effort with "At the Waterworks." They prove that some things do, indeed, get better with age.

At the end of "Inside the Human Body" is a true-false test to help readers distinguish what things were true in the story and what things were made up. And, of course, Ms. Frizzle drops another clue as to where her next great adventure will take us. I'm pretty sure the class will think of their next field trip as out of this world!

It doesn't seem possible, but Cole and Degen managed to improve upon an already-winning formula. They are both in top form with "Inside the Human Body," a field trip that will take you from the brain to the small intestine and back again. Well, what are you waiting for? Hitch a ride on the magic school bus!

As Ms. Frizzle herself would say, "Seatbelts, everyone!"

My daughter loves Magic School Bus
My daughter is 3 1/2 years old. I got this book and wasn't sure if it would be to complicated for her. She loves it! I have ordered a few more Magic School Bus books and she can't get enough of them. She even drew a picture of her Daddy's red blood cells! It was hilarious. But best of all, she enjoys them so much. They are her favorite books and she is learning about science. I wish I had these when I was a kid.

Kid Tested
My son likes this book. It gives some good insights into germs and our bodies. he likes the entires Magic School Bus series - but this is one of his favorites. An easy read before bedtime - just the right length.