Book Description

This book contains prescriptions for wisdom written by the good doctor himself: "A person's a person, no matter how small." and"UNLESS someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not." In his remarkablely perceptive trademark style, America's favorite doctor takes on everything from aging to activism, popovers to green eggs and ham, belief in others to belief in yourself. Irreverent and refreshing, here's a book no self-respecting Seussophile should be without! ... Read more

Reviews (14)

This "Book" is about 50 cents worth of Dr. Seuss...
This is not a critique of Dr. Seuss, nor a bash of his works... BUT... REALLY... It's almost like the few pages of this tiny book get lost between the covers. You can read and digest what little has been printed in this book in less than 2 minutes(even if you're not the fastest reader!). Considering the wealth of writings of Dr. Seuss, please don't waste your time with this pitiful excuse for a publication. Just buy the books... you'll get a LOT more bang for your buck!

Dr. Seuss Stocking Stuffer
A nice little compilation of some Dr. Seuss quotes.

A nice but small stocking-stuffer for a small price. Some office gift exchanges limit gifts to mercifully small amounts and this is a good option for such an occaission.

Only negative is that it's a bit too short; but I must admit I'm still very glad I got it.

My favorite quote from Suess (which I would have missed entirely had it not been for this book): "I still climb Mount Everest just as often as I used to. I play polo just as often as I used to. But to walk down to the hardware store I find a little bit more difficult."

Simple and wise, what the Dr. ordered
Dr. Seuss was a man who could stretch out a set of simple words to delight and entertain his audience. But at the same time, his books also held a deeper meaning on important issues: The Lorax and the Butter Battle Book come to mind.

This slim tome is full of little pieces of wisdom, in Seuss' own words and with his drawings. It's Suess-Lite, but perfect for when you just need a smile, or a breather. Sometimes the simplicity lets us look at our selves better and to see the simple truths in living. It is a perfect little gift for the graduate, or just to keep on your desk for when you need a smile, and a short breather to put life in perspective.

Shining De(Light)
I grew up with Dr Seuss and enjoyed the words and pictures . What a delight to discover as an adult that the words have even more meaning.

Witty and Refreshing
I'm giving this book to 10 middle managers - while initially they'll probably think it's childish, once they read it they will understand why they received it. Seuss gives us all a simplified view of life and applying the basics to home and work. I also highly recommend everyone read "Open Your Mind, Open Your Life: A Little Book of Wisdom" by Taro Gold. ... Read more

Reviews (175)

Another Wonderful Book by Roald Dahl!
They are completely bald and always wear wigs, constantly sneaking hands underneath to scratch their itchy scalps. They don't have any toes and have really broad feet, but they force their feet into narrow, fashionable shoes to blend in. They have really long, curved fingernails that they usually hide by wearing gloves. They are the witches. And the meanest, nastiest witches live in England, where a boy has just gone to live with his grandmother after his parent's tragic death.

His grandmother always warned the boy about suspecting nice women who offer him candy - check for gloves, wigs and pinched feet. He is able to avoid the witches until his grandmother becomes ill and they go to a seaside resort where the English witches are having a convention just like normal people in the hotel. Stunned, the boy overhears the grand witch's plot to eliminate all of the children in England by feeding them candy that will turn them into mice! When he is discovered, the boy knows that the witches are going to kill him, but they test the potion on him instead. Now in mouse form, the boy and his grandmother must use all of their wits and cleverness to defeat the witches' evil scheme!

The Witches is a highly entertaining book by the always inventive Roald Dahl. You would think that a book about witches would be scary, but Roald Dahl has just the right combination of humor and lightheartedness to balance out the scariness. I loved this book when I was growing up and have enjoyed sharing it with my younger siblings and nephews. It is true that it has a couple of slow parts as the author takes the time to set up the story, but the storyline is just so imaginative that you get caught up in the story and don't really notice until you have read it a couple of times. With all of the many details, Roald Dahl can easily convince you that witches are real and that there really are women out there like that! Humor aside, it does show that you should never take candy from strangers - no matter what they look like! Although this book is great for reading alone, it is best when real aloud and shared with children, who always know the right parts to gasp at!

Satisfying and invigorating
The Witches
This book is great, it brings out the excitement and urge to read. This book is a book that makes children wonder what's next. The characters are gruesome and horrifying. The WITCHES starts with a boy and grandmother that live in england... The Boy is very young and curious and is about nine years old. His grandmother is eighty-nine who smokes a lot and she is still very healthy. One evening the grandmother had planed a wonderful trip to Norway with her grandson. Suddenly the woman got sick from her tobacco in her cigars. The doctor came to nourished her and to give her some time to recuperate. Once she had been cured she hollered down to her grandson. The sound of his trampling feet went as fast as they have ever gone. The grandson pounced into his elders arms and and hugged her tightly in his arms. He asked if they where still going on vacation. The doctor sighed and said with his head tucked into his shirt and said.
"Im afraid to say that you can't go far with your conditions, and that you can go to the hotel on the beach." After the boy received a great gift of a pair of mice (A great gift from the doctor of forgivness).They got there parcels gathered them and they left at once. When they reached there destination they unpacked and went there own way, the grandmother staying in the room knitting, and the grandson going to train his mice. Then something terrible happened, the strictly privet party or that's what they seem to call it, discovers him. which the rest is for you to find out.This book is great, the characters come alive which makes you want to read more.

The Witches Book Review
THE WITCHES is about a boy who doesn't have a name. Throughout the story, the kid is called boy and darling. Boy, as I will call him, is living with his Grandmother. His grandmother tells him all of these crazy stories about witches and how to identify them. Boy at first doesn't really believe his grandmother until he's locked in a room full of witches. Will he get out? Will he die? Read the book to find out.
"I didn't really like the book" Lindsey said, "I thought it was boring, plus the author didn't give enough information, so it left me off with lots of questions that wern't answered." Katie has the same oppion as Lindsey. "I like the plot and the whole book, but my questions wern't answered." Katie said. Erica said," I liked it and I would recommended, but there were some boring parts in it. Hannah said," It was pretty good, I loved it. Yes I would recommend it to kids. Only those who don't believe in witches, though."

A Scary Story for Kids, but didn't cause any nightmares
The Witches is about a little orphaned boy who lives with his grandmother. Before bedtime each night his grandmother would tell him stories, and his favorite story was always about the Witches. His grandmother seemed to know everything about them and told him how to recognize and stay away from them. The boy never knew his grandmother to lie, so he listened and followed her advice on the subject. When the boy finds out that Witches really do exist, his grandmother's advice comes in handy to help the little boy escape them for a long period time, but they eventually catch up to him half way through the book and turn him into a mouse. You would think that this would be a very sad thing, but the boy loves being a mouse. Actually while reading this book to my five and seven year old daughters, the youngest one said that she thought being a mouse would be a very neat thing and asked if it was possible for me to turn her into one. I told her that even if I could I wouldn't since I would miss having my little girl too much. As a mouse the boy realizes he can do a lot of things he couldn't have done otherwise if he was still a little boy, so with the help of his grandmother they comes up with a plan to get rid of all the witches in England. It was a great story. Unlike Roald Dahl's other books which touch upon scary subject's but in a humorous way, this one without a doubt is trying to scare your kids. Rather then giving my girls nightmares however, it was more along the lines of them listening to a good ghost story around the fire while you are away at camp, and they just found it very entertaining. Quintin Blake once again drew some wonderful illustrations to capture the action which added to the story.

The Witches
A young boy's parents who dies in a car crash and he has to go and live with his grandma in Norway. There are alot of vocabulary in this book you should read! I learned that witches wear wigs so if you read this book, you will learn alot about witches.
I recommend this book review by Rould Dahl ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (17)

A exemplary book that teaches some important lessons.
The Empty Pot is set in China, with an aging Emperor who is faced with the problem of wisely selecting an appropriate successor. At first blush, what seems to be an absurdly foolish test to the reader, (whoever grows the best flower in a years time from one seed that the Emperor hands out, will succeed as heir) results in a test that was clearly judicious and enlightening. As the reader follows the hardship of one little boy named Ping, who persists in trying to make his seed sprout; the reader can't help but empathize with his struggle, embarrasment and ridicule. Ping possesses qualities that many of us need to refine, develop or even attain: perseverance, humility, courage and honesty. I like this book because reading it helps to teach these qualities and clearly illustrates the adage "Honesty is the best policy." A truism that has been ignored in these times. The reader discovers that Ping's weakness is really his strength, his failure is really his success and his problem is really the Emperor's solution.

Just had to add one more 5 star review!
For years, this book has always been in my mind. Finally I'm writing a review after holding it for over 3 years. In The Empty Pot, Demi tells a stunning story of a chinese boy whose gardening skills reveals the truth of the emperor's deceptive call for his successor. With a profound disappointment, the boy found courage to show his failure - the truth - to the emperor. At the end, the boy gets rewarded for his honesty. Demi's captivating story about honesty and courage punches you right in the heart. Her illustrations, with immense charasteristic portraits of chinese art, are fascinating. I pledge to keep this book in my collectibles. I wish every child, and adult alike, has a chance to read it!

Great moral about being honest
Its a little over my 3.5 year old's head, I have to explain it alot but I will keep reading it. Its a good story with a great moral about honesty and it exposes him to other cultures. I'll keep pulling it out and reading it, because he will get it eventually, but right now he asks lots of questions which is fine.

A child can grasp this tale
My 4 year old asked many questions about the tale and I was very happy to explain. Even at a young age I think a child can handle the deep message. Maybe each of us are born with this capacity to choose. Although the setting is a world away, the story is similar in spirit to the one of young George Washington and the cherry tree. There George had to face his father after accidentally chopping down a prized cherry tree. Here, a child as to face an emperor after failing to grow a flower from a seed given by the emperor... when everyone else had succeeded.

Honesty is the best policy!
My 4 year old daughter loves this book. She wanted me to read it immediately again after hearing it the first time. It is a great story about honesty and integrity. ... Read more

Book Description

Illus. in color. "An alphabet book with zany drawings and nonsensical verse provides an entertaining way for small children to learn the letters and their sounds."--Booklist. ... Read more

Reviews (25)

Dr. Seuss' ABC
We are an international family, meaning that my wife is Japanese, I'm am American, and our daughter is both. We live in Japan, and hence the language our daughter hears the majority of the time is Japanese, which had me worried about her future English ability. This book as done much a lay those fears to rest. The pictures are fun, the sound or word patterns are nice to repeat, and easy to remember, which makes this a wonderful book for a 2 year old. On top of the fun aspect, she was able to recognize many of the letters after reading the book with me only a couple of times. This is a fun way to teach small children the alphabet and letter sounds, although the reader (me) did have to practice several of the pages before a smooth reading was possible, this entertained my daughter to no end!

This book is to be sung
One of many alphabet books. But this one has the whimsical rhymes and drawings of Dr. Seuss. Just remember that the book is better when sung. Yes, that's right, sing the book. Just sing it to the tune of the ABC song (also the same tune as Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, and Baa Baa Black Sheep).

The rhymes, the singing, the pictures, all come together to make this a wonderful book, one that really helped my daughter learn the alphabet.

With this book and Sandra Boyntons ABC book (Aardvark admiring, Beavers ballooning, Cats cleaning, etc.), learning the alphabet will be fun fun fun.

Wonderful
I had this book as a kid, and never forgot "X is very useful if your name is Nixie Knox. It also comes in handy for spelling ax and extra fox." I bought for my two-year-olds a couple of months ago, and they love it. It seems to be making an impression, too; last week I found that Arthur was able to recognize some of the letters in his name. And they're *constantly* quoting "Camel on the ceiling". :-)

Do not bother with the board book edition, though; it's been butchered. They've expunged Nixie Knox, for one thing.

Dr. Seuss provides his own special type of ABC book
In 1954 "Life" magazine published a report about the problem of illiteracy among the nation's school children and placed part of the blame on the fact that books that were supposed to teach children to read were boring ("See Spot Run. Run Spot run. Fetch the ball, Spot"). Theodore Geisel's publisher sent him a list of 400 words that the author was to cut to 250 words, the number the publisher felt a first grader could absorb, and write a book. "The Cat in the Hat" uses only 220 words and made Dr. Seuss an instant success with beginning readers. Eventually he would go on to write almost four dozen books for children to read all by themselves.

Of course sooner or later Dr. Seuss was going to put out his own alphabet book for beginning readers and in 1963 this book was published. It is, as you would expect, more than a look at the twenty-six letters of the alphabet. Other books will tell you that "A is for Apple" and "Z is for Zebra," but not Dr. Seuss because this book stars with "Aunt Annie's alligator" and ends with a "Zizzer-Zazzer-Zuzz." Young readers will also enjoy the mix of rhyme and absurdity so much that they might not notice Dr. Seuss is also showing them the difference between the big and little versions of each letter.

As I was reading over "Dr. Seuss's ABC," a book that most definitely wants to be read aloud to be fully enjoyed, I was wondering if I should temper my enthusiasm by saying that this is not an ideal choice for a beginning reader's first alphabet book. After all, something simpler, in the traditional "A is for Apple" mode might be more appropriate. But I think there is something to be said for even beginning readers being confronted with the level of sophistication found in this book. After all, it promotes fun as much as reading and young children might never notice the degree to which they are being challenged.

ABC
I remember learning my ABCs with this book when I was a kid. Now I'm sharing my copy with my son. The illustrations are just as delightful now as they were when the book first came out. ... Read more

Book Description

One of the first books for countless children, this story of a free-spirited Cat who, with his high jinks and mischievous friends (Things One and Two) turns the house upside-down for two bored children on a rainy day is retold in Latin in Cattus Petasatus.

This edition features the original artwork of Dr. Seuss and a translation in rhyming verse that echoes the sound of the original Cat in the Hat.

The wonderful, whimsical, and thought-provoking stories of Dr. Seuss have been published in twenty languages. An excellent addition to Seuss collections the world over, this Latin-language edition of Seuss' timeless first reader is a welcome, all-occasion gift, a delightful way to revisit a treasured tale, and an enjoyable way to refresh your high school Latin. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Great for Latin Students
I am a Latin minor at a California University, and have studied Latin for about three years. This book was part of my class curriculum of Latin poetry, and was a nice break from the works of Ovid and Virgil! It is a simple book to translate, though some of the gerunds can be a little tricky. This book is a lot of fun, and is helpful in learning new vocabulary. If I remember correctly, all of the words used are given English meanings in the back of the book. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who is learning Latin. Though you may get annoyed by comments made by bystanders who think you are reading "The Cat in the Hat."

Appeals to any audience
Having studied Latin throughout high school, I could appreciate the innovation and creativity necessary to translate Dr. Seuss' classic story while still preserving rhyme and meter. However, my little sister, who has just recently learned to read on such classics as "The Cat in the Hat," perhaps enjoyed "Cattus Petasatus" even more than I did. Not automatically looking to identify subject and verb, she giggled with delight at the new words that roll off the tongue with the catchy meter and bragged to my parents that she was able to speak Latin! Because the pictures are the same as the English, she was able to follow the storyline and give expression to the words.

Whether as an introduction to Latin or an amusing twist of the Dr. Seuss classic, "Cattus Petasatus" is a wonderful variation that will make the reader and audience smile.

A new spin on a classic
It's well known that Dr. Seuss wrote The Cat in the Hat in response to a challenge to write a children's book only using 40 basic vocabulary words. Now a new spin brings basic vocabulary to another language. Latin, often thought to be the "dead" language, is brought alive with something other than the so called "dead guys." Here the reader can have a basis in the book, and verse, beforehand and see it and Latin anew in this translation. The translators do a marvelous job of mimicing the rhythm and meter of Seuss's charming tale. And with the Seuss drawings intact the connection between the text in Latin and the story is there to help you along. It makes Latin accessible and that's not a small feat. Read it aloud and you feel so very intelligent. Try this book - it's fun.

A good intermediate practice to Latin
Having tried to learn Latin, I found reading the Classics was extremely difficult. Afterall, it is written by a native speaker, and I am no Latin native speaker. So I found this book to be very useful. The only problem is that it emulates Dr. Seuss's writing so well, that the whole book uses pretty much once case in Latin. You will learn that case very well, but won't be able to practice other cases in normal writing. However, I think it was a terrific idea, and I like the fact that all the words are listed in the back (as well as the context). The fact that it uses more mundane words (compare with Caesar's Gaelic Wars) is also great for intermediate readers.

All in all, I consider it time well spent, not to mention, its just fun reading Dr. Seuss in Latin.

Qui Bono from this book? Anyone who must study Latin!
I wish, oh I wish I had this book back in middle school where we had two years of Latin. What a good idea this is, to take a familiar story and have it so you can compare it to the Latin, especially the grammar. The fact it is a kid's book makes it even simpler; the sentence structures are more or less straightforward. We translated Beatles songs like "I wanna hold your hand" into Latin but I wish I had had this book!

This is a great idea. Why didn't someone do it before? ... Read more

Book Description

The Grinch, whose heart is two sizes too small, hates Who-ville's holiday celebrations, and plans to steal all the presents to prevent Christmas from coming. To his amazement, Christmas comes anyway, and the Grinch discovers the true meaning of the holiday. ... Read more

Reviews (62)

A Great Children's Book With Lots of Heart
I pondered the idea of writing this review like Dr. Seuss would, but I didn't want to try and fall on my face. "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" is one of those children's books that are almost flawless (right up there with "Where the Wild Things Are"). The Grinch has spent years looking down at Whoville and hating the Whos for their joy, and especially at Christmas time. He decides to put an end to their joy by masquerading as Santa and stealing Christmas. Of course, it doesn't go exactly the way he planned.

The story's beauty comes from three sources: the heart in the story, the way it's written, and the maturity of the approach. By "the heart" I mean that it deals with a transformation of the Grinch that could be called an epiphany. It ranks right up there with the transformation of Ebenezer Scrooge in "A Christmas Carol". The character finds a much better way to live.

I think everyone knows what I mean by "the way it's written" but, just in case, I'll say a little on the subject. Theodore Geisel (Dr. Seuss) wrote some of the best, most lyrical, most amusing poetry in history. The only reason he isn't routinely grouped with The Great Poets of History is that his poetry was very (and beautifully) simplistic and designed for children.

By "the maturity of the approach" I mean that this is a children's book that hits the perfect tension level for children. It does not treat that them as totally fragile (Santa gets kidnapped, Christmas almost gets sabotaged, Max the dog is treated as a slave) but it also relieves them and rescues them from their fears in a well-paced and realistic way that mirrors how parents can talk to their children about real-life fears and scary incidents.

One of the top children's books. In my opinion, this is the best of Dr. Seuss.

Charming tale!
As Hollywood prepares to unleash yet another dreary, mangled version of a classic book, I found myself sitting down to read "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" yet again.

The Grinch, for no apparent reason, REALLY hates Christmas and the Whos of Whoville love it. Angered by their holiday festivities and happiness, he plots to steal their presents and decorations, under the assumption that Christmas can't/won't exist without them. So he sets off with faithful but much-kicked canine Max to destroy Christmas. But is Christmas only presents and ornaments?

Dr. Seuss's delightfully-skewed rhymes and names are as enjoyable as ever, making the important message of Christmas infinitely more palatable than if it had been a much-regurgitated, cliched book. I admit it--at the beginning the Christmas season I tend to act Grinchish, and I felt much better after reading this book...

If you like this book, then check out the old cartoon special (though not the live-action one). "Grinch" is a treasure in kid's literature and can be enjoyed by anyone...

How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Dr. Seuss's "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" is a story about a character who is miserable and dislikes anything good and happy.
The author believes it is because the Grinch's heart is too small. The Grinch tries to stop Christmas from coming to the Whos down in the village below called Who-ville. He stole all their presents, food, decoratons and everything they owned. He thought they woud have nothing to celebrate without gifts. Instead, he learned a valuable lesson - that Christmas is something much more that presents. It is the spirit of giving and being together that bring joy. Dr. Seuss has a way of teaching a lesson with funny characters and rhyming phrases. I think this is a good story for all ages.

Great Christmas Story
This Childrens book is one of my favorites. It teaches kids a very good lesson. It teaches them the true meaning of Christmas. It shows them that Christmas isn't about just toys. I think this is one of the best children's books I ever read.

Scrooge for Kids
Maybe that's oversimplifying a bit, but the basics are the same. In this story, we have the Grinch, who hates Christmas and every year must put up with the celebration of the Whos who live in the valley below his cave. But this year things will be different. This year, he intends to do something about it. Surely the Whos will be disappointed when they wake up Christmas morning to discover that all their presents and decorations have been stolen. Or will they?

Told is classic Seuss fashion, completely in rhymes, this book appeals to kids year round. I know I insisted that it be read to me more then just in December. The fanciful illustrations, also classic Seuss, are just as engaging as this story. After all, what could be worse to kids then no Christmas? Yet there is a message here that there is more to Christmas then the commercialism we see around us. It's subtle and not expanded on greatly, but it's there none-the-less.

Surely Charles Dickens' classic tale was an influence when Dr. Seuss sat down to write this book. Both the main characters hate Christmas and miss the point, but have a revelation that shows them how important Christmas really is. Of course, the meat of the stories is completely different, so kids not ready for Dickens will love this one.

If there is such a thing as a classic picture book, this belongs in that category. Enjoyable at Christmas, or the whole year round. ... Read more

Book Description

On another special field trip on the magic school bus, Ms. Frizzle's class learns about the ocean and the different creatures that live there. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

20,000 Leaks Under the Sea
At this point, Ms. Frizzle and her class have explored things like the waterworks, the many layers of the earth, the human body, and even outer space. So it's only natural that Joanna Cole and Bruce Degen would decide to lead their readers on an under-sea adventure. "The Magic School Bus: On the Ocean Floor" is another top-notch collaboration by two people who show no signs of slowing down anytime soon.

Written in 1992, "On the Ocean Floor" picks up where "Lost in the Solar System" left off. Ms. Frizzle's students are working on their ocean science projects, which makes their teacher very happy. However, it makes them hot and tired; the temperature on this day is soaring!

"I wish we could go swimming," comments one student while putting the finishing touches on a display about how ocean animals swim.

"As a matter of fact, children," says the Friz, "I've been planning a class trip to the ocean for tomorrow."

And, just like that, the class - as well as the reader at home - is being whisked away on yet another magical field trip. The kids think they're just going to spend a day having fun in the sun, but Ms. Frizzle has other ideas!

"On the Ocean Floor" rivals "Inside the Human Body" for the amount of information - not to mention good-natured humor - packed into one 48-page book. Just about everything you can imagine - and anything you can't - is touched on in this compelling romp through the heart of the ocean. At the end of Ms. Frizzle's latest underwater voyage, you will have a better understanding of what hidden treasures abound in the deep blue sea.

Ms. Frizzle's class learns all about ocean life; the kids come across things such as barnacles, grunts, limpets, sponges, sugar kelp, tubeworms, and whelks. More familiar entities include coral reefs, dolphins, lobsters, plankton, sharks, tunas, and whales. The students explore high tides, low tides, continental shelves, continental slopes, the ocean floor, hot-water vents, and waves. And I'm only bobbing the surface of what Ms. Frizzle has lined up for her class.

The end of the book leaves us with two things: 1) a little quiz distinguishing what things were true in the story and what things were made up; and 2) another clue as to what the Friz's next adventure will entail. From the looks of it, her idea of a field trip is so old, it's practically prehistoric!

As so often happens, it is common for the things we love in life to grow stale. Rarely does a book series get better with age. But Cole and Degen have managed to do just that. With each "Magic School Bus" story they produce, the product becomes more polished. I had never heard of even half the things this tale delves into, and I thoroughly enjoyed absorbing myself in the read. "On the Ocean Floor" is yet another high-quality effort from two people who wouldn't settle for anything less.

The fifth book in this wonderful series is definitely a keeper, as are the four volumes that precede it. Do yourself a favor, and take a ride on the magic school bus!

As Ms. Frizzle herself would say, "Wahoo!"

Minus One for Lenny
Humorous, engaging, and packed with information, this best-selling science series is aptly illustrated with lively pictures. My kids adore the cartoon bubbles and short "reports" from the students in the story. Their teacher, Ms Frizzle, is an amazing character who challenges her pupils and leads them on amazing fieldtrips. Her equally fascinating wardrobe changes with each subject and situation. All this has made it a read-aloud favorite since my eldest was three. In ON THE OCEAN FLOOR, the inimitable school bus undergoes several transformations as it transports us to and through the ocean; from tidal pools, down to the deep ocean floor, and, after a brief visit to a tropical island, home. I was touched by the inclusion of a specimen of fish, well known in my home state of Hawaii. However, I must say OUR lifeguards are nothing like Lenny, who, unlike the rest of the book, is definitely lacking on several points. Real lifeguards patrol their strip of beach and keep watch over the waters from their perch. They also patiently answer my children`s questions about the local sea life (most recently, about jellyfish) and just as patiently patch up even the smallest of "boo-boos." Minus one star for Lenny.

Excellent coverage!
Another triumph for the Magic School Bus series. The class takes a field trip to the ocean (not the beach; the ocean) where they learn about the wondrous creatures that live there. Everything from plankton to mammals, including the strange lifeforms around hot water vents, is touched on in this fabulous book. The inserts on each page from the kids' projects add valuable information. The science is current and presented in an entertaining and easy-to-understand manner. Even though the series is designed for older kids, my two-year-old loves the pictures and carries the book with him everywhere. ... Read more

Reviews (65)

Something for your son and something for your dad.
In "Danny the Champion of the World" Roald Dahl tells a loving story of a father and his son, Danny. Danny grow up without a mother, but Danny's father is just enough for him to live happily. His father loves Danny more than anything else in the world, and Danny loves his father and teasures every momment with him. Danny helps his father in their automobile repair station, and they live in an old gypsy caravan. Just when Danny thinks everything is wonderful in life, one night his father disappears into the forest with a deep secret. Danny soon discovers his father's secret and that's when the adventure begins.

This is a great book for every child with or without a father, and it is a great book for every father to read as a bedtime story for his children. This is probably my best book of all Roald Dahl!

Chamioning Danny
Roald Dahl is the best children's story teller I have ever read. His stories are creative, compassionate, well written, and meaningful, which of course isn't nearly as important to young readers as the fact that they are just plain fun. Danny the Champion of the World is the story of a young boy and his widower father trying to poach pheasants from a local aristocrat's property. Their appoach is creative and their adventure is exciting, but their relationship is also touching and very effective. It is very easy book and enjoyable for children, and for adults who know how nice a realtionship with children like the one Danny and his father share, it is a touching story. This book is meant to be read aloud, but it is a wonderful story for anyone to read to themselves as well.

The only Dahl book I haven't found to be Wonderful
This is the sixth Roald Dahl book that I have read to my girls (who are now ages 7 and 6), and all of the previous books (Charlie and Chocolate Factory, The BFG, James and the Giant Peach, Witches, and Matilda) were all wonderful. That being said, this book however was not at all wonderful, and unfortunately it is the first Dahl book that I wouldn't recommend.

While Roald Dahl generally champions such issues as child neglect, corporal punishment, and preaches against the dangers of too much television, or relying to heavily on calculators (all worthy issues), here instead for some reason or other, he comes out in support of larceny and cheating.

"Danny the Champion of the World" is about a poor boy who lives with his father in an old caravan behind the gas station they own. The father is a widower and the father and son love each other very much. They don't have much money, but they don't have any wants either. They seem to live a very peaceful and happy life. Danny's father seems to be a wonderful guy who teaches Danny the trade of being a mechanic in hopes that one day he might be a great inventor. His father is also a great story teller, and one of the bed time stories he tells Danny is about the BFG (The Big Friendly Giant). (I can only assume Dahl used this initial premise to go on to write the full story in his BFG novel that was very good.)

At this early stage in the story I thought it was a great book, but then things go wrong. You come to find out that Danny's lovable father has been keeping a secret from Danny. After he gets injured he finally has to tell Danny that he used to love to go up to Mr. Hazel's wood who is the richest man in town, and steal his pheasants, and that he has started to do it again. Not only does he tell Danny that he used to do it, but that he tells him that his mother, his grandfather, and some other very good people who Danny has respected all his life in the town used to steal pheasants as well.

Right here is where Dahl loses me. I've come to understand through his other writings that Roald Dahl was a big fan of Charles Dickens and probably liked Dicken's character of the Artful Dodger very much, but his attempt to create a similar character in "Danny the Champion of the World" here fails miserably. The problem was that he goes on to say that it wasn't because they were poor and needed the food that they were going up there and stealing pheasants, (if that was the case I still would consider it wrong, but at least I could understand someone being driven to the point of having to do that, like the Artful Dodger), but rather that they were going up there for the thrill of it, as if they had a gambling problem and needed the high of the game.

Rather than preaching that poaching is dangerous and wrong, and that Danny should stay away from it, he corrupts Danny into doing it as well. Danny could be considered the champion of the world if he can just figure out a way of stealing more pheasants than anyone else has ever done before. (I'm sorry but that isn't exactly the goal I would set for my world champion.)

You are informed that Mr. Hazel is a very bad man, even though he never did anything illegal to obtain his money, he just isn't very nice. Danny's father makes it out like that since Mr. Hazel isn't very nice then it is all right to steal from him. Isn't that a nice message for the kids.

Mr. Hazel isn't a nice man and you do dislike him, but Danny's father even though he is nice, doesn't prove to be any better of a man.

There is one scene late in the book where they have this well dressed women hide the stolen pheasants in a baby carriage under her child to smuggle them to each person's house. The child is terrified and almost gets injured by the pheasants as they try to escape. All I kept thinking was that unfortunately some drug dealers may have learned this method of smuggling from reading this book. (I find it inconceivably wrong to use a child in any illegal activity.).

I'd like to forget that Dahl ever wrote this book and focus more on his other great works that certainly are worth much more attention. I spent most of this book explaining what was wrong with the story to my girls and kept hoping that in the end there would be some redeeming message, but it never comes.

Book Review
Dear Reader(s),
This book is about a boy named Danny, who lives with his dad. His dad has a secret that is out and Danny is on a wild adventure to stop Mr. Hazel from finding out the secret. Mr. Hazel is a rich man with many pheasants, who's face turns red when he finds out Danny's father's secret.

This book is about the bond between father and son. There is only one thing standing in between Danny's bond with his Dad and that's the secret. We recommend this book because we like it ourselves. Be prepared, this book will take you on an adventure of a life time! But we warn you, Mr.Hazel isn't so friendly when he finds out the secret.
Our readers have some opinions about the book.
Stu- it was a good book because it was funny.
Zach- at the begining of the book I liked the plot, but I wished it would of changed at the end, more twisted.
Janel- I liked the book, it was funny, but when you learn about Danny's Dad's secret it gets better.
Savannah- It was boring at the beginning, but it got exciting towards the middle and the end.

Danny Champion of the Wrold
This is a very good book. It's about Danny and his dad. Thery love to go poaching to gether until one day. When Mr. Hazzel set a trap and Danny's dad got cought up in it and broke his foot. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This collection of five complete, illustrated Dr. Seuss classics is a "hatful," but you'd have to have a Cat-in-the-Hat-sized chapeau to contain all the treasures in this hefty book. Within its pages you'll find Theodor Seuss Geisel's exuberant creations Bartholomew and the Oobleck (1949), If I Ran the Zoo (1950), Horton Hears a Who! (1954), The Sneetches and Other Stories (1961), and Dr.Seuss's Sleep Book (1962). In Bartholomew and the Oobleck, a non-rhyming Seuss story, prepare for an eyeful of green goo. In If I Ran the Zoo, young Gerald McGrew decides he would make a few changes if he ran the zoo--including the acquisition of more unusual beasts (such as an Elephant-Cat) from places "quite out-of-the-way." In addition to the potentially unsettling concept of traversing continents in search of wild beasts to trap and cage, there are a couple of dated references that parents may want to preview before reading to kids. For example, McGrew proclaims, "I'll hunt in the mountains of Zomba-ma-Tant/With helpers who all wear their eyes at a slant,/And capture a fine fluffy bird called the Bustard/Who only eats custard with sauce made of mustard."

As for the rest of this delightful collection, Horton Hears a Who! is a tale that teaches us "a person's a person, no matter how small." And of course, you may remember the Star-Belly Sneetches, the "snooty old smarties" who pranced antagonistically in front of the Plain-Belly Sneetches, or Mrs. McCave who had 23 sons and named them all Dave. Finally, Dr. Seuss's Sleep Book is about the snortiest snorers, the curious sleepwalking Crandalls, World-Champion Sleep-Talkers, and other somnambulant types--a perfect bedtime finale to a book that could keep youngsters entertained all night. (All ages) ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Good story selection, questionable book quality
There is little to add to the chorus of praise for the works of Dr. Seuss. The content is unimpeachable and the choices of his works for inclusion here are a good random mix.

That said, the book itself has a flaw common to books of this type. It is not durable enough for extended use by children. Because it contains multiple stories, it will see more use than a single storied book. Books of this size and length need the strongest bindings and reinforcing possible. A "Curious George" compendium that we own that is made similarly to the Seuss book fell apart after a few readthroughs, and only the adults handled it. The spine of the Seuss book is weakening after only a year of ownership. Manufacturers need to offer us better quality.

I also must say it is disappointing that no complete collection of Suess's material exists. His entire works would be quite large, but it is still odd that no one has seen fit to put everything he wrote for children in a multi-volume set. The best we have at this time is the five selection book here.

Who doesn't love Dr. Seuss?
It's fun for kids and for you! Everyone will be entertained for hours.

Like a window into a perfect world...
There was always something about Dr. Seuss. I read a lot of books when I was a kid, and before that my parents read them to me, but there was always something about Seuss's work that even a little kid can recognize as genius. I could read them over and over again, even when I got to an age where Seuss was "baby-stuff." Maybe it was the pictures and maybe it was the musical nature of the words, but more likely it was the fact that Seuss's stuff is as close to putting pure imagination on paper as your ever likely to see.

There are lot's of imitators these days, but they're not Seuss. No one could draw a Sneetch, Grinch or Who like Seuss could. Heck, nobody knew what a Sneetch was until Seuss showed us. His creatures and creations were so real at times, yet so completely unlike anything we had ever seen before how could we not be amazed. Like Gerald McGrew from "If I Ran the Zoo" Seuss offered us a menagerie of creatures so wondrous and amazing that they could actually make our own world seem dim in comparison.

While it's hard to have a "best of" compilation when speaking of Seuss, Random House has done it's best to compile five classics into a tome equal to Bullfinch's Mythology, Aesop's Fables or Grimm's Fairy Tales (the book I ordered along with this one). Each of these stories teaches us something without coming off as pretentious or preachy. In fact, the moral's are sometimes so subtle as to be invisible, but they're there.

Now that I have a daughter of my own I try to read to her every night. This book fascinates us both and when she reaches out to try and touch one of the characters on the page, I know exactly how she feels. What kind of father would I be if I denied her the world of Seuss? It would be like stealing the color yellow or putting her imagination in handcuffs. Plus, it gives me an excuse to read all those cool stories all over again. Seuss is just cool.

great and economical
In this day and age when children's books are getting prohibitively expensive, this book is a great deal.

While I knew the stories as a kid, I got to re-live them with my daughter with this book. She loves to read and re-read them with me, and she asks questions about the stories and the values that are in them. This is first rate stuff, the kind of thing that sticks in a child's mind for their entire life with their quirky detail, humor, and vivid stories you can identify with.

So often, it is of individuals who find the courage to defy the authorities and mainstream opinion to do what they think is right.

Warmly recommended.

The Sneetches
As a former grade school teacher, I wanted to take a moment to say that "The Sneetches" is the finest story in the annals of Children's Literature. It is another example of the Good Dr.'s "Einstein" capacities to teach about the insidiousness of bigotry in a manner which captivates both young and old alike. Anyone interested in promoting the commonalities which bind all of us together, will be delighted to have this story as a permanent piece of magic within his or her library. ... Read more

Book Description

Illus. in full color. "Four funny easy-to-read stories all with subtly planted moral lessons."--Publishers Weekly. ... Read more

Reviews (28)

Only Dr. Seuss could teach a basic truth with so much fun!
"What was I scared of?", the last story in this book, has long been my favorite Dr. Seuss story. I read it aloud as a child. Now it is one of my son's favorites. Dr. Seuss explores scary things like the dark, people or things that aren't familiar, and the idea that it doesn't work to try and run or hide, all within a silly story of green pants with nobody inside them. The sneetches and their struggle to be elite makes any number of statements about our society in a way that is simple for young minds to understand. And the stories about the stubborn Zax and the mother who named all her sons Dave turn words into an amusement park. Definitely one of Dr. Seuss' best.

You'll wear out the book before you get tired reading it.
This is definetly one of Dr. Seuss' best. Four stories with messages so subtle and solutions so obvious that both adult and child will enjoy them again and again. Time (and repitition) has not dimmed any of their charm. The story of The Sneetches focuses on prejudice. Perhaps the most subtle of all Dr. Seuss stories, it demonstrates the silliness of stereotypes and what happens to those who subscribe to them. The story of The Zax tells the story of two stubborn and inflexible Zax. And what happens when they happen to run into each other. Too Many Daves is one mother's story of naming all twenty-three of her children Dave. But my favorite it What Was I Scared Of? It's a not very scary story of seeing a pair of "pale green pants with nobody, inside them". And what to do if you should see them.

The Sneetches
I loved this book, it relates so much to the prejudice crimes of todays society. I bet a million bucks that that is how Seuss got his inspiration to write thsi wonderful childrens book. I read in my HONORS reading class and i absolutly loved it. It is a star book.

Five Stars Upon Thars!
This is definitely one of my favorite books! It's a classic, for young and old alike. I've read it countless times, it just keeps getting better. They might be childrens' stories, but there is a lesson to be learned from each of them.

A Classic
My grandma used to read this book to my sister and I and our cousins all the time. I'm buying it for my kids. I love the lessons in this book and that it is funny and easy for kids. I great book for learning to read! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Seven decades after Babar was born, the world is still very much in lovewith the noble elephant. Before his untimely death at age 37, Jean de Brunhoffwrote and illustrated six stories about Babar and his friends and family. Inthis exquisite gift edition, every one of these stories is included, with not aword or picture left out. From The Story of Babar--in which the elephantis born, loses his mother, runs off to Paris, and returns to be crownedking--through The Travels of Babar, Babar the King, Babar andZephir, Babar and His Children, and Babar and FatherChristmas, the beloved pachyderm's incredible life adventures are chronicledfor our reading pleasure. In his introduction, picture book author-illustratorKevin Henkes writes, "Where else could one find a balloon accident, a deadlypoison mushroom, a runaway carriage, an extraordinary flying machine, a snakeattack, fire, war, death, birth? These books are full of adventure and fantasy,but they also deal with the stuff of real life. And I'm convinced children longto see both the dark and the light sides of human experience reflected in theirbooks just as much as adults do, perhaps more." Adults who truly wish to sharethe joys of the classics with the children in their lives could do no betterthan to present them with this grand collection. (Ages 4 and older) --EmilieCoulter ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Great fun for the whole family
My husband and I grew up on Babar. So when we saw this book we bought for our 4 month old son. He loves to hear our voices as we read to him and he also loves the bright colored pictures. We enjoy the memories that the stories bring back to us. A great addition to anyones collection.

TIP: We take the dust cover of any of his books that have dust covers and put them in plastic sleeves for later when we are sure he will not rip them up. That way when he is older the book looks like new even though it really is old.

"Original" art? Ha!
I was so thrilled to get this book as a gift, especially since it includes the long out-of-print "Babar and Zephir." When I began to leaf through it, being very familiar with the older editions, I grew sicker with every page. Jean de Brunhoff's stunning artwork has been absolutely destroyed.

Do you know how you feel when watching an old black-and-white movie that you have long loved which has been "colorized"? Yes, your favorite golden age actress now has pink skin, fucshia lips too big for her face and what color are her eyes supposed to be, exactly? The Babar art has been colorized in the most grotesque and garish sense of the word--which is really horrid when you consider that most of Brunhoff's original illustrations were already in color to begin with. Random House has decided, apparently, that Brunhoff's colors are not bright enough. Where Brunhoff shaded, Random House has plastered one uniform cartoonish shade from line to line. Babar's green suit ranges from merely loud green to splitting-headache green. The suit which he wears while playing trumpet in the circus defies description. Suffice it to say it is very blue and very red.

The beautiful scene in which the Celesteville residents bring gifts to infants Pom, Flora, and Alexander has lost its pastoral sweetness and is positively grotesque. The babies lie in their pram, which looks as though my kindergartener re-outlined it in black magic marker, under glaring green palms and flowers with a turquoise blanket scarcely dimmer than the book's cover (see above), while royal blue butterflies flit nearby. Babar is standing in a suit that is (if possible) even greener than the greenery directly behind him. A uniformly orange cow and dromedary are in the reception line. Think Fisher Price.

Does your child really need to know that the mermaid Eleanore's sisters are peeking out of the water when Zephir captures Eleanore? Due to the paint job the sea has suffered, you may need to point this out, as Brunhoff's few lines are no longer recognizable as the tops of mermaid heads. Somebody overdid the brown on the faces of General Huc and Colonel Aristobald, these brave and clever monkeys no longer have visible eyes, mouths, or hairlines.

The subtlety, the grace, the old-world patina of the gorgeous Babar art is gone. In its place, we have. . .well, they do say that bright colors are good for babies' development.

I want to cry.

A GREAT CHILDREN'S BOOK!
We have a 3 year old and a 2 year old and they both really love Babar and the gang. They love the book and Babar videos. We've had this book for over a year, and our children continue to ask us to read it to them. This book is wonderfully illustrated and humorous. Enjoyable even for adults.

an elephant's intro to middle class life
One of the delights of being a parent is to return to the books you loved as a child with your own children. For the last 4 years, I have read and re-read these classic tales with my daughter, who loves them as much as I did. At 6, she is only beginning to yearn for more complicated sotries and characters.

While the stories at times appear a bit dated - they offer a curious mix of colonialism and advice on how to run a pluralistic animal kingdom - they offer wonderful lessons on how to get along with others. The characters are caring and many of them are somewhat flawed, as they try to puruse principled lives in the jungle. My daughter mentions them to me all the time when we talk about issues, offering us a common vocabulary and easy way to exlain things.

They also are simply very good stories, with adventure, humor, and plenty of good intentions. Warmly recommended.

Something different
Though Babar isn't one of the classic American children's storybook series, it definitely is worth introducing to your loved ones. This set of books is refreshing and cute, allowing for a different way of describing the world to children. I grew up with European parents who read Babar stories to me in French all the time. Compared to typically "American" stories, Babar is a curious yet wonderfully charming character who encounters just as many interesting adventures as any other. I definitely recommend this if you're searching for something different. ... Read more

Book Description

Charlie and Willy Wonka are back, this time in a fantastic journey to outer space in their giant glass elevator.Roald Dahl is one of the most beloved storytellers of all time, and his books have been children's favorites for generations. Puffin is proud to offer a strong new look for nine of our classic Roald Dahl titles. The distinctive cover treatment, with new art by Quentin Blake, will make these books easily recognizable. In addition, Quentin Blake's funny, quirky illustrations now appear in all of the books. So turn the page and you'll be sure to have a Dahl-ectable summer! ... Read more

Reviews (53)

Visit Willy Wonka¿s Wondrous World Again!
Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator
Visit Willy Wonka's Wondrous World Again!
* * * * * (5 Stars)
I chose this book because when I looked at the cover I thought it was cool. The cover shows and elevator flying up in space, so I thought it would be about space and cool inventions. The book wasn't like that at all. It was about Mr. Wonka, a man who owns a chocolate factory, and Charlie, a kid who will be getting the chocolate factory, and Charlie's family. They go into space and help people from dying and as a reward having a party. Since the book was different from the cover, I do like what's in the book better than the cover and the idea of the cover.

Mr. Wonka, Charlie and Charlie's family got into an elevator and ended up in space. They stayed in a Space Hotel for a day and later had to save it from space aliens. This book is for children 8 - 10. I couldn't put this book down. It is a great way of using your imagination. This fantasy is written by Roahld Dauhl.

I liked imagining what aliens looked like, and how they saved the space hotel.

You'll miss out if you don't read this book!

It was okay...
I agree with some reviewers in that mostly all of what the book talks about is the glass elevator and Charlie's grandparents. It does state nothing about what Charlie did after all of this with his new chocolate factory, but I disagree with those who say that book was awful. I enjoyed reading it, despite the above complaints. It was very well written, and interesting to read, althought I would have liked to read about what Charlie did with his inheritance.

The best book ever
Have you ever imagined an elevator that could fly? Charlie, in the book Charlie and the Great Glass elevator, went flying through space and time. Charlie and his family discovered the U.S.A. space hotel where they met three pilots being attacked by knids. A problem arises when the pilots can't get down to earth without burning up into ashes. There are to conflicts in this book: getting away from the knids and save grandma from minus land. The authors message in this book is "if you work hard at something you can get there". I would give this book a 5 star rating for its excitement and suspense. You should read this suspenseful book to find out what happens to Charlie and his family.

A Great Read for Anyone
This book is funny, interesting, and a great book for all ages. I loved this book because it's fresh and funny, and Roald Dahl is a terrific writer. This was the first book I read by Roald Dahl, and you really don't need to ready any other Chocolate Factory books before enjoying this one.

The story goes like this: Charlie Bucket & his family, plus Willy Wonka are riding in a great glass elevator (just as the title implies,) and they somehow crash into outer space and land in this space hotel. While in the the hotel they come across these gruesome creatures. They cleverly escape from them and head back to the Chocolate Factory. While there Charlie's maternal and paternal grandparents take a pill created by Willy Wonka to make them younger (or older). The results are hilarious, but you have to read this book yourself to find out what happens!
P.S.: I loved the poems in the book!

A boring book!
This book is not that good. Because there aren't too many things happeningin the begining. And then it just switches subject and another thing happens instead. Somrtimes it's very funny but when it's not funny, it's a very boring book.
However the characters in the book are guite good. My favorite character is mr. Willy Wonka. He is very funny and he's never scared.
I don't recommend this book to anyone, but if you want to read it it is better to read "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" first. ... Read more

Book Description

The Enormous Crocodile is incredibly hungry-and incredibly greedy. His favorite meal is a plump, juicy little child, and he intends to gobble up as many of them as he can! But when the other animals in the jungle join together to put an end to his nasty schemes, the Enormous Crocodile learns a lesson he won't soon forget. Dahl's wicked humor is as delightful as ever in this new, larger edition of a hilarious favorite.

Illustrated by Quentin Blake. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

fun book, but the ending falls short
I really enjoyed "The Enormous Crocodile." It is one heck of a tale. But the abrupt and rather too serious ending leaves me pondering the greatness that could have been.

The story follows the exploits of the tittle character as he sets off one morning to find something to eat. He has a hankering for children from the nearby village. He broadcasts his desire to the other creatures of the jungle as he passes them.

The only problem is that besides being greedy and ill-intentioned, the crocodile is also nasty to his fellow wild creatures. This comes back to haunt him.

The story is a masterpiece of dry humor. Its verbal pacing is darn near flawless. The illustrations are great. Several (especially of the Crocodile's disguises) made me laugh.

Outside of the ending, I highly recommend "The Enormous Crocodile."

Enormous Crocodile
The author is Roald Dahl. He wrote this book called The Enormous Crocodile. The Enormous Crocodile is about two crocodiles. One tries to eat the children but his plans never work. His friends help the children get away from the Enormous Crocodile. They are tired of the crocodile's secret plans and clever tricks. I think this book is really excellent.

Sheer pleasure for all ages!
I dare you to pick up this book in a book store, read the first page to your child and then tell him you're not going to buy it. You'll never get away with it. Roald Dahl excels at writing stories that grip the reader in the first paragraph and don't let go until the end. If you can't get your child to read, let Roald Dahl come to the rescue. Even if you have to read it yourself, your kid will want to read it afterwards. This is a great Roald Dahl starter.

Crocodile Review
The Enormous Crocodile is a fun story with animals of all sorts. The Enormous Crocodile plans to get children, but the plans fail because of the animals. It is like a fun mystery. And the story has so much suspense. There is an elephant, a Roly Poly bird, a monkey and a hippo named Humpy Rumpy.

A Funny Book with Silly Tricks
I just finished The Enormous Crocodile by Roald Dahl. The story is about an Enormous Crocodile who goes through a jungle to a city, so he can eat children. I thought it was funny because the EC did some pretty silly tricks like when he pretended to be a see-saw. What I liked best about it was that the EC's friends warned the children or the town before the EC could hurt them. I thought this was a nice thing to do. The Enormous Crocodle is a good book to read. I would especially recommend it as a family read. ... Read more

Book Description

Tommy is four years old, and he loves visiting the home of his grandmother, Nana Downstairs, and his great-grandmother, Nana Upstairs. But one day Tommy's mother tells him Nana Upstairs won't be there anymore, and Tommy must struggle with saying good-bye to someone he loves. Updated with new, full-color illustrations, this classic story will continue to win the hearts of readers of all ages.

"Children will want to hear this again and again." --School Library Journal, starred review

"A quietly touching story [that] depicts loving family relationships." --Publishers Weekly ... Read more

Reviews (9)

I <3 this particular story.
As a child, a copy of this book was purchased for me by a close friend of the family. I was born without grandfathers, as both died before I was born. My grandmothers were all quite old and it turned out that this book was a comfort to me as they had both died by the time I was seven. Mine is the original colours - brown and pink - but I'm sure this copy is as good if not better. I definately recommend it.

Wonderful!
This is a wonderful tale of a 4-year-old boy's close relationship with his 94-year-old great-grandmother. His great-grandmother lives in the upstairs bedroom of the house with his grandmother and grandfather, who play a lesser role in the book. The little boy has a weekly routine of visiting "Nana Upstairs" and sharing mints with her. It is nice to see an elderly person being cared for in the home of relatives rather than in a nursing home! She is so frail that she can't sit upright unassisted, so she is tied into a chair. Don't worry; this is not a scary thing! The little boy also insists on being tied in, so they can be alike. Eventually Nana Upstairs dies. This is not over dramatized and my children were not upset about this, perhaps because the boy is comforted when he sees a falling star in the sky and thinks it is a sign that Nana Upstairs is sending him a kiss. Years later we see the boy as an adult and we find out that Nana Downstairs has died, and he sees another shooting star and is again comforted.

This is a lovely picture book representing a strong bond between a grandparents and their grandson. If you enjoy this book, you'll also like Tomie DePaola's "Now One Foot, Now the Other".

I learned of this book by reading an analysis of it in the book "Inside Picture Books" by Ellen H. Spitz, which is a very detailed analysis of the content of picture books focusing on themes of bedtime, separation, grandparents, death, children's behaviors/manners, and a child's self-concept and self-esteem.

My 3 and 6 year old sons love the book as do I! We originally borrowed it from the library but this is one we'll have to buy so I can keep up with their repeated requests for it!

The older version has pictures in pink, tan, and black. The new version has more colors in the illustrations. Both versions are illustrated by Tomie DePaola.

Nana Upstairs, and Nana Downstairs
This is a very good book. I liked this book because it showed the love of a family, and how they could all take care of each other. Nana Upstairs was a very special person to Tommy, and he will never forget all the good times they had, like eating their candy and talking while being tied to chairs. Tommy didn't understand why his Nana Upstairs couldn't be there anymore. I think he really started to understand when he saw the star. Tommy is my favorite character because he cares about his family so much, and he looks forward to going on the Sunday visits to Nana Upstairs and Nana Downstairs house. The cakes the Nana Downstairs makes, and the candy Nana Upstairs always has for Tommy. This was a wonderful story, and becasue it is true I hope Tommy will always have these wonderful memories.

Nana Upstairs & Nana Downstairs--by: Tomie dePaola
This is a very gentle way of coping with the loss a death brings upon someone. Tommy was very lucky to have spent part of his life with his great-grandmother. Being a true story, I'm sure Tomie dePaola cherishes the memories of his Sunday visits to Nana Upstairs and Nana Downstairs. The unusual things (like being tied to a chair) and the stories are what make the memories special. My favorite character in this story was Tommy. I would recommend this book to anyone, of any age. It is especially good for a child coping with the death of a loved one.

Wonderful Book!
This is an absolutely wonderful book that I read when I was a child. My grandmother died when I was in high school, and I immediately tried to find this book. It made me feel at peace with her and helped me get through her death. It was a wonderful book when I was young, and just as wonderful as I grew older. Timeless... as I'm now in my mid twenties, when I want to think of her, I read the book. My children will also come to love it! ... Read more

Amazon.com

That behatted and bow-tied cat from Dr. Seuss's The Cat in the Hat is back, and, not surprisingly, is up to all sorts of mischief. This time, Sally and her brother are stuck shoveling snow: "This was no time for play./ This was no time for fun./ This was no time for games./ There was work to be done." But--you guessed it--the laughing Hat Cat has other ideas, as he lets himself in to eat cake in their tub. He leaves behind "a big long pink cat ring," which he then handily cleans with "MOTHER'S WHITE DRESS!" The dress then loses its pink stain to the wall, then Dad's shoes, then the rug in the hall, until finally the Cat must call in some assistan