Book Description

William Bennett and Michael Hague, the team that brought us the national bestseller The Children's Book of Virtues, have once again collaborated to create The Children's Book of Heroes, a beautifully illustrated celebration of heroic deeds, both real and fictional, that will delight and inspire millions of young children and their parents.

"We all need a hero or two to help us stand fast and think right," says William J. Bennett, author of The Book of Virtues, the #1 bestseller that millions of American families turn to for moral inspiration. With excerpts chosen for young children, this new treasury presents splendid tales of the valor and indomitable spirit that are a lasting testament to our cherished values.

Jackie Robinson stands fast on the playing field -- and his strength of character inspires a nation. David slays Goliath -- and his faith and bravery give hope to underdogs everywhere. A little boy goes in search of an angel -- and finds one who guards him day and night: his own mother. From Abraham Lincoln and Mother Teresa to warriors on the battlefield, real moms and dads, and even young girls and boys, here are worthy and heroic figures all kids can look up to and emulate.

The Children's Book of Heroes is a celebration of the endurance, sacrifice, courage, and compassion that characterize truly heroic deeds. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

An interesting mix of historical and fictional heroes
William J. Bennett and Michael Hague, having teamed together to produce the national bestseller "The Children's Book of Virtues," now offer up "The Children's Book of Heroes," which celebrates heroic deeds, both historical and fictional, as appropriate inspiration for children. Certainly it is interesting to see the dozen-plus heroes, from Christopher Columbus and Jackie Robinson to the legendary Sir Roland to a young girl named Tashira, who are presented in this volume.

People might be surprised as to how few religious and political figures are included in this volume given that Bennett is the editor. For the former there are just the Biblical story of "David and Goliath," the story of "Father Flanagan" of Boys Town, and "Mother Teresa" as the epitome of the modern-day heroine. The only political figures, George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, appear in episodes well before they each became president with "A Prayer at Valley Forge" and "Honest Abe" respectively. However, one of the better aspects of this book is that some of the stories and poems are not about famous people but rather about a mother ("About Angels"), dads ("Only a Dad"), and even how kids can be heroes by putting themselves on the line for someone they love ("The Hero of Indian Cliffs") and showing moral courage in order to avoiding temptation ("Our Heroes").

Because of my academic interest in mythology I was especially interest in the two classical myths that were selected. The story of Theseus and "The Minotaur" is given as an example of doing the right thing even when afraid of danger while the story of Oedipus and "The Sphinx" is used to remind us that heroes use their brains. This is certainly an interesting pair given what happens to each hero after their defeat these monsters: Theseus and Ariadne never make it back together to Athens and as for Oedipus, well, you probably know what happened to him once he became king of Thebes.

"The Children's Book of Heroes" does indeed present a diverse collection of role models, which at the very least, should expand a child's notion of what constitutes a hero. Each story begins with a brief comment on what the particular life lesson is from that story, for example Jackie Robinson represents "keeping your cool and doing the best you can in a bad situation," which arguably present values that transcend the ideological spectrum.

My Kids are Enthralled
Bennett has edited another fine book that introduces young children to values and charactor while making reading interesting.

This book of heros combines mythical and historical figures with everyday folk (moms and dads) whose actions and charactor speak to the better values that should be taught to children. The book is fairly accessible to ages 4 and 5 -- the gist of the story will usually be understood and there are enough new concepts / words to prompt meaningful discussion. The illustrations are rich and invite children into the story by providing an attractive visual introduction to each vignette.

Bennett continues to provide a great service to parents and children with the series of which the Book of Heros is a part.

More Cultural Bigotry from a Drug War-Criminal
It's not surprising that Bill Bennett has ignored some of the more marginalized of society. Here's some folks YOU WON'T find in Bill Bennett's "heroes"

Saladin: who gave Christians in his domain greater tolerance than the Christians did the Muslims

Ashoka: whose (real) legendary beneficient government is sitll to be matched by the West

I could go on... but suppose, just suppose your "real mom and dad" is a child abuser.

Not all real moms and dads *can or should* be looked up to, and Bennett expresses is profound lack of humanity with such jingoistic nonsense. To suggest that simply because 2 people are have a contract that is ratified at an atavistic ceremony, and have sexual intercourse resulting in the birth of life human somehow makes them "heroes" (when in reality they may be *Republicans*) is obscene.

I wouldn't let my kid near this man's work.

But this isn't surprising- the policies carried out on his watch have needlessly imprisioned *thousands* of real people.

Now there's some heroes he could have put in- the people who are standing up to the tyranny created by Bennett's "War on Drugs."

My kids really love these stories!
I know some of these stories but not all. My 3-year old and 5-year old really sit and listen. They even ask questions about them later.

A must for all parents, forget the politics, buy the book
Has the old with the new, learned along with my children, great book ... Read more

Amazon.com

Most of the time Katie Honors is a good kid. But sometimes, when herbaby brother has knocked over one too many of her beautiful castles, Katiebecomes Bombaloo. She uses her fists and feet instead of her words. Her toys"end up all over the floor--and so does my brother." It takes some alone time, alot of parental understanding, and a silly episode with flying underwear to calmBombaloo down again and return her to her happy Katie Honors state.

There aren't too many kids who won't be able to relate to award-winningauthor Rachel Vail's miniature version of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Katie's rageis scary and reflected alarmingly well by illustrator Yumi Heo's collage,pencil, and paint illustrations, reminiscent of the art of Lane Smith, GisellePotter, and Maira Kalman. The message is clear: sometimes we get angry--really,really angry--but it's important to calm down eventually and make it up to thosewe may have hurt. (Ages 3 to 7) --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Because We All Get BOMBALOO
I think this is a psychologically adept book that strikes a good balance between message and entertainment. The young narrator talks about how she's generally a good person: "...I'm a really good kid. I smile a lot because usually I'm happy, and I give excellent hugs." She behaves even when her brother knocks over her blocks.

"But," she explains, "sometimes I'm Bombaloo." She shows her teeth, makes fierce noises and scrunches up her face." I use my feet and my fists instead of my words." She knows that later, after a time-out ("I have to go take some time for myself and think about it"), she'll calm down and apologize to her brother. But the book doesn't minimize the strength of the feelings: "But while I'm Bombaloo, I'm not sorry; I'm angry. I hate everybody and everything..."

The author shows a calm, factual empathy in her narrator's voice "And I'm sorry and a little frightened. It's scary, being Bombaloo. My mother knows that. She hugs me and helps me clean up...," and, after making up with her brother, "we build a new castle together." The book neither excuses nor judges Bombaloo-style anger. Instead, it shows the feelings that occur before, during, and after it, and offers parents and kids the hope of resolution. 29 pages, with excellent, evocative illustrations by Yumi Heo.

Highly recommend
My 2-1/2 year old daughter loves this book. It gave us a way to talk about out-of-control emotions. Now when she gets mad, I can ask her, "Are you bombaloo?" The question focuses her attention -- and she either acknowledges that she's mad or she shifts her mood, and says "I'm not bombaloo!" and laughs. The book has wonderful illlustrations. The writer communicates in a direct way that young children can understand.

Because We All Get BOMBALOO
I think this is a psychologically adept book that strikes a good balance between message and entertainment. The young narrator talks about how she's generally a good person: "...I'm a really good kid. I smile a lot because usually I'm happy, and I give excellent hugs." She behaves even when her brother knocks over her blocks.

"But," she explains, "sometimes I'm Bombaloo." She shows her teeth, makes fierce noises and scrunches up her face." I use my feet and my fists instead of my words." She knows that later, after a time-out ("I have to go take some time for myself and think about it"), she'll calm down and apologize to her brother. But the book doesn't minimize the strength of the feelings: "But while I'm Bombaloo, I'm not sorry; I'm angry. I hate everybody and everything..."

The author shows a calm, factual empathy in her narrator's voice "And I'm sorry and a little frightened. It's scary, being Bombaloo. My mother knows that. She hugs me and helps me clean up...," and, after making up with her brother, "we build a new castle together." The book neither excuses nor judges Bombaloo-style anger. Instead, it shows the feelings that occur before, during, and after it, and offers parents and kids the hope of resolution. 29 pages, with excellent, evocative illustrations by Yumi Heo.

Instant Calm
Reading this book to my 4-year old daughter instantly resonated with both of us. We pick it up now whenever we need to reflect on a hard day. I highly recommend this title.

Does your preschooler get *A*N*G*R*Y*?
We found this book at the library not knowing what it was about, but I was drawn to the pictures and short text and of course the silly word "Bombaloo". Reading it the first time was like a breakthrough in helping me discuss the feelings of being mad and out of control with my 3 yr old twin boys. They often fight with each other and "lose it" over the silliest of things.

The story is about a little girl who is usually happy and tolerates her little brother's interference with her play. However, sometimes she gets REALLY mad at him and turns into "Bombaloo". Bombaloo does mean things and yells and expresses her anger by trashing her room (where she has been previously sent). Eventually, the tantrum settles down and "Katie" is allowed to come out, after which her mother acknowledges her feelings of anger. And to finish with a happy ending, she works together with her toddler-age brother to build a castle together. (HA!)

Short of a video camera, this book is great for "showing" the play by play events of a tantrum to children. It is perfect for the sibling relationship. And I love the fact that while the mother does understand that Katie is angry, she still gives a "time out" (although the book realistically depicts what usually happens during the cool down time). My guys are a little scared of the "monster" faces that introduce Bombaloo, but they love to go back to different pages and review and verbally reenact the pictures. I highly recommend it for tantrum prone siblings especially, but also for any child who likes to talk about pictures in books as a means of understanding a situation. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The Secret of the Unicorn was one of the first truly great Tintin adventures and Herge's personal favorite, combining a puzzling mystery with a ripping pirate yarn.When Tintin finds a magnificent model ship in the street market, his attempt to buy it for Captain Haddock leads him on a trail of pickpockets, burglars, and secret treasure, and Haddock enthralls him with a tale of his seafaring ancestor, Sir Francis Haddock (who was exclaiming "Thundering typhoons!" generations before the Captain ever did), and his fateful encounter with the fearsome pirate Red Rackham. The story is also notable for Herge's fantastic eye for ship detail as well as the first appearances of Nestor and Marlinspike Hall. The Secret of the Unicorn was Tintin's first official two-book adventure, continued in Red Rackham's Treasure. --David Horiuchi ... Read more

Reviews (6)

A Sea Adventure Everyone Will Like
This is the first part, the second part is 'Red Rakham's Treasure'. This is also the series when Marlinspike Hall makes its appearance. The second part is also when Prof Cuthbert Calculus enters Tintin cast for the first time. This is a story every Tintin lover will cherish and other readers will also enjoy. Despite being more than half a century old the story has lost nothing of its charm and sense of fun.

The plot concerns miniature models of boats that bear a striking similarity to a boat in a portrait of one of Capt Haddock's ancestors. From there begins a tale of pirates, of a treasure, of theives after the same treasure, of three hundred year old rum, of our adventurers' attempts at getting to it. The story finally culminates in the Marlinspike Hall, with Capt Haddock being restored to what turns out to be his ancesteral home.

This is the first and perhaps the best of the three adventures Herge wrote that ran into two books. The others two book adventures are 'The Seven Crystal Balls' and 'Prisoners of the Sun', and 'Destination Moon' and 'Explorers on the Moon'.

All in all, an excellent comic book to read, anytime, anywhere.

Tintin begins the search for Red Rackham's Treasure
First off, be forewarned that "The Secret of Unicorn" is only the first half of a two-part Tintin adventure, which is concluded in "Red Rackham's Treausre." So do not get all bent of shape when you get to the end of this 1943 adventure and Tintin looks out and you and tells you to find out what happens next in "Red Rackham's Treasure."

As our story opens, the Thompsons are trying to solve a rash of pockets being picked and Tintin decides to buy on impulse a model of an old galliard ship. But suddenly two other gentleman want to buy the model from Tintin, who refuses because he intends the model to be a gift to his friend, Captain Haddock. Then Tintin finds a small piece of parchment that was hidden in one of the masts talking about a treasure and a ship called the Unicorn. The mystery deepens when it turns out that Sir Francis Haddock, an ancestor of Tintin's good friend, was the captain of the Unicorn. After the captain tells the exciting story of Sir Francis and his glorious victory over the dreaded Barbary buccaneers, Tintin races off to track down the final pieces of the puzzle that will tell where the treasure of the Unicorn can be found.

This is only Captain Haddock's third Tintin adventure but he is already as important to the story as Snowy. Nestor and Marlinspike Hall make their first appearance in "The Secret of the Unicorn" with Professor Calculus making his unforgettable first appearance in the second half of the tale. Herge is obviously staying as far away as he can from what is happening in Europe during World War II, but that does not take away from the fact this is a first rate tale of detective work by our intrepid hero and the second half is an equally fun adventure as Tintin and company race for "Red Rackham's Treasure."

The Secret of The Unicorn; A Funny Mystery Book
How would you feel if you bought a boat and found a treasure note inside? How would you feel then, if the boat got stolen? This is what happens to TinTin and his dog, Snowy, in The Secret of the Unicorn, by Herge. Once they try to find the boat, but are not successful. After looking for the boat, they start looking for the treasure. They search by submarine, by scuba diving,and by swimming in shark infested water. Do they find the treasure? Read The Secret of the Unicorn to find out.

The Second Best Tintin Comic I Ever Read
The Secret Of The Unicorn Is The Second Best Tintin Comic I Ever Read ( My Favourite Is Red Rackham's Treasure) The Main Charecters Are Tintin, Captain Haddock,Thompson & Thomson And Of Course The Criminals . I Advice You All To Read It

Best of the Tintin series
The first Tintin book I ever read was The Secret of the Unicorn. I still consider it among the best along with King Ottokar's Sceptre. The plot moves along, the dialogue is humorous, and the characters are vintage Herge. I highly recommend this one. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

At long last, Tintin and Snowy meet up with Captain Haddock
"The Crab with the Golden Claws" has a simple beginning, when Snowy goes scavenging in the rubbish and gets his muzzle stuck in a can of crabmeat. However, that crab of tin meat quickly leads our hero on a new adventure, which starts off rather horribly when Tintin is knocked unconscious aboard a mysterious ship and taken out to sea where the bad guys intend to send him to the bottom. Of course, Tintin leads a charmed life, which takes a major turn for the better when he comes across the ship's drunken captain, who introduces himself as Captain Haddock.

The rest, as they say is history, because this is the first of many adventures for Tintin and the person who, along with Snowy, becomes his almost constant companion in the years to come. Even though this is the good captain in his rawest form, Herge knew he was onto something with the emotional, blustering, cursing (in his way) Haddock, who plays increasingly pivotal roles in the next Tintin adventures, "The Shooting Star" and "The Secret of the Unicorn." As for Snowy, he does manage to find some of the biggest bones in his long career.

"The Crab with the Golden Claws" takes Tintin and his companions from the perils of the high sea to the burning sands of the desert. Of course, all those cans of crab are not actually filled with crab. This 1941 story is a traditional exotic adventure for the interpid reporter, filled with slapstick and narrow escapes in equal measure, which might indicate Herge's desire to forget about what was happening in Europe at that point in history.

Oh Columbus! It's Captain Haddock!
The adventure every re-reader of Tintin waits impatiently for, Captain Haddock's debut. We first meet him on board the merchant ship Karaboudjan, his alcoholism being fuelled by a nefarious mate, the hatchet-faced Allan, who is smuggling opium in tins of crab meat. It is curious that such a weak, defeated, decadent figure should become such a beloved, even heroic character for generations of readers - in the context of the Nazi-Occupied Europe in which the book was written, the resonance of Haddock's spiritual progress - from manipulable weakling to tortured prisoner to victim of (collaborationist?) police brutality to ferocious resistant - is easier to fathom. Besides his inability to resist bottle-sized tipples, the captain is famous for a bellicosity unleashed in an inexhaustible gust of arbitrary, all-inclusive epithets ('Rats! Ectoplasms! Freshwater swabs! Bashi-bazouks! Cannibals! Caterpillars!'); his rage often sufficient to ward off enemies. Beneath these terrifying outbursts, however, and the tendency to Thom(p)son-like imbecilities (such as the drunken kindling of a fire on a longboat), Haddock is really a kind of human Snowy, someone whose essentially good instincts are led astray by appetite, someone who needs the affection, reassurance, security and stability offered by Tintin's tolerant friendship. He is a brave man of an earlier, more chivalrous age, stranded in a modernism blighted by criminals and the counterfeit.

This marvellously funny episode begins as a mystery story, with Thompson and Thomson investigating the death by drowning of a sailor whose remains include clues that prompt Tintin to investigate the Karaboudjan. In terms of incident and visuals, 'Crab' harks back to the earlier 'Cigars Of The Pharoah' (another introductory adventure, that time the Thom(p)sons), with its drug-smuggling plot, its misadventures at sea, its awesome African sandscapes and the delight offered by Thom(p)sonian buffoonery. The depiction of French Morocco, its eternal sunlight riven with omnipresent shadows, echoes the Metaphysical/Surrealist world of de Chirico, while there are many jokes inspired once again by silent cinema, especially two 'Gold Rush'-quoting hallucinations in which a thirst-crazed Haddock imagines Tintin as a bottle of champagne.

An added bonus are four full-page plates you will be sorely tempted to rip from the page and hang on your wall - a looming airplane terrorising our capsized heroes bobbing in a Hokusai sea; a panting Tintin and Haddock trekking an endless desert, happy Snowy chomping the massive bone of a dromedary skeleton and acknowledging the 'camera'; the trio in pursuit down a crowded Moroccan alley, amazingly detailed and coloured, and seemingly on the brink of collapse; and an archway-framed composition of the Thom(p)sons shadowing a suspect in one of their hapeless attempts at blending in with the locals, bournos failing to hide their ever-distinctive black suits, bowlers and moustaches. As ever, Tintin, like Sherlock Holmes, is much more successful with disguise, and learns something about the contempt directed at the poor in certain societies.

great book!
After six comics Captain Haddok gets intruduced. And in this adventure Tintin fights drug smuggling. This book is interesting because Herge draws so well and so presise. This is truly a book for Tintin fans of all ages.

Good Morning, Captain Haddock...
The Crab with the Golden Claws is great because it introduces us to one of our favorite characters: Captain Haddock! A "drunken wretch," he slowly evolves into the lovable, "upper class" mansion dwelling man in the later novels.

But the plot is really awesome! Drug smuggling rings in north Africa really present Tintin with a challenge, and sometimes I would ask myself, "How will you ever get out of this one!"

Some scenes are just incredibly well-drawn, and we get several big one picture pages that demonstrate Herge's talent...

Like all the rest, its truly great....

A must for Herge completists
You shouldn't leave out The Crab if you're studying the Tintin books, although there are better, more profound stories in the series (I would recommend The Calculus Affair, Destination Moon, and Explorers on the Moon).

I would beg to differ with the previous reviewer regarding Captain Haddock's drunkenness. While there is much laughter at Haddock's expense in the Tintin books (he bears the brunt of the numerous pratfalls portrayed in the adventures), he is, in essence, a functional alcoholic, a man with his own vices but also possessing a kind of heroism. The endless physical slapstick in the Tintin books has a cumulative effect and becomes exceedingly hard to take after a while -- it hints at our mortality. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Watch out - Small Size
This 3-in-One volume is smaller size than the regular Tintin books, making it harder to read and lessens the enjoyment of the illustrations. I am not sure if a large-size 3-in-one series exists.

Tintin is Great for Children
My father and I accidently ran across Tintin whenI was 8. I'm 19 now and we both still hooked for the little guy and his cute little dog, Snowy. People who say that the type is to small should buy the larger book, there are 2 sizes, the small one with three books in one and indivisual ones. You can also find video tapes in many different languages that are superb.

VIVA TINTIN
Tintin is wonderful, delightful, fun, and as a 26 year old I sitll enjoy it as much as when I was 5 years old. I think everybody should get to know these wonderful stories. You can read them over and over again and it feels like you are with the characters. The stories are funny, witty and truly adventerous. I RECOMMEND TINTIN (ANY OF HIS ADVENTURES) HIGHLY.....

Excellent in both French and English!
I read these books when I was a child, and loved them so much I cannot describe it here. They are not for everyone - some children find them confusing and don't get it completely, but the ones that do get it have tremendous affection for the books.

I still have a lot of love for the books as an adult, and now that my daughter is hooked on the adventures of Tinton and Milou (Tintin and Snowy), I often find myself engrossed in the copies we now have for her.

Also - The original French editions are great for teaching a child French, as long as you have the English version nearby to compare.

Excellent choice. . .

BEST Comic characters
Reading any Tintin book is a joyous experience. It feels as if you are actually watching a movie, such is the power of the pictures with appropriate short and long shots, immaculate detail. Tintin books are not only humorous, but have wit, intelligence and superb buildup of the plot. Time flies before you are already on page 62 ! ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (13)

Best book on attitude adjustment ever written.
I have been looking for this book for several years. I received my copy from a children's book club at least 20 years ago. Somehow the book was missplaced but always remembered. I finally asked my library in Momence, Illinois to locate it. They were able to find it, but then discovered that it was no longer available. I agree with all of the other comments from those who remember the book. It definitely should be printed again.

All Time Favorite
Our old tattered copy of The Little Brute Family has always been a favorite of my children and grandchildren. When I saw that is was going to bee published again, I preordered five copies. I have been looking for more copies of this book for years. It is our all time favorite, a simple story with a beautiful message.

America Need's The Little Brute Family
As Our county has improved in many ways,since this wonderful
childrens book was written.We have also gone in The wrong
Direction.We need to be reminded of The Brute's of there
Desire to Improve There Attitude And To Love,And Care For Each
Other,I Recomend This Book for Young And Old Alike It's
A wonderful Story And A great Outlook To Have.

my childhood favorite
This book was a favorite of mine when I was a child. I have an old battered copy and would like another one that I can use with my children.

Best Children's book ever!
Just like many others who've reviewed this book, I had it as a child and have been searching to find another copy for my children. This is the sweetest, purest kind of story telling that transcends generations and should never go out of print (as it has)! My children appreciate this lovely tale just as much as I did. If you are fortunate enough to find a copy, you will surely appreciate these two wonderful authors. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

More high adventures in Arabia
After a strange encounter with General Alcazar of San Theodoros, and then getting home to see that Emir Ben Kalish Ezab, has sent his thoroughly obnoxious son, Prince Abdullah, to stay at Marlinspike, the Emir is deposed by the evil Revolutionary thug, Sheik Bab El Er.
Tintin and the Captain fly to Khemed, to try to get to the bottom of an illegal arms buying racket and if they can, to help their friend, the Emir.
There they take a boat to Mecca , where they must battle several enemies , in a high adventure on the Red Sea. Before the adventure is through , they will break a slave smuggling ring and ensure the defeat of several villains.
The issue of slave trade by Arabs , of Africans , was not only still going on when this book was written in 1958 , but is still endemic today , in places such as the Sudan.
These adventures are always full, of life and colour.

Tintin and Captain Haddock save the day in Khemed
While talking about General Alcazar, the deposed president of the Republic of San Theodoros, Tintin and Captain Haddock literally run into him. This is more than mere coincidence, it is the beginning of another exciting adventure for our hero and his friends as it seems Alcazar is involved in buying armaments on the sly. However, Prince Abdullah has been sent by his father the Emir to stay with the good Captain to improve the young scamp's English. The Emir mentions that the situation is serious at home and when the headlines announce a coup d'etat in Khemed, Tintin decides to head there to find out if there is a connection between the rebel victory achieved by air power and the arms dealing he has discovered.

What makes "The Red Sea Sharks" one of the best Tintin adventures is that there are even more dastardly deeds being done by the bad guys this time around (involving "coke" smuggling). Herge continues to explore the class between Western and Near Eastern cultures as Captain Haddock has to wear a veil as a disguise and Snowy has a memorable encounter with a cheetah, while back home Professor Calculus and Nestor do their best to keep Prince Abdullah, ah, entertained. Herge might have created an imaginative parallel world for Tintin's adventures, but they certainly echo serious real world concerns, and that is especially true of "The Red Sea Sharks." As an added pleasur3e, the good captain gets to vent time and time again at people who really deserve to be roundly cursed out, even by Haddock's peculiar collection of epithets.

One of the most exciting Tintin books so far!
I love this book, it reminds me of going to sea with friends, a beautiful sea adventure. Since I read it, I just loved the artwork of Herge, he really did a great job of bringing the characters and scenery to life!

If you once looked at the water you'll see it really blue and there's waves crashing on shore, just like a real sea! Also, the characters drawn are humanlike.

Enough with the praise on artwork, let's head on to the comical features. I really loved Captain Haddock when he started dancing on the raft like a maniac, happy when he saw and felt that he's saved! He danced until the raft broke under him!

Simply, one of the most brilliantly created Tintin stories. This would delight children AND adults like me as well, for years to come!

The writing too is also in good english and I feel that Leslie Londsale Cooper and her companion translated it so well!

I simply give this 5 stars because it is an excellent book and would be one of my personal favourites of all time!

Interesting title change
One curious thing about this book is that it is one of the few Tintin books whose original title (in the French edition) is in English: "Coke in Stock", a reference to the modern slave trade, I believe; but for some strange reason the title was changed for the English-language edition., to "Red Sea Sharks"...I wonder why?

One of my favourites
The Tintin adventure stories are all really good and this is probably the best one with all the characters. Quite a few of the characters that have made appearances throughout the series appear in this story and the main adventure involves Tintin and the Captain as the uncover a slave trading gang and get into a thrilling adventure at sea. I am a big fan of the Tintin books and this one has to be one of the best. ... Read more

Book Description

Sheila Rae is not afraid of anything. She walks backwards with her eyes closed, steps on every crack, growls at stray dogs, and bares her teeth at stray cats. But when Sheila Rae becomes lost on the way home from school, it is her "scaredy cat" sister, Louise, who shows her a thing or two about bravery and sibling love.

Reviews (6)

Remembering this book as a little girl
I read a funny book called Sheila Rae, The brave. This book was written by Kevin Henkes. My favorite character is Sheila Rae because she is funny and because she has my name. This book is funny and exciting because Sheila tries to act brave in front of everyone. If I were the older sister I would do the same as what Sheila did, try to find a way out of the woods with her younger sister. They both made it home safe and sound. This is why this book is exciting and funny because you never know what Sheila will do next.

Do you like it?
Wow!That was amazing.Sheila just did a bike ride with her eyes closed and no hands.Man, she's brave.I can't even ride with my eyes closed. I like this book a lot. You've got to get this book. It is soooo cool!!!

Awesome for first grade
I just used this book in my first grade class and they loved it! I haven't kept all 28 of them this involved in the same book in a long time. Thanks Kevin Henkes.

Nice for Kids
Sheila Rae, the Brave, written by Kevin Henkes, is a nice story for young children. My five-year-old brother enjoys himself very much with its CD-ROM version, including interesting animation, melodious song and a *treasure hunt* game.

The story teaches us what the word *brave* really means. Sheila Rae thought that walking backwards with her eye closed, riding bicycle no-handed with her eyes closed, etc., were *brave*. Actually I prefer the word *foolish* to *brave*, because she might get hurt. On the contrary, Louise, his sister was called a *scaredy-cat*. However she was the one who save Sheila Rae from getting lost. She was the real *fearless* girl in the story.

After all, I think Sheila Rae, the Brave is very fascinating, which is a great book for kids at the ages of 4-8.

Very pretty and very helpful
My child had been convinced that she was shy. I kept telling her she was brave and then we read about Sheila Rae. Now, whenever she's acting a little nervous, I can sing quietly to her, "I am brave. I am fearless." A nice weapon in the battle against shyness. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Along with Mickey Mouse and Asterix, Tintin is one of the world's most recognizable cartoon characters. If you haven't read any of his adventures, you are missing a real pleasure. The clean, crisp art style that defines modern European comics is almost entirely the influence of Hergé. Considered to be one of Hergé's masterworks, Tintin in Tibet is a great book for both old and new fans of Tintin. It is compelling, exciting, and spiritually rewarding in the way that the best comics stories can be. ... Read more

Reviews (21)

The best and the most sensitive Tintin book
I believe that Tintin in Tibet is Herge's best book. It has a very serious agenda. Tintin's blind faith that his friend Chang survived the air crash in the Himalayas drives him, Snowy and his loyal friend Captain Haddock to find and rescue Chang. All through the adventure, they face terrible dangers and discouragement but Tintin's belief in Chang's being alive is never shaken. Herge, I have read, was going through a personal crisis in his life when he completed this adventure. It shows. There are occassional funny scenes as in all Tintin adventures but essentially, it seems that Herge did not want this to be a funny adventure but rather, a serious one. Hence, the absence of the Thompson twins and a very minimal of Professor Calculus is understandable. This book is a classic for all ages. The mood can be summarized in the last panel on the last page when Chang shares his thoughts about the Yeti.

The Himalayas , the Yeti and Tibetan Buddhism
Firmly convinced that his friend Chang, has survived the plane crash in Nepal, Tintin, accompanied by Captain Haddock, sets off for Nepal to rescue Chang.
After passing through New Deli and Nepal (where we explore the sights and sounds of these wonderful places, Tintin and the reluctant Captain set off for the Tibetan Himalayas for the mission impossible.

This is one of Herge's best works as he explores the , hazards of Himalayan mountain climbing, the gentle Tibetan Buddhist monasteries and the truth about the Yeti , commonly known as the 'abominable snowman'.

The only thing left out, is the brutal Chinese occupation of Tibet which still continues today .The book was recently released in China, on condition that the name 'Tibet' was left out of the title, another example that after the holocaust of 2 million Tibetans, the Red Chinese are still not content in their drive to wipe out the beautiful culture and memory of Tibet.

A particular interesting scene is the psychedelic delirium of Captain Haddock during his sunstroke.
The strong 60's flavour of this is interesting considering that the book was written at the ver dawn of this era-1960.

Tintin and Snowy head off to Tibet to rescue Chang
Tintin and Snowy were created in 1929 by Georges Remi (a.k.a. Hergé). In 1934 Hergé met a young Chinese student, Chang Chong-Chen, at which point Tintin's creator became convinced of the importance of having a soundly built storyline and getting the facts straight. In short, Hergé started taking his soundtrack very seriously. After the Communists took over China, Hergé and Chang lost touch. In 1960 the English version of "Tintin in Tibet" was published and it was immediately clear that this was a very personal story for Hergé, who was writing about his friendship with a friend he had not seen in decades.

Tintin has a dream about Chang, the boy he made friends with in China back in the adventure of "The Blue Lotus." In the dream Tintin sees Chang lying in the snow, half buried, holding out his hands and calling to Tintin to help him. When Tintin gets a letter from Chang he is surprised at the remarkable coincidence, but then he reads in the newspaper that Chang's plane has crashed in Tibet. Tintin, convinced his friend is not dead, goes off to the land of the ice and snow to save his friend.

There are none of the traditional villains in this rather special Tintin story in which our hero is aided only by Snowy and Captain Haddock (with a brief appearance by Calculus). This is arguably the most poignant Tintin adventure, focusing on the power of loyalty and hope overcoming all obstacles and Hergé places a lot of obstacles in Tintin's way. I think what I like most about this story is about how Hergé keeps what are essentially a series of cliffhangers going and going but in a realistic manner, while still working in the series trademark humor with Snowy and the Captain. "Tintin in Tibet" is an atypical Tintin adventure, but that just makes it all the more special (By the way, in 1981 Hergé and Chang Chong-Chen were happily reunited).

"Tintin in Tibet" was recently in the news when it was announced that the Chinese translation had the story as "Dingding in Chinese Tibet." Given that Fanny Rodwell, Hergé's widwow, is reported to be a personal friend of the Dalai Lama it is not surprising that she decided not to attend the promotional ceremonies in China for the launching of the Chinese language version of Tintin (the Chinese are not publishing "Tintin in the Land of the Soviets" (anti-communist) and "Tintin in the Congo" (too racist and imperialist).

One of the best Tintin adventures!
I have been a fan of Hergé's Adventures of Tintin since I was three years old, and "Tintin in Tibet" is without a doubt one of the four best. It combines wonderful art and a touching story, plus the return of Tintin's friend Chang, whom we have not seen since the earlier story "The Blue Lotus". (The other three best Tintin stories, in my opinion are "The Castafiore Emerald," "The Calculus Affair" and "Flight 714". I recommend you check them all out.) Enjoy.

Tintin heads off to Tibet to save his friend Chang
Tintin and Snowy were created in 1929 by Georges Remi (a.k.a. Herge). In 1934 Herge met a young Chinese student, Chang Chong-Chen, at which point Tinti''s creator became convinced of the importance of having a soundly built storyline and getting the facts straight. In short, Herge started taking his soundtrack very seriously. After the Communists took over China, Herge and Chang lost touch. In 1960 the English version of "Tintin in Tibet" was published and it was immediately clear that this was a very personal story for Herge, who was writing about his friendship with a friend he had not seen in decades.

Tintin has a dream about Chang, the boy he made friends with in China in "The Blue Lotus." Chang is lying in the snow, half buried, holding out his hands and calling to Tintin to help him. When Tintin gets a letter from Change he is surprised at the remarkable coincidence, but then he reads in the newspaper that Chang's plane has crashed in Tibet. Tintin, convinced his friend is not dead, goes off to save his friend.

There are none of the traditional villains in this rather special Tintin story in which our hero is aided only by Snowy and Captain Haddock (with a brief appearance by Calculus). This is arguably the most poignant Tintin adventure, focusing on the power of loyalty and hope overcoming all obstacles and Herge places a lot of obstacles in Tintin's way. I think what I like most about this story is about how Herge keeps what are essentially a series of cliffhangers going and going but in a realistic manner, while still working in the series trademark humor with Snowy and the Captain. "Tintin in Tibet" is an atypical Tintin adventure, but that just makes it all the more special.

By the way, in 1981 Herge and Chang Chong-Chen were happily reunited.

More recently in the news, "Tintin in Tibet" was recently in the news when it was announced that the Chinese translation had the story as "Dingding in Chinese Tibet." Given that Fanny Rodwell, the widow of Tintin's Belgian creator Herg, is reported to be a personal friend of the Dalai Lama it is not surprising that she decided not to attend the promotional ceremonies in China for the launching of the Chinese language version of Tintin (the Chinese are not publishing "Tintin in the Land of the Soviets" (anti-communist) and "Tintin in the Congo" (too racist and imperialist). ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A timely tale with an Iraqi version of the Cinderella story
"The Golden Sandal: A Middle Eastern Cinderella Story" is based on the Iraqi folktale of "The Little Red Fish and the Clog of Gold" retold by Rebecca Hickox with illustrations by Will Hillenbrand. Cinderella in this case is a young girl named Maha. Her widowed father is a fisherman who has to be away from home often so Maha has been wishing for him to remarry the kindly neighbor lady who has a daughter of her own. Maha gets her wish, but in the great tradition of such characters her stepmother makes her do all the work and only lets her eat dried dates. Then one day Maha throws a red fish back into the water, sparing its life, and the wish tells her "call for me any time and ask what you will." So it is that the magic fish helps Maha prepare for the big event in town, the Grand Henna and shows her stepsister the penalty for trying to be mean to Maha. Then there is Tariq, the brother of a rich merchant, who finds the golden sandal and searchers for its owner.

Obviously the attraction here is not only the unique variation on the familiar Cinderella theme but the fact that this is an Iraqi story, since "The Golden Sandal" clearly shows that there are some things American kids have in common with Iraqi kids even when a glass slipper becomes a golden sandal. Hillenbrand works in some nice Middle Eastern architecture into his art along with the strategic use of the color red. In the back of the book both the author and the illustrator explain how there research of this story informed the telling and the illustrating of the tale. If you like variations on the familiar Cinderella theme look out for Nina Jaffe's "The Way Meat Loves Salt: A Cinderella Tale from the Jewish Tradition," Ai-Ling Louie's "Yeh-shen, a Cinderella Tale from China," and Penny Pollock's "Turkey Girl: A Zuni Cinderella," which are just a few of the many versions out there. "The Golden Sandal" is one of the better of these tales out there and it has the added virtue of being timely given world events.

A great book to expand cultural understanding
This is a Cinderella type story that takes place in the middle east. It takes some tradional customs and places them in a context that is easy for the western student to understand. A great book for fans of Cinderella, too.

Great book for middle eastern students!
Their are not that many books for Middle Eastern students. A Cinderella book was sorely missing and this one will please my students immensely. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Funniest but not the best
The Castafiore Emerald is without a doubt the funniest Tintin. But it's not the best. The reason is, it is solely confined to Marlinspike and Castafiore is truly irritating. However, it does give Captain Haddock full license to swear like the old sea dog he is. The ending is not climatic but you see why Herge had to write it. Castafiore has been around for a long time (since King Ottokar's Sceptre) and not to write a book that centered on her would have meant many fan's letters asking for such.

A gem.

Left me giggling, as usual....
Once again, Herge had me giggling. Captain Haddock and Tintin have to suffer through Bianca Castafiore's visit to Marlinspike. Endless scales, a stolen diamond, and gypsies complicate everything. But the best thing of all is, it's actually plausible. I'm crazy about Tintin, all Tintin, and this book is the funniest.

"They say I'm divine..."
Later in his career Hergé set himself of writing what amounts to a kind of anti-Tintin adventure, where nothing really happens to his cast of characters (there are no opium smuggling rings to smash nor any political coups to thwart), and yet everything happens all the same. THE CASTAFIORE EMERALD may in many ways be Hergé's masterpiece, and it is unquestionably the funniest of all his tales, revolving as it does on the theme of miscommunication ("No, this is not Cutts the btucher!"). Naturally at the very heart of it is the Milanese Nightingale herself, Bianca Castafiore, the world's greatest opera star, who deigns to descend upon the only two people in the world who cannot bear to hear her sing, Tintin and Captain Hamhock (er, Haddock). In addition to La Castafiore comes her entourage (her accompaniest Wagner and her maid Irma), a gaggle of photographers, a suspicious band of gypsies, a television crew, and even a local brass band. Before the tale is done Dr. Calculus will experiment with roses and color television, Tintin will have a mystery or two to unravel, Captain Fatstock (er, Haddock) will explode with fury an untold number of times, and the divine Castafiore will be asked (as always) to sing, to Tintin and Captain Haddock's horror, her signature aria from "Faust." "Yes, it was the 'Jewel Song' from 'Faust' that swept me to the pinnacle of fame," the opera star modestly informs her television interviewer, "They same I'm divine..." And she is.

Ahh, my Beauty!
I loved this book. It was a true beauty. A gem, an emerald even. Though it is one of the more tame Herge books, Tintin and the Captain never leave Marlinspike, it is one of the best. It is Hilarious. I would definetly reccomend this book!!!!

Signora Castafiore descends upon the home of Captain Haddock
I have to admit that after going to the Moon and rescuing his friend Chang in Tibet, the stay at home Tintin adventure "The Castafiore Emerald" is relatively tame. It begins with Tintin and Captain Haddock out for a walk and discovering a band of gypsies camped near the rubbish dump. This offends the good captain, who offers the gypsies the use of a large meadow near his hall. However, no good deed goes unpunished and he receives a telegram announcing the imminent arrival of Biana Castafiore, the Milanese Nightingale. Meanwhile, the broken step on the front staircase earns Haddock a badly sprained ankle and the opportunity to roll around the adventure in a wheelchair. The diva and her entourage then descend upon the hall, literally adding insult to injury by giving the captain the gift of a parrot.

As Castafiore repeatedly points out, she has brought along her jewels, including an emerald given the signora by the Maharajah of Gopal. The gypsy fortuneteller had already predicted the theft of the jewels and we expect her prophecy to come true, even though Castafiore is constantly yelling about her jewels missing. But you know that sooner or later this is going to come to pass and then it will be up to our intrepid reporter to solve the case and save the day. Meanwhile, Captain Haddock's life continues to be a string of minor misfortunes and misunderstands thanks to Castafiore, Professor Calculus, the parrot, Thompson and Thomson, and the unwillingness of the local repairman to come out and fix that step.

"The Castafiore Emerald" derives its comedy from the clash of characters with Tintin staying out of the way for the most part. Of course, by this time in the series Hergé is completely comfortable with his cast of characters, which shows in the interplay, although I admit the diva is not my cup of tea. I just happen to really like the way Hergé represents other lands, so having him stay around the captain's house just seems to me to be an interlude from the main adventures. Still, "The Castafiore Emerald" is well worth the read Hergé does a delightful take on that new fangled invention, the television. Final Note: I like Hergé's quaint cover, with Castafiore singing for the cameras while a smiling Tintin reminds us to be quiet during the performance. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Tintin tackles the end of the world and giant mushrooms
In 1942 the continent of Europe was totally embroiled in World War II, which may well explain why Herge offers up the most fanciful of Tintin's adventures. In fact, nothing else comes as close to "The Shooting Star," which begins with the world about to end because of a collision with a giant comet and ends with Tintin dealing with giant mushrooms. In between there is a race to find a meteorite that contains a new element of great scientific importance (another case of Herge's remarkable premonitions based on meticulous research no doubt). Tintin is aided and abetted in this adventure by Captain Haddock, who we first met in the previous tale, "The Crab with the Golden Claws." But I must say the supporting character who caught my attention was the seaplane pilot who helps our hero in the throughout the episode and in the thrilling climax. You do not usually see such as a realistic, levelheaded, intelligent person helping out Tintin. I find it to believe Herge did not even give this fellow a name, who more than makes up for the eccentric college of eggheads whom Tintin is trying to help. "The Shooting Stars" is one of the best Tintin straightforward adventures and his adversary is more often the elements than the bad guys trying to beat the good ship "Aurora" to the meteorite. The contrast of Herge's simple drawing of characters against more realistic backgrounds finds several excellent sequences in this story, the first to be originally printed in color.

Herge's wartime Swiftian satire.
After a string of stories loosely based on mystery/crime plots, 'The Shooting Star' initiates the formula that would become fairly standard in the Tintin books to come: the science-fiction adventure, a kind of modernist Jules Verne. A huge meteorite flying past earth splinters a large fragment which lands near the North Pole. Containing a new metal called phostlite, named after the astronomer who detected it, Tintin and Snowy join an expedition of world-class scientists to lay claim to the rock, in a ship captained by one Haddock, now unlikely President of the Society for Sober Sailors (despite smuggling crates of whiskey for the journey). Their quest, however, is pre-empted by another expedition, financed by crooked Sao Rico banker, cigar-chomping (anti-Semitic caricature?), Bohlwinkel.

The first dozen pages of 'Star' are unequalled in literature for sustaining a nightmare mood of unaccountable suspense and anxiety (appropriate given the Occupation context [1941] in which the story was written). The meteor is introduced as both a speedily growing incandescence in the night sky, and by a melting heat afflicting the usually drizzly Brussels, the tar on the roads melting, armies of rats fleeing the gutter, car-tyres popping and mad prophets pronouncing millenarian judgements. The spangled blackness of the sky is offset by the dreamlike twilight blue that illuminates the streets. When Tintin rushes to the observatory, he finds the spanking, steely modern technology run by an eccentric gaggle of Dickensian relics, all black frock-coated dodderers, running around in the vicious circles of their own self-absorption, headed by the appropriately-named, anvil-headed Phostle. When he encourages Tintin to look into the giant, cannon-priapic telescope for himself, he sees a colossal spider heading towards the planet.

No work could keep up that sweat-making momentum, and Herge wisely lets the narrative dip, mixing comedy (including Haddock's pathetic attempts to sneak a nagan, Snowy's incessant raids on the kitchen, and the sight of the world's finest minds keeling over in green-faced sea-sickness) with race-against-the-clock suspense as our heroes strive to reach the meteor, despite various chilling sabotage attempts by their rivals. The meteor itself is a creation worthy of Swift, soon erasing memories of 'The Black Island'. The affirmative faith in science that propels the action is undermined by the instabilities of the sinking meteor, with its magnified lifeforms (including flies and spiders) and exploding toadstools (among the book's many great visual effects, the best is possibly the shrinking in successive frames of our hero as the mushroom enlarges). The massive apples that knock Tintin on the head may be an ironic allusion to the great Enlightenment hero Newton, who could be said to usher in modern science, and the famous fruit in the Garden of Eden (like Adam, or Columbus, Tintin explores virgin land), a warning against the dangers of pursusing too much knowledge (earlier predicted by the decline into madness of the scientist Philippus); nature will always fight back, in ever more aggressive and distorted forms.

The most INTERESTING tintin book
No, not the best, but definately the most interesting. This book was written in war time, in occupied belgium, and is a key point in deciding whether or not Herge was a fascist. I wrote a short essay on this, and if anyone would like to read it, email me at Wills_b@yahoo.com.

This is definately a must for any tintin fan though.

sureal--in a good way
I agree with the other reviewers before me that this episode of Tintin, is, well a little bizarre. For example, in the first few pages we learn that the world is coming to an end due to a predicted meteor that will crash into earth. One of the series strangest and most satirical character, Philippulus the Prophet makes an all too brief appearance with his words of doom for all the sinners of this world. Well, by morning of the next day, the world has not ended. Life goes on. The real adventure begins when Tintin, Capt. Haddock and a group of international scientists go on a quest to beat out their competition and to be the first ones to find a piece of the fragmented meteor that fell into the arctic oceans. It's basically an old fashioned space race but in cartoon. Personally, I liked this episode. I think it's charmingly weird--like reading a dream because it's full of imaginative stuff: armageddon, Tintin parachuting onto a boiling hot rock, spiders that grow into the size of cars, exploding pokadoted mushrooms from outer space.... Like I said, The Shooting Star could very be the name of a painting by Salvador Dali. Still, in general, this episode is quite worthy because you do have some pretty funny and exciting moments--which is, of course, the essence of Tintin.

A bizarre, exciting Tintin adventure...
The beginning is really bizarre. The world seems to be falling apart. Everything is messed up. It turns out a meteor is about to fall into the earth. But when a piece of it falls into the ocean, there is a scientific race to claim the island first...

Really neat, the "race" setting provides us with much amusement, and lots of suspense. Once on the island, even more bizarre and strange things begin happening...

Read the rest for yourself, its so worth-while... ... Read more

Amazon.com

The Seven Crystal Balls begins on a light note, as Captain Haddock tries to adjust to his new life as a gentleman following the events of Red Rackham's Treasure. He wears a monocle and frequents the music hall, where in a not-unusual coincidence he and Tintin happen to find General Alcazar (The Broken Ear) and the dreaded diva Bianca Castafiore. However, it's the act of fakir Ragdalam with Madame Yamilah, the amazing clairvoyante, that reveals the central adventure: the scientists excavating the tomb of Racar Capac have incurred the curse of the Inca. Despite the efforts of bungling detectives Thompson ("With a P, as in Philadelphia") and Thomson ("Without a P, as in Venezuela"), the explorers are stricken, and one of Tintin's closest friends disappears mysteriously, leading to a trip to Peru in the second part, Prisoners of the Sun. --David Horiuchi ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Tintin and friends begin to deal with an Incan mystery
First, be aware that the exciting Tintin adventure that begins in "The Seven Crystal Balls" is concluded in "Prisoners of the Sun." As our story begins, Tintin is on the train reading how the Sanders-Hardiman Ethnographic Expedition has returned a trip to Peru and Bolivia. The gentleman reading over Tintin's shoulder predicts trouble, drawing a parallel between what happened with the curse of King Tut-Ankh-Amen's tomb and these explorers violating the Inca's burial chambers. "What'd we say if the Egyptians or the Peruvians came over here and started digging up our kings?," asks the gentleman; What'd we say then, eh?" The comment is important, not only because tragedy does strike the seven members of the expedition as they fall prey to the Crystal Balls of the book's title, but because one of the themes that Hergé develops in this particular epic is the respect Europeans should have for other cultures and ways of life. This point has been implict in many of Tintin's adventures, but it is a dominant element this time around. Assissted by his good friend Captain Haddock, Tintin becomes embroiled in the mystery, which takes a more personal turn when Professor Calculus is kidnapped. One interesting twist in this story is that Snowy actually ends up causing more trouble than the Thom(p)sons. There is a seriousness to what happens in "The Seven Crytal Balls" and "Prisoners of the Sun" that reflects a significant turning point in Hergé's work, laying the ground work for his greatest tales, the two-part Moon story and "Tintin in Tibet." The ability of Hergé to grow as a storyteller over the course of his distinguished career is impressive and these stories deserve the accolades they have received and the affection with which they have been embraced by generations of readers.

The eeriest adventure
My Tintin obsession began at a very early age, I am most happy to say. The Seven Crystal Balls is the one Tintin book I didn't read before bedtime, for the simple reason that it was too scary! Herge was masterful at creating any scenario and eliciting any reaction from his readers that he wished. In this book he created a spine-tingling supernatural thriller, concluded in the second part of this adventure, Prisoners of the Sun.

Seven Crystal Balls has it's share of laughs as well, provided in particular by Captain Haddock. At the start of the adventure, Haddock desperately trys to relinquish his gruff old sea-dog ways by sporting a monocle and speaking in a very diginified manner. As you can imagine, the results are slightly less than successful.

This adventure seems to focus around darkly lit and heavily furnished rooms, places of scholars and thought that can not combat the evil terrorizing Tintin's world. Prisoners of the Sun takes Tintin to the beautiful countryside of Peru. The contrast is remarkable, the result is beautiful. This two-part adventure is fantastic.

Tintin and the Seven Crystal Balls
As a prequel to 'Prisoners of the Sun', this adventure has it all. Bianca Castiafore, General Alcazar and the long suffering Nestor play second fiddle to Haddock and Tintin as they attempt to rescue Professor Calculus from kidnappers. Meanwhile an expedition team fall foul of the curse of Rascar Capac, an Inca mummy! This book is excellent; car chases, gun fights, suspense and Captain Haddock to ensure that everything goes far from smoothly! Buy 'Prisoners of the Sun' at the same time, you will not want to wait around to discover where Calculus has gone!

Mysterious Tintin thriller.
Herges Tintin comics are classics and probably the best of the genre. They really are for all ages,some of my best childhood memories are of reading Tintin or Tinni as he is known in Iceland and I still enjoy reading these books today. What makes the Tintin books so good is they seem to have everything in it that make up a good comicbook,originality, interesting characters,adventure,suspense,great humor and well thought out storys. If I had to chose only one Tintin book to take to a desert island I think the seven crystal balls would be it. The book is masterfully drawn like of course all the Tintin books and the story is not just an adventures thriller but it has a mysterious atmosphere to it which i really like. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Cigars of the Pharaohs
The second Tintin story begins where reporter Tintin and his trusty canine companion Snowy stumble on a new mystery on a cruise ship. A man claims to know where the temple of an Egyptian Pharaoh is and Tintin and Snowy go along with him for fun. This temple had been visited before by someone else and Tintin has to find out who made the visit and why. This book gives the same suspense and mystery as most of the other Tintin books and I reccomend it just as much as all the others.

The beginning of the first really great Tintin adventure
If your understand of the vast scope of human history leads you to believe that the Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt did not smoke cigars, then you will not be surprised to learn that this 1934 adventure of Tintin is not what it seems at first glance. Our intrepid reporter is sailing the Mediterranean with Snowy when he encounters a strange academic type named Sophocles Sarcophagus, whom he quickly dismisses as a clumsy nitwit. Tintin also has a run-in with Rastapopoulos, the film tycoon who owns Cosmos Pictures. The next thing we know we have the first appearance of the Thom(p)soms, who arrest Tintin for having heroin in his cabin. Obviously, our hero is getting to close to something, but what could it be?

From an Egyptian tomb filled with cigars, to floating in a coffin on the Mediterranean, to wandering the Arabian Desert, to being lost in the jungles of India, Tintin does some major traveling to solve this particular mystery. Hergé certainly shows more of an understanding for various cultures than he did in the previous Tintin adventure, where America was literally reduced to gangsters and Indians. However, the improvement of "Cigars of the Pharaoh" over "Tintin in America" is pretty noticeable and quite impressive when you think of the state of comic books stories in the early 1930s. The story here continues in "The Blue Lotus" as Tintin and Snowy make their way to India to finally get solve this particular case. If you did not get hooked on the first of the Tintin adventures still in print, then this one will certainly do the job.

For you older readers.....
For those older people who are skeptical about buying books like these let me tell you that they offer an adventure and mystery as good as any novel. The characters are entertaining and all have distinct and enjoyable personality. The adventures of tintin offer an old fashioned setting which makes it very authentic. Dont let the age reccomendation fool you; if you're into mystery and adventure, these books are for you no matter what your age is!

Tintin solves the mystery of the Cigars of the Pharaoh
If your understand of the vast scope of human history leads you to believe that the Pharoahs did not smoke cigars, then you already have a leg up on the fact that this adventure of Tintin is not what it seems. Our reporter hero is sailing the Mediterrean with Snowy when he encounters a strange academic type named Sophocles Sarcophagus whom he dismisses as a clumsy nitwit. Tintin also has a runin with Rastapopoulos, the film tycoon who owns Cosmos Pictures. The next thing we know we have the first appearance of the Thom(p)soms, who arrest Tintin for having heroin in his cabin. Obviously, our hero is getting to close to something, but what could it be? From an Egyptian tomb filled with cigars, to floating in an coffin on the Mediterrean, to wandering the Arabian desert, to being lost in the jungles of India, Tintin does some major travelling to solve this particular mystery. Herge certainly shows more of an understanding for various cultures than he did in the previous Tintin adventure, where America was literally reduced to gangsters and Indians. However, the improvement of "Cigars of the Pharaoh" over "Tintin in America" is pretty noticeable and quite impressive when you think of the state of comic books stories in the early 1930s. If you did not get hooked on the first of the Tintin adventures still in print, then this one will do the job.

This is the best book I have read so far!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am 9 years old and I am in the 3rd grade. This is the best book I have read in my life. I want to buy more Tin Tin books. The books are very funny and very mistirious. I read it with my dad. These are the only books I like. My favorite part is when Tin Tin jumps on this heavy guy and use his belly as a trampolin!
I love them, Get them! The real rating is *************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** ... Read more

Amazon.com

Concluding the story begun in The Secret of the Unicorn, Red Rackham's Treasure follows Tintin and friends as they search for the pirate booty procured by Captain Haddock's ancestor, Sir Francis Haddock, in the West Indies. They receive some unexpected help in the form of a hard-of-hearing inventor named Professor Calculus, who would go on to become one of the most endearing characters of the series. (Herge admitted that the character was one "whom I never suspected would take on such importance.") It's a lot of fun, with some submarine and diving adventures, humor from the Thompsons, and an unexpected (but satisfying) ending. --David Horiuchi ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Prof. Calculus helps Tintin with his underwater adventure
Make sure you read the previous Tintin Adventure, "The Secret of the Unicorn," otherwise you will really not know all about the background on "Red Rackham's Treasure," despite the fact Hergé offers a bit of a recapitulation in the form of a conversation overhead in a bar. The main thing is that having collected all the clues regarding the titular treasure, Tintin and Captain Haddock are prepared to go forth and find it. However, almost as important as the search for the treasure is our introduction to the final pivotal member of the Tintin family, as Professor Cuthbert Calculus offers the service of his small shark-proof submarine for exploring the ocean floor. Tintin refuses the offer, but it turns out that Professor Calculus always hears somkething other than what somebody is really saying. Adding to the fun are the Thom(p)sons, who come alone with orders to protect Tintin.

"Red Rackham's Treasure" is mostly a pure adventure story, with Tintin using the small submarine and a deep sea diving suit to look for the treasure of the Unicorn. But there is still some detective work le