Reviews (11)

Tintin and the World of Herge : An Illustrated History
This is book is a must for any reader of Tintin, or collector of this series. Only after reading this background did I fully understand the development and appreciate books I had collected for years.

Peeters does an axcellent job of giving a brief overview of the life of Herge and chronicles the development of each book he wrote. Personal insights from Herge and good research make this a facinating read to all Tintin fans and includes information on other writings by Herge as well.

good, coffee-table book... not in-depth
This is a good book for tintin lovers, but mainly in the colorful photos and illustrations, fill-out-your-knowledge kind of way. -- If you're looking for good, well-researched, solid history of herge, then this book is somewhat lacking. has one or two chapters of herge's life, but with large gaps and not always excellently written (or translated perhaps.) -- frustrating at times when there is an amazing illustration of some notebook page that herge drew showing early tintin characters, but with no caption describing (most of the admittedly excellent illustrations have captions, but some are missing.) -- if you want a beautiful, full-color book to give you more (but not exhaustive) info about herge and tintin, this is an excellent book for you.

A must for Tintin fans!
This is an extremely thorough guide which tells the reader everything he/she would want to know about Hergé (real name Georges Remi) and Tintin (as well as Snowy, Captain Haddock, Prof. Calculus, Thomson & Thompson, Bianca Castafiore...). It encompasses the creator's life and then goes on to give a thorough description of each Tintin book in chronological order (including the first adventure, TINTIN IN THE LAND OF THE SOVIETS, which was never published in book form here; and the last, TINTIN AND ALPHA-ART, which was never completed). It is a very interesting book (although occasionally the wording is a little odd, as it has been somewhat awkwardly translated from French) and will certainly be enjoyed by fans of Tintin.

A very nice book, but lacking in some areas.
Tintin and the World of Herge is a good book to get if you're a Tintin fan. The layout is very nice, with a short biography of Herge, and sections on each of the adventures, with rare pictures, sketches and even excerpts from the early black and white versions.

However, this book does have some drawbacks. The commentary on the adventures themselves tends to be sketchy, and leaves something to be desired. Another thing that I also found annoying is the fact that all the excerpts from the Tintin books were in French, with no English translations. This is especially frustrating when looking at frames from the black and white versions, where I am unfamiliar with what the characters might be saying.

All in all, while this is a good book, you would be better off buying Michael Farr's TINTIN: The Complete Companion, which has much of the same material as this book, while giving a lot more in-depth commentary

A good book for any Tintin fan, but lacking in some areas
Tintin and the World of Herge is a nice book to have if you're a big Tintin fan. There is a brief biography of Herge, and a section on each of the 24 Tintin adventures. It is well illustrated, including rare pictures, drawings, and sketches.

However, this book is lacking in the fact that it is very brief, and the commentary on the different adventures tends to be sketchy. One other problem that I found slightly annoying, was the fact that all of the portions taken from any Tintin adventure was in French.

All in all, while this is an interesting book, you would be better off getting Michael Farr's TINTIN: The Complete Companion, which contains most of the same pictures and other material as this book, while giving much more in-depth commentary. ... Read more

Book Description

A ten-year-old Lebanese boy balances his life in a war-torn city. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A book of hope........
My boyfriend lived in Lebanon during the time frame of this book. This book was close to the life he knew then. I bought the book for my sister's Arab American child. It is often difficult to find children's books with an Arabic theme. This is a wonderful one.

Touchable
This book will help children put themselves into Sami's war ravaged world. They will feel the angst of civil war and worry about Sami's safety in a book that makes readers feel as if they could reach out and touch the rubble in the streets of Lebanon. The book portrays the intermittent bombing and roller coaster of emotions faced by those who lived through the civil war. A wonderful mix of history and fiction which must be read. ... Read more

Book Description

This title is appearing for the first time in the popular new lift-the- flap board book format. Complete with color covers and a new, lowerprice, this is the perfect format for these classic books. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

We love Spot The Dog
Spot the Dog books are a favourite with my girls.They love the simple stories that they can relate to (hiding, baking a cake, playing with others etc) and the lift-the-flaps always bring screams of delight even though we've read them many many times.As they grow I'm sure they'll be one of the books they learn to read with.The words are simple and the font easy to read.Lovely books to cuddle up with your children on your lap.They are also big enough to hold up and read to them as they sit in back seat on car trips.

A wonderful Spot creation
This is one of the best Spot books. My baby loves lifting the flaps and looking at the cute animals. It is on par with Where Is Spot the classic. Makes me want to pack up the wagon and head out to the beach!

The Favorite Spot Book
My nephew, Philip, is 15 months old and this is his most favorite Spot book and most favorite book in general.Each time it is read to him, he squeals with delight at all of the pictures - especially the ones behindthe flaps that he insists on carefully peeling back by himself. Hisparents, nanny, brother, grandparents and I have read this book to him somany times that the flaps have fallen out from his extensive flipping(nothing that tape or Elmer's Glue can't fix).This book is so well lovedthat Philip often wants to sleep with it in his crib!Perhaps a new copyis an order! Hear that, Santa?

Didn't meet our expectations.
Typically my family likes Spot but the "story" isn't here.There is no continuity.Boring.My 3 year old left the room and didn't even bother lifting all of the flaps. : ( ... Read more

Book Description

Read by a BBC full-cast
Two cassettes / 2 hours 56 mins.

Great snakes!It's young reporter-sleuth Tintin and a hilarious and nefarious cast of characters including his faithful dog Snowy, Captain Haddock, and the look-alike detectives Thompson and Thompson, romping through hix adventures from the Sahara Desert, to the high seas to the surface of the moon.Over two million copies of the Tintin books have been sold in the U.S.

Includes:The Black Island; The Secret of the Unicorn; Red Rackham's Treasure; Destination Moon; Explorers on the Moon; and Tintin in Tibet.

Join an all-star cast including Leo McKern, Andrew Sachs and Stephen Moore in these six thrilling adventures of the intrepid boy reported and his trusty dog, Snowy. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Six Adventures of Tin Tin
These audio cassettes are wonderful. The actors do a terrific job bringing Tin Tin to life. My eight-year-old son loves listening to them while he plays or cleans his room or is in the car. It's like old-fashioned radio and far better than watching the TV.

BBC Recordings Add New Dimension To Tintin
Stories include: Black Island, Secret of Unicorn, Red Rackham's Treasure, Destination Moon, Explorers on Moon, Tintin in Tibet. The BBC has pulled out all the stops to provide top actors having fun with the Tintin stories, plus great sound effects and appropriately exciting or scary background music. The voices are quite different from the video taped stories, and so offer a completely new interpretation. And whereas the video tapes focus on visual presentation and pretty much treat the audio as a given (fair enough), these audio tapes fully exploit the possibilities of sound. Tintin is played absolutely straight, but the other characters are somewhat camped up, to provide entertaining parodies of themselves (for instance, the East European baddies have accents worthy of a Bond movie). Be aware that the accents are all very British or are British versions of foreign accents; but very clear recordings would make them easy to follow for most non-British English speaking listeners, I'd say. The stories follow the books more or less; the title 'unabridged' may mislead, as to compress the stories to a half hour each, much has been chopped out - consequently the stories rattle along at a fast clip. What have been added are touches of humour absent from the originals, such as an evil doctor describing Tintin as having signs of mental disorder which include 'infantilism, delusions of grandeur, a dog lover, and plus fours'. I bought these tapes for my 6 year old daughter, but we both enjoy them equally though in different ways: she for the plot and the escapism of the stories, me for the subtleties of the interpretation and the humour. These tapes are a steal at this price. Next stop: volume 2 for me. ... Read more

Book Description

Birthday parties always make people happy, and Alfie's neighbor, Mr. MacNally, really does need cheering up. Alfie thinks a party might be just the thing, and there's an extra special surprise in store for Mr. MacNally! Will Alfie manage to keep it a secret?

Reviews (3)

good book about death (and alfie)
I am fond of this book because it incorporates death as part of a continuum of events in a child's life, instead of placing it front and center in a "the-moral-of-the-story-is" type of typical children's story.

Alfie's neighbor loves his old cat, the cat dies, the neighbor is very sad, the neighbor stays sad, and Alfie and friends and family decide to plan a surprise birthday party for the neighbor. Then there are lots of details about the party, including the purchase of presents, the making of the cake, and even getting a new kitten for the neighbor. Then, ta-dum, everybody yells SURPRISE! And the neighbor is happier, and the kitten turns out to be pretty cool, and the party is fun, and even though everybody remembers the old cat fondly, the new cat becomes a part of their life.

I like this approach and so, apparently, do my kids. I've been trying to find good books for kids about death, and this has turned out to be a favorite. And the pictures are *adorable,* I just wanted to reach right in and pinch Alfie's red cheeks.

Another wonderful Alfie story
We (my 3-year old son and 2-year old daughter and I) loved Hughes' "All About Alfie," and her story "Dogger," and this book is a wonderful next step for us, especially my son. There's a bit more text per page, and more mature subject matter (the death of a neighbor's pet) which helps ensure it will grow with him. (I was worried that he'd lose the wonderful role model he has in Alfie!) The only negative is that since the stories so completely capture Alfie's point of view, Annie Rose is a little flat, and my daughter is not as engaged by her. Alfie stories are a great example of how to be caring toward your siblings. The illustrations showing a happy family without a spotless house (it looks comfy and lived in!) make me want to give Hughes a hug!

Wonderful Children's Author
Shirley Hughes is a wonderful author who uses beautiful illustrations and a quiet writing style in her children's books. My toddler loves her book, Chatting, as well as other Hughes titles. I highly recommend sharing Alfie with your children. ... Read more

Book Description

Tana Hoban introduces the youngest viewer to the idea of size relativity. "Hoban demonstrates once again her mastery of elements of composition, such as color, texture, and balance."--Horn Book. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

We Love Tana Hoban!
Tana Hoban's photographs are delightful and engaging for toddlers and adults alike! The bright, eye-candy photographs in this book are conversation provoking and each time you look at the book with your little one, you'll find new subjects to talk about! An excellent introduction to the concept of sizes as well as colors, shapes & moods! A favorite at our house, for sure! ... Read more

Book Description

Crisp, clear, full-color photographs show all the fascinating machines and earthmovers found at a construction site. Even the very youngest readers will want to put on hard hats!

"The roaring power of 13 construction machines is captured in clear, brilliantly colored photographs." -- Booklist ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Construction Zone Obsession
Construction Zone is the first "truck book" that I purchased for my son. I bought it for him when he was about 15 months. It is by far his favorite book. I need to purchase another one because the pages have been taped so many times. The only problem that I would have with the book is the quality of paper. It's not really sturdy for the age group that reads it. But I also should consider the HEAVY use that our copy receives. The photographs in it are perfect and it names each piece of equipment. It's a very basic book that shows all the basic construction equipment along with a garbage truck. I think it is a fine purchase.

Actual photographs of the construction stuff your kids love
My son loves trucks (he's 15 mos. old) and he loves this book. It is his favorite. Definitely buy it for your little truck lover too (whenever my son sees a bulldozer, he now says "bull" after reading this book over and over!). ... Read more

Book Description

It is glorious to be a pirate king--especially in this full-bodied collection of eleven classic stories and poems by such masters as Robert Louis Stevenson, Arthur Conan Doyle, J. M. Barrie, Washington Irving, and John Masefield. In his dramatic illustrations Michael Hague takes readers to a faraway world filled with adventure, excitement--and danger.

Imagine that you are an orphaned boy watching a trio of fierce pirates burying treasure on a deserted beach. Or a nervous skipper on a long ocean journey, hoping against hope that a dreaded pirate captain is finally captured. Or a reformed pirate who has taken up knitting and then has a memorable slip from his peaceful ways.

Hush--the moon is shimmering on the blue-black sea, and a ragged ship sails silently into sight. Slip aboard--no walking the plank for you! With Michael Hague at the helm, you just might glimpse such legendary characters as Long John Silver, Captain Hook--even Captain Kidd himself!--in this heady mixture of tales from the time when pirates ruled the seas.

Reviews (1)

Oh, To Be a Pirate.....
Ahoy Matey...raise the Jolly Roger and come aboard! With selections from authors Robert Louis Stevenson, Gilbert and Sullivan, John Masefield, Washington Irving, and Arthur Conan Doyle..., award winning illustrator, Michael Hague, has amassed eleven classic poems and stories for this superb collection or pirate tales. These entertaining and engaging stories, full of danger and excitement, are rich in history, drama, mystery, and adventure, and Mr Hague's evocative illustrations bring these tales to life. Some are detailed and expressive pen and ink drawings. Others, bold, lush, and vivid paintings in dark ominous tones. But all transport readers back to a time when blood-thirsty pirates ruled the high seas, searched deserted islands for buried treasure, and walked the plank. Perfect for youngsters 10 and older, The Book Of Pirates is a marvelous and riveting collection of pirate lore that is sure to send imaginations soaring. "Oh better far to live and die/Under the brave black flag I fly.../And it is, it is a glorious thing/To be a Pirate King!" ... Read more

Amazon.com

Virginia Hamilton, Newbery Medal winner and recipient of the NationalBook Award and the Hans Christian Andersen Award, teams up with two-timeCaldecott Medal winners, Leo and Diane Dillon, in this classic collection ofAmerican black folktales, winner of the Coretta Scott King Award. By turnsdroll, grisly, and spine-tingling, the 24 stories celebrate the indomitablehuman spirit, surviving under the most crushing circumstances of slavery.Traditionally, storytelling has helped people to push through sorrow and pain,especially when the stories are saturated with magic, mysticism, and fantasy.Bruh Rabbit, He Lion, Tar Baby, and other animals populate many of the stories.In others, John, the traditional trickster hero, outwits the slave owner timeafter time to win his freedom.

Included with this very special edition is a CD featuring the commanding voicesof Hamilton and actor James Earl Jones. Eleven selections, including "ThePeculiar Such Thing," "John and the Devil's Daughter," "A Wolf and LittleDaughter," and "The People Could Fly," bring to life the rhythm and lyricalenergy of Hamilton's text. Leo and Diane Dillon's strikingly beautiful black andwhite illustrations continue to mesmerize and haunt the reader. (All ages)--Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Excellent! Especially when read aloud.
I read this to my daughter, Rachel, and she really enjoyed it. She smiled throughout the entire book. She loved the animal folktales about Bruh Rabbit, and Bruh Fox. She trembled with delight at the reading of the scary tales. As for her mother, my favorite was the title tale, The People Could Fly. It was magical!

This book is a must have!!
I read this book as a child. The lessons that I learned from it have lasted well into my young adult, I am now 23 years old. The illustrations are first rate. This book should be a literary standard for all children books. Anyone with a child needs to have this in their children's personal library.

A Must-have for every American home
Fascinating folktales from an African-American perspective, this work evokes memories of the strength of a people to find magic, wonder, and spirituality in a time when oppression was the norm. Miss Hamilton, along with illustrators Leo and Diane Dillon, has produced a work of timeless importance. One of the few books that I can't keep on the shelves of my classroom, it is an essential for every teacher or person interested in exposing children to a wealth of literature.

When I was a kid...
I read this book when I was in elementary school. I am now in college, and it has stayed with me all of these years. I am currently involved in drawing up a cannon for my literature class, and this book of great and inspiring folklore will definitely be included!

This is a good book for kids that are 9 - 12 year old.
I really enjoyed reading this book, I am 9 year old. I read the book in about 2 days, it was about African-American folk tales. The best story in the book was "if the people could fly". ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Precious Stories, Precious art. Heirloom quality.
This is a delightful book, with stories that could happen to any child... a mom and grandmum pretending to buy store items from the kids store; a dad and son preparing for a night in a tent in the pasture at grandmother's house (and the "scene" before they go out... with a tired grandmother, a casual dad leaning on the counter...SO real!); the walk with grandmother past the sheep -- and the escaped sheep that follows; and the trip to the beach with a search for a favorite rock that's been lost! A treasure that belongs in every child's library, and most adults (with or without children). Will delight adults, too, who take the time to study expressions and postures.

Alfie is a big brother for my son
When my son was given this for his second birthday neither of us had any interest in it, and I put it away. Now some months later we are both hooked. We have been drawn into the world of Alfie, and love Shirley Hughes' stories. Alfie is the big brother my son doesn't have. To him the things that Alfie does: setting up a store in the garden, going to the sea; camping; and visiting granny are the 'adventures' he would like to have. The illustrations complement the story, and there are lots of thing to point out and look at. Alfie has become a firm favorite in this house. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (2)

the spirit to be a favorite
Lilly has one chocolate heart left from Valentine's Day, and it's bedtime, so where is the perfect, safe place to put her chocolate heart until tomorrow? This little bedtime dilemma has Lilly searching around her room for just the right place. Does she find it?

In Henkes' eye candy, easy reading style he delights young readers with another of Lilly's fanciful tales. In a small board book, modest sentences pop off solid, colored backgrounds as Lily, the little white mouse, dances from page to page in search of the perfect place for her last chocolate heart. Like I said, it's easy reading and perfect for young ones with short attention spans, not to mention the pages are strong enough to survive the pulling, tugging and turning of small hands.

Lilly's Chocolate Heart has the spirit to be a favorite, to be read over and over again. I can just hear a little voice repeating the last page by heart in a fit of laughter.

There is one more book with Lilly (Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse) and other titles with little mice, such as Julius, Wemberly, Sheila Rae, Chester, and Owen.

I'm glad this is a hefty hardcover or it'd be worn out!
My just-about-to-turn-six year old little girl (and fellow chocaholic) adores this book. We've read it so many times together that she knows each page by heart.

Lilly is a cute little mouse who decides to save her last Valentine's Day chocolate heart. But where shall she put it? Where will it remain safe and clean? She searches throughout her home but nothing will do. It's far too dusty under the bed, the picture frames are too narrow (the heart will surely fall off & get lost!), the bookshelves are too crammed with books. Finally, Lilly decides the best place to keep the heart safe is inside her belly. When she's finished enjoying her last treat she wonders aloud when Valentine's Day will come around again.

This is an adorable little hardback filled with charming drawings of Lilly's pastel world. I disagree that the packaging will turn off older kids. The light colored palette and lively drawings are exactly what attracted my daughter (well, that and the chocolate heart!). Boy's, however, will probably steer clear of this one ~ I know my son runs when we pull this one out :) ... Read more

Book Description

Perfect for gift-giving--a classic illustrated by Michael Hague, in a beautifully redesigned edition.

Kenneth Grahame originally wrote The Wind in the Willows to amuse his only son. It has become a classic tale of friendship and adventure, enjoyed by countless children around the world.
... Read more

Reviews (89)

Idyllic, adventurous, poetic, humorous ... truly classic!
Reading a book that is well-established as a classic offers both risks and rewards. The risk is that one's expectations might be too high, leading to disappointment. The reward is that the book matches expectations, leading to thorough satisfaction. Reading Kenneth Grahame's "The Wind in the Willows" is certainly rewarding, but also risky. It's unquestionably a classic, popularized in part by A.A. Milne's dramatization in 1929 under the name "Toad of Toad Hall." Quite honestly, expecting a child-like story, I found it on a higher level altogether, and perhaps even best appreciated by teens and older readers. It has a poetical lyrical quality that could discourage younger readers from completing it on their own.

But that aside, it's not hard to see why this book has stood the test of time. Especially the talking animal protagonists are outstanding. Shy and loyal Mole, clever and courageous Rat, gruff and gentlemanly Badger, and arrogant, adventurous and crazed Toad - the animal characters that populate Grahame's novel are thoroughly individual, real, and loveable, despite their individual quirks. They are distinctly animal-like, and yet aspects of their life (food - transport - clothing) are distinctly human, enabling us to identify with them quickly and easily and yet be charmed by their differences. Toad does ultimately repent from his conceited egotism "Henceforth I will be a very different Toad", although we cannot help get the feeling that this is not the first time he has embarked on a road of repentance only to be ambushed again by his old nature. All of this is portrayed with poetic lyricism, as well as warm sympathy and humour.

There is something here for everyone. When the friends aren't lazily floating down the river or indulging their appetites, they are worrying about Toad's latest escapades with motor-boats or automobiles. Readers will find themselves attracted to the rustic, quiet and cozy life of companionship on the river, or else the neverending action that ensues as Toad follows his selfish passions and gets himself into trouble and the climax as Toad and his friends seek to recapture Toad Hall from evil weasels, ferrets and stoats. While the final battle offers thrills, Toad's "education" is undoubtedly a good lesson for us all. Grahame's animal world offers much food for thought for humans in the real world. Visiting this fantasy world is not escapist, because it better equips us to live in the real world.

If there is any criticism, it might be that the novel does not work the aspects of introspection and adventure together cohesively and so does not always function well as a whole. The shift from pastoral introspection to madcap adventure and back is at times too great. But even if the snap-shots of "The Wind in the Willows" 's fantasy world are somewhat fragmented, in the end it's the characters of this world that make it so convincing and successful. With their successful combination of idyllic companionships and adventurous mishaps, Mole, Rat, Badger and Toad will continue to make new friends of readers in years to come. -GODLY GADFLY

One of the Greats
Only Kipling's Jungle book, rivals this as the classic talking animal book for children. With his beautiful prose, Grahame evokes laughter, suspense, pleasure and even awe. Water Rat, Mole, Badger, Otter, and the insufferable Toad quickly gain our interest and sympathy. If you buy it to read to children, beware! You may not be able to resist reading ahead a few chapters after you put them to bed. This is a book not to be missed. The scene in which Pan appears as the animals' protector inspired a song by Van Morrison, and a mention in Jane Goodall's book, A Reason for Hope. From it a child of any age will get fun, wonder, and a demonstration of the beautiful possibilities of the English language.

A primer on friendship
The Wind in the Willows is a delightful children's classic that touches upon many things; wonder, pastoralism, but most of all friendship between individuals very different from one another. One of the hallmarks of this classic is that the adventure stories remain entertaining to this day. A must read for any child.

Check your Text
In response to the 5 star reviewer, I encourage her to check her text's publication date. I used the Scholastic version of The Wind in the Willows for years and up until 2 years ago it was an unabridged version. That older version has been replaced by the Miles version, however, which is not unabridged. I discovered this by accident when I ordered it for my classes--believing I was getting the old Scholastic version--and found that the version my students received bore little resemblance to the one I had. Hence my warning about this text. The Miles version is NOT the one Scholastic used to offer and it IS drastically altered.

Uneven Version
"Wind" is the charming story of four friends living near the river bank - Mole, Badger, Rat and Toad. The story follows their adventures in the Wide World, and how true friendship keeps them together through "thick and thin."

Unfortunately, the story loses some of its appeal in this video version. It tells the tale well enough, but it just doesn't have the feel of a "classic." Sometimes, you have to read the book to fully appreciate it!

Good, not great. Three stars. ... Read more

Book Description

The classic story of Cinderella gains even more charm in this glamorous retelling by world-famous picture book writer and illustrator Shirley Hughes.

Ella Cinders loves helping her father in his dress shop and laughing with her friend Buttons, the store's delivery boy. Then comes the terrible day when her father remarries and everything changes. Her stepmother makes her sew in the dreary basement. Her stepsisters mock her shabby dress. And to top it off, the new Mrs. Cinders forbids Ella to attend the duke's grand ball. Heartbroken, Ella is sure that her life will never be what she dreamed. But with the help of a fairy godmother and some sparkling courage of her own, this Cinderella discovers that dreams can come true in the most unexpected of ways.

Join Ella amidst the dazzle and fashion of the roaring twenties as she takes happily ever after into her own hands! ... Read more

Book Description

In addition to the text of the first edition of the novel, the New Riverside Edition of The Scarlet Letter contains a wide variety of contextual materials and scholarly essays. "Contexts" includes additional writings and letters by Hawthorne, as well as essays on the New England sources of the novel and the novel's publication history. "Criticism" contains early reviews of the novel and critical readings from the 19th century (such as an excerpt from Henry James' book Hawthorne) to the present.

Amazon.com

Nothing is more satisfying than watching a valiant hero conquer adragon, outwit a thief, or destroy a monstrous cannibal--unless it's seeing anintrepid heroine accomplish all these brave feats! In this remarkableanthology by the mother-daughter team of Trina Schart Hyman and Katrin Tchana,18 stories showcase the courage, cleverness, and integrity of women who dare togo beyond their traditional roles and stand up for themselves and their people.Gleaned from fairy tales from around the world and retold by Tchana to make them"more vivid and vital to her audience," the stories include the tale of Li Chi,a 14-year-old girl who refuses to let a greedy sorcerer continue to sacrificeyoung girls to a horrible serpent. Clever Marcela is so cunning, she manages tooutsmart a king--and fall in love while she's at it. Then there's Amarjit, thebarber's wife, who, fed up with her handsome husband's laziness, manages to takematters in her own hands and create fabulous wealth from nothing. CaldecottAward-winner Trina Schart Hyman (Saint George and the Dragon)paints spectacular illustrations, worthy of their esteemed role in capturingboth the noble and the grotesque. (Ages 7 to 11) --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (5)

If I were still a girl...
I would not care for this book. That is why I only gave it four stars. After reading the first story, I think if you have a daughter who is sensitive and does not care for violence you should look elsewhere for a book for her. My son really enjoys it though, which is good as I bought it for him. The illustrations are beautiful as they should be in a children's book and the stories, though short, are able to develop character better than most modern children's books do.

Girls Rock!
In this day and age, young girls are bombarded with not-so positive images of midriffs, barbies, and some rather unwholesome popstars. The "Serpent Slayer" offers a refreshing change of perspecitve. This book is a collection of tales from around the world, retold in an up to date, easy to understand and yet beautifully written format. The stories are specifically about strong, clever women. The illustrations are excellent and the main characters are uncompromising. The tales have classic fairy tale plots; dragons, thieves, mythical gods, and lions (oh my!). At only a couple pages each, a story can be read aloud in a reasonable amount of time, making them perfect for bedtime. Although I recommend this specifically for girls, I am sure children of any gender and age would be equally enthralled. I know I was! Buy this book! We need more like it.

Boys like it, too!
This fabulously illustrated, enlightening story book is interesting to children of all sexes: in fact, I've given this twice as gifts to boys and they are as entertained by the tales of these heroines as they would have been by Robin Hood or St. George.

Spectacularly illustrated, splendid vlaues, terrific stories
In The Serpent Slayer And Other Stories Of Strong Women, Katrin Tchana artfully retells classic folktales from around the world which showcase strong women overcoming a diversity of daunting obstacles and fearsome challenges. These wonderful tales include The Barber's Wife; Nesoowa and the Chenoo; Clever Marcela; Sister Lace; The Rebel Princess; Beebyeebyee and the Water God; Kate Crackernuts; The Old Woman and the Devil; The Magic Lake; Grandmother's Skull; Three Whiskers from a Lion's Chin; Duffy the Lady; and the title piece, The Serpent Slayer are all spectacularly illustrated by the talents of Trina Hyman. These very highly recommended, multicultural stories of courage, cleverness, perseverance, and endurance are thoroughly entertaining, even as they hold forth splendid values and possibilities for their young readers as they live their own lives and overcome whatever obstacles or solve what ever problems they encounter while making their way through the world!

Girls Night Out
At last! A series of stories from around the globe written by a mother and daughter team all about female heroes (not heroines, mind you, but heroes.)

Featured in these pages are all kinds of women who are plucky, smart, resourceful, brave and just plain smart. This is just the sort of anthology to give to your daughters, to inspire and help them conquer their own life adventures. A very satisfying read for girls of all ages. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Kitchen Knight
Excellent book for use during any medieval or knight study. Fourth grade boys in particular would love this book, however, any student in elementary would enjoy the book. The illustrations are very good. Younger students may need the book read to them. Goes along with King Arthur studies and tales.

You have to be a fan to love it
I am a hardcore Trina Schart Hyman fan, so this book is just another in my collection of her art work. The pictures are stunning. My kids spend hours looking at the pictures. The Red night, blue night, black night theme does get a little old though. The story is about a strange man who comes to King Arthur to ask three favors. After a year, the stranger sets off to free a princess trapped in a tower. He has to face many knights along the way and proves his worthyness in doing so.

Beautiful!
The illustrations are wonderful, and if you like sweet, honest Sir Gareth, as I do, you will enjoy this story, even though it's a kids' book. :)

This book has the greatest illustrations I've ever seen!
I really liked this book because of the story, it was factual. It corresponded well with the legend. The pictures were really well done, I love those dresses! :)

Excellent book. Well written and great illustrations.
I bought this book for a report in my British Literature class. The assignment was to find a children's book related to the medieval period. I read it and enjoyed it thoroughly. The text is easy to follow and the pictures are great. Great book for any child, boy or girl. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Lani, 10, tries the unicycle.
Right. Treehorn's Treasure is the best book EVER I have a cassette of the story and I have listened to it so many times I can recite it exactly as it is said on tape. Tabitha came round my house last night and asked to borrow my pink dress. ... Read more

Book Description

It's a beautiful morning, and Spot has a busy day ahead of him.Helen Hippo, Steve Monkey, Tom Alligator and Grandma and Grandpa all play with him as he runs from place to place. From the pond to the garden to a game of hide and seek, Spot experiences new textures on every page: a burlap feed bag, shiny plastic boots for puddles, a tree trunk to hide behind, Grandma's knitting wool and more.Children can experience all these textures too in this bold new Touch and Feel book.Come follow along! ... Read more

Book Description

Dear possible reader of this book,

What's faster than a speeding bullet and more powerful than a pound of Gorgonzola cheese? It's Stinky Dog, the hero of my new book. By a stroke of fate (or is it destiny?) the lovable (not to mention cute) Howie Monroe is transformed into Stinky Dog, protector of the innocent. (Don't worry, he's still lovable.) (Not to mention cute.) The secret of Stinky Dog's power is Super Stench -- an odor so strong it can bend steel! (Am I good or what?) Joined by a smart-mouthed sidekick, a sparrow named Little D, Stinky Dog tries to save Center City from villainous, low-life, miserable, rotten, wicked, kindergarten-scissors-stealing gangs who roam the streets, knocking down little old ladies and running off with their handbags!

Your friend,

Howie ... Read more

Book Description

It's a rainy day, and it looks like there isn't much to do atSpot's house. But there's his bone to find, and then Steve the Monkey comes overto play. After lunch and a movie, Steve goes home--but Spot finds that there isstill a good book to read. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A Must-buy
Spot comes through again! This lovable friendly pooch and his friends help to educate little ones while entertaining them also. The artwork is simple yet effective and Spot portrays a positive image while showing your child how to help out around the house. ... Read more