Book Description

The Earth does not belong to us. We belong to the Earth. The great American Indian Chief Seattle spoke these words over a hundred years ago. His remarkably relevant message of respect for the Earth and every creature on it has endured the test of time and is imbued with passion born of love of the land and the environment. Illustrated by award-winning artist Susan Jeffers, the stirring pen-and-color drawings bring a wide array of Native Americans to life while capturing the splendor of nature and the land. Children and parents alike will enjoy the timeless, poignant message presented in this beautifully illustrated picture book.

"Together, Seattle's words and Jeffers's images create a powerful message; this thoughtful book deserves to be pondered and cherished by all." (Publishers Weekly )

Illustrated by Susan Jeffers. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Great environmental book!
My son first read this book at school in preparation for Earth Day, and liked it so much that he asked for it for his birthday. That's a pretty rare request from him, so I know it must have really had an impact. I highly recommend it to anyone who has a nature lover in the family.

A joy for children and parents alike
What a stunning book! My 5 year old son was given this as a gift and it has become one of his favorites. He has been deeply moved by the book's message to protect the earth for future generations, that we are part of the web of life that the earth supports and we must preserve. The illustrations are terrific, and we find something new in them each time we read the story together. I now give this book often as a special gift, hoping that its message will spread.

A Lie Based on a Lie
Readers of this very popular work should know that it is not what it pretends. Chief Seattle's "speech" as presented by Jeffers is forgery, the real chief Sealth never said anything of the kind. The speech presented here was forged in the 1970s by a Hollywood script writer, and was further altered by Jeffers herself. This book is an insulting white stereotype of real Indians, much like "Dances With Wolves." Even Jeffers' drawings are lies, based on photographs of Plains Indians who in no way resemble the real chief Sealth, who was a portly little fellow. Books like this one do a grave injustice to Native Americans. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Any book that features robots dancing around in their underpants is a book worth owning. William Joyce--creator of Dinosaur Bob and George Shrinks--brings his expansive, wildly colored illustrations to the story of a cute, buglike robot and his family. Rolie Polie Olie lives on a faraway planet with his mom and pop, his sister Zowie, and his doggie Spot. They spend a pretty ordinary day playing, working, eating, and getting ready for bed in this delightfully modest tale of robotic family happiness. Joyce's bouncy prose is engaging enough to be read aloud time and again: "You're Rolie hot and Polie tired. Your motor's zapped. Your piston's fired. Yes, okey dokey is the day when all you Rolie did was play." The illustrations are vintage Joyce, with a 1930s deco look that's polished without being soulless. The pictorial lushness is a nice counterpoint to the simplicity of the tale, which devotes a grand full-page spread to the little-known fact that "The Rolie Polie Rumba Dance was always done in underpants!"--Claire Dederer ... Read more

Reviews (26)

EXCELLENT READING
My son loves Rolie Polie Olie. The illustrations are very bright, colorful and well done. We read Rolie Polie Olie almost every night. Great book for kids!!!!! We are ready for more and new adventures.

Rolie Polie Olie
I previously worked in a daycare with toddlers and they LOVED this book!!!!!!!!!! I had to read it every single day....they had it memorized and would recite the book along with me. This is such a wonderful book...the pictures are wonderful and the story is so cute!! Great for any age :o)

THIS is a GREAT one.
This book has been my son's favorite (and I do mean favorite) since he was 6 months old. He is now a little over 2. Initially, I'm sure it was the bright colors and clever graphics that won him over, although the prose has a lovely cadence as well. While the graphics still captivate him, he just loves this story of a day in the life of Rolie Polie Olie. I imagine that we read this book an average of 4 or 5 times a day. Every day. And it is still a joy both to our son and to us. Is there a higher recommendation?

A Rolie Polie Good Book!
I bought this for my daughter when it first came out. She was a year old then, and now going on five. She still likes to read this book. She has always enjoyed reading, and this book still is one of her favorites at bed time.

Awesome Pictures.
A must-have for all Rolie Polie Olie fans.

It mirrors one of the episodes but is fun anyway. The pictures/graphics are fantastic. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Adorable dog saves Christmas
I love the McDuff books for their artwork, and the 1950s setting. This charming story has Lucy and Fred slightly exasperated with McDuff's constant woofs to go outside during the night on Christmas Eve; however, they patiently let him out each time and he finally discovers Santa in the garage looking for the snowshovel -- which Fred has been using to dig "dog tunnels." My favorite picture is that of McDuff looking into his Christmas package to discover a little black kitten -- his new friend. You can only see part of the kitten, but the expression and attitude are true to those of an apprehensive little cat hoping she will be welcomed. If you like McDuff, I think you'll love this book.

Keeps them in suspense...
My son, age 3, loves this book. The nighttime setting and wait for Santa gives it suspense, and McDuff's ventures out into the snow make for a very vivid read! It's his favorite McDuff story, along with McDuff Comes Home.

Kaitlynd, Roger, and Lindsay LOVED this book!
We are 2nd graders. Our names are Kaitlynd, Roger, and Lindsay. We have been reading books by Rosemary Wells. Our favorite book is McDUFF's NEW FRIEND. Kaitlynd liked the part when it was snowing. It makes her happy when it snows. Roger liked this book because the dog gets a kitten for a Christmas present. Lindsay liked the part at the end of the story when McDuff got the kitten. It made her happy when McDuff got a friend.

A new, cherished Christmas story!
Westie owners and westie lovers unite! McDuff has starred in another wonderful story! My children and I love the new book in the McDuff series. It is apparent that the author and illustrator have these wonderful little dogs in their midst for inspiration. We often see our Linus lying in the same way McDuff lies, giving us the same expression McDuff gives Fred and Lucy, and giving our children the "awful squinting looks" McDuff gives the baby. My personal favorite line from the new book: "McDuff is empty!"

Kindergarteners chose McDuff over four other books.
Four classes of Kindergartners voted to read McDuff's New Friend over three other books (about monsters, magic, and big bad wolves...) Their only question about the text was "What are galoshes?" The children here enjoy McDuff's adventures! ... Read more

Book Description

In 1942 Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands, living in exile after the Nazi invasion of her country, spent the summer in Lee, Massachusetts, with her daughter and granddaughters. The following is based on a true story....

It’s summertime in New England during World War II, and a boy named William likes to imagine at bedtime that he is a brave knight fighting great battles to end the war. But in the morning he is always just William again, not big enough to contribute to the war effort like the rest of his family.

Then a real queen moves in just down the road: Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands. William’s parents explain that the queen has been forced out of her country because of the war. Now William has his chance to do something. It may not be “war work” -- it’s more like peace work -- but that makes all the difference.

Susan Jeffers’s dramatic illustrations portray the compelling contrast between William’simagination and the real events in the story, which are based on an actual incident in John Paterson’s childhood. Visually stunning, with an evocative, poignant telling, this is the picture-book art form at its finest.

Book Description

Kids will delight in learning how to count with Rolie and his friends with the fun and colorful tabs in How Many Howdys. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

How Many Howdy's (Rolie Polie Olie)
Rolie Polie Olie is my 23 month old daughter's favorite TV character. She now owns three of the Rolie Polie Olie books. This is counting book from 1 to 10 and will be a help in teaching her how to count. We plan to purchase more as they become available. The book "Rolie Polie Olie" that we purchased for her last fall was and still is her favorite book. Hopefully Disney will make more Rolie Polie Olie merchandise available soon. Right now the selection is limited.

Learn to count with Rolie
At last a Rolie Polie Olie book I can actually give to my 18 month old without fear of having pages torn. He is mad for anything Rolie and this boardbook is no exception.

The book concentrates on counting the numbers 1 to 10 with each page having a rhyme prompting the child to find the appropiate number of items.

All the main characters from the show appear. The rhymes are quite bouncy and fun and the pictures, whilst not as detailed (background wise) as the show or storybook are still cute and colourful.

A fun way to learn. ... Read more

Amazon.com

"Once upon a time, long, long ago, where the forest runs down to the ocean, a hunter lived all alone in a house made of logs he had chopped for himself and shingles he had split for himself." These words ease the reader into the elegant, dreamlike world of Randall Jarrell's Newbery Honor book The Animal Family. One night, the lonely hunter hears the singing of a mermaid, and because "he himself was as patient as an animal," the mermaid learns to trust him, speaking to him in a voice like the water. In time they teach each other their languages, with many amusing exchanges occurring as the hunter tries to teach his new friend terrestrial words and concepts.The hunter explains, "The house is a big wooden thing ... that you stay inside at night or when it rains." "Why?" she asks. "To keep from getting wet." "To keep from getting wet?" the mermaid says despairingly.

The mermaid and the hunter become a family when the hunter takes a bear cub from its mother to live with them as a son. "The bear's table manners were bad. But so were the mermaid's--especially as she couldn't resist throwing the bear pieces of fish." Having a bear around seems perfectly normal, but not quite a complete family, so eventually the hunter captures a spotted baby lynx. When the lynx brings home not another dead partridge, but a little boy, the delicate, playful family dynamics change again. This book of low-key epiphanies is packed with delightful, illuminating, often unexpected comparisons of the ocean world and the land world most non-mermaids wouldn't have considered. Enhanced by a beautiful design and gorgeous illustrations by Maurice Sendak, this book is perfect for any reader--young or old--ready for a bit of gentle philosophy with a decided twinkle. (All ages) --Karin Snelson ... Read more

Reviews (14)

The Stuff Dreams Are Made of¿
Even as a third grader I was an avid reader in search of great books. By passing the standard issue Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys, I wanted the stuff dreams were made of. I remember discovering The Animal Family and being more intreagued by its presentation (a smallish book with wide margins on each page, crammed amid the large, brightly colored books of the children's library). But the opening page drew me in and kept me entranced for days. I re-read the book whenever I could find it in the school library-until it disappeared. Last night, my five-year-old daughter asked me to tell her a story. I searched the depths of my memory and began the story of a "lonely hunter who lived in a log cabin where the woods meet the beach. One night he heard a mermaid singing..." As my daugter's eyes grew wide while she watched my face, hoping, perhaps, to pull the words all the faster from my memory, I knew I needed to find the book that 30 years ago enthralled me with its uniqueness and then stayed in my memory long enough to promise the same for my daughter.

My favorite book from childhood
(...) (A Librarian)gave me a copy of The Animal Family as a birthday present one year, and it immediately became my favorite book.

This story is so simply told, yet so beautiful that it has stayed with me all my life (30 years and counting since I first read it). I keep several copies of it so that I can give them away whenever I meet a special child who I think would appreciate it.

You can read the other reviews if you want to know the story line... nothing can do it justice, however, except just reading it. When you start, you won't want the story to end, and when it does, you will be sad that the world - and relationships - aren't really as beautiful as they are in the book.

This is an absolute MUST READ for any child. Or adult.

Becoming a family
This is a beautiful story of a lone woodsman who befriends a curious mermaid before long they become a family of two. A bear is added to their family and the family continues to grow. The most pleasing aspect of this book is the characters. They are written without pretense, they are not contrived, they are real and wonderful. Upon conclusion of the first chapter my 3-year-old proclaimed, "this is my favorite story ever." My seven year old has enjoyed it for years - as have I.

magical without predecessor
This is a book like no other I've read. The most meaningful love story but so gentle and magical it doubles as an unsurpassed and equally magical children's story.

One of the most beautiful books ever
Why this book is not better known is a tragic mystery. The simple, eloquent telling of how a lonely man finds a family is one that is sure to capture adult readers as easily as it will captivate the young. Writing is rarely this good in any book, for any age group. ... Read more

Book Description

McDuff spies with his Westie eyes . . . a bouncy bunny rabbit! And they're off! Zip, zip, whiz! Hopping through the field, jumping in the briar patch, running round and round . . . but where did Bunny go? Preschoolers will relish this interactive and lively game of hide-and-seek, brimming with innovative flaps, spinning wheels, and pull-tabs. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

disappointed - simple prose with difficult tabs
My 4 year old son and 1 1/2 year old daughter are McDuff fans, but I bought this book for my daughter. While the prose is age-appropriate for her, manipulating the tabs is too difficult for her. At first, she wanted to pull on McDuff or the bunny, but when I showed her she had to pull the tab, she tried that and couldn't do it. My son has trouble with about half the tabs in the book, but the prose is far too simple for him. He knows it's a baby book.

The book would have been much better with just lift-the-flaps. In that case, I could leave the book on a low shelf for my daughter to read any time, along with her other lift-the-flap books. Instead, I have to put it up high. I don't like doing that, but she will tear it in frustration if I don't.

Save your money for other McDuff books. You can't go wrong with the original McDuff books, and I saw the McDuff touch-and-feel book which looked fine for babies. ... Read more

Book Description

A Christmas Journey with the Purple Crayon. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Harold Saves Christmas
It's Christmas Eve, Harold doesn't have his tree yet and he decides he needs one before Santa arrives. So armed with his imagination and his purple crayon, Harold sets off for the north woods to find the perfect tree. He follows the north star, encounters a blizzard, meets a snowman and continues to "draw" his way to the North Pole. There he finds Santa in trouble. He's snowed in and can't get his sleigh, reindeer and sack of toys out of his workshop, which is covered by drifts. Lucky for us, Harold comes to the rescue and lends Santa a hand, sending him on his way to deliver presents to boys and girls all over the world.....Crockett Johnson has created a simple, gentle and really ingenious story, showing the very clever Harold at his best. Those who love Harold and the Purple Crayon, will find this holiday adventure just as wonderful and inventive. Harold at the North Pole will delight and amuse all pre-schoolers, as he helps your youngster welcome in the holiday season.

Harold, now and forever
The Harold and the Purple Crayon Series are wonderful. Harold is a little boy with a round head (around long before Charlie Brown) with a little purple crayon and a big imagination. In the North Pole book, Harold has set out on Christmas Eve to find a Christmas tree. Along the way, Harold ends up helping Santa but needs to hurry to find a tree to have it ready for Santa's visit. The simple line drawings are wonderful for younger readers yet there is always a charm to them. Harold inspires kids on so many levels; he's great for children who are timid, he's great for the mighty little explorers and he's great for kids who like to draw but feel intimidated by other artists. ... Read more

Book Description

Come play with William Joyce! Go on a treasure hunt. Decorate Easter eggs. Design Halloween costumes. Invent the un-invented. This scrapbook is your invitation to come play with the world’s number-one advocate of global silliness. This is not a coffee-table tribute—if you tried to put it on a table, it would leap off, scratch its binding, and do the hokey-pokey. It’s an opportunity for kids and kids-at-heart to find out what being an artist and writer is all about and take a sneak peek at the dreams and doodles of one of the industry’s leading talents. Did you know that at Christmas, William Joyce decorates his living room with not one Christmas tree, but a dozen? That his very first picture book at the age of nine landed him in the principal’s office for the afternoon?
Packed with a year’s worth of holiday photographs, rib-tickling anecdotes, early sketches, snippets of future projects, and more, The World of William Joyce Scrapbook is your chance to take a leisurely ramble through an elegantly mischievous landscape, where adventure is de rigueur, and everything turns out A-OK.

... Read more

Reviews (5)

Warm and personal
Readers will find this a pleasant excursion into the thought process and creative impulses that go into Joyce's imaginative art. Joyce describes how the people and objects from his childhood and adult life can find their way into pictures, and what sort of transformation they undergo as they become part of a story. I really enjoyed the photos and illustrations, and it was very interesting to get a peek into the way this artist works. I recommend this high-quality, beautifully illustrated book for both kids and adults who enjoy the work of William Joyce, and also for those who are interested in reading about art, the making of children's books, and biographies about artists.

William Joyce
William Joyce's energetic cover is the first thing that grabs your attention is the, and that energy continues through out the whole book. Joyce talks about his childhood and how he stared drawing. He also describes the books he has written. I enjoyed reading this book because it was different. The text changes on each page and does not go straight across the page, but instead it sometimes went around in circles or up and down. The illustrations were great as well. He creates a great enthusiasm for the arts, and it makes you want to go right out and start drawing. Another interesting part about this book was that Joyce explained how he decorated is house on Halloween, and it was amazing.

Whimsically Beautiful
This self-portrait of William Joyce comes across so whimsical and fantastical, children will want to read it again and again. It's especially inspiring for children with creative spirits or ones with large imaginations. Joyce's sweet innoncence delicately provides a fun-loving world any child or adult would enjoy. The illustrations and text make me want to transform my home into the same wonderful playland Joyce's children enjoy. He explains his day and how he's inspired to illustrate and write. Any question a little one could possibly ask, he answers in this book. He also gives insight to what he was feeling on certain books he wrote too. I especially enjoyed hearing about what emotions and things in his life inspired what books.

wonderful, delightful
This book is wonderful and delightful, in the literal senses of those words. Every page is filled to capacity with things that will amaze and fascinate: an abundance of previously unpublished illustrations by Joyce, details of the creation of his books, and photographs of his astonishingly elaborate holiday celebrations (that will make you want nothing in the world more than to be his friend and neighbor). My only complaint is about the book's brevity--I would have liked a hundred more pages of this. That, however, is an adult's complaint; a young reader will probably find the book to be just the right length.

A clever insight to a very clever author/illustrator
William Joyce is one of the most creative, imaginative, and joyful author/illustrators in children's literature. Don't do yourself a disservice and write Joyce off as just for kids. His books are an absolute delight. It is fitting, then, that this book is a very unscholarly and very clever look at his work. Joyce not only explains how he got the ideas for such great books as "The Leaf Men" or "Bentley & Egg" but offers a glimpse at his home life. I would definitely like to visit his house on any major holiday! This book is both accessible to kids and entertaining for grown ups. Delight yourself and buy it today. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Parents can be forgiven for wondering what it is that appeals aboutWilliam Joyce's Ping-Pong-headed space hero, Rolie Polie Olie. But read abouthim and his family to any child under five, and there's no doubting that theattraction of the Rolie Polie Planet is powerful. In this rhyming bedtimeadventure, Olie waits for a goodnight story from Pappy (grandpa), but Pappyturns up late and befuddled after a nasty bonk on the head. Olie saves the dayby creating a sort of funny ray. (The adult but not the child will be irritatedat the inconsistencies here: in one illustration Olie is filling a bucket withtricks and treats, and in the next this has inexplicably become a bubble-gun;equally inexplicably, it's described as a ray-gun.) "Then Olie burst into theroom / and with his ray dispelled the gloom. 'I made a Pappy pick-me-up / tohelp old Pappy ungrow up.'" Shakespeare it isn't, but small kids are better thanwe are at empathizing with characters whose very souls seem to be made fromPing-Pong balls too. They love it! (Ages 3 to 5) --Richard Farr ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Sleepy Time Olie
This is a really good book! This book is about how pappy (olies grandfather) brakes his happy screw. Now its up to olie and the rest of his family to help pappy be happy again. It teaches young kids how to rhyme along with the characters and just plain have fun! I think this book is for ages 2 and up cause it even brings a happy face to a 12 year old!

Great, but not like the others
My 4 year old daughter loves this book, but I can tell by the number of requests to read it that she doesn't love it as much a Rolie Polie Olie and Snowie Rolie. It just doesn't have the same appeal to her. Maybe it's because it lacks the "catchy" rhymes of the other two or it's the story. Who really knows what goes on in the mind of a four year old. Anyway, anything with Olie and Zowie is a winner, but just don't expect a book like Rolie Polie Olie or Snowie Rolie.

Super Sleepy Time Olie Excellent!
My one year old loves this book, we have been reading it to her since she was six months old!! Every night she reaches for this book. The story is excellent, the graphics are unstopable and it is Rolie Polie Olie, what more can you say!!! If you child loves Olie, he or she will love this book.

LOVE IT!
My son (2 years old) Loves Olie, and this book is a great bedtime ritual companion. Great art, neat story. If you like William Joyce do check out Bentleys' Egg by same.

Love this book!
My 2yr.old loves this book!Beautiful illustrations and one of my daughter's favorite books to read and look at! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A perfect book
The connection between grandmother and granddaughter is a marrow-deep one in "Summer Book." Sophia and her grandmother spend their days exploring, talking about life, nature, everything but their feelings about Sophia's mother's death and their love for one another. And yet, underneath the offhand, and often strange conversations that take place between them, you feel their affection and the concern they feel for one another.

"Summer Book" is a strange and beautiful story. There's no false emotions here, no manipulation for the sake of effect. Just an account of a very real relationship between a child and her grandmother, during the last weeks of the grandmother's life. Very highly recommended.

Real Life
This is a book about Sophia, whose mother has died. She lives with her father, who is a writer, and her grandmother, and they spend their summers on an island. Her father is preoccupied with his writing, and Sophia's grandmother is old and infirm. They do not know it, but this summer marks the last weeks, days, and finally hours of Grandmother's life. ... Read more

Book Description

Bently Hopperton is an artistic frog, pressed into egg-sitting by his friend Kack Kack the Duck. Bently can't resist painting Kack Kack's egg, and thanks to his dazzling brushwork, his charge is soon mistaken for an Easter egg and kidnapped. How Bently gets the egg back to the nest, and what happens when Kack Kack returns, proves to be an adventure of a lifetime for a young frog."Bently is miffed when his friend Kack Kack the duck ignores him to brood in her nest. After she leaves him in charge of her single egg, Bently decides to paint it. [But] when a boy mistakes it for an Easter egg and runs off with it, Bently knows his duty. . . . A book that revels in the joys of spring and song, friendship and fatherhood, and the spirit of adventure . . . a classic tour de force." —H.

Notable Children's Books of 1993 (ALA)
Best Books of 1992 (SLJ)
100 Books for Reading and Sharing 1992 (NY Public Library) ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Make This a Movie!
I agree with the reader from Virginia--reading this I pictured it as a movie. Totally delightful and imaginative.

NOT AT HIS BEST
I am a big fan of William Joyce's work. He has such a wonderful style and tells such great, imaginative stories. This early work from him isn't one of my favorites though. It's a cute story, but the illustrations, the true stars of his books, are a bit different than what he normally does. The illustrations are too light or something. Still the character desings are cute and it's well worth the price of purchase but it's just not as satisfying as his other works.

My favorite children's book! (My daughter's too!)
This children's book is exquisitely told and drawn. My almost-six year old daughter and almost-four year old son also love it. Every time I read it, I wonder why they don't make children's movies like this book. I would so much rather take my children to see this book in film version than to another Disney film. This is the kind of story children and parents can get lost in together. And I can't say enough about the illustrations--I laugh every time I see Bentley smiling down at the screaming lady from atop her easter bonnet! I give this book my highest recommendation.

delicate and charming
the book is very well illustrated. it tells a lovely tale of the right to make mistakes, and the way to mend them - all in good humor and fine understanding of a child's worry confronting mistakes! loved it! got it! ... Read more

Book Description

A boy and dog trapped aboard the legendary ship, the Flying Dutchman, are sent off on an eternal journey by an avenging angel, roaming the earth throughout the centuries in search of those in need.Their travels lead them to Chapelvale, a sleepy nineteenth century village whose very existence is at stake.Only by discovering the buried secrets and solving the dust-laden riddles of the ancient village can it be saved.This will take the will and wile of all the people-and a very special boy and dog!Brian Jacques turns from Redwall to a very different sort of story, and succeeds admirably. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

It's a crying shame...
...these books are not known in this country. I, for one, brought my Moomin book with me from the former Soviet Union, and I fully intend to indoctrinate my future children into the Moomin Religion (even if they will have to learn Russian just for that). Tove Jahsson (who passed away last year, sadly) created a wonderful world, full of adorable and memorable characters.

The Moomins are...well, G-d knows what they are. They are little hyppopotamus-looking cute things that walk on their hind legs, live in the picturesquee little valley (and in houses, of course), do all the things that humans do (or that humans do in children's imagination) and wear hats. Sometimes. In fact, there is even a story about a magic hat somewhere. But I digress.

Muumi-Troll, the protagonist, is your average kid. Or a teenager. He has a Muumi-Mother, and Muumi-Father, and two best friends: Sniff (who looks like a rat and is a terrible coward--but always manages to overcome it at the last possible moment) and Snusmumrik (who looks like a duck and is a Traveler). He has a love interest, Froeken (Miss) Snork (Snorks are similar to Moomins, except that their color changes together with their mood), who has an obnoxious brother, you guessed it, Snork. There are also Hemul, who, like all Hemulen, wears his aunt's old dress (don't ask), and the Muskrat (I think that's what it is). There are predicaments and dangers and wonerful adventures.

The Moomins are known--and beloved--in all of teh world, from their native Finland, to Russia to Japan. Hopefully, the States will come around at some point--and Harry Potter (no offense, I love HP) will tremble in his shoes.

One of my childhood treasures
For some reason, I had a copy of the original Finnish version. I couldn't read it, but I just LOVED the pictures! I still have fond memories of looking through the little cut-out holes from page to page; the hole on one side turns out to be an element on the next page! I remember it really had my imagination going -- since I couldn't understand the text, I got to make the story up as I went along. Moomin was a favorite among Japanese kids (I grew up there), so it was an extra treasure to have the original characters (bearing their original names) all beautifully illustrated in Tove Jansson's own hand.

Truly a must for any kid's library, or even an adult's! I just ordered one again for myself, having long lost the Finnish copy. There's something special about the use of cut-outs and the colors that makes it extra-wonderful for firing up any child's imagination, even if you can understand the text!

Essential reading for any Moomin fan
I ordered 'The Book about Moomin, Mymble and Little My' from Amazon.com in 1997 since the book wasn't (and still isn't) available over here in England. I own (and treasure) all eight of Tove Jansson's Moomin novels, and I was curious to see this picture book. 'The Book about Moomin...' was an early work, and is targetted at children far more than Tove's later, more complicated work. It's a colorful picture book, telling a simple story of Moomintroll, Little My and her sister the Mymble. The artwork is all by Jansson and is in the same style as 'Comet in Moominland' and 'Finn Family Moomintroll', but is brought vividly to life here with a palette of psychedelically bright colors. Every Moomin fan will enjoy this book!

It's a children's book for an adult audience!
Having grown up in Scandinavia this was one of the first books I ever read, and I have read it many times since. It is a poetic wonderfully bizarre book, and when you read it along with the rest of Tove Jansson's books you realize that her magical world of mumins isn't really all that different from the one we live in. Best of all, Tove Jansson opens a window to the reader's soul in her writing, and you recognize yourself in her books.

If you love Tove and the Mumins, you will love this book!
I recently discovered Tove Jansson and the Mumintrollet series. I have fallen in love with her wonderful books and her amazing characters. This book is a great complement to any Mumintrollet library. It is colorful, fun to read outloud and beautifully illustrated. It prompts the child to keep reading to find out what happens next and it has a cute surprise at the end. A must have! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

The colors of her life
Picture books that examine the relationships between children and elderly adults are nothing new. They can range from the insipid "Baby Duck" books to the eloquent and insightful "Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge". "Oma's Quilt" is a little different than other kid + senior citizen stories partly because its focus rests squarely on the adult and not on the child. Tackling a subject that more and more adults must face every year, "Oma's Quilt" shows what it takes to make a new home a familiar one.

Emily's grandmother (or "Oma") is moving from her house into a retirement community. The reader gets the distinct impression that this was not Oma's idea and she's not especially keen to leave. After all, she's lived in her house for most of her lifetime. When Emily and her mother go to the Forest View Retirement Home, Oma is not very receptive. She thinks the food is odd, the bed uncomfortable, and the other people in the home "nincompoops". Sensing that the transition is probably going to need a little work, Emily and her mother try to figure out a way to help Oma. Yet it isn't until they sort through the woman's old clothes that Emily comes up with a brilliant solution. Why not make a quilt out of all the old fabrics for Oma to use and remember with? Together, they make one and Oma is delighted. On it she's able to point out the moments of her life that meant the most to her and to pass them on to her kin. By the end, Oma still thinks the other residents are nincompoops, but she's started helping in the kitchen and her old friend Mrs. Mostowyk may be moving in soon. Things are looking up.

I found it odd that the story gave so little attention to Emily's thoughts and feelings. Heck, we hear more about how her mom feels about Oma's bad mood (at one point she's on the brink of tears) than we do about Emily. For those kids that are close to their grandparents, however, this book may be much loved. Personally, I was a little put off by Oma's overwhelmingly bad mood, but it only lasts (at its worst) for a couple pages and she's cheery enough by the end. I certainly did appreciate that by the tale's finish, Oma hadn't suddenly undergone some kind of a spellbinding conversion to retirement home wonders. Instead, she still dislikes her neighbors but is beginning to become comfortable with other aspects of her new life. The story is a focused patient exploration of what it takes to make another person happy. In this case, it takes a wealth of memories.

The illustrations in this story work beautifully. Oma's a shrewd woman with a penchant for bright colorful prints, extravagant hats, and saddleshoes. Using pen and watercolors, illustrator Stephane Jorisch brings a great deal of life and verve to the tale. Emotions are well displayed here. When Oma sits hunched in her armchair complaining about the flowers in the hallway and the home's funky smelling bowling shoes she's every bit the cantankerous grandmother. But I think my favorite spread shows Oma, her daughter, and her granddaughter leaning on the new glorious quilt. As we watch, the quilt is filled with an array of colorful, shifting, melding memories. A married couple walks towards a large city while opposite them a man pushes a baby carriage. It's an impressive array and it sums up the state of Oma's mind perfectly.

If you've a kid that will enjoy a story about a grandmother and not, in fact, that woman's grandchild then this story is for you. It's definitely worth a look see. I advise you to examine it thoroughly and figure out if it's worth your time. Personally, I thought it was nice without being particularly universal. Those children that don't have grandparents may not identify with the tale intrinsically. Otherwise, it rivals the aforementioned "Wilfrid Gorden McDonald Partridge"'s attention to the importance of memory (though of the two I cast my lot with "Wilfrid"). Enjoy.

Wonderful Story about Loving Your Grandmother
This is a wonderful story about a young girl's Oma who is moving into a retirement home. It shows how hard it can be for her grandmother moving from the home she's known for so long, and trying to adjust to her new surroundings. It teaches a lot of empathy for the elderly, but without being preachy. My own daughter calls her grandparents "Oma" and "Opa" (German for Grandmother and Grandfather) and although her Oma isn't quite read for retirement yet, and doesn't make cabbage soup and strudel, it really helped bring the story to life for her. Every child can probably find a bit of their own grandparents in the story. The illustrations are as excellent as the story. ... Read more

Book Description

Rosie is just a scrawny alley kitten, but she's braver than she looks-and that's a good thing, because when a little girl brings her home, Rosie will meet the family dog, confront wild animals, be fooled by her reflection and find herself out on a limb. It will take some time for Rosie to get used to her new surroundings, but she eagerly laps it up, and her new family can't help loving her.

In this charming alphabet book, Niki Clark Leopold and Susan Jeffers join forces to introduce us to a most endearing kitten on her journey of discovery. ... Read more

Amazon.com

"The Ballad of Dinosaur Bob," reproduced in full at the end of the book, begins like this (sing to the tune of "Auld Lang Syne"): "He's Bob, the best old Bob, / the biggest Bob you've ever seen. / He's Mesozoic and heroic, and he's really green." All this is true of Bob, which fans of William Joyce'sDinosaur Bob and His Adventures with the Family Lazardo know well. In this very short, extremely simple board book, Dinosaur Bob is playing baseball with his friends the Lazardos, when a local team spots him at work and asks him to join them for the first game of the season. He saves the game, everyone's happy, and they sing "The Ballad of Dinosaur Bob." Ta-da! While the story is not geared toward the usual board-book crowd (babies and preschoolers), aficionados of all things Dinosaur Bob will be pleased with this small, sturdy edition. (Ages 4 and older) ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Offbeat, whacky and unique
My 20-month old son loves this book and so do my wife and I! The pictures are evocative of an old-world, small-town America that probably no longer exists and may never have, and the family is a suitably wacky bunch that's a nice twist from the usual childrens' book characters. One question, though, that's never explained by the book: How does Bob fit into the dugout? Highly recommended.

This book made me laugh out loud!
I bought this book for my 2-year-old daughter because the illustrations are beautiful and I want her to grow to love baseball. While the story may be a little beyond her right now, she loves the pictures, and she loves it when I sing "The Ballad of Dinosaur Bob" to her...although I can never get through the entire song without laughing! My husband loves the details that are evident in the illustrations, and that nobody thinks it's odd for a dinosaur to play baseball.

Even after my daughter outgrows the book, we plan to keep it in our library!

A charming story for kids who love dinosaurs and baseball...
My daughter loves dinosaurs and adores playing t-ball. So this book was a natural choice when I got it for her last year. Although it's a board book, and really intended for smaller kids, the simple plot was easy for her to follow as she learned to read, and the illustrations are well done and lovely. All in all a good buy, especially for kids who combine a love of dinos with a love of sports. ... Read more

Book Description

Una noche, Harold decide dar un paseo a la luz de la luna. Pero hay un pequeÑo problema: ¡La luna no esta fuera! Por suerte, Harold lleva consigo su lapiz color morado y en un abrir y cerrar de ojos, se " las pinta solo" para enredarse en toda clase de aventuras. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Purple classic.
My mother teaches preschool to mostly Spanish-speakers, so this was a must have. A very good translation of the beloved English classic.

Tan encantador en español como en inglés (Just as charming)
Even grownups enjoy this imaginative story of a boy whose purple crayon takes him on a magical journey. The Spanish translation retains all the magic of the English original, such that a friend in his 20s became glued to the book when I first brought it to his attention. Caution: Although the story is understandable to children as young as 3 or 4, it is longer than it looks! Begin the story only if you are prepared to read for a little while, but once you do, you'll enjoy the trip.

Aún a los grandes les gusta esta historia imaginativa de un niño cuyo lápiz morado le lleva en un viaje de encanto. La traducción a español conserva todo el encanto del original inglés, tanto que un amigo de unos 24 años se quedó clavado al libro cuanto por primera vez se lo presenté. Aviso: Aunque la historia se comprende por niños de solo 3 o 4 años, ¡es mas larga que parece! Empiece la historia solo si esté preparado(a) leer un rato, pero ya haber empezado, disfrutará el viaje. ... Read more

Book Description

It is 1901 and Mable Riley dreams of adventure and of becoming a writer. When her older sister leaves home to become a schoolmistress in the small town of Stratford, Ontario, Mable is sent along too. Mable hopes her new world will be full of peril and romance. But life at the Goodhand Farm (where the sisters board), is as humdrum as the one she’s left behind.Then Mable encounters the mysterious Mrs. Rattle, a peculiar widow with a taste for upsetting the townspeople with her strange opinions. Mrs. Rattle is a real writer, and Mable eagerly accepts her invitation to a meeting of the Ladies Reading Society. But the ladies are not discussing books at all, and Mable may soon have more peril than she’d bargained for!Composed of the letters Mable sends home, the poems she writes for her classmates, and chapters from her own work-in-progress, Mable Riley is the funny, inspiring, (and reliable) record of a young girl finding her voice, and the courage to make it heard. ... Read more