Book Description

One Some Many by Marthe Jocelyn and Tom Slaughter is an excellent early introduction to numbers and to the principles of modern art. It is the perfect companion to 1 2 3, a counting book with a difference. Slaughter’s bold, Matisse-inspired paper cuts illustrate basic artistic elements, including color, form, and line, while the playful and inventive text introduces the concepts of quantity that children find most puzzling (and that adults have the most difficulty explaining!). After all, how many is many? Some? A few? ... Read more

Book Description

One morning a mother mixes up some dough and cuts out a gingerbread rabbit to surprise her little daughter. But when the mother puts him in to bake, she gets the surprise of her life. The rabbit jumps to the floor, runs to the door, and disappears into the forest!

Fleeing through the forest with the mother close behind, the innocent rabbit gets some surprises of his own. The worst surprise is a "friendly" red animal who says he's a rabbit, too, though he looks just like a fox. The best surprise is a big brown rabbit and a silvery gray one, who live in a cozy cave full of carrots and lettuce -- where they happen to have an extra little bed.

Yes, all's well that ends well. The gingerbread rabbit finds himself a happy home, and the mother finds an even better way to surprise her daughter.

Book Description

A special Knee-High collection of Mother Goose favorites, with whimsical paintings by celebrated children's book illustrator William Joyce.
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Reviews (1)

New Art for old Tales
Being on my third child, at this point I have read Mother Goose nursery rhymes so often I know them by heart. However, we needed a new edition of mother goose tales for our little one and I was thrilled to find that William Joyce had illustrated one! His softly colored, beautifully rounded pictures make reading the same old tales a fresh, new experience. A wonderful book for small children who also like to look at nice pictures! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Mickey learns all about magnets in a scientific way.
This is a FABULOUS story of a young boy who discovers a great way to pick up Mom's pins is with a magnet. He then goes on to discover other things that are magnetic and non magnetic. As a second grade teacher who has taught a magnet unit for years, this is a favorite of teachers and students. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

fun fun fun
Here is yet another board book by the makers on Rolie Polie Olie, the new retro cartoon on Disney. I highly recommend this book because of its' bright colors and cute story. It teaches kids about being pal and doing things together, whether you're siblings or not, that pals are the best no matter what. My two year old loves this book and I had to buy him a second copy because the first one got destroyed from reading it so much. It's part of our night time routine! It's a great purchase!

very cute
My two year old loves this book and has since he was a year old. It's a fun bright colored book about brothers and sisters. It has a great message about love and friendship. A must have for any Olie fan!

Rolie Polie is Okey Dokey!
My son loves Rolie Polie Olie (he is 15 months). It is a very wholesome show and the book is great. He loves spot the dog and the colors are very vibrant. We love this book and anything that has to do with Rolie.

Be My Pal! (Rolie Polie Olie)
My 23 month old daughter loves Rolie Polie Olie. It is by far her favorite TV character. This is her second Rolie Polie Olie book and she loves it! The book "Rolie Polie Olie" that we purchased for her last fall was her and is still her favorite book. Now she has a second favorite book in "Be My Pal!" We have another baby on the way and this book talks about how Olie and his little sister Zowie figure out how to be siblings and best pals. I highly recomend this book. I just wish that Disney would release more Rolie Polie Olie Merchandise. The selection is limited at this point. ... Read more

Book Description

‘If you happened to be walking down the street in New York City in the 1930s you might have seen a most amazing sight; a beautiful woman with a very well-dressed, four-hundred-pound gorilla sporting a red carnation in the lapel of his jacket. The lady’s name? Gertie Lintz. And the gorilla’s name was Buddy.

But how does a gorilla come all the way from Africa to the streets of New York wearing a suit and tie and a red flower in his lapel? Well, here’s the story.’

High-spirited, heartbreaking, and ultimately joyous, Buddy is a classic in the making, told with the joie de vivre one now comes to expect from the ever versatile William Joyce.

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Reviews (1)

excellent book!
this is a wonderful childrens book. i am very fond of all of william joyces writings and illstrations, and this book certianly did'nt dissapoint me. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Crockett Johnson, creator of the 1955 classic Harold and the Purple Crayon, also wrote a lovely, nonsensically philosophical collection of 12 stories about a little girl named Ellen and her conversations with her stuffed lion. Originally published in 1959, Ellen’s Lion has an old-fashioned feel, but its explorations of child logic and imagination are universal and fresh, the perspective authentically childlike. In one story, Ellen pretends she is terrified of her pet lion and calls the police. The lion becomes impatient and annoyed. Ellen feels guilty: "I should have asked you if you ate people before I called a policeman," she says. The lion tells her she didn’t use a real telephone. "’But I called a real policeman,’ said Ellen." In another story, "Sad Interlude," Ellen displays sympathy for her "poor sad old lion." The lion is indignant:

"I’m never sad and never happy, never hungry or never full, never foolish or clever, or good or bad, or this or that, or anything else you imagine me to be—-"
"You poor thing," Ellen said, slowly, shaking her head. "You haven’t any mother, either, have you?"
"Now you are being ridiculous," the lion said.

Book Description

Eric Knight’s heartfelt tale of the noble collie Lassie, first published in 1938, receives a worthy new incarnation as a picture book in this splendid collaboration.
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Reviews (7)

Very well-written and not dumbed-down!
I have to disagree with a former reviewer...I was quite surprised to see the negativity about this book. I think my standards for quality writing are pretty high...I will not read twaddle to my kids! Also when I read it I remarked to myself that wow, a book written (re)written in the 1990s and not politically-correct, as I hate those types of books, for example modern Nancy Drew books... Someone once said (and I forget who), "80% of the books were written after 1971 and 80% of those should have been left trees." If I have the date wrong, someone can correct me, but that is the date I would use if I were talking about poorly written books.

Now granted, I have never read the original version. In fact, this is the first version I ever read and was pleased that it wasn't what I expected, having only ever seen the t.v. version.

The illustrations are amazing and the language is very moving...we are swept up with emotion (me and my 5 year old) and I keep making him wait to read the next "chapter" which leaves us hanging and wanting more! It's written in 3 Parts and I'm seeing how this could be used as a wonderful living book to study dogs, Scotland, aristocracy, class systems, dog shows, the coal mines, tea time , animal cruelty and proper handling, England, ethics and character issues (faithfulness, loyalty, kindness, sacrifice, perseverance, honor, etc.)

I'm sure you smarty-pants are all aware of the fact that Lassie was originally written in 1938 as a short-story and then 1940 as a novel, but I was only familiar with the American tv show version...quite different!

Lassie is a beloved dog of a poor family who have to sell her. The rich duke buys her for showing, but Lassie will have none of it, and at 4 pm everyday she takes off to her real home. Fed up, the duke sends her up to Scotland to stay. This is the story of a kind little girl, a determined dog, the trials and tribulations of Lassie's travel and the sacrificial love of the father of the poor family. That's the quick summary, but there is so much more to this story than meets the eye.

I hope you all get a chance to soak up this book with your kids...ALL ages will love it from 5 to 95! That's my definition of a living book.

Most Amazing Book Ever
I give this book five stars because it is very fun and it teaches me vocabulary. This book is fun because this dog has to travel far from his family and has many fun adventures. It teaches us vocabulary by using them in a sentence.

dumbed-down w/ misleading title & beautiful illustrations
The beautiful illustrations can't make up for the bland, dumbed-down text of this rip-off. The title seems to be a deliberate attempt to mislead the buyer into thinking they are getting Eric Knight's wonderful story.

Not a chance. The story is re-written, badly.

If you think your children are not bright enough to understand Eric Knight's beautiful, evocative, direct and vivid prose, or if you are too busy to bother to take the time to read it to them, or if you want to enrich a company that tries to trick people into buying a book, then I guess you can.

More discerning parents and readers should take the trouble to search out Eric Knight's original. Mr Knight's depiction of the beautiful collie's travails on her long journey home will touch the stoniest heart.

For the ambitious reader, try to find a copy of the Saturday Review (1932?) with Knight's original short story. He expanded it into the novel, and it contains such scenes as some people walking down a country road who happen to notice a ragged collie sleeping "in a ditch, with her nose pointed south" -- toward, of course, home.

Readers and animal lovers deserve the real thing, not this cynical attempt at money-making.

Beautiful!
This is the true, gripping, and heartwarming story of Lassie, set in Yorkshire England and Scotland, not the Hollywood version. The sensitively rendered full color pictures of people, dog, and landscape would make the book a winner but this book also offers a wonderful story put carefully and artfully into words. As a book to read aloud to young children, I would commend it; its wording is rhythmic and exciting and holds the attention from chapter to chapter. The story, about poor people who have to sell their dog, is sad yet courageous and the ending is a very happy one!

Exquisite illustrations, colorless text
This is a must-buy because of the wonderful illustrations, which are breathtaking in their beauty and their ability to capture the essence of a boy and a dog. But make sure you also buy the original Eric Knight Lassie Come-Home novel. For the heart and soul of the novel are absent from the text of this version, and the loss is grievous indeed. The novel shows real, cranky people struggling hard with moral choices, and hurting when they are bound to make the right one. The novel also guides the reader into concluding on her own that living things cannot rightfully be sold, unlike this version, which just blats it out. Moral lessons that children reach on their own are the ones that become deeply rooted, so it is a shame to deny them this process of moral discovery. The realism of the novel is absent from this version, which presents stick figures spouting politically correct platitudes that would be unthinkable in the communities that Knight described. The novel presents decidedly politically incorrect people who struggle to do the right thing. A child learns best from books that present life in its bewildering complexity. Without such guides, how will she deal with a real world that is not populated with politically correct stick figures? The ideal version of Lassie Come-Home would merge these illustrations, which are the best I've ever seen, with the original novel. ... Read more

Book Description

World War II has just been won, and everything seems possible to young Keely Connor. She sees herself as a hero on a white charger, able to conquer the world, even though in reality her charger is Lola, the placid horse that lives in the field behind her house.

One fateful summer day her brother Patrick is stricken with polio. Here is an enemy Keely cannot conquer. With all the will in the world, she cannot pass on to Patrick her zest or her energy or her own good health. Keely’s battle to save Patrick has become one of the classics of Canadian children’s literature and, in translations, around the world. This beautifully redesigned edition will capture the hearts of a whole new generation of readers. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Very good
This book was good because of the real life epidemic, Polio. It made you think and feel for Patrick. It had a good ending with the freind with the horse ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Nicholas Cricket
This is a tale about a cricket and his band.They play beautiful music for all of the animals that come to the lake.The name of the band is the Bug-a-Wug Cricket Band.Their favorite place to play is at the Little Lake and the Little Stream.This story is mainly about how soft and beautiful their bands music sounds and how it gets all of the animals to dance and have a good time.It is a good book if you would like to read it.

Josh V.

I really like this book
I have to say that I have enjoyed Nicholas Cricket from the very first time I read it to my daughter 9 years ago.I play the banjo myself and have always been fond of "bugs". I find the illustrations to be marvelous and evoke a joyful jazz age when banjos were hot and zoot-suitswere cool! The text is lyrical and very enjoyable to read aloud.I haverecommended Nicholas Cricket to all my friends and to both public andschool libraries. It is a great book.

Beautiful illustrations
This book is full of beautiful, rich illustrations.I enjoy it just asmuch as my 2.5 yr old who insisted we read it every night for a month! ... Read more

Book Description

This sparkling picture-book debut for author-illustrator Marthe Jocelyn features a likable five-year-old heroine with a daily problem that troubles readers of all ages: She can't decide what to wear. Hannah's mother loves to sew, so Hannah has seven of the most beautiful dresses in the world. It's just so hard to choose! With her faithful elephantine companion at her side, Hannah cleverly works out a system-one dress for each day of the week. But when her birthday comes along, she's stuck again. Is any one dress special enough? How about all seven at once?

Readers will love learning colors, days of the week, and problem-solving skills with Hannah and her candy-bright wardrobe. Each tiny button, flouncing petticoat, and miniature wire hanger of the irresistibly detailed collage illustrations will be appreciated by young girls and their mothers. And the silly surprise ending-when Hannah permanently opts for black pants-will bring giggles as well as smiles of recognition and approval! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Perfectly charming illustrations
Marthe Jocelyn's "Hannah and the Seven Dresses" has perfectly charming illustrations! Hannah is a young girl who has difficulty figuring out what to wear--mostly because her mother, an accomplished seamstress, has made her so many pretty dresses. Hannah soon figures out how to get dressed each morning without having to dither over her dresses, but when her birthday comes along, the problem presents itself anew. Which of her splendid outfits is most fitting for a birthday party?

The story is not nearly as strong as the illustrations, which are superb. Jocelyn has employed all manner of fabrics, beading, trim, and more to create utterly captivating and colorful illustrations which present each dress with loving care and detail. No wonder Hannah has difficulty choosing--each dress is a marvel!

A Delightful and Sweet Story for Younger Readers
I was fortunate enough to meet and take a workshop with Ms. Joselyn at the Young Authors Confrence in Montreal in 1998. It was then that I read "Hannah and the Seven Dresses". I found it to be an adorable and lovable story for younger children. I enjoyed it very much even being 12 years old.

Wonderful fun!
Along with a delightful story, the reader will find every page a wonder to explore. Collages of fabrics in various textures and designs, with bits and pieces pulled from the sewing basket to accompany them, add enormously to the pleasure of this book. An added treat is the stuffed elephant (not mentioned in the text) that accompanies Hannah throughout the book. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

The Kids Love This Book
When I was a working librarian, I read this books (and the others)to my storytimes. When I retired I started to volunteer in an inner city school. I was not certain how the children would react to the book. I am now in my sixth year reading to Preschool, Kindergarten and First Grade. They hear the first four books each year and they always ask me to repeat the books. The line about "no one had ever asked him to come in" always gets a great response. I think everyone should read these McDuff books. So many classes can't be wrong!

Doesn't take a bite out of crime.Just out of shortbread.
Dear old Rosemary Wells.If you've ever read her books about that famous bunny Max or classic titles like, "Morris' Disappearing Bag" then you know that her stories, while disjointed, can often be truly charming works of preschool art.So when I discovered the McDuff books (written by her but illustrated by someone else entirely) I was ill at ease.I mean, Wells draws such cute little bunnies.How could anyone else adapt to her words?On reading the first book of the McDuff series, "McDuff Moves In", I was amazed to find myself suddenly on the oposte side of the fence.The pictures in this book are really quite charming.From the cute little Scottie named McDuff to the 1950s setting, visually this story's a charmer.But strange as it may seem, Wells's words are out-of-place here.Though a brief tale with little in the way of plot, somehow this book is not as direct or understandable as it might be.A pity.

On our first view of little white McDuff, he's sitting in the back of a city pound truck.After a providential bump in the road and a quick escape, the solitary doggy goes down a nice suburban street in search of food and shelter.Door number one at the first house growls at him.Door number two at the second house hisses at him.But door number three at the third house is just right.There, a friendly couple take him in, feed him, give him a bath, then decide they haven't room for a doggy.Fortunately an attempted car ride to the pound proves that maybe this couple has grown a bit attached to their shaggy new friend.Happy ending and shortbread biscuits for all.

The book bears a striking resemblance to Lyn Rossiter McFarland's subsequent similarly plotted picture book, "Widget".The difference, however, is that "Widget" is the stronger story.Though I was with "McDuff" through the beginning, about the time he stumbles on the kindly couple I found my eyebrows slowly beginning to lift.For example, when McDuff appears outside the third home, the book says the following: "Somebody opened the door and asked him to come in.It was Lucy. 'This is Fred', said Lucy".Looking at the picture of both Fred and Lucy staring at the pup on their porch, I naturally assumed that now the dog was named Fred.Not so much.The text and the pictures don't mesh particularly well either.When the book says that Fred checks McDuff's collar, the picture shows Fred sitting on a chair with McDuff hiding underneath.Plus the language is oddly stilted.It ends with the words, " 'How happy we are!', they said in their dreams", which is half an inch shy of hokey and a sneeze away from outright saccharine.I don't think I'm conveying the book's inability to tell its story convincingly to you.Nevertheless, I strongly urge you to flip through this story long before you decide to buy it.Long before.

Which is not to say that the pictures don't almost make up for its narrative flaws.Illustrator Susan Jeffers has a Caldecott Honor Award under her belt and it shows.From Lucy's painted toenails and felt hat spotted bathrobe to the image of the three new friends happily munching on McDuff's shortbread biscuits at the tale's end, this book seeks to enchant.Seeks and, were it not for the words, would succeed.I loved the fabulous 40s-50s decor.I liked the scared little McDuff turning into a confident happy pup in a loving home.I liked how realistic these images were and how original the setting became.Obviously if Rosemary Wells had illustrated this tale herself she would've done it in an entirely different way.It's just her own bloody good luck that she found herself paired with such a supremely talented artist.

So it's entirely up to you."McDuff Moves In" has much in its favor and much against it as well.Personally, I suggest that if you are looking for a tale of a cute little white Scottie finding a home then you should seek out "Widget" by Lyn Rossiter McFarland forthwith.If, however, you're a fan of the period picture book genre and you like Susan Jeffers's work, "McDuff" may be a great choice for you and yours.It is not Rosemary Wells's best writing and the story is pretty touch n' go.Still, there are things to recommend it.Definitely give it a trial run.

Fantastic!
I own this book, as well as others in the series. They are just great! My mom owns a Westie, perfectly named Duffy(he got the name before we new about the books), and the illustrator captures the essence of the Westie. Every picture is perfectly drawn to show the character of a Westie. I love the author as well. I have been a teacher and have always read Ms. Wells' books to my students and the McDuff series is loved by all. McDuff moves in is just a fun book to read and I recommend it to all ages.

Ashleigh LOVED this Rosemary Wells book!
I am a 2nd grader.My name is Ashleigh.I have been reading books by Rosemary Wells.My favorite book is McDUFF MOVES IN.I like this book because it makes me feel happy when McDuff finds a home.

Ashleigh LOVED this Rosemary Wells book!
I am a 2nd grader at Anna Merritt Elementary School.My name is Ashleigh.I have been reading books by Rosemary Wells.My favorite book is McDUFF MOVES IN because it makes me feel happy when McDuff finds a home. ... Read more

Book Description

"I'm a little bit bigger,
not a little bit smaller.
I'm a little bit taller --
I'm growing Rolie up!"

If Rolie Polie Olie grows a little every day, when will he be big enough?

Reviews (1)

I like Olie!
I like this book very much, but it's not as much of a favorite for the 2 year olds that I bought it for. They enjoy the board books more. I think part of the problem is the funky type that the words are written in. The other part may be that I'm willing to let younger hands be rougher with board pages than I am with paper pages. I'm a big fan of Olie. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (4)

Wonderful poem by Field, and lovely illustrations!
If you are familiar with Eugene Field, this is one of his best children's poems (in my opinion.) The illustrations definitely do justice to the mystical, dreamy poem. I do agree with the review, however, that the mother who is tucking in her daughter looks more like her sister than a mom! Highly recommend this book to for any little one; it's a GREAT bedtime story!

Wynken, Blynken, & Nod is an enchanting, magical tale
that is as captivating as it is beautiful. It's a wonderful bedtime tradition, for both children and parents. This amazing poem is a timeless classic; there's always something new to discover from the entrancing journey of our trio of fishermen! It's perfect for people of all ages. Comealong, and bring somebody you love on the voyage on Wynken, Blynken, andNod; you won't regret it!

A Classic Must Have for Every Child
I was not introduced to this poem until I was 18. We were performing it in concert as a part of Midge of Gold which is a collection of children's tales set to music.I fell in love with it and when I found out it was an actual book, it becameone of the first gifts I give to parents andchildren.The melody is one that stays with me and it's a great lulaby. This book is worth more than what you will pay for it.I have not met oneperson who read it as a child and didn't love it.The poem andillustrations are wonderful. Buying this book for your child, or any child,is a great investment.

An incredible and beautiful book, always to be remembered
This is a book that my father grew up on, and after having kids of hisown, read it to us. As we grew up, this book had somehow disappered, and,having missed it so much, set upon looking for it on the internet. This isa beutiful children story, but not only for children... Don't miss it! ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (1)

warm warm and warm
william joyce's illustrations make this one of my very favorite books: it is the book i always give as a baby shower gift. ANYONE can give "goodnight moon" but this book is special. the first 5 or 6 times i read it to my son i cried at the last line.i like how the FATHER is the one who comforts the boy (on the last page) and it is the mother who looks on lovingly.simply a wonderful, cozy book, if ever there was one. ... Read more