Book Description

Generations of children have read, re-read, and loved Ezra Jack Keats's award-winning, classic stories about Peter and his neighborhood friends. Now, for the first time, Peter's Chair, A Letter to Amy, and Goggles! are available in paperback exclusively from Puffin."A master of ingenious collages, [Keats] has made brilliant variegated pictures..."-- The Horn BookEzra Jack Keats (1916-1983) was the beloved author and/or illustrator of over eighty-five books for children. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

another great story with Peter and Willie
My two year old loves Whistle for Willie, and Goggles, both by Ezra Jack Keats. I brought home _A Letter To Amy_ from the library to let him have a look.

_A Letter To Amy_ is the story of Peter, who has an upcoming birthday. He wants to invite Amy with a letter, because she's a special friend. Peter is worried that the boys at his party won't like Amy because she's a girl. He writes a letter to Amy, and tries to mail it.

This book has the same illustration style as Whistle for Willie... very patchy, abstract, and easy to enjoy. The story is great. I know that older kids love Ezra Jack Keats' picture books-- and I'm telling you my 2 year old does, too!

He calls this book AMY BOOK, and we read it over and over again.

ken32

Another Good Story from Ezra Jack Keats
This is a story of Peter who is having a birthday. He writes a special letter to Amy to invite her to the party. The other guests will be boys so he just asked them. As Peter went out to mail his letter Amy almost saw. He was not nice to her and thought see might not come to his party. The day for the party came and finally Amy arrived. The boys didn't like it because a girl was at the party. I thought this book would be a wonderful story to read in my first grade classroom. I could use it for a mini-lesson on how to write invitations and addressing envelopes. Also, it could be used to promote friendships between boys and girls. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Nancy Drew with a cell phone? George an avid Web surfer? Yes, folks, the girl detective has arrived in the 21st century, just in time for a whole new crop of tween readers. In A Race Against Time, Nancy takes on a particularly mean-spirited crime: in the middle of a River Heights bike race for charity, thieves steal tens of thousands of dollars of pledge money. Torn between her desire to finish her leg of the relay and her commitment to solving crimes, our heroine decides she'll do the most good on the case. And off she goes--on bike--to investigate leads all up and down the river. Whether she's trapped in the middle of the night in a shack full of snakes, searching for her missing boyfriend (Ned Nickerson, of course!), or trying to pry information out of the crusty police chief (again), the new and improved Nancy Drew never spins her wheels.

This contemporary series expands on the classic Nancy Drew books by Carolyn Keene, adding new dimensions to the poised teen investigator while retaining her honorable nature and sharp mind--as well as all her old buddies: tomboy George, girly-girl Bess, and sweet Ned. Don't miss number one in the sequence, Without a Trace. (Ages 8 to 12) --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Nancy Must Find the Stolen Money
River Heights is a buzz. It's the annual Biking for Bucks charity race. This is a big event in the city and Nancy and her friends are excited to be part of the two day event. But that's before someone lets Ned's car roll into a creek and lets the air out of their bike tires. But the worst is that the money pledged has been stolen. Now Nancy needs to track down the missing money before the rest of the town finds out that the money is missing.

Having really enjoyed the first book of these relaunches, I decided to give the second a try. Again, I enjoyed the characterizations. This time, I felt the plot was lacking more then the first book. Maybe it's because I'm older then the target audience, but I found the dual plots rather obvious. And the bike ride made little to no sense, especially the race aspect of things.

Over all, I think young kids will enjoy these books, but the lack of decent mysteries will make older kids pass on them for the originals.

Good mystery
In this book, Nancy has to find out who had stolen the money for the River Heights Biking for Bucks charity Race. The mystery and the suspense were great -- better than the first book. Even the characters were more developed. I'm off to read the next one!

I love Nancy Drew!
Nancy is asked to help find a missing horse. At the same time she is starring in a movie made by a college friend. The setting of the movie is an abandoned Victorian house and the stable mysteriously burns down. Other attempts are also made to harass the group. Will Nancy be able to solve these mysteries? You bet ya! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A FANTASTIC MYSTERY/ADVENTURE FOR MIDDLE READERS
THIS IS AN EXCELLENT INTRODUCTION TO THE NEW DANA GIRLS MYSTERY SERIES WRITTEN BY THE SAME AUTHOR OF THE NANCY DREW BOOKS, CAROLYN KEENE.THE PREVIOUS DANA GIRLS STORIES WERE WRITTEN IN THE 1930'S AND INCLUDED 16 BOOKS.THIS NEW DANA SERIES BEGAN IN 1963 WITH THIS PARTICULAR TITLE AND ENDED IN 1979 AFTER THE 15TH BOOK WAS PUBLISHED.THIS BOOK INTRODUCES US TO 2 SISTERS WHO, LIKE NANCY DREW & HER FRIENDS, SOLVE MYSTERIES.THE DANA'S HAVE A SIMILAR FAMILY BACKGROUND AS NANCY, FOR THEY TOO WERE ORPHANED AS CHILDREN. WE MEET FOR THE FIRST TIME THEIR LOVING RELATIVES WHO CARE FOR THEM, ALONG WITH THEIR SUPERSTITIOUS MAID WHO IS FUN TO OBSERVE. MIDNIGHT VISITORS, CLOAKED IN BLACK, AND SECRET PANELS MAKE THIS MYSTERY FUN TO READ.I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS ENTIRE DANA GIRLS SERIES TO INTERESTED READERS BECAUSE MOST PEOPLE ARE SURPRISED TO HEAR THAT KEENE WROTE SOMETHING OTHER THAN NANCY DREW!! ... Read more

Reviews (6)

It Never Held My Interest
This review concerns the original 1952 edition as well as the revised 1968 edition which is a shorter version of the original. Nacy investigates a woman named Mitzi Channing who is selling stolen furs and worthless stock to people. I don't know why the author titled this book "Mystery At The Ski Jump" because skiing and ski jumps have next to nothing to do with the mystery. The mystery is alright, but there isn't much action or suspence. The ending of the book is not bad, but it's another one of those boring "Nancy has nothing to do with actually capturing the criminals and only hears about it after the fact" endings. This is not a book that I'd strongly recommend.

Not the best....
I read this book and it was preatty good, but, I like some of the other Nancy Drew books better than this one. There aren't many parts that have to do with skiing so the title should have been something like "Mystery of the Forest Fur Company". Another thing is that you knew who the bad people were, start to finish. A good book, but I reccomend some of the other Nancy Drew books more than this. (I reccomend all of them :-D)

A Really Good Book!!!!
I thought this book was really good! It is a book for all ages to read. I think that all Nancy Drew books are good!

It's A Great Book!
This book is so great! This book is about Nancy Drew solving a mink mistery. It involves a lady named Mrs. Channing who is selling fake stock and mink stoles.

I think that it was a really exciting book!
I think it was a really good book. The feelings and emotions i it make it so strong. I think any book with Ned Nickerson in it is a really good book. I love being able to read a book and actually feel what and how the characters are feeling, and I could feel how worried everyone was over Nancy's safety. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Yawwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwn!!!!!!!!!!!!
Nancy goes to Hawaii with Bess, George, Ned, Burt, Dave and Hannah at the request of Mr. Sakamaki, a client of Mr. Drew's, to solve a mystery concerning the estate of Sakamaki's grandfather, which Mr. Sakamaki has inhierted. Nothing to rave about with this book. Boring plot. No action. No suspense. Bad writing. Once Nancy and the gang get to Hawaii the book reads like a tour guide. Personally, I wouldn't bother with this one.

This Nancy Drew Book Rocks!!!
I loved this book. I have read other books , but this one is one of the bests I've seen so far! I loved how Carolyn Keene wrote the intrigueing plot! I couldn't stop reading , "The Secret Of The Golden Pavilion" until I was done! I loved the Hawaiian scenery and the suspense! The book had me at the edge of my own bed. I love the ending. Very nice mysteries! Go get THIS book! Your money won't be spoiled! ;)

Secret of the Golden Pavilion
I like this book like every other Nancy Drews. IF you read this book you love it too. I have almost read all the Nancy Drew books. I have known Nancy when I was in 4th grade, but I never really bothered for it. I Started Nancy Drew at the age of 11 and and I really love and at the age of 12 I am reading them all from Book# 1 to Book# 59

Wonderful!!
I thought that this book was very intruiging so I took it off the book shelf.On course,I started reading it I must say that i couldn't stop reading it.It was an exellent book so i read more books from the same Nancy Drew series.I now have the whole collection and I certainly recommend it to everyone.

The Secret Of The Golden Pavilion
This book was neat, in most all the parts. The hula dancer, the scream, and tons more. This was my 3rd book with lots of action, so I couldn't put this book down. I don't think any of you will, either. I won't tell you any more, since it's too exciting to tell. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

The best audio tape/book ever
The audio tape for this book is magical. I grew up listening to it at my grandparents house and it was wonderful to listen to while going to bed. I listened to it almost every night and not once did I grow sick of it. The background music is so soothing and the book really comes alive with voice of the narrator. In short I LOVE it and I would strongly recommend it to everyone, no matter what their age!

Wonderful language, interesting story
Kipling's language is almost poetic. It's meant to be read aloud. When read aloud to a child, say, a beloved girl of six, at bedtime, she stops fidgeting, she listens carefully, she asks questions about what this word means or why the family members are all so mean and have to spank the little elephant with the "'satiable curtiosity." Most of all, she's not bored and she wants to hear it again. And again. And she gets very excited when she finds out that her daddy got the whole series of "Just-So Stories."
I don't know how other children experience this. We're starting to teach our daughter about evolution of species; she asks a lot of questions about what elephants used to look like, and did they really once not have the really long noses they have today? I think she's starting to understand that this is a tall tale, but it's a great springboard for talking about the real-life origin of species (I think this statement is true even if you're trying to raise a creationist child).
Yes, there is a lot of spanking. It didn't seem to upset my daughter, and she's pretty high-strung.
All in all, a nicely rollicking story, and a good introduction to another classic in English-language children's literature.

Results of being nosey
Right after "The Cat who Walked Alone" This has always been my favorite "Just So Story." It is good to see it in an individual book, as it is a little unwieldy as part of a group. This is the story of a curious elephant and how the elephant go its trunk. I can not say much more as the reader needs to experience the story as it unfolds. The pictures add a dimension and do not distract from the words. Rudyard Kipling is a master at this telling. "In the High and Far-Off Times the Elephant, O Best Beloved, had no trunk."

The elephants child
I heard the Elepahnts Child Years ago on Cassette read by Jack Nicholson. It was one of the most incredable things I had heard. It just came alive. The amazing way in which Kipling describes Africa puts it all in full color and gives an interesting perspective from a curious childs point of view in an adult world that is often busy. It is a time period piece that often adults take far too literal. It is important to keep in mind that these stories are legends and should be seen in that point of view, it is usually the adult mind that strays from the illusionary world while the child sees it for the fantasy. Kiplings stories impart wisdom to the child without the child needing have to experienced it themselves. Take a trip to the Limpoopoo trees. It's worth it.

A Childhood Favorite
I remember some 10 years ago when I was 7 or so, I went to a cabin in the woods someplace with my family and my dad's friend Alan. Alan gave me an audiotape of this very story, which I have since lost. I was completely enchanted by the tape then and I still love what little bits of the story I remember.

The spanking nonsense is a crock. If you think reading about a spanking will traumatise a child then you are wrong. It sure did not make me think that spanking is a part of life.

If you have a kid buy him this book; he or she will love it. ... Read more

Book Description

Meet Clorinda!

Life on the farm is everything a cow like Clorinda could want, or so she thought. Then one Election Day, while up at dawn to travel to the distant city to cast her annual ballot, Clorinda is confused by the signs and stumbles into a performance of classical ballet instead. Bewilderment soon gives way to enchantment and she loses her heart to the magic of the dance. Clorinda's dream of becoming a bovine ballerina is set and she's headed for the big-city stage to start her career. Her mottoes, "Be bold and imaginative! Shoot for the sky!"

Robert Kinerk's witty and spirited verses combine with Steven Kellogg's effervescent and expansive artwork to introduce an endearing heroine. Irrepressible Clorinda will inspire standing ovations and cries of "ENCORE!" from picture-book readers of all ages. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Clorinda
This is a delightful book that mesmorized my 3 and 6 year old girls. The illustrations are wonderful as well as the rhyming story. The book is fun and has a wonderful message about working towards reaching a dream. I highly recommend this book. ... Read more

Book Description

Who’s more important than the Queen? Who does she serve? Pembrokeshire corgies, of course! Young Titus is shocked: “Gosh! D’you mean she’ll do whatever we tell her to?” he asks. “Certainly. . . . If you told her in the right way,” replies his mum. And it’s with this knowledge and confidence that Titus works his way to the very top of Her Royal Highness’s affections. But it’s not always an easy place to stay. There are burglars to catch, fires to put out, leaking tubs to attend to, and jealous cousins to deal with. In the end though, it’s the Queen’s edict that matters most: “Titus Rules.”
Full of the humorous antidotes and endearing characters audiences have come to expect, Dick King-Smith will once again enter the imaginations of new readers, filling them with not just a love for young Titus, but a love for reading. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

King Titus
This book is awesome! It is about Titus, the Queen's Corgi, and England. It is funny. I especially like the part where Titus tells the others that the Queen is his servant.

The librarian read this to our second grade class. If you like dogs, queens, England or funny stories, I recommend it.

Warm characterization blends with whimsical humor
John Eastwood provides the engaging illustrations for Titus Rules!, a story of a Queen's favorite dog, and Titus' bravery in keeping on the alert. Warm characterization blends with whimsical humor with a peppering of black and white drawings in this warm story of a brave royal pet. ... Read more

Book Description

Nancy Drew, the classic mystery-solving heroine, returns in these special-issue omnibuseditions. Each collection features three bestselling, classic Nancy Drew mysteries.

The Best of Nancy Drew Classic Collection Volume 1

#1 The Secret of the Old Clock: Nancy Drew’s keen mind is tested when shesearches for a missing will in this mystery that started them all.

#3 The Bungalow Mystery: When one of Nancy’s closest friends suspects herguardians of trying to steal her inheritance, Nancy’s search for clues leads her to an old,abandoned bungalow.

#43 The Mystery of the 99 Steps: Despite warnings from a stranger, Nancy setsout for France to search for a flight of 99 steps that may help solve the mystery of a weirddream and a possible case of blackmail. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

I agree
[....] I liked this book but didn't love it. It was a little predictable as compared to the others in the series.

Trouble at Camp Treehouse by Carolyn Keene
If you like camps you will like this book. It is one of those books that will keep you up a night reading. The "mystery" is not too hard for the recommended age group, but not too childish for an older child to read. ... Read more

Book Description

Kick! Splat! Yuck!

Who let the air out of the soccer ball? WHo added salt to the water on the sidelines? Who put the red glop in the goalie's soccer shoes?

It's gooey. It's gross. It's not fair. Soccer is supposed to be a kick. But somebody's being a drag. Nancy Drew wants to know who's playing the silly games with herthird grade soccer team! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

I think it was a goood book from my school library
I think it was a good book, but when Nancy found clues in all the books that I've read, it was the most interesting. One that I really liked was called the "Sercret at Solaire".I read alot of Nancy Drew books from my school library.But the Soccer Shoe Clue was one of the best. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

One Of The Last Of The Good Nancy Drews
This review concerns the original 1953 edition and the revised 1969 edition. Nancy goes on the trail of the ruthless Velvet Gang, bold criminals that steal valuable jewels and art from the homes of wealthy people while the owners are throwing parties. The gang members use velvet masks to conceal their identities. This was a very good book that kept me interested from begining to end. The book is well-written (the original, at least) and is loaded with action. George is kidnapped, as are Nancy and Bess and Nancy is constantly coming face-to-face with the gang. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and I highly recommend it to all fans of Nancy Drew.

The Decline of Nancy Drew
Although the revised editions of the Nancy Drew books never lived up to the originals in my opinion, the writing was always decent...But then around volumes #27-#30, it really started to decline,and became what I call poor quality. It seemed as if the writer('s) really did'nt care what thier readers would think of thier work, just as long a they got thier pay check, they were happy. And the art is atroucious! The cover paintings arent too bad, but its the illustrations inside the books that really show the lazziness of the artist. I really liked the original illustrater's (which was Russel Tandy) approach. He would first actually read the whole book before going to work, unlike Nappi who would doodle a few pencil drawings that looked as if they came from a generic color book from Big Lots... I dispies this garbage...

The amazing review of The Clue of the Velvet Mask
I enjoyed this book. I have always liked Nancy Drew books because they are easy to understand. While you are reading this book you can expect Nancy to solve the crime. You can also expect her to get in some sort of trouble. I conclude that if you are a Nancy Drew fan, you will like this particular book.

Another Winning Nancy Drew Book
As always, Carolyn Keene comes through with another winning Nancy Drew book! The pages will fly as you race to the thrilling conclusion! ... Read more

Book Description

I'm always up for a good mystery, but when the big question is what I should get Dad for his birthday, I don't have a clue! And then another mystery comes my way -- one that involves Heather Simmons, a leading candidate in the upcoming election for mayor of River Heights. My friends and I are pretty sure that her daughter Leslie, musician extraordinaire, has been kidnapped. But the thing is, nobody is saying a word about it!

It's hard to crack a case like this when no one will even admit that one exists. But I won't let a little thing like that stop me when I smell trouble.... ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Everything old is new again
I picked this book up with some trepidation. Nancy has survived many things over the years- the rewrites,the move to Simon & Schuster (who seemed determined to burn her out to make short term money) the DREADFUL college series, the soft core Casefiles-and it's nice to see she's back to being as close to Mildred Wirt Benson's Nancy as one could hope.

I have some reservations about the first person narrative. And it is VERY annoying that George is a nickname for "Georgia" when the originals stated that George was named George because her dad wanted a son. Making Bess a gearhead is also stretching things a bit but these are minor irritations.

It's nice to see good old reliable Ned back and to have a Nancy who is not perfect. Trixie Belden (thankfully also getting a new lease on life) was always lovable because she was flawed.

Some of the vocabulary in the new Drews seems to be lifted from the 50s versions but I would rather see Nancy err on the side of grammar than be forced to hear her use gangsta flavored words.

In short, this series was touted as updating Nancy and making her edgy. The edge is a delightful surprise- she's back to how she was when the series was at its peak. No sex, no messy romance, just an icon solving formulaic mysteries in a way that will hopefully delight new generations of readers. ... Read more

Book Description

Illus. in full color. "This grandma must be the least conventional

grandparent in all of children's books. Khalsa's paintings are

splendid--primitive folk art meets Coney Island. The childlike point-of-view is

right on the mark."--Publishers Weekly.




... Read more

Reviews (3)

Extremely poignant for a children's book
I picked up the book in the library and began reading for the strange title...By the end I was just in tears at the wonderful story and reminded me of my grandma and my relationship with her.Great story that is entertaining for both adults and children, and hopefully will encourage children to cherish their time with their grandma.

Grandma didn't let any grass grow under her toes
This is a very sweet reminiscence of the author's immigrant grandma, who embraced life fully.She played poker with Dutch Schultz's gang while her plumber husband fixed their toilets.While she cared for the author as a child she passed along the wisdom she'd accumulated.Advice like "Never, ever go into the woods alone because the gypsies will get you or, should you escape that cruel fate, you'll fall down a hole." Or, "Just in case the Cossacks come to Queens, learn to say 'Da' and always keep plenty of borscht in the refrigerator." As a senior citizen she took the train from New York to California, where she could always find a poker game.When the author was old enough, she taught her to play poker as well. The author's illustrations of the way she imagined her grandmother's stories are a delight.Loving respect informs every page.The author was lucky to have such a grandma, and we are lucky to share her story.

Another Romany stereotype
One illustration in this otherwise innocent tale clearly depicts Gypsies as "wood people" who, the text says, will "take" children if they wander into the forest. It is unfortunate to see suchblatant stereotyping--in an age when the Romany (Gypsy) population ofEastern Europe is the target of more hate crime than at any time since theHolocaust. It's too bad that so many children's authors remain completelyinsensitive to the slavery and poverty suffered by the Rom. Discerningreaders can help by avoiding books that include any kind of sterotyping. Alyssa A. Lappen ... Read more

Amazon.com

What are the poor villagers to do? The holiday-hating, hill-dwelling hobgoblins are bound and determined to ruin yet another Hanukkah for them. Every year the beasties snuff out the menorah candles, destroy the dreidels, and pitch the potato latkes on the floor. But these wicked wet blankets never counted on someone as clever as Hershel of Ostropol showing up. Using his wits and a few props--pickles, eggs, and a dreidel (a square-shaped top with Hebrew letters on each side)--Hershel manages to outwit all the creepy critters and break the spell. This fabulously creative adaptation of the ancient Hanukkah story in which the Syrians forbade the Jews to worship as they wanted, keeps the spirit of the original while adding a spine-tingling twist. Warmth and humor prevail, even in the midst of hopeless-looking circumstances. Award-winning illustrator Trina Schart Hyman creates lively and witty pictures that pair perfectly with Eric Kimmel's words to create this Caldecott Honor Book. (Ages 4to 8) --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Best Hanukkah book we've read, and great for Halloween.
We check this out every year, and now that it's in paperback, we're buying it! The text and vocabulary are suitable for preschool/kindergarten, yet interesting to parents as well. The wonderful drawings cover the pages. The goblins are horrible, yet not frightening. The main character, Hershel, defeats the goblins with brains, not brawn. Just great

Hershel is a hilarious Hanukkah trickster tale!
"Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins" is one of those rare books that immediately captures the attention of students from the minute I begin reading it aloud, and they can't wait to hear (and see) what develops at each page turn. This is one where the illustrations get, and deserve, equal standing with the animated and atmospheric storyline.

In our predominantly Gentile elementary school, it helps to explain dreidels, latkes, and the lighting of the menorah candles for eight nights before commencing. But then the fun begins. This Hershel falls into the tradition of great trickster tales where he uses his quick wit and careful planning to outsmart the goblins (as well as THE KING OF THE GOBLINS) so that he can light the Hanukkah candles each night.

This book is a complete delight, and a humorous way to introduce the festival of Hanukkah to our many Gentile students. Like another reviewer here, I have a great deal of fun using various voices to bring this tale to life.

Great for all!
This book is probably my favorite book from childhood. and I'm not even Jewish! My class would always request to have our teacher read us this story. It was just sooooo good. So even if you don't celibrate Hanukkah or are even of Jewish heritage get this book for your child. They will love it and it will inform them of other cultures of the world as well.
done.

hershel and the hanukkah goblns
Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins by: Trina Hyman was * * * * * stars
It was the first night of Hanukkah and Hershel of Ostropol was walking down the road. When he got there he knew he would have been treated with potato latkes , games, and bright candles, But there was none. Hershel asked the village people why there was no Hanukkah, "They said the goblins haunt the old synagogue and they hate Hanukkah."
Hershel decided to defeat the goblins and let them allow Hanukkah, but were the goblins to strong and powerful. That's the best part, read this book and find out what happens to Hershel.

One of the best Hanukkah stories ever!
I admit that I find it somewhat of a relief to read a children's book about Hanukkah that isn't yet another retelling of the original Hanukkah story of the ancient Jewish military and spiritual victory over Greek and Syrian opressors. Eric Kimmell's 'Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins' is unusual in that regard, but absolutely true to the spirit of the holiday. Hanukkah is about many things, but perhaps most importantly, about keeping the light of goodness and truth burning despite the darknesses and terrors of life. Few books, especially those written for children, reflect that view as well as this book does.

Tired and hungry, the wandering beggar Hershel of Ostropol arrives in a small village on the first night of Hanukkah and is eager to join the celebrations. But the villagers are terrified of Hanukkah - their synagogue is haunted by goblins who will not let the villagers celebrate the holiday and who make their lives miserable. Hershel, of course, is certain he can help, and volunteers to spend all eight nights of Hanukkah in the haunted synagogue. The task that Hershel must take on is truly daunting. He not only has to light the Hanukkah candles every night despite the goblins' efforts to stop him, but on the last night the King of the Goblins himself must light the candles! ...

There is also a brief postscript that talks about the origins of Hanukkah, and the PROPER way to play dreidel!

Trina Schart Hyman has been one of my favorite illustrators since I was a child.... Her cartoon-like style is instantly recognizable, and her illustrations perfectly capture both Hershel's personality and the whimsy and the terror of the situations he gets into. The goblins, although ugly, are more comic than scary, but the King of the Goblins is truly horrifying (probably because we never actually see him up close). Still, I wouldn't worry about the book giving children any nightmares, especially if their parents talk to them about it.

If you are Jewish, this is an essential addition to your child's library -or even your own! Frankly, the messages of conquering evil through brains, humor, courage and faith (as opposed to brute strength) are valuable for children and adults of any faith or ethnic background. ...[I agree when it is said] that this is just as good a story for Halloween as it is for Hanukkah, as well as a good way to introduce Hanukkah to non-Jewish children. Not to mention, as several teachers and librarians have pointed out here, it must be a delight to read this to a young child, with all the different funny voices one can put on for the goblins. This would have been perfect material for an animated TV special - what a pity one wasn't made.

By the way, Hershel of Ostropol (1747-1811) was actually a real person - he was sort of a 'court jester' to the Hasidic rebbe Borukh of Mezhbizh. While 'Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins' is fiction (I assume!), there are many true stories about Herschel which have been told over and over again, and can be found in Jewish folktale collections. Actually, Kimmel himself wrote a marvelous book called 'The Adventures of Hershel of Ostropol', also illustrated by Hyman. It's an excellent further step to take if you want to know more about one of the greatest Jewish tricksters of all time, or even just to read some really delightful stories. Wait till you see how the wily Hershel gets the better of a really stupid robber... ... Read more

Book Description

Pinkerton seems lonely.So his young owner goes to the pet show to find him a friend.She returns with a kitten named Rose, who could be the ideal playmate for Pinkerton.But Rose has ideas of her own.She wants to be a Great Dane, and suddenly Pinkerton decides to start acting like a kitten.So Pinkerton, Rose and their owners go back to the pet show to seek professional advice, but what results is a crazy and comical adventure!

"A zesty tale that is delivered with splendid flourish . . . Funny and well-paced [with] dexterous illustrations." (Booklist, starred review) ... Read more

Reviews (4)

A Rose For Pinkerton
"A Rose For Pinkerton," is about a relationship between a cat and a dog. This fun, loving, caring, and adventurous book goes through the feelings Pinkerton and Rose(main characters) have. It shows the consequences of their actions whether they are good or bad. This is a greta book that can teach children about the responsibilities of having a pet.

My kids love Pinkerton!
My two daughters insist on having this book read to them every night! They are young enough that it took a while for them to understand about the "thought bubbles" that show what Rose and Pinkerton are thinking, but they loved the illustrations of Rose as a Great Dane. I think they like Pinkerton because he's big, but he's cuddly and not threatening. It's fun to explore the pages and name all the pets they see. My four-year-old wanted to give this book a six-star rating, she likes it so much!

Loving it for almost 15 years!
A Rose for Pinkerton was one of my very first favorite books when I was a little girl. I can remember looking at all the pictures and simply adoring every detailed scene in it, wondering how a person could be as imaginative in thought as I was. I just want to thank the author so very much for writing a book so full of creativity and life that a little girl fell in love with and is still to this day. Thank you for bringing happiness and light to my life with your book. :>

A dozen roses for Steven Kellog
A Rose for Pinkerton is more fun than a boxful of kittens. The illustrations are lavish and reward careful scrutiny. (A display of "small and quiet pets" includes clams, snails, and fruit.) If you don't have a child, borrow one, and read A Rose for Pinkerton. ... Read more

Book Description

Snow is falling. All the animals are fast asleep in their animal homes. They awake. They open their eyes. They sniff. They run. What will they find?

Reviews (1)

A single flower blooming in the woods brings joy.
A short children's book about animals hibernating in the winter yet who come out to see a happy sight, a flower growing in the middle of the snow. Spring must be near! The book was a 1950 Caldecott Honor book (i.e., a runner-up to the Medal winner) for best illustration in a children's book. ... Read more