Book Description

Who goes to the circus and rides on the back of a horse—and on the back of the ringmaster, too? Who walks the tightrope and does better tricks than any acrobat? And who dares to lift Adolf, the strongest man in the world? Why it's Pippi Longstocking, of course. No one's ever seen a circus like this before, because when Pippi goes to the show, she doesn't just watch, she takes over!The Pippi Longstocking storybooks, excerpted from the original novels with Astrid Lindgren's assistance, are perfect for young readers and listeners just getting ready to enter the amazing, crazy world of Pippi and her friends. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A really good Pippi book!
This is a really good Pippi Longstocking book! It's not so many girls that's strong as her... and not many boys either. In this book she and her friends goes to the circus, and Pippi really likes it. It's so funny when she shows the strong man that shes stronger than him... Almost every one loves Pippi, cause she's so charming and nice. And al the Pippi books can be read by both children and grown upps. I can really recomend this book. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Pippi Longstocking's long red braids are the very image of childhood rebellion. In Pippi Goes to School, our heroine's insurrectionary spirit is hardly dampened by her first taste of academe. Her friends Tommy and Annika head off bright and early at 8 a.m., "hand in hand, swinging their schoolbags." Pippi can't be bothered to get going until a little later: "At exactly ten o'clock she lifted her horse off the front porch, and a little later all the people in the town ran to their windows to see what horse it was that was running away." It's just Pippi headed for school in her own inimitable fashion. The teacher's vain attempts to teach her math and art and music fail miserably. When asked to add 7 and 5, she retorts, "If you don't know that yourself, you needn't think I'm going to tell you." It's not that Pippi's naughty, it's just that she has her own way of doing things. At the end of the day, it's she who's consoling the exhausted teacher: "You understand, Teacher, don't you, that when you have a mother who's an angel and father who's a cannibal king, and when you have sailed on the ocean all your whole life, then you don't know just how to behave in school." This slender paperback picture book is neatly adapted from the Astrid Lindgren classic Pippi Longstocking, with assistance from Lindgren herself. Michael Chesworth's lively, modernized illustrations make clever reference to the original edition, without being slavish. (Ages 4 to 8)--Claire Dederer ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Supper
This book is supper ! I love Pippi ! I have her Video and DVD. She is the smartest girl in the whole world ! When she got in shool she starts jumping on the desks ! Because she din't know what to do in shool. I really recomend it to buy this book.

Excellent!
This is a marvelous way to introduce young readers to the fabulous world of Pippi Longstocking! The illustrations are delightful and the stories are rollicking and full of fun!

okay
This book, I had thought when I bought it, had a good plot. Key word there? Thought! ... Read more

Book Description

In the second book in the Guardiana Of Ga'Hoole series, Soren, Gylfie, Twilight, and Digger travel to the Great Ga'Hoole Tree, a mythical place where an order of owls rises each night to perform noble deeds. Soren and his group are seeking help to fight the evil they discovered in the owl world (in Guardians #1). After a harrowing journey, they arrive at the Great Ga'Hoole Tree and learn they will need to stay to receive training from the Ga'Hoolian elders. During his time at the Great Ga'Hoole Tree, Soren finds (and then loses) a great mentor and he is reunited with his beloved sister. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

I can't stop reading this series
I liked this book because it was very interesting and had a great plot. What made this story terrific were the characters. Soren, Gylfie, Twilight, and Digger were amazing. They fight of enemies rescue owlets and everything else owls do. The four main characters really made this story awesome. My favorite part of the book is when Soren flies into a forest fire to retrieve coals for the great Ga'hoole tree. That's just one of the great parts. I can't wait to read the third book of this series.

This book is about a band of owls that are sent out to find the great Ga'hoole tree because they lost their families. At the Ga'hoole tree owls go out each night to perform noble deeds. When they arrive they are given their own hollow. Soon they will be put into chaws. A chaw is a group of owls who perform noble deeds like the search and rescue chaw. A weird thing happens to this search and rescue chaw, injured owlets start popping out of nowhere. They happen to come upon a strange owl that looks just like Soren. The owl is Soren's sister, Eglantine. When that is done one of the owls is missing, Ezylryb, Soren teacher wasn't there. Soren and his sister are sent out to find him.

People who like adventure and a little fantasy should read this book for sure.Teenager should also read this book because there are some hard words.

a great book
One of the best books I ever read was The Journey. This book is a sequel to another great book, The Capture. It is an adventure book.
This book is about an owl called Soren and his friends, Gylfie, Twilight, and Digger. They fly to the safest place for owls, The Ga'hool Tree. The band of owls make new friends. Soren is put into a weather class where they have to fly through storms. Twilight and Digger were put into a rescue class where they have to save owls. When Soren has to fly through a big storm, he doesn't think he can make it. read the book to find out what happens to Soren.
I recommend this book to anyone who likes owls and adventures.

A beautifully and sensitively written book.
As they travel towards the Island of Hoole and the mythic Great Ga'Hoole Tree, Soren the barn owl and his traveling companions discover that there are many wondrous places in the lands of the Southern Kingdoms. They encounter a number of obstacles, which they face together as a band. Each member of the band contributes something and has some degree of strength that comes to the fore in times of trouble or stress.

After many adventures and frightening experiences, the young owls at last find the island that rests in the Sea of Hoolemere. They also learn that the Ga'Hoole tree is no myth. It exists and is even more remarkable in reality than any tale made it out to be. Soon, Soren and his friends are part of the extraordinary community of owls that live within the tree.

In this beautifully and sensitively written book, Kathryn Lasky has continued to build on the world she created in Book One, where owls are a very elite group of birds, proud and separate from the other animals. In no time, the reader is caught up in a story where both dreadful and wonderful things happen. As Soren struggles to understand his new environment, he slowly begins to learn that there is more to life than just what he sees, hears and touches. Soren's realization about his own abilities is an exceptionally strong and powerful element in THE JOURNEY. There is also the discovery by the owls that live in the Great Ga'Hoole Tree that something truly dreadful is happening to the baby owls in the Southern Kingdoms. We are left hanging, wanting to know what this evil is, and at the same time fearing for the welfare of these owls.

Because the owls possess both strengths and weaknesses, readers will have no problems identifying with, and growing fond of, the characters that Kathryn Lasky has created.

--- (...)

Great Glaux!
This is the second in the series of the Guardian's of Ga'hoole. Soren, Gylfie, Twilight, and Digger are searching for the legendary Ga'hoole Tree. Here they might find help as to what can stop St. Aegolius'.

On the way, the run across a wounded owl that tells them about something far worse than the Academy for Orphaned Owls. Will the band find the Tree, and find out what this terror is? Find out by reading the second in this great series!

Guardians of Ga'Hoole, The Journey
The Journey is about a barn owl named Soren, a elf owl named Gylfie, a great gray owl named Twilight, and a burrowing owl named Digger are on there way to the Great ga'Hoole Tree. on the way they kill a bocat, fly in a blizzard, andfly to the Ice Narrows. when he and his friends get there they sepate in to chaws( teams). Soren gets into the weather-interpretation and colliering chaw with Ezylyb as his ryb( teacher). One day three owls leave on a mission and Ezylybthatwas on the mission, never back. One day Digger, Twilight, and a other owl went on a mission to find owlets that fell out of their nest's and foun Soren's little sister Eglantine on the ground saying Tytos. When they got her to the tree Soren was scared for his sister. Later that night Madame Plonk sang with her beautiful voice while the snakes played the harp. Eglantine became herself again and Soren said," I will go find Ezylyb tomrrow. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (1)

Stunning illustrations!A must for Pippi and Astrid fans!
I bought this book only for the illustrations.In fact, I gave hardly any consideration to what the writing would be like, but both writing andillustrations were a treat.

First, I'll go to the illustrations becausethey are the most novel thing about this book.This is the first PippiLongstocking book every to be published in the US with the originalillustrations by the (obviously) talented Ingrid Vang Nyman.Her picturesare amazingly bright and cheery.Great amounts of reds and yellows, blues,and greens were used.It doesn't seem like there was a dull color on herpallate.The colors on the cover are pretty much the only colors usedthroughout the book and the result is breathtaking.Now, don't get mewrong.I'm not saying this is the Sistine Chapel or anything, but thepictures are so simple looking, clean cut, and almost "primitive" (that isn't really the proper word I'm looking for, but anyway...).I waspersistently amazed on Ingrid Nyman's attention to detail.Her scenesfocus on the main characters and there actions, but if you look around thescenes, the detail is wonderful!

Most of Astrid Lindgren's writing inthe book won't be new to her fans, but the way she changes it is verypleasing.It is just perfect for young readers.I know that this isminute point that most people probably won't notice, but I loved the wayAstrid Lindgren pulled the story from its original books into presenttense.I felt much more inside the story this way and this shows hermastery and skill at writing for children of all ages.

This ismust-have for Astrid Lindgren and Pippi Longstocking fans and perfect forthose kids whom you want to know Pippi.At the moment, there are two waysin book-form to introduce kids to Pippi, the "Pippi LongstockingStorybooks" from Viking Press and this book.Although the intentionsof Viking are admirable (indeed, the way they handled it is excellent), itdoesn't fit for the age bracket that this book targets.Now, you can startchildren off on this book, lead them to The Pippi Longstocking Storybooks,and they're well on their way to reading the three classics! ... Read more

Book Description

Miss Suzy is a little gray squirrel who lives happily in her oak-tree home until she is chased away by some mean red squirrels. Poor Miss Suzy is very sad. But soon she finds a beautiful dollhouse and meets a band of brave toy soldiers.

How Miss Suzy and the soldiers help each other makes a gentle, old-fashioned tale that has captured the imaginations of girls and boys alike for forty years. Arnold Lobel's enchanting pictures are sure to make the kind squirrel and the gallant soldiers the everlasting friends of all who turn these pages. ... Read more

Reviews (59)

I read this book to my two daughters over and over and over.
This has to be my daughters' favorite book while growing up. We read Miss Suzy so many times I had it memorized. I have to admit I loved it as much as they did. Miss Suzy handles herself very well when confronted by the band of red squirrels. She was a positive role model (if you can say that about a squirrel) for my girls. I'd love to present my niece with a copy of this delightful book.

My Long Lost Friend...Miss Susy
I loved this book as a child. I even have a Miss Suzy stuffed squirrel that I have given to my son. I would love to read him the tale of Miss Suzy but I haven't found the book though I have looked many places. Please help me to pass on this wonderful tale to my little one.

My all time favorite
This was my all time favorite book as a child. It was my sister's favorite and my brother's favorite too so that shows how very wonderful it is. It's all about this poor little squirrel and the awful things that happen to her but nothing breaks her spirit and she is content. My parents bought us three copies of this book off of ebay a couple of years ago and I must recommend that everyone buy it for their child. I didn't know that there were more Miss Suzy books but I plan on buying them for my son now that I know!! Please read, it's truly a wonderful book.

I am excited to hear this book is being reissued
My Mom used to read this book to me when I was little. I loved it and exicted that I can share this wonderful story with my niece and nephews. This story has timeless quality about it.
I remember this book fondly.

favorite of mine for 35 years
When I was a little girl, my mom read this bood to me almost everynight. It was one of my favorites. Now I read it to my children almost everynight. Miss Suzy is about a squirrel who loves her tree house, but is chased out. She makes the best of her situation. She befriends toy soldiers along the way. The soldiers chase the squirrels away and then Miss Suzy goes back home.
This is the perfect story to read to kids before bedtime. It will give them warm fuzzys and a cozy dreams. ... Read more

Book Description

·he best-selling The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is now available in a new Spanish-language edition ... Read more

Book Description

Cowboy Small takes good care of his horse, Cactus. In return, Cactus helps Cowboy Small get work done on the range. Together they round up cattle for branding and live the good life. At night, Cowboy Small eats at the chuck wagon, sings with his friends, and sleeps under the stars.

... Read more

Reviews (5)

Wonderful first story book
My 2-year old son and I just checked "Cowboy Small" out of the library. Couldn't believe my luck in finding this book! This is the first story book that's held my son's interest past the first few pages and all the way to the end and back again, and I mean backwards through every page.

My son is into horses in a big way right now and one of his favorite movies is "The Cowboys" with John Wayne and Bruce Dern. (A few bad parts we skip through.) Amazingly, the book and movie are very similar is many aspects: chuck wagon, sleeping out, campfire, cattle drive/roundup, playing guitar, and breaking a horse in a round pen with the cowboys sitting on the top rail -- right out of the movie!

Lois Lenski's a national treasure. Why didn't I know about him before? And where are the greeting cards and window valances and sheets? Half joking here, but I wouldn't mind getting my son some Cowboy Small sheets when he moves to a big-boy bed. ;)

An old favorite
My son is now 15 years old, but I still remember the many times that I had to borrow Cowboy Small from the local library so we could read about his adventures. We would act out the things that Cowboy Small would do over and over. I am trying to find an original version for Christmas, but maybe this will do.

Yippee! Yippee! Yippee!
I read this book to my two year old, and we both love it! I think he loves it because hearing about a cowboy doing adventurous things probably appeals to the little boy in him, and I love it for the nostalgia (you don't see cowboy cartoons or serials these days), for the beginner education about who cowboys are and what they do, and the simple, clear illustrations.

One word of caution: don't expect to glean any character lessons or underlying meanings from this book. This Lenski book is mostly just factual and fun!

A favorite of a 3 year old cowgirl
This is a classic book that our almost 3 year old daughter loves to look at again and again. She has learned many new words (curry, saddle, spurs, saddlehorn, etc.), has memorized most of the text, and is very attached to anything related to horses. The text is simple, the illustrations are wonderful, and the story is charming. Our daughter has lots of books and this is one that she seeks out from among all the others in her bookshelf. You'll love it too.

My Buckeroo Loves Cowboy Small
My 3-year old got this book for Christmas. He was so taken with it that (of course) we had to read it four times in a row before bed. Then he had to take his stick horse to bed with him in a sleeping bag (or his bedroll, as Cowboy Small would say)and lie on the floor to "look at the stars." The words are simple and the pictures are wonderful. A great book for any little cowboy or cowgirl. ... Read more

Book Description

Gooney Bird Greene knows exactly where she likes to be: "right smack in the middle of everything." Sure enough, her colorful fashion sense, exuberant personality, and "absolutely true" stories land her at the center of attention most of the time, but as Mrs. Pidgeon"s second grade class prepares for their Thanksgiving pageant, the lead role of Squanto is still up for grabs. And so is the role of Room Mother, but with each of the children"s parents already overloaded, there are no volunteers to bring cupcakes to their play. So Gooney Bird promises to find one—in exchange for the lead. There"s just one catch: the person she convinces to be Room Mother insists on remaining incognito. As the class struggles to decorate the mural, make costumes, and learn their songs for the play, the suspense builds: will the pageant be a success? And who is their mysterious Room Mother?

Two-time Newbery Award–winning author Lois Lowry has once again captured the eager energy of an elementary school classroom and the hilarious antics and anecdotes of its students, especially those of the irrepressible Gooney Bird Greene herself. In her second literary appearance, Gooney Bird is back with more "absolutely true" stories to tell, more tips for her fellow aspiring storytellers, and a few challenging vocabulary words to share, too. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Gooney Bird Delights!
Gooney Bird Greene is a precocious second grader who loves to be "right smack in the middle of everything." Gooney has her own colorful and unusual sense of fashion, which includes wearing mismatched socks, elbow-length gloves, straw hats with flowers and silver wet-look ski pants. Her high-spirited personality stands out when she's telling her "absolutely true" stories, and she has no problem being the center of attention. This is a youngster with incredible self-esteem.

Gooney Bird also shares a few challenging vocabulary words with her class and obtains dictionaries for every class member so they can check out the meaning of new words.

Mrs. Pidgeon's class also needs a room mother. But with all the children's parents otherwise occupied, no parents are prepared to bring cupcakes to the Thanksgiving pageant. Gooney Bird promises to find a room mother if she is given the lead in the Thanksgiving pageant. There is also another rule: The room mother will remain incognito.

The suspense builds as we wait to learn if the Thanksgiving pageant is a success and who is the mysterious room mother.

Gooney Bird and the Room Mother is a charming book that 6-to-10-year-olds will read again and again. Gooney Bird is comical; her teacher is every child's dream teacher. And the room mother, well you'll have to read the book to learn about the room mother. ... Read more

Book Description

Illus. in full color. "While other mice are gathering food for the winter, Frederick seems to daydream the summer away. When dreary winter comes, it is Frederick the poet-mouse who warms his friends and cheers them with his words."--Wilson Library Bulletin. ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Frederick understands quality of life....
Frederick seems to be lazy and self-centered. However, he is the free spirit, the artist, the dreamer, the one who stops to smell the roses. When winter comes, he shares all the richness he saved up, bringing warmth to everyone else's heart and soul and teaching us to appreciate diversity. Great for Fall themes, enrichment for mammal themes (mice) or seasons, and for teaching us to look for the value in others, even when it is hard to find. I love this book and use it in many different ways with many different ages of children.

Fredreick shows us the value of poetry and the arts.
This children's book is about a field mouse named Frederick who discovers he is a poet. All the other field mice are working hard to prepare for winter; but, Frederick seems to daydream all the time. When winter comes we see the value of his daydreaming and the importance of poetry and the arts. The book was a 1968 Caldecott Honor book (i.e., a runner-up to the Medal winner) for best illustrations in a book for children. I recommend the book highly.

a must-read for all children
I am happy to read among the reviews that this book has been as important in other people's childhoods as it was in mine. I never owned the book but would borrow it from the library every single week. I could cite Fredericks poem at the end of the book and the story never lost its appeal. I purchased it for myself when I was 22 and I am happy I did.

Leo Lionni has the rare gift of creating a wonderful story with little means, keeping it simple and yet rich. A review complained how this book doesn't promote children to do their chores, and I don't think this person has understood the book, which is sad. Lionni does not intend to moralize, he only wants to show that there are many things that are important in life. Food is important, but so is hope. Frederick is just the mouse who can bring back hope in his fellow mice when all hope seems to be lost. He fills their hearts with warmth and sunshine when he tells them to closer their eyes, imagine the warmth of the sun and the colors of spring. How can you not think this is a beautiful book??

Frederick nurtures the soul
In this world where our children and grandchildren are being pressured to "produce more, bigger, better, faster" -- in this world of buzzwords like "measurable results" -- Frederick is a haven of comfort and food for the child's imaginitive soul. For all of those children and parents who have a dreamer's spirit and a poet's soul, this is a lovely book. I read it to my chidren, and now that I have grandkids coming along I have bought copies for each of them.

Disappointed
After reading this book to my young daughter for the first time, I was very disappointed. The story of Frederick is the opposite of Aesop's fable about the Ant and the Grasshopper. Aesop showed the importance of doing one's job and what is required from them in order to live. Frederick showed that one can do their own thing, regardless weather or not others are dependant on them. I suppose this book is repesentative of modern day; an age in which it seems an increasing number of individuals are refusing to take responsibility for their actions. It celebrates life, but shows that doing your chores is unimportant. ... Read more

Amazon.com

"I look up now into the oval mirror and see barely a trace of the mud-splattered girl tearing through the woodland on her horse, or the barefoot girl wading at Schonbrunn... I have become what Mama set out for me to be. Majestic. A Dauphine and eventually a Queen."

So writes the headstrong 13-year-old Maria Antonia--future Queen of France--in her diary on October 23, 1769. In this engrossing addition to the Royal Diaries series (Elizabeth I: Red Rose of the House of Tudor, Cleopatra VII: Daughter of the Nile), Kathryn Lasky invents a diary of the young Marie Antoinette in 1769--the year she is to be married off to Dauphin Louis Auguste, eldest grandson of the French king Louis XV. Arranged marriages were common in that day and age--as the Empress Theresa (of the Holy Roman Empire of the Germanic Nations) sought to consolidate power among nations by marrying off her children. Thus, the future of Austria and France falls upon Maria Antonia's young shoulders.

To prepare her for this awesome responsibility, she must be trained to write, read, speak French, dress, act... even breathe.Things get even more grim as she is shipped off to the court of Versailles and introduced to her puffy, awkward future husband and confronted with the court's ridiculous customs. Marie--an opinionated and insightful young woman--mocks the court of "impeccable etiquette and manners" that makes up nasty rhymes about those they hate, but panics when her hair is mussed. Lasky has done an excellent job of creating a very human character in the young Marie Antoinette--one whom young readers will want to learn more about. Fortunately, her story is given plenty of context with an epilogue describing the history of the young Queen after 1769, a historical note offering an 18th-century context, a Habsburg-Bourbon family tree, and various portraits of the royal family. (Ages 9 to 13) --Karin Snelson ... Read more

Reviews (82)

A look at Marie Antoinette as a vulnerable young girl.
The year is 1769; the place, Austria. The pressure is on thirteen-year-old Maria Antonia, youngest daughter of the Empress Maria Theresa, to excell so that she will be chosen to marry the future king of France. Antonia, as she is called, must learn French language, fashions, customs, and etiquette so that she can impress the king's messengers. She is given no time to act her age; when she does attempt to enjoy life as a girl should, she is severely punished. When she is sent away to France, her life is little better - she makes enemies of the mistress of the current king, who is the grandfather of her husband-to-be. She is forced to observe customs she can barely keep straight. And she is having a hard time getting along with her fiance. I viewed Marie Antoinette differently after reading this book. It was obvious from the book and the afterword that Marie and her husband were not trained well by their parents and teachers on how to become good rulers, and Marie had been taught from the time she was young that the most important thing was to look good. This is most likely why they became such bad rulers and ended up losing their lives.

The Last Dauphine of France
"Marie Antoinette, Princess of Versailles" is a wonderful edition of the Royal Diary Series. Kathryn Lasky went all out on research and detail.

Born Maria Antonia, Marie Antoniette was the daughter of the Empress Maria Theresa of Habsburg. This book recalls her years before and during the early parts of her marriage with the Dauphin, Louis Auguste (soon to be Louis XVI). She loses many friends on her journey to become the future Queen of France, not knowing she would be the last.

This time in her life, depicts Antonia's (affectionately named by her mother and austrian friends) childhood in a naive carefree way such as it is with many young rich royals. The fussing of her marriage to Louis Auguste. The politics and the resentment given to Madame Du Barry, mistress of Louise Auguste's grandfather, King Louis XV. Lasky tells all, the culture, the fashion, the politics, and the ridiculous etiquette of the court at Versailles.

Marie Antoniette could have been a spoiled child as many thought but she was all too naive about the realistic world. She could have very well turned into that rueful Queen because of the arstictocrats and hypocrites at Versailles. Even though the story has 'happy' beginning, Toinette (affectionately named by Louis Auguste) will lead a tragic life to uprise the revolution of France and to end the French Moncarchy.

Perfectly FUN!
i thought this book was wonderful,very descriptive!! it is a fun,light summer read. It really describeS all the lavish clothes and crazy fashions of the time.

Best book ever!
This is a wonderful story! Is makes a great summer reading chalange! It really gives you a feel for the time, and how you would feel if you were in her shoes. I would recomend this book to any one who was looking for historical fiction. Best for pre-teen to teen

Get this book if you love history
I loved this book! It felt like I was really there and intimately knew Marie Antoinette as a young girl back in time. A great book for young girls interested in history. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (35)

A painfully honest account of one man's conversion
This is not a novel and not really an autobiography, but rather a first-hand account of one man's journey from atheism to a belief in God (Christianity came much later and is not covered in this book--for that read his many religious works). I discovered this little gem while living and working as a graduate student in Scotland, at a time when I was neck-deep in the pit of atheism and feeling almost totally lost. I don't know why I was moved to take it off the shelf and buy it, but it was to be only the first of Lewis's books that I read. It's still my favorite because its theme is so close to me.

What makes Lewis's book so remarkable is its unashamed honesty and willingness to shed all masks in the face of reality, no matter how unpleasant or frightening that reality may seem. Lewis did not want to find God, and we feel with him that burning desire to run away once God has been discovered. The wonderful lightness and love that characterize many of Lewis's later works are not found here. Instead we see his defenses against God shattered one by one as he follows an intellectual path to belief. He tries his best to argue his way out of it, fighting every step of the way and using all the trivial excuses that human beings do, but we feel God's presence bearing down on him step by step like a great weight until he realizes that there is no escape. Lewis sees that it IS a burden at first if one has come to it honestly, because with it comes the realization that we are required to abandon ourselves and submit to God's will in order to find eternal peace. This is not an easy road for a human being to follow--indeed, it is the most difficult thing in the world for us to do, and Lewis knew that very well. We feel with him the pain and weight that came when he realized that there IS a God: the account of his final days as an atheist is absolutely excruciating for a reader who has had the same experience. One must actively and willingly choose to become what one is not by his very nature--what could be more difficult, particularly in this secular world?

Lewis's account of his spiritual journey shows that God can be discovered in the most unlikely places and in the most unlikely ways, no matter how hard we try to avoid Him. When we think we have trumped God, we find that He has in fact trumped us, always remaining well ahead of us on the path. Lewis's account often reads like a great chess match between one man and God, but it remains familiar because it is a match that we play again and again. As always, Lewis's honesty is disarming, his insight staggering, and his humor refreshing. I cannot recommend this book enough, but if you are looking for a biography of Lewis's life, this will not provide it. For that I recommend George Sayer's "Jack," but the best way to find out who Lewis was is to read his books.

A Masterpiece: One Man's Journey to God
C.S. Lewis has written a masterpiece on the subject of one man's conversion to Christianity. Not only that, it is a must-read for any fan of Lewis, for it sheds a great deal of light on his early life and biography. It follows Lewis from childhood to his conversion to Christianity as an adult professor, tracing the influences on his philisophical and religious thinking along the way. It is in my mind a modern Augustine's "Confessions". Lewis writes, as usual, with great candor and his usual lucid, easy to follow prose that takes complex issues and makes them understandable to everyone. This style has made him one of the finest Christian authors. His 'Mere Christianity' and 'Screwtape Letters' are other examples of his books that challenge a reader's religious philosophy. Of course, Lewis is more famous in most circles for his 'Narnia' books, which are also great, but it is his philisophical and deeply personal treatment of Christianity that makes him one of the greats.

Highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to see how one man made his journey to belief and/or wants to learn more about C.S. Lewis, the man.

Disappointing
A disappointment, though not without interest. Lewis's purpose is to tell the story of his conversion from atheism to Christianity. But there is little here to challenge or even interest the open-minded atheist. It seems to me that Lewis converted largely for emotional reasons, apparently because he believed in some kind of Hegelian Absolute. The last two chapters are so vague and poetic (or perhaps poetically motivated...?) as to be very tough to read when trying to find out why he believes and what relevance his conversion might have to me. I never really got clear answers to these questions. Lewis is always readable, but this was disappointing on intellectual grounds (which is true of all his apologetics).

a must read
one of the best books by my fav author of all time. well worded, insightful, instructive, inspirational - how many more 'i' words do you need? please, take my word, and read this book.

A lovely and perennially absorbing book
This is a great book by a great writer, telling both of CS Lewis's life, including his education and his experiences as a front-line soldier in World War I, and his discovery of "Joy" and the sense of the scared, and his final conversion from Athiesm to Christiantiy. Full of wisdom, humor and fascinating historical description. His descriptions of his father, mother and brother, including his reaction to his mother's early death, are poignant and moving. He tells, also, of what it was really like to be a yong officer in the trenches of World War I, in which he was seriously wounded. In another key, how to really learn a difficult foreign language. This is a book to treasure and to read again and again. ... Read more

Book Description

Illus. in full color. A modern fable of a minnow who wants to follow his tadpole friend--who becomes a frog--onto land. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A Delightful Book
FISH IS FISH is a delightful book. It's fun for children, and a pleasure for adults to read out loud. The illustrations are beautiful. Two young "fish" are friends. One fish stays a fish; the other turns out to be a tadpole. The real fish refuses to believe that his friend is changing. How like real life! After tadpole goes up on land, he actually has more to add to their friendship - great stories about what he has seen on earth! When fish jumps onto land to explore, he almost dies. Tadpole saves him. In the end, both fish and tadpole are happy with their own unique worlds. Fish tells tadpole: "You were right ... Fish is fish." This story is so simply and wonderfully symbolic of how friends can remain friends, even when they change as they grow up.

Beautoful and Subtle. I Love This Book!
This fanciful and colorful book is about a fish and tadpole who become friends while living in the same pond. Tadpole soon grows legs and leaves the pond. Fish is lonely without him and tries to follow. Disaster! The gently presented lessons in this book stir me still. The words are simple, but the meaning, real and multi-faceted, is accessible to all ages.

Things are not always what they seem
The book's message--sometimes what is best for you is right before your eyes. This book teaches basic information about frogs and fish. It has beautiful colors which captivate the children's imagination and interest. Thoughtfully and creatively written, one of my favorite Leo Lionni books. This is a book which captivates the interest of chldren of all ages. My pre-school age children love this book, as does the elementary age children in my classroom. ... Read more

Amazon.com

We've all done it. In the frigid depths of winter we've wished we could be magically transported to someplace warm and sunny. But most people don't have genius parents who just happen to be working on a scientific experiment with time travel at the moment of our wish. Sandy and Dennys Murry, the "normal" boys in a family of geniuses, suddenly find themselves trudging through a blazing-hot desert, seeking a far-off oasis for shade.Their desperate wandering brings them face-to-face with history--biblical history. Soon they're feeling right at home with Noah and his family. Even so, the urgent question is, how will Sandy and Dennys get back to their own place and time before the floods--the many waters--come? As they begin to cross the invisible border into adulthood, the twins must confront their ability to resist temptation and embrace integrity.

In Many Waters, Madeleine L'Engle continues the Murry family saga, which includes A Wrinkle in Time; A Wind in the Door; and A Swiftly Tilting Planet, which won the American Book Award. L'Engle's mystical mix of science fiction and fantasy, time and space travel, history, morals, religion, and culture once again urges her many adoring readers to stretch their minds and hearts to understand why the world is the way it is. (Ages 9 and older) --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (82)

Wonderful Book!
This book is one of Madeline L'Engle's best! I loved it. Sandy and Dennys Murry are are identical twins. They have a younger brother Charles Wallace Murry and an older sister now in college Meg Murry. Their mother is a scientist and their father experiments with space and time travel. The twins walk into their mother's lab not noticing a sign sayin "EXPERIMENT IN PROGRESS. PLEASE KEEP OUT." Dennys types into a computer in the lab: TAKE ME SOMEPLACE WARM and the twins end up back in the time of Noah. Anyone who liked A Wrinkle in Time should read this book! It is one of my favorite books by Madeline L'Engle!

A Miraculous Finish to the Time Quartet: Many Waters
Again, Madeleine L'Engle puts forth yet another triumph. Many Waters is a unique heart warming story that almost all can relate to and enjoy. However, this tale is no children's story. L'engle fills the adventure of Sandy and Dennys Murry with romance, rich vocabulary, Biblical stories and theories, and more adult criteria. Indeed, it would not be wise to read this book and not be accustomed to the story of Noah's Arc. For the correct audience this book is perfection! Many Waters takes its readers on aventures almost unthinkable by the average human mind. L'Engle, again, displays her brilliance and absolutely perfect imagination.

Well-written adventure with a dash of teen angst
For me, this book was an all-time favorite of mine through my teen years. I picked it up at the age of fourteen and read it in a day, barely stopping to eat! I completely fell in love with the Murray twins, Sandy and Dennys, who are learning not only to cope with the onslaughts of puberty, but with their odd-man-out status in a family of extra-extraordinary individuals. I loved "A Wrinkle In Time" as a child, but I loved the fact that L'Engle gave the twins their own shot at an supernatural adventure, which in turn helps them with the transition into manhood and discovering who they really are.

A snowstorm forces the fifteen-year-old twins indoors from an impromtu hockey game. They are alone in the Murray house, and soon boredom sets in, leading the boys to start snooping in their father's labratory. A time machine is unwittingly discovered, the boys wish for "some place warm and dry", and the next thing they know, they are whisked away to a strange desert, not knowing that their father's invention has transported them to the Biblical times of Noah and the great flood. Here they discover that humans live for hundreds of years, that nephilims (angels thrown down from heaven) are the bad guys, and seraphim (good angels still in the service of God) are the good guys. Noah has just been told by God to build an ark, but everyone, including his children, thinks he's crazy. Yet with the twins' help, God's will is eventually carried out, but with a price.

Much angst, adventure, conspiracy, violence, romance and Biblical lessons insue. I'll say one thing--Sunday school never taught you THIS about the famous story of Genesis! L'Engle flawlessly incorporates Biblical texts with her own fictional twists. The end result is a wonderful read that will make you adore the members of the Murray family even more.

Don't Judge a Book by it's Cover.
I read Many Waters because I had read the books before it and loved it. When I was in a bookstore I thought oh... that cover looks intersesting so I picked it up and bought it. I brought it home and after the first three chapters I couldn't read anymore. The book was dull and slow moving. I forced myself to read more thinking that it would get better. Maybe it got a little better, but not much. Some people loved this book, but I think that it was really dull.

as good as it gets
wow this book was great the book took a whole new turn the conflict of resiting temtation as always seemed great in the seires but in this book it seems to really show i really liked hoe the author used the twins sandy and deny for this story it shows that even the normal ones have bumps in the road evintully this book is one of those books that when you pick it up youu cant put it back down all in all this book ill recomend for people in love eith madaline lingls seirs its a great book and a really good read. ... Read more

Book Description

A zookeeper recounts the story of John, Tonky, and Wanly, three performing elephants at the Ueno Zoo in Tokyo, whose turn it is to die, and of their keepers, who weep and pray that World War II will end so their beloved elephants might be saved. ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Faithful Elephants
Faithful Elephants by Yukio Tsuchiya, translated by Tomoko Tsuchiya Dykes and illustrated by Ted Lewin, is a very moving picture book story. It describes how during World War II three elephants at the Tokyo Zoo were euthanized by starvation, because of concerns that they might escape during an air raid and become dangerous. I plan to use the story with my 4th and 5th grade reading group as part of a unit about WWII, but one thing that troubles me about using such an emotional story, is that I do not understand where fact and fiction meet here. The subtitle reads "A True Story of Animals, People and War", and the introduction also describes it as a true story. I can't help wondering though why the animals had to be killed in such an inhumane way. Did the army forbid the use of an elephant gun because they did not want to "waste" ammunition? Aren't there ways to drug even animals as large as elephants? How do veterinarians treat elephants? And what happened at zoos in other parts of the world where there were air raid attacks, and similar risks that wild animals might escape and cause problems?
After writing this review two weeks ago, I discussed the book with other teachers in my school and decided that to use it with 4th and 5th graders would be committing a kind of emotional highjacking. We read a number of books together during our WWII unit and I plan to finish up with another zoo story - Hannah's Winter of Hope by Jean vna Leewen, which tells how the people of Budapest saved their hippo from starvation during the occupation.

A moving true story...
The Faithful Elephants is one of the most heart-wrenching stories I have ever read. I use this book to introduce another book -- Hiroshima -- to the high school sophomores that I teach. Adolescents sometimes have difficulty displaying emotion when it comes to others, but that difficulty is gone when animals enter into the picture. Those kids who don't flinch at the thought of the suffering endured by other humans can scarcely hold back tears when it comes to innocent animals. The illustrations have stuck in my mind since I first read it. If you're going to be reading it to others -- read it to yourself first -- it's guaranteed to bring out tears in the least demonstrative of all of us! I highly recommend this book to everyone -- but it may bring out a little too much sorrow in the very young.

This book is HORRIBLE!! DO NOT BUY!!!
I am a 21 year old college student, who was forced to listen to this story in my choldren's lit class (used to illustrate what we should NOT read to children in our future classrooms). This book graphically describes the slow, painful, torturous deaths of three innocent elephants at a Japanese zoo. Yes, it did really happen.. and yes, war is awful... but there is no need for this type of book to be purchased or read by ANYONE. My entire ADULT class sat through this horrible book not only crying but also wondering why if these zoo keepers loved their elephants so much why didn't they quickly end their suffering with a bullet? The book implies that American troops are the "enemy" which is the reason these poor creatures have to die. Great... inaccurate ... message to share!

A difference between the Japanese and English versions
I've read this book in English and recently in Japanese with the help of a Japanese friend. The Japanese version I read was the same story, but written and illustrated by different people (a man named Mamoru Tanabe was the author of the version I read). At any rate, the Japanese version made mention of something that I don't think is included in this English translation. The official reason from Tokyo for killing the elephants was that in the event that Tokyo was bombed, the cages could be destroyed and the animals might be let loose upon the city. But the book also says that although that was the official reason, the underlying reason that government officials probably had in mind was to show the people of Japan that in this war, they would have to be ready to sacrifice anything for their country. If it was necessary, the lives of animals or even other people would have to be given up for the good of Japan. A previous reviewer mentioned the same thing, but as far as I remember the English version of the story doesn't address that idea at all. So for all those people wondering why the elephants had to die in such a cruel way, there's your answer: to show the Japanese people the true horrors of war, and make them feel ready to sacrifice anything in order to bring that war to an end.

The Elephants Story Shoudl Be Read With A Critical Eye
This story is excellent but it is propoganda. The story is laden with historical innacuracies and furthermore does not contain logic. It was used by the Japanese as a form of propoganda and was read yearly to children there. This story is great to illustrate how we can be swept away emotionally into believing things. The elephants were not killed because of the war. As a matter of fact bombs weren't coming down day and nigth at all. Had fear been the real case they could have shot the elephants with the Zoo's pistol. The truth of the matter is that these elephants were killed because they were beloved, and the government knew the people woudl rally behing their cause, thinking it was the Americans fault their beloved elephants were being killed. The elephants in that sense were killed in the name of governmental manipulation and propoganda. Enjoy ... Read more

Book Description

DARKNESS THREATENS to overtake Earthsea. As the world and its wizards are losing their magic, Ged -- powerful Archmage, wizard, and dragonlord -- embarks on a sailing journey with highborn young prince, Arren. They travel far beyond the realm of death to discover the cause of these evil disturbances and to restore magic to a land desperately thirsty for it.

With millions of copies sold, Ursula K. Le Guin's Earthsea Cycle has earned a treasured place on the shelves of fantasy lovers everywhere. Complex, innovative, and deeply moral, this quintessential fantasy sequence has been compared with the work of J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis, and has helped make Le Guin one of the most distinguished fantasy and science fiction writers of all time. She lives in Portland, Oregon. ... Read more

Reviews (47)

A view from the protagonist to its sidekick.
For the first and second series of the Earthsea, you'll find in this book suddenly Sparrowhawk, the famous Earthsea wizard, is not the protagonist. The main character has pass down to his accompany, a prince, that aids the wizard's voyage in the sea. The islands of Earthsea is losing balance and magic powers from every continent. Wizards are losing their Name and power, dragons are dying, and even Roke (Wizard school) is dying out its faith among their Names. Sparrowhawk begins a journey to seek the origin of the illness.

Overall, I think this book is much more intense and overwhelming than the last book (Tombs of Atuan). Everything is a mystery in the Earthsea, and characters have changed from the last two books. The mage himself is becoming old and tiresome, but he is still able to restore the balance to Earthsea. If you are a Earthsea fan, remember to read this book! You won't regret it!

The Child and the Shadow
Whilst I read A WIZARD OF EARTHSEA and THE TOMBS OF ATUAN many times as a child and a teenager, I never read THE FARTHEST SHORE, though I suspect I began it and did not finish. This book is heavygoing, both in tone and subject matter, but utterly rewarding for the engaged reader.

The wizard Ged, hero of the earlier novels, but now much wearied by age, accompanies a young prince of Enlad, Arren, in a journey by sea and land into the dark places of Earthsea and the dark places of the soul. Magic and joy in life are being leeched from the land by a malignant being who has found the secret of immortality - at the cost of the denial and ultimate destruction of all life.

This novel is probably more explicit than any of le Guin's other novels in portraying her conviction that all serious fantasy is at heart about the journey through the strange foreign lands of the inner soul. The reader is drawn inexorably with Ged and Arren as they try to save Earthsea by travelling into the dark heart of mankind and grappling with the ultimate challenge to selfhood - acceptance of death. Fantasy, le Guin maintains, is not about escape from the self but escape into the self. This philosophy lays the foundation for her serious, thoughtful fantasy, which may disappoint some readers seeking no more than vicarious thrills through daring adventures.

The serene, Taoist philosophy permeating the essence of this novel probably has more significance for me now at 23 than it could have at 7 or 13. Yet this novel, though difficult, is still accessible to the perservering younger reader. I hope that for all readers THE FARTHEST SHORE can provide as fulfilling a reading experience as it did for me, and I heartily encourage older readers to seek out le Guin's critical writing on fantasy and on Earthsea (such as LANGUAGE OF THE NIGHT and EARTHSEA REVISITED), which are an enthralling read in themselves.

Heavy-duty, serious fantasy. Not for the light-hearted.
In the third entry to the Earthsea series, Ged is now Arch-Mage, and is faced with a new crisis: Magic around the world is failing. Together with Arren, a young prince from Enlad, he journeys to the end of the world to battle and defeat the source of this threat to the world. His quest is to rescue Earthsea from the death of magic. It's an exciting adventure, perhaps even more so than the second volume of the series. It was the National Book Award winner for Children's Books in 1973.

But of particular interst is the fact that through the eyes of Arren, the reader gains a true appreciation for the enduring qualities of a LeGuine type fantasy. Arren is perplexed why Ged doesn't perform more magic, to the point where he even questions whether he is a true wizard. "Even in small matters magery was not worth counting on. Sparrowhawk was always miserly about employing his arts; they went by the world's wind whenever they might, they fished for food, and they spared their water, like any sailors ... There, thought Arren, lay the very heart of wizardry: to hint at mighty meanings while saying nothing at all, and to make doing nothing at all seem the very crown of wisdom." Over time Arren - and the reader - come to understand what magic in this world is really all about. Eventually Arren learns that true wizards don't do magic all the time: "The first lesson on Roke, and the last is: Do what is needful. And no more!"

This is the essence of magic in LeGuin's novels - one will not find here the trite magic used to make boys fly on brooms or make girls invisible, as one finds in books like Harry Potter. LeGuin's magic and fantasy is never trite, but always serious and credible. In many respects it represents an early form of new age philosophy. "On every act the balance of the whole depends. The winds and seas, the powers of water and earth and light, all that these do, and all that the beasts and green things do, is well done, and rightly done. All these act within the Equilibrium - But we, insofar as we have power over the world and over one another, we must *learn* to do what the leaf and the whale and the wind do of their own nature. We must learn to keep the balance." Much of it appears to have roots in Eastern philosophy such as the Taoist yin-yang. "There are two, Arren, two that make one: the world and the shadow, the light and the dark. The two poles of the Balance. Life rises out of death, death rises out of life; in being opposite they yearn to each other, they give birth to each other and are forever reborn." The climax of the plot is taken straight from Jungian psychology: wholeness is obtained by embracing the darkest shadow of death. Weighty dialogue about such philosophy fills the novel - this is not for the light-hearted.

Even if one disagrees with this philosophy, there has to be appreciation for LeGuin's seriousness and depth. Ged and Arren's quest never has overtones of a fantasy fun adventure as one might find with J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter, but it has a constant shadow of deep seriousness, perhaps even more so than J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings or C.S. Lewis' Narnia Chronicles. This deeper and more serious spin on fantasy in itself makes this series worth reading. The fantasy world and storyline are not as captivating or fun as one might expect from Tolkien, Lewis, or even Rowling and Robert Jordan, and so fans of these novels might well find the taste of LeGuin somewhat disappointing. Reviews of the fourth book of the series, Tenahu, suggest that this is a strongly feminist tale and a departure from the beauty of the first three novels, and is better left untouched. I think I'll close the pages on LeGuin for now, with The Farthest Shore being the most distant shore of her work for me. -GODLY GADFLY

The Battle Against Evil
Evil is prepared to end life as it is known in Earthsea. The world and its wizards are losing their magic, and it is up to Ged powerful Archmage, wizard, to seek out the only one or the only thing that can help. He must embark on a sailing journey with young prince, Arren, and travel beyond the realm of death to discover the cause of the evil and restore the land's magic.

The story stays exciting all the way through, and will not dissapoint.

As good as the
Ursula Le Guin wrote this very well.It was extremely interesting ,and very absorbing .The plot is straightforward,and
the characters are wonderful .Despite all this , I must admit that it is slightly confusing ,and I had to interpret a bit for myself ,but I still loved it . ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Pippi Goes Away
Pippi has always had adventures with Tommy and Annika, like shipwrecks and shopping and finding a spink, but now, Pippi's father King Efraim has come back and ready for Pippi to come with him! Will Pippi have to say good by to Ville Villakulla? Finf out in Pippi Goes On Board!

The 2nd Great Unique Book
This book was a great novel, sequal to Pippi Longstocking, Pippi Goes On Board is an extremendous book. This book explained of Pippi and her friends venturing an island. If you live adventure stories, this is on book you do not want to miss! It's a very funny, adventerous, couraging, fun book! You will not be able to put the book down once you start reading it. This book is a favorite book of many childen in the United States. If you loved Pippi Longstocking, you'll love this great sequal. The beginning, middle, and end of the book are all great words! If you're kid doesn't like to read, or doesn't want to, sit down and read this book to them! They will enjoy this book more and more. Then they will want to start reading other books by Astrid Lindgren. Astrid Lindgren is a very good author. Read all of the favorite Pippi books. The author has done a great job! ... Read more

Book Description

The stunning 1995 Caldecott Honor Book

John Henry is stronger than ten men, and can dig through a mountain faster than a steam drill. Julius Lester's folksy retelling of a popular African-American folk ballad has warmth, tall tale humor, and boundless energy. Jerry Pinkney illustrates the story with "rich colors borrowed from the rocks and the earth, so beautiful that they summon their own share of smiles and tears" (Booklist).

"A tall tale and heroic myth, a celebration of the human spirit....The story is told with rhythm and wit, humor and exaggeration, and with a heart-catching immediacy that connects the human and the natural world." --Booklist, starred review

* A Caldecott Honor Book
* Winner of the Society of Illustrators' Gold Medal
* An ALA Notable Book
* An NCSS-CBC Notable Children's Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies
* Winner of the Boston Globe/Horn Book Award
* The Horn Book Fanfare List
* A Parents Magazine Best Children's Book of the Year
* A BCCB Blue Ribbon Book
* Winner of the Aesop Prize

* A Picture Puffin
* Full-color illustrations
* 40 pages
* Ages 4 up ... Read more

Reviews (3)

If I had a hammer...
If you haven't read a book that combines the individual talents of Lester and Pinkney (Julius Lester writes, Jerry Pinkney draws) then this might be a good place to start. The two artists have reinterpreted a variety of classic African-American tales to their own liking. From their, "The Tales of Uncle Remus: The Adventures of Brer Rabbit" to the more recent "Sam and the Tigers" (a reworked "Little Black Sambo") they are nothing if not prolific. With this book they tackle one of this country's tallest tales. The legend of John Henry. And whether you delight in their version or cling to the story you learned as a child (as I confess, I did while reading it) you have to step back and admire their enthusiasm.

In this version of "John Henry" the duo has consulted a variety of texts and versions, adding some special touches and flourishes of their own. This John Henry is a baby one day and an adult the next. He can outrace the meanest man in town and carve through solid rock with a rainbow draped across his shoulders. When the final showdown against a steam drill comes, John Henry's ready. He beats that drill only to die from a burst heart. We are assured, however, that he is buried on the White House Lawn and that at night you can hear his voice singing.

There's some getting used to here, certainly. No refrain of, "I'm gonna die with a hammer in my hand" is chanted. And John Henry doesn't work the railroads with everyone else. Rather, he accidentally stumbles across the man with the steam engine while on travels of his own. And then Lester has tried to make the story applicable to the youth of today. He did this in "The Tales of Uncle Remus" too, and I had some very similar problems. In this particular book, for example, it mentions early on that, "That day John Henry helped his papa rebuild the porch he had busted through, added a wing onto the house with an indoor swimming pool and one of the jacutzis". Personally, I don't see why this helps the text at all. I dunno. Maybe kids like hearing about Jacuzzis in their picture books. But for me, at any rate, it distracts. Pinkney's illustrations, on the other hand, are above criticism. Here we have a Ferret-Faced Freddy that has a mean weasel-like face. We see John Henry grow older and older as we watch, as well as taller and taller. I liked the clothes, the setting, and the landscapes. I especially liked the fact that John's gap-toothed grin is with him from infancy through adulthood.

The world is sorely in need of more African-American fables as remarkable as this one. And it goes without saying that everyone EVERYONE should know the ballad of John Henry by heart. I'm not willing to drop the towel and declare this particular version the epitome of all John Henrys, but it is still a noble work. Feel free to criticize it, but don't discount it. Never discount it.

Magical
Julius Lester's version of the legend of John Henry is well-told. I laughed out loud when Lester described Ferret-Faced Freddy, a man "so mean, he cried if he had a nice thought." Lester also uses marvelous metaphors (next to a large mountain, John Henry doesn't look "much bigger than a wish that wasn't going to come true"). Lester's version is very different from other versions I'm familiar with (such as Ezra Jack Keat's), but I love it.

Pinkney, who has teamed up with Lester on other books (my favorite is "Sam and the Tigers"), provides beautiful illustrations to accompany the text.

So-so
My 5 year old was only half interested in this book. I think the story was a bit long, and the wording did not flow well. The drawings were nice, but I think they appealed to me more than my son. ... Read more