Book Description

There are lots of children on Hill Street, but no little girls Betsy's age. So when a new family moves into the house across the street, Betsy hopes they will have a little girl she can play with. Sure enough, they do--a little girl named Tacy. And from the moment they meet at Betsy's fifth birthday party, Betsy and Tacy becoms such good friends that everyone starts to think of them as one person--Betsy-Tacy.

Betsy and Tacy have lots of fun together. They make a playhouse from a piano box, have a sand store, and dress up and go calling. And one day, they come home to a wonderful surprise--a new friend named Tib.

Ever since their first publication in the 1940's, the Betsy-Tacy stories have been loved by each generation of young readers.

Reviews (21)

The wonderful first book of an enchanting children's series.
Hooray!!! I am so thrilled these books are in print again. I read them all (several times!) as a child growing up in the 1960's in a town 30 miles from "Deep Valley", (aka Mankato) Minnesota. I inherited them from my mother's childhood collection. But when I moved to California in 1969 no one had heard of them. My, now 14 year old daughter, read, and re-read the 3-generations-old books and loved them as well! She and I both rejoice to see these timeless stories enjoying a national rebirth. They've even made the movies...Meg Ryan's book store owning character in the 1999 movie "You've Got Mail" refers to Betsy, Tacy and Tib. Maud Hart Lovelace would be pleased and proud!!!

Charming!!!
Somebody said: It is never too late to have a happy childhood. Well, reading Betsy-Tacy will give anyone a good idea about what a nice childhood is about. This is the first book in a series of books about Betsy. The reader follows her from age five, as she is in this book. It is absolutely delightful! Betsy's life changes much to the better as a new girl her age, Tacy, becomes her neighbour and her best friend. Together, they play and explore the world around them. Reading this book is so enjoyable ... it leaves the reader with a nice feeling of satisfaction.

Fabulous Books...Buy a Set for Yourself & For Young Readers!
When I first discovered these books, I had to order them on inter-library loans...all over the state of California!! Then in about 1994 the books were reprinted!! What joy. I own all 10 of them and Carney's House Party (which I love) and the Horse Cart one (can't think of the name!!) Thanks to Harper-Collins for republishing them. So my advice buy a set for yourself and all the young readers in your life!! Buy them so they won't go out of print again! I love them for the warm homey life they portray and the friendship between the girls. I love the talking about food and picnicing and the family relationships. I am 44, but when I have a sick day, these are the perfect books to reread!

Wonderful stories
Girls just want to have fun. Betsy and Tacy know how. This series takes them from age 5 through high school. Any girl would enjoy reading it, and in the process she'd learn a great deal about friendship, family, school, and boys.

A difficult book to love today
It is not as if I wasn't primed for this book at an early age. As a child I was quite obsessed with any books that had the name "Betsy" in them. The excellent and little known, "Understood Betsy" by Dorothy Canfield was written in 1917 and remains one of the sweetest unsentimental children's stories today. Yet even young I consciously avoided the Betsy-Tacy books like the plague. I was aware from an off-hand flipping through them that these were not stories I would enjoy. They were about little girls who had rather wimpy (in my opinion then) adventures. Where were the exciting city scenes of the "All-of-a-Kind-Family" books? Or the beautiful descriptive passages of the "Little House" books? I was disappointed by these books as a child, and I am afraid my opinion has changed little since growing up. The books are maudlin and lacking in spunk. The most gripping scene in the book is found on page five when Tacy flees from Betsy. Spunk is not unknown to little girls in books from this time period. Girls in the books already mentioned had it. My beloved "Caddie Woodlawn" had it. Heck, "Anne of Green Gables" was fairly overflowing with it. Is this to say that every little girl in every book from the past should be spunky and wild? Not at all. But there must be some interest there. Something that a girl today can read and latch onto. Friendship is the overarching theme of this book, and it carries the story as far as it can. Just the same, I have my doubts that any child uninitiated into this series by an earnest parent would naturally gravitate to it in the library today. It would also not read aloud well to boys, I suspect. I may be incorrect and as I write millions of little girls are falling in love with these stories on their own daily, but it seems a little unlikely. ... Read more

Book Description

Welcome to Owl's cozy home.

Owl lives by himself in a warm little house. One evening he invites Winter to sit by the fire. Another time he finds strange bumps in his bedroom. And when Owl goes for a walk one night, he makes a friend that follows him all the way home.

Reviews (20)

Owl-eyed enchantment
This book is both beautiful and sweet. I initially checked it out from the library because I was looking for books that were more challenging than straight picture-books to read aloud to my then three year old daughter. I renewed it three times, which is the limit for my library.

Now I have had to purchase the book. I am pretty sure that I love this book as much as my daughter. Her favorite story is Strange Bumps, because she finds it hilarious that Owl cannot figure out that the "strange bumps" at the end of his bed are his own two feet. I vacillate between The Guest, because I find Owl's position by the fire eating soft pea soup utterly cozy and enchanting, and Tear-Water Tea, because I love Lobel's imaginative descriptions of the sad things that Owl thinks up to make himself cry. That story, in fact, has generated a whole new game in our household, which requires that my daughter and I "talk about nice things and sad things."

My only complaint about this book is that Lobel wrote only one book with Owl as the main character.

Owl At Home in our hearts
Owl's adventures with The Guest, Strange Bumps, Tear-Water Tea, Up stairs & Downstairs & The Moon are passionate & dramatic. Tear-Water Tea is my favorite & my children would beg me to read this one over & over again. Tear-Water Tea is a bitter-sweet brew. This little book & the friendly, affectionate Owl were one of my children's best friends in their early years. They loved the ideas of looking at life the way Owl does, they blink in anticipation as the stories gather speed & they hoot with laughter at Owl's take on life, then they snuggled with satisfaction when it's all done & we've talked about it...

The best book by Lobel
This even surpasses the Forg and Toad books, which every child must read. As good as children's books get!

Owl Rules
I read this book like crazy when I was in Kindergarten. The art in the book is great, seriously. From the weather moot Owl story to the others, the art is so wonderful. I think that's one of the better parts of this book. The mood and enrivonment is so enticing.

It was actually quite funny I remember as a kid.

It's insane to look back on this after a decade or more. I recommend this book to anyone looking for Children's Stories, either at school for teachers or for families.

I Read It Myself
LOVE this book. Love it. My son loves it. I love the story about Tear-Water Tea. And...the last one about the moon. Great writing. Great story telling. ... Read more

Book Description

Little blue and little yellow share wonderful adventures. One day, they can't find one another. When they finally meet, they are overjoyed. They hug until they become green. But where did little blue and little yellow go? Are they lost? ... Read more

Reviews (5)

A little bit of this, a little bit of that
Ever feel like you've been stumped by a book? Like a moral of a story has been staring you in the face and you're just too slow or dim-witted to get it? Such was my reaction after reading Leo Lionni's elusive, "Little Blue and Little Yellow". I liked it. Of course I did. But on my honor as a gentleman I just did NOT get the book's message. Which is perhaps exactly as it should be.

We all are familiar with Leo Lionni's work, even if we don't initially think we are. Whether you've seen his cut out mice or forest scenes, his is a recognizable style. In this particular book Lionni has relied on roughly hewn pieces of brightly colored paper (or is it fabric?) to tell a story. The tale follows two blobs of color. On is Blue. The other is Yellow. Yellow and Blue are good friends and lead productive blobby lives with their other little friends. They play games, attend school, etc. One day Blue looses Yellow for a little while and when they are reunited they hug until they meld into a single splotch of green. The single green splotch, however, looks nothing like Blue or Yellow. Whatever will our intrepid heroes do?

Suffice to say, all turns out well in the end. The status quo is maintained, peace reigns, yadda yadda yadda. So what's the moral of the story? Just to help you figure it out, the last two pages of the text display Blue and Yellows momma and poppas hugging one another until THEY turn green. Maybe it doesn't mean anything at all. But it certainly does make for an interesting tale. Nothing like simplicity to tie up the ole synapses for a while.

I can see children enjoying this book. I can also see different children growing bored with this book. It really is going to depend on the child more than anything else. If you have a kid that likes rousing adventures about (oh I dunno) tangible objects, this may not be the book for them. If, however, you've a child who's a little more dreamy. A little more open to different kinds of stories and characters, consider this book a perfect fit. Colorful, interesting, and unique. Lionni does many things with this book, but he does not disappoint.

The Excitement of Finding this Little Treasure!
As a child I was read to from this book and then I read it myself. This was hands down my favorite book. As a grandparent, I thought how appropriate this book is today as we are all living in a blended society and that's exactly what Little Blue and Little Yellow do----they blend, make green and have fun along the way.....They learn it's fun to make new "friends", and color doesn't matter...it's what's inside that makes you special!! Amazon.com had it with one click......I visited a brick and morter store and my search was futile!! Amazon.com is the HERO again!!

One of my favorites books as a little girl
My parents' copy of this wonderful, colorful picture book is taped back together after reading it to three young children. I remember loving the pictures and the simple story. I plan on reading it to my kids (if I can only get my mom to give it up!) and hope they'll love it as much as I did. Little Blue and Little Yellow is such a fantastic book because of the universal concepts in it: love, friendship, and parenting. I recommend it to teachers, parents, babysitters, and kids.

Delightfully simple
This is a book I read many times as a child. I still have
that worn copy and treasure it as one of my favorites. It tells
a story of friendship in which the characters are illustrated by torn
circles of colour. A little colour theory is added to the mix
(yellow and blue become green) and all ends happily. Some
reviewers I think read a little too much into it and see comments
about racial prejudice. The parents' are not prejudiced,
they simply do not recognize their children. Delightful!

Amazing little book that is also educational
This is a sweet book that is simple yet complex. On the surface it is a story of two color friends that blend together, but if you look deeper you can see the lessons of race relations. One of my favorite books by Lionni. ... Read more

Book Description

Illus. in full color. The letters on an alphabet tree, torn and tossed by

the wind, find strength in banding together to form words. Then a clever

caterpillar teaches the letters to become even stronger by forming sentences

with a message of peace in a gentle parable about the power of the written word.




... Read more

Reviews (5)

We must work together!
This book touches beyond the basics of letters forming words, and those words making sentences. More importantly, it shows us that all things must work together to obtain harmony. This book is an excellent example of teamwork, and without it, these letters and words could not have done or accomplished anything on their own. What an example to teach our youth of America. I highly recommend this book for everyone.

The Alphabet Tree
The Alphabet Tree is a wonderful spring board book to help emergent readers understand the importance of putting letters together to create words. I have used this book as an addition to other ABC books at the beginning of the school year for 1st grade children. They were excited and immediatly suggested ways that they could make words. Our classroom now has our own "Alphabet Tree" that the children put together. This is an excellent teaching tool.

The Alphabet Tree
I first discovered this book 29 years ago as a student teacher. I was thrilled to discover that it is back in print. Leo Lionni demonstrates for the young learner that letters make words and words make sentences. This book is especially useful in a classroom where phonemic spelling is encouraged. I recommend The Alphabet Tree to every Kindergarten teacher.

A must for every kindergarten and first grade classroom.
Leo Lionni captures every child's attention in his story about the alphabet tree. Learning the written language can seem overwhelming to a small child, but the The Alphabet Tree helps my students understand the writing process. It gives every child the confidence to become a writer.

a delightful story with a big message for young and old
Leo Lionni's tale of how letters can get together to make words and then move on to even bigger things is nicely told. He reminds us all that the process of learning to read and write is complex and multi layered. It can lead to a wonderful things. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

SUPERB & COMFORTING Memories
The Tomten was my first and favorite childhood book. Today, I read it to my daughter as her bedtime story. It is her favorite book also. This book is the perfect comforting bedtime story for children of all ages. The author magically weaves fantasy and security into the story of The Tomten. Reading The Tomten gives you that "safe in the bed between your parents" feeling we all remember.

The author, Austrid Lindgren, passed away today. The world has lost a timeless treasure. Thank you Mrs. Lindgren. You will be missed by generations.

How Comforting to Know the Tomten is On His Rounds
I have loved this book for over 40 years. The copy I have was printed in Sweden a long time ago but I am very glad that this story is available as a nicely affordable paperback because it's such a sweet and comforting tale that lots of children will love. The beautiful illustrations capture perfectly the crisp, cold, snowy atmosphere of a still winter's night as the Tomten, a small spirit and guardian of a humble farm homestead goes about on his secret rounds doing his caretaker duties in his gentle, loving way. He whispers encouragment to the sleeping animals and children. He has seen many hundreds of winters and so he knows that "winters come and winters go, summers come and summers go" and the wheel of the year turns on and on. I encourage you to read this to children to help them feel safe and cozy and snug in their beds on a cold, dark winter's night...maybe try it this Winter Solstice and be sure to keep a look-out for tiny footprints in the snow around your home.

Excellent children's book
"The Tomten" by Astrid Lindgren is one of the most comforting books for children. The story remains with them through a lifetime. My 32 year old son and 35 year old nephew still would like to have "Tomten" books to read to the young ones in their families.

What is a Tomten?
A tomten is a gnome like creature that stands watch while the rest of the world is sleeping. This old tale should be recommended reading for everyone. The tomten is disappearing with our grandparents and great-grandparents. This is a wonderful tale!

my favorit christmans story
As a swedish kid it is a tradirion to read this book. Tomten is a rime about a smal helper we belived in in north europe Viktor rydberg and Astrid Lindgren have done an excelent work trying to put down in words and picture what makes winter and christmas so special. ... Read more

Book Description

A prince fights for his crown

Narnia ... where animals talk ... where trees walk ... where a battle is about to begin.

A prince denied his rightful throne gathers an army in a desperate attempt to rid his land of a false king. But in the end, it is a battle of honor between two men alone that will decide the fate of an entire world.

Reviews (55)

Interesting and Intriguing
Prince Caspian is the second book in the very entertaining series, "The Chronicles of Narnia." It is about 4 children (2 brothers and 2 sisters) who revisit Narnia, another world inhabited by talking animals, after being gone for one year. But one year in our time could be a thousand years in Narnian time, or no time at all. In this case,they were gone for thousands of Narnian years. When they return,they find that the land that they ruled as Kings and Queens in the previous book, has been taken over by humans, called Telmarines, that do not like talking animals. This exciting story tells of the children's efforts to regain power of Narnia. After reading "The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe," "Prince Caspian" keeps you wondering what happened to Narnia and what is going to happen to Narnia.Once you start reading this series,you can't stop! A wonderful experience to read these books! I highly recommend that you do!

Narnia's Battle for a New King
"The Return to Narnia!" Those who have read "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" (Book 1 in the original ordering) know that those four words can invoke a rousing and passionate symphony that only those who believe in Narnia can hear. It is somewhat disconcerting, therefore, when the story opens with a rather clumsy squeak. The four Pevensie children, Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy, find themselves unceremoniously _yanked_ back to Narnia after one Earth year and many Narnian centuries of being away. There is no party to welcome them, only apples growing wild to feed them, and only the ruins of a castle to shelter them.

As the children have been gone for so long, some backtracking is necessary before their heroic adventures can begin. As he did in all the books in "The Chronicles of Narnia", C.S. Lewis gives us a bit of Narnian history that puts the present events in perspective and is genuinely fun to read. This History lesson begins with the Telmarine invasion after the Golden Age of Narnia and ends with the battle between Prince Caspian and his evil uncle Miraz. It's a lesson so absorbing and believable that it makes Narnia seem more real than, say, Bavaria. The political intrigue sprinkled throughout the book is a fine bonus.

What I liked most about "Prince Caspian" was the chance to see the two Kings and two Queens of Cair Paravel in action. Their adventures and their characters were given very little space or elaboration at the end of "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe"; so I was glad to be able to really see them as their royal Narnian selves. (Now that I've read further, I can say that "The Horse and His Boy" is even better for this purpose. After reading "Prince Caspian", I discovered why King Peter was dubbed Magnificent; and after reading "The Horse and His Boy", I learned why Queen Susan was called Gentle; King Edmund, Just; and Queen Lucy, Valiant.)

And what would Narnia be without Aslan? (I LOVE THIS LION!) In "Prince Caspian", the major lesson that he imparts is that we must have faith and follow him, even when we may appear foolish to others. If we keep insisting that we can find the way by ourselves, then we only get lost. There are other morals throughout the book, most of them woven into the story, such as King Peter's courage in challenging Miraz to a "clean wager of battle" (read: one-on-one combat), "to prevent the effusion of blood" (read: the blood of his innocent subjects). Lewis can moralize better than any other children's writer I know.

"Prince Caspian" is not to blame for being the second book in the series--therefore, the sequel that can't help but be slightly disappointing. Though I gave it four stars for the bumpy linkages in the plot, child readers will, if asked, say it deserves five.

The least desirable entry
"Prince Caspian" is either the second or fourth book of CS Lewis' classic Narnia series, depending on whether one reads the books in published order or chronological order. The story picks up where "The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe" leaves off, with Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy back in England after having spent many years in Narnia as kings and queens. What follows is in many ways almost a straight rehash of "Wardrobe" and is possibly the most forgettable of the Narnia books. Were it not for the introduction of Caspian, one of the major characters in the series, it would almost certainly be the least memorable of the seven books.

The children find themselves pulled into a strange world, this time by a magical force rather than by wandering through a wardrobe. Quickly (and predictably) enough the world is revealed to be Narnia. Why did they not know this right away? Because the single year they spent in the real world was many hundreds of years in Narnian time. Narnia has aged while they have not.

The four children, who in Narnia are revered as legendary kings and queens of old, find that they have been pulled into Narnia to aid King Caspian, a prince from a kingdom of rather oppressive humans who have taken over Narnia and are attempting to squash all memory and knowledge of the land's talking animals and mythical creatures. Naturally, this means those people have to be stopped.

If it sounds exciting, it's not. If it sounds boring, it is.

Travelogues and adventures that are little more than episodic journeys can be great fun and often tap into the glory of exploring the forest as a child, but this journey simply has little or nothing to engage the reader or capture one's interest. The glimpses of how Narnia has changed in the years since the four kids were there are interesting, but the interest is minimal at best. The travels just lack punch or adventure.

Lewis takes a few ill-advised detours that seem only to pad the story while hammering home the idea that people who do not believe in the mystical creatures of Narnia are inherently bad. The heavy-handed messaging in other Narnia volumes generally feel like the moral messages of any other classic fairy tale, but here they somehow feel wrong.

All in all, "Prince Caspian" adds very little to the lore (and lure) of Narnia despite being a part of the central plot, with core Narnia characters throughout. Its greatest contribution to the series is introducing the off-kilter time concept, an old cliché of alternate world stories, and bringing the character of Caspian (as well as the delightful and brave mouse Reepicheep) to the series. And that's about this book's whole worth. It introduces you to characters you will grow to like later and to concepts essential to the series.

Take note, because "Prince Caspian" is part of the core Narnia books (those involving the four original children and the characters linked directly to them) it's hard to recommend skipping this one - but it really fails to live up to the fantastic spectacle of the others. Children may enjoy the return romp to Narnia, but more likely even they will find that this one disappoints.

Jenner's Review
Caspian has an uncle named Miraz. A tutor comes and tells Caspian that his uncle is trying to kill him. Caspian runs away to avoid being killed. He meets Truffle hunter, the talking badger, and Trumpkin the Dwarf. They meet many other talking animals like: centaurs, satyrs, fauns, & dwarfs. Then they fight Miraz! They are fighting for the throne. Caspian is on the losing side. Can he survive? Then they make an arena for three duels. Whoever won two duels would win. Peter was to duel Miraz, but something got in the way. But what!? I would recommend this book to anyone who likes sword fighting.

boring book but still good
The book Prince Caspian is the second in a series of books by C.S. Lewis. The characters and conflicts are the same as the book The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. The main characters are Peter and Susan. One of the conflicts they face is person vs. self as Peter must face his fear of being killed in war. The horn Susan left behind in the first episode allowed the as they return to Narnia. However when time they return Narnia is a thousand years later. In the be ok Prince Caspian is a year later after the first. All the people they know from then are died but Aslan he can never die because he is one of the magical creature leafed in Narnia. I didn't like the book Prince Caspian because it had all the Same conflicts just like the other books by C.S Lewis. One of the same conflicts is at the battle they had they lose at first but in the end they won. I also didn't like it cuz it was boring tail like cater 12 that's when they had the battle . But there was some very cool parts of the book for example the high king Peter killed the evil king Miraz in the battle and it was back to old Narnia . The book is boring but its still a good book to read I think you better have a lot of time on your hands because it takes a lot time to read but its still good. ... Read more

Book Description

The four award-winning stories of the Catwings are brought together in a brand-new, beautiful boxed set for the first time ever. Now readers can follow all of the adventures of the winged cats who escape the dangerous and dirty city to live in the countryside. From the original four cats, James, Roger, Thelma and Harriet, to their new friends, Jane and Alexander, the fantasy that is so wonderfully realistic is brought to life by S. D. Schindler's delicate, yet vibrant illustrations. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Catwings are a fantasy you can't miss!
I' ve read all of the Catwings books, and they're so good! Ever since I read the first one, I got hooked. I'm a very humongous animal lover, and these books were truly purrfect. I used to play Catwings all the time. Because winged cats are truly a fantasy you can't miss. There are colorful pictures too. The stories and their adventures are really heartwarming. If you read the whole series, you'll watch them grow and you'll grow to love them. Full of wonderful words, Catwings are the best!

daughter loves it
I have not read the books yet, but my daughter was thrilled when she received them as a gift. She thought there were only two books in the series. ... Read more

Amazon.com

"Do you know who I am? I shall tell you. I am Elizabeth, Princess of England, daughter of Henry VIII and his wife Anne Boleyn. I am eleven years old. My mother, once Queen, is now dead. Almost eight years ago, when I was not yet three, Father chopped off her head."

Daughter of a fallen queen, young Princess Elizabeth lives a complicated and dangerous life. She fears her father's famous temper but loves him dearly, noting that she would trade all her jewels just to be noticed by him. She also loves her brother Edward, heir to the English throne, but doesn't like her older sister Mary, who torments her and conspires against her. Kat, her governess, is so worried for Elizabeth's life that she spends hours checking their room for poison whenever they move to a new palace. Court intrigues swirl around her, the French are threatening an invasion, and Kat is clamoring for her to have another bath--that makes nearly six in three months! Through Elizabeth's diary, author Kathryn Lasky brings the Tudor world to life: glittering banquets of peacock, eel, and swan; palaces so stinky that "everyone goes about with their noses buried in pomander balls to hide the stench"; archery contests, where Elizabeth excels; and Latin and logic lessons... where she needs a little work. Some of the history is slightly flawed (a misplaced date or two), but readers will enjoy the great detail as they learn about the childhood of one of England's greatest monarchs. An epilogue, with Tudor family trees, paintings, and background information enhances this already excellent and entertaining book. (Ages 10 and older) --Sunny Delaney ... Read more

Reviews (113)

The Forgotten Princess Remembered
Kicking off the Royal Diaries, this installment by Kathryn Lasky was as exciting and interesting as her many Dear Americas. Elizabeth is the daughter of King Henry VIII of England and his 2nd wife, Anne Boleyn. Anne was a 'witch' and therefore Elzaibeth was considered a bastard at a young age. Exiled to Hatfield House with her beloved and neurotic at times governess, Kat Ashley, Elizabeth is an educated and fine young girl, destined to become the greatest ruler England has ever known. After Catherine Parr, Henry's 6th wife, re-installed Elizabeth and her half-sister Mary back to their rights to the throne, Elizabeth becomes more aware of the court that surrounds her. We get to glimpse life at Whitehall and the many palaces court is held at, Elizabeth's education, her growing awareness of Robin Dudley, and her hatred for Mary Tudor/love for her sickly brother Edward. With the sad death of her father at the closing of this diary and coronation of 9-year-old Edward, we see a new and more matured Elizabeth than at the beginning of the diary.
This diary was an excellent beginning to a very accomplished series. Very factual, historically accurate, able to connect with modern teenagers, and interesting, I would recommend this book to all historical fiction fans!

A book to treasure
Lasky has written a beautiful book about young Queen Elizabeth I. The language is clean and cultured, just like you would imagine a princess would write. The wonderfully researched details really give a flavour of the times. Elizabeth's relationship with her father is especially fascinating, how much she longs for his little gestures of affection like simple cheek pinches, and fears that he will have her latest mother-in-law, whom she loves, beheaded. After the diary section, which goes up to the death of Henry VIII and the crowning of Edward III, Lasky's epilogue capsulizes the rest of Elizabeth's life very well. The family tree and picutres are a great added feathure, especially the portraits of Henry VIII's wives. I would highly recommend this book to anyone over the age of about 8, including adults. It gives an easily understandable sense of Elizabethan times.

SIMPLY THE BEST!!!
This book is my asbsolute favorite in the series!It describes the many different celebrations,customs and fears of the time.Elizabeth not only expresses her joys,but her pains:never knowing her mother(who was beheaded by her own father),her strange sometimes cruel sister,and the possibility of losing the love of the KING,her faher!an EXCELLENT BOOK!it even has somewhat of a ghost story in it... YOU MUST READ THIS ONE!!!!

Elizabeth I: Red Rose of the House of Tudor, England, 1544 (
Nowhere in the description of this book was it mentioned, or implied, that this book was fiction. I felt duped when I discovered it was from the imagination of an author choosing to write for Elizabeth. From now on I guess I will have to read reviews and excerpts before ordering anything. This will make it much more tedious and time-consuming. How else to avoid a problem like this?
The book reads wonderfully well - if you suppose that in actuality it is being written by Elizabeth. It's impossible, at this point, to offer a critique. I might have an entirely different opinion were I to know its true source.

The Younger Days of Elizabeth I
Princess Elizabeth of England, daughter of Henry VIII and his second wife Anne Boleyn, feels isolated and lonely whenever exiled from court by her father. But every glance toward her by her father thrills her, each pinch excites her. All she wants is her father's love. Court rumors swirl around her, and lots of suspense hangs on to her, one of which I could not tell (read the book if you want to know). I love this book, and I would have to say it's the very best! I now completely idolize Elizabeth I! After I read the book, I had a strong reaction to it, one of which is admiration. I read it again, and again!
Totally five stars, but it deserves more!

I read all of the Royal Diaries, and everything is very good! ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

In this classic book, a winsome, winning inchworm is proud of his ability to measure anything under the sun. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

5 Childrens Books.
One of my favorite 5 bookes was Inch by Inch by Leo Lionni. The reason is, is that the worm in the story is very clever and thinks his way out of a sticky situation. That is what I like about authors like Leo Lionni. They can always come up with a great little story that influences so many children in such a positive way.

Inching Along!
This Caldecott Honor Book is easy listening for the early child and the young child as a new schoolyear begins. An industrious inch worm is the main character. He engages himself with measuring a variety of birds and lastly outwits the hungry nightingale using his measuring savvy.

Teacher Note: This book can be used to introduce the young child to using standard measurement tools. It can also be used for activities with creative non-traditional measurement activities. For example: Paper clips, hands, feet, craft sticks, shoes, beans, etc. This book can be a springboard to a thematic unit on measurement. It can be extended for study of birds, other nature studies, art experiences, and musical activities as well.

How measuring can save a worm!
A children's book about an inch worm who loves to measure things and then saves himself by measuring. The book was the 1961 Caldecott Honor book (i.e., the runner-up to the Medal winner) for best illustration in a book for children. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

How many editions????
I LOVED this book. I still do. I have an American copy from the late 80's, and until a while ago, I thought it was the only version. However, in my school, there was ANOTHER copy, called "Cherry time at Bullerby" which completely threw me, because in it, Lisa is seven, and there are some stories, such as Easter, from my version, and some completely new ones! It seems there are so many copies, and all I want to do is own a difinitive edition, with all the stories! How old IS Lisa? Nine, ten, seven, six?

In my version, her friends are called; "Olaf, Britta and Anna" her brothers are; "Karl and Bill"

Can anyone clear this up? What is the original version that Astrid Lindgren wrote??

Big fun with The Childern of Noisy Village!
The book I read was The Childern of Noisy Village.This book is about a group of young childern. They do different things every day. One of the girls in the book tells about some things in her life and other people. The childern play and have a good imagination. Astrid Lindgern takes us through the year of six Swedish childern living in a row of three houses North Farm, Middle Farm, and South Farm. Many differnt surprises come through this book. This book I recommend to children and adults. This is a book for people that realy want to hear a child's point of view, and that loves to hear about the country of Sweden.

Great bedtime reading.
Together with my 6 years old daughter we read this wonderful book by the Swedish writer Astrid Lindgren as our bedtime reading. We read the Norwegian version of the book, as my daughter doesn't understand English, but the stories are the same, and the charming illustrations are by Ilon Wikland in our book as well.

This is such wonderful, old fashioned stories, from a time when the most important task of a little girl was to play with her friends, and the greatest worry was where to find the eggs of the old hen. It is so important in our world today that children can dream themselves into the life like it is in the Noisy Village, where everybody knows each other, everybody are friends, and they live a common day to day life. We love the chapters, and my daughter can never have enough of the stories.

The book reminds me in a way of Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House books, though this story is set in Sweden, and shows us the traditional life of the Swedish countryside from the middle of the last century.

I can recommend this book for parents and grandparents that are looking for a charming read for their kids.

Britt Arnhild Lindland in Norway

My 6 year old daughter loves it
I am over thirty, and I found this book too cute. But when I read it to my 6 year old daughter I was surprised by how much she liked it. There is only one book she likes better - Astrid Lindgren's Mio, My Son. Now we are on the third or fourth rereading. It seems to be the perfect book to read before putting a child to bed.

Best book that was ever written.
This is Nils (16) from Germany. I read this book several times. It's so wonderful. When I was 4 or 5 my sister read me the book for the first time and I think that it formed my life. It' just great. And I am just reading it again and think that I will do it again and again. ... Read more

Book Description

"One of Lionni's familiar-looking mice lives in a junk-strewn attic. When

Matthew visits an art gallery, he is entranced. That night Matthew dreams about

walking hand in hand through 'playful patches of color.' He awakens, his

inspiration stays with him and he goes on to paint great things. Lionni uses

familiar collage and color techniques, but what colors! He employs bright, rich

hues that stand out smartly against white backgrounds."--School Library

Journal (starred)




... Read more

Reviews (2)

An inspiring read for ages two and up
Although the subject matter of this book initially appeared to be for an older child, it is clear that the text and illustrations appeal as strongly to the younger set. Ever since learning of Matthew the Mouse's determination to become a painter (in contravention of his parents desires that he become a M.D.) my two-year-old son (also named Matthew) has been wielding his paintbrush often and furiously. The illustrations are aesthetically pleasing and clarify the text perfectly. The text, while simple in form, provides excellent vocabulary builders (e.g., use of "embrace" rather than "hug") and also gives the reader the chance to discuss with the child many ideas and activities that take place inside and outside the home. All in all a wonderful find; a story that truly respects a child's right to follow his or her own dreams.

Very vivid pictures - excellent for all children
I have read this book to my son since he was born (he is now 3 months old). He loves it - coos and kicks his legs throughout the entire book. Very vivid colorful pictures and a great story. Can't wait to get more books from Lionni. ... Read more

Amazon.com

From the beloved author of the Newbery Medal-winning title A Wrinkle in Time comes acharming story for younger readers, especially those with a new sibling. ToucheL'Engle-Franklin, the very talented, sophisticated, and articulate poodle of thehouse, is shocked and dismayed when her master and mistress bring home anotherdog, especially such an odd-looking one. This interloper has no fur to speak of,no tail, and--horror of horrors--it does its business inside the house, insomething called a diaper. Touche doesn't know what to make of this strange turnof events--after all, as she says, "This was a great waste of money. Dogs areexpensive to feed and clothe, and one dog is enough for any family. I fail tosee why I did not satisfy all requirements." Gradually, though, althoughshe still considers the addition to the family an inferior breed, Touche beginsto warm to "Jo-dog," and ultimately determines that "in every home there shouldbe at least two dogs!"

Funny, touching, and original, this oversize picture book is just the ticket fordisgruntled siblings. Precocious pooch Touche expresses her feelings toward thenew baby in the household in a way that any child can relate to and every adultwill recognize, and Christine Davenier's watercolor-and-ink illustrations havethe nostalgic feel of Ludwig Bemelmans's Madeline books. (Ages 3 to 7)--Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Could have been written by my dog!
This is an endearing, funny book that I would recommend to any families with dogs that are expecting children for the first time, or are introducing dogs to a toddler. My dog seems to feel the exact same way (at least I think so!) as the narrator dog of this book. Very cute and I will be surprised if this doesn't become a classic!

The Other Dog
Author: Christine Davenier

This book is basically about a dog who lives in a nice home. During the summer the dog's owner had a baby and the dog was really mad because she wanted to be the center of attention. She was lonely and everyone was busy with the baby. The dog didn't get to have any fun with its owner. The dog is narrating the story and telling us what a wonderful dog she is. At first, the dog thinks the baby was another dog. The dog was really trying to get along with the baby but the owners didn't let her because they might think that the dog might bite the baby. The baby always makes the dog mad because the baby pulls her ears all the time. Finally the baby was beginning to get along with the dog and the dog seems to be getting to know this baby.
I think that parents should read this to their children because this is a wonderful book that could teach children how to behave with pets. This book is really creative because the dog was narrating and I think that the kids will enjoy the book because the dog was mostly the interesting part in the story. I think kids will love to read this over and over.

A classic voice, like Charlotte of Charlotte's Web!
This story is told from the point of view of Touche, the dog, and what a marvelous dog Touche is! His attentive and amusing observations of "the other dog" range from "the other dog's" missing tail, lack of ventures outside for potty-time, sleeping arrangements, growth spurts, and "the other dog's" reaction to him, Touche (which is very satisfying to Touche). Touche's warm, intelligent, fun-loving and witty voice and the expressive illustrations that showed him at the peak of his interaction with "the other dog" made me a long-lasting and faithful friend.

Great for an Older Sibling of a New Baby
I have been a fan of Madeleine L'Engle since I first ran across A Wrinkle in Time in my grade school many years ago now. Since then, I have read just about every book she has written and I have never been disappointed. L'Engle is one of the most consistent writers of high quality books that is out there.

I'm a little past the age of the target audience for this book but it is a fun little book that older siblings of new babies are sure to enjoy. This was in my mind as my brother and his wife had their second child a few weeks ago. In this book, the family dog has to deal with feelings of jealously at the arrival of a new baby in the house. It is a cute and humorous little story told from the dog's point of view. If you need a gift so that an older sibling doesn't feel left out when the new baby arrives, this is a good choice.

Humorous View of a New Sibling for Preschoolers
On the surface, this story is about a spoiled dog's reaction to a first human baby coming home. The story is told in first dog, with Touche L'Engle-Franklin speaking as narrator. That perspective will provide much surface humor. Underneath that story line is the concept of the adjustments that siblings must make when the second child arrives. At first there is a sense of being displaced, then superiority over the pitiful creature follows, and finally love and connection arrive. The book is improved by an extensive author's note at the end about how the story is based on real-life experiences in her family. The book's main weakness is that it should have had simpler vocabulary so that it could have been used with the younger children who are about to meet their first sibling. You can still do that, but will have to rewrite or paraphrase the text so that the story will be completely understandable.

The writing is quite humorous. "First of all, I think you should know that I am the one who wrote this book." "So, I -- Touche L'Engle-Franklin -- write this book, with the assistance of that inferior canine Jo [the baby]."

"This summer my mistress went away for several days . . . she brought with her another dog." "I fail to see why I did not satisfy all requirements."

The humor builds on the drawbacks of human babies -- they have to be carried, they need diapers (and those have to be changed!), they must be fed several times a day, and they are almost hairless and wear clothes.

Over time, Touche takes over watching Jo in the playpen, as they play together through the bars.

" . . . [I] come to the

unpredictable,

surprising,

amazing,

astonishing,

astounding conclusion:

in every home there should be at least two dogs!"

The book ends with a painted grey paw print.

Ms. Davenier's images are cheerful watercolors that feel like they might have been made sometime between the 1930s and 1950s. This gives the book a feeling of heritage and elegance. The details are inked in with soaring spirals that add motion to the images, often showing Touche dancing all around the room over a large two page spread.

Reading this book reminded me of our dog's reaction when our oldest came home from the hospital. Skipper, our Sheltie, looked definitely puzzled, but was very interested. Soon, he was patiently letting "the new dog" pull his hair (as long as it wasn't too hard). They became very close companions, and it was a great pleasure to watch them play together. I don't think I would have remembered that experience again except for reading this book.

You might also want to encourage your child to address what it might be like to view a new baby in the family from other perspectives. How will the cat who lives next door think about the new baby? In this way, you can make the introduction more comfortable. The best time to do this is while the family is pregnant. Obviously, you also need to train any pets you have to behave around your baby. I remember reading good books on this subject, but don't remember their names at the moment.

Be patient with all new dogs . . . and the old dogs and children who will eye them suspiciously! ... Read more

Book Description

Birdie Boyer was a Florida Cracker. She belonged to a large "strawberry family," who lived on a flatwoods farm in the lake section of the state. They raised strawberries for a living.

Through all the hazards of the uncertain crop -- battling against dry weather and grass fires, the roving hogs and cattle of their neighbors -- Birdie dreamed of an education that would include playing the organ. In the end she won not only the title of "strawberry girl," but book learning as well.

This is a story full of enterprise and fun and tire excitement of real life in this interesting part of America.

Lois Lenski has used again her gift for catching the flavor and drama of life in a remote corner of America. It is the second of a series of regional stories through which she promises to introduce other fascinating and little-known backgrounds to boys and girls. This story will take a place beside her popular Louisiana story Bayou Suzette in the affection of readers.

The eighty-four illustrations are distinguished for their action and fascinating detail. They add greatly to this true picture of Florida life at a time when old Florida ways were changing to new.

Reviews (23)

Like strawberries? Here's a good one!
Strawberry Girl is a great book written and illustrated by Lois Lenski. I think that, because every time I started to read it, I couldn't stop reading! Although there are some parts that has violence,it was still very good. I really recommend this book to children ten and up, due to the violence. Strawberry Girl takes oplace in Florida in about the 1900's. It is about a seven member family, and the neighbors. After about a month of settling, the trouble starts, the neighbors get mad, because Birdies dad puts some fences around the fields so that way, Slater's cattle doesn't go into the property. The vegetation, strawberry fields, and cattle are growing very well, Mr. Slater also gets mad, and jealous. Birdie was very helpful in every way, from watering the strawberry fields, to caring for her small sibilings. I like the end a lot, because both families become very good friends. Also people started to call Birdie, Strawberry Girl, because of selling, watering, and arranging the strawberry fields. The rest of the fun is for me to know and for you to find out!

Strawberry Family
Have you ever wondered what is was like to grow up in the early 1900's? Well Strawberry Girl tells you just that. Strawberry Girl is about a young girl named Birdie Boyer. She and her family just moved to the lakes region region of Florida from Marion County Florida. They are a typical strawberry family, with six kids, trying to grow stawberries in the harsh conditions of the Florida climate. This book is a must read for young readers.
This book, Strawberry Girl, is presented in such a way, it makes it easy to follow. The book is in chronological order from start to finish. The vocabulary is easy to understand, and easy to follow.
The book lets you venture into the mind of Birdie Boyer. For example birdie says "I just don't understand why them Slaters just don't come to school anyhow." It is very easy for young readers to understand.
Strawberry Girl is best suited for young readers. The book is geared more towards their understandong of the world. This is one of the greatest books of our time. Children should be able to read this book and learn just a little more about our country's history.
The book Strawberry Girl is a must read. Lois Lenski did a wonderful job of portraying life in the early years of our country.

NeShonda Strawberry sweetness
Strawberry Girl is a good book. I enjoyed it because of all the characters and excitment. The characters gave me a good idea of life a long time ago. I don't think I would have liked to lived in those times. Birdie Boyer worked very hard trying to be a strawberry girl. She had lots of chores to do each day plus go to school. The family worked hard too, things changed for the family when the Slaters came to visit. Birdie knew the Slaters would cause trouble for her family. The family pulled together and things turned out fine.

Strawberry Girl
I liked my bookthe strawberry girl, because the book had and ton of intersiting things that can happen in the book, there is also not alot of conflict or stuff that people don't like to read about,and1 other thing that you don't have to read a book
because this book is really intersting the best part in the book would have to when her father always yells at her because she spends too much time with her friends.

the setting is mostly out in the farm where they can grow strawberrys and stuff like that.

the main character in the book is a ten year old girl named birdie boyer, because she is so cute because she can pick her strawberryin no time at at all that's why they call her the strawberry girl.

A Literary Treasure
When I was a child, Lois Lenski was one of my favorite authors. I read Strawberry Girl when I was around 7, and I loved it. I think it introduced me to a rural poverty that was otherwise out of my experience, and left me with a sense of empathy for people whose lives were very different from my own. Nearly 40 years later, I still remember it. ... Read more

Book Description

A flash of lightning, quivering ground, and, instead of her grandparents' farm, Polly sees mist and jagged mountains -- and coming toward her, a group of young men carrying spears.

Why has a time gate opened and dropped Polly into a world that existed 3,000 years ago? Will she be able to get back to the present before the time gate closes -- and leaves her to face a group of people who believe in human sacrifice?
... Read more

Reviews (44)

Another fantastic work of time-travel fantasy
Polly O'Keefe is the daughter of Meg Murry and Calvin O'Keefe from Madeline L'Engle's famous Time Quartet. In this book she follows the family tradition of traveling back very far in time. Except this time it's 3,000 years before our time, to a time where druids and Native Americans populated the United States and life was much different from it is now.

Polly O'Keefe is looking foreword for a nice quiet visit to her grandparents house and it starts out like that. She spends her time talking with her genius grandparents and reconnecting with her old friend Zachary. Then strange things begin to happen. It all starts when she starts seeing people dressed in strange clothes. It continues further when she is magically transported back 3,000 years in time. Polly is shocked and doesn't know what to do. When she travels back to the present she discovers from her friend, who also happens to be a bishop, who these people really are and what she's involved in, a tesseract. Polly knows she must not contact these people from the past ever again if she wishes to live, unfortunately they have other ideas and the next time she travels back in time she won't be so lucky.

I haven't read a book by Madeline L'Engle since I first read the Time Quartet in 5th and 6th grade but I'm glad I picked up this one. Polly's travels back and forth through time are absolutely fascinating. The "People of the Wind" (the culture of Native Americans she encounters) is a fascinating race, one with it's strengths and flaws that is very different from people today, but just the same in some ways. I found out part way through the book that this is in fact part of a series. Unfortunately for me it's also the last book in the series. Although I usually hate to get into series like this I would actually recommend this series to people who have and have not read any Madeline L'Engle books. It's one of those kinds of books that you can read with or without really knowing the characters in the first place. I would recommend this series to anyone that's looking for something beyond stereotypical fantasy fiction. I look foreword to reading more tales of Polly O'Keefe.

The same wonder and excitement as A WRINKLE IN TIME
Polly O'Keefe, daughter of Meg Murry and Calvin O'Keefe from L'Engle's beloved A Wrinkle In Time, moves in with her maternal grandparents when the schools on remote Benne Seed Island prove inadequate for her abilities and interests. The two elderly but still active scientists supply the challenges Polly needs with their unique brand of home schooling, and their oldest grandchild savors the peace and undivided attention after a childhood spent as the oldest in a brood of seven. The calm of rural New England in autumn doesn't last, though. The Murry house sits on a spot that 3,000 years ago was considered sacred by those who lived in their valley then, and a retired Episcopal bishop who's their nearest neighbor has inadvertently opened a time gate to that era.

Zachary Grey, the self-absorbed young man who appears in several earlier L'Engle books (particularly the Austin series), shares Polly and Bishop Colubra's ability to pass through the gate and to see ancient folk who make the reverse trip. When the gate closes with that unlikely trio on its other side, Polly soon finds herself revered as a goddess - and at risk, made far more deadly by Zachary's cowardly actions, of being sacrificed by tribal leaders desperate to bring their drought-stricken people rain.

Of all the later L'Engle time novels, this one came closest to spinning the same magic spell for me that the first book did. It has the same wonder and excitement, but with a slightly harder edge that comes from having a slightly older and more experienced heroine. Or, perhaps, from being written for a different generation of young readers? Anyway, this not-so-young reader (I first read A Wrinkle In Time 40 years ago, at age 11) couldn't put An Acceptable Time down without finishing it. Superb, and - also like the first book - guaranteed to make you think!

L'Engle best fantasy
For me, this is one of those books that had, and keeps having, a huge positive impact. Yes, this is a time-travel tale, but more than that, it is a story about the kinds of sacrifice love is willing to make. Nobody gets beat over the head with the lesson here, but it will stick with you. Heads up: parts of this will be pretty heavy going for younger/more sensitive juvenile readers as blood sacrifice is discussed pretty frankly (though not at all graphically) here.

Slow, boring, hard time finishing.
I really, really did not enjoy this book. It was way too dry and boring. The description was tiresome and slow and the characters didn't add to any of the already boring set-up. I have not read any of the previous books (with absolutely NO intention) so i'm not very familiar with any of the characters.

Just the book as a whole was just so.....slow. It got so annoying. The back of the book says Polly gets stuck in past, as if that's the first thing to happen. It takes 3/4th's of the book for this to occur. The ending with her best friend made no sense. This was my first fantasy book and it's a wonder i didn't stop reading books right there. Don't waste your time on this sorry excuse for a decent fantasy novel.

An acceptable time
With the comtinuing series of a Wrinkle in time , the book An Acceptable time is the last book of the series. It is an amazing attribute to the series. This exciting science fiction book will please you all. The story's main character , Polly , is the type of person who is willing to risk her life for someone else: like when she orered her Indian friends to to take her back across the lake to save her friend. I liked the part when the two tribes made peace and the fighting stopped. If you liked Madeleine L' Engle's other books, you'll love An Acceptable Time. ... Read more

Book Description

Seven mouse boys lie awake one night...