Book Description

To Cyril, Anthea, Robert, Jane, and their baby brother, the house in the country promises a summer of freedom and play.But when they accidently uncover an accident Psammead--or Sand-fairy--who has the power to make wishes come true, they find themselves having the holiday of a lifetime, sharing one thrilling adventure after another.

Asleep since dinosaurs roamed the earth, the ill-tempered, odd--looking Psammead --with his spider-shaped body, bat's ears, and snail's eyes --grudgingly agrees to grant the children one wish per day.Soon, though the children discover that their wishes have a tendancy to turn out quite differnetly than expected. Whatever they wish whether it's to fly like a bird, live in a mighty castle, or have an immense fortune --something goes terribly wrong, hilariously wrong.

Then an accidental wish has horrible consequences, and the children are faced with a difficult choice: to let an innoncent manbe charged with a crime or to lose for all time their gift of magical wishes.Five Children and It is on of E. Nesbit's most beloved tales of enchantment.This deluxe gift edition, featuring twelve beautiful watercolor paintings by Caldecott medalist Paul O. Zelinsky, is sure to be treasured addition to every family's library.

Reviews (16)

My review of "Five Children and It"
This book is about Cyril, Anthea, Robert, Jane, and their baby brother who discover a Psammead,
or Sand-fairy, who agrees to grant the children one wish per day.
Soon, their wishes start to turn quite unlike what they expected.
Then, an accidental wish has terrible consequences, and the kids
are faced with a hard choice: to let an innocent man be charged
with a crime, or to lose their gift of magical wishes.

I read this book in one day, and I thought it was pretty good.
This book turned out to be fairly interesting.
I would probably read "Five Children and It" again.

Sandy delight
This 1902 fantasy, a gift from my parents when I was in fourth or fifth grade, features an irritable Psammead whom Cyril, Anthea, Robert, Jane, and their baby brother dig up in a sand pit. Then the magic begins. The sand-fairy does not like granting wishes, and his misshapen body with bat's ears and snail's eyes bloats when he does. The wishes, lasting only until sunset, all take unexpected, funny turns.

The sand-fairy and other personalities and Victorian details render the magic entirely real-world, believable. This was my favorite children's book and I relived the delight when I found a copy to share with my own children. That this volume is illustrated by one of my favorite people from one of my favorite families triples the delight.

The book is too challenging for independent reading for children under 10, but it's a great read-aloud for small children, as are the classics of Frank Baum, E.B. White and C.S. Lewis.

Edith Nesbit was like J. K. Rowling a single mother in need of a means to support her children. Her books in their era were as popular as Harry Potter in this one. Some of her observations are surprisingly humane. Nesbit's treatment of a clan of Gypsies, for example, transcends the deep prejudice of her time. Not to worry, the book is not preachy or teachy. It's just grand, eloquent fun. Alyssa A. Lappen

Be careful what you wish for...
E. Nesbit's classic story of about some Edwardian children who find a sand fairy one summer is an unsentimental delight. Each day the odd fairy grants them one magic wish, be it beauty, wealth, great size, etc. which will only last until sunset. Somehow each wish they make turns into a disaster, but through their own cleverness and a bit of luck, the children are able to make each problem work out in the end. Nesbit's writing is particularly full of amusing asides and offbeat humor in this one. Her turns of plot are inventive, and as the plucky children face their outlandish predicaments, it becomes clear that Nesbit has her finger on the pulse of the way real children might think. Her work has held up quite well considering it is over a hundred years old. This novel would be suitable for kids in about fourth or fifth grade.

sadly, this classic does not stand up to the test of time
Edith Nesbit is a charming writer. She tells her story with wit and humour, and interjects sly digs that engender a wink and a smile, but while the premise is timeless and interesting, the prose is extremely dated, making the book a bit tedious to read for any length of time. Also, the ideas and prejudices exhibited by the characters date the material.

The five siblings of the title, who have found a Sand-fairy willing to grant them one wish a day, continually make silly wishes that get them into trouble. Their first wish is to be "as beautiful as the day". Right there you get a sense of the book's outdated charm. This is of interest more as a tribute to a talented children's writer of a bygone era rather than for its own sake.

I wanted to enjoy this classic, but I found it hard slogging through. That is just my opinion, however, but I'd suggest you read a bit of the text before purchasing it unless you're already familiar with, or particularly interested in, author Nesbit.

Caveat: The occasional black-and-white line drawings are by H.R. Millar, not the Paul Zelinsky watercolors promised in the Editorial Reviews section.

A cynic's delight
I doubt I would have liked "Five Children and It" even as a child: an ordinary child's troubles are so much more troublesome than the challenges these kids face, it's almost (but not quite) funny. Cyril, Robert, Anthea, and Jane live in a countryside mansion replete with servants, they take trips to toy stores where they can buy whatever their hearts desire (the author informs us that this is the way children ought to be brought up), and inside a gravel-pit they have found a prehistoric sand-fairy that grants them wishes, one each day, but all their wishes have been turning out rotten so far. Well, boo hoo.

It isn't the concept that bothers me; it is the execution. Baum's and Carroll's heroines face comparable situations, but neither authors' books evoked such negative reactions from me. The reasons why the children's wishes fail I found especially abominable: when peerless beauty is wished for, the maid won't let them in since they look like "eyetalian monkeys"; when wealth is asked for and antique guineas appear by the bushel, the kids are arrested for thieves; when stolen jewellery magically reappears, it is Beale, the gameskeeper, who is immediately and incontrovertibly the chief suspect; when the four wish (accidentally) for the baby to grow up, the Lamb (Or Devereuz, or Hilary, or St Maur, as he should be rightly called) becomes a snappish fop. Nesbit draws miscellaneous moralistic lessons from her tale ("I cannot pretend that stealing is right"), but what use are these lessons when you are arrested whether or not you tell the truth? I would much rather Nesbit turn a cynical eye on the people she is describing, instead of using her keen powers of observations to weave an antithetical yarn.

At least her prose is reasonable enough. Nesbit's language is lucid, and while her sentence structure is rather sophisticated, it is not unduly so. Sadly, the same cannot be said of her characters. The four children who are the novel's protagonists are essentially the only developed characters, and while they are developed rather well, with plausibility and realism, they are bland. They are honest, noble, polite, friendly, sociable, and well-off; they treat the servants and people of lower station as functionaries, tools, ways of getting from A to B, and so does the author. Thus, there is little desire on the reader's part to come to know them better. They allow little conflict, little empathy. I'm probably the first to levy the charge that they have little wit and, if not for the fact that the wishes disappear at sundown, they would have great difficulty dealing with ther wishes.

But more about those wishes: it is quite surprising how many of them are accidental. In fact, there is little premeditated wishing going on past chapter six: otherwise, Nesbit would have been hard-pressed to find a reason for the children to wish for marauding Indians. What lesson are we, as readers, to draw from this? "Word your wishes carefully?" I'm reminded of the movie "Big," in where a twelve-year-old wishes to be grown-up to impress an older girl, and instead becomes Tom Hanks and scares the heck out of everybody. Just once I'd like a book where the characters get their hearts' true desires and have to come to terms with THAT. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Who would ever suspect that a tiny little mouse could wear out anenergetic young boy? Well, if you're going to go around giving an exuberantly bossy rodent a cookie, you'd best be prepared to do one or two more favors for it before your day is through. For example, he'll certainly need a glass of milk to wash down that cookie, won't he? And you can't expect him to drink the milk without a straw, can you? By the time our hero is finished granting all the mouse's very urgent requests--and cleaning up after him--it's no wonder his head is becoming a bit heavy. Laura Joffe Numeroff's tale of warped logic is a sure-fire winner in the giggle-generator category. But concerned parents can rest assured, there's even a little education thrown in for good measure: underneath the folly rest valuable lessons about cause and effect. Felicia Bond's hilarious pictures are full of subtle, fun details. Fans will be happy to know that this dynamic author-illustrator pair teamed up again for If You Give a Moose a Muffin and If You Give a Pig a Pancake. (Great read aloud, ages 4 to 8) --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (76)

She wants it read again and again!
Simply put, this is a wonderful book. Our 19 month old daughter has enjoyed this book since she received it on her first birthday. The story is simple and easy to follow and the pictures are big and bright and wonderfully drawn. There aren't alot of words on every page so if you have a younger child that likes to turn the pages frequently, this makes it easy to keep the story going. Although the story is whimsical and involved enough for an older child to enjoy as well. We have read this book so many times that my daughter has memorized some of the words on every page and pretends to "read" it herself. Personally, I feel this is the best of the "If you give a ....." book series (we have them all). I think the only improvement this book could use is if it came in a board book version as the paper pages in our hardback version are quickly becoming worn from all the frequent reading and toting around! A true classic that I feel any parent with a young child can't go wrong with.

If You Give Your Child This Book --- You'll Read It Alot!
Felicia Bond has a book that works for kids in the 2-5 age set. This is a nice story that leads from one object to another ("if you give the mouse a cookie, he's going to want some milk. If you give him some milk, he's going to want a napkin" etc., etc.)

The art is well drawn and holds my kid's attention well. The story is whimsical and teaches about twenty objects (milk, cookie, crayon, tape, pillow, etc.) to young kids. They memorize the lines fairly quickly and the book can help with sight reading for the pre-school set.

If you give this book to your child, he's probably going to want you to read it over and over again.

Cookie cookie cookie starts with C
"If You Give a Mouse a Cookie" really has been the "It" book for some time. Parents love this story, and their children really get into it as well. On and off, I'd heard various things about it, but nothing that so sparked my interest that I ran to my nearest library to peruse its pages. Now, however, I've grown old and wise in the ways of kiddie lit. and I found myself wanting to know what all the fuss was about. Was this book really as overwhelmingly fantastic as everyone said? Was I doomed to fall desperately in love with it like 98% of the population of known Western Civilization? The answer is a resounding yes yes yes. I had counted on finding some mild enjoyment with a fun story. Was I got was extreme enjoyment from a sly, understated, exceedingly clever story.

As we open, a small mouse treks down a hill on its own as a boy contentedly reads his comic book, munching on a bag of delicious chocolate chip cookies. After the boy offers the mouse a cookie (not knowing what such an action has wrought) the mouse asks for milk. Milk leads to a napkin. A napkin leads to a mirror (to check for a milk mustache, of course). A mirror leads to a hasty haircut. A haircut leads to sweeping up. And so on. All the while the boy gamely follows his rodent friend over, around, and through the different parts of the house, ever supplying the guest with whatsoever it may require. By the end, the house is in shambles, the boy exhausted on the floor (parents will relish this picture above all) and the mouse has just started in on a second cookie.

Some books expertly place kids in the position of their parents. In the picture book, "Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus", kids are allowed to finally tell someone (the someone in that instance being a naughty pigeon) no. In this book, the kids are now the patient parents, forever cleaning up and amusing the endlessly enthusiastic and hepped-up mousey. The pictures are deceptively simple, drawn with pure pen and ink. Just the same, millions of tiny details are apparent in every shot. The boy's refrigerator displays (oddly) a newspaper clipping of a car crash. The mouse's drawing of his family displays some pretty original dresses on his mother and sister. And I'll leave up to your imagination the variety of odds n' ends surrounding the depleted boy at the end of the story. Suffice to say, ladies and gentlemen, this book has it all. And it's a delightful story to boot.

I know this book by heart now...
My seventeen-month old son will search through his vast library to find this book (and the others in this series), protesting when I try to compromise with another selection. He loves the story, knows when to turn the page (which is no longer necessary, as I can recite them all from memory) and will accept no subsitute. I even tried burying the books away so that I could read something new to him, but he dug them out, carried them down the stairs and insisted I drop everything to recall what are apparently his favorite stories.

Great Book
This is a great book about a greedy type mouse who wants one thing after another jsut like a kid.....this book has the mouse acting jsut like kids when we are little its great..one of hte best chirldrens books out next to green eggs and ham. adults will love this book just as much as kids will... ... Read more

Amazon.com

"If you give a moose a muffin, he'll want some jam to go with it." So begins the most logical silliness to be found anywhere--at least since Laura Joffe Numeroff and illustrator Felicia Bond's If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. Readers will follow a young boy and his voracious visitor through a series of antlered antics: jam reveries and puppet shows and big messes. It all makes perfect sense, really, once you stop to think about it. What moose wouldn't want to borrow a sweater when it's cold outside? And why shouldn't the loose button on the sweater remind him of his grandmother? Bond's cleverly detailed, witty illustrations perfectly complement Numeroff's deadpan style. Through just a few deft words and brush strokes, the reader gets a real sense of the unique personalities of the two characters. Children will relate easily to the full-circle reasoning of the story, while picking up the concept of cause and effect. The moral of the story? Keep plenty of muffin mix and blackberry jam in your cupboard. You never know who may drop by. (Great read aloud, ages 4 to 8) --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (27)

A very fun book! Get the whole series!
Moose/Muffin is our favorite of this "If You Give a (?) a (?)" series of books, but the other two, Mouse/Cookie and Pig/Pancake, are just as good jumping-off points for clever stories of wandering attention, imagination, curiosity, and the sheer joy of play.

From an adult-critique standpoint, I think Laura Joffe Numeroff's story in this one was the most clever, scene to scene. All the shifts in focus make perfect sense, if you view the moose as personified the moment the kid tosses him the muffin, and never have too large a shift in the scope of the action. It's absurdly funny to have an animal the size of a moose at play like a child in the house.

My favorite illustration is of the moose and the kid -- probably a boy but not altogether clear, so she's a girl for my daughters -- painting the scenery for the puppet show. (Confused? Buy it and read it.) Felicia Bond is very gifted in conveying body language and movement in her characters, and her complex cartoon drawings are delightful all around.

Now this may seem like an obvious point, but a real moose is a very dangerous animal, so parents must instruct their very literal-minded small children that real wild animals are dangerous, and that stories like this are funny pretend stories -- can you say "metaphor" sweetie? You can imagine a friendly moose, but never go up to a real one. There are thousands of kids' stories with personified animals, so this is not a new thought to most adults, but sometimes it's hard for us to remember that *everything* is new to small children.

Our daughters enjoy all three, though I haven't seen Mouse/Cookie surface for a while, so I'll have to dig it out and read it to the 20-month-old. She loves Pig/Pancake and this one. Our older daughter (4.5) treasured all three beginning at her sister's age, and now uses them to really look at and read the words that she already knew by heart.

These are great books. Enjoy with them!

One Thing Leads To Another
If you give a moose a muffin...one thing can lead to another and you just never know what you're in for! This a wonderful book with bright, colorful illustrations filled with humorous situations that stem from that first kind act of hospitality between a little boy and a visiting moose. Kids will love the momentum that keeps building as the friendly moose goes from muffin to mayhem while the boy's unsuspecting mom is outside quietly working in the yard. Laura Joffe Numeroff has written other books of this type that are very entertaining, too, but this one is my favorite, by far. It encourages generosity and co-operation in a mad-cap way. The big, gangly moose is so funny that the kids are sure to love him and you will be glad to read this book over and over again.

If You Give a Moose a Muffin
In this book theres a moose that smells a muffin from a nearby house. He gets into the house and trys to get a muffin. The kid gives him a muffin and the moose keeps asking for more and more things to go with it. After the moose has had enough the whole house is a mess.

I would recommend this book to anyone of any age. This book is suprising and interesting.

This book teaches you not to give a moose a muffin unless you know hes not going to want anything to go with it.

Great book for kids
My niece who is 3 can't get enough of this! She loves that moose. Very cute and also fun for adults, doesn't get tiresome like some do.

If you give a moose a muffin.
If you give a moose a muffin is about a big moose that smells some muffins from a nearby house. He gets into the kids house and wants a muffin. When he gets the muffin he starts asking for something to go with it, then he starts to want more things in the house until it is a big mess.
This book teaches you that it is nice to make friends and have them over, but sometimes it can get a little messy. This book is for ages 4 and up. It is a really good and funny book. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (35)

Great story of a family working together to survive
This is a great tale of a tiny family living under the floor in a house. It shows how the father goes up into the house when everyone is asleep and "borrows" things his family needs or wants. He must only borrow things that will NOT be missed. They are not to be seen by the "big" people. Some of their relatives were seen and had to move from their home to stay safe. Once seen the "big" people will bring in exterminators and try to catch the tiny people (they think they're rats). In this story, the Borrower's daughter befriends the young boy of the house. He does NOT try to harm the family. Mater of fact, he befriends them and brings them things they need. Unfortunately, the Borrower then feels useless and their house gets cramped. It's a great book for young children (and even adults to read). It's easy to get lost in the story, even when you know people like this cannot exist. I won't tell you the ending, you need to read it for yourself. I highly recommend this book.

Great book, but check out the age level
When I was a child of 12 or 13, I loved the Borrowers books. The idea of a family of tiny people, living in my own house and taking, for the most practical of purposes, things we'd thought we'd lost was quite enjoyable. The best part of the books, for me, were the descriptions of what they did with the buttons and baubles they risked their lives to 'borrow' - (imagine bumping into our family cat late one night while you're trying to lug a teacup back home).

Because I was a young girl who thought girls could do anything, I didn't really appreciate Arrietty's spunkiness. As the only child of the last Borrowers in this household, she's allowed to do many things her own mother hadn't done as a child. And perhaps because she can do some things her mother couldn't, she moves a step further and does whatever any boy could do.

I thought I could read these books to my 8 year old, who loves the Harry Potter series and The Wrinkle in Time books, but these books are too difficult for little kids (even those reading at an advanced level).

The language is very British and there are side explanations that are much too lengthy. Evidently I missed, as a pre-teen reader, the notion that the Borrowers might have been fabricated by the boy who was narrating the stories. (It is rather absurd to think that they were made up - I've lost too many socks and earrings in my lifetime, so I know Borrowers exist.)

Before the John Goodman version of the movie, we watched British video of The Borrowers and The Return of the Borrowers (great for younger kids). It was excellent, even though the special effects aren't where they were in the American version, the British version was excellent.

For those 11 and up (to 111) this is a great series to read.

The Borrowers
I've always loved this book, ever since I read it in fourth grade; the thought of little people always appealed to me. The style the book is written in is sort of old-fashioned for today's readers, but if a person can read it, then I definitely recommend it.

It's about a type of people, Borrowers, that are very tiny. They live in houses and 'borrow' things, like food, paper, and basically anything that they can get their hands on. They picture people as giants that are put on this earth to make things for them to 'borrow'... They live under floor-boards, behind pictures, over mantles; basically anywhere. That's how Arrietty's mother and father tell it.

But, in all reality, there is only herself, her mother, and her father left in that one particular house. Every other Borrower family had emigrated to somewhere else... and Arrietty accepts that until one day she is seen by a boy that puts the thought into her head that maybe her family is the last of the Borrowers.

And that's really how it all starts. Arrietty and the Boy form a sort of friendship, where the boy takes a letter to the place where Arrietty's Uncle is supposed to live, and Arrietty reads to him. (The Boy says that he's bilingual, and that's the reason that he can't read well.) And taking the mail isn't the only thing that the Boy does- he also brings the Clocks furniture, food, and other things.

Things which are discovered missing later.

And that brings in the cat and the rat-catchers...

One of my favorite childrens' books; I think the reason I like it so much is that it doesn't take for granted that kids wouldn't be able to understand a longer book... I think that's also what I love about the Harry Potter books, as well.

Anyway, read this. Very sweet, very family friendly. Altogether enjoyable.

Story Student
The Borrowers is a really good book. Borrowers are little people who live in the bottom of peoples houses and borrow their things. There is a family called the Clocks. There are worried and lonely for other Borrowers! Are there any borrowers left in the world? On day they go out, and they try to find any other Borrowers. Then they run into a cat! The cat grabs Mrs. Clock, and I recommend this book for all its joy and charm, and the author wrote this book for the short people of the world.

A very old fashioned , but well written book
This yarn takes place under the kitchen floor of a house where no human child has lived in a very long time.The book begins when a lady named Mrs. May is telling a girl, Kate, about the world of the "Borrowers." From a borrowers' point of view humans are as large as giants. The human "beans," have not seen borrowers since the time of one in particular named Egglantina as it is disastrous to be seen by a human.Borrowers borrow such things as spools for seats,and even borrow names as you will see. The most interesting idea in the book was that Mary Norton wrote about a species that is a logical impossibility. ... Read more

Book Description

MARTY WILL DO ANYTHING TO SAVE SHILOH

When Marty Preston comes across a young beagle in the hills behind his home, it's love at first sight -- and also big trouble. It turns out the dog, which Marty names Shiloh, belongs to Judd Travers, who drinks too much and has a gun -- and abuses his dogs. So when Shiloh runs away from Judd to Marty, Marty just has to hide him and protect him from Judd. But Marty's secret becomes too big for him to keep to himself, and it exposes his entire family to Judd's anger. How far will Marty have to go to make Shiloh his? ... Read more

Reviews (176)

Shiloh
Shiloh, what a magnificent book. It has many thrills, mystery, tragedy, and fun parts too. I have to say I would give it fout gigantic stars. The book is about a boy who loves animals. He has a mom, dad, and two sisters. One sunny day, the boy, Marty, was shooting his rifle around the forest. He finds a dog on a bridge. Read the book to find out what he names it. The dog follow him home. They find out the beagle belonged to a mean awful man named Judd Travers. He uses his dogs for hunting. The dog would run away from him. Read the book to find out why. The dog comes back, and Marty keeps him for awhile. Do his parents find out he's hiding Shiloh. Does Marty get to keep Shiloh? Please read the book to find out.

by Matt M.

The bond between a boy and a dog
"Shiloh," the novel by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, received the 1992 Newbery Medal "for the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children." While the book is certainly ideal for younger readers, don't be misled by either the award or the publisher's marketing approach: this moving, well-written book is good for adults, too.

"Shiloh" takes place in rural West Virginia. It tells the story of Marty, an 11-year old boy who seeks to shelter an abused beagle from his hard-hearted owner. Reynolds lets Marty tell his story in the first person, and her excellent prose captures the rhythms of rural West Virginia speech (and I say this because I spend a lot of time there with my extended family). Reynolds had me hooked with her opening sentence: "The day Shiloh come, we're having us a big Sunday dinner." Reynold's skill at rendering American vernacular speech evokes, in my mind, favorable comparisons to such authors as Zora Neale Hurston and Alice Walker.

"Shiloh" is rich with the details of life in that region: the food, the hunting, and social customs. Reynolds creates a wonderful portrait of a poor but loving family. But the heart of the book is the way she captures the special bond between a boy and his dog.

"Shiloh" is an "issue" book in the sense that it deals with animal cruelty, but Reynolds wisely tells a realistic story without overtly preaching at the reader. But the book still raises very relevant issues. Marty's moral dilemma is not presented as an easy "black-and-white" situation. Shiloh's owner, Judd, is not a cardboard villain. Marty's ethical and theological inner struggle is comparable to that of the title character in Mark Twain's "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn." Like Huck, Marty is a compelling hero: courageous, loyal, and thoughtful.

In short, "Shiloh" is a contemporary classic, a book with true moral and psychological resonance. Naylor's portrayal of the enduring ties between a child and a beloved animal is comparable to such enduring works as John Steinbeck's "The Red Pony." This moving book deserves a wide audience.

shiloh
Shiloh was a great book. It was about a dog who lived with this evil man. There wa a kid who saw the dog and he wanted It. One day what thekid does is thinking about the dog. The next day the dog followed him so he took the dog home. The owner of the dog found out that is dog was missing so he went looking for his dog. Then he finds his dog. The kid tells the owner if he could have the dog. The owner made a deal with the kid that if he works for him for a month he will give him the dog. Af ter work he gets the dog. In the middle of the book there is this one part where the dog gets attacked by another dog that is probably best part in the book. If I was to rate this book out of ten I would give a ten
By
JJ

A boy who went crazy about a dog
Shiloh is a very interesting book. It is the first book in the Shiloh series. The book is based on a kid called Marty who finds a beagle and names it Shiloh. After one of his neighbors, Judd, comes looking for the dog because it's his. Marty will do anything to to keep the dog, but sometimes he goes too far. In my opinion this book is full of suspense and love. I would recommend this book to anyone that can read because it's good for all ages. I would give this book a four star rating.

Shiloh review for Miss O.
I thought this was a very good book. Most people would enjoy the story. It was entertaining and heartbreaking. The best part of the book was the end. It kept you in suspense. If you want to read a good book this summer, read Shiloh. You won't be sorry. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (19)

the railway children is a 9 out of 10 book!
I like the Railway Children a lot,especially how the author told the story. I liked Bobbie because there is something different about her,she was helpful and sweet at the same time. I am wondering where the dog James went? Other than that, the story was great!

The Railway Children is the best book
It is a story about three children who change a little town in England. The book is very adventurous in every chapter.It is a very well writen book.

Stands up
It would be tempting these days to dismiss Nesbit's Edwardian chestnut as sappy and sentimental; however, upon rereading it, I find this is simply not the case. Sure, there is innocent charm aplenty in this tale of three children whose father is mysteriously called away. The family (Roberta, the eldest girl and main character, Peter, and Phyllis) go with their mother to live in the country, and while mother tries to make ends meet by writing stories, the children explore the area, make friends with people at the train station and on the passing train, and involve themselves in a couple of daring rescues. Each chapter is like its own little adventure, but always there lingers the question of where has father gone, and how will the family pull through its crisis. Sunny the author's outlook may be, but it is not sentimental, as evidenced when the children throw a surprise party for Perks the porter and he is angered rather than glad, fearing they do it our of charity. The children fight amongst themselves, and worry, and fret, like real children of that or any era might. Throughout the story, the reader comes to enjoy this country town and its cast of ordinary but amusing characters. The story's ending is actually very moving in its simple way. A classic.

Wonderful story...
This is one of my favorite children's books! The characters are lovable and (for the most part) believable, the story is exciting, and the ending--well, the ending is marvelous! It is the kind of book you can read over and over again(I have) and never get tired of it(I haven't). I am not, in general, the type to cry over books, but I must admit I cry every time I read the end!:) They are tears of joy, though. If you love a good story with a happy ending, read this book!

Another childhood favourite
This was a book my mother had grown up on, and one that she passed on down to my sister and I. Although hardly a modern story this book is a classic tale of a family learning how to start over, in circumstances far different from those they are accustomed to. The true magic, however, lies in this books portrayal of sibling relationships....a simpler and more innocent time perhaps; but, stories of families will never really get old. ... Read more

Book Description

THE SHILOH TRILOGY

This contemporary classic trilogy explores the sometimes-unclear line between right and wrong, and the redeeming power of love and kindness. But first and foremost it is an irresistible and heartwarming story of family, friendship, and the strong bond between a boy and his dog. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Book Review on Shiloh
Shiloh is a great and exciting story. A little boy named Marty found a dog and wanted to keep him, it is Judd's dog and he is keeping him. Marty did a lot of work for Judd, but still didn't get Shiloh.
When I think about this book it makes me feel sad and happy. What makes me sad is when a German Shepard attacks Shiloh.
Readers will find this book to be very exciting and want to read on to find out what happens next in the story.

Judd's Actions
Shiloh Season is a great book for kids and adults. Phyllis Reynolds Naylor does a great job explaining the story and keeping you on track throughout the book. Shiloh is about a boy named Marty Preston who sees something he should not have seen. Judd Travers is a mean guy who abuses his dogs. Judd went hunting, when it was not hunting season, and he saw a deer so he killed it. Marty promised that he would not tell anyone that Judd killed a deer if Judd would give up his dog named Shiloh to Marty. Judd agreed. Now Judd is depressed and he drinks and drives. Marty's dad found a beer can on their property, which had the same brand of beer that Judd drinks. Judd continues to drink and hunt more and more often. Shiloh is a very interesting book because I never wanted to stop reading it and it kept coming with surprises. Shiloh is better than other books because it keeps you interested in finding out what happens next throughout the book. Other books are boring and make you want to go to sleep because they are not interesting.

I love this book
I love this book. I also love the sequils! I read the first one in fourth grade and I read the other two in the summer time. I thought all the books were sad espectially this one. judd is a rude selfish and absolutely unkind resident. I just feel so bad about what people in the book had to go through. he steels and lies and never bothers to help anyone! if you like the first book you'll like all of them!

The most exciting book
I loved this book i couldnt put it down especially when shiloh gets attacked by a wild dog and when marty saves shiloh from his owner judd travers i recommed this book to everyone

The Shiloh Trilogy a review by Jacob
Did you ever save an animal from a person who didn't treat it right? In the Shiloh Trilogy, by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, a boy named Marty Preston of Friendly, West Virginia, is the protagonist of this story. Marty dislikes Judd Travers because Judd is treating a dog named Shiloh like a staircase by kicking and abusing him. Judd also shoots his gun just to startle Shiloh and scare him. Shiloh keeps running away from Judd because Judd is cruel to Shiloh. Who wouldn't! Shiloh keeps on running away from Judd's trailer to Marty's house. Should Marty give Shiloh back to the evil clutches of Judd or lie to Judd for the better?
One of the most exciting events of the story is when Judd started drinking. When Judd starts drinking, he becomes dangerous wherever he goes. It is like putting a gun to your head when he is around. Judd was so drunk that one day he drove his own truck into the ditch at midnight. If it wasn't for Shiloh, Judd would have been there until the next morning and that would have been too late. Once Marty and Shiloh were walking around the woods, when Judd tried to shoot at Shiloh or Marty. Will Judd ever stop drinking and stop this chaos?
Another exciting event that happened in the book was when the Prestons invited Judd over for Thanksgiving. We all know how that turned out! Judd just talked about how Marty owes the use of Shiloh for hunting. When Judd was sitting at the Preston's table, Marty's little sister, Becky used the incorrect words that made Judd's blood boil. Becky has the biggest mouth! Judd stomped out the door without a "thank you" or a "goodbye". Do you want to know what the words Becky used that made Judd so mad? Too bad. You have to read the story yourself!
After all this, will Judd come to his senses and accept the fact that Shiloh rightfully belongs to Marty? Will Judd stop drinking? Will Becky ever learn to watch what she says? Find out by reading the Shiloh Trilogy by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor. ... Read more

Book Description

The four children acquired the magic carpet when they found a special fire egg -- it hatched in their nursery fireplace.The phoenix came from the egg, and when he saw their mother's new Persian rug, he showed them that it was a magical thing -- a flying carpet that would take them any time and that place they could wish for.Witty, genuine, full of timeless sympathy and childish sensibility, _The Phoenix and the Carpet_ offers a special ride through wonders for children of all ages.(Jacketless library hardcover.) ... Read more

Reviews (3)

the phoenix and the carpet
"The Phoenix and the Carpet" is about four children who find a carpet and then a phoenix shows up and tells them it's a magic carpet. The children have many adventures with the phoenix and the carpet including many in other continents and a place where there can be no whooping coughs. At the end, the phoenix has to part from the children. I thought this was a great book not only because it had magic and it was JK Rowlings' favorite author; but also because it was a fun well-written book.

A BLEND OF PRESIAN AND ORIENTAL LORE
Children might be tempted to believe that there are Wish Granters floating about, if one can just find them! This fanciful tale is set in Victorian England--an era of gas jets, scullery maids and coal hobs. Four children (as in THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE) discover a special fire egg which hatches in their nursery fireplace. Then their mother purchases a Persian carpet, which provides the vehicle for Space (if not Time) Travel. It even responds to written commands and obeys instructions without a human pilot.

All this magical flying about in response to wishes reminds me of the cloak in THE LITTLE LAME PRINCE and Mary Norton's THE MAGIC BEDKNOB. Nesbit's style also reminds me of Beatrix Potter, with many asides, advice or explanations directed to the reader. The setting returns us to the ingenuous nursery days of AA Milne's stuffed animal world.

The story takes place around Christmas and the children wrestle with their consciences over moral issues concerning the unexplained acquisition of wealth, curios, toys and pets. How much to reveal to skeptical parents and how ethical it is to whisk unsuspecting adults away to a remote island or to allow rational people to assume they are insane or just dreaming. How can the siblings plus their baby brother (called the Lamb) ever return to the status quo, since they can only enjoy their carpet rides and conversations with the Phoenix in secret?

This book is too naive for the elementary kids of the 90's, but it would be a good selection to read aloud, one chapter a night before bedtime to younger children. The more you have read of Children's Literature, the more you will recognize from other books. This one may have been the inspiration for the others...!

An extraordinary amusing and amazing book. A charming myth.
The phoenix in an ancient animal, or to be more exact - bird. It falls into the hands of five cute children, who takes a real good care of it. It also brings along a magic carpet, just like everyone would like to have at home. The phoenix, is very bright, and its presence sure makes things much more interesting and fun. Its one of the books I liked the best. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Get this and continue the Custard adventure
Another great book about Custard the Dragon! Have just as much fun with this book - My son loved this one!

Gotta love Nash
This is the 1961 sequel to "The Tale of Custard the Dragon" which was written in 1936. Both books are beautifully and imaginatively illustrated by Lynn Munsinger in their 1995 & 1996 publications. As with other works by Nash, the verse and illustrations vie for significance and importance. His couplets are cute with his tongue in cheek. The words and images carry a slightly archaic, old fashioned overtone that is pleasing.

This is not the greatest children's book ever published. However, the nuanced language is intriguing. It has a meaningful moral - that true bravery is not always recognized or rewarded but is a wonderful thing nonetheless. As a result, the "Custard" books have a rather timeless appeal.

My are Children's Book violent?
My twins love to hear Custard's two books, but I wonder why a character always needs to be killed? Is this how we introduce our children to the concept of death? I'd prefer both books resolve their conflicts with an alternative solution, bt I know it's too late for a revision!

Custard to the rescue...
A fanciful turn about a damsel in distress named Belinda, being rescued from Sir Garagooyle, the wicked, wicked knight by her faithful friendly dragon, Custard. The rhymes are fun, how often do you find edelweiss used in rhymes! The pictures are just right, my 4 year old loves Custard. We received this book as a gift and were delighted in it.

Just as good as the first one
For fans of "The Tale of Custard the Dragon" this book is a must. It has the same wit and love of language as the original. My son loves this one even more than the original as it has both knights and dragons. Its a pleasure to read and the illustrations are delightful. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

This is an outstanding book for children to read.
This book will definitely appeal to many children, especially those who may be dealing with a bully. Everyday Kevin walks to the neighborhood playground in hope of having great fun. But each day, without failure, a boy named Sammy is there. Whenever Kevin approaches a piece of equipment, Sammy will say he can not go on it because he is the "King of the Playground" then threatens to hurt Kevin if he does not listen. Together, Kevin and his father discuss what Sammy is doing to Kevin, and they work through the difficult situation. Soon Kevin gains enough confidence to stand up for himself, and does with remarkable results! I enjoyed seeing how Kevin could open up to his father and how they, together worked out the problem. The understandable text and colorful illustrations flow together smoothly, and add a great deal of feeling to the plot.

great problem solving and coping skills exhibited
As a Kindergarten teacher I make a point to read this book every year to my students, to show them that a scary or seemingly hopeless situation can result in a good friendship with a little perservernce and creativity. I like the fact that the Dad was a good source of support for the child, and that the Dad is shown working outside and inside the house in some non-traditional roles. Buoyed by his father's support, Kevin returns to the playground, always trying new ways to secure a spot on the playground. Children need more tools like this for resolving conflict in a non-violent manner. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

One of my favorites & a wonderful read-aloud!
This is absolutely one of the best books out there! I am a teacher and I enjoy reading this book immensely. The story is fun and whimsical to read. While one reviewer was "upset" by how the other characters were not very empathetic to Custard's fears and even teased him, I look at this aspect of the book as an opportunity to discuss it with my students and my 3 children. It's a great springboard into a discussion on kindness and perspective. Whatever you do, don't pass this one up because of that review. I was amazed this book had less than 5 stars. Parents will love reading this to their children. Also, a great discussion on the true meaning of bravery can ensue as a result of this book.

So much fun - made me want a dragon...
"Guess what happened in the little white house/ Where Belinda lived with a little gray mouse,/ And a kitten, and a puppy, and a little red wagon,/ and a realio, trulio, little pet dragon." I personally feel that lyrical poetry is a great tool to help children learn to read. It helps them to feel the rhythms of the English language, they can anticipate what will come next, and then they can memorize passages - it's just a wonderful thing.

So many kids have loved this book - I read a review about some of the characters being "mean" to Custard... I can see what the reviewer meant, but I don't agree - the characters are all sort of larger than life and absurd in their own way. I don't think that they come off as mean - but that's just my opinion...

Mean spirited
Isn't anyone else bothered by how mean the other characters are to Custard? All he wants is to be in his own little cage, safe and sound, but they all make fun of him! He is "teased unmerciful" and constantly taunted by the others.

Even when he makes his wonderful courageous stand, the others end up belittling him!

Yes, the language flows beautifully and I LOVE the description of Custard. But, typical of Nash, the mean-spiritedness of the characters overshadows everything else.

Nash is just so cool
I have always loved Ogden Nash's writing. The words that he chooses paint wonderful images. The sounds are melodic and provide kids with an opportunity to develop an ear for language. I want more of Nash's writing to come back into print. His writing is truly sumptuous.

Timeless Classic
My mother read this poem to us out of a Childcraft book -- we all memorized the story because we loved it so much. I am so excited to be able to buy the book version to keep forever and hopefully read to my own children one day! ... Read more

Book Description

Magic turns up in the most unexpected places in E. Nesbit's madcap fairy tales--and so do dragons: One flies out of the pages of an enchanted book and eats an entire soccer team.... Two children try to wake St. George when a plague of dragons descends on modern England.... Wicked Prince Tiresome sets forth to hunt a fiery dragon with a pack of trained hippopotamuses.... One hundred years after its first publication, this collection of 8 of Nesbit's most delightful fantasy stories returns and is still every bit as fun as when it was first published. Its original 16 black-and-white illustrations are also included in this must-have for all Nesbit fans. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

My review
I think this book is cool. it was about adventure, magic, action and even humor!!!
I did a book report on this book to!!

A classic, like all of Nesbit's children's books.
E. Nesbit's books have a well-deserved place on my shelf next to the C. S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia and Lloyd Alexander's Prydain Chronicles, and more recently, Harry Potter. I discovered her books through those of Edward Eager; if you have read and enjoyed any of E. Nesbit's books before, I recommend you take the opposite journey and check out Eager's books now (start with Half Magic.) A real treat. ... Read more

Book Description

Afterword by Peter Glassman. "Originally published in 1907, this book concerns four likable English children and their adventures with a magic ring. It's hard to imagine a more appealing showcase for Nesbit's fantasy than this handsome volume....Zelinsky's artwork is as lively as the story and very much of the period....Beautiful."--Booklist. A Books of Wonder Classic. ... Read more

Reviews (19)

Nesbit: An Author of wonder!
The reason I only gave this book 4 stars is because of out of the 5 Edith Nesbit Books I have read so far...this is my least favourite. I think it is beacuase of how it is written. It, to me, was lacking something all the other books she wrote have. I also did not particularly enjoy the beginning of the book, as it started out dull etc. But as it went on...I fell in love with the four children. One thing that is very evident in this book is the thing of good magic. Evrything thing seems to be filled with it, therefore making the story all the better and all more exciting. I loved how it showed each of there adventures, and each of there luck with the magic ring. I also got a few laughs out of the children's injinuity. This is truly a classic, but not my favourite Nesbit book. It certainly is worth getting though.

Harry Potter 100 Years Ago
Working in a bookstore, I meet a lot of people, especially parents buying books for their children. As you can imagine, several of them ask, "What do you have that's like Harry Potter?" I always recommend E. Nesbit's books. They never know who I'm talking about. But they usually become interested very quickly.

Edith Nesbit was an outspoken British writer who wrote enormously entertaining children?s books in her later years. Many of these books combine normal, everyday children with magical themes or elements. In 'The Enchanted Castle,' three children - Gerald, Cathy, and Jimmy - stumble upon a lush, beautiful garden, where they find a princess who has been asleep for 100 years. Or is she really who she says she is? All the children know is that something strange is going on - like why are the statues moving?

'The Enchanted Castle' IS enchanting. The writing is colorful, exciting, and engaging. If your child is looking for something in the Harry Potter vein, the E. Nesbit books are just what the doctor ordered. Kids won't even care that it was written nearly 100 years ago. It still reads pretty well today, and that's what counts.

291 pages

The book that launched a thousand fantasies
This book launched a whole subgenre--fantasy books in which a group of three to five children (usually mixed gender) cross the boundry between the everyday world into the world of fantasy. It is the inspiration behind CS Lewis's Narnia books, Edward Eager's books, and generations of more recent novels. And it happens to be a wonderful read! My eight-year-old adored it--she's a huge Harry Potter fan (another series in Nesbit's debt) and thought this one was fabulous, though the Victorian language did slow her down a little.

The Enchanting Book
My children and I have been reading this as our bedtime book. My son, age 8, was going to read it himself, but we soon found his sister, age 6, wanted me to read it instead (so I could do the "voices") so it has been turned into the nightly story. The characters: Gerald, Kathleen, and Jimmy are each drawn clearly and individually. My children are fascinated with Gerald's way of speaking as though he were telling a story. And they love Kathleen's way of alternating between being practical and yet longing for all things "magical". Jimmy is funny and endearing, as he is at that age of Not believing and yet eager for adventure. Their friend Mabel is full of mystery and make-believe and soon pulls them into a grand escapade. The author is able to vividly paint each person and each scene. It is with great reluctance we put the book down after a couple of chapters each night, wanting to finish all at once, but wanting the magic to last a little longer. When we finished, we all decided it was one of our favorites. Extremely well written. I did not find even the beginning dull or slow. From start to finish, this is one of the best children's books I've found. And we've read very many.

This is a Great Book
I loved "The Enchanted Castle." It has the same quality that is in all of Edith Nesbit's books--thought provoking and fun. I really like how in all of Edith's books, her characters find out that magic can be annoying when you meddle with it. In other books, like Harry Potter and The Gammage Cup, you seem to get the idea that magic is essential.
In the Enchanted Castle, the characters are Mable, the houskeepers niece, Gerald, the one who knows how to manage grownups, Kathleen, "Cathy Puss Cat," and Jimmy, who is always thinking about his tea. Of course, there are other characters, but I would use up about 6 pages writing them all.
The children find a magic ring that makes you invisible, four meters tall, and is a wishing ring--as well as other things like that. The ring helps them earn money, get into scrapes, and bring two old lovers together again! ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (4)

A slow starter but good book all around
This book is the second book in a series by Mary Norton about little people who borrow what they need to survive from humans.The borrowers from book one are Arrietty, Homily and Pod. They continue their story in this sequel. In this book other borrowers are introduced. These include Spiller, Uncle Hendreary, Eggletina(one of Arrietty's three cousins) and Aunt Lupy.
In the beginning, I found this book to somewhat boring. It was a narrative from a human called Kate. She was the girl who learned of this story in book one. She and her Great Aunt Sophie travel from their home in the city to the country where Great Aunt Sophie inherited a cottage. This cottage is near where the borrowers story started. There was a complication however. It seemed that someone else lived in that same cottage. This man was now old. He lived there in the cottage for 80 years. Kate and Great Aunt Sophie want to find out if the story of the borrowers is real or not. Old Tom Goodenough is the man who lived in the cottage. He was also the young man in the original story who was brought in to use his ferret to try to get the borrowers out of the house. He remembers the borrowers. He had Arrietty's diary and let Kate read it. The book then flashes back to the actual time when Arreitty, Homily and Pod are escaping from the big house and trying to survive in their new world.
They had to try to find the Badger Set where they think other family mambers are living. This is the story of their journey. Arrietty, Homily and Pod find an old boot and decide that it would be their sleeping area. They had to drag it with them during the day, while they looked for the badger set. You could say this was an early camping trailer. They had a hard time finding the badger set, and decided to secure the boot under a stumps root and use it as a permanent home. Arrietty met Spiller who helped them. He supplied them with meat, tea, candles and a lot of other things. Spiller would borrow these items from a number of souces. He used a tin soap box for a boat and floated up and down the stream. Things were going well and then the frost came and then the first snow. They ran out of food and had to rely only on some wine that Spiller gave them. They got drunk and forgot to cover their entrance and a gypsy who was the owner of the boot, found it and took it home. Arrietty, Homily and Pod were still in the boot!
This is where the book gets really good. I won't ruin the surprise of this books ending for you.
I found this book a little hard to get into at first. I wish Mary Norton could have gotten to the plot line quicker. I like to read about how they survived and what they used to survive. Once I got into the main part of the book, I could not stop easily. It was suspensful. I wonder if Mary Norton will allow us to be introduced to other borrowers and further the story line with Arrietty, Homily and Pod. I like these characters and want to find out what will happen to them. I guess I will have to continue and read the rest of this series. Maybe you will hear from me in a review of The Borrowers Afloat.

The Borrowers Afield
This book is about a very tiny family who is smoked out of their house under the floorboards of an old England home. They are forced to move to the fields and go on a journey to their relatives house. along the way they find a boot to live in and a tree stump for shelter. They meet a boy named Spiller who helps them out a little. In the end................

More wonderful Borrowers
In this sequel to The Borrowers, the Clocks, having lost their home, must now set up a new life in a lost boot. Arrietty finds the outdoors exhilarating, while Homily finds it dangerous and extremely dirty. The Clocks know that there must be other Borrowers somewhere, but where are they, and how will they find them in such a big, wide world?

As with the last book, this one contains a charming story that is well accompanied by illustrations that add a lot to the simple words. These books are considered children's classics, and it's easy to see why. My children loved this book, and yours will, too.

The adventures of the Clock Family continue...
For all those who loved the original Borrowers, this is thestory of what happened to the Clock family after being driven fromtheir home. In many ways, it is an "equal, not a sequel." ... Read more

Book Description

A little boy discovers that if you give a mouse a cookie, he's going to want a glass of milk. And then he'll want a straw, and of course he'll want to look at himself in the mirror to see if he has a milk mustache.

Reviews (1)

Precioso y divertido / Cute and fun
This book (in English) was one of the favorites of my best friend's little girl for years, and the simple premise of "be careful what you get yourself into" amuses even my grown friends. The story of the mouse who wants a cookie (which requires a glass of milk, which calls for ...) and can't stop there, is a familiar plot presented in a fresh way with fun illustrations. The Spanish translation has a very natural feel.

Este libro (en su versión en inglés) era uno de los favoritos de la hijita de una amiga durante unos años, y su base sencillo de "cuidado de en que te metes" divierte aún a mis amigos ya grandes. El cuento del ratón que quiere galletita (que entonces requirirá un vaso de leche, y por eso un ...) y no se puede quedar con esa, es un argumento conocido, presentado de manera refrescante con dibujos divertidos. La traducción al español tiene gracia igual a la versión inglés, con lenguaje natural. ... Read more

Book Description

... Read more

Reviews (27)

The book The Boys Start the War:The Girls Get Even was good!
In this fast-moving, funny book which is two in one, the Hatford boys try to get the Malloy girls to move back where they came from. Their friends, the Bensons, moved away and the Malloys moved in to their house. In The Boys Start the War, the boys and girls start pulling pranks on each other, each one more hilarious than the next! In The Girls Get Even, the two families try to outdo each other in Halloween costumes, until a surprising turn of events happen! This book is great!

The Boys Start The War, The Girls Get Even
The Boys Start The War was a good book because they play pranks on the new girls that just moved across the street. A prank they played on the girls was the boys put dead fish in the Buckman river. The Girls Get Even was a good book because Caroline, one of the sister's, ruins the boys halloween costume for the parade. These were the best books I have ever read because they are very humorous.

Boys start the war
This is really cool.It can be for 3-??yrs old.Pluse it takes places in my hometown Buckhannon,WV.The school they go to has beem turn into a building for 5-18 year olds,called Stockert Youth Center.The Mallory girls are really cool!!The Boys are trying to get the girls out of their old best friends house by playing tricks and being mean,and the girls try to show the boys the can't tear them away from Buckman wich really is Buckhannon.Read it!!Its cool!!