Reviews (4)

AWESOME!(...)
This is the best book i have ever read and it is very exiting packed with adventures and friends to learn. i was so exited when i read almost every page. the only bad part was at the end when the book didn't tell you who the spy was.

the orphan train adventures: a dangerous promise
i thnk this was a good book except for the fact that at the ending it did not tell who the spy was it left the reader hanging too much but overall it was good like i said the ending was bad when it did not tell who the spy was!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(IM AM 13 IM NOT 12 I PUT 12 SO I CAN PUT THIS REVIEW)!!!!!

Great resource!
As an educator of upper elementary students, I think the whole Orphan Train Adventures series is outstanding! It tells a tale while weaving in historical events. It makes learning history more interesting because the stories are told from a young person's point of view!

Want to go back and time and experience a bullet in the leg?
The guns swirling around you make you want to turn and run, but you wont.....at least Mike wont. Want to read a wonderful story of the Civil War and the urge that gripped the teens in America during that great war and made them run and join the army? Want to know why the nickname for the Civil War is "The Boys' War"? Well, you'll find out in this wonderful book about the war that claimed the lives of so many and destroyed and brought families together. A wonderful book, that can be a curse because you wont let it down. Enjoy this wonderful tail of the bullets flying and the men dying at your side........... ... Read more

Book Description

All Alice wants is a friend.

Well, a pet and pierced ears and really long hair would be nice, too -- and most of all, Alice wishes she still had a mother. But starting third grade in a new school in a new town can be lonely, especially if the closest thing you have to a friend is weird Donald Sheavers from next door.

But even making new friends can't solve all of Alice's problems. Somehow she manages to get into trouble for a stupid lie, and to get on the wrong side of a bullying crossing guard and three snooty girls whom Alice calls "the Terrible Triplets." Will Alice ever feel at home in Takoma Park? ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Meet Alice-you're sure to love her
This book is a good introduction if you've never read an Alice book, and a cute look at Alice before we knew her if you're already a fan. The Alice prequels have an innocent charm similar to that of Beverly Cleary's "Ramona Quimby" books. In this novel, Alice has just moved to Maryland and is starting the third grade. The book begins with Alice listing her likes and dislikes, and we can see the start of the Alice we know and love in this little girl. The book covers a year of her life, showing her early embarrassments and triumphs, some of which are mentioned later on in other books, some brand new. Remember the poem for the milkman ..?.. This is a cute novel that I would recommend to any young girl, whether she's heard of Alice or not.

I COULDN'T PUT THE BOOK DOWN!
I've always been interested in reading the "Alice" series, but I just never got around to it. But when I saw this book, that is before the first book but made after the first book, I decided to give it a chance. IT WAS TERRIFIC! I don't know how it affects later books, but it was great. Alice is 8 and in 3rd grade. Her mother died long ago and she lives with her father and older brother. They have just moved to Takoma Park, Maryland. Alice is having trouble making friends. But she soon sees that there are some great parts about her new life. This book was fantastic and I would recommend it and the rest of the series for people who like to read series. Even if you don't like to read series, if you read this book, you will want to keep reading and will soon see that "Starting With Alice" and the rest of the series is terrific.

a perfect start for us younger readers!!
I loved this book....I couldn't put it down. Parts of it I read with my mom and she helped explain some things I didn't understand. It made me really appreciate that I have a mom and also I thought it was sad and funny. I can't wait for the next 2 books for younger readers like me!!

Absolutely Great
Starting With Alice was one of the best books I've ever read. I liked the way I felt like I was Alice doing the things she did and feeling the way she felt.
Starting With Alice is a book about an eight-year old girl named Alice McKinley. Alice's mother died when Alice was in kindergarten. Her ears pierced and to have long hair are things Alice realy wants, but most of all she wants a mother.
In third grade Alice moves to Maryland, and can't make any frinds excapt Donald Sheavers a boy who lives next door. Once Alice makes a friend they have to worry about these three girls Alice nicknamed "The Terrible Triplets." Alice also does't want Donalds mother as her mom, who seems to have an eye on Alice's dad.
I think that the middle of the book felt long and it dragged, because the same kinds of things kept happening. This made it kind of predictable.
One of the messages it taght me was not to judge people by the way they look.
I hope this books intrests you now. If it doesn't there are other books in the Alice series that are really good too.

Alice is Awesome!
I loved this book from the first page, when Alice makes out her list of loves "Felt tipped pens, sixty four colors" and hates "Anything with gravy". From that first page, Naylor creates in Alice the little girl that I remember being, the difficulties of moving from the territory of childhood to pre-adolescence, wanting to be accepted but not wanting to change in order to do so.
This is the first of three prequels to Naylor's Alice series that is incredibly popular with YA girls, yet it works well as a stand alone. I have read a few of the other Alice books and they are great, but this is geared for a younger audience. I believe any young girl could empathize with Alice's trials & tribulations, being called into the principal's office for disregarding the cross-walk guard because she has it "in" for you, as well as rejoice with her triumphs, inviting your peer tormentors to a party and having them show up with gifts!
I think this is an excellent book for kids and their parents, who often forget just how difficult it is to be a kid! ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (4)

The Borrowers Aloft
I liked this book a lot. I like to read about how resourceful the Borrowers are when they use stuff humans don't need or misplace. It had really nice pictures, too. I recommend this book to kids five years and older.

The Borrowers in another tight situation
In this, the fourth book in the Borrowers series (after The Borrowers, The Borrowers Afield and The Borrowers Afloat), the Clocks have moved into Little Fordham, and are starting their new life. Unfortunately, unknown to them, the greedy Mr. Platter has built a rival model village. Having seen the Borrowers, he kidnaps them to add them to his own model. How can such small people escape from a prison built by such huge human "beans"?

Ah, Mary Norton (1903-92) was a genius! Her Borrower stories are an excellent combination of suspenseful adventure and heartwarming drama. My children and I love this book, and highly recommend it to you!

Read them all. They're all wonderful!
As a child in the 1950's, I read the original Borrowers in 4th grade. I read and re-read the one in the school library, til school closed for the summer. As luck would have it, I found the book and it's subsequent additions that summer in a book store. They were the only thing I ever BEGGED my mother to buy me. I took home The Borowers, The Borrowers Afield, and The Borrowers Afloat, and I still know parts of them by heart. When I was 18, the Borrowers Aloft came out, and my mother sent it to me at college. I was 36 when the Avenged came out, and I RAN to the bookstore. The stories are as fresh today as the first time I read them. I'm now in my 50's, and I can't imagine a life without Homily, Pod and Arriety Clock. Homily who is courageous, even though she'd rather not be. Pod, who is a simple man, taking care of his family. And Arriety, ready for life, ready for adventure, a young Victorian Feminist, if there ever was one. She taught me that a girl could be anything she wanted to be. They bravely faced a daunting world, and they're only 6 inches tall. I now own well over a thousand books, and really believe that it was this small family that lead me to my love of reading.

cool
This book was pretty good. It was better than the second one which was better than the first and the third one, although the third one was better than the first. Ya Got Me? ... Read more

Reviews (5)

an elderly englishman's view
I'm buying 'Harding's Luck' for one of my 6 grandaughters - a very bright girl in Australia coming up for eleven years old, about the age I read it myself, with huge enjoyment. Her mother tells me that her daughter spurns the modern children's novels she gives her on the grounds that they're "too real" - unlike the books sent by grandfather - as e.g 'Wind on the Moon" by Eric Linklater most recently (highly recommended for 10 year-olds,if you can find it!).
'Harding's Luck' does wear its heart on its sleeve but no more than any of the great 19th century novelists of France, Russia or Britain - or indeed the USA, - and what's wrong with a novel with a message anyway? In fact it's no more 'naive', as one of your reviewers characterises it, than "The Railway Children" made twice into films. It's a lot less preachy and sentimental than say, Little Lord Fauntleroy,whose rags-to-earldom plot line, with adult redemption thrown in, is not so far removed. But in the hands of Nesbit who unlike F. Hodgson Burnettis a 'real' writer, traditional material is transmutedthrough imagination into something rich and strange and original.
Stylisticallytoo, it is right up to Nesbit's best form - try reading it aloud.
Finally Harding's Luck has all the elements that will capture a child's sympathy and imagination : injustice, poverty,deformity,magic, romance, suspense, sacrifice,andtriumph over adversity.And with twist - the happy ending is not quite happy.

Piers Croke
London

Hard Luck - No Stars
As an enormous E Nesbit fan and an avid collector of her books I can barely describe the glee with which I embarked upon Harding's Luck. Not only a new Nesbit book, but a sequel to The House of Arden - one of my top three Nesbit picks. Alas for me this book was a sad disappointment. It was bad enough that Edred's growing up in Arden eclipsed the truly magnificent Elfrida, but in Harding's Luck cousin Richard cheats them both out of any accomplishment. This would be bad enough, but Dickie our hero is cast in the `little lame beggar boy with the heart of gold' mold. After dozens of books with keen and natural renderings of children, this sugar spun Pollyanna crossed with Tiny Tim is flat and forced. As a bit of pure conjecture I will throw the blame on the social agenda of the plot thus demonstrating that very rarely does good art come from politics over observation. All that being said, it is Nesbit and it is the conclusion to the Arden story so I suppose it must be read. However for a book to wash down this one's bitter taste I suggest The Enchanted Castle, Five Children and It, or The Treasure Seekers.

Dickens would be proud
Many of Edith Nesbit's books are not so much novels as they are sequences of shorter stories (perhaps they were published, or meant to be read, serially?)Harding's Luck and its companion, The House of Arden, have farmore complex and interwoven plots.The events in the lighter House ofArden form only a part Harding's Luck, as Dickie is a much fuller characterthan Edred and Elfrida.They must have been plotted together, as eachcontains references to the other.

As in The Psammead and the Carpet,there are numerous instances of Nesbit's socialist views (not in the modernsense of big government, more along the lines of GK Chesterton's definition"A socialist is a man who wants all the chimneys swept and all thechimney sweeps paid for it.").Children will never notice these;adults may find them sweet but sadly naive.

In their richness of plot andcharacter, and in the sense of something deeper and truer lurking behindthe superficial magic, these two are probably the crown of Nesbit's work. Givn the fact that the paperback copy of Harding's Luck costs $10, it'sworthwhile to shell out another $7 for the hardback, so you'll have itlonger.

I love this book too.
It's not like the same old fairy tale but more than that. I read it a long time ago when I was a student reading from library, just waiting for paperback so more suit to my pocket.

A great fantasy story.
"Harding's Luck" is one of E. Nesbit's classic fantasies, though darker and more Dickensian than most.It is something of a sequel to her "House of Arden," but has a different hero and can stand alone quite well.It's an English time-travel story, and its hero Dickie is a great hero.One of my two favorite by Nesbit (and I've read them all.) ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Valuable Stories
This is a great book. I bought it when I was about to go on a trip, and I couldn't read it until I got on the plane. I allowed myself to read one story. The story was "The White Cat". Now, this was a great story, with a great charector. The white cat enchanted me, especialy because my grandmother had a white china cat. It was all I could do to wait until the plane to read the rest, but I did. The rest of the book was great, too, but my favorite story was still the White Cat. Some of my other favorite stories were Belenda and Bellamont, the Princess and the Hedge Pig, and the Cathood of Maurice. These are really great stories. After awhile, I got my grandma to give me her own white cat, and I felt so glad. These stories have great effects on the readers.

Magic and common sense!
I have to say, I love E Nesbit's works! It's not just the magic, it's the characters and humour, and I love the way real-life situations mix in with the magic! (hmmm... mentioned 'magic' twice already...)
There are twelve stories in all... and I can't summarise them all for you... but "Septimus Septimusson" (my favourite) was amusing, about the seventh son of a seventh son who had to go seek his fortune. Unfortunately I can't think of anyway to summarise this story either (gives away the "plot line"), so in conclusion:
MAGIC + HUMOUR + REAL-LIFE SITUATIONS + HUMOUR
I'm sorry it's not a very good review, though.

If I Could Give This Book 10,000 Stars -- I Would! :)
This book is a collection of short stories, and finding it again has been a highly emotional experience for me. I had read it YEARS ago in the Library when I was but a small child, and loved every syllable of it; then the Library LOST it, and I pined for it terribly. I had even forgotten its title (I had *thought* it was "Nine Unlikely Tales" -- perhaps an alternate title?).

Then about eight years ago, as an adult of 32, I FINALLY laid hands on a copy of "The Magic World" once more. Oh my! How I adored reading those old fine magical stories again! How I wept -- WEPT! -- to read all those old stories which I had so long loved and lost and now found again! Who could ever forget such stories as "Accidental Magic", or "The Cat-Hood Of Maurice", or "Kenneth And The Carp", or "Belinda And Bellamant; Or The Bells Of Carrillon-Land"??? This last has a very catchy verse in it ("Out! Out! Into the night!/The belfry bells are ours by right!") which I have never forgotten and which I looked for -- and found -- and triumphantly BELLOWED at the very top of my lungs the instant the book was again in my hands! Ah, me!!!

These stories are all "Classic Nesbit", and even if the book is "brand new" to you and not nostalgic as it is for me, it is still well worth the getting, and at a VERY reasonable price!

One final note of historic literary interest: the story "The Aunt and Amabel" -- with its train station tucked away inside a wardrobe in a spare room -- was C. S. Lewis' inspiration for setting the land of Narnia inside a similar wardrobe in "The Lion, The Witch, And The Wardrobe". :)

A rather interesting story-line.
This is not your usual one-plot story, instead it is a collection of short stories about children who have magical adventures. I think the one called "Justnowland" is the best one but there are some really good ones. Anyone who likes Narnia or Middle Earth will enjoy this, I think. ... Read more

Book Description

Alice and Patrick are getting married! They have to plan a wedding and honeymoon and set up a home, all for five thousand dollars -- as an assignment for a Critical Choices unit in health class. And some of their classmates are facing even tougher make-believe situations.

But sometimes Alice feels as if her real life is just as complicated. Critical Choices is supposed to teach Alice and her friends how to make decisions -- but how can you plan for anything when life seems like an obstacle course? ... Read more

Reviews (34)

Alice in Lace book review
Alice in Lace Athenium books, 1996, 139 pages, $15.00 by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor ISBN # : 0-698-80358-3

' "I am getting married," she said.' Alice McKinley is faced with a hypothetical situation. It is an assignment Mr. Everrett assigned to help them learn to make good decisions. Alice and her fellow classmates were faced with marriage, shoplifting, teenage pregnancy, totaling a car, and organizing a funeral. Alice and her friend Patrick have to plan a honeymoon, wedding, and furniture with a low budget to spend. It seems to be easy but it is harder than it looks. Then, Alice spots the vice principal in Sylvia Summers classroom begging for another chance. It wouldn't be so bad, but Sylvia is dating Alice's father. What should she do? There is also a new addition to the family of Elizabeth, Alice's best friend.
This is a great book for young teens. It tells about the some teen problems and how they solve them. There is a lot of humor and will make you want to keep reading. I love this series and always makes me laugh one time or another. Other books in the Alice series are "The Agony of Alice", "Alice in April", and "All but Alice".

Alice never knew life was this complicated...
"Alice in Lace" was another great novel on Alice McKinley, an ordinary 13 year-old girl.

In this novel, Alice and Patrick are getting married, Pamela is pregnant, and Elizabeth is buying a car. Not to mention Karen shoplifting and Jill burying her grandmother! What? Well, it's all part of the Critical Choices unit in Alice's 8th grade class: everyone receives a hypothetical situation and solves it.

This book was filled with humor, especially when Alice and her friends try to solve their situations! Teenages can really relate to this book. :) Be sure to read all of the other "Alice" books!

PAUL ROSA'S RIVIEW
I'm a boy and I still love the Alice Books, my reading teacher got e into them. I liked this book the most because I've always wanted to do a critical thinking in health class but I've never had the chance. This is a great book I recomend it

Alice in Lace
Alice in Lace Athenium books, 1996, 139pages, $15.00 by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor ISBN # : 0-698-80358-3-

' 'I am getting married,' she said.' Alice McKinley is faced with a hypothetical situation. It is an assignment Mr. Everrett assigned to help them learn to make good decisions. Alice and her fellow classmates were faced with marriage, shoplifting, teenage pregnancy, totaling a car, and organizing a funeral. Alice and her friend Patrick have to plan a honeymoon, wedding, and furniture with a low budget to spend. It seems to be easy but it is harder than it looks. Then, Alice spots the vice principal in Sylvia Summers classroom begging for another chance. It wouldn't be so bad, but Sylvia is dating Alice's father. What should she do? There is also a new addition to the family of Elizabeth, Alice's best friend.
This is a great book for young teens. It tells about the some teen problems and how they solve them. There is a lot of humor and will make you want to keep reading. I love this series and always makes me laugh one time or another. Other books in the Alice series are 'The Agony of Alice', 'Alice in April', and 'All but Alice'.

This book rocks!!
Go Naylor!!! Okay, first of all, I would like to reccomend all the Alice series, not just this one. I love this book and loved also all the other 7 Alice books that I read. My friend reccomended it to me back in 7th grade, and once you read few pages you can't stop, you would want to finish it!!!

As I said earlier.... Go Phyllis!! Your books rocks!!! ... Read more

Book Description

Finally, Alice is thirteen. But being a teenager isn't always as fantastic as Alice dreamed it would be. A sophisticated night on the town with her brother, Lester, and an overnight train trip to Chicago with Elizabeth and Pamela are exciting, but they also give her a first-hand look at some of the perils of grown-up life.

The problem is, Alice doesn't really feel like a grown-up. But she doesn't feel like a kid anymore, either. She feels in-between -- and that's a pretty confusing place to be! ... Read more

Reviews (16)

So realistic!
Alice in Between is my favorite book in the Alice series, of 12 books. It tells about Alice McKinley, who has just turned 13 at the end of seventh grade, and expects it to be wonderful. However, being a teenager and at an "in between" age is harder than she thinks, though she and her friends still have some great, often hilarious times together. A fancy date, taking the "pencil test", and going on a train trip to Chicago are a few of the things that happen. This is a book that all girls 11 and up can relate to, I'm sure! I've never read a book that is so true to life - Phyllis Naylor is amazing! If you liked this book, be sure to read the others in the series.

HDGAWVBVNGHFGHFGXXX-NARF-DAF NBBSSGFDSC!!!!
Sorry, that was me freaking out at how good this book was! I found it even more realistic and even more popping! I now feel I am one of the characters in this book. I also think that the part of the story where Pamela dressed up to be nineteen, got a date with a guy, flirted with him all night, kissed him, went into her compartment, the guy followed her in and if it hadn't been for Alice and Elizabeth throwing themselves at the door and screaming, she would've been raped very cautionary! Take this story to heart, no grain of salt needed and you may be surprised at how feel when this story is over.

Blessed be!!

It is about growing up....
this book is really great. it's about alice turning 13 and she, Pamela, and Elizabeth going to Chicago over the summer for a week. To visit Aunt Sally because that was her b-day present to Alice.
At the end of the year, a teacher retires and Miss Summers gives everyone an assignment about poetry that is true. I like this book because the author indicates about friendships, going through changes when you're 13, and learning about sad things that had happened back in the past.
Like the fact Alice had accidentally memorized her wrong poem in class. The poem she had said was about her mother. It was sentimental and really sad.
So on the train to Chicago, Pamela meets a guy who is disrepectful. So read it for yourself. It explains about REAL teenage life and friendships. And Pamela gets gum in her hair and getting it cut really short.
Elizabeth tells Alice and Pamela about God. Like refusing to forgive someone is an unforgiveable sin and what God looks like in her opinion.
Alice's dad and Miss Summers go at a music conference together in Michigan when Alice gets back. So for the second time, read this if you're curious with REAL teenage life as 13.

A Fun Mistake
I must say this is the best mistake I ever read....I mean that as a compliment because this story rox! This is a very funny and fun crazy unique story that will make you laugh when you turn to the first page..IM TELLING YOU, READ THIS, WHETHER YOU BUY IT, BORROW IT FROM THE LIBRARY, STEAL IT, i dont care, this is the best book ever and its about three friends on a 'road trip' on a train. P.S. Something very shocking happens to pamela on the train!

This is a great book
I picked this book because it is a great book for kids to read when they are getting older. It talks about three friends who couldnt wait to be 13. But when they were finally 13 Alice thought she was in between. She didnt think she was like her friends not acting too old like Pamela or not acting like a little kid like Elizabeth. I would recommend this book to kids. It is a great book because this book talks about getting older and getting more mature. ... Read more

Reviews (21)

Delightful reading
Marco and Polo were the housecats of Mr. and Mrs. Neal. However, the Neals did not know the two cats could talk. After all, it did not sound like English to the humans. Marco could also read! The cats had been trained not to go outside but Marco escaped once for an hour. Due to that, and Marco reading about something called a "ranch", the two cats carefully planned their escape into the world. Neither knew all the hardships they would face, nor the wonderful adventures they would have.

*** A delightful tale that is perfect for a child's first chapter book. Great for ages 8 - 14. Here is one that will be read and reread many times, and never to be forgotten! ***

The Grand Escape
I am an elementary school library media specialist and read this book aloud to children of all ages. We all love it! It is humorous and curious and the mystery always keeps the students' attention. You can't go wrong here. Anyone who has cats will be especially entertained. A real winner!
M Powell
Roswell, Ga.

A great funny book!
The Grand Escape is a great book and very funny. I am 9 years old and I live in Ohio. I got this book from Amazon. The day I got it, I started reading it. It was hilarious!

For Younger Readers
I had to read this book for school and thought it was going to be pointless and cheezy . . . I was somewhat right! The book is about two house cats, Marco and Polo, who have a dream of going to a ranch. They run away from home and want to join the Club of Mysteries. To be able to join they have to figure out three great mysteries, like 'when it rains where does the rain go?' I think was one.

The Grand Escape is probably geared to younger readers like the 6-10 crowd. It was a cute story idea, kind of like the things you see in Disney movies, but I think that's what it should of been: a Disney movie. Probably an okay thing to read to your six year old sister but other than that, not something you would want to read on your own time.

I gave it two stars because of the fact that it was supposedly supposed to be for preteen readers -- I disagree -- and the fact that it seemed a little too happy and fluffy, again so much like a Disney movie.

Recomendations: Shiloh, it's by the same author and might be able to fit into the preteen catagory . . . then again maybe not. I didn't really like it but if you liked the Grand Escape you probably would like it.

One of the best books I have read.
The Grand Escape is about two cats named Marco and Polo and how they get into the Club of Mysteries, a group of cats that solve mysteries, such as what controls masters and what makes the sun rise and set. The plot sucks you in and keeps you reading. It's funny and adventurous, and if you're a cat lover, you'll like it even more. There are other books in the series, too, The Healing of Texas Jake is the second one, and there's another one called Carlotta's Kittens. I hope there are more! I think cat lovers of all ages would enjoy this book. I'm an 8 year old girl (Mom's typing this for me!), but I think boys would enjoy it as much as girls. ... Read more

Book Description

Abaguchie mania! Caroline Malloy shivers happily when her on-again, off-again enemy Wally Hatford tells her that a strange animal known as the abaguchie has been spotted in their neighborhood. According to Wally, an abaguchie skeleton was found years ago in the cellar of Oldaker's bookstore.

Wally swears Caroline to secrecy and warns her not to go down and search for herself. But Caroline will do anything to solve the mystery of the bones. Wally, who's sure that boys are smarter than girls, tries to foil her plan. Caroline knows girls are smarter than boys and means to prove it with the help of her sisters. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Um, all these reviews are for the wrong book!
Have you noticed something strange here? All the previous reviews on this page are for another book and another author, just the same title. This review is for Sweet Valley Twins #17, "Boys Against Girls". I hope that clears up some confusion. I Really liked this book when I was in the age group; it played out a lot of frustrations I had with my brothers! The twin's class has a new teacher who always taught boys before. He makes some unwelcome changes and the girls go on the warpath to prove they are just as good as the boys.
By the way, is there a place where I can review the reviews?

Boys Against Girls the book you should read!!!
I read Boys Against Girls for a book report. It is the best book I have read. Wally and his brothers think they are smarer than the girls when they built an Abaguchie( the monster in the town in the book) trap. But that night they herd the bell that they connected to the trap. Did they catch the Abaguchie. You should read to find out. I really enjoyed this book. There are alot of things adults wold laugh at. If you want a funny book, this one will keep you laughing for hours. Please read this book. If you think it dosen't look good from the cover. you should use the saying " Never Judge a book by a cover." I really enjoyed it and you will too. Read Boys Against Girls.

Boys Against Girls
I think this is a pretty good book overall. I doubt adults would like it, but kids my age would. This is a book for both, boys and girls. I liked how the book was written because there were three boys in a family and three girls in a family that lived by each other. I liked how the author put in both sexes so it's just not a boy book or just a girl book.
In a small town, there lived two certain families, the Hatford and the Malloy family. The Hatford family consists of three boys, the Malloy family consists of three girls.
The two families were neighbors and they loved to these each other, so the Hatford boys thought they had a great idea by going to tell the girls that the animal, the Abaguchie, exsisted and was spotted close where they live. The Malloy girls believed the guys, as the Hatford boys just keep on playing along with them like the animal really exsisted and it was close to their house.
(...)
Overall, I would say this book was pretty well written for a kid my age.

My sister told me to shut up I was laughing so hard
Abaguachie is round and Coroline in scared. Wally says that the abaguachie has been seen in the neighborhood for several years. Wally says there is bones in the celler of Oldkers bookstore. wally thinks boys are smarter than girls. But caroline with the help of her sisters will show the boys whose smarter. Hind out and read Boys anganist Girls. You'll luv it!

Excelent book
I read Boys Against Girls by Phyllis Reynold Neylor, this is a Realistic Fiction book. This story takes place in West Virginia in the modern life. The author shows all the characters in the first chapter. This story is about the four Hatford brothers and the three Malloy sisters, they made tricks to each other every day. Wally Hatford told Caroline Malloy that a strange creature known as the Abaguchie has been spotted in the area. From that moment they start to scare each other. The author mixes suspense with funny things. This book is for people that likes weird things. I liked this book a lot because at the end it gets a little strange, I recommend it and I give five stars. ... Read more

Book Description

Alice McKinley is about to become a teenager, but she doesn't know how. Her mother has been dead for years, and what do her father and her nineteen-year-old brother, Lester, know about being a teenage girl?

If only she had a role model, like the beautiful sixth-grade teacher Miss Cole. But instead Alice gets assigned to plain, pear-shaped Mrs. Plotkin's class. Is Alice doomed to a life of one embarrassment after another? ... Read more

Reviews (40)

Great Series!!
This is my favorite Alice book so far! I am so hooked on this series that I can't put the book down, I can relate to it so much,especially this book because I(unlike Alice) was homeschooled and am going to school for the very first time this year, what is like Alice is that I am going into the 6th grade and share the same problems with her. I can REALLY relate to this book, even the librarian at the elementary school(who is probably about late 30's early 40's,maybe even 50's!!)likes this series. I think that even though she talks about sex in the other books it is still OK for preteens. I mean come on, i already know what sex is!(and hope other 6th graders do by NOW!!!). I can relate to it so much I am starting to think that Phyllis Reynolds Naylor wrote the book about me!! I recommend this book to girls 10 to 13 because she is only in 6th grade and this book is better if you're around the same age as her.

This Book is Wonderful
For any girl who would like to jump into a good series, start with the Agony of Alice. It is so funny and I laughed through the whole book. Alice is trying to learn how to be a teenager, but since she doesn't have a mother, she's doing it all wrong-she pulls somebody's hair onstage, kicks a teacher's arm in the Halloween parade, and still can't buy a bra, to name a few embarrassing incidents.

Also, I have been reading the other reviews of the Alice books and notice that quite a bit of them have been complaining about the sexual content. So, if you're wondering what age is appropriate and which isn't, I have a guideline: most girls that have done the Family Life course at school are mature enough for the Alice books, because the books don't really cover any more than what you learn in Family Life (in fact, sometimes Family Life is a lot worse).

I loved this book and would recommend it to any preteen or teen girl.

Not the best, but it was still great!
As the first Alice book in the series, I'm not sure how it continued, but I'm glad. It defenitly was not the best Alice book, but it was still great. I wasn't found of it, but I still read it in2 days. The Grooming of Alice was the first Alice book I read, (I hadn't discovered the whole series), and this was the fourth. Some of the funny parts in the book was when she wanted to get Miss Cole and went to the principal's office just so he'd swicth her! I'll say that toward the end I really enjoyed it, so if it seems a little dull in the beginning, I'll tell you it gets a WHOLE lot better. I still really liked this one!
-Scooby

The 1st Book
Alice's mother died when she was young, leaving her alone with her 19 year old brother Lester, and her Dad. This book, and the whole series, is how she struggles through growing up without a female role model.

When Alice first starts 6th grade, she is certain she will be in the class with the most beautiful teacher, who will be her perfect role model. Instead, she is chosen for plain, old Mrs. Plotkin. She tries to get kicked out of her class, but with hilarious results. Alice learns that you need to pay more attention to the inside, than the outside.

I enjoyed this book. I think a lot of kids can relate to this book. Who here hasn't wanted the most beautiful teacher? I recommend you also read the rest of the series too.

A good read for adolescent girls
I love the Alice series, I am one of Phylis Reynold Naylor's great big stampeding fans, but--to be truthful to you, buddy boy--I didn't find this one nearly as riveting as the others. It is interesting and a good start for the other books, just a little slow. I really did love the whole Alice/Patrick saga and Alice's emotions are just like any girl's. If you want to feel all sorts of things--happy, sad, EMBARRASSED, angry, angst, disapointed, hysterically tickled, numb, and just plain content--follow along with Alice in her first adventure. Read the other books in order, as well, as Alice grows physically and mentally.

A GREAT READ!

If you want some more emotions read the rest of the Alice series, The Princess Diaries Series by Meg Cabot, the Georgia Nicholson Series by LOuise Rennison and the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling.

BLESSED BE!!! ... Read more

Book Description

A $10,000 reward for a missing mummy lures cousins Jeff and Debbie into an old mansion. But a raging snow storm forces them to spend the night ­ and an evil ancient spirit might not let them see the dawn. ... Read more

Reviews (47)

It'll make your bones shiver
House on Hackman's Hill is one of the best books I have ever read. My teacher read it to my class in school. It made me shiver and gasp. At the house on Hackman's Hill, you never know what surprises come next.
It all started as an innocent hunt for a contest. The prize:10 grand. The two innocent kids: Debbie and Jack. They were trying to find mummy that was worth quite a bundle. How were they to know that their own neighbor, Mr.Carlson, had actually lived there. Mr. Carlson told them the horrific story of what happened when he was just a boy living their. He told about the mummy's curse and the many secrets that house held.
After hearing that invigorating story, the two kids went over to the house to search for the mummy. They put aside the fact that even adults avoided the house. They packed sandwiches, a camera, and flashlights. After about 5 hours there, a storm came. They were trapped inside the terrible house...
This book kept me on the edge of my seat while my teacher was reading it to me. I loved every page of the book. There were no bad parts in the book at all. The author was brilliant to think of such an idea.
I would recommend this book for children 10-18. It is so scary it might frighten kids under the age of 10. Actually I recommend this book for ages 10 and up. Everyone would enjoy it. That is anyone who enjoys a good, old-fashioned ghost story.

Don't Hide What's Inside
I think that the book The House on Hackman's Hill is a really great book. This book will have your mind on an incredible journey the whole time you read it. Reading this book is like being in the book, on a mysterious and perilous adventure. Danger and fear can strike into your mind at any given moment. Excitement is what you'll feel as you go through this story. I have never gotten bored while reading this book. Exploring a world where anything can happen at any time. I have no doubt that this book will take you on a journey with it. I would recommend this book to anyone at all. I am sure anybody who reads The House on Hackman's Hill will enjoy it. It involves two adventurous kids who want to go inside of this abandoned house to look for a mummy and get a reward for finding it. Then, they hear the story of the Hackman House and fear strikes them. But, they really wanted the reward so they went on an adventure inside of that house, unaware of the dangers inside.

A real thriller!
An excellent adventure!'
Very mysterious!

ATTENTION TEACHERS!
1. If you teach and you are a good oral reader, then read every other book to your class that you plan to use BEFORE you read this one.
2. I read this to my 4th grade classes every year while they follow what I read in their own copy.
3. The time of day doesn't matter. When I say let's read...they APPLAUD and RUSH to get thier books.
4. Even the 'attention problems' sit spellbound and beg for more.
5. It just doesn't get any better than that.
6. Five stars is not NEARLY enough for this magnificent mystery!
7. I hope you can purchase this book from someone else because MY 25 copies are not available to ANYONE at ANY PRICE.

This Book Will Have You Wrapped
The story "The House On Hackman's Hill" is a pretty good book. It's about these two kids, Jeff and Debbie who want to discover a missing mummy. The only person-or do I dare say thing standing in their way is the statue with the body of a human but a head of a jackal, Anubis. Many have tried to get the missing mummy but have never returned. Read this story by Joan Lowery Haddix to see if Jeff and Debbie can survive The House On Hackman's Hill.

Cliffhanger Alert!
The House on Hackman's Hill is a GREAT book! It is about two kids named Jeff and Debbie. They are walking through the woods and the find a mysterious house. They both feel like they are being watched. So, they go to their neighbor's house and asks about what the found. He tells them the whole story. They find out the something is in that house and there is a reward for anyone who finds it. Jeff wants the reward money to give to his dad and Debbie wants to get a picture of what is in there for a camera contest. But the only thing is that something gets in their way! The great thing about this book is at the end of every chapter there is a cliffhanger so I couldn't wait to finish reading it! This book is a MUST! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Fabulous - every family with small children should own!
This book is the cutest book! Excellent book to explain to children 3-6 years old an often uncomfortable topic. It is a great way to open communication between children and parents with great text and precious pictures. ... Read more

Book Description

Phyllis Reynolds Naylor's books are true to life, funny, and, most of all, well written -- you'd think that she doesn't have to work at writing at all. She makes it seem easy,

But it isn't. Writing was not her first choice of a career, and even though creating stories might have been simple, getting them published was not. It took a long time -- and many rejection slips -- before she had a story accepted. But even that taught her more about her craft. How I Came to be a Writer is Phyllis Reynolds Naylor's story about her stories, from her first work in kindergarten to her most recent books. Illustrated with photographs, and including samples of her earlier writing, this book will show you the inner workings of the writing process, from the spark of an idea to a book's actual publication. Among Phyllis Reynolds Naylor's more than 80 books for children and adults are Eddie, Incorporated and The Solomon System (both available as Aladdin paperbacks). ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A very real picture.
HOW I CAME TO BE A WRITER, is a biography with some writing instruction, and one writer's personal publication story woven in. Naylor, the Newbery-winning author of SHILOH and many other popular books, here writes about her early efforts, rejections, and successes.

Naylor explains that her mother came from Iowa and her father's parents moved from Mississippi to live in Maryland. Having roots in both the Midwest and the Deep South made her family a little different, and she discusses this contrast in cultures. Her family and their backgrounds also helped to shape Naylor's thinking and inspire the settings of her stories. Naylor was born in Anderson, Indiana, in 1933. Times were hard everywhere in the US as this was the Great Depression, but Naylor's parents always made certain that books were a part of their lives. Her parents read to her and her siblings every night, and books were the toys and props the children used when they played.

As a child, Naylor never imagined that she would grow up to be a writer, mostly because she enjoyed writing too much! She imagined that occupations were serious things, not something that one loved to do. She wrote stories and stapled together homemade books throughout her childhood with no thought that she would ever write for a living. At age 16, Naylor published her first story. She then assumed writing would be a breeze, but she discovered through rejection and failure that a writer's life was far from easy. Learning to write well and get paid for it would be every bit as hard as learning any other occupation.

In this book, Reynolds Naylor includes pictures of herself and her family, plus pictures of her book covers. She tells how the ideas for her books come to her, including how she organizes the vast amount of materials she uses in researching her books. For example, she got the idea for SHILOH from a very real little dog. I think you'll enjoy reading about her experiences in choosing her life's occupation and developing her skills. Reynolds Naylor has written a wide range of books and stories, and you can sample them in this book. HOW I CAME TO BE A WRITER will give you a very real picture of how a person --- maybe you! --- can become a writer and create the books we all love to read.

--- Reviewed by Tamara Penny

It is about the life of Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, an author.
This book is very interesting if you like biographies, and is perfect for all ages.She talks about her childhood of writing and making up stories.She says that at first she didn't understand how to read and she thoughtall of the kids were just making up a story that went with a picture.Shealso talks about eating her sister's chocolate bunny and having to wearawful boy's clothes!She later on discussed the steps she took to becomethe marvelous writer she is.When I read this book, I found out that shewrote a series of humorous books on "Alice".The"Alice" books are now among my favorite.I would suggest thisbook to anyone who loves to read and write. ... Read more

Book Description

At the heart of any great work of literature is a story. William Shakespeare's plays are no exception. They tell the stories of kings and queens, of ghosts and witches, of romance and passion. But to get to the stories at the heart of the Bard's plays, the reader must first work through Shakespeare's language, a task often too demanding for younger readers (and for many adults). This new paperback edition brings ten of Shakespeare's greatest plays to life. E. Nesbit, the classic British children's author, shakes off the burdensome complexity of Shakespeare's language and tells the stories at the core of the plays with a generous sprinkle of wit and humor. Her graceful, vivid retellings, written in highly accessible and lucid prose, are the perfect introduction to Shakespeare's work.

All of these major works are included in this anthology: Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Macbeth, Othello, King Lear, The Merchant of Venice, The Tempest, As You Like It, The Winter's Tale, and Twelfth Night. The text is illustrated with dramatic black-and-white photographs from contemporary productions of the plays by the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Stratford Festival (Ontario, Canada), and the Folger Library's Shakespeare Theater. Also included is an afterword by Peter Hunt, a leading scholar of children's literature.

These retellings of the classic tales of one of the world's greatest playwrights remind us that it is never too early for Shakespeare. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

this is not for grade school age children
I bought this to read to my 9 year old son. The language used in this book was very advanced. I found the difficulty level to be just a notch below the actual plays. I found a book called "Stories from Shakespeare" by Geraldine McCaughrean which was much better and my son is enjoying reading "Shakespeare".

Children will now understand Shakepeare!
Edith Nesbit is a wonderful writer, who keeps the integrity of the Shakespeare plays, and makes them understandable to young readers.

I read these stories to my boys, who love to hear all the tales of sword fights, king and queens, difficult lives, funny situations, and times of long ago.

For me, it has been a great overview of famous Shakespeare plays that seem to complicated to read through in their original form. This book gives you the core of the stories, so that later on , one could then read the original stories by the Bard of Avon. ... Read more

Book Description

The Most Exciting Summer of Their Lives

That's what Pamela says about the summer before ninth grade, and she, Alice, and Elizabeth are determined to make the most of it. All three girls are getting into shape for the new school year by jogging three miles a day and cutting down on junk food, and Alice is enjoying her volunteer job at the local hospital.

But things keep happening that Alice hadn't counted on. Her satisfaction with her job is marred by an unexpected sorrow. Her attempt to be a loyal friend to Pamela gets her in trouble with her father and brother, big time. And both she and Pamela are afraid that Elizabeth may be taking her efforts to lose weight too seriously. Could the most exciting summer of their lives be a little too exciting? ... Read more

Reviews (22)

Possibly the best Alice book ever!
I have read every Alice book and this has to be one of the most important and well written ones. Changes are everywhere for Alice and her family and friends- some bad, some good, and one incredible surprise! Once again it is filled with humor and touching moments. I couldn't put it down until I reached the end. I can't wait for the next installment. Things are really getting exciting in this series and I don't want to miss a beat!

The Grooming of Alice
I am a big fan of the Alice series and have read each book a number of times each. Before this book the books seemed kinda unrealistic. Like some of the stuff they did I never would do. But in this one it talks about the disese anorexia. I think it is good to educate kids about that cause I know someone that has that and it has TOTALLY ruined their life. So I really recomend this book to everybody.

Kathryn ...
The story was mostly about three girls names Alice, Pamela, and Elizabeth. The girls have known each other about three years. They have just come out of middle school and will be starting high school and decides they don't want to go into high school the same way they came out of middle school. They find so much wrong with themselves
( not so much Alice) that thye go on this diet or this excercis program together where they cut out sweets, pizza, and etc. and start jogging every morning. For Elizabeth this gets out of control and looses six pounds too much weight. While this is going on Alice and Pamela have other problems. Like, for instance Alice's summer job with her other friend named Gwen at the local hospital doing volunteer work. While at work Alice finds out that one of her sixth grade teachers is there and soon passes on. Now Pamela's mother ran off with her boyfriend to Colorado and she is also fighting with her dad. So this book is fiiled with drama. This ends when her dad decides to remarry and they are ready to go to the ninth grade.
I really enjoyed this book because it deals with some of the basic problems some of us teenagers are faced with day to day. I also enjoyes this book because of the ending and the way they dealed with their problems.

Love at first sight with this book!!!
This great story and makes the reader feel confident. It also makes the reader blush redder, as I have said in my other reviews of the Alice books. Some may feel it is inapropriate, but I disagree without hesitation. It's not gross, it's realistic. A lot of girls are kissing their boyfriends on eyelids--not all of them, but a lot--and the descriptions of certain body parts at the YMCA are--again--realistic, that is what is going to happen if you go to those kinds of classes and are in a pretty serious relationship. If anything, this book and all the others in the series are PREPARING girls for what is going to take place as they mature. That's my opinon.

5 Stars!!!

BlEsSeD bE!!!

It's great for what it is, but the age group is off
People who only rate "Classics" at 5 stars are missing a point. You should take a book for what it's supposed to be and decide how well it measured up to its own goal, otherwise all children's books would be two stars or less, when for children's books they are wonderful.

With that in mind, I give THE GROOMING OF ALICE four stars. It aimed to be informative, simple, cute, light and sweet, with a few morals slipped in too. It measured up to all those things quite nicely, but it lacked the creative, polished spark of Harry Potter or the beautiful writing of "Classics" such as THE GOLDEN COMPASS.

The sitcom-type story is played out well and deftly in a simple, sweet prose in Alice's first person--so far, so good. But the problem (and the reason I took off a star) is that the intended reader age is not clear. SOME people think that references to sex, explicit descriptions of body parts at a YMCA class Alice and her friends attend, anorexia and kissing 14-year-old boyfriends on eyelids at neighborhood pools make this book unsuitable for the under-13 crowd. And this must be hard for Miss Naylor, to write truthfully about what goes on with teenagers without being vulgar. However, the simple writing and continuation of a younger girls' series makes this book more appealing to girls age 10 and 11. Most people think that girls that age are too young to be hearing about the above issues so candidly explained. So, read the story and decide for yourself. You'll find it passes time most enjoyably. ... Read more

Book Description

The race is on! The Hatford boys and the Malloy girls are ready to outdo one another again. Eddie is the first girl to ever try out for the school baseball team. Now she and Jake are competing for the same position, while Caroline and Wally compete for class spelling bee champ. Wally is itching to win, but Caroline the show-off plans to be number one.

As if that wasn’t enough, the kids decide to race bottles down the rising Buckman River to see whose will go the farthest by the end of the month. The winner will be queen or king for the day while the other kids act as servants. But neither team trusts the other. When the girls go down to the river to try and capture the boys’ bottles, Caroline falls into the rising water. It looks like those Malloy girls may be in over their heads this time! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

hey look at me on my profile
The girls take over for me was an ok book. Of course i am a girl so i would like the book. I think this book shows a good point of view from boys and girls. it shows what happens when boys are intimmidated by girls who try out for the baseball tem and make it. i think it is fun to see what boys would say and think about that. This book also diplays a sample of sibling rivalry. I think that any girls or boys really that are interested in rivalry between boys and girls would be pleased with this book. i hope you will read The Girls Take over by Sharon Creech.

Prepare for more laughs and unexpected twists
The Hatfield boys and Malloy girls are still competing; this time their conflicts range from racing bottles downstream - and a potentially dangerous spill - to wild ball games. Prepare for more laughs and unexpected twists as Naylor continues the ongoing story in such a manner as to invite newcomers to participate in the zany fun. ... Read more

Book Description

Texas Jake is on the mend...
and the fur is really flying.

Texas Jake, the big yellow tomcat, was badly injured saving his friends from the huge mastiff Bertram the Bad. Now the other cats in the Club of Mysteries are looking for ways to speed Texas Jake's recovery -- perhaps earn the right to take his place as leader of the club.

Marco and Polo have taken on the riskiest mission of all -- gathering some comfrey leaves to heal Texas Jake's wounds. The problem is, comfrey grows only at the city dump, and that's the turf of the dreaded Steak Knife and his gang. Steak Knife is rumored to have a collection of tails of his victims -- and not just mouse and bird tails either!

Soon the brothers are up to their whiskers in danger. Will Marco and Polo return with the goods -- and with their tails? ... Read more

Book Description

When the darkness,
tolls the hour,
I shall have you
in my power...

Lynn and her best friend, Mouse, are positive their neighbor, Mrs. Tuggle, is a witch. And they suspect the old woman is forcing Lynn's sister, Judith, to join her coven to witches. But Lynn and Mouse can't prove anything and their parents don't believe them. the girls are desperate to expose Mrs. Tuggle's evil nature, especially since her actions are becoming more threatening everyday.

Now Lynn's parents have announced that they're going away for the weekend, leaving Judith and Mrs. Tuggle in charge. Can the girls outsmart Mrs. Tuggle and save Lynn's family -- or is the dark magic too strong to conquer? ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Witch's Sister Series
Witch's Sister immedietly caught my attention in about the middle of the book. It's literally disturbing in some parts. This book pulls you into it word by word and I believe I've read it almost 3 times. I have enjoyed the entire series and I wish there would be a 5th book.

Books so good you remember them for years...
I was first introduced to this series back in the fourth grade, I am 28 now. I enjoyed this series so much that I have been trying to remember the title and author of this series for quite some time. Now that I have found it, I read the latest [reviews], and I was shocked. How can you put a book down because it does not stick with the reality of a witches religion. This is a children's book, not a biography of witches. It's called FICTION for a reason. I think everyone should read these books to their children about 3rd or 4th grade. They are exciting and really make a child want to read, that's what they did for me.

This Trilogy Set is Horrid!
I read all three before I was going to give to my children to read. I will not let them read it now. The so-called facts that the author used as reference are completely incorrect and again puts a bad name for a witch and the craft religion. To even mention killing your sibling in a book is horrid enough especially in today's society of anger and child resentment. Not to mention adult instability. If the author was trying for shock value, then she did get my attention for it. I was appalled by the evilness of her book. The religion of witches is no where close to what Ms. Naylor proclaims. Perhaps she should do a little more research into the witches field and realize once again people are being prosecuted unjustly like they did in the burning times. Her books are adamant proof of it. My recommendation is not to buy these books for your children.

One of the best witch books ever...
I think it's kind of sad that this author has fallen prey to the trap of writing SERIES books like the Alice series. This is one of her older books, and although it has a few sequels, it is one-of-a-kind and does not have that "first of a series" production-line quality that has ruined children's literature. Highly original, truly scary, richly evocative...a wonderful justaposition of creepy magic and mundane suburbia. A modern classic of sorts.

Witch's Sister
Witch's Sister was a great book. It was about a girl named Lynn and she was trying to find out if her sister was a witch or not. I recommend this book to anyone that likes books about witches or mystery books. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

With more than a dash of humor
Fans of Phyllis Naylor's "Boys Against The Girls" series will delight in the new Boys In Control, which continues the saga of the Hatford boys and the Malloy girls at war. Here a thwarted baseball game turns into another competition