Amazon.com

Caution: for advanced storytellers only! The tongue twisters in this book will have your children laughing for hours--and that laughter just might be directed at you! Mixing genuine words with classic Seuss vocabulary, Oh Say Can You Say gets trickier with every page.You'll start off easy with this cautionary limerick:

Said a book-reading parrot named Hooey, "The words in this book are all phooey.When you join them your lips will make slips and back flips, and your tongue may end up in Saint Looey!"

Reviews (9)

oh say can you say is a very good book
its a rhymeing book good for all ages and fun to read. It will leave you with a smile on your face wondering how he did it again. Dr. Seuss is a great author and shows you why once again in this book....

Tongue Fun for Everyone
We all know Dr. Seuss is the best,
put your tongue twister skills to the test!
Tho' this book's oft overlooked,
I am sure you'll be hooked
"Oh Say..." is a Seuss tongue-twist fest!

Tongue twisters, Seuss style
"Oh Say Can You Say?" is a collection of tongue twisters from the fertile pen of the great Dr. Seuss. Each twister is accompanied by Seuss's characteristically whimsical illustrations. The collection is introduced by a frazzled-looking parrot named Hooey.

"Oh Say" contains Seussian imaginary creatures (the Schnak, the Grox, etc.) and silly characters ("a musical urchin named Gretchen von Schwinn," the acrobatic Fuddnuddler brothers, etc.). Along the way are such tongue-torturing phrases as "Skipper Zipp's Clipper Ship Chip Chop Shop." The colorful illustrations, as one might expect from Seuss, are bursting with surreal energy. Overall, a lot of fun, especially if you love rhyme and alliteration.

Oh say can you say
I thought this was a really good book. I liked all the tounge twister. I could Hardly say most of them fast. I think this would be a harder book for younger children.

This is wonderful!
My 2-year-old loves the sounds and rhythms of the words. These are tongue-twisters that also rhyme, in that unique, Dr. Seuss style. Imaginative, wild and wonderful verses. I love reading them, as well, and my husband enjoyed them, too. Just alot of fun. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

More high adventures in Arabia
After a strange encounter with General Alcazar of San Theodoros, and then getting home to see that Emir Ben Kalish Ezab, has sent his thoroughly obnoxious son, Prince Abdullah, to stay at Marlinspike, the Emir is deposed by the evil Revolutionary thug, Sheik Bab El Er.
Tintin and the Captain fly to Khemed, to try to get to the bottom of an illegal arms buying racket and if they can, to help their friend, the Emir.
There they take a boat to Mecca , where they must battle several enemies , in a high adventure on the Red Sea. Before the adventure is through , they will break a slave smuggling ring and ensure the defeat of several villains.
The issue of slave trade by Arabs , of Africans , was not only still going on when this book was written in 1958 , but is still endemic today , in places such as the Sudan.
These adventures are always full, of life and colour.

Tintin and Captain Haddock save the day in Khemed
While talking about General Alcazar, the deposed president of the Republic of San Theodoros, Tintin and Captain Haddock literally run into him. This is more than mere coincidence, it is the beginning of another exciting adventure for our hero and his friends as it seems Alcazar is involved in buying armaments on the sly. However, Prince Abdullah has been sent by his father the Emir to stay with the good Captain to improve the young scamp's English. The Emir mentions that the situation is serious at home and when the headlines announce a coup d'etat in Khemed, Tintin decides to head there to find out if there is a connection between the rebel victory achieved by air power and the arms dealing he has discovered.

What makes "The Red Sea Sharks" one of the best Tintin adventures is that there are even more dastardly deeds being done by the bad guys this time around (involving "coke" smuggling). Herge continues to explore the class between Western and Near Eastern cultures as Captain Haddock has to wear a veil as a disguise and Snowy has a memorable encounter with a cheetah, while back home Professor Calculus and Nestor do their best to keep Prince Abdullah, ah, entertained. Herge might have created an imaginative parallel world for Tintin's adventures, but they certainly echo serious real world concerns, and that is especially true of "The Red Sea Sharks." As an added pleasur3e, the good captain gets to vent time and time again at people who really deserve to be roundly cursed out, even by Haddock's peculiar collection of epithets.

One of the most exciting Tintin books so far!
I love this book, it reminds me of going to sea with friends, a beautiful sea adventure. Since I read it, I just loved the artwork of Herge, he really did a great job of bringing the characters and scenery to life!

If you once looked at the water you'll see it really blue and there's waves crashing on shore, just like a real sea! Also, the characters drawn are humanlike.

Enough with the praise on artwork, let's head on to the comical features. I really loved Captain Haddock when he started dancing on the raft like a maniac, happy when he saw and felt that he's saved! He danced until the raft broke under him!

Simply, one of the most brilliantly created Tintin stories. This would delight children AND adults like me as well, for years to come!

The writing too is also in good english and I feel that Leslie Londsale Cooper and her companion translated it so well!

I simply give this 5 stars because it is an excellent book and would be one of my personal favourites of all time!

Interesting title change
One curious thing about this book is that it is one of the few Tintin books whose original title (in the French edition) is in English: "Coke in Stock", a reference to the modern slave trade, I believe; but for some strange reason the title was changed for the English-language edition., to "Red Sea Sharks"...I wonder why?

One of my favourites
The Tintin adventure stories are all really good and this is probably the best one with all the characters. Quite a few of the characters that have made appearances throughout the series appear in this story and the main adventure involves Tintin and the Captain as the uncover a slave trading gang and get into a thrilling adventure at sea. I am a big fan of the Tintin books and this one has to be one of the best. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Too simple, no substance
I was disappointed and am reconsidering ever buying books online again! You can't really see what you are getting, and this is just too simple to be useful.

Doctor Maisy
If your child loves Maisy books as much as mine does, definitely add this one to your collection! Not only are the pictures colorful and inviting, but it also makes going to the doctor seem fun and exciting! Plus, it's always great to see Maisy and her friends playing different roles and doing fun things! Each page brings delight to my child's eyes! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Along with Mickey Mouse and Asterix, Tintin is one of the world's most recognizable cartoon characters. If you haven't read any of his adventures, you are missing a real pleasure. The clean, crisp art style that defines modern European comics is almost entirely the influence of Hergé. Considered to be one of Hergé's masterworks, Tintin in Tibet is a great book for both old and new fans of Tintin. It is compelling, exciting, and spiritually rewarding in the way that the best comics stories can be. ... Read more

Reviews (21)

The best and the most sensitive Tintin book
I believe that Tintin in Tibet is Herge's best book. It has a very serious agenda. Tintin's blind faith that his friend Chang survived the air crash in the Himalayas drives him, Snowy and his loyal friend Captain Haddock to find and rescue Chang. All through the adventure, they face terrible dangers and discouragement but Tintin's belief in Chang's being alive is never shaken. Herge, I have read, was going through a personal crisis in his life when he completed this adventure. It shows. There are occassional funny scenes as in all Tintin adventures but essentially, it seems that Herge did not want this to be a funny adventure but rather, a serious one. Hence, the absence of the Thompson twins and a very minimal of Professor Calculus is understandable. This book is a classic for all ages. The mood can be summarized in the last panel on the last page when Chang shares his thoughts about the Yeti.

The Himalayas , the Yeti and Tibetan Buddhism
Firmly convinced that his friend Chang, has survived the plane crash in Nepal, Tintin, accompanied by Captain Haddock, sets off for Nepal to rescue Chang.
After passing through New Deli and Nepal (where we explore the sights and sounds of these wonderful places, Tintin and the reluctant Captain set off for the Tibetan Himalayas for the mission impossible.

This is one of Herge's best works as he explores the , hazards of Himalayan mountain climbing, the gentle Tibetan Buddhist monasteries and the truth about the Yeti , commonly known as the 'abominable snowman'.

The only thing left out, is the brutal Chinese occupation of Tibet which still continues today .The book was recently released in China, on condition that the name 'Tibet' was left out of the title, another example that after the holocaust of 2 million Tibetans, the Red Chinese are still not content in their drive to wipe out the beautiful culture and memory of Tibet.

A particular interesting scene is the psychedelic delirium of Captain Haddock during his sunstroke.
The strong 60's flavour of this is interesting considering that the book was written at the ver dawn of this era-1960.

Tintin and Snowy head off to Tibet to rescue Chang
Tintin and Snowy were created in 1929 by Georges Remi (a.k.a. Hergé). In 1934 Hergé met a young Chinese student, Chang Chong-Chen, at which point Tintin's creator became convinced of the importance of having a soundly built storyline and getting the facts straight. In short, Hergé started taking his soundtrack very seriously. After the Communists took over China, Hergé and Chang lost touch. In 1960 the English version of "Tintin in Tibet" was published and it was immediately clear that this was a very personal story for Hergé, who was writing about his friendship with a friend he had not seen in decades.

Tintin has a dream about Chang, the boy he made friends with in China back in the adventure of "The Blue Lotus." In the dream Tintin sees Chang lying in the snow, half buried, holding out his hands and calling to Tintin to help him. When Tintin gets a letter from Chang he is surprised at the remarkable coincidence, but then he reads in the newspaper that Chang's plane has crashed in Tibet. Tintin, convinced his friend is not dead, goes off to the land of the ice and snow to save his friend.

There are none of the traditional villains in this rather special Tintin story in which our hero is aided only by Snowy and Captain Haddock (with a brief appearance by Calculus). This is arguably the most poignant Tintin adventure, focusing on the power of loyalty and hope overcoming all obstacles and Hergé places a lot of obstacles in Tintin's way. I think what I like most about this story is about how Hergé keeps what are essentially a series of cliffhangers going and going but in a realistic manner, while still working in the series trademark humor with Snowy and the Captain. "Tintin in Tibet" is an atypical Tintin adventure, but that just makes it all the more special (By the way, in 1981 Hergé and Chang Chong-Chen were happily reunited).

"Tintin in Tibet" was recently in the news when it was announced that the Chinese translation had the story as "Dingding in Chinese Tibet." Given that Fanny Rodwell, Hergé's widwow, is reported to be a personal friend of the Dalai Lama it is not surprising that she decided not to attend the promotional ceremonies in China for the launching of the Chinese language version of Tintin (the Chinese are not publishing "Tintin in the Land of the Soviets" (anti-communist) and "Tintin in the Congo" (too racist and imperialist).

One of the best Tintin adventures!
I have been a fan of Hergé's Adventures of Tintin since I was three years old, and "Tintin in Tibet" is without a doubt one of the four best. It combines wonderful art and a touching story, plus the return of Tintin's friend Chang, whom we have not seen since the earlier story "The Blue Lotus". (The other three best Tintin stories, in my opinion are "The Castafiore Emerald," "The Calculus Affair" and "Flight 714". I recommend you check them all out.) Enjoy.

Tintin heads off to Tibet to save his friend Chang
Tintin and Snowy were created in 1929 by Georges Remi (a.k.a. Herge). In 1934 Herge met a young Chinese student, Chang Chong-Chen, at which point Tinti''s creator became convinced of the importance of having a soundly built storyline and getting the facts straight. In short, Herge started taking his soundtrack very seriously. After the Communists took over China, Herge and Chang lost touch. In 1960 the English version of "Tintin in Tibet" was published and it was immediately clear that this was a very personal story for Herge, who was writing about his friendship with a friend he had not seen in decades.

Tintin has a dream about Chang, the boy he made friends with in China in "The Blue Lotus." Chang is lying in the snow, half buried, holding out his hands and calling to Tintin to help him. When Tintin gets a letter from Change he is surprised at the remarkable coincidence, but then he reads in the newspaper that Chang's plane has crashed in Tibet. Tintin, convinced his friend is not dead, goes off to save his friend.

There are none of the traditional villains in this rather special Tintin story in which our hero is aided only by Snowy and Captain Haddock (with a brief appearance by Calculus). This is arguably the most poignant Tintin adventure, focusing on the power of loyalty and hope overcoming all obstacles and Herge places a lot of obstacles in Tintin's way. I think what I like most about this story is about how Herge keeps what are essentially a series of cliffhangers going and going but in a realistic manner, while still working in the series trademark humor with Snowy and the Captain. "Tintin in Tibet" is an atypical Tintin adventure, but that just makes it all the more special.

By the way, in 1981 Herge and Chang Chong-Chen were happily reunited.

More recently in the news, "Tintin in Tibet" was recently in the news when it was announced that the Chinese translation had the story as "Dingding in Chinese Tibet." Given that Fanny Rodwell, the widow of Tintin's Belgian creator Herg, is reported to be a personal friend of the Dalai Lama it is not surprising that she decided not to attend the promotional ceremonies in China for the launching of the Chinese language version of Tintin (the Chinese are not publishing "Tintin in the Land of the Soviets" (anti-communist) and "Tintin in the Congo" (too racist and imperialist). ... Read more

Book Description

Quack! Quack! What's that sound? Biscuit goes to see and meets a lost duckling. Biscuit helps the duckling find its way home, and then the fun begins. Woof! Quack!

Reviews (4)

Biscuit Meets the Little Duck
In this book Biscuit meets a new friend when he finds a small yellow duckling near the house. Friendly puppy that he is, Biscuit soon makes friends but a duckling should be with its parents.

Biscuit helps the little duckling find its family but not without making an impression as the duckling looks like it follows him home at the end.

Another simple and happy story with some of the best illustrations in children's books. My daughter likes to read the "Woof, woof!" parts.

Biscuit Rex
"Biscuit Finds a Friend" is the most emotionally shattering portrayal of love and loss since "Wuthering Heights". Alyssa Satin Capucilli has written the manifesto of a disenfranchised generation, and the publication of "Biscuit Finds a Friend" represents a watershed moment in the world of fiction. In Biscuit, Capucilli has found a humble hero, a character that speaks quietly, but speaks for a generation nonetheless. In his quest for simple, basic companionship, Biscuit reminds me of Holden Caulfield of Salinger's "The Catcher in the Rye," and echoes of the immense effect that "Catcher" had on its generation can be found here. Biscuit, seeking to break free of the shackles of oppression forced upon him by his cruel dominatrix--left nameless, perhaps to create a "Big Brother" atmosphere where authority is nameless but must be obeyed without exception--finds love with a young duckling, who has run away from a broken home where, it is implied, he is malnourished, beaten, and... abused. Much like in "1984," the pair share the happiest of moments, unaware... that the specter of authority dwells all about them, waiting to pounce. When it does, Biscuit and his friend are cruelly separated, returned, respectively, to the doghouse and an abusive household. The story ends with the tragedy of separation, the endless cycle of emotional destruction that has so overwhelmed the generation that will devour "Biscuit Finds a Friend".

Motivation that moves young beginning readers!
My 3 yr old son has simply fallen in love with Biscuit. We look forward to bedtime reading each night as we go through Biscuit's day which is full of adventures. The book is interactive in the way that it asks questions which gives the children a chance to be creative with their own adventure. We look forward to growing with Biscuit!

Perfect book for beginning readers
The Biscuit books have been the greatest motivator for my daughter who has been struggling with learning to read. The text is good for an emergent reader who is just beginning to learn sight words and phonics. The illustrations of Biscuit are delightful. These are wonderful books. I only wish I could get a series of them in paperback, quick, to keep her reading! ... Read more

Book Description

Readers learn all about the hospital as George goes in for an operation to remove a puzzle piece he has eaten. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Great book on the hospital-a few exaggerated details
This was one of my favorite books as a youngster. I received it as a hand-me-down from somebody whose kid got it as a gift from the hospital. However, some details in this book are either exaggerated from reality or outdated, for instance today's floor puzzles are usually made of cardboard as opposed to wood so would probably disintegrate into tiny pieces in the stomach without requiring a trip to the hospital. And as far as I've studied, people still have barium(well, it's actually barium sulfate)before an x-ray of the digestive tract. And as far as I know, the x-ray machines have NEVER looked like laser guns. Almost everyone knows they look like cameras or picture frames. But the part when George mistakes the record player for a merry-go-round certainly has an outdated detail because records are not common anymore. I wonder if some of the procedures in this book were based on tonsil removal.
Just don't purposely imitate George's antics.

This book reminded me of my own situation
When I was four, I ended up in the hospital for playing with medicine and when I looked at this book asked, "Mom, was this like what happened to me?" and she answered yes. Eventually I compared my situation to Curious George's and found many differences, for instance I didn't go to the doctor, I didn't stay overnight, and I had an EKG, not an x-ray. This book may be great to read to a child before or after they've been in the hospital!

Some plot holes, but pretty good
I'm not sure who is at fault, George for swallowing the puzzle piece, or his friend in the yellow hat for giving George the puzzle piece (monkeys are curious, especially George, and regard most things as a potential food source...the result could have been called inevitable, although George seems to be smarter than most monkeys in some regards - he has been employed, worked with rocketry and can count to ten), still, though a bit contrived the accident is merely a vehicle to get the story underway, the crux of which is George's visit to the hospital.

I found this story compelling with a strong central character - George's adventures are more about the journey than the destination, and as always, it's great fun tagging along as he encounters the basic trials and tribulations of life, faces them, and overcomes them. I liked his brush with our health care system even better than his foray into corporate America, but the plucky monkey handles himself with aplomb no matter what circumstance he finds himself in.

One wonders a bit why George really did eat the puzzle piece in the first place - if he's smart enough to get work you could presume he knows the difference between a puzzle piece and a viable food source, but this small matter didn't distract from my enjoyment of the piece.

Oh, the kids liked it too - highly recommended for kids of all ages.

Curious George's medical mayhem
Poor Curious George! His friend, the man with the yellow hat, has bought him a jigsaw puzzle. But when the accident-prone monkey swallows a piece of the puzzle, he must go to the hospital to get the situation remedied.

That's the set-up for "Curious George Goes to the Hospital," by Margret and H.A. Rey. Like the other volumes in the series, the book is enhanced by engaging artwork and a loveable hero. The book could also be used to help decrease children's fears of hospitals.

If the book has a flaw, it's that George continues to engage in disobedient, (unintentionally) destructive, and dangerous antics. And these antics (unlike his swallowing of the puzzle piece) often have no serious consequences. So parents might want to stress to younger readers that all of George's shenanigans are not necessarily fit to be imitated.

Nevertheless, "Curious George Goes to the Hospital" is a delightful book. Adults will appreciate some of the clever details and sight gags that enliven the artwork. And of course, what child can resist George? He's a classic character who has stood the test of time.

My Opinion About This Book
I think this book is great. In my opinion, it is very educational to youngsters as to what a hospital is like. If you're a small child who is scared to go to the hospital, this is the perfect book for you. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Funniest but not the best
The Castafiore Emerald is without a doubt the funniest Tintin. But it's not the best. The reason is, it is solely confined to Marlinspike and Castafiore is truly irritating. However, it does give Captain Haddock full license to swear like the old sea dog he is. The ending is not climatic but you see why Herge had to write it. Castafiore has been around for a long time (since King Ottokar's Sceptre) and not to write a book that centered on her would have meant many fan's letters asking for such.

A gem.

Left me giggling, as usual....
Once again, Herge had me giggling. Captain Haddock and Tintin have to suffer through Bianca Castafiore's visit to Marlinspike. Endless scales, a stolen diamond, and gypsies complicate everything. But the best thing of all is, it's actually plausible. I'm crazy about Tintin, all Tintin, and this book is the funniest.

"They say I'm divine..."
Later in his career Hergé set himself of writing what amounts to a kind of anti-Tintin adventure, where nothing really happens to his cast of characters (there are no opium smuggling rings to smash nor any political coups to thwart), and yet everything happens all the same. THE CASTAFIORE EMERALD may in many ways be Hergé's masterpiece, and it is unquestionably the funniest of all his tales, revolving as it does on the theme of miscommunication ("No, this is not Cutts the btucher!"). Naturally at the very heart of it is the Milanese Nightingale herself, Bianca Castafiore, the world's greatest opera star, who deigns to descend upon the only two people in the world who cannot bear to hear her sing, Tintin and Captain Hamhock (er, Haddock). In addition to La Castafiore comes her entourage (her accompaniest Wagner and her maid Irma), a gaggle of photographers, a suspicious band of gypsies, a television crew, and even a local brass band. Before the tale is done Dr. Calculus will experiment with roses and color television, Tintin will have a mystery or two to unravel, Captain Fatstock (er, Haddock) will explode with fury an untold number of times, and the divine Castafiore will be asked (as always) to sing, to Tintin and Captain Haddock's horror, her signature aria from "Faust." "Yes, it was the 'Jewel Song' from 'Faust' that swept me to the pinnacle of fame," the opera star modestly informs her television interviewer, "They same I'm divine..." And she is.

Ahh, my Beauty!
I loved this book. It was a true beauty. A gem, an emerald even. Though it is one of the more tame Herge books, Tintin and the Captain never leave Marlinspike, it is one of the best. It is Hilarious. I would definetly reccomend this book!!!!

Signora Castafiore descends upon the home of Captain Haddock
I have to admit that after going to the Moon and rescuing his friend Chang in Tibet, the stay at home Tintin adventure "The Castafiore Emerald" is relatively tame. It begins with Tintin and Captain Haddock out for a walk and discovering a band of gypsies camped near the rubbish dump. This offends the good captain, who offers the gypsies the use of a large meadow near his hall. However, no good deed goes unpunished and he receives a telegram announcing the imminent arrival of Biana Castafiore, the Milanese Nightingale. Meanwhile, the broken step on the front staircase earns Haddock a badly sprained ankle and the opportunity to roll around the adventure in a wheelchair. The diva and her entourage then descend upon the hall, literally adding insult to injury by giving the captain the gift of a parrot.

As Castafiore repeatedly points out, she has brought along her jewels, including an emerald given the signora by the Maharajah of Gopal. The gypsy fortuneteller had already predicted the theft of the jewels and we expect her prophecy to come true, even though Castafiore is constantly yelling about her jewels missing. But you know that sooner or later this is going to come to pass and then it will be up to our intrepid reporter to solve the case and save the day. Meanwhile, Captain Haddock's life continues to be a string of minor misfortunes and misunderstands thanks to Castafiore, Professor Calculus, the parrot, Thompson and Thomson, and the unwillingness of the local repairman to come out and fix that step.

"The Castafiore Emerald" derives its comedy from the clash of characters with Tintin staying out of the way for the most part. Of course, by this time in the series Hergé is completely comfortable with his cast of characters, which shows in the interplay, although I admit the diva is not my cup of tea. I just happen to really like the way Hergé represents other lands, so having him stay around the captain's house just seems to me to be an interlude from the main adventures. Still, "The Castafiore Emerald" is well worth the read Hergé does a delightful take on that new fangled invention, the television. Final Note: I like Hergé's quaint cover, with Castafiore singing for the cameras while a smiling Tintin reminds us to be quiet during the performance. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

THE BEST BOOK OF THE SERIES!
I own the entire set of the Applewood re-releases, and this was the best of the lot.

Inexplicably the writing of this book was far superior to the rest of the novels in this series (and they were all very good!) Several other readers that I have spoken with agreed that "The Sign of the Twisted Candles" was their fave!

I wonder if a different "ghost writer" worked on this particular novel? Hmmmm... I guess that will remain a mystery!

An Excellent Story
This review concerns both the original 1933 edition and the revised 1968 edition, which is the one with which most younger readers would be familiar. Both books have a similar story; except the revised edition is shorter, some characters names were changed and some events were either eliminated or altered. During a storm, Nancy, Bess and George seek shelter at an old tea room. While there, they meet a one hundred year old man named Asa Sidney, as well as an orphaned girl and her dishonest guardians. This launches Nancy into the middle of an old family feud between Asa Sidney's relatives and the relatives of his deceased wife, who happens to have been the sister of Bess and George's great-grandfather. Nancy's involvement in the feud ultimately costs her her friendship with Bess and George. Nancy has a lot of work to do as she tries to end the long-standing feud, repair her friendship with Bess and George, discover the parentage of the orphaned girl and prevent the girl's guardians from stealing the fortune that Asa Sidney has amassed. There really isn't much of a mystery to this book; however, the story more than makes up for that. Like all of the other books in the series, it features unscrupulous people up to something dishonest and Nancy usual desire to help someone in need, but this time she is affected personally because of the loss of her friends. I found the book to be very interesting and the writing was very descriptive (at least in the original version). I recommend reading the original version over the revised edition, if possible, but either way this book should not be missed if you are a fan of Nancy Drew. In my opinion it is one of the 5 best books of the series.

Masterful!
This is definately a great Nancy Drew mystery. I read a lot of them often, and this one is definately extremely descriptive and you can just be there with Nancy through thick and thin. I was right there the whole time. Certainly a must for readers!

One of the best books in the Nancy Drew series!
This book is one of the finest in the Nancy Drew series. It is classic Nancy Drew. The Applewood facsimile books, "As you remember them!" are the only way to enjoy Nancy Drew in my opinion. I love the old fashioned clothing, sayings and settings much more than the yellow spine books of today that are so condensed they read all the same. The old style books are written with quality in mind and evoke a different period in our American history.

Great!
In attempt to help a one hundred year old man, Nancy meets a girl being harmed by cruel guardians. While trying to solve the mystery of the Twisted Candles Inn, Nancy almost loses the friendship of her two closest "chums" - Bess and George. Nancy discovers that friendship is more important than a case or two; (of course she solves the mystery as well, after patching things up with her chums!) Read the book to see how Nancy saves the day once again. A great read for mystery fans, young or old. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Why is Eloise, 6-year-old resident of the Plaza Hotel in New York City, going to Paris? She and Nanny were summoned by a cablegram from Eloise's mother, and, as we all know, "If you are going to Paris France / you have to turn into French and absolutely go wild / and put adhesive tape on you / and fall down a lot and sklathe the window / and stretch into the curtain and..." Ahh, the deliciously mad logic of Eloise. She promptly gets on the phone to tell everyone--including room service--that she is Paris bound. There's so much to do--shots, passport pictures, packing ("Here's what else you have to take / Everything"), and of course the endless good-byes. Fortunately, "Sabena is the only airline / that will allow you to travel with a turtle" so Skipperdee comes along for the ride. At last, ils arrivent!

Hilary Knight captures familiar Parisian sights in his delicately hewn pen-and-ink illustrations of everything from the Arc de Triomphe to the Seine to the Champs Élysées to outdoor cafés. Children will studyevery detail of each rawther extraordinaire illustration, from Weenie's snout (such as it is) peeking out from under the hotel bed to the bandy-legged, bunchy-shirted Eloise with her necklace of champagne corks. Even if children don't understand half of the quirks and language directed toward precocious grownups ("Langoustines make very good fingernails"), they'll find more than enough to delight them down to their very toes. Adults, of course, will also revel in this fascinatingly eccentric romp. And if you know anyone who loves (or will love) Paris, this book is the perfect bon voyage gift. Eloise in Paris was first published in 1957, the sequel to the original Eloise, and is every bit as wondrous. If you're in search of more Eloise (and who isn't really?), don't miss The Absolutely Essential Eloise, the original Eloise book with an additional scrapbook that tells the whole story of this impish character and her devoted creators. (Click to see a sample spread.Copyright 1957 by Kay Thompson. Reproduced with permission of Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.) (Ages 5 to 105) --Karin Snelson ... Read more

Reviews (21)

Eloise from 5 to 32!!!
I'm 32 years old and I LOVE Eloise - she is an absolutely delightful character! I have bought several of the Eloise books for my 5 year old daughter and she just loves Eloise as well. How fun and inspiring is it for a little girl to read about a character as whimsical and independent as Eloise?

The illustrations in this book are fantastic and really bring Paris to life for children. I have read this book at least 100 times to my daughter, and each time I enjoy it more. My daughter now wants a champagne cork necklace just like Eloise...thanks Kay Thompson for laughs you have allowed my daughter and me to share!

I love this book!!
I read Eloise (at the Plaza) and Eloise in Paris - all 'very much' Kay. I loved that woman - a very good friend of my mom's. I worked with/for her when (as a teenager) I did her musical arrangements and orchestrations for her fabulous act with The Williams Brothers - which opened in Vegas and played all over the world.

She was one of a kind (you can see her in Funny Face) brilliant musical/vocal arranger herself, world traveler, racounter, incredible lady. I've bumper into her in Rome, Paris, London, New York, LA and was terribly saddened by her death (even though she was painfully painfully thin her whole life). She was one of the great women in the history of show biz. The Eloise books are thrilling to say the least and I continually laugh every time I pick one up even after I've gone through them 100 times. I'm ordering them once again as I left mine in London and MUST have them once again. Buddy Bregman

ElOISE IN PARIS: []
Eloise's First trip to Paris, is unforgetable.
With her Nanny (Nanny), Turtle (Skiperdee), and her Dog (Weenie)...It's a Treasure. It's a keeper. It's great. A+

Eloise Is At It Again
Eloise is at it again, only this time she's in Paris. She'll miss the Plaza, but she does so love visiting new places. The 6 year old is sent for by her mother, and is flown off to Paris with her Nanny, turtle (Skipperdee), and her dog who looks like a cat (Weenie). While in Paris Eloise hangs out with Koki, one of her best friends and chaueffer and gets into all types of trouble. From sneaking around the hotel at night to losing Skipperdee and Weenie at the museum.

This is an excellent book for all Eloise fans, so pick up a copy of this book, and charge it please.

Cest moi, Eloise!
This is my favorite Eloise book. As an Eloise fan and a dedicated Travel-buff, this book is a perreniel favorite.

My sister and I had a battered copy that had belonged to my mom. Little did we know that it was a first edition. Unfortunately, with the cover missing and many of the pages creased and loose, it certainly didn't look like much.

That didn't matter to us, all the pages were still there, and we read that book, along with Eloise and Eloise in Moscow, over and over again. How happy I was to see that these books have been re-printed. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Tintin tackles the end of the world and giant mushrooms
In 1942 the continent of Europe was totally embroiled in World War II, which may well explain why Herge offers up the most fanciful of Tintin's adventures. In fact, nothing else comes as close to "The Shooting Star," which begins with the world about to end because of a collision with a giant comet and ends with Tintin dealing with giant mushrooms. In between there is a race to find a meteorite that contains a new element of great scientific importance (another case of Herge's remarkable premonitions based on meticulous research no doubt). Tintin is aided and abetted in this adventure by Captain Haddock, who we first met in the previous tale, "The Crab with the Golden Claws." But I must say the supporting character who caught my attention was the seaplane pilot who helps our hero in the throughout the episode and in the thrilling climax. You do not usually see such as a realistic, levelheaded, intelligent person helping out Tintin. I find it to believe Herge did not even give this fellow a name, who more than makes up for the eccentric college of eggheads whom Tintin is trying to help. "The Shooting Stars" is one of the best Tintin straightforward adventures and his adversary is more often the elements than the bad guys trying to beat the good ship "Aurora" to the meteorite. The contrast of Herge's simple drawing of characters against more realistic backgrounds finds several excellent sequences in this story, the first to be originally printed in color.

Herge's wartime Swiftian satire.
After a string of stories loosely based on mystery/crime plots, 'The Shooting Star' initiates the formula that would become fairly standard in the Tintin books to come: the science-fiction adventure, a kind of modernist Jules Verne. A huge meteorite flying past earth splinters a large fragment which lands near the North Pole. Containing a new metal called phostlite, named after the astronomer who detected it, Tintin and Snowy join an expedition of world-class scientists to lay claim to the rock, in a ship captained by one Haddock, now unlikely President of the Society for Sober Sailors (despite smuggling crates of whiskey for the journey). Their quest, however, is pre-empted by another expedition, financed by crooked Sao Rico banker, cigar-chomping (anti-Semitic caricature?), Bohlwinkel.

The first dozen pages of 'Star' are unequalled in literature for sustaining a nightmare mood of unaccountable suspense and anxiety (appropriate given the Occupation context [1941] in which the story was written). The meteor is introduced as both a speedily growing incandescence in the night sky, and by a melting heat afflicting the usually drizzly Brussels, the tar on the roads melting, armies of rats fleeing the gutter, car-tyres popping and mad prophets pronouncing millenarian judgements. The spangled blackness of the sky is offset by the dreamlike twilight blue that illuminates the streets. When Tintin rushes to the observatory, he finds the spanking, steely modern technology run by an eccentric gaggle of Dickensian relics, all black frock-coated dodderers, running around in the vicious circles of their own self-absorption, headed by the appropriately-named, anvil-headed Phostle. When he encourages Tintin to look into the giant, cannon-priapic telescope for himself, he sees a colossal spider heading towards the planet.

No work could keep up that sweat-making momentum, and Herge wisely lets the narrative dip, mixing comedy (including Haddock's pathetic attempts to sneak a nagan, Snowy's incessant raids on the kitchen, and the sight of the world's finest minds keeling over in green-faced sea-sickness) with race-against-the-clock suspense as our heroes strive to reach the meteor, despite various chilling sabotage attempts by their rivals. The meteor itself is a creation worthy of Swift, soon erasing memories of 'The Black Island'. The affirmative faith in science that propels the action is undermined by the instabilities of the sinking meteor, with its magnified lifeforms (including flies and spiders) and exploding toadstools (among the book's many great visual effects, the best is possibly the shrinking in successive frames of our hero as the mushroom enlarges). The massive apples that knock Tintin on the head may be an ironic allusion to the great Enlightenment hero Newton, who could be said to usher in modern science, and the famous fruit in the Garden of Eden (like Adam, or Columbus, Tintin explores virgin land), a warning against the dangers of pursusing too much knowledge (earlier predicted by the decline into madness of the scientist Philippus); nature will always fight back, in ever more aggressive and distorted forms.

The most INTERESTING tintin book
No, not the best, but definately the most interesting. This book was written in war time, in occupied belgium, and is a key point in deciding whether or not Herge was a fascist. I wrote a short essay on this, and if anyone would like to read it, email me at Wills_b@yahoo.com.

This is definately a must for any tintin fan though.

sureal--in a good way
I agree with the other reviewers before me that this episode of Tintin, is, well a little bizarre. For example, in the first few pages we learn that the world is coming to an end due to a predicted meteor that will crash into earth. One of the series strangest and most satirical character, Philippulus the Prophet makes an all too brief appearance with his words of doom for all the sinners of this world. Well, by morning of the next day, the world has not ended. Life goes on. The real adventure begins when Tintin, Capt. Haddock and a group of international scientists go on a quest to beat out their competition and to be the first ones to find a piece of the fragmented meteor that fell into the arctic oceans. It's basically an old fashioned space race but in cartoon. Personally, I liked this episode. I think it's charmingly weird--like reading a dream because it's full of imaginative stuff: armageddon, Tintin parachuting onto a boiling hot rock, spiders that grow into the size of cars, exploding pokadoted mushrooms from outer space.... Like I said, The Shooting Star could very be the name of a painting by Salvador Dali. Still, in general, this episode is quite worthy because you do have some pretty funny and exciting moments--which is, of course, the essence of Tintin.

A bizarre, exciting Tintin adventure...
The beginning is really bizarre. The world seems to be falling apart. Everything is messed up. It turns out a meteor is about to fall into the earth. But when a piece of it falls into the ocean, there is a scientific race to claim the island first...

Really neat, the "race" setting provides us with much amusement, and lots of suspense. Once on the island, even more bizarre and strange things begin happening...

Read the rest for yourself, its so worth-while... ... Read more

Reviews (5)

An Exciting Adventure
This review concerns the original 1935 edition and the revised 1972 edition which is completely different from the original. In the original, Nancy wins a piece of land in northern Canada in a radio contest and almost immediately people are trying to buy the land from her. Could it be valuable? Determined to see the land for herself, Nancy, along with her friends Bess and George, set out for the remote wilderness of northern Canada. Along the way the three girls meet an authoress who tells them a sad story of how she was kept apart from her first love many years ago. Upon arriving at her land, Nancy finds that a ruthless group of swindlers is trying to steal her land from her. How Nancy reunites the authoress with her first love and outsmarts the group of swindlers makes for a rather interesting story. This really isn't a mystery story, it's more of an adventure; however, it is quite an exciting book. The story grabs your attention very quickly and there is plenty of action. The northern Canadian setting is used very effectively. The end of the book was very good, as it displays two of Nancy's best qualities, her courage and her willingness to sacrifice something that is hers to help someone else. Unfortunately, this edition is not the one found in new book stores; however, if you ever find it at a used book store, buy it, you won't be disappointed with it. In the revised edition, Nancy goes to the Ohio River area of Illinois to search for a hollow oak. Legend has it, that in the 1600s a French missionary hid a treasure in a hollow oak but was killed before he could reveal its location. This version isn't bad. The book kept me interested throughout but it never had me so engrossed that I couldn't put it down. I would recommend reading this book, but I enjoyed the original version so much more.

Mysteries, Mysteries, Mysteries!
Nancy Drew in The Message in the Hollow Oak is very interesting and was fun to read about. I thought it was very interesting to see in her point of view on how to solve her mysteries. She has a very creative mind.
I thought that Nancy was interesting because she always knows what to do when everyone else is stuck. She tends to always find a way to solve her mystery and help other people that are also part of it. Nancy and her friends may at some times get in a little mischief, but always, no matter how bad the situation, find different ways to get out of it. It also occurs to me that in this book, they never have gotten in any illegal problems, but had to phone the police a couple of times to keep Nancy safe. One thing that I also like is that she thinks of things that I would have never thought of before and it helps me just in case I might need something to solve, but not as intense.
The Message in the Hollow Oak is a great book for young and older readers. They're not scary, and not too boring. it's just the right thing. It was a great book to me and will be to you if you read it.

Read this book
I think you should read this book. Carolyn Keene has made this book exciting with a little bit of history along with it. This is a great book!

A really good read
This book is about Nancy going to Illinois and trying to solve the mystery of Pere Francois and his treasure. She stays at a dig site with Ned's cousin Julie Ann and is terrorized by a man with many identities named Kit Kadle. He will stop at nothing to find the message Pere Francois left and ultimately find the treasure. Will Nancy find it....... READ THE BOOK!

The Message in Hollow Oak was exciting .
The Message in Hollow Oak is a tale everyone should read. It is an exciting tale with an twist of history. Some of the most beloved Nancy Drew characters come alive once again to bring another mystery filled with suspense and danger. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The Seven Crystal Balls begins on a light note, as Captain Haddock tries to adjust to his new life as a gentleman following the events of Red Rackham's Treasure. He wears a monocle and frequents the music hall, where in a not-unusual coincidence he and Tintin happen to find General Alcazar (The Broken Ear) and the dreaded diva Bianca Castafiore. However, it's the act of fakir Ragdalam with Madame Yamilah, the amazing clairvoyante, that reveals the central adventure: the scientists excavating the tomb of Racar Capac have incurred the curse of the Inca. Despite the efforts of bungling detectives Thompson ("With a P, as in Philadelphia") and Thomson ("Without a P, as in Venezuela"), the explorers are stricken, and one of Tintin's closest friends disappears mysteriously, leading to a trip to Peru in the second part, Prisoners of the Sun. --David Horiuchi ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Tintin and friends begin to deal with an Incan mystery
First, be aware that the exciting Tintin adventure that begins in "The Seven Crystal Balls" is concluded in "Prisoners of the Sun." As our story begins, Tintin is on the train reading how the Sanders-Hardiman Ethnographic Expedition has returned a trip to Peru and Bolivia. The gentleman reading over Tintin's shoulder predicts trouble, drawing a parallel between what happened with the curse of King Tut-Ankh-Amen's tomb and these explorers violating the Inca's burial chambers. "What'd we say if the Egyptians or the Peruvians came over here and started digging up our kings?," asks the gentleman; What'd we say then, eh?" The comment is important, not only because tragedy does strike the seven members of the expedition as they fall prey to the Crystal Balls of the book's title, but because one of the themes that Hergé develops in this particular epic is the respect Europeans should have for other cultures and ways of life. This point has been implict in many of Tintin's adventures, but it is a dominant element this time around. Assissted by his good friend Captain Haddock, Tintin becomes embroiled in the mystery, which takes a more personal turn when Professor Calculus is kidnapped. One interesting twist in this story is that Snowy actually ends up causing more trouble than the Thom(p)sons. There is a seriousness to what happens in "The Seven Crytal Balls" and "Prisoners of the Sun" that reflects a significant turning point in Hergé's work, laying the ground work for his greatest tales, the two-part Moon story and "Tintin in Tibet." The ability of Hergé to grow as a storyteller over the course of his distinguished career is impressive and these stories deserve the accolades they have received and the affection with which they have been embraced by generations of readers.

The eeriest adventure
My Tintin obsession began at a very early age, I am most happy to say. The Seven Crystal Balls is the one Tintin book I didn't read before bedtime, for the simple reason that it was too scary! Herge was masterful at creating any scenario and eliciting any reaction from his readers that he wished. In this book he created a spine-tingling supernatural thriller, concluded in the second part of this adventure, Prisoners of the Sun.

Seven Crystal Balls has it's share of laughs as well, provided in particular by Captain Haddock. At the start of the adventure, Haddock desperately trys to relinquish his gruff old sea-dog ways by sporting a monocle and speaking in a very diginified manner. As you can imagine, the results are slightly less than successful.

This adventure seems to focus around darkly lit and heavily furnished rooms, places of scholars and thought that can not combat the evil terrorizing Tintin's world. Prisoners of the Sun takes Tintin to the beautiful countryside of Peru. The contrast is remarkable, the result is beautiful. This two-part adventure is fantastic.

Tintin and the Seven Crystal Balls
As a prequel to 'Prisoners of the Sun', this adventure has it all. Bianca Castiafore, General Alcazar and the long suffering Nestor play second fiddle to Haddock and Tintin as they attempt to rescue Professor Calculus from kidnappers. Meanwhile an expedition team fall foul of the curse of Rascar Capac, an Inca mummy! This book is excellent; car chases, gun fights, suspense and Captain Haddock to ensure that everything goes far from smoothly! Buy 'Prisoners of the Sun' at the same time, you will not want to wait around to discover where Calculus has gone!

Mysterious Tintin thriller.
Herges Tintin comics are classics and probably the best of the genre. They really are for all ages,some of my best childhood memories are of reading Tintin or Tinni as he is known in Iceland and I still enjoy reading these books today. What makes the Tintin books so good is they seem to have everything in it that make up a good comicbook,originality, interesting characters,adventure,suspense,great humor and well thought out storys. If I had to chose only one Tintin book to take to a desert island I think the seven crystal balls would be it. The book is masterfully drawn like of course all the Tintin books and the story is not just an adventures thriller but it has a mysterious atmosphere to it which i really like. ... Read more

Book Description

Hank has been stricken with "Eye-crosserosis"! Unless he can find a cure for this dangerous condition, his position as Head of Ranch Security is at stake.

USA Today calls the hilarious Hank the Cowdog series "...the best family entertainment in years."

Hank is a scruffy, smart-alecky supersleuth with a nose for danger and an eye for the ladies. And as Head of Ranch Security on a West Texas ranch, he's usually up to his ears in all kinds of amusing trouble. Whether he's called upon to bark up the sun, investigate suspicious goings-on, or defend the ranch against marauders, Hank's hilarious, hair-raising adventures will delight readers young and old alike.

"Rip-roaring fun...[a] marvelous situation comedy." --School Library Journal ... Read more

Reviews (4)

The Adventures of Hank the Cowdog
Hank the cowdog is about a dog named Hank and he lives in a farm.Everything is going right fo Hank because he is the leader of the dogs and nobody ever dared to talk back to him until one day another dog named Rufus came to take over.Then Rufus starts making fun of Hank for having crossed eyes (he got crossed eyes because he tried to see the part where his nose had no skin on it).One time Rufus was acting like Hank (imitating Hank)and Hank ran away.Hank confronted (met) snakes and big birds which he had trouble with.Hank had to deal with Rufus.Do you think he (Hank) might get away with still being the leader?,well if you keep on reading the ending you will know.

A great series for developing readers
My ten year old son is a rapidly developing avid reader who has fallen absolutely in love with this excellent series. Erickson creates rapid narratives filled with honest (and yes, corny) humor and pleasently comic action and an occasional moral or two.

This series provides young readers with a simple, yet appropriately challenging vocabulary. It also provides fine entertainment as it can hold a young man, who favors outdoor activities and sports, and his attention span for countless hours. A most highly reccomended series of books designed to encourage and develop young readers.

Enchanting!
This is my all time favorite Hank the Cowdog book! I love Madam Moonshine and Wallace and Junior. It's witty and humorous throughout the book. I'm impatiently waiting for #34 to come out. I recomend any of these books to children and adult alike.

Hank's stricken with "Eye-Crosserosis". Can he find a cure?
Poor Hank! This makes a great sequel to number one! This is one of the best, and the cure for this terrible disease is hilarious! I would recommend this book to any Hank the Cowdog fan! - MG ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Cigars of the Pharaohs
The second Tintin story begins where reporter Tintin and his trusty canine companion Snowy stumble on a new mystery on a cruise ship. A man claims to know where the temple of an Egyptian Pharaoh is and Tintin and Snowy go along with him for fun. This temple had been visited before by someone else and Tintin has to find out who made the visit and why. This book gives the same suspense and mystery as most of the other Tintin books and I reccomend it just as much as all the others.

The beginning of the first really great Tintin adventure
If your understand of the vast scope of human history leads you to believe that the Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt did not smoke cigars, then you will not be surprised to learn that this 1934 adventure of Tintin is not what it seems at first glance. Our intrepid reporter is sailing the Mediterranean with Snowy when he encounters a strange academic type named Sophocles Sarcophagus, whom he quickly dismisses as a clumsy nitwit. Tintin also has a run-in with Rastapopoulos, the film tycoon who owns Cosmos Pictures. The next thing we know we have the first appearance of the Thom(p)soms, who arrest Tintin for having heroin in his cabin. Obviously, our hero is getting to close to something, but what could it be?

From an Egyptian tomb filled with cigars, to floating in a coffin on the Mediterranean, to wandering the Arabian Desert, to being lost in the jungles of India, Tintin does some major traveling to solve this particular mystery. Hergé certainly shows more of an understanding for various cultures than he did in the previous Tintin adventure, where America was literally reduced to gangsters and Indians. However, the improvement of "Cigars of the Pharaoh" over "Tintin in America" is pretty noticeable and quite impressive when you think of the state of comic books stories in the early 1930s. The story here continues in "The Blue Lotus" as Tintin and Snowy make their way to India to finally get solve this particular case. If you did not get hooked on the first of the Tintin adventures still in print, then this one will certainly do the job.

For you older readers.....
For those older people who are skeptical about buying books like these let me tell you that they offer an adventure and mystery as good as any novel. The characters are entertaining and all have distinct and enjoyable personality. The adventures of tintin offer an old fashioned setting which makes it very authentic. Dont let the age reccomendation fool you; if you're into mystery and adventure, these books are for you no matter what your age is!

Tintin solves the mystery of the Cigars of the Pharaoh
If your understand of the vast scope of human history leads you to believe that the Pharoahs did not smoke cigars, then you already have a leg up on the fact that this adventure of Tintin is not what it seems. Our reporter hero is sailing the Mediterrean with Snowy when he encounters a strange academic type named Sophocles Sarcophagus whom he dismisses as a clumsy nitwit. Tintin also has a runin with Rastapopoulos, the film tycoon who owns Cosmos Pictures. The next thing we know we have the first appearance of the Thom(p)soms, who arrest Tintin for having heroin in his cabin. Obviously, our hero is getting to close to something, but what could it be? From an Egyptian tomb filled with cigars, to floating in an coffin on the Mediterrean, to wandering the Arabian desert, to being lost in the jungles of India, Tintin does some major travelling to solve this particular mystery. Herge certainly shows more of an understanding for various cultures than he did in the previous Tintin adventure, where America was literally reduced to gangsters and Indians. However, the improvement of "Cigars of the Pharaoh" over "Tintin in America" is pretty noticeable and quite impressive when you think of the state of comic books stories in the early 1930s. If you did not get hooked on the first of the Tintin adventures still in print, then this one will do the job.

This is the best book I have read so far!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am 9 years old and I am in the 3rd grade. This is the best book I have read in my life. I want to buy more Tin Tin books. The books are very funny and very mistirious. I read it with my dad. These are the only books I like. My favorite part is when Tin Tin jumps on this heavy guy and use his belly as a trampolin!
I love them, Get them! The real rating is *************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** ... Read more

Amazon.com

Concluding the story begun in The Secret of the Unicorn, Red Rackham's Treasure follows Tintin and friends as they search for the pirate booty procured by Captain Haddock's ancestor, Sir Francis Haddock, in the West Indies. They receive some unexpected help in the form of a hard-of-hearing inventor named Professor Calculus, who would go on to become one of the most endearing characters of the series. (Herge admitted that the character was one "whom I never suspected would take on such importance.") It's a lot of fun, with some submarine and diving adventures, humor from the Thompsons, and an unexpected (but satisfying) ending. --David Horiuchi ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Prof. Calculus helps Tintin with his underwater adventure
Make sure you read the previous Tintin Adventure, "The Secret of the Unicorn," otherwise you will really not know all about the background on "Red Rackham's Treasure," despite the fact Hergé offers a bit of a recapitulation in the form of a conversation overhead in a bar. The main thing is that having collected all the clues regarding the titular treasure, Tintin and Captain Haddock are prepared to go forth and find it. However, almost as important as the search for the treasure is our introduction to the final pivotal member of the Tintin family, as Professor Cuthbert Calculus offers the service of his small shark-proof submarine for exploring the ocean floor. Tintin refuses the offer, but it turns out that Professor Calculus always hears somkething other than what somebody is really saying. Adding to the fun are the Thom(p)sons, who come alone with orders to protect Tintin.

"Red Rackham's Treasure" is mostly a pure adventure story, with Tintin using the small submarine and a deep sea diving suit to look for the treasure of the Unicorn. But there is still some detective work left to be done to decipher the final cryptic clues left by Sir Francis Haddock concerning the treasure's location. I still like Hergé's two-part adventure that sent Tintin to the Moon, but this two-parter is not far behind. This is the last of the Tintin stories Hergé wrote during World War II, and after this point we will definitely see his stories become much more allegorical in terms of post-War Europe. But this time around it is just Tintin, Snowy, and company out having fun beneath the deep blue sea.

Prof. Calculus helps Tintin in his great undersea adventure
Make sure you read the previous Tintin Adventure, "The Secret of the Unicorn," otherwise you will really not know all about the background on "Red Rackham's Treasure," despite the fact Hergé offers a bit of a recapitulation in the form of a conversation overhead in a bar. The main thing is that having collected all the clues regarding the titular treasure, Tintin and Captain Haddock are prepared to go forth and find it. However, almost as important as the search for the treasure is our introduction to the final pivotal member of the Tintin family, as Professor Cuthbert Calculus offers the service of his small shark-proof submarine for exploring the ocean floor. Tintin refuses the offer, but it turns out that Professor Calculus always hears somkething other than what somebody is really saying. Adding to the fun are the Thom(p)sons, who come alone with orders to protect Tintin. "Red Rackham's Treasure" is mostly a pure adventure story, with Tintin using the small submarine and a deep sea diving suit to look for the treasure of the Unicorn. But there is still some detective work left to be done to decipher the final cryptic clues left by Sir Francis Haddock concerning the treasure's location. I still like Hergé's two-part adventure that sent Tintin to the Moon, but this two-parter is not far behind. This is the last of the Tintin stories Hergé wrote during World War II, and after this point we will definitely see his stories become much more allegorical in terms of post-War Europe.

Fabulous
Tintin is great. I never tire of re-reading him.
Red Rackham's Treasure sees our erstwhile hero gallivanting off with Snowy, Captain Haddock and the Thompson Twins after the adventures outlined in "Secret of the Unicorn'. In this book we are introduced to the absent-minded Professor Calculus - it's always great to see how the drawing of characters change after a couple of adventures! - and his amazing shark submarine. Suffice it to say, deep-sea diving, bottles of rum, the odd shark, all lead to the golden treasure in a most unexpected place.
Everyone should read Tintin and this adventure is one of the best.

Simply Amazing
Tintin is a legendary character and this is one of his best adventures ever. It is just breathtaking, funny as usual and full of thrill. This is a must for any comics lover. God Bless you Herge.

Wonderful, wonderful
When I was a child, my grandparents had this at their home - part of a large children's book collection. I remember reading and rereading this book. As a child I loved everything about it. The wonderful art made me want to see each page time and again. Well worth it. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Tintin and Snowy find a big mystery to solve in Syldavia
"El Cetro De Ottokar" ("King Ottokar's Sceptre") is Las Aventuras de Tintin in which our intrepid hero gets to do a lot of deductive reasoning. Certainly there are more actual clues than Hergé usually includes in his mysteries. Tintin encounters Professor Alembik, who studies seals (no, not the friendly little animals but the things you stamp into wax on official papers). This seems a harmless career choice but Tintin finds that both he and the good professor are embroiled with secret agents and a plot against the King of Syldavia. It seems there is a major loophole in the laws of the monarchy, for if the King were to lose possession of King Ottokar's Sceptre, he would lose the right to rule and have to abdicate. This would work to the advantage of the bad guys across the border in Borduria, so it is up to Tintin and Milu to save the day. They are aided in this endeavor by the Hernandez and Fernandez; to be precise, they endeavor to aid.

"El Cetro De Ottokar" was produced by Hergé in 1939 and the more you know about Europe on the eve of the Second World War, the more you are likely to see lurking behind the characters and actions of this Tintin adventure. However, it is hard to tell if Hergé is trying to make any sort of a point; certainly during the war it was clear Tintin lived in a different world, so I am loathe to see anything beyond a compelling narrative. This is an actual mystery, where