Book Description

It's Future Job Day at Sam's school, and Sam knows exactly what he wants to be when he grows up-a zookeeper, just like Zookeeper Jake in his favorite picture book. His mother and big sister, Anastasia, help Sam create a memorable costume-so memorable that Sam insists on wearing it long after Future Job Day has passed and the rest of his classmates are back in their regular clothes. Encouraged by Mrs. Bennett, his teacher, Sam embarks on a lengthy project to teach his preschool class about a zookeeper's responsibilities, and along the way learns just how difficult a job teaching is. As always, the patient and loving Krupnik family stands by as Anastasia's irrepressible little brother struggles with a set of nearly impossible goals. Children will delight in this latest story featuring the precocious and irresistible Sam. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Summary and Rating
Section 1- Summary

In my book "Zooman Sam" Sam as the main character is at Krupnik's nursery school. The kids were told to dress up as what they want to be for their job. All the other boys in his class want to be a fireman in his class. Sam doesn't want to be a fireman. Instead he wants to be somebody important.

With the help of his mom and sister (Anastasia) Sam dresses up in a zookeeper's costume. Who would have thought? Maybe the title foreshadowed a lot! Sam's teacher let Sam to tell his class a little something different like an animal everyday. He likes the fun activity that he finds both really fun and challenging! The book was great!

Section 2 - Rate the Book
I rate this book Four Stars (excellent)

I think this book was excellent because it shows what I can't remember what it was like in pre-school! But it was fiction since he isn't "Vibrant" like usual. I recommend this book to kids ages 7-12 that like some fun with a (almost real) pre-school's day.

Great Book!
This was a hillarious comedy of a 4 year olds life. It starts out when his pre-school teacher announces that they will be having a future job day in the upcoming week. Sam decides that he will be a Zoo Keeper like Jake in his Zoo book. His mom makes him a Zoo keeper outfit that says Zooman Sam right on top. His sister Anastasia borrowed some baseball caps of animals from her un-boyfriend. His teacher and he decide that he will wear one cap every day. But when he used every cap in his bag except for the scary ones what will he do?!? Can Sam be a Zoo man forever!?!

Read aloud for younger kids
Sam is a preschool boy who doesn't know how to dress for Future Jobs Day. He finally decides to dress like a zookeeper, his favorite character in his book. His mother stitches "Zooman Sam" on a one-piece pajama set of Sam's and his older sister borrows lots of caps with animal mascots for his hat. Since Sam only has time to show his class one hat, his teacher lets him continue wearing a different hat each day, and Sam works to decode the animal names on his hats. Nothing wrong with the story, but I have a hard time seeing how this story would appeal to "9-12 year olds," as the age recommendation above suggests. This book would be best used as a read-aloud for preschool through 2nd graders who are good listeners and don't require as many illustrations. (Another book of this type would be the Russell and Elisa books by Hoban.)

Zooman Sam Book Review
Have you ever wondered what you wanted to be when you grow up? Well Sam already has to figure out what he is going to be when he grows up. Sam Krupnik is a preschooler who wants to be something other than a fireman. All the other boys are going to be firemen when they grow up. Sam talks about all kinds of animals while he is wearing different animal hats. After school each day he has to train his dog named Sleuth. That is why Zooman Sam is such a GREAT book. Can he keep talking about a different animal each day? Can he train his dog? You'll have to read Zooman Sam by Lois Lowry to find out.

A nice Krupnik reunion - but more Anastasia, please!
Okay, I'll admit that I'm 23 years old. I grew up reading the Anastasia books, and since then I read anything new that Lois Lowry writes. I did enjoy this book very much - it's funny and touching, and Sam is a great character. I would enjoy reading future books about Sam. But I would enjoy reading a brand-new Anastasia book even more. Or, if the new Krupnik-family books will be focused on Sam, please add more "Anastasia!" ... Read more

Book Description

Let's play doctor! This ideal first board book is a toy and a book combined!

Shaped to look like the real thing, My Doctor's Bag is the perfect platform for learning and fun. With large, clear photographs and 11 press-out pieces made to look like medical instruments, this book helps children begin sorting objects into sets and allows them to explore imaginative role-playing. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

my toddler loves it
My toddler loves this book - she is always using the pull-out pieces to make her stuffed animals (and me) "all better." It's not, granted, as exciting as a doctor bag toy might be - but in some ways, this book lets her use her imagination more.

boring and silly!!
If my toddler had not put dings in the front cover I would have packaged it up & returned this within 10 minutes. It's useless.
Get a real doctor's kit (play) for your money!!! ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Excellent Book
I am 21 years old, and still remember being handed this book before going to the hospital when I was quite young. I remember feeling more comfortable with all of the things I would see, and feeling safer knowing that Grover did not have a scary time :) I would absolutely recommend this book to parents of children who will be having a hospital stay.

Terrific resource
My son has had numerous surgeries, from open-heart surgery to the placement of ear tubes. This book was recommended to us by the Child Development Department at Boston Children's Hospital several years ago and it has become part of our pre-op routine. Prior to each surgery, we read this book over, and over, and over again! It is a terrific book for the toddler: the words are simple, the characters are very recognizable from Sesame Street, and Grover has a good experience. Our son takes the book, his Fisher Price medical kit, and Tickle Me Elmo whenever he goes into the hospital. Obviously, we highly recommend this book, regardless of the type of surgical experience.

Excellent!
I sent this book to my 4 yr old niece just before she went to have her tonsils removed. It really helped her without scaring her. She even brought it to the hospital so her parents could read it to her again! Perfect for this age group!

Grover takes a trip to the hospital.
This book is FABULOUS! My 5 year old son adores it and it's 2 months since his surgery. It features familiar Sesame Street characters - so it's fun to do the voices! Grover takes a tour of the hospital before he goes in for tonsil surgery. If your child is going to the hospital for this surgery, it's perfect! It's THE most popular book in our library now! If you only buy one book to prepare your child for a hospital experience - this is it!! ... Read more

Book Description

Jobs People Do is the book for helping children find out all about the careers that interest them.

I want to be a builder, firefighter, veterinarian, paramedic, mechanic, musician...Here is the book to help me choose. Entertaining text and photographs of real children dressed for each hob help youngsters explore 50 different careers, from chef to scientist. Pages also detail the duties and training required for each one. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Community helpers and their tools and places of work
This was an excellent book for introducing not only the community helpers, but the tools they use and the places where they work. My second graders were able to list the names of the helpers, but seeing the real-life children dressed in uniforms or typical dress for that helper really attracted attention. Not only does this book list the helpers, but it appealed to my children because the models were about the same age. It exposed them to the types of tools used and was a big help when they wanted to spell a type of tool--they started using those research skills to find the correct spellings. This is an excellent resource! ... Read more

Book Description

Fifteen-year-old Brett Gerson is the kind of kid you love to hate.He's smug, arrogant, rude, and filthy rich.When his dad is jailed for insider trading, his family loses everything and Brett has to face life without the mansion, the Mercedes, and his beloved $5,000 stereo.But his attitude begins to change when he's forced to take a summer job assisting Alfie Moore, the seventy-year old guy who used to clean his swimming pool . . . Told in the first person and set in a fictional California town, POOL BOY marks the debut of a gifted young writer, Michael Simmons, and of one of the most engaging and infuriating anti-heroes since Holden Caulfield. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Pool Boy Review
This book is very well written. It grabbed my attention in the first page. Many people can relate to how Brett is feeling and there are many parts where I don't know what's going to happen next, or something happens that makes me feel how lucky I am. Also, there are very many emotions in the book that I can relate to.

Not the typical, i guess...
FINALLY, there's fairly decent book about an unlucky kid. It's not a girl who finds out she's a princess, not a high school boy who's crush happends to fall in love with him, not a poor family that suddenly wins the lottery. It's about a spoiled rich kid who gets a taste of what life is like when money doesn't grow on trees.
It was a great book, I thought that Alfie was a little "much" at times, not a likely person to meet. But, I did like the feeling the book gave after you were done with it that made you glad you had "something."

This one was a pleasant surprise!
After living the good life for almost his entire life, Brett is getting a taste of how the other half lives. His stockbroker father has just been arrested, convicted, and sentenced for three and a half years for insider trading, and Brett and his mom and sister have to move on the other side of the tracks (literally) and live with their crazy aunt.

Brett is finding it difficult to adjust to having no money while all his friends continue to attend tennis lessons and get new cars for their birthdays. But, worst of all, Brett seriously hates his father for what he has put them through, and has decided that he will not forgive.

Because it's summer and because he needs the money, Brett starts working with seventy-two year old pool cleaner Alfie, a somewhat eccentric but wise old man who seems to be the only one that Brett can talk to. Arrogant, pompous, and insensitive, Brett turns his family's ordeal into an even worst experience by constantly antagonizing his father during their bi-monthly prison visits. When tragedy strikes, Brett has the opportunity to see the real value of his relationships with his family and friends.

Brett is hardly a likeable kid, but somehow the author pulls off the magic trick of making Brett seem reasonable in his anger toward his father. The dialogue is an excellent example of narrative style, since the reader can picture Brett and only Brett speaking those lines. The teen love depiction is dead-on, especially as it comes from the voice of a spoiled teenage boy who has not learned to appreciate anything he has been given in life. This book is sure to spark some serious discussions about the "have's" and "have not's" of the world, and it can be expected that readers will want to know early on what is going to happen to give Brett the epiphany that he so obviously needs. For some reason, we want happiness for him; perhaps that is the sign of excellent writing, causing the readers to want good things for a less-than-gracious protagonist.

--The awakening of Brett Gerson--
In this refreshing and original novel, Michael Simmons takes us into the world of a boy on the verge of his sixteenth birthday, and who had been living a very privileged existence. Brett Gerson had it all, good looks, personality, spending money, expensive stereo equipment and a luxurious home with a pool. The beautiful life ended when Brett's father was convicted of insider trading and was sent to jail.

Brett, his mother and sister all had to make a drastic change to their life styles. The house had to be sold, and the family moved in with their mother's eccentric aunt, who lived in a very modest home, but on the wrong side of town. To make matters even worse, Aunt Mary wore only floral muumuus and bedroom slippers. Her dress style, affectionate nature and "homespun wisdom" seemed strange to Brett and he was somewhat embarrassed by her.

He especially hated the visits that his mother insisted that they make to see his father in prison. Mr. Gerson who seemed penitent and somewhat broken in spirit was hopeful that his son would forgive him; however, Brett was so filled with bitterness that the only comments that he made to his dad were sarcastic and hateful.

He blamed his father for everything including the fact that he now had to work after school and on summer vacation which was something that was unheard of in the world where he used to live. After quitting his first job making burgers, he's takes a job working for Alfie Moore the elderly man who used to clean the pool at his former house. Britt thinks the job might be a lark and approaches the work in his old self-centered way, but both Alfie and the pool cleaning business are more than he ever imagined. Brett eventually learns the value and pride that comes with hard work and how it feels to be a nameless "Pool Boy."

This engaging story is told in today's jargon and in the first person. Brett, the protagonist is a spoiled rich kid and not always a very sympathetic subject. The author does a great job of getting us into Brett's mind and the reader is allowed to watch him grow as a person and become a likeable guy. I also admired the characterization of Alfie Moore who added warmth to the story through his solid and caring personality. ... Read more

Book Description

The new "I Want to Be" series is sure to appeal to children andparents alike. With full-color photographs throughout and straightforward,engaging and informative text, they are a great value.

Every child has concepts and dreams about what they want to do when they grow upand adults all remember the black and white books that depicted the life of aveterinarian, policeman or other vocations. This new series is thoroughly modernand colorful. The firefighters, pilots and cow"boys" depicted are women and men.The aircraft and firefighting equipment are the most modern, from water-bombinghelicopters to fighter planes to passenger-carrying jets. The days and nights ofa cowboy are portrayed as the romantic but hard-working life that it is.

Children will enjoy learning about what mom, dad and other adults do at theirjobs. And someday each child will want to choose a job of his or her dreams. ... Read more

Book Description

Ernie Castellano, fast-talking wheeler-dealer kid, has come up with his greatest idea yet: pet funerals! With his pals Dusty (an artist in coffins) and Swimming Pool (one of the world's great criers, an asset to any funeral she attends) Ernie creates a thriving business-and manages to land himself in more hot water than he has ever dreamed of. High-spirited, hilarious, and unexpectedly touching, The Beloved Dearly is a sparkling debut for a major new voice in books for young readers.

An actor and performance artist himself, Doug Cooney is uniquely suited to narrate this hilarious novel version of his own highly acclaimed play, which was first performed at Lincoln Center. Doug's recent work includes a screenplay for an animated version of the classic Dr. Seuss film The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Fun Book Filled With Important Life-Lessons
Twelve-year-old Ernie Castellano has been a tycoon for years. His thoughts are always about how he can make a fast buck. Hence, he's always getting into trouble. This time, however, Ernie has started up a new business - against his father's wishes. One that will make him more money than he ever dreamed of. Pet funerals. After all, dying pets are a hot commodity for the 8-12-year-old gap. Ernie quickly hires a kid named Dusty to decorate burial boxes - which, might I add, are always perfect for the occasion - a boy named Tony to dig the holes, and the best of all, Swimming Pool, a tomboy who can shed tears on cue, and cry for hours and hours. Business goes through the roof, and suddenly Ernie is hosting up to five pet funerals a day. But when Swimming Pool quits over a pay raise, the business quickly unravels. As if that weren't bad enough, Ernie experiences something that can break the heart of any young kid, and realizes that maybe it wasn't too fair to cash in on the broken hearts of others.

As a fan of the Disney Channel TV Show, RECESS, I found that Doug Cooney's THE BELOVED DEARLY, reminded me greatly of some of my favorite characters, who appear daily on that show. Swimming Pool is a unique tomboy, whose tough exterior is really just a cover, as she is quite sensitive on the inside; Dusty is an artistic designer, who shines as the obedient, yet, at times, strange one of the group; Tony is the digger, determined to dig the best holes for the world to see; and Ernie is the schemer. The one who loves money, but realizes that it isn't right to take the hard-earned money from grieving kids in the end. Filled with an array of quirky characters, as well as some important life lessons, THE BELOVED DEARLY is a fabulous book for all readers.

Erika Sorocco
Book Review Columnist for The Community Bugle Newspaper

The boy who got less gready wile helping others
This book is about a boy that is like you and me except that he wants to run a business to help his father pay for his mother's funeral. So, he found an empty lot which he made into a funeral lot to make money. Later he got clients to have funerals at the lot. He made about $10 a funeral. But he paid Swimming Pool and Dusty per funeral too.I like this book because it inspires me to not be greedy and to not expect everything to be handed to me. It also inspires me to treat people the way they need to be treated and not take things for granted.

Ernie's Pet Funerals
Ernie loves money, he's always having scheme's to get money. but thats until he gets in trouble from his who tells him no more schemes. So Ernie secret starts his own biusness, pet funrels. He hires Swimming Pool to cry and Dusty to makesthe coffins.And everything is going great until Swimming Pool quits over a raise and from then on biuness is bad. And even worse his dad finds out about his biusness and its over for good.

Nice Book
A boy named Ernie decides to make a business--he is obsessed about money. So he grabs two kids, Dusty and Swimming Pool. Swimming pool is an excellent crier and will do so at any given cue. Dusty decorates, cleans, and etc. The trio start the business and makes some big bucks. But after burning the whole in their pockets, thing get out of hand. Ernie loses Swimming Pool do to this--
If you have a heart for adventure books, I highly doubt you will enjoy this book. If, though, you enjoy heart-warming kiddie tales about jealousy and giving and sharing (and etc.), you will want to read this book over and over and over again.

Is Ernie providing a service or up to another scheme?
When I began reading the story, I kept in mind the "delightful Norman Rockwell style image" of Ernie, Swimming Pool, and Dusty from the book jacket.This is actually why I picked up the book.Consequently, that image kept the story line alive for me.I questioned whether or not I would enjoy reading about children losing their pets; however, as I continued reading the story I found in spite of the deaths, the book is not excessively sad. It is more about the characters becoming friends and learning to care for others, which is why I could not put the book down or stop reading it.
Ernie is in a "confounding dilemma...living a double life."
He is a businessman during the day and a kid at home.How can a twelve-year-old boy run a successful burial business for pets? Ernie does more than run the business; he engages a casket maker, a hole digger, and a professional mourner (Cat-Lady's suggestion).This is not his first business and if his Dad discovers he has started another business, he will be "grounded...no, ifs, and, or buts."
All of the children in Ernie's neighborhood seem to have some kind of pet; one by one a pet dies so the burial preparations begin.Dusty makes the ceremonies grow into productions with his elaborate box making and staging. Swimming Pool becomes an expert at throwing her arm around the grieving pet owners while Ernie delivers the eulogy.
When you read about Ernie and his friends, I believe you will relate to at least one character in the book.The author implies early in the story that the ending will most likely be a bittersweet one, which makes it more believable and realistic.
... Read more

Book Description

Part of the Career Ideas for Kids series, this volume guidesyoung readers through a multitude of career possibilities based ontheir specific interests and skills and links their talents to a widevariety of actual professions.Filled with delightful text and playfulillustrations, coverage begins with a set of questions designed to helpkids discover who they are, what they like to do, and what they dobest. Highly motivational, and just plain fun, additional chaptersdetail: Get in Gear! Kids begin to learn how to link their interests toactual professions. Take a Trip! Informational interviews withprofessionals in the field explore a diverse mix of careers. Don't StopNow! Leads to a world of direct exploration and makes for an open roadto Future Destinations!

Profiles the following careers: ActorAnimator Architect Artist Chef Choreographer Cosmetologist DevelopmentDirector Fashion Designer Floral Designer Graphic Designer IndustrialDesigner Interior Designer Museum Curator Photojournalist. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Awesome!
This series is a great tool to give kids some direction before its too late. Helps them take initiative to discover what really interests them and how they can use that in their future. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Granpa and hockey
This is a comforting book about the warm relationship between a grandfather and his grandson, and sharing the love of hockey. The author manages to capture the exhilirating sights and sounds at a hockey game soaccurately and the emotions of Matt and his grandad so vividly. Togetherwith the whimsical drawings and colours, it all adds up to a delightfulbook that we all enjoy. ... Read more

Book Description

This Level 1 book is appropriate for children who are just beginning to read.

The fire alarm goes off! Rob Green and the other firefighters go into action. Is there time to save a little girl's dog? This unique Level 1 series accurately portrays real-life situations that help young children identify with and learn from while helping them improve their reading skills. Presented in classic DK style, young readers will enjoy photographically illustrated information in an entertaining package. For children who are just beginning to read and who have a limited vocabulary, these 32-page Level 1 books-about everything from tadpoles to puppies-use word repetition and simple sentences to convey meaning. Picture dictionary boxes with word labels "show" the meanings of words. These books contain between 400 and 450 words each, and they are 80 percent pictures and 20 percent text. The Dorling Kindersley Readers combine an enticing visual layout with high-interest, easy-to-read stories to captivate and delight young bookworms who are just getting started. Written by leading children's authors and compiled in consultation with literacy experts, these engaging books build reader confidence along with a lifelong appreciation for nonfiction, classic stories, and biographies. There is a DK Reader to interest every child at every level, from preschool to grade 4. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

DK books are wonderful
My daughter is 4 1/2 and is beginning to read. The DK books are wonderful and she loves them. The pictures are very good (all DK books are excellently illustrated) and the short stories hold her interest. This series is great in that the reading levels are clearly marked on the book cover, so she knows what to look for when at the library or bookstore.

I also appreciate DK because of their quality binding. Unlike so many other children books, DK uses heavy glossy paper-stock. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Great heroes, weak story
I love Rescue Heroes - they're good guys we like our kids to play with. However, I'd rather have my child play with the toys or watch a movie than read this book. It is simplistic, far below my child's listening level, without addressing issues (anger managemnet, following rules, etc) found in the movies. We've purchased and read three of these books and all were disappointing. It would be great if Rescue Heroes books came out with expanded story lines.

rescue heroes rescue our future heroes
Finally a group of action figures we can rely on No one gets left behind, action and adventure abound whenever the rescue heroes are around. ... Read more

Book Description

Owen has discovered an amazing catalog called "Junk You Never Knew About," and found a bunch of neat stuff to buy. The only trouble is, he"s broke! How can he make some cash, quick? His parents are willing to give him an allowance, but that would mean doing all sorts of boring chores. Owen is sure there"s a better way—all he needs is the perfect plan. With the help of his best friend, Joseph, Owen comes up with one money-making scheme after another, but—funny thing—he"s still broke. Not till Owen changes his ideas about how to make money, and how to spend it, does the tide of fortune start to flow the other way. Owen Foote"s new adventure makes a hilarious and fast-paced book, perfect for kids fascinated with the joys of getting and spending money. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Great for military children!
I recently purchased this book for my 2-year old son and 8-month old daughter. My son has gotten alot out of this book and has learned what it means when Daddy goes to PT and out to the field. It's a wonderful addition to the home of any military family!

A perfect gift for a young Army Brat!
This book is often out of stock and hard to get, but once I found a supply, I purchased a dozen! This is my favorite gift to give at Army wives' baby showers. It never fails to illicit exclamations of "Where did you get this book and where can I get a copy for my child"? It is also one of my son's favorite books and helps him comprehend what "going to the field" really means. A great book for young Army Brats!

Wonderful book for Army kids!
My 2 year old son adores this book - he calls it "The Daddy Book". Even at this young age, it helps my son better understand what his Daddy does for a living and how it affects our family. Sorry to hear that it is not currently available. Makes a great gift for military families welcoming a new child.

A perfect guide for the military child!
This is a wonderful example of how children view the military. A Must Read! The military has a manual for all aspects of the soldier. This remembers the family and the military child.

Outstanding book for children of Army personnel!
An outstanding book for young children whose parents are in the Army. A book children will remember and keep for the rest of their lives. When they grow up it will really bring back the memories of their parents! I understand the authors may be writing books on parents of other branches of military service. Watch for them! ... Read more

Book Description

Part of the Career Ideas for Kids series, this volume guidesyoung readers through a multitude of career possibilities based ontheir specific interests and skills and links their talents to a widevariety of actual professions.Filled with delightful text and playfulillustrations, coverage begins with a set of questions designed to helpkids discover who they are, what they like to do, and what they dobest. Highly motivational, and just plain fun, additional chaptersdetail: Get in Gear! Kids begin to learn how to link their interests toactual professions. Take a Trip! Informational interviews withprofessionals in the field explore a diverse mix of careers. Don't StopNow! Leads to a world of direct exploration and makes for an open roadto Future Destinations!

Profiles the following careers:Archaeologist Astronomer Chemist Engineer Food Scientist HorticulturistLandscape Architect Medical Technologist Meteorologist NutritionistOceanographer Pharmacist Robotics Consultant Science EducatorVeterinarian. ... Read more

Book Description

-Ideal for 3 years plus.

-A fun introduction to the jobs that people do that make America work.

-For all aspiring firefighters, chefs, teachers, nurses and racing drivers everywhere!

-Special features and fascinating facts bring each job to life.
... Read more