Book Description

When the man with the yellow hat tells George that he is planning a surprise, of course George is curious. Before long George finds a hat, noisemakers, decorations, and games. It must be a birthday! But whose birthday is it? That"s the surprise! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

curious george is having a party!
The man is the yellow hat tells George that he is working on a surprise. George gets curious like always. He looks around and finds lots of party decorations. He decides to put them up to help his friend with the yellow hat. George smells something great in the kitchen. He discoves it'a cake and try to help put the icing on it. He makes a big mess. Soon the man with the big hat comes home and George finds out the party is for him!

Curious George is always into something. I like to here the stories and see where his curiousity leads him.

I would recommed this to kids ages 3-8. Most kids enjoy Curious George storties and this is very cute one. ... Read more

Book Description

To celebrate Peter's birthday, Frederick Warne is publishing new editions of all 23 of Potter's original tales, which take the very first printings of Potter's works as their guide. The aim of these editions is to be as close as possible to Beatrix Potter's intentions while benefiting from modern printing and design techniques.

The colors and details of the watercolors in the volumes are reproduced more accurately than ever before, and it has now been possible to disguise damage that has affected the artwork over the years. Most notably, The Tale of Peter Rabbit restores six of Potter's original illustrations. Four were sacrificed in 1903 to make space for illustrated endpapers, and two have never been used before. Of course, Beatrix Potter created many memorable children's characters, including Benjamin Bunny, Tom Kitten, Jemima Puddle-duck and Jeremy Fisher. But whatever the tale, both children and adults alike can be delighted by the artistry in Potter's illustrations, while they also enjoy a very good read. Because they have always been completely true to a child's experience, Potter's 23 books continue to endure. ... Read more

Amazon.com

A powerhouse sixth-grade Academic Bowl team from Epiphany Middle School; the art of calligraphy; the retirees of Century Village, Florida; a genius dog named Ginger; and a holiday production of "Annie" all figure heavily in the latest book by E. L. Konigsburg, who has produced a Newbery Medal-winning children's tale to rival her classic From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, which won the Newbery Medal almost 30 years ago. The new book centers around a group of four brilliant, shy 12-year-olds and the tea party they have each Saturday morning. Konigsburg's wacky erudition and her knack for offbeat characters make this a funny and endearing story of friendship. ... Read more

Reviews (217)

Great Book!
:

E.L. Konigsburg has come up with a great book again! The View From Saturday is a great book for middle-schoolers. Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing Division published it in 1996. A View From Saturday is a great book because it teaches and is great to read. Noah, Nadia, Ethan, and Julian are four sixth-graders each with a different story that changed their lives. Noah ends up being best man at Ethan's grandmother's and Nadia's grandfather's wedding. Nadia has the greatest time of her life saving turtles from strong winds and high waves. Ethan is on the bus and realizes that he must help Julian, a new kid, fit in at school. Julian is tortured by school bullies and realizes that something is in him and the other three. This is a great book. The point of view changes from one student to the other as they tell their stories. By simply reading the chapter titles you can see whose point of view it is. If there's no chapter title, then the point of view does not change. I recommend this book to anyone who likes to read books that make sense in the end.

Book Review
Noah, Nadia, Ethan and Julian started out as sixth grade classmates, but evolved into The Souls. Each Year,Mrs. Olinsky, the sixth grade teacher chooses as four person academic bowl team. This team competes in the grade and if they win they go on to compete in other competitions. Together this team accomplished wonderful things, such as winning the sixth, seventh, and eighth grade competitions. Nobody knew why they were chosen, and Mrs. Olinsky, the teacher, doesnt exactly know why she chose them either. So, fate brought them together to create a wonderful friendship that will last a lifetime and this shows through an extraordinary story of sucess of a team, calss, school and friends. In my opinion Noah is the most interesting character in this story. He likes to write in calligraphy, and enjoys spending time with relatives. At times he also complains about his family. Noah tells the long story of how he was the best man at the wedding of his grandparents' friends. I enjoyed reading about each of the diverse characters. The View from Saturday can appeal to a wide spread of people because of the interesting plot and way it is written. Many people have loved reading this book as you can see because it has won many awards, and I think E.L. Knonigsburg is a fantastidc author.

Teaspoons and afternoons
As you may know, the Newbery Award is the highest honor a children's book can garner in the United States. Newbery winners are a touch and go lot, and a lot of kids avoid them like the plague. I've always been particularly interested in those award winning books that appeal to kids just as much as they appeal to the adults that shower them with praise, moolah, and awards. For instance, many adults felt that the book "A Single Shard" was well written, while a host of kids looked on it as dulldy dull dull. Both children and adults have agreed that "Holes" and "The Tale of Despereaux" are great books that are fun to read. Then you come to "The View From Saturday". Honestly, I thought this was a fabulous book. It was the rare children's novella that took the great risk of offering wisdom to its readers. It dares to make you think about life, the world, and how one interacts with other people. I can tell you a million reasons to love it, but I honestly haven't a clue if kids would enjoy it. Therein lies the mystery.

"The View From Saturday" follows the lives of four sixth grade quiz bowl champs and their paraplegic coach/teacher. Alternating their final quiz bowl championship match with short stories about the different journeys each kid has had to make, the book is adept at distinguishing between each individual in the group. We begin by listening to a story told by Noah. Noah reminded me of nothing so much as the spaz boy in the spelling bee documentary "Spellbound". A bit of a nerd, but pleased with his own inventive thoughts and ideas, Noah becomes the best man at a geriatric wedding. Then we hear Nadia's story about staying with her divorced father and newly remarried grandfather (hence the Noah connection) in Florida. This flows nicely into Ethan's story. His grandmother married Nadia's grandfather, and he overcomes his reluctance to interact easily with others with the help of his new friend Julian. Julian is the least troubled of the bunch, a boy of Indian heritage who is coming to America after living on a cruise ship. Together, the four band together into a group called The Souls. They are selected by Mrs. Olinski (though for a long time she doesn't know why) as her newest Quiz Bowl team and work effortlessly together in a group as friends and teammates.

A synopsis of this tale really doesn't do it justice. Konigsburg is an adept writer and she knows exactly how to balance a story with both emotion and humor. I was particularly taken with Nadia's tale about living in Florida. Somehow, the author was able to conjure up feelings of being ignored and abandoned perfectly. As Nadia feels an (in my opinion) entirely justified sense of self-pity, we as readers understand what she's going through perfectly. Little triumphs are measured with small defeats. One of the things this book dares to say, and says so well, is how awfully mean people can be. That's a pretty loaded idea. Books today enjoy showing a mean person and then revealing the back story to their crimes. Here, we understand that sometimes a person's just mean to be mean, and it makes them unsuitable as friends as a result.

Then there's Konigsburg's usual jabs at adults in positions of authority. In this particular case she's aimed her sights at people who naturally expect themselves to be smarter than children, yet constantly make mistakes regarding multiculturalism, grammar, pronunciation, etc. And she doesn't drill this idea home by ever putting the adults in situations where they spar with the kids. Instead, they tend to spar with Mrs. Olinski, assuming that because she is a) Just a teacher and b) Confined to a wheelchair she must therefore be less worthy of intelligent human discourse. The result is usually both funny and profound.

Funny and profound is a good way to describe this entire offering, actually. It has its oddities, that's for sure. You have kids in this book saying sentences like, "Oh, that is too bad. Dad is picking me up before supper, and he will be disappointed if I do not eat with him". Not a contraction in sight. Do sixth graders actually act like the ones in this book? Probably not. Will you be amused by them anyway? Probably so. Will actual living breathing sixth graders be amused, intrigued, and challenged by this book? I have absolutely no idea. Maybe yes, maybe no. Whether or not they will, the book is fabulous, fun, and wise beyond its years. It's like a little dose of Zen religion without hokey mysticism or flowery prose. This book respects you, it respects your opinions, and it respects your sense of self-worth. If you have any desire to read something that accomplishes all this and more, pick it up for a glance.

Quotables
E.L. Konigsburg uses descriptive nouns and vivid modifiers to paint a vivid picture of the characters in your head in The View from Saturday. First you get to know the charcter. She does this by painting the vivid picture and you feel like you know the character personally. You also feel like you are a "Soul." She does this by making you feel like you are there during their conversations, and there while they win the Champion Bowl. Also seeing the vivid picture makes you feel like you are watching them. You feel you are watching them because you really can picture the conflicts between the Noah and Nadia . So in conclusion, this book really shows that character desciption delivers an emotional message. You should definitly read this book.

unique and intriguing
First off, the book is about four SIXTH graders. I note this because some of the reviews on Amazon erroneously say the characters are in seventh grade. Anyway, these four sixth graders go onto defeat the seventh, then eighth graders in their schools, and eventually take the regional trivia bowl championship.

The four children "can spell and define puberty but have not yet gone through it." Given this, I can accept the tea parties and some of the other pastimes they engage in in "The View." Also, they are NOT presented as perfect without any character flaws or problems. The "Souls' as they call themselves are exceptionally intelligent and compassionate, but they - at least for Ethan and Nadia - do not make the "right" decisions instantly. Nadia, for example, wavers between helping some stranded baby turtles, or holding on to her grudge against her grandfather and father.

This book also has some wonderful imagery. For example, ELK compares painting Nadia without her freckles to brushing the cinnamon off cinnamon toast.

In summary, I would highly recommend this book. ... Read more

Book Description

Betsy, Tacy, and Tib are twelve--old enough to do lots of things...even go downtown on their own. There they see their first horseless carriage, discover the joys of the public library, and see a real play at the Opera House. They even find themselves acting in one! Best of all, they help a lonely new friend feel at home in Deep Valley--the most wonderful place in the world to grow up. Ever since their first publication in the 1940s, the Betsy-Tacy stories have been loved by each generation of young readers.

Reviews (7)

Another sweet tale of Deep Valley
If you're a fan of Betsy Ray and Tacy Kelly, then you will definitely enjoy this tale of the two girls as they go on their first solo adventures in Deep Valley, Minnesota. This book is a lighthearted chronicle steeped in the innocence of youth in the early 1900's. I read it as a child and enjoyed it again at age 30. Filled with humor and warmth, it's easy to relate to these young heroines and their everyday adventures.

Great Book!
I'm a ten year old girl and I thought this book was Great. It's an older book but the characters are fun. an A+++ book. It's great because the way that they have so much fun and adventures makes me want to be their friend!

This book brings back great memories!
I recently came across a new edition of this book. I owned it as a child back in the sixties. The first thing that came back to me was that every year, after Thanksgiving, I would read the chapter in this book about Betsy, Tacy & Tib's Christmas, starting with the shopping trip up through Christmas day. To me, this seemed to describe a perfect holiday, before it became so commercialized. It always got me in the Christmas spirit. So, when this book came into our library, I took it home & re-read it, especially the Christmas part. And you know what, it still works! If you want to feel the true spirit of a magical Christmas, read this book!

This goes for all the "Betsy" books
When Maud Hart Lovelace first wrote the "Betsy-Tacy" series, did she know how much so many people, from children to adults, would love them? The series has at least one book that anyone of any age can relate to. 10-year-olds will love "Over the big Hill," high-schoolers will love the books about when Betsy was attending Deep Valley High, etc. And it doesn't end there! Even if you're not the age that Betsy was in one of the books, you can still love all of them! Maud has a way of capturing real feelings and experiences--even bad ones--and turning them into works of art. The "Betsy-Tacy" series really is a work of art, even if it was painted with a pen, not a paintbrush.

An endearing gem of a book for little girls (and big ones).
This book (and all the books in the Betsy-Tacy series) is a delightful look at the life of Betsy Ray and her best friends Tacy Kelly and Tib Muller in the early 1900s in Deep Valley, Minnesota. Based on the author's own childhood, this book takes the reader through the trials and joys of being 12 years old, growing up, becoming interested in boys, going to the theatre, and learning about the importance of family ties. Don't let Betsy pass you by! ... Read more

Book Description

Generations of children have sleepily snuggled under their blankets at bedtime and listened to the whimsical tales of Winnie-the-Pooh and his friends. This charming board book commemorates that special time at the end of the day with time-honored passages and verses from the original works by A. A. Milne, all selected for their soothing bedtime themes.Each spread features Ernest H. Shepard's beloved drawings in full color.

Sweetly designed with gold edges, this treasure of a book is an ideal way to say good night to the littlest lovers of Pooh. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

A classic that makes children think outside the box.
I grew up with Hugh Lofting's books and wanted my children to read them. As Dr. Dolittle learns to communicate with animals, we begin to think about feelings and habits of individuals very different from ourselves.

Dr. Dolittle did not fit in with many of the stuffier aspects of British society. Thus, he was a miserable failure as a human doctor. His animals recognized his caring spirit and taught him to become an outstanding animal doctor. The stories contain suspense and adventure but there is little explicit violence. The animal characters, Jip the dog, Gub Gub the pig, Polinesia the parrot each have their own personalities and become friends with the reader.

Hugh Lofting was an Englishman of the early 20th century. As such, he used some troubling phrases that might be considered racist. Much of this seems to have been deleted or modified in the current version of this book.

I wanted my children to read all of the other Dr. Dolittle books. Unfortunately most of them are out of print. Thank goodness,I was able to find a number of the other titles in the Amazon.com used book section.

The Story of Doctor Dolittle
The Story of Doctor Dolittle
By: Hugh Lofting
Reviewed by: R Bhatt
Period 6

This book is about the life of an ordinary doctor named John Dolittle. He is a doctor for people but later on becomes one for animals. Dr. Dolittle possesses one unusual gift. It is the ability to talk to animals. He helps many different animals. He journeys to Africa to treat a sickness that is killing many monkeys. There he has many adventures.
I really liked this book because it is all make believe and adventure. I really like adventure books. They are very exciting to read. They never let you get bored reading them. It is also funny in some parts of the story too. This makes you not want to stop.
I also like the characters. They come to life in this book. They also become a part of you when you are reading. My favorite character was Jip the dog. He was a main character and sometimes he is really funny. I also like Polynesia the parrot because she helps the doctor many times in the book.
My favorite part is when the Barbary pirates are stuck on the old sinking ship. That part is really funny and exciting to read. Ben Ali the leader wants to kill Dr. Dolittle but doesn't succeed. He and his pirates have to become birdseed farmers on the Canary island. This I like this part because the animals help doctor Dolittle out. They are very nice to him because he is their friend.

You may WANT the "adulterated" edition
As you read these reviews, be aware that the "non-PC" material in the original includes an African begging Dr. Dolittle to make him white, since being black makes him unattractive. While Lofting didn't mean to be hurtful and was simply a product of the world in which he lived, you may feel that you can do better for your children than to send them off into today's world with the notion that white people are more attractive and that black people all wish they were white. If nothing else, the fact that they identify Eddie Murphy with the good doctor may render the "unadulterated" version of the book quite strange to them!

A SUPER GREAT BOOK!
It was so neat how Dr. Doolittle was able to talk to animals! The push-me pull-yu is very funny because it has 2 heads. I loved the way the doctor figured out how to help all the monkeys! It was also cool how the animals helped the doctor too - like when Jip the dog helped figure out where the boy's uncle was.

I can't wait to read the next book (VOYAGES OF DOCTOR DOOLITTLE) and see the movie. I've only seen the one with Eddie Murphy so far and this is different!

(My mom loved reading this book with me too and she wants me to say that it's also lots of fun for grownups!)

Beware, this edition is adulterated
Dr. Doolittle fell afoul of the PC police, before they were so named. This edition has been adulterated to maintain political correctness and there is no indication of this unless you read the afterword. Great story, bad edition. ... Read more

Book Description

Mother Bear is in for a breakfast surprise when Little Bear and Father Bear make their famous flying flapjacks. Join father and son in the kitchen as they create a delicious treat!

Reviews (1)

time for breakfast
It's breakfast time at Little Bear's House. Little Bear wakes up Father Bear very early. He wants to cook a surprise breakfast for Mama Bear. Little Bear helps make the flapjacks. Mama Bear is very pleased and surprised when she wakes up.

The book is a good story for early readers. The book is made of sturdy board pages and will last through many readings. The size is just right for little hands.

I would recommed this book to others. Fans of the Little Bear show on Nick Jr. will enjoy reading about their favorite characters. Even my sister (13 months) enjoyed hearing this book. She turned the pages herself and pretended to read it. ... Read more

Book Description

Down at the train station everyone is busy. No one notices a little monkey—until he tries to help with the schedule board. Soon George is hiding from an angry train master and notices something himself—a boy in trouble. Then it"s George to the rescue. By lending a helping hand (or two) Curious George gets a new friend, a big thank you, and a very special seat on the train. ... Read more

Book Description

The spirited redhead returns in this heartwarming sequel to Anne of Green Gables. Now she's the schoolma'am in the same place where she was a student, and not much older than her pupils. Anne's determination to win the respect and affection of her students, along with her ongoing search for kindred spirits and her attempts to beautify Avonlea with the village improvement society, provide the same "scope for imagination" that made this book's predecessor a treasure for young readers.
... Read more

Reviews (40)

A good classic
LM Montgomery had a great ability to write stories that made us laugh, cry, and tug at our heart strings. Both Anne of Green Gables and Anne of Avonlea are books i bought, and will give to my children to read when they are old enough to appreciate them.
I never read them as a child. I wasn't even introduced to them until I was planning a vacation to Prince Edward Island three years ago, and I read the first book. I also watched the movies which were both such wonderful adaptations.
Anne of Avonlea picks up where the first one left off. Anne, who I think is the best female fictional character I've ever had the priviledge to read of, is now a teacher. She is growing up, but she still has her adventures with Diana, and her other friends.
There are a few new characters are introduced, and although you don't instantly fall in love with them like Ann, they grow you. All but Davey, this character was just so annoying. THis boy was just a bad apple.
I'm sure LM had good intentions, but I was utterly annoyed and it brought my feeling of the book down a bit.
IF you loved the first book, you will probably enjoy this as well. There is a long series of books by LM. I am currently on break from reading her.
She was a great writer, able to bring a great deal of sense of humor in her storytelling, and she is very descriptive. She really brings the characters so true to life, especially Anne.
I do recommend this despite my problem w/ davey.
Anne will always remain forever in my heart as a true heroine of classic literature. One of the best character to ever be put on paper..as she is kind, funny, good spirited, and what an imagination!

Anne Shirley becomes the teacher at Avonlea School
After the great success of "Anne of Green Gables," Lucy Maud Montgomery had to quickly write a sequel to continue the misadventures of the mischievous red-headed orphan on Prince Edward Island. Since the original classic was not intended to be the first in a series, Montgomery had to make some changes. The one that will drive you crazy is that Anne is back to being oblivious about Gilbert Blythe being the love of her life and her perfect match. The other thing that becomes obvious is that Montgomery is somewhat uncomfortable with Anne growing up, even though she is only "half-past sixteen," as evidenced by the infusion of new children into the story because Anne is now teaching at Avonlea school and Marilla has adopted the irrepressible Keith twins, Davy and Dora. You can also throw into the mix the mysterious new neighbor with his parrot and (my favorite part) the eccentric Miss Lavendar who has been waiting a quarter of a century for her beloved Stephen Irving to return to her. Along with "Anne of Windy Poplars," this book is a testament to Montgomery's respect for the teaching profession; the book is dedicated to her former teacher, Hattie Gordon Smith. While this is not one of my favorite Anne novels, it is still a worthy successor to the classic story. However, be warned: If you watch either of the "Anne of Avonlea" movies you will that virtually nothing from this novel ever made it to film.

A bit of a disappointment
If I could have, I would rate this book a three star one. But I had to rate it higher, just because it's an L.M Montgomery book, and an Anne one.
This book features a few new characters, one of them is a queer, bad-tempered bald man, called Mr. Harrison. Anne and her friends also start a club to improve the community, although some parts are interesting, this bores me a bit.
Gilbert is not shown a lot in the book, and when he is, it's usually for a few moments or for A.V.I.S, the club. Same with Diana.
You will find that this book is true to it's title, it focuses A LOT on the Avonlea school. Most of the book is about the children, one dreamy boy in particular.
Marilla and Anne also adopt two twins, a troublesome, yet lovable boy Davy, and the prim, unemotional Dora. They have a lot in the book.
Oh, and Anne meets a new kindred spirit, Miss Lavender, the spinster in the cozy cottage. Anne reunites Miss Lavender with her old, old sweetheart. And Miss Lavender gets married to him. This was sweet, but somewhat dull. At the very end of the book, Gilbert does give a hint to Anne, about how he feels about her.
Overall, this book was mostly disappointments, although I would highly recommend reading it. If you expect to be about Anne getting into interesting scrapes, Gilbert being romantic about Anne, and seeing Anne's old chums a lot, than stop expecting. But as I said, I would still suggest this book.

Unanticipated Anne Shirley Back In Action!
Red haired with a flaming temper, the phenomenal Anne Shirley is back in her 2nd book! Marilla, a kindly old maid who had set heart on bringing Anne up (when she was an orphan) has decided to also adopt two adorable little twins, Davy and Dora Keith. Anne is absolutely thrilled but adopting these twins causes big trouble. Davy is really a good boy at heart but always finds himself into scrapes: like making his sister Dora walk the pig fence! Davy¡¦s idea of fun includes violence and humor ¡V but only for himself. The girls have to teach Davy manners, which is a difficult task for such a cheeky little boy. Anne¡¦s problems grow even more as she takes up responsibility of being a schoolteacher and suddenly feels very timid again, but she has to pull up her socks and jerk herself back into the adult world. At school, she regains her impertinence temper and broad imaginations as she shares happy times with her students, especially Paul Irving, this sweet little kid with brown hair and the most delightful face she has ever seen. He brings her flowers and calls her ¡§Sweet Teacher¡¨. Her friendship with striking Gilbert Blythe (ex-enemy for calling her hair ¡§carrots¡¨) has grown, but what is Gilberts real reason of being so sweet and pleasant? Has Diana (her bosom friend) finally grown up? I really enjoyed this book because it talks about Anne growing up and finding her place in the adult world leaving her wonderful childhood behind forever. I simply couldn¡¦t put it down because after every page, Anne has another adventure so it is like a cliffhanger. My mom keeps telling me to go and do work but I cannot stop because this is the most wonderful book ever written. I like the others in this series also.Thank you L.M. Montgomery for bringing a bright light into my life!~~ Referring to the special collectors edition

A great book
I love this story. Echo lodge was great. It was about the last book where Anne is in Avonlea and a little girl. Very excellent book! ... Read more

Book Description

Curious George is up to his elbows in dough and trouble as he tries his hand at making pizza. Tony the baker chases him out of his restaurant, and George hides in a truck in the alley. An angry Tony becomes a grateful Tony when George helps him deliver a pizza in a way that only a monkey could. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Curious George and the Pizza
Graphics and story were weak relative to other George books. It seems as though this (and a few others) were just screen shots of the George movies, with no real story.

Instant Child Success!
This book was the first Curious George book I bought for my sons (aged 4 & 2)and they really enjoyed it. They liked the fact that George does lots of exploring and gets into trouble. I like the book because it shows them how to turn something negative into something positive. I would recommend this book to anyone with young children. Curious George is a classic and fun character! ... Read more

Book Description

Illus. in full color by the author. "Isabelle is upset because she's the smallest in the family. When the circus comes to town, the clowns observe her tumbling skills and ask her to star in a performance. Isabelle shines but after the performance, she realizes it's nice to be little sometimes too. Written in short sentences featuring simple words, this easy-to-read book should be popular."--Booklist. ... Read more

Book Description

High School is Heaven

It's Betsy Ray's freshman year at Deep Valley High School, and she and her best childhood chum, Tacy Kelly, are loving every minute. Betsy and Tacy find themselves in the midst of a new crowd of friends, with studies aplenty (including Latin and--ugh--algebra), parties and picnics galore, Sunday night lunches at home--and boys!

There's Cab Edwards, the jolly boy next door; handsome Herbert Humphreys; and the mysteriously unfriendly, but maddeningly attractive, Joe Willard. Betsy likes them all, but no boy in particular catches her fancy until she meets the new boy in town, Tony Markham . . . the one she and Tacy call the Tall Dark Handsome Stranger. He's sophisticated, funny, and dashing--and treats Betsy just like a sister. Can Betsy turn him into a beau?

An entertaining picture of school clubs, fudge parties, sings around the piano, and Sunday-night suppers in Betsy's hospitable home.' 'Chicago Tribune.

Reviews (13)

It's actually painful for me to return them to the library!
I've been part of Betsy and Tacy's world since I was about six years old and just discovering Deep Valley. I've read all the books several times since then, and when it comes time to take them back to my tiny local library, I actually feel like I'm losing a friend! Betsy, Tacy, Tib, Carney, Bonnie, Tony, Cab, Winona, and the rest of the Crowd are all part of my life, it seems. . .and don't even start me on Joe!

I've acquired the first four books in the series, and I'm now on a hunt for older versions of the high school books. I simply can't let go of the Deep Valley Crowd!

(Oh, and it may be just me, but was anyone else unbearably sad when the Ray family moved to Minneapolis?)

A story that is timeless
This is a wonderful series of books, which I prefer to return to than the "Little House" series. I was introduced to these rather late (hey, I wasn't alive in the 50s, okay?) I find them charming and timeless. Even though the skirts are ankle-length, the boys don't swear, and Daddy doesn't get any mouthing off from the kids, the people in it seem modern in their feelings. And it takes a darn talented writer to have various girls patting on beauty products and not make them look vain...

We follow teenage Betsy, along with best friend Tacy, through the tangle of young adult life. Accompanying them are Betsy's sister the budding singer Julia, her warm and kind parents, and a new character: the Ray family cook. Amid the flurry of friendships and incidents therein, Betsy is courted (courted, not dated. It meant walking her to school) by at least two boys -- Joe and Tony; she is also competing against Tony in an essay competition.

Though many of the events in the book are fairly lighthearted, there are also serious topics. Among them is the growing attraction of the Episcopalian church for Julia and Betsy, who are Baptists. The question of how they can tell their father of their wishes was a very mature and intriguing plot device, and I was genuinely relieved at the conclusion of it.

Despite the various "edgy" books put out now, this is a book that is far more appealing -- sweet and bright, but never sugary or sentimental. The writing style is surprisingly modern and descriptive, without overdoing anything. The speech patterns are GREAT.

This book falls into the same category as "Meet Me In St. Louis," a nice world with nice people. Mr. and Mrs. Ray are wise and kindly -- not just to their kids, but all kids. Betsy is a great character, strong and independent and remarkably free in her thinking, considering these events took place near the turn of the century.

Be sure to read this book! (And all of Lovelace's books...)

Heaven indeed
There's nothing like a Betsy book ... I'm 29 and have read them all at least twenty times since I was young. They just get better with age. If you've never read it, get started ... you'll be all the happier for doing so.

The Betsy-Tacy Series
The Betsy-Tacy book series is fantasic, to say the least. When I was little, my mother read them aloud to my brothers and I. That's not to say they're only for children. Anyone will love these timeless classics. They feature Betsy Warrington Ray, a young aspiring writer, who's character is actually based closely upon author Maud Hart Lovelace's Life. In the first book, 'Betsy-Tacy', Betsy has her 5th birthday party and invites her new neighbor, 5-year-old Tacy Kelly. Soon to make their twosome a threesome, Tib Muller moves to the neighborhood from Milwaukee. They become great friends and the books take the girls through high school and beyond. The books in the Betsy-Tacy series are:

Betsy-Tacy, Betsy, Tacy and Tib, Betsy and Tacy Go Over the Big Hill, Betsy and Tacy Go Downtown, Heaven to Betsy, Betsy in Spite of Herself, Betsy was a Junior, Betsy and Joe, Betsy and the Great World, and Betsy's Wedding.

I recommend these books highly; everybody should read them.

A million Betsy fans can't be wrong.
This review could be written for any of the Betsy books, but this one is my fave. Like all of the books in the series this book is about the life of a young girl in Minnesota. Not only is it interesting from a historical perspective--what they wore, what they did--it is also just a great story about a family that never gets sentimental or preachy. The characters are also well developed, including the minor characters that reappear in the series. It is interesting to note that althought these books take place in the early 1900's and were written in the 40's (I think) Betsy and her sister Julia both plan on going to college and having careers. My mother read these books and passed them along to me and even though I am in my 30's I still reread them every few years. I have also introduced them to young readers with great success. ... Read more

Book Description

It's open house at George's school, and George gets to try his hand at painting in the art room. What he creates, however, is not a pretty picture! George is still a clever monkey, though, and in the end, he makes the open house a happy occasion for everyone. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Curious George Goes to School
Story and graphics were poor. This is just a bunch of screen shots from the curious george movies, and has no real story line. Any of the books that are derived from the movies seem to have similar problems.

CURIOUS GEORGE GOES TO SCHOOL
MY CHILD WAS ASK TO READ THIS BOOK FOR HER CLASS AND TELL HOW SHE ENJOYED THE BOOK AS WELL AS THE ILLUSTRATIONS. THE CLASS WAS DELIGHTED AND SO WAS HER TEACHER. NOW HER TEACHER HAS ASKED ALL THE STUDENTS TO PICK A CURIOUS GEORGE BOOK TO PRESENT TO THE CLASS BECUASE IT WAS EASY TO READ, FULL OF ILLUSTRATIONS AND IT KEEP THEIR ATTENTION. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

My daughter loves this book
My little girl loves this book. She loves Winnie the Pooh and says his name over and over as we read this story. She loves to slide the little honeypots back and forth as we read.

Very cute and entertaining!
This is a great little book!! It has been one of my son's favorites since he was a couple months old. On the top of the book is a plastic strip, complete with 5 plastic honeypots that slide back and forth. Each time Pooh gets a honeypot in the book, you can slide a honeypot across the top. It's great for teaching both numbers and colors! My only complaint is that the plastic strip is red and one of the honeypots is also red, which makes it a bit hard to see. They really should have used a color for the plastic strip that is different from all the honeypots.

All-in-all, it's a VERY cute little book that has adorable pictures of Pooh and his friends, educational value in numbers and colors, and fun toys to keep the interest. Highly recommended!!

A really good book for kids.
Although Disney did not invent Winnie the Pooh (these were originally written by A.A.Milne), Disney has managed to produce a book that is shocking in its complexity, yet vibrant in its attitude toward life. When we first encounter Pooh, it is at a moment of striving. The five honey pots, perhaps representing his lost youth, or the five stages of man, are tantalizingly out of his reach. Soon afterwards, a struggle ensues. Pooh reaches beyond himself, and in the company of his closest friends (Eyore, Piglet, and Tigger) he manages to attain one of the honeypots. His symbolic gluttony (perhaps a reference to today's materialistic society) is well described at the "four honeypot" stage. The story is nearing the peak of its arc when we find only three honey pots left "all in a row". The symbolism of the three remaining pots is clear. As we head towards the denumont of the story, there are two honey pots remaining. Pooh practically ravages the penultimate pot of honey in a shockingly violent display that troubled this reader for weeks. By the end, with one remaining honey pot, Pooh is faced with a decision - should he take the last honey pot, or should he leave it? We're left to a decision that will trouble some, amaze others, but will leave none disappointed. If you buy only one six-page book this year, make it this one. Oh, and my four month old son thinks this book is delicious. ... Read more

Book Description

Curious about the big truck next door, George takes a closer look. He wants to see how it works. Before long he finds that one little lever can mean great big trouble! But George quickly puts his monkey ingenuity to work and finds a surprising solution to his messy mishap. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Great new story
After reading the original 5 or 6 Curious George stories to my 2 year old son about a hundred times, it is refreshing to see some new adventures. We just picked up this book today after going to the dump and my son just loves it. The spirit of the original stories is still there while the artwork is slightly more crisp and detailed. I look forward to reading the other new stories!

Little Boys Love It!
A dump truck, a lever that gets pulled not once but twice, and robbers! What a combo and George is a hero again. I hope someday that they bring this version out of print. My boys loved it and my preschool boys page through it everyday! It is also a great springboard to the other great Curious George books.

A family favorite
My 3 year old loves Curious George books and all kinds of heavy equipment so combining the two means it's one of his favorite books, and just like George he is always curious especially about George and why he is doing what he is doing. In our house both my 3 year old and 17 month old would sooner read about Curious George than watch tv. ... Read more

Book Description

3 hours, 9 minutes
2 cassettes
Performed by Laura Hamilton

Being eleven-going-on-twelve is hard enough, but when Margaret Simon's family moves to New Jersey she knows she needs to talk to someone.Is God listening?
... Read more

Reviews (252)

It exposed my inner child! Ahhhhhhh!
I read this book in sixth grade. I remember PRAYING that my period would start and I'd look at bras in department stores and wonder if I would be better off getting an operation to make my breasts bigger since I'd never even fill my training bra on my own. It happened for me, just as it began to for Margaret.

I will be giving this book to my own daughters in a year or two as I find that talking directly about sex is often uncomfortable and easier to discuss if happening to someone else, especially a character in a book! Yes, Maragret and her pals DID get silly, like making names of boys that they liked and discussing them. So did I with my friends. It is so cool to know that this book is still in print and I can talk to my own kids about this type of goofy behaviour and tell them waht is normal and what isn't and what they'll die thinking of what they had done at their ages when they grow up!

Must Read For Young Girls
Are You There God? It's Me Margaret is written by Judy Blume. It is a fantastic book. It takes place in New Jersey. The charters are Margaret Simons, an eleven year old girl, and her eleven-year-old friend Nancy. Margaret wants to become a woman just like her friends. She's lonely and needs someone to talk to.
Are You There God It's Me Margaret is a must read book. This book is a must read because Margaret is going through her teen stages, as well as her whole life changing. Margaret feels like there's no one to talk to and turns to God. Margaret's family moves from New York City, to the New Jersey Suburbs. This changes everything for Margaret. She has a new home, new friends, and a new school. Margaret's new friends have gone though physical changes to become young women and Margaret wishes to do the same. Margaret is very lonely, so she starts to talk to God .She tells him all her problems and asks for his help.
Judy Blume spent her childhood in Elizabeth, New Jersey making up stories inside her head. She spent her adult years in many places doing the same thing but now on paper. More than 75 million copies of her books have been sold and her work has been translated into twenty something languages. She receives thousands of letters a mouth from all ages. Judy lives up and down the East cost with her husband George Cooper, who writes nonfiction. They have three grown children and one incredible grandchild. If you want more information on are you their god it's me Margaret your going to have to read it.

So unrealistic, it's hilarious.
I can't relate to anything these girls were going through. I was busty at grade 6 and it was annoying as hell, so it's not all that great. I also got my period at grade six, I didn't tell my mom to "come see, come see" and all that crap. At grade six we had fights, we gossipped and spread rumours, slapped our enemies, played chinese jump rope, walked around and did nothing, played on the playstructure, hung upside down on bars... we didn't do any of the stuff that JB focusses on - we were never that open about our period or our boobs. We didn't form clubs that gave us sheets to rate a guy, or tips on how to increase your bust size and get a bigger bra. There weren't even clubs, period. Not only that, but who get's that hung up in a rumour? Margaret needs to smarten up, and at grade six that's gotta be old enough to realize that you can't completely believe what someone - even a good friend - tells you. I hated her emotional problems, her personality, everything about her and it was hell ploughing through the book knowing that there would be one more page about dear old Margaret. Grade six is nothing like what JB says it is - everybody's fun and easy going and all the girls just wanna have fun. And at fourteen, it's still like that - the flat people don't care that much, none of us obsess about boys, or being popular, or blah blah blah. The religious part was meaningless in my opinion, and I thought it was crazy how she was walking from one religion to another - if you're going to pick a religion, you need to some actual research, not listen to what your friend's say about it. This book is best read by someone who's bypassed Margaret's grade, age, and problems so that way you won't be fed with trash and can realize how ridiculous this book is.

Tug of War over Religion
Margaret Simon dreads leaving NY city to move to a town in NJ, where she will start in a new school. Making friends does not prove to be a problem after all, plus her entire 6th grade class
has to break in a brand new teacher. Still there are two underlying themes which cause her great concern: one is the slow growth of her body into maturity. She and the other Pre Teen Sensations obsess over filling their bras and getting their periods. (This book is definitely not of interest to boys.)

The serious issue, however, is her dual religious heritage. The only chld of a Christian mother and a Jewish father, Margaret is a pawn in a tug of war on the part of her grandparents in the opposing camps. Her parents prefer to raise her to be Nothing--calmly assuming that she wil be able to make up her mind as a young adult without any guidance from either of them. Meanwhile Margaret carries on private conversations with God in her own mind, confiding to him as if by phone--begging him to reveal himself to her and reminding him to help her body mature. When
she has a big fight with God over a grandparent disaster, she stops talking to him. The author does not resolve Margaret's religious dilemma. How will she make up with God--if she still believes in him? There is also a more subtle theme about not believing vicious gossip about people you don't really know. Also a mild warning about the issues of pre teen posturing and snobbery. A good read if you are entering 6th grade.

A Fave Since Age 9!
Judy Blume's writings were often deemed controversial. Oddly enough, Margaret's concerns placed this book, in the year 1970, under that label. Whether it be because of sex talk, periods, or Playboy references, this is a book that all preteens ought to read. Why? Margaret is a regular girl dealing with normal adolescent troubles. She's moved to New Jersey, she suspects, because her parents wanted to distance herself from her grandmother, who paid for Margaret's private school tuition, knit her cute little sweaters, and doted on her in a big way. Now, Maragret will go to public school. You can already see the transition to a new neighborhood won't be all too rough - she and Nancy Wheeler become fast friends and find they will be in the same sixth grade class. She, along with Nancy, Gretchen Potter and Janie Loomis, start the Four Preteen Sensations.

Blume frankly addresses puberty, as well as religion. I like the fact that Margaret feels she can talk to God without actually belonging to any particular organized religion. She is technically half Catholic and half Jewish and a pivotal part of the book is her search to find which religion is right for her. She visits a synogague and a church, yet does not feel God in either place. This exploration of faith is actually something I have seen quite a few younger kids go through today in society - it really is no different from 1970!

Margaret constantly wants her period. Why? I don't know. It will make her feel more grown-up, more womanly, I guess. Yes, I know, I know, I just answered my own question! :) Margaret also wants the body of a woman. She and her friends gossip about Laura Danker, a buxom sixth grader with a bad reputation, seemingly only because of her figure. Margaret wants breasts and goes bra shopping, only because the Four PTS girls are required to wear one as club rules - she doesn't even fill a double A. As some of the girls begin getting their periods, Margaret wonders when her time will come and we wonder if it will come during the 149 pages of the book.

Blume captures the essence of the preteen age in this long acclaimed novel. Believable characters and a believable plot, as with other books of hers, will make this one enjoyable. Margaret asks herself questions that we ask ourselves everyday. She worries about the same things we worried about at her age - maybe even now. She has similar thoughts, concerns, and feelings and does not seem at all contrived or mechanical. This way, many will be able to relate with Margaret and her story. ... Read more

Book Description

This third title about Babar and his family follows the elephants as they build a magnificent city: Celesteville. Life is peaceful and contented, everyone has a job to do, and celebrations are frequent. But one fateful day a snake bites the Old Lady and Babar fears that he may lose his oldest friend.Illus. in full color by the author. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Wonderful Children's Book
I had this book as I was growing up only 14 short years ago and still remember it as a wonderful book and an enjoyable companion to all of the other Babar books. An excellent addition to any child's collection and one they will be sure to treasure and remember for years to come. ... Read more

Book Description

Unabridged Audiobook.1 MP3-CD - 8 hours: 21 minutes.Performed by Shelly Frasier.

Caught in the midst of England's War of the Roses, young Dick Shelton's loyalties are torn between a guardian who betrays him and the leader of the secret fellowship, "The Black Arrow".The Houses of York and Lancaster are locked in a brutal struggle for England's crown and the fate of the kingdom is at stake.Shelton finds himself entangled in the conspiracy.In order to survive he must distinguish friend from foe and confront the tests of war, shipwreck, murder and forbidden love.

This audiobook is on one CD, encoded in MP3 format and will only play on computers and CD players that have the ability to play this unique format. ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Classic Adventure at it's Best
The Black Arrow is, without a doubt, one of my all time favorite books, just as Robert Louis Stevenson is one of my all time favorite authors. I find it hard to believe that The Black Arrow is probably the least well know of his great adventure novels (the others being, of course, Treasure Island and Kidnapped), as it is certainly the best as far as I am concerned. As far as the story goes, it is one of the most entertaining plots that I have ever encountered. It is filled with more twists and turns than I would have thought possible, but remains very clear and fast paced. The characters are wonderful, as is the description and the writing itself. Granted, some of the language is a bit archaic, but I feel that this adds a lot to the authenticity of the story.
The Black Arrow is not a very easy read at first, but once you get into it it really flies by. It is as entertaining, exciting, and intriguing book as you will find, and I would recommend it to anyone.

If you love action and romance, read this book.
Set against the backdrop of the Wars of the Roses, The Black Arrow is an intriguing look at the life of young Richard Shelton. Richard's life is shaken when he realizes that those he had thought to be his friends are really his enemies, and he is forced to make choices that will determine the course of his life. Although the characters are well-developed and the plot is fascinating, this book is not for the squeemish or lazy reader. The description is not only vivid, it is often gorey. The language is sometimes difficult and a dictionary might prove quite handy. But anyone looking for a well-written, action-packed classic should read this book.

Black Arrow
In this book you can read about knights, soldiers, action, treachery, and other things from the middle ages. I thought that it was a pretty good book, but I only got into it after a while. I had to read it for school, so I couldn't give up, but I was wary of the lack of "interesting-ness" when I first started. I would reccomend this book to you, but you should beware that you may not be interested for a while. If you are a person who doesn't like a book that takes a while, I would not reccomend this to you. But if you don't mind having to read something a while, I would reccomend this to you. (Sorry if I keep repeating myself.)

A good adventure story.
The Black Arrow was a good adventure story following the adventures of Richard Shelton during the War of the Roses. Within this story we encounter knights, and a band of outlaws (ala Robin Hood). We have disguises, archery, battles, betrayal, revenge, friendship, honor, and love. What more could you ask for in an adventure?

Though it was a fun story, it didn't have the depth of plot or character that I look for in my reading. Instead we follow Richard on what seems an aimless journey of one adventure after another. Richard often finds himself in tight situations and just when he escapes he finds himself in another. Written like a serial (probably was), Richard seems to hardly have time to take a breath before something new and exciting is happening again. Although this type of writing is great for a serial, leaving the reader with a cliff hanger at the end of each section, it doesn't lead to a unified feeling within the work. I'm not saying I didn't enjoy the story and have fun reading it along the way; it is just that to me it seemed just a fun adventure story. It was fun to read, but didn't leave me with a lasting impression or emotion.

A real swashbuckler...
...that buckles every swash imaginable. War, treachery, disguise, secret passages, shipwrecks, damsels in distress -- an amazing amount gets packed into this not-very-long book. Great fun, but the pseudo-fifteenth-century dialog ("Sirs, this knave arrow likes me not. But it importeth rather to take counsel.") will prove an unfortunate obstacle to the very readers who would otherwise enjoy the story most, the young. ... Read more

Book Description

George's adventures with bunnies, fishing poles, and a powerful kite are told in a simplified text suitable for first-graders to read themselves. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Curious George
I like the Curious George books alot. Ever since I was little I can remember being read to Curious George books. They are funny books about a little monkey and I think thats why kids enjoy them, but they are kind of long and I think they might not hold kids attention for just being one story.

This book is good for anyone.
I liked this book because it reminds me of me when I was a kid. I was very curious and I got in lots of trouble and my parents still loved me like the man in the yellow hat always loved George.

A classic
No, your kids won't learn how to save the world from this book but it will make them laugh and they'll enjoy reading it. I think the lesson here is more that despite getting into trouble for being a silly little monkey, George can always count on the unconditional love of the Man in the Big Yellow Hat.

Flies a Kite
This book doesn't really teach kids like some of the other books. The book is about a mokey, and it is always getting into trouble but never facing the consiqunces. I real life young kids are courious but they don't always excape like in the book. This book is a good adventure book but not a good learning book

Not Good Ideals for our Children
Curious George always seems to be getting into incredible trouble, yet he always seems to escape the consequences. This book is giving our children an unreal view of how the consequences of their actions can be avoided. Curious George rates highly on the literature scale, but when reading this book to our children, they need to understand that the adventures George gets himself into are fictional. They need to understand that we need to be responsible for our actions, and consequences are needed to develop their moral character. ... Read more

Book Description

While on vacation, George and the man with the yellow hat stop to see Mt. Rushmore. There's no time to take a helicopter ride for a close-up view - the hot air balloon races are about to start! Whisked up and away at the races, a surprised George gets a close-up view of the presidents after all. The adventures of Curious George continue in an all-new series beginning in fall 1998 with eight new stories. Written and illustrated in the style of Margret and H. A. Rey, the books will appear in paperback (8 x 8") and hardcover editions and will feature the art of Vipah Interactive, the animators of HMI's Curious George CD-ROMs. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

One of Katy's favorites
My 3 year old daughter Katy loves the Curious George books. She particularly like this one and wants to read it almost every night. As an aside, the book has taught Katy about the presidents on Mt. Rushmore and she wants to go to South Dakota to see them!

Curious George Strikes Again
Curious George and the Hot Air Balloon is another charming example of the magic Margret and H.A. Rey weave. Children will find this book enchanting. They will identify with George's curiousity, which causes trouble, and cheer when he saves the day. I enjoyed the delightful pictures. I also appreciated the simple, straighforward language and easy-to-follow story development. Fans of Curious George will love this story; those unfamiliar with his books will become fans. ... Read more