Amazon.com

What could be better than a magic cupboard that turns small toys into living creatures? Omri's big brother has no birthday present for him, so he gives Omri an old medicine cabinet he's found. Although their mother supplies a key, the cabinet still doesn't seem like much of a present. But when an exhausted Omri dumps a plastic toy Indian into the cabinet just before falling asleep, the magic begins. Turn the key once and the toy comes alive; turn it a second time and it's an action figure again.

The Indian in the Cupboard is one of those rare books that is equally appealing to children and adults. The story of Omri and the Indian, Little Bear, is replete with subtle reminders of the responsibilities that accompany friendship and love. For kids, it'sa great yarn; for most parents, it's also a reminder that Omri's wrenching decision to send his toy back to its own world is not so different from the recognition of their children's emerging independence.

The Indian in the Cupboard is also available in Spanish (La Llave Magica.) (The publisher recommends this book for children ages 9-12, although younger kids will enjoy hearing it read aloud.) ... Read more

Reviews (73)

This book is a magical return to childhood fantasies
One of the best read aloud books ever, Indian in the Cupboard takes us on a magical journey to childhood where fantasies seem real. A young boy is in charge of a tiny, feisty indian whom he keeps in a special cupboard with a key that only he holds. He learns the excitement, value and caretaking responsibility of another human being. The imagination and detail draw the reader right into the story. As a school teacher and mother, I have experienced an emotional bonding with my students and son through this book. My son, 9 at the time, put his hands over his face and said, "Mom, this is my favorite book in the whole world." I felt a surge of joy as I watched my son become hooked on reading. One student unknowingly gave Lynne Reid Banks a wonderful compliment when I attempted to show the class a sketch of a picture in the book..."No! Don't show us the pictures!", and quickly covered his face. The descriptions and story-line of this book make it a DON'T MISS for your child's growing up years! RaNae Palme

probably my favorite kid's book ever
Mrs. Bedwell read this book out loud to my third grade class, and years later as I finish up grad school it still holds a special place in my heart.
The adventure begins when Omri discovers that a magical cupboard given to him on his birthday brings to life plastic toys. When he animates Little Bear, a plastic indian that lived about the time of the French Indian War, Omri's perspective on life changes.
What's special about this book is the how resectfully and seriously it takes the it's young characters and their conflicts. Omri and his friend Patrick discover that Little Bear is no toy, he is a real human being with actual life experiences. He has killed people, eats and sleeps, and remembers his own life and culture. As the two boys deal with the reality of keeping a real person concealed from others, they realize that they can't trifle with others' lives. It is this realization, and Omri's ultimate decision regarding Little Bear that make this a lovely coming of age story. Omri and Patrick learn to repect others and their beliefs.
Although Little Bear, the Native American toy brought to life is called an Indian, this book, I feel, is not chracterized by racism or stereotypes. Little Bear is not a western move redman, he's a real human being with a real human personality, and portrayed respectfully and realistically (as much as he can be, considering the plot).
This book is a definite must read for any kid, or kid at heart, who wonders what would happen if toys came to life.
"The Indian in the Cupboard" is one of four books, thought this one is the best. The final book, in which readers learn what makes the cuboard magical in the first place, detracts from the magic amd mystery of the first three books.

Review of the Audiobook - Educators Beware
I recently purchased the audiobook of The Indian in the Cupboard for use in my classroom. I work with students who struggle with their reading and reading along with an audiobook increases student comprehension of the material. I was disappointed to discover that the author (Lynne Reid Banks) changed parts of the audio version. At first, I only noticed a few changes, such as trousers for leggings. Then I discovered that she completely changed parts of the text by doing adding descriptions and by changing Little Bear's name to Little Bull. I'm not sure why the author felt it necessary to make these changes, but it makes it difficult for students to follow along in the book when the audiobook does not follow the text word for word. If you plan to use the audiobook in an educational setting, be aware of these changes.

On the plus side, Lynne Reid Banks has a very pleasant reading voice. It is enjoyable to listen to her.

The Indian In the Cupboard a review by Curtiss
Have you ever wished your toys would come to life? In the novel Indian

In The Cupboard the author Lynne Reid Banks tells us about a little boy

named Omri and his mysterious cupboard he got for his birthday. Omri then

places an Indian doll into the cupboard.

It is Omri's birthday and he gets an antique cupboard that can bring toys

to life. One of my favorite parts of the story is when Boone gets shot by one

of Little Bear's arrows when Omri, Little Bear, and Boone are watching a

movie about the old western times. In the movie the cowboys and Indians

are shooting back and forth until Little Bear gets frustrated and shoots an

arrow and it hits Boone.

Another one of my favorite parts in the book is when Omri and Little

bear and Boone are in the school . Little Bear and Boone are in a pouch

and Omri's friend has the pouch. Then Omri's friend is getting ready to

show a student Little bear and Boone. Omri and his friend then get into a fight.

If you want to see what happens to Little Bear and Omri, I would invite and encourage you to read Indian In The Cupboard.

The indian in the cupboard
My book I reviewed was the Indian in the cupboard. I liked this book a lot. Its about a young boy named Omri who has a poor family. For his birthday he gets a wooden cupboard for his birthday and finds a magical key to lock it. Omri finds out that the little key and the cupboard turn plastic to life. He puts a little indian in and over night it turns real. The little indian and Omri become friends, but Omri has trouble hiding him from his family and from friends. The setting takes place mostly at Omris house and school. The theme is friendship. I liked the story and i incourage others to read it. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The creators of George Washington's Teeth unhinge the jaws of history to examine the mouth of America's first president, tracking the poor man's dental woes as he gallops to war, crosses the Delaware, and, with only two teeth left, takes his place as leader of the country. Washington was plagued by black, rotting teeth from the time he was 22, losing about one a year until he was nearly "toofless" and had to have his first dentures made from a hippotamus tusk (that's right, not wood!). Poets Deborah Chandra and Madeleine Comora begin their quirky historical tale at a lively clip: "The Revolutionary War/ George hoped would soon be won,/ But another battle with his teeth/ Had only just begun..." Indeed. Evidently he was losing teeth even as he crossed the Delaware: "George crossed the icy Delaware/ With nine teeth in his mouth./ In that cold and pitchy dark,/ Two more teeth came out!" (Cleverly, illustrator Brock Cole mimics Emanuel Leutze's famous painting "Washington Crossing the Delaware," making Washington seem more uncomfortably tight-lipped than dignified.) The story ends happily ever after with the crafting of a nice new pair of ivory false teeth that allow George to dance around the ballroom through the night. Truth be told, however, he would be deeply troubled by his teeth until the day he died. A four-page, illustrated historic timeline of Washington's life (and mouth) completes this carefully researched, very funny, charmingly illustrated picture book that works to humanize a larger-than-life historical figure and in turn, history itself. Brilliant! (Ages 7 and older) --Karin Snelson ... Read more

Reviews (4)

New Perspective
An intersting new perspective on George Washington. It makes him seem more human to children. Young children are intrigued to have the myth of wooden teeth squelched. Ther book provides a historical timeline in the back. This is a great book for children of ALL ages. Even I, an older child and teacher, learned some things. I had no idea our first president was so obsessed with his teeth and that he had such an active role in the solutions to his dental problems. Highly recommended.

Everything young kids will want to know about George's teeth
There are lots of ways of chronicling the change in the national temperament, and one of them is that when I was a kid it was the story of George Washington chopping down the cherry tree that was what stood out. However, the inquiring minds of the nation's youth today are now going to be more intrigued by the legend the first President had wooden teeth, which is precisely how Deborah Chandra and Madeleine Comora, aided and abetted by Brock Cole's pictures, manages to teach young readers a nice little lesson in the finer points of historiography.

Told in four line verse, "George Washington's Teeth" relates an imaginative set of encounters between General Washington and his dentist as the number of teeth in the mouth of the Father of Our Country decreases one by one over the years leading to Independence and the Presidency. Well, that is not entirely true since the authors have Washington losing two teeth the night be crossed the Delaware, but that left him with seven at that point in American history, which is a lucky number that fits the victory at Trenton. Eventually Washington is elected President, which is good, but has no teeth left, which is bad (especially when having your portrait painted). Fortunately, he comes up with a solution.

The first part of "George Washington's Teeth" is pretty whimsical, but then the last part of the book contains a time line of important events in George Washington's life from his own letters, diaries, and accounts. However, instead of dealing primarily with the highpoints of Washington's personal and political life, we learn about what historians have uncovered about his teeth: from having already lost two teeth by the time he was twenty two and the rest were all black and rotted, to eating pickled tripe because it does not hurt his teeth, and a letter requesting plaster of Paris to make some false teeth. These are the sort of bizarre historical details that can trick young readers into thinking history is fun.

There are even photographs of Washington's last sent of dentures. For the record, they were not wooden, but carved from hippopotamus ivory, the palate swaged from a sheet of gold, and springs made of coiled gold wire. Hopefully there are some other small nuggets of historical gold that Chandra and Comora, or like minded individuals, can turn to for books in the same spirit as this one.

WELL RESEARCHED AND WITTY
Here's the real truth on our first President's tooth! No, he didn't really have a set of wooden teeth. But, poor man, the Revolution wasn't the only battle he fought. We learn in this delightfully illustrated book that from the age of 24 he lost a tooth a year. Hence, by the time he reached the presidency there were only two teeth left. (Their whereabouts in his mouth seem to be unknown).

Based on historical records as well as Washington's letters and diaries this is a sprightly, fascinating account of the root of his problem (pun intended).

Youngsters will learn a bit of history as well as enjoy a rollicking good read. For instance, they'll learn about Washington crossing the Delaware, and that he then had only nine remaining teeth. He didn't have too many teeth to chatter during the frozen winter at Valley Forge as there were only seven left.

According to a letter Washington wrote he did at one time wear false teeth secured by wires hitched around his remaining teeth. His last set of dentures were made by a Dr. Greenwood, and carved from hippopotamus ivory.

This is a well researched book complete with excerpts from Washington's letters and diaries. Witty pastel illustrations enhance the text. For all ages.

- Gail Cooke

Fantastic fun, and history too!
Comora and Chandra have made a book to delight wordsmiths and history buffs alike. A verse narrative, each stanza informs by amusing. The great craft of the poem is never visible, but always in evidence -- none of the inane repetition that often informs such efforts is found here.
The whimsical illustrations are more than fine, and laid out to support and complement, rather than compete with the words.
A true delight for President's Day, and many others besides.
Bravi! ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (17)

Wonderfully written
Laura and Howie are the social misfits at their summer camp. As part of a cruel joke, they are stranded on an island as the "goats." True to tradition, they are left naked, hungry, and painfully alone. Not wanting to give the other campers the satisfaction of finding them helpless on the island in the morning, the two come up with a plan to dissapear off the island. "The Goats" is a story about their journey across the state and their adventures along the way. However, their journey is not a simple one of distance. It it also a journey of growth and an adventure in which they truly realize who they are.

"The Goats" is a wonderful and compelling story about the social classes of everyday life. Laura and Howie's journey is an amazing one that should be shared with everyone. The plot was interesting, the characters engaging - overall, an excellent book that is truly impossible to put down.

SURVIVING ON THE FRINGE OF SOCIETY
Wow, this book really holds your interest, hooking the reader's sympathy for the Boy and the Girl right from the start. You just Have to continue reading to see how they cope with sudden abandonment (supposed to be temporary) and decide to get even with the cruel kids at summer camp. Loss of clothing, money, self respect--just a malicious joke, you understand, to "punish" two social misfits.

Through no fault of their own, two pre teens were chosen to be their camp's annual sacrificial victims (i.e. goats), by being forced to spend a few embarrassing hours on a nearby island. Ha-ha--very funny to the terrified kids, who recognize their degrading situation and who ultimately reject the decision. Thus Howie and Laura (who did not even know each other) are forced to rely on each other's wits and daring (strengths they did not realize that they possessed) to reverse the kids' malicious decree. Not only to escape their dismal fate, but to survive on the outskirts of society for 3 days. They determine to get even, to pay them back for all the humiliation. Anything rather than endure the ridiule of returning to camp.

They decide to be proactive to preserve their own digntiy, to wait until the girl's mother comes up for Parents' Weekend. The plot rivets your attention for the kids must overcome incredible obstacles--posed by adutls and other kids--to live without the pale. It is unlikely that such social outcasts could be transformed so quickly into a cool "bandit" and a "fox wearing glasses", but the plot presents an interesting concept of social and physical survival. The book reads swiftly due to extensive dialogue, without the usual teenage platitudes. Their journey of self-discovery makes a fascinating read, with dark social undertones. For kids of all ages and adults harboring hurt kids inside. You will not be disappitned!

a childhood favorite, lost and found again
i read the goats when i was very young and absolutely loved it. i lost my copy (probably lent it to someone untrustworthy) and years passed. i had all but forgotten this gem until i went searching for the top 100 "challenged" (read:censored) books. i am currently studying to be a teacher, and i decided to collect the "challenged" books for young readers to have in my classrooms (because i want my students to grow with open minds and i will not be told that books and the ideas contained within are dangerous). i recognized this title and it was the first i ordered. i was not disappointed. it was just as great as i had remembered, and the only reason i didnt give it 5 stars is because i reserve the 5 star rating for books that strike a chord within my soul or absolutely change the way i percieve life. those books are extremely rare. that being said, 4 stars is still amazing, and if you are considering purchasing this book i would highly reccomend it.

The Goats by Brock Cole
The Goats by Brock Cole, is about two young teenagers named Laura and Howie; these two teens become the center of a cruel practical joke played on them by their peers at summer camp. The other teens decide to leave Laura and Howie naked and stranded on an abandoned island across the lake from the camp to see how they will react. The two teens are embarrassed and ashamed that the joke was played on them. They end up swimming back to the main shore where the camp is. Since Howie's parents are out of the country, and Laura's mother refuses to pick her up until Parents Weekend a few days later, the two have developed some survival tactics for staying away from the camp until Laura's mother comes. Laura and Howie end up stealing clothes from a beach storage area, they get money from cars with the windows rolled down, and they hide out in a vacant summer cabin, they hide in a different camp that they found, and also they manage to stay in an empty motel room. They are clever and resourceful. They are brave and prove to be good at surviving against the odds. The two teens do very well at demonstrating their self-reliance. Howie decides that he really wants to continue staying away from everyone forever. He imagines a life out in the forest with Laura where the two will not have to deal with their peers or adults anymore. At the end of the story, Laura and Howie meet up with Laura's mom, who is now aware of Laura and Howie's terrible experience and is disgusted with the camp. Laura and Howie remain close and plan to stick together after all they've been through. This story is definitely worth reading.

good reading
The Goats is well written book. The characters in the story were very real and captivating. I found myself following along their journey as if I were there too. I recommend this book and hope that readers can see past the negative parts that have gotten this book banned and see the wonderful story underneath. ... Read more

Amazon.com

"Down the road came Larky Mavis, mooning about, mooning about." Shetrips on three peanuts... and ends up eating two out of three. In the third shefinds a tiny pink creature, small enough to fit in her hand. "'Well!' she said,laughing. 'I won't eat you!'" And whom exactly does the third peanut contain?We're not quite sure. The villagers call Mavis's blanket-wrapped bundleeverything from a worm to a bat to (when it gets bigger) a turkey or a pig, buthe remains her precious little baby that she calls Heart's Delight. As fear andcuriosity build in the village, Mavis is forced to protect what is dearest toher. Or is it the other way around? Brock Cole, creator of the award-winningButtons, will thoroughlycharm young readers with this deliciously whimsical, pleasantly odd, happilyending story of the transcendent, transformative nature of love. (Ages 4 to 8)--Karin Snelson ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Lovely, Whimsical Story.....
"Down the road came Larky Mavis, mooning about, mooning about." She's a kind-hearted, simple minded, ragtag of a woman with a mop of red hair. She trips over three peanuts, eats two, and when she opens the third, finds what she's convinced, is a baby inside. She names it Heart's Delight because it makes her glad and carefully feeds and nutures it, carrying her baby with her in a basket, wherever she goes. Soon, Heart's Delight has grown so large that Larky Mavis wraps it up in an old tablecloth and carries it on her back. The townspeople, at first show contempt and disdain for Mavis and Heart's Delight, calling her baby, when they get a peek, a mouse, a deformed bird or maybe a bat and as it grows, a turkey in molt, a calf and a half or even a dragon and try to take Heart's Delight away from her. But Mavis is its mother and protects it with all her might. As the townspeople descend, a voice is heard from the wrapped bundle we've never seen, "Let Go My Ma!" and Heart's Delight finally appears to save the day..... Brock Cole has authored a clever and appealing modern day fairy tale with a simple message about tolerance, that won't be lost on young readers. The gentle and engaging text is complemented by his evocative and detailed watercolor artwork in subdued tones and youngsters will be entranced as they watch and wait for a hidden Heart's Delight to finally appear. Perfect for children 4-8, Larky Mavis is a masterpiece, sure to become a classic, and a wonderful addition to all home bookshelves.

Odd fairy tale
Mavis finds 3 peanuts in the road and eats 2 of them. The last one looks a little like it might be alive, so Mavis doesn't eat it. Instead, she calls it her baby. But the townsfolk don't believe that it is a baby. They call it a worm, a mouse, and a bat and give Mavis a really hard time. Eventually, the little thing grows up to take Mavis away from the cruel townsfolk. Altogether, the book has about 900 words.

Disturbing
I purchased the book for a young cousin and after reading it decided it wasn't appropriate. The book was disturbing with references to Larky Mavis's "baby" as a deformed bird and other descriptives that I found odd. While the descriptions of Larky's find are surprising, the characters in the book were very traditional (mostly men as professionals like the doctor and others Larky runs into). It seemed like a book for a young girl, but the role models were all men. The ending of the story is anti-climatic and doesn't provide much closure (the winged creature simply lifts Larky up into the sky). I was very disappointed with the purchase.

A Review of Brock Cole's Book Larky Mavis
Denise Welcsh
Children's Literature
Professor Jen Welsh
19 November, 2001
A Review of Brock Cole's Picture Book Larky Mavis
Brock Cole's picture book Larky Marvis, at first glance, reminds myself of a pastoral Norman Rockwell setting. A tall, freckled-faced red haired girl stands in the middle of a grassy field with pink and yellow butterflies about while she holds on to a sack which appears to have a rabbit or a angel's wings poking out at the sides. The sack is the most intriguing item I first see. The wondering and imaging what is in the sack I believe to be the thing that beckons the reader to open the book.
The story begins rather harmlessly with a girl named Mavis who is walking down a dirt path and stumbles upon three peanuts. She decides to eat them one by one. The first tasting like liver and onions and the second tasting like bread pudding and the third with what she believes to be a baby. She then shows the teacher of the nearby school and he believes she is showing him and his students a worm. Although, the teacher calls her baby a worm she decides to keep it in her pocket. The next Sunday Mavis takes her baby to the parson and asks if he can christen her baby, in the basket, she calls Hearts Delight. The parson is outraged and tells Mavis he can not baptize a mouse and tells her to run along. The next person she meets is the Doctor with Hearts Delight in a sack. She asks him if he could help the baby to say "Ma". Doctor is also outraged and says to her I can not make your bat say "Ma" because he does not think it fit for animals to be talking. As Hearts Delight grew, Mavis had to feed her baby potatoes and cabbage and whatever Hearts Delight didn't eat Mavis gave away. Every one in the town became very upset with Mavis and the thing in her sack and wanted to do something about it. They all tried to make Mavis believe that they were going to take her baby away and care for it elsewhere. But Mavis remembered how no one wanted to help her and Hearts Delight while it was growing up and she ran away with Hearts Delight. On the way, she met the teacher, the parson, the doctor and they all wanted Hearts Delight for their own selfish purposes. But in that instant when they were all grabbing on to her and Hearts Delight, it called for her to "Let Go Ma" and off Mavis and Hearts Delight flew into the sky.
With the pastoral Norman Rockwell images and the beautiful story of a young girls peanut baby, the story draws on simple times and simple things. Although the story seems to be very untraditional, the pictured and images are of time long forgotten by most, of a person on their porch reading The Saturday Evening Post .

Larky Mavis by Brock Cole
Our eight year old was twitching with suspense waiting to see what Larky had in her bundle that kept growing with each unusual feeding. When the final pages came there was still much discussion about just exactly what this creature was and where they went together.The illustrations where great and also lead to great speculation. ... Read more

Book Description

Maggie and Katie and Little Nora visit their old granny in the city. Everything is rundown, especially Granny, and there's nothing to do, so they go to bed early. Scary dreams, provoked by strange noises and spooky happenings -- not to mention the extra feet in the bed! -- inspire the children to choose to dream of good things. Even Granny wakes up refreshed and ready to tell the tale of long ago, when she danced with the prince in fair Monaco. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (12)

Buy 2 and give one away!
The first time I read this book was before it was published (some kind of advance copy) and I've read it at least ten times since then. It really is outstanding. There is no other character like Celine anywhere.

Best Book Ever, Period
I first read this book in junior high, and have been re-reading it ever since ( I'm a freshman in college, now). I absolutely, positively love this book. This book may be hard for certain readers to enjoy, because it is written in such an original, frank, lyrical way, and the views of the narrator, Celine, may be very different from the views of the readers. However, myself being a child of divorce with a step-parent I hardly ever get along with, I connected with this book in a way I don't think the author ever intended. Celine's views on life, people, divorce, friendship, everything are right on. Sometimes I think Brock Cole was peering into the murky depths of my head when he was writing this book. Celine's obnoxious, unwanted boyfirend, Dermot, is extremely realistic; I've met other versions of him, and how she puts up with him is eerliy similar to real life. So are all the other characters in the book; every one is like someone I know in real life. Their actions and reactions, which Cole paints expertly and subtly, are perfectly realistic, and Celine's views of these people are insightful and true. What is so extremely good about this book is how it takes all of our modern culture and, through subtle writing and not-so-subtle writing, shows it for what it is. Everything Celine sees or thinks about her society is dead-on. The people she interacts with are true to life. I love this book, and getting a chance to peek in on a life through this book so very much like my own. Celine is filled with great humor, insight, and wisdom. The writing is superb. I recommend this book to anyone who liked The Saskiad, The Bell Jar, She's Come Undone, The Goats (of course), Cress Delahanty, The Catcher in the Wry (or anything else by Salinger), or anything written through the eyes of a wise, mature, insightful, different, humorous girl.

Achingly funny
This book is my A+ #1 absolute favorite book of all time. I have reread it at least once a year since it came out and it never fails to blow my mind. The characters are realistic, Celine's narration is hilarious, and the melancholy honesty makes it an invaluable novel for teen and adult readers. Seriously -- everyone must like this book.

Portrait of the Artist as a Teenage Girl
In this book, Brock Cole introduces us to Celine Morienval, a sixteen-year-old high school student living in Chicago. Celine is a talented artist and all-around bright kid, who has a fairly good idea of what she wants to do. Her parents are divorced; her professor father has married one of his students, Catherine, who is only six years older than Celine. He has chosen to let stepmother and stepdaughter work out the details of their relationship while he attends to pressing academic business in Europe and remains an invisible presence throughout the story. Celine's has a well-developed sense of irony that she unleashes on her family situation with great humor. Her attitude towards family matters is remarkably mature.

Celine hopes to graduate from high school a year early, but is having trouble closing the deal. She has not fulfilled her athletic requirement and is under the gun to finish a paper on The Catcher in the Rye in order to pass English. She hopes to live her own life after graduation with friends in Europe, but has, at this point, neither a definite plan nor parental permission. When it comes to the nuts and bolts of life, she shows her youth and inexperience. Socially, she is well outside the confines of the female teenage "box." She has little interest in clothes, sex, drugs, rock'n'roll, etc. She relaxes by vegetating in front of the television.

Her time has been co-opted by Jake, an eight-year-old boy who lives in the next apartment and whose parents have separated. Celine always treats Jake kindly and respectfully, unlike his foolish parents. In doing so, she shows her essential good nature.

The novel ends before Celine can accomplish all her objectives. The plot deals mainly with the humorous obstacles that life places in her path. She maintains a remarkable narrative voice throughout the book (she is the narrator). In fact, it was impossible (for me) to separate her voice from that of the author, Brock Cole. This is by no means a defect of the book-it explains her remarkable fluency without detracting from her charm.

Hilarious!
This is one of the best Young Adult novels I have ever read. Celine is a fascinating character, and her outlook on life is refreshing and funny. Several passages made me laugh out loud, even on my third reading of it. The narrative is original, lively, and captivating. This book is a real gem. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Buttons, buttons, who's got the buttons? When an old man eats so much he bursts his britches and loses all his buttons, it's up to his three daughters to find new ones for their silly, helpless father. The eldest daughter offers to dress in her finest clothes and make a rich man fall in love with her, at which point she will demand buttons. The second daughter plans to dress as a boy and join the army. Her uniform will have plenty of buttons to spare. The youngest daughter, who is "young and rabbity and still picked her nose when she thought no one was looking" decides to run in the meadow, holding out her apron so that if any buttons fall from the sky, she can catch them. The race for buttons is on, and readers will be as delighted as the unfastened father at the results.

In spite of the hint of naughtiness in this fable--daughter number two spends a snug night in a hayloft with a young wounded soldier--the antics throughout are innocently preposterous enough to pose no threat to the sanctity of youth. Tremendously clever and delightfully understated, Brock Cole's original fairy tale and whimsical watercolors have the feel of an ancient classic, complete with happily-ever-after-ending. (Ages 5 to 9) --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Wonderful story--and David Hyde Pierce's voice is perfect!
My 3 1/2 year old daughter can't get enough of this book. The story and illustrations are wonderful. Lots of "big words" to explain and provoke conversations about. DHP's narrations is sublime! He captures the daughters' antics beautifully. It's a lovely, funny, sweet book for all ages. I love reading and listening to it (as does my 6-year old).

Great for older children
This original fairy tale reads like a classic. The story is funny, and the illustrations support this humourous tone. There is plenty of detail in the pictures for older children to pore over. I would recommend this for 1st graders and up.

An Old Fashioned Fairy Tale
Brock Cole's, Buttons, begins...Once upon a time and after a very silly, funny, satisfying story, has a happily ever after, ending. Buttons will delight children of every age, as three daughters are sent out into the world, by their mother, to find new buttons for their father's trousers. Mr. Cole's beautiful water color illustrations add just the right old fashioned touch to this story. The perfect bedtime story for your little ones. Read and enjoy!

Thank heavens he's back!
Brock Cole began his career as author and illustrator of a number of lovely, marginally goofy picture books, illuminated with his own careful, exuberant watercolors. Mr. Cole took a break from picture book publishing to concentrate on chapter books for older kids (not that we mind - all 3 of his novels are themselves extraordinary achievements) but has returned with _Buttons_, his first picture book for more than a decade. This _Buttons_ is a particularly fetching send up of the fairy tale genre, replete with nobles, simpletons, paupers and princes, and blessedly full of Mr. Cole's sweet, ironic sensibilities. Let us hope that with his paintbrush freshly wetted Brock Cole will again decorate our bookshelves with a succession of similar charmers. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (5)

Strange, but amusing
I checked this book out of the public library to read to my 5 yr. old. The story is a bit odd for children, as it deals with devil's imps, and a grouchy dad. But, my daughter loved the story and wanted it to be read over and over. I see that other reviewers had strong opinions about the content of the story, but there are several attributes to be discussed: exageration (when the dad says he hopes he'll drown), curiousness, cleverness, and just the imaginatatory way the imps steal the parents (ask the children you are reading to, "could this really happen?"). Probably best suited for kids over 5.

Horrible
This book is terrible! Don't waste your money

Kids love Alpha
A student of mine brought this book in and asked me to read it to the class. Their amusement began with the title itself. They looked around at each other with silly smirks and wondered who this dirty baby could be. They giggled at the strange commands the Imps gave Alpha. Then they rolled with laughter as the Imps yelled to Alpha "Don't wash my dirty baby!" I must have been asked to reread that book a dozen times that week and not once did someone complain. I have taught K through Second and everyone has loved Alpha and the Dirty Baby!

An Inappropriate book for children
This book is awful. I thought this book was scary and totally inappropriate for children. The father gets mad and threatens to join the navy and hopes to drown and then his body is taken over by the devil and he is turned into a lump of coal. The daughter goes and tells the mother, but the mother accuses her of making it up and doesn't listen to the child. Then the same thing happens to the mom,who is turned into a blue egg. The only thing that saves them is that the daughter cleans the devil's baby and the whole house. The messages being given out are terrible.

Alpha is #1!!
Any parent looking for a strong heroine in literature should pick this up. Alpha is strong, self-reliant, and very clever. Cole's illustrations are energetic and appealing. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Fans of Brock Cole's savvy, independent protagonist in Celine may be shocked by the raw young woman they meet in The Facts Speak for Themselves. The novel challenges our ideas about young-adult books and about young adults themselves: its story is gritty; its rhythm is oddly primitive; its level of honesty about people and events is unparalleled. Cole tells the tale of 13-year-old Linda who, when we meet her in the beginning of the book, has just come to the police station after witnessing the murder of a man--an adult who may be her lover. The situation is extreme; the nuances are deep. Linda struggles madly against everyone's presumptions about who she appears to be. She tries to tell the story straight, to let the facts speak for themselves. This important book will stimulate discussions in classrooms and between friends. ... Read more

Reviews (18)

Heroic Survivor
Linda, the thirteen-year-old survivor of a disastrous family life, tells her story in this realistic and unblushing account. At the beginning of the novel, we find Linda going into protective services following a bloody and climactic debacle in which her alcoholic mother's sometime boyfriend commits suicide after shooting to death, in Linda's presence, Linda's middle-aged seducer/lover, who was also Linda's mother's employer. The novel is made up of Linda's subsequent telling of her life story to her caseworker.

CHARACTERS: Linda--A born survivor: capable, brave, resourceful, and cunning. In spite of all the appalling neglect and abuse to which she is subjected, one ends the novel with the impression that she is equal to the task of getting on with her life.

Sandra--Linda's mother: Good-looking, a doctor's daughter, and a complete mess. She is vain, self-centered, self-pitying, uncaring, alcoholic, depressed, willful, and incapable. She is, in fact, an exceptionally destructive train-wreck of a person, unable to manage her own life, to say nothing of the lives of her children.

COMMENTS: The book is exceptionally well written in straightforward and realistic first-person language. Caution: Four-letter words are used and sexual situations are frankly described.

painfully real bibliotherapy
: This book is extremely well written and affecting. Since this book contains a realistic portrayal of sexual and emotional abuse, The Facts Speak For Themselves would be an excellent choice for bibliotherapy. I would recommend that a teenager have someone trusted to talk over the subject matter of this book. In fact, this book could be so upsetting that a person who reads this book might need a professional counselor.

Evaluation: The Facts Speak For Themselves by Brock Cole contains a sad and powerful story. Cole writes in a beautiful and simple style that gives us access to Linda's inner thoughts. The protagonist in this book, Linda, is a victim of years of psychological, sexual and emotional abuse. This abuse is so normal for Linda that she does not recognize it as abuse. As she describes her situation Linda writes in a flat tone about taking care of her little brothers, being molested and watching the murder of her adult lover. It is heartbreaking to see adult after adult either abuse Linda or not offer her any help. Although this is a sad book, in the end Linda is removed from her situation and in a group home. Linda seems relatively happy in the home and she is grateful for the small things like having access to pencils. This ending puts a happy ending on the book that otherwise could make a reader lose all hope.

good, not great
For me, this book follows the title to the letter. It is told through the eyes of Linda, a sexually active 13 year old of low to average intelligence. She has been forced to grow up at an astounding rate due to the indifference of her mother, raising her brothers and taking care of one of her step fathers after he has a stoke. She is unaware that any of the molesting and emotional damage to her is abuse.

I grew fond of her as the story unfolded but I never loved her. I don't think she quite had the charisma I wanted although I think she certainly had the potential

It might have been because of the way the story was written. It seemed completely stripped of emotion, as the title suggests. But I think this would make it much easier for people to read who haven't come across the subjects before. For example, when she is raped there is very little description other than, "When he was inside me I didn't like it. I hit him. I said hurry up."

I did enjoy this book but I think it seemed a bit mugged in places. It also doesn't use speech marks, which I found extremely annoying and confusing to read. I couldn't say what age range this book should be for. Perhaps 13 +. Some of the things in it might disturb some people but I honestly think it is told in such away that people won't feel nearly as horrified than of something which is told in detail and with emotion.

the facts speak for themselves
This is a very good story told entirely from linda's point of veiw. With no father and an irrisponsible mother linda is left to take care of herself and the people who are forced on her by family. There is no one to fill in the gaps for the readers of what Linda doesn't understand which makes the book more realistic. It still gives you a very good idead of what is going on in Linda's life even though she doesn't tell you everything. This is a very good book although it does leave some things unresolved at the end of the book.

The facts DO speak for themselves.
At the beginning of this story, thirteen-year-old Linda is brought to the police station after witnessing a murder-suicide. The gunman was her mother's boyfriend. The victim was her mother's employer, and Linda's lover. At the prompting of her social worker she tells her life story, beginning from when she was very small. And she's had a pretty nasty life.

Linda and her situation remind me rather of Leshaya in Han Nolan's "Born Blue". Both of their fathers are gone. Both of them are regularly abandoned by their mothers and left pretty much to take care of their own.

Her story is starkly told. She's slightly dull-witted and doesn't always understand what's going on around her, but the reader can read between the lines. Her mother is unstable, promiscuous, and unable to take care of her children. Linda is a mother figure to her two younger brothers, and always has been. She's very strong and self-reliant and can take care of herself and others on her own for long periods. She talks in a flat tone about being molested by so many of her mother's boyfriends.... ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Very Good Book
The Giant's Toe is a tale with a moral, no matter how big you are, you can still be helped by someone that is much smaller. This story is about a giant who accidentally chops off his toe while hoeing in his cabbage garden. The toe ends up turning into a small boy when it's cut off, and the toe starts wreaking havoc. The giant is often annoyed with the toe, but the toe ends up helping him out in the end. I think that this is a very good book for people of all ages and can bring a smile to your face.

My kids absolutely love this book
I first saw this book in the public library. Everytime we went to the library, my oldest son, then 4, would head straight for The Giant's Toe every time. I found a copy in the bookstore and my kids still read it 2-3 times a week! It's not uncommon to hear "What are you doing, Toe?" in my house. This book is just a lot of fun. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

classic picture book
Beautifully illustrated story, resembling a classic fairytale. The story is humorous, but has an important message. END ... Read more

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