Book Description

This is Russell.

Sometimes Russell is just a little bit out of step with the rest of the flock.

All the sheep are falling asleep -- except Russell.

What's a sheep to do?

Russell tries everything ... until, at last, he falls asleep. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

too cute
Russell is a sheep who just can't seem to fall asleep one night.He tries everything from counting the stars to locating the perfect sleeping spot.Nothing works for him.That is until he decides to count sheep!This works and Russell is finally asleep.By this time it's morning and all the other sheep are ready to start their day!

The cartoon like illustrations are full of detail.Lots for little eyes to llok at while the story is being read!
We would recommend this book to others.We feel that the book will entertain children in a wide variety of age groups.There is a little green frog that shows up though out the book.It's fun to discover what the will be up to next!

Richie's Picks: RUSSELL THE SHEEP
"Last night I didn't get to sleep at all, no, no.
I lay awake and watched until the morning light
Washed away the darkness of the lonely night
And last night I didn't get to sleep, didn't get to sleep,
No, I didn't get to sleep at all."
--The Fifth Dimension

Between meetings, workshops, zigzagging between the various publisher booths, morning and evening social events, and late night nibbling at the new ARCs I've just scored, I don't get much sleep when I'm off at the various book-related conventions.

Five-plus years ago, Shari and I were strolling around the exhibition hall at ALA Midwinter in San Antonio. The best part of being "on the floor" at ALA Midwinter is the abundance of editors in attendance. It is always exciting to get an earful of what these frequently unsung heroes of the children's publishing industry actually have their hands on, along with what they've just completed in collaboration with their talented authors.

Anne Schwartz is one of those brilliant and charming editors with whom I love to chat. When Shari and I encountered Anne in San Antonio at that 2000 Midwinter convention, I immediately asked her what hot new literary magic she had up her sleeve for the distant fall season, then eight or nine months down the road.

When Anne responded that I HAD to see the picture book she'd just finished I was momentarily disappointed. The best thing you have for the entire fall season is a picture book? I said to myself, my hope having been that she'd instead be raving about the manuscript for some spectacular novel for eight-to-twelve-year-olds.

But my skepticism instantly evaporated as she opened a manilla file and pulled out a paste-up of OLIVIA. I'll never forget that first reading, including the ending when:

"Olivia's mom gives her a kiss and says, 'You know, you really wear me out. But I love you anyway.' And Olivia gives her a kiss back and says, 'I love you anyway too.' "

"Close your eyes and I'll close mine, goodnight sleep tight
Now the moon begins to shine, goodnight sleep tight
Dream sweet dreams for me, dream sweet dreams for you."
--The Beatles

I recall the OLIVIA incident because Rob Scotton's RUSSELL THE SHEEP is the cutest and funniest and best illustrated animal character I've seen in a picture book since OLIVIA. And while RUSSELL THE SHEEP won't officially come to the attention of the Caldecott committee the way OLIVIA did (being that Rob Scotton is British not American), I will be shocked if Russell does not similarly grab the Book Sense Illustrated Book of the Year award after he grabs the hearts and imaginations of large herds of American kids, young and old.

Rob Scotton is certainly no unknown quantity in Britain. Not only a celebrated illustrator of greeting cards and posters, his animal characters even adorn a series of Portmerion china.

But the exploits of Russell and the expressions of the various sheep characters in his first picture book go far beyond anything Scotton's accomplished previously. Within just one of the book's first illustrations ("...night fell and the sheep got ready for bed."), you have Russell prancing atop a tree while one sheep is brushing its teeth, one is holding a steaming mug of cocoa, one is heavy-eyed and clutching a teddy bear, and one old lady sheep (wearing spectacles and an old-fashioned night hat) is lying under a quilt with four feet straight up in the air and a glass containing a solution and her false teeth beside her.

Russell goes through all sorts of delightful misadventures trying to get to sleep. And then, by the end of the story when everyone is getting up (Granny putting in her teeth, another sheep reading the Daily Bleat), Russell, of course, is fast asleep.

Good night, Russell!

Adorable
This beautifully illustrated book combines humor with the charming
tale of a sleepless sheep. I was won over from the first page, showing the adorable Russell playfully swinging from a tree!
Every illustration is rich with detail (personally I am a big fan of the frog). I'm hoping to see Russell merchandise to follow,
he would make a delightful toy!

Outstanding!
This is a beautifully illustrated book. It makes me laugh just to look through it. There are slight details to be found in all the illustrations and it is positely beautiful to look at. It is a story of Russell the sheep who can't go to sleep - "Not tired," he says. The other sheep in the flock are all fast asleep under their cute homemade quilts, but Russell is counting his feet, trying to sleep in vehicles and other various locations and counting all the stars in the sky trying to make himself tired. Very entertaining.

Wonderful!
This book is delightful! My three year old and I both love it. The illustrations are wonderful and the story is so cute! ... Read more

Amazon.com Reviews

"In the light of the moon a little egg lay on a leaf." So begins Eric Carle's modern classic, The Very Hungry Caterpillar.More than 12 million copies of this book have been sold in its original, full-sized edition, and the beloved tale of science and gluttony has been translated into 20 languages. This five-by-four-inch miniature edition is truly tiny, with tiny type, but it is a nice size for small hands to hold and flip through the pictures. Despite its diminished state, the book is complete in every detail, following the ravenous caterpillar's path as he eats his way through one apple (and the pages of the book itself) on Monday, two pears on Tuesday, three plums on Wednesday, and so on, through cherry pie and sausage--until he is really fat and has a stomachache. And no doubt you know what happens next! Kids love butterfly metamorphosis stories, and this popular favorite teaches counting and the days of the week, too. A fun gift package for caterpillar fans. (Baby to preschool) --Karin Snelson ... Read more

Reviews (146)

A fun, witty, classic tale.
We have this book in a small and large size together with anEric Carle videotape that has the story. A young caterpillar is bornand begins to eat his way through the world and through many foods that you child will be able to identify. These foods are eaten on each of the seven days of the week, an added bonus, as your child begins to learn that Sunday is a different day that Monday. The caterpillar gets very fat. He builds a cocoon and then emerges a large beautiful butterfly. My 3 year old does not tire of this story. He learns about nature, food and the days of the week in one absolutely stunningly illustrated book. You can't get much better than this for young children. If you have young children, or if you are looking for a gift for a 4 year old and younger child, this book is highly, highly recommended. Enjoy.

Perfect spring reading!
This is one of my all-time favorite children's books. One sunny day, a caterpillar pops out of an egg. He is very hungry and begins searching for food. Now, many of Eric Carle's books have gimmicks--the tactile web in THE VERY BUSY SPIDER and the chirping in THE VERY QUIET CRICKET, for example. The gimmick in this book is that the caterpillar eats holes through all the food, holes that are actually punched into the pages of the book. It's a good gimmick, actually. Also, many of Carle's books teach conventions--telling time in THE VERY GROUCHY LADYBUG and animal sounds in THE VERY BUSY SPIDER, for example. This one teaches the days of the week. On Monday, the caterpillar eats this, on Tuesday he eats that, and so forth. Very cute. Eventually, he becomes a fat caterpillar. He then spins himself a cocoon, where he rests for two weeks. And when he emerges...well, you can guess the results. It's a wonderful story. Best of all, the text is very simple as are the illustrations, so the book will appeal to toddlers as well as the pre-K and kindergarten crowd. In fact, it may appeal more to toddlers, because the story is so very simple. I know I read it as a kindergartener. I loved the holes but found the story rather boring. I read it to my two-year-old this spring, however, and he went nuts over it. The days of the week were lost on him, but he was fascinated by the caterpillar turning into a butterfly--he had no idea! Can't tell you how many times we read it. We also re-enacted it, crawling on the floor and eating, spinning ourselves into cocoons, and popping out with fluttery wings. In fact, he was so taken with the caterpillar-to-butterfly phenomenon that I ordered some caterpillars (I used "Insect Lore"--they are on-line--but I'm sure there are lots of other places to get them). We read THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR at each stage of their development and then right before we released them as butterflies. It was the highlight of our spring.

Never understood the charm; still don't
This is not one of my all-time favorite books. It strikes me as tedious, boring, and silly. I would never have bought it for my one-year-old.

Unfortunately for me, a friend gave it to him for his birthday. Fortunately for him, though, Jack loves it. I rarely get out of it without at least three repetitions.

The pictures are kind of pretty, in a modern art sort of way.

A good book to give as a gift to someone else's child -- that way, you won't have to read it endlessly.

A Classic!
I loved this book as a child, and it is now one of my daughters favorite books. This is a MUST HAVE for all children.

Perennial favorite
While on occasion I can persuade the youngster to read Michael Holt's "Rise & Fall of the American Whig Party" with me, she seems to prefer the caterpillar. Who am I to argue? I would have been disappointed if someone hadn't given us this book when she was born, and it remains one of my guilty pleasures, I suppose. We got an extremely cute onesie to go along with the book as well. ... Read more

Book Description

The Spanish edition of Brian Wildsmith's Animals to Count. Asexuberantly colored animals cavort across the pages, children learn to count andalso learn the names of the animals. Ages 6 mo-3 yrs. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Fantastic!
A beautiful little book, great fun for my kids and me. Has held up over 4 children.

Good Pictures, Binding poor
Illustrations are excellant. Manufacture of book is poor quality ... ... Read more

Amazon.com

"Did you ever fly a kite in bed? Did you ever walk with ten cats on your head?" Such are the profound, philosophical queries posed in this well-loved classic by Theodor "Dr. Seuss" Geisel. While many rhymes in this couplet collection resemble sphinx-worthy riddles, Seuss's intention is clear: teach children to read in a way that is both entertaining and educational. It matters little that each wonderful vignette has nothing to do with the one that follows. (We move seamlessly from a one-humped Wump and Mister Gump to yellow pets called the Zeds with one hair upon their heads.) Children today will be as entranced by these ridiculous rhymes as they have been since the book's original publication in 1960--so amused and enchanted, in fact, they may not even notice they are learning to read! (Ages 4 to 8) ... Read more

Reviews (81)

Rich in marvelous images
Dr. Seuss's extraordinary body of work is a collective treasure, but from that group of books a few stand out as his best. "One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish" certainly belongs in the category of Seuss's finest. Rich in clever rhymes and memorable images, this book scores a literary home run on nearly every page.

Directed towards early readers, "One Fish" uses simple language in its funny rhymes. Seuss mixes his own created words together with standard vocabulary, resulting in such memorable lines as "just jump on the hump of the Wump of Gump." And these rhymes are accompanied by a rich variety of images that can only be described as "Seussian": A mother fish pushing her offspring in a baby carriage, a bed being commandeered by a menagerie of animals, and more.

Futhermore, in "One Fish" Dr. Seuss introduces us to a wonderful assortment of Seussian creatures: the singing Ying, the hopping Yop, a truly bizarre creature known simply as "Clark," and many more. These images are sure to energize the imaginations of both children and adults.

Seuss's images range from the joyful to the eerie, from the baroque to the earthy. I give "One Fish" my most enthusiastic recommendation.

IF YOU WISH TO WISH A WISH
.

At least two generations of parents and their children have now been immersed in the wonderful world of Dr Suess. The fun filled fantasy world of Dr Suess has lost none of its charm. "One Fish Two Fish" is one of his best.

The theme of this book is "funny things are everywhere". Dr Suess goes on to prove this by introducing a long list of fantastic but friendly characters. The creatures are at times outrageous looking but they are never frightening. There is no chance of monster-phobia developing in children after reading these books.

Anything is possible in this book. You have to love the seven hump Wump with its eight legs. It bears an uncanny resemblance to a camel.

Children will get to love the rhyme and rhythms of the words in this book. Children will be encouraged to make their own word play. It is possible new skills in creative thinking and even musical aptitude may emerge in children after having fun in the Suess world. On thing is for sure, a love of reading will certainly be encouraged.

Spatial thinking is encouraged with humorous signposts to Near and Far, and Here and There. Young minds will adore taking the advice "if you wish to wish a wish".

"One fish two fish" makes a great bedtime book. It is long enough and exhausting enough to pacify the most agile young mind. They can go off to dream land pondering "did you ever fly a kite in bed" and then "curl up with your Pet Zeep".

Prescient political pondering of our polarized prolatariat
Just as Seuss covered anti-intellectualism in Green Eggs and Ham, and alternate lifestyles in Hop on Pop, the Fish book is a trenchant political analysis. Foreseeing the red vs. blue state deadlock back in the idealistic better-living-through-chemistry early 1960s, Suess contrasts the red (as in communist) fish with the all-American blue fish. This motif weaves through the book, teaching little ones the red vs. blue tension of multiculturalism (in the form of strange animals) and isolationism of Ned in his too-small bed. While most younger children will miss the allusion to Procrustes, they may remember the literary echo in Hop on Pop: Ned joins Red, Ted, and Ed in a more appropriately sized bed, and Seuss shows his support for the UN, or at least the International Monetary Fund.

The tension is palpable when the young boy and girl bring home a large, walrus-like pet and wonder how their mother will feel about their deed; no preschooler could miss this reference to the Teapot Dome scandal. Similarly, their advice to get a pet Yink simply because of its fondness for pale red india writing product is a sardonic commentary on rampant consumerism. And the camel-like Wump shows his prophetic realization that our demand for oil would force us to deal with the Saudis on a regular basis.

Seuss warns us of the coming divide in these United States in the introduction: "From there to here, from here to there, funny things are everywhere." It starts with the fish, red, blue, and black (but not white, showing where Geisel's sympathies lie), young and old, then proceeds up the evolutionary chain to large land mammals, eventually including the aforementioned school-aged boy and girl. They serve as the Adam and Eve as well as the Joe and Joan Sixpak of the book. They espouse embracing what is different while they reinforce doing the same.

Seuss knew where we were headed in both 2000 and 2004, and this book shows the way out. The US has plenty of (pale) red ink, so we should get a Yink. I think.

Every day, from here to there, funny things are everywhere
You might think that "One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish" is a Dr. Seuss book about counting or colors (or counting and colors or even counting colors), but that would simply be the hook for something much larger. The thesis of this Beginner Book appears opposite the first page, where we are informed by a small creature with a giant mustache and a yellow star for a belly button that "From there to here, from here to there, funny things are everywhere." If anything this Dr. Seuss book has bits and pieces from lots of other Dr. Seuss books. You have a series of opposite because fish are not only red and blue but old and new, you have Ned who does not like his bed, there is Yop who only likes to hop from finger top to finger top, and all sorts of strange looking animals. There is even a creature that looks like the Cat in the Hat except he is completely yellow, including his hat, has a polka dot bow tie, and eleven fingers.

Consequently, if "One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish" is one of the first Dr. Seuss books that a beginning reader begins reading they should go back and read it again after they have gone through the rest of the good doctor's books because they will then be better able to appreciate some of the familiar faces in this book. However, since this is not a book for early beginning readers, most kids will get to this one after they have covered the basic Dr. Seuss books and become well accustomed to his delightful volumes of rhymed absurdity. This particular book has been inspiring the imagination of beginning readers since 1960 and there is no reason for it to stop with that endeavor at this point in time.

Great book
Unlike most Dr. Seuss books, this book has no real plot. For the most part it is made up of unconnected pages that flow nicely into one another. The lack of plot is not something that harms the book in my eyes, I like the chance encounters with the strange creatures, and I think the lack of a plot helps to make this story special.

Throughout this book we are introduced to a number of cute creatures from fish to Wumps to Zeds. Like all Dr. Seuss creations they are very cute, bold, colorful and expressive. Another characteristic of a Dr. Seuss book is how the words flow wonderful and manage to rhyme well in a manner completely unforced and effortless. This is one of my favorite Dr. Seuss books.

Loggie-log-log-log ... Read more

Book Description

How many kisses does a tired baby need?

along with this bedtime book, now in a sturdy format perfect for the youngest readers. ... Read more

Reviews (23)

Sure to put Smile on Baby's Face!
I bought this book for my daughter when she was four months old. From the first day she was absolutely captivated by the bright, colorful patterns in the pictures of this book. The story is so much fun and what baby could resist all those kisses? Now at ten months old she loves this book so much that I only have to recite the first line of the story, "My tired little baby, do you need a kiss..." or show her the cover of the book to elicit a huge, cheesy grin! After buying this book I was motivated to purchase several other books by Karen Katz. Her talent has made her my daughter's author/illustrator. Her books are the first chosen every time!

Love and numbers
My daughter is not quite two and she loves this story - she always pulls it out of her bookshelf - especially at night. The pictures are so big and bright. It really appeals to her on a lot of different levels:
- She can point to her own body parts to show where the baby is getting her kisses.
- She can count along with each page.
- She can identify many characters in the book (mommy, daddy, baby, puppy, etc).
- And she loves the kissing!
The store is just so much fun - even if you don't do the kissing bit with your own child there is still so much to benefit from this tale!

Illustrations are low-quality!
Cartoon-like cutesy images can be done well, but these are not. Anatomical correctness has been completely ignored. Even if an illustrator wants to do cutesy or cartoony, an educational background in anatomy will only enhance the drawings. It is clear that this illustrator has no such background. This illustrator has poor drawing skills, and I'm amazed that a publisher paid for work of this caliber.

The figures are blob-like and fleshy. Generic and deformed facial features float in vast expanses of circular heads. Arms are grotesquesly short, and NO ONE seems to have a neck in these books. The colors are in jarring unattractive combinations, with "FLESH" being the predominant choice of color. It looks like the illustrator didn't even mix this color, just bought a tube of paint called "caucasian flesh."

Most artwork BY CHILDREN is of a much higher caliber than that in this book. Most children use beautiful colors, and their drawings of figures are not nearly as grotesque as these. There are so many gorgeous books available for children - choose those instead of this horrible one!!!

fantastic, ingenious
brilliant way to teach kids about numbers while having fun and actively participating. beautifully illustrated as well.

Ingenious
What a perfectly simple and fun way to teach kids counting. And it's as much fun for the parent as it is for the child! ... Read more

Book Description

This 4-volume boxed set contains an alphabet book, a book of rhymes about each month, a counting book, and a cautionary tale all written and illustrated by Maurice Sendak. Includes the titles Alligators All Around, Chicken Soup with Rice, One Was Johnny, and Pierre. (Titles available separately in library and paperback editions.)

Notable Children's Books of 1940–1970 (ALA)

Reviews (11)

A Must for any child's library
My mom bought this for me when I was a child and we read them so much we wore them out. The second set she bought was for my children and we are well on our way to the third set. Nutshell means just that - child sized books that look just like Mom sized ones. We read all four 'lil books' every night. Your kids will love them too.

Delightful Series Exploring ABC's, Months of The Year, etc.
I re-discovered this collection two years ago, and took a very fond walk down memory lane - I loved these as a child. My two-year old recently became hooked, and I have now had the exquisite pleasure of revisiting "Chicken Soup with Rice", "One was Johnny", "Pierre", and "Alligators All Around" on a regular basis. With the same arch humor and sly drawings that Sendak brought to "Where the Wild Things Are", the four books in the Nutshell Library entertain as they instruct. The rhyming pattern makes it very easy to memorize (I've gotten to be a whiz at reading in semi-darkness circa bedtime...) - in fact, my daughter can "read" almost all of "Chicken Soup with Rice" now by associating the rhymes with the pictures. This collection is a rarity in children's books - it's fun for both kids and parents! Plus, it easily fits into a purse or diaper bag to take along on trips - whether to the supermarket, or Grandma's. And the kid-sized volumes are a delight for small hands. DON'T MISS IT!

Memories of a lifetime
I heard these books put to music when I was in first and second grade, and they have stuck with me and allowed me to teach them to my children. Finding them in book form is just amazing. These books are classic and belong in any child's library.

The joys of repetition
If you have children you know that they love to hear the same stories over and over and over again. If you are a good parent you'll be required to read the same books night after night after night. Some books can take it, others you'd put in the shredder if you had one handy, and were devious enough to blame the children themselves for losing it. To our shame, some of us have been that devious.
The Nutshell Library, however, can be read a thousand times and each time the reader finds truth, beauty, life lessons, and the best darn rhymes around. Even a shy parent finds the ability to read with verve and feeling, night after night after night. My personal favorite is Alligators All Around, unless I happen to be reading Pierre.

Nutshell Library
I remember reading these books some 40 years ago & I still can remember some of the rhymes. I loved them then but couldn't find them anywhere. So now I'm getting them for my grandchildren and great-nieces & -nephews to enjoy. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Did you ever wake up to one of those days where everything is a problem?You have 10 things to do, but only 30 minutes till thebus leaves.Is there enough time?You have 3 shirts and 2 pairs ofpants -- can you make 1 good outfit?Don't worry -- it's just the Math Curse striking! An amusing book about dealing with numbers in everyday life. ... Read more

Reviews (35)

A fun view of math anxiety and math ideas in everyday life.
I teach math to adults, and I use this book in my classes when I discuss math anxiety. I also use it to illustrate some major math ideas, such as base numbers (important in computers and video games), the Fibonacci series (important in natural science and a good illustration of how math developed in the abstract can often later be found to have practical application), logic, and combinations. The book is chock full of math concepts, all presented in the context of everyday circumstances, which makes it a very valuable tool in making the argument to my students for their need to study math. It is also a very, very entertaining book, and all of my students can relate to the girl's frustration and anxiety. My 9 year old son reads this book at least once a week (for the last year, now!), and still laughs when he reads it. It is wonderfully illustrated and well written, a true gem. I recommend it for children and adults alike, and especially for math teachers of all ages.

Great book, but Amazon.com has reading level listed wrong!
I have a computer science degree, so have taken a LOT of math, and enjoyed most of it. My two children, ages 9 and 11, have mixed feelings about math. All three of us enjoyed Math Curse immensely. The reviewer who said it would alienate children is dead wrong; and the one who complained about repetition must be missing a lot of the book. There's new surprises on every page. Even the price on the jacket is funny! One problem: Amazon.com recommends this book for ages 4-8. That should be corrected to grades 4-8. It's definitely not for the 'Goodnight Moon' set. I'm about to ignore the age/grade recommendations, anyway, and buy a copy for my math-loving teenage nephew. I'm betting he'll get a big kick out of its irreverence and math in-jokes.

Not all Curses Are Bad!
I absolutley loved this book. The illustrations along with the story line brings about a wonderfull method to get children (of all ages)thinking about math. Whether they like it or not, math is a part of their daily lives. This book makes math fun and gets kids thinking about how perhaps they will experience a "math curse" one day.

Math Curse Review
Math Curse was a big hit when I read it to a 4Th grade class I was observing. The pictures are vivid and grabbed their attention. It contains a lot of usefull information on everyday life, like how much time you have to get dressed, to eat, and how everything can be looked at like a math problem.I would definatly recommend Math Curse to children and adults of all ages.

Math Curse or Math Fun for All
This book is entertaining for all ages. It combines charts, riddles, terms, and more in an amusing tale of mathematical chaos that helps children to realize even math can be fun. Although the book looks skinny, it is actually filled with little lesson plans that are great for elementary classrooms. Not only is the story cleverly written, but the illustrations are fantastic as well. I assure you that whether you are young or just young at heart, you'll enjoy falling under this math curse. ... Read more

Amazon.com

How dull, to be one hippo all alone... until the one calls two other hippos on the phone. Soon three more hippos are at the door, bringing along another four. Before the night is through, a houseful of hippos (and one beast) has joined the one hippo for a boisterous bash.

All through the hippo night,
Hippos play with great delight.
But at the hippo break of day,
The hippos all must go away.

The well-loved Sandra Boynton wrote this tribute to silliness in 1977, inspiring generations of the very young to learn to count. Lively, cute newillustrations complement this edition, with big numbers (one through nine, and nine through one) boldly placed on the corner of each page. The sturdy board book will withstand lots of eager counting fingers, and maybe even a berserk hippo or two. Boynton's familiar style can be seen in scads of other delightfully nonsensical titles, including Barnyard Dance! and Moo, Baa, La La La!.(Ages 3 to 7) --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (23)

Truly Berserk!
This book has all the elements of fun--one author, who obviously loves to write children's books, one subject (HIPPOS) and counting and you have the ingredients for a fun book. My 6 year old loves Hippos Go Berserk! and is learning to read it. She loves the counting as well. This book is in our Boynton collection (we must have the "Boynton Memorial Library" by now!) and it gets read weekly. We have to rotate through all the other Boynton books we have. It's a very good book and I recommend it, for children of ALL ages.

Tons of Hippo Fun
This is a delightful book! I bought it for my 6 month old son, who has a limited attention span for stories but LOVES this one. I also gave it to my 2 year old niece who, according to my sister-in-law, asks to have "Hippos Go Zerk!" read at least 16 times per day.

Boynton also adds some humorous touches that Mom and Dad can appreciate. Look for the Hippo Whistler's Mother!

My Daughter (& her father) loves this book!
My daughter, who is 5 months old, loves this book and pays attention through the whole book. She loves Daddy's expressions and excitement about the Hippo Party. I highly recommend Hippos go Berzerk.

One Hippo All Alone... a back and forth counting book
A wondrous counting book that tells of a lonely hippo who calls two others on the phone. Then larger and larger groups keep arriving (three though nine) until all 45 hippos and the beast (a guest of one of the groups) go berserk and party all through the hippo night. But at the hippo break of day, they all begin to go away (nine through two) until all that is left is the original one.

Most counting books only count in one direction. This fun book counts up and then back down again (although it doesn't use zero). It even makes mention of how many they add up to.

Typical Boynton illustrations add to the fun of this book.

It's a favorite!
My 18 month old son LOVES this book! All I need to say is..."One hippo all alone, calls two hippos on the phone" (First lines from book), and my son will search the house for the book until he finds it! It is a great book, the illustrations are top notch. He has about 30 other board books, but this is by far his favorite. Since I read it to him at least 5 times a day, I know it by heart! I can't wait to get more of Sandra Boynton's books. Since it is a board book, it is very durable! Go Berserk! You won't regret it! ... Read more

Book Description

Serious silliness for all ages. Artist Sandra Boynton is back and better than ever with completely redrawnversions of her multi-million selling board books. These whimsical and hilarious books, featuringnontraditional texts and her famous animal characters, have been printed on thick board pages,and are sure to educate and entertain children of all ages. ... Read more

Reviews (38)

My son just read it to me
My son is almost 3 and is just learning his ABC's but with only a few days of reading this book he "read" it to me tonight for bedtime, barking correctly for each of the dogs and howling at the moon "like a coyote". My son enjoys the book and I think the simplicity is part of his attraction. For me the fun of this book is barking together. It's a great little book, but not recommended for people that can't ham it up a little. Also, if you get bored reading repetitious books, check it out from the library instead of buying it so you can take it back when you get tired of barking.

My son "wuffs" it!
I purchased this book when my son was 10 months old. He wasn't interested in it back then... NOW, he is 15 months, and he makes us read "Doggies" over and over and over again. You can't be shy reading this book to children, otherwise, it would be quite boring. It's a fun book and although I get tired of reading it to him a million times, I love the fact that my son is excited about reading and books. Thank you Sandra Boynton.

My kids love it!!!!
My kids ages 1 and 3 love this book. The pictures are wonderful and they love all the different sounds that the dogs make. I enjoy reading this one to them. My son, age 1, asks for this one over and over again.

Here a ruff, there a woof, everywhere a bow wow
My two toddlers love - and I mean LOVE - being read this book. I, however, am not as keen. It's a good book, great even. I give it five stars! It's just that a true rendition of this counting book by dogs and their number of barks can be a little wearing on the adult reading the book. But it's well worth it when it's all said and done just to see the huge smile of my kids as I'm barking, woofing or ruffing. HELPFUL HINT: hide this book for special occassions! otherwise be prepared because your kids will always pull this out out for bedtime reading......

It freakin' rocks my world
Maximum barkage! Mega canine action takes counting to a whole new level. Oh yes.

My 9 month old daughter thinks it's the fizzle shizzle. To top it all off there suprise ending that will blow your freakin' mind!

Prepare for lift-off. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

A Hands on Book for the Creative Minded
I just used this book to teach my daughter (8) and son (5) the same exact lesson on two different cognitive levels. Late last night, I sat down with a paint program and drew two diagrams just like Mrs. Comfort's. I folded and cut a piece of paper into eight squares of approximately the same size. I used multicolored paper clips as chairs. Tonight, we had so much fun that we spent almost five minutes per page, counting guests as they arrived, counting chairs as they dissapeared and reappeared from around the table perimeters and following the detailed chaos as garlic bread, salads, vases and pasta flew around the room. I have one question. Did Mrs. Comfort get the last meatball?

Variable Perimeters and Fun, Practical Problem-Solving
Ah! If spatial relations had been taught like this when we were all young, everyone would be fluent mathematically.

Instead of all those problems about two trains rushing towards one another, this book takes a practial problem and uses it to illuminate spatial problem-solving.

Mr. and Mrs. Comfort decide to invite their family and neighbors over for dinner. Pretty soon, 30 people have accepted so they will be feeding 32, including themselves. In a role reversal from the sexual stereotypes, Mr. Comfort is the cook and impractical one while Mrs. Comfort is the left-brained problem solver. She knows what needs to be done, but everyone else has to work it out for themselves by moving the furniture around.

Mrs. Comfort figures out that they don't have enough tables and chairs for this many people. So she rents some. She correctly figures out that 8 tables seating four people each will do the trick (8 times 4). She rents 8 tables and 32 chairs (but they deliver only 31, and she has to find an extra folding chair).

All is well, until the guests start to arrive. They don't want to sit at separate tables. They want to eat at one big table so they can be closer to everyone else.

That creates a problem. Each time two tables for four are put together, two places are lost (you now have only two ends, while you had four before with separate tables). That's not immediately obvious to the guests, because most of the chairs and tables are unused in the beginning and they don't know how many people are coming.

Mrs. Comfort tries to warn everyone that it won't work, but they ignore her. She finally gives up.

When most of the people arrive, there are not enough places for them at the table (even though there are enough chairs), so they begin pulling the tables apart from one another.

Sure enough, in the end, the guests are seated at 8 separate tables for four. Isn't logic wonderful?

Mrs. Comfort could have ordered more tables and had everyone sit closer to one other. But she wanted to save money. That makes sense, doesn't it?

There is an adult's guide in the end for how to work with your child to make this a problem that she or he can work on. The suggestion is to make 8 little cut-out squares, and to move them into different configurations to handle the various numbers of guests. From this, the child can see that the perimeter varies for the same area, depending on how the area is configured. That lesson will never need to be taught again.

You can also use some of the cooking quantities in here to do math as well. Assuming the children eat so much, and the adults so much, how much will be left over of the meat balls?

Having seen how such a problem can be constructed, I suggest that you develop your own story puzzles. I can guarantee that your child will remember you as a cross between Einstein and Diderot if you do. Here's a hint: How would you go about planning a trip for your family if you were going to have to use frequent flyer miles and the number of miles you had to use varied with when you flew? You can complicate that one for older children by introducing variables like the cost of hotel room nights and car rental days, and having a fixed number of frequent flyer miles to work with in order to find the solution that optimizes the trip and its cost.

But I'm sure you will have even better ideas!

Math teachers: This book will bring the gladness back into your heart, as well as create dedicated, happy students. Do yourself and your students a favor and use this book as a teaching aid.

Think carefully about the periphery to get to the heart of the matter!

My students thought it was "awesome"
I used it in my 4th grade classroom as the basis of a formal observation by my prinical. The kids were enthralled by the book and activities I made using this book to reinforce ideas about area and perimeter. Just as important, my principal liked it too!

Great for introducing perimeter and area!
This book is an excellent tool for introducing perimeter and area to an elementary school class. The story is engaging and funny. The children can easily move colored tiles to imitate the movement of the tables in the story. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Learning and playing, playing and learning--it's all one and the samewhen you're a tot. So this big box of block books is an ideal toy and learningtool for very young children. An appealing and colorful cardboard carrying case(with flip-top construction and cheery red string handles) is packed with 26extra-sturdy little board books that teach kids about colors, numbers, shapes,and animals. Each 8-page book focuses on one concept or theme--"Orange," "Four,""Circle," "Bugs," etc.--with a word or two on each spread, along with a simpleillustration. The chunky books are just the right size for tiny hands; readerscan stack them up to build a tower--or a foundation for learning! Consider it anupdated version of the classic wooden alphabet blocks children have grown upwith for generations. (Baby to preschool) --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (4)

4 months and still going strong
I bought these for my daughter not knowing how much she would love them. Granted, she is only 11 months, but like the other reviews have said, the books are small enough to fit in her hands. She carries them EVERYWHERE! She even sleeps with a book or two. I love the colors, and the texture as well. With some board books, my daughter has gotten paper cuts, weird I thought. But not from these! They are awesome. I had just bought the ABC ones to start with but now I am getting the learning ones too.

The best first birthday present ever!
My daughter received this for her first birthday. At first she loved reading the little books - which are sized perfectly for a toddler's chubby little hands. After a couple of months she became obsessed with stacking things and would spend time every day stacking and re-stacking the books. They are shaped just right for a young toddler to stack, and are much less frustrating than square blocks.

At about 18 months she got into colors and numbers and loved to sort the books by color and count them. Now at 21 months she is STILL playing with this toy - long after every other first birthday gift went to the attic or the thrift store. And the books and the box are still in great shape - this has to be the sturdiest toy we've ever owned.

I now give this box of books to every one year old I know. I can't say enough wonderful things about this toy!

CAPTIVATING
I bought the Learning Block Books as a gift for my 13 month old niece. Although she was a bit tired (read cranky) at the time, it instantly captivated her. The box that holds the little books is very sturdy and has plenty of extra room to hold them (no struggling to fit them in). She immediately started to put the books in and pull them out. She then began to open them and look at the pictures. The books are color coded (and thick cardboard) so that the shapes and animals follow the same color theme. Since then she has continued to play with them daily and as she grows older the books give the opportunity to continue to learn.

A great companion to the classic ABC Block Book set
Our daughter received the author's set of ABC Block Books as a gift when she was 8 months old, and it has been a beloved staple ever since. These are incredibly versatile book/toys which are effortlessly educational. Stack them, put them in and out of their box, look at the pictures, learn the letters, sort them by color, and of course read them out loud! Hours and hours of fun.

As soon as I saw this new collection I knew we had to have it. My daughter (now 18 months) was so excited! A whole new set...it was like finding the dead sea scrolls. And the books do not disappoint. I particularly like the shape and numbers books. The shapes encourage kids to look at everyday objects in different ways (e.g. pillows and doors are rectangles), and the numbers all conclude with the nice touch of a birthday cake with that number of candles. A winner all around. But if I were to buy just one, I'd still choose the ABC books, just because they're such a simple, natural set. ... Read more

Book Description

As soon as they say good night to Mama, the five little monkeys start to jump on their bed. But trouble lies ahead as, one by one, they fall off and hurt themselves. ... Read more

Reviews (25)

Too much fun for bedtime!
Yes, this book WILL get the kids trying to jump on the bed. It's a lot of fun, and much laughing is heard whenever we read it. There is a lot of detail in the pictures - I love watching the doctor, and Mama gives us a great ending! I picked this up when my younger son was asking for us to play "monkeys on the bed" (the rhyme with hand motions)over & over & over - my fingers were tired. We've been reading ever since! Have I mentioned that the board book format is a great, sturdy idea? Definately a good buy, and highly recommended.

Monkeys are the best!
I have been reading this book to my son since he was 3 months old. The first time we read it he actual laughed out aloud. He is now 10 months and still loves this book. We read it every night before bed and are even painting monkeys on his wall because they are his favorite. Those monkeys are very cute and babies love them.

Five Little Monkeys Jumped on a Bed
This is a very good book this was my favorite book when I was little. It is a really good book for kids, and I don't think that you would be disappointed if you bought it. It is easy to follow along with, and it is even better because it involves monkeys.

Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed
In this book there a five little monkeys that have to go to bed. So the monkeys all get in the bath, put there pajamas on, and brush their teeth. The monkeys say goodnight to their mama and are supposed to be sleeping, when all of the little monkeys start to jump on the bed! One of the monkeys falls off and bumps his head. The mama called the doctor and the doctor said, "NO MORE MONKEYS JUMPING ON THE BED!"
This book teaches mainly only one lesson and that is that you shouldn't jump on your bed because you can get hurt by falling off. The age level for this book is 3-7. I have liked this book since I was little and I would definately recommend this book to little kids!

Love the Monkeys
You have to love the monkeys. My 17 month old does. She will ask for my husband and I to read the book 10 times in a row. She never tires of hearing it and is now learning to do the motions with me. The pictures are great and I expect we will still be reading this one for years to come. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Who can resist the allure of the hidden wilderness water hole? Certainlynot one rhino. Not two tigers. Nor three toucans. Pretty soon the delicious poolis drawing moose, catfish, pandas, tortoises... and more than 100 other crittersfrom Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, and beyond. But is it our imaginationor is that rhino-sized water hole dwindling to a mere shadow of its former self,a puddle not fit for eight ladybugs, let alone 10 kangaroos? As the seasonschange across the world, and the animals get thirstier, the water supplydiminishes. Eventually, even the flowery-shirted frog that has stoicallylingered through the drought packs his suitcase and takes off. The only hope nowis a drop of rain on the parched earth...

With his usual elaborate detail, Graeme Base, mad genius behind Animalia, The Eleventh Hour: A CuriousMystery, and other wild and wonderful titles, presents a one-of-a-kindcounting book. Naturally, Base would never be content to stick with a simple 1through 10 format. Readers of all ages will linger over each spread, firstcounting the highlighted animals and giggling at the translation of their gruntsand growls (the moose's "Moo, moo, mooooooiii!" means "Hey, get your hoof out ofmy ear!"). Then it's time to check out the diminishing size of the die-cut holein the pond. And finally, readers will want to find each of the 10 additionalanimals cleverly hidden in every illustration, based on the silhouettedcreatures in the border. A safari on paper--with an environmental andmathematical education thrown in for good measure. (Ages 4 to 8) --EmilieCoulter ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Outstanding Work of Art
This is one of my 3.5 yo's favorite books. It is one of the most beautifully illustrated books that I have ever seen. I can't get over how gorgeous it is. It needs to be read many many times to soak up all there is to see 1) counting book 2)Counting backwards book (the frogs go from ten to one as the story goes on 3) A Geography book 4) an "I spy" book for all the hidden animals 5) An animal habitat book 6) humor book with the "translated" sayings and the silly frogs. 7) a science book on the importance of rain to the environment So bam - you have reading/literature, math, geography, visual discrimination, science (biology and geology), and art too all in one gorgeous package. This is my first encounter with this writer/illustrator but I am definitely going to search out other books.

Endless fun for kids!
I am a great fan of Graeme Base and have all of his books and have bought many more as presents for friends. The Watering Hole is a great story for kids to learn about animals - maybe strange animals that aren't in their country! Learn their sounds. I read it with my friends kids and we tried to imagine what the different animal sounds were in different lanaguages. You can always find a new way to enjoy the book. It also has an environmental theme, which many kids understand and like to talk about. A MUST buy!

get the right one!
I loved it! The art is spectacular and even adults will enjoy finding the hidden animals. Good for many age levels BUT I bought one for my grandaughter, but gave it to a good friend. When I went to buy another one, it had no hole in the pages! It is still a beautiful book but for younger readers, I would recomend the book with the actual hole in the pages.

A family favorite
My son is just 18 months old. He recieved this book as a gift when he was born. He now loves it and we must read it every night. He doesn't care much about counting yet and I've yet to find all the animals in the pictures but he loves the bright pictures, the story, and most of the all the tigers. We love it so much I bought others by this author-all equally as good. My 12 year old nephew who is an excellent reader even enjoys some of this authors books. A must have for any young reader or older reader too!

A Marvel
This book is just wonderful, not only for children - my 3,5-years-old son just loves it - but also for grown-ups. The drawings are excellent, a fine mixture of realistic and cartoon with lots of subtle information in the frames. The texts are funny. The message is gripping: without water (we) all will go away.

From this book one can learn about the animals, the various continents and environments they live in, numbers one till ten. It is an experience for father and son to learn about the marvel of the waterhole. ... Read more

Book Description

A lion, a dog, and a tiger are having a contest--can they get ten apples

piled up on top of their heads? You better believe it! This first counting book

works as a teaching tool as well as a funny story.




... Read more

Reviews (9)

Communist Manifesto for Toddlers
A lion, a dog, and a tiger all compete to see who can accumulate the most apples "up on top." All goes well (excepting perhaps a little inflation,) until some other animals without any apples become envious and decide to knock down all the apples. If they can't have them, no one will! Isn't that just like a Leftie? The apple-less animals chase the appled animals around town, until finally they collide with a horse and cart piled hyperbolically high with apples. Boom! The end result? *Everyone* has the same number of apples up on top, and everyone's so happy. No rich, no poor! Wow, what a world that would be.

Surprise: Board Book Not the Full Version!?
My son loved the "Ten Apples Up On Top" (Hardcover) book I borrowed for him from the library so much that I ordered a copy of our own. Thinking that the board book would be more sturdy, that's what I ordered. Never imagined that the board book could be only less than half of the full version, you can imagine the surprise and disappointement we had when we sat down to read it together. Now I know to compare the number of pages when I order. I wish there were some kind of clearer indication and warning about Board book version not being the full version somewhere in the Product Description.

An addictive classic
My daughter wanted this book read to her several times a day, every day, for months when she was two. It is wonderful, predictable text and teaches counting and rhyming. Dr. Seuss didn't put his name on it originally because it wasn't up to his standards, but it's still a great little kid book!

Counting Apples is fun in the car
My 4 yo son has several Suess board books in the car. They are sturdy and perfect for road trips. His favorite is 10 Apples Up On Top, because he loves to count, and this is a book that he can "read" on his own after hearing me read it once. He likes for me to read it to him too, because he loves the sing song rhyming of Dr. Suess.

Entertaining....with an anticlimax!
How many apples can you place on top of your head...one, two, three? This book is really fun. As a child I remember counting the apples "up on top" of the characters heads. With each turn of the page a new and more outrageous event takes place as well as the addition of more "apples up on top". My girls listen attentively through the entire book and love the conclusion each time we read it. ... Read more

Book Description

How many tickles does baby need to start the day? Cuddle and laugh with this count & read book! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

not just for preschoolers or babies
I will run as fast as possible to try and grab the book first to read it to my baby brother but I love it just as much.All of her books are funny and easy to read making it fun. ... Read more

Book Description

Young fans will love helping Dora count coconuts,
bananas, and pineapples in English and Spanish. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Good basic counting book
If your child likes Dora, this is a good book to have in the library. It is a board book, so it holds up well to wear. When my daughter likes a book she tens to read it over and over, so durability is important. I like the fact that she counts fruit, but some of the fruits are a little obscure for my daughter to remember- I've never seen a guava so I can't imagine how she will make the connection. I like having the numbers written in Spanish, and the phonetic pronunciation guide is helpful as well.

This is also good if you own any of the videos, because Dora counts a lot, and the repetion of the numbers is helpful.

Very pleasing
This is one of my two year old's favorite board books. The colors are wonderfully bright, and the pronunciation hints help me read the Spanish to her correctly.

Kids Like Dora
This book is fine for kids who like the "Dora the Explorer" TV program. However, there are two counting books that are superior: "One, Two, Three: This Book's for Me" by Dr. Seuss and "One, Two, Three: This Book's for Me" by Stuart Samuel.

Great Book!
Great book! It helps remind me of the correct pronunciation of the numbers. My kids love Dora (ages 2 and 4) and this helps me to teach them more Spanish.

Cute!
This book is good because it is in english and spanish. The spanish words are spelled out phonetically for those of us who don't know spanish. Any Dora fan will have fun reading it. ... Read more

Book Description

Grounded in teacher awareness, this series includes information about observing and assessing children at work, adaptations for diverse student needs, as well as classroom management. Students solidify beginning number concepts through independent and small-group explorations that encourage the use of a variety of easy-to-handle manipulatives. The Planning Guide includes planning and classroom management tips.Grades K-3 Book 2: Addition and Subtraction ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A "Must Have" for Every Elementary Teacher
This Developing Number Concepts Book,along with the other two books in the Developing Number Concepts series, presents a complete number curriculum for kindergarten through third grade. This book, as well as the other two,are clearly written and extremely user friendly. This book,Addition and Subtraction,gives novice and experienced teachers a close look at what the teacher needs to know about teaching these operations. The activities are simple and require manipulatives and materials most teachers already possess, yet at the same time are child centered and motivating. The "Analyzing and Assessing Children's Needs" section is an excellent model for providing ongoing assessment in the classroom. I believe these books are a must for every elementary teacher. ... Read more

Book Description