Book Description

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

Reviews (4)

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

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

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

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

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

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

Book Description

Meet Little Bear, a friend to millions of children. And meet Mother Bear, who is there whenever Little Bear needs her. When it is cold and snowy outside, she finds just the right outfit for Little Bear to play in. When he goes to the moon, she has a hot lunch waiting for him on his return. At night she helps him get to sleep. And, of course, she never forgets his birthday.

Reviews (12)

Little Bear is Awesome!
This book is great for kids just learning to read. The pictures are fun to look at, and kids will have fun reading the book. I thought it was a good idea to put different stories into one book so kids can choose what the want to read on their own.

a favorite at our house
Our daughter is 2 1/2 and loves all the stories in this book. She asks to have Little Bear for her bedtime story several nights a week. She even acts out some of the stories in her pretend play and "does" the things that Little Bear does, like going to the moon and making Birthday Soup. This book is certainly a family favorite.

Little Bear
This book is about a little bear that goes outside and plays in the snow. He also goes to the moon and meets a moon mother. On his birthday he makes birthday soup for his friends because he thinks his mom forgot it was his birthday. He has trouble going to sleep so he makes wishes and one of them come true. Then they talk about all of the events that already happened in the story. The lesson this book teaches is that you should have fun and listen to your parents. THE AGE LEVEL IS UNDER 7

four charming Little Bear stories
These four stories about Little Bear and his friends are a charming introduction to the world of reading for beginners. Little Bear is a sweet child to his mother and father and a good friend to Duck, Hen and Cat. Minarik's simple narrative will be easy enough for young readers, and Sendak's illustrations will hold their attention. The four stories are: What Will Little Bear Wear?, Birthday Soup, Little Bear Goes to the Moon and Little Bear's Wish.

A soothing alternative to ninjas and power rangers.

Sweet moments and memories
The lovely and sweet stories easily capture the attention of my three-year old daughter (who has English as her second language). The stories are beautifully read out, with wonderful background music. Almost every night my daughter and I listen to several Little Bear stories before she goes to bed. We will often discuss the stories afterwards. This is the closest and most cherishable moment between us. The unfortunate thing is that she is most unwilling to turn off the cassette player, which somehow often delay her time for bed. ... Read more

Book Description

Nate the Great loves his mother’s Monster Cookies. Her Strawberry Draculas, her Chocolate Frankensteins, and especially her Cinnamon Werewolves. But now her Monster Cookie recipes are missing! Nate, the great detective, has never solved a case for his mother before. Can he do it? With his dog, Sludge, Nate gets to work. They look, sniff, climb up, bend down, push, and pull. They find long and short clues. Crinkly, wrinkly clues. And fishy, fangy clues. But which clues count? Can Nate the Great ever hope to eat those wonderful cookies again?
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Reviews (1)

Cinnamon Werewolves! Yes!
For over twenty adventures now, Nate the Great, the young detective, has searched for his friends' missing things. He's searched for missing stamps, weeds, boring beach bags, missing pets, musical notes, stolen bases, and even saved the King of Sweden (kinda!). In all of this, his mom has been quietly supportive. He leaves a note on the refrigerator to tell her what case he's working on, that he will be back, and that he loves her. But in NATE THE GREAT AND THE MONSTER MESS, Nate investigates the disappearance of something his mother has lost: a special cookie recipe. If Nate and his dog Sludge cannot find the list, Nate will never again enjoy Strawberry Draculas, Chocolate Frankensteins, and Cinnamon Werewolves (his favorite cookie!). Nate is on the search, and he's reluctantly rounding up the usual suspects.

Marjorie Weinman Sharmat is the author of over twenty Nate the Great adventures, including NATE THE GREAT STALKS STUPIDWEED, NATE THE GREAT AND THE BORING BEACH BAG, NATE THE GREAT AND THE HALLOWEEN HUNT, and NATE THE GREAT AND THE MUSHY VALENTINE. She has written dozens of books for young readers. She named Nate the Great after her father. Her books have been named as Children's Choice books and Junior Literary Guild selections, and been picked as Books of the Year by the Library of Congress.

Although most of the Nate the Great series have been written as long stories, this book is one of the series' more recent additions to be broken into chapters. The short, punchy chapters make great stopping places for reading out loud when traveling, or to dole out as rewards-or for those nights when little listeners don't want to go to bed right away and can ask for "just one more chapter." Reading Nate the Great books out loud is always a treat, especially for the reader willing to do character voices and make the most of the terse, first-person narrative. In this book, Nate encounters Annie and her dog Fang, Rosamond and her cats, and Oliver who follows everybody-including Nate the Great on this case. Again, Marjorie Sharmat makes perfect use of logic and clues, building an intriguing mystery that young minds will ferret out and understand.

The entire Nate the Great series is recommended to younger readers and parents who love reading to their children that might have tired of (or memorized!) all of the rhyming Dr. Seuss books. This series makes a great transition to leap from to Nancy Drew or the Hardy Boys later. ... Read more

Book Description

Most children have jumped into piles of leaves or helped their parents rake the yard, and everyone has wondered: Why do leaves change color? Activities that a child can do with leaves and even a list of places known for brilliant fall colors that readers can visit with their families is included. "An informative concept book."—BL.

... Read more

Reviews (1)

Fairly detailed book for early elementary children.
I have this book in my preschool classroom, but it is not one that I read at storytime. We use it as a resource when one child begins to question how or why the leaves change color. It is a helpful resource for me as an adult to understand the process, yet in simple language and with pictures to make it interesting for children. ... Read more

Book Description

Beginning readers to keep them reading...and laughing.

Minnie and Moo are cows, best friends, and the drollest duo to come along since Frog and Toad. "We could do that," says Moo to Minnie, as they watch the farmer quit work and hang his hat on a nail. "Do what?" Minnie asks. "Drive that tractor," says Moo, ever the dreamer. "I have been thinking. What hoes the farmer have that we do not?" "Hands and feet," says Minnie, ever practical. "No," says Moo. "Boots and a hat." And buoyed by that undeniable logic, the two set off on a drive that they believe takes them to the moon. Other farm animals are involved--all with hilarious consequences. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

A great book!
I purchased this book for my library and read it regularly during my storytimes to pre-schoolers. I have also read it to the kids during the Summer Fun program. The story lends itself very well to reading aloud and is a very entertaining book for all ages. I enjoy it so much, I've decided to buy a personal copy.

ABSOLUTELY HILARIOUS
I bought Minnie & Moo go to the Moon for my 4-year old daughter. While reading it to her, I laughed so hard I could hardly continue the book. It's a great story for children and adults alike. I liked it so much I went back and bought 5 more copies to send to family & friends to read. My office mates even bought copies for themselves. A wonderful hilarious story.

Minnie and Moo Go to the Moon
My children love this book. We have checked it out from the library so many times I figured I might as well buy it. The cows are so loveable and the story even appeals to adults.

Minnie and Moo, two wacky cows, go for a unique tracker ride
This uproariously funny book had every one --adults included -- laughing throughout. Minnie, always the logician, decides that all she needs to drive the farmer's tracker are his boots and hat. A skeptical Moo joins her for a tumultuous ride through the farm yard, passed a flying pig to...the moon? We loved the magic words the cows used to get the tracker started. The moonsters looked suspiciously like angry, featherless chickens. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Critique of Nate the Great and the Boring Beach Bag
I, Melika the excellent really adore the book Nate the Great and the Boring Beach Bag. This book is about a boy who solves a mystery of a missing beach bag.In my opinion this is a easy mystery, but you might think differently. I don't admire an easy mystery, but I prefered the rest of the book, and I really recommend this book.

Mystery At The Beach
Trying to take a day off and bask at the beach just doesn't work for Nate the Great. As a detective, his detecting services are always on call. This time Oliver, Nate's next door neighbor and the world's greatest pest, has come up with a new mystery. Oliver has lost his beach bag. The beach bag contains Oliver's clothes and shoes, which Oliver will need. Nate signs on for the case at once, and the search begins-with Oliver following closely after, of course. During the course of his investigation, he runs across the usual suspects: Annie and her dog, Fang, and Rosamond, who is running a seaside restaurant.

Marjorie Weinman Sharmat is the author of over twenty Nate the Great adventures, including NATE THE GREAT STALKS STUPIDWEED, NATE THE GREAT AND THE BORING BEACH BAG, NATE THE GREAT AND THE HALLOWEEN HUNT, and NATE THE GREAT AND THE MUSHY VALENTINE. She has written dozens of books for young readers. She named Nate the Great after her father. Her books have been named as Children's Choice books and Junior Literary Guild selections, and been picked as Books of the Year by the Library of Congress.

NATE THE GREAT AND THE BORING BEACH BAG offers more than the usual high standard of entertainment readers have come to expect from Marjorie Weinman Sharmat. Filled with the wit and humor of any other Nate the Great book, this particular entry also involves rudimentary mapping skills and an introduction to logical thinking. Also, long-time fans will really get the humor in Rosamond's Restaurant, where the sandwiches actually come packed with sand! The first-person voice of Nate the Great is an absolute delight to read on its own, but even better to share with a young reader just beginning to discover the worlds and adventures that lie between the covers of a book. Marc Simont's artwork, especially since it is out of the urban locale that the Nate the Great adventures usually favor, is eye-catching and colorful.

Young readers will enjoy the whole Nate the Great series because the tales are told in a familiar fashion and involve a solid cast of characters that return book after book. These books are also some of the best to choose for read-alouds to pre-readers or for the last story before bedtime because they can be read in just a few moments. The Nate the Great mysteries are fun and addictive for both parent and child.

I like the Nate the Great books!
This story is about a boy who lost his beach bag and Nate the Great finds it. It's a detective story and it's also funny. Kids who enjoy detective stories will like this series. ... Read more

Book Description

Because the moon revolves around Earth, it seems to grow and shrink. Children can read about the phenomena of the moon’s phases and with an experiment using an orange, a pencil, and a flashlight, they can see why the moon looks different at different times of the month. ‘A welcome addition to science collections for young children.’ —SLJ.

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Book Description

This lively sequel to The Long Way to a New Landfollows the fortunes of Carl Erik’s family from New York City to the farmlands of Minnesota. "Historically accurate; will attract competent primary-grade readers and will be equally suitable for less able readers in intermediate grades." —SLJ.

1990 The USA Through Children's Books (ALA)
Children's Books of 1989 (Library of Congress)
1989 Children's Books (NY Public Library) ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Excellent for the Classroom
The Long Way to a New Land and The Long Way Westward are companion books that chronicle a family's journey from their Swedish farm, which is suffering from an extended drought, to a new home in Minnesota. The books describe the difficulty and dangers of the journey in a way that is non-complaining and full of optimism for a new life in America. Teachers, these books are wonderful for integrating with other subjects and topics, such as immigration, westward expansion, steamships, trains, geography, and American life in the 1860s. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Who built the pyramids?
My six year old pointed out the following 'bold' statement by the authors of this book:
"Many people think the work on the pyramids was done by slaves.
This is not true." p.81.
No mention of slaves!
Revisionist thinking?
Certainly not the book I want my children learning from.

great
This book is great for all ages.This 119 page book is filled with lots of information from everyday life to egyptian religion. this book talks about the pyramids, funerals,and the most famous mummy of all king Tutankhamun better known as king Tut. If you have children you should buy this book.

I love magic tree house research guides!
jack and Annie made a guide about their research on mummies and pyramids. I leared girls & boys in anincent egipt wore their hair in a ponytail called sidelocks. when people were making a mummy.they didn't know what a mummy's brain was for....so they took it out and got rid of it!gross! I can wait to get MAGIC TREE HOUSE research guide#4 PIRATES. ... Read more

Book Description

The sun and the moon shine down on a young boy as he spends a day by the

sea. "Sun shines on the mountains, sun shines on the sea. Sun shines on my

pillow, and says wake up to me."




... Read more

Reviews (2)

Great illustrations
My 17 mo daughter loves this book. She loves to point out the sun or the moon on each page. She hands it to me to be read to her at least once a day.

great first read
my son is 3, and he really likes this book. it has large print, so he can read some of the words. he talks about sunshine and moonshine during the day, and he got it from this book. it's memorable and easy to read over and over. get it. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Junie B. Jones's kindergarten teacher has some strange ideas about fieldday: "Field Day is a day to run around in the fresh air and enjoy the sunshine.We came out here to have fun and get some exercise. And we're not going to careone little bit about who wins or who loses." Only what's so fun about losing?That's what Junie B. wants to know. In the great contest between room 8 and room9, somehow, room 8 keeps winning all the events. As Captain Field Day of room 9,Junie B. is feeling her superpowers--and her good sportsmanship--slipping away.Can anyone save the day?

For beginning chapter-book readers, Junie B. Jones always saves the day.As in Junie B. Jones Has a Peepin Her Pocket, Junie B.Jones and Some Sneaky Peeky Spying, and the many other titles in BarbaraPark's series, Junie B.'s inimitable style wins her friends and fans everywhere.Denise Brunkus's comical, expressive drawings capture all the joys and foiblesof kindergarten life. With occasional "big" words (like slumped,sarcastic, and apparently) and Junie B.'s grammatical curiosities,this witty book works best as a classroom read-aloud. (Ages 5 to 8) --EmilieCoulter ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Junie B. Jones is Captain Field Day
This story is about a little girl named Junie B. Jones. The B is for Beatrice,but she only likes B. for her middle name. In this book Junie wants to be in charge of her favorite day,and that is Field Day. Junie`s favorite event is the dash and she doesn`t like when Cry-Baby-William is up for an event. My favorite part is when Cry-Baby-William won the pull-up competition. I liked this book because it has a big lesson about judging people when you don't know their talents. I recommend this book to others because they will learn not to judge other people. Read this book to see what happens next.

Junie B. is just amazing!!
My daughter and I have been hooked on Junie B. since her first book. She is the funniest girl I have ever read about. We would love to meet her in person. These books are great to read to your child, even if they are in Kindergarten or have gone through it already, we both laughed. It even has some humor that only parents will get. It is refreshing to see how she works through her problems and how she learns things everyday. We finished this book in one day and now can't wait till her next book comes out!

Funny!!!!!!!!
I like Junie B.'s language. I think it's cute. I'm 9 and I never "learned" to talk like that. Parents who say that don't get it that kids can't learn to talk like Junie B.! I rate this book a 6 STARS...not 5. In Captain Field Day, I liked how Junie B. gave William her cape after he won the last game for Room 9. That was nice of her. Junie B. rules! I don't know how I could live without that funny kid! They are my favorite stories and I read them all the time. I love your books, Junie B.! From: Katti K., from Hollywood, C.A.: USA

The Most Funniest Book
The Most Funniest Book
Junnie B. Jones Is Captain Field day Barbara Park

This book is about the afternoon kindergarten classes are having a field day. Room Nine has to go against Room Eight and Room Eight keeps on winning. Room nine lost and told Junnie B. Jones that it was her fault that they lost.
This is when Junnie B. Jones is picked as captain for Field Day. `` MRS.,MRS.! LOOK! MY PAPER HAS LETTERS ON IT! IT IS THE WORD CAPTAIN, I THINK!" ``HURRAY! HURRAY! I AM IT, PEOPLE! I AM CAPTAIN FIELD DAY!" `` Mrs.! Hey, Mrs.! Guess what else captain can be? It can be the name of a superhero, I think!" `` CAPTAIN FIELD DAY TO THE RESCUE! CAPTAIN FIELD DAY TO THE RESCUE!"
The people who would like this book are girls that like funny books. Also people who are into little kid books.
I think this book is a rating of 5.

Junie B. Jones~Captain Field Day
Barbara Park does it again! Another fantastic book about Kindergarten student Junie B. Jones. Ms. Parks books are written from the perspective of a child. This allows her books to be both well-written and funny. To date there are a total of 21 Junie B books. I recommended purchasing all of them and enjoying them with your children. ... Read more

Book Description

Illus. in full color. A host of inventive creatures help beginning readers recognize many common "household" words. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

The Seussian imagination unleashed!
Dr. Seuss' best books tend to have a touch of fantasy (or light-hearted science fiction) to them, and "There's a Wocket in My Pocket!" falls into that category. In this book of simple rhymes, the narrator introduces the reader to the gallery of weird creatures that share his home. There's no plot, but there are Seussian creatures galore.

Beginning with the Wocket of the cover, each creature favors a habitat that conveniently rhymes with its name. Example: "And that Zelf up on that shelf! / I have talked to him myself." The creatures include the pink-and-yellow striped Zlock, the cantankerous Yottle, the creepy Vug, the gravity-defying Geeling, and many others. As always, Seuss' colorful artwork is rich in whimsical details.

The narrator loves his home and its weird inhabitants. The book thus seems to have the message that it's OK to be different, or to come from a home that others might find odd. And that's a lesson I like! So enjoy the book, and don't be surprised if you find a "Ghair" under your chair.

Wocket in My Pocket
"Did you ever have the feeling there's a WASKET in your BASKET?" Well this little boy did. This wonderful story is about a little boy and all the things he discovers in his house. There are tons of different creatures made up in the mind of Dr. Seuss. This books crazy rhyming patterns will have your child's full attention. There's just something about rhyming stories that children love.
I would recommend this story to anyone but mainly children from ages 3-9. I am almost positive they would love it. How do I know this? I know this because this has been one of my favorite books ever since I was a little tike. Any adult would love this story also. It's a fun book to read to little ones, I know because I read it to my cousins and they love it!! I would highly recommend you purchase this book or rent from the library. Although it would be smarter to buy it, because "it's a keeper!"

Is there a Wokect in your pocket?
This is probably one of my favorite Dr. Seuss books because I love how he makes up new creatures. In this book a little boy takes us around his house showing us "all those Nupboards in the cupboards" and telling us "they're good fun to have about."

As is expected with Dr. Seuss books it rhymes, most of the time that is. Often the comments made about the animals don't rhyme, but this doesn't impede the flow of words. The book still flows wonderfully.

I always am pleased to see how wonderfully the drawings are done. To come up with all those creatures and yet be able to have each of them look special and different is amazing. All the illustrations are bright, bold and colorful, like one would expect to find in a Dr. Seuss book. All in all, another great Dr. Seuss book.

Loggie-log-log-log

Theres a wocket in my pocket!!
The book there's a wocket in my pocket is about a young boy who belives to find things in all sorts of places in his house such as things in the shower, the cellar, the steps, the chimney. The young boy has a wide imagination and seems to like his house full of things. In this boys house there seems to be a different thing everywhere somethings he likes there others he dosnt.

There's a Wocket in my Pocket
There's a Wocket in my Pocket is a great book for kids. Its a book about a boy who finds all kinds of different Wockets all over his house, in his pocket, in his trash baket, in his bureau, in his closet, in his curtains, behind his clock, up on a shelf, in the sink, in the lamp, in the pots and pans, in a bottle, in and in his chair, they are everywhere. This book is a great book if you like to rhyme words, some a tongue twisting, and some are funny. In the end the boy talked about how he likes where he lives because of all the Wockets there. The reason I liked this book is because it was tongue twisting and it rhymed. ... Read more

Book Description

When Ms. Frizzle's class takes a field trip to the local weather station, they end up in a hurricane. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

The magic school bus inside a hurricane
I liked this book because it is a good way of showing what a hurricane looks like, how they work, what i can/can not do. It talls you how they are formed and where you can go to be safe from a hurricane.

Aw, heck. What's not to like?
For those familiar with the "Magic Schoolbus" series, Mrs. Frizzle's adventures with her class all have a similar plotline. Mrs. Frizzle explains some scientific topic, whether it's the solar system, the dinosaurs, etc. and then lures her children onto her special schoolbus for an adventure. During the adventure the only child that is regularly singled out as the perpetual schlamatzel is Arnold, a boy who doesn't care much for adventures, thank you. In the end, the class is safe and has learned quite a lot, despite themselves. Even Arnold. Then there is a "letters" section in the back where readers wishing to complain about scientific inaccuracies (in this case, how dangerous it would be to be caught in a hurricane) are one-upped by already existing letters. The particular plotline in this hurricane obsessed book was not too dissimilar from the others, and was a lot of fun. I used to read these books to kids that I babysat back in my high school years, and certain types of children love them. The pages are always busy with text, speech bubbles, experiments that kids can do at home, and various factoids sprinkled hither and yon. I do wonder how long these series will last before it is regarded as hopelessly dated by the young. Please note that the review previous to my own was last written in 1997. Currently the show is doing well as a tv series, voiced by Lily Tomlin. Just the same, it would be very difficult to read this book to a group of kids. The books are relatively small and crammed with so much extra text that children will want to handle them one on one, rather than with a large group. Each book would pair well with a companion non-fiction book on the same topic.

This imaginative book has the creativity to keep kids alive.
I'm a kid and watch the Magic School Bus on TV. The books are even better! When Arnold gets lost in a hurricane on one of Ms.Frizzle's wacky field trips, the kids need to know the parts of a hurricane to find him. I thought it was creative and funny to include a radio that knew everything and could dance. By the time Ms.Frizzle's class goes on the real field trip, they have become experts on hurricanes. The weather team is amazed at the intelligence of the students. This book is great because it's not like those other books that lag on and on about one subject without any excitment. The Magic School Bus books make subjects like hurricanes, fun to learn about . I liked how the kids knew more than the weather team. I give this book two thumbs up!!!!!!!!! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Who Is The Garbage Snatcher?
Nate the Great, the youngest detective to ever deliver tough guy lines, is summoned to his newest case by his next door neighbor, Oliver. Oliver is something of a pest because he follows people. It doesn't matter who they are or where they're going, if they catch Oliver's eye he will follow them. He's followed Nate the Great around on a lot of the cases Nate has been given to find things his friends have lost. Oliver's problem sets Nate on his first night case as a detective. Someone is stealing from Oliver's garbage can and dumping the rest all over the place. Reluctantly, Nate the Great takes the case and is followed by Oliver. Along the way, Nate finds out what Rosamond's four cats will eat. It is a very long list, and not at all what Nate needs to know. Researching the case also leads Nate to the local library to study nocturnal animals. However, the real culprit who is stealing Oliver's garbage is a major surprise!

Marjorie Weinman Sharmat is the author of over twenty Nate the Great adventures, including NATE THE GREAT STALKS STUPIDWEED, NATE THE GREAT AND THE BORING BEACH BAG, NATE THE GREAT AND THE HALLOWEEN HUNT, and NATE THE GREAT AND THE MUSHY VALENTINE. She has written dozens of books for young readers. She named Nate the Great after her father. Her books have been named as Children's Choice books and Junior Literary Guild selections, and been picked as Books of the Year by the Library of Congress.

As usual, Majorie Weinman Sharmat writes a sharp and smartly told tale. Nate the Great is one of the best fictional heroes to ever come about for young readers and pre-readers. Reading one of the Nate the Great books to a pre-reader is a fantastic privilege. The first-person, clipped dialogue is pure pleasure for the reader willing to do "voices." Annie and her dog Fang were absent from this adventure and long-time readers will miss them, but Oliver and Rosamond are there, as well as the usual stumbling blocks Nate encounters. And pancakes-lots and lots of pancakes. The author's clues are there, though, and many alert readers will figure out the solution to the garbage-snatching mystery one step ahead of Nate, which is the best place to figure those things out. Marc Simont's artwork is simple and elegant as always, adding to the enjoyment.

Young readers will enjoy the whole Nate the Great series because the tales are told in a familiar fashion and involve a solid cast of characters that return book after book. These books are also some of the best to choose for read-alouds to pre-readers or for the last story before bedtime because they can be read in just a few moments. The Nate the Great mysteries are fun and addictive for both parent and child.

A Stinky Surprise
Nate the Great is a cool detective who solves lots of mysteries. In this story he is trying to find out who is dumping Oliver's trash. We liked it when Nate the Great went undercover to solve the case. The best part was when Nate runs into a "Stinky Surprise"! We think this is a great book for all second graders. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

A favorite of mine when I was a child!
I am lucky to still have an old copy of this book. I loved it when I was little and my kids love it now. A simple introduction to world culture in a surprisingly modern way. I am glad to see it is being republished as my 35 year old copy may not last another generation!

My favorite picture book!
I, too, love this book and have tried to find a copy for years. As a child, I frequently checked it out of my church library. I enjoyed the bright colors and the excitement of visiting other places. The pictures and story remind me of a favorite place -- Disney's "It's A Small World."

Excellent Book, My Son's favorite.
This book is amazing. I found it at a thrift store for .25 and put it away for the birth of my first child. I am an American living overseas, so for my son to see all the different cultures familiar and unfamiliar, it great. He is 18 months old and just wants to look at the pictures and hear me read it over and over and over again. I never tire of reading it either.

I literally bawled when I located this book at Amazon.com!
I've been searching for this book since the birth of my first child. It was my all time favorite book. My mother read it to me night and day. Upon my learning to read, I remember taking this book to bed with me during nap time and reading it over and over again. I never grew tired of seeing how children in other countries lived. This book went every where I went. I'm estatic this book has been reprinted and I can share it with my children.

A Valuable Find!!
I have been "hunting" for this book for years! I loved it as a child, going all those different places, and now am anxious to share it with my nieces! Thank you for allowing us to do some "traveling" together!! Ronda ... Read more

Book Description

MEET THE COBBLE STREET COUSINS

Lily, who wants to be a poet.
Tess, who wants to be a Broadway star.
Rosie, who wants a little cottage with flowers by the door.

It's winter vacation and there's no school for three weeks, but the Cobble Street Cousins aren't worried about being bored. They're learning how to sew from their neighbor Mrs. White. And they're starting to keep a diary about their year living in the wonderful attic room in Aunt Lucy's little blue house. Best of all, there's a Winter Solstice party at Aunt Lucy's boyfriend Michael's apartment, with special presents for everyone. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Cobble Street Cousins - Special Gifts
The "special gift" is this book and the entire series of Cobble Street Cousins. I am the proud mother of four lovely daughters and what a pleasure to find such a sweetly written book. I have recommended this book to friends with daughters and they have loved it as well. It is hard to find a morally appropriate, light, non-violent book for young girls. Thank you, thank you, thank you! This is the type of book all little girls should grow up on. ... Read more

Book Description

Mouse is in a
jam -- soon he'll
be weasel soup!

Weasel is ready for his dinner. And poor mouse is it. Just in time, he thinks up a clever and entertaining way to distract weasel from serving up mouse soup for supper.

Reviews (7)

WONDERFUL!
I remembered this book from my own childhood & bought it for my son. The stories are SO much fun. A great book to read aloud to your toddler. In general, Arnold Lobel's books are just fantastic. If you like this, get Owl at Home and of course the wonderful Frog & Toad books too!

Mouse Soup
The Multiple Stories in the book "Mouse Soup" are good stories for young children to read and/or listen to. The book is about a weasel that catches a mouse and wants to put him in his soup. The mouse tricks him out of it by telling the weasel that his soup would taste much better if there were stories in it, so the mouse began to tell the weasel stories. The first story is about a mouse and he was walking through the woods and a bee's nest fell on his head, and the bees loved their home on the mouse's head, but the mouse did not. The mouse had to trick the bees to get them to move their house somewhere else, and that he did. The second story was about two rocks on one side of a hill that wanted to know what was on the other side. The rocks were sad that they didn't know what was on the other side of the hill. They asked a bird and a mouse, and to their surprise, they weren't sad anymore. The third story was about a lady mouse that was trying to sleep but she couldn't because of one loud cricket chirping. She asked him nicely to stop, but the cricket kept bringing more and more friends. The fourth story was about an old mouse that had a thorn bush growing in her chair. A policeman walked by her house and heard her cries. To the policeman's surprise she wasn't in danger, she was crying because her thorn bush was dying. The policeman told her to water it, and she got a delightful surprise. After the Mouse told the stories he tricked the weasel into getting away, to find out how... go read this great book by Arnold Lobel.

A Very Nice Book
The book is about a mouse who gets caught by a weasel and is about to be cooked in a soup (Mouse Soup). Right before the mouse gets cooked the weasel wants the soup to have stories so it will taste better. So the mouse tells 3 stories and distracts the weasel. The weasel goes & gets more stuff for the soup so it will taste great. When he gets home ...

I thought it was a wery cute book! It would help a little kid with there story telling skills. I Would definetly recommend this book to a 1st grader or read it to my own little sisters.

A True Delight
Mouse Soup is another wonderful children's story by Arnold Lobel. For any 1st to 3rd grader learning to read, this book will allow the child to feel confident and very successful!

Four stories are presented by the mouse, who was captured by the weasel for his mouse soup. The mouse tells the weasel that his soup will not taste good unless he puts stories into the soup. One plain old mouse will not a soup make! The stories are: Bees and the Mud, Two Large Stones, The Crickets, and The Thorn Bush. After the mouse has finished his delightful stories, the weasel cannot comprehend how he will get the stories into the soup! Mouse instructs him to find a nest of bees, two large stones, some crickets, and a thorn bush. Not being very smart, weasel dashes out of the house to find the items, which allows mouse to escape to the warmth and comfort of his home, to eat a great meal and to finish reading his book!

The stories told by mouse are entertaining, lively and a hoot! They will keep the little reader guessing and wanting to know what is going to happen! The illustrations are entertaining and really help to contribute to the charm of the story!

A true delight! I love Arnold Lobel's books for children!!

Mouse Soup
A practically perfectly delightful tale in the typical silly tender of a "David" mouse versus the "Goliath" weasel whom Mouse outsmarts. While the original Stone Soup story (whose story line is also evidenced here) is one in which everyone gets some soup, the 1st to 3rd grade level reader will follow the winding story trail to discover what just deserts the weasel receives! Our readers found the reading level challenging, but the story line interesting enough with its little twists & turns in plots to encourage them to push through. The tale encourages re-reading, and the dialogue closely resembles that of children at silly play... at least it certainly resembled MY children! I'm thrilled to have found readers that truly interest my children in reading on their own, during the summer, when there are many OTHER activites that could keep them from enjoying QUIET pastime! ... Read more

Book Description

Dog be gone!

The big old dog wants to play. Can the little boy make him go away?

Reviews (3)

Playful Pup Persuasively Pounces
A boy who is afraid of dogs meets a friendly long-haired barking fellow looking to play. He tells him to go away, but the dog insists on being friends. The dog instantly loves the boy, but the boy isn't so sure.

Your child will learn how dogs are fun to play with, and how some things aren't quite as scary as they might first appear.

The colorful, warm drawings have endured through the years, and will help bring a smile to your face.

I fully recommend "Go Away, Dog."

Anthony Trendl

My "most favorite book"
I have the original version (1963) and mine has the following inscription written by my mother:

"This was a library book I checked out for Lisa when she was 4 and 1/2 years old. She loved it so much she kept putting off taking it back and one day 'could never find it again'. Later, she told me she hid it and by then I had paid the library for it. Her most favorite book then and for a long time."

I cherish my copy of Go Away Dog and am buying the new version for good friend's baby shower.

A Book for Young Dog Lovers Everywhere
This book is written in short, simple sentences, using high-frequency vocabulary that's sure to make young readers successful. It tells about a dog who wants to play and the little boy who wants that dog to go away. This little dog will win the affection of very young dog lovers and little boys everywhere with his antics and determination! ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Pirate School
My 7 year old son is obsessed with Pirates. This is his favorite book. He makes me pretend that he is Pete and his brother is Grimy and I need to substitute the names. He is autistic and learning for him is difficult, but we have taken suggestions from this book to make school fun for him as well. He learned math by using gold coins and likes to do everything the boys do in the book. It is a fantastic book which explains how important it is to share and not to fight with others. I highly recommend this book.

A very fun book
I am the mother of two boys ,ages 3 and 4 ,who both adore Pirates.This is a fun story with a great lesson. One of our favorites. A great buy.

This is a great book!!!
It is one of the funniest childrens books I've ever read. My 6 year old son loves it. If you love a laugh and love Pirates then buy this book!! (good moral story too ; )

I am six and I think that Pirate School is great.
I like pirates a lot. I like this book because Pete and Grimey learn that they should not fight. I think it would be fun to be in Pirate School in real life. I think that kids of all ages should read this book. Even girls would like this book. ... Read more

Book Description

Junie B. is a very grown-up little lady. So how come everyone treats her like a baby? It's not fair. But Junie B. knows just how to fix the situation. Her aunt Flo is getting married. What a perfect chance for Junie B. to show everyone how grown-up she is! Too bad she wasn't picked to be the flower girl in the wedding so she could really show off. But surely Junie B. can still find some way to get everyone's attention. ... Read more

Reviews (23)

Junie B. Jones be the Worstest Series for Childs Ever!
"That's how come I quick hided the address book ..."
"I dialed the number speedy quick. It ringed and ringed."
"I runned right to the end of that hugie thing."

Those are some samples of the "English" your child will be exposed to when reading this particular book. Hey, there's nothing wrong with occasionally using incorrect English for stylistic reasons, but this is just crazy. Other series aimed at the same market don't read like this.

Am I missing something here? These books are targeted at 1st-3rd graders, readers just coming out of Dr. Seuss and the like. These fairly new readers are still building vocabulary and learning the nuances of English grammar by osmosis, that is, by repeated exposure to correct English. Letting them read this stuff won't help that process at all. In fact, it will get in the way.

I help out at my son's school library, and I cringe whenever a student (usually one of our weaker readers) checks out a Junie B. Jones book. Why? Because I truly believe that these books CONFUSE young readers. They don't realize that Barbara Park makes Junie B. use poor English to show how young and ignorant she is. A fair number of them don't even catch that Junie B. isn't using proper English.

Remember Steve Martin's old joke about messing up a kid by speaking incorrectly to him/her? On the first day of school, the child says, "May I mambo dogface to the banana patch?" With these books, that joke becomes less funny. It's hard enough to pick up the language without bad examples like this. Frankly, this is the educational equivalent of handing out cigarettes on the schoolyard.

With so many other, better choices out there - The Magic Tree House, The Bailey School Kids, etc., I see no reason to fill your kids' heads with this pablum.

I give this book 2 stars only because the storyline is amusing. If you want to take the time to edit the books as you read them aloud, putting them into correct English (as my son's kindergarten teachers do), then you might have some use for this book. Otherwise, avoid this entire series.

Not recommended.

Junie is as hilarious as ever!
I have read many books out loud to my K-3 students, but I have never seen them so enraptured! They LOVE Junie B.! Junie's observations on life are always hilarious, and Barbara Park should be commended. My class can't get enough of these books. I have recommended them to many teachers, and everyone loves them. I highly reccommend this book to any elementary school teacher. Your kids will love all the Junie B. Jones books!!!

A fan of Junie B.
As a first grade teacher, I have been delighted with the Junie B. Jones series. As read alounds these books provide proficient, as well as emergent and struggling readers, with amusing stories to keep their interest.

At first I was disappointed by the bad grammar Junie B. uses, but I found that it's so easy to use that as a teaching tool. When I read the stories aloud, I read the sentence the way Junie B. says it. Afterwards I ask my students, "Is that really the way she should talk? Could someone please teach Junie B. the correct way to say that?" The children love "being the teacher" for a few moments, and having their grammar reinforced without even realizing it.

I have also used some of the Junie B. books as teaching tools in small group reading. They are great extensions to phonics work. The children are usually forced to phonetically figure out the word. Then I can go back and show them the correct way to spell the word. Of course there are always those instances when we simply can't sound out the word. The Junie B. books usually lend themselves to using context clues as a basis for decoding unfamiliar words also. It's so simple, yet such a valuable experience for them.

I give Barbara Park and the whole Junie B. Jones series five stars. What a creative person she is! She really understands children and has worked her way into our hearts! These books are fun for people of all ages.

Junie B Jones is (almost) a Flower Girl
Junie B's Aunt Flo is getting married. Junie B wants to be the flower girl, but Bo is supposed to. Who will be the flower girl? Read it to find out.

Greatest Book
I am eight years old. When I was in second grade I read this book with my friends. We thought it was a great book. I was never a flower girl but this book made me feel like one. It was fun to read. I think that everyone should read it. I thought that it was the greatest book. ... Read more