Reviews (2)

Heroes Who Changed the World
In SCIENTIST, HEALERS, AND INVENTORS, Wade Johnson provides a wealth of information about famous African-Americans who have made ingenious contributions. The book contains not only entries for several well-known individuals such as Benjamin Banneker and Madame C. J, Walker, it also includes several lesser-known individuals such as Susie King Taylor, a Civil War Nurse, and Jan Ernst Matzeliger, the inventor of the shoelasting machine (a machine that allowed for the mass production of shoes).

This volume, the third in the Book of Black Heroes series, is educational and informative. Entries contain a picture and biographical information for each of the individuals. My only criticism is that the book reads like a textbook and may not hold the interest of children. Nonetheless, it is an excellent resource for children and adults alike, and would make a welcome complement to any home library.

Reviewed by Latoya Carter-Qawiyy
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

Concise and succinct biographies
Book Of Black Heroes: Scientists Healers And Inventors by Wade Hudson is an impressive survey of learned and able African-American men and women compiled and presented especially for young readers. Each individual page features a photograph of a notable personage from the nineteenth or twentieth centuries, accompanied by a concise and succinct biography summarizing his or her life and achievements. A truly great introduction to remarkable and intelligent people of color who made their mark on history and science itself, Wade Hudson's Book Of Black Heroes is a welcome and highly recommended addition to personal, family, school, or community any Black History collection for children. ... Read more

Book Description

"El Monstruo!"

Every day is the same for Pablo's father. Then one afternoon the ground growls, hisses smoke, and swallows up his plow. A volcano is erupting in the middle of his cornfield!

Reviews (9)

The hill of fire
I thought this book was really good. If you read my report l think you should read the book. It is about a man and his boy. His father is a farmer and one day the boy comes out and helps his father. Then they hit the top of a volcano. Which is in the ground and it destroys everything. Then they rebuild everything.

Simple and Good
Hill of Fire tells the true story of a Mexican farmer who encounters the beginnings of a volcano in his corn field. The vocabulary is very easy, and yet the author captures the mood of the sleepy village that was changed forever by El Monstruo. I recommend this book to teachers of grades 2 and 3 and to children who are just moving away from picture books.

HILL OF FIRE
I think you should read. Hill of Fire. It is very good. I like the middle part. My favorite part is when the volcano erupts. I think you should read this book.

True Story!
I use this book with my ESL students 2nd-8th grade. What really makes it interesting is that it is a true story! I've been there, seen the church (what's left of it) and met the people. The only thing not true is there is no hot dog stand. Excellent book and easy to read.

High Interest For ESL Learners, 2nd grade to adult.
This historical fiction story relates to those who lead a hum-drum existence in meeting daily responsibilities. A dirt farmer in a small village in Mexico complains that nothing every happens in his life. Then, one eventful day, his ox-drawn plow buries itself so deep in the earth that smoke (the smoke of a volcano) begins to escape. Older students from Mexico will especially enjoy that cultural's influence in the story sequence (written like a simplified proverbial folktale) and illustations. If read aloud and read well, your students's laughter will tell you they understand the story. ... Read more

Book Description

Let's round 'em up and move 'em along! In words and pictures, Gail Gibbons captures all the excitement and adventure of the Wild West. Her colorful watercolors deftly re-create cowboys' clothing, equipment, and lifestyle, and the lively text includes descriptions of famous cowboys and cowgirls, as well as historical facts. ... Read more

Book Description

In the past three decades, the number of interracial marriages in the United States has increased by more than 800 percent. Now over four million children and teenagers do not identify themselves as being just one race or another.

Here is a book that allows these young people to speak in their own voices about their own lives.

What Are You? is based on the interviews the author has made over the past two years with mixed-race young people around the country. These fresh voices explore issues and topics such as dating, families, and the double prejudice and double insight that come from being mixed, but not mixed-up.
... Read more

Reviews (10)

I wish it had been on the shelves when I was a teen.
I had been waiting for this book all of my life and when I found it and read it I wished it had been on the shelves when I was a teen and young adult. It is enlightening and enriching to finally hear the many voices that exist outside of the boxes. As an American born in this country who constantly heard and still hear, "Where are you from?" on a regular basis, I highly recommend this book to all adults who have lived through the mixed race reality and for their children who are mixed race.

This is an excellent book covering a very important topic
I just finished reading "What Are You!" by Pearl Fuyo Gaskins. This book shares important insights into the issues surrounding mixed-race young adults. It is an important book for both young and older adults to read. Pearl Gaskins brings many important issues to light through the words of the young adults she interviewed. Once you read one "snapshot" you are compelled to continue reading all of the stories these young adults have to share. I highly recommend this book to all parents and children - as well as anyone else interested in issues of mixed-race identity/relations and social equality for all.

excellent book!
I am so glad that this was book was written! The young people who were featured were sensitive and engaging writers, who gave us all a further sense of struggle with biracial/multiracial identity in this country. For me, knowledge is power, and this book was definitely empowering. It de-emphasized statistics, faceless percentages that we read about in the newspaper and hear about on television that represent the increase in bicultural/multiracial people in this country.

I find it really sad that in a culture like the United States where we claim to be a "melting pot" we still haven't managed to get over who melts, and how they melt, as well as with which groups they mix with in the melting process. Speaking as a culturally-diverse young woman, about to graduate from college, I think it is of invaluable importance that people feel good about their cultures, feel free to express them and be given the respect they deserve. One point that was raised in WHAT ARE YOU? that I can definitely relate to is the scrutiny people experience when on the receiving end of other's judgments and prejudices. I am Polish/Latina/Lebanese and I can't tell you how many times people have said, "You don't look (fill in the blank)." The world has to realize people come in all shapes, sizes and colors, and the images projected on the boob tube, in the movies and in music are not a fair representation of all people. They are just a cross section of examples. We need to be open to the diversity of all. Then, maybe we can come to accept ourselves through accepting others.

More racial obssesion
Here is more writing on the obsession of Americans with race. In Europe their is no race, their is just people, but here in America people cant go five minutes without wondering about race and race relations, as if it is the single most defining item in life. this book analyzes so-called 'biracial' kids and the trouble they have when posed the question 'where are you from' or 'what is your heritage'. The answer should be as simple as 'Cleveland' and 'Asian and white'. But this book convolutes the subject by making it seem like 'biracial' kids have lots of trouble. The reality is the only one giving them trouble is books like this that make them feel different and out of place and put emphasis on their 'racial differences'. In reality 'biracial' is not even the correct word for children of two races. Rather the correct word is 'American citizen' because these children aren't actually two races, if anything they are like most of us, they are a blend of cultures and heritage. For instance lets say the kid is Mexican and black. Then the kid is actually Spanish, Indian, African and maybe even part Anglo-Saxon, and probably has some moor blood as well. So the kid is not really 'biracial' and the very term in itself is racist.

So in the final analysis this book does little to help children like myself, who are mutli-culture, and does more to harm then heal.

(...)

Inside Her Head ...
Reading this book made me remember a biracial childhood friend. As young children, we thought of her as no different from the rest of the kids in the neighborhood. However, as we got to high school, people wanted to define her, wanted her to define herself. She didn't. I admired her for that. I always wished I could've felt comfortable enough with her to find out just what was going on inside her head during those times. After reading this book, now I feel that maybe I have a glimpse of that. This book will help anyone who is not biracial have a better understanding of the thoughts and experiences of those who are. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Amelia's Road
Amelia's road is an excellent resource for teachers. It can be used as part of a multi-cultural unit or to start off a unit on maps. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Todd Parr is Fabulous!
As a kindergarten-first grade teacher, I love Todd Parr's books! They all have simple easy to read text and always have a laugh on every page! My class loved the page that said "Don't kiss a cootie bug!" We even created out own class book, based on Todd Parr's story. Each child wrote their own page of a do and a don't! Great Fun! I would highly reccommend all of Todd Parr's books!

Simple, funny, and true!
I adore all of the Todd Parr books! They might seem a bit silly to some people, at first, but they truly grow on you. And as a youth services library clerk, I can definitely vouch for the fact that kids LOVE these books, too! I use them for storytimes and recieve non-stop laughter. They are simple, hilarious, and impart sweet, zany wisdom...

Do read this book
Todd Parr's Do's and Dont's is a delightful read and even better when the experience is shared with a child. Do read this book. Don't eat the pages!

A hysterical view of opposite actions by kids
This books provides a series of 'laugh out loud' things kids should or shouldn't do. Underneath the actions, though, are important activities for kids like brushing their teeth and cleaning the house. We especially like the page that says "Do Brush Your Teeth...Don't Brush with Peanut Butter." This book is our son's favorite. ... Read more

Book Description

Madison in New York, co-authored by the first lady of New York State, Libby Pataki, takes children on a tour of wonderful New York City, from the Brooklyn Bridge and Chinatown to Central Park and Times Square.Eight-year-old Madison wants to show her puppy, New Yorkey, her favorite city in the world, New York! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A highly educational and fun book about world history.
I got this as a Christmas present in Christman of 1995 and let me say that this is one of my favorite history books that I own considering that I love reading about World history.

The way they illustrate the various styles of cultures in the various countries and regions of the world is just amazing and the description is vivid without being too overwhelming for younger readers eager to learn about foreign countries around the world.

I really enjoy the statistics of each country mentioned in this book and while some of them are a bit heartbreaking, it's true and satisfies my curiousity about the numerous countries and the societies in them.

I also like the illustrations of the landscapes and the pictures of the tribes, populations, and city illustrations. It really makes this book fun to read.

This encyclopedia is very outdated considering that it was released way back in 1995 but I still read it a lot because they did a great job at creating a great educational tool not just for kids but also for older kids and adults and elders of all ages to enjoy reading as well.

Wonderfull Book
I liked this book alot it taught me a lot of interesting things that I never knew about the world and it got me interested in geography!

I would reccomend it to everyone who is interested in world facts! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Disappointing
The editorial review of this series from School Library Journal is wrong. The new editions of these books do not "expand greatly" on the original 1988 editions; they greatly contract. The 1988 edition of the books on Ancient Egypt and Ancient Mesopotamia had eight chapters and 92 pages. This new edition gives them only only six chapters and 64 pages, and the word count per page is reduced. Indeed color pictures and illustrations were added and the glossary expanded, but the text is reduced to about two thirds of the original. Students are better off reading the original editions in the Watts "First Book" series.

Pretty pictures, but not much text
This book is part of the Science of the Past series. This book examines the Mesopotamians' knowledge of medicine, mathematics, astronomy and metallurgy. It concludes with a glossary, and a list of Internet sites.

This book is very short indeed, the main body being a mere 40 pages long, including some pages that are mostly taken up by pictures, but excluding the glossary and so forth. The pictures are excellent, and the information seems to be correct. However, this book is rather too short to provide much information. Overall, I do not recommend this book. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Wonderful Pictures and information!
This is a great book for young children. Excellent first book for teaching kids about another county. I enjoyed the book very much and I am an adult! It offers lots of nice color photographs and discusses everyday life of the typical Guatemala family. ... Read more

Book Description

When Bo spots what he thinks is a "rip-roarin', rootin'-tootin', shiny red armadillo," he knows what he has to do. Follow that armadillo! Bo leaves his mother and three brothers behind and takes off for a two-stepping, bronco-bucking adventure. Jan Brett turns her considerable talents toward the Texas countryside in this amusing story of an armadillo on his own. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Armadillo Befriends Boot
A slightly different tale from Jan Brett. Gone is the European feel of so many of her books. It is replaced by a healthy jargon-filled dose of American Western. Gone are the hedgehogs; welcome the armadillos.

Bo is one of four armadillo brothers. He tends to be curious and wander so his mother tries to keep a close watch on him. Like all armadillos, Bo's eyesight is not very good. So one day while he is following a lizard, he sees a red cowboy boot and thinks it is a red armadillo.

The boot in question is being worn by a young girl who is trying to scuff them up so she won't look like a tenderfoot at the rodeo. But Bo does not see the girl, or the other boot for that matter. Instead, he thinks he has found a playful new friend.

Chasing after the boot, Bo has many experiences while his mother and brothers search for him (as seen in the side panels). Bo's adventure takes him across the rodeo arena, to a bar-b-que, into an encounter with a jalapeno, to a barn dance, a hayloft, and ultimately to the truth about his new friend.

In the end we learn that while Bo has learned the truth of his day's adventures, he knows just what to do when he feels a little mischievous.

I usually give Jan Brett's books five stars but gave this one only four. I did that only because of the heavy use of Western jargon that needs to be explained to young ears in order for the story to make sense. But it is still a very fun book with beautiful illustrations.

The book I have the most fun reading aloud to my 7-year old!
My sister, a nearby neighbor of Jan Brett's, discovered this book and sent it to my then 5-year old son for his birthday. Bo's nearsighted adventures entertain; and his being lost and not knowing he's lost delights my son. Most children will envy Bo's adventure to the rodeo and understand his curioisity. Having developed quite the Texas "accent and attitude" while reading this book, it's at the top of our list of all-time favorites. Thank you Jan Brett!

A book this Texas girl loved!
In my opinion, this is one of Jan Brett's best. Her thorough research aided in her creating a book my second grade, rural,Texas students really enjoyed reading. So much media gives a distorted view of Texas life. This book gave a picture that my kids could relate to. Bo, the armadillo, searched for adventure in a setting that truly depicted our Texas countryside, from the prickly pear cactus to the bluebonnets. Bo's troubles finding a friend made the children laugh and want to read to find out what would happen next. I plan to use this book in my classroom for many years to come

Exciting adventure story for young children.
Bo is a lovable Texas armadillo who longs for adventure. Because he is near sighted, he mistakes a cowboy boot for a fellow armadillo. Together they romp through the Texas countryside. All the while, Bo's mother is looking for her missing son. You'll love reading about Bo's adventures. I attended a luncheon at which Jan Brett described how she went about writing this book. She and her husband went to Texas and researched the region and life style. Hearing her story of the background search greatly enhanced my pleasure in reading this book to my first grade students. ... Read more

Book Description

From the vast variety of animals that populate the planet, to the many different types of homes people live in and the time zones that mark the days around the world, "P is for Passport" is a book to bring people together.Celebrating our differences as well as the things that unite us, this world alphabet will delight and fascinate parents, teachers, and especially children.

The illustration for each letter of the alphabet has been done by a different artist, to further highlight how we each view the world from a unique perspective. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Naomi Shihab Nye is a philanthropist, poet, educator...
We are living in a time where being Arab, Muslim, or Southeast Asian makes one a "terror suspect." In this age of fear and ignorance, it is more important than ever for educators and readers of poetry to take a look at Nye's touching portraits of Arab and Arab American life. If these poems reveal the beauty, intelligence, and vitality of Arab and Arab Americans, then -- to the seething reader from Denver, CO-- you may find Nye guilty of being truthful: All human life is precious, and all human beings are capable of exceeding our expectations.

I first fell in love with Nye's poetry through "The Words Beneath the Words" and recommend all of her works. Educators, activists, lovers of poetry, please read and share Nye's work. They are more important then ever in creating peaceful relationships for the future.

Looking at the space between our footsteps
This is a wonderful book. It is full of the imagery and feelings that in turn, delight, amuse and sadden. Naomi Nye has compiled a collection of writers from various countries within the Middle East. Although the writers come from many countries and competing nationalities, there is a common commitment to peace. Since the poems are translated,rather than presented in the original languages, the reader does not have the benefit of the natural rhythms of the languages the poems were taken from. What the translations lack in terms of rhyme is more than made up by the poets' use of Metaphor. One poet talks about "drinking in the melancholy of morning". Another talks about being passed by trains with eyes looking back at you. The language is effective and persuasive. Many of the poems deal with loss. They deal with the loss of loved ones, the loss of time, the loss of relationships, but more importantly, they deal with the loss of basic human rights and something as basic as a homeland. The book has many fine paintings that supplement the text. They are all very well done and add to the feeling of the book. The reader of this book will not only read, but will also have an experience. All the senses except hearing will be involved. I recommend this book to anyone, particularly to Young Adults.

Beautiful and sensitive collection not just for children
This book has room in its heart for the passions and longings of writers from all of the Middle East. It offers readers, in beautiful poetry, the longings for place, for a loved past, for a more secure future, felt by Lebanese, Syrians, Israelis, Turks, Palestinians, Iraqis, Saudis, Egyptians, and more. Meticulously designed and printed, it offers art from across the Middle East that illuminates these poems and helps us learn with our children important lessons about that part of the world.

An exquisite book, and not just for kids.
I bought this book from amazon.com, fell in love with it & wrote the following review for The Capital Times, Madison WI's afternoon newspaper:

That this exquisitely beautiful, painfully direct and ultimately joyful book, "The Space Between Our Footsteps,'' is published under the imprint of Simon & Schuster's Books for Young Readers is an example of how badly we adults need to learn the lessons we try to teach our children.

The poems and paintings of more than 100 writers and artists from 19 countries are loosely grouped by theme,without a condescending preface or explanations of how to feel when we read or view them...This book is an ideal gift for anyone old enough to read "The Diary of Anne Frank,'' and to know that just as, for Anne, life went on as war went on, so it does today. It is for anyone who thinks he or she understands the conflicts in the Middle East, and for anyone whose life needs a sudden rush of beauty.

(Lin Seagren teaches in Stoughton WI and for the UW-Extension.) ... Read more

Book Description

Gregory and his family are moving to Japan for his dad’s job. After the long flight, they arrive at their new apartment. Gregory is surprised to find lots of things that are different: he needs to remove his shoes and wear slippers, he has to sit on pillows at the table, and he has to take a shower before getting into the bathtub! As Gregory’s dad points out, "That’s the way they do it in Japan."

When Gregory starts school, he’s afraid that the kids won’t like him. That morning, he works hard writing the letters of the Japanese alphabet and is glad when it’s time for lunch. But he’s embarrassed when he takes out his peanut butter sandwich and sees everyone else eating rice and soybeans. Gregory wonders if he’ll ever fit in. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

"Adjusting to a New Culture"
Gregory moves with his Japanese father and Caucasian mother from San Francisco to Japan. The author captures the boy's eagerness for adventure, yet his timidity as he faces the unknown. While Gregory and the reader learn "the way they do it in Japan," they will learn to speak some Japanese words.

The author has depicted loving parents who do all they can to help their son fit in to a new way of life. The surprise comes in the end when Gregory's classmates learn "the way they do it in America."

A great book to encourage children to value another culture. Adult and child will gain information about Japan that could lead to a whole unit of study. But what I liked best was the author's theme of love and friendship, where there could be fear and alienation. The principles of the book could be applied to the study of any culture.

First Graders Read It Again and Again
The Way We Do It In Japan is a warm story relating a child's honest and positive reactions to his family's move from
San Francisco to Tokyo, Japan. Gregory's experiences and reactions to new and unfamiliar situations prompted much discussion in my first grade classroom. Every child identified with Gregory on some level. This book was a welcome re-read in my classroom! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Memorable and heartbreaking...
...this is the kind of book that continues to haunt you long after you put it down. I read this book in elementary school and then stumbled across it as an adult - even re-reading it as an adult, I was shocked by the descriptions of the damage done by the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

This book is a must-read. As an American, I believe that the atom bomb was a necessary evil to stop World War II; however, as a human, I believe the atom bomb was a horrible atrocity unleashed on millions of people, including a child named Sadako whose story is poignantly told here. This book is an eye-opener, a heart-wrencher and a beautiful story.

A book everyone should read
No matter what side you are on in the debate on the use of the atomic bombs during WWII, this is a "must read". As a science teacher, I read this book to my Advanced Chemistry class at the conclusion of our nuclear chemistry unit. However, I have yet been able to read it through without crying. And I have not been alone. Sadako's story should teach us all a lesson. My students may not remember the specifics of chain reactions or nuclear decay. But I guaruntee that they will remember Sadako's story. I want them to be informed citizens who make educated choices. One thing that history has shown us is that it repeats itself. What a horrible thought.......that another little girl become a "Sadako". I would hate to think that next time her name might be an American one......It chills me to the bone.

A Wonderful Companion Book to Eleanor Coerr's Sadako
Often fiction leads us into a story and leaves us helpless to change anything. Takayuki Ishii's book takes us into the real world of Sadako Sasaki who died of leukemia years after the bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. This is a well researched document, with family and classmate interviews, which sheds light on the real child whose world changed as a result of adult decisions. Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park is home to a statue commemorating Sadako's life. It was built by the donations solicited by her classmates. Each day children from all over the world send folded paper cranes to this statue in her memory and in the hope for world peace. It is rare for a teacher to have the opportunity to compare and contrast a fictionalized event with the non fictional and rarer, still, to then have the opportunity to construct a real life project, from classroom reading, for students which will make the voices of the children heard. I am a teacher and the children in my school, the Henry Viscardi School, forwarded their cranes to the statue. This moving experience is recorded on our school Web site (under Japanese Odyssey)and was inspired by Reverand Ishii's book. The book had been published first in Japan. Random House has now made it available in the United States and as word of its publication reaches schools and libraries, it is destined to become a "must have" for every American classroom. ... Read more

Book Description

The daughter of a samurai never weeps. But Takiko, whose warrior father was killed in battle, finds this a hard rule, especially when her mother remarries a strange and ugly country potter. To get away from her miserable home, Takiko eagerly accepts a position at the imperial Japanese court. There, her beauty and nightingale voice captivate the handsome young warrior, Hideo -- who also turns out to be an enemy spy. As war breaks out, Takiko flees the court and is forced to choose between loyalty to her people and her love for Hideo. She painfully learns that whatever choice she makes, she cannot run away from her samurai honor.

Reviews (4)

I loved this book!
This was a great book. It was full of action. For example, when Powhatan gets angry with John Smith for stealing food for the colonists, the author really creates a sense of danger and imminent war. Pocahontas is a great character and is portrayed as a kind person. I reccommend this book to people who enjoy historical fiction.

This was a cool book.
this book was cool because it has lot's of action when they have a war with the english.THIS BOOK WAS THE BOMB.

I garantee you'll love this book
I enjoyed this book because I have many common thinga with Pocahontas.For exaple she has an older brother and so do I. I garantee you'll love this book as much as I did .

Bulla Rocks!
Pocahontas & the Strangers was a hit with my 5th grade class! What a joy to hear the kids say, "Can we keep reading?"! Bulla has done his homework. He portrays the Algonquin Indians with historical accuracy. This book allows the readers to get to know historical figures in a realistic way. When it came time to read about Pocahontas in our Social Studies book, the kids said, "Hey! We know her!" Easy reading + fun and factual + makes readers want to know more about historcal figures...all this = adds up to an excellent book and teaching tool. Thanks Bulla! ... Read more

Book Description

Winner of the Caldecott Medal

Once, all the stories in the world belonged to Nyame, the Sky God. He kept them in a box beside his throne. But Ananse, the Spider man, wanted them -- and caught three sly creatures to get them.

This story of how we got our own stories to tell is adapted from an African folktale. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

If it be sweet, or if it be not sweet, take some elsewhere
My husband grew up in Atlanta, Georgia and well remembers the Anase stories that were told to him and his companions in their youth. For myself, Anase was not a character I heard much about as a child. This is a pity considering that books like, "A Story A Story" were striving to teach children about the great African (I apologize for not knowing the exact region) folktales. Based on one of the many spider stories, "A Story A Story" is a variation on the Prometheus tale. In this case, however, the desired gift of the gods isn't fire but the gift of stories themselves.

As the tale tells us, long ago all the stories in the world belonged to the Sky God. On behalf of mankind, Anase (presented here not as a spider but as a kind of old spider man) spins a web into the sky and requests the Sky God's stories. The big man upstairs is amused by the request and presents Anase with a series of three near impossible tasks. If the spider man is able to accomplish them, he will be granted the stories. Using his wits and some clever techniques, Anase accomplishes each trial and in the end the world receives a golden box of the Sky God's stories.

Just looking at this tale I realized that it was a perfect companion picture book to Marcia Brown's "Once a Mouse". In both cases woodcut illustrations decorate a well-known fable from a land other than America. In this particular book, children at all familiar with the Brer Rabbit tarbaby story will instantly recognize the original elements of it within "A Story A Story". Clever adults can give kids the information that slaves from Africa would often bring their stories with them, changing them in their new land with some subtle variations. The book itself is illustrated beautifully with what looks to be a series of brightly colored woodcuts. Be sure to locate other fine Anase stories (they exist in abundance, doncha know) if this one suits your fancy. It reflects beautifully the cleverness and richness of a story this is not too new to our American ears.

Wonderful myth to share with the younger set
The book is the perfect match of text and illustration. The pictures are representative of the simplicity of primitive drawings of which children can relate. The prose is written in a fashion that most young readers should not have any difficulty understanding.

How Ananse was able to overcome the various characters is the basis of the theme of using ingenuity to defeat great obstacles.

Because this is a myth, the reader is able to see the connection between the characteristics of a spider and one who "weaves stories."

The book provides a glimpse of a primitive culture without being demeaning to said culture.

Very nice.
I think that this book tells a fun story. My students will enjoy it. I do think that there are better Ananse books out on the market now. This is nice because it was one of the first and a classic.

A wonderful introduction to fables
My daughter was not particularly interested in hearing a story the first time we opened this book, but within a few pages, the magic of the story, and the wonderful cadence of the words, captured her attention. She was spell bound to the end. The story was an opportunity to talk to her about another culture, teach her about the concepts of fables and oral traditions, and to just plainly entertain her.

The Caldecott winner about the spider man.
A small book for young children based on an old African tale of Kwaker Ananse, the spider man, an old man who receives all stories from the Sky God. The book won the 1971 Caldecott Medal for best illustrations in a children's book. Children usually enjoy hearing stories from other lands and cultures. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Beautifully Expressive
Flying away with Abuela is such a brilliant way to tell a story and introduce the Hispanic culture to kids. This book and the bilingual Drum, Chavi, Drum!/Toca, Chavi, Toca! are by far my kids' favortie books. They can't put them down.

My 3-year old son loves this book
I think it's the flying. It took us by surprise when, after checking it out from the library, it was suddenly his new favorite book. He was into the typical boy stuff: trucks, trains, front-loaders, rocket ships. Then all of a sudden, all he wants us to read is Abuela. It's a nice blending of fantasy and reality, with strong family relationships, and lots of fun, colorful pictures. He's moved on to other favorite stories now, but he always seems to enjoy this one. The sequel (Isla) is also good. A nice way to learn a few new Spanish words. There's even a glossary in the back with a guide to correct pronunciation. Just make sure you get the English with Spanish phrases, if that's what you're looking for. There is also a version that is completely in Spanish.

A well-written, beautifully illustrated story
Our class of 20 latino students appreciates having books with characters that are like them. We liked to read this story on our own and in groups.

A great way to introduce the Hispanic culture to any child.
This book provides a wonderful introduction to a Hispanic-American child's way of life. Rosalba portrays the typical immigrant child without stereotyping. The author uses the Spanish language to lend authenticity to his story, and really gives the readers a chance to experience the fantasies of a child living in New York City.

What a great book!
Miss Jacobs' second grade class really liked the story Abuela. We loved learning Spanish words throughout the book. We liked the way the illustrator drew the s. We all agree that Rosalba's imagination was running wild. We wish we could take an adventure with her. ... Read more