Reviews (1)

A BEAUTIFUL TREASURY OF MAGICAL STORIES!
I have grown up loving fairy tales, and I collect books of fairy tales. I happened to be at [the store] one day, sometime before Christmas, and I noticed Christian Birmingham's book of Charles Dickens' classic "A Christmas Carol". I looked at it for a while, surprised that I haven't seen any of this illustrator's previous work. I continued to look around and I found "The Classic Treasury Of Hans Christian Andersen". I looked at it, and was amazed at how magical and beautiful the illustrations were. All of the illustrations in this book capture the timeless fairy tales of Andersen perfectly. I was once again reunited with some of the stories I grew up loving like "The Little Mermaid", "The Little Match Girl", among others.
The luminous illustrations complement the black and white drawings so that it's just the right amount of artwork to capture pivotal scenes from the stories without overdoing it. I love the color illustrations of Thumblina flying through the air with her bird friend, the black and white drawing of the Little Mermaid saving the prince from drowning, the color illustration of the nightingale signing on the branch of blossoms as the captivated people watch it, and the black and white drawing of the Little Match Girl being taken to Heaven by her Grandmother. These are truly beautiful stories brought to life by an outstanding illustrator. Although you would expect all fairy tales to have perfectly happy endings, many of Andersen's do not. It is up to the reader to decide if the endings are happy or not. I would say they are bittersweet, but beautiful just the same. Anyone who is looking for an excellent book of these stories, or just for a good picture book, I HIGHLY recommend this!!! ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (8)

Vibrant, vivid illustration and a wonderful tale
The Anansi stories have been handed down through generations of Ashanti culture. This book is a wonderful, vibrant and vivid story for children of all ages. Born in Ghana I left at aged 3, leaving much of the Ghanaian culture behind. At aged 30 I can still remember a song about Anansi the spider, the only remnants left of my native tongue. I was given the Anansi book as a child, it captivated me, I read it over and over again, and it provided a connection to my past. At 16, I spent hours crafting a cushion embroidered an illustration from the book that was a childhood favorite. Sadly, the book was lost and I never thought I could get it again. Now, some 14 years since I last saw the book I can still visualize the pictures and hear the wonderful tale of Anansi the spider, his sons and the moon. I have just bought two copies, one for my niece and one for my two year old daughter. I absolutely cannot wait to read them again and again and pass this memorable story to a new generation.

Anansi
Anansi is one cool African trickster, and he does it again in this book! When he tries to determine which of his six sons to reward for saving his life, he becomes responsible for putting the moon in the sky.

We love Anansi!
My 18 month old son loves the artwork in this book. There is a lot to talk about on each page. For the first time it seems that my son is following the story and not just dealing with one page at a time. He waits eagerly for the page when Anansi is swallowed by a fish (don't worry it is not violent in any way!) Since there are 6 spider sons there are lots of opportunities for counting. My 18 month old can now count to 6.

Why the moon is in the sky!
A short children's book based on a folk tale of the Ashanti tribe of Ghana about the tickster Spider who is rescued by his sons and why the moon is in the sky. Children will enjoy hearing this story and even acting out its parts. The artwork is very appealling. The book was a 1973 Caldecott Honor book (i.e., a runner-up to the Medal winner) for best illustration in a book for children.

A culturally rich story that captures the eye with it's art.
This story captured the attention of 18 pre-schools within a few seconds! Personally, I enjoyed this story, the unique characters and the "trickster" Anansi. The children loved acting out a skit about the 6 sons of Anansi by taping a "spider logo" to their shirt and acting out "cushion", see trouble" and the other brothers. I especially enjoy how McDermott exposes children to the beliefs of other cultures. ... Read more

Book Description

Long, long ago, in a land far, far away, a little boy named Abdi was given a very big task -- to deliver the most precious necklace in the world to the queen.

Come along with Abdi on his fantastic journey into a magical world of ruthless rogues, savage snakes, and deadly dungeons, where he remembers the wise words of his mentor: "Everything we have been given in life is always for the best." ... Read more

Book Description

This collection contains nine treasured tales from Medieval Europe - from the mysterious Celtic world of Finn MacCoul to the enchanted realm of King Arthur.Readers will meet the noble French hero Roland and the merry English outlaw Robin Hood. They will learn about the brutish chieftain Beowulf, the chivalrous knight Sir Gawain, and the brave young prince Hagen.And they will be entertained and enlightened by Marie de France¹s honorable Werewolf and Chaucer¹s venerable but clever-witted rooster, Chanticleer. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Too simplistic for the age range given
The reading level for this book is given as ages 9-12, but the fairytale-simplicity of the retelling of the stories makes this collection much more appropriate for the *under 9* age group. The stories are sanitary enough to read to very young children. The part of the collection I found most useful for my 12 year old who is currently studying the Middle Ages, was the notes in the back of the book. "Notes on the Stories" tells the background and time period of each story and a brief bio of the author (when known). "Story Forms of Medieval Times", "Some Early Peoples of Western Europe", "Time Periods", "Words Related to Medieval Times", and "The Evolution of the English Language" are all very brief (total of 3 1/2 pages for all) but informative.

Knights, Monsters, Heroes, and Dragons.....
As Mary Pope Osborne tells the reader in her marvelous introduction..."In the beginning of medieval times in Europe, books did not exist. Most people were unable to read or write. Nevertheless, there were stories - stories of heroes and monsters, told by minstrels and poets, that were passed down orally from one generation to the next..." Eventually, these stories were written down by scribes, and Ms Osborne has collected nine favorite tales to share. From Robin Hood And His Merry Men, The Sword In The Stone, Sir Gawain And The Green Knight, and Finn Maccoul, to Beowulf, The Werewolf, The Song Of Roland, Island Of The Lost Children, and Chanticleer And The Fox, these engaging retellings are dramatic and entertaining, easy to read, and often better when read aloud. Meet monsters, knights, heroes, and dragons, and travel to faraway, mysterious, and enchanting places. Troy Howell's vivid, lush paintings, stay true to the medieval style, and add just the right touch to enhance each story. Ms Osborne and Mr Howell include informative reference notes on the stories, medieval story forms, people, time periods, language, chronology, and the art of the middle ages that is sure to peak the interest of young and old alike. Perfect for youngsters ten and older, Favorite Medieval Tales is a masterpiece of intriguing storytelling that will whet the appetite, and send readers looking for more.

A good sampling
I was taking a course on storytelling for children when I came upon this book. What first caught my eye were the old-style illustrations by Troy Howell. They were done in such a way as to enhance the book without distracting from the story. When I was able to peruse the book, I was impressed with the way the author chose and arranged the stories so that you could almost track the evolution of medieval storytelling (and quite possibly has one of the more easier versions of Beowulf that second and third graders could manage). The stories are short enough that they can be read out loud for a class or reading circle; yet have enough content to hold the children's attention.

Another bonus to the book (for parents and teachers) is that Ms. Osborne in her introductions gives her reason why she chose the tales in this volume... and (for the kids, as well as parents and teachers) in the back there is a glossary of sorts-- notes to each story as to where it came from, and why it was written, brief writeups for the different cultures, story forms, time periods, and evolution of the English language. There's even a small section with words.

This would be a good book to have in libraries for teachers and parents; for the children to be exposed to several different classical stories, as well as give them a variety to read and experiment with. It might encourage a love of history as well as a love of literature.

Good Intro to medieval literature
Well, I don't really like Osbourne's "Magic TreeHouse" tales, but don't judge THIS beautiful book by "those." THIS BOOK is very nicely done. All the representative tales from the middle ages are here, retold in a clear, easy to read (or listen to) prose that captures most of the original (in most cases.) The illustrations are captivating. Each tale includes a title page that has a short quote in the original language (with a modern translation) which will intrigue some children, and there is a fine time line at the back of the book. We used this to supplement medieval studies in our homeschool for a second grader. A great resource. ... Read more

Book Description

When Odysseus must leave his home to fight the Trojan War, he never imagines that heíll be away from his family for so many years.Now, at long last, he is leading his men home across the seas.But many dangers await them ñ and none is more terrifying than Polyphemus, the one-eyed giant. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Fun to read together as a family!
Mary Pope Osborne does an excellant job of retelling the infamous tale on a level that children (and adults!) can enjoy. My husband and I read the books to our two sons. They looked forward to it every evening. The books had a lot of action so they were never bored with the story and couldn't wait to hear what happened next! We are waiting anxiuosly for the final book #6 to be released.

Great intro to Greek Mythology - but very short book
This is a great way to introduce your child to Greek mythology. My 8 year old daughter read this book in 2 hours. My only complaint is that they used huge letters and spacings on the pages. There is more text per page in the Magic Tree House books. This book is really comparable to a 70 page chapter book and costs more.

An easy intro to Homer's tales!
Because my kids have learned so much from the Magic Tree House Series, I read this aloud to my 7 year old daughter and 4 year old son. Both were fascinated. We read this in one day, because we all wanted to find out what happened next! (They did find the One-Eyed Giant pretty scary, so I wouldn't recommend it for kids prone to nightmares.)

Also, I appreciated the glossary, to help with pronouncing names. I'll definitely get the others in this series -- Excellent!

I read it in one day it was so good!
This book was exciting, tense and kept me reading it. I love Ms. Osborne's style of writing. I ran out and bought the 2nd book the next day, and finished it that day.

My favorite part was when they met the one eyed giant.

Austin
Age 10 ... Read more

Reviews (24)

Recreates an Illuminated Manuscript to Tell about St. George
This book was a Caldecott Medal winner as the best illustrated children's book in 1987. You will never see a finer set of modern simulations of a Middle Ages illuminated manuscript. The full range of the rainbow is vividly and brilliantly worked into almost every illustration. On text pages, the illuminations surround the words while on illustrated pages, they fill across the whole page -- border and all.

Unlike most children's stories, this one captures the full richness of the original tale as told by Spenser in the Faerie Queen. Without all the background of that story, some references here are not clear, so you'll want to explain them to your child.

The book features a ferocious three day battle between St. George and the dragon. For sensitive children, that battle in this book could encourage nightmares. I suggest that you either not share the book with children who might be frightened, or read it to them early in the day.

When a dragon terrorizes her father's kingdom, Princess Una escapes from the family castle to seek help. After an arduous journey, she finds the Red Cross Knight and calls upon him for assistance. He follows her back toward the castle. Along the way, he glimpses aspects of his future life.

Upon the plain surrounding the castle, a terrible and aggressive dragon waits to attack. The knight bravely attacks, but his weapon is no match for the dragon. He is gravely wounded and falls to the earth. It looks like the battle is over. Miraculously, the knight is restored to full strength the next day. The battle recommences, and the knight is again devastated by the dragon. But the knight has injured the dragon a little. Once again, the knight revives and the third day provides the titanic battle in which the knight slays the dragon.

The king and queen come out to welcome the knight, and offer him many riches. The knight modestly declines and pleads that the riches be given to the poor, instead. The king offers Princess Una's hand in marriage and his kingdom. The knight protests that he must serve the Fairy Queen for 6 more years. The king says that is all right, and the two are married. The knight comes and goes to serve his duty.

In time, he becomes known as St. George, the patron saint of England.

The story contains many worthwhile moral lessons such as being steadfast in one's duty, overcoming adversity through persistance and courage, and preferring to help others rather than seeking rewards for oneself. As such, the book is much more inspiring and heroic than most modern children's literature, and will become a favorite of those who like to take the challenges of the hard path.

After you and your child finish reading this story, on some occasions you should talk about what challenges face modern people. How can we serve others? How can we be modest in our pursuit? How can our lives provide lessons for others?

Pursue to the limits of potential and imagination!

I love dragons
Hyman won a Caldecott Medal for this book and there is no questioning why. The wonderful drawings tell the story with splendid detail. Bordering the text are more drawings that help to establish the setting and mood of the story. The text is even more exciting than the illustrations. A brave knight is summoned by a beautiful princess to slay the dragon that has been tormenting the land of the fairy queen. After several battles and assistance from magical entities, the knight defeats his foe and is granted the princess as a prize. There can be quite a lot of text on a single page causing it to be overwhelming in its lack of white space. The narrative is fast-paced enough that the reader will stay interested though. This book should be on an independent level for high second graders. Younger children will enjoy hearing it and seeing the pictures though.

Why 5 stars?:
I simply love the mythical magic of dragons. The illustrations included in this version are gorgeous. The story can be understood and enjoyed by children of all ages. Second graders should be able to read this book with just some slight assistance.

Best Introduction to the Genre
Adapted from Spenser's Faerie Queene, this is a highly literate children's tale. We meet the Red Cross Knight as he is heading into his first adventure. Princess Una has sought him as champion for her parents in fighting the usual terrorizing dragon. The plot is the usual one: boy meets girl, girl tells boy how royal parents are being terrorized by a dragon. Boy slays dragon, marries princess. Though this story does not stray from the formula, it is realized in a very fine fashion and richly illustrated. Each of some dozen pairs of facing pages has fantastic illustrations on one side with a few paragraphs of text on the other. The illustrations are among the best I've seen, they rank together with Child of Faerie Child of Earth and Fairy Wings. Each illustrated page is nicely framed and usually filled with thematic marginal drawings, which is a very nice touch.

I think this is probably the most literate children's book I've read. The first line of most pages always includes some brief alliteration, beginning with the opening lines.

>In the days when monsters and giants and fairy folk lifvind in England, a noble knight was riding across a plain.

>The dreadful dragon was the cause of her sorrow.

>After many days the path became thorny and led up to a steep hillside, where a good old hermit lived in a little house by himself.

>It is time for me to tell you that you were not born of fairy folk, but of English earth.

>Then they heard a hideous roaring that filled the air with terror and seemed to shake the ground.

>The knight brandished his bright blade, and it seemed sharper than ever, his hands even stronger.

There is just enough to create the effect without going overboard. Sometimes, at key points, the alliteration is stepped up to alert the reader to pay attention.

>In his tail's end, two sharp stings were fixed. But sharper still were his cruel claws. Whatever he touched or drew within those claws was in deadly danger. His head was more hideous than tongue can tell, for his deep jaws gaped wide, showing three rows of iron teeth read to devour his prey.

There are also instances of anaphora

>Once more the Red Cross Knight mounted and attacked the dragon. Once more in vain.

internal rhyme

>Yet the beast had never before felt such a mighty stroke from the hand of any man, and he was furious for revenge.

and Homeric similes.

>Like a sailor long at sea, under stormy winds and fierce sun, who begins to whistle merrily when he sees land, so Una was thankful.

These are all tropes I would have pointed out when I was teaching Medieval and Renaissance Lit. and are spread thinly enough not to be over done. They are in fact very appropriate to the material, being standard Anglo-Saxon techniques. The surrounding prose is also extremely well written. There were only three alliterations which I felt were overdone, but-hey-that's also true for equivalent portions of Beowulf!

I can't think of a better introduction to the dragonslayer genre.

Best Children's Book Ever
This is perhaps the first book I ever truly loved. At sixteen, it seems almost strange that I should find myself writing a review of a children's book, but it was just that good, that memorable, and that much a part of my childhood. As probably the only person to comment on this after having read it as a child, I think that this book is one of those children's books that is so very memorable; I would even compare this book to the famous "Goodnight Moon". The illustrations are absolutely beautiful, and the story is enchanting and enthralling. It is in essence the perfect children's book, and practically made me fall in love with reading.

Best Kid's Book I Know!
Now in tatters, its about time for me to replace this one. My kids and I first discovered it about 5 years ago. There is no other book that I have enjoyed reading with them so much. It has the best artwork of any storybook out there. It is a fun and exciting story that I also recognized as the story of the Red Cross Knight, from Spenser's "Faerie Queen." It is great that the language in this child's version is also very engaging, rhythmic, and dramatic. I recommend this book for everyone! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Down Right Purdy!
I thought this was a beautiful Americanized version of Perrault's "Cendrillon". Unlike another reveiwer, I was not at all offended and thought this was a charming tale. The author's interpretation of a down-home style Cinderella story was right on target. I loved the idea of the hog replacing a fairy god mother! A fun read!

Think Twice
This book is a mockery of Southern Appalachian people. Not only is the dialect incorrectly conveyed, but the pictures are demeaning as well. Mr. Schroeder, a native Californian, obviously made little (if any) attempt to get to know the group about whom he writes.

A Truely Wonderful Story
This book has a storyline much like the traditional Cinderella. It features Appalachian dialect which is remarkable. This story is an added bonus to any fairy tale unit and an excellent reading experience. ... Read more

Book Description

Travel back to a mythical time when Achilles, aided by the gods, waged war against the Trojans. And join Odysseus on his journey through murky waters, facing obstacles like the terrifying Scylla and whirring Charybdis, the beautiful enchantress Circe, and the land of the raging Cyclôpes. Using narrative threads from The Iliad and The Odyssey, Padraic Colum weaves a stunning adventure with all the drama and power that Homer intended. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Warning: archaic language
This is a very well-written book -- for its time. I find that the archaic language make it unsuited for reading to children. (It is filled with "thee", "thou," "raiment," etc.) I had to practically translate the conversations between the characters for my son. For example Achilles says: "Deem'st thou I grieve for ..."

I still read it to my son (with plenty of translation and paraphrasing), and he still thoroughly enjoys the Homeric epic. But I think a more contemporary rendering would have been much better.

Even 9 and 10 year olds love it!
I read this book to my Grade 4 class with some initial reservations, thinking it would be beyond them. THEY LOVED IT! A couple of brighter ones were particularly interested in Greek myths before I started, and they helped to spark the whole class, but they all were able to understand it. I checked with the class a number of times to see if they wanted me to continue, and it was always a unanimous YES! Knowing that the Odyssey and the Illiad are considered the greatest stories of all time, and such ancient, ancient stories, really hooked them in them. Padraic Colum's language is sophisticated, and the sentence structure is complex, but it is so lyrical and clean, the kids seemed caught in a spell listening to it. One of the lovely things about reading classics to children, is that they see how imbedded in our culture they are. For instance, they could recognize Homer's influence in cartoons and T.V. shows! When we finished, one of the rich discussion topics was how Homer's and the early Greeks' view of women affects our society today. A number of parents expressed gratitude and awe that I would read such sophisticated literature to young children, and were highly impressed with their children's interest in it.

A Beautiful Adaptation of Classics for Children
Padraic Colum (1881-1972) saw the need to introduce the classics to young children. In 1918 he published this book The Children's Homer which combines the retelling of both Homer's Illiad and Odyssey. It is obvious that his idea and his book has stood the test of time since this book is now in reprint for our children to learn from today. The few illustrations are by Willy Pogany and are well done. This is an excellent way to introduce our children or the younger student to the classics.
Simon & Schuster's Aladdin Paperback published this edition and on the back cover they offer a web site of www.SimonSaysKids.com for all who are interested.

This is a terrible Book
I hated. I like most books but this one was terrible. I had to read it for school. One person in my whole class liked it, most of the kids in my class did not even understand it . Never get this book for a kid. Teachers if you want to teach your kids to like to read get somthing else not this.

Childrens Homer
This is the worst book i have ever read!!!!!! Never read it!!!! It is soooooo boring! Are English teacher made us read it! Don't read it! ... Read more

Amazon.com

A Ukrainian boy named Nicki wants his grandmother Baba to knit snow-white mittens for him. She warns her grandson that a white mitten will be hard to find if he loses it in the snow, but of course he promptly does just that!What happens next is the surprising part, as a mole takes refuge in the lost mitten, then a rabbit, then a hedgehog, an owl, a badger, and a fox.If you think the mitten might be a wee bit stretched out at this point, just wait: "Then a big bear sniffed at the mitten. The animals were packed in tight, but the bear didn't care. He crawled in anyway." When a tiny mouse squeezes in, her whiskers tickle the bear's nose. He sneezes, and "Aaaaa-aaaaa-ca-chew!" all the animals fly out of their crocheted cave. As the mitten sails through the air, Nicki spots it, reclaims it, and takes it home to show his smiling Baba.

Jan Brett is the illustrator of many well-known folktales, fairy tales, and poems, such as Goldilocks and the Three Bears and The Owl and the Pussycat, by Edward Lear. Her special signature in her detailed artwork is the intricate borders, seen in this book as birch-bark panels with embroidered details and mitten-shaped vignettes offering additional insights into the story line. Brett is at her best when she illustrates animals, and the expressions on the faces of her creatures are a delight. She carefully researched the costumes, furniture, and house in this traditional Ukrainian tale--all are authentic. A fine story to read on a frosty night with a cup of hot chocolate, and if you ever get your fill of The Mitten, you can always try its delightfully original companion book, The Hat, winner of the 1998 Boston Globe-Horn Book Award. (Ages 4 to 8) ... Read more

Reviews (31)

The Mitten
The story of the Mitten begins when a boy named Nicki begs Baba to sew him white, wool mittens. After she finished, the boy went to play with them. Baba said that when he got home, she would check to see if he was alright, then see if he still had the new mittens. Soon, Nicki dropped one of his mittens and lost it. Many different animals found the mitten to be a good place to rest. At the end, Nicki finds his mitten and returns home. The only thing, is that one mitten is four times bigger then the other.
I really enjoyed the book, The Mitten. It was always may favorite when I was a young child. The story really kept my attention, and I could follow it very easily. I liked all the different types of animals. I though the story was very good, and I'm sure you would too.

A real gem!
I was looking for ways to introduce our family's Ukrainian heritage to my son (now 18 months). I was very pleasantly surprised to come across this book. It shows both the young boy and his grandmother in traditional Ukrainian dress. They even call the grandmother Baba (the Ukrainian word for grandmother). But even beyond the Ukrainian stuff, this book is excellent. The illustrations are beautiful. There are small inset illustrations that tell more background of the story along with the larger, main pictures. So this book is both a picture book and a story book in one. My son loves to look at the animals and all but shrieks with laughter whenever we act out the big sneeze that shoots them all out of the mitten. I'm sure this book will be a treasure in our home for years to come!

Small, short and sweet
This is a small handy for the car sort of book. The story is short and a pleasure to read as it reviews the names of different animals found in the forest. This was given to my little one as present from my Ukrainian grandmother whom we call "Baba", I like that we can relate to a few of the books details, like the gramdmother shown an ethnic blouse like the ones worn in the old country, and the boy is called Nick like many Ukrainian boys making the book even more authentic.

A Great Book
This is another great retelling by Jan Brett. I read this book to my second grade class every year. You can download a mitten and the animals from the story at Jan Brett's web site. After I read this delightful story to my class, the children color the animals and cut them out along with the mitten. I read the story again and they act it out with their animals. They take the mitten and animals home to do a retelling with their families. The children absolutely love this story and the activities.

Beautifully illustrated book!
My 18-month-old sons love this book. I have to read this one to them over and over ~~ they love the bright colorful pictures. They love hearing about the animals. And I love reading it to them. It's fun and pleasurable on the eyes as well.

Nicki wants a pair of white mittens and his Baba agrees to make it for him. However, he loses one and a mole decided to rest in the white mitten lying on the snow. He soon is joined by a rabbit, a fox, hedgehog, badger, owl, a bear and a tiny mouse. It's hilarious to imagine all of them in one tiny little mitten ~~ and so fun to read too!

I recommend Brett's books for everyone. She's a wonderful story-teller and her art is beautifully-illustrated. She is an example of how children's books should be!

2-4-04 ... Read more

Book Description

Long, long ago in ancient Greece, people began telling wonderful stories to explain the mysteries of life. These myths featured gods and goddesses, mighty beings who look human but have amazing powers and live forever. Now you can meet these extraordinary characters and hear their legends, brought to life again by Aliki in this splendid, panoramic look at the amazing stories and characters of Greek legend. "[Will meet the] demand for basic information on the gods and goddesses at the primary level."—BL. "Aliki's fans will welcome her introduction to these famous Greeks."—SLJ.

1994 "Pick of the Lists" (ABA) ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Children will learn how the Olympians gained their thrones
"The Gods and Goddesses of Olympus" provides two-page spreads on the fourteen major deities of Greek mythology. The large print text provides three or four paragraphs of description of how each was born, their responsibilities, and some of the myths associated with them. Children will enjoy Aliki's colorful full and half-page illustrations for each god(desses) and can match the details from the text with elements of the pictures. This is an excellent intermediary book on classical mythology, which provides more than the bare boned descriptions of an introductory effort, but without getting into detail.

I was expecting that this book would simply go through the pantheon of major gods and goddesses of Greek mythology, but the first-third is devoted to telling the story of how the Olympians came to rule. Aliki begins with the creation of Gaea, the Earth, from the dark space of Chaos, and Uranus, the sky. Gaea then gave birth to the first gods, the Titans, as well as the Cyclopes and Hectaoncheires. Cronus, the youngest of the Titans overthrows Uranus and becomes Lord of the Universe, but afraid that one of his children might overthrow him in turn, he swallows each of his children as he is born. But his wife Rhea tricks Cronus into swallowing a stone instead of their youngest child, Zeus. Eventually Zeus rescues his siblings, overthrows Cronus and the Olympians take their thrones.

Teachers and parents should anticipate that young readers are going to have some questions about the rather strange marital relationships of the Greek gods. After all, Gaea gives birth to Uranus and then bears him children. Both Cronus and Zeus marry their sisters, who also bear children. The explanation that there are different rules for the gods might not sit too well with them. But then just remember, Socrates had some questions about the morality of these gods as well (he wondered why if when humans did what the gods did and it was considered wrong, then why was it considered right when the gods did it).

A very pretty book
This book is very bright & has very pretty pictures to hold a child's attention. I bought it for my 8 yr old & I think it is a very nice book.

Fantastic book!
My 6-yr old neice absolutely loves this book. We had checked it out of the library and now I am purchasing it for her. This serves as a very good introduction to Greek mythology for young kids. It is clearly written and provides interesting vocabulary (that sometimes needs explanation). Our absolute favorite thing about the book is the illustration. The images are beautiful, fanciful, and inspire a person to dream! My neice has a hard time visually what words mean; she likes how there's a large portrait of the god or goddess, then scattered around him or her are little vignettes in pictures illustrating some major events in their lives. She can "read" this book herself and recall the stories. The images truly stick in one's mind.

I've looked at a dozen kids mythology books. Start them out with this one. If they are a bit older and dig mythology, get this for them anyhow. It will help refresh their memory.

Gods and Goddesses of Olympus
The Gods and Goddesses of Olympus is an interesting book. This book explains the origin of the gods and goddesses of Olympus. After reading this book a couple of times you will gain basic knowledge of the Greek gods and goddesses and how they evolved.

Aliki provides excellent illustrations that allow the story to be vividly portrayed. The illustrations relate well with the text and help the reader create a better understanding for the text. Her illustrations are drawn in pencil, then inked and colored with paints and colored pencils.

This book is at about a fifth grade reading level. However, the contents of this book are intended for an older, more mature audience, which leads to some concerns with using the book in the classroom. There are many moral issues in the book, as well as gruesome concepts throughout the book. For example, the ideas of incest are mentioned repeatedly, along with murder. These concepts may be rather difficult to explain to your students within your classroom.

Students who are interested in Greek gods and goddesses would really enjoy this book. However, in order for students to understand this book they need to be at a high independent reading level. The book can get rather confusing the first time around.

Great book for children.
My son is 3 and he loves this book. The information on the gods is interesting enough to entertain parents reading to a child, and the artwork is fun and colorful. ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Very Poopular at Our House
Forgive me please, but if have any toddlers in your home, potty talk is likely to be a common topic. This book is hilarious, for children and adults alike. It provides very detailed descriptions, complete with lovely sound effect details and great illustrations, of the act as performed by various animals, so that the mole can figure out "whodunnit" on his head. If that appeals to you at all, you should buy this book. We originally received this book in Norwegian, and I could not wait to see the English translation -- I have not been disappointed.

The Story of the Little Mole Who Went in Search of Whodunit
I thought this book was HILARIOUS!!!!!!!! My professor read it to us in one of my education classes and we all were laughing. I could see why some parents might get upset if I were to read it to their children in the classroom. However, I think it is a very appropriate book because it is an aspect of life that children always want to talk about and learn about. I could see myself using this in a classroom :) GREAT BOOK for ANY AGE!!!!!!

A must-have, definately!
I first bought this book as a gift for a new born baby and this lead to a huge response from the parents! To be honest, everyone who saw and wondered through this little book was laughing very hard and started buying it as a gift as well (and for themselves). The story is so funny, the Mole is really cross for the situation he is in and the drawings are marvellous! Children love hearing about something this smelly and basic which they are trying to master and get out of their diapers, yet every grown-up tries to pretend they don't 'do it', so to speak. But if you really want to see a little toddler laughing really, REALLY hard: buy this book. I promise you'll love it!

Everyone who saw this book asked where they could find it!
This is a very funny book. It never once uses any "base" scatological descriptions. Yet everyone understands what the "whodunit" is. The book is not just very amusing, but also educational - the illustrations are entertaining, without being gross or graphic.

Everyone I know who has a child, has asked me where they can find this book. It is tasteful, and deals with an aspect of life that most youngs ones are MOST interested in.

The only criticism is that it seems to be printed on slightly flimsy paper, otherwise...

Our family and friends abslutely adore this book!!

University course material
I was introduced to this book in a University elementary education science methods course for its good use of the investigative approach to science. Our entire class of students in their mid-twenties was rolling with laughter while our instructor read about little mole's investigation of who pooped on his head. As a future teacher, I would definitely use this book in my classroom to discuss how little mole narrows down his possible suspects using good science, as well as how different animals have different kinds of poop depending on their diets. As a future parent, I would love my kids to be comfortable with talking about bodily functions and using this book would be a funny way to talk about this topic. ... Read more

Book Description

The complete retelling of favorite Disney movies in a true read-aloud style. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

"Disneys Cinderella"
This is a book about a young girl, whos father marries into a family that does not like her. The stepmother and her two daughters treat her very rotten. They make her do all the chores, and they wont let her go to the ball. Well one night when she was sitting at home, by herslef, (while her stepmother, and two stepsisters are at the ball) she gets a visit from her fairy godmother, the fairy godmother tells her that she could go to the ball, as long as she was back by 12:00 midnight. When she was at the ball, she met this handsome prince, and she fell in love with him, but it was time for her to leave, and as she was running out (because she didnt want to be late) she lost her glass slipper, so the prince had to go all over the village and try this slipper on all of the womens feet. The slipper fit Cinderella and they got married and lived happily ever after. I feel that this book teaches that in the end it doesnt pay off to be mean to people. The age level i would recommend this for would be about 8. I think this was a very good book.

Wonderful Disney Classic
What a beautiful storybook version of a Disney Classic! This book tells the Disney Cinderella story, and includes all the story elements and characters from the movie. Each page has the gorgeous artwork from the film, along with a short paragraph.

Other Disney versions we've read don't include Jaq and Gus, which is NOT acceptable to my 3 year old daughter. This book is one of the longer stories we read (it takes me 15 to 20 minutes to read), but my daughter is engaged for the whole thing.

This book is wonderful by itself, or as a tie-in to the video. (I limit my daughter's video time, and this is a very acceptable alternative for her). It is definitely deserving of space on your bookshelf!

Beautify Disney illustrations but poorly written
I admit to being a Disney nut when I was a kid although Sleeping Beauty was my favorite "princess". When someone gave this to my 3 year old daughter I honestly thought she was a bit young to get into the whole "Prince Charming will sweep me away" thing. Unfortunately she is obsessed with both the book and the movie. There are the obviously dated themes of the stepmother and sisters (notice how apparently a big nose and brown eyes make someone instantly ugly?) and the getting married after a few dances. But in addition to that, which I could have overlooked, is the fact that the book is simply poorly written. The illustrations are taken directly from the movie and are beautiful. But the grammer is atrocious and the story lacks the continuity of the movie. I dread having to read this to her at bedtime.

Walt Disney's Enchanted Cinderella
Cinderella

I rate this book with 5 stars.
In Cinderella a little house cleaner gets no attention,
Until her fairy godmother comes and makes her beautiful.
Then she can go to the ball.
I would recommend this book to anyone.
This is Walt Disney's version of Cinderella.

"Cinderella"
"Cinderella" is about a girl, named Cinderella, who lives with her stepmother and her two stepsisters (who, above all, treat her with disrespect). One day she hears that there is going to be a Grand Ball held at the Palace. This Ball is being held for the Prince so that he can find the perfect maiden for his bride. Unfortunately, her evil stepmother will not allow her to go. But, she does anyway. This book teaches that nothing can stand in your way of doing anything that you want to do. This book would probably be a 2nd - 3rd grade book. This was a very good book and I recommend it to anyone that loves to read an adventure story that has a little bit of Romance in it. ... Read more

Book Description

The Chronicles of Narnia Audio Collection brings all seven of C.S. Lewis's beloved Narnia tales to life, as they are read by some of the world's most celebrated and renowned performers. ... Read more

Reviews (563)

Truly Fantastic
Clives Staples Lewis has created a mythical world which absolutely captures the human mind. The Chronicles of Narnia contain exciting plots, which all converge upon each other at the finally of the series: The Last Battle. Through out the books weaves the morals and beliefs of Christianity. These books do a wonder job of telling the story of the Bible, from the instantaneous creation of the world to the death of Aslan (Jesus). The way God cares about every one and desires us to enjoy life through Him, to the last battle and final days at the end of the world (of course Lewis did not know what was going to happen, yet it is still an interesting idea). In one of the best written books of all time, the land of Narnia comes alive with lovable and evil characters. The battle between good and evil is made abruptly apparent in this book as a small country goes through its history fighting for what is right. Light and darkness collide in the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe as four kids explore the land which they will rule. For a time it appears as though the evil side emerges victorious; but it is found that the White Witch as not the ability to peer far enough back into the depths time. This book it one of the most important of the set, because contained in it is the most important message of all time. My father used to read the Chronicles of Narnia to me when I was younger, now I read them on my own. When he did this he stressed, Christianity is having the relationship with God, like the youths had with Aslan. I think these are very well written books and I would encourage any one to read. I uphold C.S. Lewis as a great writer of the centuries and I praise his books (all of them) as magnificant.

The best fantasy series ever!
If I could I would give The Chronicles of Narnia 500 stars. The story is fresh and fascinating. The world of Narnia is how our world should be with humans and animals and other fantstical creatures joing together for the greater good.

The series starts with "The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe." Very accurate title because these are the important magical objects in this book. The shell of the story is set during WWII when the children of London are evacuated to the countryside in order to protect them from the air raids. Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy are sent to a country manor where they discover a wardrobe that transports them to the Magical world of Narnia where it is always winter, never Christmas, and even time flows different. We meet Mr. Tumnus the fawn and a kindly beaver couple who help the children escape the dreaded White Witch. Finally there is the incredible Aslan, the lion ruler of Narnia.

With seven books in the series it is impossible to sum up them all here, but they are all worth reading. My recommendation is to buy the series and read it to your children (that way you don't have to feel guilty that you are enjoying the books as much as they are). Or just buy it for the magical feeling of being young and full of imagnination.

This boxed set is the BEST way to get this CLASSIC
Over the last century, C.S. Lewis' Narnia Chronicles have become among the most beloved works of children's literature ever published, and with good reason. The seven volumes of this series offer stories that are absolutely timeless, fairy tales mixing adventurous journeys, marvelous characters, mythical creatures, terrible evils, and moral lessons. That they are well told only helps them stand the test of time.

This boxed set is simply gorgeous, with attractive covers and nice layouts - plus you get the books individually, which is good for children who may not have the stamina to hold up that giant collected edition.

Each of the seven volumes can be read as an independent story, yet each are linked together by reoccurring themes and characters. Together the separate books form a unified whole, the grand and epic tale that is the Narnia Chronicles. Only "The Horse And His Boy" stands alone as a tale outside the core story arc, though there are cameos by core characters. Over the course of the six core volumes, the interwoven story of Narnia is told from that magical land's creation to its glorious end.

The books are not always of consistent quality, but a strong book always follows the weaker volumes. Such was the case when the Homeresque "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" followed the forgettable "Prince Caspian," for instance.

Of course, calling the seven-book series a single epic brings into mind a long-running debate. In what order should the books be read; chronologically or in published order? In truth, either order will work because the stories are strong enough to withstand any amount of juggling.

The Narnia Chronicles are classics because they offer rich and rewarding stories, glimpses of far off and magical lands, and present entertaining characters to the reader. They stand the test of time because they contain age-old moral lessons, are written in an eminently readable way that just begs to be read aloud, and are simple enough for kids while deep enough for adults. The cliché holds true here: the books are great for young and old alike.

No fan of young adult or juvenile literature should pass up on the Narnia Chronicles. Neither should any fan of fantasy, either. And probably nor should any reader at all, period. Recommended classics and near essential reading.

The second best fantasy series ever written...
...after Lord of the Rings, and easily the best children's series ever written. 'Nuff said!

CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER IS FOR ADULTS!!!
If you are new to this series, especially if you are going to read it to a child, DO NOT READ THEM IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER! A child will lose interest after a few chapters. Few great stories are told strictly in chronological order and the hook for Narnia is "The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe".

Many of these other reviews done by people saying that they like reading these books in chronological order are adults who fell in love with the series years ago, and now see this new order as making better grown-up sense. Reading it this way for the first time will leave you with many details that shouldn't be discovered until after reading the first few books in the original order, and won't keep a child interested the way I and so many others were as kids.

So please, if you are an adult familiar and returning to this series, feel free to read it in any order you choose, (I certainly do) but if this is your first time, read it in the order below...cheers

1) The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, 2) Prince Caspian, 3)The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, 4) The Silver Chair, 5) The Horse and His Boy, 6) The Magician's Nephew, and 7) The Last Battle ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (21)

Once Upon a Marigold
Once Upon a Marigold Harcourt, 2002, 272pp., $6.95
Jean Ferris ISBN 0-439-57624-5

Christian, a 17 year-old boy, who lives with a troll, has for ten watched through a telescope the princesses in the neighboring kingdom. He was watched them grow up and get married, all but one, Marigold. Marigold is a smart beautiful princess who has the gift to read peoples' minds when she touches them. People do not know the secret of this gift, so they avoid her, which makes her sad and lonely. Her father is the one person who does not avoid his daughter. King Swithbert is a very sick man who is humble and kind to everyone. Queen Olympia, Marigold's mother, is trying to find a young prince to marry her daughter so that she can rule the kingdom.
One day while watching Marigold, Christian decides to contact her via p-mail
(carrier pigeon). She responds to his question and so their friendship begins.
Once upon a Marigold is about love and friendship. It shows a friendship grow in to love. This book has a clever plot with many humorous and surprising twists and turns. Jean Ferris created detailed characters with interesting personalities.

EXTREMELY GOOD BOOK!!!!!!!
Once Upon A Marigold (by Jean Ferris)is one of my new favorte books.
This book starts when Edric (commonly called Ed) finds little Christian hiding from his parents in a bush. Christian insists that parents, especially his, are too strict. He makes Ed let him stay. Eventually, he starts watching the royal family through Ed's telescope. The princess Marigold gets a letter from him one day, and they start a friendship over P-mail. (Pigeon mail). When Christian is 18, Ed tells him to go over to the castle and get a job. Chris finds out that Marigold is having a big dinner that night, and she must pick a suitor, either the uptight Prince Cyprian, or the weak-kneed Sir Magnus. The story turns into a wild adventure when Chris finds out that Queen Olympia wants to murder both Marigold and the kind old King Swithbert.
This book is very good, and I recommend it to anyone who likes fantasy. ages 9 and up.

I loved this book
I loved this book. If your a big fan of fairy tales and stuff like that you would like this book. I know people are saying it was a bit corney, but I enjoy stuff like that even though I didn't find this book to be a bit corney. I'm not a big fan of reading seeing that I'm only 13 but I got this book and I finished it in a day, I couldn't put it down! I was even reading it at dinner!

An Amazing romantic fairy tale
This book is truly one of a kind. Unique, anything farther away than horrible. Jean Ferris did an amazing job on this book. I know you don't want to listen to may say how great this book is and you want to know what it is about so I will tell you what it is about.
Ed, is a troll that must live in a cave for 100 years, but he good the better one. Amazing chrystals in every room with different colors, better then what his brothers got. One day while exploring he finds a little boy named Christian. He is dressed in nice clothes, but he ran away from his home. Ed, takes him in, even though at first he doesn't want to. Now about 11 years later he realized that it was a great idea to take care of him, and see his childhood. Well, Ed is an exlporer so he finds many things including a telescope. Ed and Christian live near the kings castle and Chris watches the princess marigold every day with the telescope.
One day Christian gets a bright idea, and you have to read the book to find out what.
I personaly loved this book, and I think you will too. I'm a fantsy reader, but definitely not a romance novel reader, but this books combines adventure, fantsy, realistic, and romance into one amazing book that has the perfect amount of each one. I hope you take my advice and read this book. It is one of the best books I've ever read.

Pretty good fairy tale
Fans of Patricia Wrede's Dragon series or Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine will probably enjoy this book. The books is in the tradition of movies like Knight's Tale: traditional-ish fairy tale with modern day overtones. Christian and Marigold communicate via p-mail (pigeon mail.)
I think this is a book that intermediate and middle school readers will enjoy. ... Read more

Book Description

When a poor devout widow begs for a scrap of bread from a rich faithless baker, she promises to participate in the king's wedding mass as payment for the baker's generosity. The baker writes "One Mass" on a scrap of paper and places it on his scale to determine how much bread it is worth. To his and the entire town's surprise, nothing in the shop, not even the gigantic wedding cakes made for the king, outweighs the simple piece of paper representing the true worth of a mass. Luminous old-world watercolor paintings grace the interior of the book and gold foil artwork lends an air of solemnity and sacred beauty to the story. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Awesome book!
What a wonderful way to explain the importance and power of a single Mass! And the illustrations are BEAUTIFUL! We read this book today and are definitely going to be adding it to our library.

Thank you
Thank you very much for the kind words! I'm the illustrator of this book, and I was very happy and touched when I observed the exhaustive reviews above. I absolutely agree with them, the story is really wonderful. I especially admire its polished style, it is really carefully-chosen. I remember when I red it the first time, it was a special experience for me to read the story. It is so touching, beautiful and amazing. I warmly recommend this book for everybody, who loves the classical values.

Exquisite, beautiful, luminous story and illustrations!
Want to give your children or other children whom you love a precious gift? Give them this book! It's one they'll read as children and they'll read 40 years from now to their own children. It's not only a beautiful story, but one that will strengthen their faith.

Wonderfully written by Josephine Nobisso and luminously illustrated by Katalin Szegedi, The Weight of a Mass, is an original cultural folk tale based upon a true story. The story reads and looks like a fairy tale.

A ragged, destitute widow arrives at the kingdom's prosperous bakery and begs only a crust of bread in exchange for offering a royal wedding Mass for the baker.

The baker scoffs and tears off a tiny piece of tissue paper on which he writes the words: One Mass, intending to place them it on the scale to find out the value of a Mass.

Much to his surprise, when he drops a piece of old bread on the other side of the scale, it does not tip. So, he enlists his son to stack more and more baked goods on top of the scale. Out come cherry topped cupcakes, marzipan apple, filled chocolates, poppy seed cakes, rolls, donuts, fruitcakes, cream cakes, berry tarts, poached pears, plum pudding, candied fruits, almond confetti, crsuhed walnuts, and eventually the royal wedding cake.

The father, his son, the old woman, and others in the kingdom come to learn the weight of a Mass.

The story includes an author's postscript recounting the original story as told by Father Stanislaus from Luxembourg who tells of a conversation between a butcher and a Captain of the Forest Guards that was interrupted by an old woman begging a morsel of meat in exchange for a Holy Mass intention. As a result of the miracle, the Captian began attending Mass daily and one of his sons later received a calling to the priesthood.

I cannot say praise this book enough. It's a genre that is sorely needed in children's literature. Not only is it a beautiful book, but it teaches about the richness of the Mass and the priceless presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist.

The paintings are wonderful, particularly those of an arched interior of the Cathedral and the bishop holding up the Eucharist at the wedding Mass.

Do yourself a favor. Purchase this book for your children, your grandchildren, and any other children whom you love.

An enthusiastically recommended tale of human spirit
The Weight Of A Mass: A Tale Of Faith by Josephine Nobisso is an enhanting children's fairy tale picturebook based on a true event, about a widow who brings about change in the formerly cold hearts of a kingdom when she begs for stale bread in exchange for participating in the royal wedding Mass. Gentle color illustrations by Katalin Szegedi enrich this heartwarming and enthusiastically recommended tale of human spirit and faith in God. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (4)

good
I really like this series. The author gives these owls such great personalities and makes you really care.

In this book, Ezlyryb is back and Kludd is mad. Soren and the "Clan of Clans" must go to the dreaded place of St. Aggies to find out weather St. Aggies and the Pure ones have joined forces. Also, The pure ones plan a major attact on the Great Tree.

Characters are developed more. Otulissa is becoming a lot more llikable, we see Twilight become a little more than war, and of course Soren (the main character) is developed more. My only problem is Eglantine, Soren's sister, is almost non-existant.

Yet another good book in this great series. I cant wait for the next one.

The Siege by Jake
I chose this book not only because I wanted to try and get closer to finishing the series, but because I knew it was going to be a great book. Just like the other three before it. The author, Kathryn Lasky, has an ability to hook the reader, and give detail to every thing and every character.

The book the Siege is about Soren's brother Kludd, swearing revenge on Soren and the Great tree. While all Kludd's plans were happening Soren and his friends, or the chaws of all chaws have been assigned by Boron and Baran on a mission to St. Aggies. Soren and Glyfie still have bad memories about St. Aggies, and doubts about going. If they go, will they come back alive with St. Aggie info, as well as news about an attack being planned by the pure ones?

Read this book and discover the author's ability to hook, as well as her detail. This book also has real facts about owls, on the back of the book. he author even tells you what species the owls are. This book is just a great book.

An exciting adventure
The Siege was great. I thought that it was cool because there was a lot happening in the story. Actually, there might have been too much going on, so that it was a little harder to keep up with the story's events than the earlier books. Before you read The Siege, you also must read the first three books in order: The Capture, The Journey, and The Rescue.

The Chaw of chaws is on a mission to spy on St. Aggies to see if they are still mindless with flecks. Mission succesful. Otulissa lies to them about the flecks and finds that they hate the pure ones and are brutal enemies of them. On the way back to the Great Tree, they find that the pures have settled on Cape Glaux and are planning to invade the tree. The Great Tree must be ready for The Great Siege.

I think everybody should give this series a try. When people pick up this book, they think, "who thinks of owls when writing a good teens' book." Well that's why Kathryn Lasky did it. It's something different. She took ordinary owls, added some true facts and turned it into a real life scenario to make an excellent adventure. There's also another book coming in August called The Shattering, book #5 of The Guardians of Ga'Hoole, by Kathryn Lasky. I can't wait to read it!

The Siege
I've found all four of the books I've read in this series to be such a delight. The author continues to do an amazing job with blending the real life owl behaviors into a fantastical tale. The struggles we watch Soren continually go through with his fellow owls will break your heart and fill it with such joy. In this book we finally get a better look at Kludd, Soren's despicable brother, which was executed perfectly. There's a lot of rage in that one. Sheesh! All of the villains are the kinds of characters we love to hate and only make the heroes all the more endearing.

Stylizing Ezylryb's 3 main speeches after Winston Churchill's radio addresses was truly a nice touch to the story. Oh and I don't want to give anything away, but I will say this, Otulissa's growth in this book is at the same time remarkable and saddening. Actually, I've found all the characters to have such outstanding personalities, making each memorable in their own way. It's definitely a fun book and a fun series to read. I can't wait for book 5 to be released! :) ... Read more