Reviews (31)

Sword in the stone
The book "The Sword in the Stone" by: T.H White, is about a young boy named wart along with many friends going on long journeys during the Middle Ages, through out royal land and castles, getting lost in the woods, and meeting strange mystical people along with meeting Merlin the magical magician. I really liked the book "The Sword in the Stone" because I found it very exiting and extremely interesting because once you get into it, it's very hard to put the book down. It's a book for all people because it has action, science/fiction, and comedy. Even though it is a short 288 page book, there is still a lot of action and there is definitely a lot of Medieval people, events, etc. The best part of reading "The Sword in the Stone" is that there is a lot of things to learn about and there is a lot of interesting parts in the book. If you really like a book with character and exiting action, comedy, and interesting facts, you should read "The Sword in the Stone". I really think that the author "T.H White" did a very well job with keeping myself and everybody interested in the book and making it an extremely lovable book. In conclusion, I think "The Sword in the Stone" is one of the best Middle Ages books to read, it's an educational book, and especially, I think that more people should read it and get other books written by T.H White, because he writes the best medieval books.

The Sword in the Stone
A boy named the Arthur, called Wart, livng during the Middle Ages, is taught by a magician about the past, present, and future, and about all creatures living on the Earth. When the opportunity arises for the Wart to become King, he must recall everything he has learned to pull the magic sword from the stone and become the new leader of England. I enjoyed this book because it had so many exciting battles and page turning adventures. Even a small bit about Robin Hood! The plot really doesn't appear until the last few chapters, where you realized that every story within the book was connected all along. It is nice to know that there are fun and interesting books to read about the Medeival times. I think that if you are looking for a book with lots of adventure, this is truely one that you should read.

The Sword in The Stone
There are parts in the book that start to bore you at times. T.H. White puts anachronisms to make it more interesting. The book was not very thrilling. The book can seem like it is never ending. But I'd say that this book is plain boring. It does have some adventure. I did not like it. I DONT RECCOMEND IT!

There's different versions of this story!
T.H.White must have published at least three slightly different versions of this story.

When I read the full Once And Future King book a few years ago, there was no Madame Mim episode, there was a buttery version of the fairy castle (Robin Hood) episode, there was an Archimedes/Wild Geese episode, and some other minor changes/additions.
When I read a paperback Sword In The Stone twenty years ago, there was a much nicer non-buttery version of the FairyCastle/RobinHood episode, and I don't think the Giant Galapas episode was there, etc.
Now I've just read the illustrated hardcover Sword In The Stone edition, and the FairyCastle/RobinHood episode is replaced by an Anthropophagi/RobinHood episode, Giant Galapas is there, and the Archimedes/WildGeese isn't (its been replaced by an Archimedes/Athena episode).

Anyone else notice these differences and have an explanation for them?

Delightful, whimsical and tragically flowed
The five star reviews are right on and I have nothing more to add in praise of this book, but a word of warning: this book contains unacceptable racist language and excuses, even glorifies, slavery in language that though describing serfdom closes mimics arguements used to dismiss condemnations of slavery in the Americas. Any adult who purchases this book for children should be aware of this and make plans to discuss these passages together. ... Read more

Book Description

Ridiculed by all but her animal friends, little wingless Fia spends her days on the earth rather than in the sky. But when the boy fairy Kip invites her to attend the May Dance, Fia timidly accepts. Her wingless condition creates a stir until the dance is interrupted by a wicked troll seeking a late-night snack of fairy wings! ... Read more

Reviews (8)

A Fairy Tail Worthy of the Ages
This is a truly great children's book. It is my favorite fairy story of all time, seriously. There is adventure and compassion, deceit and intrigue, princes and trolls--it's all there. Fia is a wingless fairy and stands in for all who feel incomplete. In a rare occurance in modern books, her father is her greatest advocate. Her best friends (other fairies shun her, including her seven beautiful sisters)--a frog a rat and a crow--are also considered outcasts. By chance or fate she meets the Fairy Prince without realizing his true identity and he invites her to the Great May Dance. Amidst the ensuing Cinderella story, Fia exhibits great fortitude in saving all the fairies from a troll who--in a great swash of irony--wants the fairies only for their pretty wings. She is aided in this endeavor by her outcast friends and they all gain the respect of the fairies through this act at once compassionate and courageous. The large and lavish watercolor illustrations are equal to the text in this first husband-and-wife collaboration. I cannot recommend a book more enthusiastically for it's genre.

Not just for girls, this story is sure to transport you
right into the magical world of fairies! I bought this book for my niece, but my son also enjoyed it. The illustrations are magnificent and even though the story is "Cinderella like" it goes on it's own course of events that kept us on the 'edge of our seats' till the end! Fia is beautiful on the inside and outside even though she isn't exactly like the other fairies. She might be dainty but she is courageous and brave! We highly recommend it.

delightful tale, wonderful pictures
This is the story of a little fairy named Fia, who, unlike all the other fairies, was born without wings. The other fairies tend to avoid her out of embarassment or discomfort, even her sisters. And while her parents are always loving, Fia must find her friends among the little animals. All this changes after she befriends one fairy boy, who later turns out to be the Prince; and after Fia bravely journeys to the Troll's cave to rescue all the other fairies, who have been captured by the Troll so that he might cut off their wings for his collection. Reminiscent of Rudolph the Reindeer, everyone changes their opinion of Fia after her heroism.

I read this story to my 4 1/2 year old daughter, and she really liked it. I imagine that this was primarily due to the wonderful, luminous illustrations. Although there are illustrations on every page, there is also a lot of text to go along with it, perhaps more than the patience of many younger kids can handle. The ideal ages would probably be from age 6 through 10.

Enchanting!
I love this book! I'm 27 and I bought this book for my collection. I love faeries, but I especially love it when I find a sweet story with beautiful illustrations of the winged ones. The story reminds me of Cinderella meets Thumbellina. It really has a theme of its own and I didn't feel like I bought into another rendition of Cinderella. The illustrations are just precious. This is a treasure I will enjoy sharing with my children and grandchildren.

Winner of the Golden Kite Award for Illustration
Little Fia is the youngest fairy in a family of eight sisters; her sisters have lovely wings, she has none. Fia's seven sisters have compassion for her lack of wings, but they disapprove of her earthly behavior and the animals she has befriended, which are a frog, a rat, and a crow. It's time for the May Dance, and the fairies will be showing off their wings in the reflection of Puffers Pond near Troll's Wood. Fia has reconciled to being left out again. While sharing a new creation with rat, Fia runs into a boy fairy named Kip. He invites her to the dance, and she accepts. Will she be brave enough to follow through? Will the May Dance be safe near Troll's Wood where the wing-collecting Troll lives?

Fairy Wings is a creatively written, artistically illustrated tale. The story is memorable, and little Fia, delicate in appearance, is valiant in thought and deed. She is a great role model. Fairy Wings is enjoyable for all ages, including adults. Getting through this 30-page wonder will take longer than you think; each illustration is wonderfully done, and will demand ample attention before you can turn to the next. ... Read more

Book Description

This spooky addition to Alvin Schwartz's popular books on American folklore is filled with tales of eerie horror and dark revenge that will make you jump with fright.

There is a story here for everyone -- skeletons with torn and tangled flesh who roam the earth; a ghost who takes revenge on her murderer; and a haunted house where every night a bloody head falls down the chimney.

Stephen Gammell's splendidly creepy drawings perfectly capture the mood of more than two dozen scary stories -- and even scary songs -- all just right for reading alone or for telling aloud in the dark.

Reviews (54)

Stephen Gammel is a genius!
The first book I read out of the three in the series was "More Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark," but this is my favorite one by far. No other scary story book(s) alive will EVER compete with this one and its two other sequels. Like almost everyone has said, it's not so much the stories that make this one and it's counterparts scary, it's the damn illustrations! Now let me tell you, Alvin Schwartz does do a very good job of putting stories of old folklore together with a couple of his own stories that he made up himself, but without the help of Stephen Gammel I highly doubt this book (and the other ones) would be so popular. These books are definitely not for the little ones, well maybe they would be if you don't show them the illustrations because there's a VERY good chance they will have nightmares. I swear though if I could draw and paint like Gammel does I would be a happy man, that's for sure! Anyhoo, let me get to the part of where I tell you why this book is my favorite. Not only does it have the best stories in it (in my opinion anyways) but out of the entire series this one has the most unbelieveably nightmarish drawings. "The Thing" and ESPECIALLY "The Haunted House" are VERY good examples! "The Thing"'s illustration is pretty scary but while reading "The Haunted House," I have to put a piece of paper over the illustration to cover it up while reading the story itself, it's that bad trust me. Overall, while I wish very badly that Alvin and Stephen would collaborate again to make more of these books (and I don't think they will, tis very sad) I am glad I have all three of these books, they are well worth the price. However I very rarely read them anymore, it's not like I'm tired of them or anything it's cuz they're too damn scary! I just read all of them yesterday and I predict it's gonna be another 3 years or so before I read them again. That being said, if you don't buy all 3 of these books ..., plain and simple.

Awesome
I read these books (all three of them) when I was in third grade. They were so popular at my school, the library had 4 copies of each book, and you still had to put your name on a waiting list. The first time i read them, I was totally freaked out (Steven Gammell's illustrations added imensly to the horror that Schwartz weaved), I remember not sleeping well the first night after I read them. Its now 8 years later (I'm a senior in high school) and I had completly forgotten that they existed. I stumbled upon them when I was searching for Stephen King (I've always been a fan of the horror genre) and ordered all three of them. If you're into fokelore and scary stories, these three books (Scary Stories, More Scary Stories and Scary Stories 3) are all must-haves in your collection. Enjoy, they're WICKED good :)

I am still totally creeped out.
So ten or fifteen years ago, when I was in elementary school, this was definitely the NUMBER ONE MOST FREQUENTLY CHECKED-OUT LIBRARY BOOK, EVER. If you wanted this book in your hot little hand for just two days, you had to stand at the counter and wait for someone to turn it back in, just so you could snatch it up before the librarian got it back onto the shelf. No joke.

America's a young country, of course, so our idea of "American folklore" often falls into the sphere of Urban Legend. That doesn't mean this book is any less literary, of course: children will learn what REAL short story pacing is, thanks to Alvin Schwartz's suspenseful collection of concise, tense, and often outright nightmarish stories.

But the real thing that will haunt kids a decade or two later will be Stephen Gammell's illustrations. Yipes! I've asked my peers, and not one of us has forgotten those awful, macabre, dripping-flesh-decay illustrations. Ick! Just remembering this book gives me the creeps!

But parents, don't worry: this book is a must-have for any well-rounded childhood, so long as you don't mind sharing your bed with your kid for a week or two.

Great collection of scary stories for kids
This is the greatest collection of scary stories for kids and pre teens ever. I have collected many scary stories books through out my childhood and this is the only one whos storys have actually stuck with me and the only ones i can remember. Every book in the series , this one , more scary storys to tell in the dark and scary stories 3 are all good. The storys were so creepy i can still remember them to this day and i have recently got the other scary stories books so i can see if they were as good as i remember and they are. I first got this book when i was about 10 years old and lost it over the years then i re ordered a copy and the stories still have same effect and value as i remember. They have great illustrations and even some songs in a couple of the books. I used to stay up at night and read this with my friend and we would read the stories to eachother , i was so excited cause the book was so good and most of the stories gave me chills and i was not one to scare easy. For 6 bucks this is well worth it and the memories and storys will last forever.

Scary Stories to tell in the Dark
My book is the best book ever! It is called Scary Stories to tell in the Dark. Since there is more than one story you can never get bored with it. There is a scary part of about 5 chapters long, and there is a funny part. (It is only one chapter.) One of the scary stories you will love is the White wolf. In this story a pack of wolves keep eating farmers' sheep. Then a butcher says he will help get rid of the sheep even though he has retired from hunting. I will not tell you any more of the story, you will just have to read it. One of the funny stories is the Viper. In this story a widower gets a phone call from the Viper, and he calls about 3 times. Then the widower calls the police. I will not tell you any more, but I will tell one more thing. I highly and truly recommend this book. On a scale of 0-10 I would give this a 9. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A great collection of stories!
I found this book extremely enjoyable. The selections are very entertaining. Now, I just have to find the time to read the entire book of each selection. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Too absolute in its message
The illustrations are cute and the story is too but I don't like the ending. Princess Smarty-Pants is only a child. Of course she isn't ready to get married. But who knows if she may change her mind in 10 years or so? How long exactly is "ever-after"? Or if a prince isn't to her liking, maybe a princess? I realize this is a childrens' book but I don't like the absoluteness of the solution.

Who ever said that feminists can¿t be bigots?
Try to imagine a book titled, "Prince Wiseguy," the hero of which thinks too highly of himself to get married to any woman. Rather than succumb to pressure from his parents to do so, he devises all sorts of plans to outwit and humiliate the princesses who want to marry him. If you get the picture, you'd understand why the book - regardless of how amusing it was - would rightly be deemed misogynistic.

If you understand this much, yet think that it is OK for women to behave this way towards men, then by all means read this book, internalize its message, and go through life thinking that half of the people in the world are sub-human. But for goodness sakes, you should be encouraging your children to grow up - not copy your own childish hangups.

In fairness, and as another reader pointed out, the heroine may be a spoilt brat, but I certainly wouldn't expect her to wait in her tower for her suitor. But, if it is independence the author is trying to promote, why not have the princess go and find her own prince and show her parents that she does not need to be rescued from her tower? If, however, as I suspect the author is implying, girls should be taught to do whatever they want and not attach any significance to relating to the opposite sex, well, that's a message, but its not a message that's likely to produce a happy, mature adult.

Granted, the story is very funny and fun to read, so if you must read it - and two of my boys did love it - then make sure that they understand that it is just a silly story.

A spoiled brat makes a lousy heroine.
Babette Cole wrote one terrific book Ð Prince Cinders -- that turns a fairy tale on its head. Princess Smartypants is similar to Prince Cinders, but it isnÕt nearly as good. The idea of a princess who has lots of interests of her own and no desire to sit around waiting for a prince to come along and save her is a good one. But Smartypants is such an annoying character that the whole thing falls apart, I think. In order to discourage her suitors, Smartypants makes up tasks they have to complete before they can claim her hand. The tasks are mean and pointless, and the princess comes across, to me at least, as a spoiled brat. A princess waiting for Prince Charming may be a lousy role model for young girls, but this bratty princess is no improvement. If youÕre looking for an antidote to too many fairy tales, there are lots of better alternatives...

Finally, A Fairy Tale with a Positive Message
If you worry that exposing your children solely to Disney fairy tales will give them a warped view of the world, read them Princess Smartypants. It's funny, the pictures are fabulous, it's a great story and kids will love it. All the while they will learn a couple of positive messages. You should follow your heart regarding marriage and men who don't respect women should watch out. Princess Smartypants has an excellent life. She spends her days with her animals and is happy. Her only problem is she is plagued by suitors who only want to marry her for her wealth and beauty, but do not appreciate her for who she really is. She gives into pressure from her parents and agrees to hear out her suitors, but cleverly devises a plan to make them all go away. She challenges them to a fitness test which none of them can pass. She is quite happy until the last one comes along and passes all of her tests. He is cocky and overconfident and his tragic flaw is that he didn't think Princess Smartypants was so smart at all. So she kisses him and turns him into a toad. All the other princes run away and she lives happily ever after with her animals. My description may sound heavy, but the story is told with much wit and charm. My four year old loves the story, much more so than the Disney stories. I highly recommend this book for all parents of toddlers. I think it teaches young children that there are alternative routes to happiness, but it never takes itself too seriously.

Who said feminists couldn't be funny
This is a very funny book (well, it is the first few times you read it). Just love the illustrations which tell so much of the story, especially the chinless wonders who come a-courting.

Princess Smartypants DOES get to live happily ever after in this story, but not in the usual way.

My son loves it. I overheard him telling a friend the other day that "some people don't WANT to get married". That's OK, isn't it? ... Read more

Book Description

"An epic fantasy in the Tolkien tradition, with a strong girl hero...I couldn't put it down!" - Tamora Pierce

Maerad is a slave in a desperate and unforgiving settlement, taken there as a child when her family is destroyed in war. She doesn't yet know she has inherited a powerful gift, one that marks her as a member of the noble School of Pellinor and enables her to see the world as no other can. It is only when she is discovered by Cadvan, one of the great Bards of Lirigon, that her true identity and extraordinary destiny unfold. Now, she and her mysterious teacher must embark on a treacherous, uncertain journey through a time and place where the forces of darkness wield an otherworldly terror. The first book in a projected quartet, Alison Croggon's epic about Maerad and her remarkable yet dangerous gift is a beautiful, unforgettable tale. Presented as a new translation of an ancient text, "The Naming evokes the rich and complex landscape of Annar, a legendary world just waiting to be discovered. ... Read more

Book Description

Who was the largest baby ever born in the state of Maine? Who dug the Great Lakes? Who gouged out the Grand Canyon? Why, Paul Bunyan, of course, America's finest, fastest, funniest lumberman and favorite tall-tale hero. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Jeff's Book Review
This book is very funny and entertaining.It was funny to see how Paul Bunyan, who was gigantic as both a baby and an adult, delt with all of the people and monsters who were much smaller than him. This book has great pictures and will make you laugh.

Wonderfully Illustrated!
This is a very enjoyable story retold with the most captivating illustrations. The vocabulary telling this story is wonderful and is a great book to read to the young and an excellent book for the early reader. Children will enjoy this enhanced version! This is not a book to miss.

fun with tall tales
Students are sure to enjoy this hilarious account of how many of our nation's wonders were created. This tall tale has been "spruced up" with a rich and colorful vocubulary, and is combined with illustrations that will keep the reader coming back for discovery time and time again. Steven Kellog's series of tall tales are invaluable in the classroom as students experience various literary elements such as: genre, author/illustrators, and theme related impressions. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Great for a Child's Emotional Intelligence
I'm an EQ coach, and use myths (art, poetry, music and instruction, as well) to help people develop their emotional intelligence. I was fortunate enough to grow up learning myths, and continued to study them in college, as my minor was in Greek. I recently formed a list of books parents could use to help develop their children's EQ, and this book is definitely on it. My grandchild loved it, and I was so happy to find it.

Classic Myths for Young Minds
In this charming retelling of many favorite Greek myths, Heather Amery makes the age-old tales of Persephone, Pygmalion, Ulysses, and others come to life for the young reader. These stories are beautifully illuminated and perfect for reading aloud. The print is also large enough that an early reader can tackle them himself. As a bookstore employee, I enjoy using this book for in-store storytime. I highly reccomend it! ... Read more

Reviews (12)

A soothing tale that builds with each verse
The PBS show "Reading Rainbow" featured this book; James Earl Jones read it; I fell in love with it and have been giving it as a gift to friends ever since. The gentle story unfolds line by line, with a tender rhythm that entrances: "These are the cows, all hungry and dry, Who mooed for the rain to fall from the sky..." Ultimately Ki-pat, who's watching his herd, brings rain to Kapiti Plain by launching an arrow into the sky. But the charm is in the telling. My 11-year-old still obliges me and lets me read it to him every once in a while.

A good review.
The Bringing The Rain to Kapiti Plain, by Verna Aardema pictures by, Beatriz Vidal is about. The Kapiti Plain when there is no rainfall there and all the animals are dehydrated. Little boy's dad is sick and cannot shot the rain down form the big black cloud above the Kaptit Plain. So the little boy has to do the job for his sick dad.
I think little kids would be interested it this book because it help to understand some or little world around you. It teaches you to care for some animals and to help people that need some help.

The Best Little People Book
Oh my Gosh! This book is so wonderful. I read it as a kid and I have it completely memorized it from cover to cover. It sounds even better when you say it from memory to people. They are like, Whoa! I am going to buy it for my kids.

I love this book :)
I was just looking for it today (unsuccessfully), even though I'm thirteen. I love looking back on all those picture/rhyme books, and this has to be one of my favorites. It's one of those books that is meant to be read aloud! The words roll off your tounge. The pictures are rather amusing, too.

Kapiti wasn't a plain in my neck
This book was a nice book and I will like to read it again.
I like that the good writer added alot of detail's and the birad
drop a father on kapiti plane and drought. ... Read more

Book Description

After struggling against the gods and his fate for more than twenty years, Odysseus has returned to Ithaca at last.But things have changed: what used to be his island has been overrun by suitors who clamor for his wife's hand in marriage and plague his son, Telemachus.With the help of the gray-eyed goddess, Athena, Odysseus and Telemachus must set out to regain control of Ithaca. In these books based on episodes from Homer's Odyssey, Mary Pope Osborne brings to life the exciting adventures of one of the greatest heroes of all time. ... Read more

Book Description

You may think you know this story I am going to tell you, but you have not heard it for true. I was there. So I will tell you the truth of it. Here. Now. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

I like it because the pictures and the writing are great
I am giving the book Cendrillon 5 stars because there are words in French, there are excellent pictures, and San Souci has a very good way at making the story make sense.

I liked that they put in French words because it tells the reader that the people in the story speak French.

The author, Robert D. San Souci, is excellent at writing. I have read more of his books and they are all great.

The illustrater, Brian Pinkney, has a great way of making the pictures stand out. Pinkney has a nice way of drawing the outlines of things. You can almost see things jumping out of the pages. You can see he mixes in colors, so he gets the colors he wants.

The book is great.

Kudos!
This is a wonderfully rich retelling of the traditional French Cinderella story, set in the Caribbean. As a school librarian I've shared this title with students to compare it to the traditional version. They love it! The pronunciation guide in the back is most helpful. The story is unique because it is from the point of view of the spunky godmother. Pinkney's scratchboard illustrations are perfect!

We liked this story because some words were in French.
We rated it number four because we liked the drawings. We thought the drawings brought out the book. We thought the illustrations were very colorfuland very interesting because it was by the Carrabien Sea. We, also, liked it because some words were in French. There should not have been servants in the story. We thought it was like the other Cinderella stories. The author should have changed it a little bit. We suggest younger school aged pupils would enjoy this book better that upper elementary pupils. We have enjoyed reading this book a lot. By : The Four Recess Lovers*

We rated it a two because we did not understand it.
The story is about a lovely girl whose mother dies and her father remarries a evil lady. Her father worked alot and her stepmother made her do all of the work. All the girls in the town got invited to a ball that the Prince was having. There he would pick one lady to be his bride. The housekeeper of the house had a magic wand that her mother had given her. She uses the wand so that Cendrillion can go to the ball. She and the housekeeper got to go to the ball, but they had to be back at 12:00pm. They got sidetrack and the 12:00pm clock rang.Then they ran home but the Prince found that she had lost her shoe. He looks all over town. Then he goes to a house which is Cendrillion's house. Then her evil stepsisters tries to fit the shoe on their big feet,but the shoe wouldn't fit their big feet. Then her mother tried the shoe on, but it would not fit her foot either. Then Cendrillion tried it on and it fits her just fine. Then ,the Prince and her got married,and they lived happily ever after in the Prince's big catle with all their riches.

We rated it a 4 because it had good pictures and a plot.
There was once a girl and her god mother and they worked for the girls step mother. Her step mother was really mean. Her step mother was very mean. The step mother didn't want Cendrillion to go the ball. The washer woman turns into a fairy god mother, and sends Cendrillion to the ball. She looks as a princess would look when she went to the ball. She had a very nice dress. She road in very fancy carriage. She danced all night until twelve o'clock. She was leaving and lost one of her slippers. The prince goes through out the town looking all over for his bride to be. He tries to find out which foot fits the slipper. Her step sister tries the slipper on. The god mother says "It would only fit you if you cut off your toes". The god mother ran all the way upstairs to find Cendrillion. She found her in her room, and dragged her down the stairs. She went and saw her beloved the prince. The prince asked her to try on the beautiful slipper. She said yes. It was a perfect fit! Then they asked to get married. They got married at the princes kingdom. They had a party after the wedding. They lived happily ever after!We suggest this book to people who like fairy tales.

By:The Snowboarder Kids ... Read more

Book Description

Retold from Joel Chandler Harris's Uncle Remus: His Songs and Sayings, this collection of fanciful folktales is enlivened by the extraordinary artwork of the late illustrator Don Daily. Children of all ages will chuckle at the adventures of Brer Rabbit and his friends, told in wise, entertaining stories which contain valuable lessons that speak to young readers. ... Read more

Book Description

The sixth tale in our Legend series, "The Legend of the Petoskey Stone" focuses on the naming of this unique fossil, found only on the shores of Lake Michigan.From the ancient, warm sea that covered most of the state, through Native American history and the history of the town named after a great chief, "The Legend of the Petoskey Stone" is a welcome addition to the fables so richly told and illustrated by this much-loved and honored children's book team. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

One for me, two for you
This book is the embodiment of everything (in a word) pleasant. It's just a pleasant pleasant story to read through. Based on a classic Chinese folktale, the book follows an old married couple and their life. The two live in utter simplicity, only eating the food from their garden and occasionally selling the surplus when they get the chance. One day the old man, Mr. Haktak, is digging in the garden when he finds an old pot. He brings it home to his wife (after a fair amount of struggling and straining) and it isn't long before the two discover that the pot is magic. Indeed, after Mr. Haktak's purse and Mrs. Haktak's hairpins fall in and wondrously duplicate the two come to the rather obvious conclusion that the pot doubles anything that falls into it. They're right of course, and the pot truly seems as if it is too good to be true. Unfortunately, the day Mrs. Haktak accidentally falls into the pot herself, things become a little more complicated for the two...three...four people.

The book is utterly charming. Filled with author/illustrator Lily Toy Hong's roly poly people, the humor of each and every situation is undeniable. There's a great moment when Mr. Haktak is pulling his wife from the pot, only to find another pair of legs are kicking in her place. The book also has (if this makes any sense) a rather contemporary feel to it. Though it may well be an ancient story, the way in which Ms. Hong has written it makes it feel as fresh and lively as the day it was conceived. There are wonderful little details in some of the more crowded scenes and each illustration is drawn with thick pleasant colorful lines that are enticing to the eye. Should you be looking for a good Chinese folktale to entertain the little ones with, and you'd rather not read anything too old or possibly racist, then this book is a perfect fit. Simultaneously elegant and easy to understand, it's sure to be beloved by the whole fam.

Delightful, humorous, appealing to all ages
Before the book was released in 1993, I purchased the book thought a teacher catalog sight unseen after reading the description. I knew it would be a favorite in my collection of multicultural books. Although this is a children book, I have read this book every year with parents in my classroom. Both children and parents just love the anticipation of knowing what will be happening next. There is gleefully laughter when the two Mrs. Haktaks come out of the pot and double laughter when the two Mr. Haktaks do the same. I have used the book as a springboard to introduce doubling numbers to my kindergartners.
"Double Happiness" (popular Chinese phrase) is when we see more books from Lily Toy Hong in the future.

Delightful book!
Lily Toy Hong's book is a delight for both children and adults alike. Her colorful and comical illustrations please the soul, and both the text and the pictures keep the attention of all school-aged children.

In the state of Utah, the children in the schools and public libraries selected her book as The Best Picturebook of the Year in conjunction with nominees presented by the Utah Librarian's Association.

Lily's book shows Chinese characters and artifacts depicted in authentic dress and style. How do I know? I am one of her sisters raised in a loving home of parents and grandparents who immigrated from China and who preserved many of the ways of their roots.

Any classroom teacher (which I am) who is looking for a book to raise the spirits and share a fun Chinese folktale with need look no further than Two of Everything! (Math teachers can use it to introduce the concept of doubling, and expand it to tripling, etc.)

Respectfully, Kim Hong Wu

MY 5 YEAR OLD LOVES IT
There is something funny about saying Haktak. It makes the book enjoyable to read. A very fun folktale that I had never heard before. My daughter got it as a library book and I am considering buying it for her. ... Read more

Book Description

King Shahryar kills a new wife every night, because he is afraid she will stop loving him. But his new bride Shahrazad has a clever plan to save herself. Her nightly stories--of Sinbad the Sailor, Ali Baba, and many other heroes and villains--are so engrossing that King Shahryar has to postpone her execution again and again... This illustrated edition brings together all the Arabian Nights tales in an original retelling by award-winning author Geraldine McCaughrean.

(paperback reissue of ISBN 0-19-274500-X) ... Read more

Reviews (8)

WOW
Absolutely the best work of fiction EVER. Indeed, I too wish, that there were 1001 stories or even 1.000.001 ones inside this lovely book but all good things must come to an end.
Anyways, if you wander, why 1001 nights? - here's the answer.

Two brothers, both Kings, have both been victims of cheating wives. They both kill them and their lovers but later on, one of the brothers, King Shahryar can't stand the loneliness in the dark so he comes to a decision to marry a new wife fetched by his Counsellor, every night then kill her next day after because he believes that "All women are fickles" and that "None of them love their husbands for more then one day"...so he marries a new wife each night until the streets began to get emptied. Then, when 'no other girl' is left, Shahrazad, the eldest girl of the King's Counsellor, becomes his 1001-st wife. Unlike other wives, Shahrzad survives because...

Do not say you read books if you didn't read this one!

Highly recommended

text by Geraldine McCaughrean;illustrations by Stephen Lavis
Oxford University Press, 1993. Stories (meant for children) include fables, romances, narrative jokes,and fairy tales, linked to one another by the King and Queen's own love story. Shahrazad's attempts to stave off execution by telling just one more story have been expanded to fuller effect than in many versions. The book is written in a style that is clear, gripping, and poetic, conveying the flavor of the original and preserving the context of a magic, jinni-ridden desert world. 12 color plates and many b/w illustrations.

Fine!
This is one of the most famous classic fictions. I have just read some of the stories but I find them very interesting. For example ' Princess Lila and the three brothers' is one of the most fanastic stories. This story is about three princes in order to marry the beautiful Princess Lila, They went far far away to find the moset wonderful things on earth. The one with the most wonderful things can marry the princess. I think their ' wonderful thing' is really wonderful. Do you want to know what's the wonderful thing? Do buy one and find out the answer! You will be surprised!

Good, but not what I was looking for.
If you know some of the stories already, this review is for you. The stories deserve 5 start, but in my opinion for a book about 1001 stories, it ought to have all 1001 stories. Otherwise, it should say that somewhere in the title, thus the lower score.

1001 Nights
I have not bought this book in English, but I actually bought it in Bosnian. It is slightly bigger than the English version and all I can say, it is wonderful. Although the language is very "explicit", it is still very entertaining. ... Read more

Book Description

In the bestselling book Letters from Felix, something terrible hasppens at the end of vacation: Sophie's cuddly rabbit, Felix, disappears in the airport!The is very, very bad, because Sophie and Felix are inseparable.But when schools starts again, suddenly a letter for Sophie arrives from London - a letter from Felix! Over 4.8 million Felix books have been sold worldwide! ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Traveling with kids
Felix is a little Rabbit who gets lost from his owner, and then travels around the world, mailing letters and postcards back home, untill he finally returns home himself on Christmas Eve.

Our world of today has become quite small because of all the travelling we do, but this can be difficult for a child to understand. Felix is a good helper here. Through his travel letters he tells in a fun and friendly way about the adventures he meets. And his stories are a good start to tell children about our adventurous world. Use an atlas or a map book when you read for your child, and you can have a good conversation about our huge world.

We travel alot, so my 6 years old Marta has been to several of the places mentioned in the book. And I have been to some more and can tell about my travelling. The book Letters from Felix is more than a book actually. It also contains all the letters sent home by Felix, so we can open them and read them - over and over again. And it also contains small souvenirs from the places Felix visited.

Lately I have heard about a little doll named Flat Stanley. He, like Felix, travels around the world, actually he spent Christmas with us here in Norway, and with our relatives on Iceland this winter. I don't have the Flat Stanley book, but I'm thinking of sending a small Felix around the world, a Felix who can write back to my little daughter about the places he visits.

Letters from Felix is a wonderful book teaching your kids about travelling and about different cultures. We love the book here in our house, and also has a huge Felix who spends every night in my daughters bed.

Britt Arnhild Lindland

A Book for ALL Ages!
I received this book as a shower gift for my son (now 3 1/2 years old). We've been reading it for over 3 years and it's still as exciting as the first time. As a new teacher, I read it to my 1st grade class. They were absolutely thrilled to turn each page -- anxious to read the next letter from Felix. A truly exciting book!

A wonderful book
My 4 yr old loves this book. Unlike other books this one makes her very curious about the rest of the world and makes her ask questions about other countries and cultures.
I would definately recommend this book.

THIS TEACHER APPROVES!!!
I am a second grade teacher who absolutely loves this book. The children enjoy reading this book as much as I do! Their eyes widen as each letter and little surprise is taken out of each envelope! The children were quite inspired by this series that they have created their own Felix-type of books. What a great concept! Read all of the Felix and Jolly Postman books...they are well worth it!

Great book!
For my son's first birthday, a good friend and my sister gave him something about Felix the rabbit (a cup and a backpack, they both live in Germany, seems Felix the rabbit is more famous there than here in USA), because my son's name is Felix. However, I waited until he's almost two to buy the first Felix book. We really enjoy the book, since we travel a lot (along last year, we flew more than 30,000 miles), and Felix knows people talk differently and they look different. With the book, Felix can already tell the cities' and countries' names by picking out the right stickers or by pointing at the map. I can tell him some of my trips to the European cities I went before he was born. We are planning a trip to Asia in May, and I'll buy another Felix book before the trip, so that we can read it on the airplane. ... Read more

Book Description

Luster, the world where the unicorns fled to escape the Hunters who have sworn to wipe them out, has dangers of its own—as Cara discovers when she attempts to cross that world in a desperate effort to rescue her grandmother. Each stage of Cara's journey brings new peril, wondrous new characters, and new clues to the mystery of her grandmother's past. And through it all threads the haunting melody of the "Song of the Wanderer", heard on this tape for the first time. From the enchanting flute notes that introduce the story to its stunning conclusion, listeners will find themselves, like Cara, drawn heart and soul into the wonder of Luster. ... Read more

Reviews (101)

Loving It
I really loved this book. It was even better then some of the Harry Potter books. I just couldn't put it down. I kept telling myself just finish the chapter then STOP! Of course that didn't work. In the book most of your questions from the previous novel, Into The Land Of Unicorns, are answered. Also Cara is on a quest to bring her grandmother, known as the Wanderer, back to the unicorns while also trying to save the unicorns from Beloved. Also what about her crazy past, who is her real mother anyway? Read all about Cara's quest and more in Song of The Wanderer, by Bruce Coville. It was one of the best books I've ever read!

Awesome, Where's the next one?
I read book one, I don't remember about it, but I know I liked it. I just checked out "Song of the Wanderer", on Thursday. I started reading it yesterday and I practically just finished it about maybe 40 minutes or less ago. I loved it. The characters were richly detailed, especially the Unicorns, I like Lightfoot and Finder. The story really is excellent. Bruce Coville really knows how to keep people riveted to their seats for hours on end. I'm kind of sad that I finished it so early. I wanted to stop reading it for a while last night, but I just couldn't stand it. It called me back, It's that good that you keep wanting more. Where is the next one? I can't wait to find out what happens. I want to see what happens in the final battle. Beloved is going down. I hope, but I'm sure she will be defeated. Three words, READ THIS BOOK(Song of the Wanderer), you will not be dissapointed. I'm 15 years old, I know that I'll probably be grown up when the Third one comes out, but what's to stop me from reding it? I don't care how old I am, I love it. And I think you will too.

Wander into This One!
I LOVE this book and I think you would too. Bruce Coville REALY did a good job writing these books, and he also did a grrreat job on describing the characters too. I got this book at my grandmother's book fair and I didn't even notice it was the second one 'till I actually looked inside it! But it was still a great book! Or if you've read THE LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy than I think you would looove this trilogy.

Great!
This is such a good book. Read it, and you'll understand what I mean. I loved Mr. Coville's rich imagination and the characters are awesome! i can't wait for the third book to come out.

Song of the Wanderer
I kept telling myself, when I was reading this book, to stop at the next chapter and go outside but I couldn't! It's way too good.
In Song of the Wanderer, the next in the Unicorn Chronicles after Into the Land of the Unicorns, Cara must go back to Earth and bring back her grandmother, a.k.a. the Wanderer, to Luster. But first she has to get to the cave of Ebillan before the seasons change and then Cara still has to find her. But in the meantime, she must overcome many obstacles, mostly one main one though: Beloved, her great-great-(et cetera, et cetera)-grandmother.
I cannot wait until the next book! Even though it probably won't be out for a while. ... Read more

Book Description

The story of the industrious Little Red Hen is not a new one, but when this particular hen spies a can of tomato sauce in her cupboard and decides to make a pizza, the familiar tale takes on a fresh new twist. Kids will love following along as the hen, with no help from her friends the duck, the dog, and the cat, goes through the steps of making a pizza-shopping for supplies, making the dough, and adding the toppings. But despite their initial resistance, the hen's friends come through in the end and help out in a refreshing and surprising way. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Like Pizza? Please Read This Book!
This story is about the hen's friends who keep saying "Not me" when she asks for their help making a pizza. When it's finished, though, they would like to help eat it. Will she let them? Find out in The Little Red Hen Makes a Pizza, a funny story about a group of animals.

A charming hen
The Little Red Hen Makes a Pizza is a wonderful book terrifically illustrated in a memorable style. I loved reading this story to my girls. The Little Red Hen would be a charming friend (and neighbor) and makes a great addition to a bookshelf.

A moral story with a new moral
I read this book to a student during some volunteer work. While I liked the way the classic story had been made more urban in order to be more associational for many readers, I was disappointed in two places.

The first is a little trivial, when the Hen needs cheese, it mentions all the cheese she has, including string cheese, but no mozzarella. Unfortunately, string cheese is mozzarella.

But my real problem is that the original moral of the story, that the lazy animals do not benefit from the Hen's hard work. Instead they all get some pizza and are guilt-tripped into helping clean up.

While I can accept the change in scenery (and pizza instead of bread), I have a hard time accepting that the moral has been changed.

A teacher and mother
I read The Little Red Hen to my first grade students after my 4 year old came home from school reciting it. When I found this book, I read it to my class and they loved it. I was able to use a venn diagram to compare the two stories. It is a very cute book and the end surpised them!

Wonderful illustrator
My almost-3 year old loves this book. The illustrations are done so well and there's lots to look at on every page. Also if you speak to languages in your home (as we do) this is a book that can be easily adapted into the second language because the story is simple and the pictures are so detailed. ... Read more

Book Description

In the first English retelling of this ancient Cambodian tale, our heroine goes further, survives more, and has to conquer her own mortality to ragain her rightful place. Angkat—child of ashes—endures great wrongs as she seeks to rise above the distresses caused by her own family. Angkat appeared in an 18th century French essay which was found by Dr. Coburn deep in some dusty archives while she was researching Khmer culture and folklore. The artist effectively employed dramatic expressions, gestures, and ambiance in each illustration. This ancient and truly captivating version of the Cinderella story will delight and enthrall readers of all ages. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

An attractive tale that can be savored by readers of all age
Underneath the vast differences between the customs and way of daily life in this colorful Eastern land of long ago and the settings of the traditional Cinderella story are enough similarities to enlist the interest and sympathies of the modern-day reader. More important are the universal values which permeate this charming tale-compassion, fidelity to one's family (even if it brings pain,) and justice. An attractive, multicultural tale that can be savored by readers of all ages. ... Read more