Book Description

Join the wonderful world of Oz. Here is the original book that started the wonderful series and inspired the famous movie, in which Dorothy Gale is whisked from Kansas to the magical land of Oz where--with a Scarecrow, a Tin Woodman, and a Cowardly Lion--she sets off to find the illusive Wizard.
And don't forget these enchanting books of Oz:
Book 1: THE WIZARD OF OZ
Book 2: THE LAND OF OZ
Book 3: OZMA OF OZ
Book 4: DOROTHY AND THE WIZARD IN OZ
Book 5: THE ROAD TO OZ
Book 6: THE EMERALD CITY OF OZ
Book 7: THE PATCHWORK GIRL OF OZ
Book 8: TIK-TOK OF OZ
Book 9: THE SCARECROW OF OZ
Book 10: RINKITINK IN OZ
Book 11: THE LOST PRINCESS OF OZ
Book 12: THE TIN WOODMAN OF OZ
Book 13: THE MAGIC OF OZ
Book 14: GLINDA OF OZ
... Read more

Reviews (69)

A Great Book
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is a classical story about a girl and her dog that get trapped in a twister. She wakes up in a magical land and asks how she can get home. They tell her she has to follow the yellow brick road. She meets people on her way to the Wizard. The Scarecrow needs brains, the Tinman needs a heart, the Lion needs courage and Dorothy needs to go home. They meet strange things on the way to The Good Witch of the South. I like the book because it's interesting and exciting and that's why I think you should read it.

A Great Book
This story all started when a farm girl from Kansas named Dorothy Gale, and her little dog Toto got sucked into a tornado and landed in a fairyland named Oz. In Oz she meets a bunch of strange characters, a scarecrow, tin woodsman, and a cowardly lion. Together they go on a mission to see the wizard of oz by following the yellow brick road. Each one wanting a different wish. On the way to the wizard they come across multiple things. And when they finally got to Emerald city the wizard told them that they must first kill the wicked witch of the west if they want him to make there wishes come true. Eventually they succeed in doing that along with multiple hard things to do. After all that they find out that the wizard is a "humbug" and he grants everyone's wishes. Except for Dorothy's wich is for her to return back home. So now Dorothy and her friends go on another adventure to find the Good Witch of the South. Well they found her and Dorothy got back home along with her dog Toto, and she had what she needed all along in order for her to return home. Personally in my opinion I enjoyed the book better then the movie. I would recommend this book to anyone with a good imagination, because I kept imagining the story as I read it. The book has some drawings in it wich makes imagining things a lot easier, it has drawings of the main characters, villains, and some of the scenes in the book such as there journey on the yellow brick road. I would also recommend this book to anyone if the ages of 10 and up.

A Classic ...
For those of us who've seen the movie umpteen times, this retelling of the classic tale is actually fresh and worth the read.

A good book
This book is a wonderful childrens' classic, though for adults it might seem a little bit too fanciful. The same characters from the movie are in it (Dorothy, Glinda, the Wizard of Oz) but don't be surprised if you notice a lot of details in the book that aren't in the movie- they're both completely different. The book is complicated , and contains a lot of elements that are magical in nature, not to mention all the different races (there's even one made out of china!). I don't think I'd recommend it to a smaller child, but eight, nine, ten year olds would LOVE it.

The Wondeful Wizard of Oz by Ryan Widner
This is a wonderful book by the famous author, L. Frank Baum. Dorothy gets whisked away into a strange land where most of it is pleasant, but the other half of this strange land is dark and creepy. Dorothy must follow the Yellow Brick Road to get to the City of Emeralds to ask the great and powerful Wizard of Oz to help her get back to Kansas. On the way she meets three new friends who come with her to Oz in need of something. The Scarecrow wants some brains, the Tin Woodman wants a heart, and the Cowardly Lion wants some courage. They travel a long way and meet many dangers including the Kalidahs, the Deadly Poppy Field, the Wicked Witch of the West's Castle, and the Hammerheads. But they find ways to get across these obstacles. Their wishes get granted; in a funny way that is. Dorothy doesn't get her wish granted by the Wizard, Glinda, the Good Witch of the South, grants her wish with Dorothy's silver shoes. Read this book and it is sure to make you laugh, make you cry, and even at some parts fill you with mystery and horror! ... Read more

Book Description

Audio read-along books for children based on the ancient South Asian Panchatantra and Jataka stories, precursors to Aesop's fables. The narration by renowned South Asian actors in English is highly entertaining. The books are illustrated with cuddly characters in vibrant colors. Children can sing along with the jungle music. Several songs are presented in a world music format, concluding with a key take home message. A glossary of key words and pronunciations, special background information and a learning guide accompanies each title. Produced by Sky Music (India), a corporation led by educators and musicians trained in special education and world music.

Listen to the story of Red Face, the monkey and Jagged Jaws, the crocodile. You will learn about how to be careful with everybody, since you do not know who is friend or enemy. Despite an initial show of friendship to Red Face by Jagged Jaws, in the end he wanted to take Red Face home to his wife as supper. Find out how Red Face outsmarted the wily crocodile.

Includes One full colour soft bound 22-page book, one 22-minute audio tape, lyrics to the songs, and a special learning insert. Narrated by Naseeruddin Shah. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Thoroughly enjoyable, highly recommended.
Ably narrated by Naseerudin Shah, The Monkey And The Crocodile is the entrancing story of Red Face, the monkey, and Jagged Jaws, the crocodile. Despite an initial show of friendship to Red Face by Jagged Jaws, in the end, the crocodile wanted to have the monkey for his supper! Through this entertaining and engaging story, young listeners will learn the value of being careful with everybody, since we don't always know who is friend or who is foe. This thoroughly enjoyable, highly recommended, 22 minute audio book is accompanied by a soft bound, full color, 22-page book, lyrics to the songs, and a special learning insert.. ... Read more

Book Description

By outwitting an evil giant and gaining a fortune for a poor young man, the resourceful Puss in Boots proves himself the Master Cat of them all. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Beautiful, rich book
The artwork and the large font are beautiful. And I like the translation. It's rich enough to introduce some new vocabulary, without being so thick it can't be understood.

Puss In Boots As A Folktale
In the story of Puss In Boots, a miller dies and leaves one of his sons nothing but the cat. This cat turns out to be quite clever and earns the favor of the King for his master. The cat also obtains land and a castle for his master and gives him the title of the Marquis of Carabas. The King becomes so impressed by the Marquis that he offers his daughter's hand in marriage, and the simple miller's son becomes a prince. The use of clever illustration makes this book an effective piece of folk lore. "Narrative Expectations: The Folklore Connection" discusses the basic pattern of a folktale. The article states that every folktale begins with the main character of the story being no different from or more special than any other character. Then, out of nowhere, the character is boosted into a "supernatural world" and all of a sudden he is moved up to higher society and viewed as a hero (67). This resembles the plot pattern of Puss In Boots, with the Marquis being the average character who becomes a hero. This jump to a higher level of society out of luck is strangely enough realistic in the twenty-first century. With things like inheritance, lotteries, and the stock market, a person of today could easily go from the poor miller's son to a "prince." However, this is not a common occurrence. The article also states that folklore "functions in part as an informal system for learning the daily logic and worldview of the people around us (71)." The author chooses not to use human characters to represent Master Slyboots and the rich ogre. He could have done this easily with illustration by making Master Slyboots a servant boy and the ogre a Marquis. Instead, he uses an informal style, placing animal characters in the book. This represents a higher level: Using animals in contrast to humans in order to show the differences in people as a whole.

A Pleasing Puss for All Ages
I regularly visit school classrooms and read aloud to children from Kindergarten through eighth grade. Finding books that appeal to more than one grade level is a challenge.

I have found that the pictures in this version of 'Puss' appeal immensely to kindergartners through third graders. (Fourth and Fifth grade children also like it, but are often embarassed to say so in a classroom setting!). Children who often have a hard time sitting still for a story have sat transfixed as I read this book, holding the pictures in front of them all the time and giving them lots of opportunities to check out the wonderful use of light and color. The illustrator uses a lot of wonderful yellow that is very appealing to young children and seems to draw them into the book. I love reading this book out loud both to see children's reaction and also because I love the detail and color in the pictures.

Reading this book aloud has also sparked some beautiful art work from young children.

A beautifully illustrated edition of this famous tale.
This new translation of the "fairy" story first presented by Charles Perrault (1628-1703) in his Tales of Mother Goose in 1697 was illustrated by Fred Marcellino and translated by Malcolm Arthur. It was a 1991 Caldecott Honor book (that is, a runner-up to the Medal winner) for best illustrations in a book for children. The youngest son of a recently deceased miller receives a cat as his inheritance. He feels that he will soon die of starvation (after he has eaten the cat) since he has no other possessions. But, the cat convinces him to get him boots. The cat proceeds to find a fortune and a position for his young master.

Is honesty always rewarded ?
Puss in Boots is a wonderful story. This book is so beautiful that is like a precious work of art. A great read aloud with exceptional illustrations. Children and adults adore it. Presenting this tale to children takes great thought though. Try to avoid the dishonesty, terrorism, and thievery and focus on resourcefulness, first impressions, and survival. Fred Marcellino is one of the top illustrators of our time. Wish he had a website! ... Read more

Book Description

When Daja was cast out of the Trader community, she made her own family with her fellow mages-in-training. But when danger faces the Traders, it is up to Daja to save the people who turned her away. ... Read more

Reviews (36)

Spectacular Book
I absoluteley adore this book along with all the other books in this series. I love this one most of all. It is great!

Its pretty good...
Daja's book, by Tamora Peirce, is a series of three books. The other two books to this series are Sandry's Book and Tris's Book. Daja's Book is made for intermediate readers due to magic phrases and terms, which are sometimes hard to understand. This is a story about Daja, her friends, and teachers going to a town to help out. With Daja and her two friends having problems with their magic and the forest fire nearby, they have a handful to deal with. That handful might be just too much for the three teens. Fires blare across the lands and inch closer to what three young teens learn to call home. Droughts cover the land, but yet a glacier, with running water underneath, still thrives close by. How can that be in the magic world? Daja, Tris and Briar, three young teens who are still awaiting their almighty purpose in life, are looking to help out. Their magic, yet separate, works as one. The novel walks the reader through their assignment of helping a village, that for the time being, they learn to call home. The want to go to their real home thrives hard, but the need to help still overpowers.

Yet another excellent addition to the series!
After Winding Circle got rid of the pirates, the four young mages, their teachers, and Duke Vedris (Sandry's uncle), are headed to Gold Ridge. A drought in this part of the country has caused many problems, and grassfires are now burning constantly. While they are there, Daja has been assigned to make nails. However, something goes wrong and she accidentally creates a magical iron vine that grows just like a normal plant. Upon seeing such a creation, one of the Traders wants to buy it off Daja, yet this Trader refuses to speak to Daja because she is Trangshi. During her encounters with Traders at Gold Ridge, Daja starts to yearn for the life she used to have. Finally, she is given a choice: she must either return to Winding Circle with her "new" family, or stay with the Traders.

This book is a very good read and definitely has a lot of action going on. However, I didn't like it as much as Tris's Book because I found some passages about magic confusing. Overall though, I think it is a great read and we get to know more about each character's personality, especially the teachers.

Not too impressed so far...
This is my first book from this author, and I don't know why, but I just didn't like it.I thought that there really wasn't a good "struggle" in this book, the writing was not as descriptive as other authors' writing, and the characters did not seem as developed.Just an opinion.

Daja's Book
In Daja's book, forest fires threaten them all.Daja learns how to make a new kind of metal called living metal.She meets a Trader for the first time after she became a tragshi.This meeting makes her realize just how much of an outcast she is ever since her family drowned.The Traders offer a high price for her to sell them living metal.She decides to sell it to them.When the Traders are trapped by a forest fire, Daja saves them, even though they treated her unfairly.Daja learns to make living metal and realizes who her real family is. ... Read more

Book Description

This audio cassette has six stories performed in English with phrases in Spanish. Each story has a brief introduction stating where the story comes from and necessary translationsor explanations.

"Una semana en la vida de Juan Bobo" - "A Week in Juan Bobo's Life" (17:25) is a medley of short episodes in Juan Bobo's Life.Juan Bobo is the Latin American version of the "Jack" character, and his stories are heard throughout Latin America, especially in Puerto Rico. "La cucarachita Mandinga" - "Mandinga, the Little Roach" (10:26)is the version from Panam, "Gallo y su moneda" - "Rooster and His Coin" (6:49) comes from Guatemala,and "La pulga" - "The Flea" (17:25) comes from Spain.The last two stories are original stories written by Elida Bonet:"La papaya de T'a Leticia" - "Aunt Leticia's Papaya" (10:46) is about an incident that happened one summer in a small town in Panam, and "Under the Mango Tree" (7:10) is a story about the author's experiences growing up and how a place, a fruit,memories, and stories keep her connected to her roots.Bonet flows from English into Spanish sharing with her audience her love for her culture and her language. The music between the stories areSpanish children's songs performed in piano by Jaime Ingram and Nelly Ingram from Panam City, Panam. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Not what I expected.
I had wanted a story in Spanish so my baby could listen to spoken Spanish. Instead I got Spanish and English woven together. That will not help her key in on the sounds of Spanish. Maybe it will be good later when she already has a good grasp of English.

Think before you buy
I purchased this tape to share with my Pre-K class. The author tells authentic tales and has a wonderful voice (gift!) for oral storytelling. However, I decided not to share this tape with my class for several reasons: First, the protagonist is named Juan Bobo a.k.a. John Dumb. I didn't want my four year olds to run home and tell Mom they are learning about Bobos and being dumb. Second, The story La cucarachita Mandinga ends with the husband (rat) being killed in a stewpot and the wife is crying over him. Not a happy picture for a young listener. Also, the tale Gallo y Su Moneda repeats the phrase "I'm going to kill you!" To be honest, I couldn't even listen to the second side of this tape. Consider your audience before sharing it.

A must have for every child
Ms. Bonet has given us an incredible gift. Her animated style of storytelling infects you with excitement. My kids and I listen to the tape often when we are traveling around town. She is the best that we have heard and we just want more!

Positively delightful!
Elida Bonet is an amazing storyteller. She uses English and Spanish to invite children into wonderful tales from Latin America. The first time my children heard the tape they were clinging to every word. Every time that they have heard it since, they have joined her in the marvelous storytelling. They exaggerate when she exaggerates. They laugh and play with the language when she does. They especially love Juan Bobo who follows directions but just can't "get it right." They love this tape!

Excellent tape
We especially loved your story "under the mango tree" It brought back many pleasant memories about our childhood in Panama. Boy were those some good Mangos. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Great!
Erika just turned 3, we have to read this book again and again every bed time. She likes it so much. She is now able to tell the rhyme as we turn the pages. Wow... I never thought memory could be so sharp at 3! The story is cute and the mouse expressions are funny. And Erika is building vocabulary.

Love it
These books are great for teaching children about language. ... Read more

Book Description

Um Hmm
Ysaye M. Barnwell

A delightful feast of African American stories, songs, and poems. Discover stories behind old spiritual songs, the Underground Railroad, and personal stories from Ysaye’s childhood that shaped her life as a singer. Includes two songs from Sweet Honey In The Rock.

9 story trading cards / poster ... Read more

Reviews (1)

An African American Experience
This is a beautiful tape telling the story of the African American experience. Ysaye tells her stories in her soft, clear, lovely voice. They are beautiful human stories where she simply speaks her truth. Her stories are very spiritual and children of all ages (I'm 50) will enjoy and learn from listening to them. There is pain as well as laughter. Ysaye has some important lessons to teach. There are also some lovely musical pieces woven in with the stories. I highly recommend this whole series of tapes by Sounds True. ... Read more

Book Description

Join Lucy, Edmund, and Eustace on an exciting sea voyage that will take you to an encounter with a gigantic sea serpent, to a land of darkness where nightmares come true, and even to an island where a boy is turned into a dragon! This is a faithful adaptation of the classic Chronicles of Narnia novel by C. S. Lewis. Recorded in London with some of England's finest actors, it includes film-style sound effects and a rich musical score. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The Voyage
C.S. Lewis wrote the Chronicles of Narnia as a series for children, but it is clearly as imaginative and planned as any popular adult fiction. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is the fifth book of the series and tells the story of Lucy, Edmund, Prince Caspian and the irritable Eustace. These old friends sail on a rickety boat named the Dawn Treader. As they travel in search of the lost land of Aslan, they encounter many unforgettable situations. Aslan is a magical lion that helps the creatures of Narnia keep peace with the other wicked creatures. Lucy learns when to use her magical healing water, and Eustace learns tobe forgiving and generous. Eustace claims he was kidnapped because while journeying to the Narnian world, Edmund and Lucy brought him along by mistake. Throughout the trip Eustace keeps a journal that C.S. Lewis shares with the reader occaisonally. While keeping the journal Eustace realizes that he has been quite a bother along the voyage. From the beginning of the story, Caspian has been searching for distant relatives of his Father. As he finds them, he uncovers mysteries and facts of his past.
I really enjoyed The Voyage of the Dawn Treader because C.S. Lewis portrayed characters that I can relate to. The adventure in the story keeps you reading and thje humor makes you laugh. ... Read more

Book Description

2 hours, 40 mins.
2 cassettes
Performance by the author and a full cast

To get revenge on King Mildred, Grizelda creates the fiercest dragon the kingdom has ever seen.He is such a terror that he must be killed. Now if only the dragonslayers could stop arguing long enough to face the greatest battle of all! ... Read more

Reviews (12)

WhatIThoughtOfBruceCoville'sTheDragonslayers
I thought the book was very good ,it had an interesting plot. Some of the character's traits were kind of weird, such as a talking bear and fox. Also a spider web large enough to hold a bear. No matter how big a spider is, it could not eat a bear or make a web big enough to hold a bear.

I think the King should have only offered half the kingdom instead of half the kingdom and his daughters hand in marriage. That might have drawn some of the knights away. Nobody wants to marry the King's daughter because she is a tomboy.

I think Bruce Coville caught the readers attention in the first chapter. The first few sentences really hook you and draw you in to what the book is going to be like. Altogether it was a very exciting book.

I think Bruce Coville is a talented writer. He caught my attention and I think the next book I am going to read will be "Aliens Ate My Homework", also written by this author. I would suggest you read this book. Especially if you like dragons and mystical creatures.

WhatIThoughtOfBruceCoville'sTheDragonslayers
I thought the book was very good it had a very interesting plot. Some of the characters traits were kind of weird such as atalking bear or fox. I think Coville Caught all readers attention in the first chapter. The first few sentences really hook you and draw you in to what the book is going to be like. Altogether it was a very good exciting book I think Coville is a very talented writer. He has hooked me with this book I think the next book that I am going to read is going to be is aliens ate my homework. I like this author he has drawn me in to his web ofwriting talents.

Great Book
This is a great read for an 8-9 year old girl.
It has enough suspense to keep your attention
but nothing too scary that might keep kids awake
at night. Willie, the main character, is a strong
female character that does not fall into
stereotypical roles. She proves that a girl can
do anything she wants if she put her mind to
good use.

WHAT A GOOOOD BOOK
In the book 'The Dragonslayers" there were 2 witches who made a dragon who caused a lot of trouble. My favorite character is the princess because she wanted to kill the dragon but her dad would not let her but she did any way. My favorite part was when the witches were arguing about what to put in the mix to create the dragon. I would encourage any body to read this book if they like witches that argue and mean dragons. Itsa real good book.

This isa book about a dragon that threatens a village.
What would you do if a fierce dragon were to come to your village to destroy everything you knew and loved? In The Dragonslayers, a book by Bruce Coville, King Mildred faces that situation. Stuck in this situation,he goes to all costs to slay the dragon. After his knights turn down theoffer, King Mildred deperately promises to give Princess Whilhelmina's handin marriage to the slayer. Elizar, a squire, takes on the job along withBrian, a young page boy.Despite her father's offer, Princess Whilhelminagoes off to kill thedragon before Brian and Elizar do. In the end,Whilhelmina, Brian, and Elizar team up to kill the dragon. Thecharacters come together with the plot to form a good story. The charactersplay an important role in this story. They are well described, which makesthem very realistic. I liked how each character had his/her own hopes anddreams. Brian wanted to prove to the others that he is more than just apage boy. Elizar hopes to find his long lost son and wife. If you want toread an adventurous book, read the Dragonslayers today! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Twenty-Two Splendid Tales to Tell From Around the World
I've used both volumes, One and Two, in the classroom for a number of years. Actually, I've worn out two sets and am using the third. Brief tellings of traditional tales that work great for listening rewards and creative writing exercises. I discovered DeSpain's works with these books and have successfully used everything he has written since. ... Read more

Book Description

From the day she was born in the piano backstage at the Ballet Jolie, it was obvious that Prima was destined for greatness. Her family fully expects her to become the lead dancer with the American Ballet Rodente. Such an honor should be enough for any mouselet, but Prima has even bigger plans. She won't be satisfied until she can share her talent with all creatures -- even humans. Now, as any mouse with half a brain knows, the last thing you want to do around a human is to draw attention to yourself, but will that stop Prima? Not on your tutu!

Jacquelyn Mitchard brings to her first novel for young readers the same eye for detail, ear for dialogue and affection for characters that made The Deep End of the Ocean and Twelve Times Blessed bestsellers.

Reviews (6)

GOTTA' DANCE!
Jacquelyn Mitchard (The Deep End of the Ocean, The Most Wanted) joins the roster of bestselling authors who have turned their golden pens to children's literature.Ms. Mitchard also reads her first venture into young readers books with charm and wit.

Prima, we learn with her first words is destined for greatness."I as born to dance," she exults.Now, there aren't too many four legged ballerinas around, but that doesn't daunt this wee mouse.She's bent on becoming the lead dancer with the American Ballet Rodente.

While Prima envisions applause, tutus, and accomplished glissades, Meowsky, an alert kitten, envisions Prima as prime rib.Will this little ball of fur thwart Prima's ambitions?Listen and see.

"Starring Prima!" will be a sure hit with all elementary age girls who share the little mouse's desire to dance.

- Gail Cooke

Charming, But NOT E.B. White
While this has none of the depth of Charlotte's Web or Stuart Little,this is fun. Cutesy at times, but fun. Balletomanes will particularly enjoy this story.
Readers who enjoy this tale should discover the "Miss Bianca" stories of Marjorie Sharp--they were dumbed down by Disney, but the real "Rescuers" is a delight, and I'm sure Miss Bianca would have had season tickets for the Ballet Rodente!

A ballet of friendship and love
Jacquelyn Mitchard's wit and wordsmith shine through in this charming young adult novel about a precocious mouse named Prima who lives with her extended mouse family in the Ballet Jolie in New York City. She is the granddaughter of a world renown ballerina and yearns to perform on the stage herself. But she also is a rascal and imp and accomplishes the forbidden: she befriends a human, a young girl named Kristen. Mouse and girl share adventures filled with friendship and love, as well as that mixture of joy and sorrow known to all humans and to mice. Starring Prima is a delightful tale that will leave you applauding andjust possibly dabbing the corner of your eyes.

A truly magical world
Mitchard nails it here: this is a fun, funny, magical trip into a special little world that all of us, way back in the recesses of our imaginations, feel really DOES exist. One sparkling peek into the little world-within-a-world behind the scenes and scenery of a ballet company, and you'll never doubt again. What you knew as a kid (and what your kid knows yet) is true: Mice do talk, and love, and care. And oh, how they dance. Share this delightful, thoughtful book with your kids--and thus allow them to share a bit of their world with you, too. In the exchange, you'll win.

Great childrens book!
This is a great way to teach children the meaning of friendship, love for the differences in people, cultures and to always believe in your dream. Mitchard spins her word magic again and now for the children. It is a must buy for the prima's in your life. ... Read more

Book Description

Tor Classics are affordably-priced editions designed to attract the young reader. Original dynamic cover art enthusiastically represents the excitement of each story. Appropriate "reader friendly" type sizes have been chosen for each title--offering clear, accurate, and readable text. All editions are complete and unabridged, and feature Introductions and Afterwords.

This edition of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea includes a Foreword and Afterword by T. A. Barron.

Jules Verne is considered the "Father of Science Fiction" because of the power of this--his most famous novel.

"The year 1866 was signalised by a remarkable incident, a mysterious and puzzling phenomenon, which doubtless no one has yet forgotten. Not to mention rumours which agitated the maritime population and excited the public mind, even in the interior of continents, seafaring men were particularly excited. Merchants, common sailors, captains of vessels, skippers, both of Europe and America, naval officers of all countries, and the Goverments of several States on two continents, were deeply interested in the matter.

For some time past vessels had been met by 'an enormous thing,' a long object, spindle-shaped, occationally phosphorescent, and infinitely larger and more rapid in its movements than a whale."

It is this "something" that Professor Aronnaz sets out to encounter--and thus begins the most incredible underwater journey ever. From Atlantis to the South Pole, the reader is taken through dangers, surprises, and the unsurpassed majesty of the marine world.
... Read more

Reviews (134)

Classic scientific-minded story with a disappointing ending
I really enjoy books that revolve around science... especially when they were written during the 1800s and early 1900s. It is very entertaining to discover what these people believed and to compare their beliefs to ours in modern times. 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea is entertaining in this fashion. Jules Verne is suprisingly accurate in his depiction of a modern-day electric submarine and its workings... although he doesn't go into the minute details that I was hoping for. The ending of this book is a tremendous let-down with regards to the character of Captain Nemo. Throughout the entire book, the Captain's background is built up to be a giant mystery... which simply begs for resolution. I couldn't wait to reach the end of the book in order to find out why Captain Nemo was the way he was. This resolution never comes. Never. This left me with the opinion that Jules Verne simply wasn't a talented storyteller, and never bothered to fill out and completely think about the character of Captain Nemo. Anyone can think up fantastic situations and theories... but the real talent comes in explaining them in a plausible way to the reader. It's akin to watching a movie where lots of incredible things happen to the main characters, only to have them wake up stating that it was all a dream.

3 magnificent people take you 20,000 leagues under the sea!
A scientist, his sidekick and a big strong sailor are going to have their lives changed forever when they are sent to capture a giant octopus. But, instead, they fall overboard and find out what they think is an octopus is really a giant submarine with a Captain Nimo and a crew that speaks their own language (which the trio calls "the submarine language")! In this submarine, they go on millions of adventures like: tunneling through blocks of ice in the antartic, zooming through tunnels from sea to sea, and seeing every different kind of fish you could ever imagine. The only problem is the scientist's sidekick joins with the big sailor, Ned, and together they try to escape. They have many of their own adventures too, like when they try to escape the first time and they almost get caught by cannibals. The second time they escape and write a story which you will read if you want to read it and it's called, "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea". If you're looking for an adventurous book that's exciting and funny too, then just read the book I did a review on. Lindsey (age 9)

Great Story
This book is pretty exciting from start to finish. If you have read other Verne and not this one, then it is highly recommended. The only beef I have is that Verne gets too descriptive with the fish in each sea. It almost becomes redundant and the picture for me always seems to look the same. A lot of action and its a lot of fun trying to figure out the mystery behind Captain Nemo.

Verne's Exquisite Voyage Beneath The Mysterious Sea
20,000 Leagues Under The Sea ...Hmmm, where to begin my review? To be frank, I wavered for about 4 minutes on how to rate this book. Was it a 3 or 4? In the end, I chose the 4 star rating. This book had a wonderful story line, the characters, and the setting where also both wonderful. The things that really drug this book down where Verne's consistent descriptions of things that really, in actuality, could have been left out. He goes on and on classifying fish and giving very, very detailed descriptions of the submarine (The Nautilus), the way it worked, and the things on board. I guess I can understand this, I guess Verne was just trying to give a believable and complete description of the things the characters saw on their journeyIf you could, somehow, get an abridged version, I would reccomend it. This book is great and truth be told, it was worth my time reading it. I just think that unless you're a marine biologist or are just, for some reason, very interest in the classification of oceanic plant and animal life, that 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea would be best read, and probally more enjoyable with some of the 'unimportant to the story' detailed descriptions of the above-mentioned things ...in frank, LEFT OUT. Now, this is not to say that you shouldn't read this book, you should. I'm just forewarning the prospective reader that they will find some parts of the book to be 'boring' with VERY in depth classifications and descriptions. On the other hand, the story is one of great splendor and excitement. Try to remain focused on the story line and keep a clear mind that the descriptions are just Verne's way of trying to give the reader the most in-depth and detailed assessment of the voyage. Now, I know that what I have written so far is not a 'review'. I'm just trying to let people know what kind of a read they will be in for, if they so choose to read the book. Now, as for a real 'review' on what happens in this book? ...Nahhh, read it yourself. I will say this, 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea takes you to places,in your mind,betterthan any book I've ever read. You will become attatched to the characters every move and sit in anxiety, with great with anticipation, eager to find out what will happen next in this Sci-Fi classic. So, with all the above information on how the book will lag a bit at times ...I finish with this, Verne's descriptive writting leads many modern day readers into boredom and complaint. If you really open your eyes and embrace Verne's descriptive style, you will learn to enjoy this work, and have an admiration for this classic story and classic storyteller almost unequaled in all of literature. For what it is, 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea couldn't have been written better by anyone, ever. Keep your mind open and don't give up on it. I promise,you will learn to appreciate this classic ...I did

Undersea Adventure
This book is, by far, one of the best books I have read in the last year. It proves that classics are still the best books to read. In this undersea adventure, two unique characters travel 20,000 leagues facing everything from giant squids to themselves. This book is a must read for anyone whether you like science fiction to drama. You will enjoy it no matter what. I know I did.

The book is truly unique. Jules Verne brings the wonders of science and drama to this book. If you are smart, you will read this book because it will make you smart. It is awesome, a must read, unbelievable. Highly recomend. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Poppa, Turn the Stories Back On.
"'Poppa, turn the stories back on.' How is that for a review from my six-year old daughter? After a long car trip when we needed some peace and quiet among daughters ranging from 12 to 3, we found that for the younger ones especially, they could easily drift off into the 'story trance' while listening. Nice collection from around the world." -Storyteller.net Reviews ... Read more

Amazon.com

Aliens are among us and they are going to save us from ourselves.Whether we like it or not.

Only gradually revealing this familiar premise, Terence Blacker weaves adeliciously mysterious and suspenseful story about Thomas Wisdom, who--like Adamin Robert Cormier's classic I Amthe Cheese and Jonas in Lois Lowry's The Giver--begins to noticelittle hints that there is a secret at the heart of his perfect family and endsby uncovering a worldwide conspiracy. Unlike Adam's mental-hospital prison andJonah's regimented society, Thomas's world is ordinary and comfortable, and lifewith his nice parents and kind big sister is excellent. Except he has begun towonder if his tooperfect family might be concealing something. "They'reCIA agents!" concludes his outrageously geeky friend Gip, and proves it byfinding a transmitter in the toilet tank and a mysterious page of numbers hiddenin Thomas's father's computer files. Thomas is skeptical, until he goes with hisfamily on holiday to California and has a strange quasireligious experience inthe desert that shakes up his ideas about what's going on. And then anotherrevelation about himself shocks him to the core. But Thomas, unlike Adam, hasfree will in the situation. Who are these beings who call themselves"angels"--his so-called father, mother, sister, other people in his life, eventhe dog? And how can Thomas fight against this pervasive niceness with itsoverbearing plans for humanity?

Despite a few pieces that don't quit fit, this jigsaw puzzle of a novel willentrance younger teens, science fiction fans or not. (Ages 10 to 14) --PattyCampbell ... Read more

Reviews (15)

The Angel Factory
Have you wondered if everyone around you weren't actually humans but people sent to Earth to help save mankind? Sounds weird right? In the book, The Angel Factory by Terence Blacker, a kid my age finds out that everything he ever knew was one big secret. The story is about Thomas Wisdom, a smart popular kid with a loving family who supports him in everything that he does. They do seem a little too perfect but Thomas doesn't seem to think much of it until one day, everything changes. Thomas' friend, Gip, helps him realize that him and his family isn' t like any ordinary family. This journey of finding out who he really is takes him from London to California.
Terence Blacker keeps people on their toes throughout this entire book, and he never gets his readers get bored. I would recommend this book to young adults who like to read books that will keep them interested to the very end of the book. The surprise ending will make the book worth reading.

The Angel Factory
Have you ever wondered if your parents are from the CIA of even angels? This book starts with Thomas and his perfect family. He has a mom, a dad, a sister, and a dog.Gip is a boy that is very in dependent. They are talking about their families one day in school, and Thomas starts talking about how it bothers him that his family is so perfect. Thomas and Gip both go to Thomas's house and go through Thomas's dad's computer.Thy find a page full of numbers which they know means something. Gip prints it out and takes it. A few days later, Thomas finds out that Gip gave the page to their math teacher. Later on, Thomas goes on a family vacation with his family an his sister's boyfriend, Luke. While they are there, their parents have a meeting with Seraph, which is the company they work for. Thomas decides he wants to follow them and see what was going on. He goes into a place where he saw all these people laying there and figures out that those are angels. Also in the room were his parents. When they get back to their house, Gip gives Thomas the news about the page full of numbers, which their math teacher decoded. Gip tells Thomas that he was adopted by angels. Thomas gets frustrated and decides to run away with Gip. He takes Thomas to a place where there were a lot of kids that apparently ran away too. Later on Thomas goes back to his angel parents and decided to forgive them for not telling him that he was adopted.
People who like mysteries would like to read this book because the mystery never ends. I think that the angels lived on little disks was interesting.

A good book!
From the beginning to the end,The Angel Factory was a compelling novel. Young little Thomas Wisdom had perfect parents, a perfect family, a perfect life.All that changes when he finds out a secret about his parents and himself.The truth,if he is willing to believe it, will change his life and the lives of billons of people like him. One wrong move and that's the end of the world. The book kept me interested and surprised throughout the whole book.This book was a fantasy book but it seemed like real things happened.People who like fantasy books would like this book.I think it should be read by people who are in sixth grade and above.It was one of the best books I've ever read!

Blacker does rate with Lowry
This book is good, but I agree- it has very much potential to be even better than what it is. When I first spotted this book, I thought it almost childish- but it is very well worded and it is truly a work of art. Blacker needs to round it off with a sequel.

Sci-Fi mystery
Thomas Wisdom's life seems almost perfect. He makes good grades and has a good relationship with his parents and sister. When he gets on his father's computer and finds a coded secret file, his life is turned upside down. Who are angels? Are they good guys? Are they bad guys? What does he have to do to save the world? Why is it up to him? Thomas's friend, Gip, helps Thomas to find out more than he wants to know about his life.Each revelation just seems to leave more questions.Blacker does a nice job of keeping the mystery going. Teens who liked House of the Scorpion or Ender's Game should enjoy this fast paced story. ... Read more