Book Description

If you had a giraffe
and he stretched another half …
you would have a giraffe and a half.

And if you glued a rose
to the tip of his nose …

And … if he put on a shoe
and then stepped in some glue …

And if he used a chair
to comb his hair …

Shel Silverstein’s incomparable line drawings add to the hilarity of his wildly funny rhymes. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

An Amazing Book
"A giraffe and a Half" By Shel Silverstein is an amazing book, especially for kids. I loved when my mom read it to me as a child or when I read it becuase it was always fun to see what came next. Sometimes I would even guess what was comming next. Both the pictures and the sayings made me laugh or smile. I would have to say it was one of my favorite books as a kid.

A Book My Mom Read To Me As A Child
I think this is a very good book for childeren becuase it is funny and also has alot of funny pictures. This book makes you laugh, and it also has many tounge twisters which, i think, makes it funnier.
This book is about a giraffe and a little boy and he keeps making the giraffe do things or adds things to him. Everytime he adds something to him you read what the giaffe has on or did all over again. The giraffe ends up taking off everthing of giving it away. In the end he is just a normal giraffe again.

Delightful
One of the best children's books I've read. The rhymes are contagious. The story slides off your tongue as you read it. Children are taken with it. And then we create the game of adding new verses and rhymes for the giraffe, and a half.

Giraffe & a Half :()
Giraffe and a half is great for kids that love repetition. Your child could learn to memorize better with this book. I really love this book and I would recommend getting other Shel Silverstein books because I have the whole collection.

Hilarious
I read it to my own kids when they were small, read it until they and I had it memorized. I then took it to school where I read it to my eighth--yes, eighth-graders who laughed and got sing-songy and guessed the next line and who chanted along as soon as they figured out the pattern. We next wrote our own versions and read them to the elementary kids. Good stuff for all ages. One of my favorite books! ... Read more

Amazon.com

How dull, to be one hippo all alone... until the one calls two other hippos on the phone. Soon three more hippos are at the door, bringing along another four. Before the night is through, a houseful of hippos (and one beast) has joined the one hippo for a boisterous bash.

All through the hippo night,
Hippos play with great delight.
But at the hippo break of day,
The hippos all must go away.

The well-loved Sandra Boynton wrote this tribute to silliness in 1977, inspiring generations of the very young to learn to count. Lively, cute newillustrations complement this edition, with big numbers (one through nine, and nine through one) boldly placed on the corner of each page. The sturdy board book will withstand lots of eager counting fingers, and maybe even a berserk hippo or two. Boynton's familiar style can be seen in scads of other delightfully nonsensical titles, including Barnyard Dance! and Moo, Baa, La La La!.(Ages 3 to 7) --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (23)

Truly Berserk!
This book has all the elements of fun--one author, who obviously loves to write children's books, one subject (HIPPOS) and counting and you have the ingredients for a fun book. My 6 year old loves Hippos Go Berserk! and is learning to read it. She loves the counting as well. This book is in our Boynton collection (we must have the "Boynton Memorial Library" by now!) and it gets read weekly. We have to rotate through all the other Boynton books we have. It's a very good book and I recommend it, for children of ALL ages.

Tons of Hippo Fun
This is a delightful book! I bought it for my 6 month old son, who has a limited attention span for stories but LOVES this one. I also gave it to my 2 year old niece who, according to my sister-in-law, asks to have "Hippos Go Zerk!" read at least 16 times per day.

Boynton also adds some humorous touches that Mom and Dad can appreciate. Look for the Hippo Whistler's Mother!

My Daughter (& her father) loves this book!
My daughter, who is 5 months old, loves this book and pays attention through the whole book. She loves Daddy's expressions and excitement about the Hippo Party. I highly recommend Hippos go Berzerk.

One Hippo All Alone... a back and forth counting book
A wondrous counting book that tells of a lonely hippo who calls two others on the phone. Then larger and larger groups keep arriving (three though nine) until all 45 hippos and the beast (a guest of one of the groups) go berserk and party all through the hippo night. But at the hippo break of day, they all begin to go away (nine through two) until all that is left is the original one.

Most counting books only count in one direction. This fun book counts up and then back down again (although it doesn't use zero). It even makes mention of how many they add up to.

Typical Boynton illustrations add to the fun of this book.

It's a favorite!
My 18 month old son LOVES this book! All I need to say is..."One hippo all alone, calls two hippos on the phone" (First lines from book), and my son will search the house for the book until he finds it! It is a great book, the illustrations are top notch. He has about 30 other board books, but this is by far his favorite. Since I read it to him at least 5 times a day, I know it by heart! I can't wait to get more of Sandra Boynton's books. Since it is a board book, it is very durable! Go Berserk! You won't regret it! ... Read more

Book Description

This book is written by Harold. His fulltime occupation is dog. He lives with Mr. and Mrs. Monroe and their sons Toby and Pete. Also sharing the home are a cat named Chester and a rabbit named Bunnicula. It is because of Bunnicula that Harold turned to writing. Someone had to tell the full story of what happened in the Monroe household after the rabbit arrived.

Was Bunnicula really a vampire? Only Bunnicula knows for sure. But the story of Chester's suspicions and their consequences makes uproarious reading.

Since its first appearance in 1979, Bunnicula has been a hit with kids and their parents everywhere, selling over 8 million copies and winning numerous awards. ... Read more

Reviews (75)

bunnicula
I read the book Bunnicula. It's about a dog named Harold
and a cat named Chester. And of course a rabbit named
Bunnicula.(not your ordinary cuddley rabbit.)
It all started when harold and chester's owners came
home from a dracula movie.And the owners didn't come
home by themselves. They came with a box with a rabbit
in it.They put the rabbit in a cage. They had some
trouble nameing the rabbit. But they finally found
the name of bunnicula. Probably because of the fact
that they found bunnicula at a dracula movie.
And they sure picked the right name for him. Chester
began to notice that the black spot on Bunnicula looked
like a cape. Chester stayed awake to see what bunnicula
did at night.(I would of though a rabbit would sleep
at night.) Chester noticed that the sly rabbit wasn't
in his cage. He heard a noise in the kitchen. The door
of the kitchen opened. And guess who was hopping happily
out of the kitchen.(That was a sentance from the book.)
The next morning all of the veggitables were white.
On the third time Bunnicula went out for his midnight snack
Chester was prepared. He was trying to starve Bunnicula.
Harold yelled at Chester. Bunnicula looked sick.A few
days later Harold took Bunnicula out of his cage and
lead him to the kitchen. I can't tell the ending because
this is an online review. I recommend this book if you
like bunny vampires.

Still one of my favorites!
My old copy of "Bunnicula" is old and brittle from being read so many times as a kid, and is still a nostalgic favorite. This book is the first of many about the Monroes, an average family with not-so-average pets. First off there is Harold, the "author" of the book, who is an older mutt and is very gentle and somewhat dimwitted. Next there is Chester, a cat who is partial to reading at night (especially Edgar Allan Poe) and therefore has developed an overactive imagination. At first its just the two of them until the Monroes come home from seeing "Dracula" at the movie theater- who have brought home an abandoned bunny rabbit with them! This bunny is very unusual, with black "cape" markings in its fur, sleeps during the day, and drains all the vegetables in the house of their juice and color! Only Chester suspects Bunnicula is a vampire and sets out in a quest to expose the bunny. This is a great book for little kids as well as older ones, and also good for reading out loud to a kid because its not too long either. The sequels which are essential to this book are "Howliday Inn," "The Celery Stalks at Midnight," and "Nighty Nightmare." Those were some of the first to follow up on "Bunnicula" and therefore the best. This should be given to every child who loves a laugh as well as a thrill at the same time. Enjoy!

We loved this book.
Bunnicula is a very good book because it is funny. In this book a cat can read, a dog can write and a bunny sucks juice out of vegetables. Read this book and you will find out how to get rid of vampires, even bunny vampires.
Kids won't like this mystery; they'll love it! If you like animals, you will love this book.
So, if you want to find out more, read the book Bunnicula by James and Deborah Howe.

My summary and thoughts of Bunnicula !
Bunnicula was a great book. If I was you I` d read it because it is funny ,scary and, weird. But you will probably like it too! Here` s what I like about it. My favorite character is Bunnicula! My favorite part is when Chester is wearing Mr. Monroe` s shaving towel on his back acting like a vampire .Bunnicula was a really good book!

I loved this series!
When I was a kid, I loved this series. These books have everything - humor, talking animals, mystery, a vampire rabbit... what more could you want? I just found out there are two books in the series I never read. Even though I am in my mid 20's, I still want to get those and read them. Bunnicula is great for kids of all ages. ... Read more

Book Description

Emboldened by the enthusiastic response to Belly Button (Round)—a song from her Grammy-nominated book/CD, Philadelphia Chickens—Sandra Boynton further contemplates this mesmerizing subject.

Featuring a beachful of bare-bellied hippos—including one tiny baby who can only say “Bee Bo”—the Belly Button Book is the latest quirky addition to the phenomenally successful Boynton on Board series, which has 5.5 million copies in print. Every page captivates with Sandra Boynton’s inimitable illustrations and joyful rhyming text:

Soon after dark, upon the beach, we sing a hippo song, and if you’re feeling in the mood, we hope you’ll sing along: “Belly Belly Button, you’re oh so fine. Ooo, Belly Button, I’m so happy you’re mine.”

Shiny and sturdy, and featuring a great (navel-shaped, naturally) die-cut cover that offers a provocative glimpse of the merriment inside, the Belly Button Book provides enduring, giggly, read-aloud fun. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Chester Raccoon doesn't want to go to school--he wants to stay home with his mother. She assures him that he'll love school--with its promise of new friends, new toys, and new books. Even better, she has a special secret that's been in the family for years--the Kissing Hand. This secret, she tells him, will make school seem as cozy as home. She takes her son's hand, spreads his tiny fingers into a fan and kisses his palm--smack dab in the middle: "Chester felt his mother's kiss rush from his hand, up his arm, and into his heart." Whenever he feels lonely at school, all he has to do is press his hand to his cheek to feel the warmth of his mother's kiss. Chester is so pleased with his Kissing Hand that he--in a genuinely touching moment--gives his mom a Kissing Hand, too, to comfort her when he is away. Audrey Penn's The Kissing Hand, published by the Child Welfare League of America, is just the right book for any child taking that fledgling plunge into preschool--or for any youngster who is temporarily separated from home or loved ones. The rough but endearing raccoon illustrationsare as satisfying and soothing for anxious children as the simple story. (Ages 5 and older) --Karin Snelson ... Read more

Reviews (51)

Review of The Kissing Hand
Chester Racoon and his mother prepare for Chester's first "night" at school. He is a little apprehensive, and, of course, he wants to stay home with his mom. Mrs. Racoon shares a secret with Chester called the Kissing Hand. She kisses Chester's palm and tells him to put it to his cheek when he begins to feel lonely at school. This book makes a great gift for a child entering school or going to camp for the first time, or for any occasion where a child will be temporarily separated from home and loved ones. It can also be used to help a child through the death of a parent or special loved one, and for children placed in foster families and residential facilities. For teachers, this book would be super to read the first day of school. It could also lead up to wonderful science, social studies, and reading/writing activities.

A Mother Reviews The Kissing Hand
Chester is about to start school and he's terribly nervous. In a single, calming gesture, his Mom helps him feel loved and secure by kissing the center of his hand. She reminds Chester that her love is always right there and if he should feel frightened or scared or lonely he should simply hold the hand to his cheek and he will feel her love.
We read it just before our son began kindergarten on September 5, 2001 for several days in a row. Although he had been attending Day Care since birth, this was still a new experience for him and he was naturally nervous. So now, each morning we kiss his palm and send him off on the bus. It's a wonderful new ritual.
September 11, 2001 began a tremendously difficult time in our country. Our children are 4 and 5, and we have been reading this nearly every night since then. A friend's daughter was having terrible nightmares and great fears about not seeing her Daddy (he's a Police Officer currently assigned to Ground Zero). We lent them the book to read to her. Her Mom now tells me she is sleeping soundly as long as she has been kissed in the palm of her hand.
Sweet Dreams, America and the world.

We love The Kissing Hand!
This story is about a racoon who is scared to go to school. His mom gives him a kiss in his hand and tells him to put it on his cheek when he gets upset. This book is about love. Our favorite part was when the little racoon gave his mom a kiss in her hand. We think you should read this book because it shows how much a mom loves her child.

Text and Illustrations Don't Work Together
No matter how sweet the plot (and it does edge a bit on the saccharine for my taste), no matter how beautiful the illustrations, this book just doesn't work as a whole.

The story has animals going to school--probably to the supermarket and church too, for all we know!!! Meanwhile the illustrations are glorious, naturalistic works that would be great for a nature book, but look TOO real here. Combined, there is a discordance that really spoiled the book for me.

There are tons of books with anthropomorphized animals, and they serve the purpose of letting children identify with their feelings, regardless of race or gender. But in books of this ilk that WORK, either the animals are more cartoonish or the setting is clearly human based(houses, schools, etcetera), so it's easy to accept the idea of the animals acting out human roles.

Too bad--it's a nice idea, and has a lot of potential as a back to school or starting school book.

One of the best
This is an excellent book. I first checked it out from our library and the first time I read it to my 3 year old son I could barely finish it because it touched me. My son is going through some regression right now as we are expecting our second child and he has shown a lot of increased anxiety away from me. This book was so appropriate for children who are feeling anxious about being away from their parents whether it be school or for any reason. Change is hard and this book reminds children that they will always have your love. I cannot recommend enough. We had to own this one!! ... Read more

Book Description

In this tender sequel to the New York Times bestseller and children's classic, The Kissing Hand, Audrey Penn provides parents with another tale of love and reassurance to share with their children. Chester Raccoon has a baby brother--and the baby is a bit more than Chester had bargained for. "Please can we give him back?" he begs Mrs. Raccoon, to no avail. The last straw is when Chester sees his mother give his baby brother a kissing hand--his kissing hand, Chester thinks. His mother assuages his fears with her own special brand of wisdom, finding just the right way to let Chester know that he is deeply loved. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A delightful story about raccoons and love.
As a book reviewer for Funseeker's Radio Network I come across a lot of delightful children's book, but this one has to be in the top ten. A mother raccoon has two cubs, with Chester being the older. His mother gives him a kiss in his hand, a "kissing hand" and he is delighted, until he sees her give one to his baby brother. His mother lets him know that he is loved just as much as his brother and that she has enough love for both of them. The illustrations by Barbara Leonard Gibson are some of the best I have seen and remind me of Harry, my own pet raccoon I had when I was younger. This book needs to be bought in pairs, one for the adult buying it and one or more for the children who will love the story and the message it gives. ... Read more

Amazon.com

"If you give a moose a muffin, he'll want some jam to go with it." So begins the most logical silliness to be found anywhere--at least since Laura Joffe Numeroff and illustrator Felicia Bond's If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. Readers will follow a young boy and his voracious visitor through a series of antlered antics: jam reveries and puppet shows and big messes. It all makes perfect sense, really, once you stop to think about it. What moose wouldn't want to borrow a sweater when it's cold outside? And why shouldn't the loose button on the sweater remind him of his grandmother? Bond's cleverly detailed, witty illustrations perfectly complement Numeroff's deadpan style. Through just a few deft words and brush strokes, the reader gets a real sense of the unique personalities of the two characters. Children will relate easily to the full-circle reasoning of the story, while picking up the concept of cause and effect. The moral of the story? Keep plenty of muffin mix and blackberry jam in your cupboard. You never know who may drop by. (Great read aloud, ages 4 to 8) --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (27)

A very fun book! Get the whole series!
Moose/Muffin is our favorite of this "If You Give a (?) a (?)" series of books, but the other two, Mouse/Cookie and Pig/Pancake, are just as good jumping-off points for clever stories of wandering attention, imagination, curiosity, and the sheer joy of play.

From an adult-critique standpoint, I think Laura Joffe Numeroff's story in this one was the most clever, scene to scene. All the shifts in focus make perfect sense, if you view the moose as personified the moment the kid tosses him the muffin, and never have too large a shift in the scope of the action. It's absurdly funny to have an animal the size of a moose at play like a child in the house.

My favorite illustration is of the moose and the kid -- probably a boy but not altogether clear, so she's a girl for my daughters -- painting the scenery for the puppet show. (Confused? Buy it and read it.) Felicia Bond is very gifted in conveying body language and movement in her characters, and her complex cartoon drawings are delightful all around.

Now this may seem like an obvious point, but a real moose is a very dangerous animal, so parents must instruct their very literal-minded small children that real wild animals are dangerous, and that stories like this are funny pretend stories -- can you say "metaphor" sweetie? You can imagine a friendly moose, but never go up to a real one. There are thousands of kids' stories with personified animals, so this is not a new thought to most adults, but sometimes it's hard for us to remember that *everything* is new to small children.

Our daughters enjoy all three, though I haven't seen Mouse/Cookie surface for a while, so I'll have to dig it out and read it to the 20-month-old. She loves Pig/Pancake and this one. Our older daughter (4.5) treasured all three beginning at her sister's age, and now uses them to really look at and read the words that she already knew by heart.

These are great books. Enjoy with them!

One Thing Leads To Another
If you give a moose a muffin...one thing can lead to another and you just never know what you're in for! This a wonderful book with bright, colorful illustrations filled with humorous situations that stem from that first kind act of hospitality between a little boy and a visiting moose. Kids will love the momentum that keeps building as the friendly moose goes from muffin to mayhem while the boy's unsuspecting mom is outside quietly working in the yard. Laura Joffe Numeroff has written other books of this type that are very entertaining, too, but this one is my favorite, by far. It encourages generosity and co-operation in a mad-cap way. The big, gangly moose is so funny that the kids are sure to love him and you will be glad to read this book over and over again.

If You Give a Moose a Muffin
In this book theres a moose that smells a muffin from a nearby house. He gets into the house and trys to get a muffin. The kid gives him a muffin and the moose keeps asking for more and more things to go with it. After the moose has had enough the whole house is a mess.

I would recommend this book to anyone of any age. This book is suprising and interesting.

This book teaches you not to give a moose a muffin unless you know hes not going to want anything to go with it.

Great book for kids
My niece who is 3 can't get enough of this! She loves that moose. Very cute and also fun for adults, doesn't get tiresome like some do.

If you give a moose a muffin.
If you give a moose a muffin is about a big moose that smells some muffins from a nearby house. He gets into the kids house and wants a muffin. When he gets the muffin he starts asking for something to go with it, then he starts to want more things in the house until it is a big mess.
This book teaches you that it is nice to make friends and have them over, but sometimes it can get a little messy. This book is for ages 4 and up. It is a really good and funny book. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Precious illustrations, laugh-out-loud story
This is an extremely short and easy read, but what a hoot. The illustrations are to die for. The artist really nailed it with the Wombat illustrations, and while wombats are adorable without the help of people, the illustrations really bring out the personality of this Australian native.

Behaving much like a spoiled dog, Wombat gets in all sorts of messes trying to get his new human neighbors to accommodate him. In a very subtle way, the book indicates that these are wild animals - no one pets the wombat... but food magically appears for him.

I literally laughed out loud while reading by myself. You could almost just reach right in the book and pinch the cheeks on that little fur ball.

Children (and adults) will love looking at the illustrations of the contented, sleeping wombat, as well as those that depict him as sometimes curious and innocently mischievious.

This is also a great way to introduce an animal that a lot of kids may never see (unless they live Down Under) in a zoo or even on TV, and a good way to open a discussion on how animals (wild animals, and even household pets) have their own unique personalities and different behaviors than people.

Don't pat the wombat!
Until I read this book I had never seen a dedication in a picture book in which the illustrator thanked the author. Yet lo and behold, at the beginning of "Diary of a Wombat" read the words, "Thanks for letting me play, Jackie. This was fun", signed by illustrator Bruce Whatley. He's not wrong either. The book is a heaping helpful of fun, starring a cuddly adorable little wombat and her low key adventures. Having been published at the same time as the similarly titled (and, in my humble opinion, less impressive) book, "Diary of a Worm", "Diary of a Wombat" never really received the praise and adoration it so rightly deserved. To me, this book is the perfect balance of cute and sly (a difficult mixture indeed).

We follow our heroine, a rolly-polly little unnamed wombat as she goes about her days. For a wombat, life doesn't consist of much more than sleeping, munching on some grass, and sleeping again. The first few days we spend with the wombat proceed at about this pace. All that changes when the wombat acquires some new human neighbors. A family of wide-eyed Australians first meet the little creature when she decided to use their picnic area as her own personal dustbath. Please note the shocked lovebirds perched on a nearby birdbath. As the days go by the wombat slowly but surely teaches her humans to feed her carrots as well as oats. By the end, she comes to the undeniable conclusion that, "humans are easily trained and make quite good pets".

I can't imagine a single objection that could be successfully lobbied against this tale. Let us consider, first of all, the wombat herself. Think of a teddy bear with a slightly larger nose and I think you'll have a rough idea of what I'm describing here. The wombat is incapable, it seems, of anger or malicious intent. All the damage she does comes from a self-absorbed sense of what is best for herself. Wet laundry in the way? Get rid of it. Humans not feeding you lately? Make a ruckus with their metal garbage can. She is drawn particularly realistically, which of course makes her all the funnier. It is a relief that the humans have not yet taken steps to rid themselves of this particularly intense and likable little pest. Who can resist her half-closed eyes as she chews contentedly on a freshly grown carrot?

Not only does Jackie French tell her tale with just the right amount of humor and timing but Bruce Whatley outdoes himself with his whimsical illustrations. Wombats never had it so good. If you're looking for something cute but witty, that treads between the humorous and the tragic with fantastic results (not to mention being more than a little kid-friendly), then I present for your reading enjoyment, and the enjoyment of your peers/children, "Diary of a Wombat".

My 3 year old daughter's favorite book
We've barrowed this book from the library 3 times and renewed it 3 times. Now it is time to own one. We've lived in Australia for a while and we'd seen this cute nocturnal creature. My 3yr old daughter who was born in Canberra, Australia is the one who is so fascinated with the story. The book is very unique and it is well written for a young minds understanding. The pictures are great!

Wombat Psychology
Jackie French gets right inside the mind of a wombat and inside the heart of the reader. The drawings are absolutely brilliant, capturing the whimsical nature and sleepy attitude of these beautiful beasts. In real life they can be quite cantankerous, but now I know it's because I've either taken away their favourite place or given them the wrong food!

Great for all ages
Adults will love this book as much as kids do! The illustrations are adorable and both kids and adults will find the wombat's antics endearing and funny. The wombat's diary is written in much the same way that Bridget Jones' Diary is written- v. funny!!! Please buy it! ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (8)

Beautiful story...
I know a childrens book shouldn't make you cry, but I was actually crying in the end! What a wonderful, wonderful story, and beautiful ending! Lovely story about hard work to obtain a goal, but also that our children don't have to do ANYTHING to earn our love - we love them no matter what. Highly recommend this little book.

Great book!
This is about a Koala named Koala Lou who thinks her mother does not love her anymore. So Koala Lou goes gum-tree climbing in the Bush Olympics to get her mother's attention. This book taught me that no matter what you do, your mother will always love you!

1st Graders think this is the best book in our class!
Koala Lou entered the Bush Olympics Gum Tree Climbing event because her mother stopped saying, "Koala Lou, I do love you." Koala Lou won 2nd place and thought her mother wouldn't love her anymore. However, her mom said she would always love her no matter what.

Almost all the students in our 1st grade class loved this book! We learned that our parents love us no matter what.

A book that parents and their children will love!
After hearing this story read to my daughters kindergarten class I knew that we had to have it. My daughters and I read the book at least once a week and have given it as gifts to many friends. The book expresses so much love that a parent gives to a child and reminds us not to forget to express our love verbally.

WOW!
I bought this book in the summer of 1999 on a trip to Australia. I wanted to bring back some Australian folk stories for my daughter. I fell in love with this book. I have loved koalas since my 7th birthday when I received a koala "bear". My daugther enjoyed this book.

I loved that the story showed that a parent's love is not dependant on what a child does but who they are as a person. ... Read more

Book Description

Here is the thrilling story of Rikki, a fearless young mongoose who finds himself locked in a life-and-death struggle to protect a boy and his parents from Nag and Nagaina, the two enormous cobras who stalk the gardens outside the familys home in India. Nobel Prize winner Rudyard Kiplings timeless masterpiece has been lovingly passed from one generation of readers to the next. Triumphantly brought to life in stunning watercolors from Caldecott Honor artist Jerry Pinkney, this is a tale that will win the hearts of young and old alike ... Read more

Reviews (14)

One of the best children's stories ever
Everyone will love Rikki Tikki Tavi. He is cute and furry, he has been rescued from certain death by his humans, and best of all he fights snakes in a land where they are an everyday part of life - and death.

This is not just a story for children. The writing is sophisitcated enough to appeal to adults and is very funny in parts, and very touching in others. But it is a great story to share with children - it touches on all the things we want for our kids - strong and loyal friends, a protective and supportive family, and the ability to know when its time to stand up for yourself, and take risks if you need to.

It is a really wonderful story (as are all of Mr Kipling's - to be fair) but this is quite a masterpiece. Share it with a special child and enjoy it all the more.

A beautiful story
A young mongoose got swept away from his family by a flood and ended up with a person family. They took very good care of him and he loved them. Cobras who were called Nag and Nagaina lived in the garden. Rikki Tikki Tavi protected the family from them. There were birds, too, who were friends of the mongoose. One of their babies fell out of the nest and Nag ate it. My brother and I loved this book. Hannah, aged 7

Rikki-Tikki-Tavi
In the story, Rikki-Tikki-Tavi is a mongoose. When a flood washed him away from his home, he is adopted by Teddy and his family. While exploring the garden, he meets Nag and Nagaina, two deadly cobras. Later that night, he overhears the cobras' plot to enter Teddy's house and kill his family. When Nag and Nagaina get inside, Rikki attacks and kills Nag in Teddy's bathroom. The next day, Rikki finds Nagaina's eggs on the ground and begins crushing all of the eggs except for one. When Nagaina threatens to kill Teddy, Rikki distracts her by threatening to destroy her last egg. Then, Rikki chased Nagaina into her hole in the garden and kills her. From then on, Teddy's family hailed Rikki-Tikki-Tavi as a hero for saving them from the two deadly cobras.

A wondeful book by a not so wonderful author
Dear readers,
a few weeks ago I read a book called Rikki Tikki Tavi. It's a kind of weird story about a mongoose who is washed from his home and into an Indian family's garden. This where a small boy named Teddy picked the mongoose, a.k.a. Rikki Tikki, up and kept him as a pet and a guardian. After this Rikki Tikki decides to explore the land outside of the house. This is where he meets Nag and Nagina(both are cobras). This is also where he begins his war aginst the snakes. So as you can see this a very interesting story with a great moral,"Never let your guard down"'.

Rikki-Tikki-Tavi
I bought this book for my child who was at the time 5 years old. It has become his favorite book and he always chooses it when he's asked to bring in a favorite book. The illustrations are beautiful and it serves the classic story very well. Though it is a bit lengthy for a bedtime story, it is one book that I never mind reading to him. I would recommend this book for any child who has an adventurous side. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Being a kangaroo certainly looks like a lot of fun, what with allthe hopping and the hay eating. But who knew all that jumping around could causesuch problems? Marsupial Sue, that's who, a smartly dressed young 'roo who can'tabide by all the bouncing: "It rattled her brain. It gave her migraine. Abackache, sideache, tummyache too."

So John Lithgow recounts in 4/4 time--along with the jaunty, waltzy music andscore on the CD that's included--in his second foray into children's books(The Remarkable FarkleMcBride being the first). Probably best known as Dick Solomon on TV's3rd Rock from the Sun, Lithgow brings his comic knack to this Down Understory about the importance of being yourself. Marsupial Sue might be intriguedby the idea of being a climbing koala or prawn-slurping platypus, but withLithgow's cooing reassurance as the narrator, she eventually comes around: "Behappy with who you are. / Don't ever stray too far from you. / Get rid of thatfrown / And waltz up and down / beneath a marsupial star. / If you're a kangaroothrough and through, / Just do what kangaroos do."

Lithgow will likely never surpass the spiritual contributions he made to ourworld as Doctor Emilio Lizardo andJohn Whorfin, but don't hold that against him. Like Farkle,Marsupial Sue is surely worth a read (and a listen), especially withillustrator Jack E. Davis's cool cast of sunglass- and snappy-hat-wearing Aussieanimals. (Ages 4 to 8) --Paul Hughes ... Read more

Reviews (16)

This book's a hit!!
I bought a copy of this book for my 6 year old daughter and also purchased one for her kindergarten teacher for Teacher Appreciation Week. My daughter loved it. She read it everyday for over a week. That was over 6 months ago and it's still one of her favorites. The story is great and delivers a great message in terms of self-acceptance. The illustrations are wonderful. And the best part of all is the CD that comes with it. The story is sung by the author, John Lithgow himself. You can't listen without smiling. The book and CD were also a great hit with her kindergarten class. The kids asked for it on a daily basis!! They all soon learned the lyrics of the song! I highly recommend this book!

A darling book
This is such a cute story about a kangaroo who is not happy being a kangaroo. She learns the lesson of acceptance of ourselves just as we are. The musical CD is as cute as can be and John Lithgow does a great job of singing the lyrics.

Most Creative, Humorous AND Enlightening BRAVO Lithgow!
I am thrilled to find a book of such delightful artwork, (the depiction of Marsupial Sue and her Love Beads and Birkenstocks is hilarious), terrific singing lessons and meaningful message - BE HAPPY WITH WHO YOU ARE - all rolled into one great book.

This book is a joy to own and to sing with your child and is a must for your children's personal libraries as well as gifts to any child you care about. On the way home from the library, my four year old son discovered the CD in this book and we began to listen. We LOVED it from the start. We also enjoyed the instrumental version that followed John's singing because it immediately encouraged us to recall the song and the words and to learn. What an ingenious idea for encouraging children to learn and sing something that is definitely a little challenging, different and fun, all at the same time! We were highly impressed with Mr. Lithgow's awards for this book and for its support of the Save the Music Foundation - a non-profit organization supporting music education for children.

We are buying this book and will next seek out each of Mr. John Lithgow's other works - the Manatee and Farkle McBride and any other that he produces - to own for our son's personal collection. A TREASURE.

Bravo, John Lithgow & Jack Davis! Encore, please!

Please don't stop creating these books Mr Lithgow!!!!
We LOVE this book!!! It's wonderful as a song OR poem. The music is set to a waltz. My kids and I love to put the CD on and dance to the music. When the CD is over, I always hear..."AGAIN!!!"

Marsupial Sue is a beautifully illustrated, lovable Kangaroo. She meets lots of adorable animals on her quest to become someone else. In the end, she realizes being a kangaroo is really pretty great.

It's amazing that Mr. Lithgow can deliver an important message ("be yourself") that you don't realize you're learning because you're having SOOOO much fun.

I must also HIGHLY recommend "I'm a Manatee".

Great book...Great C.D.
When I picked this book out of our Library at school to read it to the Kindergartener's I never thought much of it. But, once we read it, and then listened to the CD, we were hooked. Not only did it get me singing all day long but 48 others were too. It is such a special book that I am purchasing three for my children this Christmas so they can have it to read and listen to with their children someday. Thank you John Lithgow! ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (1)

Another lovely book from Mem Fox
Mem Fox has done it again!Hunwick's Egg is a lovely book - I bought it for my children for Easter - In Australia, the Easter Bilby has become as well known as the Easter Bunny!The illustrations are fabulous and look very much like the illustrations in Koala Lou, also illustrated by Pamela Lofts.I heard Mem Fox in a radio interview commenting that Pamela Lofts travelled to Central Australia in order to ensure the accuracy of her animal illustrations, right down to the ants! Well she certainly did a wonderful job.The story is very engaging with a little 'secret' revealed at the end.A lovely book to add to your collection and a great Easter gift. ... Read more

Book Description

The forest heaves and splits in a terrible quake, and Griffin, a newborn Silverwing bat, is sucked down a fissure deep into the earth. Shade, Griffin's father, soon realizes that his son has been drawn into the Underworld, and embarks on the most dangerous of journeys to rescue him. Shade knows he must find Griffin quickly -- legend dictates that if the living stumble into the land of the dead, they have only a short time before death claims them, too. But something else is hunting Griffin -- a deadly foe Shade hoped he would never see again. Who will find Griffin first? And who will survive to embark on the perilous journey back to the land of the living?

In this riveting companion to the acclaimed novels Silverwing and Sunwing, Kenneth Oppel creates a story that will resonate with readers of all ages -- a glorious fantasy adventure in which the living and the dead struggle for the sake of eternity. ... Read more

Reviews (18)

AN AWESOME BOOK!
"He was still stunned when Goth struck, slamming him down to the floor, pinned him on his back." Kenneth Oppel countinues to please the fans with another action packed novel of "Firewing", the companion to Silverwing and Sunwing. Shade and Marina have a son named Griffen, and the generation of silverwing bats move on. When Griffen a silverwing gets sucked into the underworld, Shade his father, goes to recue him. With Goth sill in the picture, and cama-zotz trying to take over the upper world, the plots get confusing. But this book has such great detail it paints the images into your mind. This book is filled with wonderful suspence and action, Oppel makes this a "don't stop until you finish it" book. It dosen't matter if you don't like bats this book draws you in with it's description and cunning detail. If you haven't read any of this series, go out and start reading now!

AGHHHH!!
The book is great. Just great. Except for the ending. I can't believe so many reviewers actually liked the ending. It was the most disappointing thing ever. Don't read it if you love happy endings. There had better be a fourth book to resolve this feeling of being cheated in me ><

the best book ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This book was fantastic!!! I really like how it mostly takes place in the underworld. You've problely read other reviews so you know the story,but I'm not going to blab. This book was so good durring a club meeting I went to the batheroom and read it there!!! I think you should read the book your self. Now if you have read the first two (this is the 3 one) and you know that the main charecter is shades son, you'll be surprised to know that he isn't like his parents. also you'll see Frieda again. (...)BR>bye happy reading

Wow............
Firewing is just as good as the other two books by Kenneth Oppel. The only thing that disappointed me a little was that Goth got away with Griffin's life and Shade did something that disappointed me even more, but of course I'm not disappointed how bad the book was or anything, it was great. Only the part I was talking about made me a little sad. I wonder what the next book will be called..........

Firewing
Firewing by David Oppel is a great book there is nonstop action and has a very exitingplot. This is a story has love and adventure and the consequences of a lifetime. When a young bat is sucked into the underworld he has to make decisions of who and who not to trust. He is faced with grueling tasks and long journeys so he can escape with his life. The characters a so exiting Griffin, a young bat that is not very brave and thinks way to much. Luna, is brave, daring, strong, and does not think at all before she plunges into any wild ideas she comes up with. Shade is Griffins father who is like Luna a lot but he is very famous and is known all over the forest. This is a book that will really keep you on the edge of your set. It has a lot of adventure that will entertain you even if you hate toread. The author has also written these must reads Silverwing and Sunwing. This book is intended for ages 10-15 it is pretty easy to read but is about 270 pages long. ... Read more

Book Description

A seal at school!

What happens when Sammy, the adventurous seal, leaves the zoo for the day? He goes to the city, finds a school full of kids and new things to do--and he even learns to read!

Reviews (8)

Sammy the Seal
One day, Sammy the seal decides that he wants to go outside of the zoo to see what life is like in the outside world. During his adventures he walks along a busy street, swims in a man's bathtub, and goes to school. I think it is really cute how people don't even notice there is a seal walking down the street, or if they do they don't act like it is any thing out of the ordinary.

The pictures in the original 1959 version are very cute, full of expression and well colored. In the original the colors are shaded in, and almost look as if they were colored in by some very artistic kid with crayons.

The story flows wonderfully, even if some parts don't quite make sense. It is a very cute, if rather nonsensical, story.

Loggie-log-log-log

Classic story for children
Basically the same story as "Danny and the Dinosaur" and not as ingenious. However, Hoff's illustrations are always a joy to look at. And the scoolteacher is definitely hot. I had a crush on her as a child, and still do.

Sammy The Seal
Sammy the Seal lives in a zoo in the city. One day, as Mr Johnson was feeding the seal, he asked Sammy waht was the matter; as Sammy was looking very sad indeed. He told Mr Johnson that he wanted to get out of the zoo, and have a look around the city. He looked at everything, but soon it was too hot for him, and he ended up taking a swim in a man's bath tub. He then found a liune of children waiting to go to school. Sammy learned to read and write, and he was very good at vollyball. After school was out, Sammy went home to the zoo. He was glad to be home--it was supper time.

Excellent
This was the first book my mother read to me, i memorized it because i asked her to read it to me every night. That's how i learned to read by the time I was 3.5 years old or so, which got me ahead in classes. Now, ending my junior year in high school, i pop out the book when i get stressed out and read it to myself...even though i know the words without opening the book. Buy it! you'll love it!

I loved this book!
I couldn't believe I still had the original Sammy The Seal book I had when I was a child! (This just proves how much I cherished it!) I am so delighted that I can pass it on to my 6 year old son as he learns to read. I highly recommend this book and others by Syd Hoff. ... Read more

Book Description

Why should an armadillo NEVER cross a road? Because he may never get to the other side! In this delightful book, a teacher armadillo tells his class about their prehistoric ancestor—a glyptodont weighing nearly two tons. He describes where armadillos live, how they spend their time, and what they like to eat for lunch. And he cautions them about the dangers of crossing the road. But one student in a red baseball cap isn’t listening—or is he?

Featuring an armadillo fact section, and a "Words to Learn" glossary, Don’t Ever Cross That Road! is packed with information. Conrad J. Storad’s musical verse and Nathaniel P. Jensen’s charming pictures make this book a special treat for every young reader. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Absolutely delightful
This is a sweet story you won't mind sharing with your child again and again. The illustrations are first rate, each page has its own color palate as the story progresses from evening to dawn (armadillos are nocturnal, after all!). My three year old has a new best friend!

The publishers also did a great job on the printing. The images are crisp, the paper is of good quality so that the colors jump out at you.

Good for kids or adults who are collectors of picture books.

great illustrations great story
Not only is this delightful book instructional but it is also great fun for both children and adults. Kids really respond to the illustrations which animate the story. Definitely a keeper -- one you will want to read and look at over and over.

Delightful Rhyming, Illustrations AND a GREAT Science Lesson
This book by the author of "Don't Call Me Pig! A Javelina Story" and "Lizards for Lunch. A Roadrunner's Tale" is a wonderful blend of whimsical rhyme and natural history lesson. Young readers (or listeners) will love following the antics of a red-capped armadillo student as his teacher armadillo lectures the a restless armadillo class all about their history, biology, habitat, and most importantly the dangers of crossing the road! Bringing the words to life are Nathaniel Jensen's delightful illustrations--the expressions on the little armadillos faces are priceless. ... Read more

Book Description

Shade, a young Silverwing bat in search of his father, discovers a mysterious Human building containing a vast forest. Could his father be there? Home to thousands of bats, the indoor forest is warm as a summer night, teeming with insect food, and free from the tyranny of the deadly owls. But Shade and his friend Marina aren't so sure this is paradise. Shade has seen Humans enter the forest and take away hundreds of sleeping bats for an unknown purpose. And where is Shade's father?

Before long Shade and Marina are on a perilous journey to the far southern jungle, where the Vampire bat Goth rules as king of all the cannibal bats. Now Shade must use all his resourcefulness to find his father -- and stop Goth from creating eternal night. ... Read more

Reviews (25)

Sunwing: A fantastic sequel to a fantastic book
This is the story of Shade, a young silverwing bat. As in "Silverwing," nothing is as it seems. When he and his family and friends are trapped in a human-made paradise, everyone else seems content except for Shade, who questions the humans' motives. It is not long before hundreds bats start disappearing. Shade and his Brightwing friend Marina once again embark on a journey that takes them far south to the home of the Vampyrum Spectrum and the homeland of the evil batgod Cama Zotz. What follows is a non-stop adventure that will keep you reading through the night, but I'm not going to spoil the ending for you. You'll have to read it, yourself.

Sunwing Review
This book is one of the best books I have ever read in my life. There is never a dull moment. In the book, cannibal bat Goth, who was struck by lightning in 'Silverwing', flys off in search of the jungle, his homeland. Southern bat god Cama Zotz heals his scars and burns, and tells Goth to go back to the Humans. At this place, Goth and enemy Shade meet again. When Goth gets back to the jungle, he finds out he been crowned King of all the Vampyrum Spectrum (cannibal bats). An eclipse is coming up, and sun-lover Shade Silverwing must come up with a way to stop Goth from stealing the sun forever.
It is a beyond amazing book, so don't delay and read it now! I stayed up all night reading it, and it was all I could think about. Don't hesitate! Read 'Sunwing' today!

Sunwing rules!!
Even though I never read "Silverwing", I picked this up and school, and decided to read it. I loved the book, and at the end, was shocked that the "exploding-disc" thing had really happened. I was glad that the author decided to share that with us.
I have plans to read "Silverwing" and "Firewing" next. I thought this was a truly awesome book.
I give it five stars for everything in it, an I recommend it to ages 8 and above.

A very good read, but a bit intense for kids, IMO
I read this book right after Silverwing, and while the plot is very well put together and paced, and I read it almost non-stop, I do think that it is too intense for kids. My son loved Silverwing, although he said that "it went up and down a lot", but I think this will be too much for him to read on his own. The live sacrifices and cruelty to living creatures by humans and other animals are quite rough going for the 9 - 12 crowd that this book is aimed at.

Sunwing Rocks!
I just bought Sunwing Earlier Today and I am a third of the way through. IT IS THE GREATEST BOOK OF ALL TIME!!! I can't stress this enough! Why Isn't there a rating higher than five stars? I bought Silverwing earlier this week and read it in four hours (You wouldn't believe how hard it is to put this book down long enough to shower)! Buy this book people! It is DEFINATELY worth the money!!! ... Read more

Book Description

Shade is a young Silverwing bat, the runt of his colony. But he's determined to prove himself on the long, dangerous winter migration to Hibernaculum, millions of wingbeats to the south. During a fierce storm, he loses the others and soon faces the most incredible journey of his young life. Desperately searching for a way to rejoin his flock, Shade meets a remarkable cast of characters: Marina, a Brightwing bat with a strange metal band on her leg; Zephr, a mystical albino bat with a strange gift; and Goth, a gigantic carnivorous vampire bat. But which ones are friends and which ones are enemies? In this epic story of adventure and suspense, Shade is going to need all the help he can find -- if he hopes to ever see his family again. ... Read more

Reviews (68)

Silverwing an epic story!!!
I would most definitely recommend this book to any reader who likes stories with adventure drama and a little mystery, when it comes to one of Shades friend. The story goes like this, a bat, named Shade is the runt among all of the other bats in his tree colony. Every year Shade the rest of his colony travel to the south to their winter cave where they hibernate until spring. The journey is a long, treacherous and unfortunately Shade gets separated from all of the other bats. He has no choice but to find his way to his winter cave (Hibernaculum) meet his family there. On his way he meets a few interesting bats who seem to be friendly and want to help but you never can tell when it comes to bats. They teach Shade a few tricks about surviving alone and....... well lets not ruin the ending for you. I guess you will just have to read the book for yourself. Hope you enjoy the book as much as I did.

A REAL Page-Turner
If you're a Harry Potter and Series of Unfortunate Events type of person, you're sure to love Silverwing. Silverwing is mixed with the mystery and suspense of Harry Potter, and the heart-pounding events in Series of Unfortunate Events. This book is a real and I mean a REAL page-turner! I didn't want to go down the shore with my friend because it was so interesting (and my mom wouldn't let me take my book). I'd rather miss a trip to Disney World than not read this book. Shade, the runt of his colony, goes on an adventure to find out what really happened to his father. Along the way he meets a bright, cocky, and very adventurous Brightwing, two carnivorous vampire bats, and a blind, really wise Albino bat. Copious amounts of events happen to Shade. At one point Shade gets separated by his colony by a terrible storm. Does Shade ever find his colony? Does he live? If you want to know you'll have to read the book. I rate this book an excellent five stars!
By: AM, a fifth grader from WMA, PA

get inside the mind of a bat in this standard adventure
Shade is a young sliverwing bat. He wants to see the sun, something forbidden to bats by ancient animal law. He gets separated from his colony during their winter migration and meets another bat who tries to help him find his colony while evading canabalistic jungle bats intent on stirring up warfare among birds, animals, and bats. For any bat lovers or bat-fearers this is an unconventional look into the life of bats, one that makes you want to take a second look at the furry little creatures...Otherwise, it's fairly standard fantasy adventure.

If you are lookong for action
Hey, for me, most books start out boring, and work up to suspense. I usually don't like books like that becuase i can't concentrate on the beginning of the book becuase it's so boring. But this book, the action started on practicaly the first page! I got sucked in; reading on, and on about the adventures of Shade, not caring about anything else. I think that this is an EXTREMELY good book. I read it all in one day because i absoulutely couldn't put it down! Read about the aventures of Shade, a little runt in his Silverwing colony, as he meets friends- and enemys.

My Summary
RECOMMENDATION
I recommend this book to everyone that is 10 years and older. This book is very well written and suspenseful. In one part when Goth is chasing Shade. Shade says," I see you" then Shade sees Goth and runs. It also has a lot of action like the second part he fights the owl. Shade sees it and he screamed " This time you will die." So he went up to it and killed it. If you like action and suspense read this book. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Wonderful!
I bought this book for each of my grandchildren, and they all adored it. Storad wrote a wonderful story for children of all ages that is enhanced by beautiful illustrations. What a joy to be able to find a book that is both entertaining and educational!

Don't Call Me Pig: A Javelina Story
My children recite the catch phrase from this humorous, yet educational look at Javelinas for hours after we read the book. I truly admire Storad's ability to make kids laugh and teach them at the same time.

Don't Call Me Pig
What a joy to read this book to my kids! It was not only fun to read this rhyming story, it was educational, too. The illustrations are fabulous. My two young boys asked lots of questions while we read, which just means they were really interested in this animal called a javelina--not a pig! After reading this book, we also obtained "Lizards for Lunch" by the same author and enjoyed it just as much. Now, as we travel across the desert periodically, my kids will be on the lookout for some of the animals they've seen in these books. ... Read more

Book Description

"Dear Mr. Blueberry, I love whales very much and I think I saw one in my pond today. Please send me some information on whales." It's vacation time, so Emily has to write to her teacher to help when she discovers a blue whale living in her pond. Mr. Blueberry answers that she must be mistaken, because whales live in the ocean, not in ponds.

Throughout the summer, Emily and Mr. Blueberry exchange letters, until Emily has a happy surprise to share with her teacher. In the process, Emily learns a lot about whales. And Mr. Blueberry leans even more a