Book Description

Reviews (6)

An exciting, riveting tale
Superbly narrated by Jim Weiss, The Cat Of Bubastes is an exciting, riveting tale by G.A. Henty of Chebron (son of the Egyptian High Priest Ameres) and Amuba (a slave in the Ameres' household). Chebron accidentally kills a cat which is an act of sacrilege to the ancient Egyptians and the punishment is death. He and Amuba flee and in doing so find themselves embarking on the high road of adventure as they encounter life and death experiences among peoples of antiquity. The Cat Of Bubastes is a technically flawless, six CD, unabridged, six hour audio book and strongly recommended for personal and community library audio book collections.

Cat of Bubastes
viewer from Califronia 1st published over 100 years ago, G.A. Henty's novels fill a void in the area of literature that is appropriate for kids! It is full of adventure and is written in a style that kids will read comfortably. The 15 year old hero, the prince of a small nation invaded by the Egyptians,is of strong moral character and boys, especially, will love the story of his captivity! Packed full of details: Egyptian architecture, family life, methods of warfare, government, geography, religion, and more! Even a cameo appearance by Moses, himself! As a homeschooling mother, I bought this book for my 6th grader to supplelment our history studies. I found myself reading it whenever she put it down and we were devouring it together for an entire weekend. Can't wait to get more Henty novels!

Wonderful! Absolutely wonderful! 5 stars!
This book is very good. The plot is excellent, although sometimes the author is to descriptive. Try it out! One of the best books I've read.

Egypt made fun and interesting
I read this book aloud to my children ages 11 and 13. Not only were we treated to an extraordinary story but to an amazing history lesson as well. Each chapter was full of details and interesting facts about Egypt woven into an exciting and suspenseful story. The vocabulary was fairly challenging but I considered this a positive aspect of the reading experience. We learned alot in a very painless way. We enjoyed G. A. Henty so much that we are reading another of his books now.

Well-worth reading to or with your children
This republished book brims with honesty, heroism, loyalty, and selflessness. The adventure remains high throughout the book and there are a few vocabulary words to look up for the 4th-7th grade child. Henty worked hard to keep the historical setting accurate; you feel as if you were in ancient Egypt! Well worth reading. ... Read more

Book Description

Pirates will often carry their knives in their mouths, although the practice is frowned upon by the American Dental Association. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

A great read for dads and sons...
My son is 5 and he asks me to read this one alot. We've read it all the way through several times and I'm sure we will some more. So Bleearrrggg and Shiver-me-timbers! Set sail for a fun time with your kids. A great book for little pirates and big ones too.

If this is a children's book, can I be a child again?
A couple years back I suffered an eye injury, and as a result I had to wear a drugstore-issue eye patch for a while. Now, when you're wearing an eye patch you find yourself answering a lot of questions. Understandably, I began to pepper my answers with words like "Aaaaaarrrggh" and "Matey."

So when Tom Lichtenheld's book "Everything I Know About Pirates" came out, I had to look into it - if only to pick up some tips about my new high-seas alter ego. I picked up a lot more than I'd bargained for.

Lichtenheld has produced a children's book predicated on the gleeful acknowledgement that he knows absolutely nothing about the subject at hand: pirates. But he forges ahead fearlessly with preposterous explanations of who the pirates are and what makes them tick. It's dopey, smart, hilarious stuff - that rare brand of humor that manages to make rather profound sense by throwing logic out the door. The brand of humor that's been proven effective at turning kids into masses of laughing jelly. The brand of humor that a lot of us grown-ups would do well to get back in touch with.

Lichtenheld not only wrote the book; he illustrated it, too. And the drawings are every bit the equal of the writing. Detailed, witty, filled with hidden jokes that reward repeated readings, they make "Pirates" a delight even for kids so young they wouldn't know a printed word from a soiled diaper.

In sum, "Everything I Know About Pirates" is like a mom or dad who can spin funny, wonderful bedime stories out of thin air, time after time. In other words, a rarity. If you have kids, you and they will both love it. If you don't have kids...well, this book might make you want to.

Forget the kids!
As a 45 year old Kindergarten teacher, I picked this book up over summer and had tears in my eyes I was laughing so hard! Lichtenheld's pictures are comical, too. I hope he writes many more "everything I know about..." books. I hope to have my students write 'everything I know' essays.

A boys favourite!
My 6 year old son thinks this book is wonderful. I recommend it for boys aged 5-9.

great read, even for adults
The older I get the more I enjoy childrens books, and I really enjoy them when they're intelligent, witty, charming, well illustrated and "Everything...Pirates" is all the above and more. From the intricately drawn end covers to the tiny comments hidden around the pages, this is a tour inside a child's mind of all those questions that needed answers about pirates. Highly recommended! ... Read more

Book Description

Nory Ryan's family has lived on Maidin Bay on the west coast of Ireland for generations, raising a pig and a few chickens, planting potatoes, getting by. Every year Nory's father goes away on a fishing boat and returns with the rent money for the English lord who owns their cottage and fields, the English lord bent upon forcing the Irish from their land so he can tumble the cottages and clear the fields for grazing. Times are never easy on Maidin Bay, but this year, a terrible blight attacks the potatoes. No crop means starvation. Twelve-year-old Nory must summon the courage and ingenuity to find food, to find hope, to find a way to help her family survive.


From the Trade Paperback edition. ... Read more

Reviews (47)

Austin's review
Nory Ryan's Song

Nory Ryan's Song is a book about how some families survived with little food and no money. These people still have to pay rent for their homes. If they did not pay rent then they were sent away and their homes were destroyed. In that part of the city no one even had a coin but Anna Donnely. One of the families named the Ryan's had two daughters and a boy. The oldest girl got married in her mother's wedding dress and after the wedding she went to America. The father of the Ryan's was fishing to get money to pay rent. Because he was gone this left Patch and Nory by themselves. Nory and Patch had a very hard life. They had to find food for a long time. Sean Red, a friend of Nory's, had an extra ticket to go to America because his grandmother died. He gave the ticket to Patch and Patch left for America. Later when the Ryan's father finally came home, he brought a ticket for Nory to go to America as well. So Patch and Nory got to live in America and have a better life.

Nory Ryan's Song a review by Amanda
"Nory, I'm moving to Smith St. Brooklyn, New York."

Have you ever had to leave somewhere you love because it was not safe for you anymore? Well, if you have, Nory Ryan's Song by Patricia Reilly Giff is a story you can relate to. Around 1818, the English were taking over parts of Ireland. The taxes were coming due, and Papa still had not come home with the money. Will they be able to pay the taxes or not? Find out if Nory's family moves or pays their taxes. This book is great and Nory actually dealt with these problems. I highly encourage you to read Nory Ryan's Song, to find out if anything happens to her or her family. It is an excellent book that actually happened to a girl who lived in Ireland.

Nory Ryans Song
Nory has hopes for her family and she wants to see them once more.She lives in this little town in Ireland,it was known for their great potatoes , but they had a situation with the potatoes. All of the sudden people began to starve and the people are just drinking warm and dirty water for breakfast,lunch,and dinner.What will happen to them?Will they starve?Will they get better?I dont know ,that is why you should read this great book.

I like this book because it is based on a real world event. I liked it bcause it wasvery interesting to know how people tried to survive in Ireland. There was a rich guy named,Cunningham. He was watching all those people straving and he didn't do a dran thing to help them. There was markets around but nobody bought anything because they didn't have any money to buy anything.

I would recommend this book to young adults becasue this is no book for kids, because it is short but kind of complicated so I think that this book would mostly be for young adults,because I think that most of them will get the message easier than kids.I also think they will get sucked by this book right away when they get it and start reading it. So I recommend you read great this great amazing book.

Book review of Nory Ryan's Song
Welcome to Nory Ryan's Song by Patrica Reilly Giff... In this book there is this girl named Nory and she is a good,caring, and strong girl. But the town is kind of a poor town that has only potatoes as their main food. But this time was the "Potatoe Famine" time which means the potatoes rote and no food means starvation! And Da doesn't come home with the fishes that he'd catch. So they just have to eat very little and wait for a miracle to happen.

The things I liked in this book was that it told me about the history of the potatoe famine in Ireland. Another thing i liked about this book is it had a pretty good ending and it is kind of like a friendship book. And it also talks about the authors familys life in Ireland when all this happened. And I liked this book because it was based on a true story.

I recommend this book to the people who have good friends and to 7th graders. I would recommend this book to people that are Irish or people who want to know more about the history of the potatoe famine.

A Good Boook to Read
Welcome to Nory Ryan's Song. This book is about the Great Hunger that was in Ireland. To understand this book you could read more about the famine in Ireland that took place in 1845-1852.

In this book you will be stunned about what happens to the people when the potatoes go rotten and can't be grown. It becomes a "dog eat dog" world. Nory tries to find out what happened to the potatoes and look for food at the same time. But the richest guy in Ireland is being greedy and trying to buy everything from homes to the beach! And this is why I liked the book!

I recommend you read this book if your'e in Middle School. This book was a good novel for my age group. It will really capture your mind. If I liked this book, I am sure you will too. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (2)

Heartwarming, Inspiring Story
Boxes for Katje is an excellent story that illustrates the idea that sometimes all it takes is one person to bring about changes - something we should strive to remember.

An inspirational story grounded in history
Written by award-winning picture book author Candace Fleming, and based on the real experiences of her mother, Boxes For Katje is an uplifting picture book whose story is set in Holland after World War II. The war has left behind immense devastation, yet Katje's pen-pal from America has sent a package that is part of a goodwill effort to help the people of Europe. An inspirational story grounded in history, Boxes For Katje is wonderfully enhanced for young readers with the artwork of Stacey Dressen-McQueen. ... Read more

Book Description

"In a sort of story-within-a-story form, Lee presents six short Jatakas, or 'birth stories,' drawn from Buddhist literature...The appealing character of the monkey will pull children into the tales, which convey lessons in a direct yet gentle way that is never preachy. The accompanying linocut illustrations are lovely."-Booklist
... Read more

Reviews (4)

My Children Loved this Book!
My nine year old daughter and seven year old son loved this book. I have an eleven year old son who wasn't too interested. If you want a gentle introduction to Buddhist thought, or simply want to broaden your children's horizons, this is an excellent resource. Sadly, it is pretty short, but the illustrations are excellent and the stories profound.

Great family reading
I bought this book to read with my 8 yr old son at bedtime. The book is very well written with the language being both accessible and engaging for young children. My son also loved the illustrations which have a wonderful clarity and warmth. Each Jataka we read gave us a great opportunity to talk about kindness, fear, greed and the other myriad feelings we have every day. Best of all, after we finished the book my son went back and read it again himself. Which is a big deal for him since he usually goes for Captain Underpants before anything else.

Great book for children and parents to read together
Both my 3 and 7 year olds enjoy these stories. It is a great way to start discussions on topics like telling the truth, trust, careful thought, friendship and kindness. The illustrations are wonderful and inspire the imagination.

I once was a monkey
My five year old son loved this book with jakatas, or tales, that buddha told. The jakatas are all told through the stories and lessons that buddha learned through his life as different animals: a monkey, lion, dove, and jackal. There are valuable lessons learned and I would highly recommend this as an introduction for children to buddhism. ... Read more

Reviews (60)

Jacob's Rescue
Jacob's Rescue was a great book. I like this book because I like books about the Holocaust. I feel bad for the Jewish people because the Germans did horrible things to them. In the story I felt bad for Jacob because he was kind of guilty for everything that the family had to do like move or spend a lot of money. This book was so good that I could read it again. I recommend this book to anyone who likes to read books about the Holocaust.

Jacob's Rescue
Jacob's Rescue

I have never read a book about the Holocaust before and I didn't know much about it. This book is through a Jew's eyes and how bad it really was to be a Jew during the Holocaust. This is a book about a boy named Jacob who has to live with a Christian family because he is a Jew, and he needed a place to hide or he would be killed by the Germans. You read about all the problems a Jew would have gone through during the Holocaust. I really like this book because it was exciting and I couldn't wait until I read the next chapter.

i loved this book!!
this book was rele good!! we read it in our literature class not too long ago and now we're doing a project on the dates... we're making a timeline and we're also watching the movie!! it has robin williams in it!! I hope i'm encouraging everyone to read this great book. it's a good book if your interested in the war or jews!! Great book!!

jacob's rescue
I really liked this book. It was cool. I liked this book because it was very exciting. It kept me in my seat and made me keep reading. This book was also very historical. It told you about the Holocaust and how a Polish family hid two jewish boys. At the end the nazis are driven out of Warsaw and then Poland was safe again!

Jacobs Rescue
the true story about the holocaust was wonderful! the authors kept you interested through each chapter! since jacob is a jewish boy forced into hiding with the roslans who are polish, he is given the name genyek. many exciting events take place in the story inculding two deaths in alex's family. I love the book which i did a big report on . I found it made me understand the holocaust better than i did before! ... Read more

Reviews (22)

A classic tale of medieval Europe.
This book won the 1929 Newbery Medal for best contribution to American literature for children. It is the story of a boy living in Krakow, Poland, in 1461 who becomes the trumpeter and night watch at the famous Church of Our Lady Mary. Back in 1241, a young trumpeter who held this same position felt it was his duty to continue sounding his trumpet at the appointed times even as the city was being overrun by Tartars. In the middle of the tune, he was killed by an arrow. Ever since then, all of the succeeding trumpeters stop playng the tune at that same point in memory and honor of that earlier trumpeter. The young lad in this novel has to continue this tradition, yet has to vary the tradition in order to warn others of a crime. Children love to read this story of medieval Europe and of a young man with a duty to do what is right.

Trumpeter of Krakow Review
This book is so good! I loved it! It's about a boy named Joseph Charnetski whose family is forced to live in medieval Krakow,homeless. An alchemist and his niece Elzbietka let them stay with them. However, the alchemist begins to have studies with a hypnotist that drive him mad. Joseph's father becomes the trumpeter at the Church of Our Lady Mary, forcing Joseph to practice the Heynal, a hymn that ends with a broken note. Then, a horrible man, known as Peter of the Button Face, comes to the alchemist's house to steal the Great Tarnov Crystal, a crystal that Joseph's family has been protecting for many years. He doesn't succeed, so he goes to the church tower to threaten Joseph and his father. Joseph made a deal with Elzbietka to add more notes to the Heynal when he plays it if he's in trouble. Will he? I won't tell you the ending. If you want to hear the ending, read this book yourself. This is a great book. I recommend this book to anyone.

So good I didn't care it was historical!
This is the exciting story of Joseph Charnetski, a teenage boy in medieval Poland bound by an ancient oath to protect the Great Tarnov Crystal at any cost. The Great Tarnov Crystal at first seems to just be a huge diamond, but it has a secret I will not tell or it will spoil the story. In the story, a Tartar chief is after the jewel and will stop at nothing to get it. This story gives two ideas of what things were like back then: how dangerous life was, and what alchemists discovered while searching for a way to change base metals into gold. I liked this book so much I didn't care that it was history!

First Lady Laura Bush presents book to Polish First Lady
First Lady Bush Gets History Lesson in Poland
(Excerpts from Reuters story by Katarzyna Mala)

KRAKOW, Poland (Reuters) - As President George Bush was mapping out future ties between the United States and Europe in Poland on Saturday, wife Laura received a history lesson in the former seat of Polish kings.

The first lady marveled at the splendor of the Renaissance Wawel castle in Krakow -- the southern city founded 13 centuries ago, which was the capital of this east European country between 11th and 17th centuries.

The women spent over an hour touring the Wawel, turned into a military barracks in the 19th century when Poland was divided between its three neighboring states. Wawel was also the seat of Nazi German authorities during World War II.

Mrs. Bush surprised her host by presenting her with "The Trumpeter of Krakow," a children's novel set in medieval Krakow about a young patriot whose family guards a mysterious jewel of great value.

"I read this book many years ago. It's a children's book from the 19th century," the former school librarian said. The book won the Newbery award in 1929.

"I did not know the book existed," said Kwasniewska, kissing her counterpart on the cheek.

Voices from the past
I read this book in sixth grade, and though I am now twenty-six years old, it is still, in my opinion, one of the best books I have ever read. Anyone familiar with the history of Edward Kelly, partner of the Elizabethan necromancer John Dee, will enjoy this book in extra dimensions, as would anyone well acquainted with the apocalyptic imagery of Ezekiel. The settings have lost none of their stark horror or beauty on the walls of my memory, the urgency of the threats seem none the less real. It's a priceless story of bravery, resilience, and ultimately sacrifice, and I look forward to reading it again. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (1)

WHIMSICAL TALE SUPERBLY ILLUSTRATED
Yes, this is categorized as a children's book, but don't be misled. It's a book for all with a sense of humor who enjoy quirky, whimsical tales superbly illustrated.

Radunsky is as imaginative and incorrigible as ever, saying, "In my children's books, I often like to use strange, eclectic combinations: absurd, funny text paired with very serious, weighty images, and vice versa."

He has done this again - in spades, and it's terrific fun.

His story, in a nutshell, is reminiscent of a Russian folktale, "The Turnip." But, in this case, we have an asparagus spear, a monstrous protuberance that's growing in the king's yard. He tries to pull it up to no avail. The queen helps, the princess helps, the king's advisers try, even a rhino is unable to budge this giant veggie. At last, the king's mother arrives on the scene - you'll have to guess the rest. Suffice it to say one should always listen to one's mom.

Radunsky's paintings are stunning - he has drawn on Italian Renaissance art, combining his own paintings with fragments of classical Renaissance paintings. The results are splendidly smile provoking. Art aficionados will recognize the works of Bellini, Fra Angelico, Mantegna, and others. Children may well find a beginning interest in Renaissance art.

Gracie, Vladimir Radunsky. ... Read more

Book Description

‘A vividly realistic story of China during the early days of the Japanese invasion [which tells of young Tien Pao’s journey to find his family].’ —C. ‘Valuable as enrichment literature for elementary students involved in Chinese studies.’ —Scholastic Teacher.

1957 Newbery Honor Book
Notable Children's Books of 1956 (ALA)
1956 Children's Book Award (Child Study Association) ... Read more

Reviews (8)

House of Sixty Fathers
I read this book aloud to my sixth grade reading class. They loved it, and always wanted to hear more. Its also a great way to introduce students to some of the history of China, Japan and US involvement in the war there.

My 3rd grade son loved this book!
Boys can be picky readers, so I always take notes if they actually love a book. My 8 year old carried this book everywhere and told be about it every night for a week. Besides Redwall or Harry Potter, this is the first book he has raved about.

Brought back memories...
I told my young son about what a good book this was when I read it growing up, encouraging him to read it as well. He too enjoyed it, and I read it again in my fifties. Excellent book, would certainly encourage children to read it. Now in his teens, we still use a memorable quote from the book, "the heart understands without words".

Great
It's a nice exciting book. You can't really stop reading it. The pictures are great. It is a book that you have to read before you grow up to much. I didn't like that book for one reason- it was really sad. Sad books are okay, but not that great unless it is very exciting but this was an exciting book. So let's aplaud for Meindert DeJong

Remembering 5th Grade!
I remember reading this book in 5th grade. The imagery and the writing was beautiful, not to mention the story. I recommend this book to all kids! It has a great sense of history and culture. In a time when video games and tv are taking over, it's a good book to sit with your kids to talk about the importance of family. ... Read more

Book Description

Now more than ever, parents are told how important it is to talk meaningfully to their kids. This is the book that makes it happen. A revised and expanded second edition, The Kids' Book of Questions, with 634,000 copies in print, makes it easy to ask hard questions and fun to answer them. Questions to challenge, questions to provoke. Questions to entertain and expand young minds. Questions about right or wrong, about fears and hopes, ethics, religious beliefs, about why parents act the way they do--even about ruling the world.

Updated to include questions on subjects that have arisen since the book's original publication in 1988--from the internet to issues like school violence and terrorism--the book is a sure way to prod young people into discovering who they really are and what they really believe. There are inquiries into values: "If you knew you wouldn't get caught, would you cheat on a test by copying someone else's answers?" Intriguing fantasies: "If you could email any famous person and know they'd read and answer your note, who would you write to and what would you say?" Philosophical queries: "Have you had any personal experiences that lead you to believe in God?" Provocative scenarios: "After being given a truth pill, what would you say if you were asked to describe your family?"

Kids, and parents, will be amazed to find how far one little question will lead. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

perspectives through kids answers
I've used this book with my own kids, and I've used it in my classroom. It was enjoyed by so many students that I hate to say it, but one student walked off with it at the end of the year. I work in a school where a lot of the kids are at risk, and this book was wonderful as a tool to help them examin their attitudes, their fears, and their feelings about things. It takes a little time to look through and evaluate what would be good for your classroom. That's a subjective thing anyway, and you have to know your students, but over all, I find this book to be worthwhile and fun at the same time.

This Book Facilitates Some Great Conversations!
I use this book in my child/family therapy sessions and and found it to be a GREAT tool to develop rapport and break the ice. We pass it around in a circle and the kids seems to get a great kick out of asking parents questions.

When therapy sessions are slow we will sometimes pick out a question from the book to generate a discussion. The fact that it is something in written form just for kids seems to appeal to the kids. I have purchased many copies--I often give mine away to the families who really fall in love with the book. I only wish there was another edition to have more questions to access. :)

Much more appropriate for class than its predecessor
I use this in my public speaking class to start discussion groups.

It's pretty good, and far more appropriate for my students than "The Book of Questions." Some questions are ba bit elementary for my high schoolers, but that's okay.

Nonstop fun for kids and their parents!
We took this book on a long car trip two years ago when my kids were 10 and 12. We spent hours talking and laughing about the questions and our answers. The book asks many humorous questions such as "If you could be invisible for a day, what would you do?", or "What was the most embarrassing thing that ever happened to you? Are you embarrassed now by the same things that used to embarrass you?". But mostly, the book asks insightful and thought-provoking questions such as, "What are you most proud of having done? What would make you even more proud?", or "Some adults have a lot of trouble enjoying themselves. If you were asked to give them some advice about how to play and have more fun, what would you say?", or "Do you think boys or girls have it easier?". This book has been in our car for 2 years. The kids still pick it up frequently to ask questions to their carpool on the way to school, or to ask questions to their friends on the way to sports practices. And they especially love to hear their parents' answers!

Great Teacher Resource
This book is a wonderful resource for classroom teachers. It prompts real non-biased conversations about choices, ethics, and problem solving surrounding issues such as popularity, telling the truth, money, sports, and much more. When there is time to fill, we pull out a Kids' Question. (Of course, the questions must be preapproved by the teacher due to the sensitivity of certain topics and content.) ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (1)

Great (but not the best of the series)
Its great. Its follows a myth like The Twelve Tasks of Flavia and once again we meet some characters we've seen from the past. (Tip: read the series in order). ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Toy with history.
This treasure chest contained a surprising array of information and activities. My husband and I loved playing "King's Table" so much, we are now making our own board to go with the pieces. A good interactive introduction to Norse culture. Lynn Hughes' review of this product was very descriptive and accurate.

Viking treasures - game, ship, runes, history, and more!
This sturdy box comes with its own key and contains a delightful variety of Viking information and paraphernalia. There is a light cardboard Viking ship to assemble, a Hnefatafl game (a good board game for 2) with plastic pieces based on the Lewis chessmen, a sundial that needs to be calibrated for your location (directions included), cardboard runes and information about their use in divination, 2 posters (1 each on history and on mythology), and a small book that gives a good introduction to the Viking world. It's more than one rainy day's fun and should appeal to a wide age range. The board game is an excellent strategy game for all ages through adult and will be played long after the ship has disintegrated and the posters have lost their novelty. ... Read more

Book Description

**Chosen as an American Booksellers Association autumn 2004 Book SenseChildren’s Pick!** A Musical Journey is a new children's book thattakes young readers on a musical tour that celebrates the diversityof China’s land and its people. This beautifully illustrated book isboth educational and entertaining. The CD of folk songs that comeswith the book includes 12 musical themes that correspond to the factfilled text. A Musical Journey is a trip the reader/listener willenjoy taking many times over. The musical selections are fun for all;the text is suggested for children age 6 and over. -- Nanci Carlson,President FCC-AZ Chapter & Newsletter Co-editor ... Read more

Amazon.com

"Do you know who I am? I shall tell you. I am Elizabeth, Princess of England, daughter of Henry VIII and his wife Anne Boleyn. I am eleven years old. My mother, once Queen, is now dead. Almost eight years ago, when I was not yet three, Father chopped off her head."

Daughter of a fallen queen, young Princess Elizabeth lives a complicated and dangerous life. She fears her father's famous temper but loves him dearly, noting that she would trade all her jewels just to be noticed by him. She also loves her brother Edward, heir to the English throne, but doesn't like her older sister Mary, who torments her and conspires against her. Kat, her governess, is so worried for Elizabeth's life that she spends hours checking their room for poison whenever they move to a new palace. Court intrigues swirl around her, the French are threatening an invasion, and Kat is clamoring for her to have another bath--that makes nearly six in three months! Through Elizabeth's diary, author Kathryn Lasky brings the Tudor world to life: glittering banquets of peacock, eel, and swan; palaces so stinky that "everyone goes about with their noses buried in pomander balls to hide the stench"; archery contests, where Elizabeth excels; and Latin and logic lessons... where she needs a little work. Some of the history is slightly flawed (a misplaced date or two), but readers will enjoy the great detail as they learn about the childhood of one of England's greatest monarchs. An epilogue, with Tudor family trees, paintings, and background information enhances this already excellent and entertaining book. (Ages 10 and older) --Sunny Delaney ... Read more

Reviews (113)

The Forgotten Princess Remembered
Kicking off the Royal Diaries, this installment by Kathryn Lasky was as exciting and interesting as her many Dear Americas. Elizabeth is the daughter of King Henry VIII of England and his 2nd wife, Anne Boleyn. Anne was a 'witch' and therefore Elzaibeth was considered a bastard at a young age. Exiled to Hatfield House with her beloved and neurotic at times governess, Kat Ashley, Elizabeth is an educated and fine young girl, destined to become the greatest ruler England has ever known. After Catherine Parr, Henry's 6th wife, re-installed Elizabeth and her half-sister Mary back to their rights to the throne, Elizabeth becomes more aware of the court that surrounds her. We get to glimpse life at Whitehall and the many palaces court is held at, Elizabeth's education, her growing awareness of Robin Dudley, and her hatred for Mary Tudor/love for her sickly brother Edward. With the sad death of her father at the closing of this diary and coronation of 9-year-old Edward, we see a new and more matured Elizabeth than at the beginning of the diary.
This diary was an excellent beginning to a very accomplished series. Very factual, historically accurate, able to connect with modern teenagers, and interesting, I would recommend this book to all historical fiction fans!

A book to treasure
Lasky has written a beautiful book about young Queen Elizabeth I. The language is clean and cultured, just like you would imagine a princess would write. The wonderfully researched details really give a flavour of the times. Elizabeth's relationship with her father is especially fascinating, how much she longs for his little gestures of affection like simple cheek pinches, and fears that he will have her latest mother-in-law, whom she loves, beheaded. After the diary section, which goes up to the death of Henry VIII and the crowning of Edward III, Lasky's epilogue capsulizes the rest of Elizabeth's life very well. The family tree and picutres are a great added feathure, especially the portraits of Henry VIII's wives. I would highly recommend this book to anyone over the age of about 8, including adults. It gives an easily understandable sense of Elizabethan times.

SIMPLY THE BEST!!!
This book is my asbsolute favorite in the series!It describes the many different celebrations,customs and fears of the time.Elizabeth not only expresses her joys,but her pains:never knowing her mother(who was beheaded by her own father),her strange sometimes cruel sister,and the possibility of losing the love of the KING,her faher!an EXCELLENT BOOK!it even has somewhat of a ghost story in it... YOU MUST READ THIS ONE!!!!

Elizabeth I: Red Rose of the House of Tudor, England, 1544 (
Nowhere in the description of this book was it mentioned, or implied, that this book was fiction. I felt duped when I discovered it was from the imagination of an author choosing to write for Elizabeth. From now on I guess I will have to read reviews and excerpts before ordering anything. This will make it much more tedious and time-consuming. How else to avoid a problem like this?
The book reads wonderfully well - if you suppose that in actuality it is being written by Elizabeth. It's impossible, at this point, to offer a critique. I might have an entirely different opinion were I to know its true source.

The Younger Days of Elizabeth I
Princess Elizabeth of England, daughter of Henry VIII and his second wife Anne Boleyn, feels isolated and lonely whenever exiled from court by her father. But every glance toward her by her father thrills her, each pinch excites her. All she wants is her father's love. Court rumors swirl around her, and lots of suspense hangs on to her, one of which I could not tell (read the book if you want to know). I love this book, and I would have to say it's the very best! I now completely idolize Elizabeth I! After I read the book, I had a strong reaction to it, one of which is admiration. I read it again, and again!
Totally five stars, but it deserves more!

I read all of the Royal Diaries, and everything is very good! ... Read more

Book Description

YOUNG XING XING IS BOUND.

Bound to her father's second wife and daughter after Xing Xing's father has passed away. Bound to a life of servitude as a young girl in ancient China, where the life of a woman is valued less than that of livestock. Bound to be alone and unmarried, with no parents to arrange for a suitable husband. Dubbed "Lazy One" by her stepmother, Xing Xing spends her days taking care of her half sister, Wei Ping, who cannot walk because of her foot bindings, the painful but compulsory tradition for girls who are fit to be married. Even so, Xing Xing is content, for now, to practice her gift for poetry and calligraphy, to tend to the mysterious but beautiful carp in her garden, and to dream of a life unbound by the laws of family and society.

But all of this is about to change as the time for the village's annual festival draws near, and Stepmother, who has spent nearly all of the family's money, grows desperate to find a husband for Wei Ping. Xing Xing soon realizes that this greed and desperation may threaten not only her memories of the past, but also her dreams for the future.

In this searing story, Donna Jo Napoli, acclaimed author of Beast and Breath, delves into the roots of the Cinderella myth and unearths a tale as powerful as it is familiar. ... Read more

Book Description

In this unique introduction to the Holocaust, Eve Bunting encourages young children to stand up for what they think is right, without waiting for others to join them. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Brief Reflections On Terrible Things
I stumbled upon this book whilst babysitting my niece and I'd like to give my thoughts on it. Many well-meaning liberal parents may buy this for their children, which I think is a mistake.

The reading level of this book is about 4-6. Children young enough to be entertained by this story should not know anything of the reality of the holocaust. Not until they are atleast 8 or 9. A child of 4 or 5 is simply too young to be forced to deal with what is, probably, the most horrendous evil of this or any century.

At first, since the subtitle reads: "an allegory of the holocaust", I was expecting something similiar to "Maus" but instead, I got something more akin to an allegorical re-telling of Martin Niemoeller's famous and oft-quoted phrase ("First they come for the communists, but I did not speak up...). First they come for the animals with tails (or something, I don't remember exactly) and then the squirrels and various other woodlawn creatures. Then the animals discuss never letting it happen again.

Now, it's a fine moral and one that needs to be learned. All I'm suggesting is that we don't let good intentions and liberal ideals push our children into the hard facts of adult existence too quickly. It's devastating enough to know that man is capable of such brutal cruelty when you're an adult.

Once you learn that there were people named Josef Mengele and Adolf Hitler, the world ceases to be the same happy place (and there's no going back... seraphim with flaming swords bar the gate to that Eden).

Let children prolong their naive ignorance of the fact that man can be a cruel and vicious animal for as long as it is socially responsible for you to do so. I suggest that this should be longer than 5-6 years.

Great Really Great
Brilliant! I really recommend this book to anyone who wants to teach there kids about holocaust things.

Terrible Things
Terrible Things is based on the Holocaust and what happened during that time. Animals are used instead of people, and a forest instead of Europe. It talks about how terrible things came into the woods and took away animals by what they were or what they had for a tail or feathers. The animals talked to one another about their friends being taken away after it happened and not trying to prevent it from happening again. I think it teaches that there are times when you should get involved with business that doesn't include you and times when you shouldn't.
I think the age level is maybe around 7-9 years. I think the book was interesting because it teaches history and is a story at the same time.

Martin Niemoeller's lesson turned into a parable for kids
I was curious to see how Eve Bunting would turn the Holocaust into an allegory appropriate for young children, but as soon as I started reading "Terrible Things" the inspiration for her story became clear. The Terrible Things first come to the forest for every creature with feathers on its back. The frogs, squirrels, and other animals quickly declare that they do not have feathers, that the forest is better without the birds, and that they are all glad that it was not them that the Terrible Things wanted.

Clearly Eve Bunting takes her text from the famous statement attributed to Martin Niemoeller. If I remember correctly Niemoeller was a pastor. He told about how in Germany the Nazis first came for the Communists, but since he was not a Communist he did not speak up. Then they came for the Jews, but again he did not speak up because he was not a Jew. The same rationale explained his silence when they came for the trade unionists and Catholics. "Then they came for me," Niemoeller said, "and by that time no one was left to speak up."

Niemoeller's words might be the most famous declaration about the Holocaust and its appropriateness for being the basis of an allegory for young children should be self-evident. Bunting is not talking as much about the mass exterminations by the Nazis as she is about the culpability of the ordinary citizens who looked the other way when terrible things happened in Germany. The rhetorical question Bunting asks is "If everybody had stood together at the first sign of evil would this have happened?" If young children do not know the answer to that question before they read "Terrible Things," they certainly will afterwards.

Before she tells the story, which is illustrated by Stephen Gammell with pencil drawings, Bunting provides the moral for her tale. Acknowledging that standing up for what you know is right is not always easy, especially when you are facing someone biggers and stronger than you are, Bunting admits to her readers that it is easier to look the other way, "But if you do, terrible things can happen." The strength of "Terrible Things" is that Bunting makes the lesson Niemoeller shared about the Holocaust easily recognizable and understandable to young children.

Terrible things
Terrible things is a very touching book. It tells the story of the Holocaust in a slightly less potent way, it tells the story with animals instead of people. The book is one of the best children's books I've read, it's really very well written. Yet the book is very sad.
This book is a great way to teach kids about the terrible holocaust. It's teaches a great lesson to children about racism and classifying people. I like how they made the Germans just a big terrible black thing. It was amazing to see how quick the animals turned there back on each other. This is a wonderful book and I recommend it to people of all ages. ... Read more

Book Description

Amazon.com

First-time kids' book author Shirin Yim Bridges uses a tender familystory to travel back to turn-of-the-century China and teach a proto-feministlesson about perseverance and self-belief.

Idiosyncratic young Ruby lives in a large (and wealthy!) Chinese family, in agigantic "house filled with the shrieks and laughter of over one hundredchildren." She stands out because she insists on always wearing red, the colorof celebration ("Even when her mother made her wear somber colors like her othercousins, Ruby would tie up her jet-black hair with red ribbons") but even moreso because of her quiet dissatisfaction with the family's traditional genderinequity. Determined to study reading and writing--even when it means long hourscatching up on more wifely training--Ruby eventually comes to the attention ofher grandfather, the wise house patriarch, who springs a surprise as the timefor her to wed approaches.

Graceful Aussie illustrator Sophie Blackall captures the culture--contrasted byRuby's bright red defiance--expertly, with elegant calligraphy, muted periodclothing, and countless nice details (from a porcelain bowl full of terrapins toink smudges on Ruby's cousins' faces). And what's better, Bridges'swell-structured story is true--with a fun surprise ending! (Ages 4 to 8)--Paul Hughes ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Ruby's Wish
This is a really lovely story with beautiful,beautiful illustrations. The story carries a very nice message for girls.I recommend it for children aged 5-9.

Lovely, true story of a girl in China
Ruby, a little girl living in turn-of-the-century China, is so named because she loves red, not just on holidays, but every day of the year. She also loves to study with her cousins in the school provided by her wealthy grandfather. Her calligraphy is especially fine, and she comes to her grandfather's attention when she writes the couplet 'Alas, bad luck to be born a girl, worse luck to be born into this house where only boys are cared for.' Her grandfather questions her kindly and finds out that she would rather attend university than enter marriage'which is, of course, expected of all girls at the time...

On the last page we learn that this is a true story, based on the author's grandmother. We also get to see a photograph of this grandmother, one of the first women university students in China. And we learn that 'every day, she still wears a little red.'

This is a gem of a book, with simple yet evocative writing and beautiful illustrations which capture emotions wonderfully and provide a wealth of detail on Chinese dress and décor of the time.

Gorgeous book with a powerful theme.
Serendipity brought this book into our home and I'm so grateful. It is a beautiful book in every way, from its vibrant illustrations to its messages of respect -- for oneself, for one's elders, for one's culture and for the never-ending gift of learning. The story of Ruby, a Chinese girl whose intelligence, integrity and confidence inspired her family patriarch to break with tradition, speaks to all. We are African-American parents of a son. We read this book to him often and we know that, through hearing Ruby's story, our son's perspective on life and the world in which he lives has been enormously enriched. ... Read more