Book Description

"Allie the Allergic Elephant" helps children learn about food allergies and how to be a good friend when you can't share snacks. "Allie" explains peanut allergies in a way that parents, teachers, and children themselves can talk about allergies and understand them better. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

From a kid whose been there, done that
awesome book! zeroes in on the key parts of having an allergy! great book to read to little kids. I personally have a life threatening allergy to peanuts and all tree nuts. thank you for your time.

Librarians loved it!
I bought the first edition for my nephew with a peanut allergy. He enjoyed it because it addressed his difficulty in explaining his allergy to his classmates.

I bought 2 copies of the second edition and donated them to elementary schools where I volunteer in the library. Both librarians were excited to receive the book and were anxious to read it to their students. One librarian took the book immediately to the Kindergarten teacher because a student had arrived that day with a peanut allergy.

I like the book because it explains how an allergic child must be "excluded" when it pertains to peanuts, but wants to be "included" in everything else. I can't wait for the author to write more books about other allergies.

Brings Compassion to a Clinical Subject
With three children in my family, all of them know people who can't eat nuts. At first, they think it's wierd. "What? No peanuts? Why can't you eat peanuts?"

Allie helps those with the allergy understand, and Allie brings compassion to those who live with, work with, and play with an allergic child.

As the author of three non-fiction books, I appreciate a good tale. And Allie's tail is precious.

Charming story -- Important message
I purchased this book as a gift for a friend with an allergic grandchild. He told me it was a special delight to read the book together with his grandson. The story is charming, and effectively communicates an important message about acceptance and coping... in a way even a very young child can grasp. The wonderful illustrations (by a gifted young artist) captured the boy's imagination and brought the story to life.

Excellent book for kids with food allergies
I bought the 1st edition over a year ago and the teacher in his classroom has said that the children love it. They like to hear it read to them. They love the pictures! She said after a year it was well used as they play with it alot. A book needs to hold up with kids at this age. I just purchased the 2nd edition feeling that it was different enough to own it. I am glad I did. The pictures have changed a bit and look wonderful, but the message is still excellent and kids can understand it. Most messages are lost with kids at this age when dealing with serious issues such as food allergies. Geat job! Even though the book is 100% focused on peanut allergies, which is why I got it, the rules remains the same with all food allergies in how they relate to other children playing with the children with the food allergy. I would recommend any parent that has a pre-schooler or a child in K-5 or thier school to buy this book! ... Read more

Book Description

Shawn McDaniel is an enigma and a miracle--except no one knows it, least of all his father. His life is not what it may seem to anyone looking at him. Not even those who love him best have any idea what he is truly like. In this extraordinary and powerful first novel, the reader learns to look beyond the obvious and finds a character whose spirit is rich beyond imagining and whose story is unforgettable.

My life is like one of those "good news-bad news" jokes. Like, "I've got some good news and some bad news--which do you want first?"

I could go on about my good news for hours, but you probably want to hear the punch line, my bad news, right? Well, there isn't that much, really, but what's here is pretty wild. First off, my parents got divorced ten years ago because of me. My being born changed everything for all of us, in every way. My dad didn't divorce my mom, or my sister, Cindy, or my brother, Paul--he divorced me. He couldn't handle my condition, so he had to leave. My condition? Well, that brings us to the guts of my bad news.

Books for the Teen Age 2001 (NYPL), Books for Youth Editor's Choice 2000 (Booklist), Top 10 Youth First Novels 2000(Booklist), 2001 Best Books for Young Adults (ALA), 2001 Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Readers (ALA), and 2001 Michael L. Printz Honor Book

Reviews (116)

Review on Stuck in Neutral
I really liked this book because it had alot of emotion and true thought. A boy named Shawn Mcdaniel has cerebal palsey and a dad that's trying to kill him. And if that's not enough, he can remember everything he ever heard, and saw. It could be an extrodinary gift, but noone will ever know because he can't talk, or communicate with anyone. He's a vegetable. I like this book because his father loves him, very much. Shawn goes through seizures every day, and when his dad see's him having them he feels that he's suffering. But really Shawn looks forward to them. His dad feels that he should put him out of his misery, by killing him. It's a story of bad new's and good news. The only part I don't like about this book is that at the end it has kind of a cliff hanger ending. Out of nowhere the book just ends. I wish I could know what his father was going to do to him, or if he did anything at all. This is a very good book because, it keeps you interested,and you never know what is going to happen. I would recommend it to anyone who likes fast reading with emotion in the thought.

An Interesting Read
Stuck In Neutral is a book about a boy, Shawn, who can't control his muscles, so he can't talk, walk, write, ect. The book is written in first person, so you can see everything in Shawn's point of view. Throughout the book, Shawn explains his frustrations about not being able to show his family and everyone else what he is really like, what he feels when he has his seizures, and about his thoughts on what he thinks his father was going to do.

The book, is based on some truth, but in several parts it is quite fictitious. Stuck In Neutral is a good book to read to get the feeling of what it's like to live with someone with that kind of disability, but might not be accurate in showing what it's like to have that sort of disability because you would only know if you actually have it, which the author doesn't. I have to admit, I didn't particularly enjoy the book because on many parts I found it a little hard to believe. However, the book did broaden my outlook on disabled people and their abilities. The book wasn't the best, but I still recommend that some people read it because it makes you think more about what disabled people really go through.

Stuck in Neutral
This is a book that you won't want to put down, even after you have read the last sentence. As a reader, you feel honored to get inside the head of Shawn, a 15-year old boy with Cerebral Palsy. You are able to see how the world seems or feels to someone like him. I laughed and cried while I read this book. You might not, but you will definitely think. Be prepared because the book deals with serious issues, such as euthanasia.

good piece of work
My only complaint is the book was extremely short. I hoped maybe the plot could have been a bit more developed, but unfortunatly- the writer felt it wise to leave the rest to the reader. I guess thats a virtue, but I was left wondering and wishing that I could delve deeper into Shawn's life and truth.

The story's plot was unique, and the end left me biting my nails and begging for more. If you want a good read, this is definatly your book!

mikes magnifacent all time best reviews
this book is about a boy named Shaun McDanial, a young crippled boy who cant move or talk. His parrents are divorced, and he lives with his mom. On the outside he looks misrable and barly alive but on the inside hes is the happiest person ever. he livs in Seattle and he loves going for walks to see new things. As the book progresses his father starts seeing him more and more. In one scene his father was sitting outside with him and a crow flys by and his father throws a glass cor when it starts flying towds him. Then he says, "If i wasn't here the bird could of atacked you." His father sees him more and more and he thinks his son is misrable but he is extreamly happy. on the last time he takes his son he brings him to his house and then tedders on killing his son. you will need to read the book to see what happens.
Stuck in Neutral is an outstanding novel about life and how to value it. Truman realy brings you through a thrill ride of emotions and nail-biters. He had the caricters comeing to life and he creates realistic dioloug between him and his father.
Stuck in Neutral is a edge of your seat kepp you reading every night novel.I recomend this novel to any one who wants to read a novel that will teach you to love and charish life. This is and exrordanary novel and i hope you will read it to. ... Read more

Book Description

What do you do when your life goes from righter than right to a million miles beyond wrong?

1. Try to scare away the new neighbors with signs and posters that warn things like "Typhoons Known to Occur Here -- Water Rats Abound."
2. Avoid eye contact and word contact, with Mama and Daddy in particular.
3. Stay away from the orchard and the brook and the old tree and anything else that reminds you of how good things used to be.
4. Put together the best plan you've ever created to get things back to just-about-perfect again.

Book Description

This delightfully illustrated "chapter book," geared for eight-to-twelve year olds, tells the charming tale of five family members (each with a different sensory processing challenge) and their naughty dog, and how they get in sync after a tough day.The book is designed with the action of the story in larger print for younger readers to read or hear.Explanations of sensory processing disorders are woven through the story in regular type, for proficient readers to linger over at leisure.

This wonderful book from the best-selling author of The Out-of-Sync Child and The Out-of-Sync Child Has Fun, is a must-have for every family challenged by sensory processing problems. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

The Goodenoughs Get in Sync Review by Lisa Angel
The Goodenoughs Get in Sync by Carol Stock Kranowitz was a great book to read because it so helpful in the classroom.Many times we think that a child is just being mean or annoying when in reality it is a sensory disorder and the child can not help it.I felt the definitions provided to certain words such as sensory under-responsivity, auditory defensiveness and visual defensiveness, to name a few, were extremely enlightning. My son has a friend who has a sensory disorder.I didn't know about the disorder until he came over to spend the night.When it came time to go up the stairs to my son's bedroom he began to freak out.Of course, I called his mom and she explained everything to me and I began to understand.This is a wonderful book to recommend to her.I also enjoyed reading about each family member and how the sensory disorders varied so much.However, each had their own issues to deal with, they really stuck together as a family and supported one another.Even the dog had sensory issues.I would really recommend this book to teachers so that they have better sense of some of the behaviors that go on in the classroom.

The Goodenoughts Get In Sync
It is NOT AMAZING to me that Carol Kranowitz has done it again! I know how LIFE CHANGING her book: The Out-of-Sync Child was for me and for my son! That book made LIGHT BULBS go off in my head and I was able to read it inserting my son's name on every page after I had read page number two! Her resources brought HOPE and took away so much self-doubt, guilt, fear, sadness, frustration, etc...!All of her books are something I could put my hands around, my head into and helped open my heart!Her books CHANGED my life and changed "WHO" my son is FOREVER! Doctors, parent, teacher, grandparents,etc...need to read this book as well and share it with the children they are trying to understand/help! Perhaps they will see themselves on these pages?
BRAVO CAROL!

Greatest resource for SI kids!
Carol Kranowitz has done it again!I cried when I read her book "The Out of Sync Child" 6 years ago after my son's therapist diagnosed him with Sensory Integration Dysfunction at age 3; his behavior all finally made sense.I wasn't just a neurotic mom!Over the years, we've been very open with both our boys about their "hidden disabilities".This book now helps them understand on their level what is happening with their neurological systems.And, it helps them share their differences with kids (and adults) who aren't neurologically challenged.I particularly appreciate the fact that each of the Goodenoughs struggles with his/her own sensory issues so you get the bigger picture of how sensory processing disorders affect people daily in all activities.

This book is a must for every therapist and family dealing with SI issues!Thank you, Carol, for your ongoing support of children! ... Read more

Book Description

What IS Cancer, Anyway? Explaining Cancer to Children of All Ages is one of the books in the Barklay and Eve Children's Book Series. This book provides basic information that is essential when someone in the family has cancer and does so in a calm, clear, reassuring manner that children and adults will appreciate. Barklay and Eve, the two lovable main characters, define cancer, explain radiation and chemotherapy (including the reasons why some people loose their hair). This is a hopeful story which has a fun connect-the -dots page of the American Cancer Sociey's symbol of hope. THIS BOOK IS ENDORSED BY HURRICANE VOICES, A BREAST CANCER FOUNDATION. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Keeping it simple
How do you go about explaining something to your children that you have difficulty understanding yourself? Well Barklay and Eve make the process easier. This wonderful book describes the most complicated procedures in simple terms without talking down to children. I found the illustrations and story content charming and informative. Children will find the common hair loss of cancer a much less frightening process when they see the fun that Eve has with a wig. While dealing with cancer can't be made easier, Barklay and Eve can make explaining it easier. ... Read more

Book Description

Gregory, the Terrible Eater, wants orange juice and eggs for breakfast. His parents are terribly upset!

Why can't Gregory eat striped ties and violins, like the rest of the goats?

Jose Aruego and Ariane Dewey have entered into the spirit of Mitchell Sharmat's upside-down, turned-around world with bold, wacky, expressive illustrations. The trio's exuberant collaboration provokes healthy laughter and even includes a colorful chart which gives fresh meaning to the concept of "junk food." ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Gregory the Terrible Eater
Gregory likes normal food; eggs, vegetables, fruit, and fish. Normal food, for a normal kid, right? Wrong! You see Gregory isn't exactly normal well not in his family's eyes. To them, normal food is tin cans, boxes, tires, and mostly garbage. Well that is normal food...for a goat. You see, Gregory is a goat and since he likes eggs, vegetables, and fruits his parents think he is sick. But Gregory just wants to eat what he likes. So since Gregory and his parents haven't had dinner together in a while (and mothers like to have dinner with they're kids) they decide to take him to Doctor Ram. Doctor Ram has treated picky eaters before but not like Gregory. Yet, he comes up with a solution. That is to feed Gregory what he wants but to sneak in a little bit of garbage every meal... It is a good moral to the story I think it might teach kids to try stuff before they decide whether or not the like it!

Gregory, the Terrible Eater
Gregory is a kid just like you and me. He loves carrots, fish, orange juice, lettuce, and ice cream. Oh, and did I mention that Gregory is a goat?
Gregory's parents tried to raise a nice "kid." They feed him tin cans, tires, and bottle caps, but Gregory, the terrible eater, refuses to eat any dinner. In a desperate attempt to find out what's wrong with him, Gregory's parents take him to Dr. Ram, and tells them what to do...
Well naturally, along with every story children's story I have been able to get a hold of, "Gregory, the Terrible Eater," has a very charming moral. Ever had a child who refused to eat his or her dinner, maybe you're looking for a way to delight your child with a pleasing story, or maybe you have a son named "Greg." Either way, I can assure you that you'll love this story written by Mitchell Sharmat.
As far as the pictures go (every child loves stories with pictures in them!) Jose Aruego and Ariane Dewey have made the story come to life with brilliant colors and vivid drawings. In conclusion, you have nothing to lose with this adorable tale of Gregory, the Terrible Eater!

Very amusing topsy-turvy story.
Gregory the Goat has an eating problem. He is a finicky eater. While his family chews contentedly away on good goat stuff-tin cans, empty cartons, used ties and so on, Gregory is busy eating "revolting" food from a goats point of view-fresh vegetables, fruit, salad, soup and so on.

What to do? At their wit's end, Gregory's parents concoct a plan-and the fun begins.

A very imaginative and engaging read, with fun dialog, bright, pleasing illustrations and a quirky sense of humor.

A good story for your young book worm!
I read this story as a child at the school library (after seeing it on Reading Rainbow) and enjoyed it very much. Now I'm an adult and have collected the books I remember from my childhood for a bit of nostalgia. Gregory is one of them. I have also collected it for my nephew. It's a sweet story and easy to read, perfect for any child.

great book!
As a young child I loved this book. It's creative, imaginative, and quite silly. Occasionally, even as a young adult, I read this book when I am sorting through items from my childhood. We had many childrens books when I was young, but out of the few we chose to keep, Gregory the Terrible Eater is among them. ... Read more

Book Description

Togo wasn't meant to be a sled dog. He was too feisty and independent to make a good team member, let alone a leader. But Togo is determined, and when his trainer, Leonhard Seppala, gives him a chance, he soon becomes one of the fastest sled dogs in history! His skills are put to the ultimate test, though, when Seppala and his team are called on to make the now-famous run across the frozen Arctic to deliver the serum that will save Alaska from a life-threatening outbreak of diphtheria.

In the style of Akiak, winner of the Irma S. and James H. Black Award for Excellence in Children's Literature, along with five state awards, Robert J. Blake's detailed, carefully researched oil paintings complete the story of the adventure that inspired the internationally famous Iditarod race. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Togo the real hero of the Iditarod
I read this book in my third grade class. It is an exciting story about the sled dog Togo. Togo has the heart of a real hero because he wanted more than anything to lead a dog team. This book makes you cheer for Togo. I used to think Balto was the hero of the Iditarod until I read this book. I love the beautiful pictures drawn by the author. It is a book I will keep forever.

Wonderful Togo
Togo is a beautifully written book for children. The character of this special dog shines through these pages to inspire young and old. Also a great read for adults who love animal stories.

Togo
Togo is a great book for children to learn about courage and determination. A must for dog lovers! I highly recommend this book for any child. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

An excellent exercise resource for kids!
This is a book kids will love because it makes exercise so fun, so easy and so, well, cool! What kid today doesn't want to learn all the great yoga moves their moms and dads are doing? And with plenty of solid information about what moves work which body parts, great stretching exercises, aerobic activities and a superb workout journal for kids to record their accomplishments on, this is a wonderful tool for improving health. The book's colorful illustrations help kids learn the proper body positions and poses, and the step-by-step instructions are super easy to understand.

This book is perfect for kids from 5 to 15, and even adults who never did yoga before will appreciate the simple, yet detailed directions. Get your floor mats, get on your workout gear, and get in shape, kids. This book will not only make it easy, but fun and exciting at the same time. Who doesn't want to learn how to walk like a bear???

MARIE JONES, (...)

Excellent Coverage For Kids
I Think this book is well put togather, it has a very good insight to childrens thoughts on excersise. Carol Bassett has done a beautiful job on helping children from all ages with her
New Book. She has expressed the value of Yoga & what it can do physically & mentally for any child, I think this book should win an award. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Following up their bestseller How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight?, Caldecott Medal winner Jane Yolen and illustrator Mark Teague have penned this instructive lesson on dinosaur health care. Eachdouble-page spread features one enormous dinosaur looking wan and sniffly but mostly cranky, petulant, ornery, sullen, and disagreeable. The human moms and dads are visibly worried and/or frustrated by their sick dinos behaving badly. Witness the nice lady dragging her gigantic Styracosaurus out of the elevator and across the hall to the doctor's office: "What if a dinosaur goes to the doc? Does he drag all his feet till his mom is in shock?" The look on this mom's face will be familiar to anyone who's ever forcibly moved a child, who seems to have suddenly gained a million pounds, from one place to another. And of course, it turns out that dinosaurs don't misbehave when they're sick: "He drinks lots of juice, and he gets lots of rest. He's good at the doctor's, 'cause doctors know best."

The rhymes are somewhat forced, especially toward the end of the book, but Teague's marvelous paintings are bright and expressive throughout. Each dinosaur is cleverly labeled, and these aren't yourrun-of-the-mill dinos; dinosaur-obsessed little ones will crow over Parasaurolophus, Euoplocephalus, and Tuojiangosaurus. They'll also learn a little something about how to behave when they're sick. --Jennifer Lindsay ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Mom of 2 in TX
I bought this book for my son (who is 4). We already have its predecessor "How Do Dinosaurs Go to Bed". They teach great lessons about how to behave at bedtime and the doctors office. Both are bedtime favorites - he even loves to look at the dinosaurs on the inside covers! Anything Mark Teague does is beautiful work and I recommend his books highly. Jane Yolen makes this book very easy to read, my son knows both dinosaur books by heart. Beautiful book, a must for childs book collection!

Great Book for 4-6 Year Olds
I purchased this book for my five year old nephew who is a BIG Dinosaur fan. I previously purchased for him "How do Dinosaurs Say Good Night" Both were Big Hits. Large print and very few words on a page and easy vocabulary to help the youngsters learn to read. Also helps the children realize that everyone, even Dinosaurs, get sick once in a while.

A bt of a disappointment...
My daughter likes dinosaurs a lot, and we loved the first "How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight?" However, this sequel does not compare in originality and wittiness. The illustrations are good, similar to those in the first book, but that's about it (a repeat). The first book was fun, funny, and more than anything VERY original in its approach. Plus, most kids can relate to the attitudes portrayed in the first book, while this one is mostly for conventional families that go to conventional doctors and use conventional medicine (as if that was the only way to get well). Not us, and not so many families I know... I sincerely hope the authors are not planning any more sequels like this one (a collection of subtle "how to behave" manuals for kids), and keep in mind that their readers are young kids --keep their books FUN!

Mom of Dinosaur lover
These books are great! My 5 year old daughter is a dinosaur fanatic and received "How Do Dinosaurs say Goodnight" as a gift. She loved it and when we found out there was another, we knew we had to have it. The rhymes are easy for her to remember and recite. And they teach great lessons that help her see a better way to resolve some problems with going to bed and going to the doctor. I only wish there were more....

Mrs. Larson's 1st Grade Class
We liked this book a lot! We liked that it had a rhyming pattern. We liked the illustrator. He uses really bright colors. His pictures made us laugh. He hides the names of the dinosaurs in the pictures. WE had to use our eagle eyes to find them. It was a very good book. ... Read more

Book Description

This jewel-like vignette from Sandra Cisneros's best-selling The House on

Mango Street shows, through simple, intimate portraits, the diversity among us.

"This exuberant bilingual picture book, with eye-catching artwork, is an

affectionate picture of familial love and a cozy bedtime book."--The Horn

Book.A Dragonfly Book in English and Spanish.


A Parenting Magazine Best Children's Book of the Year




... Read more

Reviews (5)

A Gem
I went to Barnes & Nobles and to my surprise, the children's section had a few Spanish/English books. I took home TOO MANY TAMALES, CHATO'S KITCHEN, TOCA, CHAVI, TOCA!, CARAMELO, and all of Sandra Cisnero's books. Finally, there are books that represent the diversity of Latino's in the United States... PELITOS and TOCA, CHAVI, TOCA! were my daughter's favorites. In both books you can hear, see, touch and smell the settings. One author is Cuban, the other Mexican and they both bring us into their culture in a beautiful way. Pelitos is lyrical beyond words. Sandra Cisneros is a poet. This treasure is a must!

Great book
I love this book! It is written with the words both in English and Spanish. It is short, sweet and so comfortiing. It's also great for discussing diversity, even in one's own family. My daughter and I love to read this at bedtime.

Wonderful Hairs
Hairs Pelitos by Sandra Cisernos is an excellent resource for early childhood educators and parents. It is a bilingual story that describes the differences between family members' hair. It offers children the experience of diversity within one's own family and how we can accept the differences within our own family. As a teacher, the concept of diversity can be extended from family to community and beyond. The language is beautiful and can be used to demonstrate to children how a writer uses descriptive language. The story captures an up-close look at one example of wonder..how simple things mean a lot. Children can pull from their own family rituals, similarities and differences to write their own story.

a warm tale
Hairs- Pelitos, is a poetic short story about the various heads of hair in a family. Mama's is the most wonderful as it carries with it the odor of fresh baked bread, a smell the narrator associates with being close to mama. Difficult to capture in a short review, I recommend this book to those who appreciate poetry and lyricism within a short story for children. It is especially wonderful how appreciated the mother is in the story, and how cherished. My three year old finds it touching.

Charming for Children of all Cultures
This is a little picture book that accomplishes many things and it has captured the attention of my preschoolers. It attempts to describe things that are different and things that are the same. The story describes each member of a Hispanic family by varied hair types, a phenomenon not uncommon in Hispanic families. The colorful illustrations play on this theme and depict different interests for each person of the family. What I sense is the same is that all these varied individuals belong to the same family and are subject to the mother's love. The words, both in Spanish and English, are lyrical and enchanting. The narrator is a young girl whose "hair does not obey barrettes or bands" yet still enjoys sleeping next to her mother. This story may help young children celebrate the differences within a close family. The illustrations are fun and vibrant (at least in my hardcover edition). It may also be an excellent tool if you want them to know a story in two languages. This is an enjoyable, creative story that takes no more than ten minutes to share with your children. ... Read more

Book Description

Mama Bear lays down the law when she notices that Papa and the cubs are

getting too chubby. With the help of Dr. Grizzly's slide show on how the body

works, the Bear family makes a healthful adjustment in their diet and fitness

habits. "A most enjoyable introduction to good nutrition and

exercise."--(starred) Science Books & Films.




... Read more

Reviews (5)

Too Much Junk Food
This, like all other Berenstain Bears books, teaches a valuable lesson about eating healthy. It's a great story to inspire your child to eat healthy.
It all starts when Mama bear notices her cub are getting a bit chubby. So she takes all of the junk food in their house and locks it in the freezer. Well Papa bear wasn't too happy about this but he went along with it anyways. The next day the bears go to the grocery store. Mama Bear passes all the junk food and heads straight for the healthy food. At the checkout counter they run into their family doctor who tells them to stop by the next day. When they get there she shows them a slide show of how the body works and how much it needs healthy food. She also tells them to exercise.
This is a great story for kids who have a sweet tooth. It will show them that some healthy foods are good too. Also it can teach them that its good to have healthy food most of the time but a little snack is good here and there. Also it shows that exercise pays off, because in the end the bears are the only family to complete the Bear Country Marathon. I recommend this book to anyone. It's a great story and teaches a very valuable lesson. I am almost positive that you and your child will enjoy this book.

Well intentioned but...
While I am a firm believer in healthy eating for kids, I was disturbed that this book seems to emphasize appearance as the primary motivation for avoiding junk food. The family decides it's had enough when the children start looking "chubby." While obesity is certainly a big problem in the U.S., so is anorexia and bulimia and too much emphasis on a skinny body. Maybe I'm being overly-sensitive, but I really cringed when reading this book (which I fortunately only took out from the library) to my 4-year-old daughter. I'm glad we'll be taking this one back soon.

Junk Food
To muck junk food features all of the Berenstain Bears. In it Brother, Sister, and Papa all get a little chunky. What is a mother bear to do when her husband and cubs gain to much weight? Maybe a healthy trip to the supermarket, or a visit to the doctor.

STOP BASHING CANDY!!!!!!
I agree that you should eat healthy, but this makes it sound like you should never eat candy! Kids won't like that(I know I sure didn't) and it will probably make them want to eat even more sweets.

Great for teaching children about healthy foods
The book not only stresses eating healthy foods, but why our bodies need healthy foods. Book also gives a brief description of the body's different systems, digestive, skeletel, etc. Book finishes with the importance of exercise. Book stresses this lifestyle for children as well as adults. ... Read more

Book Description

Good-bye, nasty germs! Good-bye, sore throats! Good-bye, tonsils! It is time for Juliana to have her tonsils taken out. Operations can be scary but Juliana is prepared. With the support of her friends, her family, books and toys, she knows exactly what to expect. Surgery doesn't seem so bad because Juliana knows that she has a lot to look forward to: presents and the ultimate cure-all-ice cream-are on their way!

Marilyn Mets's lively and amusing illustrations perfectly complement the engaging text. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Fantastic!
We bought this book to prepare our four year old for a tonsillectomy. This book was the most up to date and accurate book we have read. It helped very much to ease her uncertainty. She still reads it for a storybook a year later.
I would highly recommend it!

Excellent book!
... [It] is a perfect book for a child facing a tosillectomy. My 5 year old nephew, a child with a tendency to internalize all his emotions, was actually able to talk about his upcoming operation without being reduced to tears after his mom read him this book. It is very straight forward, honest, and written from a child's perspective. I highly recommend this book to parents and ENT's everywhere!

Perfect for Its Purpose!
When I searched for kids books on tonsillectomies, I was surprised to have such a small selection. Luckily, this book more than met my need! My 4 1/2 year old daughter received the book last night, and has already asked for two readings and has "read it" to herself repeatedly. It provided the perfect experience for talking about her upcoming operation. She uses the pictures to identify questions she has and things she is worried about. I don't know if she will need an IV, but after looking at the one in the picture, I think she will be more than prepared to accept it. My daughter immediately identified with Juliana and is interested in the things Juliana did to get over her fears (talk to people who had their tonsils out, read books, play with doctor's masks). I think that I may now be required to provide a cake that says Goodbye Tonsils, just like on the cover, but that is a small enough price to pay for my daughter's peace of mind! The professional reviews criticize the quality of the pictures -- and I pooh-pooh this. The last thing this book needs is "artistic flair." The pictures are clear and detailed -- down to the medicine cup of cherry liquid (a sedative), the gas mask, and the IV. They are completely appropriate for the purpose of this book. If your small child is facing a tonsillectomy, I highly recommend that you purchase this book. And if you are an ENT, (or know one), I recommend this for your waiting room.

Great book for preschoolers
I bought this book for my 3.5 year old. It covered all the details, including getting a bracelet, changing pj's, watching TV, doctors with masks, a very sore throat, how important it is to drink a lot, etc. She was thoroughly relaxed. We also had a Goodbye Tonsils party at her school, complete with a cake, like in the book. My daughter loved it, and it helped her say goodbye to her friends for a week. I was pretty impressed. ... Read more

Book Description

While Ashley and her friends try to raise money for her liver transplant operation, she learns about the transplant and recovery process, including the knowledge that someone will die to provide the organ necessary for her to live.This children's book is lavishly told with 4-color drawings and includes a comprehensive glossary. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A great story about a child waiting for a liver.
I am not ready to read this book to my three year old daughter just yet. But she has the same disease as the child in the book and will eventually need a liver transplant someday. I am confident that this will help my child understand what she is going to face. The book is very forth right in its discussion of where the donor liver comes from and that is a very hard thing to have to tell a child... This will make it easier for me and I hope for my daughter too.

Wonderful Book!
As the parent of a 4 year old who is awaiting a liver transplant I would like to say a big thanks to the author for writing this book.My son loves it and I have read it to him several times since receiving it 3 days ago.His favorite page is when Dr. Tanner tells Ashley she can go home.I think it is very important that it shows Ashley all better and life after a transplant.Thanks again!
Peggy Sams ... Read more

Book Description

In her first novel, Kissing Doorknobs,Terry Spencer Hesser has written an inspiring, often humorous novel about Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, a topic that merits discussion and compassion.

Fourteen-year-old Tara Sullivan has always been a worrier.On the surface, she has been able to behave like a normal girl.But when she is 11 years old, she hears a phrase that changes her life: Step on a crack, break your mother's back.Now, everywhere she goes, Tara must count every crack in the sidewalk.If she gets interrupted or loses her place, she has to go home and start all over again.As she gets older, her "habits" don't get better--they change and increase.She has to arrange her meals, recite prayers, and chat with her dolls, over and over again.

Tara does not know why she has these habits, she just knows that she has no choice: she has to complete the rituals.Then one day, before leaving the house, she finds herself kissing her fingertips and touching the doorknob . . . .

Terry Spencer Hesser is a screenwriter and a documentary filmmaker. Kissing Doorknobs is based on her personal experience with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. ... Read more

Reviews (68)

This was an AWESOME book!!!
Terry Spencer Hesser is an awesome author and she really knows how to make situations real. She made the novel "Kissing Doorknobs" a intresting story- also heartwarming. This book is about a girl named Tara facing OCD. Eveyone around Tara is falling apart because of her strange rituals-even her own family. Every time her mother swears she always prays and her mother hates it. Throughout the book Tara goes through many changes in her OCD.Such rituals include touching the doorknob and kissing her hand, countin cracks in the sidewalk and walking over every crack, having hideous thoughts that her mother or father were dead in a ditch somewhere. Whenever someone would make fun of Tara her little sister Greta would go beat them up for her. Greta got suspended about three time throughout the book.Tara has a bunch of friends. One of her friends is a evil person. Donna her friend smokes and shoplifts. Tara once tried to shoplift but she turned herself in. Towards the end of the book she meets a boy who has OCD too. She never knew anyone else had the same thing she had. Sam (the boy with OCD) introduces Tara to a therapist for OCD. Tara goes to therapy and stops her rituals. Sometimes she can't help but to them but other times she can stop herself. I think people of all ages should read this book because its has good facts in it. This novel also presents another exellent idea. You should never treat a person with OCD any different from another person. Tara's friends only treat Tara different when Tara was freaking out. If you want a good book to read go to your library and check out "Kissing Doorknobs" I guarentee that you won't want to put it down once you pick it up.

Kissing Doorknobs-Review
Kissing Doorknobs by Terry Spencer Hesser is an exhilarating novel. It shows you the life and world of a young girl with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Hesser incorporates two worlds in her book. The world Tara experiences as she is tormented by her unstoppable "quirks" and the world that the public sees, while watching, questioning, and treating Tara like an outcast. Tara's disorder in a way "forces" her to do things, such as counting cracks on a sidewalk, sometimes repeatedly. Throughout the book and throughout Tara's life, Tara starts to lose the relationships she once had with her family and friends before OCD. Kissing Doorknobs also describes the trials and tribulations involved in the fight to "depart" from OCD.
This book is a well-written novel with an easy to follow plot that keeps the reader attached. Hesser uses many of her experiences in the award-winning novel thus making, Kissing Doorknobs a realistic portrayal. Kissing Doorknobs by Terry S. Hesser is a must read, it can help you understand why people like Tara have these problems and that with determination they can overcome them.

Wish there were more.....
When I first saw this book I couldn't wait to read it until I realized it wasn't a true account. I wish there were more true accounts of OCD sufferers. I enjoyed the book, but did find at times it got a little stale and repetitive.

A Truly Touching Book
In the novel, Kissing Doorknobs, by Terry Spencer Hesser, a young girl becomes obsessed with the phrase "step on a crack and you'll break your mother's back". This phrase is the start of Tara's obsessive compulsive disorder or OCD. The phrase echoes in her mind every second until, in order to be normal in her own mind and to protect her mother, she must count the cracks in the sidewalk to and from school.
Life soon becomes a nightmare for her. To alleviate her fear and worry, she must count everything, from Kate Moss's eyelashes to window slats, rearrange her food so it is neat, and make sure that everything is balanced. For example, if she tapped her right foot, she would then have to tap her left foot. On the way to school she counts cracks and cannot be interrupted or else she must start again and vent her growing panic and frustration on the interrupter, even if it is one of her best friends. Soon this and her other odd habits, such as praying for people if they curse or do something wrong and her hours of confession, causes stress on her parent's relationship and the people she interacts with, straining friendships. In an effort to cure her daughter of these odd quirks, yet not knowing it is OCD, her mother tries to make her associate these habits with pain to help her daughter get over these rituals that dominate her life, her grades, and her happiness.
This novel combines humor with a serious disorder and a girl's struggle to overcome a disease that has taken control of her mind and her life. As she proceeds from her original state of counting cracks, people begin to make fun of her and even in her aloneness, her sister, Greta, defends her in an act of pure love without regard to the consequences. Tara thinks that she is absolutely going crazy until she meets Sam, a boy who is OCD about germs. Through therapy he has gotten his life back and it is then that Tara realizes that she is not alone and she can overcome this as well.
I would highly recommend this novel; it makes the reader aware that everyone is human and has thoughts and feelings. This book shows us not to judge others and includes lessons about life. This is the first book that I have read in a long time that actually makes you sympathize with the character and connects you to her life even if you are not OCD.
Read this book and let it teach you about the issues of a complicated disease from the eyes of the one who is suffering. The part of this novel that makes it outstanding is the time spent researching this disorder and making sure that Tara's feelings were accurate. Hesser truly gets you to relate to the character's feelings of distress and loneliness. This book will open your eyes to see that no matter how impossible life seems at times, there will always be a rainbow at the end of the storm.

Kissing Doorknobs
Kissing Dorknobs is the story of a young girl growing up with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Like many children with OCD, the narrator's symptoms develop and change over time. When Tara enters kindergarten, she acts like most five-year-olds, except that within her she hides unusual fears that cause her great anxiety. Slowly her fears become apparent to those around her. During fire drills she cries, fearing that she will die without her family. Even with the constant assurance and support of her friends and family, Tara's fears and obsessions grow. On the surface, she has been able to behave like a normal girl. But when she is 11 years old, she hears a phrase that changes her life: Step on a crack, break your mother's back. Now, everywhere she goes, Tara must count every crack in the sidewalk. If she gets interrupted or loses her place, she has to go home and start all over again. As she gets older, her "habits" don't get better--they change and increase. She has to arrange her meals, recite prayers, and chat with her dolls, over and over again. Tara also begins to pray any time anyone uses profane language in an effort to keep them from going to hell. The harder Tara tries to control her thoughts, the worse they get. Eventually Tara develops a habit in which she touches the doorknob and kisses her hand thirty-three times every time she goes in or out the door. They are a source of bafflement to herself, her friends and parents and become profoundly disruptive to her personal and school life. Tara does not understand what is happening to her and is ashamed and fearful that she is "crazy". She becomes secretive and tries to hide her rituals from others. Similarly, her parents worry that Tara is indeed crazy and make every attempt to prevent her from engaging in her rituals. This results in an escalating sequence of family arguments and occasional physical violence between Tara and her mother. Visits to several psychiatrists result in little or no benefit and Tara accumulates an assortment of "diagnoses." Finally, a teacher recognizes that Tara has symptoms similar to those of a student with OCD. Tara is introduced to the boy in question and to his therapist who prescribes exposure and response prevention, a form of behavior therapy. The story ends on a hopeful note for Tara who begins therapy and learns to take control of the "tyrants" in her head. But Tara's friend is simultaneously in the midst of a relapse, highlighting the ongoing battle that most individuals must wage against this illness. Since the author has suffered from OCD herself, the book includes a lot of factual information. It not only portrays the effect of the disease on Tara, but also on her family and friends. The author includes other issues (anorexia, pregnancy, and alcoholism) that affect Tara's friends. This gives the reader a needed break and shows that everyone has their own demons to battle. ... Read more

Book Description

What child can resist imitating a chimp brushing its teeth back and forth? Or a shark that flosses every day? Youngsters will have lots of fun learning about proper dental hygiene in this delightful pop-up book.

Format: Pop-Ups

Dimensions (inches): 6 x 7 1/2 ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Brush Brush Brush
This is a fantastic way to get children to brush their teeth. My 2 1/2 year old daughter likes to brush her teeth but after we got this book she now LOVES to brush her teeth "like the lion!" This is a must have book!

Superb!
This book is simply amazingly done! I am very happy with it and I myself had some silly fun playing with it!

Great book for toddlers
My 2 year old immediately loved this book. We take it to the bathroom and he looks at it while I brush his teeth and he practices on the pop up pictures. He shows everyone who comes to the house this book and talks about the pop up animals and how to brush. I highly recommend this book to any parent having problems getting their small kids used to brushing and flossing.

proud of her teeth and smile
This is one of my daughter's favorite books. We started reading the book with her, after we started brushing her teeth. She loves to brush the animals teeth, will use the lion's brush to brush mommy's or daddy's teeth and her own, and proudly shows her own teeth and smile in the mirror on the last page.

It would be great if each child who is starting brushing his/her teeth could have this book for him/herself!

The best brushing motivator ever - encourages imitation!
The age range for this book should be changed to ages 2 and up. My daughter loves to brush like a hippo and floss like a shark. This is the best book on teeth brushing I've ever seen. This is a great book to give as a gift to every toddler you know. ... Read more

Book Description

Recommended by critics from every industry including- entertainment, medical and literary!Such as The Rosie O Donnell Show – Entertainment, National Oncology Nursing Society- Medical, Today’s Librarian, Midwest Book Review, Against the Grain, Today's Dallas Woman and other literary reviewers across the country!

Told through the eyes of it's title character, Tickles Tabitha's Cancer-tankerous Mommy uses candor and comic reality to dispel stereotypes and acknowledge some moody truths faced by families LIVING with cancer.

"Mommy's wig was still attached to her head, but she didn’t look so good. The wig-hair stuck out like snarled rat-tails in all directions. There was a crooked horizontal line right where her smile should be. Worst of all she was in no mood to play Tickles Tabitha."

A poignant and humorous account of a Mommy’s moodiness, caused in part by the medicine she must take to cure her cancer. It's about a family that loves one another, minus the sap. Instead it reads like it could be your family; not the family you think you ought to be. Expect young readers to ask to be tickled until their faces turn pink! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

"a special book"
I really enjoyed Tickles Tabitha and how this sensitive topic was portrayed. It really hit home and helps children along during a difficult time.

Excellent children's book
This is a humorous book that deals not just with cancer but with family life. My favorite part is Tabitha's mental picture of Daddy sitting in the time out chair. I wish I had had this book when my children where presented with a close neighbor who had cancer. Wether a child has a parent, grandparent, friend or friend's parent in their life who has cancer, this is an excellent book to use to start talking about it. Because it portrays family life in general in a funny way, it is good for any child. ... Read more

Book Description

Sam's in a jam when his classmates work on a project using peanut butter.Sam is allergic to peanuts!This delightful story promotes understanding, tolerance and sensitivity to the seriousness of allergies.8 1/2 x 11, 32 pages, four color illustrations. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Helpful for kids
This book really helped our son. I was so glad to find it given his allergy and he easily related to the child in the book. The story describes a realistic situation of a kid taking a dare and the consequences that could result. What was really great about it is that we were able to use the story as a good starting point to talk with our son about well intentioned, or not, friends and adults and what he can and should do in different situations. (It is amazing how many times we've encountered people that think, "Just one little peanut can't hurt.") We ended up giving a copy to our son's teacher who used it in his classroom.

Very helpful, not scary!
This book helped a friend's five year old better understand her peanut allergy. She liked the bright pictures and identified with the main character, whose allergy to peanuts made him feel alone until he learned to deal with it. I've read reader reviews, and it seems that kids either love this book or are afraid of its depiction of an anaphylactic reaction. I think a lot of the reaction may depend upon the parent, and on the way he or she presents the message. For this particular little girl, the book was wonderful. It's a gift I would give again.

nightmares!!
After reading this book to my five year old he woke up with nightmares. The book shows a kids "proving" to his friends that he can be around peanuts, with dire consequences. To my kid, who has lived through anaphylactic reactions, this brought up many unpleasant memories. Parents of young kids BEWARE.

From a kid whose been there, done that
I've read this book and i'm a little bit disturbed by this book. I'm a twelve year old boy with severe peanut allergies. I'll admit i was a little bit of an outkast, but not because of my allergy! and i think that every peanut-allergic [allergic to anything for that matter] kindergartener has thought about eating or trying to eat peanuts. and this book ENCOURAGES it! i think that's a little dumb. thank you for your time.

Great book to read to children
I thought this book was great. Children could relate to the story and most of all this story reminds me how I found out my daughter was allergic to peanut butter. She was 5, when her class made bird feeders. That day our lives changed, just like Sam's did. ... Read more

Book Description

Six-year-old Emma has big dreams for her new baby brother.But when she learns that he has Down syndrome, she worries that he won't be able to do many of the fun things she's imagined they'd do together.This is a reassuring story for young children as well as parents adjusting to Down syndrome and what it means for their relationship with their sibling or child.It concludes with helpful questions and answers for children about Down syndrome. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Best book for this age group
Six year old Emma isn't very happy about the idea of having a new brother or sister but when Emma and her dad start thinking of all the things that they can do with the new baby, Emma becomes excited at the prospect of being a big sister. When her dad comes home and tells Emma that her new brother, Isaac, has Down syndrome, Emma worries that he won't be able to do any of the fun things that she has imagined. As Emma and her dad think back over all the things they wanted to do with the new baby, they realize together that as long as they are patient and helped him when he needed it, there wasn't anything he couldn't do. This is a reassuring story for young children bewildered by Down syndrome and what it means for their relationship with their new sibling. This is truly a wonderful story. Your child will ask you why you are crying after you read it to them. Of all the books for this age group, this book is by far the best.

MUCH better than Maria Shriver's story
This is a great, simple, accurate, sweet book about a little girl who has a brother with Down syndrome. It explains that kids with Down syndrome need more time and patience, but they all can learn to do the things other kids do. I highly recommend this book to kids with Down syndrome and their siblings, friends, neighbors and relatives. It's good on its own and as an alternative to What's Wrong With Timmy?, a book that covers the same topic in a much less appealing manner.

An Insightful Story Simply Told
I originally purchased We'll Paint the Octopus Red to help me explain Down Syndrome to my older daughter when my younger daughter was born: the whys and how comes the little one needed more attention. The story is simply told. The only child will now become an older child. She and her younger sibling will have so much fun together, her dad advises. But on the day that the baby is born, the dad is sad and tells his daughter that the baby has Down Syndrome. The daughter, in her innocence, carefully reviews all the plans that her dad said she could do with her baby brother. After each example, the dad advises that they could still do the activity with a little patience. Slowly, the daughter teaches the dad and the reader that children with Down Syndrome can do almost anything with love, patience, understanding and the opportunity to try. The book not only gave guidance to my husband and me, but also was helpful in breaking down old stereotypes and ideas held by our parents.

Highly recommended
I bought this book for my 6 year old niece who has a younger sister with Down Syndrome. So far everyone she has shown this book to has bought it.

It's a wonderful book and I still can't get through it without crying. Such a simple and compassionate story about a little girl understanding the differences in her brother with down syndrome. A story that involves her father explaining down and a child's simple understanding that her new brother can still do the same things.

WE'LL PAINT THE OCTOPUS RED IS WONDERFUL.
WE'LL PAINT THE OCTOPUS RED WAS A WONDERFUL BOOK. MY SON HAS DOWNS SYNDROME. HE IS NOW 18 HE ENJOYED READING THE BOOK. HE READ IT TO 3 CHILDERN WHO HAVE A BROTHER 7 MONTHS OLD WHO HAS DOWNS SYNDROME. I WISH MORE PEOPLE WOULD BE AS CONSERNED AS EMMA.THANK YOU FOR A WONDERFUL BOOK. ... Read more

Book Description

What happens to the food we eat? Why do we have bones and muscles? What makes boys and girls different? Look inside your body and find out! Look Inside Your Brain ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Good for 4 Year Old!
I just sat down and read this to my 4 year old daughter. She was very into it. I think it's a great balan