Book Description

The fun begins when Tricky Fox makes a bet with his brother that he can trick a silly human into giving him a pig. ³I¹ll eat my hat, if you can,² says his brother, and Tricky Fox sets off to win his bet. It appears that Tricky Fox will get himself a pig - that is, until he meets a clever schoolteacher who outsmarts him! Here is a rollicking tale filled with marvelously expressive animals, witty plot twists, and even a recipe for ³Eat Your Hat Cookies!² ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Why you never hear foxes singing sassy songs any more
I have been reading so many trickster tales from around the world that it seems suddenly strange to read one in which the animal the trickster is portrayed as is a fox. "The Tale of Tricky Fox: A New England Trickster Tale" is about the time that Tricky Fox bets Brother Fox that he can fool any human into giving him a pig. The bet is made and Tricky Fox heads off with just an empty sack. But then along the way he picks up a log and puts it in the sack and heads off to knock on the door of the first in a series of houses. The question is whether Tricky Fox will be smart enough to trick everybody he meets in order to win his bet. After all, he is dealing with a succession of little old ladies from New England and if you do not know what they are like you should.

"The Tale of Tricky Fox" is retold here by Jim Aylesworth, who has loved this traditional trickster tale based on the "trading" motif for many years. An early version of the story entitled "The Travels of a Fox" from Massachusetts was first printed in 1897 by Clifton Johnson, who was one of the first Americans to gather Anglo-American folklore. The illustrations are by Barbara McClintock are rendered in watercolor, black ink, and gouache and certainly provide a sense of the 19th century when this tale was first told (indeed McClintock explains she was influenced by the 19th-century German artist Wilhelm Busch, who also inspired much of Maurice Sendak's work). McClintock presents Tricky Fox as though he was a character performing his antics onstage.

Those are the sort of details that make "The Tale of Tricky Fox" an excellent children's book, even if some young readers think that it smacks too much of the olden days, because that is its chief charm. Plus, on the back cover of the book we have a recipe for Tricky Fox's Eat-Your-Hat Cookies adapted from Jim Aylesworth's great-grandmother's sugar cookie recipe. Best of all, I do not need a grown-up to help me make them.

"I'm so clever - tee-hee-hee!"
I think that the Tale Of Tricky Fox is a wonderful, well-written children's book. It teaches the youngsters who read it a valuable lesson through a cute, exaggerated story about a clever fox who tries to trick adorable elderly women into getting what he wants, a big fat pig.
To Tricky Fox, "stealing chickens is too easy." He plans on getting himself a plump pig to eat. How might he go about doing that, Brother Fox questions him. "I will fool a human into putting one into my sack for me!" Tricky Fox has a witty idea up his sleeve.
He pretends that his is an old, tired, feeble Fox who needs a warm place to sleep. Each night, he finds a new woman to take part in his sly scheme.
Everything seems to being going well for Tricky Fox. He is right on his way to getting the "big fat pig" he dreamed of. However, the last old woman he tries to trick is a school teacher. Everyone knows that teachers are much smarter than "regular humans" and this teacher has a feeling that Tricky Fox is up to something.
In the end, well, I can't spoil the story, now can I?
I highly recommend this story for children of all ages. I, myself, enjoyed the lesson-teaching storyline, the quirky rhymes, the lovable characters, the crafty twist of an ending, and the old-fashioned illustrations. I believe that any good-hearted person will find this an amusing, silly masterpiece of children's literature.

Foxes, beware the tricky teachers!!!
Completely delightful story of a cute, clever, cocky fox who plays tricks on unsuspecting women just to win a bet with his cousin. One of the unsuspecting women, however, manages to return Tricky Fox's cleverness with a little trick of her own... Read and find out all the entertaining details! Kids and adults both will find the story fun and satisfying, and the illustrations well-detailed and expressive.

Watch Out for Tricky Fox.....
Tricky Fox is tired of stealing and eating chickens. It's just too easy and not all that fun anymore. He decides what he really wants is a pig and tells his brother that he can trick any human into giving him one. But, Brother Fox isn't so sure and takes the bet. "I'll eat my hat if you do!" he tells his tricky brother and the games begin. Carrying a sack and acting old and tired, Tricky Fox talks his way into three cottages, asking each little old lady homeowner to guard his sack while he sleeps. He adds that they mustn't look inside and of course, as soon as he falls asleep, that's exactly what they each do. The first night he puts a log in the sack and claims the next morning that his loaf of bread is gone. His hostess, embarrassed that she took a peek, quickly gets him a loaf of her own bread and says nothing, even though she knows it was a log in the sack. The next night he does the same thing with the bread, claiming the next morning that his chicken is missing, with the same results. But on his final evening, he tries to trick a teacher (and everyone knows that teachers are smarter than most humans) and learns a big lesson the hard way..... Jim Aylesworth has taken this old folktale and given it new life. His charming and amusing text is full of energy, rhythm and rhyme. Barbara McClintock's wonderfully old fashioned, detailed illustrations add just the right touch and together, this dynamic duo have authored a story that pulls your youngsters into the story, captures their imaginations and includes them in all the fun. Perfect for kids 4-8, The Tale of Tricky Fox is a winner! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Foxy
The steel-jawed leghold trap has been outlawed in more than 65 nations as cruel and barbaric, but is still legal in most of the U.S.

The author wrote this true story of her lengthy encounter with a red fox in Deer Isle off the coast of Maine, partly in hopes that the tale would encourage the banning of such traps in the U.S. It had lost a foot to such a trap.

The story first appeared in a shorter version in the August 1988 issue of Cricket. Here, it runs 32 pages, and is accompanied by lavish color sketches of the wild animal, temporarily tamed by both human friend and desperate need.

What ultimately became of the fox in this story, which the author called Vicky, we'll never know. But based on her poetic reporting, readers can hope for the best.

The author engrosses even the youngest of readers in a way that is, well, foxy. Alyssa A. Lappen

A beautifully illustrated, moving story of human and fox
The pictures are beautiful and the story bitter sweet. The trap surviving fox comes to depend on the human and the human on the fox. This book should be in every child's library, and many adults' library , too. ... Read more

Book Description

More than a half-century ago the Canadian Wildlife Service assigned the naturalist Farley Mowat to investigate why wolves were killing arctic caribou. Mowat's account of the summer he lived in the frozen tundra alone-studying the wolf population and developing a deep affection for the wolves (who were of no threat to caribou or man) and for a friendly Inuit tribe known as the Ihalmiut ("People of the Deer")-is a work that has become cherished by generations of readers, an indelible record of the myths and magic of wild wolves. ... Read more

Reviews (51)

A surprisingly great book
The first time I saw,Never Cry Wolf, I thought I would not enjoy reading it. First, because it was an assigned literary book to read: secondly, it was not a book I would normally select to read. However, I was pleasantly surprised with this book, and thoroughly enjoyed reading it.

Farley Mowat, the author, has an incredible vocabulary that he uses to tell the story. But, while he may use some scientific or big words it doesn't distract the reader too much. In his writing, Mowat has a lovable quality, sarcasm. This trait makes the book fun to read and easily relatable to real life and people.

Mowat takes the reader to the world of the Arctic Wolves in the Canadian wilderness. The narrator, a biologist, is sent by the government to explore the life of the wolf, and, more specifically, to find out more information on how the wolf is interacting with the other species of life. What the narrator learns through his study changes his views on the wolf and on the world. He realizes that things aren't always as they seem, and facts are not always simple to understand.

Wolf Juice
I really enjoyed this book. It was well written and kept the reader thinking. I was continually wondering how many other things we, as a society, might have misconceptions about. I loved the style of writing. I could have read the book in one setting. It was funny, egotistical yet humble, and kept me enthralled. After reading Farley Mowat's story, I was ready to head out and live on the Alaskan tundra with wolves and eskimos. Who doesn't need a break from the world once in a while? Luckily, I was able to mentally visit the wolves and enjoy the comfort of my recliner at the same time. It was like Discovery Channel, only the narrator was hilarious. Great book!!!!

wonderful book
All of Farley Mowat`s books are great.You will enjoy them if you are a nature or wildlife lover.

Is it real?
While I can't speak to the veracity of the facts involved, I can say with certainty that I loved this story of a man in the wilderness making friends with a wolf pack. He lovingly dedicates the book to one of his wolf friends.

Mowat goes alone into the Alaskan wilderness to study the wild wolves, who are being exterminated because of a belief that they are eating livestock. Mowat tries as well as humanly possible to live as he sees the wolves living. He drinks gallons of tea so he can pee around his camp to mark his territory. He eats rodents to see if he gets his full complement of dietary needs. He takes "wolf naps" so that he can watch them interact with one another during all hours. He even notes baby-sitting habits.

Unusually, the movie that was made from this book keeps to the story pretty accurately. I would recommend that, also.

Not Just for Naturalists
For me this book was a real page-turner. Mowat's writing has an exquisite simplicity to it. His entire experiences in the Arctic with wolves is facinating. I must admit that I did find some of the events unbelievable, but that could just be due to my preconceptions about wolves in general (the very types he is trying to dispel). However, for me, these unbelievable moments did not detract from the narrative in any way; I still found myself wanting to know what happened next. In my own mind while reading the book, I couldn't help but consider how our negative stereotypes of wolves are very similar to the negative stereotypes people often feel about other groups of people. In both cases, when one begins to truly know the other, he finds that there is really no basis for the negative sterotype. Mowat makes it point not to rely on anecdotal evidence when studying the wolf, and instead only gives merit to the anecdotal evidence after he has observed behavior that would back it up. It would seem that this should apply when judging people as well.

The only improvement I think could be made to this book is for Mowat to include whatever became of his report. I realize he is telling the story to reveal his own experiences with the Arctic Wolves, and not to reveal the post report offical government position; but it woud have been nice to have that included anyway.

Overall, I think this is a great book, and well worth the few hours it takes to read it. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Gritch the Witch is hungry and her batscotti andeek!spresso snack isn't quite doing the trick. She wants a more filling, furry snack. She wants bunny. On her way to the Farmer in the Dell's rabbit-ridden place, she and her broomstick experience a crash landing, shortly after her old broom stalls in midair: "It spit. Sputtered. Coughed. Chugged. Choked. And then it gave out a long gasping, gurgly gurgle, did one loop-d-loop, and tailspinned toward ground zero." Desperate for a new vehicle, she ends up at Foxy's, a used-vehicle lot marked by signs such as "Foxy's: We'll take you for a ride." Foxy tries to sell her a magic carpet from "A Lad in the East," then he attempts to unload Cinderella's pumpkin coach: "Very low mileage. Used only once. Runs like a charm." The fox's cheesy sales tactics don't go over very well: "Save the spiel, cut the chit-chat, and can the flim-flam, Foxy!" she shouts. Her fury only escalates when she asks, "Which one is the one I want?"--catapulting them into an infuriating "Who's on first"-style repartee over "Witch 1," the name of a certain model of broom. Zoom Broom, Margie Palatini's over-the-top sequel to the immensely popular Piggie Pie, is as smart-alecky and fast-paced as they come, and Howard Fine's colorful, action-packed, almost grotesquely intense illustrations are perfect for this wild and witchy ride. (Ages 4 to 9) --Karin Snelson ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Fun for both kids and adults!
This book was so fun to read. The story is about a cranky witch whose old broom goes kaput and how she tries to replace it. Adults will get a kick out of references to The Wizard of Oz and smarmy car salesmen. Kids will love the vivid illustrations and the hilarious language. The exchange between the salesman and the witch is a crack-up.

This story was a bit over my 4 year olds head, but kids 5 and up will surely enjoy it.

ZOOM BROOM is the ultimate "Foxy" story for kids!
I've read it over and over and OVER again. I love it just a little more each and every time. My 7 year old son loves ZOOM BROOM almost as much as PIGGIE PIE! The book is thoroughly clever and doesn't lack a thing! The artwork is delicious, the words are precocious and the creativity divine. My son even recites the story from heart, almost word for word. Thank goodness for the fabulous artwork or he would give up reading for story telling. This is a must have Margie Palatini, Howard Fine creation!

Witch One? This One!
More fast-talking fun from Margie Palatini and our favorite Piggie Pie witch. While parents may recognize the haggling dialogue with a broom salesman as an homage to the Abbot and Costello "Who's On First?" routine, kids will love it simply for it's silliness with language. Howard Fine's in-your-face, exaggerated paintings will catch and keep readers' attentions.

Witch book for you? This one!
This is a wonderful, entertaining tale for adults as well as children. A modern twist to the old fairy tales with clever woven-in references to characters of other tales, movies and television. I love to read this book aloud with my 7 year old daughter. You just can't read it without becoming the characters!

We think Zoom Broom is a great book with colorful pictures.
Margie Palatini's book was fun to read. We like the way the story and illustrations went together and how she used the witches from other stories, TV shows and movies. We like the way the words expressed the feelings of excitement in the story. Grich the Witch and the sly fox were our favorites and made us laugh out loud. We would recommend the book to children from first to fourth grade. ... Read more

Book Description

Born underground in a warm den, a baby wolf soon learns how to howl, how to hunt, and how to live with her wolf pack. And with this Level 2 kids can learn, too--all about a baby wolf!Mary Batten lives in Los Angeles, CA. Jo Ellen McAllister Stammen lives in Camden, ME. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Great Book!
I learned a lot about wolves from this book. And the pictures are sooooo cute! It is my favorite! I would get it if I were you!

My Kids Love It!!
This is an intriguing, engaging little tale about a baby wolf who learns how to howl and become part of the pack. The writer, Batten, writes in a lovely, simple way that seems to anticipate the child's next, inevitable question. The story is well augmented by the illustrations which are both pleasing to the eye and informative. A fun, excellent read.

Baby Wolf not just for six year olds
A simply lovely book that both my three year old daughter and I both enjoyed reading. Well thought out illustrations are a credit to the artist with an informative text that can be read even to a little one,without"what does that mean,dad" every five seconds. All in all just anice simple book. ... Read more

Book Description

Wolves have varied reputations-as cowardly thieves, as loyal packmates, as fairy tale villains. See what real characteristics these survivors have in common with the domestic dog-and what traits are uniquely their own.

Zoobooks, the 59-book animal series - the "everything you wanted to know but didn't know who to ask" guide to the world's most fascinating creatures. Each exciting edition of Zoobooks is packed with current scientific facts, striking photography, beautiful illustrations and unique activities that teach children about animals and the habitats in which they live. With innovative publications and products, Wildlife Education, Ltd. has enriched the lives of children, parents, and educators nationwide for 20 years. All titles are offered in library-bound hardcover and soft-cover styles.Zoobooks, ideal for the knowledge-hungry 4-11 year old! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A family favorite
My mother in law introduced this book to my 18 month old son during one of her visits. Reading it in a song like fashion caught and kept his attention and he continues to request the fox book during our story reading sessions. The copy was one her three sons adored and she's handed it down to us. As with her sons, it's become a favorite around here. It's a little gruesome in reality, but we can't keep our kids in a bubble about everything. ... Read more

Book Description

Gary Paulsen, Newbery Honor author of Hatchet and Dogsong, is no stranger to adventure. He has flown off the back of a dogsled and down a frozen waterfall to near disaster, and waited for a giant bear to seal his fate with one slap of a claw. He has led a team of sled dogs toward the Alaskan Mountain Range in an Iditarod -- a 1,180-mile dogsled race -- hallucinating from lack of sleep, but determined to finish.

Here, in vivid detail, Paulsen recounts several of the remarkable experiences that shaped his life and inspired his writing. ... Read more

Reviews (66)

Woodsong
Gary Paulsen's book "Woodsong" is a rather short, but exciting book that was worth the read. This is a book that will hold your interest the entire time due to the amazing descriptions of wildlife given by Paulsen. The adventures and struggles that Paulsen personally encountered during his life gave me incentive to keep going. His style of writing makes it easy to read while still being compelling.
The primary reason I enjoyed "Woodsong" was the graphic descriptions of nature, events and Paulsen's life as an adventurer. His appreciation for dogs and nature leads him to training dog sled teams and eventually for races. While reading I felt as though I was riding in the sled and experiencing all the adventures along side Paulsen. The opening chapter is a great example of his descriptions when the wolves hunt the deer. I thought I was watching the Discovery Channel, it was so vivid in my mind. He effectively painted a picture in my head that became so real I thought I was part of the hunt. This technique of visualization is prevalent throughout the book.
Another characteristic of this book that was impressive was the way Paulsen showed us his life lessons through nature. Paulsen begins the story thinking he was prepared for any adventure, but realized he was only an amateur. But through the sled dogs, bears and mistakes throughout the story you could see how he matured as a person. Due to these experiences he became very in tune with nature.
The book entailed action, adventure, struggles and hardships between man and nature. Paulsen's detailed descriptions created visualization that captures your interests. I would recommend this book to anyone because it is an inspiring story of one mans life.

Gary Paulsen's Woodsong
I have always found Gary Paulsen book's to be very enjoyable. I have read a few of his books and have enjoyed them. Woodsong was no different than the others. I have always enjoyed books about the outdoors and to stories of other people's adventures. Gary Paulsen's, Woodsong is filled with adventure and real life occurrences.

I felt the book had two main sections. It started off with the training of his dogs and finished with Gary Paulsen's completion of the Iditarod. The first part talked mostly about how a dog sled team works and also the dogs in general. Gary Paulsen went through and talked about each dog. The main dog, Storm, taught him a lot. This dog was the leader of the team.

When the second half of the story started it was in the shape of a journal. It felt like you were there with him running the race. Gary Paulsen wrote Woodsong with such great details. Through out the whole second half of the story it was detail after detail. Everything about his dogs, himself, his surroundings, and his encounters along the way are mentioned somewhere. Many of the people he met were very generous and gave a shelter for the night and food to eat. The environment around him was not always so nice. At one point he crossed a burned area in the trail. The sled was getting stuck on dead logs and he would have to stop to cut the sled out. Paulsen also faced hallucinations through out the whole race. The first one was on day two of his journey due to his lack of sleep.

The story over all I thought was very good. I enjoy reading about real situations and adventures that that person has had and this book definitely fell into the category. The book gave intense details about his experience. To me it sounded like Gary Paulsen had an adventure of a lifetime.

For those who have ever loved dogs!
This is a classic tale for anyone who has ever loved dogs, or, to be more specific, any particular dog. I can say that this is also an icy tale that will actually take your breath away as Paulsen describes some of the conditions he's been in with his sled dogs. This is the true story of how he survives in the Minnesota wilderness, and then takes on the bigtime, The Iditarod in Alaska!

When you read this, there are times when you will probably feel different things. Like the feeling some people have had (I have personally) of losing a pet. Or at times, you laugh at the hilarity of some of the things that pets will indeed do that leave you laughing so hard that it almost brings you to tears. Paulsen brings this to life only in the way that he has always used to tell a story. I love it how he describes his, and every man's greatest fear when in The Iditarod, is to scratch. When Paulsen describes this, he compares it to being a leper! He loves his dogs, and talks about how they are practically insane to run. He slightly haunts us with stories of hallucinations as a result of sleep deprivation! Yet, he also describes his most human side throughout the race, describing a cup of hot chocolate given to him by a beautiful blonde. Or how children from the Shageluk school made a pot of Moose chili especially for the mushers, and how he ate 19 bowls because it tasted so great, and then suffered the wonderful indigestion as a result. It is those stories and more, that make this an easy classic, and a read that you find hard to put down!

I first read this about 10 years ago. It still is easy to pick up, and enjoy it from page 1. Awesome work!

The book woodsong
In woodsong by gary paulsen there were many interasting points.The book woodsong is about a man and his name is manie.
He loves dogs he started falling apart.He gave dogs dry food he would do things wrong.Then he found out that he had a spell on him.When it was time to race in the middle of it he herd his wife screem.He stoped the race and was happy his wife broke the spell.I would recomand it for ages 6-12 because woodsong is a good book that is good for kids to read.And it is good and kids will enjoy that book.

woodsong
In woodsong by gary paulsen ther were many interesting points I really like the dog race I also liked when hide and go peak I would recomend this book to kid everywere. ... Read more

Book Description

Figgy Twosocks, Jefferson Bear, and friends return in a new adventure that explores the timeless and universal themes of friendship and forgiveness.Figgy Twosocks has lost Jefferson Bear's favorite scratching stick, and she's too scared to tell him. What if he doesn't want to be her friend anymore? Then Figgy learns that if you're truly sorry, friends will forgive and forget. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Eye candy
Helen Ward's lavishly illustrated retelling of Chaucer's "Nun's Priest's Tale" follows the legendary rooster Chanticleer as he matches wits with a clever, but ultimately foolish fox. Ward makes the story come alive for young people with simpler wording and bits of rhyme here and there.

As classic as the story itself is, it is the pen and watercolor illustrations that make this book a must read. This has to be one of the most beautiful children's books I have ever seen, with artwork that is Caldecott Medal-worthy. The rich detail and lush colorations make the animals of the tale simply pop out of the page. Using a "flyover" view also gives the drawings a cinematic feel that enlivens the action.

And just when you think you've finished the story, Ward provides backstory helps to not only understand the history of the tale, but also the choices she made for populating the barnyard. With this guide the reader will see that the author has featured rare "heirloom" breeds of animals in her illustration; the guide gives background on each breed and points each out on the story's pages. Truly a wonderful addition that enhances the enjoyment of the book for adults.

Very highly recommended! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Beatiful, heart warming story for adults and children.
This book absolutely touched my heart and soul. The true story of foxes living in a cemetary will touch all your emotions. If you love wild life, buy this one. ... Read more

Book Description

Featuring the 1938 match race between two legendary thoroughbreds, Seabiscuit and War Admiral, this historically accurate account is suspenseful, as fast-paced as the horses, and packed with race jargon. Children will experience the greatest horse race in history, when Seabiscuit, the underdog, takes on Triple Crown Champion War Admiral in the 1938 Pimlico Special. They will feel as if they were at the race when the crowd goes wild as one horse breaks for the lead and another speed record is broken at the wire. They will find out who wins the match race of the century and what happens in the final seconds of the race that puts one horse in the winners' circle while the other is left in the dust. To help children better understand horseracing, included are a glossary of more than 60 racing terms and a diagram of a race track. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

The greatest horse race of all time retold for young kids
On the front flap of "Seabiscuit vs War Admiral: The Greatest Horse Race in History" there is a note that this book for young readers "is based on a true story." Of course, everybody who has enjoyed Laura Hillenbrand's best selling novel or the Oscar nominated film directed by Gary Ross knows about the race and its outcome. With the story of Seabiscuit on the big screen and Smarty Jones almost pulling off the Triple Crown this year interest in horse racing in this country has been enjoyed more than it has in many a year.

My pet theory is that everybody falls in love with one special horse in their lifetime. For me it was Secretariat, and my favorite part of the Triple Crown each year is when they announce that the records for the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont Stakes are still held by Big Red. But I can imagine that for a lot of young kids that Seabiscuit could well be the horse of their dreams, just as "The Black Stallion" and the Pie from "National Velvet" were for earlier generations. It is also appropriate in these times that Seabiscuit was a real horse, even if he lived and raced a long time ago.

Told by Kat Shehata and illustrated by Jo McElwee, "Seabiscuit vs War Admiral" tells the story of the greatest horse race in history. On November 1, 1938 in the Pimlico Special at the famous racetrack in Baltimore, Maryland, it was Seabiscuit, the underdog from the West, racing against the Triple Crown champion, War Admiral. The pastel illustrations on top and the text on the bottom are separated by a banner that recreates the call of the race by sportscaster Clem McCarthy. But the text goes back to the beginning to tell the story of Seabiscuit and it is not until the start of the race that the text catches up with the pictures. Shehata does a good job of capturing the main elements of the story as it relates to the film while providing some more specifics, both on why Seabiscuit was considered such as "funny" looking horse when he ran and the details of the race itself. McElwee also provides realistic drawings of owner Charles Howard, jockey "Red" Pollard, and trainer "Silent" Tom Smith.

Even if kids have not seen the movie before they read this book they can at least tell who they are supposed to be rooting for in this book. Seabiscuit's name is bigger than War Admiral's in the title, he is shown ahead in the cover illustration, and the focus on the book is clearly on the little horse from the West. "Seabiscuit vs War Admiral" actually does a lot to help teach young readers about the sport of horse racing. Before the story begins there is a map of Pmilico explaining the basic segments of the race, which was run over a distance of one mile and three sixteeths. The back of the book has an extensive glossary of dozens of Horse Racing Terms, from "backstretch" to "wire." Consequently, this book is ideal for kids who are interesting in finding out more about the Sport of Kings along with one of the great racehorses of all time.

I love Seabiscuit!!!
This book about the match race between Seabiscuit and War Admiral is wonderful!!! The story is very exciting and has a lot of energy. It's not just a bunch of facts of Seabiscuit and race horses. It is very entertaining. I bought the book for myself, but my kids love it, too. The illustrations are beautiful as well.

Seabiscuit is a winner!!!
This book is wonderful!!! My kids love Seabiscuit now, too!!! The book features the match race between Seabiscuit and War Admiral. It is not just a bunch of facts put together, it is a very exciting story with some of the most beautiful illustrations I have ever seen. This book is an absolute winner. You will not be disappointed with this great book!!! ... Read more

Book Description

No one likes to stop playing when they're having fun. So when Mother fox says its time to go home, her little fox tells her, "I'm not your friend anymore," and scampers off. But as daylight fades and dark shadows loom, little fox starts to have second thoughts.

With his usual keen eye for the range of emotions of young children, Sam McBralney perfectly captures the trust between a child testing out his independence and his mother, who reassures him "I'll always be your friend."

Reviews (2)

Great tool for friendship lesson
My 5 year old daughter is in pre-k. For months the teachers and parents have dealt with a common problem. Children in the class saying "I don't want to be your friend anymore". I know my daughter said it and had it said to her. While book shopping, my daughter picked up this book. I never heard of it, never bothered to look through it. What luck when we got home and I read it at bedtime. We took it to school the next day and the teachers read it to the class. It won't solve the small problem 100%, but it opens the children's minds that that simple phrase could one day have them feel very lonely in this big world.

Great for moms and their kids
This book is a great bedtime (or anytime) book for moms to read to their kids. I think all children can relate to not wanting to stop playing to go to bed. The mother fox is patient and loving in her insistence that they settle down for the night. The illustrations are so cute, my 3 year old daughter keeps petting the baby fox. I recommend this book to anyone with children, as it reinforces the idea of undying and unconditional love. A+ ... Read more

Book Description

Mama cat has seven kittens. Little Reynard is the smallest, and his brothers and sisters tease him about his size and his orange color. Because he is so small and timid, the little girl, Lily, takes special care of Little Reynard. She gives him his own bowl and even lets him sleep on her pillow, yet sometimes he still feels he doesn’t really belong. Then one cold winter day Little Reynard peers out of an open window and sees two young foxes that look very much like him, and when the foxes invite him to join them, Little Reynard says yes!

In their second picture-book collaboration, following come meet muffin!, acclaimed author Joyce Carol Oates and artist Mark Graham introduce an irresistible feline character who will make himself at home in your heart.

Reviews (2)

Seemed oddly familiar.
Joyce Carol Oates, Where Is Little Reynard? (Ecco, 2003)

Like Come Meet Muffin, another JCO-penned, Mark Graham-illustrated, Ecco-released picture book. Like Come Meet Muffin, about the Smith family and their daughter Lily (I have not been able to ascertain whether the Oates family has a daughter/granddaughter of that name from a quick web search). Like Come Meet Muffin, about a cat who hops out the window (though for a different reason this time) and gets lost.

Now, we all know that Joyce Carol Oates is, in fact, a human-shaped robot who does nothing but write (or keeps one chained in her basement, because someone has to be writing a thousand pages a day while she's teaching classes), because there's no human being on the planet who can turn out that much consistently good work at that rate of speed, let alone doing it for coming up on half a century now. But one wonders if the CD player in the robot's head skipped, because Where Is Little Reynard? is almost identical to Come Meet Muffin. Granted, five years passed between their release dates, but still. It's very un-JCO, otherwise Beasts would be functionally identical to Foxfire, which would be functionally identical to Because it Is Bitter..., which would be (you get the picture), and such is emphatically not the case. One is left, well, rather confused.

The saving grace is, of course, Mark Graham's lovely illustrations, which are themselves well worth the price of admission.

This one will probably stay a library loaner, unlike Come Meet Muffin, which I'll definitely be buying. But it's definitely one the kids will see at some point. ***

A Very Sweet Book
This is a beautiful book.The pictures are wonderful and the story is very sweet.My 19 month old can't wait to get to his grandparents' house so that he can read Little Reynard.A nice classic story. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Very informative, fabulous photos
"To the Top of the World" is essentially a condensed version of Brandenberg's fantastic book, "White Wolf," and is perhaps a better book to acquaint younger readers with wolf-related issues. This brief volume contains information about human-wolf relations, myth-busting, and of course much about wolf behavior and pack relations. It's also a great way for someone of any age to learn about this magnificent, keystone predator.

The wolf has been maligned for centuries, and it's absolutely crucial that we teach our children the importance of the wolf's role in nature; we have only to look to Yellowstone for a direct object lesson in what losing the wolf does to an ecosystem. In 1930, the US Government proudly shot the last wolf in Yellowstone, and that began a 60-year slide into an environmental disaster. Now, with the wolf replaced only seven short years ago, the park is almost completely back in balance again. It's crucial to understand that there are no "extra" animals in nature, and this book is a wonderful way to begin that learning path.

Great information and picture source
The book is written about Jim Brandonbrug's year spent with the artic wolves. He gets to know the wolves personaly and they begin to trust him completly. A great book for doing reports on artic wolves ... Read more

Book Description

Fantastic Mr. Fox is as clever as they come. It's a good thing, too -- he'll need all his wits about him when he and his fine, furry family find their home threatened by a terrible trio of farmers. Can Mr. Fox muster the cunning necessary to turn the tables on the odious farmers Boggis, Bunce, and Bean?

This acclaimed recording, written and performed by one of the best-loved children's book authors of all time, has been recommended by Booklist, the American Library Association, and School Library Journal. ... Read more

Reviews (60)

Fantastic Mr. Fox.
Mr. Fox is to clever for 3 farmers called Boggis, Bunce, and Bean. These are nasty farmers because they like to kill and they're evil.Mr Fox and his family live in a hole, under a huge tree on top of a hill.
Every night Mr. Fox goes to 1 of the 3 farms to steal something to eat.But doing this caused alot of problems.The 3 farmers wanted to strangle the poor fox to death!What do you think will happen?
I felt bad and good. I feel bad because its a shame that Mr. Fox has to steal food in order to keep himself and his family alive.I felt good because atleast his risking his live, and that shows that he really cares for his family.
I think that the 3 farmers don't have to kill the fox to keep their food safe.I also think that there are other ways for the fox get food.Like hunting for food.I loved this book so much that i couldn't put it down.I couldn't put it down because it was written by my favorite aouther ROALD DAHL.
This book was also funny because it said that Bean never took baths so he had all sorts of junk in his ear,like fly's, gum, and dirt.
I recommend this book to who ever likes funny stories, and to who ever likes ROALD DAHL books.

- Giovani Ruiz.

Fantastic Mr. Fox
I recommend this book because it's funny. I liked the drawings by Roald Dahl because they are silly. Boggis, Bunce and Bean are three mean farmers trying to kill Mr. Fox because he keeps on taking their food. Mr. Fox out-smarts them by making them think he is one place when he is another. I especially liked when Mr. Fox and his friends had a feast because no one can hurt them, and I can't believe that the farmers are still waiting for Mr. Fox to come out. (They are probably skeletons and bones by now!) For anybody who didn't read this book, I think you should read it.

strangest book ever
Have you ever seen a fox family so brave to survive from evil farmers?
Mr.Fox and his family have to survive with out coming out of their hole because the farmers will shoot them. Boggis, Bunce, and Bean are nasty farmers after Mr.Fox and the family. They have to face changes when they are living underground. The farmers never stop digging until a certain point. The Fox family used to steal animals from the farms so that is why the farmers are after them.
I would give this book three stars. The theme of the story is never to steal from some one.

FANTASTIC
The fantasy written by Ronald Dahl titled Fantastic Mr. Fox will keep you in stitches. This story takes place on a farm where three farmers lived. One was fat, one was short, and one was lean. Their names where Boggis, Bunce and Beans. The most important character of them all is the fantastic Mr. Fox. Mr. Fox steals from the farmers. He steals chickens, turkeys and cider from the farmers. As a result of his stealing, the farmers want to catch and kill him. But will it work? Check the book out and see.
I recommend this story to kids of all ages. This book is a must read book. It is a humorous book to read. The fox is so sly he steals from the farmers without getting caught sometimes. One time he pushed the limit too far. As a result they went hunting for him. The book is a good book for you if you like to get in trouble. To find out more take an easy trip down to library and check it out.
Ronald Dahl has written more than 8 exquisite books. He is such such a good author himself. This is a book which stand above the clouds. Check it out at your local library and have a ball reading this book.

Fantastic Mr.Fox
In Fantastic Mr. Fox three rich farmers were trying to shoot a fox. One farmer is fat and has chickens and eats three a day. One farmer is very short. On his farm he has duck and geese, but he eats doughnuts stuffed with goose liver. The last farmer is tall and thin. He has turkeys and a big apple orchard. All he would eat was apple cider. The fox had been stealing their chickens, ducks, geese and turkeys. This is a story about three farmers trying to get a fox.
I really like this book. It has a lot of detail. It is funny and written well. Roald Dahl is a great author. ... Read more

Book Description

Mama's bad mood this afternoon has put Anna in a bad mood too. Now Anna doesn't want anything to do with Mama. Daddy has to cut her meat, take her upstairs, tuck her in, and read her a bedtime story. But Anna doesn't feel right about the way she and Mama have been today.She can't go to sleep until they make up.

This touching picture book, accentuated by expressive illustrations, takes a sympathetic look at a familiar adult-and-child impasse and will strike a special chord with young children and their parents. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

mama has a bad day
Anna is a little fox who has big plans for her day after school.She gets home and wants to watch tv, eat candy and invite a friend over to play.He mom says no to all of her plans!This make Anna mad and she decides that only her dad will be allowed to do things with her!She is angry with her mother!When bedtime comes she just doesn't feel right with out a story and hug from her mom and decides to forgive her.

Everyone has a bad day some time.This shows that some times even the best parents take their fustrations out on their kids even when they don;t mean to.The book is a great discussion starter for kids and parents.

This fantastic tale for young children is sure to delight parents and kids.It will bring about lots of good discussions on moods and feelings.

Fun read that looks at a common manipulation by children
What happens when Mama is not in the best of moods and says "No" to Anna's requests?Well soon enough Anna is not in a good mood either and wants Daddy to do all the things Mama would normally do.Anna soon learns that this attitude leaves her feeling that something is wrong.A well-written story with charming illustrations and an important lesson, No, I Want Daddy! is a recommended children's book. ... Read more