Book Description

"The Trunchbull" is no match for Matilda!

Who put superglue in Dad's hat? Was it really a ghost that made Mom tear out of the house? Matilda is a genius with idiot parents -- and she's having a great time driving them crazy. But at school things are different. At school there's Miss Trunchbull, two hundred menacing pounds of kid-hating headmistress. Get rid of the Trunchbull and Matilda would be a hero. But that would take a superhuman genius, wouldn't it?

Book Description

The indomitable Sam-I-Am is determined to make his companion eat a plate of

green eggs and ham.This silly cumulative rhyme features "limited vocabulary

but unlimited exuberance of illustration." --School Library Journal




... Read more

Reviews (136)

A great pre-reading tool
As a certified elementary school teacher and practicing preschool teacher (3-year-olds), I highly recommend this book! There isn't a day when I don't hear "Ms. Molly, read 'Sam-I-Am!'" My poor copy of "Green Eggs and Ham" is tattered, torn, missing pages and is in the process of losing its cover! When I read it, the children follow along and are able to recall the rhyming words when I intentionally skip them (a skill which usually surfaces at a later age.)

When we have free time in the classroom, there is a mad dash to the bookshelf to fetch "Green Eggs and Ham." I sit out of sight while the children quietly sit down with "Green Eggs and Ham" and watch them turn the pages and "read" the story. They know what lines belong to which page by "reading" the pictures. This is one of the earliest and most positive signs of reading readiness. Of course the children aren't "reading" the words, but they are becoming aware of letters as symbols for sounds. I often hear them mimicking my many interpretations of the book (some of which get quite enthusiastic!) and other children gather round the "reader" to hear the story, sometimes helping out! The benefits they are reaping from this story alone marks the beginning of an enjoyable journey through the many facets of language development (reading, comprehension, phonics, rhyming, speaking, listening, and interpretation.)

Not only is the book full of fun phrases, fantasic illustrations, lively characters and poignant messages, but also is a great tool for learning about the initial processes of reading and recognizing written language. In later years, "Green Eggs and Ham" and other books as endearing (whether the children will realize it or not) may lead to a love of books and reading which may help them succeed in school.

I have no doubt that my students will forget who "Ms. Molly" is in their teenage years and beyond, but they will ALWAYS hold in their hea! rts a special memory that is "Green Eggs and Ham."

Green Eggs And Ham
Green egg's and ham has been my favorite book of all time since i can remember, even after reading it 80,000 times, i still love it..Its about a silly old cat named Dr. Suess and he trys to get his friend sam, to try green eggs and ham. Sam kept avoiding and running away from dr. suess because he didnt like the idea of green eggs and ham..Dr. suess tried over and over, would you eat it on a plane?would you eat it on a train? Noo said sam, but in the end sam gives in, and realizes how good green eggs and ham are. I would reccomend this book to children and adults of ALL ages 1-99! great book! read it!

Green Eggs and Ham, 50 Word Vocabulary
This book is extraordinarily good. This is my number one favorite book. It is the ultimate Seuss experience. Dr. Seuss wrote the story using only 50 words. I recommend the Green Eggs and Ham board game and the videos or DVDs. I also recommend the Green Eggs and Ham CD ROM game by Living Books. I have been reading reviews by customers who like the book and I agree with all their favorable reviews.

Rene's Review
I like the book Green Eggs and Ham because it is an easy book to read.Since I don't really like to read this is an easy book to read. And what I like the most of the book is that it makes over a hundred words that rhyme. This book was written by one of the most famous authors ,Dr.Seuss.

Dr. Seuss explores the principle of "try it, you'll like it"
When Theodor "Ted" Seuss Geisel, a.k.a. Dr. Seuss, died at the age of 87 on September 24, 1991, the best tribute of all to the beloved author and illustrator of children's books came four days later when the Rev. Jeese Jackson read "Green Eggs and Ham" during the Weekend Update segment of the season premier of "Saturday Night Live." That performance was so unexpectedly moving that it is impossible for me to read this classic tale for beginning readers and not hear Jackson's rhythm and cadences.

The protagonist of "Green Eggs and Ham" expresses the fact that he does not like Sam-I-am, so when Sam-I-am asks him if he likes green eggs and ham the response is also a negative. The equating of the green eggs and ham with Sam-I-am is extended through a logical progression of places (here or there), circumstances (in a house with a mouse or in a box with a fox), to hyperbolic proportions (in a car on a boat with a goat on a train in the rain). Despite the insistence of Sam-I-am that the protagonist might enjoy the green eggs and ham if only he were to try them, it is not a compromise position is worked out (trying the green eggs and ham in exchange for end to being pestered to death) that the story reaches its climax and resolution.

While I appreciate the importance of the idea that somebody should try something before they dismiss it (a principle that applies to not only food but theatrical releases and political candidates), I do want to point out that many years after my childhood, during which time the information would have been of prime importance, scientists established that different things do indeed taste differently to different people. So it is possible not to like green eggs and ham (or spinach, for example), and not be a repudiation of the life work of Dr. Seuss. But you do have to at least give strange food a chance before you take an absolute position against eating it under any and all conceivable circumstances. ... Read more

Book Description

Berlitz Basic Russian offers a friendly and accessible approach to rapid language acquisition; words and grammar are introduced through real-life situations. The Roman alphabet is applied throughout. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

good concept, poor tapes
I used the cassette version and was disappointed. With the tape version I the sound quality was so low that I had a hard time understanding what was being spoken. A native speaker verified the accents to be accurate, so it wasn't the quality of the language, just the shortcomings of the cassette tape. However, I did enjoy the book and found it to be very useful.

Excellent! Especially for someone new to Russian.
This is a great way to learn basic Russian! If you are diligent and put in the time and effort, you will complete this course in about 3 or 4 months (at the most). I used this in conjunction with the Pimsleur Comprehensive courses (I, II, III) and I had no trouble understanding anything by the time I finished. After completing this course you should have a basic Russian vocabulary of about 700 or so words.

Not Bad
I purchased this book as my first introduction to the Russian Language. I spend a lot of time rewinding the tape in order to try and understand what is being said. About 75% of the phrases on the cassette are written in the book in Russian along with the English translation. I wish 100% of the sentences on the cassette were written in the book. The book is good because you get a combination of grammar and conversational skills.

I did some further research and for developing conversational skills possibly the Pimsleur approach is the best. I have ordered the Pimsleur introduction course which is audio only.

Brilliant
I am a 15 year old student and I wan't to learn russian. This is brilliant for someone like me who has a little bit of extra time, etc. It doesn't bore you with grammar but there is some still there. all around this is a great program ... Read more

Book Description

In this compelling memoir, Brooke Shields talks candidly about her experience with postpartum depression after the birth of her daughter, and provides millions of women with an inspiring example of recovery.

When Brooke Shields welcomed her newborn daughter, Rowan Francis, into the world, something unexpected followed-a crippling depression. Now, for the first time ever, in Down Came the Rain, Brooke talks about the trials, tribulations, and finally the triumphs that occurred before, during, and after the birth of her daughter.

In what is sure to strike a chord with the millions of women who suffer from depression after childbirth, America's sweetheart Brooke Shields shares how she, too, battled this debilitating condition that is widely misunderstood, despite the fact that it affects many new mothers. She discusses the illness in the context of her life, including her struggle to get pregnant, the high expectations she had for herself and that others placed on her as a new mom, and the role of her husband, friends, and family as she struggled to attain her maternal footing in the midst of a disabling depression. And, ultimately, Brooke shares how she found a way out through talk therapy, medication, and time.

Exhibiting an informed voice and a self-deprecating sense of humor, this first memoir from a woman who has grown up before the eyes of the world is certain to attract the attention and empathy of many new mothers and fans alike. ... Read more

Reviews (22)

The rules of life are different for the rich and famous
Like Brooke Shields, I have experienced very crippling depression that left me completely devastated and unable to function.But unlike Brooke Shields I did not have a docter calling me every day (I've never even heard of a docter who does that), nor did I have the money to hire a baby nurse, let alone hire a nurse to leave her own child to fly across the country to be with me.Nor did I have the healing or closure to my depression by having the money to write a book all about it.Maybe that's why I, and probably millions of others, suffered a lot more than Brooke did.(I do not want to undermine Brooke's suffering, but I think that I can safely say she suffered less simply because money and status is a very powerful tool in buying the help you need.)
Though Brooke initially suffered what millions of others suffered, like many celebrities she seems to be oblivious to the resources she has that most people in this world simply don't have.Let's hear about a book by a woman who is not rich and famous to see how a woman without all the resources only celebrities have, can heal.

Superb!
Brooke has done a wonderful job communicating the crushing blows dealt by PPD.After wading through the ordeal twice, I have a passion for others to know and understand what it is all about, espcially to know that it does not make anyone a bad mother.I highly recommend this for anyone who wants to know more about PPD!

Way to go, Brooke.

Thank you for sharing
This is the first time I have heard about someone who had the same reaction to their newborn as I did and endured the same crushing feelings of depression that followed the birth of a child.I was aware of post-partum depression -- but only the extreme version where the mother kills the child.I was more like Brooke -- I didn't want to hurt my baby, I just wanted to hurt myself.I felt worthless and truly believed that my month-old baby thought that I was a loser.I hope this book encourages women who experience any form of PPD to get help and realize that these feelings can and will go away with help.Most important, I hope this book will help other mothers suffering from PPD know that they are not alone.On a related note, I read today that Tom Cruise is bashing Brooke and this book because Brooke used Paxil to assist with overcoming PPD."Dr." Tom claims that PPD can be cured through vitamins and that drugs never should be used to treat this illness.Thank you, Tom, for setting back women's health 100 years.If you ever get testicular cancer, I'll send some vitamin C right over.

Good information; well written
I applaude Brooke for writing this book because thousands of women suffer just as she did.They need to know they are not alone, and that they will get well with treatment.

A common misconception is postpartum depression is a "natural result" of birth.Not so!It is a deadly serious illness but is also very treatable.I lost my daughter to PPD 5 years ago and have spent my life since losing her trying to educate the public with accurate PPD facts so that others don't die unnecessarily.For the most part, Brooke's book has done a good job of giving good information.

Anyone who confuses postpartum depression with baby blues or just being a little down after childbirth is deadly wrong.And anyone who condemns a woman for symptoms over which she has no control is grossly ignorant. (...)

Helena Bradford
The Ruth Rhoden Craven Foundation for Postpartum Depression Awareness.

Black and White Words With Power
There have been a few other books written about this same topic but none so shocking in black and white words.Many of us feel like Brooke has described but have never really connected to the words as much as the feelings.It took bravery and love to come out in the open to help moms like myself and like Brooke.Thank you ever so much.Even though our kids are now older, 2 and 4, this is the first one I've read that I have asked my husband to read too. Also suggested:Mommy CEO, a book which also helps moms feel important, loved and provides simple help with kids.Thank God for both authors! ... Read more

Book Description

We've all seen them: children who explode when they're told to do something or when things don't go their way. The ones who completely lose control and become verbally and physically aggressive. Spoiled, stubborn, manipulative children. Right?

Not so fast. These labels suggest that the behavior if such children is planned and intentional, and popular reward-and-punishment strategies are typically used to teach and motivate them to behave more appropriately. But for a significant number of these children, the standard approach doesn't always work. Such children are easily frustrated and extremely inflexible. They get "stuck" over seemingly simple requests, benign issues, and sudden changes in plans. They may be very anxious, irritable, and volatile. They may have difficulty telling you what they're frustrated about or thinking through potential solutions to problems. In clinical terms, they may be diagnosed with any of a variety of psychiatric disorders, including oppositional-defiant disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), Tourette's disorder, depression, and bipolar disorder. If this sounds like your child, you're probably feeling frustrated, overwhelmed, guilt-ridden, exhausted, and hopeless.

Now there is a new way for you, your child, and your entire family to find help. In this groundbreaking new book, Dr. Ross Greene, a child psychologist at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, makes a compassionate argument that the difficulties of these children stem from developmental deficits in two critical skills: flexibility and frustration tolerance. He asserts that if such children could do well, they would.

Drawing upon recent advances in the neuroscience, Dr. Greene describes the factor that contribute to "inflexible-explosive" behavior in children and why the strategies that work for most children aren't as effective for inflexible-explosive children. Then, with the help of "snapshots" from the lives of children, parents, and teachers with whom he has worked over theyears, Dr. Greene lays out a sensitive, practical, effective, systematic approach to helping these children at home and school, including:

reducing hostility and antagonism between the child and adult

anticipating situations in which the child is most likely to explode

creating an environment in which explosions are less likely to occur

focusing less on reward and punishment and more on communication and collaborative problem-solving

helping the child develop the self-regulation and thinking skills to be more flexible and handle frustration more adaptively

In Explosive Child, you'll find ways to regain your sanity and optimism and rebuild the confidence to handle your child's difficulties completely and lovingly. With Dr. Greene's compassionate, expert advice and insight, you and your child will rediscover newfound hope and a relationship you can both feel good about. ... Read more

Reviews (82)

a book you'll want and need to pass on to others
I've read this book at least 20 times and have purchased copies for teachers and other parents of difficult kids. Whenever I feel burned out with my wonderful but explosive child, this books helps me to pull myself back together and renews my hope and energy. The Collaborative Problem Solving technique works! What a relief after so many failures.

Dr. Greene writes about these kids with affection and respect - and less face it, if your kid is explosive and inflexible, affection and respect from teachers, therapists, doctors, police, etc (maybe even from yourself) has been hard to come by. I can't begin to describe the relief and hope I felt when I finally saw a description of my child that FIT (!) and didn't blame either her or myself for being horribly inadequate people and causing the whole problem in the first place.

If you parent or teach these kids - you need to read this book. Your outlook and actions will change and so will the child.

Understand How it Feels to be your child!
Excellent description of children (and adults) who are very inflexible, easily frustrated and very difficult to understand. As a teacher and parent of children diagnosed with ADHD and Sensory Integration Dysfunction, I was impressed by the way this book explains how it feels to be the child who is so difficult to manage. I have read many books on difficult children and this is the first one that finally forced me to realize how hard life is for the child and not just the parents or teachers of these kids. The book offers constructive approaches and, even more importantly, tells adults what NOT to do with these kids. Each school library should offer this book to teachers and parents. You won't be disappointed. You will find yourself looking more realistically and sensitively at your explosive child. You'll want to rush to school and start fresh right away!

Phenomenal
This book has changed our lives! I have read it several times through, and given copies to all of my daughter's educators. I cried when I read the opening chapters - it described my life to a tee. But now, after using the methods discussed in the book for about a year, the difference in my daughter, my household and my sanity are remarkable. This methodology is phenomenal!

This book saved our family
Finally somebody who understands what we live with. After several years of professionals suggesting that we just needed another parenting class, we were ready to fall apart. "The Explosive Child" acknowledges that children like mine exist and that we have to understand why they are the way they are and how we can start to bring some sanity to our lives. For desperate parents, this book is like oxygen. It provides a great template for dealing with explosive children on a day to day basis. Dr. Greene's book gave me the courage to stop accepting answers that clearly weren't in our daughter's best interest. This gave me the understanding of how to start advocating for my child. If you find yourself thinking that 'something just isn't right with my child' and 'how can I live with this behavior forever' and 'we need help because nobody understands what we live with', then this book belongs in your hands today. I am not exagerating when I say this book saved our family. We actually have hope that we can raise our child to be a happy and self-sufficient person instead of ending up dead or in jail.

A family in progress.
We were completely unprepared for the bundle of determination and independence we produced. We had tried many traditional forms of discipline and strategies in attempt to parent the spirited child we have. This book was an excellent recourse recommended by one of the many counselors we have seen. Our situation is similar to many others here. It is very hard to get 'buy in' for the three basket approach from those who are not familiar with it and do not deal with extreme and violent breakdowns. It is very much seen as 'giving in' and can result in much input form others. I have found myself needing to purchase multiple copies for some of our family to help educate them about our new parenting method for our visits. This book did not transform us completely but it really has helped to greatly reduce the hostility, hitting (from our son), yelling (by all) and tension in the household and allowed us to enjoy playing, teaching and simply being with our preschool son. ... Read more

Book Description

From the author of the sensational New York Times bestseller The Thief Lord comes a thrilling new adventure about magic and self-discovery.

Meggie lives a quiet life alone with her father, a bookbinder.But her father has a deep secret--he possesses an extraordinary magical power.One day a mysterious stranger arrives who seems linked to her father's past.Who is this sinister character and what does he want?Suddenly Meggie is involved in a breathless game of escape and intrigue as her father's life is put in danger.Will she be able to save him in time? ... Read more

Reviews (89)

One Girl, One Book, A Whole World of Adventure
I really liked this book! When I received Inkheart I thought, "Oh boy, this book is by Cornelia Funke, the author of The Thief Lord. From the minute I began to read this book I knew that Inkheart would be enjoyed by all who like fantasy, adventure and mystery.

The main character, Meggie, has always wanted her father to read aloud to her, but he never does. When Meggie finds out why, she gets dragged into a war to defeat the evil Capricorn (one of the characters that emerged off the pages of the last book her father read aloud). Will Meggie and her friends succeed in killing Capricorn or sending him back into the book?

I give this book a five star rating. It is well written and Cornelia Funke did a great job of capturing my attention and keeping me glued to the pages. I really love this book and highly recommend it to anyone who is at least 8 years old. I think my parents might like it too.

The Exact Opposite of Cliché
Just imagine it--if you had the ability to bring characters in books to life! The people you could meet, the things you could talk about...But think about the dark side of that power--what about the nasties, the evil ones, the shadows...?

"Inkheart" is a wonderful book, and a complex one, intelligent and challenging, with unclichéd characters and plot-twists, and a truly novel, double-sided premise: that Meggie's book-loving bookbinder father has the ability to draw characters out of books when he reads aloud--literally--and his gift has caused sorrow and tragedy to weigh over their lives. In less capable hands this could go very twee and icky, but Ms. Funke's incredible talent makes it work--the magic is believable, workable, with limits and rules. The villains are nasty, but interesting, multi-faceted. The good guys have their flaws, the bad guys have their human quirks. And the Italian towns and landscape are wonderfully-evoked. Really fine writing!

Plus she brings something else to the task--perhaps it's the fact that she's European, and not writing for publication in the American kids-lit pipeline, but there's a cosmpolitan richness to this book that's hard to describe, a sort of assumption that her readers are intelligent book-lovers, which I appreciate greatly.

I would nominate "Inkheart" as one of the best young reader's novels of 2003. What a wonderful creation!

The Book-Lovers Book
This is the story of Meggie, a girl who has been brought up on books,and loves them more than anything, except her father, whom she calls Mo.
She, like everyone, has often wondered what it would be like to live in a book world, but when a book world comes to her life, it isn't as nice as you might think.
Mo is called Silvertongue, because when he reads aloud, things come out of books.Sometimes the things are alive, and not very pleasant.
Capricorn, a villain from the book Inkheart came to life in our world when Meggie was just a baby, and Mo has been running from him ever since. He couldn't run forever, and when Capricorn catches him, only Meggie---who might also have the silvertongue curse---can save him, with the cooperation of the slightly bonkers author of Inkheart,Fenoglio.
Things end all right, but many bad things happen that can never be healed. That's what gives this book its beautiful realism.

The BEST Book I've ever read
This book was so good I could not put it down.I ended up getting in trouble because i was not doing my chores, i was reading instead. I read this book in about 1 week (but iam a very fast reader when i like a book alot). If you love the deep fanasty books like I do a really good series of books is the everworld series by K.A. Applegate. The everworld books took me a couple chapters to get everything straight but after that it was super!!

One of the best books I've read
Honestly, I'm a fan of reading, and have read many books of many genres. But this book was incredible! I literally could not put it down. The characters were interesting, the plot concept was amazing, the action was enthralling. I could not wait to see what happened next, and was deeply disappointed that the book had to end. The ending was very satisfying, however. I will definitely be reading Cornelia Funke's other books and hope they come close to this! ... Read more

Book Description

Narnia has been at peace since Peter, Susan, Lucy and Edmund helped rid the kingdom of the evil White Witch. But the Sons of Adam and the Daughters of Eve have returned to their own world and a dark presence now rules this once harmonious land...

Wicked King Miraz has imposed a pernicious new order of persecution and imprisonment, but the King's nephew and rightful heir, young Prince Caspian, realizing the evil of his uncle's regime, vows to revive Narnia's glorious past. Fearing for his life, he is forced to flee and calls on the four children, the magic of the mighty lion Aslan, and an army of fauns, dwarfs and woodland spirits to help him in his seemingly impossible task.

This acclaimed BBC Radio dramatization perfectly captures C.S. Lewis' magical world as Aslan and his human friends take up the challenge to win back the freedom and happiness which is the essence of Narnia. ... Read more

Reviews (66)

The Journey of Life
Prince Caspian: The Chronicles of Narnia / By C.S. of Lewis/ Harper Collins

Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Luzy are suddenly pulled into Narnia from their own land of England by a distress call from the Prince Caspian. Now most of the talking Beasts and enchanted creatures who once lived there in peace have been killed or frightened into hiding.Only Caspian and the rulers of Old Narnia, with the help of the great Aslan, can liberate Narnia and make it safe for its rightful inhabitants.
Pirates of Earth's South Pacific passed through a link between Earth and the world of Narnia, ending up in Telmar, a land to the southwest of Narnia. They invaded and conquered Narnia, and their first king in Narnia was Caspian I, whose line continued unbroken through Caspian IX, father of Prince Caspian. The Telmarines are afraid of the Old Narnians, the Talking Animals, spirits, and other beings who have populated Narnia at least since the Golden Age of 1000 to 1028 when Lucy, Susan, Peter, and Edmund ruled as Queens and Kings of Narnia,
CLIVE STAPLES LEWIS was born in Belfast in 1898. He was Fellow and tutor in English Literature at Magdalen College, Oxford, and later was Professor of Medieval and Renaissance literature at Cambridge University, where he remained till his death in 1963.Clive Staples Lewis, the author of the book entertains people with his writing. The book was originally written for children but it is very well enjoyed by adults because C. S. Lewis has a lot to offer to readers.

The Journey of Life
Prince Caspian: The Chronicles of Narnia / By C.S. of Lewis/ Harper Collins

Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Luzy are suddenly pulled into Narnia from their own land of England by a distress call from the Prince Caspian. Now most of the talking Beasts and enchanted creatures who once lived there in peace have been killed or frightened into hiding.Only Caspian and the rulers of Old Narnia, with the help of the great Aslan, can liberate Narnia and make it safe for its rightful inhabitants.
Pirates of Earth's South Pacific passed through a link between Earth and the world of Narnia, ending up in Telmar, a land to the southwest of Narnia. They invaded and conquered Narnia, and their first king in Narnia was Caspian I, whose line continued unbroken through Caspian IX, father of Prince Caspian. The Telmarines are afraid of the Old Narnians, the Talking Animals, spirits, and other beings who have populated Narnia at least since the Golden Age of 1000 to 1028 when Lucy, Susan, Peter, and Edmund ruled as Queens and Kings of Narnia,
Clive Staples Lewis was born in Belfast in 1898. He was Fellow and tutor in English Literature at Magdalen College, Oxford, and later was Professor of Medieval and Renaissance literature at Cambridge University, where he remained till his death in 1963.Clive Staples Lewis, the author of the book entertains people with his writing. The book was originally written for children but it is very well enjoyed by adults because C. S. Lewis has a lot to offer to readers.

Great Return to Narnia
I have only seen the movie Prince Caspian. I am reading the book right now. I am on Chapter 2 right now. It is a great book. I like it when the children go back to Narnia.

Narnia, Telmar, Wild and Tame
Prince Caspian, the second Narnian Chronicle to be written and the fourth chronologically, is a slightly longer, more subtle book than its prequel "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe", but a book I enjoyed just as much.

Waiting at a station for a train to school Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy are whisked back to Narnia, hundreds, maybe thousands of years after they had originally been the kings and queens. Their castle Cair Paravel is in ruins, the animals are mute and the land is filled with Telmarines, a cynical people who don't believe in the great lion Aslan or any of the great happenings of Narnia's past. Narnia is ruled by Miraz, a usurper to the throne. The real king, Prince Caspian, has fled. With the help of the old Narnians in hiding, Caspian musters an army to fight Miraz and take the throne that's rightfully his. Can he succeed? Will the children be able to help. Will Aslan return?

It's an exciting book, taking you far and wide among Narnia and its creatures. We hear a lot about the dwarves in this book, and of the community of talking animals. We also hear of Narnia's surrounding lands, and of it's constellations. Reepicheep, the feisty talking mouse, appears for the first time in the series. Other characters who appear that are worth a mention include the Greek god Bacchus (I love Lewis' description of him), the bumbling Bulgy Bears, the wise and faithful badger Trufflehunter, a frightening werewolf and many a talking tree. This book also sets things up nicely for "Voyage of the Dawn Treader", the next and one of the most exciting books in the series.

Author C.S Lewis was a sincere christian, and his beliefs shine through in all his work. Prince Caspian is no exception. Here, Lewis seems to deal with the issue of faith and belief. In the age Prince Caspian is set in, Aslan isn't visible, just as God isn't visible to us. There are a lot of people who won't believe in what they can't see (like the Telmarines) but even among them there are some who hear about the truth and are excited by what they hear (like Caspian). You can see the same thing when Aslan appears to Lucy and asks her to follow him, yet no one else can see him until they believe what she has to say. Another theme I noticed is that of how people respond to hearing about their savior. The Narnians respond in many ways, just as people respond in many ways on hearing of God's word. Some are cynical (like the Telmarines), some are faithful (like Trufflehunter), some are doubting and need to see some evidence (like Trumpkin), and some refuse to believe until the bitter end (like the mean dwarf Nikabrik).

All of the Chronicles of Narnia are written for children, but I think some children might struggle through this, particularly during the war chapters. Peter dictates a letter in chapter 13 which is a bit verbose for kids, I thought. There's a bit of intrigue that might goover their head too. When I was a kid and I read this, I brushed over those bits, but I appreciate them a lot more now.

Prince Caspian is fourth in the "reading order", but the only book you really need to read before this one is "The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe". If you enjoyed that book, you'll probably enjoy this too.

Prince Caspian, one of the best books around!!!!!
This book was great. It had lots of action and adventure. If you're that kid who loves action and adventure this book is definitely for you. This book is about a boy who has an evil uncle who rules the kingdom. His uncle hates him even though he doesn't show it. He only lets Prince Caspian live because he doesn't have a son to rule when he dies so Prince Caspian will after the relative dies. The evil uncle's wife has a baby and the King now has someone to rule after him so he goes to kill him. He recieves the news and leaves. Later he meets the things that use to be in Narnia. The King leads a war party to kill Prince Caspian. Prince Caspian forms an army and fights agianst the Telamarines even tough he is one too. ... Read more

Book Description

Read by Christian Rodska
Approx. 6 hours
4 cassettes

After centuries of undisturbed slumber, the Stoor Worm—the World Eater—is waking. A creature of monstrous proportions and unimaginable evil, the Stoor Worm must be destroyed. Already its murderous hatchlings are bringing terror and destruction to every corner of Britain. And an odd trio—a Fool, a Maiden, and a Horse—is desperately trying to convince one quite ordinary boy that he alone can save the world.
... Read more

Reviews (7)

Tired of Harry Potter? Try Philem Green!
This young adult fantasy set in 1919 England grabs you right away. The hero of our story, Phelim, awakens one morning to find his kitchen filled with glashans, a people who are normally invisible to humans. The glashans want Phelim to help them, for the Worm is waking, and as she does, her Hatchings are wreaking havoc across the country. Phelim is quite confused at first, but with the help of a Fool, a Maiden, and a Horse, he discovers that he seems to be their only hope to stop the Storr Worm and prevent her strange, blood-thirsty hatchings from harming anyone else. Phelim has a lot to learn about these creatures and stories that died out generations ago but begin to surface again, as he journeys to kill the giant monstrous worm. How will he do it? He hasn't got a clue.

The story of Jack O'Green
Reminiscent of a spicier Lloyd Alexander, Geraldine McCaughrean weaves a spellbinding tale with bits of Celtic lore, excellent writing and amazing lead characters.

Phelim, a young boy living in post World War I Cornwall, lives with his emotionally abusive sister; his mother is dead, his father is simply gone. But Phelim's life takes an unexpected turn when a bunch of scraggly prehistoric dwarves and something called the Domovoy invade his house, pursued by the sinister Black Dog. They force Phelim out, saying that he is Jack O'Green and has to deal with the Stoor Worm.

Before long, Phelim encounters mad Sweeney, a veteran of the Napoleonic wars who lives in perpetual terror in the trees; the Obby Oss, a delightfully goofy specter; and Alexia, a shadowless apprentice witch who fled her courses in the Dark Arts. So Phelim, the Maiden, the Fool and the Horse all set out (Phelim only half-willingly) to destroy the Stoor Worm, who was wakened by the guns of the first world war. And the heat from the wakening Worm is causing strange things to hatch from stones, and roam throughout the British Isles. And Phelim will encounter soul-stealing merrows, the hideous Noonday Twister and the bloodthirsty cornwives, skinless nuckelavees, maddened human beings, and finally the monstrous Stoor Worm itself...

McCaughrean does an excellent job with his book; with the slightly clueless hero, magical and sharp-witted heroine, and a pair of odd but poignant sidekicks, it reminds me of Lloyd Alexander's books. She also, unlike most authors, harbors no romantic illusions about "Old Ways" and how mean they could be. She is unafraid to weave the spectacular and the everyday, with a few subtle comments on the human condition.

Her writing is extremely evocative, very descriptive as children's books go; she devotes more descriptions to the oddities like the Oss than to ordinary things like the reapers. The dialogue is also very believable. McCaughrean also adds new spins to old ideas, such as the faeries; these are not innocent little sprites, or Elf-like Sidhe. Readers won't forget these faeries in a hurry.

A darker, bittersweet feel permeates the later chapters, where Phelim loses his innocent mindset, glimpses what he is capable of, and does something that readers may initially condemn. However, I applaud Ms. McCaughrean for having him do that, simply because his remorseful response after the fact is admirable and very true. But while everyone makes mistakes, and his feelings are certainly understandable, she also makes no excuses for what he did or felt; there are consequences to no longer being "ever-good." This is extremely rare in books of any kind, and to see it in a kids' book is excellent.

By an author with less talent, Phelim might have been a real pain to read about; he spends over half the book denying that he is Jack O'Green, and often responding wrongly or needing to be helped out. But his confusion and fear (especially after seeing his shirt being washed by... well, you'll see) over the things that he has seen and what he is expected to do is well written and understandable. Alexia initially seems like a fairly ordinary character, but her traumatic past adds an extra dimension and strength to her. Same with Sweeney, who initially seems like he will be an entertaining character, but his fear and guilt make him almost a tragic figure. The Oss is simply fun in an overall serious adventure. You just can't get him down, and he remains a source of emotional support and entertainment.

A tight, fast-paced and immensely imaginative fantasy story, this is a great read for kids and adults alike.

Magic IS Afoot!
This wonderful book is a scary magical adventure tale filled with excellent scholarship. It presents the Old Magic legends of Europe, the British Isles in particular, with accuracy and combines them with the every day life of the early 20th century to make a thrilling fantasy. Set in Cornwall following the Great War it follows the efforts, trials and successes of young Phelim who has been enlisted by a strange wildman, Mad Sweeney, a witch girl, and the 'Obby 'Oss to slay the gigantic, continent-sized Stoor Worm who is waking from her anicent slumber and will destroy the world. Why Phelim? Much to his own surprise Phelim is the living heir of Jack O'Green and a Chime Child to boot! This story is masterfully told with humor, suspense, dangerous thrills, and poignant insights into the sufferings and triumphs of human beings. It is colorful and evocative as well as beautifully thought-provoking. It is creative and filled with refreshingly "new" characters even though they are based on the actual legends of old. Geraldine McCaughrean is a renowned scholar on the subject of folklore and she has populated the pages of this book with myriad concepts and creatures from out of the dark and wild past. As she says by way of introduction, "All the creatures, dangers, legends, and magics described in this book were, until very recently, accepted as real and true by ordinary people living and working in a civilized and Christian Europe." Were a reader to investigate the various "creatures, dangers, legends, and magics" found within these pages more fully, perhaps on the Internet, a truly vast treasure trove of nearly forgotten lore would be opened before them. This book succeeds as a purely good yarn, as a coming-of-age story, as myth and legend, and as a very concise compendium of the beings and practices of the Old Magic. I highly, highly recommend it.

TERROR AND HEROISM ABOUND IN THIS READING
Fantasy fans will find a terrific tale and a thrilling reading in this audio version of "The Stones Are Hatching" by noted British author and myth historian Geraldine Mc Caughrean. Stage and film actor Christian Rodska imbues the frightening narrative with appropriate nuances, never resorting to overkill.

Our hero is not a barrel-chested Lancelot but a boy, Phelim Green, who very reluctantly finds himself in mortal combat with merciless enemies - the hatchlings of the dreaded Stoor Worm who would destroy the world.

For company and reinforcement Phelim has a unique trio - a Fool, a Maiden, and a Horse. It is only in following his destiny that Phelim discovers who he is and what he may be capable of accomplishing

Terror and heroism abound in this reading for all but the faint of heart.

Fascinating use of folklore
Phelim "Phee" Green is a simple lad, living under the thumb of his tyrant sister. It is 1919, and the Great War with all of its horrific results is over. However, Phelim's world seems to literally unravel when all of the fairytales he has ever heard begin to come true; a small troll-like man lives behind his stove, monsters live in rivers, washerwomen wash shirts on the shores, merrows inhabit the ocean, redcaps dye their hats in human blood, and many other horrors abound.

Worst of all, three characters come to Phelim, claiming that he is Jack O'Green and only he can defeat the Stoor Worm, the giant dragon that is mother to all of these horrors. The three characters are a maiden with no shadow, a madman who has haunted a forest since Waterloo, and a genuine Hobby Horse. Finding himself propelled along on this quest, Phelim must overcome his fears, his disbelief, and quite a few monsters.

Geraldine McCaughrean has taken the old idea of fairytales proving true, and has formed it into a fascinating story. In her world, the simple stories of yesterday are transformed into a reality deadly beyond a cartoonist's wildest imagination. This book is a good read, well written, and I recommend it highly. ... Read more

Book Description

Approx. 15 hours
12 cassettes
Performed by the author and a full cast

The Amber Spyglass brings the intrigue of The Golden Compass and The Subtle Knife to a heart-stopping end, marking the final volume of His Dark Materials as the most powerful of the trilogy.

Along with the return of Lyra and other familiar characters from the first two books come a host of new characters:the Mulefa, mysterious wheeled creatures with the power to see Dust; Gallivespian Lord Roke, a hand-high spymaster to Lord Asriel; and Metatron, a fierce and mighty angel.So too come startling revelations: the painful price Lyra must pay to walk through the land of the dead, the haunting power of Dr. Malone's amber spyglass, and the names of who will live—and who will die—for love.And all the while, war rages with the Kingdom of Heaven, a brutal battle that—in its shocking outcome—will uncover the secret of Dust.

Philip Pullman deftly brings the cliffhangers and mysteries of His Dark Materials to an earth-shattering conclusion and confirms his fantasy trilogy as an undoubted and enduring classic.
... Read more

Reviews (695)

Well worth the wait; and the $57 too
After reading Northern Lights (known in the USA as The Golden Compass) in 1995, and The Subtle Knife in 1997 (both on the days they came out), and after 3 rather abrupt letters to the author himself, I have been breathlessly awaiting the arrival of book 3, and it has lived up to speculation. I cried so many times throughout this book, and was up till 5am reading it. Never have I read a better series than His Dark Materials, and I doubt I ever will. I love the mulefa, I love the wheel-pods, I love everything about this book, as I loved everything about the earlier two. Philip Pullman is a creative genious, and Amber Spyglass is, in my opinion, the most magnificent book of all time. As I live in the UK, I paid $57 to get this book from the USA, and it was well worth all those hours of work I had to do in order to raise the money. In book three, Philip Pullman combines all the spectacular events of the previous books, and his writing skill is as amazing as ever. Perhaps some will find this book blasphemous, I don't know - all I know is that this book surely deserves to go down as the greatest book in history, far superior to the childish-humour of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter books. In book three, Lyra and Will come together once more, and with the magnificence of Philip Pullman's writing, and the wonderful plot, this book will make you long to kill Philip Pullman, when you discover there shall be no more of Lyra's adventures. Book one was amazing, Book two left me awestruck, and Book three made me realise just how good Philip Pullman can be. This is the author at his best - nothing can compare with the sheer magnitude of Amber Spyglass, and I hope beyond hope, that Philip Pullman will continue to enlighten this world with books as good as Amber Spyglass. I feel unable to read anything else now, knowing that nothing could compare with the book I finished at 5am this morning. Every part of this book is superb, and though I wanted to kill Philip Pullman after the ending, I longed to kill him more after what he named the title of Chapter 19, and then he put it at the front of the book, where we'd read it too :-) As someone once said, Philip Pullman should be chained to his keyboard for another book, and I can only wait in wonder, to see what this amazing author will create next. As Philip Pullman once said, "We don't need lists of rights and wrongs, tables of do's and don'ts. We need books, time, and silence. Thou shalt not is soon forgotten, but Once upon a time lasts forever." And in my bookshelf, Lyra's story will live forever too, until the time comes when I feel able to re-read this masterpiece, and maybe then, there shall be less tears than the first time, though I doubt it very much. Sophie Anne Stott - Founder of the Philip Pullman fan club - Oxford

A Book that Makes You Think--- Hard
After reading "The Golden Compass" and "The Subtle Knife," I was left dangling from a cliff wondering how Pullman could possibly manage to pull the pieces of the plot together into a coherent ending. After waiting for nearly two years, reading "The Amber Spyglass" was especially rewarding. Richly written, Pullman's novel gracefully weaves the strands of plot together into an exciting, thought-provoking masterpiece. His ideas regarding religion and the deceptiveness of the Church were particularly intriguing to me; the thought of God as a Great Deceiver thrills me, because no writer I have ever read has ever written such an idea in such a popular franchise before. I also loved his idea of the Fallen Angels being on the side of right and goodness rather than being demonic underlings. The concept of Dust, or Dark Matter, being the basis of all spiritual existence is thrilling, and his ideas regarding the psyche of the maternal mind are interesting. However, the most dramatic portion of the novel would have to be the dramatic closing chapters. They are so well-written, and the characters have been so highly developed and embraced by my heart, that the tragic end actually drove me to tears during the entire final five chapters. I truly hope, as do many, that Pullman will relent and add a fourth installment to this groundbreaking series; the open ending is just too much to handle, and leaves me hungering for more. A truly well-written novel not only entertains you, but challenges your pre-formed conceptions and beliefs. Pullman's novel accomplishes this in spades, and deserves to be studied intensely.

soppy and nonsensical
I'm sorry to say that Pullman's main achievement in this last book is to create yet another soppy paean to adolescence. I was really disappointed in the weakness of the plot and characters. Through most of the book, Pullman is crudely trying to jerk the reader's emotions around... Oh, the sadness! Oh, the joy! Oh, the tragedy! It's all surprisingly amateur, simplistic, and it doesn't work. At least not for an adult reader. But I couldn't like this kind of sci-fi hackery even when I was an adolescent myself. Oh Asimov, Tolkien, where are thou???

Riveted.....and then sooooo disappointed!!!!
The first two books of this series were wonderfully written, fast paced marvels that held me riveted by the hour - I couldn't put them down. The characters were intriguing, genuine, and well rendered. I was facinated with the plot that never let up for a minute. So when I picked up the last book to the trilogy I expected nothing less than to be amazed.
How sorely I was dissappointed - there is only one way to sum up the ending of this trilogy - horrible! I felt SO CHEATED!!! As many other reviewers have stated - there were so many loose ends that a good portion of the storyline was rendered pointless - what a shame! I can accept that not every story has a happy ending - that is what makes life bittersweet - but I felt that readers, myself included, deserved a better crafted ending than we were "served" - This ending makes you long for even one more chapter that would truely and artfully conclude this trilogy so it could become a true masterpiece.
- Hey, my final thought - it is never too late to for a revised edition!!!!!

GOOD-but terribly SAD
Ok, this was a GREAT book, but I happened to find one MAJOR flaw in it. The ending. Not that it did not make sense, only that, it sucked. It was terribly sad, and I found myself bawling for ten minutes staight, and any time afterwards when I thought about the ending. To this day, I still cry terribly when I think about what happened, and I wish so badly that it had turned out differently for Will and Lyra. I know i'm getting a little too emotional, but this book was good, but very very very very very terribly sad, and WILL make you cry. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Who else but a member of the Moffat family could, during kindergarten recess, accidentally hitch a ride out of town on a boxcar? Or wind up trapped in the breadbox outside the delicatessen store? Or kindly offer to escort the Salvation Army man to his destination--only to accidentally bump him out of his own horse-drawn wagon? The Moffats is a paradigm of old-fashioned family fun. Four children and a hard-working widowed mother live together on New Dollar Street in the village of Cranbury. Their seemingly quiet lives are studded with almost daily unexpected adventures, with droll results.

This charming book has been making readers smile for over half a century. It reflects a gentler era, when the jolly chief of police had time to sit on the curb to hear a little girl's "crimes" and a little boy's escapade on a train was not cause for media panic, just a simple redirecting by the agreeable engineer. Eleanor Estes, author of the Newbery Honor book The Hundred Dresses, and Caldecott medalist Louis Slobodkin (Many Moons) make a lovely team in this story of benign humor and sweet times. (Ages 8 to 12) --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Wow!Amazing book!
Wow!I loved this book!Between Jane being in a bread box, to Rufus getting on the freight train car.I think that everybody will like this book if they read it.When I started this book, it was like I couldn't put it down.I would read it like 2 hours a day, and I only was required to read 30 minutes for school!I loved it!Now I'm starting to read all the sequels to Eleanor Estes' fantastic books.I'm telling you, READ THIS BOOK!

The Moffats
Title: The Moffats
By: Eleanor Estes
Reviewed By: Samantha C.
Period:1

This book, the Moffats, is about a family of five. There is a mother and four children. Each of the children have their own special talent to make a basic job or activity into a bigger and more fun adventure. With their mischevious ways, going anywhere is fun. The children are Sylvie, who is the oldest, Joey, who sometimes think he is very superior, Janey, who has her own creative ways to seeing things, and Rufus, who can create trouble everywhere he goes. For example, they make a big deal about them having to sell their special house on New Dollar Street. They were able to think of so many ways from stopping people to buy, since all the Moffats thought the house they were living in was better then the others because they were able to see the whole street at one glance.
I enjoyed the book because it was very fun reading about the Moffat children making all kinds of mischievious problems. It was funny to see how Janey would be amazed with such little things. For example, in the first chapter, it qouted,"Jane could not take her eyes from her mother's hands. They had a way of doing things, peeling apples, sprinkling salt, counting pennies, that fascinated her". Janey was amazed at the way her mother did those simple tasks. Usually nobody really pays much attention to those small actions, but Janey sure does!

Another qoute is,"At last they were off, with Rufus in one of his every day sailor suits". When you first read this quote, ti may not mean much, but if you understand the background of that chapter, it will have more meaning to it. It was a Sunday morining, and the Moffats were all dressed up and ready to go to cghurch. While they waited for mother, Rufus had foolishly climbed up on the hitching post. Well, a naughty boy named Tom Frost, rode by on his bike and pushed Rufus to the ground. So Rufus had to change into one of his everyday clothes because that was the second time that happened all on the same day.

I didn't really have a favorite part because I enjoyed reading about all the adventures the Moffats were in. It was very enjoyable reading about the creativity that the Moffats had to create all the adventures. They make life very interesting for themselves, and always made the best in a situation, even if the situation may be unpleasant, like whenrufus got ill and had a mild case of scarlet fever. I recommend this book the readers who enjoy humorous and heart-warming stories.

The Moffats
This book, the Moffats, is about a family of five. There is a mother and four children. Each of the children have their own special talent to make a basic job or activity into a bigger and more fun adventure. With their mischevious ways, going anywhere is fun. The children are Sylvie, who is the oldest, Joey, who sometimes think he is very superior, Janey, who has her own creative ways to seeing things, and Rufus, who can create trouble everywhere he goes. For example, they make a big deal about them having to sell their special house on New Dollar Street. They were able to think of so many ways from stopping people to buy, since all the Moffats thought the house they were living in was better then the others because they were able to see the whole street at one glance.

I enjoyed the book because it was very fun reading about the Moffat children making all kinds of mischievious problems. It was funny to see how Janey would be amazed with such little things. For example, in the first chapter, it qouted,"Jane could not take her eyes from her mother's hands. They had a way of doing things, peeling apples, sprinkling salt, counting pennies, that fascinated her". Janey was amazed at the way her mother did those simple tasks. Usually nobody really pays much attention to those small actions, but Janey sure does!

Another qoute is,"At last they were off, with Rufus in one of his every day sailor suits". When you first read this quote, ti may not mean much, but if you understand the background of that chapter, it will have more meaning to it. It was a Sunday morining, and the Moffats were all dressed up and ready to go to cghurch. While they waited for mother, Rufus had foolishly climbed up on the hitching post. Well, a naughty boy named Tom Frost, rode by on his bike and pushed Rufus to the ground. So Rufus had to change into one of his everyday clothes because that was the second time that happened all on the same day.

I didn't really have a favorite part because I enjoyed reading about all the adventures the Moffats were in. It was very enjoyable reading about the creativity that the Moffats had to create all the adventures. They make life very interesting for themselves, and always made the best in a situation, even if the situation may be unpleasant, like whenrufus got ill and had a mild case of scarlet fever. I recommend this book the readers who enjoy humorous and heart-warming stories.

The Moffats
This book, the Moffats, is about a family of five. There is a mother and four children. Each of the children have their own special talent to make a basic job or activity into a bigger and more fun adventure. With their mischevious ways, going anywhere is fun. The children are Sylvie, who is the oldest, Joey, who sometimes think he is very superior, Janey, who has her own creative ways to seeing things, and Rufus, who can create trouble everywhere he goes. For example, they make a big deal about them having to sell their special house on New Dollar Street. They were able to think of so many ways from stopping people to buy, since all the Moffats thought the house they were living in was better then the others because they were able to see the whole street at one glance.

I enjoyed the book because it was very fun reading about the Moffat children making all kinds of mischievious problems. It was funny to see how Janey would be amazed with such little things. For example, in the first chapter, it qouted,"Jane could not take her eyes from her mother's hands. They had a way of doing things, peeling apples, sprinkling salt, counting pennies, that fascinated her". Janey was amazed at the way her mother did those simple tasks. Usually nobody really pays much attention to those small actions, but Janey sure does!

Another qoute is,"At last they were off, with Rufus in one of his every day sailor suits". When you first read this quote, ti may not mean much, but if you understand the background of that chapter, it will have more meaning to it. It was a Sunday morining, and the Moffats were all dressed up and ready to go to cghurch. While they waited for mother, Rufus had foolishly climbed up on the hitching post. Well, a naughty boy named Tom Frost, rode by on his bike and pushed Rufus to the ground. So Rufus had to change into one of his everyday clothes because that was the second time that happened all on the same day.

I didn't really have a favorite part because I enjoyed reading about all the adventures the Moffats were in. It was very enjoyable reading about the creativity that the Moffats had to create all the adventures. They make life very interesting for themselves, and always made the best in a situation, even if the situation may be unpleasant, like whenrufus got ill and had a mild case of scarlet fever. I recommend this book the readers who enjoy humorous and heart-warming stories.

Lots of Creative Trouble
I read The Moffats for a book report for my class []. Even though the Moffat family get into lots of trouble, they end up having a good time anyway. The book reminds me of the Great Brain series because they use a plan to outwit...sorry, can't give it away!

Read this book; you'll like it! ... Read more

Book Description

Children will read along swimmingly with Dr. Seuss's absurd and endearing

fish.A "fabulous book of easy words, exciting pictures and inviting rhythm."

--Elementary English




... Read more

Reviews (81)

An epic adventure into philosophy and theology
An epic, amazing, astonishing tale into true philosophy of the human intellect. The story dives deep down into the bowels of our minds, posing us the question- what if the fish had a car? The thoughts have puzzled me for 75 years, and I am yet to discover the true solution to the problem. Is it freedom? Or truth? Perhaps peace? Yes? No? Could it be for love? Vagaries of perception, although only Dr. Seuss mind could invent something as insipid as love. Truly, one of the most astonishing stories I have read in my life, and without a doubt the greatest, deepest, and most politically influencing novel of all time. With ventures into the intersanctum of the human construct, it's a book for anyone attempting to justify an existence that is without meaning or purpose.

A timeless classic
This book was almost not published. The publisher did not think this book would sell because it was so simple. What a genious Dr. Seuss turned out to be because of it's simplicity. One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish is a true children's classic because children never become tired of the book. They will actually wear it out from use. Older children will smile when they see the book years later and make comments along the lines "I loved this".

Like all of Dr. Suess' books, it is both colorfull and whimsical. The book teaches children to read by using nonsensical animals and ryhmes. A child can read one little section and not become bored or lost because the book is not connected with a story. That is the beauty of this book. It is a childrens book written for children and their thinking. No heavy messages here, just plain fun. The colors catch the eye, the rhymes catch the ears, and the shear silliness cathes the imagination. It is truly a wonderfull gift to give a parent of younger children. Highley recommended.

Prescient political pondering of our polarized prolatariat
Just as Seuss covered anti-intellectualism in Green Eggs and Ham, and alternate lifestyles in Hop on Pop, the Fish book is a trenchant political analysis. Foreseeing the red vs. blue state deadlock back in the idealistic better-living-through-chemistry early 1960s, Suess contrasts the red (as in communist) fish with the all-American blue fish. This motif weaves through the book, teaching little ones the red vs. blue tension of multiculturalism (in the form of strange animals) and isolationism of Ned in his too-small bed. While most younger children will miss the allusion to Procrustes, they may remember the literary echo in Hop on Pop: Ned joins Red, Ted, and Ed in a more appropriately sized bed, and Seuss shows his support for the UN, or at least the International Monetary Fund.

The tension is palpable when the young boy and girl bring home a large, walrus-like pet and wonder how their mother will feel about their deed; no preschooler could miss this reference to the Teapot Dome scandal. Similarly, their advice to get a pet Yink simply because of its fondness for pale red india writing product is a sardonic commentary on rampant consumerism. And the camel-like Wump shows his prophetic realization that our demand for oil would force us to deal with the Saudis on a regular basis.

Seuss warns us of the coming divide in these United States in the introduction: "From there to here, from here to there, funny things are everywhere." It starts with the fish, red, blue, and black (but not white, showing where Geisel's sympathies lie), young and old, then proceeds up the evolutionary chain to large land mammals, eventually including the aforementioned school-aged boy and girl. They serve as the Adam and Eve as well as the Joe and Joan Sixpak of the book. They espouse embracing what is different while they reinforce doing the same.

Seuss knew where we were headed in both 2000 and 2004, and this book shows the way out. The US has plenty of (pale) red ink, so we should get a Yink. I think.

Every day, from here to there, funny things are everywhere
You might think that "One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish" is a Dr. Seuss book about counting or colors (or counting and colors or even counting colors), but that would simply be the hook for something much larger. The thesis of this Beginner Book appears opposite the first page, where we are informed by a small creature with a giant mustache and a yellow star for a belly button that "From there to here, from here to there, funny things are everywhere." If anything this Dr. Seuss book has bits and pieces from lots of other Dr. Seuss books. You have a series of opposite because fish are not only red and blue but old and new, you have Ned who does not like his bed, there is Yop who only likes to hop from finger top to finger top, and all sorts of strange looking animals. There is even a creature that looks like the Cat in the Hat except he is completely yellow, including his hat, has a polka dot bow tie, and eleven fingers.

Consequently, if "One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish" is one of the first Dr. Seuss books that a beginning reader begins reading they should go back and read it again after they have gone through the rest of the good doctor's books because they will then be better able to appreciate some of the familiar faces in this book. However, since this is not a book for early beginning readers, most kids will get to this one after they have covered the basic Dr. Seuss books and become well accustomed to his delightful volumes of rhymed absurdity. This particular book has been inspiring the imagination of beginning readers since 1960 and there is no reason for it to stop with that endeavor at this point in time.

Great book
Unlike most Dr. Seuss books, this book has no real plot. For the most part it is made up of unconnected pages that flow nicely into one another. The lack of plot is not something that harms the book in my eyes, I like the chance encounters with the strange creatures, and I think the lack of a plot helps to make this story special.

Throughout this book we are introduced to a number of cute creatures from fish to Wumps to Zeds. Like all Dr. Seuss creations they are very cute, bold, colorful and expressive. Another characteristic of a Dr. Seuss book is how the words flow wonderful and manage to rhyme well in a manner completely unforced and effortless. This is one of my favorite Dr. Seuss books.

Loggie-log-log-log ... Read more

Book Description

Grandmother likes Little Bear's picture so much she sends him a thank you kiss. "Will you take it to him, Hen?" she says. Hen passes the kiss to Frog who passes it to Cat who passes it to Little Skunk until Hen decides there is too much kissing -- and finally gives the kiss to the Little Bear.

Reviews (4)

A wonderful book for bedtime
My son, 2 1/2, loves Little Bear from the cartoons on Noggin and was thrilled that we found these books to read to him. He often selects this book (or one of the other Minarik books) from his bookcase at bedtime for my wife or I to read to him. The stories are brief but entertaining and the illustrations are rich and engaging. The books are a bit flimsy and I would prefer that they be available in a more durable format but that is a minor issue compared to the wonderful content of these books.

cute story for beginning readers and/or Little Bear fans
This story about Little Bear is a charming introduction to the world of reading for beginners, especially for those who are already familiar with this gentle cub and his friends. Little Bear is a sweet child to his mother and father, and a good friend to Duck, Hen and Cat. Minarik's simple narrative will be easy enough for young readers, and Sendak's illustrations will hold their attention.

In this story, Little Bear draws a picture for his grandmother, and asks Hen to take it to her. When Grandmother sends a kiss back to Little Bear, Hen carries it until she sees some friends, then she passes it along to Frog, who carries it until he sees a pond and passes it on to Cat .... This is a fun story with a few simple lines and large illustrations on each page. Kids will enjoy the funny ending (and so will you).

My daughter showed real interest in learning how to read
My daughter is 5 years old . She watches Little Bear on T.V. and wants to learn how to read this book because of the show . I will buy more of these books soon as long as she is interested in them . I will also buy them for my niece and nephew as well . I really like the easy to read words that don't discourage kids from wanting to learn to read .The paperback books are easy to take with us . Thank you ,

One of the cutest books I've ever read
This book is cute and funny! The way the animals pass on the kiss and little bear receives it makes this story one of my favorites. The Little Bear series is one of the best. ... Read more

Book Description

The beloved sequel to Little Women, this classic continues the story of Jo March, who goes on to get married and inherit an estate with which she creates an experimental school for boys. ... Read more

Reviews (33)

WISH THEY WERE REAL!!!!!!!!!!
This is the continuation of Little Women, and Jo's Boys will be the cont. of this book. Little Men is a book about the boys and girls of all ages, and if you thought little women was much about women, READ THIS BOOK. The boys are all different ages. There is musical Nat, bookworm Demi, troublesome Tommy, fireband Dan(my fav't character), resonsible Franz, commodore Emil, Little Ted, Rob...and dont forget girls, Lovely Daisy, ms.giddy gaddy Nan, and pretty Bess....and so many other characters. They just will not be friends, but a great big FAMILY. They will be happy, sad, confused, angry...at each other, but will not be a problem for Mr.&Mrs. Bhaer(Jo), Mr.&Mrs. Brooke(Meg), and Mr.and Mrs. Laurence(laurie&Amy). These young men and women will be so different, yet so together and close!

"Alcott, you are great"
Little Men is the funniest of all the three books. I like this book, but not as much as the Jo's Boys or Little Women. Little Men begins with 'Nat as the 1st ch. If you have seen the movie and think it is great, wait till you read the book. The novel is much more sophisticated and very touching. The movie basically concentrates on Nat and Dan, but the novel is about every single boy and girl. If you've seen the movie and didnt like it, guess what, try the novel! My fav't characters are everybody. Old Chirper(Nat), Dan, Demi, Daisy, Tommy, Franz, Commodore(Emil), Nan, Princess(Bess), little Ted, Rob, Jack..too many people. If you like the story of boys and girls, this is one of the books to read. If this is the Alcott's 1st book you've read, TRY ALL! ALCOTT IS THE BEST! My fav't part is the LITTLE COOKSTOVE(iron). Its so neat, and how Daisy, Nat, Demi, Dan, Emil, Tommy, and dont forget our Teddy, and Rob, standing up for each others.

Very good read, even as an adult!
I loved Little Women and this book just confirms what a wonderful writer she was. Lots of hidden truths and wisdoms.

Awesome Little Men
Little Men was a very well written book. It had many fun adventures, great characters, great dialog, and all in all it was an awesome book.

I loved the way the author wrote the little children's voices just right!! It just made me have to stop and laugh!

When you read this book it is not like reading, it is like watching a movie!! That is how well written this book really is!! You could even see the house and the rooms!! I know what every room looks like and how to get there!

I could see the boy's foot when he hurt it and I could see his face when the doctor had to fix it.

I love this book!! It is not a girly book like I thought it would be. In fact it is quite a boy book!! A boy or a girl could read this book and really enjoy it!!
I would recommend this book for ages 12 and up.

By Seth Courtney Age 13 Grade 7

Excellent Children/Young Adult Book
I read this book to do a critical analysis of it. I enjoyed the stories of the boys and all that went on in their lives. I would recommend this book to any child or young adult that is looking for an interesting and easy read. ... Read more