Book Description

The story of the industrious Little Red Hen is not a new one, but when this particular hen spies a can of tomato sauce in her cupboard and decides to make a pizza, the familiar tale takes on a fresh new twist. Kids will love following along as the hen, with no help from her friends the duck, the dog, and the cat, goes through the steps of making a pizza-shopping for supplies, making the dough, and adding the toppings. But despite their initial resistance, the hen's friends come through in the end and help out in a refreshing and surprising way. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Like Pizza? Please Read This Book!
This story is about the hen's friends who keep saying "Not me" when she asks for their help making a pizza. When it's finished, though, they would like to help eat it. Will she let them? Find out in The Little Red Hen Makes a Pizza, a funny story about a group of animals.

A charming hen
The Little Red Hen Makes a Pizza is a wonderful book terrifically illustrated in a memorable style. I loved reading this story to my girls. The Little Red Hen would be a charming friend (and neighbor) and makes a great addition to a bookshelf.

A moral story with a new moral
I read this book to a student during some volunteer work. While I liked the way the classic story had been made more urban in order to be more associational for many readers, I was disappointed in two places.

The first is a little trivial, when the Hen needs cheese, it mentions all the cheese she has, including string cheese, but no mozzarella. Unfortunately, string cheese is mozzarella.

But my real problem is that the original moral of the story, that the lazy animals do not benefit from the Hen's hard work. Instead they all get some pizza and are guilt-tripped into helping clean up.

While I can accept the change in scenery (and pizza instead of bread), I have a hard time accepting that the moral has been changed.

A teacher and mother
I read The Little Red Hen to my first grade students after my 4 year old came home from school reciting it. When I found this book, I read it to my class and they loved it. I was able to use a venn diagram to compare the two stories. It is a very cute book and the end surpised them!

Wonderful illustrator
My almost-3 year old loves this book. The illustrations are done so well and there's lots to look at on every page. Also if you speak to languages in your home (as we do) this is a book that can be easily adapted into the second language because the story is simple and the pictures are so detailed. ... Read more

Book Description

This classic reissue from the Wee Sing collection offers holiday songs and fingerplays guaranteed to provide hours of parent-child interaction. Every child's favorite seasonal song can be found in this jolly compilation, from "Here We Come A-Caroling" to "The First Noel" to "Here Comes Santa Claus," and the one-hour CD or cassette can be used to follow along with the book or on its own. No Christmas would be complete without this Yuletide treasure! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

The Only Wee Sing tape I still listen to.
What a great compilation of holiday songs. When I was two, my Mom bought Wee Sing and Play, Wee Sing Nursery Rhymes and Lullabies, Wee Sing Silly Songs, and a gazillion other tapes in the Wee Sing series, including this one. I still have all of them. I'd have to say that this one is my favorite. I'm 22 now, and Wee Sing For Christmas is the only Wee Sing tape I still listen to. Unlike many of the other Wee Sing tapes, with this one, adults join in on the chorus on most of the numbers making it sound almost like a choir. Some of the songs are sung only by adults. All of the well loved Christmas songs are on here, there's songs about caroling, Jesus's birth, and finally Santa Claus. You are sure to find your favorites here. Even if you're into your sixties and don't have any children, buy yourself a copy. But beware! Wee Sing for Christmas is only for the young, and the Young at Heart.

good collection
This is a good collection of many Christmas songs. I'm not particularly fond of the tape, not liking the arrangements and children's voices all that much. But the music book that accompanies the tape is well worth having--useful season after season, with 58 different songs. Secular songs like Here Comes Santa Claus, Up on the housetop, We Wish You a Merry Christmas, Jolly Old St. Nicholas, Deck the Halls, Here We Come A-Caroling, O Christmas Tree, and of course Jingle Bells. More traditional songs, too, like the Twelve Days of Christmas, The First Noel, Joy to the World, We Three Kings, O Come, All Ye faithful, Silent Night. And some children's favorites like The Little Drummer boy, Children, Go Where I send Thee and Go Tell It on the Mountain. There are also some unfamiliar songs, like 'Twas in the Moon of Wintertime (a Huron Indian carol which is beautiful) and Three Great Kings (fingerplay) and Must Be Santa.
I recommend getting this, for the season, the mood and the kids to have their own Christmas music. ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

Mama Bird and Mama Cat and even teensy-weensy Mama Mole must leave their little ones from time to time; but in the end, mamas always come home.

Karma Wilson's reassuring text, paired with Brooke Dyer's colorful and comforting mother-child illustrations, shows that -- rain or shine, in a tree or in the sea -- mamas everywhere find their way home with cozy hugs and lots of love, because Mama Always Comes Home.

Reviews (1)

where is mama
This book is all about mama's having to leave their babies.It shows birds, cats, dogs, moles, bears and many more.Each mama has to leave their baby for reasons like getting food.But each one always comes back to their baby.This is even true for the little boy in the book.His mom has to go out for something and he has to stay with his dad.Before long his mom comes back home again.


What did you like or not like about the book?

The book featured many baby animals and their mothers.Children love to read book about animals.


Would you recommend this book?Why or Why not?

This re-assuring book helps children understand that mom always comes back.

... Read more

Amazon.com

Bedrang the Stoat has his evil eyes set on ruling over his ownempire, and will do anything to make sure that his ultimate fantasy isfulfilled. But little does he realize that the quiet, nameless mouse heis holding captive will one day turn out to be the heroic and fearlessMartin the Warrior.

Brian Jacques uses the full force of his stunning storytelling talentto unravel the mystery and adventure that unfolds in this tale ofRedwall as a quiet little mouse refuses to bow down to a tyrant andbids to fight for freedom at any cost. Brimming with cutthroatskullduggery and intellectual intrigue, Martin the Warrior is amountainous tale that introduces the ethos and passions of Redwall witha host of well-drawn characters, each with their own Achilles' heel,making them feel as real as they are magical. --Susan Harrison ... Read more

Reviews (225)

Save the sword or read the book
This is another good book from the Redwall series. This book starts differently than the others. It is told by Abbot Saxtos. In one day, he tells the story of Martin the Warrior to some travelers who know a little about Martin.
The book started at Marshank. Martin was a slave to Lord Badrang. Lord Badrang took his father's sword from Martin. One day he and some others break out from the Prison Pit. The few that break out go separate ways. Brome and Fellodoh go with the Rambling Roseship players. Martin, Rose, and Grumm are captured by Pygmy Shrews. They were made to look after the little ones. A seagull took the Queen's baby. So Martin saved him and him and his friends get to leave. They made it to Noonvale. Martin sees how many of them are willing to go and fight Badrang and get the sword back. He gets few. Then heading to Marshank, he get hundreds of animals to help fight. They meet Brome and Fellodoh. That's when the war to get back the sword begins.
I recommend this book to anyone who likes animals and medieval times combined. This is another great book written by Brian Jacques. This is one of the better Redwall books because it has more action and adventure.

Martin the Warrior is amazing!
Zack's Rating: 97%

An excellent tale about a young mouse named Martin who is captured and slaved by the ruthless Badrang the Tyrant. He escapes Badrang's fort, Marshank and joins Rose, Grumm the mole, and Pallum the hedgehog. Martin leaves safety at a peaceful place called Noonvale, and will do anything to win back his father's sword from Badrang's grasp...

Finally got the rankings of Redwall books I have read:

1.Mossflower-99% 2.The Bellmaker-98% 3.Martin the Warrior-97% 4.The Outcast of Redwall-97% 5.Redwall-96% 6.Mariel of Redwall-94% 7.Mattimeo-89%

Mitton's Martin the Warrior
I want to start out by saying that this book had a very good plot. Luke the warrior Martins son wanted to be a warrior. There was an oath he swore of not to give his sword up and he got it taken. Martin didnt want to go back like this so he went on a journey, from being in slavery, from running, his own adventure. He saved people along the way and had a dream to get his sword back. Find out if he did. This book deserves 5 starts because of how the climax worked out. It left you gessing what was going to happen. This was an excellent book for ages 10+.

Martins History
This book all about Martin the warrior. How he became a warrior. Later be a founder of Redwall. This takes place a long time ago I redwall ancient pass before Salamdasron and Redwall.

Martin is captured when he is young by the vile Stoat Badrang. He is forced to helpthe other slaves Build his fortress Marshank. Then throw in captain Clog made rang X Mate coming back for Revenge.

After bit Banrang Martin is sentence to be excuted by goals. Martin swear to take back his father sword. Beautiful rose of Novale lucking for her Brother arrives Marshank. She and Grum a mole drive of the goal and save Martins life.

After Martin, Brome and a young muscular squirrel name Felldo escape. Martin had help Feldo father. The slaves plan to help Martin all but a stuborn youn bank mole Drup. Who is later killed.

After flee the get seperated at sea Feldo and broom meet the Rambling rose Players who agree to help them rescue the other slaves in Marshank.

Meanwhile Martin has temporaly been enslave again by a pigmy shrew and her farther. A long with Rose there they meet polloum the hedhog. Polloum sex differs from the book and cartoon version. After Martin saves the life of one of her kids for a nat they are set free.

The go on have many adventures. They ecounter the Jaba tribe who tried to slaughter them for mere amusement. The meet the beautiful owl boldred. The even meet a creature with some thing sort of like ESP.

Later the meet the Warnden who later one help them in the final battle at Marshank will Martin kill Badrang and what price will be paid find out in Martin the Warrior.

Best Book by Brian Jacques!!
This book was amazing from the first pages -- in which an enslaved mouse called Martin attacks a slave-guard at the evil fortress of Marshank and is sentenced to death by the stoat Badrang the Tyrant -- to the end where...well, I had better not tell.
This book was almost non-stop action, which is rare in many books. You would not want to put this book down!! This book is possibly the BEST book that Brian Jacques has written!! There are a few sadder parts, where the pace slows down a little (but that is typical of all Jacques' books). You can read this book over and over again and find something new, a new implication or piece of irony. Best of all, instead of just two armies battling each other, Brian Jacques creates a third party -- the freebooting stoat Cap'n Clogg -- that battle both the good and bad armies.
I have only one piece of advice for you: GO BUY THIS BOOK NOW, OR ELSE YOU MAY BE MISSING THE BEST BOOK IN PRINT!!! ... Read more

Book Description

Instinct told them that the way home lay to the west. And so the doughty young Labrador retriever, the roguish bull terrier and the indomitable Siamese set out through the Canadian wilderness. Separately, they would soon have died. But, together, the three house pets faced starvation, exposure, and wild forest animals to make their way home to the family they love. The Incredible Journey is one of the great children's stories of all time--and has been popular ever since its debut in 1961. ... Read more

Reviews (67)

This book was good
The courageous journey of three animals running away from home in search of their family. A young Labrador retriever, the roguish bull terrier and a indomitable Siamese cat set out no a journey though the Canadian wilderness in search of the family that loves them dearly. The three house pets must survive without being eaten buy bigger animals, starve to death, and exposure.

This is the best book ever
The Incredible Journey is the best book I have ever read. It is the best suspense book, too. I think Sheila Burnford is the best descriptive writer I've ever read.This book is about two dogs and a cat . They have to go two hundred and thirty miles to find their owner at a river canoeing . The owner left them home and had somebody look after them . The person showed up late and the animals went to find their owner. The animals have to deal with wild animals like bears and porcupines. They also nearly starve while trying to be with their owner at the river. All in all, I think you should read this well-written book. You will find out how much animals love people and it teaches us to work together. There is so much more in this book. So, if you like suspense this is a great book to read!

Super cuddly
This tells the story of the daring escape and heartbreaking trials of three ultimate cyborg assassins: a dog named Bandit, a cat named Tinker, and a rabbit named Pirate, armed with missiles, poison gas, state-of-the-art computer technology, rapid fire chain guns and unbreakable exo-skeletons. Wait, that might actually be We3. The stories are somewhat similar.

A Cat and Two Dogs
I came to the book by way of the Disney movie. The book is better than the movie. Dog and cat lovers will enjoy the book most. There isn't much in the way of action.

Very Boring Book!
This book stinks so bad. I had to read it for school and I would never read it if I had a choice. It was very boring because it had very little action. If I had it my way, I would have stopped reading this book after the first page. It starts out with a guy on his rocker with three animals by a fire. The animals are supposedly not his and they go out searching for their original owners. I would not recommend this book to any human beings alive. This book is very boring. ... Read more

Book Description

Amazon.com

"How big is baby ostrich? SOOO BIG!" Young children will love liftingthe flaps to find out just how big each animal can be. The text is simple: "Howbig is baby...? SOOO BIG!" Lift the flap to see giraffes, owls, and snakesstretching and leaping to their fullest extent to impress the world with theirsize. The final page will be the favorite one, of course, as the questionchanges to "How big are YOU?" and a fold-out 22- to 48-inch ruler is displayedto be detached and mounted on the wall for kids to determine exactly how tallthey really are.

Charming illustrations, big and small, by beloved artist Dan Yaccarino (Circle Dogs, Zoom! Zoom! Zoom! I'm Off to theMoon!), delight the eye with their warm colors and personality, whilethe playful concept will surely appeal to every tot who dreams of growing talland strong. (Baby to preschool) --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Great!
My 1 year old loves it. It is one of his favorite books at his granny's house. He even puts his hands up and says something that sounds like "so big".

Wonderfullll1
My 9 month old daughter loves this book. It is her absolute favorite!

One of my 22 month olds favorites!!
Excellent book! Great repetition and wonderful illustrations! My 22 month old son loves this book. We read it almost every day. He loves to look at the pictures but his favorite part is when I ask how big each animal is and then he answers by raising his arms over his head while I say SOOO Big!

A bit too simplistic.
My 14 mo. old daughter is not too interested. I don't think this lift-the-flap is challenging enough. It's cute enough, but I don't think the illustrations are very interesting to her. I guess it depends on your child's likes/dislikes. She's really enjoyed Dora the Explorer's Christmas Book-which has much more "busy" illustrations and oddles of flaps to lift.

Too baby-ish for my 14 mo. old.
She's not too excited about this one. Better for the under 12 mo. crowd. Pics very simple and boring. ... Read more

Reviews (91)

Hound of the Baskervilles is a great book!
Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle is a great and easy read for anyone who likes mystery books. This book is another case of death or murder investigated and solved by Sherlock Holmes and his partner Dr. Watson. The book begins and ends in London in Sherlock Holmes' office, but the rest of the book mostly takes place in Devonshire at Baskerville Hall. It is a race to solve the mystery of the death of Sir Charles Baskerville before it's too late and before the same thing happens to Sir Henry Baskerville, Sir Charles' nephew who is the next to take over Baskerville Hall.
In the first few chapters, the author catches your attention by explaining 'The Curse of the Baskervilles' and why it is believed that every member of the Baskerville family has died the same way and by the same curse. The curse is well explained and it makes you wonder if it could be true or false. As the book goes on and Holmes and Watson are getting closer and closer to solving the mystery, there are a few unexpected encounters and events that are also unexplained. These events make it a bit more difficult to figure out the mystery, but they keep your attention and make you want to read on and find out what might happen next.
Not all the characters are what they seem to be, which allows for a few surprises along the way of solving the mystery. New events and people come up in every chapter making you want to learn more and solve the mystery. Holmes and Watson are a great team and although people try to get in their way, they always stay right on track until the end.
Hound of the Baskervilles is an awesome mystery book in my opinion. I liked everything about it, especially that it always kept my attention with the new and unexpected twists. It's easy to understand and not too long of a book either. The characters are well explained in their roles throughout the book so you're never confused about who's who. The author puts some twists in the novel to try to shy you away from the real murderer, but they don't stop Holmes and Watson from figuring it out. As the book goes on, it gets better and better as you get closer to solving the mystery. You'll have to read the book to find out what 'The Curse of the Baskervilles' is and what really happened to Sir Charles Baskerville. I strongly recommend reading this book, even if you're not into mystery books I think you'll enjoy it.

The Hound of the Baskervilles
_The Hound of the Baskervilles,_ by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is a classic Sherlock Holmes mystery that will keep the reader guessing from cover to cover. Set in Nineteenth Century England, the tale of murder and a family curse will hold the reader's attention until the end. When Sir Charles Baskerville mysteriously dies and the heir to his estate is threatened, the real mystery begins. Doyle's masterful writing style is easy to follow and flows so well the book will be over before the reader realizes it.
I enjoyed this Sherlock Holmes mystery because it is easy to read and it flows well. For me, a person that does not usually like classics- or mysteries for that matter, I really enjoyed this book. The story kept my interest and it kept me guessing throughout the entire book. This story is not a thriller, but it is still a good mystery. For someone who prefers John Grisham suspense or a CSI type story line, this book is probably not for them. However, for someone who enjoys simple mysteries and likes to play the role of detective as they read, I would recommend this book.

Mystery on the Moor
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle has created perhaps the best detective in Sherlock Holmes. "The Hound of the Baskervilles" is narrated by the faithful Watson, a man of genius not quite on par with that of Holmes, the master mystery solver. Holmes is forever quizzing Watson to see things the way he does, to figure out the mysteries of small things, like a walking stick left behind by a visitor.

"The Hound of the Baskervilles" tells the story of Henry Baskerville, a man who has inherited his family's home and fortune (as the supposed final heir), but also their apparent curse. His uncle was recently found dead on the grounds of Baskerville Hall, with little explanation for his death. The locals are sure as to the cause; it is the mysterious hell-hound that haunts the moors that was the cause of his death. The local doctor brings the matter to Holmes and Watson and they are charged to protect the young Henry Baskerville from a similar fate, as well as to solve the mystery of the hound.

While trying to gather facts for his intrepid employer, the faithful Watson narrates the strange happenings among Sir Henry's neighbors, wanting to add his own theories, but leaving the mystery solving to his much-admired mentor. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle writes a well-paced narrative that builds to a climax that is still exciting even when we know the real mystery behind the hound. At the end, it is Holmes and not his faithful sidekick Watson, who reveals the tricks of his trade and how he solved the mystery that no one ever suspected. Doyle has created a wonderful pair of complementary characters in Holmes and Watson and it is a joy to read their adventures.

The Hound of the Baskervilles
The Hound of the Baskervilles is about one of the
adventures of the famous Sherlock Holmes.  He's done
some excellent sleuthing and interviewing in this 256
page mystery.  You might be a little uninterested at
the start because it begins a little slow and the
language is a little out of date, but if you stick
with it for a few pages you'll see how intriguing the
mystery is.  The tension raises and raises until you
find out if the case is of the supernatural or just
criminal.
    Sir Charles Baskerville has just died and the very
wealthy Baskerville estate in England is now in the
hands of young Sir Henry Baskerville.  Sir Charles
seems to die of the cursed family hound that Hugo
Baskerville brought upon the family 300 years ago.
Sir Henry is now in terrible fear of the moor which is
always the place that this hound of doom strikes.
Right from when Charles arrives in London strange
things start happening.  He also gets an interesting and mysterious warning.

     This book is truly great because sometimes you may
think you know the culprit but it turns out that you're wrong.
The person you think is the culprit is just doing something entirely un-expected and it adds more mysteries to the crime.  Sherlock Holmes has to risk it all and lie
even to his best friend and assistant, the narrator,
Watson.
The setting of the moor is the perfect place for the
legend to exist because of all the ancient structures
and the Grimpen Mire.  You'll have to read the book to
understand what I mean.  The book is an excellent
adventure for all ages and isn't too long of a read.

The Hound of the Baskervilles
I really enjoyed reading The Hound of the Baskervilles. I thought it was very exciting and suspensful. Conan Doyle uses a very elevated vocabulary which may not be appropriate for young people. Also Conan Doyle does a great job of illustrating to us what Baskerville Hall might look like and what the moor may seem like at midnight on a cloudy evening. He also depicts the characters very well and he did a great job with the death scenes. I was a little dissappointed that the book was not more scarey. It was not the best I have ever read but The Hound of the Baskervilles was certainly a great book. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (1)

my baby loves this cloth book
My six-month-old son loves this book.It is a wonderful stroller toy because it keeps him occupied for a long time.The cover is soft and snuggly; plus, the baby bird can be put in different little pockets throughout the book--so my two-year-old daughter loves to "read" this book to the baby.

One caveat: because it's so plush we let our son play with it in his crib and he got the string loosely wrapped around his neck.He's fine, and he still loves the book, but I certainly wouldn't let him play with it unsupervised again. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (1)

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

Amazon.com

"'Always chicken feed! Day after day--year afteryear--I'm sick of it!' squawked Big Brown Rooster."

In this deliciously imaginative book by sisters Janet Stevens and Susan Stevens Crummel, a hungry and fed-up rooster suddenly recalls hisfamous Great-Granny, a fabulous chef who penned a book of recipes for future generations. He hunts down her cookbook--The Joy of CookingAlone by L.R. Hen.

Rooster carefully turned the pages. "So many recipes--and I thought she just baked bread! Look at the strawberry shortcake!... Yes sirree--just like Great-Granny, I'll be a cook! COOK-A-DOODLE-DO-O-O!"

Upon settling down with this remarkable tale, every child's naturalcuriosity for cooking will likewise come bursting forth. There is a greatbasic story here, with plenty of creative spins on The Little Red Hen. In this version, Rooster--rebuffed by Dog, Cat, and Goose just like his Granny was--finds companionship in the kitchen with Turtle, Iguana, and Potbellied Pig. As Turtle reads the recipe aloud, Iguana continuously confuses the instructions to great comedic effect, Amelia Bedelia-style.(He tries to cut butter with scissors and beat an egg with a baseball bat.)Pig, on the other hoof, asks over and over for a chance to taste the batter.("Looks mighty dry in there," said Pig. "Perhaps I should taste it.") Stevens's sure, friendly illustrations evoke a tremendous amount of character and activity in lightning-fast time. Take, forexample, the cooking hats all the creatures don when they get to the kitchen:Turtle sports a copper-bottomed soup pot on his head, Iguana wields a candy-striped oven mitt, and Pig is wearing a kitchen towel, tied kerchief-style. They're ready!

Scattered through the story are sidebars with cooking tips that offer information on the ingredients, measurements, and techniques mentionedin the text. (Even if kids don't want to read them, they're quite handyfor adults answering questions while reading.) Kids will love this lively, slapstick story of teamwork in action, and no doubt will want to try making strawberry shortcake! Fortunately, the recipe for"Great-Granny's Magnificent Strawberry Shortcake" is in the back. (Ages 4 and older) --Jean Lenihan ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Reading fun in the kitchen
Crummel and Stevens do not disappoint with this book that is wonderfully designed to bring children into the story by way of their stomach. This book is a rescipe for fun and games in the kitchen with your children. Be sure to participate by making the strawberry shortcake along with the characters in the book.

Delicious Entertainment!
Look out Amelia Bedelia! Big Brown Rooster and friends are cooking strawberry shortcake and the misunderstandings abound! Literal interpretations and great illustrations make this an extremely entertaining picture book. Read the book, create the shortcake, and eat it! The recipe included in the text is fantastic.

outrageous animation !
The animal's expressions are SO animated that it is a visual DELIGHT as well as a fun read ! What a treat !

My 3 and 4 year-olds' favorite - educational and fun!
This is a great book that has lots of depth. My three year old loves the repetition and the characterisation, without realizing he's learning concepts and facts about food and cooking. It's clearly their favorite book.

A must have book for your collection!
Not only is this book highly enjoyable, it is also very educational. Teachers, and parents alike, will enjoy sharing this delightfully funny story with children everywhere! ... Read more

Book Description

Slagar the Fox is determined to vanquish peaceable Redwall.Gathering his mercenary band of rats, stoats, and weasels, he advances upon the abbey with a cunning scheme-rather than making courageous battle plans, he will steal the children of Redwall from under their parents' very noses.And his prize captive will be Mattimeo, the headstrong young son of Matthias, the fearless mouse warrior! ... Read more

Reviews (190)

Read it and you'll love it forever!
"One day, you will wield the Sword, my son... But it will not make you a Warrior." says Mattimeo's father, Matthias. This is a truly thrilling book to read over and over again and you'll never get tired of it! This story is about a cunning fox, Slagar the Cruel, and he and his evil followers sneak into Redwall Abbey to kidnap the Woodland children along with Mattimeo, the son of the warrior Matthias. The evil creatures makes them slaves to sell them to the mysterious kingdom of Malkariss where an equally mysterious king rules. As Matthias and a few more brave parents and friends starts searching for their lost young ones, Redwall Abbey is being invaded by General Ironbeak's ravens.........

My favorite character in this book is Basil Stag Hare who has an ENORMOUS appetite and I love the way he acts. I also like Cheek, the very cheeky otter who accompanies Matthias and the other parents.

This is a book you have to read! This is just GREAT!

Dust In The Wind
Even though Brian Jacques' books are considered to be for children, I find that even as a teenager I can still enjoy the stories and characters that are apart of Redwall. I've been hooked to the series since 6th grade when I had to read REDWALL for a book reading compeitition. But of all the novels, I've always loved Mattimeo the most. The rich story lines, the family ties between Matthias and his son are very real, even though they are fictional mice in a fantasy book. So for the past five years I've been collecting all his novels, reading them over and over, getting all the hardcover editions for the wonderful illustrations. Though it is Mattimeo which I read the most, and the song Dust In The Wind (I can't remember the artist) is a wonderful theme song for this novel. Everytime I hear it, I close my eyes and can imagine the characters, their strengths, weaknesses, and this plight for good over evil. In 7th grade I wrote a poem about Slagar The Cruel (the fox in the novel) and won a poetry contest with it. I've read many classics over the years, from Dickens to Dumas, but it is Brian Jacques' novels that stick in my mind the most.

Review of Mattimeo (Audio Cassette)
I'm a fan of all Redwall books. I like all of them, and this was no exception. It had great imagery, a twisting plot, unforgettable characters, villianous enemies, and enigmatic riddles. There are few things in this book that I think should be changed. I thought that the ending was rather abrupt, and more of the story was left untold.

I recommend this book to ages 8-14, though some of the younger readers may need some help. (This review is based on both the book and the tape)

Mattimeo
Mattimeo is awesome! It's the story of a courageous, young mouse, Mattimeo. He is the son of Matthias, Warrior of Redwall. Mattimeo and a few other Redwall children are captured by the sly Slagar the Cruel, long time enemy of Matthias, and are being taken to the kingdom of Malkariss. Matthias sets out to find them with the help of a few brave followers. At Redwall, in the meantime, General Ironbeak and his army are attacking. The Redwallers are holding them off. They're not fighters, but they're much smarter. This book is one of the greats. You'll never want to put it down. It's one of the best Redwall books Brian Jacques has written if not the best. It has it all.

Mattimeo
The story takes place in Mossflower, a forested area where the animals of Redwall live. It takes place in fantasy times. There are no humans, just animals roam the earth.
The Main Characters: The main characters are Mattimeo who is the son of the great warrior mouse of Redwall, Matthias. Matthias is the great warrior of Redwall, whose son has been taken captive by Slagar the Cruel. Jess squirrel is an average Redwall inhabitant whose son has also been taken by Slagar. Orlando the Ax is a huge badger and his daughter Jube has been captured by Slagar. The last main character, Basil Stag Hair, is a veteran foot fighter rabbit that has an enormous appetite.
This is a story of a child becoming a man. It is told through animals that act as humans and is made from the author's imaginative fantasy. It starts with the animals of Redwall having a peaceful celebration of the new season. During the feast an evil creature, Slagar the Cruel, sneaks in and spikes the animals' drinks with a sleeping potion and kidnapped all of the children of Redwall, including Mattimeo, son of the great warrior mouse Matthias. When they awaken, they send out a search party to find the children. Matthias, Jess, and Basil discover the trail of the missing children. On their way they met Orlando the Ax who was also looking for his daughter, Jube. They found out that Slagar was kidnapping children and taking them as slaves in a slave train to an unknown realm. All of the main characters eventually unite to the same hatred toward Slagar and his band of assassins and thugs.
Brian Jacques writes in a unique style in his novels. He writes different plots that alternate through the story but eventually meet up at the end of the story. Constantly meeting new people, the main characters never reach a dull moment.
Throughout the different parts of the novel, the setting had quite an impact on the story. In the middle ages, traveling great distances was quite a task. Traveling through vast forests, expanses of mountains, and crossing raging rivers added much more tension to the story and the odyssey the animals had to complete. The setting makes the novel much more exciting to read.
All the animals in the story somewhat represent their traits. The hedgehogs and rabbits are mostly the kind abbey creatures, while the badgers like Orlando the Axe are fearsome warriors. And most certainly the Fox, Slagar, like the animal is a most cunning creature. This book clearly shows that vigilance and determination pays off. Matthias and company traveled many miles to reach their goal. This book can appeal to any age because it teaches great morals and is a spine-tingling and suspenseful action story.
I really liked this book because of all its suspense. The author kept my attention constantly from beginning to end. Even when the author was just describing the scenery; he used descriptive words so that I could envision what the characters were going through. The theme in this book is clearly to stand up for others weaker than you. Mattimeo helped the weaker slaves make it through the unbearable journey. I give this book a ten out of ten. Outstanding! Take my word for it. ... Read more

Book Description

Since its beginnings as a series of stories told to Kenneth Grahame's young son, The Wind in the Willows has gone on to become one of the best-loved children's books of all time. The timeless story of Toad, Rat, Mole, and Badger, brought to vivid life by Ernest H. Shepard's illustrations, has delighted readers of all ages for more than eighty years. ... Read more

Reviews (89)

One of the Greats
Only Kipling's Jungle book, rivals this as the classic talking animal book for children. With his beautiful prose, Grahame evokes laughter, suspense, pleasure and even awe. Water Rat, Mole, Badger, Otter, and the insufferable Toad quickly gain our interest and sympathy. If you buy it to read to children, beware! You may not be able to resist reading ahead a few chapters after you put them to bed. This is a book not to be missed. The scene in which Pan appears as the animals' protector inspired a song by Van Morrison, and a mention in Jane Goodall's book, A Reason for Hope. From it a child of any age will get fun, wonder, and a demonstration of the beautiful possibilities of the English language.

Charm
Kenneth Grahame wrote this for his son and published this in book form in 1908. He has simply created a masterpiece, not just in children's literature, believe me many adults read this one with pleasure. The chapters follow the doings and adventures of Mole, Rat, Badger, and of course Toad. The prose is lyrical at times, the stories hilarious, and charm and wisdom flow from Grahame's pen. There has been many illustrators for different editions of this over the years. I like Rackham and Shepard and recommend the editions that have one or the others illustrations, or get two copies of "The Wind in the Willows" and you can have both of these fine illustrators work to enjoy. I read this book when a child and I come back to it again and again.

A primer on friendship
The Wind in the Willows is a delightful children's classic that touches upon many things; wonder, pastoralism, but most of all friendship between individuals very different from one another. One of the hallmarks of this classic is that the adventure stories remain entertaining to this day. A must read for any child.

Check your Text
In response to the 5 star reviewer, I encourage her to check her text's publication date. I used the Scholastic version of The Wind in the Willows for years and up until 2 years ago it was an unabridged version. That older version has been replaced by the Miles version, however, which is not unabridged. I discovered this by accident when I ordered it for my classes--believing I was getting the old Scholastic version--and found that the version my students received bore little resemblance to the one I had. Hence my warning about this text. The Miles version is NOT the one Scholastic used to offer and it IS drastically altered.

Uneven Version
"Wind" is the charming story of four friends living near the river bank - Mole, Badger, Rat and Toad. The story follows their adventures in the Wide World, and how true friendship keeps them together through "thick and thin."

Unfortunately, the story loses some of its appeal in this video version. It tells the tale well enough, but it just doesn't have the feel of a "classic." Sometimes, you have to read the book to fully appreciate it!

Good, not great. Three stars. ... Read more

Amazon.com

A companion to the popular One Yellow Lion and Fuzzy Yellow Ducklings, Matthew Van Fleet's Spotted Yellow Frogs is an engaging fold-out book for babies and preschoolers. Each spread introduces a new pattern, 3-D shape, and color. For example, one set of pages has the words "Striped Orange" on the left, and on the right is a striped orange cube entitled "Cube." Fold out the cube, and voilà! A pride of tumbling, striped-orange tigers appears. Young children will love the peek-a-boo approach of the book, but parents and teachers should let kids know that the patterns shown in the book are not necessarily the only patterns one might find in the animal kingdom. For example, beetles are not always "zigzag red" and butterflies aren't always "swirly purple." The book closes with a 36-inch-long, fold-out page featuring all seven shapes. Readers are asked to call out the names of the shapes, colors, and patterns, and to guess which animals hide behind each. The flip side shows a jumble of all the animals, so kids can pick out which animals are matched with the "wrong" pattern. Spotted Yellow Frogs is an excellent learning tool, and a book that children will want to read again and again. (Baby to preschool) --Aimee Damman ... Read more

Reviews (6)

a 2 year olds favorite
My son calls it the sticky tongue book. I like to call it a wonderfully illustrated and educational book for young children. 3d shapes are shown in different colors and patterns and then open up to show a scene of different creatures underneath. A red zig zag ball turns to a family of red zig zag beetles tickling each other and playing, one is eating and one is sleeping. My 2 year old loves the humor in the pictures. He asks to read this book every day.

Perfect for squirmy babies!
We got this book with a bunch of other hand-me-downs, and now I'm planning on getting the others from this author. My daughter is almost a year, and she gets squirmy every time we try to read any book but this one. With this book, she sits still, and looks so intently at the pages, laughing as we open each flap. Every time I say "the end", she signs "more". She could sit and read it over and over. While the shapes are more advanced than a baby will understand, I highly recommend this book for little ones, as well as preschoolers!

My 3 year-olds new favorite
It's a good thing I love this book, because I've had to read it every day for the past two weeks and there is no end in sight to my son's enthusiasm. Not only is it a good introduction to complex shapes, but the illustrations are phenomenal. The animals are drawn with complex emotions on their faces that are fun to discuss with my child. From bored to exhausted to annoyed to surprised to delighted to perplexed and on and on, with small details in the background that my son loves to look for over and over. This one will be a gift to other children from now on.

Very clever and fun to read
My 25 months old daughter liked the "Fuzzy Yellow Duckling" book she discovered at playgroup, and I decided that it was worth ordering from Amazon.com. While reviewing the selection by the same author, I ended up buying this one too. It hasn't been a disappointment, my daughter loves both books although I feel that this one is more suitable for slightly older children since the shapes it teaches are things like cubes, columns, wedges etc. Still, it's a great and very clever little book with a wonderful "ending" of double sided long "synopsis" of the book. I think I will buy the 3rd book by this author soon.

3-D Shapes Center Resource
I used this book in a learning center for a second grade class to reinforce the concept of 3-D shapes. They loved the illustrations which provided an excellent visual format for the concept. The minimal text makes it very readable yet the vocabulary is challenging enough for all reading levels. Considering it was written for preschoolers, the older kids loved it. ... Read more

Book Description

Quack! Quack! What's that sound? Biscuit goes to see and meets a lost duckling. Biscuit helps the duckling find its way home, and then the fun begins. Woof! Quack!

Reviews (4)

Biscuit Meets the Little Duck
In this book Biscuit meets a new friend when he finds a small yellow duckling near the house. Friendly puppy that he is, Biscuit soon makes friends but a duckling should be with its parents.

Biscuit helps the little duckling find its family but not without making an impression as the duckling looks like it follows him home at the end.

Another simple and happy story with some of the best illustrations in children's books. My daughter likes to read the "Woof, woof!" parts.

Biscuit Rex
"Biscuit Finds a Friend" is the most emotionally shattering portrayal of love and loss since "Wuthering Heights". Alyssa Satin Capucilli has written the manifesto of a disenfranchised generation, and the publication of "Biscuit Finds a Friend" represents a watershed moment in the world of fiction. In Biscuit, Capucilli has found a humble hero, a character that speaks quietly, but speaks for a generation nonetheless. In his quest for simple, basic companionship, Biscuit reminds me of Holden Caulfield of Salinger's "The Catcher in the Rye," and echoes of the immense effect that "Catcher" had on its generation can be found here. Biscuit, seeking to break free of the shackles of oppression forced upon him by his cruel dominatrix--left nameless, perhaps to create a "Big Brother" atmosphere where authority is nameless but must be obeyed without exception--finds love with a young duckling, who has run away from a broken home where, it is implied, he is malnourished, beaten, and... abused. Much like in "1984," the pair share the happiest of moments, unaware... that the specter of authority dwells all about them, waiting to pounce. When it does, Biscuit and his friend are cruelly separated, returned, respectively, to the doghouse and an abusive household. The story ends with the tragedy of separation, the endless cycle of emotional destruction that has so overwhelmed the generation that will devour "Biscuit Finds a Friend".

Motivation that moves young beginning readers!
My 3 yr old son has simply fallen in love with Biscuit. We look forward to bedtime reading each night as we go through Biscuit's day which is full of adventures. The book is interactive in the way that it asks questions which gives the children a chance to be creative with their own adventure. We look forward to growing with Biscuit!

Perfect book for beginning readers
The Biscuit books have been the greatest motivator for my daughter who has been struggling with learning to read. The text is good for an emergent reader who is just beginning to learn sight words and phonics. The illustrations of Biscuit are delightful. These are wonderful books. I only wish I could get a series of them in paperback, quick, to keep her reading! ... Read more

Reviews (5)

My son slept with this book.
My son loved this book so much that he slept with it the first couple weeks that he had it. Three years later it's still one of his favorites. The pictures are really detailed and a lot of fun.

AN IBEX-LESS INDEX
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This would have to be one of the best kid's books around. My 5 year-old just loves hunting for all the hidden critters and counting them off. Sometimes all you see is a tail, or an ear, or a familiar silhouette far off on the horizon.

There is no better way to get children developing a sense of the different environments around the globe and the animals that live in all the different habitats: from the arctic to the equatorial rainforests and from the mountains to the deserts; under the water and by the seaside.

We have only one criticism with this book. It was my budding, junior-zoologist that spotted it. Mr Ibex in not in the comprehensive index although there are ten ibices (?) to be seen on page 26. With 300 different kinds of animals in this book, we have to give it a score of 299 out of 300, that is, almost perfect!

100 animals to spot and identify on every double-page
In The Great Animal Search there are some 100 animals to spot and identify on every double-page of this oversized book. Each scenario showcases a different part of the world and the wildlife that lives there. In addition to countless hours of puzzle solving fun, there is a wealth of fascinating animal facts presented in succinct, easy-to-read captions.

Excellent Book!
These books are great! The entire concept of the hidden picture gets the kids really thinking. The adventure of learning that follows each picture just amazes me. The Where's Waldo books did not appeal to our family. We love the " I spy " books and those pictures are magnificent! These books however, the pictures do captivate you but there is a learning process with each picture. My children are 10, 8, and 5 and I notice the difference in what each one asks from these pictures. I think this series is wonderful because it does combine the puzzle concept with so much else. The Great Animal Search is my 5-year-old son's favorite!

One of my son's favorite books
My son loves this book! If you print the number to be found next to the picture to search for (instead of the written words for the number that are already included), younger children can be self-sufficient with it. This and/or the similar books (The Great Undersea Search, The Great World Tour, etc.) are wonderful for road trips. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

fun and unique clay illustrations!!
I've been reading this book since I was young and still immensely enjoy it, mostly because of the illustations. Edith Chase uses a different kind of medium for the pictures...clay! The blended colors and textures are eye-catching and witty...very appropiate for children of all ages.

The text is actually a rhyme written by a different author before the whole book came together. I'm pretty sure Edith Chase rewrote it, though. The rhythm of the words make them fun play for your voice.

The story itself is about a cute calf and his loving mother living on a farm. The calf nurses, eats, runs, plays, and grows...children can definitely relate to this book. ... Read more