Book Description

Read by S. Ephatha Merkerson
Approx. 3.75 hours
3 cassettes
He wasn’t born with the name Maniac Magee. He came into this world named Jeffrey Lionel Magee, but when his parents died and his life changed, so did his name. And Maniac Magee became a legend. Even today kids talk about how fast he could run; about how he hit an inside-the-park “frog” homer; how no knot, no matter how snarled, would stay that way once he began to untie it. But the thing Maniac Magee is best known for is what he did for the kids from the East Side and those from the West Side.
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Reviews (517)

The Boy of Many Feats
Running short of books to read? You're looking for a good to read? Well look no further because Maniac Magee, by Jerry Spinelli, is waiting for you. Jeffrey Lionel Magee, AKA Maniac, is just a twelve year old, scruffy, orphaned boy but as soon as he sets foot in Two Mills, Pennsylvania a legend is born. He's as fast as sound: bunting a frog for a homerun, scoring 49 touchdowns in one day, and beating a kid running backwards and the kid was running forwards. Unfortunutly, Two Mills is split into two ends, with Whites on the West End and Blacks on the East End but does Maniac know about the difference between skin colors? No he doesn't.
There are many events that take place in the story to move along. First, Maniac's (then Jeffrey) parents die in a famous trolley crash. Then, he goes to live with his Aunt Dot and Uncle Dan who hate each other. After that he runs away at a chorus recital and isn't seen for a year. Next, he wanders into Two Mills and makes 4 appearances that day, also getting the nickname Maniac. Next, he starts to live at the Beales. Then he leaves the Beales and runs away to the zoo. Then, he is found by an old man,Grayson, who lets Maniac stay with him. After that, Grayson died. Maniac runs away to Valley Forge waiting for death. Then he meets Russell and Piper McNab, who invite him to their run-down house which will later be turned into a pillbox. After that, he provoaks Russell and Piper to stay in school by doing "heoric" feats. After that, Maniac doesn't stay in one set place and starts goes all over. Finally, Maniac stays with the Beales forever. Those are some important events in Maniac Magee.
Many people have different opinions about Maniac Magee. I believe this is an excellant book, everything clearly stated. I would recommend it to kids who are in thier seventh month of fourth grade through their fifth grade. I liked everything about this book except one thing which is the way the McNabs' house is described with roaches and things like that. This book truly deserves its five stars.

Nothin' Scares Magee
Maniac Magee is another awesome novel by Jerry Spinelli. Jeffrey(a.k.a Maniac) Magee has very bad luck when it comes to families. He can never seem to stay with a family for very long. His parents die in a train crash. After that he runs away from his aunt and uncle. He ends up in Two Mills, Pennsylvania.
Two Mills is split into two sections. East End, which is all black people, and West End is all white people. While in Two Mills, Maniac meets a girl named Amanda Beale. She lends Maniac a book to read. Maniac then goes to a man named Finsterwald's backyard. There was a kid there. Maniac carries the "petrified" boy off the lawn. The boy ran away. Maniac is then served dinner by the Pickwell family. They didn't even notice him. After that Maniac plays baseball with John McNab and is the first person ever to hit a homerun off of him. He then ventures into the East End(Remember, Maniac is white). He meets Mars Bar Thompson. Mars Bar rips the book that Amanda gave to Maniac. Amanda comes to the rescue and invites Maniac to stay at her house. To know what happens next, you have to read this book.
I really like the way Jerry Spinelli writes. I'd really recommend this book and other books by Jerry Spinelli to people of all ages who love adventures.

Uh...no...
Right...well, I suppose you could say I didn't fully understand the point of this book. A little boy's parents die, he has to live with his feuding Aunt and Uncle and then he runs away one day. When he finds a place to live he runs away. The book is about a boy running for no reason....right...as I said I didn't fully understand the point.

my review
My name is Carmen and i'm the reviewer for the book,Maniac Magee.I think this book deserves one star, because it doesn't make sence.This book is talking about a boy who is running for no reason.I don't see why he didn't stay at home because he has to find places to sleep and it's cold at night.I cant compare this book to a movie because no one has ever made a movie like this or maybe iv'e

Rakiem's Book Review
(...) I give the book Maniac Magee five stars.The reason why I give Maniac Magee a five star rating is because I read this book in fifth grade and most of the books that I read a second time are boring but this one was different.The book is about a kid named Jeffrey Magee and something bad happened to his parents so now he's an orphan and he goes through a lot as a kid.So I think that you should really go buy this book or go check it out of the libary because this a veryawsome book. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

We Liked This Story
This story is about Arthur going on vacation with his family. Arthur didn't really want to go away with his family. He wanted to be with his best friend. At the end of the story, Arthur really does have fun and comes back to show his friend all the pictures. We liked this story because Arthur did a lot of fun things with his family.

Arthur's Family Vacation by Marc Brown
It's the last day of school and Arthur wants Buster to come with him on vacation instead of going to camp. Arthur's mom and dad say that he can't come so he's disappointed. Everybody packs their stuff and they load the inside of the car and the roof. Arthur's family gets to the hotel. They only have one tiny little room for all of them and the pool is smaller than D.W.'s bathtub, she says. They have problems on their vacation. First, only the parents enjoy their dinner, then they try to write postcards, but they haven't done anything yet. Next it rains. Arthur fixes their trip by planning out a whole bunch of fun stuff for the family. On Friday it stopped raining and it was the best day yet. They went to the beach. When they got home, Buster was already there. Arthur and Buster had missed each other, but Arthur had a great time with his family on vacation. This was a good book, but not the best I ever read. Marc Brown is one of my favorite authors. I'd recommend this book to a second or third grader who likes to watch the Arthur T.V. show. ... Read more

Book Description

Alfred Brooks is scared. He's a highschool dropout and his grocery store job is leading nowhere. His best friend is sinking further and further into drug addiction. Some street kids are after him for something he didn't even do. So Alfred begins going to Donatelli's Gym, a boxing club in Harlem that has trained champions. There he learns it's the effort, not the win, that makes the man -- that last desperate struggle to get back on your feet when you thought you were down for the count.

Reviews (258)

The Contender
First thing I want to say: Excellent book! I think Lipsyte did a wondrous job portraying a young, scared boy growing into a determined, mature man.
Alfred Brooks is scared. He is a high school dropout with a job at a grocery store that is going nowhere, and fast. His best friend is sinking more and more into drugs. The neighborhood thugs want him, to either beat him up or to join them. After one of these beatings, Alfred decides to start going to Donatelli's Gym, a boxing club in Harlem that is notorious for champions. While training, he learns from Donatelli that it's the effort, not the win, that makes the man. It's if you can be hit and hurt, but still struggle to stand on your feet when everyone thought you were done. I loved the book. I think it would make an excellent movie and should be done so soon.
While reading this book I was inspired to start working out and feel better about myself. After reading this book I understood the importance of determination, discipline, and dedication when trying for your goals. I learned that if you have what it takes to become a contender, then you can do anything you want to.

The Contender
This book is about Alfred Brooks. He is a high school dropout and doesn't know what to do with his life. His mom died and he is living with his Aunt Pearl. He works at Epstein's Grocery Store which is owned by 3 Epstein brothers. Alfred hangs out with people that want to break into the store. Alfred doesn't tell them that there is a silent alarm in the store. His best friend James gets caught and the others don't trust him anymore. He goes to Donatelli's gym to workout and he goes there every chance he can. He finds out that Lou Epstein used to be a great boxer. Alfred learns how to box and gets a chance to fight. Will Alfred win the fight? Will he continue boxing? What will happen next? Find out by reading The Contender.
I liked this book because the good descriptions made it easy to imagine the people. You could also tell how Alfred felt at every point in the book. For example before he was going to fight in a match his stomach felt like an "ice ball". The sounds you could imagine too. "When Alfred was hitting the peanut bag it sounded like a machine gun". The one thing I didn't like about it is the way the city was described. There wasn't enough detail to imagine it. All I knew was that it took place in Harlem. I don't think that the author should just assume that people know what Harlem looks like. I read other books that took place in Harlem and the author described it much better.

Alfred and His Problems
I read the book THE CONTENDER by Robert Lipsyte. I really enjoyed the book because it's not really long nor hard to understand. The book is really action packed and keeps you wanting to read it more and more. The main character is Alfred. Alfred's conflict is that his best friend James want's him to go to the store he works at and help him break in so they can steal. The place Alfred works is at the supermarket that James wants to rob. Alfred gets jumped on the way home from the supermarket one night by one of James' friends who wanted help to rob the store.After Alfred gets jumped he decides that he wants to take boxing lessons. Alfred goes to the gym to see what it was like and tries to walk out but Mr.Donatellie stops him. Alfred decides to give boxing lessons a try and doesn't realize how much work it would really be. If you want to know more I recommend that you read the book THE CONTENDER.

THE CONTENDER
The Contender
The contender is a great book explaining some of the problems people have in the ghetto with great detail. I especially like the way in which the author works around the problem which Alfred (main character) getting beat up, bullied and having racists always on his back. Alfred tells his friend about his job and how sometimes that the store he works at is empty on Sundays. His friends decide to break in and steal money from the store but Alfred doesn't go and forgets to tell them about the new alarm in which goes off and cops come and arrest his friends. Alfred hides, but all of his friends who didn't get caught want to kill him, so he must learn how to fight. He actually becomes a Boxer. I think this book greatly describes the thinking of teenagers today and gives meaning of what teenagers face everyday. Also on pages 8 and 9 in chapter one it describes a place where he can be himself and can hide and get away from the world, which is a secret place. Overall I think Contender is a must read!

a knockout of a book
the contender was an exellent book that I would recomend for others. you read along a young man's path from a school dropout to an in shape boxer.through boxing, alfred brooks, is able to find himself. I thought this book was good because it deals with real life problems such as drugs, education, and violence. this is a very good book for a teenaged boy. it teaches good ethics like never give up, never lose faith, and always keep punching. ... Read more

Book Description

Camp Out

Amelia Bedelia has never been camping in the great outdoors before. She's trying her best to do exactly as she's told, but pitching a tent is not the same as throwing it into the bushes, and catching a fish with your bare hands isn't easy. As usual, the mixed-up housekeeper makes this camping trip one hugely entertaining adventure.

Reviews (3)

Rita says this book gets five stars....
My granddaughter Rita is helping me write this review. She says this is one of her favorite books, and she recommends it to other kids. Rita read this book when she was in first grade. She's in second grade this year.

Rita says the story starts when the familiy is going on a camping trip. She says Amelia's Dad says "Let's Hit the Road" and and Amelia picks up a stick and starts hitting the road. Amelia seems to always get things wrong. When they get to the campsite she falls in the river and her clothes are all wet.

But one day, Amelia's Dad forgets his own birthday, so Amelia Bedelia makes a cake and fancy dinner for him. And the family starts singing "Happy Birthday to You." And he thanks Amelia Bedelia for the cake. Amelia finally does something that pleases her Dad. The End.

A Great Book for Beginners
This is a great book for young children. There is no bad language just good, clean reading. It's funny and amusing and will keep your children laughing.

It is a good book.
It is about a funny camping trip. My favorite part is when Amelia Bedelia goes boating, and takes all the boats with her. I am seven years old. ... Read more

Book Description

One hot summer day, George and the man with the yellow hat go to the beach. What fun George has at the beach! What fun he has feeding the seagulls! It's fun, that is, until they fly away with something valuable and George must find a clever way to save the day. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

george is wonderful
George is good to read after an exasperating day with your toddler or preschooler. It reminds you that it could be worse, you could REALLY have a monkey to care for, and your monkeys don't really mean to get into mischief, they are just very very curiouus.

Just as good as the original stories
To date my daughter has been reading the "Curious George" books that belonged to my husband when he was a child. I was a little skeptical that the newly written stories would capture the same spirit as those written more than 30 years ago. However, my daughter absolutely loved it especially as both the storyline and the illustrations were more detailed than usual and made it fun for her to point out different things and extend into a discussion with us about beaches, lifesaving etc. Like her other "George" books she has reread this one over and over. ... Read more

Book Description

Phillip comes from a circus family, but all he really wants is tobe a regular kid. After persuading his parents to let him move in with his aunt anduncle, he winds up in Hardingtown, where everyone is wild about dodgeball. Whenhe gets slammed in the face with a speeding ball in gym class, he decides totake the dodgeball bully to court. But can a circus boy take on the UnofficialDodgeball Capital of the World?

This uproariously funny middle-grade novel carries an inspiring message aboutsticking to your beliefs, however unpopular they may be. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Gaily tied up with two red ribbons, Lucy Cousins's unusual, delightful, virtually wordless "book" is in fact a triple pop-up. When you open the covers (vertically, like a door, rather than horizontally), you are introduced to this endearing rodent's kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom, like three little dollhouses. In the boldly colorful kitchen is a pop-up table and chairs, and a pop-out-from-the-wall set of cabinets, complete with a range that opens to reveal a baking pie, and many other distractions. Turn the "page" and you come to a bathroom complete with a mirror on the wall, a liftable toilet seat, and a little figure of Maisy to stand in the shower stall. Each room comes with a sheet containing cut-out objects like clothing and small furnishings, to be arranged at will. In the bedroom, a tab turns a window scene from day to night and back again, and a clothes chest has real sliding drawers. Maisy is a character small children can fall in love with. Ingenious. (Ages 3 to 6) --Richard Farr ... Read more

Reviews (14)

My 2 yr old LOVES this book
We just received this book as a birthday present last night and I can't tell you how much my daughter loves it. She played endless for HOURS with it. We finally had to go to bed and she cried for 30 min! She woke up this morning asking for it. If your child loves Maisy, this is perfect. You get to be in Maisy's world. I love that it's not electronic and high tech-it's perfect for little imaginations to explore and invent.

Wonderful playhouse!!!
I was actually pleasantly deceived by this "book" I purchased this via Amazon over the star reviews and the fact that my daughter LOVES Maisy and her books. I didn't even realize that this is a pop up house of Maisy's bathroom, kitchen and bedroom. There are pop out food and plates to put it the cupboard, fridge that all really open. A stand up Maisy doll with multiple outfits to change her in. Even a pop out bed with a cover for her! This is a wonderful toy for a preschooler and enhances their imagination. The only problem that I truly see in this "book" is no where to store all the little pieces it comes with. I just attached a ziplock to the book to prevent the tiny pieces from getting lost. This was my 2.5yr old daughter's favorite Christmas present - I don't think she was quite old enough to keep it very neat but she has played for hours and hours! I purchased another one for when she is a little older. Very reasoable price and a sure pleaser!!

independent play
My daughter received this book when she was just a little over two years old. She was already a Maisy fan. What shocked me was that she disappeared into the bedroom one day, and when I went to go check on her, she was quietly playing all by herself with this. I didn't figure it would last long. Finally, almost an hour later, I had to go in and get her to go to the grocery store. She is almost three now and STILL loves to play independently with this book/toy - it's the only toy which occupies her independently for hours on end. I bought her the farm version too, which she also likes. A definite winner!

A toy not a book
This is a "book" that folds out to a house - complete with kitchen, bedroom and bathroom. It has accessories, including Maisy, her toy panda, sailboat, rubber ducky, clothes, toothbrush, hairbrush, food, drinks, etc, etc. The cupboards and fridge open to reveal food, dishes and more. The bathroom has incredible attention to detail, including toilet paper that actually rolls out a little. I have a 3 year old daughter and she will play with this for hours. The toys are made of paper which is pretty durable, but are showing some wear. It doesn't bother her. This is one of her favorite toys and she plays with it every day. At first I was worried about the set getting ruined by little hands, but it is holding out very well. I highly recommend this toy for Maisy fans. There is a Maisy Farmhouse which is a great companion to this one.

Our 2-year Old Always Asks to Play With This Book/Toy
I got this for my daughter's 2nd birthday and she adores it. She always asks for "Mady" (Maisy), so I tie the red ribbons and set up the whole house for her. The only annoying thing about it is the clean-up of all the tiny little cardboard accessory pieces. I think some of them are in our vacuum now. ... Read more

Book Description

"Unabashedly uplifting."
THE CLEVELAND PLAIN DEALER
Set in a world torn apart, where man enslaves his fellow man and freedom remains elusive, THE POWER OF ONE is the moving story of one young man's search for the love that binds friends, the passion that binds lovers, and the realization that it takes only one to change the world. A weak and friendless boy growing up in South Africa during World War II, Peekay turns to two older men, one black and one white, to show him how to find the courage to dream, to succeed, to triumph over a world when all seems lost, and to inspire him to summon up the most irrersistible force of all: the Power of One.
... Read more

Reviews (311)

Exceptional
I saw this movie a long time ago and thought it was great. When I went to a small bookstore in VT a couple yaars ago and got talking to the owner she recommended this book as her all time favorite. I read it and was blown away.Its been about a year since I finshed and I still keep Peekay in my heart.What a wonderful character and such an extraordinary story - I would highly remommend this to anyone who loves the underdog.

Should be called "The power of TRUE FRIENDS"
This book can be very interesting and very frustrating. I found theeffort helpful in giving me perspective to South African politics around World War II. Aside from the obvious unfairness of treatment of so many and so often in this book, if you read carefully there are some lessons in perserverance, self esteem, and the power of loyal friends. I never was sure if the main character was a really lucky guy for all of his life experiences or really unlucky? Almost at every stage of his success, there is a downside and personal cost. In many respects this is probably true in real life as well, however if you are looking for an easy to read "happy" novel - then this book is not it. Overall, my rating is more for the lessons of the book rather than the pleasure of the read. This type of reaction is very likely just what the author intended.

The Power Of One
The Power of One is a book of its own kind; it is unique in many ways. Bryce Courtenay seems to bind the reader to the character in an amazing way. Taking place in South Africa, a young boy named Peekay is only five when he is sent to an all Black Boarding school. Being the only white kid there he is immediately singled out as an outcast and constantly harassed and beaten.
The book continues to tell the story Peekay's life and how he grows up. He eventually comes under the influence of two men who become his mentors. One who is black man in prison named Geel Piet, who teaches him how to box, for it is Peekay's life long ambition to become Welterweight Champion of the world. The other man is a music professor named Doc, who has an obsession with cactuses and other plants. Doc becomes very close to Peekay and teaches him the importance of love and friendship. Its theses people that drive Peekay toward his dream of being boxing champion, they and give him the necessities to become a hero of the people of South Africa.
In the end the story tumbles to a terrible and bloody climax that will leave you feeling maybe a little disappointed because not every thing is resolved, but it is meant to be that way in order to keep it from being to cliché. Non-the less it is a refreshing and well-thought ending. If this book does not make your emotions stir and arouse the power of one in your self then it sure will make you want to try boxing.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys good humor, beautiful characters and a good boxing match. I thoroughly enjoyed this book front to back. It seemed to help give me a better under standing of why life is the way it is.

Beautiful, moving, interesting, inspiring-loved it!
I'm no fan of boxing, was not that interested in the history of South Africa, and have a hard time reading about children or subjugated races being mistreated. This was a book I had to read for a book club, and wasn't keen on getting started.That said, this book grabbed me from the first chapter and held me spellbound.

The protagonist, English boy Peekay, must first suffer in school at the hands of Afrikaaner bullies and an indifferent administration which offers him no protection. Soon, though, life gets better as he leaves school and benefits from various people, black and white, of various nationalities. The bad guys get their just desserts for the most part, and the good guys generally triumph.

Some may quibble that in real life, retribution is seldom served to brutal thugs as neatly and appropriately as it is in this book. Borman's rectal cancer was poetic justice. As for the Judge...!

This book ranks up there with "To Kill A Mockingbird", both in the fascinating way it gives the reader a strong sense of the time and place, and in the way the reader is able to empathize with even the most unsympathetic characters, even as they horrify us. It elevates the reader, even as it remains interesting and enjoyable.

Bad Book
This book was not worth reading.Unless you have a lot of extra time, don't waste your time reading this. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Junie B. Jones's kindergarten teacher has some strange ideas about fieldday: "Field Day is a day to run around in the fresh air and enjoy the sunshine.We came out here to have fun and get some exercise. And we're not going to careone little bit about who wins or who loses." Only what's so fun about losing?That's what Junie B. wants to know. In the great contest between room 8 and room9, somehow, room 8 keeps winning all the events. As Captain Field Day of room 9,Junie B. is feeling her superpowers--and her good sportsmanship--slipping away.Can anyone save the day?

For beginning chapter-book readers, Junie B. Jones always saves the day.As in Junie B. Jones Has a Peepin Her Pocket, Junie B.Jones and Some Sneaky Peeky Spying, and the many other titles in BarbaraPark's series, Junie B.'s inimitable style wins her friends and fans everywhere.Denise Brunkus's comical, expressive drawings capture all the joys and foiblesof kindergarten life. With occasional "big" words (like slumped,sarcastic, and apparently) and Junie B.'s grammatical curiosities,this witty book works best as a classroom read-aloud. (Ages 5 to 8) --EmilieCoulter ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Junie B. Jones is Captain Field Day
This story is about a little girl named Junie B. Jones. The B is for Beatrice,but she only likes B. for her middle name. In this book Junie wants to be in charge of her favorite day,and that is Field Day. Junie`s favorite event is the dash and she doesn`t like when Cry-Baby-William is up for an event. My favorite part is when Cry-Baby-William won the pull-up competition. I liked this book because it has a big lesson about judging people when you don't know their talents. I recommend this book to others because they will learn not to judge other people. Read this book to see what happens next.

Junie B. is just amazing!!
My daughter and I have been hooked on Junie B. since her first book. She is the funniest girl I have ever read about. We would love to meet her in person. These books are great to read to your child, even if they are in Kindergarten or have gone through it already, we both laughed. It even has some humor that only parents will get. It is refreshing to see how she works through her problems and how she learns things everyday. We finished this book in one day and now can't wait till her next book comes out!

Funny!!!!!!!!
I like Junie B.'s language. I think it's cute. I'm 9 and I never "learned" to talk like that. Parents who say that don't get it that kids can't learn to talk like Junie B.! I rate this book a 6 STARS...not 5. In Captain Field Day, I liked how Junie B. gave William her cape after he won the last game for Room 9. That was nice of her. Junie B. rules! I don't know how I could live without that funny kid! They are my favorite stories and I read them all the time. I love your books, Junie B.! From: Katti K., from Hollywood, C.A.: USA

The Most Funniest Book
The Most Funniest Book
Junnie B. Jones Is Captain Field day Barbara Park

This book is about the afternoon kindergarten classes are having a field day. Room Nine has to go against Room Eight and Room Eight keeps on winning. Room nine lost and told Junnie B. Jones that it was her fault that they lost.
This is when Junnie B. Jones is picked as captain for Field Day. `` MRS.,MRS.! LOOK! MY PAPER HAS LETTERS ON IT! IT IS THE WORD CAPTAIN, I THINK!" ``HURRAY! HURRAY! I AM IT, PEOPLE! I AM CAPTAIN FIELD DAY!" `` Mrs.! Hey, Mrs.! Guess what else captain can be? It can be the name of a superhero, I think!" `` CAPTAIN FIELD DAY TO THE RESCUE! CAPTAIN FIELD DAY TO THE RESCUE!"
The people who would like this book are girls that like funny books. Also people who are into little kid books.
I think this book is a rating of 5.

Junie B. Jones~Captain Field Day
Barbara Park does it again! Another fantastic book about Kindergarten student Junie B. Jones. Ms. Parks books are written from the perspective of a child. This allows her books to be both well-written and funny. To date there are a total of 21 Junie B books. I recommended purchasing all of them and enjoying them with your children. ... Read more

Book Description

Opening this book is like sitting down in a canoe, taking up a paddle, and gliding out into the summer beauty of a hidden lake. In this picture book that is as refreshing and inviting as a perfect canoe day, a fawn peeks out from the trees as ducklings fan out behind their mother. Butterflies pause and fish laze beneath the lily pads. Ruth Wright Paulsen’s sunlit paintings and Gary Paulsen’s poetic text capture all the peace and pleasure of a day when water and sky are one. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Dreamy!
I love books that combine beautiful artwork with rich text. This is a winner in my mind! The words and pictures in this book make you feel like you're right there in the canoe, feeling and seeing all that the author describes. A dreamy little ride I'll enjoy taking again and again!

Canoe Days is entrancing!
Opening this book is like getting into a canoe, taking up a paddle & gliding out into the beauty of a small lake for a day of peace & pleasure where the water & sky are one. Where neighborly deer, heron, mallards, foxes & raccoons come down to the water. A wonderful gift!

Canoe Days
This book takes the reader on a canoe ride across a lake where many animals and types of fish are encountered. Paulens's word choices are excellent. It has excellent color illustrations and is highly recommended for 3rd and 4th graders. ... Read more

Book Description

Morning is magical after a night of rain and thunder. And best of all are the puddles! Big ones, little ones, long ones, skinny ones. Splash! Splash! Splash! Put on your raincoat and join two puddle-jumpers in this bouncy read-along that's just right for a rainy day or any day.

"A joyous celebration of a world all wet the morning after a night of rain." --Kirkus Reviews ... Read more

Reviews (1)

It's So Fun to Play Outside After it RAINS!!!!!
My daughter (22 months) LOVES this book! It tells of the adventures of two childern who go outside to explore (and puddle jump, of course) after a night of thunder, lightening, and RAIN! My daugher brings this book to myself or my husband all the time and says "read Puddles". It's a must have in your collection. ... Read more

Book Description

When a tiny bug decides to go for a walk, anything can happen! He might meet a cat, a crocodile, a pig, or even a bee to dance and play with, and that means more friends for everyone! This adorable story by renowned author and illustrator Felicia Bond is now available for the youngest set.

... Read more

Reviews (19)

fun for mom, dad and baby
We came upon Tumble Bumble because we loved "If you give a Pig a Pancake" and the other books by the same author. The animals look like ones we would like to be friends with! My daughter loves the picture at the end of the book with all the animals in bed together and the spider coming to join them. Such a happy book. GREAT book as a gift in board book style for little hands. Love it!

A Wonderful Book
This book was given to my son as a gift. I have been reading it to him since he was about 8 months old. I even have it memorized. He absolutely loves this book. He is now 17 months old and still brings it to me to read to him. He even sits and looks at it himself at least once a night. We have read it so many times that the board pages are bent and creased. I will probably have to buy a new one for him soon. The text rhymes and has a smooth flow. The illustrations are very pleasing. The big "HOORAY!" at the end perfectly describes my son's reaction to this book. I highly recommend this book to any parent looking for a great read for their infant/toddler.

My favorite book for toddlers!
This is my all-time favorite toddler book. My daughter loves it, but I think I might like it even more. I have it memorized and always make it one of the books we read each time we sit down. You'll love this book, the illustrations, the rhymes, and the story. (I bet your child even loves it too!)

This one's a charmer!
I don't give 5 stars to many children's books (except Boynton books). Tumble Bumble earns all 5 though. The rhymes are cute, the story sweet and drawings warm and clear.

Hurray
The last page of this book sums it up perfectly, "Hurray!" My 17 month old loves this book. The rhymes match perfectly and she loves to look at the animals. She has begun to say some parts of the story with me and always yells "Hurray!" at the end of the story. This is another book we will read repeatedly. ... Read more

Book Description

Delia loves Double Dutch more than just about anything, and she's really good at it -- so good she and her teammates have a shot at winning the World Double Dutch Championships. Delia would die if she couldn't jump -- but Delia has a secret, and it could keep her off the team next year.

Delia's friend Randy has a secret too, one that has him lonely and scared. And while Delia and Randy struggle to keep their secrets, their school is abuzz with rumors about what malicious mischief the terrible Tolliver twins -- who just may have a secret of their own -- are planning.

Delia and Randy's secrets collide on what should be the happiest day of Delia's life, and the collision threatens to destroy their friendship. Why can't life be as easy for Delia as Double Dutch? ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Learning the Ropes
Secrets run rampant amongst the eighth graders depicted in the book DOUBLE DUTCH. The main character of the book, Delia, has been keeping her illiteracy a secret for years. She has an excellent memory, which she uses to hide the fact that she cannot read. She is terrified that her secret will be revealed when her teacher announces an upcoming standardized test. Delia's, "friend" Randy is also carrying a heavy burden. Abandoned by his mother, Randy finds himself on his own after his truck driver father disappears. Not knowing where to turn, Randy begins to pawn goods and pray that his father has not deserted him like his mother did. The Tolliver Twins (Titan and Tabu) terrorize the school and neighborhood. Their behavior is so bad that their mother takes them on national television to get help. However, a tragedy shows everyone a side of the Tollivers that they had never seen before. Yolanda is Delia's best friend. She happens to be a compulsive liar and brings comic relief to the seriousness of the book.

Aside from having secrets, the characters in this book are brought together by their love of double dutch. The book does an excellent job telling a brief history of double dutch and portraying the hard work and determination it takes to participate in the sport.

Sharon Draper had written an excellent book that shows the dangers that keeping secrets may have. Dealing with issues of illiteracy, abandonment, fear, and preconceived notions, this book has a little something that all preteens can relate to. My only criticism is that I wish the reason Delia could not read had been explored more. This is another great novel from a wonderful author.

Reviewed by Latoya Carter-Qawiyy
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

An escape of Life
Double Dutch was an amazing novel about the lives of troubled 8th grade students. Delia has a problem, she can't read, and chooses not to tell any one. Until 8th grade when Delia's best friend, Yolanda, questions Delia's ability to read. Yolanda spices up the mixture of characters with her urge to stretch the truth. Delia and Yolanda also hangout with Roger. Roger also has a secret; his truck driver father has been missing for weeks. He chooses not to tell anyone because he is scared that he will be separated from his father, since his mother ran away. Randy sacrifices VCR's and other appliances for money to survive. Later he finds out that his father was almost beat to death, when he refused to give up his truck to thieves. On top of all of their personal problems they also have to stay clear out of the way of the Toliver Twins. They are over grown 8th grade twins that only want each other and if you are in their way they will beat you up until you remember next time to watch out. The only escape these friends have is Double Dutch. Double Dutch is their time to shine, a place were nothing can go wrong, and where nothing else in the world matters except the rhythm of your feet and the rope beneath them. Yolanda and Delia are amazing jumpers and like to sound of success. Roger is their equipment manager and keeps the team very organized. Read Double Dutch by Sharon M. Draper to find out if the lives of these friends ever change for the better.

Do not be decieved by the title!
I am a 13 year old girl from New York. Lately I have had a lot of trouble gettting into books and I almost stopped reading this one! That would have been so stupid! "Double Dutch" si one of the greatest books that I will have ever checked out of my library! "Double Dutch" is about Delia, an 8th grade girl who, surprisingly has a big secret.. She CAN'T read!!! Her best friend Yolanda formally known as Yo-Yo confronted her about it when she learned the truth. This is a big problem even though you do not need to read in order to compete in double dutch... but it is oneo fthe biggest things everyone needs to know how to do. Yo-Yo adn Delia are superbe Double Dutchers. Their 2 teammates: Misty and Charlene are very good as well. When the "World Championships" are held in Cincinatti the girls are veryeager to compete and win. Their assistant named Randy also works hard with the team. Randy has abig crush on Delia and would do anything for her. Th two are good friends. There are two people that everyone at school are afraid of.. THE TOlliver Twins, Tabu and Titan. THe two black boys walk through the hallways with out any expression on their faces. But when the storm hits are people going to figure out their secrets and will Yo-Yo be ok? This book is soo awesome and I am so glad to reccomend it to other readers around the world.

Double Dutch
When I first read this book, I was surprised that the girl said she couldnt read. I was thinking "How can her parents not notice?". It was a good book, but kind of unrealistic in this day and age because all kids are being taught how to read, write, add, subtract, ect, because of the law. ... Read more

Book Description

In six tense, exciting short stories, athletes face up to more than sports in tales of love and death, of bigotry and heroism, of real people doing the best that they can, even when that best is not enough.

These stories feature new voices as well as characters from Chris Crutcher's acclaimed popular novels, including Stotan!, Running Loose, and The Crazy Horse Electric Game. Here are the moments that change lives forever. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

This is a keeper!!
Being a high school athlete, this is a cook that I was really able to relate to. Each character in the story shows that he/she is able solve his/her problem through their sports. All of he characters display high morale, which leads them to what they want at the end of their story. an example would be Angus, from the story "A Brief Moment in the Life of Angus Bethune." He believed that no one should be treated as he was, and at thet end of the story, this trait won over his high-school sweetheart. These stories all show good kids goig through their tough teenage years, and the ways that they cope with these tough times. This book was one of the best that I have read. It showed that no matter how bad the situation is, you can always get what you want in the end if try for it hard enough.

Vinny review
This was one of my favorite books. I loved it! The way the book was worded kept me on my feet. The way it relates to life in such a manor is great. Chris Crutcher impeccabley wrote this book. My favorite story is "The Pin" because so many of those things in the story have happened to me. I would recommend this book to anyone from the age of 13 and up.

Excellent
Athletic shorts, by Chris Crutcher is a book about 6 short stories that describe athletes triumphs. I loved this book. Its would interest me around every corner. I would just wanted to continue reading. The only bad part of the book was that it had to end.

Great Read
I thought Athletic Shorts was a good book because it was easy to understand since it was about sports. All the stories could hold my attention which made me want to read the next page. i thought that was a great way to write a sports book with 6 short stories all in one book. I could really relate to it because i like sports alot. I reccomend this book to anyone that like sports.

Courage shown by the imperfect facing the impossible
Another great book by Chris Crutcher -- this one containing six short stories with troubled or stressed teens facing difficult situations. The last two, on the themes of racial prejudice and sexual preference prejudice, are especially powerful. ... Read more

Book Description

Grab your markers, limber up your fingers, and get ready to color! This one new addition to Ruth Heller's bestselling series-featuring 31 intricate designs packed into each book-will keep amateur artists of all ages entertained for hours! The designs are printed on extra-heavy paper and are suitable for framing.

This book is packed full with intricate designs to challenge and delight your mind. Prisms contains sophisticated designs in which to create your own kaleidoscope of dazzling effects. Each highly detailed design makes them come alive! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Deja Vu anyone? Many too simplistic...
I know there are only so many things that can be done with a prism, but still...there are other designs that could be combined with prisms to add more interest, challenge and fun. Each page looked like a copy of the one before it, with maybe a new angle or a bigger set of triangles. In the back of the book, there are 3 of 4 very advanced designs that I wish had been made into a whole book of like designs. If you're just starting out and don't mind repeating the same "look", then you may like it. I gave my brand new one to a friend instead. I recommend Power Mandala's instead, for variety, complexity and challenging fun. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (5)

Snowball o' fun
You walk into your first encounter with "Snowballs" with the vague sense that this is going to be yet another winter picture book containing figures made out of cut paper. And though you are well aware of Ezra Jack Keats's "The Snowy Day", you decide to give Lois Ehlert's book a go anyway. You're hoping you'll end up pleasantly surprised by what you may find. And you're in luck. You are.

In this tale of wintertime bird feeding, the author first poses a hypothetical question: "Do you think birds know when it's going to snow?". As if in answer, we view a pair of cardinals, one male and one female, as they devour some seeds. With the fall of a new snow, it's time to make some snow creatures. In a surprising two page spread we see a brown paper sack and plastic bags full of stuff. The author says that this is "good stuff" saved for this very occasion. The rest of the book then displays snowmen, women, children, pets, etc. made out of everything from strawberries to orange plastic fish. Almost every snow person has something in their make up that is delicious to the wild birds, and occasionally a brave birdy will fly into the picture to nibble on a sunflower seed necklace or munch on a popcorn laden body. At the back of the book are actual size photographs against a white background displaying objects that were featured in the snowmen's bodies earlier. Kids reading the book will enjoy trying to find the page that presented the Guatemalan purse or the Thai appliqué heart. Finally, the reader can find out more about snow itself. Two pages full of snowman photos (all goofy in their own different ways) surround a section entitled, "What makes it snow?". And for those of you that are lucky enough to be reading a hardcover edition of this tale, a recipe for popcorn balls appears on the back book flap.

Admittedly, when you get right down to it, this book is just a paper cut out book after all. But Ehlert has taken the liberty of combining your normal run-of-the-mill paper images with life sized photographs of certain objects. If you look on the cover, you'll see that the bird sitting on the snowman's head is all paper while the piece of popcorn it holds in its beak is a photograph. The result is fairly seamless. We can assume that some Photoshopping has been done here since a couple of these photographed items occasionally cast shadows on their snowpeople. This is a fairly well put together little book. It's difficult to combine stories where fun hunt and peck tales are combined with scientific facts. I'm almost tempted to categorize this book as non-fiction for all its interesting information. Even a quick glance at the back cover consists of thirteen newspaper accounts of snowy weather.

In a way, this book is like an educational "Where's Waldo?". Kids reading it will probably have more fun trying to find the objects listed in the back of the book than they will reading about water droplets and the process of evaporation. Just the same, any book that sneaks a little science into the average child's diet is a-okay by me. You may not find much in the way of plot in this item, but there's enough originality and fun packed in "Snowballs" to keep the doldrums away.

gherring
My 4 year old son loves this book. We first learned of the book in his preschool. He came home one day and talked about this book all afternoon. The next day we checked it out at the library and liked it a lot. The book is very creative and colorful which captures a young child's attention. There are so many different items that we could identify and learn. My son wants me to read this book many times throughout the day and frequently asks when it is going to snow. This is a great book by Lois Ehlert.

Creative Fun
I'm a speech therapist with a prekindergarten at risk program. After reading this book with the children we made our own "snowballs" book. I've never seen 3 and 4 year olds maintain their attention to an activity for so long. We made our own snowmen with three large white circles, put them on the floor and the children could choose any items from our classroonm to make any kind of snowmen they could think of. We then photographed them with their snowmen and put the photos into a book. They were unbelievably creative. Since the activity did not require cutting and glueing it was easy for the children to manipulate and change things as their snowmen "came to life". Some of them used ideas from the book and "modified" a little. The language they expressed while creating was unbelievable! This book is such an excellent resource and motivation for parents in using those "junk" items around the house to help children be creative, and to encourage a natural relaxed way to enhance language development. The book is very engaging for young children. The language is short and simple and the pictures bright and interesting. I liked it so much I ordered one for my niece.

A wonderful children's picture book.
The masterful use of vivid colors and an interesting theme in Snowballs will surely draw any child's attention. The following everyday items: coffee beans, bottle caps, foil candy wrappers, and corn are all used to colorfully illustrate the components of a more realistic snow family. The picture book will inspire your children to go outside and make a snow person, instead of plopping down in front of the old TV.

A delightful and beautiful view of snowmen and winter
A visually outstanding picture book showing how all natural paraphenalia (buttons, ribbons, toy wheels, seeds, etc.) are used in the art of making a snow dad, mom, boy, girl, baby, cat and dog. Children become aware of the art of collage and the creativity involved in nature things. The book is complete with facts of winter, snow and then actual photographs of various snowmen made by children. As always, a Lois Ehlert masterpiece. ... Read more

Book Description

Illus. in full color. Papa Bear demonstrates his seaside safety rules--with disastrous results. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Do as I say, not as I do
This book is a humorous account of the Bears on vacation. When the Bears arrive at their vacation house, Papa Bear points out all of the dangers and things to avoid. But he promptly ignores his own advice, with fearful consequences. The book has some tension, but it's not too scary. Some children may pick up on the message that when a parent advises against doing something, there is usually a good reason and that those who ignore the advice may get hurt. The text is presented in rhyme, and there are about 550 words.

I feel so sorry for Papa Bear
Poor, poor Papa Bear... In THE BEARS' VACATION, by Stan and Jan Berenstain, Small Bear gets taught a few simple rules for when you're at the beach. And although this seems harmless, for every rule Papa Bear recites, something happens to him. For instance,Rule number six is to keep a sharp lookout whil you are out on a boat. Easy enough, right? Well, as Papa Bear 'keeps a look out' for Small Bear, a huge ocean liner comes up from the opposite direction than the way Papa Bear looks. All in all, I found this a fairly humoring story. I gave it a 3 out of 5.

tree bears in a vacation
I give four stars to this book because it is very fun.I choose this book to tell you how good this book is.The most thing that i like is when the bears'family were going to a vacation. And I liked it when the dad of the little Bear was showing the little bear all the rules of the beach.I think other students would like to read this book and review this book it is very good and very fun I recommend you to read this book.

A Childhood Favorite Comes Home.
I searched and searched the attic of my parents home but could not find it. Now that I have a son of my own, there was no way his library was going to be without Bears' Vacation. It is a treasure to me, and hopefully one for him, as the humorous yet deeply affectionate relationship between father and son is evident. It was probably the colors, the illustrations, that drew me to the Berenstains works as a child. Now my favorite in the series is my son's to keep as well.

No life jackets
How can any book about water safety not include life jackets? Not only are they not mentioned, the Bears are never shown wearing them. We spend lots of time around water, and I don't appreciate having to explain to my kids why they have to wear life preservers when the Berenstain Bears don't. ... Read more

Book Description