Book Description

Frances, one of children's best-loved characters for over 30 years, now springs to life even more in Bread and Jam for Frances,beautifully reillustrated in sparkling full color by Lillian Hoban. In this memorable story, Frances decides that bread and jam are all she wants to eat, and her understanding parents grant her wish'at breakfast, lunch, dinner, and even snacktime.Can there ever be too much bread and jam?

Reviews (11)

Everyone's favorite badger
In 1964 Russell Hoban wrote, and his wife Lillian illustrated, a charming little book entitled "Bread and Jam For Frances". Already an established character in such books as "Bedtime For Frances" and "A Baby Sister For Frances", this next story observes Frances as she stubbornly believes that she would like to eat only bread and jam, rather than any other food. Her parents oblige her willingly, and Frances comes to learn that a person should expand their tastes once in a while. The book is charming and dated only in the slightest of ways. Yes, Frances only wears skirts and dresses. Yes, Mother is the only one making the meals. But this is such a light happy little tale that these flaws are easily overcome. Lillian Hoban's illustrations are as cute as can be. The story itself is amusing (Frances often singing little songs to the food she dislikes out of earshot of her parents). Sometimes you just want to read your kids something that doesn't involve huge battles, gross out jokes, or didactic morals. If that's you, then allow me to introduce the perfect solution.... a little number I like to call "Bread and Jam For Frances".

A timeless book for all ages
I remember falling in love with "Bread and Jam for Frances" when I was a child and I was eager to see if my 3 year-old daughter would be equally fond of it. It's one of her favorites. We've read this book before bedtime almost every night for the past month.

When fussy eater Frances refuses to try anything new to eat, her mom and dad teach her a loving lesson in how you can have too much of a good thing. My daughter likes pointing out all the different food that's represented in Lillian Hoban's wonderful illustration and she's memorized all of Frances's charming little songs about jam and food. The love, humor and gentle nature of this book make it a good one to pass down from generation to generation.

A Wonderful Book for All Ages
The Frances books are great. Children and adults can share books for once and both enjoy them. Bread and Jam for Frances is about when Frances has become a very picky eater and only likes to eat bread and jam! A great tale for picky eaters.
The illustrations are very nice and colorful, and you have to love the how all the characters are badgers in the book.
If you enjoy this book, try out the other books in the Frances series. ...

a cute classic story about a picky eater!
This is a cute and captivating tale of Frances, the picky eater who only wants to eat bread and jam. Her parents handle her food refusal by indulging her with bread and jam at every meal and snack. She soon tires of it and wants to eat what everyone else is eating: a well-rounded meal.

This is a cute tale with little rhymes that Frances sings to herself with her food musings. The illustrations are adorable, they are not a visual assault as some other children's books have. This book was first published in the 1960s and as with other picture books of that time, has nice long prose, a good length of a story.

Both parents and children who deal with fussy eaters will appreciate this funny tale. It is a classic that is sure to be a favorite!

A Favorite
Bread and Jam for Frances by Russell Hoban, with illustrations done by Lillian Hoban is one of my favorite books. This book teaches a very important lesson to any child who has a favorite food. In the story Frances eats only bread and jam, even though her mother prepares other foods for her. Eventually, Frances' mom stops preparing other foods for Frances and gives her only bread and jam, just as she likes. Frances is happy with this at first, but then grows sick of eating the same food for every meal while her friends and family are able to eat other foods. In the end Frances' mother gives her different foods for her lunch at school and Frances is happy again. I believe this story to be one that any elementary school aged child could relate to. The story tells children of the importance and enjoyment of eating a variety of foods. The pictures and text directly complement each other. The text is needed to tell the complete story, but the pictures enhance the story. Bread and Jam for Frances is a simple story that is easily followed by children. Children can read this story and relate to the realistic situation. This book captures the child's attention and finishes the story within the short attention span of a child. The illustrations of this book contributed to my choosing it as a favorite. Frances' facial expressions in the illustrations help children easily identify her feelings throughout the story. In the beginning Frances is very happy, but as she gets tired of eating bread and jam a frown appears on her face. When Frances becomes very upset that she can only eat bread and jam, she cries. At the end when Frances' mother offers Frances other foods Frances is very happy again. The pictures are very soft and friendly. The colors are engaging and follow the story directly. The style of the illustrator follows the style of the author. Neither the text or the pictures overpower the other; there is a complementary style between the two. I believe this book to be very appealing and appropriate for an elementary age child. ... Read more

Amazon.com

It's bedtime for young Frances--an adorable and irrepressible little badger--and everyone is ready but her. At 7:00 p.m. Frances is wide awake and bursting with youthful excitement. She tries every delay tactic she can muster--from demanding extra hugs and kisses to volleying a series of urgent last-minute questions ("May I sleep with my teddy bear?" "May I have my door open?"). She's almost positive there are spiders, giants, and tigers in her room.

Any parent will quickly identify with this phenomenon--how the last minutes of the day suddenly become the most action-packed. Garth Williams's illustrations complement Russell Hoban's sweet story perfectly, capturing the endless energy and overactive imagination of Frances, and the waning patience of her exhausted parents. Bedtime for Frances is the perfect goodnight story to tell your wide-eyed children. And never fear, like Frances, they too will eventually, contentedly, drift off to sleep. (Ages 4 to 8) ... Read more

Reviews (32)

getting quite a bad rap without much cause.
I'm quite suprised so many people take issue with this book. It was one that I loved as a child, and although I had the sort of fears that children often do, my parents were always really good about reminding me that the things in your room when the lights are off are the same things there when the lights are are on. Perhaps that's the reason this book never inspired the terror in me it seems to present to many reviewers' children.

As for the spanking issue -- I was hardly from an abusive home, but the issue of punishment was something I was always familiar with. I hardly think the book is suggesting that Frances is going to be physically abused by her parents, so much as it's showing fed-up adults convincing their child to just get some sleep.

This book might not be for the terribly young, but it's a pretty cute story about conniving for extra time before bed. I would recommend it to anyone who is up front with their children about things like 'spankings', even if they don't practice them.

A spanking good book
Okay, the title of this review is a joke. The threat of spanking, mentioned by 13 (if I counted correctly) of 31 customer reviews, is offset for the following reasons. 1) The book is a classic--a great old book that has become a multi-generational tradition in many families, including many (like mine) that do not spank their kids. 2) Children live in the real world, and excessive sheltering from it is counterproductive. 3) There are very few books that deal with nighttime fears as effectively as this one (*Where the Wild Things Are* is another). 4) It is aimed at a younger audience than the other Frances books making it a good introduction to the series. 5) Like all the Frances books, it is well written, well illustrated, and quite amusing. Note--Garth Williams illustrated this one; the others were illustrated by Lillian Hoban. 6. It has wonderfully delightful examples of a very young child's (il)logic, for example, "There is a giant in my room, may I watch television?" (or something like that--I don't have the book in front of me).

I am highly amused that, for all the reviews that complain about the spanking threat, NONE of the to date complain about the smoking by Frances' father. I'm sure that MUST say something strange about Amazon's customer reviewers, but I can't figure out what!

Great Book and Kids are Smarter Than You Think!
I was a HUGE Frances fan as a child and this is my duahgter's first one (from Grandma)---My little girl has NEVER been spanked and she was in no way, shape, size or form upset by the spanking aspect. We are a super liberal, open family and to me that includes realizing that certain things were accepted in the past. My daughter's only reaction to the spaking paragraph was that Father Badger "looked like Daddy" when Frances woke him up.

Children are intelligent enough to get it. Relax a bit, people.

good book
Do you ever want to stay up late? Find out what happens in Frances' Bedtime. Frances keeps asking her mom and dad for something like a glass of milk so she can stay up past her bedtime. I think this book is fun and enjoyable because Frances is a lot like me. I like to stay up late too. I learned in this book that you should do what you are told because mom and dad usually know what is best for their kids. See if Frances gets her way.

Not thrilled
I was hoping for a story that would help to paint a lovley picture of bedtime from a child's stand point. This book only succeeded in spelling out some lovely ways that children can make it exasperating for themselves and their parents.

Very disappointing, given that Bread and Jam for Frances is one of our family favorites. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (13)

Best book on attitude adjustment ever written.
I have been looking for this book for several years. I received my copy from a children's book club at least 20 years ago. Somehow the book was missplaced but always remembered. I finally asked my library in Momence, Illinois to locate it. They were able to find it, but then discovered that it was no longer available. I agree with all of the other comments from those who remember the book. It definitely should be printed again.

All Time Favorite
Our old tattered copy of The Little Brute Family has always been a favorite of my children and grandchildren. When I saw that is was going to bee published again, I preordered five copies. I have been looking for more copies of this book for years. It is our all time favorite, a simple story with a beautiful message.

America Need's The Little Brute Family
As Our county has improved in many ways,since this wonderful
childrens book was written.We have also gone in The wrong
Direction.We need to be reminded of The Brute's of there
Desire to Improve There Attitude And To Love,And Care For Each
Other,I Recomend This Book for Young And Old Alike It's
A wonderful Story And A great Outlook To Have.

my childhood favorite
This book was a favorite of mine when I was a child. I have an old battered copy and would like another one that I can use with my children.

Best Children's book ever!
Just like many others who've reviewed this book, I had it as a child and have been searching to find another copy for my children. This is the sweetest, purest kind of story telling that transcends generations and should never go out of print (as it has)! My children appreciate this lovely tale just as much as I did. If you are fortunate enough to find a copy, you will surely appreciate these two wonderful authors. ... Read more

Book Description

s her little sister Gloria's birthday approaches, Frances wavers between being generous'and being jealous. ‘[Frances] is every youngster who chafes at being the un-birthday child.

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Reviews (1)

Frances is fabulous
"A rainbow and a happy tree are not for Alice or for me. I will draw three-legged cats and caterpillars with ugly hats." Frances deals with birthday envy and how to be generous when her little sister's birthday rolls around. Another bright and endearing tale about a lovable little badger. She's a model for all of us who aspire to write children's stories. And kids love her too. This is one of my two-year-old's favorite stories. ... Read more

Book Description

When a baby sister arrives, Frances the badger finds a charming way to prove her own importance. ‘A familiar family situation, treated with understanding and humor.’ —E.

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Reviews (6)

sweet book
It's a delightful kid's book. Who cares if the badger drinks from a bottle or eats chocolate sandwiches? If you're going to get technical, I didin't know badgers could talk. Really. that's the problem with America today - nobody has any fun anymore, and creativity has been stifled and replaced by accuracy.
I loved this book and the entire Frances series growing up and love them now.

Badgers Bottlefeed?!
This book was mine when I was a child, and anticipating the birth of my second, I pulled it off the shelf to read to my 3.5-year-old daughter. While the general gist of the story (Frances "runs away" under the dining room table because she's not getting attended to enough since her baby sister arrived) is not terribly offensive, there are a few "little" details that have led me to get rid of this particular story. First of all, there are a couple images (including the cover illustration) of the baby sister being bottle-fed. This is fascinating, since I thought badgers were MAMMALS! Also, Frances packs herself some chocolate sandwich cookies for nourishment when she runs away. My daughter isn't allowed to eat this kind of junk food. Last, other than bottle-feeding the baby, she is never shown being held by the new parents, and it is mentioned that the parents can hear her crying in the other room. In other words, this is NOT a book for attachment parents who are interested in promoting good nutrition in their kids, even in the subtle details of their bedtime stories.

An adorable story, with the very lovable Frances
This book in the Frances series tells of Frances' trouble with having to share her parents with her new baby sister. In typical Frances style, she makes up songs about what she is doing, and complains loudly about things that she doesn't like. Her decision to run away to under the dining room table was a running joke in our family for months. Now if someone's nose gets bent out of shape we say "are you going to run away to under the dining room table?"

It handles the needs of older siblings and their feelings very nicely and is a great ice breaker to help older kids talk about how a new baby impacts their lives.

New baby sister makes Frances feel left out
Frances's life is in upheaval because of her little sister's arrival. Suddenly she is not the focus of attention and schedules are disrupted, to say the least. So she runs away, to the dining room table!

I love the Frances books, they are sweet and not condescending, a must for any children's library.

A veiw from a teen
A Baby Sister for Frances is a wonderful book for children. Many time when a new child comes into the family another one feels left out. This book portrays the feelings and thoughts of a child in this situation. I think that this book, even on a low level or reading, is a good book for teens. It points out that no matter what your parents say or do they really do love you. I would recomend this book for anyone! ... Read more

Book Description

Frances fans will find their favorite stories about this endearing, irrepressible badger who cleverly avoids her bedtime and stubbornly refuses to eat anything but bread and jam, in this charming audio collection read by actress Glynis Johns.This ALA Notable Children's Recording includes: Bedtime for Frances; A Baby Sister for Frances; Bread and Jam for Frances; andA Birthday for Frances.

Repackage
Running time:45 minutes
Unabridged with music

... Read more

Reviews (2)

Wonderful
While teaching preschool for many years, this tape was the start of most naptimes! Now ordering it for my child, I can't wait to see them enjoy it as well... The reading is beautiful and after listening you can't help but hear that voice when reading it yourself.

Funny and entertaining
The stories are narrated by Glynnis Johns, she played the mother in Mary Poppins. My children listened intently and laughed a lot at irrascible Frances. They asked for the stories over and over. ... Read more

Book Description

The irrepressible Frances teaches Albert, the badger next door, about friendship. ‘Full of the humor and homely details of family life that make [the Frances stories] beloved by both children and adults.’ —H.

Children's Books of the Year 1969 (CSA) ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Our favorite Frances book
My family is fairly unanimous that this is our favorite Frances book (with "A Birthday For Frances" the likely runner up.) Frances both stands up to being excluded and learns not to do the same thing herself; her anger at Albert is realistic and her "revenge" funny but not cruel; and everyone resolves their conflicts in a friendly way. The wording of the exchanges between Frances and Albert is exquisitely well done, I think: Hoban expresses such nuances in language that gets through to even small children. And last but not least, Frances's little songs are always hilarious and this book has some of the best ones of all, which my 2-year-old daughter has learned by heart.

Big sister Frances
Frances doesn't think she can be friends with her littlesister, but learns her lesson when the two actually become bestfriends.

Sweet story about not excluding one's little brother andsister, the Frances books are just great.

A delightful book.
My children, ages 4 and 5, enjoyed hearing the Frances stories. She is very funny and a delightful, precocious character.

As a child, the "Frances" books were my absolute favorites.
As a child, the "Frances" books were my absolute favorites. My sister would read them to me when I was too little to read for myself. The humerous stories of home life and the gentle illustrations still evoke feelings of great comfort. Now I am buying the series for the children of friends. Many thanks to the Hobans for all of the fond memories they have given me! ... Read more

Book Description

One day Thelma tricks Frances into buying her old plastic tea set. Thelma says there are no backsies on the bargain. Can Frances come up with a plan that will change her friend's mind?

Outstanding Children's Books of 1970 (NYT) ... Read more

Reviews (11)

"Frances" series is a family favorite!!!
This series is charming and sweet without being too saccharine, and this is my personal favorite of the bunch. As far as the infamous $3 tea set ... if you can suspend disbelief enough to believe in talking badgers, it's only a stone's throw from there.

Finest I Can Read Book Ever
Despite its unlikely-looking cover, this is perhaps the finest I Can Read Book ever written. I had no idea it was a treasure when one of the kids grabbed it off the shelf at the local library. Written by Russell Hoban and illustrated by Lillian Hoban, it hilariously tells the story of a sweet and trusting little racoon who keeps getting the short end of the stick from a certain playmate.

When that playmate swindles her out of her savings, Frances doesn't go home and lick her wounds. No sir. She devises an ingenious plan to set matters straight and re-establishes the friendship on a more equitably basis.

Moms, if people tend to take advantage of your child (or someone else you know), this is a must-have book. Frances' resolution of the problem still thrills and inspires me every time I read it.

Rather enlightening!
I like this book, because it's written for a young child to read herself . My kids are able to read this one by the time they are 7, which is nice. It has a lot of pages, lots of story to it - which is hard to find in books that are written at the young reader's level.

What really surprised me about this book is that it addresses what happens when one has a friend that isn't very nice, and it really went into the situation in detail. The heroine of the story didn't become a martyr, and neither did she just turn her back on her friend altogether.

When my daughter first read this book, she'd had some bad experiences with a friend - who is remarkably like Thelma, Frances's friend. I thought it was a nice tool for us - we discussed how sometimes a friend might not be very nice, and what the options are in dealing with this type of situation.

This is a very good early reader for girls and a nice story for any girl who has a friend they really can't trust. (Although I don't believe every similar real-life situation is handled so simply!)

TIMELESS TREASURE
THIS BOOK IS MY ALL TIME FAVORITE! IT IS SO NICE TO SEE IT STILL IN PRINT. IF YOU HAVEN'T SHARED IT WITH YOUR DAUGHTER (S), GET A COPY AND DO SO. MY TIMELESS CLASSIC IS 34 YEARS OLD AND IT IS STILL AS HUMOROUS NOW AS IT WAS THEN. MY MOTHER AND SISTER AND I STILL FONDLY REFER TO ICE CREAM AS q-p-m.

Tea For Two
I absolutely loved this book as a child! It was a great inspirational start for my love of tea sets! I could not remember the name of this book for years after, so I decided to go to my old elementary school, but to no avail I could not find it. Over the xmas holiday I received my first Blue Willow Tea Set at 29 years old from my boyfriend, whom remembered me telling him of this storybook tale. It brought back memories of my search for this book, so I looked up the age group in Amazon.com and found it in a matter of minutes. Wow, what a relief! Of course, I ordered the book immediately and I can't wait to receive it to complete the story of having my own Blue Print tea set. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Like so many exceptional children's books, Russell Hoban's The Mouseand His Child clearly wasn't intended only for kid consumption. It certainlyqualifies as a fantastic story for children: the characters are entertaining andmemorable, the images powerful, the pacing tight, and the message unique andlasting. But this sweet, melancholy fable about a wind-up pair of tin mice--adancing father and son joined at the hands--explores so many different themes ofhope, perseverance, transformation, and the nature of existence (while stillmanaging to be quite funny at times) that it's the sort of book that demands tobe kept around for a lifetime of rereading.

The father and son's redemptive quest to become "self-winding" takes themthrough all sorts of trials, from the toy store to the dump to the swamp andback again, and all along the way the pair runs afoul of Hoban's well-realizedand often menacing menagerie of characters, including the slave-driver MannyRat, the distracted thinker Muskrat, and Crow and Mrs. Crow and their Caws ofArt Experimental Theatre Group. (These last provide some of the best scenes inthe book, getting a surprising amount of philosophical meat out of a play calledThe Last Visible Dog: "What doesn't it mean! There's no end toit--it just goes on and on until it means anything and everything, depending onwho you are and what your last visible dog is.")

If you're only familiar with Russell Hoban from his Frances books (Bread andJam for Frances), this gripping, sometimes disturbing, occasionally evenviolent novel might come as something of a surprise. But if you've read any ofHoban's later work, like Pilgermann or The Moment Under the Moment,then you know what this sophisticated and extraordinarily graceful writer iscapable of, and why The Mouse and His Child deserves praise as one of themore profound children's works ever written. (Ages 9 to adult) --Paul Hughes ... Read more

Reviews (20)

One of the best unread books for children!
Russell Hoban has been cranking out some of the best literature for all age groups over the last 30 years, and yet during that time he has failed to acquire any recognition here in the states. Most of his books are continuously out of print despite their critical acclaim. The very first of these was The Mouse and his Child, and it lays the ground work for a lot of his other books. His masterpiece, Riddley Walker, is in many ways a creative rehash of many of the themes he presents here, some 15 years earlier. But Hoban should also be acknowledged here for being one of only a handful of authors who really expects something from his readers, and this is especially rare in children literature. Although it is easy to assume the Mouse and his Child is not really a childrens' story at all, this is only due to our low expectations. Hoban manages to address questions loaded with symbolism and philosophical implications. There is far too much going on in this book to list it all. As noted in other reviews, it is in places very dark and depressing, but also funny and deeply rewarding. Probably one of the best books for children written in this half of the century and criminally out of print (but what by Hoban is not except for the Francis books?) Also, find the movie if you can, as it actually holds true to the book marvelously.

If only there were a rating with 10 stars!
For this literature lover, The Mouse and Hiis Child is the best children's book and one of the best novels I have ever read.
I first read The Mouse and His Child with my 4 year old son. We devoured it in one weekend, read it again one month later and yet again six months later. The book gets better every time. The story is action-packed with an almost endless array of fantastic characters, including what may be the most compelling villain in all of western literature (for me, only Roger Chillingsworth is comparable). The book is hilarious, frightening, and deeply affirming of the power of perseverance, love, and hope. (Sorry that the reviewers on this page who found the book too depressing weren't able to glean this, although it undeniably has very dark moments.)
The ultimate triumph of the mouse father and child is to me so touching, so representative of our hopes for love and security through the struggle of daily life, that I find myself choking up or crying whenever I read the book's finale to my son. This book is probably not for all 4-year olds, but my son, who loves fully imagined, lengthy books, loved it, and he often pretends to be Manny Rat or asks me to walk with him the way the mouse father and child do. I'm happy to oblige, because the relationship between the father and son as they struggle through hardship, the child matures, and the father ages, is poignant in a way that few family romances in literature can compete with.
Not bad for a book about wind-up toys and forest animals.

The Mouse and His Child
Rusted and stuck on the bottom of a lake, and you can't get out until you've seen the last visible dog. That is just one thing the father and his son have to over come. They see war, death, happiness, cold, evil, and then finally the son sees the last visible dog. A tin of dog food saved the lives of the tin mice. Father and son thought that they would never leave the doll house in the store, and the elephant, until they were bought, wrapped up in tissue paper, and put under the Christmas tree to dance. It wasn't a bad life, well, they were put up in an attic until Christmas came again, and then they would do the thing that they were meant to do, dance and never get tired. Everything would have been fine except that the son was not happy . He was upset that the elephant and the doll house weren't with him, and where was his sister seal that had also spent time comforting him in the toy store? Finally he couldn't take it, he did what he was never supposed to do, cry. That's all it took for the tabby cat to attack them and destroy the gears that make them do that dance. Garbage day came and when it went, they went with it. Then, by chance, a tramp saved them. This book is a work of beautiful fantasy, weaving in things that many authors would leave out.
The Mouse and His Child involved many quirky characters. There was the evil Manny rat who used wind-up toys for slaves, uncle frog who was future seer and a fortune teller, a company of woodland actors/actresses who changed their name every year. Elephant, who once had a beautiful costume and always has an elegant attitude, sister seal, who balanced a ball on her head and spun, then last but not least comes the best of all, the mouse and his child. Father mouse puts up with what happens, and does his best to keep his son happy, but several times he is on the brink of giving up, that's when his son saves him. The Mouse's son is always happy , ready to try again, and doesn't know what it means to give up, he wants a real family and is ready to do everything to get that.
I thought this book was fabulously done, involving situations that bring you tears, but just as you get ready to cry, something good happens. It is my opinion that if anyone is interested in a classic then they need to read this. The story brings to life all of these wonderful wind-up toys. Even if you don't realize it at first you come to see that there is a moral to this book, in fact there is more than one. This particular book is filled with little things to figure out life, for example, "why times what equals how" and other much-in-little equations. Russell Hoban writes it perfectly, but to top it off, there are illustrations that you wouldn't believe. They prove that this book is more then a story of survival, but of something much more, you need to read it to find out. I'll give you one clue to the meaning of the story, a can of Bonzo dog food.

Problem of Perpetual E-Motion!
Mechanical toys can not move by themselves--must less think, feel or dream, yet Hobans' father-son performing team proves much more than wind-up toys. Seeking definition, direction and three-dimensional existence, the mouse child asks his father what they are. The patient father replies that he does not know either, but advises his son to wait and see--hardly a satisfactory answer for an eager youth. Their world at first is limited to a toyshop, with its dollhouse and plush elephant.

Stoic advice for two wind-ups who are very close--indeed, they are permamently joined at arms' length, so that they can perform an amusing, circular dance--until they run down. But when they break the Rules of Clockwork, they themselves are broken by careless children and trashed. Yet that is really just beginning of their sylvan and aquatic odyssey, as they launch forth into the callous world outside the protective Christmas Home.

Besides, the mouse child has a dream: to find a real home and a family of his own, while his gentle father just wants to protect the son. They will be victimized by various animal riffraff, for they encounter actors, con artists, militia, philosophers and brilliant engineers. Oh yes, there is a ubiquitious human tramp who acts as the Deux ex Machina for the patient pair.

This book contains humor, pathos, surprise twists of fate, noble dreams and crushing defeats as the mouse duo labors in slow motion throughout their inexorable fate, but do they hane the right to choose that destiny or must they accept what the world has decreed for them? Are they meant to cower in terror all their lives, to depend on others to keep them activated, or to slave for Manny rat, the king of the dump? How will these long-suffering beings (for they ceased to be mere toys long ago) achieve the dual freedoms of perpetual movement And self-determination? Do toys deserve the right to pursue their own happiness? Not really meant for teens only,
this thoughtful yet amusing book will both charm and entertain children of all ages.

A quest story for the young and old
I want to add my own voice to those praising this book. It is a wonderful story about perseverance, love of family and friends, and a search for the things that make us happy. The story is essentially a quest by a father and his child to find a place to call home, a family, and, most importantly, self-determination. Along the way, they have to overcome Manny Rat who wants to kill them, survive war and hypercritical theater critics, a deal with a snapping turtle, and a help a Muskrat search for the elusive "X" of life. The writing and characterization are topnotch. Yes, there are places in the book where animals die and Hoban does not shy away from these aspects of life. In my view, however, these events only add to the power of the story. At times, very funny and very sad, this is a story for both those who are young and young at heart. Highly recommended. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Feel the true spirit of Christmas every time you read it
I have enjoyed this story since I was a kid. Any time you feel the Christmas spirit is lost in all the hullabaloo of the season, 15 minutes reading this story on the sofa some evening is all it takes to bring that spirit back to you and your family. Emmet and his mom both experience giving up their own wishes to make each other happy, and find that happiness is not about having things, but about love and friendship. All ages, and both boys and girls will find things to enjoy about this story. Not corny, just a great story that never gets old.

Risking it all for love...
This story is incredibly sweet! It's about Emmet Otter and his Ma trying to scrape together enough money for a Christmas present for each other. As each risks everything to surprise the other, a touching adventure unfolds in which they learn the true meaning wealth. Beautiful illustrations and fun animal characters, too. ... Read more

Book Description

Frances, one of children's best-loved characters for over 30 years, now springs to life even more in Bread and Jam for Frances,beautifully reillustrated in sparkling full color by Lillian Hoban. In this memorable story, Frances decides that bread and jam are all she wants to eat, and her understanding parents grant her wish'at breakfast, lunch, dinner, and even snacktime. Can there ever be too much bread and jam?

Reviews (7)

Still in print
Although this wonderful book is long out of print, the excellent Hutchinson Treasury of Children's Literature includes it with many of the pictures. The rest of the Hutchinson Treasury's not bad, either, my six-year-old's favorite book.

It's not available in the US, but you can order it from amazon.co.uk ...

For kids through to adults.
The first time our family set eyes on this book was when we borrowed it from the mobile library that visits our village. It became a classic when the kids were young, and we went on to borrow it a number of times. Phrases from it became part of our everyday language such as lets do some "high up fooling around and low down fooling around", lets play "sneedball", and I think I'll go and "learn the nautical almanac". When our younger son reached 18 years of age we decided to buy him a copy as a joke present.... We wrapped it and presented it to him at our local pub where we were having a celebratory drink on his birthday. It was a present to be savoured. We ended up having a ceremonial reading in the pub, much to our great amusement. All the other customers wondered what all the laughter was about. Had they known they would have been as hysterical as we were. Whenever the family recalls great examples of children's books this is always at the top of the list. Its a cracking read for grown ups as well. I defy anybody not to laugh. We still have the book and still refer to it....

Bring back the Capt. Najork books!
From the comments of other parents and various children's bookstore owners, as well as the fact that the rare used copies sell seemingly seconds after they become available, it is incredible that the two Capt. Najork books have been out of print for so long. (I once tried to put my name on a waiting list at a Toronto children's bookstore, and the clerk just laughed at me). The brilliantly innovative language -- try saying "Aunt Fidgit Wonkham-Strong Najork" and see if your palate isn't pleased -- sloppily perfect illustrations, and wonderful stories make for instant classics -- delightful for children and adults alike.

Wake up, publishers! There are a lot of very hungry Capt. Najork customers out there.

How I liked it without understanding
It's like a Calvin dream (from Calvin & Hobbes). Same point of view, same imagination.

This book was mythical to me when I was a kid, importantly because there was a wonderful Dutch translation in 1976.

I didn't understand the educational value of it, but a lot of the fantasy words in that specific translation were so uncommon, that they made the book extremely interesting. Only now, I understand that I loved it because Tom is actually me.

In 1988, a new translation came, which is more concrete and easier to understand and therefore weaker. Even the Englisch original isn't as wonderfully weird as the Dutch translation of 1976.

Especially the translation of 'fooling around' into 'dollen' must have been the work of a genius (and is unexplainable in English).

I'm looking for it desperately!

A great modern fairy tale
After four children, our paperback copy of Captain Najork finally disintegrated. Tom's response to his Aunt Fidget's requirements, along with his determination to "mess around" with things that are truly important make for a hilarious and, at the same time, instructive read for children. Bring back Tom! Bring back the Captain! The overly programmed children of the 21st century will need them! ... Read more

Book Description

Famed for her many adventures, Frances made her debut with this title over thirty years ago. In this first Frances book, the little badger adroitly delays her bedtime with requests for kisses and milk, and concerns over tigers and giants and things going bump in the night. Long a favorite for the gentle humor of its familiar going to bed ritual, Bedtime for Frances is at last available with the warmth of full color enriching Garth Williams’s original nuanced and touching art. ‘Here is the coziest, most beguiling bedtime story in many a day.’—Kirkus Reviews (pointer).

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Reviews (1)

Russell Hoban, you sly devil...
While Hoban's two other entries that resemble this one (Marzipan Pig, La Corona) are both out of print, the good folks at Candlewick press have republished this beautiful book, complete with new illustrations.

It may be debated by some that the old edition of this book, sparsely decorated with b&w sketches perhaps captured the spirit of the story more accurately, however Benson's illustrations are powerful and not at all inappropriate.

As to the story, Hoban has again snuck his metaphysical/omni-spiritual grasp of consciousness into this little volume, but being the subvertist he is, the children he wrote this for will no doubt understand it.

Replete with quasi poetry and moving allegory, 'Sea-Thing' is about a small diving sea-bird child who was blown out of his nest, and his great fear of the wind,the ocean and the storm. There are cryptic messages, filled with emotion:

"...but what if I have no music in me?"

"Need must find," said the sea-thing child.

"Find what?" said the crab.

"Whatever there is," said the sea-thing child.

As with much by Hoban, there is too much that could be said, but without doubt this little book speaks volumes about the fear of being and becoming--seemingly not at all distant from his adultwork. ... Read more

Book Description

All the ups and downs of being Frances sing out in this happy collection of verses by everyone's favorite song-singing badger.All the rhymes are original to this collection, except for the famous ‘Soft-Boiled' song from Bread and Jam for Frances.

Best Books of 1972 (SLJ) ... Read more

Reviews (1)

eggs are yucky
Frances, who is obviously a four year-old badger with definite opinions about the way the world should work, sings her odes and laments in this delightful book. Our favorite is Egg Thoughts, none of them good, because Frances HATES eggs. Superceded only by The Goops. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

edible love
Love......................Love.................................... the owl looked with powerful intent,Love............. the neon taxi lamp was the most beautiful thing to be ever who, whoed by owl.
This book is the sweetest childrens story an adult will ever read.Our passionless moments in life are all in this splendid book. Something one can digest with ones family. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A book worth reissuing
Somehow I discovered this book in paperback when my (now) 30-year-old son was preschool age. I read the book to him, to his sister who is nine years younger, and to many children with whom I have worked in public school as a speech language pathologist. Finally I gave the well-worn book to my son because he is now a father. It's guaranteed to warm a child's heart. Sister Brute has no one to love until she gets an "ugly kicking dog" and a doll made from a stone. Then she discovers that there are other people to love.

A Classic!
Please bring this bizarre yet lovable tale back! I loved it as a kid, and know my kids would too.

Bring it Back!
Reprint this book! I remember it from childhood and would love to have copies for myself (my old copy is lost, naturally) and to give as gifts. Excellent story. ... Read more

Book Description

Captain Najork has never quite got over the time that Tom beat him and his Hired Sportsmen at womble, muck and sneedball, so when he sees Tom hurtle past his window in a two-seater jam-powered frog, he sets off in hot pursuit. ... Read more