Book Description

It's the time of the gold rush, and Chang has come with his grandfather to California from China. Chang's dream is to own a horse of his own. With luck ... and a little gold dust ... that wish just might come true. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Enlightening children's historical
A story of a chinese boy living with his grandfather at a mining camp during the gold rush. Chang is lonely and wants a pony so he would have a "pengyo" a friend. This story delicately discusses the hurt a person feels when they are made fun of for being culturally different. Chang's idea of panning for gold to earn money for his dream horse doesn't pan out, but honesty and hard work does. A wonderful story that will educate and entertain your child. ... Read more

Book Description

The best of friends

From writing letters to going swimming, telling stories to finding lost buttons, Frog and Toad are always there for each other -- just as best friends should be.

Reviews (27)

Great For a first time reader!
My 6 year old loves this book! 5 wonderful storys! Every time we read it he wants me to send him a letter so he can get mail like frog and toad! I read these books when I was a very small child so its wonderful being able to read these books to my step-son! Great book!

Wonderful Books for Children
The "Frog and Toad" series have been around now for several decades. Each book contains several stories of the many adventures Frog and Toad have together. The age group recommended for the series is 4-8, but I think 8 is bit optimistic. The books are more appropriate for the 5 and 6 year olds. I read all these books to my children, and the Frog and Toad series were, in fact, some of the very first books they read by themselves. The language used is uniform and appropriate for the age group specified, and each story had a simple truth to it. On top of all this, the Frog and Toad books have always been wonderful value as well.

Friendship. Just the perfect blendship.
Recently I had the exceedingly wonderful chance to see the new musical of "Frog and Toad" at the Minneapolis Children's Company. A fabulous production in and of itself, it got me to thinking about the original books on which the musical is based. Like many children I was raised on such books as the lovely, "Frog and Toad Are Friends" and I've remembered some of the stories fairly well. It's amazing to me that Arnold Lobel was able to write stories that are patient simple without ever being dull or pedantic. These stories are clear and concise and unaccountably lovely. For your average early reader I not only recommend, "Frog and Toad Are Friends" but I recommend it to the reader's parents, grandparents, school crossing guards, dentists, air traffic controllers, and anybody else who might just happen to be able to speak the English language.

In "Frog and Toad Are Friends" the book consists of roughly five short stories. The first is one of my favorites. In it, Frog has decided to wake Toad from his hibernation and introduce him to the new spring. Toad's response is, "Blah". Frog tries a number of different methods of luring his friend into the warm beautiful day, the most touching of which is his simple argument, "But, Toad, I will be lonely". Frog's eventual solution is to fast-forward Toad's calendar a little, making it instantly May. Toad is a little shocked at the date but he's happy to see the spring weather. In the second tale, Frog is sick and Toad attempts to take care of him. His different methods of coming up with a story to tell his friend inevitably lead to his own illness, however, and soon it is Frog telling Toad a story instead. The story "A Lost Button" shows Frog and Toad out looking for one of Toad's lost buttons. They find a variety of them but none are Toad's. He walks off in a huff only to find the missing item on his living room floor. Feeling guilty about yelling at his best friend he sews all the buttons onto his jacket and then gives it as a gift to Frog. The next story is an atypical tale, mostly because it doesn't end with a preachy moral (not that Lobel's stories tend to, but this one was ripe for it). In it, Frog and Toad go swimming. Frog prefers to swim au naturale but Toad has a fastidious bathing suit that he is certain everyone will laugh at. After the two swim Toad refuses to get out of the water until the crowd that has gathered at the water's edge to see his suit disperse. They don't and Toad reveals a suit that was probably in style in 1923. Even Frog laughs too. Finally, in the last story Toad mentions to Frog that he is unhappy because he never gets letters. Frog writes him one but delivers it via their friend Snail (a character that in the play version of this tale says that he, "Puts the go in escargot"). The two wait and long before the snail arrives Frog tells Toad what is in the letter so that the two are better friends for it. Three days later, Toad is happy to receive his message.

This particular collection of Frog & Toad tales doesn't contain ALL the classics. You will not find the cookie eating tale here, nor the story about Toad dreaming about Frog growing smaller and smaller. Still, this is an excellent collection. I guess I never really noticed the subtlety of Lobel's illustrations. When you think of "Frog and Toad" you think of their realistic eyes and bodies. You think of their tweed jackets and elegant striped pants. What you may not think of is their capacity for subtle expressions. The image of Toad walking in his bathing suit, head held high, away from his fellow animals by the river is worth the price of admission alone. Ditto the shot of Toad clutching his aching noggin after ramming it into a wall.

I can't really stress the simple elegance of "Frog and Toad" to you if you haven't read them before. Needless to say, you won't even mind the fact that not a character in any of these tales ever uses a contraction. It's sometimes near impossible to write really good early reader books. I think Arnold Lobel set the bar way too high when he penned these extraordinary tales. If you've never read them, you are seriously missing out.

My almost 3 year old's favorite
The three book collection was hidden on my son's shelf from the time he received it from our priest as a gift when he was a new born. I found it a couple of months ago, and since then we have been reading the stories every evening and often during the day too. No matter how many of the stories I have read, my son asks for more and more. Since I have to read the stories every night, I am happy that they are adorable and entertaining for even the adult.

I Love Frog and Toad
Frog and Toad Are Friends is a great book. Frog is smart. Toad is not. Toad just copies other people. Frog thinks for himself. Frog and Toad are best friends, and they take care of each other. I like the pictures in this book. They tell a lot about the story. ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

A day with a dinosaur

Danny's on the town with a real live dinosaur. From the ballpark to the zoo, these two are having one hundred million years of fun -- all in one day!

Reviews (16)

Dany and the dino
One day Danny decides to go to the museum where he meets a live dinosaur. Danny and the dinosaur then leave the museum and go exploring around town and have many adventures before it is time for the dinosaur to return to the museum.

The reason I only gave this book four stars is that I find the wording rather strained and awkward. Even though the words are not great, the illustrations are fun. Depending on the version, the illustrations are colored differently. The original (copyright 1958) has better colors in my opinion. They are a mix of pictures in shades of brown and pictures in full color. The main difference between the color quality in the original and reissue is that the reissue has a solid color, and the original almost look as if it were colored in lightly with crayons. I think the color in the reissue is harsher, and therefore prefer the previous. The drawing themselves are wonderful, cute and expressive.

So in my opinion this is a four star book because of the occasional awkwardness with the words and because of the way the pictures are colored in.

Loggie-log-log-log

Burned into my brain
This is a classic work, a brilliantly simple book, with a lovely fantasy story and exquisitely simple, highly memorable illustrations. Definitely a must for very young readers, especially dinosaur lovers.

Quite simply, Danny and the Dinosaur is forever burned into my brain as a favorite of my childhood, and now of my own children. It's Hoff's best, and I expect it will remain a classic for generations to come.

My two year old loves it!
This is one of the books we find him "reading" on his own. This is one of the most requested books he has (out of hundreds). It's a great read-aloud book because there's enough room to point out the words while your kid is pointing at the pictures. The whole Danny series is great, in fact.

My own book
I thought this book was alright but it was not the best book I have ever read. I liked the way Danny went to the museum and the dinosaur came to life and took Danny to all those places, including the baseball game that they went to. I wish that I could go and get my own dinosaur and we could do all that stuff, but since the dinosaurs are extinct I guess I could not do that. I still like the book.

Book and tape review
There are plenty of reviews of this book, I want to give my thoughts on the book and tape package available. There is a nice introduction and conclusion offered by the narrator and one side has page turn signals, while the other does not. While this is an unabridged recording, the narrator actually adds words on page 18, which may confuse the child trying to follow along in the book. Also, sometimes the narrator's child voices come across as whiney and nasal. However, all things considered, I feel this is a worthwhile purchase. ... Read more

Book Description

Friends every day

Reviews (8)

Day with Frog and Toad
Hi, my name is George. I have just read a book named Day with Frog and Toad by Arnold Lobel. It is about two frogs. They were together. They played together.

I liked this book because it is about friendship. Some of the parts are funny. This book is great for 2nd graders. I give this book five stars. I enjoyed this book.

Nostalgia
Even the title sounds a bit nostalgic. This is the last in the series about Frog and Toad, who are different but very good friends. Published in 1979, the two have not changed a whole lot, though the stories have gotten funnier - droll is perhaps a better word.

The pessimistic Toad is procrastinating in "Tomorrow" until he realizes that he's down in the dumps because of all he has to do tomorrow - so he does it all today and tires himself out.

In "The Kite," Frog's optomism pays off. "Shivers" has some scary tales that Frog enjoys telling, and Toad enjoys hearing. On Toad's birthday, in "the Hat" Frog gives a present that's a little too big, but Toad insists on keeping it. When Frog secretly fixes the problem while Toad is sleeping, Toad believes his head has grown. In the final story, "Alone," the two friends learn they can still be friends, even if they are alone sometimes.

In all the books, the stories are short, sweet and about friendship, but in a simple manner. Drawings of Frog and Toad are on almost every page, and are detailed enough to warrant a lengthy view and some comments from young readers. The words are understandable and readable enough for very young readers, yet they manage to tell a story with an amusing message.

Heartwarming and endearing
I read the Frog and Toad series when I was very young. Now, 15 years later, I still occasionally take the books out and read them. Mr. Lobel's books are excellent for both children and adults. You will be heartwarmed by these charming stories about two best friends.

Frog and Toad books...
The entire Frog and Toad series are all good. They are funny and easy to read. They are one of the best children's books for a mom or dad to read as a bedtime story. I read them to my kids and my kids (five) grew to love the stories and the books contributed greatly to their ability and their joy of reading. Please get the whole series NOW. The paperbacks can be had for just a few dollars each... you can't go wrong!

Excellent short stories about two best friends!
I grew up reading the frog and toad series and recently purchased it for my future children. These books are perhaps the last true symbols of what friendship, honesty, and innocence are all about. In our modern-day world of mass media, this series offers basic themes and lessons every child should be taught. I strongly believe books like Mr. Lobel's sparked my imagination and taught me to love reading. Now, I have a master's degree in language arts. Thank you Mr. Lobel! ... Read more

Book Description

Friends all year.

Reviews (13)

Amphibians for all seasons
Along with Seuss, Lobel is perhaps the most beloved writer and illustrator of beginning readers. In this effort he turns in another winning series of five short tales, each one in plain language but highly entertaining, enlivened by Lobel's superb two-tone illustrations. Frog and Toad are distinct and likeable characters, comically foolish in their own ways but buoyed by their genuine friendship. This book features the added appeal of stories from all the year round, from winter (how funny they look in big winter coats!) to spring rain (a genuinely sweet tale) to summer ice cream (what a mess!) to fall leaf raking (in gift-of-the-magi form, each rakes the other's yard in secret) and Christmas Eve, perhaps the most pleasant story of all - nothing sloppy or sentimental, just goodhearted. Readers of these domestic adventures will also enjoy Lobel's "Owl at Home."

By now, you're hooked...
If you've read the first two books in the Frog and Toad series, by now you and your child are hooked!

This book, published in 1976, is the third of four books about Frog and Toad, written by Arnold Lobel. This book has five stories, starting and ending with Winter tales.

As usual, Toad is a bit negative and nervous, while Frog is calm, positive and dedicated to being a very good friend to Toad.

In "Down the Hill", Frog gets Toad to come outside and try sledding down a hill with him. Toad goes reluctantly along, and for a moment enjoys the ride. Frog gets bumped off the sled, and Toad still enjoys the adventure until he realizes he's alone. He decides Winter is best spent inside.

The next story is about a story told from Frog to Toad, one rainy day when they are wishing Spring was here. Frog promises that Spring is just around "The Corner."

"Ice Cream" is a funny story about what happens when Toad buys ice cream cones for himself and Frog, and carries them a long way on a very hot day.

"The Surprise" is a story about what happens when two friends try to do something special for a friend, in secret.

The last story, "Christmas Eve", has a worried Toad frantically searching for his best friend, sure that something terrible has happened. It has a happy ending, of course!

The stories are short, sweet and about friendship, but in a simple manner. Drawings of Frog and Toad are on almost every page, and are detailed enough to warrant a lengthy view and some comments from young readers. The words are understandable and readable enough for very young readers, yet they manage to tell a story with an amusing message.

Wonderful!
I loved Frog and Toad as a child and now I'm buying them for my own daughter. What I like best about them is that Frog and Toad never do anything cruel or spiteful or rude as you see so many other characters in children's books. They are always polite and helpful to each other, and whatever they do is done out of friendship. Not just this, but all of the Frog and Toad books are full of good stories and good examples for young readers.

Great for adults too! Heartwarming...wonderful...read it!
I read this book as a child and loved it. Now I am going to be an English teacher soon...and I am constantly on the lookout for great books! A couple years ago I came across this book while looking through some old things. I read it again was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. It made me smile, laugh, and cry.

I am very close to my older sister (who is taller and thinner and I am shorter and fatter). I gave her the book as a gift, and she loved it as well. Now she's working overseas and I don't see her very often, but when I read this book I think of her...

This is a very special book...read it and see for yourself. It will touch your heart. In a world where people are taught to be selfish, Frog and Toad All Year shows us that we need to put others first. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have and still do! ^_^

charming tales of friendship for early readers
Young children who are beginning to read longer stories will enjoy these five tales of friends Frog and Toad through the seasons. The stories are: Down the Hill, wherein Frog coaxes Toad out of his warm home for some winter fun; The Corner, in which Frog tells Toad a story on a rainy day; Ice Cream, about a long walk with large ice cream cones; The Surprise, concerning the friends' giving each other a secret good turn a la O. Henry; and Christmas Eve, in which Toad worries about Frog's arrival on a snowy night.

Sweet, soothing stories for your little reader. ... Read more

Book Description

Porcupine invites Otter and Owl to sleep over. Otter takes care of the snacks. Owl decides what to watch on TV. But who will be in charge of fighting off monsters in the closet, at the window, and under the bed?

Reviews (1)

Enjoyable book for dad's bedtime story
My daughter and I found this book to be enjoyable. Not only is it fun to read (and quick) for dads, but a good book for new readers. The stories cover essential topics and how the three friends in the story handle them together. Easy for children to learn from and apply to their situations, such as what those noises in the night really are. ... Read more

Book Description

Amelia Bedelia, the housekeeper with a literal mind, merrily upsets the household when she "dresses" the chicken and "trims" the steak with ribbons and lace. ... Read more

Reviews (26)

An "I Can Read" CLASSIC
Without a doubt, the Amelia Bedelia books stand tall as good literature in the "I Can Read" genre -- a genre notorious for less-than-interesting stories, owing to the fact that it is subject to limited vocabulary lists. Peggy Parish uses these limitations to her benefit, however, creating a whimsical character in Amelia Bedelia, a woman who takes everything literally (for example, a request to prune the hedges causes Amelia to stick prunes on the hedges, and when asked to draw the drapes in the living room, Amelia scrambles for her pencil and notepad to sketch them).

Amelia Bedelia's peculiarities make for a memorable story -- one that kids will read over and over, and one that parents won't mind sitting in on. This book is highly recommended. (Okay, okay, I loved it when I was a kid!)

And hey, be sure to catch all the other Amelia Bedelia books as well.

I learned to love reading with this book.
My great aunt used to pick me up from Pre-school, and together we would read about Amelia Bedelia's adventures. We laughed until we cried in that old green rocking chair. Unto this day, we laugh and talk about the antics of Amelia Bedelia, and we recommend it to everyone, young and young-at-heart alike. Take it from a 21 year-old, you can't outgrow Amelia Bedelia.

funny
Amelia is an idiot. She reads things or hears figures of speech and takes everything so literally that she ends up making a fool of her self. In result you learn nothing but you just learn to laugh and learn not to be like Amelia. Reading a book and laughing sometimes is all you need, so enjoy this book!

A totally AWESOME book!
Many people do not know about or understand autism. But Amelia Bedelia is a prime example of someone with autism. When I try to explain to my daughter's friends and my friends what living with autism means, I recommend that they read one of these books. They are light-hearted and hilarious but yet represent autism in a very real way.

MUY GRACIOSO!!
This book is really funny!!!!! Yo no sabia que existia una vertion en espaniol pero mis hijas se divertieron mucho con este cuento. de hecho me gusto mas la vertion es espaniol que la yo lei cuando era chica. lo recomiendo es muy gracioso!!!!!! ... Read more

Book Description

It is 1868, and Carl Erik's family faces starvation in Sweden. As their hopes fade, they must endure a journey over land and sea to reach a better life in a new country thousands of miles away. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Excellent for the Classroom
The Long Way to a New Land and The Long Way Westward are companion books that chronicle a family's journey from their Swedish farm, which is suffering from an extended drought, to a new home in Minnesota. The books describe the difficulty and dangers of the journey in a way that is non-complaining and full of optimism for a new life in America. Teachers, these books are wonderful for integrating with other subjects and topics, such as immigration, westward expansion, steamships, trains, geography, and American life in the 1860s. ... 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

All in the Family

Who could be more zany than Amelia Bedelia, everyone's favorite literal-minded housekeeper? Her family, of course! Meet the wacky members of this very original and entertaining family!

Reviews (4)

A Funny Wounderful book!
When I was little my dad read this book to me some of the things i didn't get but after he told me the scoup i got it (and learned somthing new too).
I don't know what happened to that book but i want to get it for my little sister.

meet amelia's family!!
My 7 year old son checked this book out for the library and started reading it alund to me on the way home. We have read several amelia books before and this gave us an inside look at her"family"

A must read for all Amelia fans!

Amelia Bedelia's Family Album
This is a good resource to use for both content-area teachers and ELL teachers alike when introducing metaphors for the first time in elementary school. For ELL teachers, I think this book would be suitable for 3rd or 4th graders who have solid comprehension skills of basic idioms. It would be too hard for newcomers.

Amelia Bedelia's Family Album
My daughter and I have been enjoying Amelia Bedelia books for a long time. Even before my daughter was able to understand the puns, she knew something silly was going on. We have a whole collection of these books and enjoy reading them over again. If you like silly puns, you will love Amelia Bedelia and the clever writing of Peggy Parish. ... Read more

Book Description

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

Reviews (4)

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

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

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

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

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

Book Description

Woof! Woof!

It's time for bed, but Biscuit wants to have a snack, and play, and hear stories. Will he ever go to sleep?

Reviews (13)

Should Be Biscuit's Bedtime
This is the first Biscuit book, wherein we meet the small yellow puppy and the-girl-in-purple-sneakers. It is bedtime but Biscuit, like many children, does not want to go to bed. Instead, he wants to play, snack, drink, get hugged, have a blanket, etc.

Many parents will recognize what Biscuit is doing, avoiding sleep and getting more "mommy time." But in the end, what Biscuit winds up with is to be asleep but not in his own bed, but near the little girl.

Adorable illustrations really make this a fun book for children (sometimes I have my daughter read Biscuit's part, "Woof, woof!"). A great book. Read them all.

A Comforting Story for the Beginner Reader
Biscut is a cute "small, yellow puppy" owned by an equally adorable 3 to 6 year-old, auburn-haired girl. Most of this 21-page book is in the following format:

Time for bed, Biscuit!
Woof, woof!
Biscuit wants ...

What does Biscut want? Well, he wants "to play, a snack, a drink, to hear a story, his blanket, his doll, a hug, a kiss, a light on, to be tucked in, one more kiss, one more hug, and to curl up." Thirty-five simple words are introduced and many are used over and over again so that the text eventually averages a little more than six words per page. This warm, comforting story is perfect for a child who has just started to learn to read.

First Biscuit book we bought!
This is the first book my daughter, who is 5, really got attached to. She loves it and all the Biscuit books! We just keep buying all we can find about Biscuit. Great beginner reader book!

Biscuit
This book is about a little puppy that needs to go to bed, but little Biscuit doesn't want to. He keeps wanting to play, eat, hear a story, then he goes to the little girls room to curl up with her. He finaly falls asleep when he lays on the girls blanket on the floor. I thought this book was so cute. The pictures were really good. This book teaches the children how some pets need this much attention and how they don't always do as they are supposed to.

Biscuit
The book Biscuit was about a little girl who had dog that needed lots of attention. Before Biscuit was ready to go to bed the little girl had to feed him, play with him, read him a story, tuck him in, give him a hug and a kiss and leave a light on for Biscuit. Just as the little girl fell asleep Biscuit was in her room and wants more attention. Will Biscuit ever fall asleep?? The lesson that I learn from this story is that having any kind of pet is a lot of responsibility and that you really have to be kind to your animals. The age range of this story I would say would have to be for children two to five years old. ... Read more

Book Description

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

Reviews (4)

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

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

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

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

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

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

Book Description

Meet Little Bear, a friend to millions of children. And meet Mother Bear, who is there whenever Little Bear needs her. When it is cold and snowy outside, she finds just the right outfit for Little Bear to play in. When he goes to the moon, she has a hot lunch waiting for him on his return. At night she helps him get to sleep. And, of course, she never forgets his birthday.

Reviews (12)

Little Bear is Awesome!
This book is great for kids just learning to read. The pictures are fun to look at, and kids will have fun reading the book. I thought it was a good idea to put different stories into one book so kids can choose what the want to read on their own.

a favorite at our house
Our daughter is 2 1/2 and loves all the stories in this book. She asks to have Little Bear for her bedtime story several nights a week. She even acts out some of the stories in her pretend play and "does" the things that Little Bear does, like going to the moon and making Birthday Soup. This book is certainly a family favorite.

Little Bear
This book is about a little bear that goes outside and plays in the snow. He also goes to the moon and meets a moon mother. On his birthday he makes birthday soup for his friends because he thinks his mom forgot it was his birthday. He has trouble going to sleep so he makes wishes and one of them come true. Then they talk about all of the events that already happened in the story. The lesson this book teaches is that you should have fun and listen to your parents. THE AGE LEVEL IS UNDER 7

four charming Little Bear stories
These four stories about Little Bear and his friends are a charming introduction to the world of reading for beginners. Little Bear is a sweet child to his mother and father and a good friend to Duck, Hen and Cat. Minarik's simple narrative will be easy enough for young readers, and Sendak's illustrations will hold their attention. The four stories are: What Will Little Bear Wear?, Birthday Soup, Little Bear Goes to the Moon and Little Bear's Wish.

A soothing alternative to ninjas and power rangers.

Sweet moments and memories
The lovely and sweet stories easily capture the attention of my three-year old daughter (who has English as her second language). The stories are beautifully read out, with wonderful background music. Almost every night my daughter and I listen to several Little Bear stories before she goes to bed. We will often discuss the stories afterwards. This is the closest and most cherishable moment between us. The unfortunate thing is that she is most unwilling to turn off the cassette player, which somehow often delay her time for bed. ... Read more

Book Description

This lively sequel to The Long Way to a New Landfollows the fortunes of Carl Erik’s family from New York City to the farmlands of Minnesota. "Historically accurate; will attract competent primary-grade readers and will be equally suitable for less able readers in intermediate grades." —SLJ.

1990 The USA Through Children's Books (ALA)
Children's Books of 1989 (Library of Congress)
1989 Children's Books (NY Public Library) ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Excellent for the Classroom
The Long Way to a New Land and The Long Way Westward are companion books that chronicle a family's journey from their Swedish farm, which is suffering from an extended drought, to a new home in Minnesota. The books describe the difficulty and dangers of the journey in a way that is non-complaining and full of optimism for a new life in America. Teachers, these books are wonderful for integrating with other subjects and topics, such as immigration, westward expansion, steamships, trains, geography, and American life in the 1860s. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

A favorite of mine when I was a child!
I am lucky to still have an old copy of this book. I loved it when I was little and my kids love it now. A simple introduction to world culture in a surprisingly modern way. I am glad to see it is being republished as my 35 year old copy may not last another generation!

My favorite picture book!
I, too, love this book and have tried to find a copy for years. As a child, I frequently checked it out of my church library. I enjoyed the bright colors and the excitement of visiting other places. The pictures and story remind me of a favorite place -- Disney's "It's A Small World."

Excellent Book, My Son's favorite.
This book is amazing. I found it at a thrift store for .25 and put it away for the birth of my first child. I am an American living overseas, so for my son to see all the different cultures familiar and unfamiliar, it great. He is 18 months old and just wants to look at the pictures and hear me read it over and over and over again. I never tire of reading it either.

I literally bawled when I located this book at Amazon.com!
I've been searching for this book since the birth of my first child. It was my all time favorite book. My mother read it to me night and day. Upon my learning to read, I remember taking this book to bed with me during nap time and reading it over and over again. I never grew tired of seeing how children in other countries lived. This book went every where I went. I'm estatic this book has been reprinted and I can share it with my children.

A Valuable Find!!
I have been "hunting" for this book for years! I loved it as a child, going all those different places, and now am anxious to share it with my nieces! Thank you for allowing us to do some "traveling" together!! Ronda ... Read more

Book Description

Mouse is in a
jam -- soon he'll
be weasel soup!

Weasel is ready for his dinner. And poor mouse is it. Just in time, he thinks up a clever and entertaining way to distract weasel from serving up mouse soup for supper.

Reviews (7)

WONDERFUL!
I remembered this book from my own childhood & bought it for my son. The stories are SO much fun. A great book to read aloud to your toddler. In general, Arnold Lobel's books are just fantastic. If you like this, get Owl at Home and of course the wonderful Frog & Toad books too!

Mouse Soup
The Multiple Stories in the book "Mouse Soup" are good stories for young children to read and/or listen to. The book is about a weasel that catches a mouse and wants to put him in his soup. The mouse tricks him out of it by telling the weasel that his soup would taste much better if there were stories in it, so the mouse began to tell the weasel stories. The first story is about a mouse and he was walking through the woods and a bee's nest fell on his head, and the bees loved their home on the mouse's head, but the mouse did not. The mouse had to trick the bees to get them to move their house somewhere else, and that he did. The second story was about two rocks on one side of a hill that wanted to know what was on the other side. The rocks were sad that they didn't know what was on the other side of the hill. They asked a bird and a mouse, and to their surprise, they weren't sad anymore. The third story was about a lady mouse that was trying to sleep but she couldn't because of one loud cricket chirping. She asked him nicely to stop, but the cricket kept bringing more and more friends. The fourth story was about an old mouse that had a thorn bush growing in her chair. A policeman walked by her house and heard her cries. To the policeman's surprise she wasn't in danger, she was crying because her thorn bush was dying. The policeman told her to water it, and she got a delightful surprise. After the Mouse told the stories he tricked the weasel into getting away, to find out how... go read this great book by Arnold Lobel.

A Very Nice Book
The book is about a mouse who gets caught by a weasel and is about to be cooked in a soup (Mouse Soup). Right before the mouse gets cooked the weasel wants the soup to have stories so it will taste better. So the mouse tells 3 stories and distracts the weasel. The weasel goes & gets more stuff for the soup so it will taste great. When he gets home ...

I thought it was a wery cute book! It would help a little kid with there story telling skills. I Would definetly recommend this book to a 1st grader or read it to my own little sisters.

A True Delight
Mouse Soup is another wonderful children's story by Arnold Lobel. For any 1st to 3rd grader learning to read, this book will allow the child to feel confident and very successful!

Four stories are presented by the mouse, who was captured by the weasel for his mouse soup. The mouse tells the weasel that his soup will not taste good unless he puts stories into the soup. One plain old mouse will not a soup make! The stories are: Bees and the Mud, Two Large Stones, The Crickets, and The Thorn Bush. After the mouse has finished his delightful stories, the weasel cannot comprehend how he will get the stories into the soup! Mouse instructs him to find a nest of bees, two large stones, some crickets, and a thorn bush. Not being very smart, weasel dashes out of the house to find the items, which allows mouse to escape to the warmth and comfort of his home, to eat a great meal and to finish reading his book!

The stories told by mouse are entertaining, lively and a hoot! They will keep the little reader guessing and wanting to know what is going to happen! The illustrations are entertaining and really help to contribute to the charm of the story!

A true delight! I love Arnold Lobel's books for children!!

Mouse Soup
A practically perfectly delightful tale in the typical silly tender of a "David" mouse versus the "Goliath" weasel whom Mouse outsmarts. While the original Stone Soup story (whose story line is also evidenced here) is one in which everyone gets some soup, the 1st to 3rd grade level reader will follow the winding story trail to discover what just deserts the weasel receives! Our readers found the reading level challenging, but the story line interesting enough with its little twists & turns in plots to encourage them to push through. The tale encourages re-reading, and the dialogue closely resembles that of children at silly play... at least it certainly resembled MY children! I'm thrilled to have found readers that truly interest my children in reading on their own, during the summer, when there are many OTHER activites that could keep them from enjoying QUIET pastime! ... Read more

Book Description

Dog be gone!

The big old dog wants to play. Can the little boy make him go away?

Reviews (3)

Playful Pup Persuasively Pounces
A boy who is afraid of dogs meets a friendly long-haired barking fellow looking to play. He tells him to go away, but the dog insists on being friends. The dog instantly loves the boy, but the boy isn't so sure.

Your child will learn how dogs are fun to play with, and how some things aren't quite as scary as they might first appear.

The colorful, warm drawings have endured through the years, and will help bring a smile to your face.

I fully recommend "Go Away, Dog."

Anthony Trendl

My "most favorite book"
I have the original version (1963) and mine has the following inscription written by my mother:

"This was a library book I checked out for Lisa when she was 4 and 1/2 years old. She loved it so much she kept putting off taking it back and one day 'could never find it again'. Later, she told me she hid it and by then I had paid the library for it. Her most favorite book then and for a long time."

I cherish my copy of Go Away Dog and am buying the new version for good friend's baby shower.

A Book for Young Dog Lovers Everywhere
This book is written in short, simple sentences, using high-frequency vocabulary that's sure to make young readers successful. It tells about a dog who wants to play and the little boy who wants that dog to go away. This little dog will win the affection of very young dog lovers and little boys everywhere with his antics and determination! ... Read more

Book Description

Free people,
Free landThe Muldie boys and their father have come a long way to Kansas. But when Daddy moves on, the three boys must begin their own journey. They must learn to care for one another and face the dangers of the wilderness alone.

Reviews (4)

Wagon Wheels
In this book Johnny is telling the story of how his family moved to Kansas. He and his two younger brothers are left alone while their father finds a place to live. They must travel 150 miles to find their daddy. Along the way they face many dangers. I liked this book because the boys were on a quest to find their daddy.

Great Historical Fiction Book
There aren't many stories written about African-Americanpioneers. This story tells how the Muldie family traveled West fromKentucky to Kansas after hearing about the Homestead Act. That is what makes Wagon Wheels so special. This historical fiction story was written with the help of memoirs from the town's teacher who decided to keep a history log on the town. On the last page of the book, it explains to the reader that most of all the events really took place in the Muldie family's travels West. This is an excellent example of historical fiction that could be used in the classroom.

It is really extreme!
You will love the part when the boys are alone because they found friends that helped them. The main character is Little Willy. I liked him. You should read it. I am eight years old.

Glad I bought audiobook
This made a long commute pass enjoyably the first time, and we have listened to it again and again. Well done and not insulting to my 7-year old daughters intelligence or my own. ... Read more