Book Description

The 2003 Newbery Award Winner and New York Times Best-seller. "Avi's latest novel is superb combination of mystery, historical fiction, and a coming-of-age tale... Breathlessly paced, beautifully written, and filled with details of life in the Middle Ages, this compelling novel is one of Avi's finest."-Book Report ... Read more

Reviews (62)

Surviving in Medieval England: Crispin, The Cross of Lead
The book Crispin, The Cross of Lead can be defined as a "good book" due to the high literary merit used by Avi. In the book, Avi presents the developed theme of survival. A thirteen-year-old boy, who never knew his father, is alone in the world when his mother dies. All he really knew about himself and his past was that everyone called him Asta's son. He is proclaimed a "wolf's head" and must escape the place he's only ever known and find a way to endure. Before he leaves though, Asta's son discovers his real name is actually Crispin. Through his journey, he meets a man named Bear, and he must also learn to survive as his servant. Both the characters and setting are portrayed in such a way that is realistic for the time period they are representing. The vocabulary Avi utilizes describes how fourteenth century England really existed, especially with the social aspects of the period. Avi's pacing and style of the book is appropriate for the content also. Due to the fact that the book is set during Medieval England, most of the book seems to have a slow steady pace to it, especially when Crispin is walking through the forest. As the story grows with more action the pace quickens for the reader, especially where Crispin becomes stuck in some interesting situations, such as when Crispin is running away from his steward, John Aycliffe, in order to stay alive. Even the dialogue offers insight into the characters and their points of view. For example, Bear at the one point in the story gives Crispin the "freedom to choose" if he will join Bear or not on his journey. All Crispin can say is that he has no choice to decide because Bear is his master. Bear says, "Should not every man be master of himself?" Crispin responded with, "You made me call you master," and so Bear chose for him once again. As the plot thickens however, the reader is always wondering what the outcome will be and try to answer the two main dramatic questions of the story--Will Crispin survive in this harsh era? If so, will he ever find out about his past?

Crispin, The Cross of Lead is an excellent book for grades 4 through 7. Children who appreciate history, especially Medieval England, and value religion would find this book to be extremely enjoyable. Teachers who would like to use this book in their classroom should consider doing a thematic unit on Medieval England. One idea would be that the students could learn about the time period and make food and play games from the 1300's. Another thought would be that the teacher could incorporate math by teaching the students about a number line and have them make time line about Medieval England. The teacher could also teach the students about how the world was different back then in order to integrate science. For the summative assessment, the students could put together a Medieval fair in their classroom or for even the whole school and write an article for their school newspaper about the fair. Also, in a parochial school, teachers could incorporate this book into a theology lesson, especially because of the characters moral beliefs.

JD's Book Review
I loved this book, I couldn't put it down.I think that Avi outdid himself."Asta's son" is what he's been called all of his life, but the town's priest tells him that his name is Crispin.One of the most important things to Crispin is that his mother, that is deceased now, had a cross of lead that she gave to him.Well the book goes on to tell that Crispin has been declared a "wolf's head", so this steward named John Aycliffe and his men try to catch Crispin.But he escaped just to a village where he meets a man called Bear.Bear takes Crispin in as an aprentice.They were looking for a town named Great Wexly and they find it.They go to a place called Green Man's Tavern to stay for a while.But if you want to know more about you will have to read it.

crispin
The beginning started off slow and boring. Then little by little it got better and better. When Crispin finds out Cerdic lead him into the trap is when the book started to get better. Next Crispin starts is wandering away. Then Crispin finds Bear. Bear was scary in the beginning and nice, father like towards the rest of the book. it starts to get boring until Bear teaches Crispin to play the recorder and performs in the first town. The best part is when they enter Great Wexly. Read the book to find out the rest. The book over all has a good concept. p.s.- The boring parts don't last very long.

Crispin
The book Crispin is a great book! It is good because, it keeps you thinking what's going to happen next. Crispin is about a boy named Crispin who is on his own because his mom dies. Throughout the book Crispin tries to figure out who he is. He meets people who help him figure out who he is. One of their names is Bear . He is a big help to Crispin. The author Avi wanted to keep you reading. This book was a little slow in the beginning, but it got really good! I recommend this book to anyone who likes adventure and mystery.

Crispin crisping in the fire, by Mark Prior
Crispin could have possibly been the worst book and most boring book that I've ever read. Crispin, a wolf's head, runs away from his town to avoid being executed. He meets a man named Bear who teaches him an instrument so they'll work as a team to earn a few pennies. Then, when the book gets good, it gets boring again. As religious as this book is, God was certainly not with the author when he was writing this book. ... Read more

Book Description

Written in a personable tone, this book is filled with classroom applications and teaching strategies for teachers and parents of preschool and elementary children. Organized around genres, this book presents the basics of children's literature.Each genre chapter contains extensive up-to-date bibliographies-most with annotations-of books in print, and a few exceptional out-of-print books, and for each genre, there is a list of evaluation criteria. This book not only includes books about minorities in each chapter but it also features works by minority authors and illustrators. The author offers instructional and curriculum tie-ins to books throughout. For teachers and parents of children in preschool and elementary school. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Must have for teachers and parents
This is not only full of interesting facts and details about the genres of children's literature, it is fun to read!Parents and teachers will enjoy using this book as a reference for hundreds of current book titles available for children.There are several activities to excite children about reading as well as fascinating facts about many different chidren's books authors.The review of deciphering the dewey decimal system to locate books is beneficial for quick reference in the library. Its simply the best resource for children's literature, its a must have for all teachers and parents!

Exceptional book
This book has great value for parents who want their children to be strong readers and excel in school.

A Note from the Author:
Following are some features of this book that are not found in any other literature texts.
1.It is relevant to both teachers and parents.
2.It has an exclusive chapter on Animal Fantasy.
3.It features works -by- minority authors and illustrators (rather than just books about minorities).
4.The Dewey decimal system of classification is explained.
5.There is a chapter on teaching reading through literature.
6.Picture books as well as juvenile novels and chapter books are featured throughout.
7.There is an annotated bibliography of literature-related websites, and direct links are provided(...) ... Read more

Amazon.com

The Reptile Room begins where Lemony Snicket's The Bad Beginning ends... on the road with the three orphaned Baudelaire children as they are whisked away from the evil Count Olaf to face "an unknown fate with some unknown relative." But who is this Dr. Montgomery, their late father's cousin's wife's brother? "Would Dr. Montgomery be a kind person? they wondered. Would he at least be better than Count Olaf? Could he possibly be worse?" He certainly is not worse, and in fact when the Baudelaire children discover that he makes coconut cream cakes, circles the globe looking for snakes to study, and even plans to take them with him on his scientific expedition to Peru, the kids can't believe their luck. And, if you have read the first book in this Series of Unfortunate Events, you won't believe their luck either. Despite the misadventures that befall these interesting, intelligent, resourceful orphans, you can trust that the engaging narrator will make their story--suspenseful and alarming as it is--a true delight. The Wide Window is next, and more are on their way. (Ages 9 and older) --Karin Snelson ... Read more

Reviews (153)

A Snake-ish Read
Book the Second of unlucky thirteen, Lemony Snicket presents to us the [continued] tragic story of the Baudelaire children as they move to another relative's home. In the first book of the series, "The Bad Beginning", we are introduced to the three Baudelaire children: Violet, a clever girl with a penchant for inventing things; Klaus, a lover of books; and Sunny, the youngest Baudelaire who loves to bite anything and everything. Their beloved parents had perished in a fire, and the orphans were sent to live with their relative, the dreadful Count Olaf. After thwarting Count Olaf's evil plans, however, they found themselves yet without a home and guardian.

"The Reptile Room" takes place in Lousy Lane, deemed one of the most horrible places in the world, and this is where our story begins. The Baudelaire orphans are being sent to live with their late father's cousin's wife, Dr. Montgomery Montgomery, a famed herpetologist (snake expert). At first it seems like things will be like life under Count Olaf's roof, but the children soon find themselves liking "Uncle Monty" (as he insists they calling him). Life has somewhat gotten back to normal, as the Beudelaire children and Uncle Monty began to make preparations for their expedition to Peru, when Stephano the hired assistant turns up at the door. Stephano...who could only be fiendish Count Olaf in disguise! What are the children to do?

"A Series of Unfortunate Events" is a cleverly written series for children written in a gothic style. Snicket delights in telling his readers that things are bound to get worse for the Beaudelaire children as the story progresses. This is not your typical run-of-the-mill children's book, as people get killed, threatened, and of course, the Beaudelaire children are constantly in danger of Count Olaf and his theatre troupe of henchmen.

One of the most interesting things that adults will find is that Snicket will pepper the storylines with allusions to literary figures, such as Mr. Poe, the caretaker of the Beaudelaire fortune. He also does a good job of explaining some vocabulary, and certain terminology, such as "dramatic irony." For more advanced readers, this may come off as an annoyance, but keep in mind that these are children's books and you'll be fine.

"The Reptile Room" is a dark and amusing tale to be enjoyed by all readers, child or adult, as we explore the situations that unveil and what the Beauledaire children plan to do to stop them.

The BEST in the series
After reading this whole series, I discovered that the reptile room is the most unique book out of all ten published so far!
The reason for this simply being, that Uncle Monty is the only guardian they like and that they enjoy being with.

This book is such an interesting read, some may call it 'unputdownable'. It begins with them travelling along a dreadfully smelly road, but soon their spirits lighten up once they see their uncle monty, the snakes in the reptile room and the fact they all had their own rooms !

Violet feels right at home designing and ttesting traps for the snakes the planned to catch on their expedition to Peru, Klaus certainly enjoyed all the reserching and the library, and Sunny became the best of friends with the deadly viper, which of course was a mis-nomer which when you read it you will understand.

Everything is fine until their life is ruined - AGAIN, by the treacherous Count Olaf, but no one can beat the baudlaire kids, so pick this book up and prepare for yet another great book by lemony Snicket and all in all enjoy reading about the mamba du mal to Count olafs unbelievable disguise.

So don't miss out on this fabulous book, you'll be glad you bought it!

The Reptile Room
I thought that The Reptile Room was one of the happiest ones in the series. They are sent to live with a herpetologist named Dr. Montgomery Montgomery. Count Olaof appeared, causing unhappiness in their lives and tried to get the Baudelaire fortune.

Hurray
The story continues with the three baudelaire orphans, as they are brought to their new home with their Uncle Monty. This book follows a very similar pattern to the previous book, but I must admit I still found it entreating, and of course hardly time consuming at all.

Lemony snicket really provides his readers with a fun filled story. I found it funny, extremely witty, and for you older people, such as I, he does tend to stick in small references that only we would catch. There were few things that I did not enjoy in the book, such as the recap on what happened in the previous tale, and some of the ruining gags, such as Sunny's speech patters, do tend to get a little repetitious at times. Still I can appreciate why the author uses these things in his books, and could see how someone of the proper age group would probably appreciate such things much more than myself. All in all a good book, and if you have kids for goodness sake, read it to them!

Another winner
Sequels frequently do not keep the promise of the first book, but it is not so here. The poor, poor orphans just can't find true happiness. It almost seems that everything will be okay, despite the many Cassandra warnings of the author, and then that dastardly villain, Count Olaf, re-appears and spoils everything.

From internal clues in the first two books, I would suggest that the setting is England or Canada. For example, there is a reference to royal gardens in book one. However, in the "Unauthorized Autobiography" the postcard has an American postage stamp: the Shakespeare commemorative from decades ago. I wish someone would comment on the setting.

The book feels British and as if it is actually directed toward adults, more so than in book one. It's difficult to pinpoint examples to demonstrate this--perhaps the definition of words is a bit more whimsical and funny.

Whatever the case, I eagerly anticipate book three. ... Read more

Book Description

When Stanley Lambchop wakes up one morning, his brother, Arthur, is yelling.

A bulletin board fell on Stanley during the night, and now he is only half an inch thick!

Amazing things begin happening to him. Stanley gets rolled up, mailed, and flown like a kite. He even gets to help catch two dangerous art thieves. He may be flat, but he's a hero!

Reviews (40)

Thrilled recipient of a "Flat Stanley"
I am not a teacher so cannot of course address how well this book can be used in a classroom. But just three days ago I received a wonderfully flat package from my little niece in California (I am in Ohio) which contained a "Flat Erik" (guess they named their own little guys). I am to keep Flat Erik for two weeks and chronicle his activities then return Flat Erik, my journal and pictures to my niece. All returned Flat characters will be displayed in their classroom's open house next month.

I am thrilled to be hanging out with Flat Erik; he has already played in the snow, slept in his own little bed, gone to work and gone shopping. Just today we went to the bookstore (sorry Amazon :) and purchased a copy of Flat Stanley so that I knew what my niece had read. Of course as an adult I found the story less than entertaining but can see the attraction for kids and teachers.

I look forward to the coming two weeks with my Flat Erik.

Flat Stanley
One morning Stanley woke up, and he was flat because a heavy bulletin board falls on him. The rest of the book tells about his adventures, like being mailed to California in an envelope, and pretending to be a picture in a museum to catch sneak thieves. Eventually, Stanley gets tired of being flat, even though he is famous for catching the thieves. It is his brother Arthur who uses a bicycle pump to blow him up. Then life can get back to normal. Follow up activities:Children do a craft and writing assignment which I call "I'm Flat and That's That." First, I give them a small ball of play dough and they make themselves and flatten it out on a piece of writing paper. They trace it and draw in the details and then remove the play dough. They write a story about themselves being flat and how they got like that, what happened, etc. They love this book and activity!

This book touched me and I haven't even read it
Today I recieved a letter in the mail from my little brothers class in school. I live in California, so his class decided to send a little flat Stanley to me so I could take him on adventures and send back pictures of what we did together. This book touched me and I haven't even read it. Just that my brother and his class would want to involve me in this, that it was that good of a book to them, makes it a 5* for me as well.

Flat Stanley
Flat Stanley is a really great book and I think it was really intresting and funny when you read it you will feel like your in the book

I'm Hooked
I had heard of Flat Stlanley before and although I thought the concept was cute I had never used this book in my second grade. At least not until this year. I am using it with one of my flexible reading groups. I'm absolutely hooked and the children are as well. We have posted the pros and cons of being flat and have joined in with the Flat Stanley project. This is providing so many enriching extension activities! We are now "hosting" Flat Stanleys from Ontario, Thailand, and Australia. The learning that is taking place (writing, reading, speaking, creating, geography, world cultures) is astounding. My students are constructing their own Stanleys who will be traveling around the world to be hosted in other states and countries. I will be buying more copies of this book so I can do this with my entire class next year. I purchased Stanley in Space for my reading group to move on to next. I can't believe I was not aware of how wonderful this book could be. I have been able to integrate it throughout my curriculum. HIGHLY recommended! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Since his debut in 1951 as The Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield has been synonymous with "cynical adolescent." Holden narrates the story of a couple of days in his sixteen-year-old life, just after he's been expelled from prep school, in a slang that sounds edgy even today and keeps this novel on banned book lists. It begins,

"If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you'll probably want to know is where I was born and what my lousy childhood was like, and how my parents were occupied and all before they had me, and all that David Copperfield kind of crap, but I don't feel like going into it, if you want to know the truth. In the first place, that stuff bores me, and in the second place, my parents would have about two hemorrhages apiece if I told anything pretty personal about them."

His constant wry observations about what he encounters, from teachers to phonies (the two of course are not mutually exclusive) capture the essence of the eternal teenage experience of alienation. ... Read more

Reviews (2341)

Let me say a few words.
I was just browsing through the customer reviews of this book, and although I'm sure no one gives a damn about what I have to say (in the rare case that anyone will ever even read this review), I would like to offer my opinions and arguments with those who dislike this book. First of all, the issue of teenage angst is a difficult one to depict in words. It is a difficult one to depict without actually being a teen. Most of the depictions of teenage life these days are rather exploitative. They mostly tell teens how to behave and do not show the true side of adolescence. To those readers who complain that Holden is an "immature malcontent" and so on, teenagers are often immature and often are malcontents. If Salinger led you to believe that Holden is an immature malcontent, then his mission was accomplished. At the current age of 17, I can relate to Holden's character moreso than any other teenager depicted in the media. Although Salinger's style of writing is a little too elementary to be called a "classic," I feel that Holden Caulfield should be the model for teens. Here we have a character who hates change and wants to be a "catcher in the rye." When I see children shooting each other, I feel that this is a noble goal for anyone to have. While you are entitled to your opinion, keep in mind that if the world were full of Holden's "phonies" it would be a conformist nightmare. Thank god for people like Holden.

amazing book to anyone with half a brain
Reading the bad reviews for this book, it became apparent why these people don't like this book; namely, they're idiots. The one star reviews are full of idiotic mistakes and misinterpretations that make me want to yell at my computer screen (seriously, go check them out; one guy keeps talking about his hike through the Arizona "dessert" [I picture a huge banana split myself]). Frankly, if you can't relate to Holden Caulfield, then you're probably shallow and naïve. Everyone feels like this sometimes or else they aren't paying attention to the world around them. And of course Holden is hypocritical! He's an anti-hero, folks. This is not Salinger's guide to life; it's a novel for pete's sake! I really don't understand how someone can read this and not feel sympathetic towards Caulfield. Sure he's privileged, maybe even spoiled, but he doesn't understand life. Who does? Certainly not people who say they "feel sorry for the trees killed to print this" or that Stephen King's works are better (someone actually said this). Anyway, thought I needed to vent about the bad reviews here, but most are good and I agree with them. Read this book!! [By the way, the person who blamed CITR for the murders of John Lennon et al is seriously insane...how can you blame a BOOK for inciting violence in maniacs? Does this person really believe that these psychopaths were perfectly normal human beings before Catcher corrupted them? Please!]

Salinger's a literary genius
Without a doubt, The Catcher in the Rye is one of the best books I've ever read. Many people observe that this book is about someone who is clinically insane, but I read something completely different in Salinger's work. I view Holden, the main character, as a typical teenage boy with a bit more insight than the
average person. I see him as someone who looks at the negativity in the world and has a yearning to grasp even one small piece of innocence within it, but is blinded by the depravity that he sees everyday. I think that the book is about Holden trying to preserve innocence before realizing finally that it is impossible, and therefore he needs to find happiness in places where he normally wouldn't look to find it in order to prevent impending insanity. There are many different interpretations of this piece, and all of the interpretations hold weight, regardless of the fact that the various viewpoints are very much in dissent with one another. This is a piece that can be appreciated and understood by anyone, and I would recommend that everyone get their hands on a copy of this book.

Great in High School
I read this first in high school and thought it a masterpiece. I've read it since and I wasn't quite so impressed. It is however a very important work in our collective catalog and no literate person should miss out on it.

Read this book immediately.
We all know that "Catcher in the Rye" is one of the great classics of all time. No one needs me to tell them that ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Extremely Useful and Entertaining
This text was my first major teaching assignment and both I and the students enjoyed this book of mythology. Evslin is an easy read and a very compelling storyteller. It's wonderful beginners book as well as an excellent reference. The book contain all of the major gods, concentrating on their origins and major myths that involve each one. Heroes such as Perseus, Theseus, Atalanta, and Daedalus are included. I was disappointed that Hercules was not included; however, his mythology is rather long and widely known, which is probably why it was left out. Other myths included: King Midas, Pygmalion, Echo and Psyche, Phaethon and many others. This is an excellent source for beginners and students. If you are already versed in Greek mythology, you may find the lack of certain myths discouraging, but I do encourage you to revisit a wonderful telling of myths that probably got you interested in Greek mythology in the first place.

I LUV THIS BOOK!
For a totally long time my mom has been bugging me to read this book. I didn't want to caus' it was all shriveled and old-looking. A typical classicy kind of book. It was all YELLOWISH, the color of cury. (Did I spell that right? Whatever.) Anyways I started reading to get her off my back and I got totally hooked! I had absolutely no idea that this shredded up lump of paper would be so good! It was great! Okay I know I sounding a bit over-eager but this book is so cool. I read it over and over again. Well not REALLY but I did read SOME of the stories twice. I like Hermes, he sounds really sharp and funny. I think I can actually picture him as a cute little baby and Apollo making a deal in a large airy cave. The uniqueness (it took me a long time think up a word,) about greek stories is that they rarely end happily. Though the punishments for the bad and usually the innocent are kind of exciting. Somebody nice always has to die. Zeus sounds like avery funny person, always running off and seducing women-I feel sorry for Hera though. But I think what she did to Echo was really mean. I like Poseidon and Hades. They sound really... I don't know. Interesting? Maybe. I don't really understand the story of Eros and Psyche. If you know, please tell me. Dinner time, gotta go.

The book
I didn't think that the book was all that great... the author alludes to other Gods, but then doesn't include them in the book. He does this with other types of stories too. For the purpose of the book, as an informational book, it hits the topics dead on. It's not that bad, but I don't think that it deserves 5 stars

The beginning of a lifelong passion
I first met this book through a series of LP records in my local library as a child; I later read the book. It's still my favorite telling of the Greek myths, and it spawned a facination for the folklore and mythology that has been a great source of pleasure for my entire life (I'm now in my late thirties). I can't recommend this book enough, regardless of the reader's age; Evslin's telling of them gives life and personality to the characters that can't be found in any other version of the myths.

Enthralling
I picked up this book at the library on a whim one day, when I just happened to be poking around the non-fiction section (very uncharacteristic of me). Now, this book may be non-fiction because the writer didn't invent the stories, but it reads just as interestingly as a fiction book. I knew a bit about Greek mythology, and was vaguely interested in it, but after reading this book, I want all the Greek mythology books that I can get my hands on and am even considering studying it in college.

Don't let the low reading level discourage you--I found this in the adult section, and it's undoubtedly where it belongs! This book can aid in understanding words and references to Greek myths in everyday life, and I never knew there were so many of them! If you're interested in learning more about Greek mythology, this would definitely be a GREAT place to start. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Outrageously sassy Junie B. Jones will make young kids crave their dailydose of reading. And with this handy four-volume boxed set, whether they startwith Junie B. Jones and SomeSneaky Peeky Spying or Junie B. Jones and Her Big FatMouth, readers will laugh out loud at Junie B.'s hilarious mishaps andbreathtakingly horrible grammar. Although the books should come with acaveat--Kids, don't try this syntax at home!--alert parents and teachers can useher malapropisms as learning opportunities for their impressionable charges. Theset contains the first four titles in Barbara Park's extensive series(energetically illustrated by Denise Brunkus), including Junie B. Jones and a Little MonkeyBusiness and Junie B.Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus. All are great for reading aloud. (Ages5 to 8) --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (56)

What's with the grammar?
I've read these books many times to my son who just turned six years old, and we're anxiously awaiting Junie B's experience as a first grader. Junie B. is a somewhat sassy, very entertaining little girl who copes with a variety of problems and issues typical Kindergarteners face each day. These are charming little stories, with cute illustrations, and Junie B. is clearly loved by her parents and has plenty of friends. My son pays close attention to these stories, and whenever my wife and I say, "We'll see" to him, he says, "We'll see is another word for no," which is a common Junie B. saying. But I have one concern, and I've docked a star from the rating because of it: Barbara Park's mode of narrating through Junie B. has her using an abundance of incorrect verb tenses (i.e. "we never had much guests" and "so she just holded my hand.") As a result, since our son is just beginning to learn to read and acquire a basic command of the language, we're constantly having to correct the incorrect word usages he's picked up from these books. It's charming in print, but not nearly as much when your youngster starts picking that stuff up.

Junie B.
I have all these except book 4.

Stupid Smelly Bus: Remember when it was scary to go to school? Cause it was your first day and you didn't know anything. Meet Junie B. Jones, kidnergartner. She's so scared of the school bus, and the meanies on it that when it's time to go home, she doesn't.
A Little Monkey Business: It's pooey on B-A-B-I-E-S until... Junie B. finds out that her new dumb old baby brother is a big fat deal. Her two bestest friends are giving her everything they own just to see him. And guess what else? Maybe she can bring him to school on Pet Day.
Big Fat Mouth: Sometimes life is P.U. Junie B's having a rough week. First she got punishment for shooting off her mouth in kindergarten. And now she's in big trouble again! Cause Monday is Job Day, and Junie B. told her class she's got the bestest job of all. Only what is it?
You also get the book Some Sneaky Peeky Spying.

OUTSTANDING Book Series
Junie B. books have propelled my 6 year old daughter into the wonderful world of reading chapter books on her own. She loves them so much that she can't put them down, and she recently started a Junie B. "library" collection. In her words: "I love Barbara Park (the author). She's SO good at writting the way kids talk and think. Barbara Park and Junie B. rock."

As a parent, I was skeptical at first. About a year ago, a neighbor (who is very heavy-hearted and serious about life) said she didn't like the books because she thought Junie B. had too much of an attitude. She loaned us one (The Stinky Smelly Bus) so that I could see for myself. I was hesitent, but read the book to my daughter. In summary, although Junie B. is far from perfect, she is surrounded by very clever, compassionate adults, she always learns from her mistakes, and she has a big heart. Additionally, the interest in my daughter's eyes and the big belly laughs she let out during the reading convinced me to buy a second book in the series.

I'm now a full force supporter of Junie B., and I enjoy seeing my daughter trade the various books in the series with her friends at school. Junie B. Jones books are their (and my) FAVORITE BY FAR! Thank you Barbara Park for lighting up my daughter's reading world and keeping it fun and interesting!!!

A final note: I do NOT recommend these books for children under six; they may misinterpret the wonderful messages Barbara Park is conveying, and focus only on Junie B.'s "spirited" personality (just as some of the other reviewers here have done!).

AN EDUCATION STUDENT FROM INDIANA
I have read the reviews, and then proceeded to read the numerous books about Junie B. Jones. I have had numerous education classes on teaching reading. I fell in love with Junie B. She is 6 years old. How do 6 years old talk?? They use 100% correct grammar?? I am 22 years old, and even I don't se 100% correct grammar; nor if you anaylsis yourself, I'm sure you may realize, HEY me either. Granted when I read the first book of Junie, I was like HOLD up.. was that a mis-print?? But to be honest, take any 6 year old, that is the way they talk. Lots of schools use these books because it is on the child's ability level in reading. Children enjoy reading, children enjoy humor-- this promotes the love for literacy. Barbara Park, provides a read ablility level for many students in schools today. Some who are in the 6th grade level still only read at a 2nd grade level. Some have had bad experiences with reading-- they hate reading. This is absolutely horrible. Children should love to read; in life, reading is required in practically everything-- and its important to bestill upon all children that reading is FUN-- and they can all be successful too, although behind in reading levels. The worst thing as a "soon to be teacher" is to know that there will be children out there that will have no desire to read. Number one, because they can't; number two, because they find no interest in the materials they are being forced to read. Barbara Park is an excellent author; she really makes the children understand how Junie B. feels-- and as far as the grammar, granted it caught me off guard as well the first time, but you can use this book to kill lots of birds with one stone. The book provides an opportunity for students to be successful readers, become fluent in reading, have fun doing so, and it is important as a parent or teacher to talk with your child about reading. When this communication is used, talk about how when writing or talking, we have better ways of expressing ourselves. Make sure to address that Junie B. is 6 years old, and as she gets older much like the child, her grammar will increase to that of the social norm of "correct grammar." But until she reaches that stage of her educational career, I would suggest that we allow students to read these books, they offer material that the child can relate to and be successful at. You might even learn a thing or two from Junie-- so sit back and read the lesson Junie learns in all her books. Because if you fully read, she may do mischievous acts, however a valuable lesson is gained at the end of every book that talks about why she should not have acted the way she did.
With that being said, get to reading, and allow children to grow with Junie B. Jones.

We're Addicted!
As a literary agent who represents children's and young adult books, I am always on the prowl for great stories. And did I ever find them with the Junie B. books. My five-year-old daughter is just beginning to read, and we have spent endless hours enjoying the Junie B. series. As parents, it's our job to use books as a teaching tool. As we're reading the books, I'll stop mid-chapter and ask my daughter what's happening at that particular moment in the story. Her retention and comprehension level is amazing with these stories. And, we talk about why Junie B. may be doing an inappropriate behavior, and we chat about what she would do in situations similar to Junie B. To me, there is nothing better than to discuss a great book with a child and to listen to their opinions and the Junie B. books are the best I've found yet. ... Read more

Book Description

This funny moral tale about a greedy boy's comeuppance has been beloved by children since its first appearance in 1952. Inspired by the legend of the avaricious king whose touch turned all to gold, Mr. Carling conceived a modern variation that delights as it instructs. In it a boy's lust for chocolate becomes the fatal flaw. This new edition, completely reillustrated by a talented young artist, will acquaint yet another generation with John Midas's classic predicament.

The story tells of the two days after John acquired the chocolate touch-the magic that turned everything his lips touched into chocolate. At first, John was elated with his discovery. Now at last he could have all the chocolate he wanted. Chocolate toothpaste was delicious; chocolate bacon and chocolate eggs were even better. But soon he began to get awfully thirsty, and before the day was over John suspected that his sweet dream-come-true might have its bitter side.

Witty and perceptive, written with a sure hand, this luscious fantasy will be warmly welcomed once again.

Reviews (32)

Story of The Chocolat Touch
October 26,2001

My review of the book The Chocolate Touch. I think that all of you people that have not read the book The Chocolate Touch should. John gets a piece of chocolate and eats it. After he eats it ,everything that touches his mouth or lips turn into chocolate. Like his pencil or his gloves and even his mother turn into chocolate. What happens? Do they turn back? You find out. Trust me it's a good book. I have read it 3 times already.

Chocolate touch
This book is an excellent read for a younger student who loves funny storys! this story is adventurious and something you can imagine! this book is one that you can't put down!!

The chocolate touch is about a boy named Charlie and has an ediction to chocolate........read more and you'll find out!! This is fully recommended! If any teachers read this! This is a great book to read for read aloud!! With the fun exciting mystery tist to it it will enjoy your youngsters!!

The Chocolate Touch Left on me!
The Chocolate Touch is a book that will leave you hungry! The story tells of a young boy who loves chocolate. Maybe even too much! It is all he dreams about! Finally he is taught a lesson by being given a single piece of chocolate that will make a selfish boy realize that chocolate is not the only thing in life. This book is perfect for someone who likes to get caught in a good book and has a sweet tooth!

Read it fast!!!!!!
Do you like chocolate? You should really read this book the Chocolate Touch by Patrick Skene Catline. John liked chocolate a lot and one day he found out that whatever he touches turns into chocolate. I liked it because I like stories that have a little bit of adventure in them. Read more to figure out how John got the chocolate touch.

Chocolate Touch
He was a pig about candy. Who was a pig about candy? John Midas was. John Midas is the main character in the story 'John Midas and the Chocolate Touch'. This story is about a kid named John who has wanted chocolate for all his meals. Finally, he gets his wish! While he was walking, he found a funny old coin. He was about to show it to Susan Buttercup, John's friend. But when he saw a candy store, Susan was completely forgotten for that he loved candy. At the store, John traded the coin for a box of chocolates. He ate the chocolate before he went to sleep.
Next morning, everything he put in his mouth became chocolate, including toothpaste! At first, John was very happy. But, when he became thirsty, the water he drank became chocolate! But, even worse, when he kissed his mother, she was turned into chocolate! John ran out of the house, wildly. Somehow, when he stopped, he was in front of the store! John rushed in. He pleaded the storekeeper to help change his mother back. The storekeeper said that if he would not be greedy or selfish, he would help him.
John hurried home to check on his mother. He was so happy to find that his mother was well. John wanted to thank the storekeeper. But when he got back there, he didn't see a store or storekeeper. He only saw rusted cans and broken down bottles surrounding a sign that read 'SOLD'.
This book is great for people who are 7 to 99 and has read 'King Midas and the Golden Touch.' And this book teaches you not to be selfish. So I think it's a great book. ... Read more

Book Description

A true classic with a timeless message, The Story of Ferdinand has enchanted readers since it was first published in 1936. All the other bulls would run and jump and butt their heads together. But Ferdinand would rather sit and smell the flowers. So what will happen when our pacifist hero is picked for the bullfights in Madrid? This new edition contains the complete original text of the story and the original illustrations with watercolor tones added. ... Read more

Reviews (37)

Bully for you, Ferdinand!
I love Robert Lawson and I love Munroe Leaf, but ladies and gentlemen these two men are definitely less great unless paired together. In undoubtedly my favorite children's book from the 1930s (so sorry, "They Were Strong and Brave"), these two titans of the picture book world created the most adorable story to have ever involved cork trees, bulls, and sweet smelling flowers.

Ferdinand is none too different from "The Reluctant Dragon". He may look fierce and strong, but underneath that hard exterior lies a bull that is perfectly content to just sit beneath his favorite cork tree and smell the flowers all day. Ferdinand was gentle even when young, and he has no desire to go needlessly ramming his head with the other bulls in the field. When some wonderfully illustrated men arrive to find a bull worthy of their bull-fighting arena, Ferdinand is accidentally selected as their choice. Once in the arena, however, Ferdinand proceeds to humiliate the matador and his cronies through simple peace-loving flower-smelling. In the end, Ferdinand is returned to his cork tree and the world is as it was.

There's a definite pacifist feel behind the old Ferdinand tale. In what other story will you have a creature not fight back despite all provocations, only to win in the end? Moreover, a male character that prefers pretty sights and smells to violence and uber-masculinity. Lawson's pen and ink drawings expertly compliment Leaf's tale. Through them we see the high balconies of Spanish towns, and the serene fields where little bulls may play. I was especially amused by the cork tree, from which actual wine corks hang. I suspect many a child has subsequently believed for years that corks really do grow on the vine as Lawson displayed them. Lawson isn't above other humorous tweaking beyond that. On the front and end papers of the book is an image of children gawking at a ferocious picture of "angry" Ferdinand. The poster goes on to advertise treats at the bull fight including "hot dogos" and "chocolato". Apparently any word with an appropriate "o" tacked on the end is instantly Spanish.

"Ferdinand" is the sweetest of the Leaf/Lawson tales. However you feel about the nature of violence (and about how it is almost required of the males of society) this is the quintessential story about being yourself. The angry over-masculine bulls may fight and brawl but peaceful Ferdinand is the one to outwit the men in the end.

One for the ages
"Ferdinand" is one of the best-loved children's books of all time, and with good reason. This timeless tale of a little bull in Spain who doesn't mind being different from the rest of the herd strikes an instant chord in youngsters and oldsters alike. Ferdinand is a gentle creature who would rather sit around and smell the flowers than butt his way through life; but when he planks himself down one day on a bumblebee, he gets a jolt that propels him into the bullring in Madrid. The story is funny and endearing, and the illustrations are hilarious. Generations of preschoolers have loved this book, and it looks good for generations to come.

Shocking and inappropriate for young children
Upon reading this book, I found it to be very shocking and inappropriate for young children. My students thought it to be a "bad story." They "did not like it because the men wanted to hurt Ferdinand. They wanted to keep sticking him with spears and a sword." My students asked me to stop reading the story because they felt very sad.

simple, sweet story of nonconformity for little ones
Originally published in 1936, this simple story of the pacifist bull still rings true for children and adults, as ferdinand refuses to fight even when he is chosen to face the matador in Madrid. Ferdinand would rather sit under a tree and smell the flowers, and his mom thinks that's just fine. this is a comforting story for kids who feel they don't fit in. the message is simple and direct, and makes for great discussions after reading. The original illustrations are quite charming as well.

ONE OF THE BEST EVER
This book has been one of my favorites, if not my favorite for years. I did not discover it until after I saw Disney's short of the story about 20 years ago. Disney's short was made in the 50s or 60s, I think. Ferdinand is the most endearing character and a great messege to tell children that they don't have to follow the crowd to be happy and we can break the mold and be peaceful and non-violent. This is only part of the greatness of this book...the illustration are the absolutely most wonderful illustrations. Robert Lawson is a genius of catching the most adorable expressions and humourus faces. My daughter (3yrs) LOVES this book too. WE HIGHLY RECCOMMEND IT! ... Read more

Book Description

For more than 450 years, children's literature has delighted, fascinated, and powerfully influenced readers and listeners of all ages. Now the groundbreaking Norton Anthology of Children's Literature invites readers to discover four centuries of literature for children. Beginning in 1659 and ending at the turn of the twenty-first century, the Norton Anthology includes the work of 170 authors and illustrators representing such familiar genres as fairy tales, picture books, nursery verse, and fantasy, as well as less familiar genres such as alphabets, chapbooks, and comics. More than 90 works are included in their entirety, from The New England Primer to Robert Louis Stevenson's A Child's Garden of Verses to the contemporary classic Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred Taylor. Richly illustrated, the volume includes 45 images in full color and 375 in black and white and makes widely available for the first time facsimile images of works available only in rare-book libraries. Norton Anthology introductions, headnotes, annotations, and selected bibliographies help readers understand and enjoy the works. ... Read more

Amazon.com

It's never too early to start kids reading. Even in infancy, young eyes can begin to make connections between images on a page and the real thing.White on Black is an ideal first book, and one that will continue to fascinate the very youngest readers as they grow. Exquisitely simple, solid white pictures of everyday objects--a banana, a duck, a bottle--against a black background provide high contrast for developing eyes. This wordless picture book encourages caregivers to engage the child as they "read" together: "Oh look, a boat, that looks like your bath toy, doesn't it?"

With White on Black's companion book, Black on White, Tana Hoban has created a striking pair of visual tools to increase the youngest readers' burgeoning powers of perception. In this complex world, it's a joy to find a book that sees the world in the simplest of terms. (Baby to Preschool) --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Wonderful book to give as a baby present
This is one of the few books that I ALWAYS send as a baby present. It's fantastic---the black and white illustrations are great for a newborn and many of my friends have continued to "read" the book with their child even when he or she became a toddler.

Try her other book---which has black images on a white background as well.

Psychologist mom's ONLY shower gift
Before my first-born could speak or even SIT, all the adults around him could tell which page he liked most--true communication from an infant that didn't involve crying (or other intense and directed body language)! We were amazed that we all had noticed. The books got LOTS of attention from our wee one. Face it, there is just not a lot you CAN "read" to an infant those first six months of life. He loved them. I'm here buying my fifth or sixth set of these two books for yet another mom-to-be. They are so much more memorable than green and yellow clothing, for both parents and babes.

white on black
This book is wonderful for topic focused conversation with your infant. Sometimes it is hard to find things to talk about with an infant. This books helps to solve that problem so that we can expose our babies to the conversational language they need to learn how to speak.

The perfect gift for a newborn
These simple, familiar silhouettes held my baby's interest from the time he was a few weeks old until about his first birthday. For a while I propped the book open on his changing table, and it kept his attention occupied during diaper changes. I wish hospitals would send a copy home with every newborn, to help all infants get the early mental stimulation they need.

A great first book for a baby.
We "read" this book to our son when he was a few weeks old, not because he understood the pictures, but because he could track the black and white pictures. Reading is extremely important to any child and we wanted to start early. So, eventhough our 4 week old had no idea what the words meant, he would nestle as we described the pictures to him and turned the pages. How else does a child learn to love reading? When our son was approximately one year old he could begin to describe some of the pictures and he would sit on the floor and "read" this book himself. An excellent, excellent first book for your baby or for a gift. ... Read more

Book Description

Left alone to guard the family's wilderness home in eighteenth-century Maine, a boy is hard-pressed to survive until local Indians teach him their skills. ... Read more

Reviews (108)

A fifth grade reading book
Sign of the Beaver is about a boy named Matt that lives in the woods with his father. One day his father leaves while he is sleeping. He knows where he went. A month later he met some Indians and started to read a book to a Indian. The book was about the dad leaving and an Indian helping out. I think this is a great book! Matt thinks that the Indan (Attean) is very inpolite. But the more Matt and Attean are around each other they get used to one another and become good friends, and Attean teaches Matt to hunt. He never finds his father, but he finds a good friend and he is no longer afraid or alone.At the end his father comes back with his family and they lived a new life.I hope you love this book!!!

The Review of the Beaver
"THE SIGN OF THE BEAVER" is a adventure packed book that Justin really likes. It's about a family that is moving up to Maine in the late 1700's. Matt's dad left him at the cabin, while he went back to get the rest of the family back in Quincy, Massachusetts. Matt who is 12 years old decides to get honey from a bee's hive in a tree and instead he gets stung. Two indians save him and supply him with food for a while. The Chief Saknis and his grandson Attean help him back to full health. saknis asks Matt if he would teach Attean how to read and so Matthew Hallowell does. Attean also teaches Matt a lot of very usefull survival skills. He teaches Matt how to catch rabits with a snare and how to make a wood fish hook quickly and made well. Attean also shows him the signs of other indian tribes and warns him not to tresspass and to mark your path with like a broken branch or two rocks ontop of each other. Matt has a fun time but he can't get Attean to be proud of him. When Mr.Hallowell (Matt's dad) dosn't come after three weeks when he sould have Saknis asks Matt if he wants to come with them because his dad might not come back. Matt does wonder if he sould go North with Attean or stay and wate for his dad. What will he decide? It's a mind-unsettling question. Read to figure out what Matt decides and what happens after that...

We love it!
We first checked out this audio-tape out from the library when my son was 7. He loved it on that first long car trip, and we have checked it out 3 more times since then. Today, I bought it on Amazon.com for our trip this summer.
If you have a boy (or girl) who likes to listen to stories, this is a great one. As a Mom, I like that the boy learns to survive, works hard, and shows respect for others and their culture......a great role model for young kids today.

Horrible Put Down
I hated this book so much! It was horrible. Nothing ever happend, it was one big bore! Don't read this book unless you are forced to. I would rather eat vetegtables than read this book . DO NOT READ !

The Sign Of The Beaver
This is a good book. In the begining it is boring but keep on reading because it becomes fasinating. Matt's family leaves and
Matt has to watch over the cabbin. Soon after they leave, a guy named ben came and stole Matt's gun. The Native American tribe (the beaver tribe) found matt and helped him. He becomes good friends with Attean (someone from the beaver tribe). But soon Attean and his tribe have to leave and they ask Matt to come with them and matt says.............Wait i'm not going to tell you how it ends if I told you it would be a total waste because the book is better. So read The Sign Of The Beaver and you'll find out. This book is an adventure book and also fun book. I just didn't want to put it down. So read this book and I hope you feel the same way I do!! ... Read more

Book Description

Read by Lynne Thigpen
Approx. 8 hours
6 cassettes

Why is the land so important to Cassie's family?It takes the events of one turbulent year--the year of the night riders and the burnings, the year a white girl humiliates Cassie in public simply because she is black--to show Cassie that having a place of their own is the Logan family's lifeblood.It is the land that gives the Logans their courage and pride, for no matter how others may degrade them, the Logans possess something no one can take away. ... Read more

Reviews (338)

Roll Of Thunder is Amazing
Roll of Thunder,Hear My Cry
Written by Mildred .D. Taylor
Publisher: Puffin

The book I am choosing to write about is Called Roll of Thunder,Hear My Cry. The genre is realistic fiction. It is about a black family living in Mississippi during the 1930s. The family struggles through racism,deaths and trying to maintain their land that they live on during the height of the Great Depression. Many scary things happen to the family. Such as burnings, night riders,and other close encounters. All through the hard times the family managed to keep their courage, love, and pride. It is a wonderful novel and I highly recommend it to anyone who loves a story of courage and hope.

The main characters are Cassie, who is the one telling the story a brave daughter of the Logan family. Stacey, Cassie's older brother considers himself the man of the family when the father is gone. David, who is the father, is often gone from home by working on the railroad. Mary and Big Ma are the mothers of the family. Mary is the mother and Big Ma is the grandmother. There are many other supporting characters

I personally love this book . I highly recommend it to anyone. Especially African American children. To learn how hard it was for their race during that time. It is good for people of all ages. It is a story of faith, courage , hope, love and family. The family in this book are very brave. It is one of the best books I have read in quite a while.

Roll Of Thunder Hear My Cry
It was the late 30's and the logan familiy had been trying to pay their bills and support each other. David, their father, worked on the rail road and Mary, their mother, worked as a teacher in the local school for blacks. Their kids names were Cassie(the nararator), Stacy(the oldest brother), little man, and Christopher John. They had many struggles, keeping up the farm, paying the bills, and having money for food were very hard things to do while the whites were harrassing, teasing, and trying to kill them. On top of all that, David and Mary were both out of a job. David got hurt by the Wallaces and Mary got fired for not teaching the white version of history. The Wallaces, Simon, and Mr. Granger were watching them like hawks, so that at any moment they could take their land and their lives. T.J., Stacy's friend, was not so lucky after Stacy stopped being "friends" with him. This was a very good book. I like how most of the book was in dialogue. I think that made it easier to read and tell what was going on and it gave me more emotions which makes it more interesting. It was just right for my reading ability, The book showed me how unfair it was bakc them for blacks to be hated so much and people could tease or kill with little emotion.

It was okay...
I had to read this book for school, and it just made me bored out of my mind. It didn't really hold my attention, and the only reason I finished it was because I had to. It was a very well-written book, but just not the kind of book I enjoy to read in my spare time.

Excellent book!
I really love this book. It kept my attention through the whole thing. I loved the characters and I felt for them as they suffered. The characters were well formed and it helps show what it might be like to be a black family living in that era and what they had to put up with.

A View into a new perspective
This book was about a family living in the 1930s in the Deep South. They struggle with racism and segregation. This family tries to stay together and keep their land. You are given a good perspective on what life was like as an African American in that time period and how they were unfairly treated. This story was low on action but told a great story, however, your interest is never lost. ... Read more

Book Description

This book is a concise, straightforward presentation of literature and sharing literature with children. The two chapters in Part One cover current trends and the introductory material parents and teachers need in order to begin selecting, reading, and evaluating children's trade books. Part Two defines and describes specific genres of literature and discusses the types of books that fall within the categories. The last two chapters comprising Part Three present curriculum and teaching strategies. For teachers and parents of children in grades K-6. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Actively Helpful
I bought this book my final semester in college for a Children's Literature course. I signed up for the class as an elective, and found it so enlightening that I ended keeping the textbook (the ONLY one that I kept after a class ended!) The book has literally HUNDREDS of examples of each genre of children's literature, along with authors, award winners, and publication information.The format made it so easy for me to locate children's books for reports or projects I was working on.But mostly, the text facilitated my learning of the types of literature.Chapters and subchapters are divided into different branches of lit, and each has so many examples that the reader quickly learns to categorize different works. Additionally, now that I work in the printing and publishing world (writing and editing), I use this book as a great tool to gauge what appeals to children at different ages. I highly recommend this book to anyone in elementary education or creative writing.

Great Resource
This book is a wonderful children's literature resource. I absolutely love this book. It has so resources listed as well as information about picking up appropriate literature. Also has information about the history ofchildren's literature and planning literature curriculum. This book wouldis my main resource for children's literature. ... Read more

Amazon.com

BIG R, little r,
what begins with R?
Rosy's red rhinoceros.
R...r...R

From Aunt Annie's Alligator to Rosy's red rhinoceros to a Zizzer-Zazzer-Zuzz, learning the alphabet is bound to be fun with Dr. Seuss. And with this small, sturdy board-book version of his classic ABC book (Dr. Seuss's ABC), even the tiniest tots can indulge in a little alphabetical education. Each letter is featured with Dr. Seuss's unmistakably nonsensical illustrations and text: "Lion with a lollipop," "Camel on the ceiling," "Uncle Ubb's umbrella and his underwear, too." The youngest readers-to-be will get lots of letter practice with the repetitive use of each letter and the easy-to-memorize rhythmic rhymes. Soon your favorite preschooler will be reading this book aloud to you! (Baby to preschool) --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (41)

Wonderful Book - My 6 month old gets excited when I read it.
This is a great (board) book. It's the perfect length to hold my 6 month old's attention - 1 to 2 letters per page! It has wonderful rhymes and is easy to memorize! It has great colours and illustrations. My little one can hold it while we read, without worry of ripping pages. I recommend it to all parents.

NOT the original text
I've read _Dr Seuss's ABC_ an uncountable number of times. As a result -- and like many of you who have suffered from a toddler's tendency to fixate on a favorite book -- I can recite almost the entire thing from memory. (I get tripped up occasionally on the sections that run through the alphabet-to-date -- I want to go on to the next rhyme instead of saying ABCDEFGHIJKLMNO...P!)

I therefore consider myself qualified to say that this 'abridged' board book is NOT THE REAL THING.

Let me recommend that you ignore this and find the original version. If you're worried about pages getting torn by the your youngest 'readers,' let me suggest that you buy several cheap used copies, and replace them as needed, instead of buying this sturdy but graceless cardboard version.

Return to a more gentler past.
This book returned me to a more gentler past. Reading and sharing the illustrations to my three month old granddaughter kept her spellbound and attentive. We as parents/grandparents must understand that learning begins in utero, and this book continues a logical progression for lifelong learning. I give this book two grand parental thumbs up!!!!!

B, b, what begins with B? Bastardized Board Book, B B B
The original book is great, but this edition has been butchered beyond belief. All the original pictures have been preserved, but the text has been chopped up to fit into the size limits of the format. For example, P: "Painting Pink Pajamas, Policeman in a a Pail. Peter Pepper's puppy. And now Papa's in the pail." becomes "Painting some pajamas pink. P...p...P." Spend the money and get the full-sized version.

Hatchet job on original
The original Seuss ABC is a lot of fun; good rhyme and meter. This one has been horribly hacked up to fit the board book format.

For example, the original entry for X is: "X is very useful if your name is Nixie Knox. It also comes in handy spelling ax and extra fox." Silly and bouncy. The board book version says: "X-ray and xylophone." ... Read more

Amazon.com

The thinking's not fuzzy in these board books, but the animalscertainly are. Sandra Boynton's familiar furry creatures introduce simple concepts in this bright collection of four books, replete with clever line drawings. In Horns and Toes and In Between, three horned monsters teach the parts of the body in rhyme: "...and we have a fuzzy TUMMY that we all like to pat / and a little BELLY BUTTON in the middle of that."The Going to Bed Book gets a Noah's Ark of animals organized for bed: "They hang their towels on the wall / and find pajamas, big and small." Opposites is just that: cute animals "high and low / fast and slow / heavy and light / day and night." In the rhyming reader But Not the Hippopotamus, a hippo finds himself on the outs as "a cat and two rats are trying on hats. / But not the hippopotamus. / A moose and a goose together have juice. / But not the hippopotamus." Rest assured the hippo finds love at the end. (Baby to preschool) --Claire Dederer ... Read more

Reviews (9)

My daughter's favorites!
When I first got this group of books (and also the other set), it didn't hold my daughter's attention. She was still just a baby, so I'm assuming the pictures didn't thrill her. Then she turned 18 months... In the last three months I think I've read each of these books at least twice a day. I know them by heart and she does too. In fact she sleeps with a couple every night!

Simply essential for every well-read infant.
I think "The Going to Bed Book" is the best night-night book ever written. "But Not the Hippopotamus" is a tear-jerker - "But YES the hippopotamus!" - and "Horns to Toes" is a rockin' good book to sing, rather than read. Sandra Boynton is wonderful; I want her to come to