Book Description

In the forty years since Max first cried "Let the wild rumpus start," Maurice Sendak's classic picture book has become one of the most highly acclaimed and best-loved children's books of all time. Now, in celebration of this special anniversary, introduce a new generation to Max's imaginative journey to where the wild things are.

Winner, 1964 Caldecott Medal
Notable Children's Books of 1940–1970 (ALA)
1981 Boston Globe–Horn Book Award for Illustration
1963, 1982 Fanfare Honor List (The Horn Book)
Best Illustrated Children's Books of 1963, 1982 (NYT)
A Reading Rainbow Selection
1964 Lewis Carroll Shelf Award
Children's Books of 1981 (Library of Congress)
1981 Children's Books (NY Public Library)
100 Books for Reading and Sharing 1988 (NY Public Library) ... Read more

Reviews (195)

A Great Children's Book, in Many Ways
Max puts on a wolf costume and feels mischievous. He breaks some rules and is sent to bed without supper. From there, his imagination takes over, a jungle grows in his bedroom, and he goes on a magical journey of (self-)discovery. The world he explores is populated by colorful, scary, and somewhat silly monsters who all get tamed by Max.

This book is beautifully illustrated, the story flows rapidly and flawlessly, and the language is simultaneously simple and loaded with meaning. While it is unlikely to happen, watch out for your children trying to write like Sendak, with his trademark run-on sentences.

This is the first book I remember reading by myself. It holds a special place in my heart.

Wow! I think that any child can sympathize with Max as he just wants to do what he wants to do, and then gets in trouble for breaking the rules. We also can understand how his frustration and anger cannot be sustained in the face of parental clarity, consistency, and calm strength. He works through his anger during his "journey" through the "jungle" and tames himself as he tames the monsters. Along the way, he discovers how lonely he is and how much he dislikes disapproval. The ending is simple, happy, and realistic.

This is a great book to read with your children, and then turn over to them to read on their own. It opens the door to discuss many simple but crucial issues of childhood. Please buy this book and use it.

Wild About Wild
Maurice Sendak is one of those great children's book creators who could write and draw. He helped me dream as a young boy, and I should pay him credit for helping me imagine things today.

When I was little, I'd stare at the page long after my mother finished reading it to me. Sendak seemed to have found my creative pulse, as he drew me in to wonder about his world of pretend monsters. The monsters are not quite so terrible, and could be considered friendly.

Max and I are both boys, and it must ordinary for we boys to get in a terrific amount of trouble in the process of playing. I related to Max. He sounded like a real boy. I was never quite sure what a rumpus was, but I knew it sounded like a lot of fun.

The pictures are cool. There is a rich, full-of-flavor tension in the art. The expressions and poses of the characters come across as genuine.

Don't be fooled by the amazing pictures. You'll enjoy the carefully laid story just as much, and your child can close his eyes and imagine his own version.

A wonderful book. A classic. If you've got kids, or if you read to your family's or neighbor's kids, this is one book which will be dog-eared from numerous reads.

I fully recommend "Where the Wild Things Are" by Maurice Sendak.

Anthony Trendl

not as good as new books
I am almost 7 and my teachre said we have to say why we like a lot of books or do not like a lot of books this summer on amazon and then print out them and give them to our new teacher next year So I am starting with this book.

My dad reelly likes this book because he said it was good when he was a kid. I dont like it. The pictures are boring and the story is not long. My dad reads this to me a lot and I like the books that are newer. New books have pictures that are pretty and the storys are funner and longer. This book has pictures that look old. I wish my dad would read this to himself and let me read something diferent. Nichole

the book I loved best as a child.
My love affair with Maurice Sendak's "Where The Wild Things Are" goes back further than I think I can remember. I fell hard for the vibrant prose and unbelievable illustrations. It is a beautiful book throughout and it has absolutely withstood the test of time.

I am twenty-four years old now. I love this book as much as I did the first time I read it. This book speaks to places in the heart and the mind that you sort of forget about as you age. It's a magical book, it never fails to transform me.

Long live King Max....and all of his beautiful monsters.

Great book!!
I took a children's literature class a few years ago in college and I am now expecting my first child and I remembered this book and have recently purchased it. It's absolutely wonderful!! ... Read more

Book Description

"Well, first of all, " said the BFG, "human beans is not really believing in giants, is they? Human beans is not thinking we exist."

Sophie discovers that giants not only exist, but that there are a great many of them who like to guzzle and swallomp nice little chiddlers. But not the Big Friendly Giant. He and Sophie cook up an ingenious plot to free the world of troggle-humping -- forever.

Reviews (217)

The BFG's the book you've been looking forward to !!!!!!
This is an extraordinary book, and the reader is immediately drawn into the fascinating tale. It begins like this.........

Sophie is an orphan... One night, the moon was pouring in all it's brightness through her windows, casting light directly on her pillow....., unable to sleep, then, Sophie looks out of the window and.....that's when she finds herself caught by a giant called the BFG (the big Friendly Giant), but a giant so friendly and kind, that when other giants go searching for edible humans every night, he eats horrible cucumber kind of vegetables. Soon after Sophie and the BFG gets to be friends and goes to meet Queen Elizabeth for help. In the end, Sophie gets to live in a big palace with the BFG. I couldn't put this book down, so I read it in one day! It's terribly funny and interesting. It's the kind of book everyone will love reading.

Charming fantasy about little girl befriending lonely giant
Sophie is an orphan, not exacly living "the charmed life". Enter a "big friendly giant", who came to town during witching hour to "blow dreams into the minds of sleeping children", but ends up kidnapping Sophie, because she saw him and "would have caused a giant hunt". -- The adventure for both Sophie and the "BFG" is wonderful to follow, at times even hilarious. The friendly giant has a wonderful way of "jumbling" almost the entire English language, making the reader laugh out loud during many delightful scenes. The "other" giants in Giant Country are not at all friendly, but man-eating monsters who torment the BFG. With the genius of Sophie and the aid of The Queen of England all ends well. -- I read this book with my 4th grade class, and all agreed that this was our favorite book we covered all year! Highly recommended!

This is a Total Blast
This book is the fiction story that you MUST read! It's about a girl named sophie who's an orphan that finds joy in a Big Friendly Giant. You can't let this story pass without reading it. I give it 2 thumbs up!

Just one word... WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!
This book ROCKS!!! I mean, seriously!!! You should really read this book!!! If you don't, your missing out on a lot, ...!!! Really, you HAVE to read this book!!!!!!

The BFG
The BFG
By: Roald Dahl
Reviewed by J. Yeh
Period: P.1

The BFG, written by Roald Dahl is about a young orphan who met a giant called the Big Friendly Giant. One night the orphan named Sophie couldn't sleep and out the window she saw an outline of something big. She saw it blow things into the windows with a trumpet. Sophie ran back to her bed and hid under her blanket. Next thing she knew when she peeped out was that a hand snatched her from the bed out of the window. Inside his hand was Sophia watching everything past her while the giant ran fast. They got to the cave where he lived and the giant set Sophie on the table. The BFG told her everything like why she was taken and his life. A giant bigger than the BFG came in and thought there was someone in the cave because the BFG was talking to Sophie. Sophie hid in what the giant calls snozzcumbers. The enormous giant went around searching for the human being but couldn't find her, and soon left. The BFG took Sophie to the Dream Country where the giant caught all his dreams. He didn't like the nightmare dreams and got really mad when he caught one. He caught a nightmare and left the country. He blew the dream into another giant. Suddenly the giant started squirming around and screamming. After a while all the giants got into a big quarrel. The BFG showed Sophie all his dreams he had caught and she read the labels written on them. There were dreams for girls and boys. Sophie thought of an idea of how to get rid of the other giants. So the BFG mixed the dreams for the queen to have about all the giants gobbling up human beings. They took a while to mix it and in the night while the other giants were gone, they blew the dream into the queen's bedroom. She woke up thinking that it was only a dream. Sophia was sitting by her bed like it was in the dream. She convinced her that the dream was real. So the queen sent army men and helicopters to capture the giants. They tied the giants up while they were sleeping and flew them into a pit where they couldn't escape.

I liked this book because it was kind of funny and interesting at the same time. One quote that I liked was,"One night, I is blowing a dream through a window and I sees this book lying on the little boy's bedroom table. I wanted it so very badly, you understand. But I is refusing to steal it. I would never do that." This quote tells me how much the BFG would never do anything horrible. Another quote I liked was,"Bravo! You is very good for a beginner! Let's have some more!" This quote was kind of funny to me because it seemed like the BFG was drunk.

My favorite part of the book was when Sophia and the BFG were mixing the dreams up for the queen to have so that the other giants would stop eating human beings. I liked it because it seemed interesting by the way the author described how it looked. ... Read more

Book Description

Which letter of the alphabet does Elmo like best? Elmo likes A, because juicy apples begin with A. But the word baby begins with the letter B, and Elmo loves babies.
Oh, no! Can you help Elmo decide? ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The Best Alphabet Book
This is one of my daughter's favorite books and it also the best ABC book that I've come across. Elmo tries to decide what his favorite letter is, from "D" is for dogs, "I" for imagination, and "Z" for Zoe. Each page has the letter highlighted and a reason why Elmo likes the letter. This books has a good pace and pleasing pictures. It's a great addition for anyone trying to teach the alphabet in a fun and exciting way. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi pull off an impressive five for five with Wrath of Mulgarath, the satisfyingly dramatic conclusion to their series, The Spiderwick Chronicles. After the gory conclusion of the The Ironwood Tree, we don't get even a moment's reprieve before the action picks up again, in a starting chapter entitled, fittingly, "IN WHICH the World Is Turned Upside Down." Thirteen-year-old Mallory and nine-year-old twins Jared and Simon return to the Spiderwick Estate only to find their home in shambles, with trash and broken furniture scattered across the lawn and Simon's griffin chasing a "goblin" across the roof. The faerie world that the Grace kids have so slowly probed in this series has finally come home to roost.Black and DiTerlizzi pack a lot into the finale of this beautifully produced series, with dragons and goblins and elves--and even a magical cameo by Arthur Spiderwick (the long-lost author of the disappearing-reappearing Field Guide to the Fantastical World Around You). We get a dramatic rescue, a clever end to a fearsome foe (with some thanks to Hogsqueal from book two), and a long denouement that leads to a finalcryptic note from the author and illustrator: "Are there more ogres / and dragons to slay? / Is there more mayhem, / perhaps, on the way? / Ask Tony and Holly. / They'll swear that it's true. / But you still won't believe / what's coming for you!" (Ages 6 to 10) --Paul Hughes ... Read more

Book Description

Lovable, furry old Grover is distressed to learn that there's a monster at the end of this book! He begs readers not to turn the pages, but of course kids feel they just have to see this monster for themselves. Grover is astonished--and kids are delighted--to discover whois really the monster at the end of the book! ... Read more

Reviews (67)

Adorable
I look forward to the time that my son really enjoys me reading this book. This is not one of his favorites nor is it frequently read my house but still this is an excellent book. I think that my son might be a little too young for this book at the moment but I keep bringing it out and reading it to him hoping that he will finally be into this book. The Sesame Street books were favorites when I was a kid so I know they will be for my son too. I recommend that this book be for a child over the age of 2 because at 18 mos this book still has little interest for my son. For young ones try Sandra Boyton books, mouse paint and Winnie the Pooh Sweet Dreams books.

children of all ages will love this book!!!
We first found this book when my nephew was born, over 18 years ago. He loved it so much we had to read it several times each time he was at our house, so we got him his own copy. We still had to read it when he came over and his parents read it to him every night(no skipping pages allowed, no matter how many times we had read it !). Both copies were completely worn out. We have been looking for more copies since then. It is surely a sign of how good this book is that it is nearly impossible to find in used book stores.

I Loved this book!
This was one of my favorite books as a kid. I can still remember reading it for the first time while in line at the grocery store and thinking it was the funniest book in the world. It would make a good bed time story and would be fun for a parent to read to there child because it is very exciting for a kid. I highly recommend this.

Very cute!
Kids love it. They think it's hysterical. Anytime you find a book that they love, it's a good thing. Two thumbs up!

A Monster From the Very Beginning
Of course, to see a person's amazon.com blurb on a novel (or novella) such as this one, you would estimate the person's age to be either that of a parent, such as say 26 or 32, or that of a small child, perhaps four or even six. However, considering my spelling and grammar in the first sentence, you can probably deduce that the latter is not applicable. As for the former, I've got a ways to go.

Basically, I'm a college student who was so profoundly touched by this work of book that I must stress its greatness to those generations that look up to me so dearly (yes, all of them). Essentially, the repeated reading of this book at an early age for me created a lens through which all other works of suspense were viewed and interpreted. Needless to say, Hitchcock never did it for me, and waiting for twists at the end of "The Twilight Zone" was like waiting for crust at the end of a piece of pizza.

No, not a single work of suspense could top this one. Told in the most ominous second person, protagonist Grover implores the reader not to turn the pages, for there is, as the title may suggest, a flesh eating virus hidden within the pages of the book itself. Just kidding, there's actually a monster at the end of the book, and if you wish to ignore the age-old adage that "curiousity killed the cat," then you just might find this out for yourself. (I, on Grover's recommendation, did not in fact turn the pages for several months after starting the book, until my mommy assured me that it was okay. Needless to say, I trust my own mother over a Muppet.)

At the risk of giving away any scant fragment of the ending, I must cease my review here. But be forewarned, the trip to the end of the book will be a thrilling one. I'm aware that Sesame Street has released some rather predictable works before ("Cookie cookie cookie starts with C?" Thanks, Cookie Monster, for the thoroughly engaging spelling lesson), but this is not one of them. Fasten your seatbelts kids, and turn the page.

If you dare!

No, seriously, turn the page. ... Read more

Book Description

The Heroine: Tiffany Aching, incipient witch and cheese maker extraordinaire. Once saved world from Queen of the Elves. Is about to discover that battling evil monarchs is child's play compared to mortal combat with a Hiver (see below). At eleven years old, is boldest heroine ever to have confronted the Forces of Darkness while armed with a frying pan.

The Threat: A Hiver, insidious disembodied presence drawn to powerful magic. highly dangerous, frequently lethal. Cannot be stopped with iron or fire. Its target: Tiffany Aching (see above).

The Nac Mac Feegle: A.k.a. the Wee Free Men. Height: six inches. Color: blue. Famed for drinking, stealing, and fighting. Will attack anything larger than themselves. Members include: Rob Anybody, Daft Wullie, and Awfully Wee Billy Bigchin. Allies to Tiffany Aching (see above).

The Book: Hilarious, breathtaking, spine-tingling sequel to the acclaimed Wee Free Men.

The Author: Terry Pratchett, celebrated creator of the internationally best-selling Discworld series. Carnegie Medalist and writer extraordinaire.

Reviews (10)

A Witch For the People
A Hat Full of Sky is the thirty-second novel in the Discworld series, following Monstrous Regiment. This novel is a sequel to the story in The Wee Free Men, wherein nine year old Tiffany Aching met the Nac Mac Feegles, or Pictsies, a less attractive kind of fairies. When their Kelda -- or Queen -- died, the Feegles chose Tiffany as her (temporary) replacement. Tiffany proved her mettle by whanging the Queen of Fairy with a frying pan and was later recruited as a witch by Granny Weatherwax.

In this novel, two years later, Tiffany goes away from the Chalk Country to discover her witch powers as the apprentice of Miss Level in the Ramtops. The Feegles are still watching out for her and note that she is being followed by a Hiver, a nonmaterial spirit who possesses humans or animals. After some moments of jealousy, the new Kelda, Jeannie, sends her husband Rob Anybody and fifty Feegles to protect Tiffany from the Hiver.

Miss Perspicacia Tick escorts Tiffany to the town of Twoshirts on the cartier's cart. Along the way, Miss Tick keeps having feelings that something is watching them. When they meet Miss Level in the woods near Twoshirts, both senior witches have the same feeling. However, nothing menacing is to be found in the vicinity, so Tiffany reluctantly climbs on the broomstick behind Miss Level and off they fly to her new residence.

Before they leave, Miss Level asks Tiffany if she is afraid of heights and Tiffany says that she is not; however, she should have told Miss Level that she is really afraid of depths. Since Tiffany had forgotten to wear woolen trousers to protect against the cold, Miss Level mostly flies just above ground level, except when she is flying straight up a waterfall. Tiffany tries to keep her eyes shut as much as possible, for the ground is just a blur as they fly over. Every time they come to a fence or hedge, Miss Level says "Here we go!" or "Ups-a-daisy!", which does not help Tiffany's queasy stomach. She throws up twice on the journey.

After they arrive, Miss Level immediately takes Tiffany to her room and lets her prepare for bed. Of course, she brings up a tray of beef stew for supper, which Tiffany manages to eat despite the efforts of an invisible sprite to take away the dishes. Tiffany discovers the next day that the invisible creature is an ondageist, who tidies up things. She also discovers that Miss Level has two (2) bodies with only a single mind.

In this story, Tiffany is attacked and possessed by the Hiver before the Feegles can reach her. The creature uses her mind and abilities to appear as a powerful witch and it scares the dickens out of Annagramma, a fellow apprentice who likes to put down her sisters. When the Feegles arrive, they cross over into her mind to fight the creature. Miss Weatherwax also comes to help with the Hiver. Together they all toss it out on its ear, but it is still around and it can't be killed. Moreover, Tiffany feels that she is missing something.

Tiffany learns a lot about herself and her beloved Granny Aching while she is residing in the Ramtops. In fact, she learns that she has a lot of Granny Aching within herself. Despite Annagramma's cuts and put-downs, Tiffany rises above petty jealousy to accomplish remarkable deeds and to accept the accolades of Granny Weatherwax herself.

Overall, this novel is as fully satisfying as the first tale about Tiffany. The scene where Tiffany dances with the bees is filled with vicarious joy! How can the author produce such a humorous book that also makes the reader feel so alive? Another winner in the Discworld series!

Highly recommended for Pratchett fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of self-reliant young ladies who are willing to face their shortcomings, but also willing to accept their strengths.

-Arthur W. Jordin

Another good read by Pratchett
Ah, the lovely sight of a new Pratchett novel in my mailbox....

This time, eleven year old Tiffany is leaving her beloved Chalk, off to apprentice to a real witch, the somewhat odd Mrs Level. Add in an ancient, bodyless creature who want to take over Tiffany's mind, a rather unique poltergeist, a coven of junior witches, the indomitable Granny Weatherwax, and of course the Nac Mac Feegle - four inch tall, red-haired, blue skinned pictsies who will drink, fight or steal anything.

This is, technically, a children's book, but falls into that rare but treasured class of literature that can be read with equal enjoymenet by children and adults alike. Pratchett's insightful, humorous view of human nature, if anything, comes through more clearly in his children's books, and the use of language is certainly not watered down for younger readers.

In summary, an excellent read for all ages, and a satisfactory sequel to the Wee Free Men.

And track down a copy of Only You Can Save Mankind by the same author while you're at it...

Funny and inspired
Perhaps a lot of adult fans of Terry Pratchett's Discworld series have come to take for granted his ability to combine fantasy, riotous humor, and a touch of "why are we here and what are we for?" metaphysics. In "Hat Full of Sky," a sequel to his kids' hit "Wee Free Men," he manages all these plus more from a pre-teen perspective. However, you'll really want to read the first volume ("Wee Free"), first, or the plot of "Hat" won't make as much sense to you.

In the previous volume, Tiffany Aching, a young independent farmgirl with witch-like powers, overcomes an evil queen to rescue her brother with the help of a clan of drunken, riotous "Pictsies"-six-inch kilt-wearing men painted blue and swearing like truckers. In "Hat Full of Sky," Tiffany goes off for formal witch training, only to be taken over by a "hiver," an evil being who stirs up all one's worst urges. Under the hiver's temporary influence, Tiffany becomes a kind of "mean girl"-pushy, self-interested, inconsiderate, and obsessed with clothes.

It strikes me as remarkable that Pratchett (a middle-aged man, after all) could get the internal struggle of the pre-teen so exactly right: wanting to be popular and able to satisfy every urge, but with a wee small voice inside, fighting those urges in favor of a better self.

As in "Wee Free Men," the pictsies are terrifically funny; the best bit is when the Pictsies climb over each other like acrobats and throw on human clothes to disguise themselves (as a single human) for a journey: they confound their fellow-travelers when the stomach complains out loud to the head, and the gloved hands walk off in opposite directions.

Both full- and pint-sized readers will laugh and enjoy this book!

Better Than Ever
I'll leave the detailed reviews to the others, but just wanted to comment that as with Wee Free Men, this book is classified "Young Adult" but is really just Pratchett at his best. It's back to the basics of what always made me love the Discworld books to begin with: a great story with insightful commentary on human behavior snuck in and plenty of material that will make you laugh out loud as you read it.

I liked Wee Free Men and Hat Full of Sky is easily even better.

So don't let the Young Adult classification scare you away if you don't normally fit into that catagory, if you've been reading the Discworld series you'll greatly enjoy this.

Dances with bees **
At a mere eleven years old, Tiffany Aching has won a war and lost a gran. She's killed the "Quin" of the Faeries - with a skillet! Her grandmother, a woman of Power, was a subtle force among the Chalk Downs shepherd community. With such a background, it's inevitable that she is destined for an interesting life. She's already been a kelda to the Nac Mac Feegles - the pictsies who scutter among the barns and bushes of the local farms. Now, she's been selected by the doyenne of the Ramtops' witches, Mistress Weatherwax, to be trained in The Craft.

Tiffany's clearly inherited some of her gran's Power, but is too young to understand or cope with it. Something else wants that Power. The hiver is a formless thing constantly seeking minds to inhabit. While not truly evil, its effect is deadly. It's inhabited Tyrannosaurs, sabre-toothed tigers and wizards. Yet it's still not sated. Tiffany's young, untested and vulnerable mind seems an ideal roost for the hiver. Thus, the story, told as only Pratchett can relate it, becomes a contest of wills - Tiffany's, the hiver, her mentor, Nac Mac Feegle and all.

So, is this just another simple fantasy about witchcraft and the eternal struggle between "good" and "evil" - a dark versus light dichotomy? Not in Pratchett's knowledgeable hands. The Feegle, Tiffany's staunch allies, are thieves and boozers, in strife with anything that moves. Miss Level, Tiffany's assigned trainer, leads a double life - and more than one of those. The Chalk Downs aren't just white rocky paddocks - they bear a history of life reaching millions of years in the past. Part of the Power is understanding that heritage, and perhaps putting it to use. And just why was the Uffington White Horse carved on a hillside so that can't be seen clearly until you're above it? And why is the carving in parts instead of a complete rendition? Um . . . and is it really a cat? Pratchett's ability to challenge the reader instead of merely being entertaining is unexcelled. This book is a prime example.

Tiffany's confrontation with the hiver reveals its hidden origins. They are as remote as Time itself. While the hiver enters but one mind at a time, it represents an aspect of all living things. Pratchett's resolution of the hiver's invasion of the young witch's mind is superbly crafted. But the story doesn't end with that denouement. Tiffany must attend on Granny Weatherwax, who initiated this situation. In this finale, Pratchett draws one of the most glorious passages of his career. Esme Weatherwax can Borrow - entering the minds of creatures more subtly than the hiver's occupation. Is it her in the swarm of bees Tiffany encounters? Or have they collectively responded to the presence of so powerful a witch? Whatever the cause, Tiffany and the swarm perform a dance - of victory? of acceptance? or just for the pleasure of it?

With his superb style - a recipe of mirth, pathos, philosophy and irony, Pratchett has again shared his genius with us. All of us. As many have noted, putting a "readers' age" restriction on this book is a flawed limitaton. Pratchett, in whatever he writes, is unaged and ageless. Adults and children alike will find entertainment and value here. The best approach, in this reviewer's opinion, is for adults to buy this book and read it aloud - to anybody. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

(...)with humble apologies and thanks to Michael Blake ... Read more

Book Description

The history of Deltora and its amazing creatures, with ravishing illustrations from Marc McBride. A must-have for all Deltora fans, as well as devotees of fantasy art. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A GREAT COMPANION TO THE QUEST SERIES
My son (only 5) listened to every one of the Deltora Quest series (which have little or no pictures) and he liked being able to refer to the Book of Monsters to get an idea of what the various creatures looked like. We really enjoyed having this in hand while we read the other books. Great pictures, mildly irritating narration to the drawings.

A review of the Deltora Book of Monsters
This book is excellent if you enjoy Deltora Quest and Deltora Shadowlands. It gives information on many of the creatures mentioned in the books, so that you can have a better visual of the book. It is useful to keep around as you read the books, so that you can pick it up and read about monsters from the book. You can also see a picture, so it is much easier to visualize the book as you read. ... Read more

Book Description

You hear your door come crashing downóthose birthday monsters are in town! And they-re going to wreak havoc in the most extraordinarily rude ways. What fun! From Boynton on Board, the 2.6-million-copy-bestselling series of extra-big, extra-fat, and extra-fun board books, here is BIRTHDAY MONSTERS, with over 290,000 copies in print. Featuring Sandra Boynton-s lively rhyming text and inimitable illustrations, this story about a madcap crew of lovable party crashers will appeal to kids and adults alike. Main selection of the Children-s Book-of-the-Month Club.

... Read more

Reviews (9)

A great children's book from as early as age 1!
I bought this book for my neice's first birthday, and she loves it! The pictures are wonderful, and the text is written in Boynton's usual melodic style--my neice certainly seemed to respond to the sound of others reading the words to her. The story describes five birthday monsters arriving and taking over on "your" birthday; although the monsters themselves aren't scary, young children who can comprehend the story might become upset by certain scenes (eg, the monsters eat all "your" cake!)--but of course, there is a happy ending. An engaging, fun story for young children.

My Favorite Boynton Book!
My daughter loved these books when she was a baby, and so did I! Of all the Boynton books, this is the one I like the best. The story is adorable and the cadence is catchy! Every time I see a copy of this book, the story is fresh as the first time I read it.

Nothing special
If you like Boynton's books, you'll probably like this one too. My son is more of a fan of her "Opposites" or "But Not the Hippopotamus". It's OK, as far as children's books go, but Boynton has done better.

Fun Book
I bought this book for my son's first birthday and it is so fun to read! He is just starting to sit still for a story and this one seemed to hold his attention-probably because of the quick pace and excitement that the monsters demand! I tend to read the monster parts really fast and louder than the rest of the book. And I like the illustrations because we can count balloons and different color hats etc as we read the story.

Funny story as long as you explain to your child
My daughter thought this book was funny but at the end she was wanting me to ensure her that no monsters were going to come on her birthday and eat all her cake, and open her presents! But after explaining to her about these books being for fun and pretend she has really grown to love this book and telling people that there really are not any birthday monsters. ... Read more

Book Description

Elmo promises to go to sleep--after he pats the cat and feeds the fish and hears one more story and has one more drink of water. Told with a bouncy beat that winds down to a soothing sway, this story is just perfect for bedtime!
... Read more

Reviews (2)

Super Bed time book
My daughter is a big fan of Elmo and ever since I got this book for her, my husband and I have to read it to her every night. The illustrations are good, the wording is short and to the point so they do not get bored, and most of all the pages are some what glossy and the book is a hardcover so it will last a long a time. I highly recommend this book to any Elmo lover.

I know it by heart!
This book has been out sons favortie since we bought it when he was around 9 months old (he is now 2 1/2). He askes for this particular book at least 4 out of 7 nights aweek. I am acutally at this site right now looking into buying a new copy. The binding did not hold up as well as I would have liked, but I will admitt he falls alseep with it in his bed a couple of times a night (we let him look at a book in bed after we tuck him in for the night) I would highly recommend this book to anyone who child loves Elmo. It is a really cute story and as it goes along, Elmo falls asleep, so my son likes to pretend he is Elmo and lays down on his pillow. I can not rave about it enough. There is lots to talk about as the story goes along and there is even a section where you can count sheep (my sons favorite part)! I recommend this story to everyone! ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Cute idea, but not practical for rambunctious toddlers
I purchased this book to talk about feelings with my almost two year old son. Unless you have a child that is VERY careful with handling books, trying to play with the fold-out masks is more frustrating than a learning tool. He didn't want it on his face and it worried him that it was on mine. Needless to say, we've used this book once and then I put it up.

Cute idea, but I would think that this would be for a more mature toddler or the preschool set.

A cute book about feelings and monsters.
This book has fold out pages that either you or your child can "wear". My 15-month-old thinks its funny when I wear each of the monster masks. I think it is a good book for toddlers, as well as, older children. Toddlers enjoy the bright colors and masks. Older children should enjoy wearing the masks themselves, as well as, exploring feeling and monsters.

Cute, but could be a bit simpler
This book has the basics -- mad, sad, glad -- but uses needlessly complex language (like using "worried" instead of "scared"). The drawings are a little fussy and to me, the faces with various emotions look more alike than different. I applaud the concept but wonder if this book could have been made a little simpler for its target audience, which is, after all, 2- and 3-year olds.

Terrific preschool response
I have been a preschool teacher for 20 years and have searched for the "right" book about feelings and emotions to help the very young child articulate their worries and fears. Without a doubt, this book has proven to be a real winner. With three classes of youngsters ranging from 31/2 to 5 years, this wonderful tool made them giggle, then think, and, finally talk about their concerns. I developed a whole thematic unit, creative project and bulletin board around this very useful book. Congratulations to the authors! ... Read more

Book Description

A shark accuses Cyrus of cowardice because he won't sink any ships. The kindly sea serpent almost succumbs to peer pressure, but learns at last to be himself. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

The saving Sea Serpent
Title: Cyrus the Unsinkable Sea Serpent
Author: Bill Peet
Favorite Characters: Cyrus, Caption

Cyrus is board and wants to find something to do. A shark told him to go wreck a ship and when Cyrus follows a ship out to see, he ends up saving it! First, he blew the ship out of the doldrums. Than he kept it floating trough a storm and after that, he saved the ship from pirates!
Cyrus than noticed that the ships sails were torn off because of the pirates. The people would be stranded at sea for ever if he didn't do something. He was clever enough to figure out what to do. You should figure out what he did your self by reading this book.
...

The likable Sea serpent
Title: Cyrus the Unsinkable Sea Serpent
Author: Bill Peet
Favorite Characters: Cyrus, Caption

Cyrus is board and wants to find something to do. A shark told him to go wreck a ship and when Cyrus follows a ship out to see, he ends up saving it! First, he blew the ship out of the doldrums. Than he kept it floating trough a storm and after that, he saved the ship from pirates!
Cyrus than noticed that the ships sails were torn off because of the pirates. The people would be stranded at sea for ever if he didn't do something. He was clever enough to figure out what to do. You should figure out what he did your self by reading this book.

Endearing and unpredictable
Once again, Bill Peet has captivated his audience with yet another unique and imaginative tale! As with every one of his books, Cyrus the Sea Serpeant is a delight to read and presents a lesson in creature kindness, no matter what shape or size. Through adversity and prejudice, a determined Cyrus proves to be an unlikely hero. Certain to bring a smile to all faces and a pure joy to read!

Another winner
A charming story of selflessness told in a way that my 4 year understands the message.

Wonderful, Entertaining Tale of a Sea Serpent Who Does Good
My boys, 6 and 3, have heard this story a minimum of 50 times (gee, if you add up all the times they've heard all the Bill Peet books, the number gets kind of big). It has suspense, pathos, bravery, and the bad guys get it in the end with a big KERWHAM! We love it. Folkmanis, by the way, makes a fabulous sea serpent puppet that is almost a dead ringer for Cyrus; ours has become a permanent part of family life, thanks to this wonderful story. ... Read more

Reviews (20)

A great book that allows active child participation.
"Go away, Big Green Monster has delighted my preschooler for nearly a year now. After reading it to him only 2 or 3 times he had memorized nearly every page. Now when we crack open the book, he reads it to me first and then I read it to him. He especially likes the last page because he can firmly state with power, "Go away, Big Green Monster and don't come back, until I say so!" This book is also a good tool in color and shape recognition.

Alredy a classic
I'm a children's librarian. This book is so incredibly popular with my library children that I order a dozen copies at a time. Its simple, bold graphics are extremely pleasing, and the children love the cutout pictures.

I frequently use this book for story programs. The first part of the book builds the monster by adding one facial feature at a time. I usually ask the children what the facial feature is or what color it is. The hair is purple, the face is green. When the monster is complete, I ask if they are scared. They never are. Then we get out our pointer fingers, shake them at the book, and in our bossiest voice chase that monster away. The book ends with the children telling the monster not to come back until we say so.

Whenever I read this book to a group, I invariably see children rereading the book on their own. Usually half the children want to check out a copy of the book. Because the graphics are so good, and the story so strong, even very young children can "read" this book to themselves. I love to see the children sitting at tables, shaking their fingers at the book, and gruffly telling that bad monster to "Go away."

I highly recommend this book because it is empowering, it's fun, and it's a great book to teach your child to love books.

Come back little big green monster!
I've enjoyed reading through the vast variety of responses to this book, and mostly they bring up some interesting points. 'Go Away Big Green Monster' is ostensibly a book that is meant to (and I'm quoting the back of the book here) 'chase away their (kids') nighttime monsters'. All well and good. This doesn't give the book much in the way of plot development or character analysis, but it sure does create one heckuva scary bed time monster. By flipping through the pages the book slowly creates, then disposes with a big green boogie man.

I was a bit amazed at the cut out construction of this tale. It's cleverly done and expertly woven. But as some reviews of this book have pointed out, it's probably a book best written for kids who ALREADY are afraid of big green monsters. If you've a child who's never considered that monsters might be out there with 'a big red mouth with sharp white teeth' this might suddenly inspire them to become afraid for the first time. Sort of the antithesis of what the book is supposed to accomplish. I mean, it's a cute book. No question. Just make certain that you're handing it to a little one that is not innocent in the ways of monsters and monster appearance.

Oh, and as a personal side note, I love the cover. The big green monster stares out at the viewer in a perfect Kilroy-esque appearance (his big ole nose hanging like a blue cucumber over the yellow wall). Any book that references Kilroy is a-okay by me.

I love this book
I love this book, not only is it a fun book to read, but it helps children learn how to make the monsters go away when they are scared. I not only read this book to all my children at school but I also read it to my five month old son. He listens to me and the colors really catch his eyes.

Jack's Monster Book
This is the favorite book of my son's pre-school two year old class. They are not frigtened by the story and seem to like retelling the story back to the teacher. My son enjoyed this book so much at school we bought it for his Christmas present and likes to look at it most days. Very good for children 2-6 years of old. ... Read more

Book Description

In this sequel, furry old Grover is still fearful of monsters--and he learns that there's another one at the end of this book! Just who is the monster at the end of this book? ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Great Children's Book
What a great book!! Reading this book just before bedtime when your preschooler is "afraid of monsters" is ideal. Are all monsters bad? Grover is afraid of monsters and Elmo is curious. Little Elmo wants to see the monster at the end of the book, but Grover tries to discourage him by placing obstacles in his way. Will Elmo ever see the monster? My 3 1/2 year old thinks this book is great and even participates in the reading. A great read for children and parents alike.

Not as good as the original
First let me say that I was disappointed when this book arrived because it's a small cardbood book. When I read "hardcover", I was thinking it would be the same style and size as the original Monster at the End of This Book. I also thought that since my 2 year old loved the original one, this would be a shoo-in as a new favorite. Boy was I wrong! I've read this book to her exactly 3 times and that was because I was the one to choose her bedtime book. She definitely prefers the first one.

Not as good as the original, but my nephew loves it!
I was a bit disappointed when I first read this book to myself because I thought that it wasn't nearly as good as the original, but I was pleasantly surprised that my 28 month old nephew loves this book because it stars his favorite Sesame Street character, Elmo! He is also in this phase in which he loves monsters, so can you blame him for loving it? It apparently was not a waste of money like I thought it would be. He always requests "Another marmar book!" (Translation: Another monster book!) Basically the book is about Grover not wanting to get to end of the book because there is supposed to be a monster there, but Elmo tries to convince him throughout the book to go see the monster at the end of the book. Like in the first book, Grover does everything he can to get you to stop turning the pages, but Elmo eggs you on to turn the pages! Grover finally agrees to see the monster at the end of the book, and he is pleasantly surprised to find that HE and Elmo are the monsters at the end of the book! It is written with quotation bubbles above the heads of the characters, so that is a little different from the original text writing. Highly recommended to toddlers!

almost as good as the first Monster!
This is an interactive book....the kids hearing it read to them will help you decide whether to listen to Grover and stop turning the pages, or go on with Elmo...it's just what the pre-schooler loves, and I enjoy it as well!!! The first one was only with Grover, and I gotta admit, even better. Buy both!

A great book passed down from generation to generation
I remember reading this book as a child, and I loved every page! It's creative and well put together. Every page is a new surprise! Everyone in the family can enjoy this book. Now that I have children, I can now pass the tradition of loving this book on for many more generations to come. This is a book that provides many smiles and laughs to children of all ages. You'll love it, and your children will love it, and their children will love it and so on and so on..... ... Read more

Book Description

Santa Claus?The Tooth Fairy?The Easter Bunny?Who can a child count on for the scariest holiday of the year?Why , a Scary Godmother, of course!This is the story of Hannah Marie, a young girl whose rotten older cousin Jimmy is babysitting for Trick or Treats one dark Halloween.Unhappy to be saddled with Hannah, Himmy cooks up a dastardly scheme to frighten her home early.But his plan backfires when Hannah gets help from the coolest spooks around--including her own personal Scary Godmother!This elegant, hardcover presentation is fully painted by SANDMAN and WONDER WOMAN artist Jill Thompson.A definite all-ages treat in a classy storybook package.Written and illustrated by Jill Thompson--her first creator-owned project. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Amazing Book, one of my favorites!
Jill Thompson is easily one of the most gifted artists I have ever seen. Her work is truly beautiful, and every illustration leaps off the page. This book, as well as the others in the Scary Godmother series, are perfect for Halloween lovers of any age. I'm 28 and I just love sharing these stories with my young nieces and nephews. Thank you, Jill, for giving us such a wonderful world filled with loveable characters!

You can't go wrong...
...with any of the Scary Godmother Books. They are all instant classics. The illustrations are some of the best I have ever seen. My daughter loves this book.

Good fun for all ages
This is a great book, it is worth the price. The art is fantastic, my 3 year old daughter loves it, and so do I. Good clean spooky fun!

Unbelievably wonderful...
...a beautiful and entertaining book. What adult or child would not find this book enthralling?

Caspar and Wendy for a new millennium!
How many of us now tottering on middle age grew up with the adventures of Caspar the Friendly Ghost and Wendy the Good Little Witch comic books! Jill Thompson in her growing SCARY GODMOTHER oeuvre gives millennial youngsters (and their significant elders) an entirely enchanting bit of whimsy. Ms. Thompson is an artist who has cleaned and broken her brushes as a comic book illustrator. Of course, this shows in her droll illustrations for her own books. If, however, you look long and caringly enough, you'll find wisps of Rackham, Hogarth, Charles Addams, Edward Gorey, and even BETTY BOOP in the entrancing brushstrokes illumined here. The story is hilariously witty, adequately outright funny for the youngsters, but more than sufficiently jovial for the eldsters. And parents! NO, it is not TOO SCARY for your wee ones! This particular volume even includes an explanation of those peculiar, SCARY THINGS under the bed. Way too fun to be merely a children's picture book. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (15)

Funny and clever
I first saw a copy of Dogzilla at a dog show in San Diego. It features a Cardigan Welsh Corgi on the cover. Show visitors snapped up the books in a hurry. I bought a copy and have been a Dav Pilkey fan ever since. Children LOVE this book as well as adults. Pilkey's idea of placing cut-out photos of real animal "actors" imposed on colorful, cartoonish paintings of Mousopolis really make the book appealing to little ones. His jokes are "wink-winks" above kid's heads aimed at the adult readers. Dogzilla is funny and spellbinding for little ones who want to read it again and again. If you love smart and imaginative picture books, this one is a "must have" for your collection.

Extremely Goofy? Oh yeah!
The peaceful city of Mousopolis has its world shaken when an ancient monster erupts from a local volcano-Dogzilla! The mice need a terrible weapon to defeat Dogzilla, and their leader, the Big Cheese, thinks that he has just such a weapon. Can the mice defeat Dogzilla? And, if they do, can they really consider themselves safe forever more?

This kooky book is self-rated as EG - Extremely Goofy, and I think that this is a rating well deserved! The residents of Mousopolis are photos of mice, Dogzilla is a very cute dog, and the backgrounds are very cute cartoon-ish drawings. Somewhat light on text, it is nonetheless a hilarious book. My eight-year-old son and I highly recommend this book!

big dog.
Dogzilla by Dav Pilkey is a good book. The main characters are Dogzilla and the big cheese. The setting is in a big city at night. Some mice were having a cook out and the smell and smoke went into a volcano where a monster was sleeping and it woke hem up and he was destroying the city. Find out what happens.

Dogzilla is a Welch Corgi!
This is a very funny book, the author knows dogs, especially Welch Corgi's. I have a Corgi and Dogzilla is a typical Corgi. I'm getting it for my grandchildren.

Dogzilla For Doglovers
This book is very enjoyful for kids. Do you know when Godzilla is
a dog, it gets very hair-raising. They're cute little animals in
an extremely goofy story. If you love dogs you'll probably be
begging for this book. So enter the world of Mr. David Pikley's
imaginative mind. Kids will love it. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Enter, if you dare, the Monster Museum, whose halls are crowded with thelikes of Count Dracula, Bigfoot, poltergeists, Medusa, mummies, zombies,werewolves, and The Blob. Nine gawking children, dressed in itchy-looking greentweed school uniforms, are led through the spider-strewn museum by a sinister,leering docent, who introduces each ghastly monster in verse:

Alas, King Kong, he sealed his fate
When he climbed up the Empire State
Oh, why'd he try this great escape?
'Cause they called him a monkey
And he was an ape!

Reviews (3)

Not just for Halloween!
This is a great book. The illustrations are fantastic. My fifth grade class loves it!

Profound ramifications for Piaget et al.
Singer and Grimley have offered a disturbing look into what makes children tick. While presenting themes of exploration into what makes us frightened they have revealed the horrible duplicity of children's literature - good clean kiddie fun and the conflict with societal pressures as defined by what lurks in the closet/future.

Singer's poetic skills are not enough to release the monster within. Grimly, however, skillfully makes the whole message possible. His art focuses the reader's attention to the horrors at hand. The graphic depictions implying the grotesqueness of rote learning are on display for all to judge.

This book will be a delight for both young children and adults with Phd's in litural critique.

Poems worthy of Ogden Nash
One of the best books of poetry for young children to come out in years. Cleverly done and with pleasing (not scary) illustrations. Some of the poems are too long for my 3-year old (so we skip the ends) but the older kids think they're a riot. The monsters give this book something of a Halloween theme, but it's general enough to remain on the bookshelf all year long. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Nice graphics - but typeface is too dark and hard to read
I'd give this nice story 4 stars, if it weren't for the fact that the typeface is awfully difficult to read. Even now, after four or five readings with my daughter, I stumble over some words because the text font is almost illegible in places. Added to that problem is the overall dark and gritty background throughout the story that washes out the similarly dark text. They really should have thought about function before form on this book. The graphics are wild and different but be prepared for your child to ask what things are the first few times through. For example, the main character (a little boy) is scarcely discernible as being humanoid. This will require frequent explanations until the child knows from memory what these abstract drawings are. Read this under a good light!

Delightful story with Fabulous Illustrations
I have never written a review for a book before, regardless of how much I loved it, and yet I feel compelled to let everyone know that I absolutely love this one. I picked it up because of the colorful and creative illustrations and found not only were the pictures great, but the story was the perfect combination of fun, sweetness, and a little bit of life's lessons that are worth learning. My three-year old son loves this book as well and I never find myself tiring of reading it to him.

Amazing
Intriqued by the illustration, I bought this book for my 4 yr. old son. I am not sure who loves it more.
Richly illustrated, this book wraps itself around you and draws you in to a wondrous world.
The story is engaging and not 'written down'. A great opportunity for vocabulary expanding. Many teaching moments and a great way to introduce a child to gardening.
Most importantly, my son loves it and Frog Belly!

A gentle and utterly charming book, beautifully illustrated.
I got this book to have on hand when my three year old niece came for a visit this past weekend. Before I picked it up and actually read it, I was worried that it might be scary for her, because of the cover illustration.

After reading the story (while standing in the store), I realized that it was not a scary book at all. I figured that she might like it, so I bought it.

I figured wrong. She didn't just like it; she *LOVED* it. I ended up having to read it to her SEVENTEEN times over the space of the weekend visit. She walked around the house, saying, "Frog Belly Rat Bone, One, Two, Three," all weekend.

The illustrations in the book are delightful and richly detailed. The artist's use of color, the charm of the story, and the detailing of the cover make this book a pleasure to read to a child (even SEVENTEEN times). And her mom was pleased with the points it very gently makes about persistance and forgiving people when they've made mistakes.

This one's a winner, and I suspect, destined to be a classic. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (13)

The Original Shrek.
No, this is not a book based off the blockbuster movie. In fact, this little story is where the idea for SHREK the movie came from. The story and illustrations are classic William Stieg, mixing a childlike fascination with a bizarre almost cynical, humorous look at the world. In this case, Steig takes on the fairy tale.

Shrek is an ugly green ogre who can belch fire. However, one day his parents decide it's time to kick him out of the family hole in the swamp and see what mischief he can do in the world. He wanders through the woods and meets a witch who is repulsed by his stench and appearance, but agrees to tell him his future for one of his lice. She predicts that in a castle Shrek will find his true love, a princess, and live happily ever after. Along the way, Shrek runs into a talking donkey, a dragon, and an inept knight. He finally reaches the castle and meets a princess there who is more hideous than Shrek. They woo each other with monster poetry and are married at the end.

The story is funny, but children who have seen the movie too many times may not find the book as amusing as they would have before. The original Shrek is a totally different kind of ogre than the one in the movie. The original Shrek is borish, hideous, and somewhat offensive. Nevertheless, this is a story that somewhat older children do enjoy and if nothing else it's worth reading to see where the idea for SHREK the movie started.

Horribly Likeable
We knew Shrek long before there was a movie. William Steig has once again created an unforgettable character. Kids will love how Shrek revels in his own hideousness!

Steig challenges the reader with a high level vocabulary such as fusty fens, varlets and peasants scything blithely, and churlish knaves falling into stagnant moats.

Anyone who just saw Shrek and is looking for some sort of movie novelization should go elsewhere. Don't get me wrong, we all loved the movie, but it is only VERY loosely based on this book. The donkey is more given to chomping grass than making wisecracks, for instance.

I would recommend this book to parents of little boys and encourage you to check out other works by this author.

Horrible Ogre, horrible book...
My children and I both loved the movie, but the book is far from it. No real redeeming value you here. The story was dumb and gross. Shrek is an Ogre, so no real surprise I guess. W. Steig's book, "The Real Thief," on the other hand, was a gem.

BETTER THAN THE MOVIE!!!!
I loved this book long before the dumb old movie came out and I knew I'd be sorely disappointed if they didn't get it right and turn the magic from the book onto the screen.... and while it was annoying that they made Shrek's 'ugly' wife so cute even in ogre form (I guess they were afraid to really make her ugly like in the book, the only thing I see about her when she turns ogre is she's heavier and being heavy doesn't make a person ugly) the whole moral behind Steig's story is "Accept yourself just the way you are" or something along the lines of "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder" and the movie, while funny with great voice actors, really messes with that moral.... Princess Fiona is the thin archetype of today's societal idea of beauty while her 'ogre' form is a heavyset, still cute, yet inferred to as ugly form of herself.... not only that, but Shrek does not accept himself the way he is during the movie... the funniest part about the book is Shrek's complete confidence and love of his own 'flaws' (or what others see as flaws in him) the illustrations aren't primitive at all. They are charming and wonderful...and couldn't possibly be improved upon... If you want the movie go see it, if you want something better- read the book.... especially if you like a bad pun now and then. William Steig is a genious. I wish the movie hadn't been made because now this wonderful book will be compared to it - and it should never have had to be more charming than Mike Meyer's or Cameran Diaz or Eddie Murphy's jokes. It stands on it's own apart from the movie... Steig's book was really too cool for him to sell away the rights to the storyline and let them screw it up the way they did. In otherwords: read the book, love the book.... take your kid out to see the movie and laugh at the kind of entertainment you can see on comedy central anyday... but read the book out loud in a storyteller voice with wild gesticulations at bed time to your child and sing-song the crooney old witches voice... then kiss your child and put them to bed to dream of wilder things than the imagination can aspire to. This book was MADE to read out loud to children. William Steig is a children's literature demi-God. I love him, love him, LOVE HIM! *grin*