Book Description

"When identical twins Ella and Emily are invited to a Halloween party, they decide to dress as witches. As the party progresses, readers will have fun deciding 'which witch is which'....Hutchins exhibits mastery of combining concept, mental stimulation, and visual interest to crate a well-integrated, entertaining book."--School Library Journal. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

My son has worn this book out!
My two-year-old saw this book at the library and had to have it (initially because of the balloons on the cover). Since bringing it home, we have to read it at least twice a day. The story is cute, fun to read and the illustrations are adorable. Now, every time we go to the library, he knows exactly where to find this book. We're buying him a copy for his birthday! ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (1)

Fun, easy reading for young children or struggling readers.
Andy & Tamika is a realistic fiction trade book that is centered on the experiences of a young boy named Andy. This book includes many elements of the different types of realistic fiction such as, relationships with the nuclear family and alternative family situations, relationships with peers, relationships with animals, cultural diversity, and a slight element of suspense. In addition, periodic illustrations throughout the book provide appealing representations of the characters and settings that are involved. This book is part of a series by David A. Adler that follows The many troubles of Andy Russell and proceeds School Trouble for Andy Russell.
This book is recommended for 9-12 year old readers but would probably appeal more to the younger children in this age range and/or benefit struggling readers at the older end due to its limited vocabulary, larger font and shorter sentence structure. Since this story is part of a series, young readers who identify with the characters and like the variety of story details, would most likely enjoy reading the other books offered by this author. I liked this book for its variety of realistic fiction elements but would prefer a book with greater vocabulary and more advanced writing structure for children of its intended age. ... Read more

Book Description

Life is full of surprises for the rat who gets turned into a coachman by Cinderella"s fairy godmother. Susan Meddaugh uses her wit and animated artwork to give a hilarious newtake on an old tale in this story of an ordinary rat caught in extraordinary circumstances. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A new twist on an old tale
Life is full of surprises. Just ask the title character of Susan Meddaugh's clever story, Cinderella's Rat. You may remember him from the fairy tale: he's the one that the Fairy Godmother turned into a coachman (actually more of a coachboy). While Cinderella is busy dancing at the ball, Cinderella's Rat and his sister, Ruth (who is still a rat), have an adventure of their own. They discover rat heaven -- a fully stocked castle larder. Before they can enjoy it, however, there's a case of mistaken identity, and a well-meaning new friend drags the boy and Ruth to a wizard so the wizard can turn Ruth "back" into a girl. The boy is afraid to reveal the truth. What if the wizard turns both him and Ruth into cat food?

Since Ruth is truly a rat, the wizard can't completely change her from a rat to a girl. Much to her brother's dismay, the wizard transforms Ruth into a cat, then a girl who meows, then a girl who woofs. Before the wizard can "fix" his last spell, it's nearly midnight, and, well, you know what happens when the clock strikes twelve. The coachboy returns to his rat self, and Ruth helps her family by keeping the cats away. The most amazing thing about Ms. Meddaugh's illustrations is that when Cinderella's Rat and his sister change from rat to human or vice versa, they are still recognizably their former selves. As humans, they look slightly rodent-like, but in a cute way. As rats, they seem almost human, especially when the siblings are sniffing the cheese that leads them into a trap, or huddled inside the trap awaiting their fate.

Two books that really aren't to be compared
Yes, there are some similarities in plot between this book and the Wilson book, both of which I own and have read. (Because they're both based on the same folktale, perhaps?) But the whole tone of the books can't be more dissimilar. The Wilson book includes murder, riots,death by incineration, death by the plague, death by being eaten alive by thousands of rats...it's a dark fantasy not intended for children under 16, a satiric look at human society, demagoguery,how revolutions go awry (many echoes of the French and Russian revolutions)loyalty and love.

The Meddaugh book is intended for young children of 6 or so. It is a lighthearted fantasy about brother and sister rats, who get caught up in Cinderella's big night. Only one rat is transformed into a human, and when he tries to protect his sister from another boy by admitting their relationship, things get confused. The two end up at a wizard's cottage, where the boy, thinking his change is permanent,tries to see his sister turned into a girl. The wizard succeeds (sort of),but then at midnight, he's a rat again, while she stays a girl. All ends happily for the two, and the rest of their family, and none of the rats ever fear cats again. The moral of this children's book is summed up on the last page:

"Life is full of surprises, so you may as well get used to it".

But isn't this just The Coachman Rat?
An excellent tale to be sure, but I am concerned that amazon and other reviewers seem unaware of Wilson's The Coachman Rat (published in 1990 by Baen) which is a dark fantasy on a remarkably similar theme.

I strongly recommend it to all the adults like myself who enjoyed reading Cinderella's Rat to their kids. ... Read more

Book Description

T Is for Twins pairs each letter of the alphabet with an adorable color photograph of a set of twins and an insightful rhyme. This celebration of “twinship” teaches the ABCs by placing appropriate language on each page to reinforce the letter/sound relationship. The book features children of different races and ethnicities as well as a set of differently abled twins, giving it universal appeal. Included is a clear acrylic pocket where parents can insert a picture of their twins to personalize the book for the whole family. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

My two-year-old LOVES this book!
My son loves to read this book again and again. My family has home births, so the book isn't very close to our own experiences, but the book works great as a starting point for further discussions. I like the fact that the book presents a realistic view of what it's like to have a baby in the house. I was four when my own sister was born, and I expected her to come home from the hospital and be ready to play games with me. If I'd had this book I'd have known better what to expect. In this book, when Mom and the new baby come home from the hospital, they are tired and need the help of the other family members.

The book does a very good job of telling a child what to expect, in terms easy for a child to grasp, such as "Mom wakes up in the middle of the night. She feels the baby will be born soon."

I very much like the fact that the book shows the baby breastfeeding.

But the very best thing about this book is that my son loves it. He asks us to read it to him again and again.

Most of it didn't apply to our family.
The book is well written for younger children and very nicely illustrated. However, much of the book didn't apply to our family. The Bunn Family has two small children. Granny & Grandpa come to visit and stay to care for the two children while Mom is in the hospital. Mom paints the crib (while Dad sits in the rocking chair and drinks a cup of coffee -- very bad message here, although to be fair Dad does give the baby her bath). After Mom has the baby, she's in a room with two other mothers. Our toddler likes the book, but since it doesn't parallel our situation very well, it spends a lot of time on the shelf.

Good for younger sibling's to be
I really like this book only a few comment's about it. I would have liked for mum and dad to have to ring grandad and grandma or the neighbours in the middle of the night when baby arrives as in most set ups where a new sibling is due to arrive there is not "in house" baby sitting service available, and this is a point that is very important to get across. The book is great it makes a lovely read and has some great drawings that you can spend a lot of time talking about and I loved the fact that mummy is breastfeeding baby rather than bottle feeding. I would reccommend it to anyone with a young toddler and expecting again..

Perfect for toddlers!
I purchased this book when I was expecting my second child and was very pleased with it. It shows a family preparing for a new baby, the arrival of the baby, as well as what takes place when there is a new baby in the house. This book gave my toddler a good idea of what to expect and gave me a jumping off point for discussing what would happen when I left for the hospital, when she would get to come see me & the baby, etc. I was also very glad to see a book that (tastefully) showed a mother nursing her newborn instead of giving it a bottle, as most "new baby" books do. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has a young child and is expecting a baby. ... Read more

Book Description

From bright morning sun streaming in the bedroom window to bedtime kisses given from sticky toasted-marshmallow lips, here is the joyful activity of a perfect summer day. In between is time for baking sand cakes, hanging teepees under a tree, paddling in the wading pool, and picking and eating fresh corn and beans from the garden. Young and old will relish this warm evocation of the simple pleasures of summer. Kick off your shoes to taste this sweet and satisfying treat! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Marshmallow Kisses
A new classic! Our entire family adores this book. There should be a copy of Marshmallow Kisses in every nursery. The illustrations are as meaningful as the exquisitely used words. Every syllable and brushstoke bring back wonderful memories of what a childhood should be.

What summer should be!
I think my husband and I enjoyed this book even more than our 1 yr old daughter! The scenes depicted in the book brought back our childhood summers. We're taking our daughter to Maine this summer to do many of the things talked about in the book: eating snap beans and buttered corn, watching fireflies, and slamming screen doors. We hope that this book comes to mean summer for her too.

What summer should be!
I think my husband and I are enjoying this book more than our 1 yr old daughter. The scenes depicted in the book bring us back to our childhood summers. This summer we're taking our daughter to Maine to do many of the things shown in the book: eating snap beans and buttered corn, watching fireflies, slamming screen doors. . .we hope that this book will come to mean summer for her too. ... Read more

Book Description

Angel and her little brother have to cope with an incompetent babysitter and several crises while their mother is away. These tales of the trials and tribulations of ten-year-old Angel O'Leary are guaranteed to win many fans. A master at creating short, amusing episodes, Judy Delton writes about ordinary children in a manner often compared to Beverly Cleary, and Carolyn Haywood. Booklist described Angel as, "a flesh-and-blood child whom readers will take to their hearts. Each little jewel of a chapter is an episode unto itself, and Delton's handling of this format is reminiscent of Eleanor Estes' fine work." ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A book perfectly meant for young readers.
I read ''Angel in Charge'' to my 7 year old sister.She thought it was okay,I guess.It wasn't the best book I ever read,but for a young age group,well I guess it's okay for them.Since it DOESN'T have hard words or a complicated plot it would be a good chapter book for 9 year olds and up to start reading by themselves. ... Read more

Book Description

How many times can three babies be chucked under the chin and told they look "just like three peas in a pod"? Even the most patient babies have their limits, and Sweet Pea, Snap Pea, and Snow Pea are no exception. In a moment of rebellion, they burst from their pod into the big wide garden world where each one has a rollicking adventure completely unlike the others'.The author and illustrator of the well-received TUMBLE ME TUMBILY have created a wondrous fantasyland - part garden, part nursery - overflowing with the beauty of young, growing things.In her characteristic lilting and poetic style, Karen Baicker relates the challenges and the rewards of establishing one's own identity, while Sam Williams's appealing illustrations blend this artfully conceived world and the endearing creatures within to an irresistible degree. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A Treat for Your Sweet Pea
Pea Pod Babies is a delight from start to finish. My 2-year-old son loves the deft, lighthearted rhyme, and the adventures of the three very different little pea pod babies. A celebration of individuality and sibling harmony that I recommend wholeheartedly. The illustrations are breezy and beautiful too. ... Read more

Book Description

Elizabeti has a new baby sister. With her mother busy with the baby, Elizabeti now has to help take care of her younger brother, Obedi. She thinks she knows what to do, after tending to her own "baby," a rock doll named Eva. But in this tender sequel to Elizabeti's Doll, she finds that looking after a real child isn't so easy. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Reading Strategy and Multi Cultural
After reading Mama Elizabeti by Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen, it appears that in this book the author's shares her knowledge as well as her experience fromher days in the Peace Corps.The author also demonstrates the connectionwith a reading strategy known as text to world.Using this strategy sheshows that there are similarities from other cultures of the world to ourown.I recommend that this book be used as an excellent example todemonstrate how children throughout the world help their parents and findthat growing up is part of a continuing learning experience.The bookexplains to children that as they grow up and learn, they will find notonly joy and gratification in helping their parents and siblings, but theywill also become aware that they do not need to give up their childhoodpleasures and experiences.The book gives the reader the feeling that eachperson will find the time to enjoy things from the past, present, andfuture. It is a book that might be shared between parent and child, or in aclassroom setting.It is a wonderful example of multicultural reading.Iwould also highly recommend this book to be used to model as well as be astarting point for discussion of the reading strategy: text to world.Itis often difficult to find books that help teachers teach bothmulticultural experiences and strategies, this book is an example of both. ... Read more

Book Description

Amy is thrilled that Mom is expecting a baby, but Ben doesn"t like the idea of a new sibling. Ben"s discovery that being a big brother can be fun will help allay the anxieties that young children often experience on the arrival of a new sibling. ... Read more

Book Description

Westward ho!

The Golly Sisters are heading west. They've got new dresses and the best show on either side of the Mississippi. But can they keep their act together long enough to get this show on the road?

Reviews (2)

Great for Kid and Adult !!
My son and I have been reading "The Golly Sisters" books as part of his nightly first grade home reading. They are very entertaining, easy for a young reader, and wonderful illustrations. He enjoys reading them over and over and as a parent I don't mind listening again.
They are delightful characters who find themselves in such unique and Hilarious situations with their horse and wagon. These are not like other sappy kid books,... very clever!!!!!

Hilarious stories for kids who love to laugh
My kids are in high school and they still remember the antics of the Golly sisters, siblings with funny adventures and fancy dreams! Along with Amelia Bedelia books, the Golly sisters encouraged my kids to begin reading at a very early age just to relive the antics on their own without Mommy's help. Highly recommend the Golly sisters with a whoop and a holler! ... Read more

Book Description

A rainstorm quashes the Mole Sisters' plans for a lovely dayoutside. But their leaky mole hole provides the perfect place to build an indooroasis, complete with swimming pool!

With an unfaltering optimism, the Mole Sisters make the most out of anysituation. They are always ready to laugh and turn any dull day into anopportunity for fun! These sisters make molehills out of all the mountains thatstand in their way.

The colored pencil artwork is bright and lush, and the Mole Sisters' love forlife is conveyed through a minimum of text that is easy to follow for anytoddler or preschooler. These stories will leave you with warmth in your heart.

Roslyn Schwartz has lived in many places, including London, Paris and SanFrancisco; she currently resides in Montreal. Roslyn is the author of threeprevious books and has worked on two animated films. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Loved it!
What a sweet book! We received this book as a gift. From the first time I read it to my daughter, I was enchanted. The illustrations are beautiful. The story is simple, yet highly entertaining. My 21 month old daughter has completely fallen in love. She can be heard going through the house going "Whoosh . . .YIKES!" (from the book). I HIGHLY recommend this book for your little ones. Can't wait to get another Mole Sister book!

Best Childrens Book Ever!
I have just read this wonderful little gem of a book to my 3 kids and they absolutely adore it! I have recommended it to my whole family, friends and anyone that asks me about it. It is absolutely fantastic. The colours, the story it is the perfect book for any young children. ... Read more

Book Description

Fisher-Price is the most popular brand of toys for toddlers and preschoolers, and now parents can turn to Fisher-Price for the all-important next step in their child's development -- learning to read.

Fisher-Price All-Star Readers are presented in carefully age-graded levels that are just right for beginning readers at each stage of their development. Level 1, suitable for preschool through first grade, features large type, simple vocabulary, and short, rhyming stories with only a few words to a page. The lively illustrations and engaging stories, based on the experiences of 3- to 6-year-olds, are designed to make reading fun and rewarding.

Each book includes a note from a reading specialist with practical tips on how to help your child become an independent reader, a list of vocabulary words, plus stickers to reward reading.

Our New Baby tells of the ups and downs of a new baby as seen through the eyes of an older sister.

Format: Paperback

Dimensions (inches): 6 x 9 ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Great book for the little one
It is just great for our situation. We just got a baby boy. Not only did this book helped our 5-year-old daughter with reading it also helped her to cope with and to understand the changes that come with the new baby. The stickers encourage her to read independently and give her a sense of accomplishment. The word list on the back of the book helps her to see the similarity between words and helps her with spellings. I found this series of books thru a fundraising activity. I am glad I bought them.

I had to force myself to finish this book!!!
A friend loaned us a (different) book entitled OUR NEW BABY written by Beth Atchison, and while browsing in [local store], this book caught my eye. Wanting a similar book to keep for ourselves, I picked up this book and read it. I was extremely disappointed not only in this books content but that someone would write such a negative book for children. A new baby can be a delicate situation in the minds of little ones and it is my opinion that books which reassure the child and help them to feel positively about the new baby would be best. The first half of this book, left me with a very negative feeling, with such lines as "my new baby is a pest.... Mom likes him the best. It wasn't until the final pages that this book turned those negative images into positive ones. I felt that the damage had already been done. Please find this book and read it for your self, before you decide to buy it. It may work for your child, but I put it back on the shelf, not willing to take that chance with ours.

Excellent
It has been very hard for me to find just the right books for my kindergartner to read. I wanted to find some books with a plot but not to many overwhelming words. This entire series of books has been JUST what I have been looking for. They are not to simple but they do have a story line to them. They come with star stickers and he enjoys reading them becausue every time you read the story you can put a star on the inside front cover. He wants to fill up the inside cover with stars!! The reward stickers are a great idea and have definately encouraged him to read and then read again. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Bear's Back and better than ever!
This is the third book of Bear's adventures. The illustrations of Patience Brewster are a perfect match to Winthop's story. Bear is a charmer; he becomes big brother to a huge panda bear: Roly-Poly. We could only wish there were more books about Bear. ... Read more

Book Description

"I'm going to show you I everything," big brother says proudly to his tiny new sibling. And recalling his own, not very distant experiences, he is the perfect guide to the wonders and discoveries of a child's first year.

A warm and loving picture book.

Reviews (5)

big help for brothers and sisters
I think this book helps big brothers and sisters to acept the new child and show that they can help the new child to understand the world around them. I really like the realistic illustrations, because it helps to understand the story, it shows good behavior and it is very interesting!

great for big brother or sister
My 2 1/2 year old loves looking at all the pictures and talking about how he will soon show his new baby how to drink from a big boy cup, crawl under chairs, share dad's lap, and open birthday presents. Perfect length for toddlers to enjoy. Wonderful book!

SOOOOO Special
Even though my children are 9 and 13 now, they still remember how this book spoke to my 13-year-old when her younger brother was born. Anna Grossnickle Hines captures the gentle wonderment and protectiveness that so many children initially feel toward "their" new babies. Sure, later on, there may well be rivalry, resentment, feeling less unique, etc., etc. (and there are plenty of books around that attempt to deal with this). But, I am so grateful that the author has so simply, respectfully, and eloquently recorded the essence of that very special relationship between two siblings, as it is born.

Great to give BIG SIBLING at the birth of LITTLE SIBLING!
My 19 month-old son was "reading" this book when we brought his new baby sister home from the hospital! He had memorized all the words because of the beautiful way Ms. Hines rhymed every line! The first thing we had to do was sit his little sister beside him on the couch so he could "read" it to her!! How excited he was to know he could teach her how "to fly, we'll touch the sky!" He still loves this book and he is 7!

A wonderful book for new big brother or big sister!
This is a wonderful book for a new big brother or big sister. I bought the book when my second son was born. His big brother, only 2 at the time, loved feeling like he was a part of helping his new brother grow up to be big like him. Now that boy number 3 has arrived, my second son has enjoyed feeling like he can show baby how to do all those big guy things like him. It was also a help when we were preparing to have the new baby so he felt good about what to expect. It's a beautiful book, both to read and share with your children. ... Read more

Book Description

What happens when Sister Bear noticies that Mama's lap is shrinking? No, it's not that Mama is eating too much salmon and honey comb. Mama is going to have a baby! With a little help from Mama and Dr. Gert, Sister learns about the birds and the bees...and sonograms, too! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Worst birds and bees book I've ever read
I love Berenstain bears! That said, I couldn't believe how horribly they muddled a topic like birds and bees. If they didn't want to write about it, then they shouldn't have. Instead, they have mother have sister ask the doctor about it. It is a touchy enough subject without books like this implying to kids that it is such an embarassing topic that mothers shouldn't even talk to their kids about it, only doctors! The doctor then answers her questions vaguely by saying the baby comes out the "birth canal". Like that tells sister, or any kid reading it, any more than they already know! Then it ignores the topic. Jan and Stan could have easily written the book by glancing on the topic, and made a good book leaving out asking the doctor questions that weren't really answered. If they were going to talk about it, talk about it, instead of leaving parent and kid with a bad taste of - oh this stuff is too "embarasing" to even mention in a book. Nothing wrong with not mentioning it, just shouldn't mention it if they're just going to blush and avoid it. I think it makes the idea of the birds and the bees even scarier than our culture already has. It does not do this out of respect or sacredness of the topic, as it delves into it, just doesn't say anything about it, but lets talk about this topic but it's too scarry to really talk about in anything but vague terms. (giggle giggle) The way it is written reminds me of a bunch of middle schoolers trying to talk about something they feal they shouldn't and are to embarassed to say anything about!

Cute intro to adding a baby to the family, but...
I read this to both my girls, and the beginning is wonderful and age appropriate. However, in the middle of the book it goes into a birds and bees explanation that was completely confusing my daughters (4 and 7). They wanted to know what that had to do with the baby in my tummy. The answer is nothing, really, I felt it muddied the issue rather than clarifying. I also thought the cliffhanger was sort of a cheap trick to get us to buy another book.

Baby Berenstain
I would give this 5 stars if they hadn't made it a cliff hanger. All in all it's a great book. Asppecialy if your pregneant with a baby and want to share this special time with your kids. ... Read more

Book Description

The irresistible and irrepressible Mole Sisters!

The Mole Sisters set out to do nothing at all. But when a busy bee buzzes by, they follow him and end up in a lovely meadow of flowers. The Mole Sisters begin smelling and their noses become covered in pollen. With a couple of big sneezes, they unwittingly help the busy bees with their work -- making everyone's day more enjoyable.

With unfaltering optimism, the Mole Sisters make the most out of each day. They are always ready to laugh and find every opportunity for fun! The sisters continue to make molehills out of all the mountains that stand in their way.

Roslyn Schwartz's colored-pencil artwork is bright and lush, and she conveys the Mole Sisters' love for life with minimum text that is easy to follow for any toddler or preschooler. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A warmly presented story about learning to clean up
Monster Toddler is a charming picturebook for children ages 2 to 5 and is about Timothy, a delightful toddler boy with a "monstrous" alter ego. When Timothy puts on a monster suit and becomes Monster Toddler, he lands himself into a monster-sized mess of trouble! Gentle color illustrations by John Wallace add a very special touch to his warmly presented story about learning to clean up after one's mistakes and tantrums. ... Read more