Reviews (3)

For the ballet lover
Just adored this book and felt compelled to let everyone know how great it is. I think Isadora's illustrations and text were right on. I love ballet and used to dance when I was younger. I even performed so can identify with all aspects of this book. I will purchase it for any ballet dancers I know and hope it has a high profile amongst ballet lovers wherever they are!

This Is The Real Thing
I am a ballet teacher and a student gave me this book for an end of the year present. I was so enthralled by the reality of the images and words that I bought this book for my students to read in our lounge area. Everyone loves it and can identify with the settings and happenings. I think this book not only shows some real goings on in the ballet world, which is actually difficult to find, especially for children, but is delightful for all ages to look at.....over and over again. I highly recommend this book for all blooming dancers and ballet lovers as well. Thank you, Ms. Montane

No more tutus
So I'm in a bookstore, picking up yet another copy of 'Wheels on the Bus' for my toddler, when my six year old asks for a book too. I agree and she finds this one. I'm thinking that this is just a little girl ballerina book, so I buy it without, unfortunately, READING it first.

I sat down with my daughter to read it when we got home, and the farther I read, the more horrified I became. An excerpt:

"She is thin
And she is tall
And she is pretty
They've got it all

I know I'm short
I know that I'm round
But I want to dance
So I stand my ground"

*If that isn't the prelude to encouraging an eating disorder, I'll eat my hat.

Here's more:

"If you fight backstage
Go far away
The audience hears
Whatever you say"

or

"It doesn't matter
If you're the best in the room
If you don't fit
Into the costume"

*This book is for five and up?

About 25 years ago, I was in a regional ballet company. As a result, I have many concerns about very young children doing ballet on this level. This book isn't about dolly dinkle dance recitals or dreaming of tutus which is what I thought would be in this book.

No, I don't think that the woman who wrote this book meant any harm, but then again, she hasn't a clue about parental concerns and dance or she wouldn't have written the book this way. I'm sure those who 'love dance' will love this book. I used to love dance until I saw what it did to the bodies and minds of young people. There is a serious difference between enjoying dance class and this stuff. And considering that this book is for very young girls, I think that it's inappropriate fare. I think it's a bad set up for the future if they take it to heart. This isn't something that I want to normalize for my kid. However, it's a real taste of the dance world. And it reminded me as to why I'm so careful as to what sort of activities that I allow my child to get into. JMO, but if your kid is six and it isn't merely fun, they shouldn't be doing it. And no tiny tot should be in pointe shoes...

The irony is, by the time the child would be old enough to handle this stuff on a real level, they wouldn't be reading children's books.

The book is being returned. I would have given it NO stars, but that wasn't an option. ... Read more

Book Description

Churning the dirt on massive tires and rattling the air with gigantic engines, monster trucks are the BIGGEST, BADDEST, LOUDEST machines in motor sports! Read the inside story of the top trucks and drivers from Monster Jam events. Discover what it takes to design and build a vehicle as big as an elephant. Learn what it feels like to drive a high-flying, car-crushing monster truck! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Monster Trucks Review
I really liked this book. It told me all I really needed to know about Monster Jam and the Monster Trucks that raced in the rally's. The pictures really had action like the real thing. And you can trust me I've been in six of these events straight. It has eleven interviews of the Monster Trucks. It's like you are behind the wheel and you know exacly what your doing. From the kill switch to the gears you learn everything. The trucks 1,500 horsepower engines. ... Read more

Book Description

ROLL CAMERA. . .ROLL SOUND. . .SET. . .ACTION!

Discover the magic of science behind the mysteries of moviemaking!

Create hair-raising sound effects and ghostly images

Turn an ordinary mirror into a two-way mirror

Produce fearsome lightning and billowing fog

Make your own camera

Find out how the movies bring fantasy to life with science and special effects.How does a camera reproduce an image? Why do your eyes combine many separate images into one continuous moving picture? How do movie crews control insects, show us feats of superhuman strength, make actors fly, and much more! Filled with entertaining activities–and tricks of the trade–Movie Science reveals everything from the basic steps in filmmaking to the secrets involved in creating the amazing effects in films and television shows. All of the projects are safe and use everyday materials easily found around the house. Whether you want to surprise your friends with super special effects, captivate your family with exciting stories on film, or even just learn the secrets behind your favorite movie scenes, you’ll find everything you need, and more, in Movie Science. ... Read more

Book Description

Packed with photos, this fascinating introduction to the monsters and peoples in the Lord of the Rings film trilogy shows how the filmmakers have brought the inhabitants of Middle-earth to life for the big screen.

The book contains creatures familiar from the first film, from the benign hobbits to Lurtz, the ill-fated leader of the Uruk-hai, and includes races prominent in the new movie, The Two Towers, including the Rohirrim, the Easterlings, the Haradrim and the tree-like Ents.

Both an exciting introduction for children and a reference for adult movie buffs, there are also behind-the-scenes details on how each creature was designed and brought to life.

Includes fold-out poster. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Need some tips?
The epic movie trilogy "The Lord of the Rings" was the first exposure to Tolkien's work for a lot of the people who watched it. And the fans who haven't yet read the books should check out this book, to get the tips on who and what and where and why.

Basically, this "Creatures" book lets the readers know: What's a hobbit? What's an Elf? What's an Ent? Readers of the original fantasy trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien will know all of this. On the other hand, newbies will like being able to look these things up -- especially since "Two Towers" has a lot of new material, with the Ents, Haradrim, Rohirrim, and others. The book is pretty short, and seems even shorter because it is composed mostly of photographs. These are clear, brightly colored, and great shots -- not just of stuff in the movies, but also from stuff behind the scenes.

What's especially nice are the quotes. Accompanying many of the smaller photographs are quotes from director Peter Jackson, special-effects wizard Richard Taylor, actors Elijah Wood, Ian Holm, Sean Astin, and pretty much everyone else. These quotes add insights into both the characters ("In their world, it's who you are on the inside that matters") and behind the scenes (complaints about the hobbit feet, from several actors). One of the best quotes is Peter Jackson revealing how the much-maligned Tom Bombadil almost made a cameo -- fans of the books will want to check that out.

Even if you've read the other books, this brief book will offer a few new insights and plenty of good movie and behind-the-scenes pictures.

A Good Introductory Guide for Children and Adults
Although this is the official movie guide for children to the Two Towers, I found that it was helpful for adults who are not Lord of the Rings fans and/or have not read any of the books by Tolkien. It is lushly illustrated with gorgeous photos of all of the people/creatures in The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers. There are also a few photos of how they developed CGI characters such as the cave troll and Sauron. Underneath each photograph is a sentence or two explaining who the person/creature is and how they fit into the story. The wording and the brevity of the descriptions make it perfect for younger readers or those looking for a quick and dirty introduction to the characters of Middle Earth including Hobbits, Ents, Easterlings, Haradrim, Uruk-Hai, Gollum, the Watcher in the Water, Dwarves, Elves, Wizards/Istari, Balrog, Gwaihir, and many more. The book also comes with a free fold out enlarged picture of Gandalf confronting the Balrog in Moria. I would recommend this book for those who are not very familiar with The Lord of the Rings trilogy and for children ages 8 and up. It is very short at app. 60 pages (most of which is taken up by pictures) and so is a great introduction. However, if you are a Tolkien fan and familiar with the stories or saw the first movie, there is nothing new for you here.

A guide to the creatires and cultures of Middle-Earth
I do not know if there was a "The Fellowship of the Ring Movie Tie-In" version of "The Lord of the Rings: Creatures," but there really does not need to be because this book covers all of the creatures encountered in the first two films based on J. R. R. Tolkien's trilogy (although there is a special little section on the "lost" Tom Bombadil). The emphasis is decidedly more on the film than the original novels, with quotations from both the actors and the technicians who brought Tolkien's creatures to life. Within these pages young fans of "The Lord of the Rings" will find everything from hobbits and their hairy feet to the tree-like Ents. In between there are the forces of men, elves and dwarves allied in the West to face the dark servants of both Saruman in Isengard and Sauron in Mordor. Attention is paid to not only all the species but all of the major characters that appear in "The Two Towers." There are lush photographs from the films (I especially like the shot of Treebeard) but also production drawings and computer graphics, almost always accompanied by insights from the likes of director Peter Jackson, head of special effects Richard Taylor, and others. Older readers will find this book just whets the appetite for more information about these creatures and how they were developed from Tolkien's original descriptions into what we have seen in the films. But younger readers should find this official movie guide to the creatures and cultures of Middle-Earth to be suited to their interests. A fold-out chart is included (cannot know the creatures without a program), but hopefully young readers will put off pouring over this slim volume until after they have actually seen the film. Your first look at Treebeard, Gollum, and Shelob should be in the film, not the photographs of this book. ... Read more

Book Description

The creators of the popular Say Hola books now take their Spanish-language adventure to the circus. Readers will get to see the greatest show on earth as performed by trapecistas (trapeze artists), payasos (clowns), leones (lions), and elefantes (elephants). Through whimsical art and rhyming text, Say Hola to Spanish at the Circus is a great way to learn the second most spoken language in the U.S. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Perfect for parent/child read-aloud!
The creators of different introductory Spanish language books return with a third volume where action takes place at the circus. English/Spanish words accompany observations of circus life and scenes in Say Hola to Spanish, a gentle learning tool which is perfect for parent/child read-aloud.

Another Say Hola
Who says learning a new language can't be fun? Susan Middleton Elya and Loretta Lopez prove once again how fun it can be in the latest installment of the SAY HOLA series, this one set in a circus. Told in springy verses and highlighted with delightfully silly costumed creatures, the wordplay between english and spanish is as easy as it is playful.

Each Spanish word is accompanied by colorful pictures emphasing the text (trapecistas depict graceful trapeze artists, elefantes show whimsical elephants, etc.) Complete with a glossary and a pronunciation guide, your kids will be learning spanish quicker than you can say, payasos (clowns.) I even learned a few words myself!

vibrant !
I love this book "Say hola to spanish at the Circus"! I love Loretta Lopez' vibrant colors and the expressions on her characters faces- they feel so familiar to me. this is a book for adults as well as children.

Teaching Spanish to a 2 yr. old!
As father of two kids, I am always looking for tools to help teach them Spanish. Due to their age I am still keeping it very basic and what a more wonderful way to introduce them to not only a little Spanish but more importantly a little taste of Spanish culture. My children absolutely loved the illustrations which made the book that much more enjoyable. I would highly recommend this wonderful Spanish experience to any parent and their child.

Say Hola to Spanish at the Circus
Delightful book, playfully written with beautiful, fun illustrations. It's a very appealing way to introduce young children to the Spanish language. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (1)

An enjoyable hobby book to learn from
Whimsical illustrations by Marlin Bree add a fun touch to Loris Bree's Kids' Magic Secrets: Simple Magic Tricks & Why They Work -- a straightforward instructional guide to magic secrets any child can learn to do. Whether as the basis of a magic show, some fun tricks to demonstrate to friends, or just an amusing pastime to master on a rainy day, Kids' Magic Secrets is an enjoyable hobby book to learn from, and share with other aspiring young magicians. ... Read more

Book Description

Newbery Honor author Suzanne Fisher Staples turns to India for her newest novel, published to starred reviews, about a young girl whose destiny calls her to dance. ... Read more

Reviews (27)

WOW!
When I first saw this book in a school book order that comes monthly, I said I have to get this. ...
Parvati is born on a terribly bad day, a day when a storm and flood occurs, killing her father and half her village. It was supposed to be a day of celebration, for the Maharaja of her home district. But irony took a swing and hit. But despite, she is born with an odd power to charm animals and dance magnificently. She is forbidden to dance though, be her mother Meenakashi, because it only brings scorn and punishment to her family.
Anyway, word gets out to a guru, and he asks her to come with him to his Gurukulam to learn to dance. She accepts, although it is quite painful to leave her family, her mother especially. She learns to dance at the gurukulam, much of which, where the story takes most of its place, and Parvati lives as a full time student, studying Indian dance and learning other Hindustani dialects. Her only friend, Nalini, falls in love with a terrible theif lord, and runs away with him soon after. But Parvati pursues her destiny still, and soon is asked to perform at the palace of the Maharaja in her very home town, for his birthday, the very day 15 years ago that was so terrible. She gets to see her family again, who have changed very much. She also falls for the Yuvaraja Rama. She must choose either him, or her destiny. Which? I won't tell, you have to read it! Buy it just because its a good book, and will inspire you. ;)

Magical Book
A very mysterious and good book. Parvati is born during the biggest storm India can remember and every one in the village blames it on her. Parvati is different. She has a 6th sense w/ animals and much more happens to her, stuff that wouldn't happen to normal people. A man comes to her house one day and offers her a place @ a dancing school where only very gifted dancers go. Parvati goes to give her mother the money she gets from being @ the school. (payed to go to school!? WOW! That would be GREAT!!) Parvati & her school mates go to Parvati's home town to perform for the Raja. (is that what it's called?) Parvati then meets the prince. An oddball, like her and if I'm remembering right, born on the same day as her. They eventually fall in love. The prince knows all the secret passage ways through the palace and can get to Parvati's room through her closet! Now, this part I didn't like much. He's came whenever he pleased at times & b-4 they really love each other, Parvati is snappy and the prince bratty. I didn't like this part @ all. This is why I give the book 4 stars and not 5. Not the best book, but good. I wouldn't choose to read it again, but it was okay. If u love India or dance, you'll like this book. But if you've got a short attention span, I wouldn't say u'd like this book.

Excellent Read,Highly Recommended
I found this book in the local library during one of my many visits to the childrens and young readers section.

The story of Parvati is told in vivid language and clarity. The story focuses on Parvati and her troubled soul. She is a dancer through and through. Parvati has special talents and skills and the lore of her village and eenher uncles home is that she is unusual and maybe using witchcraft. Parvati's story is of the typical underdog but one who uses her powers for good and makes choices for her family and not herself.

An uncommonly good book, full of virtue and a look into life in an Indian village.

Oh WOW!! WICKED BOOK!!!
Oh WOW!! I read this book like two years ago and I think I read it again last year but this is SUCH AN AWESOME BOOK!!!! When I was done reading, I went over and read some parts again. What a cool book. The ending is so... Magical! The way she and the raja's son go there seperate ways because Parvati was born to dance! She and the raja's son were born on the exact same day at the exact same time! I don't want to tell the whole thing or ruin the surprise(I probably already did) But what an AMAZING book. It even has translations at the back. BUY IT!!!! LOL NO YOU REALLY SHOULD!!! bye !! >^,,^<

A True Jewel!!!
I happen to be in love with Indian dance and culture. This book took me to another world - A world where I could dream of dance and India. The story remains intriguing and is beautifully told! the words suzanne uses to describe certains scenses create an instant picture of indias exotic landscape, cities, villages and people. I recommend this book to anyone between the ages of 12 to adult. it is an easy read, for the younger readers, yet it is beautiful and interesting enough for the older readers as well. If you are at all intersted in the power of Lord Shiva, India and dance this is the PERFECT book for you!! :) By the end you are wishing there were hundreds of pages left! ...i wonder if she'll write a sequal!!...i really hope so!!! ... Read more

Book Description

Once upon a time . . .

There was a singing Cinderella?

Yes, with a voice as flavorful as licorice.

There was also a Crooked Foster Mother and two evil sisters. A Queen Mother Rhythm and a Prince of Music.

And while there's no glass slipper to leave behind at the Great Gospel Convention, there is an enchanted melody for the Prince to search for . . . and to find.

Award-winning author and poet Joyce Carol Thomas and Caldecott Medal-winning artist David Diaz have infused the classic Cinderella tale with a soulful twist.

Book Description

The dramatic culmination of DK's best-selling Inside the Worlds of Star Wars series, The Complete Locations of Star Wars uses breathtaking illustrations and insightful text to reveal the planets from every movie in the Star Warssaga, including the hotly anticipated Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. ... Read more

Book Description

The New Generation Play Project was a daring experiment in American children's theatre. Begun in 1989 by a consortium that included the Seattle Children's Theatre, The Children's Theatre Company of Minneapolis, Stage One: The Louisville Children's Theatre, and the Honolulu Theatre for Youth, the NGPP raised half a million dollars to commission major American dramatists to create new works for young people and to produce these plays over a several-year period.This book provides the full text of the plays produced through the NGPP: &sum; Constance Congdon, Beauty and the Beast &sum; Velina Hasu Houston, Hula Heart &sum; Tina Howe, East of the Sun and West of the Moon &sum; Len Jenkin, The Invisible Man &sum; Mark Medoff, Kringle's Window &sum; Eric Overmyer, Duke Kahanamoku vs. The Surfnappers &sum; Michael Weller, Dogbrain &sum; Y York, The Witch of Blackbird PondIn his introduction, Coleman Jennings describes the work of the NGPP, some of the controversies surrounding its selection of playwrights who do not ordinarily write for young audiences, as well as the playwrights' reactions to the project, and the critical reception of the plays. Suzan Zeder, one of the nation's leading playwrights for family audiences, supplies the foreword. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Even Opera Haters Will Love This Delightful Book
My children, ages 5 and 2, and I, a musician mom, love this book. The pictures are colorful and beautiful. The first page of each story is a picture of all the main opera characters with their names underneath, so the children can refer to this page if the story begins to confuse them. This is followed by a synopsis of the opera, a blurb about the composer and then the opera itself. The text is simply magnificent. The stories are interesting all on their own, and even if you don't like opera you will love this book.

"Child-Friendly" Opera
This book would be a good choice for introducing children to the stories from operas. The author does a nice job of retelling in simple terms, the often-time complicated stories from seven different "child-friendly" operas. Some of the stories will be new to children and are sure to hold their interest. A couple of the operas are based on fairy-tales the children already know and they will be interested to see the differences in these versions. My only complaint was that I did not feel that the illustrations lived up to the same high quality as the stories. ... Read more

Book Description

Told in letters, journal entries, e-mails, doctors’ reports, and instant messages, the heartbreaking story of an aspiring ballet dancer battling leukemia.

From: Melinda Skye
To: Readers
Subject: Jesse

Hi! I can’t believe it. What a surprise from Jesse. When he got my e-mail about being accepted by the Washington School of Classical Dance’s summer program, he called to congratulate me! I loved hearing his voice. We’ve been friends forever–could it turn into something more?
Melinda

From: Jesse Rose
To: Readers
Subject: Melinda

I couldn’t believe the news. Melinda is so young! How could she be sick? How did she get leukemia? She’s got to get better.She’s got to.
Jesse

... Read more

Reviews (36)

Inspirational...
If you are interested in reading a real tear breaker or an inspirtational book then you should most definaly read this one. A Rose for Melinda by Lurlene McDaniel was incredible. The way the book was writting was outstanding and creative, allowing your mind to wander and picture the events that were happening.
Melinda was an inspiring to me. Not once did she give in or give up. No matter what happened or how hard life got, she didnt give into her problems. When she found out that she was sick, it didnt stop her from following her dreams or her heart. Jesse was her best friend and that friendship eventually blossomed into something more, something great. Jesse was there for her through every step that she took. He was the rose that kept Melinda's life sweet.
If you are someone who is fighting a problem and have a dream to live then find the time to read this book. I highly recomend it.
From this book i have realized to follow my heart and my dreams and never give in...mayve it will help you as well.
Have a wonderful day!

EXCELLENT!!
This was the first Lurlene McDaniel book I ever read. It is about a girl named Melinda. Melinda has been best friends with a guy named Jesse Rose since Kindergarten. Melinda is also a ballerina. One day in ballet class, Melinda faints. Melinda is diagnosed with leukemia! Besides all of these events going on, Melinda and Jesse's relationship is taken to the next level. They start to become more than friends. Also while this is going on, Melinda's friend Bailey develops a crush on Jesse but of course she doesn't tell Melinda. The book is told through emails between Melinda and Jesse, Melinda and Bailey, Bailey and Jesse. There are also diary entries and mostly narrated pages. This is a very tearful book! Keep a box of tissues nearby!!!!!!!!

OK, not the best
Melinda, a ballet dancer, thinks she has it all. A great friendship with a boy, (which she secretly hopes will turn into something more) a loyal best friend, and real hope she'll make it as a ballerina. Yet it's all shattered after she collapses at summer camp and is diagnosed with leukemia.

Told through journal entries, e-mails, letters, and doctor's reports, this story was a tear-jerker/romance, but poorly written and already done a hundred times before. Good read if you're board and not looking for five star material, but don't go out and buy a brand-new copy.

And You Think You Got It Bad..
And You Think You Got It Bad..
In this book, Melinda is a sweet young girl with a passion for ballet. She has a best friend named Jesse who she met in 1st grade and his parents got divorced so he moved to California with his mom.
Melinda has lots of dreams, one especially is to be a professional ballet dancer one day, but little did she know she was diagnosed with leukemia at age 14, and so this book shares Melinda's thoughts, feelings and life events writing in letters, emails and diary entries.
I really enjoyed this book because it taught be that life is alway s worth living for even though there are some bad but some good always believe in yourself and never give up especially on your dreams.

Reviewed by Jennifer Yu, 6th Grader

Weird...blah....dumb
i dont' like this book...it was so dumb...it gave me a headache...blah blah blah is all i saw when i read this book...i went to sleep with a headache because of this dumb book...why is this book so dumb? the author should really think about others and not to give them headaches... ... Read more

Book Description

ALL ABOARD! This Seussian, train-shaped board book with big, bold flaps lets babies and toddlers engage in a rollicking game of "Lift the Flap." Sturdy board pages and an accordion binding lets the fun unfold and makes the perfect nursery room decoration. ... Read more

Book Description

William Shakespeare was perhaps the greatest English playwright ever. Take a tour of Shakespeare's life and times, through the crowded streets of sixteenth-century London to the boisterous Globe theater and other playhouses where his work flourished.

Then follow Shakespeare's legacy to the present day and to the Globe's glorious reopening and its 400th anniversary. Learn, step-by-step, how the theater was reconstructed using the same methods builders used to construct the original Globe.

With Aliki's characteristically thorough and animated words and pictures, this beautifully crafted book provides a rich introduction to Shakespeare and his world. Sprinkled with quotations from Shakespeare's plays, it is richly enhanced by a map of Elizabethan London, a glossary of historical dates, a chronology of Shakespeare's works, a section of colloquial expressions, and a list of relevant sites to visit.

2000 ALA Notable Children's Book

2000 Notable Children's Books (ALA), Notable Children's Trade Books in the Field of Social Studies 2000, National Council for SS & Child. Book Council , NCTE List of Notable Children's Books in Lang. Arts 00, Horn Book Fanfare 2000 and Teacher's Choices for 2000 (IRA)

01-02 Young Hoosier Book Award Masterlist (Gr 4-6), 00-01 Utah Book Award (Informational Books), and 00-01 Texas Bluebonnet Award Masterlist

Reviews (3)

An incredible book!
Book Review: William Shakespeare & the Globe By: Aliki

This book has been honored with many awards for good reason. With pictures, a sprinkle of quotes from several of Shakespeare's own plays, and many historical references make this book is a very interesting layout of William Shakespeare's life and times. The book chronicles the theatre world in Shakespeare's time and his involvement in it all,and the building and rebuilding of the famous Globe theatre (even up to its rebirth in 1987!). The book shows the various phases of William's life in "Acts" just like his famous plays. The book even discusses the many words and phrases that he invented that we still use today. It ends with a look at Sam Wanamaker and Theo Crosby's vision of recreating The Globe and how they went about creating this wonderful restoration.

A book that captures the reader's attention visually and with its easily read text. I am, as a teacher of 7th grade English, very impressed by this book, and can't wait to share it with my classes.

The Best Shakespeare Book Around
This book was the best Shakespeare book i've read. It had great facts and pictures for my Shakespeare roport. Now i read it for great enjoyment. It not only tells the story of Shakespeare but the story of Sam Wanamaker who had a dream to rebuild Shakespeare's Globe Theather. This was the best shakespeare book around, i bet you will enjoy it

Another winner by Aliki!
Aliki's gift for clarity, humor and cleverness shine through this wonderful book. It is, like all Aliki's books, loaded with information, but manages not to overwhelm. You will find yourself coming back to this book again and again, examining the pictures and finding details you hadn't noticed before. A marvelous introduction to Shakespeare for mid- to older elementary children (and a visual delight for even younger readers!). ... Read more

Book Description

In this richly layered compendium, Aliki shares her keen insight about music and all its themes and variations. Ah, Music! is about composers and instruments. It's about artists and performers. It's about history -- from the earliest music through classical, modern, jazz, and popular times. It's about diversity and pleasure.

If you have a love of music in your bones, or if you are just learning, or if you are about to play in your first recital, it's about you. Ah, music!

Reviews (1)

Refreshing Music Mini-encyclopedia
Aliki provides a broad synopsis of music-its place in history, cultures and the human heart-in this inspirational, informative volume. Each page consists of a collage of images united by a concise narrative.
What is especially refreshing about this mini-encyclopedia of music is that Aliki "bookends" the mechanics and "hardware"- types of instruments, who's who of Western composers, time lines of jazz and pop music - with "software," placing music's emotional and social value into perspective for the child. She shows how music is the background of everyday life, for example, with this definition, "Rhythm is a marching-band beat, a puffing-train beat, a beating-the eggs beat, a heart beat."
The book closes with a panoply of pictures demonstrating how music comforts and inspires, by helping people to relax, calm anger, cheer low spirits, and create or perform work. ... Read more

Book Description

Count down with these little kings. TEN little Elvi gettin’ ready to shine, One made a comeback and then there were NINE. Ten little tykes pay tribute to the King of Rock ’n’ Roll. While younguns learn numbers with caped Elvis, GI Elvis, Karate Elvis, and seven other diminutive impersonators, adults will enjoy finding hidden references to the King’s life and song. ... Read more

Amazon.com

When class bully Irwin taunts Violet about her fat knees (they're not) ordeadly sewer gas smell (she doesn't), all she wants to do is shrink away. Thethought of being in the class play about the solar system makes her itch andscratch and twirl her hair. But when she's alone or with her best friend, Opal,Violet is a master performer, mimicking her classmates and retaliating againstIrwin with razor-sharp wit. Her chance for real-life revenge comes at lastduring the play, when she plays the offstage role of Lady Space. On openingnight, when Irwin, a.k.a. Mars, starts to spin out of control and forgets hislines, Violet saves the day (but not without a little of her savage humor).

Cari Best and Giselle Potter, whimsical creators of Three Cheers for Catherine theGreat!, bring every shy child's fantasy to life in this delightfullygratifying picture book. Potter's naive watercolors are unusual, but theycapture beautifully the shrinking and subsequent blooming of Violet as she findsher own voice, even if it is spoken from a "dark and mysterious place" offstage.(Ages 5 to 8) --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Shrinking Violet - More than just a wonderful story
A rare and delightful book about social anxiety disorder in childhood. Best aptly describes Violet's symptoms in an accurate and endearing way and communicates a basic truth of dealing with social anxiety - it gets better when you do the things you are afraid of. Beautifully illustrated and writen in an endearing style, children love the book and learn as they are giggling. As a psychologist, I've used this book in therapy with several children. It is a wonderful vehicle for helping them to understand and overcome their social and performance anxieties.

Who is the hidden actreas.
I think that this is a very interesting book. It shows how someone very shy and sometimes wants to just disappear gets over their fears. The main character is Violet. Violet always gets bullied around by Irwin who is always insulted her. One day Violet helped him out, to find out what happened read this book. I think that this is a very interesting book. It shows how someone very shy and sometimes wants to just disappear gets over their fears. The main character is Violet. Violet always gets bullied around by Irwin who is always insulted her. One day Violet helped him out, to find out what happened read this book.

Violet Saves the Day.....
For as long as Violet could remember, she didn't like to be watched. "I am allergic to attention." Being watched made her cheeks blush rhubarb red and when everyone stared, she itched and scratched and twirled her hair. Class bully, Irwin, made things even worse. He said she had fat knees, hairy arms and smelled liked deadly sewer gas and everyone stared. "I wish I could just shrink away," she thought. When her teacher, Mrs. Maxwell, announces that the class will put on a play about the solar system and everyone will have a part, poor Violet is terrified. But Mrs. Maxwell assures her that Lady Space is a mysterious voice, offstage, that is only heard and never seen. The class practices and works hard and Violet especially likes her part. During the performance, the play begins well, all the planets, stars and comets, asteroids, meteoroids and even the sun know their places and their lines. That is, except Irwin, and that's when Violet steps in and saves the day..... Cari Best and Giselle Potter have really captured the essence of the quiet, shy child and overt class bully in their charming picture book, Shrinking Violet. Ms Best's text is gentle and sympathetic and complemented by Ms Potter's expressive and detailed watercolor artwork and together they've written an empathetic and amusing story with a simple message that won't be lost on young readers. Perfect for kids 4-8, Shrinking Violet is a story told with great insight, humor and wisdom and youngsters will enjoy watching Violet "bloom" again and again, with each reading. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Overview of Character
Looking through this book made me all too aware of how comics have changed since I was a kid. As a tie-in to the upcoming Halle Barre movie, Dowling Kindersley has released this visual companion. The latest in their comic book and cartoon volumes; most of which have been fun to read and a pictorial treat.

While the research has always been first-rate, and I can't fathom the hours that were spent selecting the pictures; I have to confess that all the different interpretations of Catwoman would be confusing to the first time reader, and I'm not really referring to the character's different outfits.

For me the most fun is looking at the time, and I wish Mr. McCloud would spend a few more pages on it. For Catwoman, I would have loved a bit more discussion of the pre-Crisis (no longer in continuity) Helena Wayne/Huntress character that was Catwoman and Batman's daughter in another reality. And I would have appreciated a few panels from the Marshall/Englehart seventies storylinea, and more from the animated series version

Mr. Brubaker, current writer of the Catwoman comic book, does a great job with his introduction to the text. And again Mr. McCloud shows his editoral talent and research ability. But I find myself missing the brigher colors and storylines of my youth in contrast to today's issues.

After reading several of this DK visual guides, I have to confess I'm still looking forward to a few more volumes in the future. They can be fun.

(...) ... Read more