Book Description

Reviews (2)

A Delight!
This book is cute and charming with a hint of mischief.This darling little boy's creative side comes out when he decides to paint everything including himself, despite what his mother tells him.The talented Karen Beaumont's rhymes and rythms amuse and entertain children of all ages!

cute!
This story is written to the tune of the song It ain't gonna rain no more.It's about a little boy who paints the walls, ceilings, doors and curtains in his house.His mom said that he can't paint any more!She puts the paints up high in a closet.This doesn't stop the little boy.He stacks items and climbs up them to get down the paint.Then he starts to paint HIMSELF!! He paints his self all over until he runs out of paint and he him sees what he's done.Then it's off thetub for our little artist.

What did you like or not like about the book?

The book is written in wonderful rhyming text , has colorful pictures, and it's FUNNY!

Would you recommend this book?Why or Why not?
Yes Children of all ages will enjoy this cute picture book.
... Read more

Amazon.com

Can you spy "a tortoise, a hare, a tea bag, a key/ a clock, and a flag on a house in a tree"? It's not easy--but readers of all ages will have a whole lot of fun trying. With more than a dozen I Spy picture books under their belts, including I Spy Gold Challenger, the award-winning photographer/riddler team of Walter Wick and Jean Marzollo are masters of their art form. And in Treasure Hunt, they've outdone themselves. Readers search for subtly hidden objects on every beautifully composed and photographed page. At first glance the setting seems like any other quaint seaside town. Take a second look and discover that it's in fact a very realistic model, with giant pencil erasers filling truck beds and gargantuan pennies nestled among the boulders of an island. The result is stunning, a surrealistic adventure.

Children will love to pursue the mystery of the pirate's hidden treasure, narrowing their search with every delightfully cluttered page. Looking for an additional challenge? Try the extra-credit riddles. For the inspired reader, Wick and Marzollo also include pages on how to create I Spy riddles and pictures. (Ages 3 to 8) --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (12)

I love the pictures of miniature settings!
I picked this book out because of the beautiful photography and the clever way objects were inserted into miniature settings. The 12 pictures in I SPY TREASURE HUNT are beautiful and fascinating to pore over. Sometimes the photographs are a bit blurry or hazy, though, which made me wonder if I was missing something. I wasn't always sure what I was looking for. Or you only see a tiny part of the thing you're supposed to find. And the extra credit riddles need to be on a foldout page so you can refer to them without flipping back and forth. Still, it's a beautiful, clever book and a lot of fun.

These are wonderful books for all ages
I didn't pay much attention to the "I Spy" books until I bought one for my niece. I thought it was strictly a children's book, and I only bothered looking at it to make sure it contained nothing objectionable. Ten minutes later, *I* was hooked! So now I have several for my 3-year-old niece and several that I'm "holding" for her.

"Treasure Hunt" is my favorite "I Spy" because the pictures relate to each other and when followed tell a story. "Spooky Night" also does this. The rest just seem to contain pictures that follow the theme given in the title but don't relate to each other. The challenger books don't have original pictures; they use the pictures from the themed books and give them new, supposedly harder, riddles.

In my opinion, the earlier books are the easiest and the later books are quite a bit harder (and maybe more suitable for older "children").

I personally prefer the themed books to the challengers and the later books to the earlier, but I heartily recommend any, or even all, of the "I Spy" books.

Looking for the seashell?
Iv'e enjoyed the priceless moments with my children looking for hidden treasures in this book.

I Spy Treasure Hunt
We love the I Spy series of books. We own them all and our kids have never failed to find the object they're seaching for, until this book. Page 22 and 23. We cannot find the seashell. Oh sure, your imagination leads you to believe certain shapes, objects, lights, holes, etc. appear that they could pass as a seashell, but nothing is conclusive. We have written letters to Jean Marzollo, but no response. We found Walter Wick's website, but it says his schedule is too busy to respond to an email. Frankly, we don't think it exists. If you know, please type in a review. Thank you!!!

Want Hours of Fun Stimulation For Your Mind? Here It Is!!
I absolutely *adore* the I Spy picture riddle book series, and have a number of them in my personal library collection. I am 19 years of age, yet I don't find these books to be for "little kids only". This book is outstanding in its ability to ignite the brain power in people of ANY age. For that alone, I'd give it five stars! The pictures are whimsical and creative, the riddles fun and challenging even to the "older" crowd. A great read, and DEFINITELY one to place on your family's Christmas list! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Jamie Lee Curtis has starred in many movies, but she says that thechildren's books she has written mean more to her than any of her films. She andartist Laura Cornell have previously collaborated on two bestselling books: Tell Me Again About the Night I Was Born and When I Was Little: A Four-Year-Old's Memoir of Her Youth. This time, we follow a little girl with curly red hair through 13 different moods, beginning with silly: "Today I feel silly. / Mom says it's the heat. I put rouge on the cat / and gloves on my feet." Of course, silly soon turns to grumpy and mean... to excited... to confused, and so on. Recognizing one's own mood swings is a developmental milestone, one that some adults haven't yet mastered! Cornell's watercolor illustrations--wildly expressive and energetic--effectively capture the volatility of our redheaded star. Whether she is happy or mad or dancing a solo in jazz, she is always "full of pizzazz," and this book is, too. A clever mood wheel on the last page allows young readers to change the little girl's expression--both her eyes and mouth. This is silly fun with a smart lesson for children from ages 4 to 8. --Marcie Bovetz ... Read more

Reviews (55)

It's a Wonderful Way To Address Children's Feelings.
The illustrations of TODAY I FEEL SILLY AND OTHER MOODS THAT MAKE MY DAY are wonderful for the child who cannot yet read or who is independently spending a lot of time looking at the pictures. The moods jump right out of the pages and allow the child to relate to the feelings he or she might have and learn that they are normal feelings. Another title, THE SMILING STONE, also available from amazon.com, would be appreciated by teachers looking for books that build self-esteem for their theme lesson of feelings and emotions. It differs from "Silly Moods" in that it is about a single emotion but it is similar in that the child can have the feeling, too, as the book ends with the simple verse, "YOUR SMILE casts forever a beam of light". Children will be lucky to have teachers who pick these titles for their lessons and parents and children will have a starter library on this important subject.

An excellent book to teach children recognize their feelings
This is a beautiful book to share with young children who have difficulty to identify or recognize their own feelings and moods. I happen to live in the country where one's emotions and feelings are seldom addressed directly. This book helps me to show my daughter that it is ok to feel what she feels inside. My daughter wants me to read this book to her every night before bedtime. After reading it , she would tell me if today is a good day for her and why. The illustrations are beautiful and humorous. It really teaches the children that no matter what the mood is, life can still be fun and full of surprises.

Today I Feel Silly Is A great book!
Today i feel silly is a great book especially for ages 5 or 6. I loved how she took somthing as simple as the way we feel each day and made it into this great book. The illistrations were great because they were colorful and very exciting for everyone to look at. With rhyming words in some parts of the book children will stay interested more easily. Children love the fact that they can realte to the book because they have have felt all of these feelings. I suggest this book for children ages 5-7. It is A GREAT BOOK.

SIlly to sad
Today I Feel Silly is a great book. Not only does it keep your attention the whole way through with the funny things happening but also with the colorful illistrations. I enjoyed reading this book because i know that i have felt the same way as the little girl in the story. I like knowing that the little girl could be a real person just telling how she feels. I also like the "How do you feel" wheel in th back of the book, because i know that when i am done reading the book i can use it and see all of the differnt funny faces. This is a great book and i suggest it for little ones.

FUN book to read to your Daughter
I bought this book for my 20 month old daughter after she enjoyed being read "I'm Gonna Like Me" also written by Jamie Lee Curtis. I think this is a wonderfully written book; the sentences rhyme and are rather short so as I read it to her, I can put emotion into my voice with each mood the character is going through. Although I think the words and pictures are a bit too advanced for a two year old to grasp, my enthusiasm while reading this book keeps my daughter very attentive and we can also point out the illustrations together. I will say that the character in the book is a girl and the pages mostly relate to "girl things" like braiding hair, having a boyfriend, going to the movies with her mom and so on. I don't think a boy may be as interested in the book. I personally don't feel offended by Jamie Lee Curtis' reference in to book to the character having a boyfriend or a crush on a teacher. That is just a part of life and emotions girls feel at times and it is addressed in a fun loving way. As a mom who once experience those same things, I feel comfortable teaching her myself about feelings toward boys not relying on a book to educate her. This book can be used to be open up to such discussions. At the end of the book is a 3D wheel of a face and as you turn the wheel the expression on the girls face changes from happy to angry to lonely and so on. Overall, a fun book for both child & parent!!! ... Read more

Book Description

If food dropped like rain from the sky, wouldn't it be marvelous! Or would it? It could, after all, be messy. And you'd have no choice. What if you didn't like what fell? Or what if too much came? Have you ever thought of what it might be like to be squashed flat by a pancake? ... Read more

Reviews (72)

Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs
The title of the story is Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs. The author is Judi Barnett. The story is illustrated by Ron Barnett. The story is about a Grandpa who tells his grandchildren (Henry and his sister) a tall tale about a make-believe town called Chewandswallow. In Chewandswallow it rains food three times a day. A problem occurs when the town has to evacuate because the food is getting too big and heavy. The people leave and never return to the town. They go to an island across the ocean. We think that Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs is a good book to read because it makes you hungry for food and it makes you laugh. If you like this book, you should read Pickles to Pittsburgh.

An appetizing adventure for all ages
I first read this book when I was 9 years old. I must have read it at least 25 times over the course of that year, and now, at age 25, I have begun reading it to my 7 month old son. It is one of the truely classic children's books. Judy Barrett combines the unrealistic tales told to children by their elders along with the wonderfully believeable tales that children concock in their own minds. Imagine for a moment that the town of Chewandswallow were real...for an adult this would mean the fantasy of never having to cook another meal and for the child this would mean playing with their food and eating with their hands all the time! For the town of Chewandswallow is a town where all of your meals come from the sky - clouds of scrambled eggs for breakfast followed by a shower of orange juice. It is a wonderfully illustrated tale that makes one wish they could experience life in this town for just one day. While I have now become an adult, it is still nice to dream about a place where the sunset atop a snow covered hill resembles a pat of butter atop mashed potatoes.

Tickles a child's sense of silliness!
This is a funny book with an imaginative concept--the people of the town CHEWANDSWALLOW eats what drops from the sky--orange juice rain, pancakes floating down, hamburgers on a stormy day. The climate goes awry and the people set sail on stale bread boats to move to a world where food is bought in the supermarket. The illustrations are very funny, moving from line drawings in black and white to lovely colored illustrations as the fantasy story begins. This story appeals to a wide range of ages, from 3 to 7 or 8. The text would be challenging for a first grade reader but the concept appeals to pre-schoolers as well as older kids.

666 STARS!!! A FAVORITE BOOK FROM MY CHILDHOOD
i GENRALLY GIVE RATINGS OF 666 STARS TO MY FAVORITE ALBUMS (MOST OF THEM BEING METAL I FIND IT APPROPRIATE) BUT FOR THIS BOOK I MUST MAKE IT PAINFULLY APPARENT THAT THIS IS ONE OF THE GREATEST WORKS OF FICTION AND ILLUSTRAION EVER PLACED BETWEEN A FRONT AND BACK COVER.
A GRANDFATHER TELLS HIS GRANDCHILDREN THE STORY OF THE ILLFATED TOWN OF CHEWANDSWALLOW, LOCATED IN A REIGION WITH SOME BIZZARRE WEATHER. HALF THE BOOK SHOWS THE TOWN THRIVING, WITH IT'S RROFLESS RESTAURANTS AND PIE IN THE SKY COMING DOWN. THE LATTER HALF IS THE DOWNFALL OF CHEWANDSWALLOW, WHERE PANDEMONIUM IS THE FORECAST AND A RAIN OF TERROR AND PEASOUP FOG, DRIVES IT'S RESIDENTS FAR AWAY ON BOATS OF BREAD.
THE STORY ITSELF IS PURE GENIUS AND THE ILLUSTRAIONS ARE LIKE NO OTHER BOOK I CAN RECALL. IM GOING TO GO TO MY PARENTS HOUSE TONIGHT AND FIND IT.

This is STILL my favorite book
No other words than BUY this book are necessary here. I am now a mom of 2 wonderful kids and to this day, this is still my favorite book. It is wonderful for children and also teaches valuable lessons. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

An "amazing" book!
This is an excellent children's book. I use it every year in my classroom because my students can identify so well with Grace. There are so many language arts activities that can be used with it. Grace is an unforgettable character. She knows what she wants and is undaunted by would-be obstacles in her path. With the help of loving family members she can do anything she sets her mind to!

The Beauty of Childhood Superbly Done
A child's imagination is one of the purest forms of expression. Author Hoffman has captured that innocence in this superb tale. Grace, like so many youngsters, spends much of her day in the pleasures of "acting out" the characters that populate the pages of the books she reads. She feels that she can do and be anything that she desires. The theme of pursuing one's dreams is the type of message to which all can relate.

As one turns the pages of this beautifully illustrated book, one can enjoy the little girl's imaginary adventures. When Grace learns of the part in "Peter Pan," the reader is able to identify with this as a part of school life. The illustrator has also balanced the classroom with children of varied ethnic and racial backgrounds. This is a plus in the age of being "politically correct."

The language of the book is reflective with the age of the intended reading audience. With a little adult help, the average primary child will "read" this one with great relish.

The resolve of the adults in the family to encourage Grace in pursuit of her dreams is refreshing. Most of us let barriers prevent us from doing the same.

This is one great children's book!

Amazing Grace
Synopsis: Grace is a little girl who loves stories of all kinds, but especially adventure stories and fairy tales. Grace enjoys acting out the most exciting part in each story, no matter if that part is Hiawatha or Anansi the Spider. When she can, she makes her friends and family a part of her story-plays, but Grace can act out all the parts in a story on her own too. When Grace’s class is scheduled to perform Peter Pan, Grace knows immediately that she wants to fly in the part of Peter Pan. Her hopes are soon dampened, however, by classmates who tell her she’s not “right” for the role of Peter Pan. With encouragement from her Ma, and help from her Nana who takes Grace to see a ballerina from Trinidad, Grace realizes that she can be anything she wants to be. The result is a very amazing Peter Pan.

Evaluation: Amazing Grace is a lovely picture book story that stars a feisty heroine. The watercolor illustrations of Caroline Binch are as vibrant and real as Grace herself, and they reinforce the plot by depicting aspects of Grace’s life with Ma and Nana, and how Grace enthusiastically acts out the characters she loves. The illustrations are particularly effective in communicating the movement and color that characterize the world of Grace’s imagination. Young readers will relate well to both Grace and to her story. Grace is the kind of person that many of us â€"kids and adults alike-- long to be: a fun, take-charge kind of girl who sees life as an exciting adventure. Grace’s story, though simple enough to be told in a picture book, incorporates some traditional plot elements, including a problem for the heroine to overcome and a resolution to that problem. Amazing Grace would be a good addition to Kindergarten through 2nd grade reading curriculum for several reasons. It brings multi-culturalism into the classroom through its dynamic main character. It tells a positive message story about a girl who follows her dreams, without being preachy. And, it includes eye-catching illustrations that bring the heroine and her story to life.

Inspiring Tale with Superb Illustrations
This inspiring tale celebrates the innocence of youth, presents lessons of equality, and encourages children to pursue their dreams. Illustrator Caroline Binch provides stunning watercolor drawings that compliment the text. Recommended for children ages 4-8, this book will be enjoyed by children and adults.

As the mom of a very creative child, I appreciate the realism offered via every illustration. The watercolor drawings by illustrator Caroline Binch captivate the reader, child or adult. The detail is remarkable, adding immense compliment to the story. I appreciate the realistic expressions on each character. After the initial read, I gazed back at each illustration. In addition to facial detail, the props within the pictures are realistic. It is no surprise that this book is a Reading Rainbow Book.

On the page in which Grace is acting Anansi the Spider, we see her on a schoolyard type of bar. She is looking forward, her eyes exhibit a serious glare, her feet dangle with confidence, and her arms are postured in a stern manner. This child has a mismatched outfit, her right tennis shoe is untied, and she is using pantyhose for the webs. This illustration supports the text, "...and wove a wicked web as Anansi the Spider." But more importantly this - and other - illustrations show true childlike creativity unfolding. This is a mere example of the multiple high quality drawings.

After initial read of Amazing Grace, My daughter told me that she thought it was really sad that the classmates questioned Graces ability to be Peter Pan. This led to open discussion with regard to gender and race prejudice. Thankfully my daughter doesn't exhibit prejudice thoughts, but this story allowed her to realize that some children are subjected to prejudicial judgment of others.

When I asked My daughter what she liked about this book, she told me that she likes Grace. She expanded on this by telling me that Grace has a lot of fun, has a Mom and Grandma that love her, and that Grace does what she wants to do. In addition she told me, "The pictures are beautiful Mom!"

There are multiple messages in this story. Overall my reasoning for adoring Amazing Grace is that the tale is good and the illustrations are superb. But the true measure of success is based on the reaction that my child has. It is books like this that lend toward my 7-year-old maintaining adoration for the written word.

You Can Do Anything
This story is about a girl that pretends to play the parts of all kinds of different people and one day thiers a play and she wants to play the part of Peter Pan and some kids tell er she can't then she goes home. Later on they her parents tell her she can do anything she wants as long as she puts her mind to it, and she did. ... Read more

Book Description

Some mornings, Annie's mother's smiles are as bright as sunshine as she makes pancakes for breakfast and helps Annie get ready for school.

But other days, her mother doesn't smile at all and gets very angry. Those days Annie has to be a big girl and make her own breakfast, and even put herself to bed at night. But Annie's grandma helps her remember what to do when her mommy isn't well, and her silly friends are there to cheer her up. And no matter what, Annie knows that even when Mommy is angry on the outside, on the inside she never stops loving her. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

EXCELLENT BOOK - HAS HELPED MY CHILD
I'm a person who has BPD (Borderline Personality Disorder) and my house is chaotic -- screaming, shouting, but then there are times when I'm the good mom I want to be. My child and I read this book together just because we grabbed it from the library with a stack of other books. After reading the book, I very much recognized myself and my child in it and began to question her about it. I asked if the mommy in the book reminded her of anyone and she said it reminded her of me. I put the book in a stack of books to be returned to the library, but my daughter retrieved it and took it back to her room and re-reads it constantly, so I've decided to purchase it for her. She's 7 years old and says the books makes her feel better when I'm not in control of my anger. I would recommend this book to any parent who is suffering from Personality Disorder or any other mental illness that causes moodiness and displays of anger. Your children deserve this book as much as they deserve your going to therapy for treatment, which I myself am doing. ... Read more

Book Description

Fifteen years ago, long before anyone else thought of tucking actual letters and notes inside a book, Little, Brown published The Jolly Postman by Allan and Janet Ahlberg.This wonderful book gave children a chance to read letters sent from one fairy tale or Mother Goose character to another.Among the funny notes was one from Jack, who lolled on a sun-drenched island, thanking the Giant for the gold that let him afford such a nifty vacation.All this amusing correspondence was deftly illustrated and the book attracted hordes of eager readers. ... Read more

Reviews (19)

Ever wonder what type of junk mail a wicked witch gets?
In this book, the Jolly Postman is delivering the mail to the residents of a quaint fairy tale village, and you get to read all the letters -- even the junk mail! Every other page is an envelope with some type of correspondence tucked inside. The Three Bears get a handwritten apology from Goldilocks, complete with misspellings and invitation to a birthday party. The occupant of Gingerbread Bungalow in The Woods, who happens to be the Wicked Witch, gets an advertising circular from Hobgoblin Supplies Ltd. A certain snout-nosed grandma gets a demand letter addressed to Mr. B.B. Wolf from Miss Riding-Hood's attorney, who also states, "On a separate matter, we must inform you that The Three Little Pigs Ltd. are now firmly resolved to sue for damages. . .all this huffing and puffing will get you nowhere." Some of the funniest moments in this book come from the illustrations of the Jolly Postman stopping for tea with each mail delivery. At the Wicked Witch's cottage, he peruses the newspaper, the Mirror Mirror, while the witch reads her mail and her black cat does the dishes. At Cinderella's castle, he enjoys a glass of champagne poured by Prince Charming, who is still in his honeymoon Hawaiian print shirt and white slacks. This book is perfect for sharing one on one with a child, but if there aren't any children available, it's also amusing for solitary adults.

The Jolly Postman or some funny letters
This was one of my favorite books when I was very little. I remember that there was a lot of funny letters, one having to do with a witch. A good book for kids just learning to read or for someone reading to a little kid, I remember my second grade teacher reading this to us.

Just impressed!!!
I admit - Im 15 years old, and i just fell in love with this book! It's an original piece, using stories that are familiar to every child. This could be one of the best presents you can give someone.
Very reckmended!!!

The BEST book to grow up with
I had this book when i was little and i really liked it! on every page there was some sort of package or letter to a different fairy tale. i believe humpty dumpty had a puzzle and the giant (jack and the beanstalk) had a lot of tiny letters from jack. i would totally reccomend it for any little kid who likes fairy tales!

a simple joy
I remember receiving this book for my eighth birthday and fifteen years later the novelty of removing the little letters to all the fairytale characters hasn't worn off.I recently rediscovered the book when a young friend was given it for his birthday and it was wonderful to experience The Jolly Postman through the eyes of a child once again.
This book is an absolute treasure to be enjoyed by children and adults alike,take the opportunity to read this fun creation. ... Read more

Book Description

My fellow Americans:

It is our pleasure, our honor, our duty as citizens to present to you Duck for President. Here is a duck who began in a humble pond. Who worked his way to farmer. To governor. And now, perhaps, to the highest office in the land.

Some say, if he walks like a duck and talks like a duck, he is a duck.

We say, if he walks like a duck and talks like a duck, he will be the next president of the United States of America.

Thank you for your vote. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

So the grass isn't truly greener on the other side.
This is a very entertaining children's book. I was surprised to see so many references to current events -- events that children most likely will not understand. Those remarks are made for the adults who will be reading to their children. In an election year, this is an important book to help children understand the importance of living within our democracy. But there is another lesson, too: Duck kept getting tired of the position he was in, going from being a worker, to someone in charge, to governor, and then president. In the end, the Duck realizes that he just wants to go back to what he was doing. So the grass isn't truly greener on the other side. He goes back to what he was doing. Isn't that something we all can learn from?

Michael

Delightful
A wonderful example of storytelling with wit and charm. Younger children may miss the humor but not the cuteness. Adults will appreciate the election humor. I laughed out loud at some of the pictures and the speeches that "only ducks would understand". The last page is priceless, especially since I first read this today, the day Bill Clinton's book was released. Duck won't be any funnier than today!

In this book, Duck teaches a few lessons: he runs for office to escape work but as he moves up the political food chain, he isn't happy. Sometimes the simpler pleasures are all we need. Sometimes its okay to dream, but be careful what we wish for because we may get it. All great lessons, wonderfully illustrated.

I can't quite understand the comments about the electoral system, taking issue with its exclusion from this book. Children most likely won't understand the electoral college, so why bring it up? Most adults are too ignorant of the process to begin with. All I can figure is that some folks have gone a little crazy due to the stress of the times. Remember that a child's world should be magical and trouble-free, and we adults must sacrifice our impulses and control ourselves to make it that way. So relax and try to put yourself in your child's place. You'll probably be happier anyway.

Cutest Book Ever
I love this book. The pictures are sweet, the illustrations are beautiful, and the message is really clever.
I am 24, and I love this book.

Very fun - but ducks a key issue...
This book is delightfully written and illustrated, and very amusing. Far from depressing, the electoral overthrow of the despotic farmer is empowering! Well... of course it turns out that running things is hard work, and politics is the hardest work of all in many ways. This too is a good lesson. However, Ms. Cronin loses a star for ducking (sorry) the fact that presidential elections are not decided by the national popular vote. In the wake of the 2000 election, I would have thought the electoral college was worth a nod, even in a kids' book.

I love this book- but...
I love Doreen Cronin's work, and this book is no exception- I absolutely loved Duck for President, as did my parents, and my little sister (who is in high school). Cronin's humor is quirky and fun, and her books are always as enjoyable for adults to read as for children.

The reason that I didn't give the book more stars is this: My 6 year old niece, who loved Click, Clack, Moo and Diary of a Worm was somewhat less than enthusiastic about Duck for President. I don't think she quite got the humor of it. I still think it's a great book... But- for the age group that it's aimed at, it's a little off the mark. ... Read more

Book Description

"Allie the Allergic Elephant" helps children learn about food allergies and how to be a good friend when you can't share snacks. "Allie" explains peanut allergies in a way that parents, teachers, and children themselves can talk about allergies and understand them better. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

From a kid whose been there, done that
awesome book! zeroes in on the key parts of having an allergy! great book to read to little kids. I personally have a life threatening allergy to peanuts and all tree nuts. thank you for your time.

Librarians loved it!
I bought the first edition for my nephew with a peanut allergy. He enjoyed it because it addressed his difficulty in explaining his allergy to his classmates.

I bought 2 copies of the second edition and donated them to elementary schools where I volunteer in the library. Both librarians were excited to receive the book and were anxious to read it to their students. One librarian took the book immediately to the Kindergarten teacher because a student had arrived that day with a peanut allergy.

I like the book because it explains how an allergic child must be "excluded" when it pertains to peanuts, but wants to be "included" in everything else. I can't wait for the author to write more books about other allergies.

Brings Compassion to a Clinical Subject
With three children in my family, all of them know people who can't eat nuts. At first, they think it's wierd. "What? No peanuts? Why can't you eat peanuts?"

Allie helps those with the allergy understand, and Allie brings compassion to those who live with, work with, and play with an allergic child.

As the author of three non-fiction books, I appreciate a good tale. And Allie's tail is precious.

Charming story -- Important message
I purchased this book as a gift for a friend with an allergic grandchild. He told me it was a special delight to read the book together with his grandson. The story is charming, and effectively communicates an important message about acceptance and coping... in a way even a very young child can grasp. The wonderful illustrations (by a gifted young artist) captured the boy's imagination and brought the story to life.

Excellent book for kids with food allergies
I bought the 1st edition over a year ago and the teacher in his classroom has said that the children love it. They like to hear it read to them. They love the pictures! She said after a year it was well used as they play with it alot. A book needs to hold up with kids at this age. I just purchased the 2nd edition feeling that it was different enough to own it. I am glad I did. The pictures have changed a bit and look wonderful, but the message is still excellent and kids can understand it. Most messages are lost with kids at this age when dealing with serious issues such as food allergies. Geat job! Even though the book is 100% focused on peanut allergies, which is why I got it, the rules remains the same with all food allergies in how they relate to other children playing with the children with the food allergy. I would recommend any parent that has a pre-schooler or a child in K-5 or thier school to buy this book! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Parents and kids looking for a break from the ordinary will appreciate this imaginative collection of stories and songs from quirk-rock kings They Might Be Giants. Fresh on the heels of their highly successful children's record No!, Bed, Bed, Bed features four brief stories written by the Giants and illustrated with surreal panache by Marcel Dzama along with a CD featuring all four stories in song version. "Impossible" explores the possibility of turning into fantastical animals like Octofish and Octofee or growing violet hair that flows down the stairs. Kids will find the silly animals and warped reality delightful and will love singer John Linnell's spacey conspiratorial tone. "Happy Doesn’t Have to Have an Ending" tells the story of a hippie kitten "on a secret mission to make a valentine for everyone on earth," who wants everyone to dance and be happy. "Idlewild" slows things down with a softer, sleepier beat and a story about a dreamy trip to the carnival. But the Giants save the best story for last; "Bed Bed Bed Bed Bed" is a well-reasoned and catchy argument for slumber. "I did so many things today, there’s nothing left to do", sings guest vocalist Kimya Dawson (in a slower, different version than the one on "No!"). While the story features familiar bedtime milestones, Dzama’s illustrations lend the proceedings a compellingly skewed vision in which kids eat three meals in the company of bears and go to bed accompanied by their pet octopus and a tuxedoed rabbit. While the lyrics flow nicely in the songs, they can sometimes be a bit clunky on the page. But even then, the stories and Dzama’s illustrations are more imaginative and memorable than most children’s books today. --John Moe ... Read more

Reviews (18)

CRUCIAL element of my 2-year-old's bedtime routine
Here's the routine: jammies, brush and floss, Bed Bed Bed, lights out. Every night, like clockwork. In fact, the only way I can get her to stop fooling around with the toothbrush is to say, "Let's go listen to Bed, Bed, Bed!" And she hops down from her stool and runs on tiptoes to her room shouting "BED BED BED BED BED BED BED BED BED BED BED BED BED!" When I start the CD, she alternates between studying the pictures in the book very carefully and dancing wildly. She calms down a bit at Idylwild (her favorite song?), and at the end of the fourth song she says "Night night time" and curls up with her pillow and doll. THAT'S IT! Is that amazing or what! Yeah, I'm a TMBG fan, but this CD/book isn't about me and my interest in TMBG, it's not about being a great work of art, it's about the MIRACLE of getting my daughter to go to bed without a fuss.

A must for TMBG fans, not sure kids will like it
I love They Might Be Giants. I love love love them. I've been listening to their music for more than 15 years, and it's been very exciting to hear their music evolve over that time.

Their foray into the world of children's entertainment has been exciting for me, since I'm a children's-book junkie. But while I think the "No!" family CD hits the mark, the Johns' "children's book," "Bed Bed Bed" is a bit off.

The design and illustrations are beautiful, of course. TMBG is known for their cutting-edge taste in designers almost as much as for their music, and so the design and illustrations of the book are bound to catch a child's attention and hold it for a bit.

The text of the book, however, is just song lyrics, and I'm of the opinion that song lyrics generally don't make good reading -- without the music, at least half (if not more) of the experience is missing. And TMBG lyrics are so typically strange, you really do need the music to complete the context.

Of course, the book was meant to be read along with the enclosed four-song CD, and I do think the book is rather pointless without the CD. I take issue, however, with the recasting of the book's title song as a "lullaby." This plodding, tuneless version of the song would put anybody to sleep, in the hope of getting away from Kimya Dawson's monotonous voice. They may have done better to kick off the book and CD with the march-like, sound-effects studded version of "Bed Bed Bed" as it's featured on the "No!" album, and saved the floating, lovely "Idlewild" for the closing lullaby.

Last week I attended one of TMBG's "family concerts," and it was pretty clear that the "No!" album is building a very young sector in the TMBG listening audience. There's a lot to love about the "No!" disc, with its upbeat songs and fun animations. The "Bed Bed Bed" book and CD, while a beautiful package, is less accessible. I do hope the Johns will give children's publishing another shot!

Love it, oh . . . and my daughter likes it too.
Many of us Giants fans are now introducing John's and John's genius to our children. Their new crop of kid friendly products is just what we need to bring our progeny into the fold. The CD has some "kiddy" versions of NO songs and some other ditties, all good. My daughter loves the book! It delivers as a bed time read. Just weird enough, just hypnotizing enough.

My TMBG kid...
My 3 1/2 year old son LOVES this book and cd! We listen to the cd while following along with the book at least twice every night. And being a huge TMBG fan myself, I will never get tired of it. My son was initiated into the world of TMBG with "No!" so we HAD to have Bed Bed Bed when it came out. Thank you Johns!!!!!

Is It A Good Bedtime Tool For Kids?
YES, ANOTHER THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS FAN AM I who bought this 48 page book, accompanied by a 4-song CD, intended for children; however, it's just as hot in hands of adults who appreciate the cleverness, vitality, and care that this band has been producing for over twenty years.

Therefore, it's not a question of whether or not this 5-star TMBG project will please us fans. It boils down to "Is it truly a good bedtime tool?" to help your children into slumber. As a kids' book, I give it 4 stars.

We'll see what you think.

First of all, based on the disappointment I felt upon receiving this package in the mail, I would disagree that it's a book of stories. I'd been lead to believe that it was. BED, BED, BED contains no stories, no more than you'd find in any song. It's a hardbound collection of read-along lyrics set to Marcel Ozama's energized artwork. Still, once the disappointment faded--and it faded fast--I saw the light. This is a wonderful product.

But let's keep things in perspective. The "Note for You" on page 1 tells us, "We have sequenced the stories to help parents and kids find their way to slumberland." In my opinion (maybe I'm wrong), the songs should have been organized in descending order, bouncy-fun to mellow-drowsy

The second song, "Happy Doesn't Have to Have and Ending," is slightly more rockin' than the first song, "Impossible." Their order is not conducive to the gradual fading into sleep we were promised. The last couple of songs are debatable. I feel the CD could have ended with the song "Idlewild," musically, instead of "Bed, Bed, Bed, Bed, Bed." B.B.B.B.B. calls too much attention to the lyrics. Lyrically, however, if this weren't about inducing sleep, I'd have kept the order as presented.

I realize this matter of order is up to the listener. I just thought I should let you know.

The songs themselves are typical of They Might Be Giants. One or two will get your rhythm meter swinging right away, and, after you've listened to the whole CD, you'll find that you love all four songs. The messages, as I translate them, are child-friendly:

1. Don't worry about the limits others place on you. You can grow up to be anyone you imagine yourself to be.
2. The secret to life just might be to make room for fun and happiness.
3. Take a trip into fantasy.
4. Look at everything you did today! You've had a productive twenty-four hourse. The only thing left is to go to bed, the importance of which should not be overlooked.

The neat thing about They Might Be Giants is that their studio albums appeal to children as well as adults. It's no wonder they aimed two CD's exclusively at children. In both BED, BED, BED and their successful kids' album NO!, however, I sometimes felt that the songs weren't perfectly suited for the very young. Again, maybe I'm wrong. I'm not an educator.

In BED, BED, BED, for instance, particularly in the song "Happy Doesn't Have to Have an Ending," words are used that might not fit into your child's repertoire. The word "Gavotte" is used, as well as "moderately." Children aren't idiots, of course, but these words could soar over their heads. (In the Giant's defense, they define "Gavotte" using apt lyrics.)

Also, the phrase "long-haired hippie kitten" is questionable, the "hippie" part. I'm not about to say it's wrong, but it does isolate a passé social class. I feel we should avoid using such terms when providing our children with entertainment. In a sick world, it could become a short journey from "hippie" to "Mexican" to "ni**er."

Despite that, "hippie" is a mostly harmless word, I know. I'm just saying we should avoid terms that come ready-replete with (possible) negative connotations. I'm not normally a crusader against labels. But we're talking about a children's album here.

I've nothing else "bad" to say about this product. Man, I had to listen to it four times in a row. HAD TO. As an adult, I loved it. The message of the song "Possibly" made me misty--which I tend to get over perfectly realized messages of good will. The kitten in the "Happy" song also had an emotional effect on me. . .though, I might point out, he's referred to as a long-haired kitten, and the pictures paint him in short brown fur.

Okay, I lied. So there's a couple more things to say that are not so positive: 1) the short-hair/long-hair issue that I just mentioned and 2) pages 31 to 40.

In pages 31-40 we receive a string of short lyrics, one line per page. This is supposed to be a read-along book, right? I found that I had to turn pages pretty darn fast in order to keep up with the CD. Frantic page-turning during the last song will surely jostle your child from his or her near slumber.

There. No more bad stuff. I, an eternal Giants fan, have tried to review this book without bias. Ah, but, in the end, counting pros and cons won't render a just verdict. BED, BED, BED is a wonderful purchase. You're kids are going to love it.

I dare you to feel differently. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Chester Raccoon doesn't want to go to school--he wants to stay home with his mother. She assures him that he'll love school--with its promise of new friends, new toys, and new books. Even better, she has a special secret that's been in the family for years--the Kissing Hand. This secret, she tells him, will make school seem as cozy as home. She takes her son's hand, spreads his tiny fingers into a fan and kisses his palm--smack dab in the middle: "Chester felt his mother's kiss rush from his hand, up his arm, and into his heart." Whenever he feels lonely at school, all he has to do is press his hand to his cheek to feel the warmth of his mother's kiss. Chester is so pleased with his Kissing Hand that he--in a genuinely touching moment--gives his mom a Kissing Hand, too, to comfort her when he is away. Audrey Penn's The Kissing Hand, published by the Child Welfare League of America, is just the right book for any child taking that fledgling plunge into preschool--or for any youngster who is temporarily separated from home or loved ones. The rough but endearing raccoon illustrationsare as satisfying and soothing for anxious children as the simple story. (Ages 5 and older) --Karin Snelson ... Read more

Reviews (51)

Review of The Kissing Hand
Chester Racoon and his mother prepare for Chester's first "night" at school. He is a little apprehensive, and, of course, he wants to stay home with his mom. Mrs. Racoon shares a secret with Chester called the Kissing Hand. She kisses Chester's palm and tells him to put it to his cheek when he begins to feel lonely at school. This book makes a great gift for a child entering school or going to camp for the first time, or for any occasion where a child will be temporarily separated from home and loved ones. It can also be used to help a child through the death of a parent or special loved one, and for children placed in foster families and residential facilities. For teachers, this book would be super to read the first day of school. It could also lead up to wonderful science, social studies, and reading/writing activities.

A Mother Reviews The Kissing Hand
Chester is about to start school and he's terribly nervous. In a single, calming gesture, his Mom helps him feel loved and secure by kissing the center of his hand. She reminds Chester that her love is always right there and if he should feel frightened or scared or lonely he should simply hold the hand to his cheek and he will feel her love.
We read it just before our son began kindergarten on September 5, 2001 for several days in a row. Although he had been attending Day Care since birth, this was still a new experience for him and he was naturally nervous. So now, each morning we kiss his palm and send him off on the bus. It's a wonderful new ritual.
September 11, 2001 began a tremendously difficult time in our country. Our children are 4 and 5, and we have been reading this nearly every night since then. A friend's daughter was having terrible nightmares and great fears about not seeing her Daddy (he's a Police Officer currently assigned to Ground Zero). We lent them the book to read to her. Her Mom now tells me she is sleeping soundly as long as she has been kissed in the palm of her hand.
Sweet Dreams, America and the world.

We love The Kissing Hand!
This story is about a racoon who is scared to go to school. His mom gives him a kiss in his hand and tells him to put it on his cheek when he gets upset. This book is about love. Our favorite part was when the little racoon gave his mom a kiss in her hand. We think you should read this book because it shows how much a mom loves her child.

Text and Illustrations Don't Work Together
No matter how sweet the plot (and it does edge a bit on the saccharine for my taste), no matter how beautiful the illustrations, this book just doesn't work as a whole.

The story has animals going to school--probably to the supermarket and church too, for all we know!!! Meanwhile the illustrations are glorious, naturalistic works that would be great for a nature book, but look TOO real here. Combined, there is a discordance that really spoiled the book for me.

There are tons of books with anthropomorphized animals, and they serve the purpose of letting children identify with their feelings, regardless of race or gender. But in books of this ilk that WORK, either the animals are more cartoonish or the setting is clearly human based(houses, schools, etcetera), so it's easy to accept the idea of the animals acting out human roles.

Too bad--it's a nice idea, and has a lot of potential as a back to school or starting school book.

One of the best
This is an excellent book. I first checked it out from our library and the first time I read it to my 3 year old son I could barely finish it because it touched me. My son is going through some regression right now as we are expecting our second child and he has shown a lot of increased anxiety away from me. This book was so appropriate for children who are feeling anxious about being away from their parents whether it be school or for any reason. Change is hard and this book reminds children that they will always have your love. I cannot recommend enough. We had to own this one!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Babies and toddlers who loved the "real" ladybugs in Ten LittleLadybugs will adore the nine sparkly, three-dimensional butterflies inGood Night, Sweet Butterflies. Each glitter-covered butterfly flitsthrough a color-themed spread which offers a place for the little winged oneto sleep: "on red roses as a red robin sings good night," is the textaccompanying a psychedelic, color-saturated image of birds, flowers, andvarious insects. The meter of the rhyming text is a bit off, which makes ithard to read the book rhythmically, but little ones are likely to be soenthralled with the illustrations that it won’t matter. The thick,kid-friendly pages are easy to turn and hard to tear; the butterflies aresecurely mounted, but not impossible to remove, so it might be a good ideato keep this one for reading together. (Ages 2 to 6) --Jennifer Lindsay ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Good Night, Sweet Butterflies
My 23-month old daughter loves this book. The butterflies are pretty and sparkly, the illustrations are bright and colorful, and the text is flowing and poetic. She asks to read this book nearly every night. It's also a fun way for her to learn her colors!

My Daughter's New Favorite
This book is absolutely beautiful. A brilliant bedtime story with vibrant colors and gorgeous illustrations. Each page teaches a different color and the illustrations boldly burst with that color. ..., is how the book starts off and we are then led all around this color dreamland. ...The butterflies in the book are popped out and sparkly. As we turn each page the color butterfly we are reading about disappears. Each page mentions the color twice and an animal. The last page reunites all the butterflies and the colorful animals as we say goodnight...My daughter loved this book since she was 4 months old. The colorful illustrations keep her interested and she likes to grab at the popped up butterflies. A delightful story I enjoy reading again and again. I sometimes even read it to myself. The purple page is MY favorite.

My daughter loves it
My daughter 1 year old really likes this book. I bought it because of its similarity to the 10 little ladybugs book. It has the same sort of colorful illustrations and I like it better as the ladybugs are not as pretty as the sparkly butterflies. This book teaches colors as each of the butterflies finds a place to stay for the night.

Beautiful book !!
Each page has a color theme that is comparible with the color of the butterfly. Lovely.

Wonderful book with educational value
I bought this book for my 1 year old daughter because it has some beautiful illustrations. Little did I know, we would be reading this book daily at bedtime. Now she's 17 months old and she knows all of her colors, but not just the color pictures in the book. You can ask her to bring you something red and she will bring you the nearest red toy she finds! I attribute much of her progress to this book. Mom likes it too! ... Read more

Book Description

When Papa Bear tells the cubs why they should never talk to strangers,

Sister begins to view all strangers as evil until Mama brings some common sense

to the problem. "The Bears' rules for safe conduct among strangers are listed

on the last pages, including a rule about the privacy of a bear's body. A good

book to start awareness in young children."--School Library Journal.




... Read more

Reviews (20)

The best book on strangers for young children
I used this book about 6 years ago to help teach my child about "stranger danger". This book helps to teach about strangers without scaring children away from everyone and everything. All the Berenstain Books are definately worth reading to youngsters - they all teach a lesson or two in a very positive, easy to understand way that is suitable for a wide age range. Most of them also make excellent bedtime stories (I didn't think this one was good for bedtime) and often help children to open up about a subject and discuss what they are thinking or feeling. They are also very good First Books for the cild to read as they get older. I highly recommend this and all of the Berenstain Bears books. My child outgrew them and had given them away, so I am now purchasing a few to give as a Christmas present to a co-workers 3 year old who I think will enjoy them as much as my child did.

One of the least paranoia inducing "stranger books"
I have gotten rid of most "don't talk to strangers" books because they are mostly fear inducing. I want my children to use common sense, and this version emphasises that. Sister (gotta love the names :-) ) fears everyone when first told that not all strangers are trustworthy. Mama comes to the rescue with some much needed common sense and moderation. The book concludes with a plausible example of Brother maybe trusting a stranger too much.

A good starting point for working with young, very trusting children, on appropriate interpersonal interactions, and may help prevent the child from fearing even the grocery store clerk.

What about the rest of the strangers?
The book does teach children about what to do with strangers, but the view of strangers is not appropriate. They are all darkened men. A more developmentally-appropriate, anti-bias book would include strangers of all races, class, personality, and gender.

The Berenstain Bears Learn About Strangers
This is a great book for teaching young children about strangers. My son is 5 and really enjoys reading this book over and over again. The content is informative, but not scary. The comparison momma bear makes between strangers and a barrel of apples is so simple and accurate. The simplicity allows the children to understand you never know what is on the inside of an apple or a stranger. A visual key kids are likely to remember.

Learning About Strangers
This is a good book. My 5 year old son enjoyed the story, and the lessons that I wanted to convey about strangers (what is a stranger, stranger rules, etc.) were covered very well. The story shows how one can become too afraid as well as how one can be lured into leaving with a stranger. Children learn to be careful without being paranoid. Children also learn that "telling" is not the same as being a "tattletell".

We have enjoyed all 8 books that we purchased from this collection. ... Read more

Book Description

"There was a girl in the village who loved horses... She led the horses to drink at the river. She spoke softly and they followed. People noticed that she understood horses in a special way."

And so begins the story of a young Native American girl devoted to the care of her tribe's horses. With simple text and brilliant illustrations. Paul Goble tells how she eventually becomes one of them to forever run free. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

A horse is a horse, of course of course
The ultimate girl/horse story. There are plenty of tales in which a young girl bonds with a very special horse. This is the rare book in which the girl not only bonds with a horse but, in the end, becomes one herself (as well as that horse's mate). Paul Goble made quite a career out of telling Native American folktales in picture book form. In this particular story, a girl's love for four-legged beasts is taken to its logical extreme.

In this book, a girl once cared for her tribe's horses during the day. She would water them and find them places to feed. One day, a storm rose while the girl slept and the horses grazed. In a panic, the animals began to stampede away, and it was only by her skill that the girl was able to climb aboard one. When at last they stopped, the girl met the leader of all the wild horses, a beautiful spotted stallion. The girl continued to live with the creatures until one day she was successfully captured by members of her own tribe. She was happy to see her parents once more, but begged to return to the horses. The tribe agreed and each year she would return briefly to give the people a new colt. When she didn't return one year, riders swore that they saw a black mare that greatly resembled the girl, now the mate of the spotted stallion. The book ends with a Navaho's song about his horse and Black Elk (an Oglala Sioux)'s dream about a stallion's song.

I was a little shocked that this tale never identified the tribe to which the girl belonged. Since, however, this is an original story and not a retelling of a classic Native American tale (or so the book would lead you to believe) I wasn't too perturbed by the omission. After all, when people tell stories about themselves, they rarely identify their nationality or allegiance. In this book, the girl's tribe is referred to simply as "the people". If you've ever seen a Paul Goble book before, you know what to expect when you read this. His characters are fairly featureless, though as an artist he spends a significant bit of time detailing their clothing, hair, weapons, homes, etc. He expresses a great love of color in all his pictures, and it's quite enjoyable to flip through the shots of multicolored horses. In its construction, this book is incredibly lovely. But the question that came to my mind while reading it was, how interesting will children find this tale? For those kids obsessed by horses, I think this book will go over like gangbusters. After all, as horse-love goes, this girl is an extreme example. In other ways, the book is a bit dull. When you illustrate a tale in which emotions are not visible on the characters, you're going to lose those readers that like seeing happy and sad expressions. It's a style choice on the part of the author/illustrator and while I respect it I cannot wholly recommend it.

Just the same, it's a lovely book to flip through. Just know that it is an original Native American tale and not a retelling. For every child that has imagined running away and joining a band of wild animals, this is the perfect story to read. A lovely lively concoction.

Wild Horses actually do drag this young girl away
"The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses" is a straightforward tale of the Plains Indians, retold and illustrated by Paul Goble, unlike those that he has told about the trickster, Iktomi. This myth does not folllow any one story exactly but is put together from a great number of stories belonging to the peoples who lived on the Great Plains that Goble had read or listened to over the years. This story is premised on the importance of horses to these peoples. The title character is a girl in the village would loved horses so much that she would led them to drink at the river and when she spoke softly to them they would follow her. Her people recognized that she understood horses in a special way, which explains why this story ends the way that it does.

Every day after doing her chores the young girl would run off to be with the horses. One day there is a great lightning storm that drives the horses, carrying the young girl, over the horizon to a land she had never seen before. There she finds a beautiful spotted stallion, stronger and prouder and more handsome than any horse she had ever dreamed of. He is the leader of all the wild horses who roamed the hills and he welcome her to live with them. But a year later two hunters from her people discover her in the hills where the wild horses lived and they will try to bring the girl back to her parents. The question is whether the girl can be happy back with her people now that she has lived with the wild horses.

Goble's distinctive artwork, which recalls the art of the Plains Indians of the 19th century, is particularly well suited to this simple tale. As was the case in one of his earlier books, "The Gift of the Sacred Dog," which told how the first horses came into the lives of the people, you can tell that Goble likes to draw horses. In "The Girl Who Loves Wild Horses" he has ample opportunity to draw dozens of them, as well as the young girl decked out in her colorful garb, and I particularly liked the plant life he draws this time around. No wonder this book was the winner of the Caldecott Medal.

Beautiful art.
Paul Goble transcends perfection. Any artist, or anyone who loves art, will want to look at this book again and again...

Simon & Schuster recommends the book for ages 5 to 8, but any child approaching or in his or her early teens would be enchanted by the simplicity of the artwork and the way it so powerfully conveys the story the words tell. Even adults will enjoy this poetic picture book.

The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses
The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses is about a young girl who struggles to find a friend in her tribe but finds herself to be very close with the wild horses that graze near her tribe. One day a thunderstorm comes and scares the wild horses off and she feels lost. The leader of the wild horses comes to her one night and asks if she wants to be one of them and she excitedly answers yes leaving her home and family behind her. Many children can relate to this book if they feel as though they have no one to confide in but there pets or different animals. Kids that are socially impaired would benefit from reading this book along with any child who has an interest in reading a good book.

Wonderful Book!
My daughter and I just love this book. The illustrations are simply beautiful and the story is enchanting. This was one of the first books my daughter read by herself. We have read almost all of his wonderful books. ... Read more

Amazon.com

When asked, Maurice Sendak insisted that he was not a comics artist, but an illustrator. However, it's hard to not notice comics aspects in works like In the Night Kitchen. The child of the story is depicted floating from panel to panel as he drifts through the fantastic dream world of the bakers' kitchen. Sendak's use of multiple panels and integrated hand-lettered text is an interesting contrast to his more traditional children's books containing single-page illustrations such as his wildly popular Where the Wild Things Are. ... Read more

Reviews (53)

God Bless Milk and God Bless Me!
Maurice Sendak is one of my very favourite children's authors and illustrators. However, I wasn't introduced to "In the Night Kitchen" until my husband insisted we buy it for our child. He loved it when he was a kid and loves it still (by the way, and this may be irrelevant, he's a great cook).

The story is about a little boy whose dream takes him to the Night Kitchen where the bakers are making the morning cake. The bakers have a glitch and Mickey is able to come to the rescue. And of course, Mickey is the reason why there are delicious things to eat in the morning (hooray for Mickey).

The whole idea of bakers working in the wee morning hours creating yummy things for our breakfasts is an intriguing idea and one that isn't talked about very often. However, those croissants, bagels, and delicious pastries are made in "Night Kitchens" the world over. This book, besides being entertaining, is actually educational.

The illustrations are vivid and are reminiscent of big cities (like NYC). The style is bold and engaging. Yes, Mickey is nude sometimes but I don't feel the drawings are graphic. Unless you have strong feelings against any portrayal of nudity, don't let that put you off. The book is certainly is worth a read (and you can always preview it before you share it with your kids). You may love it as we do.

I liked it
I remember reading this book as a child and I have to say that I was neither disturbed by the nudity nor frightened by anything in the book. we must remember that Sendak is writing for children and as much as we hate to admit it adults often have no idea what will or will not frighten a child, at the same time each child is very different and what may frighten one child may not affect another in the least. From what I can tell children at a young age do not think being naked is a bad thing and the idea of playing in cake batter is a pleasent idea.
When it was read to me I was not at all embarrassed that Micky was naked in fact to me that was just part of the fun.
A children's story should be written for the audience and I think that Sendak possesses an incredible talent for telling the stories that children will love. And the really important part after all is that the child loves it.

we bake cake! and nothing's the matter!
Mickey is a fantastic throwback to the lovely lovely adventures of Little Nemo In Slumberland, an illustrated comic in American newspapers during the early 20th century. Like Little Nemo, Mickey's adventures drift from panel to panel in a dreamlike trance. The cooks who look like Oliver Hardy always struck me as the best part of the book; as well as Mickey floating in the giant bottle of milk as his little dough plane disintegrates.

Why do people find this book controversial? They are the same people who fear and have stifled the powers of their own imaginations. We have all had strange dreams like this, and Sendak has beautifully captured those sleepy moments. Why are they bothered by Mickey's state of undress? Who cares?

This is a wonderful book!!
My mother read this book to my sisters and I many times when we were children. I still love it! I have bought it for all of my friends who have children. Lesser known than "Where the Wild Things Are", but just as wonderful.

Neat story and great illustrations
I bought this book for my yet to be born child because my husband and I love cooking and we liked "Where the Wild Things Are". I really liked the story and the illustrations are wonderful.

It was noted in the other reviews, but I will mention it here as well that in select frames, Mickey is naked and does have a penis. If anyone has any concerns about this with reading it to their children they should probably find a different book. ... Read more

Book Description

Move over, Eloise and Olivia. Make room for SkippyjonJones, a Siamese kittenboy who can't resign himself to being an ordinary cat. Having a time-out in his room, he resorts to his imagination. Taking on the superhero persona of the great Spanish sword fighter Skippito, he has the adventure of his life, and readers are invited along. Zany, wild, and over-the-top, this utterly original book truly begs to be read aloud.

With the jiggly, effervescent outlines she used in I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Pie, the smudgy, tender expressiveness of The Grannyman, and a text worthy of a sitcom, Judith Byron Schachner has created a new cat character for all ages. ¡Ol&eacute! ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Skippito saves the day!
Another humorous and imaginative Schachner book! Skippyjon Jones is a young Siamese cat who imagines himself to be a Chihuahua and a great bandit fighter. The text is sprinkled with Spanish words and sing along songs. The illustrations are soft, bright pastel drawings. It is fun to look at the small details in the artwork. This is a great story to read aloud.

Irresistable Reading
Our six year old son was given this book for Christmas and it was the book of choice for his nightly reading for about two weeks. Everyone in our family has throughly enjoyed reading it outloud to him (especially his teenage brothers). We find it easy to quote and brings such fun memories when we do. Being a mom of six children I could especially appreciate his mother's fun names for him - "Mr. Flutternutter is still thinking".
Our son took it for sharing at school and his teacher enjoyed it so much that she recently commented on it (this being about four months later). Anyone of any age can enjoy this - with or without children!

Holy Frijoles! What an adventure!
While previewing our libraries newest books, the cover illustration grabbed my attention immediately. Once I opened the book, there was no turning back. Witty, funny, tongue twisting, and wonderfully illustrated, you just can't help but fall in love with Skippyjon Jones. I do not speak Spanish, but with the help of some Spanish speaking friends, I hope I can do the story justice when I attempt to read it aloud to our students. What a delightful story!

Ay, caramba! A hard book to beat-o!
"Skippyjon Jones" is so good on so many levels. It may just be the perfect children's book. No, the Platonic IDEAL of what a children's book should be...I'm that enamored of it!
First, the plot is hilarious. Skippyjon is a Siamese cat with a fantastic imagination. His mother scolds him for being so un-catlike and sends him to his room "to think about what it means to be a Siamese cat." But of course Skippyjon doesn't think for long. His imagination takes over and poof! He's a famous sword-fighting chihuahua off on an adventure in old Mexico. He defeats Alfredo Buzzito, "el blimpo bumblebeeto bandito" and wins back all the beans Buzzito has stolen from Los Chimichangos, a band of desert-dwelling chihuahuas. And of course the noise of this adventure eventually brings him back to reality, with his mother and sisters scolding him again, but in such a fond and loving way that we're left feeling only their affection for the little kitty-boy scamp.
Next, there are the pictures. Young readers and experienced readers both will enjoy the very funny illustrations, which include clues about just how Skippyjon GETS those wild ideas.
Finally, there is the diction. The language in this book is inspired. It rollicks. It rolls. It plays with the audience, teases and tickles and delights little ears. And "holy guacamole," it sure is fun to read aloud!
Thank you, Judith Schachner!

Hilarious Fun for the Whole Family!
My 4-year old daughter and my husband and I absolutely love this book. It's one I never get tired of reading! It is so funny, and the illustrations are terrific. My daughter loves to play "invisible Skippyjon Jones" now! A wonderful book. My highest recommendation! ... Read more

Amazon.com

From the author of the award-winning legend of peace, Old Turtle, comes a soulful new tale about the wise old turtle who advocates listening to the "language of breezes...learning lessons from stones and animals and trees and stars." In this story, a truth falls from the stars, breaking in half when it lands. Crow, Fox, Coyote, and Raccoon, each pick up this piece of truth but discard it because of its rough edges and broken nature. But when a human being finds it, noting the words "You Are Loved" written on it, he and his people cherish it as their most important possession. Time passes, and jealousy, fear, and anger rise up in the people who hold this Great Truth, as well as in those who do not have it. The world begins to suffer. Finally, it's up to a little girl to seek understanding and a solution to the woes of the world.

Old Turtle and the Broken Truth's new age allegory is exquisitely wrought, in word and in picture. Douglas Wood's prose is the timeless language of fables, meshing perfectly with Jon Muth 's radiant watercolors for an experience anyone seven to one hundred and seven can appreciate. (All ages) --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Compelling Story + Elegant Watercolors:=Ageless Picture Book
I picked this book because I love turtles and I was intrigued about what on Earth (or anywhere, for that matter!) the Broken Truth might be....

Through Douglas Wood's narrative, I was taken to a land where every stone was a teacher and every breeze a language, where every lake was a mirror and every tree a ladder to the stars.....

And then in a brief moment, the sight of the Broken Truth falling to the ground in an especially poignant watercolor by illustrator Jon Muth.

I found the unfolding story to be told gently and with great care. As one other reader noted, it echoes so clearly many of the challenges which are inherent in humankind today.

And then, on the other hand, I am very familiar with this place where every stone is a teacher, every breeze a language, every lake a mirror and every tree a ladder to the stars.... Very worthy read... and very worthy of sharing with children and grown children everywhere.

Old Turtle returns with another bit of wisdom for the people
In this sequel to the beloved "Old Turtle," the people of the Earth are living in peace until they discover a powerful truth that gives them strength and happiness. The result is that the Earth is soon full of suffering and war until one little girl seeks out Old Turtle, who tells her that what the people do not realize is that the great "truth" is broken and incomplete. It is then up to the little girl to travel back to the world and pass on the precious piece of wisdom that will provide the people with the whole truth.

While I certainly like the idea of a "broken truth" as a metaphor for explaining why so much goes so terribly wrong in the world in which we live, I had to admit that I was rather disappointed by the revelation of what were the two halves of the broken truth. The completed message is certainly worthwhile, and an important one for everyone to appreciate and understand, but I am not sure why half of that truth (the first half in this case), would create a world of war and suffering. However, young readers will not be sidetracked by such practical concerns and should find the message of "Old Turtle and the Broken Truth" to be something that meets their expectations. Douglas Wood's story is complimented by watercolors by Jon J. Muth.

Beautiful Story
Having never heard of or read "Old Turtle", I am not sure WHY I was compelled to look at this book while at the book store today. Perhaps it was the awesome watercolor on the cover..? At any rate, I sat and read the entire book. I remember looking up twice to see if anyone noticed how choked up I was getting - NOT the reaction I was expecting out of myself, but then again, I wasn't expecting to sit down and read one of the most eloquent, beautiful stories I've ever read. I immediately purchased it for an environmentalist/animal rights activist friend of mine, a brilliant girl with so much passion and ability to change the world, who of course I was reminded of by the little girl in the story. This book so amazingly sums up so many of the problems in our world and collective conscience, and so brilliantly pulls them all together into one fundamental flaw in our thinking, whether it's our ignorant views towards animals, nature, or the middle-east, etc. And it offers hope. I can't wait to give it to my friend!

Insightful!
This simple story is actually quiet complex and compelling, revealing the consequences of self-righteousness and intolerance. Within the first few pages, the author quickly sets the stage for conflicts that Old Turtle can explain with his insight and understanding. This is a timely story, as we are often confronted today with accepting others' viewpoints and cultures.

Most children's books aren't just for children...
This story of a broken truth and the secret to peace and happiness is a remarkable tale for children and adults. Children may not grasp the full meaning of the story, but they may appreciate that it is a child who helps the world. Adults will find that the simple truth gives them chills. The watercolor illustrations are as beautiful as the tale.
I bought this book for my friend's birthday. Once you read it, you, too, will want to share it with those around you. ... Read more