Book Description

Join the fun as 17 familiar nursery rhyme characters take starring roles in this latest additionto the New York Times bestselling series You Read to Me, I’ll Read to You. Designed with budding readers in mind, each of the tales is set in three columns with color-coded type as a script for two voices to read separately and together. Whether it’s Humpty Dumpty negotiating with a doctor to fix his cracked shell, Little Miss Muffet inviting the spider to share her curds and whey, or Old King Cole enjoying a feline fiddle recital, these tales with a twist will delight and amuse young readers. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

One of my favorites & a wonderful read-aloud!
This is absolutely one of the best books out there! I am a teacher and I enjoy reading this book immensely. The story is fun and whimsical to read. While one reviewer was "upset" by how the other characters were not very empathetic to Custard's fears and even teased him, I look at this aspect of the book as an opportunity to discuss it with my students and my 3 children. It's a great springboard into a discussion on kindness and perspective. Whatever you do, don't pass this one up because of that review. I was amazed this book had less than 5 stars. Parents will love reading this to their children. Also, a great discussion on the true meaning of bravery can ensue as a result of this book.

So much fun - made me want a dragon...
"Guess what happened in the little white house/ Where Belinda lived with a little gray mouse,/ And a kitten, and a puppy, and a little red wagon,/ and a realio, trulio, little pet dragon." I personally feel that lyrical poetry is a great tool to help children learn to read. It helps them to feel the rhythms of the English language, they can anticipate what will come next, and then they can memorize passages - it's just a wonderful thing.

So many kids have loved this book - I read a review about some of the characters being "mean" to Custard... I can see what the reviewer meant, but I don't agree - the characters are all sort of larger than life and absurd in their own way. I don't think that they come off as mean - but that's just my opinion...

Mean spirited
Isn't anyone else bothered by how mean the other characters are to Custard? All he wants is to be in his own little cage, safe and sound, but they all make fun of him! He is "teased unmerciful" and constantly taunted by the others.

Even when he makes his wonderful courageous stand, the others end up belittling him!

Yes, the language flows beautifully and I LOVE the description of Custard. But, typical of Nash, the mean-spiritedness of the characters overshadows everything else.

Nash is just so cool
I have always loved Ogden Nash's writing. The words that he chooses paint wonderful images. The sounds are melodic and provide kids with an opportunity to develop an ear for language. I want more of Nash's writing to come back into print. His writing is truly sumptuous.

Timeless Classic
My mother read this poem to us out of a Childcraft book -- we all memorized the story because we loved it so much. I am so excited to be able to buy the book version to keep forever and hopefully read to my own children one day! ... Read more

Book Description

Mother Goose comes to life in this beautifully illustrated anthology of rhymes, from Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star to Humpty Dumpty. The lovely keepsake collection includes all the best-loved Mother Goose classics, including:

- Little Miss Muffet
- This Little Piggy
- Peter Pumpkin-Eater
- Mary Had a Little Lamb
- The Cat and the Fiddle
- And more!

A spectacular collection sure to delight both young and old alike! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Mother and teacher
This book is my absolute favorite collections of Mother Goose rhymes. I have many, but this one is wonderful. The illustrations of this book are absolutly beautiful and make the book wonderful and enchanting to children. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Master Teacher
Lafleur has once again produced a masterful work.He is one of those rare breed of scholars who applies his erudition to producing effective teaching materials.His "Workbook for Wheelock's Latin" is incredible, and this work stands on the same level.For those seeking an introduction to Latin Poetry, look no further.He introduces you to the necessary requisites for understanding Latin terminology--without weighting you down with unnecessary pedantic jargon.For the independent student, University of Georgia offers several excellent independent study courses in Latin; this book is the required text for one of those classes.Buy it!
Valete! ... Read more

Book Description

Four African American children interact with one another in a pre-school environment and in so doing explore their facial features, skin tones, what they wear, what they do and how they learn from and enjoy each other ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A simple, poetic read for young children
Sorry, but the editorial review above does not describe the book "Bright Eyes, Brown Skin" by Cheryl Hudson. I'm not sure what story it refers to, but Bright Eyes is a simple, repetitive book with wonderful pictures showing African American children enjoying a day at school. There is no real story line to it, but it is a good book for young children anyway!

Bright Eyes, Brown skin
A charming foursome, Alexa, Ethan, Jordan, and Olivia enjoy a day in kindergarten. The vibrant, detailed pictures and large print, rhyming text provide many opportunities for interaction between the reader and child. Perfect for a beginning reader (5-7) as well as a younger child (3-4). This is one of the few books I have seen for young African-American children that highlights their uniqueness and makes them feel special. My four year old is delighted with this book which has become her favorite bedtime story. Also a nice preparation for pre-school or kindergarten. ... Read more

Book Description

Singer-songwriter Jos&eacute-Luis Orozco has assembled a collection of finger rhymes and other action songs from Latin America. Including favorites such as "The Wheels on the Bus" as well as folk songs from a variety of Spanish-speaking countries,Diez Deditos is a treat for the eyes, ears, and fingers. Lyrics are presented in both English and Spanish, and easy-to-follow musical accompaniment and diagrams for the corresponding actions are also provided. As in the companion volume De Colores, bright collage illustrations by Elisa Kleven complete the appeal of this fun-filled book. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Diez Deditos
The author, Jose Luis Orozco, is a bilingual educator/singer who keeps English-speaking and Spanish-speaking children interested throughout his books and accompanying music. As a substitute teacher, I have used his books and tapes extensively in elementary school classes over the years. I have had the privilege of attending his concerts at elementary schools several times and have thoroughly enjoyed his work.

I recommend the two books authored by Jose Luis Orozco, that I have purchased and read many times with students.

Fun Spanish starter
I bought this book & the accompanying CD. To be honest, I don't use the book to sing along with the CD as much as I thought I would. But...when I do, it is great. There are wonderful, colorful pictures, English & Spanish words to every song, and an explanation of the origin/tradition of the song. Lots of fun, I hope my 15 month old is absorbing some of it.

Great with the album, not so great by itself.
I got the book and the music album together and I absolutely love them. The book makes the music a lot more meaningful-- even if you know enough Spanish to understand the music, the book is still useful to show you finger-plays and dances to go along with it. However, I wouldn't have gotten much out of the book by itself. Unless you are really good at reading music, get the album too.

Great book from infants to preschoolers
This is a great book that both my kids love. I also got the CD that goes with it. The illustrations are very interesting and filled with details. If you can read music you can also play the songs along. I highly recommend it.

Fabulous!!!! Yes, buy the music too!!!!
My husband and I bought the book and CD to accompany it. Fabulous! The book's illustrations are rich and vibrant, with lyrics, with music, and hand signs too! Both of our daughters (3yo and 1 yo) LOVE the music and follow along with the book making the hand/body motions. It is the kind of children's music that is gentle and enjoyable to the adult ear. Great family fun! ... Read more

Book Description

Angels of virtue give voice to their gifts of hope, love, faith, compassion and grace.Noel's paintings combine with John W. Sisson's poetry to create this heavenly keepsake book.

This collector's book features a glow-in-the-dark cover. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Best Book and Pictures
We have some of Noel paintings, they are so beautiful.
The Angel paintings are so very special, they will make
you cry just looking at their faces. Mr. Sissons'
poems fit everyone of the pictures. Enjoyed the book very
much looking to buy 2 more books.

Believe
This book was so beautifully illustrated that it brought tears to my eyes.

In each poem I found a different one of my sisters, friends or daughters. I have already bought 4 copies and am looking for 3 more so I can give my sisters and daugthers each a copy in honor of "their" angel. ... Read more

Book Description

Illus. in color. Dr. Seuss's characters explore the zany world of feet. ... Read more

Reviews (40)

A must for every young child's library!
The Foot Book is terrific, but be sure that you buy the 32 page white-covered version, not one of the inferior board books.

My children have loved this book since 6 months. The story is very simple - it shows all different kinds of feet, from wet feet and dry feet to fuzzy fur feet. There aren't many words on each page, so there is lots of page turning to keep the youngest kids interest. Dr. Seuss used a sing-song rhyme, which reads quickly and is very soothing. We read it over and over again.

The artwork is classic Suess, with a focus on feet!

I credit The Foot Book with fostering my children's love of books. At just 12 months my daughter will bring the book to me and climb into my lap for a reading. (Fair warning - you will know this book by heart!)

My older child was bored with this book by about age 2, because it is so simple, but is now enjoying it again as I read it to her sister, and I think it will be a popular choice when she starts learning to read.

My recommendation is to get this book early and enjoy it often!

Dr. Seuss introduces young readers to the joy of adjectives
"The Foot Book" by Dr. Seuss is a Bright and Early Book for Beginning Readers, a series of books for the youngest of the young. The idea here is that the stories are brief and funny, the words are few and easy, and there is always a catchy sense of rhyme. Of course "The Foot Book" is about not only the foot (singular) but feet (plural). There are more references to feet (plural) than to feet (singular), if you happen to pay attention to such things (which, apparently, I did). But the key part of this book are all the adjectives that Dr. Seuss comes up with for all those feet.

This happens mostly in terms of oppositional pairs such as right and left, wet and dry, high and low, front and back, etc. Of course sometimes rhyme comes into play as well, such as when we go from small feet to big feet and then to pig feet. The illustrations all feature the strange hairy creatures that populate the imagination of Dr. Seuss, although you will see a pair of rather normal looking kids in the mix as well. Did you ever stop to think that Dr. Seuss is probably the most influential poet of his generation? He is certainly the most imitated, and behind all those silly rhymes was a deep desire to get kids to read. Once your beginning reader has read "The Foot Book," be sure to have them check out the sequel, "Fox in Sox."

A must have for all!
This is one of the first books my son fell in love with. He would laugh as I used different voices to go with the words and pictures. This book is also great to help with opposites. This is definately a library must have for all.

it was a funny book
this book is funny, just because it talks about feet.i read it twice. i recommend it, it was good.

Don't buy this version, get the original!
The original hardcover The Foot Book is absolutely awesome, but I had a lot of trouble finding it to buy on Amazon (it has a white cover, not green). For some reason the only versions that came up in my search were the board books. My daughterss have loved this book since they were 6 months old (one is now 12 months and the other is 3 1/2), and my copy is very tired.

Be aware that this version only has 12 pages and has stickers and flaps, which get torn and make a mess. If you're looking for the original version, click on "hardcover edition" on this page and you're all set.

I can't see any reason to purchase the shortened, board book version of this classic unless you're concerned with torn pages. There aren't many words on each page, and the rhymey, sing-song story is short enough to hold your child's attention for the entire book. We read this book together for storytime, and put the sturdier books into the crib for play.

The Foot Book belongs in every small child's library, but go with the real deal, not this dumbed-down version. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A Poetic and Photographic Feast
Yolen and Stemple have created a visual feast in their, "Color Me A Rhyme." As usual, Jane Yolen's poetry is excellent, but what sold me on the book were the amazing photographic layouts of natural images in green, grey, orange, purple....Each two page spread in the book has a Jane Yolen poem about the featured color, other names for the color (for white: chalk, snow, alabaster and bone), a literary quote about the color, and at least two lovely juxtaposed photos. You have to see the book to really appreciate its gorgeous layouts. This book would be excellent in the early grades, where teaching concepts is emphasized, or when teaching creative writing. Kids could all write their own color poems. I also think young artists would enjoy the varieties of color represented in the volume. How many kids know the varieties of blue? Some of its names are lovely and mysterious--cerulean, sapphire, azure and turquoise. Let them experience these colors in this fine book. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

The Beautiful, Always Classic "Mother Goose"!
I recently purchased this book for my new granddaughter and myself. It is beautifully bound in royal purple cloth with gorgeous endpapers and original front page illustrations by Milo Warner. The illustrations throught the book, however, are Blanche Fisher Wright's and they are just as beautiful as the original 1916 ones.

This book contains classics like" Pat-A-Cake, See-Saw, Little Bo-Peep, Little Boy Blue, Humpty Dumpty, Ring Around The Rosy and countless others.

If you would like to share the Original Mother Goose with a child of the next generation or just read it yourself to reminisce your OWN childhood, this is the book for you!

Happy Rhyming and Reading!

The Original Mother Goose
What would the preschool years be without "Hey Diddle Diddle," "Mary had a Little Lamb," and "Humpty Dumpty"? Mother Goose nursery rhymes are part of our cultural heritage. The beautiful, colorplate illustrations in this original, oversized volume will make many of these rhymes especially memorable. Unfortunately, the rhymes are densely packed, with several on each page, and thus the majority do not have accompanying illustrations.

The Original is Still the Best
Save us from historical revisionists like Ms. Takahashi, who clearly has no idea of the origins of the Mother Goose nursery rhymes or the harsh conditions that existed in England when the rhymes developed. Social class division, beating, and animal cruelty were facts of life. Certainly the subject matter can be a little grisly, but infants don't care -- they love the sing-song quality of the verses. Older children can find in the rhymes a painless introduction to history and a springboard for discussions about why we do things differently today. My grandmother used this book with my mother as an infant in 1922 and used it again with me as an infant in 1957. It is still just as good with our infant daughter today. Mother Goose has become a part of our cultural history. "Updating" the text to reflect modern mores smacks of the kind of historical revisionism carried out by Orwell's "Ministry of Truth" in his novel "1984."

Frighteningly outdated
The illustrations are wonderful, but they are they only thing I like about this book. The poems too often have subject matter of social class division, whipping or beating "bad" children or adults, and animal cruelty. In addition to this, the layout and typography of this edition are terrible! It is actually difficult to read the text, not a good thing in a book meant to be read aloud. I understand that this edition is based on the 1916 version, but on reading these "original" versions of the poems, in their "original" layout, I am convinced that there is good reason to update this material. I would love to see the beautiful illustrations pared with updated text (and typography!). This version may have value as an historical record of how much society has changed, but there is no place for it on my daughter's bookshelf.

mother goose
it is a good book and it is an old clasic told 100's of years in the makingi recomend it for your children ... Read more

Amazon.com

Douglas Florian (Insectlopedia, The Mammalabilia) is at it again. The 21 poems and paintings in his new collection, Bow WowMeow Meow, will tickle young dog and cat lovers—and just about everyone else, too. Florian’s painting of a poodle, essentially a riot of curls and a pink hair bow, accompanies a four-line concrete poem cleverly typeset in swirls on the opposite page:

Poodles have oodles and oodles of curls,
Which makes poodle boys look like poodle girls.
The curls may have whirls, while the whirls may have swirls.
Poodles have oodles and oodles of curls.

Reviews (3)

Bow Wow Meow Meow
As always, Mr. Florian writes and illustrates poetry on a young child's level. His poetry is short and to the point, and his illustrations are extremely creative. "The Poodles" and "The Dalmatian" is a great example of utilizing the features of the animal in the poem format. Mr. Florian gets young children excited about poetry and shows them that poetry can be uncomplicated and fun.

Twenty-one brief, humorous poems
Poet and painter Douglas Florian barks up the right tree in the young people poetry month release, "Bow Wow Meow Meow: It's Rhyming Cats and Dogs." Twenty-one brief, humorous poems about a kennel of dog and cat varieties playfully prowl its pages, accompanied by childlike watercolor portraits of each species being analyzed in verse. (Another quirky pleasure comes from the fact that Florian's loose, playful watercolors were painted on primed brown paper bags with bits of collage.) Setting the stage for the book's first half is "Dog Log" with its deadpan "to do" list of the average dog: "Rolled out of bed./ Scratched my head./ Brought the mail./ Wagged my tail.../ Chewed a shoe --/ Table, too." The next ten spreads all focus on a different doggie from the bulldog to wolf. Typical is "The Chihuahua" which manages to hilariously evoke the sound of the little beast: "Chihuahua seems a sorry sight:/ So small in stature, weight, and height./ But it can bark a brouhaha: / Chi-hua! hua! hua! hua! hua! hua! hua!" Segregating the cats from the dogs, the second half is devoted to the felines, starting with the lilting "Cat Chat" introduction, and ends with "The Black Panther": "Black on black / With big eyes green --- / At night the panther's sight is keen,/ A stalking shadow, sly and sleek,/ That every night plays hide-and-seek." As a poetry collection, this is the best-conceived, least-pretentious and most-fun work in years. The idea is simplicity at its best, perfectly conceived and cleverly executed with a just-right balance of smarts and playfulness. The witty, insightful nature of the poems is sure to delight all ages, particularly fans of ee cummings, Ogden Nash and Bennett Cerf. Even concrete poetry admirers will pleasantly note the subtly original ways in which simple type layouts are occasionally used to enhance the rhythms and rhymes, such as the lines of "The Poodles" which are each set in a tight swirl, mimicking their subject's "oodles and oodles or curls." Doggone good. To borrow a pun from Florian, it would "puzzle ocelot" if this didn't end up an award-winner by year's end.

Fabulous Florian
This clever collection of 21 dog and cat ditties by children's poet Douglas Florian is one of his best yet - how does he do it?! To be as talented an author as an illustrator is a double blessing for readers of this hilarious new collection. From the subtitle " It's rhyming cats and dogs", to the shape poetry detail of the dalmatian and poodle poems, this consistently funny and original look at cats and dogs is as appealing to this adult reader as it is to younger listeners. A must-have for parent and child reading together and laughing times, even if you're not a pet owner! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Lots of people know the nursery rhyme, "Hey Diddle Diddle," but hasanyone ever thought about what happens each night after it's read? The dish runsaway with the spoon, and, presumably, they come back later, otherwise the rhymecouldn't go on without them. But one night, when the dish and spoon take off,they simply don't return! The fiddle-playing cat, laughing dog (who turns out tobe quite a grump when he's not playing his part), and the sleepy, moon-hoppingcow set out to search for their missing friends. Along the way they encounterLittle Boy Blue, the spider from "Little Miss Muffet," Humpty Dumpty'srepairman, and a big bad wolf. But will they catch up with the dish and thespoon before the next reading? And can all of them dodge the dangers of anafter-hours, fairy-tale world?

Janet Stevens and Susan Stevens Crummel pick up where the nursery rhyme leavesoff in this witty, entertaining romp. Young readers will "laugh to see suchsport," as characters from fairy tales and Mother Goose mingle, make puns, andoccasionally join forces to find the wandering tableware. The hilarious facialexpressions and lively scenes by Janet Stevens invite readers to stay a while oneach page. Stevens is the author and illustrator of the Caldecott Honor BookTops and Bottoms. She andher sister-collaborator have previously teamed up on Cook-a-Doodle-Doo!, Shoe Town, and Tumbleweed Stew. (Ages 5 to 8)--Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Can we read the Dish & Spoon book again Mommy?
My 4 1/2 year old daughter absolutely loves this book. We originally borrowed it from the library, but she was heartbroken when it had to be returned. Although we've read it at least a dozen times, the story, familiar nursery rhymes and whimsical, beautiful pictures continue to grasp her interest. Parents will also enjoy this book, since it is written in a manner for both adults and children. I especially like the point where the characters traveling down the path come to a fork in the road, and it is actually a "fork" in the road, which will help them look for "spoon". I am always delighted when my daughter, Kelly, chooses this book for her bedtime selection.

Educational and Entertaining
My son and I checked this book out from the library when he was about 2 1/2, and he loved it! I did, too. In addition to being fun and clever, with delightful illustrations, the book was a great launching point for further discussions in three areas. First, the word play offers lots of chances for parents to begin explaining jokes, cliches and puns. (And I appreciated that the humor was engaging on both child and adult levels!) Second, the involvement of other Mother Goose characters is a natural lead-in to further reading. In fact, after reading "And the Dish Ran Away with the Spoon," we returned to the library for a good Mother Goose collection and went through it looking for now-familiar characters. And third, it is a great way to introduce map-reading skills. My son pretended to draw and read maps after reading this book, and he now understands that miles and directions (north, south, east and west) are ways of expressing where things are.

Awesome.
The school that I teach at is performing this play tonight. It has come along great and going to be very cute live and in person. Very good book!

The Rest of the Story
This delightful twist on the familiar nursery rhyme gives us "the rest of the story" by telling what Cow, Dog, and Cat must do to rescue a missing Dish and Spoon. The witty text includes frequent word plays-one of the characters is the Fork in the road (dressed in a Hawaiian shirt and sunglasses), and Dog complains that she's "dog-tired." The story is also replete with references to other nursery rhymes-in the climax a Giant chases Dish and Spoon down a beanstalk and a quick and nimble repairman named Jack mends the broken plate.

The static characters of the nursery rhyme are reinterpreted in this story so that Dog, Cow, and Cat display full personalities as they work together to deal with Dish and Spoon's disappearance. Cat is the leader taking charge; Cow is a mellow, but lazy, tag-along, and Dog is a somewhat sarcastic pessimist whose true colors come shining through when she comes to the rescue with the Dish's missing piece.

Every so often the narrative is interrupted with a rhyme that sets the stage for the next part of the adventure. For example, as the characters set off on their search the rhyme reads, "So, off went the three with a hey diddle dee by the light of the silvery moon-the cat with his fiddle, the cow, and the dog, to bring back the dish and the spoon." These rhymes are set in a larger typeface than the rest of the text and are arranged in a square around illustrations at the center of the page, enhancing the feeling of movement as the characters travel along.

This clever and unexpected story with its soft, yet colorful and active illustrations should draw the attention of both adults and children alike, reminding them that there's more to every story than we may at first realize.

Crummel and Stevens at their best.
I am an avid fan of Stevens and Crummel and this book is by far my favorite of the books they have done. The pictures are outstanding. The way the old nursury rhymes are interpreted is wonderful, the interactions of the characters are funny (even for adults, maybe even more so.) If you like good picturebooks, this one will not disappoint. I highly recommend this book. I do read-alouds with my students (middle school) every year, and every year when I read this book, by the end of the year I have had 15 to 20 requests to see and hear it again. The great thing is that when I do read this one aloud, they are all listening and enjoying the story. Buy it! ... Read more

Book Description

An eleven-year-old boy named Robert voices typical—and not so typical—middle-grade concerns in this unique, memorable collection of hilarious poems. His musings cover the usual stuff, like pizza, homework, thank-you notes, and his annoying older sister. In addition, he speculates about professional wrestling for animals, wonders why no one makes scratch-and-sniff fart stickers, designs the ultimate roller coaster (complete with poisonous spiders), and deconstructs the origins of a new word, snarpy. A playful layout and ingenious graphics extend the wry humor that is sure to resonate with readers of all ages. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This exuberant valise of verse bulges with more than 100 poems about things you've never thought about, such as Underwater Wibbles who dine exclusively on cheese, and things you probably have thought about, such as sneezing oysters and the dot-gobbling Flotz. Jack Prelutsky, one of the premier children's poets of our time, manages to be deadpan and goofy simultaneously andin perfect rhythm right up to the pleasantly unpredictable punch lines of his poems.

Take "Jellyfish Stew." "You're soggy, you're smelly, / you taste like shampoo, / you bog down my belly / with oodles of goo, / yet I would glue noodles / and prunes to my shoe, / for one oozy spoonful / of jellyfish stew." Poems about greedy grannies, exploding Bloders, and hypothetical situations such as having your nose unfortunately situated between your toes are guaranteed to delight you and your favorite kids. Quirky, surprising, and always delightful, Prelutsky's poems make us wish we'd grown up with his books in hand. Illustrator James Stevenson's loose pen-and-ink sketches are lively and fluid, waltzing along perfectly with Prelutsky's playful poetry. Once you and your children have howled your way through this ALA Notable Book, you'll be happy to discover that this talented pair has created two other meaty collections, including Something BIG Has Been Here and A Pizza the Size of the Sun. (Ages 4 to12) ... Read more

Amazon.com

Brace yourself for more pun-ishment from the playful Jack Prelutsky andillustrator James Stevenson, creators of The New Kid on the Block, Something Big Has Been Here,and A Pizza the Size of theSun. More than 100 Prelutsky poems populate the pages--a mix of8-year-old-boy humor, nonsense poetry in the tradition of Ogden Nash and Edward Lear,and clever, often unabashedly shameless, wordplay. While there are many, manydoozies, our favorite is "Hiccup!," excerpted here:

I've tried gulping hiccup water,
stood upon my hiccup head,
held my breath until my hiccup
hiccup face turned hiccup red.

Chronic cogitators are celebrated in "Quibble Q. Quing" (who thinks aboutthings), and wild imaginations in "Purple Orangutans:" ("Rabbits and parrotsplay tag in the stars, / marshmallows march in the meadows of Mars... / theseare a few of the wonders I find / in the magic museum I keep in my mind.")Children find a kindred spirit in Prelutsky, a poet who knows full well thatoverweight underdogs and chocolate-covered salami and Sniffing Snutterwudds arealways worth a giggle. Stevenson's understated (but always expressive) linedrawings suit this silly collection to a T. (Perfect for reading aloud toyounger readers, but wordsmiths ages 9 and older will pick up all the puns.)--Karin Snelson ... Read more

Reviews (3)

The FUNNIEST Poems!
One of the funniest poems we read was "I'm Stuck Inside a Seashell"! ...And one of the poems is "It's Raining Pigs and Noodles", just like the title (and they don't even just talk about pigs and noodles - they talk about all sorts of other things!)

All the poems are so funny and I was able to read some of them myself! ...And I learned never to take a bath all day and all night (Ha! Ha!)! I can't wait to read his other books!

Mom's note: "This collection of poems was simply adorable. I enjoyed reading them with my child as much as she enjoyed hearing them. ...And the simplicity of the poems allowed her to read some of them to me as well. A highly recommended bit of silliness!"

Something for Everyone
Jack Prelutsky's It's Raining Pigs and Noodles is a wonderful,imaginative collection of poems the whole family will enjoy, that willmake you smile, giggle, laugh and sometimes roar. His witty, sillyand often irreverent verses are full of wordplay, puns, jokes, andeven fun with shapes. Where else can you find out about Grungy Grace"I hardly ever brush my teeth or wash my hands and face..."or Plooters "We are Plooters, we don't care, we make messeseverywhere..." or Titanic Timmy Tinkletunes "that when heplays the violin, he has to use a cello." James Stevenson'ssimple, humorous, yet expressive black and while illustrations, addjust the right touch and compliment each poem perfectly. This is abook younger children will want to hear again and again, older kidswill want to read over and over and adults will just plain enjoy. Sosit back, put your feet up and find out why "I'm Ironing myRhinoceros", what happens to "The Dancing Hippopotami"and where "There was Unabated Chaos". You can't go wrongwith this book!

laugh yourself silly
The creators of "The New Kid on the Block", and "A Pizza the Size of the Sun" are back and just a looney as ever. There are over 100 poems to make you giggle, guffaw, snort and chuckle.

Prelutsky's poems alternate between being witty, sweet, nonsensical and often totally shamless! And Stevenson's illustrations are a giggle unto themselves. You will find yourself reading and re-reading them to your kids -- and for yourself. Pick it and don't be ashamed to laugh yourself silly. ... Read more

Book Description

Learning the ABC's can be F-U-N when you can stack the letters to create clever poetry.Part alphabet book, part word book, animal book, and whimsical poetry Jennifer Belle's quirky yet accessible style blends the genres in an unforgettable way. Coupled with David McPhail's beautiful illustrations, this is a book that families will love reading together. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Subtitled "Dr. Seuss's Surprising Word Book," The Shape of Me and Other Stuff certainly lives up to its billing. In this delightful book, first published in 1973, kids are encouraged to ponder shapes they may never have considered before: "Just think about the shape of beans and flowers and mice and big machines!" Dr. Seuss's illustrations are in silhouette (for the purpose of accenting the outlines of figures), but are nonetheless up to par with his usual wacky, amusing style. Soaring well beyond the mundane arena of circles, triangles, and squares, here we are challenged to consider "the shape of camels … the shape of bees and the wonderful shapes of back door keys!" Kids will love the silly rhymes and funny pictures, and parents will appreciate this original take on the largely untapped world of shapes. (Baby to preschool) ... Read more

Reviews (8)

The Shape of Me
My daughter got this book for her first birthday, and it quickly became one of her favorites. She loved the rhymes based on familiar objects, and enjoyed pointing out the corresponding pictures. I think she liked the fact that the vocabulary was based on words she actually knew and could even repeat, and objects that were part of her everyday life.

the shape of you and other things
The book the shape of me and other stuff is about the shape of you and things around you. It teaches you that there is nothing the same shape. The age level for this book would be threeto five. This book was good but it would be better for three to five year olds.

The Shape of Me and Other Stuff
The book " The Shape of Me and Other Stuff" is a fun book to read. I think probably anybody could read it and like it. It has good rymes and has a good flow. It has nice big illustrations, not alot of color but they are still good for young readers to see. It talks about what everthing looks like and i think it was written to show kids that not everything is the same. The main point in the story is to not want to be someone or something and to be happy with who you are.

Practice in Noticing Small Differences in Outline Shapes
One of the most difficult problems that many beginning readers have is to notice those pesky little differences between letters (like b and d, and q and p). Many children don't focus that much and get a general impression of a shape when looking at a letter or a group of letters. This interesting beginning reader helps you child to "see" the benefits of studying detail more closely.

The book is primarily a series of solid shapes (mostly black on white) set off with bright colors used in some shapes, as backgrounds for others, and as rectangles around words. Each one is a different item. Some of the many items silhouetted include a bug, balloon, bed, bike, beans, flowers, mice, big mahines, elephants, ships, teapots, water dripping, bird cages, peanuts, pineapple, noses, grapes, glasses, scissors, the various shapes that gum can be pulled into, smoke, marshmallows, fires, mountains, roosters, horses, tires, camels, bees, back door keys, spider webs, clothes, garden hose, mug, imaginary beings (like a BLOGG), trombone, fish, whale and a frog. This is not all, but it is more than half.

As you can imagine, a young child will be able to identify very few while an older child will get almost all of them. Not all of the profiles have words associated with them in the text.

As a result, this book should be read in different ways at different stages of development. For example, two year olds will identify more objects if they get a hint from you. Also, if you child likes sounds, you could make a sound like the object for your clue.

For an older child, you can also work together to spell the names of the shapes that are not in the text. For someone about to graduate from the book, you could try creating some rhymes with the shapes that are not mentioned.

The book itself is simple to read, and has a typical Dr. Seuss rhyming scheme.

The key lessons are summarized as:

"Everything comes in different shapes."

"No shapes are ever quite alike."

There is also nice encouragement for your child to feel special, for having a unique shape. That's a nice tie-in to the concept of encouraging your child to notice the small differences that help in reading. This point is brought home in the end when the child narrator says, "I say, 'HOORAY for the shapes we're in!'"

This book will be of most value for a child who is starting to have some success in identifying letters, so although this is a beginning reader . . . it's not the first reader you should use.

After you have enjoyed this book, you might also do some art projects in which your child picks out items that she or he wants you to cut out. You could paste them onto a card along with the item's name, and create your own flash cards for words you child wants to learn!

Notice the small things, so you can see the big picture!

An interesting experiment from Dr. Seuss
In "The Shape of Me and Other Stuff," Dr. Seuss experiments with an artistic approach that is very different from that of his best-known work. This book teaches about shapes, and the illustrations consist entirely of silhouettes of various items: people, elephants, boats, keys, etc.

The shadow-like illustrations are accompanied by rhymes in the familiar Seussian style: "Peanuts and pineapples / noses and grapes. / Everything comes in different shapes." While the book is educational and entertaining, I felt that the silhouettes-only art lacked some of the wacky charm of the full Seussian illustration technique. Nevertheless, I recommend "The Shape of Me and Other Stuff" as a fun addition to the family or classroom library. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

WONDERFUL Book!!!!
I gave this book to my 13 year old sister when she started high school this year. This is an EXCELLENT book for adolescent/teen girls, even for adults (I am 25 and absolutely loved this book)! It has great advice & words of wisdom about self esteem, being true to yourself, and having the confidence to reach all your goals & believe in yourself. I would absolutely recommend this book to girls of ALL AGES! I would have given it 10 stars if I could!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

The sassy title tells readers right away that this book is NOT like one of those hideous books where the mother dies, even if fifteen-year-old Ruby's mom has recently succumbed to cancer. Sonya Sones has made a reputation for engrossing and emotionally valid verse novels with her two previous books, Stop Pretending: What Happened When My Big Sister Went Crazy and What My Mother Doesn't Know, and here she has the good sense to avoid the platitudes of the tearjerker, focusing not on the melodrama of death but on the grieving process of a feisty teen--sometimes even with humor.

Ruby has turned her grief into anger at her father: because he divorced her mother before she was born, because she has had to leave her best friend Lizzie and her boyfriend Ray to come to Los Angeles to live with him, and because he is Whip Logan, a very famous and rich movie star. She turns a cold shoulder to all his gentle and persistent attempts to relate to her, sneers at the glamour of his Beverly Hills mansion and famous friends, and spends most of her time writing desperate emails to Lizzie and Ray, and her dead mother, from her Dream Bedroom. The friendship of Max, Whip's live-in assistant/personal trainer, is some comfort, and Ruby has a harder and harder time keeping her sneer as Whip ups the ante, from rides in his classic vintage cars, to shopping trips for anything she wants, to weekends in Las Vegas and Catalina and a party where Eminem is the guest of honor. But an earthquake leads to a surprising revelation that changes everything for Ruby, in an enormously satisfying ending. (Ages 12 and older) --Patty Campbell ... Read more

Reviews (6)

I loved this book!
I love Sonya Sones' books. This is the second one I have read and once again I finished it in 1 day! The way she writes keeps you interested. I recommend this book to everyone!

Cute book
I was attracted to this book by it's brilliant title, and I read it right there in the bookstore. I was a little put off at first by the poetry-like style, but quickly got into it. The fact that the language was so spare was very effective. In a way, I would have liked a bit more detail, character development, an ending that wasn't quite so obvious (though the title makes it clear that it will be) and so forth, but that would have made it a very different book. Definately a good book for a teen or pre-teen girl, or anyone who is interested in reading a fairly quick book written in an unconventional style.

TERRIFIC BOOK
This book is terrific! It is very funny and at the same time very moving. The author really knows how to get inside the head and heart of a teenage girl. The story is told in a consistently compelling voice, and all the characters come across as unique and multi-dimensional. Ruby's ironic obversations about Los Angeles and Hollywood are priceless - compared to Ruby, Alice in Wonderland was dealing with everyday reality. This is a book as hilarious as it is powerful, and I recommend it to all readers.
A Fan in Los Angeles

Very nice
I liked the easy way the story flowed, and the very interesting characters. I would have like a little more develing into characters, perhaps a view from different perspectives, and a less obvious ending, but it is a sweet and snappy read that I would recommend to girl in need of some laughs.

Great
I really liked this book. I only bought it because i had like the other author book. This book was SOOOOOOOOOO funny. I'm 15, just like the main character, and I thought I could relate. THe book is written poeticaly but still easy to read. BUY IT for a teenager, after that buy the author's other books!! yeah! I wish the book was longer... ... Read more