Book Description

Friends all year.

Reviews (13)

Amphibians for all seasons
Along with Seuss, Lobel is perhaps the most beloved writer and illustrator of beginning readers. In this effort he turns in another winning series of five short tales, each one in plain language but highly entertaining, enlivened by Lobel's superb two-tone illustrations. Frog and Toad are distinct and likeable characters, comically foolish in their own ways but buoyed by their genuine friendship. This book features the added appeal of stories from all the year round, from winter (how funny they look in big winter coats!) to spring rain (a genuinely sweet tale) to summer ice cream (what a mess!) to fall leaf raking (in gift-of-the-magi form, each rakes the other's yard in secret) and Christmas Eve, perhaps the most pleasant story of all - nothing sloppy or sentimental, just goodhearted. Readers of these domestic adventures will also enjoy Lobel's "Owl at Home."

By now, you're hooked...
If you've read the first two books in the Frog and Toad series, by now you and your child are hooked!

This book, published in 1976, is the third of four books about Frog and Toad, written by Arnold Lobel. This book has five stories, starting and ending with Winter tales.

As usual, Toad is a bit negative and nervous, while Frog is calm, positive and dedicated to being a very good friend to Toad.

In "Down the Hill", Frog gets Toad to come outside and try sledding down a hill with him. Toad goes reluctantly along, and for a moment enjoys the ride. Frog gets bumped off the sled, and Toad still enjoys the adventure until he realizes he's alone. He decides Winter is best spent inside.

The next story is about a story told from Frog to Toad, one rainy day when they are wishing Spring was here. Frog promises that Spring is just around "The Corner."

"Ice Cream" is a funny story about what happens when Toad buys ice cream cones for himself and Frog, and carries them a long way on a very hot day.

"The Surprise" is a story about what happens when two friends try to do something special for a friend, in secret.

The last story, "Christmas Eve", has a worried Toad frantically searching for his best friend, sure that something terrible has happened. It has a happy ending, of course!

The stories are short, sweet and about friendship, but in a simple manner. Drawings of Frog and Toad are on almost every page, and are detailed enough to warrant a lengthy view and some comments from young readers. The words are understandable and readable enough for very young readers, yet they manage to tell a story with an amusing message.

Wonderful!
I loved Frog and Toad as a child and now I'm buying them for my own daughter. What I like best about them is that Frog and Toad never do anything cruel or spiteful or rude as you see so many other characters in children's books. They are always polite and helpful to each other, and whatever they do is done out of friendship. Not just this, but all of the Frog and Toad books are full of good stories and good examples for young readers.

Great for adults too! Heartwarming...wonderful...read it!
I read this book as a child and loved it. Now I am going to be an English teacher soon...and I am constantly on the lookout for great books! A couple years ago I came across this book while looking through some old things. I read it again was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. It made me smile, laugh, and cry.

I am very close to my older sister (who is taller and thinner and I am shorter and fatter). I gave her the book as a gift, and she loved it as well. Now she's working overseas and I don't see her very often, but when I read this book I think of her...

This is a very special book...read it and see for yourself. It will touch your heart. In a world where people are taught to be selfish, Frog and Toad All Year shows us that we need to put others first. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have and still do! ^_^

charming tales of friendship for early readers
Young children who are beginning to read longer stories will enjoy these five tales of friends Frog and Toad through the seasons. The stories are: Down the Hill, wherein Frog coaxes Toad out of his warm home for some winter fun; The Corner, in which Frog tells Toad a story on a rainy day; Ice Cream, about a long walk with large ice cream cones; The Surprise, concerning the friends' giving each other a secret good turn a la O. Henry; and Christmas Eve, in which Toad worries about Frog's arrival on a snowy night.

Sweet, soothing stories for your little reader. ... Read more

Book Description

Cinduri has a lot of work to do. Every day she walks to the lake to fetch drinking water, milks the cow, cleans the house, prepares the meals, cleans the animal pens, and sells vegetables. Her stepmother and stepsister, however, don’t do any of the work. They just order Cinduri about and give her a bowl of rice and a few leftovers to eat.

The lake, however, is full of magic. When Godfather Snake hears of Cinduri’s troubles, he vows to make her life easier. And when the Prince comes to visit the village during the annual Navaratri Festival, Godfather Snake makes it possible for her to go, dressed in the most beautiful gold-threaded sari and sparkling diamond anklets. It is there that she wins the heart of the Prince.

Adapted from the East Indian story "Nagami" (Jewel of the Snake), this version of the tale is rich with the traditions and culture of India while also conveying the universal values of the Cinderella story. Beautiful watercolor depictions of Indian life and styles accompany this introduction to Indian folklore. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A captivating picture book story
Anklet For A Princess: A Cinderella Story From India is an fabulous adaptation of the East Indian story "Nagami" (Jewel of the Snake), a legend that in many ways resembles the classic fairy tale Cinderella. The young woman Cinduri is overburdened with work from her stepmother and stepsister, and receives barely enough to eat in return. But Godfather Snake learns of her troubles and helps her attend the village's annual Navaratri Festival dressed in the most beautiful golden-threaded sari and diamond anklets, and there she wins the heart of the Prince. A captivating picture book story commendably written by Lila Mehta, deftly adapted by Meredith Brucker, and wondrously illustrated in full color by Youshan Tang, Anklet For A Princess would make a welcome and popular addition to any school or community library picture book collection. ... Read more

Book Description

Illus. in full color. "Four funny easy-to-read stories all with subtly planted moral lessons."--Publishers Weekly. ... Read more

Reviews (28)

Only Dr. Seuss could teach a basic truth with so much fun!
"What was I scared of?", the last story in this book, has long been my favorite Dr. Seuss story. I read it aloud as a child. Now it is one of my son's favorites. Dr. Seuss explores scary things like the dark, people or things that aren't familiar, and the idea that it doesn't work to try and run or hide, all within a silly story of green pants with nobody inside them. The sneetches and their struggle to be elite makes any number of statements about our society in a way that is simple for young minds to understand. And the stories about the stubborn Zax and the mother who named all her sons Dave turn words into an amusement park. Definitely one of Dr. Seuss' best.

You'll wear out the book before you get tired reading it.
This is definetly one of Dr. Seuss' best. Four stories with messages so subtle and solutions so obvious that both adult and child will enjoy them again and again. Time (and repitition) has not dimmed any of their charm. The story of The Sneetches focuses on prejudice. Perhaps the most subtle of all Dr. Seuss stories, it demonstrates the silliness of stereotypes and what happens to those who subscribe to them. The story of The Zax tells the story of two stubborn and inflexible Zax. And what happens when they happen to run into each other. Too Many Daves is one mother's story of naming all twenty-three of her children Dave. But my favorite it What Was I Scared Of? It's a not very scary story of seeing a pair of "pale green pants with nobody, inside them". And what to do if you should see them.

The Sneetches
I loved this book, it relates so much to the prejudice crimes of todays society. I bet a million bucks that that is how Seuss got his inspiration to write thsi wonderful childrens book. I read in my HONORS reading class and i absolutly loved it. It is a star book.

Five Stars Upon Thars!
This is definitely one of my favorite books! It's a classic, for young and old alike. I've read it countless times, it just keeps getting better. They might be childrens' stories, but there is a lesson to be learned from each of them.

A Classic
My grandma used to read this book to my sister and I and our cousins all the time. I'm buying it for my kids. I love the lessons in this book and that it is funny and easy for kids. I great book for learning to read! ... Read more

Book Description

All in the Family

Who could be more zany than Amelia Bedelia, everyone's favorite literal-minded housekeeper? Her family, of course! Meet the wacky members of this very original and entertaining family!

Reviews (4)

A Funny Wounderful book!
When I was little my dad read this book to me some of the things i didn't get but after he told me the scoup i got it (and learned somthing new too).
I don't know what happened to that book but i want to get it for my little sister.

meet amelia's family!!
My 7 year old son checked this book out for the library and started reading it alund to me on the way home. We have read several amelia books before and this gave us an inside look at her"family"

A must read for all Amelia fans!

Amelia Bedelia's Family Album
This is a good resource to use for both content-area teachers and ELL teachers alike when introducing metaphors for the first time in elementary school. For ELL teachers, I think this book would be suitable for 3rd or 4th graders who have solid comprehension skills of basic idioms. It would be too hard for newcomers.

Amelia Bedelia's Family Album
My daughter and I have been enjoying Amelia Bedelia books for a long time. Even before my daughter was able to understand the puns, she knew something silly was going on. We have a whole collection of these books and enjoy reading them over again. If you like silly puns, you will love Amelia Bedelia and the clever writing of Peggy Parish. ... Read more

Book Description

Ms. Frizzle's class is learning firsthand about how electricity works--by traveling through the town's power lines. Jumping from atom to atom, the kids ride the electrical current within many familiar appliances, including a television. Full color. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A Great Book!
This book is a great book to learn about electricity. My daughter wants me to read it to her over and over, and I have learned from it, too! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Frankly, one can never have too much Eloise. For all those who love lovelove the irrepressible 6-year-old resident of New York City's haughty PlazaHotel, and shining star of Kay Thompson and Hilary Knight's classic Eloise, the ultimate joy is tosee four favorite titles collected in one enormous volume: Eloise: TheUltimate Edition. Sit back and watch as our heroine braids Skipperdee theturtle's ears, brushes her teeth with pear lemonade in Moscow, absolutely goeswild in Paris, and jingles around her lobby at Christmastime, tying tassels onthe thermostat. This edition, with a lovely new dust jacket by Hilary Knight,includes our absolutely darling little sweetnik in Eloise in Moscow, thefantastique Eloise inParis, the rawther festive Eloise at Christmastime, andthe splendid scrapbook of memorabilia, photos, and drawings, The Absolutely EssentialEloise. It's all absolutely essential, if you ask us. (All ages)--Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (6)

great, except for some errors..............
The picures are wonderful, stories are great, but the part of The Story of Eloise, they miss judged the spacing and left out the 1st letter of the starting paragraph. Someone didn't proofread it right. You get all 4 book, one great buy with the extras! ( the scrapbook and the story of Eloise) Hopefully they caught the errors for the next printing. A book you can pass down from generation to generation!

Finally A Treasury
This is definitely one of the best treasuries I have ever bought. Eloise is such a fun and adorable character. I don't know who couldn't like her.

This treasury contains Eloise in Moscow, Eloise, Eloise in Paris, and Eloise at Christmastime. Not only that, there's a special scrapbook all about the author Kay Thompson featuring pictures and info about the author of this beloved character.

This is a must have book for the holidays, or anytime. So pick up a copy, and charge it please.

What am I missing?
A spoiled brat lives in a fancy hotel in New York: that's kind of what this series boils down to for me.

I read to my kids a lot, and this is the one series that I completely don't get: I don't see why it's funny or touching or...anything. Neither do my kids.

Her language can be quite fun and ingenious, but holy cow...I don't understand all the fuss.

It's about time we had all 4 at once
A few years ago, I was waiting with baited breath for all the Eloise books to be reprinted. It just could not happen fast enough for me. Finally, all 4 were out, and I was happy. Then they came out with this book that collects all four books in one volume for the first time, and I bought this too. Why did I buy this? Well, for one thing, the new Hilary Knight cover is rather fabulous. I am all for new Knight artwork whenever it appears, and this cover was obviously not dashed out but carefully drawn, and it shows. This is definitely worth having for the Eloise fan.

Oooooooooooooooo I Love This Edition of Eloise Best!
This is the book about Eloise that Eloise would buy. As you may remember, Eloise is the six-year-old who lives on the top floor of The Plaze Hotel in New York City with her English Nanny, pug (Weenie), and turtle (Skipperdee). Here are some of the ways that Eloise has been characterized: "Holden Caulfield for kindergarten girls"; "a mini-Auntie Mame -- a protofeminist"; and "independent and saucy."

Contained in this volume are the original Eloise story, the Scrapbook by Marie Brenner (containing the origins of Eloise and the story, and biographies of Kay Thompson and Hilary Knight, and how readers responded to the stories as they appeared), and the three sequels (Eloise in Paris, Eloise at Christmastime, and Eloise in Moscow). Each of the four stories contains the deluxe fold-out drawings from the original books, and the Scrapbook has many wonderful photographs and drawings that will delight those who would like to know more background about Eloise and her creators.

With one exception, the material is outstanding. The story, Eloise in Moscow, is very poor in its humor and plot line. But having the story in this collection will allow you to savor those parts of the story that happen to appeal to you.

The reproduction is also superb, except for the frontispieces of the four stories. These should simply have been omitted.

I usually avoid recommending expensive editions, but this one is a good value. It contains all the best material about Eloise, and you may have trouble finding the same versions by buying the books separately. Also, this edition is likely to be a hand-me-down item from one generation to another and another. The cost per reader is probably going to be quite small as a result.

To me, the best of the four stories is still the original. Reading the Scrapbook adds a lot to my enjoyment of that story. Of the sequels, I like Eloise in Paris best. Some people will not like Eloise at Christmastime because Kay Thompson's rhymes are not the best. I can enjoy fractured verse, so I found it appealing instead.

Space does not permit me to review each of these sections in detail here, but you can read my reviews of each story elsewhere on Amazon for the individual books. I gave five star reviews to all but Eloise in Moscow, to which I gave a two star review.

After you have enjoyed this book, I suggest that you grab a partner who also loves Eloise and write a new Eloise story that brings her into the 21st century in a locale and at a time of your choice. Then find a young person to read that story to, and draw some illustrations together. That will add to your enjoyment of this book and of your love of Eloise.

J'aime beaucoup Eloise . . . toujours! ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Deja Vu, And As Good as the First Time!
Two of the three adventures here have their genesis in earlier Tintin adventures. Red Sea Sharks takes Capt Haddock back to a ship, and this time we see his metamorphosis from the drunkard in Tintin and the Golden Crab to a responsible and almost noble person who tries his best (in his inimitable manner) to prevent Africans from being sold in slavery. 'Tintin in Tibet' sees Tintin off to Tibet (obviously), with a short stop in Delhi, to rescue his friend who he first met in 'The Blue Lotus'. We meet the yeti, see the captain's attempts at whistling, Snowy's bravery (unintended, as in The Black Island).

I read these adventures as a kid, and some twenty years later I still find myself enjoying these as much. I also enjoy HTML and CSS books now, but some things are too good to grow out of :)

A word of warning - try and buy the bigger versions of these adventures. The 3-in-1 format is convenient to be sure, but the big print of the indivudal comics is that much more satisfying!

A great value!
For reasons unknown, at almost 43 years old, I suddenly had this strange desire to read some of the Tintin stories I read when I was about 12. As a kid I spent countless hours reading Herge's books over and over. If memory serves, I only had 5 or 6 titles, and they were big books with hard covers.

This book is a great value since it contains 3 stories. Oh what memories they bring back. If you ever read Tintin as a kid, get some of these books. The only caveat is that the text is hard to read as these collections are smaller in size and both the drawings and text have been shrunk proportionately.

And yet another "warning." You may start buying the bigger individual stories once you read one of these. I should know. I am now hooked again and "collecting" all 23 volumes.

Thank you, Herge. We miss you.

Tintin is awesome
I love the Red Sea Sharks and Tintin in Tibet. Calculus Affair is full of coincidences and looks amateurish. But hey, when you read Tintin, you cant be too old or critical!

Bordurian agents are after Professor Calculus and his device
If traveling to the moon represents the genius of Professor Calculus going too far in a good way, then the ultrasonic machine that is behind the international machinations in "The Calculus Affair" ("L'affaire Tourensol") clearly represents the good professor going too far in a bad way. Once again Tintin, Snowy and Captain Haddock have to travel across the continent to rescue the absent-minded professor from Bordurian agents, narrowly miss death on numerous occasions, and, most importantly, reunite Calculus and his precious umbrella. Meanwhile, the Thompsons show up in what they think are Swiss disguises, Captain Haddock has a memorable encounter with a piece of sticking plaster, and our hero and his friends have to contend with both Jolyon Wagg and Signora Castafiore (actually, the diva turns out to be surprisingly helpful in this adventure). This 1956 Tintin Adventure certainly reflects the height of the Cold War as Herge deals with the question of how scientific inventions can serve humanity without being coveted by military powers. The answer, unfortunately, is that they cannot and that is why rescuing Calculus from the bad guys is so important. Fortunately, the resolution proves the Herge is still one step ahead of us in the faux world he has created for his hero's adventures. "The Calculus Affair" is one of the better Tintin adventures, although, as always, you are reminded to read these in order.

Herge at the Height of his Powers
This book is one of the great masterpieces of the cartoonists art. I've read it many times since I was 14 (I'm now 29) but the sheer athleticism and virtuosity of both the draughtmanship and the narrative remained undiminished. It really is an astonishing display and is perhaps only second to 'Flight 714' and 'The Castafoire Emerald' in Herge's ouevre. Buy it and read it. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

A delightful book for anyone young at heart!
This was one of my favorite books growing up, and I just reread it before sending a copy to a friend's daughter for Christmas. Pippi's irrepressible spirit and good-hearted hijinks will delight readers young and old, and remind you that you're only as old as you feel -- so feel young, arrange a question-and-answer bee and sail off to Kurrekurredutt Island in the South Seas with Pippi Longstocking! (The inhabitants of Kurrekurredutt Island are referred to as "Kurrekurredutts" in the original 1959 edition of the book, not as "cannibals" as one reviewer mentioned. And the only reference to skin color describes how Pippi and her friends tan in the South Seas sun, making no differences at all between them and their Kurrekurredutt playmates.) A delightful book to read again and again!

A Good Comedy Book
I give this book four stars because it was not the best and not the worst. If you like comedy this is the perfect book for you. Pippi is a girl who goes on a boat with Captain Longstockings. But look who is having fun,Pippi herself! I recommend this book to those who like comedy. It is my type because I love comedy. I liked the way Pippi jumps off ropes. Pippi is a very adventurous girl.

Pippi in the South Seas book review
I think that Pippi in the South Seas is a really good book.It is about Pippi who has two friends named Tommy and Annika. They have many adventures. This book is really great because its very interesting. The book is also humourous, has lots of details and descriptive words. I think that people will think that this book is a great book.

An exciting and neat book
A wonderful book. Pippi Longstocking likes old people alot and she tries to cheer them up. Then she discovers a new word and does not know the meaning of the word. Later she goes to the island of Kurrekurredutt and missed Christmas so nobody got presents. When she got home she hid some things for Tommy and Annieka. So when they got home well... you will just have to read it for your self.

The Best of Pippi!
This is my favorite Pippi Longstocking book because it takes Pippi from her home at Villa Villekulla into the exciting world of beaches, huts, cannibals, robbers, and pearls of the South Pacific! Over the years, some have complained that Mrs. Lindgren wrote the "cannibals" as being black, but believe me, she meant nothing by it. Her use of the word cannibal is only in a funny and exciting sense, not that they actually eat people. I can assure you that you won't find any part of the book offensive. ... Read more

Book Description

Who goes to the circus and rides on the back of a horse—and on the back of the ringmaster, too? Who walks the tightrope and does better tricks than any acrobat? And who dares to lift Adolf, the strongest man in the world? Why it's Pippi Longstocking, of course. No one's ever seen a circus like this before, because when Pippi goes to the show, she doesn't just watch, she takes over!The Pippi Longstocking storybooks, excerpted from the original novels with Astrid Lindgren's assistance, are perfect for young readers and listeners just getting ready to enter the amazing, crazy world of Pippi and her friends. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A really good Pippi book!
This is a really good Pippi Longstocking book! It's not so many girls that's strong as her... and not many boys either. In this book she and her friends goes to the circus, and Pippi really likes it. It's so funny when she shows the strong man that shes stronger than him... Almost every one loves Pippi, cause she's so charming and nice. And al the Pippi books can be read by both children and grown upps. I can really recomend this book. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Seven decades after Babar was born, the world is still very much in lovewith the noble elephant. Before his untimely death at age 37, Jean de Brunhoffwrote and illustrated six stories about Babar and his friends and family. Inthis exquisite gift edition, every one of these stories is included, with not aword or picture left out. From The Story of Babar--in which the elephantis born, loses his mother, runs off to Paris, and returns to be crownedking--through The Travels of Babar, Babar the King, Babar andZephir, Babar and His Children, and Babar and FatherChristmas, the beloved pachyderm's incredible life adventures are chronicledfor our reading pleasure. In his introduction, picture book author-illustratorKevin Henkes writes, "Where else could one find a balloon accident, a deadlypoison mushroom, a runaway carriage, an extraordinary flying machine, a snakeattack, fire, war, death, birth? These books are full of adventure and fantasy,but they also deal with the stuff of real life. And I'm convinced children longto see both the dark and the light sides of human experience reflected in theirbooks just as much as adults do, perhaps more." Adults who truly wish to sharethe joys of the classics with the children in their lives could do no betterthan to present them with this grand collection. (Ages 4 and older) --EmilieCoulter ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Great fun for the whole family
My husband and I grew up on Babar. So when we saw this book we bought for our 4 month old son. He loves to hear our voices as we read to him and he also loves the bright colored pictures. We enjoy the memories that the stories bring back to us. A great addition to anyones collection.

TIP: We take the dust cover of any of his books that have dust covers and put them in plastic sleeves for later when we are sure he will not rip them up. That way when he is older the book looks like new even though it really is old.

"Original" art? Ha!
I was so thrilled to get this book as a gift, especially since it includes the long out-of-print "Babar and Zephir." When I began to leaf through it, being very familiar with the older editions, I grew sicker with every page. Jean de Brunhoff's stunning artwork has been absolutely destroyed.

Do you know how you feel when watching an old black-and-white movie that you have long loved which has been "colorized"? Yes, your favorite golden age actress now has pink skin, fucshia lips too big for her face and what color are her eyes supposed to be, exactly? The Babar art has been colorized in the most grotesque and garish sense of the word--which is really horrid when you consider that most of Brunhoff's original illustrations were already in color to begin with. Random House has decided, apparently, that Brunhoff's colors are not bright enough. Where Brunhoff shaded, Random House has plastered one uniform cartoonish shade from line to line. Babar's green suit ranges from merely loud green to splitting-headache green. The suit which he wears while playing trumpet in the circus defies description. Suffice it to say it is very blue and very red.

The beautiful scene in which the Celesteville residents bring gifts to infants Pom, Flora, and Alexander has lost its pastoral sweetness and is positively grotesque. The babies lie in their pram, which looks as though my kindergartener re-outlined it in black magic marker, under glaring green palms and flowers with a turquoise blanket scarcely dimmer than the book's cover (see above), while royal blue butterflies flit nearby. Babar is standing in a suit that is (if possible) even greener than the greenery directly behind him. A uniformly orange cow and dromedary are in the reception line. Think Fisher Price.

Does your child really need to know that the mermaid Eleanore's sisters are peeking out of the water when Zephir captures Eleanore? Due to the paint job the sea has suffered, you may need to point this out, as Brunhoff's few lines are no longer recognizable as the tops of mermaid heads. Somebody overdid the brown on the faces of General Huc and Colonel Aristobald, these brave and clever monkeys no longer have visible eyes, mouths, or hairlines.

The subtlety, the grace, the old-world patina of the gorgeous Babar art is gone. In its place, we have. . .well, they do say that bright colors are good for babies' development.

I want to cry.

A GREAT CHILDREN'S BOOK!
We have a 3 year old and a 2 year old and they both really love Babar and the gang. They love the book and Babar videos. We've had this book for over a year, and our children continue to ask us to read it to them. This book is wonderfully illustrated and humorous. Enjoyable even for adults.

an elephant's intro to middle class life
One of the delights of being a parent is to return to the books you loved as a child with your own children. For the last 4 years, I have read and re-read these classic tales with my daughter, who loves them as much as I did. At 6, she is only beginning to yearn for more complicated sotries and characters.

While the stories at times appear a bit dated - they offer a curious mix of colonialism and advice on how to run a pluralistic animal kingdom - they offer wonderful lessons on how to get along with others. The characters are caring and many of them are somewhat flawed, as they try to puruse principled lives in the jungle. My daughter mentions them to me all the time when we talk about issues, offering us a common vocabulary and easy way to exlain things.

They also are simply very good stories, with adventure, humor, and plenty of good intentions. Warmly recommended.

Something different
Though Babar isn't one of the classic American children's storybook series, it definitely is worth introducing to your loved ones. This set of books is refreshing and cute, allowing for a different way of describing the world to children. I grew up with European parents who read Babar stories to me in French all the time. Compared to typically "American" stories, Babar is a curious yet wonderfully charming character who encounters just as many interesting adventures as any other. I definitely recommend this if you're searching for something different. ... Read more

Book Description

Amelia Bedelia, the housekeeper with a literal mind, merrily upsets the household when she "dresses" the chicken and "trims" the steak with ribbons and lace. ... Read more

Reviews (26)

An "I Can Read" CLASSIC
Without a doubt, the Amelia Bedelia books stand tall as good literature in the "I Can Read" genre -- a genre notorious for less-than-interesting stories, owing to the fact that it is subject to limited vocabulary lists. Peggy Parish uses these limitations to her benefit, however, creating a whimsical character in Amelia Bedelia, a woman who takes everything literally (for example, a request to prune the hedges causes Amelia to stick prunes on the hedges, and when asked to draw the drapes in the living room, Amelia scrambles for her pencil and notepad to sketch them).

Amelia Bedelia's peculiarities make for a memorable story -- one that kids will read over and over, and one that parents won't mind sitting in on. This book is highly recommended. (Okay, okay, I loved it when I was a kid!)

And hey, be sure to catch all the other Amelia Bedelia books as well.

I learned to love reading with this book.
My great aunt used to pick me up from Pre-school, and together we would read about Amelia Bedelia's adventures. We laughed until we cried in that old green rocking chair. Unto this day, we laugh and talk about the antics of Amelia Bedelia, and we recommend it to everyone, young and young-at-heart alike. Take it from a 21 year-old, you can't outgrow Amelia Bedelia.

funny
Amelia is an idiot. She reads things or hears figures of speech and takes everything so literally that she ends up making a fool of her self. In result you learn nothing but you just learn to laugh and learn not to be like Amelia. Reading a book and laughing sometimes is all you need, so enjoy this book!

A totally AWESOME book!
Many people do not know about or understand autism. But Amelia Bedelia is a prime example of someone with autism. When I try to explain to my daughter's friends and my friends what living with autism means, I recommend that they read one of these books. They are light-hearted and hilarious but yet represent autism in a very real way.

MUY GRACIOSO!!
This book is really funny!!!!! Yo no sabia que existia una vertion en espaniol pero mis hijas se divertieron mucho con este cuento. de hecho me gusto mas la vertion es espaniol que la yo lei cuando era chica. lo recomiendo es muy gracioso!!!!!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Pippi Longstocking's long red braids are the very image of childhood rebellion. In Pippi Goes to School, our heroine's insurrectionary spirit is hardly dampened by her first taste of academe. Her friends Tommy and Annika head off bright and early at 8 a.m., "hand in hand, swinging their schoolbags." Pippi can't be bothered to get going until a little later: "At exactly ten o'clock she lifted her horse off the front porch, and a little later all the people in the town ran to their windows to see what horse it was that was running away." It's just Pippi headed for school in her own inimitable fashion. The teacher's vain attempts to teach her math and art and music fail miserably. When asked to add 7 and 5, she retorts, "If you don't know that yourself, you needn't think I'm going to tell you." It's not that Pippi's naughty, it's just that she has her own way of doing things. At the end of the day, it's she who's consoling the exhausted teacher: "You understand, Teacher, don't you, that when you have a mother who's an angel and father who's a cannibal king, and when you have sailed on the ocean all your whole life, then you don't know just how to behave in school." This slender paperback picture book is neatly adapted from the Astrid Lindgren classic Pippi Longstocking, with assistance from Lindgren herself. Michael Chesworth's lively, modernized illustrations make clever reference to the original edition, without being slavish. (Ages 4 to 8)--Claire Dederer ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Supper
This book is supper ! I love Pippi ! I have her Video and DVD. She is the smartest girl in the whole world ! When she got in shool she starts jumping on the desks ! Because she din't know what to do in shool. I really recomend it to buy this book.

Excellent!
This is a marvelous way to introduce young readers to the fabulous world of Pippi Longstocking! The illustrations are delightful and the stories are rollicking and full of fun!

okay
This book, I had thought when I bought it, had a good plot. Key word there? Thought! ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (1)

Stunning illustrations!A must for Pippi and Astrid fans!
I bought this book only for the illustrations.In fact, I gave hardly any consideration to what the writing would be like, but both writing andillustrations were a treat.

First, I'll go to the illustrations becausethey are the most novel thing about this book.This is the first PippiLongstocking book every to be published in the US with the originalillustrations by the (obviously) talented Ingrid Vang Nyman.Her picturesare amazingly bright and cheery.Great amounts of reds and yellows, blues,and greens were used.It doesn't seem like there was a dull color on herpallate.The colors on the cover are pretty much the only colors usedthroughout the book and the result is breathtaking.Now, don't get mewrong.I'm not saying this is the Sistine Chapel or anything, but thepictures are so simple looking, clean cut, and almost "primitive" (that isn't really the proper word I'm looking for, but anyway...).I waspersistently amazed on Ingrid Nyman's attention to detail.Her scenesfocus on the main characters and there actions, but if you look around thescenes, the detail is wonderful!

Most of Astrid Lindgren's writing inthe book won't be new to her fans, but the way she changes it is verypleasing.It is just perfect for young readers.I know that this isminute point that most people probably won't notice, but I loved the wayAstrid Lindgren pulled the story from its original books into presenttense.I felt much more inside the story this way and this shows hermastery and skill at writing for children of all ages.

This ismust-have for Astrid Lindgren and Pippi Longstocking fans and perfect forthose kids whom you want to know Pippi.At the moment, there are two waysin book-form to introduce kids to Pippi, the "Pippi LongstockingStorybooks" from Viking Press and this book.Although the intentionsof Viking are admirable (indeed, the way they handled it is excellent), itdoesn't fit for the age bracket that this book targets.Now, you can startchildren off on this book, lead them to The Pippi Longstocking Storybooks,and they're well on their way to reading the three classics! ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (11)

A pop-up book very popular with 20-30 month children
Clearly drawn and cleverly constructed pop-ups are the heart of this simple tale. Our 24 month child loved it from the outset (he first saw it at 20 months), and subsequent gifts of this book to the childern of our friends suggest that our experience is far from unique. For a good two months this was book of choice, but then went out of favour. Older children who have seen this book have appreciated the story more - so we expect our's will come back to it at about 30 months when he will understand it more. Strongly recommended

an exceptional lift-the-flap book with a sweet story
Kipper is looking for his teddy bear. Is it in the apple tree? No! Birds come flying out instead. Thus begins our odyssey into Kipper's world -- populated with mice, pigs and moon people (among others). Pop-ups are activated by lifting flaps and manipulating tabs. The latter may be difficult for young children, but they will most likely enjoy the action anyway.

The little surprise at the end is charming and sure to bring a smile to your little one's face.

Exceptionally well done.

Caveats: A few of the flaps are flimsy, so be careful if your child is rough on them. Kipper's usual friends (Pig, Arnold and Tiger) do not show up in the story.

What a Charmer!
Okay, I'm a sucker for pop-up books and a sucker for cute pups, so this one really couldn't miss for me. But this is a really cute pop-up and with the little light shining at the end....well, I can't imagine a child not falling for this book. Of course, if the battery burns out, a lot of the book's attraction fails...but that should be some time down the road.

A really sweet book, even if you don't watch the show
The pop-ups are beautifully done, and really appeal to my 16 mo old son, and he just loves the little flashlight revealed at the end of the story -- one to add to the list of classics on the bookshelf which have fun effects, like Eric Carle's work. To describe Kipper -- he is the most adorable, laid-back dog. Lifes events are taken in stride with great good humor, and lessons aren't IN your face like in Barney type shows. Kipper's A to Z is another wonderful alphabet book, and is one of his favorites too!. He has learned to say bee, bzz like a bee, duck, quack, and strangely enough -- the word Happy from that book! He likes to keep saying moon and doggie to this one :-) Enjoy it!

As an update, he is now 3 1/2 and took this book to show and tell one day. The flaps and pull outs still work so its a sturdy, simple, engaging book. The theme of being able to go to sleep even without your favorite item that you are obsessing about is also reassuring. (Kipper falls asleep, and we find teddy was reading a book at his feet under the covers with a flashlight) You know that Kipper will wake up in the morning and find his teddy.

This book is fun
My 2 year old loves this book. I don't let him look at it by himself as I fear it would not last, but he wants it read to him several times a week (and he has about 100 books)! I let him operate many of the flaps now that it is a little broken in and he thinks they are hillarious. The little flashlight at the end of the book keeps him guessing. We always turn out the light and he puts his finger over the flashlight to make his finger light up. It is a lot of fun to read, especially if you like the kipper cartoon series. Nice and gentle bed time reading too, not too stimulating. One of the very best of the kipper book series. ... Read more

Book Description

9 complete stories at a great price!

Featuring:

The Cat in the Hat read by Kelsey Grammer
Horton Hears a Who read by Dustin Hoffman
How the Grinch Stole Christmas read by Walter Matthau
Did I Ever Tell You How Lucky You Are? read by John Cleese
The Lorax read by Ted Danson
Yertle the Turtle, Gertrude McFuzz, and The Big Brag read by John Lithgow
Thidwick, the Big-Hearted Moose read by Mercedes McCambridge
Horton Hatches the Egg read by Billy Crystal
The Cat in the Hat Comes Back read by Kelsey Grammer ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Absolutely Wonderful Readings!
As a homeschooling Mom of 2 small girls, we do A LOT of reading together. What a treat to have someone else do the reading for me every once in a while! Kelsey Grammer, John Lithgow, Walter Matthau, Ted Danson, Billy Crystal and other famous voices certainly do an OUTSTANDING job! The stories are unabridged, which makes it easy to follow along with your own Dr Seuss library. Between the talented author and the unquestionably talented actors, you just can't go wrong...what a great gift to any child or Dr. Seuss fan of any age! My daughters love this CD, and are always asking for one more story or the other disc. SO...we purchased the Green Eggs and Ham CD set today, and are very eager to see how it compares to this fun compilation! ... Read more

Amazon.com

That behatted and bow-tied cat from Dr. Seuss's The Cat in the Hat is back, and, not surprisingly, is up to all sorts of mischief. This time, Sally and her brother are stuck shoveling snow: "This was no time for play./ This was no time for fun./ This was no time for games./ There was work to be done." But--you guessed it--the laughing Hat Cat has other ideas, as he lets himself in to eat cake in their tub. He leaves behind "a big long pink cat ring," which he then handily cleans with "MOTHER'S WHITE DRESS!" The dress then loses its pink stain to the wall, then Dad's shoes, then the rug in the hall, until finally the Cat must call in some assistance: from inside his hat comes Little Cat A, then Littler Cats B, C, D, E, and so on, nested like dolls in ever tinier hats. With this pack of felines, Sally and her brother may get rid of those stains, but they'll likely never be rid of that rascally cat. As should be expected from the good doctor, The Cat in the Hat Comes Back provides an excellent reader (and alphabet primer) for those just learning, not to mention ample laughs for everyone else. (Ages 4 to 8) --Paul Hughes ... Read more

Reviews (32)

What I thought about Dr. Seuss's The Cat In The Hat Comes Ba
The Cat in the Hat books have always been favorites of mine, so obviously I enjoyed The Cat in the Hat Comes Back. I loved all the rhymes and funny sayings in the book. Although the book is small it is full of tongue-twisting words. Another reason as to why I loved this book is the way the kids in the story handle their situation, that was funny. I enjoyed this book so much I read it twice.

THIS ONE IS MY PERSONAL FAVORITE OF SEUSS'S BOOKS
My kids gave me a copy of THE CAT IN THE HAT COMES BACK for my birthday a few years ago. I thanked them politely and that was that.

Then I started reading it again for the first time in about 30 years.

I was laughing out loud on almost every page!

I had forgotten how funny this story was. Or perhaps I just didn't get the humor when I was a kid. At any rate, this little book is now one of my all-time favorites, grown-up books included.

--George Stancliffe

Learning from Experience
Researchers constantly find that reading to children is valuable in a variety of ways, not least of which are instilling a love of reading and improved reading skills. With better parent-child bonding from reading, your child will also be more emotionally secure and able to relate better to others. Intellectual performance will expand as well. Spending time together watching television fails as a substitute.

To help other parents apply this advice, as a parent of four I consulted an expert, our youngest child, and asked her to share with me her favorite books that were read to her as a young child. The Cat in the Hat Comes Back was one of her picks.

The theme of this story builds from The Cat in the Hat. In that story, two children are home alone when the cat in the hat visits, makes a horrible mess, and manages to clean it all up just as mother returns. Although the family fish warned them about the cat, the children were gullible.

In this story, the children are not gullible, but the cat takes advantage of them anyway. The children are home alone shoveling deep snow while their mother is away in town for the day. The cat in the hat goes into the house before they can stop him, and eats cake in the bath tub while bathing. They told him to get out and pulled the plug. Unfortunately, that left a long pink cat ring. A contrite, but overconfident, cat in the hat says he'll take care of everything. But he just moves the pink mess from one valuable object to another, starting with mother's white dress. He is a very foolish cat!

Soon, he needs help. In his hat are 26 little cats from A to Z who are specialists at cleaning up the messes he just made. Eventually, the outside snow is so covered in pink spots so that the whole yard is one big spot! Then he calls on Z who is too small to see, and Z finishes the job. Everything is back in order.

This beginning reader is also designed to help with the alphabet. Long before the book can be read by your child, the alphabet sequence will be helpful. The book is moe difficult to read than The Cat in the Hat, so your child will probably not attempt it unless and until that book is mastered.

There are many subtle messages here that any parent can endorse. One, you have to be careful about letting people in your house. Although the cat in the hat is not sinister, children need to understand that lesson in a nonfrightening way. Two, if you know someone is a troublemaker, you'd better keep them away from mischief. Children are very accepting of mischievous children who set bad examples. This gives you a chance to praise the good behavior of the children while questioning the appropriateness of the cat's behavior. What else could the children have done? They will have this issue with friends in years to come. Three, the smallest cat is the most powerful. That's a rare voice in favor of examining people and animals for their worth in effectiveness rather than their size. Diminutive children will like this part. Four, by being persistent in dealing with the cat, everything turns out all right. Children need to learn that persistence can overcome adversity. Five, thinking ahead can save a lot of problems. If the children had given the cat some paper towels in the beginning or knew how to wash out a bath tub themselves, the complications would have been minor. As you read the story together, you can emphasize these lessons to help your child.

When you are both done with the book, you should discuss how problems can be prevented by anticipation. This is a good way to help your child's problem-solving ability mature.

Enjoy!

guns don't belong in toddler books
We bought this book without reading it because it didn't occur to us that anything would be objectionable. We returned it the next day after stopping half way while reading it to our 2 year old. the book is dated and reflects actions that at the time it was written were probably not considered objectionable. There is a graphic 2 page spread involving the widespread use of popguns and red splotches. Hopefully, a child who is at this read-aloud level should not yet have been exposed to guns at all and if they have, every attempt should be made to limit that exposure and to make sure that guns are not presented in any validating format. Regardless of one's opinions on gun control, guns are very dangerous and should only be used under very limited circumstances and in the hands of a skilled user. They are not toys and given today's American culture and media, should not be presented as such.

first one was better
i liked the first Cat in the Hat book better than this one. This one wasn't as funny as the first one was either. ... Read more

Book Description

Camp Out

Amelia Bedelia has never been camping in the great outdoors before. She's trying her best to do exactly as she's told, but pitching a tent is not the same as throwing it into the bushes, and catching a fish with your bare hands isn't easy. As usual, the mixed-up housekeeper makes this camping trip one hugely entertaining adventure.

Reviews (3)

Rita says this book gets five stars....
My granddaughter Rita is helping me write this review. She says this is one of her favorite books, and she recommends it to other kids. Rita read this book when she was in first grade. She's in second grade this year.

Rita says the story starts when the familiy is going on a camping trip. She says Amelia's Dad says "Let's Hit the Road" and and Amelia picks up a stick and starts hitting the road. Amelia seems to always get things wrong. When they get to the campsite she falls in the river and her clothes are all wet.

But one day, Amelia's Dad forgets his own birthday, so Amelia Bedelia makes a cake and fancy dinner for him. And the family starts singing "Happy Birthday to You." And he thanks Amelia Bedelia for the cake. Amelia finally does something that pleases her Dad. The End.

A Great Book for Beginners
This is a great book for young children. There is no bad language just good, clean reading. It's funny and amusing and will keep your children laughing.

It is a good book.
It is about a funny camping trip. My favorite part is when Amelia Bedelia goes boating, and takes all the boats with her. I am seven years old. ... Read more

Amazon.com

"I am Eloise/I am six." So begins the well-loved story of Eloise, the garrulous little girl who lives at New York's Plaza Hotel. Eyebrow raised defiantly, arm propped on one jutting hip, Eloise is a study in self-confidence. Eloise's personal mandate is "Getting bored is not allowed," so she fills her days to the brim with wild adventures and self-imposed responsibilities. An average Eloise afternoon includes braiding her pet turtle's ears, ordering "one roast-beef bone, one raisin and seven spoons" from room service, and devising innovative methods of torture for her guardians.

Eloise's exploits are non-stop, and--accordingly--the text uses nary a period. Kay Thompson perfectly captures the way children speak: in endless sentences elongated with "and then ... and then ... and then... " Hilary Knight's drawings illustrate Eloise's braggadocio and amusement as well as the bewilderment of harassed hotel guests. Eloise's taunts are terrible, her imagination inimitable, her pace positively perilous. Her impertinence will delight readers of all ages. (Ages 5 and older) ... Read more

Reviews (98)

I rawther love love love this book!
As we all know, Eloise is six and she lives at the Plaza Hotel with her Nanny who says things three times, her dog Weenie, her turtle Skipperdee and two dolls. When I was a child, I adored this book and wanted to be just like Eloise. She does whatever she wants and gets away with it.

As an adult, I feel so sorry for Eloise because her mother only sends for her when it's sunny and otherwise isn't present. What a poor little girl to grow up so alone!

However, this is a tremendously humorous and beautifully illustrated classic that can always make me grin from ear to ear. I looooovve room service too! Oh, and charge it please. Thank you very much.

Childlike and Literary
A few weeks ago, I took a friend and her two 5 year old twin girls to dinner. There was a 45 minute wait, and we went to the bookstore next door. I was dreading the prospect of entertaining two 5 year olds for 45 minutes until I saw a copy of Eloise, which has been out of print for many years. I sat down and started reading to them. The time flew by. A few older women walked by and smiled. I like to think that they had read the book when they were little girls. The 45 minutes went by all too soon for me.

What can I say about Eloise? We named our DOG Eloise when I was a boy. It is both literary and true to children. It is one of the books (like Charlotte's Web or Black Beauty) that stays in your heart from childhood.

Give it to your children.

Informed Parents
This is a very fun book. The story is imaginative and witty and the illustrations wonderfully whimsical. I bought this book for my little girl, remembering how much I loved it as a child when my first grade teacher read it to our class. Though I truly love this book, I can only give it 4 stars. This is because I must edit it as I read it to my daughter because I find some of the language used by the precocious Miss Eloise a bit offensive. By my count(done quickly), Eloise uses the phrase "for Lord's sake" six times and "Oh my Lord" five. In my home this is called "taking the name of the Lord in vain" and it's something your not suppoesed to do. It reduces the name of our Lord and Savior to a mere exclamation. I will still read this book with my child. When my daughter (now only 19 months)is old enough to understand, we will talk about how much we love Eloise but how it's not okay to take the name of the Lord in vain or terrorize one's tutor.

ELOISE IS THE BOMB!!!
Eloise is so funny,
she is a free spirt, and very accurate. She's here, She's there, She's everywhere. Recently, they made Eloise at the Plaza,(Rated 5 stars) And she's great.
Though I'm 10, and the age group is 6 and over, I LOVE IT. I have that and Eloise in Paris, and Eloise in Moscow (First Prinitng)

If you read this, you'll always be glad you did...

The absolutely essential book!
I have always loved children's books and at seventeen, I am still quite a child myself. One of my dearest friends, whose name is Eloise and I swap children's books and so she leant me the Absolutely Essential Eloise. I do not care what others say about her being a 'brat' or whatnot, I love this book and the others! Eloise is exactly how anyone would want to live, having everything and doing anything. I would highgly recommend it to any adult who wants to capture their 'inner child' again. :D I love Weenie too because I love pug dogs.
My mother knows Coco Chanel. ... Read more

Amazon.com

If I Ran the Circus is a grand rhyming Seussian hymn to every child's grandest and wildest plans. Behind Mr. Sneelock's ramshackle store, there's an empty lot. Little Morris McGurk is convinced that if he could just clear out the rusty cans, the dead tree, and the old cars, he would have no further obstacles to using the lot for the amazing, the world-beating, Circus McGurkus. The more elaborate Morris's dreams about the circus become, the more they depend on sleepy-looking, innocent Mr. Sneelock, who stands outside his ramshackle store sucking on a pipe, oblivious to the fate that awaits him in the depths of Morris's imagination. He doesn't yet know that he'll have to dispense 500 gallons of lemonade, be lassoed by a Wily Walloo, wrestle a Grizzly-Ghastly, and ski down a slope dotted with giant cacti. But if his performance is up to McGurkian expectations, then "why, ladies and gentlemen, youngsters and oldsters, your heads will quite likely spin right off your shouldsters!" Welcome to the big top. (Ages 4 to 8) --Richard Farr ...