Book Description

The classic first book about colors that many parents grew up withand so will want this new jacketed version for their own children. ... Read more

Reviews (18)

The very best of Margaret Wise Brown
At Last! A reissue of this outstanding book, and most importantly, with the original illustrations! This book cleverly incorporates the concept of color mixing, but the lyrical verse and captivating pictures are what made it a part of our family's fabric. (our 4 adult children are now ages 35-45 and still remember every word) I had about given up ever finding it again. Our family copy, which is well over 30 years old, has been loved to loose paged pieces. This is just in time for our newest two year old grandchild, and I am getting multiple copies, JUST us case it disappears again! Oh wonderful kittens, oh Brush and Hush!

A Primary Colorful Classic
There is this storybook. It's the one you always want your parents to read aloud, over and over again. When you go to sleep, you want to become part of the poetry, and help the two kittens, Brush and Hush. Carelessly, and by no fault of their own, they transform the world by haphazardly dumping and mixing the colorful paints from their endless supply of cans. The pages in my old book from the 1950s are becoming brittle and yellow, but it still hold a special place on my bookshelf. The imaginative illustrations and charming story are an endearing part of my childhood. It brings back wonderful memories to this day.

The Color Kittens
The book The Color Kittens is about these two kittens Brush and Hush together they are the color kittens. The color kittens love to make different colors, and they love to paint everything with these different colors. The lesson that this book teaches is how to identify the different colors and what colors to mix to make even more. This book is for ages two through five. The reason that this book is for ages two through five is because those are the ages that kids are learning their colors. I think the book was good because it teaches kids their different colors. I t also teaches what colors you need to mix together to make more colors. Which I think is important for kids to learn at these ages. I personally enjoyed the book when I was younger and now that I older.

A little-known classic!
My 4 1/2 yr old son says that this is his favorite book right now. I also remember having this read to me as a child. We've owned it now for a couple of years, and I never get tired of reading it over and over. Definitely one of our better children's book purchases.

tears in my eyes
I had forgotten all about this wonderful book. I just came across a copy in the library, and it brought tears to my eyes. I took it back to my office and made all my co-workers listen as I read. I cannot convey the joy that is in my heart. I have found my long lost kittens. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

The story of the first man to fly across the English Channel
Of course there were important aviation pioneers in between the Wright Brothers and Charles Lindbergh, and "The Glorious Flight: Across the Channel With Louise Bleriot, July 25, 1909" tells about one of the more important ones. In 1901 Louis Bleriot had made a fortune off of his invention of an automobile searchlight. Out for a drive with his family he sees a great white airship over the city of Cambrai. From that day forward, Louis Bleriot had but one wish: to build a flying machine. This charming book by Alice and Martin Provensen follows this quest from the development of the "Bleriot I" (too small for anyone to sit in) to the "Bleriot II" glider until finally with the "Bleriot VII" Louis had an aeroplane that could really fly. Then the only thing left to do was to prove what an aeroplane can really do and win the prize for being the first man to fly across the England Channel.

The story being told is simple and straightforward, but it is the artwork that young readers will find so captivating because it conveys the sense of time and place so well. However, it would have been nice to see what some of these planes looked like before Louis cracked them up. Still, this is the simple lesson of perseverance and the courage of your convictions told in simple words and with memorable illustrations. It is also good that young readers learn that there were actually famous aviation pioneers who did not live in the United States.

Remember: It is only seven years until the 100th anniversary of Bleriot's flight. Bet you sometime rebuilds the "Bleriot XI" and tries to duplicate his feat.

And the world started getting smaller!
This children's book is an account of the famous French aviation pioneer, Louis Bleriot (1872-1936) who was the first person to fly across the English Channel (on July 25, 1909). The book won the 1984 Caldecott Medal for best illustrations in a book for children. IT is an excellent book for use in a discussion of history, particularly the history of aviation. ... Read more

Book Description

This is a book about farm animals, and what happens during one year on a farm.

In January, the cows stay in the barnyard, and the chickens don't lay many eggs. By March, you can tell spring is coming: the barn is filled with baby animals. Month by month, the animals at Maple Hill Farm sense the changing seasons and respond to the changes.

Through gently humorous text and charming illustrations, Alice and Martin Provensen capture one year at their beloved Maple Hill Farm in a way sure to delight city slickers and country folk alike. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Outstanding in every way
This has been a favorite book of ours for years and years and years. "The Year at Maple Hill Farm" is written and illustrated by Alice and Martin Provenson. It documents, from January through December, the hard tasks and simple pleasures inherent in life on a farm--everything from bird migrations to the foaling of the horses to lazy summer days spent doing nothing more important swatting flies.

Humans and animals co-exist peacefully here. The illustrations are simple and gently colored, with subtle detail sprinkled throughout. The animals are given a great deal of personality (see especially the cats, who are wonderfully quirky) and the story itself, while utterly basic and free of frills, has an undertow of narrative propulsion that makes each page seem a natural outgrowth of the previous page.

I can't recommend the book highly enough. If you live in the country, you will recognize so much of what is here. If you live in the city, you will welcome the peaceful rhythms of this charming book. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

great book for children
William Blake (whose poetry this book mirrors) runs an inn where we meet angels, rabbits, tigers, a host of interesting characters. It's a great introduction to poetry for the youngest of children. The illustrations are quaint and fit this book perfectly. I can see why it has won the awards it has.

one of my favorite books
A vsisit to William Blakes Inn is one of my favorite books ever. In a clever turn, nanct willard had turned the more famous characters from Blakes poetry into guest and attendents at his "Inn"" Angels make the bed, Dragons bake the bread,Tiger,tiger loses its strength,all adorned with gorgeous illustartions from alic and martin provensen. In the brief introduction,Ms willard explains how she became attracted to william Blake,then what led her to this book. My children even at a very young age have love this book. It's poetic scheme is simple yet elegant, which makes it also fun for the adult reading and challenging enough for a early grade reader.A wonderful, funfilled chidrens classic.And, Ms Willard is correct:poetry IS the best medicine.

FANTASTICAL SALUTE IN VERSE
Readers, here is your chance to be transported to a world of poetic delights, inspired by "the fearful symmetry" of William Blake's writings. Author Nancy Willard interprets his poems in the marvelous 'stage setting' of "William Blake's Inn"...an imaginary, very British hostelry. It is inhabited by a "man in the marmalade hat" and the King of Cats who breakfasts among the chimney pots of London.

Willard's own verse does cartwheels, lifting the reader out of stodginess into the stratosphere of Imagination - or at least as high as those London roof tops pictured by Alice & Martin Provensen. Their award-winning artistry beckons readers to cut the ties of convention and truly accept fantasy in color and phrasing...Explore the stars while "Blake leads a walk on the Milky Way" and enjoy the sunflowers that "took root in the carpet where topaz turtles run."

This book says "ENJOY" and I say Thank You, Nancy Willard, for the world you have revealed to us in your FIVE ***** BOOK! To rephrase your words: "If WE should dream before WE wake, may WE dream of William Blake."

You must be this old to understand this book
In this book, the author has written a collection of poems about William Blake and a magical inn he runs. This book was read to me when I was a child and I hadn't felt any need to look at it since. This is probably due to the fact that as a kid I just couldn't get into the story. Hoping to see what my nine year-old self couldn't, I decided to give Ms. Willard another go. Rereading it now, I can see where my frustration came from. The plot is very loose, the poems nice but unconnected, and the pictures beautiful but flat and without motion. Frustrations I experienced as a child included things like seeing the Man With a Marmelade Hat illustrated with a hat that clearly wasn't the color of marmelade. Also, I was quite certain that the poems in the book MUST have been written by Blake. Confusingly, they are actually written by the multi-talented Nancy Willard with nary a Blake quote in sight. Though a winner of both the Newberry Medal and a Caldecott Honor, I get the feeling that this is a book that adults would enjoy much more than children. Undoubtedly there will be some children out there that prove me wrong. But I feel this book is meant to be read by adults for adults. It is beautiful and nice to look at. Just make sure you're over 15.

Marvelous Poetry and Illustrations
This children's book is dedicated to eighteenth century British poet and artist William Blake. A well-deserved winner of the 1982 Newberry Medal and a Caldecott Honor Book, this work consists of a series of catchy poems with very satisfying and detailed illustrations to complement them.
Each poem has a rhyme scheme of sorts that make them sound clever, especially when read aloud. While each poem addresses a different topic, all the poems relate to each other collectively because they center on the comfortable and cozy William Blake's Inn. Every character and animal appears more than once throughout the book, and they stay at the inn.
One poem that stood out of my mind is entitled "The King of Cats Sends a Postcard to His Wife." The illustration of the poem shows the cat sitting at the breakfast table with William Blake. One part of postcard written by the "King of Cats" said: "Have you set the kittens free?/ Do they sometimes ask for me?/Is our catnip growing tall?/Did you patch the garden wall?" I thought this portion was interesting because it seems as though a cat away from home would be concerned about these sorts of things (if indeed cats possessed human qualities).
I would say that the illustrations are what maintained my interest throughout the book. Each illustration has yellow and tan hues, and some of the backgrounds evoke cartoon-like visions of London in William Blake's time. The illustrations are all very detailed, making it necessary to flip through the book more than once to fully appreciate them.
Although this book is designed for children, I would recommend this book to people of all ages. Although children would not understand the poems due to a somewhat difficult vocabulary, they will enjoy the wonderfully detailed illustrations and smooth rhyme of the poetry. Most adults would appreciate the book as well because of the excellent illustrations and magical poetry that A Visit to William Blake's Inn has to offer. ... Read more

Book Description

Who lives at Maple Hill Farm?

Two dogs, five horses, a pig, some geese, lots of chickens, a few cows, a few goats, several sheep, and four special cats -- these are the animals at Maple Hill Farm.

With simple text that is both affectionate and wry, and irresistible illustrations that burst with personality, Alice and Martin Provensen bring their barnyard friends to life for the delight of animal lovers both young and old. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

my childhood as a book!
This was my all-time-favorite book growing up as a child--I literally read it until it was falling apart at the seams. I loved the wry humor of it and they way that it didn't "talk down" to kids, like a lot of other children's books in the seventies (as I remember them, anyway). When my mother and I learned it was going out of print (this was probably the late eighties), my mom bought all the copies she could find, and kept them in her closet to give to the young children her nieces and nephews kept having. And I think there is still the last copy hidded away in that closet for my as-yet-unborn child. I searched for it here on a lark, and I am so happy to see it back in print for a whole other generation to enjoy!! I definitely be buying copies for all the children of my friends!

I LOVE THIS BOOK!!
I checked this book out so many times from the school library when I was little, that the librarian asked my parents to buy me a copy so that other kids could have a chance to check it out. The cats , by far, were my favorite part, especially MAX! If you know a child that likes animals, this is the book to get them!! It's fun, has great pictures, great humor, and is just my all around favorite book of my childhood!

My favorite book for 20 something years.....now my son's too
I was 3 years or so when my mom starting reading me this book. It's one of the most memorable events of my childhood. Now my book is falling apart but my son, who is almost 4, can say every line with me. It is so charming and funny. Tonight I sat down to try and find a replacement for my old book and was delighted to find it on Amazon. All my friends want it for their children too. I hope Alice and Martin know who much it means to all of us. Thanks and keep it for generations

Fondest Childhood Memories-Mine and Passed Down
This is the most memorable book of my childhood and adult life. I read it countless times as a child, and kept it safe until I was able to share this wonderful creation with my niece, Phylicia, and nephew, Mark. As a child, living in the country, books were all I had, and this one kept me content for hours. In turn, Fee and Mark grew to love it as it covered every animal they had been exposed to in their short lives. It gave them insight into the animal's personalities, how to treat them, how to care for them. They got to imagine having these types of pets of their own, and it made for many creative days for the three of us, reading and learning together.

Reacuring Nightmares
This was my absolute favorite book as a young girl. I must have spent thousands of hours just looking over each characteristic of each animal. I used to have the same nightmare over and over as a child. It involved a mean, bad..., billy goat with red eyes. I haven't looked at this book for 5 minuets and 11 years. I just realized where my nightmares came from. It has been a phsycological breakthrough. Sam the Billy Goat. As I went on reading the book, now a full grown adult, there is some questions that raised about the evil characteristics of some of the animals. All I can say is beware...childrens books are powerful...ex: Where the Wild things are...enough rambling... ... Read more

Book Description

Since their first appearance in 1885, the rhymes of Robert LouisStevenson have been charming children and adults alike. His joyful explorationof the world speaks directly from a child's point of view--a celebration of theimagination, excitement, and surprising practicality with which childrenapproach life. Boats are made from back-bedroom chairs; palaces and templesconstructed of blocks. There are poems about wind, rain, the beauty of stars,and the usefulness of shadows., Full of life and color, the delightfulillustrations of Caldecott-winning artists Alice and Martin Provensen are theperfect accompaniment to these wonderful poems. Engaging, thoughtful, and fun,this treasure will occupy a special place in a child's heart for a lifetime. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

You cannot go wrong!!!
This book is pure magic. The Provensons' beautiful artwork has been etched onto my brain from early childhood. Stevenson's beautiful verses coupled with the delightful illustrations make this book truly magical. You will love this book!!!!

A True Treasure found
Imagine my happiness when I found a copy of the book that night after night my mother had read to me as a child in the late 50s and early 60s - My copy had long fallen apart but this was the correct edition and as I opened the pages the illustrations welcomed me like old friends. I got the flu and my husband kindly read the entire book to me and then next time my Mom came to visit I read a few to her and watched her smile.

Expose a child to this book and they will develop a love of poetry, the whimiscal and when you watch Rocky and Bullwinkle next time you will know where Bullwinkle gets all the poems that he recites !

A favorite book
I was skeptical that he'd like this book when he found it,
believing my 2 year old was a bit young for poetry beyond
Dr. Seuss. But he loves the sound and rhythm of the words
as well as the pictures in my old Golden Book edition,
and asks for it nearly every day now. For myself it's a
nice change from the usual kids books.

Charm and beauty in one package
There is beauty in RLS's poetry, and the Provensons' illustrations are simply delightful. There are other versions of this book (or very similar), but no other combines the aforementioned elements so well.

such simple poems have such a remarkable beauty.
Robert Lewis Stevenson has a way of making children smile, and adults follow right behind. The words so eloquently put together bring to life the thoughts of young children. ... Read more

Book Description

Toddlers will love these ten little books about numbers, each with its own delightful focus: babies, traffic, farm animals, children, birds, fruit, flying high, insects, silly soup, and berries. Gather the books together and they fit in a colorful 3.25 inch cube-box. What toddler could resist counting to ten, again and again, when numbers are this much fun?
... Read more

Reviews (2)

Good for learining pictures and numbers
My 22 month old has had these books for a little less than a year, and she still loves to read them almost every day. She even loves to just flip through the books and identify pictures. These books have also helped her learn numbers and counting. A must have!

Delightfully holds the interest of my daughter!
When my husband saw 10 small books in a box his first response was that our 2 year old would loose them in a matter of days. Well,it has been 8 months and all 10 books are looked at with excitement on a daily basis! (And I promise, Nichole proudly places every book back in it's proper place!) I deeply recommend this collection of books. Each story delightfully holds the interst of our daughter. The illustrations are colorful and the text is whimsical. Once your friends and relatives read these books they'll be asking you where to buy them. ... Read more

Book Description

"Murphy-Stop-That is my name. I am a terrier. I bark. I bark at anything and everything and all the time."

As he goes through his day --barking, eating, outsmarting the dumb animals on the farm, putting up with a visit to the vet -- Murphy never loses his doggy enthusiasm, even when he has to sleep out in the barn.

In her charming new tale, acclaimed author and illustrator Alice Provensen shows that every dog -- even a bad dog -- has his day. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Cute and entertaining!
This is a wonderfully "cute" story about the mischievous Murphy-STOP. At least that is what he claims his name is! Murphy is an adorable little terrier, full of joie de vive, who lives a very complete day and manages to get into trouble without even trying.

The illustrations are colorful and cute and a beginning reader will really enjoy reading about the antics of Murphy-STOP! Great starter book! Murphy's expressions are priceless!

"Murphy, Stop That"
I bought this "children's" book for an "adult" friend of mine. Why? you ask--because his name is Murphy, and he looooves dogs. And I'm sure he will enjoy it as much as I did and as much as any child would. The story is fun, the pictures delightful, and Murphy (the dog) is just plain cute!

a lot of fun to read aloud
I heard this book being read on NPR and being a dog lover, I knew I would own it for myself. Everything about this book is fun, typical canine insight abounds. Buy two books: one as a gift and one to have on hand when guests or relitives arrive with small children...

An excellent "starter book" especially for young dog lovers
A Day In The Life Of Murphy is a delightful, easy-reader picture book about an eager and loveable terrier, who barks, runs, and plays all day. Charming color illustrations Alice Provensen complements her simple text, making A Day In The Life Of Murphy an excellent "starter book" -- especially for young dog lovers! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

An Instant Classic
A wonderful story depicting Louis Bleriot's flight across the channel. Its words are easy to read, and pictures fun to look at. I recommend this Newberry award winner to any youngster just beginning to read. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

The Fuzzy Duckling
In this children's book there is a little fuzzy duckling who wants to go for a walk.The duckling asks 2 colts, then 3 cows, then 4 roosters, then 5 geese, then six lively lambs,etc...
But no one will go for a walk with him. the motto for this story is,"When you can depend upon no one else, you can depend upon your family."For ages 4-7.I hope you enjoy this wonderful story book.

Darling classic
This book is an adorable, classic Golden Book.The illustrations are beautiful, the story is sweet, and it also teaches counting and animals.The duckling encounters 2 colts, then 3 cows, then 4 roosters, then 5 geese ... and so on until the lost little duckling is reaquainted with his mommy and 9 little brothers and sisters, making 10 little ducklings!A darling, and educational, little book. ... Read more

Book Description

Join in on a lively look into the animal world. Twenty-two originalstories and poems by Caldecott-winning artists Alice and Martin Provensen takeyou on a merry romp through farmyard, zoo, and forest. Here you will visit thebarber for a lion's hair-cut, meet a tiger having a very unhappy birthday (noone is brave enough to come to his party!),and outsmart a wily fox.There iseven useful and humorous advice, including "How to Recognize a Wolf in theForest" and "How to Sleep Through the Winter." And, of course, all of thesepoems and tales are surrounded by the authors' engaging and ingenious art.Fullof fun andimagination, this remarkable collection is sure to enthrall anddelight all ages--a wonderful addition to any storytime. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

I love this book!
I love the way it's drawned. Very classic but fantastic. I can really feel this illustrator love animals, persons..... also I guess he/she(?) care about colors so much. This book is for adult who loves Art in children's book. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great low key story about wild and not quite tame animals
This wonderful story is part of a series of books the authors have written on Maple Hill farm. The books are written in a simple, low key style about how real animals seen on and around a farm act. The illustrations are also simple but colorful drawings of the characters. This book's plot appears superficial but proves deeper in subtle way that enhances its appeal for adults: a storm fells an old oak, leaving an abandoned owlet which is adopted by the farm family and then trained and released because "you can't own an owl." A parallel story tells of three farm cats who each have their own "personalities". The authors contrast them but the avoid personification of the animals and end the book by questioning whether you can really own a cat either. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Beautiful, whimsical alphabet book
Delicate and detailed illustrations with old fashioned looking pictures this book is based on a traditional Shaker abc rhyme of animal names. The illustrations are playful and you can tell the artists had fun illustrating this book.The book introduces unusual animals names like xanthos, ocelot,angleworm and ichneumon. Fun book to share with your children. ... Read more

Amazon.com

In this illustrated "family album," Caldecott medalistAlice Provensen offers a unique glimpse of the people who shaped America,from Pocahontas to Edgar Allan Poe to Martin Luther King Jr. This 60-page,oversized hardcover is rich with portraits of artists, enduring icons, outlaws,radicals, visionaries, composers, writers, inventors, and reformers. On the"Naturalists and Ecologists" page, Rachel Carson is joined bywater analyst Ellen Swallow Richards, painter and ornithologist John JamesAudubon, and agricultural chemist George Washington Carver. Whilequotations from famous Americans mark every page, the book's focus ispurely pictorial. The visual montages present an interesting jumping-offpoint for further exploration of some of America's rogues and luminaries.

"Like all families," Provenson writes in her introduction,"my American family has its rich uncles and poor relations, its atheistsand believers, its scoundrels and bigots, its gifted and compassionate. Aboveall, these relatives are individuals, idiosyncratic and exceptional. In general Ihave been able to group them here by thought, by behavior, bymétier.... Pictured on the end sheets, front and back, are individualswho defy classification--Americans who are known for a single or uniqueact, invention, comment, work of art, tragedy, or who are somehow largerthan life and have come to represent our myths and legends, our fantasiesand our foibles." (Age 9 and older) ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Fantastic cliff notes for American historical figures
I first picked this book up in a Fifth Grade observation and it just struck me as unique. I have used this book for fifth grade social studies. Each page is like a mini-mural with many details that will go unnoticed by the casual reader. I even painted a mural for the classroom based on one of the paintings in the book. The text is simple enough for low readers but the content and scope of the book makes it intriguing for advanced readers as well. I think this book would be a great reference for those taking a A.P history test. I really admire the folk art inspiration for Provenson's art.

Pictures, but not the WHOLE picture
Overall, this is an interesting book with "teasers" about various Americans designed to ignite young imaginations. However in several cases, the author shows a definite political bias by including "heroic" aspects while glossing over the ugly underside of some of these icons and vice versa. One example is Planned Parenthood founder Margaret Sanger, who Provensen extolls as a champion of women's rights --- yet she fails to mention that Sanger was motivated by belief in race purification and repeatedly preached "more children for the fit (meaning rich white people) and less for the unfit (blacks and others she deemed inferior.)" Sanger's works were used extensively by the Nazis in their own efforts to "rid the world" of the "unwanted." And FBI legend J. Edgar Hoover is listed under "Villains and Rogues" and his tagline reads "Ruled through use of propaganda and fear...encouraged illegal snooping...misused federal funds...kept secret files to manipulate politicians." But there is nothing about his attempts to end organized crime, efforts to keep America safe from enemies, etc.
Kids receive a likewise lopsided view of many Americans included in this book, which includes "expatriates", "scoundrels and theives", as well as mainstream heroes. Parents might also want to watch out for the occassional term that they might not want their kids repeating (example: quote from Al Capone about being "one of those goddamn radicals".)
My recommendation is if you do get this book, go over it with your children, do some research, and show them the whole picture rather than simply accepting these tiny snippets as gospel. Point out to kids that authors bring their own preconcieved notions and personal agendas to their work, and a good reader investigates rather than absorbs such opinions. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Presidents are awesome
I like buck stop here becuse it talks about the presidents.
It is fun and cool.I been loving it since I was 7 years old.
You shoud read it!

GET THIS BOOK FOR YOUR KIDS
My grandmother gave me this book when I was 6 or 7. I can now recite all the presidents in order and it is honestly from associating their names with the pictures and jingles accompanying each executive. It's funny...I actually visualize in my head this book page-by-page when I'm trying to remember. It was one of my favorite, if not my absolute favorite, childhood book. If you want your kid to learn the presidents well, buy The Buck Stops Here by Alice Provensen.

Great Presidential Learning
This book is a great resource for teaching about the presidents, or for getting an overview of the sequence, order, and accomplishments of our 41 presidents who served in 42 administrations. The drawings are quite creative, with symbolic and labeled parts to indicated achievments and events throughout that president's administrations, and the text is written in poetic style, so it's a great read aloud for early adolescents. We just finished a presidential press conference research project in my class, and this book was passed around as a great tool, I liked it so much for this project, I am hoping to order a 15 more so that 2-3 students can each share a copy. This book is entertaining and informative, and helps anyone learn about our presidential history.

Fun and Educational
While many of the facts are not those that will be required of students, it is enjoyable reading for both parent and child. There are lots of fun tidbits - perfect for the next trivial pursuit game or Jeopardy! challenge. All kidding aside, there is a plethora of interesting facts, and just enough to keep children interested. We highly recommend this book! ... Read more

Book Description

Limericks, clerihews, and other forms of light verse bycontemporary and classic poets are introduced with delightful commentary byLouis Untermeyer. ... Read more