Book Description

Cam Jansen's photographic memory is put to the test when Annie's tooth falls out— and disappears! Cam has a picture in her head of everything she sees. But does she have the picture she needs to solve the mystery of the lost tooth? ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Young Cam Jansen Rocks!
My 3-year old loves the pictures and the story line, and knows just when to say "Click!" along with Cam.

We have most of the Young Cam Jansen paperbacks and recommend them unreservedly for other read-along parents, especially parents of young girls. Less-than-ideal personalities, personal conflicts and misunderstandings are all presented, WITH good resolutions, character modeling, and handling of sticky situations.

The main character is a self-confident, intelligent girl thinker and investigator, with a boy as her best friend. Not exactly typical, and not for ultraconservative parents who think that only boys should use their minds and have adventures.

One particularly nice aspect is that most of the stories take place outside of a public-school setting, recognizing that most discovery and meaningful social interactions take place outside of that institution -- a point not lost on homeschooling-minded parents.

This particular story is set in the Art class, where creativity and fun are the dominant theme, not the lesser aspects of the typical public school experience.

Get and read the Young Cam Jansen series! ...

It Runs in the Family
I remember Cam Jansen from when *I* was a little girl (and I am 27 years old). I always loved reading the mysteries and couldn't put them down. Now I get to share Cam with my own daughter. The Young Cam Jansen books are perfect for younger children. My daughter is 4 and 1/2 years old and loved the book! She has been reading since she was 3 years old so this was right on her level. It was enjoyable for us to read together and also for her to read on her own. She listened intently and helped Cam solve the mystery. By really thinking and solving the mystery, it gave her such a boost... I think that is one of the great things about the Cam Jansen books... they are "easy" enough for the childern to solve and they can be very proud of themselves for using their minds to solve mysteries. I highly recommend Cam Jansen and Young Cam Jansen books! Parents, don't be surprised if you find yourself reading them, too!

Young Cam Jansen and the Lost Tooth
My 7-year-old daughter and I read this book together. She loved it! Cam - short for Camera, because of her photographic memory - helps her friends solve mysteries. In this case it was a lost tooth. This book has 5 easy-to-read chapters. The story moves along nicely from chapter to chapter, and my daughter did not want to stop until we had read the whole book. She was able to follow the story line as we read and could anticipate what was going to happen. Words were sometimes challenging but overall, an easy read. We will definitely look for more Cam Jansen books to read! ... Read more

Book Description

When Peter takes Mikey, the class hamster, out of his cage to pet him, Mikey escapes. Peter and his friends search the classroom, but every time they come close, Mikey runs away again! How can they get Mikey back into his cage? ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Hamster chase
Oh to be a new reader! For those of you who learned to read with the Dick and Jane books, the latest New Reader books are a whole different class. One pleasing trend is the introduction of well-loved characters and stories to new readers. (One example is the _My first little house books_ series). Enter a new series called Peter's neighborhood, based on the beloved characters created by Ezra Jack Keats. The pictures are eye-catching, reminiscent, naturally, of Keats' style. The simple story is also pleasing with three friends working together to catch the escaped class hamster. Well worth a read. ... Read more

Book Description

The prince of Upper Crestalia wants to get married, but his mother doesn't want him to, for selfish reasons.The queen makes up ridiculous tests that no aspiring bride can pass.Then the prince, convinced he is destined to remain single, meets Opal, heir to the throne of Lower Crestalia and the only princess ever known to drive a pickup truck.The prince soon discovers that not only is Opal handy, she is practical, beautiful, and genuinely nice.But can any of those qualities save her from the queen's trickery?You may think you know the story of "The Princess and the Pea," but you have never seen it as amusingly told and wittily illustrated as it is in this rollicking version of the classic tale. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A Real Princess
PLEASE NOTE! This review is for the version that is illustrated by Dorothee Duntze. Everyone knows this Hans Christian Andersen story about the bedraggled princess who shows up looking for shelter on a stormy night. She might be a good match for the prince who's been searching for a "real" princess so the queen mother runs a little test...the rest is the subject of fairy tales! This version is simply told and beautifully illustrated. The pictures, executed in soft pastel colors, have a quirky Art Deco feel to them that I thoroughly enjoyed. The gowns of all the ladies in the book are done in a collage style and are covered in intricate patterns and designs. Lovely...the real thing!

an amusing modern twist to an old tale!
In the beautiful land of Upper-Crestalia King Adolph, Queen Frieda, & their dear son Prince Ralph live & the queen is quite content until her son one day bursts into her chamber & declares that he wishes to marry.

The queen does not like this idea at all so she hatches a plan to prevent her son marrying & she makes sure that the few princesses who do audition for Prince Ralph's wife all fail.

Mad with grief, Prince Ralph tears off in his expensive car down to Lower-Crestalia & when smoke starts billowing out of his hood, poor Ralph is stranded.

To his great surprise & relief, an auto-mechanic pulls up next to him & a dirty young woman in overalls carrying a tool box, jumps out. They get to talking, & the Prince is smitten! Her name is Opal, & she is the princess of Lower-Crestalia.

On the spot Prince Ralph proposes & when her prince charming confesses that his mother has idiotic tasks in store for her, Opal only becomes more determined.

Opal passes the tests with flying colors & that's when the queen insists there be a third test which is the one from which the title of this hilarious book is taken.

Will Princess Opal pass the final test? Will the queen's crafty plan succeed? Read this enchanting book & find out! ... Read more

Book Description

The Good Knight is on his watch when he hears a sound. Roar! Is it a dragon? A great big dragon? He searches the woods and finds a surprise. Three very little dragons are almost ready for bed. But who will read to them, tuck them in, and kiss them good night? Is this a job for the Good Knight? Young readers, like the young dragons, will quickly fall under the Good Knight's spell.

"Stories of valiant knights slaying fearsome dragons are going to fall sadly flat after one reading of this bewitching tale." (Kirkus Reviews, pointer review) ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Excellent!
We've been reading this book just about every night for 6 months now. My kids(aged 3 and 5)are busily galloping around on their stick horses while shouting "away!"; climbing crumbly-tumbly towers, and hiding in deep, dark caves. Get ready--for three months I had to build deep dark caves for my little dragons to sleep in.

And there's a sequel--"Get Well, Good Knight"! My kids love that one, too!

I like the books, as well. Any parent can sympathize with the Good Knight's situation. All in all, this is a good read for the pre-k/k set.

Good Night, Good Knight
Our library just purchased this book and after just one read I am ready to purchase it. Very easy reading and extremely entertaining (esp. if you let the kids fill in the repetitive parts). My 3 and 5 year olds love it.

A Must have!
I checked this book out at the library for my pre-school daughter. We both absolutely loved it. Loved it so much, that I placed an order with Amazon to purchase our own copy at home. The author does a wonderful job of repeating phrases and words such as "clippety-clop" and the "crumbly tumbly tower". The 3 dragons in the story are the cutest little things, all wanting something before they can go to bed....one more drink of water, one more story read, etc. Sound familiar?
Amazon lists this book as Ages 9-12, which has to be inaccurate. This is an Easy Reader type book designed for Preschool to second grade in my opinion.

Clever and Heart-Warming Story for All Ages
I read this book to my two-year-old in a doctor's office and ended up retelling the whole story to my husband that evening. We had to buy it we liked it so much, and we've read it over and over. It has great repetition and sound effects (my son loves to roar every time we get to that part). I also love the way it teaches children to be kind to others, even something that might seem scary like a dragon. It gave my parent ego a little boost too, since I'm often that "good knight" who's willing to get one last drink of water, read one last story, or give one last good night kiss. Definitely a must-read.

A charming bedtime story
A sweet bedtime story with charming illustrations. The story has a lot of repetition and good opportunities to add fun sound effects making it lots of fun to read (over and over again!).

My two year old loves to listen to the story (even though it is more words than his typical picture books). I suspect this book is appealing to 2+ through 6 year olds. ... Read more

Book Description

The much-heralded Good Knight is back—only this time his three little dragon friendsare sick in bed. Their scaly foreheads are hot and their noses are drip-drip-dripping. Theyfeel awful.The Good Knight comes to the rescue again! He brings them some slimy,grimy soup from the wizard to make them feel better.But the dragons won’t touch it.What is a Good Knight to do? ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The Good Knight comes through again!
If you and your children loved Good Night, Good Knight, you'll love this book. Once again, the Good Knight helps those cute little dragons - this time with their colds. You'll love the remedy that finally works (Mom's chicken soup) and the cute ending. My kids are 5 and 8, and they both enjoyed it. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Sweet, simple, and straightforward.
"Tales of Amanda Pig" is a collection of gentle, calm stories about how Amanda the pig solves everyday situations, such as resolving a fight with her brother. In one story she is faced with food she doesn't like, in another her father helps her overcome her fear of a "monster" in the hallway. The last story is about going to bed. The pig parents are ideal - we humans should handle our kids this well! The book is wholesome enough to read aloud to very young kids, and easy for beginning readers to read on their own. ... Read more

Book Description

From bugs that swim to beetles that eat mice to butterflies of many colors, beginning readers will learn about the exciting world of bugs, beetles, and butterflies in this Science Easy-to-Read book. Carefully researched illustrations depict the insects in detail. A glossary identifies the name of each insect, and Science Fun activities encourage children to observe and learn. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Bugs,Beetles and Butterflies
Bugs, Beetles and Butterflies is an adorably illustrated, informative book for young readers. They are introduced to science with a rhythmic, easy to read text. There are questions at the end of the book to encourage verbal discussions and the exploration of the insect world around them. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

The screen went blank....
This is the best children's book that I've read in ages. You don't have to just take my word for it though, it is so good that Fred Rogers also read it on his show.

The story deals with what a little boy does when the family television breaks and has to be taken to the shop. At first he is absolutely lost since he spends his entire life in front of the tv, seven days a week. All he can do is ask his mother, over and over, if it is fixed yet? Slowly, however, he starts to do other things. He starts to read books. Then, he starts to use his imagination and actually create things on his own. By the last page he has actually created an entire world for himself- and hardly notices when the tv is brought back.

After reading this little classic you might just be tempted to break the television for yourself....

When the TV Broke
This book contains both a spelling error (gorrila) and an uncapitalized day of the week (sunday). As a book recommended for beginning readers,
this isn't an example of good editing skills. Hopefully a correction will be made in the near future. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The ugly duckling
The ugly duckling is a good childrens book because it teaches kids not to judge people because they look differnt or act differnt. This book is about a duck that is ugly, and the other ducks reject the ugly duck. I would recamend this book for children 3-6 because thats what it said on the cover of the book. ... Read more

Amazon.com

"I have been waiting my whole life to go to school," declares anexuberant Amanda Pig as she prepares for her first day of school. And what a day it turns out to be! Up before the sun, Amanda can barely contain her excitement as she puts on her new purple dress, eats breakfast, and kisses her mom and dad good-bye. Once on board the school bus, she eagerly plops down in an empty seat for her first adventure of the day--befriending a frightened little girl who won't tell anyone her name. Blessed with a warm heart and a generous temperament, Amanda Pig is just about the best new friend any shy kid could have. In this warm, charmingly illustrated tale of the joys and challenges of a first day at school, Amanda gives her new pal a nickname--Lollypop--and then gently assures her, "School is fun. You will like it. You'll see."

Part of a series featuring our intrepid heroine--including Amanda Pig on Her Own, Tales of Amanda Pig, and Amanda Pig and Her Big Brother Oliver--this four-chapter, easy-to-read book follows Amanda and Lollypop through their action-packed first day. But will sad little Lollypop ever smile and reveal her true name? With the fun-loving Amanda Pig around to coax a few smiles and chase away the blues, there's no doubt everyone will soon be feeling better. (Ages 4 to 8) --Marianne Painter ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A Great Choice to Help Get Ready for School
We gave this book to our daughter just before she started kindergarten. It was perfect. The experiences that Amanda had with riding the bus and making friends helped her get ready for her own new adventures. The lighthearted easy-to-read pages made reading the book fun for her and the chapter book format was a terrific introduction to this style of reading. She read the book over and over and over again, giving her lots of practice before school even began. We love Amanda Pig! ... Read more

Book Description

Do you love horses? If you do, you're not alone. There's so much to know about these amazing animals. Why do horses neigh? What are baby and adult horses called? How do horses communicate? Beginning readers can find out the answers to these questions-and many more-in this lively, fact-filled introduction to these popular animals. Filled with colorful illustrations and dynamic color photos of real horses, this is a perfect selection for any young horse lover.

Illustrated by Anna DiVito. ... Read more

Book Description

There are many different kinds of dogs and so much to find out about them.Why do dogs bark, howl, and bury bones? Why do they like to lick and sniff people? Children can find the answers to these questions and many more in this fun-to-read, informative book illustrated with big, colorful canine photographs and humorous drawings. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Answers to basic dog questions
Answers such questions as "How many puppies can a dog have at one time?" and "Why do dogs burry bones?" Sentences are mostly short. Pronunciation hints are included in the text. Each page has at least one illustration or photograph. Instructs readers on teaching dogs to come, stay, and sit. KWR, Library Student ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Excellent humour
My 8 year old son had a great laugh reading this book. In fact he wanted us to get all the other books in the series by James Marshall. Highly recommended. ... Read more

Book Description

When Tiny was a puppy, he fit inside a shoe. He fit in a bag, and he even fit in a pocket. Then Tiny grew, and now he is too big for his doghouse. He is too big to lick his friend's face--yuck! Young readers will enjoy this sweet, funny story about a very big dog who was once a tiny puppy. Not since Clifford has a big dog been so appealing!

* Puffin Easy-to-Reads
* 32 pages
* Full-color illustrations
* Ages 4-7 ... Read more

Book Description

Poor Amanda Pig! She’s never going to get any sleep with all of the monsters in herroom. Maybe one is hiding in the closet, or behind the curtains, or under her bed! Ormaybe her brother Oliver is right and there is no such thing as monsters. One thing’s forsure, Amanda is going to have to be a big girl if she wants the monsters to go away forgood. Kids and parents alike will identify with Amanda’s predicament through this gentlyreassuring tale about being brave and growing up. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Delightful
I have a two-and-a-half year old, and he enjoys this book immensely. The book follows an adorable little hippo as he prepares for his bath, washes and soaps himself, and then (most important!) cleans up afterward. Thepictures are simple and colorful. Because the book is composed of shortsentences that closely follow the pictures, and it uses the same words overand over again, it has helped my son to start to recognize words andpronounce them, even though he is well below the target age for this book. ... Read more

Book Description

Meet Ant, the little brother who's big on laughs. In four upbeat stories, Ant and his big brother confront the monster under the bed, recreate the story of the three little pigs, and write a letter to Santa-in July! Sometimes funny, always endearing, Ant is invariably entertaining."A great storyteller and a great illustrator are at their very best in this tender, funny easy-to-read." -Booklist, starred review ... Read more

Reviews (3)

My 6 year old son was roaring with laughter!
What a delight! This book humerously delivers anecdotes of "brotherly love"! As a mother of two boys, I found it very endearing. My oldest son must have been able to relate to Ant's big brother's methods of tender teasing. I've never seen him laugh so hard. Hurray Besty Cromer Byars, we'll be looking for more of your cleverly written "brother" stories!

Appeals to two ages of readers
"My Brother, Ant" has the stories of the boy who is afraid of the monster under his bed, who draws a picture on his brother's homework, who insists his brother read a story the way it's written, and who writes a thank you letter to Santa in July. It is also the story of his older brother who vanquishes the monster, who finds a solution to the picture on his homework, who finally begins to read the story the way it's written, and who takes dictation of the letter to Santa. This book accomplishes something that most easy readers do not: it appeals to the younger child for whom this level of readers are generally written, but it also appeals to a slower reader of an age group several years older. Ingeniously, it has all of the best features of an easy reader: many sight words but an easy vocabulary--including recognizable compound words, and short sentences amidst a lot of space on the pages. Best of all, it's funny, and the dialog and pictures are magnificent!

Small words, BIG story...
My Brother, Ant, written by the great Betsy Byars, and Illustrated by Marc Simont, is sure to be just the ticket to encourage your child to enjoy reading. Unlike the sing-songy, uneventful easy readers of days past, this story is delightful and engaging.

Ant's older brother tells the story, and while he is often exasperated by his younger siblings "ANT-ics", the love shines through. The words are simple, but they are woven skillfully to create an enjoyable read. Mix that with the humorous, jump off the page illustrations and you've got a winner! ... Read more

Book Description

This easy-to-read ghost story is just the thing for future mystery lovers. Mr. Brown has a bookstore full of spooky ghost books. But even though he has a cat, he also has mice in his store. No customers will come in, and Mr. Brown gives his cat an order: Get rid of the miceor else. Mr. Brown's ingenious and kindhearted cat comes up with a spectacular plan that just might work--with a little help from some ghost-mice.The text in this funny mystery is lively, and the big, full-color pictures by popular illustrator Nadine Bernard Westcott are sweetly amusing and sly. For Halloween or any time, this is a great beginning reader for kids who love ghost stories.Barbara Maitland is the author of The Bear Who Didn't Like Honey. Nadine Bernard Westcott is the creator of over thirty picture books; she also designs a popular line of greeting cards. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Cute tale, attention getting for children
If your little reader loves ghost stories, I really recommend this one. It has a good, easy storyline to follow about a man who loves books, cats and cheese. Take it from there. Very cute. I am constantly amazed at the quality of these easy reader stories. Great illustrations; great idea for a story and a bookstore!! ... Read more