Amazon.com

Since its publication in 1942, The Runaway Bunny has never been out of print. Generations of sleepy children and grateful parents have loved the classics of Margaret Wise Brown and Clement Hurd, including Goodnight Moon. The Runaway Bunny begins with a young bunny who decides to run away: "'If you run away,' said his mother, 'I will run after you. For you are my little bunny.'" And so begins a delightful, imaginary game of chase. No matter how many forms the little bunny takes--a fish in a stream, a crocus in a hidden garden, a rock on a mountain--his steadfast, adoring, protective mother finds a way of retrieving him. The soothing rhythm of the bunny banter--along with the surreal, dream-like pictures--never fail to infuse young readers with a complete sense of security and peace. For any small child who has toyed with the idea of running away or testing the strength of Mom's love, this old favorite will comfort and reassure. (Baby to preschool) ... Read more

Reviews (66)

A heartwarming, beautifully written book, a MUST-HAVE !!!
I first heard a few lines from this book on a T.V. show, and I was in tears! I ran straight to my computer and ordered it. This book is a must have for every child (and parent!). I have never read a book expressing the love of a mother for her child so beautifully. The mother bunny becomes whatever it takes for her to "find" her little bunny as he dreams of different things to be to run away from her. The mother bunny doesn't condemn him, but conforms to his thoughts and dreams and "chases" after him as he tells her what he will become and how he'll run away. I loved the way the mother spoke so lovingly to her little bunny, letting him know that no matter where he went, she'd find him. My son loves the brilliantly colorful images on every other page. It is a nice contrast to the black and white writing in between. This has become a favorite in my home and I intend to give this book as a gift to any and every mother (or mother-to-be) that I know!

Runaway Bunny
This book is wonderful. My son is in an accelerated reading program at school, he brought this book home last night to read and we had such a great time with it. When the story starts off with the little bunny telling his mom that he'll run away and she says she'll follow him I just thought . . . that is love. I told my son that he was the little bunny and I was the mommy bunny, so throughout the story we pretended that those characters were us. The look on my son's face was priceless, I could tell that he knew that his mommy loves him dearly (children need reassurance). He was so proud to hear that I would follow him like that. The color illustrations kept us laughing. They were just so sweet and cute. This book is a classic. I would recommend it to any parent. I didn't see it as a way a mother holds a child back from adventuring out, but as a way a mother/father can deal with a little child wanting to runaway. My son has told me a time or two that he was going to runaway (I believe all kids do - I can remember telling my mom) next time he tells me that I'll just remind him of this story and that I am a mommy bunny! Call me crazy, but I'm assuming that God has read this book as well. After all He keeps running after each and every one of us. Children of all ages need to know that.

A heartwarming tale with an equally heartwarming message
Ever thought of running away? Or, have you ever been really angry at your mother? Well, I have just the cure for that, this book. This is timeless tale of a little bunny who can't help but test the extent of his mother's love, but for every idea the little bunny has for running away, his mother counters with a way of making sure they are always together. For instance, when the little bunny says he will escape his mother by turning into a sailboat, his mother says in reply "If you turn into a sailboat, I will become the wind and blow you home." A wonderful story that displays the unconditional love a mother has for her children.

great book
I think this book is a wonderful demonstration in love.The message is no matter what happens i will be there for you. reading some of the other reviews I feel that some people are reading into a sweet story.

Scary? Disturbing?! Squashed spirits?!? Not at all!
The one- and two-star people have the totally wrong impression. What do you think the (equivalent) age of the little runaway bunny is -- 16 to 25? To what age group are we reading a book like this? You have somehow missed the point, and context.

The idea here is that the little bunny is a very young child, far too young to be on his own -- you know this when he actually tells his mother he is running away! Imagine your child of 4 to 7, momentarily angry about something, who tells you he wants to run away from home, pouting and saying things he doesn't mean, wanting attention, testing your love. (Heck, imagine your adolescent of 16 literally running away, though he wouldn't warn you beforehand!) He is far too young to be on his own, and his mother loves him so much that she will always be there for him when he needs her, and will not let harm come to him. He needs her now, though in his current emotional state he doesn't realize it. Would you let your child run away?

This book's audience is toddler through early-reader, the kind of age where their early needs for independence are joined with an intense need to feel the constant love and presence of the parent -- they need to know their parent(s) will always be there for them. Margaret Wise Brown was not talking about an older child figuratively spreading his or her wings, only to be smothered and squashed by Mother's "love." (The only overall metaphor here is that bunnies = humans.) She's literally talking about an immature child impulsively saying he will run away, and what any good, loving parent would say and do to help and comfort him. The book is from 1942, so perhaps that makes it unclear to some, but from the moment I read it I understood the context; it is a beautiful story if you understand the intent. That little bunny has a great imagination -- the color pages are his mental images of the previous text -- and Mama is fostering it with her responses in kind.

There is one place where I would have worded the mother's part differently: where she she becomes the wind, she says "...blow you where I want you to go." I would have said, "...blow you back to me," and I think that's what the author meant. Also, somebody commented in 2000 about the "I will fish for you" part and said the mother catches him on a hook. Look at the picture -- there is no hook on the line, just a carrot tied on for the little bunny to bite, and a net to scoop him up.

I've replaced our worn, torn paperback with the big lap edition boardbook. We also have the "Goodnight Moon" lap edition, and although they are big and heavy, the size is a plus for the illustrations, and they're virtually indestructible. Our first daughter (4.5) caused many small rips in the pages of her books as she turned them with gusto, and our second daughter (20 mos.) likes to finish those rips when she can! ... Read more

Book Description

It’s 1936 Flint, Michigan. Times may be hard, and 10-year-old Bud may be a motherless boy, but Bud’s got a few things going for him: 1. He has his own suitcase full of special things; 2. He’s the author of “Bud Caldwell’s Rules and Things for Having a Funner Life and Making a Better Liar Out of Yourself”; 3. His momma never told him who his father was, but she left a clue: posters of Herman E. Calloway and his band of renown, the Dusky Devastators of the Depression. Bud is sure those posters will lead him to his father. Once he decides to hit the road, nothing can stop him, not hunger, not fear, not would-be vampires, not even Herman E. Calloway himself.
... Read more

Reviews (288)

Bud, Not Buddy
This book is about a ten-year-old orphan named Bud who is searching for his father, who he has never seen. Living on his own during the Great Depression, he meets his old friend Bugs. They decide to ride the rails west on a Hooverville train. Bugs makes it, but unfortunately Bud doesn't. This one event will change Bud's life, because Bud decides to walk to the next town and search for his father. After meeting new faces, Bud finds his believed-to-be-father, Herman E. Calloway, a musician. Although Mr.Calloway is not very friendly, Bud is invited to stay with him. In this book you learn how important communication is between people. Bud, Not Buddy won the Newbery Honor and the Coretta Scott King Award. I would recommend this book for forth to sixth graders because some events are hard to understand. I think this book has terrific facts on how people lived during the Great Depression. Something I particularily enjoyed about this book is how much the author described things. She used the five senses, especially the sense of smell. It was like the item was right in front of you. Is Mr. Calloway Bud's real father? Read this book to find out. Just remember to expect the unexpected. A great read for 5th and 6th graders.

A Place Called Home
Bud, Not Buddy tells the story of 10 year old Bud Caldwell, a young boy growing up in Michigan during the 1930's. Bud's mother died when he was only 6 years old, and since he never knew his father, Bud was forced to live in a home for orphans between his brief stays in various foster homes. Bud carries a battered suitcase which contains all the things that are near and dear to his heart; a special blanket and pictures of his mother. Although it seems as if Bud has very little, he has a drive to find his father, using the clues he feels that his mother left for him. After a bad experience at a foster care placement, Bud runs away using the rules he authored "Bud Caldwell's Rules and Things for Having a Funner Life and Making a Better Liar Out of Yourself" to guide him. Will the clues really lead to his father? Will Bud finally find a place to call home?

While this plot seems pretty intense, Curtis has truly captured the voice of a 10 year-old boy. The book is filled with laugh out loud humorous scenes that make it a really enjoyable read. Curtis carefully slips in a great deal of historical events through Bud's experiences without disrupting the overall flow of the book. Bud's voice is one that will draw children into the story and this is truly a book that young readers will enjoy. Check out Bud, Not Buddy for a splash of history, a heap of humor and an overall good book.

Reviewed by Stacey Seay
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

A good short story.
I liked this book becuase it was a wonderful story about history(the Great deppresion) and a boy trying to find out who he was. Or rather, who his father was. he ends up traveling with a band and finding more than he bargained for.

Exciting Blend of Mystery, History, and More!
"Bud Not Buddy" is the story of a young boy in the Great Depression whose mother has died, leaving him with what he believes to be a clue to his unknown father's identity: a flyer for a band featuring bass player Herman Calloway. When Bud exhausts other options to finding a happy home, he listens to his mother's advice ("When one door closes, another one opens") and heads to Grand Rapids to find his father. Bud's naive nature and vivid imagination lead to many humorous moments and observations along the way. Readers find themselves constantly guessing about Herman Calloway's relationship to Bud and trying to put the artfully-inserted clues together. While Bud is surprised when he finds out the truth, he ends up learning a great deal about his mother, his past, human nature, and what it really means to belong. The book is an excellent introduction to the Great Depression, while at the same time interesting readers with a likeable character and excellent mystery.

My fav book
bud, not buddy is my favorite book. this book had me laughing and crying. i read it in like, the fourth grade and its still my fav book. i suggest this book to ne1! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Imagine a Dickens story with a Venetian setting, and you'll have a goodsense of Cornelia Funke's prizewinning novel The Thief Lord, firstpublished in Germany in 2000. This suspenseful tale begins in a detective'soffice in Venice, as the entirely unpleasant Hartliebs request Victor Getz'sservices to search for two boys, Prosper and Bo, the sons of Esther Hartlieb'srecently deceased sister. Twelve-year-old Prosper and 5-year-old Bo ran awaywhen their aunt decided she wanted to adopt Bo, but not his brother. Refusing tosplit up, they escaped to Venice, a city their mother had always describedreverently, in great detail. Right away they hook up with a long-haired runawaynamed Hornet and various other ruffians who hole up in an abandoned movietheater and worship the elusive Thief Lord, a young boy named Scipio who stealsjewels from fancy Venetian homes so his new friends can get the warm clothesthey need. Of course, the plot thickens when the owner of the pawn shop asks ifthe Thief Lord will carry out a special mission for a wealthy client: to steal abroken wooden wing that is the key to completing an age-old, magicalmerry-go-round. This winning cast of characters--especially the softhearteddetective with his two pet turtles--will win the hearts of readers young andold, and the adventures are as labyrinthine and magical as the streets of Veniceitself. (Ages 9 and older) --Karin Snelson ... Read more

Reviews (199)

A Magical Journey
The Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke is a magical adventure that readers will find almost impossible to put down. This is a spectacular story about a band of street children, a magical carousel and a snoopy detective. It all combines into an enjoyable treat of a book.

After escaping from their cruel aunt in Hamburg, Prosper and Bo flee to Venice after hearing their mother's stories of its winged lions, the golden cathedral, and about angel and dragons perched on the rooftops of buildings. When they reach Venice, they meet a mysterious boy who calls himself the The Thief Lord. He leads a band of street kids who make their living by having him steal thing for them. Meanwhile, Prosper and Bo's nasty aunt Ester, has hired a very snoopy but kind detective to look for Prosper and Bo. The plot only gets thicker when a very weathy client asks Scipio, "The Theif Lord" to steal a wooden wing that is the key to a very old, very special, Merry- Go- Round. But Scipio also has a very dark secret that will change Prosper and Bo's life forever. They soon find themselves in an unforgettable adventure in the city of Venice.

Although I loved this book, I think there was a bit too much going on at once. But still, I highly recommend this book to anyone who might be intrested in reading it. I think Funke did an excellent job writing it, and I look forward to reading Inkheart. I recommend this book to kids ages 9-12.
-Lauren Henderson

Theives That Produce Smiles
The Thief Lord, originally written by Cornelia Funke in German, poses an interesting question: Is writing or plot more effective for children's stories? If you answered the former, Thief Lord isn't for you; the language is often simple and some wordings are very obviously translated. The reason so many children (and pre-teens) have been drawn to the book is its fairy tale like plot.

The Thief Lord focuses on the story of two children, Bo and Prosper, who have ran away from their Aunt and Uncle to Venice, a city their deceased mother used to tell stories about. The boys choose to run away because Aunt Esther and her husband want to adopt Bo, but not Prosper. Once in Venice, the boys meet up with a group of runaway children who live in a movie theater and are taken care of by a thief the same age of the rest of them who calls himself 'The Thief Lord'. Unfortunately, Esther has contacted a detective named Victor Getz, who agrees to search for the children, with silly and often laughable results.

The plot takes a sudden twist when a magical and mysterious merry-go-round and a Conte looking for the missing piece enter the picture. The ending, while not particularly surprising, is quite enjoyable none the less.

Although The Thief Lord is not Newberry material, the characters are likable and the plot exciting, making it a sure fire hit with younger Harry Potter fans. The writing, the weakest point of the book, can easily be looked over.

It Takes You to Another World!!!!!
I normally dont like to read and i absolutely loved this book!!!I read it and got the cassette tapes for it. Whenever i read it i got taken away to another world and i just couldnt stop reading. If your one of those people who likes to sit under a blanket in a cozy corner of the house and drink hot cocoa...this would be the perfect book for you. Its cozy and exciting and fit for all ages!! READ THIS BOOK

An ending out of the blue
After the death of their mother, Prosper and his younger brother Bo, are set to be separated. Their aunt Esther only wants to adopt five-year-old Bo and send twelve-year-old Prosper to some far away boarding school where he would probably only get to see Bo once a year. Not wanting to separate the two boys escape to Venice, a city their mother told them had magical lions and great canals. At first life in Venice is hard, but after they meet a young girl named Hornet who introduces them to an orphange life gets much better. However Prosper feels uneasy since the orphange is funded by Scripio, known as The Thief Lord. Meanwhile, Aunt Esther has not given up on finding the two boys, as she has now hired the city's top detective Victor Getz to track them down. After a series of events, Victor discovers their hiding place and many more surprising turns finally bring to light the true identity of The Thief Lord.

The Thief Lord is definitely a very enjoyable read. Unfornately a book that was suppose to be realistic was made into a part fantasy ending which didn't fit the book at all. Nothing in the whole booked suggested fantasy as being part of the book and the ending came totally out of the blue. If you get past the ending though you'll definitely enjoy this book that has is like a 21st century Dicken's novel.

Good, but
I found The Thief Lord to be a very interesting read. Yes, there were some parts that I did not understand, but, overall it was very good. Not up to Jo Rowling's Harry Potter, which I have read many times and love.

Also, I was also told it was a fantasy book but the only fantasy part was at the very end.

I am going into 6th grade, 11 years old, and I listened to The Thief Lord
by Cornelia Funke on an Audio Cd. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (25)

Lousy title, wonderful book
Why oh why do U.S. publishers insist on retitling classic European books? As "I Am David" this book successfully explores far more profound questions than freedom. David's journey is a process of self discovery and a self-imposed restructuring of a broken human spirit. Though told in the third person, the narrative invites us into David's young mind and allows us to see the wonder of objects and concepts that we all take for granted but which are new to the young escapee. Music, play, the taste of an orange, the feeling of being clean, language, colour! David's voyage of discovery is a bitter sweet mixture and we learn the awful truth about his past during his trek across Europe at the same pace as he does himself.

I have read this book with classes of children from fourth to seventh grade, as well as with adults. It is a book for all seasons, and I can still turn the pages with pleasure and wonder.

The wonder of realising what it is to say "I Am David" is what the book is all about! "North to Freedom" is a lousy title - meaningless in fact, David's first steps to freedom take him south! But this should not dissuade anyone from reading Anne Holm's book. The greatest children's story to come out of Denmark since Hans Christian Andersen.

one of my favorites
I have a copy of this book from the UK that is called I Am David. It starts with a man telling David, "You must get away tonight. Stay awake so that you're ready just before the guard is changed. When you see me strike a match, the current will be cut off and you can climb over -- you'll have half a minute, no more." This starts David's journey not just to freedom and home, but also to learning how to live as a regular kid after only living in a concentration camp. It's a serious book but one that should be read.

Timeless
This is such a beautiful book. I first read it when I was nine, twenty years later it is still a favourite.

The story of promise is quite remarkable and never fails to move me. All children should read this book. It opens doors to many other areas that too many forget too easily.

Great Book
This book is utterly compelling. This story of David starts in a concentration camp and ends him up at home. It is tension building and "they" will get him. This takes us from the concentration camp to Salonica then to Italy, Switzerland and finally Denmark. He is saved by King the dog. That was the most exciting part. A must read.

Trust
Do you know what it is like to be hunted? Or to feel the palpable hate from men who destroy everything except what is inside of you? David, from his experience in the concentration camp, simply can not trust anyone. He has to be wary because that is the only way to survive. Parts of him are so deadened inside that when he sees the beautifull it is so much more intense. This book provides a usefull insight into the experience of many that will evoke your compassion and give you some understanding of why some people who are hurt are so reluctant to ever get close again or to seek or even recognize help around them. And through all of this, David is a moral person. He knows why evil must be resisted. Excelent! ... Read more

Book Description

Who in his right mind wants to talk to a shrink? I don't want to talk about anything. I don't want to feel anything, taste anything ... or anything. The lyrics "just dying to die" run around in my brain day and night...

Fifteen-year-old Sam is in pain. He comes to the therapist's office unwillingly, angry, depressed, and filled with guilt over his own self-destructive behavior. He is being drawn deeper and deeper into a black hole of despair from which he sees no way out.

The Road Back

This is the Real-life story of Sam's Recovery, told from tapes of his therapy sessions. It tells what drove him to leave home, how he survived on the street, and why he was desperate to escape from the brutality of the gang that had become his "family" and from the torment of his own self-loathing. For every teen who has experienced the pain and loneliness of a no-way-out darkness, and for all those who love them, here is the light that can lead the way back.

Reviews (22)

It was ok
This was a good book, but it was kind of boring to me. All Sammy did throughout the book was go to a phsychiatrist's office. This book took me a very long time to read, not because I didn't like it but because it took place in a shrink's office. I didn't like how it was just recordings edited and put onto a piece of paper. I did like this book at the end, it's just that the beggining was hard to get into.

my reading book
almost lost is a true story of an anonymous teenagers life on the streets. I like this book because I like to read books that are true like this book and the book named what happened to nancy. Almost lost is the real life story of a boy named Samuel. It tells what drove him to leave home, how hesurvived in the street, and why he was desperate to scape from the brutality of the gang that had become his family.

No.
This book was terribly hard to follow... i dont know if its just me but the whole therepy tape style just wasnt working for me. Plus... it didnt seem real... the realationship between sammy and the lady just sounded so... fake and... like a cheesy script or something. i didnt really like the book.

Could Be Better
This book seems very interesting at first glance. But once you start reading it you start to realise how very unrealistic it is, this does NOT seem like it is a true story. It's hard to believe that Sammy comes in depressed and angry the first day yet, seems excited and very willing to get over his problems the next. I was VERY disappointed with this book, the only thing that's the least bit interesting about it, is the story about Sammy's past which doesn't do very much for the whole book.

ok...................but
THIS WAS OK BUT IT HAD ALOT OF OVER DRAMATISING FEATURES IN IT. I THOUGHT THE BOOK WAS VERY INTERESTING IT HAD ALOT OF MEANING TO IT BUT WAS WIERD. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE SHRINK AND SAMMY WAS WEIRD. I DIDNT UNDERSTAND WHY SHE WOULD SAY GOOD MORNING SUNSHINNING SAMMY? THAT WAS WIERD TO ME THEY SEEMED ALOT CLOSER THAN WHAT THE BOOK TELLS. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (3)

Honest and Relevant
Years ago, young Keesha ran away from home, from her verbally abusive, alcoholic father. Since then, she has found comfort in the home of a local resident, Joe, who had a large house and an even larger heart. Joe provided Keesha with a roof over her head and a fresh start in life. Now it's Keesha's turn to give back. As she meets young people in trouble, she invites them to Joe's house, so that they may have a chance to sort out life's problems. Though unconventional and not in line with the state's plans for runaways, Keesha's solution is helping many local teenagers, including Stephanie who is pregnant, Dontay, who is a runaway from foster care, and Harris, a young man whose family will not accept that he is gay. We eventually watch these characters meet and learn from each other. The tragic ending serves to remind us that there's not always a happy ending, but success comes from making the most of your life.

Helen Frost has created a wise and thoughtful character in young Keesha; however, she's not perfect, which makes her more believable and more likeable. When Stephanie is accepted back into her parents' home despite her pregnancy, Keesha's comments reflect the jealousy you'd expect from a 14-year-old who always hoped that her own father would come looking for her. All poems in the book are written in sestinas and sonnets, and each contains multicultural references that will connect the readers to the characters and their environment. The situations are real and prevalent in society, and even though they're sometimes uncomfortable to talk about and read about, young readers from ages 15 on up will appreciate each character's candid, poetic narration.

A Little Bit of Everything...
In this poem, the lives of six troubled kids entwine. Wrapping around each other like the words to a song, or maybe more like a dance, their words work hard to make everything come out right. The fear of a teen pregnancy and it's consequences to both teens, foster care, DUI, being gay, an abusive stepfather, and the words Ms. Frost uses to convey everything are spare and concise and beautiful.
Surely a Printz Award contender.

Richie's Picks: KEESHA'S HOUSE
my choice..........KATIE

"I sleep in my sleeping bag in a room
with a lock in the basement of the place
on Jackson Street. And I feel safe.
If Keesha wants to talk to me, she knocks
first, and if I want to let her in, I do.
If I don't, I don't. It's my choice.

There's not too much I really have a choice
about. Mom would say I chose to leave my room
at home, but that's not something anyone would do
without a real good reason. There's no place
for me there since she got married. Like, one time, I knocked
her husband's trophy off his gun safe,

and he twisted my arm--hard. I never feel safe
when he's around. I finally asked my mom to make a choice:
him or me. She went, Oh, Katie, he'll be fine. Then she knocked
on our wooden table. I blew up. I stormed out of the room
and started thinking hard. In the first place,
I know he won't be fine. I didn't tell her what he tries to do

to me when she works late. In a way, I want to, but even if I do,
she won't believe me. She thinks we're safe
in that so-called nice neighborhood. Finally, Katie, a place
of our own. And since she took a vow, she thinks she has no choice
but to see her marriage through. No room
for me, no vow to protect me if he comes knocking

on my door late at night. He knocks
and then walks in when I don't answer. Or even when I do
answer: Stay out! This is my room
and you can't come in! I could never be safe
there, with him in the house. So, sure, I made a choice.
I left home and found my way to this place,

where I've been these past two weeks. And I found a place
to work, thirty hours a week. Today Mom knocked
on the door here. She wanted to talk. I told her, You made your choice;
I made mine. She wondered what she could do
to get me to come home. But when I said, It's not safe
for me as long as he's there, she left the room.

My choice is to be safe.
This room is dark and musty, but it's one place
I do know I can answer no when someone knocks."

The use of those words over and over in a sestina--safe, knock, choice, room--I feel like I can really step into Katie's skin after reading the piece. Throughout this awesome verse novel we are able to step into the skin of a variety of kids--kids who all have problems that cause them to leave their "real" homes. What we find is that these young people are caring of each other and that they care about the future. You will like these kids. You'll like it at Keesha's house.

In this next piece--a sonnet instead of a sestina--we are shown why all these young people have been able to go to a safe place and stay there for free:

i know the value..........JOE

"I know the value of a house like this.
Old and solid, hardwood stairs and floor.
But when I showed up at Aunt Annie's door
when I was twelve--bruised, scared, clenched fists--
all I knew was: I could stay.
As long as you need to, Joe, was what she kept
on saying, right up till she died and left
the house to me. So now that's what I say
when kids show up and I know they can't ask
for what they shouldn't have to ask for. They need
more than I can give them. I know I'm
no Aunt Annie. I ain't up to the task
of tryin' to be their legal foster dad.
But I can give them space--and space is time."

Keesha is the girl living there who has put out the word about Joe's/Aunt Annie's house. Now everyone calls it Keesha's House and the new arrivals are surprised to meet Joe. In the long run some of these kids are able to come to terms with the adults who've raised them. They choose to go home. Others don't:

up to us..........HARRIS

"There's light ahead of me as I walk on
into my senior year. I wasn't sure
about going back, but Katie said, If you're
about to quit, The Jerks will think they won.
She calls them that--The Jerks--like Dontay calls me son
when he gives me fake advice:Stay pure,
son, in thought word and deed. We'll find a cure
for you someday. I laugh. It's all in fun.
If people we're supposed to count on can't
(or don't) support us, it's up to us to find
the friends who can and do. Of course
we want to be with both our parents in the kind
of home where we'd be loved. But why rant
on about all that? Home is in your mind."

Readers will find KEESHA'S HOUSE a great place to spend some quality time. You'll find me back there again soon.

Richie Partington
... ... Read more

Book Description

The profoundly comforting story of a little bunny's imaginary game of hide-and-seek and the lovingly steadfast mother who finds him every time. With gentle full-color and black-and-white illustrations, this enchanting tale has been a favorite among children since its original publication in 1942.

... Read more

Reviews (3)

¡Excelente!
¡Excelente!

Me gusta el libro. Aprendo español con me niño y este libro nos está ayudando.

I like the book. I am learning Spanish with the little boy I look after and this book is helping us. We know the story in English, and now we are learning it in Spanish. I like it better when we have two separate books - one in English and one in Spanish then when we have one book with both languages, because it then we don't "cheat" and look at the English. It also lets us have a small amount of "immersion" time when we only speak the new language - even if it's only for 5 or 10 min.

What is this??
I would not recommend this book to any child. After reading it several times I still don't get it. It's like it's written in another language! The author should learn how to speak proper english before writing a book.

It is a heart warming tale that is wonderful for any age.
I think that it is wonderful to have this book in spanish. I loved the pictures and the tale was one that expressed the love of a mother for a child. Another good book, also by Margaret Wise Brown, is Goodnight Moon (Buenas Noches, Luna). Both books feature the wonderful charaters of rabbits in personified situations. ... Read more

Book Description

Gemma:"My parents are incompetent. They haven't got a clue..."

Tar: "I know it sounds stupid, but it was like the flowers had come out for Gemma..."

Lily: "They did everything they could to pin me down...my mum, my dad, school..."

Rob:"We stood for a while breathing big long breaths of air. It was cold and pure...You could feel it inside you, doing you good."

How do these teens come to run away from home? To be users? Addicts? As their stories intertwine and build, SMACK never lets up the pace. It is a book about people, families--real and those constructed by young people with no one to turn to but each other. SMACK is a book about a drug and the hold it can have. Written directly for its audience of young people and unflinching in its honesty, SMACK is the teen book of the year. ... Read more

Reviews (164)

Smack Shows The Progression Of Addiction
SMACK is a great read for teens and adults. What most impressed me was how Mr. Burgess shows the progression of addiction. They won't get hooked if they don't use a needle. They aren't hooked if they can stay off junk for a few days at a time. Their thinking becomes increasingly distorted as the addiction sucks them down. Even after shooting smack, Tar and Gemma still think they have some sort of control. After all, they only share needles with each other.

Tar loves Gems more than life itself, and they share everything. Towards the end, when she is sick in withdrawal, his love for heroin is stronger. After all, he only has enough for himself. This book is powerful stuff, and shows how an addict's mind works.

I am an adult and thoroughly enjoyed this book. I lent it to a 15 yr. old girl whose boyfriend recently returned from rehab for heroin addiction. When she returned the(paperback)book, the pages were curled and the cover worn. She loved the book, though admitted it made her cry. "It's so true," she said.

Compelling and Scary Downward Spiral
This is the story Tar and Gemma, two teenagers, who run away from their families in search of freedom and end up in a prison of their own creation -- drug addiction. This is a truly compelling book and I felt myself swept along in total sympathy with the main characters. At first it's all fun and games until they realize that you can't run away from certain basic human needs: the need for a home (which becomes a squat), the need for family (which becomes a group of squatters, who sadly are also junkies). It's only a matter of time before the lure of drugs (as a bonding ritual) takes over -- and then we watch these characters spiral downward. I read this book right after another Amazon purchase -- The Losers' Club by Richard Perez -- and while that novel isn't about drug addiction, but a 'failed,' lonely writer addicted to the personal ads, I was reminded of the need we all have to belong, to feel ALIVE. The story of Smack reminds us that we can never escape from ourselves, from certain innate human needs. And when we try to break away from the more traditional ways of life, those needs, that loneliness to belong is still there. I truly love this book and would recommend it to anyone. It's beautifully written and compelling. And sadly true.

BEST BOOK EVER!!
Smack is by far the best book I've ever read in my life. It's about two 14-year old teens, Tar and Gemma, who run away from their hometown. They meet alot of people and end up moving in with Lily and Rob, older heroin addicts. They get Tar anf Gemma into heroin and the two teens get stuck in a whirl-wind of drugs, sex, and booze. It's a great book about how messed up a persons life can get if you're out on your own. Fourtunatlly, Tar and Gemma get their lives somewhat back together, but they'll always have that addiction with them. This book is real, intence, and a great book. I reccomend this book to a mature audience because of the graphic details and swearing. Everyone should read Smack.

Amzing book!
This book was gripping from page one! It is the story about two teens,Tar and Gemma, who, fed up with their parents and their town, run away to the city. There they meet older kids who slowly get them hooked on heroin. The kids have nothing to rely on, nothing to keep them going, so they turn to each other and the drugs.

This book was incredible. I'm fourteen and in the beginning, I could relate to almost everything Gemma was going through: restrictive parents, wanting to run away.

Once the kids get into Bristol, its all fun and games at first. They live in a squat with a bunch of older kids who call themselves anarchists. They sit around all day, smoking pot and drinking, then go out at night and glue the locks on the bank doors. Nothing too terrible.

But then they meet another couple, who are so friendly and seem almost magical. They seem to have the right views on everything and pretty soon Tar and Gemma go to live with them.

The two older teens give them their hit of junk and pretty soon they're hooked. Gemma starts working as a prostitute to earn a little money for drugs, and evn when one of the girls gets pregnant and after a few near death experiences, no one can quit.

This is a very scary portrayal of what drugs can do to you. All these kids did was make a few bad choices and POOF their lives were ruined. I think if you've taken drugs, thought about taking them or thought there's no way you'd ever take them, you should read this book. It shows how easily you can get addicted and leaves a very long lasting impression.

Smack- A wonderful book.
I thought Smack was a great book. Every character in the book gets to share there point of view. You can feel everything in the book and almost see it as a movie running through your mind. I would reccomend this book to anyone who likes intence stories. ... Read more

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I've drove elephants and camels, ostriches and grizzly bears, and mules, and six yellow ponies all to oncet. May be I could manage cows if I tried hard, answered Ben, endeavoring to be meek and respectful when scorn filled his soul at the idea of not being able to drive a cow. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Juvenile yet complex
I enjoyed Under the Lilacs immensely. It is a wonderful story of children and how they mature. The characters at times seemed rather flat and uninteresting yet the story is a very fun one. It is full of laughter and tears and eventually a happy ending. I would recommend this book to people who have enjoyed Louisa May Alcott in the past or those who enjoy a relatively juvenile book yet will be able to understand references to relatively older literature.

A reader..........................
I was asked to read this book over the summer of 2000 and it was great. This is the first book I have read by Louisa May Alcott. I really enjoyed this book and it was sometimes boring but great. I would recommend this book to some that has lost touch with life.................

A Beautiful book
Under the Lilacs is one of LMA most wonderful novels. I thought it was brilliant and outstanding. I loved all the charecters, and how they delt with their own problems and ways. Be sure to read Under the Lilacs. ... Read more

Reviews (41)

A Bad Case of Stripes
Camilla Cream absolutely loves lima beans. She won't eat them because it's not cool to eat lima beans. She will do anything just to fit in. On the first day of school Camilla woke up with different colored stripes all over her body. After being covered with stripes came stars, polka dots, and checkerboards. Camilla's classmates notice what is going on and they call out different designs and Camilla's skin reacts. All sorts of specialists come to Camilla's rescue but nothing seems to work. In the end, an environmental therapist gives Camilla directions to become one with her room and that is precisely what Camilla does. Her eyes become pictures on the wall and her lips become the bed. An old lady then comes and has the remedy for Camilla, lima beans.
The illustrations in this book are amazing. The illustrations are very creative and complete the text to the fullest. The details in the text along with the illustrations will definitely attract young readers. This is such a creative story line to teach such a simple lesson; that it is okay to be different. I would recommend this book for ages 5-9.

A great read aloud!
This is a great read aloud for any age. I read it to my sixth graders and my third graders and both classes loved this book. David Shannon has done it again. In this book he teaches a lesson of knowing who we are and not following the crowd. The main character, Camilla Cream is worried about what to wear the first day of school, as she has so many friends to impress. After trying on forty-two outfits she looks in the mirror and screams. She has broken out with a bad case of stripes. This is a hillarious story of what Camilla has to go through with her case of stripes. Davis Shannon's illustrations add so much to the story. The cover itself will attract readers. I have decided that David Shannon is my new favorite author and illustrator. I highly recommend this book.

fine for the easily frightened
I have a four year old daughter who is easily frightened (we can't read Goldilocks and the Three Bears in our house), but she is more than okay with this book. In fact, it is one of her favorites. Some have complained that the artwork is creepy and disturbing. But I think it is different and attention grabbing. David Shannon is a talented artist and his story about nonconformity definitely gets the point across. This is not the same old book all over again. It is fresh and interesting and both my children love it.

A lesson on conformity
Beautifully illustrated lesson on conformity. Teaches kids to adhere to their true selves and their own wishes versus that of others. Seems obvious to most grown ups, but my kids identified with "giving up something you like without even thinking about it" theme. Good day for lima beans.

My kids can't get enough of this book
This is the most popular book with my three children. Anytime they see it at the library, they have to check it out. I have read this to them many, many times, and they never get tired of reading it. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (7)

Blah...Happy Ending... Blah .... Blah
The story begins with Noreen being taken in by a cafe owner Lynda after she has a falling out with her boyfriend. After being coaxed by one of Lynda's friends, Dolores, and the whole story falls out, how Noreen didnt like here step dad and turned 'bad' so moved in with her newlywed step sister, where she still acts the same. She runs away from home with boyfriend Brandon , to return home with Wesely, where she get in a fight with her sister, to just move in with Wesely, who adores her. Well Noreen becomes bored and starts using Wesely's saved up money. They have a fight and she runs away with 700 of his dollars, his car, and his future child. And she now finds herself in the present story living in a cafe in a small town. To blinded by their ego the two split only to think about each other often while away. The two come together several times but after the third or so the two (well Noreen) realize their love for each other and everyone gets their happy ending. Im rating it three stars because this story was just so.. Boring.. The story seemed to drag on, and Noreen's heartless behavior made you want to smack her one. But hey! if you like this book,good for you, its what ever floats your boat.

What, really, was left but this?
Here is the quote that begins "True Confessions of a Heartless Girl":

"The American novelist John Gardner, I think it was, said there are, really, only two plot lines: a stranger rides into town, and a stranger rides out of town", - William Least Heat-Moon "PrairyErth".

This book begins with the former. In it, seventeen-year-old Noreen Stall has arrived at the M.T. Café in a stolen truck, her pockets full of stolen money, and a baby growing in her womb. She has arrived in a small Canadian town in the middle of nowhere without direction or hope. Winner of the 2002 Governor General's Literary Award (think of it as the Canadian Newbery), this book is one of the most quietly moving pieces of young adult literature I have ever read.

Author Martha Brooks has created a small stirring story. Individual characters meet and mix with Noreen, showing their own private sorrows and disappointments in life. The girl herself seems to attract nothing but bad luck and trouble, and it's difficult to see how exactly she's going to change her life around.

This is not a story where everything slowly gets better and better for Noreen until, at the end, she's bursting with enough joy and happiness to fill her days. It's subtler than that. More realistic. And filled with beautiful well-thought out characters. Following in a long line of stories in which a single girl finds herself surrounded by occasionally understanding people, this book is nothing so much as an older version of "The Great Gilly Hopkins".

Moralistic parents beware. This story does contain a fair amount of swearing (though I was amused by the Canadian/British bad word "bugger" showing up as well) in addition to discussions of abortion and miscarriages. And I don't know how interesting this book is to kids and teens. After all, much of this story concentrates on the thoughts and emotions of the middle-aged and elderly. Not typical YA fare. But for any teen that is looking for a book that shows real problems without becoming didactic, preachy, or condescending, this story is ideal. There are no easy answers. Noreen isn't going to be saved by the kindness of strangers. This book deals with the truth and its ending is satisfactory in the extreme.

Richie's Picks: TRUE CONFESSIONS OF A HEARTLESS GIRL
Noreen, who is seventeen and newly-pregnant, is a human demolition derby who has stolen her latest boyfriend's money and truck. Running away from her latest disaster, she finds herself in the small prairie town of Pembina Lake. There she becomes the catalyst for change among all the story's other impeccably drawn characters, ranging from five year-old Seth to septuagenarian Dolores. The old café in town where newly-arrived Noreen takes shelter from the storm is symbolic of the characters in Pembina Lake--they too are going to rot away and collapse if this obnoxious teenager doesn't tear at their edges as she does with the café wallpaper.

This is a remarkable story with just a couple of settings, amazing dialogue, and portraits of a small town that frequently made me shiver the way I did when first reading Steinbeck's 1930's descriptions of Salinas.

Recommended
This book was heartwarming and the main character, if sometimes annoying with her "heartless" behavior, is likable. Besides Noreen though, the author has interesting, 3D suporting characters: Wesley Cuthand, Noreen's boyfriend, and the many inhabitants of the town Noreen stumbles upon at the beginning of the book.
Very much like Where The Heart Is, this book is about a stranger who walks into town one day, and changes the lives of the people who live there.

Pleasantly Surprised!
But I shouldn't have been. Martha Brooks is a wonderful author, and this book lives up to the high standard set by BONE DANCE.

I often have trouble sympathizing with characters like Noreen, who I sometimes find annoying. But this story drew me in completely and made me care about what happened to everyone. The characters of the elderly women were excellent additions to - it's not every day you find perspective like that in a YA novel.

I like bittersweet endings. ... Read more

Book Description

13 year-old Martha Glimmer is convinced this is the worst time of her life.Her mother died, she grew 7 inches, and she has to put up with a woman who plys Martha's lonely father with food and opinions about how 13 year-old girls should behave.Martha longs to leave Oak Grove and travel.Martha's best friend Trevor and his brother Eli also want to leave Oak Grove.Nicknamed Trout and Eel because of the thin webbing between their fingers and toes, they long to see the ocean.Together, Martha, Trout, and Eel are going to find the true meaning of home -- in very unexpected places. ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Indigo
Ashley May Collins
Indigo
Alice Hoffman

Do you like the ocean? Well if you do you will like this story. This story is about a girl named Martha and her two best friends, Trout and Eli. Martha is a nice, respectful girl who is lonely most of the time. When she is with her friends she is very happy. They all want to live in a city by the ocean, not Oak Grove. But their mothers and fathers will not let them because of the floods. After Martha's mother died, she ran away to Ocean City with Trout and Eli. Then Martha broke her arm and had to go home. This is a adventurous, exciting, magical, mysterious and sad book. The best part was when Martha dances under the moon with her mother's shawl. Ages 8-70 would like this book.

Water isn't everything
Indigo by Alice Hoffman is a phenomenal book that is about three kids named Martha, and brothers Trout and Eel. Martha and the brothers live in a place called Oak Grove which is nowhere near water and all of the people in the town except for Martha, Trout and Eel, are scared of water because of a nasty flood. Because the brothers aren't afraid of water and have webbed hands, the townspeople think they are wierd. In the three kids' search for water, they go on a journey for only one night, because it started raining then flooding and they were worried about their loved ones. When they got back to town, they found the town had flooded and the people were on their roofs. Then Trout and Eel become heroes by saving the town, even though they were outcasts.

Lush Emotion and a Dash of Ocean Magic
This is another of the (three?) young adult novels written by Alice Hoffman, who is a favourite of mine (she wrote "Practical Magic," which is hands down one of my favourite books, ever). This is an even shorter tale than the first young adult Hoffman I read, "Green Angel."

Basically, the tale of "Indigo," is the tale of a young girl, Martha Glimmer, who is coming of age in a painful environment - her father is currently quite numb after the death of her mother nearly a year earlier, and her thirteenth year of life seems as unlucky as the reputation of the number. She disdains her town - it is a plain, dry place where floods in the past have left the whole town wary of water in any form. They have blocked off the creek, dried up the town, and it rarely rains. This is Hoffman at her slightly-magical best.

Martha's best friends, nicknamed Trout and Eel, are two water-loving boys who have never seen the ocean. Their fingers and toes are webbed, and their dreams are of the endless waters. Together, the three decide to run to something else, and in leaving learn about who they are, and what home really is.

A soft and touching (and very very short) tale, this is happily recommended to those who enjoy their young adult reading with a dash of magic, and a depth of emotions.

'Nathan

Kayla from Richview Middle School
The main characters are Martha a motherless young girl, and her two best friends Trevor and Eil McGill. Whoes nicknames are Trout and Ele. The story begins telling you about how trout and Ele got to Glen Oak. Trout and Ele moved to Glen Oak grom Ocean City. Trout and Ele are very different from most humanes, they have webbed fingers and toes. The town of Oak Grove had a major flood 15 years before the McGill brothers cane to town. And the town is terrified by wate. And that is a bit of a problem for the McGill brothers because they love water. Charlie and Kate McGill , the boys step parents found the two boys helpless by the ocean in Ocean City so they moved back to Oak Grove. But what the boys don't know is that they are really mer-people. And that explains why they have webbed fingers and toes. Later in the story another flood comes and washes away the town and is forcing the residence of the town to head to high grounds. The town was so terrified of water that no one took the time to learn how to swim. And the only people in the town that know how to swim are Trout and Ele. So Trout and Ele become hero's because thet saved the town. And that to me was the most climatic moment in the story. The story ends when everything goes back to normal. And the McGill brothers find out the truth about them selves. I liked the book because it was very exciting and I didn't want to put it down. If i were going to convince a friend to read Indigo. The preson would have to like a book about adventure and self discovery. And if they do I would have to recommend Indigo.

Indigo
Indigo is a good book thatI would recomend for anyone who is looking for something to read in a short time.
Indigo is about a young girl named Martha Glimmer. I liked this Character even though the author doesnt go into depth about her, nor any other character in the book. Its only 84 pages. The story also follows two other characters who I loved, Trevor and Eli Mcgill. Two Brothers with a mysterius backround. They are very different from anyone else in Oak Grove. Evreyone in this dried up town is huanted by memories of a past flood. You'll find out what is so wierd about the boys as you read this book.
These three friends are all board with there town and they all have thier reasons for wanting to leave. Martha is running away from the death of someone close to her, and th Trevor and Eli have always wanted to see the ocean. Infact these boys have some very "fishy" qualities.
I enjoyed this book a lot and I was sad when it ended. I think if you read this book you'll feel the same way. If I were to rank this book from 1-10, I would give it an 8. ... Read more

Book Description

"I shouldn't have come back to Miami ... I've been escaping cops' notice for a year now. I'm no longer Michael Daye, high school athlete with a promising future. Now I look like someone with no future."

When Michael saw a chance to leave town with a traveling carnival a year ago, he took it. Back then, his home life was spinning violently out of control. The carnival, with its "no questions asked" policy, seemed like a welcome escape. But now Michael's job has brought him back to Miami, where his mother is on trial for murder, making him wonder how much longer he can hide from his past ... and his future.

Reviews (12)

Can't let go!
I saw this book on the shelf at the library and once I started reading it I could not put it down. I just couldn't stop. This is a very addicting book. I'm sure you will love it.

The only fault I found was that it was a little slow in the beginning. Other then that it is one of the best books I have ever read. I found that I was able to guess the end of the book. That was a small downside.

Excellent book I would recommend this book to any person who likes light mystery books. Congratulations to the author Alex Flinn.

Recommended Destiny
Set in modern day Florida, Nothing to Lose by Alex Flinn follows a teenage boy whose mother has been accused of killing her abusive husband. For two years, Michael attempted to protect his mother and repeatedly tried to get her to leave his stepfather. She refused to leave, even as her husband's temper flared and their home situation worsened. Finally, Michael ran away to work at a traveling carnival; shortly thereafter, his stepfather was dead and his mother was imprisoned.

A year after he left, Michael comes back to Florida with the carnival and finds out that the jury selection is beginning for his mother's trial. She has confessed to the murder, and her attorney is discussing battered spouse syndrome. Michael must decide whether or not to speak up in his mother's defense and tell the truth about what happened in his stepfather's home.

Michael's downward spiral is explained well without ever being heavy-handed. He had decent grades, football, friends and a social life, but as the abuse at home increased, he quit football so that he would have more time at home to look after his mom. After losing his jock friends, he reluctantly starts hanging out with a kid who is now known as a bit of a geek - but used to be his best friend in middle school. When Michael meets Kirstie, a dark-haired beauty a few years his senior, at the carnival, he discovers that he can have his own life - but at what expense?When he returns to Miami a year later, he again must weigh his choices and decide what and who are the most important things in life.

Nothing to Lose is a well-written book that deftly weaves in the protagonist's past and present, with each chapter simply labelled "Last Year" or "This Year." It moves along at a steady pace, never breaking form nor dragging its feet. It is a compelling story that will keep the reader on edge until the very end.

Alex Flinn has written three books thus far, the other two being Breaking Point, about peer pressure and popularity, and Breathing Underwater, about teenage dating and abuse. Though I liked all three of Flinn's books, I think her writing has greatly improved with the passage of time. Her first novel, Breathing Underwater, gets two and a half stars from me; Breaking Point snags three stars; and Nothing to Lose deserves four stars. Also, while you should never judge a book by its cover, I have to give two thumbs up to the cover art for Nothing to Lose - the wheel of destiny.

Interesting but Predictable
I am a teen girl who read this book because I liked Ms. Flinn's other books. I don't think this one is as good because it is very predictable.Only a few chapters into the book I already figured out what Michael did, and I was wondering if Ms. Flinn wanted me to figure it out that way and then she would surprise me at the end of the mystery.But there was no surprise at all.I liked all the stuff about the life in the carnaval, but I didn't actually understand why Michael's mom married the bad guy in the first place and then stayed with him for two years because he was so bad. Was it just because he was rich?

Disappointing
This book caught my eye with the promise of a murder mystery and a romance story in one book. However, i was very disappointed. One major drawback in "Nothing to Lose" was there was not alot of action, in fact, the same thing happens over and over again .The first 200 pages basically show the distress, and pain of the main character, Micheal,over his abusive stepfather, and how he deals with this situation.
Finally the plot gets interesting I start thinking ok maybe this will all work out HowEvER it doesn't. The mystery is solved, but then when he finds the girl he fell in love with and trys to go visit her, they just don't love each other. THE END.
Wow! If you are looking for a realistic book that deals with abuse, this is your book. However, if you are looking for a good romance story and a nice mystery that is interesting this is not the book for you.

Flinn takes her rightful place in YA excellence.
When I read Alex Flinn's first novel, BREATHING UNDERWATER, I thought, "Here's a writer that might slide into the high ranks of realistic fiction." She understood the sometimes complicated lives of real teens with real challenges - a literary trail brilliantly blazed by Robert Courmier and Chris Crutcher before this opera singer turned lawyer turned author had even started to write. As I read NOTHING TO LOSE, I knew my instincts were on target. Contrary to what the one-star eleven-year-old said on June 5, 2004, this powerful novel is not predictable or dry. It's thoughtful and gripping and well worth its purchase price. I'm looking forward to watching Flinn's star rise, and to reading her next book. She "gets it." And that's not always easy to do. ... Read more

Book Description

A small girl runs away from her domineering older sister, only to discover how much she is needed and loved. ‘A heartwarming picture book for small girls.’ —BL.

Children's Books of the Year 1966 (CSA) ... Read more

Reviews (8)

THE BEST BOOK EVER!
My mother read this book to me many, many times in preparation for my little sister's birth. I still think of it every time my sister (now 25 years old) gets on my nerves. It really taught me that, even though she could be annoying, that we both truly loved each other and could depend on each other no matter what...If you have a daughter and are expecting another one soon, you have to get this book!

a story for all sisters
I remember checking this book out of the library when I was 6, and thinking that this story must have been written for me and my little sister. We even looked like the girls in the book! I rediscovered this book recently, and found that the story rings true with me today, just as much as it did in 1977. I think anyone who has a sister could relate to this beautiful story.

Feed the literary impulse
This is perhaps one of the greatest picture books ever written, and is much, much more than a tool for assuaging sibling rivalry in two girl families. With a perfect ear for read-aloud prose, and a finely balanced sense of the perspective of a child, Zolotow invites the youngest listeners to savor the pleasures of literature.

We are introduced to big sister at the outset, who always takes care of little sister. But the heart of the story lies in little sister's small act of rebellion on a day when she grows tired of big sister always telling her what to do. Although the story is nominally about a little sister learning from her older sister such that "the two of them can take care of each other", it is the heart of the story that moves this tale out of the usual wretched and formulaic child's self-help lesson and into the realm of true literature. For not only does little sister run away from big sister, but when big sister comes calling for her in the meadow, little sister doesn't respond at all. Not only that, but we get a full two pages of little sister's quiet, existential reflections on the nature of being alone and in pondering what she has just done. This is the true heart of the story. How can a reader/listener not respond to the willfulness of little sister's unkindness, and yet fully understand the joys of being alone and feeling the grass under your knees while bumblebees buzz overhead? It is in identifying with these conflicting and ambiguous feelings that the young reader feels, perhaps for the first time, a frisson of bittersweet pleasure that will hook them on the joys of reading good books for life.

Of course little sister finally relents after she sees big sister break down and cry, but thankfully Zolotow doesn't give an adult resolution to the story. The answer to big sister's reproach, "Why did you run away?" is immaterial, and lemonade is the order of the day.

Precious and Timeless
I own a hardcover edition of this book that was given to me over 30 years ago and inscribed on the inside by my kindergarten teacher. At the time, I was struggling with the little sister blues. Today, I read the very same book to my son's kindergarten class, and watched sixteen angelic faces react with a mixture of empathy, sorrow, and finally relief to the heartwarming story. The ensuing discussion was all about how they each love their siblings. I went online to see if I could get one of these for the class, since I won't part with my own. A great tale to tell as the kids go home for holidays and vacation!

Brings Back Memories
About 25 years ago, this was a book that my mother would read to my older sister and me who are a year apart in age. I can remember being reduced to tears at the mere thought of being separated from my big sister. Now, my big sister has three daughters of her own, and I am on a quest to pass along this book which meant so much in the eyes of a little sister so many years ago. This is truly a timeless book for sisters! ... Read more