Reviews (13)

What a great book!
My son and I LOVE reading this book...I get a kick out of the art history puns and the sophisticated content and he loves the pictures and the story of Pigasso and Mootisse (both of which he now says frequently). I highly recommend it and would say it's one of my favorites.

A "Moosterpiece"
When Pigasso Met Mootisse is a wonderful parody detailing the rivalry, feuding and eventual friendship of artists Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse. Nina Laden's creative and witty text, full of wordplay and puns, will have adults and children alike, laughing out loud and also offers the subtle lesson of acceptance and respect for others and their work. But, it's her bold, bright, busy and humorous illustrations that will mesmerize youngsters and older art lovers will enjoy finding the "pig" and "bull" representations of Picasso's and Matisse's best known works. The biographical afterword, discussing their lives, painting and relationship, will enhance the story and give children a better understanding of these two great artists. This is a marvelous, vivid picture book, perfect for kids 4-8; a hilarious story for the ears and a visual feast for the eyes.

Family Favorite
I have been reading this to my children now 6, 5, and 3, since it's release in '98. It is still a frequent request. It, also, has sparked a deep interest in all my children for art. We have been to several art museums, and they all always try to find the 'Pigasso' or 'Mootise' paintings.

A fun and enjoyable book
We have shared art and artists with our son ,who just turned three, since he was an infant. He knew a Picasso from a Monet by 26 months. He just got this book for his birthday and he loves it. I love it to as well as the mini bios in the back of the book.
We have paired it with Picasso and Mattisse for kids.(Great art board books for little guys.)

Eye candy for kids
I have read this to both of my daughters many times. They are 2.5 and 5.5years old. They actually sit still for the whole thing. The art is incredible. If you have even heard of the real artists you will enjoy the author's excellent ability emulate the artists' style. It is a beginning to introduce children to art and understand how much fun art can be. I feel like I should by another just in case something happens to my original book! ... Read more

Book Description

What would Tim Diamond, the world’s worst private detective, dowithout his quick-thinking brother Nick? The bumbling detective and his kid brother areat it again in these three hilarious, fast-paced mysteries. Whether it’s finding out whoflattened a philanthropist with a steamroller in The Blurred Man, outsmarting Parisiandrug smugglers on a vacation gone miserably wrong in The French Confection, orcatching the murderer behind a deadly class reunion in I Know What You Did LastWednesday, there’s never a dull moment with this crimesolving duo around. Find out ifNick can get to the bottom of these mysteries before Tim messes everything up, or worse,gets them both killed. ... Read more

Book Description

Does your dog sleep a lot? Maybe he or she is bored. Why not try reading these three stories to your dog? Accompanied by lively illustrations, they are all about the things dogs understand best -- burglars, bones, and running free. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Terrific book for all ages and species
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What a terrific book!

It is ideal for the pet lover, the low-confidence reader, or the Reading Education Assistance Dogs ("See Spot Read" program)

Although billed as a children's book, the subtle humor and great illustrations make it a winner for adults as well.

I need to buy "Stories you can read to your cat" as well.... wonderful author, great illustrator, an absolute riot.

I adore this book
This book cracked me up. I thought it was original, sparkling, fresh writing. I don't even have a dog to read it to, but I had to buy it. (Maybe my cat will enjoy it.)

Entertaining
I enjoyed this book and so did my Brittany Spaniel, Bingo. He liked the first story about the burglar best. I admire the author for writing a successful second-person narrative -- a rare feat. Fine present for dog owners. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Adorable
A nicely writen story. The most adorable of all the story is the relationship between the grandfather and his grandchild. The later doubting his grandfather's tale both with love and respect. The Spanish is simple and clear. Both adult and children will smile with delight to this lovely book. Do not expect nice illustrations for the drawings are quite simple and where it is obviously not the goal of this book.

Classic story within a humorous tale!
Jerry Tello, (who is a wonderful motivational speaker for students and adults) has written a classic children's tale with some very humorous changes. It is a story within a story. I've read it in 1st-3rd classrooms and the students LOVE IT! And it can be read in English, then in Spanish by simply turning the book upside-down. The illustrations are also great! Makes a good gift.

A great spanish/english story for even your toddlers
Looking for some type of curriculum to teach my 3 and 5 year old spanish I came across this book. It is ABSOLUTELY wonderful. It is actually a nicer story than the original goldilocks and the 3 bears... has a bit of humor and a very nice ending. a must for any family. It is also great because you can read it in english or in spanish...it's like 2 books in one. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Great story!
This is fantastic telling of Homer's Odyssey. Bodkin regales us of Homer's adventures, beginning with a scene inside the wooden horse of Troy, through confronting the Cyclops, battles with cannibals, and his long awaited return to Ithaca. Bodkin gives each character a distinct voice and develops moods and transitions with his guitar in the background. The changes in voices are so intricate that when I first listened to the tape, I thought Bodkin had put the recording together by blending several independently recorded tracks. But if you listen closely, you can hear coughs in the background, evidence that this was a recording of a live performance, and Bodkin managed to create all of the rich sounds found on the tape while reciting in front of a live audience.

I managed to escape reading the Odyssey while I was in school. On the one hand, that's too bad, because now, having heard this story, I realize what a tremendous influence the story has had on all literature that followed, and how much I have missed over the years by not having any familiarity with the Odyssey. But on the other hand, it was fitting to have my first experience with Homer to be this one- -this story was meant to be shared orally, rather than read. And Bodkin is a master storyteller, who has made the tale come alive. Now that I've heard the story properly, I think I'm ready to study it more thoroughly with a book.

Hear the Odyssey
Your English teacher was wrong: Homer did not write the Odyssey. He sang it. Actually, scholars are still debating whether the blind mythic poet called Homer ever existed at all, but they do generally agree on two things: the Odyssey is one of the greatest stories surviving from Graecian antiquity, and it was originally meant to be sung, not read. Ancient bards, called rhapsodists, wandered through the hoods of ancient Greece, chanting their stories to all who would listen. Hundreds of generations later, we're still listening. Just two months ago, I listened to Odds Bodkin's rendition of the 2500-year epic on my car CD-player.

Homer's Odyssey depicts the 10-year wanderings of Odysseus, as he tries to go home after he and the Greeks successfully sacked the city of Troy. Bodkin's version pares down these 10-year wanderings to a 4-hour audio presentation, but many of the signature adventures are retained (Included are: the Lotus-Eaters; Polyphemus; the Lystrigonians; Circe; Scylla & Charybdis; Calypso; Princess Nausicaa; plenty of storms and waves, crashes and crushes, and a lot more).

What I don't like about this recording is that Bodkin has about three different voices that he uses for scores of characters; after a while, things start sounding familiar... Also, his attempts at female voices are a misfire; they all sound like Ms. Piggy with a sore throat.

What elevates this recording beyond puppet-show drama, I think, are three things: Bodkin's enthusiasm, the musical track, and his sense of story. The soundtrack, a combination of 12-string guitar and harp, is soothing, mystical, rejuvenating, otherworldly; it could be sold separately. And, while most of the drama is shallow, I still have to admit there are moments when I was truly moved by this story.

Know this -- Bodkin's version of the Odyssey is an adaptation, meaning he may skim here and embellish there, but he has full poetic license to do so, because he is adapting the work for children (and adults who love a good story), and for listening. As for the critics who bash this because it's not "true to the original," they, I would say, are missing the point.

Some people just like to hear a good yarn. If you're in the mood for a funny and talented storyteller to make an ancient story sing again, check this out.

The Odyssey Suite
This is a retelling of Homer's great story by an actor/storyteller, and lasts just over four hours. By way of contrast, Ian McKellen's reading of Fagles's translation of The Odyssey clocks in at 13 hours, 10 minutes. One would think, then, that this version must leave lots out. Well, yes and no. It covers all the main adventures Odysseus has, nor does it hurry over them. (In fact, the Trojan horse sequence, which is just alluded to briefly by Homer, starts the story here and is given an expansive treatment, much of which actually comes from later writers.)

So, Odds Bodkin tells Odysseus's story in full in four hours. Then what does he leave out? He leaves out Homer's expansive way of telling a story by means of repeated heroic epithets and extended dialogs. He leaves out the gods, mostly: their part of the story is brief indeed. All the careful planning that went into the defeat of the suitors is left out as well. It leaves out the adventures of Telemachus. All Odysseus's entertaining fabrications during his travels, these have been excised. And, as this version is intended for children, it leaves out the gruesome scenes at the end where the unfaithful servants are killed.

You might say that it leaves out most of the matter that locates the story in a certain heroic pre-classical culture. Yet some flavor of that culture remains, and the well-known incidents in the story are certainly given their due. Thus we have, in addition to the Trojan Horse, Scylla and Charibdis, the visit to the Underworld, the cattle of Helios, the Sirens, the Isle of the Lotus Eaters, the Cyclops, the misadventures on Circe's isle, and the long languishing on Calypso's isle. And it finishes up with a bang as Odysseus strings his mighty bow and lets fly an arrow through all the aligned ax-heads, then, revealed, turns in wrath upon the suitors who have been besieging his wife.

This is certainly an entertaining version, and an excellent way to learn the story ' for child or grownup. Odds Bodkin is good at voices, so he can differentiate his characters well. This adds to the fun as he mixes accents and verbal mannerisms (Polyphemus reminded me of the Cookie Monster) in an energetic and colorful telling. It also helps that there is a more-or-less continuous musical background. Celtic harp and 12-string guitar are rarely obtrusive, but rather provide push to the narration.

Anyway, to us, The Odyssey is a story, not a guide for living, but it is one of the central stories of our culture. And here we get that story (without undergoing trial by recitation), which is all that most of us want, really.

Strip-mining the Spirit
Talent and vision do not always travel together. The actor-storyteller performing this theatrically unfaithful adaptation of "The Odyssey" is technically gifted, but you and yours will receive in the end an over-orchestrated and hyperbolic insult to your intelligence and to the narrative, spiritual and psychological richness of Homer's great tale. The voices chosen for so many of the characters completely miss the mark. I enjoy dramatic chutzpah, and I don't insist on purity of text, but the incredibly vulgar and low-brow characterizations of Polyphemus, of Odysseus' shipmates, and of the suitors not only wear thin, they absolutely contradict these richly ambiguous characters' contributions to the story. The actor has little feeling for his feminine characters, producing shrill, breathy or whiny voices for the most part that are grossly inaccurate in the given (and important, I would think)contexts of these characters'personalities. And then, and worst of all, we have the belittling, undignified, sneering portrayal of the various divinites. One needn't be a latter-day Olympian to expect a sense of respect for one of the world's great spiritual and philosophical heritages, particularly from an artist who is mining one of its greatest and deepest legacies. This performance out-Disneys Disney in its dumbing-down of the divine.

If you want to introduce your children, or anyone else's children to Homer, consider Padraic Colum's beautifully written "The Children's Homer," available through amazon, and written in short segments that work very well for evening, bedtime, or even car trip readings. You don't need 37 or 137 or even 7 voices to hold a listener's attention: you just need to trust the tale and respect your listeners' imaginations, two qualities lacking from this audio assault. As my son said when he heard a brief portion of the over-the-top performance on this cassette, "Dad, this is embarrassing." True enough.

A wonderful performance of a classic journey
This is storytelling at its very best. While those unfamiliar with the Iliad and the Odyssey might need a bit of explanation regarding how Odysseus came to be inside the Trojan Horse at the start of the tape, the quality of the performance will rapidly grab the attention of the listener. Purists should be aware that this is a performance of the Odyssey, not a simple dramatic reading of the text. We found it a great way to introduce the classics to our children in a format that was enjoyable for the entire family. That said, parents should recognize that there is some violent content in the story which might not be appropriate for younger kids. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

this is a great book
bought this for my son. a great way to teach kids to respect and take care of Mother Earth. illustrations are absolutely beautiful and the text is easy to read. one of my son's favorite books.

A Book for All Ages
This book is one that people of all ages will cherish. In gentle language and dramatic illustrations artist Schim Shimmel reminds us that we are all children of the earth. This fragile planet and the living things upon it depend on us for their survival. It is a message we all need to hear.

This Book was Very Warm and Touching
Hi! My name is Jacqueline. For all you people out there who like touching stories and animals, boy do I have the right book series for you. Well, there is this really cool author named Schim Schimmel. Here is one of his books, Dear Children of the Earth: A Letter from Home. It is about how Mother Earth and the animals that live there need you. Here are two of his sentences in the book, "My children, when my people do a little thing to me, it becomes a big thing. So it is very important for each person to stop doing things that hurt me, or hurt their sister and brother animals." The book is a very touching and heartwarming story. It made me feel like the animals were my friends. It is very easy to read. I would recommend it to five year olds and up. I only read two books. I hope you read all of them. I can't tell you any more but you can find out!

Very touching
I guess I am over-sensitive but the first time I read this book I cried. Its like a letter that Mother Earth is writting to her children. Its a great book. I read it to the kids where I work and they enjoyed it, and they LOVED the pictures.

Beautiful Artwork!
Wow! The illustrations in this book are amazing. All kinds of animals are pictured, from dolphins to elephants. Many of these paintings were of large cats such as tigers and were especially good. Each was vividly colored and interesting with settings such as the oceans or Africa. You don't have to be a child to enjoy this picture- book! ... Read more

Book Description

Sharing life lessons and memorable morals, the Serendipity books area seasoned favorite with children and parents alike. So, journey to the magical, mystical land of Serendipity with seven of your favorite Serendipity stories gathered together in one charming hardcover edition.

Illustrated by Robin James. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

love serendipity collection
I have read the Serendipity books to my daughter when she was young, she had almost the entire collection, but being in the military and moving from place to place, we lost a lot of the collection. I found the Serendipity Collection, in hard bound, with 7 wonderful stories in it, purchased it, and now I read it to my grandchildren. Once again Serendipity is being read in my house again. My grandchildren, which are 6 and 5 yrs. old, love the stories. They turn the tv OFF when it is bedtime and grab the book and wait for me to come to read the stories to them. When a child will turn the Disney Channel off, for a story book reading, that alone says a lot about the book. My grandchildren love this book, and yes, I will be buying more and more of this series. The pictures in the book are so fantastic and life like, I really am glad to find this book, and the morals in the book are just what we try to teach our children and grandchildren. This book will be a joy to anyone that loves to read to children and watch their faces as they see the darling pictures. ... Read more

Book Description

$15.95 hardcover 1-58685-180-210 x 9 in, 32 pp, Color Illustrations Throughout, Rights: W, Children Ages 5 to 8"Tony Johnston's verse sings when it's read aloud Lloyd Bloom's oil paintings pulse with color, movement, and emotion."- The New York Times Tony Johnston majored in history at Stanford University, and is the author of many books, including Desert Dog and Desert Song. Born in Los Angeles, she now resides in San Marino, California. Illustrator Lloyd Bloom holds a master's degree in fine arts from Indiana University. An illustrator and painter, he lives in Brooklyn, New York. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Brings many memories
I read this book constantly as a kid (I'm eighteen now) and I loved it.It is now part of my heart forever.Parents, buy this book for your kids, if only for the sheer beauty of it.

Family Farm life gloriously illuminated
Tony Johnston weaves a simplistic farm life story that touches your soul. A gracefully written family saga that is magestically illustrated by Lloyd Bloom.

The background rolls with the hills, trees and farm as the story of life changes with the seasons and years. A beginning life for a husband and wife, a growing family and encircling love for all.

Parents, readers, prepare to wipe away the tears of simple joy and beauty as you share this book with a special little one.

Though this book is currently listed as out of print, please tryAmazon's search to find a copy, it is definately worth the effort.

A beautiful portrait of one family's "circle of life"
Yonder provides children with a charming, vivid image of life, with its joys and its sorrows.The story of a farmer and his wife as they raise their family is mirrored in the growth of the beautiful plum tree outsidetheir home.With vibrant, Impressionistic illustrations, this is anenchanting story that gently introduces children to the beauty and realityof the circle of life. ... Read more

Book Description

The newest title in the best-selling AllStar SportStory series features fast-paced sports action, off-the-field drama...and a glimpse into baseball's rich history! In order to win an important baseball game, twelve-year-old Kyle claims to have made a difficult catch that he actually dropped. He thus sets in motion a chain of events that he feels powerless to stop. The unearned win gives his team, the Reds, an unfair advantage in the championship series against the Cubs.Everyone-from his teammate to his parents-consider him the hero of the game.But the heady excitement of the praise and attention he receives is not enough to silence his conscience, which starts getting to get the better of him. He is afraid of embarrassing himself and disappointing his family and teammates if he tells the truth, but he is increasingly uneasy in his deception. He even considers deliberating throwing the next game in the series to try to offset the damage.It isn't until his sports-crazed grandmother tells him about Hall of Famer Christy Mathewson, a pitcher whose reputation for honesty was so great that umpires would ask him to make calls during games. Mathewson made the calls-and sometimes against his own team! In the end Kyle learns a valuable lesson about sportsmanship, and realizes that being a hero is only worthwhile if you have earned it. The final playoff game between the Reds and the Cubs provides exciting and nail-biting action that will have young readers on the edge of their seats. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Young Kyle learns a lesson about honesty in sports
The Reds and Cubs are the two teams battling for first place in Kyle Holt's Little League. In the top of the final inning Kyle scores the go ahead run to give the Reds a 4-3 lead, but in the bottom of the inning the Cubs get a runner on and have the winning run at the plate and their slugger Bryan Ford at the plate. Bryan crushes a pitch and Kyle leaps high over the fence to catch it, but as the ball hits his glove he tumbles over the wall. The ball falls out of his glove, but nobody can see what has happened, and if Kyle did not make the catch then his team will have lost the game...

In another entertaining and instructive book in the AllStar SportStory series, Fred Bowen once again combines a prime example from baseball history with a realistic situation that could confront a young baseball player. In "Winners Take All" Bowen acknowledges that cheating has always been a part of baseball, from stealing signs to throwing illegal pitches, but offers the example of the great Hall of Fame pitcher Christy Mathewson, who was so honesty that umpires would ask him to help make calls during games. Kyle is shocked by the notion that a player would make a call against his own team, but the idea of having that great of a reputation for honesty and good sportsmanship starts to gnaw at Kyle. Then there is the fact that somebody saw what really happened, and is threatening to tell everybody if Kyle does not make sure the Cubs win the pennant.

"Winners Takes All" manages to make its point without pontificating and young readers can appreciate the process by which Kyle comes to his decision as to what to do about his predicament. As is the case with all of Bowen's baseball stories, the back of the book includes a look at the real story, which talks not only about Mathewson but also Tom Kite and Justin Leonard, golfers who also showed that some things were more important than winning. Final Note: During the World Series last month there were lists floating around about the best World Series players ever (e.g., Mariano Rivera of the New York Yankees as the best reliever ever). For starting pitchers Bob Gibson and Sandy Koufax were getting mentioned a lot, which is an injustice to Mathewson since in 1905 he pitched three complete game shutout victories in a five game series. This year's Series MVP did not do even half that much.

Winners Take All
I am a 5th grade student at Waldron Mercy Academy(FSJ).
Kyle was an amazing baseball player. He always told the truth until...Kyle just wanted to win so bad against this one team called "The Cubs" that he made a fake catch. He thought no one saw him,but he wasn't a hundred percent sure if you asked me. Anyway back to telling the story. Everyone believed him,his dad(who was really proud of him),his mom, gradmother(who kneweverything about baseball and was practically in love with it), his whole team and coach, everyone who saw him, and his best friends Nate and Claire. What will Kyle do if the person who saw him tells that he made a fake catch?

Winners Take All
Have you ever been accused for cheating? We'll Kyle Holt has, the Reds center fielder, When he caught the winning catch to beat the Cubs. Even though Kyle didn't catch the winning ball the ump didn't know so he called it good. So then after the game a kid called him and said" If the Cubs don't win the championship, your secret wouldn't be a secret." Now if you are starting to get into this one and only sport fiction book you should read it. This book is full with interesting things, exciting things and wonderful things too. So I would definitely recommend this book to other kids.
Sammy ... Read more

Book Description

Parents will love revisiting a fond part of their childhoods when they share these classicDick and Jane readers with their children. With charmingly innocent exploits and simple,repetitive declarations, these beloved characters helped entire generations work, play,look, see—and learn! And now they’re available for a whole new generation to enjoy.

"Look, Jane," said Dick. "Here is something funny. Can you guess what it is?" ... Read more

Reviews (1)

happy escape
I loved these books when I was a child. I had severe problems at home but these books were an escape from bad thoughts. Today, I think we spend too much time reminding children of how terrible things are instead of giving them a look at hopeful, happy situations. Some problem books are good and I wish there had been more of that when I was a child. I'm just saying we overdo the bad stuff.

Another good thing about these books is teaching sight words. Phonics are important but so are sight words. For modern happy stories with sight words, use Betsy Lee's Dolch sight word books such as Albert, the Apple Eating Appaloosa.

I also recommend books by MisterRogers (Fred Rogers) and his TV show. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (1)

Great Folktales for Boys & Others!
This is a great collection of folktales specifically selected for the author's sons and grandson. The stories are interesting and exciting - they'll hold the attention of the most reluctant reader. Disguised under the fun tales are great lessons of character and integrity that boys today need so desperately to hear. I highly recommend it to parents, teachers, and kids! ... Read more

Reviews (5)

short stories about tough issuses
This book is a great book about teens dealing with tough issues. It touches on many issuse that teens deal with every day, such as teen pregnancy, drug use and abuse, not knowing how to handle. The fact that it is written as a group of short stories makes it that much more appealing to a younger audience.

If you are looking for a book that deals with tough issues in an appealing manner than I would highly recommmend this book to you.

Great stories...there's at least one for everyone
I read this book in less than a day. The stories were really realistic, and they're things that real teenagers face in everyday life. All the stories are by different authors, and I liked how they put a mini-bio after each of the stories to tell about that author's most famous books that had won the most prizes, etc. It helped, because if there was a story I really liked, then I could get the book with the longer version (most of the stories came from a book the author had written). It was an awesome book.

An excellent discussion tool for character education . . .
Given the recent trend toward violence with teenagers, this book provides a powerful discussion piece in the middle school classroom. The stories in this collection all have characters who face difficult moral delimmas. This can spark many classroom activities where students determine the best course of action. This gets young adults talking about character, taking responsiblity, and choosing the right path. Furthermore, the high interest level of the stories hook even the most reluctant of readers! It was hard for anyone in the room to put down.

A Wonderful and deeply thought provoking collection.
As an eighth grade teacher I am always interested in good short stories that are appropriate for young adults. I enjoy reading to my students and No Easy Answers proved to be one of the most powerful collections of short stories that I have ever read. My students loved it, and many of them chose to read it on their own. These stories are not only well written and representative of the diveristy of our country, but also pertinent to the tough issues--teenage pregnancy, first love, lonliness, parent-child relationships and homosexuality--that are confronting our children today. If you are a parent, teen, or teacher who is looking for a book that makes you think and confront these types of issues then this is definately the book for you. I highly recommend it.

A great catch
This book is fantastic. OUr school library got it and I thought that I would give it a try. It was amazing. The stories are great and you just don't want to put it down. You have to read this! ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Wonderful stories for children
I bought this book because I wanted to read to my unborn baby so that he could listen to my voice and reading. I love this book because the stories are written well and have wonderful pictures in them. They are perfect bedtime stories as they generally take 5-10 minutes to read. In addition, you get so many stories all in one book and it looks very nice sitting on a bookshelf with it's "storybook-like" presentation. Great buy!

An excellent compilation of tales.
This is a nice addition to your nursery or reading room. The book contains many of the classic Disney tales wonderfully adapted for easy reading.

The book is well bound and of good quality. What I really like
is that it matches the other Disney books in size and style and so looks nice on the shelf.

Each story is accompanied by wonderful illustrations, and the stories have been beautifully shortened to make for perfect reading length to keep your youngsters attention.

Many of the "bad" details from movies such as bambi have been removed to keep the stories fun and uplifting.

Over all this is a great book, and will make a wonderful addition to your nursery.

Good collection of stories & elegant presentation
Like other Disney hardbacks in this series (e.g., Disney's Christmas Stories, Disney's Storybook Collection), the book itself is a beautiful thing. Glossy, thicker paper with silver-edges complement wonderfully colorful pictures and large print stories.

The stories are shortened versions of many of the Disney classics (at least those that feature animals). The good side is that you get a sampling of many different stories. In addition, the stories are not too long that the youngest kids will fade out. However, as our daughter (2-1/2 years) has progressed, she is really enjoying longer, involved stories. She has several full-length Disney books and would rather read those than the shortened versions presented here.

So, this is a trade-off. If you treat this series as a collection of short-stories, you won't be disappointed (especially with the quality of the book itself). But, the shortened versions just aren't the same as the full-length stories.

An Endearing Collection of Disney Favorites
This wonderful hardcover book tells the tales of Disney Classics such as Bambi, Lady and the Tramp, and The Lion King. With full color art on every page, it is a true treasure. I especially like the renditions of The Ugly Duckling and The Three Orphan Kittens, orginally written by Margaret Wise Brown. These stories have become bedtime favorites for my daughters, age 4 and 6. I even bought a copy for my nephew. ... Read more

Book Description

In six tense, exciting short stories, athletes face up to more than sports in tales of love and death, of bigotry and heroism, of real people doing the best that they can, even when that best is not enough.

These stories feature new voices as well as characters from Chris Crutcher's acclaimed popular novels, including Stotan!, Running Loose, and The Crazy Horse Electric Game. Here are the moments that change lives forever. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

This is a keeper!!
Being a high school athlete, this is a cook that I was really able to relate to. Each character in the story shows that he/she is able solve his/her problem through their sports. All of he characters display high morale, which leads them to what they want at the end of their story. an example would be Angus, from the story "A Brief Moment in the Life of Angus Bethune." He believed that no one should be treated as he was, and at thet end of the story, this trait won over his high-school sweetheart. These stories all show good kids goig through their tough teenage years, and the ways that they cope with these tough times. This book was one of the best that I have read. It showed that no matter how bad the situation is, you can always get what you want in the end if try for it hard enough.

Vinny review
This was one of my favorite books. I loved it! The way the book was worded kept me on my feet. The way it relates to life in such a manor is great. Chris Crutcher impeccabley wrote this book. My favorite story is "The Pin" because so many of those things in the story have happened to me. I would recommend this book to anyone from the age of 13 and up.

Excellent
Athletic shorts, by Chris Crutcher is a book about 6 short stories that describe athletes triumphs. I loved this book. Its would interest me around every corner. I would just wanted to continue reading. The only bad part of the book was that it had to end.

Great Read
I thought Athletic Shorts was a good book because it was easy to understand since it was about sports. All the stories could hold my attention which made me want to read the next page. i thought that was a great way to write a sports book with 6 short stories all in one book. I could really relate to it because i like sports alot. I reccomend this book to anyone that like sports.

Courage shown by the imperfect facing the impossible
Another great book by Chris Crutcher -- this one containing six short stories with troubled or stressed teens facing difficult situations. The last two, on the themes of racial prejudice and sexual preference prejudice, are especially powerful. ... Read more

Book Description

Illus. in full color. Five funny tales featuring Lowly Worm, Huckle Cat, Bananas Gorilla, and the rest of Scarry's memorable menagerie are collected in a sleepytime anthology. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Good short stories, but has nothing to do with bedtime.
This book is a nice collection of short stories, but none of the stories have a thing to do with falling asleep. Buy this book because you want more of Richard Scarry's wonderful stories, not because you want to soothe your child to sleep. I myself feel let down because I thought I was buying stories to put my child to sleep to.

My son (3 and 1/2) loves these stories, however...
Great stories with great characters, but if you've already purchased "Funniest Stories Ever..." then don't bother with "Bedtime Stories" because "Bedtime..." merely contains a subset of the stories found in "Funniest", with no new material what-so-ever.

This was needless to say rather disappointing to find out, following the online purchase.

Richard Scarry's Bedtime Stories
This is a delightful books for young readers -- it falls in the 4-8 age range, but is probably more appropriate for 3-5 age range. Some of our favorite characters, Lowly, Huckle and friends ease younger sleepers into sleep. It was particularly helpful in lulling to sleep a newly-minted older brother who was eager not to miss any of his new baby's "action." Richard Scarry is wonderful at that! ... Read more

Book Description

Seven mouse boys lie awake one night...

Book Description

At the playground, at the pet store, on a car trip, or at home: Dick, Jane, and Sally alwayshave fun. Will Dick get another dog? Will Sally finally win a game of hide-and-go-seek?And who are Dick and Jane’s favorite friends? With short stories and text from theoriginal Dick and Jane basic readers, this is a perfect chapter book for eager new readers! ... Read more

Book Description

Join young Jack as he climbs a giant beanstalk to a magic castle in the clouds. Meet a hen that lays golden eggs and a harp that sings by itself. And don't forget the ogre. A classic fairy tale with a vigorous look that will leave you chanting "Fee-fi-fo-fum!"

Reviews (5)

A classic tale
Jack and the Beanstalk is a classic tale that will never be forgotten. It has withstood countless attempts to be revised and rewritten. Tales such as "Little Red Riding Hood," "Sleeping Beauty," and "Cinderella" have evolved greatly since their first versions. "Jack and the Beanstalk" unlike these other tales has kept its' original message and is still able to be a fairy tale that children of all ages can read and enjoy. After reading this fairy tale the message that I got from it is that from poverty can come great wealth it just depends on how you get it. I believe that this story is a magical story not being impressed on the minds of young children. Most children read this tale as a unrealistic journey that Jack has with the beanstalk and the enormous land above it. To me it is very unikely that a child would think it is okay to steal from others or run away from their problems as Jack did. Personally I think that the childs actions from this story are a result of the parents direction. If a parent does not show the child how this is wrong then the child may think that it is okay.
"Jack and the Beanstalk" serves to portray an ideological perspective similar to that of a liberalist view. That is being more outspoken, and not taking into account that little children may be reading the story. In no way would a conservative story display the rhyme of "I'll crush his bones to make my bread". Or the idea that stealing is okay. Many critics point out how stories can have a lasting impression on the minds of young children. Jack steals the objects in the story, an activity which could be teaching children that it is okay to steal. Perhaps it is a good idea that Jacobson put the fairy at the top of the beanstalk to let children know that stealing is wrong. The story also tells children that it is okay to run from their problems the same way Jack ran away when he stole the giants' belongings. Running away is not the proper way to deal with problems. Rather one should face them and deal with them accordingly.
"Jack and the Beanstalk" definately displays an oppresive matriarichal view. In modern versions Jack is controlled by his mother who nurtures him and directs his every move. In the Giant's case he is also controlled by a woman, his wife. Both of the women fix the dinner and tell the men what to and what not to say. This is possibly a reflection of the time period that this version was written in. At that time women were oppressed and men were in control so it seemed to the eye. In actuality without the women the men would be lost and unable to deal with the common tasks of everyday life.

Good story, but a little too scarey for small children
I originally brought this version of Jack and the Beanstalk home from the library to see if my 4 year old grandson would like it--he loved it so much I purchased it. This version is similar to the one I remember growing up with, however, when I read it to him I eliminate/improvise over the sentences that I think are way too scarey for a small child (eating boys on toast for breakfast, broiling calves, etc.). Even tho I think the illustrations can be a little frightening for smaller children, he doesn't seem to be bothered by them. And, all children love "fee fi fo fum, etc." and like to be scared just a little bit.

Good version of this fairy tale
I thought this version of the fairy tale was very well written. This is probably my favorite version out of the ones I have read before. It has been my favorite fairy tale since I was just a young little boy. I always liked to hear my mother and school teacher read the story out loud. My favorite part used to be when the ogre said, "Fee! Fi! Fo! Fum!" I remember when my kindergarten teacher used to walk around like a monster when she read that part. The pictures in this version are also a couple of the better ones I've seen in other versions of the fairy tale. I thought the author of the book was one of the best because he was pretty good at telling the tale and he also used detailed pictures. The pictures would be enough to scare little ones and make them laugh at the same time. The pictures were probably some of the better ones you will see in other versions of this fairy tale.

A good version of a traditional fairy tale
I read this book to my Pre-K class and they ask for it over and over again. The illustrations are good, kind of comical and scary at the same time. I enjoy reading this version because it stays true to the original language of the story :"Fee Fi Fo Fum, etc." You don't find this in every version.

Deliciously scary read-aloud!
Kellogg's traditional tale interpretations are among the best. His illustrations take on the old-time feel of classic tales and seem to magically glow, as they do in all his books. I read this book to my Kindergarten class and they ask for it again and again. It is great to see them cover their eyes and ears at the scary moments--they are frightened, but smiling from ear to ear. ... Read more

Book Description

Full-color photos from the videos. In this collection of four train tales

Thomas teases the proudest engine of all and learns to think twice before

blowing off steam.




... Read more

Reviews (1)

Just like the videos!
My three-year old son is an avid Thomas fan and this book so closely mimics the videos that sometimes I can hardly tear him away from the book! It is a great "learn to read" book for preschoolers. Even my 16-month old daughter easily recognizes the characters in the books from those that are in the videos. My son also likes the fact that there are several short stories in this book (great for bedtime! ) For any die-hard Thomas fan this book is a keeper! ... Read more