Reviews (2)

MY friend the Bear By Jez Alborough
This book My Friend the Bear by Jez Alborough is wonderfully
written . And Children will love the way a wonderful friendship
developes between a boy and a bear. This book teaching children
that no matter what your new friend looks like to look inside their heart, as Eddie the boy did when he and the bear became
friends. We all could learn alot from Eddie and the Bear about
being friendly to each other.

Alborough has likely Caldecott candidate in "Big Bro"
Lively illustrations in bright colors, combined with an engaging and increasingly aniticipatory text, make Jez Alborough's "Watch out! Big Bro's coming!" an excellent candidate for a Caldecot nod.

Especially note-worthy is Alborough's use of varying perspective to enhance the reader's feeling of escape into the story. When little bro' comes running back toward his frightened friends who are hiding in the jungle underbrush, we are looking out from our hiding spot as well.

A fine book, and one which breaks from the current trend of picture books aimed more for adult buyers than juvenile readers. I read this for story hour the day I received it and the toddler crowd loved it.

Highly recommended. ... Read more

Book Description

In this sumptuous volume, eight of Kipling's playful, inventive tales are brought to life by eight of today's most celebrated illustrators, from Peter Sis's elegantly graphic cetacean in "How the Whale Got His Throat" to Satoshi Kitamura's amusingly expressive characters in "The Cat That Walked by Himself."This collection of pourquoi tales is sure to please and delight curious children everywhere who wonder, "Why won't cats come when they're called?" and "How did the rhinoceros get his wrinkly skin?"First told aloud to his owndaughter, Rudyard Kipling's inspired answers to these and other burning questions draw from the fables he heard as a child in India and the folktales he gathered from around the world.

"How the Whale Got His Throat"

Illustrated by Peter Sis

"How the Camel Got His Hump"

Illustrated by Clare Melinsky

"How the Rhinoceros Got His Skin"

Illustrated by Christopher Corr

"How the Leopard Got His Spots"

Illustrated by Cathy Felstead

"The Elephant's Child"

Illustrated by Louise Voce

"The Sing-Song of Old Man Kangaroo"

Illustrated by Jeff Fisher

"The Beginning of the Armadillos"

Illustrated by Jane Ray

"The Cat That Walked by Himself"

Illustrated by Satoshi Kitamura ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (1)

A funny book for all.
I thought this book was a very enjoyable short read. This book has many themes the main theme being that boys get up to no good and like doing pranks. The book covers a whole lot of topics like 101 disgusting things to how to make a cake were you can choose the ending were one out of the two endings he dies. The book is a funny laugh for all and a nice reed if you want some ideas for pranks. ... Read more

Book Description

Original stories by C. S. Adler, Marion Dane Bauer, Francesca Lia Block, Bruce Coville, Nancy Garden, James Cross Giblin, Ellen Howard, M. E. Kerr, Jonathan London, Lois Lowry, Gregory Maguire, LeslÉa Newman, Cristina Salat, William Sleator, Jacqueline Woodson, and Jane Yolen

Each of these stories is original, each is by a noted author for young adults, and each honestly portrays its subject and theme--growing up gay or lesbian, or with gay or lesbian parents or friends.

Book Description

Samhain: 10/31, or Halloween -- traditionally a time to reflect, a time of divination, and a time to honor the ancients. But Phoebe's plans to communicate with her ancestors are cut short when she's recruited to help reunite a star-crossed, magical couple.

Yule: 12/22, or the winter solstice, and the longest night of the year. And when Paige enters an all-night party at a local club, she finds herself at the center of an evil plot to bring about permanent midnight.

Imbolc: 2/1, a time when the earliest hopes for spring are fostered and seeds are planted for dreams of the coming summer months. But Piper can't look toward the future -- and having children with Leo -- when her half-whitelighter, half-witch sister's powers are on the fritz. Is a hybrid baby destined for doom? ... Read more

Reviews (7)

7th Grade Reader
I am a very huge fan of this show so I was absolutly interested in this book. The individual stories for each sister was great. I enjoyed each section. With each section I became more engrossed with this book. Please, the writers of this book, make a 2nd volume for us to buy!! Anyways, this book was great, if you like the show, you'll love this book, if you don't know the show, you'll STILL love it!!!

seasons of paige?
this is a good book but it focuses mainly on paige not the other sisters, espiecally in piper's story. as a big charmed fan i noticed that in the early paige books they tended to focus on paige there but i thought that was just so that they could establish her character after the lost of prue. but now it seems that she a bigger focus in all the books even though she's now been in more books than the character prue. i think the writers should share out the characters roles more evenly.

this is a good book though in the fact that in infuses a bit of every day practiced wicca into it when it focuses on certain rituals preformed at certain times of the years.

overall it's a good book but not if you've had enough of paige

Nice printing
The best thing about this book is the appearance. It's got cool cover and nice printing. It uses better quality paper (whiter - very friendly to the eyes). Larger than usual Charmed books. The first and second story are good but the last one is a bit boring. If you're a Charmed fans, buy it anyway. It's good addition to your collection.

the seasons of paige
Although I thought this was a great charmed book because it had a separate story for each of the charmed sisters I did find that two of them were more centred on Paige even in Pipers story it was nearly all about Paige's problem with orbing. However the stories were good I just think that Holly Marie Combs should get a bit more attention

not bad
this book has three short stories. the first story has pheobe performing a spell to contact a halliwell witch from the past. she is hoping to contact prue but instead a witch comes from the past in search of her love. this is all well and good but there are evil forces at work that will try to prevent this from happening. this story was a little too predictable and luckily the next 2 get a lot better.

the second story finds paige going out to a new club on the longest night of the year for an all night. little do the party goers know but the club owner has sinister plans that will let the evil doers (such as demons and vampires) have a party all of their own with the human race at their mercy. this was a very well thought out story and easily the best of the three.

the third story is just plain funny. piper is having serious worries when she thinks that she is pregnant. she thinks that having a child who will be half witch half whitelighter will be more than she can handle especially when paige's orbing is totally out of control and she ends up in some of the most amusing places. the ending here was a little boring but the story was good and funny.

i think all charmed fans will enjoy this book. it is a enough of a distraction to keep you interested but not too long that you get tired of the story. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Helpful Insight for Parents and Teachers
My son has learning difference woes, and in trying to get a handle on things at school (mostly), I've searched high and low for information. I put tags and stickies on almost every page of this book - marking ideas, situations, stories, and such that either sounded like my son or gave me ideas and a great deal of insight and support for my journey in helping him have fewer social troubles with others. I cried, laughed, and felt stronger after reading the book and wish I could use the author as a doctor for my kid! I feel strongly enough about what all the book has to say about how teachers and parents are so integral in the training and learning processes of these kids that I am buying another copy for my son's elementary school officials to share amongst themselves in the hopes of giving them ideas to help them cope better with the kidlets they have to deal with at school.By (diligently) working together, parents and schools can make help these kids improve their social skills to a level that makes all feel better!

No One to Play With?
Parents of children who are ADHD/LD will appreciate the real-life stories of other parents and children who have difficulties navigating Social side of life. Many practical strategies/suggestions are offered here.

Readingthe anecdotes is probably as close as you can get to 'walking in yourchild's shoes' and understanding their personal experience of living with alearning disability.

If you enjoy "politically correct" wordsand phrases, be aware that the word handicap/handicaps/handicapped is usedsomewhat frequently in this book, however, this factor alone should notdeter a reader from gleaning the valuable information and strategiesoffered. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

First Rate
This is an excellent translation that transfers the poetry of Seuss into Spanish. Not all translations are equal, but Marcuse's are first rate. Brava!

A flawless translation
The 5 stars are for the translator. What a wonderful rendering of Dr. Seuss inspirational masterpiece! It makes for the perfect gift for all ages and all occasions. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

hello kitty, hello (not quite) everything
While i would love to see an all-encompassing book detailing *everything* in the evolution of kitty, this isn't a bad place to start. It's really more of a novelty book, but I for one, was surprised to learn that there's even a dang HK vespa! and now i can not rest until it's mine.
The pages are laid out very clearly, and the uh..."necessities" are well organized. I would recommend this book if you can get a slight break on the price.

Not for serious Sanrio fans
I got this book as a gift, and was glad that I didn't pay for it. It's got some content, but most of it is just "fluff" for tha hardcore Sanrio fan. It has lots of pictures, including some vintage (that's my favorite Sanrio item(s) to collect). This theme has a lot of potential, and I hope someone makes a more definitive Sanrio "history" book, with more characters & information. I'm working on my own Sanrio history & such for my site ...that will have more of a history of the Sanrio Company. It was a good attempt, but could have been better if written by a more hardcore Sanrio fan.

A must have for an Hello Kitty Collector
Although the book does not have every Hello Kitty item to date (and I would love love love to see THAT book come out), it has a very good selection of items ranging over the years, that Hello Kitty collectors (like myself) like to see. Anything from the laundry machine to the waffle iron to the car, you can find it in here. Even the Hello Kitty golf clubs and Hello Kitty GameBoy!

If anything, it's a really cute book to have. The layout is adorable, and it's Hello Kitty! That should be enough within itself.

Just Satisfactory -- Not Bad, Not Good, Just OK
I was slightly disappointed with the brevity of this book. It's like a really "lite" coffee table book. So-called coffee table books aren't typically "heavy" on content, but this one is almost like an extended promotional brochure of sorts. A Kitty fan will definitely treasure it, as I do -- but it's just a bit of a damper for those who want the STORY behind the Hello Kitty phenomenon. There are tidbits of interesting facts, but not much that most fans don't know already. The full-color pictures of rare and unusual Kitty merchandise are the best parts of the book. It makes a good present for any Kitty fan, so don't let my being picky discourage any charitable impulses!

Yummy, Pointless, Info
As an adoring Hello Kitty fan, I loved it. While there isn't much to read, the pictures say so much. After looking at Kitty's rich history and girly philosophy you really get a sense of who she is and why the world adores her.

If you are a Kitty collector too, you're sure to see a thousand things the average collector can only dream of. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Mr. Pine makes signs: "stop," "go," "pets for sale," "gas, 33 cents"(this book was first published in 1961), and more. Little Town is, in fact,plastered with the industrious painter's handiwork, ensuring social order in theway that signs do: "Yes, Little Town had all the signs a town could need."However, when the mayor deems it time to replace the aging, sunbaked, windblownsigns, trouble begins. Mr. Pine is pleased to make new signs for the town: "Thenext week Mr. Pine painted and painted and painted." All would have been well ifMr. Pine had not lost his glasses and installed all the new signs in the wrongplaces. The sign on the mayor's door said, "This Way to the Zoo!" The sign overthe bank said "Bread!"

Children will adore Leonard Kessler's short chapter books. The stories aresimple and winning, and the books were designed with the early reader inmind--plenty of white space, lots of pictures, short, repetitive sentences, andonly a few words per page. We're thrilled that Mr. Pine's Mixed-Up Signsis back in print along with its companion Mr. Pine's Purple House. Aclassic! (Ages 3 to 8) --Karin Snelson ... Read more

Reviews (12)

My favorite and most memorable book as a child.
This was my favorite book. I can remember my mother reading this to me and it was one of the first books I could read on my own. Mr. Pine lost his glasses and mixed up the sign all over town. I can remember laughing while reading this book. It still brings a smile to my face.

My favorite and most memorable book as a child and adult.
I'm glad this book is available again for me to share with my children. As an adult it is still my favorite. I have been looking for this book for years and today I received it as a Birthday gift. I highly recommend Mr Pine's Mixed Up Sign's for everyone. IT'S A MUST HAVE. Buy it and you (the adult) and your children will enjoy for mnany years.

What a wonderful memory!
This was one of my favorite books from childood (late 60s/early 70s)! What a blast from the past! I'm so glad that it is now available for a new generation of kids.

I did not realize until recently that the humor is not lost on adults.

I highly recommend this book for all children! It's so innocent and would be a welcome change of pace from all the grown-up stuff that kids have to deal with at earlier and earlier ages.

An Old Favorite!
I actually have the original edition of this book in all it's yellowed glory. My parents gave me heaps of my childhood books after my son was born and this has become one of his favorites. I am thrilled to find it in a new edition so that the old one can be left to rest before it completely falls apart.
The text of this book is so well done for beginning readers, with lots of word repetition. Also, I think the signage helps children to recognize words by their shape before they are able to actually read. My 3 year old can read the "stop", "go", "fast" and "slow" signs along with a few others just because he recognizes thier shapes and colors.
I'm excited to see what other beloved books of my childhood will make a comeback. This is a delight!

An hilarious and thoroughly fun book for young folks
Written and illustrated by Leonard Kessler, Mr. Pine's Mixed-Up Signs is a delightful and highly recommended storybook for beginning readers. When the sign maker Mr. Pine loses his glasses, he mixes up where the signs should go. A classic that has is now again made available to a new generation of young readers with this 40th Anniversary edition, Mr. Pine's Mixed-Up Signs is an hilarious and thoroughly fun book for young folks! ... Read more

Book Description

A treasury of short stories about young people, written by some of the world's best writers. This volume of sixteen stories written by some of the world's best writers--including three Nobel Prize winners--will transport readers to all parts of the globe to meet kindred spirits in other cultures on their journeys to adulthood. In Heinrich Bll's "The Balek Scales," a young German boy heroically tries to redress the centuries of injustice in his village. In Yasunari Kawabata's "The Jay," a girl's interest in a mother jay separated from her young becomes a metaphor for her own estrangement from her father. Set during the Pinochet regime in Chile, "The Composition" by Antonio Skrmeta is the story of a boy who resists betraying his parents through a routine school assignment. In Jamaica Kincaid's "To the Jetty," a teenage girl embarks on her first journey away from her island home of Antigua and into the wider world. Also included are stories by Ama Ata Aidoo (Ghana), Toni Cade Bambara (United States), Italo Calvino (Italy), Anita Desai (India), Elizabeth Jolley (Australia), Naguib Mahfouz (Egypt), Frank O'Connor (Ireland), V. S. Pritchett (England), Valentin Rasputin (Russia), Cora Sandel (Norway), and Xiao Hong (China). An introduction and lengthy biographical notes provide context and give insight into the lives of the authors. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

The best anthology of its type
The author of the SLJ review is wrong.Terribly, terribly wrong.A cretin, really.This collection is remarkably consistent.The writing is quite fine and the stories, often relatively obscure, offer a huge breadth of theme, tone and subject matter.I've read many collections of this sort with an eye towards teaching them.This is by far the best.Both weak and strong readers can find much to enjoy.All of these writers are top drawer, and these stories selected carefully to fall within the understanding of young adults.This should be a standard text in all schools, libraries, etc.

Excellent starting point for understanding other cultures.
A Walk in My World provides teens with a starting point for understanding other cultures, with a series of short stories by contemporary authors addressing the issues and concerns of teens around the world. From aChilean boy's writings about his parents' politics to a headstrong girl'salienation from her mother, these are moving stories packing in social aswell as cultural revelations. ... Read more

Book Description

Full-color photos . James makes fun of his friends because they need paint

jobs, but when an accident ruins his appearance, James finds himself in a real

jam! Also included are "Bertie's Chase," "Percy and the Signal," and "Percy

Proves a Point."




... Read more

Reviews (4)

Not for younger Thomas fans
Our 4 year-old is excited about Thomas the Tank Engine characters, but I don't think he understands the points which these stories are making. I think he likes the *idea* of it being a Thomas book more than he enjoys listening to these stories themselves. He is just as happy to look briefly at the pictures while I summarize the story.

I know that the stories intend to teach good moral lessons, but I am sometimes uncomfortable about how they attempt to do this. For example, James is rude to some less polished train cars, so they take delight when James' resentful freight cars make James crash, causing tar to get all over James' nice paint job. The underlying message (don't be rude to others) may be lost on children who see all the characters behaving in unkind ways toward others.

unpleasant stories in the Thomas canon
This little book includes four stories -- "James in a Mess", "Bertie's Chase", "Percy and the Signal" and "Percy Proves a Point". Each story is accompanied by photographs from the video series. My complaint is that the stories are confusing and not well told.

Good stories, but poor illustrations (photographs)
The books consists of the traditional James stories. However, the illustrations are replaced by photographs from the videos. I believe, making the book look darker and less appealing to my three year old. My recommendation--look for an edition with the original illustrations.

James in a Mess and Other Thomas Stories
Not only does this collection of tales contain the usually wonderful Thomas tales, but it features actual photographs to accompany the stories. These add a realistic touch to the sticky mess James gets in after making fun of another engine, only to have a load of goo land all over him! All the tales (several more follow) follow suit. For example, 'Percy Proves A Point' is a fun illustration of the pleasant surprises that await someone who push themselves just a little harder than they thought they could...and the joy of celebrating those victories with friends. ... Read more

Book Description

A salty, wrenchingly honest collection of stories set on one block of 145th Street. We get to know the oldest resident; the cop on the beat; fine Peaches and her girl, Squeezie; Monkeyman; and Benny, a fighter on the way to a knockout. We meet Angela, who starts having prophetic dreams after her father is killed; Kitty, whose love for Mack pulls him back from the brink; and Big Joe, who wants a bang-up funeral while he’s still around to enjoy it. Some of these stories are private, and some are the stories behind the headlines. In each one, characters jump off the page and pull readers right into the mix on 1-4-5.
... Read more

Reviews (14)

145 the Street
In the book called 145th street,things happend that don't happen anywhere else in the world.There is mysteries and secrets on that street that nobody has revealed.People on 145th street acted different.Billy is the best fighter of the street.The author of the book is Walter Dean Mayers.

I like this book because I like the weird things that happend on that street.I also like the book because in some parts of the book there was action, like the part when Billy and Vegas were fighting, Billy was throwing right and left shots to Vegas' face.What I like the most about the book was the short story called,Block party 145th street style, because it has a wedding with a lot of action.

I recommend this book to teenagers because its like a middle school book.Also I recommend this book to teenagers because is a good book that talks about 14 or 15 year old kids, it has action and funny things that grab your mind so you want to read more.

145th Street: Short Stories
In the book there are ten short stories. Each of the are different but are in the same settings with some of the same characters. The story I liked best was "Kitty and Mack." It took place at a school. Mack was a great baseball player until he go hit with a bullet and had to get his leg amputaded. At that point Kitty and Mack were going through relantionship problems. Then they worked it out fine. I thought this was a breeze to read. I didn't like all the stories in the book, but i didlike some. I recommend this book to young adults because they can relate to it better.

145th street
In the book 145th street weird things happend.Big Joe's funeral was gay becuase it didn't have any action.I think that the best story was block party because it was tight all the things that happened ience they started doing the party.

The part of the book that i most like was when they did the wedding and it was really cool and exciting.Also i like that part because it was tight and i feel like reading that book again more and more times.

I recommend that book to all the people specially to the middle school kids because it is very interesting for the people to read.And i recommend this book to the people that like action and that want to have fun for a while.

145th street
In the beginning of the book their is a guy called Big Joe and he had a funeral because he die,but then he stand up and gets out of the coffin and partyies then the cops come to the party and said"what the heck is going on?"The book is short stories that happend in te street.Weird stuff happends in 145th street that dont happend nowhere else.

The story that I like in the book was Kitty and Mack:A love story because it was romance. The story that I did not like was Big Joe's funeral because it saids that he was dead and then its says that it was not dead.That got me confused.The story that ilke the most was Block Party 145th street style because it was the best block party in the story then Big Joe's funeral party.

I recommend this book because the short stories are great,cool,and funny.Also because one of this things could happend to your street.

145th Street
In the book 145th Street Short Stories by Walter Dean Myers he talks about all things that happen in this street. There are some gansters but best of all some great friends that are always there when you need them. In this book you will meet some teenagers that are faced with hard decisions.

WhatI liked about the book was how the author used descriptive language ,I can vizualize and connect. I like almost all of the stories because its like you learn lesson from the story.In this book I connected a lot but I learned three lessons for life.

I recommend this book to anyone that is in 5th grade and up, but I think its more of a middle school book.In this book you will learn some new things. Read on to discover a book that has some interesting stories or experiences. ... Read more

Book Description

Now in Dragonfly comes the tale of three colorful frogs. One finds a pebble.

Another declares it a chicken egg. But what happens when a baby alligator

hatches instead? "Kids will giggle at the frogs' repeated references to the

friendly newborn as `the chicken.' They'll be even more tickled when the frogs

chuckle at the `mother chicken' who, finally reunited with her offspring,

greets her `sweet little alligator'...In his 40th book, Lionni is in

typically fine form" (Publisher's Weekly).




... Read more

Reviews (4)

EGG-ACTLY WHAT CHILDREN ENJOY
It's that time of year again when many are looking forward to Easter and Easter Egg Hunts. But, what if someone found a really unusual egg, and to make it even more unique there's not a chicken inside but an alligator?

That's the proposition the irrepressible Leo Lionni puts forth in this delightful yarn about three frogs who find the surprise of their lives.

As always his illustrations capture the eye as his mind captures imaginations.

Hilarious and Touching
I always love to find a story that teaches important lessons with plenty of fun and humor. Jessica the frog and her friends are certain that the egg Jessica found one day is a chicken egg. One day, the egg hatches, and the "chicken" is born...a long, scaly green creature who crawls out searching for the water.

Despite the frogs' misinformation and their obvious differences, Jessica and the "chicken" become great friends. When they discover the chicken's mother at last, the frogs think it is the funniest thing in the world that she refers to her baby as an "alligator."

Both my 2 year old and 4 year old appreciate the humor in this story. I was worried that my 2-yr. old might become confused, but she just laughed and said, "Alligator, Mommy. No chicken!" This is a wonderful book for learning about friendship despite differences. It was also a nice introduction to alligators, including the fact that they hatch from eggs!

A great book!
My kids love this book. They are 3 and 5 years old. This book follow the adventures of Jessica the frog who finds an alligator egg. The other frogs tell her it is a chicken egg and they call the baby alligator a chicken throughout the book (the kids get a kick out of this - and try to correct me after they heard the story again and again). Things good for kids from this book: 1) nature 2) use your imagination 3)explore the world around you.

Just because we are all a little different!
This is a wonderfully illustrated story that teaches children that being different is ok and that our "differences" are what make us unique and special. Each person is special whether they look like those people in their surroundings or not and we must cherish our differences. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Treehorn is clearly shrinking, and his parents aren't the least bit interested. His mother is obsessed with whether or not her cake will rise. His father, at one point addressing a son who can barely see over the table, states blindly, "Nobody shrinks." Treehorn doesn't seem all that bothered that his clothes are hanging over his extremities; he just feels someone should know.But the adults he tries to notify brush off his claim as either a ploy for attention or downright bad behavior.

Treehorn's parents, his teacher, and his principal respond (or fail to respond) to his drastically diminishing stature in ways that will ring true to any kid who has tried to convince adults of the existence of fairies, the Loch Ness Monster, or things that go bump in the night. Edward Gorey's stark, intricately patterned black-and-white drawings are simultaneously quaint and creepy, setting the perfect stage for Treehorn's tale--a story for any child who has ever felt ignored by grown-ups (in other words, a story for all). (Ages 4 to 8) ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Hilarious for both children and adults
Having found this book on a recomendation list by a German (!) literature professor, I ordered it not knowing it is a classic. the sense of humour, though sometimes lost on younger children, is wonderful, actually reminding me of the British sense of humour. I can only advise all adults to read this book, it's an eyeopener to our communication skills.

Drawling voice "Treehorn is shrinking!"
Very memorable story. i didn't read the book, but i remember watching a cartoon version on TV. why is it memorable? well, firstly, the name Treehorn! it was during half term (vacation) when i saw it, and when i went back to school, a friend came out with a very memorable quote, in North American drawl "Treehorn is shrinking!" and i just burst into hysterics! Cool stuff! i will have to buy this book!

Strangeness is delightful
This was one of my favorite books as a child, and nearly 20 years later, it's still high on my list. When I first read it, I was amazed because it was completely different from anything else I had ever been given to read. I think all kids have endured the problem of trying to get adults to listen to them and take them seriously, and Treehorn's somewhat absurd quest to get someone to notice his shrinking is easy to identify with. The book may have no "moral", but so what? Kids need books that enchant and delight them--if you only give them didactic and "proper" tales, reading becomes a boring chore. If you weren't fortunate enough to read this as a child, make up for lost time now.

Bizarre in a wonderful way, great pictures by Gorey
This is a book I loved as a child, because it was so bizarre and interesting and mysterious! I don't think the book is really meant to have a message---it's meant more just to be a strange and memorable tale! I love all the little details about Treehorn we find out---that he has 56 different favorite TV shows, what his cereal send-away collection consists of, etc! Even my 2 year old was enchanted by the pictures---he called a page with several odd dogs on it "monsters" and said "I like those scary monster dogs!" My 5 year old loved how the bus driver thought Treehorn was Treehorn's younger brother, also called Treehorn! Read it because it's fun and great to look at!

My favorite children's book!
This is really a top-ranked children's book. It is very cleverly written. It shows nicely and humorously how people -even when they live close together- can be completely blind to each other. I have noticed that not only children can readily identify with the drawings and the story, but also that adults like it very much. Indeed, I have great pleasure in gifting it to my best friends, who all like it, without exception. The text and the drawings are perfect in their own right and do perfectly match each other. The drawings are most funny and to the point. Highly recommended! ... Read more

Book Description

POP! Uh-oh. When a busload of elephants on their way to the circus gets a flat tire near a construction site, it can only mean one thing--a lot of trouble and a heap of fun. The heavyweight showstoppers have a huge problem. But surely one of those big trucks can help get them to the circus on time. Or maybe not . . . ... Read more

Book Description

Share the joy of being a twin with this wonderful and unique story. Fun rhymes and illustrations help young children understand the beautiful gift of twinship. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A great book for everyone, even if you don't have twins!
My Twin My Friend is a great book for everyone! I am the parent of a five-year old only child, and he loved it! It helped him understand better his twin friends, as well as some kindergarten classmates who are twins. Despite hundreds of matches with the keyword "twin," there is very little written out there to help kids understand at an early age how special being a twin really is. Certainly the positive aspects of twinship are discussed, but also individual differences and difficulty in sharing as well. The illustrations are superb, and their simplicity is perfect for the pre-school reader. Each page shows a different combination of twins, both identical and fraternal, and there is a subtle emphasis on racial and cultural diversity, too. Lynne Crump not only has her hands full with 2 sets of twins, but with a possible best seller, too!

Twins will love this book written espescially for them.
This book is beautifully illustrated and fun to read. Twins of all ages will love it. As a mother and grandmother of twins, I know the difficulty in finding a book that will help twins relate to their uniqueness. The book accurately depicts the wonderfulness of having a friend who also happens to be your twin. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

A super version and now there's a music CD available for it!
This is a wonderful verison of Pilgrim's Progress. It reads beautifully and while it does not have all of the scriptural references it hits the mark enought o inspire most people. I know many people who have read this one and then gone on to read the original work.

There is also a music CD available with contemporary Christian songs that tie to the story line. ........

Enthralling version for children
I read John Bunyan's original work and found it wonderful, but I didn't feel it would entrance my children the way it did me with all of the heavy phraseology littered throughout the story. I normally detest "retellings" because they are usually literary trash not worthy of the time spent reading them.

This book was different. The story is extremely well written and maintains the rich flavor of the original story of Christian's journey of faith and his arrival in the Enchanted City. I read this version aloud to my four children, and they loved it. It is a chapter book, even though it looks like a simple "storybook." We took about a week with it at an approximately 20 minute per day rate. There are some alterations from the original, but nothing that changes the tone of the story.

The illustrations are exquisite, and I love how there are small paintings scattered throughout the text and not just large, page filling pictures. We checked it out from the library to read, and I enjoyed it so much I am planning to purchase a copy for our home collection.

Inspiring and moving
I have read the original Pilgrim's Progress a few times and portions of it many times. I have also read various versions and several of John Bunyan's other writings. I personally love the theology and consider it essential. Mr. Schmidt's version of the story is compelling for some important reasons. Though it does not contain the lengthy discussions of theology, it opens a door via the story line to share the story with someone else. He has added some This hopefully will raise questions and hopefully a healthy discussion of the things that John Bunyan was trying to communicate to his church members whom he wrote this story for. As I understand it, John Bynyan was using allegory (like Jesus used parables) to make important Biblically grounded truths understandable to his people. This retelling hopefully will be the springboard for many to share their faith. Those that believe already will find wonderful illustrations and a unique and encouraging way of seeing their own journey through this world to the Celestial City.

Allegorical Adventures
This retelling of John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress is a journey through the back countries of one's mind. Pilgrim takes the reader along the stages, discoveries, and challenges each person faces in his or her life. Each time Pilgrim faces and makes a decision, it forces a look within. The author takes this classic tale and moves it into contemporary language and idioms familiar to modern readers. By translating the essence of traditional religion into secular experience, Schmidt captures the struggles and solutions which face every person daily. Moser's beautiful watercolors crystalize the experience without diminishing the broad range of responses to the story. A wide range of readers will find themselves absorbed in the journey. ... Read more

Book Description

When the train arrived in Cottondale, the summer at Bigmama's house in Florida began. Donald Crews brilliantly evokes the sights, sounds, and emotions of a memorable childhood experience. "A very special book by a superb artist and storyteller."--Horn Book. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A warm oportunity to reflect on special people and places.
Donald Crews departs from his usual simple text about such things as trucks and boats to share his childhood memories. The bold and colorful illustrations we usually find in his work are replaced by soft gentle colors and lines. Perhaps my endearment to this book stems from my own fond memories of riding the train back to my grandmother's home in Davenport, Iowa. Yet, there is more to this story than shared memories of days gone by. Even young children have memories of warm moments with someone special. As a first grade teacher I share this book with my students. It is a delight to see the special smiles that illuminate their faces, like the sweet smell of Spring, when they think of their special someone. For some children they think, like Crews, of grandma and her special cooking, for others their thoughts are of a visit to mom in a distant state. There thoughts are not meloncholy, like Crews, they are pleasant reminders of the treasures we find in each other. ... Read more