Book Description

A Prince
and a Pauper

Jemmy, once a poor boy living on the streets, now lives in a castle. As the whipping boy, he bears the punishment when Prince Brat misbehaves, for it is forbidden to spank, thrash, or whack the heir to the throne. The two boys have nothing in common and even less reason to like one another. But when they find themselves taken hostage after running away, they are left with no choice but to trust each other.

Reviews (101)

AWESOME BOOK -MUST READ IT !
This story is about a prince who is bored out of his mind and thinks he should run away from home. This is book is good for people who like funny and short books in grades 4 and up.
Some of the main characters are Hold Your Nose Billy, Jemmy, Prince Brat, Petunia, and Cutwater. Hold Your Nose Billy and Capiton Nips are really mean people who like garlic. They kidnapp Prince Brat and Jemmy. Prince Brat is a boy who you think has a perfect life but he does not think so. He thinks he has a boring life. Petunia is a bear who saves Jemmy and Prince Brats lives.
The main part of the story begins when Prince Brat and Jemmy run away from home and get kidnapped. It is set in a forest and in a palace in an imaginary time long ago.
I think the theme is never run away. Just stay home with your family. Sometimes you don't realize how good you have it. Also, learning to read is very important.

A book about two boys that eventually beome friends.
Hi!I read a book called "The Whipping Boy," by Sid Fleishchman.Do you like a book with humor and suspense,well than this is a book for you!This is a book for 3rd to 4th graders to read and enjoy.This book is about Prince Horace better known as Prince Brat and his own whipping boy named Jemmy.In this book they encounter close calls when they runaway from the castle.I can't tell you what happens at the end,so you will have to read the book to find out.I liked this book because it deals with some real problems and makes you think more about people who are poorer than you are.So the next time you want to read a good novel,go and get "The Whipping Boys!"

Whipping boy
Sid Fleischman's book, "The Whipping Boy" is about a king who will not punish his son so he has another child who gets whipped and punished instead of the prince. The prince deiced one day that he could not take getting in trouble and having the whipping boy get punished for his wrong doings. One night the prince deiced to run away with the whipping boy. On there journey they get captured by "Hold-Your-Nose-Billy," and Cutwater. The criminals deiced that they are going to keep them hostage. Jemmy did not like the prince to much because he had to take all of the punishment for all of those bad things that he did. Since they both got captured they had to become friends with each other, even though jimmy was from the lower class of people and the prince was from the upper class of people they had to get along. The whipping boy thinks of a plan, his plan is to escape to the sewers. The prince on the other hand does not think that it would be a good idea because he has never been in the sewers. The whipping boy has been in the sewers his life before becoming a whipping boy. Jemmy used to trap and sell rats that were in the sewer that does how he now all of the turns and different things. The prince and the whipping boy are trying to get along, become friends, and break though the barriers that are between them. The prince is finding out how Jemmy used to live, also the prince is coming immune to Jemmys life. The prince and the whipping boy are starting to take responsibility for there own actions. The prince does not like how Jemmy used to live. They find interest in each other. The prince is getting used to how Jemmy had to live.
They finally deiced that they have had enough of the kidnapper. Jemmy told the prince to follow me and they went though the tunnels. They finally get away though the tunnel because of how well Jemmy knew the tunnels. The prince did not want to go though the tunnels because he did not think that Jemmy did not know them until Jemmy showed him that he could get through them.
I thought that is was a very good idea for the prince and "The Whipping Boy" finally deiced to run away. I would have not liked being the whipping boy. I liked this book very much and I really do not like to read. I thought that it was easy for younger kids to understand to. I really liked this book.

The Whipping Boy
Sid Fleischman's book The Whipping Boy is a really good book. It is about a prince who got the nick name "Prince Brat" because he is a mischiouf maker because his pranks aren't funny. He has a whipping boy named Jemmy who is smart and clever. One day prince brat runs away and takes Jemmy with him. They don't get far before two cutthroats stop them. One of their names is hold-your-nose-Billy and the other is cutwater. They take Jemmy and "Prince Brat" into their cabin. Jemmy and "Prince Brat" must outwit the two and become friends, except prince brat keeps betraying Jemmy. The adventure will take them through alot of adventure. I recomend buying it.

Enjoyable while including major Social Issues
Sid Fleischman's book, "The Whipping Boy," is about a runaway prince and his whipping boy, who discover adventure on their journey, and surprisingly find friendship in one another. The boys' adventures include them being abducted by two criminals, "Hold-Your-Nose-Billy," and Cutwater. The criminals kidnap the boys and plan to hold them for ransom from the King.
"The Whipping Boy," focuses on the distinctions and differences of social classes throughout the book. These differences are vividly illustrated through Prince Brat (Horace) and Jemmy, the whipping boy. Prince Horace, who is from a high social class and is considered very important, is never whipped. However, Jemmy, who is from a lower class, serves as a, "whipping boy," and takes the punishments for Prince Brat.
However, "The Whipping Boy," also looks at the overcoming of these class barriers. At the beginning of the story, there was a definite difference between the upper class and the lower class. This difference is intensified in the description of the boys escape into the city's sewer. Jemmy, a member of the working class, is well-informed of the tunnels of the sewer because he has spent the early years of his life there, trapping rats and selling them for money. Jemmy seems at ease in the sewer, knowing what direction to take and where to hide. On the other hand, the Prince is very frightened in the tunnels below the city and clings desperately to Jemmy for security. The Prince has never been to the sewers. His life has always been spent in the luxury of the palace walls with everyone at his beck and call.
As the two boys spend more and more time together the Prince slowly begins to become a part of Jemmy's world. The same can be said for Jemmy's whose quick thinking while dealing with the two men helps the boys escape. When Jemmy is mistaken for the prince, he really takes over the role, and the two classes seemed meshed.
During their journey, Prince Horace and Jemmy both become responsible for their own actions. Jemmy, who has been away from his family and on his own for awhile, is prepared when he gets chased and tormented by the two men in the forest. The Prince, on the other hand, has to learn responsibility since he has never had to rely on himself before. At first, the Prince is stubborn and foolish in his actions, but, as time passes and he sees Jemmy for who he really is. It is when the Prince realizes this, that he learns a very important lesson, and the moral of the book. The Prince learns to break down the barriers that hold the two boys apart. The Prince shows a very big step in growth that even some adults have not taken yet. With his maturation, he is able to become true friends with Jemmy, and earn the name Prince Horace.

I really enjoyed how Fleischman is able to take a very serious and real topic, such as class discrimination, and simplify it for a young reader. The author does not make light of the topic, yet he addresses it in such a way that the reader understands and can relate the story to his/her own life. Children that would read or hear this book have most likely already read or heard fairytales that include royalty. However, I think it is rare that a child is given the opportunity to hear the story of the lower class. "The Whipping Boy," gives a vivid explanation and description of the class differences.
This main theme in this book is that friendship should be free of prejudices. "The Whipping Boy," would be an excellent choice in encouraging students to get along with one another no matter what their differences may be. It lays a very good framework for young students who have been or one day will be on the giving or receiving end of discrimination or prejudices without being preachy. The theme is a powerful one, yet the story includes enough adventure to keep the reader interested and engaged. ... Read more

Book Description

There's nothing like a best friend ...

Frog and Toad, those famous pals, are beloved by generations of children. Their every adventure is filled with the magic of true friendship, whether they're telling ghost stories, searching for a lost button, or eating too many cookies. This captivating audio collection features all four of the Frog and Toad books, read with humor and charm by award-winning author Arnold Lobel.

This collection contains:

Frog and Toad Are Friends
Frog and Toad All Year
Frog and Toad Together
Days with Frog and Toad

Reviews (2)

An Excellent book tape for fans of Frog and Toad books
I am ordering this tape again for my four year old son. He listened to his first copy until it broke. It is fascinating to watch him listen to the stories with a half smile on his face as he recalls the pictures from the books. It is not necessary to read along to enjoy the tape. Mr. Lobel reads the stories perfectly. He clearly conveys the personalities of the characters without "doing the voices."

Wonderful stories of friendship
My toddler son has enjoyed these stories for almost a year now. They are colorfully written and expertly told by the author himself. A must for any young child's collection. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Comedian, actor, and director Billy Crystal’s ode to his first grandchild will strike a chord with every expectant grandparent (and parents, too). Readers will feel the sweet anticipation building as Grandpa Crystal dreams about the baby’s upcoming birth. While the writing is at times awkward, the sentiment behind the text is genuine and universal, " I want to feel your heart beat as you lie upon my chest, bait your hook, fly your kite, help you study for a test."The narrator envisions peekaboo, horsey, and visits to the beach with a red-haired tot--his love virtually bubbles over. Pastel illustrations (reminiscent of the dreamy, soft-focus drawings in pregnancy books) by Elizabeth Sayles show the rugged, gray-haired gramps beaming as he partakes of the imagined pleasures to come. Crystal concludes with another awkward yet heartfelt verse:

Your mom is my daughter, and your dad is his mom’s son. You lived within your mommy, but now the time has come. Get ready, sweet little one-- Your life will be just great. I’m going to be your grandpa, and… I can hardly wait.

Reviews (18)

Touching
As a mother of two youngish children, I loved this book! It was a touching read and some parts nearly brought me to tears. The illustrations are superb! Billy Crytal has written a book that is a treasure for parents and grandparents. Debbie Farmer, author 'Don't Put Lipstick on the Cat'

A wonderful read about being a grandparent
I absolutely loved this book! The grandfather-to-be talks about what activities he will do with his new granddaughter. Then he talked about when his daughter was young and the things they did together.I especially liked the part where he said that he took her to the movie and he didn't watch the movie, but instead he watched his daughter's face. It was a touching read. It nearly brought me to tears. The illustrations are superb! This would be a great book for the parent-to-be. Bravo to Billy Crystal!

Billy Pay Me
Plenty Of Grandfathers could tell the same story, yet nobody is giving them a publishing deal. Another in the line of celebrity books. At least Jay Leno's new book was funny.

classic
This book is so sweet and the illustrations are timeless. It uses some words you don't often find in this level of book so that is nice to introduce new vocabulary.

Great gift for a grandfather to send
The title and the book are EXCELLENT! My wife and I had to move away from home, sent this book to our daughter and she was thrilled! Since we are from Boston, the only problem was a reference to the Yankees ... but, this may be our year! ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Excellent
I was divorced a couple years ago and my then three year old was really having a tough time. I bought LOTS of books. This one stands out from them all. My girls could really relate to it. It is a pretty simple book, this is what my room looks like at mom's, this is what my room looks like at dad's. It also reinforces that fact that they are loved no matter where they are. I would highly recommend this for anyone going through the nightmare of divorce where kids are involved.

Wonderful, comforting book!
This book is simple enough for a young child, who doesn't need technical details about his parents separation/divorce, but does need reassurance that he/she is still loved no matter what happens ishis/her life. It is a good tool for getting your younger child to talk about their own feelings in a safe way. My 4 1/2 year old son loves this book. The illustrations are sweet and have a certain gentleness, which matches the text nicely. Overall, I would highly recommend this to anyone who knows a child going through this difficult life change.

Good for toddlers or younger children
This book is simple and encouraging for the very young child. Amazon has a note that this is for the child up to age 8, but a school age child, other than kindergartener, would find it disappointing. This helps dispell fears of the toddler, young child group of losing their parents somehow with divorce. It addresses that they have a place and home with each parent which helps a young child adjust to divorce in the family. For the younger child, it is worth the cost. For the older child, look for a different book like Dinosaurs Divorce which addresses more feelings and complex issues.

Review of Two Homes
I think the is a great book. It shows how Alex has two homes, one with his Mom and one with his Dad. He has two bedrooms, two bathrooms, two favorite chairs, and friends at each house. The pictures show us how happy and comfortable Alex is at both house. The story tells us he talks to Mommy at his Dad's house and Daddy at his Mom's house. Alex knows he is loved by both his parents at all times wherever he is. This is a very comforting story. It is a great book for young children experiencing a divorce or just to teach children about divorce. It doesn't try to explain divorce, it just shows Alex's two homes in a simple, happy way!

Great resource for younger kids
I loved this book! It was exactly what I was looking for. My 2 year old son loves reading it, and talking about Alex's 2 homes. He understands that he is like Alex and has two homes too. It is a simple story that doesn't try to explain divorce, or justify it. It just explains how the boy has two homes and that both his parents love him, in a loving and simple way. It has wonderful pictures that my son really relates to. Hope you enjoy it too. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

My Favorite Book for Anyone with a Loss
Written in a children's book format - with simply worded concepts, wonderfully colored pictures, and a creative idea - this is one of those great books that actually feels written for adults as much as for school-age children.

I've used lots of books on grief in 30 years of practicing psychotherapy. And this is the best! It's written in a way that gives the grieving mind and exhausted spirit a quick, hands-on idea of what's happening, and it gives fabulous permission to every reader to absolutely do your grief "your way."

I've given out perhaps 25 copies. Some come back. Others set out on a journey of their own. And I love that they do. I feel like "the Lupine Lady" (reference to another children's book.)

I'd like to thank the authors, if they ever read their reviewers, for a heart-felt gift to us.

I felt understood!
... This book is wise and insightful, both for a grieving person as well as someone who loves a grieving person. Any type of loss is addressed in this book. The book is perfect for children as the illustrations are stunning and it is written simply, but adults will experience it more deeply as they will see it's wisdom and understand it's nuances. This is an excellent choice.

tear soup
fantastic in all ways...gentle words and metaphors that would be helpful to all ages to not only describe the process of grieving but to help them move through it. wonderful illustrations. a must for those grieving and those who are touched by someone grieving. 5+++

Helping Through
My counselor recommended this book to me after the loss of my son. As I cried my way through the book, I found validation for my feelings and thoughts. It was very helpful to me and it is also a good source for friends who want to know how to help people dealing with similar losses. I am buying a copy to donate to my local library.

Very Helpful...
I am a Marriage and Family Therapist who recently lost my beloved Mother. Her death was sudden and unexpected. I received this book as a gift to help me through my first birthday without my Mother. This book is absolutely tremendous in it's ability to address the truth of grief. This is a must have for both the bereaved and any professional who works with clients both young and old. I particularly enjoyed the way the book addressed the responses of the people around the bereaved--it was very healing and I will be purchasing several copies to give to people who have suffered a great loss. ... Read more

Book Description

Celebrate life’s journeys with The Little Engine That Could! Selling over 60,000 copiesin the first two months on sale, I Knew You Could! provides familiar comfort inchanging times and serves as a wonderful gift that will be treasured for years to come.With inspiring and enlightening words of wisdom, this sweetly nostalgic book is perfectfor graduates of all ages as they make the transition from one phase of life to the next.From "I think I can" to "I knew I could," The Little Engine That Could helps usremember that anything is possible if you put your mind to it! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Rhyming verse combined with inviting illustrations
I Knew You Could!: A Book For All The Stops In Your Life by Craig Dorfman is an enthusiastically recommended picture book based on the beloved classic children's story "The Little Engine That Could." Singsong rhyming verse combined with inviting illustrations by Cristina Ong of a happy and plucky blue engine encourage readers of all ages about the importance of believing in oneself. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Don't miss this amazing book
This is Mark Peter Hughes's first novel, and I can't recommend it enough. It has everything you could ask for -- it is funny, touching and never ever boring. The characters are very likable. I really hope he is going to write another one soon!

What a fun read!
This book is great!It is a fun, fast-paced read that pre-teens and teens will love!The characters are people they will recognize and relate to!

... Read more

Reviews (12)

A wonderful illustrator tells an important tale
A zen riddle? A story by Tolstoy? A comics illustrator? You wouldn't think these three things would come together to form one of the most lovely pieces of children's literature I've seen recently - but they do. This is a book I purchased to read to my 3 year old, but I find it a comfort to myself, as well. Jon J. Muth's watercolour illustrations set a pensive mood for a weighty tale, told lightly.

"This Is Why We Are Here"
"There was once a boy named Nikolai who sometimes felt uncertain about the right way to act..." He wanted to be a good person, but was unsure how to accomplish his goal. Nikolai had three important questions...When is the best time to do things? Who is the most important one? What is the right thing to do? "If only I could find the answers to my three questions... then I would always know what to do." So he decides to seek the counsel of Leo, the turtle. "He has lived a very long time. Surely he will know the answers I am looking for." But as he reaches Leo's home, high in the mountains, disaster strikes, and without even thinking Nikolai takes action, and in the process finds the answers he's been searching for..... Based on Leo Tolstoy's short story, Jon Muth has authored a reflective and inspired picture book retelling of The Three Questions. His simple and eloquent text, with its gentle message of compassion and living for each moment, is enhanced by lovely and evocative watercolor artwork in quiet and subdued tones. Together word and art answer Nikolai's questions in a captivating and engaging way..."Remember then that there is only one important time, and that time is now. The most important one is always the one you are with. And the most important thing is to do good for the one who is standing at your side. For these, my dear boy, are the answers to what is most important in this world." With an Author's Note at the end to augment the story and introduce Tolstoy and his works, The Three Questions is a perfect fable for youngsters 5-9, and is sure to open interesting and thoughtful discussions.

A great book to talk about
What a wonderful book. It really gives you a great starting place for basic discussions with children. It gives good tools to help a child with basic problem solving and teaches them that everything in life can be seen from differrent perspectives.

Trite and arrogant
As a great fan of Tolstoy I am certain he would be mortified to be touted as the inspiration for this book. There is an arrogance in the communication of the moral message that the author wishes to send and could there be a more trite "situation" for his main character to "happen upon" in order to "save" the victim and be the hero? Puh-leeze.

Teach your child how to know how to responsive to others.
This book tells a story that helps children learn one of the most important lessons in life. Parents will benefit from reading this book as well. There is a parallel between this book and the work of the famous Arbinger Institute (arbinger.com), where adults can even learn more about living the principles provided from this excellent children's book. ... Read more

Book Description

Samuel and Rebecca Rainey, preteens themselves not many years ago, add their perspective as young adults who vividly recall their own successes and failures as teenagers. Covering such topics as friends, peer pressure, boundaries, dating, and sex, the Raineys address the most common traps of adolescence and teach young people how to avoid making poor choices. Short, concise chapters are filled with engaging illustrations and practical applications. This book is essential reading for preteens. ... Read more

Reviews (57)

Burning questions left unanswered.
Will Nate and Georgina, his new rehab pal, end up being an item?
Will Jenny and her new man live happily ever after? Will Jenny's new best friend Elise interfere?
Will Blair get into Yale? Will Elise's father ever get the chance to explain why he tried to get with Blair romantically? Will Blair stop loving Nate?
Will Serena continue to be famous, ditzy, and wanted on all the runways?
Will Dan and Mystery Craze, the yellow-toothed and yellow nailed poetess, fall madly, deeply in love?

Will Vanessa, Dan's girlfriend, find out that he hasn't merely been cheating, but CHEATING CHEATING??? Will she survive?
Is Chuck Bass bisexual?
And, the most burning question of them all...
WHO IS GOSSIP GIRL?
All of these questions are left unanswered till book number five. Quite frankly, it's infuriating. What leads to the end is suspenseful and enthralling - you will be so absorbed you'll be unable to put this book down till it's over. Nate ends up caught for his weed smoking and is forced to attend rehab meetings, where he meets a beautiful Snow White lookalike named Georgina Sparks. Blair decides she wants to go to rehab too for her bulimia, yet really wants to be close to Nate again. She sees him with Georgina and her entire plan is thrown off. Not only that, but she finds that a handsome Yale graduate who she senses has feelings for her is the FATHER of one of her younger classmates at Constance Billard. Dan, on the other hand, thinks he is in love with Vanessa until he meets eccentric Mystery Craze and ends up cheating. Clearly, his fame over his poetry has diluded his mind. Jenny meets her admirer and bonds with Elise, her new best friend, over nude figure painting and 'experimentation,' which she deems 'overrated.' Serena lives a carefree, no-worries life, becoming a model and having success practically knock at her door. So much more happens in this book, you'll be dying to read the next so that all of these loose ends can finally be tied together. Recommended age: 13 and up.

Sex, fashion, drugs and...Yale?!
This, in my opinion, is one of the better Gossip Girl books, despite some of the less kind reviews. The GG gang makes a plethora of effortless achievments: Dan's published poem in the New Yorker, Serena suddenly transforming into a glam model, Vanessa's film being used as a backdrop for the long-anticipated NYC fashion show.

And then there are some things not to flaunt and take pride in. Like Blair's botched Yale interview and Nate's getting busted for smoking weed, for example. Blair tries to redeem herself by speaking to one of the Yale alumni and prospects of him putting in a good word for her seem good. But then, an affair begins between them (innocent type, I'd say). As for Nate, his landing into a clinic for problem teens introduces Georgina Sparks, an ethereal Snow White-type beauty who has an ugly problem with prescription drugs. They chill at her grandiose palace and Nate saves her from nearly dying of a prescription overdose. Blair, meanwhile, realizes her sexy leading man isn't the Clark Gable to her Audrey Hepburn she thought he was. When Blair tries to win back Nate's love, she humiliates herself at the clinic, first by admitting to her bulimia. Plus, she meets her new competition. Now, Georgina Sparks is vying for Nate's affections, only the vying really seems to be over with. Georgie's clearly won.

I find it irking Serena has no real issues in any of the books, unless you count her almost being a leper when she first returned to New York from boarding school. Still, she was quickly able to bounce back from that "trauma." Now, she debuts as a runway model in the fashion show, one in which Christina Ricci is a guest. Meanwhile, she's fallen head over heels in "love" with Aaron, Blair's sexy, herbal cigarette-smoking stepbrother.

Vanessa submits Dan's poem, "Sluts," to the New Yorker. "Sluts" proceeds to head on towards worldwide fame. Mention the title and instantaneously, the New York population knows just what you're talking about. And despite the fact that Dan is angry at Vanessa (he channeled the anger into the poem), he is pleased to have that recognition - it goes to his head. Proof of this is his affair with Mystery Craze, the yellow-toothed and yellow-nailed poet who Dan finds incredibly sexy for some peculiar reason. Also proof of his insanity is his agent, who feels the need to use the expression, "%$^& me!" in almost every sentence. I wanted to smack her, strangle her, or both.

In conclusion, Von Ziegesar's novel can either make you yearn to be one of the members of the GG gang or feel sorry for them. Their parents are self-centered and don't care at all for the well-being of their children. These spoiled Manhattanites are permitted do do whatever they want, whenever they want, as long as they keep up their appearances up so that it doesn't reflect badly on the family. No matter what, however, this novel is entertaining and an ideal addition to the GG series.

Great book!
I really love this book. Being 17, being their age, really makes it a lot more enjoyable to read. I even suggested this book to my 14 year old cousin! It truly is a pretty accurate representation of teens today, even though these teens are uber-rich, super cool, trendy, and did I mention rich? I love the interesting, dynamic people (even though Serena is pretty shallow, I still think she'd make a pretty awesome best friend), and I like the way the author balanced the super rich kids (Blair, Serena, Nate, etc.) with the kids that live in their world, but live in it rather on the outskirts (Dan, Vanessa, etc.) I loved this book so much, I couldn't resist buying the newest Gossip Girl (number 5!) a few days after it was released. Super read, pure fun, great beach/teen fiction!

addictive
these books are so addictive! i read them in one sitting (usually becuase i cant tear myself away from them) i suggest if you want to read one, get the other ones because you will want to read those ones too!
i am so pissed that lindsey lohan is playing blair in the gossip girl movie. i just dont see her as that part at all. shes a little too---immature, i guess. i mean shes a good actress but she just doesnt fit the part. i think that someone like samarie armstrong of rachel leigh cook should play her. it will probably be rated like PG even though the books are more PG-13-R.
ANYWAY i really reccommend these books to everyone they are light easy addictive funny and amusing. Have fun!
~you know you love me

Because I'm worth it
My 14 year old Daughter read this book rather quickly. She said it was interesting but predicatible and the ending was weird. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Great book
This book was helpful in explaining loss to children.
I also used a faith based video, After the Tears, A Gentle Guide to Help Children Understand Death.
Death is such a dificult subject to have to explain to children. It is helpful to have good grief resources.

a wonderful, helpful book
This book helped us explain the death of their grandpa, what was to be expected etc. Our children ages 5,8 and 10 asked for this to be read repeatedly. It helped answer questions and brought forth some very interesting observations. It truly helped in a very trying time. It was written in a very forthright manner yet in language children easily understood. It was our most read book for the weeks prior to papa's death.

For readers of all ages, discusses grief in realistic terms
Well-crafted summary of the grief process, the book has 14 sections of two to three paragraphs that discuss the various aspects of grief, and the ways people cope with the death of loved ones. Written for a young audience, the material is valuable for all ages. While assuming the concept of life after death, this book is sensitive to differences in religious belief and practices and provides opportunities for the young reader to think, to ask questions, and to grow. The illustrations are clever and interesting to young children, they support the message in the text. An introductory message to adults who are working with children offers additional insights and ideas for working through grief. ... Read more

Book Description

Imagine it: a weekend without your parents; a weekend in a hotel with your best friends; a weekend in one of the biggest, loudest, craziest cities in the world. Jealous yet? Well, get ready to turn green with envy because Alice, Pam, Liz, and Gwen are headed to New York City for the weekend! Sure, it's a school trip and there'll be some educational stuff like museums and plays and visiting Ellis Island, but what the girls really can't wait for is everything they're going to do when their teachers go to bed. Bars, clubs, dancing, shopping, and boys...anything is possible. The city awaits them, and all they have to do to have the time of their lives is sneak past a few hotel clerks.

Alice can't wait to hit New York. A weekend with her friends is just what she needs right now. Sophomore year and driving lessons are a lot harder than she thought they would be, and it's time for her to get away from all that work and have some fun. Plus, she's got the loooong bus ride home in the dark with her new boyfriend to look forward to....

Funny, cool, and always provocative, Phyllis Reynolds Naylor does it again, proving that she understands what real girls think and feel, with this seventeenth book in the beloved Alice series.

... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great Book!
I haven't read it yet, but it's great that I can buy the book, 3 days after it's come out! ... Read more

Book Description

Patriotism or practical joke?

Harrison, NH -- Ninth-grade student Philip Malloy was suspended from school for singing along to The Star-Spangled Banner in his homeroom, causing what his teacher, Margaret Narwin, called "a disturbance." But was he standing up for his patriotic ideals, only to be squelched by the school system? Was Ms. Narwin simply trying to be a good teacher? Or could it all be just a misunderstanding gone bad -- very bad? What is the truth here? Can it ever be known?

Heroism, hoax, or mistake, what happened at Harrison High changes everything for everyone in ways no one -- least of all Philip -- could have ever predicted.

Reviews (445)

An Awesome Book!
I read Nothing But The Truth by Avi. I found the book to be very entertaining and a great example of real life. The book is about a boy named Phillip. During homeroom they play the Star Spangled Banner and Phillip started humming to annoy his teacher. He feels an animosity toward her because he is failing English. Ms. Narwin, who is also Phillip's English teacher, sent him out of homeroom two days in a row. The assistant principal ends up suspending him for being a disturbance in class. His parents think its ridiculous that their son can't participate in a random act of patriotism. The issue becomes nationwide. Reporters start writing biased articles and the story gets totally twisted.

This book is a great example of how a story can get twisted if everyone doesn't tell the truth, and nothing but the truth. I enjoyed the book a lot. It's written in documentary form with memos, letters, and conversations. I highly recommend this book for 12 year olds and up because of some hard vocabulary. It's a quick and enjoyable read! I hope you will read it soon!

Nothing but the Truth
Do you like books that tell you about a disrespectful student that does not stop singing or humming to the Star Spangled Banner? Or having your parents on your side because of it? Well I think that you will absolutely love this book its called Nothing but the Truth by Avi.
14-year-old Philip Malloy lives in New Hampshire and goes to the Harrison high school where he starts his so called "patriotism". During his 9th grade year Philip starts to be disrespectful to the teacher at least that's what she thinks. The reason how Philip is being disrespectful is that the national anthem comes on in the morning on the intercom and tells the students to stand at a respectful and silent attention while they play the song
Philip sings or hums along with it and the teacher sends him to the assistant principal.

Then it becomes like a snowball effect and gets bigger and bigger because Phil and his father go to their neighbor's house and his name is Ted Griffin he is almost part of the school board. He knows a person that is an education reporter called Ms.Stewart. Phil tells her the whole story and she tries to contact all of the people that are involved in it like the superintendent the principal the assistant principal and Ms.Narwin they all tell her that it is all wrong that they did not suspended Phil for singing the star spangled banner. Ms.Stewart publishes the story and then it goes on the radio and everything is ballistic! So if you want to read this exiting book and know how it ends then read Nothing but the truth by Avi. by jonathan

A very important lesson
I find the title "Nothing but the Truth" to be cleverly ironic, as this book actually demonstrates a minor dispute's descent into a political arena where "Anything but the Truth" would more acurately describe the situation. Some reviewers have claimed that this book is repetative. It is true that readers are presented with information over and over again, but it is never quite the same. The purpose is to show how the story gets twisted each time it's re-told. How the same event comes to be described in two incredibly different ways, neither of which is accurate, depending on what each side has to gain or lose. In the huge mess that's created, no one knows the true story anymore. More importantly, no one cares.

That is the heart of the story. The school at first only cares about Phillip disobeying (That's his real crime: disobeying an arbitrary rule. Not humming.) and then only about covering their own butts by making it sound like Phillip deserved his harsh punishment by making up a fake crime so no one will find out that his only 'crime' was refusing to mindlessly conform. Phillip and his parents at first only care about defending him against a tyrannical bureaucracy, but later his father also cares about pumping himself up by making false claims of Phillip's virtue in to counter the false claims of his depravity. Everyone else latches onto one of the false claims, seeing Phillip as saint or sinner. From the beginning, no one cares about the truth.

Boring Most of the Time
First off let me tell you this is a documentary novel that has documents, notes files, etc. that are sometimes are really boring. The dialogue is in play form, so my calss acted it out. It's hard to follow. But it's funny and if your a teen you can relate somewhat. This was an unrealistic book, as you will see in the following text:

Now this book wasn't so bad, but I was reading it with my class. We were acting out the different parts. This made it MUCH easier to follow. Otherwise you'll start to think about whether you left the coffe-pot on or something and have to reread a page.

Philip Malloy is a young boy who hums along with the Star Spangeled Banner. His teacher, that he hates for giving bad grades (Which he deserves), sends him to the principal's office for "singing", so she says, the SSB. Philip is a big crybaby about ho he gets bad grades and is kicked off the track team. No one would really send a kid to the Principals Office for humming the SSB. And it wouldn't make national news, which does infact happen. I was wondering what the point was of this book until the last page... which was a funny, yet annoying ending, leaving you feeling unfinished with the story and wanting to look for the next page. There is none, which made me mad.

Yet, this book was interesting nonetheless and a quick, easy-read. Check it out at the library BEFORE you buy it... if you even wanna read it again...

Nothing but the Truth
Chris Skorusa

Nothing but the Truth

Reading II

Summary

Was there ever a day you woke up and thought it was going to be a good day but it wasn't? From That one day your whole week has changed it seamed like it could never get better. Nothing but the Truth is like it. The book is manly about a student named Philip Malloy. Philip is a Freshman at Harrison High. The first couple days of school were fine but there was this one teacher named Mss.Narwin. Philip didn't really like her. He wasn't doing too good in the class either he was getting a "D". With the D he wasn't able to try out for track just because he was failing this class. But it didn't get any better he got a memo telling him that his homeroom is switched to Mss.Narwin. That wasn't the smartest thing putting Phillip and Mss.Narwin together. While Philip was in the class he was suspended for humming to the announcements. With the suspension he has received Philip will be getting a lot of people mad.
Response: I thought this book was very interesting there was always something going wrong. I can tell that the author of book must have spent a lot of time making this book. The book is written in dialogue from so you always know who is talking. There are also parts where you get to read Philip's diary and really get to know what Philip is thinking and what his emotions are. This book is really good at giving you a mental image of the story. There were some parts of the book that made me mad. Like how mad the teacher got just for humming and that everyone turned on him for not doing anything? But at the end of the book it all makes sense. I would rate this book 8 out of 10. Just because there was some situations that I don't think could really happened in life. But everything else was good. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Jamie Lee Curtis has starred in many movies, but she says that thechildren's books she has written mean more to her than any of her films. She andartist Laura Cornell have previously collaborated on two bestselling books: Tell Me Again About the Night I Was Born and When I Was Little: A Four-Year-Old's Memoir of Her Youth. This time, we follow a little girl with curly red hair through 13 different moods, beginning with silly: "Today I feel silly. / Mom says it's the heat. I put rouge on the cat / and gloves on my feet." Of course, silly soon turns to grumpy and mean... to excited... to confused, and so on. Recognizing one's own mood swings is a developmental milestone, one that some adults haven't yet mastered! Cornell's watercolor illustrations--wildly expressive and energetic--effectively capture the volatility of our redheaded star. Whether she is happy or mad or dancing a solo in jazz, she is always "full of pizzazz," and this book is, too. A clever mood wheel on the last page allows young readers to change the little girl's expression--both her eyes and mouth. This is silly fun with a smart lesson for children from ages 4 to 8. --Marcie Bovetz ... Read more

Reviews (55)

It's a Wonderful Way To Address Children's Feelings.
The illustrations of TODAY I FEEL SILLY AND OTHER MOODS THAT MAKE MY DAY are wonderful for the child who cannot yet read or who is independently spending a lot of time looking at the pictures. The moods jump right out of the pages and allow the child to relate to the feelings he or she might have and learn that they are normal feelings. Another title, THE SMILING STONE, also available from amazon.com, would be appreciated by teachers looking for books that build self-esteem for their theme lesson of feelings and emotions. It differs from "Silly Moods" in that it is about a single emotion but it is similar in that the child can have the feeling, too, as the book ends with the simple verse, "YOUR SMILE casts forever a beam of light". Children will be lucky to have teachers who pick these titles for their lessons and parents and children will have a starter library on this important subject.

An excellent book to teach children recognize their feelings
This is a beautiful book to share with young children who have difficulty to identify or recognize their own feelings and moods. I happen to live in the country where one's emotions and feelings are seldom addressed directly. This book helps me to show my daughter that it is ok to feel what she feels inside. My daughter wants me to read this book to her every night before bedtime. After reading it , she would tell me if today is a good day for her and why. The illustrations are beautiful and humorous. It really teaches the children that no matter what the mood is, life can still be fun and full of surprises.

Today I Feel Silly Is A great book!
Today i feel silly is a great book especially for ages 5 or 6. I loved how she took somthing as simple as the way we feel each day and made it into this great book. The illistrations were great because they were colorful and very exciting for everyone to look at. With rhyming words in some parts of the book children will stay interested more easily. Children love the fact that they can realte to the book because they have have felt all of these feelings. I suggest this book for children ages 5-7. It is A GREAT BOOK.

SIlly to sad
Today I Feel Silly is a great book. Not only does it keep your attention the whole way through with the funny things happening but also with the colorful illistrations. I enjoyed reading this book because i know that i have felt the same way as the little girl in the story. I like knowing that the little girl could be a real person just telling how she feels. I also like the "How do you feel" wheel in th back of the book, because i know that when i am done reading the book i can use it and see all of the differnt funny faces. This is a great book and i suggest it for little ones.

FUN book to read to your Daughter
I bought this book for my 20 month old daughter after she enjoyed being read "I'm Gonna Like Me" also written by Jamie Lee Curtis. I think this is a wonderfully written book; the sentences rhyme and are rather short so as I read it to her, I can put emotion into my voice with each mood the character is going through. Although I think the words and pictures are a bit too advanced for a two year old to grasp, my enthusiasm while reading this book keeps my daughter very attentive and we can also point out the illustrations together. I will say that the character in the book is a girl and the pages mostly relate to "girl things" like braiding hair, having a boyfriend, going to the movies with her mom and so on. I don't think a boy may be as interested in the book. I personally don't feel offended by Jamie Lee Curtis' reference in to book to the character having a boyfriend or a crush on a teacher. That is just a part of life and emotions girls feel at times and it is addressed in a fun loving way. As a mom who once experience those same things, I feel comfortable teaching her myself about feelings toward boys not relying on a book to educate her. This book can be used to be open up to such discussions. At the end of the book is a 3D wheel of a face and as you turn the wheel the expression on the girls face changes from happy to angry to lonely and so on. Overall, a fun book for both child & parent!!! ... Read more

Book Description

It was missing a piece.
And it was not happy.
So it set off in search
of its missing piece.
And as it rolled
it sang this song -

Oh I'm lookin' for my missin' piece
I'm lookin' for my missin' piece
Hi-dee-ho, here I go,
Lookin' for my missin' piece.

What it finds on its search for the missing piece is simply and touchingly told in this fable that gently probes the nature of quest and fulfillment.

Reviews (21)

Silverstein's Guidebook for Being a Person.
Once, when I was a very young boy, I had the privilege of experiencing Shel Silverstein reading this guidebook to personhood at the Chicago Public Library. At the time, I appreciated it as a story about a Pac-Man figure, (Which was my primary focus at the time), who couldn't find "a missing piece." As I have grown now, in age, intellect, character, loss, and all other forms of life experience, I understand so much more what he was really trying to say to us. He was speaking, in very clear terms about all that is good and beautiful about realizing the worth of one's self, in a simple manner that we will understand well into senescence as well as we understood it in our youth. In summation...purchase this book, share it with those that you love, and most importantly, understand it for yourself. Peace be with you.

Simple yet so meaningful
Shel Silverstein can say more with a few words and a few lines than someone with all of the vocabulary and artistic mediums of the universe. This simple book carries a beautiful message about the search for fullfillment. Don't let the label of "children's book" turn you away... The Missing Piece and it's sequel The Missing Piece Meets The Big O are brilliant books dealing with this journey we call life. Enchanting and moving.

amazing work!
wow....a master piece! Little words but ton of ideas to write about (i'm writing an essay for my children literature course.)

Delightful Fable
A stunningly simple but poignant fable for adults and children, teaching the joy of independence and partnership in all our relations in a way that enlightens without preaching.

The Missing Piece
Shel Silverstein has done it again! Every book I have read of his has intrigued me. This is a great story about a lonely circle that is missing a piece. He is sad because of this and searches for his piece. He searches high and low. He does not realize that he is happy without his piece....You should find out why by reading The Missing Piece. It demonstrates well that u can be happy without having everything you want. You just need to find it in yourself. ... Read more

Book Description

Billy Bartholomew has an audacious soul, and he knows it. Why? Because it's all he has left. He's dead.

Eddie Proffit has an equally audacious soul, but he doesn't know it. He's still alive.

These days, Billy and Eddie meet on the sledding hill, where they used to spend countless hours -- until Billy kicked a stack of Sheetrock over on himself, breaking his neck and effectively hitting tilt on his Earthgame. The two were inseparable friends. They still are. And Billy is not about to let a little thing like death stop him from hanging in there with Eddie in his epic struggle to get his life back on track.

Reviews (5)

My Opinion on The Sledding Hill
Mr. Chris Crutcher is still one of my favorite writers, but The Sledding Hill is not one of my favorite books. I am in tenth grade and I mostly agree with the person who posted the very first review of the book. The story of The Sledding Hill is pretty simple, and the other reviews say it right so I will not repeat. I will only give my opinion on the book. It is better than a lot of books and that is why I give it three stars. I think the first part is four stars and the second part is two stars which is how I got to three stars. I thought that the first part was a lot about the friendship of Eddie and Billy and how hard it is for everyone to deal with tragedy like two people dying on you. But later, when the story got into the whole censorship thing about the book, I started to lose interest. It is not because I am not interested in the subject, either. I am totally into free speech. I just thought the book got less interesting, not like Stotan which got more interesting as it went on.

Richie's Picks: THE SLEDDING HILL
"I can bump him, and I will, because the one thing that is as true out here as it is in the Earthgame is connection. Connection is love. Staying connected with Eddie Proffit is as good for me as it is for him, because love is as true on earth as it is in the farthest reaches of the universe.

"So I do it."

"Just Do It." --Nike slogan

In KING OF THE MILD FRONTIER: AN ILL-ADVISED AUTOBIOGRAPHY, Chris Crutcher recognizes Michael Jordan as a hero--not for his legendary on-court accomplishments, but for the manner in which Michael responded to the brutal murder of his father. Chris notes of Michael:

"When asked about his feelings for his father's killers or what should happen to them, in the only recount I ever heard, all he said was, 'My father is dead. That's all I care about.'"

In rereading Crutcher's autobiography I continue to be moved by Michael's response. I'm so touched by it that one day I'm going to make a point of giving Michael a big long hug.

It actually won't be "one day" since, according to Billy Bartholomew, there is no "time" where he now exists. Billy is the dead teenaged narrator of Chris Crutcher?s new novel THE SLEDDING HILL. And according to Billy Bartholomew, once me 'n Number 23 are both history I'll be able to hook up with Michael or anyone else who has come and "gone."

Life on Earth, as Billy explains it from his beyond-this-world perspective, is but a game, the Earthgame. Once you get to where he is, you "travel at the speed of imagination" and "laugh in wonder at all the crazy considerations you had while playing the Earthgame because you were so focused you thought things were important."

Nor are there emotions after death, Billy explains, other than a "pure joy of knowledge--and a sense of coming home."

What to many readers will be Billy's most shocking revelation from beyond the grave is that everyone who dies ends up IN THE SAME PLACE! That means me and James Dobson, Tucker Carlson, and Bull Conner are all going to get to spend eternity sharing the same celestial real estate with (formerly) practicing homosexuals and hippies, independent film makers, blasphemers, Bin Ladens, black people, and banned book authors.

Chris Crutcher is a runner, as are so many of the characters he's created over the years. Crutcher's been spending a lot of his time lately running around the country defending his good name and his great books which are being challenged so frequently that you've got to figure there?s some serious hit list out there making its way to right-wing pulpits around the country.

Of course, there's supposed to be a separation of Church and State, at least in theory. That wasn't the reality when it came to Crutcher's own childhood experiences--as he recounted in KING OF THE MILD FRONTIER--and it sure doesn't seem to be the case today if you?ve paid attention to as many recent articles about book bannings as I have.

Many of the childhood stories of religion and death that Crutcher includes in his autobiography find their way into the plot of THE SLEDDING HILL. And if you've read the autobiography you realize there are going to be a bunch of huffing, puffing, scowling preachers when they start getting an earful of Billy Bartholomew.

But they're going to have a bit of a problem deep-sixing this baby. Crutcher?s written a book without ANY "naughty" words. Not a single f-word, sh-word, n-word, b-word, or a-h word. If they want to ban THE SLEDDING HILL from school libraries, they're going to have to get it banned because of Billy Bartholomew?s blatantly blasphemous revelations.

And that's the catch, because in Board of Education, Island Trees Union Free School District No.26 v. Pico, the landmark 1982 Supreme Court case concerning school-library censorship (I quote from Russell Freedman's IN DEFENSE OF LIBERTY: THE STORY OF AMERICA'S BILL OF RIGHTS.),

"[T]he court held that students' rights were violated by removal of the books and said that a school library provides 'an environment especially appropriate for the recognition of First Amendment rights of students.' "School officials have a great deal of power to decide which books should be in their school libraries, but they ?may not remove books from school library shelves simply because they dislike the ideas contained in those books,' said the Court. 'Allowing a school board to engage in such conduct hardly teaches children to respect the diversity of ideas that is fundamental to the American system.' "

Now along with the recent book banning news stories, there have been some pretty articulate words from certain teens who feel the same way about having their school libraries raped by the Religious Right as I felt about the Nixon White House invading the offices of the antiwar group I belonged to when I was their age.

As recently explained so articulately in the Kansas City Star by a Kansas high school student named Sasha Mushegian,

"It's true that some words and ideas should not be introduced to students who have not reached a certain level of maturity. But the amount of sheltering these parents are trying to accomplish is more appropriate for elementary school children than for people capable of earning wages, taking college-level courses and driving cars. These are all actions that require a degree of personal responsibility and capability of rational thought that these parents seem to think we lack.
"Yes, we're not completely mature yet; sure, we often make bad decisions--but maturation is a process. There's no magical age at which we mentally and emotionally become adults.
"How can you expect children to mature if you don't expose them to books in which reality is messy and confusing, morals are not immediately clear, making the right decision requires analysis of subtleties, and characters make the wrong choices? How do you expect students to think for themselves if you never expose them to situations that are challenging and unfamiliar (yet still safely contained within the pages of a great work of literature)?"

I can easily see all this leading us toward another Supreme Court showdown to determine whether in reality we're a theocracy or a democracy.

Then on the other hand, I can just imagine some overly-pierced, black-attired, parentally-oppressed young person reading all of this discussion, rolling his or her eyes, and impatiently wanting to know the important stuff:

"Come on, Richie! Who the f--- cares what those right-wing a----s are b----ing about now? Just tell us whether the new Crutcher book is worth a sh--!"

Okay, well, as a matter of fact it is. THE SLEDDING HILL caused me to laugh a lot, cry a little, and exercise some brain cells.

"Everyone thought our friendship was odd; what was a smart kid like me doing hanging out with a kid with an IQ short of triple digits? Truth is, Eddie's IQ turned out to be off the charts. His mind bounces from one thing to the other pretty much however it wants, though, and long before he should be finishing up one thought, he's on to something else. Eddie doesn't come to very many conclusions."

Longtime friends Eddie Proffit and Billy Bartholomew like to run. It's the one thing that can keep Eddie's mind focused. But then--in a rather short period of time--Eddie discovers both his dad and his best friend Billy dead from totally random accidents. And things go downhill from there when Eddie's nemesis, the Reverend Tartar, starts hanging out with Eddie's grieving mom.

Fortunately, Eddie discovers something that begins to help him get his mind around what has happened in his life. No, it's not a controlled substance--it's a book.

And, unfortunately, you can guess what the Rev. and his followers from the Red Brick Church want to do to that book.

Enough said. I recommend taking it for a spin. (But remember to turn INTO the slide.)

Another great story from Crutcher
Chris Crutcher's latest novel tackles the same types of tough issues as his earlier novels--this one focuses on censorship and the "moral crusaders." Veiled in a story of a boy who loses his family and friends, Crutcher makes a stirring commentary--as he always does. The characters are engaging and sympathetic--Crutcher as always tells the story from everybody's eyes, showing that all characters have a range and depth and their own emotional crises. He even goes so far as to make himself a character in the story, which is, albeit somewhat cheesy, a way to direclty relate to the characters and insert some soliloquoys on censorship.

One of the major thoughts that comes out of this story is telling stories "in their native tongue," as Crutcher says. That idea keeps the story fresh and real, and while sometimes the details and the language is a little rough around the edges, the story is richer for it. The Sledding Hill doesn't pretend to be anything it isn't--it's a story wrapped up in a discussion of censorship--something that Crutcher has seen his share of. Gabriel Garcia Marquez said, "To an extent, all great literature is subversive." This book definitely fits the mold.

At last...a book about censorship that tells the truth.
It's not JUST about censorship, of course.THE SLEDDING HILL is about friendship, life, death, love and loss, religion and the abuse of power. It's rich with thought and plot, as are all Crutcher books.But what I love most about it is the way it illustrates the quiet connection ONE PERSON can find in ONE BOOK -- and the dangerous nature of taking that book and that connection away from the kids who might need them most.Crutcher also explores the life-after-death endurance of love between two friends, between parents and children, and the hope for eternal reunions. I loved this book. Oh, and about the other reviewers comments...Crutcher didn't say all ministers are misguided.He said THIS minister, who wanted to determine morality for ALL parents, not just for himself, was miguided, even if he was trying to ban a book with good intentions. And of course, there are men of God who forget "Thou shalt not judge" when they step into those ministerial shoes. Crutcher understands how important free agency is, even if his character the Rev. Tarter forgets.

A lot of Speeches!
I was so happy when I heard there was a new Chris Crutcher book coming out. I loved Sarah Byrnes so much, and Whale Talk too. In this book, there are two friends named Eddie and Billy. Billy is like the one person who sees all the good in Eddie and knows how to talk to him. Eddie's father dies, and then Billy dies too, and Eddie stops talking. There is a Christian minister named Reverend Tartar who wants to baptize Eddie. The reverend is also against a Chris Crutcher book in one of the school classes. The best part of the book is Billy talking to Eddie after he is dead. He's very funny. What is not as good is how bad a guy the author made Tartar. He is so evil, and to have this evil guy be the person against the Crutcher book seemed kind of unfair.He is like the worst reverend ever and is a racist, too. There were also way too many speeches in this book, especially at the end. There were speeches in church and speeches at the school meeting and even a short speech by Chris Crutcher where he said he agreed with another speech. I thought all the speeches hurt the book. All in all, this is an okay book, but not nearly as good as Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

An "amazing" book!
This is an excellent children's book. I use it every year in my classroom because my students can identify so well with Grace. There are so many language arts activities that can be used with it. Grace is an unforgettable character. She knows what she wants and is undaunted by would-be obstacles in her path. With the help of loving family members she can do anything she sets her mind to!

The Beauty of Childhood Superbly Done
A child's imagination is one of the purest forms of expression. Author Hoffman has captured that innocence in this superb tale. Grace, like so many youngsters, spends much of her day in the pleasures of "acting out" the characters that populate the pages of the books she reads. She feels that she can do and be anything that she desires. The theme of pursuing one's dreams is the type of message to which all can relate.

As one turns the pages of this beautifully illustrated book, one can enjoy the little girl's imaginary adventures. When Grace learns of the