Reviews (4)

Family, dreams and finding your way -- a home run!
I picked up Becoming Joe DiMaggio out of curiosity when researching some young adult literature for a class I was taking, and just fell in love with it.With an economy of words, Maria Testa paints a portrait of a boy, his grandfather, and the iconic baseball player that had a generation cheering.This would be a wonderful basis for classroom discussions/writing assignments on dreams, family, how poetry can evoke emotions with so few words.It can even be used to tie in math (baseball statistics, prompted by the poem "The Streak"), social studies (World War II), and even moral issues (the bombing of Hiroshima, domestic abuse).I recommend this highly for any student or teacher from fourth through 8th grade, and possibly even into high school.

Baseball Legend
The book "Becoming Joe DiMaggio" was a a good book overall. It is about Joseph Paul growing up and learns about the game of baseball. He falls in love with the sport and soon learns the rules and how the game is played. He loves his grandfather and would do anything to make him happy and hopes to make it to the majors his dream. This book is a very quick read and somewhat a confusing book. But overall it was entertaining and i would recommend it to anyone from grades 5th and up.

The Yankee centerfielder "whose name sounds like music"
The legend of Joe DiMaggio has certainly been tarnished since the death of the Yankee Clipper as details about how he lived his life off the field were revealed.Maria Testa's "Becoming Joe DiMaggio" reminds us what the man meant in his glory days.DiMaggio is worshipped from afar in this verse novel that is more about the love of a grandfather and his grandson than it is about playing centerfield for the New York Yankees.In the summer of 1936 DiMaggio is a rookie centerfielder for the Yankees "whose name sounds like music" and Papa-Angelo has a new grandson.The boy should be named for his father, but the man is a thug and at the baby's baptism it is Papa-Angelo that whispers "Joseph Paul" into mama's ear.From his immigrant grandfather young Joseph Paul learns abut the game of baseball and the importance of having a dream.At one point the young boy announces he wants to Joe DiMaggio when he grows up."That's wonderful," Papa-Angelo says, "but somebody else already is."..."Becoming Joe DiMaggio" is told in a series of vignettes, each with a simple elegance that belies the fact this is poetry.The illustrations by Scott Hunt have a softness to them this well suits these stories of memory.Unfortunately, the children of today probably do not understand who Joe DiMaggio was for an entire nation, especially those with an Italian heritage, and for all his many faults, there is not another sports figure today who captures the imagination the way Joltin' Joe did.

A not-to-be-missed diamond
With a spare, beautiful text, Testa creates poignant characters and a passionate story. Every word counts here. "Becoming Joe DiMaggio" is a story for all generations. This book would be a lovely, thoughtful gift for all ages. ... Read more

Book Description

George and the man with the yellow hat are going camping! George tries to be helpful, but after he upsets a neighboring camper, he is chased into the woods and gets lost. Before long, an encounter with a cute forest creature throws George into a chain of outrageous events that allows him to find a way to be helpful after all. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

4 ½ Georgie Dans Le Forest
When the now iconic Man in the Big Yellow Hat warns Curious George,"now don't wander off and get into trouble," we know exactly what's about to happen instead (especially since he had already rushed off). Despite his good intentions, George adventures turn into misadventures: Dousing someone's campfire, getting lost with a galloping deer, and being sprayed by a skunk that George thought was a cat. As usual in these series (story by Margret Rey, with illustrations by a team in the style of the late H.A. Rey), George's curiosity also leads to some monkey heroics. He also learns how to get rid of skunk smell (a vat of tomato juice).

Given its forest setting, this is a somewhat quieter 'George book,' but there are soft forest and animal drawings and enough action for the small ones. Curious George is now "a registered trademark of the Houghton Mifflin," but the company encourages young readers to look for the 'original adventures about Curious George' by the Reys. 24 pages, with pencil and watercolor illustrations on each one.

Curious George Goes Camping
All six of my children have loved Curious George books and I have to read them to them until they have memorized them. In this book George get in to mischief as usual but all ends up well in the end, of course. ... Read more

Book Description

When James is finally allowed to play basketball on the main court with the older boys, he has to prove he can hold his own. It's Skins against Shirts, and James is guarding Marcus, the biggest Shirt of them all. Marcus is all muscle, but James has skill and determination on his side. In the end, there's much more than the game point riding on James's last shot. John Coy's energetic prose captures the intensity and emotion of the competition, while Leslie Jean-Bart's photo collages convey the gritty pace of the game. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Count it!
John Coy's ``Strong to the Hoop'' is exactly that -- a book that drives hard and scores with a story of playground hopes, doubts and triumphs, combined with vibrant photo-based visuals.It's the story of James, an undersized kid who suddenly finds himself called to play ball with theneighborhood big boys. By the time the teams reach game point, James haslearned a lot about the game and himself, and while his triumph may besmall it is also inspiring.``Strong to the Hoop'' is also alive withsounds that get the reader in the game -- a bouncing ball in the opening,the heavy breathing and terse ``woofing'' between players on the court,even the ripping of a shirt.And though it involves boys, it's not onlyfor boys. Girls now have plenty of sports opportunities, and know well thechallenges of the game (not to mention the countless opportunities todiscover new strengths and prove oneself among the big kids).``Strong tothe Hoop'' will appeal to boys and girls who enjoy the the test.

Adisclaimer, sort of: I know John Coy personally but if you have any doubtthat his work is terrific check out ''Night Driving'' -- and the NY Timesreviews of it. It's not just me. ... Read more

Book Description

Henry and his 180-pound dog Mudge are best friends forever. And in this sixth book of their adventures, they share a fun-filled day at the beach. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Henry and Mudge and the Forever Sea
I picked this book out at our local library for my two year old daughter because she loves dogs and the beach. It turned out to be such a big hit that I am buying it! She of course can't read, but enjoyed the story and pictures very much. She loves Mudges playfullness and had just been to the beach recently so she could relate to Henry and his father playing in the water. The length of the story is just right also for her. It's a wonderful book and we are buying two more from the series besides this one! ... Read more

Book Description

In "Choose Your Course" NBA All-Star veteran Vince Carter shares his true life stories.From a music-filled childhood to winning an Olympic gold medal, Vince emphasizes the importance of knowing where you are going and working to get there.

Vince’s life highlights balance and diversity.He’s played many sports — soccer, football, tennis, basketball, volleyball, and track. He’s also pursued interests beyond sports — leading his high school marching band, graduating from college while playing in the NBA, and starting the Embassy of Hope Foundation. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

great great book
yo vince this is mike boutros from North Arlington New Jersey i am your bigggggggest fan i purchest every shoes you put out every magazine you been on the cover of and i have two of your jerseys yo man the book was fantastick i am also a drum-major in highschool this year i also played the same sports like you did because i want to grow up and be just like you man you are my idole i love what you are doing to the community i purchest your book the day it came out i wish i was at the NBA store when you were there i visit your website all the time anyway e-mail me when got the chance ps. congragulations on you book later vince aka the greatest player in the nba peace ... Read more

Reviews (2)

not one word is written!
this picture story book has not one written word but it is a tale of a wonderful victorian picnic. beautifully illustrated with little short pages which change the scene. This is a rare and wonderfully done book. Exciting adventurous and with a happy ending. this is a five star book

A captivating surprise!
This captivating, suspenseful, wordless story is a thrill to read.Our children sit on the "edge of their seats" as the kitten family encounters one surprise after another. They love to turn the"half" pages and participate in the telling of the story. Anenchanting and fun adventure. ... Read more

Book Description

I was tired of reading teddy-bear books, and books about cute animals. There's nothing wrong with those types of books. I just wanted something a little more adventurous, and exciting. Every child likes motorcycles. Every child can relate to some kind of racing situation. Who gets some place first becomes a natural aspect of childhood. I was road-racing motorcycles, and I always saw families with children at the track. I wanted a motorcycle-racing story to read to my kids, but there were none to be found. So I wrote one. I met Jim Serfass while racing, and I knew he could translate the story into the perfect character. His artwork surpassed anything I had envisioned, and really brought the story to life. This book is true to racing and fun for children, and adults of all ages. I think you'll find there is no other picture book on the market today that is quite like this one. I hope you'll enjoy it as much as we have. There may be more to come... ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Good stuff
Matt Christopher is one of the best baseball writers for young readers out there. This is another notch in his belt. Pick this up.

great moments
I found this book to be very good. Its reading level is 9th grade or so but that didnt stop this 41 year old from enjoying it. The book talks about 9 great moments in baseball and shares a few interesting perspectives on the game. Every fan should know of these charming and touching moments. If you love the game check it out.

Nine great baseball moments from Wambsganss to Abbott
Matt Christopher's "Great Moments in Baseball History" is an interesting collection of nine stories stretching from Bill Wambsganss unassisted triple-play in the 1920 World Series to Jim Abbott's no-hitter in 1993. In between young readers will learn of the day Babe Ruth hit his final three homeruns, Joe Nuxhall making his major league debut four days after D-Day at the age of 15, the catch Willie Mays made off of Vic Wertz in the 1954 World Series, Ted Williams hitting a home run in his final at bat, Reggie Jackson's three home runs on three swings in the 1977 World Series, Dave Drevecky coming back from bone cancer to pitch again in the majors, and Kirk Gibson's pinch-hit home run in the 1988 World Series.

This is a rather diverse collection of great moments, four of them coming in the Fall Classic and three representing the final great moment of a player's career (as Dravecky's ironically turned out to be; there is an additional irony given the epilogue to Dravecky's story and the fact the final story here is about Jim Abbott). Certainly young readers will want to identify with being a big league picture while still basically a kid when they read about Joe Nuxhall. If there is any sort of theme to these nine stories it would be that, as a general rule, then tend towards the inspirational, with several of the players overcoming physical limitations such as being old (Ruth and Williams), having bad legs (Gibson), having a bad arm (Dravecky), or having only one hand (Abbott).

These are certainly baseball stories that young fans should know about, because they are part of the game's lore, which is one of baseball's greatest aspects. If young fans have never heard of Bill Wambsganss or Joe Nuxhall, or do not remember Dave Dravecky or Kirk Gibson, then this book will fill in the gaps in their baseball education. For me the best stories in the book are those that focus on a specific play, such as when Christopher explains everything Wambsganss was thinking before he made his unassisted triple play, everything pretty much everybody in the Polo Grounds was doing when Mays started running after that ball, or the details of Gibson's one time at bat in the 1988 World Series. After all, we know the bare facts of what each player accomplished, but it is the details that make the story come alive.

Finally, I want to note something interesting about the front cover of this book, which has Glenn Harrington's illustrations of the nine baseball players whose stories are related in this book. Both Reggie Jackson and Jim Abbott are depicted as California Angels although both of their great moments are from when they were playing for the New York Yankees. Meanwhile, Babe Ruth is shown as a Yankee although he hit his last three home runs for the Boston Braves. I am also pretty sure that Dave Dravecky is shown with an "SD" on his hat for San Diego instead of "SF" for the team he was playing with at the end of his career, the San Francisco Giants, but I could be wrong. I certainly have been before.

A must read for young ball players
My boys (9 and 14) have read many of Matt Christopher's books. All are good, some are great treats. I gave a copy of "The Kid Who Only Hit Homers" to each boy on my baseball team last year. They loved it! This year I am giving each player a copy of Christopher's "Great Moments." I read this collection of great moments (an unassisted triple play in the World Series for example) to my boys and enjoyed every page. We re-read some of the stories they were so much fun. This is a must read for all young/new baseball fans. ... Read more

Book Description

Surfing is back and bigger than ever, with girls now hitting the waves in unprecedentednumbers. Girls who just wanna be cool know that surfing is the way to do it--while having fun and getting into great shape at the same time. But becoming a surfer isn’t just figuring out how to stand up on a board; it’s how to walk the walk and talk the talk, how not to flop out of your top, and knowing how to deal with one of the biggest hazards of the sea--boys in the water. It’s also about learning patience, discipline, focus, and perseverance.

Jam-packed with full-color photos, dynamic graphics, comics, and instructional art, surfer girl Sanoe Lake’s comprehensive guide not only teaches style, skills, and safety--it empowers readers with all of the sassy wit and attitude that made Sanoe a favorite character in the cult flick Blue Crush. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

the bbbbboooook!
I thought the the book was great! Tiger is a great athlete and has a great attitude!The way dat matt writes da book makes it cool. I think u should read it!

On the course with tiger woods
I thought that the book was great!I think that Tiger is a great athlet and has a great attidude. I think the way Matt Christopher puts the book makes it easy for kids to read. I think you should read the book because it it phat!

The book tells you about his life and things that happened.
Tiger is a very fast learner. He even learned when he was 8 months old. He went to many tournaments. His father was even in the Vietnam war. I liked this book because it tells about his cool life. ... Read more

Book Description

And the Winner Is... is about a young basketball player who learns the importance of winning and losing gracefully.By exploring themes of good sportsmanship, humility, and belief in onself, LL Cool J's story reveals the invaluable lessons that apply both on and off the court. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

It Doesn¿t Matter If You Win or Lose
In this book, rapper/actor LL Cool J stresses the importance of good sportsmanship. The book shows a series of handsome, yet funny cartoon caricatures of LL Cool J being egotistical when winning and being down and depressed when he loses. He then tells the moral; regardless of whether you win or lose, having the right attitude makes you a winner every time. The books comes with a compact disc that has LL Cool J rapping the words of the story and encouraging kids to never give up.

This is an excellent book that I would highly recommend for children. It uses a popular entertainer to present a very valuable lesson. Kids will enjoy the compact disc that allows younger readers to follow the story while older readers will enjoy the opportunity to read/rap along.

Reviewed by Latoya Carter-Qawiyy
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

It Doesn't Matter If You Win or Lose
In this book, rapper/actor LL Cool J stresses the importance of good sportsmanship. The book shows a series of handsome, yet funny cartoon caricatures of LL Cool J being egotistical when winning and being down and depressed when he loses. He then tells the moral; regardless of whether you win or lose, having the right attitude makes you a winner every time. The books comes with a compact disc that has LL Cool J rapping the words of the story and encouraging kids to never give up.

This is an excellent book that I would highly recommend for children. It uses a popular entertainer to present a very valuable lesson. Kids will enjoy the compact disc that allows younger readers to follow the story while older readers will enjoy the opportunity to read/rap along.

Reviewed by Latoya Carter-Qawiyy
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

who are you kidding???
I cannot believe this book is being marketed to 9-12 year olds! There are like 5 words on each page! I showed it to my 11 year old son when I bought it and he laughed...my six year old wanted the book AND the CD. If you want it for a little kid, fine, but don't think it's for a 9-12 year old.

Excellent!
Buy This One and "Think Again" by Doug E. Fresh!

Sportsmanship
Good to see a rapper promoting sportsmanship as a winner or as a loser. I'm a teacher and I opened the school year with this book because the message is such a positive one. I also like it because the boys in my class (3rd grade) pick it up and read it and play the CD. It goes well with "Think Again" book. ... Read more

Book Description

Follow the red canoe from page to page as it journeys down river carrying the family on a camping tour. It's the next best thing to paddling it yourself.

Reviews (1)

Excellent book for primary age kids while studying rivers.
We used this book as a spring board for an environmental unit. We planned mapping, canoe safety, first aide safety, camping and landforms. We also planned a field trip to a local park with a creek and set up stations that involved the different aspects of the book. We used newspaper ads and had the children decide what would be needed for a canoe trip and tied it in with math, teaching money. This was a great book. ... Read more

Book Description

This title is appearing for the first time in the popular new lift-the- flap board book format. Complete with color covers and a new, lowerprice, this is the perfect format for these classic books. ... Read more

Book Description

In a powerful book set in post-World War II Oregon, sixth graders from rival towns prepare for the 50th annual softball game. Two of the players - a Japanese American who spent the war in an internment camp and a girl whose father was killed at Pearl Harbor - collide with tragic results on the day of the big game. ... Read more

Reviews (28)

Bat 6
Bat 6 is told from the point of view of two softball teams from two neighboring towns that play a championship game every year. In 1949 each team had a new player. Aki, who just returned from the internment camps, joined one team, and Shazam, whose father was killed at Pearl Harbor, joined the other. Shazam blamed Aki for killing her father because she was Japanese. At the championship softball game, the hatred came out and a horrific event happened. This book is a very creative story that I liked very much but the pace was a little too slow for my taste. The author also skipped around too much as she went from one girl's view to another's. I would recommend this book to children of ages 10-13 because of the language and the complex story.

21 Very Different Girls
Bat 6 is an annual softball game played by two teams from small towns in Oregon. The Bat 6 game has been going on since 1899, and all of the girls are determined to win this year's Bat 6 game. The two teams names are Barlow Creek and Bear Creek Ridge. Bear Creek Ridge has won more games than Barlow, and that makes the girls on Barlow even more determined to win this year.
The author chose a very complex way of writing this book. In some parts of the book, you can barely understand what she is trying to say. The narrator changes a lot and that's what makes it even more confusing. I like what she chose to do because you get to hear thoughts from different characters about what is going on in the book. Various characters help tell this amazing, complex story. This book gives a lot of detail and makes you think a lot. It is good for kids eight and older because it might be hard for little children to understand, but I would definitely recommend reading this book.
All the girls on each team are different, just like me and you. There is one girl in particular. This girl's name is Shazam. Her father was killed in World War Two, during the Pearl Harbor attack. She hates all Japanese people now. She thinks all of them are evil and they are out to get her. Shazam joins the Barlow team and definitely stands out from the other players.
Bear Creek Ridge gets a new player too. Her name is Aki and she's Japanese. She can throw left and right and can hit very well. She becomes one of the best players on the team, but the other girls don't mind. They are all kind to one another and they are open to all people.
The Bat 6 game comes so soon. This is the day all of the girls have been waiting for all of their lives. The game is going well; the teams are both doing very well. Everyone is nervous. Towards the end of the game, something happens that will change the girls' lives forever and will go down in Bat 6 history. Something that no one is expecting. A terrible event, maybe the worst the girls had ever seen, something that damaged a person for a long time, maybe even for life.

Complex and Exciting
An extraordinarily complex story of two girls baseball teams with a terrific plot that any girl should have the pleasure to read. The characters are easy to get to know and extremely realistic, each one with a different personality. Virginia E. Wolff makes characters that can be slightly arrogant yet at the same time your best friend. Chapters had great cliff-hangers and will keep you reading up to the end.

Good, but confusing
Bat 6 is the name of an annual 6th grade girls' softball game between two neighboring Oregon towns. It was started in 1899 by the women of the two towns in an effort to get the menfolk of each town talking to each other.

As this book opens, it is the beginning of the 1949 season, and girls on both teams are preparing for the big 50th annual game. New on the Bear Creek Ridge team is Aki, a Japanese-American girl whose family has just returned from the concentration camp where they lived during WWII. New to the Barlow team is Shazam, who lost her father when Pearl Harbor was bombed in 1941. The very first line of the book, "Now that it's over, we are telling," sets up the expectation of something catastrophic happening and that tension is well maintained throughout the book as the girls on each team share bits and pieces of what happened at the Big Game.

Bat 6 was a worthwhile read exploring themes of racial tension, rivalry, and the effect of war on the mind of a child. However, it was difficult going. In spite of chapter headings it was hard to keep track of who was narrating and what team they were on. In fact it took me four chapters just to realize that these girls were on different teams, so I had to backtrack in my reading and pay more attention to chapter headings. A table is provided at the beginning of the book which lists each girl on each team, but to have to flip back and refer to it every time the narrator's voice changes interrupts the reading experience and makes a book like this work rather than fun.

This may be a good read-aloud, but it would be an unusual 9-12 year old who would be able to keep track of the story.

Bat Six
This book is a tense conflict of emotions after world war two. Its extremely real characters and prejudices fit in perfectly with the time and setting. The thoughtful Aki contrasts with the tempermental, troubled, Shazam, and the incident at Bat Six is strongly foreshadowed but shocking even so.
This is a great book!!! ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (1)

A Wonderful Book.
A wonderful book. It gave sooo much information. Parents will love it. I feel the author tried to tell us something. I think he wants us to keep trying to accomplish our goals and not be bothered by what other people say. ... Read more

Book Description

Recipient of the 1999 International Reading Association's "Children's Book Award."

Named an American Library Association "Best Book for Young Adults."

Named a 1999 "Blue Ribbon Book" by The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Choosing Up Sides
The book I read was called Choosing Up Sides. I thought the book was very good. I really liked the book because I play softball and it was about a boy who was a really good pitcher, but his dad wouldn't let him play. There were a few things I didn't like about the book though. One thing I didn't like was the dad in the story. He had too many rules and he was mean to Luke. I also didn't think it was right to change Luke from bing a natural left hander to a right hander. The main thing I didn't like was the way his dad would beat his right hand if he used it. But other then that it was a great book.

For anyone who has struggled to fit in
"Choosing up Sides" is a young adult book for everyone, of every age. The universal need to be one's self, and to be accepted for it, lies at the heart of this story and is sensitively handled by the author. Ritter has numerus opportunities to take the easy way out, and passes each by, opting instead for the more complex, thoughtful and realistic turn of events. I am not a young adult, nor am I left-handed, but I am a human being, which I believe is the only criteria necessary to enjoy this book. I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.

Out Of The Park Review!
John Ritter hits a homerun with this novel. In a story for all ages Ritter brings to life young Luke Bledsoe, a 14 year old boy with his eyes on a pretty girl in his class, his right hand on a Bible held by his father, and his left hand on a baseball.
Sports can teach us many lessons in life. Through baseball, Ritter teaches his audience about the power of identity and influence.
At 14, Luke is at a stage in his life when his identity is beginning to be formed. Luke, and many others, start to discover things about himself that he didn't previously consider. The most important of these discoveries is that his dad's interpretation of the Bible didn't seem logical or consistent with Luke's interpretation. Luke struggles throughout the story with choosing sides: his father and mother or his uncle and girlfriend. Luke's final decision is not so much who he stands with as much as what he stands for. Despite his bold stance and his willingness to do what is right Luke suffers tragedy and looses the alliance that he has with one side after an ironic and intense ending.

Left hand VS. the world
Book review

by --John Ritter
reviewed by Burhan Jama

Choosing up sides

Living a life that your parents choose for you what ever they wanted, is how most teenagers live. The book Choosing Up Sides is talking about what is like to be living under the order of parent. It may be you or someone you know, so let us share for a moment what is like to be under siege of a strict parent.
Luke Bledsoe, a 14 years old, left handed, is a son of a preacher Mr. Bledsoe that says left hand is hand of devil. Luke's discovery of that people admired how sharply he could pitch is coming to and end after his father said that, base ball field is devil's playground. Luke's left handed uncle is helping him to discover what his father hid from him;that being left handed is not crime.
Under siege or under control of a religious parent that oppose your ideas to explore you own world and find your dreams who only wants you to flow the old testament is one of the biggest misfortunes that could happen to anyone, as it happen to Luke, the only thing that his father wants him to do is read and memorize the Bible and forget the civilized world. For Luke that seems is not working for him.
The world is changing and new things are being invented every day; people understand how to make life easier and parental control seems to be coming to a limit, there a time in every teenager's life that their parents dictate the power to control them, and there is a time that teens can control them selves.
The message of the book is for those who never under gone this kind of life, to hear and feel the pain that some kids live under their parents and help them to overcome their guilty of choosing up sides---choosing their own way of life.

Baseball lovers got to see
This book is a great choice for baseball lovers. It's about a boy that wants to play baseball but sports are forbidden in his religion. He lives in a town where everybody is crazy about baseball. His father is a preacher and has many horrible rules.One example of a rule is that the boy is a natural lefy but must use his right hand for everything! According to his father the left hnd is the hand of the devil. "Choosing Up Sides" is a great book! ... Read more

Book Description

Take an exhilarating trip into the exciting world of racing vehicles. Admire the fastest race car in the world. Imagine yourself riding on a superbike -- how fast could you go? Find out how much the most expensive race car in the world costs. ... Read more

Book Description

At last, a board book edition of this beloved preschool story.

One sunny day Mr. Gumpy decides to take a ride in his small boat. It's a perfect idea for a lovely summer day, and soon he is joined by children, a rabbit, a cat, a pig, and a host of other friends. But when the goat kicks, the chickens flap, the dog teases the cat and the children squabble -- the boat tips into the water and everyone tumbles out. No one minds getting wet on such a nice day, though, especially since Mr. Gumpy invites everyone to his house for tea.

A colorful new design and sturdy board book format bring this beloved classic to a whole new audience of children.
... Read more

Reviews (4)

Pip pip!
This book falls firmly into a very specific genre of picture book literature. The old, if-one-more-person-gets-into-this-boat/mitten/car/etc.-bad-things-will-happen genre. Jan Brett's "The Mitten" does it. The more recent "One Dog Canoe" does it. But one of the first stories to have done it (and have a moral to boot) is the 1970 story "Mr. Gumpy's Outing".

Mr. Gumpy (who is not grumpy in the least) lives on the banks of a river, and owns a boat. As he goes for a boat ride, two children ask to come along. Mr. Gumpy gives them instructions on what not to do, and they join him. Next a bunny comes along. Mr. Gumpy tells it what not to do, and it joins him. As Mr. Gumpy poles his boat down the river, more and more animals join the party, each receiving a stipulation from Mr. Gumpy on what behavior is appropriate. After the boat fills, the animals suddenly ignore Mr. Gumpy's requests and begin to misbehave. As a result, they all topple headlong into the river, retiring to Gumpy's for tea.

Originally published in England (and if Mr. Gumpy isn't THE most English picture book gentleman you've seen outside of Paddington Bear himself, I'll eat my hat) the story is incredibly civilized. There's nothing like seeing a sheep delicately sipping from a straw to drill home the essential manners and protocols essential to everyday interactions. The illustrations are especially nice. Mr. Gumpy never looks particularly upset or angry by anything that happens to him. As he poles his boat a black and white pen and ink drawing on the left pages shows the boat and it's inhabitants. On the right page is a colorful drawing of the animal(s) asking to be allowed to join. The book, despite the whole falling into the water bit, is calm and peaceful. Just the kind of fun story you'd expect to be read on a cold rainy day. Highly recommended (especially with crumpets and bit of toast with marmalade).

My son's favorite is "everything."
This is a thoroughly delightful book. The simple story engages small children, and the illustrations are first-rate. I have read this book countless times to my two pre-schoolers, and have enjoyed the experience very much. This book is an excellent way to get children interested in books. Finally, I recommend the hardback over the paperback because of the higher quality of the illustrations in the hardback.

A Fine Book About a Fine Day
One fine day, Mr. Gumpy goes punting. One by one, he takes on various passengers who PROMISE to behave, BUT... It is easy to forsee the outcome when a girl, a boy, a cat, a dog, a pig, a sheep, chickens, and assorted others all climb aboard. Told in lilting, repetitive passages that small children often adore, all ends as happily as one can expect on such a balmy afternoon, and with such an amiable host as is Mr. Gumpy. It comes as no surprise that MR GUMPY`S OUTING is a recipient of the Kate Greenaway medal, with the way John Burmingham`s illustrations pleasantly evoke the gentleness of the lazy summer`s day.

Toddlers love the sequencing and the pictures
As the mother of nine children I can assure you that Mr. Gumpy's Outing has prize winning appeal. It was often the first book our children asked for by name. Toddlers love the sequencing of the animals entering the boat. The illustrations are equally fascinating to them. I remember one of my little ones asking me in their tiny voice, "What does squabble mean, Mommy?" Even some early lessons on behavior can be gleaned from this timeless toddler favorite. It should be well worn and resting on every child's bookshelf. ... Read more