Book Description

This is the inspiring true story of the John J. Harvey-a retired New York City fireboat reinstated on September 11, 2001. Originally launched in 1931, the Harvey was the most powerful fireboat of her time. After the September 11 attacks, with fire hydrants at Ground Zero inoperable and the Hudson River's water supply critical to fighting the blaze, the fire department called on the Harvey for help. There were adjustments-forcing water into hoses by jamming soda bottles and wood into nozzles with a sledgehammer-and then the fireboat's volunteer crew pumped much-needed water to the disaster site. The John J. Harvey proved she was still one of New York's Bravest!

Maira Kalman brings a New York City icon to life, celebrating the energy, vitality and hope of a place and its people. ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Terrific Book - No Excuses!
I guess I'm somewhat taken aback by some of the reviewers who apparently read the book to their children, or got partway through it, without having looked it over themselves first. Sorry, that's just irresponsible. The book is a fabulous treatment of a terrible subject that your children ARE aware of, and this helps explain how ordinary people became heroes that awful day.

My 6-year old first fell in love with this book when he was 4, and he knows enough about 9/11 to know it was a horrible event. His dad (me) was next door to the WTC that morning, so he and his brother lived through waiting to hear from me with his mom.

The book is sensitive and touching. It's a great book and I highly recommend it. If you think your child might have a problem with ANY book, you should always read it yourself first.

Surprised, but pleased
I picked this book up at the library without looking through it. I intended it for my 3 year old son. I was as surprised as another reviewer that it was about September 11th. However, once I realized it, I read it privately and showed it to my husband. He and I both agreed that it was a beautiful book that dealt with a enormous, important event sensitively. I decided to buy it for our own collection. The illustrations are very colorful, and the text simple. My son loves the book. Clearly, he doesn't understand the whole story. But I remember holding my son tightly on that day and think this story memorializes the day and the heroes of the John. J. Harvey well. I recommend it.

Can't read this without sobbing
A beautiful book about how the tradgedy of 9/11 brought out the best in New Yorkers. Of course we want to shelter our young children from awful events like this, but if they are elementary school age, they will hear about 9/11. Better to discuss it with them in a sensitive way. I have read this to my 6 year old about 5 times. I sob every time. Guess I'm teaching empathy.

This book is highly recommended
This book is highly recommended for all to read, especially for young children. 9/11 happened, and while it might be all well and good to shelter your children from the events of that day, there are 10,000 children without a mom or dad that cannot be. So, be a responsible adult and screen everything but, do not lose an opportunity to educate your children no matter what their age. And, teach them about giving back to others, not about the terrors involved. You'd be surprised.

Wonderful!
This book handles the events of 9/11 in a wonderful way. The pictures are very tasteful. After seeing all the horrific images on the tv, the children will not be frighten by these pictures. This is a very well written book. Parents should always read a book before reading it to their child. Although I can't imagine why this book would be offensive. ... Read more

Book Description

Rob Bolster's vivid illustrations will send you soaring through the skies in this dynamic celebration of flight. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Poor quality
The content of the book is good and my 2-year-old son enjoyed the book a lot. Unfortunately the paper is of low strength and is not up to the hard use that young users can dish out.

Absolutely Stunning Illustrations!
My two-year-old son absolutely adores this book, even though the writing is directed at children above his age. He wants to go through the alphabet over and over with me (and yes, there are airplanes for every letter, including the Xandu and the Yak), stopping at his favorites. No jet aircraft are included in this book, with the possible exception of the Osprey, which the text admits is an unusual inclusion in the book; however, both military and civilian propeller-driven airplanes are included.

The text, as I mentioned, is clearly aimed at children older than two. I am very pleased with the text; it is clear and simple but it doesn't talk down to young readers. It gives interesting tidbits of information about the various aircraft and explains the basics of how airplanes fly.

Although each letter is prominantly featured in both upper and lower case, the focus of the book is really not the alphabet. The alphabet forms a backdrop and theme for the gorgeous illustrations of airplanes. The realism and minute detail make this a book older children, who already know the alphabet, would like to possess. In fact, I know quite a few adult aviation fans who would love to receive this as a holiday gift! My son easily spends a half an hour to forty-five minutes just looking at the pictures--a VERY high compliment from any two-year-old.

I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves airplanes. It would not be my first choice for teaching my son the alphabet, but he is certainly learning to love books and to love airplanes!

Not for young children learning the alphabet
Mr. Palotta has written a beautiful book. However, it is truly not for young children just learning the alphabet, and would be better appreciated by 8+ year-olds. Also note that contrary to the title, military aircraft are featured. This is not a book that explains the parts of the airplane or instruments. A good choice for one with an interest in military aviation, whose parent knows military planes very well. Not for an airline pilot's kid. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (4)

Re-readable
I've a 2.5 year old son who is fascinated by machines and wheels.

I am not, and find most of his favourite books on these subjects rather tiresome.

However, this book is fun: its catchy rhyme and rhythm, and its quirky but somehow interesting and realistic pictures entertain me as well as him. He revels in the masculine, repetitive onomatopoeias which are fun to read out loud.

My 3 Years Old Loves & Even Memorizes this Book!
Our 3 years old son received it as a gift. It is one of his favorite books. He read it every night twice for the first two months he got the book. My husband and I enjoy reading it as well (which is a plus). The colors are bold and bright. Each page is dedicated to one type of vehicle. Each vehicle has its own rhyme and all the rhymes follow similar structures. It is easy for the kids to read them back to you after listening. Our 3 years old loves to hear himself reciting lines from this book. I will strongly recommend this for any 3-4 years old who is particular into trucks and cars.

Oh, how my son LOVES this book!
My boy was only slightly interested in machinery until we got this book. Now he's pointing out Garbage Trucks, Fire Engines, Diggers, and Road Rollers everywhere we go, and giving the corresponding cheer "gobble, gobble; race, race, racing; dig, dig, digging; roll, roll, rolling."

This book has a musical rhythm that makes it fun to read, and the illustrations are gorgeous.

A winner with any machine-obsessed toddler
My two year old son adores this book and it's a lot of fun reading it aloud to him. Each page describes a piece of equipment - eg diggers, helicopters, rubbish trucks, cranes, bulldozers - and how hard they are working ALL DAY LONG. The language is really descriptive and captures the noises that the machines make. The words on each page have been laid out to reinforce the job that the machines do too. The illustrations are bright and appealing. This book is a definite winner with any child who likes noisy machines (and what toddler doesn't?!). ... Read more

Book Description

Here come the trucks: fire engines and dump trucks, big rigs and tow trucks all roar into action. In his first pop-up book since his bestselling Dinosaur Stomp four years ago, Paul Stickland brings together terrific paper-engineering skills with an uncanny knack of infusing realistically-detailed vehicles with charm and humor.

The simple chant-along text-the hallmark of the Sticklands' DINOSAUR ROAR-makes this a fabulous read-aloud must for all young truckers. The sturdy pop-ups are self-activating: an ideal book even for younger readers who will want to peer under the shiny hood of the semi or watch an overheated engine explode in smoke. From the holographic chrome foil on the cover right down to the last dent on a bumper, TRUCK JAM packs unadulterated fun. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

great book but not well made
my daughter loves this pop up book, but two different pages broke on the very first try. they are not easy to glue and tape back down either.

Amazing book!
This is my son's favorite book. Coaxing him to bed with the promise of reading "Truck Jam" makes a parent's job easy! He loves the big bold pictures that jump out in full detail. We usually read the book 2-3 times in a row. It's just long enough to be the perfect bed-time activity. Love it!

Big fun!
This is my son's favorite "comfort book". I bought it for him when he was 3 years old, and now, a year later, I'm having to buy another one--the first one has been loved to shreds. The fact that it took a year is evidence of the wonderful durability of the pop-up images! The pop-up images are both BIG and colorful, and the simple rhymes are quickly learned by heart. My son absolutely loves this book, and will "read" it to himself over and over (when he's not demanding that I read it to him!).

A Fun Book!!
My husband and I purchased this book for our nephew this last Christmas. Since he received it he won't stop asking his mom to read it to him.
The pictures in this book are so cool and fun! I may actually buy this for my other nephew for his birthday in March.

great for young boys!
my son spotted this book and wouldnt put it down! i would recommend it for anyone who knows a little boy (or girl) who is into cars and trucks. the pop ups are large, colorful, and fabulous. im going to collect the other books by the same author. ... Read more

Book Description

Trailer trucks, tow trucks,
trucks that sweep the street.
Trucks that crawl, trucks that roll,
trucks that mix concrete.

Reviews (3)

Great Book
As a preschool teacher, I have an extensive collection of children's books. My 18 month old, pulled this one from the bookshelf and has not let it out of his sight since. I have actually just ordered a third copy, the first two are pretty worn already.

Perfect "starter book" for little truck lovers!
This book is a wonderful first truck book for little truck fans! My son's first word was truck. I bought this book when he was 18-months old. He is 3 1/2 now and still never tires of listening to the rhyming text and looking at the endearing pictures! It's great for Mommy, too, because it's so easy to read when you're tired, unlike a lot of the truck books that label the parts and have too much information for little ones. We also enjoy "I Love Trains!" by the same author.

Great book for little truck lovers!
My 18 month old absolutely adores this book. He is fascinated with "real-life" trucks and this book explains in a very easy manner all the different types of trucks he sees everyday--mommys and daddys may even learn something! The narrative is short and sweet which is a must with this age group. And the pictures are fun and colorful. Definitely recommended reading for any little truck lover out there. ... Read more

Amazon.com

One sunny day on Merryhill Farm, all the trucks are busily toiling,including Trundle the Tractor and Bee-Bee the Backhoe. All, that is, except forone rusty old forgotten fellow: Dumpy the Dump Truck. Relegated to the weedsbehind the barn, Dumpy has been gathering dust and mouse nests for a long time.And it looks like the end is near when Farmer Barnes decides it's time for theold barn to come down, and Dumpy to be, well, dumped. "But I love Dumpy," saysCharlie, the farmer's son. "It's so sad to get rid of something you love just tomake room for something new." His grandfather, Pop-Up, agrees, and before theyknow it, the two are up to their ears in grease, paint, and tools. But can theyfinish sprucing up Dumpy before the barn has to come down?

Dumpy the Dump Truck is the first in a series about the trucks andtractors of Merryhill Farm by Julie Andrews Edwards (author of The Last of the Really GreatWhangdoodles and LittleBo: The Story of Bonnie Boadicea , and beloved star of MaryPoppins and The Sound of Music) and Emma Walton Hamilton. Loyalty,teamwork, and an ever-so-subtle message about the value of the elderly are atthe heart of this book. After all, Pop-Up isn't ready to be dumped yet either!Tony Walton's watercolors are filled with friendly-featured vehicles andpleasantly scratchy-looking farm animals and humans. If you like Dumpy, don't miss Dumpy at School! (Ages 4 to 7) --EmilieCoulter ... Read more

Reviews (5)

I have grown to HATE this book!!!
I have read this book at least once a day for the past year. I HATE IT! My son loves it. He is 2.5 now, but dumpy was one of his first vocab words. This is not a modern book, but a slow paced family oriented view of life as it was/ought to be. Be prepared to be animated and read with lots of noises. The whole collection is full of them. Thanks to these books, my son can tell the difference between a backhoe and a bulldozer and a rooster and a chicken.

Refreshing alternative to glitzy materialism and violence
Dumpy and its sequels tell the story of a seemingly abandoned truck that is discovered, refurbished, and given a new life. It is such a delightful parable about objects discarded in haste and a metaphor for what people may do to each other. The story is the begining of a collaboration between actress/singer Julie Andrews Edwards and daughter Emma Kate Walton Hamilton. Emma Kate's father, Tony Walton, is the ilustrator.

I trust this will be the beginning of a long collaborative effort.

A Sweet, Gentle Story
As the story begins, everyone is hard at work on Merryhill Farm...Bee-Bee the Backhoe, Trundle the Tractor. Everyone, that is except Dumpy. He's old, rusty and broken and stuck in the tall grass behind the barn. There are birds and mice living in the stuffing of his leather seats and it looks like his work days at Merryhill Farm are over. Farmer Barnes is planning on having him towed away to make room for a new and bigger barn and this makes his son, Charlie sad. "It's so sad to get rid of something you love just to make room for something new." His grandfather, Pop-Up agrees and they hatch a plan to save Dumpy. First they pull him out of the tall weeds and clean him up. They scrub and polish, mend and paint, get him new tires and then go to work on the engine. And in no time, Dumpy's better than ever, looking good and back to work, helping to raise the new barn..... Julie Andrews and her daughter, Emma Hamilton have written a charming, endearing story about love, teamwork and purpose that will delight youngsters aged 3-7. Their gentle text, full of imagery and sound effects, is complimented by Tony Walton's colorful and expressive artwork and together, they have authored a story with the subtle message that big and new isn't always better. Dumpy the Dump Truck is the first in what should be a wonderful new series, that you little ones are sure to enjoy.

Dumpy the Dump Truck
This book tells a nice story with fun illustrations. Readers might also enjoy The Little Black Truck by Libba Moore Gray, which was written before Dumpy and tells a similar story with wonderful illustrations "that blanket rural life and the little black truck in an aura of affection.." Booklist

Apple Harbor is adorable!
This is a sweet children's story. It's charming, beautifullyillustrated, and seems destined for classic status; the fact that it is first in a series makes it even more appealing. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

this is a great book!
I've been looking for a book like this for my niece who has gotten bitten by the "disaster" bug ever since the movie "Titanic" came out. This is an excellent book for older children and young teens. The text really makes the whole Hindenburg tragedy come vividly to life. And the pictures are just "Wow!". I think Ken Marschall has done the illustrations for some other notable large-illustration books including ones on the Titanic, and he outdoes himself again on this book. The detail is superb. I'm highly recommending this book to my friends who are looking for Christmas gifts for their kids. I'm even going to buy a copy for my mom! :-) Books like this don't come any better. ... Read more

Book Description

Informative books plus sticker fun. Create your own picture book! This new addition to DK's best--selling Ultimate Stickers series focus on the exciting subject of Trains. Each sticker book contains more than 60 full--color stickers and a fact--packed 8--page booklet for special insight into the wonderful world of trains. ... Read more

Book Description

Fishing boats and ferryboats.
Sailboats and tugs.
Boats on the water.
Come aboard.

Reviews (7)

We love this book!!
I purchased this book in early June when my son, who was 16 months was just learning about boats. Having a difficult time finding age appropriate boat books for him, I decided on this one and haven't been disappointed. The pictures and drawings are very basic but we always seem to find lots of things to talk about. He loves this book and has created his own mannerisms for each page and picture. The size of the book is small like other board books and is perfect for little hands to hold and turn the pages. We have read this book some many times the binding is broken and the pages are getting worn. He refers to it as the boat book and just can't seem to get enough of it. I would highly recommend it for any child , you won't be disappointed. We are looking forward to trying some of his other books after the success we had with this one.

My Son's First Favorite
I started reading "Boats" to my son when he was just a few months old. He is now 11 months, and since he was 8-9 months, he has grabbed "Boats" preferentially each night. Even when he is in a bad mood, the bold colors and simple shapes make him light up with a big grin! The variety of boats introduced, the simple illustrations and the multiethnic nature of the stick figures make this book a great find. I believe this will be a favorite for a long time.

All aboard Barton's "Boats"
"Boats," by Byron Barton, is a good book for beginning readers. Like others by this author, the book combines simple text with illustrations in Barton's trademark style: bright, solid colors and simplified, almost iconic figures.

Barton depicts a rowboat, sailboat, fire department boat, ferry, cruise ship, and other vessels. The boats are actually shown in action. A nice touch is that the passengers and crew are people of different colors and ethnic appearances. Sample text: "There goes a fishing boat out to sea." A colorful and educational book.

Bright colors and big pictures
I suggest Amazon.com to reconsider their age rating for this book. Toddler to 3 years might be more approriate. This being said however, my toddler boy loves this book. He goes wild over the bright colors and big bright pictures. The great thing is that the book introduces one new boat per page while keeping the previous boat displayed in the background. This way the child is able to see what happens to the other boat while being introduced to a new one. The Text is easy and plain "here comes a rowing boat" style, leaving plenty of room to create ones own stories.
I recommend this book for small children.

An excellent introduction!
We bought this book for our 18-month old prior to taking him on a cruise. By the time we got to the port, he was familiar with tugboats, lighthouses, motorboats and the process of boarding a ship and saying "bon voyage." He carried it everywhere with him onboard, and proudly showed it to other passengers. We believe that it helped prepare him for the weeklong adventure! ... Read more

Book Description

Join the crew and find out how rockets, probes, telescopes, and space shuttles work! Discover the incredibly diverse challenges that can be met by modern satellites! This colorful book introduces young readers to the amazing variety of spaceships past, present, and ready to blast off into the future.Full color illustrations, clear captions, combined with a simple, descriptive text will help kids to discover the answers to tricky questions such as - What's in space? - What does it feel like to put on a space suit? - and provide a fascinating overview of life and work in the space environment, from the first steps on the moon, to life on a space station. This information-packed book makes an exciting gift and is an ideal reference for the young reader who wants to know more about spaceships and the work of humans beyond the Earth's atmosphere. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Lives up to its name
I picked this book out from the huge selection of children's books at the National Air & Space Museum. It has some informative text and lots of attractive pictures. One especially nice thing is that it doesn't just show what spaceships look like but how they work. For example, it shows (better than some other books I've seen) the steps in a shuttle launch or a trip to the moon (it helped me explain to the kids where the lunar module is in the Saturn V, and how the astronauts got into it), and even an astronaut putting on her space suit. For the 4-7 crowd, it's great. ... Read more

Amazon.com

A far-off sound, clanging bells, flashing signal lights, andrib-resonating warning whistles can only mean one thing. A train is coming! In Here Comes the Train, Charlotte Voake--creator of the award-winningGinger--brilliantly captures that delicious suspense in whimsical, color-splashed line drawings and enthusiastic text: "Louder and louder, nearer and nearer it comes! Sparks shoot out from its wheels! All the children wave like crazy. The engine driver waves back; he hoots his horn, Beep-BARP! The children hold their breath and... WHOOSH under the bridge it goes!" This charming, simple book about a family's trip to the local train tracks cheerily chugs to its final destination as young William whispers, "Here comes the train!" over and over to himself before he falls fast asleep. (Click here to see a sample spread from the book! Copyright © 1998 Charlotte Voake) (Great read-aloud, ages 3 to 6) --Karin Snelson ... Read more

Reviews (2)

What a great book!
I checked this book out at the library and both of my children love it! They are four and two. My two year old, when it is time to read books before bed, says, "Here comes train?"

Excellent read-aloud with plenty of opportunity for motions, volume changes, etc. It starts out so quiet, builds to a fevered pitch, then ends with the little boy going to sleep.

I'll be buying this one!

A must-have for 2-4 year-olds!
From the day we first read this to our 2-1/2 year-old, he could not get enough of it. It's an easy read, he loves the characters and the story line, and he talks about it incessantly. I think the beauty of the book is that kids can identify with it because it is based on actual experiences - the excitement of an oncoming train, biking with mom or dad, anticipating arrival of something exciting, and dreaming about it in bed later. This is a must for any kids book collection. ... Read more

Book Description

Train wheels.Plane wheels.Gear wheels.Rear wheels.What if there were

NO wheels?How would people go?




... Read more

Reviews (2)

A reading teacher
This book is perfect for the child who is learning their letters and wants to READ. The word WHEELS is on every page. After reading this book a few times, your child will be able to pick the word WHEELS out. Great fun! Great confidence builder! Great sing-song wording!

A lively fast paced fun read for short attention spans
I checked this book out at the library and my two year old has me read it to him at least 5 times in a row before he will let me stop. This is the first book he has shown an interest in other than ripping the pages on Green Eggs and Ham. The illustrations are bright and colorful, showing things that little ones are interested in, with only short phrases that make the pace fast and keep those pages turning. I would recommend this book to anyone who has a child fascinated with moving vehicles. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Nice illustrations, good text
This book is well-written with explanations of many of the "major big machines" typically seen in and around construction sites. The illustrations are excellent, with attention to detail.

My one complaint is the book's construction. The pages are thinner than most paper pages and tend to tear easily. Also, the covers seem prone to ripping and tearing as well.

my son loves trucks
my 2 year old enjoys trucks and likes to sit with his daddy to look at truck books. This book is simple and straightfoward depicting a variety of colorful construction sites and the trucks used for different building methods. ... Read more

Book Description

Very young children will delight in the various touchy-feely patches in this colorful board book. ... Read more

Book Description

This colorful picture book is quite effective in teaching social skills to children with autism, Asperger's Syndrome, and other pervasive developmental disorders. Follow Tobin, a train, as he learns to make friends and engage in proper social activities. Ages 3-8. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Great book for ADD/ADHD kids, too!
Just got this book today and my 7 year old loves it. I disagree with the baby-preschool age rating that Amazon gave it. I think it is probably over the head of most baby-preschool kids and highly needed for the 6-8 year range of kids with ADD/ADHD or on the autism spectrum. Wonderful book that touches on many of the finer points of being friends. Thank you, Diane Murell! Just what we needed!

Tobin Learns to Make Friends
Diane, I gave Tobin to my student over summer vacation. I spent time with him recently and his comments to me were, "Let's go to the Tobin library and get some more books". Please Diane give us some more Tobin books!!!

Great for kids on the Autism spectrum!
Finally a book for special needs children on how to be a friend! My son is in need of learning how to be a friend. It has everything...trains, simple art drawings, easy to understand stories, and hits on all the social issues these kids have. I bought one for his classroom also!!! Diana, you did a wonderful job!~

Tobin Learns to Make Friends
My son was having trouble making and keeping friends and this book was very helpful. I recommend it to anyone with kids. The pictures make it fun.

Tobin Learns to Make Friends
My son was struggling with making and keeping friends and this book was a big help. I suggest it to anyone with children. ... Read more

Book Description

DK presents exciting new covers for 13 of your favorite Ultimate Sticker Books: Animal, Baby Animal, Ballet, Bug, Bulldozer, Dangerous Dinosaurs, Dinosaur, Ancient Egypt, Farm, Pony, Shark and Whale, Space, and Truck. Annotated with factual information, each book contains more than 60 full-color, reusable stickers so children can create their own fun scenes. ... Read more

Book Description

If I built a car, it’d be totally new! Here are a few of the things that I’d do. . . . Young Jack is giving an eye-opening tour of the car he’d like to build. There’s a snack bar, apool, and even a robot named Robert to act as chauffeur. With Jack’s soaring imagination in thedriver’s seat, we’re deep-sea diving one minute and flying high above traffic the next in thiswhimsical, tantalizing take on the car of the future. Illustrations packed with witty detail, bright colors, and chrome recall the fabulous fifties and an era of classic American automobiles. Infectious rhythm and clever invention make this wonderful read-aloud a launch pad for imaginative fun. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Amazing and fun!!
This has it all as far as children's picture books go! The rhyming text is so much fun to read and the lush, vivid illustrations are rich and full of detail. My kids pour over them looking at all there is to see on each page. From the beautiful underwater scene to the "instant snack bar" - it's a real treat for the eyes and imagination. This is a great book! ... Read more

Book Description

Vroom! Vroom! puts young readers behind the wheel in an exhilarating, fast-paced auto race. After turning the steering wheel and shifting the clutch, the reader can even change a tire at a pit stop and help refuel the cars by fitting the gas nozzle into the fuel tank. Then as the blue car and the red car speed around the track, the reader can actually change the outcome of each race by pulling a tab.Children love the excitement race cars provide, and from the drop of the starter's flag to the cross of the finish line, this brightly colored racing adventure is sure to receive an enthusiasticread it againresponse. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A Wonderful Book
I purchased this book for my 3 and 5 year old grandsons. It is probably their favorite book. They can't put it down! I have never seen such a clever book for children. They love using the steering wheel, filling car w/gas, popping the cork at the end of the race, etc. If your child likes race cars, this is a great book for them. I let the 5 year old look at it by himself, but I always supervise the 3 year old--he doesn't always remember to be gentle w/pop up books. And I still can't believe it was a "bargain book"--it's an incredible value and tons of fun for children. I also recommend "Garage" by the same author. ... Read more