Book Description

Illus. in full color. Sneaky pirates give Uncle Willy the old heave-ho--and

steal his pie! But Uncle Willy has a plan to foil those Pie Rats, and to make

Busytown Bay safe again. "The bold-colored illustrations and a large typeface

will contribute to the book's success with beginning readers."--School

LibraryJournal.




... Read more

Reviews (1)

THIS WAS A FUNNY FIRST READER AND YOU CAN'T HAVE TOO MANY OF
AMUSING FIRST READERS TO KEEP YOUR FIRST TIME READER AMUSED BY BOOKS. First, there are the great drawings by richard scarry...enough said...he's great. And the title is a pun on the word "pirates" oh by the way my son picked that up.....mom was a "duh" about that little pun. But it's a cute and funny book...and it's also about finding solutions which is really valuable since first readers are usually new to school and need to start learning how to find their own solutions for new situations. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

They Needed to Stick Together
Franklin and his friends go out to play and Franklin is told not to go into the woods. His friends play hide and seek and he knows the usual places each of his friends hide, but he believes that the fox is going to try to fool him and go into the woods. So, Franklin forgets what he was told about not going into the woods and he thinks fox is going to trick him and hide in the woods. Not thinking the others would go home without him, Franklin goes into the woods and gets lost. At six o'clock they were all to go home, so the others thought Franklin must have started home, because they knew he was not to go into the woods. They all went home as they were told to do and Franklin was left behind, lost in the woods and it started to get dark. Luckily his parents came and figured out what happened after speaking to all of his friends and found a very frightened Franklin, who went home, ate and went to bed, knowing to follow the rules, and his parents were very happy to have found their son safe but very frightened and alone in the woods.Mrs. Symmington

Pay Attention Where Your Going Even When Playing
My preschool daughter loves this book on how Franklin inadvertently gets lost while playing hide and seek. All ends well when Franklin is found by his parents. One cautionary note - the TV show version is different than the book. In the TV show Fox is lost along with Franklin. In the book, Franklin gets lost looking for Fox. My daughter noticed this right away. Regardless, its a very rewarding story.

Great for little ones who need to know why they must obey us
My daughter just happened to receive this book from a friend for her birthday. It has been her favorite book ever since. She has learned how important it is to listen to her parents even when we say something she may not like to hear. We always have her best interest at heart. ... Read more

Book Description

Steve and Blue have skidooed into Sarah Scientist's laboratory! Here they find out what's inside the body and how the body works. Using the pull-tab on each spread, preschoolers will learn about the bones, heart, lungs, stomach, and muscles! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A Book a Parent Will Love
As the parent of an only child whose endless questions can some time be exasperating, I was grateful for and amused by "Blue's Amazing Body Book". My daughter, who is an ardent fan of the television series, is so enthralled with the pull tabs in the book, that she does not even realize that she is learning. We have made a game of anticipating what will appear with each tab pulled, and both my husband and I are amazed at our daughters ability to comprehend and memorize the different body parts and their function. The authors of this book have written it in such a way as to be childlike but not condescending, their understanding of children is just another example of the success of Blue's Clues and it's commitment to be used as a learning tool and not just a babysitter. ... Read more

Book Description

It's summertime in Sunnydale, and Salma de la Navidad, a friend of Buffy's from Sunnydale High, needs help. She and her family immigrated to America, and now she fears her brother, in an attempt to gain social acceptance, has stumbled into supernatural gang warfare. To make matters worse, an unknown creature has been doing a little night stalking. Buffy is certain that this new demonic presence has its roots in L.A. -- Angel's turf. So with the help of the Slayerettes, she heads off to battle demons -- both actual and personal.

Meanwhile, in the City of Angels, Cordelia stumbles upon a vampire-worshiping cult of runaways as Angel investigates an invisible presence wreaking havoc in the local prisons.

Now Buffy and pals must deal with identity crises of their own. Buffy may be the Chosen One, but she is, ultimately, expendable. Angel is unique, yet his particular status isolates him from humanity and monsters alike. So while all wonder -- do I make a difference? -- the humans and demons who surround them answer that question in astonishing ways... ... Read more

Reviews (18)

A Great Start
Unseen, The Burning is the first book in a promising new Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Angel crossover trilogy. Nancy Holder and Jeff Mariotte have created interesting plots for both Buffy and Angel to pursue. Buffy is trying to help Willow's friend while Angel is responding to a summons by the powers that be. When all story lines lead to LA and the same informant, Angel and Buffy collide literally. The novel is set at the end of Buffy's fourth television season and the first season of Angel. The authors are careful to keep the relationships and conflicts intact. They include enough background so anyone could enjoy the book but not too much to bore a TV fan. The cliffhanger ending is frustrating but ripe with promise. Riley, Angel and Buffy forced to work together. Missing girls, gangs, shadow monsters and witchcraft all combine to convince the reader to preorder the next volume. I recommend the series highly

A thrilling novel for fans of both Buffy and Angel.
It's the summer following Buffy's freshman year of college, and so far she hasn't run into any major demon or vampire-related incidents. She hopes she can just relax and enjoy the summer with Riley. When a wealthy girl named Salma, who attended a class with Willow, tells Buffy her missing brother's disappearance may have been related to the supernatural, Buffy's carefree summer is put on hold. She fears that a mysterious shadow monster is out to get Salma and her family - and that it may have been summoned by Salma's brother. Meanwhile in LA, Angel is trying to solve the mystery of a poltergeist in one of the local prisons, and Cordelia is trying to help a group of teenage girls who also happen to be vampire wannabes. When Buffy travels to LA to protect Salma, her path inevitably crosses with Angel's, and the two may have to work together to defeat the evil they both face. The first Buffy and Angel crossover books are off to a great start with this thrilling novel that I reccomend to all fans of both television series.

Not what I was expecting
When I first read the back of this book, I was so excited. It sounded like an excellent read. I waited until all three books came out and then I bought them. And then I read them, and was extremely disappointed.

Nancy Holder is my 2nd favorite Buffy/Angel book writer behind Christopher Golden. I hadnt read a book of hers that I hadnt liked, until this one. I was just so surprised at how poorly they were written. It seemed as if the author had only seen one or two episodes of the show and based their writing on that which confused me because Holder had written so wonderfully in the past.

The characters just didnt seem right. Buffy would say stuff that I just didnt see Buffy saying. All of the characters personalities were just so off. And Faith wasn't really in the series at all until the 3rd book.

I love Nancy Holder and I would recommend that you buy any of her other books, just not this one.

Burning
"Unseen" is a Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Angel crossover triligy focusing on a group of kidnapped teenagers. Salma, a privliged Mexican at Sunnydale Collage, goes to Buffy and Willow to help with her brother who went missing. Meanwhile back in Los Angeles, Angel gets involved with a man who was framed by crooked cops, and his psychic son. Cordelia and Wes track down a bunch of vampire worshiping teenagers. All of these stories do not come together in this book. But there is a lot of conflict; Angel seems at odds with Riley (Buffy's new boyfriend), LAPD detective Kate Lockly, and even Buffy herself. Xander get envious of Spike because of him and Anya having so much in common; Giles and Wesley have a battle of the experts. I liked this book, and I couldn't wait until the next one. One little problem is that the "Unseen" series isn't as good as "The Gatekeeper Triligy" or "The Lost Slayer" series, but still pretty good.

The Burning
After reading this book I got hooked on the u.p.n. drama BuffyThe VampireSlayer and you will to. I don''t want to go into detail because I might give away the ending so my advice to you BUY IT...
READ IT...
WATCH IT... ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Sweet Kid's Story
I grew up with Richard Scarry and continue to love his lighthearted innocent style. This particular story is a lot of fun because of all the adventure and surprise in Mr. Mouse's quest to find his lady. Scarry's aproach to romance and marriage is almost amusing today, even children know that it doesn't work out quite like that, but it is a lot of fun to pretend.
Enjoy! ... Read more

Book Description

Laugh and sing with Blue and her friends! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Blue's Friends
I got this book for my daughter when she was about 18 months old, and she loved it. Each page has an engaging drawing and a simple sentence about what friends do together (e.g., laugh, sing, play, share). My daughter especially enjoyed doing the sound effects written on each page (e.g., "hahaha", "lalala", and so on), and we would talk about friends in her life that she had done these various fun things with. It was a very nice book to read together, very interactive. ... Read more

Book Description

Arthur and D.W. take Baby Kate and Pal to the neighborhood street fair. But suddenly Baby Kate starts crying. Arthur sends D.W. to buy Kate an ice cream cone, and she carefully ties Pal's leash to a bench outside the store. But when she comes out, Pal has squirmed out of his collar! Includes two pages of word stickers. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Simple But Sweet
This simple but sweet 'Arthur' work is probably aimed at a younger audience than the main targets of the T.V. show- 3rd graders, however, like all 'Arthur' works, it can appeal to all ages. The plot is something of a simple mystery that should work the brains of youngsters, and at least amuse the older readers. The illustrations are probably the best part of the book, each page is vividly illustrated in full color with plenty of ambient background details as well. My only complaint is that Marc gets some of the details wrong. For example, D.W. gets her face painted as a cat, and on the very next page, it is gone. Also, the number of pink stripes on outfit seems to keep changing. (Okay, okay, one gets bored.) Overall, excellent work though. ... Read more

Book Description

"You never know until you're tested." -- Doyle, "Hero"

Since he arrived in Los Angeles, Angel's mission has been to help the helpless. He has saved countless innocents in his city. However, one escaped his grasp: Doyle, the half-demon who came to Angel on a vision quest. Doyle sacrificed himself and in turn reconciled his internal conflict toward his own demonic heritage, leaving Angel and Cordelia to carry on with the good fight. And fight they do.

But as the group squares off against evil in the City of Angels,little do they know that back in Sunnydale, trouble is brewing. A shakedown of snitches yields info: Someone other than Buffy has been slaying -- and whoever it is, he or she is strictly after half-breeds, going so far as to lie in wait to attack. It doesn't add up, and the Scoobies are stumped.

But back in L.A. the picture becomes clearer when Angel Investigations is visited by an unexpected guest.... ... Read more

Reviews (15)

A Book of Buffy and Angel Goodness (plus some monsters!)
Monster Island doesn't have a Historian's note but from the story, I would say it is set at the beginning part of Season Six of Buffy and Season Three of Angel.

One of the best highlights of Monster Island is that it is a crossover series AND it successfully brings the on screen characters from two different series, who have never or rarely interacted into a context that works. The chemistry is great and you get to see how each of the Sunnydale Gang would work with the LA Crew. Fred and Tara's interaction is great as is the Buffy/Angel/Spike sparks that hint in later Season Six and Buffy and Gunn's interaction. The book also hints at Willow's magic increasing in power. In Monster Island, Giles, Dawn and Anya play minor roles so don't expect to see much from there.

The basic plot is interesting as it draws on old Buffyverse history and Angel history. The authors certainly know their demons as the book makes numerous references to seen demons as well as introducing new ones.The most interesting reference is probably Doyle's father and the plot of the Nazi-demon concept is brought into again but on a much larger scale.

Definitely a good read for those wondering what would ever happen if Sunnydale met LA.

Monsterific
MONSTER ISLAND proves there is power in collaboration. Here, we have two amazing authors, Christopher Golden and Thomas E. Sniegoski, join forces to tackle a Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Angel crossover of epic proportions.

The novel has amazing character interaction. It met and exceeded my expectations for crossover meetings, be they reunions or first impressions. I especially enjoyed how well Fred and Tara got along. They almost instantly connect and their newfound friendship continues throughout the story while others comment on the wackiness that is them.

The authors certainly did their research when it comes to the monsters that have been on both shows before. Many familiar faces or races of demons appeared. The descriptions of those who were established on the series are accurate; the details of the new breeds the writers invented are imaginative and creative.

Anything with a wide array of characters, be it a book, a television series or a film, has to be handled very carefully so as not to confuse the readers and viewers. Golden and Sniegoski delicately balance the plotlines and give fan-favorite characters equal facetime. Not only do they incorporate the time-honored story of good versus evil, but they utilize issues that have been everpresent on both shows: ill-meaning father figures, abusive pasts, soul-searching, morality and mortality.

The story is engaging and the final battle is tremendous. I highly recommend this novel to any and all fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. Two thumbs way up.

Or, if you are a monster, two horns or two fangs up.

Good start, boring finish
I really enjoyed the first half of this book. There were a lot of great character moments and it was interesting to see characters who weren't usually together interact. Buffy and Gunn's pissing contest was especially amusing. I also loved all the shout outs to Doyle. However, the second half of the book gets bogged down in the plot and it drags a lot. There were also a few major printing mistakes. One page is omitted entirely and another is printed twice. Still, the book does bring nearly the entire casts of Buffy and Angel together in a coherent and believable manner which isn't an easy feat. If you are looking for a good crossover book then you may want to give this one a try.

A gripping thrill ride!
I whipped through this book in just a few days, despite it being over 400 pages long. It has non-stop action, great cliffhangers and it leaves you feeling breathless. I have to give the writers props for juggling so many characters. On top of the cast of Buffy (Buffy, Willow, Xander, Tara, Dawn, Giles, Anya, Spike) and the cast of Angel (Angel, Cordelia, Wesley, Fred, Gunn, Lorne) are a bunch of characters created just for the book. Even though there are so many people, it never feels crowded. On the contrary, it makes the book that much more exciting. Plus, the writers created characters have so much personality and background that they could easily have been a part of either series.

I bought this book because I love both shows and because I enjoy reading the books. The idea of a giant cross over book was exciting. However, the back cover of the book is very misleading about the plot of the book. It basically sums up the first two chapters. Also, it was unclear when this book was supposed to be taking place. It was as if the writers couldn't decide when they wanted it to have happened. From the fact that Buffy has recently come back from Heaven, that Spike is in love with her, that Connor does not yet exist and that Wes is still a trusted member of the group, I figure that it is at the beginning of Buffy's sixth season ang therefore Angel's third season.

However, there are problems with this knowledge. There were glaring errors in the timeline of both series. It is mentioned numerous times that Angel's gang had ALREADY met Tara. But Tara never came into contact with anyone on "Angel" (even Angel himself) while she was alive. There are many of these mistakes in the book.

The last thing I'll mention is what another reviewer said about a page being missed. This is true. Page 367 is missing and page 368 is repeated. I hope this gets fixed in later printings. Overall, a great book!

Monster Mash
"Monster Island" is only the second book in the Buffy/Angel series of books to have been originally released in hardback. The only other one was the Buffy book, "Immortal". Why this is, I don't know, but I got the just released paperback. The tale is written by one of the premiere handlers of Buffy fiction, Christopher Golden. He co-wrote it with Thomas E. Sniegpski. One knows that the characters are going to be handled well and written for accordingly with Golden involved. This is a Buffy/Angel crossover novel, and the best one to do so so far. The story is large and quite epic. Someone, or something, is killing of half breed demons in Sunnydale at an alarming rate. A ways away in the City Of Angels, the same thing is happening there. Angel realizes that the connection strikes a lot closer to home and soon Buffy and her gang are in L.A. to fight alongside Angel and his compadres. The character of Doyle, who figured prominently in the first 8 episodes of "Angel", is part of the plot and it's a most welcome connection. The big finale takes place on a magical island filled with all sorts of races of demons. Buffy and the others must fight the great evil before thousands of half breeds are slaughtered. The meshing of the two worlds just runs smoothly here. It always does, but this one has almost everyone getting together, except for Giles, Anya, and Dawn. The characters are all written as they would be on the show by the most knowing of standards. There are demons galore here, and just may be one of the most demon packed series in the franchise. I can't tell you when it is placed, as in what seasons, because there is no information on that given. Buffy talks about being brought back from the dead, which would mean season 6. But there is a point in the book where Wesley says they had just broke Faith out of jail, which happened in season 4 of "Angel", which ran during season 7 of "Buffy", but there is no Connor, who was a regular member during season 4 of "Angel", and a couple characters visit the ruins of Sunnydale High, which was restored in season 7 of "Buffy", so who knows when it actually takes place. Did anyone follow that?. There's a number of things here and there that a Buffy/Angel fan would remember and get. Sure to put a smile on your face. The story is one of the strongest in the line of books, and is written solidly with a sharp eye for detail and characterization. Each individual series of books, Angel and Buffy, keep getting better and better. And when they crossover like this, it's just pure golden. Christopher, that is. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

"X is for Extra-Sharp Cheddar"...Please!!!
This book has a really cute concept, and is of course appealing because of the ever-friendly Barney. However, "X is for Extra-Sharp cheddar"? I realize that X is a difficult letter, but if the author was going to do an alphabet book, one would think that it would be incumbent upon said author to create an appropriate food for each letter...or else don't use food as your concept!!! If not creative, at least the book should be correct...it is supposed to be an alphabet learning tool!!! ... Read more

Book Description

Franklin can hardly wait to show off his cool new bicycle helmet at the Bike Safety Rally. But before the rally, he overhears Fox and Beaver making fun of his helmet. Now he's ashamed! Some words of encouragement from Rabbit help him put things in perspective - he likes the helmet, and he's going to wear it! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

What a lot of good messages in one small book!
This simple story touched on all aspects bicycle safety, enjoying what you think is "cool" instead of giving in to peer pressure, and much more. My 4 year old even remarked about Franklin's borrowed helmet not fitting correctly(something I am always mentioning to a neighbor's child).

This is a good one to have in your collection, especially if you child has even the slightest reluctance about wearing a helmet!

Don't follow the crowd
This is a great book in the Franklin series!Franklin learns not to "follow the crowd".His friend's think his new helmet is uncool, but he learns that it's not important what they think... HE likes it, and that's what matters! ... Read more

Book Description

D.W., Arthur's fun and sassy little sister, is here to help every new preschooler get through the first day. From naps to snacks to playtime, D.W. covers it all in this helpful and hilarious guidebook to a very important rite of passage. Young readers everywhere will love the funny details and smart commentary from their favorite four-year-old aardvark. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Built for little hands, this small, chunky Maisy board book will delightyoung fans of the intrepid rodent. Each thick, durable page features brightimages of Maisy and her favorite clothes (from her swimsuit to her mittens toher party hat) with clear labels to help early readers build their skills. (Babyto preschool) ... Read more

Reviews (1)

delights my 1-year-old
More than any other of his large volume of books, this is the one that my son hands to me with that expectant look in his eye. He loves it when I read it to him and also loves reading it by himself. It's tiny so it's easily handled and a board book so Charlie can easily turn the pages. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Mystery
Arthur gets called down the principal's office one day and the principal gives him a large envelope to give to his mother when he gets home. However, because Arthur does not want to get in trouble he does not give his mom the letter until much later that night. All day long Arthur and his friends try to come up with creative ways for Arthur to loss the envelope. I like this book because it teaches the child a lesson, by using ordinary everyday occurrences. I also enjoyed the creative ways the characters made up of how Arthur could loss the envelope. In the end Arthur learns that even if he might be in trouble, his parents can't help him if they do not know what is wrong.

A teriffic book to the beginning of the series
This book has a teriffic, funny storyline. If kids read the books in numerical order, this one is sure to get them inspired into reading Arthur. I highly recommend it to everyone.

Good mystery
I really liked this book because I didn't know what was going to happen until the end. I really thought that Arthur was in trouble. It's a good mystery and you have to read it to find out what it's about. I'm not going to tell you.

An Excellent children's book.
This is an excellent children's book. Especially for children making the transition to chapter books. It is well written and easy to read. It deals with problems in which children can easily idenitfy. Marc Brown gives great detail to Authur's anxiety of the unknown contents of the envelope. His writing certainly brings back my own childhood experiences. The pictures in this book allow children to identify with the charcaters and help them draw a mental picture of the story. The mystery has a wonderful happy ending and may help children understand that the unknown is not nesscessarily a bad thing. These are just some of the reasons I would recommend this book.

A very good, but short mystery
I like this book because it does have a style of it's own, and I don't like it because the chapters are so short. I think all the chapters should be a page longer, but that may because I am not a beginner reader. I did like the way the book was written, and how the author made you feel scared, if Arthur is scared. That is one good thing about the book. There are many other reasons why it is a good book, like the fact it is almost impossible to figure out. You would never guess what is in the envelope. ... Read more

Book Description

The pint-sized Helmacrons left some morph-tracking technology behind, and the Yeerks have found it. As if avoiding a full-scale Animorphs hunt isn't enough, Cassie and the others must keep the morphing cube moving - so it doesn't land in the wrong hands. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Why didn't I give this book TWO stars, you ask?!
Let me explain. The Escafil Device gives the power to morph to anyone who touches it, so it's about time we get to know why something as small as an insect, or even other animals, don't come across the box and get the power. Also it brings back the Helmacron's ship and their morph-tracking technology, so the Yeerks have the Animorphs on the run and are tracing the box without stopping. But honestly, this book STINKS AMONG ALL CASSIE BOOKS!

It's not Cassie's fault, though. It's Applegate's. The entire book goes through the span of one day and night, and it's hard to believe that the Animorphs would be able to keep moving for that long. Plus, the book offers no stops, and that kills it's roller-coaster effect on the reader. It doesn't give them any breaks to stop and let the events sink into their mind, and then when the sentimental morals of Cassie arrive it's hard to prepare to take them down without throwing up at the mere mention of them! I can bare with Cassie talking about free will, and the right to murder Yeerks, and the whole thing about eating animals from book #28, The Experiment, but if the readers aren't prepared for it then it starts to get on their nerves.

However, the book does offer a lot of action, and the thing with the buffalo morphing into human situation is interesting, but the plot moves so fast it's hard to believe it actually happened.

Animorphs #39: The Hidden
The Yeerks have located and repaired a damaged Helmacron morph-tracking sensor. Now they're prepared to make a full-blown hunt for the Animorphs, but most importantly-- the morphing cube. Cassie and the others can't let the cube get into alien hands at all consequences. All the while a wild animal is loose from her parents' reserve, and wraking havoc upon everything it is angered by. Cassie must dodge that animal, and protect her secret. The hunt is full-on and Cassie may never survive , let alone catch one breath. The Hidden had nonstop action, nonstop rushing, and yet this made the book very enjoyable. It's a gripper, but not one of the best in the series. One thing you'll realize immediately about The Hidden is that Cassie never, ever stops. Yet it made the book quite good, and the drama portrayed here is unforgettable. There were several sad parts in this book, but it contributed to its quality, though I wouldn't say this book had much quality in it. I thought this was a pretty good book, though not one of the best.

Hilarious!
I was laughing sooo hard at some of the parts! And the Cassie-ant part was funny, along will all of the other parts with the morphing animals. It was also funny when the bull blew up. hehehe, I must have a bad sense of humor.

A Fairly Decent Book
People often dislike books that focus on ethics rather than action; I usually beg to differ. The Hidden, however, was one of those books that has a lot of action and some plot holes to go with it. I think the writer should have put more effort into this book. It seemed very rushed. I disagreed with the morality issue because logically, it's incorrect. I still recommend this book because it makes you think, and come to your own conclusion about sentience. The ending was interesting, although slightly unrealistic, and it was a fairly decent book. I definitely recommend all Cassie books because her qualms are, at the very least, nearly on-target. The ethical questions are my favorite part of this series.

Also recommended: #7, #19, #23, #26, #33, #41, #43, #48, #49

The Hidden
I thought this book moved a bit too fast but was really good because as well as all the action it really made you think. This book is mostly about the Animorphs on the run from the Yeerks who have activated the Helmacron's morph-finding device. When I first started this book I thought I wouldn't like it as it sounded a bit like #24, another Cassie book which I hated. But the other main plot in this book was about a buffalo accidently getting the power to morph and morphing into Chapman several times. It was very intresting and touching in some parts seeing a buffaflo trying to deal with a human form. I didn't like the bufflflo dying though since I had hoped for a happier ending for it. The book seemed to end too quickly after that. One thing I found strange though was Cassie's attitude towards the ant which had accquired her. She was very sympathetic towards the buffalo but after seeing the ant her first reaction was just 'kill it' which she did and never had any afterthoughts. The ant didn't know what was going on any more then the buffalo did. That didn't seem in the character of Cassie. This is one of the best recent Animorphs books, definetly better then #40 and #41 and also an improvement on #38. I advise you to read it if you like Animorphs. ... Read more