Amazon.com

"How does a dinosaur say good night when Papa comes in to turn off the light? Does a dinosaur slam his tail and pout? Does he throw his teddy bear all about? Does a dinosaur stomp his feet on the floor and shout: 'I want to hear one book more!'? DOES A DINOSAUR ROAR?" Most certainly not. Dinosaurs give their mommies and daddies big hugs and kisses, tuck their tales in, and whisper "Good night!"

Every sleepy little dinosaur will recognize the tricks of the trade in these bedtime shenanigans. The chuckle factor is sky-high here, with giant, full-page pictures of cleverly identified Tyrannosaurus rexes, triceratopses, and Pteranodons. A variety of human mothers and fathers trying to put their dinosaur children to bed will bring the point home that the story may have something to do with human kid behavior as well. This good-natured nighttime book is sure to be a winner (even though it might inspire a few noisy dinosaur antics), especially as it's written by Jane Yolen, prolific Caldecott Medalist author of Owl Moon. Yolen and Mark Teague have teamed up to create a fun, silly, playful read-aloud. (Ages 3 to 7) --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (60)

A book to make bedtime a little easier.
This book is now a favorite of my two and half year old daughter. She asks me to read it to her at least once a day. The premise of the story is to show the proper way to say goodnight. The first half of the book shows dinosaurs acting up at bedtime (hmm kind of reminds me of my daughter) and the second part shows dinosaurs saying goodnight nicely. The pictures of the dinosaurs really crack her up. She loves the opening picture of the dinosaur in the tub and the one of the dinosaur holding a toy train. The pictures are so charming that I am sure they will have adults smiling too. The text is simple enough for a small child to memorize and the names of the dinosaurs are included on the page with their picture to provide even more learning oppurtunities. This book has made my daughter so crazy for dinosaurs that I intend to take her to a dinosaur exhibit at our local science museum. The best part of this book is that it has actually made my daughter go to bed with less resistance. When she starts to act up I just quote a line or two from the book and she settles right down. Last night she told me "goodnight mama dinosaur." We love this book.

Beautifully Illustrated
The first thing that comes to mind when I look at this book is how beautifully illustrated it is. The images are rich, engaging and a delight to absorb.

The book covers ten dinosaurs -- Allosaurus, Ankylosaurus, Apatosaurus, Corythosaurus, Dimetrodon, Pteranodon, Stegosaurus, Trachodon, Triceratops and Tyrannosaurus Rex. All of them appear so friendly that your child just might invite them for a sleepover. Moreover, they are anatomically correct, insofar as they can be for cartoon like illustrations.

One of the most interactive pieces of the book is that each illustration has hidden within it the name of the dinosaur. Everytime my son and I read this book he seeks out the dinosaur's name. It's a dino I Spy game for him.

He's also fascinated with the fact that he can match the dinosaurs from the inside covers (front and back) with those within the story.

Of course, beautiful illustrations are important, but so is the story line. This one is done well. The illustrations show the dinosaurs engaging in all sorts of antics to avoid going to sleep. However, the point of this is to question whether or not dinosaurs show "naughty" bedtime behavior. They do not. In the end, dinosaurs "tuck in their tails" and "whisper, 'Good night!'

Overally, I would highly recommend this book for dinosaur loving preschoolers! It is beautiful, interactive and well written.

Dinosaurs act up at bedtime too!
This imaginative book features a large cast of "real" dinosaurs acting as naughty as real kids do when it's bedtime. I loved the pictures of exasperated parents as a huge brontosaurus throws covers on the floor or a tyrannasaurus rex runs around the room. My second grade niece, a good reader, handles the text with ease but isn't too old to be tickled by the concept. Younger siblings like this one too. Inside the front cover is a chart with small drawings of the characters and their scientific names--an educational bonus!

How do you think?
I'm always pleased when an author and an illustrator of equal talents are placed together by a clever editor so as to produce a wonderful piece of picture book art. Jane Yolen is the author of, honest to goodness, more than two hundred books for both children and adults. Just pause a while and marvel at her consistency, if you will. Mark Teague may not have that many works under his belt, but what he lacks in proliferation he makes up for in downright fabulous illustrating. If you've read his charming "Dear Mrs. LaRue: Letters From Obedience School" then you are aware of how amazingly adept this man is. Taking those monstrous creatures co-opted by children as their favorite animals, Yolen and Teague have created a book that proves what we've suspected all along. Your children are merely little dinosaurs in disguise.

The premise of this book is simple. Sleepy dinosaurs do NOT want to go to bed at night. The book ponders just how exactly these dinos do say their goodnights to their parents. The parents in this book, by the way, are always human while their dinosaur offspring fill their bedrooms from ceiling to floor. So how do dinosaurs say good night? Well, they can insist on reading one more book. They can fall onto their beds in tears. They can slam their tails about and pout too. But no, my friends. In the end, dinosaurs do none of these things. Instead, they give their parents a big kiss and a hug, tuck their tales into their beds, and say good night. Just like a good little dinosaur should.

The hope after reading this tale is that kids will understand that all the naughty behavior exhibited by the dinosaurs in the early parts of the book will be negated by the good behavior exhibited at the end. How well this works, I do not know. One thing is for certain, however. Mark Teague is a genius. Oh, I'm sure Jane Yolen put a lot of work into this puppy as well. Yes yes. But Mark Teague... now there's a man who knows how children react at nighttime. These pictures are just a scream. Each father or mother than enters the dinosaur's room is usually accompanied by some cowering pet, either a dog or a cat. The dinosaur's rooms are outfitted as a child's would be too. Teague has helpfully included each animal's name (from the roaring Triceratops to the piggy back begging Ankylosaurus) somewhere in the picture too. I was also well pleased with the parents in this book. A good multi-racial cast, they don't give an inch to these plying crying dinos. And you haven't lived until you've seen a Tyranosaurus Rex kissing his Donna Reed look-alike mother. More recently popular dinosaurs, like the Velociraptor, do not appear in this tale. Probably a good idea in retrospect.

All in all, this is one of the most successful new bedtime books to come around the pike. For those kids bored to tears by the far calmer "Goodnight Moon", this will be just the exciting bedtime tale to get them tucked away for the night. A fabulous creation that fully lives up to its popularity.

You think it is difficult to put kids to bed? Try a dinosaur
I noticed that there are editions of "How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight?" in Spanish and French, which is not surprising because the art of Mark Teague certainly translates into any language. Author Jane Yolen poses the questions regarding what happens when Papa or Mama comes to turn off the lights and send their dinosaurs to bed, and Teague comes up with the utterly charming images that will delight readers of any age. Part of the fun is that Papa and Mama are regular human beings, so when Papa shows up and points to his watch to a Tyrannosaurus Rex that takes up an entire page as a way of suggesting it is time to put away his toy train and go to bed, you just have to smile (note the family dog is about the size of one of the T Rex's toes). From the Stegosaurus that slams his tail and pouts to the Ankylosaurus that demands a piggyback ride, each of these two-page spreads will make parents happy that they just have regular human kids and not dinosaurs.

For children the fun will be in answering the question of the title and discovering that dinosaurs and little kids have a lot in common when it comes to resisting being put into bed. There is a slight risk that your kids might find a new way of prolonging the inevitable and find themselves imitation the Corythosaurus and falling on top of their covers and crying or stomping their feet on the floor and shouting they want to have another book read to them. But then "How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight?" really covers all of the basic delaying tactics of children. Besides, it is clearly indicated that these tactics are a bit silly, even if you are a sulking Allosaurus or roaring Triceratops.

All of the illustrations in this book are a joy, including those inside the front cover where Teague shows all of these dinosaurs sitting atop their beds doing things like blowing bubbles or quietly reading a good book (okay, the Ankylosaurus is jumping on the bed, but clearly he is the high energy one of the group). "How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight?" is the first in a series of similar collaborations between Yolen and Teague that includes "How Do Dinosaurs Count to Ten?" "How Do Dinosaurs Get Well Soon?" and "How Do Dinosaurs Clean Their Room?" That last one is definitely the one I want to check out next, because I shudder to think what Yolen and Teague will come up for in those situations. You think getting a Dinosaur to say goodnight is difficult? That is nothing compared to getting them to clean their rooms. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Among the greatest charms of children is their ability to view a simple activity as a magical adventure. Such as a walk in the woods late at night. Jane Yolen captures this wonderment in a book whose charm rises from its simplicity. "It was late one winter night, long past my bedtime, when Pa and I went owling." The two walked through the woods with nothing but hope and each other in a journey that will fascinate many a child. John Schoenherr's illustrations help bring richness to the countryside adventure. The book won the 1988 Caldecott Medal. ... Read more

Reviews (35)

Both Story and Art Enchant
I like this book and so do my children. Although it will have more appeal to fathers and sons, any parent and child can enjoy this story of the magical bond that takes place when a parent introduces their child to one of life's moments of wonder.

Who among us doesn't remember wonderful moments when you and you alone were the focus of your father's (or mother's) attention in a special setting that created a life-long memory pleasently returned to again and again. That's the magic of Owl Moon where a little boy takes a long walk in the woods over new fallen snow with his father. They are journeying to, as his older brothers had done before him, find a great owl, if he can be coaxed from his high above throne where he rules the night.

The story is simply told but carries all of the magic foretold by the setting. The water color illustrations are beautiful in their simplicity and convey the wonder of nature and the togetherness of father and son.

Good Parenting and instills love of nature
Owl Moon is a wonderful story of a young girl's first hunt for the Great Horned Owl with her father. As they trek through the snowy forest, Jane Yolen's text and John Schoenherr's illustrations work together to create a realistic adventure and to express good parenting. The picture book comes to life through a peaceful countryside and a still forest. The child's continual silence and concentration add to the hunt. Within the text the child says, "I put my mittens over my mouth and listened hard." This displays her constant effort to remain quiet and to take the adventure seriously. Each illustration depicts a calm forest dominated by snow and nature. I feel that this book contains ideas that are "simple but not necessarily simplistic" much like Perry Nodelman's analysis of children's literature (221). For instance, in many scenes animals can be found hiding without the knowledge of the characters. The animals all sit calmly. This shows that the intent of the father and child is not to disturb nature but to quietly observe and to be apart of it just while they pass. This idea can not be found written within the text yet, it is understood when they see an owl and do not shoot it. This peaceful respect for nature that the father is instilling in his child is shown when they came to the clearing in the dark woods. She speaks of how the fit it exactly "and the snow below it was whiter than the milk in a cereal bowl." This emphasizes her grasp of the beauty and enjoyment natural world in a child-like way. It brings to mind games equal to finding shapes in clouds. The illustrator has also gone through the trouble of presenting the field in the shape of a large bowl. I feel that the most important aspect of the work is the example of good parenting it delivers. He spends quality time with his children, while he instills important morals. Pa has also taken all of her brothers owling and they have told her "sometimes there's an owl and sometimes there isn't." This reveals a sense of close family unity in which can be seen as the positive message of the story. However, the tone is not didactic. Pa even uses onomatopoeia to make the adventure more intense. He calls the owl with a long "Whoo-whoo-who-who-who-whooooooo." All of this helps emphasis the joy of the communion with nature. Her father has been instilling a respect for the owl and natural world, while strengthening the father child relationship.

Remarkable illustrations and almost poetic narration
Owl Moon is a delightful story of the family tradition of Owling, Owl watching. The reader is taken on a winter journey through the woods as a father and daughter go Owling.
Beautiful illustrations by John Schoenherr help the reader experience this journey from a unique perspective. Schoenherr places the reader in the air, looking down on the journey. By using this technique, the reader becomes one with the Owl, experiencing the quiet togetherness of man and nature.
This story provides a moving narration, inviting the reader to experience the quiet solitude of a winter walk in the woods. The reader also feels the warmth of the special relationship shared by this father and his daughter.
Yolen instructs the reader that the only thing needed to go Owling is hope. Hope that just maybe if you're quiet enough, or lucky enough, you will spot an Owl. This wonderful story delivers much more than just the sighting of an Owl.
Owl Moon is sure to delight readers of all ages. The remarkable illustrations and almost poetic narration make it easy to see why this book is deserving of the Caldecott Award.

Wonderful Story for Any Age
I first read this book when i was a junior in college. At first I didn't like it very much. Then two years later I picked it up again and found the beautyful. It was like reading poetry. Each word was carfully chosen. The story of a little girl having the chance to stay up late and go owling with her father. Yet, it goes beyond that. Here is a little girl who feels like she is doing something wonderful and exiciting, becuase she is doing something with her father.

The way this stroy is constructed is wonderful. Although the book says that it is for children between the ages of 4-8 I have read this story to 6th graders and they have found interested and they thought it was "cool." This is a wonderful book for young and old, because of language and the way the words flow. It is just one of those books that are just plane fun to read.

Amazing and Artistic
Jane Yolen's book, "Owl Moon," is about a little girl and her father who go owling on a cold winter night. Yolen's describes the scenery of the wintry night, looking for an owl with vivid imagery. The father and daughter search patiently in the quiet, waiting for a slight glimpse of the great bird. When, finally they see an owl, they are intrigued for the minute of victory.

In the book, "Owl Moon," John Schoenherr uses pen and ink with a watercolor wash. The use of watercolor creates a sense of mystery and depicts what it is like to walk in the woods on a winter night with no more light than what is given off by the moon and stars reflecting off of the snow. This vagueness is complimented by the use of pen and ink in order to create a sense of reality by showing what little detail the characters were able to see as they continued on their journey. The added detail in the foreground also helped to create a sense of depth. Schoenherr chose colors which added to the mystery of the darkness and created the sensation of a cold night. I especially enjoyed the way that the author added detail within the expressions of the father and daughter when they finally heard a response from an owl. The owl itself was shown in great detail which I feel was to convey a sense of realness to the mystery of great bird. Another technique that I enjoyed was the adding of other hidden woodland creatures throughout the book which added to the anticipation of finding the owl. By doing this the illustrator is able to capture the child's attention as he/she begins to search for the owl along with the characters of the story.

Each page painted a wonderful picture both visually and within the story line of a father and his daughter creating memories of time together that neither one would forget. Although they spent the evening together in silence I feel that the time together showed a special bond being created between the two. Not only does the idea of silence throughout the story create a sense of adventure, it also shows that words are not always needed in order to create wonderful memories and that love can be conveyed between people by just spending time together. Although this book is recommended for children ages 6-10, I believe that it readers of all ages would enjoy this story and that the message of quality time spent with the ones you love could be enjoyed by the whole family. This is a wonderful story which could be shared in both the classroom during read-alouds or at home as a bedtime story. ... Read more

Book Description

Hannah thinks tonight’s Passover Seder will be the same as always. Little does she knowthat this year she will be mysteriously transported into the past where only she knows thehorrors that await. ... Read more

Reviews (187)

The Devil's Arithmetic
The Devil's Arithmetic by Jane Yolen in my opinion was a good novel to help others remember the Holocaust and the tragic events that occurred. Jane Yolen strived make the concentration camps seem real to the reader throughout the novel. This is a story of a Jewish 12 year old girl named Hannah Stern who has always questioned why we should remember what has happened in the past. During the Passover Seder, as Hannah pours the wine, she is suddenly in 1940 in a small village in Poland. Hannah, as well as her family and friends are taken away to a concentration camp where conditions are appalling. Hannah is forced to realize and understand what her ancestors went through, and realizes that we should remember for their sake. Chaya, Hannah's Polish name, is willing to risk her life for her friends and wonders is she will ever again see her family, and through Yolen's descriptive writing style, the reader is able to imagine themselves in the book as another character and feel the pain that Chaya feels. Jane Yolen has created a book that forces us to remember the hardships that were placed upon the Jews by the Nazis during the Holocaust, and is a must-read.

You'll never forget it
This is Schindler's List for children, a chilling account of the Holocaust from the point of view of a young girl. Yolen skimps on few details, and you can tell that her story comes straight from the heart.

Hannah, a modern Jewish girl, is irritated by the Passover Seder and the "remembering" of the Holocaust, which some of her relatives lived through. But when she opens the door for Elijah, she is transported through time and space to a village in Poland.

Soon the Nazis arrive, and Hannah (called "Chaya" by everyone in this new time) must both try to survive and to keep her friends alive in the deathcamps.

I tried very, very hard to summarize this story, but the spiritual and emotional tones are simply impossible to talk about. This is an intense book, the descriptions of it simply can't express the greatness of this plot.

A haunting tale of life, death, memory and sorrow. Even though this is a children's book, it may be disturbing for younger readers--you might want to talk to your children about it afterward.

The Devil's Arithmetic: A Holocaust Story
By: Jane Yolen

This is a novel about the Jewish experience in concentration camps. There is a spoiled young girl by the name of Hannah. She hates her family's Seder meal, but when she goes to open the door for the prophet Elijah, she gets transported back in time to the year if World War II. Gitl and Shmuel are calling her Chaya instead of her real name. At Shmuel's wedding, the Germans come and take them away to concentration camps where they are starved, humiliated, and periodically killed. What will be Hannah's fate? Will she ever return to her normal life?
I genuinely enjoyed this book. I loved the plot, and the ending was magnificent. I liked how courageous Hannah was. She was a true hero to me even though she was only there in the pages of the book.
Right off the bat, the plot and storyline are some of the book's many strengths. Another good thing that Yolen gives you is the plain knowledge and facts about concentration camps. She tells about the different types of labor and the horrible conditions of the concentration camps. After reading this book, I had a whole other view of the insanities and inhuman conditions of the Nazis. I can really connect that to my life and appreciate every single thing I have, including time on this Earth.
My favorite part was during a scene with the midden:

"When they got to the midden, they skinned out of their clothes and dove naked into the dump."

I enjoyed this excerpt because it was funny how Hannah just stood there and watched. She was a true first-timer!
I think that the thing that the author would like me to take away from this book is just plainly the story of the Holocaust. She wants people to read her book and remember. Of course she wanted to tell a great story of survival and courage, but she only wants us to take away from this the story and knowledge of the Jewish experience.
This is one of the most memorable books I have ever read because of the fact that it was entertaining but still informing. The word choice that the author used really brought out clear pictures in my mind. The image was very powerful. You could not read this book and not be changed. It didn't have to be a big change. Only the way you look at your shoes. It is a meaningful book.
I recommend this book to people who really want to take something away from what they read and who care about their history. This book's theme is; if you don't appreciate what you have now, history has a way of showing itself to you! The evidence is the way Hannah was brought back in time. She was so changed by her experience and learned to appreciate life and what she had.

The Devil's Arithmetic
The Devil's Arithmetic is about a girl who is tired of remembering Passover meals. When she is asked to open the door for Elijah and is transported to the past in the year 1942. Her name in the real world is Hannah and then Chaya in her 'dream' and finally J197241 is her name. She is then taken to a concentration camp were she battles to remember lessons in school about the Holocaust. But no one believes her and she has to face work, deaths and escape.

The Devil's Arithmetic is a very interesting book. It has interesting characters that have interesting personalities. You can really learn a lot about the death camps and how the people inside dealt with it. It is really sad because Hannah knows what is going to happen to them but the people don't believe or listen to her. This causes Hannah to lose her mind and forget all about her normal life and any thing that has happened before her life in the death camp. It becomes every emotional for her and she becomes very doubtful in her self which causes it to be a sad book.

But there are some happy moments inside the camp. Like the fact that whenever the Commander came to inspect he camp, the Jewish people would make a sound that tells the children to hide, because children were not aloud to be in the camp. You also learn different codenames the Jewish people used in the camps. They also keep their hope up by reminding themselves about who they are by learning what their 'number' really means. There is also a happy part when Hannah makes friends with Rivka who really helps her survive.

But the book did have some downfall to it. I thought it ended very abruptly with no explanation. Also, if you wanted a book that explains the work in the camps, don't get this book. It doesn't have that good of an explanation of their work in the camp. In the beginning, she has a very good family but doesn't give that much information on them, which I was hoping for.

It was a very fun book that showed how friendship helped her survive.
It was because of her friendship with Rivka that she was able to survive so long. This was because Rivka knew what was happening faster then she could figure it out, so Rivka was able to help her in many ways. She also had a deep friendship with her aunt, considering that they didn't know each other that well. So I think the theme is 'friendship can help you survive in the toughest parts of life'.

My favorite part of the book is when Hannah finds faith in herself by making the numbers on her stand for something. This really is a good part because she begins to have faith in herself, which is really important for survival sake. Her number, J197241, means J for Jew, 1 for alone, 9 for 'no' she will no die, 7 for the 7 days a week that she survives, 2 for 2 family members in her 'dream', 4 for 4 family members in her old family, and 1 for again, that she was alone.

Overall this book was very interesting and kept you hanging on at some points. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in life as a Jewish person in World War II.

Excellent Holocaust Tale
Twelve year-old Hannah has always been impatient and embarrassed by her Jewish heritage and traditions of remembering. During the Passover Seder, the jaded Hannah is transported back to 1942 Poland when she opens the door for the prophet Elijah. She experiences life as Chaya, a young woman who is rounded up with the rest of her family and village and sent to a Nazi work camp. There she meets Rivka (one of her aunts who survived the camp), who teaches her how to survive the dehumanizing conditions in the camp. A gripping portrayal of life in the Nazi death camps. ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

Book Description

When her father, Robert the Bruce, becomes King of Scotland, Marjorie Bruce becomes a princess. But Edward Longshanks, the ruthless King of England, has set his sights on Robert and his family. Marjorie is captured and imprisoned in a wooden cage in the center of a town square, exposed to wind, rain, the taunts of the townspeople, and the scorn of Longshanks himself. Marjorie knows that despite her suffering and pain, she is the daughter of noble Robert the Bruce&150and she will make her father, and her country, proud. For a true princess is a princess, whether in a castle or in a cage. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

I wouldn't read it again
There were choppy sentences and there were parts that were a bit too gory. An example of the choppy sentences was right in the beginning. The main character, Princess Marjorie,was imprisoned in a cage, and was talking about how people would throw turnips at her and how she hated it. 'If Father is ever king in more than name, I shall remember those turnips. And the people who threw them.' Throughout the rest of the book, there are many sentences like this that get very annoying to read after awhile.
There are also some unneeded gory parts too. When Marjorie and her family are passing through the Highlands, they are attacked by evil Highlanders. Marjorie gets knocked off her horse and described the scene as,
'All I could see was a blur of legs and horses' hooves and the fine red blur of blood as it spattered the air.'
Later on during the battle, the scene was described as,
'Bleeding horses whinnied and kicked on the ground, wounded and dying men groaned and clutched their wounds in agony.'
I think the authors were trying to be realistic,which is good, but they went a little overboard with the realism.
Overall, it was okay, but I wouldn't read it again.

This Book That Make Me Happy, And Stuff Like That !
Now this book like to make me happy cuse this book I read at my
school bus when I got home I was like can you pless give me this
book so I can keep this at the media ctr plessand she said O.K

Suspense is Everything
As Jane Yolen and Robert Harris flashback in and out of a young dynamic princess's life, the suspense of foreshadowing at the end of every chapter keeps you engaged and on the edge of your seat.I felt captivated and could almost tune the whole world out just to dive into Jane and Roberts realistic world brought alive by the imagery and strong emotional connotation.I assure you this book is a exciting, intense, sensitive and contains all the components of the real world.Try it out and you'll see!

Historical Novel Brings out the best in yolen and harris
this novel is greatly appreciated, believe you me. i began this book shortly after finishing breath by donna jo napoli (another great read, in a similar time period) and i was engrossed from page one. i finished it within 24 hours, and thanks heavens i had a snow day this week because i read for a few hours and barely lifted my head once to notice anything else.

it can get a bit dragging during the chapters where marjorie and her family (the Bruces) are leading the English through a merry hunt in the Scotish countryside, and i found myself wishing for the captivity days to come sooner. (though all chapters are wonderful, really!) my favorite characters were ultimately Isabel, who reminded me a lot of Alanna from the books by Tamora Pierce, and also Enid, the young snotnosed peasant who visits Marjorie and helps her establish her "court" while she is caged.

Truly a delightful read for young and old!

It Was Okay....
"Girl in a Cage" by Jane Yolen and Robert Harris seemed somewhat flat to me. I found myself irked when the authors left me at a suspenseful part of the story, only to go into a drawn-out flashback about Marjorie's life as a princess, as well as joyful when I finally finished the book. Although exposition is crucial to a story, more than half the book was spent detailing the events leading up to the caging of Marjorie. This was unnecessary, as well as tedious. Camp, battle, camp, battle.
However, Marjorie's term in the cage was well-written although I couldn't identify with Marjorie, mainly because she felt that insulting Longshanks as well as the cruel peasants, rather than trying to understand them, seemed very unprincess-like. When she creates a pretend world, with herself as "queen of the cage" and various people as "knights", "chaplains" and "ladies-in-waiting", it seemed all too familiar....if anyone who is reading this review has read "A Little Princess" you will understand what I mean. However, if you were to skip the drama and long, boring scenes, this could prove a good portrait of Scottish history. ... Read more

Book Description

A one volume collection of 160 tales from over 40 cultures and traditions, containing both classics and lesser known tales. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

If you like folktales, you'll want this book
Not only is this collection marvelously diverse, but it's also incredibly easy to read. Though the tales still retain the feel of original storytelling, they do not have the awkward idiosyncracies you find in other texts with obscure (to the US) tales which have been litreally translated or transcribed. If you're tired of seeing the same tales in every book you find, get this one. It's a wonderful resource and just plain fun to own. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Not just for children
This book is for anyone - of any age - who has lost anything of beauty or anything they love. Children will love it, but don't keep it from the adults. I still can't read it without crying.

Deep book about dealing with loss
The best thing about this book is its refusal to play games with your child's mind. Rejecting the shameless tear-jerking of so much media aimed at children, this book embraces the grand tradition of children's books that takes children seriously. This is a book about dealing with loss about about letting go, but also a book that makes the reader reflect on what is good about life. Warts and all, life is sweet. As a historian, I really appreciate that Yolen tries hard to show what her valley was like AND what it is like after the dam is built. Kids are frightened when they see orchards being ripped out for suburbs; this is a book about dealing with that kind of loss.

Should have packed an emotional whallop
"Drowing towns" I had never heard of such a thing and was highly interested in reading this book about a remarkable event in history.
(Though apparently it has happened worldwide)

To be honest .. I was disappointed. What should have been an emotional, impactful story turned out to be rather bland.

The writing was choppy, (difficult to read out loud) pictures ho-hum (even though I love Barbara Cooney!) and the overall intensity was not there as I thought it should be. Afterall we are talking about people leaving the homes and their way of life that had been in their families for generations.

I was expecting better. I think Patricia MacLachlan and Illustrator Ted Rand or Susan Jeffers could have made a real triumph out of this.

That said, _DO_ read this book. It is a remarkable event in history and this book is still worth reading.

moving & important -- a great place to bring your kid's mind
The concept of water -- where does it come from, how do we use it, where does it go when we are done with it -- is a big topic in our busy household. Both of my kids are interested in the environment and conservation, and I think a lot of that interest can be attributed to a small set of books -- Letting Swift River Go among them -- that were a part of their bedtime often throughout the beginnings of their childhood. My youngest son, in fact, is eleven now, but still pulls this book out and reads it to himself and to others on occasion.

You'll find the great writing here that you expect from Jane Yolen, along with a plot that serves as a vehicle for commentary that allows children to look at the cost of progress when it comes to building towns and cities.

Amazingly touching...great for kids and adults
This is one of the best children's books I've read in a long time. The story of the building of the Quabbin Resevoir in western MA is not a wide told story, but it should be. This book is clearly written so children can understand what was happeneing. The illustrations are also wonderful and will keep the children engaged. If you're the grown up reader, don't count on getting through this with a dry eye. It's definatly a book for ALL ages. ~Sarah Aziz Mount Holyoke College Sophomore (age 19) ... Read more

Amazon.com

Following up their bestseller How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight?, Caldecott Medal winner Jane Yolen and illustrator Mark Teague have penned this instructive lesson on dinosaur health care. Eachdouble-page spread features one enormous dinosaur looking wan and sniffly but mostly cranky, petulant, ornery, sullen, and disagreeable. The human moms and dads are visibly worried and/or frustrated by their sick dinos behaving badly. Witness the nice lady dragging her gigantic Styracosaurus out of the elevator and across the hall to the doctor's office: "What if a dinosaur goes to the doc? Does he drag all his feet till his mom is in shock?" The look on this mom's face will be familiar to anyone who's ever forcibly moved a child, who seems to have suddenly gained a million pounds, from one place to another. And of course, it turns out that dinosaurs don't misbehave when they're sick: "He drinks lots of juice, and he gets lots of rest. He's good at the doctor's, 'cause doctors know best."

The rhymes are somewhat forced, especially toward the end of the book, but Teague's marvelous paintings are bright and expressive throughout. Each dinosaur is cleverly labeled, and these aren't yourrun-of-the-mill dinos; dinosaur-obsessed little ones will crow over Parasaurolophus, Euoplocephalus, and Tuojiangosaurus. They'll also learn a little something about how to behave when they're sick. --Jennifer Lindsay ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Mom of 2 in TX
I bought this book for my son (who is 4). We already have its predecessor "How Do Dinosaurs Go to Bed". They teach great lessons about how to behave at bedtime and the doctors office. Both are bedtime favorites - he even loves to look at the dinosaurs on the inside covers! Anything Mark Teague does is beautiful work and I recommend his books highly. Jane Yolen makes this book very easy to read, my son knows both dinosaur books by heart. Beautiful book, a must for childs book collection!

Great Book for 4-6 Year Olds
I purchased this book for my five year old nephew who is a BIG Dinosaur fan. I previously purchased for him "How do Dinosaurs Say Good Night" Both were Big Hits. Large print and very few words on a page and easy vocabulary to help the youngsters learn to read. Also helps the children realize that everyone, even Dinosaurs, get sick once in a while.

A bt of a disappointment...
My daughter likes dinosaurs a lot, and we loved the first "How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight?" However, this sequel does not compare in originality and wittiness. The illustrations are good, similar to those in the first book, but that's about it (a repeat). The first book was fun, funny, and more than anything VERY original in its approach. Plus, most kids can relate to the attitudes portrayed in the first book, while this one is mostly for conventional families that go to conventional doctors and use conventional medicine (as if that was the only way to get well). Not us, and not so many families I know... I sincerely hope the authors are not planning any more sequels like this one (a collection of subtle "how to behave" manuals for kids), and keep in mind that their readers are young kids --keep their books FUN!

Mom of Dinosaur lover
These books are great! My 5 year old daughter is a dinosaur fanatic and received "How Do Dinosaurs say Goodnight" as a gift. She loved it and when we found out there was another, we knew we had to have it. The rhymes are easy for her to remember and recite. And they teach great lessons that help her see a better way to resolve some problems with going to bed and going to the doctor. I only wish there were more....

Mrs. Larson's 1st Grade Class
We liked this book a lot! We liked that it had a rhyming pattern. We liked the illustrator. He uses really bright colors. His pictures made us laugh. He hides the names of the dinosaurs in the pictures. WE had to use our eagle eyes to find them. It was a very good book. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (1)

Great Folktales for Boys & Others!
This is a great collection of folktales specifically selected for the author's sons and grandson. The stories are interesting and exciting - they'll hold the attention of the most reluctant reader. Disguised under the fun tales are great lessons of character and integrity that boys today need so desperately to hear. I highly recommend it to parents, teachers, and kids! ... Read more

Book Description

In 1920 a missionary brought two young girls to an orphanage in India. The girls didn't know how to talk, walk, or eat from a plate. Some people thought the girls had been abandoned by their parents. Some people said the girls were brought up by wolves in the wild. Still others thought that the missionary who ran the orphanage made up the story about the girls. No one knows for sure.

Become a detective as you read this true story, study the clues, and try to figure out the fate of the wolf girls of Midnapore. The Unsolved Mystery from History series is written by acclaimed author Jane Yolen and former private investigator Heidi Elisabet Yolen Stemple. Read carefully and check your clues. You might be the first to solve a puzzle that has baffled people for years. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (3)

Historical Education
"The Encounter" written by Jane Yolen, is a historically accurate fiction. As a departure from the other writing style she shows, this book is not light-hearted, but rather a serious work written with an intention to educate. Of course, to keep the reader focussed and interested in a story that s/he may have heard hundreds of times already, some high drama is added.

The book leaves one with a slight over-all feeling of sorrow, but accomplishes its purpose. Read it, even if you decide not to own it. For a bit of a pick-me-up, re-read Jane Yolen's "Wizard's Hall" (very entertaining, even after four years of looking).

Fantastic for "walking a mile in someone else's shoes".
First found this book when I was student teaching. Such a powerful book, both to teach history/social studies and to see that every story has two sides. I've been in 2 classrooms since and have decided I can't live without this book.

Great, from the point of view of a Taino child
beautiful illustrations, lovely story, unique and unusual point-of-view. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Sleeping Ugly.
I liked this book because the prince kissed the right girl.I also liked this book because it had a happy ending. Miserella is very beautiful on the outside, but she's ugly, ugly, ugly on the inside! Plain Jane has a name to fit what she looks like. She has a crooked nose and teeth and her hair is short and messy. But Jane is very kind and beautiful on the inside. Which one do you think the prince chose?
This book reminded me os Sleeping Beauty because it was based on that book. If you like retold fairy tales you'll like Sleeping Ugly!

GREAT!
I didn't encounter this book until I was 20, and I regret all the years this wasn't one of my favorite children books. Written by the ever amazing Jane Yolen (check her out, folks. She ROCKS!), this "fairy tale" is a riot, a romance, and a sweet little read. Whether you use it to entertain children (which it will) or to keep your college roommate entertained at one in the morning as she pulls her hair out, anyone and everyone will enjoy the book.

Sleeping Ugly
My mom used to read me this book when I was little. It teaches young girls that beauty is on the inside. I think more girls need to be read this story.

Childhood Favorite
I remember borrowing this book from the library over and over and over as a small child. I was so struck by the idea that the beautiful princess didn't win the prince (never mind that he was the youngest son of a youngest son with no jewels or wealth or property to speak of), but that she lost him to an orphaned "Plain Jane". It was only recently that I read the opinion of some "enlightened" reviewer that labeled this book as "feministic." What is so feministic about the idea that someone would look past the lovely facade of one to see the inner beauty of another? I read this book to my class of five-year-olds, and I had just said, "The end" when they began chanting in unison, "Read it again; read it again!" At the end, continuing in the strain of humor that flows throughout this tale, is the story's moral: "Let sleeping princesses lie, or lying princesses sleep . . . " while in truth, it teaches something far more important.

personal worth
In a time when we are swamped with superficial ideas, it is wonderful to see a book that shows children and ADULTS how to appreciate a girl or woman for her personal worth instead of just her looks. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A Poetic and Photographic Feast
Yolen and Stemple have created a visual feast in their, "Color Me A Rhyme." As usual, Jane Yolen's poetry is excellent, but what sold me on the book were the amazing photographic layouts of natural images in green, grey, orange, purple....Each two page spread in the book has a Jane Yolen poem about the featured color, other names for the color (for white: chalk, snow, alabaster and bone), a literary quote about the color, and at least two lovely juxtaposed photos. You have to see the book to really appreciate its gorgeous layouts. This book would be excellent in the early grades, where teaching concepts is emphasized, or when teaching creative writing. Kids could all write their own color poems. I also think young artists would enjoy the varieties of color represented in the volume. How many kids know the varieties of blue? Some of its names are lovely and mysterious--cerulean, sapphire, azure and turquoise. Let them experience these colors in this fine book. ... Read more

Book Description

"According to certain tales, faeries leave the underworld once a year to join together in a faerie ring beneath the moonlight on All Hallow's Eve.One time during this magical celebration, a faerie boy meets a human girl, and the two become friends.Here is their story..." ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Delight for Child and Grown
I found this book and was delighted by the imagery as well as the lyrical verse. As an artist, I appreciate the wonderful illustrations. My son has even taken a magnifying glass to look at them closer and admire the work. The words roll off the tongue with a wonderful cadence. My children love the sounds as much as the pictures. Its a wonderful story of differences between two children and how they can each appreciate the other's world (Culture) and become friends. It teaches an excellent message of tollerance and appreciation for others as well.

A Delight
Jane Yolan has to be one of my favorite authors...from her Children's Books to her adult Fairy Tales in the Fairy Tale Collection edited by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling.

This book is one that my son absolutely adores. It has beautiful illustrations and a wonderful lilting style. The magical story is an old premise about the worlds of the Mundane and the Fae and the friendship between a fairy and a human child. It is a great mystical Halloween tale to share with any child.

As Good as It Gets
This is one of my all-time favorites. As the title suggests, it is a true faerie tale. In this case a human-child and faerie-child chance to meet and each tries to persuade the other to cross the divide, each making an experimental sojourn. Very well illustrated by one of our favorite illustrators--Jane Dyer--and written in a very nice lyric verse. Here's where the girl declines the offer of the Prince.

She looked around the faerie hall
Beneath the hollow hill.
And all the glamour round her spun
To bend her to his will.
But with a sigh, she shook her head.
"That's not by bread
And drink," she said.
"I cannot on your food be fed
And still my needs fulfill."

There are 28 pages, 14 sets of facing pages with one of these lyrics on the left with a small picture above. Opposite is a full-page illustration, many of which are among the very best quality in Children's Literature I've seen.

Sadly, the hardback is no longer in print, but good used copies are usually available. There's no new-age nonsense in this book, just good old-fashioned mythopoetics.

Magical!
My two year old son and I loved this book! It is a beautiful story with amazing illustrations. I would highly recommend it for every child ( and adult!)

Another book of wonders and delight
Gorgeous illustrations, lovely gentle text, a surprising amount of personality for such a short picture book... both of my boys (currently 2 and 4 years old) love it and I insisted on a hardcover copy for my own collection (our paperback is well loved).

Yolen is amazing and this is among our favorites of her many wonderful books. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Bestselling author Jane Yolen does not retell the tale of King Arthur in this imaginative novel for young readers so much as re-invent it. There are familiar characters such as Arthur, Gawaine, and Merlin (here called Merlinnus), and elements from the traditional story, including the famed sword in the stone. But The Sword of the Rightful King treats these as ingredients to cook up an entirely new story. In Yolen's version, Arthur is a young king. He wears the crown but sits perhaps a bit uneasily upon the throne. It has been reported to the king that there are some who will betray or even kill him in order to rise to power. To assure the subjects, the magician Merlinnus places a sword in a stone and announces that whosoever pulls it out, will be the rightful ruler of England. The fact that someone else pulls the sword out of the stone first is just one of numerous intriguing twists. Yolen manages to update the legend and make it fresh for a modern younger audience without resorting to gimmickry and incongruous references (no one says "dude", Lancelot does not ride a skateboard). Instead, she recasts the characters as real people: flawed, troubled, and altogether human. And while they still exist in long-ago England, the people we meet and the situations they find themselves in are accessible to readers of any age. (All ages) --John Moe ... Read more

Reviews (7)

King Arthur With a Twist
Most people seem to have some familiarity with the legend of King Arthur but it won't help them with this completely fresh version of the story.

Arthur is the High King of all Britain but there are some lords who do not recognize him as such. Among these is Pendragon's widow Morgause. She wants one of her boys to be on the throne, possibly her eldest Gawaine. Although Arthur is a fair and just king it will take more to win over some. Merlinnus (Merlin) comes up with an idea to cement Arthur in his position. An idea involving a stone and a sword.

In Cadbury (Camelot) much is going on. Gawain and his brothers are arriving, Gawen has arrived and become Merlinnus's helper, word has it that Morgause is sending an assassin, and a shepherd finds a mysterious stone with a sword sticking out of it.

You may have thought you knew the story but this version is fresh and full of surprises. A wonderful fantasy full of magic and intrigue.

the Kind and the Sword
This is a wonderful book. Jane Yolen did a great job with a King Arthur story. The characters really pop through the pages and the emotions are so thick.
Yolen really doesn't miss a beat with this story. It's fresh and has a great story to go with the King Arthur chronicles.

Sword Of The Rightful King-An Excellent Story!
This is the story of a newly crowned Arthur. As usual, too many are unsure of him and others desire the crown for themselves. Merlinnus plays a major role in plotting Arthur's success with the "sword in the stone." However, there are a few twists along the way. Did someone else pull the sword out of the stone before Arthur? Has the sword been enscorelled by Morgause? Who is the newcomer to Arthur's kingdom? Is he really what he seems? These questions and more are entertainingly answered with many surprises.

I bought this book knowing it was for young adults, which I definitely am not, hoping for an alternative and entertaining story that was fresh. I didn't think it could be done (I've read hundreds of Arthurian Literature books) and certainly didn't expect the surprise this book turned out to be! Additionally, I believe some of the words in this novel would be difficult for many adults, let alone young adults to understand, so keep that dictionary handy as you are reading. Buy this book and read it! It is extraordinary!

read this
This is my favorite book about King Arthur. It has all elements of a well written story. The characters are developed and you look at a well known story in a different way. I would recommend this to others.

A Twist on the Familiar Sword in the Stone Story
Young Arthur, High King of Britain, is a good king, but not everyone thinks so. Merlinnus (more commonly known as Merlin), the castle mage, knows this is dangerous, so he secretly makes a sword in a stone. He lets everyone in the kingdom know that whoever pulls the sword out of the stone will be king. With a little magic he thinks he will help Arthur pull it out. But when the time comes, it doesn't work it out the way Arthur and Merlinnus expect.

Not only was this book well-written, but it also had an awesome plot! I liked how Arthur and Merlinnus always had to be on the lookout, because anyone could be a spy, or worse, an assassin. I also liked the ending because there were lots of surprises. The one thing I didn't like was that one of the big "mysteries" was solved too quickly.

I would recommend this book for both boys and girls ages 10-14. If you like this book, Jane Yolen has also written more than 200 books for kids. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (136)

Briar Rose: Even and Odd
Briar Rose is a novel that intertwines the fairy tale "Sleeping Beauty" with a story about the Holocaust. Jane Yolen takes an interesting tactic with the story. The odd chapters consist specifically of Gemma, the grandmother, telling her version of "Sleeping Beauty" to her grandchildren, mostly Becca. The even chapters, however, tell of Becca's search, after her grandmother's death, to find out her grandmother's real identity and origin. Becca's only clues to begin with were in a box that her grandmother left behind. So, Becca, along with the help of her collegue, set out to what seems to be a hopeless search to Ft. Oswego. While there, Becca talked to a man who knew her grandmother in the refugee camp. He confirmed that Gemma was also known as Ksiezniczka, which means princess. After their meeting, Becca decided to go to Poland to retrace her Grandmother's steps. In Poland, Becca is accompanied by a translator and through sheer luck and coincindence they encounter a priest who leads them to a man who is able to tell Gemma's story along with the story of the Holocaust. During the last half of the book, we learn alot of the terrible and graphic truths about the Holocaust. The last half is also when both the even and odd chapters seem to come together. This is when we notice how Gemma's "Sleeping Beauty" story seems to symbolically coincide with the Holocaust story. For example, in "Sleeping Beauty", the curse that is bestowed upon the princess and her family and friends symbolizes the curse of the Nazis and Gustapo and the doom they unleashed upon everyone. The mist that covers that castle and puts everyone to sleep symbolizes the gassing deaths of millions of people. The castle surrounded with roses that were covered with barbs that were impenetrable symbolized the barbed wire that held the condemned inside the prison camps. By the end of the novel, there is so much symbolism to notice it almost wonderfully overwhelming. It is as if the symbolism clicks together for the reader at the same time Becca pieces it together for herself.

Fiction-Fact-Fairy Tail
Jane Yolen's Briar Rose is an intriguing story of a woman who lived through a traumatic event during the Holocaust. When I first started reading this book, I was somewhat confused with the way the story bounced back and forth from the present, to a time in the past where as the grandmother (Gemma) was telling her own version of the fairy tale: "Sleeping Beauty." Gemma seemed infatuated with her version of "Sleeping Beauty" as it was the only story she told her grandchildren.
Every odd numbered chapter in this book was devoted to portions of Gemma telling her story, while the even numbered chapters reflected the present day lives of the family that surrounded Gemma. When Gemma died, the family realized that no one knew her real name or her history. As a deathbed promise to Gemma, Becca (one of the granddaughters), set out to find the story behind the mysterious grandmother.
In her search for the truth Becca found herself in Poland. She found an older (homosexual) gentleman whom knew her grandmother and told Becca about the holocaust and the part Gemma played in it. In reality Gemmas version of "Sleeping Beauty" was her own version of being put to sleep by the Nazis and re-awakened by a kiss (mouth to mouth resuscitation).
Jane Yolen splendidly intertwined fact, fiction, and fairy tale in this story. I did not read the back cover of this book until I had completed it. This story was so well written and descriptive, that one could almost visualize the events. Had I not read the back cover, I wouldn't have realized it was a fiction, but instead a traumatic experience uncovered. I would love to see this story as a movie!
I highly recommend this book to young and older adults!

Uh, Everyone is missing the obvious question
The obvious question to this convoluted tale is why couldn't Gemma just say she'd been in a concentration camp? Why the story? Once the girls were old enough to understand. I mean, they learned about WW II and the Holocaust in school. It wasn't like this was a dark, deep mystery that no one knew about. That was the most ridiculous thing about the book. If Gemma wanted Becca to find "Briar Rose" then couldn't she just ask her? Or perhaps go back to Poland to find Josef herself? Why did she have to give "hints" and make this like a treasure hunt? This part made absolutely no sense to me at all, but I guess Yolen needed to make this somehow mysterious, or eerie.

Also, didn't Becca's parents have a clue where Gemma was from? Certainly, they knew she was from Poland or Eastern Europe. And it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that if you're Jewish, and you're from Poland, and you arrived in the U.S. following WW II--chances are that you either spent the war hiding, or in a concentration camp!

Sorry, but Yolen just stretches the imagination too much, that no one on earth could figure out that Gemma must have gone through some sort of experience, having lived in Europe during the war. And that no one knew anything about her, or could find out anything--hint, public records are available.

I am really surprised that none of the reviewers have picked up on this. I'm surprised that Yolen couldn't have found a better ploy to weave this tale with, but the mystery just doesn't work.

Briar Rose By Jane Yollen
This is a wonderful book that really gets you guessing. If you are a fan of Sleeping Beauty or other fairy tales then this book is definetly for you. It tells a whole different tale, but at the same time, it is exactly the same. Expect the unexpected, and i garentee that you will be satisfied. This is not a ghost story, or a horror, but it is just as gripping. You will never forget the Hollocost or the pain all of those people went through, and you will never forget the characters in this amazing retelling of Sleeping Beauty.

Happily ever after means exactly what it says...
This isn't a story for the weak of stomach or weak of heart, or those looking for a tidy novelization of a Disney-esque Sleeping Beauty. In Briar Rose, Jane Yolen takes the traditional Sleeping Beauty in the Wood fairy tale and sets it in Poland during the reign of Hitler. Becca, granddaugher of Gemma, is haunted by the Sleeping Beauty story her grandmother told hundreds of times, and even struggled to tell on her deathbed. Gemma's last wish is that Becca will reclaim the castle and find the prince Gemma left behind half a century ago.

The search takes Becca on a terrifying journey into a land torn by war, where innocent people are murdered and tortured simply for being Jewish, Romani, or homosexual. Yolen is quite explicit with descriptions of Holocaust atrocities that actually (unbelievably) happened. I read this book in one day and cried when the prince and his companions arrived at the deathcamp of Chelmno. Read this book, and please visit http://www.remember.org to learn more about the 11 million who died in concentration camps, to get an idea of what the places described in the book look like, and to prevent anything as awful as the Holocaust from happening ever again. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (26)

The Best Book
This book was one of the best books I have ever read. I read alot, I mean reading is basiclly my whole life! My family and I were in the book store one day and said she would buy us all one book. One book? How was it possible to choose? There were so many! I started to scan the sci-fi/fan