Reviews (13)

A great adoption book
This is the adoption book that most touched our adopted daughter. It addresses the issue of not physically looking like parents.Now in her twenties she still reads it like a favorite poem.We routinely purchase it as a "new baby" gift for children adopted by friends.

This book is worth having
We have this book and once we have our little girl home, it will be used over and over again.The story is a great way to talk about adoption and the differences between parent(s) and child.Perfect for anyone who has adopted or will be adopting internationally. I recommend this book highly and the illustration work is wonderful!

Straight Forward Approach to Discussing Adoption!
This book gives a straight forward approach to discussing adoption with an adopted child.Although both of us and our son are Caucasion (we adopted him from Russia) he does have blond hair and blue eyes, while my wife and I have dark hair and dark eyes.He definitely does not "look" like us.Although I would agree that we shouldn't focus too much on "looks" the fact of the matter (and reality) is that it is something that our children will have to deal with.This book involves the "Mama" tiger telling her baby "Cheetah" that they chose him and that they liked his spots (confirming that there are differences in the world, as opposed to hiding it).The "losing" of the child's first family is a reasonable explanation to provide to a young child.The actual circumstances of an individual child's birthparents can be discussed in more detail as the child gets older and more mature to discuss them.Read more

Subjects:  1. Adoption    2. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Fiction    3. Children: Kindergarten    4. Family - Adoption    5. Family - Parents    6. Fiction    7. Parent and child    8. Self-acceptance    9. Self-respect    10. Social Issues - Emotions & Feelings    11. Juvenile Fiction / Social Situations / Emotions & Feelings   

Subjects:  1. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Nonfiction    2. Children: Kindergarten    3. Concepts - General    4. Concepts - Sense & Sensation    5. Juvenile Nonfiction    6. Juvenile literature    7. Readers - Beginner    8. Science & Nature - Anatomy & Physiology    9. Sound    10. First experiences    11. Juvenile Nonfiction / Concepts / Sense & Sensation   

Editorial Review

Leon Zeisel is in big trouble. He is perpetually exhausted due to anoveractive icemaker in the hotel where he lives, he discovers in hismother's desk a confidential envelope from his school announcing that hedisplays "a troubling lack of fine motor skills," and worst of all, hebegins fourth grade under the tyrannical tutelage of Miss Hagmeyer, ablack-cloaked, black-wigged, mushroom-eared woman who is obsessed withsewing, a fine motor skill if there ever was one. Insisting that allinstruction should stem from the Middle Ages and "The Heavenly Stitchesof Virtue," the Hag forces her students to sew an "animile" per month,a stuffed animal of sorts that is not to exceed four s.p.i. (stitchesper inch) in the inseam. What happens when Leon decides to sew hisend-of-year "Master Piece," the "spitting image" of Miss Hagmeyer, anexact miniature replica down to her liver-colored panty hose? AllenKurzweil creates a magical, eccentric world where, as in many of themost satisfying children's books, adults are benevolent but flawed--andkids are in delicious control of them. Fans of Daniel Pinkwater's novelswill feel right at home with this clever and suspensefulunderdog-turns-champion story with a dribble of magic. (Ages 8 andolder) Read more

Reviews (18)

exellent
If you like mysteries,spookiness,and maybe even sewing. I recomend this book,because it is funny and full of adventure.Allen Kurzwell put a lot of detail into this book,I didn't dislike anything in this great book.

A Deliciously Quirky Book for Kids!
Fourth grader Leon lives with his mother in their eccentric apartment house in New York City. Leon is nervous about going into the fourth grade, and is horrified to find out his teacher is the dreaded Mrs.Hagmire. She is well known for her obsession with sewing which is especially bad for Leon because of his poor fine motor skills. She forces her students to create "animles" (in other words models of animals) sewn from her old panty hose.A bizarre accident involving a jar of spit gives Leon's animle strange powers.This is a fast paced funny book that will appeal to those who enjoy humorous fantasy.
Excitement, magic, and mystery
I think that Leon and the Spitting Image is a great book that a lot of readers would love to read.It's about Leon Ziezel and his two friends, Lilly-Matise and P.W., and how they try to survive fourth grade and avoid being caught by Miss Hagmeyer (or "The Hag") their teacher who is obsessed with sewing and medieval things, and Henry Lumkin (or "Hank the Tank") the school bully. But with a little bit of spit, everything could change.I recommend this book for anyone who likes excitement, magic, and mystery kind of things.
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Subjects:  1. Children's 9-12 - Fiction - General    2. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    3. Children: Grades 3-4    4. Fiction    5. Humorous Stories    6. Juvenile Fiction    7. Magic    8. School & Education    9. Schools    10. Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Magic    11. Sewing    12. Social Issues - Friendship    13. Social Situations - Friendship    14. Juvenile Fiction / Humorous Stories   

Reviews (12)

Pinkerton, Behave OrI'llBlowYour Brains Out
The funny thing about reading these reviews is that everyone focuses on the break in at the end.Even many pages before, all the monsters and burglars have guns and guns are a part of the "pictures".The story line could have been cute---My husband is the biggest advocate of gun ownership and has quite a collection, however the very first thing you teach a child is never ever to point even a toy gun at anyone, especially their head.The idea of a child watching their mother being held with a gun to her head and threatened to blow her brains out, not once but twice is totally not permissable.Not even if you are talking about a big doggie and his bad manners!Guns have no place on page illustrations of a child's book!!!

Not for young children
We checked this book out of the library for our 3-year old son without looking through it first.It had a cute title and a cute cover, plus our son loves dogs.Were we surprised!The story takes a dark twist at the end with the mom held at gun-point by a burglar, who basically threatens to kill them. We found this scary, not to mention inappropriate for a children's picture book. I cannot recommend this book to anyone with young children.

Lovely
Loved it, great story and pictures, Just as a Great Dane Puppy would behave! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Action & Adventure - General    2. Animals - Dogs    3. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Fiction    4. Children: Grades 1-2    5. Dogs    6. Fiction    7. Juvenile Fiction    8. Juvenile Fiction / Animals / Dogs   

Reviews (3)

Cool Book!
It was a neat book. Nancy and George go on a wilderness trek and when things get suspicious, Nancy calles in the Hardys. It had lots of excitement though it didn't really have any romance. I especially like theway they meet. It's funny. I also like when they were in they raft. Icouldn't put it down and I definatly reccomend it.-RJG,12

It was totally awesome!
This is only the second Nancy Drew & Hardy Boy mystery that I've read and I know that I will continue read more. It is so exciting to find out what will happen to Frank, Joe, and Nancy when they are surronded my a mobof mobsters. How long will they the survive in a wilderness of deceint? Arethey meant to ever get out of the woods and tell their secret to thepolice? To find out you must read it. R.B. age 12

Nancy and the Hardys are stuckin the wilderness with killers
Nancy and George are hiking in the wilderness when strange things start to happen. They call in the Hardys to help them. Soon they're trapped on the mountain surrounded by killers from the mob. Will they survive?To findout, you need to read this exciting book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's 12-Up - Fiction - Mystery    2. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    3. Mysteries, Espionage, & Detective Stories    4. Mystery and detective stories    5. Juvenile Fiction / General   

Subjects:  1. Action & Adventure    2. Action & Adventure - General    3. Children's 9-12 - Fiction - General    4. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    5. Children: Grades 4-6    6. Fiction    7. Girls & Women    8. Juvenile Fiction    9. Juvenile Mysteries    10. Missing persons    11. Mysteries, Espionage, & Detective Stories    12. National parks and reserves    13. Vacations    14. Juvenile Fiction / Mysteries & Detective Stories   

Subjects:  1. Action & Adventure    2. Action & Adventure - General    3. Children's 9-12 - Fiction - General    4. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    5. Children: Grades 4-6    6. Fiction    7. Girls & Women    8. Juvenile Fiction    9. Juvenile Mysteries    10. Mysteries, Espionage, & Detective Stories    11. Mystery and detective stories    12. River boats    13. Juvenile Fiction / Mysteries & Detective Stories   

Reviews (1)

Apartment 3
I first read this book to my daughter when she was 4-years-old. The New York tenement setting was such a foreign world in contrast to her suburban Dallas upbringing that she was immediately enthralled with the fact that so many families of diverse ethnic backgrounds would all live in one building.Keats paints such a vivid word picture that a child as young as she couldeasily be drawn into the story line. The characters and events became realto her, to the extent that she could literally hear the harmonica playing.My daughter begged to revisit this story and consequently every trip to thelibrary for the next year included Apartment 3. To this day, at age 29 andexpecting her first child, she still recalls this book and wants a copy ofher own. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Apartment houses    2. Blind    3. Brothers    4. Children's 4-8 - Picturebooks    5. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Fiction    6. Children: Kindergarten    7. Fiction    8. Juvenile Fiction    9. Lifestyles - City & Town Life    10. People with disabilities    11. Performing Arts - Music    12. Social Issues - Friendship    13. Social Issues - Special Needs    14. Social Situations - Friendship    15. Early learning / early learning concepts    16. Fiction dealing with social issues    17. Juvenile Fiction / Social Situations / Friendship    18. Special needs & learning difficulties    19. Urban communities   

Reviews (12)

The ChickenDoesn't Skate
This book loves chickens! In the a boy named Milo Neal the school science geek gets a baby chick to study for a science fair. He wants to study how it fits into the food chain, but when he takes it school everybody goes crazy. The name her Henrietta and make her their hockey mascot. Everybody falls in love with Henrietta. Milo is going to cook the chicken to complete th project. Will Henrietta live or will she be eaten! SCIENCE PROJECTSARE NOT PETS!
In the chicken doesn't skate a kid named Milo Neal(who moved from L.A. to Minnesota), has a science project to do for his sixth grade class. When he decides to do it on a chicken, everybody wants to make it a class pet. Everybody ignores him and someone new takes the chicken home each weekend. The chicken doesn't skate
The book the chicken doesn't skate is almost about a chicken who's name is Hanrita and one boy who'y name is Milo. Milo uses chicken for his science expiriament and the chicken is luck charm in his hockey game. As the story goes on Milo want to show chickens life cycle, so at the end he has to cook her and eat her, but his friends say that they have to think of a plan to save the chicken. The funniest thing l liked was when the chicken got stuck on a tree and someone called 911 and said there's a Hanrita stuck on a tree. When 911 came they starded laufing because they thought that Henrita was a girl, not a chicken. They got her down and it was fun. In the end Milo showed expiriment by not cooking her, but that chicken got egg and little chicken ws born. This book was fun and I think people who like hockey should read it because it was that chicken was luck in the game, but in the real world there is no charm luck in the game. Its how good is the team and its hard to win with luck. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Chickens    2. Children's 9-12 - Fiction - General    3. Children: Grades 3-4    4. Fiction    5. Hockey    6. Humorous Stories    7. Juvenile Fiction    8. School & Education    9. Science projects   

Editorial Review

Colleen Minou is a hard-core stoner, a girl whose motto is, "I'll gethigh and do anything." Ben Bancroft is a movie-addicted preppie who suffers fromcerebral palsy, "the resident spaz, invisible as the sign that says NO RUNNING,the one no one pays attention to." Together, they form the most unlikely couplesince Dharma and Greg. He's Brooks Brothers, she's Salvation Army. He's nevereven smoked a cigarette, she's got 20 different chemicals running through herveins. But when these two lonely teens meet one night at Ben's favorite hang,the Rialto (a classic film theatre that "smells like butter from thePaleozoic"), sparks fly. At least for Ben they do. Maybe it's because Colleen'sthe first girl to ever really notice him, to have the nerve to tease him abouthis disability instead of pretend it's not there. For once, Ben is actually moreinterested in his real life than a movie. Colleen takes him clubbing, lights hisfirst joint, even challenges him to direct his own movie. But when Ben, in turn,dares her to stay straight, Colleen admits that, despite his devotion, she stillneeds the drugs to "smooth out the edges." Is Ben capable of convincing herotherwise? If not, how will he ever be cured of his Colleen addiction?Read more

Reviews (39)

unexpected changes
This book is about a boy named Ben who has cerebral palsy. He lives with his over protected grandmother because his dad died and his mom ran away. One day he goes into the Rialto Theater and he meets Colleen, a drug addict from his school. After that Ben and Colleen make a friendship. Colleen treats Ben as if he was normal and he starts to fall in love with her. When Ben meets the new neighbor, Marcie she gives him a camera and helps him start a documentary about school and the truth about it. Colleen and Ben then sort of become boyfriend and girlfriend, but never really called each other that. Then with Colleen's drug problem, she finds herself into the hospital. The day of Ben's movie, he finds Colleen buzzed with drugs when she was trying to quit her problem. From there Ben realizes Colleen will never change
Underestimated
This book was better than I expected it to be.I thought it would be filled with pointless conflicts between characters, but it all made sense.Ron Koertge writes Colleen and Ben with such sophistication you forget they're only sixteen.I also loved the humor he added here and there.I especially loved the grandma, who reminded me of Rue McClanahan.The whole book made sense, until the end.The end was bit rushed, and didn't seem to fit.In my opinion, Koertge could've gone on to make a longer book, just to clarify the ending.But everything before hand, was PERFECT!Definetley more than a romance novel for the MTV generation.

It was okay
Stoner and Spaz was an okay book. It could have been better the ending was disapointing and I was expecting something more between the two main characters. The idea that some one will go all the way through rehab and then go back to drugs is believable but the fact that a person will get an aword for a movie on the first try is very unlikly. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cerebral palsy    2. Children's 12-Up - Fiction - General    3. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    4. Fiction    5. Juvenile Fiction    6. People with disabilities    7. Self-acceptance    8. Social Issues - Drugs, Alcohol, & Substance Abuse    9. Social Issues - Friendship    10. Social Issues - General    11. Social Issues - Special Needs    12. Juvenile Fiction / Social Situations / Special Needs   

Subjects:  1. Action & Adventure    2. Action & Adventure - General    3. Children's 9-12 - Fiction - General    4. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    5. Children: Grades 4-6    6. Fiction    7. Girls & Women    8. Hawaii    9. Juvenile Fiction    10. Juvenile Mysteries    11. Mysteries, Espionage, & Detective Stories    12. Mystery and detective stories    13. San Francisco (Calif.)    14. Juvenile Fiction / Mysteries & Detective Stories   

Reviews (3)

Sparks Interest in Octopuses at Young Ages
I checked this book out for my 4 year old (and 2 year old twins) since our booklist recommended it for studying the letter "o".We thought it was interesting and fabulous.We enjoyed the illustrations and the facts.We happened to have also checked out an octopus puppet with which we made up our own stories based on the facts we learned from the book.I found it interesting enough that I guess I hadn't realized that there wasn't a plot.I guess fact is better than fiction!

Octopus's Garden
I liked this book because I learned alot of facts.The pictures were really cool and I liked learning how they disguise themselves and how the mother octopus lays here eggs near her den where she can watch them.It is sad because she dies after the babies hatch. I recommmend this book for all ages.

some amazing facts, but visually dull.
Lauber's _An Octopus is Amazing_ is a decent introductory book on the topic, probably best suited to children aged 4-8.There are no photographs.The book is illustrated on each page with color drawings.The drawing on the book cover is indicative of the quality of the drawings throughout.It's a bit cartoonish.Read more

Subjects:  1. Animals - Marine Life    2. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Nonfiction    3. Children: Grades 1-2    4. Juvenile literature    5. Nature - General    6. Octopus    7. Science & Nature - General    8. Aquatic creatures    9. Juvenile Nonfiction / Science & Technology / General    10. Zoology & animal sciences   

Reviews (5)

Islands of Intrigue -- Fabulous!
Among the rocky coasts, shimmering turquoise waters and ancient ruins of Greece you can rest assured that a mystery lies in wait for Nancy Drew and the Hardy brothers.
The review of Islands of Intrigue
As a big Nancy Drew fan I found this book exciting and one of the best books in the Super Mystery series. It has excitment and suspence, not to mention mystery! As Nancy finds herself and Bess( Nancy's best friend) inthe romantic islands of Greece she also finds herself a mystery as a newfriend of hers,Alexis Canstantine, is kidnapped. Well just as she alwaysdoes, Nancy sees this as a chance for a much enjoyable mystery. Meanwhilethe famous brothers, Frank and Joe Hardy, also find them selves in Greecebut for a different reason. They are there to follow a man accused ofstealing a dozen of U.S. super powered misiles. I give this book two thumbsup! It was an exciting page turner, you won't be able to put it down!

yeah it was good!
When are ya'll people gonna learn that the whole Nancy and Frank thing is utterly and completely over. They kissed how many times two thats right only TWO.Then after that they admitted that it felt very very wrong and very awkward. I mean they say that they LOVE Ned and Callie they just don'tlove other people they love Callie and Ned. So get out of your head thatthere is ever gonna be a thang going on between Nancy and Frank!Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's 12-Up - Fiction - Mystery    2. Children: Grades 4-6    3. Fiction    4. Mysteries, Espionage, & Detective Stories    5. Mystery and detective stories    6. Vacations    7. Juvenile Fiction / General   

Subjects:  1. Children's 4-8    2. Children: Grades 2-3    3. Fiction    4. Holidays & Celebrations - Thanksgiving    5. Insects    6. Juvenile Literature    7. Kraus, Robert    8. Schools    9. Spiders    10. Thanksgiving Day   

Subjects:  1. Action & Adventure - General    2. Animals    3. Animals - General    4. Children's 9-12 - Literature - Classics / Contemporary    5. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    6. Children: Grades 4-6    7. Classics    8. Fiction    9. Jungles    10. Juvenile Fiction    11. Legends, Myths, & Fables - General    12. Juvenile Fiction / Legends, Myths, Fables / General   

Reviews (7)

Best One EVER!!!
This is the best book! in the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys uper Mystery. Although it does have some questions such as how did Nancy get in the FBI? I don't know. Ifyou put that all aside, its and action packed aventure. Betrayl, adventure, and..... murder are all in this one book. This is a must read! (if you have read this already, read Evil in Amsterdam. That's the second best Nancy Drew and Hardy boys Super Mystery. ALMOST came in first but Spies and Lies pulled through!)

I failed to suspend my disbelief...
To enjoy a work of fiction, you have to be able to suspend your disbelief.That is, the author has to give you a setting that you think could be plausible in this or some other world. spies and lies....
i really liked this nancy drew and hardy boys super mystery. it was intriuging and suspenseful. i especially liked the ending of it because it was hard to guess who the culprit of the crime was. joe and frank's mystery was not as good as nancy's in the story though. which is okay because a lot of times their mystery is a lot more suspenseful. as for the romance aspect a different guy other then frank liked nancy and i really want nancy and frank to hook up so i was disappointed but overall it was a smashing book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's 12-Up - Fiction - Mystery    2. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    3. Federal Bureau of Investigation    4. Fiction    5. Mysteries, Espionage, & Detective Stories    6. Mystery and detective stories    7. United States.    8. Juvenile Fiction / General   

Reviews (13)

ANOTHER Nancy Drew that I love!
I have read BOTH versions of Password to Larkspur Lane, AND have seen the movie Nancy Drew Detective (1938) on televsion more than once.I have always liked this Nancy Drew like many others that I have read;though I have liked both versions. I have in general liked the originals better than the "new stories for today's readers". The original Nancy Drews paint a picture of life in the Thirties and early Forties, when there were no automatic transmissions, dial phones, transistor radios, or televsions, much less DVD's, audio CD's, automated teller machines, PC's. Indeed, in the era when the original Nancy Drews were written, THERE WERE NOT EVEN MUNTZ TV'S!Two facets of Password to Larkspur Lane stand out, and are particularly funny.One is the use of the phrase "singing horses" as password, changing it from "blue bells".Imagine horses singing into microphones!I can see WHY those gangsters chose "singing horses" as password, as larks are associated with singing, and spurs with riding horses.
read the rewritten
i suggest u read the rewritten nancy drews you need to give them a try. they are as exiting and suspenceful as this exiting mystery!!!!!!!

It's like a Movie!!!
I really liked this book!! I have about 16 other Nancy Drew Books and I love them all, but this was one of my favorites!
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Subjects:  1. Children's 9-12 - Fiction - Mysteries / Detective    2. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    3. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    4. Juvenile Fiction    5. Mysteries, Espionage, & Detective Stories    6. Mystery and detective stories    7. Children's Books/Ages 9/12 Fiction    8. Juvenile Fiction / Mysteries & Detective Stories    9. Theometrics/Secular   

Reviews (2)

Wonderful, almost complete collection
I loved reading the Mrs. Piggle Wiggle books as a child, and I loved reading "Mrs. Piggle Wiggle", "Mrs. Piggle Wiggle's Magic", and "Hello, Mrs. Piggle Wiggle" again in this wonderful collection.The only problem is that "Mrs. Piggle Wiggle's Farm" is not included.

Roma Parekh
This is a great collection of all the Mrs. Piggle - Wiggle books. This is such a cute book. I remember reading these books when I was little and am very happy to be reading the treasury ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Behavior    2. Children: Grades 2-3    3. Fiction    4. Humorous stories    5. Juvenile Fiction    6. Social Issues - General   

Reviews (7)

Absolutely Perfect!
The book was brand new, mailed very quickly.Absolutely easy.This seller deserves a perfect score.Thank you!

An excellent introduction to the care of guinea pigs!
I bought this book for my daughter just before we got her first pets, two guinea pigs!The pictures are lovely and the book covers guinea pig likes and dislikes, as well as their basic needs from vitamin c to clean water. The best part though is the author's continued assertation that guinea pigslove to be cuddled!

Absolutely charming!!
If you don't have a guinea pig, this book will make you want to get one ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Fiction    2. Children: Preschool    3. General    4. Guinea pigs    5. Guinea pigs as pets    6. Juvenile Fiction    7. Juvenile literature    8. Mice, Hamsters, Guinea Pigs, Etc.    9. Pets    10. Juvenile Nonfiction / Animals / Mice, Hamsters, Guinea Pigs, Squirrels, etc.   

Reviews (11)

My favorite children's book
I first read this book at age 14 and since then I have read it over and over! The first thing that made me interested in this book was Madison, an african grey parrot.I had a pair of Red Sided Eclectus parrots before and I thought this book would help me remember them in a way.While reading this book, I felt an enormous amount of joy, even my sister who has a "strange" sence of humor laughed once and a while when I told her sections of the book.Not only does this book begin and end with happiness, it also has a surprise twist.I'm not telling :) an AWESOME book
I chose this book because in the past I read another book by the same author. This book takes place in Paris, France.There are four main characters.The characters are Mom, Dad, Madison, the African Gray Parrot.I like Madison the most because he can talk and play more games than the average parrot, and because madison is the center of the whole story. The story begins when Harry inherits an African Gray Parrot, named Madison, from his Great Uncle George.harry spends much time with the parrot, and becomes attached to him.One day, when no one was home, a burglar breaks in and steals Madison.While Madison is at the robber's house alone, he calls the police.The policeman could not believe what madison told him because Madison's stoy was unbelievable. Madison had even told the police man that he was 9 inches tall.Later in the story Madison manages to pry a hole in the chimney and get away. Going up the chimney he got covered in suit and could not fly.Then you should read the book to see what happens next. I thoght this was a great story.i would reccomend this book to you to read

Madison
The book I am going to talk about is called Harry's Mad. It is an adventurous book. There are two main characters. The first character is Harry he is a blonde hair boy and he has black eyes. He is ten years old and has no brothers or sisters. He lives with his parents. The second character is an African parrot with gray and black eyes and has a dark gray beak.Read more

Subjects:  1. Action & Adventure    2. Action & Adventure - General    3. Animals - Birds    4. Children's 9-12 - Fiction - General    5. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    6. Children: Grades 2-3    7. Fiction    8. Inheritance and succession    9. Juvenile Fiction    10. Parrots    11. Juvenile Fiction / Animals / Birds