Reviews (4)

Great bedtime book-would make a great gift
This book has a wonderful meter for reading aloud as a bedtime book and I would recommend it highly for anyone looking for a bedtime book for a young child.The story is very calming and poetic, not a rhyming sing-song book but a wonderfully comforting weaving of words and illustration to help soothe little minds about the night noises they might hear.You do not have to live in the country to appreciate the descriptions of "the groans and squeaks that houses make" Enjoyable from the city to the fields and everywhere in between.
the poetry of night time
An awesome, quiet book. Rylant appreciates the simple beauty of night time sounds, from a creaking house getting comfortable for rest to an old pig rolling over in the straw to a sleeping dog's chain clinking. All quiet sounds that deserve observation. What initially caught my eye was the reference to a screen door closing in the night and the wonder of who might be up that late--I have often thought about things like that and I appreciated someone else's observation of the same thing. And what sold me on the book is when my four-year-old, after several months of none-interest in the book suddenly asked if I would read this book so he could wonder too about the person whose screen door closed in the night--obviously, Rylant's poetry in her prose is endearing and indelible. Szilagyi's artwork is appropriate to the text, neither overwhelming or boring. She has a nice, sublte touch that complement's the poetry of the book. Highly recommended

From One Who Knows
I bought this title for Grandma to read to her Grandkids and decided to keep it for our home.This is an excellent portrait of what life really is like in the country:the blackness, the soft sounds, the swooping owl.A great find for parents to read to kids to follow up on a visit to a relative in the country. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bedtime & Dreams    2. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Fiction    3. Children: Grades 1-2    4. Country life    5. Fiction    6. Juvenile Fiction    7. Nature & the Natural World - General    8. Night    9. Dreams & their interpretation    10. Juvenile Fiction / Nature & the Natural World   

Reviews (22)

Inside the Titanic: A Giant Cut-away Book
My 8 year old grandson is a Titanic nut. He has taken every Titanic related book out of the school library. When I gave him this book he was like estatic, "This is the best book ever Grandmom!" We are now making a Titanic model from a huge piece of styrofoam using this book as reference. The book is easy enough for him to understand (especially the cut aways) but has enough info to keep an adult interested.

Giant Cut-away Book
It was a very interesting book. As the title indicates, it shows numerous cut-away pictures of the inside of the Titanic. It was nice to see where dining rooms, sitting rooms, the gym, the pool, etc were in relation to each other and the cabins and state rooms of the passengers. Good book for middle school aged children.

Great book for kids
My five-year old son recently became obsessed with the Titanic, so I was very pleased to see that there are actually books written and illustrated with children in mind.However, the illustrations and the information in this book were interesting to me as well!Very well done - highly recommended for kids of all ages! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's 4-8 - History - General    2. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Nonfiction    3. Children: Grades 2-3    4. History - General    5. Juvenile Nonfiction    6. Juvenile literature    7. North Atlantic Ocean    8. Shipwrecks    9. Titanic (Steamship)    10. Transportation - Boats, Ships & Underwater Craft    11. Fiction    12. Juvenile Nonfiction / History / Modern    13. Pop-up & lift-the-flap books   

Reviews (3)

Entertaining and Educational for Children
A change of seasons is in the air. Fletcher the fox doesn't understand and now he's worried.
Beautiful language and art--highly, highly recommended
It's rare that a children's book comes along where both the artwork and the language reach the heights offered up by Fletcher and the Falling Leaves. The story's premise--a young fox attempts to protect his favorite tree from the encroachment of autumn, trying in vain to keep it leaved, literally to the last leaf--could have easily become overly sentimental and cloying.Instead, there is a true sense of sadness and empathy leavened by some wonderfully quirky moments all of which lead to a close that is as satisfying as it is moving.As it is, the story could certainly have stood on its own for plot alone, regardless of language or art.But the artwork is simply sensational, the impressionistic watercolors perfectly matching each page's tone and sentiment, matching the movement of time through day and night, from fall to winter, culminating in perfect pace with the plot in a final illustration of the tree that is simply beautiful.It's a good book for the story, an excellent book for the story plus the art.What makes it a great book, truly a beautiful book, is the language, which never fails to please, to startle, to jostle. The words are sharp and vivid, the rhythm carries you along, and the rhymes and slant rhymes sneak up on you in singular moments of sheer joy in language.The book is a pure clinic in children's picture books as all three elements--plot, art, and language--each alone a superior example, come together to create a whole even greater than its impressive parts.A great book, highly recommended.

Wonderful book, beautiful illustrations
This is a beautiful book.Fletcher is a young fox that has noticed the forest is changing as the summer comes to an end.He has a favorite tree.When he sees the way the leaves are changing he thinks that the tree is sick.He does everything he can think of to help the tree keep it's leaves.Of course in the end he can't save the leaves and he goes home very sad with the last leave that was on the tree. The next day he wakes up and goes to his tree and is mesmarized by the sight of the tree.It's beautiful it's covered in icicles and shining in the morning sunlight.He asks the tree if it is okay and the tree in a sense answers him. The wind blows and the tree shakes and the icicles tingle.To Fletcher it sounds like the tree is laughing and he takes this to mean that the tree is alright. The illustrations are wonderful and the last one of the tree with the icicles is fabulous it is done with a type of glitter.Very pretty effect.I very much recommend this book ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Animals - Foxes    2. Children's Books/Baby-Preschool    3. Children: Kindergarten    4. Fiction    5. Foxes    6. Juvenile Fiction    7. Leaves    8. Nature & the Natural World - General    9. Preschool Picture Story Books    10. Social Issues - Friendship    11. Trees    12. Juvenile Fiction / Nature & the Natural World   

Reviews (6)

Human Research
This book tells you all about the human body.It has lots of pictures and a model of the whole body.
Great fun with great learning
Since my daughter turned about 3--and now show is 5 and a half--she and I have enjoyed this book time and again each time we visit it. It generally sits in her bookshelf for a month or three, but I've seen come out during several of her playdates. If you use this book casually, every once in a while, your child will definitely learn human anatomy over time. So too, often, will the adult.
fun for all ages
My 7 year old, 4 year old and I all have fun looking at this book.it can be used as in introduction to the human body for younger children or to study more deeply for older children.And it's just fun to watch how all the parts interlock and open up. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's 9-12 - Science    2. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Science    3. Children: Grades 3-4    4. Juvenile Life Sciences    5. Juvenile Nonfiction    6. Science & Nature - Anatomy & Physiology    7. Science & Technology - Anatomy & Physiology    8. Technology - How Things Work/Are Made    9. Anatomy    10. Human biology    11. Interactive & activity books & packs    12. Motor cars   

Subjects:  1. Activity programs in education    2. Education    3. Education / Teaching    4. Elementary    5. Elementary School Science And Health    6. Science    7. Study and teaching    8. Study and teaching (Elementary    9. Study and teaching (Elementary)    10. Teaching Methods & Materials - Science & Technology    11. Education / Teaching Methods & Materials / Science & Technology    12. Teaching of a specific subject   

Reviews (4)

The Nature of Science and Evolution
Anyone arguing about science and using the words "proven," "hoax," "proof," have NO idea what Science actually IS, let alone religious faith. THERE IS NO "PROOF" INVOLVED IN SCIENCE. The concept of proof is limited to the court and legal systems as well as to Geometry class proofs,a class which I doubt many of the naysayers actually took when they were in High School.
Challenging... yet inviting
Of Physical Science books I have yet to find one superior to this.The text is thorough enough to be challenging yet inviting to the student.Regardless of your religious beliefs I would highly recommend this text.Our local Christian school uses this text and skips over the evolution part.Don't throw the baby out with the bath water.It's such a shame.Another plus for this series is the support materials offered to supplement the text.There are skill sheets, lab sheets, CDroms, test booklets, a plethora of choices.Great for home schoolers!

Darwin Fish
Even if you do not beleive the evolution theory, that does notRead more

Subjects:  1. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    2. Juvenile Nonfiction    3. Science & Nature - General   

Reviews (1)

great assortment
The Daily Math Practice is a wonderful tool to help keep the students up on all math skills thanks to the wide variety of problems.It is quick and easy to use in the classroom. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children: Grades 4-6    2. Education / Teaching    3. General    4. Juvenile Nonfiction    5. Mathematics - Arithmetic   

Subjects:  1. Amazon River Region    2. Children's 9-12 - Science    3. Children: Grades 4-6    4. Ecology    5. Juvenile literature    6. Rain forest ecology    7. Science & Technology - Environmental Science & Ecology    8. Juvenile Fiction / Animals / Mammals   

Reviews (5)

Lovely Story
This is a lovely picture book.The illustrations are beautiful. It would be a good addition to a library's Christmas collection.

A Wonderful Christmas Story
This is a heartwarming story of an elderly man and also of a mare lost in a winter snowstorm.For every previous Christmas the man and his wife had gone to the woods nearby and picked out the perfect Christmas tree.They would then take the tree back to their home and decorate it, but the crowning glory of each tree would be when she placed the star on it.He had lost his wife the previous spring and this was his first Christmas alone.He had not gone to pick out a tree because he had lost heart after his loss.
The Horse Who Saved Christmas
"Finally, when the tree was just right, his wife would take out a wooden box that held a beautiful star.
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Subjects:  1. Animals - Horses    2. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Fiction    3. Children: Kindergarten    4. Christmas    5. Fiction    6. Holidays & Celebrations - Christmas    7. Hope    8. Horses    9. Juvenile Fiction    10. Nature & the Natural World - General    11. Social Issues - General    12. Wild horses   

Editorial Review

Fields of white opium poppies stretch away over the hills, and uniformedworkers bend over the rows, harvesting the juice. This is the empire of MatteoAlacran, a feudal drug lord in the country of Opium, which lies between theUnited States and Aztlan, formerly Mexico. Field work, or any menial tasks, aredone by "eejits," humans in whose brains computer chips have been installed toinsure docility. Alacran, or El Patron, has lived 140 years with the help oftransplants from a series of clones, a common practice among rich men in thisworld. The intelligence of clones is usually destroyed at birth, but Matt, thelatest of Alacran's doubles, has been spared because he belongs to El Patron. Hegrows up in the family's mansion, alternately caged and despised as an animaland pampered and educated as El Patron's favorite. Gradually he realizes thefate that is in store for him, and with the help of Tam Lin, his bluff and kindScottish bodyguard, he escapes to Aztlan. There he and other "lost children" aretrapped in a more subtle kind of slavery before Matt can return to Opium to takehis rightful place and transform his country.Read more

Reviews (253)

The Clone of El Patron
The Clone of El Patron
Mi Vida
This is one of the beat books I have ever read. It has all the action for the guys, and the romance between Matt and Maria for the girls, and light humor for the both. Matt is a clone of the most powerful dictator in all of Mexico, El Patron. And he thinks he is the world of our modern day of the 50,s, but he does not know that he is in the future. And finds out that he is a clone and is only to be used for the evil El Patron health.And he trys to find his one true love, Maria after she is taken to convent. Follow Matts wonderous journey to find his one true love. Best Book Ever!!!

YA Literature at its finest...
I bought this book when I was student teaching a few years ago.I got sucked into the plot, the characters, and the world that Nancy Farmer created instantly.I just wished and wished that I could share it with someone.
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Subjects:  1. Action & Adventure - General    2. Children's All Ages - Fiction - General    3. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    4. Cloning    5. Fiction    6. Juvenile Fiction    7. Science & Technology    8. Science Fiction / Fantasy (Young Adult)    9. Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Magic    10. Science fiction    11. Juvenile Fiction / Action & Adventure   

Subjects:  1. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 10-12)    2. Juvenile Nonfiction    3. Mathematics - Algebra   

Reviews (3)

Very useful
This book is really nice to read, learn and easy to get the idea for adult and for children.

She loves math now!
My 9 year old had always loved math but this year we moved and neither of us liked the math curriculum the new school used.She began hating math! We began homeschool (there were other problems too) BUT she continued fighting with the math work.I purchased this book and after only 4 lessons she's hooked on math again!She loves the tricks and VOLUNTARILY makes up her own problems to solve! She's already seeing how the "tricks" help her in her "normal" math work.

A must for math teachers!!!
I plan on using this book to enhance my students mental math abilities. This book is a great way to do the mental math and focus on that higherorder thinking.This book is organized well, and is well-suited forclassroom use.There were many tricks that I didn't even know existed andeverything is still based on basic math.This can work from the slowest tothe most advanced learner. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Arithmetic    2. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Nonfiction    3. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    4. Juvenile Nonfiction    5. Juvenile literature    6. Mathematics - Arithmetic    7. Mental arithmetic    8. Juvenile Nonfiction / Mathematics / Arithmetic    9. Mathematics   

Reviews (1)

The Moon Seems to Change
I am a second grade teacher and this book enriched our textbook wonderfully.The illustrations and text were easy for the children to understand (and even taught me a few things as well!)We read several of Franklyn M. Branley's books during our year, but this one seems to be a class favorite. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Fiction    2. Children: Babies & Toddlers    3. Children: Grades 2-3    4. General    5. Juvenile Nonfiction    6. Juvenile literature    7. Moon    8. Phases    9. Science & Nature - Astronomy    10. Juvenile Nonfiction / Science & Technology / Astronomy    11. Solar-terrestrial phenomena   

Editorial Review

Exotic, beautiful, and instructive, this "mathematical folktale" by author-illustrator Demi emerged from her love of India. The narrative and the evocative illustrations combine to create a real sense of the culture and atmosphere of this romantic land. Read more

Reviews (17)

A lot to learn, including girl-power
This is Demi's re-telling of an old folktale of a king who orders that all rice in his kingdom must be stored in the royal granaries so that there would be food in times of famine; but when his people start to go hungry, he refuses to open the granaries, claiming that the situation was not bad enough to warrant doing so - until a small child outsmarts him by asking for a grain of rice doubled every day for a month.
a tale to delight both young and old
My daughter is three and loves this book -- not just for the gorgeous fold-out illustrated spread of the caravan of elephants carrying the rice on the 30th day -- but because she can follow along with the story.The tale is of a rich greedy rajah who doesn't want to share, but is then outwitted by a young girl and forced to give up all the grain in his storehouses.At the end, he is humbled and vows to be a more fair and wise ruler.My daughter loves to sit with one grain of rice in her hand like Rani on the title page of the book.I can see her forming rudimentary mathematical concepts, but I won't push it.There's plenty of time to return to this book when we introduce the times tables.
One grain of rice = many valuable lessons for students
One Grain of RIce is not only a bookof math, it is also a folktale.It shows how rice can grow from one grain, to two grains,to four grains, to 8 grains to 16 grains and all the way up to a whole barn full of grain.
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Subjects:  1. Children's 4-8 - Picturebooks    2. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Fiction    3. Children: Grades 1-2    4. Fairy Tales & Folklore - Asian    5. Fairy Tales & Folklore - Single Title    6. Folklore    7. India    8. Juvenile Fiction    9. Mathematics    10. Science & Technology    11. Science & Technology - Mathematics    12. Juvenile Fiction / Fairy Tales & Folklore / Country & Ethnic   

Reviews (8)

maps and more!
Excellent book! Not only it teaches about maps (from the map of your room to the map of the world) and geography but it is also excellent for teaching about
Me on the Map
My six year old daughter loved this book.The words were easy enough for her to read and the repetition reinforced her early reading skills.We used this book as an introduction to perspective, maps, and self-awareness.The pictures were fresh, clean, and uncluttered.We plan on getting the rest of the series.

Great Perspective for Younger Children
A very simplistic but impacting look at maps from a me/mine perspective beginning with her room, house, street... all the way to world and then back to room.The theme is "everyone has a special place in the world and this is how you'll find me"; using a map.The illustrations of the map are very vague in terms of detail, but gives a great relative perspective of the area it comprises.It will introduce the younger children and provide a more vivid explanation to the older ones.I would recommend ages K-4th grades. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Nonfiction    2. Children: Grades 1-2    3. General    4. Juvenile Fiction    5. Juvenile literature    6. Maps    7. Science & Nature - General    8. Atlases    9. Juvenile Fiction / General   

Subjects:  1. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    2. Juvenile Nonfiction    3. Science & Nature - General   

Reviews (14)

Great for Earth Science teachers!
I teach 6th grade and one of the things we learn about is rocks.I bought this book based on the reviews, but after reading it I felt compelled to write one too.I try to get my students excited about rock collecting.This book is so simple, yet so inspiring.It begins by saying "I'm sorry for kids who only have tricycles, bicycles, horses, elephants, goldfish, three-room playhouses, fire engines, wind-up dragons and things like that - if they don't have a rock for a friend."It then goes on to list 10 simple rules for finding your rock...not just any rock.A rock that you will keep forever.The rules include where to find your rock and remember "You should choose your rock when everything is quiet.Don't let dogs bark at you or bees buzz at you."The book concedes, "Don't get a rock that is too big.You'll always be sorry.It won't fit in your right hand and it won't fit in your pocket.A rock as big as an apple is too big.A rock as big as a horse is MUCH too big."This is the perfect book to get your rock collectors started and excited about geology.

enjoyable lesson and artwork
Under the guise of giving ten rules for choosing one's "special rock", the author advises kids (and adults who read to them), to connect with nature and to act with deliberation.The line drawings are muted in color yet evocative and filled with imagination, and will be of interest to kids who have seen only traditional artwork.

Everybody Needs This Book
I bought this book for myself at Rocks and Stuff in Chelan, Washington.We visit this store on our annual vacations and are always awed and fascinatated by what we find there.Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's 4-8 - Picturebooks    2. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Nonfiction    3. Children: Preschool    4. Fiction    5. General    6. Juvenile Fiction    7. Nature - Rocks & Minerals    8. Rocks    9. Science & Nature - Rocks & Minerals    10. Handicrafts    11. Hobbies, Quizzes & Games    12. Juvenile Fiction / General   

Editorial Review

To say that this particular apple tree is a "giving tree" is an understatement. In Shel Silverstein's popular tale of few words and simple line drawings, a tree starts out as a leafy playground, shade provider, and apple bearer for a rambunctious little boy. Making the boy happy makes the tree happy, but with time it becomes more challenging for the generous tree to meet his needs. When he asks for money, she suggests that he sell her apples. When he asks for a house, she offers her branches for lumber. When the boy is old, too old and sad to play in the tree, he asks the tree for a boat. She suggests that he cut her down to a stump so he can craft a boat out of her trunk. He unthinkingly does it. At this point in the story, the double-page spread shows a pathetic solitary stump, poignantly cut down to the heart the boy once carved into the tree as a child that said "M.E. + T." "And then the tree was happy... but not really." When there's nothing left of her, the boy returns again as an old man, needing a quiet place to sit and rest. The stump offers up her services, and he sits on it. "And the tree was happy." While the message of this book is unclear (Take and take and take?Give and give and give? Complete self-sacrifice is good? Complete self-sacrifice is infinitely sad?), Silverstein has perhaps deliberately left the book open to interpretation. (All ages) Read more

Reviews (472)

A Mother's Love
Discriminating readers may find the boy to be quite selfish. Only a mother could love so unconditionally. For the permanent personal collection for the sensitive.A nice gift.

The Real World!
I have loved this book since I was a child and now as I am getting older and my friends and family are having children, I give this book as a present to the new generation being born.Although, for some reason there are reviews that think this book is "horrifying", I think it is a wonderful story about the reality of the world.Sometimes in life you have to give something of yourself even though you know it won't be appreciated.If the only reason why you give is for people to be thankful this would be a very sad world and for some reason my generation is raising children that aren't held accountable and over protected from the reality of the world.Thus, leaving them unprepared to survive in life.This book made an impact on me as a child and I hope it makes an impact on many others in the future.

Love this book since i was a kid
This book for some reason draws real emotion from the reader.Almost like the song Cat's in the Cradle by Harry Chapin.It's about a boy and a tree, and the unconditional love that the tree has for the boy (like parents have for their kids).
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Subjects:  1. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Fiction    2. Children: Grades 1-2    3. Classics    4. Fiction    5. Generosity    6. Juvenile Fiction    7. Nature & the Natural World - General    8. Silverstein, Shel    9. Social Issues - Emotions & Feelings    10. Social Issues - Values    11. Trees    12. Juvenile Fiction / Classics   

Reviews (5)

Another great Bob Barner book
I picked up this book for almost three year old daughter because we loved Bob Barner's Fish Wish.My daughter learned so much about the ocean from that book and I thought Dem Bones would give her an introduction to the body.The book follows an old African folk song called Dem Bones."The ankle bone is conneced to the foot bone, the foot bone is connected to the leg bone" and so on.Since my daughter is so young I just sing the song to her and point out the bones on her body as we see the corresponding ones on the skeletons in the book.If you have an older child there is much more in depth information about the bones provided on each page.That is why I love Bob barner's books so much.My daughter can follow along the simple to read stories now and when she gets older I can go over the more informative parts with her later.She has already learned a great deal from this book and she really loves it.Bob Barner really makes learning fun.

Dem Bones
As an elementary school librarian, I used this book with my classes.We sang the song as we turned the pages.Then, at the end we laughed about the names of the bones and practiced ways of using the "real" names.1)Go to the nurse after you skinned your knee on the playground and ask for a bandaid to put on your patella; 2) You stub your toe and grab it and moan, "Oh, I stubbed my phlanges", etc. We love this book!
This book offers a wonderful introduction to the bone structure of the human body, even for very young children (my 3 year old daughter and niece just love this book).The use of fun, bright skeletons appeals to the reader and balances the use of scientific language in the text.Even mom and dad will learn a thing or two while reading it!You'll have your kids singing Dem Bones (the foot bone connected to the ankle bone, etc.) before you know it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bones    2. Children's 4-8 - Picturebooks    3. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Fiction    4. Children: Grades 2-3    5. Health & Daily Living - Anatomy    6. Health & Medicine - Anatomy    7. Holidays & Celebrations - Halloween    8. Holidays & Festivals - Halloween    9. Human skeleton    10. Juvenile literature    11. Skeleton    12. Fiction    13. Juvenile Fiction / General    14. Picture books   

Reviews (6)

fun
I liked this book for my kids as I tend to like educational stuff.There is another book on amazon that I and my kids loved, because it was not only educational but super funny.It is DR JONES AND CAROLYN by carolyn apel Excellent Introduction to the Solar System...
I purchased this book for my five year old son, who loves anything that has to do do with outerspace and the planets.This is a terrific book for a young child, the information is direct and to the point and easy to understand.I think children in the older recommended age range would be somewhat dissappointed, it is not really meant for in depth understanding. Out Of This Place
I got this book for the boy I nanny for. He is on this kick about anything to with outer space. He loves it, and I don't get sick of reading it to him. Good buy if you love space. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Nonfiction    2. Children: Grades 2-3    3. Juvenile Nonfiction    4. Juvenile literature    5. Planets    6. Science & Nature - Astronomy    7. Solar system    8. Technology - Aeronautics, Astronautics & Space Science    9. Juvenile Nonfiction / Science & Technology / Aeronautics, Astronautics & Space Science    10. The planets