Staff Favorites Books - Page 5

Absolutely, Positively Alexander

Judith Viorst

Amazon Price: $15.61 List Price: $22.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Atheneum Amazon Marketplace: 53 new & used starting at $5.16

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 10 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Who hasn't had a "terrible, horrible no good very bad day" 5 out of 5 stars.
7 of 7 people found this review helpful.

I grew up just loving Alexander in Alexander and the Terrible Horrible No Good Very Bad Day. My mother read it to us a children (ok, so now you know I'm not too old!) and I was just thrilled to see such a good copy of not only it but the other Alexander stories as well. The library binding is very nice and this book will definitely be a keepsake for my children someday. If you like to have books to pass on, this one's for you!

Editorial Review:

First published in 1972, Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day introduced to the world a feisty young hero who soon captured the hearts of a generation. Since then Alexander has returned in Alexander, Who Used to Be Rich Last Sunday and Alexander, Who's Not (Do you hear me? I mean it!) Going to move, and his position as a classic character in children's literature is assured. Alexander is everyone's favorite boy, struggling against those obstacles that seem to get in the way of growing up, with the most formidable ones being his siblings. Here, all three Alexander stories are combined in one book -- a perfect way for Alexander to be introduced to a whole new generation of certain fans.

The Owl and the Pussycat

Edward Lear

List Price: $15.95 By: HarperCollins Amazon Marketplace: 11 new & used starting at $0.01

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 26 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

James Marshall's pics, not Jan Brett's! 2 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

First of all, Amazon.com seems to have screwed up somehow and most of the reviews here are for "The Owl and the Pussycat" illustrated by Jan Brett which transfers this classic tale into a Caribbean setting bursting with colors. I collect versions of this poem so I have that book too and it is truly beautiful. But the one on this page was illustrated by James Marshall and according to the afterword by Maurice Sendak, this was some of his last work before his death. So please don't buy this one based on the reviews, this is not the Jan Brett book.

The pictures of this book are faithful enough to the story and whimsical, done in a little more cartoonish style than Jan Brett's realistic ones. They are full of subtle deadpan humor, especially if you look close enough and read between the lines. For example, what disturbs me greatly, the Pussycat changes colors in this book!!! First she is gray with stripes, then orange with stripes, then grey again, and once the Owl sings to a small guitar she turns white and remains white throughout the rest of the book. What is this??? Is this supposed to imply that the Owl ditched the original Cat for some other kitty while on board the beautiful pea green boat (which is a ship reminiscent of the Titanic, by the way)? Also, the Pussycat looks like a Tomcat in drag. Is this a deliberate allusion to Some Like It Hot? No wonder the Owl looks a little apprehensive in most pictures, rolling his eyes and probably thinking of ways to get out of this stew.

The poem, of course, is a classic... and the reason why I collect these books.

Editorial Review:

The Owl and the Pussycat of Lear's ballad are truly made for each other, as depicted by James Marshall in these poignant, slaphappy illustrations. Only Marshall could have shown us the Owl serenading the pampered Pussycat on the deck of the S.S. Dorabella, or the Pussycat posing for travel photographs, or the happy couple's goofy wedding dance "by the light of the moon."

Here is a final gift from this greatly beloved creator of children's books.

May I Bring A Friend? (May I Bring a Friend Nrf)

Beatrice de Regniers

Amazon Price: $12.71 List Price: $16.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Atheneum Amazon Marketplace: 71 new & used starting at $0.01

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 13 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

A somewhat lost classic 4 out of 5 stars.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.

This was one of my favorite books as a child and my mother has fond memories of reading it to me. I recently rediscovered it as a book to read my own toddler and I have learned that most people have not heard of it. That's a shame. The illustrations are wonderful and the story is great fun. A little boy is invited to various meals by a doting king and queen and, contrary to all rules of etiquette, asks if he can bring a guest, who always turns out to be some more or less untidy zoo animal. The combination of royalty and wild animals makes this a perfect storm for my child. The text has wonderful rhymes, with lots of clever enjambment, and it reads quite musically. I hope more people discover this lost classic.

Editorial Review:

What could be more natural, when invited by the King and Queen to tea, than to ask to bring a friend? And that, of course, is what the hero of May I Bring a Friend? does. Not only to tea, but to breakfast, lunch, dinner, apple pie and Halloween -- one invitation for each of six days of the week.

The King is most gracious. "Any friend of our friend is most welcome here," says he. And his graciousness extends to giraffes, lions, hippos, monkeys, all kinds of friends. Not all of whom are on their very best behavior.

It must be assumed however, that everyone (including the reader) enjoyed the friends, for why else would the king and queen step off to the zoo for tea on the seventh day.

Come On, Rain

Karen Hesse

Amazon Price: $12.23 List Price: $17.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Scholastic Press Amazon Marketplace: 47 new & used starting at $5.99

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 18 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Lyrical picture book 5 out of 5 stars.
8 of 8 people found this review helpful.

This lyrical ode to the coming rain, accompanied by the soothing wash of lush watercolors, make Hesse's Come on, Rain! sure to please young children. In prose that reads like poetry, young Tessie bemoans the heat of summer while waiting with confidence that rain will soon come. Along with her multicultural friends and all their mammas, Tessie dances in gratitude for the refreshing wetness the rain bestows. While the lyrical prose is of such beautiful quality it could stand on its own, the soft watercolor illustrations portray the emotions of the characters in such lovely detail; the two, the prose and illustrations, combine to create a delightful work of art. Even with the vertical lines of rain which one would expect to stop the motion of the story, Muth manages to create a sense of flowing from left to right, page to page, in keeping with the cadence of the text by using achromatic colors for the backgrounds of most pages. Recommended for children ages 4-8. Public librarians may want to share this title in a storytime about rain, along with Bill Martin's Listen to the Rain.

Editorial Review:

"Come on, Rain!" Tess pleads to the sky as listless vines and parched plants droop in the endless heat. Then the clouds roll in and the rain pours. And Tess, her friends, and their mothers join in together in a rain dance to celebrate the shower that renews both body and spirit. Full color.

Starry Messenger (1997 Caldecott Honor Book)

Amazon Price: $13.50 List Price: $18.00 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR) Amazon Marketplace: 87 new & used starting at $0.36

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 21 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

"If they had seen what we see, they would have judged as we judge." -- Galileo Galilei

In every age there are courageous people who break with tradition to explore new ideas and challenge accepted truths. Galileo Galilei was just such a man--a genius--and the first to turn the telescope to the skies to map the heavens. In doing so, he offered objective evidence that the earth was not the fixed center of the universe but that it and all the other planets revolved around the sun. Galileo kept careful notes and made beautiful drawings of all that he observed. Through his telescope he brought the starts down to earth for everyone to see.

By changing the way people saw the galaxy, Galileo was also changing the way they saw themselves and their place in the universe. This was very exciting, but to some to some it was deeply disturbing. Galileo has upset the harmonious view of heaven and earth that had been accepted since ancient times. He had turned the world upside down.

In this amazing new book, Peter Sís employs the artist's lens to give us an extraordinary view of the life of Galileo Galilei. Sís tells his story in language as simple as a fairy tale, in pictures as rich and tightly woven as a tapestry, and in Galileo's own words, written more than 350 years ago and still resonant with truth.

The Piggy in the Puddle

Charlotte Pomerantz

List Price: $15.00 By: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Amazon Marketplace: 24 new & used starting at $0.01

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 25 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Best Read-Aloud Picture Book of All Time!! 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

This is my favorite book for storytime reading. Mainly preschool - but I've also had adults keep asking me to read one more page, too.

Charlotte Pomerantz has created a work of art - the ending and internal rhymes, the way she plays and puts words together, the right amount of repetition. This is why people think it's So Easy to write a children's book. This is a deceptively simple title, but if it were easy there would be more books out there like this one. This one of the few books I truly look forward to and love reading aloud - the words taste delicious!!

If you like this one check out "How many trucks can a tow truck tow" also by her.

Good Clean Fun: The Piggy in The Puddle 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Crackling with lipsmackingly silly rhyme and hilarious James Marshall illustrations, this book is like read aloud popcorn -- I bet you can't stop after just one page.

Piggly Wiggly 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

This is a great book! I initially borrowed it from our local library. Our kids loved it. It's a great oratory book. I read it for a PreSchool class, in a Kindergarten Class, and for First Graders the book was loved by all who heard it. It has great rhythms, it's funny, it's cute, and the kids enjoy being a part of the story. When the smallest piggy mocks her parents and her brother by saying, "Nope!" in all of the circumstances there has been great participation by the children. It has quickly become one our favorite stories.

Editorial Review:

Unable to persuade a young pig from frolicking in the mud, her family finally joins her for a mud party.

Pete's a Pizza

Amazon Price: $12.74 List Price: $16.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: HarperCollins Amazon Marketplace: 62 new & used starting at $4.95

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 34 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Make your kid into a pizza 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

Petes's in a bad mood because he can't go oult to play with his friends on this rainy day. To cheer him up and pass the time, his dad invents a fun and unique game. He is going to make a pizza out of Pete! The book is very amusing as the dad rolls the dough (Pete) and sprinkles cheese (paper) and tomatoes (checkers) on the pizza. This could be a wonderful game to play with your own children. Loads of fun to be had.

A cute read! 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Cheer your kids up by turning them into pizzas. A cute book for any collection.

Pete's a Pizza 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

This is a wonderful and exciting book for all family members of every age. It's sturdy, nicely illustrated,easy to hold and to read. Talk about love in the family, this book illustrates to parents the importance of communicating, touching, and just having a good time with our children. Pete's a Pizza brings out the child in adults and keeps the child in children.

Editorial Review:

Pete's father starts kneading the dough. Next, some oil is generously applied. (Its really water.) And then some tomatoes. (They're really checkers.) When the dough gets tickled, it laughs like crazy.

Mouse Mess

Amazon Price: $11.53 List Price: $16.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Blue Sky Press Amazon Marketplace: 38 new & used starting at $4.96

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 26 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

"Mouse Mess" is good, but kind of for youngsters 4 out of 5 stars.
1 of 2 people found this review helpful.

You can call me StoryMaker. "Mouse Mess" is a great book with nice rhymes and great pictures. I especially like the mouse's house. It also makes me hungry, with all of the delightful food. However, I enjoyed this book a lot more when I was a lot younger. The plot of the story and style of the mouse is better for youngsters. I still love the rhymes, size of text, and pictures. Overall, Mouse Mess is a nice book and especially if you have a young child/sibling. Signed, StoryMaker. "Gotta trust the kid's review!

Disconcerting to have a mouse eating all your food 2 out of 5 stars.
1 of 4 people found this review helpful.

I am shocked by all the positive reviews. I actually found it disconcerting that a mouse is raiding the pantry eating crackers, pickles, corn flakes, cheese, milk, cookies, peanut butter, jelly, bread, and many other items while the occupants of the house are sleeping. Had the mouse been helpful, such as making lunch for the children while they sleep it would have been cute. But, there is no humor, the mouse it in it for himself, and he leaves a mess. The only two real positives are that I thought the artwork was exceptional, and the sentences rhyme.

Editorial Review:

Internationally acclaimed cut-paper artist Linnea Riley presents the delicious tale of a mouse in search of a snack who create chaos in the kitchen. Young readers will relish the midnight snacks and marvel at the antics of a mouse who loves crumbly cookies and crunchy cornflakes! Full color.

Ooh-la-la (Max in Love)

Maira Kalman

Amazon Price: $12.23 List Price: $17.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Viking Juvenile Amazon Marketplace: 67 new & used starting at $2.50

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 16 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

So you think you're an artist... 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

Max, starry-eyed romantic poet, goes to Paris where everything is absurd and wonderful, like watching Salvador Dali's clocks tick forward, backward, and melt into eternity on funky mushrooms. Swanky, smart, and just plain bizarre, this book is suitable for everyone with a twist. It made me laugh. It made me cry. My honey goes wild every time I read it aloud in my wretched French accent.

the best book ever 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I'll give this book five stars because I just loved the way Mira Kalman used so many details. In this book Mira Kalman uses her creative and funny illustration to express her writing.
I really really liked,no loved this book.You might think of gross ,mushy ,gushy stuff!But Mira Kalman expresses the feeling of love in a calm ,yet sensible way as Max falls in love with the dog of his dreams!

Editorial Review:

Max, the dog poet, is finally in Paris, and all the most elite Parisians want to show him around. But when he sees the Dalmatian Crepes Suzette perform at the Crazy Wolf, he knows he's found the dog of his dreams. Full-color illustrations throughout.

Moon Man

Tomi Ungerer

List Price: $6.95 By: Roberts Rinehart Publishers Amazon Marketplace: 5 new & used starting at $29.00

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 2 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

MOON MAN - Great Story! 5 out of 5 stars.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.

Moon Man is a great book! It was my "favorite" book as a child. I discovered this book in my elementary library. I must have checked it out consecutively for two years. I filled many library check out cards.

I love this book because you really feel sorry for the Moon Man. He desperately wants to join us "earth people" but is not welcomed. He is constantly being chased for capture. Just a good vintage book with a great storyline!

Several years ago the school library was getting rid of the old books and my sister (a teacher there) brought this exact Moon Man book and gave it to me. In fact, till this day I still cherish this book and now share it with my two little daughters who also enjoy listening to me read it.

Childhood classic 5 out of 5 stars.
3 of 5 people found this review helpful.

Thank God I bought this book before it went out of print. This was without a doubt one of my favorite books as a child. Never since has a book's illustrations so deftly captured the feel and character of the story. It is a book every child should experience and every adult should appreciate.

Editorial Review:

Easily one of the best picture books in recent years.