Staff Favorites Books

The New Way Things Work

David Macaulay

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 36 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

"Is it a fact--or have I dreamt it--that, by means of electricity, the world of matter has become a great nerve, vibrating thousands of miles in a breathless point of time?" If you, like Nathaniel Hawthorne, are kept up at night wondering about how things work--from electricity to can openers--then you and your favorite kids shouldn't be a moment longer without David Macaulay's The New Way Things Work. The award-winning author-illustrator--a former architect and junior high school teacher--is perfectly poised to be the Great Explainer of the whirrings and whizzings of the world of machines, a talent that landed the 1988 version of The Way Things Work on the New York Times bestsellers list for 50 weeks. Grouping machines together by the principles that govern their actions rather than by their uses, Macaulay helps us understand in a heavily visual, humorous, unerringly precise way what gadgets such as a toilet, a carburetor, and a fire extinguisher have in common.

The New Way Things Work boasts a richly illustrated 80-page section that wrenches us all (including the curious, bumbling wooly mammoth who ambles along with the reader) into the digital age of modems, digital cameras, compact disks, bits, and bytes. Readers can glory in gears in "The Mechanics of Movement," investigate flying in "Harnessing the Elements," demystify the sound of music in "Working with Waves," marvel at magnetism in "Electricity & Automation," and examine e-mail in "The Digital Domain." An illustrated survey of significant inventions closes the book, along with a glossary of technical terms, and an index. What possible link could there be between zippers and plows, dentist drills and windmills? Parking meters and meat grinders, jumbo jets and jackhammers, remote control and rockets, electric guitars and egg beaters? Macaulay demystifies them all. (Click to see a sample spread of this book, illustrations and text copyright 1998 David Macaulay, Neil Ardley, published by Houghton Mifflin Co.) (All ages) --Karin Snelson

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler

E.L. Konigsburg

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Features:

• CHILDRENS BOOKS & MUSIC
• Childrens Books
• Language Arts

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 310 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

A delightful classic 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

It's wonderful to see a book first published in the later 1960's still being loved and enjoyed today. It was a special treat to pass this fantastic read on to my children since it was one of my favorites growing up. Living near enough to New York that we get to the MET at least once a year made it even better for them.

Some things haven't changed in over 40 years. Kids Claudia's age still feel they have the worst parents and most miserable situation at one point or another. What sets this story apart from other "kid hates parents, kid runs away..." stories is that Claudia comes up with an adventure so that she isn't running away, but running to something - the Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art. Rather then reciting the whole story I'll just say this is a fabulous book and if you didn't read it as a child, get it and read it now with your children.

A proper mystery! 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

I think you have to be a kid or a kid at heart to properly understand the magic of this book. What kid did not dream of running away? Here is a girl, a very practical girl, who makes that dream come true. She and her younger brother create an elaborate plan to run away and hide in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Remember, this was written before huge advancements in security. As they live an awesome life in a museum, they allow themselves to become part of a possible mystery.

This is an exciting and smartly-written book that manages to laugh at itself and his characters while still making you love everyone connected to this clever story.

Editorial Review:

All readers hope for in a book. Humor, suspense, intrigue and their problems acknowledged seriously, but not somberly.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Book 1)

J.K. Rowling

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 5432 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Say you've spent the first 10 years of your life sleeping under the stairs of a family who loathes you. Then, in an absurd, magical twist of fate you find yourself surrounded by wizards, a caged snowy owl, a phoenix-feather wand, and jellybeans that come in every flavor, including strawberry, curry, grass, and sardine. Not only that, but you discover that you are a wizard yourself! This is exactly what happens to young Harry Potter in J.K. Rowling's enchanting, funny debut novel, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. In the nonmagic human world--the world of "Muggles"--Harry is a nobody, treated like dirt by the aunt and uncle who begrudgingly inherited him when his parents were killed by the evil Voldemort. But in the world of wizards, small, skinny Harry is famous as a survivor of the wizard who tried to kill him. He is left only with a lightning-bolt scar on his forehead, curiously refined sensibilities, and a host of mysterious powers to remind him that he's quite, yes, altogether different from his aunt, uncle, and spoiled, piglike cousin Dudley.

A mysterious letter, delivered by the friendly giant Hagrid, wrenches Harry from his dreary, Muggle-ridden existence: "We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." Of course, Uncle Vernon yells most unpleasantly, "I AM NOT PAYING FOR SOME CRACKPOT OLD FOOL TO TEACH HIM MAGIC TRICKS!" Soon enough, however, Harry finds himself at Hogwarts with his owl Hedwig... and that's where the real adventure--humorous, haunting, and suspenseful--begins. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, first published in England as Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, continues to win major awards in England. So far it has won the National Book Award, the Smarties Prize, the Children's Book Award, and is short-listed for the Carnegie Medal, the U.K. version of the Newbery Medal. This magical, gripping, brilliant book--a future classic to be sure--will leave kids clamoring for Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. (Ages 8 to 13) --Karin Snelson

The Phantom Tollbooth

Norton Juster

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 552 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

"It seems to me that almost everything is a waste of time," Milo laments. "[T]here's nothing for me to do, nowhere I'd care to go, and hardly anything worth seeing." This bored, bored young protagonist who can't see the point to anything is knocked out of his glum humdrum by the sudden and curious appearance of a tollbooth in his bedroom. Since Milo has absolutely nothing better to do, he dusts off his toy car, pays the toll, and drives through. What ensues is a journey of mythic proportions, during which Milo encounters countless odd characters who are anything but dull.

Norton Juster received (and continues to receive) enormous praise for this original, witty, and oftentimes hilarious novel, first published in 1961. In an introductory "Appreciation" written by Maurice Sendak for the 35th anniversary edition, he states, "The Phantom Tollbooth leaps, soars, and abounds in right notes all over the place, as any proper masterpiece must." Indeed.

As Milo heads toward Dictionopolis he meets with the Whether Man ("for after all it's more important to know whether there will be weather than what the weather will be"), passes through The Doldrums (populated by Lethargarians), and picks up a watchdog named Tock (who has a giant alarm clock for a body). The brilliant satire and double entendre intensifies in the Word Market, where after a brief scuffle with Officer Short Shrift, Milo and Tock set off toward the Mountains of Ignorance to rescue the twin Princesses, Rhyme and Reason. Anyone with an appreciation for language, irony, or Alice in Wonderland-style adventure will adore this book for years on end. (Ages 8 and up)

The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles 30th Anniversary Edition

Julie Andrews Edwards

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 262 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

What on earth is a Whangdoodle? A "fanciful creature of undefined nature," it was also once the wisest, kindest, most fun-loving living thing in the world--until people stopped believing in it. When that lack of faith became widespread, the last of the really great Whangdoodles created a special land full of extraordinary creatures: furry Flukes, the sly High-Behind Splintercat, and the wonderful Whiffle Bird. But when an open-minded professor--the one adult who still believes in the Whangdoodle--joins forces with three children with active imaginations, they become an unstoppable team on a fantastic and sometimes terrifying journey to Whangdoodleland.

Readers who have explored Narnia, Oz, or Willy Wonka's chocolate factory will be thrilled at this new destination--a marvelous land that will inspire and stimulate creative and scientific minds. And who better to expose young readers to new ways of seeing, smelling, and hearing than Julie (Andrews) Edwards of Mary Poppins and The Sound of Music fame? Her lively and clever style pulls readers along effortlessly; she, like the professor, is one grownup who can teach children never to close their minds to possibility. (Ages 9 to 12)

Where the Sidewalk Ends: Poems and Drawings

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 141 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

quirky yet sentimental 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

let me just say first off (and some of you may boo at me for this) that i am not a big fan of poetry, especially those that don't rhyme, layered with so much metaphor wrapped in some sort of old english language. those of you who can appreciate those, know i'm more than eager to submit in the "im not worthy! im not worthy!" throes. call it barbaric or just plain shallow, but i'd rather stick to the sing-songy rhymes of my elementary days.

now, saying that i absolutely loved Where the Sidewalk Ends should not be construed as a statement that Silverstein's work is shallow. piddling my knowledge might be about bodies of poetry, in whatever form, this one thing i am sure of: that though this book can be read to kids (and [gasp!] can actually be understood and enjoyed by them), it somehow still manages to deliver punchlines that could draw forth a surprised smile or chuckle from an adult--at least those not totally drowning in cynicism or morbid depression. but who knows...

a lot of the poetry here are funny (not outright hilarious, more like plain goofy), and yet come to think of it, still some of those are actually quite sad, with undertones about life and life experiences we take for granted. like the "Snowman", "Invention", "What's in the Sack?", "I Won't Hatch!", "The Garden", "The Little Blue Engine", and even the subtly poignant "Love".

whether you actively seek a moral in any of the poems or just want to go for some light reading, this book (in my opinion) is sure to leave you with a wistful feeling. exactly about what...well, i can't say. but i loved it. and for me that's more than okay.

Editorial Review:

Shel Silverstein shook the staid world of children's poetry in 1974 with the publication of this collection, and things haven't been the same since. More than four and a half million copies of Where the Sidewalk Ends have been sold, making it the bestselling children's poetry book ever. With this and his other poetry collections (A Light in the Attic and Falling Up), Silverstein reveals his genius for reaching kids with silly words and simple pen-and-ink drawings. What child can resist a poem called "Dancing Pants" or "The Dirtiest Man in the World"? Each of the 130 poems is funny in a different way, or touching ... or both. Some approach naughtiness or are a bit disgusting to squeamish grown-ups, but that's exactly what kids like best about Silverstein's work. Jim Trelease, author of The New Read-Aloud Handbook, calls this book "without question, the best-loved collection of poetry for children." (Ages 4 to 10)

D'aulaire's Book of Greek Myths

Ingri D'Aulaire, Edgar Parin D'Aulaire

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 145 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

No education is complete without a large slice of Greek mythology. And there's no better way of meeting that literary quota than with the D'Aulaires' book. All the great gods and goddesses of ancient Greece are depicted in this big, beautiful classic, lovingly illustrated and skillfully told. Young readers will be dazzled by mighty Zeus, lord of the universe; stirred by elegant Athena, goddess of wisdom; intimidated by powerful Hera, queen of Olympus; and chilled by moody Poseidon, ruler of the sea. These often impetuous immortals flounce and frolic, get indiscreet, and get even. From petty squabbles to heroic deeds, their actions cover the range of godly--and mortal--personalities.

The D'Aulaires' illustrations have a memorable quality: once pored over, they will never leave the minds of the viewer. Decades later, the name Gaea will still evoke the soft green picture of lovely Mother Earth, her body hills and valleys and her eyes blue lakes reflecting the stars of her husband, Uranus the sky. No child is too young to appreciate the myths that have built the foundation for much of the world's art and literature over the centuries. This introduction to mythology is a treasure. (Ages 10 to adult) --Emilie Coulter

The Adventures of Pippi Longstocking

Astrid Lindgren, Michael Chesworth

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 30 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

The Adventures of Pippi Longstocking Review 5 out of 5 stars.
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Very good book with hilarious stories about Pippi. Great for kids and adults.

I love this book! 5 out of 5 stars.
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I found this book, when I started looking for the Pippi books I remembered from my childhood. Pippi is still as fun and entertaining as ever. I enjoyed reading the stories as an adult as much as I enjoyed them as a child. The book is beautiful with wonderful drawings. This is one of the rare books, where the illustrations bring to life what I imagined. I will enjoy it for many years to come!

Editorial Review:

Pippi is an irrepressible, irreverent, and irrefutably delightful nine-year-old girl who lives alone (with a monkey) in her wacky house, Villa Villekulla. When she's not dancing with the burglars who were just trying to rob her house, she's attempting to learn the "pluttification" tables at school; fighting Adolf, the strongest man in the world at the circus; or playing tag with police officers. Pippi's high-spirited, good-natured hijinks cause as much trouble as fun, but a more generous child you won't find anywhere. Astrid Lindgren has created a unique and lovable carrot-topped character, inspiring generations of children to want to be Pippi. The first Pippi Longstocking was published in America in 1950, and this fine, newly illustrated collection includes Pippi Goes on Board and Pippi in the South Seas. Pippi makes reading pure pleasure. (Ages 7 to 10)

Johnny Tremain

Esther Forbes, Lynd Ward

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 295 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

"We give all we have, lives, property, safety, skills...we fight, we die for a simple thing. Only that a man can stand up." 4 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

And therein lies the premise for the colonial revolutionaries of the 1770s, as Forbes has written in her storied historical novel of Johnny Tremain.

Decidedly American, this story of the young protagonist Tremain in 1774-1775 colonial Boston could really be enjoyed by any reader who appreciates historical fiction. Though the story's premise is the beginning of the American War for Independence from England, the story has all the elements of a good book, even for those that may not have a stake or interest in the specific elements of American history or independence. There're also the traditional elements of just a good story: love and affection, espionage, conflict, loyalty, tragedy turned to fortune, suspense and a climactic point near the end of the book.

Written to a teen audience, Forbes demonstrates great skill (obviously, as this book has stood the test of time, being copyrighted in 1943) in writing a book easily read and understood by her intended audience, but still very enjoyable to the adult audience. I've now read this book three times (I think the only book I've ever read 3 times), and recently for the first time in 26 years. What impresses me most now is how Forbes doesn't display the colonial revolutionaries - the Sons of Liberty - and their renowned characters, men who became the Founding Fathers of America, as near perfect and saintly men. She developed them as men with flaws, wavering allegiances, questionable faculties, but also men resolute in their cause and demonstrating gifted leadership abilities. Likewise, the British army and occupiers of the colonies were displayed not as disdainful, brash and belligerent, but as men who did not wish for war against what they felt were their fellow Englishmen. Forbes put a face of humanity on the entire circumstance whereby the reader today, even 233 years after the first shots were fired at Lexington and Concord, can be touched personally by the events in which Johnny Tremain found himself.

Editorial Review:

This story of a tragically injured young silversmith who ends up hip-deep in the American Revolution is inspiring, exciting, and sad. Winner of the prestigious Newbery Award in 1944, Esther Forbes's story has lasted these 50-plus years by including adventure, loss, courage, and history in a wonderfully written, very dramatic package. It's probably not great for little guys but mature 11-year-olds or older will find it a great adventure.

Eleventh Hour

Graeme Base

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 58 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Reading The Eleventh Hour is like running a marathon: one finishes exhausted but satisfied. Graeme Base, creator of the popular Animalia, has crafted another intricately wrought, gorgeously illustrated picture book, this time a mystery in verse. When Horace the Elephant decides to throw himself a party for his 11th birthday, he never suspects a crime will be committed by lunchtime. Who has stolen the birthday feast? As with any good mystery, everyone is guilty until proven innocent. The proof lies in the myriad clues embedded in each glorious illustration. Young sleuths will delight in decoding the complex messages that pop up in unexpected places.

Graeme Base used the buildings he saw during his travels through Africa, Asia, and Europe to design and decorate Horace's fantastic house. Astute readers may recognize Roman cathedrals, Scottish palaces, and stone carvings from India. Best of all, secreted in these walls are cryptic messages in Egyptian hieroglyphics, anagrams, and even Morse code to challenge the perceptive and deductive abilities of any reader "of tender years or long in tooth." The Eleventh Hour is a brilliant, rigorous, creative romp that no child (or adult) should miss. (All Ages)