( D ) Books - Page 6

Don't Know Much About Geography: Everything You Need to Know About the World but Never Learned

Kenneth C. Davis

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 27 Average rating: 3.0 of 5

Too much personal bias for a purported factual book 2 out of 5 stars.
4 of 9 people found this review helpful.

Let me start by saying that I enjoyed Don't Know Much About History, and some of this author's children's books such as Don't Know Much About the Presidents. They present facts in a fun way, and provide interesting details that are little known to many. I began eagerly reading Don't Know Much About Geography expecting the same format and writing style. Unfortunately, this book (and Don't Know Much About the Universe) were laced with just enough insults and left-leaning commentary to take the enjoyment out of these books.

Mr. Davis was, too often, injecting his own, clearly patronizing opinions about what can loosely be termed the Judeo-Christian religions. He is obviously entitled to his opinions, but in a book that is supposedly factual - even a humorously factual book - these jabs seem unneccessary and frankly, annoying. He speaks of those people of the past (both famous and not) that had a religious faith as being "chained" to it or somehow held down/held back, both intellectually and literally because of their faith. In fact, he is blatantly condescending towards "religion" in general.

In addition, he often insults those who can be termed "conservative" leaders of the past such as former President Ronald Reagan. Again, he is the author and can write was he pleases, but why add politics in this fashion into a book of this type?

Mr. Davis has small sections in the book entitled "Geographic Voices" which contain interesting and humorous quotes from the past. I wish he had placed all his political commentary into sections entitled "Liberal Voices" so I could have just skipped this nonsense.

Other reviewers correctly pointed out scientific and historical errors which were presented as facts. I tried not to focus on these things because others had already described these issues in detail. Let me just say that besides the handful of just plain inaccuracies, some theories (or at a minimum, debatable points) are presented as FACTS. The mainstream media often employs this tool - "If we printed it/reported on it/broadcast it, it is true" - which in turn is accepted as fact by many of the nation's viewers/readers, without even the slightest question as to its accuracy. Perhaps most people don't have the time to verify every piece of information for its accuracy; but that is why, in my humble opinion, those who DO report/write/broadcast have a duty to the public to be accurate.

If you can get past the insults and left-leaning politics, you may still find this book an interesting read. For me, these things were too instrusive.

Editorial Review:

Who killed the dead sea?...Where was the garden of Eden?...What's so bad about the badlands?

The author of the critically acclaimed national bestseller Don't Know Much About History now takes us on a fascinating, breathtaking and hilarious grand tour of the planet Earth -- opening our eyes and imaginations to a wide, wild, and wonderful world we never knew.

One Grain Of Rice: A Mathematical Folktale

Demi

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 21 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

ANOTHER WONDERFUL OFFERING FROM DEMI 5 out of 5 stars.
6 of 8 people found this review helpful.

This wonderful Indian folk tale is brought to life by some wonderful illustrations and art work. Demi is one of the better illustrators, and indeed, writers of children's books active today. I do not know of one book by this author that is not a complete delight to the eye and ear.

This is a story of a "Wise Raja" and how he is tricked by a little girl. This ruler made the decision one day that he must gather all the rice in the land and store it away for future use. He left the poor people of the land in a state of starvation while he feasted at his palace from his over filled store houses. One day some grains of rice fall from the basket being carried to the Raja's home and a little girl gathers them up, but instead of keeping the rice, she returns it to the wise ruler. As a reward, he offers her anything she wants. She asks for one grain of rice. The Raja more or less insists she ask for more, so she tells him she would like one grain of rice, but would like to have it doubled every day for thirty days. The first day, one grain, the second two, the third four, and the fifth eight...and so on until the last day. You do the math. Needless to say at the end of the thirty days, the little girl has all the rice and the Raja has none.

This is an interesting story and an excellent lesson in math, in greed, in giving and in compassion, all wrapped up in one small book. The illustrations consists of full page pictures done in the style of India and is sprinkled with traditional miniature paintings as well. The detail and vivid colors are a feast for the eye.

This book seems to fascinate children. I have noted that they pull it form the shelf and set and read and look at the pictures over and over again. As an adult, I know I see something different each time I read the thing to a class. The children are absolutely amazed when it finally dawns on them what the little girl has done and it makes quite an impact when they realize the power of numbers. This is a great read-a-long book as you can give a mini math lesson and a moral lesson at the same time. I never tire reading it. To be honest, the pictures are worth the price of the book alone.

Don Blankenship
The Ozarks

Editorial Review:

A reward of one grain of rice doubles day by day into millions of grains of rice when a selfish raja is outwitted by a clever village girl.

Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears: A West African Tale

Verna Aardema

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 21 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

This is an awesome tale! 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 3 people found this review helpful.

I read this book as a small child when it originally received the Caldecott medal and I have loved it ever since. It has even become a favorite of my children who love the pictures and laugh everytime the mosquito gets WHACKED at the end. This is a also a great story to use to discuss cause and effect and I have had some wonderful discussions with my students utilizing this book. I would consider this a must read for any little person and adults alike!

Onomatopoeia 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I randomly selected this book at the library and was surprised to find that I could use it in my classroom! We just happened to be studying onomatopoeia at the time. Onomatopoeia is the use of words that imitates the sound it is describing (buzz, bam, pow, hiss, etc.). I had my seventh graders listen to the story as I read it aloud. They had to write each example of onomatopoeia that they heard. They loved the story, and it was a great reinforcement for what we were studying.

Editorial Review:

In this Caldecott Medal winner, Mosquito tells a story that causes a jungle disaster. "Elegance has become the Dillons' hallmark. . . . Matching the art is Aardema's uniquely onomatopoeic text . . . An impressive showpiece."--Booklist, starred review. Full color.

Danny the Champion of the World

Roald Dahl

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 8 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Okay 3 out of 5 stars.
5 of 7 people found this review helpful.

The book is very very entertaining but it does seem to send wrong messages across. Children may get the impression that poaching is just fun, not a crime and not at all wrong.

Appalling 1 out of 5 stars.
4 of 14 people found this review helpful.

Dahl's writing talents far exceeded his ethics. This is a nasty, indecent book whose main themes are 1) rich people are evil, and 2) it's not only acceptable but charming to steal from them. I didn't know the story before reading it to my child, but now she has a lesson in class envy and the ethics of theft.

A Classic, One of My Favorites as a Child as Well as a Parent 5 out of 5 stars.
3 of 4 people found this review helpful.

I loved this book when I was a child. It was one of my all-time favorites and I couldn't wait to read it to my daughter when she was old enough...We just finished it today and it is as wonderful as it was 30+ years ago.

This is the story about the love between a father and a son. Danny and his father run a filling station and live in a very modest "gypsie" caravan next to the station's workshop, Danny's mother died when he was a baby. Danny's father adores him, one night he takes him into his confidence and tells him that he been out poaching pheasants from the rich and unlikable Victor Hazell's property. Well, of course, Danny wants to be included and masterminds a wonderful scheme to poach a record number of Hazell's pheasants.

My daughter and I certainly talked about the fact that poaching is stealing and stealing is wrong and that it would never be okay for someone to steal in real life...

But that certainly didn't stop us from rooting for Danny and his father and enjoying their triumph over the hated Victor Hazell.

We loved the wonderful story telling, the sweetness of the love between a parent and a child and the good old fashioned triumphing of the underdog.

If you are looking for a special book to read with your child I would urge you to try this. I loved it when I was a child and I loved reading it to my daughter, I can't wait to read it to my son.

Editorial Review:

anny’s dad had a secret, but now the secret’s out and it’s going to lead Danny on the adventure of a lifetime.

The Secret of the Caves (Hardy Boys, Book 7)

Franklin W. Dixon

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 19 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Cool! 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 3 people found this review helpful.

Triggered by the disappearance of a young professor, this mystery takes the Hardy Boys to kenworthy college, where they find a puzzling message.

Starts Strong/Peters Out 3 out of 5 stars.
2 of 4 people found this review helpful.

As usual, the H. Boys take every opportunity to "out-brain" everyone in the room, and it is simply a joy for the reader. I really don't know how they do it. Those young men are sharp.

For Example (and don't worry, I won't ruin the book for you):
In chapter 16, "The Gerbil, Unaware", I thought the entire pet shop sequence was simply a tool to provide some comic relief following Dick's maming. I had no idea those furry rascals would play such an integral role in solving the mystery.

And who knew Johnny Nitro moonlighted as a PVC salesman?!

Secret of the caves 4 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

This book takes place in a town just south of the Hardy Boys home town Bayport, in a town called Rockaway. The Problem starts when the town police ask the Hardy Boys (Two young tetectives in there upper teens, Frank and Joe Hardy) to help them solve the case of two missing people. When they begin Solving the mystery they find out theat the missing people are not missing, they just left their town to become terrorists, and they plan to take over Rockaway so they can smuggle in drugs a Rockaway point. Find out just how the Hardy Boys solve this mystery by reading this book.

This book is a great mystery book. The author, Franklin W. Dixson does a good job of keeping a fast pace by keeping the action going. Teenagers who want to go into the criminology field would enjoy reading this book.

These books are often compared te the Nancy Drew books, which are the same books just for girls. This is a very good book. There is always somethingk going to keep you interested. I often had to go back and reread some of the book, so I could remember everything that was happening. The auther did a good job of writing this book the way teenagers woud talk. I would really enjoy reading more books in this series.

Editorial Review:

When the Hardy boys reached the caves, they came unexpectedly upon a queer old hermit.

The Tower Treasure (Hardy Boys, Book 1)

Franklin W Dixon

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 73 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Swell fun for young fellows, chaps, and chums! 4 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

Frank and Joe Hardy, teenage sons of a famous detective, find a mystery to solve on their own when the Tower Mansion is robbed of a fortune in jewels and bonds. The caretaker is arrested, but the boys don't believe he's guilty.

I read the original 1927 edition and it is quite a trip back in time. By today's standards, the language is antiseptic and bland ("No slang please, not in Tower Mansion!"), but it's perfect for boys aged 8-10 who are just beginning to read chapter books. There's no danger, violence, or even much action to speak of; the emphasis is on the boys' resourcefulness and determination. Joe and Frank Hardy are relentlessly optimistic and straight-arrow good guys; in fact everyone in the story is wholesome and uncomplicated. Although the Hardys clearly obstruct justice by hiding clues from the police (who are portrayed as bumbling idiots), they emerge as real teen heroes.

The story was serialized (and made more exciting) on TV in the fifties in The Hardy Boys. The book's simplicity is reminiscent of "The Boxcar Children," another kids-know-best children's novel.

Editorial Review:

Grownups will remember Frank and Joe Hardy and their ability to solve even the most baffling of mysteries. The first book was published in 1927, and over the years the series has sold over 50 million copies. But mysteriously, the original books have disappeared. Now, Applewood is pleased to present The Tower Treasure, the very first Hardy Boys mystery ever published.

Carl's Afternoon in the Park

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 16 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

beautiful, detailed paintings illustrate witty story 5 out of 5 stars.
10 of 10 people found this review helpful.

This is a book for very young children, but the illustrations are so lovely and detailed, and the situations depicted so full of wit and little hidden jokes, that I never get bored with it, even after "reading" it over and over and over again with my toddler. This is my very favorite of the Carl books, because the activities are totally non-materialistic and wholesome (riding a merry-go-round and a train, sharing an ice cream cone, getting sprayed by a hose), and because the park is recognizably inspired by beautiful Balboa Park in my native San Diego, where Alexandra Day lives. It's worth it to get both the board book and regular hardcover editions, just to appreciate the greater detail of the images in the larger format.

And I have to add just one more, mildly tongue-in-cheek comment: as for the "lesbian couple" alluded to in a veiled way by a previous reviewer -- well, I just have to giggle. Yes, there are two young, attractive women having a picnic on the grass as Carl and his charges go by. But it never would have occurred to me to impute homosexuality (or any kind of sexuality) to them. They're fully clothed (albeit in pants), and they're just sitting there -- hardly a lascivious scene no matter what your prejudices. Now if Tinky-Winky were pictured sitting with them, well, that would be a whole different story. I guess this just proves what everyone says is so wonderful about the Carl books -- you can interpret the images however you like.

Editorial Review:

Carl, the baby, and a new puppy spend an eventful afternoon in the park, riding on a carousel, romping in the flowers, and visiting a children's zoo.

A contribution from the proceeds benefits the American Humane Association.

The Great Airport Mystery (Hardy Boys, Book 9)

Franklin W. Dixon

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 20 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Best Hardy Boy 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 3 people found this review helpful.

This exciting and adventurous novel was the best one out all the Hardy Boy mysteries!!!! This is a must read!

What? Another Cave? 4 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

The Hardy Boys have an adventure that takes place partially in the air this time. Someone is stealing parts containing platinum from Stanwide Mining Equipment Company. The problem is that no one can seem to figure out how it is happening. The Hardy Boys get involved when they are taking a short cut through the country and a plane almost crashes on the roof of their car. Soon the Hardy Boys are trying to learn the source of ghostly whistling and voices.

The Hardy Boys' investigation takes them to an island in the Caribbean Sea, a cave with multiple secrets, and a cabin in Montana. This adventure also contains some of the most dangerous villains the Hardy Boys have encountered yet.

The author continued the use of caves as an integral part of the story. This book is the eighth that uses a cave. In this story the cave is quite large. I am imagining that the United States is filled with caves, at least as far as this author is concerned.

The author paced the last couple of stories nicely, keeping the action going and with sufficient mystery to make a reader want to continue onward. I am impressed with the author's ability to write ever more interesting stories as this series has progressed. I am looking forward to the next novel, "What Happened at Midnight."

Though the Hardy Boys series is written in a relatively archaic fashion, as reading material for an increasingly younger audience they are excellent. The stories were once recommended for children ages 10 to 14. As children are exposed to more violence and seem to require greater levels of stimulation, the recommended age range has move to 9 to 12. I think any child capable of reading some of the challenging words in these books will enjoy them, regardless of how tame most of the action may be. Once a child has reached age 12 or so the stories may be of less interest, but given the combination of mystery and action, these books remain good safe choices for parents who want to know what their children are reading.

Editorial Review:

A plot to take another man's job involves a downed plane and the return of a man presumed dead.

The Mystery of Cabin Island (Hardy Boys, Book 8)

Franklin W. Dixon

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 12 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

one of the best of the Hardy Boys 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

"The Mystery of Cabin Island" is the 8th book in the Hardy Boys Mystery Series. After successfully solving "The Shore Road Mystery" (book 6), Old Mr. Jefferson allows Frank and Joe to use the cabin on Cabin Island for a vacation during the winter. The brothers jump at the chance and invite their friends Chet Morton and Biff Hooper along as well. Mr. Jefferson isn't completely altruistic, however. He gives the Hardys a mystery to solve, though one he hopes will be completely devoid of danger and excitement: his grandson is missing as well as his collection of rare medals.

When the brothers travel on their ice boat to Cabin Island they are chased off by a stranger, one who later turns out to be trying to buy the island from Mr Jefferson. Might he be also searching for the medals and where is Mr Jefferson's grandson?

This really is one of the better Hardy Boys stories. The biggest positive here is just that the book keeps focus very well into the main mystery and the chapters move along at a fast pace. While there is a formula at work here, the author does a good job and telling a good story that is interesting with a decent puzzle midway through.

This review is of the 1966 Revised Edition.

-Joe Sherry

Editorial Review:

A series of adventures begin for the Hardy boys after they sail their-ice boat to the desolate and inhospitable Cabin Island.

The Roald Dahl Audio CD Collection: Charlie, James/Peach, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Enormous Crocodile, Magic Finger

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

Grandkids love these CDs! 5 out of 5 stars.
5 of 7 people found this review helpful.

I ordered this CD set for my grandkids to listen to. They have "joint custody" of the set. It rotates from house to house by the week. This is part of a circulating set that they listen to a bedtime. On busy nights, when Mom and Dad don't have time to read, this satisfies their desire for a bedtime story, plus it lasts longer than a short story or two. They sometimes drift off to sleep listening to the CDs. With 11 grandkids, this comes in handy. I'm very glad I bought this set and am so impressed that it is read by the author. This way we get the intended inflection and each nuance.

Editorial Review:

Roald Dahl's hilarious and outrageous novels have made him one of the most popular children's authors of all time. Here, the author himself brings five of his wickedly funny stories to life:

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory:
Willy Wonka's famous chocolate factory is opening at last!

James and the Giant Peach:
A little magic can take you a long way.

Fantastic Mr. Fox:
Nobody outfoxes Fantastic Mr. Fox!

The Enormous Crocodile:
Watch out, kids!

The Magic Finger:
What happens when the hunter becomes the hunted?