( H ) Books - Page 6

Black on White

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 22 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Classic book for new babies 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

Newborn babies' vision is not highly developed. High-contrast patterns or pictures are easiest for them to see in the first few months of life. Tana Hoban's black & white board books are terrific choices. With simple illustrations of objects that will be familiar to babies, this book meets all my criteria for choosing books for babies. A fantastic choice for a new baby gift.

Maybe Boring to You, But Thrilling to Your Newborn 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

I used to work with children's books, and have probably tried 100 books out with my 2 1/2 month old. This is the only book she LOVES to look at that doesn't have moving parts. Sure, she likes to listen to other books, but this is the one that is visually exciting to her. I can prop it up for her to look at and she keeps staring, transfixed, even as I go run to get the phone or whatever. The folks who complain that it bores them or their older babies have missed the point. Bold black and white books like this are for very young babies, when their vision and brains are still developing. No, it doesn't tell a story; that is not the purpose of this book. It is all looking at an interesting shape. No, these aren't the most common things in your child's life; this is perfectly appropriate, because they wouldn't be able to connect any shape, object and word this young even if you tried. No, you won't use it for years, or even a whole year, probably. I think less than $10 is not too much to pay for something that is going to get my child excited about interacting with books from day 1. Plus so much is overwhelming as a new baby/parent, and this is one thing that you can definitely enjoy together. I am planning on giving Black & White, which I think is the fold-out version, as baby gifts from now on.

Editorial Review:

Share these familiar
shapes with your baby.

It is never too early
to look and talk
together!

The Children's Book of Virtues

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

Editorial Review:

The perfect companion to William J. Bennett's number-one bestseller; The Book of Virtues, The Children's Book of Virtues is the ideal storybook for parents and children to enjoy together:

With selections from The Book of Virtues, from Aesop and Robert Frost to George Washington's life as well as Native American and African folklore, The Children's Book of Virtues brings together timeless stories and poems from around the world.

The stories have been chosen especially for a young audience to help parents introduce to their children the essentials of good character: Courage, Perseverance, Responsibility, Work, Self-discipline, Compassion, Faith, Honesty, Loyalty, and Friendship.

Lavishly illustrated by the well-known artist Michael Hague, these wonderful stories and the virtues they illustrate come to life on these pages.

The Children's Book of Virtues is an enduring treasury of literature and art that will help lead young minds toward what is noble and gentle and fine.

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (The Chronicles of Narnia)

C. S. Lewis

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 571 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

What can one say about this book - it's one of the best ever! 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

As both an author and reader of fiction, I was impressed with The lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Maybe it is because I have always enjoyed a book that could hold my attention and make me think at the same time. In a nutshell, the characters are believable and yet a little out of the ordinary and the story line interesting. Give this book a try.
Tommy Taylor
Author - The Second Virgin Birth

Well worth revisiting 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Although I read the story as a child, I recently listened to the audio book during my commute to work. The reader does a fantastic job creating a distinct voice for each character and I thoroughly enjoyed the story all over again. I recommend that anyone who read the story as a child, revisit it again with this fun audio version.

All Ages Can Appreciate This Book! 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Mr. Lewis' whimsical style creates a fast paced, fast read fairy tale. Woven throughout the book are Christian themes, however, I believe you can still thoroughly enjoy this book even if you are not a Christian. I believe it can be enjoyed by all ages and would be a wonderful book to read to young children. I look forward to reading the rest of the Chronicles of Narnia series.

The story is about four siblings that are sent away from London during the Nazi Germany bombing campaigns during WWII. They go to live with a professor at his large and strange house in the country. During a rainy day it is discovered that a wardrobe in an empty room leads to the new and strange land of Narnia. The four siblings then go on the adventure of their lives.

I'm a 35 years old male and I don't know why, but I had never read any of The Chronicles of Narnia books by Mr. C.S. Lewis. After reading The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe what a shame it has been to not have read them before. My wife and I saw a trailer for the upcoming `Chronicles' movie by Disney, Prince Caspian. We both thought it looked interesting and decided we should watch the first movie being The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe before seeing Prince Caspian. After reading some of the reviews of the book I decided it would be worth the time to actually read each of the books before seeing the corresponding movie which brings me to the place of reading The Lion... this weekend. Books are almost always better than their corresponding movies and I think it's important, if possible, to read the books first so your imagination can take over and you are not placing the faces and voices of the movie characters into the reading realm. I highly recommend this book and will be reading the rest Mr. Lewis' Chronicles series.

Editorial Review:

Four English school children find their way through the back of a wardrobe into the magic land of Narnia and assist Aslan, the golden lion, to triumph over the White Witch, who has cursed the land with eternal winter.

Where's Spot? (Picture Puffin)

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

Favorite Peek-a-boo book 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

This book was the first baby gift I received for my son. Due to his insatiable appetite for books (literally.... he eats them!) I kept this book away until he was getting over this phase. He's 14 mos old and this book is his favorite. It's great for him because he loves to flip through pages quickly, so the fact that there are only a couple of words per page works well for him. He isn't talking at all yet, but his first word will be one of the animal noises from this book! I only gave it 4 stars though, because the flaps are kinda flimsy in that they bend easily under the fingers of over-zealous little readers.

Nice little book 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

It an nice interactive book. My daughter got a Spot book for gift and loved it, so I wanted to try other from the series. I was disappointed with the size, since the other book was bigger.

Editorial Review:

This chunky board book edition of Eric Hill's classic first lift-the-flap book receives a new brightly coloured cover. The simple text and colourful pictures will engage pre-readers as they lift the picture flaps in search of Spot. A No.1 bestseller since its first publication in 1980, this interactive favourite has stayed in the charts ever since.

Bonsoir Lune / Goodnight Moon (French Edition)

Margaret Wise Brown

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

A little disappointed... 3 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

In the size and quality of this product. It is exactly how it is described, but in my mind I was picturing the english version. The colors aren't as good, and the translation loses a lot of the charm of the story, but it is still a good tool for anyone teaching their child a second language.

Goodnight Moon in French 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

This is a great nighttime story book. We use the English version for our kids and I bought the French version of this book to help me work on my French while reading the story to them.

Fun & easy reading 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

This story is a favorite of mine in english and, now that I'm teaching french to my children, it has become a favorite of theirs in french! It's easy reading and fun with great illustrations. I was extremely pleased that Amazon had Bonsoir Lune available and my children and I highly recommend it!

It's a classic - fun to have it in French 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

This is such an American classic - always fun to give the French version to my French friends having kids. And in my experience the book becomes a favorite of the French kids too. This version is paperback, and was smaller than I expected. That's fine though - I just appreciate having a place from which to order it.

James Herriot's Treasury of Inspirational Stories for Children

James Herriot

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Tender-hearted peak at the past 5 out of 5 stars.
12 of 12 people found this review helpful.

We bought this for our niece. The stories are heart-warming, but also sometimes realistically heart-breaking. I think it'll help any child develop sympathy and respect for other animals, plus city kids will get a glimpse of farm life.
We had read the comments about it being hard to read and understand, so my fiance read me a story from it before we wrapped it up and sent it out. We did get some good laughs from him trying to pronounce a few things. The problem isn't that the words are big, its that the author is doing a good job of recreating an accent and cultural slang that us americans haven't heard before. I think its probably healthy for parents and kids alike to be exposed to a different culture and way of talking. And even if you miss a few words, you'll still understand each story as a whole.
Parents should try reading Herriot's adult novels, too!

Editorial Review:

James Herriot’s Treasury of Inspirational Stories for Children collects all of the beloved veterinarian’s delightful tales for young readers—all of them perennial favorites.
This complete edition is a wonderful addition to the libraries of all readers, great and small. From the moving holiday miracle of The Christmas Day Kitten to the adorable, rascally antics of Smudge, the Little Lost Lamb, here are Herriot’s masterful stories for children gathered together in one classic volume for the entire family to share and treasure

Features:
Moses the Kitten * Only One Woof * The Christmas Day Kitten * Bonny’s Big Day * Blossom Comes Home * The Market Square Dog * Oscar, Cat-About-Town * Smudge, the Little Lost Lamb

The Frances Audio Collection

Russell Hoban, Glynis Johns

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

OK for the kids, torture for the parents. 3 out of 5 stars.
2 of 3 people found this review helpful.

We listened to this twice on our our 1200 mile trip over the past week. Our 6 year old daughter was entertained by it. Our son, whom is was actually purchased for, was a bit oblivious to it. He's almost 4. My husband and I were about to jump out the window though. The author's voice and reading style and the singing were beyond grating on our last nerve!

Familiar Voice Enhances Stories 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

If you enjoy the "Frances" stories you will love this audio selection of some of the best. They are read by Glynis Johns, from the "Mary Poppins" movie. She has an incredible voice. You will laugh out loud at her delivery of some of the text. My family listened to it all the way through the day we got it -- and again the next day. It's great for car trips for preschool children. The stories are just the right length to listen to one or two as you run errands with your children.

Editorial Review:

Frances fans will find their favorite stories about this endearing, irrepressible badger who cleverly avoids her bedtime and stubbornly refuses to eat anything but bread and jam, in this charming audio collection read by actress Glynis Johns.This ALA Notable Children's Recording includes: Bedtime for Frances; A Baby Sister for Frances; Bread and Jam for Frances; and A Birthday for Frances.

Repackage
Running time: 45 minutes
Unabridged with music

The Scarlet Letter

Nathaniel Hawthorne

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 404 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

A wonderful piece of literature, however 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

I completely agree with most HS students that this book should be optional reading for them because HS teachers should very well know that there are many different minds that need very different kinds of reading material and exposure to variety is not always a good thing that's why you end up having reviews of books like this by some HS students who puke on it rather then have savored it like I did. My reasons for really loving this book is because of the historical/puritan life and manners I like to read about, I love human struggle and the need to understand inner feelings of character, and I like knowing about how communities deal with religious matters. Can you blame me for being such a sentimental person? Yes, the book is written at the 5th grade level, and some people still do read at that level so this may be a reason why it's survived for such a long time. In any case, don't have it on your book shelf if it's not your cup of tea; with me, it will always be a treasure.

Editorial Review:

Publicly disgraced and ostracized, Hester Prynne draws on her inner strength to emerge as a true heroine of American fiction. Arthur Dimmesdale stands as a classic study of the self-divided--trapped by the rules of society. 2 cassettes.

Tintin in Tibet

Herge

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 27 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

My favorite Tintin 5 out of 5 stars.
28 of 29 people found this review helpful.

This album was first published in 1960. It is my favorite Tintin. Tintin has a vivid dream in which his friend Tchang is in serious danger. They soon find out that his friend was on a plane that crashed in the Himalayas. There were no survivors reported, but Tintin is still convinced that Tchang is alive. Tintin and Captain Haddock flies to India and then they go to the Nepalese/Tibetan border. The adventure that follows is gripping and full of mystery and it has some great humor. The cold and harsh Himalayan Mountains provides nearly insurmountable challenges and both strange and dangerous things will happen.

Despite the hardships Tintin forges ahead against all odds and against all advice. This story is a little bit slower and more philosophical than most other Tintin adventures, and it includes some paranormal phenomena. However, it is still exciting and gripping, and the humor is superb. I always get a good laugh out of this book no matter how many times I re-read it. The story is very much about the human spirit, hope, and the power of compassion. One thing that stayed with me forever was the lonely cry of the Yeti.

This is my favorite Tintin adventure because it is more than just an adventure. It was also my favorite Tintin album when I was a kid. However, younger children may like "Blue Lotus" or the "The Crab with the Golden Claws" better. I would recommend this album for adults and mature children before any other Tintin album, with the slight reservation that it is an untypical Tintin album and that you may also want to read a couple of the other albums. I should say that I loved the Tintin books as a kid and I still like them, and so does my American kids (I am Swedish). In fact my American X-Box and Wii playing kids read them all the time and like them even more than I did.

Finally I would like to list all the Tintin albums in order from my favorite to the one I liked the least. I will make this list into a list mania list next but put it here for easy access.

Skip this list if you don't want to read it (I know it is very long).

(1) Tintin in Tibet (5 stars). It was published 1960. It is my favorite Tintin. Tintin's friend Tchang (from Blue Lotus) is lost in a plane crash in Tibet. Everyone thinks he is dead, but not Tintin, who sets out to find him against all odds. It contains adventure, humor, and mystery; however, it is also about the human spirit, and compassion. Therefore it is also a very inspiring and thought provoking adventure.

(2) Blue Lotus (5 stars). This is Herge's first master piece; it is one of my favorites. This Tintin adventure from 1934 takes place in 1931 but is still the second best Tintin (after Tintin in Tibet) as far as I am concerned. Tintin is fighting Opium gangs in China when Japan invades. This adventure is dark, scary, exciting and fun. It is also a history lesson to a certain extent.

(3) Flight 714 (5 stars). This book was published in 1968. Tintin and his friends are invited to fly in the private jet of the billionaire Lazlo Careidas. The private jet is hijacked and they are taken by their kidnappers to a very mysterious Island. This adventure is filled with surprises, humor, it is fast paced and exciting, and is therefore one of my favorites.

(4) The Crab with the Golden Claws (5 stars). This was the first Tintin I read as a kid (in Swedish). It was also the first Tintin movie I saw. This is the book where Tintin met Captain Haddock for the first time. Just like the other later works by Herge it is exciting, and well drawn, but this is one is also very funny. It will make you and your kids laugh out loud.

(5) The seven Crystal Balls (5 stars). This Tintin published 1948, is eerie, mysterious, and exciting. It is the first one of a series of two, the second being "Prisoners of the Sun". In this adventure the members of an expedition that investigated the tomb of Rascar Capac an Inca King, become sick with a strange horrible disease. The mummy taken from the tomb mysteriously vanishes (escapes?) during a fierce thunderstorm.

(6) Prisoners of the Sun (5 stars). This is the second book of a series of two. Tintin and company end up in Peru. They save a boy Zorrino from Peruvian racists. Zorrino guides them to the Inca Empire which still exists underground in the Jungle. Towards the end Tintin saves himself and his company by using his knowledge of a coming solar eclipse. It was later plagiarized by Mel Gibson in Apocalypto.

(7) The Castafiore Emerald (5 stars). This adventure was published 1963. It is absolutely the funniest of them all. It is filled with a lot of good humor. However, to get all the jokes you need to be familiar with Tintin and Captain Haddock already. So I would not recommend this as your first Tintin.

(8) The Red Sea Sharks (5 stars). This adventure was written in 1958. Tintin stumbles into an organization selling African slaves (slavery still existed in the Middle East and Africa in 1958). A lot of old crooks from other books show up here, including Captain Allan, Rastapopolous, Dr. Muller, etc. This book is intensely exciting and full of action and is therefore one of my favorites.

(9) Tintin and the Picaros (5 stars). This adventure published 1976 is full of fun and adventure. Castafiore is being held by General Tapioca innocently accused of plotting against him. Well if you know Castafiore you now feel sorry for the poor old dictator.

(10) Explorers of the Moon (5 stars). Written 1954 this is the second book in a series of two. This book is a lot more exciting and fun compared to the first (Destination moon). The movie is, however, better than the comic book (they are the same but this comic makes a good movie). However, reading this science fiction style comic book is a lot of fun.

(11) Land of the Black Gold (4 stars). This book was published in 1950 (original version 1948). It takes place in the middle east and is about oil, war, and the fight against criminals like Dr. Muller (German villains were no longer taboo). Prince Abdullah the son of the Emir of the Arab Emirate of Khemed is kidnapped and Tintin and company sets out to rescue him.

(12) Red Rackham's Treasure (4 stars). This is the second book in a series of two, the first one being "The secret of the Unicorn". In this adventure Tintin and Captain Haddock goes on an expedition to find the treasure of Sir Francis Haddock. It is in this book we meet Professor Calculus for the first time. His underwater machine turns out to be invaluable, even though Tintin and Captain Haddock at first reject it.

(13) The Secret of the Unicorn (4 stars). This adventure was published in French 1943. This is the first book in a series of two (the second being Red Rackhams treasure). In this adventure it is discovered that Captain Haddocks forefather was a feisty sea captain who fought pirates and left a treasure behind. It is not as fast paced as many other Tintin adventures and contains a considerable amount of detective work.

(14) The Calculus Affair (4 stars). In this adventure Professor Calculus is kidnapped in Geneva and Tintin and Captain Haddock set out to save him. It turns out that Professor calculus is working on a secret weapon that the fictional country of Borduria really wants to have. It is an exciting adventure but not as humor filled and exhilarating as some of the other adventures. It was written 1956.

(15) The Cigars of the Pharaoh (4 stars). The Cigars of the Pharaoh is the first of the better Tintin books. In this adventure Tintin is on a holiday cruise but ends up traveling to Egypt and India on a dangerous adventure. It is an exciting and mysterious adventure that is not objectionable (unlike the three first ones).

(16) The broken ear (4 stars). This story from 1937 takes place in South America. Tintin fights dangerous crooks, gets caught up in political turmoil, is nearly executed, travels through the rain forest, encounters piranhas, and lives among the Arumbaya Indians. This is where Tintin meets General Alcazar for the first time. Lots of action but it is still not a top quality Tintin.

(17) King Ottokar's Sceptre (4 stars). Published in 1939 this book is an allegory for fascist aggression. In this adventure Tintin visits the mythical Kingdom of Syldavia. The leaders of Borduria, a neighboring country, plot to unseat King Muskar. They attempt to seize the symbol of the Syldavian monarchy, which is "King Ottokar's Scepter". This adventure was exciting but still not a favorite of mine.

(18) The Black Island (4 stars). FOUR STARS: This one was written 1937. It takes place in England and Scotland. I saw the movie version, and read the book in several languages. In this adventure Tintin is hunting down a gang of forgers. The drawings have a higher quality than "The broken ear" and the story flows smoothly. However, I find the story to be somewhat tedious and too British for me, and this is not one my favorites.

(19) Destination Moon (4 stars). First published 1953, this is the first book in a series of two (the second being Explorers of the moon). It is a very good concept, a sort of Tintin science fiction. However, it is not fast paced and at times tedious.

(20) Tintin and the lake of the sharks (4 stars). Published 1974 and based on a film from 1972, it is a little different than the other Tintin adventures. It is not directly written by Herge, but Herge supervised the creation of the film. The drawings are not typical either; they look like still pictures from the movie. It is also a little shorter. However, it is still a good adventure and my kids like it, so I give it four stars.

(21) The shooting star (4 stars). In this adventure (from 1941) the world comes close to annihilation when earth almost collides with a star. Tintin and Captain Haddock sets out on an expedition together with a team of international scientists to find a piece that broke off and landed in the Ocean. Well, stars are not solid and pieces don't brake off stars, but there are a lot more oddities in this unlikely story.

(22) Tintin in America (3 stars). Tintin in America" portrays America with an old fashioned European prejudice that is unrealistic and unflattering. His portrayal of the Indians is borderline racist, and the plot is essentially "gangster tries to kill Tintin, Tintin miraculously escapes" repeated a couple of dozen times. Having said that, the book is still entertaining, in its own way.

(23) The adventures of Tintin in the land of the Soviets (3 stars). This is anti-communist propaganda, which I don't mind; however, it does not make a good comic book. The drawings are also not that good. However, this comic book shows that people knew about the Soviet horrors back in the 1920's.

(24) Tintin in the Congo (3 stars). It was an exciting adventure with some interesting and fun twists. However, the quality is very far from that of the more modern Tintin books, and it is borderline racists.

Editorial Review:

Journeying through the Himalayas in search of their Chinese friend Chang, whose plane crashed, Tintin and his faithful canine companion come face to face with the Abominable Snowman.

Rumble Fish

S.E. Hinton

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 110 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Adventure and deeper thought 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Rusty-James is 14 and idolizes his older brother, the Motorcycle Boy. He wants to be just like the Motorcycle boy but never seems to live up to his brother's reputation. But does Rusty-James really understand his brother and the forces which have made him who he is today?

This is Hinton's shortest novel so far but covers a surprisingly large number of issues. To begin with there is the theme of individualism. Why are people different and can't 'rebellion' be just giving in to the rules of peer groups? Then there is the issue of poverty. Don't environments like ghettoes mold the characters of their occupants? Can the occupants ever really escape for this influence even if they leave the ghettoe? Wouldn't lower class people act differently if they had more opportunity? Also there is the theme of madness. Are ordinary people pushed to extremes crazy? What about weird experiences like out-of-body trips? Are they crazy? Then again there is the issue of drugs and alcohol. Is it really 'cool' to use them? All this material for discussion makes ideal for high school book reviews.

Hinton's The Outsiders probably has more action and excitement, but I believe that is her best work to date.

Editorial Review:

Rusty-James isn't book-smart--he relies on his fists instead of his brains. So far whenever he gets into trouble, his older brother, the Motorcycle Boy, has bailed him out. Then one day Rusty-James's world comes apart in an explosive chain of events--and this time the Motorcycle Boy isn't around to pick up the pieces.