( L ) Books - Page 5

The Tomten

Astrid Lindgren

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 17 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

The Tomten 3 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

This is an English translation of a traditional Swedish childrens tale. I thought it was a nice little story, the illustrations could have been better though. This would be a good one to get for your kid if your trying to avoid the usual pop culture garbage.

The Tomten 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

A short but cute book about one of those loveable Tomtens. The illustrations are wonderful.

Tomten books are gems 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Simple little stories with a nice repeating theme, great illustrations. A fine addition to any child's library.

Just the book! 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

A 5-year-old grandson with a great imagination will love this book as his Christmas gift! He'll likely be searching his own barn for Tomtens.

The best quiet book out there 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

If you want to help your kid to go to sleep, this wonderfully illustrated book works its magic every time.

Editorial Review:

This outstanding book by the author of Pippi Longstocking--and winner of the Hans Christian Andersen Award--has been called a "picture book of rare distinction" by the Chicago Tribune. Full color.

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (The Chronicles of Narnia, Book 5, Full-Color Collector's Edition)

C. S. Lewis

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 143 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Great voyage 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is the story of the two youngest Pevensie children and their very obnoxious cousin on their return to Narnia. Caspian, now King, had sailed to find the seven lords that his father sent on an adventure but had never come back. The children joined him and the Knight Reepicheep, who is a talking mouse, on the ship The Dawn Treader to new adventures. From the discovery of new lands and their perils, slavery, new species and the truth of what happened to the lords... this book will keep you entranced and open your imagination to the outer most places. Great for anyone who enjoys traveling through CS Lewis' imagination.
Anna del C.
Author of "The Elf and the Princess"
The Elf and The Princess: The Silent Warrior Trilogy - Book One (The Silent Warrior Trilogy)

Astounding performance by Derek Jacobi. 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

This is not particularly a review of The Voyage of The Dawn Treader plot or story line. Plot synopsis of this book can be found in many other places. My purpose here is to review this audio version.
I am in the process of reading The Chronicles Of Narnia to my children, we are immensely enjoying the experience.
Recently I started to read this to my kids at bedtime. We were enjoying it, but it seemed to be taking a long time to finish. A fairly lengthy car journey was coming up so I decided to get the audio version read by Derek Jacobi. I thought I had been doing a pretty good job of reading this book aloud, until that is I heard Mr Jacobi's version. His narration is absolutely perfect. The changes in voice, tenor, pitch and accent were so seamless and convincing that it really was hard to believe that only one person was reading. My son's comment that "even the boring bits are exciting, with this reader" is very true. This was a wonderful and memorable way to experience this classic " must read" book. When our car trip was over there was still a little bit left of the book, but no one wanted to go back to me reading it..., not even me.
Highly Recomended.

Editorial Review:

The Dawn Treader will take you places you never dreamed existed.

How to Speak Politely & Why

Munro Leaf

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 10 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

If your children aren't saying things like ain't, gimmee, etc. stay away! 2 out of 5 stars.
4 of 5 people found this review helpful.

I really wanted to like this book, but I don't. He is writing to teach children not to say words like "ain't" which I would like to think most people don't say. He has a point with the word "gimmee" but it's pretty much the only one-- I made the mistake of reading it and my daughter never said that and now she knows the word.

The rest of the book has simple conjugations-- I ran, he ran, we ran, I run, etc. that are not such an issue.

The book we need is a book modeling interactions between people saying please and thank you, not a book instructing kids not to say "ain't".

His other book, How to Behave and Why, is better, but still has that instructional feel which may not be the best way to get a message across.

Editorial Review:

Updated for the 21st century, How to Speak Politely and Why is a picture book with a point: proper speech and good grammar without nagging. It aims to remove “ain’t” and “uh-huh” and “gimme” and “got” and a score of unfortunate nuances by a simple, sure painless and humorous process. In his signature style of amusing stick figure drawings and captions, Leaf makes clear such things as the difference between can and may, and the reason why one does not say “he done it” or “she come.”
Exasperated parents (and grandparents) faced with the unpleasant task of dealing with grammatical lapses acquired by their children from (gasp!) their neighbor’s children will be delighted (and relieved) by this veritable “grammar without tears.” Teachers will find it an indispensable ally, and even the culprits themselves—the children—will discover that learning to speak politely and correctly isn’t such a chore after all.

The Farthest Shore (Fantastic Audio Series)

Ursula K. Le Guin

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 66 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Earthsea is always great 5 out of 5 stars.
8 of 8 people found this review helpful.

I read most of the Earthsea Cycle as part of a children's literature course I did back in 1999. This is another book about Ged. But in this one he is the special educator to Lebanner/ Arren.

It is a book about the big questions, such as life and death, and the search for who we are. It is also about what we are to be and the idea of predestination. Ged says "to seek to be one's self is rare." It is also that we seek what we don't know in order to be found by our destiny.

In the book darkness is overtaking the world, singers are losing their songs, mages are forgetting their crafts. Men doubt and society is decaying, all because of fear or death. Men are giving up their true names to a lie. They are becoming slaves to a dead master.

Key Notes:
Ged is Master of Roke - Archmage
Lookfar (Ship is back again)
Isles of Myths

Editorial Review:

The Farthest Shore is the third book in the renowned Earthsea trilogy. The young prince, Arren, brings harsh news. There is no longer true magic in Enlad; the mages have forgotten their spells so the springs of wizardry are running dry. Accompanied by Arren, Ged sets out to meet unknown dangers, to confront his own past, and to test the ancient prophecies, taking with him on his journey all the hopes of Earthsea, moving into doom or into a new age. The Farthest Shore rounds out the promise of A Wizard of Earthsea and The Tombs of Atuan. Author Ursula Le Guin has won numerous awards including the National Book Award, five Hugo and five Nebula Awards, the Kafka Award, and a Pushcart Prize.

Tehanu (The Earthsea Cycle, Book 4)

Ursula K. Le Guin

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 151 Average rating: 3.0 of 5

Why? 1 out of 5 stars.
5 of 6 people found this review helpful.

Before reading the fourth book in the Earthsea "cycle", I was aware of the opinions of many who had already read this book. Quite frankly, I was hoping that I would disagree with those who were disappointed in "Tehanu". But try as I might, I failed to see the beauty in this "continuation" of what HAD been one of the greatest trilogies written.

Quite simply, "Tehanu" lacks the conciseness and mystery of the previous books. While I could - perhaps - forgive Le Guin for her decision to tear apart the world she had so beautifully constructed with this rather mundane and heavy-handed tale, I cannot excuse the absence of poetry here; poetry which abounds in each page of the previous three books.

Shame on you, Ursula!

Editorial Review:

Years before, they had escaped together from the sinister Tombs of Atuan -- she, an isolated young priestess, he, a powerful wizard. Now she is a farmer's widow, having chosen for herself the simple pleasures of an ordinary life. And he is a broken old man, mourning the powers lost to him not by choice.

A lifetime ago, they helped each other at a time of darkness and danger. Now they must join forces again, to help another -- the physically and emotionally scarred child whose own destiny remains to be revealed.

With millions of copies sold, Ursula K. Le Guin's Earthsea Cycle has earned a treasured place on the shelves of fantasy lovers everywhere. Complex, innovative, and deeply moral, this quintessential fantasy sequence has been compared with the work of J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis, and has helped make Le Guin one of the most distinguished fantasy and science fiction writers of all time. She lives in Portland, Oregon.

The Magician's Nephew (Book 1) (Narnia)

C. S. Lewis

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 244 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

The beginning of a Children's Classic 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I used to watch "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" cartoon constantly when I was a little kid. Strangely enough, despite the fact that I was an avid reader as a child, as I still am today, I never read these books. I did enjoy other fantasy novels as a kid, but for some reason these never came my way, nor did I ever really ask for them. So since the movies are now being made I decided that I would pick up the books and see if I could delve even deeper into the tale of Narnia, since it appears this one may not be made into film. It might, you never know.

Even though this is a children's book it draws a lot of influence from the Bible, in fact many of the situations in this book parallel that text greatly. It may not be obvious to young children, but for those that are well read in a great many texts, it will be blatantly obvious. I am quite irreligious, but I have still read the Bible as well as a great many books and I am certainly not such a prude in my beliefs to deny how influential the Bible has been in literature. I will discuss the parallels later, for now I will go over the tale and what I thought of it.

Even though this book was written after "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe", "The Magician's Nephew" is actually the prequel to the whole saga! The story centers around two children, Digory and Polly, and how they got brought into an adventure that would be the starting point for so many others. Digory is living with his Uncle Andrew, who spends a good deal of time trying to find out the secrets of magical workings in our world. He stumbles upon success in the form of rings that transport the wearer into another dimension essentially. However, Andrew is a coward and he refuses to find out where they could transport him on his own, thus he enlists Digory to go for him, and unfortunately Polly gets sucked into the whole mess. Needless to say inter-dimensional travel doesn't ever seem to go very smoothly (whether I'm reading sci-fi or fantasy) and the two children are brought into both terrifying situations and mystifying worlds. Here we see the recounting of Narnia's creation, the first meeting with Aslan, and how Digory (the future professor) came into the possession of the now infamous wardrobe. The book is also filled with talking animals and very humorous situations as a result, something most any child should enjoy.

For a children's book I thought this was a really fascinating adventure. I thought the proposition that there's a lion, somewhere in some alternate reality, running around making all kinds worlds all strung together by a gateway nexus called "The Wood Between the Worlds" was simply a great premise. It certainly doesn't take very long to read and, as an adult, the language use is very simple, naturally the target audience is for the young. However, the tale and writing transcend it's youthful audience by having parallel's and influences from a very adult world, thus I think adult's can appreciate this book series quite a bit. It's no secret that C.S. Lewis was a devout Christian. Aslan, the lion, is obviously represented as Christ, Jadis (the Ice Queen) is the serpent/Satan as parallel's the biblical tales. There is even the temptation at the forbidden tree, but instead of an unnamed fruit we see the Christian mythology play into the book and it is specifically named an apple. I found myself wondering if C.S. Lewis did this intentionally or if he knew that the Bible never explicitly states Eve ate an apple, rather she just ate "fruit" from a tree. Also the recounting of Aslan's creation of Narnia parallel's that of the Genesis tale. The use of song is an interesting concept. It is well known in the Bible that God likes his praise to be sung, but using that as the specific coder of creation was an interesting take on it. The other part that greatly interested me was the treatment of evil. Like the Bible, Aslan is aware that a great evil is in his new world, yet he does nothing about this. He never states why he can't do anything, or why he won't, simply that calamity will strike Narnia in the future, but that he will take the brunt force of this pain (paralleling the crucifixion of Christ and using prophecy). It's a curious move not to explain anything, and maybe this is my philosophical mind over thinking something that isn't there, I don't know.

As you can see Biblical parallels are rife throughout this book, but it is in no way preachy to the readers and even those like myself who harbor anti-religious tendencies, you can still enjoy the fantasy world as it is. After all, in my opinion, it makes a much better fantasy story than truth. If you've seen the newer edition of "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" I would highly recommend you read "The Magician's Nephew" because it gives you some excellent background on where that world came from and how our worlds can link together.

Editorial Review:

In the first book of The Chronicles of Narnia, C.S. Lewis shows us how it all began -- the glorious birth of Narnia at the hand of its unforgettable King. It is followed by six more books that collectively tell the history of a world that has become as real as our own.

The Random House Book of Poetry for Children

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 19 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

A Perennial Gift 5 out of 5 stars.
6 of 6 people found this review helpful.

As a middle school reading teacher, I host an annual Poetry Reading Competition open to all 6th, 7th and 8th grade students. For the past several years, this book has been a prize, in addition to plaques for the first and second prize winners. The best review for this book is that the children use it, read it, and often select poems from it for their entry pieces. Even better, perhaps, is that I have had thanks from many parents for awakening an interest in poetry in their children, boys and girls alike. This volume of poetry offers a full range of poems, for short to long, humorous to sublime, and in a wide range of topics. While it is just one of a wide selection of books and poets I offer my students, it is one of the most versatile. Whether teaching rhyme scheme, simile and metaphor, slanted rhyme, figurative language, or stress, this is also an invaluable part of my teaching arsenal.

Editorial Review:

Illus. in color and full color. "A generous collection with a distinctly upbeat tone, this gives a taste of the best poets writing for children over the last several decades. Lobel's drawings imbue the whole with action and graphic images as inventive as the verse. Successfully geared to meet home, school, and library needs."--(starred) Booklist.

Catwings

Ursula K. Le Guin

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 46 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Catwings 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

The 4 volume set of Catwings is an excellent collection of books. It makes a great gift. Even if your child reads well on their own, these books are marvelous for a family "read aloud" time. If you do not have that time, shut off the TV and make the time...it is well worth it!

Catwings (4 Volume Set) 4 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

This tender series is sure to please children of all ages, especially cat-lovers. In addition the illustrations are so sweet. It is a shame that they are not more widely read than they are. The fact that the cats have wings adds an exotic element to the stories.

Great story 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Not only does Le Guin's story have such an original feel, in spite of being the basic plot line of just about every stray dog story ever written, Schindler's illustrations tug at the heartstrings. The cats look just like... real cats with wings. Schindler's realistic style is what makes Catwings seem almost believable. My kids ask me repeatedly if there *could* be cats with wings somewhere that "we just don't know about yet." The dust jacket states that Schindler used the woods around his home near Philadelphia as the backdrop for his interpretation of Le Guin's story, so children of the eastern woods will recognize familiar trees and birds.

I used this as a bedtime story with the kids and one of the parts I appreciated was when the children find the kittens in the alley and squeeze then. I've always had trouble explaining to my little boy how you can't squeeze the cat because it hurts him. I think this story helped explain to my son how frightening children can be to young animals and why it is important to treat them with kindness and handle them gently.

Editorial Review:

Mrs. Jane Tabby cannot explain why all four of her kittens were born with wings. But when life on the city streets becomes too dangerous, it is clear that her dream for her children might some day come true. They can fly away from the city slums of their birth. And one day, they do. But not even their mother could have foreseen the hazards of country living.

Christmas in Noisy Village (Picture Puffins)

Astrid Lindgren

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 4 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Christmas In Noisy Village 5 out of 5 stars.
26 of 27 people found this review helpful.

I am 12 yrs. old and this has been my favorite Christmas book since the first time my mother read it to me. I would reccomend this book to anyone and everyone. Share this delightful story with your kids and watch their faces light up when you read it. They'll bring it out year after year!

Wonderful Christmas story and illustrations 5 out of 5 stars.
16 of 22 people found this review helpful.

My daughter picked this book at the library when she was two, and we had to read it every night for the next six weeks. I did not tire of reading it to her. She will be getting her own copy for Christmas.

Noisy Village 5 out of 5 stars.
3 of 4 people found this review helpful.

A great little book. My grand daughter loved it. An old fashioned Xmas without mountains of presents but lots of atmosphere and fun and appealing little kids.

Lovely and sweet 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Something I read as a kid and loved forever. it was great re-reading the story of six little kids growing up in a tiny village in Sweden.

Grasshopper on the Road (I Can Read Book 2)

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 11 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Grasshopper Review 4 out of 5 stars.
7 of 7 people found this review helpful.

I would recommend this book to anyone, both young and old. The grasshopper wants to go on a journey and he finds a road. On this road he encounters many insects different from himself. His meetings are funny and make you want to turn the page to see what he might encounter next. It is easy to read for early readers and is a cute and silly story that makes reading fun.

Watch out for "stupid" and "dummy" name calling 3 out of 5 stars.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

I love Arnold Lobel's work and have many of his books for my 23 month old daughter. Grasshopper on the Road is more of the same simple, lovable stories you'd expect from Lobel, with one exception: In the first story, "The Club", the grasshopper runs across some beetles who are celebrating morning. When it comes out that grasshopper enjoys the afternoon and evening, too, the beetles turn on him and call him "stupid" and "dummy". I'm keeping the book, but will be covering those words and replacing them with something more suitable to young children. Other than that, the book is great.

Editorial Review:

‘Grasshopper, insouciant hero of Lobel’s free-and-easy reader, goes where the road leads, en route unsettling a series of set-in-their-ways insects.’ —SLJ. ‘One of the richest examples of characterization in the beginning-to-read genre.’ —BL.

Notable Children's Book of 1978 (ALA)
1979 Fanfare Honor List (The Horn Book)
"Best of the Best" Children's Books 1966–1978 (SLJ)
Children's Choices for 1979 (IRA/CBC)
Garden State Children's Book Award—Easy to Read (New Jersey Library Association)