Fiction Books

Sign of the Beaver (Study Guide)

Elizabeth George Speare

List Price: $3.95 By: Scholastic Amazon Marketplace: 5 new & used starting at $3.30

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 193 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Perpetuates Stereotypes 1 out of 5 stars.
3 of 4 people found this review helpful.

As a fourth grade educator, I would never introduce this book to my students as anything else other than an example of popular culture that perpetuates stereotypes of Native Americans. Attean and other Native American characters speak in broken English, giving the reader the impression that these characters are inferior to their White counterparts. The terminology used is highly offensive (squaw)for both Native people and for women. The relationship that Attean has with girls in his tribe as well as with animals is unrealistic and down right inaccurate. Joseph Bruchac and Michael Dorris are two authors which do an excellent job of writing from the Native American perspective.

Sign of the Beaver-CD 2 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

The voice reading Sign of the Beaver was pleasant and easy to listen to. Since I was not listening to the whole book in one sitting, it was difficult to find where on the CD I left off. It would be more efficient to have the track for each chapter labeled on the CD.

Editorial Review:

Left alone to guard the family's wilderness home in eighteenth-century Maine, a boy is hard-pressed to survive until local Indians teach him their skills.

Curious George at the Aquarium (Curious George)

H.A. and Margret Rey

Amazon Price: $3.95 List Price: $3.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Houghton Mifflin Amazon Marketplace: 36 new & used starting at $0.02

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

Curious George 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 1 people found this review helpful.

I love all the curious George books. Who Doesn't?

author of "Hobo Finds A Home"

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

Good book. It's one of the older George stories and drawings, not one of the newer George stories and drawings.

Editorial Review:

Splash! The aquarium is a big place for a little monkey, and there is so much to see. George's curiosity soon helps him to make lots of penguin friends . . . and lots of trouble! The paperback edition includes educational fun facts about aquariums and sea life, provided by the director of the Mystic Aquarium in Mystic, Connecticut. Bonus activities in the paperback edition include a maze and a word jumble. For more fun with George, check out www.curiousgeorge.com and get all the latest news and information about Curious George, books, promotions, games, activities, and more!

The Rainbow Fish Mini-Book

Marcus Pfister

Amazon Price: $8.95 List Price: $8.95 In stock soon. Order now to get in line. First come, first served. By: North-South Books Amazon Marketplace: 8 new & used starting at $2.96

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 198 Average rating: 3.0 of 5

Lovely Book. 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

I purchased this book as part of a shower gift. My daughter loved this book when she was little with all of the brightly colored, shiny fish. I could not find it in any store so I was happy to get it.

Sharing is Caring! 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

I read this book when I was a kid and i still love it. It's all about how you shouldn't be proud and that sharing is caring (not to be cliche). SOme people think it's about socialism or that everyone should be the same. But it is just showing kids that being full of yourself is an undesirable trait.

Classic 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

This book is a classic! I remember having it read to me when I was an elementary school brat, and now it's great to read all over again. It's a great story with a great message and plenty of fun characters plus some gorgeous artwork.

Editorial Review:

A glittering stocking stuffer that will add sparkle to any child's Christmas! Marcus Pfister's international bestseller has been specially packaged for holiday giving in an attractive mini-book edition. The book contains the complete text of the original hardcover edition along with the eye-catching holographic foil stamping that has captivated Rainbow Fish's millions of fans.

Simon's Hook; A Story About Teases and Put-downs

Karen Gedig Burnett

Amazon Price: $8.95 List Price: $8.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: GR Publishing Amazon Marketplace: 25 new & used starting at $4.99

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

Don't Take The Bait 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 2 people found this review helpful.

This is a book that every child should read or have read to them before going into school to get a good perspective of how not to take the bait. My copy is ragged from reading it with my 3 children.Another book that parents should have in their library way before school starts is Bully-Proofing Children: A Practical, Hands-On Guide to Stop Bullying. This is an invaluable resource and tool for parents from a proactive and intervention standpoint.The tips, strategies... if used will prevent your child from being a victim or a bully. A must-read for parents.

Editorial Review:

Simon is having a bad day; a bad hair day. First his sister gives him a strange hair cut, then his friends tease him. Simon doesn't know what to do. Lucky for him he runs into Grandma Rose. After listening to his sorrowful story she helps him learn an important life lesson; how to handle teases and put-downs. By comparing teases to fishing hooks she tells him a tale of how fish learned not to bite. With fanciful characters such as Harmony Hippy Fish, Freddie Fang, Max the Mouse Fish and more, Simon learns that he, too, can swim free from the teasing hooks that people toss his way.

One Fish, Two Fish, Three, Four, Five Fish (Dr. Seuss Nursery Collection)

Dr. Seuss

Amazon Price: $7.99 List Price: $7.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Random House Books for Young Readers Amazon Marketplace: 44 new & used starting at $3.71

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

My daughter loves it. Me? Not so much 4 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

I didn't quite remember what the original One Fish, Two Fish book was about, but when I read on this board book that it was "inspired by the Dr. Seuss original" I realized that this was someone capitalizing on the Seuss enterprise. Nonetheless, my daughter LOVES LOVES LOVES this book. It's Seussian rhyming makes her giggle when I read it. The other Seuss books don't seem to come in Board books, so it's what I can get for now, so I'm placated. I personally think that it was sloppily put together and some of the words are used repetitively. It's also about two to four pages shorter than most other board books. (Short board books can be agony for parents since it means that your kids will ask you to read it more often. I've read this book maybe 20 times in the span of 5 minutes for her once.) One nice touch, however, are the little plastic fish at the top which I use as a sort of abacus and teach my 18 month old daughter how to count to five by demonstrating with the fish. At the very least, it's a great learning prop.

Editorial Review:

One fish, two fish, three, four, five . . . This one has a car to drive!
This bouncy counting board book comes with five beads shaped like Seussian fish that toddlers can move across the top of the book as they count along. Based on Dr. Seuss’s celebrated classic, this sturdy board book will be a hit with all the little fish in your family!

Swimmy (Knopf Children's Paperbacks)

Leo Lionni

Amazon Price: $6.99 List Price: $6.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Dragonfly Books Amazon Marketplace: 75 new & used starting at $0.74

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

A Lovely Aquatic Adventure 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 3 people found this review helpful.

This classic, celebrated picture book is a fantastic achievement in children's literature. Notable for its beautiful aquatic watercolor paintings and graceful prose, the story of an exceptional little fish's communal tragedy, adventures and ultimate triumph are evocatively rendered and easy for children to comfortably digest. This book is a unique celebration of exploration and both individual and collective values: it conveys how the exceptional among us can drive a group to preserve itself and accomplish greatness.

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

Swimmy is a great book to start out with at the beginning of the school year. It teaches cooperation and teamwork.

Excellent Read Aloud For Any Age! 4 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Swimmy, a black fish among a school of red fish, looses his school to a bigger fish, leaving him alone in the ocean world. Lonely Swimmy makes new discoveries as he swims through the wet world. Finally, he meets a new school of red fish, and he introduces them to the wonders that he has discovered. Lionni not only wrote the text for this book, but he also illustrated the pictures. As you read Swimmy, you flow through the words easily. Lionni uses descriptive language to create a logical flow to the story. He also adds in words or vocabulary that are specific to an ocean setting. These words may be harder for a younger student to read, but this story is best used as a read aloud. When creating the illustrations for this text, Lionni uses watercolors to create his ocean scene. He also pays close attention to the use of space, color, and texture. Lionni puts his text within the illustrations creating a notion that they are one. Colors are used to create a mood that goes along with the feelings within the text. The texture of the pictures makes the underwater scene more believable. This book is an excellent choice when looking for just a read a loud or to teach the themes of perseverance, cooperation, and unity.

Editorial Review:

Illus. in color. "An exquisite picture book. A little fish, the lone survivor of a school of fish swallowed by a tuna, devises a plan to camouflage himself and his new companions."--(starred) School Library Journal.  

Rumble Fish (Laurel-Leaf Contemporary Fiction)

S. E. Hinton

List Price: $15.85 By: Topeka Bindery Amazon Marketplace: 6 new & used starting at $4.63

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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 is the top tough guy among junior high kids, but what he wants most of all is to be just like his older brother, the Motorcycle Boy, the toughest, most respected streetfighter.

A Fish Out of Water

Helen Palmer, P. D. Eastman

Amazon Price: $8.99 List Price: $8.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Random House Books for Young Readers Amazon Marketplace: 85 new & used starting at $0.01

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 28 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

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

This book is so cool. You just got to read this book. You'll laugh your pants off. You just got to read this book.

A Fish Out of Water 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

When my son was a little boy, this was his favorite book. He wanted to take it out of the library so many times that I finally bought a copy and gave it to him for Christmas.

My little grandson is two years old and he has 3 goldfish. I thought the book would be appropriate for him -- and he loves it.

Favorit kid's book ever. 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

This was one of my favorite books as a child and it was my daughter's absolute favorite book as a child.
Every new child in our family gets a copy of this book and it has become a favorite for all of them.

Mama I wanna read Mr Carp! 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Almost every nite we read "Mr. Carp" as my son calls it. Such a sweet story. I don't even mind reading it 700 times. I take it on vacation too. You'll love it.

CUTE!!! 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

My mother-in-law gave this book to my kids when they were young and they still remember the story of the little boy and his pet fish. A must for any kids' book collection.

Editorial Review:

Illus. in color. "Comic pictures show how the fish rapidly outgrows its bowl, a vase, a cook pot, a bathtub."--The New York Times.  

Splish, Splash! (My First I Can Read)

Sarah Weeks

Amazon Price: $3.99 List Price: $3.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: HarperTrophy Amazon Marketplace: 48 new & used starting at $0.01

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

wonderful illustrations and a fun story! 5 out of 5 stars.
11 of 11 people found this review helpful.

Slpish Splash is a wonderful beginner reading book. Chub the fish enjoys sitting in his tub and when ten of his friends want to come in chub says "jump in if you wish". But can a tub so small hold them all? The story is fun for beginner readers and Ashley Wolff's illustrations add colorful and playful fun that beginner readers and non-readers will enjoy looking at time and again. My five year old enjoys reading it and my 2 and a half year old just likes to hear the story and look at the pictures! A fun, beautiful book!

taking a bath was never so much fun! 5 out of 5 stars.
10 of 10 people found this review helpful.

With Splish Splash Sarah Weeks has written a charming story that beginner readers will want to read over and over again. Ashley Wolff's illustrations are a delight. The colorful animal characters capture the eyes and imaginations of young readers and pre-readers. My six ear old enjoys reading the story while my 3 year old enjoys looking at the picutures again and again.

Editorial Review:

Rub-a-dub-dub! Chub the fish loves to scrub in his tub. One day his friends come to call. They want to splish and splash too. Can a tub so small hold them all?

McElligot's Pool

Dr. Seuss

List Price: $15.77 By: Turtleback Books Distributed by Demco Media Amazon Marketplace: 3 new & used starting at $11.99

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

McElligot's Pool 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

All you have to say is Dr Seuss. All of his books are excellent!

One of my favorites 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

This is my favorite Seuss book (yes, I say that about all of them). Year after year I buy this for my friends' kids, but I think it's a great book for an adult library, too.

Wonderful Story I had somehow missed 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I thought I knew all the Dr. Seuss books, but this one came to my attention recently and I had never heard of it before. I bought it immediately in order to read it to my youngest daughter before she outgrows children's books. She loved the story and I had one more wonderful message to give her from Dr. Seuss, "Keep thinking of all the wonderful things that are possible!"

Classic Dr. Suess 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

This is a classic Dr. Suess book from my childhood. I have read it over and over again to my kids, and now I am reading it to my grandchildren. This book ranks right up there with The Cat in the Hat for entertainment value, for some reason it was a Dr. Suess book that wasn't as well known. Thank goodness my grandmother was a librarian and sent it to me for my 5th birthday. Your kids will LOVE this book, and adults actually enjoy reading it, too!

Editorial Review:

Illus. in color. Who knows what fantastic fish might swim in McElligot's Pool!