Humorous Books - Page 12

Merry Christmas, Curious George! (Curious George)

H.A. and Margret Rey, Cathy Hapka

Amazon Price: $9.36 List Price: $16.00 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Houghton Mifflin Amazon Marketplace: 54 new & used starting at $6.98

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 9 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

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

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

author of "Hobo Finds A Home"

Still hasn't arrived on Jan. 2nd. 3 out of 5 stars.
0 of 1 people found this review helpful.

I honestly can't review the book, because it never arrived! I ordered it for my nephew on Dec. 2nd, and it didn't arrive in time for Christmas. It's now Jan. 2nd, and it still hasn't arrived. Two other items ordered from Amazon haven't arrived either. (One is a My Little Pony Christmas book which I ordered for my niece...)
This experience is not typical of Amazon, and I welcome a customer service rep to contact me to get it straightened out.

Editorial Review:

It's Christmastime! And irrepressible, excitable Curious
George has just the spirit for it. He can't wait to help his
best friend, The Man with the Yellow Hat, pick out their holiday
tree. At the tree farm, however, amid all the excitement
of finding the perfect specimen, George gets carried
away, as usual—atop his favorite tree! Hiding in the tree's
branches, George finds himself delivered to the local children's
hospital, where his tree trimming antics cheer the
children and he gets to meet a jolly man in a bright red suit.

Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type

Doreen Cronin

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 203 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Perfect for Preschoolers 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Absolutely for preschoolers. My son loved this book almost as much as I did. Everything about this book was adorable- the silliness, the electric blankets, and the diving board. He and I couldn't stop laughing. The reader (most likely the adult) will love how often the neutral party isn't neutral at all. I'm an animal lover, so this book will always have a soft spot in my heart.

Orwell Meets Gary Larson 5 out of 5 stars.
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Farmer Brown's cows are on strike: no milk till they get electric blankets for cold nights in the barn. How does Farmer Brown know? The cows typed a note on the barn typewriter. "Click, clack, moo." Farmer Brown demands milk. The cows type a response: the hens need blankets, too. The barnyard standoff escalates to the increasingly familiar beat of "Click, clack, moo." Children will cheer as the cows' quiet defiance foments an Orwellian barnyard rebellion that brings Farmer Brown to his knees.

Told in straightforward language that captures the archetypal laconic farmer, Doreen Cronin's offbeat tale grows funnier with repeated readings. Betsy Lewin washes her black drawings with warm, earthy watercolors that echo the text's simplicity. Her deft use of shading and shadows evokes the sun-up to sun-down rhythm of farm life. The fluid lines and bright colors recall Matisse, while the cows' wide eyes and thoughtful expressions suggest Gary Larson (or perhaps Wallace and Gromit creator Nick Park) and bring the barnyard to life. The cows, chickens, and duck stare dolefully but invitingly out from the page, transporting the reader beside the water trough to join the revolution.

Editorial Review:

Farmer Brown

has a problem.

His cows like to type.

All day long he hears

Click, clack, MOO.

Click, clack, MOO.

Clickety, clack, MOO.

But Farmer Brown's problems REALLY begin when his cows start leaving him notes....

Doreen Cronin's understated text and Betsy Lewin's expressive illustrations make the most of this hilarious situation. Come join the fun as a bunch of literate cows turn Farmer Brown's farm upside down.

We're Going on a Bear Hunt

Michael Rosen

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 56 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

bear hunt in reverse 2 out of 5 stars.
1 of 3 people found this review helpful.

I loved this book and song as a child...so I thought that I would get it for my little one. Well it came and the pages are in reverse order and upside down...oh well.

Swishy Swashy Swishy Swashy 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I can't imagine not having this in the board book version with my next child! I actually found my copy at Potterybarnkids and I was so excited and so was my child the first time we read it. It's simply so classic, it totally a read-a-loud story every page has some new exciting nature noise to sound out and the repetition is perfect for little ears. I started reading this to my daughter around 18mos and a year later she still loves it! A must for toddler libraries!

Children's classic 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Quite simply a children's classic. My 2.5year old loves this book. We also recommend checking out the Michael Rosen reading of this book on You Tube.

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

My 3 year old son loves this book. When we go for a walk around the neighborhood, he wants to pretend that we are going on a "bear hunt" and we recite the book. Great book for imagination.

Editorial Review:

We're going on a bear hunt. We're going to catch a big one. What a beautiful day! We're not scared.

Ready for some fun? Come along!

Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog!, The

Amazon Price: $10.19 List Price: $14.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Hyperion Book CH Amazon Marketplace: 55 new & used starting at $5.19

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 76 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Another Terrific Pigeon Adventure 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 4 people found this review helpful.

THE PIGEON FINDS A HOT DOG! is another installment in saga of the Pigeon, and this time he wants to eat a hot dog. In fact, the Pigeon is about to eat his favorite dish, a mouth-watering, delicious hot dog, when the Duckling appears. The Duckling, a new character to the Pigeon books, says he has never had a hot dog, and, not so innocently, sets about trying to get the Pigeon tell him more and more about hot dogs. The Pigeon gets VERY frustrated, going off on one of his famous rants, while the Ducking just sits there, looking sweet and naïve. So that he can finally eat his coveted hot dog, the Pigeon does the only thing he can do to get the Duckling to stop interrupting him...he shares his hot dog.

Author Mo Willems has done it again, spectacularly, with this one. THE PIGEON FINDS A HOT DOG! teaches a fine lesson about sharing, one that my three year old understood immediately. She loves to tell the Pigeon that he should share with the Duckling, and she is very happy every time he does. We also love seeing the Pigeon express a gamut of emotions as he reaches this decision. Mom acts them all out, and the wee one thinks this is hysterically funny. "Do it again, Mom-Mom!" is a familiar cry.

Kids are drawn to these books because the Pigeon, and, in this case, the Duckling, reacts just like they would. The illustrations are clever and very expressive, and it is clear exactly what the Pigeon is feeling. The other day, my child was quite angry. I said, "Hey, you've got smoke coming out of your ears, you must be really angry." She started giggling and said, "Just like the Pigeon, Mommy," and the impending melt-down was adverted.

I highly recommend THE PIGEON FINDS A HOT DOG! for anyone, but most especially for those who are already Pigeon fans.

Editorial Review:

When Pigeon finds a delicious hot dog, he can hardly wait to shove the entire thing in his beak. But . . . then a very sly and hungry duckling enters the scene and wants a bite. Who will be the more clever bird? In this hilarious follow-up to the acclaimed Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! Mo Willems has created another avian adventure that encourages children to share even their most prized processed foods. Mo Willems is a six-time Emmy Award-winning writer and animator for Sesame Street and the head writer of Cartoon Network's Code Name: Kids Next Door. The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog! is the companion to Mo's first children's book, Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! He is also the author of Time to Pee!.

The Bfg

Roald Dahl

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 329 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

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

Roald Dahl is the author of "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," "Matilda," and "The Witches" and other children's classics. The BFG is about a girl who lives at an orphanage named Sophie. When Sophie sees a giant, when she shouldn't have, the giant has no other choice but to snatch her. But the giant isn't like the other giants. Good thing or otherwise he might have eaten Sophie after taking her from the orphanage. In the giant's world, things are very different for Sophie. After she learns about the other giants who do eat people, she creates a plan to save the world from them with the BFG's help of course.

Editorial Review:

"Well, first of all, " said the BFG, "human beans is not really believing in giants, is they? Human beans is not thinking we exist."

Sophie discovers that giants not only exist, but that there are a great many of them who like to guzzle and swallomp nice little chiddlers. But not the Big Friendly Giant. He and Sophie cook up an ingenious plot to free the world of troggle-humping -- forever.

Performed by Natasha Richardson

Too Many Toys

David Shannon

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 4 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Too Many Toys 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

David Shannon is amazing! I am a Librarian for an elementary school and his books are always among the favorites, and "Too Many Toys" is no different. He has a great way of relating to children. All children relate to this story because we all tend to hang on to things that don't even work just for the sentimentality of it. The art work is delightful (as always), and the combination of the story and the pictures just works so wonderfully. I really cannot think of any of his books that I would not fully recommend!

Too Many Toys 4 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Spencer had too many toys. His parents gave him toys. His grandparents gave him toys. Even the dentist gave him toys. Toys were everywhere and there was no where to walk. Eventually, the mess became too much. Finally, Spencer's Mom said he had to clean up.

Too Many Toys is a story that will resonate with adults. We try to give our kids and grandkids all the best but sometimes we go overboard. The simple basics always win out in the end.

This adult theme is mostly lost on the little ones who read this book. Moreover, the scary faces with huge popping out eyes and teeth are somewhat scary.

Editorial Review:

Spencer has too many toys! His father trips over them, his mother falls over them, and the house is overflowing with junk. Now its time to give some of the mountain of goodies away, but Spencer finds it hard. In the end, he fills a box, but decides the one toy he can't part with is the box!

Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing

Judy Blume

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 186 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing is a classic! 5 out of 5 stars.
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Judy Blume's, Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing (Puffin Books 1972), is a humorous tale of a nine-year-old boy named Peter and his younger brother, Fudge. Peter is consistently upset by three-year-old Fudge's antics, including disappearing at a movie theater while trying to touch the bears that appear on-screen and playing with Peter's turtle, Dribble without his permission. In addition to dealing with his annoying little brother, Peter must also hang out with Shelia, his nemesis from down the street. Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing is the first in the series of books about the Hatcher family. Blume's comedic scenes are not only naturally written, but they are believable as well. Fudge's apt for getting into trouble is sure to delight younger readers, while the tragic (albeit humorous) scene concerning Dribble will surely appeal to older readers of Blume's classic novel about a New York City family.

Editorial Review:

Two is a crowd when Peter and his four-year-old brother, Fudge, are in the same room. Grown-ups think Fudge is absolutely adorable, but Peter and his pet turtle, Dribble, know the truth. Fudge is actually a tiny terror in disguise, causing mischief everywhere he goes.

Olivia

Ian Falconer

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Features:

• CHILDRENS BOOKS & MUSIC
• Childrens Books
• Language Arts

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 140 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Olivia and Babe are my favorite pigs 5 out of 5 stars.
7 of 8 people found this review helpful.

I love a children's book that begins the story on the end pages (located just inside the covers). How creative! What fun! That's just where Ian Falconer begins his story of Olivia, my favorite children's book character.

Olivia is the child you want, but fear having--creative, impulsive, talented, energetic, headstrong, in other words, too much personality, a difficult and gifted child. At the same time you love her anyway!

Falconer has cleverly chosen to draw Olivia in black and white and add touches of one bright color. In this, his first Olivia book, he chose red. One thing about Olivia is that she wears people out with her antics, even herself. One of the best scenes is the one where she tries on ALL her clothes--all red pieces--dresses, purses, hats, undies, tops, muffs, sneakers, backpacks, caps, bikinis, and one pair of gray panty hose.

Today the family goes to the beach where Olivia makes a sand castle that looks like a skyscraper ("She got pretty good"). After Olivia sunburns, they go home. She refuses to nap. Her mother takes her to museums on rainy days where she studies paintings by Degas and, of course, dreams of being the ballerina. At the Jackson Pollock painting, she declares she could do that in five minutes and does so when she gets home (much to Mom's chagrin).

That night her mother reads to her a story about Maria Callas (notice how Falconer works in cultural elements?).

"When it's time to stop, Olivia's mother gives her a kiss and says, 'You know, you really wear me out. But I love you anyway.'
"And Olivia gives her a kiss back and says, 'I love you anyway, too.'" Then dreams of being an opera star.

Editorial Review:

Have fun with Olivia...

• dressing up

• singing songs

• building sand castles

• napping (maybe)

• dancing

• painting on walls

• and -- whew! --

going to sleep at last.

Mr. Popper's Penguins

Richard Atwater, Florence Atwater

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 132 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Our first successful read-aloud 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

I had tried many different books from Black Beauty to Little Britches to enrich our homeschool literature time.
No joy. Of course, to be fair, it's worth mentioning that my children are still all 6 and younger (all five of them!)

When we did a thematic unit study on penguins, I came across this book in our local homeschool store, and it was a HIT! They all begged me to read "just one more chapter" every night. We went and saw the penguins in another town as a family vacation as a culmination to our study, and the main thing discussed was the book and Mr. Popper, and which penguin looked like Greta and Captain Cook from the book.

My boys still dress in all black some days, so they can be penguins. So, to keep the attention of a 6 year old, 4 year old, and 3 year old (and sometimes the 19 month old) it truly IS a classic! I look forward to reading it again to them soon! We ALL enjoyed Mr. Popper.

Sra. Gose
Author of Flip Flop Spanish: Ages 3-5: Level 1 & Spanish Fun Activity Calendar

Editorial Review:

The 1938 classic tells the story of Mr. Popper, the small-town housepainter who dreamed of exploring Antarctic regions, and Captain Cook, the redoubtable penguin who turned Mr. Popper's world upside down. Reprint. Newbery Honor Book. H. SLJ. NYT. AB.

Invisible Man

Ralph Ellison

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 280 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Completely Unique 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Invisible Man / 0-679-73276-4

Ellison's master work is breathtaking, indescribable, and completely unique. This long and careful allegory of the young black man making his way through the white world is filled with passages so crammed with myth and meaning that the closest comparison I can make is to Rushdie's carefully disjointed Satanic Verses.

Simple incidents, such as Mr. Norton's introduction to Jim Trueblood are complex and fascinating. Trueblood has accidentally (or so he claims, - can we believe his impossible dream?) impregnated his own daughter, and now his daughter and wife are both pregnant at once. The lurid incident has resulted in Trueblood becoming a cause celebre for the white community - they hang on the lurid details, lap up the story again and again with prurient interest, and hold him up as justification for the doctrine of black inferiority.

Yet Mr. Norton's reaction to all this is a sort of disbelieving panic. He begs Trueblood to know why he is celebrated for this terrible thing, when others would be shunned. He takes great pity on the man, giving him monetary compensation for the horrible 'ordeal' he has been through. But something does not sit right, and Mr. Norton's interest seems very personal. He has mentioned that he had a daughter, and that something terrible had occurred to her. And we know that child molestation is not confined to the poor. Is it possible that...? And is Ellison suggesting that what a rich white man may hide, a poor black man cannot? Can we consider that what a rich white woman may chose to overlook, a poor black woman may not (as she has less money and social standing to 'lose' over the scandal)? Dare we wonder that a rich white girl can be sent away for private 'school' to bear a child in secret or get an abortion, when a poor black girl has only the option to shoulder on through the pregnancy?

It is the power of Invisible Man that these, and many other questions, are never answered - indeed, they are never even explicitly raised. But the nuanced narrative nudges them into our minds and, once there, we cannot let go of them.

Editorial Review:

Invisible Man is a milestone in American literature, a book that has continued to engage readers since its appearance in 1952.  A first novel by an unknown writer, it remained on the bestseller list for sixteen weeks, won the National Book Award for fiction, and established Ralph Ellison as one of the key writers of the century.  The nameless narrator of the novel describes growing up in a black community in the South, attending a Negro college from which he is expelled, moving to New York and becoming the chief spokesman of the Harlem branch of "the Brotherhood", and retreating amid violence and confusion to the basement lair of the Invisible Man he imagines himself to be.  The book is a passionate and witty tour de force of style, strongly influenced by T.S. Eliot's The Waste Land, Joyce, and Dostoevsky.