Popular Culture Books - Page 12

Disney Storybook Collection (Disney Storybook Collections)

Amazon Price: $10.87 List Price: $15.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Disney Press Amazon Marketplace: 40 new & used starting at $4.47

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Ages 4-8 -> General
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Ages 4-8 -> General AAS
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Literature -> Action & Adventure

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

Great Stories, well illustrated. My son's favorite 5 out of 5 stars.
4 of 6 people found this review helpful.

This is a very good book. My son loves the stories. The table of contents has a picture of each of the 2 dozen stories, and he can pick out which one to read each night. It makes a perfect bedtime story. He also liked the stickers in the back. I'm here online looking for the others in the series.

This book has it all! 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

I agree with the first reveiw. This is a fantastic compilation. There are great illustrations on every page (a requirement for a three year old!),
the text is large and fairly simplistic, just right for beginning reading. The stories are long enough to entertain at bedtime but not too long, and the stickers are an extra bonus. All in all this is what I've been waiting for. Another book I received recently that has become a favorite is CLASSIC FAIRY TALES. It's a little more advance in terms of storyline but has absolutley gorgeous illustrations by Scott Gustafson.

Editorial Review:

Featuringyour favorite Disney characters, these bestselling storybook collections havebeen completely redesigned with all new covers, gilded pages, newly editedtext, and a classic new look with over 250 illustrations-including full-pageartwork from the Disney archives. Plus, the first printing includes over 250stickers!

From Bambito Aladdin, the best-loved storiesof all time are now even better. Over twenty stories re-create the movie magicof the most beloved Disney films. Enhanced with new pieces of art from theDisney archives, these stories are still the ideal length for reading aloud.

Wall-E Ultimate Sticker Book (Ultimate Sticker Books)

DK Publishing

Amazon Price: $6.99 List Price: $6.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: DK CHILDREN Amazon Marketplace: 42 new & used starting at $3.00

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Ages 4-8 -> General
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Ages 4-8 -> General AAS
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Literature -> Humorous

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Wall E Sticker Bool 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I bought this for my 7 year old grandson who is Wall E 'nuts'...he loved it...we sat together and found where to put the stickers and there were plenty of extra stickers to do whatever he wanted with.

Editorial Review:

When Earth becomes too cluttered with trash, the humans jump into orbit and send down robots to clean up. This clean-up mission fails, except for the efforts of one, last little robot, Wall-E. When a robotic probe is sent to check on the clean-up robots, Wall-E falls deeply in love with the robot sent. Her name is Eve.

Readers will love this essential guide to background info and extra glimpses into Wall-E's life on the trash-cluttered Earth.

(c) 2008 Disney PIXAR

Wave Hello to Thomas! (Lift-and-Peek-a-Brd Books(TM))

W. Rev Awdry

Amazon Price: $4.99 List Price: $4.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Random House Books for Young Readers Amazon Marketplace: 150 new & used starting at $0.01

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Baby-3 -> Pop-Up & Movable -> General
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Baby-3 -> Pop-Up & Movable -> General AAS
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Baby-3 -> General

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 12 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Simple book with nice pictures 5 out of 5 stars.
6 of 6 people found this review helpful.

Thomas is our 2-yr old son's favorite thing right now so we got him a new Thomas book. "Wave Hello to Thomas" is a very simple book with nice pictures and fun flaps. After just a few weeks he has memorized the book and will sit happily "reading" and lifting the flaps. He even takes the book to bed with him.

Great flap board book for little train lovers! 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

The illustrations are interesting and lend themselve to questions and answers. The flaps are large and sturdy, and opening one actually changes the action in the picture.

Grandson's Favorite 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

My two year old grandson is totally in love with trains, especially Thomas and friends. He loves anything with trains. This was a perfect fit for him.

Editorial Review:

Illustrated in full color. All aboard! Kids can tour with Thomas the Tank

Engine as he travels through the countryside. They'll open the station door

and wave to Sir Topham Hatt, swing open the barn door and visit the animals,

lift the drawbridge and say "ahoy" to the bargeman, and more, in this

lift-the-flaps rail adventure.

Iron Man: I Am Iron Man! (I Can Read Book 2)

Amazon Price: $3.99 List Price: $3.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: HarperTrophy Amazon Marketplace: 39 new & used starting at $0.85

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Ages 4-8 -> General
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Ages 4-8 -> General AAS
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Literature -> Action & Adventure

Editorial Review:

Tony Stark invents his greatest creation yet—an iron suit that protects him from danger! At first, he keeps it a secret. But when he sees the power of his new suit, Tony must decide: is the world ready for the truth about Iron Man?

The Bad Beginning, Movie Tie-in Edition (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 1)

Lemony Snicket

List Price: $11.99 By: HarperEntertainment Amazon Marketplace: 158 new & used starting at $0.01

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Ages 9-12 -> General
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Ages 9-12 -> General AAS
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Authors & Illustrators, A-Z -> ( S ) -> Snicket, Lemony

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1097 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

I wish there were fewer stars than one 1 out of 5 stars.
0 of 4 people found this review helpful.

I am not a violent man. In my lifetime, I have never been in a fight. I've never seriously threatened anyone with violence, never made anyone feel afraid by my physical presence, never even really seriously considered doing violence to another person.

Having said that, the feelings this book evoked in me were... violent.

Not because Lemony Snicket has written a book where terribly unfortunate things happen to small children - I have no problems with that and in fact encourage it; it builds character. I want to do violence towards Lemony Snicket because he's a terrible writer who should never have been allowed to have his words put to paper. His pens should be broken, his notes burned, his hard drive wiped and, if possible, his writings should banned by an Act of Congress. The First Amendment can only go so far.

You may be wondering what has roused this level of bibliorage in me. By all accounts, this series is extremely popular, loved by many. On various book review websites, this book routinely gets at least four stars and high praise. It was even made into a movie starring Jim Carry, and if that's not the Seal of Public Approval then I don't know what is. It would seem that one of two things is true: Either I'm seriously overreacting to a tiny aspect of Snicket's (AKA Daniel Handler's) writing style or the rest of the world is full of blind ignoramuses who wouldn't know decent writing if they woke up in bed with it after a bender in Vegas.

As a reviewer, I, of course, choose to believe the latter.

Snicket has taken what should be an entertaining story, filled with untimely death, physical violence, extortion, deception, and pedophilic overtones, and corrupted it by treating its audience like a bunch of drooling idiots.

I am, of course, referring to his habit of defining "difficult" words within the text, with no regard for the flow of the story or the necessity of the definition. For example:

Page 2: "...occasionally their parents gave them permission to take a rickety trolley - the word 'rickety,' you probably know, here means 'unsteady' or 'likely to collapse' - alone to the seashore...."

Page 13: "...over a dull dinner of boiled chicken, boiled potatoes and blanched - the word 'blanched' here means 'boiled' - string beans."

Page 18: "'Please get out of bed and get dressed,' he said briskly. The word 'briskly' here means 'quickly, so as to get the Baudelaire children to leave the house.'"

Page 44: "...the kitchen grew cozy as the sauce simmered, a culinary term which means 'cooked over a low heat.'"

And so on.

There are a few occasions where a word is defined well, in context and occasionally in character, and I don't mind those. But the constant shoehorning in of definitions made me want to take a sharpened number two pencil and work it under Mr. Snicket's fingernails until he apologized sufficiently for being a hack.

I've gotten feedback from people who like this style, especially parents, who say that it saves them from having to put down the book and explain to the child what "blanched" means. Full disclosure: I am not a parent, nor am I likely to ever be one, but I think that teaching a child to figure things out for him or herself - or, god forbid, learn to use a dictionary - is part of what will make her or him grow up to be an inquisitive, intelligent adult. In my real job, teaching English as a foreign language, I find that my students are more likely to remember a word if I make them work for it, rather than if I just tell them what it means.

Let's face it - if this book is written for adults, then the author should treat his readers like adults. If the book is written for children, which this ostensibly is, then the author has to choose whether to talk up or down to them. In a book where the main characters' parents die before the first page and where the eldest daughter nearly becomes a child bride to her blood uncle, one would think the author has judged his audience mature enough to deal with these themes. If that's so, then overtly defining "difficult" words is an insult to his readers, and that is unacceptable to me.

I am reminded of a passage in Terry Pratchett's book, Wee Free Men, where the main character, a nine year old girl named Tiffany, asks an itinerant teacher about zoology:

"Zoology, eh? That's a big word, isn't it."

"No, actually it isn't," said Tiffany. "Patronizing is a big word. Zoology is really quite short."

I think Mr. Pratchett may have read Mr. Snicket's book as well.

Editorial Review:

Within the pages of this novel, readers will discover one of the books upon which the movie Lemony Snicket's "A Series of Unfortunate Events is based: "The Bad Beginning. Like the movie, this book tells an unhappy tale about three very unlucky children, who despite being clever and charming lead lives filled with misery and woe. From the very beginning of this volume, when the children are at the beach and receive terrible news, continuing onto the last page of this distressing story, disaster lurks at their heels. Unlike the movie, however, this book is printed on paper. Count Olaf is not only smart, he is also intelligent. A renowned, talented, and handsome actor, he certainly could have his choice of marrying any number of beautiful women, but for the time being remains single and, sadly, childless. Fans of theatrics should watch for the name "Count Olaf" on marquees and in local newspapers everywhere. P.S. He is also very good-looking.

Caillou Helps Mommy (Lift-the-Flap Book)

Joceline Sanschagrin

Amazon Price: $5.95 List Price: $5.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Chouette Publishing Amazon Marketplace: 20 new & used starting at $2.48

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Ages 4-8 -> General
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Ages 4-8 -> General AAS
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Literature -> Popular Culture

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Fun,fun, fun! 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

What a fun book! My daughter is only two and loves to "read" this book and help Caillou over and over again! She sings the clean up song and giggles. We love to read together!

Editorial Review:

Caillou cant wait to eat chocolate pudding, but he has to tidy up first. Adapted from the original title Caillou, Puts away his toys.

Counting with Blue (Blue's Clues Baby Board Book #1)

Lauryn Silverhardt

Amazon Price: $4.99 List Price: $4.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Simon Spotlight/Nickelodeon Amazon Marketplace: 35 new & used starting at $0.01

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Baby-3 -> General
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Baby-3 -> General AAS
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Animals -> Dogs -> Fiction

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 7 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Great for the little ones 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 4 people found this review helpful.

Our little one loves "Blue", and best of all vocabulary skills
have increased.

Great way to teach numbers 4 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Many children like BLUES CLUES and my daughter enjoys counting with Blue. Great board book for early learners.

Good Book 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

My daughter, Lucy, really likes this book. She has Blue on her Luvs diapers and she is starting to recognize him now since we always read this book. She hasn't started counting yet, but we will use this book to re-inforce counting when she does start. This book is especially good for new babies because it has very few words. There isn't much of a story, so if you are looking for a story, look into other Blue's Clues books.

Very cute 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

A cute little Blues Clues story that rhymes. My daughter has enjoyed this book from the time she was 6 months old to the present (she's now 3).

Sweet, Tender "Blue's Clues" Counting Book 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

"Counting with Blue" is one of several books in the series "Baby Blue's Clues." This very basic board book teaches counting - numbers one through five. On one page it shows Blue with a certain number of something, and then on the right it has in text, such as "four little ladybugs crawling on the ground." The illustrations are very soft and cheerful.

Editorial Review:

1, 2, count with Blue!

The Visual Dictionary of Star Wars, Episodes IV, V, & VI: The Ultimate Guide to Star Wars Characters and Creatures

David Reynolds

Amazon Price: $13.59 List Price: $19.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: DK CHILDREN Amazon Marketplace: 67 new & used starting at $2.50

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Ages 9-12 -> General
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Ages 9-12 -> General AAS
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Arts & Music -> Performing Arts -> General

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 43 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Excellent book! 1 out of 5 stars.
5 of 7 people found this review helpful.

This book was just what we needed. My five-year-old son has developed a sudden interest for Star Wars, and since he's too young to watch the films, this book was perfect for him. Excellent pictures, everything is well explained, all the major points of interest are covered.

Editorial Review:

The Visual Dictionary is an essential guide to Star Wars. DK's renowned Eyewitness style brings the characters, costumes, droids, and gadgetry of the Star Wars universe to life in astonishing visual detail. Highly defined, annotated photography shows and explains the culture, background, and technology of the Star Wars trilogy. Fans of all ages will enjoy detailed revelations of Star Wars secrets like how a Stormtrooper's equipment works, what the insides of a light saber look like, and what Sand People keep in their bandoliers. A visual glossary explains all the technical terms used in the trilogy. Together with Star Wars: Incredible Cross-Sections, these books comprise a definitive classic Star Wars reference library.

Pokemon Get Well Pikachu! #6 (Pokemon, Reader)

Tracey West

Amazon Price: $3.99 List Price: $3.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Scholastic Paperbacks Amazon Marketplace: 88 new & used starting at $0.01

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Ages 4-8 -> General
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Ages 4-8 -> General AAS
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Literature -> Action & Adventure

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 4 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Cute!! 5 out of 5 stars.
20 of 20 people found this review helpful.

This book is a very cute, fun book for young children ages 3-5, or for those who are just learning how to read.
It's a very cute and fun 32-page book with large text, a colorful illistration on each page to show you what's happening, and a easy-to-follow story.
Definitely recommended for children ages 3-5, those who are just learning how to read, or any Pokemon fan who wants a cute, short read!
Hope that helped!
~Ashley

Great enticement to read 5 out of 5 stars.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.

It's not exactly great literature - but that's not the point. The point for me was to get my 7 year old son to be interested enough in a book that he might pick it up on his own and read it. And it worked! This book is great for any budding reader who is also a Pokemon fan. It is more substantial than a real little kid's picture book, yet not too dense to be intimidating or tiresome. Each page has a cool pokemon picture and roughly 2-4 sentences per page. For my son - a book has to be "cool" enough to interest him to read it on his own, and this fit the bill.

Editorial Review:

IT'S SHOCKING!Pikachu is sick. He has too much electricity and he's zapping everything in sight! He cannot go outside and play. He has to rest. But that does not stop Team Rocket from trying to steal Pikachu! Can Pikachu's new friends help him hide? Or will Team Rocket finally catch Pikachu? READ IT YOURSELF!

Dora's Big Book of Stories (Dora the Explorer)

Various

Amazon Price: $8.58 List Price: $10.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Simon Spotlight/Nickelodeon Amazon Marketplace: 49 new & used starting at $0.47

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Ages 4-8 -> General
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Ages 4-8 -> General AAS
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Ages 9-12 -> General

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 10 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

JUST WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I got this book because I previously bought a box set of Dora stories and my little one was always looking at the books they showed on the back and asking for them, but I could never find another set and this book has most of the ones I was looking for. It even has a spanish guide in the back for the most commonly used words inthe books with a phonetic pronunciation for them. My little guy just loves it!

Great gift for preschool girl 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I just gave this book, along with a Dora board game, to my 4-year-old niece. She LOVED it. After opening it, she insisted that I read her 4 of the 7 stories while at her beach-side birthday party! She was much more interested in the stories and their large, colorful illustrations than in the Dora board game that I gave her along with this book. My only complaint is that most of the stories are pretty wordy, and I imagine not all children have the necessary attention span. I'm thrilled with the book, overall, though!

Editorial Review:

Now Dora fans can enjoy reading their favorite bestsellers all in one book! This collection includes seven stories:

Dora's Book of Manners

Dora Goes to School

Dora's Fairy-Tale Adventure

Dora's Chilly Day

Show Me Your Smile!

Dora's Pirate Adventure

Big Sister Dora!