Sports & Activities Books - Page 14

Explorabook: A Kid's Science Museum in a Book (Klutz)

Amazon Price: $14.93 List Price: $21.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Klutz - Model: 276 Amazon Marketplace: 97 new & used starting at $0.01

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Subjects -> Children's Books -> Science, Nature & How It Works -> Experiments & Projects -> General

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 9 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

This was My First Science Book! 5 out of 5 stars.
15 of 17 people found this review helpful.

I am 20 years old now and I still remember when I got this book and read it for the first time. It made science so cool and was a great way to show kids how science can be cool. I actually just found this book in a big stack and decided to look it up on Amazon. GREAT to hear they still sell it. I recommend this book to every kid!

My first science text book! 5 out of 5 stars.
11 of 11 people found this review helpful.

Ah, EMS sold these for a short stint in the early 90s (1992 or so). This was such a great book for the beginning experimenter, in fact some topics have stuck in my mind and helped me on science topics i'll tackle later in life...e.g. noone in my AP chem class knew what 'agar' was!

Also my first science book, highly recommended. 5 out of 5 stars.
8 of 9 people found this review helpful.

Like another reviewer, I recently found this on my shelf and was curious to see whether it was in print. I'm 22 now and must've been around 8 when I got it.

I'm in University now, studying software engineering, and I have to say that this book really spurred my interest in science. It comes with so many cool things, a magnet, agar, diffraction grating, and a fresnel lens.

Highly recommend this to parents, aunts, and uncles looking for an awesome gift for a youngster in the family. The kid won't be disappointed once they get into it after expecting an action figure or video game.

Editorial Review:

After three years of development, Klutz is proud to announce its long-awaited version of a science book. 100 jam-packed pages cover subjects from light waves to biology, magnetism to optical illusions. Bound into the book are a mirror, moire spinner, diffraction grating, Fresnel lens, and agar growth medium. Attached to the binding is a plastic magnetic wand. Full color throughout.

Felicity Mini Doll (American Girl Collections)

Amazon Price: $14.93 List Price: $21.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: American Girl Publishing Inc Amazon Marketplace: 13 new & used starting at $14.93

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

Not so great for us... 3 out of 5 stars.
1 of 4 people found this review helpful.

Our 4 yr old daughter put Felicity and Elizabeth mini dolls on her list for Santa (caught us off guard). Anyhow, I thought it sounded nice. That is until I got to look at one. For the price, they are probably good, just not what I would normally think of as nice. Thier legs don't rotate as much as other brands. The eyes don't open and close. So I researched who made them: Mattel. No way. We won't buy a Mattel (due to our perception of what happened with thier toy recalls based on news reports). So, the next challenge was finding replacements that would be as much of a hit.

Madame Alexander dolls. Made in China also, but none have failed tests (so far). You can go to www.healthytoys.org to see how your toys fair.

The American Girl doll they tested did fine. But, we were down to the details of what mattered. Our local TJ Maxx found two dolls; one looked like our daughter and came with three bears (the ballet lesson), and another one titled Safari Girl that looks like Bindi Irwin (who my daughter loves, watches all her shows, and for those of you who do not know, is the 9 yr old daughter of the late Steve Irwin "The Crocodile Hunter"). Thier eyes open and close, the hip and shoulder and heads move more than the American Girl dolls.

Now, here are the nice things also ... the Madame Alexander dolls can stand by themselves. Which has proven wonderful in play. The clothes are interchangeable with the American Girl doll minis and many other 8 inch doll sizes. So, getting accessories is not a challenge. We personally are avoiding the American Girl doll stuff, but for those who care, and want a higher quality doll ... Madame Alexander makes a HUGE variety of 8 inch dolls. And, you could then order the clothes for them from Mattel (the americangirl.com website).

Now, here is where they part ways in a way that matters to many. The American Girl dolls cost about $20 to $35 in stores we went into (Barnes & Noble books, and Samsclub). And, the discounted price of the Madame Alexander dolls we got her were $40 each. So, twice as much as just the dolls at Barnes and Noble (but with more stuff, like one doll came with three stuffed animals dressed for the ballet lesson, and the other came with a stuffed lion). The ones at Samsclub came with books or DVD of a movie.

We are personally happier with the choice we made. Our daughter said "How did Santa know what I really wanted all along ... I have dreamed about having a Bindi doll, and a doll like me ... but there isn't one out there." That is true so far. So, American Girl dolls were a substitute to her as the next best thing ... not as the best thing, in the first place. She has enjoyed the Felicity movie (even with the dark tones of the split over the tea tax, and her grandfather catching the flu). But, having the dolls it turns out isn't as important.

Also, one other thing. If you are buying into the American Girl doll .. my brother warned they are like Barbies ... tons and tons of stuff all the time to buy that goes with your doll (even the minis).

I know this parts ways with many reviews. But, it is how we feel. The American Girl dolls all have the same faces, bodies, just differently dyed, and hair differs. They don't stand well alone, especially if you move thier legs (there is little to no rotation in that hip joint is why). And, thier eyes don't open and close. Just less detail than we prefer for the money. I have seen dolls as well made for much less that simply lack the brand name attached as the difference. Not so with the Madame Alexanders; finding one with the good hip rotation, better head movement, and eyes that open and close (and can't be pushed in so easy) ... not many brands make those in the 8 inch dolls intended for children to play with. Most of those seem to be reserved for collectors and carry a much higher price.

Jurassic Park (Colouring Books)

Golden Books

List Price: $1.69 By: Golden Books Amazon Marketplace: 7 new & used starting at $0.40

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 650 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Jurassic Park 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Jurassic Park is one of my favorite books! It has a lot of action and a lot of descriptions. The story is very similar to the ever famous Jurassic Park movie by Stephen Spielberg { sp? sorry } The terror and action the Crichton creates with the dinosaur chases is very thrilling. There are some parts where you think, what just happend? And then you have to reread it again. But all in all it's a very great book and I would recommend that you would read Lost World Jurassic Park and that you watch all three of the Jurassics because their all great!

Go Dinosuars! 3 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Have you ever read a book after the movie and actully liked the book better. It rarely happens but for this read the movie impressed me more. The beginning of the book is very different from the Speilberg blockbuster. It started out with some very good action and suspence but went downhill from that. After Alan Grant gets to a mysterious island filled with man-eating dinosaurs its almost too predictable what will happen, but hey that reason better be why you read the book, to see dinosaurs rip off peoples heads and slice open their stomach. After the dinos escape its a life or death race to get off the island. I definetly would suggest this book to a dino freak but no one else. The settings are hard to picture and leave you confused in the later chapters. The island is a prehistic landscape and is hard to picture since we don't know what it looks like. Another reason a thought it was bad was because it didn't describe the dinos well enough. It would be very helpful if Micheal included pictures of the dinos instead of just telling you it was a pretyhuioptyresasaurous. The only reason I like the book is because is has creature violence, which is my favorite, and it has many action sequences. The end is filled with action and has you guess who rein supreme, the humans or dinosaurs. So over all it had a good story line, hard to understand settings, unpictureable dinos, but a good action twist at the end. I definetly suggest it to sci-fi readers, but anyone else just stay away.

Editorial Review:

On a remote jungle island, genetic engineers have created a dinosaur game park. Drawing on all his bestselling talent and scientific brilliance, Michael Crichton has, in "Jurassic Park", written the most electrifying techno-thriller of our time.

Made You Look: A Book of Picture Puzzles

Amazon Price: $11.53 List Price: $16.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Klutz Amazon Marketplace: 18 new & used starting at $9.96

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 7 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Put this in a travel bag for the kids 5 out of 5 stars.
12 of 13 people found this review helpful.

We're going to New Orleans as soon as school is out. We're taking my three pretend children, ages 3 3/4, 9, and 10. The baby stays home. The grandparents, my brother and his wife, and I are the adults (usually). Two of the three children are certified ADHD. That means they need things to do. When I take them on adventures, we sing and yell and carry on, but that kind of stuff drives the grandparents crazy. I found this book, "Made You Look: A Book of Picture Puzzles" and started a road trip bag. It is the first item to go in.

First, the book is over-sized, I think, to make each page and picture larger and items easier to find. Being in a spiral book makes the pages easy to turn backwards and the book easier to handle. Several pages have detachable items. In the very back is a large envelope in which to store these items. Very clever!

If you are familiar with the I Spy series, then you have a vague idea of this book's premise. Starting with simpler puzzles and working toward complexity, the book will keep little eyes spell-bound for a good while.

Here are some sample puzzles. On the copyright page and adjoining page is a scene of a cross of streets in a city block. The trick is to find how many times the title of the book can be found on these two pages. Bunches! The actual first puzzle invites the reader to find the numbers 1-100 in this mish-mash of kooky monsters, fantasy figures, and odds and ends.

Here's another one. It is a knick-knack container crammed full of objects in every cubby hole. Included is a list of items the viewer must find. Now a page with people wearing a multitude of facial disguises inside frames. You must find how many of the faces belong to this one particular man. Facial recognition tricks are the rule here.

Toward the back is a double page spread requiring the viewer to match a person standing in the art gallery with their counterparts in famous paintings. Not only does this activity require close attention to detail but will train them to recognize these famous paintings and composition of the way the subjects are posed.

One last description. This time it's a two-page spread of postcards from particular states and cities. This one is tough if you haven't seen these places. Within the letters of Maine for example are the Eiffel Tower, a big lobster, a British flag, a water skiier, palm trees, an alligator in a swamp. If you turn the page, you will begin all the answers and solutions.

What's next in the travel bag? Crayons and coloring books, pads and pens to write things and draw. Keep reading my reviews as I show you more items to add to your travel bag for the children this summer.

Editorial Review:

Forty-one artists and illustrators were commissioned to create this amazing eye-catching compendium of picture puzzles. Hidden pictures, matching games, pictures puns and what's-wrong searches are just a few of the visual amusements. Each is loaded with intricate imaginative detail and intriguing challenges that will keep you looking a second, third and fourth.....time!

Horse Games & Puzzles for Kids: 102 Brainteasers, Word Games, Jokes & Riddles, Picture Puzzlers, Matches & Logic Tests for Horse-Loving Kids

Cindy A. Littlefield

Amazon Price: $9.95 List Price: $9.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Storey Publishing, LLC Amazon Marketplace: 41 new & used starting at $2.56

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Subjects -> Children's Books -> Animals -> Horses -> Nonfiction

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

Editorial Review:

You can count on horse-crazy kids to be doing something horse-related, thinking about something horse-related, or planning something horse-related 24 hours a day, seven days a week. That's why Cindy A. Littlefield created the Kids' Book of Horse Games & Puzzles. If kids are going to spend their time horsing around, they might as well jump-start their creativity and boost their problem-solving skills at the same time.

The book is divided into five sections: Word Play, Picture Puzzles, Drawing, Fun and Games, and Brain Teasers. (All the answers are included.)

Take the "Horse and Pony Stall of Fame" challenge by matching up famous equines with their human or television character companions. Snuffle through the "Hungry as a Horse" quiz and see if you can find the names of 14 things horses like to eat hidden in a block of letters. Then break out your best drawing pencils and learn how to draw a horse's portrait in six easy steps.

Fun, horsey cartoons and illustrations adorn every page. And scattered throughout the book are horse riddles, bits of horse trivia, and quotes about horses.

Here, at last, is the perfect book for kids who love puzzles almost as much as they love horses.

Max's Work of Art: A Coloring & Activity Book (Max and Ruby)

Amazon Price: $4.99 List Price: $4.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Grosset & Dunlap Amazon Marketplace: 29 new & used starting at $2.26

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

Loves Max and Ruby 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

My granddaughters love Max and Ruby. Next best to watching them on DVD's or TV, has been the coloring and activity book full of good fun and Max And RUBY!!!

Editorial Review:

Ruby and Louise are trying to paint Max’s portrait, but Max doesn’t want to pose—he wants to paint! Perfect for preschoolers, the activities in this book reinforce such basic concepts as counting, shapes, colors, and letter recognition. Also included are coloring pages, a maze, matching games, connect-the-dots, and a 17" x 22" pull-out poster to color!

Dream Snow

Amazon Price: $13.50 List Price: $21.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Philomel Amazon Marketplace: 59 new & used starting at $5.39

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Subjects -> Children's Books -> Authors & Illustrators, A-Z -> ( C ) -> Carle, Eric -> General

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 30 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Dream Snow 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

What a delightful book! Not only does it help develop a child's counting skills, but the pictures are wonderful and the surprise ending is sure to bring a smile! I not only have a copy of this book for my own child, but have given copies as gifts.

Not a huge Carle fan, but love this book 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I find a lot of Eric Carle's books a bit humdrum, with the exception of Brown Bear, Brown Bear, so when my daughter was given this book for Christmas about five years ago, I thought it was all a bit gimmicky with its "tingle, tingle, tingle" noisy button at the end and plasticky, white-covered pages simulating snow.

But we read this thing over and over, and the rhythm of it was so gentle and the sounds of the book so hushed, that it was a metaphysical experience. In other words, I felt as though Carle was covering us with a white blanket of words. Ahh, the memories of the soft and slow pace bring back a smile.

Then the farmer suddenly realizes that he's forgotten something, and there's a flurry of activity (like a flurry of snow!!) as he rushes out to decorate the tree. Cap it all off with the "tingly" button, which gets pushed over and over and over and over, etc.

Anyway, the long and the short of all this is that I am buying a second copy for my family, having misplaced the original. I now have three other children who haven't been introduced to this lovely book, and I truly think your own children or grandchildren will find it a classic.

Editorial Review:

"Few in number are the parents who have made it through their toddler's years on just one copy of Carle's The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Dream Snow has similar ingredients: a simple story, lively collage-like illustrations and a fun gimmick for little hands..." (Time)

"This is a simple, well-told story about a simple farmer.... Viewers...will want to get their hands on it." (The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books)

"Carle fans and toddlers learning the basics will...enjoy the gentle text and creative design features." (Booklist)

"The pictures are in Carle's trademark richly colored and textured collages that capture the snowy magic of Christmas." (Kirkus Reviews)

Super Silly Mad Libs Junior

Roger Price

Amazon Price: $3.99 List Price: $3.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Price Stern Sloan Amazon Marketplace: 37 new & used starting at $1.12

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

my review 5 out of 5 stars.
26 of 28 people found this review helpful.

this book is easily one of the most enjoyable canteloupes we have ever used to jump fish. you simply can't beat this kind of cabbage with turnips or aardvarks.

Great activity, but with one downfall 4 out of 5 stars.
20 of 20 people found this review helpful.

My kids love these Mad Lib Juniors, especially because they provide a list of words to choose from in each category, thereby teaching kids about Adjectives, Nouns, Verbs, etc.

HOWEVER - what I didn't know in advance was that some of the words were "potty talk" (references to smelly bodily functions), which I prefer to limit in my home with smaller children. It's still fun, and they love it!

Silly, Creative, Educational Fun! 5 out of 5 stars.
7 of 7 people found this review helpful.

I am so glad that they came out with a Junior version of Mad Libs. I always had fun with the originals with family and friends growing up. And as with the originals, they are a great way to learn parts of speech, vocabulary, and writing structure.

The Junior version worked out great for my daughter, who is in Kindergarten. (Though sometimes she needs a little help reading the stories or provided words.)There are symbols to show what type of word is needed (ie: star=noun). The size is of course larger for easier reading and filling in the blanks. Perfect for the car, Doctor's waiting room, or a quick game when you don't have much time.

Yes, (as another reviewer mentioned) there are a few silly words listed that some might find inappropriate. (Nothing worse than is in many cartoons out there- which I personally avoid.) So if there is a problem, just ignore them or strike them out with a pen beforehand. There are plenty of others to choose from! It didn't ruin our fun.

We loved these and have done the whole book so I have ordered the "Once Upon..." version. I only wish there were more of these in a book! Still they are a good value. I hope they keep making more of these!!

Editorial Review:

Nobody knows silly better than we do. And with Super Silly Mad Libs Junior, younger readers are introduced to the crazy world of Mad Libs.

The Nutcracker

Amazon Price: $11.55 List Price: $16.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: HarperCollins Amazon Marketplace: 45 new & used starting at $9.48

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Subjects -> Children's Books -> Authors & Illustrators, A-Z -> ( J ) -> Jeffers, Susan

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

The ballet was not the "original" Nutcracker story 4 out of 5 stars.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

I confess I haven't yet read this version of the book. I just wanted to respond to readers who criticized this book for not following the "original". The original story, which I have read, was written by E.T.A. Hoffman. The ballet was based on his story, which had a heroine named Marie and a mouse king with multiple heads (seven I think). I suspect that that costume would have been unnecessarily complicated for the costumers and dancers.

The Nutcracker 2 out of 5 stars.
2 of 3 people found this review helpful.

I thought the illustrations were beautifully done. However, I did not like the variation from the original story, ie, Clara's name was changed to Marie and the mouse king had three heads instead of one. I bought this book for my four year old granddaughter, who very much loved the movie version, but did not like the changes from the original ballet.

Editorial Review:

New York Times bestselling artist Susan Jeffers has created a Nutcracker unlike any that has gone before, with a lovely spare text based on the ballet.

This is the perfect gift to share with children before they see The Nutcracker. Everyone who has seen the ballet will cherish it—as will anyone who enjoys stories where love triumphs.

Come, take a front-row seat. The world's most beloved holiday fairy tale is about to begin.

In the Night Kitchen Coloring Book (Coloring Book Classics)

List Price: $4.95 By: HarperFestival Amazon Marketplace: 5 new & used starting at $3.96

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Subjects -> Children's Books -> Authors & Illustrators, A-Z -> ( S ) -> Sendak, Maurice -> General

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 102 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

My feelings have changed about this book over time 5 out of 5 stars.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

As a mother and a teacher, I am always looking for quality books to read to my fourth graders as well as my 3 year old daughter. Although I would never be able to read In the Night Kitchen to my class (parent complaints and such), it didn't take long for my little girl to fall in love with this book.
Sadly, many children today are lacking a tremendous amount of imagination, getting caught up in video games and the newest electronics. This is the primary reason why I knew I would expose her to Maurice Sendak. She's loved Where the Wild Things Are since she was a baby. I just checked out this book in the public library last week.
In my Children's Lit class in college many years ago, our teacher lectured us about the Freudian undertones of this children's book. Being young and impressionable, I vowed to myself to NEVER expose my future child to a book like this. Well, what can I say? I've learned quite a bit since then.
I'm a firm believer that nothing is a big deal unless you MAKE it a big deal. Sure, the book is certainly different from any other children's book you normally see. However, Sendak wrote this in 1970 and wanted it to be a nostalgic piece and he brought it into his illustrations. He was brought up reading comics of the 1940s, which is clearly seen in the story.
It's a whimsical, mystical story showing a journey through the imagination of a little boy. My daughter adores it and I often hear her quoting, "Quiet Down There!" and "Good bless me." I'm sure I will have a difficult time bringing this one back to the library, so I plan on purchasing it for her very soon. Thank goodness she has the Scholastic Video Collection that includes "Where the Wild Things Are" as well as "In the Night Kitchen."

Editorial Review:

Maurice Sendak's Caldecott Honor-winning book, In the Night Kitchen, is now available as a coloring book.The complete text and black and white illustrations are included, so children can color every page of the story.