I recently read and enjoyed Hondo & Fabian and then immediately reserved this book at the library.
And, I liked this book even better than I did the fiI recently read and enjoyed Hondo & Fabian and then immediately reserved this book at the library.
And, I liked this book even better than I did the first one.
It gets dogs and cats perfectly, and it’s so amusing and sweet.
This is a wonderful book for reading aloud and for independent readers too.
It’s a wonderful story for talking about friendship, comparing lifestyles and adventures, and, of course, dogs and cats, and actually the story is very realistic.
The illustrations, as in the first book, are unusual and appealing and perfectly help tell the story.
I definitely wanted to read this book before the end of the year. I don’t enjoy the holidays and want them over when they’re over. However, I do love I definitely wanted to read this book before the end of the year. I don’t enjoy the holidays and want them over when they’re over. However, I do love this song and have enjoyed a couple other books that feature it.
And in this rendition the artwork is intricate and beautiful and colorful and marvelous in every way. I could spend many hours looking at all the details. The expression on the woman’s face toward the end is a hoot. Her cat’s interest in all those birds is so funny. And it’s made so clear how all these gifts could cause a few problems. Very amusing! Luckily, the true love shows up at the end with a particularly lovely small and traditional gift.
I always thought of the gold/golden rings as those to be worn on fingers, but not here.
I love how the couple look like such ordinary people, even though by the end their surrounding look anything but normal.
Of course, readers are going to find themselves singing their way through this story/song book.
A dog and two toddlers, and not sharing and sharing is the scope of this virtually wordless picture book. The word mine is included many times, but thA dog and two toddlers, and not sharing and sharing is the scope of this virtually wordless picture book. The word mine is included many times, but this is otherwise a story told through pictures.
It’s very cute and definitely accurately captures the play and toy possessiveness of most very young children. The dog was so funny and I was amused by the entire account. The dog’s exuberance, and that of the children, is a joy to behold.
This story is suitable for the youngest child, and might be a terrific book to read while talking about sharing with others.
The art style of the illustrations wasn’t quite my cup of tea, but I enjoyed them anyway. They’re amusing and sweet and they do a great job of telling what happens from moment to moment....more
This is a timeless story and it’s thoroughly enjoyable.
The dolls and amazing dollhouse and their humans and the animals (I fell in Immensely charming!
This is a timeless story and it’s thoroughly enjoyable.
The dolls and amazing dollhouse and their humans and the animals (I fell in love with the dog) are all interesting characters. I like how the boys also participate at the party.
This is a perfectly sized book for little hands.
The illustrations are precious, in the best way possible.
And it has one of the best author’s notes ever at the start of the book: Tudor talks about how her family actually regularly celebrated a dolls’ Christmas. What a wonderful tradition!
This book would make a wonderful Christmas present or anytime present, and would be a fine addition to the library of most families, especially those who have young girls and who celebrate Christmas. Young girls who like dolls and dollhouses will treasure this one.
I always wanted a dollhouse when I was young so I would have been completely smitten with this book.
This is definitely a “girls’ book” despite the inclusion of boy characters, and girls who don’t like dolls are not likely to appreciate it.
This book has a 1997 copyright but it has a look that could be a couple hundred years old, or from just this year. Just wonderful!
I’m thinking some girls who read this will start a new Christmas tradition. This story will work well for both family reading aloud and for independent readers.
The illustrations are period perfect and full of detail. I especially love the cat sleeping on the same bed as the baker.
I’ve been familiar since chilThe illustrations are period perfect and full of detail. I especially love the cat sleeping on the same bed as the baker.
I’ve been familiar since childhood with 13 equaling a baker’s dozen, and this was a fun tale of how a dozen might have come to mean 13 vs. 12 where bakery goods are concerned.
I think this is the only Saint Nicholas Day story I’ve ever read and I can heartily recommend it. It reads like an original fairy tale. I cared about the baker. The message re Saint Nicholas’s generosity and of being generous is a good one. And the cookies look delicious and festive. It’s a fun story with wonderful pictures.
I would have loved an author’s note about the actual history of a baker’s dozen.
This is a terrific biography, particularly suitable for 9-13 year olds, but able to be appreciated by those of every age.
There are 6 chapters and extrThis is a terrific biography, particularly suitable for 9-13 year olds, but able to be appreciated by those of every age.
There are 6 chapters and extra material too. The biography is completely engaging, and the many included photographs of Alma Flor throughout her life, sometimes with other family members, are indispensable for thoroughly enjoying the narrative.
I love Alma Flor Ada's books. I’ve read only four so far. Those books, my contacts with the author, and now this book, have whetted my appetite to read nearly everything she has written.
I was particularly taken with what a loving upbringing she had and with what she’s done with her life, particularly as teacher and writer and parent.
Any reader who has enjoyed even one book, and especially those who have enjoyed many books, by Alma Flor Ada will most likely enjoy this book about her life. She had an interesting background and has led a life worthy of putting down in book form for others’ benefit.
And, Alma Flor, please forgive me for addressing you as Alma. I know your proper name now and understand the importance of real, full, proper names.
This book is written from a live interview that took place in September of 2006; the book was published in 2009.
4 ½ stars
I’ll assign 5 stars to this book because it’s completely engaging and thorough for its length, giving fascinating information about its subject’s life, and the photos are wonderful. The extra information adds to the book too: a list of award-winning books, a list of selected books, a list of words to know, mention of two related internet sites, and an index....more
I did not read the original novella that is within these pages as I’ve read it multiple times and know it well. I read this book for the extra materiaI did not read the original novella that is within these pages as I’ve read it multiple times and know it well. I read this book for the extra material, which is about Lisa and David and Alan about 25 years later. Funny, I always knew it was a novel but somehow when I saw this, I had always assumed that Lisa and David were based on real people, and that the extra material was about these actual people, but nope, they were entirely fictional, as is this follow up that catches up with their lives a couple decades after the original story.
I love (loved?) the original novel, and rated it 5 stars. I love the Lisa and David movie too.
In this book I read only the new portions, starting on page 73. This rating and review is for pages 73-146 only.
The continuation of the story I found disappointing. There is too much description about the way people look, and the dialogue quite a bit stilted at times. I objected to psychiatrists discussing details about their patients with non-professionals.
But this is the way David could be, and Lisa, well maybe, and the two of them as middle aged adults, well it’s not impossible.
But I think the original story should have been left as is. I can’t recommend the story that follows. ...more
The ending felt a bit abrupt to me, but that’s my only quibble with this otherwise wonderful original fairy tale.
It’s a wonderful story about a lonelyThe ending felt a bit abrupt to me, but that’s my only quibble with this otherwise wonderful original fairy tale.
It’s a wonderful story about a lonely princess who is not allowed to play with the children outside the palace gates. The bird and the princess in this story are two of a kind, first imprisoned and lonely and then, due to the princess’s actions, their lives change much for the better.
This is the fourth picture book I’ve read by this author, who by the way, seems to attract the best illustrators, and I’m now eager to read all her books; she’s very prolific.
The illustrations are marvelous. I love the expressiveness of the princess, the queen, the governess, and the lady-in-waiting. The pictures are lush and vibrant and lovely.
I’d recommend this book to everyone who can enjoy an original fairy tale and for all children looking for an excellent friendship story....more
This is a lovely story. I appreciated how at the beginning of the book, a bit of information about St. Jordi’s feast day is given.
The illustrations arThis is a lovely story. I appreciated how at the beginning of the book, a bit of information about St. Jordi’s feast day is given.
The illustrations are special. The goats are beyond adorable. The lush plants and scenery at the end are wonderfully shown. The art style, colors used, and picture contents fit perfectly with the story; they couldn’t be more ideal.
I love how the story reads as a simple folktale and how while not at all didactic there are some good messages here: about how nature provides, about how trying to make someone else happy is the best way to make yourself happy, about how with some work with water and seeds and cuttings, plants will grow, and the plants can bring beauty and friends, as well as nutrition, and about how you can find friends in many places. I found myself deeply touched by this story. I also loved how Jordi takes care of his goats, sleeping with a small one, making sure they have enough to eat, that they have shelter during a thunderstorm, and how it’s obvious his way of making a living, selling goats’ milk cheese, is done keeping the goats’ wellbeing an important part of the equation. Even as a vegan, I surprisingly didn’t feel at all offended (though I still wouldn’t eat the goats’ milk/cheese). This depiction of animal agriculture is the complete opposite of the factory farming that is so rampant in so many places today.
I would definitely recommend this to all kids, especially those who love stars and/or those who are fascinated with plants/planting. It’s also a terrific story for children who feel lonely or isolated.
I would have loved this book when I was a kid; I’m sure I’d have given it 5 or 4 ½ stars. I’d have poured over the last pull out quadruple page and spI would have loved this book when I was a kid; I’m sure I’d have given it 5 or 4 ½ stars. I’d have poured over the last pull out quadruple page and spent a lot of time looking at it, and the other illustrations too. The rhyming story has just the right amount of suspense. A young boy waits and waits, while various chores are being done by family members, who finally take him to the county fair, coins in pocket.
There is a lot going on at the fair. As a kid and young adult I frequently went to our state fair, and loved it, but rarely went to county fairs. I lived and live in a urban setting so its county fair was atypical.
Now, the animals being shown bother me because I know they’re there to be eventually killed, so knowing that and caring about that somewhat diminished my pleasure in reading this book.
The illustrations of all the animals were wonderful though. The dog and cat and overall country lifestyle were fun to see.
The excitement of the boy is contagious so the story is very well told. It’s a fun book, a pretty good story with marvelous pictures.
I struggled whether to give 3 or 4 stars to this book. 3 ½ stars...more
The illustrations are glorious. The animals are so cute. The whole large family is adorable.
I thought I’d be more engaged in the story than I was. TheThe illustrations are glorious. The animals are so cute. The whole large family is adorable.
I thought I’d be more engaged in the story than I was. The premise of the story is that a family (mother, two daughters, many animals) gets evicted on Christmas Eve and have to move to an abandoned barn, with the help of all animals and humans. I thought the story would tug at my heartstrings. But, if it wasn’t for the description on the inside cover I wouldn’t have really fully gotten what was going on. And that’s because this family doesn’t seem at all poor; they have so much, so very much. To me, it seemed more of a fun romp and an adventure than a sad or poignant story.
This is a mostly wordless picture book, although there are more words than there are in many other similar books.
It might have been my mood but there was some sort of disconnect for me. I liked the story okay and liked the pictures quite a bit, but I did not get that emotionally engaged....more
3 ½ stars, 1 star off for Mimi saying she wouldn’t help find the companion animals of 2 rather nasty siblings; the bad character of their humans is no3 ½ stars, 1 star off for Mimi saying she wouldn’t help find the companion animals of 2 rather nasty siblings; the bad character of their humans is not the animals’ fault and ½ star (at least) for including information about and a photo of the real Mimi and Maty. This could be a great book for use in humane education, though Mimi’s concern for animals seems to be limited to companion animals and doesn’t seem to included farmed animals.
Yes, it took me 2 days to read a children's picture book. (lots of life happening when I had made other plans)
To tell the truth, this was so much better than I’d anticipated. When I read the description it sounded awful to me. But Mimi is the cousin of a close friend of mine and over the years I’ve heard about Mimi, the Mimi she was named for, and assorted other relatives, and I’ve been highly impressed with the young Mimi, so I wanted to read this out of curiosity and to support Mimi and her family. The author is Mimi’s mother. This is a mostly fictional story, but it has non-fiction components.
There are 7 chapters in 81 pages; it is a very advanced picture book.
This particular story, apparently the first in a planned series, involves Mimi and her rescued 3 legged dog Maty helping to find a friend’s pet rat, Roger. It’s actually quite a cute story, funny and sweet, and lots of fascinating facts about rats are included. I learned a few things about them that I hadn’t otherwise known, and I know a fair amount about rats. Mimi and Maty are apparently going to have other adventures rescuing other animals, and I can see this book inspiring other kids to help animals in some way. The story, a sort of a mystery, is quite engaging.
The real girl Mimi is quite impressive. I think she’s in her mid-teens now. When she was eleven she started the website Freekibble.com, a fun site with the goal of providing food to shelter animals. Maty the dog (whose biography is also included in the back of the book) has quite a bit to her credit too. And these two are both adorable.
The illustrations are fun and eye catching and include some text that show the content of Mimi’s notebook as she writes down ideas and clues to help find the missing rat....more
This book is co-written by an Israeli author who dedicates the book to her son Nathan, who does in fact have autism and who did actually blow out the This book is co-written by an Israeli author who dedicates the book to her son Nathan, who does in fact have autism and who did actually blow out the family’s Hanukkah candles. It’s also to Nicole (who’s a co-writer) and I've been told also has an autistic child. I think I liked this story as much as I did because I knew its basis in fact. If it had been entirely fictional I don’t think I’d have been as engaged. I love what she says on the dedication page: “Judaism teaches acceptance of every person as a reflection of God’s image, and the importance of both compassion and inclusion in the community.” As someone who is not religious, I particularly was inspired and moved by the second part of that sentence.
This story could be good for all Hanukkah reading, for children who have siblings or friends who have autism or other challenging conditions, as a springboard to discuss bullying and other interpersonal issues.
I appreciate how the story shows Jacob’s irritation, impatience, and embarrassment, and also how he does stick up for his brother. I also appreciated how Jacob and Nathan’s family and the family of Jacob’s new friend Steven, find a way to celebrate Hanukkah Nathan’s way. I like how loving family relationships are shown as even more important than the most meaningful aspect of the Hanukkah celebration.
We didn’t light a menorah when I was young, but as I grew I learned about the meaningfulness of those lights, and I’ve always been very emotionally touched by their history and meaning. So, I can understand the horror aroused by Nathan’s blowing out those candles. I think most Jewish children will understand too, and children not Jewish get a mini lesson about Hanukkah.
I enjoyed the pictures, though I wasn’t wild about them. I wasn’t a fan of the way people’s faces are depicted....more
I have very fond memories of the Rockefeller Christmas tree. I arrived a couple days after Christmas in NeWell, this one got me crying.
Wonderful book!
I have very fond memories of the Rockefeller Christmas tree. I arrived a couple days after Christmas in New Jersey/New York the year I was 5 and stayed until almost Christmas the next year when I was 6. Seeing the enormous tree and the skaters at Rockefeller Center were highlights of my times in Manhattan.
So, I was fascinated by this story and by the excellent author’s note in the back of the book. I was extremely touched by the circumstances surrounding the first tree and even more delighted with the newer tradition of donating the tree’s wood to Habitat for Humanity for it to be used to build houses for those in need.
I love the book’s dedication: “To those who give without looking back and those who receive without forgetting.”
Lovely story! I was completely engaged; it’s so well told, and I cared about all the characters.
I loved the illustrations. Each picture is gorgeous, expertly using color and light, and each has a vintage quality that perfectly fits this story....more
I’ve always loved this song. I like a lot of secular Christmas music, and this carol in particular is always fun. So, I had to sing vs. read this bookI’ve always loved this song. I like a lot of secular Christmas music, and this carol in particular is always fun. So, I had to sing vs. read this book.
This is a nearly perfect gift book! The detailed and rich artwork is absolutely gorgeous and it’s fun to look for the all 12 days worth of presents on the pages. The sheet music is included in the back, something I was hoping would be the case when I was reading/singing, and there is a fascinating author’s note at the end of the book that addresses the origin of the song.
I borrowed this book from the library, but if I had children at home or celebrated Christmas I’d definitely want to own it....more
I loved this book. It probably helps that I’ve been fascinated with clouds my entire life, and especially loved them when I was young.
But this book isI loved this book. It probably helps that I’ve been fascinated with clouds my entire life, and especially loved them when I was young.
But this book is so sweet, and funny and whimsical. And the illustrations are so pretty and cute, and all the little funny asides add to the story. My favorite part was the scene where Cloudette got the impression the new other “clouds” had no interest in getting to know her, but I was fond of every single page.
There is also a fine message here about how being small doesn’t preclude one from making important contributions.
This is an okay book to read aloud to young children, but I’d especially recommend it for beginning readers; they will enjoy reading ALL the text portions as they view the pictures, and they will be more likely to “get” some of the amusing parts, and the inspiring parts too, and the science lesson as well....more
Ha! This is so perfect for what it is doing. 95% at least of parents and young kids will recognize this going to sleep ritual dance. I love how the auHa! This is so perfect for what it is doing. 95% at least of parents and young kids will recognize this going to sleep ritual dance. I love how the author dedicates this “To my Grandpa, who always told me one more story before tucking me in.”
This is the perfect bedtime book, not only because of the subject matter, but also because of the wonderful rhyming and the pastel, comfy illustrations.
I loved the pictures of all the various animals, particularly of the giraffe that’s also the cover illustration, but all of the pictures are so much fun, and occasionally funny, but definitely not overly stimulating.
The story is a fine rhyme that is so much fun to read aloud, with plenty of room for doing the two voices differently, and differently as the story progresses.
I love this book! I see while I’m not alone, I am impressed by this book more than other Goodreaders. I’ll have to go read some other reviews of it....more
I couldn’t resist this book. I found the song hilarious when I was a kid and I’m so glad it’s in book form. I sang my way through the song. For me, thI couldn’t resist this book. I found the song hilarious when I was a kid and I’m so glad it’s in book form. I sang my way through the song. For me, the illustrations were so secondary, and they were fine enough. My only quibble, and it’s a major one, is that the sheet music should have been included. If anyone picks up this book without knowing the song, they may enjoy it, but I feel sorry for them that they can’t enjoy the full experience. But I loved revisiting this song via this book, and I’d happily sing it to any child within reach. ;-)
3 ½ stars
I’m upping my rating to 4 stars because I love the song so much....more
This is a stellar true story, a biography of sorts, by one of the sons of Baba. During the Great Depression and then WWII, Baba kept his fOutstanding!
This is a stellar true story, a biography of sorts, by one of the sons of Baba. During the Great Depression and then WWII, Baba kept his family safe. He was smart and clever and principled, and skilled. He built a house for his family, and was eventually joined by extended family and a refugee family from Germany. This was in Shanghai. Somehow, Baba managed to not only protect his family from bombs and invaders but from fear as well.
The multimedia illustrations, made up of real photos and collage, etc. are just amazing. The colors used and art style is fabulous. There are many fold out pages. There is even a fold out floor plan of the house, and I love, love, love home floor plans in books. (I used to read entire books of just house floor plans.)
This is the kind of story that ostensibly tells about a small group of people in a certain time and place, but also manages to convey messages of anti-war, of what humans have in common with one another, and of conveying Baba’s message: “…that life is not rich not real unless you partake life with your fellow man. A successful life and a happy life is one as measured by how much you have accomplished for others and not one as measured by how much you’ve done for yourself.”
Eddy wrote this book as a tribute to his father and did a lovely job. It’s a beautiful and special book. I was completely engaged and emotionally touched. As a child I’d have been utterly fascinated and could have spend many hours reading and viewing this book....more
This is a worthy book in the Bats series and the third “Bats at the…” book that I’ve read. I love baseball so this one was really fun for me to read. This is a worthy book in the Bats series and the third “Bats at the…” book that I’ve read. I love baseball so this one was really fun for me to read. I particularly enjoyed the Bat’s version of the famous “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” song, though it wasn’t shown in its entirety. Fine, rhyming story. Marvelous illustrations. I like bats but even those who are fearful of them or repulsed by them might very well enjoy this/these books....more
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