The End of the Beginning: Being the Adventures of a Small Snail (and an Even Smaller Ant)

Book Description

Avon the snail has never had an adventure. And adventure, he has heard, is the key to a happy life. So with his new friend Edward the ant, Avon sets out on a journey to find the excitement his life has been missing.

The travelers meet all manner of wise, weird, and intriguing creatures--including a dragon!--and it's not long before their adventures begin.

In the tradition of such classics as The Little Prince, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, and Winnie-the-Pooh, this completely original story--a modern fable for our time--brims with wit, wisdom, and profound insights about the meaning of things . . . great and small.

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful book.......2007-01-18

This story of the li'l snail is heart-warming - and the illustrations bring the magic to life. I'd highly recommend purchasing this - whether it be for a young child...or for someone simply young at heart. :)

GREAT; funny, witty & inspiring book for both children & adults!.......2006-10-05

Avon the snail has never experienced an adventure and he believes adventure is the secret to happiness. After meeting a new friend, Edward the ant, the two set out on a journey to find what they've been missing in life. In the end, they find out they didn't have to travel very far to find the excitment they thought they were missing. Along the way they meet many interesting & wise creatures that teach them things, for example "it's better to look for nothing and find something than to look for something & find nothing". GREAT;funny,witty & inspiring book for both children & adults! One of my new favorites; will be a classic someday!

The True Meaning of Friendship.......2006-05-10

The End of the Beginning is a book about a friendship. When Avon the snail is sad because he's never been on an adventure, an ant named Edward decides he'll go with him. They've never been on another branch of the tree they live in so they decide to go and explore and see what kind of creatures also live there. The two set off not knowing what to expect, but just having each other's company. On their way, they run into all sorts of different animals who may need help with something, or just want someone to talk to. They learn about the different animals that live in the tree too and become friends with them. Along the way, Avon and Edward are becoming the best of friends, but they only fight over one thing; if it's the beginning or the end. When they reach the end of their branch they fight over if it's the beginning of the sky or the end of the branch. Edward also says quotes about life that you can relate to. I liked it because I think it's a cute story, for any readers. Also I liked that it teaches the true meaning and lessons learned of a friendship. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a cute story with a happy ending!

A Wonderful Book for Young Children - MUST Read Aloud!.......2006-01-26

My children and I thoroughly enjoyed Avon and Edward. We read it together one evening in a fairly short time. Reading it aloud gives the reader (Mom in this case) the opportunity to use different voices to help bring the personalities to life. My kids loved it so much (ages 7 and 8) that we had to read it to Dad the next night! Even 42-year-old Dad had to chuckle at some of the silliness of Avon and Edward!

It was so much fun, in fact, that my 7 year-old set out to read the entire chapter book herself. Since we brought it back to the library its like we're missing an old friend. We will buy a copy to keep on our shelf for future re-reading.

a great book.......2005-11-03

I"m seven and I think that this book should be read from second to fifth grade. I thought this book was great because they (Avon and Edward) talked themselves into things that are not really true and in that way it"s really funny. They go on an adventure and think it"s the beginning but it"s really the end.

More Pet Bugs: A Kid's Guide to Catching and Keeping Insects and Other Small Creatures

Average customer rating:

A great book for anyone who likes nature and pets
Bugs and MORE bugs !

More Pet Bugs: A Kid's Guide to Catching and Keeping Insects and Other Small Creatures
Sally Kneidel
Manufacturer: Jossey-Bass
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Agriculture | Science, Nature & How It Works | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Veterinary Medicine | Medicine | Subjects | Books

Pet Bugs: A Kid's Guide to Catching and Keeping Touchable Insects
Pets in a Jar: Collecting and Caring for Small Wild Animals (Puffin Science Books)
Everything Bug: What Kids Really Want to Know About Insects and Spiders (Kids Faq's)
Creepy Crawlies and the Scientific Method: More Than 100 Hands-On Science Experiments for Children
Big Book of Bugs

ASIN: 0471254894

Book Description

You asked for it!. More fun . . . More science . . . More variety . . . Where can you find a seven-inch caterpillar? Which plants do grasshoppers like to eat most? What beetles produce tiny explosions to protect themselves? Why are slugs so slimy? You'll find the answers to these and loads of other questions in this creepy, crawly, and wonderfully interactive follow-up to the perennial kids' favorite Pet Bugs. Small, intriguing to watch, and easy to take care of, bugs make terrific pets! More Pet Bugs introduces an all-new batch of these fascinating creatures, from ants, earwigs, and earthworms to tiger beetles, tobacco hornworms, and hickory horned devils. You'll learn what each bug looks like, where to find it, how to catch it, and how to care for it. Featuring safety tips and tons of information about why insects behave the way they do, More Pet Bugs promises hours of excitement through independent learning and hands-on investigation.

Customer Reviews:

A great book for anyone who likes nature and pets.......2005-04-05

I found this book very interesting and helpful. It told how to catch and keep insects and non-insects(like slugs and worms). It also told about the creature and it's behavior, as well as where it is found.
For anyone even a little interested in bugs as more than "yucky", this book is for them.

Bugs and MORE bugs !.......2000-11-12

If you had read "Pet Bugs: A Kid's Guide to Catching and Keeping Touchable Insects", you would notice how interesting, informative and how organised each chapter is. For those of you who read the first book and was hoping there was another, here it is ! "More Pet Bugs : A Kid's Guide to Catching and Keeping Insects and Other Small Creatures" introduces even more strange and slimy creatures that you can keep !

The chapters in the book, like the first, are divided by the characteristics of the bug. For example in the " bugs that live in water" section, you will learn how to keep bugs that live in water.

Apart from teaching you how to keep the critters, the book also teaches you where to find and how to catch these slimy bugs. And if that isn't enough, there's also easy to understand facts about the bug's behaviour !

With over 20 new bugs, from ants to aquatic planarians to crayfish, this book will amuse and inform people of all ages.

Fans of these two books "Pet Bugs: A Kid's Guide to Catching and Keeping Touchable Insects" and "More Pet Bugs : A Kid's Guide to Catching and Keeping Insects and Other Small Creatures" can only hope that Sally Kneidel would write a third book to accompany these two.

Sir Small and the Dragonfly (Step-Into-Reading, Step 2)
Average customer rating:

Encouraged my boy to read more.

My favorite easy reader

A Wonderful starter book!

Sir Small and the Dragonfly (Step-Into-Reading, Step 2)
Jane O'Connor
Manufacturer: Random House Books for Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Fiction | Bugs & Spiders | Animals | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
Humorous | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
General | Baby-3 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
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Five Silly Fishermen (Step-Into-Reading, Step 2)

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One Hundred Shoes (Step-Into-Reading, Step 2)

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David and the Giant (Step-Into-Reading, Step 2)

ASIN: 0394996259
Release Date: 2003-12-23

Book Description

Illus. in full color. "The tallest person is no taller than a toothpick in the town of Pee Wee, and when Lady Teena is abducted by a dragonfly, a tiny knight, riding his trusty ant, rescues the miniature maiden. This is a hit--an engagingly humorous storyline (set in very large type) features simple words and only a sentence or two per page."--Booklist.

Customer Reviews:

Encouraged my boy to read more........2006-09-02

This book was so great. It encouraged our son to pick up more unfamiliar books to read. He loves it so much that he puts on shows using action figures, puppets, and sometimes just socks. I recommend it highly

My favorite easy reader.......2000-08-17

Easy readers are tough to write, and this one is satisfying on just about every level -- funny and exciting, clever, a plot that works. Our two daughters learned to read with it, and now our son is, too.

A Wonderful starter book!.......2000-03-07

Though the book is listed as being for ages 4-8, we bought the book for my then 2-year-old son and it quickly became his favorite bedtime book. The story is adorable, as are the illustrations - and it's overriding message that it's okay to be different and that it's what's inside that counts - is very happy and positive. Even before he can actually read the words, my son has memorized the text, and actually quotes it back, complete with his own sound effects. It's a joy to read, and a book I highly recommend to all parents with toddlers!

The Voice of the Infinite in the Small: Re-Visioning the Insect-Human Connection

Average customer rating:

Food for Thought on the Insect-Human Connection
Ms Lauck Gives A Beautiful Voice To The Insect World
A wonderful and much-needed new perspective
A book for animal lovers
Highly unusual approach to these creatures

The Voice of the Infinite in the Small: Re-Visioning the Insect-Human Connection
Joanne Elizabeth Lauck
Manufacturer: Shambhala
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Nature Writing | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Reference | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Talking With Nature: Sharing the Energies and Spirit of Trees, Plants, Birds, and Earth
The Deva Handbook: How to Work with Nature's Subtle Energies
Sacred Plant Medicine: The Wisdom in Native American Herbalism
All My Relations: Living with Animals As Teachers and Healers
Talks with Trees; A Plant Psychic's Interviews with Vegetables, Flowers and Trees

ASIN: 1570629595
Release Date: 2002-11-12

Book Description

Should we have compassion and respect for creeping, buzzing, stinging creatures? Joanne Lauck says yesâand challenges the reader to view six- and eight-legged beings as messengers, guides, initiatory figures, and friends. Drawing on myth, touching and funny anecdotes, Native American wisdom, and science, Lauck shows how we can live in harmony with insects, healing an inner aspect of ourselves in the process.

Customer Reviews:

Food for Thought on the Insect-Human Connection.......2005-08-25

Joanne Lauck's book "The Voice of the Infinite in the Small," starts with the very intriguing premise that we humans tend to demonize the smaller six, eight and multi-legged creatures around us, while these have their place in nature and are often important in our own survival (where would we be without pollination!) As a professional biologist who has specialized in arthropods, I could not agree more on this point. Indeed, Lauck has brought together some most intriguing imagery and fascinating myths and metaphors into a discussion that I think was long overdue. As a professional I constantly hear complaints from people about some harmless or nearly harmless arthropod, such as any spider, certain innocuous true bugs and beetles, or house centipedes that they think should be immediately wiped off the face of the earth.

That said I think Lauck also makes some fairly serious blunders and depends too much on very questionable authority. I find some of her supposedly true stories (such as bees visiting the grave of a dead bee keeper or people making pacts with Japanese beetles) to be pretty difficult to swallow and she is totally wrong on several "facts" about flies and arachnids. One (perhaps minor, but none the less irritating) example is the old legend that male deer bot flies can fly hundreds of miles an hour. This tall tale was based on a totally mistaken calculation made by C. H. Tyler Townsend, a late nineteenth and early twentieth Century entomologist, who guesstimated that to be a blur a male deer bot fly had to be traveling at least 500 mph! In actuality they need only be flying no more than 35 mph! To be traveling at 500 mph, the bot flies would use up a huge amount of energy and the resulting turbulence would tear off their wings! On a more serious note I am quite reluctant to give blood to mosquitoes (although I have given my share involuntarily to be sure!) and am also a bit leery about being too cavalier about mosquito-born diseases. Eventually we may make our peace with a parasite like the malarial plasmodium, but it is only after a period of adjustment during which many of us may suffer as much as the insects. It is easy to contemplate these problems from a distance when one does not have to stand by the bed of a child dying from dengue, yellow fever or malaria! As to friendly scorpions, I would be willing (and in fact have done so) to hold a big black Pandinus (Emperor) scorpion (which are pretty docile and not especially venomous), but definitively not a "death stalker" (Leiurus sp.) or fat-tailed scorpion (Androctonus spp.) Only a fool would handle either of these two directly. Encouraging anyone to hold such dangerous creatures is a very bad idea!

I, indeed, would take the middle way (and I can only speak for myself in this). I believe that one should not go out of ones way to do harm to other creatures and that deliberately killing another organism is excusable for only three reasons (one being very human). The first is need for sustenance (including protecting food crops from pests, although not to the level of broad-spectrum pesticide use we have employed in the past)- I have heard that even the Delhi Lama eats meat every other day because of a metabolic problem. The second is to protect oneself and others from disease or envenomation - at least some, if not most mosquitoes, ticks, lice and fleas, as well as some scorpions and spiders, may fall under this- Bubonic plague or dengue are not fun diseases to get and I am not going to wait around for them to become more benign! The final reason I would grant (being a scientist) is to gain knowledge of the natural world, in part to help protect it in the long term and to maintain a body of knowledge that would help us understand the relationships and dynamics of the biota. I would put some constraints on this activity- as organisms become better known I see them being more valuable alive than in a collection. Thus most mammals, birds, reptiles, fish, amphibians, marine mollusks and a few others, like butterflies, can currently be monitored without usually taking physical samples. The eventual goal would be to eliminate the need for collecting, although this may take more time for some groups like beetles or higher flies.

That said I admire Lauck for bringing the subject up and hope that some of her wonder and respect for the insect world would permeate society more than at present. We need not kill every creature that causes us fear. However, to discriminate properly in an all too imperfect world we need to arm ourselves with some knowledge.

Read this book for some inspiration for ways to get along with the insect world (which as Lauck points out, is also our own), but also with a carefully critical eye.

Ms Lauck Gives A Beautiful Voice To The Insect World.......2005-03-26

The prevailing attitudes towards insects are mostly antagonistic or ambivalent, and certainly, uninformed. In the concrete covered human world that has distanced itself from Nature and realitiy, we are daily subjected to the perverse messages delivered through commercials by profit greedy pesticide companies about the nasty, stinging, dirty, disease carryings bugs. By now, though, we should all be able to see through that snake-oil facade, but how about the "bad bug" disinformation passed along by good intentioned, but uninformed teachers, parents, et al?

Lauck's "Voice of the Infinite" covers all the bases of the intentional to the inadvertant adverse propaganda campaigns against insects and goes much further by introducing us to their beautiful world- bug by bug. Reading this book will let you "walk" with bugs and hear their song. Unless one's heart is stone cold, one will come to know exactly what empathy and admiration for insects is all about.

What is the purpose of a bug as annoying as a flee or mosquito? Read this book! You still might not want to hang out with them, but you will most likely see them in a different and less antagonistic light. Those who have embraced the wisdom and insight of Rachel Carson's book, "Silent Spring", will certainly enjoy Joanne Elizabeth Lauck's book.

And another beautiful tale of finding admiration and empathy for critters is mentioned in Lauck's book and that is: J. Allen Boone's "Kinship With All Life", the true story about "Freddie" the fly. This book is the story of Boone finding mental connections to Freddie and all other animals. Thanks to Ms Lauck for referencing that book!

A wonderful and much-needed new perspective.......2003-10-09

Thomas Berry, the famed theologian and cultural historian who wrote the introduction to this book, makes a perfect statement: "The time has come for humans and insects to turn toward each other. Such is our way to wisdom, the source of our healing, our guidance into the twenty-first century." Joanne Lauck has made a wonderful contribution to those of us seeking to transform ourselves as we travel our spiritual pathways. This book (herein referred to as The Voice) is not a study of insects, it's not a scientific book and it doesn't pretend to be. It's more than that. The Voice offers a new perspective to life, to all that is beautiful and wonderful on this planet; it opens the doorway for us to consider insects in all their splendor and beauty and as necessary beings for the balance of all life. The many stories and myths, woven into facts about insects, make for fascinating reading. For me, reading The Voice brought to my attention the dusty corners of my mind, those places that held prejudices I didn't even know existed. Not just against certain insects--I was forced to look beyond them. Reading The Voice proved to be exciting, educational, rewarding, eye-opening and, finally, a critical step on my spiritual journey. Since then, I've gifted others with the book. An acquaintance named Robert, who reads The Voice while sitting with the insects, tells me time and time again that he looks at the world differently now; his vision is much larger than it was before he began establishing a relationship with insects. The insects welcome him. The bees especially have been offering their friendship--they walk back and forth along the top of his glasses in greeting, then explore the gentleness of Robert's hands. Robert is in the healing profession, and he admits that as he is changing, so also is his work changing. Such is the impact of Ms. Lauck's book. I highly recommend it!

A book for animal lovers.......2003-10-06

I am going to buy this book for every animal lover on my Christmas list! It changes your mind and heart about insects and spiders without preaching or giving you a bunch of boring scientific facts. It could have been called "Insect Angels" like the Animal Animals book since its major theme of insects as messengers weaves through all the chapters. My favorite chapter was on insects in dreams because the author explains how even frightening dreams can have a positive message that can help you. I'll never look at an insect in the same way after reading this book.

Highly unusual approach to these creatures.......2003-10-06

The Voice of the Infinite in the Small is a psychological and spiritual look at one of the most broken relationships we have with nature, namely our relationship to insects and related creatures. Turning the spotlight on people, instead of on the insects, Lauck reveals a blind spot in the culture, our fear-based hatred of what is different and our cherished and unexamined perceptions which in essence deny the creature. Lauck is a layperson and a storyteller-not a scientist or entomologist-and is clear about her motives for writing this unusual book-to raise awareness about our projections that have made these creatures our enemies and to return them to the role of messenger, both in the environment and in the human psyche. The connections she makes to the spiritual traditions are wise and illuminating and the writing eloquent. The cover is a bit misleading as it looks like a traditional resource book on insects. In fact it looks like a book by an entomologist and that is unfortunate. Those drawn to looking at insects as specimens and who believe entomologists are the only ones who should write about these kinds of creatures are not going to like her approach at all. I loved it though and so will anyone who accepts that life is not random but is driven by an unseen world and spiritual forces that are ultimately benevolent. I would highly recommend this book. It is truly one of a kind.

Big Bugs, Small Bugs: If You Had to Be A Bug, Which Bug Would You Be?

Average customer rating:

My sons both love this book!
ok, but some errors and possible plagiarism

Big Bugs, Small Bugs: If You Had to Be A Bug, Which Bug Would You Be?
Alex Lluch
Manufacturer: Wedding Solutions
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Board book

General | Baby-3 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
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Zoo Clues Animal Alphabet: Learn with Me the ABCs

ASIN: 1887169628

Book Description

This delightful picture book combines rich, colorful illustrations and rhyming text to teach young children the concepts of opposites.

Customer Reviews:

My sons both love this book!.......2006-05-13

This is SUCH a cute book. My 3 year old and 1 year old both love it. The book is fun to read and flows really nicely. I plan to buy this book for many 1 year old birthdays.

ok, but some errors and possible plagiarism.......2006-03-01

I bought this book for my daughter who is in love with insects. She really likes the book, but I have a few problems with it. First of all, some of the drawings look very similar to characters from the "Bug's Life" movie (especially the caterpillar, walking stick, and gypsy moth). Then, there are grammatical errors such as, "This bug walks fast, and that one walks slow" (not slowly). Also, creatures are included that are not bugs, such as snails and earthworms. Weird. I may be expecting too much from a children's book, but it still bothers me. Otherwise, cute pictures and a nice exploration of opposites.

Cria de Abejas / Beekeeping: Su empresa de apicultura / Your Apiculture Business (Microemprendimientos / Small Business)

Average customer rating:

Cria de Abejas / Beekeeping: Su empresa de apicultura / Your Apiculture Business (Microemprendimientos / Small Business)
Eduardo Del Pozo , Eduardo Del Pozo , Roberto Schopflocher , and Jose Luis Barbado
Manufacturer: Albatros Ediciones
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Average customer rating:

In a Backyard (Small Worlds)
Jen Green
Manufacturer: Crabtree Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Average customer rating:

Cicada Sing-Song (Small Worlds)
Densey Clyne
Manufacturer: Allen & Unwin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Flutter By, Butterfly (Small Worlds Series)

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Flutter By, Butterfly (Small Worlds Series)
Densey Clyne
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ProductGroup: Book
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General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
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Hop, skip, and fly: Stories of small creatures

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Hop, skip, and fly: Stories of small creatures
Irmengarde Eberle
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