Owen & Mzee: The True Story Of A Remarkable Friendship

Book Description

The inspiring true story of two great friends, a baby hippo named Owen and a 130-yr-old giant tortoise named Mzee (Mm-ZAY). When Owen was stranded after the Dec 2004 tsunami, villagers in Kenya worked tirelessly to rescue him. Then, to everyone's amazement, the orphan hippo and the elderly tortoise adopted each other. Now they are inseparable, swimming, eating, and playing together. Adorable photos e-mailed from friend to friend quickly made them worldwide celebrities. Here is a joyous reminder that in times of trouble, friendship is stronger than the differences that too often pull us apart.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent.......2007-10-17

My 3 y/o great niece loved this book. Loved it, read over and over again.

Beautiful pictures and a moving story.......2007-10-01

This excellent account of the true story of Owen and Mzee will delight any young reader. The beautiful pictures of the animals and the park are perfectly complemented by the easy-to-read text making this book a wonderful story-time resource. Though young readers may be saddened when Owen loses his mother, his adoption by Mzee will soothe any lingering concerns while teaching a powerful lesson about acceptance. This book would be an inspiring addition to any family library.

I like this book.......2007-09-08

I bought this book for my four year old neice. It is a great story of friendship with the added bonus of being a true story. There are a lot of great photos in the book and my neice really enjoyed talking about the pictures and she added some details to the book just my commenting on what she could see in the pictures. I think this is a good purchase.

Great Book for Both Kids and Adults.......2007-08-31

Such a cute book and sent in mint condition. I would recommend this book for both children and adults.

Wonderful.......2007-08-01

What a sweet story. This book makes a great gift.It is excellent for adults to share with children.

Average customer rating:

Lovely true tale
Owen & Mzee a Wonderful Book
a marvelous story and book
A lovely story kids will find involving.
Nice one

Owen & Mzee: Language Of Friendship
Isabella Hatkoff , and Craig Hatkoff and Dr. Paula Kahumbu
Manufacturer: Scholastic Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0439899591

Book Description

In this exciting follow-up to OWEN & MZEE, the New York Times bestselling story about an orphaned baby hippo named Owen and the 130-year-old giant turtle, Mzee, Craig Hatkoff explores the language of love, friendship, and nurturance that these two incredible creatures share with one another. This book traces their first year together, including their adorable playful ways and the unique "language" that they have developed.

Customer Reviews:

Lovely true tale .......2007-08-25

We purchased this book for our four-year-old avid book lover. While the book gives way to much info to keep a four-year-old's attention (unless they really love books), the photos are amazing and it is easy to shorten the relatable information until the child is old enough to appreciate it. Great book for reading/looking through just before going to a zoo.

Owen & Mzee a Wonderful Book.......2007-08-24

I got this book for my 4 year old niece. As an animal lover, I knew she would be charmed, but I didn't expect the adults to be so enthralled. Everyone who picks up this book gets caught up in the story and pictures. Thank you.

a marvelous story and book.......2007-08-23

The story and pictures are terrific, and the story of these unusual friends is beautifully told. A super book to own.

A lovely story kids will find involving........2007-07-10

Isabella Hatkoff, Craig Hatkoff and Dr. Paula Kahumbu's OWEN & MZEE: THE LANGUAGE OF FRIENDSHIP provides a sequel to the true story of a unique friendship between a land tortoise and a baby hippo. Photos by Peter Greste explore a special friendship in text and color images, making for a lovely story kids will find involving.

Nice one.......2007-06-02

We have enjoyed reading this book about the unusual friendship between an orphaned baby hippo and a crusty old tortoise.
The quality of the paper used and the large photo-illustrations are appealing.
The story is delightful and raises many questions, some of which are answered. It both invites the reader to marvel at the mysteries that exist in nature, and educates the reader a little about the animals concerned and conservation in general.

Average customer rating:

Cute Idea for a Book
The Night Before Easter
Cute!
Terrific Holiday Book
Twas the Night Before Easter

The Night Before Easter
Natasha Wing
Manufacturer: Grosset & Dunlap
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Picture Books | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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

All Deals | Blowout Books | Stores | Books

Children's Books | Blowout Books | Stores | Books

Literature & Fiction | Blowout Books | Stores | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0448418738

Book Description

"Twas the night before Easter, just before dawn, Not a creature was stirring out on the lawn" The Easter bunny takes center stage in this delightful spin on Clement C. Moore's beloved poem that will send families hopping to the bookstore for an Easter treat sweeter than any sugar plum!

Customer Reviews:

Cute Idea for a Book.......2007-10-02

I haven't given this to my granddaughters yet, will at Easter time. But the book is cute, something they will enjoy the night before Easter.

The Night Before Easter.......2007-05-10

A bright happy book! Fun to find other objects in the story after reading the whole book. Would definitly recommend this book. Looking forward to purchasing other The Night Before books!

Cute!.......2007-03-22

I ordered this book for my grandson for Easter. I also have "The Night Before Thanksgiving". Since my 5-year old grandson liked that one so much, I decided to order the Easter version. The "story" is similar to "The Night Before Christmas".

Terrific Holiday Book.......2004-03-24

My son received this as an Easter Gift for his first Easter, and we are still reading it three Easters later. He loves to hear it, and I love to read it to him. This makes a great addition to your Easter Basket!

Twas the Night Before Easter.......2000-01-20

A charming Easter tale sure to delight young and old alike. Children will love looking for the eggs hidden in the pictures and listening to the rhythmic language; adults will smile at the new and original twists on this Easter time take-off of the well-loved Twas the Night Before Christmas. The perfect Easter basket gift!

The Reptile Room (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 2)

Average customer rating:

The one with the best guardian perhaps.
A black comedy for beginning pessimists
A Series of Unfortunate Events-The Reptile Room.
Reptile Room
AHHH! Reptiles!!!

The Reptile Room (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 2)
Lemony Snicket
Manufacturer: HarperCollins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Action & Adventure | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Humorous | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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

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

Look Inside Teen Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0064407675
Release Date: 1999-08-25

Amazon.com

The Reptile Room begins where Lemony Snicket's The Bad Beginning ends... on the road with the three orphaned Baudelaire children as they are whisked away from the evil Count Olaf to face "an unknown fate with some unknown relative." But who is this Dr. Montgomery, their late father's cousin's wife's brother? "Would Dr. Montgomery be a kind person? they wondered. Would he at least be better than Count Olaf? Could he possibly be worse?" He certainly is not worse, and in fact when the Baudelaire children discover that he makes coconut cream cakes, circles the globe looking for snakes to study, and even plans to take them with him on his scientific expedition to Peru, the kids can't believe their luck. And, if you have read the first book in this Series of Unfortunate Events, you won't believe their luck either. Despite the misadventures that befall these interesting, intelligent, resourceful orphans, you can trust that the engaging narrator will make their story--suspenseful and alarming as it is--a true delight. The Wide Window is next, and more are on their way. (Ages 9 and older) --Karin Snelson

Book Description

Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire are intelligent children. They are charming, and resourceful, and have pleasant facial features. Unfortunately, they are exceptionally unlucky.

In the first two books alone, the three youngsters encounter a greedy and repulsive villain, itchy clothing, a disastrous fire, a plot to steal their fortune, a lumpy bed, a deadly serpent, a large brass reading lamp, a long knife, and a terrible odour.

In the tradition of great storytellers, from Dickens to Dahl, comes an exquisitely dark comedy that is both literary and irreverent, hilarious and deftly crafted. Never before has a tale of three likeable and unfortunate children been quite so enchanting, or quite so uproariously unhappy.

Ages 10+

Customer Reviews:

The one with the best guardian perhaps........2007-08-21

I really liked this one and the fact that Uncle Monty was the so into snakes and such is a great idea because kids are either fond/curious about them, or are freaked out. He presents these animals to the kids with childlike wonder and he would probably make us love them too if he wasn't killed off in the end by Olaf and co. You must understand if you haven't read this book, my saying this isn't a spoiler, it's just the way things go with the series, expect the worst and expect Olaf because they are often the same thing.

I feel obligated to answer a number of reviewers who don't seem to understand a layer to these novels. They complain of Lemony Snicket writing a bunch of annoying explanations and definitions in his books that are clearly goofy. If the story is read farther you realize that Lemony is actually character himself and a pen name for Daniel Handler who's written a handful of books that aren't for kids. This is Lemony's account, not Daniel Handler's and he uses this device repeatedly and to great effect, in my opinion. The book also establishes the Olaf disguise, something that will come back in the future.
Realize that the author knows the plot is repetitive and is using it not because he's bereft of ideas, but because theme variations are often more interesting than completely different ideas.

A black comedy for beginning pessimists.......2007-03-20

The Baudelaire orphans, Violet, Klaus, and Sunny, are three children who should never, under any circumstances whatsoever, try to play the lottery. Having narrowly escaped the wicked wiles of their pseudo-relative Count Olaf in the last book, the orphans are sent to live with Dr. Montgomery, their semi-relative who doubles as eccentric scientist. They are taken to Dr. Montgomery's swampy abode which is also his laboratory and specimen storage facility.

That his special interest is reptiles, specifically snakes, should make any keen reader of Lemony Snicket's stories shudder inwardly. The children, still traumatized by the death of their parents at the beginning of "The Bad Beginning" immediately feel kinship with the jolly, infectiously-happy Dr. Montgomery. He takes them on a tour of his massive, rambling mansion, and then invites them to join him on a reptile-hunting safari to South America. Violet, Klaus, and Sunny have difficulty grasping this grand improvement in their lives, and begin to relax once more. Lemony Snicket, however, is just setting them, and his audience, up for bigger disasters. Once it is revealed that Dr. Montgomery's assistant is not who he seems to be, the children's newfound paradise begins to unravel.

Lemony Snicket is a markedly original writer, frequently casting the random aside to his audience. His subject matter is pure dark comedy, framed in the appearance of a children's story. He is skilled indeed in his suggestion of tension, making the reader sense dark events about to occur just after the current page.

Perhaps we should not shield our children from the pitfalls found in real-life: death, deceit, evaporated dreams, and the evils wrought by the bad upon the good (all topics that are explored with evident glee by Snicket). However, I would hazard to suggest that this is not truly appropriate material for a child of nine. Let them have their illusions about life being fair and magical until the age of 12, THEN you may expose your children to this woefully malevolent book series.

Adults without children: read if you like inane and insane quick-witted dialogue and maniacal events.
Adults with children: read with your children if they're at least 12.
Children under 12: wait until your parents are asleep, and then read at night, making sure to stuff a blanket at the foot of the door, so as to prevent your nightlight from being spotted. (P.S. I'm kidding, you should really read it during school.)

Addendum for the audio edition: Tim Curry evokes the true soul of each character in a wonderfully acerbic performance. His barely-restrained, malevolently pleased readings as narrator should be an additional charge itself. He is truly the best choice to perform this book and does not disappoint. The audio version rates 5 stars due to Mr. Curry's performance. Highly recommended.

A Series of Unfortunate Events-The Reptile Room........2007-03-06

Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire have had a very bad start since their parents died in a freak fire that burned down their house. They have had to live with family members that treat them terribly, and make them do endless chores. One is Count Olaf, he tries to kill them every chance he gets to get the Baudelaire fortune. Their social worker, Mr. Poe catches him trying to do this, and takes the children away from him. They go to live with their Uncle Monty, and things are going great and they love living with him, he makes them pancakes, and they go to the movies together, and they are planning to go to Peru, but that all changes one day when the children answer the door, and to their surprise it's Count Olaf in disguise as Uncle Monty's assistant!. Uncle Monty notices something wierd about him and when the children say something to him about it he gets the wrong idea and thinks its a spy, spying on him to get the Incredibly Deadly Vipor that Uncle Monty discovered before anybody else but really isn't deadly at all he just named it that so nobody would be tempted to take it. So with him thinking this he cancels the "assistant's" ticket to Peru, so he can't come. He gets very mad about this. The kids are getting ready to leave and go back inside where they find Uncle Monty dead and the Incredibly Deadly Vipor out of its cage. The police come to investigate what had happened, and they think its obvious that the snake killed Uncle Monty because of its name, but the kids know that it was Count Olaf. The police don't belive what they are saying. The children explain themselves and hear laughing, they look over and see sunny with the Incredibly Deadly Vipor and he is being nice to her, and see that its not deadly at all. They turn around to see that Count Olaf is gone! He is nowhere to be found. The police see that the kids were telling the truth about Count Olaf and the Snake. They are taking all the reptiles out of the house and the children are waiting outside on the porch for Mr. Poe to take them somewhere else, Which is Aunt Josephine. But what happens there is a completely different story...

Reptile Room.......2007-03-06

Have you ever been strangled by an incredibly deadly viper. The unfortunate Baudelaire children have new care-taker, Dr. Montgomery Montgomery. Dr. Montgomery is a biologist and has a huge house. The children were happy when they entered the beautiful house. As you know that something terrible must happen to the children. They knew that the terrible Count Olaf was out there. When the evil man shows up at their door step disguised as an old man that is supposed to be the assistant of Dr. Montgomery. The children must be on the look out for the terrible man. Besides that Uncle Monty (the children call him) shows them the huge glass room of the reptile room.

This book was good because of Violet, she is my favorite character. Violet is pretty, smart, and is really good at making inventions. I like her because she is loyal to her siblings. The one time she built an invention that looks like a claw. She used to save her sister from Count Olaf, but did not succeed.

I recommend this book to people to whom like never happily ever after stories. I would say that children 9 and up should read this book. You may get lost in the book sometimes. The book is very interesting because when you read one chapter you have to read until you get to the end of the book. I think people would like the book if you read it.

AHHH! Reptiles!!!.......2007-02-27

I think this is Lemony Snicket's bestbook ever. Although the stories of these brave children usually end up defeating the dreaded Count Olaf or whatever character he disguises himself as, this story had an extra sad twist. Like the whole series, Count Olaf usually kills, or injures somebody, but this time, he affects the children by hurting someone they had become very close to. the experience that I had reading this book was heart breaking, but yet still enjoyable.

Average customer rating:

A DELIGHT TO THE EYE, GREAT STORY AND KIDS LOVE IT.
VERDI
Great book!
verdi good!, but not stellaluna
excellent book!

Verdi
Janell Cannon
Manufacturer: Harcourt Children's Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Staff Favorites | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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

Being a Teen | Social Issues | Teens | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0152010289

Amazon.com

Verdi is a proud python, flourishing in the flower of his youth. He loves to swiftly slither around the forest, brandishing his bright yellow skin, and can't fathom why anyone would want to be sleepy and green like the adult snakes he knows. Verdi insists, as so many youngsters do, "I will never be lazy, boring or green!" Despite his resolve to stay young, one day he notices a patch of green spreading down the length of his body. Verdi does everything he can think of to erase this first sign of the inevitable tide of age. But in his frenzy of youthful, Icarus-like bravado, he nearly kills himself. Finally, Verdi learns that even though he can't stop the aging process, green skin won't keep him from being a fun-loving, young-at-heart, figure-eight-forming snake.

Janell Cannon's illustrations are exquisite. As in her award-winning Stellaluna, not only are the animal drawings painstakingly accurate, they are also awash with movement and beauty. The countless shades of greeny-yellow and yellowy-green have the effect of a cool eye compress for the reader--calming, inviting, and enticing readers to reach into the lush environment of the pages. Verdi's lesson is never didactic, always compelling, and pleasantly surprising. (Ages 4 and older)

Book Description

Young Verdi doesn’t want to grow up big and green. He likes his bright yellow skin and sporty stripes. Besides, all the green snakes he meets are lazy, boring, and rude. When Verdi finds a pale green stripe stretching along his whole body, he tries every trick he can think of to get rid of it--and ends up in a heap of trouble. Despite his efforts, Verdi turns green, but to his delight, he discovers that being green doesn’t mean he has to stop being himself. “Cannon is on a roll, her gift for creating memorable characters and scenes on glorious display in this tale of a feisty python hatchling.”--Publishers Weekly

Customer Reviews:

A DELIGHT TO THE EYE, GREAT STORY AND KIDS LOVE IT........2007-09-14

This is a wonderfully written story of a young python, a young yellow python, who does not want to grow old a boring like the adult green pythons he see around him. The art work in this slender book is absolutely breath taking. The artist has blended his colors perfectly and created life like studies of these wonderful snakes but not life like situations as far as the snake world goes. This is the charm of the story. Few, if any, want to actually grow older and kids in particular do not want to do and act as "boring" adults. This tale lets the child know that we all can keep our child like wonder and love of fun into our adult years. I read this one to the second and third graders and they catch the meaning of the story quite well with a bit of prompting. They love the pictures, in particular the ones where the author has made the snakes rather hard to spot. I also not that this is one of the more popular books chosen by the children when they have their "read alone time." An endorsement of a children by children is as about as good as it gets. I must say though, adults will enjoy reading this with the children also which I feel is important as kids can sort of sense when your heart is not really in the reading. Recommend this one highly. Very much recommend you add this one to your child's collection or to your school library.

VERDI.......2007-01-17

Beautifully written and illustrated book for children of all ages with a wonderful message.

Great book!.......2006-11-10

I bought this book for my four year old daughter. She loves it and wants me to read it to her over and over. She loves the story and the colors in the book. I love the educational and fun value that the book provides. I would highly recommend the book to other parents.

verdi good!, but not stellaluna.......2006-09-07

My 7 1/2 yr old 2nd grade daughter & I read Stellaluna off her summer reading list. I had heard of/seen this book around, but it had never grabbed me. I was quite surprized at the fabulous illustrations, the story that draws you in, & the author's ability to make a bat lovable. I was eager to read Verdi, expecting the same experience. I thought the story was OK & the illustrations beautiful, but the story itself lacked depth to me. The young whippersnapper & wise old sage qualities hit me as being more relevant to an adult reader. Children can not adequately appreciate the age contrast, & how quickly time passes, & how we all become more boring & old than oiur young minds thought we would. Curiously, my daughter liked Verdi as well, if not better than Stellaluna. To each his own - read & see what you think.

excellent book!.......2006-07-27

This book not only has beautiful illustrations but also tells the tale of growing up from a child's perspective (well, a snake's...). Our three year old LOVES it! It also gives a glimpse into life in the tropics which for our Minnesota boy is exotic! Thumbs up!

Average customer rating:

Wonderfully entertaining
Alex could be your child
I WANNA, I WANNA, I WANNA ...
I Wanna Read It Over and Over Again
Persuasive writing

I Wanna Iguana [Modern Gem]
Karen Orloff
Manufacturer: Putnam Juvenile
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Humorous | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0399246959

Book Description

Alex just has to convince his mom to let him have an iguana, so he puts his arguments in writing. He promises that she won't have to feed it or clean its cage or even see it if she doesn't want to. Of course Mom imagines life with a six-foot-long iguana eating them out of house and home. Alex's reassurances: It takes fifteen years for an iguana to get that big. I'll be married by then and probably living in my own house. and his mom's replies: How are you going to get a girl to marry you when you own a giant reptile? will have kids in hysterics as the negotiations go back and forth through notes. And the lively, imaginative illustrations show their polar opposite dreams of life with an iguana.

Customer Reviews:

Wonderfully entertaining.......2007-07-29

I purchased this book for my grandsons, I read it first and laughed through out. Then I gave it to them and they also thought it was funny. It's very entertaining, and written for adults and children.

Alex could be your child.......2007-03-14

This book is so wonderfully written by Karen Orloff that Alex is able to appeal to all ages, races and genders. If your child has ever asked for a pet you can identify with this book. The mother son relationship is how we all remember our grown and almost grown little boys starting out.

I WANNA, I WANNA, I WANNA ..........2007-01-12

THIS BOOK DESERVES A MEDAL AND I WILL GIVE YOU THE REASONS FOR THIS STARTING WITH THE STRONGEST REASON.... no just kidding... I will not try to persuade you to buy this book like the little boy Alex "successfully" persuades his mom to buy him an iguana... This is an excellent book to kickstart a writing lesson or a debating lesson on persuasion - an what a hoot... an age level I think in the elementry grades would find this entertaining and be able to also find some text-self understanding here. Every child from the dawning of time has always wanted a pet... be i a small one like a fish or hamster.... but what about an iguana he/she is small now but???

Terrific book - The kids and YOU will love it

I Wanna Read It Over and Over Again.......2006-11-09

I saw this in the library at school and HOWLED with laughter (much to the librarian's dismay) and fell in love with it. Great book, imaginative, HILARIOUS and definitely will be loved by children.

Persuasive writing.......2006-04-02

Teachers can look to this story as a great example of persuasive writing. Young Alex is trying to pursuade his mother to let him adopt an iguana. In a series of hilarious notes between Alex and his mother, the terms and conditions of pet ownership are hammered out. There is a "money" page (the point where the whole class bursts out in raucous laughter.) David Catrow illustrations are wonderfully comic. One young listener observed, "That kid is really weird looking." The last page evoked a class wide, arm pumping "Yesssss..." along with Alex. Great fun!

The Trouble Begins: A Box of Unfortunate Events, Books 1-3 (The Bad Beginning; The Reptile Room; The Wide Window)

Average customer rating:

A Warning
great seller
The Trouble Begins, Books 1-3 by Lemony Snicket
Major let down.
The Trouble Begins

The Trouble Begins: A Box of Unfortunate Events, Books 1-3 (The Bad Beginning; The Reptile Room; The Wide Window)
Lemony Snicket , and Brett Helquist
Manufacturer: HarperCollins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Action & Adventure | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Humorous | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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

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

Look Inside Teen Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Boxed Sets | Formats | Books

Literature | Children's Books | Boxed Sets | Formats | Books

People & Places | Children's Books | Boxed Sets | Formats | Books

Series | Children's Books | Boxed Sets | Formats | Books

Teens | Boxed Sets | Formats | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 006029809X
Release Date: 2001-10-02

Amazon.com

Fans of Lemony Snicket and newcomers to his gleefully ghastly Series of Unfortunate Events will be elated to discover this boxed gift set of the first three books in hardcover: The Bad Beginning, The Reptile Room, and The Wide Window. While it's true that the events that unfold in Snicket's novels are bleak, and things never turn out as you'd hope, these delightful, funny, linguistically playful books are reminiscent of Roald Dahl, Charles Dickens, and Edward Gorey. After they get their paws on this boxed set, there is no question that young readers will want to read the continuing unlucky adventures of the three Baudelaire orphans. (Ages 9 and older) --Karin Snelson

Book Description

The first Series of Unfortunate Events gift/box-set of this New York Times best-selling series.

The set includes The Bad Beginning, The Reptile Room, and The Wide Window.

Customer Reviews:

A Warning.......2007-07-26

If you are thinking of reading this review, first be forewarned that it contains very little happiness in it at all. Inside the pages of the books that this review reviews, you will find such terrible things as orphaned children, a greedy villain out to steal a fortune, an incompetent banker (the word 'incompetent' here means, 'unable to protect or even remotely assist the Baudelaire orphans in their attempts to avoid the evil Count Olaf'), a murdered relative, a harmless Incredibly Deadly Viper, the reappearance of a villain, a widowed, phobia-ridden aunt (phobia-ridden here meaning, 'an aunt too afraid to touch the doorknob, use the oven, or be near realtors'), a library devoted entirely to grammar, a house that teeters on its foundations, and leeches. Clearly, if you had any sense at all, you would not wish to read about such things.

If you do, however, chance to pick a volume up, be sure to drop it as quick as you can, kick dirt over it so no one else can find it, and run in the opposite direction. Because if you do pick it up you will find, to your horror and misery, that the tales recorded within are most definitely unsuited to such a person as you. Tales of a fortune-stealing man named Count Olaf out to get a trio of clever and incredibly unlucky children are not, I am sure, the sort of thing you would enjoy. So I recommend that you purchase another book, perhaps a volume by Lenoy M. Setnick entitled THE PONY PARTY, the first of his series called THE LUCKIEST KIDS IN THE WORLD!, which can be found by purchasing Mr. Snicket's unauthorized autobiography in hardcover and turning the dust jacket inside out.

A very good day to you.

Rating: Very Good

great seller.......2007-01-23

thank you so much

excellent quality and good condition

thanks

The Trouble Begins, Books 1-3 by Lemony Snicket.......2007-01-19

Our grandkids really enjoy Lemony Snicket. Our granddaughter doesn't read yet, but our grandson loved the books.

Major let down........2007-01-07

I bought these books (actually the first three box sets) on the recommendation of a friend. But I messed up, this was not what she said. I muddled through each of the 9 books because I will not give up and feel it would be a waste of my money to throw them away. But truly, I would have rather spent my time getting a root canal, or being anally probed by aliens. These books are horrible! He warns you, but you figure it's in jest and there will be a point, or an upside to them. There's not. The movie however, is entertaining. Go figure. Check them out from the library if you're really that curious, but don't waste your money.

The Trouble Begins.......2006-09-11

The Trouble Begins contains the first 3 books in the Lemony Snicket's Series of Unfortunate Events books.

#1 - The Bad Beginning
#2 - The Reptile Room
#3 - The Wide Window

In the Series of Unfortunate Events isn't a happily ever after kind of story. There are three regular children:

Violet, who loves to invent
Klaus, who loves to read
and Sunny who loves to bite

Violet is the oldest, Claus the middle child, Sunny is the youngest.

The book "The Bad Beginning" is the basis for the first part of the movie. The story begins when the Baudelaire children are informed by Mr. Poe, a banking accountant, that their parents have just been killed by a mysterious fire, and thus begins a series of search for a suitable guardian and a safe place to live. The siblings closest member to their parents is supposedly Count Olaf, only he's not nice. He's exactly the opposite and he plans to steal the immense fortune left by the Baudelaire parents.

In The Bad Beginning, things, well, begin badly for the three Baudelaire orphans. And sadly, events only worsen in The Reptile Room. As the siblings move in with their new guardian Professor Montgomery, they find he is a reptile scientist. In a room with many different reptiles, there's a newly discovered reptile that he called a deadly, dangerous snake. But it's not really dangerous at all. Later Montes get a new assistant and it is Count Olaf in disguise. Of course something terrible happens to Uncle Morty after that and Count Olaf again tries to kidnap the children.

In the Wide Window, Mr. Poe places the children with a distant relative, Aunt Josephine. Aunt Josephiine lives in a house on the edge of a hill, a house that is very literally above Lake Lachrymose, a lake infested with Lachrymose Leeches who would eat a human if they smelled food on them.

Aunt Josephine is as eccentric as other relatives have been. She's a total grammar freak and so scared of every thing that the children have to live in a cold house and eat cold food because their aunt is afraid of accidents with fire. When Aunt Josephine meets Captain Sham who (who is Count Olaf in disguise), good fortune turns bad. Aunt Josephine dies and the apparent cause of death is jumping through the wide window in the living room, leaving the three children to Captain Sham (who is Count Olaf in disguise).

As the orphans try to figure out a way to escape from Count Olaf, they discover their aunt is still alive and in hiding. So they set out to find her and convince her to come back. This eventually leads them out onto the dreadful Lake Lachrymose where Count Olaf and the dreaded leaches catch up with them.

Though overall being sparse on detail and description, the books are fun reads.

Average customer rating:

Chameleons Are Cool
Any young child who enjoys animals will like this book !
Chameleons ARE cool
Did You Know.....
"Chameleons Are Cool" is COOL!

Chameleons Are Cool: Read and Wonder
Martin Jenkins
Manufacturer: Candlewick
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0763611395
Release Date: 2001-05-01

Book Description

A great resource for teachers!

Read and Wonder books tell stories, take children on adventures,
and reveal how big and WONDER-full the natural world really is.

Customer Reviews:

Chameleons Are Cool.......2007-03-14

This book had lots of good facts about chameleons. The pictures were very colorful. Many of the pictures made me laugh! This book had lots of facts about chameleons that I did not know! I think every teacher should share this book with their class just like my teacher did!

Any young child who enjoys animals will like this book !.......2007-02-19

Colorfully drawn pictures and lively text show and tell lots of interesting facts about Chameleons. You'll think they're cool, too, after reading this book ! It is charming and informative and would be great for pre-readers as a read-to-me book or for elementaary school age.

Chameleons ARE cool.......2007-02-14

Brilliant illustrations, fun facts, fascinating for even the most reluctant readers. Chameleons Are Cool is a "must have" for elementary classroom libraries or the collection of any child interested in animals. This book corrects the common misconception that chameleons change color to camouflage themselves. Many other brief but fun facts are included which makes this selection a great non-fiction source for elementary grade researchers.

Did You Know............2001-04-02

Did you know that there are around 120 different kinds of chameleons, that their eyes move separately and their very long tongues have a sticky tip at the end? Did you know that chameleons are lizards, that some are the size of small cats and that they change colors when they're angry or too hot or cold or sick...but not to match their surroundings? Martin Jenkins loves chameleons and his enthusiasm is infectious. He's authored a marvelous book full of fun and interesting facts that's perfect for all young nature lovers. His enjoyable, conversational text is complimented by Sue Shields colorful, expressive artwork, that will mesmerize youngsters with its close-up attention to detail. Written for kids 5-9, Chameleons are Cool is a winner!

"Chameleons Are Cool" is COOL!.......2000-06-14

In our elementary school library, not many non-fiction books make it as successful read-aloud books. This is one of them.

Primary age students beg for this title. Both the brightly colored, humorous illistrations and the light conversational tone of the text grab the interest of the children. I'm continually amazed at how many facts about chameleons are slipped into this cheerful picture book, like "they change color when they're angry, or when they're too cold or too hot, or when they're sick."

Many pages have additional facts worked into the illustrations, such as "Chameleons usually get sick and die of kept as pets."

Book Description

Now in Dragonfly comes the tale of three colorful frogs. One finds a pebble. Another declares it a chicken egg. But what happens when a baby alligator hatches instead?

Customer Reviews:

ANOTHER GOOD ONE BY LIONNI - A VERY FUN BOOK........2007-09-15

Three rather adventurous frogs find an egg. Is it a chicken egg? Is it, as they first think, a pebble? Well no, it is an alligater egg. this is a wonderful little tale right out of the swamp. The simple illustrations fit quite well with the story line and are quite eye catching. Kids seem to love this one and even like it read to the over and over and over again. The story does bring home the good lesson that is is just fine to be different, as the three frog find. This is one of those books that is nice to have in your book stack for something quick to read or for a quick bed time read for the little one. Like all of Leo Lionni's work, the quality is high, the story good and the art work interesting. It would be hard to go wrong with this one.

Jessica the know-it-all.......2005-06-08

Jessica declares they've discovered a chicken egg. She helps the youngster find her mother and Jessica is astonished when the mother calls her baby an alligator. Simply loveable and laughable. An excellent read-aloud. See Lionni's imagery of Rodin's Thinker when Jessica visits her quiet place.

An EXTRAORDINARY book for children!.......2004-11-29

"An Extraordinary Egg" is a beginning reader picture book about three sister frogs that live on an island. One of the frogs, Jessica, finds an egg in some stones and brings it home. The three sister frogs believe it is a chicken egg, even though none of them has ever seen a chicken. The egg hatches, and it is an alligator but the frogs still think it is a chicken. They all become good friends, and "the chicken" even saves Jessica's life one day when she falls into the water. Soon though, the chicken's mother and the "chicken" are fatefully reunited. Jessica goes back and tells her sisters that it was very funny that the chicken's mother should call it "my sweet alligator." After all, their chicken couldn't have been an alligator!
I found this picture book by Leo Lionni particularly appropriate for children 4-5 years old, especially kindergarteners. I absolutely loved this humorous tale of three frogs who adopt an alligator they call "chicken" as their friend. Numerous lesson plans for teachers be drawn from its text, including concepts such as friendship, nature, and differences among animals. As part of my author study for World Literature for Children, I compiled a lesson plan about the many differences between chickens, frogs, and alligators. I had students make a chart listing the differences among each. They also explored new vocabulary, like the word "extraordinary," and each child was able to name something they thought was extraordinary. At the end of the lesson, students could write a follow-up story to "An Extraordinary Egg" and illustrate it with some of the same materials that Leo Lionni used to make the pictures for the book.
The illustrations in "An Extraordinary Egg" are nothing short of amazing and beautiful. With each turn of the page, a colorful double page spread is a feast for the eyes. Pen and ink, pastels, and collage were used to create the setting, three frogs, and the alligator. By doing this, Lionni creates a fun and entertaining world that kids won't hesitate to fall into. His illustrations match the age and reading level of the kids who will read the book because Jessica and her sisters are simply illustrated with materials and colors that four and five year olds like to see and use.
The overall quality of this book is outstanding. The text can certainly stand on its own without the illustrations, although the illustrations bring out a humorous element that is key to the storyline (i.e. the chicken is really an alligator). Both text and illustration complement each other in a way that makes the story funny and enjoyable. Other books by Leo Lionni that are similar to this one are: "Cornelius," "It's Mine!," and "Fish Is Fish." These have similar characters and themes (i.e. friendship) that go along with "An Extraordinary Egg." Ruth Heller also has a book called "Chickens Aren't The Only Ones: World of Nature Series" which is pictoral introduction to most animals that lay eggs.
In short, I think this book is a quality picture book, most appropriate for those who can't read yet or are beginning readers. You won't be disappointed with it, because it is simple, funny, beautifully illustrated, and has lessons about friendship and differences, especially qualities that make us unique. It also comes in a Big Book, so teachers can read it to their class without worrying if students can see or not.

EGG-ACTLY WHAT CHILDREN ENJOY.......2004-04-04

It's that time of year again when many are looking forward to Easter and Easter Egg Hunts. But, what if someone found a really unusual egg, and to make it even more unique there's not a chicken inside but an alligator?

That's the proposition the irrepressible Leo Lionni puts forth in this delightful yarn about three frogs who find the surprise of their lives.

As always his illustrations capture the eye as his mind captures imaginations.

Hilarious and Touching.......2003-11-09

I always love to find a story that teaches important lessons with plenty of fun and humor. Jessica the frog and her friends are certain that the egg Jessica found one day is a chicken egg. One day, the egg hatches, and the "chicken" is born...a long, scaly green creature who crawls out searching for the water.

Despite the frogs' misinformation and their obvious differences, Jessica and the "chicken" become great friends. When they discover the chicken's mother at last, the frogs think it is the funniest thing in the world that she refers to her baby as an "alligator."

Customer Reviews:

A must have for Froggy fans!.......2003-05-18

What can I say......the Froggy book series are fantastic! Jonathon London writes so well that children can help but enjoy the book. And Frank Remkiewicz is a wonderful illustrator - he makes the books come alive with his drawings of Froggy and the rest of the gang!

I started my daughter on these books when she was about 4 or 5 and she is almost 10 and she still enjoys breaking out her old Froggy books and reading them!

This is the type of book you want you children to read again and again! If you start them on the Froggy series books early they will learn to enjoy the books and other books. The books are tons of fun!

The Kids really enjoy it.......2000-02-15

I and my children found this book helpful when discussing fears and swimming lessons. Not only is the book fun to read (neat sounds, etc.), it has the added bonus of providing two useful teaching tools for beginning swimmers. I have to say that the part where Froggy loses his bathing suit is over done, and really is not necessary to the storey. It conveys embarrasment about nudity when it really isn't necessary. A little skillful editing while reading can minimize this. The bottom line is that I and my son found the book helpful, it is well written, and has enjoyable illustrations.

Froggy & skills mastery.......1999-07-17

I agree with the other reviews that this book is especially splendid in it's illustrations, text and message. Like many young children, Froggy is fearful of the water (and, presumably, other new experiences). However, by taking it at his own pace, and with the encouragement of his mother, he soon masters his skills at swimming (anyone who has or works with young children will empathize with a tired mom & dad frog who are still waiting patiently on into the night as Froggy practices his new learning). While very cute, age appropriate and fun, I have only one criticism: at one point, no doubt for humorous effect, Froggy looses his bathing suit and "turns more red than green." Demanding his parents NOT to look, he skedaddles into the bushes and re-suits. Perhaps I'm reading into this too much, but I would hope that children don't come to devolop negative body issues re: being nude, especially around their own parents (no one else is at the beach with Froggy, Mom & Dad). My only concern is that this might reinforce the unnecessary shameful aspect of nudity that people in this country embrace and that, IMHO, is often one of the issues that lead to negative body image in children in America (why do you think we have so many anorexic/bulimic children here??)

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books