Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear?

Book Description

What will you hear when you read this book to a preschool child?Lots of noise!Children will chant the rhythmic words. They'll make the sounds the animals make. And they'll pretend to be the zoo animals featured in the book-- look at the last page!Bill Martin Jr. and Eric Carle are two of the most respected names in children's education and children's illustrations. This collaboration, their first since the classic Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? (published more than thirty years ago and still a best-seller) shows two masters at their best.A Redbook Children's Picture Book Award winnerThe rollicking companion to Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?

Customer Reviews:

A fun read.......2007-09-21

My girls and I so enjoy reading the other book in the series, "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do you see?". My twin girls are 2 and they would actually sit with the other book and read it to out loud to each other, so it was a great find to have another book in the series for us to read, the illustrations are colorful and a great book to learn new vocabulary words.

Reading to your kids.......2007-09-08

This book is a great one to read to your kids.

I like this one more than his Panda Bear and Brown Bear because I can get the kids more excited about sounds. I've read it to groups of young kids and encourage them to make the sounds with me. I'll "roar" like a lion and "snort" like a hippo and the kids will parrot me. They have a lot of fun with this and you get them to start talking about sounds other animals make. They will remember the sounds after just the first reading and get excited any time they see me pick up the book.

It's really cute to watch one kid "read" this to another after we've read it in groups a few times. The kids will remember the animals and will sometimes ask "what do you hear?" and make the sounds for each animal as they go through. It's a wonderful feeling seeing them learn and remember.

Must-have book for kids!.......2007-08-26

My kids love this book and "Brown Bear Brown Bear." The illustrations are wonderful, and they love the animals!

Terrible.......2007-08-08

As any reader of the Brown Bear knows, these books are really meant to be read out loud. But who the heck knows how a peacock sounds (can YOU yelp?)? Or several of the other animals here. I just tossed it away in frustration.

Fun Book.......2007-07-02

My 18 month old daughter enjoys this book. We have fun looking at all the different zoo animals. The one thing that I don't like is the last page. I wish that it had pictures of the animals instead of children dressed up as animals. When my daughter is older she will like that.

Average customer rating:

Beautifully illustrated...
Don't get the Picture Puffin Books (Sagebrush) edition
A Must For Your Child's Library
My Daughter's (and Our) Favorite
GREAT BOOK

Good Night, Gorilla
Peggy Rathmann
Manufacturer: Putnam Juvenile
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Board book

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Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?
Jamberry
Goodnight Moon
The Very Hungry Caterpillar board book
Time for Bed

ASIN: 0399230033

Amazon.com

"Good night, Gorilla," says the weary watchman as he walks by the gorilla cage on his nightly rounds at the zoo. The gorilla answers by quietly pickpocketing the guard's keys, stealthily trailing him, and unlocking the cages of every animal the oblivious fellow bids goodnight to. Looking much like an exhausted father, the uniformed guard traipses home toward his cottage, while the lonely zoo animals softly parade behind him. The animals manage to slip into his bedroom and nestle unnoticed near his sleepy wife--until the bold little gorilla goes so far as to snuggle up beside her as she turns out the light. Author and illustrator Peggy Rathmann (creator of the Caldecott-winning Officer Buckle and Gloria) relies more on the nuances of her jewel-toned pictures than on words to pace this giggly bedtime story, making it perfect for observant preschoolers. In one inky-black spread, Rathmann lets only the shocked, wide-open eyes of the guard's wife tell us that the gorilla has been detected! Tiny details such as the faithful, banana-toting mouse and sky-bound pink balloon that appear in each picture keep this book fresh, magical, and fun--even after countless bedtime readings. (Baby to preschool) --Gail Hudson

Book Description

Good Night, Gorilla won the 1994 Cuffie for "Most Likely to Succeed in Years Ahead" and has more than lived up to that prediction, becoming a modern classic that is a must in every child's library.

This perfect package will give kids the opportunity to cuddle up with an adorable plush gorilla while they are enjoying his secret bedtime antics.

Customer Reviews:

Beautifully illustrated..........2007-10-12

This is a great board-book for kids between 1 and 5. The illustrations are beautiful, and get my kids to "think" about all that they can see. This book is one of my daughter's favorites - she'd crack up with laughter when the lights went out and the animals said goodnight. A thoroughly enjoyable read.

Don't get the Picture Puffin Books (Sagebrush) edition.......2007-09-29

This is a great story book. The 5 stars is for that.

I bought three editions for different kids: Good Night, Gorilla (Picture Puffin Books (Sagebrush)), Good Night, Gorilla, and Good Night, Gorilla (oversized board book). The Puffin edition is bound in a way that makes it difficult to open flat. The paper is thinner than most good hardcover children's books. The two board book editions are very nice. You also might want to try the regular hardcover edition.

A Must For Your Child's Library.......2007-09-17

Goodnight, Gorilla is a delightful book, filled with fun, secrets and anticipation. We started reading it at age 2 and my now 6 year old son still enjoys it! We especially love the dark page with eyes....you will too! It is the perfect companion to '10 Minutes Till Bedtime', also by Peggy Rathmann, because this cast of characters appear in that book as next door neighbors! Together they make a perfect child/baby gift. Thanks Peggy Rathmann!

My Daughter's (and Our) Favorite.......2007-07-23

We received this book as a gift after our daughter's birth, and now that she's ten months old, it's her absolute favorite. She actually goes to her book basket, digs through the all of the books to find this one, and then brings it to us to read to her. The best part is that because the narrative is told through the pictures instead of through words, it's a different book when I read it to her than when her father, grandmother, etc. does. I'm sure that as she gets older, we'll be able to modify our reading of Good Night, Gorilla to suit her age, pointing out different things about the story than interest her now. This book is destined to be a classic!

GREAT BOOK.......2007-07-21

My 2 and 3 y/o daughters LOVE this book. It's a fun book and teaching about many animals and the zoo. It's a wonderful gift for your child or a gift to another child. Highly recommend it.

Dear Zoo: A Lift The Flap Book (Dear Zoo)

Average customer rating:

Curiosity & Surprise
Cute, but for me it's MOTS
Fun with Adjectives
Little girl loves it
caution with adopted children

Dear Zoo: A Lift The Flap Book (Dear Zoo)

Manufacturer: Little Simon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Board book

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Open the Barn Door, Find a Cow (A Chunky Book(R))
Where's Spot? (Little Spot Board Books)
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?
Good Night, Gorilla
Peek-A-Who?: Board book

ASIN: 0689825498

Customer Reviews:

Curiosity & Surprise.......2007-09-04

My son, almost two, loves lift/flap books. He was able to learn and say each animal quickly; In fact, he has almost memorized each animal before we lift the flap. He also has learned to associate the animals in the book with animals at the "real" zoo. One of my son's favorite books.

Cute, but for me it's MOTS.......2007-07-20

More of the Same: My 14 month old likes Peek-A-Boo Zoo better (the La Maze book) and also Goodnight Gorilla. But she likes this one as well. It guess we just have too many books on her shelves that involve recognizing and naming the zoo animals. And, there is ALWAYS an elephant and a giraffe involved.

Fun with Adjectives.......2007-07-04

This book is a fantastic and fun way to teach young children early adjectives and literacy skills. Discover a different animal under each flap! The repetitive script will encourage sentence completion and sight reading.

Little girl loves it.......2007-06-30

This is one of our favorite books. We can't read it enough and she has learned all of the animals names from the book. I would highly recomend this book to anyone with toddlers.

caution with adopted children.......2007-06-29

As a mother of an adopted child and a psychologist, I am concerned about the message this book sends. The child in the book wants a pet, but because they are unacceptable, he repeatedly sends them back. I want my daughter to know that nothing about her is unacceptable, and nothing could ever make me want to "send her back." The book may be great for children in other situations, but I think it sends the wrong message to adopted children.

Average customer rating:

Beware if you are concerned about animal rights...
This quirky classic is more than meets the eye
A good self esteem story.
Highly recommended and there is absolutely nothing objectionable about the book (so rare nowadays)
Great story!

Put Me in the Zoo (Beginner Books(R))

Manufacturer: Random House Books for Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Go, Dog. Go! (Beginner Books(R))
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ASIN: 0394800176
Release Date: 1960-08-12

Book Description

Illus. in color. Spot, a polka-dot leopard who can change colors and even juggle his own spots, tries to convince two children that he is special enough to be exhibited in the zoo.

Customer Reviews:

Beware if you are concerned about animal rights..........2007-10-14

I foolishly bought this book without reading it first. I was in a hurry and thought, "Hey, great, a board book we don't have." The pictures, as they always are from Dr. Seuss, are great. And it's a fun way to teach colors as well. But, for those, like me, who are concerned about animal welfare, and would like to raise our children valuing the same thing, I wouldn't recommend this book. It glorifies zoos as a fantastic place to be, and sometimes they are not--at least not for the animals. But the worst part was the ending: the children tell the creature that he belongs in the circus! I HATE circuses, and will never take my children to one. They're horribly demeaning to animals and the animals are not properly taken care of. I know I sound like a zealot, but I believe that it is early exposure to concepts that helps to form our children's principles. I don't want my daughter thinking that circuses are great places for animals, because they're not.

So, if anyone is as passionate about animal welfare as I am, I do not recommend this book to you. I will be returning mine to the store.

This quirky classic is more than meets the eye.......2007-10-03

This classic is a whimsical tale about a leopard who can change his spots. Despite this talent, the zoo doesn't want him. The story is guaranteed to get some smiles, and yes, it introduces kids to colors. The best thing about the book, however, is its subtle lesson that when one door closes, another opens. It encourages kids to consider new possibilities when a chosen path isn't working out.

-Sherry North, Author, Because You Are My Baby

A good self esteem story........2007-07-14

A nice Suess style story, that explores special skills and demonstrates that there is a place for everyone. Good self esteem story, as well as exploring other basic concepts such as colours.
Recommend.

Highly recommended and there is absolutely nothing objectionable about the book (so rare nowadays).......2007-05-31

This is a delightful book that serves many purposes.

First, for toddlers, this is a wonderful book for teaching primary colors (blue, green orange violet) and simple word ("zoo" "too" "you" "spots" "small" "tall" "wall", etc.).

Second, the rhyming scheme is simple, direct, and scans correctly. Unlike "Dr. Suess" books there are no made-up nonsense words here. This is Standard Written English through and through.

The story is accessible, and has a "magical realism" element to it, so beloved of imaginative youngsters.

The drawings are wonderful, simple, direct, with just enough detail to engage the eye but not so much it overwhelms or over stimulates as the story unfolds. The text and drawing match perfectly (this is important for children learning reading of symbol systems from visual clues).

But best of all, this story is simple enough that your older children will soon adopt it to read to your younger children. This is a crowd pleaser and a heartwarming selection for family story time. The first time your oldest reads it to your youngest is guaranteed to make your heart soar with praise and thanksgiving for His wonderful blessings of family life.

Highly recommended and there is absolutely nothing objectionable about the book (so rare nowadays).

Great story!.......2007-05-15

I remember this story from my childhood and just had to get it for my kids. It is a fun story and oh so cute!

Average customer rating:

The Mixed-Up Chameleon Board Book
Mixed-Up Chameleon
Fun Story with a Message
Delightful
EXCELLENT BUY

The Mixed-Up Chameleon

Manufacturer: HarperTrophy
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Grouchy Ladybug
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ASIN: 0064431622

Book Description

The chameleon's life was not very exciting until the day it discovered it could change not only its color but its shape and size,too. When it saw the wonderful animals in the zoo, it immediately wanted to be like them -- and ended up likeall of them at once -- with hilarious results.

Customer Reviews:

The Mixed-Up Chameleon Board Book.......2007-08-01

I enjoy reading this book not only to my 18 month old son but for myself.
At the moment he doesn't always sit for the whole book as it is a little long sometimes for a board book.
I feel this book encourages imagine and is simple enough for a toddler to understand!

Mixed-Up Chameleon.......2007-05-15

This product was a wonderful addition to my teaching arsenal for animal adaptions. I gave the students an humerous start to thinking about the real life adaptions organism have that helps them survive.

Fun Story with a Message.......2007-04-17

I think this is a fun story with a good message at the end. It's funny to see the creature the chameleon winds up being toward the end - before he decides to be himself. I'd put this on the list of recommended Carle books.

Delightful.......2007-01-12

My granddaughter loves this book. Like all of Eric Carle's books, it's a great story and the pictures are wonderful.

EXCELLENT BUY.......2006-07-16

This text is an invaluable picture book for children learning how to read, how to enjoy reading and to learn about the joys and absurdities that life can bring. It is a humerous text that utilises excellent illustrations to represent the plot. The plot itself humerously intertwines fantasy with reality, ofcoarse it depends upon the child's imagination. A must for any child that enjoys playing with words and surreal ideas. The book's design is additionally unique in that is in an organisational folder style whereby children may select various imaginary creatures as they choose. I hope that others can share this wonderful picture book with all children they read to and/or with.

My Fuzzy Farm Babies: A Book to Touch & Feel

Average customer rating:

Wrong animal on the last page...
Best of its kind
good but not soft enough
good pick
My Fuzzy Farm Babies

My Fuzzy Farm Babies: A Book to Touch & Feel

Manufacturer: Little Simon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Board book

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My Fuzzy Safari Babies: A Book to Touch & Feel
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ASIN: 0689841655
Release Date: 2001-06-12

Book Description

Welcome to the farm! There are many soft, fuzzy baby animals waiting to meet you. Each farm animal feels different. Turn the pages and pet, tickle, and touch each adorable one!

Customer Reviews:

Wrong animal on the last page..........2007-08-12

The last thing I want to do is teach my child the wrong farm animals. For those who don't know the white woolly thing,that says 'baa' is a sheep. The author should have known better, there are only five animals in the book.

Best of its kind.......2007-07-09

There are so many touch- the- animal books.

This one stands apart because of the details. It increases vocabulary (on one page it will say "touch," and on another "stroke," for example) and has interesting but not difficult sentence structure. What I like the best, though, is that unlike most animal books the fur is "growing" in the correct direction! Someone actually took the time to make sure the cow's hair grows up the nose instead of down, a small thing yet important.

It's also on very sturdy pages for repeated enjoyment.

good but not soft enough.......2007-05-14

Nice book, but it is a pitty it has hardcover, because it can harm kid's gums.

good pick.......2007-05-12

I love that the book allows my child to feel different parts of the animals. The book is very entertaining as well as educational. I just wish the colors were brighter.

My Fuzzy Farm Babies.......2007-01-09

This book is really cute. My 16 month old grandson loves to touch the fuzzy and furry animals...this book also holds his attention which is a plus!

Peekaboo Zoo: A Lift-The-Flap Book (Lamaze : Infant Development System : 18 Months & Up)

Average customer rating:

Fun book but flimsy
Fun In The Zoo
sturdy, fun book for toddlers
Love this book-first one my baby got!
Great book - not just for the age limit.

Peekaboo Zoo: A Lift-The-Flap Book (Lamaze : Infant Development System : 18 Months & Up)
Susan Hood
Manufacturer: Learning Curve International, LLC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Board book

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Toes, Ears, & Nose! A Lift-the-Flap Book
Peek-a-Moo! (Lift-the-Flap)
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Open the Barn Door, Find a Cow (A Chunky Book(R))
Elmo's Big Lift-And-look Book (Great Big Board Book)

ASIN: 1567998968

Customer Reviews:

Fun book but flimsy.......2007-06-12

My son recieved this book for his 1st birthday and it was an instant hit. It was a fun enjoyable read for him, but the flaps are super flimsy and he had torn most of the book apart within 6 weeks. He's 15 months now and the book has been out of rotation for some time. :(

Fun In The Zoo.......2007-04-08

Peekaboo Zoo is a fun book for kids, which introduces them to unique facts about animals. The animals are hidden behind flaps so that kids can experience the joy of yelling "peekaboo" when each flap is pulled away. Toddlers will laugh hysterically as they explore the colorful illustrations in this book.

sturdy, fun book for toddlers.......2006-09-07

My boys loved this book. It actually lasted through one and passed on to the next extremely well! Each flap puts a smile on my little one's face. Its a great purchase.

Love this book-first one my baby got!.......2005-12-17

This is the sweetest book-after many many readings I am buying a new one since most of the flaps are gone and been "loved." This was my daughter's first book when she was 4 months old-she's loved it since the first time we read it. Hope your little one enjoys it too!

Great book - not just for the age limit........2004-05-21

We received this when my son was 15 months and he has loved it since. Initially, he just loved to lift the flaps, and it has handled his roughness. With the great pictures, we also use it to ask him to find an animal on a given page or within the whole book.

Curious George Visits the Zoo (Curious George)

Average customer rating:

avoid all these CG adapted from the film series.
Too Bad It Shows a Man Smoking!
Another great George classic
Any Curious George is a Classic
George steals in this one

Curious George Visits the Zoo (Curious George)
Alan J. Shalleck
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Curious George Goes to the Beach
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ASIN: 0395390303

Product Description

Brand: HOUGHTON MIFFLIN Item # HO-395390303

Customer Reviews:

avoid all these CG adapted from the film series........2007-09-29

the art is awful! just freeze frames from a poor quality film. the stories are garbage too. they jump to the conclusion, and only seem to be written to correspond to the bad pictures. forget these curious george titles, they are all being rewritten. the CG visits the aquarium used to be one of these crappy film adaptation but recently got rewritten and redrawn. better off with the higher quality titles not written from the film series.

Too Bad It Shows a Man Smoking!.......2007-06-06

Adapted from the stills of the Curious George film series, Curious George Visits the Zoo would be a decent addition to the CG books--except that it shows a man lounging on a blanket in the park with his wife and young child...while smoking a cigarette!

This past weekend we visited a bookstore and my son wanted not one, but SEVEN Curious George books to add to his collection (he already had several at home). Curious George Visits the Zoo was one of the books we bought.

Because my son wanted 7 books--and because they were Curious George--I didn't feel a need to screen them. Imagine my surprise when I read the book at home and saw a man smoking on one of the pages!

Fortunately, the man holds the smoking cigarette in front of his body (while smoke curls towards the sky)--and his shirt is gray with dark stripes. I took a pencil and shaded out the cigarette and it blended OK. Because the stills of the animated series are sort of fuzzy anyway, I did a decent job of disguising it.

Still, images like this do NOT belong in a children's book!

Other than that, the story is fine--typical mayhem as George steals the zookeeper's bucket of bananas which causes a little boy to lose his red balloon (he ends up crying!)--sending his Mom into a panic. George saves the day, as usual, but really--he's just remedying a mess he caused in the first place!

This book is geared towards ages 4-8, but has less text than books like Curious George and the Puppies. If you don't mind books featuring smoking adults (!)--or are willing to shade out the image with a pencil--then it's a decent Curious George book. But why bother, when there are better books in the series that DON'T require such touch ups?

Another great George classic.......2007-04-10

Once again we meet George... as usual he's finding trouble but in the end it all works out. Rated 4 stars because although this book was written many years ago, some people might find the caged animals objectional. Thank goodness zoos have come a long way since this was written. My toddler loves both George and zoo animals so in the end it was still a great read.

Any Curious George is a Classic.......2007-04-09

Any Curious George is a Classic for kids. It's relatable because my twins are as curious as this monkey.

George steals in this one.......2007-01-24

I really don't like that George steals in this, even though they do point out this as a fault. It's ok, but not one of the best.

Corduroy at the Zoo (A Lift-the-Flap Book)

Average customer rating:

Corduroy
Very entertaining book

Corduroy at the Zoo (A Lift-the-Flap Book)
Don Freeman , B. G. Hennessy , and Lisa McCue (Illustrator)
Manufacturer: Viking Juvenile
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Corduroy's Christmas (Lift-the-Flap)

ASIN: 0670892882

Book Description

Corduroy and his friends are taking a trip to the zoo-and you're invited to join them. As Don Freeman's lovable bear leads the way, discover clever surprises hidden by flaps on every page. Find the mischievous monkeys playing hide-and-seek in the Jungle Walk, or spot the wombats in the Australia exhibit. Visit lions, giraffes, parrots, and crocodiles too. Also, learn fun facts about different species, just like you do at a real zoo. With three to four flaps per page, this book promises a fun-filled, interactive read every time.

Customer Reviews:

Corduroy.......2007-07-21

I purchased this for a visit from my three and a half year old niece. As a former [...]teacher, I knew Corduroy was a favorite of the younger children. This book was a bit busy, but for a three and a half year old, it was good. Lifting the flaps provided the interaction she needed
and kept her attention for a short time. It is a good way to introduce children to the Corduroy series. My niece wanted to know why my
books "didn't talk" and I assured her it was more fun for her to do the "talking!" I would recommend this for a child up to five years old.

Very entertaining book.......2006-07-11

This book is so vibrant and colorful, its hard to imagine any toddler not loving it. There's not much to the story, no rhymes, no moral - just lots of beautifully drawn images of things kids love. The one drawback is very soft pages and soft flaps that can tear easilty in rough hands.

Faithful Elephants: A True Story of Animals, People, and War

Average customer rating:

Beautiful
Have a Heart
are you KIDDING me?!!
Great book for any age read aloud!
Thought provoking

Faithful Elephants: A True Story of Animals, People, and War
Yukio Tsuchiya
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Terrible Things: An Allegory of the Holocaust
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Train to Somewhere

ASIN: 0395861373

Book Description

A zookeeper recounts the story of John, Tonky, and Wanly, three performing elephants at the Ueno Zoo in Tokyo, whose turn it is to die, and of their keepers, who weep and pray that World War II will end so their beloved elephants might be saved.

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful.......2007-03-11

I just attended a Peace Prize Forum in Sioux Falls, SD, and this book was part of a curriculum for teaching children about peace and war. I think it is one of the most powerful books I have ever read.
This is a tender book about how war affects life, in a way accessible for children, and equally vivid and profound for adults.
The illustrations are also beautiful.

Have a Heart.......2007-02-08

This is a response to Tamara Lakeman's review:

It's a shame that there are people who feel that it is necessary to censor literature which brings awareness to all aspects of war, including death, compassion, and despair. Yes the elephants died as a result of being starved to death. However, the trainers were put in a position of having to carry out an order that forever scared them thus leading them to cry out in despair of what the war had done to them, and their beloved animals.

Would the reviewer feel the same if the story was about three American soldiers who were forced to let their Japanese friends starve to death in a cell because of being on opposing sides?

Oh, let's just sweep everything about death and dying under the rug. Let's cover our children's ears so that they may be ignorant and pretend that nothing bad ever happens including the millions of animals that are euthanized yearly because of irresponsible humans!

The story calls for awareness. It's making people aware of the terrible things that happen in our world. Every once in a while we all need a little wake up call. Maybe we can help in preventing these things from happening again in the future instead of retaining an egocentric, self centered, it's all about me lifestyle.

This reviewer forgets to mention that every August 15th, "Faithful Elephants" is read over the radio in Japan in hopes of bringing awareness of the effects of war. Does the reviewer know that zoos in Iraq were abandoned during this war? Many of those animals starved to death as well. Remember... History repeats itself.

I agree that reading the book as a bedtime story would be obviously inappropriate (as with any war story), however I do feel it will bring out the compassionate side of anyone who has a heart not just reserved for his or her own corner of the world.

The only reason why I will not read this book to my students in the classroom is that I would end up crying: I will however read it to my own children. Maybe one day I will go to Ueno Zoo in Tokyo Japan and a paper crane on the three elephants' memorial.

are you KIDDING me?!!.......2006-12-04

I found this book under the 'War and Peace' section of my local bookstore. I read it just out of curiosity... and WOW... Talk about a book that probably should NEVER EVER find it's way into a child's hands. I realize that it's intention is to talk about the cruelty and savagry of war, but I still think the subject matter is highly, HIGHLY uncalled for.

Basically, here's the story. During WW2 the officials of a Tokyo zoo decide that they need to kill all the zoo animals for fear the if they do not, the zoo will eventually be bombed and the animals will run wild. Clearly the only solution is to kill them (*scoff*). Anyway, so they officials go about poisoning all the animals, however every method they try does not work with the elephants. And so, naturally, they decide that the only way to kill these elephants is to starve them to death (forget a quick bullet to the head, no, only starving them will work.. AGH!)... So the book spends a good 5-6 pages following these poor elephants over a 2 week period as they slowly starve to death.

In the end, all the elephants lay dead in the cages, with limp trunks hanging between the bars. Nice. Fantastic bedtime story for children of all ages...

.... NOT!

Absolutely horrific!! Why not just take your children to the SPCA and make them watch animals be euthanized? There are things that children just do not need to have thrown in their faces, and this is one of them. Wait until they are in their teens are are able to really grasp the concept of war and death. This book is EXTREMELY emotionally disturbing and I can see it causing a great deal of harm to a senstive child.

Steer clear!

Great book for any age read aloud!.......2006-08-28

My students love hearing this book. It is different to see a picture that is a happy/sappy tale. They really get into this book asking a ton of questions throughout the story. It is a great book to use in the classroom as it ties in with many subjects!

Thought provoking.......2006-08-28

I teach Grade 5 children and the unit of work we were studying was "World Peace". We had read "Sadako" and talked a lot about WWII - then this book was recommended to me. My students sat enthralled as I read it.(I had forewarned them that it was very sad) It produced lots of great discussion and helped re-inforce the impact that war has on people and societies. An excellent book for older students.

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