Festivals Books

SpongeBob finds a perfect way to celebrate Halloween. As usual, SpongeBob finds a way to amaze everyone, including the reader, and offer a funny, scary Halloween tale for us all to enjoy. My 6 yr old is a big SpongeBob fan, as is my 10 year old. They both have enjoyed this book over and over, even past the holiday.

My son LOVES this book. He had me read it to him several times in a row the first day then just about every night for weeks now. My son is at a level 2 reading & this is a good fit for him to read alone. Of course he still loves for me to read it to him.

Any kid will love this book. This book is so funny that you should not even think twice about buying it- it is a guaranteed hit! There is no doubt that you would not like this book.

I'm sharing this with my students. They will think it is great fun and will probably remember the cartoon.

I really enjoyed this video. Having viewed the VHS performance "Rich At The Top", I eagerly awaited to view this version of West Side Story & Time Check. I wasn't disappointed.

What really got me was the solos by alto saxophonist, Andy Fusco. I had seen him with Buddy in the early eighties, "Live" in San Francisco and never really paid much attention to his blowing talents. Very impressive & imaginative on "Hookin' It" & Bob Mintzer's "Good News".

Steve Marcus gives his usual fluid sax solos. Check out his "note-slashing" solo on "Time Check" (although I've always considered Pat Labarbera's solos more fiery on this chart). The sax section really cooks on the soli!

Buddy is amazing on all charts (whether with brushes or sticks). Just effortlessly tearing those skins on all numbers. Great live performance with the usual strong brass section and admirable support from the bass and piano. I Highly Recommend this taped concert to any Buddy Rich Big Band fan.

If you like Buddy (who wouldn't) you have to see him in this video. He is at the prime of his career and he burns. My favorite part is the blinding fast single stroke roll that starts soft and low, and then builds to a feverish pace that only Buddy could acheive. Ive watched it 3 times since Christmas and I am in amazment every time. No wonder the audience gives him a standing "O" after every piece. They were witnessing a drum god at work!

The box say's "Buddy and his Band at the height of their popularity" This is a MUST see video for fans of Buddy and jazz. The sound on this is top notch and of course Buddy is at his best, he wouldn't allow any less. The highlight {if you can get any better than the best} has to be the extended solo in Buddy's signature piece "West Side Story " medly. Again the sound is right on, you can almost feel his intensity, and at the same time his grace.
This tape is flawless, almost 60 minutes of perfection
There is and was only one Buddy.

If you're a Buddy Rich fan, this video is a must-have. Not only do you get to witness his unbelieveable drumming, but there's a short episode of his temper as well. At the end of Bob Mintzer's "Good News", there is one short instant where the brass didn't quite play a note exactly together. Buddy smirks for a second, pauses before the last chord, and clearly says "what happened? ". He then cues the last chord, after which he continues to humiliate the trumpet section with more words and gestures. Aside from that distraction, the band is smokin' and the soloists (including saxists Andy Fusco, Walt Weiskopf, Steve Marcus) are especially strong.

This is a very nice pop up book with spooky illustrations. My children want it read to them over and over again. Definitely worth the money. However, my toddler has ripped the pop ups several times, probably better for kids over 3.

I love this Halloween pop-up book as well as the other "Bugs In a Box" books. If you don't know what to be for Halloween-buy this book. There are many spooky pop-ups, such as Dracubug, Frankenbug(shouldn't there be a glow-in-the-dark feature in this book?), and for the finale-there's a free surprise on the last page. I won't ruin the surprise for you, but when you get the prize, it will help you decide what to be for Halloween(you'll be able to look "buggy", too!).

My 14 month old loves this book. He is a big fan of other pop up books but these pop ups and moving flaps are creative & new made-up bugs, not the ordinary animals he sees in all his other books. We also like the "spooky" theme.

My 14 month old son loves the book. It has great pop ups and flaps of creative made up bugs. It's great to see funky bugs rather than the usual barn animals etc. The spooky theme is also fun and different.

This book is best for children with 2nd grade or above reading skills, in my opinion. The photographs are wonderful and the information provided is very detailed and helpful for gaining knowledge of this cultural event. A wonderful book!

This is an excellent book for children of all racial descents.
My granddaughter is part-Chinese and while we live in Hawaii rather than in San Francisco where the story takes place, we still follow many of the customs shown in the book. It's important for our children to learn about their cultures and traditions passed down through generations.

This has got to be my favorite books about the Chinese New Year! The book follows a young boy and his family as their prepare for the Chinese New Year. There is so much terrific information, it's simply amazing that the author was able to do this! The photographs are absolutely stunning! A must have book!

I purchased this book when my son's first grade teacher asked me to come and and talk to the class about the Chinese New Year. This book was perfect first of all because of its bright and bold color photos. By following a young Chinese boy living in San Francisco's Chinatown you learn how a typical contemporary Chinese family prepares for and celebrates the Chinese New Year. The topics include the special Chinese foods eaten on this day and their symbolism, paying respect to ancestors, Chinese calligraphic decorations, animals of the Chinese zodiac, and of course the lion dance and New Year parade. Children will be especially fascinated by all the splendid and exotic foods listed in the family's New Year's menu. This is a wonderful book to introduce children and adults alike to the traditions and customs of the Chinese New Year.

Carol Field's Celebrating Italy is as much an Italian cultural reference book as it is a cookbook. I loved reading through all the different holidays celebrated in Italy complete with traditional recipes. Having lived in Italy for 8 years myself, Carol's stories made me long for a return trip.. Being the Italian Cooking Host @ Bella Online I found the recipes true to their cultural origins, but yet given with clear, easy to follow directions. If you are as fascinated with Italian cuisine as I am, you'll love this book!

This book is full of everything that makes being alive(not to mention being ITALIAN) so wonderful...! Traditions, recipes, slices from everyday ife that make you feel the "specialness" of every single day. Carol's research and her love shine through in CELEBRATING ITALY, so much so, be prepared to take a trip to one of the small towns she describes so mouth-wateringly delicious! Carol made me hungry for tradition, hungry to go back to things I always cherished in my heart. Can't wait for your next book, Carol! Con Amore, Terry Stellini

I bought this book from Amazon.com because of its title alone but was so easily assimilated into Carol's amazing talent of recreating events with the written word that I found it difficult to put down. She put me right IN the festival! Because I live in Italy I have been able to visit a good number of the festivals that she describes in this book and have found her descriptions to be so accurate as to be scary. She seems to have found a way to penetrate the soul of these manifestations in a manner that not even many Italians can do.

I praise this not as a cookbook or a collection of recipes, but as a literary work that can be taken seriously as a 'training manual' on the spirit of Italian celebration. I recommend it to anyone who harbors a love of Italy and wants to know more about its inner being...

I highly recommend all Carol Field books, even if you don't cook. She TAKES you to Italy and FEEDS you. She writes engrossing and vividly descriptive literature which also happens to contain really great, authentic Italian recipes. Celebrating Italy will make you want to move to Italy and eat all day and night.

Chasing The Rainbow should be considered required reading for not only festival organizers, but also for those that attend festivals. Tish Owen's style of writing is easy to read, humorous and to the point. If you're looking to do something altruistic & want to improve the general quality of festivals being held all around the country, buy a truckload of copies of this book and hand them out to every organizer and attendee you know that can read! And her information can be applied to most festivals, not just the pagan-oriented ones. If you take the time to read it, you will have the information that is essential for running your own festival or how to be the perfect participant at anyone else's. Plus, it is an entertaining read, full of amusing stories of actual events. Buy this book, you won't regret it!

with over 10 years of experience Ms. Owen has taken all of her knowledge from the good the bad and the ugly and created a phenomenal manual for holding a pagan festival. But this manual can transcend to a higher level and be used by people of all religions and the such to assist in creating a great festival without reinventing the wheel.

Tish Owen's "Chasing The Rainbow: Facilitating a Pagan Festival" is a must-read for anyone planning a pagan festival or any other similar event. Having attended many pagan festivals all over the country, I must say that the Pagan Unity Festival is, without question, one of the best managed events I've ever attended. The logistics and activities are handled in a smooth and thoroughly professional manner. People know what they can expect and what is expected of them. As a result, they can relax, enjoy themselves and feel safe. When problems have arisen at PUF, they are handled in the same efficent manner with style and grace. In short, Tish Owen has a proven receipe for success outlined in this little tome. I only wish something like "Chasing The Rainbow" had been available in years past.

I once saw a sign posted outside an encampment at an SCA event that read "Only Pennsic is worth the hassle that only Pennsic is." Here in the Pagan world, the same can be said of almost any gathering or festival put on for the Pagan community. Anyone who has tried to organize such and undertaking knows the difficulty involved, and the tremendous feeling of relief when everything goes right and the event is a success.

Tish Owen's new book, Chasing the Rainbow: Facilitating A Pagan Festival is less a how to book than a conversation on paper in which the author relates through practical, been-there advice what to do and not do when organizing an event. Her experiences as the founder and organizer of one of the midsouth's most popular festivals shines through in this chatty, friendly tome. From what kind of festival you want to have to how many are coming for dinner, this book offers the best sort of advice to put a festival organizer, or anyone who might want to work at a festival, on the right path to creating a fantastic event.

This book should be useful not just for major festival staff, but for anyone putting on a Pagan event of any size. Tish relates not just the lessons she's learned as organizer of Pagan Unity Festival, but as a Coven leader and community organizer for everything from Pagan Pride Days to one day Sabbat celebrations. There are an number of things that can go right and go wrong with an event of any size; this book is great guide to how to make things go as right as possible.

My only complaint with this book is it could have gone into more detail on almost every subject, but at the same time, covering every possible aspect of festival management would require a book probably three or four times the size of this volume. We can only hope that this fine book is the first of many on the subject from this author.

A delightfully light-hearted tale of Christmas adventure, "The Christmas Aliens" has become a new Christmas tradition in our family. While most Christmas stories revel in the past, this one encourages children to dream of the Christmases to come when they meet their new friends on planet Krelb! Full of charm and wit, this unusual Christmas tale pleases the entire family.

By the time Santa Claus emerges from the washing machine, not the chimney, you and your child will be hooked. What a rollicking, foot-stomping wonder of a book! Why aren't more kids reading Mr. Silber's work?

Silbert is a genius. The best book I have read since Murakami's "A Wild Sheep Chase".

I highly recommend this book to any parent. My infant was clearly engaged. I'd like to see more from this author/illustrator team!

The journey you and your child will take in this book is wonderful. The illustrations are gorgeous and the story is delightful. If you are even considering this book, think no more and just buy it!Neither you nor your child will be disappointed.

Could Christmas really be every day? Only in Michael Garland's imaginative holiday treat. With sparkling illustrations as bright as ornaments on a tree and catchy rhyming text youngsters will share an exciting adventure with Tommy.

Tommy is blessed with a unique aunt who sends him a fascinating invitation on Christmas Eve. She invites him to get in the taxi that is waiting in front of his house and come to meet her.

Lo and behold, there is a magic taxi waiting for him and it carries him to an even more magical city where it is Christmas every day. Once there Tommy looks for his aunt but instead finds clues that take him through the wondrous Christmas City in a search of his aunt.

Very much like a treasure hunt over 200 items are hidden throughout the book as well as a holiday message to be decoded.

Youngsters will have as much fun as Tommy does as they turn pages to happily discover the many surprises in store.

- Gail Cooke

This is a wonderful addition to anyone's Christmas book library. The illustrations are stunning, with many, many hidden little things to uncover. It would be a perfect gift for a family with children of different ages- the little ones will love hearing about Tommy's journey, while the older ones will like hunting for the hidden images, going through a tricky maze, and solving the riddles.

My son checked this out of the library and begged me to get it so we could "keep it forever." I will be sending copies of this book to several of our friends this holiday, but I suspect it will be a book kept out and enjoyed all year long.

Michael Garland is back with a holiday sequel to last years innovative, Mystery Mansion. Come join Tommy as his Aunt Jeanne sends him on another creative and inventive treasure hunt. It's Christmas Eve when the invitation arrives telling Tommy to hop into the waiting cab outside his door, and in no time he's soaring through the air on his way to Christmas City. But where is Aunt Jeanne? Follow the cleverly worded, rhyming clues to find her, and along the way solve puzzles and collect the more than two hundred holiday items, some hidden, some in plain sight, including snowmen, angels, reindeer, elves, and candycanes, all the characters from the song, The Twelve Days Of Christmas, Santa's reindeer, holiday greetings in ten different languages, and a series of letters that when arranged, spell out a special message. Mr Garland's bold, bright, and busy computer generated artwork is engaging, and sparkles with energy, dazzling color, intricate, eye-catching detail and playful humor. Imaginations will soar as youngsters 6 and older pore over the pages, and revel in all the fun-filled magic. Christmas City offers hours of interactive entertainment, and sends kids on an imaginative, holiday fantasy adventure of a lifetime.

My teacher read this to our class when I was only 6-years-old, and I had to run out that weekend and purchase it for my very own book collection. Now, 12 years later, I still pull this book out all of the time to look at some of the most gorgeous illustrations to ever be printed in a children's book, and to read the story of the little Christmas Day Kitten. A must-have book for all, as the beauty of it will warm the heart of everyone in your family for years and years to come.

Erika Sorocco

This book is the epitamy of heartwarming. After all the sad, depressing things that happen in today's world, this book (and all of James Herriot's stories) makes you feel a lot better. Perfect for kids, this book will warm the souls of everyone.

Even though I haven't read this book since I was younger, I remember it as having a perfect happy ending. Even if you don't buy it, you should at least go to the library and check it out. You might like it enough to buy it anyways :)

This picture book, although written for children, can be enjoyed by people of all ages, especially cat lovers! James Harriot has a style of story-telling that draws you in and doesn't let you go until you've finished the story. This story is just a small sampling of the many wonderful vet stories that Harriot has to tell.

Not having been familiar with the work of James Herriot before this book, I was happily surprised when I read this to my little cat-loving daughter this christmas season. This is a touching story which brought us both to tears, but gave a joyful smile as we reached the end of the story. Truly a story to be shared with every child at christmas!

My five star rating comes with a single caveat: I don't believe this book, or any discussion of slavery, is appropriate for fourth graders, as has been suggested. This is a really well-done book, but despite the fact that it is a picture book, I feel it is better suited to grades 6-8, perhaps the occasional mature 5th grader. The topic is a painful one, especially if you are talking to large numbers of African-American children whose far-back families may well have lived in the quarters (kids like my history students). The thing I love about this book is that it doesn't try to present the slaves as essentially happy and festive, which is how they were depicted when I was growing up in the '60s. Instead, it is understood that they endure their position only because it is strategically the wrong moment to rise up and resist; you don't get the feeling these folks would really mind seeing the owners drop dead in their Christmas feast, but it isn't possible to make that happen right now, so they make the best of a bad situation, but only for the moment. The cluelessness of the white owners is beautifully rendered. That said, if you are shopping for a Christmas book to read with your young child at Christmas time to get that glowing, good-all-over feeling, this isn't the book you are looking for. Save this one for a serious discussion of slavery and the American Civil War.

This book describes the customs, recipes, poems, and songs used to celebrate Christmas in the big plantation houses and in the slave quarters just before the Civil War. I was filled with great trepidation after seeing the cover of this book. It was a relief to me to find that, fortunately, the text was respectful and historically accurate. But observe, as I did, this cover. We know, after reading the book, that this picture symbolizes the rare moment when the slaves were invited into the "Big House", or home of the white slave owners, to view the Christmas trimming. Yet it cuts too closely to the ancient inaccurate image of plantation owners and their "happy" slaves (ala Gone With the Wind) for the casual person browsing this cover. The back cover does little to alleviate this fear, showing a scene of black children skipping merrily with a white child. Inside, however, the authors deal deftly with the subject. Making it very very clear that certain positive traits exhibited by the slave owners during Christmas towards their slaves were the exception and not the rule, the book gives carefully annotated scenes from the lives of white plantation owners and slaves. The pictures accompanying the text are, most times, beautifully presented. There is a shot of a bonfire that is one of the most impressive drawings I've ever seen of fire. Unfortunately, some of the models for these pictures undoubtedly suffered from hair circa 1994, since it is obviously permed to perfection in a couple scenes. Please note that the authors have a keen sense of irony that plays well. After hearing the slaves sing a song that is code for someone escaping to freedom, the plantation owner's daughter writes in her diary that the day has ended with, "the sweet sound of a happy, contented slave singing a carol". This point is not elaborated on, and is exquisite in its simplicity. The endnotes found in the back of the book, annotated per page, are excellently done. This book is a valuable part of any collection, and would read best to children a little older. Kids who read this book on their own may not catch all the references and points that the book brings up. This would pair well with Mildred Taylor's "The Well", as a before and after to the Civil War.

This beautifully illustrated Christmas story explains the origins of many African-American Christmas traditions.

This is quite a fascinating book. Like another reviewer here, when I received this work I groaned inwardly, particularly when I noted the cover. I should have listened to the old saying "never judge a book by it's cover." This hold very true with this work. The book is the story of and a comparison of Christmas in the old south and how the folks in the "Big House" celebrated in contrast with the folks in the slave quarters. I found this work to bee extremely historically accurate. Social issues are meet head on with little or no surgar coating. The art work in this book is worth many more times the price of the book. It is truely well done. The only critical thing I might have to say here is that everything was depicted as rather clean and neat, a little too perfect. This includes the white owners living quarters and dress along with those of the slave. Things just were not that nice in those days. Other than that, I felt this was a very, very good work. I did enjoy the various recipes, discriptions of customs and songs. All in all, recommend this one highly.