Schools Books

Just great all around!!! This was one of my favorite childhood books. I will now give this one to my goddaughter to enjoy.

I am currently running a girls book club for 4th grade girls and I decided to use this book because of the positive attitude of the children in the book. I am trying to teach the girls in the book club how to analyze a book, discuss a book and to learn from a book. This book had everything I was looking for. The analysis leads to talking about attitude, taking responsibility and using your creativity!

This book is so good. It is where 12 year-old Mary, and her 10-year old sister, Jean are on a ship, and one day the ship starts to sink, and as quick as they can, the take all the babies that they had babysat while on the ship, and get into a lifeboat, but then, right before the boat sinks, their lifeboat gets accidentally thrown into the water, it is just them and 4 babies, all alone in a lifeboat with only a few odds and ends, like a tarp, jerky, canned milk, a jug of water, and some sfety pins. After 5 days of sailing in their little lifeboat, theese corageous little girls land on an island. They make shelter and look all over for food. There are ALOT more twists in the book............ but I don't want to spoil the surprises for you. you wil just have to buy it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I did a book report on this book as a kid and really enjoyed the story. This will delight young babysitters and little girls with younger siblings! I have a sis five years younger and could relate to the hardships of these two girls who get stranded on an island with four babies. This book has a good balance of good and bad events and a great ending. The characters seem very realistic but parts of the plot are a little far-fetched and seem fictional. Either way, it's a very fun story with nothing too gross or scary. It also has a fair amount of cute, clean humor. I would say this is a good story for younger readers and those who like a lighthearted story.

Great fun!

As a young girl, I read this book over and over. Loved it! Magical. Shipwrecked on an Island with babies in their care - the girls in this story have an adventure. I was so jealous! I loved babies, still do! This book was dreamy fun.

The author, Carol R. Brink, also wrote "The Pink Motel," my other fav in the 5th grade. Have them both, and will treasure them forever. All my daughters read this, and liked it, as every little girl would.

Delightful! Buy it! thanks, Gramma Sally

i bought this book for my just turned 3 year old son, because of his latest fascination with dinosaurs. he had the book memorized the day after he got it. he loves all the different dinosaurs, the colors and pictures are wonderful. he loves the rhyming and the opposites. his favorite is dinosaur fierce which he says so fiercely himself!

Vivid illustrations. Short and sweet. Hard, sturdy book. Bought it for 2 year old twin boys and they have fun telling us whether the dino is a meat eater or plant eater by looking at their teeth. If your kid loves dinosaurs I would recommend this book.

My two-year-old son likes dinosaurs, and this one is a favorite of his. The book is filled with rhyming opposites that lend themselves to a dramatic reading. (My son loves to 'roar' when the dinosaur 'roars.') I would recommend it for one- and two-year-olds.

Though it has lots of pictures of dinosaurs, the pictures are not individually labelled. (I am not sure if the dinosaurs in the book are even modelled on real dinosaurs.) Therefore, the child is not going to learn any facts about dinosaurs, other than they varied greatly.

My 22 month old doesn't sit sit for long. He's just always running to the next object for exploration. So, getting him to sit still for reading is a challenge. BUT, he LOVES Dinosaur Roar. The colorful illustations, the beauty of the painted images, the catchy lyrics (emphasized when reading, of course) all hold his attention--so that we can Almost finish the book before he runs off. The juxtaposition of opposites (small and huge, for example) help us teach him concepts. GREAT book!

Dinosaurs Roar is a good book for ages 1 to 3, but older children may be bored with this book. The drawing are friendly, and not scary to younger children. I had noticed that some children's dinosaur books may be too graphically realistic for younger children. The drawings are fun and creative.

The history, meaning and importance of our American flag is presented for young readers in rhyme with magnificent illustrations that will be sure to inspire. At the bottom of every page is more historical data, such as the planting of a flag on the moon six times for each Apollo mission, the meaning of our colors, and the myths surrounding the making of our first flag.

How nice to see a patriotic message that entertains and inspires.

This book is a great way to teach children about the Amnerican flag through rhyme and pictures. You can focus primarily on the rhymes for younger children and then focus on the factual information given as a sidebar on each page for older children. Wonderful resource!

The Flag We Love is about the American flag and people willing to die for their country. My favorite picture is when it shows the Viet Nam wall.It is so patriotic. The illustration is so detailed and realistic. I just enjoyed the book very much.

This beautiful book opens with Muñoz's first inspiring verse:

Our flag is our country's symbol
Of ideals that are meant to last
It's a promise for our future
A reminder of our past....

The accompanying illustration by Ralph Masiello shows a freshly whitewashed barn with an American flag gracing one side. A farmer's furrowed field, a vast blue sky and bucolic setting complete the scene. Each page that follows presents another verse, accompanying illustration, and a text box that imparts a piece of our flag's history to the reader. The book is stunning to look at, informative and heartwarming to read. It is a good introduction to youngsters about how our flag came to be, how it's changed over the years, and its meaning to us as citizens.

Carolyn Rowe Hill

I think The Flag We Love by Pam Munoz Ryan is a special book in its own honorable,patriotic,and unique way.It tells about
the flags at the Viet Nam Wall and who died. That's why I think it's Special.

Lovely read. This book continues where THE HIDDEN PAST left off. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan arrive at Gala, eventualy,and they discover that there is a plot to kill the Queen and also sabotage the up-coming elections.
No sploilers from me, you'll have to read the book to find out what happens. You won't be dissapointed!

The Mark of the Crown was really an extrordinary book in the Jedi Apprentice series. The same great characters are back and are on another adventure. The plot kept my attention through the entire book. For all who like the series or are new to it, this is definitely one you'll like!

It is a great book but Obi-Wan doesn't have a good bond with his master like a reader before me said. You'll have read more of the apprentice books to find out if it inproves(I know). But it has drama, a little suspence, and some treachery.

Star War Jedi Apprentice: Mark of the Crown

The main characters in this book are Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi-they are Jedi Knights. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan are sent to the city of Gulu on the planet of Gala to keep the peace. They
are having elections for a governor. On Gulu, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan are caught between two mobs of angry citizens and must escape. This is just one of their many adventures on gala.

Qui- Gon is my favorite character because he is a master of the Force and overcomes many challenges in the book. He is always serious and doesn't give up easily. The Queen of Gala trusts him. He takes the most serious missions while Obi-Wan stays behind and keeps an eye on the Queen, who may have been poisoned. Mali, a chemist, analyses tea that has been given to the Queen and tell Obi-Wan: "Whatever it is, it doesn't belong in tea." The problem in this book is for Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan to protect the Queen.

I recommend this book for anyone who likes Star Wars or adventure books. When you read this book you will want to know what happens next all the time, such as when Obi-Wan was stuck in a giant refrigerator. You will feel a sense of adventure and will want to know how the book ends-does the Queen live or die?

Jude Watson continues to write intereszing stories about the adventures of Qui-Gon Jinn and his young Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi. He also writes about their developing relationship, with both men longing for connection and not realizing that they are coser than they think!

In this instalment the two Jedi are sent to Gala, where the dying queen is bringing democratic elections to her planet, and her son is not at all happy about it.

This is a well-written and interesting story in this continuing series.

The Mark of Zorro is the first Zorro story, retitled for publication in many different book editions.

Repression and oppressive taxation grows in one corner of California. Don Diego Viega, whose picture might just be beside the word 'fop' if California had a dictionary, can do nothing about it.

As one of the local military says "he is about as dangerous as a lizard basking in the sun".

The same cannot be said for Zorro. The Fox offers the local peons some hope, and does what he can to foment resistance.

When the moneygrubbing goes to far and some of the reasonably well liked local aristocracy are imprisoned, things come to a head, especially after the flogging of the local friar.

In an amusing scene, Senorita Pulido gets herself out of captivity by holding herself hostage. Luckily, while fleeing, Zorro is on hand.

Comedy, and action, and romance as Zorro saves the day.

Well worth reading.

Excellent reading of old Spanish California - Paladin of Justice.
Recommend to young and/or old - global audiences.
Thought provoking and suspenseful filled with witt.

We all know the story of Zorro by now. I, myself, read The Mark of Zorro more than two decades ago, when I was a child and the copy I read was titled The Curse of Capistrano. No doubt, more people have seen the various Zorro films than have read the actual book, which started the Zorro legend. Johnston McCulley first introduced his iconic character in a five-part serial in the pulp magazine All Story Weekly, in 1919. The story proved to be popular enough, but this masked avenger really took off when silent film star Douglas Fairbanks read it and subsequently made it into the silent swashbuckling film The Mark of Zorro in 1920. Since then, Senor Zorro has never looked back.

Before re-reading this novel, I was afraid that I would find the writing stilted and archaic. Happily, the page-turning experience proved to be as reader-friendly as I remembered it. True, you do have to get into a certain mindset to get used to the writing style (this is classic pulp writing, after all), but, once you do, you'll be swept along. Zorro, nicknamed the Curse of Capistrano and the defender of Old California's oppressed, was still the same vibrant Zorro - dashing, bold, cunning, and intolerant of injustice. He still flashed that certain twinkle in the eye and displayed that playful nature. Handsome, wealthy Don Diego Vega, on the other hand, was still the dubious caballero, unbolstered by his languid, foppish mannerisms and hindered by the weak constitution. Upon seeking a girl's hand in marriage, Don Diego announced to her father that he would send his servant over at night to serenade the girl by proxy, because the chill night wind would kill the delicate Vega. Of course, we all know it's a game that Diego's been playing for years and his devotion to his wussy role makes it all the more delicious for the reader. Also, I was again struck by how delightful and plucky the beautiful love interest, Senorita Lolita Pulido, was.

Another thing I didn't recall was how long it took before Zorro's alter ego was divulged to the reader, although McCulley didn't really try too hard to hide his secret identity. People ignorant of the Zorro mythos (and under which rock have you been hiding?) would still be readily able to figure out who Zorro really is. However, the novel was almost at the last page before Zorro finally unmasked. But it was worth it to witness the stunned but happy reaction of Diego's father, Don Alejandro Vega, who had long been disappointed with his wimpish son.

To echo A. Nesbitt's spotlight review, if you thought Johnston McCulley only wrote this one Zorro adventure, think again. McCulley ended up writing more than 60 Zorro stories (65, to be exact), several of which were in serial format. The last Zorro tale, "The Mask of Zorro," was published in 1959 (Short Stories for Men magazine).

Full of derring-do, sword fights, daring escapes, a passionate love story, and a masked hero who laughs scornfully in the face of danger, it's escapism at its finest, imbued with a Spanish/Mexican flavor. Yes, it does borrow a bit from The Scarlet Pimpernel, but no matter. The Mark of Zorro is still as entertaining a read today as it undoubtedly was back in 1919. Give it a try and see why Zorro is hailed as the people's champion and why this book gave birth to so many reincarnations in cinema.

I liked this story quite a bit. I remember when I was a little kid watching The Zorro show on television so I was interested in reading this book and see how it all started. I thought overall it was really good.. Senorita Lolita sounds like a very attractive girl. I like how the story ended as well sort of caught me off guard a bit. If your any at all interested in Zorro then pick this book up.. Good stuff.

Justin

I found "The Mark of Zorro" to be a wonderful romp through a bygone era.
I read this book out loud to my father, and we could hardly put it down. If you like swashbuckling adventures, heroes who stand against injustice and play their part in the struggle between good and evil. Then "The Mark of Zorro" is for you. And if you enjoy finding the origins of things, as much as I do, then this book will be well
worth your wile. A true gem for anyone's collection.

I read this book as a child, and just loved it. I have a clear memory of trying VERY hard both to fly, and to kiss the tips of my own elbows while I read it (according to the book, the ultimate proof of being a fairy).However, I didn't remember any of the story's details -- neither the title nor the author. Finally, after an in-depth Internet search, I found it and I ordered it for my own 8 year old daughter, who read it straight through. She seems to have loved it as much as I did, and still talks about the memorable characters and situations. (I reread it the day it arrived in the mail, and it turns out it is not just a story about an orphaned little girl and her tiny talking dog -- it is a mystery as well!) The best part for me was watching my daughter try to kiss her own elbows. But why not? After all, who knows which of us is really a fairy? Now I am left to wonder why this author didn't write more children's books. I will definitely try and find other things she has written.

This was a book I read as a child... it was one of my favorite books and has now become my nine year old daughters' favorite. We read it together, a chapter each night, over a week... it was compelling, exciting, mysterious, and amazing all at once - we were captivated. I thoroughly recommend this story to any little girl who has dreamed about being a fairy.

I thought that it was a pretty good book. One of its problems was; I have to write a book report for school and I chose this book, but one of the questions was what's the seetting, and the book really doesn't say much about that. I still enjoyed it, but i thought that it wasn't very complete, like the ending could have disired a bit more of "what really happened". I still recomend it to kids who like fairy tales, but i don't really like fairy tales. I was still a good book.

Dear Reader,
I am 8 years old and
I think this book is great! I think the author was really good and the book makes you feel like you are in the story. I read it in five days it was so good.
The book was very descriptive. It made me cry in a part. I can't tell you about that part, but it's almost at the end. Another part, at the very end, made me laugh!
The book is about a little girl named Annabel and her beloved dog Gloria. Their adventure starts at a mansion with Mrs. Vancourt and the servant Mrs. Peach.
I think kids from 4-20 would like this book and I recommend it for everyone!

This is, easily, my favorite book from childhood. (I've even quoted it as my favorite book in job interviews, which got me strange looks!) Nonetheless, I couldn't wait to share it with my son, now 6. We've just started reading chapter books together & he was a little put off at first because it was about a girl, but he was soon drawn into the magic of the story & the dream of being a fairy. He can ALMOST kiss his elbow -- he almost broke his neck trying! Such fun to watch him enjoy the imagery and figure out the "who's who" in the end.

I, obviously, HIGHLY recommend this book. In this day of aliens & killings & other violent characters, it's nice to return to the innocent characters that SHOULD inhabit the youthful minds of our children. Everyone has the child's (Annabel) best interest at heart in this book. I never fail to cry (twice) near the end of the book, even now in my 40s!

I enjoyed this book. It's about the Animorphs' discovery of a chat-site about Yeerks. I thought that it was an okay book, but they don't seem to mention the people in the chat-site anywhere else in the series (I'd have thought that a whole site full of Yeerk-aware people would be a major thing, but that's just my opinion), so if you are just looking for important books in the series, you can skip this one.

The book does not have enough adventure for it to be a good book. It should have fighting against the Yeeks. I think that if there was more adventure, and it had more Controllers it would be alot better.

In this book, Jake discovers a web site about Yeerks. He shows it to the others and they see the chat room. They decide to pay a visit to Web Access America (not AOL, A reader from U S A). They go to the airport because WAA is too far to fly in bird morph. There they fight over wether to morph flies on a United or Northwest plane (they choose United). Marco eats some shareholder's first class lunch and Jake (?) wonders if there will be an in-flight movie, and Marco (?) says not a movie, the flight's 1 1/2 hours long, more like an in-flight cartoon! Tobias in fly morph is funny. When there in the WAA building, Jake, in tiger morph, Rachael, in Grizzly morph, Cassie, in wolf morph, and Tobias, in his natraul form (hawk), mop the floor. An employee says there crazy, why are they mopping the carpet? Ax and Marco sneak in to the computers (everyones distracted) and find out who MegMom, Fitey777, and Gump (screen names from the chatroom) really are. It turns out Fitey777 is Joe Bob Fenistre is the CEO of WAA. Jake gets a rhino morph and They go to Joe Bob Fenistre's house. I'll leave it at that

Jake has made an amazing discovery: a web site about the Yeerks. Should the Animorphs investigate? If they do, they might walk right into a trap. And if they don't, they'll never know if they're fighting their enemies alone.

Jake and the gang go on a yeerk web page track down fenstre. the find out the the yeerk in side him is a twin of the yeerk in visser three thats why he ordered his men to shoot a the birds (rachel an Ax in bird morph) because visser three is the only controller that has the morphing abillity

I read this book in high school...late 70's/early 80's. I see it's been rereleased. I loved it then and recently came across it while sorting through memorabilia so read it again and still love it. A truly timeless story that any girl who remembers the social and academinc pressures of high school can relate to. A must read!!!

I have read and re-read this book, along with the subsequent ones in the series (Snowy, Henrietta Snow, and recently The Husband's Bench) and never tire of them. I grew up in the 70's, but the town where I went to high school was very much a "small town", and was the town where my mother had grown up, gone to high school and yes, been a cheerleader in the 50's. Like Snowy, my childhood home now houses a business, our high school hangout was demolished, a new high school was built, and on and on. The characters in these books are so real that I always find myself loathe to finish the book and have to leave them. Snowy, Tom, Bev, Puddles, Charl, Darl, Dudley.... I feel like all of them are my friends. I cannot recommend this book, or the rest of the series highly enough.

My aunt lent me a copy of this book when I was about 15 years old. The Cheerleader came out before I was born and 2 of my aunts loved the story, so they felt sharing it with me was appropriate. I in turn passed it on to my friends and a revival of Snowy, Tom, Puddles and Bev began. Imagine the thrill of seeing a sequel 20 years later..Snowy! And then the books that followed "the gang". I haven't enjoyed this author's other stories (outside of the "Snowy") ones nearly as much as this, but once you read The Cheerleader, be sure to follow up with the rest of them!

Every once in a while a novel comes along that for some reason never seems to become a huge bestseller or make its author famous and renowned, but that is so note-perfect that the few who read it gobble it up like an addictive drug, pass it on to their friends (who never return the copy lent to them) and never forget it. THE CHEERLEADER is just such a novel. It captures right down to the smallest detail the way life was for an ambitious high-school girl growing up in a small town in New Hampshire in the 1950s. By doing so, it becomes a novel with which any woman (American, anyway) of any era can identify. Snowy's world, her parents, her school, her friends, her teachers, her hopes and her dreams are all drawn here with a truth that is almost painful. Once you read it, it stays with you forever...and you want more stories about her, which the author has supplied, thanks to fan demand, in the form thus far of SNOWY, HENRIETTA SNOW and, now, THE HUSBAND BENCH (which focuses on the life of Snowy's friend Bev, and which I have already pre-ordered). The book I can compare this to most is Betty Smith's A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN--another example of a novel that hits a timeless chord with its readers yet, thanks to some strange quirk of fate, has failed to make its author as well known as she should be. If you've read TREE and haven't read THE CHEERLEADER and its sequels, do yourself a favor and start now. If you haven't read any of these books, what are you waiting for? Pull up a chair, a glass of your favorite beverage and lose yourself in the worlds of Francie and Snowy. It'll be some of the best reading time you've ever spent. Warning, though: don't lend out your copy of THE CHEERLEADER to anyone; chances are you won't get it back!

I first read this when I was 16, in the 1970s. I don't know how MacDougall got a drug-addled, school-vandalizing little punker to identify with a straight-A, student council member, 1950s cheerleader, but instead of resenting Snowy, I loved her and cared what happened to her. MacDougall does a fantastic job of giving the physical details of a 1950s adolescence: the smell of Noxzema and Cashmere Bouquet, the revolving fads of ice-cream bucket purses and turned-up collars. Maybe that's why I understood, even though my fads involved satin windbreakers, purple concert kits, and patchwork jeans: like Snowy, I simultaneously wanted to fit in with the crowd and to remain my own person. Ironically, by using the tiniest specifics of a mid-twentieth-century high school experience, MacDougall has given us a world and a character that readers from any era will somehow find recognizable.

Fast delivery, good quality, nice transaction, and product as advertised.
This book is a classic and the values inherent in the book are timeless.

I have an original hardcover that I have read every Easter, a gift in 1950 from my mother. I have read it to myself, my sons, and various Sunday school classes. The messages of humility,diligence,right priorities are much needed in this era where self-absorbed thinking is rampant. I am purchasing one for my grandchildren.

I read this book with my Dad during my childhood (pushing 40 now, so it's been a tiny little while ;)). I had forgotten all about it until I saw the cover in an Easter ad recently. It was amazing what a huge rush of memories that picture brought back. I immediately came to Amazon.com to find it and am thrilled it is still available. I only strongly remember 3 books I read as a child and this is one of them. I was enchanted with this story and the drawings as well. Now I hope that my own kids will love it as much as I did.

This is one of my favorite books from childhood--an absolutely charming, magical story that I will always remember.

The Country Bunny and the Little Gold Shoes by DuBose Heyward and illustrated by Marjorie Hack has been around for yours. In fact, it made its first appearance in 1939 and has gone through several printings since that time. The latest one I could find was 1974, which is far too long ago, as this is one that we had better not loose.

Briefly, this is the story of a little brown country bunny that happens to be a female bunny. In this mythological story, as told by the author, there are actually five Easter Bunnies. These five bunnies are selected for being the kindest, swiftest and wisest bunnies in the whole wide world. Our little brown country girl bunny states that when she grows up, she wants to be one of the five chosen bunnies. The Big White Rich City Bunnies who live in the fine houses laugh at her, as do the male Jack Rabbits with their long legs.

When our little brown country bunny, whose name is Cottontail, grows up she finds herself the mother of twenty-one baby bunnies and responsible not only for their care, but the care of the house and all that goes with it. Cottontail trains her children to be very responsible. They help her with her house work, gardening, washing, sewing, cooking and other skills useful in living a full life. Word goes out that one of the five Easter Bunnies has grown too old to do his job (thus far, all the Easter Bunnies have all been males), and that a new Easter Bunny must be chosen by the Old Grandfather Bunny. This old rabbit, being rather wise above all others, of course, chooses our Mother Cottontail. The story goes on in a sweet way, almost a quest adventure and in the end we find that Mother Cottontail is not only the wisest, kindest and fastest bunny in the world, but also the bravest. Don't want any spoilers here, so will stop with the plot over view.

First, the art work. The artist, Marjorie Hack, has her bunnies dressed in late Victorian or possibly early Edwardian garb. It is quite detailed and quite fitting for the story. She has used very mellow colors and each picture is simple, while at the same time being extremely detailed. In many ways it is typical of the art work featured in children's literature, of that time, but then she throws in surprises, such as in the winter sequence where Cottontail climbs the mountain. The art here jumps way beyond its years. Actually, I cannot see why this art work would not appeal to everyone, young and old alike.

As to the message of the story; if you do a search or some advanced research on this particular book, you will find that it has had a profound influence on at least two, possibly three, generations of small children, following them all the way into adult life. This influence has been extremely positive. You must remember that this book was written in 1939 and you must remember what the world was like at that time.

This is the story of a little girl rabbit that overcame economic, racial, social and sexual biasness and fulfilled her dreams. This is simply an overall good message. I read this particular work to a group of seven year old children, and every single one of them was able to pick up on this theme. I was so proud of them. Now this book has been accused of having a strong feminist message (as if this were some sort of dirty word...how sad.) I suppose it does, indeed, deal quite well with this subject. Again, this is good. I would suggest that, in my humble opinion, if anyone has a problem with any of the messages this work projects, then they probably should move back into the cave they came out of.

This is a work we do not was to lose. Highly recommend this one.

Calvin is every parent and teacher's nightmare child, with limited attention to everything except what he is interested in. His antics disrupt the classroom, disturb the home and keep his mother, father and neighbors on edge for the next event. Yet, his imagination knows no bounds, he is certainly the type of child that may grow up to be a writer, filmmaker or perhaps a cartoonist.
Watterson has a sense of humor and an outlook on life that he has channeled into one of the funniest and yet most profound comic strips ever inked and colored. Calvin's attitude towards the world at some point reflects that of every child and adult, he is a misfit and tries to cope by imaginative acts. His mouthy, yet intelligent companion Hobbes, a stuffed tiger who comes alive in his fertile imagination, assists him in his coping.
This is a funny and entertaining book of some of the best installments of the "Calvin and Hobbes" strip, it will enliven your world, no matter how conformist that world is forcing you to be.

The days are definitely packed with adventures for this dynamic, but very short duo. From spaceships and interplanetary hideous monster beasties, to creeping around the backyard and generally getting up to suburban kidlet nogoodness, the fun is never in short supply. Neither is the wit, even if delivered under thread of Spaceman Spiff's raygun.

Another great slab paperback filled with the very best of this over active duo. Themed for the holidays, Calvin and Hobbes get up to their usual mischief at the detriment of Mom, Dad, Susie and others. Read it over and over again just to get a little laughter in a boring day. Highly recommended.

Fans of Calvin & Hobbes who used to read the newspaper strip in the 80s and 90s will find great pleasure in reading this collection of C&H comics. These witty comics about the 6-year old Calvin and his stuffed tiger Hobbes, named after the famous philosophers, will amuse people of all ages. The perceptiveness and humor of Watterson deserve the highest of cartoon awards, while his artistic creations exude hilarity. This cartoon is perhaps one of the most piercing yet funny critiques of modern society.

Summer is the time when Calvin and Hobbes can hang out in the treehouse and plot their next attacks on Susie, if they're not busy fighting with each other, that is. This book also contains some of Calvin's best snowman art. Procrastinators will love Calvin's newest invention - the Time Machine, or perhaps not? This is definitely one of the best C&H books around.

Note that there are two series of C&H collections: individual wide-format albums, each covering an entire year of strips (will call it "regular"), and the vertical aspect ratio "treasury series" which covers selected comics from two regular C&H books. Note that C&H ran for a year in newspapers, so there's 10 regular books and 5 treasury books. Though the cartoons are slightly smaller in the treasury collection, each treasury book is far thicker and contains more strips than a regular book, and is furthermore less expensive, so treasury books are a real bargain. "The Days Are Just Packed" belongs to the regular series and was published in 1993.

Our boys love the C&H cartoons. They are expanding their vocabularies without even knowing it! I refrain from telling them this though because they usually shy away from "educational" books.