Movies Books

MAYA ANGELOU opens this moviebook with truth. The answer to why our story must be retold over and over again. The shocking truth that a black man's skin could be cut into a postage stamp size flap and sold as souvenirs by his racist white murderers. The generational truth that Cinque's remarkable, chilling story lives on beyond the relic flap of that lynching. America today is the reason AMISTAD must live another generation in hopes that we try to do better.

In the palpable words of Debbie Allen, the inhumanity of slavery in America was put on trial. When Joseph Cinque courageously and unselfishly challenged America's Declaration of Independence, its Constitution, its President of the United States, its abolitionists, its Supreme Court, and the Queen of Spain, the entire world watched. The truth about America's slave system was revealed. That truth must continue to be discussed and explored and remembered from one generation to the next. AMISTAD, therefore, should never die on a bookshelf or in history. AMISTAD forces Joseph Cinque's story into eternity. The pictures and quotes in this fine moviebook should continue to shame and inspire all of us today to paint a better existence for all mankind.

Ask a man of extraordinary intellectual power who is equally creative such as Steven Spielberg to define "truth" and he will show you it in living color page after page, clip after clip. You will beg to discover it over and over again because AMISTAD commands that type of loyalty to tell our story repeatedly to our children, black and white. Readers will gain a different perspective on "Give Us Free" each time. You will cry your own script to the young and help keep Cinque's purpose alive to make life better. The truth not only sets us all free, it keeps us free. AMISTAD is indeed truth.

The post list of additional reading resources about Amistad for both the young and the old are an integral part of this masterpiece.

Reviewed by Swaggie Coleman
for The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

The intercut of the church & prison was strange yet wonderful. The abolitionists gave Yomba an illustrated Bible and he gave his heart to Jesus[alternate version]. Cinque was the man who subsequently gave his life for his clan...Yomba was the informer who died beside Cinque in remorse. Cinque did what he did because he had to.

Just like his film on it, Steven Spielberg's work on this book, "Amistad: 'Give Us Free'", was well-executed. It reminds one of Alex Haley's "Roots". Both stir emotions. Every bit of the story shows how cruel a man can be to his fellow man. And, I disagree with all those who term this true story "a story of illegally enslaved Africans", (Mr Spielberg didn't). We are shying away from the truth, which is that no African, (not even one), was a legal slave. There is nothing that made one slave legal, and the other illegal. There is no legality in slavery. Absolutely! That treacherous and heartless people overpowered, kidnapped, and transported, (in the most inhumane manner), their fellow human beings to America and other places does not, in any way, make those victims of inhumanity "legal slaves". Regardless of all the face-saving tales that those who defiled our lands with the innocent blood, tears, and sweat of millions of Africans will like us to believe, the truth is that not even a single African volunteered to become a slave in any circumstance. They were all forced into it: with no option but death. Those who ripped and enjoyed the bloodied fruits of slavery merely sought cheap excuses in order to justify what they did. But we know that there is nothing legal in kidnapping and subjecting human beings to such a horrible condition.
'La Amistad' tells a soul-eroding story. Cinque and his cohorts are true heroes. They are heroes of freedom, heroes of justice, and heroes of human rights. Songs have been composed about them. Books have been written about them. Films have been made about them. And, history will forever appreciate their gallantry.

Put yourself in the shoes of the victims of slavery. Allow yourself to really, really feel what it would be like to have every aspect of your culture, values, language stripped from you. Imagine having to sit by while someone rapes your wife, mother, 11 year old daughter. Imagine having to eat an animal which you have been taught is poison. Imagine not having freedom to marry and having to watch your baby being driven away in a wagon, never being seen again, because one man has taken it upon himself the right to sell another. Sit there, close your eyes and then you will be brought into a deeper understanding of the people of the Amistad.

"THE BEST!", Its inspiring on one's will to keep himself and other Africans from the early slave trade which destroyed many families in America. Exciting effort to fight in a foreign country without knowing its language or laws. Very forth right in telling truth of American's untold "ugly" slave trade and what slave traders were willing to do just to keep it alive. Amistad's truth about slavery was very emotional, determined to express the will of any free man who's fighting williness to remain a free soul. A Heartfelt story about a lone struggle for Africans coming to America for the first time and having to face the ugliness of slavery, this was not right and should not have happened. All wasn't lost in the end and my true thanks to the many allies: former President - John Q. Adams, Mr(s) Baldwin, Gibbs, and former slave Joadson for their unyeilding efforts to abolish this ugly sore(slavery) which infested deep within America. I truely loved this story, because it was simply "THE BEST!" Also, thanks to Alex Pate and Steven Spielberg and the many others for bring out this ugly hidden part of America's history, I never knew this happened. This could have been me and I cried when I saw the movie. "THE BEST...."

Hunchback of Notre Dame is one of my favorite Disney classics. This book is a must-have for Disney fans and those who loved the film. The pages have rarely seen actual artwork and production stills(pictures of scenes form the movie) and stunning artwork of medeavile Paris. From page to page there are artwork of the characters from the film and details on who animated them and you'll see concept art of the characters, backgrounds and actual storyboards. Some pages fold-out to reveal storyboards from certain scenes.

If you loved the Hunchback of Notre Dame or is a Disney fan, then I would recommend this book to you. You would definitly read this book again and again. The artwork is so stunningly gorgeous that you just can't look at it without your jaw dropping.

This book can be compared to others such as "The Art of The Lion King" or "Prince of Egypt: New Vision in Animation," which are both great to own. Even if you're not a fan of the movie, this book still overflows with beautiful artwork: concept sketches, background paintings (which are my personal favorite), production stills, and many other treats. It also talks a bit about the making of the film, including the animation department's trip to Paris.
Of course, this book is a must-have for Disney fans, but for those interested in animation in general, this is definetely worth getting.

im actually 14 but still lol x
This film is yes for kids but has a whole different story under the main one , its about what makes a monster and what makes a man. That yes one may look like a man but inside hes the monster where as quasi is a true man inside.

The focus of this book was certainly ART, as it provides stunning pictures of Mideval Paris from historical archive that Disney artists meticulously researched before finalizing the background scenery. We also get a glimpse of the profiling of the psychology of each character, and their interaction that drives the story. However, at this price, I wish that they had CD-ROM version that catered to the sophisticated fans of animation art who are very interested in all of the gory technical details.

Like Rebello's previous "Art of" books (Lion King and Pocahontas), this one is a joy to look at, but it's missing one thing. I wish it had more about the characters' voices. Often the actor or actress who voices a character influences the visual development of that character. The animator may model the character after the actor, or he or she may take one particular gesture from the actor and incorporate it into the character (like Belle - she kept brushing that lock of hair away from her face because her voice, Paige O'Hara, did the same thing). So including some information about the voices behind the characters would provide even more insight for those of us clamoring to know about how an animated film is made. But even with this one flaw, the book is gorgeous, especially the production stills of the interior of Notre Dame. And the concept art is great - sometimes it's wildly different from what actually shows up on screen, so you get a look at the evolution process. Oh - don't skip the index. The illustrations of how animators let off steam are hysterical! My favorite - "Quasi and Harriet". So, if you're a fan of Disney animation, get this!

THE BOOK DESIGN AND CLASSY JACKET ALONE ARE WORTH THE MONEY. LOVED THE MOVIE. THE ONLY PROBLEM THAT I HAVE IS THAT THEY DON'T PUT ENOUGH COHERENT STORYBOARDS INTO THE CONTENT. ALSO, THE NIGHTCRAWLER'S MOCK-UP CIRCUS POSTER DON'T REALLY GIVE ANY ADDITIONAL VALUE OVER THE BOOK'S GENERAL CONTENT.

My first impression was WOW! This book captures the essence of the movie. It's great to see the story boards it just makes you remember every scene of this excellent movie. It's obvious all the crew involved in X2 cared a lot about details and art and this book crowns it. The addition of the movie script is great, i think we fans love to read the original script to see what scenes didnt make it to the final and wonder what they looked like (if they add them in the DVD it would be fantastic). The quality of this book is absolutely great. Beautiful pictures in every page you turn. A must to every X2 fan.

Being new to the world of the X-men, this book has everything to offer for the die hard fan. The Beautiful black hardcover (not to mention its wonderful slipcover with the entire cast on front) is amazing! The book is filled with illistrations, costume drawings, stroyboards, idea drawings of the proposed danger room, characther bios, and the best part...the complete movie script of X2! Well worth buying. I would suggest any fan to buy to add to his/her collection.

An astounding companion to the film, this book should be on every X-fan's wish list, and probably on that of anyone interested in how a real two-hour block of entertainment is made. There is real heart in this film--it stands out from most summer blockbusters as a simple, non-preachy statement on tolerance, gorgeously wrapped up in the craftsmanship of thousands of film artists, performers, computer graphic artists, and editors. It's a work of art, a rollicking ride, and this book is a terrific tide-me-over for anyone yearning to own the film on DVD in the future.

If you are looking for concept art, production stills and behind the scenes photography, this is the book.

The book goes in chronological order, for the most part, and shows the concept drawings and paintings, the storyboard sketches (and text), and places them next to finished photography of the sets and characters, which gives you a great idea of how the concepts are turned into reality.

It takes you into character development for all of the major characters, with concept art to final film stills. The characters covered are: Nightcrawler (with a great full page poster of "the amazing nightcrawler"), Charles Xavier, Wolverine, Jean Grey, Cyclops, Rogue, Storm, Pyro, Magneto, Mystique, Mutant 143, and Lady Deathstrike. Most characters have only 2 pages each, but Nightcrawler, Mystique, Wolverine, Mutant 143, and Lady Deathstrike have multiple pages which show sketches and final photography.

The locations/sets covered in the book are: the White House, X-Mansion, Cerebro, Plastic Prison, X-Jet, Alkali Lake, and Stryker's Base.

This book is 100% filled with great content: drawings, photos, and storyboards, along with a section on the special effects. I wish it were twice as big, but everything in the book is awesome.

Wow! The Avant-Garde Finds Andy Hardy is the best book on film that has ever been published. Ray's use of Andy Hardy is a perfect vehicle for understanding film in general. This book's scholarship is deep without being obscure or boring in any way. Ray's clear writing allows even the most novice reader to understand his most profound ideas. Yet, serious cinema afficadadios still have a great deal to learn from this master. Ladies and Gentlemen, Harvard publishes this book for a reason. The Avant-Garde Finds Andy Hardy is film study at its best.

I HAVE taken Mr. Ray's courses, and this book is an excellent introduction to his methods and viewpoints. Mr. Ray's ideas are the sort that should change film thought for the better.

I am a film student from Australia and Ray's book 'A Certain Tendency of the Hollywood Film' was one of the best texts I have read on American cinema. I haven't read this, his more recent book yet but want to deperately. I live in Japan and would like to know its availablity.

Though this text is certainly an excellent attempt at rethinking the problems in which film studies has become trapped, it is also a useful model for new approaches within the wider disciplines of English and cultural studies. Top notch and very readable!!

i attend the institution where ray teaches, while i have not taken any of his classes, i have read this book and i must say it is by far the most enjoyable "theory" book i have ever read. ray uses andy hardy movies as a base for discourse on both the "meaning" and value of film studies, as well as links current theorists (derrida,barthes, etc.) within the avant-garde of surrealism. a great intro to film theory, narrative analysis, or for anyone interested in ways of teaching courses outside of tradtitonal cirriculum. abc....method included arp...........arp...........arp!!!!!!!!

Twelve O'Clock High! is the story of the 8th U.S. Army Air Force in England during World War II. Written by authors Beirne Lay and Sy Bartlett, both original staff officers of the 8th Air Force, this novel draws heavily from actual experiences of airmen in battle and their commanders on the ground. This is "must reading" for any serious aviation enthusiast or historian, as the book weaves a spell-binding and realistic tale of drama, action, and human suffering. A chronicle of patriotism, Twleve O'Clock High! is the novel of America's "Gettysburg in the Sky."

I have read this book two to three times a year since 1968, and just finished it again. The one copy I have had over the years has fallen apart, and the book is rubber banded together.

This title should be required reading in Jr Hi to teach children what americans have been through to become the people we are today,as will as to salute this "Greatest Generation". The characters are three dimentional, and touch you like no others will again. When I read this book, it is like sitting down and visiting with an old friend. I will never get tired of this tale. This story is one that will live forever in your heart.

Twelve O'Clock High is, of course, one of the best works of fiction about the air war in Europe ever to be published. But that is not why it's still required reading at America's service academies. The book is a fascinating study in the psychology of command and commanders. It explores the satisfaction of command - taking a dispirited air group and turning it around to become the point of the 8th Air Force's aerial spear, and changing a group of crybabies into a disciplined, proud unit. It also shows the price in human lives and mental anguish inflicted upon a commanding officer who must, time and again, order his men into battle with the certain knowledge that some of them won't be coming back. It further offers hints on how a commanding officer can deal with the stress he must needs inflict upon himself, and shows clearly the fine line a leader walks between familiarity and emotional disassociation. In some ways the book is almost a roman a clef, particularly in the characters of Savage, Bishop and McIlhenney, with the action itself a composite of various air actions, including the notorious "Black Thursday" raid of October,1943 on the Schweinfurt ball bearing works. But for all that, it's still a compelling read for all who are interested in what makes miltary leaders tick. This book cannot be recommended too highly, and it is so superior to the movie that there is no comparison. I rate it as a "must-read."

Lt.Col.Beirne Lay, Jr. USAAF flew B-17 combat missions in the European Theatre in World War II. He created the 918th Bomb Group by putting together his unit the 91st Bomb Group and the 8th Air Force. Brig. Gen. Frank Savage was based on the real Brig. Gen. Frank Armstrong. After World War II Lay and writer Sy Barlett wrote the novel and the 1949 Screen Play 12'O CLOCK HIGH. This book is excellent.

Lt.Col.Beirne Lay, Jr. USAAF flew B-17 combat missions in the European Theatre in World War II. He created the 918th Bomb Group by putting together his unit the 91st Bomb Group and the 8th Air Force. Brig. Gen. Frank Savage was based on the real Brig. Gen. Frank Armstrong. After World War II Lay and writer Sy Barlett wrote the novel and the 1949 Screen Play 12'O CLOCK HIGH. This book is excellent.

This book is a classic tale of love and devotion. Belle gives up her freedom for her father, and is willing to do it again for the Beast whom she once hated. A woderful retelling of the French folktale.

Beauty and the beast is a wonderful story where a unique twist in fairytales comes to play. Most fairytales of this era portrayed women as inferior characters that are weak, stupid and easily manipulated by male characters in the story, but beauty and the beast is just the opposite, where the woman,(Beauty), is smart, intellegent and strong. This story gives young children good values, such as beauty is on the inside and not the outside, not to judge a book by it's cover, and that women are a strong and equal counterpart in society.

Beauty and the Beast is a great story about a girl named Belle who lives with her father Maurice who was an inventor. When one night Maurice gets lost and ends up at this castle and what he doesn't know is that a beast lives there. I liked this story because it's very entertaining and interesting. A good part in the story was when Belle made the decision to live with the Beast. The lesson this book gives is don't judge anything by its appearance, it might be something completely different on the inside. The age level for this book would be ages 4 and up.

I love this book! Even though I am in the seventh grade,I read the book all the time, and all the other classics Disney makes.Fairytales-I love them especially when everything come out great! Buy this book well it last cause it is sure worth it! ô¿ô @-}--

Walt Disney?s Beauty and the Beast Read-Aloud storybook is one of the best I?ve seen. Not too long and not too short ? this story is great to read at bedtime or anytime. Illustrations are taken directly from the Disney movie. My preschooler and toddler love the enchanted objects in the castle (especially when I try to sing ?Be Our Guest?). I love the message is presents ? loving someone for his inner beauty. I highly recommend it for little princesses ? and princes - everywhere.

Although BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER had been a first rate show from its inception, it was during the shows based upon the scripts that it started moving towards something approaching genuine greatness. Before these shows, it had been a superb series, but after these it became something considerably more. The most unbelievable thing is that as great as these six episodes (well, five of them anyway) are, the ones following were even greater, so great as to place Buffy among the greatest shows in the history of the genre, and arguably the greatest. The two episodes following these six would be ?Surprise? and ?Innocence,? and from that moment on Buffy would exist on an artistic level unmatched on television.

?Lie to Me? was written by Joss Whedon, and as fine as many previous shows had been, it is one of the first truly great moments in the series. Billy Fordham, played by Jason Behr (who would shortly after this achieve television stardom playing an alien in ROSEWELL), an ex-boyfriend of Buffy?s from L.A., shows up unexpectedly in Sunnydale. Eventually we learn that he is, in fact, dying, and has cut a deal with Spike and his crew to turn the Slayer over to them in exchange for being made a vampire. The episode has many funny moments (such as when Angel, Xander, and Willow go to a faux vampire club, and Angel remarks that none of them know anything about vampires, including how they dress, when a wannabe walks by dressed exactly like Angel), but even more poignant moments, like when Ford explains to Buffy his reasons for betraying her.

?The Dark Age? was written by Dean Batali and Rob DesHotel, who co-wrote a number a number of episodes of Buffy during the first two seasons. This is the best script they produced. Ethan Rayne, to whom we were introduced in ?Halloween,? makes his second appearance in the series. By far the most interesting aspect of the show is the way that we manage to learn more about Giles background, all the way to learning that his former mates had called him ?Ripper.? I enjoyed the few episodes that featured Ethan Rayne, and was always perplexed that he appeared in only four shows??Halloween? and this episode in Season Two, ?Band Candy? in Season Three, and ?A New Man? in Season Four. There was talk on a couple of occasions of Anthony Stewart Head doing a show set in England based on ?Ripper,? and if he had, I?m sure Robin Sachs would have been his ?Lex Luthor.?

?What?s My Line?? is a phenomenal two parter, and is notable not merely for introducing Kendra, the second slayer, but for the writing debut of the great Marti Noxon, who would become one of the greatest writers in the run of the show as well as co-executive producer, eventually running things when Joss Whedon ceased the day-to-day overseeing of the show. She co-wrote the first half with Howard Gordon, and then wrote the second by herself. One of the major themes of Buffy during the first two seasons was her hesitancy to embrace her calling as slayer. Although she wouldn?t fully accept the role until the first show of the third season (?Anne?), these two episodes stress her reluctance to be the Slayer more than any other shows prior to them (and even after ?Anne,? although she has accepted who she is, she struggles against her fate). These are exceptionally well-written shows, and one can engage in endless discussion the Kendra/Buffy relationship. Kendra, unlike Buffy, has completely accepted her fate, and while Buffy can never be like Kendra, she does learn from her to accept her calling.

?Ted? (written by David Greenwalt and Joss Whedon) is not as strong on paper as it ended up being onscreen. Although it is a first rate script, John Ritter absolutely nailed the part of the psychotic robot Ted, and turned in one of the most memorable guest appearances in the entire history of the show. This is the episode that contains Giles famous quote about subtext rapidly becoming text. No other show in the history of TV has ever contained lines as clever as that one.

?Bad Eggs? was Marti Noxon?s third contribution to the show, and unfortunately perhaps the weakest script she ever did. One of the most amazing thing about the Second Season is that while the strong episodes established it as one of the great shows in the history of television, it nonetheless had a surprising number of pretty rotten episodes. Also, some of the strongest shows are preceded by the weakest. Just as ?Becoming? would later be preceded by ?Go Fish,? so ?Surprise? is preceded by ?Bad Eggs.? This might be an accident, but I doubt it. I suspect they realized it was a weak script, and wrapped the season-long story arcs around it. After this season, each season had considerably fewer weak episodes.

These six scripts show Buffy, which was already a very good show, in the process of becoming a great one. The scripts that immediately follow the ones in this collection are arguably as strong a group of scripts as any show in the history of television.

This was the first scriptbook I bought and I was really excited to read it. Some of the dialouge was wrong but most of it was correct. The episodes were spectacular and immediatly I got my freinds togethar and we acted it out.

Its been about 3 months and my script book is starting to curl at the ends. :( But thats alright because its still in good condition .... I dont know why I'm telling you this ...

If you love to act this is for you!! This is ALL SCRIPT!! Unlike, Once More With Feeling -- this is a bit of a better buy. :)

This was the first Buffy script book I ever bought and I thought it was pretty good. I could now act it out with my friends (I was always Buffy he he ) and stuff. The only problem was that it was the original script and some of the dialouge wasn't right. (as you will see with all the other Buffy scripts) but I think its totally worth your money!! Its brilliant! Awesome! Amazing! You'll capture Buffy, Drusilla, Spike, Angel, Kendra, Willow, Xander and GILES' humor, peronsality and everything that makes Buffy great!! BUY IT BEFORE THE RUN OUT!! ITS THE BEST!!!

This book is great for fans who haven't seen the first six episodes of the second season. It gives the lines and stage directions to them so you feel like you've seen the actual episode. It even includes scenes which may have been removed from the original episode.

This book chronicles the first arrival of Spike, whom is now an important character. It also has "Halloween" which includes some funny stage directions from Joss Whedon.

If you haven't seen the beginning of the second season of Buffy or if you want in-depth information on the episodes' scripts, you should definately buy this book.

I happen to like "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and I love reading through the scripts when I'm bored with watching the same episodes over and over. Its just nice to be able to read.

I love this book and I'm so glad I found it again.I had one when my son was little (18 now!) and we lost it so I was thrilled to find it on Amazon since I have a toddler once again!It's so sweet and the little rhyming page is adorable.Who doesn't love Kermit?

We tried for a long time to get our daughter to give up the bottle at nap time. Since she never took a pacifier or had a special toy or blanket, this was very hard for her to give up as it was her only "comfort" for nap times. She loved this book, having me read it to her again and again. We followed saying bye, bye to the bottle just like they did in the book - making an event of boxing them up and saying bye, bye. She felt very proud making the decision that she was a big girl and it made what had been a such a hard thing, much easier!

I bought this book for my daughter who is 191/2 months old. She was still taking a nightime bottle. The day this book came we read it several times. The next day I asked her if she was ready to say "Bye Bye Bottle" and she said she was. We packed up the bottles as Kermit does in the book and said bye bye to each one. She has not had a bottle in almost three weeks!

For a long time "Bye Bye Diapers" was my favorite Muppet Babies story (I could recite it in at least three languages) but this book has grown on me until it threatens to overtake that tale.

"Bottle" features Kermit, who--although Ms. Piggy would no doubt argue the point--has always been the leader of the late Jim Henson's muppets. Kermit loves his bottle, and although the motivation seems a bit shallow, he has an epithany of sorts midway through the book and decides to try drinking from a glass. Realistically, it would be wise proceed slowly, perhaps moving up to a sippy cup, but of course Kermit is a dreamer and, by the end of the story, imagines that soon he will be drinking from any cup he chooses. Don't each of us have these kinds of simple, distilled dreams? When I think of my own personal quest to become a top-ranked reviewer at ..............--how impossible that seems at times, particularly since my reviews don't seem to get published--the story of the little frog who dares to dream of drinking like a grownup never fails to inspire me to charge on toward that distant horizon!

I bought this book and read it to my 26 month old daughter. She only took a bottle at night and I told her she was a big girl now and she needed to say bye bye to the bottle. I read her this book twice and handed her a bottle of water instead of milk and she looked at me and I said bye bye bottle. She said bye bye and has never had one since that night. It was so easy I wish I had done it long ago. Now she even sleeps all night!

My grandaughter, under 2, wants me to read it everyday. The pictues in the text teaches her the beginning skills to reading. The stickers are rewards when she is able to read the picture.

My daughter, Skyelar, spent all morning putting little red polk a dots all over Caillou! She thought it was so funny-anything that encourages my child to read, it's so important!

Most American kids won't ever get this disease now that it's part of routine immunization, so it does make the book seem a little dated. But the kids don't know that, and they certainly can relate to being sick. Caillou comes down with a fever, followed by chicken pox and lots of hot baths. Mommy puts red stickers on his dinosaur so that it "has chicken pox too." At the end, Caillou gets better and gives his dinosaur to his sister Rosie, who of course has caught the chicken pox from him. This is a sweet, real story that even a young child can enjoy...my son is two and he loves it. The stickers are unnecessary...the age of kids who would enjoy this book won't be putting them in the "right" places (but they can be a fun art project).

My daughter sleeps with this book every night. I've had to repair the cover and pages so many times that I've lost count because she's worn it out so fast! A nice story that helps kids get over some of the fear of being sick.

My 2 yr. old daughter loves Caillou and was very happy with this book when she opened it on Christmas. She loves the stickers but has taken them off the correct spots and placed them in other areas. I wish they stayed where you put them the first time.

gave this book to my 30-month old nephew, and he had me read it to him at least 7 times the first day. he absolutely loves this book, and will not look at other books while this is in his view.

If you are like me, you'll be humming the theme song of Sesame Street to yourself as you read this book. The book provides a remarkable set of images about finding Sesame Street that will be conjured up every time you hear the theme song. The story provides great support for the fun of books, and trusting to your purpose despite apparent hurdles to overcome. As such, it will be an important contribution to your library of beginning reader books. The book's fine illustrations help reinforce the words in the story, to make learning to read easier, and to make the story more fun to read.

The book opens with Elmo surrounded by books.

"Elmo likes books."

"Fat books. Funny books. Bat books. Bunny books. Bear-in-the-chair books. Kite-in-the-air books."

With this beginning, the story quickly takes Elmo on a wonderful kite adventure. I liked this approach very much because it shows how books can be the launching pad for many interesting thoughts and experiences. Further, you can use your imagination to build on what's in the books. The bulk of the story then involves what happens when Elmo's kite pulls him off the ground and into the air. How will he get back to Sesame Street?

By suggesting that this could be a pretend adventure, it also takes the potential fright out of the story for many children. If your child is easily upset by danger, you may want to wait until she or he can be more objective before introducing this story.

In the course of the adventure, many strange and unexpected things occur. But Elmo is always flexible and imaginative. As a result, the results of challenges turn out well. You can use this story as a metaphor for how life tends to be in talking with your child. We all have to realize that the unexpected is usually just around the corner.

After you have read the book several times, encourage your child to read the repeated words like "books" aloud when they appear. This will help with decoding words and letters. Like many excellent beginning readers, this book features lots of that valuable repetition. There are a number of situations where only one letter is different (as in "there" and "where"). When your child is ready, help him or her to differentiate between them and to then read the two aloud to you when they appear in the story.

Build reading skill through repetition within the context of an interesting and entertaining story like this one!

My son (30 months old) falls in love with this book. He loves to know about the adventures of Elmo, pretend the animals in the book, such as duck, frog, elephant to tell Elmo how to get to Seseame Street. This book captures the imagination of the my little boy.

Both my two year old and 4 year old love this book. Elmo's kite adventure keeps little ones turning the pages. My kids just love Elmo and loved this simple fun and easy to read book.

This adorable learning book opens with Elmo surrounded by many books and we read one statement on the first page.
"Elmo likes books."
He then goes on to tell us what kind of books he likes,
"Fat books. Funny books. Bat books. Bunny books. Bear-in-the-chair books. Kite-in-the-air books."
This is great, as it shows children books are wonderful and since Elmo likes books, just maybe they should like them as well. Good beginning.

Elmo decides to go fly a kite, but when the kite takes him up in the air, the adventure begins. How will he get back to Sesame Street? Elmo looks up and down and what does he see? Finally Elmo lands in the back of the truck and meets many wonderful characters, and shows his imagination in the events that follow on his journey back to Sesame Street.
Great illustrations and an adventerous read.One your children will enjoy over and over again.