English Books

"Beautiful Joe" is a wonderful story. It was given to me in the late 50's when I was about 10 years old, and I think I read it three times. It's always amazed me that so few others know of it. But it is a beautiful and enriching story especially suitable for a 9-12 year old child who loves dogs. It is very sad (and distrubing) in the beginning, however, so I would never recommend it for a young child.

I read this book countless times when I was a child in the 1950s; I was delighted to find it still in print and even more delighted to find that it is as moving and meaningful as ever. Today's children may find the language somewhat formal and will need to broaden their vocabularies, but they and their parents will find the small effort well worth it.

I love this book. Everyone should read it young or old. Beautiful Joe and the rest of the animals will touch your heart. I have never read this book without crying at the end.

I am not reviewing the edition but rather the book...and it is...of utmost excellence. Although written for its time period, it is something one can read now and enjoy...Beautiful Joe captures your heart, makes you share his opinions, memories and feelings...then leaves you wanting more.

Just thought I should say something. =)

I first read this story as a Whitman abridged edition when I was about eight years old. It was hard for me to believe that some people were so cruel to animals, but I loved the book's old-fashioned narration and of the adventures of and lessons learned by Miss Laura and her family in raising Joe. The moment I learned what the word "abridged" meant, I went looking for the complete story; it took me a long time to find this Applewood Books edition that included three of the farm chapters that were missing from the supposedly complete version I later purchased, and oddly, the Applewood edition is missing the chapter about the crow that is in some other editions. (I believe this is because the Applewood volume is a reprint of the original story and the chapter about the crow was added in a revised edition.) The story is full of memorable characters, both animal--Joe, Jim the spaniel, Billy the fox-terrier, Bella the parrot--and human--Miss Laura, Ned, Willie, Jack, and Cousin Harry. If you are tender of heart, you may find many scenes heart-rending, but it reminds us too that we have much to still work on in the area of animal cruelty.

Ratha's creature opens up a whole new world of cats. Long before the Warrior cat series, lived Ratha and her tribe. This book is full of adventure and suspense for any age. I couldn't put it down. Make sure to buy this one first and while you are at it, order the other three so you won't have to stop in the middle of this great adventure. If you love the Warrior Series you will love Ratha's Creature!

I am a cat person. I happen to believe that all cat people would enjoy this book, given they like a good infusion of adventure. Clare Bell brilliantly reimagines a prehistory where sentient cats are suggested as being the top species and a cat called Ratha dares to experiment fire. The writing here is top-notch and vivid with description that never gets too flowery. These are cats, but they are not cute and cuddly--think cousins of the saber-toothed cats. Bell gives their characters a wonderful blend of humanity and pure cat instinct. I don't know if I would consider this children's literature, but rather something anyone could read. Wonderful pick for any lover of fantasy adventure.

I have read many feline fantasies,but none of them touch this one.It is better than the Warriors books,and I think that older Warriors fans will love this book.The harsh landscape and the complicated,realistic characters are wonderful!A word of warning,though:this is not a cutsey kitty book.Ratha's Creature is a very deep,allegorical,and thought provoking book.Some of the raw,savage images(mating,wounding a cub,death by fire)may be too much for younger,sensitive readers.I would reccomend this book for mature teens who will be able to understand and enjoy this magnificent,powerful book.Well done,Clare Bell!!

The Named Series is a collection that has survived in the hearts of readers for decades, inspiring fanart, fanfiction, and more. Here is the book that started it all - Ratha's Creature, an epic, memorable tale of strife, forgiveness, and triumph. This novel resurrects an ancient world and delivers in full detail, the savage brutality endured by those of arcane laws, a code of claws and fangs - while thrusting into harsh, honest light, what it means to question and discover the meaning of 'Self Awareness'.
Lion King worshipers, Warriors devotees, Animal enthusiasts - you have not stalked the feline path, until you have unearthed these treasures.

For more information, copy and paste the following links:

Clare Bell's official domain:
www.rathascourage.com
For an exclusive look including fanart, fanfiction, and more visit Trails Of Conquest:
www.trailsofconquest.webs.com
For Named (Ratha) Series Cat Role Play (rp) stop by Into The Mist:
www.intothemistrp.webs.com

I am a huge cat fan and I can't believe that this book has existed for so long without my knowledge! I loved it from the very beginning and the story drew me in. I quickly ordered the other books to read. Any adventure or cat fan should read this book. If you do not love cats or do not have a fasination with animals you will soon. The book, while fictional is very realisitic and the characters are very wild and "animal-like." I cannot wait to read more. I genuinely feel the loss of one character in particular...sigh. Read this book! It is a great escape. Welcome to Ratha's world.

Definitely Scarry's best work and one of the few books I vividly remember from my childhood. It is a great introduction to geography and world cultures. At 3, my son was able to identify shapes of countries, flags and traditional clothing from around the world.

Very fun anthology of numerous 2-page stories from around the world. Charming detailed pictures, culturally relevant backdrops.

Publishers: Please renew licenses for this and reprint it! I've bought "busy, busy town" and "mother goose" as gifts only because this one is out of print.

Wow! I can't belive this book is not in print. I loved it as a kid and was hoping to get one for my new baby. My sisters and I loved reading this stories. It's too bad we don't have our old copy. Publishers, please bring this book back!!

This is my Favorite book from when I was a child. I still have my torn up copy at home and when I feel really sick I make my Dad read it to me.

Still reading my childhood copy to my 3 kids. The 10 year old, all full of attitude and desire for adult fare, just said the other day, "That's still one of my favorite books." The 4 year old could read it every night.

Amazingly, I don't remember knowing who Couscous was in the street scene until reading it to them and noticing the clue in the next scene.

I have an original copy of this book, which my children, esp. the youngest, LOVED. His daughter is turning one year old and they've asked everyone to pick out a favorite book for a gift (as they are inundated w/more clothes, toys, etc. than they will ever need).
His wife asked him if he had a favorite book as a child, and this was it!
Despite it's being read SO many times, it's in really good condition and is the 1965 edition, which I now know is long out of print.
So, this will be a gift for her from grandma & grandpa... though she likely won't handle it herself for a while!

The book is a great cautionary tale for young and old. The art work, beautifully spooky.

Ah, what a spectacular combination. The breath-taking artwork of DiTerlizzi with the sing-song poem-with-a-moral of Howitt. The art adds a new dimension to the already incredible poem with a noir style that is intricate and revealing to the story--not a distraction to Howitt's incredible poem. I only hope younger readers aren't turned off by the old-school voice.

This book is great! The illustrations are so impressive that even though they only black and white your children will love them. We spend time on each page just looking over the illustration each time we find something we didn't see before. And the story, WOW! This story is a must for every little girl. The story teaches young girls not to be niave and believe every little flattering word someone is telling you. In the end all that sweet talk may just be fooling you so someone else can get what they want, like the spider getting the fly. I will be reading this book more often to my daughters as they get older!

This style of the book reminds me of Edward Gorey. The illustrations are fabulous, if the matter is a bit dark. I have bought this for numerous friends after finding it at a unique bookstore in Portland, OR. Everyone who reads it ends up loving it.

wonderful story with a twist at the end. Wonderful illustrations. Don't in an old spooky way.

This Bible was recommended to us by our Pastor. It is a great Bible to read to your kids because it explains in kid friendly language and illustrations God's redemptive plan through Scripture. It is also a very accurate and God centered/honoring Bible for kids...it has been great for my daily Bible reading time with my 3 (& even 9) yr old girls.

It has also been very useful for our Sunday school classes for young children that is currently going through John Piper's young children curriculum. It is one of the few (if not the only) Bibles that we can use in conjunction with the curriculum because he encourages the teacher to paraphrase/retell/rewrite Scripture to ensure that it is God centered and age appropriate for the younger kids to understand along with the lessons---THANK YOU for writing/creating such a wonderful Bible!

Congratulations go to author David Helm, illustrator Gail Schoonmaker and the good people at Crossway Books for putting out a book that I have read more than fifteen times this year!

If I could pick only one story Bible for my children,The BIg Picture Story Bible would be the one.

Other Bible story books turn Old Testament stories into moralistic lessons. Joseph? Share your toys. Daniel? Stand up for Jesus. David? Be courageous. If these moralisms are your idea of a children's Bible, you probably won't like The Big PIcture Story Bible.

But if you are like me and you have long hoped for a book that teaches children the biblical story from Creation to New Creation - a book that anticipates Jesus in the Old Testament and makes his crucifixion and resurrection the proper climax of the New Testament - then this book is for you.

This book is pure gold. Even the illustrations convey a message. The artist thoughtfully and strategically places a "star" upon God's chosen representative, from Abraham to Isaac, from Jacob to David and Solomon. There are future glimpses of Jesus throughout the Old Testament.

The story itself contains one central plot aim: "God's people in God's place under God's rule." This theme provides direction for every story in the book.

The Bible stories are told creatively. Take for instance the preface to Jesus' birth:

Caesar, the Roman ruler, the king of the whole Roman world, began counting all his people to show everyone how great he was. What Caesar did not know was that... God, the world's true ruler, the king of the universe, was getting ready to show everyone how great he was. And do you know how God was going to do this? Not like Caesar... not proudly, by counting all his people, but humbly, by becoming one of his people.

Some stories might be more abbreviated than you expect. (David and Goliath receives two pages within a longer passage about how God keeps his promises to his people. The prophet Daniel is only mentioned in the context of his prayers for the Messiah.) But whereas some of the excitement of individual stories gets left out, the growing anticipation of God's people being under God's rule more than compensates.

The Big Picture Story Bible does not shy away from theology. Of course, theological concepts are kept simple for children, but the author takes great care in pointing to Jesus through the Exodus, the kings, the prophets - reaching back to past events to fill in the meaning of the atonement. All of the stories ultimately point ahead to Jesus.

I fully expect that The Big Picture Story Bible will one day be considered a classic Storybook for children. I cannot recommend it highly enough. Our son loves it, and we do too. It has been a tremendous addition to our library.

I teach kindergarten and this book has been a huge blessing. The students I teach have very low English proficiency and they just can't focus well without a lot of visuals. The Big Picture Bible has illustrations that cover the entire page and also is a good bit larger than other kids Bibles making it a great tool to use with larger groups. I would recommend this Bible to anyone looking for a good children's Bible, but particularly for teachers looking for a good way to share Bible stories with their classes.

I looked all over for a Bible story book for my younger kids....one that would focus on the point of the Bible, and not just all the individual stories within it. If you are a deductive thinker, or have little deductive thinkers, you will make a much bigger impression in their minds approaching them from this angle. The stories are short--great for the attention span and comprehension of a bright pre-schooler. They leave in just the right amount of details to give your child a framework for what they will learn about God and the Bible as they get older.

We were very pleased with this overview of the Bible for Children. The artwork is beautiful and the story is well written and accurate.

My 2.5 year old daughter and I love this book! Although we skip the page with the dragon, the illustrations, rhyming and story make it fun!
My daughter loves the animals and loves to quote the book. Great reading for all ages.

As a Calif kindergarten teacher and mother of a 3 year old, I love this book. The story is engaging and witty; I find that I'm the one pulling out the book night after night (which also thrills my little one!). As a teacher, I love the rhymes (a challenging concept for my students in the first two months of school) and the predictable pattern keeps the children engaged and thinking about what comes next.

My 3 year old grandson loves this book. Nice art work and a good story. I think this book would be a great addition to any child's library. I was extremely pleased with the book we love reading this together. I hope I can find other nice books like this for him. His mother loved Witches Holiday by Alice Lowe when she was little and I think this is a equal.

This book is just great, entertaining, educating, fun reading and listening. It's a book about building friendship. I'll definitely buy more of her books. (I have a feeling my son will like "The Snail and The Whale" and "Where's My Mom?":) ) The only other book my son loved this much was "Hello! Is This Grandma?" by Ian Whybrow and Deborah Allwrigh but I think I love reading this one better due to the rhymes in it :)

I bought this for my son after getting turned on to Julia Donaldson/Axel Scheffler when I bought The Gruffalo. I have since bought most of their books and I'm usually not disappointed. This book is one of my favorites and also one of my sons favorites to read. He is 18 months old and carries it around with him. Before his naps and bedtime, I always read to him a few different books. Now that he's older, I ask him to bring me books that he wants me to read and this one is regularly brought to me to read. I don't mind at all because the story is really cute and it is a great rhyming "read-aloud" and the illustrations are eye-catching.

The book was used, but in very good shape. I bought it for my ex-mother inlaw, I didn't tell her it was a used book and she never knew otherwise. :)

In this book, a brilliant and sadistic serial killer is targeting Irish immigrants in New York. His methods are sickeningly brutal, and each death is different. With the very first death the killer draws Eve into the mix, calling her to boast about the murder and to give her a riddle to lead her to it.

Evidence points straight to Summerset, Roarke's devoted 'servant' and friend and the bane of Eve's domestic existence. While it quickly becomes obvious he's being set up, proving that in an official capacity is another matter.

While there's a familiar theme here of Eve's cases bringing her into conflict with and causing her to investigate the very people she cares about, it's carried off far better in this volume than in some of the others. Summerset's reasons for distrusting police are extremely well-founded and far too deep-set for him to shake off. The reasons why Eve can figure out that he's innocent but can't easily keep him out of jail are clever and believable.

A new and highly entertaining series character puts in an appearance (McNab, a flamboyant electronics expert with the police force). Eve and Summerset are forced to stretch (and break) their veneer of civility. And Eve and Roarke have to face, and embrace, more of his past than she's even been aware of up until now. There are no easy answers, and their only chance lies in being able to manipulate and outwit a killer who believes he's the instrument of God's vengeance.

The character development is beautiful, the pacing and tension are gripping, and the mystery is fascinating. I highly recommend this volume of Robb/Roberts's in death series.

The J D Robb series has me hooked. I was very happy that Amazon has back copies on had at a reasonable price.

I love this series... you must read it to understand. It's all about a homicide detective named Lt. Eve Dallas and how she goes about solving a case which always seems imposibble to solve at first.

This book is well written. I do not enjoy reviews that give too much of the storyline away, suffice I should say this book does not let me down from the previous Lieutenant Eve Dallas series. However, it will stand-alone, you do not have to read any other book in this series to know what is going on with it. I would not spoil it for you if I were to tell you that the murders start off extremely grisly and get very personal to the investigator. You gotta' love this book because, Lt. Eve will not stop until the killer is found. The suspense kept me going till the end.

I've read a number of books on Zen, which technically can't be written about. Zen Flesh, Zen Bones by Reps and Senzaki is a good example of the pithy stories and poems that teachers use to "point toward the moon" while helping students not to confuse the finger for the moon.

The selection of material and translation are very good.

I have the Shambhala edition. It is a shame that one of the few good-quality translations in Shambhala's Pocket Classics series is out of print. If you can find one you should buy it, because it really can be read again and again and it really does fit in your pocket.

For a different sort of introduction to Zen I recommend D. T. Suzuki's Introduction to Zen Buddhism (An Introduction to Zen Buddhism).

For a fuller treatment it is hard to beat D.T. Suzuki's Essays (Essays in Zen Buddhism: First Series).

This little book was the first popular introduction to Zen in the English language, published by Hawai'ian/ Japanese publisher Tuttle in 1957, compiled from earlier booklets. The date gives the Introduction and the comments a quaint Beat Generation-ish flavour not without its charm.
This was the book that introduced me to Zen at the age of 15: I felt I had discovered a new world, I read and re-read it, carried it around with me, was delighted by the stories, baffled by the koans. Many years later I've lost count of how many copies I've gone through.

It consists of four parts. First, 101 Zen stories, including old favourites that I've since seen in so many other books. Then a translation of the "Mumonkan", the "simplest" of the classic koan anthologies. Then the wonderful "Ox-Herding Pictures", an allegory of the stages of spiritual life from the first inkling that "there must be something more to life" to complete realisation. This by itself is a comprehensive spiritual guide.

The last section is the most surprising: a translation of a brief mediaeval Tantric text called the "Vijñana Bhairava", 112 sentences of spiritual instruction supposedly spoken by the god Shiva to his "consort" Devî. (The introduction attributes a ridiculous antiquity to this text.) Each one of these sublime sentences is a concise spiritual method: you could reach Enlightenment through any one of them if you could develop that "Give me Liberation or give me Death" attitude. What it's doing in a book on Zen I haven't figured out, but it's worth the price of the book by itself.

Shame no-one these days prints cute little paperbacks like the old blue Pelican of this book, which you could stick so easily in your pocket. But it's great to know that it's still in print, still introducing teenagers to the delights and brick walls of Zen, to the suspicion that maybe doors open somewhere in the apparently solid façade of "real life". After fifty years and an avalanche of Zen publications this is still the best Beginners' Guide to Zen, and I recommend it with enthusiasm and huge affection.

Passing in the hot street
once and forever
we - knowingly - smile

Zen Flesh, Zen Bones is a beautiful work. There's no scholastic interference - just straight up Zen stories, koans, etc.

Unassuming and small, the size of the book betrays the depth of its message. Four books in one - 'Zen Stories' originally published in 1939, 'The Gateless Gate' originally published in 1934, '10 Bulls' originally published in 1935, and 'Centering' originally published in 1955.

'Centering' is the last work but of the most importance. It was born through Kasmir Saivism and, as Paul Reps and others feel, it is of the same spirit as Zen. It is a Tantric text, with 112 methods of meditation (which Paul Reps calls 'Centering'), otherwise known as Dharanas. The sanskrit word Dhyana, in its wandering, became Jhana in Pali, Ch'an in Chinese, and Zen in Japanese. Therefore, the last book of Zen Flesh, Zen Bones could be seen as a Zen manual for self-realization. Practicing its techniques while remaining mindful of the spirit of the Zen stories and koans elsewhere in the book will surely guide a sincere seeker home.

This book will stay by my side for years. Strongly recommended for those after a taste of Zen spirit.

This is one of the earliest Zen books available in English. ZEN FLESH, ZEN BONES is not "about" Zen, it "is" Zen. An omnibus of beloved Zen tales ("101 Zen Stories"), the classic ten "Oxherding Pictures," and the "Mumonkan" ("The Gateless Gate") a collection of those ironic, irreverent, and seemingly illogical Zen riddles known as Koans, this book is an excellent, one might say, indispensable, part of any Zen practitioner's library, whether beginner or Dharma Heir.

It's an excellent translation. Zen writings are essentially paradoxical, filled with sense impressions, and sometimes arcane (Koans descended from Chinese law cases of the Confucian period and are still called Cases today). ZEN FLESH, ZEN BONES will not have you tearing your hair out trying to decipher the language of the Zen Masters (given the number of shaven-headed monks, you have to wonder), but it still gives the reader a great sense of the fluidity of thought that marks the material.

There are other books out there that "explain" Zen, or "teach" Zen, but ZEN FLESH, ZEN BONES is the essence of the immediate experience that IS Zen. The recorded version, read by Peter Coyote, is a wonderful listening experience.

Sit with it.

What strikes me as I read many of the reviews here is that most of the reviewers have a truly fond feeling for this book and that many have also read and re-read it over the years. Both of these experiences are true for me too!

"Zen Flesh, Zen Bones" is a collection of Zen tales that touch the heart and mind in the true spirit of Zen.

It was the first book that I ever read about Zen and it is invaluable still. I purchased my first copy in my early college days and over 20 years later I bought this book again, because I had lost my taped up and worn out copy in a move. I simply had to have this book once more, which in a strange way is an Attachment, yet not... which sounds like some half-baked Koan or humorous Zen twist like those that are so wonderful in the stories in this book. ( "What is the sound of one page turning?" )

If I had to choose one book on Zen it would be this one.
There are many, many fine books that delve deeper into the subject of Zen, but "Zen Flesh, Zen Bones" has the friendly essence and simplicity that is Zen. If you had no other introduction to Zen, somehow I think what is in this book would suffice.

The title of the book is no lie, it is telling the truth!

Peace

Regan is desperate for her own life: a good family, a circle of friends, and perhaps even a boyfriend. She wants to feel like her life is normal, except she has to deal with something that she can't tell anybody about. Her brother, Liam, is transgender. He lives his life day to day in a boy's body, but longs to look like the girl he feels like on the inside. Regan keeps the secret, and allows Liam to transform nightly into Luna, but as she gets older, the secret becomes harder and harder to deal with.

This book is told in the point of view of Regan, but I felt her bond with Liam was strong enough to allow us to understand his emotion's as well. I loved the flashbacks that Regan had about her childhood throughout the book. They were strategically placed to allow us a bigger insight in to their lives and struggles.

Luna has a unique storyline when dealing with Liam, but most people can relate in some way to the siblings. Regan and Liam aren't that much different from each other, for they both wish to be loved and accepted. I enjoyed this book immensely and felt that Liam's struggles were dealt with in a nice, realistic way. I only wish that we could continue their story and find out what happens to Regan and Liam in the future. Luna is funny, thought-provoking, and emotional.



More? www.shootingstarsmag.blogspot.com

Luna is a well written description of growing up transgender. I speaks of the complexities and heartbreaks of living in an intolerant world. I would recommend it to anyone who relates to transgender issues.

this was a phenomenal story about struggle and rebirth. the story focuses on a transgendered guy through the eyes of his sister. and quite honestly i didn't go to sleep last night as i read it from start to finish.

the whole story is about how luna (liam's true self) is trapped within liam, and liam is a construction what the most acceptable way he can exist without revealing his true self turns out to be, which throughout the book we are told is like a shell of a person. regan, the sister, has known from a young age that her brother is really a sister and devotes her entire life to keeping up the facade of liam and dealing with luna's problems. as a result regan doesn't really have an identity. both she and luna are repressed 'liam' liam being society's rejection of transgendered individuals, and 'liam' stifles those who know the truth to the point where the death of the individual wouldn't matter because the spirit, their soul, is already dead, crushed by society's rigid rejection. as depressing as that sounds however, this book is a phoenix rising out of the ashes story. for most of the novel everyone rejects luna, even regan and liam as they are more embarrased and wanting to keep luna underground more than anything else. as the story progresses however, luna decides that she needs to make herself known, she needs to break free, so she hesitantly goes about doing this, at first just recognizing this fact, than taking ever growing steps toward freedom. people accept or reject her as this process takes shape, but the only viewpoints the readers focus in on are luna/ liam's and regans. we never hear the final conclusion the other characters come to, which is appropriate as we can fill in our own selves or those we know into those characters, because this is very much an unfinished story as sexism still exists in a huge way today.

for most of the book regan is just used as a lense through which the reader can learn about luna and has no personality or character of her own, but she along with luna, comes to the realization that she has no 'self' because of 'liam' and though she doesn't act on it the way luna does, she gets proddings from the outside world (in the shape of a new guy in school) to bring attention to her own life and not focus everything on luna.

i teared up a few times reading this. everyone has an inner self to let out, it's a struggle we all go through, some more so than others.

I enjoyed the vivid portrayals of the four family members -- mother, father, sister and Luna, the male-to-female transgender teenager. Luna is impatient and exercises poor judgment, just as one would expect of a teenage transgender individual. Luna's younger sister is actually the central character, as she finds herself conflicted, caught in the middle and consumed by Luna's needs, all of which is tough on a shy teenager trying to make her own way through school and relationships. The reader pulls for her every step of the way. Although the book's crisis scene is somewhat predictable, it is still entertaining as it impacts the well-characterized family members. There is even a twist or two at the end to make for a very satisfying read and a sense of completeness, even though Luna's life in many ways is just beginning.

Regan's brother, Liam, is one person by day and another by night. Literally. During the day, he is Liam but during the night, his inner-self comes out in the form of Luna, a girl. She spends the night in her sister's bed room, trying on wigs and clothes.

Regan is the only one who knows about Liam's true identity and she isn't exactly sure how to deal with it. Besides dealing with Liam, she struggles with normal teen problems - boys, grades, and her job.

When I picked up this book, I wasn't sure what to expect. For my local book club, we had to read a book about accepting people and another one of the girls suggested this book to me. I have absolutely no problem with the gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender issue but I wasn't sure if I could handle reading about it in detail, especially not knowing what to expect. However, since I respect Julie Anne Peters as an author (Far From Xanadu is brilliant), I decided to give it a try. I wasn't let down.

This book is great and you should definitely read it as long as transgender doesn't bother you. It doesn't go into too much detail, but explains the struggles of Regan dealing with her older brother whom is truly a girl inside. The characters are believable, the dialogue is great, and the plot is amazing. It's definitely a book you won't want to put down once you start. I read it in less than five hours with a few breaks. Even if you aren't sure you'll like it, give this book a chance!

I loved this one growing up. Really. Amelia Bedelia always choose the funniest possible interpretation of words, and her name rhymes! What's not to love?

The one thing I'd be concerned about is that a lot of the usages in this book are going to be unfamiliar to your young kid. I don't think many of us say "draw the curtains" anymore, and even if we do, we probably don't often talk about "trimming" steak (with or without lace!) or "dressing" chicken, at least, not around our kids. Maybe we should, but we don't.

So this book might be better saved for read-aloud time than read-alone time.

My first grader love that book. He was cracking up and he had so much fun reading this book! He reads it without any help. It is a cute and funny story and if you child doesn't like to read this is a great book to spike an interest in reading.

I remember reading these books years and years ago! I'm in 10th grade and it's been more 5 years since I was in elementary school and yet when I go work at my old school I go back and read them again!

A fun (and funny) book which will delight kids with Amelia's well-intentioned but mistake-laden chores. Kids feel empowered because they are 'smarter' than the character and are able to cheer her on. In the end, Amelia's good deeds overpower any mistakes she makes.

I recommend this book for any child who is beginning to read on their own!

This is surly a kids favorite since I was a little girl! We join Amelia Bedelia as she starts her first day of work for the Rodgers. They rush off shortly after she arrives, but they've left her a list of things to do. Should be a snap, as all the tasks are simple and clearly stated...but that's what you think...Amelia Bedelia begins completing each chore in quite a literal fashion...drawing the drapes and much, much more! Younger kids (1-4) will like the silliness of it and beginner readers and more savvy grade schoolers (5-8) will like that's it's simple and clever/silly too! I recommend it without reservation! I'm sure Amelia will be with us, teaching fine lessons about the words we use and the many means they can have for generations to come!