Cartoons Books

You'll love it. It is classic

Are you board, raining out side. Well even if it isn't this book will still be fun. it delivers the fun out of the simpsons. If you like the show, you'll love this book.

A great Simpson's book, which you cannot put down. It's full of excellent games and puzzles. One for all Simpson's fans.

This book basically is for finding something for elementary aged children to do. The games are desribed in ways relating to the show, but many are just actually Simpson related twists of old games. This book faetures many card games, scientific tricks, optical illusions, and many other things that can be done inside the house. This book also features some great puzzles, and a area with children related recipes. Buy this book to keep your children entertained, I'm sure they'll find much of the book useful.

This is not one of my favourite Simpson books ( I have 7 of them) because it gives no in-site into the characters or the show. But because of the Simpsonesque humour, great pictures and its high fun factor this book is a winner with Simpson and Non Simpson fans alike.

This book is actually one of the best book in the Calvin and Hobbes series. Since tis one praticullar book is not a treasury colection, the comics in this book are basically "new." The comics in this book are really funny and most of them have good points to them. Basically what I'm saing is that this book is great.

It is my feeling that Bill Watterson had enough integrity and ethics to prevent the syndicate from cranking out endless meaninglessly repetitive compilations. Of course, he did quit partly because he was becoming disgusted with many of the commercial aspects of his work. With most comics, even good ones, the collections get stale after a few. Watterson's collections dont. There are a dozen or so C&H compilations/collections, but you wont be dissapointed with owning the whole shebang, especially since Watterson frequently did a lot of extra work to ensure that each collection had something new to offer. Even without this extra stuff, Watterson's body of work is extensive enought to warrant owning all these collections. He was steadily cranking out great material for a decade or so, and if you are like me you will be reading some C&H weekly for as long as you are on this earth, so tons of books is not a bad thing. Basically, I wholeheartedly reccomend all the books. If you like one you will like them all. They only get better as you get to know the characters. Watterson never goes for the cheap laugh by having any of the comic's principals act out of character. As you progress through the years with C&H, and I do reccomend reading them in order, you will see how art progresses and grows when the artist is committed to excellent work. So, go get the first one, titled simply Calvin & Hobbes, and then start down the enjoyable road to making Calvin and his tiger a pleasant little chunk of your life.

Calvin and Hobbes are the funniest comic strips ever created. Although Watterson has retired and does not write them anymore, it's still great to have the collections.

"Something Under the Bed is Drooling" is a collection of earlier Calvin and Hobbes stips. The old ones are the best, I think. Every page is guarenteed to make you laugh. The book is hillarious, and is fun to watch Calvin in action as he takes on his grumpy teacher, monsters, the deranged babysitter, the girl from next store, and of course, his aggravated parents. One of the funniest strips in the book is when Calvin is writing on a sheet of paper and Hobbes asks him what he is doing. Calvin tells him that he is writing his autobiography. Hobbes is confused and tells him that he's only six. Calvin simply answers, "I only have one sheet of paper."

With great comics like Calvin and Hobbes, no one is too old to enjoy them. I say buy them all while you still can. They're great to read over and over again.

I haven't heard about this collection until my friend accidentally left hers in my house. Anticipating a lousy cartoon strip compilation, I was pleasantly surprised that it was very interesting & hilarious. As an adult, it gave me an overview of how a child's mind works. I have forgotten how imaginative & creative a child could be & realized how repressive I have been acting towards my daughter, just like Calvin's parents.

We all have been like Calvin in our earlier lives. We had a Hobbes as a best friend, a Susie whom we loved to annoy but loved as well, a transmogrifier & a babysitter who scared the hell out of us. We daydreamed in class, we played 'pretend' & lived life to the fullest.

It is so refreshing to witness such naivity once again. & though adult lives have robbed us of our youthful innocence, Calvin & Hobbes takes us back to those pure, clean fun days in a child's life.

In my opinion, Bill Waterson is the greatest cartoonist I've seen. This was my very first C & H book and I thoroughly enjoyed it: one of the best. Unfortunately, Mr. Waterson has retired from cartooning, and Calvin & Hobbes is no more - one of the saddest tragedies of the century. In this book and many others, he could magically bring the cartoon to life, as only few others could do (Jim Henderson and Charles Schulz among them). Definitely worthwhile, gives a whole lot of laughs and perhaps a new view of life. I will always love Calvin and Hobbes as great cartoon characters and admire Bill Waterson for his talent.

Five stars, easy.

MY FAVORITE STORIE IN THIS BOOK IS "AUTO MOTIVES" .
PARKER (not spider-man) GETS A JOB WITH THE FAN. 4 IS A INTERN AND LEARNS OF A ANTI-GRAVITY DEVICE WHICH HE (as spider-man) AND THE TORCH STEAL FOR THE "SPIDER MOBILE" (long storie) , SO IT CAN DRIVE UP WALLS . NEVER HAVE I SEEN SPIDER-MAN ACT LIKE THIS OUT-SIDE OF "TWISTED TOY FAIR THEATRE" .
IF YOUR LOOKING FOR A BOOK THAT HAS MARVEL'S HEROES ACTING LIKE THEY SHOULD BE , BUY THIS BOOK !
I'M ALSO LOOKING FOREWORD TO MORE BOOKS WRITEN BY : DAN SLOTT , WHO WROTE THIS GREAT SHORT STORIE , WHO COULD ALSO BE ONE OF THE NEXT GREAT COMIC WRITERS OUT THERE .
ALSO , LETS SEE MORE BOOKS LIKE THIS ONE FOR OTHER MARVEL HEROES !

I cannot understand the negative reviews, or the assertion that this would offend all older readers. Let me assure you... not everyone over the age of 18 found this book offensive. I loved this book, although admittedly I'm a fan of Mr. Slott from his clever work on She-Hulk, so there you are. In my honest opinion, I think you would have to be brain dead or lacking in all sense of humor to hate this book.

This book deals with the relationship of the Human Torch to Spiderman over the years, from when they were rival teenage superheroes, to the present. It also deals with the relationship between Peter Parker and Johnny Storm, which is I think what makes this book really special. Peter Parker was the sometimes photographer of the FF in the comics, and to Johnny it seemed like this average individual lived a charmed and enviable life; at the same time, Spiderman is insanely jealous of the Human Torch, as he always was when Stan wrote them, and this triangular relationship makes for some great, snappy reading.

The art is not bad, but nothing special. I do enjoy the manga-style size of the binding of this trade, though, as it is much easier to carry than the traditional, 8x11 full sized trade.

In Dan Slott's typical fashion, this book mixed hilarious moments with some really touching soul-bearing moments, most notably the scene in which Spiderman (in costume) shares some of his grief about Gwen Stacy's murder. It is very similar to Brian Vaughan's or Gail Simone's style, or even more accurately, the style of TV writers Joss Whedon and David E. Kelley. If you are someone who enjoys that style, you will appreciate this book.

I've really enjoyed all of Straczynski's Amazing Spider-man trades and most of Waid's Fantastic Four trades, so when I heard of a trade paperback consisting of 5-stand alone "untold stories" of these 2 characters, I thought it would be pretty forgetable. I was wrong: this is genius. First of all, it's absolutely hilarious; second of all, it showcases genuine friendship between the two. The thing I enjoyed most was watching the revolving cast of girlfriends: Betty, Dorrie, Gwen, MJ, Crystal, and Black Cat all make appearances. There's lots of good jokes for those who read the original comic books (I'm too young, but I'm read most of the Essential series). If you recognize the name "Paste-Pot Pete," you'll be able to appreciate one of the best inside jokes of the volume. Slott writes a story about each important era of the Duo: the early years, the Gwen Stacy/Crystal era, the time right after Gwen's death- complete with the Spidey mobile, the 80's with Black Cat and the symbiote costume, and finally today's comics- in which Johny finally discovers that Peter is Spidey. (After Johny mentions teaming up with Spidey's clone, the two agree to just "skip over that period.") Despite the fact that these are 5 stand-alone stories, they keep referring back to events earlier in the trade, and together this makes a great story. It's appropriate for kids, but people who have been longer fans will appreciate it the most.

Five stories starting from high school, passing through the seventies along the way and ending in present day all charting the relationship between two characters whose personalities, even their very ethos, are polar opposites. Perhaps that's why they are so damn good together!
Maybe it was the change in artist or the dreadful decision to turn Gwen Stacy into a bit of a slut, but JMS lost me with 'Sins Past'. I thought I'd check this out due to rabid reviews on Aint it Cool, and it really didn't disappoint. It's retro but in a very knowing way... it at the same time parodies but is also hugely reverential of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby's stuff, and puts just enough knowing references in there to allow you to go along with the brilliantly off-beat stories Dan Slott has come up with. You'll have to be a bit hardcore to get all of the references made concerning Spidey and Torch's history (some passed me by) but don't let that put you off. This book has something that the superstar guest writers at Marvel are sorely lacking - a real sense of fun. I laughed out loud several times, and was even touched at the end by looking at the photographic evidence of the genuine bond between Parker and Storm.

The fact that a whole story devoted to the Spider-Mobile (let's be honest, a stupid idea from the very beginning) is one of my favourites is testament to Slott's skill - he makes the ridiculous engaging and entertaining. And let's be honest that's a great gift when you're writing about superheroes.

Strangely, despite it's day-glo illustrations and bizzaro plots, I'd recommend this to the more mature comic fan. It doesn't have much in the way great action and I'm sure "the kids" will dismiss it as silly. The comic's real strength is in the wit, the understanding of the characters (at various stages in their life) and the genuine warmth. And huge nostalgia appeal for those that remember the Marvel Golden Years.

And thanks Dan for addressing something that's always bugged me about Parker... for a nerd with guilt issues how has he managed to get so many hot women? Gwen? Betty? Felicia? Mary Jane? The man's a sexual dynamo!!

Before the X-Men showed up, Spider-Man and the Human Torch were the two teenage superheroes for Marvel, which was a couple of decades removed from having the dozens of under-aged superheroes you need for any sort of legionnaire-type outfit. "Spider-Man/Human Torch: I'm With Stupid" does not get to the punch line of the title until the final frame, but this trade paperback collecting the five issues certainly has fun with the characters before coming up with a decent payoff to their rivalry. Told by Dan Slott (writer), Ty Templeton (penciler), and assorted inkers), these stories take place at various times in the lives of the two heroes and are not told in chronological order, so expect to jump around in Marvel history and get ready for a some slapstick comedy involving flames and webbing. There are no great dramatic stories awaiting you in these pages:

(1) "Picture Perfect" has Johnny Storm tired of seeing Spider-Man in the papers all of the time instead of the Human Torch, so he decides to get Peter Parker to take photographs of the Torch in action. Irony abounds, and the whole point here is the jokes, such as when Spider-Man tangles with Paste-Pot Pete (as soon as he stop laughing). Then Doctor Doom shows up and things get a little serious, but in the end Johnny Storm's hair is in a box (really).

(2) "Catch You on the Flipside" begins with the Torch tangling with the Vulture, which sets up the idea of our two heroes changing places since the Torch claims he can do whatever Spider-Man can. So Spider-Man joins the rest of the Fantastic Four to deal with a subspace fissure while the Torch tangles with Kraven the Hunter, and the question is which one will come out ahead, but with a laxative in their coffee (really).

(3) "Auto-Motives" sees the return of the Amazing Spider-Mobile (but no Spider-Cave or Spider-Butler). Spider-Man is remembering the late Gwen Stacy, while the Human Torch is dealing with his breakup with Crystal. So if working on the Spider-Mobile together, so it will drive on the side of buildings, does not help the two superheroes bond, maybe fighting the Red Ghost and his super apes will do it.

(4) "Cat's Paw" begins with Johnny Storm dressed up as Spider-Man and then the She-Hulk shows up dressed as a French maid. Then things get strange. Peter Parker is wearing the black Spider-Man suit and is hanging out with the Black Cat, but when she ends up going to a big affair hosted by the Black Panther with Johnny, Peter about blows a gasket. When is a robbery not a robbery? This issue would answer that question (not really).

(5) "Together Again" takes place "right now" with the Torch and Spider-Man at their accustomed meeting place on top of Lady Liberty going over everything that has happened to them in previous comic book adventures. The problem is what happened that day at Peter Parker's school. The Torch was there to speak to the kids and some nuts with gun shows up and get the drop on everybody at which point Peter Parker has to let Johnny Storm know that Spider-Man is there; but only if the Torch can get it through his thick head. So the two old friends have something to talk about, do they not?

Actually, it is the epilogue of this one that is the best part of this collection as these two finally admit they have always been jealous of each other and they get together as friends, which means family is involved as well. Again, these are not seminal stories in the hero of either character, but they are told in good fun and make for a nice change of pace from what has been happening with "Spider-Man: The Other, Evolve or Die."

The pages are very, very busy. Perhaps too distracting for children. But they are beautifully illustrated and retain the original feel for the language. Best for 4th-6th grades.

I really loved this book. It was really funny and I think it is a great book for all ages. The Illustrations were great. I recommend reading all of the books by Marcia Williams. I have only read three, Joseph and the Magnificent Coat of Many Colors, The Amazing story of Noah's ark and this one, but we just ordered the one about Jonah and the whale. Buy it right now! You will love it!

I thought this was a great book. I love anything by Marcia Williams. The illustrations are great and there are hillarious comments from the audience throughout the book. This is a great book for kids to enjoy and they also get the basic story line of seven of Shakespeare's most poupular plays. But most of all this book is just fun.

I really loved this book. It was really funny and I think it is a great book for all ages. The Illustrations were great. I recommend reading all of the books by Marcia Williams. I have only read three, Joseph and the Magnificent Coat of Many Colors, The Amazing story of Noah's ark and this one, but we just ordered the one about Jonah and the whale. Buy it right now! You will love it!

My eight-year old daughter and I delighted in reading these seven plays together! Marcia Williams has created a colorful, imaginative, fun way to present these wonderful plays so that the young reader gains an appreciation for Shakespeare's works and an insight into the historical period in which he presented them on stage. Each page contains whimsical illustrations, in strip style, wherein the characters speak lines from the plays, as well as a clearly written storyline. My daughter expecially chuckled over the humorous but often droll comments of scampering Globe audience memberas, framing the text of every page. You'll find Will himself is there, too! The events of the plays are not suger coated, though, so the tragedies do rack up a body count and the reader encounters the famous scenes of poisonings and revenge sought by the sword.

Zits captures the essence of all teenagers in this book! Its so funny...and so true! Its perfect for all teenagers.

its a little of all of us in this book,you will not be able to put it down.
LOVE IT!!!!

This book is great for parents of teenagers. My teenagers even liked it. The cartoons are so true.

Actually, it's not fair for me to submit a review of this or any other Zits Sketch book since I am a certifiable Zits Junky. "Teenage Tales" is every bit in keeping with the spirit of Zits as it's 7 predecessors.

Top rate all the way.

It is funny and the most well dramatized version of a teenage life.

Am buying it in English for the sake of my almost 4 year old grandchildren. It is a wonderful "Why" book and a better "Why Not?" book equipped with the most restrictive of adult perspectives. The Stone Age tale is interspersed with modern references which are numbered. At the bottom of the page the references are identified as "anachronisms". I am hoping they use the same word in the English original. I find myself wishing that the same device was used with movies like Lion King. Our little boy twin is very interested in death. It would be helpful for him to know that having the father lion speak after death to his son was artistic license and does not really occur - at least not exactly like that. The book is droll. Sleeping under a stone blanket may deserve the warning: "This is pretend, don't let a heavy slab of rock fall on you just because you're tired!"

This is a fun look at a boy's struggle with his surroundings. Ug is constantly wanting more out of his life-softer trousers, a warm place to live, etc. Ug's insatiable curiousity drives his parents crazy, but his dad tries to encourage Ug. The book is funny and wistful at the same time. The ending is thought-provoking and a bit melancholy-what has Ug achieved in the end?

I've just come to the painful and shocking discovery that I've never given Raymond Briggs much respect. To my credit, I never had any real reason to until now. The only Raymond Briggs creation with which I was familiar was his seemingly ubiquitous picture book entitled, "The Snowman". I'm sure you've seen it. Published the same year as my birth that doggone story always depressed me as a little kid. I never really saw the point of it all. Boy makes snowman. Snowman befriends boy. Snowman dies a horrible melty death at the end. Ugh. But hold that thought! "Ug" was just the storybook to rescue me from my unhealthy anti-Briggs mentality. With the discovery of "Ug: Boy Genius of the Stone Age", I've come to the slow realization that perhaps Mr. Briggs does not begin and end with "The Snowman". In this odd little book that seemingly draws on everything from Winsor McCay to the far more contemporary Chris Ware (there's more than a drop of "Jimmy Corrigan: The Smartest Boy On Earth" here) we meet a kid who yearns for nothing more than a comfy pair of trou.

Ug lives with his ma and pa (Dugs and Dug, respectively) in the Stone Age. Ug is a bit saddened by the fact that his pants are completely made out of stone. He keeps believing that there must be something better out there. Pants that are softer than sandstone. Food that doesn't have to be eaten raw. Homes that are not caves. The more Ug dreams, the more his mother attempts to squash his resolve. And when, at long last, he and his father seem to be on the right path, a lack of certain tools bars their final triumph.

The book is written more like a graphic novel than a picture book. Here we have voice bubbles and the occasional footnote. I've probably never seen a picture book that used the word, "anachronism" more often than this puppy. The book is undoubtedly odd, there's no question. Briggs has an odd off-kilter sense of humor that serves him quite nobly in this endeavor. It's certainly a book for older children, though. And it occurs to me that books such as this are just begging for squeamish adults to get angry about. The mom walks about without a shirt (it's really not that noticeable, but some people might object). The fam eats raw meat with bloody regularity. And then there's the rather depressing final picture in the tale. Kids yearning for a vindicated Ug to prove to the world that he's right will take no comfort in the image of our now adult hero cave painting above the graves of his parents. But then, Briggs has always sorta been a fan of the letdown ending. "The Snowman" should've tipped me off that this book would end similarly. Only in this case, it doesn't mean you dislike the rest of the tale. It's just ... odd.

I doubt you've really seen a picture book like this before. It's incredibly wordy and more than a twinge depressing. Yet Ug's a likable enough fellow and spending a whole book with him is a pleasure. I wouldn't go handing this tale to anyone who you fear is stodgy or uptight. And kids will certainly dig the format, even if they don't understand all the words and references. Possibly the most amusing caveman picture book available to consumers in this day and age.

Poor Ug. He knows there's a better world but his mum fights him on it and his dad isn't much help. Illustrations are wonderful and sense of humor is black. I think a clever child would enjoy this book but not the average kid. A child and parent would greatly enjoy reading this book together, I think. Educational without being pedantic.

Ug just wants a better way to live his life, but the prehistoric boy genius can't figure out how. He invents the wheel but finds no purpose in it, he discovers fire can cook food - which other cave folk find a disgusting concept - and he longs for warm clothing. How can a boy genius survive among the primitives? A fun cartoon style lends to this zany tale and will invite even reluctant readers to learn.

I loved it! I'm a huge fan of the comic strip and this was a good collector's item.

This is a great highlight of Mother Goose and Grimm. It is a laugh on every page. I highly recommed it.

I have been a fan of Mother Goose & Grimm since I ran across them some 15 years ago. This is an excellant introduction to their antics, and a reminder to those who have enjoyed them thru the years. It is interesting to note how the strip has changed and is still fun to read the older one's even after all this time. Thank you Mike Peters for giving me a smile in the morning.

If you are a continuing fan or new to his work, Mike Peters' wacky, wonderful world of Mother goose and Grimm is sure to appeal to readers of all ages. My personal favorites are the enegry and craft of his drawings, spare but always a pleasure to look at (the man can draw, unlike sooooo many so called "comic strips" found in current newspapers) and he has one truely twisted sense of humor, now that alone should get you to read this book. I've changed newspapers to follow his cartoons, now you can get some of his best in a great oversized collection, which does them justice. Oh... and Grimm is my ideal dog, and every cats worst nightmare, what's not too love?

Any time I find life getting too serious, I just check in with Grimmy, and his antics are guaranteed to lighten my mood. Mike Peters has created a cast of lovably eccentric characters, and endless mischief for them to get into. Only one beef with the book... In the comic strips, one story line sometimes goes on for several strips, and those are usually the funniest ones. I would like to have seen those complete "series" in the book rather than just individual strips. Still, it's always good for a laugh.

"Back to the Klondike" is one of my favorite Uncle Scrooge stories. If you want to begin reading Uncle Scrooge stories, this is a very good place to start.

That Amazon keeps this in stock is something you shouldn't take for granted; I have had a tough time finding these Gladstone volumes anywhere else. If you like, read "The Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck," by Don Rosa after you check out this album. It will exponentially increase your enjoyment of each book.

Barks' storytelling and composition epitomize the notion of beauty in simplicity, a trait you don't find in too many comics today.

This is the first Scrooge story I had ever read (and first Carl Barks story as well) and I couldn't have had a better introduction to the talent of the Duck Man. Although I had read this story first in "Walt Disney's Uncle Scrooge: His Life and His Times", this edition is just as good of a read (I prefered the coloring job for this particular story in "Life and Times", although generally I prefer the color in the Gladstone reprint volumes.) Excellent artwork, a well-orchestrated storyline, and an appropriate and clever ending makes this a thoroughly enjoyable and highly recommended reading experience. Also includes a Gyro Gearloose story.

As a kid, I collected comic books, and this one was one of my prizes: a very early Scrooge book with one of the very best story lines. Less of the overdone fantastic and more realy storyline and characterization. Barks was superb in this one!

A Graet book A realy must have A there is only one word that says how graet it is and that word is GREAT

This book is one of the finest Barks' comic books ever made. The story brings you to the Klondike and the beginning of Uncle Scrooge's career and also introduces his one and only girl friend. The whole story builds around Scrooge's thrift and the lure for more riches and has a surprising ending! It is definetly a must for all people who like humor, a good story and great images.

This book is a just a page turn and a smile in every aspect of production. It's unique and even the most die hard fan will learn something or appreciate the way its presented in this context. I was sad there wasn't more pages to read. But I can always read it again and have a second round of belly laugh's :) Good Buy and the money goes to charity if you buy the full priced version, great idea and well executed !

Weird but true is a great book, and yeah it is very cheap although I had to pay more I got it in a book store. This books gives you many cool pictures and facts that you don't know about cartoons. They give you quickies, there are no full articles in this book, just quick facts maybe a sentence or two. Heres one, did you know KISS had blood take from them to mix into their comic book? Heres an amazing fact I liked, fulfilling marvel comics write Mark Gruenwald's dying wish, the ashes of his cremated corpse were mixed into the ink used to print the Squadron Supreme comic book ! Talk about ghost writers! This is a cool book and fun to read for an hour. But there are no colored pictures in this book, everything is black and white, I wouldn't suggest giving this to a kid either it's not suitable for a child!

zany, crazy , wacky, funny, surprising, sexy, educational, politically incorrect. and WEIRD!

I've never seen such a thorough search of background information about cartoons and comix! This thoughtful and obviously painstaking task of compiling such detail is mindboggling. If you love toons, you can't miss this book! If you WANT to love toons, you should read this book! You won't be able to put it down. This collection of fun and weird factoids is a literary bag of potato chips.

I loved this book and if you're any sort of a cartoon fan, so will you. It's one of the few books on animated cartoons and comics that I've seen that actually evokes the fun of the artform. Lots of great drawings (many unpublished and rare) and lots of totally useless cartoon trivia to amuse your friends. Plus, it's just so darn cheap. This book is hard to find in stores but I hope it's successful so we can see the second planned edition come to life.

This is the coolest science picture book I have found in a long time! Great sketches, quirky storyline and it's chuck full of facts that kids will grasp onto and learn from. I found myself learning stuff I never knew. Great book! RECOMMENDED

As a sixth grade science teacher, I am always amazed that my students have the misconception that dinosaurs were the first organisms to be on earth. Indeed, there is a couple of billion year history before the dinosaurs. This book does a great job of at least showing what else was around with the dinosaurs.
The cartoon format draws children in and engages them in reading the informative, upbeat, and fun text that supports the fabulous illustrations. After reviewing this book at a science museum teacher workshop, I knew I needed a copy for my classroom library. Open the book and you'll be hooked, too!
If you are looking for a well-written non-fiction children's book, this is a great one (especially if you have a child interested in dinosaurs). If you're looking for a funny and engaging book with fun cartoons and easy-to-understand text, you've found it.

This book is delightfully drawn, and accurate about the facts it covers, but it's also very funny, with amusing cartoon images as illustration.

This book was a present to my two kids, ages 6 and 8, but I've enjoyed it as much as they did. My kids love dinosaurs, and I've read dinosaur book after dinosaur book. This is the first book that showed me what was around before the dinosaurs. The author (and illustrator) do a great job of being entertaining and informative. The drawing and humor are fantastic, and there are lots of little details that show up in the second, third and fourth reading (always an advantage in favorite childrens books). I highly recommend "When Bugs Were Big" for both parents and children who want to learn more about what the world was like before.

The author does a great job explaining life before the dinosaurs. It can be difficult for kids to "get" the fact that there were big reptiles (and amphibians) before the Age of Dinosaurs, and some authors find it easier to just lump those beasts together with dinosaurs.

But not here. Ms. Bonner does a nice job detailing differences in reptiles and amphibians, and also does one of the best jobs I've seen in a children's book of explaining vegetation -- why it was different then, how it evolved, and how it turned into coal.

This book is a definite keeper for the 6 and up set -- my daughter, turning four soon, is a big dinosaur buff, and likes the cartoon pictures more than the science behind it. But when she's ready for a nice overview of the Permian period, I'll pull out "When Bugs Were Big."