Spider Books

My children, ages 6yr and 9year, girl and boy, have loved these stories. They make travel in the car a pleasure!! The adventures are current and give great opportunities to discuss plot, character development, and climax. They are also well written and recorded beautifully!

I purchased this as a gift for my 7-year old granddaughter. It was a hit! She absolutely loved the stories and has listened to them several times already. I guess it is now time to buy more Boxcar Children.

Our doctor recommended that our 9 yar old listen to books on tapes to address audioogical processing issues. She loves to listen to these stories. They are suspenseful and very descriptive. Kids (and adults) can vividly bring the story to life in their mind as they listen. The voices are a little strange at times ( I think the same person acts out each character--differently) but kids don't seem to notice or care. Great for car trips.

These stories from Gertrude Chandler Warner are a wonderful escape into a child right dream world. My children (7 and 8 years old) love them and listen to them over and over again.
I really do recommend them as a great alternative to too much TV and video games. The beautiful thing is that the children can play with something, like model magic, and listen to the stories.
Try it!!!

Dr. Kain's science books provide marvelous supplemental activities for children to experience the excitement of science. The activities are great for kids with learning handicaps and offer them the opportunity to enjoy and learn outside of a more rigid curriculum. Children are introduced to the concept of the scientific method in a fun and hands-on fashion. Teachers are given ideas for extending the activities into other academic disciplines. And finally there is a wealth of additional resources available in the back of the teacher's manual for those who wish to expand upon the concepts introduced in the books.

I heartily endorse the use of these books by educators of children in grades K through 5.

Erin E. Flory, 5th Grade Special Education Teacher, California

We got this book because it happened to us too - one child broke an arm twice when falling off a bike. The book was loads of fun and brought back some memories for all of us. A great fun way to share what happens when a bone is broken!

Reading the Science Spiders books is like going to the dentist. So why did I rate the books so highly? I have a very good dentist. He's friendly, interesting, and before we're finished with the small talk, he's finished with the injection. The worst part of going to the dentist is over before I know it's happening. The Science Spider books are simple, playful stories about a patient, scientifically inclined mom and her young children. The readers don't realize they're learning science until after it happens. My jaw gets numb just thinking about it. There's no math, but readers of all ages become familiar with chemical reactions, color theory, acids, bases, forces, energy, molecules, scientific method, air pressure, and center of gravity. The lucky children who are introduced to science by the Science Spiders will have a positive feeling for the subject that can only help them in future studies. Dr. Kain has a Ph.D in materials science and engineering. She barely conceals her identity in the books as "Mom." Mom is an excellent role model for all children, but especially girls. She and her kitchen experiments prove that science is very much woman's work. And apparently, so is dentistry.

Rick Kamen, author of HEIRLOOM STORIES FROM THE HARNESSMAKER'S SON

The 'Science Spiders' books by Dr.Kain guide childrens' natural curiosity through experimentation to successful, accurate explainations of how things happen in our world. Science is all around us, acting and reacting. Children constantly ask "why?" and "How?". In 'Broken Bones' the Science Spiders do step-by-step investigations of force and energy as related to Namila's broken arm. For example, Dr.Kain does an excellent job associating the heat generated in cast formation to exothermic reactions in nature. This is an extraordinary series of books that encourages seeing, doing and thinking for the purpose of understanding our fascinating world.

This tale of how a fearful caterpillar overcomes his fear when he is befriended by a flight-challenged ladybug strikes a chord of sympathy with readers.

I bought this book for my 3-1/2 year old daughter. She absolutely adores this book. I have read it over and over and she just can't get enough! Some books you dread reading over and over, but this one I don't -- I actually enjoy reading it! I like it because it addresses many different issues, from every day fears to dealing with change, to friendship -- all issues that we deal with on a daily basis. I would highly recommend this book, it was awesome!

Although my 3 year old loves the pictures and the characters in Bubba and Trixie, I know someday she will understand the meaning behind this wonderful story. I loved the story for it's message of being happy with yourself no matter what you look like or your abilities. An excellent story for those dealing with issues about self esteem.

Bubba, the caterpillar, fears change. Trixie, a ladybug who can't fly befriends Bubba and helps him become less fearful. Bubba takes Trixie flying after his transformation into a butterfly. The story encapsulates how friends help each other, and learn to feel good about themselves in the process.

Joss Whedon at his best. The characters are spot-on. Very interesting story. Really good artwork.

SPOILERS AND QUESTIONS BELOW.

I never figured out why Amy thought it would be such a tragic curse to put on Buffy that to get out of her coma she needed to be given a kiss by one who truly loved her. What's the difficultym just have someone kiss her who's in love with her! A real curse would have been that she couldn't wake until someone who *despised* her was persuaded to kiss her. They covered this thoroughly in Fairy Tales 1.02.

I also wonder why Andrew, our wonderful Andrew, is still stuck in his supernumerary job training potential slayers, as if any slayer worth her salt wouldn't rebel on learning she was expected to take classes from a twit, I wonder why Andrew's monologue about EMPIRE STRIKES BACK has him referring to "Billy D."--evidently some sort of sassy Andrew shorthand for "Billy Dee" (Williams, as Lando Calrissian), but why represent the two spoken words Billy Dee as Billy D.? May seem like a small thing but then again, so is the use Dark Horse is making out of Andrew. I guess they just have decided, he's going to be the Mr. Peepers of a new generation.

Buffy fans will be expecting a lot after seven stellar seasons on television and the success of the first issue of "Season Eight." So the question here is this: Does Issue #2 deliver?

In short, yes. I have to say though--there is so much going on, so many jokes, and so much foreshadowing that I wasn't able to completely enjoy the Jossy goodness until my second read. The first read intrigued me, but the second wow-ed me.

The plot continues directly from the previous issue. Amy (the former rat) is working with the government to take out Buffy and the slayers, and she has an army of zombies to back her up. The ending sequences are amazing--I'm already itching for May 2nd to come so I can get my hands on the third issue. There was a big revelation about half-way through the comic, and clues to who the Big Bad of the season will be as well. Giant Dawn is great, Buffy is true to herself, and Xander is playing the biggest role he's played since the first season.

This issue also re-introduces two fan favorites: Giles and Andrew. So, all in all, this issue is just as good as the first. But did anybody expect anything less? I mean, come on--Joss Whedon wrote it.

9/10

Warning: Thar be spoilers ahead!

Remember each week those exciting words (which alerted us that we were about to get a new exciting episode of the best show on TV)? "Previously on BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER . . . " The new comic series seems to be doing something along these same lines. On the inside of the outer cover are printed the following:

"This story takes place after the end of BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER Season Seven.

"The Slayer population of the world has gone from two to nearly two thousand. Almost five hundred are working around the world with Buffy's organization in squads--or "terrorist cells," according to the American military. Buffy, Xander, Dawn, and a passel of Slayers are currently bunked out in a Scottish castle, where the latest mission revealed a strange symbol carved into human bodies.

"Also, Dawn's a giant."

This may be a summary that is rewritten each month to reflect what has happened in the previous issues.

The first episode in Season Eight established the situation; this one begins moving the story forward. The U.S. military (or rather, a military leader who has on his chest the strange symbol referred to in the monthly summary) has authorized Amy the witch and her army of zombies to go after Buffy and her cohorts. After the story begins with three very different approaches to training the new slayers by first Giles, then Buffy, and finally Andrew (who actually couldn't be said to be training them at all) we find Xander explaining why Dawn took the form of a giant when it was possible she could have assumed other forms instead (obviously, she is trying to get her sister's attention in the most blatant manner possible). The catch is, does Xander really tell any of this to Buffy or is it all just part of what we later learn is a spell-induced sleep in which she experiences an unbroken nightmare. And in a fairy-tale twist she can only be awakened by the kiss of true love. We can, of course, imagine a line of possible candidates for that: Angel and Spike fighting to be first in line. Well, of course Buffy will be awakened, and sooner rather than later. Can't imagine her being asleep at the end of the next episode. The tricky part is how one defines "true love." That needn't mean romantic love. My gut tells me that the kiss won't come from any of the usual suspects. My money is on Dawn. Yeah, I know. No one likes Dawn. But the brute fact is that except for struggling to save her in Season Five, Buffy has been a truly awful sister. Not in a Cinderella step sisterly way, but in the completely neglectful, can't-spare-her-a-minute way. But early in Season Six, Dawn seemed to miss her more than anyone. Like I said, my money is on Dawn.

The issues ends with Buffy asleep, the castle under assault by hundreds of zombies they can't keep at bay, Amy gloating that she could handle slayers with ease, so there was no one there who could take her on. The final frame is of someone who says that they would "like to test that theory." And thus Willow makes her first appearance in the story.

I am going to say something that I don't think I can say often enough. I don't want Joss Whedon writing comics. I want him creating new television shows. I suspect he enjoys the control that a comic gives him. I am sure he is tired of battling studios and networks. I can understand that. But once the battles have been waged and the BS has been waded through, Joss Whedon has been able to create some of the most extraordinary, most timeless television that has ever been made. He needs to get back to it. That being said, I am so much happier with him doing BUFFY Season Eight than either his X-Men project or the Runaways (and mind you, I like both the X-Men and the Runaways). There are others who can tell further stories about the X-Men and the Runaways, but Joss Whedon is only one who can give us authoritative Buffy stories. So I am acquiring these with joy and my heart and impatience in my soul. But I want him back in television. We've had some great TV since BUFFY and ANGEL left the air. LOST, 24, VERONICA MARS, and especially BATTLESTAR GALACTICA have filled the huge gap BUFFY left at its departure. But LOST needs to start winding down (whether it will has to be seen), BATTLESTAR GALACTICA (the only show to completely match the brilliance that was BUFFY) has possibly only one more season left and at most two before Ron Moore brings his series to an end. 24 is definitely in decline. VERONICA MARS might be cancelled. In short, JOSS! WE NEED YOU TO COME BACK TO TELEVISION! But in the meantime, I'll wolf down every one of these issues.

For this parent, I found "Bugs & Critters I Have Known", to be a truly REFRESHING and fun collection of verses and story poems for elementary school-aged children. I purchased this for my daughter when she was 5, along with the audio version (available through www.laraparker.com) My daughter is now 7 and this book remains a frequent selection from her bookshelf and the audio version continues to be a 'must have' for our car CD player and she has memorized several of the selections without prompting! Both versions are excellent! Our family has enjoyed this collection so much that we often give copies as to my daughter's friends, teachers and librarians for birthday or holiday gifts.

In this book, children experience well written verse with the rhythm and rhyme of good poetry which sadly seems to be under-emphasized and often poorly written today. The clever verses provide thought inspiring references to the important role a balanced ecological environment plays in our world.

The characters are appealing and the lessons learned, are enduring. Readers become caught-up in the dilemma of a captured luna moth and her mate's attempts to free her, and will giggle about the two charming tomato worms that attempt to hide from a gardener by using their talent at ventriloquy to buy themselves time to duck out of his sight. Readers explore the unusual friendships in this collection between a caterpillar & armadillo and later in this volume, a grouper & shark where each pair of acquaintances find a way to co-exist and help each other along life's path of survival with full appreciation for the natural gifts each critter possesses.

The short verses in this collection are informative and incorporate the special attributes unique to each bug and critter that are delightful and easy to remember. From the "Spittle Bug", to the "Flu Bug"- there's something to be learned by children and adults alike in this book. The pen and ink illustrations are fun, witty and add much value to the book.

The CD/audio version, is very well done with the wonderful articulate voice and fun characterizations performed by the author's daughter, Lara Parker (best known for her role of "Angelique", the bewitching sorceress from the 70's daytime TV serial, "Dark Shadows"). I was also pleasantly surprised to learn that Ms. Parker will personally autograph either (or both) versions when ordering the CD/audio version through her website: www.laraparker.com. The audio version is apparently only available directly through Ms. Parker's website.

Overall, "Bugs & Critters I Have Known" by Ann Heiskell Rickey is an entertaining way for children to learn MORE about two subjects (insects and sea creatures) that are incorporated each and every year throughout a child's elementary school education and is a very worthwhile addition to any child's library.

Children might like this book, but I haven't been one for many years and still I enjoyed the homespun wisdom of Ann Heiskell Rickey, a poetic talent of the order of Emily Dickinson, only strangely concentrated on one subject only: insects. Why more criticism has not been done on the work of this seminal author, I have no idea. Maybe her fierce focus on the world of insects made people think of her as a children's author, though this hardly seems fair, either to children or adults. Maybe her salty, take-no-prisoners attitude, born of a colorful life that began in Memphis, Tennessee, like Kathy Bates, Shelby Foote, Aretha Franklin, Cybill Shepherd and Morgan Freeman, made her seem like a "Southern" and therefore regional author. But for whatever reason, this poetry has been severely undervalued and it is good to see a whole book of it in print.

It may be that Heiskell Rickey herself undervalued her work. We will have to see more biographical research done on this fascinating lyric poet before we know for sure. In the meantime, we ponder the mysteries of human life through an unusual prism, the tiniest among us, the bugs. Like the mystical "no-see-um," about whom she writes, "They're either too small/ Or . . . they're not there at all." Like e e cummings, she plays with punctuation so that each of the three dots of the ellipsis may actually represent one of the mysterious "No-see-ums," of whom no man may say for sure that they even exist.

is there a feminist consciousness at work in this material as well? There certainly is. Heiskell Rickey's encounter with the praying mantis finds her, the mantis, delicately cleaning her teeth after feeding on her own husband. That's the way of the mantis and, after a bit, you begin to see that the poet has designed this as an allegory for women's lives. With a queer grimace of understanding across species lines, the poet tells the mantis, "I salute your appetite./ /You're very efficient at husbandry." Elsewhere there is an eco-consciousness that predicts modern movements in bringing back the land, and an awareness of the gentle and the elemental, words that not only rhyme, they go together in waves. I don't know whether I prefer the shorter verses here, or the longer more narrative pieces. The shorter ones are certainly more quotable. "To be turned on his back/ To a beetle is hateful./ / Turn him back over--/ He'll be truly grateful."

The Golden Rule applied, not only to the lowly insect, but to poetry as well. The illustrations, by Adrean Heiskell Smith (a relative perhaps of the author?) are cute, sort of, and children may like them, but they're not quite in tune with the poems, they make the poems seem whimsical which they are anything but. However, I would be happy to see more of the work of Heiskell Smith in other contexts.

"Bugs and Critters I Have Known" is a poetic look at various "bugs and critters" common to North America. From Chiggers to Mealy Bugs to Tomato Worms and Water Striders, each gets its own special piece of poetry about its lifestyle and quirks.

An children's book that is easy to read and educational while still being humorous and whimsical, it is sure to delight most young readers.

This title deserves a home in every public and school library. As a librarian, I feel "Bugs" admirably fills the current void for children's poetry and is the perfect vehicle for a library program or a school project.

This book is educational, well written and interesting. It provides plenty of information without being wordy or boring. The illustrations are excellent, but photographs would be a nice bonus.

Like most Lone Pine publications, this one is a hit. It's just *fun* and fascinating to read. Part of me would like to see some range maps, and with 20,000 bug species in CA, this book clearly represents a small subset of what you might see. However, in less than 200 pages the author crams an amazing amount of "gee whiz" information. The illustrations of insects discussed are of an unusually high quality (bravo Ian Sheldon).

Excellent illustrations, my kids love it. Would like a bit more in-depth info, but then again, that might make the book a lot bigger...love it!

I just got this guide last month. It has bright attractive illustrations and was an immediate hit with my kids and me. We didn't know much to start with, but this guide has a picture index in the front that makes it easy to find the mystery bug. For us, it helps that we don't need to know taxonomy. Because it is region specific, we don't have to waste a lot of time wading through all the bugs we're unlikely to see anyway--I assume this is something like the "top 100" of local bugs, so just about everything I see in the book looks familiar. I also like that the book provides a little narrative about each bug, not just its name, so we feel like we're really learning something. I suspect it's not big enough for all the bugs we'll come across, but so far it is serving us well by wetting our appetite.

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

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

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

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

My daughter absolutely loves this pop-up series which makes me love to book too! Good, fun, simple and don't mind reading it to her, 1,2 or 18 times!

My 11 week old just loves Zed. The colors and shapes in this pop-up simply captivate her over and over again. The whole series is great!

My 8 month old just loves this book. He gives his undivided attention when I read this book to him. Definitely recommend to any parent!

My 4 year old granddaughter, ..., thinks I am the greatest because I gave her this book!! It goes to bed with her at night and we read it over and over...she has memorized it to the point where she reads it to me and doesn't miss a word!! I will be getting her the entire set!!

This book is very well loved by my Cousin's one year old little girl. I borrowed it from the library a few days ago and it quickly became the favorite. She has the attention span of a gnat right now and flips the page before I can read the first two lines of most books but this one holds her attention through the whole book. Thank you Colin West for that.

The pictures are bright and I like the fact that the animals show real emotion on their faces. I also liked the fact that although the bee is told to "Buzz off" by all the animals he finds a friend in the end.

A Great bedtime read for baby to age 3. Soon to replace the classic "goodnight moon". This rates high with the baby and the dog.

I don't know why, but this book is captivating to both my kids - my (almost) three year old girl liked it from about 6 months (and still does) and its all over if my 18 month old boy sees it: 3-4 read throughs minimum. The illustrations are bright and clear and yet there is enough detail (and, if you can imagine it, suspense!) to keep my older toddler interested.

A Great bedtime read for baby to age 3. Soon to replace the classic "goodnight moon". This rates high with the baby and the dog.

This has been my 18-month-old son's favorite book for 8 months straight, and I can't recommend it highly enough. The illustrations are drenched with rich color, plus the story is interesting and fun for a toddler (and doesn't drive a parent crazy over the thousands of repeat readings). My son goes wild with excitement when he sees bees, ladybugs and butterflies outside, recognizing them from his book. Another advantage-- the pages are very thick and durable, perfect for a toddler's zealous page-turning. This is a can't-miss buy, for your own child or for a gift.

This has been a favorite of my daughter's since she was tiny. The pages are saturated with color, and it was an easy book for her to memorize (important in early stages of reading). She "reads" it to me still. We have a butterfly garden too, so she can understand this book and relate it to real life. My only complaint (for all the other science buffs out there) is that they refer to the caterpillar's chrysalis as a cocoon and while most people wouldn't notice, being a butterfly fanatic I wanted to write the publisher! (technically, moths make cocoons and butterflies have chrysalids) I know, it's silly, and no reason to avoid this book- it's my number one gift for toddlers now.

Very sweet story and charming drawings. Our one-year old baby absolutely loves this book.

This has been my daughter's favorite book since she was 9 months old. She is 20 months old now and she still pulls it out of the book bin every night. The pictures aare simple, colorful and cute. The story is short and sweet. We also found finger puppets of flowers, bees, ladybugs and butterflies to use with the book. I also buy this book for all of my friends. This is definately one of the best book for children 9 months to age 3.