Fiction Books

When I was a child my father went to Vietnam. My father sent this book to my mother as a gift. I always read it when I was a child. My father signed the book for my mother when he was overseas. It was a book my mother treasured. Well I'm grown up now and this book is a part of my heart. When I first met my husband I bought this book for him on Sweetest Day. I always told him "I like you." and I got many phrases from this book. He couldn't figure it out until I bought the book and now he treasures it. It is such a wonderful book. Friends or Lovers. I so recommend it and it will be a part of my life!! Please enjoy this book no matter who you are!!

The illustrations are light-hearted and amusing, perfectly suiting the text which expresses so many things one thinks about friendship but perhaps never said. I bought copies for some friends and all my grandchildren, too.

I have given this book to all my grandchildren and also close friends. It expresses those feelings that bring people together, family, and friends forever.

A charming way to express your love and friendship.

This book touches my soul. My neice is going to be reading from it at our wedding next year.

I had this book when I was a little girl and recently re-discovered it. I have bought copies to carry with me and give to friends. I have read it to my children and to my husband. It's terrific and timeless.

Inspector Morimoto is a detective who works in the Japanese city of Okayama, which is a medium sized city. He like to ride around on the city trams, and take slow train journeys through the countryside. And he likes to sit in his office with his feet on his desk drinking tea and staring out the window while he discusses problems with his helper - who is Police Officer Suzuki. And in one of the chapters Inspector Morimoto will show you how to cook a Japanese pancake! It is a wonderful book, and I never realized umbrellas could be so fascinating!

I love reading books written by westerners who have spent a lot of time in Japan. I've been there many times myself. I prefer the non-fiction, but have read most everything available, so sometimes read the fiction.

The story is engaging, however, I feel it could have taken place just about anywhere. It didn't have a Japanese feel to it. Inspector Morimoto and Suzuki could have been a detective team in any country as there was almost nothing about their characters that seemed Japanese. There just wasn't that feel of Japanese charm or that little touch of humor that I think there should have been. Even in this day and age in Japan I find it unbelievable that a Japanese man would get tea for a younger Japanese woman--or most any woman.

The train ride descriptions and the lockers in every Japanese train station are very accurate. However, the larger lockers usually cost much more than the smaller ones which usually do cost 300 yen (About $2.50 right now). There are usually three sizes of lockers--the largest ones costing 500 to 600 yen. I've stuffed my luggage in them many times. I know, I'm probably nitpicking.

I also thought there was an obvious way the bad guy could have saved himself a lot of trouble and obtained the desired result for himself. But then, there couldn't have been a book.

This book was interesting enough to make me want to read the next books. I'm hoping there's much more character development in those.

I really enjoyed reading "Inspector Morimoto and the Two Umbrellas". I liked the main plot and I particularly enjoyed reading about the train rides.
I am not good at solving riddles but I could hardly put down the book. I finished reading the book in just 3 days. I thought it was a very clever story. I felt so good when I read the ending. After reading this book I decided to read the rest of the series.

This has got to be the dullest detective story that I've had the misfortune to read. The action consists of Detective Morimoto and his sharp young math-minded assistant Suzuki taking the train to different locations. Now when I find the descriptions of the scenery between Okayama and Osaka the most interesting part of the novel that spells trouble for the storyline. Besides the fact that the detectives don't do much besides ponder the problems and interview people, the writing itself slows the story down. Overuse of words such as "quite" and "rather" and lines like "as we shall see later in the story" make the writing style altogether passive. I would have liked to have seen more character description - these two protagonists could have been located in any country as they did not use a single Japanese word for flavor. (I recommend using the Japanese honorifics such as "san" at least.) Yawn... here we have proof that being a good mathematician does not lead to being a good novelist.

What really annoys me the most is all of the bogus 5 star reviews posted here at Amazon for this book. I can tell that the author self published this book with no editor and promoted it here with these generic 5 star reviews so that it would be prominently displayed on Amazon's lists. Bah humbug! I got suckered into buying this but I hope that anyone who reads this far looks elsewhere for their entertaining detective novel.

I admit it, I'm a sucker for all things Japanese. I like this series and am working my way through them steadily. They are very, very dry [although it rains a lot] and some might say that not a damn thing happens. In reality, a crime occurs and then 'the team' of Morimoto and Suzuki work on their inductions and then their deductions till they have the crime figured out. Then they talk it through again, then they confront the criminal, then they sum up. They also spend a vast amount of time on the tram, the train and the bullet express, so the chances of a police chase are pretty slim. As slim as the books themselves, in fact. All very cerebral, exactly as you'd imagine a police procedural written by a mathematician.

I just love this book, its addictive! When choosing a book to read my daughter before bed I usually end up picking this one!

Great for pre-schoolers. Some of the rhymes are a bit forced but it is charming nonetheless. A very fun read!

This has become one of our favorite books for our 6 mo old son. Everyone thinks its funny when we read it, including him. If only he could eat the pages!

It bores my son after a couple of weeks and he's not yet three. At first though, he did really like it. Cute rhymes that are easy to remember, and he loved screaming the responses at first.

A favorite read-aloud for toddlers and preschoolers! The simple questions, cadence and rhyme make it easy to read and remember. The board book version is excellent for little hands learning how to handle books.

I first had this book read to me when I was in the first grade, now I am 25 and still remember the book! Recently I bought it to give to a friend as a baby gift. I read it again and loved it all over again. Its so creative I love it and would recommend it to everyone! Great for a gift for your own children or others.

I teach preschool and used this book as an introduction for our post office theme. The reading level is a bit high for my age group, but they really enjoy seeing the different types of mail that pull out of the "envelopes" in the book. Very interactive and fun to read.

I bought this for my daughter and later I bought it for friends' children. I'll probably search for it for my grandchildren too. You can probably guess that I like it! Buying for kids is such fun because you get the wow factor, and then you get to see whether they really take to it by reading/playing with it. Kids don't fib about this stuff, do they! I can report 100% success. The enthusiam they have for all the hidden messages, cards, games is so sweet. This truly is a gift that grows and grows on them. See also the Christmas Postman - 5 Stars!

Note - if you have to get a used one, verify all the bits are included. The book wouldn't work without those.

I had this book when I was a little girl and Ive been searching for it for 17 years. Its amazing drawings and creativity in the letters, opens up a little girls imagination so big!!! I absolutely love the story and all the characters. Its a MUST BUY!

The anniversary book is significantly larger than the original and so loses some of the charm. However this shallow dip in nursery fairy tales is fun for both the listener and reader. New shrink wrapped books include stationary and 'postage' to encourage the young to build a habit of writing and mailing notes. The story is from a UK perspective and follows a postman who delivers the mail in a community of fairy tale characters. Some of the humor is dated (good for grandparents). Children will enjoy having the book read to them and opening the many envelopes to extract their contents. This book was a favorite of my children back in the late 1980's.

As an artist with oil painting and water colors and also folkart, I was feeling a lack of motivation to keep up my art. I looked for inspiration on the Internet and found Angi Sullins webpage and also her story of her life journey. I ordered her book "A knock at the door" and also her DVD. I found that it inspired me to keep searching for a new direction for my art and painting. Thank you Angi for your story and your book and DVD it helped me to have hope and to keep on the journey late in life.
Rhona

After everything else that's been said about this, all I can say is:"WOW!". If this doesn't touch you and pull at your heart, there's something wrong with you. You don't need to be religious or spiritual even to enjoy this. It will awaken something inside you and life might be a little better for it. Watch, liisten and enjoy(you might shed a tear also)!

A PERFECT GIFT. THIS IS PURE MAGIC. VERY MOVING..I GOT CHILLS! IT WILL DO YOUR HEART GOOD!!! WELL DONE ANGI SULLINS AND SILAS TOBALL!!

If you have ever yearned to live in another era and realm... Get this book & dvd set! This was 0riginaly available as a free download only through The Durwaigh Gallery website in 2004. Costumers that viewed this sugested a book version. The art work showcases some works of the best Fantasy Artists out there today.(Mark Potts,ect.)The dvd is actually the download itself recorded on a disk, and accompanied by wonderful music.

I found that this also makes a great children's book. My 4 yearold neice always wants to watch the dvd and read the book over and over again!This is one thing that you would never get sick of, trust me parents! I also had to wrestle this from my Aunt as well.

Needless to say, this book will make a unique gift and is sure to be a favorite for the whoever you have in mind!

This is a MUST HAVE for every coffee table or bookshelf! You have to see it!

I won't be able to put an in-depth review since I read the book a while back and am on book 7 right now so my head is swimming with information from all the books.

The second book in the Pendragon series throws the reader back into the territories of Halla. As we last read, Bobby had gotten back to Second Earth to realize that his life there was over. When Loor and Press come to drive him away back to another territory, he once again leaves behind Courtney Chetwynde and Mark Dimond, the two who he had been sending the journals to.

This book has an even more enthralling storyline as you meet yet another traveler, Spader, a young guy from a territory completely underwater. You grow to like him and his "people-person" attitude.

This book continues to show Saint Dane's power, and just what happens in the beginning (I don't want to spoil anything, but it has to do with two floating cities) has a very eerie feeling to it.

This is a must have, as it connects the characters further along in the book and helps make way for book three.

I love this book for multiple reasons.
The first, I think, is because of one of the side characters, Spader. He's so dreamy!!! I love him soooo much!
The second is because the plot is just so fascinating. The idea that a world could exist that is completely on water is just so cool.
The third is because of Saint Dane, the evil dude trying to take over Halla(all existence, all times, all places, and all creatures, great or small). He's such an evil person I just could hit him. ARRGGG!
The fourth reason is because of Bobby. I think he's one of the funniest characters I've ever read about(yes, I'm saying he even tops Ron Weasley in Harry Potter!).
I love this second installment so much!
You should definitely surrender to your craving!! Way to go DJ!

I loved this book, it is fun and creative. I didn't want to put it down. This series is fun for all ages.

Before I begin, let me say that I'm an adult (to give this review some context).

I read "The Merchant of Death" (Pendragon #1) a couple of weeks before ordering this book. I enjoyed "Merchant". I thought it was inventive and unusual, and it certainly addresses issues that young adults face. I'm sure kids enjoy reading books where their peers are heroes.

This book is even better. I say that for two reasons. The setting of the first book is quite grim. That was appropriate for the story it told, but it was kind of a downer, reading about those people being exploited. This book's setting is incredible - a world covered entirely by water where humans live on floating, barge-like habitats. I love water, and if I could somehow visit that world, I would do so in a heartbeat.

The other reason I like this book better is that the new Traveler we meet is incredibly endearing. I like Loor. She's a great person to have at your side. However, the Traveler we meet in this story is very funny, and that makes this book a lighter read (in tone) than the first one. He's also flawed, though, which makes things interesting. I relate to him better than I relate to Loor. (Does she have a flaw? I don't think I've spotted it yet.)

Overall, I recommend this book with a big smile on my face. It's a good ride, the characters are endearing, the setting incredible, the themes well developed, and it leaves you wanting more.

See you at Grolo's! Last one there buys the Sniggers!

Pendragon by D.J mathhale is a great book that I would recommend to kids of all ages. It starts with a 10 year old kid playing with his mom in their back yard and the kid misses the ball and he runs after it and he comes back and his mom is GONE. Then he finds out that his mom is the world`s best DRAGON RIDER!! He hears a very loud roar and it was his mom's old pet dragon and it was his now and he takes a better look at it and it was the biggest red dragon the world has ever seen. So the very tall lizard tells him that his mom has been kidnapped by a very powerful human bean and they set of to TRY and save his mom. How I can describe Jack he is a very smart tech genius he just finds out he is the ONE. Well what he thinks the one means that he can Dodge bullets like a movie he saw. He finds that the dragons name is Alroce and the dragon is the last well only one of the red dragons left. And so Jack can fight this very powerful wizard so he starts training with his pet dragon.I would this book to anyone that likes dragons action and very intence sword fighting Pendragon is a great book that I would recamend to kids of all ages.

Spectacular Pop-ups, beautifully done, very intricate. Most pages have two separate pop-ups. I will enjoy reading this to my grandchild and we will marvel together at the scenes that magically unfold before our eyes. Not suitable for handling by toddlers without adult supervision because, as with all pop ups, the pages can be torn easily by exuberant little hands!

Once again, Robert Sabuda has created a wonderful visual masterpiece based on Clement Clarke Moore's classic tale of The Night Before Christmas. It delights the child in all that open the cover, each page brings new surprises. I'm a 6th grade resource and reading intervention teacher and all my students enjoyed the book, wanting to explore the pages again and again. At home, toddlers to great-grandmothers have enjoyed it. I highly recommend that you add this work of art to your holiday collection.

I purchased this book to read and show to my grandchildren. They love pop up pictures. It brings the story to life. A book you want to pass on down the family.

Very creative and well done. The pages are well thought-out and executed. Complicated and clever. Enjoyable.

This book started my love for pop up books. I now own nearly every Robert Sabuda and/or Matthew Reinhart book. This book is a wonderful representation of a beloved story. It has become a Christmas tradition to read with my children, as dear to them as decorating the Christmas tree, wrapping presents and baking cookies.

A positively adorable book, from its hilarious and sweet story to the bright illustrations. Great for read-alouds, as kids instantly like the somewhat stuffy police officer and his whimsical dog. Excellent message.

this is the book our 16 month old picks up every morning when he wakes up and wants to read... a great story.

I absolutely LOVE this book...............I have my special copy, and I am 'over 37'........and I also give it to special people in my life. It is delicately beautiful....and....lets us all know that puppies are more human than human beings.....

I use Officer Buckle and Gloria with kindergartners when I teach my humane education classes. I found it well-written because it was "engaging" for the students, keeping the attention of the children as it moved forward to its happy conclusion. The colorful illustrations throughout the book were great for helping communicate the action. I recommend it for pre-K and K children as a way to enhance their love and appreciation of dogs! Donna Forst, M.A., Education Coordinator, Hawaii Dog Foundation

I'm substitute teaching and I just read this book to a bunch of first graders. I was cracking up laughing all the way through (the kids were a bit puzzled). Cute book and entertaining for all ages - nevermind the ages 4-8 designation. The illustrations are priceless.

Great, fast paced adventure as I've come to expect from Weber's tales. Unfortunately, Amazon's webpage led me to believe that it was a sequel to Weber's "In Fury Born." They are, in fact, the same book - one in hardcover and one in softcover. Buy one or the other and enjoy!!

Tihs book is awesome. It takes a gentically altered human, altered to be a eilite commando. Who sees her family wiped out by pirates. Injured and bleeding she is joined with an enetity from Greek Mythology.
She then steels a new state of the art A.I. warship whos "personality" invades her mind. Now three people sharing the same mind. But pirates beware, three minds are certainly in this book better then one and look out because here they come. Edge of you seat action packed, takes a bit to warm up. But after it does, it is all go, go, go. Oh I hope there is a sequal in the wroks.

I've been reading SciFi/Fantasy for 50+ years and have thousands of books in my library. There have been a relative few such as Lord of the Rings by Tolkein or Ender's Game by Card that I couldn't put down. Fury is another such.

Excellent fast paced book, top notch story, hope he writes another one soon!!

very well written, which is the most important thing, u can get invloved in the story

Avast thar ye bilge rat, I thumbed through this yar book at thee "Pirates of the Caribbean" shop in Disneyworld and me thinks, "I gots to get me one of these treasures". Knowings thats Amazon can beat prices like a full broadside I waited and ordered online once I got home, saving about ten dollars. This book is amazing with all kinds of stories, pictures, and facts. Aye, Ye kids may be setting up a pirate camp once they reads it. This will entertain ye kids five to one hundred and five. If you or anyone you know thinks pirates are interesting, cool, or scalliwags of the Earth, be sure to get them this here book matey. I highly recommend this yar book for ye piratical family types especially.

it's a great book, filled with all kinds of pirate facts, legends, stories, and "artifacts" . My godson got a real kick out of it. He loves pirates and the book is written as if first-hand by a privateer (a pirate commissioned by the government to hunt down enemy state vessels, and rogue pirate ships).

This book will definitely be one he enjoys for many years. Some of the subject matter is just within his attention level and understanding, but the more intricate details and artifacts will prove fun discoveries as he gets older and has the patience to read over each part carefully. i'm a big fan of the whole series.

This book was received timely, and my son loves it! All the books in this series are great!

My 7-year-old son could not wait to sit down and start looking through this. The day it arrived we had some younger children visiting, and he "wowed" them all by showing them different parts of the book. He is very excited about it, and I am a happy mother for finding another great book for a young reader.

AWESOME Book, Awesome illustration, and just plan fun to read. This book is a very high quality constructed book and should last for many years.