Animal Books

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

Abbot and Costello, Laurel and Hardy, Gracie and George--one the straight guy, the other the comic! Welcome Officer Buckle and Gloria! They've been around delighting children and grown-ups for 13 years now. Officer Buckle and Gloria.

A local police officer dedicated to the safety of children, Officer Buckle speaks to auditoriums full of kids about rules of safety, then passes four safety hazards without seeing them. The principal herself is breaking several safety rules.

One day Officer Buckle got a partner--a dog. When he gave his safety tips, unbeknownst to Officer Buckle, Gloria was acting out the tips or--mimicking Officer Buckle. The team became a rip-roaring success. Dozens of thank you notes came in the next day--all with a picture of Gloria on it. Soon the two were visiting every school in the county. Finally, the television station decided to film the presentation. Of course, that night when Officer Buckle watches it, he discovers the truth.

The story has a big bang ending with banana pudding in there somewhere. Don't worry, this is a happy children's book and award winner!

The Caldecott Awards are sometimes strange and mysterious. Some years, like 1995, the year of Officer Buckle an Gloria, the winner is an awesome book. Some years, the winner is a great big puzzle.

This book was not up to the usual quality that I had purchased before. But Amazon fixed the problem so all is well.

Dinotopia was the first book James Gurney wrote in this series. The artwork was what initially drew me into the story and I found sweatshirts, posters, calendars, pins...you name it, with these chaarcters on them. The storyline was easy to follow, as it was written in diary format.

The things I really found interesting were the song (notes and lyrics) and the code for the Dinotopian written language (footprints). My students love writing letters and stories in Dinotopian to each other and for daily assignments. After teaching it for almost 10 years students are as much in love with the story as I am and they want to read it over and over. The artwork makes for great writing prompts and gives kids ideas for sculpture and watercolor pieces.

I remember reading this book as a child and loving it. Today I think I love it even more. The illustrations are so rich and well executed. I'm sad it isn't published in hardcover anymore. Every household should own a copy.

You might just end up with "Dinotopia". That's how good the illustrations and paintings in this book are, and should be the primary reason for purchasing the book. The artwork is absolutely first class, and the book can be enjoyed by children and adults alike. I purchased "Dinotopia" in 1992 when it was first released, and subsequently, picked up its sequel "The World Beneath". They both still hold a special place on my book shelf more than 10 years later. HIGHLY recommended!

This book has a lot about dinosaur names and how the dinosaurs lived, even the plants they eat. There are a lot of pictures that can help you to learn to recognize them. It is all very well drawn.

But it has a different perspective because they think of time differently, not as 1 o'clock but as when to do certain things, such as times to harvest.

It is very good realistic fiction because it makes you feel like you are a part of the story. It is written as a journal, kind of like talking to you, which makes the story seem more real.

The plot is very complicated. So it always keeps your attention and keeps you turning the pages. There is not a lot of action, but when there is it is very realistic because you feel the danger and excitment.

I haven't actually read this book in many years but it was a favorite of mine as a child. I remember my mother reading it to me night after night after night and then taking a trip into Boston to see all of the places mentioned. It's a great story and the illustrations are beautiful. I now use it as a gift for new moms to read to their children.

Prior to a planned trip to Boston, I purchased Make Way For Ducklings for my grandchildren who were three and a half and five and a half at the time. Their mom was running in the Boston Marathan. Knowing that we would be taking them to the Public Gardens and they would see the "ducklings"..this was a perfect history lesson written so well for little ones and adults to learn...Highly recommended

This book is simply sublime. I had it as a child, got it for my own children over 25 years ago, and now am buying a copy for my new grandson. Everything about this book is wonderful!

This classic picture book details the lives of the Mallard family in the Public Garden of Boston. This is an excellent read for kids of all ages, and is a good introduction to Caledecott books.

Make Way for the Ducklings by Robert McClosky has become a classic in children's literature since it was first published in 1941. Children's books have changed a lot over the years, but this particular work is substantial proof that change is not always best and more importantly, that quality will always stand the test of time.

The work has a lot going for it. First there is the story. Two Mallard ducks, Mr. and Mrs. Mallard are trying to find a safe home to start a family; one that is safe from foxes and turtles. As they fly, several locations are considered and after a lengthy journey they settle upon a small island in the Charles River, Boston, Mass. Before settling here and starting their brood, they visit the Public Garden in Boston, where at first the find food rather hard to find, but after they encounter the "Swan Boats" and the people riding these boats throwing peanuts to them, they decide that the park is a good place. After checking the area out, the settle on the small island in the Charles River where Mrs. Mallard hatches a number of ducklings; eight in all. At that time, Mr. Mallard decides to take a short trip to check the area out. In his absence, Mrs. Mallard cares for her young and one day, after the little ones can walk, swim and learn to line up in a straight line, she takes them to the park.

The story of the friendly policeman and his coworkers, the journey through the city and their eventual arrival at their new home makes for a wonderful tale. Actual place names are used in the story and are depicted quite accurately in the illustrations. Louisburg Square, Charles river, Mount Vernon Street, Beacon Hill, The Book Store and several others sites allow visitors to more or less trace the journey of the duck family.

The second thing this story has is the marvelous art work. All is done in charcoal, with wonderful shading and great detail. The buildings, cars, people, dress and stores all are accurate to that particular era. This does not distract from the story in the least, and indeed, adds to the charm.

This is a wonderful read along book and is suitable for ages four through eight. I have personally "kid checked" it with these age groups and get asked for many rereading.

This book received the Caldecott medal in 1941 and it was well deserved. Other children's books by this author include Lentil, Blueberries for Sal, One Morning in Maine and Time to Wonder. All of these are excellent choices and should be included in any child's library.

Don Blankenship
The Ozarks

First, I want to be clear that this review pertains to the CD that comes with Runny Babbit. My 7-year-old son checked the Runny Babbit book from the library, and we read it and loved it. We'd pause to figure out what the words "should be." When he received money for his birthday, he wanted to buy a copy of the book. I made the mistake of suggesting he purchase the book that comes with the CD. THE CD IS AWFUL!!! The narrator sounds like he has a head cold and should have called in a sick day, but showed up at the studio anyway. There are only 12 poems on the CD, and it only runs about 10 minutes. (I know, that's like the joke about the restaurant that served lousy food, and such small servings!!! But it adds to the feeling of being completely ripped off by the CD.) It is not worth buying!!! Just buy the book without the CD and either read it to your child aloud or have your child read it; the experience will be much more worthwhile.

This book is the last that Shel Silverstien wrote, it took him twenty years.When you see how this book is written, you will understand why it took him so long. After he died his family compiled the entire thing as a project of love.
I highly recommend this read, my children love it and it is eduactional. Since it is all backwords, it forces children to think about every word and how it should be instead of how it is. It is fun to read as is and switch around and read as it should be. I had to add this to my children's collection, since it is a one of a kind and Shel's final book.

This book had my son rolling on the floor with laughter. There's one poem in particular that we have to read every time we open the book. It never fails to get his funny bone. I would recommend this for children who are reading. Younger children will probably not get the humor intended.

Do you like jokes? Well I've got just what you're looking for. READ Runny Babbit. It is the funniest book ever. Instead of saying all the right things he says all the wrong things like "here is my bat" insead of "where is my hat". It is so funny. Read to find out why the book is funny. You will love this book. So READ IT! Recommended for kids who love jokes.

In a wave of nosthalgia, I bought this Shel Silvertein book. As a little kid I loved "Where the Sidewalk Ends" and the other works. This has to be the best, though.

While obviously it is a children's book, adults love it, too. It tickles the tongue and the spirit. When I took it to the office we took turns reading from it and laughed silly. It really lightened the atmosphere.

Also a warning: You will me tompelled, no cempted to wange you chords after beading this rook.

I think the author should stick to writing about racing. In this book, a horse kicks eight-month-pregnant Ashleigh in the side. She has to go to the hospital. Her baby is born, but a blood vessel in Ashleigh's brain bursts. She goes unconscious, and she starts to dream about Christina, her baby, in her older years. In the dream, Ashleigh has died, and Christina is eventing. I won't go into further details.

In this book, Joanna Campbell has Christina jumping a three-year-old filly and considering riding her in three-day events. Ridiculous! That would do damage to the young horse's legs, and the horse would be too young to compete, anyway. Also, in the book, the filly, Jazz Goddess, is born as a runt. But later in the book, she is portrayed as tall and big over and over and over. There's also a lot of other unrealistic stuff, but I'll let you read the book on your own.

I loved this book, just like all the other ones, but it was really weird how they had all this stuff that was a dream and never really happened! It sorta gives you a fake idea of what will come. But dont get me wrong I loved the book and the story line was really cool. I absolutly love Jazz Godess! She was like almost one of those perfect horses! Except when she crushed Christinas leg, but she went on to come in second or third in the Rolex, and that might not have happened if her leg didn't motivate her! So, this was a great book, if a bit werid.

I think it is vey sad that Christina has to live without a mother, especially one like Ashleigh...She was my favorite character of all time besides Mike. I was glad that Christina did what she wanted to do, and not be another Ashleigh...Everyone who read this book will probably like it!

I LOVED this book!!!!! This was like the perfect book in this series!!! I loved that Christina was into jumping, because thats what I'm into!!! This is a great book, if you havent read it GET IT!!! YOU WILL LOVE IT!!! I only wish that the new books could be this great. I am glad that Brad's real son (Parker) isnt like his son in this book (Ross), who was a jerk. I am also glad that in the new books Christina is with Parker, not Kevin. But other than those things, I wish the new books were more like this one. I also liked Rebecca, Christina's best friend in this book, a lot better then Melanie. I wish the new main characters/couples were Christina and Parker, and Kevin and Rebecca, Melanie get on my nerves! Well, this is a wonderful book, and you should difinately read it.

At first I didn't really get this book. I mean, in the prologue Ashleigh's like in a coma or something and no one's sure whether she'll live or die. Then the entire story takes place as if she dies, but then in the end it says she lives. I didn't really get it. But then I figured out the whole story was about how everything would have played out if Ashleigh had died. How her daughter, Christina, goes on to be a great Eventer and win second in the Rolex and so on. It's a bit confusing, but after I read it for the second time I understood how the book worked.

I like the story " A PINKY IS A BABY MOUSE'', because it tells you names of baby animals. I think Pam Ryan is a great writer. Ilove her books and I hope you read her books.

A Pinky is a baby mouse is a good book because it tells me what all the baby animals are in the world.

I thought the book a pinky is a baby mouse is a good book. It had so many baby animal names. I liked all the baby animals names. I think Pam Ryan is a good person. I like her for who she is.

I like the book A Pinky is a Baby Mouse. My favorite baby animal is a seal and it is called a beach wiener. I like all of her books. Some of my favorite books are Doug Counts Down, Where is Porkchop, and A Pinky is a Baby Mouse. Those are all my favorite books.

I was aghast to read the reviews Amazon quotes on this book! It is fantastic! My children have loved it for years. It is so good that my 9-year-old will still sit and listen to it. I also take it to school on Read Across America Day and classes aged kindergarten through third have been entranced by it. It is a very good addition to every family library!

Great book on the plight of unwanted and abandoned animals and the humans who care enough to do something about it by rescuing them and finding homes for these homeless pets.

I thought it was an okay book, but as I was reading, I found myself skipping through all the blah blah blah to get to the actual animal stories. The stories about the animals were great, but you have to wade through a lot to get to them.

Terri Crisp is a dinosaur and hopefully she has been replaced by more enlightened people. She randomly euthenized every feral cat she came across, proclaiming that ferals are not adoptable and are basically a scurge. Obvioulsy she has never heard of T.N.R. programs. I was very disappointed in this book and in Crisp's actions and can only hope people will NOT use it as a guide to animal welfare. It is just one uneducated womens accounts of her exploits.

This is in response to the post about Terry Crisp's organization being investigated by California's Attorney General's office. This is what's posted on her website:

Noah's Wish Board of Directors, March 26, 2007

We are writing to inform you that Noah's Wish is in the midst of an ongoing civil investigation by the California Attorney General's office concerning funds received by Noah's Wish during Hurricane Katrina. The California Attorney General has taken the position that certain funds donated to Noah's Wish during this period, and its immediate aftermath, are restricted and may only be used for the animal victims of Hurricane Katrina, rather than the animal victims of other disasters or for general disaster preparedness. Noah's Wish disagrees with the Attorney General's position with respect to those funds, but is working cooperatively with the Attorney General toward a timely resolution of the dispute.

In response to the California Attorney General, Noah's Wish has set aside the disputed funds and agreed not to use those funds pending final resolution of the investigation. Noah's Wish is unable to predict when the matter will be resolved. Because Noah's Wish does not presently have access to the disputed funds, it is unable at this time to continue with its efforts to provide disaster preparedness services and volunteer training.

We will provide you with an update once we have resolved this matter.

We appreciate your patience and also wish to express our gratitude for all that you have done to support Noah's Wish in carrying out our charitable mission.

State probe forces animal-rescue nonprofit to close
Queries $8M raised in wake of Katrina
Sacramento Business Journal - March 30, 2007
by Kelly Johnson
Staff Writer
A local animal-rescue nonprofit that gained national attention for its work after Hurricane Katrina, sparking more than $8 million in donations, was shutting down this month amid a state investigation into how it used that money.
Noah's Wish, which rescues and cares for animals in disasters, was preparing this week to close its El Dorado Hills headquarters. About a dozen workers have resigned or been laid off since late last year.
The California Attorney General's Office has been investigating the organization since last summer, examining how Noah's Wish used donations that might have been designated for relief efforts in the hurricane-ravaged area. The probe led to most of the nonprofit's funds being set aside in accounts where they couldn't be used for other operations.
The nonprofit contends the funds were used properly and said it is cooperating with investigators.
The group received millions in donations after news stories showed its efforts in an area devastated by the August 2005 hurricane. Former Noah's Wish insiders allege those millions were intended to relieve suffering in the storm-battered zone but were improperly used for other purposes.
According to documents obtained by the Business Journal from a former employee, an accounting firm hired by Noah's Wish to examine its books concluded that it would be impossible to conduct a reliable audit because so many records were missing from the period when the group and its volunteers were working on the ravaged Gulf Coast.
Documents filed by the nonprofit or provided by the former employee indicated Noah's Wish had about $210,000 in revenue in the year ended June 30, 2005, and almost 40 times that much -- $8.4 million -- in the next six months.
Expenses shot upward, too, from about $212,000 in 2004-2005 to more than $2 million in the last six months of 2005, including almost $400,000 to purchase vehicles. In early 2006, the group bought a storage building in East Alton, Ill., for $65,125 and leased office space in New York City, according to documents provided by the former employee.
Terri Crisp, founder of the group and its executive director until this week, was paid $6,200 in 2004-2005, tax records show. The documents supplied by the former employee covering July through December 2005 indicated Crisp received compensation of almost $141,000.
The nonprofit's board this week acknowledged the investigation on the group's Web site. "The California Attorney General has taken the position that certain funds donated to Noah's Wish during this period (of Katrina), and its immediate aftermath, are restricted and may only be used for the animal victims of Hurricane Katrina, rather than the animal victims of other disasters or for general disaster preparedness," a letter posted online said. "Noah's Wish disagrees ... but is working cooperatively with the Attorney General toward a timely resolution of the dispute."
Noah's Wish has agreed not to use the disputed funds while the investigation is pending, and the nonprofit cannot continue its work without access to the money, the letter said.
A spokesman for the state's top lawyer would not confirm or deny an investigation.
Ralph Nevis of Downey Brand Attorneys LLP in Sacramento, who represents the group, would not discuss the nature of the inquiry.
Founder was asked to leave board
Staff members are being paid through April 11, but this week only the office manager remained at the El Dorado Hills headquarters to close things down over the next couple of weeks.
At one point, the nonprofit had 15 employees working at offices in El Dorado Hills and New York City and from homes in other states. The three-person office in New York closed in January.
"They've reduced the staff because of funding. It's everybody," Crisp said Wednesday. She said she's taking her remaining days as sick leave, but by Wednesday evening a message on the group's Web site said she was no longer connected with Noah's Wish.
Crisp also served on the organization's board of directors from its founding in 2002 until February. She's no longer on the board, she said, "partly because it's a conflict of interest." The Attorney General's office "had asked for me not to remain on the board."
Because she's no longer on the board, Crisp said she did not have the latest information on the investigation or details about what it covers. Investigators, she said, have not interviewed her and were working only through the nonprofit's attorney and its board chair, Amy Maher.
Maher did not return calls Wednesday. Board members Lyn Kendrick, Gail Monick and David Lesser declined to comment on the investigation; another, Heather Hathaway, did not respond to a request for an interview.
Asked about allegations that the nonprofit inappropriately used money, Crisp said, "I don't know of any misuse of funds."
Lori Polk, chair of the Noah's Wish board during Katrina, left it the month after the hurricane. Before and after Katrina, she said, she voiced concerns about "the organization and the allocations of the donations we were collecting." She said she felt she was "fighting a losing battle trying to maintain my fiduciary responsibility to the organization."
The group "did not make decisions based upon board approval," she said, and made "expenditures without approval."
The former employee, who would only speak on condition of anonymity, said that "the amount of money that was spent by the organization was unbelievable."
The Attorney General's authority over charities includes investigating the loss of substantial funds during one year, illegal use of funds, diversion of funds from their intended purpose and excessive amounts paid for salaries, benefits, travel, entertainment, legal and other professional fees, according to the agency's Web site.
Raising money last month
Noah's Wish was soliciting funds as recently as February. In a letter to potential donors, Crisp wrote the nonprofit had "made a concerted effort to only ask for donations when the need truly exists, and not become a pest with repeated appeals."
Later, the letter said, "So why am I contacting you now? Noah's Wish is prepared for the next disaster, but lately this has become increasingly challenging." Because 2006 was a "fairly uneventful year," Crisp wrote, donations declined significantly.
Tax documents for Noah's Wish obtained by the Business Journal reported revenue of $8.4 million, almost all of it from contributions, between July 1, 2005, and Dec. 31, 2005. Some $4.8 million was in unrestricted assets and $1.5 million in temporarily restricted assets at the end of that year, financial documents indicate.
In June 2006, the accounting firm engaged to audit the books wrote the board that it could not express an opinion on the 2005 financial statements, according to documents provided by the former employee.
"A significant portion of corroborating evidence such as vendor invoices, receipts, deposit slips and other supporting data were not maintained during the period that the organization was responding to the needs of animals during Hurricane Katrina. The records that remain are not sufficient to permit the application of auditing procedures that would be adequate for us to express an opinion on the accompanying financial statements," according to the letter from John Waddell & Co. CPAs.
For the second half of 2005, Noah's Wish paid $405,948 in salaries and compensation, according to the Form 990 supplied by the former employee. Of that, Crisp received $140,900, while the second-highest compensation went to Sheri Thompson at $118,125, the tax documents show.
If the numbers are correct, it appears the compensation for Crisp and Thompson is well above the norm for nonprofits of this size, said Ann Lucas, executive director of the Nonprofit Resource Center. The annual median base salary for the executive director of a nonprofit of this size is $130,000, according to the 2006 Compensation and Benefits Survey of Northern California Nonprofit Organizations, which is produced by the Center for Nonprofit Management in Los Angeles.
Noah's Wish committed $1 million to the city of Slidell, La. for construction of a new animal control center; the old one was severely damaged by Katrina. The city has not received any of those funds, Slidell City Attorney Tim Mathison said.

Boynton books have really been hit or miss with my daughter - and us parents who must read them.

Hippos go Berserk is one of the better ones. The rhyming and counting keep the pace moving. It's no "Red Hat Green Hat" in the eyes of my daughter, but much better than some of the alternatives.

This book is fun reading that will entertain you as well as the kid. It's quick, easy reading, but has lots of pages so that the story doesn't end right away. I baby-sat an 18-month old toddler who loves books, and I didn't mind at all reading and re-reading this one. The words flow well, and I didn't feel awkward reading aloud the way I do with some other books. I will definitely buy this one for my niece!

This is one of my family's favorite childrens books ever. It not only completely speaks to our crazy and chaotic, yet incredibly loving extended family, but the last line -- "One hippo alone once more, misses the the other forty-four" -- sums up that poignancy of having to say good-bye. All that, plus it helps teach kids to count. (Both my five- and eight-year-olds still want to make sure that there are 44 actual hippos at the height of it all.) I never tire of reading it and have given it as a gift at nearly every baby shower I've ever been to. If you haven't read Sandra Boynton's childrens books, do so now.

And so do our kids. All of her books are our favorite first books for our kids.

I purchased this charming Sandra Boyton hardbook for an adult psychologist with a penchant for all things hip...po, rather than for a child. She found it laugh-out-loud delightful and insightful and will undoubtedly share the joy of reading it aloud to a growing roster of great-nieces and great-nephews. However, I doubt if she'll part with Hippos Go Berserk!

I really liked all three of the books in the Julie series. I liked all the information they had about life in the Arctic Circle, and found these stories very believable. I liked learning about why dogs/wolves behave the way that they do. I would recommend these books to anyone. Hunter 10

This book seems as if it shows the life in a wolf pack. It has comedy, romance, drama, and action all in one book. It shows you how wolves communicate and what they sometimes do to keep each other alive. This book continues Julie's story, but in the eyes of Kapu. It shows how he struggles to keep his pack alive. He might be new to the whole "alpha male" thing, but he is a great leader.

If you are ready for a great book, with wolves and their real life girl friend, then you will love Julie's Wolf Pack.
It is action packed with wolf fights and wars. Read this GREAT book to find out what happens to this wolf pack.

Amazing, heartwarming, magical, these are a few words to describe it. If you despise wolves, it will change you into a kid who wants to grow up to protect them. I am a wolf lover who stumbled apon this book. It introduces a new action living action. However, it's about wolves instead of people, yet it makes us know the truth, wolves and other animals ARE people. In the book you follow the alpha wolf, Kapu, through life. While you read, you learn about wolves. Good for kids 8-15. If you love it like I know you will, you should try books like The City of Ember, The Eragon trilogy, and Artimis Fowl. Enjoy a pleasent read.

This is one of my favorite books. My favorite part in the book was when Uqaq (a captive-raised brought back to the wild wolf) gives birth to nine puppies but she runs away from them because she doesn't know how to be a mother. Then the nine puppies go looking for her and when they finally find her, they swarm around her and Uqaq runs with the puppies hot in pursuit. ^-^

This is a good book to read and I recommend all wolf lovers to read this book!

:)

I have all of Brian's books, and I must admit this is my favorite. The words rock you to sleep, and the illustrations make you laugh and make your heart smile. I love this book for so many reasons, but mostly the spirit of his love for the beach and the outdoors shines through. Bravo!

This is one of the few kids books hat both may kids and I enjoy.

Recieved this as a baby shower gift because we like bats and already I love to read this as our bed time book. Gorgeous illustrations, nice flowing story and perfect for an evening reading. Though I would have loved to have this on a board book; I don't let the baby play with the book.

This is a stupendous book! Wonderful prose and gorgeous illustrations appeal to both children and adults, and hopefully will encourage bat tolerance, if not interest.

The story is cute and clever. The art is great. I can't wait to share it with my grandkids!!! I heard a review on NPR and thought that I must have this book. I'll probably keep it at my house so they'll have something to read when they come.