Magic Books

As a ten-year-old child, this book totally wrapped me in its magical web. I still remember it as my most favorite book, rivaled only by Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights once I was a young adult. I checked it out from the school library as a fourth grader in the morning, and only put it down when I had to do lessons, finishing it by the evening. Like the C.S. Lewis Narnia series, especially The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, Colin is able to slip into an alternate reality, and the portal between the two worlds is very thin. Adults in both kingdoms could be unpredictable, flighty and cruel. Loretta is initially an enigma until her identity confusion is resolved. I really don't know how Mary Chase wove such a masterful world of magic and wonder. I'm definitely getting this for my own children.

This is my all-time #1 favorite book. I read it in the fourth grade which was in 1962. I purchased and gave it to my grandson to read just a couple of months ago. He loved it. In fact, he was in awe and asked me for more books just like that one. I told him that one was magic, and it really is.

When I was a little girl (am 50 now), my fifth grade teacher read this book to our class. We were enthralled and could not wait for reading time each day. The name of the book and the story stayed with me all these years with the fond memories of a teacher who changed my life. Mrs. Waite of Bonner Elementary School in Houston Texas 1964 instilled in me a love for reading that has endured a lifetime! Like so many others, I have searched for this book and not found it until today. Thanks to Amazon for bringing this delightful book to children..my grandkids will love it!

I, too, had searched for the Loretta Mason Potts book, long before the internet was invented. Since elementary school (in the late '50s) I thought of it as my favorite book. When I became an adult (with kidlike tastes, still), I went back to my elementary school to look for the book (still before the internet). No luck. They didn't even have a record of it. I thought I'd made it up, and forgot all about it. Until last night, as I was falling to sleep I searched my brain for the name of this book. I remembered the name. I woke up thinking about it. I haven't bought it yet, but I read it when I was a little girl and thought I'd lost the opportunity to read it again. Thank you Amazon, for offering this treasure of a book.

I read Loretta Mason Potts over and over when I was in grade school and junior high, and so did my best friends. I found myself thinking about it again when I was in graduate school, and, terrified that it might be about to be discarded, I wrote to my small-town library and asked whether if they were going to get rid of it I might buy it instead. They very kindly sent it to me free of charge, dull, crinkly library cover and all. (One of my friends truly asked whether I would xerox it for her.)

When I read it again, it was as wonderful as ever. All the tiny things--satin dress, yellow curls, red car, tinkling voices--and the big things--the suddenly nasty children, the bewildered mother, the truth and rightness of the ending--are still magical and always will be. I often think what a wonderful movie it would make--Stephen Spielberg, are you listening? Today the mom who rises above her complacent self to fearlessly rescue her children would not be the bridge-playing, apron-wearing, cigarette-smoking mom of yesteryear, but perhaps a nutrition-and-exercise-obsessed working mom.

My daughter, now 20, borrowed that old library copy to do a book report when she was in the third grade. The magic of Loretta is powerful; having read only the report, the teacher wrote on it in big letters I WANT TO READ THIS BOOK.

I thought of Loretta again this morning, in the grade school library where I volunteer, as I was processing books bought at last week's book fair. Mary Chase--that sounds familiar--could it be? Yes. The Wicked Pigeon Ladies in the Garden has been reissued as The Wicked Wicked Ladies in the Haunted House. Oh, joy! I have never read it and I know it will be a luscious treat.

This book is an amazing adventure and a true page-turner. I started reading it on a Tuesday morning and had it finished by Wednesday afternoon. The characters truly come to life and you feel as if you yourself are a part of the story. I have passed the book on to my 9 year old sister and she is loving it! We can't wait for book 2!!

I am a mom of 6 kids (mostly adults now) and grandmother of 1 and was delighted to receive this book to review. The books that have often been assigned or available in school for kids to read if not the "classics" of literature many times have questionable values and language that are not appropriate for grades third through eighth. This book is written primarily with that audience in mind although kids (and adults!) of all ages can enjoy this story and parents can rest assured that while both good and evil are present that there is a clear distinction.

Nick Stewart is an eleven year old boy and he has just been transplanted from his home in Washington, D.C. to Colorado. His mom was killed in an auto accident earlier that year and only Nick and his dad, an anthropology professor, are left. Nick's dad is having a rough time coping with his grief as is Nick. Nick's mom, Laura, was the glue that held them together but now the two of them are drifting apart. Nick is resentful of the time his dad spends with his students and misses his mom very much.

Nick is on a history school trip to an old West town called Silverado where he learns of a legend of Slim Marano who was wrongfully hanged by the town for murdering his boss at Falcon Mine. As Nick goes through the town with the tour guide, some strange things happen. Nick also become convinced he needs to find out who the true killer was and looks forward to researching and writing the paper the history teacher assigned. However, somehow Nick ends up in the wrong place and the wrong time and is accused of stealing Slim's journal from the museum!! Nick knows who did it but it is his word against theirs so he is suspended from school.

Nick's dad is very frustrated with Nick and doesn't know what to think but takes Nick along on a student dig in the mountains only a couple miles from Silverado. Unfortunately there is a cave-in and Nick is caught in it. However the spirit of Slim Marano appears and tells Nick that he needs his help to clear his name so that his family in generations to come will not have the shame of a murderer as an ancestor. Nick agrees to help him and so the adventures begin.

I enjoyed the way the book was written and the many abilities of the "spirits" of Slim and his friends. I also enjoyed the good vs. evil as well as the plot twists and turns that were not too complicated for even younger children to follow but do add excitement and intrigue for kids of pre-teen age. Most of all, I really enjoyed that Ms. Henn did not feel it necessary to add vulgarity or swearing to the book as so many authors do in the guise of making it "real."

Very highly recommended especially for third to eighth graders!!

I read the book Nick and Slim the Legend of the Falcon Mine which is a mystery. What made me keep reading this book was that I wanted to find out who killed Otis. My favorite scene of the book was when Nick first found Slim. The author did a great job of expressing Nick's fear. My favorite character was Nick because he was a great spy for Slim. I recommend this book because it is suspenseful and full of adventure. Any kid my age would really enjoy it. I can not wait for the author's next book to be released.

Nick & Slim: The Legend of the Falcon Mine is a novel for young adults that blends fantasy and the Old West into a rollicking adventure. In the present day, a young Nick is framed for stealing a museum artifact - the journal of the notorious Slim Marano, hanged for murder more than one hundred years ago. An unexpected meeting with Slim's spirit shows Nick that he and Slim have something in common; both of them have been unjustly set up. Nick travels through time and becomes embroiled in a search to expose a dark and terrible conspiracy. Aided by spirits and mortals a like, Nick and Slim must discover the truth, prove their innocence, and rescue lives in the balance. A handful of black-and-white illustrations enhance this lengthy yet enthralling novel.

The Birth of a New Classic
Nick and Slim: The Legend of the Falcon Mine

By Samantha Roberts January 30, 2007 [...]

From the moment I picked up the book, I felt like I was a character in Nick and Slim: The Legend of the Falcon Mine. Every chapter revealed new plot twists and villains, and left me eager to find out what happens next. Even the author, Pamela Henn, said she experienced the same sense of surprise while she was writing the book.

"I didn't know who the villain was until the last couple chapters revealed who made the most sense to be the villain," Henn told me. "That was kind of the fun part of this whole project."

Just when I would start to guess where the story was headed, the storyline would change and draw me further into the adventure.

Nick and Slim is the story of Nick Stewart, whose life undergoes a series of tragic changes. His mother dies when he is 11 years old. His dad Lee then moves them to Colorado where he gets a job teaching anthropology. Nick finds himself in a new school trying to deal with his grief and a work-obsessed father.

On a school trip to the ghost town Silverado, he runs into more trouble. The field trip is part of a school assignment. He has to investigate the murder of Otis Watkins and the hanging of Slim Marano, who was wrongly accused of committing the crime.

Nick notices that the glass in a display case is broken. Before he can react, some of the school bullies beat him up. The bullies had stolen Slim Marano's journal--"the one piece of circumstantial evidence that had convicted Slim"--and slipped it into Nick's pocket. Nick finds himself not only trying to clear Slim Marano's name, but also trying to clear his own.

Later, Nick meets the spirit of Slim Marano, who takes him back in time to help him unravel the mystery and stop Slim's hanging. Slim's ghostly friends Michael, Keenan, and Christopher join in, and they begin on an adventure that uncovers a lot more than they ever expected.

The story of Nick and Slim grew out of a challenge to the author from a friend. Henn was an animation artist for Walt Disney. She worked on The Little Mermaid, Roger Rabbit shorts, Mickey Mouse shorts, Pocahontas, and The Legend of Mulan. She was also the model for Belle in Beauty and the Beast. After 20 years, she quit Disney and started her own business, White Wolf Studios. Nick and Slim is her first children's novel, which grew out of writing classes she taught at the studio.

"I'm really excited about it," Henn said. "I love history, and I use history as the template, or the background that we can lay the characters on. Slim is a ghost or a spirit. He can go anywhere, and he can take Nick anywhere or to any time, so we can explore really neat countries, cultures, and times."

I would compare Pamela Henn's story to The Chronicles of Narnia and the Harry Potter series. Silverado seemed like a town right out of the Old West. Add a kid from the 21st century and a few spirits wanting to change history, and you have a classic.

Henn is already working on a sequel, Nick and Slim: The Secret of Smuggler's Cove. A third book in the series is in development. I am certainly looking forward to them!

Samantha Roberts is a member of the Scholastic Kids Press Corps.

Uniting familiar characters with delightful new ones, "The Rise of the Wyrm Lord" chronicles the further adventures of Aidan Thomas as he readjusts to life in our world, the Mirror Realm, as well as detailing the journeys of headstrong Antoinette Reed. When the teenagers meet at school, they quickly discover a mutual love for King Eliam and his ways. Convinced that Antoinette is being called to the Realm, Aidan secures her promise to search for Robby's Glimpse and persuade him to join them while he tries to persuade him in their own world. Never dreaming of the trouble it would cause, Antoinette gives her word and soon her adventures in the Realm begin.

Like "The Door Within," "The Rise of the Wyrm Lord" works with a broad cast of twelve knights, each with different strengths. This book introduces my favorite character, the herbmaster and pyromaniac knight Sir Oswyn. Batson manages to keep his main characters--both the Glimpses from each other and Antoinette from Aidan--very distinct so that we do not lose track of characters for the number of them.

Teenagers who enjoy fantasy will love this second book in the Door Within trilogy. Woven within the fast-paced tale is a lesson of trust and obedience--and the consequences of ignoring wise counsel. The only problem with the book is that it is the middle of the sequence. The ending leaves one wanting more! And that is hardly a true problem.

Rise of the Wyrm Lord was a great second book for the Door Within Trilogy. I especially enjoyed the addition of the Wyrm Lord to the series, even though the Wyrm Lord is evil.

Wayne Thomas Batson's second novel in the Door Within Trilogy is better than the first book. While I had a lesser interest in the first one, this one grabbed me a little harder. I loved the Robin Hood-like society in the trees, and the message here continues strong. As I mentioned in my review of the previous book, if you like Brian Jacques, try these, Wayne Thomas Batson writes in a similar style.

Even though this is the second book of a series, I found it easy to understand. Like Narnia, it focuses on another world that is linked to our own. Instead of talking animals, The Realm is populated with Glimpses, each of whom mirrors someone in our own world. More than just the typical sword-and-helm fantasy, Rise of the Wyrm Lord weaves spiritual warfare and realistic characters into its enthralling tale.

Mr. Batson takes another big risk in this sequel to The Door Within because he comes dangerously close to repeating the plot of the first novel, just with a girl hero instead of a boy. Fortunately, he avoids the error. Antoinette Reed is in many ways following in the footsteps of Aidan Thomas but precisely because her path to belief and her personality is so different from Aidan's, her experiences in the Realm are quite different. Where Aidan was struggling with disbelief and doubting of his own abilities, Antoinette is absolutely certain in her beliefs and absolutely confident in her own abilities.

The result makes for an interesting comparison and contrast as Antoinette faces situations and makes choices in a wholly different manner than Aidan did. In addition the threats she faces are much greater as Paragor's master plan begins to be revealed, events throughout moving with that relentless "Batson pace" that readers of Isle of Swords and Isle of Fire are well familiar with, and she also has to struggle with a favor requested by Aidan that may conflict with King Eliam's task for her. Another difference is that while it takes about the same number of pages for Antoinette to finally enter the Realm as it took Aidan, the wait is much more pleasant because instead of listening to Aidan raging and bemoaning his fate, we get to watch Aidan and Antoinette meet and become friends (and maybe something more?), and as is usually the case with the middle book in a trilogy, we don't really have an ending here, just a pause in the midst of ongoing disaster that must get a lot worse before it gets better.

Mr. Batson has created a fascinating world in the Realm, with similarities to but not quite like any other fantasy world I've ever seen, with Biblical references that are quite obvious to those who are looking for them but no stumbling block to those who are not. I bought this book shortly after I bought The Door Within as part of a promotional deal, but I never got around to reading them. Now I shall have to leap into the final book: The Final Storm.

Note: Other than a lower price the chief attraction of the paperback edition is the inclusion of the so-called "Lost Chapters", basically earlier draft versions of the first four chapters accompanied by author's commentary. The most interesting addition is "Farix's Tale", which provides something of an origin for this most interesting character.

While not one of the most stellar books in the Young Jedi Knight series, it does help to close the series and mark significant character growth for the young Jedi that would become central the Star Wars Universe.

I love this book there's so many good charecter's (I like lowie the most in this book!!!!!!!!!!) and I love the theme park
so good bye for now

Alright, I know YJK is supposed to be for the younger set, but I'm 15 and really do enjoy them. They shed new light on the characters of Jacen and Jaina, who, until YJK came along, were portrayed as bratty wonder children who kept getting kidnapped and escaping by dumb luck. OK, on to the actual book, sorry to ramble. This is the second in the Under Black Sun trilogy, which will be the last of the YJK books, at least for the time being. The kids are invited by Lando to spend time on Cloud City, bringing Anja Gallandro along. When she was introduced, I immediately understood the significance, since I have read the original Han Solo adventures back from 1979 and 1980. They arrive to find Lando's partner murdered by agents of Czethros, the Black Sun operative controlling Anja and out to get the YJK. Through a series of discoveries and things, the kids find out about Black Sun's involvement through several parties, most notably Figrin D'an and the Modal Nodes, who were supposed to be playing on CC. Concluding a bunch of near-death mishaps, the kids are reunited on Cloud City, but Anja is suffering Spice withdrawl, and the preview of Crisis at Crystal Reef indicates that she's really losing it. It's interesting that something that's a young adult book would deal with something like drug addiction, but it's well written and thoughtful. This is a good read for fans of the series, and even for you older folks looking for a nice light read.

Well, I have to say that this was the best Young Jedi Knights book to come along in a while. Oh, but don't get me wrong, they're all good, but a few definitly stand above the others. Namely, Lightsabers, Jedi Under Siege, Jedi Bounty, and The Emperor's plague. And now Trouble on Cloud City has joined the ranks of the great. In this book, Lando askes Jacen, Jaina, Lowie, Tenel Ka, Anja, and Em Teedee to come with him to Cloud City to help supervise a new amusement park he is building there. When they get there however, they find that Lando's partner has been murdered, and they set out to find who did it. Anja knows of course, or at least guesses that her master Czethros is at work and she struggles on many moral points concerning her new friends, and her growing adiction to Andris Spice. Actually, in this book I found myself softening a bit towards Anja, who I previously hated. I still don't like her nearly as much as the other characters, but I began to realize that she is a victim is her own right, since it isn't her fault she was mislead and used and duped into Andris. Also, this book focused a lot on Tenel Ka, who is my favorite character in the series, and allowed us to get inside her, and see her thoughts and feelings in a way that has not been done since the masterpiece of Lightsabers. Her reaction when Jacen fell of Cloud City was heartbreaking, and I'll confess, that the scene where they all thought that they would never see him again almost had me in tears, and I never, EVER cry over books or movies or anything. I liked how this book let us see how much Tenel Ka truly cares about Jacen. Speaking of Jacen, his crush on Anja seems to have ended, which may in fact be what opened me up to her a bit, since I was always adamently against that. Anyway, I would recommend this series to any Star Wars fan, no matter what their age, even though they are generaly geared towards the 10-15 set. Also, this book would have a stronger effect on you and generally make more sense if you have read the previous twelve first, though if that is to much work, it is at least reccomeded that you read the one before it.

These are great books! This book is great for begginers. The story is great, the plot is great, it's very intriging. The book is about Jason, Jaina, and Tenel Ka, and Lobaca. Lando Calorisian is inviting the Young Jedi Knights to his Resort on Cloud City. The kids will come as long as they can bring their friend Anga Gilrado. But what they will find out is... You'll just have to read the book. It's a great book as a gift. It's a must for all Star Wars fans.

My opinion of this book is the same as that of the previous two books. However, I have one thing to say: The most cliche book cover I have ever seen in my life. Other than that, not a bad book at all.

This is a great book to read whenever you're going through a tough time. The themes of contentment and finding a light in the dark place run rampant throughout this book, from beginning to end. Billy learns how to know the tools of the enemy, and how to find that one spark of light when all seems dark. And Bonnie learns how to be content. How you ask? Well, you will just have to read it to find out. The journey you start when you read Raising Dragons, continues in Circles of Seven.

The book starts off great, and gets into the action right away. Billy is in a mansion in England and will be going to see the circle of knights, but is attacked in the middle of the night. There's a small battle which injures the Professor, so Billy is the one to drive them to a mountain to meet up with fellow dragons Clefspeare and Hartanna who are joined by Bonnie. Once the group of three are close to land, Hartanna stays behind to survey the coast while Clefspeare and Bonnie fly ahead to join Billy and Prof. As the two finally land, Clefspeare has been taken captive by a memeber of an evil sorcoress' army. The next day, Billy, Bonnie, and the Professor proceed as scheduled to Sir Patrick's house. There, they are faced with an option of entering a different world and proceeding through seven circles to free captives. Each decide to enter, but neither realize just how challenging it will going be. Putting their own lives at risk, the duo journey through the seven different worlds and find out quickly that it will be much harder than anything they have endured before.
This book was very good, mixed with instant action that was spread throughout the entire story and Bryan's drawing you deep into the book. I would definately recommend this book to everyone to read, but the last two chapters were a disappointment for me. I didn't think that they were well explained and were extremely confusing.

The amazing series continues with Circles of Seven!! This is my favorite book in the Dragons in our Midst series. It's action packed as the characters journey through the seven circles.

A story of love, sacrifice, faith and forgiveness that will keep you reading all night long. An adventure that takes you through places you never thought you could go. This is a must read book an can not be turned down. Fight through another world of devils and discover the truth of Excalibur.

I jsut had to repond to the critical review at the top. I first heard this book when I was 5, and agian when I was 8. i loved i tboth times. I recently bought it (as an adult) becuase it is definately a book that everyone should own. It has a incredible magic of its own that sweeps you along.This book is a classic that every child deserves to hear.

This book taught me to go for what you want in life. It teaches that no matter how impossible it may seem, it can be done. I read this as a child, now I am 29 and I still think of it. I still like to sit down with a chunk of cheese and a loaf of bread as a snack, just like Dakin took with her on her journey. When it snows in the winter I think of the colored snow on the mountain that Dakin was determined to investigate. I have even tried to make colored snow myself. Gargoyles have a whole different charm to them once you know this story. Just from writing this I am excited to read the book all over again.

I read this story to my daughter for the first time when she was 4 and she loved it. A year later she wanted me to get it out of the library again. Recently, she insisted that we buy it. We read it through twice and now, since she is an excellent independent reader at 6, she is reading it again for atleast an hour at night to herself. Her favorite part is when the gargoyles say that they can "still feel". She has made her own stuffed gargoyles out of paper and pretends to be Dakin talking to them. This story is pure magic. It combines all of the elements of a questing story, but the fact that it is about a brave girl who knows her own mind, makes it special. There aren't many stories written for young girls like this and that makes it even more unique. I highly recommend it to anyone with a child who has a thirst for adventure and an interest in all things magical.

This adventurous, amazing, edge of your seat tale is my all-time favorite book! I've read it about three times and I've never gotten tired of it. When ever I see it in a library, I jump up and down and tell everybody "that's my favorite book!" I suggest anybody I see and all of my friends to read it. It is extremely entertaining.

I remember my mother reading this book to my twin sister and me. It was a hard back copy that she had gotten from the Library. My sister and I would come down out of our bunk beds and sit on the floor with my mother as we were enthralled to listen to her read this story. I loved the colored snow and the gargoyals. When I was married and had my first child I desired to read this book to my son and I did but it was mostly for me since he was only a few months old at the time. I will read it to him again. But I love this book. This story is a great treasure to me that I will always remember.

I'm 11 and absolutely LOVE Lois Lowry! This book is a great book for kids and adults it has a fairly easy vocabulary and a deeper concept. If you love or hate reading you will love this. Unless you have a loving book boy I would not recommend this for boys, this is definitely a girl book.

Gossamer is highly original! The protagonists - ephemeral dream-givers - are like no other creatures I've encountered. Their engagement with humans and the rules of their world are fascinating and enchanting.

The story itself is delightful, filled with mystery, compassion and delight. This book is very short, barely even a novella, but engaging and enriching to read.

I listened to Gossamer unabridged on audio CD narrated by Anne Twomey. She is wonderful, with a soft gossamer-like voice that is both gentle and edgy when it needs to be. She is a narrator to look for when selecting audio books.

Great book. Every kid should read it. Watch the shipping. Cost more than the book. :(

There's something to be said about a book that's 140 pages long, that you can read in an hour...but you can't seem to get out of your head for the rest of the day.

'Gossamer' is one of those stories. Elegant, simple, straightforward, and yet somehow magical. In one sense, it is the story of a young 'dream-giver' who is just learning her craft, how to draw good dreams from the sleeping world and give them to the dreamers as they slumber. In telling her story, though, 'Gossamer' weaves in the stories of other characters skillfully and subtly, so you learn how the work of the dream-givers affects the waking world, and also how the dream-givers' polar opposites -- the Sinisteeds, violent and terrible givers of nightmare -- make their own mark.

My daughter recommended 'Gossamer' to me, and that recommendation was echoed by a friend who has similar taste in books. It may be a novel intended for a younger audience, but its worth reading for anyone who can set aside their own reality for an hour or so and enter the world of the givers of dreams. For that hour, you'll be treated to a magical story that will hold you in its soft hands for a long time after you close the book.

Enjoy the trip.

Gossamer is about a little boy named Jon who gets bad dreams. So... it's up to the dream givers to give good dreams. Littlest it in training to give people good dreams. To give people good dreams the dream givers have to touch something good in the person's life. Jon starts to like a dog. Then the dream givers give him a dream about the dog. I like this book because it is fun to read and makes me think a lot. It makes mo think I wonder if there is such a thing as dream givers. I also think what if I have nightmares for a reason. Lois Lowry has great books. It is an awesome book to read. Sometimes the book is weird. But other then that it's a great book.

JR

Even more fun with Hairy Maclary! My three-year-old son just loves these books! We read them over and over and over. Great pictures, too. The part I really like is that my son now has this one memorized so I read the first part of the page and he fills in the last half for me! Fun!

I had this book as a child & looked high & low for it when I became a Mother. Great price, very cute story & illustrations - everyone should get this story for they're child. My daughter loves to say 'Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's Dairy' whenever she sees his picture in the book ... it doesn't come out right, but it's super cute!!! :)

Brilliant book, well written and thoroughly entertaining..I bought it 20 years ago for my children and now I'm buying it for friend's Grandchildren...A MUST buy, especially since it is a " Kiwi " story and so much fun...kids will love it and know it by heart...

I love this series, being an Aussie and all, it's nice to be able to share a part of my first reading experiences with my American kidz!
Unfortunately this amazon provider was extremely slow on shipping (ony coz it was free) I ended up finding that barnes and noble were soo much faster I have two now but am happily going to give this copy to another young reader as a gift:)

I had great expectations for this book, since my (3-year-old) son loves Slinky Malinki so much that he can recite virtually the entire book. Our family found this one rather disappointing. There is very little story, and the word choice is not nearly as colorful as in Slinky Malinki. Still, my son does enjoy this one, although I suspect it won't hold his attention as long as Slinky, since it's so much simpler. Now that I know this is one of Lynley Dodd's early books, I understand that better. It's probably best for a slightly younger child (right around 2) who loves dogs.

I like this book because it has over 14 pictures of vehicles from episode 1.My favorites are the Naboo N-1 starfighter and the AAT battle tank. Believe me,this is a great book! You should get it!

If you've stayed up nights wondering about the inner workings of a Naboo N-1 Starfighter, or even occasionally contemplate the unconventional solid-fuel concentrate slugs that the strange society of the Neimoidian traders use to give their droid starfighters such powerful thrust, you'll want to read Star Wars Episode I Incredible Cross-Sections cover-to-cover. This handsome book - deservedly referring to its illustrations as incredible - shows us a vroom with a view; more than fourteen vrooms, in fact.

SW Episode I Incredible Cross-Sections is brought to us by the great people at Dorling Kindersly Publishing -- or DK for short - where just about any topic you might think of has already been turned into a beautifully illustrated right-brained adventure in learning. The illustrators for this masterpiece are Hans Jenssen and Richard Chasemore, arguably the two artists with the best job available in that field this side of Alpha Centauri.

Jenssen, who specializes in technical art, especially machines, lives in England but claims to spend his vacations on Tatooine (no accounting for taste in vacation spots) where he has been known to engage in "moderately disreputable pursuits (he goes all the way to Tatooine for that?)." Chasemore has worked as an illustrator in both the U.S. and Europe on a great variety of projects, one of which was another collaboration with Jenssen: DK's Star Wars: Incredible Cross Sections featuring intergalactic vroom-vrooms previously made famous by the vision makers at Lucasfilms. Chasemore says he enjoys "perilous sports involving boards and high velocities (now, maybe he's the one who should check-out Tatooine).

Rounding out the gifted team taking us on intricate tours of Gungan Subs, Podracers, Coruscant taxis and Republic Cruisers, is Dr. David West Reynolds who earned his PhD in archeology at the University of Michigan. His background as a lecturer, veteran of field expeditions on three continents and as an author of scientific archeological publications should make one thing perfectly clear: you don't have to be a dullard denizen of the local mall scene to be a StarWars fan. If his background doesn't make it perfectly clear, the intellectual acuity of his copy will.

This must-have addition to the shelf of any die-hard StarWars fan is equally enjoyable to tot and teen as to tottering sage. It's a picture-book nonpareil or a detailed account of mid-power repulsorlifts and hydrostatic bubble projector units (if you do more than look at the pictures). It's even a trivia-hunter's true treasure. For instance (be honest now), did you know any of the names of Anakin's co-contenders for the Boonta Eve Podrace? Sure, you say - Sebulba. But anybody knows that! True buffs will want this book so they can win rounds of Star Wars Trivial Pursuit with answers like Ark "Bumpy" Roose, Teemto Pagalies, and the ever-impressive Clegg Holdfast.

If you like schematics (or even the word schematics - it's such a great one, isn't it?) you're going to want to pour over this book like hot fudge on a sundae. Featured is a dual fold-out center page affording a panoramic view of the Trade Federation's Droid Control Ship. The resultant artistry of this and the other detailed drawings was generated when the DK team worked directly with the film production art department at Lucas's Skywalker Ranch, mapping out the anatomy of each craft as it was being created. This book comes from the source, folks: from the source ... of the Force.

My ten-year-old loves taking turns with me reading sections of this book aloud and I can almost see his gray matter expanding (hasn't hurt his imagination too much, either) while we huddle by the lamplight. Only problem I'm left with now is what to do with all these detailed schematics of his own left lying about the house - outlandishly labeled creations from foreign worlds contemplating an invasion of Earth, no doubt. Hmm. Maybe I should call George Lucas.

This edition is devoted to the Spaceships and Craft from The Phantom Menace.

As with Star Wars Cross Sections it is very well detailed and even better with todays print technology. Great for children and first generation Star Wars fans alike.

I wouldn't call this the greatest technical book of all times. I wouldn't be suprised if this book wasn't nominated for any kind of award. But Episode 1: Incredible Cross-sections is captivating enough to stand on its own. I enjoyed it because I got to look through the insides of some of the film's most enigmatic ships and vessels like Darth Maul's Sith Infiltrator and the Gungan Bongo. It's good for those who were still puzzled about the ships after the end of the film.

I always wanted to see more and to be able to look inside of the vehicles more closely, and this book provides that information (and more more) in great detail. I really like the mini illustrations of where in the vehicles that events from the movies took place, it helps to "put a name to a face".

I loved this book it brought me back to my child hood in a fun and loving way. I thought it was well written, I did not want to end. I hope the Author writes a sequel

This is the greatest book ever! Kept me on the edge of my seat every time I picked it up to read. Full of hope and wonder. I lent it to my sister, a teacher, and she recommended the book to the school's librarian. Most of her students wanted to borrow it from her to read it, because she'd read some of the book outloud to them and they fell in love with it. I recommend this book to EVERYONE!!!!!

This is a fabulous story about adventure, magic and the power of kindness. Its so creative, I just had to share it with other teachers! It gives a whole new life to the 'pantheon' of Santa Claus, creating characters who move you, scare you and have you cheering them on.

This is a fantastic story! I really liked the characters, especially the main character, Holly. The beautiful illustrations add to the magical feel of the story. I really like the author's style. I liked how you couldn't tell who the "bad guy" (Herrikhan) would appear as in New York at first. The author has a great way of describing everything, especialy the land of Forever. This is a great book to share and read aloud. It is one of my top two favorite books ever. Most people who really like high fantasy will really enjoy this book.

The Legend of Holly Claus by Brittney Ryan and Illustrated by Laurel Long
While the premise of the fairy tale is pretty cheesy (Mr. and Mrs. Claus have a daughter), and the book dwells way too long in the cutesy (read: fairy hide-and-seek and doll making), this turned out to be a pretty good fantasy, right up there with the Oz and Narnia series, and very, very reminiscent of Victorian fairy tales like The Rose and the Ring, The Reluctant Dragon, The Selfish Giant, and others I read in a 19th Century Children's Literature course. It's a fairy tale, while sometimes clumsy in prose, is beautifully imaginative and grotesquely described. Holly Claus has the most pure and innocent and loving heart in all creation. Unfortunately, this is the very thing that--when willingly given--will break the curse on the evilest of warlocks. Holly travels to late Victorian New York City, inspires children to follow their dreams by giving them toys (the old "toys are powerful" motifs of Christmas), and eventually defeats the evil Herrikham in an unfortunately predictable ending. But this tale is woven with such clever and imaginative pieces (particularly the creatures from all over folktale in the Land of Forever) and folktale plot twists (Holly's heart is encased in snow, so she is cursed to always be in the cold; a creature of such goodness and purity actually causes fear and horror in the perfect Land of Immortals). Also, there are some genuinely awesome characters, most importantly the two that serve as counter-points to Holly's optimistic innocence: Tundra, Holly's gruff wolf guardian who's a bit tormented, and Christopher Carroll, Holly's love interest, who has seen too much of the evils of the world and has lost his faith in magic. Also, this book is amazingly, beautifully illustrated, truly like a Victorian fairy tale. Grade: A-