Holidays Books

I've been using this guide to Chicago since I recently moved here, and I've found it answers many questions and given me great advice on what to see and where to go. I highly recommend it for anyone spending time in the city.

excellent book - great presentation, well written, super photographs. much information that can really be used while at the same time being highly readable. wouldn't think of arriving in chicago without it!

excellent book - great presentation, well written, super photographs. much information that can really be used while at the same time being highly readable. wouldn't think of arriving in chicago without it!

This thoughtfully written and informative guide answers all the questions that a traveler would have before setting off for Chicago. In fact, it would benefit someone who has lived in Chicago for many years. The author's knowledge of what it is like to live in Chicago - as opposed to simply knowing something about the attractions, restaurants, hotels, etc. - sets this guide apart from others.

I moved to Chicago a few months ago, and so I was able to road-test this book extensively. I found it to be an invaluable resource to just about anything going on in the Windy City. You can feel that the author lived here for an extensive period of time. As with most big cities, things change fast in Chicago, so I am eagerly awaiting the second edition!

Great book for my purposes -- to use in a pre-school music class.

This book is absolutely adorable!!! A very sweet valentine book with fun, colorful pop-ups and a sweet valentine poem!! Such a great book!!!

I bought this book for my son this past Valentine's Day. He had gotten Halloween Bugs in October and had enjoyed that one so much I thought I would be good for him to have another.

Since my son is 2 we had to explain to him that you do not pull the flowers out. Once we got past that, he seemed to be content with leaving the pop-ups in the book. When we got finished reading it the first time he demanded that we read it again. Even after the tenth time in a row he did not get tired of it. I find I have to hide it sometimes in order to not have to read it 20 times in the same sitting, but it never gets old watching him enjoy it so much.

I bought this book years ago for my now 9 yr old,. Now my 3 yr old has rediscovered all of Carter's books & loves them. She is a girly girl & is usually afraid of bugs but these bugs are so cute, she loves them. Of course as with most pop-up books,it is short & fragile-not for the very young to play with on their own. But it is a must-have for anyone with kids.

The cutest valentine book ever! The pop ups are wonderfully designed and it is a real attention getter! My only complaint is that the book isn't longer!! I would love to see more!

The book "Love is ..." was literally a thoughtful gift from someone who treasures these words from the New Testament, and lives by them. Wendy Anderson Halperin's illustrations are a gift to all readers.

The tiny sketches & watercolor decorations are delightfully reminiscent of the art of Erik Blegvad who illustrated "The Borrowers" and many other children's favorites, and also an annual calendar for Women's Day magazine. Halperin was chosen as illustrator for many lucky writers, including Cynthia Rylant, Pete Seeger, Jane Yolen, Kathryn Lasky, Sarah Orne Jewett and also the 100th Anniversary reissue of Frances Hodgson Burnett's "The Racketty Packetty House."

Wendy Halperin as 'adapter' and illustrator says that "how we respond to any person ... object ... situation ... is our choice ... and we can choose to ACT WITH LOVE." Saint Paul's familiar words from his first Letter to the Corinthians date back to 56 A.D. yet never 'grow old'. Reviewer mcHaiku hopes that those who enjoy these interpretations will write some of their own and even share in "Comments." This book will bring much pleasure, especially for the oldest to share with the youngest. Discuss your own definitions of LOVE. Find your favorite of the miniature drawings and talk, for example, about the visionary & muscular work of sculptors, and also the way Love breathes Life into a house. Talk with children about change, and how each of us needs others to comfort and sustain us when change makes the going tough.

This is a beautifully encouraging book brimming with LOVE to share.

My son is getting married in August. We plan to use this book as their registry. Guests can sign inside the front and back cover with a short note to the couple. Can we get some insight into the crumbling house in the lower left corner? Thanks.

This picture book illustrates the apostle Paul's words from I Corinthians, chapter 13. For parents who want their children to be biblically literate, this is an excellent choice. The illustrations are detailed and thought provoking.

I was disappointed to find that the "Love Is" was not the same as those published in the newspapers quite a few years ago. The couples were different but cute. I had clipped all the Love Is items from the news but in moving to another state they were lost and I was hoping the ones in the book would be the same as those. There were so many new ones I had never heard before. Especially in the original there were none about children or couples after marriage. Those were new. I am happy with the book but still disappointed.

My two year old and I pour over this book every night noticing different things in the collage-like pages and having discussions about things like kindness and patience. It's a great springboard for introducing these ideas and inspiring to me to be more loving as I teach my daughter about love. I also appreciate that Halperin includes all kinds of people in her illustrations -- all different races, different cultures, people with disabilities, etc... Our life is a little richer thanks to this book.

I have just recently given this book to two of my friends who have small children. They absolutely loved it and wanted it read over and over again. "Lucky Tucker" is an adorable story!

We are big fans of Leslie McGuirk and she's not let us down! One day Tucker the Terrier meets a Leprechaun and his day is immediately better. Sometimes St. Patrick's Day gets lost in the shuffle between Valentine's Day and Easter but luckily for us "Lucky Tucker" won't let St. Paddy's be forgotten ever again!

Ms. McGuirk has hit another home run! This book is absolutely delightful and fun. I am sharing it with my grandbabies and they never tire of the story, the pictures and the adventure. This is a must have for all parents and grandparents!
Mary Lou LoPreste

My grandchild and I love all of Ms. McGuirk's books. Each book is a charming and colorful adventure. Tucker can be counted on to always deliver an amusing and entertaining story. We wonder what he will get into next! We love Tucker!

Ms. McGuirk has hit another home run! As in all the other Tucker books in the series, this puppy has some wacky, quirky adventures! My kid (and I) loved it and must have read it 100 times!

Good job, Maestro McGuirk!

This book is wonderful on several levels. It teaches Spanish to kids overtly AND under the radar. The character names correspond to the Spanish word for each character, so a child begins to associate that word with a picture and doesn't even know they are learning Spanish. I think this is very powerful. Secondly, the story is a fun remake of "The Little Red Hen" and teaches the value of being helpful... and being a good friend. I eagerly await more titles from this author.

This is an extremely clever book with adorable pictures, some basic Spanish interwoven throughout (including the days of the week), and a great lesson on helpfulness.

My daughter got this book for her preschool class and they love listening to her read it again and again. The children remember the Spanish words and their meanings. The pictures really make this book special.

If you don't study the illustrations, you'll miss a lot of extra humor. The writing is great, but the illustrations really add an extra twist of irony, as the excuses made by the friends look more and more foolish given their undescribed actions as drawn on the page. My kids love this book.

The story is about an Iguana and her friends that were organizing a party on Saturday. But iguana had to do everything herslf because the snake, the conejo and the tortuga were only giving excuses so they didn't help. The main characteres are the Iguana, the conejo, the snake, and the tortuga. The tortuga, the conejo and the snake didn't want to help. The Iguana is my favorite character because she was the one who did eerything and she did the right thing. Sometimes I ask my sister if she could help me in something and she allways give excuses for not do it. One time my dad told us to clean a room nd only my big sister and I were cleaning and my other sister was only telling my dad that she had done something alredy. I did like the book. My favorite part was when everyone was in the fiesta having a good ime. My least favorite part was when they didn't want to help her deliver the invitations. If I could, I would change the setting o a prettier. I would rcommend this book to my friend. I hink that my brother Frank would like this book (he is three years old).

I loved the stories but was disappointed that my book literally fell apart at the seam. Pages were falling out as I read and as I like to read books again this will be a problem. I have read Rolf's previous book Vagabonding a few times and highly recommend it. If not for the poor quality of the book binding I would give 5 stars. It is too bad because now I find myself scared to buy books from Travelers Tales Guides for fear they will fall apart at the seam.

Just the other week, I dropped a copy of Rolf Pott's new book, "Marco Polo Didn't Go There," into my Amazon cart, and it arrived in time to be devoured before Thanksgiving. Like any work of art, there is both dark meat and light meat; whatever your preference. It includes essays he posted on [...] like "Storming the Beach," about crashing the set of a Leonardo di Caprio movie in Thailand, and pieces from other magazines, like [...]. One of the best stories, "The Art of Writing a Story About Walking across Andorra," is both a travel essay and writing tutorial. (Rolf teaches each summer in Paris). Witty, urbane, and philosophical, Potts pops up everywhere these days and pens down elegiac pieces. No wonder he is considered the Jack Kerouac of the Internet Cafe Age.

John M. Edwards

Rolf Potts has again delivered a winning book that has a little something for everyone.
His stories are intelligent without being pretentious, inspirational to both armchair travelers and seasoned travelers alike, and you'll be given good chuckles to boot.
The end notes that follow each story appeal to both those who want a peek behind the scenes and also to writers looking for tips on how to hone their craft.
Educational and entertaining--I can't wait for the next one!

Already one of my favourite books! The stories are great in and of themselves, but the unique commentary feature really makes this book standout! Well done again Rolf!!!

Rolf's other book, Vagabonding, is a must-have guide for anyone interested in travel, regardless of age, intended destination, length of trip, or particular travel philosophy. It's been like a travel bible to me, passing it on to friends and family young and old to help explain why it is I enjoy travel so much, and hoping they catch the bug too.

So it was with great interest I picked up Rolf's second book, Marco Polo Didn't Go There. First, this book is different from Vagabonding -- it's not really a practical travel guide. It's a collection of stories from Rolf's career as a travel writer. I had read many of them before, as they appeared in popular travel magazines and websites in the past, but what makes this book unique is his end notes on each story. They act as a portal into the life of a travel writer, filling in the gaps between the paragraphs, and telling the stories that didn't fit into the story.

If you have any interest in travel, becoming a travel writer yourself, or maybe even just learning how a travel writer travels and writes, pick up this book. It's funny, enlightening, and highly entertaining.

Don't you love secrets and surprises, especially if you're in on them? In "Merry Christmas, Strega Nona" the reader is NOT part of the secret or surprise, but that's OK. When you discover it, your heart will smile anyway.

It is time to prepare for the great feast Strega Nona--Grandma Witch--has at her house every Christmas. Strega Nona has no family, so she makes the whole town her family on this blessed day.

As she goes through each step of cleaning the house from top to bottom, she sends Anthony, her young assistant, into town to buy various necessary things. He mumbles and grumbles and wants her to use her witch's magic to--abracadabra--to make things happen. Strega Nona reminds him: No magic during Christmas.

This back and forth goes on for days--Anthony seems a bit lazy--and complains to the townspeople. In fact, he forgets the most important items--food supplies--for Strega Nona to cook the feast. But what happens on Christmas Day is the most lovely surprise for our Strega Nona, a well-kept secret that morphs into a happy surprise.

All you need is the real magic of Christmas. Tomie dePaola has created one of those enduring Christmas classics with the beloved Strega Nona. Another is The Legend of the Poinsettia.

This is a great Christmas story from Tomie dePaola, author of the Strega Nona series. If you have not read Strega Nona yet, I would recommend that you start with that book, so that you are familiar with the characters and all the personality traits that they possess--especially Big Anthony. But, even of you have not read the original book, you will still enjoy the heartwarming Christmas story that focuses more on the meaning of Christmas than your typical Christmas stories that focus on gifts, Santa, and reindeer.

Strega Nona always hosts the entire town at her home for a Christmas celebration, and refuses to use her "magic" to get her work done during the holiday season, because she just does not think it is the right thing to do. As the season progresses throughout the Advent, Big Anthony is supposed to be going to town to buy things to help prepare for another Christmas celebration. But, along the way he gets "sidetracked" and Strega Nona fears that Christmas will be ruined because he has failed to get the items she needs to prepare for her dinner. I don't want to give away the rest of the story, but rest assured, that the true meaning of giving is told, and children will learn a gentle lesson about the true meaning of the spirit of Christmas.

I got this book from my local library whiloe searching through the Tomie dePaola section, but plan to buy my own copy so that we have it to ready every year during the Christmas eason. You and your children will thoroughly enjoy this book.

"Merry Christmas, Strega Nona" is an amazing book! Written and illustrated by Tomie de Paola, it's exciting and will keep you curious as to what happens next! Strega Nona is throwing a feast for all the people in her town, but will she have all the things she needs and have them ready by Christmas Eve? Read this book to find out!

Strega Nona (Grandma Witch) is getting her house ready for the Christmas Eve feast, she gives every year to the people of Calabria. In fact she not the only busy that she needs help, Bamblolona helps her father the baker out at his bakery, because the people of Calabria has been asking for special cakes and cookies. That the baker can't find time to sit in the square with his friends. And Strega Nona doesn't have time to cure headaches, make love potions and get rid of warts. Every day she sends out her dishonest helper Big Anthony to get something for her. And every day he has to change the water to be nice and soft and not too salty for the Christmas stew. And Big Anthony keeps asking Strega Nona to use her magic to do it. And she keeps answering him, "No Magic at Christmas Time". Read the book to see if Strega Nona gets the food ready in time for the feast.

This is another wonderful book by Tomie de Paola - simple but powerful message, beautiful illustrations, great story. As usual, wise Strega Nona teaches Big Anthony (and us) an important lesson.

For Italian-American families (and anyone interested in other cultures), there is the added bonus of having a number of Italian words and Christmas traditions included in the story - from baccala to zampognari. It is great to be able to share these things with our children. And hey, if Strega Nona likes it, can baccala (dried codfish) be all that bad?

I highly recommend other Tomie de Paola Christmas books: The Legend of Old Befana, Jingle the Christmas Clown, and The Clown of God.

It was late, raining and we were starved. We had just checked into our hotel in Verona and needed a good meal to put our spirits back on track. That's when we dug out our little red guide and found a 4 star restaurant within walking distance. Don't let the fact that it's all written in Italian put you off. I have no language skills and found it easy to use and quite indispensable. While it's difficult to have a truly bad meal in Italy, with this book it's amazingly simple to have a positively great one.

If you want to stay in lovely out of the way places and eat in good restaurants, here's your book. Instead of relying on the canned list of chain hotels a travel agent has, and taking pot luck at tourist dining places, get a Michelin, make your reservations in advance (figure 4-6 weeks to be safe for any restaurant with a star rating), and you'll do very well for yourself. In my experience, anyplace that's listed at all is quite decent, at least; if a restaurant or hotel is highly rated it is superb. Vacationers looking for hotels should look for places marked in red, which means especially pleasant and peaceful; you'll arrive and say to yourself: "Oh, how lovely."

Hotel and restaurant listings are very extensive and very reliable, and the guide has maps of lots of cities and small towns you won't find anywhere else , with all of the places listed marked on them. Indispensable if you want to travel around and plan your own trip.

The Michelin tourist and motoring atlases (also excellent) mark all of the towns which are mentioned in the Red Guides, so when you're planning your trip once you know where you want to go you can look for places nearby to stay and dine.

I travel all over the continent and have always taken my Michelin guides with me. There is no better way to treat yourself the way you deserve to be treated. I like to travel in Italia since I have a home off the Amalfi Coast on the Isle of Capri, even though I am French. I live in Provence, the most spectacular place on this very earth, but I do like to see other wonderful places and dine on foreign foods. Italia is good for doing both of those pleasures.I like to fly most of the time, but then you do not get to see the sites close up. Flying is really for getting some place fast. But if you want to take your time and really see Italia, then you must have this Michelin guides in your possession. Since I am French, I don't know every place to go, so this guide always comes in very handy for me.

Be AWARE that this guide is "written" in Italian -- but do NOT be intimidated by that fact. The essential information is (as in the case of all Michelin texts) conveyed by ideograms or other diagrams (maps, etc.), and the meanings are clearly explained in the multilingual bookmark which accompanies the guide. The information itself is the most accurate -- and most respected -- in the world. Consider that when deciding on how you're going to spend the thousands of US$ that your Italian vacation will cost.

Although I am French, I have traveled extensively in Italy. I can say without a doubt say that the Michelin Red Guide Italia is absolutely the best guidebook available. The information is so extensive that even native Italians will find a wealth of information!

All aspects of a trip are covered including hotels, restaurants tourist attractions, road and city maps and suggested traveling routes, among other things.

Michelin didn't get its superior reputation for nothing! It is the most trusted name in travel guides. This guide is just another addition to its superb library.

Marci Alborghetti grew up in a family where Christmas was a celebration that lasted from the first week in December to Three Kings Day. She always wondered what happened to the fabled gifts of the Magi, so one Christmas season she wrote The Miracle Of The Myrrh to answer this timeless question from two thousand years ago. Award-winning French artist Herve Blondon richly illustrates Alborghetti's original, entertaining, and highly recommended picturebook story of a grown-up Drummer Boy, his son, and the fate of the frankincense, gold and myrrh.

Marci Alborghetti has written a children's story which will be a Christmas favorite for years to come. The Miracle of the Myrrh is a sensitive tale showing us the blessings we receive when we generously offer our gifts to meet another's need. I can picture myuself reading this to a child every Christmas season. It is a story which will never grow old. Herve Blondon captures the story visually in such a way that, once the stroy is read, the child who is not yet reading can "read" the story again just by looking at the illustrations.

Every year I search for just the right Christmas storybook to add to my daughter's collection. The Miracle of the Myrrh is a wonderful story that celebrates the true spirit of giving and Christianity. It is a welcome relief for a season that has become so commercialized. I know this book will become one of our favorite Holiday reads.

The Mircle of the Myrrh is beautifully written and created an oasis for our family to stop and truly reflect on the spirit and meaning of Christmas. It is written with a new perspective and caught the attention of both the adults and children in our family with its freshness, beauty and insights. It will be one of our most beloved family traditions for many years to come!

As a small town librarian, I recommend this book for family reading over the holidays. Its message is as simple as it is profound: like breathing out and breathing in, you have to give in order to get. Also, wonderful illustrations. This story is a natural for a composer of melodic talent. Who hasn't enjoyed Amahl and the Night Visitors? Read it and see if you agree.

DJ's and Chowder's life was simple. They woke up, had breakfast, went to school, came home, ate dinner and did homework. But DJ had better things to do than homework. Across the street from him was a shattered, non-painted old house. And in it was an old man know as Mr. Nebbercraker. One day DJ and Chowder where spying on Mr. Nebbercraker when a girl named Jenny came into the scene. She was about their age and was pulling a red wagon full of cookie boxes. She was probably selling them as a fundraiser for her school. She walked up to Mr. Nebbercraker's door and was about to ring the doorbell when DJ and Chowder came running down after her screaming not to. As she rang the doorbell a low echoing sound that seemed to go miles into the center of the earth boomed and the two large parallel windows above her turn bright red and turned into a pair of evil red glowing eyes. The door swung open and razor sharp shards of wood came out of the top and bottom of it, and then the rug leading to the back of the house turned into a tongue and soon it looked much like a face. All of the sudden the walkway to Mr.Nebbercraker's front door turned into an inclined plane and then Jenny started to almost roll down right to the razor sharp teeth. Just as she was about to be devoured by this "monster house" DJ and Chowder caught her and ran back across the street and back to their room. Of course Jenny was stunned and knew they had to stop this evil house. Ever since that day DJ watches Mr. Nebbercraker's house to get some proof that this house is... ALIVE! But Halloween was coming up and all of the people that trick-or-treated Mr.Nebbercraker's house will be eaten. So begins a battle of three kids and a living house nightmare!





Opinion
Monster House was a fun and entertaining book about three kids and a living nightmare. I recommend Monster House for people who like suspenseful, action scenes. It was a very good book, and every night I was tempted to read more and more of it. It was just like I was watching the movie right in my bed!

DJ's and Chowder's life was simple. They woke up, had breakfast, went to school, came home, ate dinner and did homework. But DJ had better things to do than homework. Across the street from him was a shattered, non-painted old house. And in it was an old man know as Mr. Nebbercraker. One day DJ and Chowder where spying on Mr. Nebbercraker when a girl named Jenny came into the scene. She was about their age and was pulling a red wagon full of cookie boxes. She was probably selling them as a fundraiser for her school. She walked up to Mr. Nebbercraker's door and was about to ring the doorbell when DJ and Chowder came running down after her screaming not to. As she rang the doorbell a low echoing sound that seemed to go miles into the center of the earth boomed and the two large parallel windows above her turn bright red and turned into a pair of evil red glowing eyes. The door swung open and razor sharp shards of wood came out of the top and bottom of it, and then the rug leading to the back of the house turned into a tongue and soon it looked much like a face. All of the sudden the walkway to Mr.Nebbercraker's front door turned into an inclined plane and then Jenny started to almost roll down right to the razor sharp teeth. Just as she was about to be devoured by this "monster house" DJ and Chowder caught her and ran back across the street and back to their room. Of course Jenny was stunned and knew they had to stop this evil house. Ever since that day DJ watches Mr. Nebbercraker's house to get some proof that this house is... ALIVE! But Halloween was coming up and all of the people that trick-or-treated Mr.Nebbercraker's house will be eaten. So begins a battle of three kids and a living house nightmare!





Opinion
Monster House was a fun and entertaining book about three kids and a living nightmare. I recommend Monster House for people who like suspenseful, action scenes. It was a very good book, and every night I was tempted to read more and more of it. It was just like I was watching the movie right in my bed!

I read the book "Monster House", adapted by Tom Hughes. This story takes place in a neighborhood in the town of Mayville. A kid named DJ knew something was wrong with the house across the street. The house was alive and would eat anything or anyone that stepped on its lawn. When the house came alive, the front door was its mouth, the porch was its teeth, the foyer rug was its tounge, the upstairs windows were its eyes, and the trees on the side of the house were its arms. The biggest problem was DJ and his friends were the only ones that could see the house alive. DJ and his friends, Chowder and Jenny, were going to spy on the house and find out what was going on with it. They also wanted to find out why the house became alive after its owner, Mr. Nebbercracker disappeared. After spying on the house with their telescope, the 3 friends realized that the house was really alive and the furnace was the heart and soul of the house that kept it alive. The friends made a plan to get inside the house and put out the fire in its furnace.
The three friends went onto the lawn and up to the house. When the house "woke up" it stared to chase them. DJ, Chowder, and Jenny ran down the street and the house chased after them. They led the house to the back of the neighborhood to a construction sight they called "The Danger Zone". While the house chased the kids, Mr. Nebbercracker showed up. He had been sick and was at the hospital. Mr. Nebbercracker was trying to calm the house down. DJ finally climbed to the top of a crane and dropped dynamite into the house's chimney. The house exploded and destroyed the furnace. While the house was burning, the kids and Mr. Nebbercracker saw a spirit floating up from the ashes. It was Mr. Nebbercracker's wife, Constance, who had died years before. Her spirit was trapped in the house and when Mr. Nebbercracker went to the hospital, she thought that he had died and left her alone. She was released when the kids destroyed the house. Mr. and Mrs. Nebbercracker were able to say good-bye and Mrs. Nebbercracker's spirit was finally free.
I loved this book because its details. The description of the house was great. I could actually envision the house in my mind. I also loved the suspense.

I read the book "Monster House", adapted by Tom Hughes. This story takes place in a neighborhood in the town of Mayville. A kid named DJ knew something was wrong with the house across the street. The house was alive and would eat anything or anyone that stepped on its lawn. When the house came alive, the front door was its mouth, the porch was its teeth, the foyer rug was its tounge, the upstairs windows were its eyes, and the trees on the side of the house were its arms. The biggest problem was DJ and his friends were the only ones that could see the house alive. DJ and his friends, Chowder and Jenny, were going to spy on the house and find out what was going on with it. They also wanted to find out why the house became alive after its owner, Mr. Nebbercracker disappeared. After spying on the house with their telescope, the 3 friends realized that the house was really alive and the furnace was the heart and soul of the house that kept it alive. The friends made a plan to get inside the house and put out the fire in its furnace.
The three friends went onto the lawn and up to the house. When the house "woke up" it stared to chase them. DJ, Chowder, and Jenny ran down the street and the house chased after them. They led the house to the back of the neighborhood to a construction sight they called "The Danger Zone". While the house chased the kids, Mr. Nebbercracker showed up. He had been sick and was at the hospital. Mr. Nebbercracker was trying to calm the house down. DJ finally climbed to the top of a crane and dropped dynamite into the house's chimney. The house exploded and destroyed the furnace. While the house was burning, the kids and Mr. Nebbercracker saw a spirit floating up from the ashes. It was Mr. Nebbercracker's wife, Constance, who had died years before. Her spirit was trapped in the house and when Mr. Nebbercracker went to the hospital, she thought that he had died and left her alone. She was released when the kids destroyed the house. Mr. and Mrs. Nebbercracker were able to say good-bye and Mrs. Nebbercracker's spirit was finally free.
I loved this book because its details. The description of the house was great. I could actually envision the house in my mind. I also loved the suspense.

The book Monster House is really cool, it's all about these three children spy on the house next door. The house is alive and lots of things happen to the kids, if you want to know you could read the book. There are three main characters, they are DJ, Chawder, and Jenny. If you like action books you will like this. The book is not really scary. The auther is Simon Spotlight. Good work Simon! I hope you like it.