Tomato Books

Get the non-pop up, the story is really wonderful and funny - not a boring read for mom and dad. I'm very disappointed, though; I love this book and we used to get it all the time from the library (non-pop up). We could only find the pop up hardcover online and it doesn't work well at all. The flow is hard to follow, too, and I'm always missing part of the story as I read, and having to go back.

Charlie has to look after his little sister and give her dinner. Unfortunately, Lola is a very picky eater, and we have to sit through the entire list of things she won't eat. ESPECIALLY not tomatoes.

So he decides to "play a good trick on her" and tell her that all these foods she "won't eat" are really *different* and exotic foods that she's sure to love. (Are you sure you don't want these green drops? I'll eat them, then, they're very rare!)

Predictably (to us grown-ups), she gobbles all these foods up, and then turns the table on her brother by asking for the tomatoes (These? Are you sure you want THESE?) declaring that they're "moonsquirters" and saying "You didn't think they were tomatoes, did you Charlie?"

What's interesting is that this technique is actually recommended for both child and adult picky eaters. Oh, not the trickery, but the use of pleasant sounding names to make foods sound appealing. (And really, Lola wasn't tricked at all, was she?)

Cute illustrations and clever text. May not change the mind of a dedicated vegetable-hater, but they'll enjoy it.

I love this book. It is so cute and even convinces my three-year old to eat foods she doesn't want to!

This book should be read by fussy readers everywhere -- and I have a few adults I know who belong in that category!

The illustrations are delightful, showing pictures of the food against interesting textures and colors. This book will have a positive effect on the fussiest eater.

Funny, heartwarming and highly recommended!

I loved this book. The women of my church used this book for a 12 week bible study following each chapter and our hearts and minds were transformed. Every woman should read this book. This book is better than any twelve step program out there and it speaks directly to the mind and soul of a woman, there is no way you can read it and still think the same way about the Samaritan woman or any woman for that matter. Give it a shot, you won't regret it!!

This is a must read for every woman. Bishop McKenzie takes you on a strategic journey that brings you to a place of awareness of all that God has deposited in you. She weaves the Biblical story into our lives and brings clarity of God's divine work in us. An excellent tool for a small group study!

Bishop McKenzie writes in the most wonderful conversational style. Reading her book made me feel as though she and I were conversing. The book evoked deep emotion and introspection in my spiritual life. Highly recommended.

This book was a christmas gift from my sister. Journey to the well helped me travel down a well worn road. You have already thought about the things that she has written about your spiritual journey, but with how much perspective. Vashti's book helped me to reflect on my image in the well. Looking at myself objectively in the well, I can change things I dont want to see.

I have been enriched by reading this book by Bishop McKenzie. It came to my attention as a recommended reading posted at my school, Trinity College of D.C. Not aware of Bishop McKenzie, I was intrigued by the summary of this book and decided to read it. What a tremendous blessing. As I read it, I realized that so many women travel often to the well in our daily lives. Just trying our best, no matter how painful, to do what we can until things get better. Like the Samarian woman at the well, we yearned for something different in our lives that would free us from many of the cultural, societal, and spiritual bonds that bind us. Dr. Mckenzie reminds us systematically through the additional Biblical references, exercises, and journal assignments that support this blessed encounter that we are waiting for our opportunity to meet Jesus at the well. Pausing to answer this blessed stranger's questions and boldly asking questions of Him healed her. Reading this book, we are also healed. I encourage women from all walks of life, age or religion to read this book. Like the Samarian woman who met Jesus at the well, you, too will find your voice. through His grace be healed to go forth and tell everyone of the man you just met who knew everything about you and loves you dearly. Peace

I bought this book for my mother as she had been looking for books about the "Donnor Party". She found it interesting to read & enjoyed it.

I read this book ages ago and thought it was awesome. But, recently I bought it to read to my 9 year-old as she is beginning her living history career as "Patty Reed". What a wonderful book. It really shows what life and hardship are all about, but done in such am engaging yet non-violent way. I cannot recommend this book enough! It ought to be required reading in school.

I read this book in 1964 as a 4th grader in Northern California learning state history. I have never forgotten Patty or her doll (which used to be on display at Sutter's Fort). When my children were small it was not in print and I am so happy to see it is again. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to know about American history from a totally different perspective. That of a little wooden doll, chosen amongst many beautiful sisters, to make a rough trip in the pocket of her owner. You will never forget Patty Reed, or her doll, I know I haven't. I am buying the book to keep to read and to my grandchildren.

This is an excellent book that is based on fact and actually sticks very close to the true facts. It is hard to put down once you start it. Our 6 year old granddaughter loved the book, as I did also. I highly recommend it for both children and adults, even though it is written for elementary age children.

This is a beautifully written book that captures the plight of pioneers traveling west. My fourth grade students really gain a sense of what life was like once upon a time. Great book!!...

This is the best poetry book I have ever read. He came and performed at my school when I was in 6th grade (I am now in 9th) and he got me excited about performing. I now want to make movies and his book gives me hope that if you want to do something, you can. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants a little hope, who has dreams, and anyone who just plain likes fun. Oh, and don't forget to check out The Tomato Collection: The Big Album CD. They turned every song in the book into a poem and it's really cool, I'm listening to it right now! Anyway's I suggest buying this book for anyone of any age. It can teach a lesson to all.

My children all love this book and CD set. It is a tremendous source of poetic inspiration for them. The songs/poems are enjoyable for adults, too.

This book is full of really cute poems and thoughts that Mr. Kammeraad has and has put together into a funny little book. The book has poems that are fun to read and that the whole family likes to read. One of the poems is about a couch that eats people. This is a really neat book and everyone should get a chance to read it

The book says for ages 4 - 8, but we loved it just as much as our daughter!! It's loads of fun and reminded of us of our youth. Our daughter loved the artwork. We have read it over and over and keep finding new stuff each time we read it. Kevin obviously has a bright future ahead of him.

The Tomato Collection is a surefire winner for storytime with your kids. Honestly, I don't know who enjoys the book more - me or my son! The stories and poems capture the true spirit of kids, from the silly to the serious, in their own language. The original illustrations and photos add a whimsical dimension to the already creative writings. Everytime we read it, we find something new.

We liked the book so much that we recently added "the Big album" CD to our collection. The just-released recording puts The Tomato Collection to music in a collection of over 50 songs. My son and I love to dance and sing along with the characters from the book. Plain and simple - this is great fun for kids of all ages.

I haven't read this book - it's a Christmas gift for a tomato lover! But the photography is AMAZING! It also seems fairly informative. I just might have to buy a copy for myself!

Books are some of the greatest treasures we have in this life. Few, if any, other objects have the universal ability to make us laugh, to make us cry, to entertain us, to inspire us and to teach us. Fictional literature, the art of storytelling, entertains, inspires and sometimes teaches us by making us laugh, cry, think and appreciate. Non-fiction literature serves a different purpose. Its focus is to teach or inform us. Exceptional non-fiction literature teaches and informs us in an entertaining way which inspires us and causes us to think and to be appreciative.

Amy Goldman's books are some of the best non-fiction literature created in the fledgling 21st century, and with her newest book, The Heirloom Tomato, she has demonstrated that her skills as a writer, researcher and gardener are only becoming more refined. In my opinion, The Heirloom Tomato is the best book ever written on the tomato.

For more than 6 years now Ms. Goldman has collaborated with Victor Schrager, an accomplished photographer with exceptional talent. During the process of creating three extraordinary books on three of America's most beloved fruits and vegetables, these two have forged a partnership which allows them to communicate to their readers with a singleness of purpose that I have never encountered in any other literary partnership. Undoubtedly inspired by Amy's passion, her years of meticulous research and the abundance from her extensive trial gardens, Victor has created photographs which communicate to the reader the beauty, delicacy, even sensuality of these fruits and vegetables and, in some cases, the images are so exceptional you can almost recall the fragrance and the flavor.

The Heirloom Tomato is first and foremost a comprehensive resource on the tomato, beginning with a well written primer on growing, harvesting and saving the seed of tomatoes followed by a detailed archive, describing for approximately 200 different tomatoes, the size, weight, shape, skin color, flesh color, sweetness, flavor, texture, uses, plant habit, leaf type, yield, maturity, origins, synonyms, seed sources and history. As is true with all of her books, the facts contained in this resource material are well researched and reliable. The book is also a compendium of tomato recipes some of which are quite unique like the dessert recipe, Galette of White Peaches and Tomatoes, and the drink recipe, Tomato Water.

The Heirloom Tomato is also a gentle book, and it is this aspect of its character that moves it from the realm of good non-fiction literature to exceptional non-fiction literature. This book, like Goldman's other two books, Melons for the Passionate Grower and The Compleat Squash, are not `one-time reads'. The Heirloom Tomato is the kind of book you will look to for inspiration on a cold winter day in front of a warm fire. You will return year after year to page 15 to stare at those black tipped fingers ever so gently cradling that magnificent red tomato or to page 248 to view, yet again, the absolutely perfect still life entitled, Thai Pink Bouquet. It is the resource you will seek out and come to depend upon, when, after strolling through someone's vegetable garden, you spy a tomato you have never seen before. This is a book for learned gardeners, novice gardeners, chefs, cooks and even people who do not like to garden or cook, but just love the tomato. This book will teach and inform you, it will inspire you and cause you to pause and think, but most of all, after the first read and the many, many reads that will follow, it will endow you with an even greater appreciation for the tomato.

This is the book for you if you want an exquisitely photographed encyclopedic tome about heirloom tomatos. It is not a recipe book, though it has some. It is somewhat of a curiosity, but if you love food--esp tomatoes--well worth owning.

I bought this book for my husband Dennis for our anniversary. He planted over 50 tomato plants this year and we have been enjoying some and others we made salsa and sauce from. We have been buying Heirlooms at our local farmer's market but wanted to grow some or our own. So if you are a home gardener and into growing the very best Heirloom tomatoes on your block this is the book for you. Amy Goldman has researched everything you'd want to know about Heirloom tomatoes from which are the best, what types are available and which do well in certain areas. She's done all the work for you. There is information on taste, color and the various types of tomatoes so that you can grown tomatoes to match your tast palate. And she's included recipes as well. Another great thing about this book is the seed guide in the back which are divided by states and there are several to choose from. This is by far the quintessential book on Heirloom Tomatoes.

This book is all that it claims. For those wanting to grow heirloom tomatoes, it can be confusing as to which have the attributes one is seeking (sweet taste, good for sauce, good for munching, etc.) This book takes the mystery out of heirloom tomatoes with great descriptions of each tomato's attributes. The book also has beautiful photographs of each tomato so it is easy to visualize how they would appear in the garden. Finally, there is an extensive list of seed sources.

Great book--well worth the money.

This book lets you teach 49 vowel-spellings with 257 vocabulary words.

We have the three-pack set of Voyage to the Bunny Planet. First Tomato is my 3 year old daughter's favorite story. We read it last night, and she had to have tomato soup for lunch today. But after she had looked at the bowl for a minute she said, "But mom, you forgot to say you love me so!" So I had to say, "I've made you first tomato soup because I love you so." That made it perfect. Every parent and child will love the cozy, comforting stories that rescue the characters from their realistic, very ordinary bad days. They are a joy.

I have a friend who actually reads "First Tomato," the first visit to the Bunny Planet written and illustrated by Rosemary Wells, to her bunnies. A friend gave her the book as something of a joke present, since my friend has bunnies but no children, but she really likes this book. Like all great children's literature it has that special something that immediately grabs you. Claire does not have a good day at school and needs a visit to the Bunny Planet: "Far beyond the moon and stars, Twenty light-years south of Mars, Spins the gentle Bunny Planet, And the Bunny Queen is Janet." Just the idea of the Bunny Planet is enough to make a child smile and you know that it is a marvelous place where fun things happen. But who would expect that what awaits our heroine is a ruby red tomato? There is nothing like the simple logic of a child's mind and Rosemary Wells story speaks to it perfectly. As for how it speaks to the mind of a bunny, I leave that to your imagination.

Of the three Bunny Planet books, this one is definitely the hands-down favorite for both me and my daughter, who is not yet 2-1/2. I love the way the text changes from normal speech to lilting rhythms after Queen Janet shows Claire "the day that should have been." The phrase "because I love you so" quickly became a part of my toddler's speech as well as my own.

I'd like to add that the 4-8 age range suggestion is too restrictive--this is a picture book that toddlers AND their parents will thoroughly appreciate. Let's face it, we ALL deserve a visit to the Bunny Planet!!

In our family, First Tomato is a favorite. For my daughter, who is named Claire, the book was a thrill as a 3-year-old. She was sure it was written about her! For my son, the book captured the frustrations of a kid in school who has everything go bad. For my husband and myself, "bunny planet" is our secret phrase for where we want to go when life with the business gets tough. Wells is a wonderful and magical author. You must read everyone of her books!

Delta & Dawn: Mother & Baby Whales' Journey is a children's picturebook based on the inspirational true tale of a mother and baby humpback whale. During their migration through the Pacific Ocean, the whales became trapped for more than two weeks in the Sacramento River and the San Francisco Bay area. Their presence charmed and fascinated humans; marine biologists tried everything they could think of to help the whales return to their saltwater home, and the baby whale always stayed close to its mother. At last the two of them were finally able to find the way to freedom. A gentle and kindly storybook, illustrated with captivating artwork and photography, especially recommended for young whale lovers.

An awesome book - absolutely perfect for kids who love animals! Bright, colorful illustrations that keep their interest, informative text that teaches them about whales and their habitat, and it's all based on a very touching true story of a mother and her calf and their journey home to the Pacific Ocean. A definite must-have in every child's book collection.

We followed this story very closely as we live very near the area where the journey takes place. Stefanie Cruz is a newscaster in our area and we were delighted to see her write this book. It is a sweet story told very well about a mother's love for her baby. We highly recommend it! Plus, it has a happy ending...one we all hoped to see.

We were given this book as a gift. It was a beautiful story and very tenderly written. The illustrations were awesome as well, as they were very detailed and pertained exactly to the text. My 6 year old son was intrigued from the first page and completely related to the whales all along their journey. It will definately be read again and again! Thanks for sharing your experience Stefanie Cruz!

This is a very touching story about the two whales that traveled up the delta to Sacramento several months ago. It is written by TV News Anchorwoman Stefanie Cruz who covered the events firsthand. She read the book aloud at our public library and it was a big hit with the children. Because there is a lot of text, it is most suitable for kids with long attention spans. My four-year old had no trouble listening, and was very moved by the story. My friends' children will be receiving this for Christmas since I enjoyed it so much.

Beautifully illustrated just for the tomao lover, compehensive list of heirloom tomatoes. Many tempting recipes. Great and useful, rewarding pore-over.

Excellent book - since we are new Heirloom Tomato growers and are working on a TomatoFare in Washington State, this is a great reference, beautifully illustrated book for review.

Compiled and organized by Lawrence Davis-Hollander (Founder and Director of the Eastern Native Seed Conservancy), The Tomato Festival Cookbook showcases 150 recipes each of which focuses upon culinary creations featuring heirloom tomatoes as a principal ingredient. Along with the "kitchen friendly" recipes, The Tomato Festival Cookbook offers informed advice on selecting the very best heirloom tomatoes, reveals how to grow great-tasting tomatoes in your own garden, provides historical tomato lore, as well as profiles of notable tomato growers and thematically appropriate regional festivals. From Tomato and Corn Salsa; Stuffed Mussels with Tomatoes and Almonds; Spicy Tomato Cocktails; and Heirloom Tomato and Goat Cheese Salad; to Robert Gurvich's Pizza with Fresh Tomato Sauce; Spanish-Style Fish with Tomatoes and Potatoes; Tomato Jam Tart; and Tomato-Rice Casserole with Poblanos, Beef, and Melted Cheese, The Tomato Festival Cookbook will prove to a welcome and much appreciated addition to any tomato lover's personal cookbook collection!

If you love tomatoes, this will give you some fresh ideas for preparing them.

This first-time author brings together reknowned chefs and tomato connoisseurs who share over 150 mouth-watering receipes ranging from common preparations like spaghetti sauce to fancy creations like West African Chicken. Sidebars of information are included giving growing tips and historical lore for selecting the best-tasting heirlooms for each recipe. Davis-Hollander uses carefully selected and saved tomato seeds to produce exquisite tomatoes for his exotic recipes. This is a good source for specific information on heirloom tomatoes and a variety of tasty dishes.

We absolutely love this book along with every other Charlie and Lola book and movie!!! ABSOLUTELY!

Christmas gift for my 9-year old niece...Easy order process and quick delivery!

Thanks!

My son who is 3 1/2 loves Charlie and Lola. Perfect content for this age.

My 2 and a half year old LOVES this book!!!!! Charlie and Lola are favorites of hers and this episode always brings giggles galore! Now that she has the book at least once a day she "reads" it herself. It has traveled with us everywhere and I am going to have to get a spare just in case something happens to the one that she has... it is a keeper!!!!

This is one of my favirite gifts to give to a 2 or 3 year old, since it ends with a Birthday Cake (or Birthday Spider, if you prefer). Never the same book twice. The illustrations fit together perfectly. I just wish there was more!!

This is a delightful and fun book that my 3-year-old just loves. It's very silly and it's something that a small child can "read" on their own too.

My almost three year old daughter and I love this book. The pages are divided into two parts so that each page features one bold picture cut in half of a spider, grandma, ice cream cone, etc.... You can mix and match the pages so you end up with silly combinations such as a strawberry flavored volcano or a birthday lemon. The combinations are endless. This book really keeps my daughter entertained. Opposite the pictures are the phrases describing the pictures also cut in half. On the top there is a descriptive phrase relating to the picture and the bottom features one word which tells you what the picture is such as cake, pizza, man. I read the descriptive part "eek a wriggly" and then encourage my daughter to try and fill in the one word part for example "ice cream". I think she is starting to make the connection between the word on the page and the picture. The other great thing about this book is it is sturdy. The pages are well made and it has kind of a spiral notebook binding which makes it really easy to flip the pages. I think this is a great book for keeping even the most atttention defecit toddler engaged in reading.

My 5-year-old son read this book at a friend's house and truly loved it. He is still talking about it several days later. The book consists of "dutch door" pages that allow you to turn the top & bottom independently creating belly-laugh-evoking combinations. This is sure to entertain any preschooler or early reader.