Campbell Books

This book is fantastic! My son absolutely loves this story and we read it every night before going to bed. The story is about the monkey who loses his mom. His friend, the butterfly, offers to help monkey find his mother. The butterfly asks the monkey to describe his mother and for every description, leads the monkey to an animal-unfortunately not his mother but another animal-the elephant, the spider, the bat, the parrot, the snake, the frog etc...all based on the descriptions the monkey gives. Turns out that he doesnt know monkey's mother looks like monkey, because his own children dont look like him, i.e. caterpillars. The premise of the story is brilliant, analytical and makes complete sense. The illustrations are beautiful and vivid, the text rhymes and is just the right amount each page for my toddler. I truly enjoy reading this book to him just as much as he enjoys going through the search for monkey's mom. This one is a real winner. I am very picky about the books my son reads- I need them to be interesting, fun, educational, well-illustrated and just long enough to keep his attention. This one meets all those criteria.
I actually think this one is better than The Gruffalo, the other book written by this author that won the Smarties award.

All Donaldson's books that we have bought are wonderful - neat, humorous story, with a little learning, and beautiful interesting illustrations. Kids love them.

Like many toddlers, mine loves the moon so I went in search of a good lunar book - preferably in verse. This is it. The poem is lovely, the illustrations extremely charming and my moon-crazy baby can't get enough of it (we started reading it at about age one, but I think it would engage older children as well). Even absent an obsession with heavenly bodies, this book should charm: the appealing illustrations feature a cozy family narrative with lots of familiar and interesting objects to point at and talk about: a baby, a clock, dogs, cats, a bird family, deer, etc. Highly recommended.

This is truly a wonderful book. It is short, sweet, and simple. At least that is the way it felt as I read it and looked at the pictures. The text is a classic poem by Robert Louis Stevenson who lived between 1850 and 1894. And the watercolor illustrations marvelously bring the poem to life so the reader can better understand it. There are 15 scenes (2-pages each) in the book.

The story is about the moon and what happens at night while it glows. We meet some raccoons, deer, owls, dogs, cats, bats, and a mouse. 5 stars!

I love this book. It provides a unique relationship between space and time. He utilizes all literary movements from haikus to spoken word, to "paragraph poems. May his voice be known foever.

This is the best book of poems ever! It's a page turner. You can really tell that he's a real writer talking about his own personal life. I like that I feel as if I know him personally.

This book was amazing, it helped me so much through my first semester English class. i couldnt have lived without it!!!! and the condition it was it was awesome!!

this is a great book,i definetly reccomend.i have one FOR SALE,brand new condition for very decent price,email heather_ellis84@yahoo.com if interested.

This little book is cute and perfect for new readers. It has little paper doll like things, such as an invitation, song book, and telegram.

This book is really cute. My 4 yr old daughter and I really enjoy it. All of Michelle Cartlidge's mouse books are great, and this one is especially well done.

This is the funniest and best informed book about chiles and hot sauce that I have ever read. Most books give you recipes or histories of peppers, but Campbell's approach is truly different. He recounts his various quests for the hottest of hot sauces, and, in the course of his journey, he uses humor (frequently black humor) to provide information about all kinds of peppers, hot sauces, and the addictive lifestyle of those who have come to know the joys and sorrows of hot sauce. And, as a bonus, he includes some incredible recipes (yes, they are hot!) The book just looks great--it is small and beautiful, almost a little fetish object in its own right--and I love the way that Campbell obsesses over his addiction while maintaining his humanity. For anyhow who loves hot sauce and chile pepper pain, this is a unique read.

As a devout Chilehead, I've been waiting for someone to put into words the fiery affliction that I, and many countless others live with. James Campbell uses wit, introspect and a great command of the language to paint a picture of "Painland"; our home. He includes numerous facts and resources, such as the web site Pyropepper.com of which I had never heard, to give a well rounded narrative of life as a Chilehead. Bravo! I recommend this book for chile lovers of course, but also for anyone with a good sense of humor and love of a great read.

this is vol 1 of a 3 part mozart set.each part is designed by a guy who spent the last 50 years experimenting with musics effect on people.i read the book.it says that this music has an effect on your mind similar to when your mind retains information.so,in short,you listen-you learn-you remember later.a lot of times ill just leave it playing in the house.i know 3 teachers who all say that playing this particular cd in thier classrooms improves test scores in her less than average students.i highly recomend this album,not only for its mind power but for its beaty and spleandoar!these are a collection of some of mozarts classical songs.they are not classical thunder like beethovens 5th or light classical like chopins nocturnes but pleasent easy flowing bliss.my favorite is "eine kliene nacht musik".for those of you who dont do german,thats "a little night music".its that mozart song everybody knows him by.he wrote it when he was like 6.his estimated iq was 165.no one should be without this glorious musical revelation!NOBODY!

Music has been a power in the World probably since the dawn of time. All indigenous tribes used and use it, as well as most people in the world today. The entire series has helped me as a person with Multiple Sclerosis to recoordinate my thinking, relax, regain focus, and has helped me with depression. My motor skills are not yet improved to a great extent, but I've only been using the CDs for a month. I recommend them to my friends. I have also taken an interest in Gregorian Chant since reading the book. My ability to concentrate has improved remarkably after daily use of all 5 CDs for the past month.
I hope all that purchase or are considering purchasing these products will give them a serious try. My entire household of 5 have benefited from the music.

This is a birthday/address book, and it's way cool. The top half of the book is where you write down birthdays that you want to remember. The bottom half of the book is the address book. There's space for you to write people's addresses, phone numbers, and even email addresses. The two halves of the book are very useful, because you can go to the birthday section on the top, and see who's birthday is coming up. Then you can go to the address section on the bottom, and look up their address. And you can do all that without having to lose your place! It's so easy, and really cool. At the back of the book, you can find great quotes to inspire you, your own zodiac astrology sign, each month's birthstones and flowers.. and even the history of the names of each month! There are very cute drawings all throughout the book too. Two thumbs way up! :)

This is a birthday/address book, and it's way cool. The top half of the book is where you write down birthdays that you want to remember. The bottom half of the book is the address book. There's space for you to write people's addresses, phone numbers, and even email addresses. The two halves of the book are very useful, because you can go to the birthday section on the top, and see who's birthday is coming up. Then you can go to the address section on the bottom, and look up their address. And you can do all that without having to lose your place! It's so easy, and really cool. At the back of the book, you can find great quotes to inspire you, your own zodiac astrology sign, each month's birthstones and flowers.. and even the history of the names of each month! There are very cute drawings all throughout the book too. Two thumbs way up! :)

In this fresh and original tale Tracey Campbell Pearson explores a common childhood problem and offers up a deliciously satisfying solution. Myrtle, a mouse, has an idyllic existence. She has a loving mother and father, and a sweet baby brother, a room full of toys, shelves full of books. Life is wonderful . . . until Frances moves next door. Frances is m-e-a-n. Frances dresses up like a monster and scares Myrtle (and her baby brother). She plants fake snakes in Myrtle's yard, steals Myrtle's ball, and generally makes Myrtle's life miserable.

When Myrtle begins spending her days in the closet, Myrtle's parents make an emergency call to Aunt Tizzy (who happens to be on safari in Africa ). Aunt Tizzy rushes to the rescue. She spends the day with Myrtle-in the closet-talking and giggling and playing.

Myrtle finally tells Aunt Tizzy about mean Frances . Aunt Tizzy tells Myrtle about mean lions in Africa.

"Weren't you scared?" asked Myrtle.
"Sure, but I wasn't going to let a few nasty lions keep me away from Africa ." Aunt Tizzy said.
"What about when they roared mean lion roars?" whispered Myrtle.
"I told them to stop being rude, and if they continued, I simply roared back," replied Aunt Tizzy. "Or sometimes," she added, "I would just sing and dance until they were gone."

Aunt Tizzy's words have a powerful effect on Myrtle. She leaves the closet, grabs her toys and baby brother, and makes for the back yard. There she and her brother "wiggled and squiggled," laughed and roared, sang silly songs, and . . . ignored Frances.

Pearson's bright, colorful watercolor illustrations capture perfectly the unfolding drama, Tizzy's exuberant personality, Myrtle's transformation, and the clever conclusion. Myrtle is a simple yet powerful tale that you will not want to miss. Highly recommended.

Reviewed by the Education Oasis Staff.

Tracey Pearson's "Myrtle" is a lively, colorful book that teaches toddlers and young elementary school kids how to outwit, outplay, and outlast neighborhood bullies. It's a masterful turn by Pearson, who writes and draws with sensitivity and vivacity.

Myrtle and her baby brother are happy children who enjoy books, games, and the outdoors, all under the watchful love of their parents. However, this rodent rhapsody is disturbed when Frances moves next door. Pearson gets right to the point: "Frances did not love Myrtle or her baby brother. Frances made mean signs, sang mean songs, and said mean things, Frances was mean."

Pearson cleverly mixes the threat with some humor, so that the mean mouse won't frighten readers and listeners too much: "When Myrtle's ball rolled into Frances's yard, Frances kept it for three weeks and two days. Myrtle only got it because her baby brother found it. Frances had covered it with bubble gum, and it stuck to his nose." Frances is both mean and persistent, and she dresses up as a monster, plants rubber snakes, and throws water balloons at the increasingly anxious mouse victims.

Here, Pearson's story really departs from cookie cutter formulas entailing wise parents or tricky, funny revenge: She shows that being a victim hurts, Myrtle decides not to go outside at all, and, for some unexplained reason, her parents are unable to comfort her. Pearson shows that parents are not omnipotent and sometimes have to turn to outside help. That is why the loving parents call Aunt Tizzy back from her African safari to help Myrtle. ("Aunt Tizzy dropped her binoculars and caught the first elephant out of the jungle."). If ever there were a lay counselor, it is Aunt Tizzy. She doesn't confront the problem immediately; instead, she focuses on relaxing Myrtle by having fun with her. They "giggled and played"; "they roared and they howled and they yowled" while playing with Tizzy's African masks. Tizzy wears authentic African clothes and masks, beautifully illustrated by Pearson, add even much vitality to the book, but it's a cozy energy, all played out in the intimate safety of Myrtle's large closet.

Again, Pearson eschews the obvious. In many books, she and Myrtle would avenge themselves by scaring Frances with the masks. Instead, Tizzy tells Myrtle how she handles "nasty lions" in Africa. She tells them they are rude, "and if they continued, I simply roared back." And sometimes she "would just sing and dance until they were gone" Myrtle comes out of her closet feeling "bigger and stronger," and when Frances confronts Myrtle, her aunt's lessons serve her well. She uses her words ("How rude!"), and then they sing happy, silly songs, drowning out Frances's mean ones. They dance and "squiggle and wiggle," and have so much fun that they forget Frances, who finally comes out of her hiding place and waits "for someone to notice her." (This implied need for attention could be discussed with your young audience.)

This very impressive book is truly original, not an easy feat in kids' books. Pearson doesn't take any shortcuts or easy laughs (well, except for the baby brother being so happy he wets his pants); instead, she shows innovative ways to calm the bullied child and build self-confidence. Rather than simply giving Frances "a dose of her own medicine," or scaring her back, the young mice learn to combat their fears from the inside first: Overlaying anxiety with fun and confidence, and then gently modeling a few verbal and behavioral coping techniques. Psychologically adept for adults, yet enormously fun, colorful, and relevant for youngsters, this superb book is as entertaining and engaging as it is helpful.

It is hard to find the scarce published of Campbell's essays and this book delivers. These selections are full of Campbell's brilliance but leave you wanting more. It is a good thing it is only PART of his collected works! There is more to come!

If you have any sort of interest in mythology, then you have heard of Joseph Campbell. His works such as The Hero's Journey and Myths of Light are required reading for university studies. His presentation of the cycle of the hero is absolutely legendary. He is one of my absolute favorite authors.

When a copy of The Mythic Dimension arrived at my door for me to review, I was thrilled. This book reprints a variety of Campbell's essays and articles, originally published between 1959 and 1987. Amongst these pieces are solid foundational presentations that provide a really good overview of the study of mythology and the associated symbolism. I can see this book becoming a very popular text for university classes.