Pigs Books

Nothing about this book dissapoints. The story is funny and exciting, told in verse , and the illustrations totally immerse you in the world of the Mahalia, her poor family, and her extraordinary career in college. A 'big picture book' in the best tradition, to read together with kids or alone.

I wish the illistrations were a little brighter. They seemed a bit dark & scary.

Mahalia Mouse Goes to College is a wonderful book, written by John Lithgow. It comes with a cd of the author narrating the story which is great. The illustrations are vivid and bring the story to life. The story is about a mouse that goes to college. This book is a dedication to the Harvard graduating class of 2005. John Lithgow was the guest speaker at that commencement and having had a son in that class of 2005, this was a must have book for my Harvard graduate as a keepsake which he can share with his children some day.

This is the cutest book to read to children of all ages. It is a great read for an adult. If you went to a college class you will certainly appreciate how this little mouse attends the college classes. It also comes with a CD.You will love this book. I highly recommed it.

Today I found a rare thing -- a book that would be an excellent graduation gift whether the grad in question is departing preschool or university. It's "Mahalia Mouse Goes to College," by John Lithgow (Harvard Class of `67), illustrated by Igor Oleynikov.
When I taught juniors at Penn State this spring, I discovered they believe children do not like books that contain vocabulary beyond their ken. I argued that encountering new words might increase children's vocabulary and thus be a good thing, and they agreed but claimed that kids often don't like what's good for them. True enough, and if you share my students' conviction, then John Lithgow's books -- which include "The Remarkable Farkle McBride," and "Marsupial Sue" -- are not for you.
If, on the other hand, you think kids get a kick out of mastering words like wisteria (rhymes with cafeteria), allayed (rhymes with paid), and zoology (rhymes with psychology), then Lithgow's rollicking texts will appeal to you. In this case, it's not only the wordplay that is fun. Lithgow has written a parable about the ruthlessness involved in leaving home in order to achieve greater things.
Lithgow's opening lines, coupled with Oleynikov's grim, rain-soaked illustration, evoke an almost Dickensian mood. Or maybe they were shooting for Lemony Snicket? Anyway, the story begins:
"The skies of September were bursting with rain
Pelting the old dormitory
It filled every gutter and choked every drain
Chapter 1 of Mahalia's story."
As if the rain weren't bad enough, Mahalia's mother, consumed by sorrow, sends her daughter out foraging, warning that things are so dire "the babies may die." Dutifully, Mahalia departs, is attracted by the smell of cheese in a college student's backpack, finds herself zipped inside, and next thing you know is entranced by a lecture that "concerns the behavior of atoms in space/Their collisions and fissions, their motion and pace."
The dying babies are forgotten, and Mahalia enrolls in college where she excels not only academically but at extracurriculars like squash and, briefly, square dancing.
The story ends in a hail of confetti and sunshine on graduation day with Mahalia and her family reunited -- the babies, apparently, having survived. It's a great story with just the edge of poignance that accompanies one generation's outstripping its predecessor.

This is definately one of the best Maisy books my 19 month-old owns. (Or should I say, I own-since I love them all!!) Great colors, and great pulls/pop-ups. My son loves to say "Shhhh" on the last page as Maisy is going to bed.

I'm on the third copy of this book - the first two were eaten alive by my children. :)

If you are the parent of a young child, you probably know who Maisy is. She's a mouse with a duck, a squirrel, an elephant, and a crocodile for friends. Why the crocodile isn't trying to eat the others is beyond me, but that's life in Maisy's world.

Both of my daughters love the Maisy books; there's something about their simple stories and colorful pictures that even appeals to adults. The books are short and easy to read. But, the stories are never obnoxiously simplistic, like so many other books for small children.

This is a lift the flap book in which the childen are lifting flaps as Maisy prepares for bed. Believe it or not, this book helped convince one of my daughters to brush her teeth, which is frquently a battle in our house. This is one of the most fun Maisy books to read to your children. One caution, the kids might get a little aggressive with the flaps and tear a few, resulting in the purchase of a new lift the flap book (in our current copy, Maisy's tooth brush has bit the dust).

Maisy is on the way to bed. She has to do a few things before she can snuggle under her covers. Follow Maisy as she gets a drink, uses the potty, washes her hands, brushes her teeth, puts on her pajamas, reads a story, and goes to sleep.

Flaps and tabs on each page make each step fun and interactive for young children. Day turns to night in a window, the toilet flushes and toilet paper pulls out, Maisy brushes her teeth, and her storybook has several pages that children can see.

Ever the gentle, sweet mouse, Maisy is a beloved friend children love to see. The tabs and flaps add to the fun, although children who haven't mastered fine motor skills are likely to experience a little frustration when tabs don't work right or flaps pop off. The toilet seat flap popped off the page while my young daughter played with it. I anticipate an easy fix with the help of our gooey friend "Elmer."

For children who love Maisy and flap/tab books, MAISY GOES TO BED is a definite winner.

Reviewed by Christina Wantz Fixemer
10/20/2006

This is a very cute, sweet book to read at bedtime. All about a little girl mouse & her bedtime preparations.

This is one of the best books about animal sounds ever written. I teach 2 year olds at a daycare center and this is the only book they will sit through from beginning to end. This book even has the other teachers impressed when they peak in my room and the toddlers are all sitting at attention. We read it nearly every day!

Tomie diPaola's absolutely gorgeous illustrations carry this simple animal-sounds poem to the next level. I like the inclusion of the animal world beyond the barnyard - there are dozens of books informing children that ducks quack and cows moo, but this one includes howling coyotes, creaking crickets, squawking parrots, and chattering monkeys. My 8-month-old adores this book and turns the pages eagerly to see which animals come next.

I began reading this book to my daughter when she was 19 months old. Before about that age, she had said very little, mostly animal sounds. Then suddenly, speaking was all that interested her. So this beautiful poem seemed a triumphant expression of her newly discovered voice: "I talk!" A month of very frequent (on request) readings later, my daughter helps by "reading" all the verbs. I think this might be my favorite of her books. It appeals to both her toddler aesthetic and my grown-up one.

With restrained colors, this board book is a fun poem to read aloud, with plenty of ways to expand upon the story. Cute drawings, plenty of opportunities to make animal sounds. For example, "Crickets Creak / Mice Squeak / Sheeps Baa/ BUT I SPEAK.... Horses Neigh / .. BUT I SAY... / Parrots Squawk / BUT I TALK"

The three children are absolutely adorable. The animals are cute. The word bites in this book are short and to the point. This is a great book for toddlers and early pre-readers. It can easily keep the attention of both of my children. I enjoy reading this book to my children and have yet to get tired of it. Certainly, this book is a good addition to your child's library.

I received the book here in Germany at my APO (Army Post Office) address in a very short amount of time and the book arrived in perfect condition - I am completely satisfied with the entire transaction have only praise for the whole expereince and I order frequently on line and am not able to give this kind of rating to all the transactions from all vendors. Review by Mark E. Grant author of the novel - Blood of Scotland (also available through Amazon.com).

The book came when it was supposed to and it was in very good shape. I am happy with the service.

I'm 44 years old and bought this book for my 8 year old son. He hasn't gotten into it yet, probably because the reading level is more "instructional" for him and reading for pleasure should be easy at this age but I'm sure he'll love it. I know I'm loving it. I haven't finished it yet (with 4 kids who has much time to read) but it's an engaging story with wonderful characters that are easy to understand and love.

I really enjoyed this book in fact the series. As a nanny I would read it with my charge and soon I found I couldn't wait to find out what happened next. I have been waiting for a long time for the 3rd book and now I'm running to the store ASAP so I can find out what happens to the friendly squirrel!! hope you enjoy this series as much as we do!

Too often I've seen books, well-written and compelling, passed off as just another "children's" story, something that anyone above the suggested reading level shouldn't read. A book like this one could easily be thrown into that category. After all, talking animals on a fantasy island, seems pretty childish. There is no cursing, and it is relatively short, especially with the double-spaced printing of the book.

However, that is the books biggest downfall; it is too short. Other than that, this book is nearly flawless. McAllister is has crafted a wonderful, exciting world. The descriptions are well done. The plot is gripping.

McAllister's greatest achievement is, however, is in her character development. She has created a wonderful, lovable, and memorable cast of characters. From Crispin, to Urchin, to Husk, the characters have been masterfully created. It's amazing, in such a small amount of writing (relatively), McAllister could succeed so grandly. Within the first 20 pages, I was already idolizing Crispin as a hero.

Of course, the story is not lacking, either. This is a story of plotting and betrayal, deception and loyalty, compassion and evil. It is filled with suspense and drama, and you will not want to put it down until the end.

And it is not without its dark side. The island of Mistmantle is under a dictatorship, with a puppet king being played by a totalitarian, ruthless captain. Brutal work parties and "culling" have been instituted over the people. (culling is the act of killing new born babies with any physical defects present, which is branded as a type of "euthanasia" by the leaders).

A word of warning to any over-sensitive parent, there is alcohol use, as in wine, and several murders from knife to poison. Personally, I don't believe that this should affect how the book is seen, as they are all completely needed to craft such a compelling story.

Comparisons to the Redwall series are inevitable, but not justified. I'll admit, I'm a fan of the Redwall books, I've read about half of them, and that's the whole reason I picked this book up. The only similarity to the two, however, is the presence of anthropomorphic, talking animals such as squirrels, otters, and moles. Perhaps there is more action in Redwall, but other than that, the Mistmantle Chronicles is superior. It is plot-heavy, compelling, and leaves us with more than a simple "good vs evil" approach, but instead gives us moral ambiguity and social issues.

Urchin of the Riding Stars is a fantastic book, appropriate for any age. An above average reader could easily finish this book in 2-3 days, even one day if you can set aside a few hours. Easily worth the time and effort. And, if you find the problem of the book being too short, there are sequels waiting. I can't wait until I get the next one in the mail.

This small story is a gem: simply told, beautifully illustrated. The story - young Mole saves a baby bird that has fallen from the nest, cages it because he doesn't want to lose it, then learns to free it because he loves it - conveys a familiar lesson. But it is deft, never heavy-handed, with lessons for parents as well as children. Mole's parents tell him he should let the bird go, but cannot convince him. His wiser grandfather gives Mole a taste of the joy of flight; Mole learns his lesson from experience, not authority.

Best of all, our daughter loves it.

I was 6 months pregnant when my older son got this book as a gift and it made my eyes well up every time I read it. It's a beautiful book. Both the story and the illustrations are wonderful.

My husband picked this up for my son (18 months) at our local independent bookstore. Since then, it is a consistent favorite - not just with our son, but with the entire family. It is beautifully told, a lovely tale, and wonderfully illustrated. I actually came on this site hoping to find more of her books in print. I believe it is a story that will bear re-telling for years to come.

A beautiful, touching, honest book with a great lesson.

Mole finds a baby bird and wants to keep it as a pet. He loves his bird so much but realizes, with the help of Granddad Mole, that the bird is meant to fly.

The lesson of loving and letting go is a special one in this book.

I bought this book for my 3yr old son, he loved it & to my surprise my 8yr old daughter found it amusing too. The story is a funny take on how sometimes our children get upset with us & wish they had someone else's parents as their own, & how we as parents sometimes misunderstand what our children are really asking for. I would highly reccommend this book to other family's.

My Sister got this book from her Godmother in 1980. I have been looking for this book ever since. Now I found it. I thought it was out of print. This is such a touching story. It shows the insecurities of a mother. She thinks she isn't good enough when the child says "Mother, Mother I want another" turns out the child wants another kiss from her. So cute and touching! Can't wait til I get it in the mail!

In this book, mother mouse is getting her son off to bed and kisses him goodnight. He tells her he wants another, mother and she takes that to mean he wants another mom. What he really wants is another kiss but she scurries off to find another mother for him. Mother mouse finds a mother duck, a mother frog, a mother pig, and a mother donkey and all of them kiss little mouse but poor baby mouse doesn't want another mother! He is finally able to tell his mother that all he wants is another kiss! So she gives him two and tucks him into bed.

I loved this book and so did my 2 year old. The pictures are so detailed and darling. This is one to keep on your list of must-haves.

This was my favorite book as a child. My mom and I have been trying to find this book for nearly 10 years now. I found it! This is truely the most memorable children's book I ever had. It is the best book you can read to your child!! It is definitely up there in the ranks of Runaway Bunny and Love you Forever!!

My 2 year old loves this book. The artwork is wonderful, the animals are so beautifully drawn and dressed and the story is a delight! It's repititious, which is important for young readers and the story is so endearing. It gives you the "warm fuzzies" every time you read it.

When my oldest daugher was two, we read this book at least once a night. My second daughter listened to it from age 2-3 twice a night and even brought to school (and the teacher read it 7 times in a row because of the constant 'again, agains' from the class). Now my three year old son is in love with this book. We read it at least twice a night and thanks to the constant repitition, he 'reads' it too! He loves this book so much he thanks Jesus at prayer time for 'Pizza Pat and the mice'.
We have probably over 400 kids books and I swear this is the most read!

and Pizza Pat has a lot of both. This is my daughter's favorite book (age 7, autistic). She laughs and laughs at poor Pat, who has his masterpiece pizza eaten by "mice by the dozens." I wish I had a recording of my husband reading it to her. I think he enjoys it as much as she does.

The repetitious rhyming makes the book easy to read and fun for her, which in turn aids her language development and reading skills. Plus, it's about her very favorite thing to eat. If all books were this much fun, she'd never put them down! Alas, they are not, and even a child who perseverates (some might say "obsesses") gets bored eventually. My only dissatisfaction with the book is that some of the rhymes are a bit forced. But when you're a child, those descriptions are not so strange, so it's probably the grownup in me.

If you have a little pizza-lover in your life, they will adore Pizza Pat!

Both my 4-year-old and my 2-year-old love this book. The illustrations are wonderful and really capture Pizza Pat's emotions as he builds his pizza and later loses it to some hungry, albeit naughty, little mice. The descriptions of the ingredients used to make the pizza are silly and giggle-provoking. Even if your kids don't eat pizza, they are sure to enjoy this little book over and over again. I agree with another reviewer: reading the text with an accent definitely adds to the hilarity.

The concept/rhythm of this book in indebted to the "The House That Jack Built." I don't know how many young readers will be familiar with this story before attempting to read this book. As an adult, I found the book enjoyable enough to buy it was present for one of my nephews who loves pizza, although I'm not sure he will like who really gets to eat the pizza at the end.

My 6 year old son Gib adores this book. It is beautifully illustrated, has wonderful humor, and is a challenging read. I recommend it to all pizza lovers and young readers alike!

This is my sons absolute favorite book! There is tons of different things to do but it does get warn outd quickly if child is less then 2 and tears at it. Amazing Educational Book!

I read this book to my younger sister so many times in the past... In the world of hands-on children's books where you pull, turn, and flip the pieces, this book is a treasure. It's well put together enought to withstand years of play.

This book is about the mice in Mr. Brice's home and what they do. It teaches the kids about so many different things like counting, alphabet, measuring, colors, telling time, and so many other things. The age level would probably be around the age of eight at the most that they would learn something, any older they would probably just find the pop ups and pictures amusing. I think the book was excellent for children and I think any child who reads this will enjoy it and learn.

This is one of the cutest childrens books I have ever seen. I bought one for my daughter when she was little and now I buy them as gifts for other young children I know.

So much so, in fact, that we are now purchasing our third copy. Each of our previous copies has held up remarkably well considering how well-loved they were, but as with all books with moving pieces, eventually you need to reinvest. My son, now five, adored this. The page that introduces you to the 26 mice in Mr. Brice's house was a perennial favorite for him and taught him phonics as well as being just plain fun. Your child will get exposure to opposites, reasoning and problem solving, and to many other great skills, all while having a blast with this book. Well worth the investment, even the third time around (in fact, I'm counting on it keeping my two-year-old daughter occupied on a six-hour flight!).

Nick has done it again! This outing proves to be his best, by far. Thoroughly readable and very enjoyable.

I had at one time purchised This book, And i didn't have the money to keep it so I took it back. Days after, I yearned to have it back. So I went back to the store were I had bought it and they told me they Didn't have it anymore. I felt so sad, and up to this day I havn't been able to find it anywere.Now that I found it, I will be sure to buy it, and to keep it. I say it is the very most helpful, Wonderful book you could ever have on The Care and Keeping of Fancy rats. -Brie

The first time I read this book, I was astounded! Mr. Mays is a true expert, presenting the information in an easy to read, clear style. Where other authors have failed, Mr. Mays includes almost everything on breeding, illnesses, and showing. I highly recommend this book to a novice rat owner or shower. Good work, Mr. Mays!

More than just a guide to the proper care of rats, Nick Mays' excellent book is also a history of human-rat relations, an introduction to rat genetics, and a full color guide to many of the breeds of "fancy" rats. Well-written and logically organized, this is the best kind of reference book: both informative and fun to read. Although the book's historical survey of the "rat fancy" concentrates primarily on the United Kingdom, this fascinating story will surely be appreciated by rat lovers throughout the world.

Mays not only creates an accurate and affectionate portrait of the domesticated rat, but he also creates a comparable portrait of those rat fanciers who have for generations taken these intelligent and personable creatures into our homes and hearts. This book is a tribute to the strength of the bonds that can exist between members of different species.

I have read the book The Proper Care Of Fancy Rats (t.f.h.) - repeatedly - and have found the information to be invaluable. It covers basic care, illnesses, varieties and standards, breeding and some of the basics of rat genetics. It also includes a lot of beautiful full color photos. I've read a few other books on rodent care, none of which were as detailed as this (those books all ended up in a used book store). I would HIGHLY suggest that every rat owner purchase this book and keep it handy. Its easy to follow and covers all the bases!

If you can only get one book on rabbits, this is the book to get! Considered by many rabbit breeders, exhibitors, owners to be 'THE' book on rabbits. The authors are rabbit owners/breeders themselves and they know whereof they speak. Easy to read and understand, it includes a history of rabbits, genetics, feeding, housing, breeding, medical care, the merits of rabbits as pets, rabbits in therapy, just about anything you would ever need or want to know about rabbits. This book is well worth every penny of the cost. It's a very modest investment when you want to provide the very best for your rabbit, or rabbits, no matter why you have them.

I just checked this book out from the local library and after skimming through it, marking what I want to go back and read in detail, I am convinced that this is a book that I can't be without! This book has TONS of detailed information, including several chapters on the genetics of rabbits. It is the first book that I have found that just doesn't gloss over rabbits as a whole, but actually gets down to the nitty gritty. There's a lot of detailed information about the diseases, how to have a successful rabbitry (if that is your goal), food guidelines, the importance of vitamins, etc. Do yourself a favor: get ahold of this book!

This reference is an excellent source of information in regards to management systems, feeds & feeding, breeding, production, etc. What I find lacking is how little effort seemed to go into the breed illustrations. Rabbits depicted are poorly posed and therefore make a very unsatisfactory representation of the breeds' description. If you can get past that little bump, the book - for its wealth of knowledge is an excellent resource for rabbit breeders or those considering embarking on that adventure.

This reference (notice I didn't say "book") is incredibly valuable for first timers with no animal experience through long time, large scale producers. When I started out with my first pet rabbit, I used the '96 edition all the time for freak-out moments like a crusty ear or just to satisfy my curiosity. Now that I'm almost done with college and ready to start up my own herd again, the 2000 edition proves twice as useful. Make sure you put your name and address on the inside cover!

This is a classic in raising rabbits commercially. Not the latest edition (the 8th edition is the newest), but still very useable. The main difference between this edition and the newest is that there are no color photos. This book contains practical important information on raising rabbits commercially that simply cannot be found elsewhere. Not a how-to book for pet rabbit owners, but a serious manual for producing high quality healthy rabbits in an economical manner. I would not attempt to raise rabbits commercially without this "bible" on the bookshelf.