P Books

Anansi Jr. (AJ) Spider is an avid gardener. He gladly spends hours tending to his rows of Scorpion Orchids, Crab & Lobster Claws, and Monkey Tail Shrub. In fact, he spends so much time in the garden one day that he forgets to eat, so his huge appetite sends him into town in search of the delicious Julie Mangos.

When he arrives at the mango truck in the middle of Macka Street Market, AJ quickly clears it out, greedily buying all the mangoes and making his way home to feast. Before he leaves, though, Amani Ant and his little sister Karima arrive, wanting a mango of their own. Much to his dismay, Amani finds that all the mangoes are gone, and he desperately wants one for Karima, who has never tasted one before. He asks AJ to spare one of his, but AJ refuses, instead mocking and laughing at the ants as he rushes off.

In his haste, though, AJ ultimately loses his prized mangoes, and what follows is a very valuable lesson in selflessness and sharing.

The story of Anansi and the Mango Truck is a heart-warming tale of the virtues of putting others before ourselves. Through his characters, Hooper teaches lessons that we all will be well served to apply in our everyday lives, whether it involves giving up our bus seats to elderly passengers or letting someone have a parking space that we found first. What's important to understand is that we only stand to gain by giving freely of ourselves in any and every way possible.

With incredible illustrations accompanying his text, Hooper's story is an absolute treat for the eyes. A must-read for book lovers of all ages.

After spending several hours tending his garden, Anansi Jr. (AJ) works up a tremendous appetite. He decides that the perfect way to ease his hunger is to head into town, go to the Mango Camion, and purchase some sweet, juicy Julie Mangos. AJ being AJ, he purchases as many mangos as he can carry, which is a lot since he is a spider and has four hands. While in town, Amani Ant decides he wants to treat his younger sister to a Julie Mango only to discover that the camion has run out. When he runs into AJ who has a huge supply of the fruit, he asks if he can purchase on of them for his sister. AJ refuses. As AJ travels home, he is so focused on keeping all the mangos for himself, that he ends up losing them all. It is then that Jamila Lizardly teaches AJ an important lesson about sharing, but it is up to AJ to apply this new wisdom to his life.

Don Hooper continues to display his ability to craft a story that reflects the oral tradition in COOMACKA ISLAND ANANSI JR. AND THE MANGO TRUCK. As is the case in most fables and folk tales, the story has an obvious, yet unspoken message, in this case focusing on the value of sharing. The vibrant illustrations are engaging and will quickly capture the attention of even very young readers, drawing them into the story in the process. The book also includes a section at the end that covers fun facts and a glossary, this helps readers with definitions of the more difficult vocabulary words, and also brief descriptions of some of the people, places, and things readers unfamiliar with the Caribbean may not have previously been exposed to. All in all, COOMACKA ISLAND ANANSI JR. AND THE MANGO TRUCK is a fun, richly told story with a universal message.

Reviewed by Stacey Seay
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

I've read many bedtime stories to my 2 kids and few are as fun and as stimulating as this. The colors and the graphics are terrific and make me wish I were basking in the Caribbean sun.

Coomacka Island Anansi Jr And The Mango Truck
by Don P. Hooper
Illustrated by Darnel Degand

[...]
Great website for both you and your children to enjoy.

Coomacka Island, Anansi Jr. & the Mango Truck by Don P. Hooper is a Caribbean tale that involves Anansi Jr., a spider who loves mangoes and is a tale of learning a lesson in true friendship.

This is a enchanting, delightful, and stimulating read for young readers, it has bright colors, wonderful graphics & illustrations (Illustrated by Darnel Degand)which are so vivid they will have your children using their imaginations and asking questions.

I look forward to all the adventures to continue, and will honestly being collecting each one for my grandson Caden to enjoy. This is a wonderful book for all young readers and is highly recommended as a must for the children in your life.

A Definite 5 Star children's book!

Anansi Jr and the Mango Truck is the second installment in the Coomacka Island series. Based in part, on Afro-Caribbean folklore, Anansi was the great trickster and somewhat of cult hero to islanders. For hundreds of years, folk tales about the Macka Tree and the spirits dwelling within roots have been passed down through the generations. As with many cherished stories, the fictional fires erupted from a spark of truth.

The story begins with AJ tending his garden, filled with beautiful plants, including his award winning Monkey Tail Shrub. There was only one thing that he loved more than gardening and that was eating. However, he was a very greedy spider and had never experienced the joy of sharing. Nevertheless, on this day, he would learn a valuable lesson about the spirit of giving and friendship.

Once again, Hooper and Degand have delivered a fictional tale, filled with life lesson of immense importance. From the first colorful page, the reader is transported to the heart of the Caribbean. The emotion-filled drawings bring the words, as well as, the island itself to life. Introducing names with various origins, such as Swahili or Haitian, offers children an opportunity to expand their vocabulary, while embracing cultural diversity. Although Coomacka Island is an uncharted, fictional Island, the morals and values found here have universal appeal.

Featuring an entertaining forward and fun facts at the conclusion, Hooper and Degand have created a multi-layered, multi-cultural series that will be cherished by children, parents and teachers the world over. And with the addition of the interactive website, exploring Coomacka Island is only a click away. [...]

Happy Reading!

There are so few of these, especially from an English original. Buy it for your kids to learn more Spanish.

my son loves this book. he is 3(going on 30) and asks me to read it atleast once a week. i find it easy to follow if your child is following along in the english version. he has a great memory so he remembers the pics and when i am reading he is associating what he remembers to what i am saying and can understand most of the book. the use of what is on the pages in image and the words are very useful in introducing the language to a beginner. it actually helped me in my spanish 2 class!!! it is a fun and easy read, even for the tongue tied.

Unlike with Dr. Seuss, P.D. Eastman's books are so simple that translating them into Spanish is generally pretty idiot-proof; my son enjoys this book every bit as much in Spanish as he does in English. I would recommend it not only for preschoolers being raised with both languages, but even for older kids who are starting out with the language and remember the book in English. This is just the kind of simple, entertaining repetition that is great for building up basic vocabulary, at any age.

Great beginner reader in English or in Spanish. I teach a Spanish class for our area homeschooler's children. This is just what the dogcatcher ordered. I am able to compare English to Spanish with no problem.If you use VIVA EL ESPANOL ! teaching series you will like this book for your class.

My 7 year old son enjoys this book in Spanish - he is in a Spanish immersion class - learning Spanish all day in elementary school for the next 5 years. It's a great beginner reader book with fun pictures (and I'm learning Spanish, too, from it!)

Adam P. Knave is one of those writers who is incapable of not entertaining. His stories, essays, novels, scripts are always worth reading... The guy just knows how to amuse, scare, delight, and shock his readers -- often simultaneously, which is no small feat. CRAZY LITTLE THINGS is a collection of short stories that contains some of his best work and is definitely worth a purchase, read, re-read, and recommendation to everyone you know who enjoys quality writing.

THE Stories in this collection are a mix of horror, fantasy, and science fiction and I enjoyed them all thoroughly. My favorites were "Causing
Effects and Crazy Little Thing". I am glad to have a new author on
my list, that can make me shiver and that can make weirdness seem
normal.

Basically Crazy Little Things is a mix tape in book form. Like any good mix tape each story puts you in a mood and gets you revved up, pulls you right into it. Then? It ends. Often a tad predictably.

The brilliance of Knave's work is in how easily he is able to pull the reader in through the use of realistic nuance. He is excited about his characters, and the reader can feel it and be swept up. His characters notice and play on the small, everyday pieces of the world that make us all human, by highlighting the monsters we all keep inside.

Crazy Little Things is a the perfect mixtape of a book, one song or many at a time. As if he made it just for you, each tale is familiar, just a bit. If only they could be longer, and perhaps with less predictable chord progression.

Adam P. Knave pulls no punches. Zombies, ghosts, demons, donuts, teenage beauty pageants, many hapless victims, and Mr. Binkles all blend magically in this tour de force of horror, dripping sarcasm, and reality inspired mayhem. Knave paints colorful and believable landscapes from the every day reality of our lives. These stories make you jump, laugh, and think and always end in some unexpected fashion. This is not your everyday writer and these are not everyday stories. This is an awesome book that entertains from start to finish.

Adam P. Knave knows that for different people, fear comes from different places. With Crazy Little Things, he explores twelve different sources of fear, and is bound to have at least one which will strike a nerve with you. His stories feel real, packed with the kind of dialog and reactions you would expect were the situations in those stories to come true. This gives gives the twists he applies to traditional story elements of zombies, fairies, and even beauty pageants that much more punch. This is a collection you'll want to read in the dark, curled up with your favorite teddy bear.

On second thought, you might not want the bear nearby.

There are many very good & comprehensive crochet books out there, but this little book is a great shortcut to learning from the combined wisdom of those who have stitched and frogged before us. Not only does it anticipate mistakes (or variations with unexpected results), but more importantly it provides useful distinctions that allow me to choose, say, between 2 or 3 similar techniques without necessarily having to try them all out.

Minutes after leafing through this book, I discovered what mistakes I had been making in my crochet WIPs. It has saved me from frustrating errors & hours of frogging -- this by itself already makes the book well worth the price. Other great features: nice small size; clear & colorful images; very useful size charts for kids & adult garments.

The photos are just wonderful, and I wish I had this book when I was first learning to crochet. It is nice and small, so I keep it in my bag for reference now. It covers just about every crochet topic you need.

Thing to note...this book is the same content as the larger version(Teach yourself visually to crochet)...just in a smaller size. I wish I had known that because I purchased both. As far as I can tell, they are the same book.

Crochet VISUAL Quick Tips is a portable life-saver that is small, but packs an encyclopedia of knowledge to save your life in any crochet-emergency!

A picture says a thousand words, and the photographs here are amazingly well done, so that even with very little reading you can get the job done. If you already have the larger book, you would do well to have this one as well for ready reference in your work bag.

The directions here are straightforward, simple and complete. The steps to follow are even numbered, so you won't fumble by getting ahead of yourself.

If you ever take your work with you when you leave home, I strongly recommend that you purchase this book. It is very well worth the price, and you will never regret buying it.

I'd tried other books but the diagrams were never good enough, or they didn't word the instructions well or in a detailed manner, and I gave up trying to learn crochet for a LONG time. Once I picked up this book, I had some little stuffed animals (amigurumi) made in about a week and less than a month later I had a beautiful baby blanket done and you'd NEVER know that I have JUST learned how to do this. This book seriously made me love crochet and I don't plan to go back to knitting now that I know how much more fun and easy this is.

I bought both the crochet & the knitting book using this Visual Quick Tip instructional method. I really like both. The pictures are clear and the instructions can work you through even difficult stitches.

I picked up this book about two years ago and I am still cross-stitching its patterns! It is simply the best cross-stitch book ever and it doubles as a children's book too!

As a twenty-something crafter, it is often difficult for me to find cross-stitch books that are more modern and suit my tastes (I'm not a big fan of teddy bears and old samplers). I bought this book because my mother used to read Mother Goose to me when I was young, and I have been happily surprised! These aren't necessary geared toward the young adult stitchers, but the color usage and reminiscence of the patterns keep me coming back time and again. There are a few easy patterns, but most of them are fairly challanging to the intermediate stitcher, which is a plus. I definitely enjoy this book and am glad I added it to my collection while it was still available!

If you're looking for a cross-stitch book that has everything including cute patterns, this is the one you're looking for. You can't ask for a better cross-stitch book than this one. The colors and the designs are so refreshing and very good. I myself have done three of the patterns in the book now. If you are truly a cross stitch enthusiast, this book's for you!

The most beautiful cross stitch patterns for childrens bedroomart that I have ever seen... END

This is one of my all-time favorite books of cross-stitch charts!

Interestingly, I first saw the book "Mother Goose's Words of Wit and Wisdom" in an elementary school library. I loved the bright colors and great illustrations. But it took me a while to realize that *all* the illustrations in the book were counted cross-stitch designs! Once I realized that, I wondered if there were charts available of these illustrations. After a bit of searching, I discovered that indeed this second book was available - a book of charts!

The front of this book looks like the original, with the rhymes and illustrations. At the back of the book you'll find the corresponding charts. They are full-size graphs, black print on a blue grid with a color key for DMC floss.

Also included is a nice little explanation about Mother Goose and the Sampler, as well as a short section called Cross-stitch Essentials that gives a short tutorial on cross-stitch techniques.

This book is a real keeper!

Until America The Book came out, this was probably the funniest book I ever read.

This book is absolutely brilliant and hilarious; I was absolutely crushed to find out that it was out of print.

I wish I had kept my copy. Is still remember stuff that was absolutely hilarious. "They were eaten by a bear", and the "Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire" build-it-yourself book was a scream. It's like PDQ Bach - the more you know, the funnier it is.

I still have my "Science Made Stupid", but I can't find my "Cvltvre" anywhere! "Science" is pretty funny, but "Cvltvre" wins by a nose. I still chuckle over the chapter about the history of non-Western society that goes something like this: "The cultures of Asia and Africa were very interesting and vitally important to understanding today's society. But that's all we'll say about them for the rest of this book." That's *exactly* how non-Greek ancient cultures are presented in every textbook I've ever read!
And who can forget "Beowulf vs. Godsylla", the Anglo-Saxon epic poem we all read in 10th grade.
Houghton-Mifflin! Reprint this classic satire!

Why on earth is this book out of print? Why wasn't it a huge bestseller? It was and remains one of the funniest books I have ever read, worth rereading over and over again to get the bits you missed before

This is one of the five volumes that any Lovecraft fan MUST have in his or her collection.

The Library of America's Lovecraft collection contains all of the classic tales of Lovecraft's maturity. S. T. Joshi's exhaustive and elegant bio tells all you need to know and more about the man and his world. One of the volumes of Lovecraft's collaborations and revisions (i.e. THE LOVED DEAD AND OTHER REVISIONS) brings together that little-known but fascinating aspect of Lovecraft's career. And TALES OF THE CTHULHU MYTHOS brings together the best of the multi-faceted tales inspired by Lovecraft's creativity.

This volume is surely unsurpassed as a collection of Lovecraft's earlier tales--both his conventional "fright tales" and his apprentice "weird tales"--many of which appear to be influenced by one of Lovecraft's idols, Lord Dunsany.

And it includes his classic (and seminal) essay, "Supernatural Horror in Literature." Nobody interested in Lovecraft or in weird fiction in general can afford not to have this essay in his or her library.

May this anthology always remain in print.

I highly recommend everything Lovecraft wrote. Few people are ever blessed with the talent for writing about the macabre and the fantastic. Lovecraft was the greatest. He explored the deepest secrets beneath and went to realms unfathomable. There will only be one H.P. Lovecraft and he should be acknowledged world-wide for his accomplishments. This book is one of three hardcovers that contain most, if not all, of his work. Turn out the lights and spark a flame while reading this one. Explore the unknown and dare places feared by man...

In my humble opinion, there are two ways to read Lovecraft. The first, and best, is to get your hands on an original "Wierd Tales" or other pulp. There is something about the musty smell that adds to the tale. For true conisours, read them under the covers with a flashlight, late in the evening hours.

Realizing that original pulps may be prohibitively expensive, the Arkham House Editions are the next option. These hardback treasures are as much a part of Lovecraft's legacy as the stories themselves. Lovecraft would be all but forgotten if it were not for the small circle of friends who founded Arkham House, with the sole mission of keeping his writings in print. Arkham House is the definitive Lovecraft volume.

The stories in "Dagon and Other MacAbre Tales" are classics, including "Herbert West Re-Animator," "The Doom That Came to Sarnath," "The Strange High House in the Mist," "The Cats of Ulthar ," "Dagon," "Facts Concerning the Late Arthur Jermyn and His Family ," "The Lurking Fear ," "The Transition of Juan Romero ," and his acclaimed essay "Supernatural Horror in Literature [revised] ."

This collection of work ranks as my second favorite, falling just short of "At the Mountains of Madness" also published by Arkham house. It contains most of his earlier works, and does a better job providing the reader with a glimpse of the forces which shaped his work through the years than any other collection could hope to. If you are new to Lovecraft, these works would probably not be appreciated as much as others. They are much more enjoyable when one has a better understanding of what Lovecraft is all about. I would suggest starting with the collection "The Dunwich Horror and Others" also by Arkham house. It contains most of Lovecraft's most popular work, including "The Call of Cthulhu" and "The Colour out of Space". For any fan or collecter of Lovecraft, however, this book is an absolute must have.

This book contains such greats as Herbert West - Re-animator, and The Strange Case of Arthur Jemyem and his Family. The Arkham House editions are the definitive Lovecraft Library. A definite must have.

It's great to hear from Authors on REAL supernatural experiences they've had. I thougt this was an awesome book, a great find if you come across it!

this was a excelant book, but some of the stories were pretty unbelivable.

My nephew is an aspiring horror writer. This book, including segments by his favorite authors, was the perfect gift at this early stage of his writing career.

I discovered a few authors in this wonderful collection and enjoyed these stories tremendously. I really enjoyed this collection o stories and I didn't expect to as much as I did. The book is worth its weight at least in sterling silver with about sixty tales - TRUE tales of the macabre and paranormal.

Okay, so they spelled Stephen King's name wrong on the cover. So, what? If found this book fascinating and entertaining at the same time. It is filled with stories by famous authors, both past and present. The one that sticks out the most is Ramsey Campbell's "The Nearest to a Ghost." He goes to the cemetery to scatter his mother's ashes and feels a powerful sense of grief that isn't his own. The feeling vanishes after a moment, his own grief returning. Creepy, huh? This is one of about thirty true-life experiences these people came face-to-face with. A great read.

While many will like this book for its metaphorical message, I appreciated the full-paged pictures, especially the ones showing close-ups of dandelion seeds. It always amazes me that so many children who pick the heads of dandelions to blow away the "fluff" don't realize that they're helping Mother Nature to disperse her seeds. It's also nice to see dandelions portrayed in a positive light, not as a pest of manicured lawns. This would be a great book to use for primary or preschool aged children in conjunction with the collection and study of dandelion seeds.

The simplicity of this book and its beautiful illustrations will appeal to young readers, and the messages about trust, letting go and the cycle of life are quite beautiful.

I would recommend this book for the timid child as I think they would be best able to relate to the seed that didn't want to let go. It is a simple, beautiful book with a great message of encouragement for children to get out and explore the world. I read this to my nephew who was 5 at the time and he loved it. Above all, the book sends a positive message without resorting to corny gimmicks. It is simple, beautiful, and has a wonderful message. I highly recommend it.

This is the sweet little story about a dandelion seed that will not let go because it's afraid of the world. Eventually, the winds blow it free and it travels the world and learns that it can be amazing, scary and beutiful. Eventually, it lands, grows, and casts it's seeds. One does not want to go and the dandelion having learned tells it the sun, the wind and the rain will take care of it.

The art work is well done.

However, I am not sure my daughter likes the book. She does not ask for it. However, it's soft reading style does help make her sleepy.

My 2 year olds both walked away before the end. Maybe they knew I was thinking how helpful the story will be to start preparing them now for the inevitable difficult separation from the "growth stem". Just as I was celebrating the warm and original perspective of the book I almost gagged on the treacly rear flap author profile of wife's illustrations and husband's text. But I highly recommend it

Deadly Deception is a great mystery novel, a real page turner, by first novelist, Susan P. Mucha. Compelling and intriguing from start to finish, her characters are well developed and real and the plot with it's twists and turns keeps you eagerly engaged to the conclusion. Mrs. Mucha ranks right up there with some of the best female mystery writers of our time and I look forward to her next novel with great anticipation!

Apparently this is Susan Mucha's first novel, but you couldn't tell by the quality of her writing. Deadly Decpeton is a beautifully written, fast-paced mystery/thriller which whips the reader from exotic Peru to the stately grounds of the Augusta National in Georgia. It's obvious Ms. Mucha didn't get her facts from an encyclopedia; she knows Peru and the Augusta area quite well, and readers are transported to wherever this talented writer chooses to take them.

I'm sure we'll be seeing more of this author's work. If her first book is any indication of what's to come, we're all in for a treat.

Not being much of a reader of fiction, I have to say that
"Deadly Deception" grabbed and held my attention from beginning to end. It's obvious that the author has thoroughly researched
the subjects and locations in her book. Ms. Mucha's writing
style is clean and easy to read. Her descriptions are so vivid
she makes you feel as if you are right there, in the moment, in Peru, seeing everything just as the main characters are viewing their surroundings.
This book is a page-turner...and I could be persuaded to become
a reader of mysteries now. I can hardly wait to see what Ms. Mucha plans to do with her fascinating characters in her next book.
A+.

For first time author it was a very good read. I especially enjoyed the descriptions of places and food of Peru. It made me want to return. She was able to keep the reader involved and made it a real page turner.It reminded me of the old love stories that let your imagination take over rather than have every kiss and "heaving bosom" be described in detail. I am anxious to read her next book.

I began this book with skepticism; I finished it with admiration and awe. Susan Mucha did a marvelous job with this novel. I couldn't wait to read each new chapter, breaking my own rule of one chapter a night. I can't wait for the next novel, and expect it to be as good as this one.