Shepard Books

I would wager that more than a few adults who favor science fiction or fantasy were set on that path as youngsters by the works of Daniel Pinkwater. Speaking for myself, Pinkwater instilled in me an interest in fiction that was reflective of more than just the ordinary world me (or, more than likely, awakened an existing, but dormant, interest in such literature). In the case of Avocado of Death, we are presented with aliens posing as realtors, a supercomputer fashioned out of a single avocado, and an international criminal mastermind who employs orangutans to do his dirty work, just for starters. And Pinkwater's books are without a doubt offbeat, zany, absurd, and certainly whichever other such adjectives the critics proffer. But their zaniness is beside the point, or at least it is subordinate to a larger point.

Though Pinkwater's books have a wide appeal, I can say from experience precisely who they're aimed at, and to whom they appeal the most: the kid who's bored with school, who looks in vain for something new or unusual to engage his interest; the kid who knows how much he doesn't know, who knows that there are things that his parents and teachers aren't telling him and is almost certain that there's a great deal that adults don't know either. Pinkwater's protagonists slog through the mundane world of the everyday, until some circumstance allows them to catch a glimpse of what's behind the curtain and have some idea, for the first time, of What's Really Going On. Generally it involves conspiracies, outlandish coincidences, and general wackiness, and generally none of it makes any less sense than what we normally think of reality. In fact, it occurs to me that a reader of Pinkwater's could graduate to Douglas Adams without too much trouble.

I'm not sure that Avocado of Death is Pinkwater's best work; if I were to make a recommendation, I would start a kid off with Lizard Music. But whichever you begin with, I have to recommend giving a kid who enjoys reading a Pinkwater novel; there's no telling what kind of imagination you might unlock.

I first saw this book in my school library . I was in middle school and was not into reading very much. We were required to check out a book so this one caught my attention with the colorful jacket. The first page pulled me in and I was able to see the characters in my head. I have been an avid reader for 24 years since this book. My kids are "lovin' it", too.

I did not discover this book until I listened to it this week at the ripe old age of 23. As such, I did not feel the book was long enough.
Pinkwater is engaging beyond my understanding how he does it, although the absurd characters and their stranger actions are a sure start. Take Uncle Flipping Hades Terwilliger who has not missed a late night movie in 17 years despite being kidnapped numerous times, or Walter's mother who is paranoid of communists beyond all rationality, or the fellow with the painted on sideburns. A few of Walter's exploits were things I did as a kid. Others were opportunities I wish I'd had. Except for the orangutan wrestling. I frown upon that. The silly care-free writing, and the flawless speaking performance by Pinkwater had me wishing my commute were longer.

I've been meaning to sign up for bookcrossing and this is a prime first candidate. Or maybe I'll send it to my silliest friend.

My "hippie" aunt and uncle, in New York City, sent me this book, and Fat Men From Space, when I was about eight. I loved it!
I am now almost thirty; yet I remember these books with great affection. Mind you, what you remember and what was true are two different things; but a book that can make you smile more than ten years later is worth the investment.

I remember reading (and rereading) this zany, gripping, urban adventure when I was in third or fourth grade (and its worthy sequel, The Snarkout Boys & the Baconburg Horror). On a whim, some twenty years later and with a law degree to my name, I tracked down a copy at the public library and ... wow! I enjoyed it every bit as much. Daniel Pinkwater deserves major kudos for such a book--someone buy that man a Napoleon or twelve.

The fast-paced story is told from the viewpoint of Walter Galt. Walter is a teenager on the verge of dying from boredom at Ghengis Khan High School, until he meets Winston Bongo, another suffering student and the self-proclaimed inventor of 'snarking out'. The boys' late-night snarkouts eventually bring them into contact with a smorgasbord of oddball characters (such as Ms. Bentley Saunders Harrison Matthews, aka Rat) and places, from Blueberry Park to Lower North Aufzoo Street to Beanbender's Beer Garden and beyond. Ultimately, with the help of the world's greatest living detective, Walter, Winston and Rat must locate the world's largest avocado and save the world (or at least the nations' realtors)--but watch out for stuffed Indian fruit bats!

Pinkwater is a true original and writes this surreal, comic yarn simply, cleanly, and hilariously. Highly recommended for kids, parents, avocado lovers ... and even lawyers who used to be kids. Five stars!

I'm sorry so say that The House at Pooh Corner isn't quite as good as the Winnie-The-Pooh book that preceeds it. It spends a lot of time on the new character Tigger. Too much if you ask me. Even though Tigger is a darn cute fellow in words and pictures, I thought the first Pooh book to be much more balanced out, and to be honest, I didn't think Tigger to be as funny as the other characters. He's only funnier than Rabbit, and that's not saying much. Rabbit's darn plain when compared to that crafty Brer Rabbit of the Uncle Remus books.

Actually, maybe Tigger isn't the problem. It's just that some of the middle chapters of the book are quite bland. Two, Three, and Five don't stand out very much, and look rather ordinary. However, Eight, Nine, and Ten more than make up for the bland chapters and suddenly this book becomes well worth reading. Eeyore's even funnier in his second appearance than his first, and Milne does such a great job giving personality to even the most inanimate of objects. The man's a darn good writer, let's face it.

And, my goodness, Chapter Ten really gets you thinking. Where is Christopher Robin going? Is entering into the grown-up world really so bad? What will the forest do without him? It's very subtle, but you can tell it's important too.

I think my favorite thing about the Pooh books is the entire universe is pretty much limited to 8 or so different individuals. Pooh wakes up and says, "Let's visit everybody to wish them a Happy Thursday!" He can do that because there are only like 8 people in the whole world. It sure makes things a lot simpler having so few people.

The Pooh books make simplicity beautiful. They seem to be set in a very limited technological environment with a heavy emphasis on nature. Heck, everyone there lives in a tree, for goodness sakes.

The House at Pooh Corner is yet another book in the Pooh series. This book is ok, I say this only because it's not as good as the original Winnie-the-Pooh, (When We Were Very Young, etc.) But with A.A. Milne's storytelling and Ernest H. Sheppards fantastic drawings you can't go wrong.

I actually enjoy Winnie-the-Pooh and The House At Pooh Corner much more as an adult than I did as a child. Maybe this is because I was not properly introduced to them at an early age. I am sure that the Disney shorts set some preconceptions in my head (namely, that these are merely childish stories). I think that the original Winnie-the-Pooh features from Disney are wonderful gems, but they do, nonetheless, depart significantly in overall character from Milne's stories. It is also true that there is a great deal of cleverness and insight here that I did not discover or appreciate until I was grown up.

It turns out that these are beautiful, masterly crafted tales full of witty dialogue, lively songs, gentle landscapes, and real warmth. Shepard's lovingly rendered illustrations do not simply complement the stories, but are easily the equal of Milne's narratives.

I look forward to reading these books to my boys--when they are ready for them. In the meantime, I am quite content to snuggle up with these tales myself, again and again.

This classic is listed under the age group of four to eight, and as a Poohphile I am quite appalled that it is. Winnie the Pooh books have such wit, wisdom, and humor that gets better every time I read them. Their not just for children, they are for everyone. Over the years, Christopher Robin, Winnie the Pooh, Eeyore, Piglet, Tigger, Kanga, and Roo have become some of my dearest chums. I once heard someone say, or perhaps I read it, that "books are like dear friends, and who has too many friends?" I am quite inclined to agree with that statement. This book is a dear friend of mine and I hope that you shall make it yours. :)

I was participating in an on-line discussion on the subject of the single book that had influenced us each the most.

The book that first came to my mind was "The House at Pooh Corner". It seemed rather silly, but after considerable reflection I decided it was probably the correct answer after all.

The book was read to me by my Dad before I could read, and I still re-visit it occasionally fifty years later. In fact, I wouldn't be adverse to using it's ending as my epitath.

If it weren't for the illustrations, this book would be rated two stars. I saw this book advertised on Amazon's website among other children's books. The cover was so beautiful, that I had to read the reviews about the content and artistry of this book. I was seconds away from making a purchase when I decided to borrow it from the library instead. The pictures are absolutely gorgeous and I liked the way the author took a spin on the mean old woman in a shoe rhyme and made it into a loving mother bunny rhyme. Children get to learn all kinds of uncommon words (at their age) like shed, trellis, etc. but the rhymes are just names of rabbits who sleep on those objects - boring and uncreative. Example, "Zed slept on the shed" The whole book from A to Z is like that. I was wondering why such a beautifully illustrated book was not such a hot seller on Amazon's rankings and found out why. It's pretty but not educational. I don't need my little one to learn uncommon names of people that are supposed to rhyme with the objects. If you want a good ABC book, I highly recommend Chicka Chicka Boom Boom. That is by far the best. It is very educational and very fun. As for numbers, I recommend Ten Little Ladybugs and/ or Over in the Meadow. Both are just excellent.

Illustrations are wonderful. Text is silly fun, but instructive in counting and alphabet. Just don't be so taken by the beautiful bunny drawings that you decide to get a bunny for your young one- they're more adult pets, despite their cuteness. They require a lot of care, research, adult attention and space to roam. Let your kids enjoy the pretty pictures instead.

Mama bunny lives in a shoe, has 26 babes, but knows just what to do. She tucks them into various "beds" as she counts them off. The detailed illustrations are what I like best about this book. My son loves studying them. He gets a kick out of the quirky places the bunnies sleep, esp Frankie in the hankie for some reason. I wish that this was written so that the bunnies' names and the places they slept started with the same letter. That would have reinforced the alphabetic aspect of this book, but maybe it's asking too much. I still really do like this one.

Unlike so many poorly executed rhyming books, this one is a joy to read. The rhymes are well constructed and creative. And the pictures are delightful. Just tonight, my 6 year old asked me to read it again as a bedtime story, because he loves to study the engrossing pictures. And we've enjoyed this book for years. I was happy to just now see that this author/illustrator pair have done other books together.

I'm such a sucker for rhymes. Fortunately, so are my kids. There's nothing like a story with pleasant and soothing rhymes to get them off to sleep quickly (giving me more time to write reviews :D) See, there's an Old Mother Rabbit who lives in a shoe. She has 26 children (those rabbits sure know how to multiply!) but she definitely knows what to do. The tale travels through the alphabet -naming each bunny and where they fall asleep (1 is named Abel, he slept on the table.....and so on) My kids delighted in guessing where each little bunny would sleep (some places were pretty strange - like who could fall asleep in candy???) It also taught them words they don't normally use (e.g. lane, holly, kettle). Counting, the alphabet, and rhyming.... all in one sweet little bedtime story. What more could a parent ask for - besides children who beg to go to bed?

I bought this for my nephew, i remember having this read to me as a boy, just a fantastic classic.
Just timeless, i think its better to let them create a picture in their mind rather than sit them in front of Disney .....

This is the book that started the Pooh empire. Seeing the characters as they were originally created was great, and the stories are amazing. Each chapter is a stand alone story that introduces the reader to new characters and adventures. We learn how Pooh got his name(s) and why he lives under the name 'Mr. Sanders' in the forest. The style of writing and the illustrations are great for any age and reading stories about their favorite stuffed animals is great for kids.

Love this book - my baby's nursery is all winnie the pooh and this looks great on the bookshelf. Will start reading it to him when he is more interested in stories
Great book!

I am very pleased with the service I got on this order. Everything was as promised.

Before I bought this book I had read a few comments complaining about the color of the pages... somewhat yellowish in an almost but not quite parchmenty sort of way. Oh bother, said I, This is coloring my experience of the book. It's been in the back of my mind through every chapter, "Do I like this? Or do I not?" First let me say I love the brushed watercolors over the illustrations... I'm enthralled by the book jacket and the way the window is lit up by the colored version beneath on the actual cover... and the truth is I would have picked a slightly different page color -- but that's besides the point. It's still a lovely edition and my first grader certainly has no complaints.

On top of that, I'd forgotten how wonderful Pooh is. I'm so jaded by the Disney versions that invade every store and home (except mine) that I've spent a lot of time bypassing poor Pooh & Co altogether. We had recently revamped reading aloud here at home because books "written for first graders" were too mindless, books written at the reading level of Pooh today are written for an intellectual level of thought and humor that is beyond the first grader (A. A. Milne had an incredible gift for including all levels of maturity in these works) so our attempts there got tossed aside as my first grader played with his toes, fingers, hair and anything else he could reach because the books just weren't "keeping him." So I tallied up a new library budget and between Amazon and Abe Books did an overhaul... Pooh certainly is one that has hit the spot. The writing is more like how I would speak to my son, but the story is still appealing to the imagination of a first grader, the plot easily managed... so we've started each sit down with a couple of Milne poems and then followed it up with a chapter or two from this and The House At Pooh Corner Deluxe Edition thank the heavens for older books still in print! Do yourSELF the same favor, and while you're at it, toss out any of those Disney Pooh books... this will do so much more for your child's development.

Hello, I'm StoryMaker. While glancing at the bookshelf, I spotted The World of Pooh - an old, brown copy with no dust jacket - and was inspired to review it.

The World of Pooh is a very good book. It is the original, classic, A. A. Milne Pooh, and a lot of it. Timeless & simple, it is a must for young & old. The red-shirt-free, non-Disney, classic Pooh books by A. A. Milne are old, but to this very day satisfy young children. That's the magic about it.

Why is the classic Pooh better than the Disney Pooh? Well, there are plenty of reasons.

First of all, the characters are better. They are not exaggerated like Disney's. They are kinder yet still quite funny. They are really more charming and really better. As some would say, they have higher quality.

Second, A. A. Milne's stories are timeless. You'd think a kid wouldn't care, but seriously. They satisfy generation after generation and don't change over time. (And I'm not talking about the change of the cover and binding and amount of wear & tear!) Look at the changes of Disney's Pooh. First classic animation, then puppets, then CGI. As the world changes, so does Disney Pooh. But A. A. Milne's classics are timeless and can be loved age to age. They're Grandpappy approved! XD

The World of Pooh gathers many Pooh classic stories and puts them in one book. I have a young cousin & his parents have introduced him to A. A. Milne's Pooh and aren't sure they will show him Disney. Good for them! These stories are better. If you have a youngster, I recommend you do the same. You can get The World of Pooh for pretty cheap nowadays, so why not? Also check out A. A. Milne's poem books, When We Were Very Young and Now We Are Six. You'll love 'em, too! Signed, StoryMaker. "Gotta trust the kid's review!"

I've been reading a chapter each night before bed to my 4yr old since
receiving the book. We both love all of the stories.

I think that "The World of Pooh" was a wonderful book. I especially liked it because I love Winne the Pooh. He is so funny, and with his friends by his side they can do anything. One of my favorite parts is the part where Pooh gets stuck in Rabbit's Rabbit Hole. And when everyone throws a party for Pooh and Eeyore thinks the party is for him. The World of Pooh is a great book and it is funny as well. I could not put the book down. It is just simply amazing. Piglet and Winnie the Pooh are best of friends.

I love this book. Written well, the drawings are great, I takes me back to a wonderful place to be.

For the Gopher fans, Gopher is not in this, he came later in the tv shows.

We had a very old copy of The World of Pooh in the house when I was growing up, long since lost. I was so happy to find this when looking for gifts for an on-the-way niece or nephew. Sure, TV/Disney Pooh is cute, but this is the way Pooh stories are supposed to be told, with the classic illustrations and language. This is a perfect storybook for all ages, young and old, and I hope it is always available in this version. The simple series of stories revolving around a young boy's imagination is something I look forward to reliving over and over again, and it brings back extremely fond childhood memories, first of being read to, then of holding the book in my lap and pouring over it for many, many hours.

Everything in this book, which basically explains the "clear skin" regimen, is available on Dan Kern's website (acne.org) for FREE, making this book a pointless purchase in itself.

That said, I have had some results with the "clear skin" regimen explained in the book, just not as good as others. Some things I've noticed after using the regimen:

PROS:

1) If you have never used benzoyl peroxide (2.5%) before, you will most likely get good results overall. You might even end up with a clear face, back, wherever.

2) You will appreciate Kern's empathy to the cause of acne elimination. Acne is very much an emotionally painful affliction, and empathy (not belittling) is sometimes the most important thing an acne sufferer needs.

3) When you are ready to begin the regimen, you can opt to visit Kern's website, which offers the regimen products (2.5% benzoyl peroxide, cleanser, moisturizer) at reasonable prices.

CONS:

1) Contrary to Kern's opinion, I personally have experienced my acne grow resistant to benzoyl peroxide (both 2.5% and 5% variations - 10% is too harsh). In my experience, the effectiveness of benzoyl peroxide waned after a few months, no matter how much of it I used.

2) Your skin can get seriously dried out by daily benzoyl peroxide use even with the "mild" 2.5% variation, especially since Kern eventually wants you to use about an ounce of it on your face. I used adequate-moderately heavy amounts of moisturizer after the benzoyl peroxide application, but personally there was just no escaping the dryness and peeling despite me having oily skin. Using less of the 2.5% treatment didn't help either.

3) Lastly, your clothes will bleach through benzoyl peroxide use, period. It's nice to have less acne, but when you notice your favourite clothes getting discoloured (ruined) in the process, it's almost not worth it in the end. Also, wouldn't you want to have clearer skin while wearing your favourite clothes? Sure, you could wear something under your clothes, but I personally found this to be an extra discomfort on top of my dried out face.

---

Still, I urge those who haven't used 2.5% benzoyl peroxide to try out the "clear skin" regimen. But instead of buying this book, I think you're better off buying the regimen treatment products on Amazon, or on Kern's website.

I urge you though to have realistic expectations with the regimen, as it may work at first but disappoint you afterwards.

Dan's skin care regimen is the only thing that has worked for my acne - I tried everything from Proactiv to oral medications like Acutane. I've been caking on makeup for most of my life, since age 13, but now I finally can leave the house without it. Yes, I still break out a little before my monthly period, but otherwise, I'm all clear.
Dan Kern should win an award for his method, he is truly helping people, and not one of these Guthy Renker infomercial companies out for money. No celebrity endorsements needed; the clear skin regimen just works. I wish I had found it years ago.

Happily, Dan Kern is not a corporation looking for profit: he's just a guy who had bad skin and found a way to manage it. [...] I bought the book as a small thank you to Kern for being nice enough to provide the info for free. If you buy products thru his site, he gets a kick-back -- and if you don't, that's ok, too. For this reason, he deserves the support. Kind of like shareware for books. And his easy if not always fun regimen has been working so far, so kudos.

Dan's info is the only thing that has helped me get rid of my acne. Nothing else, incl. Proactiv, worked except the info in this book and it is very simple and easy to do what he suggests. But the previous reveiwer was write you can get all the info in this book on his website.

I didn't read the whole book. I just went to web site acne.org and followed the program. Acne is now gone. I suffered from Acne for over 20 years and tried many treatment programs from Accutane, Retin-A, Microdermabrasion and a few others. Dan Kern's treatment program was the first treatment program that actually work for me in the long run.

The cheapest and fastest way I know how to check out the program is to order 1 tube of the 2.5% Benzoyl Peroxide (from Dan's Web Site) and try it for 1 week following Dan's instructions. Yes, if you goto the web site, Dan also wants you to get a Cleanser and a Moisturizer. All products are needed but I believe the key product is 2.5% benzoyl peroxide gel from his web site Acne.org.

I strongly believe if you have Ance, using the 2.5% benzoyl peroxide gel with Dan's instruction, you will have a 95% chance of seeing improvement in less than a week.

As an independant, single woman who has travelled the world and set up two
businesses, I wondered if a book using a Bond Girl analogy could be helpful
to me. If Bond Girls fall heart-first for Bond and then get left in his
wake, was that something I could relate to? After a few pages however I
realised I am what Ms Shepard calls the quinessentail Bond Girl. I have run
both my businesses for decades with success. I also concentrate on bringing
into my life what I passionately desire, and strive to live my best life
each and every day. With a best friend style and simple-to-follow steps that
inspire you to take action from the first chapter, Sandy has covered an
astonishing number of topics in this easy to read book
I have visited over 100 countries in the world and I am fascinated with
others who have been fortunate to have done the same. I recently enjoyed the
book Eat, Pray, Love. Sandy's book details similar lessons, but gives
practical steps for any woman to follow and embody without giving up her job
and home, then traveling abroad for a year! As I read each chapter, a vision
of various friends appeared on the pages, friends that I knew were having
issues in their lives. I felt it would be inappropriate for me to suggest
they give themselves an overhaul but this is the perfect book to pass on
to those girlfriends. Sandy's no-nonsense style gets the point across with
no risk to the friendships."

The author has a funny, engaging, and doable approach to helping "superwomen" become that much more "super." Her personal experiences are amazing and certainly inform her recommendations, but her techniques are approachable for all. This is a paper version of "You go, girlfriend!" that all women should get for those who inspired us, or who need a little extra inspiration. It's irreverent and accessible and an easy and fun read. And, best of all, if you accomplish even one of the (very attainable) goals, the title alone makes you feel worth of Ursula Andress/Halle Berry (pick your era!) status.

I know Sandy, the author, and heard about the book as she was writing it, but felt it was only for women. I bought a copy for my daughter, thumbed through it and suddenly realized it was loaded with great advice, guidance and ideas for anyone. Naturally, it's more slanted to a female audience, but I think it's a wealth of great information.

Guys should buy a copy for every woman they know. They'll be grateful you did!

Sandy's inspiring book may have been written for a younger crowd, but as a `femme d'un certain age' I found it a fun and informative read. When I was younger and a newly-hatched feminist I went through an extended period of challenging and competing with every male out there in my personal relationships and in my work. Although there were plenty of good reasons for doing so in those days (although co-owner of a business with
my husband, I was always introduced as the wife of the owner, that kind of thing) the changes in my perspective in the here-and-now came about through sometimes painful experience plus the evolution that time brings. I salute all those early fems for the necessary work they did in the old days, paving the way for thinkers/writers like Shepard but I also think she is right on about celebrating "la difference" between men and women and supporting and honoring the man in your life. It is not giving up or giving in to do so
and what possibly could be a more hopeless task than trying to change your man. And if you do succeed you might not like the results! Check out this book for some thought-provoking, serious but often very funny exploration of this subject.

This book teaches women of all ages how to love themselves in a practical, sexy, fun, and creative way. Living a life that everyone wants to imitate. After reading this book you and your James will see just how passionate you really are.

This story is about a mouse who wants to go to a far off land. While he is traveling , he is named jumping mouse, he gets better legs to jump with, he stays with an old mouse,he gives a buffalo his sight,and he gives a fox his smell. Jumping Mouse gets to the far off land and is named Eagle by Magic Frog.Jumping Mouse then turns into an eagle.
I loved this book!

This lovely Caldecott honoree related the Native American legend of a mouse that morphed into an eagle by magic, determination, and force of character. A mouse listens to tales told by older mice that include visions of a far off land. He determines to visit the far off land even though he doesn't know much about traveling and is sure to encounter dangers. Shortly after setting out he meets the Magic Frog, who kindly transports him across the river. The Magic Frog also confers the gift of jumping legs on the mouse, which will serve him well the rest of the journey.

Along the way he meets an Old Mouse, whose pessimistic attitude of ever reaching the far off land is rewarded when the Snake comes along and eats him. "Poor old friend," thought Jumping Mouse. "He lost hope of finding his dream and now his life is over." Subtle this tale is not.

After giving up his sight for a blind bison and his sense of smell to a smell-disabled wolf, Jumping Mouse proves that he is unselfish and worthy of good things. Magic Frog turns up when Jumping Mouse's hope of seeing the far off land is fading. He magically turns Jumping Mouse into an eagle.

The illustrations are more compelling than the story, drawn with charcoal pencil (I am guessing). They are lifelike and vivid, adding charm to the simple tale. The standard animal figures of buffalo, wolf, and eagle seem to turn up in most Native American literature.

This is a great book. THe artwork is worth the Caldacott medal and the story is a good one for all ages. It is about a mouse trying to reach a far land which is supposed to be beautiful and about learning to keep hope and selfishness alive in you and you will be rewarded. It is a great story that people now a days need to consider more often the world would be a better place.

John Steptoe's 40-page illustrated version of The Story of Jumping Mouse is a Native American legend of a Magic Frog who gives his jumping legs to a discouraged young mouse that had recently set out on a quest -- a journey to a far-off land. The frog also tells Jumping Mouse to remember three words -- "never lose hope." Rejuvenated and able to travel much more quickly, Jumping Mouse continues on his journey. On the way he encounters a fat mouse who invites him to stay with him the rest of his life in a safe haven. But Jumping Mouse is determined to continue his quest and later discovers his acquaintance is eaten by a snake. When his journey brings him to a vast prairie Jumping Mouse is surprised to meet a lonely buffalo just standing there. Upon inquiry, he learns that the buffalo is blind, so Jumping Mouse imitates Magic Frog by giving his eyes sight to a blind buffalo and the buffalo leads him across the prairie on his back. At the end of the prairie the buffalo can go no further and Jumping Mouse recalls Magic Frog's words, "never lose hope" and thus journeys animal that identifies himself as a fox that can't smell. Jumping Mouse tries his magic once more and is able to give the fox his nose. The fox, delighted at his cure, accompanies Jumping Mouse through the forest. But as the forest ends at the foot of a mountain and the fox can not go any further, Jumping Mouse goes to sleep in despair in the face of this seemingly hopeless barrier to his goal. Suddenly Magic Frog appears again and tells Jumping Mouse to jump as high as he can and remember his words, "never lose hope." He gathers his courage, leaps as high as he can, and discovers himself soaring over the mountain as Magic Frog below shouts out Jumping Mouse's new name -- "Eagle." This is a wonderful story to teach children about Hope, Determination, Sacrifice, Hardship, and Compassion.

This book tells a Native American story about a small mouse who must endure great hardships in order to reach his dreams. I purchase it over and over to give to children experiencing grief and loss in my work as a school social worker. The ending has a "never give up" message for the reader and the animals (mouse, frog, buffalo, wolf, eagle) are especially meaningful to Indian children. The black and white illustrations are beautiful. Written for elementary aged children, but a book to be cherished by teens and adults, too.

This is the best book to read to young children, fantastic story and lovely pictures. My favourite children's book and still amazing. A moral tale

Every family with small children should have this book. The story and illustrations are out of this world.

This is a lovely, lovely story with very good illustrations. My little girl knew the book off by heart by the time she she was 18 months old. I would say it's a must have for all children.

I hadn't read this book since childhood, but recently my girlfriend and I started trading and reading books from our childhoods. I bought a copy of Dogger for her and she read it out loud to me. I started crying, and just couldn't stop. I can remember feeling just like Dave when I was younger and losing something, it was a horrible feeling. If only we could all have a sister like Bella. The wonderful story and pictures will touch you, and stay with you forever.

I have given over 15 copies of Dogger to friends and family when they have an arrival of a second child. Every one of them...every.one.of.them has loved it and weeks/months/years later, I still get glowing feedback on this book.

The way the older child (Bella) helps out her little brother (Dave) when he looses Dogger makes me and anyone I've ever given the story to sniffle at the beauty and kindness of text and illustrations.

Face it, when you were little and you miss placed your favorite toy/lovey, you basically went to DEFCON 5 alert status and nothing was right until your lovey was found. Now as a parent, you know if your child loses their lovey, nothing in your house will be settled until it is found and you would do anything ( beg, bribe and possibly liquidate your IRA to make your child happy (and sleep through the night) again. Bella is every mother's heroine.

She teaches the selfless act of helping and giving better than I ever could.

This book is getting harder to find, so buy it right now to help keep it in print. I need more copies for the next round of friends having children.

I really enjoyed reading Molly's Pilgrim. It was just the right reading level for me. It was not too hard and not too long, but it was interesting. It is about a girl who comes to a new school and is different from everyone else. It is hard for her to adjust. One of the parts that made an impression is when the teacher likes Molly's pilgrim doll best and appreciated it. I would recommend this book to girls who might get discouraged with books that are long, because even though it is not a hard book, it's really interesting. By HG.

The book "Molly's Pilgrim" by Barbara Cohen is about a girl named Molly. It is her first Thanksgiving and she founds out that she really doesn't have anything to be thankful for. Her classmates really make fun of her because of her unfamiliarity with American ways.
Then when it comes to doing a project Molly gets embarassed because her mom helps with the project. She helps by making a little doll that looked more like a Russian girl than a pilgrim. But she explains thatthe doll her mom did was because she tried to explain that her mom is a pilgrim because she came for freedom to worshiip god as her own way.

Barbara Cohen understands ESL students like no other author ever has! In "Molly's Pilgrim" she describes the pain of a Russian Jewish immigrant in her American school in Winter Hill. Molly is mocked and ridiculed by the most popular girl in Miss Stickley's class, and Molly's "limitations" are made even more evident because Molly and her mother don't understand Thanksgiving from the viewpoint of American culture. The assignment is to design a clothespin doll to look like a pilgrim woman, but Molly's mother designs the doll to look like a Russian immigrant girl. In the process, the class learns that pilgrims did not stop coming to America for religious freedom in the 1600s. Molly's family are pilgrims too!

Equally important to my ESL classes is Barbara Cohen's sequel: "Make a Wish, Molly", when Molly's Jewish culture conflicts with that of her classmates. Molly's parents are excited because in America they are finally free to celebrate Passover for the first time. Then Molly is invited to her first American birthday party during Passover week. That luscious pink birthday cake contains leaven! Should Molly keep the Passover, or should she enjoy her first American birthday party? The painful conflict between first and second cultures is one which every ESL student can understand. I recommend both books highly to ESL classes everywhere!

Molly's Pilgrim is the best book! Molly is a little Jewish girl from Russia. She doesn't like to go to school because the girls are teasing her. There are no other Jewish girls at Winter Hill and they think she looks and talks different. She wishes she could go back to Russia or even New York City. Molly had an assignment to make a clothespin Pilgrim doll. Her mom made it to look like herself-because mama sees herself as a Pilgrim from Russia. Molly thinks the doll is beautiful but is also ashamed of the doll because she doesn't think it is a real Pilgrim. She brings it to school and hides it in her desk. When Elizabeth and her friends see it, they make fun of it. Molly explains to Miss Stickly that her mother made the doll to look like her because she came from Russia for freedom just like the Pilgrims. Miss Stickly praises it and puts it in a special place on her desk. This makes Molly proud. We loved this book!!
By Mrs. Lee's 1st and 2nd Grade Red Group at Nike Elementary!

Molly is a young, Jewish immigrant from Russia, who moves to Winter Hill where she is a black sheep among the rest of her classmates. They tease her, and call her names, making fun of her voice, and her eyes, and anything else that they could possibly think of to make fun of her. When Miss Stickley, Molly's third-grade teacher, begins teaching the class about Thanksgiving, Molly is lost. That is, until she finds that Thanksgiving is an American holiday where everyone is grateful for what they have. The problem? Molly doesn't feel thankful. In fact, the only thing that would make her thankful is if her family could move back to New York City, and that won't be happening anytime soon. When Miss Stickley informs the class that they must make pilgrim dolls, Molly is excited to do the project. But when she finds that her mother has made the doll look more like a Russian immigrant, rather than a pilgrim, Molly knows that her troubles at school are about to get worse. But maybe...just maybe, the little Pilgrim is exactly what Molly needs...

It is rare that a book as short as Barbara Cohen's MOLLY'S PILGRIM could bring out such strong emotions in the reader, but that is exactly what it did. The character of Molly is sweet, and kind, and the way she is treated at school could bring tears to anyone's eyes, even if you aren't a crier by nature. The awful songs that Molly's classmates sing about her will choke everyone up, but, at the same time, let the reader feel exactly how people who are "different" are treated. This is a wonderful story that will warm everyone's heart, and teach the whole family about the first Thanksgiving.

Erika Sorocco
Book Review Columnist for The Community Bugle Newspaper