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You could say that Alice McKinley (not to be confused with Alice MacLeod) has a bit of a cult following at my current place of employ. So maybe it was just a matter of time before I too got sucked in.

A word on the series before I start the review: Phyllis Reynolds Naylor began the Alice series with "The Agonies of Alice" in 1985. In that book Alice is 11 and starting sixth grade. She has just moved and started at a new school. Since then, Naylor has been writing a new Alice book approximately every year which certain librarians have pointed out has strong addictive qualities. Until about 2002, the books ran linearly. Then Naylor did something different, she wrote three prequel novels talking about Alice as a third, fourth, and fifth grader weaving in stories that Alice had previously reflected on in other books in the series. "Starting With Alice" is the first of these prequels (followed by "Alice in Blunderland" and "Lovingly Alice"). I like to read linearly whenever possible so, after reading "The Agony of Alice" and finding out about these prequels I decided to read the series straight through in terms of Alice's age instead of publication date (the series is supposed to end when Alice turns 18 and is already well-grounded in the Young Adult genre at this point).

Now that that's settled, let's talk about the actual book.

Alice, her father, and her older brother have just moved into a new house. Alice's first friend on the block is Donald Sheavers, her weird neighbor. Along the way, Alice makes other, less weird, friends. And also attracts some unwanted attention from one of the street patrol girls. It's not always easy being Alice. I can't say much more about the story without revealing everything. This book is more about Alice's day-to-day life as she tries to fit in and make friends than about any huge event.

Alice narrates in the first person. As a result, the novel is conversational and pretty mellow. Alice is a cool girl, even though she doesn't think so, and her narration is endearing. Naylor strikes the perfect balance here. Alice's voice is consistent with her debut novel, but she does sound younger--without being annonyingly young.

Alice also demonstrates that, although she's only eight, it's never to early to develop a strong character. In the novel Alice makes new friends and stands up to bullies among her other wonderfully positive characteristics. I don't know that children read books about children in search of role models, but if they do "Starting With Alice" definitely offers up a good one.

In terms of when to read this book, I think it would work either way. I enjoyed reading it already knowing about Donald Sheavers and an unfortunate poem written to the milkman. But readers could definitely read this without knowing anything about Alice and enjoy it just as much.

wow how in the world do i start! well i read this book in 3 days. each day i came home when out on the porch and started reading for about 3 to 4 hours!

its about this girl alice her mom dies when she was young and she has a older brother lester.this was the first book i read and now i have read about 5 or 6 alice books now.alice goes through friendship trouble and other stuff too.its a really good book for girls.i also read the boys start the war by:pyills too.i read that in 3 days too.both of these books are amazing!naylor is my favorite author!in boys start the war there is pranks that the boys do to the girls then the girls do something and get them back and its filled w/ laughter!GET IT! if this review helped please click yes under my review
thanks!i reccommend it!cya later!have fun reading!

This book was free with a purchase of my Leopard Build-a-Bear when I was nine or ten. I loved it! I settled down with my misbehaving leopard plush and read the book through. It has to deal with all the fun of being a third grader--embarrassing moments galore, laughs, and mistakes! Hopefully readers connect with Alice as they learn about her bluffs through this school year. I would recommend it to anyone seven through eleven. If your twelve year old isn't too 'old' for this, then they probably will chuckle as they remember the mistakes that they made advancing towards grade four.

--Willow, aged 11

My daughter has read this book over and over again- she loves it!

For me, this was definitly the best book i have read in the alice series so far! VERY and i mean VERY few books make me laugh out loud, but this one did--on nearly every page! i engulfed this wonderful tale of an 8-year old girl and her adventures through the move from chicago to takoma park, Maryland, and how she has to start 3rd grade at a brand new school. i read this in one day! i would sit in my room reading this book, and every few minutes or so, i would laugh so hard i cried. And my parents were wondering what all that racket was about....

What a great resource. For a small biz like myself, it gives simple, concrete "growth" advice and direction. It should be in new print...not relegated to the used marketplace. With so much fodder out there, this stands way above the pack!

I keep referring to Parker's book over and over again. Even someone who has been marketing via the Net for several years will find this text a cogent, insightful and organized source of help. I can't imagine my Web-based efforts without its guidance.

Most books published this long ago look incredibly dated by now. This one isn't. Everything in it still rings true, and it's a shame more websites don't heed this man's advice.

I've been marketing and selling on the internet since 1995. There is one specific idea in this book that IF you actually use it, you will almost certainly triple your business. (No kidding) I definitely wish I would have had this book 5 years ago. However, I have it now and the fundamentals are superb. Parker takes you through the strategies that bring people to your web site and develop a web site that gets people to come back again and again.

I absolutely love this book and strongly suggest you pick it up. ...Isn't it worth it to gain some powerful, usable and workable strategies that will make you 1000 times the investment?! It's a no-brainer!

Kevin Hogan...

I bought the book because I saw a lot of great reviews about it on amazon.com. But after reading the book, it's really disappointing because the book is just very shallow about web marketing... It's also very repetitive and all it says is very general, it doesn't really cover much on strategic web marketing. A lot of the articles on the many web marketing sites or newsletters out there are much more helpful than that book. It doesn't tell much except for mentioning repeatedly how good content, customers registration and email newsletters are important for relationship marketing... It doesn't provide any resource at all for the readers to create good content, to build a customer email database or to launch an effective promotion or marketing campaign, i don't recommend this book at all.

Sophie feels pretty awful about things. Actually, she's felt pretty awful for three years, ever since her younger brother Erhart died. He was seven and she was twelve. Since then, she has tried hard to keep his memory alive inside of her, specifically thinking of him a couple of times a day so he doesn't fade completely from her mind.

Making things even worse in Sophie's life is the fact that she can't seem to get along with her father, who had an affair shortly before Erhart's death and was thrown out of their house.

Then Sophie lost her best friend, Justin, who wanted to date her and stopped liking her when she refused to be his girlfriend. Now he circulates with a group Sophie refers to as the Wolf Pack, mindless guys who only care about impressing frivolous girls. Sophie feels pretty alone in the world.

The stops feeling so alone when she meets Francis, a guy whose mother died years ago. He seems to understand a little of what she feels about Erhart, and he is the first person in a long time she has enjoyed spending time with. He even respects that she isn't interested in dating anyone. But is she really not interested in dating anyone? Or would she maybe like to date Francis?

I really liked Francis' character and the way he related to and respected Sophie, although I found it a bit unrealistic that he would have stuck around so long when Sophie gave him so little encouragement. I liked that Sophie's family didn't completely break down after her brother died; she and her mother and sister were still pretty much okay. The character of Justin was lousy--it was hard to believe someone would be so insensitive to drop his friendship with a girl so easily when she refused to date him.

This book was interesting--at times. I found the main character quite boring, but Francis seemed complex, and I found his tear tattoo fascinating. This is a rather typical "coming-of-age" story and did not do much to capture my interest. I basically struggled through the story, but I didn't find it unbearable. It was well-written, but simply wasn't attention-grabbing for me. I gave it three stars as it just didn't have what it takes to make a wonderful novel.

This is one of my favorite books. The characters felt so real and were very memorable, especially Francis. I liked the plot and felt satisfaction when it endded. It was an easy read, but was also well written.

"Her brother is gone-but she is still here", says the cover. Sophie's younger brother died of leukemia when he was eight. That was two years ago. Day by day, Sophie finds herself forgetting him. She's scared of letting go of what little memories she has of him; until she meets Francis. Can she let go but still hold on of the memories she has? This was a very good book, very vivid of what Sophie goes through. She's someone that you could easily relate to if someone close to you died. At times though, she sounds very fake and un-caring. She's somewhat of a snob though that judges people by what she's heard about them. Francis teaches her that's not a wise idea and little by little, she finds herself falling in love with him. Yet part of her holds back. Plus, there's her complicated relationship with her father. Her parents are divorced and he was having an affair while her brother was dying. In a way she blames him for his death. Can Sophie give herself permission to be what she wants to be? To grow up?

When I was Older by Garret Freymann-Weyr is one of my favorite books. It is a fictional story about a Girl learning to cope her life. I loved this book, and i would recommend it to any teenage girl. It is a must read.
Sophie is a 13 year old girl growing up in the Upper East Side of Manhattan. Her brother died when she was very young, and She doesnt take it well. She still can't talk about him, or bring it up in a conversation with anyone. In a way, Earheart (her brother) is keeping her from growing up. Her thoughts are still on days when she was younger when she'd play with him before he got sick. Sophie must learn that Highschool changes people, and sometimes you have to accept that change.
I liked this book alot becuase I myself, can relate to how Sophie feels. Her brother is diagnosed with Lukemia and When he dies it breaks her heart. My mother had cancer, so i know how Sophie feels through the book.
Also, Garret Freymann Weyr is an amazing author. He tells this story with the use of Strong Diction, and great dialouge. his knack for writing really shines through. I never once wanted to put this book down, and i read it in 2 days. This book Not only shows the hardships of growing up, but learning how tocope with your problems. I recomend it for everyone.

The book is AWESOME.It's a must have 4 all BtVS fans.It is from Xander's point of view and has his thoughts and feelings about what's going on. It's divided into chapters/sections-here is how it goes starting after the Acknowledgments: Tonight,Part1;Teacher's Pet(6 chapters); Tonight,Part2;Inca Mummy Girl(7 chapters); Tonight,Part3;Bewitched,Bothered,And Bewildered (7 chapters);Tonight,Part4.There are also great pictures in the center of the book.I hope I haved helped you out!

Just like on the TV show Xander delivers scarcasm and humor that only he can do. He tells 3 tales of his strange supernatural romance (Teachers Pet, Inca Mummy Girl, and Bewitched Bothered and Bewildered)and proves that Buffy isn't the only one with a twisted life. I liked reading about Xander becasue he's pretty much the typical male, except a whole lot wittier, and the occasional vampire slaying. I reccomend this to any Buffy the Vampire Slayer and/or Xander fan!

Only recently have I become a buffy fan (but boy, when I fall I fall hard) This was the first buffy book I read, but it was definately worth it! Especially the last story Bewitched Bothered and Bewildered made me laugh so much I have the stiches to prove it. This book made me stop thinking Xander was boring. Definately a must to read for any buffy fan!

In order to understand the entire buffy novels,one needs to understand Xander.This book details probably the most intimate things anyone will be able to get with the character.From his feelings for his best friend Willow to chrush unfulfilled Buffy,dating and romance in Sunnydale is truly humerous.....for Xander it's the most harzardous thing to do. Full of laughs and deep thought,to understand buffy,you need to understand why she does'nt just crumple from the pressure of slaying. Because Xander will always be there...laughing at the world.

This book is a novelization of three episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The first Teacher's Pet is a homage to the big bug movies of the late fifties. Inca Mummy Girl revives the curse of the mummy and Bewitched, Bothered & Bewildered explores the magic of love. In each story Xander falls in love with dire consequences. His heart is pure and his intentions good but the results are both frightening and humorous. I recommend this to all Xander fans. It could be a dating manual for the new century.

Matthew Scudder is not a licensed private investigator. To claim he was one would not be ethical. Besides, private investigators have to keep up with records and billable hours... No, you can't hire him, but you can ask him to do a favor. In return for said favor, you can buy him a drink and give him a little cash.

At one point in his life Matt was a detective for the NYPD, but when a stray bullet from his gun struck and killed an innocent child during a shootout, Matt resigned. He buried his grief in a bottle and started doing favors for friends.

In Eight Million Ways to Die, Matt has reached a crossroads. After experiencing blackout that lasted several days that ended with Matt in the hospital, he knew he had to come to terms with his drinking. He agreed to go to AA, but he was not ready to label himself an alcoholic.

In need of money, Matt agreed to act as an intermediary for a hooker. She wanted out of the business but was afraid to tell her pimp. It was a simple job and the situation was settled without bloodshed or tears. Chance, the pimp, felt Kim wasted her money. She didn't need to hire Matt. All she had to do was tell him she wanted out. When Kim was found dead a few days later, the police and Matt assumed Chance was the guilty party.

The police would never be able to prove that Chance was guilty. Chance knew that, but the fact that the police assumed he did it and were not looking elsewhere irritated him. Kim was a hooker, but she was one of his girls. The cloud of suspicion was hurting his business. As Matt already had a vested interest in the case, Chance hires him. Matt would ferret out the truth.

It has been 25 years since Laurence Block's Eight Million Ways to Die was first released. New York City has changed since then, but it was easy to visualize the rabble and the rubble of the New York City of old through the eyes of Matthew Scudder. It was descriptive without the lengthy prose to go with it.

It is a classic hardboiled detective story. The clues are doled out at regular intervals. An astute mystery reader may be able to identify the killer before Matt puts the pieces together. I had my suspicions but there was enough doubt to keep me guessing right up until the end.

Eight Million Ways to Die is dark, cynical, violent and incredibly lonely--all that a great PI mystery should be. For the mystery fans out there, I highly recommend it.

I bought this thinking it was the first in the Matthew Scudder series, but it is actually about the fifth or so. It was excellent. Very well-written and I loved the Scudder character, especially his struggle with drinking and involvement in AA. If you like mysteries/detective novels, you will not be disappointed.

Lawrence Block is a writer's writer. His style, words, and plots are top notch. What do you get in this story? You get a grim and gritty New York - home to Matt Scudder, ex-cop and private investigator. You get Scudder's desperate efforts to overcome his addiction to alcohol. And you get the story of Kim, a prostitute, who pays Scudder to tell Chance, her pimp, that she wants to leave the business. Next, she is slashed to death. The obvious suspect is Chance, but Scudder becomes convinced that Chance didn't kill her, and Chance pays Scudder to find the murderer. As Scudder investigates, and more murders occur, it becomes clear that Kim had unknowingly become involved with a group of violent criminals. A nice feature of the story is that Block gives you all of the clues to pretty-much solve the mystery. Otherwise, you must wait until the final pages. It is a great story. Little wonder that Block has won so many awards for his mystery writing.

Having only read one other Lawrence Block novel "A Dance at the Slaughterhouse", I was intrigued at the depth of Eight Million Ways to Die. The characters and the environment of New York being the backdrop for this story makes for an entertaining read. As well as Scudders unwillingness to accept that he's an alcoholic. The ending was a classic one. The way Block is able to bring to life the city as a main part of the plot in the story is amazing. Eight Million Ways to Die is a classic and will forever be remembered as one of the top 25 mystery novels of all time!

Other recommended books:
Death in Uptown by Michael Raleigh

It's 2008, and it's the 25th anniversary of the Lawrence Block's Eight Million Ways to Die. So let's put out a celebratory edition! I've never read a Block book, so I'm not sure why this particular book warrants a re-issue in a special hardcover, but it does mark a significant milestone in Matt Scudder's career, so maybe that's why. This handsome hardcover also includes an afterword by Block, so fans of the Scudder series may want to pick this up to at least read that. For non-fans of the series, you can pick it up because it's a very good book.

If you're like me, you'll have to keep reminding yourself that Eight Million Ways to Die was written back in 1983. I kept asking why the characters didn't use cell phones until I remembered. Also, the image of New York as a crime-infested city kept jarring with the way it is now. The title of the book is said by a cynical cop who claims that there are eight million ways to die in New York. While there are probably still quite a few, I don't think there are that many any more.

Block does immerse you in the seedy atmosphere of the New York of 1983, though. His imagery is quite stark, and he constantly has Scudder reading the newspaper, pulling out headlines and news stories about how certain innocent people were killed, and commenting on how these will quickly get relegated to the back pages as something even more monstrous hits the front page. This atmosphere constantly weighs Scudder (and the reader) down, but at least the reader can put the book down if it gets too oppressive. What can Scudder do?

Scudder is an extremely interesting character, and evidently one who changes throughout his series of books. His alcoholism has been a constant presence in previous books, and this is the one where it comes to a head. He's constantly going to AA meetings, commenting on the speakers but not speaking up himself when it comes to his turn. He just can't see himself in these people, despite knowing that he has a problem. There's an interesting running plot element regarding this bottle of Wild Turkey in Kim's apartment, something that keeps attracting him even if he's not there investigating something.

While most of the characters are fairly one-dimensional, serving their purpose in the story and perhaps having one or two identifying traits, Chance himself also stands out as an extremely interesting character. He finds himself being drawn to Scudder, telling him things that he would never tell anyone else. He's an extremely deep character, almost as much as Scudder, and we find ourselves wondering how he's going to turn out as well. When he disappears for a while, I almost found myself dreading that Scudder would find out he got murdered as well.

Block's hard-boiled prose is excellent in Eight Million Ways to Die, and it's definitely what will make me go back and eventually read other books in this series. It's almost a contradiction, sinking into the muck that is New York while also feeling slightly optimistic as Matt comes closer and closer to redemption. It can be brutal at times, but he doesn't revel in the carnage. He doesn't hide from it, but he doesn't dwell on it either, except when Scudder himself does as he's trying to fight off temptation yet again. Block's dialogue is top notch as well, giving the book a noir feel that draws you in.

Eight Million Ways to Die is an excellent novel, and you don't have to worry that you're coming into it in the middle of a series. As a standalone, it's an excellent examination of an alcoholic detective's life. As part of a series, it's a turning point. Either way, you'll lose yourself in the past as 1983 rears its ugly head again. Scudder is great character, and this is a great book.

David Roy

Naylor's style of writing is much like Judy Blume, in which it draws you in and you ache, laugh and sympthasize with the character. With every "Alice" book, it feels like you get to know a friend. I'm sure every girl can relate to the everyday things she has to go to. Because the Alice series is so realistic, each time a new installment is realeased, you get the feeling that you're just learning new stuff about an old friend.

This insallment of the series is a little less chirpy, like past might have been. Gone are the silly 6th grade "what will I wear?!" chrisis that everyone can probably relate to. Now, it's about becoming woman of the house, and dealing with deeper problems. For example, Alice encounters a loner. She invites her to her dad's party and they start a bond. Well, just a few days later [I haven't read the book in 2+ years so forgive me!], the friend commits suicide, and in comes the feelings of "I could've done this...It's my fault".

A solid book for kids of most ages.

This book is about how Alice gets used to being the woman of the house. When she finds out that a man docter is going to examin her she starts to freak out but then reilizes that it isn't so bad. The boys are naming girls after states according to how big their breasts are.

About to turn 13, Alice McKinley is preoccupied with her aunt's statement about needing to be the "Woman of the House" for her widowed father and older brother Lester. Her best efforts, however, usually turn to disaster...

To make matters worse, the seventh-grade boys are naming the girls after various states...depending on the size of their chests! Alice lives in terror, uncertain which would be worse: getting dubbed the name of a flat state, or being overlooked altogether.

Readers will enjoy hearing about Alice, who is just an ordinary girl going through ordinary things, but in such a humorous and interesting way, they can't help wanting things to turn out okay...

Alice in April is about a girl who is having trouble with boys giving the girls at school nicknames of a state by it's geography, in other words ,"hills or no hills". If you like books that are funny, maybe even true life, Alice in April is the book for you.

I just read this a few days ago, and I started reading it at 9:30 p.m. that night and it was done the next day at about 1:30 p.m.!! I love this book, it is so believeable I think Alice IS ME!!(except for my mom didn't die). I love this book and all the other books in the series!!

Wonderful book if you like vintage stories, especially of large innovative families.

There are a number of books related to this one, as well as movies connected as remakes of the books.

Belles on Their Toes, Cheaper by the Dozen, etc. are refreshing insights of life in the early 1900's.

especially for a sequel!

I found this book a couple years after I came across the first one as a teenager. It's a good continuation of the story and lets you know what happened, and how this amazing family all chipped in to make things work after their terrible tragedy.

This book continues the true story of the Gilbreth children or the sequel to Cheaper by the Dozen.
The story continues after the father died. The mother is now the soul supporter of her family. There is a graet saying in the book that says,"Mother wasn't afraid anymore because the worst had happend."
The mother carried on her husbands works. She held conferences and taught the scince of time saving. She became a very strong woman.
It was a long hard haul but ahe successfully continued her husbands work. The children successfully ran the household.
This story is humorus and very touching. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

I can't believe I didn't know this book existed till very recently; I would have bought and read it a whole lot sooner had I known, having read the first book about five or six times. It's in the same funny spirit as the first, though the focus has shifted from the antics of the entire family to the mother's struggle to take care of her eleven children after her husband died. And the funny moments aren't as frequent as in the first book, since the children are older. It also seems like the younger children got the short end of the stick--less time was given to writing about their own humourous childhood anecdotes and stories, since time passes really quickly after Anne gets married. The only other thing in this book I wasn't keen on was how some of it was dated. Some of it, like Mrs. Gilbreth trying to find reasons for the oldest two not to smoke and then instantly retracting each reason, or the youngest boys teaching Jane how to be popular and get dates by not being her true self, is to be expected, given not only the era in which that happened but also when the book was published, but there are a few slang words and references that the modern reader might not understand or find as funny or relevant as someone who was a contemporary of the family might. We all know what a sheik is, but who uses the term "wet smack" anymore, for example? Still, overall it's a sweet fun way to wrap up the story of this funny family.

Bill Wiersma has written a very compelling and insightful book. I know I will be referring back to many marked pages to help me work through some particularly challenging work project scenarios, some of which I used to think were primarily driven by other people's behaviors. But now I can see how my biases contributed to the problem and, at times, the onus was all mine (horrors). Thanks for shedding some very important light on these aspects of emotional intelligence.

The Big Aha deals with a destructive element in relationships and business that is much more prevalent than many of us care to admit. Reading this book was truly an "AHA" moment for me personally. The book helped me gain a whole new perspective on difficult work situations that previously I had assumed were outside of my control. On the contrary, I realized I was part of the problem. I was guilty hands down of what Wiersma identifies as "Telescoping". With this concept now clear in my mind, I realized that in situations where I had to deal with difficult colleagues, I was contributing to the problem by focusing only on facts, behavior and results that confirmed my earlier conclusions, suspicions and prejudgments. By applying the suggestions outlined in Wiersma's book, I have been much more effective in dealing with challenging team situations, subordinates, peers and direct reports. Many thanks to Bill for compiling such an illuminating book. I recommend this book highly to anyone who wants to be a more effective leader, team member, friend or spouse.

This is a "what they didn't teach you in MBA school" type of book. Extremely valuable for students learning how to resolve and prevent workplace conflicts, but perhaps the Big AHA is best understood by those that can draw from real life experiences. I found myself saying the next time I recognise this situation I'm going to shift my thinking. Thanks BIG AHA

What is special about Wiersma's book is the thoughtful way that he examines the nature of human conflict, and then the very useful ideas he presents to keep conflict from happening in the first place. Highly readable and worthwhile!

Bill Wiemersa has tackled some of the most destructive tendencies found throughout corporate America. The concept of "telescoping" not only applies in business relationshps, but I found that I also telescope many personal relationships. I predict this book and the concepts found in its pages will guide teachers, students, managers, executives, employees, spouses, siblings, coaches, politicians and ministers for many years to come. Can't wait to read the follow-up to The Big AHA.......

It is a great book for children. My daughter is now 21 years old and is pregnant with our first grandchild. We used to read this book to her as a child. Along the way I misplaced the book, and she wanted another copy to read to her child. Her dad nicknamed her "Fred" after one of the characters in this book.

This book is a great way to introduce children to the subject of opposites. Fred and Ted like to play different musical instruments. They like different foods. They drive different colored cars. They are even different sizes.

The problem ensues when, after a day of skiing, Fred and Ted rent rooms at a hotel and discover that their beds are unsuitable. Fred and Ted meet to discuss a solution to their situation. After they fail to arrive at reasonable solution, a wily bird resolves their problem. Fred and Ted go back to the hotel to enjoy a peaceful sleep.

I like the simplicity of the story. As a fun alternative, you might consider asking your child to try to find a solution to Fred and Ted's problem before reading the ending.

Like many of the other reviewers, this was a favorite story of mine as a child back in the 70's. I am THRILLED that it is still in print and, (judging from the reviews here on Amazon), has a strong "following." The sweetness of the story is in its simplicity. I have already bought one copy as a gift, and I intend to spread the word of 'Big Dog, Little Dog' as gifts in the future as well.

This was my favorite book when I was little. I read it so much the book was falling apart. When I got older I think my mom finally threw it away, it was in such sad shape. I'll have to buy a new copy of it now that I've found it again, just for memory sake. I would definitely recommend this book if you have kids, or just like some light reading to cheer you up once in a while.

My son received this book on his third birthday - in 1977. My three year old grandson recently discovered the tattered and torn copy that I had saved. He immediately fell in love with it and proudly annouces that it is "Daddy's favorite book." I'm not sure which "boy" will be more excited when the new copy arrives but in the meantime it has brought back a flood of memories for this Grandma. What a joy!

I used to read Bony Legs when I was little. I was so excited when I saw it on Amazon. It's a silly story about a girl named Sasha and a witch who wants to eat her...good verses evil. Sasha helps some creatures along the way, and it turn, they help her escape the evil witch.
It's a quick read and it's lots of fun!

I have purchased this book for my neices usually around Halloween time.
It is a book not many have heard of, but always enjoy.

Tracy

This book by the Magic School Bus author is really fun to read. It is a russian fairy tale of a witch named Bony Legs who likes to eat children. The story is about a little girl who escapes because of all the good deeds she has done to help others -- a cat, a dog and a gate. My kids (5 and 3 years) really enjoyed it.

My four year old son REALLY enjoys this book. It's a fun read and reinforces the value of being kind to others. It's also a great introduction into Russian folklore.

I wouldn't normally bother to add a review when so many others have already written reviews, but I do have some noteworthy information for people considering buying this book. I'm a teacher advisor for a large public school program serving kids in grades K-12 who are out of regular school due to medical conditions. I have to tell you--this book is a HIT! It's an easy reader, but it's not babyish at all. I've had kids in grades K-8 like it, including middle school kids who are poor readers (often for ESL reasons). The story is just scary enough to be intriguing, but it has a happy ending; there's also an excellent theme of how kindness pays and a fantastic chase scene at the end. As a fairy tale connoisseur, I'm convinced that Baba Yaga--from the Russian tradition--is THE coolest, scariest witch ever. (For a longer variation of this story, see Baba Yaga and Vasilissa the Brave, retold by Marianna Mayer and illustrated by K.Y. Craft.) I only wish there were more stories told this simply and effectively, with this kind of broad appeal.