Holidays Books

In this Nancy Drew book Nancy finds herself yet again trying to take a vacation with her friends Bess and George,and as always Nancy's vacation is going to take a turn for the worst when one of her friends (not Bess or George) is involved in a hit-and-run. Before Nancy's friend, Kim, falls unconscious she manages to mumble some words to Nancy. The words Kim mumbled were "Rosita...The...it was...Rosita.", Nancy didn't have much to go on but she knew that the hit-and-run intentional. She had to find out who had ran Kim down and why. Once again Nancy Drew was on the case. The thing I found interesting about this book is that it took place mainly on the beachs of sunny Florida to the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. The weird thing is that I hate movies and books dealing with captivity on boats or anything dealing with the ocean. This however was a very interesting book that kept me on edge. I really was kept on edge when Nancy was tied to a piler by a man who had knocked her out with a blow to the head. I thought it was very discriptive on telling how Nancy was able to get untied and on the pier before she drowned. There were many characters in the story that I couldn't decide whether they were good or bad. One of the main characters that really got me stuck was Dirk Bowman. He was one of the new guys Bess had picked up. At first he seemed to be good then he started hitting on Nancy and hurt Bess emotionally. Then he took Nancy to a secluded island where I thought he was going to try to kill her, which actually almost happened when her windsurfer broke in half. But later in the book I learned that he was an under cover cop who was trying to solve the same case Nancy was working on. Not only is the book about Nancy's friend being hit by a car but it's also about Kim helping an illegal alien escape the hardship of working on a orchard for the lady that smuggled her into the country. The story unfolds in telling all the details about who and why Kim was almost killed. I recommend this book to any Nancy Drew fan and even to those that just like mysteries.

In this Nancy Drew book Nancy finds herself yet again trying to take a vacation with her friends Bess and George,and as always Nancy's vacation is going to take a turn for the worst when one of her friends (not Bess or George) is involved in a hit-and-run. Before Nancy's friend, Kim, falls unconscious she manages to mumble some words to Nancy. The words Kim mumbled were "Rosita...The...it was...Rosita.", Nancy didn't have much to go on but she knew that the hit-and-run intentional. She had to find out who had ran Kim down and why. Once again Nancy Drew was on the case. The thing I found interesting about this book is that it took place mainly on the beachs of sunny Florida to the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. The weird thing is that I hate movies and books dealing with captivity on boats or anything dealing with the ocean. This however was a very interesting book that kept me on edge. I really was kept on edge when Nancy was tied to a piler by a man who had knocked her out with a blow to the head. I thought it was very discriptive on telling how Nancy was able to get untied and on the pier before she drowned. There were many characters in the story that I couldn't decide whether they were good or bad. One of the main characters that really got me stuck was Dirk Bowman. He was one of the new guys Bess had picked up. At first he seemed to be good then he started hitting on Nancy and hurt Bess emotionally. Then he took Nancy to a secluded island where I thought he was going to try to kill her, which actually almost happened when her windsurfer broke in half. But later in the book I learned that he was an under cover cop who was trying to solve the same case Nancy was working on. Not only is the book about Nancy's friend being hit by a car but it's also about Kim helping an illegal alien escape the hardship of working on a orchard for the lady that smuggled her into the country. The story unfolds in telling all the details about who and why Kim was almost killed. I recommend this book to any Nancy Drew fan and even to those that just like mysteries.

Nancy Drew and her best friends, Bess and George, have only sun, boys, and surf on their minds, when they head to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, for a week of fun. Who knew that they should be expecting attempted murder. Nancy, George, and Bess soon find out that their friend, Kim, who's already been vacationing in Ft. Lauderdale for a week, has been struck during a hit-and-run, on purpose. Now, as Kim lies in a hospital bed close to death, Nancy sets out to find the murderer, and she only has one clue to go by, the name "Rosita," which is what Kim said to Nancy just before she lost consciousness. Suddenly, Nancy finds herself thrown into a whirwind of murder and deceit, and realizes that there is now a new target. And that's Nancy herself.

Keene has succeeded in creating another enjoyable and mysterious tale, featuring everyone's favorite teenage sleuth, Nancy Drew. Teens will relish in the descriptions of sunny beaches, and handsome guys, but will also feel that they are a part of the mystery, by trying to solve it before Nancy does. An exciting thriller for all crime-solving teens.

Erika Sorocco

Nancy is at Ft. Launderdale for a week of sun, surf, and sand. Unfortunatly, her friend Kim is caught in a hit-and-run accident and it's up to Nancy to find out the truth. Nancy's only clue is "Rosita", the word Kim said just before she lost consiousness. This book is FANTASTIC!!!!!!!!!!

Nancy is in Ft. Launderdale,when her friend Kim is hit by a car in broad daylight! When Nancy goes out to catch the would-be killer she is in extreme danger ,and has only one clue, "Rosita". I especially like the ending!

I'm heading to Bali this month and this book provided a great intro to the customs and nature of this island. I'm even more excited to get there after reading it.

I am Balinese and live in Ubud, about 10 minutes walk from where Colin McPhee stayed, when he came to Bali in 1931. My aunt worked for him.

He heard a record of gamelan music in New York and couldn't wait to get to Bali to listen to the real thing.

He stayed in Bali for almost 8 years and set about documenting gamelan music. Much of his research was carried out in a village near Ubud where my Villas are. There are still old people in the village who remember him.

His book is beautifully written and tells stories of his adventures and life in the village and his encounters with the local Balinese. It's not necessary to understand technical music matters to enjoy this book - it is totally accessible.

Highly recommended.

I first heard Gamelan was coming out of the oldest temple on the Island of Bali, near Ubud, and was reading this book at the time. I purchased the book at the Jakarta airport and was hooked by the first paragraph. I think that this is a wonderful, insight into the island, the music, it's people and culture. If you have a love for exotic music and or artform, this historical work is a captivating read. My only regret is that Colin McPhee never went back to his beloved Bali.

It's a very interesting book in regards to what I have actually read. It seems to have accounts on Balinese culture. I found it enjoyable and interesting to read because it not only talks about Balinese culture but about the conflict and clashes within the village like the little dancer named Sampih and his dance teacher Nyoman Kaler.

Colin McPhee conveys many interesting things like when bad luck happened in his home in Sayan and how they had to do a purification ceremony in regards to dispel the demons, witches and evil spirits. His wanderings in Bali to record music and study their music like the rare gamelan angklung and gamelan selonding from Tenganan who were the Bali Aga. Colin McPhee was drawn to the scintallinating sounds and metallic shimmer from the gamelan. At times there are humours accounts of what goes on between him and his friends that happen in the village or when they are touring around Bali. I found it enjoyable because, he seemed to have fitted in well with the Balinese people without too much problems compared with other writers before them spoke of barbarity and the animal like behaviour of the Balinese at certain functions. He writes with passion about what goes on and how things have changed with the colonial rule of the Dutch. The loss of autonomy by the Rajas who were reduced to poverty at times and how their obessions with cockfighting led to their ruin. Yet in times of despair and hardship they are always humble to him.

Overall the book contains a few photographs of his friends and colleagues. I found it wonderful and intriguing and as well as captiviting at times which he covers so many topics like the temple functions like Galungan, Wayang Kulit (Shadow Plays), the music club etc... This book you will grow to love like the book written by Miguel Corrovabias "Island of Bali".

Even as the art & tradition of classical gamelan music fades in Java, gamelans are built & organized in America & Europe, the music is studied & taught in universities. This has occurred since the 70's, when recordings of gamelan music became widely available, particularly in a major series on Nonesuch Explorer. For many people, hearing gamelan for the first time is not only a delightfully exotic experience, the music unlike anything one has heard, but there is often also a strange shock of recognition, as if one somehow already knew the music, although where & how remains a mystery. Perhaps this is what happened to Colin McPhee. For McPhee in 1930, as for so many western musicians since, hearing gamelan inspired something like a religious conversion.

I was given an old copy of this book shortly after I heard gamelan for the first time, & so I was able to follow McPhee on his great adventure to find where the music came from. When he arrived in Bali, he discovered that although the culture was vibrantly alive, much of music was in danger of being lost. He met, befriended, & studied with some greatly talented Balinese musicians, old masters & several younger composers & leaders, including Wayan Lotring & Made Lebah. They set about restoring a Semar Pegulingan gamelan. The task of bringing this music back to life is the "plot" of the "A House In Bali." McPhee quickly realized that his western musical training was of limited value, because the "values" of music - technically & culturally - in Bali were so different. Music had popular, ritual, & concert functions, as in the West. But the music was inseparable from the instruments, & each collection of instruments - each gamelan, was unique. Compositions were learned by rote, in phrases, with the gamelan functioning as a kind of all-ages social club for men. McPhee had to become, as best he could, a person of Bali, a villager, someone with a place & a role in the life of the community. He recounts his immersion in Balinese life, As strange as Bali was for McPhee, he was the "stranger," the outsider, & he remained one, oddly indifferent to what the Balinese thought of his lifestyle. Most inexplicably, he seems not to have become a gamelan musician. One wonders not only how he resisted this experience, but also why?

McPhee later attempted to translate Balinese music into a western idiom using pianos & a symphony orchestra, with beautiful results, but losing what he had learned in the process, Sadly, when he returned home, he had left the most important stuff behind.

Here's a Christmas children's book that is #32 in books of its kind, and ranked 49,000 overall...and amazon has it available in 2 to 4 weeks, just a week before Christmas. Happily, it's available in many other sites on the web.

I read this book to my daughter's kindergarten class and gave the book to the teacher for Christmas. They loved it. I also took my daughter's matryoshka (nesting doll) to show the children, since the book talks about those. It was a great way to introduce them to some Russian holiday traditions with enough connection to Santa Claus that they didn't just think of it as foreign. But it really ought to be offered as a boxed set with a matryoshka just like the one described in the book! That would be really a wonderful gift.

Great book to introduce you to Russian Christmas traditions and a some common words. The illustrations in this book are great and done in the Russian style (The illustrator was is a Russian Artist).

This story blends the Western and Russian traditions of Christmas in a way that children and parents will enjoy year after year.

This is a beautifully illustrated book about how a young Russian girl helps Santa Claus. It is a wonderful introduction to the variety of ways that Christmas is celebrated in other countries, but retains enough focus on the US to make it interesting to young Americans. My daughters love the book and I enjoy reading it to them as the story is interesting for both children and adults.

In this engaging story, the Snow Maiden's dilemma can be appreciated by all ages. At the point where the Snow Maiden makes a significant contribution to Santa's inventory, she gains self confidence and happiness. A perfect book for reading aloud over the Holidays! Children and adults will delight in exploring the plentiful illustrations.

Review written by Jessie Palmer: Grandmother, elementary school teacher, and reading specialist.

I read this book as a child and was looking for a copy. I got just what I wanted. There was a slight imperfection on the printing on a coupld of pages. Not sure what is was from, but overall, I was pleased with the product.

This book is expecially good for younger kids, such as kindergartners or first or second graders. It is also a good book for kids younger then kindergartens. It is a really funny book about a witch that cannot do spells and when she tried to turn her cat into a candy bar he gets sick.

I read this book to 42 classes of 3, 4, and five year olds over the years and some grandchildren. I'm so happy to have found it again!
It's a great story to explore the scary parts of Halloween with small children and the story line, with Fred, the cat, is attention keeping.

I'm nearly 40 years old and enjoyed this book when I was a little girl in the early seventies. Now that I have two little girls of my own, I love that this story is still around! Lorna Balian has managed to create a character that is sweet and mischievous and endearing and by the end of the story, you will find yourself with a huge smile on your face! I recall begging my mom to help me put all the special and kooky ingredients into a big pot in the kitchen to see if I could stir up some witches' brew! I won't tell you if it worked, you'll just have to see for yourself! Great illustrations go along with a memorable story. A must-have for any kids' library.

Humbug Witch is a simple and delightful children's picture book about a little witch whose witchy things just can't seem to go right. Even her black cat looks down on her - so one by one, she takes off each piece of her witch outfit and goes to bed as a precious little girl. Written and illustrated by Lorna Balian, Humbug Witch is a most enjoyable and confidently recommended easy reader's picture book delight!

I gave this book to my husband who is working in Djibouti. So far, there have been no inconsistencies in the information presented and the actual culture, climate, etc. of Djibouti. Accurate and highly readable. I reccomend this book to anyone planning a trip to Djibouti.

I just went to Djibouti for a 10 day visit and this is one of the only English speaking guidebooks available (used). Luckily, it's very well written and the descriptions are still spot on. Maybe it's because very little changes in Djibouti given its geological history, but the author's recommendations (restaurants and tourist attractions) are still accurate. I've used a lot of lonely planet guides and this is by far the most readable and full of interesting details. Highly recommended!

As a Lonely Planet author, I'd like to echo the words of other reviewers of this book. This is clearly Lonely Planet's best title - the writing is clear, concise and informative, the asides are entertaining, the tone is objective yet engaging, and Frances Linzee Gordon's photos are nothing short of spectacular. Congratulations, Frances - you've produced a winner!

A recent front page article in the New York Times on the Lalibela churches in northern Ethiopia sent me running for my LP copy of this book. I was most pleasantly surprised to find over a dozen pages of detailed information on this incredible center of early Christianity. F. Linzee-Gordon's first hand account of a visit to the churches provided a most informative background lacking in the NY Times article. Well done!

I live in Norway, and Africa's Horn is far from my everyday life. I have travelled several times to Eritrea though, and have been searching for guide books from the country. When I went to Eritrea last fall it was with great pleasure I bought the LP book by Frances Linzee Gordon, Ethiopia, Eritrea & Djibouti.

The book is one of the best LP books I've read. The writing is clearly, and it gives us good insight in history, facts, geography, and so on. I have read parts of the book about all three countries, but the Eritrean part is the only one I have actuallu used when travelling.

The books has some very good pictures and maps, and give alot of up to date information. My favorite part is the part about Asmara's architecture, "Asmara, or Piccola Roma, soon came to epitomise the new philosophy: it was not just beautiful, but was well planned, well built and, above all, functiomal. The book is a good guide to use when you plan your travel ahead, and is even better when you actually are there and need or want information.

An extra benefit of the book is the small notes you find alot of, giving interesting information. Reading these notes makes your travel alot more special.

When I travel I use my guidebooks as kind of diaries. I write down restaurants I visit, hotel I stay at, interesting places I see and so on. And this book is filled with my writings almost on all pages. Gordon has seen it all, and gives very useful information about a very interesting, though little known country.

Britt Arnhild Lindland

Martha is a moth that is getting ready for her birthday bash. As she cooks the "food" for her party she gets really hungry. She ends up eating all but 2 socks! When her friends arrive she is really sad she has no food to serve them. Read and find out how they cheer her up!


The books was well written and just the right length for a picture book. The pages had lots of great illustrations to talk about while reading.


Yes. It's a neat way to learn about moths!

I read this to my children ages 8-3 and they all loved it. It is a very fun story with great illustrations that the kids keep asking me to read over and over. Highly recommended

My 19-month daughter loves animal books, and loves this book about Martha and her friends. Even though the distinction between moth and butterfly is still lost on her, I always get a giggle out of her when she realizes that Martha is eating clothing!

Both she and I love the wonderful watercolour illustrations, which remind of me the books I read as a child as opposed to some of the more disturbing drawings and cartoons children view today.

The story line is obviously meant for kids older than my daughter, but the colour and pictures keep even little ones entertained. I wish there were a simpler version of these characters in a laminated boardbook format for littler readers.

This book is a gem! Cambria's artwork along with this remarkably witty storyline create a warm and cozy "socksy" feeling for any reader. This is certainly a cuddle up by a fire, or relax under the neighbors apple tree read. I loved it, and would suggest it for any children's book enthusiast!

I am a member and founder of a childrens book club with 57 members that has been meeting once a month to lauch a new book for the last four years. I picked MARTHA MOTH as the celebrated new book of the month and arranged for all the matching feastivities to accompany for the books unveiling. Socks draped, cut out moths and a special dust drink. The reading was fantastic and the other parents and teachers were thrilled to have a book full of spice and imagination. The pictures were bold with creativity...a real feast for the eyes. I hope Martha has many adventures in the near future- as it was our book club shinning star thus far.

My grandparents got this for me before I left to study abroad in Paris for a few months. It didn't take me long to realize how useful it is. I literally didn't leave home without it! It had everything I needed and was small enough to fit in a purse, but not so small that it was difficult to read. The metro map in particular was accessible and very, very helpful. Highly recommended to anyone going to Paris, whether it's for a few days or a few years.

This book (mine is spiral bound, but the one here does not look it) is very useful to the traveler. The maps are very clear, in full color, and easy to understand. My only complaint is that when you are looking at a page, if you want to view the continuation of that page, there is no reference to what page to view next. There is a small diagram showing what section the page highlights, but I do not find that quite as clear. But overall, a good, portable map of Paris for visitors.

I spent the fall semester of 2003 studying in Paris. I'm a type A so I was really prepared before leaving -- I'd done a ton of research and I couldn't imagine arriving in Paris without a map. So I headed down to my local bookstore to buy one. I happened to come accross this Michelin map and it was perfect!!

It has ring binding so it's really easy to keep open without creasing the pages. It's also broken down by arrondissement and in the back is a road index. All of the metro stops and even taxi stops (a God send at times) are marked down!! And in the inside cover you find a map of the Paris Metro system. It's also really really thin and can easily be taken wherever you go.

I really couldn't have down without this Paris Pocket Atlas!

My friends all purchased their maps in Paris (Paris Pratique). Trust me though this one is far better and more convenient!!!

I loved it!!

I bought this map for my trip to Paris. It is such a great map. Very readable and so well organized. Having a map in a booklet format like this is indispensable.

This pocket Atlas of Paris is a book/map that truly amazes me. I bought it based on the reviews here, and I am still awed by it. The navigation of the pages is well-done and user-friendly. You can quickly lookup and flip to the right neighborhood you need. The level of detail is amazing. Even pedestrian-only shopping arcades are there. The metro stations are easy to find and use. With this spiral atlas and a mini-compass velcro-strapped to your watchband, you will never be lost in the maze of Paris. Key sights and monuments are labeled and drawn in brown (with the correct building geometries!). Wanna change plans on the fly and zip from one neighborhood to another? no problem. You will spend less time looking for sights and more time touring. We even used the one-way street detail of the atlas to pre-plan our drive thru the hustle of Paris traffic; Zipping around the Place de Madeline and Champs Elysees was a real rush and treasured memory. The whizzing by of passing scooters made me feel like I was an X-wing in a Tie-fighter dogfight. I wish I could have a guide like this for every city we tour.

As other reviewers have recounted, it is difficult to read this book without shedding tears. It's a marvelous story of a Russian village's return to church. The story is sweet without being cloying, the historical context is spot on (yes, Communists destroy churches, kill priests, and imprison believers), and the iconographic illustrations are nearly divine.

But--the author betrays on one page an unfortunate ignorance about Orthodox Christian worship, especially in traditional Orthodox cultures such as Russia. She has the people waiting patiently in the church for something to happen, and they are SITTING, and then the priest appears, walking down the AISLE.

There are no pews in an Orthodox church hewing to the traditional mode of worship, as would no doubt be the case in Russia.

Still, the book is wonderful and worth getting and giving for Christmas.

After reading the customer reviews, I ordered this book, which came, unfortunately, too late for either Western or Orthodox Christmas. But that doesn't mean it is NOT going to have primacy of place NEXT year!

The truth of the Bolshevik/Communist revolution, their COMPLETE dedication to the utter eradication of the Orthodox, Christian, Caucasian culture of Imperial Russia, is given in this book. (It is historical fact that the vast majority of the early Bolsheviks were 'ethnic foreigners' in Mother Russia; see Wilton's 'Last Days of the Romanovs' for a contemporary account.) This truth is clearly, beautifully laid out in the pictures of this book, which astoundingly can do what a GOOD work of children's literature always does- teach TRUTH.

Moreover, the miracle of a town utterly bowed down before the antichrist agenda of seventy years of Communist rule, springing to new life, is THE most joyous moment in the story. The miracle of the Incarnation in Bethlehem, is made manifest in the miracle of the 're-incarnation' of Christ within the hearts and souls of these simple Russian folk in the village, who can once again, 'worship God aright.' This book is SO much more than just a 'nice story'- it is a parable, a beacon for future generations, that the Church must 'never forget' that those who tried to kill Christ (either then, or nowadays in recent memory), can never succeed at their task, for indeed, "He is risen!" And lives within his faithful people always.

Marvellous book and illustration. It explains poignantly the truth of where "Santa Clause" originated. It is no tale. Saint Nicholas was a real ordinary man who became a great priest of God and Saint by doing ordinary things extraordinarily well for the glory of God.

Being a Russian Orthodox Christian and also first-generation born American, it was very touching to me. I loved it. It made me cry. A story of sadness that turns into great joy. Beautiful artwork!!!

Our family has read this book countless times, often at our children's request. The frustrating part is that both parents have yet to make it through the book without shedding tears! A touching book based on real-life experiences of people throughout the former Soviet Union, in a format eminently suitable for young children. Highly recommended.

It was about 5 moose that couldn't find a Christmas tree. It was okay. I rate it three stars.

My 4 1/2 year old daughter is an avid reader. We got this book last year around Christmas time, and so far, I've read it to her way more than 100 times. (At least 3 times a day for the whole month of December 2004 and January 2005. I lost count afterwards.) By around 10th read, she knew exactly where to say "perfectly perfect". By around 20th read, she read aloud with me every "check" and every "perfectly perfect". I dare say by around 50th read, she memorized the book front to back, and would tell you if you skipped a word and which word that was. When we weren't reading, she would mumble to herself this marvelously rhythmic story over and over again. I had to hide this book after the holidays to end her obsession. Now, my daughter is a wonderous adverb-maker, thanks entirely to this book. We've read literally hundreds of stories so far, but no other book rises to this level of loyal infatuation.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone. I had trepidations about a moose with a moustache, but it turned out to be hilarious. My 5 and 3 year olds were laughing hysterically. I ended up buying a bunch of these from Scholastic and giving them as neighbor gifts.

I fell in love with Moostache first. When I read Mooseltoe I was hooked again! My daughter is 3 and has already asked me to read it over and over. I even volunteered to read it to her class and it kept the attention of almost 10 2-3 yr olds! I have ordered 5 copies of this book(so far)to give as gifts this year. I promise you will love this book!

Escape the frantic pace of the holidays by sitting down with your child and reading about it in this book. Margie Palatini's wild, rhyming writing style will keep kids entertained. They may recognize their parents' yuletide behaviour in Moose's manic preparations -- and his inevitable forgetting of a key Christmas element. The moral of the story is a tribute to those who will do anything to make everything just right.

Another classic from Rosemary Wells! Here, youngest sibling of four, Morris, is not permitted to play with his older siblings' exciting Christmas presents, and no one wants anything to do with Morris's babyish teddy bear until Morris discovers a magic disappearing bag and everyone wants to play with his toy. Any younger sibling -- or even just a young child who feels powerless sometimes -- will relate. I like how Morris gets to live the fantasy of making his siblings "disappear" and getting to play with all their stuff in a gentle, non-violent way. The Christmas aspect of this story makes it extra fun around the holidays, but we read it all year long.

It's Christmas morning and Morris gets a teddy bear while his brother and sisters get great gifts that Morris isn't allowed to play with. While Morris mopes he finds a disappearing bag. Suddenly no one can find him. But when he's finally discovered, he gladly shares it with his siblings, who stuff themselves into it all at the same time. While they use the bag he has a fabulous time playing with their toys.
This is a great book. It's one of my all time favorite Rosemary Wells books that isn't related to her famous Max and Ruby. My children really enjoy it and wish they had a bag just like it!

Ok so i was sitting in my kid's pediatricians office waiting (as usual) and reading one of the books in the room to my child. it was one of the Max books by Rosemary Wells. So, i'm sitting there looking at the book thinking...gosh! this art work looks soooo familiar! what it is about this book...then an old story comes to mind that i can barely recall. but it kept bugging me and in moments I recall this book i had as a kid about a bunny or something (looked a lot like the Max charactor in the authors more recent books) that got a magic bag for xmas. I couldn't rmember the title though. it's been on my mind on and off since then and I just found the authors name a minute ago on amazon while looking for kids books and decided i was going to investigate and surely find out if she is connected to that old favorite of mine. i could have whooped out loud when I finally spotted "morrie's Disappearing bag" on the list! i'd found it! now I HAVE to buy it for my two littlw ones! I love this book! it's so cute! funny thing is...my little boys name is max! not that this book is about max the bunny.....anyway, i highly recommend this cute book!

Now a quick note: In the original publication of "Morris's Disappearing Bag", Morris is a little white bunny. He has now been colored brown. Very interesting choice on the part of the publisher.

I hereby nominate Rosemary Wells the winner of the Cute But Never Saccharine Picture Book Award printed between the years of 1800-2589. You are familiar with her work, even if you have never read it. Best known for her early board books starring the irascible Max and his patient elder sibling, the author also did slightly older fare. In every book, however, Wells takes the side of the underdog. The littlest sibling. The one most prone to feeling left out. In "Morris's Disappearing Bag" this theme has become all encompassing. Here is a story that truly captures what it feels like to be ignored and unwanted by your siblings.

It is Christmas Day and Morris is delighted. As he and his three elder siblings open their presents, each rabbit (for so they are) is enraptured by their gift. Victor gets a hockey outfit, Rose a beauty kit, and Betty (just to smash a couple stereotypes while we're at it) a chemistry set. Morris gets a lovely bear, but it soon occurs to him that his siblings don't appreciate his present. While they switch one another's gifts and experiment with them, Morris is left all alone. No one wants to play with his bear. It isn't until Morris locates an extra unwrapped present containing a bag of invisibility that Morris finally has a gift cool enough to lure his elder sibs with.

Is there a moral to be learned here? I dunno. If there was it would probably be something along the lines of "Get a better toy and win the love of your fellow man". I don't buy it, personally. I think this is just a fun adorable tale illustrated with Rosemary Wells's fantastic pictures. No one draws adorable bunnies like this woman. Or so perfectly evokes a child feeling sorry for himself. Morris sitting all by himself with his ears at half mast is so simultaneously cute and pitiful, you just want to give his roly-poly little body a big big hug. All in all, this is a fantastic book (the older brother applying make-up to his face is worth the price of admission alone). A great story for Christmas, and a wonderful tale for all the year round. Grab yourself a copy.

What if you were the youngest rabbit in the family and nobody wanted to play with your Christmas bear because it was too babyish? Would you feel left out if your sisters and brother said you were too little to play with THEIR presents? Would you sit in the corner with your ears drooping in sadness?

If that tugs at your heartstrings, meet Morris. He's the dearest little bunny you ever saw, and SO sad on Christmas morning. He loves his new bear but he's too little to play with Rose's beauty kit, Victor's hockey stick, and Betty's chemistry set. While they are having fun, Morris crawls under the tree and finds ONE FORGOTTEN PRESENT, a bag. He pulls himself into the bag and -- DISAPPEARS!

Oho! Now the other bunnies are singing a different song. They all want to share their presents with Morris while they try out his disappearing bag. Who can blame them? Wouldn't we all like a disappearing bag from time to time? Such a fine present. Morris generously gives turns with his bag and has a go with the other presents. He's got the most coveted Christmas gift of all, but all he wants is a little consideration, to be part of the crowd, to be included.

Rosemary Wells writes a terrific story and her illustrations are sheer delight. Little droopy bunny ears, puffy cotton tails sticking out of the bag, hilarious bunny play with the chemicals, the makeup, the hockey kit -- and precious little Morris with all his feelings worn on his sleeve.

I've had this book since my sons were little, and given it to a number of children. I always buy a new copy for myself, just in case I need it. My favorite!

Linda Bulger, 2008