Issues Books

I read this book for the first time when I was a horse-crazy little girl. I absolutely loved it then and I still enjoy re-reading it. It is a wonderful story, especially appealing to horse-crazy children.

I would absolutely recommend this book to everyone! :) This is one of my favorite books!

Bill Wallace writes this book as though it's real life. Once you start, you an hardly put it down!
Luke, a young city boy, is the son of divorced parents. he lives with his mom on his grandfather's farm. because his mom lost her job. Luke never wants to do anything at the farm because his mom made him leave all of his friends when they moved.
After a long summer, Luke befriends an old horse called Beauty. They share a special bond with late summer walks and secrets. But when a terrible accident happens, Luke does something that may break that bond.
This book is great for children and adults. It has adventure, suspense, and funny, laugh-out-loud moments, too. It shows that when you have a bond with a clase friend, keep it for it will become one of your greatest treasures. I give this book a four out of five star rating.

The best-known and best-loved of Robin McKinley's books is also one of the best of the fairy-tale retellings -- "Beauty," a more enlightened, fully-drawn version of "Beauty and the Beast." There's a depth and a richness to the story and characterizations, as well as a beauty of atmosphere and writing.

Beauty (real name is "Honour") is the ironically-named heroine of the story -- she isn't beautiful, but is very intelligent. She has two sisters, the beautiful Hope and Grace, and a benevolent, wealthy father. Then all their lives change suddenly: the ships their father owns are lost, and the money goes with them. One of the sisters marries a poor but worthy country lad, while the other lost her beloved fiancee who captained one of the ships. After selling their possessions the family moves to the countryside.

The father leaves on a trip -- and returns with a single rose, a gift for Beauty, which carries the price of either his life or his daughter. Beauty leaves to go live at the castle of the mysterious Beast, with only her plowhorse to accompany her. She arrives at a castle of invisible servants, magical books, friendly animals, and a melancholy Beast who asks her to marry him every evening...

There is nothing new in fairy tale retellings now, but when McKinley first wrote "Beauty," it was a relative rarity. And even now, few of them are as intelligently written and have such solid heroines. Rather than giving her story a contrived "twist," McKinley merely fleshes out the storyline and gives the characters personalities.

The writing is excellent; McKinley writes the more prosaic passages of cottage life and the surrounding friendly village, as well as the more dreamlike, fantastical scenes in the Beast's castle. Lots of atmosphere, either in the poor but warm surroundings of the house, or the eerie feel of the castle.The dialogue is nearly flawless: McKinley doesn't write ye-olde-formal prose, but the characters never sound -- or think -- like modern Americans.

Beauty is a great heroine -- brainy, kind, wry-humored, brave and strong. Though the "Beauty" element is discarded, it is done so with the apparent understanding that this "Beauty" has brains and guts rather than a pretty face. The Beast himself is a little more shadowy; we never get inside his head the way we do Beauty's, but then the book is hers, not his. Beauty's father and sisters are equally well-done, avoiding the cliches of nastiness in favor of being likable or haunted.

Robin McKinley's debut "Beauty" is still among the best-loved fairy-tale retellings. With the help of a gutsy, brainy heroine, it rises above a mere retelling and becomes THE retelling.

This book is a lovely retelling of Beauty and the Beast. I collect fairy tales and happened across this one several years ago. It is told in the first person. The writing is absolutely sure-handed and the characterization is beautiful. I have read most of the author's other books but none of them come close to the heights of storytelling she reaches in this novel. It drew me in from page one, and I was overcome with a rush of disappointment when I reached the end because there was no more.
This is also a great read-aloud book. It is too bad that it is out of print because I often loan my copy to friends. Fortunately all of them (so far) have returned it - with great praise. Everyone who is a lover of fairy tales should give this one a try.

A great help. Full of factual information and practical tips from parents who've "been there." It's a valuable resource for those of us who have a child who has been diagnosed with leukemia.

I was loaned the 2nd Edition in the hospital after our son was diagnosed with ALL. This book is so valuable to the family to help you learn and weather through all the processes you could face during this difficult time. I knew I had to have my own copy and bought a second copy of the 3rd edition to share with other families through the hospital. Many other members of our family intend to buy their own copies of the book as well.

If you are hungry for information, buy this book. It calmed my nerves and made me a better team member in my son's fight against cancer.

Our Son was diagnosed in April of 2006 with ALL Leukemia. Trying to understand all of the terms, meds and schedules is hard enough. This book is written by a Mom with the help of her Doctor's expertise. It puts very scary helpless feelings in laymen's terms. This Mom goes into detail on how to comfort and successfully treat your child. She gives you her experiences on what works and what doesn't and what to expect. It is also an up- to- date book, whereas many books were written years ago. As a Mom who has gone thru 7+ months of this diagnosis, I wish someone would have given me this book the moment our Son was diagnosed. It's great for the whole family to read as well.

As a grandparent of a recently diagnosed 3 year old with ALL leukemia I have found this book an important resource for me to understand the treatment for this terrible disease. The descriptions of the types of chemo used and its side-effects have been particulalry valuable during the early months since the diagnosis. The book is comprehensive with all aspects of the disease and is full of anecdotal and suggestions for coping with this disease at all phases of treatment. It also offers lists of available resources to be accessed. I highly recommend this book for parents, family members and caregivers.

I have been a survivor of ALL Leukemia for 23 years now, and really wish there were books like this then. But now is when all these books are coming out, I am trying to find a book or information on how long term survivors can cope with the long term issues we face.

Topics like planning for college, buying a home, saving for retirement. These are issues my mother addressed with me, and now it is too late to start addressing these issues for me. For others it is not to late. We are surviving longer, and this is a new arena for the doctors and social workers need to address.

This is a great book which deals with learning to find your sense of worth and true beauty from the Lord alone. Complete fulfillment and happiness will never be found in things or relationships with people and God made it that way for a reason: so that we can begin to hunger and thirst for Him. In the past, I've been guilty of putting my own will, boyfriends, and things before Jesus... relegating Him to the back burner of my life. In recent years, I have been learning how to abide in Him and His perfect love. This book only affirmed my present spiritual journey. It was a good source of encouragement for this 30 year-old female.

I loved this book and have given it as gifts to women in my life. It is a really uplifting book. I liked it so much that since I have given my copy away to a friend to read and not gotten it back I ordered another copy with the study guide. It is very much worth the money and time spent to explore God's love for me. I highly suggest this book.

I don't know what inspired me to buy this book. But I sure am glad I did! Angela's awkward childhood brought tears to my eyes as I remembered my own childhood impediments. Long frizzy black hair--a patch over one eye----coke bottle glasses----
Angela's book is a wonderful reminder not to get so caught up with trying to meet the world's standards of beauty. In all of our misguided passions we are sure to miss the wonderful attributes that God has gifted us with. If we leave them unattended for vain pursuits they will never fully bloom.
Sally H Taylor Author/Illustrator

Truthfully I did not like the title and almost did not read the book. It was highly recommended by I friend so I went ahead and read it. After reading this book I loved it and actually taught it for a group of ladies in our church. I highly recommend the workbook too. I plan to go throught the teen version with my daughter when she is old enough.

Deana Herd

This book was recommended for my daughter by a therapist at her inpatient facility she's in for anorexia. I bought it for her and read it first. I thought it was excellent, but thought many of the thoughts were for an older person...she's 14. After buying this book I realized there is a version for teens. I purchased that for her too. She said the girls at the center all loved the teen version that was done in a magazine format. So, great book for an adult, but if it's for a teen, I'd go with the book modeled after this one just for them!

Just like "Ish" this story warms my heart and I have enjoyed sharing it with my 4th grade students. It is a great way to teach that ALL art work is special, unique and valuable!

This is a great children's book. I have read a few of this author's books and I like this one the best.

Simple, yet profound. Many lessons can be learned from this story. The Dot is encouraging and uplifting and I recommend it to everyone.

I love how this book helps kids make their mark. I use this book in my class rooms and it goes great with my little ones who are just learning how to make art for the first time.

This is one of the greatest kids books ever! Especially for my son, who always thinks he has to be perfect. This book shows kids that everyone has their own talents; it might not be what you thought was perfect, but it can still be beautiful and amazing, unique and yours. I hope this book gives more children the courage to do their own thing and express themselves.

We love Cynthia Rylant and this is amongst her best. We were sad when this book came to an end. We wanted to keep reading! The story is funny and engaging. Both my children (ages 8 and 9) loved it and kept begging for more. I loved it equally.

My 10-year-old daughter read this book in her 4th grade class. She loved it so much that I bought her one of her own and read it again with her at home. It is a really cute story. I can see why a 10-year-old would love it.

This is my favorite story to read aloud to my second grade students. The characters are so endearing! Ms. Rylant paints a beautiful picture of true friendship without being preachy. She also includes enough suspense to hold the reader's attention and enough humor to keep them smiling. I love to read it to my students in late fall/early winter because of the vivid descriptions of the ice storm and changing weather. We feel like we're right there with Kona, Stumpy, and Murray! A truly remarkable story.

Would you belive that a dog would help a squirrel instead of chasing the squirrel? Well belive it or not, in the story "Gooesbeery Park", a dog named Kona has a friend named Stumpy that is a squirrel. When a terrible storm hits Gooseberry Park, Kano begins to think that Stumpy and her newborn babies are in deep trouble. Kano goes on the most dangerous adeventure for Stumpy.He will have to go through the most difficult part. That is to go throught the ice cold park. Will he be able to do this in time? He will just have risk anything just for his best friend! Will Kano make make it to Stumpy before the weather gets worser or will he fail his adventure? Who knows what will happen to Kano?

I think people should read Gooseberry Park because it is exciting. It was hard to put down.

I loved this book! If you want a cool {get it? She lives in Alaska} author to come to your scool,get Shelley Gill! I loved Kiana's Iditarod because it told me a lot of things.

I like this book because it is funny and makes me learn about dogs and cool places and how to do it in a dog race.I did not know you had 13 dogs. How can you feed them. I wish I had won the dog race but that would not happen.

I like this book. This book reminds me of snow. This is a cool book. I like you. This is very very interesting

I liked this book because it has excitement.I also liked this book because of the colorful pictures.I liked the part when they were in the iditarod near the finish line.

This book was a good book but I think it didn't really tell that much about the Iditarod. It was about a musher and the dogs. She's doing the Iditarod and she goes around mountains and peaks. I would recommend this book because it has good illustrations and is about a lead dog.

I finished reading Madapple last night and for the first time ever, I sat staring at the book in shock. For fifteen minutes. I was ready to laugh, to cry, and to scream in frustration. Never before have I read a book that left me feeling that way after finishing it. Sure, there's been books where I've laughed, cried, and been frustrated with at different points as I read it (Deathly Hallows comes to mind) but to experience them all at once at the end of a book? Never.

Once the shock wore off, I began wondering how I was ever going to write a review of this book. Because a book that can cause emotions like that definitely can NOT be summed up in one paragraph, no matter how long. I could say that Madapple was about flowers and plants. I could also say that it's about a girl who's a prisoner in her own life. I could also say that it challenges the religion of Christianity. I could say all of those things and so many more but none of them would be correct. Yes, Madapple is about flowers and plants. It's also about being a prisoner in your own life and it's even about Christianity. But it's also about so much more than that. More than even my mind can comprehend.



But I must warn you - Madapple is NOT for everyone



Told in alternating chapters of the present and of testimonies being held at Aslaug's trial, Madapple challenges the reader. It informs the reader. I, myself, though I am not a strong Christian, know by now that most Christians are offended when Christianity is challenged. Madapple does that. But I don't necessarily think it's a bad thing, for it never states that Christianity is wrong and every single character has their own opinion on it. Heck, one of them even runs a church. But what it does do is explain how the birth and story of Jesus that the Christians follow is not the first in history. I'm not going to say more on that subject in fear of giving too much away but I'll say this - If you're a Christian who is easily offended, I wouldn't read this. If you're a Christian who can handled a reasonable amount of things, pick up the book.



My feelings about Madapple changed throughout the whole book. At first, I was intrigued, then confused, and then bored. Actually, I think I was confused up until the last page and then some. Even at this moment, I can't say whether I love or hate Madapple. But I'm going to say that I love it because it's left me speechless and the only other books to have done that are my favorites. The one thing, however, this book didn't do was make my stomach hurt. The character emotions just weren't there to make my heart break. All other aspects, besides that, which I love in books were there.



So do I recommend Madapple? Heck yes! But only if you're up for a challenging read. Only if you're mature enough to handle speculations about virgin birth and premarital birth. Only if you're ready to be blown away because you will be, whether it's in a good or bad way. Only you can make that decision.

The charactors in this book pulled me in from the start, and within the first few pages I was hooked. This story is a gift to the reader who is in awe of the beauty and power of nature, and inspired by the depth and capacity of the human spirit.

MADAPPLE centers on the story of Aslaug, a 16-year-old girl raised in isolation by her Danish mother who homeschools her in the ways of the natural world. While her understanding of herbs, languages and religion is rich (if highly subjective), her ability to interact with others is stunted. Aslaug's limited world explodes when her mother, Maren, dies suddenly and she finds herself living with estranged relatives in a nearby town.

Thrust into a new family, Aslaug finds the values and beliefs bestowed by her mother constantly challenged: her manipulative cousin, Sanne, asserts that Aslaug was a virgin birth and destined for greatness; her other cousin, Rune, offers her kindness mixed with temptation; and her Aunt Sara, Maren's sister and preacher of a local church, struggles with a dark secret that may hold the key to Aslaug's true identity. Matters only get more complicated when Aslaug becomes pregnant and insists she has never had sex. Then, when the bodies of Sanne and Sara are pulled from a fire at the church, clues point to Aslaug and she is placed on trial for murder.

The star of MADAPPLE is Meldrum's exquisite writing, at turns lush and imaginative but also spare and direct. The names of plants serve as chapter titles, employing herb lore as a vocabulary that fleshes out Aslaug's worldview. Meldrum masterfully occupies Aslaug's mind, outlining her protagonist's circumscribed upbringing and revealing a mind hungry to explore but reluctant to venture into a world for which she was never prepared. The narrative shifts between the past, when Aslaug struggles to deal with both her mother's death and the ways of her new family, and the present, when an older Aslaug is on trial for murder. Both stories drive forward with measured tension, forcing the reader to question where the truth lies, until they converge in a mesmerizing climax.

Meldrum draws from her background in religious studies and law to pose potent questions concerning the nature of faith and the sometimes blurred line between myth and reality. Readers will find themselves as challenged by the novel's varied viewpoints as Aslaug is in her own reluctant quest for meaning. If you're looking for something that will generate a spirited discussion at your next book group meeting, this is the book for you.

One of the best books I've read in 2008, MADAPPLE stands out as brilliantly crafted and beautifully written. Christina Meldrum is a powerful new voice, and I'm anxiously awaiting her next novel. A must for everyone's summer reading list.

--- Reviewed by Brian Farrey

Aslaug has been brought up in near isolation by her mother, taught a wealth of knowledge including the lore and uses of local plants. Orphaned by her mother's sudden death, Aslaug sets out to find the family that she never knew she had, leading her into a dense mystery of botany, religion, genealogy--and tragedy. This is a startling and unique book: its intriguing premise, ongoing mystery, and unusual protagonist keep the reader hooked, and the numerous subjects provide ample food for thought. Unfortunately, the pacing becomes increasingly hurried as the book goes on, shortchanging the conclusion and the myriad themes. Nonetheless I recommend Madapple--while not perfect, it is a captivating novel rich with unusual subjects, complex characters, and careful thought.

Regional herbalism and botanical mythology; Pentecostal Christianity, paganism, and virgin births; mysterious genealogies, familial relationships, and potential incest; murder investigations, adolescence, appearance and reality, events and motivations--Madapple is a rich combination of a plethora of subjects and themes. The variety may seem random and illogical, but Meldrum weaves these many aspects into one whole--a whole which is all the more meaningful and unique for its complexity. Balancing characters against subjects and plot against surprisingly natural exposition, combining herbalism and religion so smoothly that they appear intrinsically connected, Meldrum creates an intriguing, convincing, unique novel. Aslaug explores an unusual world from an even more unusual viewpoint, and her journey is captures the reader and provides plenty of of food for thought.

Meldrum's subjects are bold and, on the whole, brilliantly realized--but the latter half of the book moves at an increasingly fast pace, and there simply isn't enough time to explore later subjects to the depths they deserve. The increasing pace, skipping weeks and then months and then years, allows the book to cover more plot but mostly serves to make the reader wonder why Meldrum didn't simply condense the plotline. The conclusion itself is too brief and seems artificially complete, even more so because of the complexity of the story that proceeds it, and the last exploration of the book's themes ring true but also a bit trite.

This isn't to say that the end of book is a disappointment: the plot has a satisfying climax and many of the subjects and themes continue to the end. Nonetheless, the conclusion is not as good as it could be or as the rest of the book is. If it were better, this would be a spectacular novel. As it is, Madapple is intriguing, promising, and brave, strongly written with a mystical voice and a convincing protagonist, containing more complexity in its premise alone than many novels contain in their entire length--but it is not all that it could be. I enjoyed it and I highly recommend it to all readers, youth or adult (for its complexity and some of the subject matter, I'm not convinced it belongs in the YA category; I think it is best for older teens and adults), who find the concept intriguing. It is a rare gift to find a book that stretches so far and aims so high as this does. But I also look forward to more from Meldrum, to see what she can achieve now that she has the experience of one published novel.

I finished reading MADAPPLE last night and, for the first time ever, I sat staring at the book in shock. For fifteen minutes. I was ready to laugh, to cry, and to scream in frustration. Never before have I read a book that left me feeling that way after finishing it. Sure, there have been books where I've laughed, cried, and been frustrated at different points as I read it (HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS comes to mind) -- but to experience them all at once at the end of a book? Never.

Once the shock wore off, I began wondering how I was ever going to write a review of this book. Because a book that can cause emotions like that definitely can NOT be summed up in one paragraph, no matter how long. I could say that MADAPPLE was about flowers and plants. I could also say that it's about a girl who's a prisoner in her own life. I could also say that it challenges the religion of Christianity. I could say all of those things and so many more, but none of them would be correct. Yes, MADAPPLE is about flowers and plants. It's also about being a prisoner in your own life and it's even about Christianity. But it's also about so much more than that. More than even my mind can comprehend.

But I must warn you - MADAPPLE is NOT for everyone

Told in alternating chapters of the present and of testimonies being held at Aslaug's trial, MADAPPLE challenges the reader. It informs the reader. I, myself, though not a strong Christian, know by now that most Christians are offended when their religion is challenged. MADAPPLE does that. But I don't necessarily think it's a bad thing, for it never states that Christianity is wrong, and every single character has their own opinion on it. Heck, one of them even runs a church. But what it does do is explain how the birth and story of Jesus that the Christians follow is not the first in history. I'm not going to say more on that subject in fear of giving too much away, but I'll say this - if you're a Christian who is easily offended, I wouldn't read this. If you're a Christian who can handle a reasonable amount of things, pick up the book.

My feelings about MADAPPLE changed throughout the entire book. At first, I was intrigued, then confused, and then bored. Actually, I think I was confused up until the last page and then some. Even at this moment, I can't say whether I love or hate MADAPPLE. But I'm going to say that I love it because it's left me speechless, and the only other books to have done that are my favorites. The one thing, however, this book didn't do was make my stomach hurt. The character emotions just weren't there to make my heart break. All other aspects, besides that, which I love in books were there.

So do I recommend MADAPPLE? Definitely yes! But only if you're up for a challenging read. Only if you're mature enough to handle speculations about virgin and premarital birth. Only if you're ready to be blown away, because you will be, whether it's in a good or bad way. Only you can make that decision.

Reviewed by: Harmony

The Other Side
I used this picture book to teach symbolism to my middle school students. My students connected Woodson's fence to Jerry Spinelli's Hector Street in our class novel, Maniac Magee. After an engaging reading,they concluded that both the fence and Hector Street represent that which divides us: ignorance. Picture books, especially The Other Side,are excellent tools for teaching literary elements. Most importantly, students of all ages enjoy them.

"Don't you ever cross that fence child!" A little colored girl was playing out on her swing, and then came a white girl. They both looked at eachother in confusion. In the early 1900's, there was many problems between colored people and whites. They just didnt get along very well. The colored girl ran inside and asked her ma why she couldn't cross the fence. She told her baby girl that, many people are different, and we are not the same as them. The next day, her family had a get-together, and her cousin's were over. The white girl came outside and asked if she could play jumprope with them. And, after that many different things have been said. What has been said? Find out by reading, "The Other Side."

"Don't you ever cross that fence child!" A little colored girl was playing out on her swing, and then came a white girl. They both looked at eachother in confusion. In the early 1900's, there was many problems between colored people and whites. They just didnt get along very well. The colored girl ran inside and asked her ma why she couldn't cross the fence. She told her baby girl that, many people are different, and we are not the same as them. The next day, her family had a get-together, and her cousin's were over. The white girl came outside and asked if she could play jumprope with them. And, after that many different things have been said. What has been said? Find out by reading, "The Other Side."

Back in the day, whites and blacks had seperate everything. Some things included schools, drinking fountains, and jobs. I read THE OTHER SIDE, by Jacqueline Woodson. This book was realistic fiction. I think kids in the fourth grade that enjoy learning about the civil rights would like this book.
THE OTHER SIDE is about two girls who see eachother almost everyday, but yet don't talk. The only thing seperating them is a fence dividing the white and black land. Annie (white) would always watch Clover (black) and her friends play while she sat on the fence. One day, Clover decided to go and talk to Annie. Do they become friends?
To end, I thought this book was great. It talked about the some kids had during the civil rights movement. The story's problelm was that it was just to dangerous to play with and talk to people of a different race.

"The Other Side" is a wonderful book because it shows that when black and white people are together it's not bad. This book was about a white girl and a black girl. They both wanted to cross over the fence to see what it was like. So one day, their mamas told them that they were not allowed to go on the other side of the fence, it just wasn't right. She wasn't allowed to because it was always like that and it wasn't going to change. The next day came and they caught eyes. That's all about the summary I am going to tell you.
The characters in this story were nice, pleasant, and thoughtful because they didn't know what was so bad to be with the opposite color. They were also kind to each other. (Well I guess I can say that). I also think that you would like this book because it teaches you something that Martin Luther King Jr. tried to teach you. That's all it was easier to follow while you read the book.
I was actually pretty well shocked on how the book had ended because of what their mamas said to the girls. The difference of this book is that it is a children's book and you learn about it in about 7th grade but children read this book when they are in Pre-k or something.

this book starts out where samantha's step sister crashes into a rail with honor and this is the same thing that happened with her mom who is training a horse named gulfstream and then gets injured and has too die along with gulfstream. then damantha and her dad travel all over the place and finally get to townsend acers where samantha meets pride!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I think this book was awesome! It took you into Sammy's mind and what really happened before she came to Towsend Acres! Also, you get to she how Tor perposed to Sam! I reccomed this book to everyone it really touches your heart!

Love the book but there is one thing I do not get. Why does Samantha's dad all the sudden expect her to stay away from horses when she has been around them all her life?? If anyone has any ideas on this Please email me. ...

This was an OK book. Definitely NOT a favorite of the throughbred series. I thought it was hokey and boring. I hated the end. Why did they have to turn it into a "love story"? From the book: "Samantha threw her arms around Tor and tilted back her head to receive Tor's deep, passionate kiss. His mouth was sure on hers, and Samantha could feel the loving warmth of his embrace coursing through her body." Give me a break! OK, so maybe I'm not a love story fan.

This is the only TB super special book I have read. It really gives you a good look at Samantha's life before she came to Whitebrook (or Townsend Acres). I liked it because if there's Ashleigh books telling us about Ashliegh's childhood why can't there be a book telling us about Samantha's childhood. A MUST READ!

This is about as good as children's books get. Most (if not all) of the illustrations wouldn't look out of place framed and on the wall. The rhyme and meter are wonderful (lord knows I've read my son enough stories that can't seem to handle those smoothly). The School Library Journal review above that complains about the text is ridiculous -- the example quote isn't even accurate!

It's short enough to read to a toddler but interesting enough for an older child to read on his own. You can't go wrong with Taxi Dog!

I purchased this book for my 14 month old daughter on the recommendation from a friend. My daughter loves this book. She loves the story as well as the pictures. She loves Maxi the taxi dog so much, she gives him a kiss on every page.

I highly recommend this book!

Its simple...we LOVE this book. We got this when my daughter was about 1 and at 6 she still loves it. Now my 2 year old son enjoys reading it with us.
Its a great story about companionship. The rhymes roll off the tongue and the pitcures are rich with color and detail.
We have since shared this book with many of our friends and we have heard great things about it from them as well.
Howie NYC

If you know of an older toddler or preschooler who plans to visit New York or lives in New York, this book makes a wonderful gift.

Most children who visit/live in NYC will ride a taxi. So, the book's topic is very relevant to their own experience. Things about the city are subtly tied into the the wonderful rhymes of this book (e.g. dogs, Central Park, the Circus, Broadway) without being too "touristy."

This story is adorable and the illustrations are great. You will smile from the first page to the last. Definitely a great addition to your picture book library.