K Books

I remember this book from when I was in kindergarten and always being scared, but loving it all the way through. It was filled with all the creepy images and stories that I could ever want, and when Daddy would read it to me in the fall it just put me in the immediate Halloween spirit. Witches, monsters, magic, ghosts, and everything else that any little kid would want in a scary book fill these 32 pages.

This story deserves a 5 out of 5, for its nostalgia, ability to invoke a spooky feeling, and overall fantasy and storyline.

My sister and I used to read this book together all the time as kids. About 2 years ago we started to think about it again, but our copy was long gone by then. We have been trying for 2 years to remember the title, and have been searching online relentlesly. I can't believe it, but today I finally found it!!!!! I bought a copy from another site, and I can't wait until it comes. And the thing is, I have not seen my sister in almost 2 years, and she is coming in to visit tomorrow! Hopefully it will arrive while she is still here, so we can get together with our children and read it once again! I highly recommend this book. If you share it with your children I guarantee they will someday share it with THEIR children!

I read this book in Kindergarden and have never forgot it through all these years. I hope to own a copy soon. The only book I remember from back then.

I read this book when I was in elementary school. I am now 25 years old, and I still remember this book. Over the years, I have found myself thinking of this book now and then and wishing I had a copy of it in my possession.

This book was a special friend of mine. It was there for me on rainy days, sunny days and very sad days. I can recall once being very sad about something, and remembering that I had checked the book out from the school library (I often did), and I lay down on my bead and curled up with this book. I can remember my sadness vanishing instantly as I was pulled into the spooky, yet delightful magical world of Grandpa's Ghost Stories. The tears that first fell on the pages of the book were certainly the last ones of the day for me.

Because of this book, I have always LOVED rain storms and thunder and lightening storms, they actually make me feel cozy.

No other books in the world have ever had this kind of effect on me, with the possible exception of the Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark trilogy.

It is very tragic that this book is no longer in print, and I anxiously await the day that it is available again at a reasonable price.

I highly recommend this book to absolutely anyone, but especially to anyone who enjoys a good, spooky tale. This is a treasure. Do yourself a BIG favor and discover it for yourself and for your children.

I believe I speak for everyone on this list, when I say this book is one of the best, if not the best children's books of all time. For me, and many others (at least on this review board) this book was a life changing experience. I find my experience with the book is quite similar to most of the others on this page. I found the book in my elementary school library, and loved it. I checked it out every time I could get the chance, and read it over and over. I highly recommend this book, for all ages. The stories are wonderful, the illustrations are fantastic... A true classic!

When one of my best friends tragically lost her teenage daughter I was at a total loss as to how to support and help her in her grief. I wish I had had this resource to give me guidance. It is a jewel for those who need it, compassionately and beautifully written.

The Grieving Garden is not only for those who have suffered the loss of a child, but also for the family and friends of grieving parents. The many contributors present their search for meaning, feelings and experiences during their grieving, and their quests to come to terms with, and live with their losses. Being long-time friends with one of the book's contributing families, my wife and I felt and saw their pain, but also felt our efforts of support and comfort fell short of what was needed. The Grieving Garden is an excellent and insightful book which deals with all aspects of the grieving process and it would have been very helpful to us if it had been available at that time.

This is a compilation of thoughtful questions asked by the two authors of 22 people who have lost their children (ranging in age from babies to middle age). No matter the age of the child, it is still devastating to have the child die before the parents. We all view tragedy through different perspectives. This book helps those who are directly involved, but it also helps their friends, relatives or even casual acquaintances who do not know how to respond to grief. We all fear saying the wrong thing, so we say nothing or simply avoid having to talk with the parents. Hearing the 22 parents' responses to the different questions helps us to be able to help others.

So many grief books ask parents to go to a place of acceptance and gratitude - long before they are ready. At least that was (and is!) true for me. This book tells it like it, this path of agony, is: challenging, painful, relentless, and far longer than anyone thinks. I especially appreciated the perspective of older parents, of which I am one, and parents who have one or no other children, without the possibility or choice to have another. The wisdom, the honesty, the application to my life....it took my breath away.

Nancy Levin, Ph.D.

My 18 year old son died suddenly 10 months ago. I have read many, many grief books since my world shattered. I found this book very helpful. Hearing from 22 other parents and how they dealt with their horrific loss somehow helped me deal with mine.

I read gangsta and really liked the book. Lou loc him tearing stuff up before he got killed and Satin the love of his life Gutter ended up in a coma. So when the sequel to gangsta came out "Gutter". I knew i had to cop it and I was totally in awe. Gutter was just as good if not better than gangsta. I was not disappointed. Kwan I have read a few a your books and really enoy them. I'm looking forward to reading your next novel


From a true Kwan fan

EVERYBODY BELOW ME DONE SAID WHAT I WANTED TO SAY BOUT THIS BOOK........YOU NEVER CEASE TO AMAZE K'WAN.........THIS IS THE BEST SEQUEL OF 2008.....YOU DID THE DAYUM THING PLEASE KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK............HOLLLLLLLLLAAAAAAAAAA!

Kwan did his thing as he always does in his books! I could not put it down. the book was action packed from start to finish. Gutter was just as good as Gangsta. If u haven't read Gangsta then read it before you read the action packed sequel Gangster.

I thought I luv the first but this book was better. Not many authors can out do there first one. But this one did. This is a must have book for all urban fiction luvas.

Kwan has done the damn thing!!!!!. I read Gangsta right before I read Gutter as so much time had passed since the release of Gangsta. Kwan has come with the gritty and I truly know more about "gang banging" then I EVER wanted to know.

It's the year 2021 and we're taking a walk thru memory lane with the OG's seeds Kenyatta aka Dollar and Louis aka Baby Loc. Dollar goes on her own fishing expedition into her and her best friend's father past. What she learns will shock all of us. Dollar takes us back into Harlem where the beast in Gutter was unleashed after the death of Lou Loc. Everyone on the wrong color barrier will pay for taking his best friend away. Kwan brings back some of the characters from Gangsta back. Satin, Snake Eyes, Sharell, Pop Top even Jesus makes a guest appearance. Kwan brings us up to speed on what has been popping with them. Kwan introduces us to a host of new characters. This story is so entertaining I did not want to put it down. Kwan has a way with words like no other. This excellent author has a way of drawing the reader into the story. Just like its predecessor this sure to be a hood classic.

This is my fifth book of Kwan's that I have read and he just keeps getting better and better. I am a fan for life. I eagerly await his next novel and if you read Gutter you also know what it is. Mums the word on my account you gotta cop this book to find that answer out.


SiStar Tea
ARC Book Club Inc.
5 star rating

I am learning German, so I thought buying a book that I have already read both in English and Spanish would be a nice experiment. I was very pleased with the translation and the fact that overly complicated words had apparently been avoided, keeping the book highly readable.
I do not think there is need to review the Harry Potter literature itself, I can just say I love this book in any language.

I just got a second copy for my sister to practice her German, too. Very enjoyable way to learn a second language.

A great book if you're learning German (like me) and want to try your hand at some pleasure reading. Most books in second hand shops that are printed in German (at least, the ones near me) only have books by authors that I've never heard of, or who are a dime-a-dozen. Maybe I'm biased because I've loved the Potter series from its beginning, but I would definitely recommend this book.

For those who have read the Harry Potter books and who are also interested in learning German this book is a great tool. I have found it easier to learn new words when I already know what the plot is.
Diese Buch macht sehr viel spass!

This book is a great way to improve your german language skills. I would strongly recommend it to any student of the german language... not to mention it is a great story!!!

Ich finde Harry Potter und der Stein der Weisen absolut fantastisch!! Ich empfehle dieses Buch weil es sehr spannend ist. Das Buch kann dir auch mit der deutschen Sprache helfen.

este libro es muy bueno, como todos los de la serie, por supuesto. se lo recomiendo a los padres que quieren tener a sus hijos leyendo libros en lugar de estar pegados al nintendo wii!

English is my first language and as an adult I love reading the Harry Potter books. Because I'm learning Spanish, who better to practice on than Harry?! I purchased all 5 in the series available. The book arrived in excellent condition and very quickly. Quite pleased with my purchase experience.

I just LOVE this book, and all the harry potter books. I wanted to say to Eric J Justice, who wrote a review above, that your review was incorrect. It DIDNT have a mistake; saying QUE TE TENGO DICHO es right. In fact, im pretty sure what you said was right too. But anyway, anyone who hasn't read this should, but read the SORCERER'S STONE first, because it's really best to read them in order.

I'm a high school student taking Spanish as my foreign language. I decided one day to buy Harry Pooter y la Cámara Secreta to help with my Spanish. Though some of the words aren't what I'm use to I still understood it and it helped my Spanish greatly. Many of the higher level Spanish classes are reading this also. For students taking Spanish this is a great way to help with your Spanish. It puts your knowledge to use and it helps you to remember things better. They're just as great as the English version!

Aconsejo no prestar demasiada atención a las críticas que se quejan del vocabulario castizo en contraposición al vocabulario americano. No hay prácticamente nada que un lector castellanohablante educado no pueda entender, y el castellano utilizado en el libro es adecuado para la trama.
La traducción en sí, exceptuando algún resbalón con el subjuntivo, es gramaticalmente correcta. No conozco el original en inglés.

El argumento abunda en lo descriptivo, con un ritmo de la acción lento durante casi toda la obra, concentrando la mayor parte del desenlace en los últimos 3 o 4 capítulos. La sensación de desasosiego que algunas críticas mencionan en este sentido es leg?tima.

En general, la obra es medianamente entretenida y contribuye a adquirir vocabulario.

There's nothing I love more than Klingons heading into battle. Even the phrase, "It is a good day to die," makes me smile whenever I read or hear it.

Another great book that deals with the Klingons.
Years ago I had quit reading Star Trek, but now I am back.
This is very original work and very interesting to read.
You have a long running space battle and an equally long running ground battle, and every crew member is important and well developed by the author. Very fun to read.
Worf and Martok make a very brief appearance, but that is what I like about this series, it is wholly original with very good characters and both the men and women have equal parts.

With all of the proper introductions taken care of in "A Good Day To Die," Keith R.A. DeCandido's second I.K.S. Gorkon book, "Honor Bound," wastes little time on catching up the reader and dives right into the battle between Captain Klag and his allies in the Order of the Bat'leth and the honorless General Talak and his legion. With so much fighting going on (superbly illustrated in DeCandido's written word), you'd think that there would be little room left for character development. However, the reader gets to learn even more about Klag, Dorrek, Kurak, Leskit, Toq, B'Oraq, Goran, and even a few of the Children of San-Tarah as the battle on land and in the stars gets more violent and savage.

DeCandido cleverly intertwines combat sequences with flashbacks (especially in the mind of Kurak) and keeps the action at a quick pace. The bulk of the story is the actual battle, but DeCandido ties up everything nicely in the end and leaves the reader hungry for more in the third installment of the Gorkon trilogy, "Enemy Territory."

For anyone interested in "Star Trek" and especially those who love the Klingons, I highly recommend the I.K.S. Gorkon book series. Be sure to read "A Good Day To Die" in order to get a solid basis for the entire trilogy.

Brad R.A. DeCandido should write every novel focusing on Klingons from here on out. He not only incorporates characters from the televised Star Trek Series (TNG and DS9), but creates his own characters that are thoroughly Klingon and very intriging. I believe KRAD has a better feel for Klingons than any other Star Trek novelist.

Captain Klag has just lost San Tarah though honorable combat after judging the Children of San Tarah as honorable foes in the previous novel "A Good Day to Die." However, the PetaQ General Talak has ordered Klag and his crew to violate their word and surrender their honor as Klingons. Klag decides to call on the Order of the Bat'leth, the age old association that Chancellor Martok has once again commissioned to be the champions of honor within the empire. The resulting battle is one that Klingons will sing operas of for at least a generation.

The writing in this work is of high calibre. The battle scenes are described so vividly, you can picture the ships and subspace eddies in your mind. The San Tarah are developed as a fascinating species who not only have a strong warrior ethic and are highly effective fighters of their own, but as the denoument of this story will show, they also place a very high premium on honor and integrity.

This was a great read and I can't wait to get to installment three "Enemy Territory."

The first two books in Kieth R.A. Decandido's new Star Trek series, The I.K.S. Gorkon, are, in reality, one story. These two novels follow the adventures of the Klingon Defense Force ship Gorkon and her captain and crew as they embark on a new mission:


"to explore strange new worlds...
to seek out new life and new civilizations...
...and to conquer them for the greater glory of the Klingon Empire!"

In the beginning, the reader finds himself witnessing the honoring of a ship's captain and the rebirth of an Order. That captain, called Klag son of M'Raq, is being inducted into the esteemed Order of the Bat'leth, an Order devoted to honor and duty and the precepts of the greatest Klingon to ever live: the Emperor Khaless, who created the Klingon sword, the bat'leth, from a lock of his own hair after throwing that lock into a volcano.

More than this, though, Klag and several other captains are ordered to enter a system called Kavrot to find worthy planets on which to plant the Empire's flag. Klag and his crew find such a planet, but then things take quite a change. The natives of this world, called San-Tarah, wish to compete in contests to decide their fate. Should the Klingons win, the San-Tarahns would willingly cede themselves to the Empire. Should they lose, Klag leaves and no Klingon will ever set foot on the planet again.

Of course, nothing is ever so simple as this. Inevitably, there is treachery afoot. Klag's superior does not think much at all of this contest or of the captain himself. What happens to Klag and the San-Tarahns? Read and find out.

This reviewer found the first two books of the I.K.S. Gorkon series to be fast-paced, fun, and very funny at times. It was also very "real", which is not always easy to portray in a sci-fi setting. The characters and their motivations, for the most part, were believable and this reader shouted "'Qapla!" with every success and consigned the villains to Gre'thor every time the crew of the Gorkon met any kind of defeat. The writing was wonderful, with very few editorial mistakes. The settings were vivid, to the point that the reader could feel the grass and smell the blood, hear the battle and taste the smoke and fire in the air, could almost feel the touch of a bat'leth or mik'leth handle wrapped around his fingers. If you like sci-fi novels, and specifically Star Trek novels, pick these two up. You'll be in for a rare treat

A fairly interesting book. O'Donnell lists the campaigns of the elite troops of this theater of command, details the plan of battle, and then gives the oral histories of those who served in those campaigns. Most of the veterans are at the end of their lives, so these oral histories present a heartfelt tribute to the difficulties these soldiers endured during combat. What surprised me most was how these soldiers/veterans got choked up recounting the battles they went through, and the friends they lost. Freedom isn't cheap, and these soldiers are living proof of how America was affected by the battle.
This is a good read. Oral histories are good at describing the personal experiences of soldiers, but they don't put perspective on the actual battle campaigns. If one wants to know more about the War in the Pacific, one needs to read a general history, before reading this book.

This review is of the Audio CD version of this excellent book. Jeff Riggenbach did a fantastic job reading this text. He managed to give proper emphasis without drowning the material.

Many soldiers are reluctant to talk of their wartime experiences for fear of seeming boastful. O'Donnell got these veterans to open up and tell their stories. They did so that the fallen heroes would get proper credit, not to tell of their own exploits in a grand fashion. Many of the other reviewers have told of the specific episodes relayed in the book, but what struck me was the depth of feeling that these men had many decades after the fact. One soldier tells of looking up the family of a fallen buddy after the war. It was as if he felt driven to tell them of their son's valor and his worth to his fellow soldiers. Another tells of a friend he saw die in combat after having met his wife and been their with him during the arrival of their child. It was a common theme that these men had these experiences with them every day, if only just beneath the surface. I highly recommend it to those who would like to grasp the depth of the sacrifice these individuals made on our behalf.

I read this book after "Beyond Valor" by the same author and I wasn't disappointed. "Into the Rising Sun" is a collection of first hand accounts of the brave men who fought in the Pacific. The author sets up the accounts with some background material to make more sense to it all. After re-living some of these battle through this book, I started to understand what a living Hell these guys lived through. The intensity of the Japanese soldier was astonishing.

This book has special meaning to me since my father was a Marine fighting the Japanese in the Pacific. He was at Guadalcanal and Okinawa .I now know what a hero he was!

This is the second of Patrick O'Donnell's books. O'Donnell is a gifted oral historian who's been collecting the recollections of men who were soldiers and served in the Second World War, partially through a website he set up some years ago, and partially through other sources. This compilation shows off O'Donnnell's strengths, and weaknesses (such as they are) and is a good example of his work.

O'Donnell, for whatever reason, is very attached to "elite" infantry units. In his book on the European Theater, this included paratroopers, rangers, and the members of the 1st Special Service Force. In the current book, which covers the Pacific Theater, the distinction between "elite" forces and the regular ones is somewhat more blurry: Army Rangers, paratroopers, and members of Merril's Marauders are the participants from the army, but the author chose to distinguish the Marine Raider and Parachute units from other Marine outfits. This is a weakness as all of these forces were disbanded in 1943-4, and so the book would be rather truncated as far as the Marine Corps went for the last 18 months or so of the war. This (of course) is unacceptable, so the author merely follows former members of these specialized units who were absorbed into other, regular Marine regiments.

The result is that some battles are covered in considerable detail here, while others (notably Saipan and Peleliu) are ignored because the Marines who participated in these campaigns weren't "elite." This includes members of the 1st Marine Division, who were arguably the most experienced in terms of combat against Japanese soldiers. So what's here is rather skewed and somewhat disjointed, but if you accept that, then the material that's here is worthwhile.

I enjoyed this book, within its limitations, and I would recommend it and the others in O'Donnell's series, provided you accept what they are.

Well, if other reviews don't say it already, this book was one of the more brutally honest books written about war against Japan. Its honest because its brutally politically incorrect. The American soldiers who relates their stories, tell not only of the horrors that the Japanese troops committed but additional horrors of what they did to the Japanese troops. This was no-hold bar combat, where there were no "good guys" or "bad guys" per say. The stories related in this book was all about killing, surviving and living on. In doing so, anything goes and there were no rules. It may be that many general readers may be kind of shock to read so honest account. Some of them may not like the read how the Americans in these pages acted with certain amount of brutality that almost mirror their enemies. But then, what is war after all, right?

After reading several excellent reviews of this book, I purchased it for
my nepbew's birthday. I have not read the book myself since I lived through that period.

It was a year of Fire and also the year of Grace for Jackie Robinson!! It is an amazing book to read about a great person who changed history and loves baseball!! It is more than just baseball and it has so many things to show that shaped Jackie's life so much. It is also spiritual and emotional book that leaves you to become a stronger person to make a great difference in the world.

I really liked this book and normally I dont like reading. Ijust wanted to keep reading to see what was going to happen next. I think Jackie Robinson is a vary good romodel because no matter what, you should never give up. Because Jackie never gave up he ended up being one of the best baseball players to ever play the game. But most of all he broke the color code for all professional sports.

This biography does an outstanding job of giving an overview of Robinson's life and times, from his early, awnry but talented years in Pasadena, through UCLA, then the military, and then the Brooklyn Dodgers and beyond. It paints a picture of a strong willed gentleman with enormous pride, dedicated to his family, and dedicated to the idea of racial integration and equality. The influences of his mother on his early, somewhat (understandably) confrontational character, that allowed him to ultimately be the individual who paired with Branch Rickey to integrate "America's Pastime" are clearly laid out.

Some reviewers have faulted the author for not being more interpretive of Robinson's politics - specifically, that he was a Nixon supporter in 1960 and a Rockefeller supporter in 1968 (while also being a strong supporter of Civil Rights, active in almost every civil rights organization) and Humphrey supporter as well. I think the book lays out all the facts for the reader to see for themselves. Robinson's coming of age - in an era when a Dixiecrat from a Jim Crow state (LBJ) led the passage of the Civil Rights Act - was a time of a shifting political landscape that didn't settle out until near his death (he also broke badly with Nixon later in Nixon's career). The Republican party's mantra of self-reliance, and Robinson's determination to succeed in business in the same way he did in sports, made his attraction to the party not a big leap; the alienation of this country's African American establishment from big business was not a pre-ordained fact in the time Robinson lived.

Finally, Robinson's own family struggles were also a reflection of the confusing and troubling times in which he lived.

Robinson died too young for us all. This is a great book and I would highly recommend it..

i'm not particularly interested in baseball, but i am particularly interested in American history from the human perspective. i could have read a much more dry account of the turmoils that dominated American race relations throughout the middle of the 20th century, but instead i've read this fascinating account of those terrible, backward days from the perspective of a true pioneer, Mr. Jackie Robinson.

of course he is looked back on now as a symbol, a mythological figure. i always knew peripherally of Jackie as the same thing most people do: the first black man to play major league baseball, a step forward & up in the painful struggle of the times. but this book presents him as a human being, a fallible man who lived most of his life not on the baseball field, but in a relentless pursuit of his ideals and desire for a better life for himself and everyone around him.

the reviewer before me questions the biographer's lack of judgement of Robinson. i am curious as to why he feels Rampersad should insert his own analysis; the biography presents analyses of Robinson by many of Robinson's contemporaries, and then presents the recorded facts available to clarify incidents & statements. yes, this is an intensely personal biography, perhaps too personal in places. it is very much centered on Jackie's private correspondences. it is absolutely told from Robinson's persepctive, as best can be reconstructed from his widow Rachel & the papers he left behind, but it feels very honest, not at all like an airbrushed bit of hero-polishing. it is in places very blunt about Jackie's shortcomings as observed by his peers & contemporaries.

before i stretch this out any longer, i'll just say that this is the most engrossing biography i can ever recall having read. it's an account of a fascinating life in an amazingly recent time, in an America that seems so long ago but is still discouragingly recent. readers will learn not just about Jackie Robinson, but about two American eras as well.

This novel is great. I have loved it since I was a little boy. My father read it to me and my brothers every night for a few months. And when he finished, I read it again.
When I pick it up now I am filled with fond memories of those months. And I must say that this book is one of my favorites.

I, with all due respect, disagree with one of the other reviewers who reviewed this item and said it was not for kids. This is the perfect book for kids, and is perfect to read aloud. The drama is engrossing, but is not too intense for youngsters. It is the perfect dog book.
A dog-lover myself, I have read a great many dog books. And this tops the list. Never before or since has an author captured so poignantly the affection between a boy and his dog. And never before or since has an author tried that affection with so many difficulties and set-backs. But, as we all know, in the end Lassie is there to greet Joe by the school gate. It's in the best three endings I've ever read (the other two being TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD and A TALE OF TWO CITIES).

This is a classic, and it's one of my favorites. I honestly cannot even begin to understand why a person would give this book anything but five stars. HIGHLY recommended.

Everything runs smoothly in the Carraclough household when Lassie, their wonderful Collie, is around. But when desperate times takes desperate measures... it minuses Lassie out of the family. While everything is going hay-wire in the Carraclough home, the Collie is on a thousand-mile trek to get back with her family again. Lassie will come across many unbearable situations and obstacles, but the calling to get home overrides anything she may run into.

I loved everything about this book! The dedication of the homebound dog, to the quaint villages of England and Scotland, and all the characters within... I savored every word! It is one of my all time favorite books, and I'd recommend it to any dog or book lover!

Other than the language being like in ancient times, "Thy, thee" this book was excellent and a good savory book. It is not a fast read though.

Why has it taken me so long to read this excellent book! It is not just a "children's" book. One of the best books I have read in a long time!

Still an interesting, emotion-provoking and relevant read for the 21st century's jaded youth. It's about the most basic kind of friendship and loyalty, where an animal exhibits more of both than do the humans. Some of the Depression-era references and rigid class distinctions probably aren't as relevant today, but the core of the book, the love of and for an animal, remains. Highly recommended.

Lovable book! Easy to read but makes you think of your own life, silly little things and big questions of meanings. Just loved it, and will read it thousand times more.

This is a beautiful book about overcoming the differences between us and learning to live together. The book is set in Moominvalley. The Moomintrolls are away when their very different friends come to visit. Moominmama and Moominpapa figure mainly as inspiration for the other characters as they learn to get along with each other.

I fear that this is sounding preachy. The genius of Ms. Jansson is that she never preaches. Read the book, you'll see what I mean - it's lovely!

Tove Jansson was a Swedish-speaking Finnish writer and illustrator who wrote many childrens books including the famous Moomin series. Here, the setting is Moominvalley which is basically the natural beauty and pristineness of Finland, populated by Moomins (who look like little hippos which stand upright and are fluffy) and a host of other weird and wonderful creatures. The action is mainly centred around the family with Moominpappa, Moominmamma and Moomintroll the kid. They set a tone for the whole series as Tove infused them and their whole universe with experiences of her own family which seem to have been a very bohemian, artistic, tolerant and warm lot. This makes the books great reading for kids from an early age as they invoke a wonderful sense of fun and silliness as well as acceptance and openmindedness.

One thing I remember from reading these as a kid is that the plot didn't really matter. In some books, it's hard to say exactly what happens. Rather, it is the atmosphere that I found the most important. In this book, the Moomins have gone away leading the other characters to miss them. Combined with the autumn feel in Moominvalley, the book has a melancholy feel and focuses on the side characters and their strengths and insecurities.

A great series overall, filled with imagination, surrealism, fun and warmth.

Well, this piece of Moomin anthology is a more serious one. I read it first when I was 10 in my home Poland, and did not like it much. It is not so full of joy, energy and adventures as the "Summer" or "Valley". Since that time though, I have read it at least 10 more times, love it, and highly recommend to all maturer Moomin-lovers.
It is a bit melancholic, played not in a G-major notation, rather e-minor, maybe even with a flat... November mists, wet forests, grey seas, you will remember it forever!

"November" is both intensely passionate and cold: it focuses on the empty spaces of the Moominfamily, and those who wanted the Moomins to fill the emptiness of their own souls.

The Moominfamily represents happiness, everything that is good about childhood, summers, or functional families: generous, nonjudgmental, forgiving, carefree. Their absence inspires horrific nostalgia (especially if you have read the previous books)-- and indeed the author follows the emotions of the characters as they struggle with their own emotions, personalities, and less-than-perfect relationships with each other. It sounds grueling, but the souls of these characters are described absolutely empathically, touching the heart of the reader like dream music. The story is about greyness, but the experience of reading it was one of the most colourful, memorable and healing experiences of childhood.

The plot idea of people becoming free from their dependence on happiness is utter genius-- it shows great hope for humanity that we finally have somebody expressing this idea more succinctly than our ancient texts. It's also extremely comforting when we're dealing with our own grieving or nostalgia, or with the tough issues of gaining inner freedom.

Tove's treatment in "November" of the concepts of emotion, memory, longing, love, freedom, purpose, relationships, joy, and death are brilliant, haunting, tender... a nourishing story when we find ourselves at an Ending and our inner landscape surprises us with its breadth.