Childrens Days Books

I love all the Hank books, and this is a great one for the Christmas season. These books are hilarious and more important to the young reader, fun to read. I'd also check the rest of the series.

Author of "Hobo Finds A Home" editor "Of A Predatory Heart"

This is the first book our 2nd/3rd/4th grade bookclub did. It is funny! The characters are colorful and the narration by Hank the Cowdog is clever and enjoyable to read. It is a light-hearted, fun read and we were able to have a great discussion if it.

This book to me is very funny. In the book a new dog comes to the ranch and Hank has to prove to Benny that he is the top dog. Hank gets mad because Benny tries to take the dog the Hank likes. He tries to prove to his master that he is the top dog but gets tied up why Benny has the time of his life. Hank acts like he is the head of security, which is called Head of Ranch Security. Hank is in a battle to keep his job at the round off. If you want a book that is super funny, then this book is for you.

Among his many other attributes, Hank the Cowdog has an uncanny ability to keep our entire family amused on long trips. Next to The Original Adventures of Hank The Cowdog (Vol. 1), this one is our favorite. Benny, the prize-winning cowdog-for-hire, very quickly gets under Hank's skin when he bumps Hank off the job of a roundup. Erickson's voicing of Benny is oddly reminiscent of William F. Buckley Jr., and works to great effect. Add the romantic element of Hank's love interest, Miss Beulah ("Mercy!", exclaims Hank) and the perceived threat Benny places there too, and the story becomes even more interesting. All against the regular backdrop of ranch life and supporting characters Drover, Plato, Loper and the rest of the gang, and the story is one of Hank's best romps. Enjoy!

This is a great and heartwarming addition to the "Hank the Cowdog" series. Along with tons of hillarious gags, this is one of Hank's best!

My first graders loved this story. Before I read it, they were saying how much they liked 1st grade better than kinder and this just wrapped it all up in a story. After reading it, we talked about what they hoped first grade would be like and what they hoped to learn this year.

After leaving the secure feeling of kindergarten, this book will calm the nerves and reassure students that it will be an exciting year in first grade. I read the book to my class and they continued to relate back to various parts of the book throughout the year. My favorite part is when the first grade teacher closes the read aloud book at the most exciting part, a trick used by most first grade teachers. It should be part of the beginning of the year ritual in every first grade class.

First Grade Stinks! is a wonderfully realistic look at the awkward transition from being a somewhat coddled kindergartener to being a first grader who must learn more and play less. Rodman's fresh, believable characterizations of Haley and her new teacher, Ms. Gray (!), are a true delight. Beautiful illustrations by Beth Spiegel add to a great reading experience.

As a former elementary teacher, this delightful book is one that warms my heart. First grader Haley desperately wants to go back to Ms. Lacy's kindergarten class where things are fun, that is, until she discovers the best thing about being in first grade. Author Mary Ann Rodman's sense of humor is evident from the first page to the last and my heart glows like Haley's orange sky whenever I thumb through this wonderful book. The illustrations by Beth Spiegel are perfect in every way, too! Perfect combination. Definitely a keeper!

....and I've yet to find a children's book that is so perfect...and absolutely gorgeous! Ms. Spiegel's illustrations add wit and charm to a lovely read-aloud experience that completely enchanted my students (now BIG second graders!) who remember the monumental transition from kindergarten to first grade very well. I look forward to more collaborations between this gifted author and her brilliant illustrator!

My sister collects this series of mostly wordless picture books. The artwork is eye catching and the stories always good for a giggle.
The stories all have a similar thread: mom has to step out for a bit and Carl is charged with taking care of the daughter. Carl's initiates all kind of messy, naughty fun for his young master, but the mess is always cleaned up before mom gets home. Great P.R. for rotties!

These books have made me smile for the 15 years since I read Good Dog Carl to my infant son. If you love dogs, you will love and understand these books.

Having all of the "Carl" books I thought perhaps Ms. Day would run out of "things" for Carl to do. Not so. Carl has plenty to do, so much that everyone ends up napping--some of the children are positioned like little puppies. Carl, of course, is his usual self. Very entertaining.

As usual, Ms. Day has captured the essence of Carl and the childrens' escapades. Anyone who enjoys children and dogs (especially Rottweilers)will appreciate the accuracy of both the stories, the story line, the poses, and the facial expressions of all the characters.

One of the many enjoyable Carl books.

Follow Carl is a wonderful book for all fans of this special Rottweiler. He takes his charges through a fun filled day in the park. The colorful illustrations encourage the reader to embellish the story and truly have fun with this book. As the owner of two Rottweilers, all the Carl books are in my son's library! Three cheers for Carl!

The other reviews center on the diner language. That's all very well, but I like the quirky characters. Does anyone else perceive Frank and Ernest, especially Ernest, as the epitome of capable masculinity, like in movies from the 1940s? They are cool, they are witty, they ooze dignity and they are well-dressed! Where are real life men like Frank and Ernest!?

I liked this book A HOLE LOT!!! It's an easy reader book but it is interesting how they talk in such an odd language. When I was much younger every night I would read this book.

This book is unique in that it is written in language used in a diner. For example, is you order ham, they might say "Noah's son". If you are familiar with the name of Noah's sons you would guess this right off the bat!!! Also, my husband and I are Dr Pepper collectors and Dr Pepper is mentioned in the book. We were so thrilled when we read this and honestly, that is the only reason we bought the book!!! I do plan to read it to our young friends. I think they will get a kick out of the way it is written.

Never much a fan of her Carl books, I nevertheless love this one, and am saddened to see that it's out of print. Frank (a bear) and Ernest (an elephant) make their living operating businesses while the owners are on vacation. When this pair agrees to run a diner, though, they must learn a whole new language--and we right along with them.

Kids love this, or at least my son did. For some time, we'd use diner talk from the book, calling donuts "life preservers," coffee with cream "a blonde" and vanilla milkshakes, "white cows." The language is revealed naturally in the text (though word mongers will love the glossary in the back); customers order in ordinary language such as "A tuna sandwich on toast, please and a Dr. Pepper with the ice left out" and then Frank calls the order to Ernest using diner talk: "Ernest, I need a radio sandwich down, and an M.D., hold the hail." It is fresh, funny and wonderful.

For the fun of the language, the warmth of these characters, whom no one seems to notice are an elephant and a bear, to the detailed illustrations (you could easily craft a stage set from these paintings), this book reminds us, as children do, that food, after all, is fun. Finally, the diner's retro design and the book's nostalgic feel might make it a fun read for grandparents, who possibly remember such places, to share with their grandchildren. I hope that this book will be reissued, as it is a truly pleasurable one.

I found this scholastic paperback at a thrift shop in Yuba City. The illustrations caught my eye and then I realized it was an Alexandra Day book. Going to a restaurant is so much fun when you know the lingo of the cook! And just look at the concoctions Ernest and Frank came up with. Even though this book is out of print you must try to get a used one. It is well worth your child's imagination! The little boy who had my book took very good care of it.

Rediscover Franklin! These wonderful books are full of humor, values and gentle guiding ways in everyday situations. A must for night time reading to calm boys and humor girls.

Franklin's Valentines captures the true spirit of the holiday unlike many of the valentine books I've read where friends compete for the biggest or best valentine ever. I also appreciate that Franklin's predicament is realistic. I'm sure all of us at one time, or another have forgotten to bring something to school, or have lost, or broken items along the way. Children relate to Franklin's dilemma about feeling left out and embarrassed. The illustrations are bright and bold, which are certainly eye-catching. The author, Paulette Bourgeois, does a fine job of communicating her story without stretching the vocabulary, or being too wordy. There isn't any rhyme, or cadence to her text, but her sentence structure is easy to follow especially for young readers. Definitely a winner.

My daughter loved this story as did I as the emphasis on Valentine's Day was about friendship and taking a day and celebrating friendships. As Franklin lost all of his Valentine's in the mud and didn't have any for his friends, he couldn't believe they still wanted to give him their cards and letters. He realized that friends like you for who you are and not what you can give them. As a parent, if feel this is one lesson that your kids can't learn too often.

My daughter loved this story of Frankin making his own Valentine's for his friends at school and losing them in a puddle in his hurry to get to the bus. He becomes upset and can't believe, even though he doesn't have cards to give to them, they still want him to have the ones they've made. In the end, Frankin decides to make "Friendship Day" the day after Valentine's Day with cards he's made and carefully put in his bag. It just teaches a great lesson of how nice people can be and how to appreciate the friends you have.

My daughter loved this story as did I as the emphasis on Valentine's Day was about friendship and taking a day and celebrating friendships. As Franklin lost all of his Valentine's in the mud and didn't have any for his friends, he couldn't believe they still wanted to give him their cards and letters. He realized that friends like you for who you are and not what you can give them. As a parent, if feel this is one lesson that your kids can't learn too often.

This book is a beautiful bilingual book that is ideal for young students. It serves as a nice introduction to Day of The Dead, which is celebrated in Mexico, on November 2. The author fails to mention this in the book but instead makes a note of it in the authors notes. Therefore,for clarity, the adult might want to incorporate this fact into the storyline. Use of another book, like The Day of the Dead / Dia De Los Muertos or Mexican Day of the Dead as a supplement will enrich the students learning about Day of the Dead. The story is rather flat, as noted in one of the editorial reviews here but the salvation of the book are the rich illustrations. The artist when to great lengths to create dimension in the art, resulting in exquisite drawings that will captivate the young audience. The story evolves around young Rosita's loss of her mentor and grandmother to an undisclosed sickness. After she dies Rosita longs for abuelita(grandmother) and her grandfather(abuelito) and family teach Rosita how to honor the dead. They teach her about making abuelita's favorite goodies and making an offering to her spirit at home and at the graveyard. Rosita questions whether she will "encounter" abuelita or not but is eventually touched by her spirit. This is a very cool book that explains how grief for the departed is handled in Mexican culture. As stated the illustrations are magnificent and worth the price of the book alone. Bilingual students , or those learning a language, whose first language is either English or Spanish, will benefit from the text, if read to in both languages. Recommended for community and K-8 school libraries.

This book blends beautiful illustrations of artistic collages, with a touching story told from a young girl's perspective of losing her grandmother, and trying to find the perfect way to honor her beloved 'abuelita' on the Day of the Dead.
Teaching at middle school in a community of growing numbers of hispanics this story has helped teach cultural traditions to my students in a unique way. In reading this story along with videos and personal sharing from our Mexican students and teachers, ALL our students celebrated the Day of the Dead this school year with their own artwork and special foods and breads. Having this story told in both English and Spanish was truly an added bonus for our English Language Learners to enjoy.

This book is great for readers learning spanish or english. It has beautiful illustrations, and a great story that is based on an event that most children will have to face. The celebration of the day of the dead brings people closer to those who have passed away, and is a great idea to give to children.
Este libro es muy bueno para lectores más jovenes para aprender inglés o español. Tiene dibujos bonitas, y un gran cuento que es sobre un evento que muchos niños tendrán. La celebración del Dia de los Muertos traiga los personas muy cercas a los personas que son muertos, y es una buena idea dar los niños.

I purchased this book because of the outstanding, noteworthy illustrations and fell in love with the sensitivity of the text. I live in a community where the Day of the Dead is celebrated locally. I own several fiction and non-fiction books on the topic, which I use in my primary grade classroom. While other non-fiction children's books on the Day of the Dead do a better job of explaining what happens during this celebration, this is the only book I have found that explains on an emotional level why one would want to celebrate one's dead relatives.

Although the relationship between Rosalita and her grandmother is established too quickly to cause the reader any distress when she dies on the third page of the text, Rosalita's dilemma is made clear. She works through the process of remembering and grieving her "abuelita" (grandmother). She thinks about what she can place on the family altar to symbolize her relationship with her deceased grandmother. She wonders what it will feel like when her grandmother's spirit returns on the Day of the Dead. How she resolves these questions will beautifully explain to anyone outside of the culture why those who celebrate this holiday take the time to remember.

This coming together of a writer's story & the visions of an illustrator is perfect. A simple tale of sorrow, change, love & healing. There are skills & ideas tucked away inside this gift: of a child's grief over the death of her grandmother & of the everyday things they did together & how her people celebrate their loved ones memories with gifts & prayers.

A Gift for Abuelita/Un regalo para Abuelita is a treasure to be read again & again not just for the story. It is rich in detailed illustrations & the marriage of two languages telling the same story is a fine addition. For my full review do check out: [my website]

All my girlfriends and I do the activity in the book. I have gone through 57 days already!

As an elementary school teacher, I recommend this book for its delightful activities. The book's age range is "age 7 to adult" so it covers a range of activities. Some are so simple, it is meant for the lower age of the range, while the more complex ones are meant for groups or for the older readers. For anyone who has read the Gifted Girls books, this activities book ties in nicely. I disagree with one of the reviewers who suggest the book is just jumping onto the "girl" bandwagon. Obviously she has not done her research or kept up with any girl's readings since the Gifted Girls books has been around for a while and is even recommended on the reading lists at schools. There are plenty of activities that deal with developing self-esteem and social awareness in here. For that and its positive message, I give it 5 stars.

Cute book, but more importantly, the book does give you 365 days of activities to do. It has recipes, crafts projects, team-building exercises, community awareness projects, even self-esteem-building exercises. Generally, a pretty good book that balances these activities, while being a good companion to the fiction series (Gifted Girls) for girls, a series that has been around for years. I'm a parent and can be critical, but I found I enjoyed this book just as much as my daughter Sam.

I've reviewed hundreds, close to thousands of books, and I see the same thing in most books, be it large publishers or small publishers, best-selling authors, or new authors, I've always managed to find one or two typos. So, it is very very petty for a reviewer to trash a book based on finding a few typos in the book. As far as this book is concerned, I found very little. Now focusing on the more important issue - what does this book teaches - positive belief in yourself. This is combined with activities that help develop self-esteem and creativity. There are some detail instructions and recipes, besides suggestions on what to do. The fact that it ties back to the Gifted Girls Series is an added bonus. Young girls should get this book more for the message and for the activities. It is a fun book that is written, designed, and meant to be taken in fun. Highly recommended.

Becoming the best person you can be is a daily practice. Author Gow offers a daily guide full of activities that are creative and inspiring, and always fun. As teacher and parent, I'm using this to help me with any afterschool activities or group activities I have to supervise. Easy-to-understand, and creative, I especially like the Gifted Girls characters guiding you through the process. Unbelievably cute style. I'm picking up a few for my friends.

I have scoured our local library and purchased 5-6 children's books on fishing from Amazon -- this one ranks very near the top ("H is for Hook" also get's high marks for illustrations and condensed version of text, and "Gone Fishing" is a nice read from a father/son narrative perspective).

I have to admit that after reading the editorial reviews I was a little afraid the author would be a bit snooty (the whole Yale Angler thing) and too trout obsessed (previous publications for adults) -- but this book is very accessible and speaks to a wide audience. I love the way he uses the tackle box to introduce different fishing techniques and conquests.

The illustrations are detailed, authentic, and beautiful. My husband loved finding his favorite lures depicted and described.

We haven't gone fly fishing with my two year old yet, but he has caught a few crappy (which get equal attention in this book) and he has decided his favorite fish is the "wide mouth bass," based largely on Prosek's amazing illustration of this species.

I highly recommend this book!

Prosek's beautiful watercolors augment a whimsical tour through the fisherman's tackle box. Each piece of hardware and lure is considered in relation to the sort of fish it is designed to catch. The store culminates in finding the lucky talisman familiar to most fishermen, a lucky hat. I enjoyed reading this to my six-year-old son who exclaimed at the end of the story, "I can't wait for us to go fishing again." That's a sentiment sure to warm the heart of any father looking to get his child excited about the sport he enjoys.

I've always suspected that fishing's allure has a lot to do with the stories that inevitably come from each outing. This handsome picture book is a delight and would be a fine gift for a fisherman of ANY age, up to about 100 years old, I suspect. It introduces the reader to the magical secret world of lures, bobbers, other equipment that allow the wily fisherman to prevail over his hapless object of attention. It draws the reader back to the page, like the fisherman is drawn back to the stream where success was so close, and opens up the possibilities of "next time" and "maybe tomorrow" for fishers of all ages.

This is the best children's fishing book I've found. The illustrations are nice and include names of different varities of fish and different lures, which means the child will actually learn about fishing instead of just reading a story about someone who is fishing. There is also a very nice glossary in the back with illustrated descriptions of lures that is great for older children.

I am a librarian who loves the vast variety of humankind. I love knowing that when I walk down the street I could easily be walking past the greatest parachutist or professional kite flyer in the world, and I would never know. The hobbies and talents of the people of this world takes my breath away. Which makes reviewing a title like, "A Good Day's Fishing" an incredibly complex arrangement. First of all, I have never fished. Not a day of my life. This isn't because I dislike fishing or find it disgusting in some way. I've just never been a situation where someone handed me a pole and a tackle box and said, "Let's catch a few" (or words to that extent). Like many people I've flipped past fishing shows on PBS on cloudy Sunday afternoons and idly wondered who watches that stuff. But I have every respect for the people who enjoy the sport. Author James Prosek enjoys the sport. He enjoys it so much that he's written and illustrated multiple texts on trout, fly fishing, and other such topics. He's sort of the author/illustrator prodigy of the fish world. And now, at the grand old age of 29, he's switched his focus to children's books. No matter how big an author, no matter what their specialty, sooner or later everyone tries to write a book for kids. And that's where I come in. Looking "A Good Day's Fishing" over, I was baffled. As I've mentioned, I'm not exactly experienced in the hobby. I mean, I really enjoyed the recent children's book by Cynthia DeFelice, "The Missing Manatee", that outlines fishing in great exciting detail. But a picture book that simply catalogues the things you need to catch yourself a crappie or a pumpkinseed sunfish.... let's just say that there's a very specific type of child that's going to find this book enthralling.

Now the book follows a kid as he goes through his tackle box and tells the reader that, "what I need for a good day's fishing is in here somewhere!". We look at various lures and the fish each one is adept at catching. There are spinners for yellow perch and bobbers and sinkers to catch carp. We see extra line and a wide range of hooks (which, the hero notes, are cool) alongside forgotten maggoty sandwiches (my favorite part, actually) and a stray eel. There are rods and plugs and flies and lures. And finally, "my hat", which ends the text. We are then treated to a large lure and fly glossary that tells you absolutely every last little thing you ever needed to know about the equipment listed in the book.

This kind of book is so specialized that I cannot really recommend it to anyone who ISN'T downright fascinated by fishing. But if your child leaps at the chance of standing alongside large bodies of water with their own little tacklebox, then I can think of no book better than this one. Admittedly, I'm a little baffled as to why this book got on the New York Public Library's 2004 100 Books to Remember list. It's too specific to please a great many people (and frankly, if you're not a fisherperson yourself, the glossary reads like stereo instructions). But Prosek's put his heart into it, and it shows. Wielding his watercolor brush with great panache he's as adept at drawing the tiniest little white maggot as he is a largemouth bass gunning for a plug. This is a lovely book to look at. And detailed out the wazoo.

So if you like fishing and want your kids to like it (or they already do) then this is the perfect picture book for them. If you've merely a mild interest in the sport, however, avoid this book at all costs. For those that need it, nothing else will do. For those that don't, there are other fishies in the sea.

We've all heard the phrase "bigger isn't always better". That rings true with the author's first book. Only 56 pages long you don't expect the emotional roller coaster that is waiting for you. In just a couple of hours you can relive 207 days that tore a family apart but did not break them. You will read one story about an overburdened legal system that is far from perfect and caused great pain when it was intended to protect. Intertwined with this story is an even greater story of a family's faith and love. In the end you will be left questioning how does something like this happen?
Keep in mind as you finish chapter eight and set the book aside that the two hours spent reading this story will equal the two hours spent investigating young Hannah's injury. In the same amount of time it takes to read 56 pages those responsible for protecting a mentally challenged girl made a decision to take her from her home and away from the people in her life who she needed the most.
Are we truly innocent until proven guilty? Does the system really protect those who need protection? By sharing this experience the author shows us all that this nightmare could happen to anyone.
Please read this story and share its message before another family is torn apart - before another child must face days, weeks, and months without those who love them.

Very well written book. How easy this could happen to others. So sorry you had to go threw this. I'm your mother first cousin.

Everyone who purchases this book should be applauded for expressing an interest in creating greater awareness for mentally and physcially challenged individuals.
Here's a story that illustrates what happens when assumptions are made about those with special needs. This family had to bear the burden of those assumptions in a big way - with two innocent parents spending time in jail and a precious 18-year-old removed from her home for 207 days.
The second best thing you can do is buy this book. The best thing you can do is share it with others in hope that it helps make a difference some day.

This book is the real life image of this families tragic episode which evolves into a foundation of faith. We all have our trials, but very seldom does the message spread as this publication brings forth. The characters are real, and the story is heart-wrenching. It combines feelings of emotion from the darkest anger, to the most unconditional bound of faith. It makes you want to cry, laugh, and get involved. I'm impressed with the writer's ability to put the situation in our perspective, and make it seem like it really could happen to anyone. This is a comfortable read, and good for all ages to understand misfortune, faith, and people.

This Book is very well written. It's Hard to believe that something like this could happen. This book is a real eye opener to reality. more people need to read it. it could make a difference!

I have four children, ages 8 through 3, and this is their hands-down favorite Christmas book. Well, possibly, all-time book. Each page has tons of details for the kids to notice and find -- even as an adult, I seem to find new things in it each time we read it. And thanks to this book, they are learning all the words to the song.

Hilary Knight's Twelve Days Of Christmas tells of a bear who struggles with an overabundance of holiday gifts from her sweetheart. Whimsical animals parade in each scene as poor Bedelia struggles with a house increasingly filled with odd gifts. The illustrations are especially whimsical.

This is a definte must for the Holiday Season. Wonderful details of a courtship between two bears using the song the Twelve Days of Christmas. Each page is a treasure trove!

I've loved Hilary Knight's work since I was a child feasting on his *Hilary Knight's ABC.* In his *Twelve Days of Christmas," Knight provides an original and meaningful interpretation of the traditional carol. I especially love the way Bedelia returns the "true love" of her beloved gift-bringer by making a fair for him to enjoy--love is reciprocal in this book! The second thing I love about this book is the subplot, in which the raccoon struggles to open the mysterious can, only to find a true love of his own. Finally, the concept of each day as a "pick-up," in which Benjamin brings a partridge and a pear tree (and ensuing gifts) on *each* day, adds a new dimension to the story. Well-planned, beautifully executed, and the finest children's picture book version of "The 12 Days of Christmas" that I've seen.

It's Christmastime, and Benjamin Bear looks out his window, and down the path to his beloved, Bedelia Bear's little cottage, and you can almost see the gift ideas popping into his furry head. So, on the first day of Christmas, he arrives with a partridge in a pear tree, and the fun begins..... Hilary Knight, author of Where's Wallace and The Owl And The Pussy-Cat, and illustrator of Kay Thompson's Eloise books, takes this old familiar holiday song, and turns it into a joyous and engaging picture book. His marvelous artwork, full of bold, bright color, and expressive detail, grows busier, and more intricate with each page turn, until it almost spills off the paper. Young and old alike will be mesmerized as they pore over the pictures, finding something new and fun each time they open the book. With a delightful and creative surprise at the end to get everyone in the holiday spirit, Hilary Knight's The Twelve Days Of Christmas is a wonderful read-aloud book the whole family can share together, and is sure to become a "must have" classic to help usher in the Christmas season, year after year.