Childrens Days Books

This is a great book! It addresses an important, yet abstract idea - patriotism - in a way that not only makes it understandable to kids, but enjoyable. Kids will be drawn into the story by relating to the individual students and their project ideas, and will sympathize with Caleb and his lack of inspiration. The text clips along well with many opportunities for chuckles, and the lively illustrations add humorous details kids will enjoy discovering. Beware parents - you may be so busy enjoying the book right along with your child that the tears this book can bring to your eyes may catch you off guard. To be able to laugh and cry in less than 1,000 words - kudos to Ms. Skeers.

This is a great book about a great subject. It is well-written with humor and authenticity. It manages to convey a touching message without being preachy or overdone, something few books do well. It is a wonderful book to share with kids and to enjoy yourself. Keep a kleenex on hand. =)

With all the media attention to what the United States "shouldn't" be doing, it's wonderful to find a children's story that shows what patriotism is and who the real patriots are. Make sure your local library has this book - especially for story hour. It's not just for the 4th of July but all year long. The United States is a free country with freedom of speech because men and women were willing to risk their lives to keep it free and to help those in other countries who can't fight for themselves.

The whole story and the great illustrations make this a "must have" book for any child's book collection - or for their parents' too!

I was a story time librarian for 12 years at our local library. Every July, I searched for books I could read to young children that would let them know how wonderful it is to live in America. It is wonderful because we are free. I wanted to read books that would tell the story behind our celebrations of Independence Day and Memorial Day. The Impossible Patriotism Project is that book. This book shows throught text and art the various icons we associate with freedom along with the people who work to keep us free, namely the men and women in our armed forces. Mrs. Skeers and Mr. Hoyt have done a tremendous job conveying the idea of being a patriot to young children. I love it!

If this one doesn't make tears come to your eyes than your heart must be made of stone.

The beautiful thing about childrens books is that they can play straight to the heart - and this one does. My daughter liked it, but every grown-up who has seen this book has cried or at least teared up. Don't get this one for your kid - get it for you. Moving, wonderful and based on a true story which is just as moving (see back inside flap).

This book is destined to be an American classic. Beautifully designed, this book delivers family fun on the Thanksgiving holiday!

This book is a fantastic gift for kids for the Thanksgiving holiday. This book includes information and games for the whole family to participate in. The pictures are atractive and colorful and the recipes help make the Thanksgiving meal better. The book is designed in a style to bring the family together in sharing the Thanksgiving holidays. I learned many interesting things while reading it and had fun too.

What a great idea to write a fun and interactive book about the history of Thanksgiving!! My kids loved it, it brought the story of our great-great-grandparents back into our lives. The entire family enjoyed the games and the "Think About It" sections. It will make our next Thanksgiving a bit more special and may even bring some hard-core football addicts back to the family Thanksgiving dinner table.

I was so jazzed about finding this book! I still can't believe how much more there is to the story of Thanksgiving than the Mayflower and the Pilgrims. It blew me away! Kids will absolutely love all the creative exercises the book offers and the illustrations are fabulous! I am looking forward to Thanksgiving and putting to task all the recommendations the author makes for making Thanksgiving a more meaningful holiday. No more missed educational opportunities for my kids! I very very highly recommend this book for any family - and teachers too!

I found this book to be a joyful read. We can hardly wait for Thanksgiving to use it at our table, but already I have learned more about my own history than I knew before. A retired teacher visiting from Germany saw the book laying on the table and read it, delighted with its illustrations and information. She was sure, she said, that this book would make a wonderful English lesson book for the children in Germany. I agreed, and suggest that the author consider submitting the book to some schools in the States as a text. Here is a charming treatment of a wonderful American holiday, and one which should help bring the family together--as we once were on Thanksgiving--giving thanks, for each other, for God's goodness and especially for our opportunity to live in this great nation.

This book is a little different from the others in the Josefina series. In this book, the Montoya family travels to Santa Fe and interact with an American trader. Through this adventure we learn about urban life in New Mexico and get to know Abuelito and Abuelita a little better. This book also addresses the changes that are coming to New Mexico in a more direct way that other books in this series. Though we enjoyed the book, I do want to point out a plot point that may raise concerns for some parents: Josefina and her sister do do a dangerous thing (go to town alone -- and this is a rough frontier town), though for a noble purpose.

A great book about ten year old Josefina traveling to Santa Fe. As Josefina Plays her wooden bird flute on top of the mountain she hears a copy of her flute sound. It was American Scout Patrick O'Toole. As Josefina gets to know Patrick more she and her sisters make a trade with him to get something very important for their father. But Patrick left before they got their item and Josefina has to face a fear and sneak out of the house to find out if Patrick really has gone.

This is a really good book but if you haven't read Josefina's series before than you should start with her first book and then make your way to this one. Happy Reading!

Josefina Saves the Day is about a girl age 10. She meets a american named Peter O'Toole, a scout for the wagon trail. Papa and Josefina trust Peter with their trades. Will Josefina get her trade? Will she and Francisa, and Clara, and Papa get what they want? To find out more read this book.

Ten year old Josefina Montoya, her father, and two of her sisters are staying with Josefina's grandfather and grandmother in Sante Fe while they await the arrival of an American wagon train. Josefina and her sisters trust a young American trader with a deal. But then, before he pays them, he leaves town. Has he cheated them? Josefina and her sisters must go on a daring late night adventure to find out.

This is another one of the American Girls series about Josefina Montoya, a ten-year-old girl living in the New Mexico of 1824 (actually January of 1825). In this book, Josefina and her family travel to her grandfather's rancho to await the arrival of the wagon train from the United States. She meets her first American, Patrick O'Toole, a handsome scout for the wagon train. The family wants to trade blankets and mules with the Americans, but is this handsome young man trustworthy?

The final chapter is in an interesting and informative look at outdoor life in New Mexico in 1824. Jean-Paul Tibbles' illustrations, warm and filled with emotion, add a great deal to the story, and are a welcome addition.

My daughter and I both liked this book. The story has its scary parts, but it also has a nice lesson, and I enjoy the frank look at life then and there. This is another excellent book, a worthwhile addition to your library.

I never enjoyed reading as a child, but found this book to be so engaging and heart felt. I couldn't wait for each of the books in the series to come out. If you can get a hold of them I would highly recommend it! I always felt these books would make a wonderful television series (if they kept with the integrity of the books).

This novel, and its sequel, Glory in the Flower, spoke deeply to me when I was 14 (a scant 6 years ago), and are still worth reading. It is compelling without melodrama and familial without schmaltz. Buy this for any bat mitzvah, confirmation, or junior high graduation. Better than Little Women, even.

The entire series is wonderful, and its a crime that they are out of print. "Keeping Days" and "Flower" are on a lot of school reading lists, and rightfully so. Ranks right up there with the "Little House" series-Tish Sterling is a wonderful heroine!

Handles coming of age more realistically than Little Women, and much more intelligently than the modern teenage series. I don't know how Johnston remembered what it's like when everyone else forgets, but The Keeping Days, its sequel Glory in the Flower, and also the Johnston's Bridget Vandever books spoke directly to me when I was about 12 or 13. It's comforting when *someone* else in the world goes through the same things, even if she is fictional.

This is a long series, most of which Amazon doesn't offer, but if you're lucky enough to read it, you will not be the same. No cheesiness, nothing typical, it is the quintissential growing-up story of one amazing woman. The tales she tells of family, love, and writing will stay with you forever. BTW, the second book in the series is "Glory in the Flower."

My daughter's (4 & 5) love this CD. They will listen to it over and over. I enjoy listening to them laugh at each of the cute stories included on this CD.

This is an outstanding product. All of the stories on the CD are terrific and it can be enjoyed by all ages.

I absolutely love this CD. My children are 2 and 4 yrs, and they ask for it every day on our commute. The voices of the narrators are absolutely perfect, (there's just something about hearing "John Boy" from the Waltons tell you a story...Richard Thomas is one of the narrators:).
And I would like to find more work from Christine Ebersole, she is so fabulous, especially the last story, 'Lilly's Big Day'. She captures the voice of a sweet, desperate girl longing to be a flower girl so perfectly, I almost got choked up near the end!
My son adores the first story, 'a weekend with Wendall' and he laughs his head off every time he hears the terrible things Wendall does to Sophie.
I would highly reccomend it!
P.S. Because I'd never read the books, I didn't know until I saw the link here that all these characters are mice! It doesn't say in the CD (except for something about a pink nose and fur, but I just thought that was funny)I think it's great that they're easily imagined either way..

My 7-year-old child has been asking to hear this over and over again since she received it as a present 10 days ago. In my opinion, the production could have used a little music here and there, to make it more lively, but my daughter doesn't seem to need anything more than the CD offers. The narrations (which are by different narrators, both male and female) are clear, and nice.

I have to add, that before she got this CD, my daughter had been watching the Scholastic DVD that includes some of the Kevin Henkes' stories featured in this CD... so that probably helped to make it more alive.

I am a Pre-Kindergarten teacher and at nap time we listen to stories that the kids enjoy and "Lilly's Big Day and Other Stories CD" is great the kids ask to listen to it every day. This is a great CD !!!

What is Valentine's Day without Chocolate? And what to do with the last one before bedtime? I think you know the answer... This book will appeal to older audiences even though it is a boardbook because of the use of clever adjectives. Children need words to describe their world and Lilly and Kevin Henkes give them those words. Pleasant reading that makes you want to read more about Lilly.

my 2 year daughter had several friends over for a valentine party. we gave these books as party favors. everyone was thrilled!

my daughter's name is lily so we have all the henke books, but this is her favorite. we read it every night. lilly (the mouse) manages to finally find the perfect place for her chocolate heart, and then wonders "when is it valentines day again?" i love the way henke writes and my 2 yr old loves lily, owen and all his characters! its win win!

My just-about-to-turn-six year old little girl (and fellow chocaholic) adores this book. We've read it so many times together that she knows each page by heart.

Lilly is a cute little mouse who decides to save her last Valentine's Day chocolate heart. But where shall she put it? Where will it remain safe and clean? She searches throughout her home but nothing will do. It's far too dusty under the bed, the picture frames are too narrow (the heart will surely fall off & get lost!), the bookshelves are too crammed with books. Finally, Lilly decides the best place to keep the heart safe is inside her belly. When she's finished enjoying her last treat she wonders aloud when Valentine's Day will come around again.

This is an adorable little hardback filled with charming drawings of Lilly's pastel world. I disagree that the packaging will turn off older kids. The light colored palette and lively drawings are exactly what attracted my daughter (well, that and the chocolate heart!). Boy's, however, will probably steer clear of this one ~ I know my son runs when we pull this one out :)

Lilly has one chocolate heart left from Valentine's Day, and it's bedtime, so where is the perfect, safe place to put her chocolate heart until tomorrow? This little bedtime dilemma has Lilly searching around her room for just the right place. Does she find it?

In Henkes' eye candy, easy reading style he delights young readers with another of Lilly's fanciful tales. In a small board book, modest sentences pop off solid, colored backgrounds as Lily, the little white mouse, dances from page to page in search of the perfect place for her last chocolate heart. Like I said, it's easy reading and perfect for young ones with short attention spans, not to mention the pages are strong enough to survive the pulling, tugging and turning of small hands.

Lilly's Chocolate Heart has the spirit to be a favorite, to be read over and over again. I can just hear a little voice repeating the last page by heart in a fit of laughter.

There is one more book with Lilly (Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse) and other titles with little mice, such as Julius, Wemberly, Sheila Rae, Chester, and Owen.

I bought this for my three-year-old when she was just a baby, and we've both loved it ever since. The deeper meaning is lost on an infant and toddler, but the sweet, playful storyline and pictures are not. This one should be part of every child's book collection.

Our daughter cut her teeth on this book! (-Really, there are tiny teeth marks all along the edges.) So, how could we ever discard such a beloved treasure? Our 'baby' is 5 now, and we STILL love to read this book together at bedtime. She has long memorized the words and can read the book without the book even being present.

Boasting colorful and fun illustrations, the message in this book is: what you give out comes back to you! It begins: 'Blow a kiss and let it go, you never know how love will grow' -the chain reaction of love and kisses get passed along to several animals (a goose, a fish, a fox, a cow and more)and ends up right back where it began, with the girl.

Whenever our daughter catches us saying 'You never know' in our everday conversations, she finishes with 'How love will grow!'

The book is pretty short, so it's good for when you and your little one are too tired to go through 'Green Eggs & Ham.' All you page skippers out there know what I'm talking about!

This book would make a great gift for someone expecting, or for a toddler's birthday. This is a favorite bedtime book in our home!

I have a 4yr old and 2.5yr old and this book is one that endures they still love hearing it over and over even though both of them have parts of it memorized (my 4yr old has memorized the whole book).

My 8 1/2 month old daughter loves this book! I have been reading it to her everyday since she was about 3 months old. Whenever I start the story she gives me big smiles! The words have a nice rhythm and the word choice makes reading this book fun.

My 18 month old just loves this book. As we read along about each animal sharing a kiss we make the noise each animal would make and blow a kiss. We are doing just what the book teachs - Blow A Kiss and Let It Go -- You Never Know How Love Will Grow!

I would recommend this book because it was a funny book!

My favorite character was Mrs. Watson because she wanted to yank out every body's teeth. I t was funny!

My favorite part is when she was trying to yank out all of her student's teeth!

This is my favorite part because it is funny! But it probably hurt the kids.

By: Heather Q

Children will love the silly plot and the gags in every illustration! Most of the story is told in comic-book-like form, with speech bubbles and pictures.

The book is about a young girl who is starting first grade with Mrs. Watson as her teacher. A second grader informs her that Mrs. Watson is actually an alien, with a purple tongue, who needs a never-ending supply of earthling baby teeth to take back to her alien galaxy. Unfortunately for the first grader, she has a loose tooth! She decides to not talk in class in order to hide the fact that her tooth is loose. Can she survive first grade without ever opening her mouth? Read to find out what happens! You'll enjoy it, guaranteed! MAke sure to look at the colorful illustrations!!!!

Today is the first day of first grade. A day when many kids are excited. But not this little girl. This little girl is terrified of her first day of first grade, because a second grader has told her the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth about her new first grade teacher, Mrs. Watson. Apparently Mrs. Watson is a three-hundred-year-old, purple-tongued alien who adores stealing the teeth of young earthling children, and making jewelry like necklaces and bracelets, and earrings for herself with them. That's why the little girl is so terrified, she has a loose tooth! Now the little girl must keep her mouth closed for the entire year of first grade, or Mrs. Watson will steal her precious baby teeth.

In MRS. WATSON WANTS YOUR TEETH, author Alison McGhee captures the essence of the nervousness that young children hold inside them when embarking on the first day of school, be it kindergarten, first grade, second grade, etc. Her wonderful descriptions of the so-called alien teacher, as well as the gossipy second-grader, are engrossing and will have many young school-goers laughing out loud. While the utterly captivating, and CHARLIE BROWN-esque illustrations by Harry Bliss will have readers flipping the pages until the very end. This is an absolute must-have book, especially for parents of soon-to-be students.

Erika Sorocco
Book Review Columnist for The Community Bugle Newspaper

I can't recall the last time I laughed so hard reading to my son. This is a rare gem with sight gags abound. Well done!

There's an odd complaint that sometimes cycles through the parent circles of this great American country. If a children's picture book is filled with just too many injokes and gags for the parents to get (and not their kids) then that book is immediately given the back-handed compliment of "hip". The "Olivia" books by Ian Falconer are "hip". "Many Moons" by James Thurber is "hip". Do you see the trend? These books tend to be written or illustrated by New Yorker cartoonists/writers. So it only makes sense that such uncalled for disparaging remarks should be attached to my beloved Harry Bliss. In this delightful "Mrs. Watson Wants Your Teeth" (a delicious addition to his similar school-based story, "A Fine Fine School"), author Alison McGhee and illustrator Bliss tell a tale of realistic childhood fears and the surprising way that one little first grader overcomes them.

"I have a secret", a small girl confides in us, right from the start. "First grade begins today, and I'm in BIG trouble". The trouble comes in the form of "advice" given by a malicious second grader who immediately pounces on our helpless heroine on the bus. The second grader informs us that Mrs. Watson, the first grader's new teacher, is actually an alien from outer space. And this particular alien's preferred meals? Baby teeth. First grader baby teeth at that. According to the second grader, Mrs. Watson has a thick purple tongue and that we should look closely at her "pearl" necklace and earrings. By the time our protagonist reaches school she's in a mild state of panic. However, she's quite certain that if she just doesn't open her mouth, she'll be able to keep her tooth safe and sound from this alien scourge. Trouble is, Mrs. Watson seems really nice. And she keeps asking for kids to sing, or talk, or brag (things our first grader would LOVE to do). It's only towards the end of the day that a surprising occurrence proves both Mrs. Watson's earthly status and gives the second grader a bit of a comeuppance.

It's a cute little story wrapped up in a very fun package. Now I've kinda enjoyed the books Bliss has illustrated up until now. The aforementioned "Fine Fine School" was okay and "Don't Forget To Come Back", peaked the old imagination. But so far, this book is my favorite of the lot. And a lot of this is due to the fact that there ARE jokes that kids won't get in it. Kids will love the visual gags on each and every page (for example, a loud-mouthed boy on a trip suddenly ends up covered in duct tape when he won't calm down) but I love the crazy details. When the first grader timidly stares at the door of her new classroom, a poster with a picture of Shakespeare pointing at the viewer reads, "The Drama Club wants YOU for the Fall production of Marathon Man: A Chilling Tale of Suspense and Toothaches". Similarly, when Mrs. Watson asks the class, "Who's ready to learn a song?", she's holding (and I seriously kid you not here), "London Calling", by J. Strummer. Any picture book that makes a reference, however oblique, to The Clash has won my instantaneous and unwavering love for all time.

So that's that. Kids will love this book because of the words and storyline. Adults will love this book because of the in-jokes (some of which, even THEY won't get). And I love it because it's the perfect melding of two worlds. The childlike and the sophisticated. So pooh-pooh it for being "hip" all you want. It's one of the rare books that will have adults begging their children to read it, "just one more time".

This book is awesome. Eye opening. Must read for the entire nation. They should make this book a "Must Read" for Junior High School aged kids. It would really help open your eyes to the world.

This book makes you take a new look at those individuals that are homeless and how God calls us to serve them.

used this for a team that went to the union rescue mission in los angeles. team members were moved, convicted, transformed.

it's not a deep devotional, but it is biblical.

Great book my students seem to enjoy reading the book.

A mere 30 day journey with this book as a navigational guide and one will find not only conviction but encouragement for one's own "mission field" in life. Through the many personal trials, challenges, and victories of the author will shed new light on just what may define the term "missions or missionaries". This devotional is, just as it says, not your ordinary devotional. It offers reasonable and doable simple acts of kindness that can be carried out each and every day by the least of people to the greatest of people, people just loving and caring for their family, friends, neighbors and strangers.

I loved this book a little more than Tall Tales which I also liked. Do you suspect that Karen Day pitched on a boys little league team?
Daddy Day

What a joy to read a book that is so interesting and fun. It can be enjoyed by people of all ages, including baseball players.

In the summer of 1980, Madison becomes the first girl in Southern Michigan to join a boys' baseball team. Though some of the other players are more friendly than others, they don't exactly welcome her with open arms. Once they see her play, she earns both their respect and their jealousy. Townspeople start writing letters to the editor of the local paper, expressing their positive or negative thoughts about having a girl on the team, and Madison doesn't know what to say when reporters interview her. After Madison's old friends pull away from her, she finds new friends on the team - one of whom is her first crush, while another might have a crush on her.

No Cream Puffs is a sweet treat. Even with all of the media coverage, Madison never develops an ego and never thinks she's the bee's knees. She doesn't want to make waves; she just wants to play ball and be treated fairly. I highly recommend this book to middle school athletes of both genders and to parents and coaches.

What exactly is so compelling about No Cram Puffs? I have many answers. Primarily, it the immensely likable main character, Madison. We relish in rooting for Madison as she tries to sort out a mess of conflicting loyalties - baseball vs. popularity; fitting in vs. being true to your own ideas and desires; hardworking, present Mom vs. absent, idealized Dad; friendship vs. romance; and those are just a few. It is also that, a mere seven lines into the first chapter, Day reminds us so uncannily about the confusion of adolescence. She has certainly confirmed, for fans of her earlier offering, Tall Tales, that her unerring ability to convincingly write adolescent narration was no fluke. The story is also compelling in its supporting characters, from her loving but imperfect family, to her relationships with her fellow baseball team members, to the poignantly absent best friend, to a couple of surprising characters who skirt the periphery of her life (I won't spoil their impact by revealing here!) In the end, though, buy the book for the reason I can state in five simple words - it's a walloping good read!

I sat down to read this book and had to finish it in one night because it was so much fun. An engaging, upbeat plot with subtle humor and meanings underneath. As a child psychologist, I appreciate the multidimensional relationship that Madison has with her mom, and her understated, but intense longing for a dad. Madison's relationships are very realistic and psychologically accurate, and they capture your attention in a thought-provoking way. Speaking of attention, this is what Madison is trying to teach herself to do. And this is what I love most about her. She's trying to pay attention to what's really important and not fall for superficiality, whether it is revealed in fame, self-seeking attention, or pseudo-romance. It's very compelling to watch Madison as she tries to make sense of what love is about in all it's ambiguous forms (best friend, a crush, and as a loving daughter). Over the course of the novel, it is also a privilege to observe as Madison changes and grows up. The over-arching theme of being true to yourself and finding out what that really entails is portrayed in a compassionate and enticing way. It is also interesting to witness the dilemmas inherent in what it was like for a girl to become involved in the world of boys' sports in the 70's. You will laugh and cheer for Madison as she tentatively, and then, proudly steps into a new phase of her life.