Children Books

These are great little books to help your child learn to read. My son learned to read in no time using these books. They are simple with black and white pictures with cute little stories.

My 5 yr old son starts kindegarden this fall and my goal is to get him to read before school starts. While going through flash cards to get him to know the sounds of every letter in the alphabet, it got boring and he started to get frustrated. To make this experience more exciting for both of us, I brought the the Sesame street "Alphabet Jungle game" and Bob books. He watched the Alphabet Jungle game on Sunday, which reinforced all the sounds of the alphabet to him. On Monday we went through the first 3 BOB books and I couldn't belive it...my son can read the first few book now...only after one sitting.

Wow these books are amazing. Crafty and to the point. My son started these about 1 year ago and began reading 1 and 2 syllable words within the 1st two times of reading through the series. The boos can be colored by children since the drawings are just outlined pictures. I loved them, they beat hooked on phonics for me!

The series has been renumbered yet again. The new ISBN for the first set is 0439845009.

Bob Books come in 5 sets on 3 levels, and they cover the fundamentals of reading through about half of the Kindergarten level, which is lower than either of the other programs. Each set contains 8-12 books for the child to read, with a line or two of text per page.

Unlike many programs, there is little to no direction for the parent. However, they are carefully crafted to introduce the sounds in a systematic and maximally rewarding way, as well as carefully choosing sight words. The very first book requires that the child know the sounds of only four letters (M, A, S, T) and one sight word (on). The rest of the first set of 12 books (12 pages each) introduces the rest of the alphabet and short-vowel sounds, carefully reviewing everything learned, as well as a handful of high-untility sight words. The second set of 12 books (12 pages each) reinforces what was learned in the first set with more text per page, more plurals, ore sight words, and a few blends. The second level begins with the third set, which has 10 books (16 pages each) and introduces more text, more blends, and some compound words, while the fourth set (4 with 16 pages and 4 with 24 pages) has more blends, more sight words, and long compound words. The final set, in the third level (4 with 16 pages and 4 with 24 pages), has longer stories and introduces long vowels.

The thing my son likes most is that I'm not telling him what to do most of the time, and he doesn't have to repeat books!
Some parents find that the level of progression slows after the first set, but we're going to do them all. It helps my son acquire speed and fluency painlessly.

The only bad points: The words are handwritten, which means that despite the excellent handwriting, there is some inconsistency in spacing and letter shapes that will give some readers problems. Also, if your child likes to gaze for a l-o-n-g time at every picture, painless swifty becomes agaonizing. For that case, I recommend McGuffey's Eclectic Readers
This isn't sufficient to bring a child to the end of the Kindergarten level, but it gets them reading basic books very fast! Many people like the later part of Nora Gaydos' series to follow up. I will use an out-of-print series that I got from my aunt for free :-) called Scholastic Phonics Ready Readers (ISBN 0439325099 and others) starting with books 37. Afterwards, there are many classic early reader books that he can read, like Little Bear and Frog and Toad.

Generally I thought these books were good. After months of struggling, my son suddenly "broke the code", and these were the first books he read. Because of their simplicity, he could immediately read them straight through, with very few errors, which felt like a much-deserved and much-appreciated reward after all that hard work. The two of us were both laughing with relief and delight.

However, one thing that bothered us was the occurrence of "words" that aren't really words. What are those for? Examples:

"The vet ran zip zap."
"ZAM!"

When my son read those words, he thought he was reading incorrectly, since the "words" didn't make any sense to him. I was annoyed because the books made him feel uncertain at those points, though he was reading perfectly.

There were a couple of sentences that were unnatural, too. For example, "Dot did nap." Normally we say, "Dot napped," do we not? Of course, "napped" is a more advanced word and would have been unsuitable for the first series. But my son scratched his head over some of these sentences because the wording was not natural.

I thought the downside should be stated, even though the high praise the books have received here is well deserved.

No doubt about it - that's what this one is...

So here's what happens.

Heavy December rains sweep Owen and his happy hippo family down the Sabaki River in Kenya and into the Indian Ocean where, much to the chagrin of the occupants of the small coastal town of Malindi, they take up residence.

Before you can say hippopotamus, the tsunami of December 26, 2004 hits, and when things come back to normal, Owen is stranded by himself on a coral reef. The villagers, originally dismayed by the hippo clan, now work with courage and persistence to save the baby's life.

After being rescued Owen is transported to Haller Park, an animal sanctuary outside of Mombasa. Here he meets Mzee (Swahili for "wise old man") a 130 year old Aldabra tortoise.

They become friends, snuggle together, and soon are found to be inseparable.

While this is all quite heart warming, the eclectic pairing left me with an odd sense of dissonance. Mzee is exceptionally ugly, and the sight of a mammal and a cold blooded reptile snuggling together seems somewhat icky.

Nevertheless I'll give it four stars. For sure this is a book that kids will enjoy. And, if I give it anything less, my nephew just might clobber me...

Fantastic story, great for these turbulent times. Also recommend The Great Hippo Migration, fiction, for kids. William James Reece.

Bought this book for my wife for christmas. She heard the story on the news and really wanted to know the whole story.

The well-written book portrays a heart-warming story about friendship. Mzee's love and guidance, along with Owen's resilience, proves that Science can't always explain what brings species together. The book contains factual material, as partially told by the general manager of Haller Park, Dr. Paula Kahumbu. Photographer Peter Greste brings this story to life with his photos that capture all the main events leading to the remarkable friendship of Owen and Mzee. Further, they capture the amazing bond the two share. The pictures do a well job of telling the story. The vocabulary of the story is geared towards an average intermediate reading level, and can easily be modified to tend to a younger audience's level of understanding. Following the story are maps with facts about Kenya and Malindi, as well as facts on hippopotami and aldabra tortoises. The last section of the book also further discusses the aftermath of the 2004 tsunami. Lastly, this wonderful addition includes websites where teachers and parents can download discussion guides and take a virtual visit of Haller Park. This is a must for any parent and/or teacher to share with students of all ages.

The story of Mzee and Owen is a beautifully written story of two friends. The message of friendship and the bond of love shared between two souls makes this a must read for all ages.

This book has the annointing of the Holy Spirit and is an amazing devotion for those going through the trials and tribulations that occur in Spiritual Growth.

I purchased this devotional because it is used by my pastor and others in my Church. It is filled with substance and thought-provoking insights to help a person grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ.

This has to be the best devotional book I've ever bought. Each morning, I look forward to reading in it along with my Bible scripture. I plan to buy several copies to give to my friends. It's a treasure!

This is one of the best devotionals I've gone through. I started it in January and am almost done. It's goes pretty deep and that's what I like about it. This one I ordered for a friend. I would recommend it to all.

This is an amazing devotional book, not only because of it's content, but because of how it relates. Currently my sister and I have been reading this devotional while we've been at college, my father is reading it while he's deployed, and my mother while she's at home. I find it to be a book that relates to many different generations, bring fresh insights for all. I very highly recommend this book.

American children went missing before and after Adam Walsh, but his was the first to gain national media attention. His parents were likable, educated and well-spoken, and Adam was kidnapped from the safest place anyone could ever imagine, from inside a Sears department store. The Walsh family's story could have been any American family's story. I remember seeing the original news stories, and the national TV interview of John and Reve Walsh, on the same morning that their son's headless body was found in a Florida canal.

The true story that John Walsh tells is about a family nearly torn apart by the senseless murder of a little boy, and the anger and rage that they turned into positive action and change, establishing the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and later, becoming host of the TV show America's Most Wanted, which has brought home missing children and helped police to solve murders and bring killers to justice.

The murder of his own child remains unsolved, but Walsh believes that he knows the identity of the killer, a homeless drifter who later died in prison, where he was serving time for crimes unrelated to the murder of Adam Walsh.

I've never read a book so gripping or heart wrenching. My condolences to you and your family Mr. Walsh; my heart breaks for you.

John Walsh has decided he is the voice for victims everywhere. The problem is, fewer and fewer people want him to be. Why? Because of things like this book.

He seems to ignore reality in favor of what he wants us to think.

I agree that this book is very sad and heart breaking. I can only begin to feel the sadness and heart break that this man and his wife went through. This book reveal that. I could only somewhat feel his pain because I have never been through it. This book proves that something good can come out of tragic happenings.

This book is more political then I thought. This man has accomplished a lot Worth the buy.

AS A MAN YOUR NOT SUPPOSED TO CRY, BUT I DID, READING WHAT HAPPENED TO HIS SON AND THINKING OF MY OWN SON I JUST COULDNT HELP IT! ITS A GREAT BOOK AND MAKES YOU WONDER WHAT YOU WOULD DO IF IT HAPPENED TO YOU!

Wise Child, a spoiled girl orphaned by the death of her grandmother and abandoned by her gorgeous and powerful witch mother, is taken in by the village witch and healer, Juniper. Wise Child quickly overcomes her fears and--despite the hard work--becomes Juniper's protégé. Wise Child is stuck between the pull of the easy life with her powerful mother and the love and satisfaction of life with Juniper. This simple and magical tale is powerful because of the beautiful prose and the well-drawn and fascinating characters. Wise Child's voice is clear and powerful. Grade: A-

Wise Child was one of my favorite books growing up. It is a simple, but powerful story that is really enjoyable for young adults and regular old adults. The characters are very unique and compelling. Monica Furlong has a great writing style that is enjoyable in itself.

Furlong's novel, set in medieval Scotland, is a hidden jewel, well-written and extremely descriptive. Wise Child's narration, though perhaps a little mature for her age, is believable and poignant, and the novel proceeds well from one event to the next. The author's portrayal of magic is unique and genuine, and historical details add credibility to the novel. I would definitely recommend this likable novel for all ages; 10/10.

There aren't any good books anymore; that's what I thought before Wise Child. This is my favorite book, it is so detailed that I could see the village and the white house in my mind.
The book starts off excellent; explaining what is going on.
It gets a tad slow at the very end, but I don't mind.
The cover is so beautiful as well; because you can see Junipers kindness right there.
Wise Child is great and I reccomend it for anyone!!!!!

One of my favorite books from my childhood and still a joy to reread, Wise Child is the story of one magical child's coming of age. Spoiled but abandoned at a young age, Wise Child is taken in my a woman named Juniper. Juniper lives apart from the small, poor Christian village that Wise Child comes from, and she is a fair but tough mentor, making Wise Child work hard and learn much. In her house on a hill, Juniper teaches Wise Child languages, math, and astronomy, how to grow, harvest, and use herbs, and how to heal the sick in the village below. Slowly, Juniper begins to initiate Wise Child into the way of a doran, a class of magical women who live in the rhythm of nature and use their magic to help those around them. Wise Child's powers blossom, but dark shadows hang over her peaceful life with Juniper: her beautiful, powerful, dangerous mother calls to her from afar, and the close-minded town threatens their safety up on the hill. The book is a magical story of the hard work of coming of age and the love and power than can result from it. Wise Child must find confidence in herself, faith in her future and her powers, and love for her others in order to grow, creating a life-affirming, strong, true message. Furlong's writing style is smooth, her characters are easy to identity with and to love, and the magic in her story is both realistic and exciting. I highly recommend this book to readers of all age groups, and I love coming back to it myself.

The best thing that a coming of age story can do is show us not only the trails and tribulations of adolescence but also the good things about it and the wonders that we reap from it. This book does exactly that. In Juniper's house, Wise Child works hard, learns to do things she doesn't necessarily want to do, and is tested, but her abilities and successes are also celebrated. Juniper is perhaps the idea parent-figure: she coaches, supports, loves, but also forces Wise Child to be strong and stand on her own two feet. As such, Wise Child's story is easy to identify with but also uplifting and promising--the reader comes away knowing that they are not alone in their difficulties, but also that there is something to be gained from it all. The balance between sacrifice and gain is perfect, making this a wonderful read for adolescents and the still-maturing of all age.

Not only is the basis of the story a strong one, the actual aspects of it, including characterization, writing style, and details such as the role of magic are all incredibly well done. Juniper is a mysterious, open-hearted, independent woman, a real role model and inspiring character. Wise Child is realistically selfish and doubtful, but also shows realistic growth and strength that the reader can imitate. Wise Child's POV is in character without being limited, aggravating, or immature, and the overall writing style is smooth, clean, and incredibly fluid and easy to read. The role of magic in the story is well thought out: Furlong makes it quite clear, through Juniper, that there are different realms of what it means to be "real," and her conception of magic manages to make sense in the visible world while still containing enough fantasy and originality to sweep the reader away. Truly this is a skillful book, perhaps the most skillful that Furlong as written. In holds up well when reread and works well for any audience.

I highly recommend Wise Child. To the adolescent, it is a story they can identify with and be inspired by; to those chronically out of adolescence, it is a way to look back and reassess our own journeys, and also a reminder than learning, maturity, and increasing strength is a never ending, never easy, entirely worthwhile journey. The book is a quick read, engrossing, and enjoyable. I'm happy to own it and return to reread it every year or two.

CHILD OF THE HUNT

Christopher Golden & Nancy Holder (1998)

RATING: 5/5 Stakes

SETTING: Season Three

TV CHARACTER APPEARANCES: Buffy, Joyce, Giles, Xander, Willow, Oz, Cordelia, Angel, Sheila Rosenberg, Xander's Dad, Xander's Mom, Ira Rosenberg, Cordelia's Dad

MAJOR ORIGINAL CHARACTERS: Connie DeMarco, Brian Anderson (runaways); Liz DeMarco, Jamie Anderson (runaways' parents); Erl King (villain); Lucy Hanover (ghostly Slayer); Roland (Erl King's son); "Robin Hood", "King Richard" (sorcerers)

BACK-OF-THE-BOOK SUMMARY: "Jousting contests, human chess matches, lords and ladies and beggars . . . a traveling Renaissance fair has come to Sunnydale. The fair may seem terminally uncool, but Buffy and her friends are charmed anyway. Especially by a sad-eyed boy named Roland, who serves as the court jester. Unfortunately, the people from the fair are not the only visitors in Sunnydale. Roaming the countryside are nasty little creatures with a taste for flesh: the dark faerie. They are minions of the Wild Hunt, servants of the evil Erl King. Buffy's challenge is to annihilate the king and his murderous horde. But the path to his destruction leads straight to Roland, who is not quite human . . . and destined to become the Slayer's mortal adversary."

REVIEW

Child of the Hunt was the first Pocket Books adult Buffy novel, following the early Archway series of "young adult" novels. The change in tone and length serves the novel well, as Child of the Hunt is able, like many early Buffy episodes, to discuss a real problem facing youth (in this case, runaway teens) through the context of a supernatural crisis.

The main villain of the story is the Erl King (also known as Hern the Hunter), a mythological entity who leads the Wild Hunt, a murderous pack of demons which kills some humans but sweeps up the lonely, the depressed, the suicidal, and others in the throes of misery to join the cause before moving on.

The theme of the novel is parents and their children, and we get to see, at least, briefly, scenes with each of the Scooby's parents--some of whom have never been portrayed on screen, like Willow's and Cordelia's fathers. Written and set near the beginning of Season Three, the story benefits and integrates Buffy's decision to run away from Sunnydale at the end of Season Two.

The authors (Golden & Holder) deliver their usual excellent characterization of the Buffy cast, but what makes this novel really stand-out is the portrayal of the supporting characters: the runaway teens and their parents. Unlike the supporting characters in most Buffy novels, these aren't generic victims or bystanders--they each have a real personality and a role to play in the story. In addition, the Erl King has some real weight as a villain with the incorporation of real-worth myth.

Not much more needs to be said. Child of the Hunt combines a real-world problem, an interesting fictional menace, and great writing. The result is an excellent novel, worth picking up at any used bookstore.

(c) 2008 Jeremy Patrick (jhaeman@hotmail.com)

Jhaeman's Buffy Reviews: [...]

I was skeptical about reading any book based on a TV show, but this one was very well-thought out. The characters stayed true to their television depictions in a whole new and very interesting story. I recommend this for any Buffy fan.

does anybody else get why this book gets two diffrent covers? the one shown here (brown with xander, buffy and angel) and the one with buffy and a demon? their both about the fair.... so someone please explain.... AND is there any other buffy the vampire slayer books with altertive covers?
if you like "little things" the buffy book with spike of the cover, you must be a dark faerie fan so you'll love this book
p.s chistopher golded and nancy holder rock, buy anything with there names on
love ya D

By now it is quite clear that Christopher Golden and Nancy Holder write the best "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" novels, both collectively ("The Gatekeeper Trilogy") and individually ("The Lost Slayer" and "The Book of Fours" respectively). This is not just because they are good writers but because they thoroughly understand both the characters and the mythos of the Slayer, which they prove in this early collaboration. Even though the stories are set in Sunnydale, Golden and Holder have a keen appreciation for the Old World-ness of the Slayer's world. This is not just a question of Giles coming from England, Angel from Ireland and Jenny from the land of the gypsies, but rather a recognition that when you are talking about ancient evil you have to skip across the ocean because that is where our sense of vampires, demons and things that go bump in the night originates. "Child of the Hunt" represents this sensibility quite nicely.

Buffy and her cohorts are enjoying a traveling Renaissance fair that has come to Sunnydale, but while they enjoy most of what they see they do not like the way the visitors treat Roland, their court jester. That is not the only significant development in town, for roaming the countryside are the minions of the Wild Hunt, in the service of the Erl King and with a taste for flesh. Of course there is a strange and terrible secret that links Roland to the eerie visitors. The Slayer wants to get involved, but Buffy must beware the awful curse, which dictates that no one can see the face of the leader of the Wild Hunt and live. Unless, that is, they join the hunt and take an oath to serve the Erl King.

This is not a story about the end of life as we know it, like a Buffy season finale or Golden and Holder's justly celebrated Gatekeeper Trilogy, but then that is not the point. This is a more intimate story, where Buffy is fighting to save Roland more so than she is to stop the Erl King. Consequently, there is a complexity here that she just do not find in your average Buffy the Vampire Slayer novel. This is a serious story, with less of the humorous lines and cultural allusions than you find in most Buffy novels (usually to excess, I must add), that captures the spirit of ancient, Old World evil that provides such a provocative counterpoint to the essentially Post-Modern Slayer (there's a dissertation topic if ever I heard one). Actually, all you need to know is that if you like "BtVS" then you should just read any of the original novels or guides that have either Golden and/or Holder's names on them. There is ample reason to believe they are genetically incapable of writing anything less than a great one.

This was my first Buffy the Vampire Slayer Book. I read it before I even watched the show, the plot just seemed good to me so I bought it, and little did I know I was about to become a Buffy Fanatic. It starts off with Buffy and this hunt that goes through the town and they take people capture. All the rest I can say is "WOW" I'd give this book 10 stars if I could. Even if you are not a fan of Buffy the Vampire Slayer Book you should pick this one up.

P.S. Christopher Golden and Nancy Holder are the best Buffy writers in the series.

While I thought this was something of a filler novel, it was still fun for those who appreciate a space twist.

In this book, the Animorphs and Ax morph misquitoes to get blood from a govermental official the Yeerks will try to infest so they can aquire him. They end up in Z-space and an Andalite ship picks them up. The ship is headed for Leera (remember book 15) and the pilot turns out to be a tratior! One of the officers kills the captain and self-distructs the ship, because it landed behind enemy lines. The Animorphs start disapering. Two have disapered by the time they reach the sea. The remaning Animorphs morph sharks and go into the ocean. Finally Ax and one remaning Animorphs are on a mission to destroy some Yeerk thing. Only Ax is left and he does it. What will happen next? Read the book to find out!

For a good synapsis of the actual story, I suggest you read the reviews before mine. They give an excellent overall idea of the story, so I don't want to repeat it in this review, as well.

As another outlook of someone way over the target audience, I've been reviewing the Animorphs for other adults who might be curious. This is another very well written and interesting story which introduces us to the earlier mentioned Leeran race which the Yeerks were attempting to make shark controllers for. Ax faces some very tough decisions in this particular story. Although the main theme is action packed alongside humor, we again have a story about a very lonely young boy who is growing up to fill the shoes (or hooves, as it were) of an older brother who was a legend, serve his people according to his beliefs, and yet where does that put him with the humans, who are almost a foster family? His loyalties are put to the ultimate test when he faces fellow Andalites, who are mortified to think humans have been given the morphing technology. The secret shame of the Andalites in unleashing the Yeerks on the galaxy because of a well-meaning Andalite has made the race very strict about offering anything to another race ever again. Ax was forced with the burden of accepting responsibility for giving the Animorphs their power to keep Elfangor's name cleared so his people can have a hero to look up to in a dark time of war in an earlier book. He has to face that again, this time to his own people, who he's wanted to see for a very long time. Ax also finds himself tail to tail with Visser Three once again, leaving the young cadet to wonder about fear, how to overcome it, and the real meaning of a coward. All of this is rolled into an exciting story about the Animorphs finding themselves swept up into a war between Yeerks and Leerans on a far distant planet due to a Z-Space fluke and a tiny morph. Ax's loyalties are questioned by himself, but also by the rest of the Animorphs. Is he one of them, or isn't he? What is he, really, Andalite or in his hearts, partially human? Ax is able to find his peace by the end of the story, and learns some very harsh realities about his own people, himself, and the world around him.

Animorphs: The Decision By K.A. Applegate

Ax is an andalite stuck on earth because of the horrible Visser Three, a monstrous Yeerk that is the only one to control an andalite's body. Visser Three destroys the andalite dome ship and kills Ax's brother, Elfangor. Now Ax is left with the task of avenging his brother's death and helping his human friends to beat the Yeerks and save Earth. I think the story was excellent and really portrays being a newcomer to a new place.

In this book you will find a new twist on the Z Space Theory. Hint: Just keep in mind how small mosquitoes really are. If you're into aliens you'll love this book. Psychics can be a problem when you're trying to keep a secret. If you're an Animorphs fan you definately need this book.

Book 1: Has anyone ever wondered about the things in the shadows? Has anyone ever guessed that there is a shadow world right next to ours? That's what Jenny Thornton finds out on her boyfriend's birthday. She buys a game to play at his party. Before Jenny and her friends quite realize what is happening, they are in the game, and the game is real! They only have till dawn to get out...otherwise, Julian, the shadow man that brought them there will keep Jenny forever.

In Book 2, Julian is back again. But this time the game is lambs and monsters...

In Book 3 the game continues, but as a treasure hunt.

This is such a great series. One of my favorite parts of the series is seeing the characters grow and become stronger as time passes. It is interesting too, to realize that the strongest is also the weakest, and that there are some things that can quickly change your life forever.

I've had the trilogy for over 10 years now and to me, this is the most vivid and powerful of LJ Smith's writing. I've read quite a lot of books in my life time (thousands let's say) and still this one remains fresh in my mind--and for one reason. Julian.

His yearning for something that was never meant to be his, the very direct opposite of what he is. He was her enemy but he loved her so very much. Like most of the readers here, I wondered what the heck Jenny was thinking in chosing Tom? I know LJ Smith made a good effort at pitching Tom as the right choice but I still don't think anyone could have been better then Julian.

Julian loved Jenny more, and in loving her, became something other then the creature he was born as. He transcended what he was, risked all for a chance to love and for that, he is my all time favorite hero. He was never a villan to me, even when he was being cruel.

I REALLY hope that LJ Smith will write a story about Julian and not make it a young adult or teen book. I think his story needs to be told. I think he deserves a happy ending. Now that she is writing again, I read in her blog that writing a adult story about Julian is a possibility. I urge everyone to write to her publishers and demand it. More then any of her other stories, this is the one that needs to be written.

So overall - loved it! Loved it! Loved it!

This book made me love L.J. Smith. It's so wonderful. It has adventure, love, and excitment! A perfect book for teens and young adults. The whole set is nice because you read straight through. You pick up exactly where you left off. You can't put it down, you want to read and read until you get to the end! You just have to read it for yourself.

And even now that I would technically constitute as a real adult, I still love this book, and all of L.J. Smith's work.

Smith weaves together a tale that is fantastic--in the old sense. Like fantasy--and suspenseful. She creates a Shadow World by taking pieces of legend from different mythologies and blending them expertly with her own ideas.

Her characters, while at first seem a little flat or one sided (Tom the handsom, confident jock; Zack the withdrawn, introvert artist; Audrey the diva socialite), do grow through these three novels, and they become a little more multifaceted. Toward the end, even Julian the antagonist develops some. But most of the character development seems to center around Jenny. Fitting, I suppose, since she is the main character.

Smith does have a problem with tags. Tags, for anyone unfamiliar with the term, is a word or phrase used in association with a character to help the reader remember who s/he is, what s/he looks like, or how s/he typically acts. Tags are great, but when overused, they tend to get distracting, and even a bit annoying. By the middle of the first book, it was drilled into my head that Audrey has "spiky copper bangs" and that Michael runs a hand "through his rumpled dark hair" a LOT. Smith could have improved her writing by coming up with a few different phrases for each character, and alternating between them so the reader doesn't come across the same ones over and over.

I still gave this collection of the three novels five stars because its pros far outweigh its cons. The plots are original and exciting. I read the books maybe once a year, and it's a joy every time. In an age where teen fiction is rapidly turning toward the fantastic, influcenced by things like Harry Potter, L.J. Smith has provided today's teens and young adults with some outstanding literature.

I would be hard pressed to pick one of L.J. Smith's leading guys as my favorite, but Julien was and still is one of the most intriguing leads in all the books I have ever read. This book has it all, romance and intrigue, drama and suspense. But best of all, unlike a lot of the YA fiction that is out there it actually will keep you up at night wondering about who might be standing over your bed. The antagonist/protagonist(because by the end of the book, your rooting for our boy)is a wonderful mix of persuasion and force, and the Shadow race is enough to send chills and goosbumps over every inch of your back. And though the ending is sad and not what you might expect, it is not your same cut-and-dried happily ever after. This book leaves you with that question you always thought after you read a book that really strikes a cord in you "What happens next?"
And I don't know about you, but that is what makes a great book for me. Lets put it this way...the first time I read this book I was fifteen, and I am now 25 and buying it here on amazon. Ten years is a good reference for a book I'd think!

If you like adventures, this is the book for you! Deltora Quest is an adventure, mystery, and fantasy book. It is about a 13 year old boy, Leif, that is trying to protect his home town, Del, that has been captured by a person who calls himself "The Shadow Lord." The Shadow Lord has taken the gems from a belt called "The Belt of Deltora." The belts gems each have powers of protecting the city. Each gem has a secret power for the person wearing it. The gems have been scattered all over the land in scary places! Leif has to find all the gems to protect the city.
If you want to find out what happens read it for your self. The reason I like it is because you never know what is going to happen next! Your prediction might be way different!

I spent years avoiding these books--I honestly prejudged them as another lousy boyish fantasy.

But though they are simple and written to kids, the book is great writing and great characterization that can be read in an hour, if you want.

The land is Deltora, a once-peaceful place where the weakening monarchy has finally been overthrown by a lord of darkness.

A young boy named Lief and his guardian Barda take on a quest to find the heir to the throne and save the land. It's an exciting introduction into a fabulous series covered in puzzles and imagination.

DELTORA QUEST are a fantastic book series for juvenile readers, filled with action and magic and adventure. THE FORESTS OF SILENCE is anything but silent. It absolutely SCREAMS fine work and captivates readers on the first page. The Shadow Lord is a non-appearing villain in this book, much like the main villains in LORD OF THE RINGS and ERAGON & ELDEST, but Rodda makes up for it easily with Gorl the evil knight, the sinister Grey Guards and who could forget the absolutely wicked Prandine. This book is a true modern classic and will and should be remembered for years.

This is absolutely one of the best series. Sure they are short books. There are 15 books in all. The main story is Leif and his friends Barda and Jasmine have to go on a very important mission to save all of Deltora. I'm not going to give any of the plot away though!

I was rather surprised to see so many positive reviews of this book, but I guess I'm not the standard in this case.

When I bought this book I had never heard of Deltora Quest or Emily Rodda before and the only reason I paid money for it was because I wanted to read a marginally written children's fantasy. But this has nothing to do with my taste in books.

As I read it, I became increasingly embarrassed by the writing. The book's pace was unsettlingly quick so by page fifty the characters were already grown up and had families. It's meant as a children's story so the book is given some allotment of cheesiness, but it's taken to another level with the constant barrage of cliched phrases and cookie-cutter characters that are just plain boring. To be honest, it read like an unskilled preteen's idea of fantasy with a plot line thought up during third period math class.

The majority of my problem with this book doesn't lie with the plot because any plot can be made interesting with some crafty writing. This book didn't have crafty writing. The dialogue was weak at best and the occasional attempt at dated language was painful. The zooming plot line mixed with the excruciating descriptions make it hard to read.

I suppose in the end I got what I wanted, thus the two stars, but this book just isn't that good. Yes, it's a children's book and any child would like it, but even children deserve some quality writing and for a seasoned writer, this shouldn't be considered a huge success.

This is an excellent book by Mo Willems again! Second only to "Don't Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late" in our house, this funny comedy act between the Pigeon and the duckling is classic. Learn how they becomes friends and why sharing is fun in this book.

Another awesome Pigeon book.

He's now officially a member of our family. We've adopted him. And now my husband and child walk around saying, "It's a taste sensation" all the time.

This isn't one of the pigeon books where you talk back to the pigeon. Instead, the pigeon talks to the Special Guest Star - the Duckling!

My nieces (aged 5 and 2.5) can literally recite this one by heart. And they will! Oh, they will. They love every page of it, and if that's not a good recommendation, I don't know what is!

They even (especially) love the inside covers. On the front inside cover there's a lot of hot dogs, but on the *back* inside cover one of the hot dogs has been cut in half - just like the pigeon cuts his hot dog in half to share it with the duckling!

THE PIGEON FINDS A HOT DOG! is another installment in saga of the Pigeon, and this time he wants to eat a hot dog. In fact, the Pigeon is about to eat his favorite dish, a mouth-watering, delicious hot dog, when the Duckling appears. The Duckling, a new character to the Pigeon books, says he has never had a hot dog, and, not so innocently, sets about trying to get the Pigeon tell him more and more about hot dogs. The Pigeon gets VERY frustrated, going off on one of his famous rants, while the Ducking just sits there, looking sweet and naïve. So that he can finally eat his coveted hot dog, the Pigeon does the only thing he can do to get the Duckling to stop interrupting him...he shares his hot dog.

Author Mo Willems has done it again, spectacularly, with this one. THE PIGEON FINDS A HOT DOG! teaches a fine lesson about sharing, one that my three year old understood immediately. She loves to tell the Pigeon that he should share with the Duckling, and she is very happy every time he does. We also love seeing the Pigeon express a gamut of emotions as he reaches this decision. Mom acts them all out, and the wee one thinks this is hysterically funny. "Do it again, Mom-Mom!" is a familiar cry.

Kids are drawn to these books because the Pigeon, and, in this case, the Duckling, reacts just like they would. The illustrations are clever and very expressive, and it is clear exactly what the Pigeon is feeling. The other day, my child was quite angry. I said, "Hey, you've got smoke coming out of your ears, you must be really angry." She started giggling and said, "Just like the Pigeon, Mommy," and the impending melt-down was adverted.

I highly recommend THE PIGEON FINDS A HOT DOG! for anyone, but most especially for those who are already Pigeon fans.

This is one of those books that tells a story with just the pictures. If you have a small child, you are 'explaining' the pictures and adding these words in that is all dialog. At 8pm, I don't want to make up a story around a book. I want to read a book to my kid.

Although the illustrations are cute, I still wish there was more narrative.