Baby Books

I love this book, it has to be my favorite book of all time. Abby is the new girl in town and she moved her from Long Island with her mom and twin sis, Anna.

Anyways Abby is made to write a bio about her life for English. I seriously think this is the best one out of the Portrait Collection. Abby is so down to earth, humorous, and down right honest it's hard not to like her.

There are painful siturations in the book such as the details of her father's death, and the way she and her family handled it. It was with such honestly, you felt for Abby really bad espeically if you lost someone you truly and honestly love.

The hightlights of the book were whenever her family decided to go to Florida for Winter Break, and they althrough started out in seperate ways, but ended up retelling their favorite holiday stories, and creating new ways to celebrate the holidays together as a new family.

If you haven't read this book you should have. You will not be dissappointed. The way the book was written you find it hard not to like Abby especially after all the tragic situration her and her family had to endure, makes her a winner in all levels.

The book has some parts which are funny and sad. Abby tells us how she was born and how she lived on Long Island.

This book was so sad, it went into alot of detail about Abby's dad's death and how her mum never really gets over it (well, thats my impression) and how and how she went through everything. You really start to feel bad for Abby in the end! Read it if you like serious books, but not if you dont!

This book is the best, since Abby's the best baby-sitter! I really miss her in the new series, Friends Forever! I wish that there was a real person like Abby, so I could meet her! Please write some more regular BSC books, Ann, I really miss Abby!

Abby is, without question, my favorite member of the BSC series. (Yes, folks, the BSC has a following of ALL ages). Abby is smart, funny, wonderfully clever and gifted with natural expression. She's great! I like the way she tells her story in a tone of unflinching honesty and the part about the deep bond she and her dad have is classic. I also loved the way Abby's twin, Anna used musical terms to name the chapters of her version of their lives together. The sisters balance one another well. Abby is a very distinct personality and she is sorely missed in the new series. I wish Ann M. Martin would bring her back. Abby rocks!

I absolutely love this book. It is my new favorite in my child/parenting collection. I was astounded to see the amount of research that has been done which validates the principles of attachment parenting and provides valuable information about allergens. The material about dairy is priceless - it's made me decide to go dairy free, especially since I am currently nursing. I'll be getting a copy of this book for any friends and family who get pregnant! I can't recommend it enough. I wish every single parent in the country had a copy.

I read an interview with the author in Mothering Magazine that I really enjoyed and decided to look for the book. I was especially hoping for some more information about starting solid foods and using formula until 18 months in children weaned before then that the author spoke about in the interview. However, I found this book to be more of an academic explanation of attachment parenting. It actually seemed more geared towards medical professionals (ironic considering the title, I know) than parents. Well written and from the attachment parenting perspective I sought--just a bit too hefty for me.

This book is great, I find it to be a very very useful addition to my baby "how-to-parent" library.

Before I ever had a baby, I wondered why the US has such an abysmal infant mortality rate. According to the CIA factbook, the US ranked 42 worldwide in 2008, with a rate three times higher than the lowest countries. The US also has some of the highest rates of adult psychological disorders like sleep problems, ADHD, depression and PTSD.

This book reviews the vast amount of research suggesting that much of the problem is attributable to "unnatural" infant care practices promoted by US pediatricians in the 20th century. These include formula feeding, scheduled feeding, placing the infant prone in a crib in a separate room at night, removing infants from their mothers shortly after birth, and many more.

I almost never recommend a book without any reservations, and in this case I have to say that I think she overstates the case slightly in a few places. That is to say, although I agree with 98% of her conclusions, only 90% of them are actually proved by the studies she discusses. Nevertheless, if read with a tiny grain of salt, there is no other book that gives the argument so well, so I am comfortable rating it five stars.

Despite the quote on the cover, this not a book about Attachment Parenting but rather (we might say) "Natural Parenting". There is a lot of overlap in the two philosophies, but attachment is just one aspect of Natural Parenting.

The practical message of the book is that it is almost always best for your baby (and you) to follow your instincts and thousands of years of history, and care for your baby the way nature intended.

This has become my parenting bible. When nothing worked to cure my baby of his colic and his reduced nursing, pulling at the breast and coming off constantly while screaming and crying, this book helped me get to the ROOT of the problem and not just cover up the symptoms. It CURED his colic! My doctor once told me if I gave her the cure for colic, she'd be a millionaire and if I had a million dollars, I would have given it up for the information contained in this book!

Not only did it contain information that I had never read in any of the other great AP books that I have, but it pointed me in the direction of other under-recognized topics and a glossary of AMAZING books that opened my eyes to the world.

I actually purchased a bunch of these books out of my own pocket, and I'm on social assistance, and gave them away to women whom I saw had children with colic and other symptoms of food allergies. I also gave some away to parents who were letting their newborns cry their poor little hearts out in strollers and car seats while shopping at the mall.

I know this book will help anyone who has enough sense to read it!

Daughter loves this book. We read it at least everyday and it was in perfect condition when received.

This book is a great way to introduce children to the subject of opposites. Fred and Ted like to play different musical instruments. They like different foods. They drive different colored cars. They are even different sizes.

The problem ensues when, after a day of skiing, Fred and Ted rent rooms at a hotel and discover that their beds are unsuitable. Fred and Ted meet to discuss a solution to their situation. After they fail to arrive at reasonable solution, a wily bird resolves their problem. Fred and Ted go back to the hotel to enjoy a peaceful sleep.

I like the simplicity of the story. As a fun alternative, you might consider asking your child to try to find a solution to Fred and Ted's problem before reading the ending.

Like many of the other reviewers, this was a favorite story of mine as a child back in the 70's. I am THRILLED that it is still in print and, (judging from the reviews here on Amazon), has a strong "following." The sweetness of the story is in its simplicity. I have already bought one copy as a gift, and I intend to spread the word of 'Big Dog, Little Dog' as gifts in the future as well.

It is a great book for children. My daughter is now 21 years old and is pregnant with our first grandchild. We used to read this book to her as a child. Along the way I misplaced the book, and she wanted another copy to read to her child. Her dad nicknamed her "Fred" after one of the characters in this book.

My son received this book on his third birthday - in 1977. My three year old grandson recently discovered the tattered and torn copy that I had saved. He immediately fell in love with it and proudly annouces that it is "Daddy's favorite book." I'm not sure which "boy" will be more excited when the new copy arrives but in the meantime it has brought back a flood of memories for this Grandma. What a joy!

this book was amazing.Because"claudia and the terrible truth"is about when claudia is baby-sitting Nate and Joey Nicholls and she found out that Mr.Nicholls has been abusing them.This book touched really my heart and I recommend it to all of you out there!

When Claudia baby sits for the new clients, Nate and Joey are nice, well behaved boys but Mr. Nicholls yells at his two childrens and also yells at Mr. Nicholls. Then later, Mr. Nicholls will tell a story to why he's been like that it's so sad!

I really liked CLAUIDA AND THE TERRIBLE TRUTH. I felt really sorry for Nate and Joey because they get abused by their father. It is a very good book so defenetely read it! I gave it 5 stars because it dealt with a very big issue in the world and not many books do that.
Keep up the good work Ann and you will have even more readers in the UK!!!

Hi! My name is Sadira Jewelsten! I�ve read BSC books since I was eight until I was seventeen. I really enjoyed �Claudia and the Terrible Truth�. It brought about a very sensitive subject in a way that kids and teens alike would be able to understand it.

It all begins when the BSC receives a new client who isn�t all he seems.
Claudia finds this out when she is assigned to baby-sit Joey and Nate and discovers a horrible secret about their home life-Nate and Joey are being abused by their father.
The boys first lie to Claudia about where they�ve gotten some of the bruises that Claudia is able to see, but later, Claudia-unseen by the father-witnesses it from a hiding place on the stairs. She doesn�t� know what to do at first, but then she does the right thing and tells her mother.
Ann m. Martin definitely has a way of bringing her readers into the story. I felt like I was right there with Claudia, feeling exactly as nervous and confused as she stood on the stairs and heard the loud slap of the boys being hit. That�s how powerful it was.
For anyone who is looking for a book that brings up a the subject of abusie in a way that really opens your eyes to it, I highly recommend �Claudia and the Terrible Truth�.

I enjoyed Claudia and the Terrible Truth. She starts sitting for new clients, the Nicholls. Nate and Joey are nice, well behaved boys, but they seem too jumpy and nervous. Claudia doesn't like the way Mr. Nicholls yell at the boys and his wife. He seems to have harsh rules like no talking at the dinnertable and no stuffed animals and bedtime stories. He says stuffed animals are childish and the boys are 8 and 5. Nate admitted to Claudia that their father threw away their stuffed animals given by their mother! He even threw a huge fit over a peanut butter jar left by Claudia on the counter. BIG DEAL! It's nothing to make war about, it's not like Claudia and the boys trashed the kitchen. Claudia notices that he verbally abuses Nate, Joey, and Mrs. Nicholls. The boys got all nervous about grass stains and paint stains at a parade meeting. I mean, they're kids and they deserve to play. Your childhood is short and that's what washing machines are for! The boys even got severly punished because Joey touched his father's briefcase! He didn't break it or mess up the stuff in it. Even though Nate didn't do anything, he was punished along with Joey and they had to scrub down the house while Claudia supervised and were banned from the parade meeting, tv, snack, and friends. Then Claudia heard Mr. Nicholls holler about his paper being in the recycle bin and smacked Joey hard. She decided to tell her mom about it and the boys and mother were removed from the house and went to live with relatives. At least they were safe from that evil jerk. I disagree with the reader from Maryland. Claudia never mentioned about never being smacked by her parents. She mentioned that she and her sister were never raised hell at by their parents like Mr. Nicholls did with his boys. It's okay to be firm with your kids and discipline them when they do something wrong, but abuse is not okay. Mr. Nicholls was very dominating and abusive. He reminded me of a Nazi. He took inventory of every crumb of food in the house and wanted everything obsessively neat and perfect in the house. Only robots could be perfectly neat.Anyways, I give this book a 10.

This is a fantastic little song that carries so much more personality than the words as a mother tries to get the local wildlife to quiet whilst her baby sleeps. The verses are repetitive, but still lovely and unique to each animal. Another great feature is the stunning illustrations that carry on the story behind the singing mother's back. Charming, sweet, and hilarious.

I enjoy exposing my children to different cultures. This book is a simple and wonderful way to show children life in a small village in Thailand. A mother is trying to put her baby to sleep. The indigenous animals make noise, and the mother hushes each of them.

There is onomatopoeia as each animal makes its own unique sound. The rhymes flow soothingly, and the repetitive phrases let the kids participate in the "reading" of the book.

My only criticism is that some of the animal noises are not very soothing if the book is being used as a bedtime story. As the book progresses (and the children get sleepier), the animals become progressively louder. The book does end on a calming note, but sometimes my kids get worked up by the animal sounds, and the bedtime story has the opposite affect.

My 22 month old son loves many books, but this one has been a stand-out since the first read. He keeps asking for it "again" at the ending and has started to take it to bed with him. I was initially surprised, but now I also love the rhythmic pace and gentle story.

My husband is from Thailand and we were having a hard time finding books that were for children with Thai themes. This was perfect. Our 1 year old son enjoys the colorful pages and the story is just the right length. I actually enjoy all childrens books by this author.

The little ones I read this to absolutely delight in the gentle, rolling rhythms of Hush! It's become a pre-nap favorite in their house.

This is an absolutely charming story set in England before the war. The Linnet children are sent to live with their staid grandmother after their mother dies and their father is away in the army. Grandmother is too strict to abide, so the children steal a pony cart to make their escape. And so their adventures begin, when the pony "delivers" them to the home of an old, grumpy man who agrees to let them spend the night.

This wonderful story is the very first book I ever owned and I never forgot the feelings of magic and wonder that I experienced reading it for the first time. Even now, as a grandmother sharing the story with grandchildren, I SO want to believe that Ezra talks to bees and that all can be right with the world.

I highly recommend this book to young and old alike!

Beautifully done story that starts off with the Linnet children running away. The story has an air of mystery and magic to it, that might or might not be.

This enjoyable tale is about 4 children who, separated from their father by war, end up spending the summer with an elder, bachelor, uncle. At the home of their uncle they have frightful adventures that ultimately lead to the redemption of the entire town. The book is well-written and could be appealing to both girls and boys. The book might require approximately a [...] reading level. It is a relaxing, entertaining read for those who enjoy Children's Literature.

This book begins as a delightful Victorian-style children's adventure. However, about halfway through the book, it turns to witches and witchcraft, evil spells, and an oblivious or helpless clergyman. I am glad that I proofread it before I was going to read it to my children. I will definitely be getting rid of this book.

I first read this book as a pre-teen. Then reread it again and again until the cover began to shred off. The only other books I have read more often are Jane Austin's novels. It is a charming, magical tale, meant to please young children who truly believe in good witches, and the protective nature of bees.

I wanted my grandchildren to understand why they needed to have good manners. This book is fun for them and easy to read.

I bought Manners Can Be Fun for my 2 year old granddaughter. She is too young to understand a lot of it but is enthralled with the pictures. Reading this book to her reminds me that I should always, always teach with actions rather than words because little eyes are watching and a slip in manners, even at home, will have an impact.

This book is as wonderful today as it was years ago! I agree about the missing Burpers - I want them back! But still a wonderful and fun way to instill principles of courtesy in the reader. A wonderful reminder of years gone by and if we are lucky a promise of what we can be in the years ahead. Just be nice to one another! Ann Clarke, author of People Are So Different! based on tolerance and understanding.

Two boys, 5 & 7 can often forget the importance of manners. Being tired of preaching and threatening, I saw this book and thought I'd try it. While they sipped hot chocolate, I read this to them. Neither of them said a word, but were paying complete attention! I couldn't believe it! I wasn't sure my kids would be able to enjoy and/or process this. They did, and I am very pleased with this book. Looking forward to buying all the other editions.

I had Munro Leaf books when I was achild (I am 61 now) and loved them. This is a fabulous book. All kindergarten and first grade classrooms should have this book. It explains why manners are important in a way that children will understand that their life will be better if they use good manners.

This book is really adorable. I can't wait for my 3 year old to fill it out with me. It has really great checklists and places for pictures for your older sibling to fill out.

This is a great product. I have been really worried about how my 3 year old daughter is gonna take being a big sister. She has been very spoiled her whole life. When we got this book in the mail she was so happy. I am only 13 weeks so she has plenty of time to wait until she can use the book but she thought it was really cool. I think this a good idea to keep them involved.

A very cute book. The images are dated but cute. While I think that this book was meant for a younger child, my 6 year old is still excited by it. She thinks that it's great to have a baby book of her own to fill out!

This is a beautiful book that would be a great gift for any big brother or sister. What a wonderful way to encourage love for a younger sibling.

I bought this book for my three kids. It is actually for one child to fill out about the new baby. I have adapted it for all three kids to share. It makes them feel involved and adds to the excitement of the new baby. I think all new brothers and sisters should have this book.

Kimberly McCall's book, Sell it, Baby! is wonderfully refreshing--a pocket-sized guide to marketing your business from A to Z.

Sell it, Baby! includes chapters on marketing, branding, and sales, all written for small-business owners and marketing professionals. I especially like how it's fun to read. McCall also interviews other marketing experts and professionals.

Alexandria K. Brown, "The E-zine Queen," author of Boost Business With Your Own E-zine.

"Sell It, Baby!" has something for every small business owner or marketing professional. Pick and choose from a menu of sales and marketing offerings, everything from "Born Again: How Brands Get a Second Shot at Consumer Love" to "Top Five Traits You Gotta Have to Sell" (my favorite and not just because I'm quoted!)

"Sell It, Baby!" can be read in tasty bites. Pick it up, read an article for information, inspiration or simply because it's well written, then go back to whatever you were doing before. More than likely, however, you'll find yourself quickly returning for another bite!

Wendy Weiss
"The Queen of Cold Calling"

Sell it, Baby! is a quick and enjoyable read filled with real world, practical advice on marketing, branding and sales. It is particularly strong in its sales management advice, clearly drawing from Kimberly's sales management experience. This book addresses the real issues that sales and marketing professionals face day-in and day-out versus the academic theories or models on which many sales and marketing books seem to focus. I highly recommend this book for anyone who is in sales management or aspires to be. I also recommend it for marketers. You will enjoy the read and will learn something that you can apply to your own career success.

Brad VanAuken, author, Brand Aid: An Easy Reference Guide to Solving Your Toughest Branding Problems and Strengthening Your Market

This book is a must for anyone interested in selling, marketing, and/or branding. It provides a structured step-by-step process for applying total brand management to your own product, no matter what it is. The language is clear, the examples get right to the point--and best of all, the book gets right to the point. I personally can't stand books where you have to weed through pages of fluff to get to the part you want to read.

What I also liked is that Kimberly doesn't talk down to the reader. Some people flaunt their expertise, and sound arrogant as they try to give their readers advice. It's grating, and those are the books I usually put down after a few pages, no matter how knowledgeable the author is. But Kimberly has a lively writing style, and appears to enjoy sharing her expertise--without that arrogance or tone of superiority that is often prevalent in these types of books.

It's an unfortunate irony that the field of marketing and communications is littered with so many "how-to" books that are unfocused and unclear. "Sell It, Baby!" provides an antidote - it's a concise collection of marketing tips and tricks that's divided by subject and easy to read. McCall calls herself a business cynic - "think Andy Rooney with lots of hair and a great handbag collection," she says - and how can you resist a writer like that? Her breezy book is packed with valuable nuggets for the novice and expert alike.

-Marc Nathanson, Executive Producer, NY1 News

Where's Waldo ripped off this book in both concept and title. See the original! Where's Wallace is better in every way: wittier pictures, cuter characters, warm storyline, creative pictures instead of the mind-numbing field full of Waldo-like images.

This is my absolute favorite book from my childhood. I remember my parents reading it to me. I remember reading it myself, searching through the pages to find Wallace and all of the other characters. I am so glad that they have re-issued it, as it was out of print for a while. When I re-read this as an adult, I realized that the zookeeper was actually "letting" Wallace escape. There is so much humor that I missed as a child. Looking through the scenes to find the characters and following the evolution of their stories is fun for both child and adult. Even if your child can't read the words on her own, she can look at the pictures and try to find everyone. And if you do have to read it to her over and over, you will not be bored to tears.

When I was pregnant with my son, I searched for this book. When I was growing up, my Mom would read Where's Wallace to my siblings and I every night. We couldn't get anough of it. I was so excited to find it still in print. Finding Wallace on every page, as well as other recurring characters, was one of the highlights of my childhood, and although my son is only 1 1/2 now, I hope it will be of his too.

This was a favorite of mine as a child. I am so pleased to be able to get them their own copies.(mine is a bit tattered) They love finding Wallace and all of his friends over and over again. This book just stands up to the test of time. We read it every night.

One of my absolute favorite books from childhood, "Where's Wallace" still does not disappoint. Both youngsters and adults will find themselves glued to the pages as they attempt to identify the whereabouts of a multitude of characters which appear in various scenes throughout the book. Hilary Knight's illustrations are fabulously humorous and clever - a perpetual joy to read that never gets dull!