Baby Books

This is my favorite fairy tale, and I've looked high and low through every library I've ever lived near to see what editions they had, always looking for a new rendition to delight (or dissapoint) my mind and eyes. This is THE best I've ever found. It is a pity that Mercer Mayer has not done more fairy tales. His talent is immense. The actual story-telling is simple, with only slight variations to the original tale that to not take away from it's main moral. (Those looking for a non-illustrated "best" Should read "Beauty" or "Rose Daughter" by Robin McKinley)

Bought this as a gift because of the beauty of the pictures. Very unusual book -- not your normal disney-type telling and illustration of the story. Liked it.

I got this for my 4 year old daughter. She likes it, but it's hard for us to get through because there are facing pages without any pictures. She's a patient and attentive listener, so we made it through, and the illustrations are absolutely drool-worthy, which helps. I'd recommend for a slightly older child. Or for a mom, such as myself, who loves fairy tales.

This version is vastly superior to the Disney version - essentially it's the difference between art and weak popular culture. The emotion is real and the story becomes more compelling than expected.

Beauty and the Beast is a beautiful and timeless classic book for children which teach the need for kindness towards the less privileged in society. The book also teaches that being mean and unkind towards other people leads to unhappiness whilst love and kindness result in pleasant outcomes.

The story starts on a cold winter evening when a ragged old beggar bearing a rose turns up to the door of a castle asking for shelter. However, the spoiled prince turns her away. The old woman then suddenly turns into an enchantress and casts a spell over the castle and those residing there and turns the prince into an ugly beast. The rose she had offered the prince would bloom until the prince reached the age of 21. If the prince learned to love and if his love is returned before the rose petal fell, the spell would be broken.

The prince (now a beast) was angry and bitter and lost hope that anyone would ever love him. However, a chain of events developed that ultimately decided the fate of the ugly beast. Maurice, a famous inventor is lost in a forest and is chased by wild animals until he stumbles on an old castle. There he is held prisoner by the beast. Maurice's lovely daughter, Beauty, looks for him in the castle. She finds him in the dungeon of the castle and she pleads with the beast to release her father and take her prisoner instead. The beast agrees. However, eventually, when she runs away from the castle, she is attacked by a pack of wolves. The beast that was chasing her rescues Beauty from the wolves. Beauty and the beast become friends and learned to trust one another.

When Beauty was missing her father, the beast, out of kindness and sympathy, agrees to release Beauty so that she re-unites with her father. However, the villagers that Maurice was crazy when he related his story about being taken prisoner by a wild beast in a castle. Beauty showed the villagers the beast in the mirror. The village hunter sets off to kill the beast. The beast was badly wounded and Beauty rushed to help the beast and confessed that she loved it. This was just when the last petal was about to fall. With Beauty's love, the beast was changed into a handsome prince as the spell was broken. Love had transformed the prince's life forever.

The authors, Marianna and Mercer Mayer did a commendable job of coming up with a children's book with rousing images and excellent paintings that evoke mystery in people. The images and paintings expertly capture and portray emotion and feeling with detail and colour that is amazing and exciting.

Who wants to diet the rest of their lives? I certainly don't and now with this book, I don't have to. I gotten more out of this one book than all the diet books I have ever read. Believe me, this is the last book I'll need to buy and I am sure you'll find that to be true, as well. You are given numerous choices of ways to loose weight, one that should fit your personality to a tee. Unless you are planning on changing your personality any time soon, once you decide what plan works for you, you'll find it will become a part of your every day lifestyle. You will learn to eat and exercise in a way that you can do forever. Not only do you discover alot about yourself in this book, but you'll find out about all aspects of your life to make it healthier. An investment in this book is pennies compared to the thousands of dollars in medical bills you may encounter if you don't get the weight off.

If someone says he or she can't find a plan in this book that allows them to be successful in losing weight, then I don't think they really want to lose weight. By finding out about my personality type, I was able to choose the plan that works best for my type. It makes it so easy because you don't have to use willpower to succeed. You just honor who you are and work with the strengths you have. Yet, there is so much more in this book. I learned a great deal about the essentials of good nutrition, what to look for in the grocery store, cooking tips, exercise ideas, and how to deal with stress. I realize that my lack of knowledge in some of these areas was part of the problem. No more. The best part of this book is that it's something I can stick with and not call a diet. It's just the new me!

Even though I was born after 1964, the year when the last of the boomers was born, I was curious to see what this book was about.  It was neat finding out what life was like when my parents were growing up as boomers.  Makes me realize how much I take for granted, such as the microwave oven and cell phone.   I discovered some great ways to lose weight.  What the author offers is as good for boomers as it is for all ages.  I learned things about nutrition that I never knew and will definitely use to get off these stubborn pounds to avoid the middle-aged spread that my parent's generation suffers from. 

Even though I was born after 1964, the year when the last of the boomers was born, I was curious to see what this book was about.  It was neat finding out what life was like when my parents were growing up as boomers.  Makes me realize how much I take for granted, such as the microwave oven and cell phone.   I discovered some great ways to lose weight.  What the author offers is as good for boomers as it is for all ages.  I learned things about nutrition that I never knew and will definitely use to get off these stubborn pounds to avoid the middle-aged spread that my parent's generation suffers from. 

I felt like I was taking a walk down memory lane as the author shared tales of how it was to grow up as a boomer ... from the diet products to the gizmos and gadgets that were used to lose weight. As I was growing up, I never heard anyone talking about how important it is to take into consideration who the dieter is - what his or her needs are -not just nutritionally, but mentally and emotionally, as well. Even though there is a great deal of nutrition information in these pages (all very well worth the reading), it's the appreciation that one diet approach doesn't work for all. With four different plans geared to the various different personality types, there's no question you'll find a way to be successful. I highly recommend this book and hope others have the success that I've been having. I no longer look at food as the enemy.

My mother had this book when I was a little girl and I always wanted her to read it to us every Christmas time. I just love the illustrations! And even at a very young age, I would want her to read the authors note at the end that talks about all the symbolism in the pictures. When I got older I would read it to myself on Christmas Eve before going to bed. It is such a beautiful book! I was very excited to be able to buy it this year, so that next year when my baby girl is here for Christmas, I can read it to her and it can be a family keepsake.

Me and my son love all the books Ms Berger writes, This is a re-telling of the first christmass, but with a very soft tone to it, my son asked me to read this book several times the day it arrive, read it, it's a must.


also read other books by Ms Berger,

1. Grandfather twilight 2.When the sun Rose 3. Gwinna 4.Angels on a pin 5.All the way to Lasa & 6. A lot of Otters.

My Godmother got me this book for christmas of 1985, and I still love to curl up on the couch on christmas and read it. It tell's a beautiful story with beautiful pictures to help tell the story. This is a great gift for the younger children.

This is one of our very favorite Christmas books. The pictures are beautiful and dream-like. It's just a wonderful book.

What a beautiful story. It is very moving. I highly recommend it.

Some fifty years ago I could recite this book by heart. It was a precursor to my later infatuations with Gilbert and Sullivan. It has not lost its charm: medieval setting, whimsical plot, rhythm and rhyme, amusing observations of human foibles. I relate to the duchess today in ways that I might not have suspected as a child, and make it my favorite gift to other parents of little girls.

An untypical tale of a duchess who's clutzy in the kitchen. Read this story to my daughter years ago, now I got this copy for my granddaughter, and she loves it too.

All my kids (4,7, & 9 yrs) loved this book! We especially enjoyed the rhyming text. Even so the text was extensive enough to tell a full story. In general, most pages have many lines of text. We read it as a Five in a Row book, but I am sure it will be a requested book for years to come. We were able to talk about many side issues including cakes, yeast, consequences, calories, catapults, castles, alliteration, complementary colors. The duchess decides to make a "lovely, light, luscious, delectable" cake but doesn't accept any advice or follow any instructions. As a result, she puts everything in it and way too much yeast! She sits on it and rises high in the sky unable to get down. It sounds rather silly but it is very well written and was a worthwhile purchase.

I love, love, love this book! It's playfully delightful and now that I can get one at a reasonable price, I'll be ordering a copy for my 4 y/o niece soon!

Most fun I've had with this book is rapping it with a friend for a talent show...

This was one of the truly formative books of my youth. Silly and fun and with a wonderful rhyme. I have the most wonderful memories of my mother reading this to me. Years ago, when I first had children, I HAD to find this book for them and it was out of print. I managed to find an excellent copy but spent nearly $100 for it -- and thought it worth every cent! Now that its back in print, I've bought FOUR more copies -- for gifts for all the children of the right age that I can think of. Highly, highly, highly recommended!

This book gives both the Eastern and Western perspective of infertility and help for the layman to understand both.

Excellent read and informative. It brings hope to those who are experiencing what was described in the book and has helped me change and understand my body better. I bought this book for myself but ended up give it to a friend that needed the information more than I do. Its a perfect gift to give to all women in all walks of life. You are gonna love it!

Nice approach to TCM basics for westerners, a softer sell than Fertility Cure, but not as "scientific." Still, with an authentic "Asian matriarch" voice (smile). Provides actual recipes and meal suggestions, a big plus when trying to change your diet.

After struggling with secondary infertility for 1 year, I had given up on conventional medicine and turned to TCM. I read this book (as well as some others) and immediately made an appointment with a local accupuncturist. After 3 months of accupuncture, modifying my diet and taking chinese herbs, I was pregnant. Baby #2 was born healthy just 6 weeks ago and he will always by my "accu baby". Buy the book - trust your body and give Traditional Chinese Medicine a chance to work for you!

I have gone thru 3 failed IVF and 8 inseminations and speant over 60K. Heartache beyond compare! polluted my body with Chemicals! Had a miscarriage. Went into labor. Had a C-section. and the clincher no baby to show for all the abuse I put my body thru...Shall I go on. All for the sake of western medicine and if I had read this book 1st.Please give this a try you will be armed with invaluable information. Like any business go with someone who is highly recomended call your local accupuncture school, find someone who specializes in infertility. Educate yourself with what truly is going on with your body before you spend your heart& soul. there was no reason for me to not get pregnant, all my results were great FSH 5.5 cycle 27-28 days 14 day luteal phase great lining great hormone levels...at 40 pretty proud of my body, but after I used two different donors and didn't get pregnant with an 80-90% success rate. I new there was something else wrong and that wrong was found in eastern medicine...now we are working to resolve the issue and hopefully....I PRAY

now my kid is afraid of bird eggs for fear an alligator will hatch. Bad idea when we have a bird building a nest on our front porch. would have been better to be one of the flamingos

It's a great book to read to toddlers. My brother and I loved "Are You My Mother" and the "Dog" books when we were little so I thought I'd give this book to my niece. I showed it to my brother before I wrapped it, and we both laughed at the story. Two 30+ year old men laughing at a children's book. That's good comedy! PD Eastman showed such personality and story in the illustrations, they add depth to the simple words. And the premise is cute.

this was a fun book for my child to read, and I recommend it highly. The animation is fun, and makes the reading come easier for the child.

This book has a very cute story line.
My daughter was especially intrigued by this book because we often talk about birds and have even watched a few build their nests outside.
It also has a good story about what birds eat....to help children envision what birds feed to their young.
Very well written and great for beginner readers.

Boy, is this ever cute! when a little boy puts an alligator egg in the Birds' nest, they take care of it as if it was their own. They sit on it until it hatches then when he does, they feed it constantly! It's funny watching an alligator eating all that "bird food" and still grows huge. The end is particularly nice. They decide it's time for "Junior" to learn to fly but instead, he learns to swim. Sure is a cute story - especially on caring for others. Highly recommend!

My cousin loaned me this book when I was very young; however, I was unable to finish it before she needed it back. Finally, fourteen years later, I reread it. I am already a huge fan of Richard Peck and very familiar with the stories of the marvelous Blossom Culp--this book was just more proof how amazing an author Richard Peck is.

The setting is 1913, a small little town with not much going for it. Until one day, Alexander sees a ghost in his barn.

What follows is a delicious blend of a spooky story, a tale of small town life, and a comedy of epic proportions. Richard Peck is true to the classic ghost story feel, but his love for small town life is apparent.

The book is smartly written to portray the mind of a 13-year old boy, and the most minor of characters are made fascinating and quirky. Neither does Richard Peck play this book safe--it has its share of hells and damns and gruesome little details. Then again, it's all part of the charm.

Great Halloween book.

I'm 37 yrs old and just recently rediscoverd this book at a used book store...I first read it when I was 12 and the movie too....The Child of Glass from Disney. I have to say it's one of the best from my childhood and enjoyed reading it again as a grown woman. I recommend it to all ages.

If you are, this book is one of your best guides. I loved this story as a child, particularly as I was a child who saw spirits. As an adult who works with spirits and those in form, I recommend this book to my clients who see spirits and want to learn how to respond to them compassionately. It is indeed a children's book with lessons from which everyone can learn.

I really enjoyed this book, it's really a four and a half stars. I had read some of the other Blossom Culp books first, and enjoyed having Alexander as the narrator, although I think I prefer Blossom. I loved the setting. This was a funny, exiting, and somwhat spooky book. I recommend it to pratically anyone.

Blossom Culp�s mother was born with a caul over her face, meaning she has the second sight. She sees a pink halo over Alexander Armsworth�s barn and confides in her daughter that Alexander has the ability to help the spirit trapped there.

Blossom was known was making up stories, still out of curiosity, Alexander explores the barn and finds a hurt little dog. That night he sees candlelight in the barn. The dog turns up missing the next day. Convinced that Blossom is playing a trick on him, he drags the frightened protesting young girl up to the loft with him and sees the first signs of the ghost wet footprints.

Inez Dumaine�s wealthy New Orleans family put her on a steamboat and sent her north on the eve of the Civil War. The steamboat had an accident and Inez drown. Afterward, her body was robbed of her family�s wealth, which had been sewn into her dress. Her fervent wish is to be buried properly with her family.

Peck�s characters are vivid, the kind the reader cares about from the first chapter onward. His combination of humor and suspense really propel the story forward. An excellent story!

Do you remember Golden Books as a child. Do you still read them to your children? Then you won't want to miss this fascinating history.

If the names Poky Little Puppy, Tawny Scrawny Lion and Tootle bring a smile to your face, than this book might just be for you. Golden Legacy is extensively illustrated with a detailed history of the writers, artists and publishers of the Golden Book series. As a Disney fan, I especially appreciated the piece on Mary Blair's Golden Book work. I would have given this book 3-4 stars if I were just interested in the illustrations, but it is definitely a 5 star book because of the extensive history of the books.

I ordered this book because I worked for the company for 5 years and so I had a special interest in the subject. Honestly, I can't imagine why anyone else would have a burning interest in the subject. Too bad I wasn't able to read the book before I went to work for the company...I would have known who was most important there and why. In any case, I liked the book but am not sure I would recommend it.

If you grew up reading Little Golden Books, you will likely find this book very worthwhile. Along with it being an enjoyable trip down memory lane, it's full of interesting "behind the scenes" information. 2 things prevent me from giving it 5 stars: narrative is not the author's strong suit, so it's often difficult to keep track of the various people and logistics of the company, and the book ends rather abruptly. The other minor aggravation is that the captions for all the pictures on any 2 facing pages all appear under one picture. Nevertheless, I'm glad to have this volume in my library.

For the last 65 years, children have grown up on The Poky Little Puppy, The Color Kittens, The Saggy Baggy Elephant, Richard Scarry's Best Word Book Ever, dozens of other Golden Books titles. To celebrate the legacy of this innovative publishing venture, Leonard S. Marcus has released the art book "Golden Legacy: How Golden Books Won Children's Hearts, Changed Publishing Forever, and Became an American Icon Along the Way." The collection is not only an exquisitely beautiful celebration of our collective childhood, but the rich history of the publishing company that changed the face of literacy in America.

The first Golden Books, published in 1942, were distributed through supermarket chains at a retail price of 25 cents. At the time, paper shortages had increased the average cost of children's picture books to $2, putting them financially out of reach for many consumers. Librarians initially resisted the mass-produced books with a place to draw your name inside, but parents could purchase a title a week, children could devour the books on the go like any other toy, and television and cartoon marketers quickly seized cross-promotional opportunities. Golden Books succeeded at their goal of democratizing reading and personal book ownership for families across America.

Given that this title was published by Golden Books, the overall tone is rather celebratory, but author Marcus does not censor all detractors. He covers the controversial flat fee payments to the creative talents behind early titles. Those authors and illustrators have received no residuals from books which are still bestsellers today, 65 years later.

A 2007 copy of The Poky Little Puppy is nearly identical to the original 1942 edition that launched a publishing empire. After reading Golden Legacy, the reader may well be inspired to seek out copies of both for his or her personal library.

My daughter just turned 1 and I am considering buying a second copy of this book. This book has been her absolute favorite and frequently sitting by herself reading out loud to herself. She loves looking at the babies and giving them kisses and already knows where her ears, nose and mouth are. A VERY durable book, but she is trying to give it a run for its money.

My son loves the Happy Baby series! I can't say enough good things about these books. It's hard to find a book that will have my toddler sitting down for a few minutes and sitting quietly reading, but these books do it.

We bought Happy Words to help with his vocabulary, and it didn't take long to see his interest grow in wanting to know the names for things around the house. I know he enjoys the book because he pulls it out nearly every day for me to read it, even more, he's starting pointing to certain pictures asking me to repeat the names, so I know he's learning and taking it in. This book has about 13 full spread pages each with a familiar scene for a toddler- getting dressed, eating a meal, going on a walk, taking a bath, facial expressions etc. What I like most is that these scenes and words included are pertinent to a toddler, they're not just about whatever, but things a toddler needs to know the names of. Last but not least, did I mention my son loves this book??

So, if you're a mom of an infant/toddler or buying these as a gift for one, these are a SURE BET. They are also reasonably priced in my opinion. Other books in this series we own and enjoy are the Colors and ABC's. We'll definitely be buying more too as time goes on. Way to go Roger Priddy!!

perfect for identifying objects. bright and cheery, so babies and toddlers love to look at the pages.

I've been on a mission to find a book that meets the following criteria for my 9 month old son:
- Must be a board book (because he chews everything!)
- Mustn't be too long (32 pages maximum because we're dealing with a short attention span here)
- Mustn't be too big (so my son can easily pick up and play with the book)
- Must contain photographs of familiar objects and other babies (because all of his other books only have illustrated pictures of animals for some reason!)

"Happy Baby: Words" fit all of the above criteria perfectly and my son loves it to death. He can actually turn the pages himself and he gets so excited seeing all the baby photographs inside.

Great book!

Our copy has been through two children. Both of my kids love the bright and clear pictures. We are teaching my son sign language and this book is great for teaching simple words and signs! A well loved book!

bought this for my 23 mo old son. Loves dump trucks so this is a perfect pick. Recommend to all children who love cars and trucks. Just a happy story!

What a joy it is to see this book again. Many, many wonderful books were read to me and my sisters as children in the 1950's. But this delightful wacky tale, so full of movement and warmth, remains the most beloved of all. Thanks to the publishers for reprinting it and to those who wrote of their own memories.

This reissue of the 1950's golden book "The happy man and his dump truck", is a wonderful tale about a friendly man who takes some farm animals for a ride in his truck. Each time he sees a friend he tips his hat and his dumper giving the animals a slippery slide. The illustrations are colourful and fun. Is also a good introduction to farm animals and the sounds they make.

My son is now 45 years old and still remembers me reading this book over and over and over to him as a child and him reading it back. It was one of his favorites. Ironically, he is now a carpenter and owns his own truck. I just ordered the "collectible" version and will be giving it to him as a surprise for Xmas. I think he will really treasure it and tell his kids about it.

This is very old fashioned. The story is that man gives farm animals a ride in the back of his dump truck. He make the dumper go up and the animals slide down. Wheeee! My son gets a kick out of this as it combines his two favorite things: slides and trucks. There are not too many words on each page. The style of writing is very simple.

This book is probably politically incorrect, though, as the animals don't wear seat belts and they get into a unknown man's truck. (I would prefer their farmer be the driver of the truck.) If this bothers you, you shouldn't buy this book.