Boys Books

The Climbing Boy is destined to become a Christmas classic. Mark Lichterman skillfully delivers this Dickensian-style tale that takes place in 1800's London. The orphaned Zachariah will grip at your heart and every reader will want this boy for their own--to nurture and to protect, but mostly to love. As much as you will be smitten by Zachariah, you will come to loathe William Johnson, his drunken master.

The author combines vibrant characters with a vivid story-line to give you a lump that catches in your throat and stays with you long after you close the book. You will be more than an observer, you will become part of the story. Keep this book handy--you'll want to read it again and again. I keep it very close to me and my eyes wide open for the author's next book.

This 'feel good' tale by Mark Lichterman, a relatively unknown, but upcoming author, is way more than just another Christmas story. It is a classic description of the London chimney sweeping trade, brought to life by superb characterization of its main players. The reader immediately bonds with Zachariah, an eight year old child, who you want to bring home, bathe, feed, clothe and just cuddle. He will steal your heart while other feelings of anger, rage and resentment arise from the provocative personality of William Johnson, the boy's Master. Lichterman, in expert fashion, weaves a very twisted, intertwining yarn that has you holding your breath until the very end. This book is a must read and I can hardly wait to get a copy of the authors newest book, Becoming.

It is a great read. I believe that it should be made into a movie by Disney.

Mark Lichterman wrote an excellent book. I truly believe that Disney or Pixar studios should do an animation movie of the book. It would make a great film that would apeal to both adults and children. I hope he writes more books in the future.

Loved it, best book I have read in years. A friend told me about it and loaned me a copy. Whatever I say would not begin to do it justice. Buy it or if necessary borrow it but read it and enjoy. Im sure you will as I did, want it in your permanent collection. Mark is a true artist and I look forward to his next work

I purchased this precious book for my 4-year old nephew. It is a very tender story with brilliant illustration. I think his parents loved it more than he did! lol

Seriously, it may seem like a simple story but it speaks volumes - capable of taking someone of any age back to the simple days of childhood when cloud watching was a phenomenon!

I highly recommend it as a gift for your little ones but I also found it to be something that can be passed down through the years.

This is the sweetest most adorable picture book I have read in a very long time. The illustrations are simply magnificent. Not only will it be cherished by little ones -it's a very inspiring tale for adults too.

Without giving out too much info, it's a short yet adorable book about imagination, sharing, and companionship. Cloud Boy is authored and illustrated entirely by Rhode and is the first of many to be published. I can honestly say that this is a must have for new parents or anyone with young children in their lives.

I love his book! I bought it for my 1 yr old, and hope that he treasures it as he grows up. The artwork is captivating, and the tender story awakens the imagination. It is a beautiful book.

I love reading this book to my son. Every page is a feast for the eyes and the story inspires the imagination. A perfect badtime story.

It is 1741; Otis Gardner is the Coram Man, a cruel, sadistic trader who makes his living from the disposal of unwanted infants and by selling older children into slavery. Together with his half-wit son Meshak, he travels from Gloucester to London, collecting children under false promises of delivering them to the famous hospice founded by Thomas Coram.

Alexander Ashbrook, disinherited heir to a large estate, is unaware of the existence of his illegitimate son Aaron, a child given away in infancy and brought up in the Coram hospice to avoid scandal. Aaron, also oblivious to his father's identity, befriends Toby, a young boy saved from an African slave ship, and the childlike Mish who brought him to the orphanage all those years ago.

Set in eighteenth century Britain, "Coram Boy" is an epic tale of good and evil and the relationships between a father and a son. The plot is complicated yet compelling enough to make this novel impossible to put down. Jamila Gavin weaves a powerful story that explores the darker side of life in the 1700s and which combines romance, history, tragedy and hope. Beautifully written and filled with a cast of colourful and memorable characters to bring this eighteenth century world to life, Coram Boy is both a unique and special book. Although difficult to get into, this is ultimately an extremely rewarding read that has a wide appeal, although some readers may find the content of infanticide disturbing. Overall, this is definitely a five star book, and I would highly recommend it to both teens and adults .

~Jenna~

Otis Gardiner is a peddler in London who persuades young women to pay him for bringing their babies to the famous Coram Hospital, a place where unwanted children can receive proper education and have a successful future. However, after Otis got paid, he would kill these babies and later on blackmail the women who entrusted him with their babies for more money. His son, Meshak, saved a baby that he was about to kill and escaped to the Coram Hospital and stayed there for the next eight years. The baby was named Aaron Dangersfield and was very talented in music, like his father, Alexander Ashbrook. Alexander discovered that Aaron is actually his son in a meeting with his wife and sister, but Aaron was already being sent on a ship to America to be sold as a slave. Someone rescued Aaron from the ship shortly after it parted. Finally, Alexander reconciled with his long lost son.
I think this is an unbelievably awesome book. It involved many characters that each has their own small story in this book. For example, Aaron Dangersfield¡¦s foster father is a simpleton, and he often dreamed of living with the kind angles in the chapels away from his cruel father. Aaron¡¦s real father was kicked out of his family for living a life as a musician instead of learning how to take care and prosper from his father¡¦s estates. Furthermore Aaron¡¦s best friend, Toby, is an African, and he was being treated like a rare, dark-skin plaything more than a human. All of these small stories add up to be what Aaron has to experience or discover, which is what makes Coram Boy extra interesting.
My favorite part of this book is the epilogue. In the epilogue, Meshak was finally able to be with his imaginary angels after all the suffering he went through. He is a simpleton and was being treated cruelly by his father ever since he was born. He doesn¡¦t really mind being mistreated by his father, but he does feel mad when he saw with his very own eyes that the girl he admired fell in love with somebody else. Therefore, he saved that girl¡¦s baby boy and loved him like his son. At the end, when even the boy that he cared about so much went away, he asked his imaginary angels, ¡§Can I be dead now?¡¨ With merely five short words, so much is being remembered and expressed.

Otis Gardiner is a peddler in London who persuades young women to pay him for bringing their babies to the famous Coram Hospital, a place where unwanted children can receive proper education and have a successful future. However, after Otis got paid, he would kill these babies and later on blackmail the women who entrusted him with their babies for more money. His son, Meshak, saved a baby that he was about to kill and escaped to the Coram Hospital and stayed there for the next eight years. The baby was named Aaron Dangersfield and was very talented in music, like his father, Alexander Ashbrook. Alexander discovered that Aaron is actually his son in a meeting with his wife and sister, but Aaron was already being sent on a ship to America to be sold as a slave. Someone rescued Aaron from the ship shortly after it parted. Finally, Alexander reconciled with his long lost son.
I think this is an unbelievably awesome book. It involved many characters that each has their own small story in this book. For example, Aaron Dangersfield¡¦s foster father is a simpleton, and he often dreamed of living with the kind angles in the chapels away from his cruel father. Aaron¡¦s real father was kicked out of his family for living a life as a musician instead of learning how to take care and prosper from his father¡¦s estates. Furthermore Aaron¡¦s best friend, Toby, is an African, and he was being treated like a rare, dark-skin plaything more than a human. All of these small stories add up to be what Aaron has to experience or discover, which is what makes Coram Boy extra interesting.
My favorite part of this book is the epilogue. In the epilogue, Meshak was finally able to be with his imaginary angels after all the suffering he went through. He is a simpleton and was being treated cruelly by his father ever since he was born. He doesn¡¦t really mind being mistreated by his father, but he does feel mad when he saw with his very own eyes that the girl he admired fell in love with somebody else. Therefore, he saved that girl¡¦s baby boy and loved him like his son. At the end, when even the boy that he cared about so much went away, he asked his imaginary angels, ¡§Can I be dead now?¡¨ With merely five short words, so much is being remembered and expressed.

Books are like baskets, with sturdy sides and empty spaces in the centers to fill. It's rare to find a novel so well-crafted that its story fills the basket up to the brim, but I have. Coram Boy is one that shines because of its powerful story, life-like characters, and the many emotions portrayed throughout the tale.
Alexander is a rich, talented choirboy who spends his life enveloped in music. Thomas, his best friend, comes from a poorer family, but is also devoted to melodies. There is one difference: Thomas is free to become a musician, but Alex can only look forward to becoming the master of his huge mansion. When Thomas is invited to spend the summer at his friend's house, he discovers that Alex holds a great passion for Melissa, the maid's lovely daughter, while at the same time dislikes his father for not letting him follow his musical talent. However, none of them know that another person trails Melissa too: Meshak, the unloved son of a man who makes money out of selling babies to become slaves. To everybody's shock, Alex runs away from his father's grip to become a musician, and Melissa, barely a child herself, gives birth to his baby. The baby is handed over to the `slave-dealer' secretly, but Meshak snatches it away, and cares for his angel's child as if it were his own.
Eight years later, the child, called Aaron, is taken as the now famous Alexander Ashbrook's apprentice without knowing that they are related. Meshak's father is still on the lookout for young boys and girls to become slaves. He gets his hand on Aaron and plans to ship him across the sea. Will the innocent Aaron become a slave? Will he find out that his mother and father are still alive? Will Alexander discover that he has a son to love?
In a way, the characters in the novel are examples of people in real life. There are conflicts between fathers and sons, between girls and boys, and between best friends. These work out in the end because the characters feel a push to make things right again, even if it's a few years late. You can also learn numerous life lessons from this book. I found out that people with bad intentions never win in the long run; their bad hearts stick out like a piece of coal in gold! I also learned that you should always be optimistic, because you never know if your life will turn a bend that will change your life forever!
Out of the many characters in the book, whether old or young, I must say that my favourite one was Thomas, Alexander's friend. He felt sympathy for Alex when his family problems became bigger and helped him without any questions. He raised the suspicion of Meshak's father when many children started disappearing. He started the question of whether Aaron was his best friend's son. He raised many spirits with his sense of humour. Without him, how could the story have gone on?
Why did I choose this book and not a fat juicy one then? I leafed through the novel and discovered that it was the proud winner of the Whitbread Children's Book Award, and decided to give it a try. Even though the novel isn't as thick as some as the other ones, it's packed with precious lessons for life and stories you'll never forget!
I love this book with all my heart; I love the plot and the way the ending is a complete and breathtaking surprise! I recommend this book to the whole world, because everyone on Earth deserves such a great book!

Set in the eighteenth century, Coram Boy is a story of love, crime, tragedy, heartbreak and miracles. It is one of the most beautifully written books I have ever read and one of my all time favourites. I am always reading it aloud, just because the words are so nice. The characters are very clear and made to love or hate. The author shows such depth of knowledge and expresses so much emotion! It is a complex, exciting novel and the end will make you cry! I love it to bits. I'm sure you will to.

A timeless classic, though set against a World War 2 backdrop, this tale is a must read for anyone looking to disconnect from today's hectic pace and re-connect with a time when things were far less complicated. The lessons learned by the boys during the course of the novel, about themselves, friendship, and diversity to name a few apply as much today as they did when the story is set. A must read for the entire family, leaves you with just one question: when do we get to see this on screen?

I had forgotten how the world looks through a 10 year old boy's eyes. Cottonwood Summer is a refreshing and entertaining book with a blend of mystery, humor and boyhood sleuthing. You will find yourself immersed in the lives of Jase and his best friend Danny as they go about their day to day adventures in small town America during the period of the end of WWII. If you like reading books saturated with swear words, you will miss them in this definitely "G" rated material. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel.

A wonderfully readable tale of life in small town America in 1944. Filled with adventure, mystery, laugh-out-loud humor, memorable characters and heartfelt moments. Cottonwood Summer is a fun and entertaining read!

Why is Bill Cosby an excellent commedian? ... no filth! Why is Gary Slaughter an excellent story teller and author? ... no filth! Just plain ol' family values at its best.

Hardy Boys have nothing on Danny and Jase. We can't wait for the next in the series. My kids turned off their video games for this. Bravo!

Cottonwood Summer documents author Gary Slaughter as a master at creating loveable characters and an engaging story-telling narrative style enriched with humor and originality. Cottonwood Summer is a mystery with Nazi spies, nasty POW's, undercover moles, small-town values, and Gold Star mothers who will never see their sons again. Irreverent, touching, and a reader involving story, Cottonwood Summer is one of those novels so easy to pick up and so hard to put down. And when it is finished, sends the reader to do an Amazon.com author name search in hopes of finding other stories by this undeniably talented writer.

One of the things people think about, particularly at this time of the year, is what to get friends and family as a gift. Why not get them a good book. I like to think that any book that I�ve reviewed in this column might be a good book for somebody, but they might not be a good book for everyone. This week, however, I�m featuring a book that would be enjoyable by all the people on your gift list.
This week�s book is Country Boy: Adventures of an Untroubled Childhood by Dan Prusi. People have been writing about their childhood for centuries. These books usually fall into two categories, troubled and untroubled childhoods. Lately, troubled childhood seems to be more popular, but that wasn�t always the case. People who read Prusi�s book might be reminded of any number of other novels and autobiographies on the same subject. Many people will recall Mark Twain writing about Tom Sawyer. Tom had many successors.
How should one describe Prusi�s description of his childhood? It seems to me one can safely quote the publisher on this. They say, "Country Boy, Adventures from an Untroubled Childhood is a true story about the wonders of childhood and the love and companionship provided by a large closely knit family. Set in the iron mining area of rural Upper Michigan in the 1950�s and 1960�s, it is the story of a young�s boys adventures, misadventures and the role his family played in shaping his childhood and his entire life. From the boy�s first kiss to the shame of running afoul of the law at age ten, to the inventiveness of children trying to entertain themselves, it is the story that the average reader can both relate to, and delight in."
In this book you get to know not only Dan Prusi, but his family and friends. From his parents and seven sisters to his cousins and other neighborhood chums. Although he only lived in Bellevue, which was a location about half way between Palmer and Negaunee, until he was thirteen years old, the memories has stayed with him since then. They are particularly important because Bellevue location no long exist. It was taken over by the Empire Mine who owned all of the land. The memories, though, remain as strong as ever.
Prusi seems to have had a happy and loving childhood. Not everyone is as fortunate, but we all have pleasant memories of something. I think that reading this book will trigger fond memories in those who read it. For instance, in his Christmas chapter he mentions receiving one year a "book" of lifesaver rolls which he ate rather quickly. He didn�t eat lifesavers for a while after that. I remember those lifesaver books myself. I think I got one for Christmas myself, but hadn�t Thought of it in years. Other people will have other memories, I�m sure.
After he left Bellevue he graduated from Negaunee High School in 1971. According to the publisher, "The father of three grown children, he now resides in Cedar Valley Township near Floodwood, Minnesota with Serilee, his wife of twenty-eight years. An avid outdoorsman and amateur naturalist, he lives on a Seventy-seven acre property that he manages for wildlife."
This is his first published book. He tells me that there may be another one soon. I�m sure, when it comes, it will be interesting. Many people are told by their friends or relatives that they ought to write a book. Even though it sometimes seems that everyone is writing a book most people don�t ever get up the nerve to actually write one. Prusi did, and we all benefit from it. Even those who aren�t familiar about the life style he writes about will know people similar to those described in this book. This people will make happy to have read it, and that is no small accomplishment.
Prusi thoughtfully includes some pictures from his family album so we can see what the people we have been reading about actually look like. I�m sure the people pictured never thought that they would end up as characters in Prusi�s reminiscences. I don�t think, though, that they would mind the kindly way he described them, or the pleasures their lives will give to other people.

Andrew Grgurich � The Mining Journal, Marquette, Michigan

Here is a book that is sure to bring a smile to your face. It may even bring back some of your own childhood memories! The book relates the adventures of a 50's era country boy with his family members and friends. This is a fun read and I highly recommend it!

This was a great book, I could not put it down, I think everyone will enjoy this book. Such a close knit family. I couldn't put it down.

The universal identification of good warm feelings aren't easily reduced to a cold analysis. The kind of feelings this book arouse need to be experienced in the reading and 'relating.' Dan Prusi does a masterful job in describing certain childhood memories which naturally trigger neronal synapses in the limbic system deep in the brain of the reader. The result is feelings of awe, joy, wonderment, curiosity, accomplishment and anticipation. The result is an emotional trip back to those times in one's own childhood when most of the time the world was a wonderful play ground and the only limitation to discovery was lack of imagination or unwillingness to apply imagination. The adult reader will wish to journey back to that untroubled time in his/her life and bring back compareable memories Dan has so warmly described.
The cynics and naysayers today make a powerful argument that innocence is lost and childhood has become hostile. Our children today know more by age 12 than some of us knew by age 24. Dan Prusi presents a book that balances the inference that such a harsh commentary is bad. He hints that today's 12 year olds have the same child like enthusisam for discovery as did his parent's generation as did his generation. And he shares poignant memories so skillfully, the reader can be transported emotionally to the wonderment of childhood.

Anybody who's ever been a kid can find something to smile about in this lively memoir. The author's stories about growing up in a small town, surrounded by a loving family make for a lighthearted, thoughtful read. Prusi's vivid descriptions and fondly-recalled anecdotes give the reader a real sense of a time (the 1950s) and place (the Upper Peninsula of Michigan) that can feel pretty far removed from our hectic lives, and provide a reminder of the simple pleasures of childhood. Country Boy will help you see the world through a child's eyes again.

My husband is in the military and I found this book when we found out he was going to Kuwait for six months. The message is beautiful and my husband and I cried together while reading it. Since my daughter is only 9 mos. old we wanted a way for her to think of her Dad every day. Each night we look at his photo and read this book. It's a special way for me to let her know that her daddy loves her and that he's coming home soon. This book is perfect for any family in a similar situation.

My husband is in the Navy and we bought this book to read to our children as he prepares to leave for 14 months. It is very good at explaining that Daddy will always love his kids, even when he is gone. The only reason that I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 is because it only deals with 1 month and a business trip. It differs from our situation, but overall it is a very good book.

My son and I read this book almost every night when his daddy was traveling for weeks at a time. It was a very difficult time. I think that my son could relate to the little boy in the story on how much he missed his daddy. When a young boy is away from his father for a long period of time, he begins to wonder if his daddy still loves him and misses him. This book helps to ease those fears and that it is all going to be "ok". We are giving this book to two little boys that are my son's friends who are losing their daddy for 8 months while he fights this "War on Terrorism" with the Army in Egypt. We think that maybe this book will help them to come up with their own rituals while their daddy is gone and maybe help to ease their fears.

My husband is in the military and I bought this book for my 4 and 2 year old before he deployed. This book was an extreme comfort to my 4 yr. old. I read it to her when she had a hard time dealing with my husbands deployment. It became a nightly ritual while he was gone. If your spouse is in the military, this is a must. It really hits home with the feelings and it also talked about daddies feelings too. We used the idea of saving things to show daddy and my daughter loved it.

This is the kind of thing that's going to be read on Father's Day for a long time. A sweet story of a boy and his father and how difficult their separation is when dad has to go on a trip. I loved it.

This book has some really desperate criminals in it. I thought the suspense and the things they got themselves into was neat. Like burning the cabin down with them in it at the end and going spulunking in that cave was wild!!! I really liked this book!!

I thought that this book was cool, because of how they meet up and the stuff that happens to them, like burning that cabin down with them in it at the end and going spulunking in that cave. i really liked this book!!!

Nancy Drew meets Frank and Joe Hardy and team up to solve this dangerous case. I wont tell what happens, so you'll have to read this book!

this is a great book for all supermystery fans. the mystery really keeps you guessing and the characters are interesting. there's also lots of hints at stuff between nancy and frank even though there's no direct mention of it. the best part was ned wasn't in this one,yay! anyways, its really good so read it

This is a very interesting and suspenseful book with a great plot. I have read nearly all of the Supermysteries and this is one of my favorites.

Couldn't put this book down! I started it and read straight through without a breath. Marino gets inside his main character and creates a fast-paced, funny story that is both moving and entertaining. Will appeal to both teen and adult readers. Not to be missed!

I have a son who is struggling with his weight. I saw this book and thought I'd give it to him to read. While flipping through the pages I got hooked and decided to read it first. I was really touched. The writing is funny and sensitive. There are no cliche answers to the lead character's problems. It's quite moving the way he learns to find his own way and refreshing to see that losing weight is not the only key to his happiness. My son is currently reading it and tells me he enjoys it too. This is a very unique book and I strongly recommend it.

Tristan reminds me of a dear friend who went through many of the same trials...I would love to read the sequel about what happens to Tristan later in life.

Tristan is fifteen years old from a family of divorce. He also happens to be overweight. So start this hilarious funny and sad story. Tristan mom and dad eventually becomes divorce in the beginning of the book. Not too long afterwards his mother moves in with a man name Frank. Tristan gets along with him until the story takes a nosedive when Frank highstrung daughter pays a visit and eventually moves in. Kelly is the daughter from hell. She abuses her father emotionally by obsessing about his weight. She is a spitfire who is very argumentative and never backs down. She eventually starts obsessing about Tristan weight and starts watching what he and her father eats. This book has many comedy relief and sad turns like Tristan falling through the roof and has to be resuced by Kelly and her boyfriend (who happens to be Tristan ex-friend Marcos): Tristan going skiing with Kelly and Marcos and hearing them making love and feeling left out and alone, having to deal with his friend abandoned him and taking up with kelly.I enjoy this book thoroughly it had its highs, lows and saddness. It was many things wrapped up in one. I highly recomend.

If you are a teenager or were one, you'll identify with some of the dilemmas facing the Tristan character. A fragile era of everyone's life, this particular teen's predicaments are acutely narrated. Phrases such as, "My face glowed like an embarrassment thermometer," remind adults of a vulnerable time and relate to those still in the throes of growing pains. Teen insensibility and insensitivity are cleverly crafted into an entertaining story. Tristan's tale may be unique but his feelings are universal.

Just got a few of this series for my 8 year old and he is reading about 1 a day and has asked for more of them. They are admittedly short but my son has been a resistant reader and loves these!! So keep them coming!!

My three sons love to read books filled with humor and this book delivered many laughs.

Grampa and Wiley have a wild adventure when they decide to attend a monster truck show, starring Dracula (a man who resembles a 'red-neck' Elvis) and his amazing 'Mudsucker.' It just so happens that the day of the monster truck show is Halloween and the weather is expected to be fierce- with an F5 tornado fast approaching. Not only will the two have to fear the tornado and the sary creatures at the truck show, but also Gramma's wrath. Which is worse? They soon find out.

This book is filled with many laughs and a great adventure. Just when you think it's gonna get scary, things start to surprise you! Very cute. Can't wait to read #2.

Kirk! I finally got some of your books. Don't ask me why it took so long. I have no idea, but my daughter is reading now (not yet this advanced) and it reminded me that you were publishing some. These are fantastic! I will be scrutinizing every detail in search of familiar cameos. Hope you are doing well and I am honored to have learned so much from you so long ago. -Brian

I love the Wiley & Grampa series by Kirk Scroggs. Dracula vs. Grammpa at the Monster Truck Rally is great for the Christmas season. It's the first in the series. So, be sure to check out the rest. These books are a lot of fun for boys who might be picky about what they read. If your child loves the Captain Underpants books, then turn him on to these.

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

Grade A, prime cut chapter book material for your kid. We LOVE all 4.

A great autobiography of the man who, as a young boy, inspired his father to write the Pooh books. The magic and tragedy of childhood is presented in one of the most authentic books to show the world through a child's eyes. Christopher Milne's long quest to rid himself of the shadow of Christopher Robin is also presented beautifully.

....about enchanted places and enchanted childhood favorites.

Winnie the Pooh, Piglet and all their friends have been family friends of us for a long time, and it was a treat to find this book about Christopher Robin, and be able to read about what it was like to be him. Did he really have a bear named Winniw the Pooh, did the Hundred Acre Wood excist, did he and Pooh play on Poohstick Bridge? What a fantastic childhood he must have had?

Of course the imagination in my mind was not all correct, at least not the fantastic childhood part. In this book Christopher Milne tells us from his heart how it was to be the son of A.A.Milne, the creator of all our childhood friends. The book is written with alot of charm, but we can also read between the lines about the negative effects of being a "famous" child, a boy with a childhood who belonged to, and still belong to the whole world.

If you know Winnie the Pooh, and who doesn't, this book is a little diamond, a book full of great details, a book which gives a unique view of the Christopher Robin myth.

Britt Arnhild Lindland

A great autobiography of the man who, as a young boy, inspired his father to write the Pooh books. The magic and tragedy of childhood is presented in one of the most authentic books to show the world through a child's eyes. Christopher Milne's long quest to rid himself of the shadow of Christopher Robin is also presented beautifully.

...as was reading the rest of the trilogy when it was in print. (I got the whole trilogy through a friend in England, but I'd never heard that Mr. Milne had written a fourth volume.) I'm glad to see that excerpts of all his memoirs are available in one volume, BEYOND THE WORLD OF POOH, because Mr. Milne was indeed a gifted and sensitive man.

I have a special interest in this book because Christopher Robin, of all the characters, was my favorite -- indeed, my alter ego. I knew from an early age that there was a real boy behind the fictional character, and I sensed the three of us were a lot alike. It was a delight to find out just how right my intuition was.

Despite tales of Christopher Milne's bitterness over being forced into the spotlight by his father's tales of Pooh, this comming-to-terms-with-it-all autobiography is filled with wonderful memories of Christopher's childhood and his relationship with his father, his nanny and his mother. He addresses with much warmth and humor the question "What was it like to be Christopher Robin," and, as it goes into much detail about the real enchanted places in Ashdown Forest in England, it's a must read for anyone making an "expotition" to the real-life haunts of Pooh and friends