With any justice, Stamaty would be a household name with Sendak and Scarry in children's publishing. This book had a major effect on me as a child. Luckily for me, my school library had one tattered, well-read copy. I thought that I had the only remaining copy which I obtained a few years ago after a nationwide search. I even called Mr. Stamaty and he said he didn't have a copy (but maybe his mother did - he'd check.). Unbelievably detailed (after hundreds of readings I STILL find new things) and twistedly funny pen-and-ink drawings, bizarre characters, a profound moral message, and doughnuts, doughnuts, doughnuts! I'm writing this with the hope that one day it will be re-released so that more people could enjoy this book and appreciate Mr. Stamaty's obsessive genius. I still cannot understand why this book was a financial flop and so overlooked by critics when it was released (too weird?). Perhaps its time has come.

I received this book as a gift from some fellow teachers. I lost my copy:( All of Stamaty's childrens books need to be reprinted! "Who Needs Donuts?" is my favorite, but "Small in the Saddle is a close second! The pen and ink drawings are so detailed, that you can look at each page for days, and notice new things each time. "Yellow Yellow," is another great one. These are not just for kids! Most adults would agree! I beg any publishers to reprint them, as they are hard to find, even on the out of print book websites.

The book is wonderfully detailed and crazy! It will keep you entertained for hours. We would love to find a copy of it if we could. We haven't seen it since college. Every time you look at it, you find something new!

My husband and I read this book together at night before going to bed when I was pregnant, and really enjoyed it! We found it to be inspiring and a great book to read when we were excited and nervous about becoming parents. Even after we had our baby I found myself still enjoying it. I have since loaned it to a pregnant friend and she has loved it as much as we did. This book would be a great one to give to a friend who is expecting or to buy for yourself.

I was not familiar with the "Chicken Soup" books until someone gave me this one as a gift. I must say it makes a very thoughtful gift for a preganant woman, but otherwise you should treat yourself to it. The short stories in this book are written by different authors, all with real-life expectant parent stories. Some stories are sad, some joyful, some downright miraculous- but all of them are inspirational. The stories relate to a wide variety of expectant parents including those who adopt, struggle with infertility, experience an unplanned pregnancy, suffer loss, and juggle a large family. Read all the books you want on physical pregnancy health, but put this one on your list for spiritual pregnancy health.

I couldn't put it down. I found myself crying, laughing, learning, and just bonding with this book. Every night a while I layed there restless and unable to sleep I'd open the book and read. I was bummed when I finished the book because I didn't know of another book that could compare. I have grown weary reading my expecting books since I have read beyond the weeks of my pregnancy. I didn't want to read anymore about how big the baby is 4 months from now... but wanted to focus on what it's like to be pregnant, have a baby, have children, etc etc. I found just that. It's a very inspirational book.

The first book in this series focuses on Maggie, the granddaughter of a veterinarian. Within the first few chapters, a couple of puppy owners show up and bring in a total of 10 puppies suffering from serious health problems. When maggie and her grandma hear that the puppies all came from the same place, they begin to suspect a puppy mill. Maggie becomes determined to find the puppy mill, but she gets in trouble for her bad grades and her cousin Zoe shows up at the clinic. So instead of finding the puppy mill, Maggie looks up the laws on the breeding of puppies with the help of Sunita, and they do eventually catch the crook. But it seems that the sheriff wants to let the guy off easy. Will the pupy mill really go down? From what I read of this book, the series is off to a good start.

This is a very exciting and interesting book. It's about an 11 year old girl that lives with her grandmother, Dr. MacKenzie or Dr. Mac, because her parents died in a car crash when she was 7. The book is about Maggie who is having trouble with her grades in school, and she is banned from the clinic until her grades go up. On top of that, since she can't do the work if she's banned, some kids from school help out at the clinic. She feels like she doesn't belong there anymore. Plus it's worse when her cousin, Zoe, who's mother is an actress comes to stay. The story is about a man who is running a puppy mill which is illegal. He sells sick, dirty puppies at the farmer's market. Maggie, her cousin, and "friends" try to stop the man from selling the pups. It's full of sad times, and good times. This is a good book if you love puppies.

This book is really cool, expecially if you like animals and I love animals! It tells about how Maggi, Sunita, David, Brenna, and her cuz Zoe help out at the vet clinic with Gran. They keep getting sick puppies and find the puppy mill where the puppies are coming from. It's a really good book, but kind of sad. You have to read this book if you like amimals, or even if you don't! My mom and sister even likes them a little.

Where to start? Maybe we should try to find out what drugs this guy's on...this sequel to Blood and Pearls is a very trippy book. The monsters alone are worth the cover price, but then there's the action, the philosophy, and all the sex. Not to mention well-defined characters and very black humor. The city of Khymir is definitely the worst place ever, and Mr.Rogers (no, not the kiddy host) conducts the tour with awesome gusto. Can't wait for part three, The Night of the Long Knives!

Chances are, if you are reading this review than you have already read Blood and pearls. Jaguti and Lilitu continues the furiously intense action and sex which made the first book so great. New characters are introduced and old familiar characters are further developed. This story while full of conflict on its own sets the stage for larger things to come. The book is also full of new illistrations which alone are worth the price of the book. If you read the fist book I'm sure you will read Jaguti and Lilitu no matter what the review says. But if you have yet to read Blood and Pearls do so and get ready for a fun ride.

"Jagutai and Lilitu" is the second book of the best fantasy series you're never read. The first book of the series is "Blood and Pearls", and the second volume relies heavily on the first; I would recommending reading them in order.

If you think fantasy is strictly for kids, this series will change your mind. In Rogers's books, you won't read about the magical elf and his dwarf buddies who go into the enchanted forest to find the dragon's gold. Rogers isn't afraid to get graphic with sex and violence, and the villians are spine-chilling and unsettling. There is some cheeky humor, and some of the circumstances are so demented you can't help laughing at them in retrospect (an orgy of demonically possessed pigs? how does he come up with this stuff?), but the tone is kept morbid and dark. Think of it as light on the Terry Brooks, and heavy on the David Lynch.

As a sequel, this book works brilliantly. The characters are great and Rogers defines them more thoroughly, especially the two who inspire the title. The plot is a thick, twisting rope of theology, politics, and finance. It's smart, it doesn't slow down, and you can feel the stark fatalism closing in for the kill in part three.

I can't wait to read the third volume, and I'm equally excited to see what Rogers does in the future. Mark E. Rogers is an independent author, and his work is so far outside the mainstream, it is really quite refreshing. If you're looking to try something new, definately check out the first volume of the series, "Blood and Pearls". From there, it only gets better.

I had the priviledge to see Pvt. Murphy when he was first shown in public, in the Ranger Rick books at the local PX. When The 1st edition came out on post, it was snapped up off the shelfs so fast, i was lucky to get myself a copy. If you have ever been in the modern military, you love this book with all the memories that came with your time in the service.. good and bad, and things you never forget. Mr. Baker follows Pvt. Murphy from the recruiters office, thru basic and airborne school, to his 1st assignment. If you have ever served, or are just an afictionado, i highly recomment Pvt. Murphy's Law to you, he's the Beatle Bailey of the modern Military.

Pvt. Murphy's Law is an outstanding glimpse at the lighter side of military life. As a member of the military for over 16 years I can appreciate the situations that Pvt. Murphy finds himself in. It's obvious that the author has found himself in many of these situations and has chosen to see the humor in many aspects of military life (especially the Letter to the Editor that a Lt. Col. wrote in response to a Pvt. Murphy cartoon.) Mr. Baker's art work is great and the cartoons themselves are extremely funny, but not disrepectful to the military. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants an enjoyable read and a brief look at how funny and fun the military can actually be. I give Mr. Baker and his book five star's and hope that he continues putting Pvt. Murphy in these comical situations.

"Pvt. Murphy's Law," by Mark Baker, is a collection of cartoons that follow the career of the young soldier of the title. The cartoons in this book actually tell a continuous story: Baker follows Murphy from his interview with a recruiter, through Basic Training, and through other milestones in the life of a young soldier. Thus, the book could actually be read as a graphic novel.

I have served in the U.S. Army Reserve myself, and have been in a lot of the situations that are humorously depicted in this book. Baker's portrait of the Army is right on target, and very funny. Nearly half of the book is devoted to Murphy's experiences at Basic Training. It's especially entertaining to see new recruit Murphy responding to Army jargon as if it were a "foreign language" (as he calls it). Most of the key Basic Training elements are covered: first meeting with the drill sergeant, standing fire guard, going through the notorious gas chamber, etc.

Murphy himself is a likeable character. He looks a little like a young, thin Homer Simpson, and occasionally has "Calvin and Hobbes"-like flights of imagination. I especially like the fact that Baker makes Murphy on the whole a good, enthusiastic soldier. Baker generally goes for realistic humor, not ... unbelievable laughs.

The book is clearly geared towards an Army audience, and some non-veterans may be a little mystified at some of the Army jargon and abbreviations used throughout the book. But the overall charm of the book should overcome that potential cultural barrier. At any rate, "Pvt. Murphy's Law" would certainly make a great read for any veteran of the U.S. Army experience.

This is the book so many Ryden fans have been wishing for! Perhaps it my affection for big-headed children or otherworldy pink skies that makes Ryden's work so wonderful to behold. His art transports me back to my childhood that was filled with smiling rubber animals, Barbies and the Colonel's chicken. I can't walk through the meat department of Safeway without thinking of Mark Ryden and grinning to myself. Even his monsters, mutants and oversized insects are as benign and charming as his portraits of Lincoln. It is a magical yet vaguely disturbing world Mark Ryden brings to life, full of bees, bunnies, his son Jasper and a dog named Jesus.

Mark Ryden's work has appeared on the covers of Communication Arts, Juxtapoz art magazine and Rolling Stone. His art is currently on display at the Earl McGrath Gallery in NYC. ...

Mark Ryden is one of the most magnificent painters I have ever had the pleasure to experience. This book is a collection of his best work, and I will treasure it for a long time. If you want to be taken to a place full of wonder, inspiration, and originality, this book is great. Too bad it is now out of print.

Beautifully produced full color book covering Mark Ryden's illustration and painting career. Cover title design printed in gold foil. Published in 2001, this book was limited to an edition of just 10,000 copies and is already out-of-print and a collector's item on the secondary market. Word has it that book distributors had sold out of this in just 1 month. This item is not to be missed by Mark Ryden fans and collectors.

Even scarcer than Anima Mundi was the release of the book BUNNIES AND BEES published in December of 2001 to coincide with the exhibit of the same name. This was published in a beautiful large format, 9 x 12, 50 pages, and contains Mark Ryden's work done after Anima Mundi making it an essential Ryden item. This was limited to just 8,000 copies. The paintings in this book are perhaps the best yet from Mark Ryden.

For the Ryden art collector, there's also the limited edition boxed set of the Anima Mundi book. Limited to just 500 sets, this contains the Anima Mundi book signed and numbered by Mark Ryden on a special limitation page not found in the normal edition; a signed and numbered giclee print titled "Sick Girl" which is reproduced in the book; an Anima Mundi bookmark, all packaged in a beautiful fabric box.

The first time that I flipped through this book, it affirmed what
I already like about this comic strip, which is one of my favouritie comic strips out there. Heart Lamarr's daily antics always have a way of making me laugh. In fact, "Heart of the City" is usually the first comic strip that I read when I get "The Toronto Star" every day during the work week. In closing, keep up the good work Mr. Mark Tatulli; and I hope to see another "Heart of the City" comic strip book sometime in the near future.

You know how you stumble on a comic strip and then, it just worms its way into your life? That's Heart of the City. Tatulli comes at everyday life with a velvet hammer. And at a time when many strips are drawn in styles that hurt rather than help the content, Heart has a cartooning style that meshes perfectly with its temperment. And as for Tatulli's content: He gets it. He really gets it. This guy just has to have kids because the honesty and cleverness of life pours from his strip. Forget just buying one for yourself, this is a neat gift for someone you want to make smile.

Mark Tatulli enticed me from the beginning a year ago with this insightful character and I've been hooked ever since. The comic stays fresh, warm, witty and a delight in my day. Mr. Tatulli is gifted with an incredible imagination that brings the characters to life for me in a way no other writer has since the early work of Lynn Johnston. This first book is a treasure trove of fun family reading.

Kudos to Mark Tatulli for a wonderful book - I look forward with anticipation to many more.

I receantly began this book, one of mystery and intrigue. When happen upon the fact that I loved it and longed to read every night before I slept. The story, of which this author has completed the prerequsite, has the wonderful style of writing that Helprin has attempted and suceeded.

The story as rediculas and yet frighting realalistic throws the reader into a society not unlike our own. The story bases itself upon the character developed by Helprin in his previous work, Swan Lake, a collabration with Allsburg. The book is wonderfully written and extreamly enjoyable for all ages.

I myself being a teenager the most ejoyable work ever presented as betime reading. The story should be shared with all. This book makes a wonderful story to read to children. I must confess that I have not finished, 20 pages away, but the futre is bright. A warning, Swan Lake may not be suitible for younger childs. A must READ.

When reading this book, you will probably find it surprising that this book is a sequel to what happens in the ballet, "Swan Lake". But this is not a childish book describing the positions of ballet or some halfhearted fairy tale. This is what you can call quality reading. Believe me, it is not boring, it is suspenseful and exciting. (Having read this in third grade, I know that it covers a wide range of ages.) It is not just a children's book, either. Adults will enjoy the breathtaking illustrations and the amazing story. Mark Helprin sure knows how to weave words, and Chris Van Allsburg can paint illustrations that play with light and are almost as captivating as the story itself. Congradulations to the author and the illustrator! And if you plan on getting this book, good luck and happy reading!

I loved this series by Mark Helprin. I'm a big fan of Winters Tale, and this was just as enjoyable. These are wonderful to read aloud to children, or to pass around and take turns with, as we've done with the Harry Potter and other series. Beautiful artwork, and thick shining pages make this book a keepsake, and a sumptuous pleasure to read. In this retelling of Swan Lake, all things are possible... you'll find yourself laughing one moment, tense the next, and always riveted. I also found the strong and triumphant female lead character refreshing, ..the story is told from her point of view, after all this has happened, a narrative to her not yet born child.

I enjoyed this book a _lot_. The story has a strong moral without being preachy. The artwork was wonderful, especially the expressions on Fanny's and Heber's faces. I disagree with "a reader" from Provo, UT. We all have dreams, but sometimes we find that they aren't all they're cracked up to be. And we can easily turn down a wonderful reality while waiting for one of these not-so-hot fantasies. I've found that a bird in the hand almost always beats two in the bush!

Fanny's dream is a great story for kids. It teaches them to make hard choices and to recognize that dreams are often reachable through love, hard work and kindness, rather than through a fairy godmother. Fanny, herself, doesn't run into the usual Cinderella fairytale. She's not a "pretty girl" that just needs to be cleaned up nice for the king's ball. She's an every woman who dreams of marrying someon great and having a great life... and comes to realize that fancy gowns and capitalistic royal fantasies don't necessarily make everyone happy.

I would recommend this book to any child, male or female. Although it is nice to have a woman as a main character who doesn't fit into any televised stereotypes.

My girls and I fell in love with this book! Beautiful illustration's and story. Teaches what is truely important ingredients to a happy life!!!

I have read Mark Nesbitt's four series of books about the Ghosts of Gettysburg and I must say I was very impressed, both with Mr. Nesbitt's writing techniques as well as with the stories themselves. In writing the stories, Mr. Nesbitt incorporated any history involved with each one, so that the reader was able to learn a little bit about what happened during that fateful battle. So many people take being an American for granted. We should never, ever forget what our ancestors went through to gain the freedom that each of us enjoy and take for granted each and every day. If you are open-minded about the spirit world and even if you aren't and want to learn more about Gettysburg, read these stories. They are very compelling and will keep you in suspense. They will also touch your heart regarding the many tragedies that took place there. Mr. Nesbitt, many compliments to you sir and please keep writing! I look forward to reading your next book on the Ghosts of Gettysburg! I also look forward to hopefully meeting you in person the next time I visit Gettysburg!

One of five great books in the Ghosts of Gettysburg series by Mark Nesbitt, having read them all, I anxiously await his next. Whether or not you're a believer in the supernatural, these books will touch, educate, and fascinate you. They don't sensationalize, you don't get the feeling you're reading a bunch of goofy ghost stories. He presents the information in a very objective manner, and lets the reader make their own judgement. His research is thorough, he gives great context to the events he describes, and all of these books will grab you from page one. I can't wait for #6! (And if you ever have the opportunity to go to Gettysburg & take one of his tours, definitely do it - they really bring the books to life...)

All of these books were a joy to read. Each story gives you a brief historical account of each haunted sight, so you get a little history lesson with each chilling story. The various ghost stories are quite interesting if you believe in them, and I had trouble putting each of these books down due to my interest in both ghosts and US Civil War history.
I hope there's a book VI.