This book is just marvelous! Little Four(the little gray kitten on the cover) follows Bengal into the jungle to learn how to be like a tiger, so that he may earn his name on naming day. I was struck by how Four perseveres, and eventually triumphs, despite all those around him who doubt. This book has everything; exciting action, great moral (without being preachy)and the illustrations are as magical as the rest of the book.(Be sure to look for the hidden tigers!) Positive, empowering and beautiful, it's everything a picture book should be. I read it to my son's 2nd grade class; it was a hit, it really got them excited and talking.

I sent this book and "Quick Quack Quick" by the same author, to my niece and nephew. They really enjoyed it, and my sister enjoyed reading it to them. Many thanks for such a great story.

Often in life things turn out different than we expect or plan. Marsha Arnold has given us a story that deals with this experience in a delightful way. Metro Cat takes us on a fun journey and provides opportunity to teach children about coping with and making use of life's unexpected turn of events. I just bought two more copies to give as gifts. My grandchildren love this book! I love this book! I'm keeping one in my home library. It is quality literature, a relevent theme, loads of fun, and darling illustrations. What more could I ask for?

Here's a nice story of how the seemingly fearless sister needs help from one of her siblings in the face of a dangerous tornado. To escape the tornado the family needs to take shelter in the storm cellar, but that's the one thing that gives the "fearless" one pause. I particularly liked the illustrations and thought that the long-legged children fit in well with the depression-era names and scenes.

This author is amazing. Not only are her books a pleasure to read, but they also contain heartwarming messages. Any child afraid of storms would be comforted by this story.

This story has my six year old pretending to eat slices of pumpkin before he zooms off into the distance! It is a compelling tale of an old bloke who beats the odds by just doing what works for him. What I like best about this story, besides it being based on reality, is that it makes folks think about what elders can do, or indeed what people can accomplish, just by being utterly themselves. It's an updated 'tortoise and the hare' fable, really. Incidentally, I found the laconic, modest character of Joshua to be distinctly Australian, having lived there for four years. It's great!

The Pumpkin Runner is a great book for parents to read to their children, especially those parents who are runners. Few are the books that spin a tale about the sports we love. Children need to be exposed to the challenges and rewards of participating in sports. Taken from a true story of ultramarathoner Cliff Young, The Pumpkin Runner has fantastic colors in vivid artwork to hold a child's attention. Adults will smile as Joshua runs the race of his life in a carefree way that shows children of all ages that sometimes we just need to have fun--and the rewards will come.

My four year old and I read this book today. It was a little long and wordy for him but he enjoyed the entire thing. The illustrations are lovely and the words delightful. The book made me think of my grandfather and how he loves to tell stories.