There is one book above all I remember reading to my now 26 year old daughter, and of all the books she had, I think she loved this one best.

Jane Yolen has written a substantial number of picturebooks. She touches fantasy, the ghoulish, the comic, and also thecultural in her many titles. Some of her titles have struck me as too dark or gory for young children, and some have struck me as a little too political, but most of her work I have found quite enjoyable. Of all her books that I have read, however, Raising Yoder's Barn is the best.

It is an exploration of the Amish community way of life. The story is told from the point of view of a young boy, Yoder's son. He tells of a lightning strike that burns his family's barn to the ground, and the resulting "barn raising" that their Amish community holds to help the family recover from the loss. The text is beautiful, almost poetic, and Bernie Fuchs's paintings offer an emotional enhancement to the story. He uses slight blurring and an emphasis on light to make emotional statements with each one. It's lovely.

The story nicely conveys the religious faith of the Amish, with Yoder encouraging his family at the end of the barn raising to give thanks to God for His wonderful provision.

A poignant way to introduce children to the Amish lifestyle.

I discovered this wonderful book at our library, and we kept re-newing it for over a year. I was so glad to finally find a copy for our family! Wonderful rounds to sing, more than I've seen in any other book. Some have bits of the history of the song, or verses or related writings. A lovely resource for "low-tech" family times, or get-togethers around the piano with friends. We have enjoyed it so much. I encourage the publisher to bring it back into print!

Jane Yolen's text and David Shannon's shimmering illustrations come together in a lyrical, beautiful introduction to a collection of sacred places around the world. A sense of wonder and mystery that pervades a sacred place like the Ganges, Stonehenge or the Wailing Wall come through in a simple yet haunting manner that will touch children and adults alike.

My name is Robert C. Shields Jr. RKSHIELDS@worldnet.att.net. I am curious to know if Jane Yolen wrote anymore in her Pit Dragons trilogy/series? I really liked this book. I am intrigued by Ms. Yolen's interpretation of dragons, on Austar IV. I hope that she wrote more.

If you've read lots of books about Robin Hood before, then this book will be especially good for you, although others will like it too. One of the problem with Robin Hood books is that they get repetitive, and one of the great things about this book is that the authors take what they already know about the outlaw, and then uses that to write their own stories about what could have happened. They take the basis for Robin Hood, and the ideals that they believe he represents to make completely original, suspenseful and often funny stories about him. I especially liked Mary Frances Zambreno's and Anna Kirwan stories, just because they were good on their own, without even being part of a book about Robin Hood. but my favorite was Adam Stemple's story, where he takes Robin Hood into the future with hilarious versions of the Sheriff and Guy of Guisborne. The illustrations throughout the book are also great.

I first saw this book when I was doing research for a paper on Shakers. It is an excellent source. It is classified as a children's book but it is a great book for all ages. There is wonderful information about the beginning, their life, and their end. A must read if you can find it.

"If naps and laps you do confuse, You are surely bound to lose."

Taking Aesop's familiar gems and re-setting them into witty verse, Yolen polishes the old stories and makes them sparkle. The poetry, while seemingly simple, can lead kids through a bit of puzzling before they can explicate each line, even when they know the original fable. A great book for teachers.

This book is just plain wonderful. What I thought about as I read it was how I wish someone would have exposed me to a book like this when I was a child. The beautiful illustrations, bright and capturing the spirit of each poem, pull one into the page, set the young reader in the right direction. Then the words of each poem take the reader beyond, to that wonderful place words create inside, with the intensity only poetry can create among words. If taken as a whole, the reader will find it to be a complete journey of a child's urban environment, from looking out to the city bellow in Langston Hughes' "City," on to the crowded streets, in and out of the park, the playground and the bustling workers, back to home again, and the end of another day with a "Manhattan Lullaby" by Norma Farber. The reader discovers that the poetry goes beyond the images brought to mind, to create feelings, a sense of motion while also a sense of serenity and of being in the perfect spot. The book works in so many ways to give opportunity to seeing the beauty of the city and we the people that create it. It is a beautiful collection that works to expose and enhance the young child's perception of poetry and inspire those so inclined to create their own verse.

This book would make a great gift for a child because it is an easy telling of the story and the pictures are beautiful. Almost every page has a full color illustration that looks to have been done as an oil painting.