The Queen Bee is a picturebook version of the classic fairytale by the Brothers Grimm, about a young prince named Dimwit who must accomplish three impossible tasks to break the spell surrounding a mysterious castle. Yet the impossible becomes possible with the help of small creatures he rescued from torment. The impressive color illustrations by Iassen Ghiuselev are reminiscent of Renaissance style artwork and wonderfully enhance this amusing and magical fairy tale.

I have read many wonderful books since 1976, but The Scarlet Ibis stands out in my memory like no other. As a tenth grader at Iroquois Central High School, my main focus was on fun. Reading this story in my English class caused me to see how fragile life is, and to realize that the worst weaknesses of humanity are not the physical ones which can be seen, but rather the pride and selfishness that destroy others. A personal note: Like one of your reviewers, I am the mother of a handicapped child.I marvel daily at her incredible spirit, as well as those of her disabled friends. The character "Doodle" is a great representation of that spirit and the truth that often the least among us are the greatest! I've searched for years to find this story again, and was amazed to see similar comments. The mere fact that so many have remembered this story for so long is reason enough for everyone to read it!

I remember reading this in grade school and still remember it today. I have searched for this title and you can imagine my surpise when I found it on this site listing. I had a younger brother, though not handicapped, who I greatly disliked. If I remember, this story has a part in it where the family was so certian that the young brother would not live that they built a coffin for him in his infancy. If I also remember this story correctly, the young boy does die in the end though the details of it I can't now recall. I remember being so stunned by this ending that I began to look on my younger brother as a treasure rather than a liability. You might say that this book changed our relationship. Treasures come in many forms one of them is brothers, even handicapped ones. If you don't want to cry, don't read this book. If you want to look at life a bit differently, buy it and don't put it down.

Like others who read this, I first read this book as a sophmore in high school, and until today (MANY years later) could not find the book title or story anywhere. Also similarly, I thought of phoning the teacher personaly, but was glad to eventually find positive results on Amazon.com. It seems most everyone who reads it is moved deeply, and share many of the same reactions BUT I distictly remember the words of my teacher. My teacher questioned whether the young brother would have been better off not being pushed by his brother. It is a complex question of quality of life vs. quantity (or longevity. She also raised the question of what it meant to live, and quite possibly could the constant urging, and pushing by the older brother - who refused to "give up", lower his standards and allow his brother to be treated as an invalid ACTUALLY be the motivation that kept the younger brother alive all the while. People need love to live and one cares more who tries to make something better than one who leaves something altogether.

Althought the subject matter is rather dark, the overall message is a good one. This book is a gentle introduction to dealing with death. The unlikely pairing of the little bird and the old musician teach our children that diversity in our friendships enlightens and educates us. The untold demise of the old man gives us an opportunity to teach our children about the emotion of sorrow and honoring the memories of those who have past.

This is a children's book from Europe, appealingly illustrated, about Laura, a Newfoundland dog, and her two young friends. They take the train to Paris to stay in Grandfather's flat...but get bored, and turn on all the taps to flood the apartment so they can sail around in it, "like Venice". When they end up sailing down the street and into the river, Laura comes to the rescue. This is a clever little book, all the more appealling because I had two small children and a Newfy when I bought it. One of three or so books featuring the adventures of Laura the Newf; another title is "Laura and the Bandits".