This book is, without a doubt, one of the most wonderful books on my child's bookshelf. The text is a beautiful poem that winds its way through absoulutely riveting, gorgeous illustrations. The book is a work of art, and tells the Christmas story the way it should be told. Young or old, this book grabs your heart and stays with you all year. My three year old still points to the sky and asks "Is THAT the star, Mommy?" -- In a word, this book is PRICELESS.

I do not ordinarily write book reviews, but reading this book has compelled me to send this message. I have never been so moved by a book. The verse is amazing in how it builds you through the story until the beautifully simplistic and meaningful ending. The illustrations are also breathtaking. In a time where Christmas has taken on the symbol of Santa and a sleigh full of toys, this book gives back the true meaning of Christmas. I would recommend this book to anyone. Happy Holidays.

This is a wonderful Christmas book. The verse builds as each stage of the story of Christ's birth unfolds. It has a song-like cadence that marks true poetry and is excellent for reading aloud.

The accompanying art is breathtaking. Each page is beautifully illustrated by fine paintings that evoke their own feeling of the awsomeness of the sacred birth. All of the pictures are bathed in the shadow of night which lends stark beauty to their drama. The artist represents angles in a magnificent form that is truly inspiring.

Children will love this book and adults will treasure it.

The illustrations and text of this book are wonderful. We read this at bedtime very regularly. It is a story about a tiny creature who is cared for by a bigger bear and his family until he finds himself back safely snuggled in his own bed. -- My three year old son finds the play on size just enchanting. He really attends to the story, picks up on the subtleties of the illustrations, and always gives a heartfelt chuckle at the end of the book.-- I guess he knows firsthand just what it is like to be littler than most things, but bigger than some! Great intro to a discussion about the different sizes that all things can come in.

This wonderfully, warm and touching book chronicles Giant Baby Bear's discovery of a Very Small while walking in the forest. Giant Baby Bear offers to share his Mommy and Daddy with the lost Very Small. He even builds a playground for the Very Small using things from his room. The Very Small eats with Giant Baby Bear and bathes in the soap dish. Finally, Giant Baby Bear and the Very Small settle down to sleep. Although, the Very Small is sad and misses his family, it appears he has found a family to share with Giant Baby Bear. Suddenly, Giant Baby Bear sneezes sending the Very Small tumbling and flying safely back to his parents. The Very Small's parents tuck him into bed with his own baby bear who is very, very small. This is a charmingly tender book of sharing and friendship. The illustrations are watercolors with deep vibrant colors. The bears have sweet, loving faces and the Very Small is adorably elfish. The layout of the text when the Very Small is sneezed back to his parents is in a downward arch and adds to the feeling of flying through the story. This fine bedtime book reinforces the value of family and encourages bedtime hugs and cuddles.

Delightful! It was a wonderful story about sharing everything that Baby Big Bear had with the Very Small that he just found. Very Small was lost and Baby Big Bear tried to make him feel better by sharing with him. A great way to illustrate compassion to your child. The illustration was beautifully done with appealing colors and an adorable Very Small. My three-year-old and I enjoy it over and over.

Deb Manitowoc, WI

This is one of our all time favorite children books. The pictures are darling. It was just the right length to keep my little ones' attention. We never tired of reading it. A truly delightsome book.

A young boy, Indigo, wants to be a musician, not the fisherman that his traditionalist father is. When he reveals this to his father, the father throws the boy's most prized possesion into the ocean. Soon the father takes ill and Indigo is forced to take the boat out on his own. What happens next is a journey that will envelope the reader into a fantastical story about life, value, and one of the ocean's most loved creatures: the whale. This story is the type of story that doesn't hold back on the grasp of determination and what the consequences are of sticking to your guns. It also is not overly dramatic and graphic either so that kindergarters can even understand it.

This reassuring story shows a father and son camping at the beach. They make several sand sculptures, the most unusual of which is a giant. A roving gang of children comes along and destroys all the sculptures but the giant. The boy wakes in the night and finds the giant building sand children and a sand castle. Upon waking in the morning, the boy finds nothing left but the giant. The soft colors of the illustrations evoke twilight, that half-state between wakefulness and dreaming. A gentle tribute to the power of imagination.

I read this story to my son and his pre-school class. They loved it. The cadence was lyrical and the ending was uplifting...

This book is great! The illustrations are vibrant and can tell the story themselves. A simple story that tells of an adventure of the baby bird learning to fly. Wonderful book!

My 2 year old son loves this book. Each page is a one liner and he now enjoys reading this book to himself. It is so cute and colorful and he reads it several times a day. I only wish I could buy it. We have it on loan from our library.

I have a feeling that this book will become another classic bedtime story. It encourages young ones to think of something positive and happy before they go to bed. It encourages them to look around their surroundings and nature to find joyful thoughts. The idea that "the morning likes waking you up. That's what makes the morning happy" is so unique. Going to sleep becomes something purposeful and fun because that is the only way the morning could "wake you up." In another word, going to sleep becomes a positive act instead of a passive one. What especially makes me love this book is that the one who is soothing the little bunny (who is afraid of nightmare) is her big brother instead of her mother. This very positive book is an excellent bedtime story as well as a good choice to deal with sibling relationship. Ages 4-8.

This is the best children's book I've read in a long time. I loved it, as did my children. The delightful text and soft, inviting pictures capture the warmth and beauty of the best moments of sibling relationships. It's a comforting story for little ones who are afraid to go to bed alone, and an inspiring one for older brothers and sisters. My 7-year-old and 14-year-old both loved it, because it reminded them of themselves.

After I read this story to my 3 and 4 year old girls, I knew we had a bedtime story to cherish. It not only shows an endearing relationship between a brother and sister, but encourages children to think of happy things, to help thim fall asleep. After reading this book, I use examples from the book to help my girls fall asleep.

Poor Willa. She's too little to reach the table by herself, too little to get her clothes on by herself, too little for practically any activity that makes life fun. She goes to her older brother Willoughby and begins to quiz him on how it is to be grown up. Willoughby sets her straight with gentle humor and some straight talk.

Throw into the mix the fact that Willa and Willoughby are utterly charming rabbits drawn by illustrator Debi Gliori and you get the idea of this lovely book. Author Joyce Dunbar has done a good job of showing that growing up isn't all it's made out to be, while simultaneously holding out for the idea that there's a lot of good stuff involved. ... A perfectly charming book with sweet illustrations.

Remember what it was like to be little and wanting to be big! A time when everything would be better if only you were bigger. This heartwarming story is about a bunny named Willa who is very curious about growing up. She gets up very early one morning by herself and realizes she is too little to get breakfast on her own. Willa decides to wake up her brother, Willoughby, who agrees to help her. As he helps her with breakfast, she starts to question him about what it's like to be big. Willoughby patiently answers Willa's questions with older sibling wisdom. The painted illustrations make you feel warm and comfortable. The endpapers remind you of a cozy quilt. All of which remind you of home. Children K-3 will love this story for it's illustrations and the wonderment of what it's like to be older. Adults will love reading it for the nostalgic memories of wanting to be big and knowing what it's like when you finally get there.

Our son (20 months old) usually likes rhyming picture books - generally because of the rythm, cadence and predictability). But this score rates a perfect 10 with him. He can't get enough of us reading it aloud to him as each mouse scurries home to the cozy nest. This is part of his bedtime ritual. As the last page of the book reads of the mice sleeping happily, our son puts his head down, too. Except so many times when we shut the book, he begs to start the counting adventure again. He can identify the corresponding animals and landscape in the pictures. This is so rewarding to us in our emphasis on literacy. This book is a pearl!

Rhythmic text and gorgeous illustrations make this book a delight for parents and children. Each two-page spread finds the original group of ten variegated mice losing one mouse to the lure of his cozy nest.

For example: "Eight little mice in a barley field were climbing from stalk to stalk. One saw the tail of a prowling cat, so he ran-ran home to his cozy nest." "Four little mice by a cool dark pool were splishing and splashing and sliding. One fell in, and soaked to the skin, he slip-slopped home to his cozy nest."

The illustrations are vivid and lifelike and filled with detail that I enjoy even when reading the story for the sixth time in a row. Skip the small board-book edition and purchase one of the larger versions to be able to appreciate all the details of the illustrations!

I like to borrow books from the library before ordering them online to see which ones my daughter really likes. This was one we had to order! The illustrations are attractive and the verses are poetic but don't quite rhyme the way you think would. The style reminded me of Margaret Wise Brown's "Goodnight Moon," rhyming, but not in a standard way. Of course, I'm only speculating why she likes the book so much. She'll have to tell you in a couple years why it's one of her favorites!

The Pig Who Wished has that "something" that appeals to younger kids. My two-and-a-half year old son has requested this book at least 20 times for a bedtime story. He has yet to tire of it, and I haven't minded it either.

The pictures are well done, as they are colorful and cheerful, while being detailed enough to intrigue children. The text has enough repetition to be instantly familiar (which 2-3 year olds seem to like), and at the same time keeps a story moving.

The edition I have (paperback) has strong pages with vibrant colors, like the other books in the DK Toddler series.