Richard Scarry's Busy Busy World was one of my favorite books when I was little. My whole family loved it and we still quote it all the time. Favorite lines I used to repeat when I was little were "I am Taking You to Jail" "Klondike Kid and Tundra Pete are Back in town said Grubstake Moose" "Whrr Clop" "Oh How Beautifully Fatima Danced" and a few others. I highlited them in my copy. Back to basics, this magical book is about occupations of animal charachters from all over the globe. Children can learn wonderful things from the book. But it never has to seem like learning, that's part of the magic. As you read, you will probably feel like you are part of the book yourself. I felt that way too. I bought two copies of Busy, Busy World the last time it was in Print, and gave them as gifts to friends who were having children. I'd buy another million today. Please encourage the publisher to reprint it.--Robert Metz

Busy, Busy World is a gift from Richard Scarry to the world and has brought countless hours of reading pleasure to many families. Our copy is 28 years old, dog-eared and taped together but we still read it to children who come to our home. Traditionally we have given copies of the book to kids who are special to us, and there have been many. We'd add the child's picture to illustrations of Noah the boa constrictor, Pierre the Paris policeman, Couscous, et al around the world map on the full-page spreads just as you open the book. We recently had an adult friend read Schmudge, the German chimney sweep and it was delightful to hear her say as she finished the story, "It's a white kitty!" And so I am heartbroken to learn that Busy, Busy World is out of print. I hope the publisher has a change of heart. It's a shame that this great classic is no longer a staple of children's literature. What a tremendous loss.

There is no rational explanation why this book should be out of print. In a world in which every sordid detail about Madonna, Dennis Rodman, and some wrestler named "Mankind?" is easily available, why is it so hard to get a copy of the best childrens' picture book ever written? I was given this book in the late 1960's and more than any other event in my life it gave me a desire to see the world. At the age of four I was able to find every country this book mentioned in my World Atlas. As an adult I have now been to most of these countries and yet it is still Richard Scarry's version that comes to mind. I would love to obtain a copy for my daughter since mine is falling apart at the seams.

I have two grown up daughters in their twenties who became enchanted with Nicholas bunny's world when they were little. They wanted to enter the pages of this book and share Nicholas' world of wonder. That is the key to this book. It lets a small child experience the wonder of the world and know how to look for it when he goes outside. It is the perfect good night book and leaves the child with the happiness of a new day to explore in the morrow. Please bring this book back in its original large format so more children can seem to hold the world of Nicholas bunny in their hands.

When my children fell in love with Nicholas, I sent copies to every friend I knew with a young baby. I was so disappointed when one friend seemed unenthusiastic. Her copy came just as they were leaving for bridge, and the baby sitter took first crack at it. "It only took 2 minutes to read - there is not much to it".

Two days later my friend called to apologize. When she read the book to her little one, the first time thru took 2 minutes, but then they snuggled together on the couch while every page was reviewed, every leaf questioned, every butterfly named, daffodils and dogwood and acorns admired. The baby need not understand the answers - the charm and the pictures encourage long loving perusal together.

I have to admit that I was forced to buy a butterfly guide just to name each pretty one the little finger touched.

This book has only a few short sentences, 1 per beautiful page, and the order your baby turns the pages matters little. If you both enjoy a nice long cuddle, this book is wonderful. I am now buying it for my grandchildren and friends with young grand babies.

Discover the four seasons with Nicholas the bunny, as he travels from spring to winter in this enchanting board book. Nicholas says, "In the spring, I chase the butterflies, and the butterflies chase me." The reader sees an adorable little bunny dressed in red overalls, leaping into the air, trying to catch one of the two-dozen beautifully rendered butterflies. The story continues with spring, then summer, and ends in winter. Nicholas lives in a hollow tree, and when winter arrives, the reader sees him curled up snug in his bunny bed dreaming about the spring to come. This endearing book captivates babies with the outstanding images, and simple text, while teaching the four seasons to older children. Written in 1963, "I am a Bunny," is a classic and one that should be included in every child's library. One-year and up.

All of the reviews I've read echo my own opinion of the Sweet Pickles books. As a child, they were my favorite books. And like so many of you, my set was destroyed by other children. I would love to find this series again and show my baby nephew why Sweet Pickles are the best. If anyone has any leads, let me know!

Me Too, Iguana has to be my favorite children's book ever. I had the whole series as a kid, but lost all of them. Now, I scour all the thrift shops and garage sales looking for any books in the series. I've looked all over for these books, and I wish they would come back. What wonderful, timeless messages they had that kids will forever love to read about. I've put in an order to Me Too Iguana, and I will pay any amount of money for it if they find it! Thanks to the author for so many great childhood memories, and I hope they decide to print Sweet Pickles again!!!!!

I have loved sweet pickles books since I was about 8 years old. I'm now 26 with three children of my own and have always wanted to share these wonderful books with them. I had the entire series of sweet pickles books.My mother had stored them in a family storage area. When my mother and I went to go get them we were disgusted to discover that they were not there. We called everyone in the family that had access to this storage area. Finally my Aunt told my mother that she had taken the books and gave them all to her grandchildren. She said she didnt know anyone wanted them. So now we had to see if her grandchildren still had all my books. Well I am very, very, sorry to say they lost or tore up all but one. Needless to say I was so upset. The only one they had was, Who Stole Alligator's Shoe? I have it now but it is falling apart.I would really LOVE to share my old books with my children, but now that will never happen. Please if anyone has the series of the sweet pickles books contact me. My E-mail is darlene808@hotmail.com. I would greatly appreciate it! I could never say enough good things about these awesome books!!

Beverly Kaye and Sharon Jordan-Evans have written a clever, candid, thorough guidebook for managers who would like to keep good people in their employ. With no filler, and plenty of insightful stories, this well-organized book is divided into 26 chapters - each one named for a strategy that begins with a sequential letter of the alphabet. Illustrated with color graphics that carry the eye to sidebars and other informative tidbits, the book offers advice ranging from professional to personal. It makes plenty of sense. We [...] recommend this book to anyone who manages or supervises employees, and for employees themselves.

Love 'Em or Lose 'Em is one of those books you want to give to every manager, supervisor, executive who has ever let a talented employee walk out the door, in turn causing them thousands of dollars to replace. Dr. Beverly Kaye and Sharon Jordan-Evans have made this book full of easy to use activities and useful To-do lists that are critical tools for ANYONE who has employees that they would hate to lose. I found the book extremely easy to read, and the 26 chapters fun to go through. The book is designed so that you can take and apply one chapter (or retention strategy) at a time, instead of being overwhelmed by trying to apply them all at once. A lot of the strategies in the book are common sense, but I know that managers still don't apply them when an employee is about to walk out the door. I would hope that ALL managers, supervisors, executives, etc. would apply just ONE strategy. I think they would be amazed and surprised at the effectiveness this one attempt would have on changing the employee's mind to stay. I highly recommend this book for all organizations, and for all levels within the organization. It truly is the best book I have read on retention strategies, and the authors make the book so applicable to the challenges faced in today's tight labor market!

Love 'Em or Lose 'Em is an excellent resource that all employers should read to better understand the needs of their employees. The way people work is changing constantly and employers need to realize that each of their employees need to be stimulated and encouraged to do their best.

Beverly Kaye and Sharon Jordan-Evans organize this book in an easy to read fashion. Yet the writing is not dry at all. The exasmple are explained with many real world examples and even in a fun friendly manner. Kaye and Evans encourage bosses to communicate effectively with their workers. They stress the importance of having retention meetings and getting feedback from key employees. Also important is creating a professional but fun work environment. Overtime may be necessary to complete key projects. But reward employees with a festive meal or a sporting actiity. It never hurts to mentor these key employees and to get to know their personal lives a little without infringing on their space.

Also key to this book is an outline illustrating how the loss of one critical employee effected the attitude of a particular department and even the company as a whole. This recessionary economy will soon lift and many employers need to realize that layoffs and rigid policies will only restrict organizational growth. An excellent resource on many levels.

I've always loved Richard Adams' books, but this is his best novel by far. A story about a remarkable girl, Maia, and her (unwilling) rise to fame and glory, will capture your heart and your imagination. Although this was a very long book, it grabbed me and held me from the minute I turned to the first page! My heart was racing and my spine was tingling until the very end! Adams' gift for storytelling is just unbelievable.... after reading this book for the first time, I felt like I had actually BEEN in Bekla! I smelled the smells: the fool vendors in the lower city, the kepris perfume that Zirek sold to the girls, the water in Lake Serrelind; I had felt the cooling Melekril rains, and the dry heat of the Beklan plain. I could see the haze of the lower city from the Baron's palace, the gorgeous gold of Maia's hair, the many colorful gowns the girls wore, the brown skin and orange Metlan of Occula, and her statue of the goddess Kantza Merada.

This story has everything a person could want...adventure, intrigue, politics, friendship, love, hatred, betrayal, murder, bed girls and generals, cattle drovers and peasant women, deposed lords and dancing girls. It's my absolute favorite book, and I've since read it again many times.

You may know Richard Adams from his more well-known book "Watership Down", but I assure that if you liked that book, you'll love this one even more.

This is an absolutely amazing novel about a beautiful peasant girl, Maia, who is sold into slavery and becomes a concubine in the household of the High Counselor of the Leopard regime. The Leopards are the upper ruling class of the semi-barbaric Beklan empire, an ancient, beautiful, and sometimes deadly city. Along the way, Maia is befriended by Occula, an exotic slave girl, and unwittingly becomes involved in a plot to overthrow the Leopard regime. This book combines political intrigue, a quest for identity, a struggle for freedom, and this remarkable girl's search for her one true love, Zen-Kurel. Richard Adams is a master storyteller, and reading one of his works is like "being woven into a tapestry". His descriptions of the Beklan empire, his intricate plot lines, his attention to detail, and his use of subtle humor, all make this a story worth reading, and one you'll come back to time and again.

Adams takes the talent for building exceptional and realistic characters that he showcased in Watership Down and the Plague Dogs to unbelievable new levels in this gem. One of the greatest books I have ever read. Absolutely inspiring for anybody who writes fiction and easily as engrossing as Eddings and Tolkien. This is simply a magnificent novel: adventuresome, erotic, well thought out, and addicting! Reader beware...you will not be able to put this book down! Adams takes his characters beyond what most usually think of as fantasy and turns them into real people. His beautiful and familiar writing voice fills the pages with subtle poetry which makes it difficult to put down and more difficult to resist re-reading immediately! Recommended for anybody who enjoys reading any genre from fantasy to romance to mystery to just plain fiction. This book has it all! ...And who doesn't love Occula?

I finally picked up "Sharpe's Rifles" months after having the series recommended to me by a friend. I wish I hadn't waited. Although I read a lot of military fiction, I have never read anything about the Napoleonic wars. Cornwell actually brings the battles to life, from the cries of the dying and wounded to the smell of the smoke of the battlefield. All of the cahracters come to life, and are exemplary of the kind of lives lived by the soldiers and officers of the era. It is obvious that Cornwell did his homework here.

Richard Sharpe is a well developed character, an everyman that developed not only into a super warrior, but also into a superb leader of warriors.

In this novel the author gets right down to the story, and wastes no time getting to the heart of the story. The writing is straightforward and clean.

Highly recommended

Sharpe's Rifles by Bernard Cornwell is an exciting roller-coaster ride of battles and army life as seen through the eyes of Richard Sharpe, a newly made lieutenant in the English infantry. During the early 1800s most officers in the English infantry were of noble birth, however Lt. Sharpe, a former enlisted man comes from the ranks. He receives little respect from the men in his command and even less from his peers. The setting is in Spain during the French-Napoleonic invasions. The English (and Lt. Sharpe) are supporting the freedom fighters of Spain.

His army has been defeated and the French are pushing the English towards the coast of Spain and into Portugal. Through a series of mishaps he finds himself under the loose command of a Spanish Major who is intent upon flying a holy banner from a major city deep within the French area of control. Sharpe must win the respect of his men, fight an invincible French Colonel, and vie for the attentions of a beautiful English missionary.

I admit that I was a fan of the PBS series before I read the books. However, when you start this book you will have a hard time putting it down. Cornwell writes in plain English and his dialog is great.

'Sharpe's Rifles' is the first of Bernard Cornwell's orginal Richard Sharpe series and is a wonderful start. Here we meet for the first time the maverick British officer Richard Sharpe and his tough-as-nails companion Sergeant Harper. The story takes place during the British retreat from Spain in 1809. French victory seems certain. Lieutnant Sharpe is seperated from his unit and forced to command a rag tag company of riflemen, who have little love for thier new leader, though enemy territory back to the British lines. On top of these worries, Spanish partisans insist that the British escort them to a remote village where they believe victory over the French is possible. This is a novel that takes you back in time to the desperate days in the struggle against Napoleon. Even if historical novels aren't your thing the adventure alone is worth the read.

If you've read The Wastland or any of the other, more substantial poems by T.S Eliot, you may be shocked at Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats. But don't be fooled, even in the simple subject matter there is genius in Eliot's writing.

This is the only poem book of Eliot's that I own and it's a great deal of fun to read. My favorite cat is Macavity. If you've seen the musical Cats (which I haven't), here's the inspiration. This is also a great first book to get younger people interested in poetry. The language Eliot uses is flowery and catchy, and the subject matter is centered on those cute furballs. Enjoy.

"Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats," by T.S. Eliot, is a book of poems about cats. The basis for the wildly successful musical "Cats," the book stands on its own as a delightful work of literature. The poems are accompanied by wonderful illustrations by Edward Gorey.

This book is hilarious and very enjoyable. Eliot's words leap and dance across the pages with a zany musicality. Gorey's accompanying artwork is whimsical and full of interesting details. Eliot has created some great feline characters: the fearsome Growltiger, dapper Bustopher Jones, Magical Mr. Mistoffelees, and more.

Yes, these poems are great fun to read. But if you are inclined to look closer and analyze them at a deeper literary level, you will find that each one is a masterpiece of poetic craftsmanship. Eliot uses a wonderful variety of meters, rhyme schemes, and various poetic effects. Each poem stands on its own, and together they form an effective artistic unity.

Also noteworthy is the very "English" flavor of the book, which Eliot achieves by spicing his poems with many references to English geography and cultural history. Highly recommended, whether or not you like cats.

This book was a delightful read! Poems for everybody to come to love! It was also the inspiration behind the musical Cats, and everybody can certainly see why!

Between some of the cheerful and bubbly poems you'll find, a discussion/interpretation of the social issues surrounding Eliot at that time, giving the reader an insight into the inspiration behind his poetry and into his psychology.

Garnished with lovely illustrations to feed and humor your imagination, Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats has everything to become something for all of the family, and all generations to behold. I couldn't put it down, and it always beckons a re-read!

Gogol was Russia's poetic observer of the true soul and character of the Russian peoples. A deep pessimist and a black humourist, but above all a realist tormented by love for his country, an all to acute understanding of his people, and hatred of the state. I vote 5 for this book because to read it is know and understand our Mother Russia and the people who still live the life that Gogol the poet described. Misunderstood perhaps due to its age it is treated as a "classic" and an "academic" work of literature. I urge you to read Gogol and understand our Russian soul. His last work was to be the nemesis of Dead Souls, but never written, because our Gogol was a realist who was tortured by the fact.

Pevear and Volokhonsky have done it again. Another fine translation of a Russian classic. The art of the Russian novel begins with "Dead Souls," although Gogol himself likened this great work to a poema. Upon its first release, "Dead Souls" immediately won a place in the Russian heart. Chichikov and the various characters that he came in contact with in this strange journey became Russian archetypes. Unfortunately, Gogol could never bring Chichikov's adventures to a close, but this novel does not suffer for it.

What makes the P&V translation stand out are the numerous reference notes, so that one can understand the many allusions that Gogol makes. P&V have masterfully rendered Gogol's protean metaphors and delightful similes, so that one can sense the poetic nature in which this novel has been written.

The "demonic" plot is most intriguing but what really carries this story are the many wonderful characters that Gogol has artfully rendered, each trying to figure out why Chichikov is so interested in buying their "dead souls," deceased serfs that are still on the census and therefore subject to taxes.

Dead Souls is Gogol's first and only full length novel, ironically written in Rome rather than the Russian countryside it was set in. Tragically he destroyed most of the second volume shortly before his death leaving only bits and pieces of chapters leaving only volume I whole.

A story of a swindler and a social satire on life in early 19th century Russia, Dead Souls is also a comment on class and hypocricsy. Small town Russian officials and landowners strive to keep up appearances, valuing them more importantly than susbtance. Even Chichikov knows this, in fact as the main character (anti-hero) he thrives on this.

Gogol's story is comic on its surface but reading it you get a glimpse of life just twenty years before Alexander II freeded the serfs from their landowners. Dead Souls is both comedy and satire.

One note the Peaver-Volokhonsky translation while newer is a bit "choppy" and the translators make the most awkward word selections from Russian to English. It makes reading this version a bit off-putting at times (The Guerney translation was the favorite of many Russian expat's). Dead Souls is worth the read.

This is a superb story of a young mother who finds a man to love, and who loves her. Her little girl loves the man, too, and so they all get married. He's Jewish and she's Christian, and her mother-in-law has her doubts about the marriage, but she eventually learns to love the young woman and her daughter.

As the months go by and she becomes pregnant with her little boy, she finds out after the birth that she has cancer. This is a very trying and difficult time for Bernie Fine, the young man who has waited all his life for his dream girl, now with the thought of losing her to a terrible, uncurable disease.

Fine Things was made into a movie of the week, and it is one of the finest Danielle Steel movies ever made. It ranks 2nd in my opinion poll, right under The Promise with Kathleen Quinlan and Steven Collins.

Little Noley Thornton (alias Heidi) stole my heart in the TV movie of Fine Things. I love everything this child is in, but especially this movie.

Both the book and the movie are worth buying, and I give them both five stars!

I love all of Danielle Steel's books and this is my all time favorite! I seen the movie also and I cried during both! Bernie Fine is positively a womans dream caring for his dying wife and then fighting to keep her daugther with him after she passes away. Truly heartwarming. A must read book and also a must see movie!!

"Fine Things" was the first Danielle Steel book I ever read, probably 10 years ago by now. I was up well into the night frantically turning the pages to see what would happen, and I was stunned to find myself in tears more than once. I can't emphasize enough the emotional impact of this story. This is also one of the few times that DS has written a story primarily from the male perspective, and she did it extremely well -- in fact even better than some of her recent books have written about women! Bernie isn't your run-of-the-mill hunky dreamboat -- he's a regular guy with problems in the romance department and an interfering mom to boot. His relationship with Liz and her struggle with cancer was truly heart-wrenching. If you have to read just one Steel novel, make it "Fine Things".

This compilation of Oswald Chamber essays and sermons was originally captured by his wife after his death. The format of a daily devotional provides an excellent daily read for the avid and growing Christian.

The individual devotionals are not easily devoured in one reading, generally requiring a second or third reading to fully grasp the depth of Oswald Chambers' deeply Christian messages based on Biblical scriptures. This is not light reading, but in the small fifteen minute devotional increments daily, this makes for excellent reading and provides specific daily focus for the Christian reader. This thought-provoking book can easily become a favorite habit, and it also makes an excellent evangelical gift to those who are new to Christianity.

If you buy only one Christian book this year, buying Oswald Chambers' 'My Utmost for His Highest' would be an excellent choice.

Each morning I read this book, I find myself drawn to a place of accountability and yet filled with a desire to worship and commune with my Lord. Oswald Chambers has a way of opening the reader's eyes to the plan that God has for each one of us individually. Combining this book with reading the scriptures included for each day has expanded my morning devotional time to a depth and breadth I could not have imagined before.

I received this book as a Christmas present and in the month and a half that I've been reading it on a daily basis, it continues to speak to my spiritual condition in a way that's almost eerie. Not every day hits but those that do shock me back to my faith journey and remind me about where I should be focused. How could He/he (God and Oswald Chambers) know so accurately what I need to hear? As a committed Quaker (Religious Society of Friends), I have been surprised to find that "My Utmost" transcends the unfortunate Christian political divisions and meets us as followers of Christ. This book had become as central to my daily routine as brushing my teeth but far less rote!