This is one of the few books that I can get my 14 month old to sit through, he loves the illustrations and the rhymning text holds his attention. It is a favorite for both of his parents, as well. We highly recommend this book.

My 2 1/2 year old daughter loves the Itsy-Bitsy Spider song, so when I first saw this book at our local library I thought it would be a good book to read to her. I never thought that she would want it read over and over and remember the "new" verse's of the song only after reading it 2 times!! When I tried to return the book she cried and cried until I told her that we would get one of her own. When I started to look around at stores I discovered that this was a very difficult book to find due to its popularity. I was so thankful that I could find it on Amazon that I purchased 4 copies of it! I have already given them as gifts and received the most wonderful thank you notes from the parents of the children. This book is wonderful for ages 1 and up and should be part of all kids libraries!!

My husband bought this book for our daughter when she was 2 months old. We have been reading it together from day one. While she is only 3 1/2 months old, she clearly enjoys when I read it to her, because she keeps her attention focused on the book until I am finished, she doesn't get fussy or bored like she does with other books. I think because the illustrations are so great and because you "sing" the words. We have bought this book and given it as gifts to our little friends. It's wonderful!

This is a fun, rhyming book that kids love. I've read it to my 5 year old every day for a month now. He just can't get enough!!

I just read this book to my son's 1st grade class - they were captivated - and there was much audience participation! They loved the story and my son said that for the rest of the day everyone in the class wanted to read it over and over again! This is a fabulous book and a must read for you and your children!

As a children's librarian, I am constantly perusing the shelves for books to order. I read this book only once and immediately put it on my MUST ORDER list. The pictures are spectacular, the rhyming begs to be read aloud,and the "let's get along" theme is attractive and exactly what we need to teach our children.

This book is wonderful! I don't think it's left out a single cozy person, place or thing. The illustrations are cozy too.

My son received this book as a gift when he was a few months old. Since then (four years ago), I have given this book as a gift to everyone I know when their child is born. This book is perfect at bedtime, naptime, cuddle time, any time. My son still asks for it at story time and now my younger son is enjoying it, too. The book may seem long at first, but you will enjoy reading this book to your child(ren). This book creates wonderful "cozy" memories for both the parent and child.

Little Simon has many talents. When asked, he can growl like a dog, stretch like a cat and jump like a horse, "It's simple," says Simon. But when he meets a wily old tiger who first, hands out the kudos to gain Simon's confidence and then tricks him into climbing onto his back, things start to look grim for our fearless hero. Will Simon be able to outsmart the tiger and save himself.....? Mary Ann Hoberman has written a delightful story that includes all the elements of a good fable, a brave hero, a dangerous animal villain and circumstances that offer a true battle of wits. Her easy to read, amusing and gentle text, with repetitious refrain, will have youngsters involved and "helping" you read in no time. Meilo So's imaginative and expressive watercolor artwork adds just the right touch and together this dynamic team have authored a picture book that's both perfect for beginning readers and a wonderful read-aloud story the whole family will enjoy.

Simon's adventures grow progressively more exciting and dangerous, but he eventually finds simple solutions to every problem. Children will love the refrain, "It's simple." They will also love Simon who shows wit and bravery when life gets a little scary. So's illustrations are magical but simple enough to match the tone of the story. Hoberman's text is fun to read out loud to a group. This would be a great new book for story time.

We borrow a lot of books from the library, and not many stand out. But this one is a winner! My 4 year old and I love this one so much that I am going to buy a copy for us. It has wonderfully clever rhymes about topics that interest kids. I highly recommend it.

Since first reading "The Seven Silly Eaters" about a year ago, I have become a Mary Ann Hoberman addict, and am thrilled to have recently added "The Llama Who Had No Pajama" to my growing collection. She is a master of silliness, and you and your children will laugh with delight at the poems in this collection. I bought my first copy for my first grade classroom, and have since bought a second copy for my four-year old. My first graders are eating this stuff up - we read some of them together, and they keep going back for more - some of them can even recite the title poem! (And it's long!) This is also a wonderful introduction to poetry for pre-schoolers - if you've got one, and have never really read any poetry with him/her, it's a great way to develop a love of reading, as well as rhyming ability which is a key to early reading development!

In a word, this book is sheer delight. I don't know how many big families there are out there, but this book accurately captures the crazy chaos of living in a growing family and the challenges of making everyone happy at meal time.(I grew up in a large family.) Me, my children and my husband never tire of the lovely rhythm and rhyme of the Peters family story and their nightime escapade creating the ultimate birthday gift for their beloved Mom. In fact, my daughter and son insisted on making Dad "a pink and plump and perfect cake" for his birthday. SUPERB, detailed illustrations, delightful and memorable phrases - a very uplifting tale for weary, unappreciated parents and a BLAST for kids to read.

We have bookshelves full of great children's books and THIS book is one of our top 5 picks EVER! I think the four members of our family all love this book for different reasons. My 4 1/2 year old loves the characters and following each one through from page to page as they grow, keeping track of their silly antics. My 2 year old son likes the sound of the words...and has fun pointing at all the familiar things he see's in the Peter's house that we have in our house too. I love this book for the fantastic illustrations, the descriptive and fun-to-read verse, and also for the way it makes the hecticness of having small children in the house seem so normal! And even though it's a children's fiction picture book, I always finish reading it with the feeling of "well, I only have two silly eaters! I can handle THAT!". HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!

This book is a favorite of our family. The illustrations our beautiful and tell a story on top of the story in the text. Each child's distinct personality is revealed in the illustrations.

We starting reading this to our children when they were about 3 months old. My daughter knew it by heart by 2. We have given this book as a gift many times and it has always gotten great reviews. It is an ideal gift book because it is undeservedly obscure--- your recipient won't already have it.

We have tried unsuccessfully into turning this book into a family cooking project. Attempts at mixing the ingredients described in the book haven't worked out so well--- too much liquid!

This is a great book for children. It teaches sharing and how to make friends. I like this book becuase Oliver learns about how to treat others. He doesn't know what life is like, becuase he has always lived by himself and never talks to any of the people in his town. He has one of everything in his house. He doesn't know that his house was only made for one person until he makes a friend and invites her to his home. Peggoty Small tells Oliver that his home was made for one person and she couldn't live with him.
My favorite character was Peggoty Small. I like her becuase she told Oliver Toliver what she tought. She wasn't afriad to tell him about her feelings, she just told him flat out what she thought. Even though she hurt Oliver's feelings, she old him anyways because she thought he should know the truth. This book teaches kids how to make friends, and how to share what you have with others.

After stumbling upon this book in the bookstore, I've found myself buying it for all the kids in my life. It is a fantastic, engaging story about sharing with vibrant illustrations. It is a MUST for all children. Kids ask to read it over and over again.

I really love this sweet and charming story-- with 3 children that love books, I have become both a fan and avid collector of children's literature. My 5 year old son is particularly drawn to a rhyming story, and loves to listen to this one. We have read it so often in the last few weeks that he can recite many of the lines along with me. There is a particularly catchy cadence to the verse, and the story itself, promoting sharing and companionship, is priceless. I highly recommend this book to anyone with small children, and it would make a great Christmas gift for any child in your life.

English 385.150
5/23/02
Dr. Michelle H. Martin
Book Review
Doberman, Mary. You Read to Me, I'll Read to You. Illus. Michael Emberley. Boston:
Little, Brown and Company, 2001.
You Read to Me, I'll Read to You contains many different short stories that two people can read together. All containing positive lessons, each story has at least two characters who face a problem or experience an adventure. For example, in "The Dime," the pig finds a dime, but his friend the cat feels that the money belongs to him. Instead of the characters keeping the money and destroying their friendship, they decide to purchase a book and take turns reading the book to one another. Another story that has a positive lesson is "I Hate My Hat." The characters in the story are raccoons, and one raccoon continually says, "I hate my hat." The other raccoon says that "hate" is not a nice word to say and compliments his friend for wearing the hat so that no one needs to speak the word "hate" at all.
The book also possesses characteristics of a play because the text offers two speaking part. One reader reads the purple colored sentences, the other reads the pink colored sentences, and both readers read the blue sentences together. The color-coding also teaches the concept of following directions. Children of all ages need to know how to follow directions because they will encounter many areas in their lives that will require them to follow directions both at school and at home.

My 4-year old, who has not yet begun to read, absolutely loves this book! We started reading 2 stories at bedtime and ended up finishing the book. The rhythm and rhyme of the stories really held his attention and the repetition helped him to participate even if he didn't know the words. Once he begins to read, this book will be a joy to do together. It has definately been added to our regular rotation.

As the Mary Ann Hoberman explains in her introduction: "Here's a book/With something new-/You read to me!/I'll read to you!/We'll read each page/To one another-/You'll read one side,/I the other..." This clever and unique picture book includes 12 very short stories, written like a dialogue, and based on simple, lighthearted, friendly themes, that are perfect for emerging, and early readers. Each part is color coded for sharing and fun. I read the purple lines, you read the red, and we read the blue lines together, and then maybe switch. Ms Hoberman's joyous, rhyming text is full of rhythm, energy, and repetition and complemented by Michael Emberley's charming and humorous illustrations. You Read To Me, I'll Read To You is a delightful introduction to the joys and wonders of both reading, and reading together. As the author reminds your young reader at the end: "...But there are other/Books to read./Hundreds/Thousands/All we need./Any time/In any weather/We can sit/Right down together./In the shade/Or in the sun/Choose a book/That looks like fun./One that's old/Or one that's new./Make-believe/Or really true./I'll read one line/I'll read two./You read to me./I'll read to you."

This book is cute and fun to sing with my 17 month old. However, she really doesn't get to excited over it. The pictures are still a little boring to her and I sometimes have trouble keeping her attention with the book. I think she may still be a little young for it and hope she will become more interested in it as she gets a little older.

The sing-song rhythm of The Lady with the Alligator Purse makes it a blast to read to my four-month old daughter, and the pictures are adorable. Try also Miss Mary Mack from the same series of jumprope rhymes.

my 2 yr old loves this book. we have the words memorized and frequently act it out and sing it while in the car or shopping.

this is a great book, at least in it's original form. i first saw it in the doctor's office. our pediatrician says that it's his favorite kids' book. however, the 2 copies I received from amazon were a shorter version, only 24 pages. in this shorter version, the action ends abruptly with the house in a mess. in the real version (30 pages - the one that's advertised here) there is a final verse in which the animals hurriedly clean the house before the parents come home. make sure you get that one!

My one-and-a-half year old got this book as part of a package which includes The Lady With the Alligator Purse, Miss Mary Mack, and a cassette with singing on one side and music only on the other. She loves all three books, but this one and The Lady With the Alligator Purse in particular. My only complaint is that the music is on a cassette, not a CD, so I can't play it in my car (though I suppose that may be a blessing of sorts), and I can't skip a track easily. Also, I hadn't realized that this is a somewhat shortened version until I read another review at Amazon. I had also felt that it ends a bit abruptly, though my daughter isn't worried about this point in the least. Anyway, great fun for all.

This is a great version of this classic song. A little boy is left in charge of his grandparents' farm and things begin to go wrong right away.

The layout encourages singing along though it's not necessary -- you and your kids will still enjoy these funny and colorful watercolor animals as they joyfully misbehave.

Fun, lively, colorful.