I like this book from the first page.It is about two bosom buddies,Rory and Derek.They will never do things separately.No matter what happens,they will stick together.That's what I like to have-someone around my age who has the same interests and hobbies like me.But when their neighbour's great niece,Bolivia,comes to their neighbourhood,Rory and Derek swore not to talk to her and also to ignore her.Rory hates Bolivia from first sight but slowly,Derek begins to like her.Then,something that never happened to Derek and Rory happened-a quarrel.Derek decides to go to camp and Rory tries to avoid Derek and Bolivia.Rory slowly learns to like and adore Bolivia.They do a lot of things that Rory has never done like making snowballs with icecream.There are a lot of comical parts which will make you laugh like hell.I won't tell you the whole story.But I bet you will enjoy this book and make it your favourite book.

I like this book. My favorite character is Bolivia, a girl who lives with her relatives because her parents are in Turkey. The reason I like Bolivia is because she is funny. For example, she dumped her drink all over Rory! (Derek and Rory are friends but do not like Bolivia.) I also like Bolivia's talking parrot named "Lucette". I like it when Lucette chases Rory all over the house. I also like their friendship. An especially good part was when Rory and Derek (They have know become friends with Bolivia) have a contest to see who can eat the most pizza! They tie 5 pieces each. At the end they have a surprise party for Bolivia because she is leaving. They all get tee-shirts that say "Bolivia More Than Another Country" It's a great book!

This book was on my reading rendezous list. I read it and it was really good. It's one of
those books where it it is funny, exciting, and kind of weird! It's about these two guys,
Derek and Rory. They're best friends and they plan to do all this fun stuff in the summer but their
their neighbors' great niece Bolivia is coming for the summer and, well, I'll just let you read
the rest. If you are in the middle of trying to find a good book, consider reading this!

Many great heartwarming stories packed into one terrific book! These stories make you want to send a "birthday surprise" of your own to someone very special! This book will surely be on your shelf for many years. Don't miss the short stories from your favorite authors in Birthday Surprises.

I fell in love with this book when it was named to the Texas Bluebonnet Awards List in 1996-97. Since then my students have LOVED reading the stories...each of them unique...each with a special message! What a treasure! It is the perfect motivator for inspiring students to write!

This book contains 10 heartwarming stories. I think that every story has its own perspective of what life is all about. Some of them make you laugh, and some make you cry. The author of this this book should pat herself on the back. This is a book that you don't want to miss.

i have loved this book since i first read it 15 years ago! i could relate to Aldo, being a military brat, and his quest for new friends in a new "world"...i had that book memorized! it was my absolute favorite..and Dede was the greatest sidekick ever! if you are looking for a great book for a kid, this is the one to get! and i think adults would love it too...i know i would love to read it again!

Hi! I am a kid in third grade. I live in the U.S.A. I give this book five stars because it is very exciting and I mean exciting! I recommend this book for a 7-8 year old. For grown ups, it's probably boring for them. Maybe they will think it's childish. The main character is Aldo. Another character is Dede. She is cool and funny. The mean guy is the one who calls him names like applesauce, baby, and big fat baby. So hopefully you people can read this story. Aldo is 8 years old. Aldo has brown hair and so does Dede. On the cover there is 7 people and one guy throwing an egg to a different boy. To the people who have not read this book, can you please give it a try? It's really good.

When I read the first chapter of the book,I screamed with laughter.Russell had to catch up with his math and Elisa wanted to help so she took a ketchup bottle and really ketchup his math.Ha! Ha! Ha! What a funny book! The second chapter was funny too.Well,I can't blame Elisa for all that.However,she is only five years old.Oh,here's another joke.Elisa thinks that we must say that instead of one year old,we should say one year young.Maybe she thought that if we called a baby one year old,that means we think that the baby is OLD! And if we called a baby one year young,that means the baby is young.This is a really comical book.It is one of my favourite comical books.

this is a cute book ! eliza is very thougtful. i have read almost ALL of her books ,and this is the best so far!

My name is Russell too, but I am a good Russell. The Russell in the story is nice but sometimes he's naughty. After Germy and Russell hit eachother they were friends again. I learned to read with these books, now I can read! That's all I want to say!

P.S. from Russell's mommy: these books are wonderful, perfect for any emergent reader, and just fine for energetic little boys. It was fun to read realistic vignettes set in the city. I liked the chapter where Russell goes out for Chinese food with grandparents, it was familiar! We have read all of them in the series, one is funnier than the next! Johanna Hurwitz has the heart of Beverly Cleary, and the talent, too, but with a style all her own. Don't miss these lovely read-alouds!

Five year old boy experiences some of lifes moments shared by other children. Chapters have stand-alone themes, so it is greaat for a chapter a day before bed or at school. It explores disappointment, fighting at school, a first chinese dinner and wanting attention. Delightful, although I changed use of "stupid" to "dumb" that Russell uses. A great book for students from K through 4th grade, as well as parents. It is a humorous, family oriented book.

I remember reading this book when I was in second and third grade. I checked it out from our school library a million times and would read it over and over again. One thing that I loved about it so much was that I thought that it was a "chapter book" and I felt so grown up for reading it. Great stories are in it; I still remember them 9 years later. The doll, the haircut, the baseball game, and when Elisa was hiding underneath the table during her parent's dinner party. It's a book that is written so that even a second grader can read it on their own, with maybe a little bit of help. Also easy to understand, yet interesting and challenging at the same time. I definitely would recommend this book. (Infact, I now want to buy it because I loved it so much as a child.)

Another in a 'series' of Russell Books. My 5 year old begged me to read more. It is a family story centered around a seven year old boy with a three year old sister. This book brings out interesting subjects such as sleep-overs, cutting hair and attending a first baseball game. A young child will endjoy having it read to them - good discussion for parents. This is a humorous, family book that will be of interest to students from K through the 4th grade, as well as parents.

This is a biography of Lenny Bernstein, in the genre of non-fiction. From when he was a little child, he loved music. The book tells you about him growing up as a music teacher, a piano player, a composer and a conductor of symphony orchestras.

I enjoyed reading about Lenny because there were a lot of things that were hard for him in his life and that he overcame. For example, school - he never had time to do his homework because he took music classes after school. His father hated music because the only music players he knew played at bar mitzvahs and birthday parties, and they only got paid with their meal. They were very, very poor, and he wanted better for his son. But Lenny played music and took classes against his father's wishes. He got through all the problems and grew up to be what he wanted to be.

Yes, I would recommend this book to a friend if you like music. Even if you don't like music, but you are really passionate about something and want to do it all the time, I recommend you read this because it shows that if you love something and you don't stop trying to get it right, you can do the thing that you love all your life.

I learned that a conductor leads an orchestra and a composer writes the music. I'd like to read the books that Leonard wrote and listen to some of his music. Reviewed by Stuart

Wow! This was a great book to read. I enjoyed the exciting story about a young girl who goes out on many adventures. She likes to observe people and the way they act. This story is so much fun to read and I can pretend that I am going on those adventures too. It made me want to go out and see all the different people in my community. I hope that you take the time to read this book. It won't be a waste of your time!

I liked "Hurray for Ali Baba Bernstein because it was very funny.In chapter #3, some of the shops had names that had stuff to do with a king and he was acting silly.I also thought it was good in chapter #1 and #6 because they were mysterys and I think this was an approprite way to begin and end the story.

Haddassah (Dossi for short) is a Jewish girl lives in a cramped apartment in New York City. Her sister (Ruthi) signs her up for a Fresh Air Fund which sends poor children too the country for 2 weeks in the summer. Dossi leaves excited and yet afraid to go on vacation with a family she doesn't know in Vermont for 2 weeks. She is stunned by things in the country and doesn't even know what fireflies are. This is one fault that I found with the book, she seems to know NOTHING of the country, now I can believe she's never milked a cow, but some of the things she had never seen are unbelievable. Anyway during the book she sprouts friendship and learns new things of her trip. She meets new people and learns what the lovely countryside is like. This is a really fast paced book, you should be able to finish it within an hour or so, but nonetheless it is worth reading.

Dossi is a poor girl who lives in the city.Her parents and younger sister,Velvel have passed away.Dossi's sister,Ruthi is the one who will take care of them.She works in the factory.When Ruthi signs Dossi up to be sent to the country,on a Fresh Air Fund vacation,Dossi is terrified and surprised.Soon,the day had come to go to the country.Dossi packed her bags and brought along a library book which was a new one.She and her friend,Mimi, didn't tell the librarian that Dossi was taking it away.Dossi prommises Ruthi that she will send a postcard to her as soon as she reaches her destination.In the country,she meets the gentile Meade family.Nell and Emma are around Dossi's age.Mr. Meade and Mrs. Meade also have two sons,Timothy and Edward.Nell chats nineteen to a dozen.Emma doesn't.There are a lot of things that Dossi hasn't seen.Like fireflies,cows,two yolks in one egg and many other things.She learns about a man named Snowflake Bentley.He is mad about snowflakes.Snowflake Bentley also takes photos of snowflakes not people.Dossi likes Nell but she wants to befriend Emma too.But Emma treats her like if she is not there.Will Dossi be able to befriend Emma before her holiday in the country ends?

This is a good story about a girl who spends a few weeks with a family that is very different from her own. Dossi learns other people have alot to offer her and she has alot to offer in a friendship,too. Hurwitz is a wonderful author; she makes the characters and situation come alive.