This story was a favorite of mine as a child, and now I have the oppourtunity to read it to my own kids.

Louis recives a tadpole in a jar for his birthday one year from his eccentric uncle in Scotland, who happens to live near Loch Ness. Louis named his tadpole Alphonse, fed him cheeseburgers, taught him to fetch, do other tricks, and Alphonse becomes a great pet. However, he has grown too big for the apartment in which Louis and his parents live and Louis must think of something to help Alphonse have a place to live or he'll have to go to the zoo!

With the help of the local librarian, and Alphonse, Louis comes up with a plan to raise money to buy the parking lot near his building for a big swiming pool for Alphonse, and all the neighborhood kids to swim and play in.

A happy ending, just in time for Louis's next birthday, and another mysterious present from Uncle McAlister! Great for kids ages four to seven.

Louis' Uncle McAllister lives in Scotland and every year sends Louis the best birthday present. And this year was no different, a tadpole, Louis names Alphonse. But it soon becomes apparent that Alphonse is not your normal, everyday tadpole and definitely not turning into a frog. He soon outgrows his jar, then the kitchen sink, and bathtub. Louis sneaks him into the school swimming pool during summer vacation, and that works out just fine until fall when school opens. In a panic Louis consults Miss Seevers, the librarian. Librarians always have all the answers, and Miss Seevers doesn't let him down. With a phone call to Scotland, a little research, and a lot of ingenuity, Louis and Miss Severs find a clever solution and happily-ever-after ending to their problem..... First published twenty-five years ago, Steven Kellogg's creative classic, The Mysterious Tadpole, is as fresh and entertaining today as it was back in 1977. Mr Kellogg has given his new illustrations a bold and bright facelift, and tweaked the text a bit, but the engaging and fun-filled story with its hilarious twist at the end, is still sure to capture the imagination and warm your heart. Perfect for youngsters 3-7, The Mysterious Tadpole is a timeless treasure to share with friends and family now, and future generations in the years to come.

I've been a Steven Kellogg fan for a long time, and this is one of the books that won me over.

Imagine being a small boy, say 6 or 7, and having an uncle from Scotland bring you an unusual tadpole for your birthday...then it doesn't turn into a frog!

The Mysterious Tadpole is a fun romp through life with a pet that grows and grows and keeps on growing.

The story is engaging, the illustrations are brilliant, and children and adults both love reading this book.

Give is a try!

5 stars all the way!

Alan Holyoak

When I was very little, my sister would read this story to me every Christmas. It was our little tradition. As we grew older, I came to read it on my own. I had two Macy's holiday traditions- The Thanksgiving Day Parade and this story about three lovable mice that take up living in a Macy's over Christmas and the mystery of a missing Santa. I have just found a copy of this book and I can't wait until my fiance have children to be able to read it to them every year. It's definitely a story worth handing down!

Marvin the Magnificent, Raymond and Fats are three mice out to enjoy life ... in Macy's department store. When the toy department's Santa gets kidnapped they are on the case in the best manner of old-movie private eyes. But how can three mice track him down and rescue him before Christmas?

Narrated by Marvin himself, this story is absolutely hilarious. Don't be stopped by the mice. It was one of my favourite books growing up and I still recall it with great fondness (and a vague sense of irritation that my children's books got sold a few years back).

There are at least three other books about this mouse trio, and I think a couple of them are still in print. This one, however, is my favourite, and worth looking for in your local library/used book store.

Even though I haven't read this book in about 8 years, I still remember it as my favorite childhood library book and am currently traking down a copy to own. I read this book every Christmas for years and am very familiar with it. The story is magical and uplifting. A true classic.

My three year old grandaughter loved this book. She refers to it all the time. "I'm the boss and I say floss!" The Llamas in their pajamas were so cute, and it is a real imagination pleaser. Great illustrations! Fun book!

The moose character is a totally new addition for Mr. Kellogg's repertoire, and he is quite the funny looking fellow.

A sure tonic for any parent or grandparent that reads to their children or grandchildren. As entertaining for adults to read as for the young ones it is created for. His illustrations are charming & funny. A real treat! I highly recommend this author/illustrator. If you like this book, look for any of the Pinkerton series, a "sell out" at all the public libraries.

My five year old daughter loves this book! It really has nothing to do with hunting and everything to do with getting ready for bed. The rhymes are fun and catchy. One of the better children's books we've read recently.

The author of "Library Lil," Suzanne Williams, just finished her author visit at Machias Elementary School, where I am the libararian. In preparation for her visit, I took a chance and read this delightfully illustrated (by Steven Kellogg) picture book to every class, Kindergarten through grade 6. To my delight, I discovered that this modern "tall tale" had appeal for all ages. Although one review said this book was overly didactic, I would say that the message that reading is better than television (or video games, etc.) is one that can't be stressed too much. And with this title, "a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down."

Suzanne Williams did two assemblies for us. For primary grades she entertained the students with another of her titles, "Mommy Doesn't Know My Name." With the older students, she talked about the writing/publishing process in a manner that kept everyone's attention. I think Williams' alter ego is "Library Lil!"

Library Lil, a champion reader, champions the cause of reading through ingenuity, perseverance and brute physical strength. The best thing about this book is that at storytime, the 3rd grade boys were as engrossed in the story as the girls!

What a character Library Lil is! Library Lil is a wonderful addition to the town's reading program. However, she has to work at getting them away from their televisions. Once she does, Lil is quite busy. The fun starts when some rough guys come to town and she must convince them to read, too. This book is a modern day tall tale and can be used to illustrate and model those characteristics. Lil is very, very strong and this helps her cope with those out of town fellows who make fun of the readers. This book is lots of fun for students, teachers, and librarians alike.

I really enjoyed Can I Keep Him? It was funny. I highly recommend it for anyone who likes a good read. What will happen to the little tadpole Arnold's uncle sent to him? I will tell you one thing, it doesn't turn into a frog.

I've been a Steven Kellogg fan for nearly 20 years now. His work is original, engaging, and entertaining. He does his own illustrations which "make" his stories come to life for me.

In this book by Kellogg a lonely little boy is in search of a friend. In the natural course of events the little boy either brings home or asks his mother if he can bring home animal after animal for a pet. Thus the book's title, "Can I Keep Him?" His mother's responses are typical, but the translation of her responses in her son's head (shown in picures also done by Kellogg) are hilarious!

A definite hit with children and adults alike!

Give it a try.

Definitely 5 stars.

Alan Holyoak

Arnold wants a pet and his imagination is off and running. Arnold's mother directs him gently in the right direction, but not before Arnold comes up with some wildly inappropriate choices. Steven Kellogg's illustrations are delicious. This is one of my children's favorite books. Now that they are older, they buy this book for every little kid they can think of. Don't miss it!

I was fortunate enough to receive a copy of this tale one Christmas over fifteen years ago, and ever since, my dramatic reading the story one chapter a night until the finale on Christmas Eve has become a cherished family tradition. I admit I have read the other Marvin, Fats & Raymond stories as well, but this one often seems to be the one that keeps us coming back year after year. I hope the story one year take its place next to Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree & The Christmas Box. Don't miss reading this classic.

AND it's not being published! Tell me where I can get it! Please! Have searched my brain for the name of this book and just got lucky. Wonderful book, from what I can remember, since I, too, read it long ago. If the reader from Tampa FL can tell me where to get it, I would be forever grateful!

I read this book as a child twenty years ago and now find myself narrating this wonderful story to my children. It is as exciting to them now as it was to me then. The never ending excitment and suspense captures the imagination of all children as they see themselves living in the dollhouse at Macy's among their favorite toys. No library should be without this book.

My two daughters insist on having this book read to them every night! They are young enough that it took a while for them to understand about the "thought bubbles" that show what Rose and Pinkerton are thinking, but they loved the illustrations of Rose as a Great Dane. I think they like Pinkerton because he's big, but he's cuddly and not threatening. It's fun to explore the pages and name all the pets they see. My four-year-old wanted to give this book a six-star rating, she likes it so much!

A Rose for Pinkerton was one of my very first favorite books when I was a little girl. I can remember looking at all the pictures and simply adoring every detailed scene in it, wondering how a person could be as imaginative in thought as I was. I just want to thank the author so very much for writing a book so full of creativity and life that a little girl fell in love with and is still to this day. Thank you for bringing happiness and light to my life with your book. :>

A Rose for Pinkerton is more fun than a boxful of kittens. The illustrations are lavish and reward careful scrutiny. (A display of "small and quiet pets" includes clams, snails, and fruit.) If you don't have a child, borrow one, and read A Rose for Pinkerton.

Our class liked this book. We thought it was hilarious and gave a wonderful picture of how much a million really is. The kid tower was very imaginative and was an excellent example of a million, billion, and trillion. David M. Schwartz has a fantastic imagination. This book is great for little kids, because it shows there are numbers greater than a hundred. It's language is easy for kids to understand, and it contains many amazing facts.
However, older students dislike it, because it was too fictional. We felt it didn't explain these concepts well enough for us. Overall, we wouldn't recommend it for grades higher than fourth grade.

This picture book is a great pairing of engaging children's literature, detailed illustrations and a deep math concept. I love the way that Schwartz and Kellogg bring this book to life!
I love Kellogg's illustrating! I would just love to jump right into the pages and be a part of all the action. His characters are drawn with such unique faces. And each page is filled with numerous details and endless nooks and cranies. Each page begs to be explored over and over.
If you have never enjoyed a book illustrated by Steven Kellogg now is the time!
The writing in this particular book is also very well done. The little facts about the number 1 million are really interesting. For instance it would take a fish bowl the size of a city harbor to hold a million goldfish!
This book really helps kids and adults understand a very abstract concept. How many of us really have a good grasp on how much a million really is? This book definitely puts it in perspective!
Read it once and you'll have to read it again and again!

I really enjoyed this book and I like the way David M. Schwartz used kids as an example of measurement. I thought the story was cute and I think young kids will really enjoy this. This is a story that I read a lot when I was in elementary. The story shows a very creative out look on counting and makes a million look like a humongous number. I think kids can really learn from that and even makes it kind of fun to learn. Sometimes I even like to read this book over because it really is a fun book to read. The illustrations are also very good and I think they definitely add to the creativity of this book. I really enjoyed looking at them.

This book, "The Day Jimmy's Boa Ate the Wash," is a great book for young readers. This book is both funny and interesting in the minds of the little ones. It can also be used for a book for readers who have just learned to read. This book is about a field trip to a farm with an elementary school grade. It starts off when they have just got home and goes through the trip backwards. The illustration are used great to show what is being said when the family is talking. A parent with the child who wants to read, this is a must have book.

It's been a long while since I read this book and I can still remember the day I lost it babysitting many years ago, but the vividness of both the unique ceativity of the author and the fresh, discriptive illustrations are still etched in my memory. The tale of the most eventful school excursion in history will entertain children of all ages(!). Highly recommended, both for concept and quality. Will definately capture the imagination of children. Can't believe I'm now buying it again for my niece!

This is a remarkable book and my all time favorite children's book. The illustrations are exceptional making the entire story seen and come to life. All three of my children have this story memorized, as it is mother's favorite. Then in the first grade the reading book their class used has this story in it. This is silly, fun, a wonderful picture book for the young, and a great beginning reading book for the child just learning to read. Also a very delightful book for the reading parent, you will laugh, as the story is set so matter of fact as the mother is asking her daughter how her field trip went at school. A truly wonderful book!

My daughter loves this book, and so does every kid who visits our house! I read it over and over, with it's rhyming text and wonderful illustrations, I still enjoy it even after all the readings.

The book is your Mama a Llama is a good book for extremely young children because the book helps children see what different kinds of animals are in the world. The book also explains where the animals live and some common things the do. In the book there is a young llama that goes up to different animals and asked them if there mamas a llama, and the book even rhymes. I would recommend this book for parents to read to their children to teach the different animals or for beginning readers. Those who read this book should really enjoy it.

I was first introduced to this book as part of a college course on literature for children, and instantly fell in love. Rythmic verses of this rhyming text with fill-in-the-blank style pauses at the end of each stanza help early readers learn to read, young children squeal with glee, and everybody within ear shot get the urge to get up and dance! In fact, a reading of this book has been produced on tape, with a wonderful latino-mambo background beat; it's also available in oversized format for reading in a group.