I bought this book for my son and he absolutely loves it. I bought the paperback version, which he is a little young for. But he carries it with him and loves it when we read it to him. It is a big hit.

The best series I have found for very early readers. The pictures match the text, the sentences are very short, and the words are words children use everyday. I highly recommend this book and others in this series for any early readers out there.

As with every Margaret Wise Brown book I have ever seen; (I own 13 titles now); VERY Kid-friendly. My daughter likes bugs too and is just learning to read. Most pages in this story have 2 - 3 words. Perfect for the early reader!

I picked up this book, expecting to find essentially a picture book. However, this book is so much more...and it is lovely.

The book begins with an introduction by Leonard Marcus, the children's book reviewer for Parenting Magazine and a well-known book critic and historian.

Following this is an autobiography with many personal photos. I found the story of Carle's early years interesting: how he was born in the United States but then his parents returned to Germany when he was six. His father was drafted into the German army during World War II and Carle never saw him again for 8 years, when he emerged from a Russian POW camp weighing 80 pounds. Carle was a lackluster student, mainly because his creativity was stifled, but he did have some empathetic art teachers in Germany. In his early 20s he returned to the U.S. where he was promptly drafted into the army!

The next section of this book was by Ann Beneduce, the first editor to publish Carle's work. She first commissioned him to illustrate a cookbook. After that, she decided to publish his first book "1,2,3 to the Zoo" but could find no one in the United States who could satisfactorily produce it, so she had it done in Japan.

Next, Viktor Christen, a German editor, wrote about Carle's vision and what it means to children.

Takeshi Matsumoto, the director of an art museum for picture books in Japan, wrote an essay about Carle's use of color.

The text of a speech, entitled "Where Do Ideas Come From?", given by Carle at the Library of Congress was the next section of this book. He gave this speech to librarians and educators in 1990 at the International Children's Book Day Celebration.

Next was a photo essay on his technique of paper coloring and collaging, which also explained why he colors white tissue paper rather than buying pre-colored papers (they fade with age).

Lastly was a section of illustrations from his books, in chronological order. I found it interesting to see how his art had changed and become much more detailed in 30 years.

Inspiration is the first word that comes to mind after reading about Eric Carle's successful life as an author and illustrator. This book contains information about his childhood, his books, but most important his art. I especially enjoyed reading the section about where he gets his ideas. What is so special about Eric Carle's books? Many people all over the world could answer that question. My favorite answer is from a little boy named Paul, he said: "One reason I like your books is they do special things."

la vida vista desde las tinieblas de una mente retorcida, de una casa en decadencia, de una muerte que se retrasa y no llega y que es liberacion de podredumbre de la carne. el autor se enfrenta con la decadencia frente a frente y nos da este cuadro de horror. y esa trama tan bien hecha, esos planes de nuestro querido narrador humberto penaloza, alias el mudito, que nos lleva por la novela por caminos que no sabemos cuando terminan sus suenos y cuando empieza su realidad. el plan de la educacion de boy, su aljamiento del mundo, fantasia, realidad? la vejes, vista como decadencia y como fuerza a la vez, fuerza por las cosas que se saben al traves de los anos, las verguenzas que se tapan, los secretos que se esconden, fuerza para ser el patron de tus patrones, para manipularlos con tu humildad.... y ese nino que va a nacer, debe de ser nuestro, estar al servicio de la decadencia, ser nuestro imbunche, depender de nosotros, estar cosido,no caminar ni hablar, que todo dependa de nosotras, las viejas y ahora que soy una de ellas, ya deje de ser luis mendez el que escribe para ser una de ellas de las viejas que comparten el secreto de la iris mateluna, de la guagua milagrosa que va a nacer y de la que yo tambien sere parte y cuidadora porque quiero ir al cielo cuando se vaya y que me lleve con el y me saque de este martirio de tener que observar a jeronimo y ser su lacayo, estar a su servicio. dejare de ser una presencia sobre la que los ojos resbalan para ser una vieja. bueno al menos se que sere alguien y no como mi padre un ser simple admirando la belleza desde lejos, yo estare del otro lado de las cosas bellas, pero no en la mediocridad de sus ojos melancolicos que me miran y miran las vitrinas de lo que no puede comprar y de lo que jamas podra ser.... humberto penaloza.

LUIS MENDEZ luismendez@codetel.net.do

This book is a true masterpiece into hallucinatory writing. Donoso captures the essence of classical latin american magical realism while flickering between narratives and schizophrenia. A truely touching novel, full of life, imagery, love and disgust. A masterpiece.

This book is a great resource for graphic designers looking for ideas for web site illustrations. Broad color schemes, dramatic but often simple posters many of which could be adapted as animations. A beautiful tribute to the great children's authors.

Most people who are in love with children's picture books are aware that the Caldecott award is given for the illustrations in picture books. This book gives the origins of the award and the guidelines for selection of the Caldecott Award-winning book.It analyzes specific illustrators/books that have been deemed Caldecott worthy over the past centuries including Chris van Allsburg, Marcia Brown, and David Weisner. Included at the end is a chronological list of every book awarded the prestigious Caldecott award. This is a great supplement to anyone's children's library. It gives great insight into the minds of these incredibly talented illustrators.

This wonderful treasury book contains ten of the beloved stories of the talented and original writer/artist, Don Freeman including his best loved character, the irrepressible teddy bear, Corduroy, complete with their full color illustrations. It also contains a never before published story called Gayelord, about a very colorful goat.
There is an interesting introduction and nice photographs of Don Freeman. Chuggy and the Blue Caboose is a great story about a little snow-plower caboose and his engine friend, Lucy, that save the day. In Pet of the Met we meet Maestro Petrini, a dashing and clever mouse who works as a page-turner for the prompter at the Metropolitan Opera House. The story of Beady Bear is next, followed by everyone's favorite red-headed boy, Mop Top. Fly High Fly Low, a Caldecott Honor Book from 1957 tells the story of two pigeons, Sid and Midge, and their adventures in San Francisco, featuring many of that city's beautiful landmarks. Who can resist the adorable Norman the Doorman, the charming mouse doorman of the majestic Museum of Art who becomes an artist in his own right. Enjoy Dandelion as he gets fancied up for a party and don't forget Tilly Witch, the Queen of Halloween, (sadly, now out of print) but still to be found riding her surf board with a whisk broom for a skeg in this great collection. Flash the Dash, the story of a dachshund who delivers telegrams, rounds out the treasury.
At the back of the book is a biographical article with more photographs of Don Freeman and samples of his drawings for other genres.
I love this book because it collects so many beloved stories in one place. It makes these gems available, preserving them for future generations and is an affordable package that makes it easy for parents to provide these classics for their children. Hopefully, it will encourage folks to seek out the individual story books, too, so they can enjoy the full size illustrations. Don Freeman's characters are so filled with fun and are so lively and expressive, they are not to be missed.

This is a wonderful book for children just learning how to read. The illustrations glow and pop off the page! A wonderful book for all!

This is a truly wonderful children's book, filled with page after page of lush, tender and charming illustrations done by foremost children's book illustrator Loretta Krupinski. Poems and stories by the classic authoress, M.W. Brown, are the inspiration - always written with flair, grace and perfect understanding of how little boys and girls tend to view the world. An exquisite selection of Brown's work, grouped under headings such as Adventure, Big & Little, Bedtime, Belonging, Nonsense, and Nature, this treasurey will delight young & old alike for years to come. ...truly beautiful and outstanding in every way with illustrations as imaginative and colorful as the text.

I was given this book at age 7 or 8: one of my first "big kid "books that wasn't a hand-me down from my sisters. No one had to make me read poetry,after that!I adore the illustrations; they just seem so perfect for each poem! There are dozens I can still recite from memory.
When my son was 4, I got the book out of storage and read him, "The Highwayman"- and he was hooked! We rode with Paul Revere and asked each other: "I'm nobody! Who are you?" When my daughter found an abandoned nest of baby birds and we knew they would die- we read "Four Little Foxes" and grieved together, and later laughed over "The Owl Critic." These poems and drawings are like old friends to us all.
After all these years, it's rather the Velveteen rabbit of the bookshelf: pages dog-eared and falling out from years of use. I am ordering a new copy for my daughter's 12th birthday (don't pay attention to the age range listed for the book) so she'll have a copy to pass on to her children. It's just a wonderful selection of all types of poems, sure to please the children AND the adults who read to them! Start tonight!

I was cleaning out some boxes of children's books, keeping what I consider classic while giving the rest to my grandchildren or to the libraries. I doubled-back between this current edition and the previous editions to make sure this was the same one...it is, and I highly recommend this. I took a class in children's literature back in the 70's and I fondly remember it as being one of the most enjoyable classes I had in college the first time around. This book lasted through my children's growing up and is now going through new useage with my grandchildren. I love the way this book is organized. If you have a child with specific interests such as limericks (and I know few children who don't get a kick out of limericks) you can go to that section without delay.

I grew up with Joan Walsh Anglund poignant drawings. They are not particularly 'great' art, but for children and in this book, they are vastly more suitable than the poorly drawn and maddening stuff put out in cartoons (especially of the Pokemon variety which will set off seizures in children). They say the age of this book is for four years to eight year olds. That isn't true. Every parent should try to take the time to read to all children in whatever form necessary...and it should start at age one. Reading aloud (or signing books) to your children not only makes essential bonds, but it also teaches children what you think is important, and also teaches them how to stop and pay attention. The massive complaints about restless children and the abuse of labeling (ADD/ADHD) has its beginnings in simple things such as turning the television/computers off and reading to your children.

... should be showing the pictures and pages of this book in a sampling, so that parents can make informed decisions about children's books. If you only get one child's book this year, get this one and sit down with your children and read.

Karen Sadler,
Science Education,
University of Pittsburgh

Incredible book of poetry for children and adults alike. Timeless selections. Many will remind you of your own childhood. This collection should be required reading in all schools. Also, the illustrations are most memorable and will capture young imaginations. I'm so glad to have rediscovered this book after over 3 decades!