When our baby was suddenly and unexpectedly whisked off to the operating room, it was all my husband and I could do to retain our compsure and strength. Despite my extensive training and experience in early childhood, we had a hard time knowing where to begin with helping our three-year-old understand and cope. I knew from experience that books can be a great tool and came across this one and ordered it. What an amazing book!
Duncan tells of her baby's hospitalization through the eyes of an older sibling. It is filled with enough detail to be satisfying and at the same time is general enough that most everyone can find something to identify with. We found it to be a great starting point for meaningful and informative discussions with our three-year-old. It even brought up the issue of the sibling feeling he/she caused the illness in the sick child and the feelings of resentment that some siblings have toward critically ill brothers and sisters. We were also able to put to rest the fears that 'this will happen to me' in our preschooler and her friends. It is much more realistic and accurate than any other book on this subject that I have read.
Ollikainen's illustrations reinforce and support this touching, informational story. I felt that even our baby, at one year, could look at some of them and identify elements from his hospital stay. The illustrations are authentic, timeless, meaningful and so telling they could stand on their own.
I cannot say enough possitive things about this book. As an educator and as a parent I highly recommend it to families attempting to cope with ill children, preparing a child for hospitalization or as an informational resource for anyone in the elementary age range. No collection is complete without it! It truly sets the standard all others will have to live up to for me.

This sensitive book describes the feelings of an older sibling and a family when a young child is hospitalized for a severe medical problem. It helps normalize the feelings that a sibling might have, and indicates that adults are available for support. The black and white drawings do a good job of being accurate, but still showing warmth and emotion.

This book is specifically aimed at children who are about four to eight years old. When one of my own children was hospitalized and had surgery, I thought of this book and brought it out for my other children.

This book tells the story of a young girl, whose baby sister is admitted into a hospital. The baby sister needs surgery, and the older girl is very unhappy. The older sister is initially angry at how Molly is getting all the attention. Later, she feels guilty and wonders if she somehow caused Molly's illness.

The author had a child who had a chronic condition and underwent surgery. She saw how her older children experienced the sibling's illness. The illustrator is a physician who left the clinical practice of medicine to pursue her artwork and to raise her own family. Her medical background may help account for the superb, sensitive illustrations.

The moving story of Molly's illness and her family's loving, worried response informs children about what a hospitalization means. What's more, it validates the feelings that come when a loved one needs help. Duncan beautifully evokes the atmosphere of a hospital -- not just the physical place but the environment of caring professionals, friends, and family members who work together to get someone better. For kids who've experienced hospitalizations (their own or others) or who are trying to imagine what things are like at the hospital (whether or not someone they love is in the hospital now), this book rings equally clear and true. Brava!

WHEN PIGS FLY
The book WHEN PIGS FLY is basically about a girl named Buddy and her life. Buddy has a sister Reenie, also known as "the flash" because she'll disappear if you take your eyes off her for one second. Reenie is nine years old and has down syndrome. This is a disease that she was born with and many kids make fun of her. Buddy's best friend is Jiniwin. Jiniwin doesn't make fun of her sister Reenie. Buddy and Jiniwin live in the same subdivision in Turnback. They walk to and from school together every day. Jiniwin and Buddy are always together. Jiniwin always sleeps over Buddy's house because her mother is always too busy with work and her father lives out of state. Jiniwin hates staying home alone because she is scared that someone will break in.
Everything in the book goes great until Buddy finds out that she is moving to her Aunt Ruby's old house which is four miles out into the country. When Jiniwin finds out that Buddy's moving she's not too happy. Even though she doesn't want to, when Buddy moves out into the country, Jiniwin will have to do what scares her most, stay home alone.
Buddy and her family can not move to her Aunt Ruby's old house right away. The house is old and run down and needs to be cleaned up and fixed. Everyone, including Jiniwin, helps to clean the place up. When they are finished cleaning Aunt Ruby's house they begin to pack their things at their old house. It takes them two days to pack everything and when they were done they move.
Buddy and Reenie would now have to take the bus to school because they would not be able to walk four miles into town. Kids on the bus make fun of Reenie because she is disabled. They call her a retard and they poke her.
Buddy meets this kid named Dallas on the bus. Every day when they see him on the bus he has a prize for Reenie. He is so nice to her. Dallas is a very mysterious person.
This book is great. I really enjoyed it. It's a must read. I say this because when I first started reading the book I didn't want to put it down. I read it during lunchtime in school, free time in school, at home, and on the bus.
Everything in the book was great except for one thing. The fact that kids made fun of Reenie. There are a lot of things that the reader can learn from this book. I learned that everyone has feelings, even handicapped people. I felt sad when I was reading about Reenie being teased and made fun of. I also learned that it's not just the person being teased and made fun of whose feelings get hurt. Their friends and families feel sad too. The reader will understand how it feels to be teased and made fun of. If I were the person being made fun of I wouldn't want them to make fun of me, so I don't make fun of anyone. *Treat others the way you would like to be treated! * That is the lesson of this book.
June Rae Wood is also the author of The Man Who Loved Clowns. I plan on reading that book some time this year. June Rae Wood is a great author!

My 10 year old son and I read this book for his school reading project. Even though the book is written from a young girls perspective, it still kept my son's attention and had many life lessons that he understood and enjoyed. A great read for parents and children alike!

I couldn't stop reading your book. I got sad when I had to do my homework. Your book When Pigs Fly is the only book that actually did this to me. Just yesterday I went to the literature festival in Warrensburg and my name is Amberleigh. You probably don't remember me but my teacher's name is Carol Schauffler that asked about your friend. Well, I just wanted to tell you how much I loved your book.

I read this book to my 4 year old neice, and to my two year old son. They both LOVED it. They asked me to read it over and over again! It has silly rhymes that can twist your tongue if you go too fast! The pictures aren't what you would expect for a children's book, but they are wonderfully done and even I like to look at them. I now have the book memorized and can tell it in no time flat. My husband likes to hear it becuase it makes his brain think if I tell it to him quickly. A must have for any book shelf!

My husband and I started reading this book to our newborn son, who was immediately taken with the silly, repetitive words, and was captivated by the fabulous, large, multi-color illustrations. Now, at 15 months, this is one of the only books we can be guaranteed that he will sit through to the end...it's a repeat favorite and is an excellent read aloud for even the youngest infants. A great gift idea, especially for parents and/or caregivers who want to share and instill multi-cultural values in their growing children. This very lighthearted story is about the 3 brothers and the 3 sisters with silly names who marry and have kids -- all are of different ethnic persuasions, have different interests and occupations -- and all are different sizes and shapes.

I am a first grade teacher. My kids absolutely love this book. You really have to practice reading the book aloud before you read it to anyone else. My class wants me to read this one over and over again. Check it out!

This is a compelling story, and very well written. It should be reprinted.

I like the book Across The Grain, I think it really puts you in the book. It is about a boy who moves to the desert from Cali. I think it shows what some people go through when they move to a new area. It is a emotional but funny book. I'd give it five stars anyday!

Across the Grain was a wonderful book about friendship, care, and fun. Will, Mike and Sam, become close friends, and share their creativity, hearts, and their lives. Through hard times and good times, they comfort each other and it will create a smile on your face. This is much like life and you will be amazed how the author wrote it like it was about her and her friends. I recommend it to teens in 7th, 8th or 9th grade.

Althought the age group listed for this book is 9-12, I first learned of it from a preschooler in my classroom. The girl who shared the book does not have a sister, lives with both parents in an upperclass neighborhood, and would seem to have little in common with Essie or Amber. And yet, this story reached her, she connected immediately with the strengths and longings of both children. She wants to BE these children, for their strength and humanity. What a great way to begin to bridge the socioeconomic gap! Other children from very diverse backgrounds in my class were also immediately drawn to the poetry of warmth, hope, caring, friendship amidst troubling circumstances.

This is a touching story of two sisters who are dealing with a tramatic event that had a significant effect on their lives. The art work is enhances the story and is great in it's own right. After I bought this book, I couldn't wait to share it with my own sister and other close friends who I knew would love it too.

Amber was brave..."She could get the grocery man/to trust them for a container of milk/though their mother/couldn't pay him till payday/Amber wasn't afraid of the rat/in the wall under the sink/or of climbing up in high places" Essie was smart..."Essie could read hard library books/could thread a needle/cook toasted cheese sandwiches/make cocoa/put the lipstick on just right/when they played dress-up" Amber and Essie, two sisters, caught in the day to day struggle of hard times. Their mother is tired and sad, and works long hours for minimum wage. Their daddy is in jail for forging a check when he lost his job and needed money. There is never much to eat, the radiator's always cold, and the phone is turned off until their mother can pay the bill. But there are still the small pleasures of childhood...jumping on the bed together trying to touch the ceiling, playing beauty parlor every Sunday night with Mommy, dipping toast triangles in hot cocoa, making a "best sandwich" together with Wilson the bear. And there is hope.... Vera B Williams has written an unforgettable and poignant portrait of a family clinging to the edge. Her evocative text, told in free verse, is powerful, yet gentle, sensitive without being maudlin, and really illuminates the joys and sorrows of Amber and Essie's life. Her expressive and understated black and white pencil drawings capture the tough times and happier moments without being distracting. And Ms Williams includes vibrant, colored pencil, self-portraits at the beginning to introduce the girls, and a wonderful family album drawn by Essie and Amber, to complete this remarkable and heartwarming story, after the happy and uplifting ending. Perfect for youngsters 8-12, Amber Was Brave, Essie Was Smart is an engaging and endearing treasure, told with great insight and wisdom.

This is Thomas Mckean's best book yet! It's even better than Harry Potter! All of his books should get back in print. He's my favorite aurthor. I bet that if all of his books went back in print and a few people told a few friends, who told a few friends, who told a few friends, etc. about this book he'd be bigger than JK Rowling as well as being better. If that does happen this will probably be the biggest and best book of them all!

I think that the Anti Peggy Plot is a great book! I hate Peggy and how everything she has is pink! I cant stand pink. I liked how the kids did all those mean things to Peggy. I especially liked the part when they ruined Peggy's meal like: putting cement in the bread (she said it was going to be so soft), and how they put peptobismo in the pink frosting of the cake, how they put so much peper in the spaggeti (thir dad is doesnt like so much peper). I think that Thomas McKeen did a wonderful job on this book The Anti Peggy Plot. I wish the book was still being printed, and it wasn't an out of print book. I go to school at Seely Place Elementary School, where Thomas used to work! I remember that when I was in kindergarten Thomas came into are room and each child bought Hooray For Grandma Joe. Mr. McKeen even singed the book. I still have my book! I am in Mrs.Weiss's 5th Grade class at Seely Place School. I am now reading the Secret Of The Seven Willows.

I think that the Anti Peggy Plot is a great book! I hate Peggy and how everything she has is pink! I cant stand pink. I liked how the kids did all those mean things to Peggy. I especially liked the part when they ruined Peggy's meal like: putting cement in the bread (she said it was going to be so soft), and how they put peptobismo in the pink frosting of the cake, how they put so much peper in the spaggeti (thir dad is doesnt like so much peper). I think that Thomas McKeen did a wonderful job on this book The Anti Peggy Plot. I wish the book was still being printed, and it wasn't an out of print book. I go to school at Seely Place Elementary School, where Thomas used to work! I remember that when I was in kindergarten Thomas came into are room and each child bought Hooray For Grandma Joe. Mr. McKeen even singed the book. I still have my book! I am in Mrs.Weiss's 5th Grade class at Seely Place School. I am now reading the Secret Of The Seven Willows.

Bob Brandt did a masterful job of saving, sorting and presenting data as well as remembering so many facts that most of us have long since forgotten.

The book is a keeper, and supports the efforts and brave acts of the many unsung participants at the outset of this strange venture of our country into a truly foreign land.

It is quite evident that Gen Brandt did considerable research into the events that took place during that time period. Some people might question the facts as presented about some of the operations or events, however, I think the book speaks for itself. The author did an outstanding job depicting how the Company functioned in that environment and how the officers and enlisted men endured the stress and strain of life away from home and family. The humorous side depicted in the book is probly as accurate as can be remembered and certainly contributed to the over all high moral of the organization. The book is well written and a pleasure to read.

As one of the men that is very proud and honored to have been mentioned in Thunderbird Lounge, I am absolutely amazed at General Brandt's accuracy and detail. His sentimental chronicle of our personal experiences with the 33rd transportation Company is inspiring and emotional. Moreover, I am sure that this work will be intrinsic to future scholars who realize the historical significance of this unit with respect to both the Vietnam War and Army Aviation, and recognize the value of General Brandt's personal accounts. The scope of General Brandt's work is such that I am completely satisfied that the mission that we accomplished and the sacrifices we made are fully appreciated and realistically portrayed. He has told the story of real men at the beginning of a savage war with the compassion and thoughtfulness of one who was there.

This is a great, simple, accurate, sweet book about a little girl who has a brother with Down syndrome. It explains that kids with Down syndrome need more time and patience, but they all can learn to do the things other kids do. I highly recommend this book to kids with Down syndrome and their siblings, friends, neighbors and relatives. It's good on its own and as an alternative to What's Wrong With Timmy?, a book that covers the same topic in a much less appealing manner.

Six year old Emma isn't very happy about the idea of having a new brother or sister but when Emma and her dad start thinking of all the things that they can do with the new baby, Emma becomes excited at the prospect of being a big sister. When her dad comes home and tells Emma that her new brother, Isaac, has Down syndrome, Emma worries that he won't be able to do any of the fun things that she has imagined. As Emma and her dad think back over all the things they wanted to do with the new baby, they realize together that as long as they are patient and helped him when he needed it, there wasn't anything he couldn't do. This is a reassuring story for young children bewildered by Down syndrome and what it means for their relationship with their new sibling. This is truly a wonderful story. Your child will ask you why you are crying after you read it to them. Of all the books for this age group, this book is by far the best.

I originally purchased We'll Paint the Octopus Red to help me explain Down Syndrome to my older daughter when my younger daughter was born: the whys and how comes the little one needed more attention. The story is simply told. The only child will now become an older child. She and her younger sibling will have so much fun together, her dad advises. But on the day that the baby is born, the dad is sad and tells his daughter that the baby has Down Syndrome. The daughter, in her innocence, carefully reviews all the plans that her dad said she could do with her baby brother. After each example, the dad advises that they could still do the activity with a little patience. Slowly, the daughter teaches the dad and the reader that children with Down Syndrome can do almost anything with love, patience, understanding and the opportunity to try. The book not only gave guidance to my husband and me, but also was helpful in breaking down old stereotypes and ideas held by our parents.

In this next book in the Angelina Ballerina series, Angelina can hardly await the arrival of her mom's new baby. However, when the baby arrives, she finds that the baby is now the center of everyone's attention. Wracked with jealousy, Angelina has a lesson to learn...

This is a very cute book. I like the lesson that it taught, and my daughter and I both loved the story and the wonderful illustrations. This is a good book, one that we highly recommend to you.

Katharine Holabird's "Angelina's Baby Sister" follows in the tradition of all the other Angelina Mouseling books. Angelina Mouseling is a small white mouse--perhaps somewhere between six and ten years old in people years--who has the complete attention of her parents and grandparents no matter what. Then one day, her mother has a baby! The new baby sister, Polly, is adorable and Angelina tries very, very hard to be interested and attentive and loving. But it's tough. No one is much paying attention to Angelina now that Polly's here, and that's especially upsetting to Angelina because she's recently been given an award at dance class.

Angelina finally gives in to her anger and throws off steam in the privacy of her bedroom. The problem is that in doing so, she accidentally breaks the award statuette she's recently earned. The adults--parents and grandparents alike--are surprised by Angelina's mood and soon figure out the connection to the new baby, Polly.

All ends well, however, and Angelina is able to look at Polly as a possible new audience member for Angelina's impromptu dance recitals at home. This is a dear, sweet book that examines honestly the difficulties involved in dealing with a new sibling. The illustrations by Helen Craig are, as always, just precious--softly colored, beautifully detailed, and always in step with the text.

Someone gave my 3 year old daughter this book when we had a new baby. Angelina has a hard time sharing the spotlight, and her family's time with the new addition. So did my daughter! But, reading this book with her gave us some "cuddle time" and helped us deal with incorporating a new and demanding member of the family! I've given this book as a gift many times since!

The writing is done with feeling, as it should be. The title story moved me to tears, unusual for me from reading.

This collection of short stories made we long for the days of being at the foot of the "elders" while listening to them talk. The characters were warm and believable-almost as if they were a family member or friend. I look forward to reading more from this new author. I felt like the characters were people I know or have come across in my lifetime. Thanks for a great introduction to the way you see the world!
Look forward to more from you Essie.

A collection of short stories that engage the reader from beginning to end. Each story involves the reader into it's world through it's good dialogue and evocative descriptions. Style reminds me of early Octavia Butler. Hope to read more work by this writer.