I liked the book, I just think it could of had a little more detail at the very end. But I recommend it.

Our family enjoyed this book! It is a wonderful way to share a classic with a child. My 8 year old son loved the beautiful language and the illustrations. This book was perfect for younger readers who may not be ready for the full version. There are great moral lessons covered in Moby Dick. Reading this book provided a natural environment to discuss these important charachter traits. It also allowed us to take off with a further study of whales. A great book!

Anyone who enjoys young adult fantasy, particularly that of Diana Wynne Jones, would be advised to hunt down this tiny gem of a novel. It can also be appreciated by those who do not like fantasy but simply enjoy intelligent Young Adult novels, such as Ellen Raskin's "The Westing Game." Someone appreciated it at one time, for it won the Carnegie Medal, and why it is out of print now is a mystery. "A Pack of Lies" is almost flawless on every level: the characters are real, the writing deft and the plotting perfect. Most of all, it is incredibly original, standing completely on its own.

"A Pack of Lies" is not obviously fantasy--the setting is contemporary, and "magic" per se does not exist in any tangible form. It is referred to as being "twelve stories in one" because the book comprises twelve stories within the main plotline. Part of the author's genius is that each story has its own distinctive style, each suited for the atmosphere and setting of that particular story. The tales range from lighthearted to moving to downright sinister, and each has its place within the main story as a whole, like gems in a beautiful setting. There are a couple of weak ones, like the "horror" story and the poem, which some might find a disappointing replacement for a story. But these are more than made up for by the others; each is lovely in its own unique way.

The book is also worth reading for the wonderful characters, who capture the reader's emotions despite the short space they have been alotted. The connection one feels by the end is what makes the ending so climactic...and of course I won't give it away.

What I so admire about this author is that she conceived a brilliant idea, went with it, and succeeded better than most writers ever could have. It is a shame that she has not written any other books, and equally a shame that this masterwork of hers has not earned the public recognition it deserves.

This book has won the Carnegie medal and is one of my favorite books of all time. A young man comes to work in the main character's mother's antique shop. Whenever a customer comes in he gets them to buy something by telling a story about it. Then he charges them a huge price for it and the customer just has to buy it!! In this way he helps get the antique store back in business. The stories are fascinating and creepy. They are just lies, but now they seem to be coming true... Then there is a great surprise ending. All in all it is one of the best young adult books ever written! Read it! Being out of print does NOT mean it's no good. It means that there is injustice in the publishing business. Read it and find out why. Just take The Silver Crown by Robert C. O'Brien for another example. I am 14 years old. Everyone over the age of 12 should read it.

This is an illustrated version of Moby-Dick for children.

I recently read this book to my 7th grade lit. class. They loved it and I enjoyed reading it to them. It not only tells the story of Moby Dick,it is a gem unto itself.Ms. McCaughrean's literary language enables the reader (and listener) to have a perfect image of characters and events.

Geraldine McCaughrean's retelling of Melville's Moby Dick provides welcome and rewarding access to the plot and characters of this classic. Victor Ambrus' illustrations are wonderful. For several years now we have been turning to this jewel!

The art of storytelling is alive and well within these pages. I bought the book to read aloud to my 4 and 7 year old children, but ended up reading stories to myself after tucking them in for the night. I just couldn't put the book down! My only criticism is the lack of pronunciation help in the book. There is neither a glossary or on-the-spot help for those of us unfamiliar with Persian, Indian, Chinese and other languages that can leave tired parents tongue-tied and uncertain.

This highly enjoyable and lushly illustrated anthology is a treat. Sacred stories, porquoi tales, legends and traditional myths are served richly from the bronze cauldron. Old favorites such as Cupid and Psyche, Doctor Faust, Young Buddha and The Golem are made vibrant and accessible. New treasures include "Armchair Traveller," a sly tale from India, "Bobbi Bobbi!" an Aboriginal trickster tale from Australia, and "The Gingerbread Baby," a Palestinian myth that shatters expectations. End notes admit that the authour took great liberties with the retellings and are stingy with sources, but that is an academic quibble that takes away nothing from the enjoyment potential of this fine collection. Useful for multicultural assignments and read-aloud.

--S. Thorup

We borrowed Grandma Chickenlegs from the library, and it's the first book in a very long time that my 6 year-old has asked to buy. The writing is more interesting than any of the other versions of Baba Yaga that we've read, and the illustrations are wonderful.

After reading Grandma Chickenlegs, my two year old daughter could not stop talking about her. Grandma Chickenlegs is a bit frightening, but the polite, friendly girl prevails in the end. I've decided to purchase the hardcover book to give to my daughter when she's a bit older....as a reminder of a book that had a bit of an impact in many ways!

McCaughrean's follow-up to her acclaimed The Golden Hoard, The Silver Treasure is a rather quirky compendium of religious stories, myths, and folk tales. Mixed-media illustrations by Willey are large enough to enjoy but rather dark in tone, reflecting the somewhat heavier tone of these tales. A community's prayers for release from invaders is answered by the removal of much of their wealth; a Native American outcast happily lies down on the ocean's floor to spend eternity; "God Moves Away." These are definitely not bright and cheerful tales. Nevertheless, the stories are fascinating, and many of them will be unfamiliar to most readers, stemming from Maori, Chaga (Kenya), Basque, Bolivian, and other traditions. Those that are familiar are strange bedfellows, to say the least: the Biblical "Tower of Babel" and America's local legend "Rip Van Winkle" would rarely be classed in the same league, let alone printed in the same book. Relatively short and more serious than magical in tone, McCaughrean has done a good job of selecting from a wide variety of traditions to help create a new, multicultural version of The Fairy Books. It will be interesting to see which metal she next chooses to meld together such a diverse mix.