I am a fan of fairy tales. And I love to share my passion for a good story with my son. My 5 year-old loved this book from the first reading.

It is not a short read for a 5 year-old, but it held his attention again and again. It is one of his favorites.

I bought this book because I love the illustrations of Ms. Hyman. We have read "Bearskin" by Howard Pyle, "Little Red Ridinghood", and "The Fortune Teller", all illustrated by Ms. Hyman. Her colors are vibrant and exciting. It seems that every book Ms. Hyman is involved with includes a great story and a great story teller.

"The Water of Life" has it all, love, tests and trials, devotion, greed, and betrayal. It gives us, mother and son, lots to talk about. I recommend this book heartily.

I am amazed that I never heard about this story until I was over 40 years old! This is an excellent book for teaching children the value of being loving and kind. I recently attended a talk on heroes at work and this book was mentioned. I am so glad that I purchased a copy because it will encourage me (and hopefully some friends that borrow it) that we can be heroes to those around us.

My daughter who is getting her Master's in Art asked for this book for Christmas. She adores Trina Schart Hyman illustrations. I really loved this book. The illustrations are really beautiful with many little interesting things to pick out in them. Children will find the scene from the enchanted castle especially fun. All the princes are sitting frozen in time at a banquet table. One is a frog, one a unicorn, another has butterfly wings, etc. Most of the pictures have a dark cast to them but the last one of the wedding is bright and cheery with little children wearing red costumes and throwing pink petals. The bridal couple are gorgeously dressed too. Moral of the story: Be kind and good and you will achieve true happiness.

What an irresistable idea. A book of poems that's equally appealing to both children and adults. A Walt Whitman poem comes to life capturing that fleeting moment in time which is Autumn. Children are introduced to bite-sized pieces of poetry by Yeats,Browning and Poe as well while being entranced by the exquisite photography of Marc Tauss.You'll both be delighted as you read this book over and over and over again.

There is not much to say, but enjoy this book. The photographs are rich and varied, and go smoothly with the samples of the poetry. Autumn is such a brief time, and in these times of turmoil we can enjoy the beauty and peace of apple picking, daydreaming and lush imagery.

The poems are inspirational and leave you wanting to read more.

Each photograph stands on it's own, and each and every one is a work of art.

Paul O. Zelinsky's "Rapunzel" is a delight of renaissance-like oil paintings depicting a delicately beautiful girl, a frightening witch, and a handsome prince. The illustrations are truly superb, and each page features a beautifully rendered painting rich with color and detail.

Zelinsky's retelling of the story is traditional yet satisfying, but the illustrations really steal the show. Children will get caught up in the fairytale landscapes and the magical locales. Readers will also appreciate the additional information provided by Zelinsky about his retelling of the story and his study of Italian Renaissance art. It's always nice to know why artists choose to illustrate stories in a certain way.

This book won the Caldecott Medal for its fantastic illustrations.

An excellent choice for many ages. This book is a beautiful and rich rendition of a traditional tale. Zelinsky has filled the pages with orderly, exquisitie details that are reminescent of Renaissance paintinings. The illustrations merit review closely and the reader will find new wonders each time they visit the work. Children of all ages will find enjoyment in these pages. Readers may particularly enjoy the intricate tower Rapunzel is locked in. The text has just enough suspense and evil and good strike a comfortable balance for chlidren.

This past weekend, our 3-1/2 year old daughter's grandparents came into town. Her Nonna told her a bedtime story about Rapunzel, a story she had not heard before. She was enchanted. Needless to say, Nonna went out the next day to buy a book and she came home with Paul Zelinsky's beautiful book.

I can't comment on the accuracy and literary side of the book - I'm not an expert on the original tale. However, the writing is wonderful; the story is an easy read with younger children. But clearly, the illustrations are what set this book apart. Many children's books use child-like pictures - but each page of this book is a new and different work of art. Detail and texturing worthy of an art gallery make this a pleasure to view as well as read. Highly recommended.

I liked this book because it has good detals.It ezplains what people had to go through during the Holocaust.I recomed this book because it is a good way to learn about the Holocaust.The strong point was when the war was over.The weak point was when the naizs killed alot of people.

Barbara Rogasky writes wounderfully. Though Smoke and Ashes is written for juvenilles, it is good enough for an adult to read. It captures the horror of the holocaust, and emphisizes "Never Again."

Teachers who love to put up seasonal bulletin boards or displays will find this collection of "Winter Poems" to be a valuable resource. Selected by Barbara Rogasky and illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman, "Winter Poems" includes verse by such celebrated poets as William Shakespeare, John Greenleaf Whittier, Edna St. Vincent Millay, Robert Frost, Emily Dickinson and Carl Sandburg. But you will also find an anonymous Japanese poem and Ogden Nash's comic ode on "The Germ." But most younger students are going to be most impressed by the actual poems than the names of the poets, which is why they will probably like Oliver Herford's "I Heard a Bird Sing," Melville Cane's "Snow Toward Evening" or Elinor Wylie's "Velvet Shoes." However, I do find it interesting that several of these poems deal more with the prospect of spring than the celebration of winter.

Final Note: Parents or teachers should make a point of explaining that Richard Wright, author of "Laughing Boy," is a noted African-American writer. This will be important in understanding the meaning of this short poem about a boy standing in the falling snow who "holds out his palms until they are white."