I awoke last Saturday to hear Daniel Pinkwater reviewing this book on NPR. He said, "[the author] has made funny and accessible cartoons which are at the same time beautiful, or you could say she's made beautiful paintings which are funny." I completely agree with this statement and I think that the illustrations will help capture the attention of even the most reluctant young reader...Who will then be fascinated by this creative and totally entertaining interpretation of the life of Crockett. Perfect for classroom reading and a delight for bedtime, for all ages.

"I reckon by now you've heard of Davy Crockett, the greatest woodsman who ever lived. Why, Davy could whip ten times his weight in wildcats and drink the Mississippi River dry. He combed his hair with a rake, shaved his beard with an ax, and could run so fast that, whenever he went out, the trees had to step aside to keep from getting knocked down..." So who else, but Davy, would the president call on to save the planet from being "blown to smithereens" when "the biggest, baddest ball of fire and ice and brimstone," Halley's Comet, came "hurling itself lickety-split" towards earth? Rosalyn Schanzer answers the question with her witty and entertaining, wild and rollicking tall, tall tale about this larger than life frontiersman. Ms Schanzer's vibrant storytelling captures the imagination with its rich, over-the-top exaggeration and clever backwoods language that just begs to be read aloud and shared. Her bold, bright, and expressive artwork is filled with dazzling, action packed scenes, eye-catching detail, and marvelous humor. Perfect for youngsters of all ages, Davy Crockett Saves The World is a captivating, fun-filled treasure that shouldn't be missed, and also finally tells the world why old Davy always wore his coonskin cap.

Davy Crocket Saves the World saved this grandmother last night while I was babysitting my grandsons. Barely interrupting a food fight after supper, I coaxed the boys onto the couch with me by telling them I would read them the new book I just brought. We all plopped on the couch in a snuggly pile as I opened the book and started to read. Their faces soon wore expressions of rapt attention interrupted frequently with smiles of delight and animated discussion.

The boys loved Davy...and he is great! His face is the face of a hero personified. His expressions are so animated and appealing to my grandsons (and me too)! The graphics of the pages are filled with movement which captured my grandsons' attention and saved this grandmother from an evening of total chaos. Hooray for Davy Crockett!

Gold Fever by Roz Schanzer is a terrific book, not only with the information that it covers, but with its glorious illustrations. The children I teach are totally entralled when we read this book together. Hope to see more great work from this author/illustrator in the future.

The story of the California gold rush is told through (short) actual quotes from those involved, arranged in a sequential manner. This non-fiction book is entertaining and informative and reads like a comic book. It is a historical edition and has excellent color illustrations. Recommended reading for 1st through the 6th grade, as well as the teachers of these grades,

The quotes make the telling very readable and enjoyable. I like the style of paper and the way Ms Schanzer did the pictures, told the story and made the reader feel like he/she had more information and a feel for the times. Good work!

The book tells the story clearly and concisely; the illustrations (new this year) are colorful and eye-catching, but what sets the book apart are the discussion themes for each of the eight nights -- suggestions for families to chat about while the candles are burning (what it means to be free, gifts and giving, what makes a hero, and more. There's also music and recipes to round out the holiday celebration.

"It's true! The great Benjamin Franklin really did steal lightning right out of the sky! And then he set out to tame the beast. It goes to figure, though, because he was a man who could do just about anything..." So begins Rosalyn Schanzer's engaging introduction to one of colonial America's most fascinating men. Ben Franklin was a man of many talents and accomplishments. He was a writer, politician, soldier, musician, inventor, and entrepreneur. He helped lead our country to independence, and traveled the world as a statesman. But he often best known for his inventions and boundless curiosity. This of course leads to his interest in electricity and the well known kite and key experiment..... Ms Schanzer's entertaining text is written in an easy to read, conversational style, and is rich in history, trivia, fun facts, and wit. Her playful illustrations complement the text beautifully and are filled with bold color, humor, and captivating, eye-catching details. Together word and art provides a clever and appealing history lesson that is sure to whet the appetite and send kids out looking for more. With a marvelous Author's Note at the end to further enlighten and augment the story, How Ben Franklin Stole The Lightning is a masterpiece of fun-filled learning, perfect for kids 7-11, that shouldn't be missed.

Showing The Hanukkah Book by Cheri Holland and illustrated by Roz Schanzer to my Wise Temple religious school class is a fun way to get the children involved in learning about the holiday of Hannuka. The illustrations draw them in and keep their interest throughout the whole book. I enjoy having this book to share with my children.

I have a copy of the 1992 version. I used it in my library classes to help the Kindergarten students review their alphabet, which is used extensively in the library. The words Judy Nayer has chosen for each letter are very familiar items for the students. With a little imagination I was able to make up a riddle story for each letter using Roz Schanzer's wonderful pictures via the overhead projector. I love the phrases Ms. Nayer uses under each picture. They help emphasize the specific letter being presented.

I think the true-or-false format works really well in this informational book. Lauber asks and answers common questions about horses in an interesting way. At the same time, other information is included. Your horse enthusiast may enjoy hearing this in bits and pieces or all at once.

The bright, detailed illustrations (which appear to be watercolor and pen) clearly show what the text tells. They are colorful and cheerful.

I hope they do more of these!

My 3 month old baby is transfixed with the pictures and with the sounds. She seems to know when the kitty will "ask" what she sees. It amazes me that she even recognizes the cover of this book and will begin to kick her legs and coo as soon as I begin reading. The illistrations are so vibrant that she studies every page. This story makes reading time fun for both of us.

A very good book about the Lewis & Clark expedition. The illustrations were vivid and the best part of the book. I would recommend this book

Set in 1804, How We Crossed The West by Rosalyn Schanzer is the true story of the incredibly adventurous Lewis & Clark expedition exploring westward from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean (May 1804 to November 1805). Superbly presented in an exciting picturebook format for young readers, the "reader friendly" text is taken from the original journals of the explorers themselves, though slightly edited for clarity. The wealth of illustrations are warm, colorful acrylic/colored pencil designs that bring a great journey through early America vividly to life. As educational as it is entertaining, How We Crossed The West is a superbly presented history and very highly recommended for school and community library collections.

This book is an excellent example of a primary source of information. I originally bought the book because I believed it would be a good resource for teaching about the Lewis and Clark Expedition, but after I got it and realized the text was created from journal entries made by Lewis, Clark and others, I was truly excited to be teaching from this book. There is just enough text per page so as not to be overwhelming to elementary students and the illustrations are gorgeous.

Children asking why their parents and grandparents fled the old country can find a fine example in this beautifully illustrated 30-page true story, which blends the blessings of life in Sochocin, Poland with its horrors.

The author's grandfather Abba (Hebrew for 'father') Goodstein was famous for acting and singing, could perform wild Russian dances, jumping high in the air and touching his toes to his fingertips. He had legendary strength and was so smart he could add columns of large numbers in his head in seconds flat. His wife Pearl played the mandolin. She could draw and sew lacy butterflies and birds in swirling plumes, and designed fancy buttons from seashells in the family's tiny button factory. At their restaurant--whose menu featured mushroom, herb and barley soup, homemade noodles and fresh bread--the family often also offered plays late at night.

Their village was set in a fern-filled forest near a river clear as glass. Pink-legged white storks nested atop the chimneys and geese, goats and wildflowers danced beside the winding country roads.

But when the Goodsteins' children Ida, Sammy and Ruthie were respectively four, three and one, war and hatred forced them to leave their home forever. As World War I raged, Abba stood outside his restaurant one day and was surrounded by Cossacks who pointed rifles at his chest. He fearlessly began singing a Cossack marching song in his brilliant strong voice. The soldiers left him, laughing and singing, too. Once, three soldiers stopped Pearl's father as they rode in their family cart, threatening to cut off the beard which Jewish law required him to wear. Abba knocked the soldier out and the other two fled.

An honest rabbi was killed one afternoon for wiping his forehead in an open window: He was shot as a spy trying to send signals to the enemy. While they sheltered the family from the shooting, family "friends" gave all the Goodsteins' things away, explaining afterwards that the Jews were going to be killed anyway.

Abba Goodstein wrote to his sister Yitta who had moved to Knoxville, Tennessee in 1907. Another 18 pages of true-life adventures follow the family's escape in August 1921. I won't spoil the exciting details, but the story is perfect for independent readers 9-and-up, or makes a fine read-aloud. Alyssa A. Lappen

Having just read this book, I am amazed at the talent of this author/illustrator to portray her family history in such a readable manner. The stories and the illustrations are wonderful and moving. I thoroughly enjoyed this terrific book.