Excellent English translation of the folk story. I have heard a couple of other versions of this story when I was growing up in Iran. It was a (very) pleasant surprise to see that the story has been translated. The illustrations are remarkable. You can see the old Persian architecture, the costumes, the robes and turbans, yet the characters are cartoonish and extremely funny. I hope to see more Persian folk stories by the author and illustrator.

This book is wonderful. I love the way Alisher Dianov illustrates his childrens books. This book would be a fine addition to any library, child or adult.

This is a great book and one of my all time favorites. Lightning Larry the main character is such a great man. He goes about the town making all the bad outlaws good with his lightning bolts. All the outlaws are lead by Evil Eye McNeevil. Larry has a showdown with him at the end of story. You need to read this to find out. Larry can overcome any bad guy and has no fear. He jsut lays back and drinks his lemonades without a worry.

My husband just loved reading this book to our boys! The cowboy (Larry) uses his guns to shoot lightning bolts that make bad guys "nice". Their friends are not too thrilled about that!

Foolish Shadusa thinks he's the strongest man in the world and orders his wife to call him "master man". But his wise wife warns him: "Quit your foolish boasting. No matter how strong your are, there will always be someone stronger. And watch out, or someday you may meet him." But Shadusa doesn't listen and when he hears that another man in a nearby village also calls himself "master man", he sets off to confront this imposter and ends up learning his lesson the hard way..... Aaron Shepard and award winning illustrator, David Wisniewski have authored an inspired and creative version of this old Nigerian folktale. The story, told in comic book format, complete with dialogue bubbles, is full of expressive, action packed scenes and colorful, detailed collage artwork that becomes busier and bolder until it almost spills off the pages. The book includes an author's note at the end and youngsters will enjoy learning about the origins and history of this folktale. Perfect for children 4-8, Master Man is a terrific read-aloud story the whole family can share and will make a wonderful addition to all home libraries.

This book was really funny! The illustrations were really creative. The words are put right on the illustrations like a comic book so you feel really involved. I like tall tales, and this one is exceptional. The characters are very entertaining and they reminded me of people I know. Everyone should read Master Man -- even grownups!

This book is really quite intriguing. But, if your looking for great adventure, this isn't the book for you. On the other hand, this book does provide what seems to be a first-hand account of Atlantis. Whether Atlantis turns out to be fact or fiction, this is an interesting read.

Wali Dad is my all-time favorite of Aaron's books for children (and they are all a close race!). The comic book style and quality of the illustrations are a pure delight, and the story telling is true and compelling. Do not miss the joy of reading this book to yourself and to any children you know.

Aaron Shepard's loving and powerful retelling of the Kalevala epic captures the beauty, magic, poetry and grace of the original in a form highly accessible even to very young children. My half-Finnish daughters (ages 5 and 7) sat captivated through a first reading and insisted on a second, thoroughly entranced by the magical power of Vainamoinen's poetry and song and eager to touch their Finnish heritage. But there's enough depth here to appeal to older children, too. Carol Schwartz's rich and colorful illustrations add a glimpse of daily life in the ancient Finnish countryside that makes the magic all the more real by placing it among such believable folk.

At the risk of sounding politically correct, I must say it's rare to find a children's story in which the lead woman isn't either wicked beyond all reason or totally incompetent; look to Disney for proof.

Then there's Savitri. Although she comes from money, she judges others by their character rather than social status (something notably rare in India today). This quality is illustrated when she selects a mate. The author interprets this folktale by showing respect for India's cultural tradition of arranged marriage while also supporting a woman's right to choose. These two apparently opposing methods of mate-selection are "married" as Savitri herself has her father arrange to meet the man she has selected -- how delightful!

When faced with the life of her husband in jeopardy, Savitri reveals amazing personal character. She faces India's grim reaper with tremendous courage, unwavering determination and sincere devotion. And in doing so, she thinks first of others (her step-father's happiness) before thinking of herself.

Overall, the story is told in a clear manner, with interesting names (parents may need to assist with pronunciation) and beats Dr. Suess hands-down. The pictures are exquisitely done.

Savitri is a wonderful treat for any boy or girl (age 4 to 10) although, I must confess, I enjoyed it too (and I'm a bit older).

The author has other books based on stories from other cultures. Search for 'a tale of ancient india' on AltaVista's Advanced Search for links to a full text of the book as well as the author's website.

Enjoy Savitri! scottie

A fantastic place to start exploring readers theater. We had a very hard time finding appropriate materials for our new drama club at our elementary school. Stories On Stage has a nice variety of different stories, something to appeal to everyone. The children love the stories and they are short enough to not overwhelm the teachers!

After reading other books on writing books for children, I thought I would see more coverage on the writing process. Not counting the appendix, there are only 94 pages in the paperback edition; this doesn't give a lot of space for the big picture.

The subtitle for the book is "An Award-Winning Author's Tips on How to Write, Sell, and Promote Your Children's Books." The key word here is tips, and it is these tips which make this a helpful book.

One of his tips, writing your story as a script for a children's play, strikes me as simple, yet rewarding. Many children's books require more dialogue than narrative, so making a script requires you to view your work from a new perspective. It is such a simple idea, but I had never thought of doing it.

One of his marketing tips is to use the script you wrote and market it with the book. Schools are more likely to use a book for class if there are more things to do with it. Creating study questions is another idea.

Although this was a quick-read, I would recommend reading this...

Having already purchased many books on the technique of writing for children, I was pleased to find this book contained more. His methods for querying, scripting and marketing are valuable, and clearly explained.

Many of the reviews already placed here have gone into more detail on what is contained in this book, so I will simply summarize...

This is an easy to read and understand book full of valuable information for the aspiring, or previously published, children's writer.

I finally received 'The Business of Writing for Children' and was amazed at the information he reveals. From writing to marketing and dealing with publishers, this is the writers bible. It really is the best book I have ever read on this industry. It is written in a clean, clear and concise structure that no one would have a problem understanding.
Even if you'r just thinking of writing for children, fantasy, fiction, or other style, you would be much better prepared whne you know what to expect, and what is expected of a writer in publishing world.

This book is a joy to look at, and the pictures will surely capture you child's imaginations. Set in long-ago Russia and the seas beneath, the story follows the brief love affair between a young minstrel and a mermaid. In the end, the young man choses to return to the land above the waves, but the bitter-sweet memory lingers. My 4-year-old mermaid daughter enjoyed it, but the book is probably more suited to slightly older kids and early readers.

As the mother of 2 adopted Russian children (and one biological), I am working toward putting together a collection of Russian story books that my children will treasure in years to come. The Sea King's Daughter, in addition to being a feast for the eyes, is also rich with history. In the beginning of the book, there is a whole history of Russia and where the story originates. It is fascinating and really gives a depth to the book that is hard to find in other children's fables and fairy tales.

The pictures are so amazing that it really generates discussion when we read it to our 6 year old. She likes to choose her favorite dress in the centerfold!

A delightful book - I would recommend it to anyone that enjoys richly illustrated and different children's books.

This book should be on every child's shelf. Not only is the story captivating and enchanting, but the illustrations are magical beyond words.