I have my original copy given to me when I was child in Sunday School on a military base in Germany. This little book was my precious treasure that made the presence of Christ meaningful and gave me courage to reach out and do the things that needed to be done to help others. What good pictures and what a message of hope for us all at all ages !Marilyn Hunt

Taking a refreshingly simple approach to a very complex subject, Thomas has given young people, and those older people who still seek insight in all places, a wonderful perspective from which to view the most basic Christian principles. Unencumbered by hidden agenda, or an author's need to correct the social problems of the day, this book achieves more in its few beautiful words than others could hope to achieve in volumes. The youngest child and the most experienced adult cannot help but hear its gentle message about the joy of keeping Jesus first in our hearts and sharing that joy with others.

This was my very first book. I was about five when my mom got it for me and read it to me. I was so impressed with how this little boy went to all the trouble to see that the little boy Jesus had the best of everything when He came for a visit. It was a great lesson in reminding children how important it is to not only share when other kids come for a visit, but to treat them as if Jesus Himself had come to visit. It teaches children how to treat others with respect, courtesy, kindness and love. It's a wonderful little book and I wholeheartedly recommend that it find a home in every child's library. It's theme has stayed with me all of my life and it is the single most influential book, aside from the Bible, that I have ever read!

My super handed me WISHES FOR YOU as I was going to the subway.
While reading it on the subway, I did not start weeping until:
"I hope you will love one special person more than anyone or
anything in the whole world," and then I did not stop weeping
until long after I finished the book and got off the train at
Queensboro Plaza. The not-starting weeping until that late
in the book was a commendable sign of self-restraint, I think,
considering how moving, authentic, and wonderful WISHES FOR YOU is.

A lovely and inspiring children's book with gorgeous illustrations that all children will love. I bought two more for the children in my family. Highly recommended!

Tobi Tobias has written a little gem, a picture book that is poetic but utterly straightforward. WISHES FOR YOU consists of a series of wishes for the future of a much loved young child.("I hope you will love to read. . . I hope you will love being alone sometimes.") Danish artist Henry Sorensen's accompanying illustrations feature lush colors and realistic renderings of approachable-looking children being wistful, playful or intent on a task. This book would make an excellent gift for a child under five.

I couldn't believe this book hadn't been reviewed more than once, so I had to write in. We just got this from the library, and believe me, we'll be purchasing our own copy very soon, as well as checking out other books by this author. There are only one or two short paragraphs per page, so there's not too much text for my three-year-old, but it's written so poetically that we can talk about the meanings of new words. I can easily see older children enjoying this book as well. Or I can just ad-lib the story by pointing to the beautiful illustrations that show how the various forest flora and fauna benefit from the dead wood and help reduce it to rich forest loam. It's a great story that shows the cycle of nature, the seasons, forest ecology, decomposition -- all in a poetic and beautifully illustrated book that a three year old can easily grasp, and which I know will be a favorite of my daughter's for years to come.

This lovely picture book is a wonderful tool for teachers and environmental educators, such as myself, to use to help students see the ecological processes going on all around them. The story follows the life and death of a tree, and shows how the tree contributes to the ecosystem even long after death, as a home for animals -- different animals as it passes through different stages of decay -- and enrichment for the soil. I read this story to my outdoor school students (5th-6th grade), even though it is meant for younger children, then send them out to explore a rotting log. It is an eye-opening experience for many of them! This is a very sweet, simple story illustrating the cycle of life and death in an ecosystem. Enjoy!

This is an excellent bedtime book to read to a young child. We started reading it to our daughter when she was first born. Now at age 16 months, it is her favorite book.

The pictures are vibrant and sweet. But my favorite part of the book is the cadance of the text....it just flows off the tongue and thus is a joy to read. We have basically memorized it from reading it so much. So now we can recant it to our daughter even when we don't have the book. This is a great benefit when travelling, since the familiar words lull our daughter to sleep.

Can't recommend it highly enough!

This is my two-year old's very favorite book. The illustrations are beautiful and the story is very creative. The author tells of the dreams of various animals. A hippo dreams of being a butterfly. Zebras dream of being painted in bright colors. I definitely recommend it, especially for animal-loving children.

I HAVE READ THIS BOOK TO MY 1 YR OLD DAUGHTER AND ALL THOUGH IM SURE SHE DOESNT UNDERSTAND THE WORDS, SHE UNDERSTANDS THE TIME WE ARE SHARING TOGETHER. SHE LOVES THE PICTURES AND POINTS TO EACH ANIMAL WHEN I TELL HER WHAT THE ANIMAL IS.SHE THEN POINT TO THE SMALLER ONE AND SAYS BABY.THIS BOOK IS SHORT ENOUGH TO HOLD HER ATTENTION.BUT LONG ENOUGH TO HAVE AN IMPACT ON HER. WHEN I PUT IT DOWN SHE PICKS IT UP AND HANDS IT BACK TO ME. I BELIEVE READING TO CHILDREN IS VERY IMPORTANT AND MY LIL GIRL LOVES THIS BOOK. SHE HAS MANY BOOKS AND ALWAYS BRINGS THIS ONE TO ME.

This book has not received the credit it deserves. I had never heard of it before my mother-in-law bought it for my son. It is an absolute MUST have book for new parents. The soft illustrations are beautiful. My 19 month old son loves this book. He seems to enjoy the rhyming words, and he loves to point at all of the animals. I can't read it to him without feeling that tremendous rush of motherly love. It can quickly make you forget all of the temper tantrums of the day. My husband and I both enjoy sharing this book with our little one.

This large format board book is a re-issue of the same title originally published in 1993. Each page has a double-spread illustration of an animal mother and baby, with the mother telling the baby how much it is loved. The final illustration is of a human mother cuddling her newborn infant, saying "I love you as much as a mother can love." The poem is sentimental, which in terms of the subject is quite alright, and the illustrations are lush and beautiful. Young children will enjoy the animals; their mothers will get teary at the words. This larger board book format will work very well in group sharing, such as toddler storytime, and is likely to be easier and sturdier for small hands to hold than the original paper edition was.

"Everyone wonders about God...We think about Him and wish we could see Him, but we don't need to see God to know what He is like."

Thus begins, "A Book About God," a simple and beautifully illustrated story that explains God by comparing Him to things that are like Him and His love - the sky, the air, the sun, the rain, the sea - all things beautiful. The author paints a picture of a God who is loving, protective, gentle and always present - even when He can't be seen. The illustrations are beautiful depictions of nature.

The book is non-sectarian but some readers may find the reference to God as a "he" to be problematic. However, "A Book About God" is a good beginning point for a subject that many children wonder and ask about and which is not easily explained or defined.

The power in this book lies not only in its beautiful, oversized illustrations which fill out the entirety of its pages (11.25 x 9.53), but also in its well chosen words which describe God in terms that are understandable by children. This book is worthy of highest honors for its illustrations and the author provides a text which paints pictures with words which are ample accompaniment. It is important for parents of young children to begin the discussion of God and this compelling book provides a guide to admiring the beauty of His creation in a form that can be held in one's hands. It is non-sectarian. This book deserves many more than 5 stars. It has not received the attention it deserves.

If you grew up on a dairy farm, this is a great book to read to your kids! I related to this story completely, and when I shared this book with my sisters and old farm pals they wanted to know where they could get a copy. While city kids played in well manicured playgrounds and had a pet, the barn and cows were my playground and pets from the day I was born. In our barn, the radio was always playing - maybe not always music, but also baseball games, farm reports and Paul Harvey.

This book is great way to share your childhood with your own kids and also expose them to life growing up in the country.

Daddy Played Music for the Cows is a perfect blend of writing and illustration. Both are warm, joyful, and inviting. Congratulations to Weidt and Sorenson for producing this genuine delight.

The Yellow Star is a beautifully told and illustrated story.

The story takes places during World War II in Denmark. The beloved King of Denmark is faced with protecting all of his people from the Nazi army.

When the King is told that all Jews must wear yellow stars, he decides to wear a star himself in hopes that his people will understand his meaning and all wear stars.

The story is only a legend. Author Carmen Deedy talks about which portions of the story are in fact true in a small section at the end of the book.

The language of the book and the illustrations are beautiful. It is a wonderful story.

Though the Yellow Star may appear nothing more than a picture book, it isn't. The Yellow Star is the touching story of the loved King Christian of Denmark. Before the war (World War II), Denmark was made up of all Danes, no race was stereotyped against. But, with the coming of the war and Hitler's anti-semitism, this changes. All jews are required to wear a yellow star on their clothing, to symbolize that they are different from others. Instead of Danes and Danes, Denmark was made up of Danes and Jews. King Christian, more powerful in character than in world influence will not stand for the treachery of his Danes, and requires the Yellow Star to be worn by all Danish citizens. Then, once again, "Denmark was made up of all Danes." Touching to the last word, this book deserves five stars and I highly reccommend it.

This is a beautifully written and illustrated book for younger students. The story focuses on positive lessons of the Holocaust by highlighting attributes such as loyalty and treating people fairly. The author's notes tell what is legend and what is factual about the story of King Christian X of Denmark and his wearing the yellow star.

As a piano teacher, I'm always interested in picture books that feature children playing the piano. This book by Patricia Austin features a girl named Jennifer who finds a stray cat and brings him home. She names the cat Amadeus.

At first, Jennifer neglects practicing for her sonata contest coming up. When she sits down to play the piano, she discovers that her cat loves to hear her play! He curls up on the bench next to her and enjoys her music. The cats enjoyment encourages Jennifer to work hard on her piece. Practice pays off, of course, and Jennifer does well at her contest.

(...)

Happy reading!

Thought provoking text and illustrations about footprints and shadows.