My one year old daughter is a book-a-holic. She loves me to read ot her and I have, in the process, been given an opportunity to become quite adept in my knowledge of great children's books. This book is a winner! It is her very favorite. She loves the illustrations and the story delights her. She loves animals and is able to see many of her favorites, namely, the dog and cat. She also loves the end of the book where the boy has his arms overhead. She likes to mimic this gesture everytime we come to the end. If your kid loves to read, loves animals and you want a book that is not too wordy this book is for your child. Happy reading!

This lovely book has won the heart of my 2 year old daughter. She requests the "cricket book" perhaps a little too often :-). I do really enjoy reading the quick paced, bouncy rhyming style of Audrey Wood. She is one of my favorite children's authors and with her husband Don Wood, they have created beautifully illustrated pages to go along with it. It is colorful, fun, interesting, and predictable enough so that the toddler can help you finish the sentences and join in the story FUN!

My son eyes new books suspiciously - almost like I was trying to sneak a new child into the house without checking with him first. His books are a closed circle of friends and he loves the familiar, well worn pages that he can rattle off by heart. So I was amazed when he took to this book immediately and with gusto, rattling off the animal names within days. Quick as a cricket, slow as a snail, small as an ant, large as a whale, ...there are sad bassetts, happy larks, tame poodles, busy bees, lazy lizards, tough rhinos...you name it. This books has the essential ingredients for every toddler book - beautiful artwork, rhyme and rhythm to the words, and interesting characters to capture little imaginations. I love the Woods but not all their books are for tots this age since they can get a little bizarre sometimes. This ranks right up there in the book world the way Raffi does in the music world of toddlers!

I think Jubal's Wish is a very good story. The illustration is very colorful and lively. I love Audrey Wood, she is one of my favorite authors and her stories are really cool. Of all of Audrey Woods books I would have to say that Jubal's Wish is my favorite, it's a really good book.

Jubal the bullfrog is so happy on this bright and sunny day, that his feet barely touch the ground as he skips along with his picnic basket. In time, he meets up with two of his neighbors, Gerdy, the toad and Captain Dalbert, the lizard. Both are tired, angry, overworked and depressed. It makes Jubal sad that his friends are so miserable on this beautiful day and so he wishes they could be as happy as he is. With that, a wizard appears and gives him a twinkling wishing star...."Dreams and wishes, wishes and dreams. Sometimes they work, and sometimes they don't. You never know how they'll turn out in the end." And as Jubal watches, his wish comes true in a very unusal and special way..... Audrey and Don Woods have done it again, writing a simple, gentle story of generosity, caring and love. Their warm and expressive text is only outdone by their vibrant, larger than life artwork, that will entrance youngsters as it almost spills off the page. Together, they have produced a charming fairy tale that's perfect for 3-7 year olds. Jubal's Wish, with it's endearing hero, will delight children of all ages and is a wonderful addition to all bookshelves.

Jubal's wish is a beautifully illustrated (as expected from Don Wood) story with a nice theme about doing for others. It also shows that sometimes when something negative happens that something good can come from it. My two children LOVED it and read/requested it to be read four times in the 24 hours after I gave it to them. My kids are 3 1/2 and 5 1/2 and actually the 5 1/2 year old boy is the more enamoured.

What a lot of people don`t know is that Paul Bunyan had a wife and two kids .His wife`s name is Carrie and their kids are Little Jean, the boy, and Tenny, the girl. The Bunyans have lots of adventures . They make a lot of landmarks along the way like the Big Sur and the Rocky Mountains. I love the book. I like the book because they keep on making landmarks. I also like how the pictures show proportion.

I think that is was a really good book and if you would like to get it, you should. Because if you have read Paul Bunyan before, then this would make it very interesting and fun to read

It's a short book...great to read to kids.

Just when you thought you'd heard it all about Paul Bunyan you find out about the accomplishments of his wife and children. For example: you've heard of Mammoth cave? Well.......... And what about when the kids are grown and Paul can retire??

And please. Don't look at the last page until you've read the whole book especially if you're interested in astronomy.

My son loves this book as a must read every morning when he wakes up and every night before he goes to bed. We love searching for the mouse and the flea and seeing the movement of the characters before they end up on the bed or off of it. The colors and the change from night to day are so smooth you almost dont notice it.

Spanish is our native language and we speak Spanish at home so that our kids learn both Spanish and English. This book is a simple story with rather rich language, my daughter got 3 or 4 words she had never heard before. Besides, my daughter loves the story and the pictures; she likes to look for the mouse and the 'pulga' in all of the pages.

The language is simple and repeptitive, making this a great book to teach Spanish in Elementary and Middle grades. Illustrations are great. It's also a good book for native speakers practicing reading. I use it as a check-out book for English as a Second Language students, to motivate literacy acquisition.

"Hello, little Mouse. I see you're ready for Christmas..." And so he is in his warm and cozy home surrounded by colorful garlands, brightly wrapped presents, and a beautifully decorated Christmas tree. The unseen narrator continues his patter: "But, little Mouse, what about the big, hungry Bear in the cold, dark cave at the top of the hill? Ohhh, how that Bear loves Christmas presents!" Now little Mouse is worried. He knows that big, hungry Bear never gets any gifts, not even from Santa, and would do just about anything to get Christmas presents. So he goes to work barricading and booby-trapping his home to protect his wonderful stash. But then he thinks about that big, hungry Bear, all alone in his cold, dark cave, and he has a change of heart..... Don and Audrey Wood bring back one of their most endearing characters in this captivating holiday sequel to their classic, The Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry, And The Big Hungry Bear. Their simple, spare text is charming and engaging, but the real story is told in the vibrant and expressive illustrations. Each two page spread is filled with dazzling color, playful humor, and vivid, eye-catching detail. Together word and art ring in the holiday season with the joy of sharing and friendship. Perfect for preschoolers, Merry Christmas, Big Hungry Bear! is a heartwarming, fun-filled romp that shouldn't be missed.

If you are looking for a nice Christmas-y story to read to your pre-schooler, you couldn't do better than this one. The message is one of joy and sharing, even between little mouse and Big Hungry Bear.

If you are also a fan of the Woods' book, "The Little Mouse, the Big Hungry Bear, and the Red Ripe Strawberry" you will again be charmed by the Woods' animated and detailed drawings and happy-ending story in this sequel.

The little mouse lives in a mousehole furnished down to the last detail: there's a Christmas tree, loaves of bred in the kitchen, and a big stack of tacks by the door in case the Big Hungry Bear comes to steal the mouse's Christmas presents. But the mouse has a change of heart when he realizes the Big Hungry Bear never gets any presents of his own.

There's JUST the right amount of text per page to keep the story flowing, there's JUST the right blend of detail, sweetness, and humor in the drawings, there's JUST the right amount of excitement for, say, a 2 to 4 year old (it's not quite scary because the bear is never depicted, and actually proves to be a good and generous friend to the mouse).

For fans of the "Strawberry" book, note the strawberry-shaped bookends over the mouse's bed on the last page of the book. It's that kind of thoughtful touch that makes the Woods' books so great.

As a HUGE fan of "The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear," I was delighted to discover the Woods have teamed up to write and illustrate "Merry Christmas, BIG HUNGRY BEAR!"

Several weeks ago I stopped at my local bookstore for one of my monthly visits, and while perusing the "New and Notable" section I recognized the illustrated mouse standing among a pile of Christmas packages. I snatched the book off the shelf faster than I could read the title, and immediately became engrossed! As in the first book, the illustrations in "Merry Christmas BIG HUNGRY BEAR!" are OUTSTANDING, in addition, the Woods have maintained the same cleaver writing style with the reader narrating the story. Children of all ages will enjoy this delightful Christmas tale about sharing and caring among unlikely friends.

The story actually begins on the title page; the beautifully illustrated two-page spread shows Little Mouse returning home with a sled full of packages. He lives in a hollow tree somewhere cold, because it has recently snowed and he's wearing a red coat with cap, and black snow boots. The narration begins on the next page, "Hello, little Mouse. I see you're ready for Christmas." The mouse, now tucked away in his cozy, little home is placing presents around a brilliantly decorated Christmas tree that's already loaded with gifts.

Turn the page, "My goodness! What a lot of presents. Are they all for you?" Now we see a proud little mouse presenting his mountain of gifts to the reader. Over the next few pages the narrator (that's you) reminds the Little Mouse about the Big, Hungry Bear who's all alone in the dark cave at the top of the hill. Little Mouse boards up his door, padlocks the gifts and places tacks all over the floor in an attempt to protect his belongings. Then, the mouse hears that the Big, Hungry Bear cries every Christmas because he never receives Christmas presents, not even from Santa Claus. Little Mouse is sad for his lonely neighbor, and decides to share Christmas with the Big, Hungry Bear. Much to Mouse's surprise the Big, Hungry Bear reciprocates the sentiment.

The very talented husband and wife team have done it again! This enchanting Christmas tale will have you immediately hooked on this adorable little mouse and his unlikely friend. The illustrations are very expressive for easy comprehension, and the melodic text captivates even the youngest listener. This hardbound book measures approximately 10" x 10" x 1½" and contains 40 beautifully rendered pages. One-year and up.

My sister sent this beautiful book to my children for Christmas. It's a stunner with complex, rich sentences, lush illustrations, and a storyline that includes flashbacks, foreshadowing, frame tales, and developed characters. My children, ages 3 and 6, love it, too. My daughter noticed that the cover of the book resembles worn leather--she's right, and the effect is wonderful. We read the note from the author and learned new things about cowboys and settlers (which I won't give away here). Suffice it to say that from now on, we're sleeping with horse hair ropes around our bedding!

This is a touching story of perseverance and hope. I was looking for books to give as Christmas presents this year, and this really impressed me.

I taught a class of 1-2 year olds when I was in high school. We must have read this book a minimum of three times every day. There were plenty of other books, but the classroom full of toddlers sat with twinkling eyes everytime we read this wonderful story. After a couple of weeks I memorized it all, and the children did too! As we read through the book, a little chorus of voices would join in saying "BOOM BOOM BOOM!" right along with me. The illustrations are absolutely adorable, the style is wonderfully entertaining for children and adults. The one book you won't mind reading a hundered times over- and it's a good thing too!

What's a little, strawberry loving mouse going to do to keep a big, hungry, strawberry loving bear from eating his fruit? Especially when "the big, hungry Bear can smell a red, ripe strawberry a mile away..." Well, with a little clever help from the reader, this turns out to be an easy problem to solve..... Don and Audrey Wood have authored an entertaining, interactive treasure that's sure to charm and delight kids from 1 to 91. Their simple text is joyous and engaging, But this is really a story told through the marvelous illustrations. Mr Wood's bold, bright, and amusing artwork stars a most endearing little furry friend, and youngsters will love all the captivating facial expressions and wonderful, humorous detail in each two page spread. The Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry, And The Big Hungry Bear is a masterpiece little ones will beg to read again and again, and a timeless classic to share with friends, family, and future generations.

Someone gave us this book when our oldest son was born. We had a rather rough time getting him interested in books and one day when he was about 28 months old I got this book out (I'd been saving it) and he actually sat still long enough for the whole story. That was what finally gave him an interest in books. He soon had the book memorized and had something funny to say at every page. Now our 18-month old son brings this book to me at least three times a day and enjoys it as much as his brother did (whose main interest is now Winnie-the-Pooh books). I enjoy reading it myself; it doesn't bore me to read it over and over like some children's books because there are so many different things in the illustrations that you can point out something new to your child every time you read it. I recommend this book for any new parents.

Vivid, colorful illustrations are the first feature readers will notice about this new title by Audrey Wood, but the story will keep them coming back to this delightful book. The lively, lower-case letters, called Charley's Alphabet, have a problem - the little i has lost his dot and the letters must help find it or they can't go to school. The story draws the reader to the conclusion, even answering my question, "Who's Charley?" Children will enjoy searching the illustrations for the hints about the ending. While there are many alphabet books, this one has great appeal for the young child, including a plot along with opportunities to repeat the alphabet. As a school media specialist, I look forward to sharing this with my young students.

As a kindergarten teacher, I was excited to find this book in time for the schoolyear to begin. What a wonderful way to introduce the alphabet to a group of wide-eyed children. This is a must-have for all pre-school and primary teachers.

The story is charming and simple. Before the letters of the alphabet can go off to school to become "Charley's Alphabet", they are delayed by the loss of the lower case i's dot. All of the letters must help to find the missing dot ... or find a way to make the dot return so that they may get to school in time for Charley, the boy who needs them.

Bruce Wood is the illustrator on this book and he has continued the family legacy of producing bright, captivating illustrations which are just begging the reader to look more closely. Indeed, there is a story in the pictures alone. My own eight-year-old daughter read the book and then immediately went back through and looked at the pictures, pointing out little details in each illustration. This is a wonderful book. I can't wait to introduce it to my class.

Bold and captivating, this alphabet concept book is a must have for the beginning reader. Not only is the story of the missing dot on the "i" appealing, but children can learn and enjoy the letter characters and detailed illustrations. This book would also be great for library story times and back to school themes. Another jewel from the ever-popular trove of the Wood family!

My eldest was terrified by this book when she was 4- I don't blame her!- but started to like it a couple of years later. The storyline is dark as are the illustrations, but they're also well rendered.

There are many obvious messages in the story- the mother leaves the children alone with explicit directions, which they disregard to their detriment! The witch is portrayed as the post-Pagan era Evil Witch, and not a positive Healing Witch. Even worse, she wants to eat the children. Yikes! The Mother though, is able to Save Her Children because she loves and understands them well and pays attention to their needs.

My daughter's fears stemmed largely (I believe) from her fear of bad things happening to young children. If your child feels that way, this might be a scary book for her. My younger daughter never disliked the story though, but she has a different kind of analytical mind and probably didnt' suspend reality to allow the children to turn to food. :-)

I read this book as a child and liked it a lot; I still think it's an entertaining story with beautiful pictures. However, it is one of many stories about a witch, in this case a devalued version of the ancient Greek goddess Hecate. This just saddens me a bit because children tend to be exposed to few stories about positive interpretations of ancient goddesses from the before-Christ era, so I recommend that parents look into providing a more balanced repertoire.

I enjoyed reading this story to my class. My class still get excited every time I read this story to them. I now read this story to other classes and still get amazed at the look on their faces when they see the pictures and when I sound like the witch in the story, My class especially enjoys the children names, Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday,Saturday,Sunday. They always want to say it along with me. I have bought all of Audrey and Don Wood's books. I would love to meet them and tell them thank you for writing a wonderful and inspiring book for us all.

Silly Sally is so very well done. My kids received it as a gift and it only took a couple of reads for them to be in love. They memorized the verse and began singing it through the house! What a delight -- even parents will have funn with this one as Silly Sally goes to town....

My oldest daughter received this book as a gift when she was about 2 and she loved it. I'm now reading it to her baby sister who can't get enough of it. The illustrations and the rhymes are delightful. This book makes a great gift.

My 2 year old daughter loves this book. The short rhymes make it fun to read over and over. Pictures are colorful.