This version of "Wheels on the Bus" is simply an excellent book. We first purchased this book seven years ago, for our then 3 year old son. We still have it, though due to overhandling by several pairs of little hands, we are now in the market for a new one! This book invites little hands to bring the words to life, by moving the sturdy tabs back and forth. The tabs are big enough for toddler hands to operate and they move smoothly, which keeps frustration at bay! All you need to do is sing the tune and your child will do the rest! All of my children have loved this book. I highly recommend it.

My children (now 5 and 1) love this book. I purchased it when my son was about 2 and a half and the tabs and flaps are still working after lots of use. (A major plus as well loved books with movable parts often don't hold up to toddler adoration.) Now my daughter is taking her turns too and the "wheels on the bus" still go round as well as the wipers swishing and moms shushing. The illustrations capture attention and really bring to life this popular children's song. With this book they can make the doors on the bus open and shut, etc. with great pleasure. I highly recommend this book for its creativity and durability.

I wanted for my son to have this book remembering how my nephews loved it. I bought it when he was 13 months old and it has been his favorite ever since. He is 16 months old now and asks for it by saying "bu bu," translated to my ears as "bus book". We look at it every morning for a half hour before breakfast and then for another half hour after naptime. This is about the only time in the day that my son will cuddle with me so I am very grateful for such a wonderful, interactive book. He loves to point to the kitties in the box on the bus and also to the dog that chases the bus. I will keep this tattered first favorite for myself as a fond memory of special times shared by mother and son, even if I buy many more copies in the future once this one earns a much-deserved retirement!!

What a terrific, fun, lively book! As much fun for me and my husband to read as it is for our son to have it read to him. Even though he is still small, he loves the rhyming cadence of it and the pictures. A nice change from Dr. Seuss - I just love Awful Ogre! Especially when he dances...or courts a grrrrl...or goes out to dinner...

This book would be a terrific addition to any childs library.

Fans of Prelutsky and fans of Zelinsky, rejoice! This devoutly-to-be-wished combination comes off just as well as you might imagine. It really does present a day in the life of a one-eyed ogre in poems and pictures. And by all means, read it out loud! It's so much more fun that way. My favorite -- "When elves and gnomes encounter me, / They often shriek, 'Grotesque!' / I bow with magnanimity / And murmur, 'Statuesque!' " And the pictures! There are a lot of things going on in the four-color pictures. And kids will have fun finding them all! Some of the language is hilariously gross and disgusting -- and not for the squeamish! Prelutsky obviously has always loved the sound of words -- and big ones, at that. And as always, he doesn't write DOWN to kids. There is a glorious perfection in his rhythms. Kids will love to grimace and wince along with the gory subject matter. This book is so much fun!

Jack Prelutsky, author of more than 30 artistic creations, takes the reader on a journey through the daily rituals of an ogre's pleasantly gross life. Prelutsky describes all of the ogre's activities from sunrise, when his pet rattlesnake wakes him, until late into the night, when he has a nightmare about a beautifully tranquil place. Using fabulous double-page spreads, Zelinsky illustrates how the ogre enjoys a violent storm, tends to his garden of carnivorous roses and overblown mold and takes supper at a local restaurant where his titanic appetite is satisfied with triple helpings of everything (including the silverware, plates and tablecloth). The 18 rhythmic and witty verses are brought to life with remarkable detail using watercolor and pen and ink. This combination of gruesome humor, along with the realistic snapshots of the ogre's life, will provide many hours of entertainment and enjoyment to all those who are ready to experience the adventure. Everyone will fall in love with this oversized and grotesque, but playful, ogre as they scour each marvelous and explosive work of art! (Ages 6 and older)

More than a quarter of a century ago my sisters and I were captivated by E. Nesbit, and particularly by THE MAGIC CITY. Long unavailable (I have scoured used book shops and the Net for copies for various children) it is great to have it easily available once more. I am happy to report that my own daughter was as taken with it as her aunts and I a generation earlier, and like us she at once began building magic cities of her own. I realize that I risk the wrath of Potterites everywhere, but I suspect that in a hundred years children and their parents will still be enjoying The Magic City while Harry is at most the subject of earnest dissertations on odd trends in the early 21st century. If you have a spark of imagination and an eager child handy, grab this book.

Years before I even heard of Harry Potter, my mother picked up the 1910 Macmillan hardcover version of this book at a garage sale for a mere fifty cents. (Imagine, a turn-of-the-century copy of a great book for fifty cents!) At first I was put off by its volume (333 pages with illustrations) but I managed to lap up every last word of it...about seven times, I think.

Philip Haldane, our hero, and his half-sister Helen are orphans. Helen has been Philip's sister, teacher and playmate for what seemed like all his life, and there wasn't a shadow of a doubt in his mind that this would go on for ever; he wanted it to. But the unimaginable happens -- Helen marries and goes honeymooning around Europe, leaving Philip at his new residence, friendless and bitter. But soon his new, seemingly dreary life is changed by his embarking on an exciting adventure, so splendid and picturesque that he never would have dreamed that he had built it with his own hands. You see, Philip had always played building games, and he built not with plain old building blocks but with...well, everything -- everything from ink-wells to bronze Egyptian figurines! And it was while he was in the depths of his misery and pining harder than ever to see his sister again that he, the Creator, discovered it -- his Magic City -- and its delightful secrets.

Now, to look at it from a Harry Potter fan's viewpoint. I shouldn't be giving any clues, you really should have read this book at least once before comparing it with HP, but I'll just say...Philip is of course the Harry Potter of this book, but he is also the Ron Weasley because of his initial malice towards his new stepsister, Lucy -- the Hermoine Granger of this book. The Grey Nurse is the Snape/Malfoy/Voldermort figure of this book. The Great Sloth is rather like Scabbers, and Polly is somewhat Hedwig-like. And Mr. Noah is almost EXACTLY like Professor Dumbledore; if you look at the part of the book when he goes to visit the prison, you'll know what I mean :)

If that still doesn't grab the average Potter fan's attention, how about this: J.K. Rowling favours E. Nesbit as one of her must-reads! Enjoy...

Edith Nesbit is one of the most imaginitive children's writers around - and she's been around for a hundred years!

This is her best book. A boy dreams and finds himself in an equally real world, made up of the pretend cities he's made while awake.

I read The Magic City back in 1989 and spent years searching in second hand books stores for my own copy until I tracked it down on amazon.com!

This book is about a young boy named Leigh Botts who writes letters to an author, Mr. Henshaw. Leigh Botts parents are divorced and he does not get to see his dad too much. Leigh writes in his journal when he does not write to Mr. Henshaw. Leigh's has a dog named Bandit that lives with his Dad. This is a great book that teaches journal writing.

A book with great suspense and good cliffhangers. Excellent use of diologue and terrific description of characters. One of the best books I've read for a while. "Emily Upham's Revenge" keeps you on the edge of your seat and I couldn't put it down.Emily Upham is sent to live with her uncle but her uncle never gets the letter annoucing her arrivle. Instead,Emily meets meets Seth Marple. Emily Upham and Seth Marple rob Emily's rich uncle to get the train fare to get to back to Emily's home in Boston. Many surprising twists with an excellent surprise ending.

Eight-year-old Boris is sent to visit his grandmother for some months in turn-of-the-century Russia. Lonely and desperate for playmates, he has to make do with the kindly old lady and his own imagination. He is intrigued by a realistic replica of a sailing ship which is stored high on a shelf in her kitchen. This is the only ojbect in her humble cottage which she will refuses to let him play with, so naturally it acquires additional charm--the attraction of the Forbidden.

But the young boy has a mind of his own, capable of reasoning like an adult. Convinced that the ship actually is housing tiny, living beings, he becomes a master of deception and cunning as he plots how to catch them. He lies to granny and sneaks the tantalizing ship down in her absence. Proving the existence of the little fellows (and capturing one alive for public display) become his obsession. Which leads to inevitable disaster. So, are they real or merely the result of an over-active imagination?

This is an excellent short book to read aloud; be sure to take a vote on this burning question, before revealing the climax. Although I was dissatisfied with the ending, I was spellbound throughout--I only regret that I can read it for the first time but once! I believe this book was based on some incident in the author's childhood and that the manuscript was found by accident. Wonderful pen and ink sketches by Paul O. Zelinsky make this gem a literary conspiracy of Russian Z's! Excellent Fantasy--or Reality...!

Lore Segal and Paul Zelinsky have created a timeless, fine, humorous work that is delightful for both adults and children. Mrs. Lovewright is among the funniest and most beautifully rendered characters I've found in children's literature.

I give this book the high praise I reserve for such children's stories as Grasshopper on the Road, Caleb and Kate, and Mr. Dog.

Last year, I read Mrs. Lovewright over public radio and received numerous calls from adults who wanted to find a copy of the story for themselves. It's sad that such a hilarious, heartwrench and warmer has been lost to the black hole called "out of print."

My children received this book as a gift when they were small, and I have tried to buy it as a gift for others - I am delighted to see it is available! The illustrations are lovely, and the text has the same rythmic, soothing quality as the best bedtime books. As far as I am concerned, "Sun's Asleep" ranks right up there with "Goodnight, Moon."

"Runaway Ralph," by Beverly Cleary, tells a story about Ralph, a mouse who lives with his family in a hotel. Ralph finds himself in conflict with both the nagging older generation of mice and the annoying younger group; he longs for "a life of speed and danger and excitement." So he sets off on his mouse-sized motorcycle and has an adventure in which he encounters many new people, animals, and situations.

"Ralph" is a fun adventure story that is filled with humor and suspense. Cleary includes well-written characters and many clever details as Ralph's journey progresses. An important aspect of the novel is Ralph's ability to talk to both other animals (of various species) and certain humans. This fantasy element of the book, similar to the communication in the classic story "Charlotte's Web," is skillfully handled by Cleary.

Ralph is a great character. Despite his personal flaws, his essential courage and resourcefulness make him admirable. I see Ralph as a questing hero in the mold of such classic characters as Homer's Odysseus or Cervantes' Don Quixote. Finally, for an interesting companion text to "Ralph," try Felice Holman's powerful novel "Slake's Limbo."

Are you looking for a good book to read? Whell if you like mice and motercycles you will love this book. It's one of the best books on earth!
This book is about a mouse named Ralph s.mouse and a toy motercycle that really works! Raiph runs away from the hotel wich he lives at and goes to a boy's summer camp and gets into big trouble, but i'm not telling you what happens there.
My favorite thing about the book is how big of a heart Ralph has in his territory and how well Beverly Cleary decribes Ralph's adventure.
Theres's nothing I think the author could do better because the book is so awesome.
The theme of this book is if you run away , you'll soon find you want to come home.
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...Runaway Ralph is about a mouse who runs away from home with his motorcycle and ends up in happy acres camp. Personally I think Beverly Cleary (the author) is trying to tell how bad it is to runaway from home. The book is so good I rate it a 5 out of 5.My favorite part is when Ralph is trying to escape from a cat and knocks almost everything in the craft center down. As you can see Runaway Ralph is a really good book.

Elementary student Leigh Botts adores a book about dog training by Mr. Boyd Henshaw; he writes to the author at irregular intervals over the years, steadily improving his spelling, grammar and world view. At first he resents the flippant replies from his literary idol, but gradually he answers Henshaw's questions --designed to promote the boy's putting pencil to paper--in more detail. Leigh finally takes his advice about keeping a journal of his thoughts, feelings and actions.

The is poor kid really has it rough: living next door to a gas station; trying to help and cheer up his overworked mom, who never knows when the next child support check will arrive; missing his dog who stays with dad. It gets even worse: his absentee father is a long-distance trucker who rarely keeps his casual promises to his son, whom he only calls "kid." The boy finds himself the frequent victim of a lunchbox thief at school, where his only friend is the custodian.

But wait--this story is not really a tear jerker. Elementary kids should enjoy this short book, since many of the issues are (unfortunately) familiar to many children in our society: single parent homes, loss of a beloved pet; prolonged victimizatin at school; frustration over paternal neglect, and a vague sense of somehow being to blame for the divorce. This is an interesting story for adults too; once we focus on Leigh's 6th grade experiences--when his letters to Dr. Mr. "Pretend" Henshaw graduate to diary status.

Cleary includes good advice and realistic suggestions to children who are considering the writer's trade, as well as creative conflict resolution. Will Leigh ever catch that elusive lunchbox thief? Will he report him even though he does not report the thefts? Nothing like being hungry to contribute to general unhappiness. This book deals with contemporary problems and coming-to-terms with the marital status quo, though Leigh still dreams that his parents will get back together. A short, insightful book which s! hould interest and entertain most elementary readers.

A classic story that many children in today's society can really relate to with the rising divorce rate. Leigh speaks on their level, simply looking for some one to reach out to.

Dear Mr. Henshaw is a great book for kids that are having troubles with their life, like everyday children. Reading this book as an adult I associated it with my personal life. Leigh has problems with his parent's divorce, he hates not being able to see his dad. This leads him to a lot of emotional stress. Through this mess one of his teachers makes him write a letter to his favorite author. Leigh writes Mr. Henshaw a letter that asks him all sorts of questions about himself. After this the two of them write back and forth for a couple of years. This relationship gives Leigh confidence in himself when Mr. Henshaw tells Leigh that he should keep a journal. This journal allows Leigh to get his feelings out. Things stop bothering Leigh so much and by the end of the book he starts to enjoy his life more. This book is really good for an upper elementary child, and can even for an adult. Simplistic artwork for the cover, which demonstrates that this story is about an average boy.

Leigh Botts was the only one in the class who still writes to his author that was suposed to be a one time deal. leigh writes to his favorite author, Mr. Henshaw. He gives him some tips on writing and ispires him to keep on writing. Leigh makes an alarm to solve the mystery of who was stealing part of his lunch. He gets an honorable mention in a writing contest and gets called an "author" by a real author. His mom and dad are divorced, and he lives with his mom; so he gets mad when his dad doesn't call or write. The rest is up to you to read! Dear Mr. Henshaw is recommended to people who like to read about authors, enjoy realistic fiction and like inspiring stories.
This book appeals to young people in grades 5 through 8, since Leigh is in the 6th grade. He goes through some of the things the people in this age group goes through. For instance, Leigh has a single mom and his dad is a cross-country truck driver. Also, he has to make new friends, and he discovers things about himself.
The story was written through letters to Mr. Henshaw, and later, Liegh wrote in his journal, writing to Mr. Henshaw on occasion. Liegh headed his letters "Dear Mr. Henshaw". He headed his journal entries,though,"Dear Mr. Pretend Henshaw".
The emotion in this story is mostly frusteration,like when Leigh doesn't like the fact that his dad doesn't call or write. He is also frusterated when he has to answer questions that Mr. Henshaw gives him.
Dear Mr. Henshaw is an excellant book that is good for an early-yeared teen who enjoys a book with emotion and likes reading about readers.