This book is a wonderful, magical read. I got it because I watched the BBC adaptation as a child, and loved it. It's a story of magic, childhood and friendship, but more than it it captures the magic of the unknown - the statues that come alive, and the sense of adventure and mystery that every child knows. The story of the Ugli-Wuglies is truly creepy, but necessary - theres too much tendency these days to protect children from anything that might scare them - its good for them to be scared occasionally, they'll come to learn that the real world is far more frightening place. When you read it later as an adult, there's the theme of love, and the pain of love lost and the fact the that nothing is free, everything has to be paid for ultimately. The only reason I deducted a star is that, enchanting though it is, it lacks the depth or richness of, say, Phillipa Pearce's "Tom's Midnight Garden". All the same, still a children's classic, and every child should have the opportunity to read it.

The reason I only gave this book 4 stars is because of out of the 5 Edith Nesbit Books I have read so far...this is my least favourite. I think it is beacuase of how it is written. It, to me, was lacking something all the other books she wrote have. I also did not particularly enjoy the beginning of the book, as it started out dull etc. But as it went on...I fell in love with the four children. One thing that is very evident in this book is the thing of good magic. Evrything thing seems to be filled with it, therefore making the story all the better and all more exciting. I loved how it showed each of there adventures, and each of there luck with the magic ring. I also got a few laughs out of the children's injinuity. This is truly a classic, but not my favourite Nesbit book. It certainly is worth getting though.

My children and I have been reading this as our bedtime book. My son, age 8, was going to read it himself, but we soon found his sister, age 6, wanted me to read it instead (so I could do the "voices") so it has been turned into the nightly story. The characters: Gerald, Kathleen, and Jimmy are each drawn clearly and individually. My children are fascinated with Gerald's way of speaking as though he were telling a story. And they love Kathleen's way of alternating between being practical and yet longing for all things "magical". Jimmy is funny and endearing, as he is at that age of Not believing and yet eager for adventure. Their friend Mabel is full of mystery and make-believe and soon pulls them into a grand escapade. The author is able to vividly paint each person and each scene. It is with great reluctance we put the book down after a couple of chapters each night, wanting to finish all at once, but wanting the magic to last a little longer. When we finished, we all decided it was one of our favorites. Extremely well written. I did not find even the beginning dull or slow. From start to finish, this is one of the best children's books I've found. And we've read very many.

This version of Rumpelstiltskin is based on the second edition of the Grimms' work in 1819, with some language from later versions and a few additions by Mr. Zelinsky. All of this is detailed in the author's note at the end of the book. The high points here are the matchless, detailed illustrations that mimic oil paintings in delicate, detailed pastels. These images create a majesty and power that add to the mystery of this most powerful story. This version will leave some unsatisfied for the apparent foolishness of the miller and the needless cruelty of the king.

The miller visits the king and brags that his daughter can spin straw into gold. The king sends for her, and bids her to do this overnight, or be killed the following morning. She is locked up with a spinning wheel and straw. She weeps in despair because she has no idea of how to do that . . . until a little man comes in and offers to help. She trades her necklace for his aid, and soon the straw becomes golden bobbins of thread. The king likes this and demands that she do it again the next night. The little man again offers to help. She trades her ring this time for his assistance. The king then comes and says she must do it a third time or die. If she succeeds, he will marry her. With nothing left to pay the little man, she has to agree to his request for her first born child. After the child is born, the little man returns for his reward. She persuades him to give her three days to guess his name. If she succeeds, she does not have to give up her child. A servant follows him into the woods and hears him say, "Rumpelstiltskin is my name." The queen "guesses" correctly and he rides off on a spoon never to be heard from again.

This story always bothered me when I was a child. Why were the men all so unreasonable? I still find myself feeling that way 50 years later. I avoided reading this story to my children when they were little. I didn't think it had the redeeming values of most folk talkes.

The reason for reading this book is to enjoy the illustrations, so I recommend that you get it for yourself (rather than for your child) if you liked the story as a youngster. If you didn't like the story, even the illustrations won't save it for you.

The book won a Caldecott Honor for its illustrations.

After you finish reading the book or thinking about the story (if you don't read it), I suggest you consider your own conduct to locate any places where you make promises or say things that create problems for others. Be sure you aren't acting like the miller.

Act honorably, and inspire that in others!

This is a retelling of the famous children's "fairy" tale, first presented by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm in the early 19th century. A young mother has to guess a gnome's name (he had been spinning straw into gold for her) in order to prevent him from taking her new-born babe. This book was a 1987 Caldecott Honor book (i.e., a runner-up to the Medal winner) for best illustrations in a book for children. Paul Zelinsky did considerable research to follow the original version of the tale and his art reflects the time period of the story. It is a beautiful book.

The Grimm Brothers wrote one of their most famous tales,"Rumpelstiltskin", over a century ago and others havetranslated and retold it many times since. Paul O. Zelinsky retold"Rumpelstiltskin" based on one of the Grimms' earliest versions of the story. He was also the illustrator. The illustrations in Zelinsky's version are oil paintings. This allows him to create an exceptional antique setting for the story, as well as striking characters. There is such detail in each illustration that there is almost an individual story with in each picture. The intense use of shadowing combined with a kaleidoscopic amount of colors also makes this story's pictures peculiarly realistic. Zelinsky clearly portrays a distinct and more exciting way of seeing the classic tale, "Rumpelstiltskin". The first thing that makes these illustrations so life-like was the individual characters combined with the ornate and detailed backgrounds. The expressions on the characters' faces are drawn in such detail that the reader can easily see what they are feeling at a glance. The reader can also predict whether a character is good or bad from the detail of his/her face. The queen's (miller's daughter) large, gentle eyes and delicate, ivory skin demand the reader's compassion, even though she broke her promise to Rumpelstiltskin that saved her life. Rumpelstiltskin's tiny body accented by his pointy nose and chin gives off a sinister aura. The little details with in each picture make them all unique. An example is when the king is walking into the room where the miller's daughter is with all the spools of gold. There are rays of sunlight coming throughout the window reflecting off the spools that it hits. The colors used makes the room look warmer and more comfortable than when she had entered into it the night before. You can see some of the gold thread unraveling off various spools. The wrinkles in the miller's daughter's clothes shows that she is not in a very comfortable position as she sleeps one of the piles of gold. These are all such minor details that you might not even notice in a photograph. The title page and end papers even include detailed artistry. They show a petite village that is surrounded by a range of mountains and an ocean. The narrow, dirt road winding down to the tiny community gives out the idea that the village is relatively secluded from the rest of the world. I think that the title page and the end papers are a great way to covey the setting and atmosphere to the reader right away. The component of Zelinsky's illustrations in, "Rumpelstiltskin", that made them seem so life-like was his use of shadowing. A good example of this is when the queen sent her servant into the woods to look for Rumpelstiltskin. In this picture the only light the reader can see is from the servant's lantern and the few feet it shines on around her. The reader can also see the moon's reflection in the ocean. This use of shadowing makes these illustrations look not only life-like, but like photographs too. In Zelinsky's version of "Rumpelstiltskin", the illustrations were very realistic, because of his use of shadowing, complex use of colors, and phenomenal detail. Zelinsky's pictures are so effective that the words are practically unnecessary to tell the classic tale of "Rumpelstiltskin".

I only give this two stars for the illustrations and suspect that the main reason this book is bought is because of the Caldecott Honor. While I look for books that have strong female characters, I cannot recommend this story. There are many violent images -- a man caught in a bear trap, a multi-day wrestling match with a bear -- which, IMHO, are too much for young children. We shouldn't be teaching our girls or our boys that to be a giant and wrestle bears is how girls get to be the equal of boys.

Excellent book for a young reader. Very much in the tradition of Paul-Bunyan-style tall tales. The hero this time is a heroine, nicknamed Swamp Angel, with the strength to rid early-days Tennessee of a giant bear called Thundering Tarnation. Like the best tall tales, this one is full of wonderfully humorous exaggerations, all wonderfully illustrated on every page. Delightful and entertaining book for both boys and girls.

What fun to have a tall tale that features a woman--and such a capable woman at that! Anne Isaacs has written a yarn that seems somehow to have been in the pantheon all along--much like Howard Pyles' "Pepper and Salt" stories, "Swamp Angel" is new as far as children's stories go, but has all the elements of the classic stories and so seems older and as wonderfully distinctive as the tales that have been around for generations.

Isaacs tells us all about one red-headed, freckled young woman named Angelica Longrider. From the first, we know we are in for a wild ride when we see the picture of her rather startled-looking parents holding an enormous but contented baby--the text tells us calmly that Angelica was "scarcely taller than her mother and couldn't climb a tree without help." Things start moving at a pell-mell pace when we find out that a destructive black bear has so annoyed folks all around the Appalachian mountains of Tennessee that a reward has been offered for his hide. Angelica sets up to whup that bear and means to do the job right.

The fight between Angelica and the bear is a wondrous portion of the story, told with great good humor, a number of winks at the reader, and the astonishing illustrations of Paul O. Zelinsky. "Swamp Angel" may well be Zelinsky's masterpiece. The pictures have the flavor of early American folk art, combined to great effect with Zelinsky's usual eye for telling detail and gorgeous use of color. They fit the style of the story so well and complement the action so sufficiently that it's as though Isaacs and Zelinsky are two halves of the same person. Rarely do the visions of both author and illustrator dovetail as cleanly as they do here, and it's our great good luck as readers that Isaacs and Zelinsky found each other. Three cheers for "Swamp Angel!"

"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.
...

...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.

Talking With Artists volume.3

This book is pretty interesting. It is about artists who share what they like to draw and about their lives. They are asked questions such as, "Do you have any kids or pets?" The illustrators show some of pictures that they drew when they were children. They also show how the children illustrators got their inspiration to draw.

I liked this book because it was neat to see how good some of the kids are at drawing and then to see them draw as they are older. Also that was cool it showed how to draw pictures in the back of the book. I recommend this book to people who are just stating to draw and people that want to read an interesting book.

I got this book at the library for my children, but I think I enjoyed it as much as they did! (I plan to buy a copy of my own!) Instead of a cool, impersonal presentation of artists and their work, this book provides a refreshingly personal view. The artists talk about their childhoods, how they spend their days (the answers are fun & honest!), their families, and best of all, they give us peeks inside their studios. I don't know about you, but I love seeing inside of an artist's private workspace! It's like a glimpse inside his/her mind.
The styles of the artists are very diverse and they use many different techniques that kids and adults alike would like to try out. I highly recommend this book!

This is a great book for any young reader, especially those interested in fantasy and mythology, although some parts are much different than the "tradional" view of merfolk in general (such as removable tails), but the story was good. What I noticed first was the ommission of various details, such as how they suddenly learn of the mermaid's name or leaving out details in the battles towards the end. I did find, however, that the narrator does a good job of telling the tale, like a mother would tell it to her daughter. All in all, a good story with a little action and lots of magical adventure.

I love all of E. Nesbit's books; they are some of my dearest childhood favorites. I also really like the Enchanted Castle, The Magic City, and The Story of the Amulet. Wet Magic is more poetic and literate; there seems to be more visual beauty, and I love the scene where the book characters are literally coaxed out of all their books to help with the battle.

This book was fun to read. I would recommend it to my 4th graders. Cleary gives Ralph, a clever mouse, human characteristics that children can identify with. He has to use problem-solving skills, while helping his friend get along with others. Good book for discussion with your class!

Beaverly Cleary's Ralph s. Mouse is a "Must Read." This book is good for kids 10-13 years of age.Its good for whoever likes to read.What really stunned me is how Beaverly Cleary describes everything in the book. She had a lot of detail in this book. This book is one of the greatest.

He moves like the wind he's as fast as any other, mouse. He can be funny he can be harsh, but no one ever knew he was lonely. The name of this book is called Ralph S. Mouse. The author is Beverly Clearly who makes chapter books for kids. This story takes place in a five star hotel. The hotel is so old that when the grandfather rings it makes dust come off of it. The main character is Ralph is mouse he is the mouse who drives a motorcycle a car. The person who always keeps the manager from killing him and his family is Matt the man at the front counter. The mean manager is a very, very harsh man he is trying to kill Ralph's family. Do you think Ralph and his family is safe?
Ralph S. Mouse is a good book because it shows you that you don't have to be human to be smart. The character is a mouse that drives a motorcycle and a car. It shows that he's smart because he knows exactly how to use the toys. All he does is goes is "BRR, BRR" and off he goes. It is also hard for him because he's always being bothered by is siblings. To get them to leave him alone he scares them so that they can run away.
His best friend is a human boy because they have a lot in common. They both have the same personality. The reason you should read this book is because it could be related to some reality life. I also recommend this book because it in a way can be true.

Edith Nesbit is a charming writer. She tells her story with wit and humour, and interjects sly digs that engender a wink and a smile, but while the premise is timeless and interesting, the prose is extremely dated, making the book a bit tedious to read for any length of time. Also, the ideas and prejudices exhibited by the characters date the material.

The five siblings of the title, who have found a Sand-fairy willing to grant them one wish a day, continually make silly wishes that get them into trouble. Their first wish is to be "as beautiful as the day". Right there you get a sense of the book's outdated charm. This is of interest more as a tribute to a talented children's writer of a bygone era rather than for its own sake.

I wanted to enjoy this classic, but I found it hard slogging through. That is just my opinion, however, but I'd suggest you read a bit of the text before purchasing it unless you're already familiar with, or particularly interested in, author Nesbit.

Caveat: The occasional black-and-white line drawings are by H.R. Millar, not the Paul Zelinsky watercolors promised in the Editorial Reviews section.

This book is about Cyril, Anthea, Robert, Jane, and their baby brother who discover a Psammead,
or Sand-fairy, who agrees to grant the children one wish per day.
Soon, their wishes start to turn quite unlike what they expected.
Then, an accidental wish has terrible consequences, and the kids
are faced with a hard choice: to let an innocent man be charged
with a crime, or to lose their gift of magical wishes.

I read this book in one day, and I thought it was pretty good.
This book turned out to be fairly interesting.
I would probably read "Five Children and It" again.

This 1902 fantasy, a gift from my parents when I was in fourth or fifth grade, features an irritable Psammead whom Cyril, Anthea, Robert, Jane, and their baby brother dig up in a sand pit. Then the magic begins. The sand-fairy does not like granting wishes, and his misshapen body with bat's ears and snail's eyes bloats when he does. The wishes, lasting only until sunset, all take unexpected, funny turns.

The sand-fairy and other personalities and Victorian details render the magic entirely real-world, believable. This was my favorite children's book and I relived the delight when I found a copy to share with my own children. That this volume is illustrated by one of my favorite people from one of my favorite families triples the delight.

The book is too challenging for independent reading for children under 10, but it's a great read-aloud for small children, as are the classics of Frank Baum, E.B. White and C.S. Lewis.

Edith Nesbit was like J. K. Rowling a single mother in need of a means to support her children. Her books in their era were as popular as Harry Potter in this one. Some of her observations are surprisingly humane. Nesbit's treatment of a clan of Gypsies, for example, transcends the deep prejudice of her time. Not to worry, the book is not preachy or teachy. It's just grand, eloquent fun. Alyssa A. Lappen

Hooray--our motorcycle riding little friend is back,and he's just as spunky and determined to be a Night Rider as ever!
If you enjoyed Ralph's antics when he received his very own motorcycle, you'll be delighted to continue reading his new adventures--this time at school. Also he has new boy to talk to and con into serving as his pit crew, accomplice and general gopher.

Feeling very much unappreciated by his
extensive rodent family, Ralph decides to leave the Mountain View Inn to spend a week at Ryan's school--hey, there's nothing like a complete change of scene to forget one's problems, not to mention, drown a slightly guilty conscience. But one never can count on the reactions of human beings; instead of being terrified by a live mouse in her classroom, the clever teacher
improvises an entire MICE unit for her students. Activities include pure biololgy, scientific experiments and literary data entries.

Unfortunately, her class falls victim to shoddy journalism, which proves a lesson for us all. Even feisty Ralph learns some non-violent strategies to cope with rowdies and bullies. But tragedy strikes during Ralph's acadeic sojourn; alas, will he ever ride his beloved motorcycle again? Or earn the respect of his family? A darling tale which will entertain kids of all ages!

This book is great to read because it has alot of adventure for people who like books that have adventure.Ralph the mouse,is a curious little mouse that has a lot of dreams and tries to make them comer true.I would recommend this book o everyone and I'm pretty sure they would love it.

It's about time someone put these books in a box! Beverly Cleary's beloved tales of Ralph the mouse and his motorcycle have been enchanting young readers for a very long time- I first read them 13 years ago.
Cleary has written countless wonderful books for children of all ages, from the numerous Ramona stories to the award-winning Dear Mr. Henshaw. The Mouse and the Motorcyle is aimed at the younger end of her audience, and kids can't help but love Ralph, the spunky little mouse with big dreams, who lives in a hotel and wants nothing more than a chance at riding that red motorcycle, the motorcycle that will lead him into countless adventures with his human friends.
In Runaway Ralph, Ralph's visit to a summer camp turns out not to be at all what he expected. Can he avoid the more unpleasant kids in the cabin, and get back to his hidden motorcycle?
In Ralph S Mouse, Ralph goes to school in a human friend's pocket, unaware of the new adventures in store, that will earn him the name of Ralph S-for-smart Mouse.
These books are a marvellous addition to any child's collection.

It is the sequel to Dear Mr. Hanshaw. You can tell it's by the same author, though. The author is Beverly Clearly. She is one of my favorite authors. Strider didn't impress me though. This book is not seperated into chapters, it's seperated into journal entries. My favorite part is when Barry and Leigh find the dog on the beach.

The story is about a boy named Leigh, who, is the new kid in school. Leigh finds a stray dog on the beach. The dog was laying down, so Leigh and his friend Barry tried all sorts of ways to get him up. None of them worked. So, Leigh and Barry started running. The dog followed them. Then, he layed down exactly where he was again. The dog looked sad and lonely. So, they decided to have a joint custody with the dog and name him Strider. Barry would keep Strider in his yard during school,Barry and Leigh would play with him after school, and Leigh would keep the dog at night. Leigh's mom and dad are divorced. Leigh has been worrying about his dad because he's losing alot of money. Anyway, Barry has to go on a vacation with his real mom and dad, so Leigh gets to keep Strider for a whole two weeks! But, Strider kept chewing on Leighs bedroom rug, so he decided to build a fence. He called his dad to build one. His dad got a new job. Leigh was relieved. Then, when Barry came back, they had a fight about who keeps the dog. But, they worked it out. Then, Leigh gets this cool new shirt from the thrift shop. The next day, he wore it to school. A rich kid shouted "Hey, that's my shirt!" and it was his shirt. His mom took it to the thrift shop and sold it. So, he ran after him. They did this every morning until they became friends and joined track and became friends. At track, he meets a girl named Geneva who does hurtles at the track. Now, Leigh has three friends. How will the story end? Read Strider and find out!

The book I read, called Strider, is about a boy named Leigh who finds a lonely dog while walking to the beach with his friend Barry. When Leigh calls the dog, it doesn't budge, but then it comes to him eventually. He names the dog Strider because the dog takes long strides when it runs. This dog changes Leigh's life. Before he found Strider, Leigh's parents were divorced and Leigh still wasn't comfortable with that. Now he realizes that he has responsibilities (such as taking care of Strider,) and starts to feel happier about his life. I liked this book because it told about someone's normal life and how people have their ups and downs in life. I would only recommend this book to those who like books written in a journal format.

This story is about a boy named Leigh and a dog named Strider.Strider gets found by Leigh and his friend Barry.They both own Strider.Furthermore, Barry has to visit his real
mom.So Leigh can have Strider for a whole week.Durning
that week Leigh's dad turns up.In this story Leigh's dad comes to visit Leigh a lot.When Barry comes back it's time for school again.Also,durning school Barry and Leigh loses their friendship.Barry runs a lot in this story because of Strider.He even makes the track team with Kevin.Leigh want's his friendship back with Barry so he leaves Strider in Barry's yard ,but Strider comes back and they become friends again.At the end Leigh gets closer with his dad and gets a new frienship with Geneva.One more thing I forgot to say is that Leigh does real good in the track race.