4 comments about The Wizard's Handbook.

1. This book is great for brlievers in magic of all ages. It comes with five easy spells and guides to help tune your magic. An awesome book for anyone who thinks they may have some magic in them or even if they just truly believe in magic. I've yet to try out spells myself but am anxious to do so.



2. This book is a good one, and actually has some semi-serious spells to try, and information about creating a magic circle. However, if you're looking for a serious book on magic for kids, this isn't it! It's fun, funny, has a few neat "wizard's illusion" type tricks, tips on writing spells (including a goofy rhyming word glossary), a silly quiz to take, and a wizard identification card in the back. My 12 year old son thought this book was great, and I guess that's the true test. The rhymes used in the "spells" will have you cracking up!



3. I have to critique on this book being that I am a proud owner of a copy myself... I thought it was very good and it was not too long like those other wizardry books that take you days to get through and you still don't remember all the stuff in it... and it's good for the selected age group.



4. The so-called spells were not very convincing. Simple stuff anyone could do. Wizardology is way more realistic to wizard-lore.

1 comments about Spot Goes to a Party (color).

1. My son loves Spot and this is one of his favorite Spot books. There are balloons and animals in costumes, which make him giggle.

1 comments about Mother's Day.

1. I read this book to my class for Mothers Day. We visit Mrs Madoffs class as we have just about every holiday. (I want to be in her class, she is so nice)! The children discuss the different ways that they will celebrate the holiday, making breakfast, snuggling, and various other ways. The children were asked to bring in a button for class. The children used the button to make a tissue paper flower as a gift. The book gives step by step directions. As always Anne deals with the difficulties of the holday with a student who was celebrating with her grandmother as her mother had passed away. The craft is really cute, the children and mothers spent lots of time picking out their button and had little stories about why they chose that button. Mom's didn't know what the button was for and were so surprised that it was to make a flower. Really great!

5 comments about Go To Sleep, Groundhog!.

1. This is a very nice book... the illustrations are terrific and the writing is clever and amusing without being too cutesy. It's perfect for my 3-year old and I already plan to make it a birthday gift for friends.



2. Finally someone wrote a nice groundhog story that will entertain and interest young readers. It also teaches a sense of time by mentioning other holidays associated with fall and winter. Fun!



3. What I loved about this book: the illustrations, what a wonderful use of color and texture -- the language repetition that pre-readers and early readers love to hear -- the ritualistic march through fall and winter holidays -- even the dedication (how clever, how true!). There are a lot of books out there, this is one of the best.



4. This is a clever and very colorful story about a groundhog who just can't seem to get the hang of hibernation. While his peers presumably sleep from autumn until February, this Groundhog keeps waking up-just in time for the holidays he usually misses. In a coup de grace, author Judy Cox's Groundhog has an alarm clock that keeps track of time by months! Each time he wakes up, Cox's narrative repeats the following (changing only the month):
   
   "Groundhog curled up in his warm cozy bed. He closed his eyes. He tossed and turned, but he couldn't get to sleep. Finally he got out of bed. He peered at his clock. Half-past November."
   
   Each new adventure starts with the lines "Groundhog went inside. He saw things he'd never seen before," adding a sense of fresh wonder at his new experiences. At Halloween he sees the costumed children and scarecrows, and a friendly witch flies him back to bed and reads him a story. The next time he wakes up, Autumn, and he sees "tall yellow corn shocks and round orange pumpkins." A turkey flies him home and reads him a story, but not before proclaiming," It's almost winter. You should be in bed, and I should be making myself scarce." At Christmas time, who but Santa himself flies the excited Groundhog back home on his toy-filled sleigh, reading him a Christmas story, and giving him a cookie. On his big day, February 2nd, Groundhog is awakened by the alarm; he has slept very well and can scarcely believe it is time to get up already! Followed by his ever-faithful mouse pal, he goes outside and does his winter prediction duties.
   
   Paul Meisel's depiction of the friendly groundhog and the seasonal colors are appealing, and Cox's narrative premise, complemented by her gentle humor, make this interesting and engaging read. Cox also includes a one-page history of groundhog's day after the story. Bright colors, a casual personal-looking font, and nice glossy paper add to the book's appeal.



5. In many Groundhog Day stories, the main character sleeps deeply or even oversleeps. Not so here. Groundhog goes to bed on Columbus Day but keeps waking up once a month during the winter. Each time, he thinks that maybe a little walk outside will make him sleepy again. Oh, the things he sees for the first time! Witches and children dressed up in costumes. Turkeys and pumpkins. Colored lights on houses and a man named Santa Claus. At the end of each excursion, someone takes Groundhog home and reads him a bedtime story to put him to sleep. When February comes and it's truly time for Groundhog to awaken, he does so reluctantly. He leaves his burrow, sees his shadow, and then goes back to bed for six more weeks of Winter. (Reading a bedtime story to himself first, of course.) A note on the final page explains the history of the Groundhog Day ritual.
   
   Judy Cox has approached this subject in a unique way. We don't give a second thought to what we would miss out on if we were to hibernate during the winter months. And kudos to her for not giving Groundhog a human name. Paul Meisel's colorful illustrations suit the mood of the storyline and portray Groundhog as a timid but inquisitive and friendly creature. An interesting book for the season. See my Listmania list for more books about Groundhog Day.

1 comments about Earth Day (Rookie Read-About Holidays).

1. EARTH DAY (Rookie Read-About Holidays)is a book ideal for children up to age 3. It's describes perfectly the importance of caring for the Earth. The charming photos clearly tell the story or message. And the book is inexpensive enough to use as a distribution in a classroom or youth group.

5 comments about Daddy's Girl.

1. My nine-month-old daughter loves the singsongy rhymes of this book. (We have the board book without the CD.) We recite the diaper-changing rhymes to distract her on the changing table, and she loves the list of foods-- even though she doesn't know what "souvlaki" is, it's a fun, silly word. Nobody knows what a "wocket" is, either, but Dr Seuss is still a classic!
   
   The content is quite appropriate, and I'm really not sure how anyone could construe this daddy-daughter relationship as pedophilia. Merriam-Webster defines "ecstasy" as "intense joy or delight." My daughter certainly feels that way about bananas! I'm not sure how Keillor's use of the word could be categorized as "deviant", as some of the other reviews contend.
   
   One caveat-- if there are older siblings in the house, they're likely to pick up on the word "[...]" and run with it!



2. I honestly don't understand the negative comments about this book! It is absolutely charming and really brings out the emotions felt by a daddy for his little girl. I received this last father's day (from my mom) and barely got through it due to the fact I got so choked up reading it (and still do!). And to the person who wrote they were somehow offended by the word "ecstasy" is a total moron! The word means "delight and/or joy" you loser! (read a dictionary next time). I think many of these negative comments are from people who are simply emotionally detached! And the person who wants to see this book taken out of schools - Some fanatical religious nut no doubt! Yes there is one strange verse about the girl having fat little legs (or something like that) --- But don't most toddlers? I get the it! It's an endearing reference. The verses are wonderful, the drawings show the joy in both the daddy and the little girl and their delight in being together. Now that my daughter is 18 months old (with brown curly hair I might add) we often read the book together before I go to work. Many of the verses and pictures depict the feelings I have for her and the daily things we do together. When she sees the pictures of the daddy and the girl sleeping she says "shoosh....nignt, night"; she loves the pictures of the girl eating and points to the food naming many of the items. And just like the story, her favorite is bananas! She wiggles and pretends to dance when we come to the part where the dad is dancing with his daughter. And she hugs and kisses me when we get to the end, as they are doing in the book.
   Don't believe these morons that are negative over this book! These people are the people who probably would even take their kids to Disneyland because of the "oversized mouse" that is running around!
   This is absolutely one of the most charming little books about a dad and his little girl I have ever come across! So there!



3. I just received this book from my wife and 14-month old daughter for Father's Day. The book is a complete joy. It expresses the love I have for my little girl so very well--and without being cheesy or sappy.
   
   From Keillor's writing you can tell that the daughter is clearly the treasure of the father's life, and that he finds every aspect of their relationship fascinating and joyful. From dancing, to eating, to changing diapers, and of course sharing a nap on the couch, the book contains several well-narrated vignettes that feel just like scenes from our own lives.
   
   As an added bonus, the book's language is not overly simplified, and contains some challenging words that will make it interesting for my daughter as her own vocabulary expands.
   
   I thoroughly recommend this book, and look forward to reading it for years to come. It will be a sad day when my little girl is too old to for it. But luckily that's a few years away yet!



4. This book is very sweet and is written by someone who is old enough to remember what life was like before everyone became so freaked-out about every little thing. When you read a line like, "Lift up her legs and take off the diaper; Get a damp cloth and carefully wipe her," do you really think there is something perverse about that? What planet are you from?? I am lucky to be the daddy of a 2-year-old girl. Diaper changing is a fact of life. Every day for the last 2 years I have lifted her legs, removed her diaper, and carefully wiped her with a damp cloth. If you walked up to me on the street and told me that I'm a pervert for changing my daughter's diaper, I would punch you in the mouth. Anyone uncomfortable with a line like that is a goofball.
   
   Oh, and here is how my dictionary defines the word "ECSTASY":
   
   1. rapturous delight.
   2. an overpowering emotion or exaltation; a state of sudden, intense feeling.
   3. the frenzy of poetic inspiration.
   4. mental transport or rapture from the contemplation of divine things.
   
   Ecstasy is a word that is only 'dirty' for those who WANT it to be dirty. If you insist that there is a sexual connotation whenever the word "ecstasy" is used, you are the weirdo. Like I said before, the author (born in 1942) comes from an era where people used words like "banana" and "nut" and "meatball" and didn't automatically think about sex. Some of these reviewers have watched Austin Powers a few too many times.
   
   One more example -
   
   "Of all the babies you're the fattest one; You big-leg women are a load of fun".
   
   Today when people hear the word "fat" they think about morbid obesity, apparently. Baby-fat is cute and healthy and normal. The whole world loves an adorable little chubby baby. I believe that the author uses the phrase "you're the fattest one" in a loving and proud way, as if saying, "you're the cutest one". And in that context, the phrase "you big-leg women are a load of fun" is just a silly thing to say - and far from inappropriate.
   
   I would agree with the people who suggest reading this book in a library or bookstore first. Why? One reviewer said that they bought the book and hated it so much that they were going to throw it into the trash rather than donate it to charity. If you're that idiotic, please, please, read the book first, and don't buy it. Don't put it into the garbage and send it to a landfill. Don't stage a Nazi-style book-burning. Just leave it in the store and go back to watching your Austin Powers movies.



5. Oh how my 27 month old daughter LOVES this book (and so do I). The illustrations are beautiful, the rhyming verse delightful, and the sentiment is just as sweet and wonderful as a daddy's love for his daughter(s).
   
   I recently lost my father, and am a Single Mom... this book touches my heart & makes my daughter laugh out loud. Can't beat that in a board book. I just wish Garrison Keillor would create a SERIES of these.

5 comments about Scratch and Sniff: Christmas.

1. I ordered this book for a single reason "Scratch and Sniff", but this book has no scratch and sniff whatsoever. Amazon must have titles or pictures screwed up here. The "Jumbo" board book is just that a board book that is slightly oversized filled with photo quality pictures of a little boy and Christmas items.



2. Good first book for children, the Scratch and Sniff gets their attention and is fun..



3. Because I've always loved scratch and sniff items since I was a kid, I eagerly purchased this book for my 2-year-old. After reading other reviews, I had great expectations but ended up a little disappointed. Personally, I think some of the scents stink and/or don't smell like the object they're representing. The pine tree in particular smells like those awful hanging pine air fresheners--either that or some kind of olfactory-destroying cleaning product. I also didn't think the chocolate Santa smelled much like chocolate. On the other hand, the cookies and candy canes smelled really good.
   
   Frankly, I suppose it doesn't matter much what I think since my daughter enjoys the book regardless, although she did say the pine tree was stinky (of course, she may have just been parroting my comment). Overall, she loves to scratch and sniff the pages and talk endlessly about the pictures. So, given her enjoyment of this item, I suppose it was a good buy in that respect.



4. My kids really enjoyed this book. They also love the smells of Christmas all year long. The scents work well and are real.



5. My little girls have loved this book. We have had it for two years and it still smells.

No comments about Chinese New Year (Rookie Read-About Holidays).

No comments about Chato's Day of Dead.

1 comments about Every Day's a Holiday: Amusing Rhymes for Happy Times.

1. The only amusing thing about this collection is that Dean Koontz fancies himself a children's author. The premise is a clever idea gone horribly wrong. Much of the rhyme is unoriginal or forced and some of it goes on and on and on so that we feel we are stuck in one of the author's horror novels. Stick to what you do best Mr. Koontz and leave quality children's writing to quality children's authors, please!