Most sequels stink. A lot. George MacDonald, the first fantasy master, managed to buck that trend with the sequel to "The Princess and the Goblin," with "The Princess and Curdie." If anything, this book is even better than the first -- a bit more mature, a little bit darker, but with the same haunting prose and likeable characters.

In the time since the defeat of the goblins, Curdie has gone back to his life as a miner. Unfortunately he also begins to stray from the pure actions he showed in the first book, pushing aside thoughts of Princess Irene's grandmother and trying to convince himself that the more supernatural events of "Goblin" were just imagination. Until he needlessly wounds a pigeon with his bow and arrow, and takes it to the stately, mysterious Grandmother.

As Curdie regains his innocence and his faith, the Lady sends him on a quest, with a weird doglike creature called Lina who was once a human. She also (by having him stick his hands into burning roses) makes his hands able to feel a person's soul when he touches them, if a person is "growing into a beast" on the inside. Now Curdie and Lina set off for the capital, where Irene's father is physically ill, and falling prey to the scheming of his sinister officials.

If the first book was Irene's, then this book is undeniably Curdie's. The focus is on him almost constantly through the book, and it's his internal struggles that we are fascinated by. Every person (well, most of them, anyway) eventually loses their childlike faith and innocence, as Curdie has begun to do at the beginning. He's naturally a more skeptical person than Irene, and so time begins to fade whatever he thought he saw; also, being "one of the guys" in the mine requires a seemingly more mature attitude. But with the loss of innocence also goes some of the faith and internal beauty, and so MacDonald brings Curdie back to the gentle, trusting kid he was in the first book.

The Lady (also known as Irene's great-great-great-grandmother, Lady of the Silver Moon, and Mother Wotherwop -- don't ask about the last one) is also a more prominent figure. She's still both maternal and supernaturally distant, very warm while also seeming to know everything. Precisely who and what she is remains a mystery, but we see more of her subtle, awe-inspiring powers here.

The writing is, as the first book was, immensely dreamy and haunting. MacDonald let rip with the surreally beautiful descriptions of the Lady's room and appearances, and of scenes like Curdie sticking his hands into the rose petals. Like in "Princess and the Goblin," the plot takes awhile to get moving, but it's so well-written that you probably won't notice.

"The Princess and Curdie" is currently harder to find than the first book, which strikes me as a little odd. (Especially since this duology is just screaming to be compiled in one book) But anyone who enjoyed the first book, or even just enjoys a gorgeously-written fantasy, will definitely want to get this sequel.

'The Princess and Curdie' is a superb sequel to the brilliant children's fantasy 'The Princess and the Goblin'. In both books, MacDonald displays his incredible talent as a story-teller for children, by crafting a tale that makes great reading aloud material for children. Curdie, a miner's son, is sent by a magical princess on an urgent quest to save the king and his kingdom. His companion is Lina, an ugly monster of a dog who proves to be a steadfast, powerful and courageous companion. Curdie discovers that evil and wickedness threaten to overthrow the good kingdom of the king and his daughter Irene, and it is only when Curdie and Lina escape perils and dangers and marshal together the forces of good that the dangers can be overcome.

In the process of telling the story, MacDonald entertains a few curious notions rather surprising for a Christian. Especially surprising are the ideas of a mountain being bubbles of heat thrust from the center of the earth (p.2), and the earth being a cooled body that flew off the sun (p.3) ' ideas more akin to evolutionary thinking than Christian faith in the Biblical teaching about creation. This book is also somewhat different from 'The Princess and the Goblin' on a literary level, because in this book MacDonald's story-telling at times employs vocabulary and sentence structure that is overly complex for children, and at times he waxes overly philosophical.

But those weaknesses aside, it's a thrilling and captivating story of an exciting quest, enhanced by deeper underlying Christian themes. MacDonald describes the king as 'a real king ' that is, one who ruled for the good of his people and not to please himself.' (p.5). True citizens of this kingdom, such as Curdie's parents, are those who 'always loved what was fair and true and right better, not than anything else, but than everything else put together.' (p.35) In contrast there are many false citizens who have open doors but closed hearts, and who live a life of wickedness, chiefly characterized by lying, drinking, stealing and unkindness. These seeds of corruption also contain the seeds of destruction, and threaten to overthrow the kingdom. The morality is clear and solidly Christian.

Particularly fascinating is the concept that all humans are either noble human beings, or else slowly turning into animals on the inside. By putting his hands into a magical fire, Curdie is given the ability to perceive the inner layer of man by means of a handshake: 'you will henceforth be able to know at once the hand of a man who is growing into a beast.' (p.73) One cannot help but wonder if MacDonald has too much faith in human nature, since he does not spell out that it is only the regenerating Spirit that makes a heart true and noble. But the underlying truth is valid: all men's hearts are inclined to be beastly because of sin, but by the grace of God some hearts are changed to be noble and truly human. It echoes the truth of the teaching of Jesus Christ: where your heart is, there your treasure is, and ultimately you cannot serve both God and Mammon. Those who are overwhelmed by wickedness and by love of Mammon, are eventually destroyed, whereas those with a pure heart and love of God establish the kingdom of righteousness. The pessimism of the final ending raises many questions, but perhaps can be best explained as a growing wickedness among men leading to a complete and final judgment, similar to the flood and the end of the world. MacDonald's tale is in the end very reminiscent of the Biblical pattern of the Judges and Kings: in times of wickedness, God raised up judges and kings to ensure the establishment of a kingdom where justice and righteousness reigned.

Just as in the 'The Princess and the Goblin', Irene's great-great-grandmother plays a central and decisive role. She is also known as 'The Mother of Light', 'the Lady of the Silver Moon' and less affectionately as 'Old Mother Wotherwop'. MacDonald attributes to her both omniscience ' 'I am always about' ' and a measure of omnipotence (p.53). She is the Light that guides the way in darkness (p.50), and she it is who commissions Curdie for his quest and ensures its success.

These timeless tales contain enduring truths, as well as delightful stories. What they've done for over 100 years is something that they are still doing today - pleasing imaginative children and adults with a tale of lasting significance.

George MacDonald has the gift of expressing a deep theological idea through the form of a story.I grew up with his fairy stories,as a Adult,I am still affected by the skillful and beautiful portrayal of the quest for wisdom of a pure heart.The Princess and Curdie,is a story of just that.Curdies own journey is a story of the Christian walk and if one wishes can learn much from it.Do not get the idea that The Princess and Curdie is dull however!This book pays tribute to George MacDonalds fantastic imagination,as a child and as an "grownup" once picked up this book is difficult to put down.Perhaps the deepest things are also the most interesting.

This is an excellent book for beginners and hard-core fitness gurus alike. The book covers all the basics of health, fitness, and well-being. I can never get enough of Mark and Julie. The stories about their careers and the people they have worked with is fantastic. Their conversion to the power of strength training and the "how to" portions of the book can't be beat. This book is filled with great photos and the wealth of knowledge the authors have gained through out their lives. No where can you find the cardio-vascular part of fitness explained so well and made so simple. This book is a must have.

It's for real. You have two world-class athletes - not bodybuilders or celebrities or fitness models, but two of the fittest people in the world here.

What makes this book different? (1) The Allens recognize that most people have other priorities in life, such as jobs and kids, and therefore can't live in the gym for 2 or 3 hours a day. (2) They also recognize - unlike many athletes - that not everyone shares their passion for their sport. They don't expect you to open this book wanting to do an Ironman of your own as they've done, but they won't discourage you from training for one either!

The book is loaded with sound, honest advice, tips, encouragement and motivation. If you want to get fit, well, you have to work at it. They're not trying to sell you seminars or supplements or some 'magic bullet' that only slims your wallet. They're not trying to relive past glory days either - the anecdotes are purposeful: meant to instruct and/or motivate.

There's several different 18-week workouts here, depending on your goals. All of them offer a balance between cardio (ANY cardio - not just running/swimming/cycling) and weight training. During the week, most workouts are about 30 minutes to an hour, with a longer one on the weekends, and an optional one for the true weekend warrior. Plus, the Allens offer plenty of suggestions for squeezing fitness into a busy schedule for full-time employees and full-time moms.

This isn't another feel-good-because-you-showed-up 'exercise' book. This book is for people who are serious about trying to raise their level of fitness, no matter what shape they're currently in.

I also strongly recommend reading it thoroughly for some of the nuggets hidden inside. For example, 5-6 small meals, each about the size of your two palms held together. An easy visual guide to portion sizes that you always have with you! How can you lose? Or better still, how can you not?

This book is direct & simple: You need to do significant work to see significant results. The Allens are not trying to sell you supplements or seminars or quick-fixes; they just pool their considerable experience to tell it like it really is.

It's not a book you can quickly skim for 'sound bites,' nor should you. If you try, you'll miss nuggets like "5-6 meals a day, each the size of your two palms held together." Now *that* I can visualize!

Although 1.5 to 2-hour workouts may not suit everyone's lifestyle, the Allens make several practical suggestions for fitting fitness into REAL life. Unlike authors who are 'trainers to the stars', these people recognize that most of us don't have fully adjustable, personal-trainer-on-demand kinds of lifestyles with huge spans of free time between gigs.

The weight training is uncomplicated and targets all the major muscle groups. This book also offers more cardio emphasis than most in a progressive, realistic and safe program. But don't be fooled. "Safe" in this book does NOT mean "unchallenging." Not from world-class athletes like these!

This book is worth every penny - especially if you USE it.

If you know who Bob Babbitt is, you don't need any other reason to purchase his book. In that case, I will assure you that it is everything you could possibly expect from the editor of Competitor Magazine and then some. As you read the captions and relive the moments in each year's race summary, you can't help but smile with gleeful anticipation of your next trip to the finish line. If you have difficulty explaining your compulsive addiction to your family and friends, this book will help bridge the gap. The pictures are stunning not only in their completeness but also in the quality with which they have been reproduced. You might remember the scene from a videotape or broadcast or maybe you were even lucky enough to see it live. But never have you seen the athletes leap from such glossy pages with the detail and ferocity that they do from Babbitt's creation.

Still, perhaps you don't really know who Bob is. Honestly, I didn't realize he had been inducted into the Ironman Hall of Fame in 2001 until I saw the list in his book. I understood his mantra and I have always been happy to digest his publication whenever I stumble upon it. But, I never really assimilated what was so unique about Bob Babbitt until the night I spent with my nose glued to the pages of his book. I read every word, cover to cover. This was the night before a relatively important half Ironman race. I should have been sleeping, but I was transfixed.

I had always wondered why so many have said that Bob Babbitt has given back more to the sport than anyone else. The answer to my confusion lies entirely in the perspective that this humble and humourous man so graciously shares with anyone and everyone. Yes, you can get all of the factual history from Tinley's voluminous musings. And you get get the buzz of Kona from reading Mike Plant's Iron Will. You can be an armchair pro by reading about Brad Kearns' adventures. You can obsess about every detail of each workout in your schedule with Joel Friel's guidance. But none of these experiences give you the cumulative clarity and insight you get from Babbitt.

Babbitt's true gift to all of us is his understanding of how we view the giants and dwarfs of our sport, how we obsess about the great battles all the way from the front to the back. Babbitt can see exactly how we respect the grueling journey, the brutal conditions and obscene distances that make Kona so much more than just another race. Sure, Phil Liggett can bark through the leaderboard with his charming accent and amusing wit. Mike Riley can keep a crowd dancing for hours. Both of them are legends of our sport and without them it just wouldn't feel authentic. But neither of them can bring the experience home to your coffee table after the fact the way Babbitt has. While it may be impossible to dislike Babbitt and his clearly selfless ambitions, it is even more difficult to put on his glasses and not see Kona more clearly than you ever did before. You simply cannot read his words and not feel the excitement and drama he wants to share with you.

There are only two pages of the book that really don't belong, 48 and 49. They exist as a sad testament to the reality that nothing about triathlon seems to make any financial sense. Those two pages, however, are overwhelmingly offset by 126 and 127. Relive those 80's haircuts, see Jurgen in his Zorro shot, and revel in the cheesy humor that Babbitt has gotten all too good at through the years. If you want one reason to convince you of Babbitt's greatness, flip to this pair of pages and stay a while. In a sense, it's a mild spatterring of his life's work. It's also an extremely abbreviated list of the major players in Kona. But look beyond the faces, hair, gear, and race attire and you'll see Bob Babbitt waving at you from the pages of his book. He is inviting you to share his vision for a moment, making you feel like the most honored guest he has ever known as he serves up heaping portions of grit, determination, courage, and desire.

I put together the best multisport race of my life the day after reading this book. Thanks Bob!

Forget about the coffee table,t his book is one you should keep by your bed side and dream of the Ironman.
In one book, the author manages to capture the characters and color that define the Ironman Triathlon-this will become the quintessential history on the event and it earns the 25th anniversary title.

From the historical race figures such as Dave Scott and Mark Allen to the Judy Molnars, this book reaches the common reader and fanatic. The pictures are great, I am going to take mine with me all season and have people autograph their pages...Enjoy it!

This is truly a coffee table book - the photographs are stunning and the stories are amazing. The Hawaiian Ironman is a special race and this book conveys all the beauty, drama, joy, and pain that make up the unique experience of the race.
Leave this book on your coffee table and you will be touched again and again by the memorable images and inspirational stories. The people who have finished this race are truly amazing individuals and they are colorfully profiled in this book. A must have for anyone who dreams of calling themselves an "Ironman."

Although I haven't read TUCK PARA SIEMPRE, (though I do speak a little Spanish), I read the English version, and anyone who thinks Tuck Everlasting is boring or bad, etc. was dropped on their heads when they were babies! The book was awesome! When my teacher passed it out in the 6th grade, I thought it would be boring, but it turned out to be my absolute favorite! My best friend gave me the book for Christmas a year later, and I've read it several times and cried everytime. Not only was it beautifully written, but I think Jesse and Winnie should have run off together. Sure, living forever wouldn't be peachy, but Jesse would have made it worth her while.
If a writer can pull at a reader's heart strings with their books, that's really something, but when the same author can do it to the same reader with the same book, that's incredible, and that is what Natalie Babbitt has done to me.
Oh yeah, don't forget-on October 11, the new Disney movie of TUCK EVERLASTING is coming to theatres! They made Winnie 15 so that she and Jesse could get REALLY romantic (and they do),and I'm so happy about it. It made me cry just watching the previews, because it looks beautifully done. ...
So, in conclusion, Tuck Everlasting is a story that will stay with me forever, because it has touched my life.

ok, i like tuck ever lasting cause it makes me wonder who would it feel if we could drink something like that
i really like winnie and the way she dint drink that water
cause living for a long time and never die is not easy
but i am always wondering about it i would like to live for
ever but sometimes i dont; i dont think that would be
fare if dome one lived for ever right?
this is one of the best books ever,is one then less imean more than lesss

all i can say is

I LOVE THIS BOOK KEEP READING IS FUN!!!!!!

I heard of that book Tuck para siempre An excellent Spanish-language editon of Natalie Babbitt's classic Tuck Everlasting {Farar}, in which Winnie meets the Tuck family, who have discovered the secret of eternal life.

This book Tuck Everlasting and the spanish book Tuck para siempre, Owls in the Family by author Farley Mowat looks like The Official All My Children Trivia Book by the author Gerard J. Waggett looks alot like Anna Sewell's classic book Black Beauty because they look alike and they are like The Black Stallion & My Friend Flica are alot alike.

They will remind you of Cowboys from the classic books.

This is A spanish book of Tuck para siempre???!!!

They are my favorite books that are like the video, All the pretty Horses.

This small book was born out of the meditations of the author during a serious illness when heaven was a very near thought. Perhaps because of this experience, Joyce Brown can give such great thoughtful insight in heaven. Uplifting and encouraging with a touch of the gospel, this little book makes good inspirational reading for anyone that find themselves in the dumps. Makes a great gift. I would make one suggestion. Don't try to read it all at once. It meant to be read slowly so as to give the thoughts enough time to sink in.

The perfect book for a person who has lost someone close. It was very comforting and the pictures were beautiful. I especially liked that the illustrations were placed over different views of the sky.

This book is a "must have" in your home. I keep copies in my guest room and on my livingroom sofa table. Most of my guests ask for a copy of the book to take with them. The artwork is lovely and the writing makes us hope that the author has truly had a chance to view Heaven firsthand! You won't regret buying this book!!!!

The late Valerie Worth is well remembered in this volume of nature poems. They are short and sweet, with neat imagery. I used this book to help my daughter, a struggling reader, to read, by reading with her, and sometimes singing the poems as though they were lyrics.
Simple titles like "Pie" and "Toad" evoke a simple life...yet the poems stir the imagination, too: "The watering can rusts among friends." Mm. Natalie Babbit's line drawings complement the poems without fail.

This book is a great collection of poems about nature. My children love these poems, and they are great to teach with.

This beautifully illustrated book is great to read with your kids.
It is about what is most important in a child's upbringing.
The king and Queen in the book both think they know
what is best for the little prince, but neither of them
can agree on what that is. Together they set out to find the answer,
but the little prince already knows the answer it's Bub or Love as he can't quite pronounce it yet. I think
you and your kids will enjoy reading this book together.

I received this book as a gift. What a great gift. All three of my children have learned about "bub". You'll have to read it to figure out the mystery for yourself.

As we gaze over the vast edifice of dodecaphonic music this side of the Atlantic we find a number of profound creations, Stefan Wolpe, Ralph Shapey, Donald Martino, Charles Wuorinen, Ezra Simms, and of course Milton Babbitt. There is a premonition, a harbinger which had marked Babbitt's life, being the first American to welcome Arnold Schoenberg as he arrived from exile,escaping the darkest pages of European history with the then popularity of the fascists in Europe and some cults within the USA,as Father Cooglan, and then Senator McCarthy and Roy Cohn's dithyrambic Purges of left minded American workers.
Andrew Mead does an admirable job, tracing the vast diapasonal musical creations of Babbitt.
Mead admirably divides Babbitt's creativity into useful periods, ones marked with a penchant for theoretical discursis,an elan for the pure structural and durational devices his inventive mind had. It all begins with Schoenberg's evolutionary 12 Tone language,which Babbitt had devloped into further functional divisions of the almost Kabballah like power of the number 12. His Composition for Four Instruments, Flute, Clarinet, Violin and Cello was a primary achievement, although rhythmically tthis period was marked by a persistent provincialism of the parameter of rhythm.It wasb't until the Second String Quartet where such tactile parametric freedoms begin to reveal themselves in an effulgence language.. With the Third creative period Mead identifies here the years 1961 to 1980 we impart ourselves in stil greater expansive dimensions. A number of piano solo works distinguish this period, the "Post-Partitions", and a work I deeply admire the rather modest 'Sextets', for Violin and Piano from 1966,and a revistation of the genre in "Joy of more Sextets" from the displaying the hexachordal-like encysted divisions between both contrasting instruments. There the genre,of Violin and Piano,which emanates from the 19th Century Sonata, was truly redefined discovering newer contexts, within the predictable structure of duet. Babbitt had also developed theories which now aimed to consolidate the vagaries of the infinite permutations and combinatorial mixtures of the 12 tones,his More Phonemena was a summation piece. I am still thrilled by the Piano Concerto a work in the Eighties, where now we see a freer utilizsation of some of these theoretical achievements. He still maintained this penchant for discovering differing contexts for predictable musical genres,and interestingly pursued interesting combinations as the various 'Soli e Duettini', as the one for two acoustic guitars.

I have always admired Milton Babbitt's work, not least for the subtle beauties of his often misunderstood music -- misunderstood only by those who are not up to the challenge of this demanding, olympean music! Andrew Mead's Introduction is exactly what it claims to be, an introduction--but then how could it be otherwise, considering the vast scope of Babbitt's astounding technique--and a very clear and well written one at that. Most important, Mead clarifies the musical responses and exigencies which brought about this impressive technique in very readable english. The bibliography at the end of the book is also excellent, listing some very important articles in the study of twelve tone music theory. Also recommended is Milton Babbitt's own, very readable, "Words About Music".

I don't know why I picked this up to read it. I just ran across an old copy of a book by an author I haven't read much of and started it. I was absolutely startled to find such a warm book of authentic, feeling relationships, sincere humor, and true depth.

The story is of Gaylen. He lives at court where his father-figure, the Prime Minister, is writing a dictionary. The king and the rest of court have a great dispute on the meaning of the word "delicious." Gaylen is sent to poll the country to find out what is truly delicious. On his journey, he finds that the country is about to be throne into a war over the issue, and Gaylen has to try to contact some pretty magical people to try and save the country.

The book works on a lot of levels. On one hand, it is a humorous, adventurous, and truly touching little novel. You really love the main character and each of the episodes he undergoes makes you like him more. But the novel does have a little deeper side as the conflict over the word "delicious" comments a lot on the nature of relative truth in a fallen world, and Gaylen is on a search to try and bring order back to the world.

From whatever perspective one reads the novel, I think there is something wonderful to find. I am definitely going to purchase myself a copy and recommend it to everyone I know.

The book that I read was titled The Search For Delicious, written by Natilie Babbit. I believe that it would be most enjoyed by readers of fantasy books. It is purely a fantasy story. The story is basically about a boy named Gaylen who is sent on a quest through the kingdom to find what people think is truly delicious so that his father can complete his dictionary. Unfortunately, what start out to be a simple question turns into something that will tear the nation apart.

My first opinion of the book is that its characters were mainly understandable and believable. I found this to be strange, knowing that it's a fantasy. The mythical characters led lives similar to mortals but each different in it's own way. For my second focus, I'd like to explain how I chose this book. I picked this book out primarily for its unusual title. It drew me to it because it made no sense at the time. The last item I would like to bring to focus is the author's vivid description of the mythological character like the mermaids and winds. Phrases like "a voice so low and soft that he had to bend close to distinguish it from the lap of the water at the rock" and "...leaves of exquisite tree frothed low..." frequently appear during the piece and make it quite realistic and enjoyable.

As you have probably inferred by yourself, this piece is splendid for young and old fantasy lovers and even those who aren't. This book will give you a marvelous insight into how much there might be, beyond what we know.

Babbitt has written a wonderful tale of a boy on a most unusual adventure. My fifth grade class enjoyed the many characters Babbitt invented along the way. The book was filled with adventure, humor, and a bit of a lesson about greed. As the protagonist, Vaungaylen searches for one meaning for the word "delicious" on which everyone can agree, and just when you think the search is hopeless, he finds his answer. An excellent fast read with marvelous characters, The Search for Delicious is sure to be a hit with many young readers.

...because the Devil herein seems almost like an ordinary person, just with an itch to make trouble and boss minor demons around. Both this and its companion volume, _The Devil's Other Storybook_, were illustrated by the author; the original cover art of each shows the Devil reading the book. (He's drawn in standard Mephistopheles style, goatee, horns, tail, cloven hooves - and whenever he's shown in disguise in an individual story's illustration, the tail is visible to the reader, curled up behind his back or whatnot.)

Both books open with a stanza or two from the poet Robert Southey, "From his brimstone bed, at break of day, a-walking the Devil is gone, to look at his little snug farm of the World, and see how his stock went on." Most (but not all) the stories follow that pattern - the Devil getting bored and going out for a stroll to stir things up. He doesn't buy souls at all - he just makes trouble on his occasional visits to the world and people make their own decisions about how to handle their problems.

Most of the stories (all very short) have a kind of moral, if you look at them carefully, but Babbitt has a light touch.

"Wishes" On a dull day, 'the Devil fished around in his bag of disguises, dressed himself as a fairy godmother, and came up into the World to find someone to bother.' But the first two people he encounters are a crabby old woman and an old man who's at peace with himself - and each foils the old boy (the old lady's comeback catches even the Devil off guard). But along comes contestant #3, a foolish young man.

"The Very Pretty Lady" had many suitors, but wanted to be loved for herself - or so she said, although truth be told she enjoyed her looks and the fawning young men very much. Then the Devil got to hear of her, and figured she was just what he needed to brighten up the place, and went out to have a look at her, and set about coaxing her to join him of her own free will.

"The Harps of Heaven" - the Devil doesn't have any, and he's been stung by a nagging piano teacher's remarks about the quality of music in Hell, so when a pair of brothers who were the best thieves in the world wind up on his doorstep, he's got a little job for them.

"The Imp in the Basket" Instead of following the Devil's activities, this follows a very good man - a clergyman who tries to think well of everybody - beginning with the most severe test of his life: a little imp has been left on his doorstep, a devil's baby rather than a human one. But he knows that even the Devil was an angel once, so maybe there's hope even for this little one.

"Nuts" The Devil, like anybody else who eats walnuts, complains about the nuisance of cracking them open - then gets a bright idea about how to trick a human into doing it for him: hide a pearl inside a walnut shell, then tempt a greedy person into opening the lot looking for more pearls. But as often happens, his mischief doesn't work out the way he planned.

"A Palindrome" is a word or phrase that's the same whether spelled backward or forward. In this case, the Devil wants a particular artist - a painter whose pictures are much admired in Hell, but who's a good man - to become his #1 painter, so after the artist has produced his 40th picture, the Devil sets about making life difficult for him to tempt him away from his good life.

"Ashes" Mr. Bezzle (yes, Babbitt likes puns occasionally), a bad man 'who made a great deal of money by cheating shamefully', was cremated after he died, and his ashes on the mantel of his widow's house were just as warm as he himself was. But when a grumpy housemaid knocked the urn over and was careless about sweeping up, he couldn't understand why a pig suddenly showed up in Hell and began following him around. :)

"Perfection" The Devil (like some readers, to be honest) has gotten fed up with a goody-two-shoes little girl named Angela, and he's determined to annoy her into losing her temper a few times so she'll stop being so perfect.

"The Rose and the Minor Demon" The minor demon isn't really evil, but since he doesn't have anyplace else to go, his job is to guard the Devil's treasury - even though nobody *ever* tries to steal anything, of course. But looking at a vase painted with roses, he starts wanting to plant a garden of his own - but the Devil, of course, has strict instructions about what he's allowed to plant.

"The Power of Speech" The Devil likes an occasional pet, but in keeping with his character - in this case he wants a pet goat named Walpurgis, but the old lady who owns him belled him, because the Devil can't stand the sound of bells. Then the Devil got an idea for how to make the old lady stop wanting to protect her pet...

This book full of stories will make anyone roll on the floor with laughter! Each tale in the book tells about another one of the devil's evil schemes that always end up doing people right rather than wrong, no matter how fool-proof they seem. Very well-written and thoroughly enjoyable to all ages. You will end up dying to read the second, "The Devil's Other Storybook"!

"The Devil's Storybook" has been a member of my book collection for several years, and since I turn to it time and time again I must recommend it. This book has the truth of life and the amusing traits of the devil and his advocates combined. This book isn't very religous, and not too scary. Your child will be laughing in no time, with your own laughter combined. A great read-aloud or read-alone. Take my advice: Read it!