Another of the finest long-form Seuess books, THE KINGS STILTS joins BARTHOLOMEW AND THE OOBLECK, HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS and both of the Horton the Elephant books as his finest works for new readers.

Many young people are unsure about the proper balance between work and fun. As a result, they tend to overemphasize one or the other. Dr. Seuss has created a wonderful book here to relieve youngsters of the sense that they should work hard all of the time.

This is an early book by Dr. Seuss, and it is written in prose rather than rhyme. Despite this, the prose often has a definite meter, and he sneaks in rhyming words now and again.

The illustrations are predominately in black and white, but splashes of red are used for emphasis to good effect.

The story is quite funny. The king's passion is to run around the kingdom on his red stilts. But he never does so until after putting in a full twelve hours of grueling work.

Never was there a harder working king than Birtram. He even signs papers while taking a bath at five in the morning!

He feels very responsible, because he kingdom is threatened by natural disaster if he lets down his guard.

Who could begrudge such a fine king his fun? Well, there is one who does. Where could that lead?

I also found the book very good for introducing the concept of how we all rely on one another for our well-being. For example, this story can also help a parent explain the need to go to work, despite a sincere desire to stay and play with her or his child.

I think the book is good, too, for helping children think about what kind of work they might want to do when they are older. What benefit would they like others to receive from their work? How hard would they like to work? What difficulties would be bearable, and which would be too much?

After you finish enjoying this book, I suggest that you and your child spend time planning how you can have more fun playing together, and still meet your responsibilities. You can also tell your child about different kinds of work that adults do, and what the stresses and strains are. Although no four year old is going to choose a vocation, it is never too soon to start providing the raw material for mental exploration of work alternatives. Most of us will spend more time working than anything else we will do in our lives except sleep!

May you and your family find ways to play hard that energize and excite you to do your work well!

This is a Dr. Seuss book that a mother can love. It's long, but entertaining even the fifteenth time you've read it. No tongue twisters or silly rhymes, just a playful, fun story with a good message to discuss with your children.

The text is pure magic and the pictures are pure poetry. Or: the story is poetic and the pictures are magic. Or: the story is colorful and the pictures are resonant. Or: ... oh, just buy it and enjoy it.

My daughter (4) and I both love this book. I won't go into the story since the other reviewers do, but just want to add a few things. I love how the paper princess reminds us not to crumple our drawings just because we make a little mistake, and to use the other side of the paper; I love the multicultural figures throughout the book, the gentleness of the heroine's brother (and his all too real comment that his sister is "usually" nice), the beauty of the world that captivates the paper princess, and the imaginative little girl who showers the paper princess with a whole paper wardrobe and even a paper brother upon her return. This books tells a rich story and the illustrations make it impossible not to love. Enjoy!

I'm so glad we found this book! I have two daughters (3 1/2 and 6) and both love it. The story of a paper doll that flies away from the little girl who creates it is sweet and simple. But it's the illustrations--extremely detailed matisse-like collages--that are most compelling. I think every time we read this book (and that's often) we discover something new in the pictures. We linger over each spread and even play "I Spy," pointing out little details to each other. The ending is very satisfying and there's no lesson or preachiness. It's just a story about love, and caring for someone, and the joy of having that love returned. Also, it is often confused with the Paper Bag Princess, which although a good story, couldn't be more opposite in tone or presentation (we like paper princess better).

What kid doesn't love pizza? You cannot go wrong with this book. The illustrations are extraordinary!!!

This is a children's book that sweeps away the viewer, young and old alike, into a light, colorful fable about sharing and fun. The illustations are wonderfully vibrant and richly bring to life the delightful story of an eccentric King discovering pizza for the very first time. I highly reccommend it!!

If you love kids' books like I love kids' books, you've also found a few that are simply perfect. No other word describes them adequately. The characters are delightful, the plot expands with charm and insight, every word is exactly the right word, and to change even a simple punctuation mark would be a crime. The King of Pizza is one of these books. Ah, to be ruled by such a wise and caring king, to have subjects as generous as Salvatore, the pizza chef, to have a national decree of pizza every Saturday night! Life is good and The King of Pizza in my lap has made it even better. Thanks, Mr. Sanzari and Mr. Hurst. Keep cooking up more magic.

This book offers a refreshing look at the validity of the English monarchy through a fun, romantic story. The romance of Emmalissa and Will is a delightful undercurrent as Will tries to establish himself as the rightful heir of the throne. Their romance soon takes center stage, as often happens, in his quest for truth. If, in fact, there is any validity to this tale, it puts to question the premise on which the monarchy is founded -- lineage. At a time when the monarchy has become less popular, it would be interesting to know what the royals have to say about Harry's Son. This delightful, light story would make an interesting movie. A movie clothed in romance and intrigue that could question the roots of a nation's monarchy.

The book keeps you spellbound and not wanting to stop reading until finished. Provides enough historical facts to almost make it seem non-fiction. A very well-written and fascinating look into the English Royal Family. Very good.

I truly enjoyed reading "Harry's Son"! The author does an exceptional job of weaving historical facts and fiction to create, quite seamlessly, a really good novel. I liked the short, fast-paced chapter format, the political ideas expressed, and the very appropriate tie-in with today's monarchy. I highly recommend it!

What an absolutely delightful book in every way! My 5-year old friend giggled as I read it to her, as did a group of my 50-year old friends. To read it aloud is such fun. The line, "I'm Penelope, and I am a PRINCESS!" alone presents endless theatrical possibilities. I believe it will find a place on the shelf among classics such as "Where the Wild Things Are" and "Harold and the Purple Crayon."

How many times we have used the "pincess" expression with our little girls thinking we were the only ones with a Penelope! It is interesting that this books views the role through the eyes and ears of a "princess" which Mack has successfully described. Julia Gran's illustrations of a modern princess make the book extremely appealing for bedtime reading by the king and queen. I look forward to more works by Todd Mack and hopefullly teamed up with Julia Gran.
After I read the book I suddenly knew of many friends I just had to share the story with and this is a mark of a winner.

A fabulous book, wonderful and clever. A must have for every family with young children

First of all, I need to clarify what at least two other reviewers have mistaken: this book is NOT Enid Blyton's 'Enchanted Wood' as part of her Faraway Tree trilogy. This is a children's picture book confusingly by the same name - an original fairytale by author and illustrator Ruth Sanderson, also know for her works 'The Crystal Mountain', 'Cinderella' and 'The Golden Mare, the Firebird and the Magic Ring'.

That said, this book is an interesting mix of truly beautiful paintings (its a pity there isn't a picture of the cover on this webpage, as that always puts people off buying products) and a traditional, predicable story.

After a beautiful kingdom becomes plauged by a drought the king sends his three sons Edmund, Owen and Galen to find the Heart of the World that lies within the Enchanted Wood to restore the kingdom - in finding it their purpose will be magically achieved. Successively the three head off, and individually come to a cottage on the verge of the forest, where an old woman warns them not to wander off the path no matter what. Well, you don't really need to be told any more to know exactly what happens. The two older sons succumb to temptation, while the youngest remains true to his quest and succeeds, inheriting the kingdom and marrying the old woman's beautiful daughter Rose who accompanied him through the forest (for both mother and daughter had been unwilling gatekeepers of the forest, though eventually liberated by Galen's nobility). It is an old formula, encompassing all the cliches of a beautiful maiden, the threefold trial, the cursed kingdom, the virtueous youngest brother... Even though children will certainly not be bothered by this, seasoned fairytale lovers will know the tune oh-so-well and be frustrated at its predictability. Thus the title 'original fairytale' is somewhat misused.

On the other end of the scale however, some points of the story are quite confusing. It is unclear why finding the Heart of the World restores the land to its former glory, nor how it actually manages to achieve this. Furthermore, though Edmund and Owen's submissions to temptation (respectively to hunt a white stag and engage in battle with a Black Knight) are indeed vices, we are never really certain whether Galen did the right thing in turning his back on his own brothers when witnessing them in peril. Lastly, the meaning of the silver key that Rose drops into the Heart's waters and the 'ceremony' that she performs is unclear in its meaning and point.

However, *please* don't let my grousing over this feature stop you from finding this book as they pale in comparison to Sanderson's exquisite oil paintings, and are in fact (in my opinion) her best. In no other book of hers has she reached the level of detail and realism that she does in 'The Enchanted Wood'. She captures motion perfectly, her animals (deer and horses) are beautiful, and all little girls be satisfied that the heroine Rose is stunning. The best part however is Sanderson's illustrations of the forest - their misty, mysterious, shrouded depths are gorgeously created, from their forbidding entrance at the iron gates to the Heart of the World - three treetrunks intertwinging to make one.
The illustrations more than make up for the story and make this book a must-have for all lovers of great art, children's books, fairytales or beauty in general.

It is unfortunate that it has such a well-used title, as I know of two other books by the same name (Enid Blyton's, and another 'Enchanted Wood' by the Australian writer and illustrator Shirley Barber) but the illustrations *are* worth the effort to tracks this book down, either from Amazon or your library.

Ruth Sanderson is an excellent story-teller and author. This is a fine book to add to anyone's collection of fairytales or picture books. Highly recommended!

I've never read Ruth Sanderson's version of this book but when I was about 8 years old I found an old hardcover book by the same name in my uncle's basement. It was by Enid Blyton and had been published in 1939. I just about read the covers off that book and I still have it today. I recently started reading it to my children (ages 5 and 8) and find that they love it as much as I always did. I hope Ruth Sanderson has kept the same sense of wonder and innocence that the original book had. Just a note; the original book by Enid Blyton was followed by a sequal called The Folk Of The Faraway Tree which was filled with more adventures that Joe, Bessie and Fanny had with Moonface, Silky and all the other friends they made in the first book.

THIS BOOK IS FULL OF ADVENTURE, MYSTERY, AND FUN!!
I RECOMEND THID BOOK TO ANYONE!!!

It has all the princesses. It is fun to read. I like it because it's good.

First I got this book and it got so worn out from me reading it all the time that I had to get another one!!!!!!!!! :) This book is about the princesses working together to get the crown back. If you like fantasy, princesses, adventure, and fun you will love this book. It is my favorite book in the Jewel Kingdom series.

Jared Mercer was a normal ninth grader at his junior high school. He followed all the rules, never cut class, and hung out with the "right" people. Almost everything worked out the way it was supposed to, and no one suspected he was unhappy about anything. But he had one problem. Since he could remember, he was always second best at the one thing he was truly good at--running. In fact, the only person that he could not beat was Austin Pace, a casual friend who took pride in belittling all of Jared's efforts. Although it first begins as an annoyance, the constant rivalry becomes unbearable for Jared. When his close friend Cheryl proposes that they form a club for all their classmates who are second best at something, Jared agrees and suggests that they play harmless tricks on everyone else's rivals. At first this proves to be a safe and satisfactory way to air their feelings and get revenge, but the Shadow Club soon realizes that if they don't want to be caught, they have to stop their pranks for a while.
The only problem is, the Shadow Club had already been observed, and the outsider who's been watching them has started to talk. So when more dangerous pranks are being pulled on their enemies, everyone thinks that the Shadow Club, which is now believed to be a gang, is to blame. They become so enraged at being framed, that they nearly kill their main suspect, the boy who spied on them. But in order to find the true culprit, they have to admit that what they've done is wrong and face the harsh reality of the truth.
The Shadow Club is a book that is easy to relate to. You can identify with the characters feelings and emotions as they struggle to understand what they really want, not just what they think they want. However, I suggest you find a time when you don't have many things planned before you read it, because once you start, you won't be able to put it down. It is a true suspense story that not only keeps you turning pages, but attaches you to the characters. I recommend it for ages 10 and up.

To start off this book is great.... It's Shusterman at his best. I haven't came across a bad Shusterman book yet. Anyways here's the story in a Nutshell. A 14-year-old boy named Jared and his friend Cheryl are sick of being second best at the things that they do best. These two people gather more and more people that are second best, they decide to form a club.... The Shadow Club. This club has a goal, the goal is to make the people who are best pay, to make there lives a living hell, and play practical jokes and pranks on them. At first the club seems like a joke, they have meetings to plot there next practical jokes, they hang out etc., but.... one day a prank goes to far and people start getting seriously hurt, by the end of the book you find out that...... Wait now If I gave away the ending it would be pointless to read, wouldn't it? Anyways to find out what goes wrong and how the book ends, go buy it, borrow it, I don't care as long as you read it I'll be happy. (*****(5) out of *****(5) stars)

(More books by shusterman: The Dark Side of Nowhere, The Shadow Club: Rising, Downsiders )

The Shadow Club is about a group of second-best kids. They are always trying to beat the "Unbeatables", the kids who always win. They form a group and begin to pull pranks. They are harmless at first, then become reckless when they find out someone is trying to frame them.

The book is really great because it concentrates on things that really happen in Jr. High and High School. It proves that some people will do whatever it takes to win, but in the end they turn out to be no better than the people they were trying to beat.

*Idylls of the Queen* is so much more than a good murder mystery. It is a good murder mystery, but unlike an ordinary mystery, you can reread it, even knowing whodunit, without any of the fun being spoiled. The mystery is sort of a backdrop to the real show--which is yet another new take on the personalities of Arthurian legend, and a different look at chivalric ideals.

The narrator is the oft-maligned Sir Kay, the grouchy but well-meaning seneschal of Arthur's court. He's not a bad guy. He *is* a sarcastic curmudgeon, but that's because he's seen so many self-serving buffoons win glory and adulation while his own hard work goes unnoticed. He is also secretly in love with the Queen. Kay shares an uneasy friendship with a wonderfully written, morbid, fatalistic, and somehow sympathetic Sir Mordred. Together they set out to clear Guenevere's name of the murder charges, meeting fascinating characters right and left. Morgan and Iblis are especially engaging, and Karr puts some deep words into their mouths. Morgan's defense of her mixed Christian and pagan ways cuts right to the heart of things, and Iblis's observation that justice is different for women than for men, is shocking just because it is so true of the times.

If you're an Arthurian buff, read this book. It's a quick read, and a great way to spend a lazy afternoon or two.

"Idylls of the Queen" satisfies on many levels. One: it's a unique look at the world of Arthur's Camelot through the eyes of the much miligned Sir Kay. Two: It's a terrific murder mystery with red herrings and surprises. Three: It's a great fantasy, containing magic and otherworldly spells blended in a unique way.

If you're looking for something different, be it fantasy or mystery, I recommend "Idylls of the Queen" you won't be disappointed!

Phyllis Ann Karr has done all Arthurian fans a big favor by writing this book. "The Idylls of the Queen" is basically a murder mystery set in Camelot, with all the familiar knights and ladies as suspects when Sir Patrise is inexplicably murdered at a small dinner hosted by Queen Guenevere. Sir Mador accuses the Queen of the murder, and a race against time ensues to discover the truth. The usual knightly quest becomes a hunt for the killer--whoever that may be. Along the way Karr treats us to some very unique interpretations of the Arthurian cast, including Sir Gareth, Sir Bors, Sir Gawaine (more like the title character of "Sir Gawaine and the Green Knight") Morgan le Fay, and Sir Lancelot himself. Told in the first person by Sir Kay, King Arthur's foster brother and seneschal, usually noted by other writers solely for his comedic boorishness or ignored entirely, the novel clearly demonstrates that there is a lot more to Kay than he's usually given credit for--as was the case in the earliest Arthurain legends, where the sarcastic boor of later years is replaced by a loyal, courtly knight. Karr's version of Kay is still a fountainhead of caustic wit, but even so he's likeable and clearly indispensible to the well-being of Camelot.

A fast, suspenseful novel that should stand up to multiple readings, "The Idylls of the Queen" is an ingenious work that should please all fans of Arthurian literature.

This is a neat, fun, informative book for everyone, young and old alike. Facts, information, interesting anecdotes, and superb pictures and graphics. The handy size makes it perfect for kids working on reports for school as well. A super book for a number of reasons, and a great one to have on your shelf, especially if you have kids in school or simply want to know more about British Royalty.

I bought this book a couple of years ago. I read it and found it quite easy and enjoyable to read. Now I use it mainly for quick reference and usually find myself spending more time just browsing through its pages and enjoying it over and over. It has a lot of interesting historical facts! I wish there were similar books on other europpean royal houses!

Kings & Queens of England & Scotland is a great book! I use this on a regular basis and is a good source for reports. I would suggest this book. The individual biographies are great, and the events during the reign are really helpful. This book follows each dynasty and shows a family tree for each. I highly suggest this book for anyone.