Sabrina recieves an secret gift. A picnic basket full of cheese, chocolate and good food! Whenever she touches the basket in the boat the monster bumps her boat. She is afraid of the monster. But is the monster good and trying to tell her something?

Sabrina is inviting her sisters to a picnic. To eat they are going to have a beautiful picnic basket with chocolate, pears, cheese, and other great food. Then a monster appears. Is the monster trying to tell her something?

This is a great book that tells that not everything that is beautiful is on the outside.

Hans Christian Andersen is one of the most famous writers of fairy tales. The Snow Queen is one of the longest tales and one of his best known. He would listen to folk and fairy tales as a child and when he grew up, he wrote some of these stories in his own words.

Anderson began writing The Snow Queen on December 5, 1844 and it was published sixteen days later in book form! His fairy tales made him famous and the stories have been translated into more than 100 languages and some have been made into films, like the Little Mermaid.

Nilesh Mistry is one of my favorite illustrators. He was born in Bombay and moved to London, England in 1975. His books include The Illustrated Book of Fairy Tales and Aladdin. I simply want to own every book he illustrates!

In the story of The Snow Queen, you will find illustrations and photography that shows the settings of the original book. This classic is again brought to life, yet never so beautifully as with Nilesh Mistry's art. Kai is whirled away by the icily beautiful Snow Queen. His playmate Gerda sets out to find him and encounters many adventures in his quest. This is a story I remember very well, yet I had to imagine the pictures in my own mind as a child.

In this book, she looks hauntingly similar to how I pictured her as a child. "The driver stood up, in a coat and hat of purest snow. She was a woman, tall and glittering. She was the Snow Queen."

The story begins with a story about the Devil who laughed at his own cleverness. He creates a mirror that sets people against one another by making people see the ugly side of things. If a splinter of glass from the mirror ever entered a person's eye, their heart would become a lump of solid ice. (quite a lesson there to be sure!)

When the "imps" decide to take the mirror up to the angels and try to make fun of them, it falls and shatteres into a hundred pieces. When "Kai" finds a grain of glass in his heart his entire attitude to life is changed. "Keep away from me!" he screeches at his friend Gerda.

Then one day he falls off his sled and sees the Snow Queen. She kisses him with her cold lips on his forehead and she takes him away through a cloud of darkness up into the sky. When Kai doesn't come home, Gerda goes looking for him. She sings to the river and drifts in a boat down a river to find Kai.

Gerda is a contrast to Kai and is loving and kind. Only when a spell is broken is evil defeated. After the story a page of where the event takes place helps make the story more interesting. Finally, we can explore the real and imaginary world of The Snow Queen.

Even as an adult, I am fascinated by fairy tales. They appeal to the child in us all and to something deep inside of us that knows, good will triumph over evil, in the end.

Family Classic Audio Books is a series of outstanding "theater of the mind" audiobook productions featuring a full cast performance. One of their latest offerings for young listeners (and their families) are Hans Christian Andersen's classic fairytale The Snow Queen adapted and with lyrics by Adrian Mitchell set to music by Richard Peaslee and wonderfully narrated by Jonathan Pryce. The Snow Queen follows young Gerda's quest (with help from some magical characters she meets en route) to rescue her friend Kai from the icy clutches of the Snow Queen.

The messages relating to lifes journey are wonderful. If you have never read this book as a child or as an adult, it is a must!

King George III of England was a tyrant. Thomas Jefferson said so when he wrote the Declaration of Independence and that was why we had the American Revolution and the rest was history. Except that most elementary school American History textbooks have very little to saw about King George III, a defect that Jean Fritz seeks to correct in this comic but historical view of the famous tyrant. Young readers will learn that King George III collected clocks and ate sauerkraut (the house of Hanover hailed from Germany after all), became a king when he was only twenty-two, married Princess Charlotte and had sixteen children, and tried to be a frugal monarch when it came to managing the money of his country (they are some very interesting examples of how he did this). Consequently, Fritz gives his readers an entirely different view of the taxation (without representation) that was a key catalyst for American independence.

"Can't You Make Them Behave, King George?" is one of a series of books by Fritz that teach young students about the major figures and events of the American Revolution (e.g., "Will You Sign Here, John Hancock?", "Why Don't You Get a Horse, Sam Adams?). There are historical facts and easy humor in equal measure in this volume, but I think that the most important aspect of the book remains that it gives us the British perspective on the American war for independence. There is also a footnote about the King's problems with porphyria, which will be important if young readers are interested enough in the life of this kill to check out the film version of "The Madness of King George," the only film to feature George III in a prominent role. This book has pictures by Tomie De Paola in keeping with the tone of the book, which shows that even if George III was a tyrant, that did not mean he was a bad person. After all, this was a king who made buttons.

I learned all kinds of things about King George, Queen Charlotte and others. It really helped me with my research on the Revolutionary war. In this book you get to learn the funny things about King George and things that happened during his time.

Jean Fritz has created many fabulous books for children. "Can't You Make Them Behave, King George?" is one of my favorites. It shows the beginning of the American Revolution from the eyes of King George. The book is humerous and historically correct. Kids and adults will enjoy reading it together!

When I was a kid, I went to a private school with a tiny little library. Once I was poking around the back shelves when I found this book! I read it and loved it. It's about an unruly princess named Rosewyn who finds herself caught in the middle of a scheme to steal the throne and must rescue her parents from the usurper in question. Most of the books I read when young are boring to me now, but not this one...so if you have a kid, this would be a good choice for her (or him) to read!

This book is the 2nd in The Bracken Trilogy, the 1st being The Bridge, and the 3rd being The Two Collars.

The story follows Rosewyn, a young princess and daughter of Rosalyn of the first book. Rosewyn is fiesty, loves adventure and gets herself into trouble. One day she gets caught up in a real adventure when assasins plot to murder her parents. With the aid of the Wise Old Woman she sets out to foil the plot and keep herself out of harm's way. All the while discovering maturity and strength in herself.

I HIGHLY recommend this series to any young reader. Or any adult (like myself) that loves charming engaging books. This is a quick read of only 154 pages, but a deep story. And is in no way childish.

Please read my reviews on the 1st and 3rd books also.

This is the second book in the Wise Woman trilogy by Jeri Massi and this one concerns itself with the daughter of the heroine of the first one. This one keeps the kid-saving-the-kingdom plot, but adds a plot to overthrow the king and queen, a secret passage, miners, slavers, and a dog. Of course, the Wise Woman is back, saving another princess (her granddaughter) and not seeming to have aged at all. Again, the religious overtones are light and the story and characters are interesting. This is better than The Bridge (in fact, if Crown and Jewel is read first, The Bridge is a bit of a disappointment), and can be read well beyond the recommended age group.

Morgan-Cole's book goes beyond the cliche, and beyond the Biblical narrative. She answers questions I have wondered about. What was life like in an Asian harem? Did Esther really want to be there? She is celebrated every year as a heroine. But who was she? An interesting plot, butressed with historical research and a female perspective, that leads you to admire Morgan-Cole's Esther, and the many women of her era who's names we never learn.

This is historical fiction at it's best. Meticulously researched and accurate where possible while at the same time totally captivating.

It's the story of a young Hebrew girl living in Persia c. 480 B.C.E. after her people had been exiled from Jerusalem. King Xerxes sends his men to find beautiful women for his harem and Esther is taken by force from her family. As the story of royal harem life and firey politics unwinds Esther finds herself more deeply involved in the King's life than she ever dreamed. Her strength and courage as she saves her people from annihilation give the reader cause for contemplation and make you fall in love with her.

Esther herself is enchanting but the whole cast of characters is skillfully developed. Before you know it you are floating along in the story and living in the 5th century B.C.E. The descriptions and history mesh perfectly with the fictional elements to create a spellbinding story of intrigue, mystery, murder, and romance.

The best part of the book for the true historical fiction fan is the part where Trudy Morgan-Cole details how she researched the book. She explains which parts are true, which parts are probably true, and which parts are pure fiction. She touches on the difficulties of researching historical figures from over 2000 years ago and explains her reasoning in using the 'version' of history she chose.

It's truly a splendid book that will delight the reader all the way through!

Thought provoking and truly an amazing story!

This author has combined truthin history with a romance that keeps the story going! What a great way to learn about history!

Henry's Queen was mesmerizing from cover to cover! Kit Linford's blend of excitement, romance and real historic events made Henry's Queen a literary masterpiece with an authentic flavor that stays with you long after you've read it. You'll want to read it again and again! A truly riviting novel!

Henry's Queen was mesmerizing from cover to cover! An entralling love story that included historical facts, creating a "can't put it down" literary masterpiece. Kit Linford's combination of excitement, romance, and authenticity creates a book you'll never forget. A must read! I can't wait for the next book by this author!

Set in 4th century Japan, Jingu: The Hidden Princess by Ralph Pray is the story of Jingu, a young princess who feels isolated and alone within the Imperial Japanese Palace. On her tenth birthday, Jingu receives a gift from the Emperor with a mysterious hidden message, and so her journey and transformation from girl to leader begins. Firmly grounded in history, written with majesty, grace, warmth, and understanding, and enhanced with illustrations by Xiaojun Li, Jingu: The Hidden Princess is an emotional and highly enjoyable coming of age book especially recommended for preteen young adult readers.

"Jingu" is a delightful little story for children.We follow this beautiful, young princess of fourth-century Japan who is being groomed by her parents of the Imperial family, and even by the elderly Emperor himself to be a wise and special leader. Although Jingu feels she is overprotected, she is finally given to understand that the reason for keeping her life so protected was to nurture her innate gifts for absorbing the tenents of wisdom and leadership while safeguarding her from being negatively influenced by the extraneous forces of mediocrity.
As Jingu ages from little girl into a vivacious young lady, very learned from diligently studying with her old Chinese master teacher, she finally becomes aware that "my world is opening-up". And indeed, it does open-up. Jingu is informed that, thanks to her brilliant progress in her studies, she has been appointed to a high office in the Ministry of Education in a Japan that is still feudal. Eventually, she is told by the by now very elderly Emperor that when he dies she is to become the wife of his successor. In other words, the new Empress.
Yet, this is not merely the tale of a hereditarily successful marriage. Long before she becomes Empress, the youthfully wise Jingu tells her young male friend, Ichiro, that she has great plans for Japan whose one-hundred clans have been feuding for many years. She idealistically decides that once she becomes Empress she will convince all these warring clans with her "fresh vision" for the future by helping them to stop their perennial fighting and to unify them into what was to become the Empire of Japan.
Ralph Pray, the book's author (amazingly, this is his first book), writes his fascinating tale with poetically nuanced and precise language. I can't wait for his next book.

"Jingu the Hidden Princess" is a gentle, intelligent tale of the maturing of a young princess in fourth century century Japan. Historically based, it is told in first person without sentimentality. The result is a thoroughly believable journey into a past that most twentieth century children, until now, have had little opportunity to explore.

In one sense, Jingu is a children's coming of age story set in another time and another culture. In another sense it is a statement of the indomitable spirit of children, in this case one particular little girl. And in still another sense it is a pattern for integrity as Jingu makes faithful decisions for the sake of duty to country and heritage. None of these "morals" is militant or in-your-face. They are just quietly there.

Dr. Pray has written an appealing book that children will be fascinated by and parents will be glad to have on their children's shelves.

The illustrations, by Xiaojun Li, are graceful pen and ink drawings that enhance not only the look of the book, but the meaning of the text.

King kid was a wonderful book. I have no idea why they would put a book like that out of print. It's humerous, and is wierd, and zany, which I like. Overall, this book deserves a 10!

King Kid is a wondurful and humerous book! I got it when I was 4 or 5, but I lost it and now we've relocated a copy or two, and my mom re-ordered it for me! And It's on its way, and I found out to my pleasant suprise, its a rare and valued book! But I'll never let it go again! To me, this book deserves a 10.0! I don't care what Horn Books says; as King Kid would say, "I'm King Kid, thank you, and shut up!"

I don't know if anyone will ever read this; King Kid is one of my favorite books! I haven't been able to contact the author, Rozelle Bentheim. This book deserves five stars with me, and because it is out of print, I just recently discovered, to my pleasant suprise, that it was worth alot of money; but I'm never gonna let it out of my sight! Overall, the book is worth a 10.0! I don't care what Horn books says! "I'm King Kid!Thank you, and shut up!"

Have you ever had a struggle or mental block that simply never went away; one that made you feel self-conscious, ineffective, and utterly inept? Well, for me, that bugaboo has always been ' embarrassingly enough ' addition. Yes, simple addition.
I know, I'm a grown woman. I earned a high school diploma, have had some college, am engaged in a career that requires mathematical computation on a daily basis (thank God for calculators and computers), and am a homeschooling mom (thank God again for textbooks with clear directions and for children who know how to read for and can comprehend what they read).
I have never, ever, been able to add two-digit numbers in my head, and have struggled with even the most basic addition of single digit numbers if the sum is higher than 10 (i.e. 8+6=?), without either using my fingers or having a pencil and paper at the ready. My struggles with math are at the most basic level, too! I can multiply and divide, have a basic understanding of algebra, and love geometry. Adding and subtracting make me feel like an imbecile, though. And it's not for lack of trying, either! I've studied textbooks ranging from preschool to college level, hoping to find a way to overcome this challenge, without success. But now I've found the key!
This book is so fantastic; I can't put it into words. But I'll try: First, the artwork is cute without being too cutesy; perfect for boys or girls. Second, the story is well-written, with engaging dialog (i.e. character voice, mood swings, etc.). The mathematical concepts are subtly interwoven in a 'real life' applicable manner, so they make perfect sense and are easily grasped by young (age 6) and old (age 36 and extremely mathematically-challenged) alike. I can't put it any more plainly than, 'I GET IT! After 36 years, I FINALLY GET IT! And now, my children 'get it' too!'
My 'Math Miracle' Book '. Even my mom thinks it's a miracle that I finally 'get' addition!

The king has struck again. He has created havoc in his kingdom by creating too many commissioners. He has commissioners for foul balls, rainy days,and counting to name a few. The time comes when he must count how many commissioners he has. He calls on his counting commissioners who begin the long task. His daughter the princess helps count as well. Each person counts a different way to please the King but he can only follow the logic of one. That person is....... buy the book! This book is a great read for many ages and can be used in and out of school.

This book is a great book for younger children in first grade. It goes threw the math concept of regrouping. The children love the story line and also the illustrations. It makes a great read aloud in the classroom.

This book contains a catchy, rhyming poem and colorful full-page illustration for each of the English monarchs. Like the best children's literature, it is as much fun for the adult to read as for the child to hear. And not just for children--I found its jingles helpful in cramming for college English history exams!

Last night on Jeopardy!, someone flubbed a question re the Stuart dynasty. If they had only been exposed to this book, they would have remembered instantly: "James and Charles, Charles and James. They all looked well in picture frames." Another contestant did not know Cromwell's title. Farjeon fans would have recalled: "Lord protect us from Protectors." A unique, valuable, and fun book.

My first introduction to this wonderful book with a poem for each of England's monarchs was as a child in the early 50s. I loved it then (George was the king), and learned all the poems by heart. My children found it just as pleasing, and by the time these American youngsters were six they too could recite a poem for all the English kings and queens. As young adults, they are now arguing who will get to KEEP this much-read and much-loved book. How I wish I could find another copy!

I loved each poem. It has made it easier to remember who did what and remember the order of the English Monarchs. I think every American child should get the opportunity to learn these enchanting poems. As an adult, I enjoy the black and white characature each poem represents. This book is a must for any home that loves England, history and literature.