The sea-thing child

It is the story about a baby bird whose name is sea-thing and about his hypersensitive buddy, a fiddler crab. So this Sea-thing is washed ashore and meets his buddy crab, a day-dreamer who is really eager to get bow so he would play his fiddle. The crab cries a lot. The whole 20 pages(the pages are not numbered, so i'm not really sure) they talk about music and sing peculiar songs. Then the sea-thing eventually grows up and loses interest in the crab's company. The sea-thing looks at the sky, spreads his wings and gives the crab the French leave. The end of the story. Could i recommend it to anyone? Only to put kids to sleep.

Ksenia R.

0019 of 1001

Rifles for Watie

War is for the young! The Ignorant Jeff Bussy marches off to Fort Leavenworth from Linn County, Kansas in 1861, on his way to join the Union volunteers.  The young and sweet Jeff first shows signs of compassion early in the tale, but as war progresses his spirits become numb. In the Indian country south of Kansas he fights for the ideals of the Union and President Lincoln. After his first battle Jeff soon learns that there's more to war than honor and glory. Jeff finds many friends on each side of the conflict including the Lucy, who is a Cherokee native and the supporter of Confederates. The enemy to all union soldiers in the Indian territories is Lt. Watie and his men, fearsome rebel raders.

This story gives the feeling of the war to a young reader in a wholesome manner. I felt sympathy for Jeff and was left wanting to know more about his adult years.

Bryan R

0018 of 1001

Voyage of the dawn treader

"Voyage of the dawn treader" by C.S. Lewis

The Dawn Treader is the ship of Caspian X, King of Narnia, who was the key character in the previous book (Prince Caspian) of “The Chronicles of Narnia”.  This is a high-seas journal of Lucky, Edmond, Caspian and Eustace. King Caspian is revitalizing the traditions of sail in the land of Narnia and searching for the “The seven Lords of Narnia". Lucy & Edmond with their reluctant cousin Eustace are drawn into an enchanted picture and into the land of Narnia, where they  join Caspian in the voyage and discovery, mosty of themselves.  It deals with the most basic human behaviors where with only the guidance of Aslan they can  choose the path of understanding and compassion. Aslan, the "Great Lion,"  serves to guide Lucy, Edmond, Eustace and Caspian, but he appears unambiguously to them only when they put their faith in his will and really try to see him. The adventurers seek the country belonging to Aslan, a Christ-like figure who rules over Narnia in the form of a lion (though he also takes the shape of a lamb there). Aslan tells the children that they must learn to know him by another name in their own country. 

Bryan R

0017 OF 1001

MAKE WAY FOR DUCKLINGS

There are domestic ducks and there are wild ducks.  Then there are those ducks drawn to the charms of the city and looking for a safe place to raise their ducklings.  Whether its in Boston's Public Garden or Clackamette Park, we enjoy seeing them and feeding them!  This  story of Mr. and Mrs. Mallard is probably similar to the story many of our fine feathered friends might tell.  Training her eight ducklings and getting them safely to their destination is just all in a day's work for a mother but when it comes to the ever-present dangers of the city a little help is needed!  If an officer came to the rescue today as, the very kind, Michael did in MAKE WAY FOR DUCKLINGS there would be a flood of television and Internet coverage that would pale to none if cute is what you're looking for.  Is it any wonder that in Boston Massachusetts this story by Robert McCloskey has been memorialized in a bronze sculpture by the same name?  And, of course, there is a parade held every Mother's Day called, you guessed it.... Make Way for Ducklings!  How cute is that!  

Bonnie R

0016 of 1001

THE STORY ABOUT PING

As I looked through our resource book, 1001 Books You Should Read Before You Grow Up, for familiar titles I found THE STORY ABOUT PING written by Marjorie Flack and illustrated by Kurt Wiese.  I read it and wondered why the title was familiar to me.  It seemed to me that I was reading a story I had never read before.  Ping was a beautiful, spirited little duck who lived on the Yangtze river.  Domesticated, he and his family were sent out every morning to forage along the river, and were expected back every evening. One day, to avoid a spanking for being the last one back, he intentionally hid but unintentionally got lost.  Oh, the experience he had!  My definition of experience is what you're getting when you're not getting what you want.  Ping learned a valuable lesson....  Better late than never!  After I finished, I did a little research and discovered THE STORY ABOUT PING has appeared on television since the 1950s.  Captain Kangaroo (or his friend Mr. Greenjeans) read Ping once a week on his show for seventeen years, while displaying its colorful illustrations in stark black and white on the screen.  That must have been it!  I rarely missed an episode of Captain Kangaroo!

Bonnie R.

p.s. Soupy Sales and Howdy Doody both featured Ping on numerous occasions, and Shari Lewis's sock puppet Lambchop once played the role of Ping in an adaptation for sock puppets and ventriloquists.  Sesame Street had an animated version that ran in the 1970's.  I may have never turned the pages of this book but I saw it on many occasions, I'm sure!

0015 of 1001

Mufaro"s Beautiful Daughters

This story is about two sisters: a kind one and an evil one( she definitely looks mean on the pictures). The not so kind sister Nyara is quite competitive, her heart is hard as a rock. The kind sister, Nyasha, is an obedient daughter to her father, humble and hard-working. They both live in the village with their dad but soon time will come to marry..... The king of the country has to choose the right queen among the best of the best. Guess who will become the queen? African version of Cinderella with exquisite illustrations.

Ksenia R.

0008 of 1001

Green Eggs and Ham

ooo!  Such a delightful book about a creature Sam-i-am ( car salesman?) who is offering "green eggs and ham" to another creature( hairy cat?). Sam-i-am is persistent with his attempts to persuade big creature to eat green eggs and ham; but  big creature refuses to try this dish. In the end he gives in and tries green eggs and ham(thinking that Sam-i-am will leave him in peace) and....likes them! Fantastic book ! Timeless for sure! I wish i had  found it earlier! Recommended to all adults and kids!
I remembered my husband buying his car and the salesman who would try all the tricks to persuade Bryan to buy a more expensive model.

Ksenia R

0014 of 1001