Friday November 21, 2008
Children's Books: Series
Displayed below are the top selling items for today, Friday November 21, 2008 along with the review customers have voted "most useful".
To find top selling items in for a specific category, use the menu on the left or click here to see all categories.
- If You Give a Cat a Cupcake (If You Give... Books) by Laura Numeroff
- Junie B. Jones's First Boxed Set Ever! (Books 1-4) by Barbara Park
- Untitled Paolini : Inheritance, Book III (Inheritance) by Christopher Paolini
- Harry Potter Schoolbooks Box Set : From the Library of Hogwarts by J.K. Rowling
- Harry Potter Paperback Box Set (Books 1-6) by J.K. Rowling
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Book 7) by J. K. Rowling
- Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst
- The Complete Visual Dictionary of Star Wars : The Ultimate Guide to Characters and Creatures from the Entire Star Wars Saga by David West Reynolds
- Harry, A History : The True Story of a Boy Wizard, His Fans, and Life Inside the Harry Potter Phenomenon by Melissa Anelli
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If You Give a Cat a Cupcake (If You Give... Books)
by Laura Numeroff
(based on 12 customer reviews)
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(Hardcover)
Author: Laura Numeroff
Publisher: Laura Geringer
Price: $10.19
You save: $6.80 (40%) off the list price!
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Most useful review as voted by customers:
15 out of 19 people found the following review helpful.
Review Date: 10/3/08
Not as Good as Mouse/Cookie
We love the "If You Give..." books at our house. Our 2 1/2 year old will sit through "Mouse Cookies & More" which has "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie", "If You Give a Pig a Pancake", "If You Give a Moose a Muffin" & "If You Take a Mouse to School" all in one, and then she'll want to read it all over again.
We were very excited to get a new "If You Give..." book, especially one about a cat (our daughter's favorite animal); but I found this story to be less charming than the others. Some of the transitions felt forced; for example, Cat goes to the gym and then suddenly wants to go to the park - I didn't get the connection so the book just didn't flow as well as the others I've read.
This is not to say my little girl isn't completely captivated by the book. We've had it less than a day and have read it through several times (we had to stop because of dinner and bedtime or we'd probably still be reading it!).
So, overall the story is cute and sweet, just like the others, but "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie" is still my favorite.
Click here to see more reviews for: If You Give a Cat a Cupcake (If You Give... Books)
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Junie B. Jones's First Boxed Set Ever! (Books 1-4)
by Barbara Park (based on 163 customer reviews)
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(Paperback)
Author: Barbara Park
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Price: $13.57
You save: $6.39 (32%) off the list price!
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Most useful review as voted by customers:
46 out of 58 people found the following review helpful.
Review Date: 6/2/02
Motivation in the Classroom
This series is a runaway hit, which explains why there are so many of them! This series is a must have for any primary (kindergarten-third grade) classroom. Junie B. Jones' kindergarten grammar defines her impatient, excited, five year old personality. I loved reading these books aloud to primary students. They lend themselves to fast speech, a foot stomp of impatience, and expressive reading for those who enjoy reading aloud. I would only need to read one Junie B. Jones book to first or second graders, and the rest would jump off of the classroom shelves. I would have to ask students to take copies out of their desks if I wanted to read another one aloud to the class. Students don't take Junie B. Jones' personality or misadventures seriously. They are wonderfully wacky and entertaining to a child's mind. What IS serious is that these books get young students eager to read chapter books. I have seen many first graders choose Junie B. Jones as their first chapter books. My students and I loved these books so much that classroom copies became worn, and I am now purchasing new copies for my personal collection. If your child has Junie B. Jones books that they enjoyed and have outgrown, make sure they don't want to keep them, then, pass them along to a primary teacher!
Click here to see more reviews for: Junie B. Jones's First Boxed Set Ever! (Books 1-4)
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Untitled Paolini
Inheritance, Book III (Inheritance)
by Christopher Paolini (based on 384 customer reviews)
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(Hardcover)
Author: Christopher Paolini
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Price: $16.50
You save: $11.00 (40%) off the list price!
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Most useful review as voted by customers:
238 out of 279 people found the following review helpful.
Review Date: 9/21/08
A satisfying fantasy adventure tale
I enjoyed the first two books of this series, and was eager to read the third. I won't outline the plot, because you can find that elsewhere. I will just tell you what I think about this book.
It is an enjoyable read, and a worthy third installment to the series. I thought that Eragon was a very good story, and Eldest not quite as good, although Paolini's writing had improved. Brisingr is the best of the three. I fell back into the story right away, and I found myself caring about the characters, even worrying about their safety. This is what I look for in fiction: it made me want to pick up the book every chance I got. If it interferes with the rest of my life, it is a very good book. Brisingr is one of those books. I am thankful to my son that he recommended this series to me.
Some reviewers of Eldest were very critical of the fact that the plot is derivative of other epics, like The Lord Of The Rings or Star Wars. I didn't mind this in the least. It is the tale of a hero's journey, complete with absence, devestation and return. It is one of the oldest tales in storytelling. We already know the story, but it is the storytelling that makes it good or bad. Paolini is a good writer. Not as great as Tolkein or LeGuin, but good nevertheless. I was able to suspend my inner critic, and enjoy the read. I recommend that you do the same.
Click here to see more reviews for: Untitled Paolini
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Harry Potter Schoolbooks Box Set
From the Library of Hogwarts
by J.K. Rowling
Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them, Quidditch Through The Ages (based on 459 customer reviews)
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(Hardcover)
Edition: 1st American Edition
Author: J.K. Rowling
Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books
Price: $8.99
You save: $6.00 (40%) off the list price!
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Most useful review as voted by customers:
154 out of 159 people found the following review helpful.
Review Date: 3/14/01
Clever, funny, and completely integrated with the novels
J.K. Rowling has given us facsimile editions of two of Harry Potter's schoolbooks, all proceeds going to children's charities around the world. The books are only 64 pages each, but the print is very small and they are crammed with remarkably interesting information that fills out the background of Harry Potter's world. Headmaster Albus Dumbledore himself provides introductions to these special editions."Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them", by "Newt Scamander", describes all the magical creatures we have seen in the first four books of the series, plus many more. Harry's marginal notes (along with Ron Weasley's, since Ron's own copy apparently fell apart) remind us of many of his adventures. "Quidditch Through the Ages", by "Kennilworthy Whisp" shows how this magical sport (along with similar ones) has evolved, and also provides a history of magic broom technology with a good deal of supplementary material shedding light on wizard-Muggle relations throughout history.
Both books provide many hints towards a better understanding of what's really going on in the "backstory" in the Harry Potter books. They may not suffice to keep Potter fans totally satisfied until the next book comes out, but they'll surely create a big demand for other "supplementary" materials.
Click here to see more reviews for: Harry Potter Schoolbooks Box Set
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Harry Potter Paperback Box Set (Books 1-6)
by J.K. Rowling (based on 272 customer reviews)
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(Paperback)
Edition: 1
Author: J.K. Rowling
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Price: $35.87
You save: $21.07 (37%) off the list price!
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Most useful review as voted by customers:
37 out of 47 people found the following review helpful.
Review Date: 4/18/07
PCE student review
The Harry Potter series is a great series because the author explains the characters so well. The plot is full of adventure. I like the 1st book Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone because it is when Harry finds out he is a wizard, he first goes to Hogwarts, he meets friends, and gets foes.
I like the 2nd book Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets because Dobby comes and tells him not to go back to Hogwarts, he goes to school anyway, and a lot of weird things happen (I can not tell you though).
I like the third book Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban because he goes on the night bus and has a crazy ride, Aunt Marge starts saying bad things about him, he gets mad, and he finds out that Sirius Black got away from Azkaban.
I like the 4th book Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire because there is a tournament between 3 schools that Harry some how gets entered in to and he has to do the things in the tournament.
I like the 5th book Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix because they make an order to fight dark wizards, Harry and Cho get into a relationship, and he has a court trial for using under-aged magic.
I like the 6th book Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince because Harry gets picked up early by Dumbledore and helps him make an old teacher come back.
My favorite book in the series is the 5th book. My favorite character is Harry Potter.
The series themes are life as a wizard and good versus evil. I recommend this series for all ages. I think this is the best series ever!
Click here to see more reviews for: Harry Potter Paperback Box Set (Books 1-6)
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Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Book 7)
by J. K. Rowling (based on 3236 customer reviews)
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(Hardcover)
Edition: 1st Edition, Book Seven (7)
Author: J. K. Rowling
Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books
Price: $20.99
You save: $14.00 (40%) off the list price!
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Most useful review as voted by customers:
535 out of 660 people found the following review helpful.
Review Date: 7/21/07
A perfect ending to a glorious series
Before the release of the seventh and last book of the Harry Potter series, I re-read all the preceding volumes. Throughout, I followed how the author developed her grand theme of Right vs Wrong, the strong vs the weak and the evils of the misuse of power. How was Rowling to end this series? Obviously, the Apocalypse was at hand, and the heroic struggle between Harry Potter and the evil Voldemort would be the climax of the series. While we waited for the last book, rumors abounded. Fake spoilers floated over the internet like the soul-sucking Dementors, threatening to extinguish the enjoyment people would get from this final volume. So, no spoilers from this reviewer. All I will say is that "Deathly Hallows" lived up to my expectations and in fact, ended pretty much as I imagined it would. Rowling keeps true to her theme right to the end and to her artistic vision as well. There is plenty of action right from the get-go. This is by far the most exciting of the seven books, with duels, battles, fights, daring escapes and amazing twists of fortune. There are plenty of surprises and also many reasons to weep. The action sometimes is non-stop, but from time to time, there are welcome respites in the action, times for moments of tenderness or friendship between surprising pairings of characters. The sub-theme of the redeptive power of Love is evident in these idylls. J. K. Rowling is a master writer who has created an amazing work of art with the Harry Potter series and just as any master craftsman, she has chosen the perfect finish for a fine series of books. I look forward to new series with entire new worlds or...perhaps this is really the end. Some authors do write themselves out when they've said their say. I don't know. But I do know this author is one I enjoy reading and I hope we have many more new adventures to discover from her pen. Bravo! Joanna Daneman
Click here to see more reviews for: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Book 7)
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Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
by Judith Viorst (based on 181 customer reviews)
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(Paperback)
Author: Judith Viorst
Publisher: Aladdin
Price: $7.99
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Most useful review as voted by customers:
306 out of 307 people found the following review helpful.
Review Date: 9/9/99
I think this book is good for "kids" of all ages!
I think this is one of the best books I've read. It is warm, and funny. At the same time it reminds us that everyone has bad days! I adore this book not only because it's an excellent children's book, but because it appeals to the child in all of us. Another such book is Why Some Cats are Rascals, Book 2. Read them both you will be glad you did it.
Click here to see more reviews for: Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
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The Complete Visual Dictionary of Star Wars
The Ultimate Guide to Characters and Creatures from the Entire Star Wars Saga
by David West Reynolds (based on 81 customer reviews)
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(Hardcover)
Author: David West Reynolds
Publisher: DK CHILDREN
Price: $26.40
You save: $13.60 (34%) off the list price!
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Most useful review as voted by customers:
65 out of 65 people found the following review helpful.
Review Date: 9/28/06
Wow!
What an amazing, thorough, comphrensive guide to everything Star Wars. NOTHING is left out. You get not only in depth profiles of every major character, but every OTHER character in the universe. It's so detailed that they break down each PART of each weapon, ship, etc. For someone like myself who isn't the biggest Star Wars geek (but wanting to learn more), this is a godsend. There are many, many, hardcore fans out there that can reference almost anything and anyone to do with Star Wars. Well, now you can too, and you don't have to see the films 3245 times to do it.
It's a great companion to the "Ultimate Visual Guide" as well. It is a combination of the Visual Dictionaries for the the other films, so all Episodes 1-6 are covered.
Buy it, NOW!
Click here to see more reviews for: The Complete Visual Dictionary of Star Wars
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Harry, A History
The True Story of a Boy Wizard, His Fans, and Life Inside the Harry Potter Phenomenon
by Melissa Anelli (based on 20 customer reviews)
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(Paperback)
Author: Melissa Anelli
Publisher: Pocket
Price: $10.88
You save: $5.12 (32%) off the list price!
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Most useful review as voted by customers:
36 out of 43 people found the following review helpful.
Review Date: 10/23/08
Your ESSENTIAL ringside seat to the Harry Potter phenomenon written by an insider, Melissa Anelli.
Though there have been many dozens of books attempting to chronicle the particulars of Harry Potter fandom in all its dimensions -- the fan fiction, the Wizard Rock, the websites, the conventions, et al. -- all have fallen short because of the inherent difficulty in condensing its breadth and scope to manageable size; but this one admirably compacts ten, detailed years of Harry Potter history in its 356 pages, and covers the subject thoroughly.
It's a given that, if you know of Melissa's Leaky Cauldron website, you'll find this book to be an extension of the website, and delightfully so; but the real surprise for me was that it not only is for the die-hard fans but the rest of the world who are wondering, "What's all the excitement about?" This book answers that question.
In its pages, Melissa Anelli thoroughly covers Harry Potter fandom in a way that could only be done by an insider, by someone who has had access to virtually everyone of note in the Harry Potter community, fan and pro, and also what she calls "Team Potter" -- Rowling's publishers, agents, lawyers -- the professional team who rarely give access or interviews to their inner workings, and, most significantly, Rowling herself, a "first" for any book written about her. That "Team Potter" allowed Melissa access speaks volumes about their professional respect for her, which is why The Leaky Cauldron (a reference to a beloved inn and favorite watering hole in Rowling's wizarding world) is considered the best, most reliable source of news in Harry Potter fandom. (This year, especially, has been trying and divisive for fans, because of the trial between RDR Books and Rowling. During that sordid episode, it was The Leaky Cauldron that was the voice of reason.)
In reading Melissa's first-hand account of what's happened in Harry Potter fandom and the book/movie worlds drawn from the seven Harry Potter novels, it's as if you're right there with her, being caught up in all the excitement: from public events to behind-the-scenes closed-door sessions, Melissa shares it all; and with its sense of immediacy, I found reading this book to be an intimate reading experience. The writing tone is in keeping with the infectious enthusiasm that characterizes most of Harry Potter fandom, and why fans are still, more than ever, pumped up about a boy named Harry. (And Severus Snape. And Professor Dumbledore. And the rest of the colorful characters in the wizarding world.)
A journalist with real-world credentials (she was a reporter for a New York newspaper), Melissa properly starts, and ends, the book with a discussion about the last Harry Potter novel, HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS. In coming full circle, there's a sense of closure, of course, and rightly so; but as 2008 has shown, Rowling has not retired, so there's more, much more, that is grist for the mill for a future edition: the publication of BEEDLE THE BARD, for one, and it's eye-popping, record-setting price realized at auction for one of seven hand-written copies; and, of course, the Rowling/Warner Bros. vs. RDR Books trial, which was the subject of some of the looniest mainstream reportage I've ever read. (Like many others, I relied on The Leaky Cauldron for fair and balanced coverage.)
A bonus: There's also an eight-page photo insert (black-and-white photos), with some fascinating pictures: candid shots at Harry Potter fan events, photos of Rowling, and some photos of the author with some guy named Daniel Radcliffe, and Rowling herself + her PI (personal assistant), Fiddy Henderson.
At $16, the retail price, the book is a good buy, but at the discounted price on Amazon, it's a GREAT buy, and deserves a place in the library of anyone who has enjoyed the Harry Potter novels and wants a book that accurately puts the Harry Potter phenomenon in context. And if a hardback is subsequently published, so long as it has sewn signatures (i.e., a sturdy binding), I'll be happy to buy a second copy.
Bottom line: This book is WELL worth your time and money.
Click here to see more reviews for: Harry, A History
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