Reviews (6)

Fine Book
I enjoyed this book because it went beyond the ordinary. It made me want to reread the Narnia tales, and to share the tales with children. This book isn't for them, however. Kenneth McIntosh's Following Aslan would be a good choice for the younger readers.

Solid and Academic
This book is great for the grown-up Narnia afficiado, the reader who wants to think long, deep thoughts that go way beyond the simplicity of Lewis's books. For younger readers who simply want to enjoy the story, while growing spiritually, I'd recommend Kenneth McIntosh's FOLLOWING ASLAN as a better choice.

Don't Leave Spare Oom Without It!
Colin Duriez' compact and portable "Field Guide to Narnia" fully lives up to its title.In three well-defined sections, it offers the reader insights into the Chronicles of Narnia which go far beyond simply cataloging C.S. Lewis' references and meanings.
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Subjects:  1. (Clive Staples),    2. 1898-1963    3. Children's Literature - General    4. Children's stories, English    5. Christian fiction, English    6. Christianity - General    7. Christianity - Literature    8. Chronicles of Narnia    9. English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh    10. Fantasy fiction, English    11. History and criticism    12. Lewis, C. S    13. Literature - Classics / Criticism    14. Religion   

Subjects:  1. Bibliographies & Indexes    2. Book lists    3. Books and reading    4. Children's Literature - General    5. Education    6. High school libraries    7. Literature - Classics / Criticism    8. Reference    9. Teenagers    10. United States    11. Young adults' libraries    12. Children's literature studies: general    13. Language Arts & Disciplines / Library & Information Science    14. Library & Information Sciences   

Reviews (4)

Companion leaves you lonely
The Companion book is quite a good read if you are an adult. Narnia was written for kids, I bought the Narnia books for my kids and for me. The Companion to Narnia was really written for adults so was not much use to my kids (even the older one). The book does note in the introduction that it is meant for readers who have already read Narnia and are reading it again.

great scholar
concerning narnia you'll find everything you need. very detailed. persons, places, theological and philosophical background etc.

Ian Myles Slater on: Guide to Another World
Paul F. Ford's "Companion to Narnia: Revised and Expanded" (as it proclaims on the cover) is the latest, longest, incarnation of a handbook to the C.S. Lewis stories, first published in 1980, and revised over the years to various degrees; some editions being rather dramatically larger than their predecessors.Good to begin with, it has become even better, if a little unwieldy (growing from 315 pages to 558). In all of them, there is a great deal of information assembled from the seven "Chronicles," Lewis' correspondence, and thematically and factually relevant passages from his other writings, both Christian and academic, with inconsistencies, thematic developments, and a host of other issues considered; the later the edition, the fuller the references, and the more considered the evaluation -- with the exception of one offshoot, under a new title, mentioned below.
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Subjects:  1. Children's Literature - General    2. Children's stories, English    3. Christian fiction, English    4. Dictionaries    5. Fantasy fiction, English    6. General    7. Lewis, C. S. (Clive Staples), 1898-1963    8. Literary Criticism    9. Literature - Classics / Criticism    10. Reference    11. Science Fiction & Fantasy    12. Christian Interest    13. Classic fiction    14. English    15. Fantasy    16. Literary Criticism & Collections / Reference    17. Religion / Christian Literature   

Reviews (1)

Good intensions boring book.
I had to purchase this book for a class.The first chapter is very informative however the restof the chapters repeateverything from the first chapter but with examples.Yawn. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. American - General    2. American literature    3. Children's Literature - General    4. History and criticism    5. Intellectual life    6. Juvenile Literature    7. Literary Criticism    8. Literature - Classics / Criticism    9. Minorities    10. Minorities in literature    11. Minority authors    12. Multicultural Education    13. Study and teaching    14. Teaching Methods & Materials - Reading    15. United States    16. Children's literature studies: general    17. Education / Teaching Methods & Materials / Reading   

Reviews (2)

More than just pictures!
I picked up this book, expecting to find essentially a picture book. However, this book is so much more...and it is lovely. Eric Carle's books "do special things" read all about them!
Inspiration is the first word that comes to mind after reading about Eric Carle's successful life as an author and illustrator. This book contains information about his childhood, his books, but most important his art. I especially enjoyed reading the section about where he gets his ideas. What is so special about Eric Carle's books?Many people all over the world could answer that question.My favorite answer is from a little boy named Paul, he said: "One reason I like your books is they do special things." ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Artists, Architects, Photographers    2. Biography / Autobiography    3. Children's Literature - General    4. Children: Grades 2-3    5. Commercial - Illustration    6. General    7. Juvenile Nonfiction    8. Juvenile Nonfiction / Art / General   

Reviews (4)

A must-have volume!
It's been years since I've read aloud from this wonderful anthology to my twin sons who are now 16. But they still remember vibrant, lively selections like "Half a league, half a league, half a league onward ... " (The Charge of the Light Brigade) and "The Ransom of Red Chief" (which they loved but didn't really "get" until they were about 13). I credit this wonderful book with providing truly excellent literature to feed their hungry young brains. This book is part of their current success in school and life! BUY IT for your child or grandchild - or donate it to your local school library!

What Parents Want Kids to Like but Not What Kids Do Like
Kids like books written and illustrated for them.Parents, not all but too many, want their kids to like 'the classics.'That makes the parents feel successful -- it has nothing to do with the child's needs or wants.
Awesome book!Highly recommended!
This is a keeper!Your kids will love to have you read aloud from this book.It is a compilation of stories arranged according to age-appropriate listening levels.All are well-known stories from well-known authors.Many stories, particularly the longer ones, are only excerpts; the editor has deliberately done this to whet the listeners' appetite.Read more

Subjects:  1. Child Care/Parenting    2. Children's Literature - General    3. Children's literature    4. Classics    5. Collections    6. Family / Parenting / Childbirth    7. General    8. Literature    9. Oral reading    10. Child care & upbringing    11. Juvenile Fiction / Classics   

Editorial Review

One dare not even call it seminal, yet in this ground-breaking work, English novelist and historian Marina Warner casts herself as the female Joseph Campbell in a fascinating and lively book that opens with the observation that "storytelling makes women thrive -- and not exclusively women," and then lifts the veil on both tellers and tales ranging from Sibyl to the late, great Angela Carter, from Lot's daughters to Disney's "Little Mermaid." She finds a not-so-hidden history of women, sex, power, fear -- and even healing -- lurking therein. An eye-opening reworking of our common myth pool. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

One of My Favorites
I read this book back in high school when I was just starting to get interested in fairy tale analysis.It's very indepth, well-written, and enjoyable.It's easy to understand and straightforward but offers so much information you're bound to learn something new. I highly recommend From the Beast to the Blonde to anyone that loves fairy tales or mythology.

There is witchcraft in your voice ...
Marina Warner writes absolutely beautiful prose, which alone is worth the price of this book. She is ... well, "enchanting" on the subject of myth as social commentary and psychological revelation. Excellent
Marina Warner's _From the Beast to the Blonde_ is a wonderful and engaging work concerning the cultural history of fairy tales.Warner explores the "stock characters" and stories of traditional tales, and in the process creates an excellent work of scholarship and criticism in an area of literature that has been relegated to the nursery, but didn't start there. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Folklore    2. Folklore & Mythology    3. Literary Criticism    4. Literature - Classics / Criticism    5. Social Science    6. Literary Criticism & Collections / Children's Literature   

Reviews (1)

Helpful and Handy
I had to get this book for a college class, but have found it much more enjoyable than the normal text book.Clear examples and easy to read text.CD-Rom is very helpful with supplemental materials. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Books and reading    2. Children    3. Children's literature    4. Education    5. Education / Teaching    6. Elementary    7. Study and teaching (Elementary    8. Study and teaching (Elementary)    9. Teaching Methods & Materials - Reading    10. Children's literature studies: general    11. Education / Teaching Methods & Materials / Reading    12. English literature: texts    13. Teaching of a specific subject   

Subjects:  1. Authorship    2. Children's 12-Up - Language Arts    3. Children's Literature - General    4. Language    5. Language Arts & Disciplines    6. Language Arts - Composition & Creative Writing    7. Language Arts / Linguistics / Literacy    8. Publishing    9. Publishing Guides    10. Language Arts & Disciplines / Publishing   

Reviews (11)

Excellent Book
I loved the connections in this book to Bible passages. It is an enjoyable read all on it's own and has a lot of "I never thought of that" ideas. Thank you Connie Neal!

A good answer. . .
to some "Christian" critics of HP.He doesn't go as far as Granger does in his estimation of the relationship between HP and Christianity.
Brilliant!
Connie Neal hits a home-run with this book! She gives an overview of the first four Harry Potter books, then draws scriptural parallels with incidents from each.
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Subjects:  1. Books and reading    2. Children    3. Children's Literature - General    4. Children's stories, English    5. Christian fiction, English    6. Christianity - Literature    7. English-speaking countries    8. History and criticism    9. Literature - Classics / Criticism    10. Religion    11. Rowling, J. K    12. Spirituality - General    13. Christian spirituality    14. Christianity    15. Harry Potter   

Reviews (13)

Interesting perspective
I read this book not expecting any great new philosophies or insights into old ones.I was pleasantly surprised.As a person that has read many of the older philosophical texts, I know how hard it is to sometimes understand the reasonings and logic presented.I think this book presents its ideas in a very clear way that even the youngest audiences of Harry Potter would be able to have a good introduction to philosophical thought.

Entertaining enlightenment
As a Harry Potter fan, I pick up almost anything with Harry in the title.Often, I put it back down after a cursory glance.Not this time!
A Fun Read: Take it for what it is
While the contributors only gloss the topics, it is better than reading a romance novel. If you want a better look at begging level philosophy, buy an introduction to philosophy text book: you can look at X university's philosophy department's webpage and see what they are using for intro classes. If you want some fun reading that will gloss some philosophical issues, read this book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's Literature - General    2. Children's stories, English    3. English Science Fiction And Fantasy    4. Fantasy    5. Fantasy - General    6. Fantasy fiction, English    7. Fiction    8. General    9. Good & Evil    10. History and criticism    11. Literary Criticism    12. Philosophy    13. Potter, Harry (Fictitious character)    14. Rowling, J. K    15. Philosophy / Modern   

Reviews (1)

An Excellent Reference Work for School and Public Libraries
Best Books for Young Adult Readers, a title in Bowker's Best Books series, is designed to help librarians, teachers, and other media-related professionals meet both the curriculum-related and recreational reading needs of students in grades 7 to 12.Its goals are to help librariansevaluate the adequacy of existing collections, to provide reading guidanceto young adults, and to assist in preparing bibliographies and readinglists. The book contains over 6,500 titles, about two-thirds of themnon-fiction, that have been recommended for library collections by at leasttwo of the nine most prominent young-adult book review sources. Thecitations to these titles contain full bibliographic information foridentifying and ordering the books, along with a helpful, brief summary ofcontent. The arrangement of the book is by broad subject, ranging fromliterary form to history and geography to recreation and sports. Almost 260pages are devoted to indexes by author, title, and subject/grade level.Although it's unlikely that many parents will want to buy this book,partially because of price, it should be seriously considered for purchaseby school and public librarians, along with the companion volume Best Booksfor Children. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bibliographies & Indexes    2. Bibliographies Of Juvenile Literature    3. Bibliography    4. Books and reading    5. Children's Literature - General    6. Literary Criticism    7. Reference    8. Teenagers    9. United States    10. Young adult literature, Englis    11. Young adult literature, English    12. Young adults' literature    13. Bibliographies, catalogues, discographies    14. Children's literature studies: general    15. Language Arts & Disciplines / Library & Information Science   

Reviews (6)

The Riddles Of Classic Fairy Tales
I have read several of Maria Tatar's books for critical fairy tales analysis. close look at the uncensored tales
It was really interesting to find out about how the Grimm's collection was put together and how it was rewritten. I was surprised to read that the Grimms added violence in order to make the stories more parent-friendly--I guess parents in those days really believed that punishments would produce virtue.Loved the stories at the end, which are pretty hair-raising. Could be better
Maria Tatar's book, while excellent lacks focus.She needs more information in some areas, while in other areas, she needs entirely new sections.It is an excellent book, but you may not find all the information you're looking for.For instance, I was reading the sex and violence section, and she would go on for pages about the sources the Brothers used.While this can pertain to the section title, she strayed to much, and I felt the section was lacking information on sex and violence. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1785-1863    2. 1786-1859    3. Criticism and interpretation    4. Fairy tales    5. Folklore & Mythology    6. General    7. Germany    8. Grimm, Jacob,    9. Grimm, Wilhelm,    10. History and criticism    11. Literary Criticism    12. Literature - Classics / Criticism    13. Regional, Ethnic, Genre, Specific Subject    14. Anthropology    15. Children's literature studies: general    16. Comparative Literature    17. Folklore    18. German    19. Grimm, Jacob    20. Grimm, Wilhelm    21. Literary Criticism & Collections / German    22. Novels, other prose & writers: 16th to 18th centuries    23. Psychology   

Subjects:  1. Books and reading    2. Children    3. Children's Literature - General    4. Children's literature    5. Education / Teaching    6. Elementary    7. History and criticism    8. Juvenile Literature    9. Literary Criticism    10. Children's literature studies: general    11. Literary Collections / General    12. Literary studies: general   

Subjects:  1. Bibliographies & Indexes    2. Bibliography    3. Books and reading    4. Children    5. Children's Literature - General    6. Children's literature, America    7. Children's literature, American    8. Language    9. Language Arts & Disciplines    10. Library & Information Science    11. Newbery Medal    12. Reference    13. United States    14. 20th century    15. Bibliographies, catalogues, discographies    16. Children's literature studies: general    17. Honours & decorations    18. Language Arts & Disciplines / Library & Information Science   

Reviews (3)

Truly an Essential Guide for Learning About Children's Books
I'm a children's book editor, and run a web site called "The Purple Crayon," where I review this book in detail. Here are some excerpts from that review: An Indispensable Reference
This is a fabulous resource for anyone interested in children's books. It includes 475 biographical/critical entries on current and classic writers and illustrators as well as essays on topics such as chapter books, poetry, fantasy, and book design. A special "Voices of the Creators" feature presents thirty personal essays from writers such as Katherine Paterson, Kevin Henkes, and Lois Lowry. There's also a useful graded booklist. Highly recommended for parents, writers, readers, and school and public librarians.

With over 100 new essays
Essential Guide To Children's Books And Their Creators is a recommended pick for any parent or teacher who wants a comprehensive survey of contemporary children's literature. A single volume of recommendations covers the best books and authors for children - the ones which are tested as making the most impression on kids. Over 100 new essays include newcomers from Harry Potter to Lemony Snicket, along with the latest publishing trends for kids. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bio-bibliography    2. Books & Reading    3. Books and reading    4. Children    5. Children's Literature - General    6. Children's literature, America    7. Children's literature, American    8. Consumer Guides    9. Dictionaries    10. General    11. Literature - Classics / Criticism    12. Reference    13. United States    14. Consumer guides & advice    15. Reference / Bibliographies & Indexes   

Reviews (1)

Must Read for Adults Working with Young Adults and Literature
Comprehensive, well-organized, and thought-provoking text, LIT for TODAY'S YOUNG ADULTS offers the professional or the parent great insights into, research about, and guidelines/recommendations for the young adult in regard to his literary world. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bibliographies & Indexes    2. Children's Literature - General    3. Education / Teaching    4. Juvenile Literature    5. Literary Criticism    6. Secondary    7. Secondary School Language Arts    8. Teaching Methods & Materials - Reading    9. Education    10. Education / Teaching Methods & Materials / Reading    11. Literature: History & Criticism   

Reviews (5)

A Great Defense of the Series, Offers an Intriguing Moral Analysis
"Harry Potter" is a popular, but very controversial series. From accusations of encouraging witchcraft to complaints about the book's social themes, there has been much criticism of the series, despite its massive appeal. In "The Wisdom of Harry Potter: What Our Favorite Hero Teaches Us about Moral Choices," Edmund M. Kern presents a defense against the criticisms and succeeds brilliantly. His defense is comphrensive, thoughtful, detailed and well-organized. He even goes further, providing background on the series and offering his own analysis of the books' themes. Although his references to the books occasionally contain small errors in detail, it is obvious that he has read them and it helps that he is also a parent. (Although he stresses that his book is not just for parents, but anyone who's interested in a thorough analysis of the series' themes.) He has also held discussions of the series on the radio.
Delightful & Intelligent for Adults who love Harry & Kids
Kern's easy-to-read, educated analysis allows us to relive the stories while seeing how they build confidence and self-understanding through Harry's choices, based on values rather than outside pressure. 50-some years old, left brained and typically interested in non-fiction, I started reading the Harry Potter books because I admired so that they made kids interested in reading.I believe reading is the key to a child's futures and I wanted to understand the motivation these books were giving young people.So far, I've loved 5 of the Potter books and the 6th one is on order.I also gave the Potter fever to my 74-year-old Dad and brother, a tough 34-year-old in prison who read and then passed them around to other inmates!He said, "Now I see why Mom loved to read."Then I found and read the Wisdom of Harry Potter by Edmund Kern, drawn by the great art on the cover, subtitle and Table of Contents - not to mention Kern's credentials and Introduction.The Wisdom of Harry Potter made me feel great for "choosing" to delve into Rowling's stories.Mr. Kern deserves 10 stars for sharing his brilliance so delightfully!

Should your child read Harry Potter? This book can help you.
I thouroughly enjoyed this book by Edmund Kern. He does a great job of encapsulating the morality of Harry Potter. Excellent use of resources and summarizing other books written on Harry Potter. The book is written in easy to read sections and is understandable to those who have not taken philosophy courses. Great for parents who enjoy the stories and want to explain to their children what moral decisions Harry must make and the morality of the decisions he does make. Though one hasn't had to have read the HP books before buying this one since Kern's book summaries of books 1-5 are excellent. This is a great starting point for any parent who has wondered, "Should my child read Harry Potter?" ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's Literature - General    2. Children's stories, English    3. Didactic fiction, English    4. Ethics    5. Ethics & Morals    6. Family & Relationships    7. Family / Parenting / Childbirth    8. Family/Marriage    9. Fantasy fiction, English    10. History and criticism    11. Parenting - General    12. Rowling, J. K    13. English literature: literary criticism    14. Morals & values   

Reviews (8)

Where Have We Seen This Before?
This book is OK, but I think it is merely a rerun of William Bennett's "Book of Virtues", sans William Bennett. And maybe it's just me, but I think the most important and fascinating book to have come along in a long time, if not ever, and is not even included in this book's list, is Norman Thomas Remick's rising star, "West Point: Character Leadership Education, A Book Developed from The Readings And Writings Of Thomas Jefferson".

excellent resource for finding worthwhile books for kids
The title of this resource sounds stuffier than it is.The authors' philosophy seems to be one of "less is more" -- making the case, in an interesting and literate foreword and five introductory chapters, that books can be useful and even important resources for trying to help your child figure out what makes life interesting.These books can help provide role models, teach empathy, and transport the reader to a different world or state of mind.The authors de-emphasize problem novels for young adults, which they feel teach self-acceptance rather than improvement and whose authors often sacrifice story for message, opting instead for the mythic, transportive style.I've read a lot of children's literature and still found a number of new and interesting titles here. A Great Guide to Books Worth Reading
As another reviewer pointed out, the title and subtitle of this book may put people off.But this isn't a book that applies a preachy sort of moralism to the task of building a child's character through literature.Far from it.It's a very valuable guide to books that have, and will, stand the test of time as classics. I discovered many wonderful books through this guide and had a great time reading them to my children.The best children's literature is as satisfying on an adult level as it is for the child.Read more

Subjects:  1. Bibliographies Of Juvenile Literature    2. Child Care/Parenting    3. Children    4. Children's Literature - General    5. Collections    6. Conduct of life    7. Family / Parenting / Childbirth    8. Literary collections    9. Literature    10. Moral Education    11. Parenting - Child Rearing    12. Rhetoric    13. Child care & upbringing    14. Children's literature studies: general    15. Family & Relationships / Child Care   

Reviews (2)

A reference catalog particularly for librarians featuring summaries of over 25,000 in-print titles suitable for grades K-6
Now in an updated 8th edition, Best Books for Children Preschool Through Grade 6 is a reference catalog particularly for librarians featuring summaries of over 25,000 in-print titles suitable for children in grades K-6. Each entry lists the title, author, publication date, price, ISBN, page count, and a one-sentence summary. Review citations for the listed books draw upon six respected publications: Booklist, Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, Horn Book, Horn Book Guide, Library Media Connection, and School Library Journal; these citations direct the librarian toward a more detailed discussion and evaluation of the title in question. An easy-to-use reference, sorted by book category and featuring a comprehensive index, Best Books for Children Preschool Through Grade 6 is a helpful and enthusiastically recommended tool for children's librarians everywhere.

A Must Have!
This is a wonderful book to add to your collection.The information is top notch offering great books to share with all the children in your life from birth to sixth grade!Read more

Subjects:  1. Best books    2. Bibliographies & Indexes    3. Bibliographies Of Juvenile Literature    4. Bibliography    5. Books & Reading    6. Books and reading    7. Children    8. Children's Literature - General    9. Children's literature    10. Literature - Classics / Criticism    11. Reference    12. United States    13. Bibliographies, catalogues, discographies    14. Language Arts & Disciplines / Library & Information Science    15. Library & Information Sciences    16. Literary reference works