Toys and Games Books

I forgot how long Curious George books are. I remembered them being short when I was a kid. Anyway, my 4 year loves the cartoon and show on PBS so I thought I would give these a try. She really likes these books w/ CD. She can follow along on her own. Audio and Narrators are very good. My 4 year old has a long attention span. Some of these books can be up to 30 minutes. If your child cannot sit still that long, it may not be for you.

My Grandson loves Crious George and I am always satisfied with my purchases from Amazon.

Tells when they need to turn the page. My 4 yr old loves it. Him and my 2 yr old love Curious George!

We use books on cd as an alternative to using a dvd player in the car... and these cd's work perfectly for that! The narrator tells you what the picture is on the page where the story starts if you want to follow along with the book (which my kids sometimes do). I like that they have the sound that lets you know when to turn the page (if you choose that track, every other track has the page turn sounds)... some kids' books on cd/tape don't do that and if you have a kid that isn't a reader yet, it makes it harder to follow along without a reader's assistance. These are also great for bedtime... we will read one story, then turn out the lights and the kids can go to sleep to another one (without the page turning sounds).

I wish that all kids collections were available like this one.

Wow, this book is REALLY big. It's a big, heavy hardcover. MUCH BIGGER than we expected. The stories and illustrations are just what you'd expect from Curious George, and our son really likes it. It comes with FIVE CDs, and each audio track begins with "Out story begins on the page where George is doing XXX with YYY" so the children can flip to the correct story without grownup help (in theory, that is. In practice it's not so easy, because there's so many pages that it's just too hard to find).

I would have given it FIVE STARS, except for one thing: the only thing I would have done differently is put the stories with and without page-turn signals on separate CDs. Each CD has two versions of each audio track - with and without page turns, but that means there are less stories per CD, and that when you play a CD it plays each story twice.

First, let me note for those interested in the subject that this book shows babywearing on the cover.

But that's really just a lagniappe in a good book.

Michael is, as you can guess, sitting on his mother's lap, and he keeps getting down and fetching more and more of his special things to be with him. Eventually all this wakes his sister, and his mother goes to sit her on her lap as well, and he makes room and they snuggle together.

The author doesn't patronize kids by carefully spelling out "Michael is jealous of his sister" or anything of that nature. It's too easy to do that. Instead, Michael's feelings are clearly shown by his words ("There isn't room") and the illustrations (him hiding under his blanket is priceless).

I wouldn't suggest giving this to a mother of five who has already started yelling "I WANT MY LAP BACK", after all, the moral is that there's *always* room on mother's lap. But most everybody else is going to love it.

Nice book, not sure if it engages my 2-yr old. Great sentiment though.
...Looking for 'new baby' books geared to very young crowd. Haven't found anything super yet.

We got this book for our 22 month old daughter for Christmas. It is now one of her favorites. I find it quite beautiful as Michael has to learn how to share his mother with his baby sister. It shows how he reacts emotionally and the difficulties involved around sharing, something all children can relate to.

This is a very touching book to reassure moms and children that life with a new baby means more love to go around. I have bought it for many friends. Those first months with a new baby are definitely a time of adjustment as the new baby needs so much attention and the older child has to wait (or the older child needs a lot of attention and the baby has to wait!) so this book is a nice, subtle reminder that there is always room on mother's lap. The last page definitely brings tears to the eyes!

This is a great book if you have a new baby come into the house. My son and I read this book every night and then he reads it back to me. I would recomment this book highly.

Beautiful book, good quality.Thanks god. some of the pop up books I bought from Amazon that have really bad quality.Pop up with the glue stick around and paper is not strong enough that get easily broken. This is a good one. Very enjoy it myself not only my daughter.

This book is so cute and it pops up just like the picture shows. My mother loves Victorian stuff and she's getting this for Christmas. A sweet gift for any age.

I have purchased 2 of these doll houses. I have one at my house for my grandchildren to play with when they come over and I bought one for my oldest granddaughter we love it and it is easy to keep because it becomes a book when you are finished playing with it. I store it on my bookshelf.

I purchased this item for both my Granddaughter and Goddaughter since I am very much into the doll's house world, hoping to create a love for this from an early age. Both of them absolutely love their dollhouse with the family and have endless hours of real enjoyment. This is a purchase well worth the money spent.

I bought this as a gift for my granddaughter,but couldn't resist a peek, its great!

"Forget the yellow folder with the drawings of those different sports guy on it. Forget the fancy pencil holder with secret compartments. Forget your two-dollar eraser in the shape of a hamburger. The Trapper Keeper was the only must-have school supply.

The Trapper Keeper you had said a lot about who you were . The kids with the Hawaiian sunset were the deep, moody kids. The girls with the kitties were the good girls. The girls with the unicorns were the artsy girls. The boys with the sports cars were the jerks. The boys with planets and stars were smart. The boys with "Rad Dog" written on theirs were burnouts. And the kid with the panda bear was having trouble at home. It was all very simple and obvious."

So says the entry on the Trapper Keeper. Yeah, it's that good.

Picked up this book on a whim (I love the "I love the 80s" shows on VH1, so I figured this would be somewhat like it) and I wasn't disappointed! Funny anecdotes, interesting information and a great selection of 80s paraphenalia make this book worth rereading several times, because there's always some joke or funny reference that you've forgotten or missed.
I also find it good for stress relief at night, if you can't sleep because you can't stop worrying about stuff. I just pick up this book, thumb to a section or two and it makes me laugh and I forget about stress long enough to fall asleep (although I'm sure the authors never intended it as a sleep aid!).
Oh, and for reference, I was born towards the beginning of the 80s, so some stuff I wasn't familiar with, but it was all funny anyway.

great purchase for any kid at heart who grew up in th 80's. could've been more inclusive. may i suggest a part 2?

After buying this book for my brother for Christmas (which he loved too btw) I Got this book yesterday for myself and read it all last night:):):) it's exactly what I was looking for a great nostalgia filled trip down memory lane....I thought I was a complete 80's geek but some stuff in this book I hadn't even heard of.....even though it's written by two guys and has a lot of "boy" toys....there were still all the major "girl" toys in there too....and I loved the candid stories they shared especially the babysitters club and punky brewster doll (sorry action figure) too cute:):):)it is nicely set out and presented really well.....a great gift for 80's children everywhere:):)I hope they will do another one from the 80's tv shows/fads etc.....and even the 90's too:):):)good job guys:):)

There's a certain innocence about the 80's that seems very transparent by today's standards. But in the 80's... we all thought that we were living a revolution of cutting edge pop culture. Little did we know that those years would pale in comparison to the childhood trends of the 90's & 2000's. I really believed that I had dismissed from my mind most of the decade and rightly so, it seemed so 20 something years ago. But honestly this book made me really appreciate what I had forgotten. Being a kid of the Reagan Era, I lived through the 90's thumbing my nose at most of these pop culture icons (and listening to grudge rock). I bought "Just Can't Get Enough" as a passing fancy (being a follower of vintage toys), not knowing that the personal stories and memories of the authors would be the gems within.

The Book Itself - It's pretty neat really. The chapters are each a certain 80's icon, divided into small subsections with titles like, "The Story" or "The Products" or "What Does It All Mean?" All of this wrapped up in a suedo-Trapper Keeper style cover with a velcro clasp. When reading the chapters, you begin to appreciate how much time and effort was put into this book. With chapters devoted to Transformers, He-Man, Madballs, Scratch N' Sniff stickers, Garbage Pail Kids, etc., the book gives equal focus, regardless of obscurity. I particularly liked the toys that I remembered fondly from childhood, but also enjoyed the great details about toys I never knew - i.e. Pogo Ball or "Pogo Bal" as the writers note humorously. The authors treat us to most of the usual suspects of the decade, but there are a few rarely honored candidates such as Crossbows And Catapults, Choose Your Own Adventure books, and Hit-Stix among others. Also, there are some obvious misses such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Ghostbusters, Gremlins, Get Along Gang, Shirt Tales, Smurfs, Pound Puppies, etc. Hopefully these oversights make way for a follow-up volume. But what you do get makes up for anything not included. First thing you will notice is the great writing style. I particularly like the sarcastic overtone that seems to permeate from every page, pure "Gen X" humor at its best. These authors go to great lengths to make each chapter witty and nostalgic. In fact, if you are unable to feel an overwhelming sense of nostalgia after reading this book, then you most likely were born after Operation Desert Shield... or during the hay days of Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In. Whether you relive the 80's regularly or haven't looked back since 1990 - this book is going to trigger fond memories... or at least jar something loose from the painfully hidden recesses of the mind.

My Personal Reaction - I found myself on several occasions laughing out loud. My girlfriend seemed frustrated with me continually interrupting her TV watching by loudly exclaiming, "listen to this" as I read aloud large passages time and time again. Finally she picked up the book, which was a big mistake for me... since it took me quite a while to get it back. She appreciated different sections (the My Little Pony, Strawberry Shortcake, Rainbow Brite). It was like going to Toys 'R Us from your childhood; you either were in the boys section or over in the pink section if you were a girl - no matter which, it was fun. So I can say, there is something for everyone, boys and girls alike. Personally, I was pleasantly surprised by my fascination with chapters like the game Guess Who?, which I actually hated as a child. The more ridiculous the idea the funnier the commentary became as the authors put it all in perspective. And when I say perspective, I mean being a 20 something or 30 something adult. There is some crude humor in here that is not at all pointed to the young kids we once were. But honestly, do we expect any children today to even bother reading this? I can plainly put that to rest - kids today would never "get" what this book is about. Once you start reading, remember this isn't just a book about the items; it's a book about how they all relate to us - the children of the 80's. So don't get caught up expecting a long treatise on the history of everything 1980's, that's not what it's about.

Final Thoughts - I read this only wanting more. The only fix for your "jonesing" would be to share this with others. If you buy this book, then don't forget to invite your other Gen X friends or siblings or whoevers to a fun filled day in the way-back machine. I highly recommend this book as a fan of humor and 80's pop culture. But, if you only want to see details of 80's toys - minus the nifty sarcasm, then check out Action Figures of the 1980s (Schiffer Book for Collectors) - it's loaded with great pictures. But be warned, that book doesn't have a one-tenth the laughs of "Just Can't Get Enough." If the authors do nothing else, then this book is still a masterpiece in its own right and worthy of a notable writing career. I hope this isn't the end though; there are plenty of unvisited pop culture products still lurking in our memories for "Just Can't Get Enough"... Volume 2.

As a first grade teacher I used this book as an intervention tool with my ELL students last year. It helped with voacbulary as well as phonics. The activities are hands on and we were able to create several games using the lessons as well. I recommend this book to anyone in the primary grades. It is great as an intervention tool, large group activity or as a center.

This book is great! There are many word activities to choose from, which I find very helpful and a time saver!

This concept keeps kids interested. They want to figure out the little words and the big words created by the letters, so it's an excellent one for phonics. If you already use Open Court, it would be a good supplement. There is some prep time involved in writing and cutting the letters, unless you're smarter than me and use die-cut letters from a bulletin board!!

This book is wonderful for primary grades as well as ESL classes. It's interactive and the kids love it. We use it every morning when we enter the "Wonderful World of Words." There is also a Making Big Words for intermediate grades! I definitely recommend it!

This is the best spelling book I have seen. I am a homeschooling mom of 2 boys (9 & 8) and this is the easiest method and they enjoy it too!

This is a really cute book for toddlers/preschoolers/K-2 kids. It helps with colors for the really little ones, then with short sentences to read or write later. I actually bought this for my 10 year old daughter - lol - she always loved this book. I guess the bright colors and sparkle of the foil cut outs of the eggs appealed to her in Kindergarten when she saw it in the school library - she's checked it out every year at least 6 times ever since (4th grade now). Every kid has a few books that they just adore and can't get enough of, so I got it for her to keep and give her own kid(s) some day (she has my old copy of "Bambi's Fragrant Forest" - a 1970's scratch 'n sniff book). It's a visually pleasing book and little ones will enjoy it.

I love the illustrations in this book!!! My 2-year-old may be a little too young for the story, but she loves looking at the pictures.

My son learned his colors because of this book! Each page has a different color of egg, the story rhymes so well, and its a lift-the-flap book! The pictures have so much detail sometimes we spend extra time looking in the background for other animals and talking about what they are doing. We've had this book for a year and it is still very popular at our house!

I purchased this book for my nephew and he absolutely loves it. Beautiful illustrations and a very cute story for children from 1-6 years old. However, the book seemed a bit warped when I purchased it but I attributed it due to the delivery process.

One of the nicest things about this book is how well it is designed. Children love beautiful materials and this book delivers. Today, electronic media is so prevelant in childrens' lives. This book, though, offers children the opportunity to relax and read pages filled with awe and wonder. Quality colors, papers and decorations invite children into the Natural Easter world of the forest and imagination. It's beautifully adorned with sparkling, jeweled pages made to entertain and peak interest.

This book has plenty of pictures and also clear step-by-step instructions, easy to follow, for all stages - from beginners to more experienced artists. Very realistic miniatures, absolutely perfect!

There is only "raw" food though, no dishes... (suggestion for her next book!) I'll buy any book she writes!

Anyone who is interested in making miniature food should purchase this book, the explanations are superb.

I have been looking for a book that will help me make some of the foods for my little people in the doll house. Now, they can have tasty and semi-real food. Very detailed and easy step by step instructions.

This is a book come with the step by step guide to create the indivdual items. It is a book value for money.

A great book! This book covers the basics of working with polymer clay, including mixing colors and which tools you'll need. It also shows you step-by-step, with words and pictures, how to create each project. And the best part: the finished food that *I make* by following the steps, looks REAL! Making miniature food is so much fun, thanks to this book!

This is a great book and unfortunately not too well known. Children and adults love puppets, the ideas are original and the characters very distinctive. The book offers many types of puppets and it makes a great gift.

I ordered a Muppet book from them that was quite cheap. It was in great condition and very low-priced. I received it promptly and was very pleased with the service.

I bought this book expecting little more than sharing some arts-and-crafts time with my kids that also blended with my interests in puppetry and the Muppets. Big surprise -- this book is full of good, basic advice on puppet manipulation, voice, and puppet building. My daughter and I have already made one of the puppets, involving gardening gloves, ping-pong balls, and feathers, and each of us came up with something different and delightful. The addition of some small supplies to get the aspiring puppet builder started is very nice, but this would have been a good buy even without that.

This book has so many great ideas using many easy to find objects. It even includes a little packet with 2 pairs of eyes, some faux fur, a few feathers and other sundries. The day this book arrived, my daughter and I made 3 puppets. In the next several days we made many more out of socks, oven mitts and other things that were just laying around the house. If you hate to throw things away, you'll love this. After reading the book, you'll start looking at your trash with new eyes. Old paper towel rolls, band-aid tins, fabric scraps, plastic spoons, small plastic bottles you might throw out, sponges, pot scrubbers, erasers--all these things can be transformed into puppets.

My only quibble is that the suggested reading level is ages 4-8. My nearly five-year-old can't do these projects alone, (I also use a hot glue gun, so it's too hot for her) so I've ended up letting her direct what goes where on the puppets. I think a six year-old working with less dangerous adhesives could do many of the projects himself, and I think kids even older than the age range would find the projects fun, especially if they have little siblings or an opportunity to teach younger kids. (Like helping out at Sunday school).

The book is full of projects that are easy to do right away, don't cost much money or require special trips to the craft store and let your child develop her imagination/creativity/emotional skills.

but children will not be able to reproduce the puppets pictured. Maybe that is the point, that you can make puppets out of anything. So the book is good for inspiration. But don't expect to be able to make the puppets quite like they do!

An excellent message and a good chapter book for those readers who are starting to gain confidence.

THIS BOOK IS AN EXCELLENT LEARNING TOOL. IT IS A CHRISTMAS PRESENT AND I AM SURE IT WILL BE READ AND EACH CHILD WILL LEARN FROM IT!

I just got this book yesterday for my son who just turned 3 years old. He really enjoyed it and after reading it, he kept asking me to read it over. He was very interested because he started asking questions at the end. He just started preschool and I wanted to introduce him to possible situations he might go through while in school. This story gives a great lesson on how to handle a situation when someone says something mean to you. My son also enjoyed it because the situation takes place in school and at a basketball court, which he can relate to because he started school and he loves to play basketball.

I was looking for a book to help my 9 year-old deal with other kids who say cruel and demeaning things. My son and I sat down and read the book together and then discussed how saying "so" when mean things are said takes away the bullies power. We decided that "so" was his new secret weapon.

My son was so excited when the very next day at school he used his secret weapon and it worked. He has also shared the book with a few of his classmates and it has helped them too.

GREAT BOOK!

The Meanest Thing To Say is not about saying mean things back to mean people. And it isn't even about mean people. What it IS about is children learning self-control, level-headedness and heart. When the new kid, Michael, calls Little Bill names, and says he has to think of the meanest things to say back the next day, Bill is frustrated and anxious. This comes up at home and his dad tells him to just say, "So?" to everything. Little Bill does this and it halts Michael. It takes two people to fight. But the moral of the story doesn't stop here. Bill observes Michael is a new student and maybe just needs a friend. So he invites him to play basketball with him and they become friends.

Unfortunately it is reality that children can be very mean and hurtful. As parents, we need to teach our children how to handle bullies and it's equally as important to teach them not to BE a bully. Also, just ignoring mean actions and words doesn't always work. Everyone has good in them and we all, ages 2-102 need to offer kindness instead of anger. Great job, Cosby! Thank you and please keep writing. Peace & Soar!o8E

I really don't care of teletubbies. But boy did both of my kids. They loved this book because they ask questions like who's hiding behind the tree and the kids would flip it up or down and find who it was. They were anxious. A very enjoyable book to read and fun!

It's a great book for older kids. My daughter tore all the pop up parts out of the book so now we pretend that it's peek-a-boo.

This pop-up book asks you who's hiding behind different things, with the Teletubbies being behind the first four hiding places. Then comes Noo-noo & finally all the Teletubbies are hidden. While 1 or 2 year olds who like the show will probably get some giggles out of it, the book's art work is lacking. It's pretty stale fare, especially the sky. Couldn't they have put at least one bird, or maybe the sun with the baby's face in it up there? This seems to be a rush-job to capitalize on the popularity of the tv show. Looks like it worked - the copy we have is a 5th edition. There's many other pop-up books out there that are done much better, but if your little kiddies love the Tubbies, I'm sure they'll dig this.

I know most parents cringe at the thought of the Teletubbies,me too, but my one year old loves them. In "Teletubbies Play Hide and Seek" little ones are asked to find the Teletubbies under the flaps. After just a couple of readings she understood how to wait until mommy reads the words before she lifts the flap. She also learned the word boo. It's a little word, but it's a start. You might not enjoy the Teletubbies, but it's worth it to watch your child's face light up.

My 8-month old daughter LOVES this book! It makes her laugh out loud and she already has figured out how to lift the flaps on her own when we read it! It's a cute little book for babies and toddlers. I don't mind the Teletubbies so much anymore! :-)