Product Description
Little Ernest was lonely. He needed a buddy. A friend to spend his days with. When a big, beautiful show horse named Twist arrives at the farm, Ernest is sure the friend he was hoping for is here at last! But Twist doesn't want to be bothered by the scruffy little donkey until Ernest's persistence and enthusiasm win him over. Twist and Ernest is a book that every parent, grandparent, favored aunt and uncle will want to share with the special children in their lives. The memorable characters and engaging story are based on real life animals. Children of all ages will fall in love with Ernest as he searches for a friend with boundless energy and devotion. The book contains a picture of the real life animals, plus children will have fun searching for the little butterfly hidden on every page. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Nice enough story with a good moral
It is appropriate for small children as it does not have "much" happening, but it does have a lovely little moral about friendship and equality.

I 'm your friend!
Reviewed by Grace Schaefer (age 7 ¾) for Reader Views (9/08)

"Twist and Ernest" is a story about a donkey who meets a horse.Ernest, the donkey, wants a friend and so when Twist arrives, Ernest thinks he is going to have a friend in the beautiful horse.At first Twist isn't sure about being friends.But in the end, he does decide to have a friend.

Ernest wants to be a helper to Twist by showing him around.He shows Twist the barn, the pasture and the pond.Ernest also helps by scratching Twist's tummy with his teeth.They are friends.

My favorite part is the pictures.They are bright and colorful.They make me feel happy.I especially like the drawings of Twist & Ernest.

"Twist and Ernest," by Laura T. Barnes, is a great book.I really want you to read it!

Great experience
My book arrived very quickly and came just as I had been told it would. It was shrink-wrapped to protect it, which was a nice gesture. I am very happy with the purchase!

Not so impressed
Such a wonderful idea, but the book did not flow as well as I would have hoped. My little ones got a little bored, and it takes a lot to bore them.But they insist they liked it...so really iffy on this one.

Twist and Ernest (Ernest Series)
Really cute book. I gave it to my Grandson on his second birthday and he just loved it. He wanted someone to read it to him right then. Great story and pictures. ... Read more

Product Description
In Teeny Tiny Ernest Ernest realizes he is much smaller than all the other farmyard animals and his spunky antics to try to look taller in order to impress his friends result in an inspiring tale of loving yourself for who you are.The book contains a picture of the real life animals, plus children will have fun searching for the little bumblebee hidden on every page. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Teemu Tiny Ernest
Great book!My toddler loves this and requests it to be read to him.It really teaches us to look at how special each one of us is no matter what.

Another Great Ernest Book
This has become a favorite of the kids I gave it to for Christmas. It's a great story about learning find your strengths and to like yourself for who you are. It's a great story for younger kids, with wonderful illustrations too. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (3)

A charming, award winning book
Elston is a rooster who cannot contain his powerful urge to do what roosters are born to do, "They Crow!"The other barn animals complain when he wakes them at the crack of dawn.
"Why do you have to make that racket every morning?"
"I'm not sure," answered Elston."I just do, do, do...." And with that he utters another extra loud, "Cockle doodle doooooooo."
The animals all agree that just one morning; they would like to sleep in.

The next morning Elston stuffs his beak in the hay bale to prevent himself from crowing.He holds his breath.He feels like he is going to burst.His whole body puffs up trying to stifle his crow.It takes all of his effort to not do what comes naturally to him. Exhausted from holding back his crow, he falls back to sleep.

"Elston! Elston! "Wake up," shouts his donkey friend, Ernest.Ernest tells him that he is needed to be who he is.He is needed to crow and wake everyone up in the morning.Elston discovers what can go wrong when you try to be something you're not. Celebrate who you are!

Elston and Ernest is the fifth in this award-winning Ernest Series.Awards include: Teacher's choice Award, Mom's Choice Award, and the Silver Ben Franklin Award.
All stories include tales about real-life animals as well as valuable life-lessons.Look for the cute little critter hiding on every page.

Ideal reading for children ages 4 through 8
Elston is a barnyard rooster who thinks the other animals don't like him because it's his job to wake them up so early every morning. Ernest the donkey tries to persuade Ernest that he's got it all wrong. But Elston decides to quite being a rooster and become something else instead. An humorous adventure ensues as all Elston and the rest of the barnyard animals find out that it is their differences that make them each both special and useful to all the others. Ideal reading for children ages 4 through 8 (there's even a cute little critter hiding on every page just waiting to be found!) and a popular addition to school and community library picturebook collections, Ernest And Elston is charmingly written "life lesson" by Laura T. Barnes and wonderfully illustrated with 32 watercolor works of art by Carol A. Canburn.

Fun read!
Everyone wants to be liked and most of us don't want to be different. And that is Elston, the rooster's dilemma. He believes the barnyard animals don't like him because he wakes them up every morning. Ernest, the donkey, attempts to assure his friend that the animals may not want to wake up so early in the morning, but they like Elston.

Elston decides that it would be better if he wasn't a rooster and didn't crow. But everything goes awry when Elston tries to be something he isn't. Elston and everyone else soon discover how special they each are, differences included.

Ernest and Elston is a fun, yet educational book that can help children appreciate themselves and their own differences. The illustrations are inviting and warm and will draw the children into the story.

Armchair Interviews says: Ernest and Elston is part of a series that children will enjoy and learn from.





... Read more

Product Description
In this charming barnyard tale, Ernest, a tiny, loveable donkey, and his farmyard friends demonstrate the power of love and selflessness-the true gifts of the holiday season. When Ernest discovers his friend Chester is missing on Christmas Eve, he must enlist his friends, large and small, to work together in order to rescue their friend. Through love and determination, Ernest and his friends discover that being together with loved ones is the most special Christmas gift of all. Beautiful watercolor illustrations of the animals at Barnesyard farm are sure to enthrall young readers and parents alike, and hiding in each picture is an adorable little mouse for kids to discover. Parents and teachers can use this tale as a way to discuss the true meaning of the holiday season. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Ernest's Special Christmas
A very special Christmas story about friendship.When we feel too old, too tired, friends give the gift of knowing just how special each of us is.

Really really really good!
Reviewed by Sophia McElroy (age 5.5) for Reader Views (9/08)

This is a good book about Christmas. The drawings are really, really, really good! The saddest part of the book is also the funniest part of the book. Ernest goes to find his friend Chester in the snow and he ends up standing on top of him and Chester yells at him to get off of him. He was covered in snow, so Ernest couldn't see him. My favorite part of the story is when Ernest and all of the barnyard animals and the birds help get Chester out of the storm and back to the barn for Christmas. I really like this book, "Ernest's Special Christmas" by Laura T. Barnes.

Gorgeous New Holiday Children's Book
Ernest, the miniature donkey, and his friend Chester, a retired draft horse, couldn't be more excited about Christmas. The sky is changing colors, there are wreaths hung around the barn. But when it starts snowing, Ernest and the other barnyard animals head inside, where they will be safe from the cold. However, once inside the barn, Ernest realizes that Chester is nowhere to be seen, and sets out looking for him. He soon finds him lying in the snow, unable to get up. It is now up to Ernest to get the other barnyard animals to help Chester up, so he can find shelter away from the cold. After all, the true meaning of Christmas is giving and helping others.

I have been a donkey and horse lover ever since a VERY young age, so I was ecstatic to find ERNEST'S SPECIAL CHRISTMAS, as it combined two of my favorite animals together with my absolute favorite holiday, and created a lovely new children's book that will warm everyone's heart around the holiday. Filled with an adorable adventure story, as well as magnificent illustrations depicting various barnyard animals in their everyday routines, ERNEST'S SPECIAL CHRISTMAS is sure to be a hit.

Erika Sorocco
Book Review Columnist for The Community Bugle Newspaper

New Adventure in an Award-Winning Series
Slowly the skies began to turn gray and it started to snow. The animals looked up as small snowflakes fell from the sky. It looked magical. "It's going to be a beautiful, white Christmas," thought Ernest. ~Ernest's Special Christmas

Ernest is a lovable miniature donkey who has appeared in three previous stories. He is friends with a kind, white draft horse named Chester. They know Christmas is near when they see the red bows on the wreaths decorating the pasture gates. It is almost time to celebrate Christmas, but the barn seems rather lonely. Ernest realizes that Chester is not in the stall.

"I better go find him. After all it's Christmas Eve. We should all be together."

As snow blankets the farm, Ernest braves the snow to look for Chester. Since Chester is white and the snow is getting deeper, Ernest almost trips over Chester. Ernest is a thoughtful little donkey and he knows he has to get Chester back to the barn. So, he quickly rounds up all the other animals and even the birds and mice join in to help. Ernest shows love and determination and helps his friend so they can celebrate Christmas together.

The watercolor illustrations are beautiful and Carol A. Camburn has created the cutest miniature donkey who looks like a huggable cuddly stuffed toy. Chester and Ernest are real friends and you can see their "real" picture on the inside of the cover. Carol has a horse named Billy and also loves cats. Laura and her husband live on a farm in New Jersey. They have made a home for homeless horses and miniature donkeys who enjoy a quiet retirement. Her life on the farm is her inspiration for "The Ernest Series."

Ernest holiday greeting cards are also available in packs of 18 cards. The inside message reads: "True Friends are the best gift of all. Merry Christmas." The book cover is darker than shown here at Amazon. There is a powdery blue background with snowflakes that is quite pretty. I even found the tiny mouse on the cover. Children and "adults like me" will have fun finding the tiny mouse hidden on every page.

"Ernest's Special Christmas" is a charming Christmas Eve adventure that shows children how love, thoughtfulness, and kindness can make the holiday season a more heartwarming time of year.

Additional books in this series (age 4-8):

Ernest and the BIG Itch - A story about problem solving and you can search for the ladybug hidden in each illustration.

Twist and Ernest - Lessons about not judging others based on appearances and prejudice

Teeny Tiny Ernest - Ernest realizes that who you are really comes from the inside and then he is not so sad about being such a small donkey.

~The Rebecca Review

An engaging tale of spirit and compassion
Ernest's Special Christmas by Laura T. Barnes is a heartwarming story of friendship between a little donkey and a hardworking draft horse. When snow falls thickly, the old horse finds himself unable to move, the little donkey must get help from his animal friends to ensure that everyone comes safely home. Enhanced with illustrations by Carol A. Camburn, Ernest's Special Christmas is an engaging tale of spirit and compassion, based on real-life events and animals at Barnesyard farm. ... Read more

Product Description
In this charming barnyard tale, a tiny, lovable donkey named Ernest and his farmyard friends show that persistence, acceptance, devotion, and friendship prove to be the building blocks of a happy life. In Ernest and the Big Itch, Ernest must find a way to scratch his back without bothering the other animals living on the farm. What he doesn’t realize is that the pole he’s chosen to scratch with is the home of two little birds—and he accidentally shakes them right out of their house! The birds decide to help Ernest find an alternative scratching post, leading the trio on an amusing barnyard adventure and resulting in a strong friendship between the three. Beautiful watercolor illustrations of the sweet miniature donkey and the other animals at Barnesyard Farm are sure to enthrall young readers and parents alike, and hiding in each picture is a cute little bug for kids to discover. The book contains a picture of the real life animals. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Scratch me!
Reviewed by Grace Schaefer (age 7) for Reader Views (10/08)

In "Ernest and the BIG Itch," Ernest, Chipper and Sis become good friends.Ernest and Chipper met when Ernest the donkey rubbed on the bird house pole.Chipper was in the house and he came out to find out what the big jolt was.The donkey had a BIG itch.

Together they found a tree so he could scratch and scratch--in the shade.Ernest then helped clean up the bird house.He brought hay for Chipper and Sis to fix their nests.After they finished, they all watched the sunset together.

I like the drawings in "Ernest and the BIG Itch."They are funny and cute.They make me want to laugh.I have read two Ernest books and liked both of them.The donkey is a good friend to everybody.I can't wait to read more about Ernest.

Destined to Become a Classic!
I recently purchased the five book series of Ernest the Donkey for my granddaughter.I believe the series is destined to become a much-loved classic.Ernest is a delightful little donkey with honest qualities and human-like character that animal lovers often see in their "friends."The illustrations are beautiful, too.I just wish the series was available in a board book for toddlers.

Ernest and the Big Itch (Ernest Series)
Really cute book. I gave it to my Grandson on his second birthday and he just loved it. He wanted someone to read it to him right then. Great story and pictures.

Ernest and the Big Itch is adorable
I have all of the Ernest collection so far.Laura Barnes does an excellent job with these stories.I have given them to all my neices and nephews as well as my child.I personally like to read them myself.Perfect book for all kids. ... Read more

Product Description
18 cards/19 envelopes per pack
Inside message:  True friends are the best gift of all!  Merry Christmas! ... Read more

Product Description
Illustrated By L. J. Bridgman, L. C. McClure And Anita Pettibone. ... Read more