Customer Reviews (2)

I ABSOLUTELY LOATHE THIS BOOK!
I love Most of Linda Girard's books, but this is the worst children's book I ever touched.It deserves a TURKEY instead of a star.It makes fun of children with AIDS.It says in this book that Alex got AIDS from a transfusion.It is no longer possible to get AIDS from blood transfusions because all donated blood is tested for HIV and AIDS.Don't waste your money on this piece of junk.Insteas buy the CD "For Our Children."

A nice story
I really enjoyed the way the author handled this issue with regards to the boy Alex, a fourth grader with AIDS.The only part of the book I found disturbing was that of how the teacher reacted to the poem that was writtenabout her.I did not think it was right that she would not enter it intothe contest because she did not like it. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A birth-focused description - good for new siblings.
A very pretty and sensitive book about pregnancy and birth (does not deal with conception). It is told from a second person point of view, as though the child being read to was the infant. The author focuses on the feelingsof the mother while she was carrying her baby: what it felt like when theinfant kicked, how the infant was fed, etc. Includes good in uterodescriptions and drawings. Lacks multicultural drawings.

My children were as enthralled as I was!
This adorable book on how we all came about, is one of my favorites when it comes to children's books.My kids never get tired of hearing the story, I think partly because they love to be talked about, and because theauthor and artist really convey those special moments of pregnancy andbirth that "speak" to children-(as well as the adults!)Thefirst time I read it to my boys, ages 2 & 5, I had to make a realeffort not to cry!It's a beautiful-TRUE story, and makes a wonderful giftfor an older sibling-when there's a new addition to the family!It bringsback wonderful emotions for Mom and Dad, and helps the older child realizethat the love Mommy and Daddy have for the new baby is exactly the same asit is for them.Great book!!! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

who is a stranger & what should I do
the book went over well. It was imformative to the children. It help reinforced what the family has been saying.

Excellent book about strangers
I bought this book for my 6-year old.We read it together and discussed what they were talking about in each chapter.Excellent book for talking to your kids about strangers - without scaring them.I definitely recommend it for most kids starting at 5-years old.

Stranger Savvy
This excellent book is a good teaching tool for helping children recognize who is a "kind" stranger as opposed to someone they don't know who is unkind.The beautiful illustrations add to the books appeal; the hypothetical scenarios will undoubtedly help children and parents think of methods to apply when faced with "unkind" strangers.

not age appropriate
This book is listed as age appropriate for 4-year-olds.In my opinion, it is way too complex for this age group, I would say more for ages 6 on up.Check it out at your library first.

Recommended for family, school, and community libraries.
Most children art taught at home and at school not to talk to strangers. In Who Is A Stranger And What Should I Do?, Linda Girard takes the idea further by explaining about "kind" strangers, the stranger who isnot a child's friend, strangers in public places, "doorbell"strangers, and others. Girard's practical, well presented text isillustrated with the artwork of Helen Cogancherry to provide young readersages 6 to 12 with visual reinforcement of sound and sensible narrative. WhoIs A Stranger And What Should I Do? is enhanced for the reader with ten"what if" situations and topics for discussion with parents,teachers, and caregivers. Highly recommended for personal, school, andcommunity library child safety collections. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

What the Heck?
[...]
This book is okay:materials like this are like prescription medications: their use is particular to a person or circumstance, and misapplication can have serious consequences.

A Truly Stellar Work!
This is a book I wish I had when I was a child.The mother and child featured in this story are beautifully illustrated and I like the intelligent conversations they have about improper touching, whether or not it is sexual.

The book respects readers' intelligence by using the proper terminology for genitalia and the generic term "bottom" to mean the buttocks.I like that.Too many works are weakened by silly euphemistic or babyish names for the anatomy that do nobody any real service.This book is a good teaching tool and an excellent forum for discussion of a serious topic.It is one that all ages would find beneficial.

Another reviewer made the good point that boys also can be sexually abused and this is never addressed in this book.I agree that this already excellent work would have been even more effective had the discussion included a brother as part of the discussion.While it is only natural to want to preserve a child's innocence, it is still very vital to empower children with information about what constitutes desired (non-sexual) and "good" touches and what doesn't.This in turn will help families build a more safety-savvy world.

This book does an excellent job of defining "privacy" replete with examples, e.g. "private parts" are the parts of one's body that is generally covered by their underwear or a bathing suit.The girl featured in the story declares that nobody can touch her private parts in ways she does not want and then goes on to describe other kinds of touching she doesn't like, such as sitting on her uncle's lap.On the flip side, "good touches" are highlighted, such as loving cuddles and dancing and an arm around the shoulder.The distinction could not be more clear and for that I salute this book!

Gray areas such as tickling are explored.Tickling can be fun, but it can also go too far where the one being tickled is not enjoying it.That is another example of when to demand that a certain "touch" or tactile activity be stopped.The children are well within their rights to do so at any time.Hugs and kisses are described as generally being welcome and acceptable, but children should not be forced to kiss or endure being kissed by someone who makes them feel uncomfortable.

The literary mother is very wise; she makes it plain to her daughter that it is the child's feelings that are paramount and not to worry about hurting somebody's feelings if she tells them not to touch her in ways she does not like.Genital touching including being forced to touch someone else's private parts is discussed; the girl is also told not to take photographs of somebody's private parts or willingly allow anyone to photograph hers.My favorite part was when the mother tells her daughter that the predator is NOT always a stranger and can be someone the child knows very well, including a relative.That point CANNOT be stressed enough.The child is told to try to escape as soon as possible and tell an adult she trusts what happened.

I agree with another reviewer that there is a dearth of stories like this for boys as boys also can be the recipients of sexual abuse.Since the girl has a brother, one wonders why he was not included in this safety talk since part of the discussion involved him.His safety has to be considered as well.Another good point is made by having the mother tell her daughter that it is never acceptable for "other children" as opposed to "older children" because that could be misleading.Those few things notwithstanding, I feel this is one of the best books I've encountered on this very serious subject.

I also recommend Sandy Kleven's "The Right Touch: A Read Aloud to Help Prevent Child Sexual Abuse," Cornelia Spelman's "Your Body Belongs to You" which is ideal for the preschool set on up and Peter Alsop's collection "Songs on Sex & Sexuality," most particularly the song, "My Body."All of these works address a very serious issue in gentle, direct and intelligence complimenting ways and are geared specifically for families.

Not a preschool book
After reading the reviews, I ordered this book thinking that it would be appropriate for my 3-year old.It seems too advanced for a child that age.There is a part of the book where the girl does not want her uncle to touch her because he holds her in his lap and rubs her arms and makes her uncomfortable, and another picture where her older brother "pins her down," and tickles her until it hurts, so the father has to tell him to stop.The mother also warns the child that others might want to take pictures of her private parts.While I understand that these are important illustrations of unwanted behavior, they don't seem right for a younger child.The text is also geared toward a school-aged child.

Children love this book
I work with foster children and children who are still in their homes, they all really like this book and often ask for it to be read over and over. It is well written and covers the subject well, informing the child but at the same time not frightening the child. I highly recommend it.

sweet book
I bought three books of this kind. This is my childrens favorite. I as an child abuse survivor myself find this book to be the best of the three. This book is about giving the child a sense of ownership over his/her body. An entitlement to say no. it is written from the childs POV which comes accross very well to my children. This is a gentle book with a supportive mother figure. I realize that it may be uncommom or unrealistic that one should have such an in tune and supportive mother and that there may be other flaws. Yet it is gentle and the child finds success in standing up for herself.It is still my favorite. I like the way it couches the responsibility to say no on the child but that the child has back up or confidence with the mothers support. The book begins with small things like personal belongings and knocking. This book has a senitive approach and a nice pace. It gets the information accross without threatening a small childs mind. ... Read more

School Library Journal
One of the best titles available about adoption for young children. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Too strong for young children
This book I felt was too strong for a younger child.The emotions of how the child felt when she knew she wasn't "wanted" and how she rebelled.Yes it may be true that adoptive children will do such things, but if the child is not doing so and then reads this and does it what does that tell you.The end mellows out when everyone is happy and the child shows happiness w/the special party for adoption day signing.In my personal opinion, this is not a book I would promote.

Real Parents are the ones REALLY there! A+!
Great book! Kids need to understand who birthparents are and understand their value...however, it is also critical for children to understand who the parents are...those that raised them...My biological dad is not the man that raised me...the man that raised me is the only person I will ever call dad. Glad to see a book that can separate and value both!

Good when you adopt from birth
My husband and I are considering adopting an older child, but several books were recommended for reading, this one included.I can't say it's helpful when it comes to adopting a child over 4, but I can see it being very helpful for adoptive parentswith young ones discovering what adoption means.

My kid likes it
Our daughter came to us at age seven after a long time in fostercare. It is hard to find a book that describes this type of adoption to children and although this book is also about a child adopted as a baby, our little girl loves it. She brings it out and asks us to read it to her often and it usually gets her talking about her birth parents, which is a good thing. It is important for children to know and accept that adoption is not weird or embarrassing and it is okay to talk about, love and think about birth parents whether they know and remember them or not. Birth parents are an important part of who our adopted children are and this book has been valuable to us for starting that dialogue with our child.

A great book for fostering love for the birthmother
This charming adoption book shows us loving and caring adoptive parents who know how to handle the difficult moment Cecilia first hears about her adoption and says "I want you and Mommy to be my ONLY mommy and daddy!" We had the same experience with our daughter whom we adopted at four days of age.She didn't want to hear about another mommy and throughout the years wished we had not brought up the subject. The author is sensitive about having a teacher understand Cecilia's questions about her birthmother and assure Cecilia that her birthmother loved her. This is a good book for adoptive parents whose children need to be reassured of their permanent place in the adoptive family and who should be encouraged to love their absent birthparents.

Gisela Gasper Fitzgerald, author of ADOPTION: An Open, Semi-Open or Closed Practice? ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

I love it!!!!!!!!!!!
This book was certainly an exelent book. Other than most of the stories already being in other Albert Payson Terhune books, all of the stories (the one with the fox wasn't THAT good but it was good) were exelent and even one sotry about Wolf was in there and it wasn't in the actual book "Wolf". Even though every single one of Albert Payson Terhune's dog books were good and terrific and I'm not saying any of them aren't good, but this was the only one of his books that I couldn't put down along with Further Advemtures of Lad. It was a pretty short book which was sad because I got done with it so fast. I recommend this book because it was good and if you can't get any other Terhune book, this gives a tast of a few of his books.

Wonderful!
This is one of the best books I have ever read. It is by that immortal writer of collie and dog books, Albert P. Terhune. It is a collection of collie stories, some about his own dogs, including the famous Lad, and some about fictional dogs. Several of the stories made me cry, and several made me laugh. This is a wonderful book for anyone who loves dogs, or just anyone who wants to read some good stories.

A book that never should have gone out of print!
"The Heart of a Dog" is Terhune at his best...You get to meet many of the residents of Sunnybank Farm and you will laugh, cry, and be spiritually uplifted in the process!The collection of short storiescontains lessons for life that will remain long after you've put the bookdown.This is a book to be passed on to as many who will read it!! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great Ideas, but...
Every child will relate to something different.The children for whom I bought this book didn't relate.It was too boring and they lost interest in hearing it read.I loved all the ideas, but would recommend reading it at a library to your child first to see if they respond to the style of writing.I would highly recommend "The Unwedding" as an alternative.Written in a child's humor with a child's perspective, my children ask to read it again and again. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

a wonderful book
This book really kept me interested. It made me think about slavery and how wrong it was.I really enjoyed finding out about Frederick Douglass and how he learned to read.This is a wonderful book.The illustrationsare just as wonderful.I would recommend this book to all educators to usein their classroom. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Charming and Informative
In many ethnic books, there are descriptions of humorous misunderstandings on the part of the outsiders who are unaware of American culture. In this book, the shoe is on the other foot. Korean Benjamin Koo is adopted by American parents and is flown across the Pacific (with a nurse) to the parents who have seen only a snapshot of their new baby. When their baby arrives dressed in pink, the mother panics. Believing more strongly in cultural clues than in the nurse's assurances, she checks under the baby's clothes to make sure he is a boy. Pink and blue don't mean the same thing in Korea. Suddenly, our customs seem ridiculous. Why shouldn't a boy wear pink?

In straightforward fashion, the story goes on to describe how Benjamin slowly realized he was different from his parents, and he began wondering about his real parents. A wise guidance counselor helped him through most of the questions. When his parents adopted a girl from Brazil, Benjamin was better prepared to deal with the "dumb" questions from strangers, such as "Did they come from the same family?"

Watercolor illustrations are average quality, not Jerry Pinkney but nothing to complain about. They carry the story along well. Incidentally, this is the true experience of a real boy, and Holt International Children's Services is credited for their assistance in the facts of this story.

Story of Korean adoption rings true
As the parent of a boy adopted from Korea, I find this story follows ours quite closely. The process and the issues are the same for many adoptive families. The only thing missing from this book is any mention of a birthfather. The birth mother's role is handled well, but there is no referenceto a birth father. This book starts when Benjamin is nine years old. That'swhen the real questions about adoption can begin. ... Read more