Elephants Books

This was a favorite in my home with my young (bio) daughter. When my husband and I became foster parents I read it to my foster daughter and used it to reinforce the idea that we "chose" her.

She loved to hear the process that we went through to be able to have her live with us. She understood that we would choose her "everytime"!

This is a wonderful little book for children and adults alike, and it focuses on giving the blessing to children, much as Trent has written in other books, but this one is focused on the children, and what impact that can have on them.

The story follows Norbert and the fact that no one wanted to sit with him on the way to school. And his way to school is exciting - they all go on a rollercoaster. Now that's what I call creativity. Judy Love has done some marvelous illustrations, and you just want to jump on this rollercoaster with all the others.

A great tool in the hands of parents and caregivers to give the blessing to children.

I volunteered to read at an elementary school at a Read in and the class consisted of 2nd,3rd, and 4th graders- The teacher loved the story and the kids absolutely enjoyed it. I'm ordering 2 copies-1 for my 7 yr. old and the other copy I'm going to donate to the class.

"I'd Choose You" is a great book to help a child gain self-expectance. It has colorful illustration of animals that are used to help a child understand the five elements of the blessing: spoken words, meaningful touch, attaching high value to someone, picturing a wonderful future and genuine commitment

Our 18 month old daughter received "I've Got an Elephant" as a gift last year. It has become a favorite! In our house that says a lot; every room is spilling with children's books. She loves this one and often asks for it to be reread several times. As parents and readers, we don't get tired of this book either. I'm so glad when she points to it on her shelf as her choice.

I love that it's a counting book that doesn't feel like a boring counting book, it's fun and imaginative with gorgeous illustrations.

We love it so much we bought 3 copies for friends this year. We're looking forward to Ms. Ginkel's next work.

A child loves his comforting elephant which seems to him better than the teddy bears the other kids own - until the elephant gets lonely and invites a friend over. Then there are two elephants - until loneliness again sets in . A fun blend of friendship story and easy counting rhyme examines what to do when too many elephants are involved.

Be prepared to share this book again and again with your children! They will love the rhyming, counting, and the pictures. Would make a great baby gift along with a cute stuffed elephant!

This is a perfect book to read over and over with your child. Anne Ginkel's rhyming text is humorous and sensitive at the same time. And Janie Bynum's illustrations are a perfect accompaniment. Children will connect with the little girl's daily activities and with the loneliness of the mischievous elephants who are left behind. They can count the elephants and observe how their costumes change with each new activity. I've bought this book for two young children in my family and they both want to read it over and over. One has already memorized the verse. It's simple enough for a two year old and has enough detail to keep an older child interested in repeated readings. It's a fun and very well crafted book and I recommend it highly.

There are lots of good tips in an easy to read format.

What a delight to read. I just open at random and I am amused or I learn a new quick way to decorate, or wrap a gift, or how to quit worrying about my parenting abilities. Thank you Bridget & Judy. This book I will NOT lend out. But, I will be giving as gifts!

This is one bang-up good book...lots of informative stuff for all humans, whatever your gender. We can all learn to be a little lazier...it's amazing how much you can get done when you do.

I have found so many helpful tips laid out in a basic format so I don't have to spend time hunting for the tips like I have in other "helpful" books. This book gives the best suggestions on how to cut corners without cutting the quality, as well as just taking the time to relish who I am. I have purchased several copies for the women in my family as well as my closest woman friends. I urge everyone to do the same!

I have purchased this book for both my son and my daughter and love it! The page layout covers the whole first year of baby's life. You have pages for each month. There was room to put every detail in from doctor's visits to holidays. I was able to put baby hospital bracelets, first haircuts, you name it and there was a space for it. What a great book for keeping up with all of baby's remarkable firsts! I recommend this one whether you like the Babar theme or not!

I must have flipped through 15+ baby books and this is the one I took home. It's very cute and there is room to fill in extra details if you want. I love the flow of the book and the pictures it asks for. I would have LOVED it if my mother had filled out a book just like this one for me. I'm enjoying filling it out for our April '08 arrival.

we looked thoroughly for a first year baby book and ended up getting this one. we are very happy with it. our baby has turned one and the book is filled with wonderful memories.

I love this book, even in spite of the fact I could care less about Babar. I sat in several bookstores, piled up every baby book they had, and went through them all (probably 15 in all), and liked this one the best. Here's why:

There is lots of room for writing whole paragraphs (and in some cases, pages) about your baby, not just fill in the blanks. Although in a few places, there are sentances like this: My mother's "height is _______, her eye color is ________, and her hair color is ________" those are in the minority. Usually a blank paragraph is headed by something like: "When my mother first saw me, she." Sometimes there is a whole blank page to answer a question. This is a book for people who like to write.

There are lots and lots of places for pictures. I do imagine that by the time I'm finished with this book, I will wish it had a spiral binding.

Some areas that are special or unique are the info about the parents (and their courtship and marriage), the grandparents, and the siblings. I also like the area for baby pictures of each parent. There are also places for both the mother and the father to fill in: "memories of my birth and first few days" and "hopes and wishes for me." Then they also seem to have covered all the usual stuff like places for ultrasound photos, a picture of the nursery, baby shower info, milestones, first words, and all that you might expect. By far, this was the most thorough book I saw.

Finally, the book does not assume your family is Christian; there is a section on the baby's first holiday. There is also a section for adoption.

So, I do wish this book was simplely styled (i.e. no Babar), but it isn't really too cutesy (and I hate cutesy), and the sections are so complete that I couldn't choose another book. Hope that helps you!

This book is priceless. I bought a copy at a school book fair when I was in grade school and only remember a few of the jokes now (a few decades later). My six-year-old son wants me to repeat the few I know over and over. I decided to get him the book! Glad to find copies here.

Elephant jokes found their way well into the culture in the 60s. This is the classic elephant joke book with a small variety of supporting characters that pop up in various jokes (ducks, bluebirds, pygmies, plums), and even has cameos from Tarzan, Jane, and Charles de Gaulle. It has the jokes with multiple answers that make the second one really funny. For example, the question "How do you get down from an elephant?" is in there a couple of times, with the first answer being "You slide down his trunk," and the second answer, "You don't get down from an elephant; you get down from a duck." The magic is in the setups, the thematic repetitions (hence, down coming from a duck rather than a goose--ducks work far better in elephant jokes than geese do). For a 2nd grader with a good appreciation for the slapstick and ridiculous, this silly little book is a treasure. The fact that it's style is a bit dated is just a nostalgia bonus.

This book was purchased as a gift for a friend whom remembered some of these very jokes from his childhood. Corny and innocent, expect these jokes to be memorable and just fun.

My parents had this book, and I remember loving it when I was a kid. I couldn't for the life of me remember the title, so I searched for a while before buying this one off Amazon, hoping that it was the right one. This is ripped off on tons of Internet websites...it's the original source of the on-going Tarzan and Jane elephant jokes. The jokes contained in here aren't meant to be standalone--the book is intended to be read cover to cover (it's short) because the one-linder jokes build on one another.

This book is so cheap that you should take a chance and go out and buy it. Enjoy!

I can't stop laughing. Especially loved the Pygmies joke.

Puts into perspective the really important legacy we all have

I possess two copies of this book. Each has the same script but different graphics. I think there may be several copies, each featuring different artists. It transcends generations and makes everyone smile.

The book is based on a "last will" found by a destitute man. While his thoughts and wishes were written many years ago, they are completely relevant today. The book is touching and endearing with gorgeous illustrations and graphics -- and will make a great gift for people of all ages. It is truly a "keepsake" book!!!

Pictures in the Fire combines classic pictures and illustrations with the simple last will and testament of a man who died in a Chicago poor house. The author wills the things that belong to all of us; the sky, stars, skating ponds . . . he wills these things to children, lovers, young and old. This book is inspirational and beautiful.

I think my 18 month old started out loving this book so much because it has elephants in it. We love to make the elephant sign and the noise "bfffuuuuttt".

Some times I change the words I read. For example, instead of reading "he never pushes or shoves", I say out-loud "the elephant waits by standing still" to eliminate some of the gender and the sometimes "dont dont dont" wordings. Partly because at 18 months old "never push or shove" sounds a lot like "push and shove". :) Older children will probably be able to understand words like dont and never.

But my 18 month old doesn't care about those things. And we love signing "hello friends", "please", and "thank you".

I agree that it is never too early to teach social manners!

Just dont feel like you have to read it word for word; change a couple here and there!

We also love spying the bears, rabits, mice, fox, lady bugs and hats!

Scarry has it right from the start of this endearing book: "Everyone likes the polite elephant."

What makes this book a must-have for toddlers: classic illustrations that children have been falling in love with for decades, a lovable, memorable main character, and polite social behavior taught through everyday situations that will be meaningful to toddlers.

Parents who grew up with Richard Scarry's books will like seeing familiar Busytown characters. As always, the illustrations are cheerful and charming, and there are only a few words on each page (which stretches the age range from just-old-enough-to-look-without-eating through the pre-reading years).

The book uses situations that are familiar to toddlers to introduce polite behavior, including greetings, waiting in line, being a good guest, saying "please" and "thank you," washing up before meals, sharing toys, and more.

An excellent addition to your own board book collection, or a great gift for a new parent or parent of a toddler.

Cute Richard Scarry pictures are always fun for children, and this book combines the fun of Scarry's cartoon animals and vehicles with many tips on good manners in several different situations. Needed by many of today's children.

Our 18-month-old can not hear this being read enough. We must read it 5 times a day or more, maybe much more, with him asking/signing 'more' again. The illustrations, as can be expected, are excellent. Best of all, from a parents point of view, is that it teaches the importance of manners.

Given the lack of manners that I often see on playgrounds (by parents!) I think that it is imperative that good manners be drilled (there is the 'd' word) into children when quite young. Good social graces are usually a surer factor of success in life than extra points on an IQ test. There is a plethora of books out about raising bright kids, but markedly fewer about raising polite kids.

I picked this title up in a supermarket on a whim, and found it a favorite with our little guy, who already likes to say "please and "thank you" as well as "How do you do?". Buy it.

As a young child in the early-mid 80's, I had several of these Serendipity books & LOVED them. The illustrations are very appealing & nicely detailed, with adorable creatures & beautiful landscapes. The stories are fables, teaching morals & character without being preachy.

I wanted to give some of these to my godchildren, but was afraid the books might not still be in publication, & my own few remaining copies are getting a bit fragile. How exciting to find that Serendipity books are still being made!!! Now I can give some to my godchildren, & also round out my own collection (since I always used to pine after the long list of titles as a kid).

Thank you to all who are involved in continuing to create such beautiful & worthwhile books for children, so we who loved them so much as little ones can share them with the little ones in our lives now!

I loved these books as a child and my daughter who hates to read will read these books. They also have a wonderful message.

See above. The entire series should be available in hardcover collectables! Also, I wish this type of stories were available on video and CDROM similar to LIVING BOOKS.

See above. The entire series should be available in hardcover collectables! Also, I wish this type of stories were available on video and CDROM similar to LIVING BOOKS.

A blistering fast pace takes the reader from the US to Thailand and back, with a fascinating look at the seamy underside of the Asian antiquities market. This is a tale of adventure that is peopled by beautiful women, duplicitous crooks and, of course, an antique dealer with a taste for life. This is a fun read.

The book captured my interest from the start and held it to the end. A phone message from an old friend in Bangkok draws the main character, Harry, from his Asian antiques business in the States into a fantastic adventure with tales of extraordinary and incredible discoveries deep in the jungles of Southeast Asia. Written with humor and just enough detail to make this story fun and believable, the book leads you from the seamy side of Bangkok familiar to expatriots into some very remote and dangerous areas, with forests so thick and deep the only means of movement are on the backs of elephants and by long-tailed boats on a river. An apparently startling discovery has been made and Harry and his friend develop a plot to make themselves rich through an international and illicit network of greed. The plot has enough surprises to make the book difficult to put down. Very enjoyable reading.

Bob Bergin - author of Stone Gods, Wooden Elephants masterfully sets the plot; and ushers the reader into a world where few authors dare to venture.

This is an exciting book, and I highly recommend it!

Between the covers of these books, the reader will find a little bit of everything that makes up the total package of experiencing Southeast Asia: negotiating the complexities of social relations, colliding with street-level life, peering down the small side streets shrouded in ancient patinas, and stumbling into the riot of everyday adventures, some soft and quiet, others loud and threatening, but all of them worth the price of a return ticket. A great, fun story.

I have loved this book ever since I was a child! After years of searching for it for my own children I was ecstatic to finally find it was reprinted. My kids now love it & I have just ordered a few copies to give to family & friends.

"That's What Friends Are For" is a picture book written by Florence Parry Heide and Sylvia Van Clief, with illustrations by Holly Meade.

In "That's What Friends Are For," an elephant named Theodore hurt his leg and can't walk. This is a big problem for him, as he was going to go meet his cousin, but he can't do that if he can't walk. He decides to ask his friends for help and his friends have plenty of ideas for help --- they give him advice! Whether or not any of this advice is helpful is another matter. For example, his friend who's a crab tells him that if his leg was hurt, he would cut it off and grow a new one. But Theodore can't grow a new leg. In the end, Theodore's friends discover the perfect way to help him.

The illustrations are sweet and pleasing. The characters look kind of like stuffed animals. A compelling tale about friendship.

Out of my 15,000+ personal library of children's literature, it ranks in the top five and has for over 30 years. It used predictability and repitition - before they were "developmentally appropriate" for engaging young readers!
I share it with all age levels from kindergarten to senior citizens - because that's what friends are for!

This has been one of my most favorite books since I was a young person. I have used it to teach in church and in college. It carries such a wonderful and timeless lesson - the joy of service. A must for any collection.