Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Books to the ceiling,
Books to the sky,
My pile of books is a mile high.

How I love them! How I need them!
I'll have a long beard by the time I read them.

~Arnold Lobel

I have a slight obsession with books. I buy them full price, I buy them at garage sales, we check dozens out each week at the library. I love a good book, and I'm sure many of you feel the same. So, when I read about Barefoot Books and got my hands on their catalogue, I was pretty excited. I love buying books for gifts, particularly for the littlest people I know. And I am already on the hunt for one-of-a-kind, beautiful books to give out this December!

Today I read a compilation of pirate stories in "The Barefoot Book of Pirates" written by Richard Walker. Geared for ages 5-10, this book is full of colorful illustrations by Olwyn Whelan, and each story is a retelling of an old legend. This book includes retellings of Scandanavian, German, English, Irish, Scottish, Japanese, and Morroccan legends. It was really interesting and fun to read. Also included is a CD which narrates all the stories, which most kids love (my kids love to listen to them in the car).


Other than the content, which I found really interesting, I also enjoyed this book because it presented a good balance of both text and illustrations. There were illustrations on every page (to encourage newer readers who still love pictures) but enough text that the book is also interesting and appropriate for more fluent readers. It would also be a nice book to read aloud, because of the natural stopping points between the short stories and the unique illustrations.

"The Barefoot Book of Pirates" would be an excellent gift for any child who likes pirates, or for any child who enjoys compilations of short stories.

And... Rebecca at Barefoot Books has a special right now. Check it out!

Receive a FREE copy of Storytime with any purchase of $30 or more until October 31st!** Following the success of The Story Tree and in response to our customers' demand for a comprehensive preschool collection, this anthology brings together a cast of characters that kids and adults will love - from the Gingerbread Man to The Ugly Duckling and The Three Little Pigs. While it is tailored for two- and three-year-olds, this collection will entertain everyone with its dynamic storytelling and vivid illustrations.
**It will be automatically added to your order when it is shipped from the warehouse. It will not appear in your basket when you check out.

I always love a good deal, particularly when it comes to books. Happy Reading!

7 comments:

... said...

i'm with you... i love books. i love to read but i can't read fast enough to get through all the books i buy. but i'm working on it.

i just found this site that you might be interested in. it's www.shelfari.com and it allows you to keep track of books you've read and are reading as well as recommend books, write reviews, and connect with other people who may be reading or have read the same books as you.

weavermom said...

I'm a book lover too! :) I've heard of Barefoot books but have not read one before - I'll have to check it out!

Just Mom said...

The pirate stories look like something my son would LOVE.

Kellan said...

I also buy lots of books and only ever read 1/2 of each one (I don't know why that is). I love 1/2 Priced Books. I'm Kellan - nice to meet you. See ya.

Lori said...

We love to read books too.
These books sound real good. I will have to check into them too. I always like to find a good deal.
Thanks for sharing.

Anna said...

Ca-ute illustrations! I totally buy a book for it's cover!

Great recommendations.

Raz Godelnik said...

Hey Dawnelle,

I am also a fan of Barefoot Books and you're definitely right - they've great books and great gifts!

How about greening up these gifts (and books purchases in general) by making sure a tree is planted for each book you buy and adding a sticker ‘One Tree Planted for this Book’ from recycled paper on the book?

I’m sure there’s nothing like getting a green gift book :-)

If you’re interested, you are welcome to check out Eco-Libris, a new green business that lets book lovers balance out the paper used for the books they read by planting trees.

Thanks,

Raz Godelnik
http://www.ecolibris.net