Samurai Kids #1: White Crane

Even though he has only one leg, Niya Moto is studying to be a samurai, and his five fellow-students are similarly burdened, but sensei Ki-Yaga, an ancient but legendary warrior, teaches them not only physical skills but mental and spiritual ones as well, so that they are well-equipped to face their most formidable opponents at the annual Samurai Games.

See the review at WOW Review Volume 5, Issue 4

The Lovely Shoes

Can the right pair of shoes make *anyone* feel beautiful? Franny is constantly embarrassed by two things in her life. One is her right foot, which curls in from a birth defect, so she has to wear ugly, heavy orthopedic shoes. And the other is her mother Margaret: beautiful, extravagant, flamboyant — *mortifying*, in their small Ohio town. Franny’s first school dance is a disaster, so Margaret announces her latest crazy plan: They will travel to Italy to meet Salvatore Ferragamo, who will sculpt a pair of slippers especially for Franny. The idea is outrageous. The trip is expensive. And the experience changes Franny’s life forever.

See the review at WOW Review Volume 5, Issue 4

The Young Person’s Guide To Shakespeare: [Book-and-Cd Set]

Who was Shakespeare, and why has his work remained so compelling to us for so many centuries? With conversational text, informative sidebars, and full-color photographs, The Young Person’s Guide to Shakespeare makes Shakespeare’s life and work accessible to young readers. Topics addressed include Shakespeare’s youth, marriage, and family life; the fascinating story of the Globe Theatre and Shakespeare’s life as a playwright and actor in London; an introduction to Shakespeare’s plays and the challenges of performing them; and Shakespeare’s enduring legacy–the enormous influence he still holds over the arts, culture, language, and society hundreds of years later.

The First Christmas

Experience the wonder of the very first Christmas with this magical changing-picture book. The classic Christmas nativity story is stunningly illustrated by evocative pastel artwork depicting angels, shepherds, and wise men arriving in Bethlehem to share the magic of the birth of Jesus. Lift the gatefold flaps to change the pictures and watch the story unfold along the way.

Merlin and the Dragons

When young Arthur is troubled by dreams, Merlin tells him a story about a fatherless boy who himself dreamed about dragons and the defeat of the evil king Vortigern.