Lullaby: A Novel

Average customer rating:

Not what i expected

Good Read.

strange...

A lethal lullaby

what a deal!

Lullaby: A Novel
Chuck Palahniuk
Manufacturer: Doubleday
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Horror | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Choke Choke

Diary: A Novel

Invisible Monsters

Survivor: A Novel

Haunted: A Novel

ASIN: 0385504470
Release Date: 2002-09-17

Amazon.com

The consequences of media saturation are the basis for an urban nightmare in Lullaby, Chuck Palahniuk's darkly comic and often dazzling thriller. Assigned to write a series of feature articles investigating SIDS, troubled newspaper reporter Carl Streator begins to notice a pattern among the cases he encounters: each child was read the same poem prior to his or her death. His research and a tip from a necrophilic paramedic lead him to Helen Hoover Boyle, a real estate agent who sells "distressed" (demonized) homes, assured of their instant turnover. Boyle and Streator have both lost children to "crib death," and she confirms Streator's suspicions: the poem is an ancient lullaby or "culling song" that is lethal if spoken--or even thought--in a victim's direction. The misanthropic Streator, now armed with a deadly and uncontrollably catchy tune, goes on a minor killing spree until he recognizes his crimes and the song's devastating potential. Lullaby then turns into something of a road trip narrative, with Streator, Boyle, her empty-headed Wiccan secretary Mona, and Mona's vigilante boyfriend Oyster setting out across the U.S. to track down and destroy all copies of the poem.

In his previous works, including the cult favorite Fight Club, Palahniuk has demonstrated a fondness for making statements about the condition of humanity, and he uses Lullaby like a blunt object to repeatedly overstate his generally dim view. Such dogmatic venom undermines the persuasiveness of his thesis about mass communication and free will, but thankfully, Palahniuk offers some respite here by allowing for sympathy and love, as well as through his razor-sharp humor, such as his mock listings for Helen's possessed properties: "six bedrooms, four baths, pine-paneled entryway, and blood running down the kitchen walls...." At such moments, Lullaby casts a powerful spell. --Ross Doll

Book Description

From the author of the New York Times bestseller Choke and the cult classic Fight Club, a cunningly plotted novel about the ultimate verbal weapon, one that reinvents the apocalyptic thriller for our times.

Carl Streator is a solitary widower and a fortyish newspaper reporter who is assigned to do a series of articles on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. In the course of this investigation he discovers an ominous thread: the presence at the death scenes of the anthology Poems and Rhymes Around the World, all opened to the page where there appears an African chant, or “culling song.” This song turns out to be lethal when spoken or even thought in anyone's direction–and once it lodges in Streator's brain he finds himself becoming an involuntary serial killer. So he teams up with a real estate broker, one Helen Hoover Boyle–who specializes in selling haunted (or “distressed”) houses (wonderfully high turnover), and who lost a child to the culling song years before–for a cross-country odyssey to remove all copies of the book from libraries, lest this deadly verbal virus spread and wipe out human life. Accompanying them on this road trip are Helen's assistant, Mona Sabbat, an exquisitely earnest Wiccan, and her sardonic ecoterrorist boyfriend Oyster, who is running a scam involving fake liability claims and business blackmail. Welcome to the new nuclear family.

On one level, Lullaby is a chillingly pertinent parable about the dangers of psychic infection and control in an era of wildly overproliferated information: “Imagine a plague you catch through your ears . . . imagine an idea that occupies your mind like a city.” But it is also a tightly wound thriller with an intriguing premise and a suspenseful plot full of surprising twists and turns. Finally, because it is a Chuck Palahniuk novel, it is a blackly comic tour de force that reinforces his stature as our funniest nihilist and a contemporary seer.

Download Description

Carl Streator is a solitary widower and a fortyish newspaper reporter who is assigned to do a series of articles on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. In the course of this investigation he discovers an ominous thread: the presence at the death scenes of the anthology Poems and Rhymes Around the World, all opened to the page where there appears an African chant, or "culling song." This song turns out to be lethal when spoken or even thought in anyone's direction -Ã,Â- and once it lodges in Streator's brain he finds himself becoming an involuntary serial killer. So he teams up with a real estate broker, one Helen Hoover Boyle -- who specializes in selling haunted (or "distressed") houses (wonderfully high turnover), and who lost a child to the culling song years before -- for a cross-country odyssey to remove all copies of the book from libraries, lest this deadly verbal virus spread and wipe out human life. Accompanying them on this road trip are Helen's assistant, Mona Sabbat, an exquisitely earnest Wiccan, and her sardonic ecoterrorist boyfriend Oyster, who is running a scam involving fake liability claims and business blackmail. Welcome to the new nuclear family.

On one level, Lullaby is a chillingly pertinent parable about the dangers of psychic infection and control in an era of wildly overproliferated information: "Imagine a plague you catch through your ears... imagine an idea that occupies your mind like a city." But it is also a tightly wound thriller with an intriguing premise and a suspenseful plot full of surprising twists and turns. Finally, because it is a Chuck Palahniuk novel, it is a blackly comic tour de force that reinforces his stature as our funniest nihilist and a contemporary seer.

Customer Reviews:

Not what i expected.......2007-09-06

After reading Fight Club, Choke, Invisible Monsters, and Survivor, Lullaby caught me off guard, it didn't strike me as something Chuck would write about;
it was out there, like most of his work that i've read is,
but best of all, it was an exellent read and definitely up to par with the rest of his works;
i can't wait to see the day that he's required reading in schools,
his work is far more interesting and makes me think independantly alot more than anything i've ever read before.
brilliant

Good Read........2007-08-30

Chuck rocks. I like that he never loses the readers attention, even when the pace slows, the dialogue and descriptions keep you in it.

strange..........2007-08-12

Although i enjoyed it,some of the stuff in his books are off the wall! I like his use of terms and his little "fun facts". A good read if your a chuck fan...one of his better books. (i've only read three so far)

A lethal lullaby.......2007-08-06

My rating is based more so on the creative literary talents of the nihilistic author Chuck Palahniuk. He fabricates a symbolic commentary on the failures of society in the guise of a black comedy. Palahniuk uses a gritty no holds barred style that touches subject matter not for the faint of heart. He creates a bizarre array of characters to expouse his views. He fascinatingly incorporates ceaseless clusters of factoids germane to the theories he proposes within this outlandish novel.

Middle aged journalist Carl Streator is involved in a newspaper series concerning Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. While conducting interviews with unfortunate families touched by these tragedies, he uncovers a common denominator. Each tiny victim had been read to from a book "Poems and Rhymes Around the World". More specifically a lullaby or African culling song found on page 27, were the last words heard by the babies. Streator soon realizes that the mere utterance or thinking the words of the lullaby results in immediate death.

This revelation has him seek out a Helen Hoover Boyle, a real estate agent specializing in the sale and quick resale of haunted houses. Boyle had also lost a child to SIDS as did Streator, and had knowledge of the culling song's effect.

Streator, unable to contain his thoughts of the lullaby, goes on an unintended killing spree and needs Boyle's help to control himself. Together along with Boyle's assistant Mona, a Wiccan witch and her hippyish boyfriend Oyster, who places slanderous advertisements to bring down institutions that are ecologically insensitive, they all go on a cross country excursion. Their goal is to locate all copies of the lullaby and destroy them. They are also searching for a fabled grimoire, a book of spells that they hope to use to alter societal norms and evoke change.

what a deal!.......2007-07-29

on the back of this book it says that it costs $13.95 in the united states, and $21.00 in canada. i got it for 75 cents at a garage sale. i just thought that i'd let people know that garage sales can be good places to get books.

Average customer rating:

Whooh Red Alert
Stalked by the village idiot
"Hate Spinnerbate!"
Dexter was the best part
Awesome!

This Lullaby
Sarah Dessen
Manufacturer: Puffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Love & Romance | Literature & Fiction | Teens | Subjects | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0142501557

Amazon.com

"I had no illusions about love... It came, it went, it left casualties or it didn't. People weren't meant to be together forever, regardless of what the songs say." Remy doesn't believe in love. And why should she? Her romance novelist mother is working on her fifth marriage, and her father, a '70s hippie singer, left her with only a one-hit wonder song to remember him by. Every time Remy hears "This Lullaby," it feels like "a bruise that never quite healed right." "Wherever you may go / I will let you down / But this lullaby plays on..." Never without a boyfriend, Remy is a compulsive dater, but before a guy can go all "Ken" on her (as in "ultra boyfriend behavior") she cuts him off, without ever getting close or getting hurt. That's why she's stunned when klutzy, quirky, alterna-band boy Dexter inserts himself into her life and refuses to leave. Remy's been accepted to Stanford, and she plans on having her usual summer fling before tying up the loose ends of her pre-college life and heading for the coast. Except Dexter's not following Remy's tried-and-true rules of break-up protocol. And for the first time, Remy's questioning whether or not she wants him to.

Author Sarah Dessen's ability to write novels that are both crowd pleasers and literary masterpieces of YA fiction is showcased beautifully in This Lullaby. Subtle yet completely absorbing, Lullaby is peopled with breathtakingly believable, three-dimensional characters, the very best of which is the bitter, broken Remy herself. An original love story about learning to love yourself first. (Ages 12 and older) --Jennifer Hubert

Book Description

When it comes to relationships, Remy doesn't mess around. After all, she's learned all there is to know from her mother, who's currently working on husband number five. But there's something about Dexter that seems to defy all of Remy's rules. He certainly doesn't seem like Mr. Right. For some reason, however, Remy just can't seem to shake him. Could it be that Remy's starting to understand what those love songs are all about? From acclaimed author Sarah Dessen, this is a captivating novel about a tough-as-nails girl and the unexpectedly charming boy who's determined to soften her up.

Customer Reviews:

Whooh Red Alert.......2007-10-07

Well I would just say I got through to chapter 6 and then I had to call it quits. This book has a ton of foul language. Not to mention illegal activities like sneaking into clubs with fake ID's, having major drinking problems, smoking (thats not illegal but I think it's wrong). Not to mention a lot of sleeping around with people and at times I thought this book was going to have a breakthrough but then here we go again and the plot is boring. If you want a good appropriate book I strongly suggest not buying.

Stalked by the village idiot.......2007-09-22

I threw this book in the trash once, when I was about 1/3 way through. Then later fished it out.

Apparently lots of readers loved Dexter. I hated him until about the end of the book. I found it scary and infuriating that this village idiot was stalking Remy and she didn't seem to be able to stop him.

Eventually, I realized that she was quite capable of getting a restraining order and then having him arrested when, inevitably, the moron violated it. In fact, she was quite capable of giving him "the speech" in a way that even he would understand.

So, obviously some part of her realized that she needed him, just as he desperately needed her.

"Hate Spinnerbate!".......2007-08-15

But I LOVE Dexter. This is my favorite Dessen book to date. Is it possible NOT to fall in love with Dexter? I laughed so many times out loud at the things he did or said. People on the metrolink train were giving me weird looks like I was off my meds. But back to Dexter: He was my highlight, along with the fact that I could really relate to Remy. People who don't get this book missed out on something spectacular. OKay, so maybe not EVERYTHING in Sarah Dessen's books are 100% believable, but isn't that the point? To escape into a fantasy world where a character like Dexter really exists, with his bold, honorable, humble and graceless persona? Where a wild heart like Remy's could be tempted to fall in love? It's the twists and turns in life and in this book that (believable or not) can and do happen, and make this sometimes dull and monotonous life I myself lead all that much more to look forward to. A MUST READ for sure for true Sarah Dessen fans! Rock on, Truth Squad!

Dexter was the best part.......2007-07-08

Dexter is a fantastic character. He leapt off the page and made me laugh out loud more than once. I absolutely loved him, and he's the reason for the second star.

Unfortunately, this was the only good part of the book. The storyline was predictable, and the language was confusing. I had to re-read several paragraphs to figure out what the author was trying to say, and a few times I never did figure it out.

Aside from Dexter and Remy, the characters seemed flat and lifeless. The mom had some character development, but it was predictable and not very well done. This story could have been great, but fizzled instead. Very disappointing.

Awesome!.......2007-07-06

Oooh some of these reviews are kinda harsh. Personally, I've never read a better romance novel in my entire life. I normally avoid romances like the plague but after reading this book (something my friend convinced me to do) I ended up falling in love with not only the story but the characters as well. I absolutely love Dexter and I think Remy has so many different layers, she can't help but be interesting. This is one of those books I'm going to continue reading over and over for a very long time. IT'S AWESOME!!!

Average customer rating:

Great book
Formula Crais
Excelent Read
FANTASTIC, Quite the page turner!
Fair to Middling

Lullaby Town
Robert Crais
Manufacturer: Crimeline
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

Hard-Boiled | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery & Thrillers | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0553299514
Release Date: 1993-05-01

Book Description

Hollywood's newest wunderkind is Peter Alan Nelson, the brilliant, erratic director known as the King of Adventure. His films make billions, but his manners make enemies. What the boy king wants, he gets, and what Nelson wants is for Elvis to comb the country for the airhead wife and infant child the film-school flunkout dumped en route to becoming the third biggest filmmaker in America. It's the kind of case Cole can handle in his sleep -- until it turns out to be a nightmare. For when Cole finds Nelson's wife in a small Conneticut town, she's nothing like what he expects. The lady has some unwanted -- and very nasty -- mob connections, which means Elvis could be opening the East Coast branch of his P.I. office . . .at the bottom of the Hudson River.

Customer Reviews:

Great book.......2007-01-23

I have recently become a Crais fan and I could not put this one down. The hero, Cole, is called upon by a rich yet annoying film director to locate his estranged wife and son. However, the more he finds out about the ex-wife, the more dangerous his mission becomes and he then has to enlist his old friend, Pike, to keep him out of harm's way. Definitely a good book with strong dialogue.

Formula Crais.......2006-09-02

I'm a Crais fan but sometimes I wonder why. His books are strictly formulaic in that they follow a pattern. They are so formulaic that they all seem the same. Crais indulges in too many plot cliches (there always seems to be a convenient coffee shop across the street from a place Cole is watching, with a perfect view of the target building's front door and where Cole can sit for several hours sipping coffee, waiting for the bad guy to exit.) Plot twists and turns often strain credulity. I dunno. I guess I like reading about Cole and Pike and the plot thesis is often creative. But the devil is in the development and that, I feel, is where Crais often falls down.

Excelent Read.......2006-08-26

I've read this book as well as the rest of the Elvis Cole series. They are witty and entertaining. It is very easy to become involved with the characters. Elvis Cole is a caring individual who has a witty way of looking at things. Even his cat is funny. Joe Pike, his partner in the detective agency, is straight as an arrow. He can't even smile, his lip just quivers. Each Elvis Cole book in the series seems to be a little better then the one before. I'm totaly hooked on this series. I also recommend Harlan Coben and his Myron Bolitar series. I have read all of Harlan Coben's books. In the process of ordering his books, Robert Crais was recommended to me as an alternative to Harlan Coben and the Myron Bolitar series. This is why I'm reading Robert Crais and I'm hooked. Buy the whole Elvis Cole series. You won't regret it.

FANTASTIC, Quite the page turner!.......2006-06-07

I really loved this book! It's my second Elvis Cole and I'm really looking forward to reading the rest in the series. It starts out as a mundane assignment that turns ugly, early. Cole and his partner, Pike, are ever on the job and the twists and turns of the book are done with great skill and there are lots of them. Very plausible reasons for every death, none of those unbelievable deaths here (you know the kind, as a reader, you think, now who would kill someone for THAT reason?)! True, there was a lot of violence. I just felt as if I was there with them, scared with them (OK they don't GET scared, but you know...). I could NOT put it down (once I got to the middle), and I almost never say that, I just sat riveted to my seat. Outstanding, excellent! Wonderful.

Fair to Middling.......2005-10-04

If you've read several of the Elvis Cole adventures by Robert Crais, you know by now that they all follow a predictable pattern; Elvis and his partner Joe Pike investigate a mystery for several hundred pages, then the book always ends with a big, bloody shoot-out. Lullaby Town is no exception, but it's hampered by flaws that aren't seen in Crais's earlier books.

The main flaw here is pacing. Cole is hired to find the ex-wife and child of a famous Hollywood director. The trail leads him to a sleepy little town out in the middle fo nowhere, in which Cole spends a fair amount of time doing basically nothing and feeling pretty bored. This boredom seeps from the pages and infects the reader as well; the first half of the book is so slow and laborious that I found myself skimming large portions, something that I normally never do. Cole is such a likeable character and his sense of humor is so endearing that I managed to struggle through those first 150 pages or so, and the pace in the second half of the book was definitely faster even if the plotline was as predictable as snow in the wintertime.

The bottom line? Read it if you're a Robert Crais fan and you're going through the whole Elvis Cole series in order, but don't expect to have your socks knocked off.

Average customer rating:

Beautiful Illustrations
Good concept, but only OK...
Wonderful book , great gift!
Sweet bedtimes story made new...
New text/Lyrics are wholesome.

Hush Little Baby: Board Book

Manufacturer: Chronicle Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Board book

Board Books | Baby-3 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Baby-3 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Picture Books | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0811822907

Amazon.com

"Hush little baby, don't say a word,
Mama's going to show you a hummingbird.
If that hummingbird should fly,
Mama's going to show you the evening sky."

Sylvia Long's award-winning (Child Magazine's Best of 1997) ode to mother-child love takes a favorite lullaby and makes it--is it possible?--even better. Troubled by the buy-buy-buy mentality of the original ("Mama's gonna buy you a mockingbird/diamond ring/a dog named Rover..."), Long adapts the song to her--and our--liking. Mama now shows her baby the comforting wonders of the world: crickets, shooting stars, warm bedspreads. Long's gorgeous ink and watercolor paintings are reminiscent of Clement Hurd's illustrations in Margaret Wise Brown's Goodnight Moon. And now, with this gift set, fans of this sweet lullaby can have a "little baby" bunny all their own, along with a small board book edition of their sing-along favorite! The unbelievably soft plush rabbit rattle is curved into a shape and size just right for tiny hands. Wrap the cuddly pajama-clad bunny around a crib railing so your baby can always reach it. What a perfect gift for the new mother or mother-to-be! (Baby to preschool) --Emilie Coulter

Book Description

Bedtime is a special ritual for parents and children. Lullabies often play an important role. This best-selling version of the beloved lullaby Hush Little Baby is now available in a sturdy board book making it perfect for sharing with the youngest children.

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful Illustrations.......2007-06-27

Really well drawn and written - nice updated version of the nursery rhyme. Its a wonderful story to sing and definitely a favourite bedtime book.

Good concept, but only OK..........2007-05-25

Good concept, but still very old-fashioned---I don't know anyone, let alone a mom, who plays a banjo!

"If that lighning bug won't glow, Mama's going to play on her old banjo."

I thought it was going to be more up-to-date. One the plus-side, the board book seems good and sturdy...

Wonderful book , great gift! .......2007-04-11

I love this book- it is a great gift for a new mommy- Its a classic song but the words are changed to not be so materialistic which is wonderful in this day and age! You also cant help sining along as you read it to your little one!

Sweet bedtimes story made new..........2007-01-02

My 2 yr old son loves this book. The story is a redo of the classic song set to a story. I like to sing it too him because it doesn't talk about buying him anything but rather spending time with him. He often asks for it before bed. I highly recommend it for anybody with a 0-4 yr old.

New text/Lyrics are wholesome. .......2006-12-19

I was looking to update the original lyrics and wanted some ideas, when a friend told me about this book. Although wholesome, the updated text alone doesn't work for my child; there are many more experiences that we can sing to the original tune, which make bedtime stories more tangible, interesting and educational. For instance, we live in the city. I can't show him a shooting star - if we're searching for one, it's WAY past his bedtime. I can however, sing about the snow, the market, or the playground, park and the ducks.

The original text has better imagery for him. Also, the active verbs, like "buy" or "give" or others we substitute, keep him more interested than some of the passive verbs that the author uses. Try creating your own rhymes if you're not a fan of the original or this treacle update.

The tune on which this is based is considered a folk song, and on that definition, the original is an expression of how life is at the time of it's use. I appreciate Sylvia Long's effort to update.

By the way, it is reported that Syliva Long was troubled by the buy-buy-buy mentality of the original verse. Perhaps if she looked at the second verse she may have found the non-materialism she writes about wanting.

"Hush little baby mama's near,
To wipe your brow and calm your fears.
To kiss your cheek and hold your hand,
'Til you drift off to sleepyland.
To help you count those little white sheep,
And sing you songs 'til you're asleep.
To tell you tales of kings and queens,
And Jack and Jill and wonderful things.
So snuggle up and hug me tight,
And dream sweet dreams all through the night.
And every night when the sun goes down,
You'll still be the sweetest little baby in town."

Average customer rating:

Encore!
great entertainment for 18 month old!
We are all charmed and enthralled

Good Night: A Pop-Up Lullaby

Manufacturer: Candlewick
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Bedtime & Dreaming | Baby-3 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Baby-3 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Humorous | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0763607630
Release Date: 1999-08-04

Customer Reviews:

Encore!.......2000-07-24

My 16 mos. old daughter loves this book more than any other. She always reaches for it. And even though she has pulled the shoe off Gnu she still wants to read it again and again. I am online now looking for more books like this one! Very cute and creative.

great entertainment for 18 month old!.......1999-12-16

bought this book for my nephew and he loves it. loves all the pulling, lifting, seeing the pop-ups. can read it with him again and again without him losing interest.

We are all charmed and enthralled.......1999-09-01

Babies, to parents, to grandparents were delighted and charmed by this clever, bright, adorable book. We all just love it and so will you. Bright colors, a simple story, beautifully drawn, and the most incredible pop-ups ever. We were all ga-ga over this book. More! More!

Wee Sing Nursery Rhymes and Lullabies (Wee Sing)

Average customer rating:

Great Product
Off we go to London Town!
We Loved This
written music
Time for Another Generation of Wee-Singers

Wee Sing Nursery Rhymes and Lullabies (Wee Sing)
Pamela Conn Beall , and Susan Hagen Nipp
Manufacturer: Price Stern Sloan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Performing Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 084311360X

Book Description

The bestselling Wee Sing line is now tailored for the most modern Wee Sing fans! These eight classic Wee Sing titles are now in a great new package—a book and CD in a reusable blister!

Customer Reviews:

Great Product.......2007-09-06

I'm really glad I purchased the Wee Sing Nursery Rhymes. It even comes with sheet music! It seems that every song I learned in school is included, plus many more. Now I can pass this on to my son and daughter! Shipping was prompt, which is a bonus!

Off we go to London Town!.......2007-07-06

My Mom and I used to quote that every time we would go on a trip. This is easily one of the best Wee Sing tapes, now available on CD. My cousin recently had her 2nd baby and I bought it for him. And since my Mom had the NERVE to sell our original copy of this one in a garage sale, I just HAD to download it to my iPod before wrapping it.

The nursery rhyme part of it, is also set to a story of Georgie Peorgie, Jack and Jill, and Mary going to King Cole's Birthday party, and on the way meeting other Mother Goose Characters.

Here are some interesting facts and trivia on some of the nursery rhymes and lullabies.

THERE WAS A LITTLE GIRL. Originallly titled "JEMIMA," was written SURPRISE! SURPRISE! by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow about his daughter about a time that she misbehaved. Everyone knows the first verse. But there are two other verses that are almost never anthologized.

One day she went upstairs while her parents unawares.
Sitting below were at their meals.
She stood upon her head on her little trundle bed,
and then began hurraying with her heals.

Her Mama heard the noise and thought it was the boys
A playing at a combat in the attic.
But when she climbed the stair and saw Jemima there
She took and she did Spank her most emphatic!

LUCY LOCKET If you own this product, you'll remember that the poem is sung to the tune of Yankee Doodle. What you may not know is that Lucy Lockett is the main tune and that the yankees got the melody for Yankee Doodle from Lucy Lockett.

GOOD NIGHT TO YOU ALL Isn't really a lullaby, but it was a round dating back to the 19th century often sung by quartets in hotels and such as a finale.

EARLY TO BED Was written, believe it or not by Benjamin Franklin. And was used as a way to get children to go to bed on time.

SWEETLY SLEEP Is a parody of a Czech Christmas carol called "ROCKING," which you will find on "Wee Sing for Christmas." Either song gets me in a Christmas mood no matter what time of the year it is.

All in all, this is a first rate recording and perfect for the young and the young at heart. So if you or anyone you know is about to have a baby, go ahead and buy it. You certainly won't go wrong.

We Loved This.......2007-04-02

We were so glad to be able to buy this on CD. Our tapes were so old and really no equipment handy to play, especially in the cars. We played this over and over and over and sang and had a wonderful time going places. My granddaughters are 16 and 19 now and I loved the smiles on their faces when I gave them their very own CD. Thanks so much.

written music.......2007-03-22

One thing I'd like to add to the other comments is that you might want to search inside the book to see the list of rhymes and lullabies as well as a sample of the notes for two of the songs which you can play on the piano if you like.

Time for Another Generation of Wee-Singers.......2007-02-07

My three grown daughters remember all these songs from having the cassettes when they were little. Sometimes when we're all together, someone will break into spontaneous song from one of the tapes and we all join in. It brings back great memories from our many car trips. I still have the cassettes, but no cassette player, so it was time to upgrade for my 18 month old grandson. His mom has been singing these songs to him from Day 1. All these Wee Sing CDs will become a family treasure! You won't go wrong on any of them.

Average customer rating:

Complete and visually beautiful
visually attractive
well done and accurate

Classical Music (Eyewitness Companions)
John Burrows
Manufacturer: DK ADULT
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Turtleback

General | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

History & Criticism | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0756609585

Book Description

Classical Music covers 300 composers, includes analysis of 40 major works, and looks at every musical genre, style, and form, including instruments, ensembles, and conductors.
These lavishly illustrated handbooks cover everything you need to know on subjects ranging from classical music and hiking to learning how to golf or play the guitar.

Customer Reviews:

Complete and visually beautiful.......2006-09-09

The information is carefully gathered and put in this encyclopedia in a qualitative way. It's a precise and thorough piece of work, which worths your money.

visually attractive.......2005-11-15

Far more composers are included than you'd expect in this almost pocketsize volume.

Light and enjoyable reading, yet an excellent overview of 'classical music' for everyone. Many terms are defined, some aren't and you wish they were. Helpful index in the back. Good quick reference, never bogs down with too much information.

Stirred my curiousity over and over again to go out and learn more on this huge subject we call 'classical music'. The 'snapshot' descriptions are easy to read and interesting for the casual reader.

I truly loved the pictures and imagery throughout this book. Top Notch quality! However, not all the photos are identified or given descriptions. Perhaps that is by design though... Never-the-less, the stunning visuals makes this book a definite keeper!

well done and accurate.......2005-07-28

I'm always a little leery of small books that suggest they have everything one needs to know on a subject but after carefully looking at DK's Classical Music, I think they did as good a job as could be done and aesthetically, the book is pleasing and comfortable to handle.

Average customer rating:

Great Music!
Love the artwork
Good songs, but book is not very user-friendly
Nice to have, but not a must.
Song with this book better than on "No"

Bed, Bed, Bed (They Might Be Giants)
They Might Be Giants
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0743250249

Amazon.com

Parents and kids looking for a break from the ordinary will appreciate this imaginative collection of stories and songs from quirk-rock kings They Might Be Giants. Fresh on the heels of their highly successful children's record No!, Bed, Bed, Bed features four brief stories written by the Giants and illustrated with surreal panache by Marcel Dzama along with a CD featuring all four stories in song version. "Impossible" explores the possibility of turning into fantastical animals like Octofish and Octofee or growing violet hair that flows down the stairs. Kids will find the silly animals and warped reality delightful and will love singer John Linnell's spacey conspiratorial tone. "Happy Doesn't Have to Have an Ending" tells the story of a hippie kitten "on a secret mission to make a valentine for everyone on earth," who wants everyone to dance and be happy. "Idlewild" slows things down with a softer, sleepier beat and a story about a dreamy trip to the carnival. But the Giants save the best story for last; "Bed Bed Bed Bed Bed" is a well-reasoned and catchy argument for slumber. "I did so many things today, there's nothing left to do", sings guest vocalist Kimya Dawson (in a slower, different version than the one on "No!"). While the story features familiar bedtime milestones, Dzama's illustrations lend the proceedings a compellingly skewed vision in which kids eat three meals in the company of bears and go to bed accompanied by their pet octopus and a tuxedoed rabbit. While the lyrics flow nicely in the songs, they can sometimes be a bit clunky on the page. But even then, the stories and Dzama's illustrations are more imaginative and memorable than most children's books today. --John Moe

Book Description

Four stories to read in the book!

Four new songs to sing on the CD inside the book!

You can enjoy Bed, Bed, Bed anytime and anywhere but it is especially good for bedtime, especially good to read out loud, and it's especially good to share.

Customer Reviews:

Great Music!.......2007-02-22

This is wonderful way to wind down the day with your little ones. The music is quite enjoyable and touching.

Love the artwork.......2007-01-09

a fun and creative book and catchy music. I play the music a lot for my baby so we can "sing along" but the book is too delicate for her (9 months old) we'll use it later when she is older.

Good songs, but book is not very user-friendly.......2006-04-22

I've been a They Might Be Giants fan for several years and I am about to become a teacher, so I have been perusing many children's books lately and decided to check out Bed Bed Bed.

I listened to the book with the CD and the thing that stuck out at me the most about this book was the pacing. "Impossible" is the longest song, but all its lyrics are crammed into two spreads. While listening, I found myself becoming bored looking at those pages so long. At that point, the book just seemed like a decorated lyrics page.

"Happy Doesn't Have to Have an Ending", though only 3 spreads (including the title page), was much better paced because of its fast tempo.

"Idlewild"'s three spreads were perfect, since it was a short song with few words.

However, "Bed Bed Bed" was a whopping 11 spreads long, even though its time length was just a bit shorter than "Impossible". I know it's the title song and should probably have more emphasis, but in this case, it meant that I had to flip through one line pages so quickly that I didn't even have time to glimpse at the pictures if I wanted to keep up with the song! I would have much rather had more images of the shape-shifting imaginary creatures in "Impossible" than individual pictures of kids doing things like brushing their teeth and sitting around.

I got this book thinking that it would potentially make a unique addition for a listening center in my classroom, but if I had such a hard time keeping up with the book, I imagine my students would be even more frustrated.

If only a few changes were made, this book would be much better, but for now, if I want a visual representation of They Might Be Giant's kid songs, I'll stick to Here Come the ABC's.

Nice to have, but not a must........2006-01-01

This book makes awkward reading, especially to a 4-year old who doesn't know TMBG. It's just song lyrics, which don't have much meaning to a child, and don't flow very well for reading. The CD makes it a little easier, because at least my son can look at the pictures, but it's still not ideal. I love TMBG, and I have for many years, so this book/CD is a nice addition to my collection. However, I bought it for my son, who listened to it for the first few weeks, but after that hasn't picked it up again.

Song with this book better than on "No".......2005-11-09

We liked this version of the Going to Bed song better than on the original "No" album. The illustrations were more adult-friendly than child-friendly.

Average customer rating:

Award Winner!
Hush Little Baby
Absolutely lovely!
Hypnotic Hula Lullaby

Hula Lullaby
Erin Eitter Kono
Manufacturer: Little, Brown Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Bedtime & Dreaming | Baby-3 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Baby-3 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0316735914

Book Description

mid starry skies, drummers' beats, ocean breezes, and the gentle sway of tea leaf skirts, a young girl is rocked to sleep in the arms of her mother. Hula Lullaby perfectly captures the lush island symphony while celebrating a universal bedtime ritual.

Customer Reviews:

Award Winner!.......2006-08-30

"Excellence in a Picture Book" award-winner 2006 from the Children's Literature Council of Southern California!

This book is beautiful, sweet, lush, and the lines and colors are flowing and musical. A visual treat.

Hush Little Baby.......2006-07-29

This beautifully illustrated book of Hawaii is a joy to loo upon and enjoy. It illustrates the beauty of Hawaii. Little Keiki (child) is shown to appreciate the magnificence of the Aloha way.

Absolutely lovely!.......2005-11-18

Great new author. This book is absolutely wonderful. The writing and paintings are excellent. Wherever you live, the story will immediately bring you and your child the tranquility of Hawaiian night. Lovely! I hope to see more children's books from Ms. Kono soon.

Hypnotic Hula Lullaby.......2005-11-05

A young girl cuddles in her mother's lap and falls asleep to the soothing sights and sounds of this Hawaiian lullaby.

Extraordinary Hawaiian pictures and a soothing lullaby rhythm make this an excellent bedtime selection. Descriptive language and sensory details work with the illustrations to transport the reader to a Hawaiian dream land.

See my other reviews at YABooksCentral

Lullabies for Little Criminals: A Novel (P.S.)

Average customer rating:

Stunning!
Well written but so desperately sad!
Can't wait for her next book!
Authentic
Looking forward to more from the author

Lullabies for Little Criminals: A Novel (P.S.)
Heather O'neill
Manufacturer: Harper Perennial
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0060875070
Release Date: 2006-10-17

Amazon.com

A down-and-dirty debut novel, a harrowing recital of a young life, a funny, innocent, streetwise telling of life on the street--all of the above describe Heather O'Neill's Lullabies for Little Criminals. In an autobiographical essay included in the book, O'Neill, whose own childhood parallels rather closely the life of Baby, her book's heroine, says, "In Lullabies, I wanted to capture what I remembered of the drunken babbling of unfortunate twelve-year-olds: their illusions; their ludicrously bad choices, their lack of morality and utter disbelief in cause and effect." She accomplishes all of the above and more.

Baby is born to two 15-year-olds, and her mother dies a year later. Her father, Jules, is not a bad man, but he is a perpetual kid, without money, education, purpose, moral compass, or any idea of what being a parent is about or how ordinary people live. When the novel begins, Baby is almost 12, and her 12th year turns out to be a very big one indeed. She smokes pot, shoots heroin, loses her virginity, and lives in foster homes, a state detention home, and one seedy, squalid apartment after another. She comes under the spell of Alphonse, a neighborhood pimp, and is so hungry for male affection that she mistakes what he offers for love and care.

Baby and her equally neglected and abused friends long for adulthood, whatever that means. They look up to sophisticated druggies and efficient thieves. Baby says, "I don't know why I was upset about not being an adult. It was right around the corner. Becoming a child again is what is impossible. That's what you have a legitimate reason to be upset over." Baby is matter-of-fact about her predicament. She knows that other kids have lives very different from hers but says, "It never occurs to you when you are very young to need something other than what your parents have to offer to you." This poignant story is beautifully written, sprinkled throughout with humor, pathos, unbelievable privation, and, in the end, the hope of redemption. At least we know that Heather O'Neill grew up to be a writer of no mean accomplishment. --Valerie Ryan

Book Description

LULLABIES FOR LITTLE CRIMINALS is the heartbreaking and wholly original debut novel by This American Life contributor Heather O'Neill, about a young girl fighting to preserve her bruised innocence on the feral streets of a big city.

Baby, all of thirteen years old, is lost in the gangly, coltish moment between childhood and the strange pulls and temptations of the adult world. Her mother is dead; her father, Jules, is scarcely more than a child himself, and always on the lookout for his next score. Baby knows that 'chocolate milk' is Jules' slang for heroin, and sees a lot more of that in her house than the real article. But she takes vivid delight in the scrappy bits of happiness and beauty that find their way to her, and moves through the threat of the streets as if she's been choreographed in a dance.

Soon, though, a hazard emerges that is bigger than even her hard–won survival skills can handle. Alphonse, the local pimp, has his eye on her for his new girl; and he wants her body and soul –– what the johns don't take he covets for himself. At the same time, a tender and naively passionate friendship unfolds with a boy from her class at school, who has no notion of the dark claims on her –– which even her father, lost on the nod, cannot totally ignore. Jules consigns her to a stint in juvie hall, and for the moment this perceived betrayal preserves Baby from terrible harm –– but after that, her salvation has to be her own invention.

Customer Reviews:

Stunning!.......2007-07-27

I would never have picked up this book on my own if someone had told me it was about a kid on the mean streets. Luckily for me, a writer friend gave it to me. Wow. This is some of the finest writing I have ever read. The author's fresh style and turns of phrase are breathtaking, and her characters are unforgettable. My only slight criticism of the book is that, though I could hardly put it down during the first half, it dragged on a bit toward the end. I am really looking forward to her next book!

Well written but so desperately sad!.......2007-07-24

I think the author has a lot of talent but the story line went from bad to worse. I understand that this is a real life for many but I read to escape and this book just kept getting more depressing. There is no hope for any of the characters. The scenes of rape where just too hard for me to deal with. If I want to educate myself about children being forced into the sex trade I will educate myself in a proper manner and not through so-called "entertainment". Not a light read and not recommended.

Can't wait for her next book!.......2007-06-22

This book, as so many people have already attested to, is written in a fresh way - one that will envelope you immediately. It is a very easy, quick read. I must admit, after the first chapter or so, I deliberately started reading slower to make the experience last longer....
Loved the book, and actually have now read some of the author's favorite books that she has listed in the back pages of this book. I read "The Clown" - which was another very uniquely written story about an unemployed depressed heart-broken clown in post WWII Germany.

Authentic.......2007-06-14

The author does a masterful job of capturing the outlook of a 12 yr. old. The authenticity of the story is breathtaking, you keep asking yourself, "How does she know this stuff?" Having a daughter and step-son who have experience as social workers with kids, the portrayal of the system's missteps are very accurate. Very insightful and enjoyable book.

Looking forward to more from the author.......2007-05-05

Heather O'Neill deserves a round of applause for this book. The characters she creates are vivid and heart-breaking; the writing, evocative.

Baby and Jules' story is one of grim hope. Despite miserable circumstances and bad decisions left and right, you find yourself rooting for the characters. Throughout the story's twists and turns, you can feel Baby's struggle to adjust to everything thrown at her. You can feel her desperate need for love, as well as her unconditional love for the people in her life, especially her father.

Lullabies for Little Criminals shows us the world through the 12-year-old eyes of Baby. It is a world where you take happiness where you can find it.

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books