September 2000 Children's Books Reviews

DK Classics: Gulliver's Travels
by James Dunbar, Jonathan Swift, Martin Hargreaves

Dorling Kindersley Publishing

ISBN# 0-7894-5307-X
Suggested Retail Price: $14.95 or as low as $6.50 from Amazon.com!

With this edition you have the classic tale that was first published in 1726. Everyone is acquainted with the story through film and television now. It's the book that has held the interest of readers for the nearly 300 years of it's existence. The tale is a fantasy-adventure and most of all a quintessential satire by the master, Jonathan Swift. Gulliver is the hero who voyages to Lilliput the land of small folks and Brobdingnag the land of the giants.

Although this is an abridgement, the whole tale is here for the enjoyment of children who are ages seven and up. Sidebars tell the reader about the times and the people with additional information that adds to the enjoyment of the story. There are many wonderfully bright and colorful illustrations to enjoy as well.

Mary Poppins
by P. L. Travers

Harcourt Children's Books
Book
ISBN# 0152058109
Suggested Retail Price: $12.95 or as low as $2.20 from Amazon.com!

I am not going to spend a lot of time on this book or the following stories from the collection. Most of us have seen the great movie that was made by Walt Disney. It was terrific and I loved it but have you read the originals? They were written for eight-year-old children and a little older. For me they are still great to reread again and even better to read them out loud. This one is the first in this series and it tells about Mary Poppins arriving at number seventeen Cherry Tree Lane. She flies in holding her umbrella in the air. Now the fun begins.