This was such a fantastic Christmas story! Santa decides that instead of just the immediate Claus family inheriting the right to be Santas he will havThis was such a fantastic Christmas story! Santa decides that instead of just the immediate Claus family inheriting the right to be Santas he will have a competition that will include all the elves and any Claus’s who want the honor that are age 16 and under. The competition is fierce, the tasks are festive and the competitors are all determined to win. Even the reindeer are involved. This is such a fun book to get you in the Christmas spirit. It’s funny and fast paced. Frosty, Rudolph and the Little Drummer Boy all make appearances. There are also plenty of elves, toys, cookies, sleighs, gingerbread houses, and anything else you associate with Christmas and the North Pole. Listening to the book made it even better in my opinion because Kirby Heybourne really brought the characters to life. He reads the dialogue with such feeling and enthusiasm that it makes the book a lot more fun.
Merged review:
This was such a fantastic Christmas story! Santa decides that instead of just the immediate Claus family inheriting the right to be Santas he will have a competition that will include all the elves and any Claus’s who want the honor that are age 16 and under. The competition is fierce, the tasks are festive and the competitors are all determined to win. Even the reindeer are involved. This is such a fun book to get you in the Christmas spirit. It’s funny and fast paced. Frosty, Rudolph and the Little Drummer Boy all make appearances. There are also plenty of elves, toys, cookies, sleighs, gingerbread houses, and anything else you associate with Christmas and the North Pole. Listening to the book made it even better in my opinion because Kirby Heybourne really brought the characters to life. He reads the dialogue with such feeling and enthusiasm that it makes the book a lot more fun....more
A wonderfully revolting collection of fractured fairytales. I absolutely loved it! I do have to say that I’m a bit surprised that Roald Dohl has the pA wonderfully revolting collection of fractured fairytales. I absolutely loved it! I do have to say that I’m a bit surprised that Roald Dohl has the prince in the Cinderella story say “who’s this dirty slut?” Most people probably wouldn’t want their kids hearing or reading that especially in this day and age. I on the other hand thought it was pretty funny. ...more
Great story to listen to on audiobook especially since it’s actually a song! The narrator does a fantastic job singing it and I can imagine kids will Great story to listen to on audiobook especially since it’s actually a song! The narrator does a fantastic job singing it and I can imagine kids will love singing along as they read the book and look at the pictures. ...more
Being that this is an old children’s book the ending could have gone either way. At first it seemed like it was going to be one of those hard lesson tBeing that this is an old children’s book the ending could have gone either way. At first it seemed like it was going to be one of those hard lesson type of books but then everything turns out ok. The narration was kind of stunted. The narrator seemed like he paused too long where each page was and I even was listening at 1.25 speed but other than that it was an ok story. Johnny ends up not wanting that bear skin as bad as he thinks. ...more
I think I’ve read this book a bunch of times. Maurice Sendak even lived near me when he was alive. I’ve watched the movie and now I’ve listened to theI think I’ve read this book a bunch of times. Maurice Sendak even lived near me when he was alive. I’ve watched the movie and now I’ve listened to the audiobook. It’s a children’s classic and it’s a masterpiece. In the print version the illustrations make the book and the story is wonderful. The audiobook is narrated perfectly. There’s really nothing more to be said. ...more
**spoiler alert** This looks like a weird children’s picture book I would love buuuut it was just too weird. I didn’t really get it. Why so open ended**spoiler alert** This looks like a weird children’s picture book I would love buuuut it was just too weird. I didn’t really get it. Why so open ended. Does the magpie just suffer and die? Or is she able to get back to dog? WTF Fox? It was sweet in the beginning and the end was a little scary (especially if I was a kid) and even borderline sad as an adult. I don’t know what to think. It was kind of a mindfuck. What lesson were you trying to teach these unlikely friends poor fox? Did you just want them to feel the same hardship, strife and loneliness that you had overtime. Why not just give up your feelings of contempt and joined their ragtag tiny pack to experience a bit of joy and companionship? I guess every kids book can’t end happily. Harsh lessons need to be learned somewhere and they can’t all be learned on the streets. Foxes gotta do what foxes gotta do. P.S. the cavemanlike illustrations in this book are awesome but the Neanderthal scrawled writing all over the pages is kind of weird and creepy. They give it a scary, criminal, serial killer, blood on the walls vibe. I feel like if I was a normal young kid I would totally have nightmares from this book and have a good cry. Being the weird adult that I am I even feel a bit odd liking it’s child traumatizing weird nature. Poor magpie. My heart hurt for her. But her life with the dog made me smile. Until it was destroyed by selfish fox jealousy. Foxes usually make me happy but not this one. I hope all foxes don’t secretly feel like this deep down. That would be a total bummer.
I really don’t know what to rate this so it’s getting a default solid 3 stars. ...more
This was a wonderfully narrated middle grade bunny detective story. I absolutely loved it. There are so many excellent things about this book. Mr & MrThis was a wonderfully narrated middle grade bunny detective story. I absolutely loved it. There are so many excellent things about this book. Mr & Mrs Bunny for one (actually two), Madeline the responsible girl human, her kidnapped hippie parents, The Marmot who loves garlic bread, foxes who speak fox and French, a bunny hat making club, a pair of twelve inch, high heeled, sequined driving shoes used by Mr Bunny in a Smart car, and an elderly neighbor bunny who comes by to borrow toilet bowl cleaner. The story was so much fun to listen to. I’m so happy that there is another in the series. ...more
Really cute book! A bunch of mini photo essays about different dogs starting at puppyhood into their senior years. Who doesn’t love an old dog?!? GreaReally cute book! A bunch of mini photo essays about different dogs starting at puppyhood into their senior years. Who doesn’t love an old dog?!? Great photos!...more
I liked this one a lot more than I expected to. Super sweet holiday story. I knew who the kids mother was from the get go but that didn’t matter. It’sI liked this one a lot more than I expected to. Super sweet holiday story. I knew who the kids mother was from the get go but that didn’t matter. It’s just one of those feel good classic Christmas tales that makes you smile in the end. Happy to have gotten this free for the holidays from Audible....more
Well paced, psychological thriller of a short story. Not super suspenseful but had a good air of mystery to it. Good for what it was. Quick and enjoyaWell paced, psychological thriller of a short story. Not super suspenseful but had a good air of mystery to it. Good for what it was. Quick and enjoyable. ...more
I’m all about the holiday mysteries with punny Christmas witticisms but some tend to go a bit overboard. This was a noir style frame up of an elf nameI’m all about the holiday mysteries with punny Christmas witticisms but some tend to go a bit overboard. This was a noir style frame up of an elf named Gumdrop Coal. It had so much potential but it was just too boring. Blah blah blah. There was a lot of talk about stuff happening but nothing was happening. There were a lot of Christmas wise cracks but then it became overload. I never thought I’d say I heard too many witty Christmas one liners in an audiobook but I’m saying it. After this I need to clean the boring noir soot off myself with a fun holiday rom com. Blah. At least the narrator was good. He gave life to all of the Christmas characters and stereotypes. He did a great job portraying their personalities through their voices. I would have cut this one short if it wasn’t for him. ...more
Sweet little book about two mice trying to get presents for the children in the house the live in from an old curmudgeon of a mouse toy maker. Fun ChrSweet little book about two mice trying to get presents for the children in the house the live in from an old curmudgeon of a mouse toy maker. Fun Christmas adventure story. Delightfully narrated!...more
Getting in my fill of Christmas stories for the holidays. This one wasn’t bad. The audiobook was entertaining. Nothing over the top but good. Who doesGetting in my fill of Christmas stories for the holidays. This one wasn’t bad. The audiobook was entertaining. Nothing over the top but good. Who doesn’t love when an elf gets involved in the human world? 3.5 stars...more
Incredibly well written short story about a woman who gives birth to a fox. She’s much more ok with this than most people would be but the rest of theIncredibly well written short story about a woman who gives birth to a fox. She’s much more ok with this than most people would be but the rest of the world is totally not. She seems like a wonderful woman and I would have been the one person to support her and her choice to keep her fox baby. I don’t know why everyone has to be so judgy. Let the lady and her fox daughter be happy together. Instead they merely turn their backs on her and she goes on living a her best life with her fox kid alone. To her it’s not a bad life. This makes me happy. This whole story did. Yay for foxes!...more
Solid book covering how to get started with your own Etsy shop or craft business. Thorough for the most part. Covers the basics and guides you from coSolid book covering how to get started with your own Etsy shop or craft business. Thorough for the most part. Covers the basics and guides you from conception to execution of opening an online store. It’s a very realistic, step by step approach for newbies that isn’t overwhelming. This book felt approachable when there actually is so much information out there that at times it can be hard to wade through what’s unnecessary. It was encouraging and easy to understand. ...more
Oh my god! This is the most adorable baby book ever! The illustrations are soft and sweet and the song in it is super cute and catchy. I’m sure babiesOh my god! This is the most adorable baby book ever! The illustrations are soft and sweet and the song in it is super cute and catchy. I’m sure babies eat this up!!!...more