Best Children's Performing Arts Books
A NEWER, REVISED AND EXPANDED EDITION OF THIS BOOK IS NOW AVAILABLE, The Wimpy Kid Movie Diary (DOG DAYS EDITION), INCLUDES 32 NEW PAGES ABOUT THE THIRD WIMPY KID MOVIE, DOG DAYS, PLUS AN ALL-NEW COVER ILLUSTRATION. Jeff Kinney is a #1 New York Times bestselling author and five-time Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Award winner for Favorite Book.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"son is a huge fan of wimpy kid books and loves writing his own with this book."
"my son loves this book (series)."
"My son loves these books."
"My 8 year old grandson really enjoyed."
"Thanks for this very valuable, likeable books that encourage he to read."
"I get that the sort of "middle school boy" humor is not necessarily what I find amusing, but I found the character's nonexistant moral grounding to be distributing."
"This book seemed too young for me but my little nephews loved it."
The playscript for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child was originally released as a 'special rehearsal edition' alongside the opening of Jack Thorne's play in London's West End in summer 2016. When Albus hatches a plot to go back in time to save the life of Cedric Diggory—what Albus views as the biggest mistake his father made—time becomes distorted and Harry is left to examine his own life, his relationship with his son, and how love can sometimes be much more complicated than it seems. This is an interesting extension of the "Harry Potter" universe, but readers should go into it knowing that it's its own beast. Rowling didn't write it (much to the fury and vitriol of many fans), and it is in script form, so it loses some of the magic that won over millions of readers back when it all began.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I read the books 2-3 times per year since I was a child. These books are a part of me, I've named my children after characters in these books. I have waited for this book like the rest of you. I get more of a harry potter vibe from the fantastic beasts trailer than this entire book. I think the best way to go into reading this and saving yourself from despair is to read it as a fanfic and not the true works of rowling."
"I keep wondering if there's a therapy group where all the disgruntled fans can congragate and weep together. The entire 7 book series was about friendship, love and loyalty, and Harry knew that; and most importantly, knew that's what made him different from V. You're telling me, he, Ron and Herm didn't continue to live and instil those values in their children? Harry wouldn't have choosen work over time with his family, which after all he'd been through WAS ALL HE EVER WANTED. This new book is the worst kind of trash, the one that destroys the soul of our hero. Also, what they did to calm, measured, quirky, wise Dumbledore, making him a weepy, rude mess, who spoke in cliches, issuing a completely unnecessary "apology" to why Harry was at the Dursleys, when Dumbledore had already apologized profusely for that in HP5 AND severely told off the Dursleys in HP6 for their abusive behavior! And what a weak, floppy mess Harry was during the fight scene?!"
"I want to start this by saying that I am a huge Harry Potter fan. I grew up with Harry, I went to midnight premiers of the books and movies. His character, all jokes no supporting and listening to Harry and Hermione. o In the last book when they are dropping off the children at the Hogwarts express, the kids are genuinely confused as to why everyone is looking at them and Ron makes a joke saying “I’m famous”. It is deduced that the kids do not know the extent of everything their parents went through to save the world. Let’s go back to that epilogue where they all see Draco with his family and a joke gets made about not playing with his son. Which then Hermione corrects and Ron says to beat him on test but not to get too cozy and marry him. She would have loved to mother the Dark Lords child; there would have been no greater honor. And then the gang goes to Malfoy manor there is no baby in sight. Voldemort would have wanted an heir; wouldn’t he have made it a horcrux and offered it more protection? I know she was horrible but I do think Harry would have deep feelings about his mother’s sister passing. Sirius Black escapes and the freaking muggle minister is alerted! But hey, this guy who tortured the Longbottoms into insanity he escapes and it’s cool. It’s sounding more and more as if this witch convinced herself that she is the heir of the dark lord. Cedric a character who was noble and good and died oh so tragically. This character who was loyal and kind and helped Harry turns DARK SIDE?!?! CEDRIC A DEAD EATER HAHAHAHA NOPE NOT FUNNY. Thank you for turning a good character and completely changing him for the worse. Thank goodness you did not include Sirius Black in your play. But wait not, here I got some polyjuice potion here in my back pocket and I just happen to carry my dad and his best friends hairs at all times. Harry duels Delphi (a eighteen year old) and she is stronger?"
Inspired by the original Hogwart’s textbook by Newt Scamander, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original screenplay marks the screenwriting debut of J.K. Rowling, author of the beloved and internationally bestselling Harry Potter books. J.K. Rowling is the author of the bestselling Harry Potter series of seven books, published between 1997 and 2007, which have sold over 450 million copies worldwide, are distributed in more than 200 territories and translated into 79 languages, and have been turned into eight blockbuster films by Warner Bros. She has written three companion volumes to the series in aid of charity: Quidditch Through the Ages and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them in aid of Comic Relief; and The Tales of Beedle the Bard in aid of her children's charity Lumos.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"For Potterheads worried that Fantastic Beasts will be another Harry Potter fan fiction that messes with your view of the original characters, fear not. While the original HP series revolved around one hero and his fight against the all powerful You Know Who, Fantastic Beasts seemed more lighthearted without being childish. And then there are Tina and Queenie, beautiful, talented, charming and kindhearted sisters, stuck in menial positions in the wizarding world and wanting more."
"I did not read this until after I had seen the movie, so I had the visuals playing in my head as I read, down to Newt's awkward lovability and Jacob's wonder."
"Once again Ms. Rowling delivers a fantastical world within our own."
"In whatever form, this world created by JK Rowling will always be amazing."
"Amazing and exciting story!!"
"Imagine an adult "Harry Potter" scenario wirh different characters, set in 1920s New York."
"You know that fresh book sound when you open it the first time. If you saw the movie before getting the book, you'll lovingly remember every beautiful scene."
"The writing is in the spare style of a script, not the lush with details style of the Harry Potter novels."
Best Children's Circus Books
In 1974, French aerialist Philippe Petit threw a tightrope between the two towers of the World Trade Center and spent an hour walking, dancing, and performing high-wire tricks a quarter mile in the sky. This effectively spare, lyrical account chronicles Philippe Petit's tight rope walk between Manhattan's World Trade Center towers in 1974. When Philippe gazes at the twin buildings, he looks "not at the towers but at the space between them.... What a wonderful place to stretch a rope; a wire on which to walk." Kindergarten-Grade 6-As this story opens, French funambulist Philippe Petit is dancing across a tightrope tied between two trees to the delight of the passersby in Lower Manhattan. On August 7, 1974, Petit and three friends, posing as construction workers, began their evening ascent from the elevators to the remaining stairs with a 440-pound cable and equipment, prepared to carry out their clever but dangerous scheme to secure the wire. With its graceful majesty and mythic overtones, this unique and uplifting book is at once a portrait of a larger-than-life individual and a memorial to the towers and the lives associated with them.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Beautiful illustrations and well told tale of the tight rope walk between New York's Twin Towers so many long years ago."
"Wonderful account of the famous high wire feat between the World Trade Center towers."
"My husband and I collect Caldecott Medal winners & other beautifully illustrated books, and this is one of our favorites - always leaves us a little tearful at the end."
"I've always loved buildings and although there will always be sadness about the fate of these most famous pair of landmarks, this book does an amazing job of conveying one fact: someone actually walked between them one day because he thought he could and carefully (for five years) planned his walk before doing it."
"We bought this as a gift for my nephew, who went and saw the movie and wanted the books based on the guy who walked between the towers."
"I read this book every September to focus on the wonderful stories around such a tragedy."
"My students are too young for me to explain much to them so I liked reading this along with talking about the disaster of that day."
"Very good for having the kids explain about why the illustrator drew the pictures a certain way and what mood did he want the readers to feel."
Best Children's Dance Books
The New York City Ballet presents a classic ballet tale for a modern ballet lover with George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker, a holiday favorite. The stylized paintings have a whimsical, dramatic feel, full of sweeping curves and exaggerated features. VERDICT A good option for families heading to the ballet during the holiday season.—Virginia Walter, UCLA School of Education and Information Studies This introduction to the ballet closely follows the production of the New York City Ballet, as originated by George Balanchine. Marie and the Prince travel through the Land of Sweets, where they meet the characters from the ballet, such as the Sugarplum Fairy and Mother Ginger, before returning home in their magical sleigh drawn by reindeer.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This is a beautiful book that goes along very well with the movie that was made featuring Macauley Caulkin as Drosselmeyer's nephew."
"This story is told in a compact yet lovable way."
"Love this -- does it come in a poster??"
"Beautiful book, and the recipient loved it!"
"Can’t believe beat the price!"
"Darling pictures, nice condensed version of the story."
"Beautifully illustrated and the nutcracker version I love."
Best Children's Drama & Theater Books
The playscript for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child was originally released as a 'special rehearsal edition' alongside the opening of Jack Thorne's play in London's West End in summer 2016. When Albus hatches a plot to go back in time to save the life of Cedric Diggory—what Albus views as the biggest mistake his father made—time becomes distorted and Harry is left to examine his own life, his relationship with his son, and how love can sometimes be much more complicated than it seems. This is an interesting extension of the "Harry Potter" universe, but readers should go into it knowing that it's its own beast. Rowling didn't write it (much to the fury and vitriol of many fans), and it is in script form, so it loses some of the magic that won over millions of readers back when it all began.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I read the books 2-3 times per year since I was a child. These books are a part of me, I've named my children after characters in these books. I have waited for this book like the rest of you. I get more of a harry potter vibe from the fantastic beasts trailer than this entire book. I think the best way to go into reading this and saving yourself from despair is to read it as a fanfic and not the true works of rowling."
"I keep wondering if there's a therapy group where all the disgruntled fans can congragate and weep together. The entire 7 book series was about friendship, love and loyalty, and Harry knew that; and most importantly, knew that's what made him different from V. You're telling me, he, Ron and Herm didn't continue to live and instil those values in their children? Harry wouldn't have choosen work over time with his family, which after all he'd been through WAS ALL HE EVER WANTED. This new book is the worst kind of trash, the one that destroys the soul of our hero. Also, what they did to calm, measured, quirky, wise Dumbledore, making him a weepy, rude mess, who spoke in cliches, issuing a completely unnecessary "apology" to why Harry was at the Dursleys, when Dumbledore had already apologized profusely for that in HP5 AND severely told off the Dursleys in HP6 for their abusive behavior! And what a weak, floppy mess Harry was during the fight scene?!"
"I want to start this by saying that I am a huge Harry Potter fan. I grew up with Harry, I went to midnight premiers of the books and movies. His character, all jokes no supporting and listening to Harry and Hermione. o In the last book when they are dropping off the children at the Hogwarts express, the kids are genuinely confused as to why everyone is looking at them and Ron makes a joke saying “I’m famous”. It is deduced that the kids do not know the extent of everything their parents went through to save the world. Let’s go back to that epilogue where they all see Draco with his family and a joke gets made about not playing with his son. Which then Hermione corrects and Ron says to beat him on test but not to get too cozy and marry him. She would have loved to mother the Dark Lords child; there would have been no greater honor. And then the gang goes to Malfoy manor there is no baby in sight. Voldemort would have wanted an heir; wouldn’t he have made it a horcrux and offered it more protection? I know she was horrible but I do think Harry would have deep feelings about his mother’s sister passing. Sirius Black escapes and the freaking muggle minister is alerted! But hey, this guy who tortured the Longbottoms into insanity he escapes and it’s cool. It’s sounding more and more as if this witch convinced herself that she is the heir of the dark lord. Cedric a character who was noble and good and died oh so tragically. This character who was loyal and kind and helped Harry turns DARK SIDE?!?! CEDRIC A DEAD EATER HAHAHAHA NOPE NOT FUNNY. Thank you for turning a good character and completely changing him for the worse. Thank goodness you did not include Sirius Black in your play. But wait not, here I got some polyjuice potion here in my back pocket and I just happen to carry my dad and his best friends hairs at all times. Harry duels Delphi (a eighteen year old) and she is stronger?"
Best Children's Film Books
A NEWER, REVISED AND EXPANDED EDITION OF THIS BOOK IS NOW AVAILABLE, The Wimpy Kid Movie Diary (DOG DAYS EDITION), INCLUDES 32 NEW PAGES ABOUT THE THIRD WIMPY KID MOVIE, DOG DAYS, PLUS AN ALL-NEW COVER ILLUSTRATION. Jeff Kinney is a #1 New York Times bestselling author and five-time Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Award winner for Favorite Book.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I would recommend the entire series to any parent of a child who is learning and becoming comfortable with reading comprehension."
"These books have inspired her to move onto other books, this book set is great as a unisex read too, my little brother loves them too we would read every night I read a page and then he reads a page."
"Our hero and his bud tread the dangerous waters of unfortunate class seating charts, Halloween mishaps, Christmas disappointments, the soul-consuming terror of the school play, and many other familiar comic situations endemic to middle-class suburbia. The characters in this book pretty much act and react like real kids, and I think that the author has a pretty good idea of what it's like to be 11 or 12 years old again, on the cusp of adolescence but still very much caught up with childish emotions and motivations. It's not deep literature, it's not cutting-edge social commentary, it's not supposed to be a completely accurate reflection of middle-school life...but it IS pretty darn funny."
"If you have a kid between the ages of 7 and 12, who LOVES The Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, you have to get this book!"
"My 7 year old son has read this book about 43 times. And he's read it more since."
"My 9 year old son loves these."
"I'll be honest with you: I found the last couple of Wimpy Kids books to be underwhelming, so I wasn't sure what I expected from yet another entry. Luckily, to my surprise, the gags proved funny consistently throughout the book, making this one of my favorite entries in the series."
Best Children's Television & Radio Books
Everypony is sure to love the abridged, digital-only edition of The Official Guidebook! Brandon T. Snider has authored numerous books for Little Brown featuring pop culture favorites such as the Transformers, Minions and My Little Pony.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"She loves to read up on each character and know all she can know about the episodes. *My Little Ponies. *Cutie Mark Crusaders. *Fellow Equestrians and Animal Friends. *The Dark Side. *The Elements of Harmony. *The Magical World of Equestria. *An Interview with Lauren Faust. *Chronicles of Friendship. *The Musical Pony. *Friendship Fanatics. There are very cool things that a real fan will love: Pre-production artwork! Highly recommended for MLP fans and fanatics of all ages, shapes and sizes!"
"My daughter loves MLP and this book!"
"There are pages for each of the main characters, and small segments for the side characters, and even little bits about some of our favorite background characters. There's an awesome interview with Lauren Faust, messages from writers, artists, and more!"
"Beyond that, there's also an indepth interview with the show creator, Lauren Faust, as well as a lyric guide for all the songs featured in the show at the time of the book's creation."
"It looks like the book from the pilot episode and contains some great illustrations and info, including insights from Lauren Faust, the show's creator."
"It covers just about every pony that has ever had screen time from Seasons 1-3, every villain, big or small, and literally every thing else."
"My sister and I (both intense pony fans, aha~) argue a lot over our favorite songs' words (pathetic, I know). This book also includes details on all of our favorite ponies and other characters, places, the elements, and episodes."
Best Children's Art Books
But when he meets Ruby, a baby elephant taken from the wild, he is forced to see their home, and his art, through new eyes. In the tradition of timeless stories like Charlotte's Web and Stuart Little , Katherine Applegate blends humor and poignancy to create Ivan's unforgettable first-person narration in a story of friendship, art, and hope. Gr 4–6—Budding fans and die-hard Ivanites alike will appreciate this sumptuous, oversize edition of Applegate's spare yet resonant Newbery Award—winning work, inspired by actual events, about a gorilla put on display at a mall and his journey to freedom. Bonus materials add appeal and context: Applegate's Newbery acceptance speech; a copy of the real Ivan's "autograph" (fingerprint); a letter from Jodi Carrigan, the zookeeper who helped care for Ivan at Zoo Atlanta (where he lived after leaving the mall); and sketches and illustrations that were considered for the original edition.—Mahnaz Dar, School Library Journal ★ “Will capture readers’ hearts and never let go. Quite simply, this story is life changing.” (Patricia MacLachlan, Newbery Medal-winning author of Sarah, Plain and Tall).
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"When my 11-year-old finished reading this novel, his first statement was, “I LOVED that book!” With an endorsement like that and because it was the first instance where he ‘stopped time,’ I had to read the book too. In it, the author says,” We live in a world where children are bullied into despair and even suicide; where armed guards in a school hallway are considered desirable; where libraries are padlocked because of budget cuts; where breakfast and backpacks, for too many children are unaffordable luxuries.”. “What makes children better than the rest of us is that they are buoyant, unrepentant optimists.”. As a writer, reader, and lover of words, I make it a habit to ‘stop time’ whenever I come across sparkling phrases that deserve homage. A ‘stop time’ is where we stop whatever we are doing to read out loud and to listen; we listen to both the author’s words and to what made that phrase so meaningful to the reader. The first ‘stop time’ that my son called happened when Ivan makes an impossible promise to Ruby, the baby elephant."
"great book for children, my son was reading this at school and just had to have it for home too."
"...and that’s not a bad thing."
"Great read for kids!"
"Great audiobook for the family."
"Christmas gift - I'm sure he likes it cause he likes the author."
"Easy, quick and interesting reading."
"My seven year old son and I loved this book."
Best Children's Photography Books
Perfect for bedtime reading, car trips, playtime, or anytime, Let’s Find Momo is part art book, part puzzle book, and all fun! “This is the perfect book for interacting with your children, keeping them occupied on a plane orcar ride, or settling down with together before bedtime. Let’s Find Momo is his third collaboration with Andrew, following Find Momo (Quirk, 2014) and Find Momo Coast to Coast (Quirk, 2015).
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"My 1.5 year old LOVES this, and my three year old likes to find the additional items."
"The actual book is great."
"Great book."
"Great pictures, with Momo and other items to find sometimes pretty challenging."
"After following Momo on instagram for years it was so fun to play Find Momo with my nephew."
"She loves dogs and our dog is black and white (Boston Terrier) so he looks similar to Momo."
"I like this board book very much."
"#FindMomo. So wonderful to find Momo by yourself and with others on every page!"
Best Children's Music Books
Nikki’s sure she can handle everything, but will all the excitement cause new problems for Nikki and Brandon, now that cameras are everywhere Nikki goes? Between filming the show, band practice, voice lessons, dance rehearsals, studying, and homework, Nikki is barely able to squeeze in time with her crush, Brandon. Overall, this is a seamless fit with the rest of the series and will be popular with fans of the previous books.—Anne Bozievich, Friendship Elementary School, Glen Rock, PA Rachel Renée Russell is an attorney who prefers writing tween books to legal briefs.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I love love love it if you like this book too go get more of the books you'll love em too."
"Easy reading and my grand daughter love the story line of each book."
"It is so amazing I love this book."
"my daughter loves these books, great price."
"It is the best because....I Don't want to spoil it too much but......Brandon kissed.........Sorry I have to go....."
"My kids love all her books."
"Have a book worm in the house and she loves this series."
Best Children's Architecture Books
The word itself conjures up mystery, romance, intrigue, and grandeur. In the Caldecott Honor Book Castle , David Macaulay--author, illustrator, former architect and teacher--sets his sights on the creation and destiny of Lord Kevin's magnificent castle perched on a bluff overlooking the sea. This talented author also has a keen sense of irony and tragedy, which is played out in the intricacies of the human story: a castle can be built as a fortress, but ultimately it becomes obsolete when humans discover that cooperation works best.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Another great book."
"Love this book."
"Maria's book has some of the most unique recipes I've ever made and they've been delicious!"
"Excellent and informative."
"I love this book!"