Product Description
When Bo spots what he thinks is a "rip-roarin', rootin'-tootin', shiny red armadillo," he knows what he has to do. Follow that armadillo! Bo leaves his mother and three brothers behind and takes off for a two-stepping, bronco-bucking adventure. Jan Brett turns her considerable talents toward the Texas countryside in this amusing story of an armadillo on his own. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

Great Classic
The book is perfect for the classroom. It teaches all kinds of lessons and some teachers use it during Public school week. Great art work. Jan Brett Rocks

Armadillo Rodeo
I am a Jan Brett fan.I used this book while teaching a rodeo unit to preschool children.The students enjoyed the book as well as I did.I would recommend it to others.

Wonderful Book
This book is a well written, educational and the illustrations make it very enjoyable for any child to want to read. It is a cute story about an armadillo that will be enjoyed by readers.

.
This is a really great book. I love the rhythm, and the language choices, and I love Bo's adventurous attitude!

As always with Brett, be sure to check out the signature pictures on the sides of the pages that show what Bo's mama is doing as he has fun.

Not bad at all
The Western flavor (hot peppers and all) of this Jan Brett story comes with lots of Western dialogue and animals--armadillos, as the title suggests.

Bo the fourth of a set of armadillo brothers, and gets himself into a pickle now and again, especially since (typical of armadillos) he can't see too well. In this tale, Bo wanders off after a lizard and ends up mistakenly following a red cowboy boot.

The boot wearer, like Bo, is a bit green around the ears. She's trying to make them look well worn.

Trailing the boot, Bo rounds his way into the rodeo ring, across a cook out, and into a dance hall. Finally he figures out that he's befriended a boot.

This was one of our least favorite Jan Brett stories. Still, it's better than a lot of children's fare making the store shelves these days, just for the illustrations alone. ... Read more

Product Description
Armadillo's habit of eavesdropping and then misreporting what he hears makes the other animals so angry that they find a way to keep him from overhearing their private conversations. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Armadillo Tattletale...a tale worth telling
One of the best books I've used with my Kindergarteners.As a counselor, I am constantly seeking a book with a valuable lesson relevant to primary students.Not only did this book capture my young audience, it also served as a perfect introduction to addressing "telling" versus "tattling", a common issue with elementary students.

WHAT A UNIQUE BOOK.WHAT A WONDERFUL LEARNING TOOL.
This is certainly a unique book, or, probably a better word would be "odd."When I first read it, something I ALWAYS do before presenting a new book to the kids, I must admit to having been a bit stunned and put off.The critters in this story are mean, just simply mean, and not all that loveable.Actually, they acted like quite a number of people I run across every day, i.e. like the majority of humans in this day and age.This is the beauty of this book.Kids need to learn to cope with people who are sometimes mean. They also need to learn not to be mean themselves.

The story is basically about a Armadillo, who secretly listens to the other creatures talk, then goes around tattle-taling to the other critters, those being talked about and telling them what was overheard. To make a long story short, the Armadillo eventually has his ears chewed of by one of the other animals.The animals are somewhat cruel, and treat the Aramadillo rather badly throughout the story.Anyway, this set me to thinking.This book is a wonderful book to read to the children and gives the parent or teacher an opportunity to teach them many lessons.First of course is the evil of telling stories and gossiping about others, and the harm it can do.Secondly, it illustrates the question, is it right and proper or just to solve problems by throwing "hissy-fits" and treating others badly just because they have treated us badly?Thirdly, is it best to solve problems through violence, through intimidation and meanness?Of course not, to all three.This gives the parent and/or teacher hours and hours worth of dicussion, page by page, on just how NOT to act!It gives the teacher or parent and opportunity to point out the many alternatives to the problem and an opportunity to discuss those various alternatives.It gives an opportunity to show just how a simple problem can get out of hand if not handled in a civilized manner.I like that!

Now if you want a front to cover "happy book," then indeed, you should probably look elsewhere. This book is also one of those that certainly illustrates the fact that parents and teachers should probably review the books their children are reading from time to time, and if it is felt the child cannot handle it, then the child should be guided else where...that is one of the functions of being an adult, when you really think about it.All in all, I found the book to be great and very, very useful. Recommend this one highly, depending of course, if these are the lessons you want to teach and the methodyou want to use to teach these lessons.

Made my animal-loving son cry and extrememly upset
My 4-year-old son picked this book out himself at the school library, probably because it had animal characters (he loves armadillos and other wild animals) which were wonderfully illustrated (he can't read yet). I had not read the book prior to the first time I read it to my son. And I was disturbed when I did read it. I don't know what's worse...the armadillo who eavesdrops and repeats what he heard incorrectly, or the animals who "beat him to the watering hole every day and forced Armadillo to scrounge through the mud for a puddle of murky water to drink. It tasted awful and practically made him sick, so he drank as little as possible, and was always thirsty" ??Very evil. The part that made my son cry was when the angry alligator violently chewed off the armadillo's ears, and it was accompanied by a scary illustrataion of an alligator with lots of teeth and fire shooting out of his nostrils. This page reads: "And now," she said, "I'll fix your ears so you won't be snooping and telling tales again!" And she opened her mouth and gnashed and clashed her big, strong alligator teeth. And then she nipped and snipped and clipped at Armadillo's ears until there was nothing left but tiny, teeny, itsy, weenie little ears."I thought maybe there was a redeeming ending, but not really.It didn't matter, though, because my son was so angry at all the animals and was telling me that the alligator needs a time out, etc.He was inconsoleable.He'll have nightmares about this one.

Great fun
For all children with imaginations and anyone who could learn something, this is a great little book about exaggerators and how to catch them, with a whimsical side to a mythological fact of how the armadillo got his ears. As a children's librarian I love this for storytimes.

On the bright side the illustrations are sumptuous and rich.
Unfortunately, the book has only unsympathetic characters. The armadillo while he repeatedlytattletales, doesn't learn how toimprove his behavior, despite the grief it causes him and others, instead he is physically stopped by having his large receptive ears chewed down by the alligator. All his friends are mean, they throw "humongous hissy fits" ,they don't allow him to drink at the watering hole and they gang up on him. The writer lapses into using vague words like "what-for, how-come and why-not" that weaken the text and meaning.

My 4 year old boy overall found it a bit sad.On the bright side the illustrations are sumptuous and rich. ... Read more

Product Description
When an armadillo named Sasparillo wants to know where on earth he is, he leaves his home in San Antonio and travels north through the canyons and prairies of Texas. In Amarillo he meets an eagle and, with her help, finds the answer to his question—as well as lots of adventures.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Wonderful
I love this book.I found it many yrs ago and read it to second graders when I volunteered in the classroom.Now I read it to my grandkids.It is wonderful.When I finish reading it I ask the kids what they learned.My answer is "if you read books you can go anywhere and do anything."Great book for all ages.

Perspective
This is a book about an armadillo who wants to travel outside his small world - the
desert area of Amarillo.As he goes along, he sends back postcards of what he sees.
He is very ingenious in getting farther and farther away from Amarillo.He eventually
makes it to outer space.Cumulatively, the reader ends up with a sense of where we
are in the universe.It is a simpler book version of the Powers of Ten movie from many
years ago.

Great book
This book is great.It is a great adventure for young readers. Books are a great way to discover far off places and this one takes the readers to many places in the United States.I highly recommend this book.

THE LOST IS FOUND
Granted the Lone Star State is a large one - many miles and every sort of terrain imaginable from plains to lakes to hills to cavernous waste.And, this is where Sasparillo has lost his way.

How in the world will a tiny, friendly armadillo find his way home in this vast area?Never fear, there are those who help and in this case it's a strong eagle.

Yes, a magnificent eagle befriends Sasparillo and carries him across the sky as the little armadillo searches for his home.

Youngsters love a happy ending, and Sasparillo finds one.

Great book!!
My daughter loves armadillos, so when I saw this book at the library, I had to bring it home.It is great.It took her interest in armadillos and combined it with geography.The author did a great job of intertwining the fact that there are 50 states and linking that with the continents and our place on earth and the planets in the solar system.For us, this is definately worth purchasing!! ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (8)

What happened to Duke?
[...]
Great mystery read. Suspense, humor and great character development kept my interest. Can anyone answer this question? Did Duke the dog die in first Jeremiah Spur novel?Was he again alive and hanging out with Jeremiah in the second novel?

Fast-paced, Realistic and Fun
Having read James Hime's previous novels, I was prepared for a great ride. And I'm pleased to say he exceeded my expectations with "Armadillos." The superb pacing confirmed the talent of an author who's grown with each book, and I could easily visualize the characters and settings and believe each event in the story as it unfolded. Not surprisingly, I had trouble putting it down. And wow, was it fun.

Enjoyable
My husband really enjoys this writer and looks forward to his books. He writes of small town Texas which my Texan husband loves.

James Hime is a winner
James Hime writes a great book with good plots. His take on Texas is right on. I want him to write more books.

Where Armadillos Go to Die
Industrial espionage isn't a concept that's normally associated with sleepy Texas towns like Brenham, but when cantankerous local restaurant owner Sylvester Bradshaw and his ground-breaking multi-million dollar invention go missing, the suspects start multiplying like ticks on a hound dog.Family members, local residents, even a retired NFL superstar and venture capitalist have their own reasons for being happy with Sylvester's disappearance.Not confident with the abilities of the deputy dawg-like demeanor of the local law enforcement, one member of the missing man's family enlists the services of Jeremiah Spur, retired Texas Ranger and sometimes cattle rancher, to help find out what happened.

//Where Armadillos Go To Die// is a down-home yarn about a big-city mystery and has the perfect mix of country charm, low-down motive and just the right touch of humor.With a deft pen Hime manages to weave a variety of unmistakable country witticisms into the story without deep-frying it and smothering it with gravy.With a believable cast of characters (both likeable and despicable) and a steady rollicking pace, Hime makes it hard to get out of the saddle until the ride is done.A treat for any mystery enthusiast!

Reviewed by Heather Ortiz ... Read more

Product Description
The wondrous, remarkable, and outlandish activities of animals have long captured our curiosity, and no one has better explored or illuminated our fascination than Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson, bestselling author of the groundbreaking Dogs Never Lie About Love and When Elephants Weep. Masson’s genuine passion for our two- and four-legged, invertebrate, flippered, and finned friends has turned into his life’s calling–and earned him a reputation as one of our most provocative authorities on animal behavior.

Now Masson shares his vast knowledge in this comprehensive and charming volume featuring one hundred of his favorite animals. Drawing upon this affable expert’s own experience and extensive research, Altruistic Armadillos, Zenlike Zebras offers fascinating facts, colorful anecdotes, and surprising tidbits on familiar creatures (bottlenose dolphins, hummingbirds, kangaroos) as well as lesser-known, yet equally entrancing critters (bonobos, kakapos, and wombats). Inside you’ll discover that

• armadillos are the only mammals who routinely give birth to genetically identical quadruplets
• frogs can mate for months at a time
• koalas have tiny brains, possibly because they sleep for twenty hours a day
• a newborn kangaroo is the size of a small bean
• lobsters, if allowed to, can live for nearly a century
• the manatee is one of the most gentle and inoffensive of animals

No one interprets the inner workings and idiosyncrasies of animal behavior quite like Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson, nor does anyone else translate them to the page so engagingly. What’s more, this guide includes gorgeous photographs and links to educational websites. Irresistible and illuminating, Altruistic Armadillos, Zenlike Zebras will forever change the way you view our world’s most amazing creatures. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Entering a magical world we barely know exists.
Jeffrey Masson presents a world of animals like none we've ever known. Although we may have heard the names of most of the animals in this compendium, even read articles about them in a science magazine, Masson opens our minds to each animal's startling beauty, quirkiness, or clever sophistication.It's hard to believe they inhabit the same one dimensional planet to which we're accustomed. The book is frequently brightened with anecdotes, mostly involving the author's childhood relationships with different animals, or reactions of his own children to the animals they encounter.The book makes the reader all the more acutely aware of the tragedy of the impending extinction of these extraordinary animals through our unthinking environmental practices.

Jam-packed with facts, a downer
Before writing this review, I took a look at what some of the other reviewers have said.It seems that this book has gotten mixed reviews.My review is not overly positive or overly negative.Starting off with what I like, I am impressed by the wealth of knowledge that is kept inside this book.There are a lot of facts about animals that I did not know, and also some that I did.I also like that he covers so many animals, and that each chapter is easy to handle--not too short, not too long.

There is really only one thing that I don't like about it: It's depressing and has a dark tone to it.Instead of simply giving a lot of interesting information on the animals, Masson dwells on the darker aspects of the species, for instance animals that are going extinct.The entire chapter on the Bison was riddled with their horrible history in North America, how there was one remaining herd in Yellowstone of only a few hundred animals in the late 1800s and the early 1900s.He dwells on these bad things, completely ignoring how the Bison has flourished since then because of conservation efforts.

I think this is a great book for facts on animals if you can get past the dark tones of Masson's writing.It really does have a lot of interesting facts on 100 animals.

Harmony,
Janet Roper

Very Bias and Uninformative
I am disappointed in this book, which is why I am writing this somewhat negative review of it. I give this book one star. I have to say, it is a very terrible read. The author is 'Psychoanalyst' turned writer, who has decided to share with us 100 of his favorite animals from the animal kingdom, and presuambly present us with interesting facts and anecdotes about them. Not so.

Instead, this book reads like Animal Rights propaganda. Facts are skewered and unsupported, opinionated, entirely made up in some cases. There are frequent derailings that turn into very long and frustrating rants from the author about various injustices the animal faces in the world.

The author doesn't try to hide that he has written this book entirely for himself. Nearly each paragraph begins with 'I think' and drones on for several more about Masson's own views.

The chapter on the Mulberry Silkworm can be summarized thusly:"I don't buy silk any longer. Far better the silk-cotton tree filaments! In India, the company Designer Weaves is making silk from cacoons of caterpillars who are allowed to be months and fly away. Now, that's progress!"

If you love animals and want to read one-sided arguments against foresters and 'animal exploiters,' this is the book for you. If you want actual information on 100 different animals, you will learn more from a page on Wikipedia than the sum of the entire 'book.'

Interesting
About: Profiles of 100 different animals

Pros: Very interesting, I learned plenty about animals I knew something about and even more about animals I had never heard of. Includes a photo of each animal profiled. Short chapters for easy reading. Bibliography at end.

Cons: Masson can get opinionated occasionally but puts this in a nice warning up front.

Grade: A-

Delightful and Inspiring
Do badgers plan funerals? Have zebras ever been tamed? Altruistic Armadillos, Zenlike Zebras puts a creative twist on the traditional encyclopedia concept by discussing such matters in a conversational tone rather than in the language of scientific certainty.

Masson gets up to the nests and down to the burrows, supplying anecdotes to illustrate the psychological experiences of other animals. Just as intriguing, if not more so, are the author's sensitive interpretations of these anecdotes. Masson declares a feeling of "complete respect" for bald eagles, whom we have utterly failed to understand. To talk wisely of other animals is a paradoxical task, Masson explains, for knowing them as individuals has historically involved their habituation to our presence.

The factual information selected for this book is exquisite. Bats, we learn, can hear an insect walking on a leaf.Prairie dogs have distinct calls to warn of various dangers, including one call when a human is approaching, and another call when a human approaches with a gun.

Bison have been wiped out by the same "curious hatred" that decimated pre-colonial peoples.But then there was the pet buffalo who killed the Idaho rancher who owned and rode the animal. Recounting the story, Masson reflects critically on our quest to make other animals like us and to transform them into our companions.

Altruistic Armadillos, Zenlike Zebras is the perfect pick for a budding animal-rights activist or those who enjoy linguistics and creative questions. The seasoned activist too will find this book valuable, because it sustains so gracefully the theme that's surely the core of animal rights theory: the interest of other animals in simply being permitted to live unmolested.Altruistic Armadillos, Zenlike Zebras is an important book for showing how much richer we'd be if we would consciously strive to acknowledge other animals on their terms. ... Read more

Product Description
Tallulah’s present is not what she asked for. And it’s not what the other kids have. Would she be better off without him?

When no one can find a pink fluffy rabbit to buy for Tallulah on her birthday, Grandma gets creative with her knitting needles. But the surprise Tallulah lifts out of the box is not a rabbit, it’s a pink fluffy . . . thing, named Milo Armadillo. He’s athletic, musical, and great for sharing adventures, but Tallulah’s friends say he’s funny-looking. What can poor Milo do to make Tallulah happy? With humor, poignancy, and a nod to the out-of-the-ordinary, this sweet story shows that if you can’t be with the one you want, you can definitely love the armadillo you’re with. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Review from Books That Heal Kids
Milo Armadillo, I heart you. Thank you for teaching kids about acceptance, seeking approval, friendship, rejection, putdowns, being grateful, and appreciation. Phew! Are you picking up what I'm putting down? Lots of teachable moments in this one! I've really focused on the rejection theme in this book with students. Milo Armadillo has helped kids understand the hurt it causes. Milo was knitted special for Tallulah. Her attitude towards him makes him feel anything but special. Towards the end of the story he wants to unravel himself - he does not want to exist anymore. Very sad! During this part of the story, there was a mix of compassion, sadness, empathy, and care from students. They saw the pain rejection causes and they didn't like it. Luckily, Tallulah gets a second chance. In the real world, not everyone does. Milo Armadillo will encourage kids to remember to treasure one another. Such a great story! As a school counselor, I will be reading this LOTS to my students ages K-2.

Brilliant!
An absolutely delightful story that has an accompanying project for a suitably talented adult to create and to continue the magic forever for the child.Only thing is you need two balls of yarn of the main colour not one. ... Read more

Product Description
Hoping to escape New York City violence by taking a break in Texas, Jewish country-western singer and amateur detective Kinky Friedman is asked by a local justice of the peace to solve the murders of four senior citizens. Reprint. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

Softer/Gentler Kinky
This is probably the 5th Kinky Friedman novel I have read, but since they have been in no particular order perhaps another one took us to the Texas Hill Country and I wasn't aware of it.For me, it was a breakaway, venue-wise and having been to all of the towns and places he describes made it especially fun.I also detect a gentler, perhaps even spiritual undertone in this novel that I have not noticed in the others I enjoyed previously.Naturally, it was a guffaw a minute as the story unfolds.It contains enough plot points to keep one turning the page.And as much as I hate cigar smoke and almost gag thinking of how discolored both his and his character's teeth must be, I grieved when the story drew to a close.

Master of 'Sinful Excess'
The friends of Kinky Friedman gathered recently over the release of his latest mystery, and the air was positively green with screaming over it.

"Like P.J. O'Rourke on testosterone," cheered Robert Stack, noted literary critic and host of "Unsolved Mysteries." "A true American original," mused Steve Allen, modern Renaissance man.

"A real beauty mark of sinful excess," says James Crumley, author of "The Last Good Kiss."

Lord knows mystery novels are not meant to be the all-day suckers of literature, but the scorch marks on my eyelids remain mute evidence that there was less here than met the eye.

The concept behind this series is simple. Kinky Friedman, in reality a smart-alecd country singer who writes songs like "They Don't Make Jews Like Jesus Anymore" and "Get Your Biscuits in the Oven and Your Buns into Bed," plays amateur detective in New York City.

As an added conceit, his friends appear in the books, sometimes as Watsons, sometimes as victims and suspects.

There is some justification for Crumley's "sinful excess" assertion. Although of an age old enough to know better and too old to care, Friedman has the sense of humor sure to tickle the hearts of 13-year-old boys everywhere. Between the bodies are sprinkled fart jokes, crap jokes, Jesus jokes, Jewish jokes, Texas jokes, booger jokes and more fart jokes.

In addition, he drops in stories which don't mean anything to the plot and rules of life with great portentousness. His plots meander about the ranch like herds of sheep. Sometimes, he wraps it up well enough to forgive and badly enough to induce hurling (the book, not your lunch, unless you don't like dirty jokes).

This time, Friedman heads to Texas for the summer, to the combination ranch and summer camp which his family has been tending for decades. But before he can settle into his trailer and take off his boots, the justice of the peace asks him to look into the deaths of six old ladies. She thinks a serial killer is at work; the county sheriff doesn't. And Kinky is in the middle.

So while he investigates the deaths, we also get heart-warming scenes around the campfire, where Kinky campfire songs like "Ol' Ben Lucas / Had a lot of mucus / Comin' right out of his nose."

Along the way, Kinky talks about relatives who had gone to seed in nursing homes and his experiences as a Peace Corps volunteer in Borneo, sometimes dipping into lines like: "I was a hunter who traced the wide open spaces between the ears of a madman, just barely within shouting distance of reality."

This time, Friedman keeps his mind on the plot and wraps it up not only satisfactorily, but adds a coda capable of inducing heartbreak.

If you have a taste for sick humor, sacrilegious talk and bawdy observations, then the Kinkster comes highly recommended.

Crunchy on the Outside, Chewy on the Inside
"Armadillos and Old Lace" is Kinky's seventh novel and is his first to be set away from New York. Instead, the action takes place at 'home' - in and around Echo Hill Ranch, Texas. This means, of course, that Kinky must solve this mystery without the help of people like Ratso, Rambam and John McGovern - though he has brought the cat along with him. While the cat doesn't voice her opinion on their new home - a green trailer - it's obvious that she isn't impressed.

Kinky has, once again, cast himself as the PI hero and has continued to use family and friends as the book's supporting characters. Echo Hill Ranch was founded by his parents, Tom and Min, in the early 1950s. Min died in 1985, before the book was written - though Tom does appear and is always referred to by his first name. A summer camp is held on the ranch every year, and Kinky's sister, Marcie, appears as one of the camp counsellors. (It was Marcie's idea that Kinky should start writing mystery novels - I will be eternally grateful to her). Frances Kaiser, Kerr County's Sheriff, and Pat Knox, Kerrville's Justice of the Peace, also appear. The green trailer, Kinky's place of residence in this book, is where he wrote several of his early books. It's now (apparently) home to an armadillo, who presumably answers to the name of Dilly. Much use is also made of Dusty, his mother's old talking car. However, further comparisons with David Hasselhoff and KITT just don't stand up.

Though Kinky has returned home for a holiday, Pat Knox has other ideas. She contacts regarding hom the deaths of four old ladies who have died over the previous five months. Although the Sheriff, Frances Kaiser, has found nothing suspicious about any of them, Pat remains convinced they were murdered. She asks Kinky to look over her files and form an opinion - though he initially agrees with the Sheriff. However, his opinion starts to change when a fifth victim turns up - with her lips sewn shut.

This is the best of Kinky's books I've read to date - though, admittedly, I haven't read then all. He still delivers a fast-moving book, with more one-liners than you reasonably hope for, but it also has the benefit of a strong story. In addition, he writes with a strong sense of affection form the camp and the people who have helped out there over the years. His quips may not be to everyone's taste, but this is a book I thoroughly enjoyed.

The one that got me addicted
I forgot when or where I heard of Kinky Friedman, but this was the first of his mysteries I had ever read.His politically incorrect wit, his love for animals, and his writing style in general got me addicted.After reading this book, I have read almost all of his works and I hope he writes many more.

Refreshing change of scenery for the Kinster
I snarf down Kinky Friedman books like candy, Lord knows I do, but the last few leading up to Armadillos and Old Lace had started making me antsy for a new scenario or two.Kinky's adventures in the Big Apple have always been long on laughs and his special brand of folksy/freaky asides, but a little shy on new plot twists.

Adding fresh air to the series is this volume, which takes place over a summer on Kinky's Texas ranch.This neck of the woods is so gushingly dear to his heart that you can almost hear the children playing and the crickets chirping.A whole new cast of characters are on board to replace the irreplaceable Village Irregulars, including the Kinkster's father and a young green-eyed love interest.The cat, of course, comes along for the shaky ride and never fails to jump onto unfortunate spots on Kinky's sleeping body.Also keep an eye open for Kinky's new companion, a talking car that spouts bits of wisdom at appropriate times.

The "mystery" portion of our tale comes, as usual, almost as an afterthought, but it's an interesting one to say the least.Some old ladies are getting offed on their birthdays and the local judge and sheriff are clueless.What can you do?Bring in Kinky Friedman, amateur detective from the Big City.Who would've thought that you'd find serial killers and intrigue in Kerrville?

This was the best entry since Greenwich Killing Time and I laughed longer and louder than any of them.Kinky takes his time getting to the story, with plenty of tales of times gone by and bits of wisdom from the famous (and infamous) figures from his past.Kinky's vocabulary has, at this point, become almost another language filled with terms like "rain room", "agitato", "killer bee" (def: fantastic, usually referring to chicken fried steak), "taking a Nixon", and "Jewish shepherds".

You might not get it, but if you do you'll discover a friend for life in Kinky Friedman. ... Read more

Product Description
"What animal has a hard shell, sharp claws, and a long tongue? An armadillo! But do you know what armadillos eat? Or how armadillos protect themselves from predators? Read this book to find out!

Learn all about different animals in the Animal Close-Ups series--part of the Lightning Bolt Books(tm) collection. With high-energy designs, exciting photos, and fun text, Lightning Bolt Books(tm) bring nonfiction topics to life!" ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

This is a fascinating overview of one of the world's most unusual creatures, the armadillo!
The armadillo is a strange looking mammal that will "dig for many reasons."Their ability to dig actually "helps them to stay alive."They will bury their snout in the ground to sniff for bugs and then when they find them they will dig at the ground and will "lick up the bugs with their long, sticky tongues."The armadillo prefers bugs, but they are also plant eaters.They are omnivores which means they "are animals that eat both plants and animals."They also use their long snout to sniff out danger.If a predator is near, WHOOSH. . .they dash away quickly.If they cannot outrun a predator, they curl up in a ball to protect themselves.Their carapace, or hard shell will protect them.

It seems rather odd that an animal with such a hard shell can even get around, but the carapace has "many thin bands in the middle" that will enable it to bend.The carapace is very heavy, but when it has to swim it will swallow a lot of air that "helps the armadillo float." Another way the armadillo may have to protect itself is by digging."Scritch-Scratch!Quick as a flash an armadillo digs a small hole and hides inside."Its sharp claws are a real asset in an emergency.You will also learn how the armadillo can keep dirt from going up its nose, you'll get to take a peek at its den, you'll get to see its amazingly cute pups, and you'll learn what these pups can do.Do you know what color the carapace is on an armadillo pup?If not, you might want to take a close look at the photographs in this book.

This is a fascinating overview of one of the world's most unusual creatures, the armadillo. This well-written, well-researched book made this creature seem very interesting without going overboard on scientific detail.The photographs are very appealing, especially action oriented ones like the armadillo running away from the camera.The text addresses many questions the young reader may have, but most certainly could provide a stepping stone for a report on this creature or things such as mammal life in general. There is an "Armadillo Range Map" (relative to the United States) and an "Armadillo Diagram."In the back of the book is an index, a glossary, and additional recommended book and website resources to explore. ... Read more

Product Description
Text and photographs introduce the habitat, appearance, and behavior of armadillos living in the desert. ... Read more

Product Description
A young armadillo learns skills for surviving in the wild. Includes facts about the physical characteristics, behavior, habitat, and predators of the armadillo. ... Read more

Product Description
Discusses the order of the animal kingdom known as Xenarthra and describes fifteen different species, including the giant anteater, three-toed sloth, hairy armadillo, and pink fairy armadillo. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

What An Interesting Read!
This is a fine starter series for kids interested studying different animals.Anteaters, Sloths, and Armadillos is our most recent adventure with the wonderful and interesting Animals in Order series...what can I say, my kids just can't get enough of these!What I like a great deal about this is that it takes time at the beginning of the book to look at (briefly) what makes an animal a xenarthrans, specifically getting into what traits exactly make a xenarthran (when roughly translates into strange joint).The book then goes into the "order" of living things which details the kingdom, phylum and class , order, family and species (with a handy visual chart for reference, great for younger kids, so they can SEE how it works rather than just read it or have it read to them). This is one of the better features of this series.Next the text goes specifically into where xenarthrans fit into animal kingdom, breaking it down (in words and pictures again) to kingdom (animal), phylum (chordate), class (mammal) and order (xenarthran).

The book also talks a bit about where anteaters, sloths, and armadillos of all types and sizes fit into food chain and in habitats.Anteaters, Sloths, and Armadillos goes from there into an overview of fifteen species complete with full page, color photographs for each one, which really serve to bring the information to life.This section includes Family, Common Example, Genus and Species and Size for each animal discussed and each animal is given one full page for written description and one full page COLOR photo...excellent for fully engaging the reader!Animals included here are the giant anteater, southern tamandua, two-toes sloth, pale-throated three-toed sloth, nine-banded armadillo, pichi and more!

Overall, a fantastic way to introduce various types of artiodactyls to your curious young reader!What you get in Anteaters, Sloths, and Armadillosis an excellent overview of all types of zenarthrans.Additionally, at the end of the book are several pages of fun facts about sloths, anteaters and armadillos.As always with this series, I was pleased to find that at the end of the book the author/publisher also included a short recommended reading list and some really great web pages to do more research on...the kids in particular LOVED this! The books in this series would make a wonderful addition to a classroom library or as gifts for your favorite young reader who has a passion for animals; the information here is scientifically presented, accented with wonderful color photos and is both interesting and informative!
... Read more

Product Description
Kinky Friedman, the original Texas Jewboy, takes us on a rollicking, rock-and-rolling tour of his favorite city: Austin.

Maybe you want to know which restaurant President Bush rates as his favorite Austin burger joint. Or maybe you want a glimpse of Willie Nelson’s home life (hint: Willie plays a lot of golf). Perhaps you want to get the best view of the Mexican free-tail bats as they make their nightly flights to and from the Congress Avenue Bridge. Or maybe you’re itching to learn the history of a city that birthed Janis Joplin, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and countless other music legends. It’s all here in The Great Psychedelic Armadillo Picnic, the slightly insane, amazingly practical, and totally kick-ass guide to the coolest city in Texas by none other than Kinky Friedman.

This ain’t no ordinary travel guide, neither. “Like most other busy cities these days, Austin is not very effectively traversed by foot,” Kinky explains. “You must understand that ‘a walk in Austin’ is primarily a spiritual sort of thing.” As might be expected from this politically incorrect country-singer-turned-bestselling-mystery-author, the Kinkster’s tour includes a bunch of stuff you won’t ?nd in a Frommer’s guide, from descriptions of Austin’s notable trees and directions to skinny-dipping sites to lists of haunted places and quizzes and puzzles. So put on your cowboy hat and your brontosaurus-foreskin boots and head down south with the only book you need to get to the big heart of this great city. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

You had to not be there
Nice little tid bit from Kinky, but truly for those with little familiarity of Austin.Having said that, do you think it's still possible to find Willy on his golf course?

Make sure you get the version that Kinky reads
there are a few versions of this book.Don't get one that isn't read by the author.Otherwise, it isn't remotely funny!

An original
At least this guy's an original. This is my first trip in Kinkyland and I was repaid by getting a few laughs. I especially liked his frank no- nonsense tone in telling us for instance, that he goes around giving advice to people happier than himself.
He is deeply at home in the world of Austin and gives the reader a lot of local color, and a lot of advice as to where and what to visit and see.
On the Jewish side it seems to me that that part of his identity is a lot like the Jewish star on Max Baer's trunks, more for crowd power effect than anything else.
But who knows? This guy may be a genuine Longhorn Yid.
However the Kink should be aware that his love of the four- letter word will not give him an A in the big cheder upstairs which I suspect he is more likely to get to than to what he says he wishes to in this book, the Governor's Chair in Austin.

Delightful tour of a fantastic city
The Kinkster (Texas' next governor?) takes readers on a whirlwind tour of Austin. Anyone who has lived in Austin for a significant period of time will not find much new here. Those who have only visited might get some inkling of what makes this city unique and why millions of people all over the country consider Austin home even though the population is 600,000. This is an extremely funny journey. I can't think of a better tour guide than a man who refers to Garth Brooks as the anti-Hank

The road to better living passes through this town.
Any traveller worth their salt knows what a big mistake just showing up at a foriegn city empty minded can be; we also know an even bigger mistake exists: showing up with a mass-produced, banal "city guide."Of course, if you have never awoken on an airplane with a throbbing hangover and without any idea what you are doing there, or where 'there' is, maybe this book isn't for you.I once woke up in Toronto, the city hosting the International Conference for Progressive Psychology (ICPP) in 1968 -- before Dr. Shoozenschaurts' breakthrough work on depression was publicized.Sure his work was edgy, and progressive, but I knew it was dangerous.I tried to warn my colleagues of the inherint dangers in thinking such thoughts, after all, what we don't know can't hurt us.My fellow scientists ignored my warnings and embraced Dr. Shoozenschaurts' revolutionary concepts.After the conference of '68 I found myself and my ignorance is bliss theories discredited.Now I live on a couch.You live in a nation of depressed sociopaths.You could say I'm having the last laugh, but I'm not; because I live on a couch, and I am too depressed for laughter.

"With her countless clubs, bars, and dance halls, Austin is a whore with a heart of gold flaunting her gaudy necklace in the Texas night."

Naturally I am unemployed.This is important because this book along with the other Crown Journey books are, I believe, written for the unemployed.These books are written for the traveler with True Grit, whose idea of vacation is drinking coffee in a foriegn city and reading about one human's experience of a city that stands out from the pack; The kind of person that no longer finds excitement in visiting New York, London, Paris, or Los Angeles.The Crown Journey series captures real, unique culture in the most pleasantly unexpected places (Like Austin, Nantucket, Portland) and then combines it with real, unique personality in equally pleasant form (Kinkster, Pahlaniuk).

This book will make you laugh.This book will give you good ideas on where to go, and what to do in Austin.Perhaps most importantly, this book will give you the background perspective you need to enjoy your Austin vacation to the MAX~!



... Read more

Product Description
Armadillo keeps to himself, ignoring the neighbors he passes each day on his way to hunt for grubs. He never bothers with the lively green snake, the shy rattler, the old tortoise, the scrub jay, or the honeybees who live near him in the orange grove. All that matters to Armadillo is the big, round orange that marks the entrance to his burrow. Then, one windy day, his orange rolls away. Alone and confused, Armadillo must figure out a new way to find his home-and discovers that when it seems all is lost, his neighbors will always be there to help him.

In a deceptively simple treatment, Jim Arnosky explores the value of friends in a constantly changing world, and reminds us that home is where your neighbors are. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

I LOVE THIS STORY
This is a great story book for children ages 3 to 7 about the Armadillo finding the big round orange making his way easier to get home to his burrow. I bought this book for my niece and nephew and I absolutely love this story. The illustrations are great and colorful. I highly recommend this book to any parent with young children.

Perfect for children preschool through first grade
Showcasing the undeniable story telling and self-evident artistic talents of Jim Arnosky, Armadillo's Orange is a thoughtful children's picture book about an independent armadillo who keeps to himself, and relies on a big, bright orange to mark the entrance to his burrow home. The one windy day, the orange rolls away and Armadillo is faced with a challenge to find a new way at home - and learns the value of paying attention to one's neighbors. An inviting story about learning to see more of the world around one, Armadillo's Orange is perfect for children preschool through first grade. ... Read more

Product Description
The armadillo, a slow, dull-witted, dirt-eating creature resembling a prehistoric rodent, has firmly established itself in the folklore of the South and Southwest.Despite its lemming-like compulsion for self-destruction, the armadillo survives in large numbers and, as this volume duly records, continues to impose its presence on modern society. ... Read more

Product Description
Revised, and with a New Introduction by the Author

"I am an agitator, and an agitator is the center post in a washing machine that gets the dirt out."
--Jim Hightower

Hightower is mad as hell and he's not going to take it anymore! He's also funny as hell, and in this book he focuses his sharp Texas wit, populist passion, and native smarts on America's political, economic, scientific, and media establishments. In There's Nothing in the Middle of the Road But Yellow Stripes and Dead Armadillos, Hightower shows not only what's wrong, but also how to fix it, offering specific solutions and calling for a new political movement of working families and the poor to "take America back from the bankers and bosses, the big shots and bastards."

"If you don't read another book about what's wrong with this country for the rest of your life, read this one. I think it's the best and most important book about out public life I've read in years."
--Molly Ivins, author of Molly Ivins Can't Say That, Can She?

"When do we get to vote for Jim Hightower for president? Will somebody please tell me? When do we get to vote for Jim Hightower for president?."
--Michael Moore, author of Downsize This!

"Listen to Jim Hightower. His is a two-fisted, rambunctious voice unafraid to speak truth to power, eloquently and clearly...He's one of the best."
--Studs Terkel ... Read more

Customer Reviews (42)

Essential handbook of American politics
Agree or disagree, this book takes you through all the madness of politics since the rise of Clinton - yes, Clinton.Though Hightower is a populist liberal, he takes Clinton to task for being complicit in the gradual decline of the people's voice in government, bowing instead to corporate interests who want everything from tax-deductible CEO salaries (ever wonder why they were so high?) to looser regulations on the food we eat (recent food poisoning cases come to mind).If you're a Republican, you can't blame this book on a Bush-bashing mentality.Democrats have their problems too.

You have to be the change
In this book, Hightower mainly goes over corporate greed and how our politicians will cut social programs (that especially effect the elderly and poor), but will keep increasing corporate welfare. He also makes fun of Clinton, Limbaugh and a few others.

More than the politicians though, I blame the American people because most people simply do not pay attention. Recently a survey was given to people who voted in the 2004 Presidential election and 70% of Americans couldn't even name one bill that Congress has passed since January. 70% - and that is the people who voted in the last election, 79 million citizens over the age of 18 didn't even vote. That just gives you a feel for the level of political apathy in this country.

Here is some information from the book:

- The real cause of breast cancer can be linked to harmful chemicals which are dumped by companies.
- Our taxdollars subsidize products being advertised to Japan, or outsourcing jobs to Puerto Rico!
- Basically our media is propoganda for corporations.

This is a entertaining book and Hightower makes it easy for people to understand government policy. I would recommend "Thieves in High Places" over this book though because it is more current :0) Also you can visit www.jimhightower.com if you would like too see some current news or things he is working on.

Good grief!Don't let morality interfere with profiteering!
Nobody is safe from the sharpened teeth and wit of this political watchdog, but we wouldn't have it any other way.
Though "Armadillos" is an older book, published in 1997, it is still valid today.And those of you who think he's swinging too hard at Pres. Bush will enjoy watching his energy focused on Clinton, who was Pres then.

This is what I mean when I say Jim Hightower is not necessarily anti-Bush; he is anti corporateering and pro working-citizens.He will aim his sights at anyone, regardless of partisan politics, and expose their greedy, pork-filled underbellies.

"Armadillos" is divided into five basic sections; Class War, The Media, Pollution, and Politics.
In Corporateworld, Hightower exposes such big-money deceptions as Corporatized Medicine.While we sit back and debate whether or not socialized medicine is a worthwhile route, the HMO's and Corporations have taken over our health care to line their own pockets and serve no one but themselves.Also note his timeline comparisons to the old Robber Barons, and the similarities of today's working place.And watch out NAFTA, Hightower is on to you!

In Class War, Hightower emphasizes the growing chasm between the filthy rich and the working-class right here in America.Fortunately, anything this top heavy must eventually topple over, especially when their supporting base becomes unstable. (translate to unhappy and no longer willing to hold them up)Of particular note in this chapter is Hightower's revisiting the origins of our holiday, Labor Day; by itself this makes the chapter Class War shine.

In The Media, Hightower exposes the media bias long before "Out-foxed" was ever made.Anyone remember the 1994 "Telecommunications Deregulation" bill that was supposed to create more competition in the telephone and cable choices we everyday citizens have?How many choices do you have now?If you are like me, there is One Mega-Monster provider that services your area and that is that.I still have no choice and I'm paying 10 times what I used to.

Pollution is the best chapter in the book.Here, Hightower charges in, no holes barred, and shows up the corporate greed, incompetent government agencies, and fat-belly back scratchings that are keeping this country polluted and compromising our health everyday.From meat-packing to organochlorines, no polluter is safe.I have recently read a very disturbing book called "Slaughterhouse" by Gail Eisnitz, and here in "Armadillos" Hightower proves that what Ms. Eisnitz exposed has been going on for a very long time.
Taking a huge risk here, Hightower even stands up against the "feel good" events such as the National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.How dare he attack such a noble and gentle association?Because the sole funding source of BCAM is Zeneca Group, a huge multibillion-dollar corporation named in a 1990 lawsuit for dumping DDT and PCB's into Los Angeles and Long Beach harbors.What, you say?Zeneca produces cancer causing, chlorine based pesticides, most of which are dumped into our environment, then has the nerve to tell us women that its our "fatty diets" or our "lifestyles" causing our illnesses.To put icing on top of this putrescent cake, Zeneca also owns a pharmaceutical company that produces a treatment drug for breast cancer.Give it to `em, then charge `em to try and cure it.
During the next BCAM campaign, watch to see if any mention is made to organochlorines and their links to cancer.You won't find any.

The last chapter, Politics, sounds more volatile but is actually a gentle sliding out of the book.Making more and more sense, Hightower warns us that instead of being so partisan, we need to question the ethics of each and every candidate, especially where their monetary interests are.

"Armadillos" is still in tune with the problems of this country, and what I really like about him is that he points out ways for the reader to fight back, so you are not left all riled up with no comb in your hand.

His humor is both sharp and refreshing, and he infuses it heavily into his written works, making palatable even the most horrible of subjects.One of my favorite ideas of his is the Candidate Stickers; just like racecar drivers wear patches and stickers showing their sponsors, so should our politicians.Hightower paints a very funny picture of a debate with sticker-covered candidates, the only part that is not so funny is that while we argue party against party, the candidates are wearing the same corporate logos on their 1K suits.

Hightower uses extensive reference to real occurances here, naming bills and corporations, providing dates, and showcasing the organizations that are making a difference.This is a great book for those just becoming politically aware, and for old veterans of the partisan wars alike.Hightower's witty prose and down-home humor actually make politics a fun read.Enjoy!

awesome book
hightower is absolutely hilarious.Being from Austin, Texas, this book is even more incredible to hear the tales again of what goes on here, but from a more truthful perspective than the media.Unlike some "conservative" authors, Hightower criticizes the entire system that's got us where we are- including the democratic party.

Give 'em Hell, Hightower!
I voted for Jim Hightower (for Land Commissioner or something like that) way back when I'd just turned 18 and was able to vote for the first time. I'm very glad to see he's still fighting for the little guy. I live abroad, and whenever anyone asks where home is, I always used to proudly say, "Texas!" These days, it's getting harder and harder to be proud. At least with Bush the First, we could say, "Well, he's not really a Texan." But Junior...well, there's really no denying it, is there? He embodies every negative stereotype of the Texas millionaire.

But when I read Hightower, I remember all the good things about Texas, and about America, too. People like Jim Hightower and Molly Ivins make me proud to be a Texan and an American--people who cut through the lies and take on the big boys without a drop of fear in their hearts...just because it's the right thing to do. ... Read more

Product Description
Introduces the physical characteristics, behavior, and habitat of the nine-banded armadillo. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Armadillo Lover's Mom
From the moment we surprised our 2 year old daughter with this book propped on her pillow in bed, she loved it!She has an unusual affinity for this animal, so she was delighted.I was surprised at how small it is -- something like 4" X 6".The facts are great, and it is written in simple language.Our daughter tells everyone that an armadillo doesn't have a shell, it has a carapace (we learned this from the book).I recommend it to anyone who has a crush on armadillos. ... Read more

Product Description
Reading on your own

Armadillos may look funny, move oh-so-slowly, and smell a little stinky but mostly they are extraordinary! For example, they can jump three feet in the air to scare away any predators (especially the human variety), they can hold their breath underwater for 10 minutes, and they’ve been known to eat 40,000 bugs in a single meal.

Amazing Armadillos follows a female armadillo as she forages for food, builds a home, and prepares for the birth of her baby pups. It is perfect for newly independent readers who love to learn fun, quirky, and cool facts about amazing animals, like the armadillo. ... Read more

Product Description
From the award-winning author of A Good Man Africa and An Ice-Cream War comes Armadillo, a brilliant satirical noir set in contemporary London.

To his colleagues, Lorimer Black, the handsome, mild-mannered insurance adjuster rising through the ranks of his London firm, is known as the guy who has it all: the sleek suits, the enviable status. But when Lorimer arrives at a routine business appointment and finds his client hanging from a water pipe, his life spirals out of control. His company car is blowtorched after he investigates a fire at a luxury hotel. He becomes the fall guy of a new colleague who puts the company in the red and the victim of a vicious attack by the possessive husband of a mysterious actress.

As Lorimer becomes increasingly entangled in an apparent conspiracy that involves everyone he knows, his own past comes to light. A brilliant satirical noir, Armadillo confirms Boyd's place as England's most versatile, sublime novelist.Amazon.com Review
Lorimer Black may suffer from a serious sleep disorder and an obsessionwith the labyrinths of the British class system, but Armadillo'speculiar protagonist is the star insurance adjuster of London'sFortress Sure PLC, unaffectionately known as the Fort. At the very start ofWilliam Boyd's noir-ish seventh novel, however, things take a decided swervefor the worse. On a bleak January morning one of his cases has apparentlychosen to kill himself rather than talk: "Mr. Dupree was simultaneously thefirst dead person he had encountered in his life, his first suicide and hisfirst hanged man and Lorimer found this congruence of firsts deceptivelytroubling."

Soon our hero, who himself has a lot to hide, finds himself threatened by adodgy type whose loss he has adjusted way down and embroiled with thebeautiful married actress Flavia Malinverno. "People who've lost something,they call on you to adjust it, make the loss less hard to bear? As if theirlives are broken in some way and they call on you to fix it," Flaviadippily wonders. Lorimer also has his car torched and instantly goes froman object of affection to one of deep suspicion at the Fort. Then there isanother case, the small matter of the rock star who may or may not befaking the Devil he says is sitting on his left shoulder.

Needless to say, Lorimer is "becoming fed up with this role of fall guy forother people's woes." Boyd adds a deep layer of psychological heft and alighter level of humor to this thinking-person's thriller by exploringLorimer's manifold personal and social fears. This is a man who desperatelycollects ancient helmets even though he knows they offer only "the illusionof protection." Another of Armadillo's many pleasures: its dose ofdelicious argot. Should Lorimer "oil" the apparent perpetrator of theFedora Palace arson before he's oiled himself? Or perhaps he just needs to"put the frighteners" on him. Boyd definitely puts the frighteners on hisreaders more than once in this cinematically seedy and dazzling literarydisplay. --Kerry Fried ... Read more

Customer Reviews (23)

An off-kilter, bent look at a yuppie's mysterious past
Never thought I'd be interested in insurance, but my wife likes Boyd and urged this on me. He has a knack for getting you intrigued by what intrigues him-- such as the obsession for armor here-- and as with "The Blue Afternoon" about Hollywood, or "Brazzaville Beach" about Africa, I found this novel another reliable entertainment from Boyd.

As Reviewer Price noted earlier, it reminded me of Martin Amis' take on his city; see my review of "London Fields." Streets are named carefully by Lorimer, fashions noted meticulously, tics revealing one's status in a very class-conscious and place-obsessed megapolis. What stayed suprisingly subtle were the Transnistrian Gypsy background of Lorimer's family; another author might well have drawn upon this far more, but as with the obsessions of Lorimer himself, many of them appear oddly less amplified than I'd expected.

This tone, then, makes for an off-kilter story. It's from Lorimer's p-o-v, so that enhances his deadpan recital of such awful satirical types as Torquil, one of the most splendid louche layabouts I've ever met-- luckily not in reality. Yet, so much of the backstory of Lorimer, as with the Scottish scenes that gradually are amplified to a climactic explanation of L's earlier re-invention of himself-- don't gain on the page the same weight that Boyd intends for them.

As with the whole "lucid dreams" sub-plot, there's less payoff than I'd have liked. Flavia's an intriguing character, but too much of her mystery remains. Boyd is realistic in introducing types we know less about than we'd like at first, but then he withholds information later on that keeps us at a distance. He seems not to want to reveal all the mysteries, and while some may like this teasing, oblique approach, I found it perplexing by the story's conclusion.

Best avoided.
Bought this because of promising reviews and never been let down by Boyd. It meanders between tolerable to awful. Simply not worth the effort.

London calling
Armadillo is also a great book for all London-minded readers. It is fun to be able to recognise places and routes mentioned in the book. But I would not recommend the TV adaptation of the book: a lot got lost in it, even though it was adapted by the author himself. The humourous bits and all things about London had gone.

Not what I had hoped for.
Whilst I can see and appreciate the main themes within this book - being afraid to be yourself and the absurdity of the British class system.I didn't really feel like I got to know any of the characters that well.The twist and turns of the plot seemed pretty far fetched to me.I found it more sad than amusing.Perhaps it speaks more to men than to women,I wouldn't recommend this book to a friend.

boyd's best
I spent a year of my life working the 2AM shift flipping burgers, and Boyd brought that world back to me.I don't know anyone who has ever written so well about sleep, nosleep, and the inner world of the solitary working stiff ... Read more