The Barefoot Book of Pirates - This book is a lot of fun! I wasn't sure if my daughter would like this or not, as most of the stories in The Barefoot Book of Princesses didn't hold her attention very well. I thought it might have been because she was too young, so I didn't even think of reading to her from this book until she saw it one day and requested it. We have read most of the stories, and she definitely seems to like this one better than the Princesses book.
Now that I know how much Lissie likes pirates, I am looking forward to getting the Folkmanis Pirate Puppet for her. We are giving one to my nephew for Christmas, and it is lovely. There is also a beautiful 100-piece Pirates Puzzle by Mudpuppy Press that is based on the cover illustration from the book.
The Princess and the White Bear King - I probably say this far too often, but this really might be my favorite Barefoot Book. The book itself is a gorgeous cloth-bound hardcover. The illustrations by Nicoletta Ceccoli are ethereal and whimsical and perfectly depict the magical land where this story takes place, and the story CD read by Miranda Richardson is enthralling. I am not generally a huge fan of story CDs, except in the car, but the first time I played this my 3 year old and I were snuggled together on the couch and we listened from beginning to end without a word (and if you knew my 3 year old, you would know that never happens!). 
Now through December 16, Barefoot Books is offering FREE shipping on all orders and a FREE hardcover copy of The Prince's Bedtime with orders over $50.
Motherbridge of Love - This was our first Barefoot Book, from the library, back before I even knew what a Barefoot Book was. My daughter chose this one pretty randomly (perhaps she was attracted to the gorgeous cover illustration), and we read it a lot of times before we renewed it, then we read it a lot more times and returned it, and now we have our own copy.
Jack and the Beanstalk - This retelling of the classic tale of Jack and the Beanstalk is adorably illustrated by Niamh Sharkey. This version is well written (of course) and very similar to the one I was read as a child. I enjoyed reading this to my daughter who did not enjoy it as much as I did because, as she informed me, she likes "Jack, his mom, the old woman, the hen and the harp, but NOT the giant! " When we were finished, she looked at the pictures, gave the book back to me and said "here mommy, you can have this for one of your samples". I suppose she can't love them all! I wanted to update this post, because a short while after I wrote it, my daughter rediscovered this book, and we have been reading it non-stop ever since. It has become one of her favorites.
If you enjoy the illustrations of Niamh Sharkey as much as I do, be sure to check out our 12x16 Jack and the Beanstalk print.
Port Side Pirates - This book tells the story of a young child who hops on board a pirate ship and spends the day at sea. The rhyming text is fun to read, but even more fun to listen to sung on the accompanying CD. The back of the book is full of information on pirate ships (including a numbered guide to the different parts of a galleon) and famous pirates.
The Real Princess: A Mathematical Tale - This charming book tells the story of The Princess and the Pea, but with a twist. There are 3 princesses in this version, along with 9 peas. And when you are all done reading, be sure to turn to the last page to test your counting skills!
The Great Race - This book tells the story of how the animals who represent the Chinese zodiac were chosen and why they are in the order they are in. This version differs from the one I was familiar with, so reading it for the first time was almost like reading a whole new story (except I had a pretty good idea of the ending).
Folkmanis Red Dragon Puppet - This is a beautiful puppet--seriously. My daughter saw it and wanted one so badly she bought it with her own money. And this is my 15 year old I am talking about!
From November 19-24, Barefoot Books is offering FREE shipping! Also,if you spend $50 or more, you get a FREE activity book ($6.99 value) with your order!
Mama Panya's Pancakes - Is a huge favorite of my 3-year old, and one everybody enjoys reading to her. I hadn't planned on giving her this book when I ordered it, but she asked me to read it to her so many times I finally told her she could keep it. In this story, Adika goes to the market with his mama and invites all of their friends to join them for pancakes that night. Mama Panya is worried that she won't have enough food to feed everyone, but there is plenty of food, because everyone who comes brings something to share!
The Story of Divaali - This book tells the tale of The Ramayana and is recommended for 4-10 year olds. Ramayana is the story of the adventures of Prince Rama during his 14 year exile, and how he defeats the Demon King Ravana and saves Princess Sita. When Prince Rama returns home with his bride to take the throne, all of the townspeople have lit lanterns in their windows to celebrate, and that is how the festival of Divaali was born. 
The House that Jack Built - A beautifully illustrated re-telling of a familiar classic. This book comes with a CD, which my daughter likes to listen to over and over (and over and over). The fun repetitive text is perfect for beginning readers.
Adventure Stories from Far and Wide which comes with six of our best-selling hardcover books: Arthur of Albion, The Adventures of Odysseus, The Barefoot Book of Pirates (with CD), The Genius of Leonardo, The Barefoot Book of Giants, Ghosts and Goblins (with CDs) and our 100 piece Pirates Puzzle. This collection sells for $140 and would make a wonderful gift for adventurous boys and girls ages 6 and up.
Barefoot Baby which contains seven of our best hard cover and board books for little ones: Baby's First Book, Mother Goose Remembers (with CD), Mrs. Moon: Lullabies for Bedtime (with CD), Listen, Listen, Alligator Alphabet, and Who are You, Baby Kangaroo? along with a Putumayo Dreamland CD and Bo Peep Woolly Sheep puppet. This collection sells for $125 would be a wonderful gift to welcome a new baby into the world!
Barefoot Singalong which contains six super fun hardcover book and CD sets: Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush, Port Side Pirates!, The Animal Boogie, Knick Knack Paddy Whack, We All Go Travelling By and Whole World. This collection sells for $100 and I think any young child would be thrilled to receive it.
Barefoot Storytime which contains five fun read-aloud paperback and hardcover books: Storytime: First Tales for Sharing (PB with CD), The Story Tree: Tales to Read Aloud (PB with CD), The Gigantic Turnip, Jack and the Beanstalk, and The Prince's Bedtime, along with a Prince puppet. This collection sells for $100 and is sure to bring hours of enjoyment to a special child in your life. 
Best of Barefoot which contains seven of our bestselling hardcover books: Mother Goose Remembers (with CD), I Took the Moon for a Walk, The Story Tree: Tales to Read Aloud, The Faerie's Gift (gift edition with CD), The Boy Who Grew Flowers, The Gigantic Turnip, The Barefoot Book of Classic Poems and The Barefoot Book of Fairy Tales. This collection sells for $150 and would be great if you are new to Barefoot, but not sure what to buy first! There are books for all ages here, so this is the perfect collection to grow with your child.
Enchanted Tales which contains six stunning hardcover books: The Barefoot Book of Princesses (with CD), Magic Hoofbeats: Fantastic Horse Tales, The Faerie's Gift (gift edition with CD), The Princess and the White Bear King (gift edition with CD), The Barefoot Book of Fairy Tales and The Barefoot Book of Ballet Stories along with My Magic Diary and our 100 piece Princesses puzzle. This magical collection sells for $140 and is sure to inspire the imaginations of children ages 6 and up.
One World, One Planet which contains five inspiring books: Whole World (with CD), Herb, The Vegetarian Dragon, The Sun in Me: Poems about the Planet, and A Forest of Stories: Magical Tree Tales from Around the World along with Yoga Planet: 50 Activities for a Greener World (card deck), 100 piece Around the World puzzle and a Putumayo World Playground CD. This collection sells for $100 and is perfect for the young environmentalist in your life!
Travel the World which contains seven exotic hardcover books: We All Went on Safari: A Counting Journey through Tanzania, We’re Riding on a Caravan: An Adventure on the Silk Road, My Granny Went to Market: A Round the World Counting Rhyme, Off We Go to Mexico!: An Adventure in the Sun, We’re Sailing Down the Nile: A Journey through Egypt, along with our interactive 64 piece Landmarks of the World puzzle. This collection sells for $100 and will take your child on a trip around the world--without ever leaving the house!
Secret Seahorse - This is a sweet book featuring Clare Beaton's signature illustrations. The story follows a seahorse as he swims through many beautiful underwater scenes, until he swims into a cave at the end and you find a whole seahorse family! This is available in board book and paperback formats. We bought the board book for one of my nephews but my 3 year old got a hold of it and refused to give it up until I promised to buy a copy for her too. For a great gift, pair this book with our:
Two-in-One Animal Puzzle - This reversible 9-piece puzzle features a picture from Secret Seahorse on one side and a picture from Zoe's Zebra on the other. It would make a great gift paired with either book, or with a copy of both books for the ultimate gift!
Winter King, Summer Queen - This tale of the seasons is for ages 4-8 (6-10 if read alone). I'm not sure if it is based on any particular legend, but I think it is a cute introduction for young children. The Winter King and the Summer Queen each rule over their respective lands, until the cold music the Winter King and his followers (including my three year old's favorite, Phillipa Freezo) play starts to freeze everybody. The Summer Queen and her followers send a rainbow to thaw things out, and eventually they agree to share the earth by taking turns. This book also comes with a CD, but it's such a fun book to read aloud that I don't think we have ever listened to it.
Goddesses A World of Myth and Magic - This book was not what I expected. When I ordered it, I thought it was a collection of Goddess stories, but it is actually more like an encyclopedia of Goddesses. However, I was not disappointed. The illustrations in this book are nothing short of spectacular, and it contains descriptions of over one hundred different Goddesses from many different cultures. This beautiful and inspiring book is for ages 8-adult and I think every young girl should have a copy on her bookshelves. 
Bear on a Bike - Another book from the Bear series, this one is available in board book, paperback and even Spanish. This is a fun book where a little boy follows Bear, first on a bike to the market, then a raft to the jungle, and through several other modes of transportation to increasingly further away locales until the final page where Bear flies into space on a rocket. As with all of the other Bear books, the illustrations in this book are bright, cheerful and adorable. If you like the illustrations as well as I do, be sure to check out:
Bear on the Go First Puzzles - This adorable puzzle set for ages 2+ by Mudpuppy Press includes four puzzles featuring the artwork from the book Bear on a Bike. Each puzzle consists of four pieces. You can separate the pieces of each puzzle for younger children, and then mix them all together and let the child sort them before doing the puzzles when they are ready for more of a challenge. My daughter has a couple of other sets of these and sometimes likes to mix all of the pieces from all three sets together before doing the puzzles. The box the puzzles come in is cute and sturdy enough to use for storing the puzzles, and paired with the Bear on a Bike book would make a great gift for a toddler!
The Boy Who Grew Flowers - At risk of making this review sound like complete hyperbole, I have to say, this is the most beautiful story I have ever read. The Barefoot Books site says "...this touching story shows us that what makes us different makes us beautiful" and I think that sums it up so perfectly that I'm not even going to try. This is a magical tale with a happy ending, and young Rink Bowagon could teach us all something about acceptance and being true to ourselves.
We All Went on Safari - This book teaches you how to count from 1-10 in Swahili! How fun is that? It's aimed at ages 4-8, but the text is simple enough that I think younger children will enjoy it too (in fact, it's a favorite of my 3 year old). The story follows a group of children through the grasslands of Tanzania where they en-count-er many different animals. The last few pages of the book contain all kinds of information, including a map and some notes on the animals featured in the book (including how to say the animals' names in Swahili). It also tells about Tanzania and the Maasai people, including the meanings of the names of the children in the book. And, if all of that isn't enough for you, when you buy this great book, a donation is made to the African Wildlife Foundation.
I Took the Moon for a Walk - A charming story of a little boy who takes a walk with the moon. It is recommended for ages 0-4 which I think is right on. My three year old really enjoys this book, though the sweet simple text will definitely appeal to younger kids as well. Your little one is sure to ask for this book over and over, but don't worry--this beautiful book is such a joy to read that you won't quickly tire of it!
Hidden Hippo - Another one for the 0-4 set, and like I Took the Moon for a Walk, the simple rhyming text of this book will easily hold the attention of younger children. This book is beautifully illustrated by Clare Beaton and my daughter loves finding the hippo hidden on each page. In the back of the book, there is a section which gives a bit of information about each of the animals in the book (although my 3 year old refuses to let me read those pages, and insists they are instructions on how to make the animals out of fabric like in the pictures).
Animal Boogie - This book is so much fun! It comes with a CD which plays through the music twice, once with lyrics and once without. The music is upbeat and lively and my 3 year old loves to dance and sing along while yelling out the names of the animals. It also has the power to defuse a tantrum by the second verse. This is one of Barefoot's best sellers, and I can see why. Like the previous two books, this one is recommended for ages 0-4 and I have yet to hear of a child who did not love it.
Bear at Work - This is a board book, recommended for ages 0-4. It is part of a series (many are also available in paperback), and this particular one has Bear demonstrating different professions. The illustrations are vivid and the text is more substantial than that of a lot of board books. My daughter likes this although she prefers Bear on a Bike. I really wish I had known about these when she was younger and we read more board books.
The Barefoot Book of Princesses - This is a collection of princess stories from different countries. It is recommended for ages 4-7 and it comes with a CD of the stories which is great for listening along in the car or at home. There are well known tales like The Princess and the Pea and Sleeping Beauty along with lesser known tales such as The Horned Snake's Wife and The Beggar Princess and in the back of the book there is information on each one. My 3 year old loves The Princess and the Pea (except for the first time we read it, when she thought it was The Princess and the Pee), although my 15 year old would much rather read her The Birdcage Princess. 
The Gigantic Turnip - Another Barefoot bestseller, this one is based on a classic Russian tale. The illustrations by Niamh Sharkey are whimsical and adorable. Like Hidden Hippo and I Took the Moon for a Walk, this book is recommended for ages 0-4, but I feel the story has more substance than either of those and it could be a bit long for the younger end of that range.
The Adventures of Odysseus - Finally one for the older kids. This book is recommended for ages 8-adult (6, if you're reading it together). I'm kind of torn on the issue of rewriting the classics for a younger audience, but this is such an incredible book that I can't help but love it. It is beautifully illustrated and written and I think it will serve as a wonderful introduction to Homer's work for younger readers while hopefully inspiring them to read the original one day.
Little Leap Forward: A Boy in Beijing - This is the story of a boy growing up in China in the 1960's, during the Cultural Revolution. It is recommended for ages 8-14 and is Barefoot's foray into young fiction. I have not yet read it, as it was not a part of the Starter Pack when I joined, and I have only recently received my copy. I will update once I have read the book, which I intend to do soon.
Off We Go to Mexico - This book is a part of Barefoot's An Adventure in the Sun series and is recommended for children 4-8 years old, although I think younger children could enjoy it as well. It chronicles a family's visit to Mexico and teaches over 40 Spanish words and phrases. The back of the book has a map of Mexico along with a brief history and some facts about Mexico today. My 3 year old does not often request this one, a fact which secretly relieves me, as I'm sure I butcher the pronunciation of over 39 of the Spanish words and phrases featured in this book.
Whole World - Mini Edition - Of all of the Barefoot Books we own, this might be my favorite. It's a slightly updated version of the classic song. The book is beautifully illustrated, and the CD is a joy to listen to. This book and CD are beautiful and inspiring, and to me, the epitome of what Barefoot Books is all about. Click here to listen to part of the song play, along with a charming video featuring artwork from the book!
