George and Martha: The Complete Stories of Two Best Friends
by James Marshall
List Price:
Our Price: $16.40
You Save: $8.60 (34%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $0.40 (click here)
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions
Book Summary Information
Author: James MarshallForeword: Maurice Sendak
Edition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 1997-10-27
ISBN: 0395851580
Number of pages: 352
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children
Book Reviews of George and Martha: The Complete Stories of Two Best Friends
Book Review: One of our absolute favorites
Summary: 5 Stars
We've bought many copies of this George and Martha collection, and given them away to friends and family. My children, ages almost 4, 6 and 8 years old, just LOVE this book. James Marshall, with just a few pen strokes, and with just a few simple sentences, has conveyed exactly what each hippo is feeling during each scene. The George and Martha stories remind me of the Frog and Toad books (James Marshall was actually good friends with Arnold Lobel), except with a wry sense of humor. Personally, I don't really care for some of James Marshall's other books, namely the Miss Nelson books. In my opinion, the George and Martha books are his best work. Each story makes my kids (and their parents) giggle, or even laugh out loud. It's hard to read just a little of this book. The stories are short, and one has to resist the temptation to read the whole book in one sitting. Such a great pick-me-up when you're having a rough day with the little ones. Just set them all down and start reading this book. Guaranteed to transform the bad attitudes into silliness before you finish the first story. ;-)
My favorite story: The Diary. I can particularly relate to this tale, since my older sister used to read my diary without my permission, then tease me mercilessly about its contents. When I gave a copy of this book to one of her children a few years ago, I dedicated "The Diary" story to her.
This is a great coffee table book/conversation piece too.... Friends can't resist picking it up and, once they do, they're hooked.
Summary of George and Martha: The Complete Stories of Two Best Friends
George and Martha: not, as one might think, the first president and his spouse, but two hippopotamuses created by the singular talent of James Marshall. For the past quarter century, these stories have entertained, intrigued, and delighted readers of all ages. The portly animals have also taught us, in a humorous and lighthearted way, about what it means to be a true friend. A man with a talent for friendship, James Marshall defined its very essence in his stories about the world's two best friends. In this volume, all thirty-five episodes are brought together to celebrate friendship and two of the most lovable book characters ever created.
Like all best friends, George and Martha do everything together--go to the movies, play at the beach, and just hang around not doing much of anything. No matter that they happen to be gigantic hippopotami, they learn the same lessons humans do about the ups and downs of true friendship. George and Martha teach each other (and adoring readers) that even in a close friendship, privacy is important, practical jokes can sometimes backfire, and among other things, pouring split pea soup into your loafers to spare the chef's feelings is not the best laid plan.
What's remarkable about the stories in this wonderful collection is the emotion James Marshall infuses into his understated, charming text and illustrations. Each brief tale is always humorous, never preachy, and his drawings--deceptively simple in appearance--are guaranteed to spark feelings of empathy, delight, and self-recognition. Maurice Sendak, in his foreword to this 25th anniversary compilation edition of all 35 stories, notes, "Those dear, ditzy, down-to-earth hippos bring serious pleasure to everybody, not only to children. They are time-capsule hippos who will always remind us of a paradise in publishing and--both seriously and comically--of the true, durable meaning of friendship under the best and worst conditions." (Ages 4 and up)
Mammals Books
Book Subjects
- Arts & Photography
- Biographies & Memoirs
- Business & Investing
- Children's Books
- Comics & Graphic Novels
- Computers & Internet
- Cooking, Food & Wine
- Entertainment
- Gay & Lesbian
- Health, Mind & Body
- History
- Home & Garden
- Horror
- Law
- Literature & Fiction
- Mystery & Thrillers
- Nonfiction
- Outdoors & Nature
- Parenting & Families
- Professional & Technical
- Reference
- Religion & Spirituality
- Romance
- Science
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Sports
- Teens
- Travel
Most talked about in Mammals Books
Ice Age Cave Bear: The Giant Beast That Terrified Ancient Humansby Barbara Hehner
Crown Books for Young Readers; Published: 2002-10-08; Library Binding; Book
Price in other shops:
Veronicaby Roger Duvoisin
Knopf Books for Young Readers; Published: 2006-01-10; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $54.00
Ice Age Cave Bear: The Giant Beast That Terrified Ancient Humansby Barbara Hehner
Crown Books for Young Readers; Published: 2002-10-08; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $0.01
Price in other shops:
Secrets of the Stoneby Harriet Peck Taylor
Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR); Published: 2000-10-15; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $20.98
Porcupining: A Prickly Love Storyby Lisa Wheeler, Illustrator Janie Bynum
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers; Published: 2003-01-01; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $141.44
Cowgirl Rosie and Her Five Baby Bisonby Stephen Gulbis
Little Brown & Co (Juv); Published: 2001-03; Library Binding; Book
Arthur and the Big Blow-Up: A Marc Brown Arthur Chapter Book 20 (Marc Brown Arthur Chapter Books)by Marc Brown
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers; Published: 2000-04-01; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $12.50
Price in other shops:
Arthur and the True Francine (Arthur Adventures)by Marc Brown
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers; Published: 1998-04-01; Audio Cassette; Book
Best price: $5.42
Price in other shops:
Arthur Accused: A Marc Brown Arthur Chapter Book 5 (Marc Brown Arthur Chapter Books)by Marc Brown
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers; Published: 1998-05-01; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $5.88
Price in other shops:
Bread and Jam for Frances (I Can Read Book 2)by Russell Hoban
Harper Collins Publishers; HarperCollins; Published: 1986-05-23; Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.19
Price in other shops:
Similar Books and other products
Flotsamby David Wiesner
Houghton Mifflin; Clarion Books; Published: 2006-09-04; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $7.17
Price in other shops:
Fox on Stage (Easy-to-Read, Puffin)by James Marshall
Puffin; Published: 1996-01-01; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $1.00
Price in other shops:
George and Marthaby James Marshall
Houghton Mifflin; Houghton Mifflin Company; Published: 1972-09-09; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $8.50
Price in other shops:
Little Bear Boxed Set: Little Bear, Father Bear Comes Home, and Little Bear's Visitby Else Holmelund Minarik
HarperCollins; Published: 1992-06-30; Paperback; Book
Best price: $5.99
Price in other shops:
Fox Outfoxed: Puffin Easy-to-Read Level 3 (Easy-to-Read, Puffin)by James Marshall
Puffin; Published: 1996-10-01; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $1.38
Price in other shops:
Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile (Lyle the Crocodile)by Bernard Waber
Houghton Mifflin; Sandpiper; Published: 1987-10-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $4.27
Price in other shops:
Miss Nelson Is Missing!by Harry Allard, James Marshall
Sandpiper; Sandpiper; Published: 1985-10-28; Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.20
Price in other shops:
Fox at School: Level 3 (Easy-to-Read, Puffin)by Edward Marshall
Puffin; Published: 1993-08-01; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $1.48
Price in other shops:
The Frog and Toad Collection Box Set (I Can Read Book 2)by Arnold Lobel
HarperCollins; Published: 2004-05-25; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.71
Price in other shops:
George and Marthaby James Marshall
Houghton Mifflin; Sandpiper; Published: 1974-09-11; Paperback; Book
Best price: $1.64
Price in other shops: