Customer Reviews

Arm in Arm: A Collection of Connections, Endless Tales, Reiterations, and Other Echolalia

5 star:		(31)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

My introduction to this book was at an age when I had first begun to read. While I did read and enjoy the rhymes and word play, my imagination was captured by the images. The way they seemed to parrallel my simple understanding of the world around reinforced something that stayed with me for years. It must have been the begining of wonder at that time and this book, more than any other, gave me a point of depature for that adventure of mind and senses. As I grew older I treasured this book and kept it with me as I moved off to college. It was so precious to me that I gave it to the first great love of my life. She is gone and no longer has a place in my life, but Arm in Arm does. It represents a time when all was new and the world was as wonder filled as I allowed it to be. I greatly appreciate Remy creating this book and hope he gained as much from that process as I did from reading it. Needless to say, it will be the first book I read to my children and I hope that they read to themselves.

As a child some 30 years ago I used to borrow this book from the library again and again. In my late teens I thought it would be a kick to look up that most favorite childhood book, only to find it available no more. But now I can buy it! I still remember so many of those goofy, beautifully illustrated mind twisters, but I'm really going to love seeing the ones that time has long hidden from my memory.

This book is a nostalgic treasure that has definitely stood the test of time, I've no doubt it continues to enthrall young people today. And I'm very pleased for Remy Charlip, in finding in these reviews that SO MANY of us remember this book from 20-30 years ago, went out of our way to track it down, and continue to share this book with future generations!

My mom read this book to me when I was little in the late 1960's, and to this day it is one of my favorite books. I have cherished the original copy, moving from my mom's home to four other cities, always mindful of which box it's packed away in.

An original copy is a family heirloom--no joke. The way it made me laugh, and really sparked my imagination was incredible. Here's my favorite(quoted from memory and not verbatim):

(Picture a bunch of kids crammed into one bed) It's better to be in a warm bed on a cold day looking out at the cold snow than to be out in the cold snow on a cold day looking in at a warm bed.

Something like that. I loved this book. Please share it with your children. And if you have the opportunity, get an old copy because the paper stock was incredible and it was bound, but most of all, the illustrations were beautiful.

About 25 years ago, I had a copy of this book. I remember reading and re-reading it for hours on end, mesmerized by the drawings and the round-and-round stories. I remember all the stories and poems being short enough that I could read them in a minute or two, but could ponder them for days. It was a fantastic experience for me at seven years old, and I can honestly say this was the most memorable book I ever owned. I still remember the pictures and writings in "Arm In Arm" like yesterday even though I have forgotten about some of the books I still have.

I lost my copy 25 years ago, and at least once a week since then, the "dark and stormy night" story will pop into my head with the image of the ships going round and round in a circle, getting smaller and smaller as the story kept going round and round without end. I remember thinking that if I just had a magnifying glass strong enough, I could keep reading the story forever!! It was that kind of wonder that made this book so memorable and treasured.

I have kept telling myself that I was going to research the book and find it and get a copy, but never took the time. No disrespect to Mr. Charlip, but over the years I had forgotten the title and author, so I thought my chances of finding it were slim. Finally, today, I spend about 15 minutes on the Internet and found it. I am looking forward to getting my new copy and reading it with my three children (7, 5 and 2 years old). I can't wait to share this magnificent work of literary art with them. It is truly timeless. Thank you, Remy.

Shhh. Don't tell, but when my sister permanently nabbed this book from our childhood bookshelf, I took one out of the library and never returned it, just because I had to have my very own copy. Isn't that awful!?! OK, so now it's reprinted and I buy about ten of them. One for each sister and all my best friends and every child I know that has a right to enter the words and images of this wild thing -- Remi Charlip. This is a book to lose yourself in, regardless of age. LOVE IT!

We had this book in the 1970s and searched for years to find it. Finally back in print, we bought several copies, even gave one to Rosie O'Donnell

In 1969 I was five years old and learning to read. "Arm in Arm" was an enigmatic treasure, and a family favorite.

As I entered adulthood, our copy of "Arm in Arm" was long gone, probably falling victim to one of the impromptu 5-cent booksales my brother and I used to hold in our front yard. I couldn't find a copy in the bookstores, but never really gave up the search. When I found the book on Amazon.com, I ordered three copies. My brother and I are now in our mid 30's, but we (and hopefully someday our children) will always have this wonderful book in our lives. And of course Mom gets a copy, too!

This is one of my favorite books from childhood, alongside *A Wrinkle in Time* and Ellen Raskin's mysteries. A couple of years ago I went digging in my parents' house to find my old copy of it again.

As an example of the book's particular magic -- by turns whimsical and poignant -- I'll try to quote, from memory, one of the short poems, "Circular Song":

OW SORR
OW PILL
OW WIND
OW RAINB

The book is a world unto itself, illustrated with delightful watercolors, otherworldly doodles and line drawings, all inventions of a visionary imagination -- no one else could have shown us this world. The comparisons that come to mind are to *Through the Looking Glass* and, outside of children's literature, the mirror-worlds constructed by Vladimir Nabokov in his novels.

I've had this book in my bookcase all this time! I got it as a gift, back in 69'-70' from a family friend back when the book 1st came out, and I'm now almost 50 years old and still enjoying this book! It was a joy to read, back when I was 9 years old, and many of the stories and images stayed with me through the years. Every so often, when I want a blast from the past, I dig it out. It's a wonderful book for children of ANY age.. yes even late 40's children like me! ;)

It's OOP now and quite pricey BUT let me assure you that your child (or YOU!) will so enjoy it and it will become a treasured friend. Your child will hang onto it for his/her lifetime and remember who gifted it. :)

My mom had signed up to the Parent Publishing Company book club. We would get a new book each month. This title showed up the day we left to see my grandmother in Vermont (we're from Indiana) so we got to take the book with us. My brothers and sisters and I love this book so much that our dog "Said" became jelouse of the book and tried eating it. Mom salvaged the book and it contiued to be one of our favorites. It's a no-non-sence book that's funny and makes reading enjoyable. Reading isn't just words. It's an adventure. Give it a try and see if it doesn't tickle your tummy.