Customer Reviews

I CAN FLY (Little Golden Book)

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

A note to all fans of I Can Fly -- most editions are abridged, and they DON'T say so. In fact, the page quoted in Amazon's editorial review ("Crunch crunch crunch/ I'm a goat out to lunch") is one of many pages NOT in the hardcover version of the book. False advertising, dudes! If you want to read I Can Fly in its full original glory, you have to get the "library binding" edition.

"I Can Fly" is a wonderful book. We purchased the board book edition after reading the hardcover from our library. We were very disappointed that two editions, at 24 pages, are quietly missing half the pages of the 48 page hardcover edition. The missing animals are "I can grab like a crab", "Who can walk like a bug? Me Ug ug", "Pick pick pick I'm a little chick", "Who can live in a hole? Me! Like a mole", "Who can climb anywhere? Me! Like a bear.", "Bump bump bump I'm a camel with a hump", "Haw haw haw I'm a donkey in the straw", "Howl howl howl I'm an old screech owl". You're missing out on half the fun here!

A friend accidentally gave me her husband's childhood copy of this book and my daughter fell in love with it and memorized every word. So when we had to give the original back, I found the "republished" version on Amazon and bought it. But little golden books decided that some of the original pages weren't necessary I guess and so as my daughter looked through the pages she was quite disappointed to find some of her favorites missing. What's left is still terrific but the original was a gem that should not have been tampered with.

Fans of the golden age Disney films and animation in general are very familiar with the brilliant career of color genius Mary Blair, one of the most important graphic and commercial artists of the century, and some of her best work is found right here between these covers. These beautiful illustrations are among the warmest and most engaging she ever did. "I Can Fly" is one of the very earliest (and best) Golden Books, and this miniature edition seems to be complete, unlike the more common modern reprints which are severely truncated. The color reproduction isn't a hundred percent accurate, either, but unless you want to spend considerable time at the swap meets or on eBay, this is your best bet. For more about Mary Blair (as well as Golden Books hall of famer Gustav Tenggren and many others) see John Canemaker's excellent book "Before The Animation Begins". Oh, yeah, and if you're a real little kid you'll find it much easier reading than this slightly pompous review.

I was disappointed when this book arrived. When I was young I had an edition from the 1960's - this is not it! Text from the 1960's version is referenced in the editorial review which does not appear in this book (both the goat and the crab do not appear, among others).

Don't assume that the same title and publisher means it's the same book. And, unlike I did, read all the reviews before you buy (some else has already made this discovery).

I am 53 years old and my parents read this book to me. I loved it and always asked for this one to be read to me over & over. I was just about 3 yrs. old and had heard the story so many times, I could say it word for word by memory. During the years while moving, the book was lost. I always wondered what happened to my book. In 1975, after I had children I wrote a letter to Golden Books to see if I could get a copy, but they couldn't help me. About 6 yrs. ago, my sister-in-law was at a flea market and found a copy for me. I now read it to my grand daughter. I still enjoy the book, and love the illustrations.

Crunch, crunch, crunch, editors had the book for lunch. I was so happy to find this book, I didn't scroll down and read the customer reviews. Wish I had, because I was very disappointed to find it abridged. Its not that long a book to begin with, so who would think pages would be left out? Only reason could be to keep the cost of the book down. I would have been happy to pay more to have the whole book.

If this is the same little golden book read to me over 45 years ago, it is a dear, sweet book. I read my beat-up version of it to my own daughter about 17 years ago and we both loved it. It is inventive, playful, and gives free rein to a child's wonderful imagination. Its delightful pictures and rhymes have remained with me throughout my life -- memorable!!

This publisher has made huge mistake by removing half of the pages from the original. Big disappointment!! Hope the original version will be republished soon.

I grew up on this book, and I loved it. It says that everything is possible for a child with imagination. "I can be anything--that's my way." (That's from memory.) Now that I've found it again,I'm getting copies for my niece and nephews--and one for myself!