Customer Reviews

Lady in the Water: A Bedtime Story

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

Purchased this for my younger daughter and we read it together. It is one of the best children's books I have seen! The story is written in charming prose and coveys a complex message in suppressing brevity. The illustrations are both clever and beautiful and do an excellent job of conveying the mystery surrounding the story! I strongly recommend this book to young and old alike. I think I got more out of it than my daughter!

***THIS book has a plot ENTIRELY SEPERATE of the movie. This is about a kid's back yard pool, while the movie is about a pool at a motel. They are only similar in that they share the same kind of creature, a water nymph. This book DOES NOT reveal the plot of the movie!

Though some readers will find this 'bedtime' story too creepy for their own children, others will see that Shyamalan has created a charming fairy tale that invites children to exercise their vast imaginations. Lady in the Water lays the basic framework for a children's tale, explaining the fictional creatures, but not delving into the intricate interactions of the creatures. Shyamalan also does not have a main character, but rather suggests that the child reading the story is the main character, and the events are occurring in the child's own backyard. This framework, paired with extraordinary illustrations is rich fodder for any child's imagination.

This is a beautifully done book. The story is quiet and intriqueing, even in its brevity, and the illustrations are incredible. I just sit and look at them, seeing something different or feeling something different each time. I was at first taken aback at the sparseness of the layout, and I still wish there were at least more illustrations. I have taken a star off of my review for that reason. However, one of the things I like most about this book is WHAT HAS NOT BEEN SAID, and I think the layout is meant to convey that (but little children would probably not think of it in this way---they will feel it, though). Because of the things not said, the reader and listener can continue to tell the story in his or her mind. This is a book significant to the imaginations of both children and adults.

Knowing what works M. Night Shyamalan has created in the past, seeing that he wrote this book as being a "children's book" really made my head spin. I didn't think it was appropriate for young children, but after reading it more deeper, I think I saw what he was trying to say. I believe he uses strong spiritual ties to the book by discussing good and evil, and believing that we all have something important to do for the world someday. Depending on the maturity of your children, you can easily walk with them page by page looking deeper into the meaning of the story so that they can understand it better and take it to their level of imagination.

A phenomenal bedtime story. A classic that's in a league of its own. I strongly encourage all parents to read this to their youngsters. It captures the imagination and appeals to more than just children. My wife and I have read it to each other at bedtime. Ooooh, talk about bumps in the night! After all,true fairytales were often very spooky, if not down right frightening! So,if you have nurtured even an ounce of your youth (innocent curiousity) you will not be disappointed. A compelling story that transcends human boundaries. Reminds us to listen...especially to ourselves.

A truly original and wonderful children's story. It's the first one in a long time I've read that I didn't guess the entire plot and how it develops within the first couple of pages.

Seeing as I'm 22 I was a little hesitant about buying a children's book, but I've been a huge fan of M. Night's work since The Sixth Sense so I couldn't resist. It's very enchanting, and the artwork vaguely reminds me of the stories I was read as a child - such as Jumanji and The Polar Express. I actually saw the movie before getting the book, and the plots are different but they're equally fantastic and original. Night is an amazing storyteller, and I look forward to his next project.

I enjoy reading this book to my boys -- with many children's books they just absorb the story quietly and move on to the next book -- with this one, they seem captivated by the story (especially the part of the story/explanations that is left unwritten but implied by the writer). They ask questions on nearly every page, then on the last page ask me to read it all again.

A Masterpiece!

The story in this book doesn't matter, it could be about anything, I discussed it with my 12 years old twins at length, we all agree, everyone should read this book many times.

It has a hidden meaning and a hidden message, it's a challenge, it's a lot of things, it's masterfully crafted to hide the message and gives clues using words and images.

I can't say what it's message means, it would defeat the purpose, besides, what I got from it is not going to be exactly the same for everyone, best thing to do is to get used to the idea of re-reading it every now and then, looking for more clues and meanings hidden in beautiful images and masterfully crafted words.

This is a wonderfully vague and inspiring tale of mystery, inspiration, and hope. For children, and the child in adults of any age, this story creates more mysteries than it answers, and plants the hope and expectation that we can witness and be part of something important and extraordinary: that we have a significant role to play in the course of our lives and those around us. In our own backyard, in the most mundane of circumstances, a significant drama may play out, and we may be the player that changes destiny in a small but critical way. This is a wonderful seed to plant in the mind of your child, or yourself, that each of us has a role to play that is profound, no matter how humble our situation may be.