George and Martha: The Complete Stories of Two Best Friends (Hardcover)

~ (Author), Maurice Sendak (Foreword) "Martha was very fond of making split pea soup..." (more)
Key Phrases: split pea soup

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

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)

Review

George and Martha (1972); George and Martha Encore (1973); George and Martha Rise and
Shine (1976); George and Martha One Fine Day (1978); George and Martha Tons of Fun (1980);
George and Martha Back in Town (1984); George and Martha Round and Round (1988). Young
fans will enjoy this twenty-fifth anniversary edition, which contains all thirty-five stories about the
hippo duo (and is as hefty as its subjects); older fans will particularly appreciate the foreword by
Maurice Sendak. -- Review

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children (October 27, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0395851580
• ISBN-13: 978-0395851586
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 8.5 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (45 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #394,821 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #9 in	Books > Children's Books > Early Reader Series > George and Martha
  #46 in	Books > Children's Books > Authors & Illustrators, A-Z > ( M ) > Marshall, James
  #72 in	Books > Children's Books > Authors & Illustrators, A-Z > ( S ) > Sendak, Maurice

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book is really good and funny., October 13, 1999

By	Rebecca -6 years (Newcastle Upon Tyne, England) - See all my reviews

As a family we have read this book numerous times and love it. They are best friends. They are really funny when they are frightened.My sister aged 4 loves the stories and they are simple enough for me to read to her. Every child should read this book.

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars George and Martha are the best, May 31, 2001

By	Edward Aycock (New York, NY United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

I showed this book to a friend of mine when we were both graduate students. He rolled his eyes, but when I came back into the room after having stepped out for a moment, he was laughing at it. A co-worker of mine was looking for some book recommendations, and I suggested this one for his nieces and nephews. He told me he could not make it all the way through the book when he was reading it out loud to them because he was laughing so hard he was crying. Do I need to say anything else to persuade you to buy this book? George and Martha are two of the funniest children's book characters of all time, and James Marshall is a much missed genius of children's stories. Enjoy it. You may even find yourself reading it once the kids have gone to bed.

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My favorite book in the whole entire world!!!!, January 20, 1999

By A Customer

As a second grade teacher I have read George and Martha to hundreds of seven and eight year olds. This book is about what true friendship really is. Knowing the stories by heart I sometimes double over laughing before I even read the page. When I ask, "Who's your teacher's favorite author?" Everyone responds, "James Marshall!!" This anthology was a true gift and one of my prized posessions. If I could have just one book on a desert island, this would be it.