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70th out of 318 books
—
593 voters
George and Martha
Two lovable hippos teach the meaning of friendship in five separate vignettes: "Split Pea Soup," "The Flying Machine," "The Tub," "The Mirror," "The Tooth."
Paperback, 48 pages
Published
September 11th 1974
by Sandpiper
(first published 1972)
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Well, when reading to your 2 and a half year old you don't usually start laughing out loud. This book made me do it not once, but 3 times.
I've read a lot of kids books to my children - we don't have a TV - but George and Martha is one of the best ones. Hands down. It's a cross between Roald Dahl's children's books and David Sedaris' memoirs...
My boys (both 8) favorite story in it is the Mirror one. When asked how many stars to give the book they said 10 when I gave them the choice between 1 and...more
I've read a lot of kids books to my children - we don't have a TV - but George and Martha is one of the best ones. Hands down. It's a cross between Roald Dahl's children's books and David Sedaris' memoirs...
My boys (both 8) favorite story in it is the Mirror one. When asked how many stars to give the book they said 10 when I gave them the choice between 1 and...more
I really liked reading George and Martha, and thought it was a wonderful inspiring book, that little kids would enjoy. It would be a great book to read to a class because it would help teach kids about the bonding of friendships and especially learning the golden rule "Treat others the way you want to be treated." I think a great activity to do with this book would be having the kids think of ways that you good be a good friend to someone and write a story about an adventure you took with this f...more
Thank God these best friends caught my eye as I was leaving my local library. They're relatively unknown... I've never heard a mention of James Marshall before, let alone George and Martha (Maybe something's wrong with me?). But I love them. Unconditionally. I adored this book. I was actually disappointed when it had to come to an end. I had hoped the publisher had left some pages out when it went to print or something. Why can't there be more? Anyway, I would wholeheartedly recommend this book...more
Egads! What a great book! Can you get any better than hippos and Mexican jumping beans? Oops! One got away! These are the collected adventures of two friends who have a penchant for spying, getting on each other's nerves, doing daring things, playing tricks, getting even, being honest, and forgiving one another. I remember loving the pictures as a child and now I cry and laugh over the stories as an adult. While some of the deeper and funnier messages/incidents won't get through to your children...more
I loved George and Martha when I was growing up. These books are about two hippo friends who always find themselves in hilarious and ridiculous conflicts, but yet somehow find a happy solution. You can purchase the series in a compilation or individually. I prefer the compilation, but the individual books are great for kids because they’re easier to handle. This series is perfect for early grade classrooms and emergent readers. The stories are short and composed of simple text. The George and Ma...more
god, i loved these books so much when i was little, but then somehow i completely forgot about them, until today i was in the bookstore looking for the bathroom and i stumbled on this in the children's section. i stood there and read the whole thing; i couldn't help it, it was so great, i almost cried. every story is absolutely perfect, full of wisdom and beauty and the strangest understated humor. not a word out of place, not a word too many, and the drawings make the whole thing come alive.
i u...more
i u...more
Aug 27, 2012
Kate Hastings
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
friendship-elem
Pre-K to 3. Review from "Delightful Children's Books Blog". First and foremost, this is a collection of truly entertaining little stories about two best friends, George and Martha. As with real best friends, George and Martha’s interactions are not always perfect (e.g. Martha paints over one of George’s paintings). I like how these stories depict the two friends looking out for each other, learning to balance telling the truth with being considerate of others’ feelings, and arguing and making up...more
5 short stories about 2 hippo friends.
Split Pea Soup—Martha loves to make Split Pea Soup and George hates to eat it. When he finally declares he can’t eat another spoonful Martha fesses up that she doesn’t like it much either.
The Flying Machine—George attempts to be the first flying hippo with help from a hot air balloon, but the balloon flies a solo trip when George steps out of the basket to lighten the load.
The Tub—George makes the mistake of peeking in on Martha when she is in the bath. He w...more
Split Pea Soup—Martha loves to make Split Pea Soup and George hates to eat it. When he finally declares he can’t eat another spoonful Martha fesses up that she doesn’t like it much either.
The Flying Machine—George attempts to be the first flying hippo with help from a hot air balloon, but the balloon flies a solo trip when George steps out of the basket to lighten the load.
The Tub—George makes the mistake of peeking in on Martha when she is in the bath. He w...more
Jan 01, 2011
Lisa
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
kids with a sense of humor and their parents
Shelves:
fiction-children
This book has 5 short stories that have a good message that kids and adults need to be reminded of in a funny way. Each story features George and Martha, 2 large hippos with large teeth.
James Marshall is one of my favorite writers for children. When my 17 year old was younger we read every one of his books we could find--and there are a lot! His books make kids think--generally by showing bad behavior and how it effects others. He wrote a series of books featuring The Stupids--the title alone ma...more
James Marshall is one of my favorite writers for children. When my 17 year old was younger we read every one of his books we could find--and there are a lot! His books make kids think--generally by showing bad behavior and how it effects others. He wrote a series of books featuring The Stupids--the title alone ma...more
I really liked reading George and Martha, and thought it was a wonderful inspiring book, that little kids would enjoy. It would be a great book to read to a class because it would help teach kids about the bonding of friendships and especially learning the golden rule "Treat others the way you want to be treated." I think a great activity to do with this book would be having the kids think of ways that you good be a good friend to someone and write a story about an adventure you took with this f...more
George and Martha are friends. And once you get to know them you want to be their friend. My favorite story is about George and Martha and the split pea soup. My sister and I still talk about it.
Through thick and thin G & M remain friends. They make mistakes, have disagreements, and always manage to patch things up. A fun book for teaching life lessons to kids about being a good friend. And good lessons about not being a peeping tom.
Through thick and thin G & M remain friends. They make mistakes, have disagreements, and always manage to patch things up. A fun book for teaching life lessons to kids about being a good friend. And good lessons about not being a peeping tom.
When I was little I used to love reading these books. The characters teach lessons about friendship, honesty, trust and what two good friends go through. They are cute little adventures about two hippos that are funny and charming. I think these are good reads for children because they have good lessons but are set up in a good structure. Not overwhelming the kids with lessons but children are able to pick up on them throughout the story.
George and Martha are the hippo version of Frog and Toad, or maybe Frog and Toad are the amphibian version of George and Martha. As a child, I made Dad read our paperback copies of these stories until the books fell apart. My favorite stories were the one where George gets a gold tooth and the one where George peeks in Martha's bathroom window, prompting her to upturn the entire bathtub onto his head.
May 11, 2012
Christy
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
picture-book,
forward
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
This is a hefty book (it is a compilation of the whole series, and I got it from a university library), so if you can't get your hands on it, try one of the smaller editions. The relationship between George and Martha is both endearing and hilarious. This is one of those early readers that can be enjoyed by anyone--regardless of their reading level.
Mar 03, 2012
Sarah
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
loves-of-my-life,
youngfolk
They taught me to never say, "I told you so". Also, don't be vain, dancing is good, and you've got to be able to laugh at yourself. Probably most importantly, to say, "Voulez-vous m'embrasser?" when I want a kiss.
These stories are perfect! And so funny. I've been reading them to my soon-to-be nieces and they love them, too. Yay!
Sarah Montambo Powell.
These stories are perfect! And so funny. I've been reading them to my soon-to-be nieces and they love them, too. Yay!
Sarah Montambo Powell.
Recently checked this out of the library yet again. Love, Love, Love George and Martha. The gentle lessons they learn in their interactions with each other are universal. The illustrations are simple, hilarious and perfect. I will never be too old for George and Martha. Even my teenager (who poo-poos most things I like) loves them still.
A great collection for adults. Many great authors reflect on Marshall's work and his influence in the world of children's literature. I enjoyed reading the personal stories about Marshall and the reflection on his work helped me to understand the impact characters like George and Martha made. Also included are some original sketches.
Jan 28, 2013
Donna
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
best-for-children-up-to-grade-3
Oh so cute! George and Martha are adorable friends. When you heft the book, you may wonder whether your small person has the attention span, but surprise! There are multiple (or at least two) stories in one book. You can quit after the first, or go on. However, WE found these so entertaining that we never even considered stopping. And just as in life, even though we assume the two of them to be about the same age (though we never see any grown-ups around them; this is all about the hippo-kids),...more
To say that this was my favorite story when I was a little kid is an understatement. I read these constantly with my mom. Just seeing the cover brings a smile to my face. Honestly, I do think that it's a perfect book for any kid, especially if they are still rather small, who is a little different.
We love these. Marshall's work communicates hilarity and feelings with spare lines and minimal words. Borrowed from the library three years ago and spent our vacation at OBX reading it on a sunny deck to C (then 5) and N (then 2). Ended up buying a copy and they still love it.
Oct 12, 2009
Katie
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
genre-picture-book,
genre-easy-reader
I totally remember these books now. I didn't recognize them from the title alone. The kids loved them - me not so much. The relationship between the friends is great but the actual stories about the pair don't have much substance. Good for an early reader though.
I adore this book. Because of George and Martha, I learned lessons that benefit me to this day. For example, if your friend cooks you pea soup, don't pour it into your loafers in an attempt to be polite. Plus, I love George's hat and Martha's bow.
The BEST!
p.s. Do you know what famous George and Martha, Marshall named his hippos after (hint: not George and Martha Washington).
It was the characters from the play/movie, Who's Afraid of Virgina Woolfe. That's how you know Marshall was awesome.
p.s. Do you know what famous George and Martha, Marshall named his hippos after (hint: not George and Martha Washington).
It was the characters from the play/movie, Who's Afraid of Virgina Woolfe. That's how you know Marshall was awesome.
Apr 07, 2013
Carissa
rated it
2 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
childrens,
juvenile-fiction
I remember liking this as a kid. I thought that George and Martha were married, but they are just friends. And George is a peeping tom, apparently. Martha will never look in a mirror again. Reading it now, the book just seemed odd.
George and Martha are two hilarious hippo best friends ... the stories are short and easy to read (reminds me of Frog & Toad, but even funnier!) with a great message about friendship. Great choice for getting kids to enjoy reading!
This easily goes in my top 10 children's books. Simple stories, simply told with heart and humor. The illustrations are also simple and honest. Love these stories. They will always bring a smile to my face.
The title is speaks for itself: George and Martha are two lovable best friends who enjoy a series of mundane yet delightful "adventures" together that teach children the value of friendship without sounding at all didactic.
I think Martha's adventure with the diving board and with George's Mexican jumping bean collection are my favorites. The illustrations are just great, and I prefer the separate, soft cover books to the complete edition because, as a kid, it was always fun to check out a stack...more
I think Martha's adventure with the diving board and with George's Mexican jumping bean collection are my favorites. The illustrations are just great, and I prefer the separate, soft cover books to the complete edition because, as a kid, it was always fun to check out a stack...more
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I love these two characters!
James Marshall is an awesome author. Five stories about two great friends. Read all their stories; each one is a hoot!
James Marshall is an awesome author. Five stories about two great friends. Read all their stories; each one is a hoot!
This is one of Jane's favorite books to read. I love the short stories and the pictures are so simple and classic. Good book to read to someone small and good book for a beginner reader.
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James Edward Marshall (October 10, 1942 – October 13, 1992), who also wrote as Edward Marshall, was a children's author and illustrator.
His father worked on the railroad, was a band member in the 1930s, and his mother sang in the local church choir. His family later moved to Beaumont, Texas. Marshall said: "Beaumont is deep south and swampy and I hated it. I knew I would die if I stayed there so I...more
More about James Marshall...
His father worked on the railroad, was a band member in the 1930s, and his mother sang in the local church choir. His family later moved to Beaumont, Texas. Marshall said: "Beaumont is deep south and swampy and I hated it. I knew I would die if I stayed there so I...more
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“That's silly,' said Martha. 'Friends should always tell each other the truth.”
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