Cootie
Average Customer Review:
Toy
-- our price: $9.99
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

This classic game has been around for nearly half a century and is just as fun as ever. The bugs' faces are a bit goofier than before, but the object remains the same: to be the first to create your own Cootie. Just arrange the bug parts on the fold-out board and roll the die to win the parts you need. (Roll a 1 and pick a body, roll a 2 and select a head, roll a 3, etc.) Body parts are made of hard plastic and come in various mix-and-match colors. Small pieces are a danger to young children, so supervision is recommended. Instructions in English and Spanish. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Instant Winner
I just baught this game for my son (4 1/2) and he loved it right away. He loves to play with me or on his own. Only drawback: the poor quality; the pieces keep on falling off. My son is very meticulous for his age and doesn't mind. He's just extra careful handling his cootie. But I think it could be a great cause of frustration. I always have to pick up my pieces and I think it takes some of the fun away. Strange that it is so poorly made. But my son has so much fun with this game and that's what matters.

Pieces Fall Out
I believe the game is fun but the pieces would not stay together. The head, body, legs, and antennae would keep falling off. This frustrated my children because they had to keep putting the pieces together after they already put them on and so it took the enjoyment out of the game. My children is 3 and 4 years old and my nephew is 6 years old.

too bad times have changed
this "new" "updated" Cootie STINKS!it is nothing like the original and this one IS NOT DURABLE.the parts are so cheep and they do not stay in the holes.Go on eBay and find an original... don't waste your money on this new version. ... Read more

Asin: B00000IWDO
Subjects:  1. Games    2. Board Games    3. Preschool   

Candy Land
Average Customer Review:
Toy
list price: $9.99 -- our price: $7.99
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

"Once upon a time, King Kandy, the Imperial Head Bonbon and Grand Jujube of Candy Land disappeared." Thus begins the magical journey of Milton Bradley's classic Candy Land board game. Captivated by the story of a kidnapped king and eager to help find him, little ones move their gingerbread pawns along a rainbow path and through a land of candy characters, all subjects of King Kandy's realm.

Playing cards thoughtfully designed for non-readers are coded with colorful squares matching the jeweled stepping-stone path or an occasional token matching one of the characters' symbols: draw a blue card, move to the nearest blue stepping-stone; draw a snowflake and earn a visit to Queen Frostine's iceberg. There are occasional pitfalls, too: land on the wrong square and you might be stuck in Molasses Swamp until a red card is drawn. With all these enticing, sugarcoated images (and King Kandy plainly visible at path's end), children can't help but be delighted by Candy Land. It's delicious! Instructions are in both Spanish and English. Candy Land is for two to four players) --Julie Ubben ... Read more

Reviews (54)

I love this game!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This game is soooooooo fun to play with. Me and my friend love this game and we play with this game all day.

Fun First Game
I got this game for my 3 yr old and he just loves it and we play with it all the time. this is a great FIRST game.

CandyLand General Reveiw
When I was three, I played this wonderful game with my family and friends. With a great educational value and high fun level, this game was my favorite at the time! ... Read more

Asin: B00000DMF5
Subjects:  1. Games    2. Board Games    3. Family Favorites    4. Preschool   

Chutes and Ladders
Average Customer Review:
Toy
list price: $8.99 -- our price: $7.99
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

Be the first to move your child-shaped playing piece from square one to square 100 on the Chutes and Ladders game board--but watch out! If you land on the square that shows you ate too much candy--Ouch!--you get a tummy ache and slide down a chute to a square a few numbers below. But if you end your turn on a good-deed square, such as helping sweep up a mess, you'll be rewarded by a ladder-climb up the board.

A fantastic follow-up to Candy Land, Chutes and Ladders is ideal for younger children who are still learning to take turns and just beginning to recognize numbers (the spinner stays in the single digits). It's also a gentle introduction to the higher numbers as players climb to 100 at the top of the board. And, thanks to all those chutes and ladders, it's got enough excitement to keep your 7-year-old on the edge of her seat. English and Spanish instructions are included; no reading is necessary to play. Chutes and Ladders is for two to four players. --Julie Ubben ... Read more

Reviews (37)

A classic game for young children
As a British child, one of the games I played frequently was Snakes and Ladders. It remains one of the most popular games in Britain for young children. Many years later, I discovered that American children play this game too, but with the snakes replaced by chutes. There are other differences too (at least as far as this particular product is concerned) - the die (a simple, solid cube) used in the British game is replaced by a less durable spinner, while the counters (simple circular pieces of plastic) used in Britain to move around the board are replaced by cardboard characters that fit into plastic stands - again, much less durable than their British equivalents.Perhaps these fancy pieces are designed to make the game seem more interesting. The British game is sufficiently appealing to children without them - the snakes are colourful and much more attractive than chutes can ever be.

Aside from these differences, the British and American games are the same although the layout of the board may vary from one individual product to another. I played the game on several different boards (from different manufacturers) and the positions of the snakes and ladders certainly affected the game. On this particular American version, I can see that having three chutes close together near the end would be particularly frustrating - if a game is too difficult to finish, enthusiasm wanes somewhat.

While it certainly helps if the children playing the game recognize the numbers 1 to 100, it is also true that if they play the game often enough, they should eventually understand which way they have to move their pieces, though parents or older children may need a lot of patience while this process happens.

The result of the game is pure luck with no element of skill so, no matter how often you play, you cannot improve your chances of winning by fair play, so everybody has an equal chance. This is an advantage in a children's game - they learn all about winning and losing and the emotions involved.

This is a fun game for young children of school age. Bright children of pre-school age might also enjoy it but these children will grow out of it at an earlier age than average children.

If you buy this particular product, I recommend replacing the spinner with a die and the cardboard pieces with more durable pieces. Do that and the children will have plenty of fun.

Man, tough game
I mean, I got an education, but those numbers are just plain tough!I usually just cheat, my nephew cant tell if I'm movin three or five squares, and I get to beat him most times when his mom, now my girlfriend, aint lookin.I give it a two because I think this gives the kid a not-realistic view of life, I mean, when was the last time you was walkin along and fell down a chute?Not very durable, either, one time when I lost i tore it in half no sweat.Save your money and get the kid a gun; THAT will teach em about real life!!!

Classic, but poor construction
This is close to the classic snakes & ladders we played as children, but it is not very durable. The playing pieces are little folded cardboard characters that fit into plastic stands. The spinner does not work well. We replaced ours with a die. (I keep extra dice on hand for games like that). My son (age 4) can count to 100, but sometimes he still gets confused as to which way to go and occasionally wants to "climb" a ladder when his spot crosses halfway instead of at the bottom.
Classic? Yes.
Durable? No.
Fun? Not very.
Candy land is much better and if you've got the cash, Balloon Lagoon is a blast. ... Read more

Asin: B00000DMF6
Subjects:  1. Games    2. Board Games    3. Family Favorites    4. Preschool   

Operation
Average Customer Review:
Toy
list price: $14.99 -- our price: $13.99
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

Surely countless medical careers have been launched because of this humorous game. The Operation game board features Sam the patient, lying atop a red plastic "operating table" with 12 body cavities exposed. Players perform highly skilled procedures with a pair of tweezers such as removing a broken heart or butterflies in the stomach. This kind of surgery requires a steady hand! Doctors must remove the offending body part without touching the metal lining of the cavity. Touch the metal edge, and you'll set off the buzzer and make Sam's nose light up. Then the designated Specialist steps in--for double the fee! If you're playing solo, try performing all 12 operations without getting zapped. Two AA batteries are required. Operation is for one or more players. --Elizabeth Ward ... Read more

Reviews (70)

JUNK
I played this game as a kid and loved it. But now this thing is made so cheap, the top paper isn't even glued down and we've had some parts get stuck under it, and it is IMPOSSIBLE to pick up these pieces, even if you are steady and all that, you can't get the pieces out because they are real slippery and so are the tweezers. There is nothing to grip the pieces, they are both totally smooth. This game sucks!!!!

Operation - made by Milton Bradley
Another game that I find it amazing that is made available in this hi-tech age we live in.As a kid,I thought this game was okay.Purpose is to remove these tiny plastic parts from the operating board.Comes with twelve parts that's to be 'professionally' removed with a pair of tweezers.Don't lose the parts and this game should last awhile.Anyone else remember the TV ad for this game way back when as the girl in pigtails reads off the instuctions on the card,"Take out wrenched ankle..."?That commercial may've done more damage than Milton Bradley knows.Requires two size AA batteries.

Not like it used to be
I remember playing this game when I was a kid. I perchased it for my daughter thinking that she would have fun. Didn't happen!
She hated the noise it made.(A truely disterbing and loud sound) So we Cut the wire to the sound but it didn't help. She tried to play but the pieces were lost within a week and the game hit the trash. ... Read more

Asin: B00000DMFM
Subjects:  1. Games    2. Board Games    3. Family Favorites    4. Electronic   

Connect Four
Average Customer Review:
Toy
list price: $12.99 -- our price: $7.99
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

Connect Four is like vertical tic-tac-toe. Unlike tic-tac-toe, however (as the name suggests), youmust get four checkers in a row. One player has red checkers; the other has black checkers. To play,alternate turns at dropping one of checkers down a slot at the top of the upright grid. The first player to getfour checkers lined up in a row in any direction--horizontal, vertical, or diagonal--wins the game.--Alison Golder ... Read more

Reviews (47)

An EXCELLENT game with real play value!
I'd never seen this game before but it's turned out to be one of my two kids' favorite games. It's fun to play with just the pieces and to make simple patterns for decoration when you're not playing the "official" game, and throwing the lever that dumps the pieces out of the bottom is exciting, noisy and fun. Really a great game with real play value, a favorite! BUY IT!!!

Great fun and there is even a movie about it!!
Connect four has always been a favorite of mine since i was a little kid. It is a simple game with simple rules, but yet it is still a game of stratagey and can stump even most adults. This spring of 2005 Upsidedown square productions will be releasing a new blockbuster hit movie about Connect four Titled "C4 A connect four movie" Check out how this childs game changes young uryans life around at https://www.turnuptheblaarg.tk .

Fun, Easy Game
I had this game growing up and have played it with my children as well.My game from childhood is still in fine shape and was used regularly, but we took care of it and didn't fight over it or drop it.I can see how this game may break if misused a little.Anyway--it's a fun game and easy for little ones to pick up, but as other reviewers have said once you are well versed then it boils down to who goes first.I recommend for age 4 to 8 or 10. ... Read more

Asin: B00000IWI1
Subjects:  1. Games    2. Brain Games    3. Board Games    4. Family Favorites   

Sorry
Average Customer Review:
Toy
list price: $16.99 -- our price: $15.99
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

This classic game of luck, strategy, and determination is easy to grasp for children as young as 6 years old, yet it's fun for adults and older siblings too. By drawing cards, players move their game pieces around the board, hoping to eventually accumulate all their pieces at the final destination--home sweet home. Sorry is known as the game of "sweet revenge," since players can send each other's pawns back to the starting line, thus forcing one another to lose ground and begin all over again. This kind of frustration may be hard for children under age 8 to handle. In fact, young ones typically crumble into tears of outrage when their pawns are cavalierly sent back. The only recourse is to teach children how to plot their own revenge, which makes them feel as powerful as superheroes. ... Read more

Reviews (46)

Great game!
I've played this game since I was a teeny kid and it's still a ton of fun.
As with most games, there are small pieces involved that very well may end up someplace where they're not supposed to, plus you can't really afford to lose any of the pieces. Plastic bag 'em!

get rid of the video games ;0
My kids love this game.They sit down together and play this game all of the time.The neighbor kids come over to our house because they love to play board games and SORRY is the one they choose the most.We do not have video games at our house, and this was considered a drawback to the neighbor kids until my kids introduced them to board games.Now they come over all of the time just to play board games.I say hide the video games and let the kids interact with each other playing board games.

Sorry is top game in our house.

Sorry!
This game was fun the first and second time you play it but when you figure out that the game is pretty much based on luck and no strategy you'll think twice when you want to play this a third time. Although this is still a good game for the family. It features a detailed bored with a deck of cards that have number 1-12 and selected cards that say SORRY! this means you switch places with another player. All in all I would recomend this game to anyone who loves a game of luck.

Your Friend
the Z-MAN ... Read more

Asin: B00000IWD0
Subjects:  1. Games    2. Board Games    3. Family Favorites   

Battleship
Average Customer Review:
Toy
list price: $15.99 -- our price: $15.99
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

Battleship captains plot their strategies, send out torpedoes, and as the last ship (often the smallest, two-peg patrol boat) hides in an unsuspected corner, anticipation mounts. Like many classic games, Battleship walks a fine line between strategy and luck. The goal is to conceal the location of your ships while finding and destroying your enemies' fighters. The playing arena is a notebook-size plastic board updated for '90s sensibilities: the "floor" of the board is printed with waves and the exterior vaguely resembles a laptop. The design mimics the view a submarine captain would have, complete with a glimmer of radar waves. The game is perfect entertainment to share: simple enough for children, yet gratifying enough for adults to enjoy. One design decision keeps this edition from being truly stellar: the playing boards don't lock securely, allowing the small pegs to fall out and spill from the sides if jostled. --Jennifer Buckendorff ... Read more

Reviews (46)

A great little logic test.
This game is a classic and it really gets kids thinking about plotting the possibles and probables. They don't even realise it's educational as it's such fun. The design makes it a perfect travel game. A great one to get out when the chorus of "are we there yet?", is driving you crazy and playing "eye spy" is making everyone loose the will to live rapidly!
I even get away with playing my knid of music without the children moaning or noticing!

Lots of fun...
This game is pretty fun, you don't have to think too much and the instructions are easy enough as well. I do agree with the one reviewer who saaid that the pegs can be horrible if scattered everywhere. What we do is keep them in seperate plastic bags, and unwrap them before the game starts. It's a little bit more time-consuming, but that way it keeps them from winding up in a kid or pet's mouth.

You've Sunk My Battleship!
I just bought this game, because I remembered how much fun I had playing it when I was younger.This is one of those games that never gets old, and anyone from a child, to an adult can have fun playing it.

You each have a console, with 2 grids: your ocean grid where YOUR ships are, and the striking grid.The object of the game is to shout out coordinates to try and sink your opponent's ships.By marking them in the grid above, you then strategize where your opponent has placed his/her ships.You either have a "hit", or "miss".Play continues until you have sunk all of the ships on the other player's console.

There are many ways you can play this game.You can even make a few rules up if you like.There are also different forms of play in the instructions, inside the box.

One example of play that I like: if you sink your opponent's Battleship, the game is automatically over, and you've won.

All in all, this game is alot of fun.The consoles are pretty durable, and there are spots for you to store the ships, and the hit/miss pegs.As far as educational value, I think it would help children to work with grids, and strategizing.You have to be aware of what size ships you are dealing with and where they will fit on the grid (in the NON-hit spaces that remain on your opponent's grid).

I prefer this version to the electronic version.There are no sound effects and no noise, which I think makes it easier and less hassle.

If by chance you haven't played this game, buy it today! ... Read more

Asin: B00000DMBB
Subjects:  1. Games    2. Classic Games    3. Board Games    4. Family Favorites   

Clue
Average Customer Review:
Toy
list price: $15.99 -- our price: $15.99
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

Poor Mr. Boddy has been shockingly murdered in his own mansion. To win this game, you must become a roving detective, sniffing out the answers to the classic mystery questions: Who among Mr. Boddy's guests committed the murder? What was the murder weapon? (Lead pipe? Wrench? Candlestick?) Where did the murder happen? (Library? Conservatory?) Because the answers change each time, the game is constantly challenging. A gameboard map of the mansion, detective notepad, deck of cards, one die, wandering playing pieces, and a healthy dose of intuition will help players be the first to figure out the answers. This edition of Clue is a departure from the old faces and mansion rooms that were beginning to look dated after all these years. Sultry Miss Scarlett looks like Lesley Ann Warren from the movie Clue. Mr. Green looks convincingly sinister, Mrs. Peacock snobbish and potentially cruel. Colonel Mustard is still Pompous, Professor Plum still clueless. Mrs. White, the grandmotherly maid, is downright spooky. --Gail Hudson ... Read more

Reviews (80)

Still a favorite after all these years...
While spring cleaning this week, I stumbled upon an old classic: Clue. Intrigued, I dusted it off and challenged my husband to an enticing game of "whodunit." I was pleased to find that the game is still just as much fun as it was when I played it as a kid.

Most people are familiar with the basic premise of the game: Mr. Boddy, a millionaire, is found murdered in his home. Six people were in his mansion at the time of the murder: Colonel Mustard, Professor Plum, Miss Scarlet, Mrs. Peacock, Mrs. White, and Mr. Green. It is up to the game players to pinpoint who killed Mr. Boddy, what weapon he or she used, and what room the crime took place in.

The game comes with a game board, six playing pieces, and a deck of cards-each with a suspect, a room, and a weapon. At the beginning of the game, one card from each category is taken from the deck and placed in a secret envelope. This envelope now contains the solution to the crime. The rest of the cards are dealt to the players. The players, using process of elimination, travel to different rooms of the mansion and suggest different scenarios in attempts to solve the crime. The first player to figure out which three cards are in the secret envelope wins.

Clue, like so many classic Parker Brothers games (Monopoly, for instance) definitely stands up to the test of time. The game is every bit as strategic, fast-paced, competitive, and fun as it was when it first hit the market. There's really nothing quite as satisfying as figuring out the mystery ("Miss Scarlet in the Conservatory with the Lead Pipe!") just a few seconds faster than your opponents. Clue is great fun, and perfect for a night in with the family.

The Game Clue
The game Clue is a detective game that entertains you and your friends by seeing who is first to solve the murder mystery. I usually play this game with my family and friends because it is a game for the entire family and we enjoy it. This is my personal favorite board game because it is simple and it perks you up if you are having a gloomy day.
This game has some some positive things about it and some negative things about it. One poitive thing is that there are very few directions. Another is that it gets your mind thinking by using your knowledge or "Clues" that you have discovered and try to guess the person who committed the murder, where it happened, and with what weapon they did it with. But along with positive comments, there are also negative ones too. For example, it takes a long time to set the game up because you have to sort the cards, hand the out to each player, and without looking take three cards and put them into the confidential envelope.
I have played this many times and I am only 11 years old. I would rate this game 5 stars!

The classic whodunit game
Known in Britain as Cluedo but in America as Clue, this classic game is based on a simple idea but your enjoyment of it (or lack thereof) will depend to some extent on what sort of brain you have. The game is basically a logic puzzle so it is not a game of luck (though there is a little luck involved) so the most skilful player will win most of the time.

With six possible murderers, six possible weapons and nine possible locations, there are 314 possible solutions to the puzzle. By a process of elimination, each player tries to work out the combination. Each player is dealt some cards containing names of people, weapons and locations, so is able to eliminate some possibilities immediately.

The main skill lies is in knowing what is the best combination to guess when it is your turn to guess, and understanding the implications of your (and other people's) previous guesses. When you guess a combination, you announce it aloud for everybody to hear. Going round in a circle, your opponents have to either say they haven't got any of those three or they show you a card. Nobody else sees this card but they know that this person has one of the three you guessed. Of course, that person may have more than one of the three but as only one card need be shown, you don't know that. If none of your opponents is able to show you a card, then either you have guessed correctly or you've got one of the cards in your own hand. In the latter case, it seems like a wasted guess although there are occasions when bluffing might be useful. In any case, those players who can make most use of clues offered by all guesses, not just their own, have the best chance of winning.

Yes, this game can be a lot of fun, but you need a brain suited to solving logic puzzles to really enjoy it. ... Read more

Asin: B00000IWCY
Subjects:  1. Games    2. Board Games    3. Family Favorites    4. Party Games    5. Grownup   

Monopoly
Average Customer Review:
Toy
list price: $11.99 -- our price: $11.99
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

In 1934, in the midst of the Great Depression, an unemployed heating engineer from Pennsylvania created the game of Monopoly. Realizing that his get-rich theme might appeal to other Americans, he had the game printed and distributed in a Philadelphia department store. When he couldn't keep up with the overwhelming requests for more sets, he arranged for Parker Brothers to take over the game. And the rest, as they say, is history. But Monopoly is far from a quaint historical relic. To this day, it remains a riveting game of luck, chance, and savvy wheeling and dealing--all of which can make some lucky dog rich, rich, rich! Based on the purchase of Atlantic City real estate (a city currently renowned for its get-rich gambling opportunities), Monopoly is now printed in 26 languages with more than 200 million sets sold worldwide. Players still scoot the same beloved board pieces: the old shoe, the terrier, and the hot rod. This set also includes rules for a shortened version of the game and a new token, winner of Monopoly's recent "design a token" contest. This is capitalism at its most fun and ruthless, a must-have edition in the family game closet. --Gail Hudson ... Read more

Reviews (102)

Monopoly
Many of you may have played Monopoly, but for those who have not you are missingout on a great board game.I have played it many times.When ever my family says lets play a borad game I say "MONOPOLY".Here are a few things good and bad about Monopoly.
Some great things about Monopoly is that you can do math so when your having fun you can also be learning.It is a fun family game, but the down side is that it is time consuming.When I play Monopoly I can never finish it.It may get frustrating, but it can teach patience.Monoploy may have hard math skills for younger players.On a rainy day Monopoly would be the best game to pull out and play.
So remember Monoploy is not the perfect game but I do recommend it.

A Classic!
No house can be without Monopoly. It's a simple game, no ridiculously elaborate rules and is so much fun to play.I've found that Monopoly is more fun to play with 3 or more players as opposed to only 2 since half of the fun is in the negotiations!

A classic - but how good is it?
NOTE: I've often wondered how Monopoly would be viewed if it were released in 2005. Would it garner the same popularity/negativity that it does today? Therefore I'm writing this review, trying to depict how I would play Monopoly if I had played it for the first time, current year.

Negotiation games certainly depend on the group. I've played negotiation games with hard-headed, fun-loving groups and have had a blast the entire time. However, I've also played negotiation games with folks who were having problems outside the game, didn't want to trade with a particular person, didn't want to trade at all, etc. With these people, any kind of trading and bartering can fall flat, destroying the fun in a game. Monopoly (Parker Brothers - designer debated) seems to add a twist on negotiation games - adding luck and "rent" to the equation.

At first, the board appears to be that of the "roll-and-move" variety, where one simply follows the roll of the dice. And this is indeed true, but the crux of the game is in the fact that players attempt to minimize their chances of landing on a poor space, and maximize their opponents. Dice are not the only randomness in the game, as some cards are also drawn during game play, contributing to the luck. But players cannot make any real headway in the game unless they dicker with the other players - so the luck only holds so far. I enjoy a good game of Monopoly, but only every once in a while. Even though negotiation is a mechanic I enjoy, the randomness that comes along with it doesn't elevate Monopoly over other, better trading games.

A board consisting of forty spaces in a square track is placed on the table, with two stacks of cards - "Chance", and "Community Chest" - shuffled and placed down on it. Each player chooses a playing piece and places it on the space marked "Go", and receives $1500 from the bank. The remainder of the money is placed in the "bank", as well as a pile of green house pieces and red hotel pieces. Twenty-eight property cards, each associating with a specific space on the board, are also placed in the bank area. One player is chosen to go first, with play proceeding clockwise around the table.

On a turn, each player must roll two six-sided dice and move their piece clockwise around the track that many spaces. Depending on what space they land on, they then take an action:
- Chance: The player draws a card from the Chance deck and follows the instructions on it (gaining money, losing money, going to a specific space, etc.)
- Community Chest: Same as above, but with the Community Chest Deck
- Free Parking: The only space on the board where nothing ever happens - a breather.
- Luxury Tax: The player must pay the bank $75
- Income Tax: The player must pay $200 or 10% of all their monetary value (must be decided before the player counts up their money)
- Unowned property space: There are twenty-eight spaces on the board that are property spaces. Twenty-two of these properties are divided up into "color-groups", two or three properties of the same color. Four other spots are "railroad" spaces, and the final two properties (the Electric company and Waterworks) are utility properties. A player landing on an unowned property space may immediately buy it for the asking price (from $60 to $400, depending on the property). If they decide not to (or can't), an auction occurs, and the highest bidder gets the property.
- Owned property space. If a player lands on a property space they own, nothing happens. If they land on a property another player owns, they must pay that player "rent". Each property has a small amount that is charged to the player landing on that space. If a player owns all the properties in one color group, the rent on those spaces is doubled. Players may also increase their rent on their properties by building houses and hotels on them.
- Go to Jail: A player landing here must immediately head to the jail space.
- Jail: A player landing here is put in the part of the space marked "just visiting", and ends their turn. A player who is stuck here must either roll doubles to get out, or pay $50 to the bank. (Some cards also allow a player to escape). If a player does not roll doubles in three turns, they MUST pay the $50 to escape.
When a player rolls the same number on both dice ("doubles"), they must immediately roll again. If the player rolls three doubles in a row, however, they immediately go to jail. When a player passes "Go" normally, they receive $200 from the bank.

On their turn, or in the short downtime between other players' turns, each player may trade/sell their properties to one another for whatever deal they can get. Players also have the option of buying houses for their color-properties, if they have all of one set. Players can buy up to four houses for each property, for the price specified on the card, and then build a "fifth" house - which is actually a hotel piece that replaces the four houses on the property. Houses/hotels must be built evenly on both/all three of the color properties.

If a player needs to pay more money than they have - they can sell their houses/hotels back to the bank for a loss, and sell properties to other players or "mortgage" them to get the funds they need. If this still is not enough to cover their debt, the player is out of the game. The last player still in the game is the winner!

Some comments on the game...

1.) Components: Probably the most distinctive part of Monopoly is the playing pieces, which are different tokens (iron, dog, ship, etc.) rather than colored pawns. For some reason this is easier to identify (Why don't more games do this?) and the pawns do usually elicit a positive reaction. The money included with the game is fairly thin and forgettable, as I much prefer poker chips or better quality money; but it works. The green houses are made of plastic, as are the red hotels; and they offer a good, quick visual of the dangers of landing on a particular property. The properties on the board themselves are arranged in order of value, starting with the cheapest property (Mediterranean Avenue - cost $60, highest rent - $250), and going to the most expensive property (Boardwalk - cost $400, highest rent - $2000). The board itself is a little bland, with a lot of wasted space in the middle; but when the houses and hotels are added, everything looks pretty neat. The property cards have a lot of info on them, and since almost every property is different, quite necessary. I'm not sure how the property cards and money will hold up to repeated plays - they look a little beat up after only a few.

2.) Rules: The rules are fairly simplistic to learn and only take a few pages. There are tournament rules that can be found online - and clarify some of the gaping holes in the original rules. For example, the original rules don't clarify timing issues - as there are only a limited amount of houses and hotels to go around, who gets to buy them first? Also, is rent something that MUST be paid, or can a player who is not paying attention miss the money due to them? These seem like innocuous questions, but I've seen all of them greatly debated at games I've played.

3.) Money and theme: The game revolves around money - if you lose it, your out! Money changes hands frequently during the game, so I'm sure that the game could help children learn how to handle money. Oddly enough, while the game seems to promote monopolies, all I've ever seen was how it showed the negative sides of them. In the beginning of the game, the money amounts being handled are fairly small; but near the end, they can get rather enormous. If players aren't staying on the same level as other players, they can be eliminated quickly. And this does add some interesting decisions to the game - how many houses/hotels should one buy? If you buy a lot of them quickly, your chance to make a lot of money is increased, but your available cash is low. Also, should players buy every property they land on? At first, it seems like the answer is generally yes, but occasionally it doesn't help a player to buy everything - besides, you just might get it cheaper in auction?

4.) Elimination: Monopoly's biggest problem, in my opinion, is the fact that the game has player elimination in it - something that usually doesn't go over well, especially in a game of this length (usually around two and a half hours). The rules include a variant that ends the game after the second player is eliminated - and I've found that this works much better - even though it still causes one player to be eliminated.

5.) House Rules: I've played the game with many people, and several people have invented their own house rules, such as awarding money to people who land on Free Parking, auctioning off all properties, etc. Some of these rules really bog the game down, and a few (minute, actually) improve the game. So far it seems that most variants don't do much to help the game - and some of them actually make it quite dreadful - so I personally tend to ignore them.

6.) Variations: I've already seen several variations on Monopoly - Star Wars, Loony Tunes, etc. A few of them add minor rule changes, but it is interesting how the theme of the game can be cut and pasted at will. Since most of these themes change little to, or nothing, I would tend to look for one with the highest quality bits when buying the game (Star Wars Episode I version so far has the best I've seen.)

7.) Problems: The game has two problems other than elimination. For one, there is a high luck factor. A player who lands on all of one group of properties (all the railroads, all the reds, etc.) can have a huge advantage at the beginning of the game. A player who lands on very few can also be in a bit of a jam. The Chance and Community Chest cards range wildly from being slightly annoying (pay $50) to extremely hurtful (go to a property that just happens to ha ... Read more

Asin: B00000IWCT
Subjects:  1. Games    2. Board Games    3. Family Favorites    4. Classic Games   

Scrabble
Average Customer Review:
Toy
list price: $11.99 -- our price: $7.99
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

After all these years, it's still hard to get a triple word score, the tiles are still made of wood, and there's only one "X" in the whole box. The game of Scrabble has sparked feuds and a near-cult following. All the fuss is over a spelling game that hasn't had an upgrade in 50 years. It takes a little luck and a lot of skill to make high-scoring words out of seven little letters, sometimes with an overabundance of vowels and letters that don't go together--sometimes there's Q without U. Two to four players battle it out on the board, and while some players might be proud of impressive words ("I spelled gestalt!"), skilled players know how to use the premium letter and word squares on the 225-square board to their best advantage. This crossword game has strict rules (no names, no slang) and comes with a warning label: "Choose a dictionary first to avoid any ugly word disputes." --Lynne Sampson ... Read more

Features

• The classic crossword game played by millions around the world!
• Use your seven letters to build crosswords, and use bonus spaces to add to your score!
• Genuine wooden letter tiles and racks.
• For 2 to 4 players. Ages 8 and up.

Reviews (66)

The classic word game
Scrabble is a word game that anybody can play as long as they can spell in the language in which the game is being played. It can be a lot of fun but it's wise to have a dictionary at hand to settle disputes that arise when somebody creates a dubious word or spelling. The dictionary should only be used to settle disputes - leafing through its pages trying to find a word that fits your letters is definitely cheating. The game is intended to be played by between two and four players but it is possible to practise alone and I'll explain how later, though it isn't as much fun as playing against another person. If more than four people are available, they can either team up or just find something else to use instead of racks to hold the tiles.

Scrabble comes in various editions but all of them have certain things in common. There are 100 tiles each with a letter on them, four racks (one to hold each payer's tiles) and a bag into which all tiles are placed at the start of the game and from which all players draw letters as the game progresses. The main playing area is a board of 15 x 15 squares, most of which are of a standard gray color. Some squares are red, pink, dark blue or pale blue - these are premium-scoring squares (triple word, double word, triple letter, double letter respectively).

To begin with, each player draws seven tiles from the bag. The first player makes a word from any or all of their letters and places it on the board, beginning, ending or crossing the central square, which automatically gives them a double word score. (it is pink) and replaces the used tiles with a corresponding number of tiles from the bag. Subsequently, players take turns to create a new word (thereby building a crossword on the board), attempting to score as many points as possible. Any tiles added must all form part of one word and link to tiles already on the board but strategy as well as vocabulary is useful.

Most of the time, you just place letters focusing on an existing tile on the board, using that tile as part of the word you create, However, if you have a letter S in your rack, you may be able to add it to the end of an existing word while also using it as part of a word of your own, if there is clear room on the board for you to do so. Thus, you score for your own word but you also score for the word that you made into a plural. This is just one example of how you can (sometimes) score for more than word while sticking to the rules, but it teaches you not to waste S letters - keep them for when they can be most effectively used.

When there are no more tiles in the bag, play continues until one player uses up all their tiles or nobody is able to. At that point, points on unused tiles still in players' racks are deducted from their score.

To play alone is quite simple, if less satisfying. The object is to score as many points as possible. Obviously, scoring is much easier since you can build the crossword in a very open design - you aren't trying to block your opponents - but if you find that those opponents usually beat you, a bit of practice on your own might improve your chances of beating them in future.

So, if you decide to buy Scrabble, it comes down to deciding whether to buy the Deluxe edition (if you can afford it), the Travel edition (for taking away from home with you) or the standard edition. Just make sure you have that dictionary at hand to settle disputes, otherwise it won't be much fun.

The ultimate spelling test.
A great way to pass time, teach kids how to spell and learn the meaning and purpose of words. Definatley to be played with a dictionary (I suggest the Oxford scrabble dictionary which not only tells you if words are valid but also gives their true scrabble score!) It's a good laerning curve but can cause lots of heated debate!!

Fun for everyone!
This game is so much fun!Even my mom who hates to play games with me, will play this game!I like this game because everyone can play it!Fun and educational at the same time as you learn to build words and you can even use it to show how to use a word and grow from it.I think this game is worth the money they charge.My only regret is that I didn't get one with a turn table luckily my mom had one from the 70's and we use it.My advise buy this game! ... Read more

Asin: B00000IWDB
Subjects:  1. Games    2. Board Games    3. Word Games    4. Classic Games    5. Family Favorites   

The Official SCRABBLE (r) Players Dictionary, Third Edition
by Merriam-Webster
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (01 October, 1995)
list price: $19.95 -- our price: $13.57
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

If you're using the 1991 edition or the 1978 original, you're woefully behind the Scrabble-playing times. With more than 100,000 2- to 8-letter words, there are some interesting additions ("aargh," "aarrgh," and "aarrghh" are all legitimate now), while words they consider offensive are no longer kosher. Why subscribe to the Scrabble dictionary's changeable lexicon? Well, it ends the argument of whose dictionary to use, but the main reason is that it's the winner's dictionary, and why play Scrabble if not to win? Memorize those 2- and 3-letter words, and your Scrabble game becomes lethal. ... Read more

Reviews (57)

Essential
This dictionary is an essential reference for any serious or even frequent Scrabble player.

The biggest advantage of this particular dictionary is that it standardizes what is acceptable when playing.Anyone who has ever played without an agreement on what constitutes the acceptable words knows that there are far too many dictionaries out there to easily agree upon one without an official one such as this.

That being said, it is not a dictionary that one can use to get definitions of words.Many times it will only define one usage of a word even when there are others as its purpose is to define what is acceptable in Scrabble play.

It is invaluable in terms of listing words that a regular Scrabble player needs to know such as two letter words, 'Q' words that don't require a 'U', etc.

One who is a frequent player will probably want to supplement this by getting a list of two letter words from the National Scrabble Association.That is definitely a good idea as it would be very difficult to be a very competent player without knowing all of those.

This dictionary does list countless words that a player may need in different situations such as qat, suq, zyzzyva, etc.

It certainly does need to be updated.There are lots of words that have become commonplace in recent years that are not in this such as spam, email, blog, latte, etc.

It is still the best out there for Scrabble players and is really an essential for playing the game.

Annoyingly outdated, but you most likely need it.
Recently I was playing my computerized Scrabble opponent Mavin (Atari's Scrabble Deluxe game) when I put down the word "email".ZAP!I lost my turn.Why?Because this word is not in the Official Scrabble Player's Dictionary (OSPD).But had I played the word "kerb" (to provide with curbing) or kex (a dry, hollow stalk), or "syren" (an acceptable spelling for siren), I would have been able to play out my turn.I also learned the hard way that you can't use "FAQ"* as in "frequently asked questions" but you can use "hath", "a present 3d person sing. of have" that probably hasn't been used in a sentence since Samuel Morse invented the telegraph in 1844.And don't even think of playing the word "spam"!

But, it's important to play Scrabble with a standardized lexicon of acceptable words, so I begrudgingly use the latest third edition, a decade old though it is.And how else would one know that "outcurse" (to surpass one in cursing) and "outbleat" (to surpass one in bleating) are acceptable Scrabble words?

As you can tell from the definitions I've listed, the OSPD is not a conventional dictionary.They don't give the year the word was coined, the etymology, or multiple definitions.You just get a part of speech and a bare-bones common definition, along with acceptable suffixes and forms of the word.For example, acceptable suffixes for outcheat are-ED, -ING and -S.It's extremely easy to use, with the words listed in all capital letters, just like in the Scrabble game.

One fine use of this dictionary, other than settling disputes and debunking the phony words my human opponent likes to make up, is improving my game.Memorizing a bunch of the Q words has come in quite handy.Even memorizing a word or two a day from the OSPD would help.

Recommendation: If you can get all your opponents to agree on another dictionary, you might not need the OSPD. However, if you play the computerized version of Scrabble, want to eventually advance to tournament play, or simply want to use the standard official dictionary for Scrabble play, you'll need the OSPD.

*Yes, I know FAQ is technically an acronym, but so is "scuba" which is an official scrabble word.

P.S.As pointed out in some previous reviews, do not use this dictionary for school!(Nor for business writing, medical school applications, etc.)You don't want to be kicked to the kerb!

A Must Have If You Play Scrabble
Scrabble allows many 2 and 3 letter words as well as longer words that are unusual. You must have this Players Dictionary or similar source to learn and challenge these words. If you play Scrabble on line the acceptable words are most likely based on this dictionary. Hasbro has this dictionary available on line for those who are interested. Search Hasbro Scrabble. ... Read more

Isbn: 0877792208
Subjects:  1. Dictionaries    2. English language    3. Games    4. Games / Gamebooks / Crosswords    5. Games/Puzzles    6. Glossaries, vocabularies, etc    7. Puzzles    8. Reference    9. Scrabble (Game)   

Yahtzee
Average Customer Review:
Toy
list price: $8.99 -- our price: $7.99
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

Anyone who's ever done it knows the indescribable feeling--getting Yahtzee in one roll! Of course, this five-of-a-kind phenomenon only happens once in a blue moon. The rest of the time, players must be content with a three-roll full house, large or small straight, or any other combination of five dice. In this seductive game of luck and strategy, players have three tries each turn to roll dice in hopes of obtaining the elusive Yahtzee--or racking up points in one of the 12 other scoring categories. For a real challenge, go for a bonus Yahtzee--two or more in one game! This parlor classic has captivated and vexed players, young and old, since 1956. Game includes five dice, dice cup, 10 bonus chips, score pad, and instructions (English and Spanish). For one or more players. --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (25)

A Great Game
I played Yahtzee as a kid with my Dad and had forgotten how much fun it was.While looking for some non-electronic games to play with my kids, I stumbled across Yahtzee and instantly remembered the good times.Introducing the game to the family tonight, I was hoping that they would enjoy it as much as I had years ago.They did not dissapoint me and after playing several games they all complimented me on the choice.Another reviewer called Yahtzee "quietly educational", and I completely agree with that term.My oldest, who since his school started letting him use a calculator in algebra and geometry has lost the ability to do math in his head, suddenly rediscovered his math skills when his score was on the line.

The only thing Milton Bradley did wrong with this game was being cheap on the size of the pad of score sheets they include.Other than that, this is a classic game that has not lost anything over the years.Turn off the television or computer and play this game with people you love.

A fun game!!
I would recommend this game to everyone because it is great for kids to learn how to count and to also know there numbers.

A Game of Luck
This game is just not fun. Too much of it depends on luck, even if there is some strategy. If you want a fun board game, get something else, this game is just boring. ... Read more

Asin: B00000IWH6
Subjects:  1. Games    2. Board Games    3. Family Favorites    4. Classic Games    5. Party Games    6. Grownup   

Jenga
Average Customer Review:
Toy

US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

Show your steady hands and elementary structural knowledge in abattle against gravity when you play Jenga, a game of luck andprecision. First, assemble the 54 rectangular, hardwood blocks--smoothand shaped just right for stacking--into a three-piece-wide, 18-storytower. Then take turns removing the three-inch blocks one at time,using caution to keep the structure intact while stacking the removedpieces back on the top of the tower. As the tower rises, its basebegins to teeter--one wrong move and it collapses in a heap! Gameover.

Jenga allows adults to play architect and children to perfecttheir stacking skills and hand-eye coordination. There is no limit onthe number of participants--it can even be played solo. Butbeware: Jenga can be addictive. The instructions declare a 36-storystructure to be the mark of a real pro. How tall can you go? --CateBick ... Read more

Features

• The blockbuster of all stacking games with hardwood blocks. Pull out blocks, place them on top...don't topple the teetering tower! JENGA, JENGA, JENGA!
• Ages: 8 and Up. 1 or More Players. PLAY 1. The player who built the tower goes first. Play then continues to the left.
• 2. On your turn, carefully remove a block from anywhere BELOW the highest completed story Then stack it on top of the tower, at right angles to the blocks just below it. 3. Removing and Stacking Blocks Remove and stack one block per turn. To remove a block, use one hand at a time.
• You can switch hands whenever you wish. As play proceeds and the weight of the tower shifts, some blocks become looser than others and are easier to remove. You can touch other blocks to find a loose one - but if you move a block out of place, you must fix it (using one hand only) before touching another block.
• While stacking, always complete one 3 - block story before starting a higher one. 4. Your turn ends 10 seconds after you stack your block-or as soon as the player to your left touches a block. 5. Keep removing and stacking blocks until the tower falls.

Reviews (34)

Jenga
This game is really cool! I played it in school a few times. It is a little hard putting the 54 blocks into the box. So, my friends help me. When you play Jenga on the table and it falls, it's really loud. We don't know how to win but it is cool. It's oodles of fun. I must have it!- Cristian Mojica, Age 9

Easy to learn, hard to master!!!
In this era of mobile PSPs, x-boxes and gamecubes, a classic game like Jenga not only continues to survive, but thrive!

My first experience was with my 2 nieces. I had never seen them before and since it always snows in MI, we couldn't go out. To break the awkward silence and pass time, my 4 year old pulled this tower of fun out. For next several hours we played this awsome game and bonded with each other. It was most fun I had with kids.

Ok, now the specifics. The game works by first arranging all pieces to make a tower and then making each person pull out one piece at a time and put it on the top of the tower. Simple huh?
Well as I said it is easy to learn but the idea is to select a piece that can be pulled out without causing a collapse and this is where men are separated from boys (and boys usually win!).
You can actually learn to strategize your game and pull each piece in a sequence to make your tower taller.
Each piece is made of wood and has the right size, finish and weight to support quite a bit of weight.
If you are looking for a game that doesn't entail mindless button pushing or shooting those ugly monstors on tv screen, go for this one. Your kids will love it and hopefully you too!

Great for the whole family
Chenga is a great game for the whole family.Any family member old enough to understand the idea of trying not to knock down the tower is old enough to play, which usually means anyone over three.There is a good deal of skill for children to learn about being slow, calm, and careful when pulling and placing pieces, which makes this game very educational, at least in the sense of learning self-mastery.The game is also fun and suspenseful, as each time someone takes a turn, everyone hold their breath a little while they wait to see if the tower will fall.A super-nice feature of Chenga is that it allows the entire family to play the same game, without subjecting older members to silly baby games like Candy Land (which is nice, but gets old).And best of all, Chenga is great value for money.This is a game that doesn't cost much to begin with, is super-durable (almost impossible to break), and is unlikely to be out-grown at any time. ... Read more

Asin: B00000DMBE
Subjects:  1. Games    2. Party Games    3. Family Favorites    4. Board Games   

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Book 5)
by J. K. Rowling Mary GrandPré
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (21 June, 2003)
list price: $29.99 -- our price: $19.79
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

As his fifth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry approaches, 15-year-old Harry Potter is in full-blown adolescence, complete with regular outbursts of rage, a nearly debilitating crush, and the blooming of a powerful sense of rebellion. It's been yet another infuriating and boring summer with the despicable Dursleys, this time with minimal contact from our hero's non-Muggle friends from school. Harry is feeling especially edgy at the lack of news from the magic world, wondering when the freshly revived evil Lord Voldemort will strike. Returning to Hogwarts will be a relief... or will it?

The fifth book in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series follows the darkest year yet for our young wizard, who finds himself knocked down a peg or three after the events of last year. Somehow, over the summer, gossip (usually traced back to the magic world's newspaper, the Daily Prophet) has turned Harry's tragic and heroic encounter with Voldemort at the Triwizard Tournament into an excuse to ridicule and discount the teen. Even Professor Dumbledore, headmaster of the school, has come under scrutiny by the Ministry of Magic, which refuses to officially acknowledge the terrifying truth that Voldemort is back. Enter a particularly loathsome new character: the toadlike and simpering ("hem, hem") Dolores Umbridge, senior undersecretary to the Minister of Magic, who takes over the vacant position of Defense Against Dark Arts teacher--and in no time manages to become the High Inquisitor of Hogwarts, as well. Life isn't getting any easier for Harry Potter. With an overwhelming course load as the fifth years prepare for their Ordinary Wizarding Levels examinations (O.W.Ls), devastating changes in the Gryffindor Quidditch team lineup, vivid dreams about long hallways and closed doors, and increasing pain in his lightning-shaped scar, Harry's resilience is sorely tested.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, more than any of the four previous novels in the series, is a coming-of-age story. Harry faces the thorny transition into adulthood, when adult heroes are revealed to be fallible, and matters that seemedblack-and-white suddenly come out in shades of gray. Gone is the wide-eyed innocent, the whiz kid of Sorcerer's Stone. Here we have an adolescent who's sometimes sullen, often confused (especially about girls), and always self-questioning. Confronting death again, as well as a startling prophecy, Harry ends his year at Hogwarts exhausted and pensive. Readers, on the other hand, will be energized as they enter yet again the long waiting period for the next title in the marvelous, magical series. (Ages 9 and older) --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (5510)

Good
The 5th Harry Potter Book was good-yet did not measure up to the first four for these reasons:

a. Harry was real whiny! Where did our adoriable little boy go?What made Harry so likeable in the first four books were his sweetness- and slight sarcasm.He was funny, natural, and seemed like the kid next door that you could talk to, yet might tease you lightly.Now Harry has really become a teenager (his years as 13 and 14 were just prelimainary), and a cranky, irrating, sharp, smart-mouthed one at that.I do understand what he was going through, and how it must have been twice as hard, as half the wizarding world think he's nuts, and he doesn't have any parents, yet I wish that he would cut out the drama- and now I really do understand what my parents must go through everyday.In this book Harry additude was just to-hellish.

b.The length. Now, I am no stranger to long books-I have read books longer than the Harry Potter books (people must remeber that they are double spaced, and in big font), yet the irrating thing about the lenght of this particualar book was that a lot of it were totally uneccesary-it seemed like JK didn't want to diassapoint fans with a short book, so added a lot of unneccesary points to this book.In fact, the first and the last couple chapters were all you needed to be perfectly set for the next book(which I am waiting for feverently!)

Now for the GOOD POINTS!

a.It's a Harry Potter book!That in itself makes it great-one thing I like about these books is that you can always expect a book which is a joy to read over and over again.

b.The other characters remained the same.Even though JK gave Harry a makeover, she wisely refrained from changing the other characters personality(though to be fair, Harry is the youngest of Ron and Hermione, which accounts for a bit of maturity)

c. suspense.JK captures the element of suspense perfectly-which helped save this book.You wanted to keep reading(even if the part you were on was a bit dull) to find out what would happen next.

d. Humor.JK knows that what makes her books so enjoyable is that their the complete package-which includes humor.She nevers forgets to add in quirky, funny moments which make the book really enjoyable.

e.Ties up lose ends.Harry is growing up, and this book gently shows us that the time is drawing nearer for Harry to meet Voldermort.Ahh.. the plot has thicked!

Must read for everyone-just prepare to be slightly dissapointed if you are a devoted Harry Potter Fan!And you know what... I think I'm going to go and read it again!

Not the same as the other four...
Note that this book is very good, and had it not been part of a series, it would have easily achieved the precious five stars. It is part of a series, though, and so it only got four...

Before dedicated Harry Potter fanatics go bananas on me, hear me out. The first four books are astounding, and so is the fifth. So why the four stars? The fifth is just so different. The fifth seems as if it was written by a new author. Sometimes I wondered if the beloved children's series was still for children. The Order of the Phoenix is a darker tale. The language is sooo different. Harry's way, way, way too different: it's not the standard jump between 14 and 15, or the standard jump between losing someone he loves, or knowing the person who wants to kill you is on your trail and no one gives a hoot. He's just not the same, selfless Harry.

I give one reason for this. The story flows better for a movie. There's a little less magic, so to speak, take that both literally and not literally. More conflict, less of the issues that were left out in the movies. (Which are a complete injustice, by the way.) The fifth book, simply put, doesn't have the same charm as the other four. I hope to see it back in the next book. (By the way, even the, mildest Harry Potter fan should get this book. It is impossible to put down, and you don't even notice how different it is until you finish it.)

BRILLIANT!!!!!
i absolutely loved this book, and i dont understand why many reviews complained about the length of it, i actaully enjoyed reading it, and when i was finished with it i read it again, and again, and i couldnt get enough of it, i was dying to know what happens next, and im still dying to know what happens next that i cant wait for the sixth book to be released. i kept reading over the fifth book hoping to find clues as to what happens in the sixth book. i think Rowling is such an amazing and talented writer and she knows exactly how to keep her fans in suspense, and i know that im probably going to be shocked and surprised when i read the sixth book, coz thats what Rowling does, she keeps you in suspense for a long time, and then surprises you in her next book with the events of the story. For example in the fifth book, i was shocked when Sirius died and was very upset for the longest time that he was dead, although i have a feeling he will somehow return or maybe just appear in the next books, i was also surprised at how bad things turned out between Cho and Harry, and it just annoyed me when noone would believe Harry that Lord Voldemort was back. thats why i love reading these books, coz Rowling puts you in the mood of reading them and she knows exactly how to make you feel with every character...i hope the sixth book is as awesome as i expect it to be! ... Read more

Isbn: 043935806X
Subjects:  1. Children's 9-12 - Fiction - Fantasy    2. Children: Grades 4-6    3. Coming of age    4. Fiction    5. Humorous Stories    6. Juvenile Fiction    7. Magic    8. School & Education    9. Schools    10. Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Magic    11. Wizards    12. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft