Advantages: Keeps the kids entertained.
Disadvantages: The noises to get a bit anoying

...10 Stories from Thomas and Friends is a great book for children of all ages. THE STORIES 1 - Trouble Near the Tracks. Thomas is taking a cow to the fair when on his way his comes across Bertie the Bus who has a flat tyre. Thomas tries to help Bertie but as he does so his cow starts to wonder off. Along comes James who rescues the cow and takes it to the fair for Thomas as he is taking hay there. Thomas and Bertie wait for help and when it arrives and Bertie is fixed they arrive at the fair to find Thomas' cow has won first prize as best cow in the county. 2 - Harold needs Help. Harold the hellicopter isnt feeling well on morning and cant get his propeller to work properly. Sir Topham Hatt (The old Fat Controller!) asks Thomas to take his down to the repair shop. Thomas and Harold arrive at the repair shop where Harold... Read review

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Advantages: a brilliant read
Disadvantages: slightly confusing read

...Who was Dylan Thomas? Even today, no one really knows. From his early years of growing up in Swansea in Wales, to his family life; from his beginnings as a writer to his tours of America; from his early days of alcohol abuse to his death in New York in 1953: Dylan Thomas has become an icon for lovers, literature fans and poets. Dylan Thomas has become a cult figure for Welsh travellers of today an inspiration for every young lad heading from Swansea to London, into the new life. But it is Dylan Thomas’s debauched lifestyle that perhaps draws people towards him. In the book The Dylan Thomas Murders, by David N. Thomas, we begin to get an idea of who Dylan Thomas might have been, reimagining the poet without attempting to stick to the known facts. Reading this book, D. Thomas still remains a mystery, but David Thomas’... Read review

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Advantages: Likeable little characters, Simple stories
Disadvantages: Only really appeals to children 6 and under...

...BACKGROUND: As a teenager, I financed my more costly kicks by babysitting, and eventually found myself looking after a small throng of unmanageable children, dispersed across several households. Most unmanageable of all, however, was a plump little boy of two, called Charlie. Charlie liked nothing better than to drink red cordial neat, and to watch Thomas the Tank Engine videos. His state-of-the-art tricycle stood ignored on the patio. An imposing mound of Fisher Price plastic rested aimlessly in his playroom. Cars, trucks, and remote-controlled tractors were arranged in unfathomably untouched rows. But those Thomas videos were on almost constant rotation. Consequently, babysitting little Charlie became, for me at least, an exercise in abject tedium. The perpetual choo-choo-ing of the little trains, the sonorous tones of Ringo... Read review

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Advantages: Hours of fun.
Disadvantages: Difficult to watch what you want to!

...INTRODUCTION ******************* Thomas and his friends star in the first of five DVD`s,comprising of 26 episodes all previously shown on T.V but put together for one compilation. Thomas and his friends (introducing Gordon, Henry, Edward, James, Percy and many more) live and work on the island of Sodor, surrounded by sea it boasts a timber yard, flour mill ,coal mine and of course the docks!. Over 2 hours of adventures will have the children entertained (and many adults!). Find out what happens to Thomas when he gets above his station and cheeks Gordon the big blue engine, how Henry`s green paint is spoilt not by the rain but from the soot in a tunnel he refused to come out of, and James getting... Read review

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Advantages: Great little story for Thomas Fans
Disadvantages: None

...Thomas, Percy and the Squeak is a lovely little book based on the Thomas TV series. The cover of the book has a green banner at the top with the title in Yellow lettering and a picture of Thomas and Percy below. The back of the book has a green border and a yellow inside which features smaller pictures of other books available to buy in this collection. THE STORY The story begins by telling how the engines on the Island love the summer as the Fat Controller sometimes holds concerts. The engines are excited as a famous singer is coming to Sodor to sing at one of the concerts. James, Gordon and Thomas all decided that they might be chosen to collect the singer. Gordon comes along and decides that the Fat Controller will not pick Percy as he is very dirty. Percy announces that he is dirty because he works so hard. The next... Read review

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Advantages: Durable, colourful and collectable
Disadvantages: Your children will want them all!

...Essential equipment for Mums of little boys should read as follows:- 1) Washing Powder (industrial size and strength) 2) Megaphone (to get everyone’s attention) 3) Volume Control Button (and you thought rock concerts were loud!) 4) Thomas The Tank Engine toys. (see below!) Thomas the Tank engine has been a popular character for many years now, ever since the books by the Rev. W. Awdry were published , he has charmed little boys. The good Rev. originally created the characters in stories he told to his young son whilst he was recovering from an illness. The now grown-up Christopher Awdry has taken over the mantle of writing Thomas stories from his father and has seen their popularity soar. In the 1980s Britt Allcroft started producing an appealing television series which forms the basis of many... Read review

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Advantages: Yep it's odd
Disadvantages: Not one of his best

...I do like my koontz on a regular basis (oi) and as I am a part-time librarian I always get to read the new ones before those annoying visitors get their mitts on it (well they can try but I usually get my stamp out - obsolete it may now be but I use one for keeping the book monkies in check). Odd Thomas isn't Dean's most recent book, but I seemed to have missed it due to the fact that someone had half-inched my Doberman at the time and I was spitting rabies. I have recently managed to finish it and although I enjoyed it, I didn't think it was one of his most entertaining stories. I usually know if I am excited by the novel by the size of my bookmark and this one was of medium length. So to the story. Odd Thomas is a weirdo. Oh yes he is and nothing wrong with that as I seemed to be loved by quite a few. He sees dead people just... Read review

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Advantages: Colourful, Range, Availability
Disadvantages: Can be expensive

...If your like me then you will be only to aware that there are as so many different toys available within the Thomas the tank range. Within this review I will cover my son's two favourite Thomas toys. I will also cover the cost, pros, cons, , and my own thoughts. **The Background** If you have not heard of Thomas the tank and friends then where have you been, this year especially has seen the Thomas market boom. Every shop you go in to has something with the Thomas logo on it. Thomas the tank engine and friends was first brought to our attention back in 1965 when a book was released and then in 1984 the first ever television version was aired. Within only a few months of the first television series being broadcasted audience figures reached a massive 8.5million. To date Thomas and friends is shown in over 130 countries worldwide... Read review

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Advantages: Lovely modern toy in a traditional style
Disadvantages: Sometimes doesn't work too well

...As I child I loved my Fisher Price record player so when I saw this, I thought my son must have one! He got it in his Christmas stocking off his grandparents last Christmas and has played with it a lot since. *** WHAT IS IT? *** It's a 'Thomas the tank engine' train with 'Troublesome Truck' following behind that is recommended by the manufacturer for children 1-3 years of age. It has a volume control with three settings and an on/off switch which is always good! It's quite a bigish toy as when the truck is attached it's approximately 35cm long, 16cm high and 9cm wide. The train has six wheels in total and the truck, four. The truck contains four disks that are double sided and contain the music. The eight pieces of music are: This is the way we load our freight Merrily we roll along Thomas theme tune London Bridge... Read review

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Advantages: great fun toys to collect
Disadvantages: can be expensive

...For those of you who aren't too sure who Deagostini are, let me explain. They are the company who are behind many of the collection sets available either online or from your newagents every 2 weeks. The first issue is usually at a special price and then it's a set price for the remaining parts in the series. This can be a great way of building up a special collection for a reasonable amount every month. In this case the first issue was £1.99 followed by £4.99 for each part after that so for the whole set it's just over £255 as there are 52 issues. Seems a lot when you say it like that but we don't miss it so much when it's paid monthly and this set is produced in conjuction with Hit Entertainment who make the Thomas series. Of course people would have to have lived on a remote island not to have heard of Thomas the Tank Engine... Read review

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