Barnes & Noble

"Just As I Am" Children's Book from Barnes & Noble:

All English majors are familiar with Barnes and Noble (or at least, they should be). After all, the degree might as well be called: The Art of Buying Books or the Art of Becoming a Book Collector. Most students I've known are extremely adept at buying books of all sorts--in a short period of time. We all have to get good at it, and fast. How else does one survive the constant bombardment of the new requirements on the reading lists?

As an expert in buying books (master's degree and all), I've always found Barnes and Noble to be a great resource; and I've purchased hundreds of titles from them over the years. Barnes and Noble carries books you might not have expected to find on the shelves of a mass-market bookstore (some eclectic, out-of-the-ordinary titles); but they also have a fantastic selection of children's books, and I discovered one such book with the large hardback book: Just As I Am.

The size of the book is probably what first captured my attention. It's not oriented in the "usual" way (it's wider than I would usually expect, even for large, children's books. The publisher calls it "a soft-and-shiny pop-up book," which perfectly describes what the book is, and why it immediately captures the attention of any reader who picks it up. Even the cover features a big, soft elephant!

Pros: The book features beautiful, brightly colored pages, and a great message. For the children who feel different (special-needs children or just kids who feel left out), this book is a great tool--in the classroom and at home! The book was on sale. The touch-and-feel elements of the book is also a definite pro--my boys both still love to read the book, though I must say it's not as shiny (or as soft) as it once was. The book is also full of animals, and fun (the animal friends are playing games in the book).

Cons: It's a children's book, and may not be the level of reading that the "average" book lovers may prefer. For children, there's also only one pop-up: the spread on the last pages of the book (some children prefer to see pop-ups on every page in a pop-up book).

Amount Paid: I found the book in the "Bargain" section at Barnes and Noble. I paid $6.99 for the book, which I felt was a great deal, particularly when you consider the book is a large, full-color children's book--with flashy enhancements on some pages, and fuzzy touch-and-feel embellishments on others. The final page of the book features a BIG splash, pop-up.

Online or In-Store: I purchased the book for my son's birthday on March 3, 2009, in my local Barnes and Noble store.

Recommended: I highly recommend Barnes and Noble, and I also have been very pleased with all the products I've purchased from them over the years--both online and in the store.

Overall Rating: 5 Stars

Best ever Giraffe Baby Mat by Barnes & Noble:

The item is the Bestever Giraffe Baby Mat that I bought a few weeks back for my little son Alex from the Barnes & Noble website. I had been looking for a floor mat for my kids’ room for a very long time that was not very hard and was big enough for them to play and lie on. Since my son and daughter are both still very young, I wanted to buy a mat for them that was smooth and did not rough up their tender skin when they lie on it. After months of searching, I was able to locate the Bestever Giraffe Baby Mat on the Barnes & Noble website.

I was very excited to see this item as it was just perfect and ideal for my kids. It had the right size and the kind of silky smoothness that I had wanted in a mat for my kids. After seeing that the price of this mat was not very high and within my budget, I did not waste a second and placed an order for it online. The online order placement was not a very difficult process and I was over and done with it in a matter of seconds.

Having placed the order, I started waiting for the item to be shipped to me. I did not had to wait long for the order to arrive and it was in my hands two days before the actual shipping date the website had given me. I was very happy to have finally had the mat in my hands. I was delighted to see that the mat was very soft and smooth just like I had imagined it to be.

When I put the mat down in the room of my kids, they instantly liked it and started playing on it. My little son Alex was the one who got most attached to it and did not leave it until I had to literally pick him up from it at night. He made a habit of drinking his milk on the mat and playing on it for the whole day.

I was very happy to see that my kids had liked the new item I had bought for them and whenever I got the chance, I used to play around with them on the mat too. They just loved it and we all had a great time rolling on the smooth fabric of the mat. Since the mat was machine washable too, I did not have to hand wash it as well which was a massive plus of this mat for me.

Pros: The Bestever Giraffe Baby Mat is an ideally designed mat for toddlers that provide them a great cushioned surface to play on. It is a big mat having a size of about 31 inches which is more than enough space for a kid to roam about in. It is made from a very soft fabric that is as smooth as silk and perfect for kids to sleep on. The best feature of this mat is that it is machine washable too and so would not take a lot of effort to clean. Infants younger than a year are going to love snuggling into this extremely cushy mat.

Cons: I was not able to find any flaws or problems in this item. It was beautifully designed, had a very reasonable price and was well loved by my kids too. So, all in all, I am very pleased and satisfied with this product.

Amount Paid: $ 44.95

Purchase Date: March 29th, 2013

Online or In-Store: Online

Final Notes: The Bestever Giraffe Baby Mat is a very beautiful and artistically designed mat for kids that provides them a great item to lie and play around on. It is a large mat that is perfect for newborn babies and toddlers.

Recommended: Yes

Overall Rating: 5 stars

Review Title: NOOK Simple Touch by Barnes & Noble

Title: NOOK Simple Touch

Review Body: The item is the BOOK Simple Touch that I bought from the Barnes & Noble website a few weeks ago. I had been looking for a good e-reader that can provide me company on my long business trips that I have to take regularly from time to time. I wanted an e-reader that had a good enough battery life as most of my flights and road trips are very long and I knew that I would not be able to charge it for long periods of time.

I searched for a while on the internet to find such an e-reader and then logged on to the Barnes & Noble website to look at some new releases. There my eyes fell upon the NOOK Simple Touch and I read about its long battery life.

I was instantly interested in buying this device as it provided me the most important feature I was looking for, a long battery life. However, found it best to analyze other features of the e-reader before going ahead with the purchase. I was delighted to see that the e-reader had many other features that were according to my liking.

It had a large enough and responsive touch screen, a Wi-Fi connection, access to a large bookstore, a very reasonable price and above all it came from a reliable company like Barnes & Noble. Having considered all of these features and factors, I had no doubt in my mind that this e-reader was perfect for me and I placed an order for it immediately.

The item was to be shipped for free, so I did not have to pay for the shipping cost of the item. It was delivered to me on the same day I had placed the order which was very surprising for me as normally online orders take at least two to three days to reach me.

I was delighted to see that the NOOK Simple Touch looked more sleek and stylish then it had looked in the pictures posted on the website. It had a very clear and bright touch screen which was very easy for me to use and I was able to download a number of my favorite books from the large collection it offered me.

Having the NOOK Simple Touch on my business trips made my flights a lot pleasurable and bearable. I was never bored for a second and had my NOOK to thank for it which provided me excellent company.

Pros: The NOOK Simple Touch is an extraordinary e-book reader that comes with a 6 inch Touch screen which is not only very responsive, but is also extremely easy to use. It is Wi-Fi enabled which makes it possible for the customers to access book stores from anywhere for free. It provides you access to millions of books that you can customize when reading.

The NOOK Simple Touch utilizes the E-Ink display and Best Text technology which combine to provide you the best reading experience possible. Besides these features, the NOOK has an ultra high battery life too and can keep on functioning for months without having to be charged.

Cons: I was not able to find anything to criticize in this e-book reader. It has all the features contained in it that I wanted to have and I am very much satisfied with its performance too. Thus, I have no regrets in buying this amazing device.

Website Experience: The Barnes & Noble website from where I bought this amazing e-book reader is a wonderful site. I have bought many of the books in my collection from this website and have always found it a very well-crafted one. The categories and menus are arranged in a very systematic order which makes for easy navigation and quick finding of the items I am looking for.

Having bought previously from the website, I know that the security features of the website are flawless. The website has taken every possible measure to ensure that the private information of the customers remains confidential and they do not run the risk of internet fraud.

Amount Paid: $ 79.00

Purchase Date: March 5, 2013

Online or In-Store: Online

Final Notes: NOOK Simple Touch is a wonderful e-book reader that can prove to be your perfect companion on long flights and boring business trips. Having an extended battery life, this e-reader is ideal for reading your favorite books while on the move.

Recommended: Yes

Overall Rating: 5 stars

I tend to frequent used bookstores, but found myself in the Barnes & Noble during a trip to the mall. It’s a nice store, with surprising selections such as gift ideas and novelties. Plus, as most reviewers have already pointed out, the coffee shop is a nice addition and a great place to relax while reading a book or using the WiFi. Still, I find many of their books overpriced, and they didn’t have two of the three titles I was looking for, although they offered to order them for me free of charge. I passed, thinking I could do that myself while getting a better price at Amazon.com. I’d recommend B&N if you’re in a bind and can’t wait for an online book order to ship, or if you simply like the atmosphere and don’t mind paying full price for new books. Otherwise, check out online discounts and take advantage of used bookstores.

Barnes & Noble is one of my favorite bookstores. Even though they're a big chain, visiting one of their stores is an experience to be enjoyed. I like being able to have coffee while looking at my latest purchase. Their website has one of the best selections that I've ever found. One of the things I like about using their site for books is that they have more of an emphasis on books than many other bookstore sites do. I feel like my shopping experience here doesn't have to be needlessly overwhelming, unlike my experience on other sites.

Barnes & Noble is my favorite bookstore. I have been buying books at their store. I found out about the website and even though I enjoy browsing through the selections, I have not found it to be quite the same thing. I just love the atmosphere of the store, especially the coffee brewing when I walk through the door. I often go to the store on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon to unwind and browse through the books. They have a better selection than any other bookstore I have shopped at. I recommend them to any book lover.

Whenever I need to unwind, I head to my local Barnes & Noble. It’s the one place I can grab a book and a cushioned chair and just unwind for a couple of hours without any employees coming by to hound me. My local store even has a coffee shop inside so I could practically live there. The only reason I give it 4 stars instead of 5 is that B&N’s prices are always much higher than other stores, even retailers that carry brand new books. For most of my major book purchases, I go to a used bookstore.

I can remember the first time I walked into a Barnes & Noble store. It was like walking into your dream home. Books everywhere, cozy places to sit and read, coffee brewing. In high school I must have been in this store every other day with friends or by myself. For a while I’ve being using their website, but I found it’s just not the same as actually walking in, browsing, and enjoying the books in your hands. I visit when I can now and usually take my small daughter along with me. It makes for great bonding time.

I had always thought that Barnes and Noble bookstores were supposed to be the best in the business. I agree that they most likely have more of a selection than any other store. However, I feel that their prices can be pretty crazy. My college actually suggests this store for purchasing our textbooks and I already know that I can always find them cheaper somewhere else. I feel that if their prices were a lot better, this would be a great bookstore to shop at. It is just too much for my pocketbook to handle.

I really enjoy my visits to the Barnes & Noble stores. The section of the store that is dedicated to novelties, bookend and different types of stationary is my favorite place to buy gifts. Everything is just so high quality. The bargain section always has a lot of interesting books and activity kits as well. I only wish they would carry more than just the latest books. I can never find early books in a series when I want to catch up.