content: This is a truly charming book that will make you laugh, cry, and all that jazz. It is a bit better than the movie version, and light years above the stage version. The stories of a family living with an efficiancy expert is funny enough, the fact that there are 12 kids (well, actually 11 b/c one dies of diptheria when she is really young) makes it all the funnier. Unfortunatly, this book is rather dated as is apparent by he considerable racism. (The Parents perform a minstrel show for their children, anything taboo is deemed "eskimo," the sterotypical portrayel of a chinease cook, etc.) Fortuately, this parts are easiyl skipped over, though they really should be cut. Read this book, it is genuinly touching and has some nice lessons about family, but I would recommend editing it before you share it with impressionable young children.