Book Description

Everyone's favorite pint-sized pastry-loving superhero is back, ready to save Blootinville from nefarious villains and win the heart of fair Sara Willow! But unfortunately for Horace Splattly (a.k.a. the Cupcaked Crusader), his brilliant little sister Melody has other plans for him: the annual Blootinville Celernip Prince Pageant for Boys.Not even Horace's superpowers can save him from Melody's mortifying plans . . . or can they?

Illustrated by Barry Gott. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Keep on reading!
The story line in this book is not quite as good as the first two, but still a must-read for all Cupcaked Crusader fans.

After reading this my 8 year old son seriously considered being the Cupcaked Crusader for the following Halloween! That should tell you how much he likes these books. The only thing that stopped him was that we didn't think the books were widely enough read yet for him to be recognized by the average person.

The Cupcaked Crusader is a little bit of what all young kids need in their lives. An imaginative, feel-good story.

A story of the 'cupcaked crusader'
Barry Gott provides the fun cartoon cover and black and white occasional drawings to spice Horace Splattly: Terror Of Pink Dodo Balloons, a story of the 'cupcaked crusader', who finds himself in trouble when pink flamingo balloons overtake the town. Horace eats his sister super-power cupcakes to turn himself into a Cupcaked Crusader but now he's in trouble with the police in this whimsical, zany adventure. ... Read more

Book Description

Ben and his Labrador, Ned, castaways from the legendary ghost shipFlying Dutchman, swore never go to sea again-but a mishap in SouthAmerica lands them aboard a French pirate ship with not one, but twovillainous sea captains in pursuit. To make matters worse, Ben is stillhaunted by visions of Captain Vanderdecken, whose ghost seeks vengeanceon the former cabin boy. And that is only the beginning of theiradventures! ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Average but still Enjoyable
I gave this book an "average" rating because it was somewhat amusing in plot but not an outstanding read.With that said, I would like to mention that my 8 year old absolutely loved it because of the way the dog and boy communicate mentally.

The Angel's Command is EPIC!
The Angel's Command is another great, epic tale from Brian Jacques. It is as compelling as Castaways of the Flying Dutchman. In this great tale, Ben and Ned have found a new friend that happens to be a French Buccaneer. A conflict arises and Ben and Ned are forced to flee with the Frenchman. They sail into the high sea as two enemy ships pursue them. This is the part that gets addicting as the action rises.
I found it very hard to put this book down after getting into it. But there is one disappointing factor; there were no mysteries or puzzles that needed to be solved. The puzzle in Castaways of the Flying Dutchman was pretty cool. That is about the only mistake that Brian Jacques made in his new book.
I can't wait for Brian Jacques next book, weather it's a Red Wall tale or a Dutchman tale...

Jacques pleases yet again
I am a great fan of all of Brian Jacques' works, and this book lived up to his legacy.

You could pick up this novel and understand the story line without reading the first Dutchman book, which is always a sign of a good story.The plot flowed very fluently, and the rhythm kept me on my toes throughout the book.

The characters were strong and well-formed, in fact, they were beautifully realistic.The flaws and gifts counterbalanced each other wonderfully, making me laugh and cry at the antics and heartbreak.

Overall, I'd say that this is a book for anyone who loves books, regardless of age.Ignore the recommended reading levels, and just enjoy a great read.

Second Book in a great series
This is a great book, which's why I gave it five stars. However, I didn't really like the ending. It's the second book in The Flying Dutchman series, and the two main characters, Ben and Ned, are still immortal. This book takes place in the years between the Flying Dutchman book. There is a lot of action, suspense, and drama. The first half of the book was mostly action, adventure, with a little horror mixed in.While the second half of the book is filled withadventure, suspense, and drama.I'd recommend this book to anyone who likes a long story, with several genres, and many characters.

This book starts out in a small city in Columbia, Cartengena, in the year 1628. A boy named Ben and his dog, Ned, are hungry, after wandering around. They go into a tavern, called the Rhum Tigre. Two pirates, a Spaniard, RoccoMadrid, and Raphael Thuron, a Frenchman, are playing an old game, where you mix shells, and under one is a pea. Captain Thuron loses another round, and passes a stack of gold coins to Madrid. One coin falls on the floor. Ned is on it like a hawk. He gives it to Captain Thuron, who gives it to Ben. Ben is then told to get meat, wine, and to keep the extra change, to buy Ned and himself something.

Ned discovers that the Spaniard is cheating. He tells Ben about it, because they can telepathically communicate. Ben watches the next round closely, and sees that the Spaniard slips the pea into his lap. He whispers it to Captain Thuron, who tells his crew. After that round, the Frenchman says to Madrid, "There's a dagger either side of you and a loaded musket pointed at your belly from my side. I'm betting there's no pea under any of those three shells..." Thuron then takes all his gold back, and he, his crew, and Ben and Ned dash to his ship to make a getaway.

There are two big adventures in this book, as opposed to the three in its prequel. I liked this book a little better than the Flying Dutchman, because it doesn't skip over whole centuries. It's all during the same year. This is just the first part of a huge adventure! Sail with scalawags, and battle buccaneers! Read this awesome book to find out more!

Its good.
I found this book good. It kept me up late at night. But i think it didn't reach the quality of the original Castaway of the flying dutchman. In that book, Ben and Ned seemed better then Angel's Command. In Angel's command, they seem too ..... heavenly and good to be counted as real. Often times when i read it, i felt i was reading a good ole fairy tale with flat characters. The story also didn't have Brian's trademark of puzzles and strange maps ( like in Castaway and all the Redwall books). It almost see a straight forward adventure.

Overall i thought this was a good book, but most of the characters act too heavenly and good for me. ... Read more

Amazon.com

It was only a slap. Well, maybe more than one. And maybe Nick used his fist at the end when the anger got out of control. But his girlfriend Caitlin deserved it--hadn't she defied him by singing in the school talent show when he had forbidden her to display herself like that? Even though he'd told her that everybody would laugh at her because she couldn't sing and was a fat slob? Both were lies. Because Caitlin was so beautiful, the only person who understood him. Out of his desperate need for her came all the mean words and the hitting. But now Caitlin's family has procured a restraining order to keep Nick away, and the judge has sentenced him to Mario Ortega's Family Violence class, to sit around every week with six other angry guys who hit their girlfriends. And to write a journal explaining how he got into this mess.

Other teen novels--most strikingly Dreamland by Sarah Dessen--have shown dating violence from the point of view of a young girl trapped in an abusive relationship, but in Breathing Underwater, first-time novelist Alex Flinn tackles the difficult task of making us understand, if not sympathize with, the motivation of a violent young man. The story, like Rob Thomas's stylistically similar Rats Saw God, proceeds in two different time frames: the journal in which Nick relives the course of his tender but stormy love affair with Caitlin and the time after the restraining order, in which a desperate and friendless Nick struggles to understand and overcome his anger. This extraordinarily moving novel is highly relevant reading for all young men in our violence-prone society. (Ages 13 and older) --Patty Campbell ... Read more

Reviews (80)

Never the Same
"Breathing Underwater" is an extremely good book, written by Alex Flinn. She tells a story of a boy named Nick, who has abusive issues. He is a popular kid at school, until something goes wrong. One day he meets a girl named Cailtin and falls in love with her. Then the control begins. He puts her down by calling her names, and saying untruthful things to her. Nick's dad's abuse of him makes him think abusing caitlin is okay. Such abuse causes him to lose his friends, and popularity. Nick even had to go to court, take anger management classes, and write in a journal. Will he like anger management? What will happen with Caitlin and Nick? Read the novel to find out.

This book is a great read! It tells about things that can happen in a teenage relationship. I believe that in teenage relationships, abuse should not happen. I like this nevel because I learned what abuse does to a person in that kind of relationship. It gives readers an idea of what to look for in an abusive relationship. It talks about abuse, and how a person can overcome it. I would recommend this book to anyone, especially someone in an abusive relationship,

The Escape
The book "Breathing Underwater" is a very powerful book for teenagers anywhere. I feel like this book sends a message that can't be ignored by anybody. Especially those people who are in these situations, both boys and girls. Young girls and boys who are in abusive relationships right now could get some courage to get out of them and away from their abusive partners from this book. If they don't want to end up like Caitlin, abused and embarrassed, they will leave their partners far behind them. Hopefully these boys and girls get the message and decide to do something with where they are at before they become another statistic.
In this book Nick was a popular handsome teenage boy who unfortunately had an anger problem. Nick's mother left his father to raise him when he was only a child. Nick's father also had an anger problem and everyday verbally and physically abused Nick. Nick unfortunately developed his father's bad ways, and began abusing his new girlfriend Caitlin. Caitlin was a girl who had spent most of her life being fat and feeling ugly. Just that year she lost all that weight and was feeling really good about herself. Nick was the first boy who had ever taken interest in Caitlin, so she felt like his abuse towards her was perfectly fine, and for her own good. Nick at first was just verbally abusing her until finally it turned physical. Caitlin at first listened to her friends and tried to avoid Nick, but whenever they were alone together, Nick could talk her into anything. She took him back again thinking that things would change and get better, but not long after, the abuse had started right back up again. Only this time it had actually gotten a lot worse than before. The last time Nick beat up Caitlin, he beat her the night of her show that he didn't want her to perform in. He said he didn't want the people in the crowd all looking at her because she was fat and couldn't sing. She did anyway trying to surprise him and show him that it wouldn't be that bad, and he got really angry. He thought that the dress she was wearing was too revealing for her. He dragged her outside in the parking lot and began slapping and punching her in the face. He would have kept on beating her if it wasn't for all of their friends who were also in the show. After that, Caitlin had nothing to do with Nick. While all of this was going on Nick had been placed in anger management classes by the courts. He didn't really get the message that he needed them until the end of the book when he decided to re-take the class himself.
All in all, this book was pretty good. I would recommend this book to those who even aren't teenagers. This book did give me a sense of hope for all people who are in abusive relationships. This book can make a difference in people's lives. This book can honestly guide them to making the right decisions and doing the right thing.

The apple doesn't fall far from the tree
Nick Andreas is one of the few blessed members of his high school elite on Key Biscayne. He is smart, rich, good-looking, and insanely popular. Come the first day of sophomore year, he arrives in style, driving the brand new car he just received for his 16th birthday. Almost immediately, he notices her, a beautiful blonde. Caitlin Alyssa McCourt. She's ethereal, almost delicate looking. Her airy appearance separates her from the rest of the pretty girls. She wears a slipdress and pearl earrings while the rest of them wear diamond studs and jeans.

Immediately, Nick wants her.

"That's Caitlin McCourt. She went to fat camp over the summer," Nick's best friend since kindergarten, Tom, says. Now, 35 pounds lighter, she's transformed into a different person. At first shy and fearing rejection, Nick musters up his courage and asks her if she wants a ride home after school. She accepts his invitation.

Their relationship blossoms in a matter of two months. Nick loves Caitlin - or so he believes. And Caitlin loves Nick. Being a former fat girl, many insecurities still seem to be present in her - she fears Nick will leave her and doesn't believe she can find better. Nick starts out loving, gentle, and protecting. Then he turns angry, frustrated, and doubly insecure, as well as immensely overbearing and cruel. The first time he slaps her, he woos her back with a gift and apologizes profusely. All is forgiven.

It isn't that way the second time. The second time, Nick goes too far. He believes he is the only one who deserves power over Caitlin and when she defies him by singing in the school's talent show, things turn hideous, but perhaps even more so on Nick's part. We watch as he loses every single high school friend he has. We watch as anger management sessions open his eyes. We watch as a wiser Caitlin McCourt is finally able to reject her first and former boyfriend. Nick's crew, as well as the entire school, knows of Nick's ways, which is why they can barely stand to look at him. Everyone sides with Caitlin.

But Nick has kept a dark secret from everyone EXCEPT Caitlin, including Tom, who, prior to Nick's incident involving Caitlin, thought he knew his best buddy inside and out. Nick's father is just like him: good looks, brains, charm. And an ugly, ugly temper that often turns violent. Will Tom find out that while Caitlin was hurting, so was his so-called best friend? Or will Nick be too embarrased to open his mouth?

Read and see.

Alex Flinn's first novel fits a cliche, yet strays from their use, thankfully. She's written a story that is realistic and artfully depicts and pieces together the mind of an abuser. At times, I found myself hating Nick Andreas with a passion. Other times, I felt sorry for him. Either way, the novel ends on a note neither completely happy nor a downer, and it manages to stay away from being overly sappy and sentimental throughout. It flows nicely and, for a first effort, is quite well done.

Breathing Underwater
At the beginning of the book we meet the main character, Nick Andres. He's sitting in a courtroom and wondering why he is here. To everyone Nick has the perfect life .He's rich, good looking and has his first real girlfriend. The trouble starts when Nick starts going out with Caitlin. He experiences jealously and starts to develop an abusive mind. He hits her and has to attend anger management class.
The way the author tells the story is pretty cool. We read what Nick has to go through after he hit his girlfriend and we get to read his journal that tells what happened before he slapped her. All in all this was a good read.I recommend this to anyone who likes a lot of drama. This book will keep your attention until the very last page.

Breathing Underwater
This is a book that is sure to capture your attention. It is about a sixteen year old boy and his hidden struggles. His father is rich but yet a poor and abusive father. His mother left him at a young age with nobody to save him from his violent father. He then finds the love of his life, a girl named Caitlin. While his love for he grows so does his fear of losing her. He begins to become very controlling. He ends up slapping her which results to their relationships dismise.

I found this book to be very interesting and it captivated my attention. I think that you will enjoy reading this book and encourage it. This story tells you of the good things and bad things of relationships that you might be able to relate to. ... Read more

Book Description

An American Bookseller Pick of the Lists

Full-color pictures throughout ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Good story for a wet day
This book tells the story of a small boy who goes out to play in a puddle on a rainy day. He follows his mother's instructions carefully, about not stepping in the puddle. But the animals who come to visit have no such limitations and their antics are quite entertaining.

Although the story is fairly innocuous, small children who become anxious over breaking things may become uncomfortable when reading this story- -an alligator rescues the boy's boat from the puddle, and in the process cracks it with his mouth. In the final scene of the book, the boat is shown in the boy's bathtub, and several small readers lamented that the crack was still there. The book is quite short, with only about 200 words.

wonderful book
My two year old loves this book, simple concept that is well developed, one of the few books I originally took out from the library and then felt compelled to go on and buy. ... Read more

Book Description

"The Summer of My Discontent" is a tapestry of tales delving into life as a gay teen in a small Midwestern town. Dane is a sixteen-year-old runaway determined to start a new life of daring, love, and sex--no matter the cost to himself, or others.His actions bring him to the brink of disaster and only those he sought to prey upon can save him.Among Dane's new found "friends" are a young male prostitute and the local grave robber who becomes his despised employer.The boys of "A Better Place" are back--Ethan, Nathan, Brendan, and Casper are once again dealing with trouble in Verona, Indiana.Drought and circumstance threaten their existence and they struggle together to save themselves from blackmail, financial collapse, and temptation.Brendan must cope with anonymity after being one of the most popular boys in school.Casper must face his own past--the loss of his father and the fate of his abusive brother, who is locked away in the very hospital of horrors from which Brendan escaped.Letters from his brother force Casper to question his feelings--is Jason truly a monster or can he change?Dark, foreboding, and sexy--"The Summer of My Discontent" is the tale of gay teens seeking to find themselves, each other, and a better place. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

All Sequels Should be this Good
To quote the book jacket, "THE SUMMER OF MY DISCONTENT is the much anticipated sequel to A BETTER PLACE", which happens to be my favorite in Mark Roeder's "Youth Chronicle" series. The time is late summer 1981, and the place is Verona Indiana. Teenage runaway, Dane lands in town, hell bent on experiencing life in a way that he's always been afraid of in the past. Dane is gay, desperately horny, and determined to find a boyfriend, regardless of the cost, be it blackmail or assault. He is going to get laid no matter what.

Also featured here, are characters developed in previous installments of the "chronicles". Ethan and Nathan, out high school seniors, very much in love with each other, and recent arrivals in Verona, Brendan, a football hero from Kentucky, and his slight but adorable boyfriend Casper. All four are living and working on Nathan's, Uncle's farm. A devastating draught has hit the region and crop failures threaten the farm's solvency. In an attempt to help out financially Casper and Nathan take jobs in downtown Verona, while Ethan and Brendan continue to work side by side on the farm, re-awakening erotic feelings Ethan has had for Brendan, but has been suppressing.

Dane, hanging out in a park across the street from the restaurant where Casper has found a job, develops an infatuation for Brendan's boyfriend, but when he is unable to entice him, sets his sights on the ultra-hunky Ethan, a star on the high school wrestling team. Dane is determined to get into Ethan's pants, and he doesn't care what he has to do to accomplish his goal.

Will Dane be successful in his attempts at seduction? Will he get lucky with Austin, a young hustler he meets in the park and crashes with? To what depths will Dane sink in order to experience the gay sex for which he is so desperate? And what of Ethan, will he be able to resist his secret yearnings for Brendan, and stay true to Nathan? Will he finally be able to deal with, and move on from, the suicides of two gay friends who were lovers, but were unable to handle the homophobia surrounding them? All these questions, and more, are answered realistically if somewhat idealistically, thru the course of this very involving novel.

Does THE SUMMER OF MY DISCONTENT, stand on its own as a novel or are, Roeder's previous books required reading in order to appreciate this one? Yes to both questions. "DISCONTENT" provides enough background information during the story to keep the reader from being confused about characters developed in earlier novels, and it has its own rich individual plot, but it is, after all, a "sequel", and should be approached as one. I encourage reading SOMEONE IS WATCHING and A BETTER PLACE (in that order), before starting THE SUMMER OF MY DISCONTENT, for maximum enjoyment. ... Read more

Book Description

Chris's life is complicated.At school, he's been selected to lead a project on sports teams with Indian names.At home, on the Penacook reservation, the Indians are divided about building a casino.It would destroy the beautiful island Chris thinks of as his own.Is there anything one sixth-grade boy can do?

"Chris's compelling voyage of self-discovery is grounded in everyday events . . . allowing readers to see into the heart of this burgeoning chief."
-Publishers Weekly

"Readers who see injustice in their own lives will admire how much Chris accomplishes with a simple message of respect."
-Booklist ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Heart Of a Chief
Chief vs. Casino
I read Heart of a Chief. It is about a boy named Chris Nicloa. Chris is nervous because he is about to start his first day of middle school. Chris, to his surprise, becomes class leader and is very popular to the people in the school. He discovers that his town leaders have decided to place a casino on his island Penacock Indian Reservation. He decides to stand up for himself and class mates for what he believes in and to get the casino built somewhere off the island.
I think this a very good book because it shows someone with a lot of courage doing what he believes in. This book gives the mind encouragement in doing what's right. It makes you think anything is possible and worth trying. Chris is really bright and smart and does things that most people would be too scared to do. This is a heart-warming story that I think everyone can relate to in the end.

Beautiful, Sensitive, Heart-warming
Joseph Bruchac presents a vivid and heart-warming story about the life of a contemporary Native American boy living between the wrenching descrimination and exploitation of his People and the beauty and peace of his home. I do not profess to know much about the Native American lifestyle, but I would trust any book Bruchac writes. His book has given me an authentic and sensitive picture of one boy's struggle to balance his heritage with the pressures of life on and off the reservation. I can now only imagine how this story is familiar to many people in the U.S. Beautifully written. ... Read more

Book Description

Lord Otori, Takeo, and Takeo’s new teacher Kenji set off to meet Kaede, a fifteen-year-old girl chosen as the future Lady Otori by a group of politicalcollaborators. Takeo is still trying to come to terms with knowing that, through the father henever knew, he is one of the Tribe—a group of mysterious, ninja-like assassins who haveallegiance to no one. When Takeo and Kaede first meet, they are drawn to each other, andwithout speaking a word, fall in love. But events are doomed to pull them apart, and soonthey are each thrust into a battle for their lives. ... Read more

Book Description

Discover the world of the medieval knight -- from battles to banquets, sieges to chivalry.

Here is a spectacular and informative guide to the life and times of the medieval knight and his followers. Superb color photographs of everything from suits of armor to the lord and lady of the manor in full costume offer a unique "eyewitness" view into the lives of medieval people at peace and during wartime. See a horse's armor, medieval siege engines, how armor is made, how a castle is attacked and defended, how a knight put on his armor and the weapons of a Japanese samurai. Learn the rules of jousts and tournaments, the language of heraldry, how the sections of a suit of armor were joined together, how a falconer trained his hawk and why the Crusades were important. Discover who treated the wounded on a medieval battlefield, how knights hunted for deer, the way the first guns worked and how a knight recruited his followers, and much, much more! ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Got out of knights
It was pretty good, but it was kind of showing out of the knight period. They wrote a lot about castles and it was titled knights. This bothered me. I really liked how it showed what a knight has as his duty.

Interest your children in REAL history
DK eyewitness books are some of the greatest non-fiction books around. The distinctive white background and high-quality photography gives this book an edge over any other nonfiction picture book. And -- these pictures are real! They're beautiful museum-quality photos of all things related to knights, accompanied by informative captions and text.

Learn about medieval life, knights, armor, etc. If you know someone (young or old) who is fascinated by medieval times and knights, then you must introduce them to this book!

Captured his interest for days! He keeps going back to it.
My 10 year old son is fascinated with all things midevil. This book shows the armor, weopons, and lifestyle of knights. The photos are excellent and the copy is interesting. Your child may need a little help with some of the vocabulary.

Not the best.
Boring, boring, boring. This book wasn't good. It had anlmost no imfo. I didn't like this book.

For grown-ups AND kids alike
I own several books from the Eyewitness Series and I am imprssed with them all. Why weren't these used as textbooks when I was in elementary school :)

The pictures are quite vivid and there is so much content inside the book. You WILL come away with a greater knowledge and better appreciation of history of knighthood! ... Read more

Book Description

Cody's mom is pulling the plug and sending him off to camp. That means no TV, no video games, no computers-for one whole week! According to his wilderness guide, the first rule of survival is to be prepared. The only thing Cody's not prepared for is how much fun he'll have at camp!

"Fans of Cody will stay unplugged themselves until the final pages of this fun-filled story."
-Booklist ... Read more

Reviews (3)

My 5th grade review
I had to write a review for a fifth grade project. Here it is...
This book is about a boy named Cody who spends all of his time watching TV and playing Video Games. But his mother wanted to change all of that. She sent him to Camp Bear for one week of the summer. It was a nature camp without electricity. How was Cody going to survive without electricity? But after 2 days without video games he was having fun with his new friends, Moose and Otter. There were real things to do at camp, such as kayaking, archery, horseback riding, swimming, pottery, fishing, and nature walks. He learned how to handle real life situations like, loosing his swimming trunks in the lake, dancing with girls, and saving his friend from a dangerous rattlesnake. Cody has so many new adventures that he survives the week and has fun.

Cody Unplugged
This book is very funny. If I could give this book
a medal, I would. This book would make you laugh from
begining to end. I would recommend this book to
people who like to laugh alot. I would not recommend this book to people who don't like to laugh, or anyone who doesn't like kids books

Kept my 10 year old away from his game boy!
My 10 year old son LOVED this book! He thought the book was really good and kept telling everyone that they needed to read it, too. It seems that it is very entertaining - he pointed out some of his favorite parts that he thought were funny. I think he was drawn in right from the start when Cody comes up with a list of reasons why he can't go to the camp his mom wants to send him to - including the dog might forget who he is and he would miss Wheel of Fortune. As you can tell from the second reason, Cody is a couch potato and not much for the great outdoors...at least at the beginning... The most amazing thing to me was that my son found something that he liked to read so much that his gameboy sat around gathering dust! :) ... Read more

Book Description

'Cordially hated and dreaded by all the mothers of the town because he was idle, and lawless, vulgar, and bad - and because all their children admired him so', Huckleberry Finn, the fourteen-year-old son of the town drunkard, joins runaway slave Jim on an exciting journey down the mighty Mississippi River on a raft. ... Read more

Reviews (279)

Two unlikely friends
When I read The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain in high school, it was possibly the first book I enjoyed that was assigned by a teacher. Twain's imagery puts the reader right beside Huck while he escapes 'sivilization' and floats down the Mississippi river with his slave-gone-fugitive friend Jim. Huck's innocent outlook on the world is both humorous and adorable. Huck's respect for Jim is admirable. Even though Huck was brought up with Jim being a inferior slave, he still looks up to Jim. Also, I think that although Jim's dialect adds to the effectiveness of the book, it is very difficult to understand. I think Twain writes it a little too much how the dialect sounds. I would recommend this book to anyone. It offers plenty of excitement and surprises.

One of the great works in American Literature
Mark Twain called a 'classic' a book that everyone praises but which no one actually reads. This book defies that description, and the result is a classic which is both very readable and very enjoyable. Few American authors have enjoyed such widespread popularity as Twain, and this work is, in my opinion, his best. The story is fairly simple, and the plot such that any average person could read and follow the story, yet the message the novel conveys is so deep and important that one cannot help but be greatly enriched by this book.

This is the story of Huck Finn, the son of the town drunk from 'The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.' In this novel Huck helps a slave, Jim, escape from slavery, and the two of them float down the Mississippi in search of freedom for both of them. Along the way they have many adventures, and Tom even makes an appearance toward the end of the novel to complicate and romanticize things in true Tom Sawyer style.

This book has much to say about the subject of slavery. The institution is so entrenched in Huck's world that it is preached from the pulpit, that aiding a slave to escape means eternal damnation for the accomplice. Throughout the novel Huck struggles with this issue, as his inner conscience (which knows he should help Jim, and which sees him as an intelligent and worthy friend) battles his knowledge of society's morals and values (which sees Jim as a mindless brute which should be returned to captivity). In many ways Huck is far more perceptive than most people in his time, because he sees Negroes as people too. Huck's final decision in the matter is one of the great moments in American Literature. He knows what it means to help Jim, but he has made up his mind, "All right, then, I'll go to hell!"

I first read this book when I was young, and even then I was impressed by the story. I didn't understand most of the meaning, but the book nevertheless made an impact on me. This is the beauty of Mark Twain--he is readable for all ages.

Please!
Who the hell is this Mark Twain character?! Simply put: What a lousy novel! Maybe this was his first novel...I don't know. Anyways, I sure hope he doesn't plan on writing anything else. I read this book, initially, in the author's native bulgarian language...and it was even worse! The translator was probably trying to do us a favor by touching up this P.O.S. novel, but I think it would take an act of God to save this text...

Horrible
This book was a profound disappointment. It offered nothing in the way of plot, characters, or theme. It is a long, painstaking, tedious read. Don't bother with this book.

very exciting and suspenseful
I had previously read the book "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" during a project in third grade. I grew up very close to St. Petersburg, Missouri, where the story takes place. This made the story more interesting because I know what the area is like. I could not comprehend the story as well then as I now can, and it was fascinating to reread. It was also much better this time because I was not being forced to read it in class.

The story held my focus throughout, and I found it hard to put the book down. I loved the constant action of the book. The boys were always coming up with sly or cunning ideas, as they had done in the prequel. It was quite humorous, while still creating a great deal of suspense and drama. It gives people who have grown up in recent years a chance to imagine what it would be like to grow up at the turn of the century. That is probably my favorite aspect of the book. It has an overabundance of action while remaining very believable and somewhat realistic.

The main characters are my favorite part of this series of books. Huck is my favorite character because he overcomes so much adversity. He could very easily give up on life after what he put up with against his father, but continued to aspire a good life elsewhere. Also, he acted as an older brother figure for Tom and taught him a lot during their experiences. I also admire Tom because he shares in Huck's action, as well as teaches him to be booksmart. They do well in complimenting each other. They also are very cunning but stay within their morals, and I admire that. Jim is an example of how the boys were far ahead of their time and befriended not only a black man, but a slave. They were very mature, despite ignorance because of their young age. None of the main characters ever seemed to be selfish when it came to helping each other; they would always put their neck on the line for one another.

Overall, I loved this book, and would suggest it to anyone. I do think, however, that males would enjoy it more than females simply because the adventures tend more to a male imagination, but it can be enjoyed by all readers. ... Read more

Book Description

I be boy.All bliss boy. All fine beat. All beau boy. Beautiful. "This stunning volume celebrates all things boy." -Publishers Weekly, starred review Famed author bell hooks brings us a tight, exuberant story that captures the essence and energy of what it means to be a boy. Chris Raschka's soulful illustrations buzz with a force that is the perfect match for these powerful words. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

This is a GREAT book for toddler African American boys!
The first time I read this book was in my Black Studies class; my teacher brought it to class one day.It immediately caught my attention because I am a mother of a two-year old, energetic little boy!I knew that this book would be great for him!It teaches black children, particularly black boys, to be proud of who they are and to think nothing less of themselves. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

My five year old loves this!
Jim Weiss's stories are well paced and interesting. Obviously abridged it has provided a good introduction to these stories to my five year old who now has me online looking for more! Mr. Weiss has, in some cases, simplified the language and concepts to ones that my five year old understand. A great tape for car rides, my three year old even loves to listen along. ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

Chris Brabson is full of hate.He hates the Yankee soldiers who are camping in his beloved Tennessee woods; he hates their snotty Northern ways and their belief that they know what's best for the South; he hates that they've taken all of his family's food to feed their own troops.And he hates that his own brother has joined the Union side of the war when, to Chris, it is clear that the Confederacy is the side to fight for.When his hatred proves more powerful than good sense, Chris spies for the Confederates, revealing that a Union wagon train is camped in a valley near his home -- and his brother is probably in that train.Caught in the bitter battle at dawn, Chris discovers that in war, nothing is clear-cut -- good and bad are equally laid to waste by the horrors of the battlefield. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

the coolest book ever
the perilous road book is the best book ever i dont like reading but know i love reading.it about chris b hate the uion troops.
and he thinks silus is a spy later tourchd the end he went to the yankee camp and thought that it was war that is the worst thing ever and it can tear pepole apart.and he finds out that silus is not a spy.

Perilous Road Review
The Perilous Road by William O. Steele is a deep detailed story set in Tennessee during the Civil War. The story is about a teenage southerner who hates Yankees. One day he finds a Yankee wagon train so he tells the Confederates when and how to attack. Later on, he finds out that his brother who joined the Union army as a wagon driver could be on one of those wagons! Has he caused the death of his own brother?
The Perilous Road by William O. Steele is an action-packed suspense book that keeps you turning the pages yearning for more. The details given in this book were so deep it made me feel like I was there running through the woods with Chris and Silas. In one part of the book Chris is hanging over the side of a cliff for his life while Yankee soldiers chat overhead. If you're a reader who likes to read war novels or just likes to catch yourself worrying about the main character, this is the book for you.

Not that Bad, but not that good
I think that the book was sorta boring and definetly not great.I mean the theme is pretty good, but I've read books that were a lot better.

great book baby
great book.it is really interesting.i've had this book since 5th grade and i haven't read it tillnow (10th grade)i'm sorry i didn't.it was great- duh george.

The Perilous Road by an 8th grader- Jeff
I read the bookThe Perilous Road by William O. Steele.If you like exciting books you should read this one.I really don't like to read but this book I really enjoyed reading. The story takes place during the Civil War.Chris Brabson hates the union troops for many reasons.He tries ro get them back for stealing their food through a variety of ways. ... Read more

Amazon.com

When grouchy school administrator Mr. Apple tells LynnhurstElementary's beloved principalMr. Tanen to get serious about teaching and stop wearing those crazy ties, not only is Mr. Tanen crestfallen, but the whole school gets the blues. Now how will the students know what kind of day it is? Mr. Tanen's famous ties made every day a holiday. On rainy days, he wore a tie with umbrellas on it, and when it was someone's birthday, he sported one that played "Happy Birthday." And the one he wore on Frankfurter Friday, well, you can imagine what that tie was like.

School becomes even less fun when a discouraged Mr. Tanen calls in sick and Mr. Apple, wearing a rather uninspiring blue tie, arrives to substitute. Not willing to let school become so boring, one clever student conspires to giveMr. Apple, a passionate bird watcher, a tie with bright red cardinals on it. ("'Thank you... But that's not quite my style,' says Mr. Apple." Or is it?) Mr. Apple just can't resist wearing his gorgeous new tie to the supermarket where his dandy appearance charms a certain pretty lady. Before you know it, romance blooms, and a happy Mr. Tanen is returned to his grateful students. Visually delightful, each page of this boldly illustrated book is bordered by a brilliant flow of wacky tie designs. Better yet, it's just the kind of tale about getting the best of adults that kids relish. Anybody got a wedding-bell tie? (Ages 5 and older) --Marianne Painter ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A fun, enjoyable story with beautiful illustrations
I loved this book and so did my kids. The colors and pictues are very inviting to children of all ages. Mr. Tanen is a very likable character and his story is funny and thought provoking. The story teaches a subtle lesson of tolerance while entertaining simultaniously. My 10 year old loved it as well as my 3 & 4 year olds, and so did I. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

the independent publisher is ridiculous
okay, so i don't own the book, but the poem is exquisite, and i've been a fan of it since childhood. unlike the independent publisher, i don't think that children are ever too little to be exposed to poetry or art, and murray kimber's work is stunning. perhaps if they read the poem they'd figure out where the horse motif comes from. jeez, guys, maybe you could sound a bit more pompous and uninformed if you tried, but i don't see how. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

MUST HAVE for Boys
This is a great book for boys! My 8-9 yr old son refers to it all of the time... I constantly catch him reading from this book. We have started giving it as birthday gifts. Chapters include great subjects: Money; Social Skills & Graces; Social Studies; Safety, Hygiene & Grooming; Stuff to eat; Fixing & Making Things; Things to do Inside; Things to do Outside; Animals & Plants.

Chapter contents example are: Money: Chores for Cash (Snow shoveling, Raking yards, vacation specialist, washing cars) , Ways to make more money (start a collection museum, lemonade stand, helping grown ups get on the internet, toy auction), What to do with the Dough (saving money, what's compound interest... the rule of 72, investing... bears and bulls)

Chapter Two: Social Skills and Graces includes teh following: Mind your manners...special situations, thanks, death, phone numbers, tying a tie, tipping; Friends ... how to make a friend, Sportsmanship, How to be a real jerk, Party Stuff, How to set a table, wrapping a present.... and the list goes on and on and on and on. Hopefully this gives you the flavor of the book.

This is written by kids for kids and it is awesome!

If your a boy that likes the outdoors you should read this.
Parents this is the perfect book for inside rainy days,camping, or just regular bike repair. My son has this and takes it where ever he goes. ... Read more

Book Description

Whether set in Georgia or in a Texas town on the Mexican border, these stories take the reader many places. There are powerful stories with touching moments of family closeness; lighthearted ones where boys love feisty, independent girls; poignant ones that provide snapshots of kids finding their way out of trouble and into the world.
Saldaña’s teens work hard, tease, mess up, fall in love, fool around, encounter tragedy, and, like his stories, never lose their way.


From the Hardcover edition. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Finding Our Way
Whether they take place in a Georgia town or in Texas on the Mexican border, the short stories in FINDING OUR WAY will introduce readers to some very interesting people. Among them are Chuy, who is determined to get kicked out of school; Melly, who is determined to be the first girl to take the Dive; and Andy and Ruthie, who find that being a couple takes on different meaning on the night of their school prom. The last story involves a shocking and unfortunate tragedy that will bring everyone in the community closer together.

These educational and bold stories take twisting turns, and they always seem to have a lesson. You should read this book because some of the lessons you will learn could be very useful later in your life.

--- Reviewed by Ashley Hartlaub

Finding Our Way
Saldana's Finding Our Way is a collection of short stories that relate to young adults having to mature quickly and live life as it comes. Each character develops in their own unique way when dealing with daily dramas regarding love, death, pride and ethics. Through these short stories the reader can appreciate the importance of parents and family figures. In "Chuy's Beginnins" Chuy is a young boy who constantly gets in trouble at school to draw the attention he does not get at home. Being so used to always getting his way;he is strongly disturbed and becomes a different person when he creates a confrontation he cannot solve between his principal and teacher. Having to prove something to oneself by doing something dangerous is most common when young. The tricky part is how you manage the situation. "The Dive" is a great example of what many young adults go through in life. In this story Melly is a young girl who speaks her mind out loud and feels like she must prove her self to be a grown woman by jumping off a bridge. With the help of Mama Tochi and her cuentos, "stories that somehow served as life lessons", Melly finds her way through her troubles. most characters in the collection have positive outcomes; Saldana adds a twist to the collection in the story "Manny Calls". Manny is ayoung adult who is portrayed as a mysterious, isolated person who is away from home and loses his one and only confidant. The dath of his grandfather and the lack of attention and moral support from others keep him from wanting to face reality. After two years of calling his grandfather's old phone number it finally gets reassigned and Manny finds himself trying to figure out a new way to communicate with his dead grandfather. Saldana's collecion of short stories obtain a significant message within that allow young and mature readers to discover, reminisce and appreciate the imprtance of role models and moral support.

Straight from the border
"Finding Our Way" exemplifies the true meaning of living as true Latino/Hispanics in America. The author, Rene Saldana sets the stage by talking about true stories that actually makes the reader feel at home especially in Chapter 4, "Los Twelve Days of Christmas." The true minority groups still remains with these "Latino students" who find themselves surrounded by the upper scale of minority teachers, who themselves segregate themselves from teaching these teenagers about "chances" in life. Instead, these two teachers decide that it is best "not to give these teenagers a chance" at the end.
"Inspiring" and "Worth Reading"....

Finding Our Way Review
Finding Our Way, a collection of short stories, written by Rene Saldana, Jr., presents a variety of themes and life lessons for adolescents who face many obstacles while growing up.For some teens the problems may entail misbehavior, low self esteem or lack of courage.For others it may be losing a loved one or a peer.Some may even have to confront fighting and gangs.All of these scenarios are addressed in Finding Our Way.
The book begins with "The Good Samaritan," where Rey is forced to decide between what is the right thing to do, and what is the just thing to do.He is constantly doing favors for Mr. Sanchez and has yet to receive any compensation.Rey swears he will never do any more favors for the local politico because he never comes through with his promises of payback.However, when Rey discovers Mr. Sanchez in yet another predicament he finds himself in a mental dilemma.In the end he has to decide between being a good samaritan by helping Mr. Sanchez despite his harsh feelings toward him, or leaving him stranded.
"Alternative" and "Un Faite" are impressive stories that set a worthy example for young readers.In "Alternative" Arturo is a student that was sent to an alternative school for repeated misbehavior.He blames Mr. Sifuentes for sending him to the alternative program, even though he was the one who overreacted and caused the scene in class.Even though Arturo seems to have unpleasant feelings for Mr. Sifuentes, towards the end it becomes clear that he actually likes and respects him.Arturo is obviously not an ideal student and even after the big scene he causes in class, Mr. Sifuentes still sent him the stories to finish, proving that he has not given up and is dedicated to being a good teacher.In "Un Faite" Kiko is a teenager who wants very badly to start over and reinvent himself at a new school.He has faced numerous problems and had been involved with his cousin in a gang.This is an excellent story of a teen deciding to change his life around before it is too late.
The stories "Manny Calls" and "Finding Our Way" deal with the reality of losing people in our lives.Manny has lost his grandfather whom he loved and respected greatly.Throughout "Finding Our Way" several friends have to deal with losing their classmate Danny.Death can be a very harsh reality for young adults to accept.
Those are several of the eleven short stories in Saldana's Finding Our Way, all of which teach valuable life lessons and serve as encouragement to the young readers.The book contains a wide variety of situations that young adults face on a daily basis.Finding Our Way serves a meaning full purpose that can set a great example for a young audience.

Finding Our Way feeds Teenage Pessimism
I was surprised with the level of pessimism in René Saldana's collection of stories, Finding Our Way.After all, the title of this book is optimistic:characters are finding their ways, not just looking.Yet the stories themselves reek of the melodrama we so often see in teenagers.Saldana may have intended to teach young adults to look into themselves and find their inner strengths, but instead he makes readers feel as if any emotional connection to peers and family members would only be a hindrance in this path to self-discovery.
Parents, filtered through the narrators' points of view, are portrayed as only a teenager could view them.Parents are mean, unfair, and incapable of serving their children's needs.In "Alternative," Arturo writes bitterly, "...he ain't my mother/But neither is my mother/Who turned me over to the cops" (p. 58)He never mentioned the anguish she must have gone through each time he got in trouble, or how huge the decision to send him to Alternative must have been.We only see his side of the story, so we want to side with him and believe his mother was a traitor.
This refusal to connect and empathize with others does not only apply with parents, but with their peers.Many of Saldana's characters are antisocial; others become so focused on themselves they forget their friends and significant others.In "Un Faite," only the thought of moving to Mission keeps Kiko's behavior in check.His friends not coming to his aid does not bother him, because soon he will be gone and they will not have him around to mistreat.Also to be disposed of is Kiko's girlfriend, Janie.She already thinks she is in love, but he is counting down the days until he can say goodbye.After all, "...if things went the way he wanted, she'd soon be part of his past..." (p. 72) He does not give a second thought to whether she will hurt, only about what his new life will be like.
As I read Finding Our Way, I was reminded of my difficult teenage years-a time when I felt nobody understood me.The bigger problem was, upon finishing the book, I still felt the same.At the end of each story, each character may no longer have been lost, but they were still alone. For this pessimism, I cannot recommend Finding Our Way.Parents looking for literature for their own teenager should beware that this book may very well fuel their rebellion.Perhaps in a classroom setting, where each individual story can be discussed at length, may its optimistic messages be uncovered. ... Read more