Amazon.com

Dr. Phil meets Captain Underpants in Max's Logbook, the latest illustrated journal of Marissa Moss, creator of the Amelia's Notebook series. Max is an imaginative, robot-loving young fellow who, as much as he would relish living on an alien planet, finds himself stuck in a house on Earth with two fighting parents. His logbook (jam-packed with sketches, doodles, and funny asides) is "for writing scientific stuff in," including experiments from "What happens when you microwave a marshmallow?" to his more poignant Invention #4--the Prevent-a-Divorce Machine, complete with toilet brush, flowers, and chocolates. Max recreates the perfect family out of eraser tops, including Eraser Dad (holding rubbery pizza) and Eraser Brother (who he can rub out when he gets mad at him). He and his friend Omar also make eraser aliens, and they draw a comic strip together with adventures like "Alien Eraser in How the Wind Blows" involving a whoopee-cushion parachute and a grim ending in a trash can. In addition to creating a colorful smorgasbord of genuinely entertaining experiments, inventions, and comics, Moss captures the pained voice of a kid who's seriously upset about his parents' impending divorce. Young people with their own "black clouds of worries" will surely be comforted by Max who maintains his sense ofhumor throughout and learns (from the alien eraser in his dream) that he doesn't have to choose between his divorcing parents, that he can choose his own world, "a planet that was perfect for me." (Ages 8 and older) --Karin Snelson ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The Robot Referee.
Kids would have many uses for a robot referee: to decide who's
been hogging the ball, to decide the best colors of the periodic
tables, to get your parents to stop arguing all the time, to let
you know when to get up, and to let you know when it's not your
fault. Moss has given us Max's logbook to see inside a ten-year-
old mind, a beautiful mind that sees life as no grown-up can.
I wish I'd had this book when I was 10, because I thought I was
weird to have all these thoughts. You mean every kid thinks about this stuff? ... Read more

Book Description

Amber Brown has always enjoyed being the only kid in school with a two-color name.Until a new girl joins her forth-grade class- Kelly Green! ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Amber Brown Is Feeling Blue

In the story, Amber Brown is feeling blue, written by Paula Danziger is about a girl named Amber whose parents are divorced and for Thanksgiving, her Mom wants to take her to Walla Walla, Washington but her Dad wants to take her to New York. She doesn't want to choose - but her parents are leaving it up to her. To make things worse, Amber Brown isn't the only one in school with a colorful name anymore. Kelly Green is the new girl in her class...Amber ends up showing Kelly around the school and they become best friends.

My favorite part in the book is when Kelly sees another student throwing up so she ended up throwing up too.

I chose this book because it is about a girl my age and I wanted to learn about her life and how it compares to mine.

Amber Brown Is Feeling Blue
Jamie Keseloff
March 27, 2003
Period 2

Amber Brown Is Feeling Blue
In the story, Amber Brown is feeling blue, written by Paula Danziger is about a girl named Amber whose parents are divorced and for Thanksgiving, her Mom wants to take her to Walla Walla, Washington but her Dad wants to take her to New York. She doesn't want to choose - but her parents are leaving it up to her. To make things worse, Amber Brown isn't the only one in school with a colorful name anymore. Kelly Green is the new girl in her class.

Amber ended up going with her Mom but promised her Dad that she would go with him during Christmas break. Amber ends up showing Kelly around the school and they become best friends.

My favorite part in the book is when Kelly sees another student throwing up so she ended up throwing up too.

I chose this book because it is about a girl my age and I wanted to learn about her life and how it compares to mine.

This Book Was Good
Its a book about a girl named Amber Brown.she thinks people laugh at her because her last name is a color.Well it was halloween night and she make her own costume its was a color the color was brown.The next day that she went to school there was a new student there her name was Kelly Green.Amber had to show her around school.Amber had to go to the nurse because she needed a toothbrush and Kelly was watching her [be sick] and then she started to [be sick].And than her mom wanted Amber to go with her to Walla with her but her dad wanted her to go to New York.
And if you want to know what happend read the book!!!!!!!!!I think i acn relate to Amber Brown cause she is like me?...

Ms. Danziger writes to two audiences
While Paula Danziger should be praised for writing about real-life situations and the difficult decisions children sometimes face, it would be better if she would focus her writing on her reader audience, children.
Ms. Danziger seems unable to resist puns and double entendres that are way above even the oldest readers in her audience. For example, in the school barfing scene, the new girl in school, Kelly Green is given the nickname KGB or Kelly Greenbarf. There is no way contemporary 9 year-olds would give this nickname since the KGB didn't even exist when they were born and it is doubtful they would be studying that part of history in the 4th grade. Further, Ms. Danziger goes out of her way to twist the text to fit in her next superfluous pun when Amber feels guilty about various things the precocious 9 year old suggests a new nail polish color "Amber Brown Gilt". This would seem clever to adult children's book reviewers (her real audience?) but show me a 9-12 year old who knows what "gilt" is.
Also, like many children's book authors, Ms. Danziger has her adult characters behaving like children and vice versa. Amber's mother promises that she will be OK with whatever Amber decides to do on Thanksgiving, but when Amber makes her decision Mom breaks her promise by weeping like a child.
In the last chapter, Ms. Danziger acknowledges this when the main character, Amber Brown says, "I just hate it when they (adults) make jokes I don't understand." Ms. Danziger should realize that her readers, kids not reviewers, don't like it much either. Stop writing for reviewers, write for children.

My book review
I think Amber Brown Is Feeling Blue is a very good book. Its about a girl named Amber Brown whose mom and dad are divorced. Her mom has a boy friend named Max. For Halloween Amber Brown makes her own costume, she decides to go as a crayon. The next morning her mom and herself over slept.

At school there was a new kid in class her name was Kelly Green
her teacher wanted Amber to show her around the school. At lunch they stopped by the nurses office for an emergency toothbrush. When Amber Brown was done Kelly watched another kid barf so Kelly barfed to. When Amber went home her mom said they might go to Walla Walla Washington for Thanksgiving. But her dad calls and askes if she wants to spend Thanksgiving with him in New York. What will happen? Read the book to find out. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Watch out for some topics discussed
My 1st grader was assigned this book to read. She could read the book fine, but the contents is definitely for the older kids. The book talks about divorce, parents with boyfriends, masacre of Barbies, bras... definitely not appropriate for the younger crowd. The other problem of course is she can read it fine, but doesn't follow the story because the topics are for more mature kids. I'm sure there are other books at this same reading level with less mature topics.

I`m not happy with my grades or my parents
Imagine your divorced parents are starting to date new people. Would it bother you so much that it would affect your grades?That's exactly what happens to Amber Brown.I enjoy all of the Amber Brown books. Her life is interesting and her problems are believable. I can't wait to read more about Amber and her family.
I recommend this book to kids that like funny, true to life stories. I think this book would be enjoyed by ages 8 to 80.

Amber Rocks!
I have read alot of Amber Brown books and this is my favorite so far. She a normal girl and learns to handle things-I really like to read about her!

Amber Brown Wants Extra Credit
This is a girl named Amber. Her mom and dad are divorced. The BIG problem is that Amber's mom gets a new boyfriend! The new boyfriend's name is Max. Amber is afraid that Max is going to take her dad's place.

It was Amber's moms BIRTHDAY! Amber spent all her money. She didn't even have a cent. So she gave her mom Amberion certificates, five of them. Amberion certificates are paper with Amberion on them and the person that it's written to. Amberion certificates makes Amber do things that she does not want to. Example when she does not want to clean her room. Another example, she does not want to go out to dinner.

In the end, Amber's dad gets a new girlfriend.

This is one of the best Amber Brown books I read!!
Amber Brown is not doing well in school because she is mad about her parents divorce and her Mom dating a new guy. Amber aksed her teacher if she could get extra credit to help her grades. Her teacher said no, but Amber tried anyway. Read the book to find out what happens!! I think 3rd and 4th graders will really enjoy this book along with the other Amber Brown adventures. ... Read more

Book Description

From the Editor's Desk
A Question of Fairness

There has been no teaching so far this year in Mr. Larson's classroom. There has been learning, but there has been no teaching. There is a teacher in the classroom, but he does not teach.

Cara Landry is a budding journalist. When she posts a scathing editorial about her burned-out teacher on the bulletin board one afternoon, everything changes. Prodded into action for the first time in years, Mr. Larson challenges his fifth-grade students to create a real newspaper. Soon The Landry News gets more attention than either Cara or her teacher bargained for, as the principal uses the paper to try to get Mr. Larson fired. While the whole town is swept up in a dramatic debate over The Landry News and the First Amendment, Mr. Larson uses the controversy as raw material for some of the finest teaching of his career. And Cara and her classmates learn the importance of tempering a newspaper's truth with mercy. But will their lessons cost Mr. Larson his job?

Written by the author of the immensely popular Frindle, this is a compelling new novel about the collision of a student in need of a teacher with a teacher in need of inspiration. ... Read more

Reviews (28)

The Landry News
This book is the best book of all time!I loved reading it and it's great for boys and girls ages 7-up too.It's also full of feelings and friendship.Cara Landry is an ordinary girl whos parents had gotten divorced and then Cara thought of making The Landry News.But the problem is that she thinks that the truth is the only thing about the newspaper which is true.but she putted to much truth in it that she made some people sad because of it.And after her mother read the first edition she told Cara to show Truth and Mercy in the newspaper but not to much of it also.So after her good friend Joey helped her with the next edition 'till Dr.Barnes read one and had an argument with Mr.Larson.And when a boy named Michal Morton gave Cara his story he asked her to put it in the newspaper.But when Dr.Barnes read it in the ninth Landry News he started planing Mr.Larson's early retirement party.If you want to hear the rest you have to read the book to find out what happens.

Exciting Landry News
In The Landry News a person named Cara Landry tried to get her old teacher fired. Mr. Larson sits down and reads the newspaper and doesn't teach. But in chapter 3 Cara got in trouble for offending Mr. Larson. I like each exciting chapter. Each chapter ends like a mystery, and the problem is solved at the beginning of each new chapter. The illustrations were good drawings, and show what the characters look like. It really is a good book.

an adventure
This is a good book for young and old about a girls adventure in journalizam. She is at a new school and starts a new news paper that soon has done more to that she ment. I read alot but this is at the top of the list because it is more than a news paper to her and soon finds herself in trouble. A sweet read that parents might enjoy.

The greatest book -By: V.A.T
The fantastic funny book that i read was The Landry News. This took place at a school that a girl goes to, her name is Cara Landry. She doesn't have much friends except a boy named Joe. the girl Cara Landry on one of her teachers in the editorial section. She wrote about the way her teacher Mrs.Larson , how he sits in his desk drinks coffe out of his red mug read news papers and never got up to teach anybody.Mrs.Larson did not like how Cara Landry wrote about him beind his back. Know longer did Cara Landry write about Mrs.Larson. Finally She found a group of people including her friend Joe. They even got a new name and something happened with the princable... This book was the best book i read so far

Landry News
Have you ever wanted to start a newspaper? The book I read was The Landry News. The book was about a girl who started a newspaper with her class and it was a big it in the school. The teacher does not do anything so the principle does not like him. The principle says they can do it so as long as the kids give him a copy. He lets them do it so that if something is wrong he can try to get him fired. He finds an article that he thinks it's inappropriate and he brings it to the board. The board tells him that they need to have a conference. At the hearing the boy reads his story and the board thinks it's appropriate.

I like this book because it was a page turner. It was a easy book to concentrate and connect to the characters. I enjoy the style of writing because I can understand what all the character are thinking. There were many surprises in this book. The one bad thing is that it has no cliff-hangers. If you like reality books this is a great book for you. ... Read more

Book Description

One busy Saturday morning, the delivery man brings a big surprise to Animal Ark: the tiniest horse that Mandy has ever seen!The miniature horse was actually meant for Tania Benster, a newcomer to Welford.But Tania's parents have just divorced and she's too upset to care about her gift.Can Mandy show Tania how much this little horse has to offer?
... Read more

Reviews (2)

Wanted: Home For a Pony
A package is shipped to animal ark. It's a small black and white pony. It was supposed to be given to a young girl. She doesn't want the little horse. Can Mandy convince her of how much love a pony can give?

Great Book!
This book is a real page-turner! I read it in one day. It's about a miniature pony named Gabriel. She gets accidentally delivered to the Hopes' house instead of the exercise machine that Dr. Adam ordered. Many is aloud to keep Gabriel until they find out who she belongs to. Then they find out who the owner is but Mandy also is told that the girl is upset by a divorce and the selling of her horse to a girl in the area named Imogene Parker-Smyth and wants nothing to do with the pony. Read this book to find out where Gabe ends up and what happens to her owner! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great Photographs and Lots of Examples of Bonding!
Unlike most books about fathers and their children, this one contains actual photographs. These images show a whole range of daddies and children. They will make the many ways for fathers to be with their children more vivid for those who have not yet had those experiences. This book also has more examples of ways to bond than other books about fathers and their children.

The book contains 37 color images, and few of them contain the same models. As a result, the book resembles a United Nations view of fatherhood in all its many varieties. I enjoyed that aspect, as well as the outstanding quality and reproduction of the images.

The list of what daddies do is also extensive. "Daddies are very important people." Daddies bathe, feed, and play with their baby children. They take larger ones fishing and find other fun things to do together. Some take their children to baseball games. Others lift their children up so they can pretend to be monkeys. Some daddies play chase games with their children. Others paint with children. Still other daddies are good at pretend games. Others are good teachers for reading and games. Daddies also help with accidents, going shopping, cutting hair, and carrying tired youngsters. At the end, the children say, "I love my daddy!"

What this book cries out for is to have each family create a scrapbook of photographs that shows mommy doing many different things with the children, daddy doing many different things as well, and both parents doing a variety of tasks. Although parents can remember these events and activities very well, children generally do not. My teenage daughter rolls her eyes in disbelief when I tell her the things we did together when she was younger. I'm sure that such a scrapbook would help build even stronger bonds than only doing the daily activities together. It would also build a heritage of caring in the family that can be carried forward into the next generation. I hope you will use this book to inspire you to create such a visual record of your closeness and caring.

Happy Father's Day!

... Read more

Book Description

"O for a muse of napalm..."

Years in the making,As Long As It's Big is a stunning and unique poetic achievement. By turns rollicking, funny, and deeply moving, this dramatic poem tells a tragic story -- the collapse of a marriage after the suicide of a child -- within the topsy-turvy venue of a divorce court ruled by an alternately cynical and sentimental judge. John Bricuth cleanly balances sensitive portrayals of painful lives with hilarity, chaos, and occasionally ribald caricatures. Hugely entertaining and immensely readable, Bricuth's verse narrative will absorb anyone seeking to unravel the truths of modern family life.

Reviews (6)

AMBER BROWN GOES FOUTH
I think you should read that book . Her mom gots a friend and Amber don't like it at all. She's mad because Justin move away. The first day of school she knew she had a new best friend.That's why you need to read that book.

Amber Brown Goes Forth
This is a wonderful book. Amber is entering the fourth grade with all of the normal concerns. Along with this, she is also upset about her best friend, Justin, moving away, and her father and mother being divorced. Amber is able to meet a new girl the first day and decides that she will have a new best friend and life does go on. This is a quick, easy read and one that can be read out loud as well.

L.Newman
This entertaining book was an easy read and provided much pleasure. Amber Brown is nervous about starting fourth grade, misses her best friend who just moved away, and would love to have her Dad living at home again. These issues are apparent throughout the whole story. Her dad calls her before the first day of school and at the end of the day to let her know that he too wishes he could be there but the divorcee makes this impossible. The usual fourth grade things happen the first day (teasing, armpit noises, who went where for vacation, etc.) in school and Amber is able to make a new friend. They are placed in detention together due to their excessive giggling. Amber is able to realize that life does go on. The illustrations compliment the text in their simplicity and originality. At one point, Amber writes what she wants her new teacher to know about her and it is done in a child like scroll. This is the third book in the series and worth reading. I highly recommend this book.

One of my five favorite books.
I just love this book!!! Amber Brown dosen't want to enter fourth grade. Her best friend,Justin,moved to Alamba. Her teacher is Mrs. Holt. She's okay,but she's nothing like Amber's third-grade teacher, Mr. Cohen. Amber Brown needs a new best friend. Her new best friend is Brandi Colwin. Buy this book! You'll love it!!

A great book about Amber Brown.
Everyone should read this book! Amber Brown dosen't want to go to fourth grade. She has everthing she needs for school: new pencils, new notebooks, new sneakers--exect a new best friend. But then she has a new best friend. Her new best friend is a girl who likes hair beading. ... Read more

Book Description

Amber Brown loves the holidays. The shopping, the wrapping, the unwrapping. She isn't having any trouble with gifts, but life is another story. She's so happy her dad has moved back to New Jersey, but her mom isn't. It means the beginning of shared custody, and that means more fighting. Amber feels as if half of her belongs to her mom and half of her belongs to her dad, and that doesn't feel good at all.

Then her mom says she can't get her ears pierced, but her dad doesn't know that. Amber makes a decision. Something has to belong to her, so why shouldn't it be her ears?

Full of the fun, humor, and punny dialogue Paula Danziger's famous for, this is a winning entry in the ever-popular series.

Praise for the Amber Brown series:

"Upbeat, authentic and humorous..."--School Library Journal (starred review)

"Without a trace of condescension, Danziger gets the child's funny and vulnerable voice." --Booklist

"Fresh and fast-paced..." --Entertainment Weekly ... Read more

Reviews (4)

A Great Book!
This book is fun for kids of all ages! This Amber Brown book is about a girl named Amber Brown and she wants to get her ears pierced, but her mom does not allow her to. So, since her parents are divorced, Amber's dad gets to take Amber anywher she wants. So, her father took her to get her ears pierced but her father didn't know that her mom had said no. So, when Amber got home, she got in trouble. Kids should read this book, I think, around Christmas because it takes place near Christmas. The author's message is to not do things you are not allowed to do.

I Amber Brown is a Blast
I have read other Amber Brown books and looked forward to reading this one. She is pretty cool. Sometimes I think she has more brains than the adults, especially her mom, who sometimes seems very spoiled and selfish for an adult. This is a funny true to life on target book. If you haven't discovered Amber Brown, this is the one.

A great book!
I bought this book for my daughter to read during X'mas break. I soon as she started reading the first page, she could not put this book down. She laughed the whole time. I guess we will have to order more books for her, 'caus this one was all done in one night! Buy it for your daughters, they will enjoy it too!

if danziger does the amber magic agin,were in for somthing!!
if its not published yet then i havent read it yet.DUH!but when i get my hands on it,i think ms.danziger is going to amaze every one all over agin. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

This book deserves 10 stars for the artwork alone!
I found this book in a sale bin and grabbed it for the absolutely colorful, detailed, realistic watercolor illustrations. I could imagine using it with my preschool class just to play "I Spy" with the pictures.Yes, the story is not traditional, but that is the reason I like it.Maybe the intended message from this story isn't about divorce, but more about alternate lifestyles and acceptance. In fact, the story never even mentions marriage or divorce, simply saying 'Dad left'.It shows that a child's life goes on - he still goes to school, has friends, watches tv. And he has feelings, but doesn't always know what to do with them, especially when the anger for his dad conflicts with the love and comfort he feels.And Dad's life style is not even all that alternative - this is not about a gay lifestyle, as I first expected - but simply a return to nature and living simply. And that's not such a bad message to discuss with children.

What a screwed up book
This was supposed to help children deal with divorce?One, it was incredibly sterotypical where the story was cleary bent to the father being the bad person for breaking up the marriage.Two, it clearly showed little or no value for the son having any kind of meaningful relationship with his father.He was just window dressing.The mother was the only parent who was really required.Three, it was totally off the wall.A father who abandons his family so he can live in a tent to pursue some kind of hippee lifestyle.GOOD GAWD.Trust me...if you buy this book make sure you have enough money for the gasoline and matches to finish the job.

What can be trusted?
This attractive and sensitive book is something of a downer. Two aging hippies split up, and their son doesn't understand why. Neither does thereader, since the book just says, "We were both unhappy." The"happy ending" is that the boy gets over being mad at his dad forleaving. Although the book is intended to be reassuring, It could have theopposite effect. Both parents seem too well-adjusted to have given up onmarriage so casually--this leaves the child with a basic sense ofinsecurity. Apparently one's family can break up for no reason. What can betrusted if not parents? The art is beautiful. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (1)

Some Frog
This is a very real to life story in which a boy waits for hisfather to come to help him catch a frog for a big jumping contest atschool. As he waits for his father to come home it gets later and later until he knows that his father is not coming. So after dinner his mother takes him down to the pond to catch a frog for his class race. The mother and the boy end up catching the winning frog. The whole time at school the boy is watching for his father to come to school to see him race his frog. However the father never does show up for the race. At the end of the story the young boy figures out that his father is probably no longer part of their family picture. Great story for children 8-10 years old, who are having a difficult time adjusting to a parent who has left the family or dealing with separation/divorce. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Alexander has always been able to see ghosts, but no one except hismom--who left suddenly three years ago--has ever believed his stories. So whenhis dad drags him off on a trip to North Carolina to visit the woman he intendsto marry, and Alexander begins to see visions of Civil War soldiers, he tellsnobody--not his father, nor his hostess Paige, and certainly not her teenagedaughter, Nicole. Instead he devotes himself to being unpleasant, clingingdesperately to the belief that his mother will return.

The visions grow more and more real. Alexander even finds himself participatingin a battle in the trenches, with mortars whizzing overhead. In the midst of hisown terror, he witnesses the death of a young Confederate soldier his own age.Later that evening Richeson, the dead boy, appears again to Alexander, appealingto him for help in finding his sister, who was driven from their farm bySherman's Marauders, but who has left a message for her brother in a metal boxhidden in a tree trunk--a box that a ghost cannot open. In the course of solvingRicheson's mystery, Alexander finds answers to his own problems. Middle-gradereaders will enjoy this story that straddles three genres, and teachers willfind its grounding in the actual events of the Battle of Fort Stedman a usefulcurriculum tie-in. (Ages 10 to 14) --Patty Campbell ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Ghost soldier
Ghost Soldier

There is a boy named Alexander whose Mom left him many years ago, he still waits for her day by day year by year to come back. He expects her to just come walking down the street one day but that hasn't happened yet. So Alexander is forced to live with his Dad in North Carolina, that is the last place he wants to be. The one-day Alexander finds himself in the center of the Civil War battlefield. There is where he meets Richeson, the ghost of a Civil War soldier. Richeson has problems of his own. Alexander doesn't care at all. Alexander can barely take care of himself let alone ghost from the past. Alexander is put into a mystery 100 years old. I didn't really enjoy this book because I don't really like ghost stories and it was kind of hard to follow. Him and his dad are trying to get along with each other through about the whole story. It gets hard to follow. I wouldn't really recommend this book to everyone.

Ghost Soldier
I read the book Ghost Soldier. It was a good book at some points. At other points it was confusing did I did not know what they were talking about. The book is about a boy who's mother ran out on him and his father when was ten. Know his father has fallen in love with this lady from North Carolina. The boy's name is Alexander. He still thinks that his mother is coming back and they should not move down to North Carolina. I don't want to tell you the whole story but the last thing I can tell you is that Alexander mets a ghost and gets caught up with what is holding the ghost back from resting in peace.

Ghost Soldier
A boy named Alexander, from Indiana, took a vacation with his dad to Duke University in South Carolina. His father is a computer programmer and doesn't plan on just staying for spring break.
Alex has a family secret that he inherited from his mother who left him when he was about ten years old. This secret allowed him to to see ghosts. When he meets Rich, a ghost, he discovers an exciting yet dangerous way to explore history. To hear more about this book read Ghost Soldier by Elaine Marie Alphin, and see if you enjoyed it as much as I did.

A Good Book
Ghost Soldier is a perrty good book. If you like ghost stories. The book deals with the Civil War. Ghost Soldier is not the best story to read. I think the book could of been longer. That is the only thing I don`t like about the book. The story takes place in North Carolina. the main person in the story is Alexander. I like the story just because, it deals with ghost. It all depends on what you like to read. You may like reading Ghost Soldieror you may notlike it.

A Boy A Soldier A dream
I liked this book Ghost Soldier, because I really enjoy books that take place present day but have something that have to do with ghost from war or wars, In this book it was just that. I enjoyed this book because it kept me on the edge of my seat and I could not out this book down because I kept wondering if his mom was going to come back. Another thing I liked about this book is the characters, they were described and very much like they would be if the book were real.

I think the worst part of this book is when Alexander and his dad go to live with Mrs. Hambrick. It is there that Alexander wishes that his mom would return. His dad crushes his hopes by telling himn that his mom and dad got divorced.

I think that the setting is good because it takes place in the city and somehow Alexander keeps seeing and hearing ghost in his dreams. When he is not close to a battlefield or any historiccal places, the setting is unbelievable! The characters were described really well just as if they were standing right here and talking. Or as if I was there and witnessig this happen. ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

"This is a true story about three best friends who will no doubt become my three sworn enemies when they find out that I'm writing this,"says our mystery narrator at the beginning of Amy Koss's latest novel of middle-school fun and torment. Abby has always had a crush on Zack, and her best friends Bess and Cristy have always known it. So how could Bess possibly think it's okay to go out with Zack herself?! And whose side is Cristy on anyway?

From the moment Bess utters the traitorous "Zack's cute!" to the day Abby seeks a surprising revenge and beyond, our outspoken narrator (who won't reveal her identity until the final page) is there to share her particular front-row view of the mess. She even throws in some tasty tidbits about the love lives of the girls' divorced moms.

It's laugh-out-loud funny, it's candid, and it's universal-as all of Amy Koss's novels are. That's why they so often appear on best-of-the-year lists, including ALA Best Books for Young Adults, ALA Quick Picks, IRA Young Adult Choices, and IRA Teacher's Choices. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

gossip times three
For years, Abby has had a huge crush on Zach, and her two best friends, Bess and Cristy know it. One day, Bess casually comments that Zach has a nice smile and days later Bess and Zach are going out. At first Abby pretends that this is okay with her, but jelousy is boiling inside her. So, after Zach and Bess split up she alienates Bass and their friendshop unravels, but is repaired.
The plot of this book is not horrible, though overdone. However, it is horrible written as the narrator frequently goes off on tangents about the characters parents, friends etc. making the book confusing and choppy. Also, it is really unrealistic and sappy.

THREE stars for the TRIO book
this book is written in a very intresting. The author of the book acts like she is one the carachters. She goes a little off tracks sometimes,but all in all its a pretty good book.

GREAT READ ALERT!
When Bess starts to date Zack, Her best friend's Abby's crush, it opens up a WHOLE can of worms. This book is perfect for anyone between 10-15 to read. READ IT!!! ... Read more

Book Description

"Having divorced parents was bad enough, but then Charles' mother marries Ben. Ben's two children move in, and Charles has to share his bedroom with five-year-old Thomas. Charles' reflections on his situation, told in perceptive contemporary language, are laced with humor and emotion. At times both funny and touching, this sequel to Don't Make Me Smile paints a realistic picture of life in a blended family."--School Library Journal. Reading level: 4.8. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

good sense of humor
I am a 20-year-old and even I enjoyed this book. It had depth, even though it was funny. It made me laugh out loud, and I came to really feel like I KNEW the main character as if he were real. I even cried towards the end! I was surprised to find myself crying, because I was so engrosed in this book that I cried before I could catch myself. (Not like it's bad to cry, but I just didn't want to.)

For me, a classic
This was my favorite book,(and Park my favorite author) in the the fourth grade. Now I've moved on to different titles and authors, but still I enjoy going back and reading it again. It's really a good book, funny, and an excellent read. ... Read more

Book Description

After four years of hoping, wishing, scheming, and waiting, the moment Alice has been yearning for has at long last arrived....Alice's dad is finally marrying Sylvia Summers! Alice always knew they were perfect for each other when she set them up back in seventh grade, but she's relieved that The Big Day is here. She's never felt so excited, so vindicated, so grown-up, and so...well, so left out. Now that the wedding is really happening, no one has time for Alice anymore, and the situation just gets worse when Sylvia moves into their house. Nothing is the way Alice thought it would be. Her dad and Sylvia have their new life together; Lester has his new apartment; and Alice feels like she's on her own for the first time in her life.

She's also starting to notice that even though Dad and Sylvia are perfectly happy together, not everyone gets along so well. Elizabeth and Ross never see each other; Leslie and Lori are breaking up; Pamela and her mother can't seem to find a way to even talk to each other; and Alice herself has started to hear some surprising rumors about Patrick....

As Alice watches her friends sort out their problems and sees her dad and Sylvia navigate their new marriage, she starts to understand all the hard work that goes into relationships and how even when people seem to be meant for each other, it's not always easy to be together. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Pleasing Prediction
Before I got the book, I already knew that this book would
be as excellent as the other alice series. I have been reading alice series since 7th grade, and boy I loved it. I already know that alice's adventures would be getting better and better since Ms. Naylor always write something to please the audience and my advice to you is to buy the book now because the book is worth every penny when you read it.
(Caution: Once you started reading the book you can't stop!)
-hehe... Naylorfan 4ever- ellie
Patrick+Alice they rock! (well.. most of the series)

Nice Alice addition
Alice McKinely, who I've grown to love from book one just like a gal pal, is going through various changes. Some, she thinks, are for the best. Others, she believes, are for the worst. She also sees that these changes she's anticipated, the good ones - like Dad and Sylvia's wedding - also have their downside.

But how can Lester's moving out be anything positive? He wants his own apartment and has no reason not to leave home - Alice's begging for him to stay evidently won't suffice here - he's a grown man and it's time for him to stop mooching off Mr. McKinely. Alice can't imagine home without Lester in it. And as I've read the series, growing fonder and fonder with each book, I've gotten to know and love Lester's endearing quirks. His non-morning personality. His ways of teasing his baby sister. His "Ye gads!!!"

Alice can imagine the beautiful Sylvia Summers as her mama, despite the fact that she might not call her such. After all, she has been motherless since the age of 5. But Sylvia's arrival in the McKinely household is proving harder than it once seemed. Alice is no longer the only woman in the house - now Mr. McKinely pays more attention to his new bride than his own daughter. Having Sylvia in the house makes Alice feel the urge to be super-careful about petty things. It also makes her often feel oh-so awkward. Could Sylvia's moving in be a mistake?

On a different note, will things between Patrick and Alice heat up again, being he's through with Penny? They were acting awfully cozy at the wedding reception. Or will they remain mere friends? Either way, it's been clarified that Alice is no longer hurting over Patrick's dumping her. Or is she? Could it be why she's acting so cruelly to Penny, as revenge for the rather bitter breakup? She's the only lunch table member who didn't get a wedding invite, that's for sure.

Naylor's umpteenth venture into Alice's realistic world of friends, family, and hardships will have you drawn in till the end, just like all the other books in the series, though it has quite a bit less luster. Still, putting that aside, it is rather enjoyable. Perhaps if I didn't have the previous series efforts to compare it to, it wouldn't seem as bland.

Am I getting too old for Alice? Absolutely.

Not a disappointment
I've been a faithful Alice fan for years, and have read most of the books several times. I was, however, a touch disappointed with the last book, "Patiently Alice." I was a little worried when I began "Including Alice," fearing it would also disappoint. No worries-it doesn't. "Including Alice" seems right back in the groove of the familiar Alice books. A little more sex talk than there used to be (but not nearly as bad as in "Patiently Alice"), but it redeems itself with some of the tradmark humor between Alice and Lester. If you were disappointed by "Patiently Alice," have no fear about this one-it's good. We finally get to experience the wedding of a lifetime, and the free CD is an added bonus. I would highly recommend this installment, along with the rest of the series.

Keeps getting better.
I've been reading the Alice series since 4th grade. Now, going into my third year of college, I'm as big a fan as I ever was. I've grown up with these books. Alice is such a great character. She - along her friends, family, and experiences - is so believable, so real, that I feel like she really exists somewhere (perhaps inside Naylor, I suspect).

Including Alice continues the story of Alice McKinley. Now she is preparing for the wedding of her father to Sylvia Summers. The book follows her through the wedding, and the adjustments she has to make afterwards - like living in a female-dominated household after so many years of living with her dad and Lester. The other storylines in the book piece it together and make for added entertainment and laughs. But I don't want to give anything away, so I'll leave it at that.

In my eyes, Phyllis Reynolds Naylor is one of the best writers of young adult fiction, and I will continue to read the Alice series until their end. At that point I will just pass them on to the next generation of young girls in my family, and then the next... and the next...

You get the picture.

Now just read the books already. :)

Another great addition to the series!
I've been a dedicated fan of the Alice series for over four years now, and I'm finally older than Alice - but I know I'll always love reading about her. Including Alice is a great addition to the series, and probably the most-eagerly-awaited of them all, because guess what? Alice's dad is getting married!

The "wedding chapters" were so much fun to read, especially while listening to the free CD of classical wedding music that's included with the book. Obviously, there are a lot of changes for 15-year-old Alice, including getting used to having a stepmom, Lester living in an apartment of his own, and new developments in her relationships with friends.

I really enjoyed this book, because it included many familiar characters, realistic and humorous situations, and was very easy to relate to. Alice is definitely growing up, and Phyllis Reynolds Naylor is the best at making this series work! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

What a sweet book!
This is a very cute story. I think the photographs are wonderful too - they seem so real, and the little girl so natural. She is also a beautiful child - the kind you might really know. The story involves the entire family which is a nice thing for children to see - their place in the wedding reflecting their place in the family.This book makes me wish I had a clothing store specializing in wedding and bridal party dresses or childrens dress clothes. I would display a copy for customers amusement.

Really cute, but
The photos are darling and the concept is cute, but it said for ages 4-8 and the child shown is very young. Don't think it will work for an 8 year old. Also, they show the flower girl doing things like balancing spoons on her nose at the reception and complaining about an itchy dress -- not exactly things you want to encourage. ... Read more

Book Description

Cuando Leigh Botts envía a su escritor preferido una extensa lista de preguntas, el Señor Henshaw le responde con otra lista de preguntas. Al principio, Leigh se enoja muchísimo pero cuando termina de responderle, se da cuenta de que en papel se puede expresar de una forma que jamás se hubiera atrevido personalmente. Las cartas de Leigh y el diario que éstas le inspiran a escribir, originan un libro conmovedor y divertido acerca de encontrarse a sí mismo.

Reviews (1)

Dear Mr. Henshaw
This book is about a young boy named Leigh Botts who writes letters to an author, Mr. Henshaw. Leigh Botts parents are divorced and he does not get to see his dad too much. Leigh writes in his journal when he does not write to Mr. Henshaw. Leigh's has a dog named Bandit that lives with his Dad. This is a great book that teaches journal writing. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

A frothy YA book with serious points...
Christmas time can be depressing, to many. Being forced to spend it where you don't want to be makes it even worse, as Jo discovers when she is forced to spend her winter break with her dad and his girlfriend in snowy Colorado. She is a California girl who wants to surf, not ski. However, when she lays eyes on Hans, Jo decides that Let it Snow might be a good theme song. Even when she learns Hans is really Frew, he still looks good. Unfortunately, Dad can't stand him, whether he's Hans or Frew or whoever. He's pushing a true jerk, Justin, at her. He can't even call Jo by her name, but insists on calling her Josephine.

*** On the surface, this is a frothy young adult romance, but there are serious points to be made about young love, the changing family make up, and judging others. Many young people are finding themselves having to deal wtih things like Jo faces, maybe this will help. ***

Reviewed by Amanda

Hilarious!
Jo Vincent is not a happy kid. Her dad is taking her to Colorado for a ski trip so she can "spend some quality time" with him and Kate, his new girlfriend. Her mom makes her go, claiming it'll be a good experience, but Jo isn't so sure.

Her first day on the slopes, after a freak accident, she meets Hans. According to Jo he's going to be the envy of all her friends back home, because he's a "god." Jo and Hans get on really well, they go for countless hot chocolates, and talk about everything. But on time, when Jo makes a mistake on the slopes, she learns something about Hans. Hans isn't really from Scandanavia, and his real name is, in fact Frewin. He's from Austrailia, and trying to get a sponser for a pro ski turnament. Jo's a bit miffed at Frewin, but she still likes him the same.

The end of the book takes a different turn, it almost turns into a mystery. I highly recommend this book, because it's hilarious and light at the same time.

Fantastic Addition to the Teen Fiction Genre
Jo Vincent, the original California girl (minus the blonde hair), is amazed to find herself leaving the permanent sun of the West Coast, and entering the cold, icy snow, of Colorado. What's even more surprising is the totally bodacious, and european (Swedish, to be exact), Hans, whom she meets while trying to figure out just how to keep herself upright, and moving, on skis. And, since her Father brought his own entertainment, in the form of Kate, Jo is able to spend all of her time sipping hot chocolate, and hanging around the slopes with her new babe. Of course, who knew that there would be so many other hunks in Colorado. Hunks who also catch Jo's eye, and could take the place of her new lerve (love with a Swiss accent) interest.

Since THE YEAR MY LIFE WENT DOWN THE LOO, written by Katie Maxwell, I have been a fan of the SmoochYA series. MY LIFE AS A SNOW BUNNY is not a disappointment. Jo is a hilarious new character in teen fiction. Her ups and downs in romance are extremely relateable, and teens of all ages will sympathize and laugh along with her as she faces all kinds of crazy situations. A must-have book for fans of teen fiction.

Erika Sorocco

Hilarious Addition to the Teen Fiction Genre
Jo Vincent, the original California girl (minus the blonde hair), is amazed to find herself leaving the permanent sun of the West Coast, and entering the cold, icy snow, of Colorado. What's even more surprising is the totally bodacious, and european (Swedish, to be exact), Hans, whom she meets while trying to figure out just how to keep herself upright, and moving, on skis. And, since her Father brought his own entertainment, in the form of Kate, Jo is able to spend all of her time sipping hot chocolate, and hanging around the slopes with her new babe. Of course, who knew that there would be so many other hunks in Colorado. Hunks who also catch Jo's eye, and could take the place of her new lerve (love with a Swiss accent) interest.

Since THE YEAR MY LIFE WENT DOWN THE LOO, written by Katie Maxwell, I have been a fan of the SmoochYA series. MY LIFE AS A SNOW BUNNY is not a disappointment. Jo is a hilarious new character in teen fiction. Her ups and downs in romance are extremely relateable, and teens of all ages will sympathize and laugh along with her as she faces all kinds of crazy situations. A must-have book for fans of teen fiction.

Erika Sorocco ... Read more