Book Description

The money jar that Rosa, Mama, and Grandma filled with their coins will be emptied to buy Rosa whatever she wants for her birthday. But what can Rosa choose that special enough-unless it's a gift they can all enjoy!

Reviews (3)

Fabulous Book, Wonderful Story and Illustrations!
This story is absolutely fabulous! The illustrations are great and the book teaches kids about saving money to buy something special. The child in the story looks at several things and finally deicdes what would be the best present to purchase. Best of all, most of the money she spends comes from a jar of coins - this is a wonderful follow-up to the equally charming story "A Chair for my Mother" also written by Vera B. Williams.

something special for me
It was about a girl who was picking out a present for herself. Her mom was buying it for her. She didn't know what to pick. But finally she decided. Read this book to find out what she picked.

A great book if you love people.
I discovered this book in 1986. As I read it, I was astounded by how much the book mirrored by wife's life. Rosa, my wife played the accordion and was introduced to the instrument almost in the same manner that the character of Something Special For Me was. My wife died of cancer on March 23, 1999,and every time I read the copy that I gave her I cry. Thank you Ms. Williams! All of my wife's friends will receive a copy of Something Special For Me. ... Read more

Book Description

Growing up is tough ... really tough. But what if you had a handbook that told you how to figure things out? How to stay out of trouble?

At Duke's Place, Jimmy and Kevin find out that the handbook doesn't need to be written down. It can be as easy as listening to Duke and the old guys talking about their lives. But how can Duke understand what it is to be young now?

Reviews (6)

A book to teach and entertain
This book by the renowned Walter Dean Myers is aptly named. It is not so much a work of fiction as it is a guide to those young men who must navigate the rough shoals of life as an African-American male teenager. This is a book with a mission to instruct and entertain, but, primarily, instruct. If you object to didacticism in fiction, this is not the book for you. But if you think this is an important message--I think it is--then you must admire Myers' craft in making it much more than a tract.

handbook for boys
I liked the book. The book was good cause it gave alot of information about people and what they should do to do better in thier life in the future.The best part of the book was when people got into trouble and then Duke would talk to the boys and ask them how they could have changed the sitution. There was lots of characters. There was Jimmy (he worked for Duke) Duke, Cap, Mister M., and Kevin. The resolution of the book is hard to understand. Kevin got in to trouble and had to go to jail. Duke hired a new boy to work for him. Jimmy told the boy to listen to them in there it could help it in your life.

Handbook for Boys
Handbook for Boys by Walter Dean Meyers is about making the right choices in life. I liked this book because it really makes you think about how you want to end up in your how life. The guys in the barbershop really give out some great information and advice to this lost teen. Because of what they tell him he makes better choices in his life. Since I read this book some troubles that Jimmy where faced with have also come up in my life and I can say that because I have had supportive parents and people to support me like Jimmy did I have made the correct choice. I have not read any other books but Meyers, but I really have in interest to read his book called Monster that was recently made into a movie.

not a novel, but a self-help book
I bought this book because I had loved Myers' previous work, "Monster." However, I was rather disappointed by "Handbook for Boys"' lack of storyline. The stuff Duke talks about is all true and good, and Jimmy seems to accept and understand all of this. But almost nowhere in the book do we see Jimmy actually applying this newly acquired wisdom. And you never get to figure out how exactly Duke, Cap, and Mr. M got that smart in the first place! It would've been nice if Mr. Myers had given some background on Duke's life at least. All in all, "Handbook for Boys" is more of a self-help book for teens (not just boys, either), than an actual novel.

A great book for kids and adults to read together
Sixteen-year-old Jimmy Lynch has a choice to make: go to jail for six months or join Duke Wilson's community mentoring program. Thinking he got off easy, Jimmy goes to Duke's barber shop every day after school, where life is anything but easy. A steady stream of various characters provide a colorful backdrop of lessons to be learned. Duke, Cap, and Mr. M provide a daily barage of advice and stories for both Jimmy and Kevin, another student in need of mentoring. Jimmy thinks the old men are anything but helpful, until he finally begins to understand the purpose of their comments and the depth of their wisdom. When Kevin falls back into trouble Jimmy has a choice to make, one that he knows can affect his life forever. Like Duke says, Jimmy knows what the right thing to do is. Doing it is different, though.
Myers' book is a quick and lively read that helps young readers see the necessity of living life as a participant, not a spectator. The "mentors" encourage the teens to be in charge of their own destiny, and to not be a victim, like many of the people they see in their neighborhood. I highly recommend this book for both teens and adults, especially to be read together. ... Read more

Book Description

Her name is Omakayas, or Little Frog, because her first step was a hop, and she lives on an island in Lake Superior.It is 1850, and the lives of the Ojibwe have returned to a familiar rhythm: they build their birchbark houses in the summer, go to the ricing camps in the fall to harvest and feast, and move to their cozy cedar log cabins near the town of LaPointe before the first snows.

The satisfying routines of Omakayas's days are interrupted by a surprise visit from a group of desperate and mysterious people. From them, she learns that all their lives may drastically change. The chimookomanag, or white people, want Omakayas and her people to leave their island in Lake Superior and move farther west. Omakayas realizes that something so valuable, so important that she never knew she had it in the first place, is in danger: Her home. Her way of life.

In this captivating sequel to National Book Award nominee The Birchbark House, Louise Erdrich continues the story of Omakayas and her family.

Book Description

Shirley Temple Wong sails from China to America with a heart full of dreams. Her new home is Brooklyn, New York. America is indeed a land full of wonders, but Shirley doesn't know any English, so it's hard to make friends. Then a miracle-baseball-happens. It is 1947, and Jackie Robinson, star of the Brooklyn Dodgers, is everyone's hero. Jackie Robinson is proving that a black man, the grandson of a slave, can make a difference in America and for Shirley as well, on the ball field and off, America becomes the land of opportunity.

Notable Children's Books of 1984 (ALA)
Best Books of 1984 (SLJ)
Notable 1984 Childrens' Trade Books in Social Studies (NCSS/CBC)
Children's Books of 1984 (Library of Congress)
1984 Children's Books (NY Public Library)
1985 Jefferson Cup Award (Virginia Library Association)

Reviews (45)

nice book about cultural changes
On the other side of the world from Brooklyn, New York there lives a little girl known as Bandit. After living in China for 8 years, Bandit's clan gets a mysterious letter from Father, announcing that Bandit, her mother and he will go to Mei guo, meaning beautiful country, which is America. Her new American name is Shirley Temple Wong. That's how Bette Bao Lord begins her book about Shirley. As far as I know, that's pretty much what the author experienced herself. This is a great book about cultural changes, making friends and 'America's Favorite Past time', Baseball.

As I already mentioned above, a kind, but a little bit shy, girl called Shirley comes to America without the knowledge of a single English word. Shortly after that she attends an All American school. Even though she knows a bit English after a few months, she still doesn't have any friends. Then, on one nice day, when she played Baseball for the first time in her life she makes a spectacular Home Run. The next day Jackie Robinson isn't only the Dodger's hero, but also Shirley's.

After you read this book, you will probably know more about China, then when you first touched this book. Many of the changes that Shirley has to make are described funny, some even hilarious. You, no matter how old, or what gender you are, you should definitely read this book.

In the year of the boar and Jackie Robinson
This story is about a little Chinese girl, Shirley, who goes to America and interacts with foreign friends. She couldn't speak English and she had a hard time with adapting to the new culture of America. She got interested in a game called stickball but she spoiled all the games because she didn't know how to play. Everyone ignored her. Read the rest of the book to find out if Shirley gets a best friend or not.
I like the way the author describes the new school and the children in the class. " The room was large, with windows up to the ceiling. Row after now of students, each one unlike the next. Some faces were white, like clean plates; others black like ebony. Some were in between shades" -page.44
I think people who live in new countries other than their home country should read this book because author makes the story interesting and you'll know what it was like for Shirley and what it was like for you. I felt this book was good for class time but I wouldn't choose for myself if I was not in a foreign country.

my book review
(...)

This book starts out in China where a young girl, named Bandit is forced to go to America. She must go because her father wants Bandit and her mother to move to America and make it their home. Bandit is not sad however, because she'll finally get to be together with her father. Bandit takes the name of Shirly Temple Wong and starts her trip to America. At first she struggles but soon, she learns to play baseball and starts making friends.

Something i like about this book is the way it is clear and understandable and also a little funny. Many people would be able to relate to some of her embarressing moments. I think the book is very understandable because there are no big words and the sentences are kept simple. I could just read through the entire book without going back to make sure i read some paragraph right."One sunny afternoon, Shirly leaned out the third story window of P. S 8 slapping the chalk from the class erasers." This quote is one of the good ones. It is clear and the author keeps it simple with enough detail to satisfy the reader.

One part that was funny, and i could relate to was when shirly got lost on her way back from the store."What a fool she was! Nothing but a fool. Utterly ashamed, she hid her face in her arms." This quote from the book describes Shirly after she is lost and gives up. I remember many times when i was young and would get lost alot and start getting scared.

My favorite part of the book was when Shirly is told to go home. She thinks that the kids hate her and want her to go home, but really they meant to get her to run to home base. It is funny how some things can be misconcieving and how people may think very differently from others.

Multi-Cultural Clash?
My book is called In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson. The author of this book is Betty Lao Lord. This story is about a girl named bandit. She gets a letter from her father telling her she is coming to America. It's a long plane ride and a long train ride but she finally made it. Then she thought about what she had to do to fit in in America. She had to speak English and make new friends. Well that didn't go very well. The first person she met punched her in the face but the next day she apologized and taught her how to play stick ball so she wouldn't get in trouble. When she ran the bases everyone called her Jackie Robinson because she was pigeon-toed. Then she started to get interested in baseball. She watched every game from there on that Brooklyn Dodgers played. She was heart-broken when they lost to the Yankees in the World Series. But her next quest was to become class president.
I thought this was a great book. I couldn't put the book down. I would give the book five stars. I would give it five stars because it kept me guessing until the very end. It was also very funny.

The Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson
Reading this story I feel as if I am the protagonist, Shirley Temple, of the book. I think the author has done a good job by writing this book such a story as this, especially for children who move from one country to another. Bette Bao Load's style of writing is so vivid. I can picture Shirley. I like the author's style. This story is about Shirley being in a new country, with no friends and she can't speak English properly. Later Shirley is able to make friends. We can learn a lesson from this story of Jackie Robinson. Shirley wanted to make a difference in her life as well as in America. The book is really good and it makes you realized that we are here for a purpose come what may, with strong determination life will be good . ... Read more

Book Description

Young fans will love helping Dora count coconuts,
bananas, and pineapples in English and Spanish. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Good basic counting book
If your child likes Dora, this is a good book to have in the library. It is a board book, so it holds up well to wear. When my daughter likes a book she tens to read it over and over, so durability is important. I like the fact that she counts fruit, but some of the fruits are a little obscure for my daughter to remember- I've never seen a guava so I can't imagine how she will make the connection. I like having the numbers written in Spanish, and the phonetic pronunciation guide is helpful as well.

This is also good if you own any of the videos, because Dora counts a lot, and the repetion of the numbers is helpful.

Very pleasing
This is one of my two year old's favorite board books. The colors are wonderfully bright, and the pronunciation hints help me read the Spanish to her correctly.

Kids Like Dora
This book is fine for kids who like the "Dora the Explorer" TV program. However, there are two counting books that are superior: "One, Two, Three: This Book's for Me" by Dr. Seuss and "One, Two, Three: This Book's for Me" by Stuart Samuel.

Great Book!
Great book! It helps remind me of the correct pronunciation of the numbers. My kids love Dora (ages 2 and 4) and this helps me to teach them more Spanish.

Cute!
This book is good because it is in english and spanish. The spanish words are spelled out phonetically for those of us who don't know spanish. Any Dora fan will have fun reading it. ... Read more

Book Description

So many readers have written and asked: What happened to Sarny, the young slave girl who learned to read in Nightjohn? Extraordinary things happened to her, from the moment she fled the plantation in the last days of the Civil War, suddenly a free woman in search of her sold-away children, until she found them and began a new life. Sarny's story gives a panoramic view of America in a time of trial, tragedy, and hoped-for change, until her last days in the 1930s. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Sarny , A Life Remebered
Sarny is an interesting book to read. It is about a young woman named Sarny who was a slave for a long time. A war was occuring to either end slavery or keep continuing it. Her two children, Tyler and Delie were sold to a man named Chivington in New Orleans. Before Sarny's owner died, he freed her and she set out on a journey to find her children. She found them and were glad to see them.

I enjoyed this book a lot. As I was reading, I was learning at the same time. Sarny really went for her goal and never gave up. She struggled so many times but never wanted to give in. If there was something she was fighting for, she would fight until the end. I liked the way she acted and responded.

My favorite part of the book was when Sarny finds her children. It was the happiest day of her life. This part was my favorite because everyone was excited and overwhelmed. This event brought Sarny and her family together. I was even joyous for Sarny to find her children. I relished reading this book.

Sarny
I read the book Sarny in school. It was a great story that was well written. I was reading something that I, along with my other peers do not experience everyday. Slavery is something we do not deal with, but it is a huge part of our history that we should all know about. The book portrays it in a light that shows what people like Sarny went through. I think that classes in schools should be required to read Sarny.

Sarny
We really enjoyed this book. It was very emotional in some parts and very funny. It gives people the chance to see what it was like to be a slave and to change dramatically in one day. We give this book 4 stars out of 5.

Sarny: A Life Remembered by Gary Paulsen
Sarny takes place in the South. It occurs right after the Civil War. Sarny is a slave whom just been freed because the North won. She sets off in a desperate search for her sold children. There were two of them and they had just barely became toddlers when they were hurriedly sold to a slave trader. Their names were Delie and Tyler.
Finding herself free in a Northern filled South, Sarny is accompanied by another former slave as they trudge their tenseful journey. She meets many new friends and even finds true love in places she had never even imagined.
As many friends as she makes, there were still quite a few people who threatened her and became a nuisance. These people still thought blacks should be slaves. They treated Sarny in the worst ways without even touching her...
Although Paul revolves the book around Sarny and her experiences with life during and after the Civil War, he skillfully mixes in a bit of history. Paul shows the hardships of both races-black and white alike-during that fateful era. This heartrending story will keep you laughing to stitches one moment, and have tears streaming down your cheeks the next. This book would be recommended to all ages-from children to adults.
In my opinion, I enjoyed the book very much. I was fascinated how a remarkable story. While I was reading could see through Sarny's eyes and experience the miserable times to the cheerful times. Through Paulson's figurative writing, I could feet the pain of the whippings on my shoulders. I could smell the smoke of fire dying down to embers, and feel the misery and joy jumble as one like needles lightly pricking my heart.
I have been fortunate enough to read Nightjohn-the story of Sarny as a young child. Sarny: A Life Remembered. This enchanting sequel enraptured me with the feelings and thoughts of Sarny-I was blown away by Sarny's determinedness and her spunk. Paulson intigued me by threading the story seamlessly and making me cling to the pages, eager to read on.
However, in the story, Nightjohn, Sarny was a child who just wanted to learn. Now, she is a grown woman with responsibilities whose top priority is her children. In Nightjohn, Sarny didn't want to lose the language of writing; in Sarny: A Life Remembered, she did not want to lose her children. In Nightjohn, learning the alphabet was the most important thing that was happening to her and in the book, Sarny:, the only thing in the world that she cared about was her two little toddlers. In a short period of time, Sarny's life changed completely and unexpectedly.
Overall, Sarny: A Life Remembered was a superb book. I would definitely recommend to anyone who enjoys and interesting story that can make you laugh and cry at once. This is the best family book and should be told over and over again. I would absolutely rate Gary Paulsen's Sarny: A Life Remembered as a five star book!

jake is the man
This book is a must read because it has a ll the good thing a book should have. it gives an good view on how it was to be a slave during the cilvil war and if you want to read a good book this is the one. ... Read more

Book Description

Hannah thinks tonight’s Passover Seder will be the same as always. Little does she knowthat this year she will be mysteriously transported into the past where only she knows thehorrors that await. ... Read more

Reviews (187)

The Devil's Arithmetic
The Devil's Arithmetic by Jane Yolen in my opinion was a good novel to help others remember the Holocaust and the tragic events that occurred. Jane Yolen strived make the concentration camps seem real to the reader throughout the novel. This is a story of a Jewish 12 year old girl named Hannah Stern who has always questioned why we should remember what has happened in the past. During the Passover Seder, as Hannah pours the wine, she is suddenly in 1940 in a small village in Poland. Hannah, as well as her family and friends are taken away to a concentration camp where conditions are appalling. Hannah is forced to realize and understand what her ancestors went through, and realizes that we should remember for their sake. Chaya, Hannah's Polish name, is willing to risk her life for her friends and wonders is she will ever again see her family, and through Yolen's descriptive writing style, the reader is able to imagine themselves in the book as another character and feel the pain that Chaya feels. Jane Yolen has created a book that forces us to remember the hardships that were placed upon the Jews by the Nazis during the Holocaust, and is a must-read.

You'll never forget it
This is Schindler's List for children, a chilling account of the Holocaust from the point of view of a young girl. Yolen skimps on few details, and you can tell that her story comes straight from the heart.

Hannah, a modern Jewish girl, is irritated by the Passover Seder and the "remembering" of the Holocaust, which some of her relatives lived through. But when she opens the door for Elijah, she is transported through time and space to a village in Poland.

Soon the Nazis arrive, and Hannah (called "Chaya" by everyone in this new time) must both try to survive and to keep her friends alive in the deathcamps.

I tried very, very hard to summarize this story, but the spiritual and emotional tones are simply impossible to talk about. This is an intense book, the descriptions of it simply can't express the greatness of this plot.

A haunting tale of life, death, memory and sorrow. Even though this is a children's book, it may be disturbing for younger readers--you might want to talk to your children about it afterward.

The Devil's Arithmetic: A Holocaust Story
By: Jane Yolen

This is a novel about the Jewish experience in concentration camps. There is a spoiled young girl by the name of Hannah. She hates her family's Seder meal, but when she goes to open the door for the prophet Elijah, she gets transported back in time to the year if World War II. Gitl and Shmuel are calling her Chaya instead of her real name. At Shmuel's wedding, the Germans come and take them away to concentration camps where they are starved, humiliated, and periodically killed. What will be Hannah's fate? Will she ever return to her normal life?
I genuinely enjoyed this book. I loved the plot, and the ending was magnificent. I liked how courageous Hannah was. She was a true hero to me even though she was only there in the pages of the book.
Right off the bat, the plot and storyline are some of the book's many strengths. Another good thing that Yolen gives you is the plain knowledge and facts about concentration camps. She tells about the different types of labor and the horrible conditions of the concentration camps. After reading this book, I had a whole other view of the insanities and inhuman conditions of the Nazis. I can really connect that to my life and appreciate every single thing I have, including time on this Earth.
My favorite part was during a scene with the midden:

"When they got to the midden, they skinned out of their clothes and dove naked into the dump."

I enjoyed this excerpt because it was funny how Hannah just stood there and watched. She was a true first-timer!
I think that the thing that the author would like me to take away from this book is just plainly the story of the Holocaust. She wants people to read her book and remember. Of course she wanted to tell a great story of survival and courage, but she only wants us to take away from this the story and knowledge of the Jewish experience.
This is one of the most memorable books I have ever read because of the fact that it was entertaining but still informing. The word choice that the author used really brought out clear pictures in my mind. The image was very powerful. You could not read this book and not be changed. It didn't have to be a big change. Only the way you look at your shoes. It is a meaningful book.
I recommend this book to people who really want to take something away from what they read and who care about their history. This book's theme is; if you don't appreciate what you have now, history has a way of showing itself to you! The evidence is the way Hannah was brought back in time. She was so changed by her experience and learned to appreciate life and what she had.

The Devil's Arithmetic
The Devil's Arithmetic is about a girl who is tired of remembering Passover meals. When she is asked to open the door for Elijah and is transported to the past in the year 1942. Her name in the real world is Hannah and then Chaya in her 'dream' and finally J197241 is her name. She is then taken to a concentration camp were she battles to remember lessons in school about the Holocaust. But no one believes her and she has to face work, deaths and escape.

The Devil's Arithmetic is a very interesting book. It has interesting characters that have interesting personalities. You can really learn a lot about the death camps and how the people inside dealt with it. It is really sad because Hannah knows what is going to happen to them but the people don't believe or listen to her. This causes Hannah to lose her mind and forget all about her normal life and any thing that has happened before her life in the death camp. It becomes every emotional for her and she becomes very doubtful in her self which causes it to be a sad book.

But there are some happy moments inside the camp. Like the fact that whenever the Commander came to inspect he camp, the Jewish people would make a sound that tells the children to hide, because children were not aloud to be in the camp. You also learn different codenames the Jewish people used in the camps. They also keep their hope up by reminding themselves about who they are by learning what their 'number' really means. There is also a happy part when Hannah makes friends with Rivka who really helps her survive.

But the book did have some downfall to it. I thought it ended very abruptly with no explanation. Also, if you wanted a book that explains the work in the camps, don't get this book. It doesn't have that good of an explanation of their work in the camp. In the beginning, she has a very good family but doesn't give that much information on them, which I was hoping for.

It was a very fun book that showed how friendship helped her survive.
It was because of her friendship with Rivka that she was able to survive so long. This was because Rivka knew what was happening faster then she could figure it out, so Rivka was able to help her in many ways. She also had a deep friendship with her aunt, considering that they didn't know each other that well. So I think the theme is 'friendship can help you survive in the toughest parts of life'.

My favorite part of the book is when Hannah finds faith in herself by making the numbers on her stand for something. This really is a good part because she begins to have faith in herself, which is really important for survival sake. Her number, J197241, means J for Jew, 1 for alone, 9 for 'no' she will no die, 7 for the 7 days a week that she survives, 2 for 2 family members in her 'dream', 4 for 4 family members in her old family, and 1 for again, that she was alone.

Overall this book was very interesting and kept you hanging on at some points. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in life as a Jewish person in World War II.

Excellent Holocaust Tale
Twelve year-old Hannah has always been impatient and embarrassed by her Jewish heritage and traditions of remembering. During the Passover Seder, the jaded Hannah is transported back to 1942 Poland when she opens the door for the prophet Elijah. She experiences life as Chaya, a young woman who is rounded up with the rest of her family and village and sent to a Nazi work camp. There she meets Rivka (one of her aunts who survived the camp), who teaches her how to survive the dehumanizing conditions in the camp. A gripping portrayal of life in the Nazi death camps. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Mother-love is profound, however a baby comes into a woman's life. ForRose Lewis, the journey to motherhood begins with a letter to Chinese officials,asking if she can adopt from the "big room with lots of other babies." Theinfants in that room in China are each missing a mother, but Lewis is missingsomething, too--a baby. She travels to China to meet her new little girl andfalls head over heels in love. Taking her baby home to America, Lewis introducesher to all her family and friends, and they begin their life together.

A touching love story, I Love You Like Crazy Cakes will warm the cocklesof any new parent's heart, especially those who have recently adopted a child.It's an ideal story for lap-time reading, and will inspire parents and kids totalk about their own first "meetings," whether at birth or in an adoptionagency. Jane Dyer, illustrator of the bestselling Time for Bed by Mem Fox, Oh My Baby, Little One by KathiAppelt, and many other marvelous picture books, uses a pastel palette ofwatercolors to capture the tender moments between the American mom and herrosy-cheeked Chinese baby. (Ages 3 to 6) --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (36)

Heart Warming, Beautifully Illustrated
I am just now beginning the long process of adopting a child from abroad. It will most likely take 1-2 years, and this book will help keep me going when I lose faith.

It is a treasure of a book both for people considering international adoption, and also for those looking at domestic adoption as well. A simple and touching story that tells about the joy all parents feel when meeting their children for the first time...be it through birth or adoption.

This was a truly heartwarming story. Short and easy to read, it's destined to become a bedtime classic.

The illustrations are lovely and dreamy...as a storybook should be.

All in all, a excellent excellent book.

I Love This Book Like Crazy Cakes
Rose Lewis opens a window to her heart that makes this book a universal story for anyone who has known a special love. She has accomplished what might seem impossible. It is not only a children's story, but an intensely personal journey that will resonate for anyone of any age who has experienced the magic of falling in love. As you read this to your children, you will think back to the moment when you first held them in your arms, looked into their eyes and forged a life-long bond. At its end you will understand the pure simplicity of true love. The book's illustrations, by Jane Dyer, alone make it worth buying. Its text will bring tears to your eye and warmth to your heart.

Essential for every adopted child's library
A beautiful book; strong loving feelings are projected from the mother to her daughter. The positives of adoption are explained with empathy for the child's situation. Children reading this will feel proud of their origins, whilst feeling safe and secure in the care and love of their parents. Beautiful illustrations reflect the texts message of love and bonding between mother and daughter.

Good For Single Adoptive Mothers
I enjoyed this book, but think that it is especially appropriate for single adoptive women. The adoptive mother is mentioned, but not an adoptive father or adoptive partner. The book is adorable, no matter what the adoptive parental situation is, but if you are a single adoptive mom, you MUST get this book.

An Excellent Addition to Any Family's Library
One of my favorite roles as a parent is introducing my children to families of many types. In "I Love You Like Crazy Cakes", my children can understand that sometimes Mommys and Babies become a family by being united via airplanes and adoption officials and guess what? The amazing love is the same.

I especially loved that the author shared the gratitude and love for the "other" mother who provided the gift of this baby into her life. Beautifully stated and at times, overlooked.

The illustrations must be mentioned also: they are stunningly beautiful with the emotions of the subjects literally entering my heart from the page. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (7)

A Great Book
I really like this book because you never know what is going to happen next. Also if you like books with varieties of stories then you should read this book as soon as you get it. There is also so much excitement in this great book, like characters get in twists and turns. Read how they get out of their troubles. All readers hear this: if you like excitement than this is the book for you!

This is a must read!
I am a college student attending Northern Michigan University in the Elementary Education program. I have read quite a number of books this semester and this has to be my favorite. While at first I was not crazy about reading a book that featured Mexican-Americans, I soon erased any doubt I had about the book. This book was not only about Mexican-Americans, it was about every single child that has grown up in the last twenty years. Mr. Soto has truly captured what it is like to grow up. The book talks about riding bikes, talking to girls for the first time, spending time with your grandparents, not having to go on the family vacation for the first time, and wanting to take karate lesson because you saw how cool karate could be. If you have trouble remembering what it was like growing up, read this book and you will remember everything that ever happened to you as a child.
What this book really hits on is that children grow up and have that same hopes and dreams that every other child in the world has. As a future teacher I would recommend this book to every teacher. While the book may not hold a significant academic value, it definitely holds a strong social value for children. It allows children to see that other children are going through the same exact thing they are. I commend Mr. Soto for publishing such a fine book that looks at the world in the simplest of ways; through a child's eyes.

A look at the spirit of children
Gary Soto reaches the soul of children and their day to day lives. My sixth graders in Minnesota were excied and drawn to all of the characters in his book and chose to keep reading. He touches the human spirit and stuggles so many have faced as middle school kids. Thumbs up and way to go Gary.

Good Collection
This is my first introduction to Gary Soto, and I must say that I enjoyed it. Most notable about these books is that they just follow the lives of the various characters in their stories who just happen to be Latino. Except for the glossary at the end of the book, this book was not written to "introduce" us gringo's to another culture. Rather, it's a book about boys and girls who have the same dreams and aspirations that are universal. These characters do not set out to change the world, but rather just get by day by day in the little space of earth that they inhabit. Very well done, perhaps written a bit simply at times, but for the most part, these stories are enjoyable.

Read this book, please.
It delivers a warm Mexican-American voice, and speaks to middle schoolers with great authenticity. My Mexican-American students who read this book have commented: "This book is about me, I can't believe how real it is." "Do you have more books by Gary Soto, I want to read them all." I never read a book like this before, it's so real." ... Read more

Reviews (39)

Excellent book!
This was a very special book. I read it aloud to my children, ages 9, 7 and 5 and each of them loved it. The Birchbark House was touching, exciting, funny, and interesting. I came to this site hoping that Louise Erdrich had already written another book about this family, but it doesn't appear that she has. Hopefully soon!

Everybody should read this wonderful book!
The Birchbark House was a good book and I think Louise Erdrich
is a wonderful author and illustrator. The part I liked the most was when the main character Omakayas's grandmother Nokomis told her a story in the winter. It was about Nokomis when she was a little girl. When the visitor came and brought smallpox and Omakayas's little brother died it was very sad. All in all, everyone should read this book.

A different kind of little house in the big woods
A great tale. Author Louise Erdrich, a member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Ojibwa, has written a story of 1847 Ojibwa life. The book is truly a labor of love, including such amazing elements as a detailed map of the area in which her story takes place, a glossary of terms, and multiple sources considered during the writing of this tale. Even more, the book is a compact series of small vignettes of standard Ojibwa life, crushing stereotypes and myths with sure swift prose. Erdrich has written a story that has truly created its own separate niche.

Omakayas (or Little Frog) lives in a sturdy birchbark house in a land doomed one day to become Wisconsin. With her family we see her step through the paces of day to day existence. The book encompasses a single year in Omakayas's life; one filled with as much terror and despair as love and hope. Helping her family to battle smallpox, find food in a desperate winter, and deal with the small details imperative to survival, we watch Omakayas grow from an uncertain young girl to a competent, if still learning, young woman.

The book is almost an answer to the Laura Ingels Wilder tales. Truth be told, the two titles have much in common. Both deal implicitly with Native American/white settler relations. Both look at the details of daily life, realistically describing everything from food preparation to parties. Even the illustrations of the book (drawn by author Erdrich herself) bear a great resemblance to the Garth Williams' pics we remember so well from the Little House books. But Erdrich has the benefit of hindsight and (let's face it) superior knowledge concerning the ways of both the whites and the Ojibwa. Her writing expertly allows her to create interesting variegated personalities that trump the one-dimensional stick figure Indians Wilder relied on so heavily. These characters have a harsh, but really great life. There's the buffoon, Albert LaPautre (half French) who continually claims to have had meaningful visions and dreams. There's Old Tallow, a powerful woman of her own means, surrounded by a pack of wolf-dogs and wearing coats woven from a variety of different furs. And then there's Omakayas herself, dreaming true visions and meeting true woodland creatures, even going so far as to train a crow of her own.

The books ends with this sentence, "Omakayas tucked her hands behind her head, lay back, closed her eyes, and smiled as the song of the white-throated sparrow sank again and again through the air like a shining needle, and sewed up her broken heart". It's an ending that contains a lot of hope for the future. Erdrich does not dwell on the fate that may lay in store for Omakayas and her beloved family. We know what will happen. It's enough to see them happy at this moment alone. "The Birchbark House" is a courageous creation, one that I'm certain will please even the most merciless of Erdrich's critics. Full of well rounded characters, a gripping plot, and wonderful tangents it's one of the best ways to introduce kids to a different time and place.

A Great Book
I really liked The Birchbark House. My favorite part was probably when Omakayas visited Old Tallow's house, and got scared because of of the dogs. Then Old Tallow came out and got the dog to go away. I hope that Loise Erdrich writes another book like this one!

The Birchbark House
Louise Erdrich is a wonderful story writer. She wrote the book with feelings. When the main characters Ten Snow and Baby Neewo died I felt like I had known the characters like they were my friends. When Old Tallow told Omakayas that she was the only survivor from Spirit Island it felt real. In conclusion, I think Louise Erdrich is a wonderful story writer. ... Read more

Book Description

Illus. in full color."Mirandy is sure she'll win the cake walk if she can

catch Brother Wind for her partner, but he eludes all the tricks her friends

advise. This gets a high score for plot, pace, and characterization. Mirandy

sparkles with energy and determination. Multi-hued watercolors fill the pages

with patterned ferment. A treat to pass on to new generations."--(starred)

Bulletin, Center for Children's Books.Cassette running time: 20 min.




... Read more

Reviews (1)

Can the wind be a partner?
This children's book, illustrated by Jerry Pinkney, is about a young and joyous African-American girl who hopes to win a prize at a cake walk by capturing the wind as her partner. The story takes place around 1900 and is a beautiful view of a happy people. The book was a 1989 Caldecott Honor book (i.e., a runner-up to the Medal winner) for best illustrations in a book for children. ... Read more

Book Description

Jeremiah feels good inside his own skin. That is, when he's in his own Brooklyn neighborhood. But now he's going to be attending a fancy prep school in Manhattan, and black teenage boys don't exactly fit in there. So it's a surprise when he meets Ellie the first week of school. In one frozen moment their eyes lock and after that they know they fit together -- even though she's Jewish and he's black. Their worlds are so different, but to them that's not what matters. Too bad the rest of the world has to get in their way.Reviewers have called Coretta Scott King Award-winning author Jacqueline Woodson's work "exceptional" (Publishers Weekly) and "wrenchingly honest" (School Library Journal), and have said "it offers a perspective on racism and elitism rarely found in fiction for this age group" (Publishers Weekly). In If You Come Softly, she delivers a powerful story of interracial love that leaves readers wondering "why" and "if only...." ... Read more

Reviews (68)

IF You Come Softly!!!!
If You Come Softly Scholastic Inc., 1998, 181pp., $3.99
Jacqueline Woodson ISBN 0-439-36738-7

If You Come Softly is an outstanding book that brings up very delicate issues like, interracial relationships, different races, racism, and love-at-first-sight. This book is about a Jewish girl named Elisha, and a Black boy named Jeremiah who fall in love at their private prep school, Percy Academy. The two teenagers don't see what's on the outside but only the kindness and beauty on the inside of each other. But some people don't see it the way that Jeremiah and Elisha do, which makes it difficult for them to have an open relationship. Apart from this they already have their own problems with being teenagers in general. How can their love for each one another stay strong under this much pressure? How can it stay strong when to the rest of the world "love" just isn't enough?

The author Jacqueline Woodson did an excellent job at touching these very powerful subjects, without going to the extreme. This book is a very intense, emotional, and heart aching book. I recommend this book to anyone who is 12-16 years old, who likes to see other peoples' points of view on racism, interracial relationships, and are very emotional.

This book is a great read all the way through and the excitement of what will happen next will keep you on the edge of your seat!!!

if the world was againts you would you go against the world
Do you like romance books? Yes? no? Either one I think you should read "If You Come Softly by Jacqueline Woodson. I personally don't like romance books, but I love this book. I rate this book five stars. "If You Come Soflty" is about a Jewish girl and an African American boy who fall in love at first sight. Ms. Woodson wrote this amazing modern love story. Some of the main characters and Ellie, Jeramiah , and both of their families. Ellie and Miah don't care what the world thinks about thier realationship. To them all that matters is that they love each other and are always there for one another. When one person thinks that they can't handle the pressure, the other one holds them up and they stay strong through it all. If you were in their sitiation what would you do? To find out what happened to Miah and Ellie please read this book. It's worth it. Trust me.

this book is wonderful
When I first read this book i couldnt put it down i think i finished it in a few hours it is the most beautiful story. The whole thing like everything about it is beautiful the love jeremiah and ellie have for eachother and how the ending is just really wonderfully put together. i definately have this book in my favorites, and you should too.

Great Book... Except.....
This was a great book. Its a story of when a Jewish girl meets a black boy and have a relationship together. It was really good, but keep in mind that when Miah's(the black boy)father says to him "never run in he park". He says that when he is really young. Then when Miah is 15, he is walking through the park and is really happy and decides to run through the park. This was the first time he ever ran in the park, and the police shoot him. That was the WORST ending I have ever read in my life! It was the worst ending to a good book. So if the things in this book were real, then I would get shot by the police if I ran through the park because I was black? Thats really dumb.....

If You Come Softly
For Miah and Ellie love at first sight is not only possible, it is colorblind. Miah is he only child of two very famous African-Americans. His father, a movie director, has recently split up with his mother, a writer. His father has also decided to send Miah to a fancy prep school outside of the black neighborhood in which he has grown up. Ellie is the youngest child in a large Jewish family. Her father, a doctor, is often away from home, her siblings have all grown up and left, and she is unable to trust her mother, who abandoned their family on two occasions for several months at a time. Ellie is also sent to the fancy prep school.

When the two meet, their loneliness fades away and in each other they find a soul mate. Yet their relationship is shadowed by the distant disdain of onlookers and the fear of their family's disapproval, and eventually tragedy strikes and Ellie and Miah are separated for good.

In this novel, Jacqueline Woodson displays her delicate, well-crafted prose and her sensitive portrayal of adolescents and their families. Yet sadly her portrayal of Ellie and Miah's relationship is not as powerful as it could be. Their relationship is beautiful to read about but it never becomes grounded in reality. If Woodson wishes to speak about the very real and important issue of interracial dating, she must write about a relationship that the readers can relate to. The bigotry that Ellie and Miah encounter is so subtle (appropriately so) and their relationship is so idyllic that it is hard to see the effects of this bigotry on their relationship.

In addition, the ending is overly dramatic, especially considering the gentle nature of the story up to that point. One feels that Woodson chose to end her novel as she did because she did not want to bring Ellie and Miah's love into the real world and because she knew that it could not go on as it was. This is a great shame, especially considering the quality of Woodson's character development.

As it stands If You Come Softly is a lovely story about a tragic and fairy-tale romance. Yet it has the potential to be a powerful portrayal of love, family and the problems of interracial dating in our modern society. Unfortunately this potential is never realized. ... Read more

Book Description

The Cherokees call The Trail of Tears Nunda¹utsun¹yi, or ³The Place Where the People Cried.² In Joseph Bruchac¹s Scholastic debut, Jesse Smoke, his mother, and his sisters are forced to abandon their home, their land, and their possessions when they and several thousand other Cherokees are forced west on The Trail of Tears. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

The Journal of Jesse Smoke
The Journal of Jesse Smoke
If you like historical fiction then I think you should read The Journal of Jesse Smoke because it was very exciting. It was exciting when the soldiers came to take all the Indians away. I thought that was interesting because then a white man tried to steal a house when a soldier beat him up. Then they went to the fort. Many died. They called it the Trail of Tears.
The Journal of Jesse Smoke is about how the Cherokee and the Creek Indians have to live in forts. They think it is very unpleasant. Then a lot of Indians die. Most of them are very weak or and ill.
The soldiers wanted the Indian's land so they came and kicked them out. Some of the Indians refused to go so then the soldiers killed them. I thought that was very mean and sad.

11-19-2002
Amozon.com

Jesse Smoke's Journal
If you like historical fiction, then I think you should read The Journal of Jesse Smoke because it was very exciting. It was exciting when the soldiers came to take all the Cherokee and Creeke Indians. I thought that was interesting because then a white man came trying to steal the house when a soilder beat up. Then, they went to a lot of forts. Many died. The Cherokee and Creeke Indians called that journey the Trail of Tears.
THE END

Great
I LOVE Dear America and this was one of the best ones. I really learned a lot from it for my research topic the trail of tears.

The Trail of Tears
Jesse and his fellow Cherokee people have lived on the land for generations. Their ancestors grew old and died on the same Georgian land. However life changes suddendly in 1838 as the Treaty of New Enchota forces him and his mother and sister off of their land. At first like many of his people his family refuses to go. However in the middle of the night one night they were forced harshfully to move out. Jesse knows life will never be the same again as he sees the harships, sickness, death, hunger, fatigue, and sorrow in his Cherokee people. The "Trail of Tears" was truly a sad time in our nation's history.

A Cherokee boy keeps a journal on the Trail of Tears.
Sixteen-year-old Jesse Smoke's Cherokee ancestors have lived peacefully on the land for generations. Jesse's own family once owned a large, successful, plantation, until the family was driven off their land by white people, who then killed his father. Now, Jesse, his mother, and his two sisters live on a small, backwoods farm in Tennessee. But even there, they are not allowed to keep their land. All the Cherokees are ordered to leave their homes and move west to Indian Territory, part of present-day Oklahoma. Those that refuse, among them Jesse's family, are rounded up in the night, their homes burnt to the ground as they watch, and then taken to overcrowded stockades to await their forced journey west. Jesse tells the heartbreaking story of the tragic journey his people come to call the "Trail of Tears." I reccomend this book to all My Name is America fans. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Fifteen-year-old wannabe philosopher Luther T. Farrell knows a few things about life. He knows the Sarge (his rich, shrewd, slumlord mom) is tougher than nails and that he better not cross her. He knows his chances of using Chauncey, the ancient condom in his wallet, are slim to none. And, he knows that despite his goal to attend Harvard, he may end up stuck in Flint, Michigan, cleaning toilets in his mom's loathsome empire. Luther spends much of his time helping the Sarge run "Happy Neighbor Group Homes" around the city, including shaving and bathing elderly men and driving residents around with an illegal license. In spare moments he tries to win first place in the science fair at school and hang out with his best friend Sparky, all the while fantasizing mightily about his one true love, the beautiful Shayla.

Readers will be moved as Luther, a thoroughly decent if sometimes naive boy, rails against his mother's cold, ruthless notions of what it takes to get ahead in the world. Up-to-the-minute slang and pop culture references will resonate with teen readers, as will the funny, first-person narrative; crisp, often hilarious dialogue; and wonderfully vivid characters. Christopher Paul Curtis, winner of the Newbery Medal for Bud Not Buddy tells a warm, witty, heart wrenching story where the good guy gets his due. (Ages 12 and older) --Karin Snelson ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A Good Book
I like this book because it is a good story. Ms. Johnson did a nice job. I liked the part where the little girl threw mud on the picket fence. The old lady was mean.

You need to read this book and find out all the stories Mama told.

Tell me a story, Mama
My daughter is still a little too young to read the book, but she LOVES the pictures. This is a very well illustrated book. The story reminds me of times in my childhood when I would ask my mother to tell me stories of when she was little. My nieces and nephew (5 years old and 8 years old), can relate very well to the book. They giggle and laugh at things the main character says, because they can relate to it. This book is a family "keeper!" ... Read more

Book Description

The jolly and exciting tale of the little boy who lost his red coat and his blue trousers and his purple shoes but who was saved from the tigers to eat 169 pancakes for his supper, has been universally loved by generations of children. First written in 1899, the story has become a childhood classic and the authorized American edition with the original drawings by the author has sold hundreds of thousands of copies.

Little Black Sambo is a book that speaks the common language of all nations, and has added more to the joy of little children than perhaps any other story. They love to hear it again and again; to read it to themselves; to act it out in their play. ... Read more

Reviews (33)

Classic story for children
When my wife asked me to try and find several classic children's books for her new baby grandson, I smiled at the mention of the titles, recalling with great fondness the stories being read to me by my mother when I was a child. Little Black Sambo was one of those stories. It is, of course, a shame that there arose some time ago individuals who equated the story with "racism". To the intelligent mind, it is truly a pity that some are so intent to find "racism" that they will envision same where none even vaguely exists.Such is the case with this fanciful, harmless classic story for children; a story that has been told to generations of children who have listened in wonder as the tigers melted into butter for (the little Indian boy) Sambo's pancakes!It is a story that returns one to a simpler time, long before child psychologists, political correctness (and who indeed is qualified to judge what is or is not CURRENTLY "correct"? Perhaps we're better off not knowing their identities, God help us!), shootings committed by school children, and all the other wonders of this wonderful Modern Age.Little Black Sambo is an American classic. As for racism: it can be found wherever one desires to find it. And if it exists not where they look, tis easy enough to invent.

A classic is a classic
I LOVE SAMBO! My Grandmother read it to me when I was a child, she is gone now but when I see the words on the page I can hear her voice in my head. Sambo is NOT racist. Sambo, as viewed from a child, is black(check your crayola's), he is brave, he lived a long time ago when there was no TV. How many parents have put new clothes on their children and told them to keep them nice and clean. Sambo lived in a different country then then I do, his life, culture, were different. Let us embrace that Sambo has fears and can be brave, and is smart enough as a little kid to outwit those tigers. I viewed him as a hero (in the late 70's) and now I believe he is a hero to my children.
Give kids a little credit they know things change and were different before they were born. The original is the way to go, it is a magical story. Don't forget it is a STORY, meant to entertain children, and it does it's job, very, very well.

Only in America
I grew up in Africa (I'm white!) and I read this book when I was in Kindergarten and loved it! Children only see the hatred of things different through the eyes of their parents. Sambo is not a nasty name in Africa and the children there do not see the book as racist or derogatory as it is so obviously a fantasy tale. Adults need to see the world through the eyes of a child again so they too can experience the joy of make believe. As for the illustrations - if you enjoyed this as a child nothing can replace those funny pictures - no matter how beautiful the new ones may be. Maybe this book is taken too seriously - I have even been asked if I have seen tigers in Africa!

Classic children's tale
"The Little Black Sambo" is a beautifully told story that ranks among my all time favorite children's books alongside "The Chink Who Saved Christmas", "The Three Little Polocks", "The Little Injun' Who Scalped" and "Pancho: The Lazy Llama who came here illegally and stole my job".

How could anyone call a story written by a white English woman in colonial India racist? Indians aren't black and racism only involves black people. Also, I'm white and therefore am tired of all these "politically correct" attacks on things I grew up with. I mean, come on people, a couple hundred years of slavery followed by decades of social and legal inequality that only began to really wane in the 1960s and now you all have a chip on your shoulder! You'd think "Little Black Sambo" was a hurtful racial epithet people routinely used against your granparents or something!

Seriously folks - I remember this story as a kid too (and I'm only 26) and I used to eat at the "Sambo's" pancake houses that used the story on their menus and such. I liked it too, it's a decent kid's story once you take the stereotypical illustrations and racist terms out of it - which people have. I don't think the objection is about the plot of a little boy turning tigers into pancakes. It's the fact that this was a story written by a white person about people that her generation thought were inferior at a time when all dark skinned people were called "black". And the fact that term "Little Black Sambo" later became, logically or not, a racist term used by white people against blacks.

The book shouldn't be banned and older kids and adults should probably read as an example of our history. But little kids can do without the racist imagery that they aren't old enough to process. I don't think it will make them racist, but imagine a classroom with a mixed group of kids. Do you really want them looking at an original version, illustrations and all, possibly making comparisons. "Hey sammy, you look just like Sambo"

There's nothing wrong with modernizing it to make it a little less offensive. Do people sometimes take political correctness too far, absolutely. But do we really have to have an argument over a book that has a title with such a patently racist term? This should be a no brainer.

Little Black Sambo
I am so glad to have found this book. When I was a little girl, my dad would tell us bedtime stories. This seemed to be his favorite. I thought he made it up. I brings back such wonderful memories. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Sharon Draper has indeed forged a fiery name for herself in the field of young adult literature--that of a courageous writer, willing to tackle tough, real-life problems while developing honorable, streetwise role models for troubled teens. Her previous novel, Tears of the Tiger, garnered much acclaim and became the first recipient of the Coretta Scott King Genesis Award. In this second novel, Draper weaves in characters from Tears--most significantly Gerald Nickleby, a young basketball player who discovers his innate strength and determination while protecting his stepsister's safety and his mother's honor.

Unfortunately, Draper's strengths (her desire to delve into tough social issues, such as child abuse, drug addiction, incest, bulimia, and domestic violence) become this book's weakness as the story line teeters on implausible. For example, in less than 20 pages Gerald faces the following: the death of a close friend (a passenger in a car that was driven by a drunk teammate); the discovery of his drunk, evil stepfather trying to sexually assault his younger stepsister; a brutal attack by his stepfather; and a raging apartment fire that threatens to kill them all. Nonetheless, Draper creates believable and important heroes for teenage boys--those who are forged from adversity, only to burn more brightly and courageous. (Ages 12 and older) --Gail Hudson ... Read more

Reviews (90)

I really like the book because it was very realistic.
The book Forged By Fire by Sharon M. Draper tells us about a boy named Gerald Nickelby who, when his loving aunt dies, is suddenly thrust into a new home filled with anger and abuse. A stepfather with a temper and an evil secret makes Gerald mad. Gerald and Angel grow close as he strives to protect her from Jordon and from their substance addicted mother. Sharon M. Draper hooks the readers by having something interesting happen and leaves you in suspense throughout the book. The storytelling pace was not fast and not to slow , but very action packed. It weaves the present and the past into a beautiful telling motion. The setting and the atmosphere is an abusive atmosphere in an cramped apartment in Cincinnati. The main characters are Gerald Nickelby, a young basketball player who discovers his strength and determination while protecting his stepsister's safety and his mother's honor. Aunt Queen is very loving and is the best aunt you could ever have. Angel is Gerald's youngest stepsister. Jordan is an abusive stepfather, and Monique is a substance -addicted mother. I understand the horrible feelings of an abandoned boy whose life is ruined when he meets his little sister and finds out that she's getting abused. As the book nears the end, the drug- addicted mother by the name of Monique now realizes the truth about Jordan. I really loved these book. It was one of the best books I've read in along time. It makes you think twice about taking life for granted. I think these would be a good book young adults (12-older) to adults.

Best book
Ashlie Roberts 01-10-01 3B In my sophomore English class we had to read a book that our teacher chose for us. I pick this one because it just seemed to relate to teenagers and some difficulties growing up. I read 'Forged by Fire' by Sharon M. Draper that is a well-written book. If I were Siskel & Ebert, I would give it two thumbs up! I got the book through an assignment in English class and read the whole thing in one day. I never put it down. It can really relate to life these days and how the world is so messed up. Just thinking about how those kids grow up makes me think of a life I could have had. It shows me how lucky we can be even we don't have a perfect lives. I can feel so muc