Book Description

Dear Reader,

The word "carnivorous," which appears in the title of this book, means "meat-eating," and once you have read such a bloodthirsty word, there is no reason to read any further. This carnivorous volume contains such a distressing story that consuming any of its contents would be far more stomach-turning than even the most imbalanced meal.

To avoid causing discomfort, it would be best if I didn't mention any of the unnerving ingredients of this story, particularly a confusing map, an ambidextrous person, an unruly crowd, a wooden plank, and Chabo the Wolf Baby.

Sadly for me, my time is filled with researching and recording the displeasing and disenchanting lives of the Baudelaire orphans. But your time might be better filled with something more palatable, such as eating your vegetables, or feeding them to someone else.

With all due respect,

Lemony Snicket

Reviews (123)

Dark Humor, Misfortune, Despair, and False Hope
Unfortunately, for the Baudelaire orphans bad luck seems to follow them wherever they go like a nefarious, gloomy, gray cloud. Their many attempts of escaping the vile, and filthy Count Olaf have been hopeless since he always seems to track them down.
In the ninth installment of A Series of Unfortunate Events Lemony Snicket once again creates a dreadful scenario filled with dark humor, suspense, mystery, and a shred of small hope, if that is even possible. The Baudelaire orphans find themselves forced to disguise themselves in freak costumes and submerge themselves into different identities. Instead of clearing up the mystery that encircles the anagram of V.F.D. they find themselves with more questions than answers. So very close to finding the solution they were until, once again, they lost their chance.
This book, as well as the series are a good read for anybody who wants to have a good time, laugh, or in very rare cases...cry. There's a feeling of impotence as one believes that maybe, just maybe the Baudelaire's might have a happy experience for once but then you find out that this is as unbelievable as ants that can talk. Lemony Snicket's literary voice is unique and worthy of recognition as he creates a ghastly storyline that hasn't been seen before. Seriously, when was the last time you read a book with a sad beginning, middle, and end? I am a mere fourteen years old yet I really delight in hearing his mind perplexing stories with great vocabulary words, and strange yet funny baby talk. These book are great for any age.

sometimes the carnival is no fun at all..........
Justin Pergolini
Room 22

I am a fifth grade student at Waldron Mercy Academy(JP).The book I am reviewing is THE CARNIVOUROUS CARNIVAL by LEMONY SNICKET.PLEASE RUN FOR YOUR LIFE.THIS REVIEW IS DANGOURUS AND MUST BE ERASED. You could not possibly want to hear the horrible events in this book...that is what Lemony Snicket whould say if he was typing this. Unlike Lemony Snicket this book is one of the best books I've ever read. Trouble has struck again for the Bualdeluares. Our story begins with the Bauldeluares in the trunk of Count Olafs long black car. The Bauldelaures are three orphans named Violet,Klaus,and Sunny whose parents died in a horrible fire. Count Olaf is a greedy man who has followed the Bauldelaures everywhere they go trying to steal the orphan's fortune and has faked his own death and blamed the poor Bauldelueres for the murder. The Bualdelueres have left their recent ''home'' at Hemlich Hospital, which I am sorry to say is no more, and found a small glimmer of light in its library of records.............

The Bualdelaures arrive at Calarigi Carnival (which I am sorry to say is no more either) where they hear of a fortuneteller who is telling Olaf where the orphans are all the time. The Bauldelaures disguise themselves as freaks to get a job at the carnivals house of freaks. It's horrible there as the Bualdelares are treated harshly on stage. They are in even more danger when Count Olaf announces the next big attraction at the carnival:feeding some lions one freak a day that is randomly selected from a hat. But that night the Bualdelares find out a little secret about the fortuneteller...

But I am afraid that tragedy strikes again for the Bauldelares and this dark road is very long indeed...........

one of th best
The Carnivorous Carnival is definently one of the best Lemony Snicket books i have ever read. This time the kids hitch a ride in the back off Count Olafs car to the Hinterlands. I the story the kids desquise themselves from him as freaks. Sunny dresses up as a wolf baby and Violet and Klaus dress as a two headed person. throughout the story the kids end up finding out something they really want to know but dont find out if it is 100% true. the end of this story is the most sad of them all. so i think that yu should read the book to find out what turns out to happen in the end.

One of the best of the series
I really love the Series of Unfortunate Events. This one is one of my favorites of the series along with the Wide Window (3), The Austere Academy (5), and the Hostile Hospital (8).
These books are very good. I was very suprised by many things in this book.
Read them!

responce to literture
In the book The Series of Unfortunate Events The Carnivorous Carnival there are three children's names are Klaus, Sunny, and Violet. They are three children who are very unlucky and get into stuff they shouldn't get in to. Olaf captured the kids and what's to get the Baudelaire fortune. Violet, sunny, and Klaus find disguises and put them on. They dressed up like a two headed person and a bay wolf. Olaf finds out who they really are and tries to put them in a pit of hungry lions. Violet tries to escape but does it work read the book to find out. This book is very interesting and I think every one should read it. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Nancy Holyoke's user-friendly guide to manners, brought to you by the beloved American Girl Library, is for girls who are "getting older, going new places, and doing new things." The introduction explains that "Manners can help. Manners are a common-sense guide to getting along with other people. They prevent you from being selfish or annoying. They remind you to be kind. They make you better company--and a better person." This cleverly designed, comically illustrated 116-page manual covers topics such as first impressions, introductions, invitations, thank-yous, table manners, good sports, embarrassing moments, family gatherings, and more. Holyoke's tips and suggestions, enlivened by numerous, humorous cartoons, are funny, easy to digest, and informative without being heavy-handed. Girls will be happy to know what to do and how to act in different situations. No doubt this tool will help them radiate confidence even when eating gristle, meeting new people, or having tea with the Queen of England. (Ages 9 to 12) ... Read more

Reviews (12)

If you want to improve your manners....
...then get this book! It's filled with tons of practical advice for ages 8 and up. If your manners need some polishing up, then I would suggest reading this book. Like all of the American Girl Library books, it's in a fun-to-read, easy-to-understand format and includes valuable information that girls really can use.

"Oops!: The Manners Guide For Girls" includes ettiquette advice for basic manners, greetings and introductions, manners with friends, gifts and presents, table manners, special occasions, embarrasing moments and horrors, and so much more. Sprinkled throughout the book are quizzes to test your ettiquette, answers to questions sent by real girls, and advice for sticky situations. This is one of the best books I've read for improving your manners. If you're a girl (or parent of one) with manners you think could use improvement, read this book.

Prim and Proper
I got this book when I was twelve. I knew I had to improve my manners yet I didn't want to go to to a school for etiquette. This book teaches girls the fundmentals of having good manners (i.e. first impressions, body language, house guests, nosy questions, etc. ) without being fussy and too prudish. They have quizzes that you can take to test your etiquette when it comes to hosting parties, the outdoors and how to deal with horrible house guests. The book is divided into chapters that put you in compromising positions where your manners can make or break you. They cover absolutely everything you could possibly think of; traveling in a foreign country, how to write the perfect party invitation, how to act in public, everything. They even have solutions on how not to interrupt people when they are talking and how not to bore people when you're initiating a conversation and how to address unmarried women, married women and young girls (i.e. Mrs. Ms. or Miss?) Since reading the book, I am no longer intimidated by how to act at a wedding, funeral, at a friends house, a fancy dinner or even meeting presidents and royalty. I even know how to make the perfect curtsy since reading "Oops!: The Manners Guide for Girls".

GREAT BOOK
YOU MUST READ THIS BOOK!!!! I'M 10 AND I READ THE BOOK, I THINK IT IS A WONDERFUL BOOK! IT IS ABOUT ALL DIFFERENT PLACES THAT YOU MIGHT WONDER WHAT YOU SHOULD DO. THE BOOK HAS FUN QUIZES. IT TELLS YOU ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT MANNERS IN A FUN WAY. IT HAS CARTOONY PICTURES THAT SHOW YOU WHAT THEY ARE TELLING YOU. IT IS A LONG BOOK, BUT DOSEN'T GET BORING. YOU SHOULD BUY IT.

Soooooooo Totaly Coooooool
I love this book.I have read it a lot of times very thoroughly.I usually look at it when I am going to go to a nice restraunt.I like it because it has lots of tips,letters from girls,cute illustrations,and quizzes.Even though it's supposed to be for girls,I think boys could probably learn some things from it.Also if you get it for your child, you might want to look at it.Once my family was hosting a fancy dinner, so my mom had to look at it to remember which silverware and drink glasses go where.I love this book!!

Every child (not just girls) needs this book!
We purchased this for our 8-year-old daughter, and I wish we would have had it years ago. It teaches all children to correct way to act in many different situations. This book has been great for our daughter, but also for me to teach our four sons the same manners lessons! ... Read more

Book Description

This rockin', rhythmic railroad adventure celebrates the uniqueness of America and the beboppin', doo-woppin' sound of jazz, from jammin' New York City all the way to New Orleans. With bold, powerful art by the "New York Times" best-selling team of Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher, H. L. Panahi's text comes alive with a pulse and beat all its own.

Amazon.com

In the second of the "Merlin Missions"--hardback additions to Mary Pope Osborne's Magic Tree House series--plucky heroes Jack and Annie must once again must travel back in time to rescue Camelot from looming danger.

One wonders why Merlin can't handle this sort of thing himself, but then of course we wouldn't get a chance to see Jack and Annie have another seat-of-the-pants adventure, getting mixed up with shape-shifting magic, armies of birds, a puzzling gem of power, and all sorts of other trouble. With the help of their old pal Teddy (Morgan le Fay's apprentice, last seen in dog form in four earlier Tree House stories), the two "Master Librarians and Magicians of Everyday Magic" must solve the mystery behind a castle full of ghosts and a menacing army of ravens. Not surprisingly, half the trouble comes in unraveling Merlin's riddles and helping Teddy use his rhyming magic correctly.

Osborne doesn't challenge readers overmuch (including the constant restatement of plot elements, perhaps worried that kids might otherwise forget or lose interest) and many parts of the story barely convince (like Teddy's "period" dialogue, e.g., "'Tis cool indeed"), but fans of the Magic Tree House will no doubt love another installment. (Ages 6 to 9) --Paul Hughes ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Hooray for the Osbornes
For some reason I've gotten into reading children's books. Maybe only a nostalgia for lost youth or something, but I have found some very enjoyable entertainment in some of those I've read recently that were not available when I was a kid myself. The Magic Tree House series is just such.

I picked up Haunted Castle on Hallow's Eve as my introduction to Miss Osborne's work and was thoroughly delighted with it. Simple and direct, it is instructive without being pedantic, and introduces new words in contexts where their meanings are apparent-or explains them when they aren't. The story hangs together well, introducing the protagonists and some of their past exploits sufficiently to engage the reader no matter where in the series one starts.

I think that some of the better children's stories are written to capture the attention of adults as well. If an adult can read them, or reread them as an adult, and not lose interest in the narrative, the book is a good one. Children have as complex a gift for understanding plot and theme as adults do. I think years of television have made them better at it than they were when I was a kid. It's not the structure or complexity of the tale that loses them so much as the reading vocabulary. Language and relationships are probably "hotwired" into humans. The written word is something else again! The Haunted Castle on Hallow's Eve was interesting enough to keep the reader involved with the story and working through the new vocabulary.

One of the most significant things about the author's work is her background in history, literature, and culture. As she explains in the final pages of the book, she put her tale together from many sources, including English history, Welsh and Irish poetry and Celtic mythology and folk beliefs. In looking over the titles of her other stories, I see that she and her husband have been able to weave into their children's adventure stories information about historical topics of a wide variety making learning something fun to do. I say hooray for the Osbornes. I expect to read some of their other books and share them with others.

Magic Tree House series #30 .. Haunted Castle on Hallows Eve
I am amazed at how captivated my little first grader was with this book. She simple could not put this book down. My daughter read the whole book (113 pages) over the weekend! The occassional repitition used in this book was a great way to remind my child what had happened in the story and how it ties in with what is currently going on in the story. There are just enough new words to help challenge the young reader yet not to many to overwhelm a child. The artwork in this book is used by the author as a device to further motivate the young reader to turn the pages and see what is coming up next. I am very thankful that such a captivating series is available. The Magic Tree House series motivates children to read. I only wish that the books stated the reading level so that I could more easily gauge my daughter's progress.

Everything is cool in this book
I love this book.It is the best book. I love the merlin missons. You have to read it. But it's better to read it in order. Get "the magic tree house #1 Dinosaurs Before Dark" it's about two brother and sister finds a tree house and find out that the tree house was magic. It takes them anywhere they want to go. Just point to a cover on the book and their there. The magic tree house #1 is a good book. The magic tree house #30 is the best book ever its about a castle that have been haunt by a big raven king and Jack and Annie have to save the castle. Luckly Old Maggie told some riddles as hints to help them. Not only Jack and Annie is alone to save the haunted castle, Teddy was helping them too. Teddy help them to become a raven and help them get to the raven nest where Merlin's diamond is. The raven king stole Merlin's diamond and Merlin need it. So he need Teddy,Jack,and Annie.
Please read this series.

Coolest book
I think that this book was great!!! it really was different and unique. Not this book but all of the magic treehouse books are awesome. I say that mary Pope Osbourne is on of he best childeren authors.

Delightful!
This book will charm every child over the age of five. It's quite an adventure that its hero and heroine go off on together. The story is well-conceived: detailed, fascinating and well-described. Great Halloween spirit--and the saga is not at all scary! ... Read more

Book Description

CAN WOMAN EVER CONQUER MAN?

Queen Serpot rules the Land of Women, where the Amazon women live free, without men, and hunt and fight their own battles. But one day their peace is broken. An army of Egyptian soldiers is approaching their land, led by their prince, Pedikhons.

Pedikhons has heard stories of these warrior women. Now he has come to see them with his own eyes -- and to challenge them to combat. But the brave Serpot and her women are full of surprises. Can woman truly equal man in strength and courage?

This story of love and war is based on an actual Egyptian scroll from the Greco-Roman period. Hieroglyphic translations of key phrases, intricate paintings in the Egyptian and Assyrian styles, and extensive notes about both cultures enrich this fascinating, untold legend. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Beautiful and Edifying
Applause to Tamara Bower for bringing back to life a story heard by ancient ears.Her attention to artistic detail makes this book a visual feast.With all of the information included in this book it is interesting for children as well as for adults.
Thank you Tamara Bower for this treasure!

Beautifully told and illustrated
This story is an ancient tale with a modern sensibility. Two great leaders, a prince and a queen, who do not know much about each other at first, rise to battle each other, then learn to respect each other and join forces. It's a great story of adventure, empowerment and acceptance, beautifully told with Tamara Bower's rich, colorful, hieroglyphic style paintings. This is a great book for anyone who likes Egyptian art and classic storytelling. ... Read more

Book Description

Star Crossed Lovers

When Romiette Cappelle meets Julio Montague, she feels as though she has met the soul mate who can rescue her from her recurring nightmare about fire and water. But like the Shakespearean characters whose names echo theirs, Romiette and Julio discover that not everyone approves of their budding romance. In their case, it is because Romiette is African-American and Julio is Hispanic, and the Devildogs, a dangerous local gang, violently oppose their interracial relationship.

When the Devildogs threaten to teach them a lesson, Romiette and Julio come up with a risky plan to escape from the gang's fearsome shadow. But things go terribly awry, and the two find themselves caught up in a deadly reality more frightening that Romiette's nightmare -- and in a desperate struggle to avoid the tragic fate of Shakespeare's famous young lovers. ... Read more

Reviews (41)

Good Book!
A modern version of Romeo and Juliette with some twists kept me turning the page for more excitement. Julio Montague moves from Texas to Ohio because of gangs at his old school and falls in love with the beautiful, African American girl Romiette Cappelle. What happens though, is that the Devil Dogs - a gang at this school - threatens the Hispanic boy of the dangers of seeing Romi. When both of them reufse to stop liking each other, the Devil Dogs take matters into their own hands and create a nightmare for both Romiette and Julio that they will never forget. This wasn't the best book I've ever read, but it was still pretty good. Don't judge it based on the title because you'll be surprised at how different it is from Shakespeare's version considering you can only take the story line so far...very good book overall.

Great modern twist to Shakespeare's classic play
For my ninth grade English class, we were assigned to read the play Romeo and Juliet. That's why, when at the library, I spotted this book and decided to read it. Compared to the original play, this book was wonderfully sweet and romantic. African-American Romiette Cappelle (called Romi) and Hispanic Julio Montague are the two heros this time. Both sixteen and juniors in high school, they meet over the internet and develop a strong relationship, that even objections from a local gang cannot deter. This book chronicles thier journey to an open relationship that overcomes racial boundaries. I recommend this book for approximately ages 9-14.

Romiette and Julio
Romiette and Julio have become very close since Julio moved to Cinncinati from Texas, but a gang in their school( the devil dogs) decide that their diffrent cultural relationship should be put to a stop. The young couple with the help of there friends Ben and Destiney come up with a plan to get the gang off there backs. The plan goes wrong and Romiette's worst nightmares come crashing down on her and Julio is the only one who can save her. The novel is appealing to your sense of love and adventure. If you like to read about young love that has a strain put on it and pulls through you will love this novel that follows along the lines of Romeo and Juliette.

A pretty good book
Jimmy Gross

Romiette & Julio; Sharon Draper; New York; Simon Pulse, 1999. 320 pages.

Romiette & Julio is a pretty good book. I would highly recommend it to young people

that have just finished reading Romeo & Juliet. The plot is similar to Romeo & Juliet,

with a twist on names and places, but the story takes place in the world of today.

Romiette & Julio can be used to better understand Romeo & Juliet because it is

about gangs and the psychology of today's youth, particularly in cities full or crime,

drugs, and shootings. Romiette is an African American girl. Julio is Mexican teenager.

When they fall in love, their parents and the gang at school do not exactly like the idea of

them being together.

The story begins when Julio moves to Ohio from Texas. He first gets in a fight with

another boy, and when the fight is over, they became best friends. His new friend is Ben.

When Julio is on the computer, he begins talking to a girl. When he asks

her what school she goes to, he finds that they attend the same school. They meet

up with one another for lunch at school and quickly fall in love. The gang has

something against Julio and threaten him all of the time. The gang kidnaps Romiette and

Julio, and I suppose that you will have to read the book to find out what happens to

them, because I don't want to give anything away.

The author's writing style is exciting and entertaining. Sharon M. Draper does a very

good job of making the book suitable for teenagers. She has a very good style, relating to

teenagers in today's time using today's language. She uses gangs and real life situations,

showcasing kids who are having similar problems today, as the Romeo & Juliet of

yesterday.

The book makes it very clear as to the time period, place, and setting of the story.

The author tells a lot about who the characters are. The book describes Destiny, who is

Romiette's best friend, who happens to be psychic. The book also portray Ben, who is

Julio's best friend. The author also descriptively depicts the gang called the Devildogs.

The story takes place in Cincinnati, Ohio. Julio moved from Corpus Christie, Texas.

The author's voice is very good. The author does a great job of changing tones, and

sounding either emotional or angry. She can make Romiette and Julio sound like poets,

and have the gangs always sounding angry or against everything.

I feel that the book achieved its goal. I feel that the way Romeo & Juliet is

written makes it just about impossible to understand. The author made a book with

today's English and made it easy to understand.

I think the book left out very few things. I cannot think of anything. One thing

I think is the book should have gone further into the future instead of just a few

weeks. (at the end).

I am not sure how the book compares to others on the subject, because I have not read

any others. Compared to Romeo & Juliet, I think it is a lot better because kids can

actually read and understand what they are reading, and also they can relate with it a lot.

I think that Romiette and Julio was a very good book. If a kid is reading Romeo &

Juliet and doesn't understand it, they should read Romiette & Julio. I would recommend

this book to anyone.

Could have been written better
I was so disapointed at the phony plot details in this book. For example, Romi's parents make good money and are educated, but they live in a really nice house with a spacious yard that happens to be in a rough, inner-city school district? And when Ben gets sucker-punched by Julio he gets up and says "It's okay. I can tell you've had a rough day." Or Julio, who for much of the book speaks like an average hispanic teen, says "Don't worry, the principal has dispersed the crowd." Come on. The book's basic premise was cool, but the bad writing blew it. ... Read more

Book Description

Kit Tyler is marked by suspicion and disapproval from the moment she arrives on the unfamiliar shores of colonial Connecticut in 1867. Alone and desperate, she has been forced to leave her beloved home on the island of Barbados and join a
family she has never met. Torn between her quest for belonging and her desire to be true to herself, Kit struggles to survive in a hostile place. Just when it seems she must give up, she finds a kindred spirit. But Kit"s friendship with Hannah Tupper, believed by the colonists to be a witch, proves more taboo than she could have imagined and ultimately forces Kit to choose between her heart and her duty.
Elizabeth George Speare"s Newbery Award–winning novel portrays a heroine whom readers will admire for her unwavering sense of truth as well as her infinite capacity to love. ... Read more

Reviews (293)

ThE wItCh Of BlAcKbIrD pOnD--a GrEaT bOoK--
Kit Tyler was once a rich girl of Barbados, but upon her grandfather's death, she finds out that she now is poor. She goes aboard the ship, the Dolphin, heading for Connecticut Colony, and wishes to live a better life at her aunt's house. While on the way, she becomes friends with the captain's son, Nat Eaton, John Holbrook, a man planning on becoming a minister, and Prudence, a little girl. When she finally arrives at her destination, she tries to fit in with the Puritans, and to keep up with her lively cousin, Judith, and her gentle one, Mercy. After a number of different accidents in the family and outside, she finds becomes friends with an old Quaker woman named Hannah, that lives at Blackbird Pond, who is said to be a witch. Kit does not believe this, and she keeps on being friends with the old woman. But, the villagers see Kit as a threat to the community, since they do not trust her as being a friend to their witch, and she goes on trial. Just as she thinks she is doomed, Nat Eaton and Prudence save her. However, Kit discovers that she will never fit in with the Puritans, and planned on going on the Dolphin the next time the ship came. Finally, the ship docks, and she goes on it, for what seems to be a much better future.

My favorite part of the book was where Kit goes on trial. I thought of this at my favorite part for I think it is very interesting to hear how other people act to problems and try to blame it on someone else. I think it is very funny how people think of small problems and turn them into what sounds like a major disasters performed by a witch. I like the part where Prudence comes in, and stuns her own parents by doing what they had never thought she would be able to do, which was reading the Bible and writing her own name. I think it is not right when parents think very little about kids and think they are still their little babies that always need their parents to help them.

I recommend this book to kids the ages of 10 and up. I also recommend adults to read this book and learn the facts of how kids can do things without any help from their parents or any one else. I believe Elizabeth George Speare is a great author who has written many books that I have enjoyed. After reading this book, I came to really enjoy it. At first I thought it was very boring, but in the end, it became more interesting and fun. I also learned not to judge anyone by what people say about them, but you should always think about your judgement before actually thinking about if it is true or not. I now understand the meaning of "Never judge a book by its cover."

A FASCINATING TALE!
A witch? Someone thinks you are a witch? When Kit leaves Barbados on the lovely Dolphin ship to live in America with her Uncle, she is unprepared for what she encounters. What a surprise when she discovers that being able to read, swim, wear fancy clothes, as well as befriending a kind old woman is odd behavior for this town. In The Witch of Blackbird Pond, Elizabeth George Spears sends you on a reading adventure. The story includes a number of surprising and suspenseful events including a frightening witch hunt and a big outcry among some angry villagers against their government. Some parts of the story are a little boring, but the elaborate language and unpredictable moments bring you right back into the book. The climax of this book is the best part. It's unbeleivable and exciting. The main character, Kit, is very interesting. You will feel like you know her only after reading a few pages. Fiesty, wise, and stubborn are some of Kit's personality traits. You will also become very familiar with many of the other characters including Kit's two cousins, her Aunt and Uncle, Nat a seaman, and John and William two very interesting men, plus many more! This book has many hidden lessons in it. It teaches you about friendship, trust, bravery, genorosity, and happiness, It will fill you with sorrow and joy, and is a very adventurous story loved by many!

Diverse Religions, and History
Kit comes over to the 13 colonies becuae her grandfather died. When she arrives, she finds a place very diffrent from her former home, Barbados. She is forced by her strict uncle to be a solemn as the puritans, and to set aside her silk gowns and wear homespun dresses. she feels completly stifled by her new life, and one day, after almost cuasing her crippled cousin her teaching job, she breaks. She runs to the "meadow" where she meets Hannah Tupper, a Quaker who is shuned and thought to be a witch by many. All she really is is a kind old lady. She takes kit home and feeds her, and helps her be brave and get her cousins job back. kit goes back to Hannahs house and eventually meets Hannahs seafaring friend, none other than Nat, the son of the man who brought her to America.And yes Nat was on the boat the whole time kit was. Then one day Kit is accused of being a witch. Something not to be taken lightly in the 1600's. She is rescued by none other than Nat. Then hannah is going to be burned out of her house, or if the people have their way, in her house. But Kit goes and helps Hannah get out before the evil people come, and she gets her on a ship... whose ship? Guess. Nats. And so Hannahs gone and Kits life is drudging on a usual.... and then someone comes... like you can't guess who... and something happens...

Now that's what I call a "living" book
I just finished reading this book aloud to my 3 children. They are a tough audience but this book made the history lesson extra smooth. They were begging for "just one more chapter".

This book delves into the Puritan lifestyle,touches a bit on some of the sentiments of the colonists and their fierce independence, briefly touches on some of the archaic medical practices of the times, shows how easily innocent circumstances turned into witch hunts and sparked a conversation about how people can fall into a mob mentality and much more.

There is tons of information here to spark an interest in children to dig deeper. Our family highly recommends it!

Excellent lesson to be learned
I discovered this book years and years ago in the fourth grade. The thought of it stayed with me through the years. I bought the book for my friend's son a couple years ago and reread it to see if it was as good as I remembered. It was even better because as an adult I can see some of the most important themes of the book that weren't evident to a child. Tolerance and acceptance are perhaps the biggest lessons of all to take away from it. Independence is another. I will continue to buy this book every time a child close to me comes to the age where they can understand it. The plotline is enough to keep them interested while at the same time teaching them valuable life lessons, without them even knowing it. ... Read more

Book Description

It's summer. It's hot. And it's time to hook up. Cousins Ella, Beth, and Jamie are at their family's beach house for the summer, and they're gearing up for the wildest time of their lives. Sassy Ella is majorly crushing on a sexy older boy--who just happens to be her sister's new boyfriend. Meanwhile, practical Beth is surprised when she finds herself falling for her best friend George. And shy, creative Jamie gets her heart broken when her summer love abandons her.Three girls, too many boys, and some seriously stormy romances...it all adds up to one unforgettable summer. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Excellent
Hailey Abbott did a spectacular job with writing this story. She needs to write many more! The story of Beth and George was the best. I only wish I had a guy best friend like Beth did. They had a beautiful story. As for Ella and Jamie's story, they were fun to read too. All the girls learned something valuable that summer, and the message it sends will make you smile. Definately read this book if you're into romance.

Summer Boys
This book is awesome!
I recommend that everyone read it, well maybe not boys but it's the perfect book to read at the beach.
Everyone can relate to it.
It's cute, sexy, and hot!!!!
and i read it in a day it's that good
u just can't put it down.

really good book
this is a really good book. it makes u root for the girls so that things work out w/ them and their boys. my fave character is ella, and i am a lot like her. it really makes me happy that this book is written in great detail, and i suggest it to anyone who cant find a guy worthy of their time. its a good book to read in the summer, and i would most definately buy it. and whats this i hear about them making a movie about it?! lmk more bout that i hope it goes thru!
xoxo
pink suga bunnie

wow i <3 this book
wow okay summer boys was deff a great book. its hot sexy, and great for teenage girls. im not really a reader unless i have to and i literally couldnt put this one down. it pretty much was about 3 girls jaime, ella, and beth.
i have to say though even though i love all 3 jaime was the least interesting, i enjoyed ella a bit more she was fun and wild but the whole beth situation got to me. i fell in love with her best friend/lover (o0o la la) george and their entire "romance."
i am the slowest reader and i finished this in a day and a half because i just couldnt put it down!! lol and i even confess that i was so in love with beth and george that i reread the chapters about them after i finished the book...prolly bc i was on a road trip and bored but oh well! lol
I REALLY ENJOYED THIS BOOK!!

Never Put it Down!
Summer boys was one of those novels that almost any teenage girl can relate to. I found it funny, sad, and full of so many different emotions. There was backstabing, betrail and close bonds that could never have anything come between them. All of these things happen in everyday life and that is why i could relate so much to this novel. I reccomend it to anyone for an amazing summer reading about, love, friends, trust, and boys! ... Read more

Book Description

It only takes a few hours for Turner Buckminster to start hating Phippsburg, Maine. No one in town will let him forget that he's a minister's son, even if he doesn't act like one. But then he meets Lizzie Bright Griffin, a smart and sassy girl from a poor nearby island community founded by former slaves. Despite his father's-and the town's-disapproval of their friendship, Turner spends time with Lizzie, and it opens up a whole new world to him, filled with the mystery and wonder of Maine's rocky coast.
The two soon discover that the town elders, along with Turner's father, want to force the people to leave Lizzie's island so that Phippsburg can start a lucrative tourist trade there. Turner gets caught up in a spiral of disasters that alter his life-but also lead him to new levels of acceptance and maturity.
This sensitively written historical novel, based on the true story of a community's destruction, highlights a unique friendship during a time of change.Author's note. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Richie's Picks: LIZZIE BRIGHT AND THE BUCKMINSTER BOY
"From so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being evolved."
--Charles Darwin, THE ORIGIN OF SPECIES

"Like angels appearing in the sky,
whales are proof of God."
--Cynthia Rylant, THE WHALES

Because it is based upon a series of true, race-related events in Maine during the early 1900s, LIZZIE BRIGHT AND THE BUCKMINSTER BOY might make you think of Karen Hesse's WITNESS. Several of the "good guy" characters--Mrs. Carr and the elder Mrs. Hurd, for example--have a charm reminiscent of the idiosyncratic folk in BECAUSE OF WINN-DIXIE. But, because of the depth of the evil behind the tragic real events upon which the fictional story of Lizzie and Turner is built, the feelings of despair and anger with which we're left evoke memories of such books as MISSISSIPPI TRIAL, 1955 and TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD.

The enchanting Lizzie Bright Griffin, a girl of great strength and few words, belongs to the youngest of many generations of African Americans who have called Malaga Island home.

"Lizzie held close against her grandfather as the people of Malaga Island came out from the pine woods, gathered around their preacher on the shore to hear what had been said. Before they turned, Lizzie felt her grandfather ebb as though his soul were passing out of him, the way the last waves of a falling tide pass into still air and are gone. "She took a deep breath, and she wasn't just breathing in the air. She breathed in the waves, the sea grass, the pines, the pale lichens on the granite, the sweet shimmering of the pebbles dragged back and forth in the surf, the fish hawk diving to the waves, the dolphin jumping out of them.
"She would not ebb.
"Then she turned with her grandfather to tell the gathering people of Malaga that times had moved on, and they would have to leave their homes."

Across the water, on the mainland, Turner is the new kid in town. And even worse--from his perspective--he's the new minister's son.

"Turner Buckminster had lived in Phippsburg, Maine, for almost six whole hours.
"He didn't know how much longer he could stand it."

Here, as with the fight over the towers in Elaine Konigsburg's THE OUTCASTS OF 19 SCHUYLER PLACE, the root of conflict involves money and property values. Phippsburg's shipbuilding industry is dying, and the local "boys with the bucks" reckon that tourism may be the source of future prosperity if only the "less desirable" portion of the community can be run out of town.

" 'Would you look at that monkey go? Look at her go. She climbing down or falling?' Deacon Hurd watched the last leap to the ground. 'Sheriff Elwell, I believe she thought you might shoot her.'
" 'Wouldn't have been any trouble, Mr. Hurd. One less colored in the world.' "

The character who is most difficult to decipher in this story of Turner's coming of age is his father. Reverend Buckminster was hired by the church leadership and is supposed to be serving God. However, he is being pulled in various directions: by the white community, by his own knowledge and conscience (or sometimes lack thereof), and by the beliefs of the maturing son he apparently loves, albeit in a stiff, 1912 Congregationalist ministerial fashion.

"And suddenly, Turner had a thought that had never occurred to him before: he wondered if his father really believed a single thing he was saying.
"And suddenly, Turner had a second thought that had never occurred to him before: he wondered if he believed a single thing his father was saying."

Reverend Buckminster is but one of several characters who end up throwing Turner a curveball.

The innocent, against-all-odds friendship that develops between Turner and Lizzie repeatedly caused me shivers, delight, and despair. It is first among the many reasons why LIZZIE BRIGHT AND THE BUCKMINSTER BOY is an entertaining and important piece of YA historic fiction. (...) ... Read more

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"The Baudelaire orphans looked out the grimy window of the train and gazed at the gloomy blackness of the Finite Forest, wondering if their lives would ever get better," begins The Miserable Mill. If you have been introduced to the three Baudelaire orphans in any of Lemony Snicket's previous novels, you know that not only will their lives not get better, they will get much worse. In the fourth installment in the "Series of Unfortunate Events," the sorrowful siblings, having once again narrowly escaped the clutches of the evil Count Olaf, are escorted by the kindly but ineffectual Mr. Poe to their newest "home" at the Lucky Smells Lumbermill. Much to their horror (if not surprise), their dormitory at the mill is crowded and damp, they are forced to work with spinning saw blades, they are fed only one meal a day (not counting the chewing gum they get for lunch), and worst of all, Count Olaf lurks in a dreadful disguise as Shirley the receptionist just down the street. Not even the clever wordplay and ludicrous plot twists could keep this story buoyant--reading about the mean-spirited foreman, the deadly blades, poor Klaus (hypnotized and "reprogrammed"), and the relentless hopelessness of the children's situation only made us feel gloomy. Fans of these wickedly funny, suspenseful adventures won't want to miss out on a single one, but we're hoping the next tales have the delicate balance of delight and disaster we've come to expect from this exciting series. (Ages 9 to 12) ... Read more

Reviews (85)

AWESOME BOOOK, LEMONY SNICKET IS AT IT AGAIN!
Calling all Lemony Snicket fans! Four words people, THIS BOOK IS AWESOME! The Miserable Mill is probably the most hilarious so far (well, I've only read 1-7, and not 2). Man, disguising Count Olaf as the female resepsionist Shirley? Now that's funny! I'm sure many readers (myself included) were sure Count Olaf was going to be the manager of the Mill or the "Eye Doctor" or Charlie even, but certainly not a female respsionist named Shirley! I was particularly amused by the fact that Lemony Snicket loves to poke fun at certain cliche sayings, and at certain types of people. Not a doubt this book is the best of the series!

A marvelously miserable book by Lemony Snicket.
Violet, Klaus, and Sunny have endured some of the most horrid, unfortunate circumstances they could ever imagine since the sudden deaths of their parents. The three Baudelaire orphans just seem to always have misfortune following them -- and their miserable lives are about to become even worse. They have been sent to stay in under the care of a man who, quite mysteriously, has a cloud of smoke where his head should be. Assigned to work in a horrid mill that the three children find almost impossible to endure, their lives worsen by each day. And for some reason their evil uncle, Count Olaf, hasn't been seen around -- but little do they know where -- and how -- their evil uncle is lurking in the shadows. Can they solve a horrible mystery, avoid torture, and make their stay out alive? Or will Count Olaf for once be the victor of the Baudelaire fortune? This was one of the most hilarious books I have ever read, and Lemony Snicket's Series Of Unfortunate Events is so darkly funny I found it impossible to put down. The Miserable Mill, the fourth hilarious book in this unfortunate series, was another five-star, charming novel by Lemony Snicket, whose writing is beautiful and unmatched, funny in so many places that will always entertain.

Not one of the best
As readers of this series will undoubtedly agree, Lemony Snicket makes a very entertaining author. The characters in these stories are unique and fun, however this individual story failed to stand out from the rest. It's plot was ok, and it had it's moments, but it didn't make itself memorable. Although it didn't stand out, it still is a must if one is reading this series.

A bit of a dropoff
Without repeating the plot outline, this seems the least of the first four gooks in the series. This is not to say that it isn't a good book. Perhaps it is because there just isn't enough of Count Olaf, aka Shirley. There are mean people other than "Shirley," but they lack something in comparison with the evil "Grinch," who was the first caretaker of the Baudelaire orphans.

There are several nice touches, such as, Sunny debarking logs with her four baby teeth and having pieces of wood caught between. And then there is Shirley, protesting that she/he is not really Count Olaf because she/he has a name plate that says Shirley. QED, as they say in geometry. Kids are going to love that.

Nonetheless, these books are destined to be favorites for children and parents for a long, long time.

OK
I my self am this series maniak. Altough the book plays & fullfills the requirements of the series it doesn't cut it. The other books in the series are better. What the book lacks is a large chunk of problems. The only big Baudelaire prob. is the hipnocious DR.ORVILE because of her hipnotizing skills. The book is ok not extraordinary like the others. ... Read more

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As the three Baudelaire orphans warily approach their new home--PrufrockPreparatory School--they can't help but notice the enormous stone arch bearingthe school's motto Memento Mori, or "Remember you will die." This is nota cheerful greeting, and certainly marks an inauspicious beginning to a verybleak story. Of course, this is what we have come to expect from LemonySnicket's Series of Unfortunate Events, the deliciously morbid set of books thatbegan with The BadBeginning and only got worse.

In The Austere Academy, Violet, Klaus, and Sunny are at firstoptimistic--attending school is a welcome change for the book-loving trio, andthe academy is allegedly safe from the dreaded Count Olaf, who is after theirfortune. Hope dissipates quickly, however, when they meet Vice Principal Nero, aself-professed genius violinist who sneeringly imitates their every word. Moredreadful still, he houses them in the tin Orphans Shack, crawling withtoe-biting crabs and dripping with a mysterious tan fungus. A beam of lightshines through the despair when the Baudelaires meet the Quagmires, two of threeorphaned triplets who are no strangers to disaster and sympathize with theirpredicament. When Count Olaf appears on the scene disguised as Coach Genghis(covering his monobrow with a turban and his ankle tattoo with expensive runningshoes), the Quagmires resolve to come to the aid of their new friends. Sadly,this proves to be a hideous mistake.

Snicket disarms us again with his playful juxtapositions--only he can comparebombs with strawberry shortcake (both are as dangerous to make as assumptions),muse on how babies adjust developmentally to the idea of curtains, or ponder whythe Baudelaire orphans would not want to be stalks of celery despite theirincessant bad luck as humans. We can't get enough of this splendid series ofmisadventures, and can only wager that swarms of young readers will be rightnext to us in line for the next installment. (Ages 9 and older) --KarinSnelson ... Read more

Reviews (123)

A Series of Unfortunate Events, The Austere Academy
This book is called: A Series Of Unfortunate Events, The Austere Academy, by Lemony Snicket and I recommend this book because... Well just listen and you'll find out. Its setting describes an apartment that is forty-eight of eighty-four stories high, what is soon to be their new home. But before I go on, I will give you a quote told by the author, Lemony Snicket. "If you have just picked up this book, then it is not too late to put it back down. Like the previous books in A SERIES OF UNFORUNARE EVENTS, there is nothing to be found in there pages but misery, despair, and you still have time to choose someth ing else to read." Mr. Poe, a man who has helped them since their parents died, has to go to find their friends who Count Olaf has kidnapped, so he has to leave early and is unable to go on with them. Oh, and by the way, the elevator is OUT, so it is out of order. You'll find out what I mean when you read the book, so read it!!

Sadness Reigns
Can you find a more sad tale than this one? This is the saddest story out of all the ones I've read so far. The children, Violet, Klaus, and Sunny are still trying to survive Count Olaf terror.

These children must endure a self serving Vice Principal that loves to play the violin. They must put up with a bratty little girl that calls them names, and teachers that teach nothing. They have to run all night long, and their living conditions are terrible. They have to live with crabs, fungus, and a terrible paint job. But with all the negative, there is a ray of light in this story. Two rays of light. Violet, Klaus, and Sunny find friends that go out of their way to help them as much as they can.

Unfortunately, their friends are kidnapped in the end, and of course, the adults in this story are useless and hopeless. Will they ever have any luck? Not according to Lemony Snicket.

Overall, this is a really good book in the series. It made me feel so bad for them, and it left questions in my mind. I recommend this book for all of its genius, sadness, and its bit of 'mystery.'

Joy.

Tremendous
This book is the best book I have ever read. I love all of the books in this series, but this is one of my favorite of them all. I recommend all of the books as well as this one.

Fantastic!!!!!!!!!!!!
In this book the Baudelaire are faced with numerous of situations that can change there lifes forever. They must once agein try proving count ofal's identity, run laps every night, pass many exams, and still manage to sleep. But, with the help of there friends, the two Quagmire triplets, they manage to survive. Until something terrible happenes to Quagmire triplets, thanks to there own forturn, and coach Genghis.

I think this book is the best in its series, this is because it has a little bit of everything in it, and you can relate to it more than the other books. This is because, it is all about the
having to deal with unfairness, and I am sure we all think we have that. But from werid teachers, to even bullys, the Baudelaires have another adventure that is worth reading, so go and read this book I'm sure you woun't put it down!

Will the Real Lemony Snicket Please Stand Up!
I am surprised and saddened to report that on reading books one through five of the Unfortunate Events series, I have discovered with this volume that Lemony Snicket is a fraud, "fraud" here meaning that there is more than one author passing themselves off as the cranky curmudgeon who writes these books. Part of the appeal of the Snicket books is that the author is sort of anonymous but at least sort of the same person. I was amazed to learn as an adult that there was no Franklin W. Dixon who wrote the Hardy Boys books of my youth, but rather a series of writers ghosting as the ficticious author. But surely, I thought, Lemony is gonna be one fellow all the way through. And then we get to the Austere Academy which blew that theory all to pieces.
The tone of the book is much different than the previous volumes. Granted, horrible things still happen to our unfortunate orphans, and the style tries to mimic the first books, but the word usage and sentence structure and style is, at times, wildly different. In a way, the writing is much more adult in the way it is presented. The first four books played pretty loose and were very conversational between author and reader, as if Lemony were telling a terrible story to a younger group of children. They also explained things and expounded on ideas that may be new to a younger reader. The Austere Academy, however, is a much more straightforward young adult novel in approach and becomes stilted when it tries to be conversational. The choice of words, phrases and concepts used are sometimes surprisingly more mature and advanced as if written by a person used to dealing with an older audience. One of the key elements of the series, defining larger words in an informative and humorous way, is very different as simple words and concepts are expounded upon, and larger words, like "tyrannical," pop up and are passed over as normal parts of childhood speech. The characters are essentially the same, but in a very rote way. Sunny, the baby of the bunch, is especially different as the second author has her think and act much older than she should be able to. Her four sharp teeth, unlike the first books, play almost no part as the writer seems to forget that she has a tendancy to bite everything in sight. Her speech, always garbled, was almost always expounded upon in the first books giving a meaning to what she has tried to say, but in the Academy, she just blurts out odd words and the story just keeps on going much of the time. Count Olaf, too, is sort of downplayed as he is but one of a number of sinister figures that wreck the orphan's lives rather than the evil mastermind who is waiting around every corner. I could go on, but you get the point.
This book isn't bad, in fact it is a decent story, but it is more of a straightforward (and a trifle bland) version of the unfortunate events depicted. Much of the wit, lunacy and charm of the earlier volumes is severely lacking. So either Lemony Snicket is more than one writer (which I suspect), or between the fourth and fifth books, somebody started slipping him some Prozac to even him out.
Oh, the book would only get two stars, but it redeems itself by introducing the term "Cakesniffer" into the English language. ... Read more

Book Description

When Brother and Sister Bear accidentally break Mama's favorite lamp, their little lie grows bigger and bigger, until Papa Bear helps them find the words that set everything right again. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

20 minutes well spent.
This is a good book for your children to read, in the sense that it has a good lesson within it's text. Your children can learn about telling the truth. A good idea to do while (or after) reading this story to your child, is to explain to them that they can tell you anything. You don't want your kids keeping secrets from you.

Liar Liar Pants on Fire
This book really related to me because I used to have a really big lieing problem until my dad and I sat down and had a talk about not to lie. In this story Brother and Sister Bear break Momma Bear's lamp they keep telling more and more lies. But when Papa Bear comes in to help them out he helps them get everything straightened out. I would recommend this book to all parents to help their kids stop lieing.

To tell the truth?
When brother and sister are playing soccer in the house they end up breaking mama's favorite lamp! They try making up a lie to get of of the blame. But can they keep their story straight>?

This book teaches kids how it is better to tell the truth and not to lie no matter what they have done. It is a great lesson to me learned and I suggest it for any child!

A Great Lesson for Children
The Berenstain Bears and the Truth is a wonderful story for children of any ages. It teaches children a very important lesson,always to tell the truth no matter what and if a lie is told, it would always come back to haunt you. I greatly recommend this book for children.

Berenstein Bear Books
With my first Grandchild, who is now a young teen, we were introduced to the Berenstein Bear books and had every one that was out. She loved them and still has them. Seeing how she enjoyed having them read to her and then reading them herself has me now buying them for my youngest grandchild. They are timeless and enjoyable but at the same time teaching life lessons to your children and grandchildren. Worth every penny and effort it takes to own one or the whole set. ... Read more

Book Description

It's hard to be five.
Just yelled at my brother.
My mind says do one thing.
My mouth says another.

It's fun to be five!
Big changes are here!
My body's my car,
and I'm licensed to steer.

Learning not to hit? Having to wait your turn? Sitting still? It's definitely hard to be five. But Jamie Lee Curtis's encouraging text and Laura Cornell's playful illustrations make the struggles of self-control a little bit easier and a lot more fun!

This is the sixth inspired book from the #1 New York Times best-selling team of Today I Feel Silly: & Other Moods That Make My Day and I'm Gonna Like Me: Letting Off a Little Self Esteem.

Amazon.com

Mistress Mary is quite contrary until she helps her garden grow. Along the way, she manages to cure her sickly cousin Colin, who is every bit as imperious as she. These two are sullen little peas in a pod, closed up in a gloomy old manor on the Yorkshire moors of England, until a locked-up garden captures their imaginations and puts the blush of a wild rose in their cheeks; "It was the sweetest, most mysterious-looking place any one could imagine. The high walls which shut it in were covered with the leafless stems of roses which were so thick, that they matted together.... 'No wonder it is still,' Mary whispered. 'I am the first person who has spoken here for ten years.'" As new life sprouts from the earth, Mary and Colin's sour natures begin to sweeten. For anyone who has ever felt afraid to live and love, The Secret Garden's portrayal of reawakening spirits will thrill and rejuvenate. Frances Hodgson Burnett creates characters so strong and distinct, young readers continue to identify with them even 85 years after they were conceived. (Ages 9 to 12) ... Read more

Reviews (165)

The Secret Garden a review by super-girl
The Secret Garden

Have you ever discovered a place that has bee locked up for a long time? If so, then you can relate to The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. Mary Lennox, the protagonist, moves from India to Misselthwaite, England because her parents die of cholera. She lives with her cousin Colin Craven, who thinks he's a cripple and believes he is never going to walk. Mary tries to convince him that he's not a cripple. The children meet Dickon, a local boy who they call the animal charmer. Together they find a magical world inside a garden.

Mary, Dickon, and Colin find the garden left alone and locked. They find a key with the help of Robin and then start to garden without anyone knowing it. Mary and Colin are very frail like a toothpick, but then they grow because the fresh air makes them well. Dickon is a teacher because he shows them how to garden.

Then, on a rainy day, Mary and Colin go into rooms in the house that are locked up and they learn about their ancestors. In Colin's room Mary sees a portrait hidden under a tarpaulin, she opens it and sees picture of Colin's Mother (Mrs. Craven). Mary asks Colin why it is covered and he tells her that he doesn't want to see her because she reminds him of his Father and how he is mad at him because he will be a hunchback. Finally, Mary and Colin learn to overcome their tantrums and the fears of never seeing their parents again. When the children are in the garden, they were caught by one of the gardeners, however he said that he wouldn't tell because he himself had been inside the garden.

Read to find out if the children ever get caught in the garden again, or if Colin ever walks. Ladies and gentlemen, I invite and encourage you to read The Secret Garden.

One of my childhood favorites -- and I still love it!
I can't count how many times I read this book in elementary school -- dozens, I'm sure. I still read it occasionally and listen to the musical.

Here's a brief synopsis: Mary Lennox is a bitter child whose parents live in India during the very early 1900s (approximately). Her mother and father pay no attention to her, and she is spoiled, selfish and temperamental. When cholera kills her parents, she is sent to live with her uncle -- a hunchback who lives in a huge mansion on the Yorkshire moors.

Slowly and with the help of the maid, the maid's brother, and the gardener, Mary becomes a normal, happy child. But her uncle never sees her and is rarely there. He was devastated by his wife's untimely death years earlier and cannot bear to be in the house where they lived together.

Mary also hears a mysterious crying that no one else seems to. She investigates and discovers it is her cousin, Colin, who refuses to see anyone, believing he is crippled. His father can't bear to look at him because his mother died in childbirth. Mary and Colin discover his mother's garden, long neglected, and eventually Colin realizes he is perfectly healthy and learns to walk again.

This is one of those books every little girl should read. It will stay in your heart forever.

A Classic
I think that this is FHB's best book. Although I certainly enjoy the romatic ideas of diamond mines, life-size dolls, and (completly platonic) secret admirers (as all appear in "A Little Princess") nothing beats the spunky nature and burgeonng independance of Mary, Colin and Dickon.

After her parents die of Cholera, spoiled brat Mary is sent to live with her uncle in Yorshire. She is shocked, absolutely shocked, to find a world that is the complete opposite of India. Not just the weather: gone is the fully staffed nursery which completely revolved around her every whim (and she had a lot of them) and in its place is a local maid who brings her breakfast and that's about it. Mary doesn't even know how to dress herself.

Appalled at first by the notion of having to look after herself, Mary discovers that it's really not so bad. Especially when she discovers a secret garden that has been locked for ten years. Together with her cousin, a boy as bratty and obnoxious as she is, and Dickon, a local boy with a way with living things, she sets about to bring the garden back to life. Mary and Colin, who have been raised with fairly good intentions and plenty of material possesions but no real love, learn what love is as they care for and nurture the garden.

Burnett really has an ear for children's dialogue, and she brings a real sympathy to Colin and Mary even when they are at their most obnoxious. In addition, their transformation is believable, complete with little relapses into their self-absorbed natures.

This is a book that is perfect for people of all ages.

Anything is possible
AThe Secret Garden had an inspirational effect on me. Frances Hodgson Burnett was able to show you that no matter how rough life gets, you always have a single ray of hope. Through realistic characters, she was able to show the value of life. Each character was so detailed and developed it was as if you were watching it all happen. Whether you believe in magic or not, it feels as if something is with you while you are reading. This story has been made into a movie. However, the book has a warmer nature as opposed to the movie.
Mary was an unloved unwanted child with everything she could ever want except for a family. Due to the fact that her mother didn't want her around, her nanny would do anything for her to keep her happy. After her mother's death the only person left to keep her was her uncle in England. Coming from India, the people in England didn't expect Mary to be so picky. She finds that in order to stay amused she must overcome her selfish nature and do things on her own. This leads her to find her cousin, Colin. In time, they both learn to appreciate life and the only way to make it is to stop worrying and start believing. Mr. Craven, Mary's uncle, locked up parts of the manor and a special garden after his wife's death 10 years earlier. So, when it is found it is to be kept a secret between six new friends, until it can be revealed to Colin's father, which could or could not happen.
I would rate this book a 4 because, there were s things I didn't agree with. Some of the less important characters were too developed and it is a long story. I did like that it gave me a warm feeling, as if anything is possible. I'm still thinking about how I can change someone's day the same way they did for each other. The only way to enjoy the miracle is to read it yourself.

The Secret Garden
I liked the book alot because it had alot of excitment and talked about Mary finding a room that was her aun'ts room. I liked the part where she found a key that opened the gate to the secret garden. ... Read more

Book Description

For Every Dog An angel is a light, magical little book that honors the timeless connection between people and their canine companions.Written from the heart after the unexpected loss of her "forever dog" Martha, this charming book will bring comfort to anyone who has ever had to say goodbye to their best four-legged friend.For Every Dog An Angel is also a heart-felt way to welcome a new puppy or to celebrate a much-loved doggie friend. ... Read more

Reviews (34)

Uplifting and gentle in a time of grief!
This book is a favorite condolence 'gift' to everyone I know who has lost a dog. Recipients tell me it has brought them much comfort and is very uplifting to them. Some who swore they would never get another pet, decide, after reading the book, to get a new dog. The book is beautiful illustrated and worded. I like to have several on hand to give as needed and have given it to friend to give to people they know who have lost pets. It's hardly more than the cost of a card.

"Forever pets" and their "forever people" will reunite

The author wrote this God-blessed little book after having a wonderful vision of her beloved dog Martha in the arms of an angel; it turned her bereavement into inspiration. It should lift the heart and spirit of anyone who reads it.

I would like to make several recommendations here since there is no category as of yet specifically on animal afterlife, on-line (or in any other lists for that matter).

Because of this and the fact that there are so few books written on this subject, those in grief over the loss of a pet often find themselves desperately searching, and miss out. I would therefore like to list all the books that I know of dealing with afterlife of animals. Amazon.com has sites on all of them. You can visit each site to learn more on each respective title.

"Cold Noses at the Pearly Gates".Excellently done:inspired compassionate, fully-Biblical

"The Soul of Your Pet". Convincing, credible evidence regarding animals' existing after death.Interactions with pets that have passed on. Will defy skeptics.

"Will I See Fido in Heaven?". Solidly Christian, inspired,loving.

"For Every Dog an Angel". Angel stays with pup from birth, on. Written for children, adults will love even more. Wonderful!

"Dog Heaven". For children; adults will enjoy as well

"Cat Heaven" Children/adults

"All Dogs Go to Heaven". Well-known, has a story-line.

This book has a special meaning to young and old
As a 60-something physician I first read this book. I have recommended it to many of my adult patients who have lost a pet as one of the most valuable sources of comfort that is available to help them get through their grief period. This not just a children's book. It's text should be considered gentle, not juvenile.
Christine Davis has provided a valuable service by writing this book. I was happy to see that a companion piece for cats has also been published. Thank you, Christine, for helping us cope with the profound loss of a companion.

If you need to read this book, I'm so sorry
Oh my! This is ABSOLUTELY the most comforting book I have ever read. My "forever dog", Molson, died of leukemia, and we read this book together on a daily basis until I had the strength to release him. No books, no websites; no friends, no other could have helped us transition more then this book. I now keep at least three copies available at home to give to others who experience the absolute, inconsolable loss of a dear friend and companion. Like everything, it can't obliterate the hurt, but it can SURELY raise the hope. BRAVO! and Thank You!

For kids only - not adults
This is a wonderful book for kids. I am an adult over 50 and was very disappointed with this book. It brought me no comfort over the loss of my dog, it took a dog's passing too lighthearted. It is definitely recommended reading for children to understand the loss of their pet. ... R