Book Description

This informative and activity-filled reference introduces younger children to human biology in a lively and accessible way.The book's thematic structure makes it easy for young readers to understand the various systems and organs that make up the body. Dozens of activities and experiments, including - Keeping a food diary (to analyze diet) - provide children with the opportunity to reinforce newly learned information. Full-color spreads address the questions that fascinate children, such as: What are we made of?, Why do we need to sleep?, and How do we breathe?A reference section at the back of the book includes a glossary, an index, and an 'Amazing facts' section.Special Features:Over 1,000 appealing, colorful photographs and illustrations.Clear and easy-to-understand definitions.Related activities and projects.Vocabularycarefully chosen for the 5-8 yr. reading level.Cross-references encourage further exploration. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Super Spy
This is a good spy book for biginners, but has some stuff that you may not allready know! Of course, this book says make sure you have a parenet around to do everything with you. I reccomend ages 7-12. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

This book Rules! Get it!
This book is a wonderful Math book, you will love Math after getting it. I highly Recommend buying this one.

Explained in simple terms...
I would recommend this book to children struggling with fractions, or even to adults who struggled with fractions when they were learning them as kids. The author makes it about as simple as it can be made. The only thing better would be to hire a private tutor. If you go through this book one step at a time, and practice at each level, you should learn a lot. I bought this book because I started a math club at my son's school. I plan to let the children borrow it as needed.

Magnifico!!
What an absolute charm! I used this book in my "at home studies" with my two pre-high school daughters. The book is so simply written and easily understandable. My daughters are grasping the concept of fractions as never before. This book is indispensable! BRAVO!

Best Math Book I ever read! and bought!
I am a College Gradaute, and I must say I never Learned Math as good as I should have back when I attended public school I always had inept teachers that did not know how to teach math,this has made my math skills weak. Recently I purchased Painless Fractions, by Alyece Cummings, Laurie Hamilton(Illustrator), I learned more from reading this book than I have from attending public school from grades 3-12. The author of this book talks in plain english about fractions and math, very easy for anyone to understand, also a very helpful study aid. I have used this book to study for exams for school and work and found it to be very helpful, In addition I must say that the Cartoons are very cute and are a great touch to the book. I feel that this is a Math book for anyone that wants to learn Math or needs some extra help with Math. I think it is fantastic. Very Well written. I would have to say that it is the best Math book I ever bought, it was a great investment for me.

very well written
Very helpful. Clear and concise tutorial of the math process with clever humor interspursed throughout. My congratulations to the author. ... Read more

Book Description

A English grammar text and reader for ages 9 - 12. Includes drills and exerpts from Alcott, Longfellow, Tennyson, Shelley and others. Covers literature and poetry, letter writing, creating an outline, grammar and word usage, composition, memorization, oral presentation, debating and dictation. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Excellent for Teaching Grammar/Language
I am using this for homeschooling my seven year old. She is a bit advanced with English, this is maybe at a 3rd/4th grade level book. It helps the children deduce for themselves the grammar rules using logic/reasoning based on several different sentences or passages. They read bits of literature and use these to write their own stories from different points of view. Example: Lesson 2, the story of the Stone in the Road. The children retell the story from the point of view of the stone, the king, the people, the bag of gold, etc. There is copywork, picture description (both oral and written), memorization, narration both written and oral, tenses, composition, paragraphs, later it gets into debate, discussing proverbs, and things like that. It is very thorough with the exception of homonyms and homophones. Suggest The Reading Teachers Book of Lists as a supplement. Back to basics, classical education. Wonderful. ... Read more

Book Description

With over 200,000 copies sold, our beautifully color illustrated Children's Treasury is full of fairy tales, nursery rhymes and children's verse that will entertain the entire family. Many favorites are presented, including Cinderella, The Owl and the Pussycat, Rumpelstiltzkin, Aesop's Fables, Jack and the Beanstalk, Little Red Riding Hood, Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, and Thumbelina. These stories are both enchanting and educational, combining simple morals with delightful fantasy. A classic volume, The Random House Children's Treasury is a bounty of imagination, whimsy and magic to cherish for generations. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

The best fairy tale collection on the market
Although it's a large and heavy book, this is the best of its kind. Many of the selections were transcribed from more academic anthologies such as Andrew Lang's colored Fairy Books, but it's BEAUTIFULLY illustrated and has all the most famous fairy tales, including Thumbelina, The Little Mermaid, The Ugly Duckling, The Pied Piper, Cinderella, The Princess and the Pea, The Fisherman and his Wife, The Three Little Pigs, Beauty and the Beast, The Gingerbread Man, The Brave Little Tailor, Rapunzel, Puss in Boots, The Emperor's New Clothes, Hansel and Gretel, The Golden Goose, Rumpelstiltzkin, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Jack and the Beanstalk, some of the Arabian Nights tales, and much more. Plus it has a few of the most well known of Aesop's Fables, such as The Hare and the Tortoise, and the most well known nursery rhymes, such as The Three Little Kittens, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Mary Had a Little Lamb, Jack and Jill, etc. The only major fairy tale they left out, I felt, was The Little Match Girl (Hans Christian Andersen's crowning achievement, with The Little Mermaid). But if you're hunting for a book with the greatest assortment of WELL KNOWN fairy tales and nursery rhymes, look no further.

It's got it all!
After an exhausting hunt though Amazon, the library and the bookstore I found this 'treasure'. I thought I would end up with three or four separate books to get what I wanted - fairy tales, mother goose rhymes and Aesop fables. Whew! They are in here. The style is kept in fairy traditional and only updated when needed. There are graphics on every page making enjoyable for young readers or listeners.

The best
This book is beautiful to be read to children and the illustrations are fascinating. This is a must-have for all parents! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Learning about Children's Rights to Create Respect for All
In 1989, the United Nations adopted 54 principles in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. If you are like me, you are probably unaware of what these rights are. This beautifully illustrated book captures almost a third of the rights in a way that will help your child expand her or his awareness of the problems that other children face. In the process, you can help your child to learn how to become an effective, caring person.

In the United States, each sale will generate a donation of $1.50 for the U.S. Fund for UNICEF.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu writes in his foreword about the purpose of the book which is " . . . to create a new kind of society . . . where children's rights are respected and protected." He cites many of the horrors we have all seen about children, including the napalmed little girl in Viet Nam whose photographic image will always haunt our dreams.

What are some of these rights? Here are a few:

" . . . [A]lways do your best for us whenever we are in your care." Right Number 3

"All children hould be allowed to live and grow . . . until . . . we can decide things for ourselves." Right Number 6

"Every one of us shall have a name and a land of our own." Right Number 7

"Keep our families together . . . [or] look after us and love us just the same." Right Number 9

"Allow us to tell you what we are thinking or feeling." Right Number 13

"No one on Earth has the right to hurt us . . . ." Right Number 19

"If we are disabled . . . treasure us especially and give us . . . care." Right Number 23

"Teach us all to read and write . . . ." Rights Number 28 and 29

"Allow us to say our prayers in our own words . . . ." Right Number 30

"In times of war . . . shelter us and protect us from all harm." Right Number 38

While you may not agree with each nuance of the wording, the book provides the opportunity for your youngster to discover that other children face fundamental challenges. That can lead to a natural inquiry into what can be done to help. You can discuss this in your own way, but you may find it valuable to help your child know what his or her choices are. These could include helping other children in your own community who need care, learning to be a good parent, and raising money to share with less fortunate children wherever they live.

Archbishop Tutu's comments are more appropriate for adults than for children, so you will probably want to wait to discuss what he has to say until your child is of an appropriate maturity to know more about the horrors of when children's rights are violated. The reading level for that material is beyond young children, so you are unlikely to have your child reading and comprehending this material before age 7. It is neutrally written, but will probably generate pointed questions.

In a way, it is valuable to you in being able to create an opportunity to provide reassurance for your own child that she or he is safe and loved. Many children have vague fears in these areas that they are reluctant to raise with adults.

No review of this book would be complete without mentioning the many beautiful two-page illustrations in the book. These were done in many different styles, and create a bright, optimistic setting for the principles described here. Each page has very few words, just a few more than I am permitted to quote in this review. Excluding Archbishop Tutu's comments, the whole book probably has no more than 450 words. So your child will be spending time with the illustrations as much as with the words.

When your child sees something that is harmful to children happening, encourage her or him to discuss it with you. Then channel that discussion into thoughts about what appropriate actions are from an adult and a child. Each of us has our own ideas in the area, and these occasions can become opportunities for you and your child to learn together in loving companionship.

May the spirits of respect and caring for one another grow ever stronger amongst all humanity! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Putting it in Writing
This is a very comprehensive, step by step guide to practical writing for school-aged children. The author explains and demonstrates each step and further provides a rationale for some steps. There are also "helpful hints" and suggestions related to social tact. From a school psychologist's perspective, this book could serve as a basis for direct assessment and intervention in the area of written expression. With creative presentation, the book could also be used to instruct teens and adults who have functional-behavior needs. ... Read more

Book Description

This year-by-year account of the nations bloodiest conflict makes history come alive through eyewitness accounts, profiles of people famous and ordinary, period art, and point-of-view sidebars that highlight the differences between North and South. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

It's a really helpful book!
This awesome book gives you all the facts you need to know to do a research paper on the Civil War. I had to do a topic paper for a history class, and I chose Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War. This book was the only thing I needed to get all the facts about the Emacipation Proclamation, Gettysburg Address, and more. I recommend this book to anyone.

Scholastic Encyclopedia of the Civil War
My 11 year old daughter is a Civil War buff. She says this book is "cool" because it shows actual battle photographs. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Write Source 2000 is valuble resource that kids like to use.
I have taught English with Write Source 2000 in classes ranging from seventh to twelfth grade. Once students realize that this user-friendly reference can save them time and give them autonomy, they prefer it. It is easy to generate lesson plans to get students started on using the books. Introduce a topic, such as subject-verb agreement or sentence-combining, use examples from Write Source 2000, help students find evidence in their own work of the the problem, and let them see how well the book works to support editing. You don't need a classroom set. One book per three students is about right. Let them check their work in groups of three. When they get the hang of Write Source 2000, much of the burden of correction will be lifted from you, as the teacher, and will be carried by those to whom it belongs.

This Book Rocks!
The Write Source 2000 is a great resource to have by your side. My grades were really bad in writing when I started the school year. When I got the Write Source 2000 it taught me how to write any paragraph or essay. I also used it for other stuff besides writing. This book is very good resource.

An excellent book for school and for fun
This book has a wealth of knowledge about a variety of subjects. First of all, it's a great writing source back. It has lots of great tips and suggestions. There's a section on grammar, and it actually uses humor to make it more entertaining. The book is easy to read and the layout is very attractive. This book is useful for both kids and adults, and there's always something you can use in this book. There's a reference section also with lots of useful information.

Great Book for Teachers and Students!
If you've ever had a problem defining preposition, or needed a way to explain ellipses, then you should buy this book. I teach an English class for refugee children, and this book has proved an invaluable teaching tool. My kids find the explanations clear, while I grin when I see higher scores on my grammar quizs. And for a textbook, this is CHEAP!
I highly recomend this book. I myself used in in middle school, refered to it in high school, cleared up obscure grammar points with it in college, and now laud it as a teaching tool. You will not be sorry you purchased this book!

The Best Book Ever
I am a seventh grader. I am a reference-aholic. Just in the past few months, I have been trying to renew my reference library. I already have titles like:

1. The World Almanac of 2000, 2. A dictiony, 3. A geographical reference, and many more

A couple of my friends have Write Source 2000. They say its wouderful. Write Source is the type of book I'm looking for because I'm bad at writing. I do not yet have Write Source but I'm going to get it. I say everyone should have it. In my book, it needs five stars. Content in Write Source includes:

sentence structure, types of writing, thinking skills, the writing process, math, history, reading skills, study skills, spelling and vocabulary ... Read more

Book Description

A is for Atom, B is for Black Hole, C is for Clone—hang on to your test tubes, we’re covering a lot of ground here! But both the science-curious and the science-phobic are in for a treat as the author of one of the wittiest math books around takes on a new topic. Ranging freely from DNA to jet-propelled squid to proof that it’s much easier to prepare dragon tonic using the metric system, this smorgasbord of science topics makes a great classroom resource or gift for the budding scientist. By the time kids plow through all the quirky pictures and funny captions we’re sure they’ll agree that W is for Wow! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

EXCELLENT PEAK AT SCIENCE
An excellent peak at science for both children and adults. Although rather simplistic, it does a good job explaining basic science concepts. I specially liked the parts on T for Think, where the author explains how scientists use the Scientific Method as a tool for testing observations, making inferences and weed out erroneous beliefs; and O for Occam's Razor, again as of useful tool for reasoning. I sure hope there is a sequel.

Only one observation: The publishers should have chosen a more portable book format (paperback) so you can take it anywhere and either enjoy it by yourself or share it with someone else.

AC.CHB ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

Super Study Skills shows students how to:
Make the most of their time by getting organized.
Read more effectively.
Prepare for a test without last-minute panic.
Take tests with confidence and skill.
. . . and study smarter for the grades they want.

It also provides short answer and essay test hints so kids will be prepared for any test they have to take. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

You'll be a fantastic student with this book!
This is a fantastic book on study skills that will help all students reach their school goals. In here you'll find tips to be more organized, test-taking strategies, how to study for tests, reading hints and strageties, how to calm down if you're nervous about a test, and so much more! Ever since I've started reading this book I've become one of the top students in my class. It is a fantastic tool and great for all those people who want to be straight A students!

Excellent
This book and another book that I read called, SURVEY OF 300 A+ STUDENTS, by Kenneth Green, are the two best books on study skills that I have seen (and I have read many). ... Read more

Book Description

Did you know that the ice cream sundae was invented because of a law forbidding the sale of ice cream on Sundays?Or that the first motorcycle was really just a tricycle with a motor? Would you believe that Mickey Mouse started out as a rabbit? Arranged in alphabetical order with anecdotal, fun-to-read text, this fascinating book is packed with the stories behind these— and over 100 more— inventions."[An] entertaining volume of trivia." — Kirkus Reviews ... Read more

Book Description

With humor, style, and succinct, admirable precision, Heller summarizes everything most people will ever need to know about this particular area of grammarA treasure. --Kirkus Reviews Its lush, exuberant, full-color artwork will grab kids' attention, even if they're sitting at the back of the classroom. --Booklist Her subject, made interesting by a rhyming text andbrilliantly colored picture, will appeal to everyone. -- Horn Book.Q&A - Ruth Heller - A Paperstar Profile How did you become interested in writing books for children?I loved reading to my own children, and when they started school, I became the P.T.A. librarychairman. I was the one who got to pick and choose and spend a nice fat budget for the elementary school library. I feel as though I've been surrounded by children's books for years. I suppose this and my strong art background are what prompted my trying to write.What is the biggest influence in your style of writing, and how has it changed since you first began?Hillaire Belloc, Gilbert and Sullivan, Edward Lear--I grew up reading all of them. I love their rhythm, and I loved reading Dr. Seuss to my children. No question, these were my influences. I think I've become wordier, not quite as minimal and succinct as I used to be.What made you decide to write a series on the parts of speech?Take a peek at the back end paper of the hardcover edition of A Cache of Jewels. You'll see that Icommitted myself, in print, to writing a book for each part of speech. Here I am, ten years later, thankfully completing the very last book in this series. It will be publishedin 1998.Do you begin with the words or pictures when you are developing a book? How does the second part come together?The first step is to decide what I am going to say on each page. Then I can begin to visualize my illustrations. The words dictate what the illustration will be, but that still gives me many options. Sometimes the two come together easily, sometimes not. If not, I pursue new research material until something clicks. Did you learn anything new about the parts of speech while writing these books?I learned many things I had forgotten, and some new information and rules that I had never known.I also learned that the textbooks that I used for research were difficult to understand and somewhat boring, and that I am guilty of frequent misuse of the English language.How do you choose the images in your book? An art teacher once told me to fall in love with whatever I was drawing. So I choose images thatI love: candy, ice cream, butterflies, sea creatures, carousels, jewels, etc. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Beautfully illustrated and well-written
This is a book that teaches children about adjectives in the English language. It goes beyond the obvious in adjectives to cover the demonstrative and possessive adjectives in our language. A must have for foreign language teachers who wish to sneak in some English grammar in a cute, fun way, elementary school teachers, English teachers teaching the parts of speech, parents wanting to educate their children in a fun way! ... Read more

Book Description

Teens often hear about other teens who get into trouble with the law. But they’re seldom asked what they think should happen next and why. A unique introduction to the juvenile justice system, THEY BROKE THE LAW—YOU BE THE JUDGE invites teens to preside over a variety of real-life cases. They meet Adam, who makes a threat in school; Erica, who assaults another student and uses marijuana; and more young people who commit crimes and are caught. Like a judge, readers learn each teen’s background, the relevant facts, and the sentencing options available. After deciding on a sentence, they find out what really happened—and where each offender is today. Along the way, readers learn Judge Jacobs’s concerns about each case, reflect on probing questions, and discover that they can’t jump to conclusions. Teens (and teachers) who want more can visit the Free Spirit Web site for role-playing ideas and scenarios related to the stories, which are available as free downloads. ! Thought-provoking and eye-opening, this book is for all teens who want to know more about the juvenile justice system and the laws that pertain to them and their peers. ... Read more

Book Description

"Aliki makes manners accessible to children through colorful cartoon-style illustrations designed to teach some of the basics....Her lively primer sparkles with examples....There's plenty to learn, plenty to look at, and plenty to share in a cleverbook that demonstrates the importance of manners while it makes learning them fun."--Booklist. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Wonderful!
Love this book! My kids love this book! I believe it is the illustrations that make it so spectacular! I owm most of Aliki's books already!

Excellent teaching tool
Aliki's books are excellent teaching tools for preschoolers (and kids of all ages). Our preschooler loves to read this book. Each page has a different story about manners told in a comic-strip fashion. YOu can read just one or two in a sitting. The book is so well illustrated and communicates good behavior in such a way that children take it to heart. When our son demands something we ask him, "is that good manners?" The coolest thing is that he really gets it! It's this teaching tool that frees me from having to nag him! We just refer to the book. The other day he did threw something and hurt me. I asked him to apologize. When he refused, I got out the book and we read the section about causing hurt to other people and he whispered "I'm sorry." I love this book!!!

Excellent for young children!
This book is very entertaining for young children. It uses cartoons to get the point of manners across. I have read it to my four-year-old about five times (it's a long read for one sitting). Some of the manners actually rub off!

Children teaching children about manners
This is a really wonderful book. Aliki captures the readers' attention with both cute cartoon-like characters and very age appropriate text. My children have enjoyed this book very much. I believe their enjoyment, at least partially, stems from the fact that children help children figure out what is appropriate behavior. I highly recommend this book to parents seeking help teaching children about manners. ... Read more

Book Description

What was it like to be a pilgrim child in 17th-century Massachusetts? This charming picture book takes young readers back in time to see. For one thing, pilgrim children didn’t go to school. Instead, they helped their parents with chores and played games such as marbles. There were no convenient grocery stores. Pilgrims had to hunt and gather food, then cook their meals on an open fire or in an outdoor oven. Dramatic photos of historical reenactments combine with lively text to give today’s children a vivid sense of daily life in Plymouth colony. Here is a great book for fostering an early interest in history!

Reviews (1)

Good place to start
I use this book in my second grade class to introduce Thanksgiving and our study of the Pilgrims and Wampanoag people. The book is published by National Geographic and has stunning photographs taken at the Plimouth Living History Museum. It has simple text (great for 1-3) and gives a nice overview of pilgrim life. My students find this book fascinating... they're intrigued by the pictures and descriptions of a life so different from theirs. One caveat: if you're looking for a book about the "First Thanksgiving" this is not it. Its primary focus is on everyday pilgrim life. Try 1621: A New Look at Thanksgiving, instead. ... Read more

Book Description

A fifteen-year-old boy is walking through a swirling fog on his way to school when a voice calls out, "Come here. We need to talk." Out of the mist emerges an old man with a white beard. He is a fantastic figure, as wizardly as Merlin, as wise as Socrates, as peaceful as Buddha. Whoever he is, the old man has appeared on that very day to change the boy's life.

"You are old enough to learn about things," he says mysteriously. "And who is going to teach you but me?"

The old man gives the boy four days of "soul training," a time of riddles, tricks, parables, and fantastic twists that bring out surprising answers to each of four burning questions about spirituality:

Do I have a soul?
How do wishes come true?
What is the supreme force in the universe?
How can I change the world?

The boy was Deepak Chopra, who grew up to become an acclaimed writer and teacher about the same invisible things that the old man had taught him. Fire in the Heart is Dr. Chopra's first book for young adults. Its aim is to pass on this soul training to young readers.

"The old man with the white beard showed me the spiritual side of life," writes the author, "where real passion and excitement come from. So before you begin, take a deep breath. This story could turn out to be yours."

"[Spirit is] everywhere, making sure that everything is connected. The light from a star billions of light years away is the same light that makes plants grow here on earth. The plants give food; the food has allowed you to develop in your mother's womb; and today you look at that star with the eyes that the stars gave you. There's the cosmic connection."

-- from Fire in the Heart ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A treasure!
Deepak Chopra's new book for teens is filled with wonderful stories, beautifully told! It conveys profound spiritual teachings that resonate with wisdom and truth. I bought several copies - one for each of the teens in my life! Thanks, Deepak; this is just what the world needs right now! ... Read more