Amazon.com

Inspirational yet honest, and always rhythmically rollicking, Oh, the Places You'll Go! is a perfect sendoff for children, 1 to 100, entering any new phase of their lives. Kindergartners, graduate students, newlyweds, newly employeds--all will glean shiny pearls of wisdom about the big, bountiful future. The incomparable Dr. Seuss rejoices in the potential everyone has to fulfill their wildest dreams: "You'll be on your way up! / You'll be seeing great sights! / You'll join the high fliers / who soar to high heights." At the same time, he won't delude the starry-eyed upstart about the pitfalls of life: "You can get all hung up / in a prickle-ly perch. / And your gang will fly on. / You'll be left in a Lurch."

But fear not! Dr. Seuss, with his inimitable illustrations and exhilarating rhymes, is convinced ("98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed") that success is imminent.As long as you remember "to be dexterous and deft. And NEVER mix up your right foot with your left," things should work out. (All ages) --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (127)

Not just for kids!
Many of us grew up with Dr. Seuss,but did any of us ever think of how much his stories could help us relate to the real world? Oh, The Places You'll Go!, does exactly that. It is an inspirational book for all ages from a child beginning his or her first day of school to the college graduate. Dr. Seuss's whimsical book takes an optimistic look at life and its ups and downs or as he puts it, "Bang-ups and hang-ups can happen to you." In this book, his lovable and memorable rhymes are encouraging as well as entertaining and tongue twisting. In the end, he makes us all believe that we will succeed and yes, "Kid, you'll move mountains!"

Places you'll Go!
"Congratulations! Today is your day. You're off to Great Places! You're off and away!" Oh, the Places You'll Go!, by Dr. Seuss is an inspirational book and characterized by uplifting messages that transcend age and encourage positive attitudes and self esteem to generations of people. Whether you are graduating high school or college, getting a job or retiring, this book will provide timeless messages that evoke and encourage a beneficial attitude throughout the generations. I have read this book many times and each time the memories of events passed are brought to mind, as well as hope for events to come. "You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. And you are the guy who'll decide where to go." Seuss reflects positive attitude and self-esteem using his prose to encourage the message he is trying to get across to readers. He uses simple words and rhymes to enforce the idea; a book for the ages. This book is easily readable for anyone from the age of four to eighty four and applicable to the times in between. It can be especially relevant and helpful during transitional phases. Seuss inspires, that you have the ability to take yourself places and make something of yourself. "You'll join the high fliers who soar to high heights." Oh, the Places you'll Go!, shows that you can go to high heights in life as long as you maintain a positive attitude and esteem you can accomplish anything. Seuss' message also includes, "but sometimes you won't." Life isn't always easy, there will be, "bang-ups and hang-ups", along the way. But the point he makes is to not let those get you down and get out of your rut, escape those unhappy times for good times to come. "Oh, the places you'll go! There is fun to be done! There are points to be scored. There are games to be won." Whether you get hung up, still be positive for there is something that will happen which will be good to you. The message Seuss gives his readers about achieving goals and gaining success and happiness are timeless and will be prevalent for many years to come. "and will you succeed? Yes! You will, indeed! (98 and ¾ percent guaranteed.) KID, YOU'LL MOVE MOUNTAINS!" I have read Oh, the Places you'll Go!, many times in the past year. When there are times of transition or struggle in my life the uplifting message Seuss reminds me to get out of my rut, get out of "the waiting place" and move on to the better things to come. I received this book as a high school senior as a present for graduation because it encourages me to think that there are bigger and better things to be achieved so I shouldn't wait for something to happen, but go out and make it happen. Oh, the Places you'll Go!, by Dr. Seuss engulfs the imagination and provides a vision of success and achievement for people of all ages at any time in their live. It is a book that transcends age and time, in which Seuss provides many people the opportunity to read this book and provide them with positive attitudes and achievement. "So... be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray or Mordecai Ali Van Allen O'Shea, you're off to Great Places! Today is your day! Your Mountain is waiting. So... get on your way!

A must read book!
This book is an absolute 'must read' for everyone. I truly believe that every home should have a copy of this book :-)
I once saw it billed as 'the only self-help' book you'll ever need and this is a very acurate description.
Children - even the tiniest ones - will love this purely because of the wonderful rhyming verse and eye catching illustrations. Older kids and particularly adults will love it because of the wonderful uplifting message that it contains.
Sure, life isn't always easy and we all take wrong turns some times but if you keep going you are bound to end up in the right place.
This book should be available on prescription as an anti-depressant!

You will Succeed 98 and ¾ Percent Guaranteed!
Having just gotten this book as graduation present from my Mom when I graduated with my Masters Degree. It takes something like a book by Dr. Seuss to explain the ups and downs of life and the need for individual drive and perseverence. This book explains it all to you and puts it (life) in perspective. In some respects I wish I had received it sooner. Regardless of your education or age level this Graduation speech by the good Dr. Seusss will inspire you and bring a smile to your face. Filled with optimism for the future this book is nice reminder that it isn't so easy but you can (and will) make it.

Not Just For Kids!
I just graduated from college and a beloved aunt of mine gave me this special book. I don't know whether I read this book as a child; though I probably did, and simply cannot remember. Nevertheless, I assure you that reading it today was exceptionally meaningful to me. Never has such a short read been so inspiring. Dr. Seuss really does cram it all in there. As other reviewers have noted, when Dr. Seuss writes about the "places you'll go," he not only mentions the joyous places, but realistically covers the bad times and how we can lift ourselves up and keep going. This honesty is refreshing and inspiring in itself. I cannot imagine how many lives Dr. Seuss touched with this book, but it has undoubtedly been tons. I unconditionally recommend "Oh, the Places You'll Go" to anyone, regardless of age. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The unknowing progenitor of a whole generation of self-help books, Wally Piper's The Little Engine That Could is one of the greatest tales of motivation and the power of positive thinking ever told. In this well-loved classic, a little train carrying oodles of toys to all of the good boys and girls is confronted with a towering, seemingly impassable mountain. As nicely as they ask, the toys cannot convince the Shiny New Engine or the Big Strong Engine--far too impressed with themselves--to say anything but "I can not. I can not." It is left up to the Little Blue Engine to overcome insurmountable odds and pull the train to the other side. The Little Engine That Could is an entertaining and inspirational favorite, and the Little Blue Engine's rallying mantra "I think I can--I think I can" will resonate for a lifetime in the head of every child who hears it. (Ages 4 to 8)) ... Read more

Reviews (41)

History of Little Engine that Could
When I began reading this book to my kids, I was suprised that the broken down engine and the little engine that can were both female, while the unhelpful engines are male. I remembered the little engine being male. I was interested in the feminist message of such an classic children's story. A little research on the web gave a lot of info. Apparently, this version of the story was published in 1930 with the male and female references as they are in this current printing. This story was pulled from an slightly earlier version in which the characters were all gender neutral. If you'd like to learn more about the historical background, you may want to look at http://tigger.uic.edu/~plotnick/littleng.htm which does a nice job of giving an historical overview of the evolution of this wonderful tale of self strength.

Too bad it is abridged
The current self-help genre tends to be dwelling on hurts and self-pity, then finding magical solutions. Our Little Engine just has healthy self-confidence and determination. And please don't stress even that when reading it to the kids who will love it, since they find their own more imaginative interpretations.

The unabridged version is a lifetime favourite of mine, and, for classroom use or that with older children, find a copy at all costs. This version does retain much of the essence, however, and is great for the pre-school set. The only "negative" I can think of is that the kids so love the repetition that parents may grow a bit tired of the daily requests for it to be re-read, especially if the particular child wants to hear only certain sections (I knew one who always wanted "the clown part," the other "the food part.")

The same enjoyable repetition makes this a favourite story to read to children in primary grades. Yes, be sure you don't stop the kids from all joining in "I think I can..."

This remains one book that every favourite kid of mine receives as a present. If it disappoints any of your children, that will be a first, in my experience!

The Little Engine that Could
This story is a childrens classic. A wonderful tale about a little helpful train that overcomes great physical adversity through sheer will power. A great moral teaching story for young impressionable children. This story teaches our children especially our daughters that they too can be successful if they
work hard and think positive. This is a story I'll read to my daughter many times. The little engine represent a positive female role model without flaunting its femininity. In fact I had forgotten the engine was female until I read it again recently. A great story worth checking out.

A CHILDRENS SUCCESS CLASSIC
As a parent of three, one of the most important things I can give my children is motivation.

The attitude that he or she CAN DO ANYTHING IF THEY THINK THEY CAN DO IT.

By reading this story over and over again, the message will go into their conscious and subconscious mind and my hope is that they will follow their dreams and become all they are able to become.

Zev Saftlas, Author of Motivation That Works: How to Get Motivated and Stay Motivated

What better gift can a parent give their child than believing in them?

Perfect! My daughers were both mesmerized.
My second daughter has now fallen in love with this book, at about the same age as her older sister did (3 and 1/2). So, we are reading it every single night, often multiple times. If her older sister is any guide, this will probably continue for about 6 months.

This is simply an absolutely perfect children's story. The plot has some tension to keep the child's interest to the end of the story. The story shows how small people (or trains, if you want to be literal) with a good heart (like a child) can make a big difference in the world. The illustrations are extremely colorful and magical. The only fault (this is incredibly minor) I can find is the one-time usage of the word "indignantly", which no child is going to know. Other than that, I wouldn't change any other word or aspect of this book.

It's also a fun story for an adult to read outloud. I enjoy using different voices for the arrogant Shiny New Engine, the gruff Freight Engine, and the tired Old Engine, as well as helpful Little Blue Engine's famous repetitive cadence ("I think I can").

It will be a sad day when my youngest outgrows this book. Don't deny yourself or your child the pleasure - buy it! ... Read more

Book Description

Stanley Yelnats is under a curse. A curse that began with his no-good-dirty-rotten-pig-stealing-great-great-grandfather and has since followed generations of Yelnats. Now Stanley has been unjustly sent to a boys' detention center, Camp Green Lake, where the warden makes the boys "build character" by spending all day, every day, digging holes: five feet wide and five feet deep. It doesn't take long for Stanley to realize there's more than character improvement going on at Camp Green Lake. The boys are digging holes because the warden is looking for something. Stanley tries to dig up the truth in this inventive and darkly humorous tale of crime and punishment--and redemption.

... Read more

Reviews (2566)

My Opinion of Holes
Holes is a book in which everything is a circle or is the shape of a circle. It is challenging in its own way. It forces the reader to make conclusions by foreshadowing events. The way this book is written shows thought, effort, and many revisions. Using flashbacks to foreshadow events is a brilliant method and definitely worth considering using in your own writing. This book is about a boy named Stanley Yelnats. Notice "Stanley" backwards makes "Yelnats." He is cursed with bad luck, just like the rest of his ancestors. He is accused of a crime he didn't commit, and is forced to go to Camp Green Lake Juvenile Correctional Facility. Here, he must dig a hole 5 ft deep and five ft wide in every direction everyday for 18 months, including Saturdays and Sundays. After much work and toil, he finally leaves Camp Green Lake. This book is very good and is undoubtedly one of the best books I've ever read. I recommend it to people from the age of 12 and up.

This book has holes, but they will be filled in.
Stanley Yelnats is unlucky because of his no good dirty rotten pig stealing great-great-grandfather. An old fortuneteller, named Madame Zeroni, cursed him, and all of his descendants. One day a pair of tennis shoes fell out of the sky onto Stanley's head. His father is trying to invent a used for old shoes, so Stanley brings the shoes home. He is convicted of stealing the shoes, which belong to a famous baseball player. He is sent to Camp Green Lake, a work camp that is located in the middle of the dessert, instead of jail. The boys at Camp Green Lake wake up early to avoid the hottest part of the day. The holes must be five feet deep and five feet in diameter. If anything interesting is found, it must be reported to the warden. After finding something, Stanley gets suspicious. He realizes what it is and understands why they are digging. There are many flashbacks throughout the story of Camp Green Lake 110 years ago. Zero, another boy at camp, quickly becomes friends with Stanley. Stanley teaches Zero to read in exchange of Zero’s help on digging his holes. Many adventures come of their friendship, including surviving in the dessert without water and deadly lizards. This book is great for children, teenagers, and even some adults. It keeps you on edge at all times, and you will never want to put it down. I read this book in 3 days, and it usually takes me a week to read you will never want to put it down. I read this book in 3 days, and it usually takes me a week to read a book at that length. Sachar makes so many great twists in the plot that all tie together for a great ending. That is why I recommend this book.

Classic....
Holes is one of my favorite books...Stanley Yelnats...man youll feel bad for this poor guy.

The characters in this book are great...and so funny.
Zero was my favorite character even though I found him a little annoying. The book has a great story and a great ending.

If you like books with dark humer...I guess this book has dark humer and a great story get HOLES..The movie is also great....

Check it out...It's really good.

5/5...

Later...

Saw the movie first
I made the mistake of seeing the movie before reading the book. The book is good but the movie is better. I think if I had read the book first it may have been a better choice.

HOLES ROCKS
holes is GREAT!!! the funny thing in this book is when stanly always blames his great great pig-stealing grandfather.i would not like to go to camp green lake. it was torture. it wasnt fair wat the boss did to everybody that ever went there. holes was great cause there was so much action and adventure. when u read holes it feels lke u went into a different world like dimension x. ... Read more

Book Description

Indigo Dreams is a 60 minute CD/audio book designed to entertain your children ages 3-12 years old while introducing them to relaxation/meditation techniques. Four unique stories introduce breathing, visualizations, muscular relaxation and affirmations. Children follow the characters along as they learn to manage their own stress, anxiety and energy. The narration is accompanied by healing sounds of nature and an additional music sound track to further enhance your relaxation experience.

The Affirmation Web
A Believe in Yourself Adventure
Voted "Book of the Month" by The IAM Foundation

Affirmations or positive statements build self-esteem and empower children to be the best they can be. Children follow a girl and her animal friends as they weave The Affirmation Web. They learn to believe in themselves while replacing negative messages with positive self talk. Children love this feel good story and the positive effect it has on their lives. Show children just how special life can be. Feel good!

A Boy and a Bear
The Children's Relaxation Story

Breathing for relaxation and wellness is a basic technique practiced by cultures throughout the world. Children love to follow A Boy and a Bear as they experience diaphragmatic/belly breathing. This self calming technique can be used anytime, anywhere. This easy, yet powerful stress management tool can offset the effects stress is having on today's children. Many children are classified as being hyperactive. Empower your child by teaching them to ground themselves and manage their own energy. Let’s breathe!

A Boy and a Turtle
The Children’s Visualization Story

Visualization is an effective technique widely used for achieving sports goals, creating success and attaining wellness. Now children can follow A Boy and a Turtle as they fill their bodies with the colors of the rainbow. Colorful imagery quiets the mind and relaxes the body. Parents as well as children enjoy falling asleep while playing in the field of colors. Some children are sensitive to energy and can often use it for healing. Enhance your child’s abilities to feel and see energy. Relax with colors!

The Goodnight Caterpillar
The Ultimate Bedtime Story

Muscular Relaxation is essential to a good nights sleep. Children follow The Goodnight Caterpillar as they learn to unwind, relax and see things more clearly. This easy, gentle exercise relaxes muscles throughout the body as anxiety and tension slip away. Children and parents will fall asleep more easily and experience a deeper peaceful night’s sleep. Sweet dreams! ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Great Bedtime Stories For Children
After years of searching for techniques to help my 14 year old and six year old get to sleep at night, I have finally found the answer in Indigo Dreams CD. It IS the "relaxation response" for children of all ages.
I use the CD at night for my 14 year old when he is stressed out about a test at school the next day. My six year old often has seperation anxiety at bedtime and won't sleep by himself. All I have to do is put on Indigo Dreams and within minutes I can see his little eyelids start to droop and when he shuts his eyes I know I am home free and sleeping by myself in my own bed!

Children have something to look forward to!
Our children finally have a product to empower them to deal with anxiety and stress. My children have been exposed to violence on the television, been bullied in school and are under a tremendous amount of stress. My younger child gets teased for being overweight. I don't remember being this stressed out at their age, but I'm stressed out now dealing with their stress.

A friend introduced me to Indigo Dreams CD and my children LOVE this CD. They want to listen to the stories every night. In a short time they have learned to use the techniques that Lori Lite teaches to help them in their everyday lives.

My youngest loves the affirmations, while my older one adores the breathing and The Goodnight Caterpillar story. I was forced to buy another CD to avoid the fighting.

I highly recommend this CD and the stories.

Happy Grandfather
After having a wonderful experience with "A Boy And A Bear", I decided to try "Indigo Dreams". I was not disappointed. My grandson and I sat on the couch and together we enjoyed the gentle, relaxing stories of Lori Lite. I wish other grandparents (as well as any adult) could be made aware of the value and benefits that is available to them by simply listening to these stories. Thank you Lori.

K.S. Garrison, I couldn't believe the transformation....
I have been teaching for many years. I recently had the opportunity to observe a class of first grade children as they listened to these stories. Wow!! What an amazing transformation. They came into the room very excited and within minutes they began to really listen to the stories,relax and follow along with the directions. I watched a boy I knew to be extremely hyper become very calm and quiet.This collection of stories is what we all need to help us manage our day to day stress. I highly recommend this CD to all parents with children and who knows they might enjoy the stories themselves.

Fantastic Cd
I have been searching for a product that would help my child deal with anxiety and hyperactivity, especially at bedtime. The first time we listened to these stories my Chelsie was calm, relaxed and was able to fall asleep quickly.

Thank you so much Lori Lite! ... Read more

Book Description

The 2003 Newbery Award Winner and New York Times Best-seller. "Avi's latest novel is superb combination of mystery, historical fiction, and a coming-of-age tale... Breathlessly paced, beautifully written, and filled with details of life in the Middle Ages, this compelling novel is one of Avi's finest."-Book Report ... Read more

Reviews (62)

Surviving in Medieval England: Crispin, The Cross of Lead
The book Crispin, The Cross of Lead can be defined as a "good book" due to the high literary merit used by Avi. In the book, Avi presents the developed theme of survival. A thirteen-year-old boy, who never knew his father, is alone in the world when his mother dies. All he really knew about himself and his past was that everyone called him Asta's son. He is proclaimed a "wolf's head" and must escape the place he's only ever known and find a way to endure. Before he leaves though, Asta's son discovers his real name is actually Crispin. Through his journey, he meets a man named Bear, and he must also learn to survive as his servant. Both the characters and setting are portrayed in such a way that is realistic for the time period they are representing. The vocabulary Avi utilizes describes how fourteenth century England really existed, especially with the social aspects of the period. Avi's pacing and style of the book is appropriate for the content also. Due to the fact that the book is set during Medieval England, most of the book seems to have a slow steady pace to it, especially when Crispin is walking through the forest. As the story grows with more action the pace quickens for the reader, especially where Crispin becomes stuck in some interesting situations, such as when Crispin is running away from his steward, John Aycliffe, in order to stay alive. Even the dialogue offers insight into the characters and their points of view. For example, Bear at the one point in the story gives Crispin the "freedom to choose" if he will join Bear or not on his journey. All Crispin can say is that he has no choice to decide because Bear is his master. Bear says, "Should not every man be master of himself?" Crispin responded with, "You made me call you master," and so Bear chose for him once again. As the plot thickens however, the reader is always wondering what the outcome will be and try to answer the two main dramatic questions of the story--Will Crispin survive in this harsh era? If so, will he ever find out about his past?

Crispin, The Cross of Lead is an excellent book for grades 4 through 7. Children who appreciate history, especially Medieval England, and value religion would find this book to be extremely enjoyable. Teachers who would like to use this book in their classroom should consider doing a thematic unit on Medieval England. One idea would be that the students could learn about the time period and make food and play games from the 1300's. Another thought would be that the teacher could incorporate math by teaching the students about a number line and have them make time line about Medieval England. The teacher could also teach the students about how the world was different back then in order to integrate science. For the summative assessment, the students could put together a Medieval fair in their classroom or for even the whole school and write an article for their school newspaper about the fair. Also, in a parochial school, teachers could incorporate this book into a theology lesson, especially because of the characters moral beliefs.

JD's Book Review
I loved this book, I couldn't put it down.I think that Avi outdid himself."Asta's son" is what he's been called all of his life, but the town's priest tells him that his name is Crispin.One of the most important things to Crispin is that his mother, that is deceased now, had a cross of lead that she gave to him.Well the book goes on to tell that Crispin has been declared a "wolf's head", so this steward named John Aycliffe and his men try to catch Crispin.But he escaped just to a village where he meets a man called Bear.Bear takes Crispin in as an aprentice.They were looking for a town named Great Wexly and they find it.They go to a place called Green Man's Tavern to stay for a while.But if you want to know more about you will have to read it.

crispin
The beginning started off slow and boring. Then little by little it got better and better. When Crispin finds out Cerdic lead him into the trap is when the book started to get better. Next Crispin starts is wandering away. Then Crispin finds Bear. Bear was scary in the beginning and nice, father like towards the rest of the book. it starts to get boring until Bear teaches Crispin to play the recorder and performs in the first town. The best part is when they enter Great Wexly. Read the book to find out the rest. The book over all has a good concept. p.s.- The boring parts don't last very long.

Crispin
The book Crispin is a great book! It is good because, it keeps you thinking what's going to happen next. Crispin is about a boy named Crispin who is on his own because his mom dies. Throughout the book Crispin tries to figure out who he is. He meets people who help him figure out who he is. One of their names is Bear . He is a big help to Crispin. The author Avi wanted to keep you reading. This book was a little slow in the beginning, but it got really good! I recommend this book to anyone who likes adventure and mystery.

Crispin crisping in the fire, by Mark Prior
Crispin could have possibly been the worst book and most boring book that I've ever read. Crispin, a wolf's head, runs away from his town to avoid being executed. He meets a man named Bear who teaches him an instrument so they'll work as a team to earn a few pennies. Then, when the book gets good, it gets boring again. As religious as this book is, God was certainly not with the author when he was writing this book. ... Read more

Amazon.com

A frustrated grade school artist, Vashti sits slumped over her blank piece of paper at the end of art class. "I just CAN'T draw!" she tells her teacher. Her teacher first uses wit, then subtle yet clever encouragement to inspire her student to go beyond her insecurities and become, in the words of a younger boy who "can’t" draw either, "a really great artist."

Peter H. Reynolds crafts a quiet, pleasing story in The Dot--one that will strike a chord with children who have outgrown the self-assurance of kindergarten and begun to doubt their own greatness. His marvelous watercolor, ink, and, yes, tea illustrations are appealing in a Quentin Blakey way, especially as Vashti begins to go wild with her dots. The delightfully open-ended conclusion will have readers of all ages contemplating how they can make their own mark in the world. Highly recommended. (Ages 5 to 9) --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Help your kids learn creativity
Reynolds does a fantastic job showing how someone can be creative or artistic and not even know it. I picked up this book at an elementary book fair first because I thought it was well written and illustrated. Second because I want to help my children realize they have hidden talents. And third because my husband is an art teacher in high school and his students are constantly telling him they can't draw.

This book not only teaches that anyone can be artistic but it teaches that creativity is not something only some of us are born with - it is something we all have inside of us, we just need to find a little bit of inspiration to bring it out. In Vashti's case, it was her teacher framing her dot and hanging it by her desk.

I recommend this book for anyone: kids, adults, teenagers.

A Must for Any Elementary Library
This book was delivered automatically in our Junior Library Guild order, and it has become one of my all-time favorites as a librarian.

When Vashti angrily stabs a dot onto an empty art class assignment, her teacher wisely follows through with a lesson in life by framing her dot for all to see.

This little bit of attention takes Vashti to new heights by allowing her to take that dot and see where it leads her. She paints all sorts of dots and gains new confidence.

What the story really teaches us is to try, and to start with the tiniest of dots to begin our journeys. As my library class discussed the theme, many of the kids brought up "dots" in their own lives, such as learning how to roller skate, sink a free-throw, or turn a cartwheel. We all have to start somewhere!

And as Vashti's teacher told her when she finished that first dot, "Sign it!"

This little book is truly an inspiration, and the kids loved it. I want my own copy!

A Delightful Book
Vashti thinks she's a terrible artist. Her art teacher challenges her to draw a dot. When Vashti sees her finished dot on display behind the teacher's desk, she decides she can do better. The beautifully simple illustrations add to this sweet book about finding hidden talents.

Ageless Appeal!
This book actually has an ageless appeal to all of us who feel 'I'm not an artist'. I'm a middle school art teacher, and it also charmingly shows how a gentle nudge by a teacher can start a snowball of creativity! ... Read more

Book Description

Sampson, George, and Rameck could easily have followed their childhood friends into drugdealing, gangs, and prison. Like their peers, they came from poor, single-parent homes in urbanneighborhoods where survival, not scholastic success, was the priority. When the three boys metin a magnet high school in Newark, they recognized each other as kindred spirits who wanted toovercome the incredible odds against them and reach for opportunity. They made a friendship pact, deciding together to take on the biggest challenge of their lives:attending college and then medical school. Along the way they made mistakes and faceddisappointments, but by working hard, finding the right mentors, separating themselves fromnegative influences, and supporting each other, they achieved their goals—and more.

In We Beat the Street, award-winning YA author and teacher Sharon Draper brings the doctors’childhood, teenage, and young-adult anecdotes vividly to life. Brief "conversations" with thedoctors at the end of each chapter provide context and advice in a friendly, nonintrusive way.Youngsters will be captivated by the men’s honest accounts of the street life that threatened to swallow them up, and how they helped each other succeed beyond their wildest expectations. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Inspiring True Story
An inspiring account of three inner city boys who succeed in overcoming the odds, entering college, and fulfilling their dreams, "We Beat the Street" is a marvelous work. Written for kids, this book selects incidents from the lives of each of the three doctors in order to illustrate the great obstacles they had to surmount and the truth that street life won't pay off in the end. The reader follows Sampson, George, and Rameck as they journey from first grade through medical school, and watches them as they achieve their goals in triumph. "We Beat the Street" shows the tragedy of street life and the necessity of aid for these communities.

The content of "We Beat the Street" was skillfully edited and condensed for younger readers, making it graspable for that age level. The style was simple, but attractive, and the message was excellent. It forcefully imparted a warning, and encouraged higher education, especially for those who doubt their ability to achieve such educational goals. "Street" was quite simply one of the best books I have ever read on the subject, and deserves a wide audience.

Reviewed by Anna Kleiner for Flamingnet Book Reviews
www.flamingnet.com

... Read more

Book Description

Inspired by the issues discussed in Loving Your Body / Loving Yourself, this journal gives teens the opportunity to explore their own feelings about their bodies, themselves, and other related topics in a unique, personal way. Author Kimberly Kirberger provides commentary, questions, and suggested writing activities to help girls use the journal to work toward loving their bodies and themselves. Body image is the #1 issue among preteen and teen girls. This journal is specifically designed to help them express and work through their feelings on this powerful, important topic.
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Reviews (1)

A great journal!
This is a great journal for teenage girls to discover their personality, values and stuff like that. lol. It's really fun to fill in! I recommend this to every girl from age 11-16. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

an excellent read for any human being, regardless of age
Self esteem is absolutely essential in dealing with the challenges of life. Feeling good about yourself because of who you are rather than who your friends think you should be is what will help your child (and you) deal with peer pressure and making positive decisions. This book offers examples and suggestions that will help you develop a healthy and secure sense of yourself and your world. I bought it for my kids, but found it a great read for myself and a great resource for helping my children feel good about themselves and easing the pressure they often feel from their peers. It tells you not only how to take responsibility for your feelings, needs, and behaviors, it explains why that's important. A great find. Our whole family will benefit from this book.

Breakthrough in identifying my own ADULT feelings & needs!
I bought this for my 12-year old daughter, but once I glanced through it, I couldn't put it down! Especially helpful for women with stoic upbringings, martyre complexes, or rescue tendencies. This book actually lists, describes and illustrates the emotions and needs we all possess. Yet, being written for 9 to 12 year olds, can be quickly and easily read, understood and put into practice. ... Read more

Amazon.com

For anyone who ever doubted it, Todd Parr is here to tell us all thatit's okay to be different. With his signature artistic style, featuring brightlycolored, childlike figures outlined in heavy black, Parr shows readers over andover that just about anything goes. From the sensitive ("It's okay to beadopted"--the accompanying illustration shows a kangaroo with a puppy in herpouch) to the downright silly ("It's okay to eat macaroni and cheese in thebathtub"), kids of every shape, size, color, family makeup, and background willfeel included in this gentle, witty book. In this simple, playful celebration ofdiversity, Parr doesn't need to hammer readers over the head with his message.

Parr is well known for his funky feel-good titles, including Things That Make You Feel Good/ThingsThat Make You Feel Bad, Underwear Do's and Don'ts, andThis Is My Hair. (Ages 3to 6) --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (10)

I agree, It IS OKAY TO READ THIS BOOK! ..and to be you...
Maybe some people's kids like reading old stuff like aesops fables..stuff that doesn't relate to the REAL WORLD. BUT MOST kids in TODAY'S WORLD have issues. Issues like- why do I have freckles and why do I have curly hair and why do I wear glasses and why can't I be like her... or him ...or them! That's why this book is SO WONDERFUL..it teaches a wonderful lesson - IT'S OKAY..TO BE DIFFERENT, IT'S OKAY TO BE YOU! This is certainly an enriching book for any child - it builds self esteem, self confidence, and shows kids how everyone can be different, but that's what makes us special!...

Wonderful book about different types of diversity
This book has quickly been added to my story time collection. The illustrations are bright, colorful and charming for reading aloud or simply browsing. Children are reminded that it's okay to be different, no matter what their differences or similarities. While tolerance of others is one of the themes, self-acceptance is the most important message. This is a great book for showing that differences are perfectly fine and acceptable. The book does not reek of politically correct messages as much as it comforts us that being different is just fine. I, as an adult, liked myself a little better after I read it the first time. I think children will feel the same way.

A friend of mine took the book to read at her local children's hospital where it was a big hit with the patients who often feel very different. This is a must for any library, big or small.

A superficial idea of what it means to be
THIS IS A VERY BRIEF BOOK WRITTEN PRIMARILY FOR CHILDREN--UNHAPPY, DEPRESSED, "ABNORMAL" CHILDREN. THE GIST OF THE THING IS TO INSTILL IN THE KIDS THAT IT IS "OK" TO BE DIFFERENT. IN OTHER WORDS, THEY "ARE" DIFFERENT, BUT THAT'S "OK." OUR OUTWARD & INWARD DIFFERENCES ARE TO BE "CELEBRATED."
I AGREE, BUT...

DO YOU SEE ANYTHING WEIRD ABOUT THIS? IT'S SUCH A PARADOX, A CONUNDRUM OF THE BACK AGAINST THE WALL, WHAT CAN I DO TO FIT IN WITH THESE ADULTS AND OTHER CHILDREN VARIETY. I CAN'T GET MY MIND AROUND THIS CONCEPT (OR ACCEPT IT), SO HOW CAN ANYONE EXPECT "ABNORMAL CHILDREN" TO COMPREHEND WHAT IS BEING IMPLIED? THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH LIFE EXPERIENCE!

THE INTELLIGENT CHILDREN (AND MOST "WEIRD" KIDS ARE INTELLIGENT FOR SOME REASON) ARE LEFT TO INFER THAT FEELING GOOD HAPPENS WHEN YOU BEHAVE LIKE EVERYONE ELSE.

THE BOOK DOES WORK ON ONE LEVEL AT LEAST; HOWEVER, AND THAT IS THAT CHILDREN SHOULD BE HAPPY, IF FOR JUST A MINUTE OCCASSIONALLY, THIS WORKBOOK-TYPE TOME IS FULL OF FUN ACTIVITIES TO KEEP THEIR "STRANGE, UNHAPPY" LITTLE MINDS OCCUPIED.

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Read to ANY Child, regardless of Chronological Age
I was at Storytime today and this book leaped off the shelf and into my hands begging to be read. The first thing I thought was, this is SUCH simple, pure, rock solid truth that everyone should have a copy regardless of their age.

Whether you are 4 years + 36 or 4 years + 52 or 4 years + 2, this book has a message for you.

It's okay to be you!
This is probably the best book in the whole world. Kids especially like "it's okay to eat macaroni and cheese in the bathtub." This is the best approach to diversity I've ever seen, and it's cute and funny as well as having a serious undertone. Buy it for someone unique! ... Read more

Book Description

Venus and Serena Williams have something to say. But it isn"t all about tennis. It"s about life and how to play it.

These superstars and super sisters share their secrets in this straight-talking smart guide. Speaking candidly about their personal experiences, the sisters give you the inside scoop on:

• What it takes to rise and stay on top.
• Who watches their backs when the pressure is on.
• How they spend—and save—their money.
• Dating—their real deal on romance.
• Book smarts—keeping grades up and study stress down.
• Loving the skin you"re in.

This book offers solid advice for getting an advantage in every game you play. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

No Shunning Allowed
Hilary Beard is a Philadelphia journalist who you can trust implicitly, she has a great even voice.Her previous book was the life story of enterpreneur Lisa Price, the woman who came back from financial ruin to found CAROL'S DAUGHTER the great herbal essence success story.Lisa got to meet many celebrities, in fact she knew them before they got big, and her cosmetic prescriptions, learned from her mother and Trinidadian family, helped Erykah Badu and Jada Pinkett among others,

Venus and Serena, who have collaborated with Hilary Beard on her new book, were famous when they were still girls, so their trajectory is somewhat different than that of Lisa Price, who struggled for artistic and commercial validation for many years and told the story in the fabulous SUCCESS NEVER SMELLED SO SWEET.Hilary Beard, who lost her father several years back, was drawn to the Williams sisters partly because of the strong guidance each received from their dad, a bittersweet association for Beard that accounts for some of the strongest writing in this book, SERVING FROM THE HIP.An avid tennis player, Beard knows what she's talking about, and she can help the Williams sisters structure a book and add depth to their insights about their own game.

Whether or not you're a Jehovah's Witness, this book has something for everyone, so don't shun the Williams girls just because their faith is a little bit different than yours!That's what America is all about--or it used to be!

Great book for teens and fans of Venus and Serena!
After seeing Venus and Serena on the Oprah show, I decided to get this book and I'm glad I did.The book talks about many of their on-court experiences so if you're a fan of Venus and Serena and have followed their careers since the mid 90's, you'll find out fascinating tidbits about their reactions to incidents on the WTA Tour.I also bought a copy for a friend's 11 yr. old daughter so as you can see this book is a great conversation-starter for parents and their daughters.All-around, well done.

Teaches Children JEHOVAH'S WITNESS CULT Religious Philosophy
Great Book if you want your Child to grow up to be a JEHOVAH'S WITNESS. The Williams Sisters should stick to writing books in which they use their tennis background and experience to teach children the fundamentals of playing the game of tennis.This Williams Sisters book, which purports to teach children the fundamentals of life, is actually a disguised attempt to teach children the fundamental religious philosophy of their own JEHOVAH'S WITNESS religion. People who are reared as Jehovah's Witnesses have been taught only one set of "rules for living, loving, and winning", and those are the rules of the WatchTower Cult.If you want your children to grow up to be door-to-door WatchTower salespersons then SAVE YOUR MONEY and simply ask the next Jehovah's Witness who wakes you up on Saturday morning for a FREE copy of the WatchTower Society's guide for rearing children as Jehovah's Witnesses.

Motivational and Inspiring!

I'm not a tennis fan, but you don't have to be to enjoy this book.

While the target audience is teenage girls, I thoroughly enjoyed reading it, and I'm a middle-aged woman!

It's easy to read, full of insight into the lives and motivations of Serena and Venus, and has great advice for teenage girls on dating and other issues important to adolescents. I especially liked their emphasis on the need for self-esteem.

I agree with the reviewer who questioned the so-called reviewers who lambasted the book, since nothing in their "reviews" indicated they've read it!

I think Serena and Venus (and their co-author, Hilary Beard) did a wonderful job, and I encourage anyone with a teenage girl to run out and buy this book.

Wonderful book for adults as well as young girls!
Wow . . . I can't believe the haters who have weighed in on this book! And nothing in their "reviews" indicate they've even read it!
"Venus and Serena . . ." is a well-written but easy read, doling out lifestyle advice and guidance for young girls and giving insight to the motivations behind decisions made by Venus and Serena. It details why their parents decided to pull them out of certain tours (I was surprised and delighted by the explanations), and how those decisions led to other life decisions.
I bought the book for my 17-year-old daughter, but sat down and read the whole thing. Feeling guilty, I ran out and bought another copy for my daughter. This is a book that I didn't mind buying twice.
I LOVED their advice on dating, and how girls need to love themselves first. The book is BIG on the importance of self-esteem.
I found "Venus and Serena . . ." to be motivational and insightful, and I highly recommend it.
... Read more

Amazon.com

On the occasion of her son's graduation from high school, SandraBoynton, the well-loved creator of books and cards featuring hippos, dinosaurs,and sheep, has written a celebratory book for "onwardly mobile" readers.Everyone on the planet will compare this title to Dr. Seuss's Oh, the Places You'll Go, andwe will, too. Yes, they're both delightful, silly picture books with vaguelyunidentifiable critters as the emcees, rejoicing in the reader's recentgraduation or other success. Festive exclamation points abound, along withrhyming, and alternating cheering and questioning ("Now what will you do?"). ButSandra Boynton is Sandra Boynton, and Dr. Seuss is Dr. Seuss, and ne'er thetwain shall meet. Boynton's more contemporary text and illustrations feature acow doing yoga ("OOM") and a headphone-clad fellow listening to "greatrock-and-roll," among her other trademark characters flying away under balloons,partaking of chocolate, and scrambling up mountains. A box on the first pagewith "CONGRATULATIONS" across the top and "To" and "From" below make itperfectly clear that this is a book for giving. Behind all the goofy faces andsimple rhymes is a very real, very sweet sentiment of pride and support that anyloving friend or family member will be glad to share with that specialsuccessful person, young or old. Boynton's style can be recognized a mile awayin such classics as Dinos toGo, Hippos GoBerserk!, and Moo, Baa,La La La!. (All ages) --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Closing one chapter, opening another.....
I am an elementary guidance counselor, responsible for planning our promotion program yearly for our fifth grade students as they move to middle school. I'm always looking for meaningful things to add to the ceremony, traditions the kids will look back on with happy memories. We do a lot in my school with "Oh the Places You'll Go..." so I was looking for something of this genre to use. "Yay, You" is just the right length. I read it to the kids just before the ceremony and then include a quick reading as a prelude to the processional out of the gym. Because the kids have heard it already, they know what is coming. The parents and guests absorb the meaning of the "moving up, moving out" very well. It's WONDERFUL and a number of parents have purchased it for their children to commemorate the event. It is indeed now a tradition.

A Trip to the Past for Mom and Kids
When my children were small we read the Boynton board books so many times that we had to replace them for kid #3. They are one of my favorite baby shower gifts. Yay, You is a terrific book for both parents and kids (young adults?) as they enter the next life journey. Even if you have never experienced a Sandra Boynton book, you will enjoy this and smile as you realize that life goes on for all. This makes a fun grduation gift too!!

Yay, me!
As a recent high school graduate myself, I can say this book is perfect for all those taking the next big step in their lives. I bought this book for myself and every time I read it I smile. It's so much fun and encouraging and at the end all I can say is.... Yay, me!

Yay Sandra Boynton!
I love this book! I fell in love with the cow doing yoga (OOM!). I bought 3 copies for friends who not only also think that's hysterical, but also are going through changes in their lives. While it's geared for the college bound, real world bound, my friends and I are a few years past that and it still applies to us. Pass this book along to anyone, regardless of age, going through a big change in their lives. They'll appreciate it. OOM.

One Big Happy and Hearty Congratulations...
Sandra Boynton has truly outdone herself with her celebratory Yay, You! Told in rhyme and full of love and pride, this little gem of a book first congratulates, "You did it!/You're done!/You made it!/You're through!", and then takes a joyful look at what's ahead, "Oh, what a great moment!/Now what will you do?/There are so many choices./The world is immense./Take a good look around/and decide what makes sense." Ms Boynton's uplifting message is light and fun and complemented by her familiar and charming, silly animal illustrations. So put a smile on every graduate's face, celebrate their success and let them know that whether you're in a hurry to get started on the rest of your life, or need to stop awhile and smell the roses, "Whatever you do,/whether near or so far,/I know you'll be great./You already are. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Ophelia Speaks by Sara Shandler is a clever response to Mary Pipher's bestselling Reviving Ophelia. Shandler reveals telling portraits of teenage girls in this book, a compilation of essays, poems, and true-grit commentary from a cross section of teenage girls (or Ophelias), throughout the country. The book succeeds because it gives voice to their deepest concerns and their too-often frenzied lives. Because she's a college student, Shandler considers herself a peer of these adolescent girls, able to tap into their collective consciousness.

Shandler is as determined as she is a sharp reporter in chronicling the lives of these young women. To research the book, she sent out a mass mailing of 7,000 letters to high school and junior high school principals, counselors, and teachers explaining her book project and urging them to encourage teenage girls to contribute.

The topics covered run the gamut, but they include parental expectations, racial relations, and faith, among others. Sadly, eating disorders are an all-too-popular topic. The good news is that Shandler's contributors offer up some real insight for their peers. In one essay titled "Food Is Not My Enemy," Elizabeth Fales "calls us to a new feminism. In the old feminism, our mothers fought for the right to choose abortion. In our generation, we must fight for the right to eat."

The book also gives practical insight for parents who may find it hard to relate to their teenage daughters. In a nutshell, it appears that adolescent girls want unconditional love from parents who can be confidants without being overly critical. --Peg Melnick ... Read more

Reviews (90)

Jed Davis Girls' Basketball Coach/AD jlori81@gte.net
Ophelia Speaks is a literary response to Mary Pipher's bestselling and sometimes controversial work Reviving Ophelia which was published in 1994. In this book psychologist Pipher, who works closely with adolescent girls, documented what she thought were the key issues and struggles for teenage females growing up in America. She did this through cases studies and careful analysis. Author Sara Shandler, a high school student at the time, took it upon herself to recruit girls from all over the United States to write about all aspects of being young and female. She was not opposed to Mary Pipher's work. In fact, it spoke to her positively in many ways. She just thought it would be a good idea for girls to speak for themselves. The result is Ophelia Speaks, a collection of essays on a variety of topics that girls chose to write about...family, friends, diseases, sexuality, death, depression, religion and others. The book is excellent in two regards. First, the stories often take you deep into the heart and mind of adolescent girls. You are struck by how insightful and analytical theses girls are, then thrown back by how fragile and complex their feelings are. The stories, picked by Sara Shandler, are well-written and sincere although a few of them were written in the abstract and therefore lacked the clarity to fully understand the issue at hand. The second part of the book I found to be outstanding were the introductions to each topic. These were written by Sara Shandler herself. They gave perspective on the topic in question and introduced each contribution by giving the reader a taste of what was in store. She also adds a little of her own experience so you get to know her a bit. My life revolves around coaching teenage girls in basketball. I also coach young girls in basketball. A book like this adds to my understanding of teenage girls and therefore helps me work with them more effectively. One of the things Shandler says in the introduction is that teenage " girls are incredibly complicated. " When you read the stories and begin to understand this, I believe it lends itself to patience and understanding. But the book's greatest value probably lies in the support adolescent girls can feel from reading these stories. These girls do not hold anything back and many of their reactions to life's experiences are probably universally felt by a lot of teenage girls. Any teenage girl who is feeling isolated or finding life to be difficult would probably benefit from reading this book. I highly recommend it.

unbalanced
While I commend the editor for putting together this project, and respect the girls whose stories are included, I feel that the book is unbalanced. Almost all the girls included seem to be going through some pretty extreme experiences. An adolescent-psychologist told me that 1/3 of teenagers have major problems, 1/3 have minor problems and 1/3 navigate adolescence fairly smoothly. This book seemed to focus on teens in the first two groups. Perhaps they are the ones who responded to the editor's request for articles on eating disorders, drug abuse, suicide attempts, etc, and on down the list til her last and only strongly positve category, Why I am proud to be female. Perhaps girls who are enjoying life and involved in more positive activities aren't as inclined to sit down and write about it. Was the editor's aim to show that teenage girls are ill-fated, in line with the thesis of Reviving Ophelia? Also, some of the writing in these responses is poor and not really worth reading whatever the content.

Telling it like it is
In reading this book, I found it to be exactly like the life of a teenage girl. Anyone could read this book and get something out of it. In idea, it reminds me of the Chicken Soup series, but I enjoyed how it only focused on teenage girls and the struggles that they face. Excellent Read! Get it today!

Ophelia Speaks:Stereotyping all female adolescents
'Ophelia Speaks' by Shandler is a poor attemp at writing on Shandler's part. I had to read this book for my SOC 204 class, but otherwise I would have never picked this book up to read. I found the book to be only a collection of letters, stories and poems that Shandler had collected from adolescent girls. Most of these entries did not capture the true life of adolescent girls but instead glamourized the stereotypes that society has about female adolescents. The author, at the time of collecting these reading, was only 17 and it seems as if she was just putting this book together to make a few extra bucks. As well, I believe that since she sent out a letter asking for submissions for the book, I feel that the girls that wrote the entries, were meerly looking for some sort of fame by having their entries in this book. I also cannot stand how the author's experiences never reflect the experiences of the writings; this further indicates that the writings are not accurate. The author also never comes to any conclusion after a chapter. She could have given some psychological/sociolgical/physiological reasoning behind some of the girls experiences.
I would not refer anyone to read this book. It was a waste of time and money.
Save your money and spend it on better things.

Widen The Search
'Ophelia Speaks : Adolescent Girls Write About Their Search for Self' is an essential addition to the vital library focused on teenage personal development. I gave Sara Shandler's book to my daughter and suggested that while she was searching for self, she might also look for her homework sheets, the four overdue library books I've been ordered to pay for, the banana skin I'd seen in her closet two months ago, the family cat last heard meowing under a mountain of crumpled jeans on her floor and her best friend, Marsha Pippens, missing, presumed piled, since last Saturday's sleepover. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (25)

Lousy title, wonderful book
Why oh why do U.S. publishers insist on retitling classic European books? As "I Am David" this book successfully explores far more profound questions than freedom. David's journey is a process of self discovery and a self-imposed restructuring of a broken human spirit. Though told in the third person, the narrative invites us into David's young mind and allows us to see the wonder of objects and concepts that we all take for granted but which are new to the young escapee. Music, play, the taste of an orange, the feeling of being clean, language, colour! David's voyage of discovery is a bitter sweet mixture and we learn the awful truth about his past during his trek across Europe at the same pace as he does himself.

I have read this book with classes of children from fourth to seventh grade, as well as with adults. It is a book for all seasons, and I can still turn the pages with pleasure and wonder.

The wonder of realising what it is to say "I Am David" is what the book is all about! "North to Freedom" is a lousy title - meaningless in fact, David's first steps to freedom take him south! But this should not dissuade anyone from reading Anne Holm's book. The greatest children's story to come out of Denmark since Hans Christian Andersen.

one of my favorites
I have a copy of this book from the UK that is called I Am David. It starts with a man telling David, "You must get away tonight. Stay awake so that you're ready just before the guard is changed. When you see me strike a match, the current will be cut off and you can climb over -- you'll have half a minute, no more." This starts David's journey not just to freedom and home, but also to learning how to live as a regular kid after only living in a concentration camp. It's a serious book but one that should be read.

Timeless
This is such a beautiful book. I first read it when I was nine, twenty years later it is still a favourite.

The story of promise is quite remarkable and never fails to move me. All children should read this book. It opens doors to many other areas that too many forget too easily.

Great Book
This book is utterly compelling. This story of David starts in a concentration camp and ends him up at home. It is tension building and "they" will get him. This takes us from the concentration camp to Salonica then to Italy, Switzerland and finally Denmark. He is saved by King the dog. That was the most exciting part. A must read.

Trust
Do you know what it is like to be hunted? Or to feel the palpable hate from men who destroy everything except what is inside of you? David, from his experience in the concentration camp, simply can not trust anyone. He has to be wary because that is the only way to survive. Parts of him are so deadened inside that when he sees the beautifull it is so much more intense. This book provides a usefull insight into the experience of many that will evoke your compassion and give you some understanding of why some people who are hurt are so reluctant to ever get close again or to seek or even recognize help around them. And through all of this, David is a moral person. He knows why evil must be resisted. Excelent! ... Read more

Book Description

Family connections are vitally important to children as they begin to find their place in the world. For transracial and transcultural adoptees, domestic adoptees, and for children in foster care or kinship placements, celebrating the differences within their families as well as the similarities that connect them, is the foundation for belonging. As parents or caregivers, we can strengthen our children’s tie to family and embrace the differences that make them unique. Each child will have their own story and their own special place to belong.

This beautifully illustrated and uplifting book, for the 2-5 set, will help to create the intimate parent/caregiver and child bond that is so important. While others may notice the physical differences between us on the outside, inside we are the same. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Seeking Similarities
My 8-year-old loved this book. She was fascinated by the illustrations and the idea that despite our physical differences as a racially blended family, we are very much the same inside, where it makes all the difference. Excellent source for starting a dialogue with any child.

Excellent balance
I have found this book to be an excellent connecting point with our children who were adopted. The way that Kitze acknowledges physical differences and yet affirms the similarities that truly matter is reassuring for children who have concerns about not resembling their adoptive or foster parents. Multicultural illustrations add to the thoughtful writing.

An Excellent Book for All Families
Carrie Kitz has written a wonderful story for all families to enjoy together. My girls, ages 5 and 2, ask me to read it over and over. As a mom to one daughter from China and one from Cambodia, I especially enjoy the message the book sends- we may look different on the outside, but on the inside, we are the same.

A New Adoption Classic !
Don't be fooled by the cover. Carrie's newest creation speaks to the entire adoption and foster community. " I Don't Have Your Eyes" is the novel, one-of-a kind kids' adoption book we have needed.

Although a " feel good" book, there is nothing sterotypical about how adoption is discussed. The illustrations include and normalize all different type of families.

"I Don't Have Your Eyes" helps kids go beyond " blood" and "genes" as the only important ties between family members. Instead, Carrie gently points out, even more important, shared strengths and similarities. The book's concrete examples ( with a little dab of houmor) are delightful.

Congratulations to Ms. Kitze for carefully considering the needs of the adoption community as she publishes her 'adoption and empowerment- themed' books.

Beth O'Malley M.Ed adoptee and newly adoptive Mom .... ... Read more

Book Description

Celebrate life’s journeys with The Little Engine That Could! Selling over 60,000 copiesin the first two months on sale, I Knew You Could! provides familiar comfort inchanging times and serves as a wonderful gift that will be treasured for years to come.With inspiring and enlightening words of wisdom, this sweetly nostalgic book is perfectfor graduates of all ages as they make the transition from one phase of life to the next.From "I think I can" to "I knew I could," The Little Engine That Could helps usremember that anything is possible if you put your mind to it! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Rhyming