Reviews (2)

An Innovative New Learning Tool
MY KINDERGARTEN takes readers on a learning adventure from September through June, following eight kindergarten students (Odysseus, Terrance, Diane, Emily, Martha, Otto, Louise, and Roger), as they begin their first year of school, and their first year of learning in Miss Cribbage's kindergarten class.

MY KINDERGARTEN is filled with fun activities for readers to participate in, that will make them feel as if they are a part of the story, right there beside the children of Miss Cribbage's class. Young readers will adore the illustrations, and stories by Rosemary Wells, and parents will love the fact that their little ones are learning the alphabet, singing songs, reciting poems, counting to 10, reading stories, and more. Kindergarten teachers, and homeschooling parents will also enjoy this book, as it provides an innovative new teaching method that will boost childrens eagerness to learn, while having fun.

Erika Sorocco

Every kindergarten class needs this book
I like this book because it is arranged to follow the months and special days of the year. I like the songs and the CD that's available from Judy Freeman that goes along with the book. It ties in with many of our state's curriculum units. The students will identify with the characters in the book. I highly recommend this book. ... Read more

Book Description

The four Tillerman children finally have a home at their grandmother's rundown farm on the Maryland shore. It's what Dicey has dreamed of for her three younger siblings, but after watching over the others for so long, it's hard to let go. Who is Dicey, if she's no longer the caretaker for her family?

Dicey finds herself in new friends, in a growing relationship with her grandmother, and in the satisfaction of refinishing the old boat she found in the barn. Then, as Dicey experiences the trials and pleasures of making a new life, the past comes back with devastating force, and Dicey learns just how necessary -- and painful -- letting go can be. ... Read more

Reviews (105)

Letting Go
Dicey's Song is a depressing story about a thirteen year old girl who must learn how necessary it is to let go. Her mother is faced with a mental illness and Dicey is left as the caretaker of the rest of the Tillerman family. When her grandmother adopts the four Tillermans, Dicey discovers that she no longer has to take care of her three younger siblings. She makes new friends and relationships as she begins to relax and enjoy life as a thirteen year old girl. As she slowly adapts to her new way of life, Dicey and her grandmother rush to Boston. What's wrong? Is her mother's condition getting worse? Is she ready to come home? Dicey's worries come back and she must face the overwhelming pain of letting go.

I recommend this book to anyone. Dicey's Song is an easy read and it teaches people to live their life to the fullest. The past should not interfere with the present or the future. People should learn from the past and use their knowledge to better their lives in the future.
f

Dicey's Song
After struggling to survive the summer alone with her two brothers and sister, Dicey finally arrives at her grandmother's house. Dicey Tillerman a thirteen-year-old girl has had the responsibility of keeping her family together. Now her new challenge will be learn to let go and except that she is only a teenager herself
After moving in with their grandmother, and starting to become a family, Dicey realizes that life as she knew was to change forever. She starts to live as any other teenager would. Enrolling herself in school and even getting a job at a local grocery store, she becomes more like a sister and less of mother to her siblings. Dicey also starts to rely and be more open with her grandmother, emotionally. Over time she creates a tight circle of friends in school and at home.
The Tillermans themselves start to bond as a family. With all the kids in school, they become more and more as ordinary children. The oldest boy, James, not only becomes an excellent student but also a reliable paperboy. Maybeth finds passion in music, while Sammy makes friends with the local boys.
[But with their lives settled in, what will a word about their long lost mother do]
Reading this book helped me find the true meaning of a family. I enjoyed this book and i hope a lot of you will too!

deceptively simple masterpiece
The thing I most love about Cynthia Voigt's writing in general, and the Tillerman series in particular, is her understanding of what makes people tick. This is especially evident in this novel, which deservedly won the Newbery Medal. Much of the interest of the story centres around Dicey's development, growth and change, and her attempts to understand people and the relationships between them.

Cynthia Voigt is also unusual among YA writers in her consistent development of the adult characters as complex and real; evading the trap of making them simply foils for the teen protagonist or a catalyst in the story.

A book that can stand on its own as well as part of a series, and one that will be treasured by those who love thoughtful stories about real people.

Fine...
At first when I read this book, I was bored out of my wits. I had to read this book for a school project, which I really didn't want to do. I almost fell asleep during the first 50 pages of the book. But near the end, the plot got a lot better and I enjoyed it more. It was very interesting, but I think I would have enjoyed it more if I had read the first book in the Tillerman series. I had many questions, like- Why was the mother mentally ill? How did they get with Gram? etc. But his is a great book that pulls you into the story, especially at the very end. I know I put in 3 stars for this book, but I would rather have put in 3 and a half- I really enjoyed this.

Bookcrazy
I Loved the book but I kept on getting very confuised at time and I have to go back and reread it. I think the writer could have told the story a bit more discriptive on some the parts.
But other than that I Loved the story ... Read more

Reviews (3)

This is why we homeschool
I've put 5 kids through public school, and even those kids, now parents themselves, think this book is a bit over the top. I'd ask my 11 year old, but there's no way he'll be seeing it any time soon. This book is most appropriate for older kids, 9th grade and above. It's troubling that 12 year olds are quoted about issues such as "making out" and oral sex. It does contain some good advice about things like dealing with peers, dealing with sexual harrassment, handling the different school setting, and other things, but it isn't appropriate for middle schoolers, regardless of the title.

This is a great book!
This book is the perfect guide for any kid who's entering the challenging years of junior high. The author handles difficult topics in a humorous and informative way. Plus, there's lots of advice from other kids who have already been there. So along with the pens, notebooks and lunch, slip a copy of this survival guide into your middle-grader's backpack.

An absolute MUST!!!
I found this on a bookstore shelf by pure luck. After skimming through it and seeing the wide range of topics it covers, I grabbed two copies for neighbors entering Middle School next month.

MSSG is a plain-speaking book written with honesty and wit. It deals with pretty much any problem adolescents may face, not only in school, but in life: the harder work load in MS, acne, dating, drugs, handling bullies, sexual situations, divorce and much more. Let's face it. Kids don't always want to talk to their parents, even (maybe especially?) about important things. They ask their friends for advice. Now they have this book.

If you think you might benefit from this book, you WILL!!! ... Read more

Book Description

This is the moving story of how Jackie Robinson became the first black player on a major league baseball team and how on a fateful day in Cincinnati, PeeWee Reese took a stand and declared Jackie his teammate.
... Read more

Reviews (6)

the hardship in baseball
Teammates

Teammates is about 2 men named
Pees wee Reese and Jackie Robinson. Both of them were baseball players on the same
Team called the dogers. Pee wee
Reese was white and Jackie rob-
Inson was black. They were both
Friends and helped each other out. The players on their team
Came mostly from the south, men
Had been taught to avoid black
People since childhood. They moved to another table
Whenever Jackie sat down next
To them. Many opposing players
Were cruel to Jackie, calling him mean names from their
Dugouts. A few tried to hurt
Him with their spiked shoes.
It was bad for Jackie. Pitchers
Aimed for his head, and he
Received threats on his life,
Both from individuals and from
Oramizations like the Ku Klux
Klan. Jackie avoided all of it,
And made the team. Jackie and
Pee wee became really great
Friends and baseball legends.

Awesome!
This book teaches you alot about how blacks were treated back in the day. When Jackie Robinsion was signed to the Dodgers the fans and players treated him really badly. People threw stuff at him. Then a young teammate stood up for him and saved him from being ban from the team. So you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover.

classic
A simple telling of how Jackie Robinson came to play in the major leagues, this book portrays the prejudice he faced in a basic way that children can understand. And it shines a bright light on a quiet moment: PeeWee Reese's brave public declaration of solidarity with his teammate. This book has been my son's favorite for the past two years, since he was five.

Brooklyn Dodger Teammates: Jackie Robinson & Pee Wee Reese
"Teammates" tells the story of one of the more moving moments in the history of baseball that occurred during the 1947 season when the Brooklyn Dodgers traveled to Crosley Field in Cincinnati to play the Reds. Jackie Robinson, the first black man to play in the major leagues, was playing first base and being the target of hostility and abuse from the fans. At shortstop was Harold "Pee Wee" Reese, who born in the South, but who had refused to join other Southerners on the team in signing a petition to kick Jackie off the team. That day in Cincinnati, Reese did something that remains one of the bright moments of that historic season and which deserves to be more than a minor footnote in baseball history.

"Teammates" is written by Peter Golenbock, who heard the story of what happened that day from Rex Barney, who pitched for the Dodgers that day. Usually when the story of Jackie Robinson breaking the "color line" in baseball, the other key person in the story is Branch Rickey, the Dodger general manager. But Rickey could only support Robinson from the front office and not on the field, where it was Pee Wee Reese who decided to do something about that. Consequently, it is Reese who emerges as the hero of this particular story. Certainly it is safe to assume that anyone who reads this book knows something about Jackie Robinson; Golenbock talks about how Rickey needed somebody special to be the first, but does not get into the reasons why Robinson was that man (e.g., All-American football star at U.C.L.A., Army officer). But clearly "Teammates" is not intended to be the first book a youngster reads about the story of Jackie Robinson. Paul Bacon, as he did for the exquisite "Susanna of the Alamo," does both the design and illustration for this volume, combining historic photographs and items with his own watercolor paintings to tell the story.

A few brave men
This book is a true story that vividly describes the era of baseball and the scoial climate of race relations in the early 1940's. The Brooklyn Dodgers were the first Major Leauge Baseball team to hire an African American. Branch Rickey of the Dodgers was looking for "a man strong enough not to fight back". Jackie Robinson was of course that man and it was known as the "Great Experiment". It was tough for Jackie who ws not well recieived by many whites, including his teammates. One teammate was different, he knew he should always do what is right even if everyone around him including family or friends felt differently, that man was Pewee Reese. This book looks at how racism affected many aspects of society and how the strength of one indidual can change many attitudes. There is a variety of mediums used for the illustrations that only enhance the book. ... Read more

Book Description

MARTY WILL DO ANYTHING TO SAVE SHILOH

When Marty Preston comes across a young beagle in the hills behind his home, it's love at first sight -- and also big trouble. It turns out the dog, which Marty names Shiloh, belongs to Judd Travers, who drinks too much and has a gun -- and abuses his dogs. So when Shiloh runs away from Judd to Marty, Marty just has to hide him and protect him from Judd. But Marty's secret becomes too big for him to keep to himself, and it exposes his entire family to Judd's anger. How far will Marty have to go to make Shiloh his? ... Read more

Reviews (176)

Shiloh
Shiloh, what a magnificent book. It has many thrills, mystery, tragedy, and fun parts too. I have to say I would give it fout gigantic stars. The book is about a boy who loves animals. He has a mom, dad, and two sisters. One sunny day, the boy, Marty, was shooting his rifle around the forest. He finds a dog on a bridge. Read the book to find out what he names it. The dog follow him home. They find out the beagle belonged to a mean awful man named Judd Travers. He uses his dogs for hunting. The dog would run away from him. Read the book to find out why. The dog comes back, and Marty keeps him for awhile. Do his parents find out he's hiding Shiloh. Does Marty get to keep Shiloh? Please read the book to find out.

by Matt M.

The bond between a boy and a dog
"Shiloh," the novel by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, received the 1992 Newbery Medal "for the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children." While the book is certainly ideal for younger readers, don't be misled by either the award or the publisher's marketing approach: this moving, well-written book is good for adults, too.

"Shiloh" takes place in rural West Virginia. It tells the story of Marty, an 11-year old boy who seeks to shelter an abused beagle from his hard-hearted owner. Reynolds lets Marty tell his story in the first person, and her excellent prose captures the rhythms of rural West Virginia speech (and I say this because I spend a lot of time there with my extended family). Reynolds had me hooked with her opening sentence: "The day Shiloh come, we're having us a big Sunday dinner." Reynold's skill at rendering American vernacular speech evokes, in my mind, favorable comparisons to such authors as Zora Neale Hurston and Alice Walker.

"Shiloh" is rich with the details of life in that region: the food, the hunting, and social customs. Reynolds creates a wonderful portrait of a poor but loving family. But the heart of the book is the way she captures the special bond between a boy and his dog.

"Shiloh" is an "issue" book in the sense that it deals with animal cruelty, but Reynolds wisely tells a realistic story without overtly preaching at the reader. But the book still raises very relevant issues. Marty's moral dilemma is not presented as an easy "black-and-white" situation. Shiloh's owner, Judd, is not a cardboard villain. Marty's ethical and theological inner struggle is comparable to that of the title character in Mark Twain's "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn." Like Huck, Marty is a compelling hero: courageous, loyal, and thoughtful.

In short, "Shiloh" is a contemporary classic, a book with true moral and psychological resonance. Naylor's portrayal of the enduring ties between a child and a beloved animal is comparable to such enduring works as John Steinbeck's "The Red Pony." This moving book deserves a wide audience.

shiloh
Shiloh was a great book. It was about a dog who lived with this evil man. There wa a kid who saw the dog and he wanted It. One day what thekid does is thinking about the dog. The next day the dog followed him so he took the dog home. The owner of the dog found out that is dog was missing so he went looking for his dog. Then he finds his dog. The kid tells the owner if he could have the dog. The owner made a deal with the kid that if he works for him for a month he will give him the dog. Af ter work he gets the dog. In the middle of the book there is this one part where the dog gets attacked by another dog that is probably best part in the book. If I was to rate this book out of ten I would give a ten
By
JJ

A boy who went crazy about a dog
Shiloh is a very interesting book. It is the first book in the Shiloh series. The book is based on a kid called Marty who finds a beagle and names it Shiloh. After one of his neighbors, Judd, comes looking for the dog because it's his. Marty will do anything to to keep the dog, but sometimes he goes too far. In my opinion this book is full of suspense and love. I would recommend this book to anyone that can read because it's good for all ages. I would give this book a four star rating.

Shiloh review for Miss O.
I thought this was a very good book. Most people would enjoy the story. It was entertaining and heartbreaking. The best part of the book was the end. It kept you in suspense. If you want to read a good book this summer, read Shiloh. You won't be sorry. ... Read more

Book Description

"Tom The Turtle" walks children through the stages of moving. Forty six beautiful color illustrations using animals, insects, and reptiles invite moving as a positive adventure. In sensitive words, Tom walks children through feelings, thoughts, and action stages.The child participates in simple exercises that make the concepts come alive to the young reader. Tom captures the world of children for spontaneous interaction with the illustrations designed to enhance each move. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

A "moving" book for all ages!
This is a "moving" book for children and adults alike. It is well written and the illustrations are adorable. The charming Tom explores many fears and feelings that we all experience in a move or transition. Highly recommended for children and adults of all ages.

Author's Update
"Healthy Kids" magazine endorses 'LET'S MOVE TOGETHER' to all pediatricians and families. The American Academy of Pediatrics identifed ''LET'S MOVE TOGETHER' as ideal for children who will move. Moving is traumatic for children ages 4-11 and children need special help. 'LET'S MOVE TOGETHER' provides the reassurance children need.

Recommendation
"Healthy Kids Magazine" distributed to Pediatricians in the United States recommends 'Let's Move Together' for children and families who are moving in the October/November issue. The American Academy of Pediatrics identifies moving as one of life's most stressful events for children. 'Let's Move Together' provides the discussion, tips, and coping suggestions for a successful move.

From One Parent To Another
"Let's Move Together" captures all the emotions around moving and fitting in once a child gets there. Schubeck writes honestly about all the feelings we can have surrounding a move from one home to the next. This book allows parents to manage the moving process along with their youngsters. What a great way to reconnect with our children! Clanuwat's illustrations are clean and refreshing--They come to life!

A Valuable Resource
The well illustrated characters guide the young readers in understanding the feelings, thoughts and actions involved in making a transition. This book is a valuable resource for those families in careers that keep them on the move. ... Read more

Book Description

Sarah Byrnes and Eric have been friends for years. When they were children, his fat and her terrible scars made them both outcasts. Later, although swimming slimmed Eric, she stayed his closest friend.

Now Sarah Byrnes -- the smartest, toughest person Eric has ever known -- sits silent in a hospital. Eric must uncover the terrible secret she's hiding, before its dark currents pull them both under.

Reviews (86)

Without doubt, a must read!
No book has ever captivated me as much as this one. Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes is a fiction. yet realistic book written by Cris Crutener. The characters of this book are strong characters that contribute to the greatness of this book. Eric Calhoune, a senior, faces the task of helping close friend, Sarah Byrnes, who was burned in an accident. Sarah's dad, her problem, is not necesaraly someone you'd like to be friends with. Eric faces other small, bothersome problems. The biggest of them all, Mark Brittain, a fellow classmate who constantly lectures everyone on his strong catholic believes. The only thing Eric doesn't despise form Mark is his girlfriend, Jody Mueller Mrs. Lemry, a strong character, is Erics swimming coach and CATS teacher. Eric tries to help Sarah overcome a psycological problem, by visiting her at the psycological center. Soon, he finds out a dark secret Sarah has kept from everyone for a long time. He then becomes involved in a constant fight to keep Sarah safe. This book came to me when i wasn't sure if I still enjoyed reading. Lately, as a student i have not been able to choose the books I wanted to read, and wa not enjoying reading. Choosing this book was not easy. Mainly, I thought I was going to have to face another boring book. I was wrong. As I read the first pages, I found myself cought up in the plot. Without realizing it I finished, what was perhaps, one of the best books I ever read. It's true that this book involves the same kind of drama many books involve, but something about it is different. it has this special thing that seperates it from other books. You will not encounter a language that is boring or too elegant. The language is realistic and so real that young people will have no trouble reading and understanding it. The author has not avoided using bad words: there are plenty that give this book a realistic tough. The characters don't talk like stuffy old people, but like everyday people, making this book even better. This book is great and not a moment! boring, once started it can be diffiult to stop. This book is perhaps the best ever. The author has known how to write a funny, entertaining, realistic book. It doesn't fall in the same category as those books htat constantly repeat the same ending as they all lived happily ever after. Without doubt, this book is a 10!

A powerful, sad, honest novel
Chris Crutcher has tapped into the teenage psyche for this one. This is a most confusing time in any person's life: you are just starting to deal with certain issues (sex, fitting-in, questioning religion, et cetera), and you may be angry and don't know exactly why. I remember my teenage days quite vividly and have found that I can relate to this story on certain levels.
This is a story about Eric "Moby" Calhoune, a so-called fat kid, who bonds with Sarah Byrnes, an outcast burn victim. They form a friendship that is tested on many occasions by Sarah's inability to face her past and her relationship with her father (Mr. Byrnes is one of the most evil characters I have ever encountered in literature). Soon things get dangerous for both Sarah and Moby, but I won't divulge anymore details. You must read the book to find out what happens.
I will only say that while this book centers on abuse (in many forms), it also deals with a wider range of teenage problems. What is so profound about this story is that it could happen, it may have even happened to some of us or someone we know. It's truthful and realistic. Be careful. It may hit you hard when certain things are revealed. If you tend to cry while reading books or watching films, you might want to have a tissue handy when you sit down with this one.

okay not great
While I initially warmed to the story of two outcasts who formed an unusual, acerbic friendship, the author's crystal clear political agenda which shone through with an annoying, un-ignorable glare in many scenes put me off. The best authors have the ability to gracefully handle today's "hot button" issues via writing without beating the reader over the head. Sadly, this was not one of them.

However, most of the characters were three-dimensional (except for the Christians). There is much biting humor in the story, and that was what sustained me through it.

Recommended but for liberals only. Conservatives are likely to be annoyed (and with reason) and toss it into the trash.

Staying Detailed for Sarah Byrnes
Eric Calhoune is the main character and is quite overweight. Ironically, he's on the swim team but even there he doesn't really fit in. His nickname is "Moby" because he's, well, fat. He becomes best friends with fellow outsider Sarah Byrnes. Supposedly, she was covered in scars after pulling a pot of spaghetti on herself. Together, they write an underground magazine depicting everyone that made fun of them. Then Sarah breaks down completely. Eric desperately tries to snap her out of it without her evil father Virgil Byrnes knowing. More and more details of Sarah's life come out as Eric's once boring life becomes an emotional roller coaster.

I thought the book started off very slow. He spends about half the book explaining past experiences in amazing detail. He describes his swim practices in complete detail. If you are a swimmer, this is the book for you.

Some interesting topics come up randomly throughout the book. Political issues to religion are all portrayed from various viewpoints. Strong beliefs to being very liberal are uniquely displayed in the words of teenagers.

Overall, the book is difficult to follow at times. The author Chris Crutcher, has a remarkable sense of detail and is consistently flashing back to past memories of his relationship with Sarah. However, this sets up the ending well. All the questions are answered and the ending is thrilling and unpredictable.

Incredibly Boring
Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes is a friendship/mystery novel. Eric and Sarah have been friends since grade school and he tells the story about the mystery of Sarah Byrnes and her family. Eric eventually starts to lose weight from joining the swim team in high school but Sarah Byrnes gets self conscious about herself and is afraid Eric wont talk to her anymore. To prove to Sarah Byrnes that he isn't one of the jocks, he eats extra helpings of food to stay fat for Sarah Byrnes.

I think the author could of talked about different stories throughout the book. He would drag on and on about one subject that would be absolutely boring if they didn't know or take interest in that topic. Most people wouldn't.

This novel is a little confusing at first because it goes from past to present all the time. I read this book with my literature circle and everyone agreed that the book wasn't interesting to read. In my opinion, it went real slow and was boring. It was hard to keep reading the book when I had too. If you were looking for real friendship romance and mystery books, I'd defiantly think you should try out a different book. The real interesting parts of the story were way at the very end. I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone. No offence to the rest of the people on the net that read the book and thought it was fabulous. ... Read more

Book Description

Bicycles–shiny, whizzing, wobbly bicycles–scare Julian more than lions or tigers. But how can he tell that to his best friend, Gloria? She can already ride with no hands. So instead of telling the truth, Julian makes up a little fib. And he almost gets away with it–until his fib backfires and Julian finds himself in the biggest, most confounding fix ever. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Miss McCabe's Class Loves Julian!
Our class read Julian's Glorious Summe by Ann Cameron. We feel that the book was fabulous! Julian tells many lies in this book to hide the secret that he's scared of bikes. Ms. Cameron wrote the sentences in a fun and interesting way. At the end, Julian got a surprise and he was successful. Julian learned an important lesson. Overall, we think you should read this book too.

Scared Julian !!
I never thought that boys are afraid of bicycles but it seems that we have one here.And that is Julian!! Bicycles scare him more than tigers and lions! Oh,my gosh!This book is about a boy named Julian.He detests bicycles more than anything.His friend,Gloria owns a bicycle and wants to teach him how to ride.He refuses and makes up a fib.But the fib gets him into more trouble than telling the truth.Like the proverb,"Honesty is the best policy".If you want to find out what happened,read this book.Fibbers will always be fibbers but I hope Julian wouldn't be one after he tells this fib. ... Read more

Book Description

First, his hair started falling out. Then skin started peeling from his toes. Some stuffing came out of his belly button, and a piece of something gray and wet-his brain?-fell out of his nose. Is this normal? Or is this boy coming unglued? With a perfect combination of humor and grossness, this look at one boy's farfetched fears will have readers laughing their heads off!

"A zany, ultimately reassuring take on something that may indeed be a child's bugaboo." -Booklist

Awards:
( 1999 Colorado Children's Book Award
( Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award Masterlist ... Read more

Reviews (31)

A 5 star book for young children!
"Parts" by Tedd Arnold is a hilarious book for young children. My son received it as a gift from his kindergarten teacher. It was perfect timing as he was starting to loose his teeth. It's the story of a young boy, who upon loosing his teeth, among other things, thinks that he is falling apart! We just laughed and laughed over this book and read it again and again. I even buy it as a birthday present for all my nieces and nephews for their fifth birthday!

Kids LOVE It!
I used to read this book to children for story time. The kids loved it! You could see the range of emotion in their faces as the story progressed, and the look of relief with the conclusion of the story.

This book makes it easy to explain to kids what's going on with their body, and reassures them that they are not falling apart.

The illustrations are outstanding, really attention getting, and tie in perfectly with the story. Without a doubt, the favorite part of youngsters I read this story to. They all wanted to fully examine every image.

This book is guaranteed loads of giggles from your aduience, as well as yourself. :)

Laugh Out Loud Riot
My 3 yr. old daughter loves this book. It's very funny, although, at times, a little gross. A little boy thinks he's coming apart when he finds, hair, ear wax, belly button lint, etc. My child now tells me that her stuffing's coming out whenever she has belly button lint, so be prepared for the consequences of reading this hilarious book.

Too funny!
This was one of the funniest kids books I have ever read. The story is fun and the pictures added to the fun. A must have for any child's library.

Fantastic!!!
Since purchasing this original for my son, it has gone through three children, all of whom can't get enough of this book. Even my eldest whom does not enjoy reading, will gladly read this to his younger sister. I recommend this book for any age. The pics are simple and colorful. The language is relateable to all.
Great enjoyment! ... Read more

Book Description

Thief!

When Phil sees another kid wearing his brother's jacket, he assumes the jacket was stolen. It turns out he was wrong, and Phil has to ask himself the question: Would he have made the same assumption if the boy wearing the jacket hadn't been African American? And that question leads to others that reveal some unsettling truths about Phil's neighborhood, his family, and even himself. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Tough Issues Handled in a Sensitive Manner
This book is written in a brisk style. The pace is quick and not heavy on detail. Instead Andrew Clements takes the time to let us into the mind of a young man struggling with his feelings. I really applaud Andrew Clements for taking on a sensitive issue.
This story gives a picture of a brief encounter between two young men Phil and Daniel. In this encounter Phil and Daniel squabble over the ownership of the jacket Daniel is wearing.
This event pushes Phil to really think about who he is and what his core beliefs are. You see, Daniel is an African American boy and Phil happens to be white. Phil begins to question if he is actually a predjudiced person.
Clements does a wonderful job of portraying Phil's questioning. He also touches on the way we are shaped by the views of a parents, whether we realize it or not! Clements also shows us that we can rise above the misconceptions and predjudices of our environment. Which to me, is the greatest message in this story.
I'm sure this story would challenge the thinking of late elementary students and middle school students. The copy I read has great discussion questions for literature groups.
I really enjoyed it... and I'm sure you would too!

The Jacket
The Jacket by Andrew Clements
In this book Phil thinks he's prejudice. Phil took Daniel's jacket and probably wouldn't have taken the jacket if he was white. The main characters in this book are Phil, Daniel, Lucy and Daniel's mom. Daniel's mom had given a jacket to Lucy, which had once belonged to Phil. When Phil saw Daniel in school one day, wearing the jacket, he thought that Daniel had stolen it from his brother. Phil grabbed the jacket from him and they both got in trouble at the principal's office. Daniel was my favorite character because he he was ghetto (mean and tough) in the story.

I couldn't really relate to any of the characters in the story because I am not prejudice. I did like Daniel, though, beacuse he liked to play basketball and I always play basketball in the gym.

My favorite part in the book is when Phil got in a fight with Daniel and had to go to the principal's office. If I could change something in this book, I would have made Daniel have more money and live in a bigger house.

I would recommend this book to my younger brother and other kids in elementary school.

The Jacket
The thing I didn't like about the book The Jacket was that it didn't really have an ending.
The thing I did like about the book was the lesson of the story. The story is about prejudice.

The thing I think could have made the book better would be to of said whether or not Phil and Daniel became friends.
I thought the story was a little short to have explained the story so that you new what the problem was, the solution, and how it worked out.

Good Book
This book has a wonderful plot and theme. It starts off with a white boy accusing an African-American boy of stealing his brother's jacket. The principal is then involved... after a talk in her office the African-American boy refuses to wear the jacket because he learns that it was given to him, he thinks that it was charity. Later, after much thought the white boy wonders whether or not he accused the boy just because he was black and whether or not he regards them as the same standard as other white kids. Do you?

This was a very interesting, thought-provoking book. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Lola is a very fussy eater. Carrots are for rabbits and peas are "toosmall and too green." One day, after rattling off her long list of despisedfoods, she ends with the vehement pronouncement, "And I absolutely will nevernot ever eat a tomato." Not convinced, Lola's older sister Charlie has an idea.She tells Lola that the orange things on the table are not carrots, but "orangetwiglets from Jupiter" and peas are in fact "green drops from Greenland." Mashedpotatoes, when pitched as "cloud fluff from the pointiest peak of Mount Fuji"suddenly seem appealing to Lola. And in the end, might she even eat a tomato?

Lauren Child's wacky, expressive sketches of Lola and Charlie (much like thosein Clarice Bean, That'sMe) are cut out and superimposed on all sorts of textures and patternsfrom wallpaper to wood. Fuzzy, enlarged photographs of bowls of peas, or fishsticks, or big carrots are pasted right on top to great effect. This funny,endearing look at how children's tastes can be based more on preconception thantaste buds is sure to infuse levity into the daily dinner-table struggle. Theauthor's dedication? "With love from Lauren / who is keen on Marmite / but wouldrather not eat a raisin." (Ages 3 to 8) --Karin Snelson ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Hate tomatoes in Florida
I love this book. It is silly and keeps our daughters attention. She is 3 and loves it!!!

A Perfect Book to Share With Your Fussy Eater
"I have this little sister, Lola. She is small and very funny" These opening lines set the sweet and gentle tone for a tale about two sisters. One (Lola) with a very long list of foods she will not eat, and the other (Charlie) with the task of feeding dinner to her fussy little sister.

It could be a recipe for disaster -- I'm certain this situation would have played out quite differently with me and MY little sister -- but Charlie's creativity and sense of fun save the day.

My seven-year old fussy eater nearly fell out of his chair laughing when we read this book. He clearly identified with, and enjoyed, Lola and her reasoning (for example, peas are "too small" and "too green"). While I'm pretty sure my son will not change his eating habits because of this story, it did give him a sense that he is not alone in the world with his funky tastes while reinforcing the idea that his tastes may change.

Great story, cute illustrations, good lesson.

This book is magic!
Thanks to the mealtime antics of Charlie and Lola, my kids now ask every day if they can eat carrots, tomatoes, potatoes and peas. It's magic!

The books' pictures, typesetting and storyline are all fantastic, whether you are a child or adult. This and 'My Uncle is a Hunkle', also by Lauren Child, became instant favourites with the pre-schoolers and the adults the minute they entered our house.

Great addition to your child's "library"!
What a cute story! Charlie is in charge of little sister Lola and decides to play a trick on her. With Charlie giving silly names to foods that Lola claims she doesn't like, Lola plays along and tastes foods she has insisted she will never, ever eat. My 6-1/2 year old loves this book; it's a bit too old for my almost 3-year old.

What I like best about this book are the real photographs of the foods (peas, carrots, fish sticks, etc.) that are incorporated into the fun cartoon illustrations.

This is a engaging, slightly offbeat story which makes it stand out from the zillions of other children's books out there.

Play Along with the Joke!
Many young children don't like tomatoes. Some retain that distaste into adulthood. This story shows that stated fussiness about food can simply be a way of getting attention. Parents: Pay attention to this story! The colorful collages of photographs and childlike drawings bring excitement and freshness to the story.

Lola is a "small and very fussy" eater. Charlie is assigned by their parents to feed Lola.

Lola begins to expound her theories:

"carrots are for rabbits"

"peas are too small and too green"

Lola goes on to list peas, carrots, potatoes, mushrooms, spaghetti, eggs, sausages, cauliflower, cabbage, baked beans, bananas, and oranges as banned items. She also notes her reservations about apples, rice, cheese, and fish sticks. "And I absolutely will never not ever eat a tomato." Sounds like peanut butter and jelly are coming up to me.

Then Charlie attacks directly by putting out some carrots. Lola looks at them and says, "Then why are those carrots there, Charlie?"

"Those are orange twiglets from Jupiter," says Charlie.

"Mmm, not bad," Lola replied, "and took another bite."

Charlie puts out peas and describes them as "green drops from Greenland" and Lola finds them "quite tasty."

Mashed potatoes become "cloud fluff from the pointiest peak of Mount Fuji," and Lola decides "I love to eat clouds."

Fish sticks become "ocean nibbles from the supermarket under the sea -- mermaids eat them all the time." Lola wants to know if she can have more.

Suddenly Lola turns the tables, "Charlie, will you pass me one of those?" Lola continued, "Yes, of course, moonsquirters are my favorite." "You didn't think they were tomatoes, did you, Charlie?"

Obviously, Lola knows that they are playing a game, and she likes it. The new game seems like more fun than laying down the law about what she will and won't eat. The game puts her in charge by letting her name the foods, as well as her usual game of saying what she will not eat. Charlie makes room for Lola to assert herself, and all is well.

With children, there is a tendency to treat them like subjects of a King or a Queen. Actually, they feel quite grown up at a young age and want to have some autonomy. Choice of foods can simply be a testing of limits. But all children would rather have fun, and can easily be distracted by making the potential confrontation into a game, instead. This book eloquently makes that point, and ensures many more peaceful hours in many households.

After you finish reading the story, you should think about where else you can kid your child out of her or his bad mood. Come to think of it, when will that approach work with adults as well?

Look for the potential to improve every communication!

... Read more

Book Description

When young people learn they have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), they often have many questions, doubts, and fears. Written from both a pediatric and an educational perspective, this highly successful book—now available in a new edition—attempts to address these questions and needs. Inducted into the CHADD Hall of Fame in 2000, ADD and ADHD specialists Patricia O. Quinn and Judith Stern have revised and expanded Putting on the Brakes, including a thoroughly updated chapter on the latest advances in medications and recommended treatment programs that help children manage their disorder. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

This book moved me to tears
I came across this book in a local children's hospital resource library. The first page describes a speeding race car with no brakes, and how it might go off the road or even crash. Page two goes on to draw a parellel between this race car, and and explains that having ADHD is a lot like being a race car with no brakes, 'You have a great engine with lots of thinking power, and a good, strong body, but no brakes'. I broke down crying right there in the middle of the library - it was like finally getting inside my child's head and knowing how he feels and why he just doesn't seem to know when to quit.

As my son and I read it together, he was also drawn in by these parallels, and fascinated by the sections that explain how the brain works, and the theories behind what causes neurobiological ADHD (as opposed to other possible causes of ADHD, like head trauma, lead exposure, etc). He is seven, and there were several words he was not familiar with, but the book explains 'synapses' and 'neurotransmitters' well, and a brief explanation from me on other vocab words was all it took for him to grasp the concepts.

A Powerful Resource for the Parents of ADHD Kids!
One of the most difficult things about parenting an ADHD child is explaining attention deficit disorder to that child. Patricia Quinn and associates have given a powerful resource to these parents - a true gift to empower them. In simple language, illustrated with eye-catching graphics, PUTTING ON THE BRAKES explains not only the nature of this disorder, but also how children and their families can learn to manage it. As an ADD Coach, I find this to be the most important resource that I can put into the hands of parents.

Putting on the Brakes
A very good book for children with ADHD. It's easy to read and gets to the point, something all ADHD children need. It explains what ADHD is, that others have the same problems, and how it effects their home and school lives. It gives some wonder information about how they can help theirselves. I have read it to both my children with ADHD as well as ADHD children I work with and they all enjoy it, and can relate to it.

ADHD - From a different point of view
From a parents point of view, I really enjoyed reading your books. I felt it put me closer with my son, since I could better understand what the ADHD was about from a different point of view. It was like being inside the mind of a child with ADHD. When I react now, I think a lot more before making a rash outburst, because I know my son will be thinking "Gosh - whats the big problem?". Thank-you for letting me get closer to understanding what a child with ADHD goes through. ... Read more

Book Description

The first day of kindergarten is finally here, and Henry can't wait to paint pictures, sing songs, and practice counting. When he gets to school, though, he's not so sure he's ready for kindergarten. But before long Henry discovers that the only thing he's not ready for is how much fun he's going to have at school! This gently humorous, encouraging story will give children about to enter kindergarten an extra boost of confidence.

"Perfect for parents to share with their children, and the endearing Henry will offer reassurance to even the most hesitant prekindergartners."
-Booklist ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Bad illustrations
I found this book to be trite and predictable. It could help children and parents to prepare for Kindergarten, but so could many other books that are better, such as the Miss Bindergarten books or The Night Before Kindergarten. I understand that young children need simple, colorful books, but the illustrations in Look Out Kindergarten just did not do it for me. I myself have little visual art ability, but feel I could have illustrated this book better. Being a librarian, I know that preschool age children need great illustrations to enhance their listening; this book was a large disappointment.

For Younger children
I bought this book for my almost five year old granddaughter who is about to enter kindergarten and found it to be below her comprehension and appreciation standards. Her younger sister who is 2 seemed to enjoy it.

Beginning Kindergarten
I am a Kindergarten Teacher and my students loved reading this book. It is a great way to introduce the school year. Parents this is also a great book to read to your little one as they begin school-it discuss first day of school jitters and excitement. Nancy Carlson does a wonderful job! ... Read more

Book Description

It was a one-in-a-million chance. A bag crammed with cash comes tumbling out of the air and lands right at Damian's feet. Suddenly the Cunningham brothers are rich. Very rich. They can buy anything they want. There's just one problem -- they have only seventeen days to spend all the money before it becomes worthless. And the crooks who stole the cash in the first place are closing in -- fast.

A funny, brilliantly clever and utterly thrilling debut novel that is, quite simply, unforgettable.

Reviews (6)

Great for ALL kids
Use this book (alone or in conjunction with a book like "Baby Signs") to communicate with your baby long before they can speak. We started signing when my son was 8 mos old. He learned the signs very quickly and being able to make us understood what he wanted eliminated temper tantrums almost immediately - until he was 2 that is! When he started to talk, he continued signing for a while but then stopped using them on his own. I HIGHLY recommend signing with ALL babies - regardless of whether or not they have developmental issues.

Very good
Cheerful picture with illustrations. Highly recommended. My daughter love this book.

Excellent
I am trying to teach my developmentally challenged son sign language - as well as teach his grandparents and father. This book really helped all of them and kept his attention while we read it. It is simple and easy to understand. Just what we needed!

This one is a favorite at our house!
My two year old learned to sign these words quickly and enjoys reading this book over and over again. It has clear illustrations of signs and attractive pictures of common nouns and verbs in a young child's world.

Beautiful and simplistic, a great starter book
I have a toddler with speech disorder and use signs to agument communication. the easy to understand diagrams and simple description of how to make the sign was extremely useful to me. My son enjoyed the wonderful illustrations. I am using this book and its companion "More Simple Signs" to aid his teacher and classmates. Cindy Wheeler should be commended on her beautiful books. Only a parent of a "special" child understands how issues should be presented. These books are extremely useful ... Read more

Amazon.com

With her sixth novel, award-winning author Sarah Dessen offers up another generous helping of finely crafted storytelling about real teens dealing with real life. In The Truth About Forever, when asked how she is coping with her father's death, invariably seventeen year old Macy Queen's answer is"fine," when nothing could be further from the truth. In actuality, she is drowning in grief while maintaining a flawless façade of good grades and unblemished behavior. Though she feels lost when her boyfriend heads to "Brain Camp" for the summer, she finds herself a job with the quirky Wish Catering crew, and meets "sa-woon"-worthy Wes, whose chaotic lifestyle is in direct opposition to her own. As the two share their stories over the summer, Macy realizes she can no longer keep her feelings on ice. Though it feels like her future endedwith her dad's death, Macy's learns that forever is all about beginnings. Dessen charts Macy's navigation of grief in such an honest way it will touch every reader who meets her. All of the Dessen trademarks are here: a girl in transition, a wonderfully fleshed out cast of secondary characters, and of course, the luminous, powerful writing itself. The Truth About Forever will more than satisfy Dessen's legion of fans, and will win her countless more as well. Highly recommended. (Ages 12 and up) --Jennifer Hubert ... Read more

Reviews (28)

Definately Something Good to Read
Sarah Dessen does it again! Her book, The Truth About Forever is the story of Macy, whose father died 1 and 1/2 years ago. Since then, she's set her sights on "trying to be perfect". Taking place during the summer of her 16th year, her "perfect", boring boyfriend, Jason is away. After Jason emails her saying he thounks it would be better if they take a breather, Macy goes out on a limb and takes a job catering. There she meets some fun-loving, good, kind-hearted teens and learns the real truth about forever. I loved this book because it was so realistic. It showed how chaos and disorder isn't always terrible.

a really good book!
This book is great! I read it in one day. Everyone knows Macy as the girl who saw her father die, her mother never talks to her and her boyfriend Jason is going away for the summer to Brain Camp. Macy, then meets the Wish Catering crew. Pregnant Delia, nerdy Bert, friendly Kristy, quiet Monica and gorgeous Wes. Wes has his own share of problems, he got busted for breaking into a house and he is an artist. Macy feels that everything has to be perfect, her boyfriend is perfect and she accepts that she will never be. Wes, though likes flaws. One night they began a game Truth. They keep asking questions back and forth and whoever passes will win the game. Macy begins to accept that her father dying was not her and begans to move on with her life, with the help of Wes.
I really enjoyed this book, I thought it brought out a lot of topics about being perfect and if anything would last forever. Macy was a great main character who was easy to identify with. Read it!

Another Fantastic BoOk by DeSSen*
Sarah Dessen's new book "the truth about forever," is to me a awsome book. What I liked about it was it taught you lessons, about forever, and your life.

On the morning when Macy's father dies he comes in and tells her to get up and go running. She mumbles and he goes without her. Her gulty concious does something to her and she goes pulling on her jogging things. It doesn't take long for macy to see her dad dead from a heart attack and a stranger giving him CPR. She can't cry and she is suddenly thrown into the "girl's dad died role." She wants everything to be perfect which drawls her to Jason. Jason, the smartest boy in her school has everything that Macy likes perfection. She won't allow herself to grieve, over her fathers death. When Macy helps Jason pack for brain camp for the summer she has to take his library desk job. Which doesn't work out so well. But when her mother throws a party for her newly bult condos. Macy is drawn to Wish catering and a seperate life she is finally happy. But things threaten to change that. Her mom's feelings about her and her fathers death. The fixing of the fathers precious beach house. And Jason and Becky coming home. She begins a relationship with Wes, and every girl who meets him thinks he is handsome, and as isabelle and morgan wish catering workers and macys friends...say that she is sa-wooning over him It shows there relationship develop and how Macy changes

I loved this book I thought that it was Fantastic I have already read it twice, If you loved sarah dessen's work you should get this if you never read her, you should read all of her books there great..her characters just come alive i love her what a great author...14 year old~*~

The Truth About Forever.
I am a huge fan of Sarah Dessen. She is truly a wonderful author and knows how to make a person visualize.

The Truth About Forever is about a girl named Macy who sadly lost her father right in front of her eyes. She is in most parents eyes the perfect child. She gets great grades, has a brainy boyfriend and a job at the local library. This all changes when she sends an email to her boyfriend who is in "braincamp". She signs it Love Macy which apparently makes her a clingy girlfriend even though they've been dating for over a year.

Anywho her boyfriend tells her he thinks they need a break and she decides to go out for a ride and winds up joining a catering company. She really grows with these people and though they are different from her usual friends they teach her more than her usual friends ever taught her.

This book keeps you reading, its compelling, stylish, funny, a tear-jerker and even witty.

Dessen shines as an author.

An amazing book
Macy starts the book a seemingly perfect teenager; Perfect grades, perfect job, perfect attitude, her mom in complete supportment of this lifestyle. To complete her perfection, she has Jason. Jason is her perfect boyfriend. During this time Macy never had a problem with her lifestyle. She liked who she was though she didn't believe she was perfect. She was also having trouble admitting her pain for her fathers death about ayear and a half ago. She cant seem to admit her grief for fear of being less than perfect. Then she meets Wes.
Her new life starts one summer afternoon right after Jason, afraid of commitment and also a terrible boyfriend, broke up with her for saying she loved him. Her mom, a real estate agent, is holding a catered party. The caterers are a small, crazy company called Wish. In a hectic short-staffed frenzy, Macy offers to help. Little does she know, her life as she knows it is gone.
Through Wish, she makes some new friends. Kristy: A party-crazy teenage girl with an amazing fashion sense. Bert: A kind of geeky guy with a great heart. Monica: A girl who doesn't say much, until you least expect it, and the most important...Wes: The complete opposite of everything Macy thought she was. He's perfect in a completely different way but Macy can't admit it. Her friendship with him continues to grow through a game they play called truth, they take turns asking any question and must answer with the truth. Through this, they exchange theyre deepest secrets.

Macys life is completely changed in a way she sees as the better. She is finally happy. Her mom sees it a different way and tells Macy she can know longer work at Wish or see any of her knew friends including Wes. Suddenly Macy's life is again thrown upside down.
This book has a slow start but once you get into it you cant put it down, its amazing. ... Read more

Book Description

Delrita likes being invisible. If no one notices her, then no one willnotice her uncle Punky either. Punky is a grown man with a child’s mind. Delrita loveshim dearly and can’t stand people making fun of his Down’s syndrome. But whentragedy strikes, Delrita’s quiet life—and Punky’s—are disrupted forever. Can she finallylearn to trust others, for her own sake and Punky’s? This story captures the joy andsorrow that come when we open our hearts to love.

Winner of the Mark Twain Award

Winner of the William Allen White Award ... Read more

Reviews (47)

A heartwarming, and emotional story about relationships
Delrita Jensen was a loner.All she had were her parents , her Uncle "Punky" her aunt and her uncle.But she liked it that way.Punky had Downs Syndrome.But she loved him nevertheless.One day, Delrita meets Avanelle and Trezane, (Tree) Shakleford.They become the best of friends.But then one day, tragety strikes, and Punky and Delrita have to live with Aunt Queenie and Uncle Bert.Aunt Queenie is super organized and prissy, but Delrita never knesw how much her aunt cared about her till now.Now, Punky is an even bigger part of Delrita's life than he ever was.Punky loves almost everybody, and not to mention, clowns.He is the happiest man alive.Punky's lifestyle is very hard for Aunt Queenie to get used to, so naturally, Delrita and Aunt Queenie dissagre on what to do with Punky.This is a great story, and it is one of my favorite books

best book ever
I dont care if you are 11-40 its a great book for every one it made me cry and laugh it is a great story to help you to understand people with problems. It is my favorite book and you will love it to.

not appropriate for children under 12!
This book was excellent and very well written, but I don't agree with the publisher's 10-14 age range.Certainly the reading level falls within that range, but the subject matter does not.I would recommend it for anyone 13 and older.

Sibling Support Project
This book reminded me that siblings have the longest relationship with a person with any disability and need support - the parents lives overlap with their children to a certain extent, but a sibling's life overlaps for the whole of their lives.The sibling is just as affected as the person with a disability and their lives are changed too.The Sibling Support Project of the ARC is a great resource for kids who ahve a sibling with a disability ...

WOW!!!
The man who loved clowns is about Delarita Jenson and her uncle "Punkey". He has Down's Syndrum and therefore Delerita wants to remain invisible. But when a terrible car crash claims Delaritas Parents, she and Punkey are forced to live with her aunt, and her world turns upside-down. While reading this book, I couldn't help but crying. I would recommend this book to every one and any one with a heart. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (3)

I Laugh too
This is a wonderful Book! I have taken this book with me to every family I babysit for - Every child has asked me to read it again. The pictures are great - very expressive. This book is great for all children. What is great is that each child I babysit for has had a different reaction to the final picture (The only picture of Susan in a wheelchair). Some older children have told me about a kid in their grade who uses a wheelchair, some of the younger kids show no surprise whatsever - to them Susan really is no different anyway!

delightful and important
I have cerebral palsy and almost cried after reading this book. I wish it had been around when I was in elementary school. Things might have been much easier and less painful.

There are scores of books out there that aim to educate about people/children with disabilities, but they haven't achieved this with such simple clarity as _Susan Laughs_ reveals. Most of these other books, while they certainly educate about the disabilities and may make them less intimidating for children, never really tell us about the CHILD. There are always words lik