Best Childrens Books
The Best Childrens Books for Your Child!

Description

When Alex Rider crash-lands off the coast of Australia, the Australian Secret Service recruits him to infiltrate one of the ruthless gangs operating across Southeast Asia. Known as snakeheads, the gangs smuggle drugs, weapons, and worst of all, people...

Reviews

A parent's review (minor spoilers)

by Julia Flyte from on 2007-12-02
This was the first Alex Rider book that I've read. I wanted to gauge its suitability as a Christmas present for my nephew and also to get a feel for when my son might be old enough to start reading the series. I was pleasantly surprised by this book which is a very readable thriller. The beginning is a little slow, but it builds and the action in the final quarter is particularly exciting. I won't reiterate the plot, but it is as plausible as any Bond movie (ie: just enough for you to suspend disbelief) and touches on recent news events like people smuggling and tsunamis. I would think the bullseye age group for this book is 10-14 years. The vocabulary is probably too stretching for a younger reader (words like acrid, infiltration, gantry, proposition and ricocheted). The 400 page length and reasonably complicated plot would also be unlikely to sustain the interest of most younger readers. And while a child older than 14 would probably still enjoy this book, I think they could cope with something more complex, such as Matthew Reilly or Allan Folsom. Here are some things that parents may like to know about this book: - There is a lot of violence - mostly shooting but also stabbing and fighting. Some of that violence is unprovoked or involves innocent civilians. While the violence is not described in overly graphic detail, it does frequently occur. Alex fires a gun once, although he doesn't hit anybody. - There are also some disturbing scenes, eg: one in which Alex is covered in rats (it scared me anyway!) and another when he is going to be farmed for body organs. - There is no swearing or blasphemy - Alex does swear once but the description is "he spat out every foul word he knew" which is pretty vague! - Alex is offered beer on at least two occasions (which he always declines). - No sex. One passing reference to topless women in a Thai bar. Overall I thought this action packed story was an excellent choice for a mature 10-14 year old (male or female) - I know that I would have loved it at that age!

Courtesy of Teens Read Too

by TeensReadToo.com from All Over the US & Canada on 2007-11-13
How far would you go to obtain knowledge of the parents you never knew? Alex Rider has decided he'll go on his most dangerous mission for a chance at information. Once the Australian Secret Intelligence Service tells him his godfather will lead the mission, Alex doesn't hesitate. Unfortunately, there could be a mole on the inside. Alex and Ash travel undercover as illegal immigrants trying to find a better life in Australia. What Alex doesn't realize is that the leader of the Snakehead organization also works on the executive board of Scorpia. Major Yu knows exactly where Alex is and what he's doing. He's got several plans in motion to make Alex's life miserable...and then nonexistent. Anthony Horowitz delivers another action-packed adventure in the ALEX RIDER series that will leave readers breathless and anticipating the next installment of Alex's strange but exciting life. Reviewed by: Jennifer Rummel

Description

Anthony Horowitz's enormously popular series about the world’s premier teenage spy, returns for another round with secret agent Alex Rider fighting ingenious villains and charming every girl he meets...

Reviews

The Hidden Truth -- a review by Gregory, age 10

by from on 2004-05-07
While Alex is enjoying his vacation in southern France with Sabina (his girlfriend) and her family, he spots Yassen Gregorovich, the assassin who killed his uncle, Ian Rider. Shortly afterward, a `dreadful accident' puts a quick end to the vacation. When Alex discovers Yassen's cell phone has a speed dial, he dials the number and hears the voice of super-celebrity Damian Cray. Once Alex returns to London and tries to contact MI6, they don't believe him. After failing to convince MI6 of Cray's guilt, Alex sets off to prove it himself. His quest leads him to the headquarters of Cray Software Technology in Amsterdam. At the end of the book, Alex has uncovered a truth that has been concealed from him for his entire life, and will alter his entire future.Horowitz has created another superb novel starring Alex Rider, the first (and possibly last) teenager to work for MI6. This book is amazing. As is to be expected of Horowitz, Eagle Strike is action-packed to the brim. With car and motorcycle chases, exploding hotdog stands, hidden explosives, and bullfighting, Eagle Strike will keep you on the edge of your seat, even once you've read it through. The finish is stellar and forces you to guess about the next in the series.

Wow! An Amazing Book!

by silvered_dreams7 from California, USA on 2004-11-08
I first read Stormbreaker a few years ago and was intrigued, but I never thought of there being a sequel, for some reason. But while I was at the bookstore I ran across the others and eagerly read them all. In my opinion, Eagle Strike is the best of them, drawing from the other books but unique in its own way. I was exetremely happy to see Yassen Gregorovich back again, since I had an odd fascination with him, but the ending was a letdown for me---not saying anymore about that! Though this book was hard to relate to-how many kids can say they saved the world?-it was interesting and oddly believable! Also, the age category is 9-12, but anyone older than that can thoroughly enjoy it, as I did. I think Anthony Horowitz is extremely talented and develops a plot and characters that evoke all sorts of emotions from readers. I can't wait until Scorpia is released in the US; I will be first in line to get it!

Description

The first three thrilling Alex Rider adventures, packaged together in a deluxe box set! Anthony Horowitz’s New York Times bestselling series is the gold standard for modern action-adventure novels, and these first three edge-of-your-seat novels— Stormbreaker, Point Blank, and Skeleton Key—are must-haves for every Alex Rider fan!

Reviews

great spy novels

by A Sophisticated Reader from Mill Valley, California on 2006-04-04
I bought this collection for my son, who is 9, and we have enjoyed reading through these books together. They are distinctly targeted at a preteen (or perhaps a teenage) audience but have enough intrigue and humor to capture my attention as well. He is the first kid in his school to hear of Alex Rider, but with the first movie coming out in the Spring I think the novels will find new life. Don't wait! Read them now!

Spectacular stories by a talented author!!

by Erynn Gray from New Orleans, LA on 2006-03-04
The Alex Rider stories are perfect for anyone (really) interested in spy adventure. I listen to them being read on a British radio station--BBC 7--and I have gone out out and bought every one of Anthony Horowitz' novels. Give them a try, I think you'll love them!

Description

Fans of the Alex Rider Adventures will not be disappointed by the slam-bang action in this fifth book in the spy thriller series, although the ending may leave them feeling a bit dismayed. A parachute jump onto the roof of a super-secure pharmaceutical complex, a desperate escape from a water-filled cellar under the canals of Venice, elegant and witty encounters with mega-criminals bent on death -- it's all here, and Alex, still 14-years old, comes out ahead every time in spite of the heavy odds against him...

Reviews

I love these books

by Camille from Texas on 2005-12-16
At the end of Eagle Strike, Alex learns something about his father who died when Alex was a baby. He must find out the truth about his father's life and work so he is off to Venice to find a crime syndicate called Scorpia. This time he is on his own without any fancy gadgets or backup. When he meets Julia Rothman, one of the leaders of Scorpia, Alex is drawn into that criminal and terrorist world. He must decide what his future will be and reconcile what he learns about his father. If he joins them can he live with the consquences of the hideous attack Scorpia is planning on the city of London? I listened to this book instead of reading it so I did not have the luxury of lingering slowly over the last few pages. The end of the book is an absolute shock. Horowitz is definitely writing these books with a bow to Ian Fleming. As a reader of the original Bond books, I was struck by how much the end of this novel echoed the ambiguous endings Fleming often used. A set of Alex Rider books would make a great gift for a reader in your life.

A Great Addition to a Great Series!

by from on 2007-03-23
Anthony Horowitz once again writes an incredible story and adds another chapter to the Alex Rider series. In this addition, our hero Alex must fight against the world's most powerful criminal organization to stop the murder of thousand of London's children, and himself. The book has many pages of intense action and suspense that makes every reader lose themselves in the book. It is definitely a page turner! The story is mostly directed at teenage boys, but girls will like it too. The only people who would not like it is kids under the age of 10, since there are some parts that get a little too intense for that age group. If you like action and suspense, this book is just right for you. However, I do recommend reading the books before Scorpia in the series (Stormbreaker, Point Blank, Skeleton Key, and Eagle Strike). If you don't feel like reading all of the others, you wouldn't be too confused. But I highly recommend reading at least Eagle Strike, since a lot of the book is based off things that happen in it. Overall I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars. The whole series (and Scorpia) are full of page turning action and wide-eyed suspense that will make readers beg for more!

Description

The sniper’s bullet nearly killed him. But Alex Rider managed to survive . . . just in time for more trouble to come his way. When kidnappers attempt to snatch a fellow patient from the exclusive hospital where Alex is recovering, he knows he has to stop him...

Reviews

Courtesy of Teens Read Too

by TeensReadToo.com from All Over the US & Canada on 2006-05-24
Before you read the review of ARK ANGEL, you need to take into account that this is the sixth book in the engaging, entertaining, action-packed adventure series starring Alex Rider. If you haven't read the first five books in the series, you'll probably want to do that before you pick up ARK ANGEL. Although it can stand on its own, you'll feel more in the loop by reading the previous books first. ARK ANGEL picks up immediately where Scorpia (Alex Rider Adventure), book five, left off. At the end of that book, we saw Alex Rider on the ground, wounded by a sniper's bullet. For those who thought that Anthony Horowitz was planning to kill off our favorite young MI6 agent, please be assured that ARK ANGEL does not in any way imply dead. Alex is alive and relatively well, recuperating in an exclusive private hospital in London. The sniper's bullet missed his heart, instead bouncing off a rib and exiting out his arm. Now, as he's recovering in posh room nine of the hospital, he becomes friends with Paul. The same Paul that turns out to be the son of Nikolai Drevin, one of the richest men in the world. When Alex saves Paul during a kidnapping attempt, Nikolai invites Alex to finish his recuperation at his estate. Alex soon wonders at the wisdom of being in Drevin's company, however, when he learns that an eco-terrorist group known as Force Three has threatened not only the Drevin family, but the safety of the entire world. Nikolai Drevin's latest project, Ark Angel, is in full swing. Designed to become the first ultimate luxury hotel in outer space, it contains everything the world's richest people could want. It's also, at least according to Force Three, a threat to the environment of Earth as we know it. Now the members of the terrorist group are out to stop Ark Angel from ever opening, and they'll do anything--and everything--they can to see their mission come to completion. Even if it means hurtling the hotel back through the atmosphere and onto Earth's surface. ARK ANGEL is another action-adventure read that will keep you turning pages right through to the end. Alex Rider has come a long way since the fourteen-year old boy roped into complying with MI6, but there's part of him that's still determined to leave the spy organization for good. Yet he knows that his skills are needed, and the unending action of ARK ANGEL show in detail why that is. You won't go wrong with any of the books in the Alex Rider series, and I can say that I'm excited about the opening of the movie Alex Rider - Operation Stormbreaker (Widescreen Edition), the first Alex Rider adventure, which is in development now.

Terrific

by Camille from Texas on 2006-04-22
Oh the places you will go, Alex Rider! Ark Angel is the latest chapter in the saga of Alex Rider. I do not want to give away too much in case you have not read the previous books but be warned, "spoilers" follow. If you have not read Alex Rider vols. 1-5 then hie yourself to a library and begin now. Book 5 ended abruptly and very "Ian-Fleming-ly" with Alex on the ground, hit by a sniper's bullet. Ark Angel picks up soon afterwards with Alex recuperating in the hospital. There he befriends another patient, the lonely son of the multi-millionaire, Nikolei Drevin. Drevin is the developer of the Ark Angel space hotel project. As usual, Alex is embroiled in the events that follow against his will. Only Alex, however, has the unique skills and talents to combat the evil plot and danger that unfolds. Horowitz is at the top of his game in this sequel, the action is nonstop. The book actually contains several mini lessons in physics which make some of the predicaments almost believable. They are always fun. While booktalking with some 5th graders, I mentioned that I had read this book and a young fan asked fearfully, "So, is Alex alright?" He cannot wait to get this book.

Description

Ben & Jerry's Homemade Ice Cream & Dessert Book offers fans more than 90 recipes that are easy to make with even an unsophisticated ice-cream maker. The book is spiced with bright, quirky illustrations in full color.

Reviews

Add an ice cream maker for a great wedding present

by Marcy L. Thompson from Sammamish, WA USA on 2000-09-07
This is a terrific book, and it solved my perpetual problem of what to give people I know well enough to go to their wedding but not well enough to drop $800 on a wedding present. The recipes in this book make great ice cream. Toss in a decent ice cream maker, and you have a present that no one else will think of, that the receipients will appreciate, and one that they will use over time. (For what it's worth, I usually give the Donvier hand-turned machine because it makes dense, smooth ice cream that reminds me of gelato.)Anyway, about the book and what makes it so great: Ben and Jerry tell you how to make their most popular ice creams, and a bunch that I never saw before. They provide multiple recipes for chocolate ice cream, and write clearly about how they are different. A friend of mine once made all the choclate ice creams and had a tasting party. It was interesting to see how different they really were. (And this book taught me the secret to great chocolate ice cream taste: a pinch of salt--really!)If you are worried about using eggs, you will want to use a pasteurized egg product in place of the raw eggs. Other than that, this is a terrific book. Lots of good ideas, excellent recipes, and enough discussion about how to create new flavours to encourage even the most reluctant recipe-inventor to go hog wild. I wish there were a sequel.

CREATIVE EASY TO PREPARE ICE CREAM RECIPES

by S.D. from Hawaii, USA on 2000-08-25
This is a great ice cream book, full of simple no cook - no wait recipes with ample illustrations to keep your mind alert. The author's sense of humor makes it a very enjoyable read, but the recepes themselves are the stars. They share such favorites as Cherry Garcia, Mocha, Health Bar Crunch, Orange Cream, Kiwi Sorbet, Cantaloupe and Oreo Vanilla.My only problem with this book is because it was written awhile ago, they are still using raw eggs in their most popular/recommended ice cream base. Substitute with a pasterized egg product (Egg Beaters/Better N Eggs) if you aren't sure of the freshness/safeness of your eggs.

Description

National polls show that approximately 50 million adult Americans are born-again Christians. Yet most Americans see their culture as secular, and the United States is viewed around the world as a secular nation...

Reviews

Review.

by from on 2000-04-01
Harding's provocative title promises in no uncertain terms to tell a good story. I experienced suspense as the Book of Jerry Falwell carefully delineated an important dimension of the story of America, then, more broadly and intensely, the story of speech, and of listening, making calmly powerful suggestions about the nature of both. With the hint of an irony that is at once intelligent and warm, Harding has written a rare book, a familiar book, about a culture often seen, from the corner of our eyes, in the side-view mirrors of our cars, one much closer than it appears. This author doesn't need to stray from a thorough elucidation of her subject to meditate intently upon larger questions, which is a continual delight. This book augurs well for anthropology in America.

Inside Jerry Falwell

by Jeremy Garber from Denver, CO United States on 2001-10-03
In light of Rev. Falwell's unfortunate comments about the tragedy of Sept. 11, 2001, I recommend this book to anyone seeking to understand, "Why would that guy say that stuff?" Harding presents an objective, intelligent, perceptive analysis of the way that Fundamentalist language shapes the way in which they relate to the world, and how Jerry Falwell changed that shaping from withdrawal to the active Moral Majority of the 1980s. Harding combs through Falwell's history and sermons to observe how the language of "being born again" affects the listener, showing Falwell's shift from separatism to political activism. She critiques both Falwell and Falwell's critics in a fair and keenly insightful way. Good reading and good understanding.

Description

Common household products and down-home ingenuity are combined to combat frustrating garden problems in this indispensable handbook for both green thumbs and novice gardeners. Organized by garden area, 1,954 easy-to-use homemade remedy recipes—containing items such as beer, baby shampoo, and ammonia—instruct gardeners how to turn puny plants, wretched roots, and tired trees into gorgeous garden specimens without the use of store-bought chemical alternatives...

Reviews

Jerry Baker's Giant Book of Garden Solutions, - 1,954 NATURAL Remedies to Hanlde Your Toughest Garden Problems

by MariaSM from Tennessee on 2007-03-07
This book has a good table of contents and a good index - makes it easy to find an answer to a question. The book is very informative and provides the reader easy to follow instructions on various types of gardening questions.

Jerry Baker rules!

by Mary Lineberry from Midwest City, OK USA on 2007-07-16
I would read this book even if I didn't have a garden! It is more than informative. I feel like I am listening to a favorite uncle telling stories of the good ol" days and how things were done simply and effectively. I love this book and highly recommend it. -Mary

Description

Well-respected educator and best-selling author Jerry Snyder has put together the most versatile guitar method available. This comprehensive method for classroom or individual study comes in two sections: the first section teaches chords and accompaniment, while the second teaches note reading...

Reviews

Intermediate level Guitar

by Jodie Wingert from Earling, IA United States on 2009-04-28
I use this method book in my studio to teach students of all ages. Level 2 is for students who have mastered the basic chords and notes to the fifth fret. It offers a lot of music theory though I would like to see more applications for the theory, especially using intervals. This book also comes with a CD (which isn't always offered on this site) which is very helpful. Like the first book, it covers a huge range of musical styles for guitar including classical, rock, country, folk, bluegrass, metal and introduces different modes and beginning improvization. The teacher's book has supplemental material as well as worksheets, tests (and does come with a CD) which would aid any student so it's not for teachers only. Read my review on the teacher's book.

Description

Well-respected educator and best-selling author Jerry Snyder has put together the most versatile guitar method available. This comprehensive method for classroom or individual study comes in two sections: the first section teaches chords and accompaniment, while the second teaches note reading...

Reviews

guitar school method book1

by Mary C. Snow from clearlake california on 2005-10-07
this book is great my husband is using the book in collage taking a guitar class and learning to read music he has been playing for 30 years by ear and now this book is teaching him to read music the book is super thank you.............

Great book for group or private lessons at the high school level.

by Rebecca Hedman from Northwestern US on 2008-11-09
I have used this book to teach guitar in both group and private settings, and found it to be very comprehensive for beginners. I appreciate the fact that it presents a variety of styles while allowing students the repetition needed to actually read music notation. Be sure to check out the companion Teacher's Guide w/ CD, where you'll find reproducible theory worksheets and tests as well as additional song sheets, fingerstyle/classical tablature, and some scales (pentatonic) and improvisation sheets.

Description

Consistently lauded for its lively, readable prose, this revised and updated edition of A People's History of the United States turns traditional textbook history on its head. Howard Zinn infuses the often-submerged voices of blacks, women, American Indians, war resisters, and poor laborers of all nationalities into this thorough narrative that spans American history from Christopher Columbus's arrival to an afterword on the Clinton presidency...

Reviews

AN INTRIGUING READ, NOTHING MORE NOTHING LESS

by Shashank Tripathi from Gadabout on 2003-05-27
A quick look at the reviews for this book will tell you just how difficult it is for a reader of Zinn's works to whistle and walk on. Either one ends up savagely dismissing him as a petty caviller, or extolling his brand of "eye opening" wisdom. I doubt I can add anything purposeful to this seemingly hot debate because I approached this book with a different intent altogether. I wanted this page of history to answer some of my business questions. How America came from a nowhere nation of vagrant Arawak Indian tribes just a few centuries ago to being a commerical (ok, and imperial) superpower in our times. My interest was not to equip myself with geewhiz anti-US trivia (although I picked up a fair bit on the way, tra la) but to answer the atavistic question of what promoted capitalistic thinking, meritocracy, love of freedom etc in the United states more than the rest of the planet (assuming this is true in the first place). And in that department, I have to say that this book left me startled. It might sound presumptuous but the quick answer is that there is nothing specific in the history or the anthropological station of US in this century and the last that may have accentuated its drive for capitalism. What's more, America was and is, just like any other country on the planet, subject to the exact same vagaries of civilization/humanity/bigotry/dogma that make and mar an empire every few centuries or so. I also recognize why this is very difficult for Americans to identify with or agree to, specially Americans who typify the inward looking solipsism of the current generation and perhaps the last 2 or so. I recommend this book highly as a VIEW of historical events that are difficult to deny occured. Whether the guardians of the old order spring into an attack or not this is bound to yank a lot of people (me included) out of a langour of perspective. Not all books need to be read to be "liked". Even a book that makes you constantly revulse in disagreement is worth a read for that precise reason. 5 stars from me.

A note on revisionist history

by from on 2003-03-26
Howard Zinn's A PEOPLE'S HISTORY is probably the most famous example of revisionist history. What is revisionist history? Well, most importantly, it is an attempt to show important historical events from the perspective of those who have not typically written history, for example women, African-Americans, poor and working-class people, gays and lesbians, among others.Take, for example, Zinn's very brief analysis at the end of the book about the Clinton years. The popular press portrayed, consistently and repeatedly, the 90s as a decade of prosperity and a booming stock exchange, with poverty nowhere in sight. The 90s dawned as communism, it's enemy, collapsed. The 90s was the alleged triumph of capitalism. But Zinn looks critically at just who "triumphed" and what kind of "triumph" it was. He gives us different "dispatches" from the 90s, voices not likely to be heard in The Wall Street Journal: workers displaced from good-wage blue-collar jobs as those jobs moved overseas thanks to free-trade agreements; welfare mothers supporting families on minimum wages because the public believes they had to "work for their check" while the defense budget soars; the degradation of public schools and services; chronic poverty among African-Americans. What this revisionist history of the 90s does is two-fold: 1) it creates an alternative narrative of the 90s, as a decade in which the social safety net was sacrificed to fill the coffers of the highest 1%, and 2) in creating this coutnernarrative, Zinn revealed how "constructed" this official history is, that is, that any history that claims the 90s as the "triumph of capitalism" is able do so only by ignoring and suppressing those other dispatches from the 90s.So the claim that Zinn is biased is, therefore, irrelevant. History, as Zinn himself claims, is constructed from an endless supply of evidence and events. The historian operates on assumptions (that is, ideology), to create history. Zinn is quite upfront that he is "anti-capitalist" and frankly, I think he bleakly illuminates the endless pain capitalism has wreaked on the majority of the population while a tiny minority lives off the fat. To point out Zinn's bias is merely to help him make his point. The reality is that the left is aware of its ideology; the right pretends its ideology and history is merely "natural."

Description

For the past three decades, many history professors have allowed their biases to distort the way America’s past is taught. These intellectuals have searched for instances of racism, sexism, and bigotry in our history while downplaying the greatness of America’s patriots and the achievements of "dead white men...

Reviews

Comments from a College History Professor and former High School Teacher

by Author in North Carolina from North Carolina on 2005-07-09
I've been in the history business for over thirty years. Starting as an "educator" at the middle school and high school level. Though in short order I changed my own definition of self, saying I was a history teacher fighting against "educators" who were supremely ignorant when it came to real content knowledge of their subjects. I finally left secondary ed in disgust in the late 1980s, went back full time to grad school, got a Ph.D. in American History and went into the college classroom where at least, at my small private school, I still have intellectual freedom. I've also published a number of books on a national level, and that is how I first met one of the authors of this work when he commented on my latest book. I think I therefore have a good foundation to comment here and my comment is. . .I wish across the last thirty years I had a book like this to use in my classrooms! My own education was influenced by Beard and others like him when I was a student, and as a new teacher I taught the myths of a rather leftist perspective of our national epic. But as I matured and learned more I finally abandoned all textbook use in disgust. Anyone conversant on the subject knows my reasons, written by committees, written with a very clear bias to political correctness, outright distortions and numerous factual errors, written at times with a barely concealed disdain for our nation's story. It is made worst by alleged critics and commentators such as Loewen with his tirade "Lies my Teachers Told Me," which is riddled with factual errors and deliberate distortions, and pushes the rhetoric even further to the Left while claiming to be about getting the story right. This book, however, is like a wind stirring up after a dark storm of bias and ignorance, which tries to set the record straight on so many points. For the first time I have a history book that calls into doubt the wisdom of FDR's New Deal, the myth that he ended the Depression (when in reality the punitive taxes of up to 90% and government interference made it worst), and spawned the real beginnings of run away government. Their take on the anti war movement in the 1960s is absolutely scathing, and truthful. I was there and personally witnessed several of the events described. . . how the anti-war movement on college campuses was not an "enlightened" desire for peace, but rather a rampage gone wild, adroitly engineered by a small well trained cadre of ultra-leftists, a phenomena that still haunts our higher education system today, and has produced a generation of lies and text book distortions as well. I could cite a dozen more examples from their book that left me grinning with delight, that the truth was finally out there to read again. My only criticism, some minor factual errors, but relatively few when compared to standard textbooks, and for a monumental work of this length. I know the author's intent was simply to write an American history for the general public and do not want it type cast as a "textbook," and I go along with that. But, I will nevertheless forcefully recommend it as a textbook. . .and that recommendation comes from a college professor, with years experience in secondary education and for several years, even taught history teacher education (a nightmare experience dealing with the state and federal departments of education that I should write a book about some day. It was like dealing with Orwellian thought police!) If you are a history teacher, and I choose that term deliberately. . .not an "educator," caught up in the system, but instead see yourself as a History Teacher, who takes pride in our country and wish to guide students to a sharing of that pride. . .this is your textbook. It will work on the secondary level and most definitely on the higher ed level. But a warning, your colleagues will howl, harass and attack you over it and frankly you better have tenure if you wish to survive when you bring this book out. By the way, within this book you will read why you need that protection. For home schoolers, this book is your dream. You left the system for so many reasons and this book will explain many of those reasons. I hope this book is the first of many that will start to take back the ground dominated for too long by the Left, and beyond that an extremist element who actually hate the subject they write about. If you are a parent with a student trapped in the system, make this book required reading at home and use it to "reeducate" and fight back. And finally, for the general reader, this one is a rousing good read, well written, great footnotes to follow up on (something you find lacking in nearly all textbooks) and worth studying. America is not about national race, it is about an ideal. Ultimately we are all immigrants, be we born here or arrived just yesterday. All that holds us together is a shared identification with the dreams of our patriot forefathers and a belief in the ideals of the Declaration and Constitution. Disconnect from that dream for but one generation and the dream will die. This book can help to rekindle what nearly all of us know in our hearts, that though we might make mistakes, fundamentally America is, as Lincoln once said, "the last best hope of mankind." A college professor in western NC

A valuable source book

by S. E. Martin from Garden Valley, CA on 2008-11-29
An accurate and useful view of history can never be gotten from one single source. An accurate knowledge of history is crucial if we want to avoid making the same catastrophic mistakes over and over again. i.e. do you understand how Hitler gained power? Would you recognize the techniques if they were instituted here? If you doubt that American history has been rewritten, go to a used book store and find older books and compare them with books published after the 50s and 60s. Find out what has been excluded, whitewashed, distorted, spun or misrepresented. You can still do this. If you do not, your children may not be able to do so.

Reviews

Easy 5

by from on 2006-12-12
This book is incredible. It's disappointing that this book is hard to find and buy because it's so much better than the other review books. A lot of people say REA is the best, but that's just because they haven't seen this one. First of all, this book is organized incredibly well. Everything flowed into the next section nicely, but you could also skip around easily if you had weaker areas that you needed to review before the test. The content in this book also surpasses all the other review books. It covers everything you need to know, and it is a pretty easy read. The book is a little thick, so that may keep some people from using it, but it's really not that bad and is worth it. I think if you read this book twice, you pretty much can expect to get a 5 (that is, if you do some practice tests, too). There are also good questions at the end of every section, and example essay and DBQ questions. I didn't actually do any of them, but if you went through and did ALL the exercises, that would, in my mind, be overkill for a 5. Now if you want to guarantee a 5, I would say read the book two months ahead of the test. Then a month ahead do another read through, but also take some tests. I suggest the REA book's tests actually becuase there are 6 of them...I didn't use this book's test. Then two weeks before read it again. Then a week before read it again. I think i read it 1.5 times and got a 5, but each time you read it you can read it much more quickly, just so the facts can come to you more quickly. I think reading it this many times would also guarantee an 800 on the SATII, something I did not get but feel I could have achieved with a little more work. If the SATII is your thing, get a book for the tests on that test because it turned out to be a little different than the AP test. SATII had easier questions, but a less forgiving curve. Anyway, I can't recommend this book enough. I honestly think it could substitute a textbook like the American Pageant, but that would be up to you. Good luck!

Awesome, get you a 5

by pro at life from nj, usa on 2007-04-14
Read it, and get a 5-you will, take my word for it. Order from amsco publishing for 16.50, don't get ripped off here.

Description

Howard Zinn is famous primarily for A People's History of the United States, the book in which he presented alternative versions of American milestones, including Columbus's "discovery" of the New World...

Reviews

Outstanding and Indispensable

by Catalytic Converter from on 2004-12-29
"Voices of a People's History of the United States" is a revelatory look at American history as seen through the voices of dissenters and the disenfranchised, presented through powerful speeches, letters, poetry and song...that, at best, helped changed the course of history, and at worst, went unheard because the messages ran counter to powerful interests. "Voices" presents the thoughts and words of conscientious objectors from Thomas Paine, Frederick Douglass, Susan B. Anthony, and Langston Hughes to Malcolm X, Woodie Guthrie, Patti Smith, and Michael Moore. The book also presents the views of unheard-of non-conformists, such as escaped slaves, exploited factory workers, subjugated women, and peace activists. "Voices" has entries for nearly every period in American history and yet are topics not accounted for in the history books, beginning with Columbus' colonization of the Americas all the way to Dubya's War on Terror. At a time when superpower nations are waging war around the world, Voices inspires the reader just as much as it roils...for the book is not only a testimony to those who have been suppressed through the ages, nor simply a showpiece demonstrating the devastating effects of hegemony, but a wake-up call and call-to-action, reminding readers that people are not as defenseless as powerful elites may have them believe. The voices presented in "Voices of a People's History of the United States" show us that, no matter what the year or the conundrum, it is indeed possible for people to defend, secure and maintain their human rights and civil liberties. Lucine Kasbarian, author, Armenia: A Rugged Land, an Enduring People

Magnificent Book!!!

by Rejoice! from Maui on 2004-12-26
A magnificent read! History really comes alive: from Susan B. Anthony (fabulous speech before a judge) to Patti Smith, this book is consciousness raising. Highly Recommended! The pieces can be read in random order. I love scanning the table of contents and choosing either an era or a voice. I'm a great fan of Zinn's "Peoples History of the United States." This book, Voices, can stand alone or as a companion. "Voices of a People's History of the United States" is Magnificent!!!

Description

Presents a history of the United States from European exploration to the Presidency of Jimmy Carter.

Reviews

Great intro... Creative teachers can make it a success

by A. Matos from California on 2009-01-26
I use this text book in my US History class, which is required for juniors in California. I find the book to offer information about American History in a way that is palatable to students and workable for teachers. No textbook is perfect! A teacher using this textbook cannot expect the book to do all of the work. I have been creative in my teaching methods using this book by incoroporating discussion, modern film, additional primary resources, modern music lyrics, etc... Additionally, I have students apply what they have learned about American History in semester and year-end projects. To sum it up... the book is not everything and not perfect, but can work extremely well with an effective teacher.

Nondescript and Poorly Edited

by Jeffrey P. Sanders from Robbinsville, NJ United States on 2004-05-09
I am currently a first year high school teacher whose school has chosen Boorstin to for U.S. I and II. Boorstin's writing is unbelievably frustrating on so many levels. For advanced level students, the text is woefully incomplete. It seems clear that the author's focus was to be concise and simple; however what ends up happening as a result is that things such as causations and analysis are frequently left out. Advanced students will likely become frustrated over knowing the basic facts but not getting anywhere deeper - why did they happen? What historical debates have been had over the facts?Ironically, my lower level students also hate the book and find it difficult to understand. Boorstin's review questions vary in difficulty between amusingly easy to impossibly hard - making many students apathetic about doing homework (even more than normal). In addition, Boorstin occasionally asks questions that are not referred to in the chapter. The editing in the book is seriously flawed.The use of Boorstin's book puts the emphasis and burden of knowledge squarely on the teacher. Student-centered activities using the text become significantly harder (or, in the case of some new teachers, impossible) because there simply is not enough information provided to allow for students' opinions or creativity. Critical events in American history are left out - Bacon's rebellion for example is nowhere to be found. Other events, when covered, are woefully out of place - the Middle Passage is covered only two chapters before the Civil War!Overall, Boorstin's text tries very hard to be a jack-of-all- trades, but fails to really satisfy anyone in the classroom. Avoid it.

Description

One fateful detour. A raging storm. She didn’t see this love coming…   Holding a knife against a child’s throat isn’t exactly how Dr. Paige Weston had planned to spend her Christmas holiday. But a jolt from an air pocket and here she is, performing an emergency tracheotomy as her flight to Fiji diverts to Kauai...

Reviews

Merry Christmas, Paige

by M. Nix from on 2010-02-03
Fate, in the form of an emergency in-flight tracheotomy, lands Dr. Paige Weston in Kauai rather than her planned destination of Fiji. While most people wouldn't mind spending Christmas in Kauai, for Paige it's the last place she ever wanted to see again. Five years ago Paige met and fell in love with Nathan Cross, only to have his ex-girlfriend appear on the scene a week before their wedding to announce that she was pregnant. Paige's dreams were shattered when Nathan walked out on her, and the intervening years have barely dulled the hurt of love lost. Still, with the hospital in Kauai severely understaffed due to an emergency, Paige can't see the harm in helping out for one night...until she discovers her first patient is Nathan's daughter. As soon as his divorce was finalized, Nathan was planning on flying to Paige and atoning for the mistake of leaving her. Imagine his surprise when the woman he loves and left turns out to be the doctor tending to his daughter's cut. After five years of yearning for her, Nathan isn't about to let Paige go. But neither Paige nor Nathan's lives are as simple as they once were, and getting his second chance with Paige won't be as easy as saying "I love you." Christmas is the time for miracles, including a second shot at happily ever after in this sizzling reunion story by Mackenzie McKade. Nathan and Paige are two people clearly meant to be with one another, but being in love and in lust with one another was never their problem. Old wounds, not to mention Nathan's manipulative ex, stand in their way. While it's true that Nathan made major mistakes in his past, the way he cares for his loved ones (particularly Paige and his utterly adorable daughter, Cami) went a long way to him winning me over. Paige, in turn, is a generous and forgiving soul who can't resist falling back into Nathan's arms, but at the same time realizes more than he the difficulties they face, in that it isn't possible to simply pick up where they left off. Ms. McKade knows her way around, under, and through a love scene, and Merry Christmas, Paige definitely shows this. Readers are in for a naughty good time in Kauai as Nathan and Paige make up for five years apart, in every way. I always enjoy Ms. McKade's books, and Merry Christmas, Paige is no exception. Shayna Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

4 1/2 Hearts from TRS!

by The Romance Studio from East Coast, USA on 2010-03-15
Ms. McKade has done it again and has created a unique smoking-hot story full of love, loss, distress and danger. Irreplaceable characters make this story extraordinary. Paige and Nathan's characters are more than credible. The dialogue between the characters is realistic and helps bring the characters to life. Their friends and family are great secondary characters. Nathan's daughter is absolutely adorable and completely capable of wrapping the reader around her little finger. The chemistry between Paige and Nathan is still there despite the years that have separated them. The scorching hot sex scenes make this one sensual adventure you wouldn't want to miss and yet the sex scenes can be so touchingly tender at moments too. With years of heartbreak between Nathan and Paige, their emotions are constantly running on high and will keep the reader on the edge of her seat waiting what will happen next. With this fast paced read, the reader won't even have a chance of thinking about putting the book down. If you enjoy reading contemporary romances where there are fantastic characters, smoking hot sex scenes and a fast paced plot with just enough danger to add a little extra spice to the story, this is a book you won't want to miss. - Jacquelyn R. Ward

Description

Though the weather outside is frightful, the hunky men are SO delightful. And three ladies are about to get their stockings stuffed with the season's best cheer... Do You Hear What I Hear, Lori Foster Accused of stealing a donkey from the local nativity scene, pet psychic Marci Churchill is being watched by Sergeant Osbourne Decker, who can't stop thinking about frisking her...

Reviews

Fun holiday reading!

by Laurie from OH - USA on 2006-09-21
DO YOU HEAR WHAT I HEAR by LORI FOSTER When Osbourne "Ozzie" Decker is asked by his friend and fellow SWAT officer, Lucius Ryder, to keep an eye on Marci Churchill, twin sister of Lucius's new wife, Bethany, he hesitates. His hesitation stems from the uncontrollable desire he has for her. Marci turns him inside out with just a look, who knows what spending several days in close contact with her will do to him. Someone seems to be following Marci, and Lucius and Bethany won't leave her alone to go on their honeymoon unless she is protected. Osbourne keeps Marci close by his side, and when it turns out that she is equally attracted to him, even the cold temps outside can't cool them off. Marci's ability to "hear" animals is a blessing and a curse. There is always someone who wants to talk to her or interview her; she just wants to be left alone. Osbourne always thought that Marci, despite being totally hot, was a bit of a kook, but once he witnesses first-hand her very special gift, he finds himself falling in love with her. Osbourne and Marci are a perfectly sweet couple. Both are written to be caring and tender, typical of Lori Foster, who is incredibly talented at writing characters that feel like someone you know and love, comfortably common and just a little bit flawed. BAH HUMBUG, BABY by GEMMA BRUCE Allison Newberry excitedly takes her sister up on her offer of the use of a mountain chalet in the Colorado Rockies town of Good Cheer for the holidays; she can't wait to spend some down time, all alone. No family, no work, no pressure, just her and maybe a ski hunk or two. Her plan is looking good until old flame Lee Simonson shows up at her door, when it suddenly becomes obvious that they have been duped into spending the week together by their meddlesome families. This is topped off by a huge snowstorm that has them completely snowed in. Despite a rocky start, these two take up where their relationship ended a year prior, but in the back of Allison's mind is Lee's dangerous job; how he could take off on a photo shoot to some drug-infested part of the world, not knowing if he would make it back. When the two walk into town a couple of days later and meet some very quirky townsfolk, reminiscent of days, no, make that years, gone by, they are filled with a loving warmth that comes with a sense of belonging. After they return to California, it becomes clear that nothing is as it seems in the town of Good Cheer. This is my first read by Gemma Bruce, but it certainly won't be my last. Allison and Grant are sensual, fun and well-written. BY FIRELIGHT by JANICE MAYNARD Madison Tierney finds herself stranded in the woods in the middle of a raging snowstorm. Sure, she wanted to avoid going home and needed some time away, but this is just too much. She sees a light in the woods and follows it, exhausting herself fighting the wind and blowing snow, and collapsing in a heap when she finally reaches the doorstep. When Grant Monroe finds a beautiful woman on the ground at his door, the first thing he does is make sure she's ok and begin to warm her up. After that he has to fight the strongest attraction he's ever had for a woman. He finds himself wanting Madison so badly that he can hardly stand it, but insists on getting to know her before acting on the attraction. Once these two finally do get together, they practically combust, but as the storm lets up and they return to civilization, Madison's attitude cools considerably, confusing Grant, who realizes that he has fallen madly in love with her. Janice Maynard never fails to write characters that are passionate, caring, and always respectful, and Madison and Grant are no exception. This is a fun anthology by three very strong voices in women's fiction, you won't want to miss it.

Heat up your holidays!

by Jackie J from California on 2006-09-26
Who doesn't love a good sexy holiday story? DO YOU HEAR WHAT I HEAR by Lori Foster When Sgt. Ozzie Decker reluctantly agrees to watch over quirky animal psychic Marci Churchill, he's concerned about more than her belief that she can "talk" with animals; he's also worried about keeping his desire for her under control. These two couldn't be more opposite: Marci is exuberant about life, while Ozzie is more negative, due to some bad experiences. The sexual tension between these two, along with a stolen donkey thrown in the mix make for a funny, sexy story. The chemistry between these two is instant, and eventually smolders the pages! I loved Marci when she appeared in Luscious' story in BAD BOYS of SUMMER, and was so excited when Ms Foster promised us Marci's story in this anthology. This story is everything Lori Foster fans have grown to expect from her: witty dialogue, loveable characters, and steamy satisfying romance. BAH HUMBUG, BABY by Gemma Bruce Allison couldn't wait to get away for the Christmas Holidays, until she learns she'll be spending time with her sexy ex, Lee Simonson. Thanks to their interfering families, the two of them are snowed in at the ski lodge, and neither is too happy about it. It doesn't take long for the old sexual sparks to flare up, though, and things heat up at the lodge quickly! This is a romantic, sensual read for the holidays. This was the first story I've read from Gemma Bruce, but I'm definitely anxious to read more! BY FIRELIGHT by Janice Maynard When a half-frozen Madison Tierney winds up on the doorstep of Grant Monroe's cabin, he doesn't expect the instant attraction he feels for her. Grant wants to take things slow and get to know Madison, but the sexual heat between the two of them is intense. When these two come together, things get HOT! Janice Maynard always delivers wonderful sensual stories, and this one is no exception. All three stories are wonderful, sexy, and romantic. DON'T miss this one...it'll get you in the mood for some holiday snuggling for sure!

Reviews

Great Song Book

by R. Needham from Atlanta, GA on 2009-03-01
I have the old version of this book from the 80's. This is exactly the same with the exception of maybe one page and this one has a new cover and a CD. The song selection is great. I use this for playing the piano. My skill level is not very advanced so this is challenging enough for me without being too difficult. I bought this copy for a friend who liked my old one and wanted one for herself. Excellent buy.

The Best Christmas Songbook Ever!

by Mary D. from Sykesville, MD on 2008-11-02
This book has been invaluable for me, particularly in my Music Therapy practice. I highly recommend it.

Description

Over 100 Holiday Classics Plus CD and Lyric Booklet. Includes Piano and Organ notes, guitar chords, and melody line for easy playing or for holiday sing-alongs.

Reviews

Wonderful musician-friendly songbook!

by P. Worth from Ohio on 2005-12-27
This book contains an excellent assortment of both familiar and not-so-well-known Christmas songs. The arrangements are advanced enough to avoid sounding incomplete, yet easy enough that an intermidiate to advanced player can get through them without too much trouble. Pleasing chords. It is nice to have the words included also. I received this book as a Christmas present, but I will probably be using it well into the new year!

All Christmas All in one Book

by J. I. Sahlman from california on 2006-01-29
As a pianist, I have always looked for accessible christmas music to play and sing along to. I love this collection because just about every carol is in there, they're easy to play at a moment's notice, and a lryics book is included. This book is great for christmas gatherings when everyone wants to request their favorite carol. The music is easy enough, but not overly simple. I take this book with me everywhere at Christmas time!!

Description

Normal? While family dinners and vacations to touristy destinations are ordinary events for her 'normal' friends, fifteen-year-old Jessie Hatcher's normal life means dealing with her ADHD and her mother's bipolar disorder...

Reviews

A Harsh Realistic Story Wrapped Up in a Pretty Package

by Deborah from Fairfax, VA on 2010-07-11
From the cover of this book, this looks like it will be your normal, fluffy, Chick-lit YA story. Well as the old saying goes, don't judge a book by it's cover. The cover may be light but the story is heavy and deep. As soon as you start reading, Jessie's situation hits you from the get go. She's only 15 but she's experienced a lifetime of hardships that some adults will never have to face. It made me sad to think that she's had to deal with her mother who is bipolar all by herself and with no one else to help her out at all. It's caused her to have to lie about it to her friends her entire life and there's no one to turn to when she's in desperate need of help. Then out of the blue, she gets a phone call from a man who says he's her biological dad who she thought was dead all these years. Jessie's life begins to change starting on that day. It's easy for a while to get annoyed with Jessie's behavior. Her mother mentions several times that she has the maturity of an 8 year old in a 15 year old body. And it's true, that there are times when I don't understand why she acts so immaturely sometimes and want to get frustrated with her behavior. However then it's explained about her ADHD and all the problems she's had to deal with living with a mother who is bipolar and it all makes sense. I'm not excusing her behavior but it's good to see that this book does NOT condemn the use of medication or psychiatrists. This book does feature passages from the Bible but they are portrayed in the form of the mysterious book that Jessie finds. She discovers that it speaks directly to her and helps her in times of need. I really liked how the version of the Bible used is The Message as that is one of my favorite versions because I feel that it really speaks to people who normally avoid reading the Bible because they think they cannot understand it. Jessie's usage of the book is sprinkled throughout the story and is not overtly preachy. Instead it helps and guides her instead of dominating over her life. Topics such as ADHD, mental illness, alcoholism which are normally avoided in most Christian fiction is brought to full attention here. There are even multi cultural characters to help develop the story more. There isn't a happy ending and there is no miraculous event where everyone gets well and lives happily ever after as a family. I wish more adult Christian fiction authors would take note of this as they tend to avoid almost all those elements in their books. Why is it that teens are more open to understand that life is not all roses and sunshine but adults want to avoid reality? Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I think it's a great start to the series. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the books and discovering how the RL Book will affect all those who come across it. Again, don't dismiss this book as fluff. Be prepared to be affected while you read.

Loved it

by J. Beck from Okemos, MI United States on 2010-04-29
I read Motorcycles, Sushi and One Strange Book and I LOVED it! It was a great book. Almost.. the best book I have ever read. (It didn't top the Lightning thief) But I felt Like I could relate to it because I have ADD and the girl did to I felt her hard times and struggles just as I did. Filed on behalf of my 12 year old daughter by her father.

Description

"Did you ever fly a kite in bed? Did you ever walk with ten cats on your head?" Such are the profound, philosophical queries posed in this well-loved classic by Theodor "Dr. Seuss" Geisel. While many rhymes in this couplet collection resemble sphinx-worthy riddles, Seuss's intention is clear: teach children to read in a way that is both entertaining and educational...

Reviews

A great book that doesn't drive parents nuts

by Jim Carson from Bellevue, WA on 2000-06-22
The thing I like most about this book is it survives the perpetual-reading test, that is, neither my daughter nor I am tired of reading it after two years. "One Fish..." is really composed of several "short" sections that can be read in any order, so for a toddler, it's perfectly fine to skip around. In fact, this is conducive to a toddler's randomness - one day it's "Hop hop hop, I am a Yop"; another day it's "From there to here."

My Daughter's Favorite Book by Dr. Seuss

by Professor Donald Mitchell from Thanks for Providing My Reviews over 97,000 Helpful Votes Globally on 2000-08-27
Researchers constantly find that reading to children is valuable in a variety of ways, not least of which are instilling a love of reading and improved reading skills. With better parent-child bonding from reading, your child will also be more emotionally secure and able to relate better to others. Intellectual performance will expand as well. Spending time together watching television fails as a substitute. To help other parents apply this advice, as a parent of four I consulted an expert, our youngest child, and asked her to share with me her favorite books that were read to her as a young child. One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish was her pick as the best of the books by Dr. Seuss.One of the appeals of this book is that it is relatively easy to learn to read, yet has much more variety than most other early readers. So your child will feel like she or he has accomplished a lot with reading this book, which is correct.The title gives the key to why this book works well as an early reader. One word is changed at a time, with a clear illustration next to it. Most children will read the illustrations like a rebus and later associate the words with the sounds of the name for the pictures. At some point, they begin reading from the words. Very nice!Here's another sequence: "black fish blue fish old fish new fish."Then, when he moves on, he uses simple rhymes: "This one has a little star. This one has a little car."Next, he progresses to substituting "some" for "fish" and adding a single verb to make a sentence as in "Some are read . . . . Some are old."So almost any child can soon begin to read along with few errors in the first 2 or 3 pages. Whenever the child can go no more, you can just keep going. With repetition, more of the book becomes memorized and the process continues. There is another reward for you and your child: The book also previews many of the wonderful characters and rhyming schemes that appear in other Dr. Seuss books. As a result, it will be easier to get started reading those books. You will feel like you are seeing an old friend again. You can also use each rhyme to take off on your own speculations. Our daughter used to love to come up with alternative rhymes that fit the pictures. Books like this one make it great fun to be either a parent or a child. In some cases, this book will be there for you in both roles over 20 to 40 years!Overcome your mistaken beliefs about how children can start to learn to read by seeing your child start naturally by associating the words with the pictures as you read this wonderful book to him or her!

Description

This book is for anyone who has been hurt in life and would benefit from a hopefilled daily companion. Critically acclaimed author Nancy Guthrie offers insightful daily reflections based on the Word of God to comfort, encourage, and uplift those who are feeling the aches of life, whether it's because of everyday disappointments or deep losses...

Reviews

For those seeking answers and comfort in the Lord

by Christian Book Previews.com from on 2006-01-14
Author Nancy Guthrie understands the depth of grief, but she also knows the power of hope. In this book, she comes alongside readers to share her experiences, thoughts, and most importantly, her belief in a merciful God. Each page is like a gentle hug, as her words breathe life from the precious promises of the Bible. The book is arranged around fifty-two themes, which encourages daily reading for a year. However, the author's sensitivity to sorrow has led her not to include days of the week or dates with each section. She realizes that grief has no timetable and therefore her words may be read slowly or with greater urgency, depending on the individual There is a gradual progression in these pages, as the first theme acknowledges the brokenhearted and the last entry is on letting go. Throughout the book, the reader will come face to face with different aspects of the healing process while their attention is always directed toward a vibrant hope in God. However, the heart of this book is the heart of the author. Her personal acquaintance with grief makes her compassionately qualified to minister to others. She has sought answers and comfort, and through her experiences, she has also learned a great deal about hoping in the Lord. Her spiritual insights, which were gleaned from serious study of the Scriptures, lead readers through the darkness of sorrow to the light of victory. Her words are trustworthy because she has been tried in the furnace of affliction. Grace, beauty, and truth flow from these pages. Although sorrow is never trivialized, the author consistently causes the reader to look ever onward and upward to the Source of all comfort and hope. And that's the perfect way to spend every day of the year! -- Joyce Handzo, Christian Book Previews.com

Worth buying and sharing

by Jeanette R. West from Alexandria, MN USA on 2007-01-29
I came across this book from a Christian book review, and fell in love with it. Nancy Guthrie does not pull any punches. God is holy, no matter our circumstances. After working through just a couple of weeks, I gave copies to each of my friends and co-workers on their birthdays throughout 2006. Even if you have never experienced great pain in life, you will find this book a blessing. And when you do experience tragedy - and we all do - you will be better able to work through it.

Description

When seventeen-year-old Jane Taylor witnessed her father's death, something happened to her. Ever since, her thoughts have been consumed by death, going so far as to foresee the ever-changing deaths of those around her...

Reviews

Won me over from the first page!

by LaFemmeReaders from NY on 2010-07-20
Knight Angels: Book of Love won me over from the first page. I became addicted to the plot and the well developed characters. The chapters were broken up into narrations for each character throughout the book. This method made it easier to keep up and it also gave me a chance to visit each of their minds. The storyline was refreshing and heart-warming. The love and passion was perfect, especially for a hopeless romantic as myself. Now, the book focused on five major characters, Max, Greg, Jane, Emily and Wes. Max was the good angel while his brother Greg was the evil one. I thought Max was so sweet and good-looking. He always knew how to make a girl feel special. On the other hand, Greg was a cocky, self-centered, cold-hearted snake. However, I was ironically attracted to him the most. I guess I'm a sucker for the bad boys even when they want to kill and make humans suffer (haha.) Jane and Emily were total opposites. Jane was a goody-goody while Emily was the fearless, emo girl. They both had unique abilities: Jane could see a person's death and Emily could read mind's. Throughout the book Max told us the story of how he became Jane's guardian angel by saving her from a tragic accident. The way he spoke about fate and how he belonged with Jane was breathtakingly moving. I knew from the moment he opened his mouth that he was different compared to Greg. All of the character's powers were introduced right away but, Wes's abilities were a great surprise. I had no idea as the suspense was building up. Abra is a fantastic writer and storyteller. I am so happy to have found her books and look forward to reading what happens next in the sequel, Book of Revenge coming this Summer! Overall, an extraordinary romantic, supernatural YA book with an addictive premise.

Expertly Written, Refreshing Story

by Erika from on 2010-07-12
The book was different than any I'd read in the fact that there were so many points of view, but not at all confusing. I like the aspect of it because it offered me as the reader an insider standpoint. The plot was amazing and original, the best thing about the whole book. What some authors have a hard time relating to is what teen love is really about anymore. Being that this author is young, I believe she adds an insider view on what really happens when we're fifteen - eighteen and in love. It's supposed to be fleeting, ever changing, and seemingly the deepest thing we're ever going to experience, yet we question it, AS WE SHOULD!! Not everyone is going to find a sexy vampire and grow up to marry him, while still in your teens, mind you. Every relationship gets to a point where we wonder, "Is this REALLY it?" The toss and turn love triangle between Jane, her sister Emily, and the neighbor boy Wes is not only palpable, but so true! Trust me, I've been here! The only character that seems to know what he wants in love has been around for eighty years (Max), and that makes sense!! Get this book if you want to know what a real love story is all about. No fluff. Bottom line, Book One seems to offer a good setup for many books to come, and I hope so! This is a series I can look forward to, and will read again and agian.

Description

A Classic Collectible Pop-Up™One Red DotA Pop-Up Book for Children of All Agesby David A. CarterOne Red Dot is a stunning tour de force from David A. Carter, the creator of the bestselling Bugs in a Box® books...

Reviews

grown-up fun

by word & image from Boston, Ma on 2005-11-09
You might find yourself telling your young child, "Do not touch!" This pop-up book is an elegant, beautiful object, or series of objects, one on each fold-out spread. I laughed and marvelled the first time I opened it, and continue to do so every time I open it again. It's nominally a number book, counting from 1 to 10. Each page opens to create a wonderful 3-D construction, each hiding one red dot. One page wiggles as you pull a tab, one makes noise as zigzags rub against each other, one has 9's that dangle from Seuss-like trees. They're all great fun.

Steals the "pop" of "Pop Art" and puts it into "Pop-Up"!

by E. R. Bird from Manhattan, NY on 2005-12-16
I'm a children's librarian. Across the street from my library (located in the heart of trendy trendy Greenwich Village) is a high-end children's toy store. On occasion, I'll walk by this store just to snicker at some well-meaning designer's attempts at reconciling the world of good design with the world of children's toys. The result is a truly ridiculous store that no self-respecting child would dare be caught dead in. There are mobiles in the style of Mondrian, rocking "horses" ala Carlo Mollino that are a single sinuous fold of wood, and toy houses that look like something out of Frank Lloyd Wright's notebooks. In short, not a bloody thing a kid would actually find fun, but tons of pretty things to tempt their wealthy parents. When I picked up "One Red Dot" I shuddered with recognition. Here was a book that would fit in perfectly at that high-end children's store (and, no doubt, they sell plenty of copies there). I read the premise of the book and flipped through it, safe and secure in the thought that obviously this was some kind of designer's paradise and not a pop-up book that would interest children. WRONG! Sure, it's good design. Arne Jacobsen and George Nelson would be proud. But unlike other grown-up-pleasing books of high-falutin' cleverness (as with David Pelletier's self-satisfied, "Graphic Alphabet"), "One Red Dot" is remarkable precisely because it is fascinating for children. It's the best of both worlds. A delightful romp through surreal pop-up landscapes and a great game of I Spy involving a single carmine sphere. Open the cover and there isn't a title page or an explanation of what you're about to see. Instead, a large red box with multiple twisty tentacles, circles, and poking peculiarities rises up before your very eyes. The page reads, "One perplexing puzzle box and one red dot". You can peer into the box from above or peek into it on each side, where a different colored circle (white, yellow, black, or blue) meets your eye. It takes a lot of hunting and pecking before the elusive red dot can be found. Got the general gist of the book? Good! Because now we are off and running through a landscape of most peculiar and wonderful scenes. The book acts like a little lap-sized museum. We see twisty twirly gigs that spin multi-colored balls from limp black threads. We pull "wiggle-wobble widgets" through rough red streams and then back again. On one page the previously silent book is suddenly making a cacophony of cardboard gears, a single dot shining over the scene. By the time you reach the "eight obedient orbs" you may have finally figured out that this is a counting book as well as a game of hide-and-seek. By that time, however, you're too amazed by each scene to care WHAT the original intent of the book may have been. The final image seems like nothing so much as the tree from "Waiting For Godot". From it hang nine nines. And somewhere, hiding amongst the curly branches, is one...red...dot. The book has far more in common with Shel Silverstein's, "The Missing Piece" than it does with pop-up books like those of Robert Sabuda. In the past I've said that Sabuda is the best-known American pop-up artist. This is in no small part due to his prolific nature. Sabuda cranks out his books like they were going out of style. Until now, David Carter has been content to create perfectly nice but not exactly awe-inspiring books. His most interesting, prior to "One Red Dot" was his highly informative, "The Elements of Pop-Up", in which he broke down the art into easy to understand terms and diagrams (with a wonderful website to match). To my delight, this is also the fellow who made that fabulous "In a Dark Dark Wood" pop-up book. Sabuda could take notes on Carter's use of narration and story. Then with "One Red Dot", he goes all fancy on us. No longer is Carter toiling on "Bug Books" (I'm sure they pay the rent). Now he's shown us exactly how fancy a pop-up book can be. He's giving Sabuda a run for his money. Sabuda's books never include interactive elements like pull-tabs. Carter, on the other hand, relies on them. The results are mixed. On the one hand, it's fun to pull the tab for the four flip-flop flaps. On the other hand, the widgets on the opposite page won't take more than five or six pulls by grubby children's hands before they stop obeying so nicely. I've kept this book in the Reference section of my children's room for about a month now and it has received very little attention. Just the same, when I took it down to inspect it for a reviewing, I saw that the two-page spread of three burning baskets had already broken. On closer inspection, it's clear that the middle basket was a bit too easy to break-off. Hopefully future publications of this book will reinforce this image, since a broken basket sort of ruins the whole effect. The book's saving grace (aside from being easy on the eyes) is the red dot motif. In many cases, Carter has just hidden the elusive circle away from the viewer so that it will only be found if the child tries to change his or her perspective and turn the book around. Then again, I handed this book to a grown-up who said to me, "The red dot's only on a couple of pages, right?". So finding it is hardly child's play. With the primary colors, thick pages, and surreal grace, "One Red Dot" is a pleasure to people of every age. You can't resent a book that is beautiful and also remembers how to be interesting to kids. A perfect gift for any child, regardless of how many Saarinen "Tulip" chairs you find in their playroom.