Titles Books

Like a lot of Maurice Sendak's books - you love it as a kid, and you love it as an adult for very different reasons.

I guess I need Dear Mili afterall to remind me of other things than life's mandane, and to help me see our seemingly unsatisfying life in a different light.

Maurice Sendak's drawings enhanced the classical beauty of the Grimm's fairytale. You can almost see the elegant images listlessly brings the words to life as the best storytellers do.

This story is sad, but told beautifully. It is also inspiring and comforting.

A little girl is sent into the woods alone by her fearful mother when war comes to the village. She manages to find peace and loving care in the home of St. Joseph. When it is time for her to return to the village so much has changed.

This tale by Grimm is beautiful. In my opinion it is translated well as the words are rich and descriptive and there is a satisfying pace to the story throughout. The introduction itself is nearly as moving as the tale that follows. Sendak's illustrations magically combine reality with imagination and the double page spreads grow out from the page and allow you to fall into them.
The setting and scene changes are enough to tug your emotions. This story's scene sequence is as follows: a quiet country village, a village in panic at the threat of invasion, a child wandering alone in the woods, a child in the comforting care of St. Joseph, back to the village which has now changed.

The subject matter is not light in this tale about love and two hearts coming together. A tale like this could not be as well told if one were to attempt to tell it lightly.

This book scared the crap out of me as a child. The images, the story are dark and nightmarish. The pictures are incredibly striking - I haven't picked up the book in years but I still remember many elements - fire licking from the sky, greyish tangling trees and flowers, the ghostly quality of the little girl. I wouldn't recommend this book for children. I don't think I've encountered anything in children's *or* adult literature since that has so disturbed me.

Dear Mili was a surprise in many ways. While Maurice Sendak has never failed to amaze, this tender rendering a newly discovered fairy tale set as a metaphor of children hidden in the holocaust is one of the most beautiful experiences a reader can have. This is my favorite children's book of all time: the artwork is I believe the peak of Sendak's career. A small girl living alone with her mother is sent for safety in the forest when a terrible foreboding threatens. In the forest she meets St. Joseph, and another small one, who keep her safe. Returning after a pleasant journey, she finds her mother aged and alone.
Their is joy and reunion: this is a poignant story on many levels. Looking deeply at the artwork one will see shoah themes:
Sendak in premiere Jewish sensitivity has done a remarkable thing: taken ancient Grimm Catholic legend and woven it into a metaphor for all of us, for all time. If this book does not tender the heart of the older who read to the younger, they have no heart. Absolutely 5-stars: Should be a classic and not out of print.

The colorful language in this book hits just the right tone for the re-telling of a beloved tale, and the accompanying pictures are delightful. This got two thumbs up from our 4 1/2 year old, who is a pretty discriminating reader!

This is a wonderful redo to the classic Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Here we have a western flavor thrown in and our heroine is a grubby little girl with really bad manners. The whole twist on the story is an absolute hoot, right down to the author's syntax. The illustrations are absolutely great and go with the story perfectly. I have read this story to second, third and forth graders and they all loved it. I must admit to this being one of my favorites and I usually don't like it when someone misses with a classic. In this case the author and illustrator were able to pull it off. I actually think this one might be better than the first. At the very least, kids can relate to it better. I cannot recommend this one highly enough.

One of the five year olds in my Pre K class gave me a standing ovation after I read this and the rest of the class listened intently. Fun to read and fun to hear! A must have.

It stands to reason that if you're going to redo the classic story of "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" then you need some kind of a hook. First of all, the story's a classic lesson in rudeness. Goldilocks is rude rude rude. So why not go a step further? Why not make her rude AND stinky? Better yet, rude, stinky, AND mean to her mama? And if you're going to do all that, you'd best be changing her name as well. Goldilocks? Heck no. This child is now Dusty Locks. Now place this entire story in the West, somewhere around Colorado maybe, and you've got yourself one heckuva story. Author Susan Lowell and illustrator Randy Cecil have come together to tell a version of Goldilocks that surpasses the original. You want to tell the story of the three bears but do it in a fun way that kids are sure to love? "Dusty Locks" has your number.

Now what kind of bears live out west? Grizzly bears, that's who. So three cowboy boot wearing, vest doffing, huge belt buckle sporting bears one day go for a walk. While they do so, the nefarious Dusty Locks, outfitted in grass-stained overalls and oversized boots of her own, breaks into their home. After all, "those grizzlies were fine, upstanding, law-abiding critters, honest as the day is long, and they never locked their door". More fool they, for Dusty begins to meticulously tear apart their little home. First she devours their beans. I liked the detail that the great big grizzly bear liked his beans, "chock-full of chile peppers". Then she pounds their chairs into smithereens. Finally, she proceeds to find somewhere to sleep and rest her weary rotten little head. The bears return, discover the destruction in full, and wake the stinky gal up. After she flees home her mother loves her into an entirely new little girl and the bears never saw her again, "or if they did... they never recognized her".

Much like fellow drawl-infused picture book, "Swamp Angel" by Anne Isaacs, this book is a pleasure to read aloud. From the gruff big bear to the squeaky little bear to the southern ladylike mama bear, you can get a lot of mileage from this puppy. Couple that with Randy Cecil's inventive illustrations and you've got yourself a magnificent storytime tale. Cecil's pictures seem cartoony and none too inventive at first. But then you start noticing little details here and there. For example, why do the three bears have three chairs to sit on? To play their instruments and sing at night, of course. How does Dusty Locks stumble on their abode? She (evil child that she is) chases a skunk there. A skunk, I might add, that pops up more than once throughout this story. So with funny pictures and a one-of-a-kind narrative voice this book's a surefire winner with any childlike crew. Consider it recommended tenfold, and then some.

I am an elementary art teacher and I checked out this book from my school library to read to my 3rd grade classes before they started work on fairy tale puppets. We all loved it! So I brought it home for my husband and my infant son. My 10 month old sat through the book with out a peep -except for giggles- over and over again. So we bought it for my husband for father's day. I am ordering more books by this author right away. It is just so fun to read it with a southern drawl and do all those crazy bear voices! I also love the illustrations. The characters have great facial expressions! I LOVE THIS BOOK! BUY IT RIGHT AWAY!

Weber is great, so is this book. You can find the most origins of modern thoughts in his book

It seems that many people comment this book with the difficulty to read and the bad organization. However, I want to suggest that after read Schluchter's 'The Rise of Western Rationalism', you will know more about why Weber's writings are in this style. Simply speaking, it links to Weber's view of History, and if he want to elaborate the history in a approiate way, not a simple linear evolutionary way, he had to demonstrate the whole picture--or in Schluchter's word, 'basic configuration'--of history. History, in this case the rise of Rationalism, is not compose solely by few influential events, but also related to the others. Those 'significant historical events' are only the consequence of the competition between ideas and historical events, therefore, Weber wanted to explain why the configuration favour the rise of western rationalism, so he must concern all elements constitute the history. That is, Weber showed us the conditions and the process of competition within or among the many spheres, I think that is why Weber had to use this seems fragmented writing style.

I'm a little confused. I purchased this book because of it's comprehensiveness (1400+ pages of work by Weber), but when the book arrived, it was only about 700 pages long. Am I missing something here? If I paid $20 for a used 1400 page copy and receive a 700 page book, should I only be charged $10? Strange.

This is an uncommly brilliant work in social theory and sociology. Moreover, economic sociology was founded through "Economy and Society", especially its second chapter ("Sociological Categories of Economic Action") which is the size of a small book (approx. 200 pages).
The general theoretical approach of Weber can be characterized as one of "interpretive economic sociology", that is, as a type of economic sociology in which the concept of "meaning" is at the very center of the explanatory exercise.
Social action (to follow Ch. 1) is defined as a type of behavior to which meaning is attached ("action"), and which is oriented to the behavior of others ("social"). Economic sociology consequently deals with "economic social action".
"Economy and Society" was part of a larger work entitled "Handbook of Social Economics", which included volumess on "Economy and Nature", "Economy and Technology" - and "Economy and Society". In his work Weber explores such topics as "economy and law", "economy and religion", "economy and politics", and much more.
The work "Economy and Society", finally, is a bric-a-brac. Weber himself only sent 4 chs to the printer (=Chs 1-4). The rest of the 2 volumes consists of manuscripts that his wife and economist Melchior Palyi put together, pretty much as they saw fit. Caution is consequently necessary when reading "Economy and Society"; and this work should not be treated as "a book" by Weber.

I expect this comment is going to be useful, if at all, only to first year graduate students, so it'll be understandable if it's not rated very highly.... Anyway, just a quick note on Mr. Jack White's comment of April 11, 2000. One thing that Max Weber's Economy and Society is NOT, is a foundational text for structural-functionalism. That honor would probably go to Emile Durkheim's The Division of Labor in Society-- to be followed oh-so many years later by seminal works of Americans Talcott Parsons and Robert K. Merton. I'm not sure what Mr. White was thinking, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't about classical sociological theory.

How would you like to find out a deep secret about your grandmother? Well Jessica finds out a deep secret about her grandmother.
The book is called the Charm Bracelet by Emily Rodda. Jessica, Queen Jessica, Valda, Patrice, Maybelle, and Giff are the main characters in the book. Blue Moon is where the grandmother lives and Fairy Realm and it is Fantasy.
I feel about this book that the Charm Bracelet is a very good book and it is very descriptive throughout the book. There is a very bad problem; grandmother's bracelet has disappeared. Also Valda tries to take over Fairy Realm. Solution is that Jessica goes to Fairy realm to find the bracelet and tricks Valda.
Jessica goes to Blue moon to visit her grandmother. Jessica notices that her grandmother's bracelet is missing. She looks for the bracelet for a long time, and then she ends up in Fairy Realm. She finds out that Valda has replaced Queen Jessica. Then Jessica plans to trick Valda. That's all I can tell you. My connection to this book is that Jessica Was scare when she found herself in the realm and so would I.
[...]

Anyone who loves to imagine will get pulled into this book. The first book in the Fairy Realm series, The Charm Bracelet by Emily Rodda, is set in both Blue Moon And Fairy Realm. The problem begins when Granny loses her charm bracelet.

In the beginning Granny loses her charm bracelet that helps her remember to go back to Fairy Realm, where she is a queen and renew the magic of the hedge that keeps all goblins and ogers out. Next, Jessie Granny`s grandaughter gets pulled into fairy Realm and tries to figure out who stole Granny`s bracelet. To find out who stole Granny`s bracelet and if the magic of the hedge gets renewed in time, grab a copy of The Charm Bracelet now.

The message the author wants me to learn is to always be brave, care for each other and always try to reach out and help. This book reminds me of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Girls ages 8-10 in 3rd and 4th grade will love this book. If you enjoy the Charm Bracelet try the rest of the Fairy Realm series and more by Emily Rodda.

N.M. in Annapolis

We borrowed this book yesterday, and started reading it to our 6 year old daughter at about 5:30pm. She was so engrossed, she wouldn't let us stop, so dinner was late. She loved working out the mystery of the missing bracelet, the grey kitten, the brave cat Flynn, and exactly what was happening in the Fairy Realm. We stopped every chapter or two to examine the clues, and figure out why something was happening.

Unlike so many children's books, where the protagonist is either a passive participant or an adult in child's clothing, Jessie is a real girl with real feelings and a real child's perspective. She worries about her grandmother, acts as a child would act, and perceives things as a child would perceive them. Not that my daughter noticed this, but I watched her experience the story just the way Jessie did. This level of engagement is rare, and reminds me of how I felt when first reading "The Lord of the Rings" or "Ender's Game".

All in all, a magnificent introduction to fantasy literature for kids.

I read this seperately to my 5 and 7-year old girls and they both loved it. The story is simple enough for young kids to follow, with descriptive passages that are enough to create a realistic feeling to the story, but not so long to tax kids' attention spans.

The imaginative fairy-tale type elements and situations of the story are perfect for firing young kids' imaginations, but the author avoids violence, and overly suspensefull/stressful situations. It should be noted that in this first "Fairy Realm" book, unlike the others, there is actually a "bad guy" (or girl, rather). The other books involve overcoming hardships, troubles, difficult situations rather than an opposing person.

Overall, a wonderful, easy-to-read story that kids from preschool age to young-elementary school age will love (proably girls more so than boys). If I had to guess I'd say it's written at a 3rd or 4th grade reading level.

Young Jessie is absolutely ecstatic when her Mother takes her to the beautiful Blue Moon to visit her beloved Grandmother. However, while there, Jessie discovers a wonderful secret, and enters a Realm located in the Secret Garden. There, Jessie finds a beautiful land filled with magical creatures of all shapes and sizes. Fairies, miniature horses, elves, and other magical beings live among the Realm. And while the creatures are able to enjoy nature and run free, there is a noble Queen who lives in a gorgeous golden castle, and rules over them all. Now Jessie has found out that the Realm is in grave danger, and it is up to her, and her sick Grandmother to save it from an evil enemy before it's destroyed forever as we know it.

In this first installment in the FAIRY REALM series, readers are able to enter an exciting world where magical beings run free, and where humans are scarce. Jessie is a wonderful character, who is sweet, while at the same time extremely adventurous, and the descriptions throughout the book are vivid, and enchanting, and will capture the reader from page one. Filled with various black and white drawings throughout, this book is sure to become a treasure to any family. Especially those who truly believe.

Erika Sorocco
Book Review Columnist for The Community Bugle Newspaper

Excellent compendium of seminal articles in the field of ecology. It has very nicely complemented the textbook for the course I am now taking, Introduction to Ecology, which mentions many of the articles reprinted in this fine collection.

The item was as described and it was sent in good time. I enjoyed the shopping experience. Will recommend the seller.

This is a great collection of papers. Some of the papers included in this volume are not easily available online in the PDF format, nor are they available in too many libraries for loan, making this, in my opinion, a must-have for the serious ecology/evolution academic.

You get a pretty good idea of the evolution [sic] of ecological thought thanks to the way the papers have been organized, where you can literally see concepts grow, develop, gain momentum, and then either get worshiped or completely rubbished.

And the book really is well-organized. It is divided into several sections, peppered with insightful commentary that enhances the whole experience. What really makes this book such a pleasure to read, personally, is the emphasis in the first section of the book on old, descriptive ecological papers, which is a type of publication that (for better or for worse) seems to be completely missing from modern ecological discourse.

I recommend this book to academic and armchair ecologists alike.

A nice compilation of papers that historically leads you through Ecology as a scientific discipline. The commentaries are useful and educational. It is timeless and a fundamental instrument for any ecologist, particularly at the early post-graduate level. The only drawback is that it could be more comprehensive (the editors state that they had to define criteria to cut out some papers from their initial selection), but the information in it can be complemented with good Ecology textbooks.

This book is a great compilation of some of the most fundamental papers in ecology. Every ecologist should own a copy. As a student, it provides a well-rounded insight into the history of ecological though. I highly recommend!

I read this book to elementary students. They adored this book. It really held their attention. I was amazed at how this book could be used for several other teaching ideas. This book should be in every family and school library. It was so much fun to serve gingerbread cookies from the local bakery after reading this story to my students. Ideal for KK-3rd grade students!

The book is wonderful. This was my favorite childhood story and it brought back many pleasant memories. My husband and I are enjoying the book as much as our daughter. She also really loves the book and requests that we read the book several times a week. The illustration is wonderful and enhances an already great story.

This is a beautiful book with the most amazing illustrations you will find anywhere! Illustrations make or break a book for me, and this one does not disappoint. My daughter is almost 3 and wants to hear this story over and over, and I love to read it to her. She knows the rhymes by heart and likes to chant along with me when I read.

VERY highly recommended!!

The story of "The Gingerbread Man" has for centuries enlightened the hearts of its young readers.It has helped to redefine the way that popular cuture work helps to shape an individual's way of interpreting the ideological work that the story portrays.That utopian feel to it; where people want to see the hero win in the end and come up on top.In fact the gingerbread man gets eaten in the end,which goes against that utopian type of fairy tale that the public genre tends to enjoy more.But for some reason this fairy tale has been one that against all odds, has remained popular, and entertaining and plain old FUN.Which is what the everyday reader wants to read, something that is fun and entertaining when it comes to fairy tales.

"The Gingerbread Man" is a great story for young children. However this story also has many hidden themes that your child might pickup on while reading this tale. "The Gingerbread Man" supports the idea that women are mearly the creaters of life and house keepers, and warns young children of the consequences of being arrongant and disrespecting your maker. Even with these hidden themes any child should enjoy this story.

I've been using this book to make toys for children for 15 years and find the drawings and instructions clear and easy to follow. I like how all the projects are designed around stock lumber. One reviewer mentioned that the drawings are on grids for easy scaling. I should note that only items that are odd shaped and can't be drawn full scale in the book are on grids, but that is all that is needed. The only toy that I would have liked to have been included is a dump truck, but I designed my own once I got the hang of how his trucks are designed.

This book is great for making fun, easy projects that make great gifts. I have made a total of four trucks from this book. This book is a great way to introduce woodworking to kids. I would reccomend this book to anyone.

Since I purchased this book I have madea Model T Ford and am now making a Stearman biplane.
The instructions are generally clear with good illustrations. Most of the projects are not for beginners and most require a table or radial arm saw, a band saw and a power drum/belt sander. The author's suggestion to use knotty pine is economical but most of this wood in my local home improvement stores is warped, bowed and generally a pain to work with. Spend a little more and use clear pine or better yet, poplar which in my area is available in many different sizes and thicknesses. Also, the author may love resawing wood to get the sizes that he recommends but it would be a lot easier to scale the projects so that they require standard thicknesses.

I bought this book a few years ago when I started making wooden toys.
I loved the designs in this book. They ranged from simple to more complext to suit differing levels of skill. Of course as your own level of skill increases, you can confidently tackle some of the tougher projects, although even the toughest of them was not overly difficult.
I began selling the toys I was making from these plans at craft shows. They went like hot cakes! I could not make enough of them. Seems I wasn't the only one who thought these toys were neat.
But for the Toymaker, whether you are a hobbyist, or looking to make a living with them, these toys are easy to make, great looking, and popular!

I echo what the other reviewers have already said. Excellent intro to wood toy making provided you have or can get access to tools. Good step by step instructions. This book is a good way to develop your woodworking skills without being overwhelmed.

As a cartoonist and author myself ( of "Let's Toon Caricatures"), I have quite a collection of how to draw books that I've amasses over the years. This book is my all time favorite for drawing great, cartoony animals.

Christopher Hart's how to draw books are all wonderful. I own this one and a couple others and I often go back to them when I just can't get my sketches perfect. When I first received them I couldn't tear myself away. I was drawing up a storm 24-7. I've drawn realistic pictures all my life, but until buying these books, I'd never been able to whip out anything cartoony. Unexpectedly, his instructions and tips on cartoon drawing also helped me out in my realistic drawing and creativity.

I can't say enough about this book! You won't be disappointed! It's well worth the price and more. One great thing about it is that not only does the author really know his stuff, he's managed to present it wonderfully. It's a fun & easy read!!!

I actually have some of my own characters now just from reading this book. Keep up the good work

I love the idea of putting cartoon animals into humorous situations, and this book shows exactly how to do that! Shows simple ways to draw some of the most seemingly complex cartoons! Highly recommended!

This book is by far the best one in my collection:) It's stuffed with inspirational pictures and it's very easy to read:) It took me only about a half hour to create my very own cartoon character after reading a bit in this book:D

The step-by-step drawing guides in here are so easy to follow, and the book also show you different degrees of hardships in creating a character. You have the easily drawn characters, the medium hard-to-draw characters, and the really hard-to-draw characters:S

I'd say i was already in the "Medium" category when i bought this book, so the easily drawn characters were just to simple for me to even bother with. But still, they make good reference::)

If i am to say something about what audience this book is aimed for, then i'd have to say it's for beginners and people like me(A bit past beginner:p). There are VERY few hard-to-draw pictures in here, so i'm gonna have to buy another book soon if i keep progressing like i do:p

Different animals you can learn to draw from this book: Cats, dogs, horses, sharks, elephants, lions, tigers, bears and a few other critters...

I love this book :) I do not regret buying it at all:) I can actually REALLY reccomend this book to people who are out for learning this subject:)

First published as a serial story in the newspapers, "Julie & The Lost Fairy Tale" is now compiled into the form of a novel for children and young adults. An original and captivating tale, "Julie & The Lost Fairy Tale" follows the relationship between Julie, her grandmother, and a mysterious travel chest. Highly recommended for community library young adult fiction collections.

Every kid knows there are treasures waiting for them in Grandmother's attic. When Julie goes up to investigate, she expects to find baby squirrels. Instead she discovers a lost fairy tale.

The original owner of the manuscript came to the United States fifty years ago with the goal of seeing it published. Since she wasn't able to complete her mission, Julie takes over for her, making a promise to see the fairy tale in print.

Julie's quest to fulfill her promise sets in motion her own magical fairy tale. The reader will delight in her enthusiasm and determination in achieving her mission. And this story, just like the best fairy tales, has a happy ending that will leave you smiling.

Reviewer: Alice Berger
Bergers Book Reviews

Julie and the Lost Fairytale is a heartwarming story. I love the way this book deals with the dreams and imagination of a child and how she helps to fulfill the dreams of those around her. Parents who monitor their child's reading are going to love this book. It sends a positive message about the importance of friendships. I especially enjoyed Julie's close relationship with her grandmother. I think this story can be used to help children take in interest in the lives and history of those around them. Looking forward to many more from this author :)

If you can recall the sense of awareness you felt as a child, the intimacy with family members, the thrill of climbing into a musty attic, unknown adventures waiting every time you opened the door and went out into the hot summer days, then this book is for you. Julie feels no doubt about her place in a loving family, and finds a way to express that affection in return. Along the way she encounters a bit of history, plenty of memorable characters around town, and a mystery to puzzle out. What more can you ask for in a good book? If you are a parent in search of wholesome reading for your child, look no further.

This is a wonderful story that let's you get lost in beautiful descriptions of friendships, scenery, and the innocence of childhood. The author does a wonderful job building suspense with her vivid words in a way that makes you feel as though you are right there with the characters. It was a delight, and very refreshing to read this story.

This book is excellent because it brings knowledge full circle. The author, Mr. Akbar is great at explaining to his readers how individuals must search for the inner Truths of religion for themselves. Respecting all ways that people acknowledge the reality of a Higher Being is the key to true spiritual development.

"Any knowledge that is of Truth has relevance in the education of the African person. The nature of the self, the origins of life, the study of the processes of life and the study of the Creator of life are the essential content for our education. Implicit in this model is a correction for the processes that perpetuate miseducation and makes us enemies of ourselves. The educational process that was designed for African-Americans was never intended to prepare us for independence & self determination, but to perpetuate our servitude to people who already have power."-Great knowledge-check it out!

This book has changed my life. Living in white suburbia I've been asleep for a while and this book opened my eyes to find out who I really am, how to understand my people and how to do educate myself, my family and my people. I will used this book as a reference for raising my two boys so that they can be proud of where they come from and prepare them to to conquer the racist obstacles that they will face while growing to to be strong educated black men.

This is a must read! Many African-American educators are interested in meeting the educational needs of African-American children within the established education system. Dr. Akbar guides educators by creating a working knowledge from which to start. It's difficult to destroy the current system, therefore, our objective as educators is to show African-American students the connections between our past and their present. Through such a methodology, the race problem attributed by miseducating blacks will lessen.

As a teacher of middle school students, I frquently observe that African-American students lack a working knowledge of their history beyond the figures of Dr. Martin L. King, Malcolm X and other popularized black figures. There are others that paved the way, such as Aesop, Hannibal, Cleopatra, Zenobi, and Askia the Great that our students need to know. For it is through the accomplishments of the above and others that will too pave the way for them.

This text along with other text written by African-American authors will guide our needs for developing, building and maintaining an education system of excellence based on truth, rather than mistruths. In short, I strongly recommend this book as a must read and as a keeper to be freely shared with all who are passionately concerned about giving African American children the upward mobility desired to sufficiently compete in this ever changing global world.

As mentioned previously, this book serves as a gateway of sorts to a new and liberating thought pattern. Unfortunately, not many Afrikans in America are aware that Mr. Akbar even exists. Given the opportunity to study his words and then later apply them to everyday living, I have been made aware of all things around me, including my own education. The way we as Afrikans tend to think, speak, and even shop is all touched upon in this wonderful book. It says, "Wake up people! There is a whole world out there you are not even aware of, and it's tearing you apart!" This masterpiece has served as the basis of many personal teachings and professional conversations I have had with my "self" and the troubled young people I work with. Thanks to Mr. Akbar, I am able to present relevant facts and positive information to my students, giving them the opportunity to think for themselves, rather than believing that what they have been forced to learn is the only reality they have.

This book constructively studies the mis-education of African-American people and provides the process to re-educating ourselves based on African holistic principles.