Journals Books

A friend of mine told me about this book and I immediately purchased it.
I honestly can't tell you how excited I am to use the writing and art invitations with
my third grade class! I know this enthusiasm will spill over on to my students and we
will all enjoy the experience. I just love it! Thank you.

Joni Chancer and Gina Rester-Zodrow paint a clear and exciting picture of what an inquiry based nature study can do to engage children in the classroom. I couldn't stop reading this book! It is practical with over 50 mini-lessons and lots of classroom snapshots that give teachers a firm foundation on which to begin. Chancer also offers good advice and theory explaining why art and writing are such a good match. I personally will be less controlling in my classroom- I was amazed at the results she got from her children when she gave them time to explore and experiment. As a 3rd grade teacher, this book will really change the way I do some things in my classroom. Thanks, Joni and Gina!

As a classroom teacher I find this book to be one of the best in our profession. It doesn't tell us it shows us! The most outstanding feature of this book is that the authors love to write and they inspire their students in their classrooms and the readers of this book to write.They know how to get the words flowing from beginners. I just finished reading a book that was written on how to teach struggling writers by a professor of writing and he did not teach me how to teach writing or motivate me like this book, Moon Journals did. I recommend this book to all teachers of writing, art, and science.

Moon Journals is a fantastic discovery book for teachers, students and even parents. The book centers on specific nature study and self-inquiry through writing and art. It is a wonderful companion to any teacher's classroom, and could be a really fantastic way for parents and kids to link together in the summer months. A definate MUST HAVE for all!

I am a screenwriter. And I find that Vladimir Propp's structure works great for my stories. Have a look at it and try to apply it to any modern movie:

1.. A member of a family leaves home (the hero is introduced);
2.. An interdiction is addressed to the hero ('don't go there', 'go to this place');
3.. The interdiction is violated (villain enters the tale);
4.. The villain makes an attempt at reconnaissance (either villain tries to find the children/jewels etc; or intended victim questions the villain);
5.. The villain gains information about the victim;
6.. The villain attempts to deceive the victim to take possession of victim or victim's belongings (trickery; villain disguised, tries to win confidence of victim);
7.. Victim taken in by deception, unwittingly helping the enemy;
8.. Villain causes harm/injury to family member (by abduction, theft of magical agent, spoiling crops, plunders in other forms, causes a disappearance, expels someone, casts spell on someone, substitutes child etc, comits murder, imprisons/detains someone, threatens forced marriage, provides nightly torments); Alternatively, a member of family lacks something or desires something (magical potion etc);
9.. Misfortune or lack is made known, (hero is dispatched, hears call for help etc/ alternative is that victimised hero is sent away, freed from imprisonment);
10.. Seeker agrees to, or decides upon counter-action;
11.. Hero leaves home;
12.. Hero is tested, interrogated, attacked etc, preparing the way for his/her receiving magical agent or helper (donor);
13.. Hero reacts to actions of future donor (withstands/fails the test, frees captive, reconciles disputants, performs service, uses adversary's powers against them);
14.. Hero acquires use of a magical agent (directly transferred, located, purchased, prepared, spontaneously appears, eaten/drunk, help offered by other characters);
15.. Hero is transferred, delivered or led to whereabouts of an object of the search;
16.. Hero and villain join in direct combat;
17.. Hero is branded (wounded/marked, receives ring or scarf);
18.. Villain is defeated (killed in combat, defeated in contest, killed while asleep, banished);
19.. Initial misfortune or lack is resolved (object of search distributed, spell broken, slain person revivied, captive freed);
20.. Hero returns;
21.. Hero is pursued (pursuer tries to kill, eat, undermine the hero);
22.. Hero is rescued from pursuit (obstacles delay pursuer, hero hides or is hidden, hero transforms unrecognisably, hero saved from attempt on his/her life);
23.. Hero unrecognised, arrives home or in another country;
24.. False hero presents unfounded claims;
25.. Difficult task proposed to the hero (trial by ordeal, riddles, test of strength/endurance, other tasks);
26.. Task is resolved;
27.. Hero is recognised (by mark, brand, or thing given to him/her);
28.. False hero or villain is exposed;
29.. Hero is given a new appearance (is made whole, handsome, new garments etc);
30.. Villain is punished;
31.. Hero marries and ascends the throne (is rewarded/promoted).

This structure works for many stories and films. I do recommed the book for any writer and screenwriter especially for those who write modern fairy tales. It's a must!

This is the first work to systematically characterize and describe a corpus of folktales. It includes a list of possible plot twists, in their correct chronological order for any story, and numerous examples from actual Russian fairy tales. This translation in particular reads well and makes a point of not departing from the text's literal meaning in any significant way. I would highly recommend this work for anyone interested in folktales or oral literature in general.

This is an attempt to work out the underlying structural patterns (types of characters, what they do, how they are ordered) of Russian folktales, based on classic collections made in the nineteenth-century. If you are fortunate enough to have read a large collection of such stories -- preferably in translation, not "retold by ..." -- you will soon see the point of Propp's argument. Other European, and some non-European, traditions provide an almost equally good starting point, although the examples often are not so close as to be immediately convincing. Ideally, "Morphology of the Folktale" would be bound with at least a selection of the Russian folktales Propp analyzes, but this does not seem likely to happen.

Taken by itself, however, Propp's exploration is going to seem both dry and confusing. Try to imagine a book about the five-act structure of Shakespeare's tragedies being read by someone who had never seen or read a play before, and you may understand the problem.

Although Propp's exposition sometimes seems labored, he presents a convincing case that at least some oral prose narratives are built up of a stock of situations and events which can be slightly reordered, multiplied, and otherwise complicated, but amount to a "language" (a vocabulary, grammar, and syntax) of story-telling. This puts a new light on the problem of the distribution of folktales, and how they develop variants, two of the great issues of folklore studies in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

Despite its origins in a single body of oral literature, Propp's methods have been applied to other literature with known or suspected oral roots, sometimes with slightly contradictory results. I know of at least two different Proppian analyses of "Beowulf," for example. This is due at least in part to Propp's attempt to introduce fine divisions between similar plot elements, which, again, seem to work better with his source material than with other groups of stories. (And "Beowulf" has long been recognized to include elements later found in European fairy tales, so the possibility of applying Propp's structures was more intriguing than revolutionary.)

In "Feud in the Icelandic Saga" (1983), Jesse Byock reviewed efforts to apply Propp's methods to the Sagas of the Icelanders, another body of prose literature supposed to be grounded in oral techniques. He argued that a different approach is needed to their formally realistic stories about personalities, and the functioning of society; which does not diminish the validity of Propp's approach to the wonder-tale.

This seminal work is essential for an understanding of structuralist theory and the theory of folklore. It differs from the psychological view of the folktale in its descriptive ability. This theory is based on objective description and sytagmatic conjunction and complementation. Because of that, it is more applicable and flexible than any psychological dissection. Also, two people will reach roughly the same conclusions with this method- something impossible with a psychological approach. This is excellent for anyone interested in attacking the down and dirty working parts of a narrative.

The version I have is 1985, I have only read a few lines but she has charisma and passion that I wish activists and politicians had for the disadvantaged's God given rights and liberites in the US and abroad. Especially when in Columbia Coca Cola asked the Columbian govt to murder labor leaders and then had the Columbian military use gun point to make Coca Cola workers resign union membership. Then Coca Cola cut worker's wages in half. I wrote Mother Jones about possibly republishing this text.

Read this book and you'll learn about the life of a heroic woman, but also about the bitter struggles working people fought in the US a hundred years ago. You won't get this history on the History Channel!
Pathfinder Press is dedicated to, among other things, publishing the speeches and writings of revolutionary figures like Mother Jones. So, in this book, you won't read some professor's interpretation of her, you'll read her own words. And what words she spoke! Her speeches and letters spring from the page full of passion and courage.
She went to where the miners were fighting and dying and stood up to the cops and the goons who tried to intimidate her. She was braver and bolder than most (male) labor leaders of her time, and in every way a superior human being to those who claim to "lead" the labor unions today.

A wonderful collection: nearly 40 speeches by Mother Jones, the tireless champion of workers in struggle at the end of the 19th century and the first decades of the 20th. Also includes articles by Jones written for labor and socialist papers of the time, press reports about her activities, and dozens of letters she wrote to other labor and socialist leaders.

Mother Jones traveled incessantly, giving speeches and organizing coal miners and copper miners, textile workers, construction workers. She exposed and decried the abuses of the capitalist system. She stood up to the richest employers, their cops, courts, the National Guard, the U.S. Congress and presidents. She championed workers framed-up and victimized in the course of many struggles-- including insurgent fighter from Mexico during its 1910 revolution.

Her courage, honesty and perseverance should be a better-known example for workers, farmers and young people today. She has lots of short, snappy observations I find useful to raise at work, to help get others thinking a bit. And I found her letters, which reflect her striving to promote the most uncompromising, militant and class-conscious wing of unions and the Socialist Party, especially interesting.

Coal miners and retirees are still dying of Black Lung disease without proper medical care or compensation, and Black Lung widows are once again marching on Washington. These are good reasons to read this inspiring volume, which captures the historic voice of the coal miners-Mother Jones. A woman of the working class, she took part in almost every major battle by coal miners from the 1890s through the 1920s. She declared her solidarity with all victims of class rule from New England to Japan and left the world with many famous dictums of the struggle: "Don't mourn, organize!" or "I'm not here to beg , I want to fight and take what belongs to us!" She joined social struggles like the fight against child labor. When the newspapers refused to cover a strike involving child textile workers because the mill owners held stock in the newspapers, Mother Jones declared: "Well, I've got stock in these little children and I'll arrange a little publicity." And she did. While the U.S. was waging war on Mexico, Mother Jones was meeting with Pancho Villa to promote working class solidarity. We are also reminded that the task she described is still our task today: "Never before in human history were men and women called upon to link hands in the mighty battle for the emancipation of the working class from the robbing class." Mother Jones proves that you can't count yourself or any one else out-Mother Jones didn't become an activist until she was in her fifties. This is the total book by and about Mother Jones, with valuable background material by Philip Foner, the noted historian.

When my son was first born, the hospital advised us to record all of the diaper changes and feedings (the best advice since I could barely remember if I had brushed my teeth!) At first I tried to make do with a pad and pen but it was just so uninspiring. Then, I recieved this as a gift and was so grateful to have a pretty place to record all of his daily activities. I really enjoyed seeing something pretty for those few moments and the inspirational quotes are really interesting. I just wish it was easier to find! I think this is no longer in print and it's such a shame! My mom was a little surprised that I would use such a beautiful journal for recording pee and poop but honestly, what else do you have time for with a newborn?

My sister, who also wrote a review, gave me this journal during my pregnancy with my first son. I have been searching for another one like it for my second son. I haven't found ANYTHING comparable. I like that it's a not a "yearly" calendar with printed dates. You write in your own dates, I was also able to use it into the second year. There's plenty of space to jot your thoughts down and/or your child's accomplishments, yet is intimate enough to not be intimidating or overwhelming like most of the other journals. I highly recommend this journal.

I received this for my first mother's day and have delighted in sharing it with family and friends who also journal in it with me. It is a lovely, lovely keepsake and I am desperate to find another one like it for my daughter's next year. So far, NONE compare.

I received this book as a baby shower gift after the birth of my second child. It is a beautiful book with famous paintings and quips by various authors that also serves as a diary. I preferred this over the more traditional baby books as it gave me an opportunity to write down my thoughts about my son in a non-standard format. I have since given it to several other new mothers as a way to celebrate the birth of their babies. I highly recommend it!

Functional- everything is organized and clearly labeled
Sturdy- an address book needs to be sturdy to last the years of being tossed around and carried about. the cover is hard but not heavy and is in a bright, easy to pick out of a pile of books, color
Cute- the dog is cute and chic...because he's professional

Note: The space provided for email is a bit short. But there's a space directly below which I use instead.

Mr. Lunch's address book is great. It not only has enough space for all the addresses you need, but it is wonderfully organized with GREAT Mr. Lunch pictures!

I bought this address book as a back up for my PDA. Well, that's what I tell everyone, but the real reason is that it's just so darn FUN! Every aspect of this address book oozes quirky, irreverent, fun. The bold colors and designs grab your attention, but it's the cute and playful retro feel that kept me hooked. The dividers are strong plastic coated paper with colorful drawings of Mr. Lunch and his antics. The alphabetical posts are easy to find and sturdy. Typically you'll have space for 18 names and addresses for each letter. You also get two lines for phone numbers, a line for a fax number and another for email addresses. A real cute feature is each entry has a spot to stick a Neo-Print sticker of the person. I love this feature because it makes it so easy to remember people or a fun time you had with them. The only thing is if you don't have a sticker of them you'll have to leave the space blank or draw one yourself. Also included is one sheet of some really cute Mr. Lunch stickers and 6 blank pages for notes.

This a perfect address book for home use as it's size and weight make it impractical for traveling. Besides it looks great on a desk! The book is sturdy yet the pages easily open on the spiral binding. I can't think of a better address book for a fun-loving, free-spirited person. What a delight!

I wasn't familiar with Mr. Lunch products before I ordered the address book, but I trusted the reviews I read and ordered it anyway. I love this address book! The graphics are really cute without being overdone. Also, the tabs stick out and make it easy to find numbers. The thing I like most is that it's small, but they've only allowed 3 names to be put on each page. This makes it easy to write legibly without having to cram information into a tiny space.

Mrs Roosevelt is an amazing lady and is such an inspiration! Such an easy read and I loved it!

I recently picked this volume up when I visited Val-Kill her house a few miles away from the Hyde Park mansion. For many years the first lady shared her thoughts on current events and encouraged Americans to look upon racism and other social evils with shame. This is a good selection of her My Day columns which revolutionized opinions in America and remain an important testement to the power of free speech in this country.

I grew up during World War II and remember seeing Eleanor Roosevelt on news reels traveling around the world. I had no idea until I read this book of what a full and interesting life she was living. She had much pain and sorrow in her life, but she carried on.

I like her down to earth writing. She has written about ordinary things and left some things unsaid which is fine. She came from a very reserved background so it's to be expected. Her childhood was during a very different time than today. That she did so much for others is evidence of that upbringing.

After reading this book, I visited Hyde Park. I went first to her house at Val-Kill before I went to the Big House and Library. I recommend a visit to everyone because I believe you get a real feel for her there. At Val-Kill it's like she has just stepped out for a moment, but will be back.

I recommend this book to everyone. Editors give background information before each selection for those who weren't alive during the time. Eleanor did not go into great detail in her columns as, of course, her readers at the time would know what she was talking about.

My favorite way to learn about history is through the voice of a person who lived in that time. Often, however, the most readable first-person narratives leave something to be desired in breadth, since a single real person cannot be everywhere and have opinions on everything. Unless, it seems, that person is Eleanor Roosevelt. Her voice in her 'My Day' columns is authoritative, compassionate, wise, and insightful. Her opinions and philosophy on politics and diplomacy, both national and international, seem to me very pertinent to some of issues we face in our world today. Since I read this book, I have found myself hypothesizing about what she would have thought about some current happenings as I try to make sense of them. The editorial introductions to each year and each article excerpt in the book are well-written and provide the right amount of context to frame the excerpts without distracting from them.

This is a wonderful book for anyone who loves their dogs as children. I bought one for our 3 year old adopted beagle, and am getting one for our daugher-in-law's birthday for their rottie. You can personalize it as you wish, and I have included comic clippings (Marmaduke, Mutts, etc.) that are appropriate along with the photos and have created the beginning of a great book for my best friend that I will keep forever.

I bought this book for a special gift for my younger sister's new baby(puppy). After I surprised her with it she looked it over and said, "This is the most wonderful book I have ever seen." She is now filling out ever page with great delight> Thanks to the author for creating such an amazing gift so every person that has a furbaby will have a special way to show them off to other understanding mothers!! Thanks again Kathy

What a fun book. It is perfect for all ages, from little ones with their first puppy, to empty nesters. We picked one up when we got our new Puppy Toby, and have started to fill out the pages in detail. We wish we had one for Alex, our 14 year old Golden, that passed on in November. Many Thanks to Nancy Dewar and Marble.

Our four-year-old dog died this summer, and our children were having a hard time dealing with it. I found this book, and was able to put a wonderful journal of her role in our family, from the day she was born to her last days with us. It has thoughtful sections that just about anyone can fill in about their dogs. Now, when we're sad, we turn to the book and it keeps her with us. It would have been great to have when she was alive, and I'm getting one for the other dog.

I have purchased this book for both my son and my daughter and love it! The page layout covers the whole first year of baby's life. You have pages for each month. There was room to put every detail in from doctor's visits to holidays. I was able to put baby hospital bracelets, first haircuts, you name it and there was a space for it. What a great book for keeping up with all of baby's remarkable firsts! I recommend this one whether you like the Babar theme or not!

I must have flipped through 15+ baby books and this is the one I took home. It's very cute and there is room to fill in extra details if you want. I love the flow of the book and the pictures it asks for. I would have LOVED it if my mother had filled out a book just like this one for me. I'm enjoying filling it out for our April '08 arrival.

we looked thoroughly for a first year baby book and ended up getting this one. we are very happy with it. our baby has turned one and the book is filled with wonderful memories.

I love this book, even in spite of the fact I could care less about Babar. I sat in several bookstores, piled up every baby book they had, and went through them all (probably 15 in all), and liked this one the best. Here's why:

There is lots of room for writing whole paragraphs (and in some cases, pages) about your baby, not just fill in the blanks. Although in a few places, there are sentances like this: My mother's "height is _______, her eye color is ________, and her hair color is ________" those are in the minority. Usually a blank paragraph is headed by something like: "When my mother first saw me, she." Sometimes there is a whole blank page to answer a question. This is a book for people who like to write.

There are lots and lots of places for pictures. I do imagine that by the time I'm finished with this book, I will wish it had a spiral binding.

Some areas that are special or unique are the info about the parents (and their courtship and marriage), the grandparents, and the siblings. I also like the area for baby pictures of each parent. There are also places for both the mother and the father to fill in: "memories of my birth and first few days" and "hopes and wishes for me." Then they also seem to have covered all the usual stuff like places for ultrasound photos, a picture of the nursery, baby shower info, milestones, first words, and all that you might expect. By far, this was the most thorough book I saw.

Finally, the book does not assume your family is Christian; there is a section on the baby's first holiday. There is also a section for adoption.

So, I do wish this book was simplely styled (i.e. no Babar), but it isn't really too cutesy (and I hate cutesy), and the sections are so complete that I couldn't choose another book. Hope that helps you!

I stayed up reading this book and then stayed up another night re-reading it. Often, I felt the pang of something so profound and felt on the verge of tears, even in its funniest moments. The book is hilarious, and yet heartbreaking. It offers a glimpse into a time and the people and the bit of America that seems filled with dreams and nostalgia. It's an addicting read.

I loved this book. It was about where my mother as born a raised. We readed it aloud to each other. We laughed all weekend. I could just see all the people he wrote about. My mother knew some of them. I readed it a couple of times. Laugh every time.

Mr. Swift has written a humorous, pathos filled and somewhat haunting view of a young man growing up in a very remote cultural part of Texas called 'The Big Thicket'. The stories of his family members, characters within the community and his journey with all these people in becoming the individual author that he is today are compelling and touching. The photos by Lynn Lennon are reminiscent of Eudora Welty's during the depression. This is a must read for lovers of Southern literature. Ed Swift presents a riveting study of this uniquely classic portion of Texas.

This is a poignant memoir but not at all in the sappy, cliched way. Mr. Swift eloquently brings a sense of place and culture for this area of the South. His portrayals of his characters are entertaining and are real tributes to their individualities. Even if you don't know eccentrics like these, you will finish reading this story deeply appreciating unique traits of those who are influential to you.

What a treasure! Ms. Meredith has made a superb contribution with her book "My Last Wishes..." She guides us toward a feeling of empowerment, helping us to discover who we are by thoughtfully and tactfully broaching this most important and inevitable experience. She offers helpful advice and insights, and with her keen sense of humor, allows us to laugh! Kudos to Joy Meredith!

We all know of stories where a loved one passes on and no one can speak to their wishes. Wouldn't it be easier to tell our loved ones what we would like? This book is the tool! It's an easy to fill out journal that covers a variety of areas including your life, how you envision your final service and how to plan ahead. Even though it's a heavy topic the book takes a serious but light look at important issues. Do your loved ones a favor and let them know your wishes using this book!

In the process of grieving for the sudden lost of a loved one, this book caught my eye and made me hopeful that the inevitable passing of future family and friends, and myself, may not be so difficult on the ones left behind.
The author somehow makes a simple read out of a taboo subject. Educational, sometimes witty, and straight to the point, this book covers everything you need to know about planning how you would like to be remembered and what you would like happen when your time is up. Good for the young and old alike. A great gift for those that you love.

I am not one to go on and on about how things can and should be done. Everyone has their own way through life, but this book is a great way to take stock of where you are in life and how you would want your life and death to be remembered and handled by those who you are leaving behind.

Why did I buy my first copy? Several of my good friends have lost their parents and grandparents in the past 12 months, and were really left numb while they confronted the last days and moments without any ideas of what do to do or say. After seeing and reading through this book in a local bookstore, I ordered 10 copies to share with them and a few others that are facing similar situations now.

I am already getting positive feedback from a friend who lost his dad last summer, ("I wish I had this 9 months ago."). I know my other friends aren't ready for this, or may be reluctant to face it, but I know when I look at how an unplanned death is handled it can be brutal and unforgiving; I will not leave that burden with my wife, child or parent. (Think about the mess going on with Anna Nicole Smith, if you doubt how tragic it can be. What is her daughter going to know about her mother's wishes for her life? NOTHING!)

I would recommend getting a copy for you and your loved ones. Especially for those you don't want to make the tough decisions for. Like to be left on life support or not; cremated -vs- buried; what to do with their kids, belongings and memories; who or what was your greatest loves and memories?

Since taxes and death are inevitable, why not plan to make your loved one's memories good ones, not painful second guesses?

BTW, it is a very good read, so don't be afraid you are sending a "Death Wish" to your friends or coworkers. You are giving them a little bit of love and food for thought!