Clubs Books

I found this audio book to be a relaxing escape from the stressful preparations one has to make for the coming of their first child. I listened to little bits of this CD on the way to work, and discovered new and interesting facts about caring for my son. It was very relaxing and helped me step into the role of new father without all of the anxiety.

This is a terrific resource which I highly recommend to new parents and/or baby caregivers. It is extremely user-friendly and is great for anyone (most of us) short on time. I was especially impressed with the detail and quantity of information given, and found the narrator to be both professional and warm. The CD format is a terrific twist on a very functional must-have item for expectant parents, childcare providers, or anyone who loves babies. It has now become my shower gift of choice!

I was a bit anxious about being a new father, so my wife handed me a book she had been given. But, the last thing I wanted to do was carry a book around with me that had a pregnant woman in a rocking chair, holding a teddy bear. Time was also a commodity, so... I bought this audio book. These CDs are quick and painless, just like they promised, and they are full of useful information for new parents. I don't think I'll be "standing on the sidelines" now. If you're not a new father, then give it to someone who is.

This is a fantastic idea! I had taken a simple class on baby care before my daughter was born, but was working so much I never got a chance to read the books I was given. Before I knew it, little Anna was here. My husband and I took one CD each, listening to them in the car on the way to work, and then traded. The tips are very helpful for first-timers. I didn't know about the honey, or not to breastfeed after working out. The CD's are worth every penny.

Finally, someone gives us a break. It's not that I don't want to read up, and take classes. I'm just to busy to be believed. I have a daughter on the way, and I am a real estate agent. My time is not my own right now. So, between open houses, I have listened to this 2-CD set that my wife bought for us. It informs you about things like "over stimulation" and "gas", and even gives you a simple play-by-play about putting on a diaper. The tips are in a very organized format. We are still taking a class, but at least I won't go in there feeling like a complete idiot.

Valerie, I'm reading this now and it's absolutely wonderful. I'm so glad you did the rest of the research and wrote such a readable and complete book - I thank you with all my heart. (For readers, I wrote my dissertation on this topic in 1995 but never made it this readable or complete.) Valerie, you also did an excellent job getting the photos from the family - the volume is beautifully illustrated. Congratulations.

Readers, you want to know about Betty Smith's life? This is the book to read.

Valerie Yow has done it again. I was absorbed by her biography of North Carolina writer Bernice Kelly Harris; now, with Betty Smith: Life of the Author of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, she has given us another fascinating, highly readable and meticulously researched and documented biography of a major woman author.
Since I first read A Tree Grows in Brooklyn--at about age thirteen--it has remained one of the books that have remained bright in my memory. Valerie Yow has brought me into the world and the writing life of the complex and determined woman who was its author, and the author of many other memorable works. Yow is herself an excellent writer. She gives us a story that is a true pleasure to read, and which also demonstrates her strength and professionalism as an historian. This biography deserves wide readership. I recommend it highly to anyone interested in Betty Smith's work, as well as in the writing process and the writing life during a period when the way was not often easy for a woman writer.
Joyce Allen

Fans of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (1943) will find a rich treat in Valerie Yow's biography of its author, Betty Smith. Smith is best known today for the largely autobiographical Tree, but she was celebrated in her day as a prolific playwright (she wrote some 60 plays), and three other popular novels that, like Tree, drew from her own life: Tomorrow Will Be Better (1948), Maggie-Now (1958), and Joy in the Morning (1963).

Though Smith's dramatic work (King Cotton, 1937; So Gracious Is the Time, 1938; The Desert Shall Rejoice, 1941, with Robert Finch) is little-known, Yow examines it thoroughly, and shows that Smith first found her voice in theatre - a lifelong passion.

Yow portrays Smith as a complex individual, at home in the lively, combative streets of Brooklyn as well as its quiet library. She had a fine intellect, nurtured by study at Yale and a circle of literary friends; but as a writer, she did not seek the companionship of the intellectuals of her day. An introvert, she immersed herself in raising her family through three complicated marriages and years of poverty; and in writing polished, sometimes controversial, plays that explored the dark corners of contemporary life in the mid-twentieth century. With success came the stressful glare of public life; but with the accompanying money, she was able to afford weeks of solitude at Nags Head, on North Carolina's Outer Banks, where the diminutive, city-bred author rose at dawn to revel in the sunrise and fish for hours in the Atlantic surf.

Much of the revelation of Smith's character and life in Yow's book comes through well-chosen excerpts from her correspondence and published personal interviews. Yow, an oral historian and psychologist,also conducted lengthy interviews of Smith's surviving family, friends and associates; spent years ransacking obscure archives for information on, and photos of, her subject; and thoroughly immersed herself in the places that Betty brought to life in her semi-autobiographical fiction: Williamsburg, Brooklyn; Ann Arbor, Michigan; Chapel Hill, North Carolina; and Nags Head.

Yow's excellent analysis suggests Smith's enduring appeal arises from her realism, for in her fiction she developed the full, flawed humanity of her characters - most famously, Francie Nolan's beloved, alcoholic father, Johnny Nolan in Tree. At a time when "literary" fiction was expected to have an overt social and political agenda, Betty Smith explored more personal terrain, though nonetheless gritty; for her characters pick their way through messy personal relationships that both nurture and thwart their hopes and dreams.

Yow points out that Smith's wise studies of individuals struggling in the barbed embrace of family and community remain compelling more than a half-century after she wrote them. Despite critics who dismissed her books as "sentimental" because they dealt with the personal, rather than the political, Smith's realistic approach has survived seismic cultural changes, and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn has become what few of her contemporaries can claim to have produced - a classic.

Having loved "A Tree Grows In Brooklyn", I picked up Ms. Yow's biography of Betty Smith with curiosity and a measure of trepidation. I expected an academic treatise but what I discovered, to my delight, was a rich, full-bodied, insightful account of Betty Smith's life.
Ms. Yow is a skilled story teller and this talent combined with her keen research skills and her expertise as a psychologist, yields a book that is not only informative and perceptive but a great read, as well. You won't be able to put this one down.
Anyone who has read and loved "A Tree Grows In Brooklyn" will enjoy this biography. Ms. Yow helps the reader achieve a new understanding of the genesis of Francie Nolan and her family through her compelling analysis of Ms. Smith's own story.

In Betty Smith: Life of the Author of a Tree Grows in Brooklyn, author Valerie Yow has done a masterful work of making a non-fiction biography read as entertainingly and engrossingly as a well-written novel. Using a compelling narrative style, Yow tells the fascinating story of this little-known woman writer of mid 20th century. Amazingly well researched, this biography never feels moribund by facts. Instead they are used to paint a compelling picture of a writer's life and the times in which she lived. Yow provides a telling analysis - both literary and psychological - of Smith and her work. From her impoverished beginnings in Brooklyn to her turbulent life in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Smith's story is even more compelling than that of the character Francie in A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. After reading Yow's biography the relationship between author and characters, between author and the people in his/her life becomes even more understandable, as is the relationship between an author and the times in which he/she lives. This book is more than just a great read, it is an invaluable resource for writers and historians and anyone interested in literature.

I Like This!. When Dawn starts getting threatening notes and odd phone calls while she is baby-sitting, she doesn't know what to do. The notes are signed "Mr. X.," and they are beginning to get scary. Normally, she would tell the other Baby Sitters, but this time is different. The kids at Stoneybrook Elementary are having a Sitter of the Month Contest. The siiter for the month has to be someone who is in control, someone whose jobs always go smoothly. Dawn wants to win, But how can she win while Mr. X is sending notes?

Beware, Dawn is one of the best mysteries I have ever read! It's about a girl named Dawn, who starts to get weird phone calls and creepy letters during a contest for the Best Baby-Sitter, so she doesn't want to tell anyone one about it. Soon, she figures out that every other Baby-Sitter is getting the same creepy calls & letters, except for Kristy, but the ending is still a great surprise. You really should read this book at night because it sends chills down your spine and makes you afraid that someone might be at your door!

The book is about a person who threads Dawn but should she tell the other members or not?

This book is full of mystery. Kids will enjoy the susppenss of the book . Melissa Marie

At Stoneybrook Elementary there is a Sitter-of-the-Month contest. Dawn wants to be the best sitter of course and soon she gets threatening notes from a mysterious Mr.X Then all kinds of freaky stuff starts happening to all the Baby-sitters. What will happen next? Read it to find out.

If you loved Bertrand R. Brinley's two collections of stories: The Mad Scientists' Club and The New Adventures of the Mad Scientists' Club or the final novel The Big Chunk of Ice: The Last Known Adventure of the Mad Scientists' Club, then you'll also love "The Big Kerplop" The boys return in the first novel-length adventure of the Mad Scientists of Mammoth Falls, which is in fact a prequel that explains how the club was formed and how founding member Harmon Muldoon got expelled, becoming their nemesis in the short stories.

Jeff Crocker, Charlie Finckledinck, and Harmon Muldoon are fishing in the fog on Strawberry Lake when an Air Force exercise goes wrong resulting in something rather large landing near the boys with a loud Kerplop! Thinking that the Air Force might like to have whatever it was back, the boys attempt to calculate their position using basic scientific principles. Their thinking turns out to be correct when the "something" is revealed to be a hydrogen bomb! However, when the Air Force fails to find the bomb where the boys calculated their position to be (or anywhere else for that matter), Jeff, Charlie, and Harmon take matters into their own hands, gathering together the future members of the Mad Scientists' Club both in order to prove that they were right and to find the missing hydrogen bomb. Hi-jinks ensue.

As a boy, I was terribly disappointed by "The Big Kerplop" that I had waited six long years for because I had assumed based on the brief published descriptions of the upcoming book, originally titled "The Sunken Village", that we would finally see the restored midget submarine in action. Instead it turned out to be a prequel, and the midget submarine was never used. Rereading it now, I can better appreciate what turned out to be a very fine novel, a worthy companion to the previous books, that revealed a lot more about the characters than the short stories had disclosed. However, I can also more clearly see the chronological problems introduced by this prequel, specifically, the logic problem arising from making the boys such huge heroes at their club's founding that their subsequent anonymity and treatment like a bunch of normal kids makes no sense. In addition Harmon Muldoon is portrayed as such a total jerk that the reader is left wondering how Jeff and Charlie could stand him long enough to be friends with him at the beginning of the novel.

Note: the Purple House reprint of The Big Kerplop!: The Original Adventure of the Mad Scientists' Club is worth picking up even if you own the extremely rare first edition of The Big Kerplop; A Mad Scientists' Club Adventure because the text is based on the original manuscript, restoring a number of passages that had been cut for space reasons. It also includes an introduction written by Bertrand's son Sheridan. First time readers would be well advised to read this novel after reading the short stories in chronological order; for subsequent rereadings this novel can be placed first where it belongs chronologically.

If you liked the previous Mad Scientists books as well as I did, you will like this one, too. It is like your favorite cartoon turned into a full-length movie (provided it is a good one, which this is). The discover and suspense are well worth it, especially for developing minds.

Purple House Press is reissuing The Big Kerplop! in 2003. At last the elusive third book in the Mad Scientists' Club series will be available to everyone who wants to read it!

This is a great book, just like all their other stories. I like the way when they have a problem they just think up a way to solve it, and then they think up a way to do that. And they're not afraid of the army or anybody, they just do what they have to do. I know this book was written a long time ago, but they sound just like guys I know. (only smarter) I wish there were more books like this out there because I would sure read them too! The mad scientists club is great!

In this book, Henry and the other young mad scientists help the military locate a nuclear missile that has landed in the local lake. It is the third book in the series. It has a much more complex storyline than any of the the other Mad Scientists stories and makes the guys question the purpose of their endeavours. In an earlier adventure, we are given to believe that the military would be the best place for the young scientists to grow up, but in this story we see that the military has serious flaws. This is radical for a story from this era, especially from an author who was part of the military-industrial complex himself.

An old fashioned macho detective with a new twist, he's dead and filled with cauked up holes. This book crosses several genres, and might be of particular interest to readers of vampire novels, mystery and science fiction. There are some great new ideas concerning vampire society, ghosts, imps in bottles, and your general undead. The author has done his research as well, and scenes are very detailed.

Okay, so you've got this detective who's dedicated his existence to ridding the world of evil. He's strong, sensitive, and...oh, yeah...he's dead.

"Blood and Shadows" is a new kind of detective novel; not only are the stakes much higher (the destruction of the world), but our hero isn't the virile, sexy type. Eric Baine, the Dead Detective, patches himself up with spackle after gunfights. He wears a metal plate to cover up the missing part of his head. When faced with (well, relatively speaking) mortal danger, the spirit controlling his body takes over and obliterates any threat with a blinding green light. Mike Hammer, he ain't.

Therein lies the beauty of this novel. Main spices this supernatural tale with dark humor, morals, and even romance. The relationship between Baine and Ming Li, his mysterious Chinese muse, is touching--simply because it's one of the more seemingly possible things in a universe of impossibility. Dead guys need love, too.

The fact that this is Main's first published novel is a shame--this quirky concept has fleshed out nicely and, should Main continue to offer new Baine adventures, he will have breathed new life into a dying genre. (Okay, the puns are a little much...but you get the point, right?) "Blood and Shadows" is a funny, gripping, wonderful novel.

Incredibly well-written, imaginative and above all else FUN! The characters, plot and world are all well thought through with many twists on conventional undead mythos. Anyone with a well-developed sense of humor, wit and imagination should LOVE this book. Stop reading the reviews already... go buy this book!

I laughed out loud and cannot wait for more files from the smart-assed, undead detective, Eric Baine (oh yeah... and from that Michael guy behind the keyboard too).

If you took the best of Elliot Ness, Anne Rice, and MacGyver you would get the main character, Eric Baine. He is witty, intelligent and clever. He finds himself in some unpredictable situations, but when you are a dead detective anything is possible. The author, Michael Main, does a great job relating this guys misery and struggle between the world of the living and the dead. I had a hard time putting this one down. I am looking forward to seeing more stories about Eric Baine in print.

Incredibly well-written, imaginative and above all else FUN! The characters, plot and world are all well thought through with many twists on conventional undead mythos. Anyone with a well-developed sense of humor, wit and imagination should LOVE this book. Stop reading the reviews already... go buy this book!

I laughed out loud and cannot wait for more files from the smart-assed, undead detective, Eric Baine (oh yeah... and from that Michael guy behind the keyboard too).

This is the author's own story of growing up on a cattle ranch on the island of Maui, Hawaii about 1900. Her descriptions of the exotic landscape and culture and her obvious joy in living this type of free outdoor life made me feel that I had lived there with her. I didn't want the book to end, so I read several of the author's other books. They are also very enjoyable, but I like this one the best, because it is a true story.

Armine Von Tempski grew up on the island of Maui, Hawaii. Her autobiography, 'Born in Paradise', describes in finite detail her love of the islands and the cultural traits of the Hawaiian people. Anyone who has a love of the islands, especially Maui, will enjoy the early 20th century accounts of events that took place. The infantile detail she pays attention to, enhances the beauty of the book. It makes you long for the inner peace of living such an idyllic life.

Thanks, Paul M. Goyette

If you are a lover of all things Hawaii, know that this book is for you. Although this autobiography was written by a European after our dubious disturbance in these islands, Armine captures the feel, the smell, the magic, and the beauty of Hawaii in the early 1900s. Raised by a father with a great sense of adventure and love of his daughter and Hawaii, Armine lives a charmed existence and details it beautifully for us to escape to. If you have been to Maui, you will particularly love to read it with a map or memories in hand, to even better picture what she paints on the canvas of her book.

My mother has a copy of this book. I read it and found out that Armine and I have alot in common. We were both born in Hawaii, she on Maui, me on Oahu, but moved to Maui when I was 2 years old. We both have alot of fond childhood memories of the islands, events and our family and friends over there. She met royalty, grew up on a 10,000 acre ranch called Haleakala (pronounced hale-a-ka-la) Ranch situated on the volcano of the same name. It is now Tedeschi Winery (they make pineapple wine!)

The book mainly tells the story of a white child growing up in paradise amongst hawaiians, portuguese, japanese, chinese, koreans, and other people of different races. She took pride in being called a "paniolo" (hawaiian for cowboy).

Excellent book for everybody!

This book was purchased by me on a recent trip to Maui. I bought it in a museum gift shop in Lahaina. I was instantly transported back to Paradise--Maui. This is the story of a young girl being raised on Maui in the days of paniolos(Hawaiian cowboys),horses and cattle. She invites us to share in her adventures being the eldest daughter of a cattle ranch manager.

Armine shares her trials, joys and sorrows of growing up in Maui. Encouraged by her loving father, she was taught strive to do her best and to take some risks in life.

Many of the places she writes about are places that still interest many of us now. She brings to life a Maui that is far different now.

A good book for all ages. Enjoy!

David Brentridge was the only Brentridge heir left alive that knew about the family secret. Many men and even a woman sought out the rumored gold hidden on Brentridge property. None had ever breached the security of faithful work hands, the pool of poison, or the gun of David Brentridge himself.

Recent deaths led David to believe that his enemy Will Janely, was on the lookout to get his grimy hand on the gold. David was right in suspecting Will; but he never would have guessed who actually rode away that day with the small fortune leaving David for dead.

That one day put life in motion for David. He knew he must marry to sire a child of his own to pass on the family secret to. The only problem was, he didn't know where to find her as she has up and disappeared. In the end David got what he wanted all along; he was willing to pay the price in gold, too bad it also cost a leg.

Mr. Lambert has written a western that is a wickedly detailed , weirdly worded book of pure excitement. The characters exploded from the pages coming right to life. This story was very detailed, so much so that it distracted me from the story time to time. With that aside this is definitely a 4 heart worthy series that I will be sure to follow.

Did David find Consuela again? Are they living happily ever after? Did he produce a heir and a spare like he hoped? Does the secret live on? Did he find another opening in the treasure room? Is there more treasure or another darker, deeper mystery? Who pulled him out of that tunnel? What was amiss in the treasure room that he couldn't put his finger on? Oh yes, inquiring minds want to know. When is W. Lambert III going to write the next book in the series to answer all these questions....Or has W. Lambert III already written it? Where can I get it?

Love the book. Just what I needed on a sunny Sunday afternoon drifting on the lake ... relaxing. Perfect!

I could not put this book down. W. Lambert has written this twisted and twisting plot excellently. During the "hunt" scenes I am reminded of the short story "The Most Dangerous Game." While gold may be what everyone is after, both the prey and game turn out to be humans.
Every detail in the book is strategically placed and timed to result in a shocking and revealing ending. This book is raw--human raw. We see the characters for who they are and not who they pretend to be--with a few surprises. Death is present many times during the story; each depiction is realistic and relevant.
I cannot wait for the next book by W. Lambert

When author Christopher Dane, whose 1981 book RIDERS OF THE DRAGON presaged the Heaven's Gate suicides and arrival of comet Hale-Bopp, recommends THE BRENTRIDGE GOLD -- "Great! Fantastic! Unusual! A book I wish I'd written!" -- I sit up and take notice. Nor was I disappointed.

A sci-fi fan and a western afficionado, I found THE BRENTRIDGE GOLD, subtle enough in its plotline to satisfy readers of both genres. In fact, if you aren't a die-hard fan of the Ancient Astronaut theories, you might very well be misled into believing Lambert has written a western with just a very interesting and very unique storyline. However, if you are a true believer, there's enough insinuation of things "above and beyond" (including "Pakal, The Maya Astronaut" on the cover) to get the juices and the ah-yes-there-you-have-it! thought process working overtime.

Lambert, not new to the book scene provided some now classical reads in the eighties (ENCORES IN FADE; MICHAEL THE MASTER; ASSIGNMENT GREY AREA), and it's great to have him back from retirement [or from wherever else -- (cue "The Twilight Zone Theme") do,do do,do -- he's been], especially with a book that I predict will become a cult classic in its own right.

Don't miss this one if you like your westerns with a twist you're not likely to find in your typical run-of-the-mill cowboy novel, or your sci-fi really out of the ordinary! And since the books presents itself as merely the first in "The Pleiades Portals Series" of books, be sure not to miss it, because of predicted upcoming-more-of-the-same!

While I usually won't read Westerns, the idea of one involving "Ancient Astronauts" intrigued me, because I love science fiction! The science fiction and adventure elements keep sneaking into the narrative, along with hints of possible supernatural activity. Still, author W. Lambert III stays tightly focused on the Western-style hero, David Brentridge.

In fact, David takes up most of the ink in this book. We often see only him, or just him with brief appearances from the other characters. Fortunately, Lambert makes David a unique and fascinating character who slowly reveals more and more about himself and his family through his actions, dialogue, and thoughts.

The people who keep crossing David's path in one way or another might want the Brentridge gold, and he rarely can decide which of them to trust. Lambert even holds back from the readers why the gold involves so many secrets, far beyond any obvious fortune, but he gives us fascinating hints and glimpses through David and an ancient shaman. He also gives a fast-paced, unpredictable read.

My kids love this so much we listen to it over and over. On more than one occasion my son has asked ME to stop singing so he can hear the music. The narrative is fun and engaging. I wish they would release more cds!

"If the children in your life like the recent bug movies or have ever owned an ant farm, they may be ready for BUGSTERS. An assortment of buggy friends, each with a distinctive voice and personality, deliver two stories: one about cooperation, another about fear and rumors. The messages are unmistakable, but not overbearing. The theme music is catchy. TOP NOTCH!"

My husband and I took my son (5),daughter (7), and the Bugsters, on the road to visit my parents over the holidays. We were more prepared this time, because last time, the crayons and the lap activities just weren't enough, and we don't have a VCR/DVD player in the car. I have to say that these stories really captured their attention, and sparked conversation. The CD is exceptionally done, the stories are thought provoking, the characters all have different voices, and the sound effects are fantastic. We couldn't get enough of it. I only wish we'd had more.

My husband and I took my son (5) and daughter (7), and the Bugsters, on the road to visit my parents over the holidays. We were more prepared this time, because last time, the crayons and the lap activities just weren't enough, and we don't have a VCR/DVD player in the car. I have to say that these stories really captured their attention, and sparked conversation. The CD is exceptionally done, the characters all have different voices, and the sound effects were fantastic. We couldn't get enough of it.

We took this audio book camping and the kids just loved it. My boys are 4 and 6, and they were drawn into the stories right away. The sound effects make all of the action come alive, especially in the dark. We sat and talked after each story about the lessons the kids learned. One is about working as a team, and the other one is about facing your fears, but what was most important was that my boys admitted some fears that I was able to help them face through the trip.

Great book to have if your a Bulldog owner or if you just love the breed. I bought several Bulldog books before I brought home Meatball and this one is by far the best.

GREAT OVERVIEW OF PUPPIES IN GENERAL AND BULLDOGS IN PARTICULAR. I BREED BULLDOGS AND GIVE THIS BOOK WITH EVERY PUPPY.

Bulldog (Kennel Club Dog Breed Series)
This is an excellent buy. Definitely to be HIGHLY recommended

As a breeder I look out for bulldog books all the time, and this one is superb. Right from the inside cover (full color diagram of the breed standard) to the inside of the back cover (a really nice touch for first time owners, including a place to put their picture and to keep notes such as vaccination records) this book delivers 100%. Highly recommended for ol'timers like me and new bulldog owners alike!!

The cover picture alone would be reason enough to buy this book. The book itself, though, is a very good manual for bulldog owners and has lots of other pictures scattered throughout. A very good purchase.

'Car Chases and Fake Bologna' is a book that really meant a lot to me. As a teenager myself, from the very first page I couldn't help but think, 'hey, this is me!'. I followed every page and felt as though I weren't alone in the world. Feelings and emotions I could see in myself kept me with it the whole way through. I can truthfully say that I didn't once put the book down while reading it, even reading it through a second sitting the next day. The poetry inside is both serious and light-hearted - an entry for every emotion I can think of. Its one of those things you feel you can grow up with - the more you read, the more the author ages, and the closer you become to it. I am very, very fond of this book, and I HIGHLY recommend it to anybody out there, regardless of what you’re used to reading. Its worth it.

Car Chases and Fake Bologna, which quickly became a favorite read of mine, finally tells the real story of what life is like for an american youth. The experiences, stories and emotions feel so real because they are real, not semi-true memories of long ago. I found myself laughing, feeling lighthearted and sorrowful throughout the whole book and it was so easy to connect to the author. So many of her emotions were the same that I was experiencing but still the author was so original and creative kept me turning the page for more. As I said before this is one of my favorite books and I highly recommend Car Chases and Fake Bologna for anyone looking for a refreshing, sincere, and often humerous take on the real life of america's youth.

I love poetry and I have to say I liked this book. It has something for everyone. From love poems to ones of silliness to those reflecting anger and hatred. Some make you wonder how sane the author is, but others make you smile so truly that you really don't care. I can't wait to read her next book.

I have read and reread this book and find it utterly fascinating. It is an insight into the mind of an American youth, but it is not a childish book, nor does it suffer the revisionist flaws of an adult reminiscing about their youth. It is a collection of thoughts written by a young girl with the ability to communicate her feelings. The poetry ranges from silly to passionate and back again (I love "Demon Girl"). It is a very good read, but be careful, she will charm you - after all, she is a witch.

A great new book by one of my favorite authors. This girl is going to be famous one day.
Her first published collection, Marie's Book of Spells, wasn't really to my taste but this is exactly the sort of thing I like to see. A peek into the mind of an American youth through poems and journal entires. Always honest and vastly entertaining. I'm eagerly waiting to see what she comes out with next.