Clubs Books

How sad I was to go to my local bookstore and discover Spier's "Christmas" book is out of print. My children are grown and still talk about his books. There is a lightness and positive energy in his books that any child in any generation can relate to. The lack of words allows anyone to use their own memories and imagination to create the story. I had planned to start buying these for my grandchildren. Favorites are "Christmas" and "Bored - nothing to do."
How do we get these published again?

My children are growing up with Spier just as I did. The youngest love to look at the pictures and hear me tell about them. Older children love to make up the story as it progresses. Great tool for promoting imagination.

This is too delightful a book to be out of print!

Mr. Speir again showcases his talent for detail in this charming, word-free picture book about Christmas. The story is linear, have a starting point and logical ending point, but many of the images in between could easily be shuffled about with no detriment to the overall book.

What we have here are snatches of personal memory, vignettes of both public and hidden moments, perhaps even just a glance that catches a simple image from a childhood Christmas past, all faithfully recorded in the mind's eye and replayed with each new Christmas season for years and years. I was struck by how carefully Mr. Speir was able to capture these images for us, all of which we instantly recognize in a sort of collective unconscious, or universal memory.

The ornaments packed away in the attic, the hectic shopping at grocery stores and shopping malls, hanging a wreath, standing outside in the quiet dusk to admire the Christmas lights and the tree in the window, a packed church service, carolers, bringing small gifts and a visit to the elderly nieghbors, the cat sitting by the electric candle on the window sill and looking out at the world, the silent night, the magic of Christmas Morning, the presents, the dinner, the relatives, the phone calls to old friends and family seperated by distance, the quiet moment by the fire at the end of the day.

Everything, absolutely everything is here, lovingly detailed by Mr. Speir's ink pen.

This is the perfect Christmas, with no fighting, no stress, no phony commercialism, no bickering children or adults. Like memory, Mr. Speir wisely highlights the good, the pleasant, the golden, the loving, and the ideal rememberances of Christmas.

A rare and wonderful achievement, and a Christmas book to be treasured.

You don't have to be a child to revel in Peter Spier's beautiful full-color art (and at age 55 I can speak from personal experience). Here he tells the story of a typical American Christmas season with never a printed word, beginning on December 13 and going on the following January 4. A family of five (plus dog and cat) shop the bedizened mall, make decorations, address and send out Christmas cards, choose and trim their tree, shop for and prepare their holiday feast, go to church, open their presents, and welcome grandparents for Christmas dinner. Nor does the artist fail to show the post-holiday chores--taking down the trims, vacuuming shed needles off the carpet, returning gifts and putting the denuded tree out on the curb. From the hectic (the mall scenes) to the beautiful (the family standing outside its own house to inspect the effect of the decorations, a streetscape showing neighboring homes including two that aren't decorated at all), the fun (a mass snowball fight) to the contemplative (Mom and Dad sitting before the fire on Christmas night after the grandparents have gone home and the kids are in bed) to the mischievous (the family cat tearing a piece of meat off the turkey carcass as it sits on the kitchen counter), it's all here. Spier's Christmas is a season of love and joy and peace, as we're told Christmas should be. This book should be tradition in every home that celebrates it.

We set this book out with all the other Christmas decorations every year. It's a tradition. Even the older ones in the family enjoy the book without words. The beautiful illustrations take you through a journey of a family's Christmas season. If you love Christmas, you must have it.

We have used this cookbook for years and continue to go back to it again and again for our favorite and new recipes alike. I'd recommend this to anyone who is looking for not-too-complicated recipes that are delicious! Favorites are the Red Snapper with Black Bean Salsa and the French Pepper Steak - two recipes we have made dozens of times.

I am just now learning to cook, and must admit that every single recipe I have tried in both Main Line Classics I and II have been delicious. Now even I can cook for my in-laws!!

This is a wonderful cookbook for quick, easy, and DELICIOUS recipes. Great for company or family dinners. Ingredients are easy to find. I love this book.

This community cookbook has so many recipes that are easy, up-to-date, and ready for company. I have used this book, and it's companion...Main Line Classics many, many times. I love them both.

I have enjoyed preparing many of the recipes. Most are very easy to follow and the end results very tasty. The complete menus at the back of the book provide guidance when planning a dinner party. The fact that 100% of the proceeds from the sale of the cookbook is donated to the comunity makes this a favorite cookbook.

There's an excitement to this story where even the down times of rehearsal or learning about the Great Hoo Ha Ha become fun and exciting. Playtrain is an excellent example of expert pacing. As far as I can find this is Daniel Liegey's first work but I'm guessing it won't be his last. There is so much room left open for a sequel, I'm betting we'll see Playtrain 2 soon enough. I would highly recommend this book to readers of all ages.

Some of the highlights in the story include the "Infamous Playtrain Circus" At the first mention of it, the circus didn't sound so appealing but when you actually get to the surreal details of it you'll become memorized. Maddening drums! I love it! The kite fight match is fun. It opens up a great little subplot to the book and helps to broaden Sam's horizons in the underground. But I have to say, if you can follow it, the mystery is well built. You'll kick yourself for not figuring it out on your own.

The train passenger's are fun. There's no real deepness to them but I'm not sure that's necessary. I have to admit I found myself laughing at Antonio the Demon's jokes. They're supposed to be bad and I guess I thought that's why they were funny. All of the characters are loony in one way or another. Horton is probably the most likeable but Teckle Rubar is genius. The Doves's songs I found annoying but I think that was the point. What's up with the sheep? It's kind of funny. She just slept the whole time and wakes up for a second at the end. Fitzgerald Fang might be one of the most clever character's created I've ever read. Maybe I'm thinking too much? I just realized that I'm writing more towards people who read the book already and not to the people who want to read it. So my advice is to read this book!

Splendid performance and sure to delight readers of all ages!

I was given Playtrain by a friend and I stopped reading Summerland just to start reading it (and I love Chabon!). I'm only up to chapter 4 but I already love it. My friend already told me all about it but it doesn't matter cause I just forget when I'm reading it. There are some similarities to Harry Potter, but Playtrain is a bit more to my taste! Great job, Mr. Liegey!!

Tayla is an great character. She's kind of the opposite of Hermionie but I love her! I also liked Horton Mellow and when Tayla rode Horton to catch Brice! Check out the playtrain website!

Playtrain is another one of those can't put em' down children's books that has has flooded the market. In a lot of ways this book is even better then most. It has that comedy flair like in Artemis Fowl and it captures that magic of traveling to a new place here on earth just like the Golden Compass. It reads fast and it's got a nice twist on the whole idea of who the hero should be. There's a part in it that really made me think about how children can mold another child into being a bully. It's and interesting concept. After all, the kid whose good at sports gets rewarded and molded into a future athlete. The kid who gets good in art class gets molded into an artist. It's a subtle message but probably a really important one we need to look at with all the recent focus on bullying behavior. I like that there's a little bit more moral fiber put into Playtrain versus' the other books. Don't worry, the adventure is just as solid as the rest of them. And unlike the other book where the hero's often get major help in the end from their friends, in this book it all comes down to the main character. The concept of the book is wonderful! These kids put on school plays in order to harness the audience's imagination and then they can create their train. The trick is, they have to be back from their adventure by the time the play is over or the train disappears. Pretty cool! It's got some of the strangeness of Lemony Snicket and the secondary characters are just as fun as the secondary character's in Artemis Fowl. I almost wish I read this first because I like it more.

My brother's book has 6 stories about me. I drew illustrations. This stories is true. I stole a french fry are McDonald's and cut my own haircut. Other stories about Cheez Puffs, our dog Duke, my bicycle and flying beetle. The people where I work like my book. There is a poem about Mrs. Post, my aide at my old school. I drew illustration of her. I drew a dogs, my family, animals and my own cartoon characters. I like how the book is turn out. It's nice when the people read about me and see my illustrations.

Hats off to Richard and Kevin Carlson! This book is a must read for families who have loved ones on the autism/Asperger's spectrum, educators, all professionals. In short, this book is for everybody. This book serves as a bridge linking people and knocks down walls that were once said to enclose people on the spectrum. Like Joshua with the ram's horn, the walls are knocked down by the brothers Carlson.

This collaborative effort features several anecdotes involving Richard and Kevin. Kevin's illustrations bring the world as he knows it and the sensory issues he confronts on a daily basis into sharper focus. Richard provides an equally clear and strong voice. The bond between this pair is very heartwarming.

Please read this book. You will be so glad that you did.

Suggested for young readers age 6 to 10, yet involving and highly recommended reading for all ages, Poems And Short Stories About My Brother Kevin Who Has Autism by Richard W. Carlson Jr. is a unique and compelling collection of six true stories and six poems about the author's autistic younger brother, Kevin. Fifty simple black-and-white line drawing illustrations by Kevin illustrate and enhance this straightforward, heartwarming account which offers young readers a unique perspective into what it's like growing up with an autistic sibling, and the special challenges and responses therein. "Most boys would like bugs a lot./Because he has autism he does not." Also strongly recommended for school and community library collections is Richard Carlson's previous book: My Brother Kevin Has Autism.

Richard Carlson is to be commended, along with his brother Kevin. The drawings throughout this book are delightful, as are the stories told with such direct simplicity. This book, along with others in the Richard Carlson collection, should be required reading in schools. Children will love it. Every one of the stories will grab their interest. It will make a terrific present.

Carol Kluz is a coauthor of Carol Randy suspense and solo author of fantasy.

This book was great! It has some poems and short stories from MY
BROTHER KEVIN HAS AUTISM and there are new ones. I
felt lots of emotions reading this book like when Kevin fell in the icy
cold water and he couldn't swim. I felt really bad for him.
There were funny stories too. There was a lot of information about what
Autism is and now I understand it a little better. I would
like to meet Kevin to tell him what a great job he did with the
illustrations. I think this is a wonderful book for kids of all ages. I really enjoyed it, you will too!

Why Read?
Because it's good for you.

Why Read Short Stories, Essays and the like?
Because they're perfect for those tiny slices of your day when you're bored but have time to read only a few pages or so. Sure, if you have 6 hours straight to sit down and read something as thick as your wrist, no problem. But if you're the kinda person who catches the train, reads before bed, or waits in cafes for eternally tardy companions, shorter pieces are great because, well, they're short. There's no nasty 'What'll happen next? Darnit, my stop's coming up, I'll have to wait 'til tomorrow to find out!' sentiment. Stegall has masterfully crafted his stories to fit into the length of you bus trip; his interviews are precisely long enough to fill the ten minutes it'll take you to drink that latte.

Why Read James's Short Stories, Essays and the like?
Because they're good, GOOD i tell you. Look - everyone loves Retail Commando. What are you reading this for? Extra confirmation? Ok then: it's good! Buy it! You know you wanna!

Retail Commando is short in much the same way that War and Peace is not. But as James has always said, it's not the size that counts, but how you use it. He proves this chunk of wisdom right with this book. His brand of satire pierces the nipples of consumerism and his painful tragedies plunge shis-ka-bob skewers into your chest like Buffy's steaks into vampire hearts.

On Mr. Stegall's website, he has pictures of himself handling a lizard. I say, with writing of his caliber, he can handle any lizard he wants.

This book is electric much like the slide of the same name; the one danced at weddings. This book is magic much like the johnson of the the same name. Unlike my johnson this book is not very long, but then again it doesn't ruin promnight with premature [...] problems. This book is wacky and eclectic with stories and interviews and essays on well over two subjects. This book is deserving of a infomercial epitaph like, XL, Omni, Ultra, or 2000 and 1. It is both exciting and interesting. I wonder whether I should have taken out the johnson remark, [...]. I say the johnson comment stays, james Stegall would want it that way.

I became a fan of Mr. Stegall's when I realized his last name rhymes with 'eagle'. In actuality it might not, but seeing as I am a red, white, and blue blooded American, I just don't care. When my copy of 'Retail Commando' arrived, I went to the corner .... and bought an egg salad sandwich and a couple bottles of fine red wine.

Then I read the book.

Then I wrote this review.

And I must say this...Mr. Eagle, you're a good writer. You remind me of Bill Murray's character in 'Meat Balls'. Man, that's a great movie. The parts where they keep putting the guy's bed in different places? Ah.

A warning to movie buffs out there, however: This book has very little to do with 'Commando', starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. I was misled, but happily surprised. A little serendipity, if you will. :)

This book was written by a young man who will be going places in the literary world. His command of tongue-in-cheek satire as well as his grasp of the nuances of deep felt, family problems is amazing in one so young.

The unfaced fear of "Getting Out Alive", a look at just getting through basic training with the 4-year future in the Army yet to face; the soul-searching "We Have Rules" setting forth the story of a marriage breaking apart, leaving two sons, and yes, two adults, torn apart, and hopefully brought back together, albeit in separate camps; "The Wall Mirror", a story of an eating disorder, and not knowing how to handle it; the evolving "Don't Wake" the story of yet another marriage break-up. So many thoughts brought out in a first book, and all carried to fruition. Mr. Stegall does not leave you hanging wondering what happened to his characters - he fleshes them out for the reader to easily follow.

All surrounded by the shockingly funny lead story, "Retail Commando" the creative "Cupid's Boxing Ring", "Office Sex for Dummies" and real life interviews from the author's college days.

An excellent read!

This book is wonderfully illustrated. Lynne Cherry's style is to put a large picture on
each page surrounded by smaller pictures all relating to the subject. In this book the
subject is the course of a river over time and the effects of humanity on its health.
The side pictures relate to the people and their lifestyle at the time. The text gives
relatively simple explanations of what is occurring on the page.

Ages 10+
Follows the life of a river from Native American time through present and details the story of human destruction of a river and the human renewal of the resource. Definitely a read for grades 5+ due to the "urgency" of environmental destruction*we don't want to scare the kids to help them appreciate the resource*

This book was given to me at age 12. I am now 17 and it is still my favorite. I will never outgrow the beautiful pictures, or the very important lesson it teaches. Every page is expertly laid out, with exquisite paintings depicting the river and the era being discussed. The message of environmental conservation and protection is inspiring. Lynne Cherry makes this vital part of our existence understandable to young children, and even adults, often the harder group to reach. I highly reccommend this book for anyone who wants their children to appreciate the world around them and learn that they can, and should, do their best to save it.

This is a beautiful book! The illustrations are breathtaking and it follows an almost "illuminated" type of text structure, similar to that found in "The Mitten" by Jan Brett. Each page is bordered by illustrations of items pertaining to the period in history that the page is depicting - the implements used by Native peoples, animals that live by the river, inventions of the Industrial Revolution, etc. There is much more to talk about on each page than just the environmental theme of the book. This book would fit well in units about Native people, progress/inventions, ecology, water habitats, etc. A must-have for classrooms, homes, and teachers

I used this book with my third grade class when they were studying the effects of water pollution on a large body of water. They had already studied Native Americans in second grade and this book just blended the two subjects together. The step by step portrayal of man's harm to the Nashua River helped my children learn about how they were harming the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland. Lynne Cherry is a fantastic author and presents two great subjects that are highly interesting to children. Any teacher that teaches either Native Americans or water pollution should include this book in their lessons!

I laughed so hard I was crying. It really made my day. I hope Fred will continue to write as I know there are many more stories to be told. He has a real knack for seeing the humor in what we experienced on a daily basis. He also sees why we became teachers, it was the kids...

I am spreading the word to my teacher friends that this is a must read.

My wife and I are both teachers and this book is a slice taken from our lives. I guess the same kids go to all the schools all over the world, because if we didn't meet these students and teachers ourselves, we heard about them in the teachers lounge or over dinner. Anderson finds the levity in these situations that we may have missed while under fire. Open this book on any page for humorous insights into the life of a high school teacher.

I found Fred's stories to bring back so many memories of high school. Although I'm not a teacher, I related to his zany descriptions of life during these years. This book is a "must read" for everyone! Keep the stories coming Fred!

Fred Anderson's stories not only sent me back to the goofy events of my own adolescence, he brought me face to face with what our precious teachers confront every day. Anderson's writing combines a wide aperture with a very fast shutter speed, capturing what life in a big high school often becomes: narrow glimpses of human sagas. I hope he writes more. I couldn't get enough of these wonderful little stories.

I laghed. I cried. I peed my pants. Seriously, A great book of short stories that take me back to the ways of high school.

Steven Kellogg is one of my favorite illustrators. This hilarious tale is about a lonely dog whos owner sets out to find him a new friend. Of course mother wont' agree to another enourmouse great dane, so it has to be something small and quiet. The little girl decides on a kitten she names Rose. the problems begin when Rose thinks she's a dog and Pinkerton tries to be a cat! Find out how Pinkerton saves the day and becomes a kittens best friend.

"A Rose For Pinkerton," is about a relationship between a cat and a dog. This fun, loving, caring, and adventurous book goes through the feelings Pinkerton and Rose(main characters) have. It shows the consequences of their actions whether they are good or bad. This is a greta book that can teach children about the responsibilities of having a pet.

A Rose for Pinkerton is more fun than a boxful of kittens. The illustrations are lavish and reward careful scrutiny. (A display of "small and quiet pets" includes clams, snails, and fruit.) If you don't have a child, borrow one, and read A Rose for Pinkerton.

A Rose for Pinkerton was one of my very first favorite books when I was a little girl. I can remember looking at all the pictures and simply adoring every detailed scene in it, wondering how a person could be as imaginative in thought as I was. I just want to thank the author so very much for writing a book so full of creativity and life that a little girl fell in love with and is still to this day. Thank you for bringing happiness and light to my life with your book. :>

My two daughters insist on having this book read to them every night! They are young enough that it took a while for them to understand about the "thought bubbles" that show what Rose and Pinkerton are thinking, but they loved the illustrations of Rose as a Great Dane. I think they like Pinkerton because he's big, but he's cuddly and not threatening. It's fun to explore the pages and name all the pets they see. My four-year-old wanted to give this book a six-star rating, she likes it so much!

"Ruling Passions" is one of the earlier books in the Dalziel and Pascoe series by the always inventive Reginald Hill, and is as satisfying as almost anything that has come from that author.

This story reconnects Peter Pascoe with old girlfriend Ellie Soper and throws them into a multiple murder case involving a group of mutual friends. The gradual unwrapping of the circumstances and motivations of the murders is done with grand style and creativity by author Hill. There are always several layers of storyline in play at once, providing the reader with plenty to chew on. As in most Dalziel and Pascoe books, much text is spent on character development and interaction.

This is totally enjoyable reading.

Reginald Hill has the English detective genre locked up, and that is apparent with this, the third book in the Dalziel and Pascoe sereis. This is a complex book, and it has a lot of characters, so it's sometimes hard to keep them straight as well as all the plots and counterplots. The book is an example of two separate plot strings that come, ineveitably together. Make no mistake. Hill is a clever writer, and his books need to be read a little differently than a lot of others in this genre. Otherwise, you will get lost in the complexity. This book gives us an up-close and personal look at Peter Pascoe as murder touches him and the ones he cares about. I highly recommend this book.

Having renewed his relationship with college girlfriend Ellie Soper, Detective Peter Pascoe re-establishes contact with other school friends, who invite Ellie and Peter to spend a long weekend in the country with them. Work detains Peter, so that when Ellie and Peter arrive at the cottage, they find all their frinds brutally murdered, except for their host, who is missing.
Peter is out of his jurisdiction and on the other side of the witness table, trying desperately to convince his colleagues that his friend can't be the murderer.
Meanwhile Ellie does some investigating of her own, in which she finds an unexpected ally, the cop she detests, Superintendent Andy Dalziel.
If you have enjoyed later Dalziel and Pascoe books, don't miss this earlier effort. There are some great character developing scenes in this book, especially for Ellie and Dalziel.

Reginald Hill's detective stories are always an enjoyable combination of complex plots, well-developed characters, and lots of gossipy details of contemporary English village life. The only thing that keeps this from being a 5-star rating is that Pascoe is so closely linked to the victims and suspects that it is darker and lacks some of the humor of other books in this series. It's probably not the best of Hill's books for someone new to his detectives. Read another Reginald Hill first (you can't go wrong with any of them), then come back to this one when you know the main characters a little better.

Pascoe and Ellie arrive in Thorton Lacey for a reunion with four old friends. They discover three of their friends brutally murdered and the fourth gone missing. Is he dead also, or a suspect in the murders? Hill's descriptive powers are exceptional and they put you squarely into each scene. One of my favorites was, "Above the thatched roof a flock of television aerials parted the morning breeze and serenely sang their triumph over charm and Tudory". Intelligence and subtle humor infuse the whole story. The mystery spins irresistibly to the final pages and the ending leaves you with a smile.

Run to Daylight was published in 1963 and was instantly recognized as a classic. Written by legendary Green Bay Packer head coach Vince Lombardi, RTD details Lombardi and the Packers preparation for an unnammed opponnet in the 1962 championship season. The book is a must read for the aspiring coach or anyone interested in pro football coaching. RTD provides the psychological motivation of both the players and coaches and a highly readable account of a week in a pro football season. Along with John Wooden's "They Call Me Coach", this is a must read for coaches of any sport.

Such a rare gem of a book, I was floored by it's great detail and was very happy with this book!! This 1963 publication written by Vince Lombardi, is sure to be missed by much of today's generation, and unfortunately so. Lombardi SHOWS why his Packers were the 60's greatest football dynasty, and how his life plays out during a week as the leader of the Packers. This is an absolute MUST read by ANY real football fan!!!

Vince Lombardi's dedication and devotion transcended football. His quotes are used all the way from the high school locker room to the corporate board room.

This diary is Lombardi in his own words. It covers his views of the weekly cycle of planning for battle, preparing for battle, and then the football game itself.

Packer fan or motivational fan - this book is an easy read worth the several hours to get cover to cover.

This book is mandatory reading for football fans, particularly fan of the Green Bay Packers. Some of the ideas about this book are misleading. However, it is still a great read.

This book is not a biography of Lombardi or a guide on how to coach football. This book does give readers insight as to what it was like for Lombardi during his coaching tenure. Based on technology alone, there are great differences now. The readers get to see all of Lombardi's preparation for the mystery opponent in silver uniforms.

Several of Lombardi's famous quotes are included. Lombardi also discusses specifc intereactions with players as well as a number of interesting stories about various players. Despite his tough exterior, he genuinely cares about his players. When the book arrives at game day, you get to see the game form Lombardi's perspective. It is a real treat for football fans.

If you have read other books about the Packers during this era, you are not likley to learn many new facts. Many of the facts in here are credited as a primary source in other books. However, you do get to see Packer football from a new perspective.

In this book Lombardi's life is played out during a week as the patriarch of the Packers. He highlights in detail why they were a 60's dynasty. From the cycles of game planning, interactions with his team, you get to see Packer football from a new perspective. Despite his gruff exterior, it is crystal clear that he genuinely cared about his players on and off the field. This is not a how to coaching book or a biography. It is a slide snapshot that tells more than the reader expects.