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What a beautiful and sensative piece of writing! I actually found myself in tears reading it. I very much want to read more from this writer.

Not Mine to Keep by M. Dana begins with a recount of how Maddy celebrates her daughter's first birthday: by getting drunk.

This excerpt was such a smooth and effortless read but perfectly conveys the possible life lingering torment of a women having given a child up for adoption.

From Maddy's perspective, this excerpt shows a single day: her daughter's 35 birthday. It is full of thought and emotional fortitude that has encapsulated her despair and redirected it to the gift of joy toward others. While she admits to having better control of her feelings, the lost child scene and the declination to stay at the shelter show a strain on her limits of numbing out her emotions.

One can't help but wonder what emotional and mental state will guide her through her soon-to-be divorce and subsequent search for her daughter.

Maddy's voice is completely authentic for her circumstances, and the flatness of emotions in the beginning (despite the strong emotive nature of her situation) is completely understandable.

I hope to see more of this so I can read how Maddy negotiates her own story.

This story, about a middle aged woman who gave away her only child for adoption, is well written and moves smoothly through the various scenes. It does a good job of describing the emotions of the woman and, although she seems a little OCD, I am not sure that isn't a normal reaction. While I liked the excerpt, I wouldn't buy it or even really want to read it. The plot and story are definitely more oriented to women, as it does deal with the heavy and topical subject matter of giving up a child, and marital infidelity. It is not, however, "chic lit".

So much information and back story is communicated so smoothly and quickly so the reader is drawn in right away. I would love to read the rest to find out what the main character will do with the revelation at the end of the passage. The writing is well-done - good descriptions, engaging character and situation.

From the first sentence to the very last I was captivated by this storyline and what impresses me is this is only the beginning. Through this story Maggie Danna allows us to experience the pain the main character goes through due to giving up her own child for adoption. The birthday celebrations she has every year for her child, the fact that she hasn't been able to have another child with her husband, and seeing other parents with their children are all easily 'felt' as a reader. I also felt unbelievably rage at the end of this sample when it's obvious that not only has her husband had an affair but he's expecting a baby with the other woman.

I wanted to keep reading after this sample ended so I'm extemely hopeful we'll be seeing this one in print or ebook - I'm not picky! Just please, please, I need to know what happens

I enjoyed this book as much as Dairy Queen. I really like the fact that D.J. is such a down to earth girl. You can't help but like her. She really makes you think about what is really important in life...like family and having a good character. I think Dairy Queen and The Off Season would be great books for every teenage girl to read.

I have to hand it to Catherine Murdock for yet again crafting an excellent piece of literature. The character's voice in this story is incredibly strong! I listened to this book on c.d and whoever they hired to "be" D.J was made for the part.
This is a book I would give to a little sister or even best friend. It's inspiring and heartwarming and totally relatable (trust me girl playing football on a farm was not what I would've picked up first). Very Clean but also very honest. Perfect for your own personal library (I'm an adult teacher and I'm buying one for my home as well as my school). DJ is a positive a strong role model for young women. Loved the characters in this story. They were well crafted and complex, nobody was black and white which of course is what makes it so incredibly realistic. I can't wait for the 3rd and final book in this series!

In Dairy Queen by Catherine Murdock, readers met a girl named D.J. who had to pick up the slack on her family's farm when her father's hip injury prevented him from doing the bulk of the work. She also had to help train Brian, the quarterback for the rival school's team. Her two older brothers were big hometown football stars - and now, unexpectedly, she might become one as well.

In the solid sequel, The Off-Season, D.J. continues to juggle her school life, her home life, and her sports life. Homework and farmwork just keep coming. Then she gets injured, which obviously and completely changes her athletic schedule. Further complicating matters are D.J.'s mixed feelings about Brian and her strained relationship with her best friend. When two other family members become hurt in debilitating ways, the Schwenks have to come together in a big way - and have to make even more sacrifices.

Give Dairy Queen and its sequel The Off-Season to girls you know who refuse to back down when coaches tell them girls shouldn't or can't play certain sports - and tell them that YES, THEY CAN!

Sometimes, after a successful first novel, its sequel may fall flat. This certainly is not true in the case of Catherine Gilbert Murdock's sequel to Dairy Queen. In The Off Season, we find D.J. Schwenk coping with even more challenges than ever, many of which could topple someone twice her age. While we know that D.J. has real style and substance, this time we find her to be more of a hero than ever. Once again, she rises to the occasion, providing the stability for her injured brother to move on with his life. A loyal friend, she stands behind her friend, Amber; and, because she believes in honesty, she refuses to look at her boyfriend through rose-colored glasses, realizing that he might not have the character she thought he had. Through it all, D.J. handles herself with the candor and composure her readers have come to love. Written with the same skill and intelligence as her first novel, this is another Murdock winner that you won't want to put down until the very last page.

When we last left D.J. Schwenk in Dairy Queen, she was trying to cope with her family's problems, the inclusion of Brian into her life, and surviving being on the Red Bend football team. You know, when most people thought girls shouldn't be on the team.

At first it seemed like she had found solutions to all of those problems. But all good things must come to an end, whether D.J. likes it or not.

With Brian being her sort of boyfriend, D.J. is pretty ecstatic, since not only is he hot and athletic, he is her first real boyfriend. But it sort of creates a problem since D.J. isn't so sure where there relationship is heading or if it is going at all. Brian isn't too sure, either, since it seems like D.J. would rather spend time with her family then hang out with him.

Her friend, Amber, is starting to get noticed, for all the wrong reasons, though. Now known as the girl with a girlfriend, Amber is beginning to change, once again, right in front of D.J.'s eyes, all because people in their town don't approve of that kind of relationship.

D.J.'s family is beginning to resolve their relationship problems. But when they think all is well, their financial problems come into play. Not only that, but D.J. herself and her brother, Win, suffer injuries that just might put an end to what they love the most.

While trying to control all of her problems, D.J. must be able to find her strength, the one that got her through her summer and the one that helped her get on the football team.

Once again, D.J. shines as a heroine who shows that everyone has the ability to get over any obstacle thrown their way.

Reviewed by: Randstostipher "tallnlankyrn" Nguyen

Olivia Kidney is a first-rate kid in a first-rate book. Everyone feels lonely from time to time but Olivia's got it bad. Her father's job is working as a superintendent for apartment buildings. The problem is he's not very good at fixing things. So they're always moving. And since her mom left, things are especially hard.

Now they've moved to another new place. At her new school, Olivia hasn't made any friends AND she has to go see the school psychiatrist. It couldn't get worse, right? Wrong? When Olivia comes home, she can't find her key. Luckily a neighbor lets her into the building. But she still can't get into her apartment and that's when all the trouble really starts.

The author, Ellen Potter has done an excellent job in creating a wild ride through Olivia's adventure. The characters are fun, funny and bit freaky too. At first, I was a bit trepidacious as Olivia started adventuring from apartment to apartment. But she always landed on her feet, so I felt more comfortable as I suspended belief while Olivia met one character odder than the next. Finally all is well as - with a splash and a buzz - the story is brought full circle with a thoroughly wonderful and satisfying ending.

Olivia Kidney is an exciting book that I would recommend to kids of all ages.
Olivia Kidney is a girl that is constantly moving from apartment to apartment
because of her dad's job as a superintendent at the apartment. She meets this
woman in her apartment that has glass floors and walls, and she can see through
above, beside and below into the other rooms. Then Olivia goes to Master Clive
and he tells her a story. The story is about these ships hearing a beautiful sound.
They follow it and it turns out that its really a trap that lizards set up to kill the
people on the ship and steal all of there money. Olivia, ends up on the island of
lizards and finds the shell. Do the lizards kill her or not?
The setting in this book are very interesting. There are a lot of different
places she goes to. The first one is her new apartment. It has twenty-three floors
and she lives on the fourteenth floor. Everyone is annoyed with her because she is
too loud. The second place is Master Clive's house. She lives in a wooden, kind of
tree house thing. Its really dirty. Last but not least she ends up on the Beach. The
lizards are in charge of the beach.
This is for sure one of the funnest books I have ever read.

I thought this book was really cool and interesting because of all the scenes and problems she had faced. I thought the glass apartment was awesome i even read this book for my book repost for school and made a diarama of the glass apartment.!!! i recommened this book to any adventure lover.

Olivia Kidney


If you lost your apartment keys would you search all over for them? You probably would.
Well it all started one day when this girl named Olivia kidney lost her apartment keys at school. She had just moved into a new apartment and a new school, so as you would expect she didn't know her way around. As she was looking for her keys she ran into many strange things such as talking lizards, a rainforest apartment, ghosts that only she could see, and even an apartment made entirely of glass!!
Olivia Kidney is a shy and open girl, she is ready for anything coming her way as she is looking for her apartment keys she has to face almost death. My favorite character in this book is Olivia. She is an intelligent little girl who is on a mission and nothing can get in the way.
I would defiantly recommend this book to girls. I would also recommend this book to someone who likes adventurous, dramatic, and funny books.

Olivia Kidney is a great book about a girl that needs a friend. She has a good imagination and is a very good listener. She is able in just an ordinary everyday apartment house to use her skills and find herself in her own amazing adventures. She is like a good friend I would have if I knew her in real life! Check it out!

Maya, age 8

Having read just about all of the Nero Wolfe series, I have to say, this one contains all of the elements that make Rex Stout's detective novels wildly entertaining, without most of the elements that make some of them maddening

In this mystery, the utterly unswashbuckling Wolfe is revealed, in his younger, svelter days, to have been quite a romantic. Not only did he fight on the anti-Imperial side in Montenegro during the Great War, but he adopted and may even have actually sired a young girl.

To his shock, this young Yugoslav maiden--whom he had lost track of--reappears in his life, up to her neck in a particularly messy, intricate affair that may or may not include missing diamonds, a dead body or two, international intrigue, and a bellboy's uniform. For all of the peeks into Wolfe's previously unsuspected soul, he remains as crumudgeonly and as immovable as ever. Archie Goodwin, of course, remains the wisecracking, milk-drinking sidekick, flirting with anything in a skirt and even giving a Nazi agent a black eye just for the fun of it.

The joy of these books is their marriage of the American gumshoe attitude and the British cozy focus on character. Where they generally fall short is their plotting. This entry in the series is, without a doubt, the most successfully rounded out of the lot. Stout manages to keep the mystery truly mysterious, and yet never manages to confuse the reader so thoroughly that s/he can't find the exit. The plot actually ends on the last page--many of the Nero Wolfe mysteries fizzle out, wrapping up a chapter or two before the end, leaving nothing but rumination and grumbling for the final pages. Others seem never quite to wrap up all the loose ends. Here, the conclusion is both inevitable and unexpected--utterly satisfying.

Over My Dead Body is the seventh in the Nero Wolfe series. A young lady claiming to be Wolfe's adopted daughter from Yugoslavia asks for his help with a charge of stealing diamonds but this quickly evolves into a situation where she is suspected of murder. The case frustrates Wolfe no end, it gets more complicated all the while, but of course he manages to uncover the solution by the end of the story.

This book is a prime example of a Nero Wolfe novel. Archie Goodwin is in top form as a wise cracking pain-in-the-neck. Inspector Cramer is present more than a lot of stories giving Goodwin plenty of opportunities for zingers besides the ones he routinely fires at Wolfe. Wolfe himself is definitely out of his comfort zone dealing with the situation of his adopted daughter and this also adds to the potential for laughs.

This is a very entertaining book and I would recommend it for readers unfamiliar with Nero Wolfe as a great place to start or for established fans.

In this Nero Wolfe mystery-one of the earlier episodes-we encounter Wolfe's adopted daughter, who is in a bit of a fix. Wolfe comes to the rescue and along the way, shares little glimpses into his past: his tumultuous youth in Europe; the origins of his suspicion of all women; how he came to adopt a child. In this book, probably more than any other in Rex Stout's series, do we see the effect that women-especially those from the former nation of Yugoslavia-have upon Wolfe's psyche. It's a good read-a good mystery with a great plot-like pretty much all of Stout's works.

This book hits on all cylinders. The plot is excellent, intricate but clear. The characters are well drawn. The atmosphere, New York on the eve of World War II, is almost palpable. The dialogue is perfect. I'm at a loss as to what else to say about the book except, "Read it."

A Britsh undercover agent is murdered at a Manhattan fencing school, skewered by an epee with a gizmo attached that turns it into a weapon sans blunt end. Yugoslav women who are instructors there are possible suspects, one of whom is Nero Wolfe's adopted daughter from his days as an ill advised Austrian agent in the Balkans, pre World War, before we started numbering them. This alone is a startling revelation about Wolfe. Wolfe slender? Youthful? Abroad, outside, involved with people? I was astonished.

As usual, the beer drinking, orchid collecting, erudite, corpulent food lover Nero Wolfe declines, under any circumstances, to leave his brownstone abode with a greenhouse rooftop for his rare flowers. Using Archie, his assistant, as legs, Wolfe solves the baffling case. I knew he would. He's solved all the other mysteries in the Nero Wolfe books I've read.

Mystery fans who have not read mysteries from the golden age (pre-1950) do not know what they are missing. There is no sex to lure the lascivious reader, very little violence, no profanity. What there is (and this book is an excellent example of the sub-genre) is intelligence.
That's a rare commodity in most modern mysteries.

This is, at once, one of the best books in the series and one which translated brilliantly to TV on the A&E series.

Rex Stout decides to deal us a little shock in this one: Nero Wolfe, woman-hater, has a daughter he's not seen since she was a baby. She comes from Yugoslavia to New York, unknown to her pops, and gets into a real tight spot involving murder by "coldymort."

When Archie learns this, he considers resigning on the basis of his boss's morals. You just have to read this one to find out.

Or, again, buy the A&E series - they did a great job here.

I first heard of this book when I was in 5th grade (about 10-11 yrs. old)...I'm 28 now. My African-American teacher would read us stories from it. I remember enjoying the stories so much that I bought this book for my son about 2 yrs. ago. My son is almost 3 now & while he can't read yet, I know he will enjoy the stories as much as I have. This book comes with a CD & is narrated by the author & James Earl Jones...the narration was well done. I listened to the CD & I felt as if I had gone back in time. The narrators are so vivid & they really get your attention. The CD is definitely a plus & the book was well written. I really like that the stories have morals & life lessons that we can learn from. I recommend buying this version of the book because it comes with the CD. I also recommend this book for children 9 & up. This book would be a great addition to anyone's book collection. I hope my review is helpful.

I read this book when I was in elementary school and fell in love with it. Virginia Hamilton really captures the essence of West African story telling and transfers that essence into American form. As an educator and historian, the lessons in this book has stayed with me for well over 18 yrs and I suspect the lessons will remain with me forever. I recommend that this book is on the shelves of every African American family.

As a storyteller and folklorist/historian, it saddens me that so few children today know anything about the joys of hearing a good tale from a wise elder. In Black America in particular, generations of children (including my father, thank God) had the wonderful tales of Brer Rabbit, Little 8 John, Raw head & Bloody Bones, Wiley & The Hairy Man, and the People Who Could Fly (title story) told to them as today's children are familiar with Kim Possible and the Proud Family.

I bought this for my beloved niece when she was eight and pretty soon, she began entertaining the children of the neighborhood with these tales just as I did after listening to my dad and I still do during storytelling gigs today.

Virginia Hamilton (RIP) did a masterful work in leaving this beautiful legacy to a generation where it is fast disappearing. She does a good job in interpreting the likes of Wiley the Hairy man, Raw Head and Bloody Bones (the PC crowd occasionally complains about this being too scary for kids as well as Brer Rabbit-let these crybaby fools go ahead with that sickening Barney the Dinosaur and the care bears). The edition that I bought for my neice was before the CD with Miss Hamilton and voicemaster James Earl Jones came out, but I have younger neices and nephews (and hopefully my own children in the future) that I will certainly look out for this for.

Another reason why this collection is in such need is that often, African-American parents (rightfully) complain about the lack of wholesome entertainment for their children in particular. Unfortunately, most parents of today were not exposed to these stories as I was and this often leads to well-intentioned but foolish recent activities such as the NAACP here in Charleston (SC) complaining about the lack of Black Santa Clauses in the local malls. As Miss Hamilton and those of us raised in the folklore tradition know, we have enough good things of our own culture to pass down to children than to worry of the color of Santa Claus.

Buy this, reconnect with your children, and enjoy.

This book is a trifecta:

1. You get to hear the author read her own writing. If you want to hear Virginia Hamilton and James Earl Jones adding their own special lyrical beauty to the reading of these stories, then purchase this version. Considering that Ms. Hamilton died in 2002, this CD is a must have.

I think it is important for children to hear the author reading their own work. So if you can't get to a book reading by the author, this is the next best thing. And you get to hear it over and over again.

2. The illustrations are magical, delicate, and powerful. Every child (but especially black and white) in this nation should hear the stories in this book. Before they know color issues, they should get to know the beauty and dignity of brown skin. To hear the dignity, power, and humanity of their own heritage or that of someone elses, before a world of anger taints them.

3. At the end of each story is a brief history of the story: it's origin, and variations, and other facts that help the story to become more real and personal, especially for a child who wants to know more about their heritage. This will inspire them to ask questions and (if they're older) do research as it cause me to do.

I read this to my daughter, Rachel, and she really enjoyed it. She smiled throughout the entire book. She loved the animal folktales about Bruh Rabbit, and Bruh Fox. She trembled with delight at the reading of the scary tales. As for her mother, my favorite was the title tale, The People Could Fly. It was magical!

The Power of Story gives you the opportunity to challenge your current story and decide how you will define your story from this point forward. If the traditional self-help books have not produced results, perhaps it is now time for you to consider digging deeper to create the story of your life. Well...are you ready to write the next chapter...your way?? If you are willing, you will be guided by author Jim Loehr who has worked with Olympic and Professional athletes and the Captains of industry.
Why not take the next step...and see what happens!

I have been aware for some time that the way we think about ourselves and the decisions that we make is based on a programming of our sub-conscience mind. This programming has been established from the time we were born through today by a filtering system that we have through our relationships with customs, culture, family, friends, peers, colleagues and education whether thru Academia or Hard Knocks.

Dr. Loehr, in Part One, not only identifies these filters that make up what he and others have called `My Story', showing that if our story is not changed, we are destine to continue on with our life as it is. This "Slow Death", as he calls it, is made up of questions we ask ourselves:

"How did it come to this?
What am I doing?
Where am I going?
What do I want?
Is my life working on any meaningful level? Why doesn't it work better?
Am I right now dieing, slowly for something, I'm not willing to die for?
WHY AM I WORKING SO HARD, MOVING SO FAST, FEELING SO LOUSY?"

This is not just for the individuals themselves, it includes the business we own or work for, showing `Your Story' around; work, family, health, happiness and friends.

After showing the process of identifying `Your Story' now, through writing it down, Dr. Loehr, in Part Two, presents `The Resources, Procedures and Practices' that enable one to write, indoctrinate and live `Your Best Life' possible.

Jim Loehr's writing style is not only involving for the reader; the examples (Including his own.) are those that most everyone can relate to. It is an informative, magnetic, yet easy to read volume for self evaluation and improvement.

This process is not without work and accountability, yet gives a person a whole new outlook on who they are and what they are here for, should they follow through.

This book is not only for those who are oblivious to this phenomenon of how story controls our lives. I also recommend this information and instruction for others who are aware of it (Like Me.), to have a better understanding and procedure on `How To Make My Story Better'!

Dr. D. P. Gatten [...]

What stories do you tell yourself about your life? That you must spend every waking hour at the office? That you have no time for exercise? That self-fulfillment is an impossible dream? If this is your internal dialogue, then you should not be surprised if it is also your external reality. Acclaimed performance psychologist Jim Loehr spells out a program that will enable you to discard your old negative stories and develop new positive ones that will make your life better. He shows you how to turn these new stories into your new reality. Plus, he explains why physical energy is crucial in this changeover, and what you must do to stay constantly energized. getAbstract believes that anyone who is stuck in a rut will benefit from reading Loehr's inspirational book and putting his transformational principles to work.

Jim Loehr's latest book is one of a handful of recent, great books dealing with the issue of how the stories we tell ourselves (and others) so shape our lives. Debbie Ford, Steve Chandler and Joe Caruso are authors whose writings on this subject I have highly recommended in previous reviews.

All of these books are convincing as to how our stories shape our lives. All make clear that we can change our life by changing the stories we tell ourselves. Loehr's tops the others by laying out a series of very specific exercises to help readers rewrite their stories. Loehr's deep background as a trainer shines through in his thoughtful exercises.

Now doing self-work is generally a much bigger challenge than merely reading about self-improvement. Loehr's exercises take time and thought....something for which the author (rightly) offers no apology. Few worthwhile things in life are gotten without effort.

Not yet ready to buckle down to change your story and your life; then grab the audios by Ford or Canuso to get some added motivation. Then, use Loehr's process to change your story for the better.

Outstanding book, full of extraordinary potential for those who follow Loehr's prescriptions.

This is a very thought provoking and life changing book. Jim Loehr first brings us face to face with the stories that we tell ourselves. Your first reaction is that you don't tell yourself stories. But you do. We all do. And often the stories we tell ourselves are crafted to fit our excuses for why we do or don't do things. As long as we are telling ourselves stories that are not based in reality, we will continue to live according to the story line we are telling ourself.

The book is not just about stories, it is actually a step by step manual for finding out your old story, discovering where it is wrong and then developinig a new story based around your purpose in life.

When most people list their priorities in life, they go something like this: God, family, work and other. But when they really examine their lives, they have made their career the most important thing in their lives. They devote most of their energy to their career and never have enough left for the other things in their lives. They tell themself one story but live another.

There is another very important lesson in the book. We all think that time is our most important asset. As Jim points out, it is not time but the energy we bring to the time we devote to any activity. He gives countless examples of people spending time with family but not fully engaged. The energy is not there.

If we are not physically fit, we do not have sufficient energy to accomplish the tasks we set out to do.

This is not theory. Jim runs the Human Performance Institute in Orlando, FL and the book is filled with examples from the work he has done with thousands of people.

The book is well written, easy to read and a real eye-opener.

There is a step by step plan for the individual to come face to face with their old story, write their new one and change their lifestyle so that they bring their life into harmony.

Well worth reading. You will never be living your ideal life until you get your life aligned with your story. This book tell you why and shows you how. The rest is up to you.

Fourteen-year-old Matt (Matilda) is a Goth, but that partially a pose to keep the world away. She uses her look, and her humor - a knife-like sarcasm - to avoid connection and taking action. But she finds at her new home, the parents, in particular the father Sam, are devout Quakers and activists engaged in the anti-Iraq war movement. As she moves closer to Sam, those same beliefs lead to her harassment at school by a big mouth bully and a pro-war civic teacher. As the title suggests, after years of an almost dormant emotional life, Matt begins "quaking" and moving toward action. The ending -- which echoes that of Crutcher's Whale Talk --is tragic, and thus befitting of a book about the Iraq war. Like my own novel Nailed Quaking also explores kids who decide not to fit in and thus turn high school into a trip through the badlands.

If you are mad at the war in Iraq you will like this book. If you wonder how it feels to be a foster kid tossed from house to house, you will love this book. If you've had a really crazy fanatical teacher like the main character Matt does, you will totally relate. Really great read.

Beckie Weinheimer, author CONVERTING KATE, Viking Books 2007.

Kathryn Erskine's QUAKING tells of Matt, who dresses in Gothic black and defies everyone until she moves in with a peaceful Quaker family in Pennsylvania. Their lifestyle and philosophy will challenge her battles and her outlook on past and present problems in this moving story of love and change.

When I saw "Quaking" reviewed on the TeensReadToo web site, I mentioned it to my best friend who is a Quaker. She said she'd read it and found it very moving, and encouraged me to read it too. I'm certainly glad I did.

What she failed to tell me is that it's a kid's book--and I love to read kid's books. Actually, Amazon has it listed in the 9-12 age range, but since the protagonist is fourteen, it should be listed as Young Adult (YA). Personally, I think it's one of those books that's a cross-over, written to appeal to adults as well as kids ... like so many YA books are.

Kathryn Erskine's debut novel tells the story of Matt (and DON'T call her Matilda!) who is an abused fourteen-year-old shunted from one foster home to another. Matt dresses Goth and memorizes the floor, hiding from the trauma of her past, spurning all offers of kindness and care. What a culture shock for her to end up in the home of Quakers Sam and Jessica Fox!

The story builds in intensity as Matt begins to care about her foster parents and becomes involved with the Quaker peace testimony. Feelings about the war in the Middle East run high in her school and her town, with the school bully ("the Rat") and a teacher ("Mr. Warhead") leading the charge against local pacifists.

Matt tries to hide her fear of the Rat and his gang, but as the town begins to erupt with violent attacks against houses of worship, she knows it's only a matter of time until the Quaker Meeting House and her foster father are victims. Eventually, in an explosive ending, Matt finds her voice and the strength to face her fear and stand up for her own convictions.

The author challenges herself by telling the story in Matt's own voice and does a masterful job of bringing the strong, loving girl out of her protective shell. She uses icons of a happy childhood to expose cracks in Matt's armor. The mesmerizing rhythm of Dr. Seuss's "Green Eggs and Ham" find the first chink: <<"And then I remember how dangerous it is to go to that place. The place you think is safe. Because it is not.">>

Jessica's homemade soup dissolves the last of Matt's defenses: <<"I love this soup. I want to hide in this soup, among its carrots and potatoes and celery and chicken and warm breath ... I want to fall asleep in this soup, wrapping myself in its wide noodles and using a soft lima bean for a pillow.">>

That last passage is like magic to me; a marvelous image that may be my favorite in the entire book!

I particularly enjoyed this book because I learned more about my friend's church. "Quaking" reveals a lot about Quakers and their testimonies, but first and foremost, it's a brilliant YA novel about a young girl who opens her heart to unconditional love. I recommend this beautifully written story for the whole family.

Reviewed by: Betty Dravis, 2008

How can you not love a book that starts like this:

"Families come in all varieties but with no warranties. I have lived with first cousins twice removed, second cousins once removed, and now a third cousin who is removing herself. I call her Loopy. Because of her large earrings. And because she is insane.

Loopy drives like a ten-year-old car thief on a sugar high."

From the very beginning, Matt (not Mattie, and certainly not Matilda) has a chip on her shoulder. She's angry and cynical, and she has good reason to be. Loopy is about to dump her off at "the next hostile takeover."

"I finally found a second cousin of mine, but you need to make it work, Matt. This is the end of the line for you."

The end of the line is the home of Sam and Jessica Fox and their disabled foster son, the Blob. These aren't Matt's kind of people. For one thing, they're Quakers. They believe so strongly in peace that they don't even have the good sense to run and hide when bullies challenge them. They just stand there. That's what Sam calls it--taking a stand. As far as Matt can tell, it's just being plain stupid. Everyone knows you're supposed to run from bullies, and that's just that she intends to do if the Rat decides to make her the next Victim of bullying at her new school.

Kathryn Erskine never underestimates her readers as she allows this story to push the limits and tackle issues that most sweep under the rug when company is coming. I love Matt's sarcastic commentary on the state of the world as she faces the challenge of her own life. There is no doubt that this character is strong and capable--much like the writer who created her.

This is a book I'll keep on my shelf and come back to again and again.

Reviewed by: Julie M. Prince

It's risky and complex to write in the colloquial and, as a female writer, in the 1st person masculine, but Victoria Bell does it. She does it in a way that captures the essence of a specific generation - with all its foibles, ideosynchrasies and familiar uncertainty.

It's believable, the characters are real, alive and palatable. The prose is natural and slightly shocking, the situations are familiar. The text and script flow easily and spontaneously.

She speaks, obviously, from personal knowledge - she's been there and we respect that! The characters are interesting and the plot intriguing, leading to a desire to hear more...... so let's hear the rest please!

Victoria Bell has a confident, clear and direct style that immediately lures us into the night time world of music enthusiast and journalist, James Esterhuysen. All of our senses are attended to as we see, hear, even feel the music in the opening scene. Immediately, we know about James' unrealized dreams to be a musician, his failing marriage, his uneasy sense of geographic displacement, his obsession with the singer, Stella Snow, who is alluring to him, a kind of modern day siren. Has she in fact managed to commit suicide as the news report says or is she still alive? Bell delivers us the story between James and Stella by dipping back in time and putting the puzzle together bit by tantalizing bit, weaving in quirky, exotic worlds such as Pemba in northern Mozambique. Her first excerpt leaves you wanting more. I look forward to buying this book once it's published!

Lean in close, lay your head on the chest of Bell's "The Same Deep Water As You", and you will hear its heartbeat. At first, the reader may want to step back, stop listening, regain distance from James with his uncomfortable depths. But then, with just a hand in the water, the reader is carried under by a powerful current.

With a deft hand, Bell has set down a compelling lyric.

Being a Cure fan from way back, I was immediately drawn to this excerpt by the title alone. But I was hooked from the first sentence and was disappointed that I couldn't read more. Bell's descriptions put the reader right in the middle of the smoky clubs and the rainy night, and the sadness inherent in the two main characters is made obvious, both through their descriptions and actions. Right away, I found James the kind of sad-sack I could root for, and in the excerpt readers already have enough backstory to see why he would be compelled to search for Stella. I would think this book in its entirety would be a must-read for music fans, but I sense that it's a must-read for fans of a good story as well. Hope to see this in print so I can run out and buy it.

The title conjures a song and the song takes me back. So does the excerpt. This is one of the best pairings of title and narrative I've seen in this contest. It may take knowledge of the song to get it, but both are well worth the time.

It begins with South African journalist, James, listening to a concert. He assures the band he'll give them a good write up at the end. When he's home alone with cat absconded out into the darkness, he hears a news broadcast. Stella, a female singer he's loved at first sight is missing, walked off stage.

Flash back to the time James met Stella, hearing the whiskey voice of an old Southern African American woman (I conjured Bettye Lavette) and realizing it's a pretty young white girl...

Flash back to the time Stella met Dan. She goes back to his place and is too embarrassed to admit she's a fan...

I'm hooked. There's this dark, rainy night feel to the manuscript just like the song it's named for. I normally am not fond of the flashbacks, but like the song, the writing's taking us deeper and deeper. Both James and Stella are people you want to know. You can hear James' accent, conjure an image of Stella, little girl with the great big voice, and you want to know who they are and where they've been. The writing's crisp and rhythmic. It's a good, dark companion to Robin Goldsby's "Rhythm" and it's well worth a read--and a listen. Best of luck to Victoria Bell.

Samurai Shortstop is a wonderful, but underappreciated tale about a boy and his love for baseball. Toyo, a 14 year-old boy is faced to grow up faster than he ever wanted to when his uncle committed seppuku, legal suicide in Japan. Everything has changed since the French Revolution, and now there are no more samurais, but now there is baseball, Toyo's favorite sport.
He has just now started the most prestigious school in Tokyo, which means new friends, bullies, and many more problems. He tries out for baseball and starts learning the way of samurai from his father. Toyo and his father never really understood each other, and now that his uncle has died, Toyo only has his friends to help him.

Toyo is a very smart person, and becomes a very good leader. Throughout the book everything that happens helps him, although it doesn't look like it all the time. Toyo starts to put his skill in the art of bushido, samurai fighting style, into baseball. My favorite part of the book is when he fights the older kid instead of letting them beat him up. I would recommend this book to students from 7th grade and up.
--Malik McKenzie

This is a story of a boy named Toyo Shimada. The time is set in Tokyo, 1890. Toyo is sent to a boarding school of a very high caliber, but after he arrives he sees how the upperclassmen treat the first years. To fit in, he joins the baseball team, a sport he loves. He wants to be shortstop, but until he becomes a "man" to the upperclassmen he is stuck in the outfield. He is enraged, but nevertheless he pushes through the tormenting and refuses to quit the baseball team. The only problem is his father, who is still using the ways of the samurai, or worrier. Toyo's father does not want him to play, unless Toyo can convince him otherwise. Other than that, his father has decided to teach him the ways of the warrior, or bushido. At first Toyo does not understand any of his bushido lessons, or why he has to do them, but over the course of the book he learns to use his bushido skills.
This book reminds me of a book called Dairy Queen. The story was about a girl, and football, not baseball, but in the end she overcomes many obstacles just like Toyo. In both books, the main focus is overcoming anything that comes your way. They are both also about standing up to important figures in there lives. It happens to be that in both books that person is their dad. Alan Gratz has written an enthralling tale.
I enjoyed the book, although it does have some pretty gruesome scenes. I liked reading it because you always want to see what Toyo will do next, what the other characters are going to say, or do. It also tells you a lot about what school was like back then, in Japan. It is a lot different from Americans school, and the year it takes place in really makes a difference. Overall, this is a great book and you should pick it up sometimes if you are looking for a great read.

Let me start off by saying this is the best book I have read. It is a very exciting book that keeps your attention throughout. It starts off by the Emperer allowing Toyo's Uncle to commit seppuku (suicide) instead of being killed by the government. Samurai Shortstop has a great mix of baseball and culture. You get to read a baseball story but at the sametime learn about their culture and beliefs. Toyo attends Ichiko which is a very big school that consists of only boys.

Ichiko's baseball team is run by the players themselves and when Toyo and a couple other first years want to join the team the have to prove that they are worthy. Toyo's friend Futoshi makes the team as the right fielder but Toyo has a little trouble making the team because Ichiko already has a shortstop. But when their shortstop gets thrown off the team Toyo found himself starting at shortstop. Toyo's father teaches trys to teach him bushido which is code by which Samurai lived but Toyo has trouble understanding it. Not until the end of the book when he has to help with his father's seppuku does he fully understand bushido. This is a wonderful book because it keeps you off balance and never knowing what is going to happen!

Kyle Walmer
Mrs. Bains 3rd block

It's 1890 and you're in Tokyo, Japan. Between classes in the most prestigious high school in town and baseball practice, you learn the old ways--the ways of the samurai. That's Toyo Shimada's life and we get the pleasure of going along for the ride thanks to Alan Gratz's brilliant story telling.


Toyo suffers from familiar teen angst: a parent who doesn't understand him and friends who try to understand him, but often fail. It's the core of most teen stories, but Toyo's world is changing. Old Japan is dying and a new Japan is rising.


His father represents the old Japan. When the emperor reforms their ancient military system and requires all samurai to hang up their swords, Toyo's family is caught in the middle. The opening scene, where Toyo and his father assist Toyo's uncle in seppuku, ritual suicide, is so intense that you'll wonder if Toyo's just having a bad dream.


Even though Toyo's father isn't samurai in the traditional sense, he too decides he can't live in the new Japan. He expects Toyo to assist him in seppuku, when the time comes. First, he must teach Toyo the ways of bushido, the warrior's code.


Between lessons and baseball practice, Toyo learns to meditate and use a sword--and worries about his father. When the time comes, will he have the courage to do what has to be done? Baseball is his passion, and as applies bushido to baseball, he comes to terms with the changing world around him and begins his journey into manhood.


Samurai Shortstop is the story of Toyo's search for his own path in a time of social change and family turmoil. Toyo's personal struggle is one all teens can appreciate. He struggles with peer pressure, studies, and parental control and expectations. Nineteenth century Japan comes alive and provides the color and unexpected tension that every good story needs.

Samurai Shortstop is about a 16-year old Japanese boy, Toyo. Right from the first sentence of the book it really grabs your attention. Toyo's uncle is preparing to commit sepukku. This is considered an honorable way to kill yourself in Japan. The story draws you into the life of Toyo and helps you to understand his relationship with his father and learning the art of bushido. He goes off to a private boarding school where he learns how to stand up for himself and fight off the seniors who are out to torture the first years. I liked this book because it combines the sport of baseball along with Toyo's high school experience in Japan. If you want to read a book that is hard to put down and will keep you intrigued until the very last page, then this is the book for you.

I was so impressed by this work that I HAD to write a review of it.

This is probably the single most influential work I have in my library in terms of its affects on my everyday activities. I think it would be nearly impossible to listen to just one of these CD's without feeling a general improvement in the quality of your life.

I am a scientist myself (I am currently studying bio-engineering at UCLA) and Shinzen Young treats the subject of meditation in the most scientific manner I have yet encountered. This merger of science and meditation is what makes this volume so profound to me.

Most books will enlighten you about a particular subject: mathematics, psychology, philosophy, etc. etc,
THIS work will not only enlighten you about the particular subject of meditation ... but it will also totally change the way you move through the world.

Hear is my advice: Put your reading list aside.

Listen to The Science of Enlightenment, and when you get back to that reading list of yours(which won't be after too long... 16 hours of audio I think??) you WILL be a different person.

As you can see from the other reviewers this audio book is just astounding in its breadth and scope. I'm on my third listening to this one and realized it's one that I've not left a review on. It's expensive I know, but you do get what you pay for. He is speaking to some students who you can hear chuckle in the background every once in a while. So he has a sense of humor and it's not rehearsed. The subject matter of which he speaks and the information conveyed is very practical and relevant.

Meditation CD's, that need to be listen to a few times for the average person. A core value product to have, for the psychological well been of a person. It certainly as had a positive effect on myself. Very therapeutic.

This audio series is of extraordinary value to the western mind, not only in terms of presentation but in terms of perspective. The teachings that Shinzen Young expounds upon are subtle details that often times missed during meditative practice and philosophical understandings of Eastern religions.

The series is broken down into 14 CDs with 2 sessions per disc. Some of the CDs feature focused meditations which are approriately placed according to the teachings he has covered.

I have a long commute and listen to this series all the way to medical school. It is one of the most gripping audio series that I've ever owned - just recently I found myself at Shoprite's parking lot for over an hour, unwilling to leave my car until I had finished hearing the session.

Shinzen Young covers the most minute aspects of buddhist/hindu meditative teachings. The only failure of this series is to communicate that Buddha and his meditative practices come straight from Hinduism ( as Buddha was a Hindu himself ). The "Buddhist" concepts that Shinzen Young often talks about are spoken in Sanskrit - the ancient language of the Hindus in India. Shinzen Young failure to present that Buddhism is a DIRECT extension of Hinduism, only compounds the misconception that Buddhist teachings are somehow a unique derived from Buddha and not from its proper source - Hinduism.

This however, does not undermind the didactic value of the series. Shinzen Young makes very clear to logical and skeptical minds where Buddhist/Hindu philosophy stands. The meditative practices are extremely helpful in self-experientially confirming the words of Shinzen Young. One profound lesson that comes of this series is that everyone feels pain but not every one suffers. For those who need guidance in how to deal with the tumultous nature of life or seek that morsel of happiness that is forever elusive - you will not be let down by Shinzen Young.

I hesitated to get this at first. Mainly because I'd never heard of the author, Shinzen Young. But I was sufficiently intrigued by the title; the attainment of enlightenment being a lifelong interest. Several months ago, after listening to the audible sample, I decided to buy it. I'm so glad I did! Science of Enlightenment is an extraordinary, and life altering work.

I listened to Science of Enlightenment twice. Both times, I was delighted by the uplifted feeling I received while listening to it. I've come to understand through this audio book, that seasoned meditators are always in a state of meditation to varying degrees. It seems that the crystalline clarity and sheer power of Science of Enlightenment stems from the fact that the author is in a state of lucid meditation while speaking. Perhaps accounting for the inspired, positive energy I get from listening to it.

From searching on the internet, I discovered that Science of Enlightenment, and many other lectures by Shinzen Young, have never been put into a book form. In fact, the only book I was able to find is a new one on overcoming pain. So the probability of Shinzen Young doing aggressive, national book signing tours, at this point at least, seems unlikely. This non commercial approach makes his work all the more appealing and real.

I've read many books on the topic of meditation and enlightenment, and even practiced at a couple of Zendos in New York. Although these experiences were excellent, I still hadn't been able to get on a regular meditation schedule. Listening to Science of Enlightenment, gave me a deep understanding of meditation, enlightenment, religion and related topics. As a result, I've finally been meditating, which has profoundly impacted my life. I look forward to the extraordinary long term effects, which Young describes, after a few years of meditating.