I Books

I enjoy this book because it has so many plants in it, even plants we don't usually consider herbs. It gives a lot of info about each plant listed. Very good!

Although I preferred the older verison this is great for the beginner and advnce alike.

Wish this was back in print in one volume but glad I was able to pick this up. One of the most invaluble resources I have give tons of wonderful information very comprehensive...love it. Only wish the pics of the plants were with each description instead of in their own lil groups.

I received my book in excellent condition and in very short order. I am pleased to add it to my library and am sure it will be well-used.

Ma Grieve is one of the best reference herbals around. Not only does it give information on each European plant, but also folklore stories. A must for your herbal library!!!!

I love this book for a few reasons. One, it is whimsical and very tongue-in-cheek. The dog's 'life' is a great example of personification and a great lead-in for explaining 'voice' to my students when teaching them the process of writing. It helps them 'see' (due to the unigue style of font use) and 'hear' the dog and its feelings in a very clever way. This book has opened many avenues of creativity for my students and really helps them be better creative writers. I read some of the previous reviews and was a bit surprised at the negative comments. As a teacher, I feel kids should be encouraged to read and read often. The language is not immature and actually introduces some good vocabulary, which gets students looking to find out what they mean and how to use them. I think this book is a must for all elementary school classrooms. I have one in mine and highly recommend it. All my students have loved it and I do, too.

ANOTHER BOOK W/ RAVE REVIEWS THAT I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND. THE ILLUSTRATIONS ARE GREAT, THE STORY A CLEAVER IDEA, BUT OVERALL IT'S JUST SO-SO. NOT A BOOK TO RE-READ. INSTEAD, TRY TAXI DOG & HARRY THE DIRTY DOG.

The catchy cover and title of this book attracted me to it. I read the rave reviews and decided I had to buy it. I'm disappointed but I'm not sure why. I'm sure my kids will like it which of course is the point, however, if your child is a pre-reader, you may groan at having to read this book too often. It's not that it's technically that bad, has a bad moral or anything like that....it's just so, so. The illustrations are nice enough but the story is lacking something, but I'm not sure what...it's just not that interesting..... The text is not written in a standard font, but is interspersed with graphics reminiscent of rebus style puzzles (they are not exactly rebuses but I can't think of the correct word!). At first I thought "that's cute but by the end of the quite long text it had started to become a bit irritating. This is a book that you'd be happy enough to borrow from the library, read and return but I really wish I'd spent my money on another title from my wish list.

This book is wonderful! I am a substitute teacher and I carry this book with me just in case. My classes, 1st - 5th, love to listen to this story. It lifts their spirits and gets them giggling. It has saved me many times!

When a boy discovers his canine returning home one early morning, "stepping out of a limousine and wearing a tuxedo", he is determined to discover what is going on. For the dog in question, life is anything but predictable. Late that night, after his pet retires to his dog house in the back yard, the boy quietly follows, hoping for a clue about his pet's late-night activities. The first thing he notices is that this is no ordinary dog house. Unchanged from the outside, inside there is an elegant living room, a well-appointed bathroom, even a closet filled with fancy clothes. As the boy watches, the dog in question dresses up in his finery, is picked up by a limo and arrives at a secluded club called "The Doghouse". The boy peddles furiously on his bicycle to keep up with the progress of the limo.

The boy is shocked when he discovers his pet's after-hours occupation: the dog runs a club where other dogs come to be entertained, relax and talk about their problems, before returning to the daily tedium of guarding the family home, patrolling the yard, chasing cats and sleeping in the shade. The boy is treated to a tour of the club and even receives a picture with his pet in a luxurious booth. What an eye opening experience! Stunned by all he has learned about the secret life of his dog, the boy peddles home with new appreciation of his best friend's entrepreneurial spirit. This delightful combination of graphic text and energetic illustrations create a lively adventure, as a young boy's world opens up with a sly sense of humor and imagination. The canines are charming, from the handsome star of the story to the slinky poodle and the camera-toting afghan in her hot pink evening gown. After the sun goes down, it's a dog's life. Luan Gaines/2005.

This is a wonderful book showing some ups and more downs of the scale. This woman shows by example in her experience that if we don't follow a food regiment 100% you can still attain your goal of loosing weight. It is really refreshing to read that you can make a goal even when you slip away from it now and then, but you have to not give up. A good read hard to put down.

I bought this book on Saturday and finished it on Tuesday. I could hardly put it down. I also weigh what Sandra did and then some. This book was really motivating and I saw so much of myself in it so I could relate to it. It really gives me hope and shows me I am normal. I have been going to T.O.P.S. since April 2001 and have lost over 30 pounds and began backsliding. Now I see that may happen from time to time and I just need to stay motivated. Thank you for this book.I am a 37 yr. old widow with 2 children and really need to stay on track to be here for them and I think this book will help me.

I enjoyed the spirit with which this book was written. By the time I finished I felt as though I knew Sandra and her wonderful supportive family. I was cheering her on throughout the book. Not only did she lose weight for herself but she chose this time to help others and start up aerobic classes for women who feel left out at most health clubs. Her relationship with Richard Simmons made me smile. They had such mutual respect. It is wonderful that she accomplished what she did, helped others and at the same time wrote an enjoyable uplifting book.

In particular I liked the way she did not hold back her feelings or her problems. She tells it "like it is". I recommend this book even if weight loss is not the goal. She puts a positive spin on other things as well.

THIS BOOK IS GREAT I GOT THE BOOK WHEN I WAS STARING MY WEIGHT LOSS PLAN AND I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN I READ HALF THE BOOK IN ONE AFTERNOON. THIS BOOK IS SO REAL TO LIFE AND MIRRORED SO MANY OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO AS WE TRY TO LOOSE WEIGHT , IT TALKS ABOUT THE UPS AND DOWNS OF DIETING. THE YO-YO DIETING AND THE CRAVING, BUT THE MOTIVATING OF THIS WOMAN WAS WONDERFUL, I FINISHED THE BOOK BUT PLAN TO READ IT AGAING TO KEEP ME MOTIVATED, VERY GOOD BOOK. I CANNT SAY ENOUGH ABOUT IT, GET THE BOOK,

Not only is this book the bargain of the year, but it is literally the best diet book ever written. This lady tells her story from the beginning to what is going on today. It is like reading her diary. There are no gaps to the story-which I really appreciated. She tells you every step she took to lose the weight including what exercise she did along the way. She also tells you how your family and friends will react to your weight loss. For anyone who wants a "Step by Step" account of how a friend lost her weight, this is a "must" read. After reading Sandra's book, you feel like you are her friend. Very inspiring with an honest approach to weight loss. I can't say enough about this book!!

I had a hard time believing that this was Drew Banks' first piece of fiction. Such a great book - well written, thought provoking, engaging. So many books whose main characters are gay dwell on that as each character's main defining them (i.e., the "coming out" story); though this is certainly not a flaw in the other books, it's just not the case with Able Was I. The book is about finding yourself, or losing yourself, whichever you need more. A fantastic read. I can't wait for Banks' next novel!

I just finished Able Was I and I did not want it to end. I was totally hooked into it. The writing is masterful at creating the experience inside you as you read it. Just drew me in entirely. I felt I really got to know the characters and the places described in the book.

The book interweaves a rich tapestry of stories--reading it is like watching intricate and beautiful puzzle pieces coming together. The author sets up the pieces and then leads you on a path of discovery about how the pieces fit. It's done in a non-obvious and complex way--that still held my attention and didn't let me get lost. Makes me want to re-read the book for the added pleasure of experiencing those puzzle pieces coming together again.

This beautiful book is so evocative and beautifully written that I wished it were several hundred pages longer. Not a classical gay novel (which is a good thing), the characters are developed deeply and there is no one that cannot identify with a specific personality or situation. Truly a well-written and deeply moving book.

The book has wonderful characters and tells an interesting, even compelling, story. The transitions from present to past are sometimes confusing, but I like the the way you gradually got to know the characters through this device. The movement from dream to reality and back helped to define the main character who seemed never to know whether he was actually living or just dreaming.

I loved the ride with Grey, partly because I identified so much with the confusion and yearning of his quest for a life that is raw, true, and in the present. Seeking to escape his ghosts and his ideas of what "should be," Grey's cathartic adventure became my own. What more can one ask from a book?

It's a introspective read that is engaging and paced such that I whipped through it. It's a wonderful, well-crafted novel -- and impressive that it's the author's first one.

This was my favorite book as a little girl, and it is now my 4-year old son's favorite book. All of the stories are adorable, especially "The Journey".

ISBN 0064440133 - Based on the reading level, Mouse Tales is for 6-8 year olds, but I think younger children will enjoy it quite a bit, as well.

Papa tucks his seven boys into bed and promises them seven stories, so long as they promise to go right to sleep. Once they've promised, he starts with The Wishing Well... and tells the seven stories, ending with The Bath. His boys have all fallen asleep by then and Papa says good night.

The stories are all so short that just recapping them would be pretty much the same thing as retelling them! There are great possibilities within the very few pages of this book. With simple words and a fairly large font, the stories can be read by a child easily. He or she will find them fun and engaging. They can be read to a child by an adult, who might like to explain the deeper meanings of some of the stories (for instance why, once the mouse in The Wishing Well helped the well, all of her wishes came true). But, much to my surprise, there's a little Aesop's Fables feel to the stories, which might be one of the most unexpected ways to read this little book - as an adult! This isn't true for every story - if it is, I haven't found the message in the story of the mouse who wears out his feet and gets new ones. Still, all around a charming set of bedtime stories with nicely done illustrations that don't take up three-quarters of every page.

There are seven short tales, all involving mice, and bookended by a father mouse who is telling these stories to his children at bed time, one per child. The seven stories included are: The Wishing Well, Clouds, Very Tall Mouse and Very Short Mouse, The Mouse and the Winds, The Journey, The Old Mouse, and The Bath. Of the seven, my favorite is The Wishing Well as it takes an unusual and humorous approach to the usual wishing well story. The most disturbing of the stories is The Journey because it involves replacement feet. Knowing Sean, I think his favorite will be The Bath because of the absurd bath/flood the little mouse creates just to get clean.

This is a great book with seven short stories for kids. I have three kids and they love all of them.
I also bought this book because my grandmother used to have it and I loved to read it when I was a kid.

The cozy narrative of the mouse storyteller makes this great children's book shine. The seven stories are among Lobel's best, and this is the perfect fireside tale to tell to young mice who are not quite ready for bed.

J. Lyon Layden
The Other Side of Yore

i found this book to be a tad too simplistic and boring to read to my infant. the bright primary colors are good to look at but i can't believe that i paid $11.95 for such a dull book. there are plenty of other great books out there!

My 13 month old loves this book. With the simple pictures and bright colors, he loves to point to the penquins as he turns the pages. He loves the "BOO" page the best.

Beautiful drawings, lovely "storyline", I'd definitely recommend this for any toddler!

I began reading this book to my baby as part of our bedtime routine when she was 5 months old. She is now 7 months old and still loves it! This was the first book, other than books involving animal sounds, that she seemed to really enjoy. (And I got very tired of only reading books with animal sounds!) She loves the pictures and she looks to me after I read certain pages anticipating the "extras" I have added (for example, after I read "I love it when we play peek-a-boo" I then play peek-a-boo). Sharing this book with her is something I look forward to doing every day.

This is a very simple board book features Paz the Penguin from The Learning Channel Ready Set Learn program.





What did you like or not like about the book?

This kept the attention of my four month old as well as our daughter who is 2. They enjoyed sharing the book together.


The sturdy board pages make it great for toddlers to look at alone or read with a parent

The book starts out with, "Don't read this book if you are pregnant" (or something like that). I was six months pregnant with my first child, yet steamed ahead anyway. I am glad that I did. The description of the insanity, temporary or otherwise, that can be brought on brought on by modern motherhood that Ingman paints is exactly what a parent-to-be like myself needed, because it prepared me for the worst, and let me off the hook from the overambitious expectations that I had (elaborate birth plan that did not go as planned? check. Dreams of cooking my own organic baby food now making way for Gerber jars? check). The writing had a way of taking me to the absolute depths of her experience while at the same time injecting humor and compassion that made me feel like everything was going to be all right. I didn't expect to laugh out loud, but I did many times while reading.

This book is WAY more complex than any review can possibly hope to convey. It's personal, and political; funny, and sad. While reading, you realize that a lot of the problems Ingman faces are not just parents' issues, but women's issues. Are the mothers crazy or is the world crazy? Read and decide for yourself.

I think pretty much everything that the author has to say can be (and is!) said in the first 30 pages or so. After that, it's bits and pieces, loosely strung together but without a goal in sight. Neither a great resource for those dealing with PPD nor a good comic relief.

"Inconsolable" is smart, funny, and heartbreaking. This book should be required reading for any woman considering motherhood--it rips off the layers of Hallmark sentimentality and reveals exactly how agonizing post-partum depression can be. Frankly, it made me want to send my mother a bouquet of three dozen long-stemmed red roses.

This is a brave book written by an astonishingly talented writer Whether or not you're considering having a child, this book will change the way you think about motherhood, pregnancy, and mental health long after you've put the book down. I will never play Nine Inch Nails without thinking of Marritt ever again, and man, I play a lot of NIN.

Thank you for this book, Marritt.

When I suffered from debilitating depression after the birth of my 2nd daughter, I searched everywhere for something to grasp onto. Anything to grasp onto. Somehow I found this book. All of a sudden, here was someone like me - someone else who wanted to drive off a bridge. I felt like I had finally made a connection and I wasn't alone in this anymore.
I can honestly say that this book was pivotal in my (LONG) recovery. It is what ultimately encouraged me to push through, connect with others and reclaim motherhood. Marrit's accounts of early motherhood are real, moving, poignant, and honest. I highly recommend this book to any new mother - if you aren't suffering from PPD yourself, you might be able to understand and reach out to someone who is.

If you are a mom and you think you are loosing your mind, read this book!! You'll find out that you are not alone. I think all moms feel this way at times but most are too worried about what people will think if they admit it. Props to Marrit for being brutally honest.

This book is incredible! I was beginning to think that sleeping poorly was a result of getting older(I am in my 30s). Now I know that you can learn to be a good sleeper just like you learn other things! Read it and enjoy.

I first came across this book at 3 am on another insomnia night and was impatient for a solution. I didn't want any more pills that made me feel drugged the next day. I didn't want any more useless sleep hygiene advice, which worked intermittently. I also didn't want to pay $2,000 for a sleep study that would tell me I needed more pills and better sleep hygiene! Having suffered from insomnia for eight years, I was ready for a real solution.

Two things caught my eye about this book. One, a large percentage of the reviewers were medical professionals who used the method in their practices. Two, the book suggested an approach that would actually relax the body and calm the mind, not drug it or try to control everything around it and hope it behaves. This was what I was looking for!

After trying the methods, I can confirm that they work spectacularly; however, I do have a word of caution on the methods. Follow the steps in the book as exactly as possible, and don't go on memory alone when first doing them. Doing them incorrectly--even slightly so--can give you poor results.

I purchased this book after reading the great reviews. It is wordy, poorly written, and gives the impression the author is just making up sleep advice. The medical credentials of the author and the souces are suspect as well (the author lists GCFP after his name...what is that?). If you think yoga may help you relax then this may be for you. If you are looking for a better written book from a scientific rather than spiritual perspective I would recommend "The Insomnia Answer".

These wonderful tecniques in the book were invaluable these last couple of weeks. My youngest son has been very ill with a virus that completely disturbed his sleeping. We thought it would change, but didn't, so I taught him some of the Mini-moves in the book and he was able to relax and finally get the much needed rest he needed for healing.

As a very tired single mother of two, I have been using this method for a few years. It changed my relationship with sleep. Recently my 8 year old had a very painful infection and was unable to sleep. I did some of the techniques with her as she tried to relax. It worked! We both got a decent nights sleep.
Thank you.

This book was recommended to me by a co-worker, so I could learn to live with the idea of an unforeseen divorce hitting me like a speeding freight train. My life took a turn I NEVER saw coming and totally threw me into a deep depression and one of dispair. When the book arrived, I jumped into reading it immediately, so I could find help for my raw emotions, and try to get myself out of my very low funk. Although death is a greater challenge, divorce can be equally challenging when you don't have the opportunity to work things out with your spouse. The book provided a wonderful "support system" for me, as it reminded me that I was NOT alone in my feelings and how much the loneliness hurts - every day. Yes, you truly cannot see that things will get better when you are in the moment. People can tell you that, but until you experience it for yourself, you cannot believe you will get there. I do recommend this book for people who are experiencing a drastic change in their lives - whether a death of a loved one, divorce, moving or job change. It can provide you some semblance of strength to help you move forward!!! And when your emotions are so very raw, strength is certainly a good choice to help you on your journey.

Our culture tries to ignore this normal and important aspect of life, but this author offers some excellent and practical ways to navigate the uncharted waters of life after loss. Everyone who reads this book will benefit.

Next to the Dr Kubler-Ross book ON GRIEF AND GRIEVING, this has been the most helpful book I have read on the subject of grieving from a deep loss. The book gives the reader the permission to grieve that our larger society has often denied him. Emphasized over and over again is the theme that: "Going through the experience is the only lasting and healthy way out of grief." The book advises those who grieve: "Never apologize for grieving. Remind yourself as often as needed that the very worst kind of loss is always yours" and to "Learn to acknowledge that your loss is worthy of grief." The griever can further admit to himself: "The loss I experienced is a major event in my life. Perhaps it is the worst thing that will ever happen to me. But is not the end of my life. I can still have a full and rewarding life. Grief has taught me much, and I will use it to be a better person than I was before my loss." In this way those who grieve can be left a sense of hope, not to be forever devastated. The book concludes with some valuable appendices on the role of nutrition in grief recovery, words that describe feelings and information on how one can form their own support group. Not only was it deeply comforting to read this book, (I lost my own father to aortic stenosis five months ago) but I also can see where it could be immensely useful for mental health professionals to use in their practice. I have been a Licensed Clinical Social Worker employed by the Department of Defense for over twenty years most recently working with a number of those individuals who lost family members in Iraq. I can see suggesting they read this book themselves and it being of great comfort to them. I would strongly recommend this book to all who have suffered a significant loss in their life.

Finally! A book that understands that Grieving is a process and no two people grieve the same way. Having encouraging words and sharing anecdotal stories really makes this book one that should be given to everyone who grieves. I have done many of the suggestions and it helps. It really helps. God bless Paster Deits for writing this!

This book was given to me after my husband died. I could not believe what it was telling me as I made my way through my troubled time. The book provided a timeline for me, a way to look ahead or back to see if I was "on track" to my new "normal" life. It provided a pathway for me to follow. The book kept reassuring me along my path. I have given the book to many people, just to let them know that they are alright in what they are doing. I keep buying a copy for myself but the book keeps leaving me to "help" another person. I am so glad that my friend found this book for me. I highly recommend this book. It is an excellent book to help someone who is dealing with grief. It also lets you know that "you are not alone."

Lottie's real name is Charlotte, but noone calls her that..... until this 'horrible' new teacher Mrs Beckworth arrives, and doesn't let her sit next to Lisa (who Lottie has saved the best place for), but makes poor Lottie sit next to that swot Jamie. Lottie hates Mrs Beckworth, and sends around humorous poems about trains and teases about Jamie. Lottie's teenage mum, Jo, is having problems with work but suddenly Mrs Beckworth gives the class a project. it is about the victorians and Lottie writes a diary about it. she buys Jamie, who comes her friend in the end, some postcards and everything but then Jo gets a nerdy man called Mark as a boyfriend because she babysits his son, Robin, who is small and shy and has a little stuffed robin toy that his mum made for him before she died. lottie lets him use her felt pens but he just draws a house and his mum and dad and himself. when Jo and Mark go on a love ride on a picnic where Robin is sick, Lottie sees them kissing and bullies poor robin until he runs away from home and then there is a search party because everyone is worried and he gets found and put in hospital and lottie makes him a cake and draws him pictures of birds. lottie suddenly feels bad and crys in her bathroom because she doesn't feel old and hates herself. she even needs the comfort of her old barbies, which are packed away in her drawer and she and jo used to dress them and drive them to posh parties to make them dance, and jo enjoyed this more than lottie! you should read these other books too:
Best Friends, Diamond girls, the bed and breakfast kid, sleepovers, the suitcase kid, the lottie project, clean break, the worry website, girls in love, girls out late, the dare game, the story of tracy beaker, vicky angel, cliffhanger, the illustrated mum and girls in tears, the cat mummy.
I have 56 jaqcueline wilson books because i am a major bookworm and book collector. i have read over 8 billion books in my 10 years of living, and so has my best friend.
so girls, get readin'!

This is such a fantastic book! It's about Charlie who lives with her mum Jo in a flat. Her mean teacher, Miss Beckworth wants the class to do a school project on the Victorians.
"Boring!" she thinks at first, but gradually she likes it more
and more. She writes a project and wants to keep it private.
Her project is about Lottie and how she copes with her frustrating life. First she's an ordinary eleven year old girl
living with her family in a cottage but then she has to leave school and get a job as a nursery maid. The children she looks after are such naughty little monkeys and she doesn't lke this job.
Stupid snooty swotty boy Jamie Edwards is so annoying to Charlie. YOU'VE GOT TO READ IT IT'S SUCH A BRILL BOOK!!!!
Don't call this book stupid. Honestly, don't. If you think it's
stupid, read "Best Friends" or "Vicky Angel" or "Girls in tears". THEY'RE the stupid books. OK, so that's all I want to say.

charlies life is really changing. Her teacher is mean, makes her sit next to Jamie Edwards,and assigns a "dreary" projecton the "dreary" victorian period. So charlie decides to create a diary for her project, and creates Lottie, a Victorian nurserymaid, and history comes to life.

charlies mom is also causing trouble in her life. Charlie thinks she has a boyfriend, and that can't happen!!!!!

i loved this book and how Charlie brought Lottie to life.
i would recamend this book to anyone.

~tara~

I have read many books from Jacqueline Wilson, and have admired her ability to express how kids feel, what they want. This is all true. Being a kid, i have lots of friends that match those in the story. This book, Lottie Project, is one of my favourite books she wrote. I know how it feels to be forced to write a project, but i have never wrote a project, that like Charlotte's, matches my own daily life.
In school, i have just learnt about the Victorians, and told my teacher, Miss Battram, about the book. She too admitts that it is a good book and should be added into the Victorian learning program for year 5 next year.
Everyone can see that Jacqueline Wilson has shown us how an 11year old girl's life can be similar to a maid in the Victorian times, and how they coped with it.
This book is really great for everyone to read, maybe single parents should take a peek in this book too as it will tell single parents how their child feels when they start dating someone else. then, they can talk it through with their child, so mistakes like in Lottie Project, that Charlotte Enright had to cope with, will not happen.
Furthermore, this book is very good to be used in Victorian sessions in school, seeing as the book is very funny, and still useful in teaching about a 11 year old girl's life in the Victorian times.
Rita Teo Bangkok Patana school, Thailand

This is definitely one of my favorite books. I guess sixth graders will enjoy it most, but parents will also enjoy it too. Jacqueline Wilson really knows how to get into the world of 11-year-olds.

Charlie Enright has a lot of problems at school. Her new teacher is strict and mean. She assigns the sixth-graders a Victorian project right at the beginning of the year. Also, she makes Charlie sit next to Jamie Edwards, which Charlie isn't sure she likes or hates.

She also is having problems with her friends. They have abandoned the 'We Hate Boys Club' and are now very interested in boys and not paying much attention to her.

And her home lifes not that wonderful either. Her single mother has just lost her job, but she finds another one quickly. It turns out that she has fallen in love with her boss and Charlie has got to stop her. Somehow. Someway.

Will Charlie's problems ever end? Read this great book to find out!