I Books

I absolutely love this book. As a 1st year homeschooler this book has been invaluable to me. The book is an easy read and full of great tips from Tamara. I am really looking forward to applying all I've learned from this book into our second year! Thanks Tamara !!!

I literally read and studied every book on homeschooling at my local library! Homeschooling with TLC is my absolute favorite! It is a one-of-a-kind treasure trove of how-to in a to-the-point format by a real professional teacher and homeschool mother. This un-intimidating read is moving, truthful, inspiring, motivational, and simply a must-read and must-own. Homeschooling with TLC is the ONLY how-to-teach namely how-to-homeschool book written for average people seeking to make lesson time inspired, effective and FUN for their children.

The seasoned and long sought-after author, Tamara L. Chilver taught in the public school system for years and has homeschooled her own three children even longer! Finally published, Mrs. T.L.Chilver Gifts us all with her ability to teach us how-to-teach our children and make it a Blast! This handy, well organized gem compiles tons of tips, games and ideas. It is a succinct listing of what works and how to make it happen in your own home! Check out her website and sign up for her monthly newsletter at [...] She's my homeschool hero and mentor and more importantly my children's ...they can't get enough of her ideas! She will be yours too...Read it to believe it!

Finding the path to homeschooling with a bonafide expert holding your hand takes all of the trepidation and fears away. While staying on course to a stimulating and thrilling homeschool experience for the whole family is made easy in these few pages! No longer must homeschool teachers prepare boring tedious lessons and children be plagued by chapters of activity books. No longer must we read thick, heavy, wordy texts by inept authors on the subject nearest and dearest to our hearts and calling. It's simply Awesome to have the benefit of a "real" teacher giving encouragement and practical tips on the matter of superiorly educating our children at home.

You'll want to share Homeschooling with TLC with everyone. My copy has had to be replaced tens of times so I advise you to buy several copies now to share with all of your homeschooling friends, relatives, homeschooling groups and to anyone you know who is considering homeschooling. Share the Good news for the Children's sake!!!!

Homeschooling can become a list of chores for you and your children. This book has helped me put fun into our learning. Not only did this book help me use games and more hands on manipulables but I have been encouraged. Homeschooling can and should be enjoyable. This book is a great resource, it's a compact guide to cirriculum, it gives creative ideas, and it's a home educator's pick me up! Thank you for writing this book!

Whether you are just starting out or you have been teaching your children for a while this is a great book full of ideas and easy to implement strategies for making learning more fun for your children.

This is a Christian based small book of 109 pages with nine chapters. The first two chapters are all about your child and choosing curriculum. She then jumps right into Reading Methods and Writing Strategies followed by Social Studies and Science. Chapters 7 and 8 are about support and encouragement as you homeschool after which she deals with the extras such as music, foreign language, art, etc. in short snippets. Finally, the appendix is filled with a list of Newberry and Caldecott medal winning literature. I found the book quite informative and chock full of resources, ideas, strategies and methods for homeschooling. It is well written, easy to read and the cartoons throughout are good for a chuckle. I'm glad I bought it.

This book, written 10 years ago (!!!) and read by me only yesterday is in my eyes like a classic movie that is always entertaining, transcends time and full of so much that you could watch (or in this case read) it over and over again.

I ordered this book because I was so disappointed by a new 2006 published book by a mother of 10. Someone in the reviews suggested this book and I can only say that it is sooooooooo worth it's money.

I have 4 children myself and could relate to this mom of 9! She never talked down to the reader and gave great and explicit examples of the "how to". For example: PATIENCE. I loved her chapter on this one. What mom doesn't need patience? She explained that patience is something that needs to be practiced, just like learning to play the piano. She even listed ways to prepare ourselves for the chaos of the day (that will always occur) in order not to jeapordize our calm. In other words, she suggests that we plan and even visualize problems and chaos so that we won't be surprised and unprepared.

This book is 5 stars!!!!!!!!!

Being a single mother of two, this book kept me laughing throughout. As hectic as my life can be, I rarely make the time to actually get through a book. I did this book in less than a week. I realized that I am not the only parent "going crazy," but also realized that I have been looking at my daily life with my kids through clouded lenses. I have become aware to pay more attention and actually find the humour in my every day. I have even begun a journal because raising kids really is THAT entertaining and that being a mother is truly the most rewarding and exhausting job that exists. I recommend this book to anyone with kids. You will love all the little stories about all of her nine children, as well as her husband, as they will hit very close to home. Each chapter are possibly 5 to 6 pages in length, which makes getting in a "little" reading time possible. And it really puts your job as a mother back into perspective.

Linda Eyre, parenting expert and mother of nine, offers a look at the lighter side of the chaos in her home. She is not afraid to discuss her mistakes and things that go wrong, and the book is filled with parenting advice -- e.g., have a sense of humor, sometimes your child is actually right, etc. Chapters are, in general, very short, so even a busy mom will have time to read and accept the sympathetic understanding of a mom with even more on her plate! Enjoyable.

I'm a teenager and I happened to read this book in short segements while babysiting. It was so funny. it made me even more excited to be a mom someday because it showed that despite the hard times (and there are many), motherhood is the best thing in the world. Linda's big family (nine kids!) made me want to have a big family also, as oppossed to many people my age who want one or two kids. I think this book would help mom's to get a reality check to see that everyone else is not a supermom and is far from perfect (though always striving).

When a professional parenting expert who is also a mother of nine (yes, 9!) lets you peek at some of her mistakes and shares some of her bad experiences, it can't help but relieve some of the pressure you put on yourself. This book helped me see that I'm really doing a better job than I thought! (I'd also suggest: Perfect Parenting by Elizabeth Pantley - a very handy reference book.)

Jimmy Carter was arguably the worst President in American history and not only that, he was also responsible for giving Islamism a place to call home in Iran. But Carter didn't stop there, he also has supported anti-semitism and neo-nazism in many places and today allies himself with the likes of Iran's president Ahmadinjed in his book Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid. Jimmy Carter helped cause the Iranian revolution and also worked to help the Ayatollahs take power and then sacrificed American lives after the fact, for absolutely no reason. Unfortunatly this book exposes the truth about Carter and Islamism and his responsibility for 9/11.

Seth J. Frantzman

Great Read !! Was Carter a noble humanitarian? The author has presented with precision, a different perspective; In dealing with Iran, Carter's views were at best naive, or perhaps worse, a deliberate detachment for self aggrandizement. A must read for any one doubting the threat of militant Islam or Carter's ill conceived appeasement to its incubation.

I thought the book covered in excellent detail the events that led to the Islamic takeover in Iran, without making a personal attack on Carter or his administration. He lays out the historical facts and political background of the time period very well. I like a book that does not try to take you to a place, but allows you to get there by yourself.

The book lays out the dedication to a policy and theory within the Carter administration that ignored the reality of the political and theological culture in Iran. Carter, like many liberals, set a policy that made him feel good about himself and his administration. It has cost many US lives over the decades since. Pilevsky says what few others are saying, but many have thought it. This "Terrorist Thing" starts with Carter.

Loved it. Used it as a good source for my Diplomacy Class 2nd and 3rd major essays. This book is a must read!

Simply put: the best book I've ever read! Pilevsky brings back the Carter years in full technicolor - the blinders and gloves are off. His writing is smooth, strong and punchy. If this book came out before 2002, Carter might not have won the Nobel Peace price. It's actually that powerful and relevant.

I can't wait for Philip Pilevsky's next book!!

This book is not just a book on God's attributes. It is a journey into the depths of who God is and His personality. It is really and truly a book on worship. Many of the chapters have changed my life in how I relate to God. The title says it all.

Great Book. Short, meaty chapters. Wonderful information. Changes lives.

We used Steve Fry's book, "I Am: the Unveiling of God" as the focus of our Bible study during the past year. Reading ahead, I was able to link each chapter into corresponding Bible passages to strengthen the concept. What an amazing year we have had. We celebrated an earnest seeking of God and witnessed huge changes in the lives of the group members. We all read the two chapters early in the week and then allowed God time to let it sink in before the next meeting. As the year started, most were new to the group and a little aprehensive over the prospect of being drawn too closely in relationship with God. As the year progressed, the sessions became electric with shared experiences and reports of how the Holy Spirit had used each person since we last met. We have come to expect to see God in every aspect of our daily experience and He has shown Himself amazing in our lives. I would recommend this book strongly for people who feel a little dry in their Christian walk and need a new dynamism in their lives.
Gerald Wheeler Ed.D.
Palm Desert, CA

"I Am" is an amazingly clear and beautiful introduction to the Identity of God. The book is set up like a devotional and is very good reading for mature Christians and new ones alike. Steve Fry's incisive insights made me understand many things from the Bible that I read before but never truly grasped. I felt much closer to Jesus by the end of the book and trusted Him more.

In this book, Steve Fry has given us a wonderful eye-opening to the nature of God. Drawn from his keen sense of theology, which comes from a knowledge of the Scriptures (see 2 Timothy 2:15), Fry helps the reader to understand different facets of God's character, in addition to how He relates to us through them.

In this day and age, so many of us Christians have lost sight of the wonder of God in our daily lives. This book suggests that the root cause of that is our lack of a true relationship with God, and thus our watered-down knowledge of who He truly is. If you are desiring more of the fervency and joy in your life that the early church had, this book is for you. I would also recommend it to anyone who already does possess that passion, so that he or she may continue to develop it further.

As you read this book, don't approach it solely as a theological work on the attibutes of God--also let the Scriptural concepts of God change your heart and life as you read it. If you do this with an earnestly seeking mind and heart, I believe God will use it to draw you closer to Himself by showing you more of Who He is.

This, the first in Fred Chappell's tetralogy of books about Joe Robert Kirkman and his family, consists of ten stories about ten-year-old (at the start of the book) Jess Kirkman's encounters with four of his mother's relatives, the live-in hired hand on the Kirkman farm, and some of their neighbors. Chappell's narration veers from straightforward fiction to fantasy, telling of the gusto and humor with which Joe Robert meets life. I found myself laughing out loud and slapping my knee at some of the passages, while being touched deeply by the novel's underlying theme of belonging to a family, a place, and a tradition.

Called a novel, "I Am One Of You Forever" is really a collection of short stories that are unified as the adventures of a 14 year old boy growing up in the mountains of western North Carolina. These stories cover the spectrum of human experience; love, tragedy, the supernatural, family, comedy. All the stories are made magical by the observations of the especially well-read and intelligent young narrator/persona.
Easily one of the funniest books I've ever read, I think I rarely went more than a page without a good laugh. The book also has some of the most poignant passages I've ever read, those dealing with the death (always a dominant theme in Southern literature).
A well-written book, Southern through and through, and appropriate for young teen-agers as well as adults. The book's title serves as the answer to a question posed as the story's last line, thus giving the book a wonderful circularity. Read this book; you won't be sorry.

This novel, really a series of interconnected short stories about a boy growing up in western North Carolina in the 1940s, is my favorite so far by North Carolina's poet laureate Fred Chappell. The prose is simple, the characters are vivid and colorful, and the stories have depth. Chappell's style works best when the stories follow believable plot lines; his penchant for tall tales sometimes falls flat. I especially could have done without the chapter entitled "The Beard," even though I could see the metaphor Chappell was attempting to capture in that story. Other than that, I thought the book was sincere, funny, and often breath-taking. The finest moment for me was the chapter "The Wish," which encapsulates everything I would like to say myself about life in the Southern Appalachians. The book is worth reading just for that one chapter. I recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys the works of such writers as Tony Earley, Charles Frazier, Robert Morgan, Kaye Gibbons, and Wilma Dykeman, although Chappell is funnier than all of them. Think a modern Mark Twain.

This is a great book, and features some of the greatest trends in Southern Literature. The plot is good and the family is absolute funny. It will keep you laughing to the last page.

I read this book originally for a class in college--so I went into reading it thinking "ugh."

But not only did I love it--not only did it make me laugh, cry, roll my eyes, and a range of other emotions--but when I shared it with the rest of my family, they had the same reaction. All of us have read it, it's that good (and we don't usually agree on what's good). It is full of tall tales and mischief and is a fabulously, fabulously amazing book.

This is the book to buy for little kids of all ages. The story is so sweet, the words so engaging, the illustrations and the colors so vivid and soothing at the same time. I'm delivering yet another copy to the smartest three-year-old I know in just a little while, and I can already imagine Nick holding this book and reading it to one of his kids. It's a classic, it's a work of art, it's a very wonderful teaching tool, but, best of all, it's got heart, and what more can you hope to show kids? Take a bow, Kel.

This little counting book in charming verse by Kelly Milner Halls is exactly the sort of thing to brighten up a child's day or your own. Kelly gives the little story gentle excitement which will stimulate a child and charm an adult. It is the kind of little morsel I would want to grace a coffee table forever. I also thought the illustrations unusual and darling.

Many will ask just what can one do with a counting book, but Kelly has managed to do something new while staying within comfortable and familiar bounds.

"There are far too many counting books, but this one delights and does the job. With Halls' crisp, peppy rhymes and adorable illustrations by an Atlanta artist, children will be counting before it even dawns on them." Julie Bookman, Atlanta Journal Constitution, April 1, 2000

Just add sound effects of your own (and get your child doing the same) and you'll get an idea of the delight on tap in this terrific read-aloud. Charming and childlike with the kind of warmth that'll have kids begging for re-reads.

"I Bought a Baby Chicken" is a cute story and a subtle counting book. During a family trip to the general store, the narrator sees a little chick and decides to buy it. Her sister picks up two black chicks, her dad likes three striped ones, and before you know it, the whole family - cousins, grandparents, great-grandparents - has gone cuckoo for chickens. "I guess my family's lucky that I didn't want a cow," concludes the narrator, who'd better hope her family doesn't suddenly develop a hankering for friend chicken or buffalo wings. Karen Stormer Brooks' google-eyed illustrations are as silly as the story. (by Claire Martin).

I don't know what it is about Frog and Toad that's so great. It's like every word they say is laid out so perfectly and the stories are always so simple to understand, and yet, so much fun for children of all ages. I honestly wonder if my interest in walking around searching for and collecting toads came from this book. It's certainly a possibility. Anyway, enjoy these books. Buy them for your children and I hope they experience the same amount of enjoyment that I once did.

My seven year old son is not nearly as thrilled with reading as his mother, but at last we have found a collection that he can't get enough of. Frog and Toad are the perfect bedtime characters. The stories are simple and sweet, and my son tells me that they make him feel "warm and cozy". The reading level is appropriate for him as a second grader. And even my four-year-old will settle in to listen to the latest tales of Frog and Toad. This is a must-have collection!

I teach kindergarten, and my students absolutely love Frog and Toad. They can't wait to hear another story, and they ask me to read them over and over again. They are always surprised to find out that their parents read Frog and Toad as well. Frog and Toad are fantastic!!!

My seven year old loves reading the stories to me.
Short and sweet stories.

Why do I love Frog and Toad? I'm not really sure. Not much really happens in these stories. The illustrations are beautiful but rather small. The eponymous friends carry on their friendship through mild misunderstandings and misadventures, always ready to forgive each other and forget. These gentle stories are among my favorite kids' books. I have fond memories of Frog and Toad from my childhood, and I never tire of re-reading them to my 4-year-old daughter. She seems to like them, too.

My 17 month old daughter with Down syndrome adores this book. She enjoys answering every page when it asks "can you?" She gets very excited by the pictures of the babies/toddlers and frequently kisses the pages. I believe that some day we will use this book that she is so attached to begin talking to her about Down syndrome.

We love it so much we bought ten copies and donated them to the local NICU where my daughter stayed and the social worker is giving them to babies who are born there with Down syndrome.

I am writing this review because as a prior Early Childhood Special Educator to children birth-3, it was very hard to find board books that had children with different needs and races. I think that this is a wonderful book for both children and parents. It shows children doing the typical things that happen in their daily routines. I really enjoyed that the pictures were really children in real situations. The book was colorful and fun to read. I would recommend that daycares and preschools add this book to their libraries for all children to enjoy.

Cute book for little ones learning or who have down syndrom. My son has down's and he loves the pictures.

My son has Down Syndrome and it was so nice to have a book for him to see other people like him, I bought two of these because 6 days after my son was born another little guy with DS was also born, I gave one these to his mother as well and she loved it too!!!! The book has great photography and is nice and simple, It catches the eye of my 6 month old! Highly reccommed it to anyone and everyone!!!

This is a great book! I love that it shows young children with Down Syndrome participating in typical early childhood activities. There need to be more books like this that include children with special needs with out explicitly pointing out their differences.

This is a great book for anyone who has ever worked with the mentally challenged or Knows someone who is mentally challenged. It shows the true hearts of the clients and the realities they experience in thier every day lives.This is one of those books that A person picks up to read,and doesn't put it down untill it is finished.Very emotional,yet very funny book.A book that truly warms your heart.

Highly recommend this well written hillarious tale of Richard, the "rubber room resident". This is a great read for anyone and would make an awesome gift this holiday season.

Not long ago, during a time where the mentally ill and the mentally retarted were often housed together, Richard Ulysses is encouraged by an uncle to "become committed" to one of these institutions (as a health care professional?) As we read his entries to his journal, we witness the feelings he has toward his fellow "inmates" as he gradually makes them his family. Don't let the sophomoric (and sometimes stomach-turning) humor mislead you, this is a very touching story that will get you thinking about the institutions we all live in, and, like Richard, "Do I really think I'm any better than they are?"

If you have ever worked in the human services field, you'll love what your reading. If you have ever worked direct care with mentally handicapped individuals, you'll love it even more!
I could relate every character in the book, to an individual with whom I have worked. Stellar Job Wally, KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!

I enjoyed this book, found it to be funny and entertaining. Very good reading won't put you to sleep so don't bother reading before going to bed.

Dynamite comes in small packages, they say.'I Don't Want to be Your Guru, But I Have Something to Say'
by Joyce Shafer only has 54 pages, but it contains the punch of a parcel of dynamite!

The really catchy title struck a chord immediately I read it, because there are far too many superstar gurus
around today. When I started reading, I kept thinking: "Yes, good point! I'll mark this page." Then I'd say the
same thing on the next page, and the next. I soon realized that there is a gem of wisdom on virtually every
page. Many had more than one!

What I really liked about this story is the easy conversational telling. Here we have a really clever use of
fiction to get really important messages across very effectively, devoid of the dogma often attached to books
teaching important life-lessons.

This conversation combines age-old teachings with quantum physics making it an up-to-date manual for life.
Absorbing Old Bill's philosophy into our own lives is sure to bring greater happiness and joy.

However you use it, you need to read this book. My suggestion: Get it. Read it. Think about it. Blend these
principles into the foundation of your being. Repeat as necessary.

Like Old Bill says in this book, there's a difference between a trip and a journey. This one is definitely a journey worth taking. I took my time reading this because I wanted to savor the wit and wisdom between the pages. Each bit of knowledge was like a bite out of the warm apple pie that weaves its aroma throughout the book. Whether you rush through or sit around a while, this is one story not to be missed. I'm going back for a second helping.

> 'You will find this book to be one of 'the most'
> amazing books you've ever read. What Joyce has done
> in this masterpiece can only be accomplished through
> intuitive, spiritual genius. As you read this
> 'sure-to-be' classic, you will feel, as I did, the
> change that is taking place deep inside. I found
> myself taking deep breaths as I soaked and marinated
> my soul with this profound yet simple story. Joyce
> communicates to you quantum truths in a manner that
> anyone can grasp, understand and be transformed by.
> I sat and thought of all the friends that I wanted
> to call immediately and tell them 'get this book
> now'. If you can experience half of what I
> experienced while devouring this short book, you
> will look at your life, others and the universe in a
> way that not only makes perfect sense but with a
> since of purity, optimism, understanding and great
> love.'
>
> Michael Murphy
>
> Author of 'Powerful Attitudes', professional
> speaker, creator of Instant Success Immersion
> e-course and positive, personal encourager to over
> 150,000 people around the world with his
> 'E-Courager' ezine
> [...]
>

This book is a little gem. It's short and sweet. It is a wisdom book that compares well with "Tuesdays With Morrie" and even the Carlos Castaneda books, although considerably shorter. It is easy and fun to read and will help everyone who is interested in improving and elevating their life and becoming happier. The information is presented in a conversation between an avatar and someone like you and me who meet in a chance encounter. It is wise, sound, but never preachy. I recommend this book for everyone interested in living a fuller, richer inner life, plus it'll only take you an hour or two of your time to read and digest it.

Reviewed by Narissa Johnson for Reader Views (6/07)

"I Don't Want to be Your Guru, but I have Something to Say" is Joyce Shafer's gift to me. This book, short and easy-to-read, makes me realize that other books, sharing wisdom that I have read, were merely building up to this book. The book could be read in one afternoon, but why would you want to? I took my time reading this book and intentionally did not mark in it, highlight or flag any part of it. I want to read it again before I really pull the lessons out of the text.

Through an easy going conversation in a cafe, lessons about how we view ourselves and the world around us are shared between two people. Each lesson is one which I want to savor - like a delectable amuses-bouche. An amuses-bouche is bite-sized morsel served before the first course of a meal. And its intent is to tantalize (or amuse) the mouth and indeed tease the diner with what the chef has prepared for the following courses. "I Don't Want to be Your Guru" serves up an array of amuses-bouche - each lesson teasing me with the possibility of how my life could be altered, bettered, lifted by integrating these lessons into it.

In "I Don't Want to be Your Guru," the loose story which surrounds these lessons is a young woman named AJ (though I suppose it could be a man, but as I am a woman I suspect Ms. Shafer intended me to view AJ as a woman) who is returning to the site where she had this life-changing conversation with Old Bill. She is returning ten years after the conversation - and I suspect that of everything she learned in her conversation with this "guru," it could take ten years to really integrate and reflect on these lessons as part of your everyday life. And I, for one, can't wait to get started!