U Books

Right from the gitgo Ben Hamper's Rivethead grabs you with gritty gusto of passages such as the above; Hamper is an extraordinary writer about life for the ordinary guy... at least the ordinary guy who winds up as an automotive assembly-line worker for General Motors in Flint, Michigan--once considered the Automobile Capital of the World. The author is a natural shop rat, growing up in Flint, with an alcoholic mostly absentee father and a long-suffering, working-three-jobs mother trying to raise the family as practicing Catholics.

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Brian Wright
Copyright 2008

The endless monotony and idiot bosses drive anybody with an IQ above their shoe size to do something to kill the thought that, if they're lucky, they only have 30 more years of mind numbing drudgery to go before they can retire. I'm not saying alcohol abuse is the proper outlet, but it does seem to be the most common and most convenient. Good book, excellent portrayal of what exactly "blue collar America" does for a living.

Ben Hamper shares his life as a worker on the GM assembly line in Flint, MI. Bold, frank, honest and often hilarious. This book was recommended to me years ago and for some reason I never read it until now. Hamper chronicles a part of American history (manufacturing jobs) that seem to be going stateside or as Ross Perot once described in a quip about NAFTA, what's that whoosing noise? manufacturing jobs headed to Mexico. This is prose for the ages. Loved the book.

I didn't really like reading this book because I too work in a (once) major three Auto plant. I didn't feel that it properly portrayed some of the workers. It made it sound like all workers are like the author where they just really don't give a damn about anything except having a joking time on the job. It also made the workers sound like they were underachieving, undereducated, bottom of the barrel workers and I didn't care to have that stigma for all of us. I hold two bachelor degrees, like my job and take it serious!

I grew up with people like Ben Hamper in a place which was much like Flint. For the first couple years of my adult life, I did the kind of work he did. What he describes is the tail end of a lifestyle; the lifestyle of the shop rat. It's dirty, monotonous and smelly. Many of the people you work with are either below average in intelligence or in sanity. Drugs, booze and having no concept of "forethought" are fundamental parts of the culture. It's nihilism with a rivet gun. If you come from a place like that, chances are, your only way out is via a jail cell or a career in the military. Or, you could win a workmans comp suit. Which is presumably how Ben got out.

I miss rust-belt working class america. It's a hard life, and it doesn't have much in the way of rewards, but the people who make it up are genuine in ways that others are not: they have a lot of heart and spirit. Ben's book brought it all back in a great galloping rush of memories. If you've ever wondered what the factory working classes are, or at least were like (back when we had factories); read the book.

Vivid illustrations. Short and sweet. Hard, sturdy book. Bought it for 2 year old twin boys and they have fun telling us whether the dino is a meat eater or plant eater by looking at their teeth. If your kid loves dinosaurs I would recommend this book.

My two-year-old son likes dinosaurs, and this one is a favorite of his. The book is filled with rhyming opposites that lend themselves to a dramatic reading. (My son loves to 'roar' when the dinosaur 'roars.') I would recommend it for one- and two-year-olds.

Though it has lots of pictures of dinousars, the pictures are not individually labelled. (I am not sure if the dinosaurs in the book are even modelled on real dinosaurs.) Therefore, the child is not going to learn any facts about dinosaurs, other than they varied greatly.

My 22 month old doesn't sit sit for long. He's just always running to the next object for exploration. So, getting him to sit still for reading is a challenge. BUT, he LOVES Dinosaur Roar. The colorful illustations, the beauty of the painted images, the catchy lyrics (emphasized when reading, of course) all hold his attention--so that we can Almost finish the book before he runs off. The juxtaposition of opposites (small and huge, for example) help us teach him concepts. GREAT book!

Dinosaurs Roar is a good book for ages 1 to 3, but older children may be bored with this book. The drawing are friendly, and not scary to younger children. I had noticed that some children's dinosaur books may be too graphically realistic for younger children. The drawings are fun and creative.

I bought this book for my 2 year old and he loves it! The text (sets of opposites) is written in a fun cadence and provides ample opportunity for a lively reading! I think we'll be reading this one for a long time! -- Updating January 2008: Now 2 years down the road my daughter has come along and she ADORES this book too!

The Little House series are great read aloud books.

Our daughter is five and this series is perfectly age appropriate, even though an older child would enjoy them equally as well. For younger ones (three or so), there is a great picture book series called "My first little house books," or something like that. One of these is a story based of a chapter in this book and is called "Christmas in the Big Woods."

These CD's are great for long trips in the car. The narrator's voice is wonderful. The adults will find themselves enjoying listening themselves.

"One the Banks of Plum Creek" is the best of the series. It is the one where Mary and Laura go to school and where the character of Nellie Olson is introduced. Her brand of spoiled rotten meanness is nothing short of tantalizing to a five year old. Also, there are the wonderful Christmas chapters.

Just excellent, all around. I highly recommend the books to read alound and the CD's.

Whether you have read the Little House books or have never heard of them, this book on tape is wonderful for everyone from small children to adults. The narrator who reads it does an amazing job of capturing the childhood wonderment and emotions Laura was trying to convey. It is also so interesting to hear the way families lived back in the 1800's. I could listen to this book on tape over and over again.

Book review
I did my report on the book called On the Banks of Plum Creek.
The author of this novel is Laura Ingalls Wilders. It is also historical fiction.
This story is about a family that is very close. There is baby Carrie the littlest, the middle child was Laura but her nick name was Little Half Pint, and the oldest is named Mary. Mary was such a little lady she always did what her mother told her to do. But Laura was the rebel in the family she was always getting dirty or getting into trouble. But Carrie is too little to have a background. Pa traded his horses and bunny for a dugout from Mr. Nelson. There was a creek close to the house and they played there often but they must never go into the deep waters with out Pa or Ma (Laura learned that lesson fast).
I loved this book because I love the time period it was set in and I have read many stories by the same author like Little House in the Big Woods. It would suit some one who loves Family stories and the time period and his farm world it is more like a fun book to read but it is Historical fiction as well.

Laura Ingalls is now eight-years-old, her sister Mary is nine, and Carrie is still just a tiny tot. While they are all still quite young, they are expected to help out with the chores around the house - from sweeping to dusting, cooking and setting the table. But this year, the girls are in a strange new place. Looking to settle in an area where a school and church are close by, and the Ingalls' have a chance to grow a wonderful crop that will provide quite a profit, the family heads to Walnut Grove, Minnesota. Traveling by covered wagon, the family, along with all of their belongings, travels all the way through Indian Territory, across Kansas, Missouri, and Iowa, stopping at their destination in Minnesota. There, they are surrounded by Norwegian's who speak very little English. However, they are good neighbors who assist them in times of trouble. Trading their horses for a home located under the ground, Laura's family begins to call Minnesota their home. And, before long, Pa has built a lovely home by the banks of Plum Creek. He believes that his wheat crop will provide enough funds to pay off their debts when the time comes. But when locusts invade in cloud-like swarms, eating everything in their sight, the family must endure hardships that were unexpected.

But things are not all bad. Having never attended school before, Laura and Mary are finally near enough a schoolhouse where they can attend daily lessons that help them develop reading, writing, and arithmetic skills. It is at this particular school where the two older Ingalls girls are exposed to children - both male and female - who are close to their age. Some of whom title Mary and Laura "country girls." But the label does not affect how the two sisters view themselves, or their family; and only gives them the courage to befriend various girls who love to spend time with them. It is at school, however, that Laura encounters the spoiled, yet oh-so-pretty, Nellie Oleson, who goes out of her way to give both Laura and Mary a hard time. But Laura isn't having any of it, and resolves to get even with the vicious Nellie, even if it upsets her Ma and Pa. Luckily, with Ms. Beadle - the schoolteacher - around, Laura and Mary have the confidence to stand up for themselves, and receive the education that their Ma always wanted them to have; while getting the socialization they deserve. But even attending school doesn't excuse them from having to assist their family when the going gets tough.

Up until last year, I had been a diehard fan of the LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE TV series, but had never had the opportunity to delve into the wonderful tales told by Laura Ingalls Wilder herself. Upon reading the introduction novel, LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE, I quickly fell in love with the Ingalls family all over again; and, since then, they have taken up residence in my heart, and kept me fascinated with the various adventures they experienced throughout their lives. Laura is such a lively, brave, fun-loving character; whose ambition, kindness, and, oft-times, naughtiness, make her appealing from start to finish. Her relationship with her family is hard to resist, as she manages to please and displease them on a daily basis, all to the jovial laughter of her father. I believe that Pa (Charles) is one of the most important characters in the series, as he is such a kind, loyal man; who rarely scolds, and spends his downtime entertaining his family with music from his fiddle, and stories that leave you chuckling. The family, as a whole, are the type of people you would absolutely love to have the chance to know. They are kind to strangers, helpful to neighbors, and both Ma and Pa are two of the most selfless people in literature. The information regarding Rocky Mountain locusts was both interesting, and frightening; but truly provides a wonderful history lesson for the young reader. While the introduction of the devilish Nellie Oleson provides quite a bit of humor, as she and Laura trade insults with one another at almost every meeting between the two. Ingalls did a marvelous job of penning such a cheerful addition to the series; and, thus far, ON THE BANKS OF PLUM CREEK has become my favorite LITTLE HOUSE book yet. A can't-miss addition to the series!

Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer

ON THE BANKS OF PLUM CREEK -- Who could forget the plague of grasshoppers, or spoiled Nellie's encounter with the crab, or Pa's sojourn in the blizzard, among other adventures?

We -- my three homeschooled grandchildren and I -- are going through the Laura Ingalls Wilder series of books for the second time. We read them aloud during story time, and love every minute. These are books written about an American pioneer family in the 1800s with a strong moral compass. In an unsentimental style, the author writes simply of the day-to-day life she experienced firsthand growing up. As the title of this review suggests, a central theme, not only of this book, but the entire series, is that "Pa loves Ma, and Ma loves Pa, and all's right with the world," including in the face of all kinds of adversity and opportunity alike.

I enrich this time for my grandchildren by stopping occasionally to explain and discuss what we are reading about, be it an unusual word usage, a custom no longer practiced, how to do something by hand, historical facts... We have even stopped to do some research and measure out the height of a bear. Our family tradition is that the eldest grandchild (now 11) reads the last page of these books. Otherwise, I usually do the reading. We also try to get started right away on the next book in the series, the same day as we finish the one before, so as not to lose our momentum.

After going through the series the first time, we discovered (almost by accident at the local library) several other series of books, written by other authors, about Laura's great-grandmother Martha in Scotland, her grandmother Charlotte in Boston, and her mother Caroline in Wisconsin, so we decided to start over with the first of those books and carry on through. There is also a series about Laura's daughter Rose which we have not gotten to yet.

Reading through the other series in order has been time well invested. Like Laura, we have strong family roots in Scotland. We have four generations of our family living within close proximity, so my grandchildren know my father, their beloved great-grandfather, quite well, and this series helps them gain a feel of family and historical continuity, generation to generation. (Check for related book series under: Martha Years, Charlotte Years, Caroline Years, Rose Years).

I am investing in and building our own set of all these books in hardcover, having told my grandchildren that I plan to be around to read them to *their* grandchildren!

This book is wonderful for teaching people how to relax and cope with stress. It has practical exercises for learning the different techniques.
Workbook covers such topics as: body awareness, breathing, progressive relaxation, meditation, visualization, autogenics, self-hypnosis, refuting irrational ideas, thought stopping, worry control, goal and time
managment, assertiveness training, job stress management, nutrition, exercise and how to stay on track with a stress management program. I've had therapists tell me they use this book all the time in their practice. I'm currently using it as a guide for people in my Wellness Recovery Program. The exercises are easy to teach and practical to use.

Well written. A great how-to for beginners. Finally a self-help book that tells the reader "how" to do something rather than a diatribe of how wonderful the author is and why the information is important. Workbook is easy to follow. I'm very happy with it.

This book is a wonderful resource for any clinician. No matter the reason a patient is coming in for therapy, I eventually use this book with him/her. The book is worth it for the breathing chapter alone. I really like the layout of the book. You can read the book straight through or just go to the chapter that is of importance for your patient (time management, etc.).

I didn't read this book myself, but purchased it for a friend who, due to a chronic medical condition caused solely by stress, needs to change not only his lifestyle but his thought process and self identity. He tells me this book opened his eyes to how stressful his life truly is, and found many of the suggestions and techniques helpful in the beginning process of identifying stressful behavior, and taking the first baby steps in changing that behavior. For him, however, the major changes may have to come through therapy, but for those for whom a relatively simple lifestyle change will bring improvement, this book appears to be the ticket.

Sure we're all stressed a little now and then, but when the stress REALLY starts to build up and becomes too much, consider this little helper. An oversized volume (making it much easier to read), this book contains not one, but MANY different ways of reducing your stress- that's why its called a workbook. And this is precisely what makes this book such a gem- there's virtually something in it for everyone. If you don't like one technique, no problem, just go to the next chapter and try another one until you find one that suits you.

A handy book that should help de-stress a lot of people, I give it 5 stars easy. Can also recommend The Sixty-Second Motivator for readers who have trouble getting motivated to do healthy things regularly- like practice relaxation techniques!

I just love this story, it's about impossible to put down. It follows the crazy lives of several characters with love, betrayal, operations of the mob, murder-you name it- the only complaint is that it does include MANY graphic sex scenes, almost to the point of over-kill. This is definitely an adult read. I do plan to read the sequels too!

This is by far one of my favorite books. I have read this book, so many times, and each time I love it! Chances is the first book in a series of Santangelo Novels. This book has so much depth to it. I would have rated it wit 10 stars if I could!

This book is about a street hood named Gino Santangelo who grows up with the rough childhood. His Father Paulo, was a drunk, who beat on women, and was in and out of jail, leaving Gino to fend for himself. The one thing Gino knew was that he hated his father with a passion, and would not be like him. Gino,s fathers wife,Vera was a worn out prostitute who, took Gino in and gave him the closest thing to a home. Meanwhile Gino was in and out of Juvenile Homes, and Jail.

In A boys Home Gino Met a small kid named Costa. Costa was a small timid boy, who was getting raped and molested by one of the Men in the Home. Gino walked upon Casta getting molested and came to his defense. This rescue formed a lifetime friendship between Costa and Gino. Shortly after Costa was adopted into a family, and Gino was released because he became of age.

Gino was a small time hood trying to put money in his pockets by committing small crimes and driving. He became involved with Bonnatti a known big time Hustler, and made a name for himself. Costa was always in admiration of Gino, as soon as he was settled he invited Gino to his home. Gino met Costa's sister Lenora and was in love at first site. They made plans to marry, Gino planned on going home to save money then he would send for Lenora. Later Costa delivered the news to Gino that Lenora was already married with a baby.

Years later Costa introduced Gino to Lenora's daughter Maria, it was love at first site. Maria and Gino married and had 2 children Lucky and Dario.
Dario was gay, and never wanted Gino to find out, as Lucky had all the balls and followed in her fathers footsteps. Together Lucky and Gino built an empire which was legitimate Hotel Businesse's in Vegas. This book is all that it has so many twists and turns.

You will be introduced and enthralled by so many more characters like Stephen, Carrie, Enzio, Olympia and so on and so on, dont want to give too much of the book away but I promise that this book is a winner, and Jackie Collins delivers in this novel.

I'm a huge fan of Jackie Collins, and have read all her books! But I must say by far the Lucky series are the best! Make time, find time and you will read over and over again!

I really enjoyed reading Chances. It was my first book by Jackie Collins and I read it pretty quickly even though it is quite long. There were multiple story lines and the story started off in 1977, then backed up to the 1920s. This got my interest because I kept wondering what things had happened in the characters lives to get them to where they were in 1977. I have thought about the book since reading it and also plan on reading the other Lucky Santangelo books. I liked the dialogue between the characters also. This book was great. My only warning is that it is at least "R" rated... so don't read it if you are offended by swearing, drugs or explicit sex scenes.

Those who still haven't met the Santagelo clan should definitely do so by picking up CHANCES. Storyteller extraordinaire Collins pens out an effective saga of a poor boy venturing into the Mafia business of the 20's, where a bunch of friends and foes suffer in the name of love, honor or revenge. The author does a great job delivering an edge-of-your-seat escapism read that goes back and forth in time. Furthermore, The now-infamous I-am-woman-hear-me-roar Lucky Santagelo character is even introduced. Oh yes, CHANCES should definitely be on top of everyone's reading pile.-----Martin Boucher

It was a great book! i read it when i was 11. I could really connect with Zoe (the main character). It doesn't talk about boys. so, if you want a kind and nice friendship book you should get this one!!!! I loved it, so, so will you!!!

I read this book when I was 13 years old. I absolutely loved it at the time. I could relate to all of the characters because they were just like my friends. And the plot completely reflected life as a preteen or how I wished my life could be. I will be 20 next month and I still remember this series of books being one of my favorites as a young teen. I would also recommend the California Diaries to anyone who enjoyed this series as they were also a favorite of mine.

on reading this book you would seriously have the feeling that you are actually reading a secret diary of a 12yr old. anybody from age 10-14yrs can relate to zoe's character of being tomboyish and feeling clumsy & unpretty at some stage or the other.this is a must read for all the teenage crowd who have less than sqeaky clean lives.rachel vail is the best!

This book was awesome. It is about a girl who was always considered one of the guys. All of a sudden, she finds herself becoming attracted to Tommy Levit, her next-door nieghbor, and wearing tight tops to school. She asks Tommy who he likes, and it turns her life upside down, because CJ Hurley, who she wants to be her best friend, likes him too. Did she make a big mistake?
I think that Rachel Vail is an awesome author. If you like this book, you should read all the books by her.

"When you're the yougest of five girls,nothing's your own" that's the first sentence of the book.Zoe Grandon is the fifth child in the Grandon family. she has heroldest sister,Anne Marie's mouth, her second oldest sister Bay's hair. But unfortunately, she has her mom's behind. Zoe is friends with everyone.Even boys.Zoe is kind spirited and friendly.Zoe has a crush on herf riend,Tommy. But her almost best friend, C.J,has a crush on him too! Zoe can't decide whether to she should go after Tommy or let C.J have him. But she finally decides that since C.J liked him first,C.J should have Tommy. But does Tommy like Zoe? Or does Tommy likeC.J? What if he doesn't like any of them?

I first chose this book when I saw my friend reading it. The cover was a picture of a girl holding a tennis racket in her hand.I read the blurb and I was hooked. But I was confused too. In the blurb,there was this word, hormones.What does it mean?I asked my teacher, Mr.Carbone.I found out that hormones means something in your body that makes you act differently and behave differemtly.I was still puzzled.As I read more, I understood what it meant.I really like this book and I want to read the other books in the series. It's a very good book and I know other people would enjoy it.

When Zoe let CJ have Tommy, I was angry.If Iwas Zoe, I would go after Tommy. After all, so what if CJ liked Tommy first? Zoe KNEW Tommy first. Zoe is just too friendly to hurt CJ's feelings. Another book, "Kitty in High School" is about the same thing. Kitty likes a boy named Skip. Kitty wasn't sure if she should ask Skip to the dance, and when Kitty makes up her mind, Skip is taken by her best friend. So if Zoe doesn't go and try to win Tommy back,she'll never get the chance!

My favorite part in this book is the whole book, so there's not much to explain, is there?

I would recommend this book to people who are ready to learn about growing up. If you are like zoe and you have a crush on someone, read this book and you might learn something.

I received this book as a gift from my mother. It was in a pile of books my mom found at a yard sale and sent prior to the birth of our first baby. I never looked at the book until the first day that our son was home from the hospital. I picked up the book to read it to that sweet new little life. I wept tears of joy as I read each page. It is truly a beautiful and poetic book, and one I will treasure always. I've given this book now several times to expecting friends and family.

I wish I had read the description closer. I wanted a board book. Oh well - Great book!!

This book has beautiful pictures to accompany the wonderful words that I, as a mother, truly mean every time I read them to my sweet girls. I first found this book in the library, and just had to own it. I also bought the board book as a gift for a friend.

This is the best book to give your child or grandchild. Small children love being read this book!

This is my favorite book to gift to new parents. Whether they've been blessed with a baby boy or girl, this is the perfect book to start off a life-time of reading. My other favorites are "Cookies Bite-Size Life Lessons" and "Jamberry"...there's just something so special about picture books, isn't there?

A marriage counselor suggested I read this book. I had been married for 12 years at the time and we let things go. We needed some direction. We will be married 18 years this summer. It was wonderful. It gave me new hope and a new perspective. I have given several copies away to friends whose marriage was in trouble and a few as wedding gifts. It's great for the newly married couple to the oh boy our marriage is in serious trouble. I have re-read it a few times, and each time I pull something different from it. I highly recommend it!

I highly recommend this book. If it's not on the rocks, then I still recommend it, as it shows you specific biblical references to marriage and how to treat your partner.

I recommend it for those contemplating marriage and who are already married. Dr Wheat's books can transform any marriage into one made in Heaven.

For a christian, it is literally amazing how very far I was from the biblical principles for marriage. This book showed me how to act in accordance with these principles and I found nothing vague about it! It clearly outlined the appropriate behavior for a married christian and I go back to it again and again to remind myself of the good that god has in store for me as a partner in a christian marriage. I continue to buy this book in volume and share it with everyone I know, as my marriage was so close to the edge that I am still in awe of the blessing I've received from this book. Putting biblical principles to practice in your marriage can produce amazing results! May you be as blessed by the biblical wisdom explained in this book as I have been.

This is a good and easy read for all christians. It would be good for people not married yet, newlyweds, and married people. Love Life talks about the bible's guidelines for our relationships. The book has many useful ideas. I just disagree with the author's stand on divorce. I believe that divorce has it's place and time.

Again the survival of mankind is at stake. The two goodies in the novel normally would not have any chance against the powers of evil that have the instruments in their hands to change man entirely or even to destroy him. But fortunately there is a third party in this desperate fight - nature. Nature evolves into a major character of the novel and plays a great part in its outcome. So grandiose is the description of the landscape, the winter in the mountains, the storms and the blizzards that you begin to feel the cold in your warm house while you are reading. The opposing parties in this stories demonstrate another aspect of Dun's favourite subject: a dangerous technological device is in the wrong hands. He shows us how fragile our system of security is in fact. To rely on accidental help is not enough to survive if ruthless criminals are in the possession of mega-technology. Right now we can look at some nasty examples in this world of ours. Just turn your eyes to the Middle East.

One of the best action thrillers I have read in a long time. It's a roller coaster ride. It has action, romance, secret cloning, mad scientists, indian hero, FBI agents, dangerous mountains, snowstorms and much more.

I was pleasantly surprised by the tight plot and detail. The characters were believable, the heroes easy to cheer.

My friend Deb kept recommending it, but I took a couple of years before I read it. I was wrong. I expected good and got excellent. This is a good read. It is interesting and hard to put down.

As an English teacher, I can't recommend this for younger readers, but any grown up who wants a thrilling trip into the mountains with a Native American hero trying to save his tribe (wow, I never even noticed that until I wrote it. The plot was definitely not contrived or formulaic.) and a female FBI agent looking for a man who can be trusted will enjoy this book very much. In a world hungry for a real hero, these characters stand out.

I read the first three chapters of his latest, THE BLACK SILENT, and can hardly wait to finish it.

Take your usual strong male leading figure who can kill like the best Navy Seal (but doesn't want to) and a strong female character who has no choice but to fall in love with the lead, and you have this book. It's somewhat formula for an action / suspense but it definitely kept me reading. It's worth the time.

This is the 2nd David Dun novel I've read, "The Black Silent" was my first, and his most recent. I expected "Necessary Evil" to be good from reading the reviews here but I really didn't think it would be as good as "The Black Silent". Boy was I wrong. This story is every bit as good and fast paced.

I particularly enjoyed this book because of the scientific angle and all the descriptions of DNA and RNA, the muted genes and viruses, and cloning. Dr. Keir Wintripp, a Tilok indian vet with vast survival skills figures out that his people are being taken advantage of when he and FBI agent Jessie Mayfield run to investigate a plane crash on the mountains near Jessie's sister's home. Jessie is visiting her sister in the Washington State mountains while recovering from a shocking dilemna from her life in DC as an agent. She's not field trained but a computer geek. After Jessie and Kier find books from the crash about science gone wrong, covert operatives arrive at the crash scene to secure the evidence and silence any witnesses. The head of the company, Tillman, comes with the mercenaries and brings a knowledge of survival skills comparable to those of Kier Wintripp. Jessie and Kier are hunted down, but do a little hunting on their own.

This book moves along at a fairly quick pace; the excitement seldom waning. If you like action adventure thrillers that keep you on the edge of your seat, you'll love this book.

I think this book, and from the reviews I've read of all of Mr. Dun's work, should come with a warning similar to those found on a pack of cigarettes: The Surgeon General has found that cigarette smoking can be hazardous to your health. This one should read: The Library of Congress has found that this book can cause Insomnia and Attention Deficit Syndrome.

I only just started this story last night and I'm already wanting to put everything else off to finish it! As a teacher, frustrated with "the system" of education today, this is a refreshing, exciting look at a unique school of railroad car classrooms, lunches of "something from the sea and something from the mountains," student-centered learning (Wow! what a concept!)from the eyes of little Totto-chan. If the rest of the book proves to be as great as the first part, I will be recommending it to all my teacher friends. It's a quick, fun read for anyone! Two thumbs up!

Honestly I read this book over 25 years ago and thought that this book has long been discontinued. I guess this proves what a time-tested treasure it is. The author, a TV celebrity in Japan, recalls her childhood and the unorthodox school she went to. Absolutely adoring in the simple story of how a concerned mother tried to do the best for her daughter and how a simple man did his best to give a bright and meaningful future to the few children who comes into his life.

It is the type of book that makes you wish that there were more teachers like him and that you had a teacher like him.

This is one of my all-time favorite books. First published in Japan in 1981, this beautiful book depicting the true story of innocent little Totto-chan, her family, friends, and above all, the innovating educationer she befriends in the years leading up to, and during the first years of WW2, remains a national best seller in Japan to this day. I don't have any children of my own, but if I did, and if Tomoe-Gakuen (the elementary school Totto-chan attends) existed today, I would immediately enroll my children there. Since there is not, I hope I have the good luck of finding somebody like Sosaku Kobayashi to help make my child the happiest and kindest child in the world.

It was due to this book's beauty that then UNICEF Executive Director, James P. Grant persuaded those working at UNICEF to appoint the author, Tetsuko Kuroyanagi (who is Totto-chan grown up), to UNICEF's International Goodwill Ambassador, enabling her to visit and help children in need all over the world.

For people who have read this book and those who have not, I also recommend "Totto-Chan's Children : A Goodwill Journey to the Children of the World" by the same author. It tells the story of Totto-chan grown up, still big-hearted as ever, striving to help children in need. Check it out!

In 1969 I was part of a group of teachers who created a school much like that featured in Toto Chan. We thought we were on the "cutting edge" of educational practices without knowing that a school in Japan had been delivering many of the same holistic, humanistic educational practices over a quarter of a century before. I'm sure many U.S. educators who thought/think they were/are in the vanguard of educational practices would appreciate this beautiful story of a dedicated educator and his students.

I have not read a better book which has made me laugh, cry, love, and ponder over is such a way! This book is awesome and worth much more than 5 stars.