V Books

I love this book. It is one of my favs. out of all 13 books

i have read all of the daughter of the moon books several times
they are all totaly awesome.serena is getting possessed she is not acting like her self.you will not regret readingthese books i've allready gotten friends to read the books and one of my teachers wanted to read it!!!!!!!!!!

i thought this book was amazing ! it was so good but it was also really sad with stanton...i think serena is just so cool and i lyk that she has that dark side which cna keep her with stanton

This book was good. We find out in the end that Serena has a 3rd choice, unlike the other Daughters. You have to read the book becasue I am not telling you what it is. This book is also revloving around Serena and Stanton again. Hopefully thought her next one won't be.

Payasa


Possession was an AWSOME book, like all of the other Daughter of the Moon books! It was about a girl named Serena who can read minds. All of her friends have powers too. She was running away from Jerome, a boy who has a total crush on Serena, but she tottaly hates him, and she bumps into this old lady who gives her some potion stuff. She wakes up hours later and walks home, but a black Lexus follows her. She went to sleep with an awful headache. She wakes up to find herself in the kitchen with words writen in her own blood'"YOU'RE NOT ALONE ANYMORE". Her friend, Catty's, mom invited them to read the future in a coffee cup, and she saw snakes, which means "an enemy has come to visit". Serena gets spaces in time where she can't remember anything. She starts to get really freaked. She finds the old woman and she is able to undo the curse by fighting the followers that the old woman is leading along with Lambart.This is a great book and I highly recomend it for readers that have read the rest of the series because it just gets better with every book. For those who haven't read any other books in the series, I recomend it if you like present day fantasy based in Los Angeles.

Oh, let me please be like Grandfather Twilight when I am old! Another dreamy, mysterious, and magically poetic masterpiece from Barbara Berger. Ever wonder how the moon finds its way up into the sky at night? "Grandfather Twilight" reveals this secret. It is the perfect book to quiet the soul before bedtime. A childhood favorite.

There are a number of books in the childrens' book market that qualify as modern day classics and Berger's "Grandfather Twilight" is definitely among them. From the stunning artwork, to the magnificent prose, to the magical message, this is a winner. Right up there with the best. Together with a soft blanket, the perfect gift for the new arrival.

This beautifully illustrated book describes how Grandfather Twilight turns a pearl into the moon as he turns day to night. Every child I've read it to loves it.

A favorite as my grandchildren visited. Read often before bed. Easy story and beautiful pictures. A must have for every family with young children.

This was my favorite book to read to my daughter when she was little. It was also just MY FAVORITE BOOK to look at. The illustrations are beautiful. The story has few words, so you are also able to use your imagination while looking at the pictures and thinking about the story.

I highly recommend adding this book to your collection - whether or not you have children or grandchlidren.

I'm in my late twenties and I love this book! I am a huge Tinkerbell fan and this book gives a glimpse into her make-believe world. The picures are gorgeous!

Purchased this for my daughter as a 5th birthday gift. She loves the disney fairy books, and this book gives detail to everything. The size of each fairy and her hobbies. The size of the home tree and all of the rooms. It goes on and on about the fairies (by name) and contains beautiful illustrations! Perfect gift for a little girl.

In the Realm of the Never Fairies: The Secret World of Pixie Hollow, designed by Elizabeth Ryazantseva and Megan Krempels, is a gorgeous look at Tinker Bell's neighborhood. With text by Monique Peterson and lavish illustrations by The Disney Storybook Artists, the book details the hobbies, homes, and habits of different types of fairies that live in Never Never Land. This is a beautiful addition to any art-appreciative library, home or school, and a must-have for any Tinker Bell fan.

Both of my grandaughters (ages 10 and 7) are heavily into the Disney Fairies world. They loved the book. The illustrations are beautiful.

I love this book. I bought it for the younger kids who use the school library I work in, but my 8th graders won't give it up! They love it. A great book for all ages.

I agree with the positive comments concerning the books complexity. Yet, I found the phrase "none the less" to be used profusely and way too much. One reviewer commented that the characters tend to speak the same. I believe these instances (along with the phrase) are, however, signs of editorial errors. Although not a professional in the field, I would hope that a reviewer for publication would note these concerns and suggest that this is a problem to the author, who may be too immersed in the plot design to notice.

On the other hand, I disagree with the negative comment regarding overuse of character's titles. Sometimes this makes the reading easier with so many characters and it provides diversity rather than repetitive naming. Moreover, in some cases such as the historian in the second book, a title may be used by others as a sign of respect. As a reader, I felt that the people placed great honor on the role of historian as she or he would tell the tale to others and for future generations.

These minor concerns don't remove a star for me but could enhance the readability.

Fair warning... I haven't read the whole series yet, in fact I'm only on the fourth book, so to be honest I'm not sure the series will continue as strongly as this third book appears to.

That said, this book makes some of the slowness and incredible denseness of the first two books worthwhile. At this point in the series, Erikson has introduced many of his major characters and while he introduces more and takes the already introduced characters to a new place, there is at least some familiarity and cohesion now for the reader to hold onto. This book is also much more of a sequel to "Gardens of the Moon" than it is to "Deadhouse Gates" (which had an almost completely different cast of characters and took place in a completely different area of the world portrayed than did the first book). Events in "Deadhouse Gates" are mentioned in passing, but the focus is on the characters and general area of "Gardens of the Moon".

So what makes this book worthy of a 5 star rating for me?

In addition to yet again ending with some stunning imagery and scenes (I won't give much away, but let's just say that Erikson isn't afraid to shake things up, sometimes so quickly that I had to stop to reread a section to make sure I'd read it correctly), Erikson ties events in the first book to this book's prologue (which by the way is the first bit of this series I'd ever read, and is excellently done). Not only that, but when the actual connections are made after the prologue itself, it suddenly changed my perception of the first book's linked events. I won't go into much detail, but suffice it to say, I thought the linking was very well done.

One of Erikson's weaknesses in the first book was characterization. Obviously, if you have a ton of characters being introduced, there's not going to be much of a chance for each individual one to be fleshed out to the same extent as books that focus on far fewer characters. However, this book did add a bit more fleshing out, and as a consequence, made at least some of the characters much more three dimensional.

I realize I've covered almost nothing of the plot. The main thrust of the story regards a military operation against a new threat to the Malazan Empire. There's political intrigue to spare. Individuals end up on their own quests. Loose ends abound. In other words, the plot itself is similar to the first two books in feel, even if the specifics are different. What becomes obvious is that there is much more going on beneath the surface of the story and Erikson seems to be a master at giving just enough to make the reader itch like crazy to find out more, while not giving away his secrets too quickly.

Simply put, Erikson's writing style is much more mature and surefooted in this novel than it was in "Gardens of the Moon" and even "Deadhouse Gates". He continues to impress with the ability to paint vivid scenes, including epic ones that rival anything I've read. And finally, by tying together some loose ends (which the reader really didn't even realize were loose to begin with) he makes the previously read "Gardens of the Moon" a better book in retrospect. The series may not be for everyone, but the payoff in this novel is worth some of the rough edges in the first two.

With Memories of Ice, Erikson adds another great title to the Malazan series. This third installment continues the grittiness and maturity of the first two and adds some interesting characters to the mix. As in all of the fantasy that I enjoy, no one is safe, regardless of their seeming importance to the story line so you will likely lose a character that you like, but that's what keeps the suspense real. I love Erikson's ability to build life into his characters and indeed the story is driven by them rather than having them simply respond to events on a plotline. Overall it was a great read and a wonderful contribution to one of the best series in fantasy today.

As far as criticisms are concerned, there are only a couple from my perspective. One is that the author's writing style, while having a distinctly mature and gritty feel, can be stylistically difficult to follow at times. Not impossible by any means, and not enough to significantly diminish the impact or enjoyability of the book as a whole, but complicated nonetheless. The only other thing that I found irksome is the repeated and heavy overuse of the expression 'growled' as in "Go away", he growled. It seems everyone in this book is constantly growling. Again, little thing but you will almost certainly notice it as it is VERY prevalent.

Overall I would highly recommend this and all of the Malazan books. And if you like the feel and story of these, give R. Scott Bakker's Prince of Nothing series a try as well, you won't be disappointed.

The saga continues - I love this guy's writing and thoroughly enjoy just about every word he writes. Don't often read "slowly", but these books I do. Start from the first book and read them all.

When Deadhouse Gates was fond of angst, philosophy, and violence levels typical of a teenage audience, I realized that maybe I shouldn't be reading these books. But all the same, maybe a bit of that juvenile element was what drew me in. The characters are all overpowered with plenty of magic and the extent of their identities are, save few, how cool they are because of all their power. People raved about this book and I was still hopeful I might come to love something in this story, especially after the major crybaby tirade that was Deadhouse Gates.

Where Deadhouse Gates was angsty, this book was just whiny. The Mhybe is a disastrous offender in this category and Erikson will spend five to ten pages with consistent line breaks where this character just tells us how bad she has it and this happens about seven to ten, maybe more times, in the whole book. That in itself is leastwise tolerable but there are other cases where the book just tells us how bad things are and characters often just ramble for pages upon pages at a time where these internal monologues could oft be shortened or outright killed and then I would have cared.

The story involves the outlawed Malazan forces going to fight the Pannion Domin, a new religious empire that would allegedly shame the Spanish Inquisition. Dujek's joined with Rake and the Crimson Guard since they share a common enemy. Meanwhile, Toc the Younger has survived his encounter with Hairlock and wakes near a ruined tower where he meets the demi-goddess Lady Envy and Lorn's Tellann Imass, Tool, while experiencing the effects of being touched by a god. A group of caravanserai is tasked to guard a strange duo with doubtlessly murderous intentions and later fall in with defending the vulnerable city of Capustan from the Pannion Domin's armies. The Grey Swords, a cultic mercenary band hired by Capustan, encounter ineffable magic phenomena (is there any other kind in this series?) and ponder about how to deal with the situation.

Where do all these gods come from and why do they act in the incomprehensible manner they do? How does the magic system work? Apparently in the Malazan universe, just meeting a god will make you a demigod or some other celestial entity sooner or later and with how many gods and goddesses they are and they're tendency to walk on the earth, you wonder why there are any normal people in this world to begin with. Paran escaped from Rake's magic sword and now he's the master of the deck. Its akin to saying that you escaped prison and now you're automatically the head of the judicial system. Caladan Brood has an earthquaking hammer and is also revealed to be a demigod whose lived for generations. He loses his temper over forcedly eccentric Kruppe and makes an earthquake but won't use it in battle where it could be put to good use.

Most characters are annoying too. The caravanserai story involves warrior woman Stonny who is typically feisty, lesbian, butt of most of the jokes, and can't fight at all, along with Harllo, token comic relief who acts typically stupid all the time. The otherworldly characters are typical racial stereotypes that would make William J. Simmons proud. There's plenty of examples like the Barghast race who are only spiritual because they're forced to and one Barghast character in particular, Hetan, can be summed up as: "Me so horny. Me love you long time." Korlat, a Tiste Andii demi-goddess black woman is noted for her beauty first and foremost and has a relationship which can be accurately be noted as: "Looking good there cracker, let's do it." The Seguleh are warriors who can move at the speed of light and don't have a culture aside from fighting and violence. The Tellann Imass decided to exterminate an entire race based on a few bad apples. The Moranth all talk in cryptic aphorisms.

Upon the debut of the Tenescowri, the Pannion Domin's cannibal army, the whole thing seems absurd and implausible, but there are hints of a brutal forced assimilation alike what happens to newbies in prison and how they come to love the vile system that forged them into twisted monsters. This is the closest to mature storytelling that Erikson has ever achieved. Unfortunately this idea is quickly thrown away for when we're introduced to the Tenescowri, we just see women humping guys who just died in an attempt to impregnate themselves. The whole thing is quite disgusting but comes off as juvenile and silly much like all the other violence in this book because its there for its sake alone and not for a message, almost like Erikson is saying, "See guys, this book is really dark and grim! That makes it mature!"

What kind of name is the Tenescowri anyway? When I remember them, their name doesn't stick out but what they are composed of and their unsavory activities do. Why not the Corpse Legion, the Necrophiliac Brigade, or the Man Eaters?

But despite my complaints, this book did have my attention for the first hundred and some pages so there is some merit to the praise this book has received. We get a concrete set of antagonists in the form of the evil deity, the Crippled God, and Tattersail's reincarnation Silverfox faces a genuine dilemma from a miserable, murderous cursed king. The former situation is refreshing in a story where we've little to root for and the latter is given so much attention that you get the idea a resolution will come up soon enough and...it drags for hundreds of pages and a solution only comes up in the final pages of the book.

Reading interviews with Erikson confirms that he is extremely proud of his work. There's almost a hint of narcissism in a response from a question posed by the interviewer. The interviewer repeats a quote that downplays the excessive world building typical of fantasy and sci-fi, saying that it gets in the way of the genre's ability to become real literature. Erikson either ignores or misunderstands the issue in his response then sharply reprimands the questioner for having brought it up. I'm reminded of that attitude when I read these books sometimes because there is a definite sense of arrogance in how Erikson mentions previous gods, plot points, characters, and other devices like we should care and know for them immediately and expects the same just as much when he introduces new ones who are just as bland as the others.

We give children's books as presents for new babies. This is a special book that will be reserved for our daughter at the event (if) of her first child.

Absolutely love all the Kevin Henkes books we have, This is especially cute because we have a boy who loves his blankie. I know a lot of little girls who love Lilly...but I would definitely recommend this and Chester's Way for the boys!

for a child of any age that has a favorite blanket (blankey)
a plot a young child can follow and relate to.

I read Owen. I would recommend this book. The reason I would recommend it is because it was funny and it made me crack me up. In the book Owen, Owen and Fuzzy were playing captain plunger. They looked silly. This helped me convince me that it was a grate book.

This is a review/evaluation of the book as part of an in depth study on children's picture books. I am a third grade teacher and I use this book in my classroom because no kid is ever too old to read a great story like this. I truly think it is a classic!

Evaluation: In addition to the wonderful illustrations, this Caldecott Honor book is also a heart warming story that is very appropriate for young readers. The illustrations and the story are very appealing to children and allows readers to easily identify with the main character and the situation he is in. The illustrations add to the meaning of the text because they emphasis the personality of the characters. They highlight Owen's playfulness and the love that he has for his blanket. They also add to the worries of the adults in the story because their concern shows in the illustrations. The illustrations also extend the text because they are so clear that a student could understand the story without actually reading the text and rely only on the clues from the illustrations. The background settings are also nicely illustrated and accurately detailed because it is easy to compare and contrast when they are in places in their house that is shared by all of the family members and when they are in Owen's room and his play area in the background. Henkes also adds specific details to the setting that compliment the fact that the main characters are mice. This is reflected in the art work they have in their house and the statues they have outside. The illustrations are done with watercolor paints and black pen for the full-color art. This compliments the mood of the book because the illustrations are very colorful and vibrant. Henkes varies the size and number of illustrations on each page to compliment the plot and to reflect the sequence of events that take place. Each illustration is within black outlined boxes that make it easy to follow the progression of the story. The jacket and cover design expresses the theme and spirit of the book without giving away too much detail. The cover design gives some questions as to why a lady may be looking for the small boy and will spark children's curiosity making them want to read the book. The bright yellow and bold title stands out against a bright blue background. This book is very similar to Kevin Henkes other mouse books. All of his characters face some type of childhood problem that teaches them about growing up. His books are easily recognized by children because the title always contains the name of the main character. Readers also become familiar with the characters because they are in several of his books, even if it is only a picture of them with no reference in the story. The illustrations are all very similar in that they are fun and engaging and add to the story. Henkes commonly includes text in the illustrations that may be a character's thoughts or something they are actually saying. The added text is often more humorous than the story itself. Since Henkes is both the author and illustrator of his books, he has the liberty of making his text and illustrations become one and perfectly balance each other. This book is appropriate for the preschool level, but older children will also enjoy it, especially if they had a blanket or other comfort item that they adored in their childhood. Parents will also like the book if they are trying to teach their child the same lesson. This book is a very nice read aloud and should be part of classroom libraries. It should be on a booklist as a must read for students who are about to start kindergarten.

References:
Henkes, K. (1988). Chester's Way. New York: Greenwillow Books.
Henkes, K. (1996). Chrysanthemum. New York: Greenwillow Books.
Henkes, K. (1996). Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse. New York: Greenwillow Books.

Sam Rocks!

I saw Sam speak at Mark Victor Hansen's Mega Speaking Event and I can tell you, she knows how to captivate an audience. Sam has a genuine style that comes across as sincere, professional, and experienced.

If you've never seen her speak, you're missing out. Sam delivers on content, humor, and info that each of us wants. She helps people re-evaluate their thinking in order to connect in a personal way with your audience by re-creating statements for personal branding.

Sam will teach you how to be creative in away that's practical. Pop is not about hype, it's about bringing your message to your people in a way that is unique and powerful at the same time.

I found that POP is for anyone who wants an edge over the competition because it's not about cheesy tactics to woo people, it's more about reaching people with the essence of who you are and transforming it in a punchy way in order to attract people to what you are selling/marketing.

I recommend it because it's valuable for people wanting to cut to the chase and grab the gems.

Need something different, something special to kick your business into overdrive? You'll find it in POP. When Sam Horn says you can stand out in any crowd, believe her! Rather than just talking about it, Sam Horn shows you how to make your own business "pop."

Like a cookbook, POP is filled with recipes to inspire your imagination with fresh ideas and fun exercises. Start anywhere. Keep going until you arrive at your own unique inspiration.

Way out of the ordinary . . . step out of the mundane and become extraordinary! Innovate with Sam Horn! This book can help you get there.

Five Stars and then some!

This is an amazing book! Sam shares with her readers new ways to grab our audience's interest and attention. She really does know how to help people get noticed in a crowd. This book has shown me how to positively inspire others to read my book, LifeChimes: A Collection of Simple TruthsLifeChimes: A Collection of Simple Truths, when they are looking for simple ways to stop zapping their energy. Because of Sam Horn's book, my work as an author and a motivational speaker has been made so much easier. Thanks Sam!

I'm an advertising copywriter. The one thing I have to do every day is to come up with fresh ideas for myself and my clients. I have to keep learning and growing. And I want my messages to stand out from the crowd. I'm pretty good at that. But, after reading this book, I'm better!

If you love words, you'll love this book. You'll learn how to create slogans and elevator pitches and messages of all kinds. You'll learn how to make them powerful and how to make people remember you, your brand, or business or whatever you want them to remember.

You may already be a good writer. But you'll be a better writer, a writer who sells, if you follow the advice in this book.

Above all, your message will make you stand out from the crowd.

The thing is, not much does stand out from the crowd. Most slogans are the same. Most messages are the same or similar. So, if you're different, you'll be more successful.

This is an excellent book. Get a copy now --- unless you're one of my competitors.

An awesome book for jazzing up your writing and speaking. Sam Horn crams so many ideas for creating buzz and imprinting your message and brand in the minds of listeners and readers that I found myself making checklists as I ran through the draft of my last book trying to find places I could use her principles and ideas. It's not all about marketing either. She has great ideas on the use of stories and quotes in your writing, how to create memorable content using lists and alliteration, and plenty of other techniques to make your writing come alive.

It's easy and fun to read as Sam is very clearly one of her own best students. Her writing is tight and wonderfully informative with no filler. The ideas are things nearly anyone that has to communicate (verbally or in writing) can use right away.

I felt a little bit self conscious rating this 5 stars: every other reviewer thus far has given it 5 stars as well. But 5 stars it is! I'd say that's a pretty clear message about the strength of the material.

It's the best marketing lesson you can buy for $15.

This is a little treasure chest of wonderful stories that truly are uplifting. I really did enjoy reading this book!

I read SMALL MIRACLES, some years ago. This seems to be the same book, exactly, although, when I ordered it, I thought it was a sequel. I liked it better the first time around, when the anecdotes sounded more "golly-gee-wiz" than they do the second.

Miracles happen every day. Yitta Halberstam and Judith Leventhal are angels themselves, bringing these fantastic stories to millions of people. Buy and read every single one of their books. Not only are they hard to put down, you won't be able to look at your life with the same eyes ever again!

A really lovely little book that helps even the worst days.

I found this unique book of coincidences to be remarkable. While the authors relate it to Jewish principles, giving a moral or rule at the end of each 'episode,' their statements are applicable to those of all faiths.
There were short, short stories, short stories and those a few pages long. But all showed the positive human spirit that exists in everyone of us if we give ourselves a chance and don't close our minds. Sometimea a bad choice becomes a great move. An ordinary act becomes heroic to those on both sides. And, almost always, WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND. There are no stories of coincidences that backfired, although one can be sure scores of these exist too. But the purpose is to bring joy, hope,
confidence and more open-mindedness to the readers, with the desire that they will share this with many more. A brilliant person with a promising
future suddenly gets terminal lung cancer. But the person telling it mentions some small act that was done, often out of common courtesy. And in this case, one of the six items the dying person wanted in his casket was a letter of encouragement from the teacher.

This is a book for teachers, educators and all who desire to be educated.
I acquired it for $.50 at a flea market booth, after just noticing the
colorful (but also bland) yellow cover. This is the best $5.00 expenditure
I've ever made. I'll share my copy with others and have ordered another
version. Whether you are in the dumps or feeling great, the stories will
heighten your consciousness and create more appreciation for your present lot. I am fortunate to have found it. Please consider my words. Advice
is worthless. Words from the heart can be meaningful. My heart speaks.

Great children's book. It's a fun way to encourage and read with your child.

This books is wonderful! I am using it in small groups at work and the kids absolutely cannot get enough of this book. I bought all titles in the series! Great for paired reading among siblings, parents and children, and friends!

Our students really love all the books in this series. They frequently choose them to read to each other during free choice time. I would really recommend this book to other teachers as a great source for oral reading practice!

My seven year-old grandson introduced me to Mary Ann Hoberman's work. He loved reading to and with me. I'm a volunteer reading tutor and I use her books to teach first graders to read. They love it.

I highly recommend the books by Mary Ann Hoberman to excited kids about reading.

Judith Hays

I love Mary Anne Hoberman's "The Cozy Book", it is always a great bedtime story. So, when I found this title on Amazon, I couldn't resist. My son is 7 and enjoys reading, so this was perfect for us; he reads to me, I read to him, and we read the last verse together. The stories are cute and short, good if you only have a few minutes at the end of the day. The emphasis on reading is an added bonus.

This book is absolutely hysterical, especially for teachers like me! Done paints the picture of what it is really like to be in our profession; it's truthful, yet inspiring. I found myself saying, "That is so true!" aloud almost every page. It's perfect to take to the pool or beach for a quick, entertaining read!

Phillip Done portrays life as a teacher in a humorous, enjoyable manner. His writing style is engaging and easy to read. As a teacher, it's easy to relate to many of the stories he shares. I enjoyed the book so much, I bought a copy to share with my co-workers. A fun, must-read for all teachers dedicated to the task of helping children build upon their self-esteem as well as grow academically.

As a third grade teacher I just want to say that Mr. Done has put my classroom into words-thank you, it makes me feel good to know that all third grade teachers are in the same boat, and enjoying the ride....most of the time.

If you want to laugh until you cry, then read this book! Phillip Done captures all the joys of teaching and expresses it in a way that is hilarious. As I tried to share passages with my family, I couldn't get it out because I was laughing so hard. Anyone who has taught or is starting their first year of teaching should definitely read this. You will be truly inspired!

If you teach, this is a MUST read!

I have used these books since Access 97. Absolutely invaluable to learn how to do anything you want. Don't expect it to cover what's in help, they go where help doesn't.

Is there going to be a 2007 version?

This book has everything you will need to creat Access based applications. A ton of great advice and clean coding. The index is very useful and well written.

I purchased this 2 book set in hopes of advancing my knowledge of Access and VBA. I could not find any useful information on functions such as DateAdd, DatePart, Nz, DLookup, DSum, DCount, etc. These are major parts of Access and are very useful once you learn them, but the Developers Handbook does not even cover these functions and how to use them. Or if it does, you can't find out where by searching the index. I've yet to find any information I'm looking for in these books.

It has already been said, Simply the best! I'm finding more and more Web sites/threaded discussions using or pointing to the code found in the Access Developer's Handbook and VBA Developer's Handbook.

The ShellBrowse functions alone to be extremely helpful.

Thanks to Ken, Paul, and Mike

I am a software developer and have been in business since 1982. I have never gotten more bank for my buck than with these books. I didn't think Access was worth a flip for program development until I bought these books. I have since developed a vertical market package for the seafood industry that sells itself by demo. Thanks Ken, Paul and Mike.