English Books

As a first grade teacher I used this book as an intervention tool with my ELL students last year. It helped with voacbulary as well as phonics. The activities are hands on and we were able to create several games using the lessons as well. I recommend this book to anyone in the primary grades. It is great as an intervention tool, large group activity or as a center.

This book is great! There are many word activities to choose from, which I find very helpful and a time saver!

This concept keeps kids interested. They want to figure out the little words and the big words created by the letters, so it's an excellent one for phonics. If you already use Open Court, it would be a good supplement. There is some prep time involved in writing and cutting the letters, unless you're smarter than me and use die-cut letters from a bulletin board!!

This book is wonderful for primary grades as well as ESL classes. It's interactive and the kids love it. We use it every morning when we enter the "Wonderful World of Words." There is also a Making Big Words for intermediate grades! I definitely recommend it!

This is the best spelling book I have seen. I am a homeschooling mom of 2 boys (9 & 8) and this is the easiest method and they enjoy it too!

I will describe my reaction to these volumes in two ways: first, I have never read a work of criticism that provoked a standing ovation at the end of a chapter, as Goddard's work did and does in me; second, I wish Shakespeare had written more plays so that Goddard would have written more, not "criticism," but illumination.
In a post-modern world where critics see literature as contingent signs pointing to gerry-built meanings, Goddard takes a more traditional, refreshing moral view that points back to Emerson, Thoreau and Dickinson: a view that sees the universe, and Shakespeares plays, as morally structured and sensitive to consequence. "Our lives are startlingly moral" and what Goddard does is illustrate this through Shakespeare's plays, teasing the more or less superficial pageant of "drama" from the substantial "poetry" that flows like an underground river through all the plays. One reviewer hit the nail on the nose: this is wisdom literature.
Very few times in my readings have I felt such a deep impulse to thank a writer for what he or she has left us: I feel that impulse for Harold Goddard. Read what he wrote and you will see what I mean.

There's not much praise I can add to that offered by earlier reviewers. Goddard is, for me, one of the premier Shakespeare critics -- up there with Johnson, Coleridge, Bradley, and Frye. I much prefer his work to that of the two popularist contemporary critics, Bloom and Garber. Goddard lacks, thankfully, the self-aggrandizement of Bloom and Garber; his criticism is insightful and brilliant while remaining extremely accessible and enjoyable to read.

The two volumes of The Meaning of Shakespeare should be on the reading table (don't let them linger on the shelves) of every reader who respects and wants to enjoy Shakespeare.

This is Goddard on the play he considers Shakespeare's greatest: " The predestined end of unmastered human passion is the suicide of the species. That is the gospel according to 'King Lear'. The murder- suicide of Regan- Goneril is an example.But it is more than a picture of chaos and impending doom.What is the remedy for chaos? it asks. What can avert the doom?The characters who have mastered their passions give us a glimpse of the answer to these questions And Shakespeare through them, gives us more than a glimpse. But that is the culmination of the play and should come last."
The 'readings' given here of the work of Shakespare are informed, and insightful.

I don't know much about Shakespeare, but I know great writing when I read it. This book is an absolute pleasure to read (with volume 2). The author has great insight into human nature and brings his insights to his understanding of Shakespeare. The book makes me want to dive into Shakespeare myself!

Barbara

I once knew a young man who thought Polonius was a wise and noble character. He had taken Polonius's advice, such as "brevity is the soul of wit," at face value without noticing the irony that Polonius is not brief himself, and is in fact a meddling old fool. Reading Goddard makes me feel like that young man; he shows that Shakespeare's subtle irony is far more extensive than most theater-goers and readers realize. For example, whereas conventional wisdom holds Henry V to be Shakespeare's ideal king, Goddard interprets Henry V as the portrait of a hypocritical strongman.

If Goddard has a fault, he is too contemptuous of the theater. He sees the audience as an unthinking mob that laps up surface effects. His Shakespeare gave the groundlings the cheap thrills they crave so he could make money, but used irony to tell a poetic truth that was sometimes the opposite of what is seen on the stage. I think Shakespeare loved the theater more than Goddard did. Without the brilliant drama and comedy, his plays would be read as much as "The Rape of Lucrece," which is to say, only by scholars and devotees of Renaissance poetry. Even so, Goddard's insights are a revelation. After reading this book, you will have a greater appreciation of Shakespeare's artistic integrity.

This book contains a novella as well as several short stories by the prominent Palestinian author Ghassan Kanafani. Kanafani is known in the Arab world as a literary master, and "Men in the Sun" is deemed by many to be his masterpiece. The book was a tremendous pleasure to read and at the same time intensely thought-provoking. Kanafani's original writing style is brought out beautifully in this excellent translation. In these stories, Kanafani experiments with various literary techniques that were revolutionary in the world of literature at their time (1960s). I particularly enjoy the twists of plot at the end of each story, and how the very last sentence forces me to re-think and re-evaluate my entire understanding of the piece. Seeped in the author's struggle for freedom and for a homeland, these stories reflect a deep understanding of human relationships and the human condition. Yet despite (or perhaps because of) this depth, the main characters tend to always be ordinary human beings - usually from the lower classes. Another feature of "Men in the Sun" is the variation of voice and perspective from paragraph to paragraph. For a moment we are in the head of one character, an old man crossing the desert to Kuwait. The next we're taken back in time to 1948, when that man was forced to leave his country by the ravages of war. Then we're transplanted into the shoes of another character, a young man hitching a ride from Jordan to Iraq. All this is done smoothly enough not to interrupt the narrative, but instead, the perspective of the plot wanders as thoughts naturally wander in one's mind. Truly Kanafani was a master of literary techniques. Few have been able to pack so many ideas and characterization and so much change into a short story.

Recommend: "Palestine's Children: Returning to Haifa & Other Stories" and "All that's left to you", both by Kanafani

This book gives you an idea of the suffering and neglection of a nation, on the watch of the whole civilized world.

This collection of short stories is a brief, but poignant look into the life of people living in Palestine. At the same time, the stark writing illustrates many universal themes forcing readers to reevaluate life as they know it. The writing is plain and easy to read, but ultimately, deep and impossible to dismiss.

The stories were great. Well written, poignant, the most so being the one involving the tank.

Written and published in the 1950s and 1960s, this slender volume of stories by Ghassan Kananfani speaks of the displacement of Palestinians in ways that are timeless and still fresh today. They speak of loss more than hope, and although the author was an activist and spokesman for the Palestinian Popular Front, he seemed in these writings to simply bring attention to the human cost of political struggle in the Middle East. He himself was killed by a car bomb in Beirut in 1972.

The most compelling of these stories is the novella "Men in the Sun," which tells of the efforts of three men being smuggled into Kuwait from Iraq and the truck driver who has offered to help them across the border. The fierce desert heat represents the terrible odds against their ever being able to escape the consequences of war and loss of homeland. But this is only one theme among many, as Kananfani explores traits of Arab character which seem to intensify inner conflict and erode the ability to act purposefully. The story "If You Were a Horse" concerns itself with superstition, fear, and overwhelming regret that divides father from son and leads to misfortune. The book includes an informative introduction by Hilary Kilpatrick.

Excellent resource. Lots of great ideas, easily adaptable to various grade levels and abilities.

A very comprehensive book for those who are interested in using literature circles to boost their students' interest in reading and speaking skills. It can surely help you to gain a very good understanding of what literature circles are and the "tips" provided after the description of every lesson are quite helpful. However, the lessons described in the book are for first language learners and you will need make adaptations if you want to use the ideas with your EFL students.

If you are a teacher like me, or if you are forming a literature group, this book is an excellent resource. It will help you work with students to ensure that they have organized and productive literature cirlce discussions.

This book is a useful tool if you plan to introduce literature circles into your classroom. It is an easy read, something that one can use as a reference as well as a lesson-planning tool. The way the book is written and organized allows me to use the individual lesson plans with my own literature, whether using novels, short stories or poetry. Having never used literature circles before and being a little skeptical, I am very pleased with this book's ability to explain the benefit and realistic purpose of using them in a high school classroom. The authors have definitely done their research and answer all the questions teachers have regarding the reality of using these circles. I am convinced and am looking forward to implementing them in my own classroom.

The premise behind this book is great. I was hoping to have some instant lessons to use with my fourth grade students. While some of the lessons are adaptable to that age, the activities are really designed for high school classes.

The MoonQuest by Mark David Gerson

I loved The MoonQuest, it had everything a great book has; fantasy, the ability to transport you into the book and Mr. Gerson has really captured my senses with his amazing detail.

The story line of The MoonQuest had me from the very beginning, I loved every minute of it and I am now a huge fan of Mr. Gerson. This was the first book I have ever read from him and he is just amazing at holding my attention with the twists and turns around every corner... IT WAS AMAZING! He earned 5 stars and more with this novel!

Reviewed by Sarah for Book Reviews By Crystal

As a book of fantasy, MoonQuest will absolutely keep you glued to turning the pages to find out what happens next. However, Mark David Gerson steps beyond the fantastic as he weaves messages into the text that are very pertinent to life in our own world and to personal growth. Gerson's creative talent is very apparent in his ability to write stories within the main story, while still maintaining the smooth flow of plot and text. Also, his setting and scenic descriptions tap directly into the readers' imagination and quickly transports the reader to the land of the MoonQuest. Not only is this a great book for fans of the fantasy genre to read, but it is absolutely suitable and enjoyable for anyone, no matter the preference in genre.

Some thoughts from the book I enjoyed was the mixture of adventure, friendship and imagination. But in the end of the book it was more trust and courage. A lot of symbolism and colorful descriptions- loved the colored horses. I liked the fact that the four finally dreamed but their dreams were bad dreams. Yet they shared and by sharing they healed. It took you away to a land of magic and other times to reality. But the most important thing is to have song in your heart and stories( which is imagination) to live your life as the very reason for Prithi the creator meant for it to be. If no stories or songs than life is not a happy or meaningful one and darkness prevails.

I was enchanted by The Moonquest. I usually read books very quickly. This one was too delicious. I wanted to savor every morsel! The vivid imagery was beautiful and captivating. I enjoyed all of the wonderful twists and turns of the plot. I fell in love with the colorful characters and experienced the journey along with them. It was truly a delightful read! I didn't want the adventures to end!

The first thing that draws me to a book is not the cover, but the originality of the author's concept ... or idea. And Mark David Gerson certainly had a "whopper" of an idea when he wrote The MoonQuest. It's an unusual, fascinating fantasy adventure about a fictional land where the light of the moon is extinguished. Since the moon symbolizes creativity, stories, music, and other forms of art are forbidden and those practicing them are put to death.

The citizens soon become oppressed, and as every good story must have its heroes, Gerson creates some of the most likable, courageous protagonists I've ever met. I was so into this story that when the young Toshar sets off to "light" the moon and save the land, I "Woo-Hooed" so loud that Tigger leaped off the bed and ran for cover. My heart and soul joined him and his friends in their search ... as though it were my own world that needed illumination ... needed creativity to be restored.

Though fictional, this world became my world due to the author's excellent description and realistic characters ... characters that drew me to them as easily as if they were my next-door neighbors.

Who is the leader of the black-clad armies that terrorize the country? Why does Toshar, a young storyteller, risk his life to come out of hiding? What is an Elderbard and how does Toshar qualify? What is the prophecy about the MoonQuest? What do stories have to do with the quest, and why is the line between vision and reality so unclear? Why does Toshar take on the quest and how does he hope to reignite the moon to save the land? What personal truths must our hero discover?

Gerson's writing is so clear, he carried me through this exciting tale with ease. Through magic, music and universal truths masterfully woven into this gripping tale, I discovered some personal truths and other readers will too.

Yes, The MoonQuest spoke to my heart and will speak to it for many moons to come.

I heartily recommend this book for mid-teens to adults, and look forward to more tales from this fine wordsmith, Mark David Gerson.

Reviewed by Betty Dravis, 2008
Author of: Millennium Babe: The Prophecy

This set of books is delightful. It is an easy, light read with charming characters and an interesting setting. The flaws of the characters are revealed with kindness and humour as they follow a story line unique to Africa. Get ready to drink lots of tea.

I loved this series, No. 1 Ladie's Detective Agency. I was intrigued since the stories are written by a Scottish MAN and are about a middle aged African WOMAN in Botswana who decides to open a Detective Agency. The author has a wonderful grasp of the culture and sense of Africa and especially Botswana. His writing provides very simple, very easy reading and kept me interested. LOVED Precious Ramotswe, the "traditionally built", observant heroine with traditional Botswanian values and morals. I was introduced to a country I'd barely heard of and was sad to leave when the books were all read.

need to update description to include 'which' books are in the set, but i see other reviewers have done so... this is just an excellent series, full of local color, and ordinary human interaction presented in an extraordinary way...! beneath the self.controlled tone and thoughtful stream.of.consciousness is a depth of interpretive perception that is equally surprising and delighting... tough guys who are asked by their marriage conselors to describe their 'feelings' should read these books for examples of what that means...

for those who enjoy relaxing
and escaping into a world with
interesting characters of a unique culture.

After reading the first book, I wanted to fly to Africa and have a cup of tea with Precious. Her name fits her perfectly. All of the books took me away from the troubled news of the day to a place I truly wanted to be.

Provides great background information and explanation for using the notebook and lesson ideas. Yet, it's still easy to go straight to the lesson ideas without reading the rest of that other stuff. I bought this along with A Writer's Notebook by Ralph Fletcher, and I liked this book more for helping me teach.

I have been using writer's notebooks with my students for years and always struggled with integrating them into the entire language arts curriculum. This book has several hands on strategies which illustrate ways to use the students' own writing to teach a variety of writing skills. There is also a very helpful chapter on assessing the notebook. One of the most helpful books on the subject I have seen!

This book was a quick and easy read that easliy lent itself to great lesson plans for the whole school year. I highly recommend this book if you are a first time writing teacher, or a novice writing teacher.

This is not one of those books that will collect dust on a shelf. It will be read and reread many times! It is a great resource for any teacher of writing! Thank you Aimee Buckler! This book contains a wealth of organized and practical strategies that will add to any writing program. Buckler gives teachers easy to model tools to pass on to their students. She gives many examples from literature that can be used as springboards for specific areas. I will never look at notebooks the same! What an inspirational addition to my teaching library!

I am torn by this book- the first half was full of ideas and lessons that I felt would help me improve writing instruction. The second half was not, at least for me. The writing is brillant and down-to-earth. Buckner has good ideas and great real world lessons.

The downside for me was the amount of time it would take for me to do everything- the ideas work best for self-contained teachers.

Do I recommend this book? Absolutely.

I teach English for a living, and this is, by far, the best translation of the Odyssey that is out there. The audio version brings it to life and gets students to actually listen and read along, which isn't bad considering the story itself is over 2,000 years old and still quite a challenge to read. We skip a few books in class to keep interest up (books 2,3,4 are more about Telemachus,and book 11 is easily passed over) but the balance of the audio recordings are stellar. This is money well spent considering how many cds are in this package.

This is an absolutely fabulous product, but if you are not used to listening to audio books, I should give you a warning. This product is 11 CD's of one person speaking for about 13 hours. Can you imagine sitting down in the morning at home and staring at the wall for 13 hours while same voice goes on and on, all day and into the night? No, that won't work. So you at least have to break up the experience into chunks. Also, you might need to be doing something else as well, like walking or driving, so you don't drift off. What I did was listen while driving and intermingle other disks so I would not tire of the same voice. I would listen to one disk of the Odyssey, then I'd listen to a disk of music or a non-fiction lecture, then I'd put in another disk of the Odyssey.

However, the last 4 disks were so gripping I listened to them one after the other and could hardly wait for the next disk. Part of this was Ian McKellen's excellent, nay, masterful, enunciation and inflection. Part of the excitement is the climatic end when Odysseus returns home. Can you imagine a gripping 3 hour long buildup to the climatic moment when he reveals his return? Nothing else can compare!

I probably identified with the climax more now that I am middle-aged, with a home, a wife, and children approaching adulthood than I could have if I was a teenager listening to this or reading the book. There is little as primal to a mature man as the defense of his home and family.

It is astounding to experience a story this exciting and know it is about 2,800 years old.

I listened to this story on audio CD because I realized that I would never read this story because I have gone so far into my life without reading it yet. I'm very glad I listened to it instead of trying to read it. For one thing, how could I begin to pronounce so many Greek names? If you have started reading the book and put it down, try reading it by following along with this audio book. The audio book is abridged, but it is 13 hours long so I'm sure you would have a lot of text to follow along with.

If you think you know the story of the Odyssey because you've seen a movie based on the story, I will say the story by Homer is much grander and more full bodied than what has been depicted in movies. I'd go so far as to say the movies miss the real point of the Odyssey.

Robert Fagles has also translated the Aeneid and the Iliad. I've listened to those on audio CD as well and liked them all. I am a big fan of Derek Jacobi, who narrated the Iliad. I liked the Odyssey best of all.

Really liked this, the reading was outstanding and great translation by Robert Fagles. My son really enjoyed listening to it on a long road trip after plus it added to his understanding while he was reading it for English Class. I highly recommend this product.

For thousands of years this story has been told and retold.
The reason this story is still being told and still being heard is because it is so exciting and so very compelling.
It never grows old.
I have read and enjoyed this story from a leather bound book, but it is best heard spoken from a human voice. Ian McKellen is qualified as a modern day bard.

Unlike most movies and books of today, once will not be enough.
Those who listen to it will not be disappointed.

I'll not waste any time of yours with long and deserving praise for this telling of an ancient story, other than to say that should another day pass where you have stolen from yourself the opportunity to listen to this master storyteller lead you through a story written by a master, then only the Gods can forgive you.

Sir Ian Mckellan's performance is measured and beautiful, and there is no shame in a tear falling at the meeting of father and son for the emotion that comes through this practiced orator. I can say with a fair amount of confidence that the bards of old must have sounded like this - masters of their craft and able to bring the imaginations of their audience to life.

Not a moment longer - a treat awaits you...

We are big Doctor Seuss fans and are attempting to get the entire collection for our daughter. Like the book, just too similar to Fox in Socks. Nothing but tongue twisters and no real story.
Great to have if your trying to collect all Dr Seuss books. If completing the collection is not important to you, I would only chose this if you don't already have Fox in Socks

Great book for my 1st grader, he loves the rhyming words throughout.

This book captures literary genius in the form of childish tongue twisters. It proves to be an excellent practice of diction and reading rhythm while providing extreme entertainment for the little listener. The love of words is the beginning of all great literary accomplishment, and this child's book is a step in the right direction.

This book was one of my husbands favorites when he was growing up, and now that we are expecting a child he wanted our son to have the same experience. He was so excited when it arrived that he read it to me as a bedtime story. The riddles start out easy, but by the end of the book your tongue is so twisted it's hard to say anything!! It's a lot of fun and we really look forward to hearing our son try to say these riddles when he learns to speak.

This is a really fun book to read. However, you REALLY have to pay attention to the words or you will mess them up. If you love tongue twisters, this is the book for you. It also is great for young readers, but they may become frustrated with some of the words. It's fun for little ones to listen to and to see how fast you can say these phrases. When you hear "faster, faster," well, you know you're encouraging reading in your child. A very fun book - I recommend it.

A fun book for kids, with some deeper insight as well.

"When you go beyond Zebra,
Who knows...? There's no telling
What wonderful things
You might find yourself spelling!"

Actually got this for my new tat, but I love this art

This book introduced "paradigm shifting" into my intellectual vocabulary before I even knew what such a thing was.

Many, many, many years ago (Nixon was President, I think) I read this and was changed. I can remember the the images, the textures, the smells (Ah! The ditto machine and its purple perfume!) and all my surroundings. I was sitting in the elementary school library, facing northwest toward the door. Lured by the title and the premise, I had taken the volume to my assigned seat ("Library" was a class back then, as it should have been) and quickly devoured it.

The concept - that our 26-letter alphabet was an arbitrary collection and not a universal constant on a par with gravity - had never entered my cartoon-addled mind. It sparked an awareness of similar cultural and philosophical constrictions that I have expanded and retained to this day.

Hats off to the Dr.!

Loved this book as a child. Fast-forward thirty-some years, I am a computational linguist with a fascination for exotic writing systems. Coincidence? In think not.

This was my favorite book as a kid & still is. I now have ownership of our family's 'ancient' copy (copyright date 1955, Mom's written inscription: Christmas 1962 for my oldest brother who was age 6). I recently read it to my 6 year old son and he also was taken with this book. I am getting a new copy for him for Christmas as the original is pretty fragile now. This book belongs in every family's collection along with The Lorax, The Sneeches, Bartholomew Cubbins, Horton and the rest of the classic/original Seuss stories.