Beginners Books

Almost every page in my copy of this book is stained from being used in the kitchen. This book provides some of the most basic , perfect-every-time recipes you can find...cheese pie, clam chowder, creamy onion soup, chinese noodle salad, quiche, roasted chicken and more. It has a wonderful glossary, a great section on vegetables including how to buy them and variations on preparation. This would be a wonderful gift, paired with a new cooking tool for the aspiring young cook/chef.

I am the kind of cook who routinely misreads tbl. for tsp., wonders how long "browning" should take (and keeps poking to see what the underside looks like), and tries to substitute ingredients--all with disasterous results. The Basic Gourmet has been a lifesaver for me in this regard: it tells me exactly what I need to know when I need to know it, and it doesn't leave me guessing or, god forbid, interpreting.

The book's first section lists and discusses equipment in detail, setting a teacherly--not bossy or condescending--tone that continues throughout its many delicious recipes, each of which is followed by tidbits such as when you might want to substitute one herb for another, what might make a good accompaniment, etc. The book is detailed and packed full of tips and suggestions, but it doesn't bury the information so that a beginning cook can't see the forrest for the trees. From scrambled eggs and omlet flipping techniques to stuffed pork chops, this cookbook covers all the basics while managing to treat its readers like the potential gourmands they are: even the scrambled egg recipe makes me feel like I'm sitting down to really appreciate a meal rather than taking baby steps or just "making do" for dinner that night. The authors anticipate common mistakes and questions, explain their terminology, give a range of preferred options for altering a recipe, and, best of all, have included all the information you need for each recipe with the recipe itself--not in an index or introductory section somewhere else in the book.

I love my Joy of Cooking, and I refer to it and the Silver Palate often, but this is the cookbook that I learned from and to which I regularly return. This is a great cookbook for beginners, well-conceived and well-executed, and very well designed.

As a cook who has over 15 cookbooks this is the one I reach for most often. The recipes are simple but exceptionally tasteful. An experienced cook will find a multitude of useful variations and substitutions listed for each recipe, as well as forgotten techniques. For once there is a whole cookbook full of items you can find in a regular supermarket.

The beginning cook will appreciate this beautifully photographed book. In addition to 100 simple recipes, complete with variations and tips, the book offers advice on cookware, terms and ingredients, buying and cooking vegetables, fresh fish, even eggs.

Many recipes include information on freezing, doing ahead and cutting calories. Well-organized and easy to use, featuring dishes as simple as roast chicken or mashed potatoes, as impressive as chilled salmon with mayonnaise, and as hearty as braised lamb shanks, this is an all-round useful and attractive volume

This is great cookbook for dedicated beginners who want to learn to really cook not just get by. The recipes are varied and once you master them are easily adapted and changed around to suite your sense of adventure. The zucchini bread and chocolate gingerbread are always a hit and the tabbouleh page is the dirtiest page in the book...always a sign of a good cookbook...pages that stick together!

This book was the first book I read that opened me to my spirituallity. Although he may not be comepletly right, it is still fun to imagine what it may be like when you die.

Don't leave earth without it! This book explains what happenes when we die from the point of view that the reader is already dead. It has many interesting theories and concepts about why spirits may stay trapped on earth, and how they move on. Basically, it tells us what we made ourselves in life, we have in death. This is a well written text that often made me laugh out loud, stop and stay, how interesting, agree and disagree. I do agree with David's theory about everything on the otherside being luminous, but I don't feel the world of spirits is so transparent--I believe their world is as solid and real to them as ours to us. I also don't agree that we don't see our own corpse. I was clinically dead for 4 minutes, and I could see myself. This was due to a heart attack, in which I was revived. I also believe that we have a sense of touch in the spirit world because while dreaming I have been hugged numerous times by deceased friends and relatives. And it felt like a regular hug.
I do agree with his many other theories about the chakras and so on. This is a fascinating little book and I recommend it to all who would enjoy such a topic. It's well worth your time.

Read this book for fun, read this book for valuable information. It's such an incredible read! Humor, simplicity and truth all rolled into an easy, interesting and informative guide.

When one visits a new place for the first time, perhaps on a trip to New York,
Paris or London, one of the first things to do is to take trip. 'Hop' on the first
Open-top bus and visit the sites and hear the sounds. As well as this you get
to
Know the culture and design of the city, and how you would fit in if you lived
there, even if you may never live there. One person, Mr David Staume has
applied this to the afterlife in his book "The beginners Guide for the Recently

Deceased". Chapter by Chapter the new environment is explained to you, but
its not the architecture that's the only difference, its you. Your body as you
knew it is no more.

This almost bold progression explains everything you need to know,
the author seems to know something, that we should all perhaps be made
aware of. The author does not however, and please do not be under any
illusion that this is a piece of fiction, base the book on a simple idea, but it
seems to relate back to many earthly or scientific facts.

Worth a read, and educational.

I found that this book has value even for today. A definite ten out of ten.

Gives you a different perspective on life and death. It makes you think and gives you intellectual thought as well as a chuckle in between. I would recommend this for a thought-provoking read.

When someone comes to me with a difficult research line and is stumped, I recommend that they take the time to read Tony's book. It is well-written and serves as an excellent resource for ALL genealogists, Black or otherwise!

Black Roots delivers far beyond the stated expectations. Not only is it a one of a kind comprehensive guide for the new genealogist, but serves as a corrective resource for the more advanced researcher. Unlike traditional guides, Mr.Burroughs'largely first person, experiential accounts are so genuine, that he effortlessly, fervently and even humorously, challenges the reader to explore self, family and the human experience in general. He sets forth thirty-four(34) "traps" that the beginning genealogist should avoid, which is a unique feature to a genealogical guide. Traps are interspersed throughout the chapters and reviewed together in the appendix. One can surmise that some of these traps evolved from Mr. Burroughs' early personal blunders. Although the Book's title addresses African American research, his expert advice transcends culture/ethnicity.

Black Roots borders on over-kill; so, readers who shy away from intensity may not get beyond the first twenty-five pages. Mr. Burroughs states that his book is limited in scope, yet he leaves no stone unturned. His dictate for scientific methodology, discipline and tenacity throughout, may be somewhat intimidating to the faint hearted new researcher who thinks genealogy is "merely a hobby". Although he shares plenty of motivational lifts such as "Have fun and Don't give up", some may not see any amusement in the phrase,"the study of..." On the other hand, it would be difficult not to be trapped by Mr. Burroughs' fire and passion for the study of...genealogy.

Tony Burroughs provides myriad of valuable information that all African-American genealogists need. Beginners and experienced researchers alike can benefit from this informative read.

Tony Burroughs shares an exilirating experience of his journey regarding genealology research and findings. This book will lead you to greater heights! I found the book to be one of the most valuable pieces of information regarding my genealogy research. It lead me to find my family in Washington, Louisiana back to 4 generations. It was the most rewarding project that I ever encountered! What an awesome journey!

This is the best source for black genealogy that I have read. It was an easy read and hard to put down. Mr Burroughs gave good explanations and used interesting examples. When he introduced a new concept, he explained it thoroughly and gave an example of why or why not to do whatever he was explaining. I learned a lot of good habits from this book, especially about documenting sources. If you are planning to become a professional genealogist, this book is a good beginning and an excellent reference for your genealogy library. I know I am going to buy it and have already referred several others (who are beginners to genealogy) to read it and/or purchase it.

These books are wonderful. My children have learned to read using these series. The Level B set 2 simply extends the reading skills the children learned and practiced in Level A. and Level B set 1.

If you have a begining reader in your home this series is a great one. If you have a child who is a reader but needs more practice with the basics, this is a great level to start at.

Level B is a step up from Level A but they are not difficult. The books do a good job of progessively getting more difficult. I have been using the Bob Books to suppliment a phonics program for my preschooler. Both of us love them because she can get read a whole book my herself. They have definitely helped her advance her reading skills and I recommend them to everyone.

The entire series is great. My daughter loves reading through each book. As her special treat, she is allowed to pick one or two pages of the book to color afterwards. Normally we would never let her draw in her books, but the black and white line drawings in this book make it perfect for coloring.

The Bob's Books are a great start for new readers! I couldn't find any other books simple enough to give my daughter confidence. Now she's in the 4th box (Level B, Set 2) and is starting to read OTHER books like Go Dog, Go and even the Cat in the Hat! When these books seem too much (because they're much longer) we go back to the Bob's books to gain more confidence. It's fun to listen to her read and help her learn in a very systematic way!

These books are awesome in that they gently elevate the child to greater and greater difficulty in reading, consistently and slowly. There are no huge gaps in complexity, no wondering if this book is too difficult or too easy. Each set naturally progresses to the next, and the overall series ends with the child being comfortably able to process easy readers from the library. Both of my children were able to learn to read using their "Mat books" as they call them, and were always eager to read the next book, or begin the next box. I cannot praise them highly enough. Definitely worthwhile.

This was a gift for a boy. He loved it! Success! I love giving gifts
people love recieving. Amazon is my place to shop.
MLC

We have really enjoyed this series. My son, who just completed kindergarten, has used the series over the course of the year. The cartoons are funny, the text builds from set to set in a logical way. The box design gives kids a great feeling of accomplishment and let's them set goals -- we set up a card with stickers. My son gets one each time he reads a book in the set and when he's done with a box, he gets to go the bookstore to choose a book. The books build his confidence as a new reader and develop new skills in a more gradual and coherent way than other series I've seen, which claim they are for new readers but don't have a logical progression in the language they use. These books do.

My son was anxious to learn how to read, like his big sister! These books helped us to learn sight words, word patterns and actually read.
A great first step!

We love the Bob Books for teaching our kids to read. This one is a great extension of what we've covered so far. I'd love to have all the Bob Books for my kids.

My son (age 4) after learning his letter sounds has found these books incredibly rewarding. He can read a whole book by himself! The Bob Book series is so smooth that he dosen't even realize that new concepts are being taught with each book/set. The steps are just enough for him to be challenged but still rewarding as he is able to complete each one at his own pace. We were introduced to these through his Montessori school and purchsed them for our home.

must buy for the beginner reader!
My son is 5 and NOW can read all of the Bob books. He really loves them and we don't have to "make" him read them. I highly recommend the entire Bob Book collection.

The Bob Books series have been great for my homeschooled five year old. He has gone from just knowing his basic letter sounds to reading or attempting to read most everything he can get his hands on in about four months. These books were great for practice and building his confidence. I highly recommend the series.

I love the BOB books and so do my kids. It gives them great confidence. I now have all 5 sets and can use them over and over again with each child.

My son is learning to read- these books are a great way for him to gain the confidence to keep learning. The words and pictures are simple and easy to recognize.

We homeschool our boys, and we could never do it without the Bob Books. I love this one with the Long vowels, because the only Bob Books we had were for 3 letter words. Great addition to our collection.

This is a really cute book, with a pro-reading message, built around one truly silly pun. (If you want to introduce the concept of making a pun to your kids, this is a great place to start...)

We love Tiffany Beeke's artwork, too -- if you like her in this book, it's definitely worth it to track down others she's done as well. (ReadThatAgain book reviews)

...but they liked it too. this is a nice story - great for promoting love of books which is always a good thing IMHO.

the illustrations are cute and inviting. Clever use of animal sounds in the story.

would definately recommend this book.

The poor farm animals are bored. The kids have all gone back to school and left them alone. The horse hung his head, the cow complained, the goat grumbled, the pig pouted, the duck dozed and the hen heaved a sigh and squawked "I'm bored! And I'm heading to town to find something to do!" So off they all went. Soon they got to town and found themselves in front of the library. It looked like a good place to visit since the people coming out all had smiles on their faces, so the horse went inside, approached the librarian and said neigh neigh. The librarian just stood there and looked puzzled. The horse hung his head and left. Next the cow (moo moo) tried, then the goat (baaah baaah) and pig (oink oink), with the same results. Finally the feisty hen went inside and spoke "Book, Book, Book!" with different results..... Deborah Bruss has written a funny, gentle story that will capture your little one's imaginations. Her simple text is beautifully complemented by Tiphanie Beeke's cheerful, humorous, childlike illustrations and youngsters will enjoy all the entertaining detail on each page. Perfect for preschoolers, Ms Bruss' debut picture book is a winner.

Author Deborah Bruss and illustrator Tiffani Beeke have created a world where rules are broken and expectations are turned upside down. The punchline on the last page is only one part of the joke. Who wouldn't laugh at barnyard animals in the library, a blue horse, and storytime led by a cow? The book offers different levels of participation-barnyard noises for the youngest readers, and, later, repetitive phrases. Other readers will enjoy tracking the location of a well-read amphibian in each bright scene. All will enjoy the plucky animals who give up complaining, grumbling, and pouting when they discover the treasures in the public library. Book! Book! Book! is a perfect preschool storytime read!

Deborah Bruss' Book! Book! Book! is a must-have for any home or school library. As an elementary school librarian, I find it a perfect way to introduce children to the joys of visiting the library. The simple storyline delights its readers as barnyard animals make their first trek to the library. Each animal, in its own language, asks the librarian for a book. First and second graders laugh when the hen gets what she wants. Then, still, another surprise comes on the last page. Tiphanie Beeke's illustrations draw the reader and the audience in. Bright, bold colors capture the interest of my students and make it an enjoyable book to share with a class. Book! Book! Book! is a favorite that my students ask me to read again and again.

Beautiful book....Fun and as always the author sends you on a search for an answer as you finish the book.. I am not sure who loves these books more, me or the children....

My daughter enjoyed having this book read to her and now enjoys reading it on her own. The hidden object on every page makes it engaging and hard to put down! Fun for all ages.

Arrived quickly and in great condition. This is a nicely written book with beautiful detailed pictures. The author does a wonderful job of giving the animals a voice. My 10 year old especially liked trying to find the hidden picture in every scene.

I was so crazy about finding the mouse that I was dreaming about them at night. Regarding the sixth name, look on the first page where the publishing co. is named. The man who loves birds is reading the newspaper. Turn the book upside down and at the top of the page is the name Alonzo. Now I have a question: on the second to last page (So Nugget stayed with Silky), where is the mouse? Is just his head peaking out? Would love to know more about this author. Where is he from? Perhaps in a better world he will write more books to entertain young minds.

Paul Adshead's books are my very favorite kids books, as an adult. I didn't discover this author until i was at a friend's house and had nothing to do...so i picked up the book on the coffee table, The Chicken That Could Swim. The author draws you into his world, and immediately you know if you have something very important in common, a hope for the future where animals would be at peace with man, and man at peace with the animals. Thank you Mr. Adshead for writing these books for very large kids also known as grown ups!

My oldest daughter gave this book to her sister when she was very young and they both have loved having it read to them and later reading it for themselves, using it for school projects, etc. Now I have a great-grandson and want to give him a copy of this wonderful book.

I loved this book as a child. Unfortunately my copy was lost, but a family member who had received the same book gave hers to my son. Reading through the book has brought back many happy memories-- I hadn't looked at the illustrations or read many of the stories in over 20 years, but I still remember them. I look forward to years of reading this book with my son and am thrilled the book is still available so that I can buy it for friends and family.

I have become the keeper of the family copy of this wonderful book. It is filled with some of the greatest fables and stories that you'll want to share with your child. I'm trying to find a new copy for my daughter to keep for the rest of her life. Meanwhile, I'm going to have the one we have rebound. < a native New Englander >

I loved this book so much as a child (of the 1970's) that I had the foresight to save it for my own children. It is one of three books I saved, the other two being "A Child's Garden of Verse" by Robert Louis Stevenson, and D'aulaire's "Greek Myths". These are classic stories that have not been softened and dumbed down or made politically correct like so many modern children's books. They really pack a punch and evoke thought, and the illustrations are gorgeous.

This book was given to my mother by my great aunt when I was 2 1/2 years old (my sisters were 1 and 5). We have fought over it ever since. I have been unable to find it for years (my mother kept the original copy and it is now a favorite of her grandchildren). I was fortunate enough to obtain a copy from a used books dealer in New Hampshire last year. I am ordering two from Amazon.com so that I can surprise my sisters at Christmas (amen!). With everything from Aesop to Wordsworth, and stories, poems and songs from Mother Goose to Rudyard Kipling, there is someting in this book for any child of any age. These are the classic tales of Peter Pan, Winne The Pooh, The Velveteen Rabbit, Heidi and Gulliver, to mention a few. My mother would read aloud from this book every night - "The Goops" on page 65 was a favorie poem and "Over in the Meadow" on page 101 was a favorite song - I know my mother enjoyed reading it equally as much as we girls. The illustrations are wonderful, and most are reproductions from the original books. Finding this book has meant finding a part of my childhood, and I'm sure anyone else who grows up with it will feel the same.

I bought two of these books at a book fair from my son's school for my 8 year old. I wasn't really sure about them at first, but with titles such as Pickle Pizza and Frog Power, I had to investigate. I was happily surprised at how fun these books are. I was even more surprised when, after buying the boxed sets of 1-6 and 7-12, my 11 and 14 year olds told me I needed to buy more.

These books are fun to read and for my 8 year old who struggles with reading, these books keep him engaged. I find he trys to read more of it himself as opposed to asking me to read it to him. Now I only get to read a small portion and he gets the big paragraphs!

I love Beverly Lewis' books for adults, so bought these for my granddaughter, who doesn't really like to read. They are just the right level and we are enjoying working our way through them. There is a Christian theme that runs through them (the family often prays and talks about trusting God's guidance), so if you aren't Christian you may want to buy just one book initially to preview.

I bought the book for my neice who is 8 years old and just finished 2nd grade. She didn't really like to read before. She didn't find
books that were her reading level or were scary or boring. She loved the characters, the stories, and the reading level (8-12 yrs) helped her to improve her reading. She loves to read it before bed every night. Books 1-6 are about a group of kids who develop a bond because of their location (in a culdesac). They become close friends who encourage, uplift, sometimes argue, and promise to take care of each other when there is a problem. Not all the culdesac kids are Christians. The stories usually teach a biblical topic and show how God is ever present in our lives. Some of the culdesac kids share Christ with the others. These books are great for starting a discussion about issues and concerns most kids have. I recommend this series to anyone who wants to encourage reading in their child and wants to feel secure that their child will not be reading anything questionable.

These stories are fun for kids with a good moral base. My girls love them.

Come join the kids of Blossom Hill Lane as they unravel mysteries, make new friends and have great fun.
These wholesome books are easy to read with likeable characters and kid-friendly plots.
With 24 in the series there's plenty of good reading available.