Poetry Books

A wonderful bedtime story for young children. My little one loves the relaxing poem with the beautiful pictures. The story tells a valuable lesson of caring for those around you. She calms down and goes to sleep very quickly after reading this story. My 2 year old demands to be read "Fairy Market" before any nap or bedtime. She loves it.

This is a wonderful book, beautifully illustrated. The story is one of gracious appreciation of others. Highly recommended.

This has been a favorite in our house for 20+ years. With our first child and now with our youngest. The pictures are wonderful, your child will love finding new things every time they read the book. And the messege that is taught, each time the fairy purchases a new animal and then sets it free after she admires it or when she shares her coat with the frog so he can stay warm. The message of caring for others is expressed in an easy to understand way. Great book for children and adults to share.

This gentle rhyming story is paired with beautiful illustrations. Story of the seasons and about being a compassionate person. A must-have in your library- especially if you love fairies!

I can sum up this book in one word--exquisite!

Whilst there aren't actually a lot of words in it, every picture is definitely worth a thousand of them. What text there is, however, is poetic, poignant and full of worthy lessons for children about how rewarding looking after animals and nature can be, without being at all preachy. Tying in beautifully with those words, Jamichael Henterly's lush illustrations are some of the best I've ever seen--this illustrator's attention to detail will keep you looking at those pictures for hours, finding new and wonderful things all the while.

This may be a book for small children, but even if you don't have a child, read it anyway! It's like comfort food for the soul.

i have read all of his books. he is an amazing author and i would recomend all of his books to pretty much anyone. the redwall series is my favorite of all, and my favorite book is the outcast of redwall. read his books if you enjoy action, adventure, love, and life.

BRIANJAQUES IS A BRILLIANT AUTHOR AND MY FAVEOROUTE BOOK IN THE REDWALL SERIES IS MARTIN THE WARRIOR BECAUSE I READ THAT ONE FIRST AND IT'S JUST GREAT AT THE MOMENT I'M READING "THE LEGEND OF LUKE"
HIS BOOKS ARE FILLED WITH EXCITEMENT FROM START TO FINISH.
I'D RECOMEND THEM TO ANY AGE OR SEX, RACE OR RELIGEON

Whether your 6 or 99 this book is funny, suspensfull, and just plain good! I would suggest this book to anyone who likes to read with all my heart!!!! If you have any doubts about this book please think again! Don't miss this book!!

Hi I'm Midnight Fire I'm 13 years old. I think Brian Jacques' Redwall series is astounding. What makes his books great are the originality of his writing. He doesn't use people but animals, and for each animal he would use a different accent. Each of his animals would have a different personality that would make the book far more interesting than others. Brian Jacques has inspired young writers all around the world. I recommend his books to everyone.

Redwall is the best series ever written. I own all of the series and have read them 20 times over. They are so exciting and fun to read you can't put them down. Jaques writes in a beautiful way that describes everything to a fault. It's always worth reading if it's your 1st time of your 5th.

A Home For A Bunny was my son's all-time favorite book. We read it over and over again. Now my son is nearly 27, and I still have the same book and read it to his 5-year-old-daughter, whom I am raising. It was her very first book and she demanded it be read every single night. We had fun using different voices and she especially liked the happy ending. She decided that the bunnies were a "Mommy Bunny and a Daddy Bunny", and would kiss them goodnight each time.

I highly recommend this book! I buy one every chance I get, whenever I know someone is going to have a baby.

I purchased this book (my first "big" little golden book) and love the larger size and pictures. My two-year-old daughter loves this book and often picks it from her huge selection of books. A great sweet story to share. I'm now looking for more "big" little golden books to buy.

This book is such a sweet, cute book. I am 24 years old and still read it to my nieces every once in a while. I have grown up making my parents read me this book over and over again every night and day. My copy is worn out but it also shows how much I enjoyed it. I hope you decide to buy it and read it to your children they will love it!

I read this book 20+ years ago to my two children and it was their favorite and most requested Little Golden book. It is such a sweet and well illustrated book. My only regret is that I didn't keep it over the years because I now had to go on a search for another copy for my brand new grandchild. My new copy of "Home for a Bunny" will be extremely well used, I'm sure!

This is such a sweet little book! Probably not much past age 5, but the story has a bunny looking for a place to stay or a home of his own. He proceeds to ask everyone he meets if he can live with them and they all say no. However, when he meets a little white bunny, the bunny takes him in and they then live together. The last picture is just so sweet with the two bunnies snuggling together. The illustrations make you touch the page because the bunny looks so fuzzy! It is very much loved in our house and we highly recommend it!

This is a great book. The girls of my girlfriend love the book. As soon as I sit down, they grab a book and jump in my lap.

I stumbled on this with my daughter one night and she quickly fell in love with it.

It's one of the lessor known books but I think it's a great story. Dr. Seuss did a great job with with his words as it easy to get into a flow while reading and it also allows the story teller to play ring master and have fun.

This is a great bed time book and my daughter declared that only I can read it to her.

"If I ran the circus" starts off with a boy and an empty lot. I had a lot similar to this near my childhood home. This book played perfectly into my wild imagination of what one could make out of a seemingly uninteresting place. It made me see things in a different way, the possibility that was in every place and every thing. This book is wonderful. Calm Sneelock is worked into the plan. (Isn't it just typical that kids think of shopkeepers as friends?) This book is a big part of my childhood and now I am happy to share it with my kids to help them see the potential in everything. One just needs to use a bit of imagination -- a lesson for young and old.

My daughter and I love love love this book. It is so creative and everytime we read it (which is seriously twice a day) she finds something new in one of the pictures. The cadence and flow of the sentences is almost mesmerizing. Really delightful to read!

this book is great for kids because they get to see whats at a crcus. it broadens their vocablary. its an easy book to read with great pictures and fun rhyming!

by:
laura r.

Of all the tranlations of the Tao, Red Pine's is by far the best. I've read a lot of other Tao translations and none offer the clear interpretation that Red Pine offers. This is a must have book by the most qualified voice on the subject and at a price that cannot be beat.

I have a friend who's library includes some 20+ translations of this work and I have to date, read 4 of my own. Red Pine's TTC with Commentaries is much easier to follow and understand than other translations and the commentaries offer even more ways to consider each verse. To read what other Chinese scholars took from reading Lao Tsu's work will also make obvious that many have had very different understanding of this work, and that maybe, they are all useful.

This translation does, in my mind, further disproves those who so misunderstood Lao Tsu to call him a libertarian and an anarchist and does more to convince me that he, maybe above all the great teachers, was a true spiritualist, truly understanding what he chose not to define, not to personify, or to name...other than to simply call it The Way.

I have only two thirds of the book complete, but have to join those who claim it their favorite TTC so far.

I liked this book. the commentaries are interesting and provide insight into the Tao. I would have liked more commentaries on how to apply them to daily life, but overall it's a good book. I would recommend it.

In Asia, sacred texts like the Tao Te Ching are read with reference to the commentaries of its key historical luminaries. Only in the west is it read by itself, with no guidance. Finally, we have a TTC with key commentaries. Plus, the author has here given a translation that may come as close as possible to expressing the Chinese in English. It is concise, even pithy.
A number of other features make this volume unique and particularly valuable. Pine's extensive introduction covers an intriguing linguistic insight into the Chinese written character for Tao, Lao Tzu's historical background, the usual issues of authorship, etc., and some of the deeper understandings of the important themes of philosophical Taoism. Also, he has provided black and white photos of the famed Hanku Pass and the Loukuantai where tradition holds that Lao-tzu wrote the Tao Te Ching. The Chinese text is provided along side Pine's clear and unadorned translation. He utilizes the earlier but more recently discovered Mawangtui texts, and explains his preferences in choosing among textual variants. But most important for me, and for any student of the Tao Te Ching are his carefully selected commentaries which follow each verse. These show how the Chinese have traditionally understood the passages of the TTC in selected commentaries from the last 2000 years. Also, the book provides an extensive glossary of the Chinese terms and the commentators. Highly recommended!

The only language in which the Taoteching could have been written is Classical Chinese, a medium seemingly open enough to accomodate any translation without losing anything at all. But we should keep in mind, as the good book here says, ". . . the Tao in words is not the real Tao . . ." We could say that Classical Chinese could not really, in our day and age, be served up in literal translation, and we can be grateful to Red Pine, once again, that in this fabulous rendering, he does not begin with the words, but rather with the Tao.

Paul Reps once told me that we humans "are on the outside looking in". Like the space between the kanji strokes, as with the Chinese, thus with the Tao, and even the Truth. (Chapter 11: "Thirty spokes converge on a hub, but it's the emptiness that makes a wheel work . . ."
This translation does work. As in his other impressive translations (I especially love his moving early 1990's translation of Bodhidharma - recommended to all who wish to learn more of Ch'an or Zen) there breathes an immediacy which flows forth into the consciousness of our moment, resonant in these teachings. Relatively obscure in the West not half a century ago, they thus have been recognized for their pith, their eternal relevance, their vision.

Each Chapter in this well-bound, well-designed volume is accompanied by a series of commentaries or alternative translations from various sages in the Taoist tradition, a process which itself, once again, reveals the Tao, ever changing, always unchanged.

Chapter 19: "Get rid of wisdom and reason
and people will live a hundred times better
get rid of kindness and justice
and people once more will love and obey
get rid of cleverness and profit
and thieves will cease to exist
but these sayings are not enough
hence let this be added
wear the undyed and hold the uncarved
reduce self-interest and limit desires
get rid of learning and problems will vanish"

I've been reading this book since the early 1960's in various English renditions - this one is far and away my current favorite - a real delight!

Kevin Sheehan has simplified the great qualities of important leaders and placed them in an entertaining text. A gift which I have passed on to my dearest friends, this book is both inspirational and educational. My highest recommendation.

Poignant, powerful stories. Beautifully written with a distinctive and important design. This book's not to be missed--by you, your friends, your business colleagues. Bravo!

Within his book A Leader Becomes A Leader, Kevin Sheehan delightfully illustrates the essence of true leadership. He poignantly definies a diverse group of past and present leaders; while exploring their life events and characteristics of greatness. Encourage your friends, family and coworkers to read this motivational book!

The author does a phenomenal job of breaking the topic down into small manageable and inspiring readings; also covers a great cross-section of leaders and the characteristics that made them successful. I ordered a dozen copies as executive and motivational gifts.

J. Kevin Sheehan presents a celebration of what's possible in his biographical snapshots of great leaders. By focusing on the unique character traits of outstanding leaders the author transforms the mysteries of leadership into something very real. He answers the question "what made them great?" in an extremely concise and inspirational style. Great as a corporate gift or graduation present. My children have used it for school projects and I have found inspiration for my own business. No home or school library should be without this most valuable tool.

Beautiful poetry about a very special little filly who was lost much too soon. I love the way this author puts her words together in such a wondrous way. She makes you really get a glimpse of what this racehorse was like. Prices are always great on Amazon.com as well as a fast delivery. Never had any problem at all. I even order other items from other commpanies other than books, and it's really a great way to shop. Try it, you'll love it!

RUFFIAN, is truly a breath taking epic of a true champion.

When we lost RUFFIAN, we lost more than just her. We lost
part of ourselves as well.

Courtesy of Outsider Writers, here are two reviews of Lyn Lifshin's The Licorice Daughter. The reviews are by Miles Bell and Leopold McGinnis.

Reviewed by: Miles Bell

Miles is a UK poet. I don't think he has ever met Lyn, nor has Lyn met him. In fact, I'm not quite certain Miles has ever ridden a horse. However, he does inform me that he has excellent teeth.


Ruffian was a phenomenal racehorse who broke the track record in her first race and was unbeaten in her next nine. As a 3-year-old in 1975, in an ill-judged race against that year's Kentucky Derby winner, Foolish Pleasure, she broke down while leading the "equine battle of the sexes", continued to try to race even with a badly broken leg, and couldn't be saved. Why should I care? you may ask yourself, and it was the question on my mind as I sat down with this book of poems about the life of "The Queen of the Fillies". After all, I'd no real interest in horses, and had never heard of Ruffian.

I had, however, heard of Lyn Lifshin, as I expect everyone in the small press has. Reportedly the most published poet alive, with more than 100 books to her name, she crops up everywhere there is poetry. I was unfamiliar with her work, and I must admit to being dubious about Lifshin's abilities; surely someone so prolific is just churning poems out?

It is at this point I must apologize to Lyn, for this book is fabulous for the most part, and it drew me into the story of Ruffian much further than I expected. There is a line early in Todd Moore's "The name is Dillinger" which speaks of a time "when horses were still magic", and this book succeeds in helping to explain some of the reasons horses can evoke so many indefinable emotions in people.

Comprising just over 100 short poems, "THE LICORICE DAUGHTER" (named after Ruffian's near-black coat) is actually one long poem in small sections covering the short but brightly-burning life of a horse acknowledged by many as the greatest female horse in history, from her birth, the separation from her mother, the glorious first races, to the tragic conclusion to Ruffian's career and life.

Lifshin writes with great passion for her subject without slipping too far into sentimentality, and the language she uses creates a mythology for Ruffian, as if she was/something in a dream/in the shape of a horse...

There are several other examples throughout of Lifshin using especially descriptive words to evoke a sense of "otherness" about Ruffian, supernatural, ghost-horse, black arrow, mystery, black lightning, and even mentioning Icarus and Pegasus, only to describe her again, finally, as just a trapped animal with wild eyes, as she was led, fatally hurt, to the ambulance after one race too far.

The pacing of the book is perfectly judged too, the poems increasing in intensity and speed like the horse herself, until the quiet last few poems lend an air of reverence more than deserved, it seems, such is the power and sheer story-telling mastery of the rest of the book.

There are a couple of small quibbles I have; the mention of EBay early on jarred me out of the quiet pastures of the 1970s I'd been immersed in, and there are a couple of occasions where descriptions of Ruffian veer towards anthropomorphosis, and I feel Lifshin is a good enough writer not to have to humanize the horse in order for the reader to empathize. That said, these are minor points and only mean I couldn't faithfully describe the book as perfect, just very, very good indeed.

In summary, I would highly recommend "THE LICORICE DAUGHTER: MY YEAR WITH RUFFIAN", as fine prose poetry and a terrific story/myth, well-told. As I reached the end I must admit to getting something in my eye and having to take a few manly deep breaths, before going online and reading all I could about Ruffian, the horse who lived simply to run.


Reviewed by: Leopold McGinnis

Pold is a founding member of Outsider Writers, and an all around Canadian literary icon.

113 pages, Texas Review Press

I was only vaguely aware of Lyn Lifshin when I was asked to review this book. I'd read an article of hers in a book in which we'd both been published and, a few weeks previously, a poet friend of mine who's opinion I respect raved about her work. When the opportunity to review Lyn's latest book (or second latest at the time of this writing - I think she puts out a book a month!) came up, I was eager to find out what my own opinion was.

The Licorice Daughter is poetry-novella based on the true story of Ruffian, widely considered the best female racing horse in history. I believe Ruffian was even featured in the Sports Illustrated top 100 female athletes of all time. (But not in the swimsuit edition, to my knowledge.) To avoid spoiling the book, I'll say no more than that.

When I realized, about 10 pages in, that this was a book about horses, or about a series of horses I began to regret my offering to review it. It's a subject area of which I have little interest, and yet the poems were good enough that I was enjoying reading it, so I figured that was all that mattered. It wasn't until about a third of the way through the book that I realized that this was all about one horse and, in fact, a continuing narrative. This piqued my interest greatly and, to use the obligatory cheesy book-review metaphor, it was a race all the way to the finish line after this point. Born after the events in the story, I wasn't aware that the story was based on reality until I did some research later, so this also kept my interest for quite a while.

There is a burning inevitability to The Licorice Daughter which I love, and makes the book a thrilling read.

While the book starts off a bit slow out of the starting gate, the book picks up a lot of speed by the middle and is running at full gallop by the last third, even though you know where it's going. Ruffian's story is an engaging one and Lyn does not do it a disservice. A lot of poets try to boost their poetry, or replace a lack of something to say, by co-opting an already existing story. Certainly this is legitimate poetic practice, however, often the poet does nothing more than dilute the strength of the original story for poetic gain. Lifshin, on the other hand, brings a lot to this little known (at least to me!) story, filling in or making up pieces that have not been documented by the papers and historians, and giving a real sense of the passion, the life, and the intimate hopes behind Ruffian and all those involved with her story, from the jockeys, to the fans and beyond. It's a sign of a remarkable poet who can improve upon a classic story.

The book is notable for a number of other features. One thing I enjoyed was that the poems weren't linked like chapters, but more like a grasshopper touching down as it hopped along Ruffians lifeline, allowing the reader to piece together a lot of the details. Often times two or three poems would cover the same event. Rather than being redundant, they offered different views of on singular piece of the story and this was quite refreshing. The book dances close to cliché on a few occasions (what books don't?), but never touches, and often blasts off in some wonderful directions. I particularly enjoyed some of the poems at the end that manage to tie thing like EBay to the story of this horse from 30 years ago. Unexpected and wonderful.

If I was a visionless corporate book producer, I'd target this book towards young girls. I wouldn't target it towards horse enthusiasts because they aren't a big enough market...and we all know that poetry doesn't sell anyway. Unless you're dead and your name is Bukowski. Thankfully I'm not and while this book would certainly delight little girls, it would also be a must for any horse enthusiast. But still that's narrow minded. This book is well executed, fun, a quick read, and contains a great and engaging story. I believe it would be a great book for anyone who loves poetry. Even lovers of sports (if you can convince them to give poetry a try) should like it.

I think the true sign of a good book is if you can get someone who isn't at all interested in the subject to like it. As someone who is highly contrarian, very critical of poetry about hackneyed overdone things like horses, and far from sporty or interested in things equine I greatly enjoyed this book, so I believe anybody will if they give it a try.

For any racehorse enthusiast, this is a must read. Lyn has put into poetry a beautiful, yet heart-wrenching story of this incredible filly. It only takes about a hour to read, but the words will stay with you for a lifetime. I saw the race "live", and I'll never forget it. Long live the memory of Ruffian!

For fans of the late, great Ruffian, this is a must read book. A sensitive, wonderful read about one of our country's great horses.

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.

A wonderful read on one of the most outstanding christians in history.
Our Heart Group which meets in our home each week has truly been blessed by reading about this great christian man ( author, preacher, teacher, statesman, and more ).
Trust that others might receive the same blessing by the reading of this book.

John Newton wrote a poem with the above title.

Mr. McCasland has written a very readable biography of a true man of God. In every chapter following the first, the reader walks with Chambers throughout his spiritual growth. Our Lord has told his followers that life will not be easy as a disciple and 'OC' is a shining example of living the life of faith--real faith unlike today where many so-called people of God have replaced faith with conservatism or patriotism or judicial capitalism.

From the 6th and last stanzas of Newton:

Lord, why is this, I
trembling cry'd.
Wilt thou pursue thy worm to
death?
"Tis in this way," the Lord
reply'd.
"I answer pray'r for grace and
faith.

"These inward trials I
employ,
"From self and pride to set
thee free;
"And break thy schemes of
earthly joy,
"That thou mayst seek thy all
in me."

The school of Christ involves learning the basics of the Christian faith but that is NOT the end. Be of good cheer, because when Jesus says he is their with us in our trials, he really means it! In the life of 'OC,' we know and believe this is true.

Thank you David McCasland for your biography of a true disciple of Christ.
If only we still had Oswald Chambers! I loved this book. I would have loved to have met Biddy Chambers as well. Such inspired lives they had!

Most people are familiar with My Utmost for His Highest, one of the great classic devotionals. But few are familiar with the man, Oswald Chambers. Oswald Chambers was originally from Scotland, formed a Bible College in England, and eventually went to Egypt where he served as a chaplain for WWI servicemen. He left this earth at a very young age. The marvelous thing is that Chambers had a wife who trained to be a transcriptionist. Her earthly ambition was to be the transcriptionist for the Prime Minister of England, but when she met and married Oswald Chambers, she began transcribing his words from his many teachings at the Bible College and to the servicemen. My Utmost for His Highest was published a year after his death, after Mrs. Chambers gathered together some of the gems of his teachings in one volume. Many more books followed over the years. Oswald Chambers would surely not be remembered today, if not for the partnership and labor of his wife. This book is wonderfully written as it tells the marvelous story of one man who dedicated his life to God's service...and whose words are treasured today because of his wife's gift of transcribing his words.

For a number of years I have thoroughly enjoyed reading and being blessed by "My Utmost for His Highest". While I have been greatly blessed, I knew little of the author other than he served British troops in Egypt as a servant of the YMCA. Thankfully, McCasland has written a most interesting read of Reverand Chambers.

Among the areas covered in Chambers' life include:

1. Early life and large family he belonged to - parents and siblings.
2. How and when he came to Christ.
3. His education at various schools.
4. Marriage to his beloved "Biddy" and enjoying his daughter Kathleen.
5. His service for the YMCA and other Christian-related organizations.
6. Ministry to British troops in Egypt during WWI.
7. Many travels and friends he made throughout his life.
8. Circumstances leading up to his death at the early age of 43.

The book was so well-written and detailed about Chambers' life that I have grown to respect and appreciate the man even more. I (in addition to many others I'm sure) am also deeply grateful for his wife Biddy's efforts to publish many of his addresses to the British troops that ultimately resulted in the devotion "My Utmost for His Highest".

Read and enjoy the book and come to appreciate Reverand Chambers even more! Highly recommended.