Margaret Walker Books

A completely lifechanging book.
You really grow with the characters.
And if you're not a fan of poetry, you will still love it.
So very sad, though.
I'd cry on one page, get over it, turn to the next page, and then start crying all over again.
Absolutely wonderful, though.
Very touching.

The book "Jinx" is and awesome book. This book is about a girls named Jen that gets the nickname Jinx. She gets this nickname because of really bad situations she has with a series of boyfriends. Jen starts hanging out with a bad crowd and starts doing more bad things. But in the end of this book she ends up happy. The author Margaret Wild is an really good witer. She keeps you from putting down the book with the exiting events in it. If you are a person who likes the kind of books that are dramatic and keep you exited then this is the book you want to read! Trust me it is GREAT!!

This book had so many feelings to it. It's an easy read book with only a short paragraph on each page. If you like books that have to deal with relationships ending or books that make you cry sometimes or laugh, then you should read this book!!!
This book was just so great that I could just read this over and over again.

Jinx (formerly Jen) has really bad luck with relationships - to say the least!

Her first boyfriend dies and she gets upset but eventually gets over it. Then her second boyfriend dies and now she is Jinx, not Jen. Her teachers, friends, and her parents all call her Jinx. She says that if you go out with her you will die.

Before she started dating, she was boring old Jen who never stayed out late and always turned her homework in on time. Now she is all alone, boyfriend-less and depressed.

Towards the end of the book we find her trying to find her way back to being Jen, and no longer Jinx.

Written in poetry style, JINX is kind of depressing, even the end of the book. You feel sorry for Jen/Jinx, but at the same time I felt that I couldn't get to know her enough as a character to really care about her. This is a super-fast read, at times interesting, but I wish there had been more to the story.

Reviewed by: Taylor Rector

Jen is different from other teenagers. Unlike other teenagers, Jen is absolutely perfect in every way. She always hands in her homework on time, she can always be counted on, she never stays out late, she's boring, dull, safe, etc. That is, until Jen's very first boyfriend dies. To Jen, it's just a streak of bad luck. Until her second boyfriend dies as well. Jen, now referring to herself as Jinx, for that's what she now is, a jinx, is alone, angry, and a curse. Forced to live her life now in what could almost be classified in seclusion, Jinx begins fighting her way back to Jen, where she will now happily return to being dull, safe, boring, Jen.

When I first began reading this book, I was shocked to see that it was a novel written in verse, as the back cover almost led you to believe that it was an actual novel. And, even though I have never read a novel written in verse, I was quite pleased with this one. JINX is a poignant look at a teenage girl who goes from being unhappy with her life for being perfect, to being unhappy with her life for being unlucky. During the tremendous turn of events, Jinx realizes that her life was great before tragedy struck, and wishes that she had never been unhappy with being known as perfect Jen. Margaret Wild has created a wonderful verse novel filled with the emotions that teenagers, both male and female, feel everyday in their lives. A wonderful book for all, especially those going through what they believe is turmoil.

Erika Sorocco

The graphics of this book were wonderful and the story is timeless! Jealous of the new cat, Calvin moans throughout the entire story the line, "I don't like Gloria". He also feels unwanted and unloved. It can be used in all type of human situations (i.e. new baby, siblings getting friends, divorced parents dating other people, older siblings having new experiences). The artwork is fresh yet reminds the reader of a different era. It is a wonderful read and has many uses in the home, school and library! Highly recommend this story!

Colin, the family dog, finds that he loses all the attention when Gloria the cat moves in. She seems to get all the special attention, but for how long?
A nice simple story that may be good to use when needing to discuss issues of family rivalry.

Kaye Umansky's I DON'T LIKE GLORIA! tells of Calvin, a dog who has to live with the cat Gloria. Nobody asked him permission to have her move in and he hates her for many reasons - until another strange circumstance unites them. Margaret Chamberlain's drawings are simple but fun.

I felt that Margaret Mitchell's family was part of my own, and hated to see the book end. Am reading it now for the second time. Would love to communicate with Marianne Walker, direct. Just finished reading Darden Asbury Pyron's SOUTHERN DAUGHTER and it has made me so MAD. There are so many contradictions in it with the Walker version and I choose to believe Marianne! As you can see, I am a devoted Margaret Mitchell fan and have tried to read every thing I could throughout the years. I look forward to learning if Marianne Walker is available to the "general" public, like me.

I have been a GWTW fan since I was 12. This book is a must for GWTW fans and anyone else as well. This book gives us a peek into the writing process and what instant fame and forture can do to a person. It also tells us of interesting facts about Margaret Mitchell, her husband John, and their families. This story is told partially through letters saved by friends and families. A wonderful insight to that era of GWTW's initial popularity.

Margaret Mitchell's own love story accentuated the movie. She was able to create such a romantic story because she was leading such a romantic life herself.

I have used this book to define every scientific term and vocabulary word assigned since freshman year in Highschool. It is a complete refrence for every aspect of the Congnitive Sciences. If you were stuck on a desert island this book will help you do everything from convert sand into a seaworthy ship to finish your honors chemestry report on the ionization of Calcitrate. What is Thermal Latency? It has the meaning as used in 8 fields of science, from Thermal Dynamics to Engineering. The book even has illustrations and models.

Boasting of more than 2,400 pages of well-illustrated references and definitions, this "Academic Press Dictionary of Science and Technology" offers a fantastic value. It provides all you need in a single-volume. It is accessible and versatile. Its authority is unquestionable.
However, it biggest sin is that since 1992 it surfaced, Academic Press has failed to revise and keep it up-to-date. Also, the weight of this book is so heavy that having a CD-ROM version of it is necessary. Nevertheless, I still appreciate its value.

HILARIOUS parody of Goodnight Moon, if you dislike/disagree the current administration and want something to lighten the mood. Pay attention to the details! Had me laughing out loud - at work! (I work in a bookstore.) I definitely think the detailed drawings are my favorite part.

Finally a book written just for W, on a level which he will understand, so he can come to terms with what he has done to this country, and the world, without all those big words, and too much writey stuff! All the issues you'd want them to touch on, but still has that "sitting on Barbra's lap" feel to it, just for George! A MUST read if you've ever read Goodnight Moon to your kids!

OK - Mr Bush is not in the top 10 of US presidents, maybe not in the top 42 (thank you Jimmy Carter!), and for that accomplishment, the concept of making fun of him is not unexpected. However, the illustration of the toy plane crashing into the building blocks that are made to resemble the World Trade Center, well that is beyond terrible taste. I shouldnt have to explain why that in itself is horrific, but to teach this as a joke to children? The fact that this book was published in this poor taste and displayed in the children's department is a real shame.

This is not a children's book!This is nothing but propaganda! Good thing I decided to put my kids in Private School after years of homeschooling...This is what exactly going on in our public schools, they don't educate our children instead they're indoctrinate them of their RADICAL AGENDAS!...I don't wanna live in a MARXIST AMERICA! and this kind of books will do it...

A friend of ours bought us this book, and what a wonderful gift it is! I have it on the coffee table - for everyone to read and ponder. For those who don't know or have forgotten Margaret Wise Brown's Goodnight Moon, I recommend keeping a copy of her book close by. I got mine from the public library.

What is the best part of this book? It's impossible to choose. The polar bear rug by the bedside table is high on my list, as is Cheney sitting in the rocking chair, wearing his crooked smile and bunny slippers. Every time I go through the book I find some new little detail that I missed before. Watch the scales balancing church and state on the mantelpiece. Watch the lines of fine powder on the bedside table. This is a book that must be read - as the mills of God grind - "slowly ... yet exceedingly small".

The two pages most appropriate for these days' news: "Goodnight bubble bursting in air"; "And goodnight piggy beyond repair."

Everyone should keep a copy of this book. Lest we forget....

If you haven't yet read Margaret Coel, you are in for a treat. I got hooked on Elizabeth George and now I am hooked on Margaret Coel. She gives us the same kind of attractive characters and the same kind of authentic plots as George does. Just as George mirrors the world of British aristocracy, so Coel gives us a closeup of life on an Indian reservation. I have been to the Wind River Reservation. Coel captures it perfectly. You will not only love Father O'Mallely; you will love all of the Arapaho Indians you will meet.

Margaret Coel's Father John O'Malley series is a winner. Her characters are strong and realistic, and Father John himself is one of the most endearing sleuths I've come across in this genre for quite some time. In this book Father John and his lawyer friend Vicky become involved with some really bad dudes. They both see that their beloved Wind River Reservation is facing a terrible danger, and it is up to them to avert it. One of the nicest things about these books is the nice mix that Coel pens between the white world and the world of the Reservation. As we read we see that there is some tension there, but these two cultures do mange to coexist together. I can't wait to read the next one.

Margaret Coel has said she has her characters face great challenges in order to see what they're made of. In "The Ghost Walker," her second mystery in a series, Father John O'Malley and Vicky Holden definitely get put through the wringer, which was a bit torturous for me to read, since I have already come to care about these characters so much.

But Father John and Vicky rise to meet their respective challenges with dignity, grace and humanity. Vicky struggles to save her drug-addicted daughter from a group of men who could be killers, while Father John combats plans to shut down his beloved Jesuit mission while wrestling with his own feelings for Vicky and his alcoholism.

As far as the mystery goes, Coel once again makes it clear who the bad guys are early in the novel. Normally, this would kill any suspense, but Coel has a gift for making you want to keep reading even when she lets you in on her secrets. You want to see how all the pieces will finally fit together, and you want to further probe the motives of the villains who bring such chaos to other people's lives.

"The Ghost Walker" wasn't just a page-turning mystery. It was a top-notch, character-driven novel with two protagonists you really want to see triumph in the end.

Ghost Walker is the story of Father O'Malley a Jesuit priest who works at St. Francis on the Arapaho reservation, and in his free time solves crime. Father O'Malley is a likeable character, with two problems: he has just discovered a body in a ditch by the side of the road, and two: he has financial trouble and is having difficulty making ends meet.

I wanted to like Ghost Walker, because it contained some of my favorite fictional elements: Native American Characters and Mystery, but the writing was inconsistent, and I really couldn't decide whether this book was supposed to be a 'cozy' mystery or hard-edged murder mystery, as a result it was neither, and the story suffered as a result.

Pros: Unique characters, interesting setting, some Native American Lore described.

Cons: O'Malley interfered WAY too much in Police Investigations. Police AND FBI, seemed to sit by the phone, waiting for O'Malley to call. (Yeah, right.) Substance and Alcohol Abuse themes felt a little bit heavy-handed for this reader, and I felt a bit sermonized to. The ending left me saying: Where's the mystery?

Overall, this was an okay read. I would have liked it better if it had been either a hard-edged mystery or a cozy. As both, it was rather weak, and it left me with a blah, ambivalent feeling.

In this book Father John O'Malley discovers a dead body beside the road. His credibility takes a beating when the police return and the body is gone. At this point, Father John makes it his mission to find the body and discover who has died. When a commercial developer threatens to take over Father O'Malley's mission and turn it into a recreation center, he becomes distraught and is tempted to turn to alcohol, which has been the bane of his existence for many years. Instead, he teams up with Arapaho attorney Vicky Holden, and tries to solve the murder while helping Vicky with her drug-addicted daughter, Susan. This book, while not as compelling as the first book of the series, "The Eagle Catcher", is still a good read.

I liked this book. If I didn't like it I wouldn't give it so many stars.

It starts with a big battle between two ships. Jolly is the one that is running. She is running on the water. She is a Polliwiggle!

My brother's favorite character is the Hexhermetic Shipworm. He is a bit silly. He thinks he's a great poet, but nobody really listens. He's just a worm that eats wood.

I thought the story was exciting. Jolly meets another Polliwiggle named Monk. He lives on an island and they have to go off together. Something happens to them, but I won't tell you what! (He, he, he, he...)

I like to read a lot of fantasy books. I like the Mistmantle Chronicles and Varjak Paw books and Catwings books and Dragonrider and The Tale of Despereaux. I liked this too. I recommend that you try it.

For me to find a book that i can really read is hard but this book i read it in 3 days. Its adventure and fantasy so cant stop reading. I hate reading but that book made me feel like i wasn't even reading.

Surviving an attack on her guardian's ship, a fourteen-year-old girl named Jolly washes ashore on an island inhabited by a boy named Munk, also fourteen, and his parents. Prior to meeting, each had believed they were the only remaining polliwog, that is, water walker. The two team up after a tragedy and head to New Providence where Jolly hopes to find Kendrick, king of the pirates, and enlist his help in locating her former crewmates, missing and presumed dead. Enter several other characters (Soledad the scarab princess, a spider expert, Jolly's old friend Griffin, and a pirate ship captain named Walker), some bad entities (sea creatures called Kobalins, the Acherus, wraiths), a harmless hexidecimal worm more annoying than Jar Jar, and throw in a few battles and some unnecessarily naughty words and themes (prostitution). Tie them all together with a disjointed plot that does little more than set things up for the rest of the books in the series and you have it: Pirate Curse. Beyond the bad plot, the writing is awful, causing one to wonder whether the problems existed in the original story or was ruined during translation. Names chosen make no sense (ships named Carfax and Skinny Maddy, a boy named Munk, "mussel" magic and a ghost trader named...Ghost Trader), difficult words are used when easier ones would suffice, and certain words are used over and over to the point of distraction (grim, silhouette, etc.). Beyond issues with the plot and writing, Pirate Curse is totally inappropriate for 9 to 12 year olds with its slew of curse words inclusion of: a person who threatens a man with a knife to his fly, a kick to the same area, much discussion of prostitution using a less euphemistic word, the death of certain key adult characters, and a main character in her youth (six years old) who tattoos (p 31) "Please enter" on a woman's behind. In summary, a poorly written, poorly plotted story inappropriate for preteens. Although much shorter and simpler, younger kids might want to try the Jack Sparrow series by Robb King or the Pirate School series by Brian James.

In this outstanding book by Kai Meyer, Jolly, a 14 year-old pirate, has been blessed- or cursed?- with the ability to walk on water. She and her pirate crew, who are the only family she knows, roam the seas, until one terrible day, when they are tricked onboared a vessel that has been rigged to kill them. (Supposedly?) every single one of them dies, except Jolly. She washes up on an island, and to her suprise, meets another "polliwog" or another person who can walk on water. She and Munk, the other polliwog, meet the Ghost Trader, a strange man who is surrounded by secrets. After a horrible ordeal conserning Munk's family, both children join the Ghost Trader on a mission to save the world. But Jolly isnt bought by all this, the only thing she wants is to find her pirates and the person who set out to destroy them. On their incredible journey toward Allenium, a place as strange as the Ghost Trader, they meet new friends-and some non-friends- and experiance wierd and exciting places, jounying to the unknown in search of answers.
But then the unthinkable happens...

On page 31 of the hardcover edition there is a scene where a passed out female has the words "enter here" tattooed on her butt by a young boy.

Later in the book there are depictions of prostitution and women (some prostitutes, some not) are called whores.

There is plenty of adventure, magic and swashbuckling, and this is probably a fine book for young adults. I do, however, object to it being marketed to 10 year olds. The library copy we picked up said it was for 10-14 year olds on the inside flap.

Maybe other 10 year olds are ready to read about suggestions of forced sodomy on a passed out girl, maybe some are mature enough to process the concept of prostitution or the disrespect that leads to calling women whores (Don Imus, might have some wisdom on this point), but I think for most 10 year olds this is inappropriate.

I don't believe in censorship, but as a parent, I would have appreciated some sort of heads-up about this content. I don't think it should be in the juvenile section at the bookstore or the library.

Constructivism has a myriad of definitions, or so it seems in education today. In this book, the general principals of constructivist leadership are defined and "fleshed out" through the contributing authors. Excellent book for administrators that are trying to find theory based rationale for site based management in school. A book that should be kept on your office bookshelf because you will refer to it often. The listing and comparisons of past educational methods is nicely done and easy to reference.

This book essentially examines the dynamics of a learning community within the theoretical framework of constructivism. While the book is dense in theory, it�s clear prose and liberal inclusion of examples and stories make it an accessible and meaningful read. The book�s title may be misleading in that an educational leader, in the constructivist sense, is any educator who seeks school improvement through open, democratic processes. In this sense, the book would seem useful to any organizational development specialist who craves a broader theoretical understanding of the nature of OD, and insight into how groups of educators can build learning communities committed to improving the lives of their stakeholders. The book is complex in its scope and depth, but nonetheless answers a fairly simple question: How does constructivism help us see what humane and effective schools should look like? Lambert and her colleagues weave a fairly cohesive and inspiring narrative of social change within the educational context.

According to the writers, constructivism is a theory of learning derived from the fields of philosophy, psychology, and science. Constructivism in simplest terms posits that learning is the process of reforming what we know, believe and value based on the connections between new and already held knowledge, values and beliefs. In other words, people are in a constant state of learning in order to secure or enhance their existence. In the school context, Lambert defines �Constructivist Leadership� as �the reciprocal processes that enable participants in an educational community to construct meanings that lead toward a common purpose about schooling.� (p.29) These reciprocal processes entail building trust through social and professional relationships, identifying and reconstructing commonly held assumptions and beliefs, building new shared knowledge, and altering individual and group behaviors to create new ways of doing school. In this way, Lambert and her colleagues argue, we begin to see leadership, community, and schools themselves not as roles or physical entities, but as social processes, which require constant tending and development. In a biological sense, individuals are in a constant state of constructing their understanding of the world. In an ecological sense, interdependent groups of individuals must co-construct their understandings in order to create a desired reality. In this way, Lambert�s constructivist view of learning and leadership is in close company with Senge�s view of the learning organization, which strives to move from status quo to a shared ideal of something better.

Theoretically, constructivism owes much Lee Vygotsky�s work on the relationship between language and learning. Not surprisingly then, this book�s core chapters all deal with the role of communication in constructivist leadership. In �Leading the Conversations�, Lambert argues that conversations �are the visible manifestation of constructivist leadership� (p.83). On page 86, she provides a useful �Typology of Conversations� model, which shows that four conversation types (dialogic, inquiring, sustaining, and partnering) contribute to, among other things, collaborative sense-making, remembrance and reflection, sharing and building ideas, and respectful listening. In �The Linguistics of Leadership�, Diane Zimmerman deconstructs the processes of paraphrasing, inquiring, and articulating ideas, and argues that when used in balance they help groups uncover �the unspeakable�, make sense of assumptions and beliefs, and find new patterns and paths to improvement. In �The Role of Narrative and Dialogue in Constructivist Leadership�, Joanne Cooper argues that �stories provide a vision and a desired direction for adults working in schools�� (p.122) Narratives bring to life �tacit knowledge� and in so doing imbue groups with connectivity, and common purpose and vision. In these chapters, we see strong practical and theoretical themes that are consistent with the change work of Fullan, Senge�s work on learning, and the organization work of Schmuck and others.

Constructivism, as an epistemological theory, has a long and broad history in this century. I found this book refreshing for making clear connections between a theory of knowledge and the practices and perspectives relevant to organization development and learning communities.

This had many solid points and I like the fact that it has many example of the constructivist theory in use which makes this book more practical for some one who doesn't want to worry about getting to deep into the theory. The only problem with this book is that the theory that is presented is flawed. They completely down play the role of traditional education and present their theory as the opposite to traditional education. This goes against John Dewey's basic theory and makes the fallacy of selective emphasis. This is a great book if you want to practical experience from schools that this method has been used at but if you want theory, you are better off going to the source, John Dewey.

An avid fan of Margaret Mayhew's, I picked up this book eager to experience the Regency period through her writing. What a delightful little find this one is! Mayhew has created a style reminiscent of Jane Austen in telling the tale of Kate, resident lady of Castle Keilder, and Mr. Drew, the man who appears on her doorstep with the deed to the property, which he won in a wager against Kate's brother. Indignant to be losing her ancestral home, Kate goes on a campaign to drive Mr. Drew from the castle, but becomes intrigued with him at the same time. Just who is this man and why won't he sell the castle back to her? Kate follows him to his home in London to discover the answers to this perplexing personality, and discovers much about herself in the process.

Though the book seemed to take a few pages to pick up steam, it is alive with humor and twists that keep the reader interested. Definitely written in the Regency style, this is a quick, light read that will keep you turning the pages. Good fun!

A romance novel without the sex! That alone ranked it above the standard romance novels. No heaving and pulsating here, and the story is not hurt by the lack. Still, it wasn't enough to overcome the odd fact that the supposed reason for all the angst of our heroine - Kielder's young baronet, Will - is largely forgotten throughout the book.

Kate Spencer is struggling to hold together the home her family's owned since King Edward III gave it to them. Her older brother, Harry, has managed to kill himself racing AND lose the ancestral home to a Mr. Drew, all to the disgust (if not surprise) of Kate. At all costs, Kiedler must be restored to the family, for Will's sake. Will doesn't seem to care, and Kate doesn't care that he doesn't care. The ending will not come as a surprise to romance fans, but getting there is all the fun. If only young Will did more than play chess now and then!

Once an avid romance reader, today I seldom read this genere. But recently an online friend recommended I read Our Yanks by Margaret Mayhew and I enjoyed it so much I knew I had to read another book by this author. The one I recently read was Regency Charade and while I knew I enjoyed Mayhew as an author, I found I really enjoyed a Regency romance.

Miss Kate Spencer's brother Harry loses their ancestral home, Kielder Castle,after a heavy night of drinking and gambling. A week later Sir Harry loses hsi life when his carriage overturns. Now Kate is left to care for her much younger brother Will and their crumbling estate. Then one night a Mr. Drew the new owner of Kielder Castle arrives and Miss Kate must find a way to buy back her home which has been in her family for centuries. Despite his good looks, Mr. Drew is also quite charming while Kates finds him most irritating. While others in the house fall under his spell, Miss Kate wants to part of him except the deed to what was once her home.

Set in Regency England and filled with descriptions of English country homes and the fashionable styles of the day, this was a most enjoyable read.

This was an excellent read for an in-depth look into the civil rights struggle in the south. From a black doctor's perspective, the book gives the reader a different look at many events in Mississipi that led to integration and equality, and what was sacrificed to attain what we have today.
The book also gives the reader an intimate look into Dr. Mason's life from childhood to the civil rights era, but not beyond. This book would have been better if more information on Dr. Mason had been included. Hopefully, James Patterson Smith will update the forward now that Dr. Mason has passed, and tell us more about what this book is missing, and perhaps add a brief history of his life after the 60's and 70's. (much has been left out.) I would like to have seen Dr. Mason expand upon his own secondary theme of maintaining morals and ethics to reveal a true struggle between his personal life, his political life, and the lives impacted by his choices, good and bad; the legacy Dr. Mason left to ALL of his children was only hinted at in the secondary theme,(much as this sentence does).
Though little long-winded in parts, this is an excellent study of Black history in the south.

Dr. Gilbert Mason has written a book which not only stands as an important literary stone in the foundation of the civil rights movement, but also as a window into the humanity and "higher calling" of being a physician. As a white physician in Mississipppi, I was riveted when I read this book. The hardship which was endured by African Americans during this era is unimaginable, and it was only a generation ago. With eloquence and thouroughness Dr. Mason leads us through the origins of the civil rights movement specifically as it occurred in Biloxi MS. The racial hatred and violence which opposed his nonviolent protests and the fledgling Biloxi chapter of the NAACP is laid out for the reader with very good clarity. When I read this book, the secondary theme also jumped out at me, which was his constant pusuit of being a physician , specifically maintaing high degree of ethics, morality, and care for all patients black are white during this period of tribulation. I highly recommend this book to all.