Young Adult Books

I found this collection of letters written by Laura Ingalls Wilder (author of the "Little House" series) to be fascinating. The letters were written to her husband when Mrs. Wilder went to San Francisco to visit her daughter, Rose Wilder Lane, in 1915.

The reader gets Mrs. Wilder's description of a San Francisco that is recovering from the earthquakes and fires that took place earlier in the century and is now hosting an International Exposition. Mrs. Wilder's description of her first encounter with the Pacific Ocean is wonderful.

The reader also gets a glimpse into the life of Mrs. Wilder. She is very concerned about finances and things back on the farm. She has yet to write her first "Little House" book, but her daughter, who is already an accomplished journalist, is helping Mrs. Wilder get a feel for writing.

This book will be a treat for readers interested in the life of Laura Ingalls Wilder and those interested in a portrait of San Francisco in the early 20th century.

I love all the little house books. I am buying these so I can read them again and also to build up a library for my grandchildren.

Laura Ingalls Wilders makes a trip by train to visit her daughter, Rose, in 1915 in San Francisco. It was during the 1915 World's Fair. Laura visited for two months and wrote interesting, detailed letters back home to Almanzo about what she saw and did.
Some of her descriptions were captivating in their detail. The book fills in gaps and answers questions about the years following the events of the Little House books. The reader meets Rose, the daughter, as an adult, and begins to learn about her amazing life as a successful writer.
It was during this visit that Rose begins to help Laura learn how to better write for publication, such as how to block-out a story.
The reader gets an insight into Rose's fierce loyalty and sense of responsibiity to her parents.

In addition to Laura's detailed letters to Almanzo describing her adventure, this book includes over thirty photographs featuring Laura, Rose, the Pacific Ocean (ships, beachgoers, etc.), San Francisco, and many scenes of the Panama-Pacific International Exposition including an air show and night-lit festivities. Though in black and white, this pictorial insight into what was behind the letters is wonderful.

The book also includes an introduction telling how and where the letters were found and a lovely description of San Francisco at the time of Laura's visit. The letters themselves beautifully showcase the art of letter writing: Along with Laura's vivid descriptions of the technological marvels of the expo, her words are full of charming details to make us smile such as the price of eggs, hat shopping, and her favorite foods of the expo. Laura's expertise in writing compositions, as portrayed in the original Little House books, is very much evident even in these personal letters.

This book is a must have for Little House enthusiasts. Also recommended: On the Way Home: The Diary of a Trip from South Dakota to Mansfield, Missouri, in 1894.

J.H. Sweet, author of The Fairy Chronicles, and longtime Little House fan

This is a very sweet and interesting book. Laura is visiting Rose in San Francisco for a few months and writes letters to Manly to fill him in on all she is doing and seeing.

The letters are detailed and filled with much information about San Francisco at the time. This is very interesting since it was 1915 and the Panama-Pacific International Exhibition was in progress.

I was thrilled to read it as I can't seem to read enough about Laura and her entire family! This is another wonderful and interesting book with the spirited Laura Ingalls Wilder as the star!

I'm not kidding. I've read mises, hayek, rothbard, dawkins, and many other great writers and influential works. But page for page, with its clarity and ability to transform an average uneducated person to almost genius... The logic, peppered with awesome bits of history... This is one of the greatest books of all time. The one-two punch of Richard's Whatever happened to penny candy(about economics) with this book, is perhaps the best gift one can make to a young person just starting out in life and to an adult as well. Just awesome, all the books in the uncle eric series are must haves period. No sequence of easy to read pages can do so much to educate a human being as the uncle eric series.

I thought this book was really interesting and I felt that it presented a logical explanation of why our legal systems are the way they are. I gave it a four because I know some lawyers who told me that the premises in the book are bogus... but they could be wrong.

I have enjoyed this book very much! I had entered a search engine on Amazon.com books to study the differences of liberals and conservatives and purchased this book along with two other books, one from USA Today, by Victor Kamber and Bradley O'Leary, and the other on Moral Politics by George Lakoff, I then read Richard Maybury's book. I next bought Maybury's book on Ancient Rome and then ordered five more. My next book to read was this book, Whatever Happened to Justice?, apparently not the revised version. I really found convincing this book as accurate in historical truth in regards to the original political model set by Hamilton, Jefferson, Henry, Adams & etc. This is the first time I've read a critical difference between democracy and liberty and the argument for the later. While Democracy is majority rule, it is whatever the mob or majority decides, where as Liberty is based on the two eternal, multi-religious, multi-culture laws of "Do all you have agreed to do," and "Do not encroach on other persons or their property.". Now that's ecstasy for me.


The information on the differences between the old British Common Law and Political Law. Now this is significant, as Common Law is based on the above two maxims, while Political Law is on whatever the government decides, whether it be a monarchy, fascist, socialistic or democratic - the government creates the laws. Common Law, the two maxims, are historical science, laws higher than man's; laws of nature itself.


This book lucidly and simplistically explains the origins of government, that is, the thoughts and conceptions of the founding American government; Jefferson, Hamilton, Adams, the ideas of the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists, are some of the most lucid and clearest explanations I have ever read on this subject. I can't help but agree that the unregulated free trade, with limited government, employing the two multi-religious, multi-cultural maxims - two basic common laws - would bring the founding fathers ideal towards the reality of a Pythagorean harmonious exchange of prosperity and liberty. The ideas of liberty takes precedence over democracy.

And so now I'm very interested in reading Mr. Maybury's books on WWI and WWII. As I found a review on the bluestockingpress website from one reviewer named Harry Browne. Now that's got to be the Harry Browne who ran for President (Libertarian)! A person whose thoughts I happen to admire. And I have read many of his online articles on WWI and WWII in the past and was always so impressed. It appears that Richard Maybury's book has been the excellent source.

The learning just continues with this installation of Mr. Maybury's books. I learned a great deal about the economic arena in the first three and now he has taken us on a ride through the successes and failures of nations, governments and social entities that fail to follow the most basic rules of good government.

Mr. Maybury is fabulous in bringing complicated issues down to a level where average Americans and even our youth can understand them.

The sad truth about the world is that society itself is allowing young people to loose sight of the true and significant moral model of the world that they should have. Is this a direct result of a planned attack on the basic principles Mr. Maybury indicates are esential for a free people to survive or even the concept of freedom itself? Perhaps.

It is interesting to find that the absense of morality being intertwined with government has caused the downfall of so many economies in the past and contribute to the loss of the freedoms, civil liberties and individuality so cheerished by other countries and Americans for over 200 years.

It would appear that the world is sliding into a more barbaric time where we will depend only on our own devices and our own intellect to save us. But when we turn so abruptly away from the inspiration of Divine Law we actually digress in our dealings with others rather than progress.

This book should be a wake up call to all who turn away from history and the facts of life in this area. Justice made and enforced only by men or women and their own prejudices is not justice at all but mere Choas.

All we have build and all we have achieved stands on the brink of destruction brought about by our own egos and ignorance of histories lessons.

A great read and thought provoking book.

Mr. Maybury does a wonderful job of explaining the differences between natural "scientific" law (also known as "common law") which can be discovered because it is universal and given by God, and resides universally in the hearts of men, and "political law" which is created by men and which almost always violates Maybury's Two Laws (which form the basis of scientific common law): 1) Do all you have agreed to do; and 2) Do not encroach upon another's person or property. Maybury then illustrates how much of the current social and even economic problems we now experience are due to the erosion of natural common law. I agree with him wholeheartedly.

I subtract one star for the following reason: Maybury is close to greater light, but loses it by embracing the enlightenment thinking that exalts the reason of man to such a degree that it shares the throne or even eclipses the acknowlegment of God. When we forget God, and cease to be grateful, our downfall is assured. I believe enlightenment thinking was our first unwitting step down as a nation. The two laws which Mr. Maybury advances are very good ones, but they are less than the two laws upon which all else hangs: 1) Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength; and 2) Love your neighbor as yourself.

I do not think Mr. Maybury has forgotten God, and he cannot be accused of being ungrateful - for he loves this country and recognizes our unique blessings, but his enlightenment thinking is slightly off the mark. As an example of this, I cite Mr. Maybury's correct assertion that right-to-life questions are of utmost importance - as the ultimate violation of encroachment against another's person. However, and true to his enlightenment thinking, he grounds our natural right to life in our intelligence (which is surely one of the attributes of God we share, but which is fallen). Logically, Maybury goes on to question what degree of intelligence would be required before our right to life would no longer be protected by common law! I quote from page 117 of Maybury's book: "Rights seem to be attached to intelligence. But we don't know what level of intelligence, or how to measure it. To be within the protection of the law, how smart is smart enough?" This sums up the weakness of the book to my mind. I would argue that the right to life is not grounded in our intelligence, but in our humanity created in the image of God.

Incidentally, I am a lawyer and also the mother of a child who suffers from autism. Under Maybury's reasoning, my child's right to life is more questionable than his siblings and mine because of his reduced mental capacity. If I have learned anything from my autistic son, it is that human life is valuable because it is made in God's image, even though the image is marred by our fallen state.

Still, I am grateful to Mr. Maybury for his valuable book and I intend to use it in the education of my children.

I haven't read this book for about thirteen or fourteen years, since right after my father passed away (which occurred when I was ten). I found that it described my own emotions perfectly...except I tried to shut mine down. I remember after reading it, I hadn't cried for my father at all...but it made me cry, and that's when the healing began.
The main character, Liza, lost her father around the same age I lost mine. He apparently passed away of heart failure, same as mine. We also had to move...but not just to a different neighborhood; we moved out of state. Many of the same struggles were present: guilt, anger, sorrow beyond description...and of course the feeling that other than my siblings, I was the only one with that kind of pain. Liza experiences the same things.
I would recommend this book to anyone, but especially for those between the ages of 8-13 who have lost a parent. At that age, children are so tender, and it's a horrible age to lose a parent; especially when everyone else seems to still have theirs.
The book is, as one other reviewer said, a bit sugar-coated...but mostly truthful and realistic.

We had to read it in Elementary School, and I want you all to know, that is an awesome book, but yet so sad. It made a lot of us cry, a lot of us, but it is so worth the tears because it makes you realize that people can die soon and tragically, and especially those with family. So cherish your family while you can, and please, if you can not think of anything to read, please pick up a copy of this book. It really does not matter the age for this book, I think it is a book for all ages.

Liza lives with her mom, dad, two sisters, and brother. Thier names are Hope, Carrie, and Brent. They live on 25 Bayberry street, that is where most of this story takes place. They're house has had O'harras living in it since it was built. The school was having a pagent and Liza didn't like the sound of that. Liza was worried about her dad because he had been really sick lately. They were in for a hard winter and they found out this Christmas would be their dad's last. They're dad passed away that christmas and they had to move out of thier good-size house, because they're mom wasn't making enough money alone to support her house and family. Later Liza met mark and they began to date, but I don't want to give the end away so audious.

the first time i read this book, i was 8, and my father had just recently been diagnosed with cancer. i rediscovered it at 10 (just after his death) and in 7th grade (the age of the book's protagonist); after that i never lost track of it again. i treasured the book like a secret diary because it so perfectly fit every emotion i'd ever felt, every struggle i'd ever faced. the parallels were so great to my own story that i refused to let a close friend borrow the book because of how much about me it would reveal. this book is well-written and deserves to be back in print. my struggles would have been a thousand times harder without this book to show me just how normal all of my fears were, and it's a book that any child or preteen who has lost a parent should consider reading.

I am putting together the materials for my Ph.D. dissertation on adolescent authors. I read this book and immediately found room for it in my work. I read the story twice and found new and exciting parts that I had missed the first time. This is certainly a book that needs to be put near the top of the list of classic young adult literature. There is a small part of the reader, any reader, that is felt in the story, and what a great feeling it is to see Liza rise above her sorrow and engage in a world that her father adored, a world of happiness and laughter.

This volume is exceptional, just like all the other ones. A lot of mysteries are solved in this book but some other mysteries pop up too. I suggest you buy this book... you won't regret it.

this is a great kids book! very romantic and alot of koge donbo cuteness! I luv it! although, isnt it weird how karin doesnt realize kirika is evil? maybe she doesnt realize because shes failing school!
still the cutest manga ever!

I really love Kamichama Karin. I've collected the whole set. I kind of recommend older mature kids to read it, like from 12+. Let's just say that volumes 3 and 6 are kind of, ahem, ODD. I shall not tell you what oddness it is, as I do not want to be a spoiler. But overall, Kamichama Karin is a super funny story!!

OK, I love this series! Spoilers ahead! This book introduces the weirdest character in any manga I've EVER read: Micchi hate 'im. He introduces him self to the class, and on the way to his seat, hears Karin's name, gives her a kiss on the cheek. He's apparently heard of her before. Then, he hears Kazune's name and gives him a kiss on the lips (a random girl: must..e-mail..everyone!). He then starts flirting with Karin relentlessly, despite the fact that she hates it. Once, he grabs her, despite her protests, and gives Kazune a mysterious look, along the lines of "hey, look, I can hug her. Ha,ha." Could Kazune like Karin? The book ends with him pinning down Kazune, saying that he owes him a favor. Hmm... I love the romantic tension and fights!! ;P

As far as the plot goes, Kamichama Karin is a rather generic 'magical girl' story- an ordinary girl suddenly gains magic powers (wowie zowie!) and is forced to fight evil. Sound familiar?
All the characters seem, at first glance at least, to be nothing more than flat archetypes. There's the kind, sweet, motherly girl; the mean, rude, expert fighter guy; the nauseatingly 'normal' girl (the main character, of course); the dashing, polite, gorgeous male love interest; the wisecracking cute mascot. Yes, they're all here.
Not helping matters is the incredibly poor dialogue. For some reason, the translators felt obliged to pump it full of incredibly irritating slang at bizarre moments. This is especially strange-sounding when you realise that half the cast consists of wealthy kids who probably would have been brought up to be extremely polite.
However, even with all of its faults, Kamichama Karin is quite entertaining. It is genuinely funny at times (although the later volumes seem to be less so), and there really are some really heartwarming bits. And it's cute. Good grief, is it cute. I practically had a heart attack while reading the extra chapter in volume 3. Kamichama Karin was drawn by cuteness expert Koge-Donbo (of Di Gi Charat fame), and it shows.
In short, the plot is only okay, while there is some humour and general 'warm fuzzy feeling'-ness. And it's very, very, very cute.

After spending the previous summer in a magical world where humans are only a legend, Felix settles in back at home for a nice, normal life with his parents. During his trip to the magical world the previous year, Felix's heart condition had been cured with magic, so he is able to finally engage in the kinds of normal activities he has always dreamed of.

But a quiet life is not in the cards for Felix. One day, he is shocked to find his enemy from the magical world, Snakeweed, standing on the front porch. The evil Snakeweed had managed to sneak into the human world. He did not find it to his liking, however, so he sought out Felix to give him the spell to return to his own magical world. As a means to force Felix into giving up the return spell, Snakeweed puts a spell on Felix's parents that turns them into marble statues. Felix soon realizes that he must return to the magical world and enlist his friends' help once again in order to free his parents.

BACK TO THE DIVIDE is a fine sequel for readers who enjoyed Divide, the first book in the trilogy. I must admit, though, that I was not as entertained by it as I was by the original. Perhaps that is largely because the novelty of the magical world was wearing off. But what bothered me more was that the book seemed to focus on an awful lot of traveling. It felt like Felix and his companions moved back and forth across the magical world a dozen times during the story. I'm sure they didn't, but it felt that way at times.

Despite these complaints, I was pleased to see that the fun creatures from Divide were back in this sequel, including giant, bird-like, math-obsessed brazzles and evil, shape-shifting sinistroms. Also, in addition to the main quest in the magical world, there was an interesting sub-plot about how the spell that turned Felix's parents to marble was threatening to destroy the entire non-magical world. This added some tension to the story. And, like its predecessor, BACK TO THE DIVIDE has a great cover that is split in the middle. It does not necessarily contribute to the story, but it is a unique feature nonetheless, that might add to the experience of the book for some readers.

Overall, for those who enjoyed their first journey across the Divide, I recommend a return trip.

Reviewed by: K. Osborn Sullivan

Back To The Divide is a good book to read. It's about a boy named Felix and his friends Betony and Ironclaw. All Three of them have to stop a japegrin named Snakeweed from making his way into Felix's dimension before he can shoe the humans magic.

I think this would be a great book for kids with an imagination. The book has creature like a tangle-person, a brazzle or griffen, brittlehorn or a unicorn and a japegrin or pixie.

In the first book we know Felix goes back and lives happily with his family. But we also know Snake Weed is there too. So Snake Weed turns Felix's happy family in to marble. And could just turning two people to stone effect the whole world? Now Felix must once again cross the divide. And Felix discovers that the magical world is in danger too. Many twists in this story happen. And wait till you meet the new member of this story and her name is......Fuzzy.

okay... so i read the Divide about a year ago, and when i got this bok for $1 (NEW! the inside cover was just a bit bended) and started it, it was surprising how fast it moved. Snakeweed has frozen his parents, and Felix needs to go back the to Divide to find a cure. This adventure leads him, Betony, Ironclaw, and Thornbeak everywhere- even a ride on a magic carpet to a place sort of like Arabia!

Soooo good I would definitely recommmend it!

To save his own world from a disaster caused by the evil Snakeweed, Felix has to go back across the Divide to Betony's world, with its rich cast of mythical creatures. There he meets all his old friends, and has another series of adventures with them - together with some memorable new characters, including a versifying cyclops, a deadly sphinx, a magic carpet with attitude and the adorable(?) chick Fuzzy.

Elizabeth Kay has achieved something unusual here: she has written a sequel that is even better than the original. Anyone who enjoyed her debut fantasy "The Divide" will certainly want to read this one.

Well Done! We need more books like this. It reaches a much needed audience of those pre-teeners that are looking for good, clear cut, easily definable heros. These guys are great examples to follow as they pull together to work for their cause. They're adorable and fun too.

What a wonderful book for children and fun loving adults too. The set of characters are great and the book is written at a level to enhance childrens vocabulary to mature their thought processes. I've seen the pilot TV show and think the book is of the same high quality.

I bought the book for my nephew and it his favorite book!! He of course sometimes creates his own storyline; but wants everyone to read it to him. Bear in the Big Blue House is OUT!!! and Balloonatiks are IN!!!!

How refreshing to read a children's book that offers up traditional family and social values in such a hip, hysterical venue. The characters jump (or should I say BOING!) off the page and right into your heart. Working late one night in the high-school chemistry lab, five ordinary teen-agers are exposed to a goopy concoction that turns them into Balloonatiks -- reluctant Superheroes with special powers and very off-beat personalities. Their adventures and camaraderie are reminiscent of the Three Musketeers and the Three Stooges. Their bravery and goofiness will delight and impress the young, and even the not-so-young reader. Erica Orloff engages us with her simple, funny and very witty writing style. Her characters' angsts are real, their situations fantastical. After meeting Flator, Squeeker, Airbrain, Bouncer and Sparky, I'll never look at a balloon in quite the same way again. I look forward to more of these adventures, Ms. Orloff. Hurry up and write a couple more. I need Holiday gifts for a whole lot of kids!

Well Done! We need more books like this. It reaches a much needed audience of those pre-teeners that are looking for good, clear cut, easily definable heros. These guys are great examples to follow as they pull together to work for their cause. They're adorable and fun too.

Chilling and riveting, angering and thought-provoking. We start off meeting Suzie, the "box" she puts herself in, and the "cloud" she floats on. A safe, quiet world. A world where her mother can't make Suzie talk...because if Suzie can't talk, then she can't say things to anger her mother and cause her mother to hurt her. Suzie stops sleeping. She stops talking to her mother, her sister, her father, her best friend. Everyone. She stops walking. The one thing she can't stop doing is crying. She retreats into this safe box, those safe clouds, hiding, until she is finally taken get help.

This is a beautifully written that book takes takes a frank look at the family dynamics of co-dependency and abuse, and leads the reader on a journey through Suzie's healing process. The reader will root for Suzie as she opens up and starts to trust. After a dramatic breakthrough, Suzie alters the lives of her sister and herself forever.

Twelve-year-old Suzie has just been dropped off at St. Dorothy's mental hospital after she stops walking, sleeping, or speaking. The only time she feels safe is when she is inside her 'box,' and that's usually how she stays all day long, sitting in a chair with her knees up to her chin, unmoving. Her Uncle Elliot, disturbed by her ever-worsening behavior, initiates her eventual stay at the hospital.

There are already several summaries up for this book, so I think there really isn't a need for me to give another one; plus, I don't want to spoil anyone. I do want to say that Susan Shaw's debut novel is a very beautiful, sweet, and sad story that follows Suzie's struggle to distance herself from the world as she has been doing, and the eventual revealing, through her, of what happened and why she has become the way she is. I was very drawn into the story and her relationships; from her mother, a former singer, her father, her sister Deanna, Karen, a girl in the institution, her uncle Elliot, aides: Marie, Stella, and Bill, and Moses and Joshua, two other children in the institution. The story was moving and powerful, with moments of quiet as Suzie gained a new view of her world and shattering revelations, with characters to care about and hope the best for.

I think this is a wonderful story, not to be missed. It is one of the best books I have read all year long.

I haven't read this in a while, but I intend to read it again soon. This book is extremely intresting, it wraps you up, so that you're forced to turn the page. It almost makes you feel as though you are in the mental institution with Suzie. I do remember that her recovery was suprizingly quick, but Suzie also says that her problem is not completely solved, making the book very realistic.
I love how Suzie defines talking by how you express yourself, not by the actual words.
Hating pineapple is talking...Wearing Peacock feathers is talking...

Black Eyed Suzie is one of the best books I've pulled off the shelves yet. For one thing, it is just a wonderfully written story. True, believable character that you can simpathize and relate with on a totally amazing level. The plot is one that drags you and and forces you to keep reading, no matter what. And after you finish it, you'll end up taking it out and rereading it again and again.

I think troubled teens should give this story, or one like it, a shot. It helps to bring the thought that 'Hey, I'm not the only screwed up person out there.' Over all, a wonderful read that I will return to every chance I get.

The book I am reading is called Black Eyed Suzie by Susan Shaw. Ever since Suzie's mom abused her, Suzie stopped talking. Eventually Suzie's Uncle Elliot saw her and made her go to a mental hospital. At the mental hospital people try to get her to talk but she can't. She feels she has no words.
The conflict in this book is that Suzie can't talk but people try to force her to. At the mental hospital she has conflicts with only one other girl, Karen. Karen pushes her down and breaks her possessions, but Suzie can't do anything because she is too weak. Often, when people at the hospital help her, they're a little too late. After a while in the mental hospital she thinks, `well maybe if I start talking they will let me go to be with my family.' The conflict starts, like I said, when her mom beats her and her dad is never home. The conflict is not easy to resolve for Suzie.
I think that Black Eyed Suzie is good for teenagers who have a problem, who want to learn what kind of problem people have, or just want to read a good book. I think almost anyone would enjoy this book, but I think really teenagers would enjoy it most. I would tell you the ending but I think you can read it and find out.

this book is still good. i felt there were times that EVERYTHING was working so well for her, but then there would be realistic moments, so that was okay. Would have liked a little more of a look into the attributes of older cutters, and with maybe a more vague ending, because it's an addiction, a rehab cannot cure, but suppress.

However, with all that little nit-picky stuff, it is a book about cutting that is witten by someone I can actually belive interviewed cutters. So hats off, especially that it's a got a little notion of Christianity, haven't run across a book like this elsewhere, so that's why I continued to give this a five star rating.

I am so glad Carlson started writing teen literature. She has done miracles through her work. Thanks to her, we are seeing a refreshing vein in young adult Christian literature. There is now an alternative to the bland novels that Christian authors have written in the past for teens. Either we have the Lurlene McDaniel books where everybody dies, the perky Christy Miller series, or the historical fiction like Anne of Green Gables or Christy by Katherine Marshall which has little relevance for today's teen. I know that all of these have their audience, but what was missing was Christian fiction for today's teen. What teens seem to want these days is books about REAL problems they are facing daily in their schools: drugs, sexual pressure, and self-injury.

Carlson's books fill a much needed gap. I think her books could be enjoyed by Christians or non-Christians because it is real teens with real problems told in a non-judgmental way. Each character does use their faith to help them cope with a traumatic incident, but it is not done in a preachy way.

Blade Silver is part of the TrueColors series, with each book in a different color cover. The lead characters have all been girls, so far, and each book has been excellent. The voices of her characters are realistic and the voice is true to life.

In Blade Silver, Ruth has started cutting herself as a way to cope with the pain she is feeling. Her father verbally abuses her and her brother constantly. Her mother, also a victim, tried to kill herself and now lives in an almost catatonic state. Basically her mom sits in a bathrobe in her bedroom and sleeps all day, leaving Ruth and her brother to do all the chores and take the brunt of her husband's wrath. The reader follows Ruth as she starts to become more and more controlled by the urge to cut herself, at first only once a day and then finally three times a day. Ruth shows how a cutter thinks, wearing long sleeves to hide the slash marks, working in a detailed way to cut, stop the flow of blood, and clean up. I really like the descriptions Carlson gives of the pain Ruth is feeling inside:

"Like a drug, that warm feeling rises up in me, a sense that I have control again, that everything's going to be just fine. Then I watch the red ribbon of blood for just a split second before I press the toilet paper onto it. I breath deeply, and for the moment I am fine. Perfectly fine."

Ruth finally seeks help from a school counselor and ends up in a group home for girls like her. One of the counselors there ends up being a Christians, but these scenes are done in such a natural, non-preachy way that I don't think they would make anyone feel uncomfortable.

I encourage all young adult librarians to familiarize yourself with this series because they fly off the shelf at my library, and they booktalk great. I have also read Deep Blue: Color Me Lonely about a girl who is lonely when her best friend abandons her for a more popular crowd and Bright Purple: Color Me Confused, which deals with a character who learns her best friend is a lesbian. By the way, I wasn't sure if Carlson could pull off such a controversial topic without getting preachy, but she did. Thumbs up to Carlson!

To hide my lies and my problems is one thing to make sure that they never get out is a completely different thing. No one must ever find out the humiliating secrets that I have kept so long. The longer I hide them the worse they seem to get.

In this book Blade Silver by Melody Carlson, Ruth has a lot of family problems and her mom is very "sick". Her dad is abusive and Caleb, her younger bother is talking back a lot to their dad. Ruth has a very terrible secret that no one knows about. For the last year and a half she has been hiding this awful thing from everyone that she loves. Abby her best friend finally finds out what the secret is and Abby is in shock, disappointment and in disbelief that Ruth has never told her the secret.

I believe the beat part is when Ruth is starting to realize that a lot of people actually do care about her and want to help her out. After she realizes that then she starts to accept the help she is getting, then she starts to respect herself a lot more.
The entire theme or the main idea of this book is that you need to love yourself and after you do that then a lot more people will start to take you more seriously. This book really does teach you that you need to love yourself.

This book was the best book that I have ever read. I would recommend this book to mostly girls because it is a little girly, but a lot of people can relate to this book. I just think that this book is all around the best book that I have ever read. I gave this book four stars because it was so hard to put it down. I just wanted to see what was going to happen next.

Blade Silver is about a young girl, Ruth, who turns towards self-injury in an attempt to cope with life. Her father is verbally abusive towards the whole family, which caused her mother to break down and attempt suicide. Ruth hides her cutting by wearing long sleeves and somehow manages to keep it to herself for a number of months.

As a former cutter, I really enjoyed the book in the beginning. It does a very good job at expressing the emotions and feelings that one experiences in self-injurying: before the act, during, and after. Ruth is a realistic character who focuses on trying to keep everyone happy, including her hard-to-please father. As a fiction book, I was expecting it to be different... Many of the fiction books I have read on cutting don't seem real. But it's obvious that Carlson is a good writer with a great imagination. She was really able to pick up on Ruth's feelings, struggles, and resistance to help. The only part that I was not too fond of was the sudden appearance of God towards the end (I guess I just wasn't expecting it). I didn't feel it was very necessary. While it might provide hope for the religious, the non-religious addicts are left with nothing if they do not turn to God. I had really enjoyed the book up until that point.

However, I feel that this book is appropriate for most people: cutters, friends/family of cutters, and even just people who know nothing about self-injury (as long as no one tries to shove God in anyone's face... the book made it very clear that the only way to stop cutting was through God). I would definitely recommend this book.

To say that Ruth doesn't have issues in an understatement. Her family is having problems. Her brother keeps running away from home. Her mother is depressed all the time. Her father is verbally abusive towards everyone in the family. Ruth is tired of putting up with all this, but feels that nothing she does can change it. The only thing that makes her feel better is when she cuts herself. The pain that comes from seeing her blood flow gives her a sense of calmness. But even Ruth knows that this wrong, but she can't seem to stop. She tries to hide it from others but someone wearing long sleeves in summer looks suspicious. It finally takes Ruth's admittance that cutting is an addiction that needs to be stopped for her to realize that she can do something to break the cycle that she's been living in.

This was one of the most difficult and painful teen fiction books I have ever read. It was so real, like I was reading an actual account of a teenage cutter. I wish that no one ever has to go through what Ruth did, but I know that there are so many kids who share the same experience. I could not stand Ruth's dad. I believe that verbal abuse is just as bad if not more so than physical abuse as inner scars are slower to heal. There is an explanation as to why he acted that way but I was glad that the story did not portray him unrealistically changing at the end of the book. It was horrifying to read about how Ruth would get a "high" from hurting herself in such a matter. Even worse because she would feel sometimes that she deserved it. I think that it was very sad that her extended family did not do anything to protect the kids from their abusive father. Ruth's recovery did not seem fake, in fact it only made it more realistic because it took her so long to accept help. Melody Carlson is gifted at bringing touchy subjects like this to life. The subjects in this series are difficult and not ones many Christians like to face. In fact, there are some who think that teens only face these kinds of issues because of a lack of faith. Thus, many teens especially those who are Christians find that they have no one to go to about their problems. This series shows readers what really happens out there, allowing for questions and advice about where to turn for help. I believe this is the first Christian book to mention cutting. There needs to be more books that talk about this subject as there are many people out there who need help.

chicken soup for the teenage soul letters is a book that has a lot of volumes. i really liked this book because it was very interesting. some of the stories were really sad and some of them were really happy.some people would talk about how their life was really bad and how they didn't want to live on this earth anymore and some were really happy love stories. this book was a book talking about real people and real things that happen to kids in their teenage year. when i read this i didn't get bored because it was very eye catching. it's like when you start reading it you just can't stop.
so i give this book 5 stars because i like it so much. if you read this book you will not regret it because it's that great.

I often wonder if other people have the same response to something that I read. This book lets me know that people do.

Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul: Letters is a collective book of responses to the first three novels of Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul. Each story is just as heart warming as the stories in the original book, but this time the stories are ones that occurred due to the previous books in the series. Each story delivers a heart felt lesson of an "oh well, I guess that my life isn't that bad after all, " or a "maybe I should change my life too". Many of the writers were going through times when they thought suicide was the best option or that there was no option at all, each writer then expressed their own reaction to the book and how their life was changed and put back on the right track. Within the contents of the book, I found some truly amazing and uplifting stories; one was about a girl suffering from the loss of her only sister and how each section of the book brought her to overcome her devastating reality. Another was about a girl who got copies of the book for the grieving students at Columbine. Each story was compelling, up lifting, and really let me see what living is all about.
On a scale from 1-10 I would give this book a 9, because of it's mysterious ways to make me feel better about my self or just put me in a better mood. One of the most important reasons to pick up this book is because it lets me know that no matter what I do I am not alone and that where ever I go, I can make a difference if I am compelled to help.

Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul: Letters is a collective book of responses to the first three novels of Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul. Each story is just as heart warming as the stories in the original book, but this time the stories are ones that occurred due to the previous books in the series. Each story delivers a heart felt lesson of an "oh well, I guess that my life isn't that bad after all, " or a "maybe I should change my life too". Many of the writers were going through times when they thought suicide was the best option or that there was no option at all, each writer then expressed their own reaction to the book and how their life was changed and put back on the right track. Within the contents of the book, I found some truly amazing and uplifting stories; one was about a girl suffering from the loss of her only sister and how each section of the book brought her to overcome her devastating reality. Another was about a girl who got copies of the book for the grieving students at Columbine. Each story was compelling, up lifting, and really let me see what living is all about.
On a scale from 1-10 I would give this book a 9, because of its mysterious ways to make me feel better about my self or just put me in a better mood. One of the most important reasons to pick up this book is because it lets me know that no matter what I do I am not alone and that where ever I go, I can make a difference if I am compelled to help.

Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul: Letters is a collective book of responses to the first three novels of Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul. Each story is just as heart warming as the stories in the original book, but this time the stories are ones that occurred due to the previous books in the series. Each story delivers a heart felt lesson of an "oh well, I guess that my life isn't that bad after all, " or a "maybe I should change my life too". Many of the writers were going through times when they thought suicide was the best option or that there was no option at all, each writer then expressed their own reaction to the book and how their life was changed and put back on the right track. Within the contents of the book, I found some truly amazing and uplifting stories; one was about a girl suffering from the loss of her only sister and how each section of the book brought her to overcome her devastating reality. Another was about a girl who got copies of the book for the grieving students at Columbine. Each story was compelling, up lifting, and really let me see what living is all about.
On a scale from 1-10 I would give this book a 9, because of it's mysterious ways to make me feel better about my self or just put me in a better mood. One of the most important reasons to pick up this book is because it lets me know that no matter what I do I am not alone and that where ever I go, I can make a difference if I am compelled to help.

This compendium is surprisingly readable, and gives a broad view of the Church's glorious social teaching -- something which is not well understood by many. I am confident that in time, my copy will be dilapidated.
I must take issue, however with a reviewer who also gave five starts to the Compendium. He said it was "essential for deacons". But in the book's introduction, it is plainly stated that the book was primarily for Bishops, but also for priests, for men and women religious, for lay people, for Christians in non-Catholic communities, for those of other religions, and for those with no religion at all. In short, the book is for every human on this planet EXCEPT Catholic Deacons.

I'm one quarter the way through: reading slowly with pencil often in hand. This is a MUST READ for all who have grown tired of the way of the world. It offers so much tangible direction and as a result hope. "Hope" in the sense of what we are to be about.

Another reviewer suggested that a family might read it. Indeed! I've all but decided that it shall be the gift I give to those about whom I care come Christmas. Surely, some eyes might roll. But it is too precious of a "gift" not for some attempts to be made to put it on a lamp stand.

This is essentially a book about good citizenship. It can and should be read by any senior adolescent or adult person of good will. It should be on the bookshelf of any family raising children, just like Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, and parents should discuss it with their young as these are nearing adulthood. Likewise, it should be discussed in the junior and senior classes of any high school, and certainly again in college and university level courses of human sciences (e.g. Sociology).
The book is absolutely non-confessional. In fact you need not even be a Christian to appreciate it, just, as I said before, a person of good will. Of course, the reader will have to tolerate that the words God and Church are mentioned here and there, but there is no religious indoctrination per se. The practical concepts are bound to be convincing to most everyone.

. . . which belongs on the shelf of priests, deacons, pastoral associates, and social justice ministers throughout the Catholic Church.

The "Compendium" does not break any new ground. It does not promulgate any new doctrine. It offers no new teaching. What it DOES do, is gather under a single cover, a concise presentation of ALL the Church teaching on social issues from Rerum Novarum through its publication in 2005. In other words, it is one of the most useful single-volume reference works available for anyone in ministry. No more having to keep shelves of reference material -- everything even remotely related to social justice, human rights, economic and political concerns, environmental issues, etc. can be found -- and easily accessed -- in this document. In addition to 250+ pages of text, there is a lengthy list of Church documents which are used as source material, and an extremely thorough index. I have personally taught from this book, and am proud to recommend it both personally and professionally.

Very, very highly recommended

Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church was published to serve as a tool to inspire and guide the Catholic community through the moral and pastoral challenges that confront the Church today. The informed and informative text is organized into specific sections dedicated to revealing God's plan of love for humanity; the family as the vital nucleus of society; the relationship between social doctrines and ecclesial actions; and the fundamentals required for developing and maintaining a "civilization of love". Enhanced with extensive "Index of References" and an "Analytical Index", Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church is an appropriate and strongly recommended addition to personal and clerical reference collections, seminary and academic library reference shelves, and supplemental reading for pastors and active laity within the Catholic communities throughout the country.