Children's Books

The book I am reading is Jackie and Me. It is written by Dan Gutman. I think this book deserves five stars because it has real events but at the same time its fiction. It's about a kid who travels back in time to meet Jackie Robinson. But the next thing he knows he gets stuck back in time. So the next thing he tricked ant a bat boy to give his Ken Griffin Jr. Card back the key to get back to his time. He also wrote Babe and Me Honus and Me.

Jackie andme is the best baseball book ive ever read but the thing i hate about it isthere is a kid namedant whosi very negative and hecalls african americans bad names thatwe cant speak of but i would recomend the book if you like baseball.

This book was very powerful in climaxs and the segregation.As I read this I was mad at the terms and the abuse the african american people had to stand up to and in doing so were at risk of being killed.But at the same time I enjoyed hearing about the early 1900's ball players so i rate this book a 4 star book.

I purchased the book as a gift for my children. They love the series and have all of them. I highly recommend the series. It engages the minds of the readers in a fictional, imaginative way for those avid baseball lovers.

I liked the book Jackie & Me because I love baseball and I am a Jackie Robinson fan. This book wasn't just about baseball, it was about how Jackie Robinson was a great example of character and belief in himself. I learned it wasn't easy being black in 1940, and Jackie overcame great odds by becoming the first black player in the Major Leagues. He was treated with disrespect by his teammates, other teams and the fans, but he never reacted in anger. He proved himself by showing what a great player he was.

I first remember reading this book when I was eleven or twelve. I was so excited to see that it was reissued. I devoured this slim little book in an hour and it was an hour well spent, reliving the chills and thrills of this book. Patricia Clapp has a great ability to create a fabulous atmosphere that makes it easy for the visualize the story. What a wonderful book!

This book was a good as I remember! Plus, Witches Children was gripping. Also, there is a nice trubute written by Ms. Clapp's children about her. AND insight from Ms. Clapp herself of her inspirations for both of these stories and others.

I have loved this book ever since I first read it as a child. I am so happy to see it available again after so many years! I wanted it several years ago, and had to buy a used copy on eBay to get it. But now I want to buy this re-issue so I can also read Witches' Children! Since Jane-Emily is so good, anything else she wrote must also be great! I've been waiting since my childhood to see a studio make a movie-version of this story, and I can't believe that no one's ever thought of it! I'd love to see it done!

I read and reread this book countless times when I was nine or ten years old and kept it at my grandma's so that every time I went there I'd have it go through yet again. I forgot about it for a long time and then about fifteen years ago, started thinking about how I wanted to read it again, but she was gone and I could not for the life of me remember the title.

Imagine my pure joy at perusing the new release table today at B&N and finding a reprint of Jane-Emily! As soon as I saw the title, I knew it was the book I'd been racking my brains over for almost 15 years and I swear a tear left my eye. Thank you to the kind publisher who deemed this book worthy of reprint!!! I will be thrilled to share it with my own eight year old daughter now.

Many thanks to the publishers who deemed it time to reissue this classic tale of the supernatural by Patricia Clapp. Imagine my delight when I saw the book at a local bookstore, after all these years! I have been relying on my local library all this time [a dog-eared copy that has been lovingly taken care of]whenever I've felt a desire to re-read this timeless ghost story.

For those unfamiliar with the tale, it centers around a nine-year old orphan, Jane who together with her young aunt Louisa, goes to spend the summer with her paternal grandmother Mrs Lydia Canfield. As soon as they get there, a sense of foreboding permeates their visit, as young Jane begins to take an unhealthy interest in her deceased relative, Emily, who died many years ago at a tender young age. Emily however was no sweet little girl, but possessed of a wilful temper, and bent on getting her way, to the detriment of those around her. Are the unusual happenings in the Canfield house a result of coincidences or something more sinister? Is young Jane an overly imaginative young girl or someone who is being controlled by a supernatural force? These and other questions are satisfactorily answered through Patricia Clapp's superb, timeless ghost story. It is high on atmosphere, and is a perfect introduction to the horror genre for younger readers [and even adults like me:)].

This book follows the dead of night. it is also full of action, but less romance. a lot more action. is this book the charecters go through more death and a lot of destruction. they suffer a new kind of pain.

This entry in the Tomorrow series starts a little shaky, but tightens up into another high octane adventure. Ellie and her friends continue to defy the odds and fight for their country, proving yet again that young adults are capable of anything they put their minds to. They test themselves as they take out their next target, a tactical stronghold, Cobbler's Bay.

This was a great story for teens that would inspire them to read it. The story is called "A Killing Frost" which is the third part of the Tomorrow series. It is the sequel to "Tomorrow When the War Began" and "The Dead of Night." The story is by John Marsden who is one of Australia's best known writers for young adults and has received a lot of criticism around the world. This book should teach teens how great it is to overcome huge amounts of odds.
Now how John Marsden includes foreshadowing, he makes you wait to the end for the main point so he keeps you reading till the end. Basically it starts out with a teenage girl named Ellie and her friends coming back from a camping trip. By now after 6 months an invading army has came attacking Australia. Ellie and her friends are shocked and disgusted. The bands of teenagers decide to make their own little guerilla style army to fight back against the invading armies. The young Guerilla fighter's main goal is to destroy the port at Cobler's bay, which is one of the main harbors supplying the invading army. Ellie and her violent friends continue to outsmart the enemy, which causes them to defeat the army little by little. Everything is going good for the young violent fighters as they continue to steal supplies but then it happens.
The story takes a bad turn when the teenagers are captured and are taken to a Maximum security prison. After being certain that they would be sentenced to death, many of the teens start to get down on themselves and hoped this would have never have happened. Then good prevails or I should say sort of because war is not a good thing so something bad happens to Ellie and the young Guerilla fighters. Now it's your job to read the book and see what happens to them.
This book was great to read in my opinion except for the Australian slang. Yes if your Australian you might understand this but if you are American then you wouldn't understand it. Even with the slang dictionary it is still tough to understand what it says because you could mess up with what the text means. Otherwise this was a good book for young adults to read.

"A Killing Frost" is easily the strongest literary piece of Marsden's Tomorrow series. This third piece of the puzzle is emotional and extravagant and the resolution readers seek in literature is finally found.

The series builds up to the content of this book. The story climaxes on different levels several times. The complex plot is easy to grasp and carries the reader along. One can be caught in Ellie's emotional struggles and relationships one moment and find himself fighting along physically the next. Marsden continues to use his words to describe fear and courage in a realistic and amazing manner.

The thing that makes "The Killing Frost" stand above the other books in the series is that it can easily be viewed as a part of the series, but also manages to stand as a whole by itself. There is a complete story told in one book. It benefits readers who are unfamiliar with the series by concentrating on details of the present as well as informing the reader of the charachters' past experiences. For those who are familiar with the series, such attention to past events will bring back the memories and emotions of the previous two books.

Tom Braden, in his book Eight Is Enough, suggests that the worst thing you can do if you have good books you want your children to read is to put these books on a shelf and then suggest to your children that they read them. Rather, what you're supposed to do is forbid the reading of the books or put them on the highest shelf and then say to your children that the books are very private and you hope they will not read them.

I'm not sure this is a comment on the waywardeness of children as much as it's a comment on the wisdom of children in wanting to preserve the element of discovery that's part of finding a really good book. In any case, I came across John Marsden's "invaded Australia" series by accident.

I'd picked up a copy of A Killing Frost, the cover caught me, and I found I was reading the third book in a series. This book is still the one in the series I would choose as best. I find this is often the case: that I like to discover I'm entering a series in the middle and that the book I enter a series with turns out to be what I would choose as best. This was certainly the case with C. J. Cherryh's Invader and Nevernever by Will Shetterly.

With his "invaded Australia" series, I think Mr. Marsden meant to quit after three books but then sacrificed excellence to a demand for more. Like Sherwood Smith with Crown Duel. What a wonderful book that could have been. It pays to know when to quit.

John Marsden's "invaded Australia" series is way to old and violent and explicit for you.

I forbid your reading of these book.

Absolutely not.

Don't read them...

Very well written book. Enjoyed reading it, and finished it in two days. John Wood has done a tremendous service to Nepal and Cambodia (two countries in which I used to live and work). Amazing work that needed to be done. Great reading also in the book about some of the inner workings of Microsoft as well. Read this book!

This book had me bawling from the pictures and the vivid description, but more importantly, it inspired me to action. John has a way of resonating with his audience, expressing the importance of the cause, and showing you how your money can help directly. From the first page I didn't want the book to end, and on the last page I wanted to throw a fundraiser to build a library. If you're looking for a motivational and inspiring story, you should read this book. If you're looking to make a difference, you should take action after you finish this book.

I recommend this book for anyone who is interested in making a difference in the world or wants to get off the corporate treadmill. This is the story of one man who did both. He is obviously passionate about Room to Read, and the reader can't help but feel his passion. The only downside is that it reads too much like a lightly-edited journal at times--it gets a bit repetitive toward the end (I heard a lot about his "insane schedule").

I am amazed how inspiring this book is. To go from a high level global job at Microsoft, to something that truely makes you want to get out of bed in the morning is awesome. I am not a big reader, but finished this in 2 days.

This is a great book for anyone...John Woods story of leaving a great career, a girlfriend, and a life of luxury to help make the world a better place is a fun and inspirational read. A great tone of "this isn't for everyone, but was right for me" helps the reader enjoy the story without feeling like they should change the world in the same way. It gives you perspective and food for thought...absolutely fascinating.

My son LOVES penguins. When he asked for a chapter book about penguins for Christmas, I turned to Amazon. It was nice to be able to find what he wanted. This is a cute story, easy to read, and full of adventure. My son is very happy with it. I recommend it to any child who is interested in reading.

The author came to our school to do a visit and reading for us. Mr. Burns was very informative and we all really liked hearing him read. Then we were all able to buy a book if we wanted too. I think this is a great book and a great adventure to read for children. My friends and I think Pengey is really cute and some of his friends are very funny. Our teacher said she likes the book because it is funny and also she could use the book to teach us about the world and different animals and the ocean. We all love Pengey!

Bought a copy for my granddaughter who had it read to her several times and enjoyed it so much she has since donated the book to her school library. I will replace hers with my copy since she is still a firstgrader!

So I just moved and my new roommate had this book sitting on the coffee table. Given that we're both single and in our 30's I had to ask what was up with the kid's book (hoping that I wasn't inadvertently offending him if it was the reading level he was at ;)) and he said the author was a friend of his and that it was a really cute book.

So, knowing nothing more than that I picked it up to read w/my Sunday coffee and couldn't put it down! What a delightful book -- even for the adult who will read it to a child (which makes all the difference when it comes to story time for exhausted parents at the end of a long day). This book belongs in the same category as the childhood classics like Beatrix Potter books, the Chronicles of Narnia, The Velveteen Rabbit, Madeline and Alice In Wonderland.

What a treasure! I can't wait to read it to my 18 month old nephew!! I really really hope there are sequels full of more fun Pengey adventures coming soon!

After watching March of the Penguins I became fascinated with all things Penguin, especially the lovable baby emperor penguins. John Burns' book is delightful in this regard as it introduces us to a baby penguin who faces the challenge of survival in the Antartica and in places like an airport.

Pengey Penguin is quite the little character and spends some time swimming in the airport aquarium, escaping from a hungry seal and surviving being sold to a mad scientist who lives in an ominous castle on the outskirts of the city.

The mood is almost like a cartoon with Pengey, the other animals and the evil characters being the cartoon and loving humans being real. The book reads like a movie and for that reason it will appeal to adults and children. The only scene that may cause some concern for children under 5 -7 is the one with the mad scientist, but Pengey escapes unharmed.

Pengey displays bravery, survival skills, friendship, strength in adversity, creative thinking, loyalty, tenacity, kindness, love and a desire to meet goals. The book itself has a beautiful durable sapphire blue cloth binding with gold letters. The arrangement of the text allows for the book to be read more easily and the author cleverly weaves in details about real penguins. This book is the first in a trilogy with additional stories set for release in 2007 and 2009. It will be fun to follow the adventures of this adorable penguin. The pictures throughout really give this book a cute personality.

~The Rebecca Review

Out of all the Nora Roberts books I have read, this is my absolute favorite one!!!

It's no secret that NR rules. I bought this book when it first came out. I was on a road trip with my parents. I read this book cover to cover 7 times in a week. I'd start finish restart over and over. Most of NR books are great. This one, Private Scandals, Carolina Moon, & Montana Sky are my favorite of her older stuff. She has a wonderful way of inviting her readers along on the adventures with her characters. Some may feel like the've been seen before but somehow I don't care. I love authors that command my attention, whose voice I hear everytime I read their work, Linda Howard, Sharon Sala, Susan Andersen, Ann B. Ross to name several.

This book was not what I expected at all, not your typical romantic suspense it follows the life of rockstar Brian McAvoy, his band Devastation from the 60's to present time (1990) through the eyes of Emma. At three Emma is recued from her abusive alcoholic mother and drawn into Brian's world with a step mother and a new found family in his band 'Devastation'.

However at age 6 a single botched kidnapping attempt rips the new found family apart leaving Emma a traumatised and battered and broken.

However life goes and the book follows the nightmares and the struggle of the band family and their personal lives in order living in the public eye, and the equally determined efforts of the detectives put on the case which spans 20 years.

Nora Roberts created a wonderful enrapturing surrogate family in the members of the band for Emma, colourful flawed characters with real issues came through, they all shone brightly and there was fascinating character development in all characters.

I particulary liked the story from the point of view of Emma, Nora successfully captured the essence of a maturing woman from the ages 3 to 25, her choices that paved her path through the years. A inside view of drug addicted rockstars was also pushed forward and the sacrifices that the family had to pay that came with their success.

I guessed the ending... but that's nothing new for me. It was an absolute find and I recommend everyone should read it. It was so vivid and real- I had to stop myself from actually looking it up to see if it was based on a real band. REad this book, you won't regret it.

This is by far one of the very best books I have ever read. Nora Roberts certainly shows her talents as a writer with the character of Emma McAvoy taking the reader through a life-long journey of ups and downs in the pop music world. This story takes place over a 20+ year span as we meet little Emma, not quite 3 years old about to be rescued from her drug and alcohol-dependent mother by a father she has never met. We watch Emma grow amidst the money and madness of a Beatle-like group, her father, Brian, the lead with the other members of the band, Stevie, P.M., and Johonno (each with their own set of issues) taking on the role of surrogate fathers. Emma dreams of living "her" life, minus the security and bodyguards, only to find that there are people out there willing to kill to keep her from remembering a deep, dark secret buried within her soul. People like Drew Latimer, only wanting to be close to Emma to get to her father, were many. She needed to find the life she deserved with a man who would love her for herself and not because she was Brian McAvoy's daughter. Michael Kesserling seems to be just that man, however, there are many problems and mysteries to be solved within Emma herself before she can begin to live the life she so fully deserves. Without revealing the plot, I can only say that "Public Secrets" is a book no one should miss. It is Nora in her early years (1990) and definitely at her best!

PUBLIC SECRETS is an intriguing look into the lives of a little girl who grows up in the world of rock and roll, a life that will shape her future.

Emma McAvoy was barely three when she met her father for the first time and her life was changed forever. Everything was perfect; she had a nice home and lots of people who truly seemed to care about her. Then everything changed when her baby brother was murdered in a botched kidnapping attempt. But after years of living with nightmares, things are finally looking up for her. She's now a successful photographer and is in love for the very first time. Yet once again, Fate deals her a huge blow when the man she marries shows his true colors. Not only is she running away from a disastrous marriage, but also being haunted once more by the memory of her brother's murder.

While this book follows the life of Emma from the time her father plucked her out of poverty, to her awkward and sheltered teenage years where she develops her first crush on Michael (the son of the detective investigating her brother's murder), to the time she carves out a career and falls in love with an abusive musician, there are also subplots featuring her father and the three band members whom Emma grew up with that add some twists and turns to the story. In some ways, it was almost like watching (in this case, reading) a soap opera unfold. Nora Roberts has done well in describing the lives of the characters, including their lifestyle and indulgences - from drugs, alcoholism, infidelity and greed. In some ways I found that the middle of the book was dragged out unnecessarily and wished that more focus were given on the romance between Emma and Michael, and less on the secondary characters. Yet at the same time, we are given such lurid details about them that I couldn't help turning the pages to see what happens next.

As for the mystery part, although it isn't hard to figure out the huge secret, the few twists and turns are enough to hold your interest. I just really would have liked to see more development on the romance between Emma and Michael. I had such high hopes from the time they first met when they were very young and their succeeding meetings really had me excited for both of them.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading the others.

Ratha's creature opens up a whole new world of cats. Long before the Warrior cat series, lived Ratha and her tribe. This book is full of adventure and suspense for any age. I couldn't put it down. Make sure to buy this one first and while you are at it, order the other three so you won't have to stop in the middle of this great adventure. If you love the Warrior Series you will love Ratha's Creature!

The Named Series is a collection that has survived in the hearts of readers for decades, inspiring fanart, fanfiction, and more. Here is the book that started it all - Ratha's Creature, an epic, memorable tale of strife, forgiveness, and triumph. This novel resurrects an ancient world and delivers in full detail, the savage brutality endured by those of arcane laws, a code of claws and fangs - while thrusting into harsh, honest light, what it means to question and discover the meaning of 'Self Awareness'.
Lion King worshipers, Warriors devotees, Animal enthusiasts - you have not stalked the feline path, until you have unearthed these treasures.

For more information, copy and paste the following links:

Clare Bell's official domain:
www.rathascourage.com
For an exclusive look including fanart, fanfiction, and more visit Trails Of Conquest:
www.trailsofconquest.webs.com
For Named (Ratha) Series Cat Role Play (rp) stop by Into The Mist:
www.intothemistrp.webs.com

I am a huge cat fan and I can't believe that this book has existed for so long without my knowledge! I loved it from the very beginning and the story drew me in. I quickly ordered the other books to read. Any adventure or cat fan should read this book. If you do not love cats or do not have a fasination with animals you will soon. The book, while fictional is very realisitic and the characters are very wild and "animal-like." I cannot wait to read more. I genuinely feel the loss of one character in particular...sigh. Read this book! It is a great escape. Welcome to Ratha's world.

I never write reviews, but Ratha's Creature is the exception. I came upon this book as a 7th grader back in the early 90's and it was out of print even then. This book is fantastic, with it's prehistoric world and it's memorable characters. I am thrilled to see it released again so children can have the same experience that I had at their age in reading this wonderful story. This is a must read! In a world where the Harry Potter series is over and kids are left wondering what to read next, this one is a fun series and you will not regret your time in reading it, only regret that there is not more. Read it, you won't be sorry.

Clare Bell is a great author who's works have been too long out of print. I read this story when I was a kid, and am enjoying it just as much now that I am older. A really imaginative, fun tale.

Have you ever wanted to read a good romance with a little tragdey mixed in that will knock your socks off? Well, "Reach for Tomorrow " will by Lurlene McDaniel does just that. The main character in this book is Katie O'Roark. Katie is a college student with an athletic scholarship. She has recentally had a heart transplant.Which has changed her life dramatically.During her summers she attends the Jenny House.The Jenny House is a camp for kids with medical problems to go relax and meet people with the same problems. One summer Katie recieved a letter from The Jenny House. She was thrilled to know she was choosen to be a counselor. Along with some of her friend from the former years she has attened The Jenny House. Last year The Jenny House was burned dwom due to a fire. Katie was excited to know it was being rebuilt. Katie's ex-boyfreind, Josh Martel also is going to be a counselor. Being around Josh brings back so many memories and emothions that Katie just can't handle.

This book revels flashback and realistic detail. Some of the flashbacks that are mentioned are of when Katie was in the hospital and when her and Josh was still together.The realistic detail is amazing. For example, when Eric and Meg go for a canoe ride together the author gives details on everyhting surrounding then and what they do exactly. Also, the author uses a lot of humor in the book. Such as whe nthey have a tug-a-war challenge and the girls lose.They get pulled into a mudd puddle and Lacey says, " I've always wandered what i'd look like as a brunette.

This book is a really good book to read. When I started reading this book I didn't want to put it down. It shows realationships and friendships. If I had'nt read this book and someone had just told me about it I would read it in a heartbeat. That says a lot because i'm not one to read that much. So therefore, this book is a great book for romance and tradgey.

I really loved thsi book. Especially how all the characters from the other stories get together. The scenes with Josh and Katie were heart-breaking and wonderful at the same time. And if you want to know what ahppens between Katie and Josh once the summer's over, you gotta read this book!

Ok.....i have read all of the One Last Wish books and this one by far is the greatest!! Katie and Josh's ending was fantastic...i think Lurlene McDaniel should write more of the OLW books about Katie and Josh's future together...and Lacey and Jeff and Meg and Morgan. The book does leave you at a loss with what happend to Meg and Morgan, Jeff and Lacey, Eric, and Chelsea..it would be great to find out what happens to eveyone. I loved all of the other OLW books too! I couldn't put any of these books down they were great. And Lurlene McDaniel should defiantly write more books about OLW and Jenny House!!!

I really like romance novels. The way Lurlene McDaniel explains the character's emotions is unbeliveable! My favorite book by Lurene McDaniel is "Reach for Tomorrow," the second in this McDaniel series. It is about a girl named Katie and she goes to a camp where sick kids go to have fun. Katie meets up with a bunch of friends including her ex-boyfriend,Josh. When they saw eachother, they freaked out. Then she found out that he has been in an accadent and they didn't know if he was going to live. She and all the campers are all worried. She goes down to the chapel and prays for him. A couple of weeks later they got married in the chapel. Katie's favorite camper,Sara, was supposed to be in the wedding but....If you want to know what happens, read "Reach for Tomarrow." I really like the book "Telling Christina Goodbye," also by Lurlene McDaniel.

in my opinion, Reach For Tomorrow is Lurlene McDaniel's best book.It was great how she put in Eric, Megan, Sarah, and Morgan from the other one last wish books. The only OWL character missing was Dani from Mourning Song. I hope Lurlene writes a sequel that describes what happens to Josh and katie now that they're married, if meg and morgan stay together, and what happens to the other characters. YOU GOTTA READ ABOUT THIS FABULOUS JENNY HOUSE REUNION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is a really touching coming of age story in the 50's. The mother has to go to a sanitarium with Tuburculosis. The father is stuck in his own world of painting. There are 2 siblings, Robert and Megan, that are coping in their own ways with the abandoment issues that arise from not only the mother's illness, but the father's inability to handle the situation. Tamara is left basically in charge of everyone. Besides the obvious issues that are going on, there is the storyline of the number of moves the family has endured and how much they are wanting a permanent home.

I enjoyed reading this book very much, but it didn't touch me as much as some of the other coming of age stories like, Whistling in the Dark, The Book of Bright Ideas and Cold Rock River. Those stayed with me after I was done and while I really enjoyed this coming of age story, it's not one that will stay with me like some other ones.

Still it is well worth reading and I highly recommend it.

This is a story you were waiting to read, full of life-size characters... the type of book you don't want to finish.

And a first novel? ... wow. I can't wait to read her next one!!!!

I just love Sarah Willis' writing style and felt this book was equally as wonderful as her book: THE SOUND OF US. It didn't take too long for me to be totally drawn into this story of Tamara and I felt myself rather sad at where the story ended. I just wanted to keep knowing about her and her family and how their lives turned out. I highly recommend this book and hope anyone who reads it becomes a Sarah Willis fan. If you haven't yet read THE SOUND OF US, do yourself a favor and read it! It's real good reading. There isn't a single downside to SOME THINGS THAT STAY. I loved Tamara and her view of her world. The characters seemed utterly real and engrossing. The last sentence of the book was the perfect uplifting end to Tamara's story.

At fifteen, Tamara Anderson hates being different. But thanks to her parents' free-thinking ways and vagabond spirit - totally contrary to the conventional 1950s American lifestyle - Tamara and her younger siblings Robert and Megan start over in a new school each year. In fact, moving every spring is about the only thing the trio CAN count on.

The year of 1954, however, things are different in a way that no one could ever have anticipated. Tamara's mother has become sluggish, no longer seeming to care about her former passions. At night, she coughs incessantly, as the family tries to pretend nothing is wrong.

Meanwhile, the family's acquaintance with their new neighbors, the Murphys, threatens them spiritually and emotionally. The Murphys - especially eldest daughter Helen - are devout Baptists, intent on "saving" the atheist Andersons.

Yet despite her parent's vehement objections, Tamara finds that she's eager to embrace the concept of God. She wonders about his nature, why he would let her mother become ill - and whether God might just be the only thing left to save her family from total disaster.

This quietly-told story of a young girl's coming of age, their struggles to stay afloat both physically and emotionally when they're faced with the possible loss ofo their mother, and the idea of what really constitutes conventionality is bound to leave an impression upon readers' minds.

In the spring of 1954, Tamara Anderson is fifteen when her family moves into the pretty farmhouse across the road from the tar-papered house. Tamara is the oldest of three children. Her father is a painter whose landscapes require new locations for inspiration. The family moves yearly arriving weeks before the end of one school year and leaving weeks before the completion of the next.

Some things that stay is a coming of age story in which Tamara faces more than the standard fair of parental misunderstanding, sexual awakening and sibling confrontations. Raised in an extremely liberal, atheist family, Tamara has of none of the body/sex hang-ups so many of us grew up with and her sexual awakening is refreshingly guilt-free. Moving constantly, she dreams of stability and a more-than-fleeting connection into society. In the course of the story, she tries out the Baptist church with the neighbors from the tar-paper house--neighbors who are more than the junky cars littering their front yard. In light of her atheistic upbringing, Tamara's contemplation of God, organized religion, prayer, and fate vs faith adds an interesting layer. She faces ethical dilemmas, maternal illness, paternal selfishness, and, of course, sexual awakening.

A deep, meaty story, Sarah Willis' Some things that stay is a great book club selection. My book club read it and loved it. The concepts raised yielded plenty of spirited conversation. I recommend it.

Reviewed by: Laurel Bradley, Author of A Wish in Time
A Wish In Time

I read a professional review on this story from several decades ago, back when this book was originally published, that, while certainly much celebrating the story, suggested that it was almost stereotypical! I beg to disagree. What admittedly could have easily become a flat commentary on folks of differing races in a typical Alaskan setting actually touched my heart and even had me at times understanding the mindset of those we would have considered to be racist. This is an honest sample of what life was like in the Alaskan frontier and what those who lived there felt and thought as well as a beautiful pastoral.

Annie Hobbes is a young teacher from Oregon who falls in love with the romantic idea of teaching in the adventurous and beautiful Alaskan wilderness. Her fun romp turns serious as the ideas with which she was raised are challenged by the citizens of the little town Chicken who demonstrate negativity toward the local Native Americans. This girl, who begins the story as less than a tenderfoot, eventually earns the respect of the same people that want to run her out of town for her ideals.

And yet, fortunately, Annie is never portrayed as a perfect Saint. She is quirky and likeable and, heck, I could sometimes see why everyone was annoyed by her--thus is the magic of the writing.

This story also appealed to me on the level of teacher to teacher. I read this book at the end of my first year of teaching when I was all drained out--this reinspired me to do everything for my students.

The characters are wonderful as well as the plot. The gorgeous descriptions are quick as not to slow down the necessary fast pacing. This is both a story of prejudice and a delightful and fun Alaskan adventure.

I don't know how much of this is actual fact, but goodness me, the author did very well!

THIS IS THE MOST BORING BOOK AND ANYONE WHO SAYS IT IS GOOD IS OLD AND PERSONALLY IT IS THE MOST BORING BOOK!

This is a delightful story about a young woman teaching in the Alaskan interior. Since I love books about life in Alaska, I found this book to be a very enjoyable read. If you loved this book, you might also enjoy a new release by author Cheryl Schuermann.


When the Water Runs: Growing Up with Alaska

This book is a keeper. I really enjoyed this story and each
time I have recommanded it they have come away loving this
story also.

this is a book you won't be able to put down. I loved it and was sad when it was finished..........it's fabulous. Best book since "waltz with me Alaska'