Children's Series Books Books

In November, Vienne Kenney makes a life-changing decision. After failing the bar exam, again, she decides to return to Clayburn, the town she left eight years ago. She learns quickly that the ghosts of her past still inhibit the small town. Nor has she found the strength to forgive her alcoholic father. She tries to make a go of her mother's café. With the help of town artist, Jackson Linder she might succeed at something. Jackson Linder left Clayburn eight months ago for reasons he would like to forget. Those who matter to him, realize the accident that took the life of his best friend's wife wasn't his fault. But he drank to forget and became chemically dependent. Months of rehab have sobered him. Trevor is remarried and happy. Can he return to a town full of gossips that won't let him forget?Award winning author, Deb Raney has woven yet another great story of overcoming insurmountable odds through the grace available in Christ. Christians are not immune to disappoints, failures, and tragedies. Sometimes these experiences can alter our lives in ways we could never expect. Sometimes, we find God forgives our past more readily than our neighbors or church associates. Through Vienne and Jackson's story, Leaving November, the heartwarming sequel to Remember to Forget, reminds us that our pasts are in the sea of God's forgetfulness. Where they need to stay.

LEAVING NOVEMBER
By Deborah Raney

Reviewed by Marion Kelley Bullock

Vienne Kinney failed the bar exam-- a second time. After she'd spent tens of thousands of dollars on a law degree that's now useless. Then her mother suffered a stroke and Vienne came back home to Clayburn, Kansas, determined to make a go of the fancy coffee shop that was once her mother's café. She must swallow her pride and try to forget that the townspeople probably view her as a failure-- just like her father, who was the town drunk.

Jackson Linder is back in Clayburn, after a mysterious absence of nine months. He must make his art gallery a success. How many people know his secret? He's working hard and keeping busy shooting prayers up to God-- the God whom he leans on.

Vienne and Jackson, two new business owners, form a tenuous friendship. When she finds out about Jackson's past, she vows to have nothing to do with him. If she dares to let herself fall for a man with the same addiction that killed her father, she fears it will end up like it did for her mom.

Leaving November explores the curse of addiction, the healing balm of forgiveness, and the faith in God that makes it possible to succeed one day at a time.

A beautiful story, I could never do it justice in a review. As have other Deb Raney books, it touched my heart in a special way. Vienne and Jackson, and even Pete, will live on in my memory because Deb made them real.

Vienne Kenney is back in her hometown of Clayburn, Kansas - but not by choice. After investing years of time and energy, to say nothing of money from a source she'd prefer to forget, she fails the state bar exam that would secure her future as a lawyer. But before she can fully absorb the impact this crushing disappointment will have on her life, her mother is struck down by a major stroke, and Vienne finds herself once again the resistant resident of a town filled with bitter memories.

Jackson Linder returns to Clayburn willingly, but with no fewer shadows in his past. Fresh out of rehab, he's determined to reopen his art gallery and make a success of his life - clean and sober this time. But he finds himself tempted by more than an alcohol addiction when the coffee shop across the street takes on a new look, a fancy new name - Latte-dah - and a new owner with mesmerizing turquoise eyes.

Jack is the very kind of man Vienne has sworn to never love. Never mind the crush she had on him in high school. Never mind his heart-stopping smile and kind eyes. She's suffered the effects of alcoholism enough for three lifetimes, and is determined not to make foolish decisions that will force her to relive her mother's sad existence. So what is she to do with her overwhelming attraction to the handsome artist across the street?

Second in Deborah Raney's Clayburn novels, Leaving November is yet another unforgettable journey into this charming town where everyone knows everyone else...or do they? Even simple folks have secrets, some of which have the power to shatter dreams, break hearts and destroy lives. This particular jaunt into Clayburn takes the reader on an exploration of heartbreak and healing, failure and forgiveness, and welcome redemption.

Due in no small part to Ms. Raney's deceptively simple writing style and captivating storyline, it's hard to say good-bye to the residents of this lovely town after each sojourn down its sidewalks. Remember to Forget was a beautiful introduction; Leaving November provides the reader a personal "stake" in Clayburn. I plan to take a little room next door to Latte-dah and wait impatiently to see whose story comes to light in Yesterday's Embers.

Deborah Raney's books are worth the wait, that's for sure. This second book in the Clayburn series is everything I hoped for - complex characters, unique setting, and a gentle reminder that makes the book worth reading again and again.

Vienne Kenny and Jackson Linder find that they must rely upon God to, "..make new creatures from the old. To change lives," and I thoroughly enjoyed peeking in on their efforts to gain that understanding. Watching them learn to forgive old and new hurts was sometimes painful, but always intriguing.

The Clayburn people are such fun, especially the oft-misunderstood Pete Truesdell. The characterizations are so well done, so true, that when I traveled to the small town that inspired her setting this past summer, I found myself searching for Jack's art shop and Wren's inn.

This is a great read, and I'm anxiously awaiting book three in the series!

As with any reader, I have my favorite authors, those whose books I anticipate, who get pushed to the top of my to-be-read pile. Award-winning author Deborah Raney is one of those authors. I met Deb several years ago through American Christian Fiction Writers, and we have been friends ever since. But that's not why I love her writing. She just happens to know how to capture my imagination and keep me turning pages.

She has a tendency though, to rob me of my much-needed beauty sleep. Her newest release LEAVING NOVEMBER (from Howard Books/Simon & Schuster) had me reading last night by flashlight! I never do that! Honest!

I had already spent a few hours last evening reading this can't-put-it-down book and had about four chapters to go. I took a break to work on my work-in-progress ABIGAIL, which all of these fine books I've been reading of late have inspired me to work on, then watched a rerun of House with my dear husband and scampered back upstairs to read the rest. Dear hubby came to bed, exhausted from having stayed up to watch the Red Wings go into triple or quadruple overtime and lose the night before, and hoped I didn't plan to have the light on much longer. I had two chapters left!

But, sweet, kind wife that I am - I decided to grant him his wish and turned out the light. But you know, those chapters weren't that long, and there were only two left! So I dug in my nightstand drawer for my flashlight pen - the pen that I use on rare occasions when I wake up needing to make a note of something or if perchance I had a midnight inspiration. (I usually don't.) I tend to want to spare the flashlight pen's batteries, but threw caution to the wind and turned it on to read.

I wondered how she planned to wrap up the story. Would the ending satisfy? Many books struggle with this - I'm at that point myself right now! I am pleased to announce that this book is thoroughly satisfying and deserves every sort of award out there! LOVED IT!

Here's a glimpse of the story:

Daughter of the town drunk, Vienne Kenney has escaped Clayburn for law school in California. But after failing the bar exam--twice--she's back home with her tail between her legs, managing Latte-dah, the Clayburn café turned upscale coffee shop. Jackson Linder runs the art gallery across the street and Vienne has had her eye on him since she was a skinny seventh grader and he was the hunky high school lifeguard who didn't know she existed. Now it's his turn to fall for her and suddenly Clayburn seems like a pretty nice place to be...until Vienne discovers that Jack is fresh out of rehab and still struggling with the same addiction that ultimately killed her father.

Deb's characters are so true-to-life - Jack was my favorite, but then I love a flawed yet tender hero - and Deb knows how to handle tough subjects yet leave the reader with hope.

You will want to read book one in this Clayburn series first - REMEMBER TO FORGET is the story of Trevor Ashlock and Maggie Anderson ~

Who hasn't dreamed of getting a chance to reinvent yourself and begin a brand new life? That's exactly what graphic designer Maggie Anderson is offered when a terrifying carjacking leaves her stranded a hundred miles from her New York apartment--and her abusive boyfriend. When a kind stranger offers Maggie a ride, she begins a cross-country journey that ultimately lands her in tiny Clayburn, Kansas. Reinventing herself as Meg Anders, she is welcomed with open arms at Wren's Nest, in exchange for helping Trevor Ashlock remodel the cozy inn. But can Maggie trust Trevor? Trevor has always been Clayburn's favored son, but tragedy has put his faith in crisis, and now he has trust issues of his own. Once Maggie realizes Trevor is for real, she falls for him...hard. But if she confesses all the lies she's let him believe about her, she will lose his trust and destroy everything she's worked so hard to build. Meanwhile, Kevin Bryson isn't crazy about the fact that his girlfriend and erstwhile punching bag has disappeared. When he unearths a clue to Maggie's whereabouts, her life may depend on revealing the truth to Trevor.

REMEMBER TO FORGET is the recipient of three awards:
* 2008 Christy Award Finalist
* 2008 HOLT Award of Merit
* FH&L Inspirational Readers Choice Contest Finalist

Great job, Deb!

Another great survival story. The stength and faith of this little girl is very inspiring. It is a good young readers book but as an adult it held my attention.

I would highly recommend this to anyone who likes to read about people helping people and who know the importance of remembering the Holocaust is important.

Among us were the crippled and old
Brought here by Hitler and his followers
`Cause we are different from the rest
Does Vati, Dad, know that we are struggling?
Eating is a privilege because
Food is hard to find and scarce. There's no telling when the
Gestapo will knock on your door asking you to leave.
In these hardships, I turn to God for help
Ja, I'm a Jew and I believe in God. I may never see my
Kin again for they have separated me and Mutti. "Meir
Liebling," My sweetheart, as my mother always called me. How I wish
Mutti was here with me.
Now, they are moving us to another camp for the war is closer.
Open fire, is all around us now. All we can do is
Pray for God to protect us. Protect Mutti, Vati, and Hilde
Quietness is all we hear since we escaped.
Realizing that the war is closing. I see that the
Shadow of God's Hand has been upon me.
The search for my family is on:
Under the circumstances, I would never see Mutti again.
Vati may also be dead or in jail.
What was I going to do without my mom or sister?
eXamining my mother's camp, I found nothing. I stood there
Yearning for my family. I was
Zealous when I saw something in the distance.

Wendy's new book, Shadow of His Hands, is written in such a way that you are taken back in time to see, hear and feel what Anita Dittman saw, heard and felt! It touched my heart to know that the story was true for no child should ever experience what Anita did. Written for children to understand and feel what it is like to be picked on and hated for what they believe but instead of getting bitter or wanting revenge,this book shows children how to depend on God for each day--some times each hour. Great job, Wendy!!! Highly recommend this book for not only children to read but those adults who need to know the truth about the Holocaust.

Anita Dittman gave up much in her brief childhood--dancing shoes, a teddy bear, her family, and nearly her life. Wendy Lawton paints a riveting picture of a real Jewish girl who struggled for existence during the Holocaust of Nazi Germany.
When others lost their faith, Anna Dittman was determined to find hers. I ached for this fragile girl who lived under the shadow of Hitler but survived under the greater hand of God.
The Daughter of Faith series has captivated this reader and Shadow of His Hand will inspire you as well.

I have read several of the books in Wendy Lawton's Daughters of the Faith series, inspiring stories of young girls who made a difference. Each one held my attention and caused me to identify with the main character. Wendy Lawton has written another winner in SHADOW OF HIS HAND, the account of holocaust survivor Anita Dittman.

The story opens when Anita is six years old and an aspiring ballerina. Soon all dreams of a dancing career are shattered-along with the lives of many of her family, friends, and neighbors in Nazi Germany. Anita's Aryan father deserts his family for political reasons. Anita, her Jewish mother, and her sister struggle with increasing persecution and hardships. The family is forced apart, and Anita and her mother end up in different concentration camps. When Anita escapes, just before the arrival of the Russian liberation army, she travels a dangerous course to find if her mother is dead or alive. Lawton shows the evil of the Nazi regime and the holocaust without excessive graphic details. Anita learns that no matter what, she can trust her loving heavenly Father.

This is the sixth and final book in the Daughters of the Faith series. Look for Wendy Lawton's new Real TV series books, CHANGING FACES and FLIP FLOP.

I have heard from many people how wonderful and helpful this book is. I have looked everywhere for it!! I am hoping that somehow we can get this book back into print. Several therapists have mentioned it. Any suggestions? There must be something we can do!

I saw this book on a friend's bookshelf and relived very important moments in my own childhood. I can't believe it's out of print and beg the publisher to reprint this very wonderful and crucial book for children and parents to read together...

the only relevant page in this book now a days is when the kid is balancing on the fence and it explained how when the big person said get off that fence or i'll ..... meant please get off that fence i love you - the rest of it in this modern world could be bunk - but still the only reason i don't have a copy is because it is a hand me down bible - any one got one let me know - anyone remember it lt me knoe - i'm rewriting - modern input apprecciated

I read with interest the comments of several reviewers and see my daughter (who is now 26 and expecting her first child and MY first grandchild) was not the only one to benefit from this book as a child. PLEASE bring it back - I came to Amazon.com hoping to purchase it for my grandson who will be joining us in May.

Going from a teenager to a young adult, I read the book T. A. for Teens. I wished I had learned about transactional analysis throughout my school years.It would have helped me deal and understand my behavior and that of others, as well as be a happier person. Now, I am a mother of a wonderful little girl. I'm looking for T.A. for Tots, to start her out earlier than I did. BUT IT IS OUT OF PRINT!!! Please, please, please bring it back. So the new generation of kids can get an early start on understanding warm fuzzies and cold pricklies, and how to comunicate their feelings in a possitve, constructive way. Looking forward to seeing the book available again. Thanks. Liza

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.

A great book that talks about other animals that lay eggs other than chickens. I read this book to my preschool children and they loved it very much. The pictures are bright and very colourful. It's a must buy!

This was my favorite book growing up, because of it's catchy rhyming story, accompanied by colorful, ecclectic illustrations... and now, it is my sons favorite book - so much so, that I'm now looking into buying Ruth Heller's other science books. My 4 year old loves them, and the colorful picutres hold my 2 year olds attention (a feat in itself) so well, I'm amazed!

I'm so glad I've kept this book around long enough to pass it on to my son, who already has a great understanding of any animal, who is an "Oviparous"

I think it's really great that Ruth Heller introduces a complex subject in a children's book without talking down to the children. It's great that she uses "big" words like "oviparous"--kids, after all, can remember lengthy dinosaur names; there's no reason why they can't handle other long scientific words.
But I do have slight qualms. For instance, the part about amphibians says that amphibians don't have claws--what about African clawed frogs?
The illustrations are engaging, and the use of rhyme in prose makes the text flow nicely. The subject is interesting, too. I just wonder a bit about the accuracy of the "facts" presented here.

I enjoy the realistic non-anthropomorphic pictures Ruth Heller, author/illustrator, placed on each page. They are colorful, accurate and fun to look at. Some pages have just one animal and other pages are filled with lively looking insects and their eggs. I also enjoyed how she showed the size, coloring, shape and form difference between all types of eggs. I learned a lot from this book and think that kids over 3 will enjoy having this read to them. The only downfall I see in this story is that sometimes the words and sentences are in rhyming form and sometimes they aren't. I would've preferred one OR the other, not both. It doesn't flow as well with the two methods of writ, but other than that it was a good book.

Egg lovers, egg heads will especially enjoy this book by Ruth Heller a beautiful story. Oviperous you are, if you slithered or crawled or burst from your shell. Lots of children certainly love the expressions eggs generate. Crack open that shell and enjoy this play on the question, "Which came first the chicken or the egg?" Egg-xactly.

I had the pleasure of meeting Ruth Heller and husband in two completely different times in my life, in a bookstore in Carmel and on another rainy day in a bookstore in Ventura,CA. Both times I had her books, didn't know she was there, coincidental encounters, so I could and did get autographs. My girls loved her Designs for Coloring: Birds (Designs for Coloring), hint, hint parents. She was so tiny...and obviously a lovely person to get to say to, "I'm a teacher that always wanted to thank you for...."

Right now my first graders are reading about chicks, ducks and other egg tales. So showing the Reading Rainbow that contains this book being featured and read aloud is perfect. Heller's book is read by Georgia Engles with her interesting lilt it makes the poetic text very nice for them. It's still a bit hard to read for a few but I do have a set left over from days I taught not from canned scripts but from content connected literature. A few pieces of this text I'll quote hoping to get the sound which is so gentle and lovely, " Chickens lay the eggs you buy......Chickens aren't the only ones. Every bird wild or tame does the same. The ostrich lays the largest egg, the hummingbird the smallest. .."
As you read her lovely drawings bring you the text illustrated very factually and wonderful rendered. I always see those psychedelic 60 rock posters. I don't know why, it just happens in my head. I always enjoy teaching with Heller books. You go on to be introduced to reptiles, amphibians, fish, insects..."mermaid's purses", seahorses...moon snails, lots of ways to appreciate the egg layers.

If you enjoy video showing the Reading Rainbow: Farm Life with this is a great idea because you'll go to the farm to see a chick break out of the egg, watch loggerhead turtles be laid and hatched and see some great facts about egg layers. I can't imagine Ruth Heller's book out of the context of this tape because it expands the constructs so beautifully.

And if you love this "Animals Born Alive and Well (Picture Books) " is another great one from the author.

The Children of the Lens are the culmination of the Arisian breeding program, and are to be their weapons in the final assault on Eddore.

Kimball Kinnison and Clarissa MacDougall have had four children. Born with the abilities Kim possesses, these kids will become the 'third stage' with an ability to join their minds in an all-powerful gestalt.

They are talented enough that they can shadow the Second Stage Lensmen without them knowing, and help them out. Each of the four has a favorite among the Second Stage Lensmen, even if they won't admit it.

This book has a different feel, in that it is a tiny bit focused on family, and the mental war part of it means the insane space battles are a much smaller part of the whole thing.

The end is the final battle between the Arisians and the Eddorians, with the third-stage Kinnison gestalt as an important part of the assault.

Afterwards, what the Arisians tells the Children comes as a bit of a surprise.

All six books went fast and furious...but what reading!!! Terrific stuff! Smith definitely had the jets to tell one of the best yarns in all of science fiction. All the other reviewers citing how later movies, series, and stories were influenced by these books...WERE RIGHT!!! One of the best science fiction series you will ever read. Period.

Galaxies wide adventure. This is the last book of the Lensman series. While the book can stand alone, the earlier Lensman books lead up to this conclusion where the combined mind powers of the Lensman children, together with super science manage to defeat the super villains for the victory of good over evil.
E.E. Smith wrote these books around the middle of the century, and some of the writing style appears less sophisticated than current authors. However, I enjoyed the extremely positive depiction of the human nature and future - similarly to what the author did this in the Skylark series. Highly recommended..

Having started the six book series with Triplanetary and ending here, I thought the series started to trail off after Galactic Patrol. Triplanetary has been heavily criticized as giving away too much of the series and of the pro- and antagonists too soon. However when the Eddorians are finally confronted here I didn't feel as much as a build up to their powers as Triplanetary instilled. In Triplanetary you really felt that the Eddorians were almost omnipotent beings and the task before the Arisians in seeding planets, including Earth, preparing for the eventual confrontation to save Civilization. Galactic Patrol really carried on the beginning of the series with Kimball Kinnison, but I thought the quality dwindled starting with Gray Lensman and the dated 50's slang really picked up then. It's not just because it's written in the 50's, I've recently read several works by Alfred Bester, Arthur C. Clarke, and others written in the 50's and they have no where near this level of 50's slang.

Another thing I started to find unappealing is Smith's heavy regard for the `wide girth' of Kinnison and of his space-ax swinging cohorts. In reality, strong ambition comes often from those that have not been so physically gifted in life and so have to fight their entire lives against people's initial reactions to their appearance. Lois McMaster Bujold's Mountains of Mourning of a diminutive protagonist's personal battle against his grandfather's attitude, and possible disgust, of his physical stature comes to mind. So it is with irony that I can picture some skinny kid sitting outside in the 50's reading this book and `barrel-shaped chests" as the big neighbor kids come up to him and say `hey poindexter, whatcha reading...' or something.

However, the originality, and impact this series had upon science fiction cannot be understated and is why I am giving it a respectable four stars. Several reviewers have mentioned that they can see scenes from Star Wars lifted from this series. What I see even more so is what Star Trek lifted from this series. Even down to small details such as a ship having to lower shields in order to fire a weapon against an enemy. And many other movies, tv shows, and books influenced comes to mind including Alien, The 5th Element, Heinlein, certainly the original Star Trek as well as the Next Generation and Deep
Space 9, Wing Commander and others.

255 Pages, Publ 1954.

I have read this series at least 4 times. If you like SCIFI, you will cherish these books and buy the whole collection (as I did).

wow, the set of fabled lands books are brilliant, they transport you into a whole new enchanted world where anything is possible. I would well recomend these books to everyone. I just want to know what happend to the last six in the series?, i,ve been looking for them everywhere!

The best solo RPG game ever!
These books create the most amazing fantasy world.
They allow you to roam about how you want to.
It was planned that enough of these books would be released to cover the map that is contained in each of this series.
However, I heard, that they charged too little for each book (in England I think they were just £5 or £6!!) so they couldn't finish the series for financial reasons!
An absolute shame - I do anything for the last few books!!

I strongly reccomend this wonderful roleplaying game. Absolutely non-lynear storyline, many different characters to start your game with and many mini-quests in the global quest.

I have been playing the Quest for more than 3 years, and it was a pity that only 6 books have been published. This is the most astounding Role Playing Games I have ever played. Specially for people who do not of RPG games on computers. I wish that Jamie Thomson and Dave Morris become aware of this and please publish the remaining 6 books.The descriptions in the book for places, characters and actions are so good that I have abandoned to play Fighting Fantasy Series. Best of all, for all readers, is that the adventure is unlimited and you can go back and forth.

wow, the set of fabled land books are brilliant, they transport you into a whole new world where anything is possible. I would well recomend this book to those of you who like to escape for a few hours into a land of fiction. I would just like to know what happend to the last 6 books in the series?, i,ve been looking for them everywhere!

This has to be my favorite childhood book. Recently I decided to read my old copy to a little girl with severe ADHD and abandonment issues. She not only listened attentively to the story, but asked me to read it to her again as soon as I had finished. The story of the little dog who desperately wants a boy of his own really touched her and she requested that story be read every evening that she was in my care. I hope they bring this book back into print - my copy is torn and battered. I would love to have a new one ready for when I become a grandmother!

This is an odd picture book, with one foot in the boring world of Dick and Jane and one foot in the world of Dr. Seuss and all that came thereafter.

Barney Beagle loves having fun at the pet store with all of his other doggie friends. But he really wants to go home with a boy, and every time a customer enters the store, Barney eagerly questions whether this is the boy for him. One by one, all of his friends are sold to new owners, and Barney is left all alone. When a mean boy comes in and attempts to buy Barney, Barney bites him on the nose and avoids being sold. Finally, a boy who comes in is perfectly suited to Barney, and even though the boy doesn't have enough money, the friendly shopkeeper lets him have Barney.

The most entertaining feature of this book is the recurring theme of owners coming in and choosing dogs that they resemble. It's fun to see a man in a shaggy coat walking off with a sheepdog, and a well-dressed girl choosing a poodle.

The repetition of Barney's hopeful catch-phrase (it it MY boy?) and his resignation as he sees that the boy in question is better-suited to another dog (anyone can see THAT), combine to make Barney a very loveable and sympathetic character. Besides, he's darn cute.

But the biting of the bad boy is a poor solution to a problem. Further, the small pet shop is portrayed as an animal-friendly, wonderful place for dogs to have fun. These are both elements that don't have much of a place in our modern world.

While I don't suppose Barney the Beagle outshines many more modern books, there is a certain charm to this that has the quality of comfort food on a rainy day.

When I was a little girl my mom used to read this to me every night. I loved the book so much I decided to color in it with chalk. My mother would sneeze every time she opened it, but would read it for me anyways! It's a great book about the love between a boy and his dog. It will make you smile every time (and maybe sneeze!).

I thought I was the only one who loved this book. I had it as a child and as I approach my half century mark, I looked it up on a whim to see if anyone had one for sale. I agree-PUT IT BACK ON THE MARKET!!!

Growing up I wasn't a big reader. One book however stuck with me; Barney Beagle. Now today at age 34, it is still my favorite book. This book showed me what a puppy feels like waiting to be taken home and loved. It shows you the chemistry between a puppy and a child, how a bond is built. I highly recommmend this book to all children. This is a story that will touch your heart and hopefully your childrens as well. Barney Beagle is a book you can read several times over and the emotions are just as strong as the first time you read it. Well, at least for me it was. I highly recommed this book be put back on the market and distributed to all elemenatary schools throughout the world.

Given as a gift. Got a thank you note so she must like and or use it.

This is an excellent book for immigrants to study for US citizenship tests. I would highly recommend it. It is not too childish and it goes to the core of what you should know.
I am very glad I purchased it.

I enjoyed this book very much. It's concise, so you're not going to get any details, but it's a great place to start. I use it, also, as an "intro" to each section for my middle schoolers -- "whole to part" learning.
Definitely recommended.

I teach at a special education high school and in any one class my students' reading levels range from Kinder-12th grade, so it is extremely tough to find things that will encompass as many levels of learning at once. I am happy to say that this book does that, and the students really jumped right on to use it!

This book is right to the point, and is great for teaching students how to take notes. It has amazing spacing and large type that allows easier reading for students with reading disabilities. The fantastic use of color allows the reader to visualize a change in topic so that they may know that they are onto something new.

I would LOVE for this series to be modified into textbooks, with resources such as computer programs to enhance learning for visual and audio learners.

I DO NOT love the fact that it puts the grade level in BIG BOLD WORDS on the cover. That means that my 18 year old student is liable to tell me, "I'm not going to look at some middle school book. I'm in high school."

Having recently moved to the US I decided to refresh my knowledge of local history. I got The Penguin History of the USA by Hugh Brogan The Penguin History of the USA: New edition which I recommend, but I also wanted something that would give me a quick overview so I decided to pick this one up. I was pleasantly surprised - it is concise, informative, well organized and fun. I have the Jan 2005 edition which covers everything until the Iraq war in 2003, apparently a big difference from the 1997 edition. Regardless of whether you're 15 or 50 give this book a try. I guarantee that you'll find an interesting fact you were unaware of (or had long forgotten) about US history.

I suddenly found myself being the "room mother" two weeks before the Halloween Party. Desparately, I searched for a source to plan an excellent, low cost, fun party for 28 5th graders on short notice! This book was perfect. Although the crafts seemed a bit involved, the game ideas were perfect. The book was divided into themes such as witch, bat, pumpkin etc. and each theme had associated foods, games, crafts and decorations. The game ideas were easy to put together and I improvised a bit. The teacher said it was the most organized and fun party she had seen in 30 years of teaching!

I've used this book to help in the classroom and for a neighborhood party. It is practical and helpful. A good way to start the planning session.

I am a first year teacher and this book helped me by leaps and bounds. Almost all of the activities are listed to be for grades K-6, but I was able to modify (if at all) many of them for my pre-K classroom. Every section - games, crafts, food, etc - is broken up into subcategories such as cats, frankenstein, bats, etc so the Halloween Party can have its own theme as well, if you'd like. I can't even begin to explain how useful the entire book has been to me! It took all the stress out of putting on a huge party with students, siblings, and parents galore.

A wonderful book and many ideas to use for Halloween Paries, not just at school. The craft ideas are so cute and adaptable for any age. We have used these ideas at church parties. The What, Why, and How of Room Parenting chapert is useful for any entertaining event. Suggestion: Purchase a complete set.

This Book it exactly what I have been looking for. A complete party how to book, from Bat Volleyball to Witch's Bubbling Brew.
I run a Day Care and to find activities for each age group is "pricless".