Interactive Books

It's really about the "Bubble Thing". The book by itself is interesting, with lots of pictures, descriptions and history but you really have to get the "Bubble Thing". I'm in the business of (very) fun camps for children and although when I first had the thought of including a program on bubbles there were those who suggested it wouldn't work, wrong (Big Time Wrong). Kids love it. If you have children you won't regret investing in the "Bubble Thing", I don't.

I'm over 50 years old and, while visiting my Mother, I started playing with some bubble making toys she had left out for the kids. Bored, I started making some make-shift bubble wands out of coat hangers to see how big a bubble I could make. It was a lot of fun but, because of the bubble solution, I was limited to bubbles of about a foot in diameter.

I went on line to try and search out some "secret" bubble solution formulas and was eventually directed to "The Bubble Thing" book. The price was right so I bought it. I did not know at the time that it came with a "Bubble Thing". My God!...I was making these HUGE bubbles in my living room, four and five feet across before my wife walked in and stopped me. (She's not my boss or anything. I'm the Boss in my home, PERIOD!...I know this because she said I could be!)

Anyway, everywhere I go with my "Bubble Thing", I'm the undisputed center of attention. Kids and Big Kids, like me, go nuts over this thing! It's amazing and incredibly fun. I've had to order two more books so that I don't go without everytime it's "borrowed" by my neighbors and friends...you know, to show their kids. ;)

This book is the best ten bucks you'll ever spend! Kudo's to it's author and inventor of the "Bubble Thing"! If you were to get paid a buck for every smile or shriek of laughter and delight created by your invention, Bill Gates would have to leave town.

Many thanks,

Jerry

John Cassidy and David Stein did a great job on this book and the "Bubblething" that come with the book. I have a little girl who loves bubbles and this book and toy have been great fun. The truth be known I am having as much fun blowing these HUGE bubbles as she is chasing them down and popping them. I should warn you though all the kids on the block will be stopping by asking you to blow bubbles for them.

This book, the Unbelievable Bubble Book, is about a toy that produces the biggest soap blown, amateur-created, bubbles in the world.

After the instructions on how to use The Bubble Thing, the book covers all aspects of bubbles (history, science) in an entertaining styling accessible to children and young adults. And older adults, too, whoever cares to open it.

I really enjoyed this book, and guffawed at the author's humor. John Cassidy is an amusing writer. He courageously writes humor right alongside scientific fact, and pulls it off. His writing skills have obviously developed past those deserving a bunch of rotten vegetables thrown at him.

The inventor of the Bubble Thing, David Stein, has an interesting and personal story to tell about his invention. You get the impression from reading his story that there was no financial incentive behind the work he put into making his incredible toy. But he knew what he wanted, performance-wise, from the start. He cared about getting the best bubbles he could, but to entertain his baby daughter. Through trial-and-error, that was just what he got.

The book and the toy are all-around great, and I thoroughly recommend them. Try out the Bubble Thing, it's as good as what you fantasize it could be. The bubbles it makes are HUGE.

My husband received this book several years ago as a 50th birthday present. It sat in it's wrapper for a couple of years-what does a grown man need with a Bubble Book? Well he has resurrected it and has had so much fun with it this summer. We took it to our family reunion, on vacation and to a chorus picnic, kids big and small are fascinated and want to try it. Give it a try--you will be hooked.

All Better is a perfect book for a hospitalized child. The ability to treat the animals with the removable and reusable bandages lets the child relate to the sticks he receives and have some control over his own, sometimes scary, world in a hospital. The storage container for the bandages is genius and the matching animals make it a stimulating game. The book is a must have for any toddler that has ever been in need of a bandage, whatever the reason.

On the surface this is a simple plot, till you realize the textures cleverly employed to give it dimmension. And the test of skills for the reader--to match the bandage to the patient--is one I had to deny myself so my grandchildren will have the pleasure for themselves. I know each one of them will get a kick out of this book. I recommend it highly.
Barbara Fryrear

I ordered this book for my two year old but my four and six year old love it too! The simple, yet endearing text and adorable illustrations make for a great book--not to mention to fun bandages your child can apply. My daughter spent hours taking the bandages off and on the animals saying "All Better!" the whole time. Simply a "must have" for your bookshelf!!

I purchased this book for my 4 year old son and while he enjoys having us read it to him, he absolutly loves going back and creating his own stories about the animals and then making them All Better. What a wonderfully simple book to help spark the imagination of a child. The velcro bandages are a perfect size for a preschooler to handle independantly, and the illustrations will draw any child instantly to this book.

This is a great book for the younger set. The message is simple and to the point, the drawings are fabulous and the bandages to put on the "owiees" are a special treat. My granddaughter has had a fun day "doctoring" the characters in "All Better." This is one for the number one shelf of the kids/grandkids bookcase. Leigh Wilcox has brought us a wonderful book to be treasured.

What a wonderful resource! I checked this out at the library for my 2 year old son to combine with his lesson plan at home. Creating the letters together has helped him to understand what they mean. He loves to play with the crafts after I make them and at the end of the week I tape them to his wall to look at. It's such a great book! I will have to see if Judy Press has done others like it.

I love this book. My 4 year old twins look forward to the art projects everyday. Even my almost two year old participates! My favorite part is that the projects use items that any house with preschoolers will have: construction paper, glue, paint, empty toilet paper rolls, paper plates, ect. Don't skip out on the finger plays. My kids love to move like the animals they have made in the projects. A must have for parents of preschoolers!

This was a fun book to use with my daughter when she was learning her letters. It gave me lots of creative things to do for all the letters and my daughter loved doing all the crafts. We ended up tracing all the letters and decorating them as suggested and put them along the wall of the playroom. My younger son now always points to them on the wall and tries to sing his ABC's. I would definitely recommend it! It's a great, fun learning tool.

I obsessed over this book wile I was pregnant and finally bought it for my daughter's second birthday (it was really for me). She's 2 and half and, although she isn't coordinated enough to really do a whole lot on her own, we have great fun with this book. She pulls it down from the bookshelf herself and looks through it. The illustrations are great and the instructions are easy enough for an adult to follow. I delegate the gluing and some coloring to her and we discuss shapes and colors--as well as letters and numbers-- while assembling the pieces. While not all (but most) of the materials are easily found around the house, I have found the ones that aren't in dollar and discount stores for next to nothing. She loves watching ordinary household items like an empty toilet paper roll transform into an alligator with some tape, a marker, scissors, green paper and glue. Her eyes light up like I'm performing magic. I have read, in teachers' journals and the like, that children retain information better when it is presented in a way that emotionally impacts them. For myself and my child, this book was well worth it, and I intend to look into some other titles by this author and from Williamson. Publishing.

Great source for an Early Childhood Curriculum. This book gave me wonderful ideas on every letter of the alphabet. This book helped me plan lessonsfor my home toddler daycare. This book is a MUST HAVE for home daycare providers and home schooling parents.

I got this book for my daughter over a year ago and it is still a favorite. The flaps are fun, the touchy-feely parts are very well done, and there are a lot of little details -- like spiders and worms in the farmyard -- that give you a lot more mileage for learning than a book with just a story. It's also very sturdy. I recommend it to friends over and over.

This book is the best touchy feely one I've seen and my son has loved it for 6 months. He especially loves finding the animals behind the flaps and the wide variety of textures.

I ordered this for a baby shower gift and found that it covers all the bases for little ones' enjoyment - flaps to open, fuzzies to touch, colorful pictures to discuss. I will enjoy reading it to my grandsons.

This is a fabulous book for babies 8 to 9 months and up. I would even buy it for a 6 month old. It's a great talk about book. They learn about the names of animals, textures, colors, shapes. Adlib anything you want to add. It's a flap book and a touchy feely book that is beautifully illustrated, colorful to look at, and holds up to their handling over and over. Older children love reading it to younger siblings.

My 10-month old girl never tires of this book, so we usually read it twice in a row. The first time through, she goes straight for the flaps. The second time through, we stop and feel the "touchy" parts of the book, talk about the animals, and find the duck. (It is the same duck from the "Find the Duck" book.)

My only complaint is that the flaps are positioned in a way that makes it very easy to shut them in the book incorrectly. I have to hold the flap down to turn the page safely. However, when I finally let my daughter do things all on her own, I found that it is easy enough to re-bend the flaps. They probably won't last as long as I want them too, but they are sturdier than they look.

This book is FULL of action to keep the kids busy!

My son loves this book. Our copy is old and torn because he has used it so much. He is 4 years old, but has been playing with it for over a year now. He loves the pulls and twists on each page and has a great time pointing to whatever child I am reading about. It is a fairly delicate book (rips easily in 3 year old hands) but he doesn't care that half the pages don't work. He still wants to read it at night. I will probably get him a new one this year since he is better able to care for it as he gets older. Definitely would recommend to others.

I loved this book. My 7 yr old couldn't put it down. Everytime he looked at it he saw something else. The colors were so beautilful. I know she had fun creating this book.

Learning the alphabet can be fun and this book could be used to encourage children to want to learn the alphabet, if read by the parents. The house on the cover is situated on "Alphabet Lane." Fifty-two kids live in one house!

On the first page we find Annie sitting under an "A" eating an apple. Children can lift the flaps, pull the tabs or be amused with all the action packed into this story. Even I laughed at the funny faces on the zebras and thought the "ken was kind to kittens" was sweet.

By pulling on the tabs, kids can vaporize vegetables, turn zebra stripes yellow, open a cage and let tigers out to play, juggle jelly beans and lots of fun things. Next to each picture, you will find words describing the action.

Rita read to rabbits
Jane jumped over jack-o-lanterns.

This book will amuse for quite some time! Colorful, durable, educational, cute and interactive. Your kids will love it!

~The Rebecca Review

My daughter received this book for her first birthday and although she was too young then, now at 18 months old, she loves it! In fact she threatens a tantrum if any other book is suggested. She loves trying all the moving parts and opening the flaps, although care has to be taken that she does not rip it. This book is fantastic...original, funny, and can be taken at many levels so will suit children of many ages. It really does make a lovely present for a child.

As an illustrator I have always been in awe of the art of drew, and now Iam also in awe of the man himself. To all artists who feel that humanity has abandoned the feeling and emotion in artwork to jump on the computer bandwagon then this cd is for you. Drew's amazing illustrations and encouraging words of wisdom will restore your faith in the human spirit and get you back to the drawing board again. This cd makes you realize that creativity is the basis for everything in life and without it masterpieces like star wars, and masterminds like Lucas would never have become what they are to the world. So definitely get this cd and watch/listen to be inspired or just to take a break from the all negativity going on today.

Not to mention the fantastic zoom and scroll viewing option, behind the scenes feeling of really meeting the man behind the art, and great insider pictures of not only the art but a glimpse of the life of the artist too. Thank you x1000 drew.

The Art of Drew Struzan, is truley an amazing compilation of work, in a unique and wonderfully involving media. Allow me to point out - It is EXTREMELY rare for an artist of this caliber and experience to share so openly and in-depth his work, his thoughts, his motivation, and his technique for creating. I keep my fingers crossed for a follow-up CD containing his other commercial as well as fine art work.

I say a personal thank you to Drew for sharing his gift with the rest of the world through his work and now through this CD.

Been a longtime fan of Drew's work, the release of this CD was a dream come true, given that there's little of his work printed in books. We've all seen the images this illustrator has provided, most recently for the latest Star Wars Special Editions and Episode 1. This CD is very insightful, as you can get to hear his thoughts on art, artists and life itself. Slide show screensaver, tons of Star Wars illustrations, including sketches and comprehensives and a narrated process as to how Drew goes about creating a piece. It's all wrapped up in an appealing package. This is definitely a CD-ROM that should not be overlooked, and it's enjoyable to everybody, artists and non-artists alike. A gem from one of the greatest artists alive, Drew Struzan.

I would highly recommend this CD-ROM to not only any Star Wars fan, but also any illustrator/artist. The program allows you to zoom in very close and see some of the techniques used by Mr. Struzan to achieve the wonderful results he is so famous for. It not only includes finished poster and book cover work, but also some of the beautiful preliminary sketches leading up to the finish. The only thing that I did not like was that the CD only showed Drew's Star Wars stuff. He has done a remarkable amount of superb work that isn't touched on at all.

I highly recomment this CD Rom to anyone who loves art. Not only those that love Drew's wonderful work, but any type of art that actually touches people on an emotional level. Drew has always managed to keep the human hand readily apparant in his art. Looking at the images he creates, one is very aware that a human being put hard work, long hours and a lot of love into every detail. This CD Rom gives one a rare opportunity - hearing Drew's voice allows another level of connectedness beyond the simple artist/viewer connection. Art like this is usually so distant, but listening to him describe his work, and how vital the creative process is to him, is akin to hearing one talk of heaven. You, as the viewer, feel as though he is over your shoulder, letting you in on secrets that you really shouldn't know. It's a very rare, very special inside look into a very unique talent.

This world is filled with so much ugliness. Drew's art brightens that darkenss just a little bit, and allows one to hope for a world filled instead with beauty. If the possiblity of that kind of world sounds appealing, buy the CD Rom. Let a little brightness into your world, and perhaps be inspired to do it for others.

I was impressed from the beginning with the content of this book. It has been a great help in my recent graduate projects. This is one I will keep on the shelf for reference.

This book is simply the best book on post-production audio out there. I have over a decade of experience mixing live sound and some formal training in post production, but Rose gets to the real nuts and bolts of the day-to-day sweetening of sound that I was able to apply his ideas the same day I read a chapter on EQ. I have read so many books on sound where authors get into all the details, but fail to give hands on practical advice. Rose has two unique things going for him in this book: the included CD that gives A/B comparisons of various audio sweetening and processing techniques and the cookbook format at the end of each chapter. Try any one of these "recipes" and you will instantly get results and be able to solve various problems and massively improve your soundtrack.
He gets technical in spots going into the physics of sound, studio design, and other minutia but the non-geeks you can usually skip these sections and side-bars. For those who just want to fix things they can jump to the end of each chapter and use the cookbook/troubleshooting sections. I can't recommend this book enough. If you are serious about filmmaking, you can't be without this book.

Audio Postproduction for Digital Video
By Jay Rose
Review by Pi Ware

Don't listen to the title. It's bigger than the title. The "Digital Video" part of Audio Postproduction for Digital Video restricts the scope of this classic Jay Rose text. Rose's book goes far beyond DV, in fact, it starts with an explanation of what sound is on the molecular level and then takes you not just through audio postproduction for TV, but to techniques specific to movie production, techniques that are entirely independent of the format you originate on. Audio Postproduction for Digital Video is top-notch. It's an excellent, text-book quality manual, a soup-to-nuts guide on how to deal with sound in postproduction.

Jay Rose never gives you solutions that are applicable only to specific Digital Audio Workstations, he arms you with knowledge you can use in any platform or program. The book is an education in sound and, together with the numerous photos and diagrams (and Rose's good sense of humor), it's a liberation from the dry prose of most manuals on postproduction.

Rose teaches you from the ground up what sound is, what good sound is, and how to make bad sound better. He doesn't just stop at good writing, however, he illustrates important points with an audio CD included in the back of the book. Together with the CD, the text guides you through importing audio into the computer, editing dialogue, Do It Yourself Foley and ADR, working with filters, noise reduction techniques, pitch and time changes, the sound mix, and even, if you're so inclined, designing, constructing and wiring your own postproduction audio facility.

Though postproduction changes with every new advance in technology, Audio Postproduction for Digital Video stays current by focusing on strategy, not software. Rose avoids giving specific keystroke instructions in specific programs, but instead explains common solutions to common problems using common tools. As he says in his introduction, "You should be able to use these pages for a long time."

Anyone considering directing a short or feature, anyone who wants to be even nominally involved in the sound design of their film, and, of course, anyone interested in working in audio postproduction, would do extremely well to pick up a copy of this classic Jay Rose text.

This book in fantastic. The author's voice and style make this not only easy to read but a joy to read as well. There are little tips and tidbits in each chapter that will make a good audio guy great and a great audio guy better. I recommend this book to anyone in the audio post world.

I decided to buy this book because I had used the forum on the DV.com website for information before, and Jay Rose's comments there had proven to be spot-on and well-informed.
This book contains a thorough examination of all the factors which contribute to the quality of post-production audio. The level of information includes the spectrum from basic to advanced, but through Mr. Rose's clear explanations the advanced information should not go over the heads of the reader.

Easy to read and follow. A good value even though it doesn't come with a demo CD.

Nice book. I've been an NLE dabbler for a few years, but never very serious about it. After finishing this book, I feel pretty comfortable with avid xpress, which was pretty intimidating at first. Good, easy read. I would have liked color pictures, though...

This is an excellent, well-written guide to the Avid Xpress Pro system, and while it can't replace the extended Authorized Avid Education advanced editing course, it is a great overview of the many different topics covered therein.

But, more importantly, it covers many things not in the official Avid training guides - things that after reading this book one feels really should be, like practical tips, tricks, and notes for a more truly professional end project. I would definitely recommend this for serious editors and people who want to get into the deeper strengths of the Avid system... it moves quickly, and might be confusing for a complete beginner.

I am just finishing up on this book, and after two solid days I have gone from no experience with avid to very comfortable. I don't know how well a new editor would do with this book, but if you already know FCP or Premiere this seems like an excellent way to learn all of the key concepts you need to run an editing app.
This is the best instructional manual I have come across.

I make my living editing digital video and this book is by far the best instructional material on Avid Xpress Pro I've seen. There are tips and suggestions it would have taken me years to figure out on my own. I'm doing better quality work in less time. I wish I had found this book two years ago.

We own all of this series! Started reading them when my daughter was 4 (she just turned 5 now), and they are age appropriate. Not too scary and always a happy ending. One book only takes us about 4-5 nights worth of reading together. The longer ones are good too "Fairy Dust and the Quest for the Egg" and "Fairy Haven and the Quest for the Wand", but they are a little bit scarrier than the short books (more appropriate for ages 5-7 I would think).

I bought this book on a whim - and my 4 1/2 year old daughter loves it! I thought she might be too young, but she followed along well. We read two chapters a night and finished it in 5 days. We'll be buying more, as I'm getting tired of reading the picture books :-)

This is the fourth Disney Fairies book I've read to my 3 1/2 y/o daughter. She just loves the fairy adventures and learning their names and their talents. When she's older I'm sure she'll enjoy reading them on her own but; for now we read it together. I'm so happy to have discovered these wonderful stories. This book by far has been our favorite adventure. Beck is an Animal Talent fairy which is very Dr Doolittle and brings so much more to a story. She learns alot about life beyond Pixie Hollow and discovers to trust herself and believe in her dreams. So much of Beck's adventure can be translated to any adversities anyone faces in life. I'm sure it's a story we'll discuss for a long time. You won't be dissappointed.

In my opinion, the best Disney Fairy books are those that have the conflict growing out of the fairy "talents". (The talents are both gifts and curses.)

Here, Beck's fascination with animals (she is an animal talent) leads her into an interest in exploring, and eventually to Vidia for advice.

It is too bad Vidia is usually being portrayed as the "bad girl". Her "speed talent" has become a "speed addiction" so she tends to break rules and disregard everything else as pointless. Her independent streak is her strength, but also her weakness because she is ALWAYS alienated from the "group"

I was excited at first when Vidia and Beck started talking because they would make a POWERFUL adventuring team! But no,... Beck is instead portrayed as not too bright and Vidia goes back to being an outcast.

Too bad.

These chapter books are terrific, got them for our 13yr. old Grandaughter, she LOVES them!!
Thanks for a GREAT book!!!

Reading this book it is hard to feel too glum although breast cancer is it's subject. For women who have been through some of what the author has experienced, whether the medical ups and downs or the personal struggle with faith and hope, this book provides empathy and sustenance. With humor, intelligence and relevant information, Ms. Baker gives women a peek into the experiences so many of us will go through and survive, perhaps even thrive. You just have to read her tale of what she heard while waiting for surgery! One of those things we all can laugh at only after the fact; to be able to laugh, love, and believe is the theme of this great little book.

Impressive doctors' sections including the renowned Chris Wright, PhD of Cambridge University discussing his research on Tamoxifen; Doctors N. Joseph Haroun, fellowship in endocrinology from Hopkins and Melita Braganza, researcher at University of Maryland discussing chemotherapy and radiation therapy. For me, these are the highlights of the book. For my wife, they were the poetry, illustrations, and the myriad of helpful suggestions and insights into things people don't usually discuss.

"If you are a breast cancer patient, you need no introduction to me, because you know me well already. I'm just like you...You and I have in common the unsettling feeling of our worlds shaken up, our schedules not in our own control, and the keen awareness of our own human vulnerability. When cancer strikes, it puts us all on even ground. Rich or poor, pretty or plain, waitress or CEO, it makes no difference. There is no escape route and the only special treatment we'll get is what's sent from heaven."

With this book, Sylvia Baker wrote one of the best books on the subject of breast cancer. It takes away the fear from surgery for those women who need to go through the process and this book offers lots of hope for the recover process. Baker herself is a breast cancer survivor and has gone through the whole ordeal. She wrote the book from the heart with the purpose of edifying and encouraging the reader, while being objective regarding the issue.
The author approaches the subject systematically, but always with the concern of the individual patient in mind. This book is highly recommended for everyone who was just been diagnosed with breast cancer or who is already in the recovery stage, and it's also a great and encouraging read for loved ones of breast cancer victims as it is a very helpful book -- one of the best books on the subject out there. Because of the excellent content, this book is just simply an encouraging read for everyone.

Sylvia (my precious little sister!) shares her personal story in a humorous manner, emphasizing the importance of keeping a good attitude and your eyes on God. She's included lots of good medical information about the various treatment options, written by health professionals, which will help you understand the medical side of the story. This book is easy to read and can even be used as a devotional, read a chapter at a time. She's included poetry, recipes, and tips for helping those you love in times of crisis. Go ahead - Buy the book! Love ya, Syl!