Interactive Books

I've found this book to be a terrific resource. It's comprehensive, practical and approachable. Kathy and Catherine take you through a wide variety of usability methods, explaining why and when to use each one. Highly recommended.

This is, in my opinion, one of the best books on usability ever written.

I originally read it when I had the opportunity to interview for an internship with one of the authors. Although the internship didn't materialize, I still feel that I have spent many late nights in focus groups and requirements gathering sessions with the authors, through the comprehensive and crisp detail of this book.

My big gripe about many usability books is that they often consist of overgeneralized research-based claims presented as broad truths rather than the personal opinions that they are (e.g. Nielsen). Other usability books don't even attempt to ground their knowledge claims in scientific or other substantive scholarship (e.g. Kuniavsky).

Baxter and Courage avoid both of these perils. What makes this book most valuable to me is that it's grounded not only in sound theory and research, but also in the extensive experience of the authors -- and the authors present a wealth of background to enable you to independently assess the rigor of their arguments. You don't have to turn off your brain and take their word for it.

I have relied on this book in my later work as a usability researcher, and have always recommended it to our consulting clients interested in better understanding how qualitative user research works. It's also a worthwhile introduction to give insight into what we do as researchers -- it's accessible without being oversimplified, and intellectually rigorous without being off-putting.

Finally, the visual communication used throughout the book is exemplary, making the book easy on the eyes and especially scannable -- a big help in those late nights preparing for a usability session.

Courage and Baxter did an amazing job writing this book, thank you! I really liked the fact that this book is based on years of realworld experiences from commerial high technology company.
They have very good examples from real projects - which is a plus. Like the book said, it's very practical! You can use it out of the box from day 1. As a product design professional with years of experience in this field, book confirmed some of the techniques and approaches that I have been using (but I couldn't share it due to commerical reasons). It also covered topics that I wasn't very familiar with. I especially enjoyed reading the section on group task analysis.

Book is organized very well, high quality paper, with great visual examples and photos!

I would also highly recommend this book for product managers, so hopefully they can write better requirements and specifications.

Courage and Baxter have assembled an extremely thorough, practical, and readable guide to a diverse array of user requirements methods available to the usability and design professional. "Understanding Your Users" will surely be an valuable addition to your bookshelf, but don't be surprised if it spends more time in your hands than on the shelf.

Baxter and Courage provide a rich, accessible toolbox of diverse yet interrelated usability methods that will enable a designer (UI, UE, IA, etc.) to understand user goals, values, and purposes. As a design professional without a human factors background I find this incredibly useful at the office! A handy reference guide with case studies and sample projects, there is also an undercurrent of strategic thought in terms of how to approach and intepret usability methods, thus complementing the designer's iterative art. This book should also benefit design students and educators, who may be seeking a robust compilation of methods that speaks to the "real world" of adroitly performing usability to advance a design's evolution.

Tim Woodroof has written a wonderful, thought-provoking book on the Beatitudes. The book is an excellent resource for preaching, teaching, and group discussions. I came across the book while planning a sermon series on the beatitudes and found Tim's creative approach, picturesque language, and writing style irresistable. Had I known about the book earlier, I would have used it as a study and discussion guide for the entire church to use as a compliment to the sermon series. There is plenty of material for class, discussion groups, and individual daily study. The book is not only strong on content, but on creative imagery, illustrations, and word pictures that help the message of the beatitudes come alive. It is also especially strong on application.

I have taught Sunday School for nearly 15 years. I have always been critical of curriculum available for teachers. There are many good books but few with good curriculum. Walk This Way is the best book I have ever used! Tim Woodruff not only has a way of making the Beatitudes come alive, but his packaging of his message is brilliant. If you want to undertand the essence of the message of Christ, buy this book! If you want to share the Gospel with others, buy this book! If you are a teacher of young or old or in between, teach the Beatitudes and buy this book as your guide. It is the best teaching tool I have ever used.

I echo the comments of the others who have reviewed this book. It really is that good! The author devotes a separate chapter to each of the eight qualities of heart with which Jesus began the teaching and transformation of his disciples. With a wealth of gripping word pictures and illustrations, the author leads the reader through each stage of this transformative journey. He ably demonstrates that the order in which Jesus presented these qualities was not simply random, but a sequence essential to genuine discipleship. He also ably uncovers the essence of each beatitude and destroys the shields we typically use to deflect their impact.

The main text of each chapter is followed by a lighthearted "Top Ten List" that illustrates each quality (usually in reverse). After that, each chapter contains four other sections that provide, in turn, a biographical vignette, weekly study guide, discussion questions, and practical application relevant to the Beatitude under consideration.

No book on the beatitudes has stirred my heart like this one. I highly recommend it.

Tim Woodroof takes an "MTV" approach to the Beatitudes. With many in-set factoids that relate the truths to today's issues, Woodroof finds nuances that excape most of us when we read the beginning of what is called "The Sermon On The Mount." Jesus' ten pithy little phrases hold much more meaning and impact after reading through this work book. Don't read this as a book, read it as a tool for catching the deeper meaning of the very core of following Jesus.

I've never read a book that taught me so much. Much of my life I skimmed over Jesus' first words to his disciples, but Walk This Way dove deep into the meaning that Jesus had for his disciples back then as well as for his disciples today. I believe this book is God inspired, and will help change your life concerning your relationship with Christ and the world around you. After reading it through 3 times, I am now using it as a study guide to teach a Sunday School class. The book does a good job in helping to facilitate discussions within a group.

I bought this for my niece as a Christmas gift. She really enjoyed it!

Watercolor for the Artistically Undiscovered has been a fun workbook for our whole family. My daughter received one for a gift and it was so entertaining we had to order two more so everyone could sit and do it together. The book's layout is in page by page exercises that might inspire further fun and thinking, as well as build on each other to create a more versatile way of looking at painting. In my opinion, the most fun part is being able to paint in a book and even cut out parts and glue them elsewhere. Kids have a chance to breakout from the usual parental mantra of "Be sure not to write in the book, watch out with the paint...". The pages are very sturdy and good quality and the author's sense of humour is wonderful. I have my very own copy to play in, which is sometimes just the thing to inspire me in my own work. And well, there is something about turning squiggles into bugs....

This is a great place to start. The paints and paper provided are 1st class quality allowing serious exploration, and the excerises are fun. Add a few more colors - dark green and light blue- and a extra, nicer brush, and there is no better way to start

This fun, whimsical book takes the mystery and frustration out of painting with watercolors. Learn watercolor basics by following the book's simple instructions and then practicing alongside on its watercolor-paper pages. Witty sidebar commentator Thatcher Hurd adds humor to an otherwise indimidating process. Discover what makes you the best painter you know--paint this book and unmask your watercolor painting personality

I am extremely intimidated by painting, so I took baby steps and bought this book. It comes with some beautiful watercolors that are rich and color--and a brush as well.

They start you off with painting some small pictures, even blobs if you are comfortable with it, and you will be amazed to see how much your lil paintings look like paintings instead of a piece of crap (which is what i expected---can i say crap?) anyway, they give you pages where you can "play" and you don't start color mixing and other frightening things until later.

Later on, you do landscapes and play around with some light and shadow. Its like the fisher price version of learning to paint!! Sometimes, my pictures blended in with their little pictures along the way, which made me happy. They just turn something very scary, into something a lil more easy.

If you run out of paints or brushes, or you want some more paper, there's a phone number in the back you can call to order some more!! I love klutz products, cause I am one!! Highly recommended!!

We used this book to assist in earning a silver star in cub scouts. It did help a whole lot.

What an incredible visual journey -- you can spend many many minutes on each page. Hidden animals and much to explore! On the surface this is a simple book, but it's anything but! Our standard 3-4 yr old birthday gift recently.

This is one of the most beautifully illustrated books I have ever seen. It is a simple story that talks about animals from all over the world. We received this as a gift from Australia 2 years ago for my sons third birthday and it still remains one of his favorites. Don't pass this one up.

This was a gift to my 2-year old from a girlfriend/kinder teacher. My son is now almost 5, his brother is 2.5, and this book is dog-eared! We read this at least 3x/week. The illustrations are breathtaking. Their animal vocabulary is amazing. Their attention to detail has definitely improved in many areas - they look for hidden images in all their books now. Animalia, also by Graeme Base, is spectacular too - another favorite in our home.

Our two year old son LOVES, LOVES, LOVES this book, which teaches not only numbers but also about animals and their different and unique habitats. He has the whole book memorized, including the dedication "For Bob". The artwork is spectacular, the story is simple but engaging, and this book is appropriate for the youngest toddlers to early readers. It is not a board book and is beautifully illustrated, so it is a wonderful book for parents to read before bedtime. We are ordering another one because ours has had a hard life from overuse!

I loved this book. It is rare to have a computer book that you can read cover to cover but this is one. It is meticulously researched and written, with good questions and exercises at the end to test what you learned. The only thing I didn't understand was why there were only answers to odd questions, but it didn't really matter. Finally there were excellent online references for future learning. This is a classic.

As a Flash beginner, I found this book to be the perfect starting point: concise, clearly written, and full of practical advice for creating basic Flash animations.

Kay writes in an accessible and engaging style, walking readers through basic Flash concepts like vector graphics, the stage and timeline metaphors, up through more advanced topics like coding interactive behaviors and working with sound. Finally, he introduces readers to the basics of Actionscript, the advanced Flash programming language used to create more complex applications.

I would wholeheartedly recommend this book for beginners like me who are interested in getting started with Flash.

The Web Wizard's Guide explains not only how to use Flash, but how to design with Flash. Tech-manual writers are notorious for leaving out context when describing a software interface, which makes learning most programs difficult. Kay's down-to-earth writing style simplifies the process. He uses practical, realistic examples to explain the concepts behind each menu command. He teaches you to know when to use Flash, and when not to use it. Read this book to learn good Flash design and keep the product manual around simply for reference.

I am a busy Art Director/Designer who, at last, is making the necessary transition from print to the web. The Web Wizard's Guide to Flash by Michael Kay has just become my most recent bible. I just love this book and can't put it down . . . it's like having your own web wizard always at your fingertips.

Michael Kay has done a great job in presenting a lot of intimidating technical information in an accessible way. The instructions are direct and clear and the language of the text is simple and friendly--not loaded with dull or confusing tech speak. The format of the book relies on well honed step-by-step technical objectives which, when applied, give fantastic results.

Best of all, I have been able to use these lessons directly in my day to day layout and design process. After working through this book, my web pages are now alive with animated motion and pizzazz, finally breaking me out of the amateur design crowd!

I highly recommend this text as a must read for any web designer or student or teacher who wants to learn and apply Flash - fast - in a painless, easy-to-read-and-use format. It should also be made more available on book store shelves in general.

as a web design instructor, i've read many books on flash and i am always looking for new reference/learning material to recommend to students. this one covers all the important topics very well. from the basic screen tour up through the nitty-gritty of actionscript, this book does a fantastic job of breaking down a difficult set of topics for a beginning flash animator. i would suggest this book to someone just starting out with the program, or for a person who's self-taught and is looking for the 'correct' way to do something. definitely a good investment.

My 2 year old is still enjoying the games and songs and she sings along now. I put the lullabies (2nd half) on when I put her down for her nap. It's nice to have the book to so I can learn the words and sing to her. The book also tells all the motions that go with the baby games. I highly recommend this CD and book set for every mom and her little ones!

The other reviewers have said it all and I can't agree with them more. I love this CD and its companion book. As a first time mom, the games I learned from this book are lifesavers... I wish I had bought it sooner!

My twins have LOVED this playful CD for a few months now (they are 10 months old now). It is one of the only CDs with kids singing that I can stand. The arrangements are appropriately short and simple, and contain some sound effects my babies enjoy. They especially enjoy the first 10 songs. I always put this CD on when they are playing, and they automatically smile and start playing happily. My boy twin always smiles when the peek-a-boo song comes on too. This CD will get my twins in a good mood every time.

This audiocassette of songs and finger plays for little ones is absolutely precious. The voices of the young singers captivate my 18 month old twins, and are equally engaging for parents. The enclosed book with lyrics and hand motions to the songs is a terrific bonus. We have such fun acting out the songs together and encouraging our boys to imitate our hand gestures. I recommend it highly for interactive play with babies and toddlers. This would make a great shower gift!

Looking for ideas for things to do with your baby or toddler? Look no further. This is an awesome collection of songs, fingerplays, bouncing games, nursery rhymes, and lullabies. It comes with a CD/cassette and book that contains the complete text as well as directions for how to do each game or fingerplay, with separate instructions for baby and toddler. Of course, all the traditionals are here- "Pat-A-Cake", "Ride a Little Pony", "This Little Piggy", "Head, Shoulders, Knees, Toes", etc.- but there are many, many more that I had never heard of before and that have quickly become favorites with my baby. There are songs and rhymes for bathtime, for bouncing, for teaching baby the parts of the body, clothing, animal names and sounds, etc. etc. This is a truly amazing resource for encouraging your baby's language development and motor skills, as well as parent-child bonding. There are enough games to occupy your baby all day long!
Once it's bedtime, there are about 15 or so beautifully sung lullabies, all of which I have since learned by heart and sing to my baby all the time. Again, the lullabies include both traditionals like "Brahms Lullaby", "Rock a Bye Baby", "Hush Little Baby" as well as many I've never heard of before (e.g., "White Sheep", "Mother Goose's Lullaby", "Raisins and Almonds")
I've purchased several other infant development books, but this is the only one that gets consistent use every day. Best of all, it's a true bargain for the amount of material you get.

My grandchildren 3 - 6 thoroughly enjoy this book. The original copy which was owned by my son-in-law as a child was destroyed from so much use, so this was a repurchase. They all love finding Waldo and looking at the various tiny characters on each page.

This is a very fun book. I enjoyed the Waldo books when I was a preteen. The pictures teaming with people from every walks of life with lots of little stories in the greater scene.

Now my kids are old enough to begin looking for Waldo. My four year old son is very entertained by looking for Waldo. He has spent hours looking at this book.

This book you have to find the dog's tail, waldo, the thing he lost, and several Waldo watchers. It's fairly hard and yet my son still loves it.

Enjoy.

This book is, in fact, available from AMAZON in the UK

Always a great book - baught the original when my children were young for road trips - I baught this reissue for my 22yr old son to take to Iraq the original was worn out. Had to sneak a peak thou and all five of us spent hours
together like we did so many years ago.

Entertaining for both children and adults. This book is full of visual puns and amusing drawings like a flying Ace (of spades) and a human snowball. Long after we've found Waldo everywhere, we're still seeing something new and surprising. This is a great (but slightly bulky) book to keep kids entertained on long trips.

As a Dad who is deeply committed to spending lots of time with my young kids, I am always concerned that I will run out of ideas that will be engaging to the kids as well as keeping me interested in doing things with them. This book answers that need perfectly. It's easy to use, well-organized, and incredibly practical. The ideas for science projects make me wish that someone had done these things with me when I was a kid...they are both kid-friendly and interesting to adults. I particularly liked the sections on cooking, as our family tries to involve everyone in food preparation and mealtimes. The recipes are great and make the tasks of food preparation feel like fun, not like chores. The style of writing is straightforward and the ideas presented are sensible. I hope that the authors write another book for parents of older children so I'll have them with me as my kids continue to grow.

I've discovered that Wonderplay, Too makes a perfect gift for friends who are mothers of young children. I've given it to several friends on different occasions, and have gotten rave reviews back. Working mothers, in particular, have told me how much they appreciate having such an easy resource for terrific ideas on how to spend quality time with their children. And they're passing the book on to their friends!

I'm having a wonderful time using this book with my children! We've tried many of the activities and all have been great hits with our kids. I especially like that this book has sections with science and cooking. The ideas are imaginative and are things that kids actually enjoy doing. Most of the supplies for the activities are things I already had in the house, which saves time and energy and makes it easy to get going. I also find the suggestions scattered throughout the book incredibly helpful. The book is also charming, attractive, and well organized--and there's plenty to choose from. Most of all, we've had a lot of fun spending time together with this book! I highly recommend it.

The Parenting Center at the 92nd Street Y in New York City has long been at the forefront of child development. Our son has attended several of the classes offered by the Parenting Center, and they have been outstanding. This book brings the accumulated wisdom of that organization the bear on the question of what kinds of fun activities to pursue with kids. "Wonderplay, Too" picks up where "Wonderplay" leaves off, with hundreds of great ideas for games to play with 3- to 6-year olds. It's full of so many great ideas, any one of which can save your sanity on a rainy day. Highly recommended.

Wonderplay,Too is a treasure trove of stimulating activities. A must for anyone who is parenting.

Arrived on time in great condition (older edition, but couldn't find any wear!) Almost identical to 10th Edition so worked perfectly for my health class. Great low price. Thanks!

This book covers everything you need to know to pass the Dantes Health exam. It's well worth its cost, if you want/need a high passing score.

I just completed a health class and this was the textbook we used. I learned so much from using this book. This book is precise and to the point. It provides you with colorful pictures, charts, and definitions that's superb. It provides great information on Weight Management, Cancer, Heart Disease, Illicit Drugs, and Alchohol.

No health class should go with out this book. This is defintely a great teaching tool for those that are taking a health class, or simply a great reference guide. I give this book five stars.

The 1999 Edition of Access to Health by Donatelle and Davis is excellent! User friendly writing style, colors, charts, references, and a comprehensive collection of chapters that cover all the key personal health related topics. From human sexuality to societal violence, the text covers all the bases. The authors have worked hard to bring this Edition up to date with the most current health research references/topics. I strongly recommend considering adoption for any introductory personal health course.

I love to write. But honestly, I've been fearing having to teach writing skills to middle school or high school students. Yet when I found this book, my fears vanished. Golub delicately instructs teachers how to stimulate students of all grade levels to write. His focus is to shift the process of reading and writing from a solitary activity to an interative group activity. He gives WONDERFUL illustrations of interactive group activities that are both fun for the teacher and the students. He questions the traditional classroom setting where the teacher simply gives students a "hand-out" with formulas and patterns for writing a paper. He challenges teachers to take on the role of designer and director in the classroom. In this way, knowledge is construted, not transmitted. This interactive classroom concept is the intstructive approach all teachers should adapt to. Golub's ideas for teaching students to write are both refreshing and creative. Without a doubt, this is a wonderful book which educators of all grade levels should have.

I have Dr. Golub as a professor at the University of South Florida so I speak from experience when I say this man is a genious. His activities are proven by his students in class; we all have fun and that carries over into our own classroom. I have more ideas from Dr. G than any other insructor I've ever had. He truly gives humorous and unusual ways of challenging students. This book is only the start...

I love to write. But honestly, I've been fearing having to teach writing skills to middle school or high school students. Yet when I found this book, my fears vanished. Golub delicately instructs teachers how to stimulate students of all grade levels to write. His focus is to shift the process of reading and writing from a solitary activity to an interative group activity. He gives WONDERFUL illustrations of interactive group activities that are both fun for the teacher and the students. He questions the traditional classroom setting where the teacher simply gives students a "hand-out" with formulas and patterns for writing a paper. He challenges teachers to take on the role of designer and director in the classroom. In this way, knowledge is construted, not transmitted. This interactive classroom concept is the intstructive approach all teachers should adapt to. Golub's ideas for teaching students to write are both refreshing and creative. Without a doubt, this is a wonderful book which educators of all grade levels should have.

English teachers who are moving with the standards and performance models of change are sure to appreciate Jeffrey Golub's book because it has practical suggestions about how to set up a positive and supportive climate and teach skills. As he gives practical ideas on teaching discrete listening and writing skills, he also imparts his main ideas on the interactive classroom, a place where students make meaning as they develop their language skills. I found the book to be full of content, clarifying ideas, and a philosophy of teaching that matches and furthers my own practice. The added plus is that the style is lively, humorous and easy to read. A delight!