P Books

Do you ever have one of those days (weeks, months) when it seems all you have done all day is get after your child for doing things he knows he is not supposed to do? You have tried yelling, using time-outs, taking toys away, etc., and you feel guilty (and worn out). I have an almost 2 year old and a 3 year old and a ton of parenting books. If I could only recommend one parenting book, this is it. The main idea behind this book is that praising good behavior is much more effective than punishing bad behavior. This seems kind of obvious, but it is very difficult to consciously do this all the time. I liked this book so much because it is sooooo motivating. It makes you see how important it is to minimize negative interactions with your children and maximize positive ones. It gives lots of examples on how to talk to your child and words to use. There were some parts of this book that I did not agree with, but the good parts were so good that I think all parents should have a copy of this book.

This is a book I wish had been around when my kids were young. Thank heavens I found it while they were teenagers. I picked it up on the recommendation of a friend, when my kids were heading for social, educational and emotional disaster. When I hit the page where the author says that insanity is doing the same things you have always done and expecting different results, I decided his concepts were worth a try. My kids responded immediately, just as Dr. Latham predicted, and so positively that I was astounded.

Don't expect to be too entertained by this book. It's repetitive and many of the things the author tells you to do are so counterintuitive you may be tempted (as I was) to think they'll never work. However, don't let the repetitive nature of his instructions put you off. There's a good reason for all the repetition--we don't get it the first time, or the second, or the third, or... Give his principles a try and watch the absolute miracles start to happen.

Everyone should get this book. It gave me so much great useful info. I took tons of notes to go back and keep re-reading. I got so much out of it I am taking the class that goes along with it.

I have spent five years reading parenting books and this is the best one by far. I have read this book probably 5 times...and review it all the time. My husband took a master's level parenting class for a related field and this was his textbook. This book takes the pain out of parenting and the pain out of your children when we try to parent. This is a no-hit, no-yell, effective, kind way to parent. I often have people tell me they can't believe how well behaved my kids are. I tell ya it isn't luck, it is using the information from this book! It is worth every penny you pay and more. You, your kids and your spouse will be happier from reading this. Parenting and family life are fun thanks to this, just as it should be. By the way, this book isn't magic, it isn't always easy to keep your temper down but if you work at it you will love being a parent!

The Power of Positive Parenting contained a few key guiding principles that are valuable. The author's folksy style though is too repetitive and contains too much fluff - I appreciate the message and did learn some good things but it could have been done in a fraction of the space.

If you're a much faster reader (or have a significantly lighter reading load) than me this book is great. If not, I would have loved the Cliff Notes for this one.

From a practical point of view I wish the advice was tailored to particular age groups - too often the advice was poorly;y matched to my 3 year old.

In a nutshell: Love your kids, reinforce their good behavior, don't (over)react to their age-appropriate insanity. (sorry if I missed one)

This is an excellent book. Very theologically sound too. An great reminder to look outside of ourselves, and be focused on giving God glory.

This book is an eye opener for those of us who gotten the order for life completely flip flopped. Not only does it open your eyes, but lovingly guides you to a right perspective on Who should be big in your life. Hint: it is not people. This book will free you from self imposed or other imposed bondage.

"Fear of man is such a part of our human fabric that we should check for a pulse if someone denies it." (pp. 17). Do I have your attention now? At our church's recent seminar on "How to Share Your Faith" the topic of fear came up as a main reason we don't share the Gospel more often. Since the Bible says that our hearts tend to turn all good things into idols, it should come as no surprise that the primary way we do this is with other people. And this idol impacts us in countless ways! From the back cover: "Pride, oversensitivity, defensiveness, avoidance of others, easy embarrassment, people pleasing, needing approval...You'll be surprised to learn how the fear of others controls you--and what you can do about it."

This is more than a self-help book - it is a theology book that reminds us of who God is, who we are, and how that relationship is supposed to look and impact all of our other relationships. Ed Welch is a counselor, but he is also a theologian, and he combines the two to really examine our hearts and our Lord. And his goal is not to dismiss your fears, but to place them in context. "If you have ever walked among giant redwoods, you will never be overwhelmed by the size of a dogwood tree. Or if you have been through a hurricane, a spring rain is nothing to fear. If you have been in the presence of the almighty God, everything that once controlled you suddenly has less power." (pp. 119). Knowing and fearing our God, exposes and cuts away the roots of our fears. Understanding our idols (people), show us how they don't deliver what we ask of them:

"People are our cherished idols. We worship them, hoping they will take care of us, hoping they will give us what we feel we need. What we really need are biblical shapes and identities for other people. Then instead of needing other people to fill our desires, we can love people for the sake of God's glory and fulfill the purpose for which we were created." (pp. 182).

The book is broken down into two parts. Part I is titled "How and Why We Fear Others" and Part II is "Overcoming the Fear of Others". His analysis of our hearts, our fears and the solutions to these issues are Biblical and Christ-centered through and through. It is readable and practical. It is helpful and hopeful! This is one of the most important books I have read in my walk with the Savior, and I urge you to read it as well! What have you got to lose - except the fears that bind you and rob you of your joy?

Anyone who is honest will find this topic relevant in their life. Welch exposes our tendency to be trapped into pleasing people instead of pleasing God. I have purchased 6 copies of this book to give away in the last 5 months and I will give away more in the next year.

This book presents the regretful truth of fallen man.

'Therefore we cannot rightly say, 'My God is not a God of judgment and anger; my God is a God of love.' Such thinking makes it almost impossible to grow in the fear of the Lord. It suggests that sin only saddens God rather than offends Him.' pg 103

'There was a time in my own life when I would practice the presence of God; then, when I felt His presence, I would pray. All went well, until the day I didn't feel His presence.' pg 83

'The emphasis on self-esteem also contributes to the fear of man. For example, even tho most self-esteem books indicate that it is something you can develop by yourself, almost all the books also say that one of the best ways to raise your self-esteem is to achieve some successes (which are then compared to what others do) or to surround yourself with people who affirm you (which leaves you dependent on their opinion).' pg 75

This would be my first choice book to work thru in a small Bible study group. Not only does Edward T Welch succeed in challenging our faulty 'Dr Phil' views, but he re-addresses our low view of God, in a practical and pastoral way. The subject matter is interrelated with our steadfastness and faithfulness, all of whom could benefit by reading this wonderful book.

A worthwhile excursion and bible-based exhortation which contradicts many Christian resources - especially the popular sort.

My 1st grader hates to put it down, he would rather read Magic Tree House books, than play video games. He even reads them to his class and explains the story for show and tell. In his kindergarten class the teacher would also let him read the Magic Tree House books out loud, not to give her a break, but to promote reading out loud. Great books!

In this story, Jack and Annie go to the beach and find a mini-submarine. They explore the ocean and learn about coral reefs. Coral reefs are made of skeletons of tiny sea creatures. Jack and Annie look out the big window of the submarine and see two dolphins. Annie names them Sukie and Sam. When they look at the submarine's computer, they find out that the submarine is cracked. They are being squeezed by an octopus. They start to swim to shore because of the cracks, but when they look back, they see a fin and think that it might be a shark. When they realize they are looking at the dolphins, they ride on the dolphins backs. The dolphins take them safely to shore and they go back home in the magic treehouse.

I liked this book a lot because it has a happy ending. I like dolphins and I wish I could ride on one like Jack and Annie. I recommend this book to kids who like dolphins and who like to read about magic. This book is also good because it teaches you about the coral reef. This is a great book to read during the summer. -by JG.

If anyone is looking for a good book, here's one!
Feel the detail spray into your mind with excitement.

This book is very, very exciting!

Enjoy!

Dolphins at Daybreak takes place at the Magic Treehouse, on an island and out at sea. Morgan le Fay, the master librarian, sends Jack and Annie to an island to look for three riddles. They go there in the Magic Treehouse. The first riddle they found was a pearl inside an oyster. Jack and Annie need to fins the riddles because they want to be master librarians like Morgan. A mini-submarine takes Jack and Annie to find the next riddle. It has cracks init and begins to leak.There are two dolphins nearby that save Jack and Annie from drowning. They also save them from a hungry shark. When they returned to the Treehouse, Jack and Annie found out that the Oyster was the correct riddle that they needed. Jack and Annie were on their way to becoming master librarians. I like the book !



This review is by Maryrose Wintroath

Dolphins at Daybreak is a story about two kids that go own an
adventure. The story takes place in a magic tree house with two kids named Jack and Annie.

The story starts out with Annie wanting Jack to go to the magic tree house. There they
meet Morgan Le Fay and she is the master librarian for the tree house and gives Jack and Annie
a folded piece of paper with a riddle in it and an ocean guide
book. Next Jack and Annie are in Hawaii and jump into a
mini-sub. Their sub came upon an octopus and the octopus
put his arms around the mini-sub. Then the octopus let go of
the mini-sub because sharks started to circle the mini-sub.
The mini-sub started to have problems and Jack and Annie took
it to the surface of the ocean. Whth the sharks still close
by they swim for their lives. Just as they start to tire, two
dolphins pick them up and take them to the island and reef.
Back at the reef, Annie finds an oyster on the beach. Jack
said that this oyster could be the answer to the riddle from
Morgan LeFay. Then Jack and Annie went back to the tree house
and found Morgan's scroll. It said oyster on the scroll and was
the answer to the riddle. The story ends with Jack and Annie
going to back to their house after they solved the riddle.

Peter T.

A great quick guide on drug information, perhaps, the best one. Full monographs of almost all of the drugs, including interactions. Much necessary to the pharmacists and other health professionals.

Excellent, concise, just the facts, ma'am, and easy to look up just what you need. Why wade through the Physicians Desk Reference when this handy gem has all that you really desire in drug information, presented efficiently by pharmacists. Boils it down to the facts. 2-3 pages per medication, in table form often. Once you buy this book, you'll ditch the PDR. Guaranteed.

this is a great resource. as a pharmacist, I use this quite often for basic questions.

The charts in the back are very comprehensive and useful; the drug monographs are very up-to-date and accurate.

While other people in my class waited for their DIHs to arrive, I had mine in no time! Thanks!

I have greatly enjoyed using this book both as a personal resource and a group study resource. I anticipate using this book throughout my life both personally and in ministry. A must-have!

This is an excellent guide to prayer. We use it every day for a starting of our daily prayers.

I absolutely love this book. It combines just the right amount of structural guidance and freedom. I love the addition of "Spiritual Readings" to complement the Scripture readings and themes.

Each week focuses on a different theme. The Scripture readings help you discover various aspects of the theme without the authors manipulating the text. The readings are associated with the theme, but are not "devotionals" on the days Scripture readings. The readings are taken from some of the best Christian writers and classics of Christian thought.

Shawchuck and Job structure the daily devotionals as follows:

Invocation (a written prayer to focus you and draw you in for the day's theme)
A Psalm (Chosen to align with the week's theme.)
Reading for Reflection (Chosen from among the best writers in Christian history)
Daily Scripture Readings (Monday-Friday with the weekends consisting of a selection from the Lectionary)
Reflection: Silent and Written (Nothing written, but this give you time to sit quietly or journal)
Prayers: For the Church, for Others, and Myself (Again, not written, but this is the time where you spend time in prayer)
Hymn (Sing or read as poetry; either way you are exposed to some of the great hymns of the church)
Benediction (Provided by the authors to bring closing).

This book has helped me on my spiritual journey. I struggle with ADD and this book provided the right amount of structure to help me stay focused and yet the freedom to experience variety.

I love the way this is set up. It has different type of devotional components

This might be the only product on Amazon that I've ever seen with 20 5-star reviews and nothing else. I hate to be the grumpy one, but I'm just not tracking with these other reviewers. I found this to be one of the least helpful devotionals that I've ever used.

I was assigned to use this devotional for a seminary class and was fully prepared to appreciate it. I was excited about the daily Scripture readings, the collected quotations, and the weekly hymns, all tied to the same theme. This seemed like a perfect format. Unfortunately, it turned out to be dreadful.

My one primary complaint was that the Scriptures and the quotes were difficult to connect thematically. Though there was a category for each week like "Forgiveness" or "Wise Stewards," I often found myself completely perplexed as to how a particular Scripture reading was supposed to relate to that topic. I'm not suggesting that reading the Bible should be an inherently intuitive process, but if I'm going to be sent flying across the entire Bible from one day to the next, I would really prefer to understand the relationship between the passages.

I also found the "Readings for Reflection" to be a struggle. Though other reviewers raved about the authors who were represented, I found many of them to be extremely obscure (and for good reason). Many of the readings were very wooden, probably somewhat indicative of the time when they were written. I do enjoy reading the classics, but I did not find these selections to be especially enlightening and more often left me scratching my head.

Finally, I found the organization of each week to be extremely frustrating. I was constantly flipping back and forth from one page to another, and the binding of the book is so tight and its pages so narrow that it would frequently snap shut and leave me hunting to find my place. I realize that many will laugh at my focus on such minor details, but they really affect me. I'm distractible to begin with, and the last thing that I need when spending devotional time with God is one more thing to distract me. I really wished that the Scriptures and readings had been better integrated to allow for a more natural flow when using this book.

Upon rereading my critique, I probably paint myself as some sort of lazy idiot. I am not looking for a mindless devotional book. I am willing to invest in intellectual reflection when I study the Word and read what others have to say. Maybe "A Guide to Prayer" will work for other folks, but this guide left me disappointed and even frustrated. I will keep looking for a devotional guide that flows more naturally and makes more sense to me.

Thank you, Barbara Parks for letting America's favorite first grader learn a splendid Christmas lesson in Junie B., First Grader: Jingle Bells, Batman Smells! (p.s. so does May.)!

Even at holiday time, Junie is up to her expected tricks, and there's an awful rivalry with Tattletale May. But, alls well that ends well, with tons of laughs on the way to a heartwarming ending.

Brava, Barbara Parks!

These books are Christmas gifts for our granddaughter. She loves thenm and I was pleased with the quick delivery of them from the vendor.

I have never seen my child go through a book this fast!!! We got it for him last night at about 6:00pm, and by 9:00am this morning he was like, "Wow, that was a great book!" He couldn't put it down. He read it at dinner last night, before he went to bed, when he woke up he immediately grabbed this book, he read it through breakfast, and he finished it in the car on our way to the store this morning. I am SHOCKED! All this from a kid who refuses to read anything for more than 20 minutes (which is the amount of time his teacher requires all the students to read their assigned books for homework). I'm buying him the Junie B. Dumb Bunny book for Christmas. It is the only other one rated 5 stars on this website.

Junie B. does it again...she makes us laugh during one of the most memorable holidays in a young child's life!! We see a soft side of Junie B. which rarely shows itself, but allows us to get to know her that much more AND teaches us a life lesson! My daughter and I loved reading this together!

Another story in the series by Park! Keeps you laughing - and will take you down memory lane as Junie B. gets ready for Christmas & will remind you of ALL those "fun" lyrics we made up to Christmas songs! She's still irrepressible & even though her language is "becoming more adult" there are still enough "Junie B.-isms" to keep you in stitches. If you're collecting the series, get going to the cash register!

This book was amazing, I can usually only read books once or twice but i have read this book 5 times. This book has inspired me to become a voluteer at my neighbourhood hospital. This book reminds me of my life. a new virus that no one has heard of struck my city (Toronto) and everyone is panicking, and also the volunteers remind me of me and my friends who volunteer at our hospital too. Sunnybrook (my local hospital) sounds a lot like Med Centre. I LOVED THIS BOOK AND I GUARANTEE YOU WILL TOO!!!

This is an exciting book that gives you mystory love suspence all in one. Find out if the 7 or more people who have fallen ill get out of this disease alive. See if Will and Susannah do get to gether in these ruff times. So read the book and find out you wont be disapointed.

When an unknown virus lands many people of Grant, Mass. into intensive care at the local hospital, the medical staff know they are up against something deadly. And deadly is what characterizes Diane Hoh's plots perfectly! if you are a fan of young adult novels and enjoy suspence and "cliff hangers" at the end of every chapter, this is the book for you. The main characters are lively and believable, without being too stereotipical. Diane Hoh is definetely a master at her craft!

This was the first book that i have read by Diane Hoh and I have been reading her ever since. I thought this was a really good book and i am looking for more med center books right now.

Virus is a good book, but sometimes hard to follow. I enjoyed the story, but couldn't figure out some of the conflicts. Some of the things about Will and Susannah made me slightly confused and had to look through the book to understand. Overall, it was a good book

James Thurber was one of the funiest authors of all time and this book cements his reputation. I enjoyed it many years ago and after re-reading it, I enjoyed it again.

Should be required reading for all folks of any age looking for an introduction to life in these United States, for those learning to overcome despair and disaster with humor and grace, for any and all learning the English language.

Thurber is a great favorite of mine, and this was another fun book to read.

Take your mind back half a century and read these mildly amusing essays about life in the 1920s and 1930s. The style is so different from modern prose, but it is well worth the read.

I am 52 yrs. old. I read this book in High School and couldn't put it down. When I read it again as adult, I laughed even harder because somehow it made having the weirdest family in the whole world a joke instead of a hardship. It made Thurber's family, the Coneheads, the Simpsons, and the Osbornes seem like life is good as long as you can laugh once in a while, and even better if you can laugh at yourself.

Is it ever a wonder that Max Lucado is truly anointed by the Lord to touch your heart? In 'No Wonder They Call Him the Savior: Chronicles from the Cross', Lucado gets to the heart of the matter. Even to his Irish friend, Ian who had been there and done that. Tired of religion and theology. When everything else seems empty. What really mattered? He wanted treasure. The answer: The Cross.

As it is written, from Paul in I Corithians, chapter 15.

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures....

From the Cross comes Words spoken in the Lord's final acts. The words come from Luke, chapter 23. He spoke to all of us through time. He saw each one of us. From His suffering, His pain and His shame to our sickness, our sin and our doubt. His cry, "Father, forgive them." [Luke 23:34] was enough. To all the Bernhard Goetz's who lash out in anger for injustice. There is justice. To the criminal who died on the Cross next to the Savior there is hope. For those finding a way out there is pardon and forgiveness. To the solider or missionary who leaves loved ones behind. For Love is built NOT on passion and romance but on mission and sacrifice. That eternity is closer than any Good-bye, but in reality 'see you soon.' To all the Judith Bucknell's who cry in loneliness. He reached out from the Cross to your lonely heart. It was Jesus in his hour of abandonment, 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?' [Matthew 27:46]. When no one else loves you. He is going to love you. He always has. He was fulfilling prophecy. When you're tired and thrist. He knows that, too. God became flesh and dwelt with us to know everything we have ever done with compassion He carried it with Him to the Cross.

The witnesses who were there and saw the miracle of salvation. Even those who ran away. There was a great price paid. He sacrified His life. We all know what had happened that day. The message is in our tears. No education, maturity or religion can separate us from His passion. From the Cross' wisdom comes the open arms of undying Love and a place to come home to. Only that wisdom lies NOT as men sees it, but in Faith in the Power of God. The evidence in an empty tomb. So what does really matter to you? I'd say a living God in the flesh, making the most important decision in your life, to spread the news 'in an information age, NOT regeneration.' In Jesus' words, 'Will you tell them?' 'Will you tell them I came back and that I'm coming back again.' Will you?

NOTE: Contains a Study Guide at the end for each chapter for further study plus added notes. To Max, May God continually Bless you as you Bless us with your gift. In the Love of Jesus.

Anything Max Lucado write is an understanding of the Bible that helps a person to find it easily understandable. He makes it easy for people to read and under Jesus a lot better and plus his bible study at the end of the book makes it easier to share the knowledge with a friend

Is it ever a wonder that Max Lucado is truly anointed by the Lord to touch your heart? In 'No Wonder They Call Him the Savior: Chronicles from the Cross', Lucado gets to the heart of the matter. Even to his Irish friend, Ian who had been there and done that. Tired of religion and theology. When everything else seems empty. What really mattered? He wanted treasure. The answer: The Cross.

As it is written, from Paul in I Corithians, chapter 15.

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures....

From the Cross comes Words spoken in the Lord's final acts. The words come from Luke, chapter 23. He spoke to all of us through time. He saw each one of us. From His suffering, His pain and His shame to our sickness, our sin and our doubt. His cry, "Father, forgive them." [Luke 23:34] was enough. To all the Bernhard Goetz's who lash out in anger for injustice. There is justice. To the criminal who died on the Cross next to the Savior there is hope. For those finding a way out there is pardon and forgiveness. To the solider or missionary who leaves loved ones behind. For Love is built NOT on passion and romance but on mission and sacrifice. That eternity is closer than any Good-bye, but in reality 'see you soon.' To all the Judith Bucknell's who cry in loneliness. He reached out from the Cross to your lonely heart. It was Jesus in his hour of abandonment, 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?' [Matthew 27:46]. When no one else loves you. He is going to love you. He always has. He was fulfilling prophecy. When you're tired and thrist. He knows that, too. God became flesh and dwelt with us to know everything we have ever done with compassion He carried it with Him to the Cross.

The witnesses who were there and saw the miracle of salvation. Even those who ran away. There was a great price paid. He sacrified His life. We all know what had happened that day. The message is in our tears. No education, maturity or religion can separate us from His passion. From the Cross' wisdom comes the open arms of undying Love and a place to come home to. Only that wisdom lies NOT as men sees it, but in Faith in the Power of God. The evidence in an empty tomb. So what does really matter to you? I'd say a living God in the flesh, making the most important decision in your life, to spread the news 'in an information age, NOT regeneration.' In Jesus' words, 'Will you tell them?' 'Will you tell them I came back and that I'm coming back again.' Will you?

NOTE: Contains a Study Guide at the end for each chapter for further study plus added notes. To Max, May God continually Bless you as you Bless us with your gift. In the Love of Jesus.

"Any serious study of the Christian claim is, at its essence, a study of the cross. To accept or reject Christ without careful examination of Calvary is like deciding on a car without looking at the engine."

As "pain pervades the dusty planet," we can at times wonder how our suffering can better us as human beings. We feel alone roaming down here while God seems far above, safe in his heavenly paradise.

This is where Jesus Christ appears. In his suffering, we can see God at his most human. When the consistency of life IS inconsistency, there is someone who understands.

Jesus died for people instead of taking revenge. He didn't retaliate even when he was facing death. He takes our sin on his shoulders and becomes the "death slayer."

Max Lucado is really writing to people who have broken hearts and who can find a lonely person simply by looking in the mirror. The land of promise is for those who endure the pain and suffering and are reborn.

I loved the story he tells about the puppy and how he explains guilt and forgiveness. He brings a human element to spiritual concepts. He also explains how we can't get rid of guilt ourselves, we really do need a savior.

A beautiful look at Christ, the Cross and why we need God.

~The Rebecca Review

Max Lucado has done a marvelous thing by blessing humanity with his portrayal of the Cross of Jesus Christ. In his own unique style of writing, the author takes you on a vivid journey of discovery as you see the Cross, and the characters who "surround" it, from a new light. Max Lucado has such a powerful ability to express himself in words. Tears filled my eyes as I was touched, transformed, and impacted by my Saviour through this book. You will be truly blessed!

Wonderfully written. The characters are very well drawn out, especially Graceanne and her mother. The story is told from Graceanne's brother's perspective. Although many people in her life see Graceanne as being a misbehaving "problem" child, it is clear from the way she treats her siblings and friends that Graceanne is one of the most loving characters I have ever met. I was sorry that the book ended. I want to know more about what happens in their lives. I highly recommend this book.

Very true to life story of a fractured family. You will have a hard time putting it down.

Once I began reading this book, I couldn't stop thinking about it. I was anxious to get back to the story to find out what happened to these children, always hoping that some drastic event would change their lives for the better. The writing is so vivid that you can easily picture the settings and feel their pain. The ending leaves you haunted and wishing to go back and make it right for them. I highly recommend this book as one of the best that I have read.

The minute I finished this book I wanted to talk about it with someone. I wanted to explore the rich Missouri setting, the strong characters that are authentic and interesting, and the issues of racisim and child abuse that rage through this novel like the river that floods Graceanne's home town.

In a nutshell, Graceanne is a spirited highly intelligent child who is the sole recipient of her mother's violent abuse. She remains strong, witty and true to herself throughout the entire novel. I strongly disagree with a fellow reviewer who believes that Graceanne "got what she deserved" because she was such a willful and devilish child. I believe her antics, such as hiding out in the school's flooded basement for two days so that she could be "Champion for Eternity" in a game of hide-and-seek, was her way of not letting the abuse do her in. It was her way of preserving her soul.

At first I was really worried that the child-abuse scenes would be too vivid. I worried that they would be the central imagery of the story. They aren't. Whitney uses them just enough, and is detailed just enough, so that you know how sick the mother really is. The author often makes you laugh and smile at a small town childhood, and small town kids getting into small town mischief.

This is really a story of kids overcoming the hands that life has delt them. Charlie overcoming his club foot, Graceanne her abuse and Wanda the racism that plagued that era of American history. These kids perservere with such charm and such thoughtfulness. In the end you are cheering for them, and praying that happiness will follow them beyond the wire hanger beatings of their childhood.

This is a book that sticks with you. Read it.

What an amazing book! The soul-touching story, combined with some of the most incredibly natural, infectious humor since Mark Twain, makes this one of the most uplifting books I've read in recent years.

The main characters -- 9 year-old Charlie, the narrator, and 12 year-old Graceanne, his sister -- are immensely endearing and admirable. They are growing up -- along with their older sister, 16 year-old Kentucky -- living with their recently-divorced mother on the 'wrong side of the tracks' in a small town in northern Missouri in the early 1960s. Their dad isn't in the picture much -- an alcoholic soldier who beats their mother, he's sent packing early on in the story, and makes himself scarce after his exit.

The mother, Edie, would probably be diagnosed today as being neurotic or psychotic. In her never-ending struggle to 'keep up appearances', she constantly nags her kids about their manners, the company they keep, &c. On several occasions, she asks out loud 'What have I ever done to deserve such demon children?' She takes most of her frustrations with her life, along with her complete misunderstanding of her children, on the intelligent, precocious Graceanne. On several occasions, she beats her until she's bloody. It's easy to understand how the kids would come to see themselves as a burden to her -- if it weren't for their seemingly indestructable spirits.

Graceanne is a tough child with a reputation to match. Near the beginning of the book, Charlie (actually short for Charlemange, which should tell you MORE about their mother), who has a correctable club foot, is musing about being bullied by the other children in town. He dismisses worrying about the other kids with these thoughts about his sisters (from p.9): 'The two worst bullies in Cranepool's Landing were ALREADY exercising their license as family members to beat me silly -- "whale on you, young man" -- on a regular basis, leaving all other potential assailants the status of respectful, but backward, admirers of my sisters' originality and prowess.'

Graceanne has an IQ of 165 -- and Charlie's is a very respectable 139. The author gives these children -- especially Graceanne, acquired by Charlie possibly simply by being in her presence -- incredible voices. Graceanne's use of newly-absorbed vocabulary words doesn't come across as much as an attempt to show off as it does as a means of asserting her inteligence and individuality in an atmosphere that tends to crush it.

She is also a universally feared and respected softball player. Some of the parents of the other kids even suspect that she's a boy. From p.248: 'She could hit anything that came at her, and she'd slice the ball belt-high through the infield, so close to the player she was aiming at that most players couldn't possibly catch it. A couple of parents complained that Graceanne was trying to peel the skin off their kids; the ball would come so fast and so hard and so tight that the only sensible thing to do was to hit the dirt when they saw it coming...'

There are several notable events in the book -- which takes place over the course of a little over a single year, from April 1960 to July 1961. It is the time of the Kennedys and Camelot, of the boiling pot of race relations in American coming to a head, before Vietnam -- a time of innocence and discovery, tailor-made for an imagination and spirit like that possessed by this young heroine. After her parents' divorce, her mother is forced by economics to move her family to a 'bad' part of town. Graceanne becomes fast friends with Wanda, the young black girl who lives next door -- which brings out some revealing comments and feelings from her mother, showing her to be anything BUT the color-blind person she has professed to be.

There are some tender, poignant moments in the novel as well -- both between Graceanne and her friend Wanda and between the siblings. Little brothers at this age historically do not endear themselves to their sisters, or vice versa. Through the course of the book, Charlie wrestles with what he eventually recognizes as growing feelings of love for his sister. From p.275, he wonders about his feelings that are awakened by hearing Elvis' 'Love me tender': 'I wondered if I loved anyone tenderly. I knew I loved Mike the dog, who you couldn't sing an Elvis song to because he was an animal. And I looked around and saw Graceanne with her doll hair and her glasses and her soft skin and I thought maybe I loved her, who would laugh at me if I sang Elvis to her. It came as a big surprise to me that I loved my sister.'

The novel is filled with moments like these -- but the action sequences never become over-the-top or unbelievable, and the touching moments never become maudlin. The author transposes her vision of this story onto the page with an easy grace and eloquence, touched with humor and sympathy for these wonderful characters. This is a story that can be enjoyed by adult readers -- and indeed, I came away with the impression that it was written for them -- and intelligent young people as well. It's quite an achievement.