Party The Books

Mary-Kate wants to throw a surprise party for Michelle but Ashley is having one for Jennifer the same day. Mary-Kate invites all of her friends and the same wiht AShley but then something bad happens for the both of them and they need help fast.

Mary-Kate and Ashley are in big trouble. Mary-Kate planned a surprise party for her friend which is great, but unfortunately Ashley planned a surprise party for her best friend the same night at their house. They came for the biggest surprise. A great book!

Ashley is throwing a party for her friend, Jennifer Dilber but Mary Kate wanted to throw a party for her best friend, Amanda Bennet. Her friend, Amanda got mad at her for not calling her back when Mary Kate's supposed to. In the ending, they both got a surprise party for their friends and everyone felt happy!

Another pretty cool Two of a Kind novelette.Mary-Kate and Ashley are planning a party each,for the same night.Now the competition is on as to who will recieve the most guests!

Mary-Kate plans a suprise party for her best friend Amanda on the same night Ashley plans a suprise party for her best friend Jennifer. Even though Mary-Kate and Ashley are twin sisters, they have totally different personalities so major arguments arise, not only with each other but with their best friends. I'd have to say this is the best book in the whole series that I've read so far because these kinds of problems are what everyday kids would probably have.

This well-written book is a rare objective outside-in view of women in the early Latter Day Saint church.

I have just discovered Vardis Fisher. His books should be preserved. He is one of the few GREATS. I have read several books on the Donner party - both fiction and non-fiction. "The Mothers" is the BEST of all I have read. I look forward to reading more of Vardis Fisher's book if and when I can find them.

I found "The Mothers", a chillingly can't put it down book. It shows the extremes a mother will go to for her children in desperate conditions. It is the Mothers who save the encampment. It is a well written book, that I enjoyed for its story line and historical contend.

I read this book many years ago. It is the only book I have read that I was thirsty when they were thirsty, cold when they were, hungry along with them. It is a marvellously well written book you can't put down as you follow the Donner Party over the desert and into the mountain pass, to be stranded by heavy snow storms, building shelters covered with the hides from the cattle. The courage of the MOTHERS as they hoarded what little food they had for their children, in the end cooking the roofs off their shelters to feed them, while they waited and hoped that the ones that were walking out would be able to get help to come to their rescue. It is a courageous but sad tale of the strengths of women when they are put to the test of life. I lost my book on loaning it to another reader, and for a number of years tried to find a copy without any luck. This winter I was able to obtain a 1943 copy though Amazon.com. It still gives me the same feelings as it did years ago. A great insight to the lenghts a mother will go for her children and family.

I found "The Mothers", a chillingly can't put it down book. It shows the extremes a mother will go to for her children in desperate conditions. It is the Mothers who save the encampment. It is a well written book, that I enjoyed for its story line and historical contend.

Desiree Shapiro, a Manhattan PI who loves food, throws her niece Ellen a bridal shower with Allison Lynton, mother of the groom, at Silver Oaks Country Club. Unfortunately Bobbie Jean, Allison's sister-in-law, takes a few bites of her green salad and keels over.

Desiree believes this to be a homicide and begins investigating. She discovers many people didn't get along well with Bobbie Jean. Bobbie Jean had stolen many fiances and husbands over the years. The suspect list keeps growing and changing.

Allison's husband Wes, Bobbie Jean's brother, has a tough time accepting her death. This adds to the tension in the family.

A new love interest starts calling Desiree. This makes it quite difficult, at times, for her to concentrate on the investigation.

Unfortunately Chief Porchow has set his sights on one suspect, and Desiree has to speed up her investigation before they arrest an innocent woman. She also finds Chief Porchow is not very receptive to her help and information. But, narrowing down the suspect list is not an easy task.

Desiree is the type of PI I'd want to hire if I ever needed one. She is very down-to-earth and loves food. We get to know her strengths and weaknesses in this series. She is a three-dimensional character. She also has a great relationship with Ellen -- who is a character in her own right.

The society ladies that Desiree investigates are very realistic. It is easily believed that they could be hiding something and adds to the overall mystery.

At the end of this book is a tasty new recipe for Desiree's Wild Mushroom Croustades. Food is a big focus in this series.

This cozy is one of my favorite series. I highly recommend this book. When you read one book, you'll want to read the whole series.

Plus-size Manhattan private eye, Desiree Shapiro, may be scrimping on luxury items for herself, but when she learns about her absolute favorite - and only - niece, Ellen's upcoming wedding, Desiree does the unthinkable...she breaks the bank and gets together with the mother of the groom-to-be, Mike, to throw a fabulous bridal shower to ring in the special occasion. Making arrangements at Connecticut's extravagant Silver Oaks Country Club, Desiree keeps things under wraps in an attempt to surprise Ellen. And surprised she is. For amongst the lavishly laden table full of scrumptious treats lies a killer salad that literally does Ellen's aunt-to-be, Bobbie Jean, in. Having known the woman for an extremely brief time, Desiree is clueless as to why someone would want to do Bobbie Jean harm. However, when Mike hires her to investigate the woman's death, Desiree can't say no. After all, they're practically family, and she doesn't want to rock the boat before he and Ellen have said "I do." Contrary to popular belief, Desiree instantly learns that Bobbie Jean was not the saint that Mike and his father may have believed her to be. Quite the opposite in fact. Upon digging up the dirt, Desiree actually learns that Bobbie Jean was an extremely manipulative woman who was hated by many for various scandalous reasons - namely the fact that she was an adulterer and a home-wrecker who left many women without spouses and in tears. The police, however, are not as convinced as Desiree that Bobbie Jean's death was a homicide, and refuse to treat it as such until they get their lab reports back. But Desiree refuses to wait. Dragging her dimpled behind through the streets of Manhattan, and all the way out to Connecticut various times, the pudgy PI begins interrogating her four prime suspects - Carla and Robin Fremont, Lorraine Corwin, and, worst of all, Mike's own mother, Allison Lynton. The process is slow-going, considering each woman appeared to hold a very strong grudge against the deceased, but Desiree is determined to solve the crime no matter how long it takes. After all, aside from some canceled dates with the irresistibly nerdy, Nick Grainger, who just happens to occupy an apartment in Desiree's building, as well as hold a place in her heart, Desiree doesn't have much to do on a Saturday night. And, if she plans on reviving her love life, she'll have to first muddle through her awaiting case before making dates that will undoubtedly leave her mind somewhere else. But as Desiree navigates through the world of love and death, she begins to find clues leading to a suspect she hoped would escape without a mark on her record. Now, however, Desiree must gather as much evidence as possible to convict her for the crime, otherwise a seemingly innocent women will be thrown in jail by the hare-brained police who refuse to look deeper into the mystery at hand.

As a die-hard fan of the portly Desiree Shapiro, as well as an avid Food Network watcher, I instantly knew that MURDER CAN RAIN ON YOUR SHOWER would be scrumptious - and it was just that. As always, Desiree's signature self-deprecating humor is at an all-time high; while her adventures out of city limits through bad weather, bad food, and bad company are not only humorous, but original, and laugh-out-loud funny, as well. While Ellen is quite often featured within the pages of the Shapiro novels, Selma Eichler made her a much more prevalent character in this particular installment, most likely because it's her bridal shower where the murder takes place, which was extremely enjoyable. Ellen is such a fun character, whose freak-out sessions really illustrate a vulnerability in her character, making her even more appealing; while her penchant for shoveling tons of food into her tiny frame makes you green with envy. The supporting characters in this particular installment are also quite enchanting - in a semi-evil way. Eichler has created four society ladies whom you absolutely love to hate. Each one is privy to her own quirks and feelings regarding Bobbie Jean's death, which makes it impossible for the reader to solve the mystery on their own; while their ability to remain so passive over the woman's death is not only surprising, but extremely convincing to the reader, as we attempt to navigate through this sordid world of money, scandals, cheating, false accusations, and so much more. Eichler has certainly outdone herself with this Shapiro novel, not only crafting a delightful, hard-to-solve mystery, but inserting a gem of a recipe - Desiree's Wild Mushroom Croustades - as well. A mouthwatering addition!

Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer

Selma Eichler continues to write good mysteries involving this plus-size detective who is comfortable with herself and her love of food.

In this one, Desiree is helping her niece Ellen plan her wedding at a posh country club. When one of the guests keels over dead, Desiree is asked by Ellen's fiancee to look into the matter.

Despite the snobbery of the society ladies and bogus clues galore, Desiree manages to solve the crime.

If you like a cozy mystery with a little meat on its bones, be sure to check out this Desiree Shapiro mystery. You'll be sure to read the rest.

Ok, so it isn't exactly a *love affair* but I adore Selma Eichler's books. I'm currently reading my way through all her books and with my busy schedule I only have time to read before bed each night. Thank you Ms. Eichler for giving me that *something to look forward to* each day.

Desiree Shapiro, a Manhattan PI who loves food, throws her niece Ellen a bridal shower with Allison Lynton, mother of the groom, at Silver Oaks Country Club. Unfortunately Bobbie Jean, Allison's sister-in-law, takes a few bites of her green salad and keels over.

Desiree believes this to be a homicide and begins investigating. She discovers many people didn't get along well with Bobbie Jean. Bobbie Jean had stolen many fiances and husbands over the years. The suspect list keeps growing and changing.

Allison's husband Wes, Bobbie Jean's brother, has a tough time accepting her death. This adds to the tension in the family.

A new love interest starts calling Desiree. This makes it quite difficult, at times, for her to concentrate on the investigation.

Unfortunately Chief Porchow has set his sights on one suspect, and Desiree has to speed up her investigation before they arrest an innocent woman. She also finds Chief Porchow is not very receptive to her help and information. But, narrowing down the suspect list is not an easy task.

Desiree is the type of PI I'd want to hire if I ever needed one. She is very down-to-earth and loves food. We get to know her strengths and weaknesses in this series. She is a three-dimensional character. She also has a great relationship with Ellen -- who is a character in her own right.

The society ladies that Desiree investigates are very realistic. It is easily believed that they could be hiding something and adds to the overall mystery.

At the end of this book is a tasty new recipe for Desiree's Wild Mushroom Croustades. Food is a big focus in this series.

This cozy is one of my favorite series. I highly recommend this book. When you read one book, you'll want to read the whole series.

If you have read more than a few books about the history of our world from 1930 to 1945 you may begin to have questions about the National Socialist Movement and the course and effects of its government of Germany. These are questions like:
- Was the National Socialist movement in Germany a unique event or was it a part of a larger historical process in the terrible 20th century?
- What was the relationship between the Nazi led government and the governance of the German economy?
- Was Hitler the author of all that happened in the Third Riech or was he an enabler of many things that were potentially present in Germany?
- What, exactly, was Hitler's role in the destruction of the European Jews?
- Was German(read Nazi?) foreign policy driven by a master plan for world conquest (or domination?) or improvised and opportunistic?
- Was the Third Reich a socially liberating event to the lower middle class or was it a reaffirmation of traditional hierarchy and power structure in another guise?
- What did German resistance to the National Socialist movement and government actually amount to?
- How is it possible to consider National Socialist genocide as part of a normal historical account?
- How is is possible to do objective and empathetic history in the face of the moral values of the Nazi movement and government?

If you find these questions significant and interesting, there is no better single book to read. Each of these questions is covered by Mr Kershaw more or less in two phases. First there is review of the schools of interpretation promulgated by various historians, most of them professional, and then the author makes his own judgement and evaluation of the contentions at hand. Of particular interest to me is the very thorough coverage of the views and controversies among German historians of the last sixty years as these are rarely reported in the US media. Mr Kershaw does not completely ignore the work of popular historians but it is clear that all the points of view they may have are in fact covered by the range of views among the academic community. The author's personal insights and judgements seem well considered and generally appropriate to me.

I think the only area these professional historians have trouble with is the area of the emotional and psychological appeal of the National Socialist movement to so many Germans. I think to really confront that confronts all of us to acknowledge that there may be a darker side within us that could be touched by the myth structure of racial homogeneity and purfication. Consideration of that question of good and evil is just
beyond the job description of a professional historian and belongs to the philosopher or theologian.

Of particular value, and only to be expected, is the extensive bibliography and the sometimes illuminating foot notes. The concerns of some reviewers about the dense terminology should be noted. Part of that seems to be the result of translating terms from German that come out as rather involved hyphenated words in English. On the other hand the issue is that some of the problems studied here are complex and the answers are not simple and ways of talking about them strech our vocabulary. Ultimately my view is that real knowledge and understanding sometimes involves hard work and digging through this text is work. So be ready to do that or don't bother.

If you have read a number of popular histories of the Nazi period, I recommend this book and The Art of the Third Reich (seperately reviewed) to grasp the tangible and intangible aspects of the terrible and instructive time.

This book does an excellent job of outlining the current historiography of the Nazi regime. It is really only meant for scholars and it is fairly dense even for them. Kershaw does a masterful job of capturing each of the debates and this is really a great book if you want to write about Nazi Germany but don't know what to focus on. It is still relevant even today and does a great job of outlining the current debates that need to be addressed by historians.

Kershaw is God. This book is the bible for any scholar of the Third Reich.

I first read Kershaw's Adolf Hitler: Hubris and Nemesis. I couldn't put it down. I then picked up Kershaw's The Hitler Myth. Also an excellent read. I then moved on to The Nazi Dictatorship and within the first 5 minutes I realized I was in over my head. I am a 38 year old lifelong student of WWII. I have been reading about WWII since I was a kid. And I have a Masters degree. Yet this book was way over my head. This book is a HEAVY read and in my opinion is probably meant for history scholars, not amateurs like me. I'm giving it 5 stars based on the aforementioned works by Kershaw and the assumption that this book is of the same quality. But I didn't read it.

This book is a collection of short and dense summaries of other prominent works written on Nazism. Thoroughly researched and contanining a wealth of information, Kershaw's work is a valuable introduction for any researcher or college student. However, I think the esoteric rhetoric and scholarly details makes it kind of hard to digest for the casual reader not familiar with German history.

I liked this book so much that we got one copy for every school in the district.We even have a dusty the smoke smeller dragon puppet show to add to the fire safety educational program here.About 20.000 children hear this life saving message each year.Kent Landsberg

I bought this is as a bifthday gift for my daughter. She was having a tea party. I really liked that this was a cute story with fun illustrations as well as imparted a little bit about fire safety, a much needed topic of discussion now that my children are getting old enough.

We really like this book and helped introduce fire safety to our 4.5 & 3 year old girls. It is a bit long for my 3 year old (she didn't sit thru the whole book, but was in the room and able to talk about it afterwards). Gets the conversation going about not hiding, a family meeting place outside of the home, and not going back for treasured items Highly recommended!!

I have been a professional fire fighter for more than twenty years. I thoroughly enjoy reading this book to my kids and to school children whenever I have the chance. The book covers important fire safety topics but folds the safety curriculum into a wonderful story. I have read this story aloud a hundred times and it has always been a wonderful experience. -- If I could, I would place a copy of this book into every young child's classroom.

This book provides important fire safety messages in a way that is not frightening to small chidren. And the storybook format makes it more likely that the messages will be reinforced by the parent or family member reading to their child. Several important fire safety rules are included; don't hide in the burning building, get low and crawl to safety, get out of a burning building quickly, meet at the agreed-upon meeting place, call 911, don't go back into the burning building, etc. A delightful and important book for young children.

The illustrations in this book are fabulous! I gave this as a gift for xmas one year, and it went over very well!

I have purchased at least six of this book to give young couples who have gotten engaged. I just purchased one for my daughter's childhood friend who just got engaged and I also purchased one to keep for when my daughter eventually becomes engaged. I was very sad to learn from Border's that this book is out of print. The story is wonderful and the illustrations are enchanting!

I have a two year old daughter that just loves all of Mark Kimball Moulton's books. "One Enchanted Evening" tops her list of favorites.

The only way to describe it, is like a "Mid Summer Night's Dream", but for children. It's magical with a wonderful message -- you can't help who you fall in love with.

I highly recommend this book.

I am a recent M.K. Moulton fan, and just love this book. He uses different illustrators for his books, so each one has a different feel. I've purchased this book twice, once for myself, and the other for a gift! Beautifully presented in a hard-case, it reminds me of quality books I had as a child. A must!

Whenever I ask my girls(ages 7 & 5) to go get my favorite book to read to them, this is the one they grab, and they are right. I absolutely love this book. I have read it to every child I've had a chance to. I have read it to adults as well. The message is to beautiful, and true.
The illistations drew me to this book, and the story keeps me coming back, time and time again.
I look forward to reading it each time I get the chance, and for many, many years to come.

Well researched and poetically rendered, this book tells a compelling story of The Little Town That Could. It's not just for R.E.M. fans, either; some of the best passages take the reader to the early 70s, when chance meetings, boredom, a thriving gay subculture, and some unsung movers-and-shakers who watched from the wings made things happen. Rodger Lyle Brown was there for much of the action and he captures the voices (and vices) of scores of characters who sowed the seeds that were reaped by bands such as the B-52's and R.E.M..

This book is a must for anyone interested in the Athens music scene (REM, B52s). Actually, it's insight on the challenges new bands face in breaking through makes it a must read for anyone in the music business. Greatly entertaining and a fast read. And I actually knew a few of the people mentioned in the book.

It's great to see this book back in print - seemingly a modest look into a grass-roots community of eclectics and artists, PARTY OUT OF BOUNDS actually presents a valuable piece of history - the rise of the Athens GA music and arts scene.

The reverberations from Athens ultimately threw a spotlight onto similar developments in Austin, Boulder, Chapel Hill, Winston-Salem, Minneapolis, Seattle/Olympia, Monterrey MX, and countless other places off the beaten track of the commercial culture industry, spawning a tremendous amount of great and influential work in the process, and this book is - amazingly - still one of the only documents of it all.

Browne was a part of the scene, so his resources, contacts and memories aid in the construction of a rich cultural history. The DIY spirit of the times has been reflected in other works (Clinton Heylin's FROM THE VELVETS TO THE VOIDOIDS springs to mind) focusing on other places, but certain other aspects - the diversity among the people and participants - is largely overlooked in most histories, and Browne gives the art influences, the 'Southern' influences, and the gay influences that all formed some of the scene's foundations the respect they deserve.

And Browne does detail just how stressing and grueling being in a struggling young rock band can be - the joy and the myth is here for sure, but so is the work and financial strain. Browne hits the perfect balance in the writing - he manages to convey, with equal import, the cultural significance, and the fun and energy in scenes like the one that exploded in Athens, and one is also left with a great picture of how such developments can impact (culturally) cities and towns for decades afterwards: again, though this book is Athens-specific in its' historical focus, this in many ways is the story of many places.

At every level, this is an essential recounting of the history of grass-roots and underground creativity in the US.

-David Alston

Just so that the author isn't the only one posting reviews, let me just say that I've lost track of the number of times I've enjoyed this book. Every time I reread it, it conjures up a movie in my mind, artistic college kids in the deep South living to party and play music. Although I grew up in Minnesota, the early punk/new wave scene of the late seventies was much the same here as it was in Athens, GA, and the (hazy) memories of that time are lovingly recounted here.

Hey folks. Yes, this is a facsimile of the original edition from 1991, except this one has a great new cover that's much more like what I wanted for the first edition. Got a new intro, too. Folks have been asking for copies for years, but it's been out of print (with used copies for as much as $50, if you can imagine). If you have any rem, b's, or otherwise fans of athens, let em know.

Any questions, email me at rodlbro@aol.com

rodger brown (author)

Party Perfect is an exceptional cooking tool! The book is filled with easy and creative meals that everyone will love. I do!!!

I am not a cook. Yet I've prepared three separate company dinners using Party Perfect, and not one single guest dumped his or her dinner into the potted plants. A few even asked for seconds. It's a terrific little book!

I love to cook for friends, but with my busy schedule, I don't have time to spend hours in the kitchen - thank goodness for this book! It's the compilation of 'event' recipes I've been meaning to put together for years (but never got around to!) One group of my friends was so impressed by the food that the next time we all got together, I gave everyone a copy! What a hit! I'm waiting for the sequel!

I don't want to drop names, but I just threw a last-minute 4th of July party for a key presidential hopeful, and this book proved indispensible! If this candidate wins, look for these authors to be planning events for the next White House administration. It saved my life! Then my workaholic sister Celeste borrowed it to throw a party for her in-laws, and apparently the in-laws raved - thought she slaved for hours in the kitchen when in fact she threw everything together in minutes. Believe me, if you can please Celeste's mother-in-law (whom we affectionately call Dragon Lady), you can please ANYONE! Get this book.

This book takes all the guesswork out of my holiday meal planning. All of the meals I have tried so far have turned out great and pretty easy to prepare. The recipes are unique and memorable.

A wonderful book and part of a wonderful children's series! Dr. Braver helps parents teach their children well in a fun and creative way through her books. Children will also benefit and learn moral values from this fun series of books as well.

Writte specifically for children ages 4 to 8 by practicing child and adolescent psychiatrist Vania Braver and enhanced with the lively and entertaining illustrations of Cary Pillo, Party Princess is the newest addition to the "Teach Your Children Well" series from Child & Family Press. Party Princess is the story of young Madison, who wants to look extra beautiful for her big birthday party. But an accident with nail polish leaves terrible stains on her gorgeous dress! She feels terrible for a while, then finds a way to make herself feel better - by sharing a treasured gift with her best friend. The wisdom that she learns is "Beauty comes from the heart. You should feel good about yourself... especially when you realize that real beauty is what's on the inside of a person, not the outside." A positive and uplifting book with a meaningful and relevant moral, especially in today's appearance and fashion-driven world.

I'm an elementary school teacher and read this book to my class a few weeks ago. The kids loved this book, even the boys! They are still talking about it. They already knew the characters from Pinky Promise. There were so many great points to discuss afterwards. I used some of the activity sheets and teacher's guide from the author's website which were helpful. The illustrations are well done and compliment the book nicely. I highly recommend this book!

The story is warm, sweet and simply wonderful!!! Dr. Braver (visit www.drvanitabraver.com) captures the magic of story telling, accompanied by beautiful, whimsical illustrations. My children love the first book, "Pinky Promise". I look forward to collecting the entire "Teach Your Children Well" series. I'm sure all the books will be treasured for years to come!"

Dr. Vanita Braver knows that it is difficult to teach our children well.

For starters, she's a child psychiatrist who is the psychiatric medical director of the residential treatment center Bonnie Brae. She's also a mother.

She took much of what she learned in both roles to create her series Teach Your Children Well. The second book in that series, Party Princess, released in April 2005, is a book that features 6-year-old Madison and the lessons she is learning about morals.

Party Princess opens with Madison getting ready for a big day. She's put on a lovely pink dress and is thrilled with how beautiful she feels. As she welcomes her best friend Emily as the first guest at her birthday party, she decides that some of her mom's makeup would make her look even more the role of a party princess. Only like most 6-year-olds, she isn't quite coordinated enough to put on make-up without making a huge mess-including spilling sparkly red nail polish all over the bathroom counter and her dress.

At this point in the story, many parents are nodding their hands and ready to jump up and tell their stories about times that they as a child or their own children have done something similar. It is this familiarity that Braver strives for-putting her protagonist into realistic situations that both parents and children can relate to.

What might be less common is the response of the mother. While she is obviously frustrated and shares her disappointment with Madison, she doesn't yell, she doesn't punish, and she doesn't make Madison feel worse than she already does. Instead, she just sends her to change out of the beloved party dress into something less desirable, but not smattered with nail polish.

Throughout much of the rest of the party, Madison sulks. While her mother may not have yelled at her, Madison feels her disappointment pretty keenly and feels guilty about her misbehavior and unhappy with the consequence of not getting to wear the pretty clothes that she had so carefully dressed herself in.

Her mood is only restored after opening a present and getting the opportunity to make Emily feel good-an opportunity that she takes advantage of to the approval of her mother and the delight of her friend. At bedtime that night, she and her mom talk about the makeup incident and her mom reminds her that she is never to touch the makeup without permission. She also reinforces that Madison is pretty without makeup-that she is beautiful because of the spirit within her. Madison reflects on the day and said that she felt far better about sharing with Emily than she did about wearing her party dress.

As a woman who dislikes the pervasiveness of makeup and the message from the beauty industry and media that we must change ourselves in order to be beautiful, I found a lot of appeal in this short picture book. Madison discovers on her own that she feels a lot better from being a beautiful person than she feels from simply looking beautiful. She also discovers that efforts to beautify oneself physically can backfire and leave one looking ridiculous, wiping out all the time invested.

A device that Braver uses in both books are the appearance of Madison's stuffed animals. Wisdom the Owl, Honesty the Bear, Hope the Bluebird, and Courage the Lion all are good friends to Madison the way stuffed animals are to children. For the adult reader, their presence can seem a bit of overkill. However, our children are less jaded and the target audience of four to eight-year-olds will appreciate the presence of listening companions who seemingly whisper in Madison's ear as she drifts off to sleep, helping her to process the day's events and what's she learned from them.

Cary Pillo is the illustrator and she uses bright happy colors throughout the books. She does an excellent job of painting pictures that seem alive with both motion and emotions. She paints some of the most infectious smiles I've seen in picture books.

The book is published by the Child & Family Press, an imprint of the Child Welfare League of America. They are a publishing house who dedicate all of the proceeds from sale of their books to supporting CWLA's programs for children and families.

I always approach morality stories for children with a bit of trepidation. They too often fall into the category of being too didactic or absent of any sort of dramatic conflict whatsoever. Thankfully, Braver manages to avoid these traps. Party Princess is successful on two levels. First, it has a charming story for children that addresses the importance of self-esteem and developing an inner beauty. Second, it provides a good model for parents on how to respond to those frustrating situations-including a model on when to step back and let the child work out the problem.

Party Princess is the second book in the series. The first one is Pinky Promise. The third one is due out in April 2006.

'Quinceanera!' has got first hand accounts of moms and families who have been there..planning their own childrens coming of age. Some used party planners, some did it themselves with help from friends and family. This book has been VERY HELPFUL in planning my oldest daughter's quinces in 2002 and I've dug it out again to plan daughter #2's quinces in 2009.

The greatest book around to help plan for your daughters Quinceanera. It has help me see many traditions I did not know existed. Must have if you are planning a party.

This book was abousoulty the best information that I have found on quinceanera's out there. It takes you step by step giving great examples of menu's and ceremonies.

I am starting my own event planning business and this book has given me knowledge that I did not know previously.

I would recommend this book to anyone that is planning a quinceanera, it will save you a lot of stress and anxiety.

I started working on my daughter's quinceanera 1 year ago and found this book invaluable. It's very comprehensive and covers everything for all latin cultures. I incorporated a little of everything to create a customized quince for my daughter, with an emphasis on the religious aspect. This book gave me ideas and explored topics I didn't know existed. Thank you Michelle for writing this book.

My daughter and I found this book at a small book store three years ago and could not wait to begin planning her Quinceanera which was January 13,2001! Michele really helps you begin your planning and organization with her research and the ideas that others had shared with her on their Quinceanera. Since the area we live in does not cater to "La Quinceanera", her book helped us get started. The Quinceanera was better than my daughter had imagined and the best night of her entire life. Fred Meyer's bakery at Fisher's Landing, Vancouver WA makes the Juventud Encantada cake featured in her book. Michele provides great ideas for the "recuerdos" and shopping for invitations for that very special day! We found the "Quinceanera CD's" at Borders.com and Tower Records.com THANK YOU MICHELE! We are looking forward to her new book on the Hispanic Bride's Wedding Planner. Although we can wait for wedding!