Practical Magic Books

Book Review
Shadow Club
By: Neal Shusterman

Jared and Cheryl always were second best, always living in someone else's shadow. Jared came in second at the races he was in and Cheryl's cousin would always upstage her. No one likes to lose especially all the time. Always being kicked into the dirt. They were sick of it so they decided to fight back. They gathered all the second-best people and went to their old hide out in the forest and formed a club, the Shadow Club was formed. At first it was just about pulling harmless pranks on their enemies and thinking of ways to hurt them but it went to far. Is someone trying to frame them? What will happen to the Shadow Club?
Shadow Club is a thrilling story that both boys and girls will love an maybe some adults. I wish it didn't have to end. It's filled with action, humor, suspense, and lots of mysteries. I recommend this book to any one who likes to get sucked into their book and forget about the world around them. Its so detailed that it feels like your really there in the story. It will have your eyes glued to it until the last pages have turned.

-Megan C.

Jared, a ninth-grader, is so sick of always being the second-best runner on his team. No matter how hard he pushes himself, he is always beaten by Austin. To make things worse, Austin loves to rub it in when he beats Jared.

Jared's best friend Cheryl knows how he feels. Her cousin Rebecca, who is a year younger than her, is a better singer than Cheryl and she seems to be constantly rubbing Cheryl's face in that fact. Jared and Cheryl are both fed up.

When they feel they can't take it anymore, Jared and Cheryl decide to start a secret club to vent their feelings--The Shadow Club. They invite Cheryl's little brother Randall, who is the number two swimmer on his team. They invite the second best trumpeter, the second prettiest girl in the class, the second best basketball player, and the second best student to join.

All of the members of the club get together and at first aren't sure what to do besides say bad things about those who are beating them all of the time. Then they decide that more needs to be done. Jared comes up with the idea of playing practical jokes on those students they detest. He thinks if no one knows about the club and no one plays a joke on his or her own enemy, all of the club members will escape being suspected of playing the jokes. So it starts.

Green slime shows up in a trumpet before a big solo. The best student's pet tarantula is put in the hood of the best runner's sweatshirt. The best swimmer has his toenails painted bright red while he's asleep.

The members of the Shadow Club are thrilled with their accomplishments. But then things start getting out of control. Jokes are being played that no one seems to know about, and they are getting meaner and more destructive by the day. Could someone be trying to frame the members of the club?

I thought this book captured the attitude of many junior high school students--it highlighted the feelings of competition and the petty nastiness that occurs in students of this age. I thought Jared should have been able to see when things were getting out of control, though, and should have been able to stop the club before anything bad happened.

There are the winners, the people who are first all the time, never losing. Then there are the second bests, almost coming in first. That is what the book 'The Shadow Club' is all about, beating the best.

Jared Mercer is the second best runner, second best to Austin Pace. This Austin teases him everyday, until one day, it's too much. That was the start of the Shadow Club.

Jared and Cheryl, best friends, decide on five other people to be in their club. Randall is the second best swimmer, Jason, the second best trumpet player, Abbie, second most popular girl, Karin "O.P." Han, second smartest, and Darren, the second best basketball player. They play small, seemingly harmless pranks - painting the swimmer's toenails, giving out pages of the most popular girl's diary - but then someone listens in on a meeting, Tyson McGaw. Tyson is a foster child with no friends. Then when someone starts to frame hime, things go spiralling out of control Tyson is all to blame. But are things really how they seem?

Shusterman is a great writer. You can really relate to the book which has a ton of detail. It keeps you on the edge and so does the following book, 'The Shadow Club Rising'.

~AD

The Shadow Club
By: Neal Shusterman

Review done by: A Mid-Prairie Teen Student

You would have no idea what you would be expecting if you got a book titled The Shadow Club, I sure didn't. The Shadow Club is a great book having middle school to high schooled aged students making mistakes and seeing the consequences in the end.
Jared, a middle school aged kid, is the main kid in this story. He is the second best runner in his school and hates being second best. He absolutely hates Eric, the best runner in school, and would do absolutely anything he could to be better than Eric. This is where the trouble started.
Jared's friend Cheryl, the second best singer, wanted to start a club called the Shadow Club. This means for people to come to this club if they're second best in something. Like second best singer, second smartest person in school, and even second prettiest girl in school. All these second best kids formed this club and got themselves into trouble without even knowing it.
This is quite a story and it is written by Neal Shusterman a fantastic author. He is an American author of books for young readers, and also a screenwriter. He has won and award called the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award for The Schwa Was Here, and he was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. He now lives in Orange County, California with his four children. So as you have seen he has a busy life but he has certainly used some of his time to write great books.
This is an amazing book but I'm not going to tell you what happened in the end. Once you read it, it will shock you incredibly as you will see. I will tell you though that it teaches great things like making friends, the trouble you can get yourself into with just starting little things, and how much hate can really hurt someone else's life.
I dare you to read this book even if you think you're the best person in your school. Just go and read this book so that you can see the secrets some second best people may be thinking right now.

I have been reading the Shadow Club to my 7th graders for more than 10 years. The humor, especially in the character of Ralphy Sherman, keeps the class listening. The suspense builds to the point that I have students begging me not to stop reading. Many students tried to buy the book because they just couldn't wait for me to finish reading. I was happy for a few years that it was out of print, so they couldn't find it to read ahead of me.
There are many lessons that apply directly to children of middle school age, and my favorite is looking at how the students laughed at Tyson McGaw at the beginning, but feel for him at the end of the book. Hopefully they will look closer at individuals and not make fun of them because they are different.
I have never had a student who didn't like this book and it is the only one that I have read that when I finish, the students applaud.

I love Dugan's writing style. This book is no exeption.
It is full of useful information, wisely put instructions for getting in touch with your own inner magic and personal anecdotes that light up the text.I totaly recomend it as a starting point for anyone who wants to explore the path of Natural Magic. As for those who are just concerned about their friends and family being involved in Wicca it is a good book to start too as it clarifies many misunderstandings about questions like the source of wicca's power etc. In general I loved it! It is simple and powerful. If you are looking for down to earth information on magic and having fun in the same time this is the book for you!

I just finished reading this book, and really loved it. I'm a huge nature fanatic, and was therefore especially attracted to it. It simplifies magick so much so that you can really identify with it and don't feel overwhelmed by all the tools, symbols, etc. other books make you use. The charts in the back for your own notes and spells are most practical. Ellen also refers to signs from wild animals, as I love Ted Andrews' books as well. It was just a pleasure to read, and I will incorporate many of the given exercises.

This book was entertaining and very down to earth. It has a lot of good information, and the way that the author writes it makes it accessible to people from novice to experienced practicioner. I really liked how the author added personal experience to make this book something that everyone can relate to. I have already recommended this to friends!

I absolutely reccommend this book to anyone who is searching for their own path. This book is open, inviting and incredibly useful! If you're looking for a book to get you started immediately, this book won't just give you the answers, instead it challenges you to the source of the questions and gives you options to the answer.

Ellen Dugan creates a "user friendly" guide to Natural Witchery with her newest book! I love her witty writing style! She makes the reader feel like a welcomed friend she's just invited in for some hot cocoa & friendly conversation. I have every one of her books and have been delighted with every one!

This book told me everything I wanted to know but was afraid to ask about a whole host of everyday relationships: with my sons' pediatricians, my own doctors, funeral home directors (I've know too many of these), even my hairdresser. The author manages to pry the lid off these often awkward relationships and get to the heart of what makes them awkward. She then offer sometimes surprisingly simple, straightforward advice on ways to improve them: "magic words" indeed!

Thank you for helping to untangle at least part of my complicated life!

I thought I pretty much knew what I needed about negotiating life, but this book offers some of the most commonsense, down-to-earth tips I have ever come across -- the kind of info you might seek from someone's uncle or friend of a friend, but here it is. And the kind of info that can apply to you as well as your parents and your kids. Plus, it made me laugh. Great book for college grads.

Everyday life has become exceedingly complicate. We don't have the leeway to make mistakes in our dealings with people and expect to learn from these mistakes sometime in the future. We need to increase our chances of getting it right the first time. This is where Lynette Padwa's book comes in. Wouldn't it be better to see a doctor with some prior understanding about how a doctor's office really and how you can maximize getting the best possible treatment? Similarly, if you've never consulted a lawyer before, wouldn't it increase your chances of having a good experience if you knew how lawyers feel about their clients and how a law office operates. I found this book to be both fascinating and highly informative, as well as easy to read. I know I'll use it often.

This "magic words" book shows how to successfully deal with busy professionals not so much by the words we use but the way we say them. The eighteen occupations this author chose to investigate are essential to most families.

Some are necessary to parents of younger children, like nannies, teachers, pediatricians; for couples just starting out, she covers realtors, contractors, landlords. Even the adult children of elderly parents with information they should know, the needed advise on choosing nursing home and funeral directors -- which go together -- are a priority. She tells some of the things to ask and how to supervise (what to do, what not to do). "One of the most stressful aspects of placing a relative in a nursing home is the unwelcome glimpse it offers into your own possible future." She gives alternatives such as adult family homes (my sister did this for a while some years ago in Maryland), a private residence licensed to provide care for two to six individuals; it adds the personal touch as opposed to the "demoralization of institutional life." Even though "nursing homes are the second most heavily regulated industry in America (the nuclear power industry is first)," there are no guarantees. From personal experience, I'd advise it only as a last resort.

For those who own cars, she has pointers on dealing with auto mechanics and car salesmen. When dealing with local politicians, such as city council membres or even the mayor, there is a sample letter detailing how to get the best results, "with carbon copies sent to the Mayor, a local t.v. station news producer, and the editor of the local newspaper." City council members can accomplish many things, but they must work within certain limits; "prepare by clarifying what you want done."

If you need the services of a lawyer, "you will know that [by] asking why he got into law will make you one of his favorite clients." She gives pointers on hairdressers, so essential to a woman's appearance and self-confidence, and the tipping process, when it is alright not to tip.

People like doctors and therapists we all need at different stages in our lives so that they will do what they are trained to make our healthcare (physical and mental) tolerable. Some magic words to use: "Be 'concerned' instead of 'scared.' Be 'apprehensive' instead of a 'nervous wreck.' In everyday life, we tend to exaggerate to get results, but with doctors have to go to the opposite extreme. Even if you are 'in agony,' try not to use those words. Instead say, "I have a lot of discomfort."

If something about you gives these professionals the impression that you will make them fail, they will be less than likely to help you. "If they sense that they will succeed with you, they will go out of their way to return your calls, honor their agreements." This book will show you how to give them the impresssion that they will succeed. Lynette Padwa has also written EVERYTHING YOU PRETEND TO KNOW AND ARE AFRAID SOMEONE WILL ASK.

The author gets it right in the very first paragraph: The REAL Golden Rule isn't doing unto others what you'd have them do unto you; it's about doing unto others what THEY want done unto themselves.

Eighteen chapters cover topics from doctors to funeral directors; car salesmen to auto mechanics; realtors to general contractors. Each chapter stands on its own as a "playbook" with practical advice for dealing with common situations. Pawda teaches win-win by showing the reader how to see the world through the other person's eyes.

Read it once for the practical advice. Read it again for insight into human behavior. Read it one more time to transform how you see others.

This book is a very good read for those of us who have tried the old methods represented in Mathers version of the Abramerlin.

i AGREE WITH THE THE CONCEPTS OF NEW (old) AGE MAGIK IN THIS BOOK THEY WORK.

I have lost over 100 pounds. I changed my less desirable ways. I got this book to compare it to actual Abramelin grimoire. Occultists come from all demoninations. Abramelin was Abraham the Jew. It doesn't bot her me anymore, because I quit coming in contact with them and I changed my ways. It is a mental and spiritual process, a spiritual cleansing and a greater intellect. I now have rather good social skills. The main problem I encountering now is not my inner demons, it is the fact Americans have no sense of humor! I am liberated myself, but these humorless "macho" types or better yet rednecks have no sense of humor. No common sense either. They are nerds to the highest degree. You don't necessarily have to do what the author says in the ritualized manner it is portayed as. The mere act of reading the book should change you if you take it seriously. Recommend for those ready to make a change in their life and for spiritual and intellectual advancement.

this book is awesome. it explains in great detail, yet simply, how to attain what crowley called the "knowledge and conversation of your holy gurdian angel." cutting through all the crap, he distills the essence of Abramalin. its so simple. change your self, change the world.

The book delivers what it promises: a modern look on the abramelin operation and the possible procedures involved in obtaining the so called knowledge and conversation with your Holy Guardian Angel, samadhi, or whatever your label of choice is for this ineffable experience you are after. Just like "The New Hermetics" (another title by the same author which I sincerely recommend for those with an interest in magick and/or NLP...and how big is the difference between the two after all?), 21st Century Mage keeps an eye on the past and tradition, while at the same time cutting through whatever may be superfluous, and keeping a very effective, non-dogmatic, outcome-oriented attitude. If you have a general interest for the abramelin operation and are after a good read, or if you are looking for the book that finally makes it sound feasible, explains how, and spurs you to seriously invest your time to DO IT, 21st Centruy Mage definitely has its place on your bookshelf.

I really enjoyed this book as I was not quite sure how to approach the abramelin book. For example, in the old book it talks about cleanliness, giving advice on how we should bath once a week to be pure. Obviously, 500-some years ago, people didn't have alot of water and using it to bath daily(like most modern city people do)well, once a week was more often than those folks were accustomed to. So I like that this book explains that we don't really have to follow that book down to the letter, as most of it is very Christian anyway, and as any practicing occultist would know, angels are NOT confined to Christian/Jewish beliefs, and that the HGA is most probably not even an angel at all.

I like this book very much and reccomend it to anyone who has already read the three books of abramelin the mage, and would like a modern interpretation of it.

I've just ordered "New Hermetics" by this same author and I'm sure it's great. It basically modernizes "Initiation into Hermetics" by Franz Bardon, so if you've had trouble reading that book too, get this new book as it uses common-sense easy to understand language. Visit the authors website to get previews of that book.

If you've mastered Hugard and Braue's stuff, if you can do 60 classic passes per minute, if you have all the time in the world to devote to card sleight of hand, then this is the book for you! Seriously, this is a truly excellent book. Buckley's sleights, though not for the faint of heart, are superb. (He must've been one heckuva cardician!) This is a serious, serious card magic book. But if you are serious yourself, you'll get it. Of course, you'll overlook the antiquated prose and Buckley's tremendous ego throughout. (When you read this material you'll forgive Buckley's self-congratulatory tone.) This is a splendid work for those who want to be the best...

This book by Arthur Buckley is amazing.

It has loads of fantastic card sleights, whilst they do need a lot of practice it is worthwhile, as once you have them in your fingers they will never be forgotten.

All of these slieghts are extremely useful. The book is divided into different sections of tricks.

There are tricks for close up and for stage although some may need some imagination to update them, also there is a special section on crooked gambling.

All in all a good book with lots of photographs of Buckleys hands, he was a great card worker.

Buy it if you already know all the basics of card magic well.

I've yet to see a bad review for this book, and there's a reason. This book is terrific. There is however one issue to be addressed. This book is hard!!! Definitely not for beginners, it has some of what I believe are the greatest but hardest card manipulations out there. I definitely recommend it however to the serious card magic enthusiast. There are enough valuable ideas in here to last you a lifetime.

Pretty good book with a variety of unique card sleights (palming, manipulating cards in the deck, etc.). These sleights are the 'real work', so it will take a little perseverance. Many of these utility sleights are ones that you ought to know if you want to be a card sleight-of-hand worker.

The instructions are generally clear, but sometimes a detail here and there gets a little confusing. There's a fair number of photos showing how to do many of the sleights.

Sometimes a sleight is a little more complicated than it needs to be. My recommendation is to follow the author's steps in slow-motion with a deck of cards in hand. After you are familiar with the overall effect, you can make adjustments based on what your comfortable with. There may also be other newer methods for learning these sleights if you want to invest in newer card sleight instruction (such as the Daryl Encyclopedia of Card Sleights videos, etc.).

Right now, I'm working on the side steal sleight. He gives a T. Nelson Downs version which has some merit, but it is much more complicated than necessary. The author's own version is a little more do-able. But even the author's method becomes a little too fidgety, so I've made minor modifications to make it work well for me. I start in slow-motion, counting through the substeps to keep pace while I do the move (1..2..3..4). Then I repeat it until I can bring it up to full speed.

If you want to learn sleights for cheap, try this book. You may have to pick and choose through the sleights, and there may be better methods to perform some of these sleights now, but it's not bad for under $10.

When I unexpectedly came across a picture of Buckley on the first page of the book, and after hearing the other reviews of how difficult and advanced the techniques in the book were, I couldn't believe my eyes. I was surprised to see the face of a handsome teenager, of which my previous impression was COMPLETELY the opposite to the one I held in my hands. And this guy was a professional card magician at the age of 18, and able to do tricks infront of hundreds of people on-stage in 1908!

I have a feeling that this guy's mystery and skill probably gained him significant success with girls his age. The mysterious effects of these difficult to execute sleights are priceless and dazzling beyond belief. If a 3 columns card trick can make girls believe in magic.. then Buckley's stuff probably knocked their socks off... literally! Believe me, this guy would be able to blow David Blaine out of the water and make him look like Bob Longe.

That being said and out of the way, the book itself is amazing. There are very clearcut photos of Buckley's hands and very impressive card tricks, or as he calls them in the fourth section, "Card Experiments". Best of all, this book isn't like most others where the authors seem to purposely be vague (S.W. Erdnase) and not give the best descriptions. Mr. Buckley gives you every detail and is your friend throughout the book, showing you exactly how everything is done without any confusion.

And there is SO much different good stuff in here, that you'll probably never need another book for advanced materials.

It is a great book and a great reference to help you on your way to card excellence and showmanship. You will not be disappointed with this purchase.

My five year old loved this book and has read it several times. The pictures are very cool and make the time soldiers more realistic.

"Rex", the first of the Time Soldier series by Robert Gould is a well written and beautifully photographed kid's adventure story in the time of the dinosaurs. Five boys and a girl travel back into a prehistoric age through a time warp portal in their neighborhood forest. "Rex" is written at an appropriate reading level for elementary age children and contains educational facts on dinosaurs and their environment. The younger children can concentrate on the excellent photography if they are not yet up to the reading level, while the older children can learn new vocabulary from reading the text. The fantastic computer generated images of the dinosaurs are very detailed, down to the wrinkles on the hides and gleam in their eyes. The story line emphasizes the friends helping each to survive the difficulties that they encounter. I highly recommend this book for elementary school age children.

I really love Rex 1 and Rex 2. The books are visually stunning and wonderfully written. These books make kids want to read them and I enjoyed reading them, too. The Books are exiting and good-clean fun. I am keeping a set for my daughter and myself and gave copies as gifts to my friend's son and my nephew. I hope we can look forward to a Rex 3! -Aleta

My mother's testimonial is absolutely true. I am an absolute fossil fan - dedicated to anything dinosaur. I have read my share of good dino and adventure books, and I would rate both Rex and Rex 2 as being among the top best for kids (as well as for everyone else). I am fifteen, with a seven year old cousin, and we both absolutely love the series. Unlike most children's tales, it is not "dumbed down" nor dull in any way. It is creatively exiting, fun, and even a little misterious. The artwork is incredible, using superimposed images of real and artistically drawn creatures. The unusual perspectives and beautiful artwork in Rex 2 alone makes this book worthy of any youngster's library. But, above all, the stories are what give the books their unique charm. The harrowing adventures of the boys in delightful situations such as exploring a Cretaceous forest or having to track down a tyrannosaurus rex in an jungle known as a city have enough activities and goings-on that you get wrapped into the action. In addition, you will not see a T.Rex eating frightened victims or destroying buildings for the fun of it; you will see a prehistoric monarch acting like what it really was ... a magnificant and powerful animal of times long gone. I would undeniably rate these stories as the crem-de-la-crem of children's books. -Inga

As a teacher in the east county of San Diego I have just used this book with my class and it was a huge success. The children and the adults in my class were quite taken with the local connection. They enjoyed realizing that the photos were taken close to home and the story kept their interest. It was fun to read and to listen to. I met the authors and they were very informative and I enjoyed talking with them.
Thanks

I was shown this book by a family member just before my grandchildren came to visit from across the country. My grandson is 6 years old and had not yet entered the first grade. All it took was a look at the cover and he was into it.
He studied each of the pages and turned to me with a desperate voice (while holding my face with his hands and making me look into his eyes)"TEACH ME TO READ GRANDMA! I want to know what they are doing"!
Well, I think that says it all. This is a kid that does not sit still for a minute and here he was asking to learn to read!
The concept of photography of real kids, and the fabulous graphic arts, really drew my little guy into the book. I am hoping there are more to come. Books about "Time Soldiers" and grandchildren! tee hee...

This was probably one of the best Sabrina books I've read. I liked it a lot. If you can't figure out what to read, read this book!

This book is a good book,Because it's funny at times and it's a kind of book that you can just sit down and readwithout having to worry about what'sgoing to happen next!It has so much creativity in it thats why you don't have to worry.This book is about a teenage witch that is living with her two aunts,Zelda and Hilda.She is having a hard time these days especially being a teenager and a witch at the same time.it's hard for her to just get through the day without anyone figuring out that shes a witch.If i had to rate this book eith a 1to10 i would give it a 8.

A bucket on fruit punch in her head? An avalanche of Popcorn, in her locker? A cold banana pudding on her bed? A TOOTHPASTE ON A TOILET SEAT? Now that's a definite "eww!". All this happened to Sabrina the day the new exchange student from China named Mei Hua came in Westbridge. She, with her Mona Lisa smile looked like a nice shy girl but... yeah right! She has a big crush on Harvey Kinkle and she has Libby Chessler and her family as family guest in Westbridge. Doesn't mean she's mean like Libby, but she's a mischievious fox according to Grandmother Chu. Sabrina is on the pursuit to get the fox from Chinatown, New York City to the Great Wall of China. Two thumbs up great book filled with magic and laughter. Also recommend: Harvest Moon, I'll Zap Manatthan and Eight Spells A Week (Super Edition)

The best! I don't blame Sabrina for being jealous- Harvey's a HUNK!

This book is yet again another fabulous Sabrina. In this book Sabrina is hit by some bad luck and this all happened when a new exchange student comes to Westbridge. Mei seems pretty nice and she has an effect on Harvey. Sabrina knows something is up and she's going to find out!

I found this book to be very rich, full of powerful and very helpful information. I was actually doing some research for my husband on Mind Dynamics and read reviews regarding many authors here on Amazon...where I discovered the author Atkinson. Picked up the book in the morning and did not put it down until I read each word. Captivated! Also reading books by Joseph Murphy and I find these authors complement one another.

A must read for anyone wishing to increase their understanding of how your life is impacted by your thinking.

From one of the most important and influential fathers of the late 18thc - early 19thc New Thought Movement, this book is indicative of the way Atkinson has helped so many people understand the mysteries of the mind and our ability to utilize it to its fullest potential. An excellent book for anyone looking to maximize their thinking and mental faculties.

I'm very happy with my book. Everything from this early 1900's author is unimaginably daring and forward. It's gold on every page. The book was in mint condition and came right away! Thanks a mil!

One of my favorite old books on mind-power. The language it uses may be somewhat outdated, but it is entirely awesome - a thorough guide in using mind power and mental influence in any area of your life.

I bought this as a gift for my 12 year old cousin--the art work is beautiful and detailed and the written descriptions of the dragons were imaginative and fun--perfect for a tween interested in fantasy!

My son has read this over and over and over. If you like dragons you will like the information in this book.

Practical Guide to Dragons

Nice book with good illustrations. Would recommend for dragon lovers and children 10 and up.

If you didn't believe in dragons before, after you see this book you will start to believe they really existed. I really liked the way they show where each type of dragon lives and their special powers.

Longtime fans of Dungeons and Dragons will recognize all of the dragons included in this slim, elegant manual. Those of us who began playing back in the 1970sknow these dragons by heart. However, we've never seen the material presented in this way.

My son and I read together all the time. We enjoyed a lot of fantasy novels, including the Harry Potter books, and he gets totally captivated by imaginary creatures. Last night, while perusing the new releases, my son discovered this book. The first time I noticed that he had it Was when I realized how quiet it had gotten. Though he enjoys reading books with me, he doesn't necessarily enjoy watching me look through the racks. He's nine, so he can fold up and sit on the floor anywhere.

Last night he was folded up reading this book. When I asked what he was looking at, I could see the excitement in his eyes when he showed me this book. I recognize that immediately as Dungeons and Dragons material, but the usual TSR and/or Wizards of the Coast Logos were nowhere to be seen. I looked at the publisher and realized it was Mirrorstone, an offshoot of the Wizards of the Coast publishing arm that directs books at young readers.

My nine year old loves read about animals. I don't know how many times he's come home and told me about animals he's read about and school. If he's not a zoologist, then he's going to be well-educated when it comes to animals.

Even imaginary ones!

The book is wonderful to look at. I flipped through the pages with him and talked about the times I had played Dungeons and Dragons and had to fight to the death against some of these creatures. Of course, he was mortified that I would even think about killing dragons. I tried to explain that some of them were evil and some of them had gold and treasure I wanted. He told me that dragons were entitled to their homes and that I was greedy. I didn't even bother to explain about experience points. I could only imagine my son's character getting charred and someone's campaign while trying to save dragons.

The pictures in the book are colorful and vivid, and printed on what looks like parchment paper. The combination gives the book the look of an illustrated manuscript. It's an oversized hardcover that looks like it can take years of love and punishment. (With children, love and punishment for favorite toys often cannot be separated.)

After we got home, my son continue to look at the book for over an hour, reading through the sections he got interested in. He came to me and ask the questions about dragons, testing my knowledge. I surprised him by knowing most of them, their breath weapons as well as whether or not they were good or evil. He told me he would study the book for a while, then I could test him.

Finding a book that totally entertains a child and immerses their imagination in another world is hard to find. Especially one there willing to pursue on their own. The language in the book is suitable for an aggressive second grader to read independently. The pictures will also inspire the budding young artist.

If you're looking for a unique gift for a birthday party, a book to take on long family trips, or something that won't get read once and simply filed away, I think you'll find A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO DRAGONS is a great book to entertain a young imagination over and over.

This book does a fantastic job at capturing kids imagination and excitement about these wonderful monsters that Daddy plays with on Thursday nights. The art style only kidifies goblins (as cute little illustrated guides cowering before many of the baddies). I bought this for my 6 year old daughter at Christmas and she's enjoyed it immensely, though it truly won over my 3 year old daughter who insists on a quick pass through the whole book where she identifies 95% of the monsters on sight and their diets and usually a distinguishing feature like "I love the Rakshasa, they have backwards hands and magic!"

A must have for D&D fans with kids.

This book is great I loved it!It's all about mythical monsters but you never know - they could be real! But I loved it anyway. It gives a lot of infomation about the monsters in the book. They are real monsters.I hope you love it as much as I did!


Sincerly,Jesse Zimmel
Age - 9

So I lucked out yesterday and found a copy of this at a local big box store. I was quite surprised as normally, books like this don't appear there. So I grabbed it. I knew beforehand that this was not a normal D&D book. It didn't have stat blocks, detailed sections on ability, powers or tactics of the creatures inside it.

What it does have is tons of in character ways of explaining powers, abilty and tactics of the various monsters inside. I thought it was best used as a manual a character could purchase from a wizard or guild to provide them info that they could actually get. Crafty DMs should then be able to convert it over to some kind of knowledge boosting bonus dependant on the type of creature. It's full of tons of flavor text and basics that would work perfectly for lower level adventurers, especially if the players are not old hard vets of the game.

The illustrations inside are a lot of reprints from the Monster Manual, but when there is something new, it's well done. It's fits with a good introductory to monsters and even if it is made for kids or young readers, it fits for the older readers to.

A Practical Guide to Monsters is a creative, fun and thorough guide to "real" monsters. The illustrations are gorgeous, and at times appropriately frightening. Kids of all ages will pour through the pages, exploring the story-like descriptions of each monster and gobbling up the important facts. I particularly like the details in this book, which include the drawings of lairs and the very descriptive notes that pop up on each page. A Practical Guide to Monsters makes a perfect gift and will be loved by young children who are monster curious to older teens who delve into role-playing. Whoever the reader, A Practical Guide to Monsters will be well-loved.

Once upon a time, nearly thirty years ago a book called the Monster Manual was published by a company called TSR and legions of Dungeons & Dragons fans were pleased. Now we fast forward to 2007 and Wizards of the Coast publishing imprint, Mirrorstone, has released a Practical Guide to Monsters, sort of a Monster Manual Light although it isn't a role-playing game book. What it is a guide to all types of legendary creatures, good and evil (mostly evil) that has its roots firmly in the old D&D lore. The book is really a companion to Mirrorsone's line of juvenile and young adult fiction series of Dungeons & Dragons books such as the Knights of the Silver Dragon series. And while I haven't been a "young adult" in many a year, I've read several of these books and really enjoyed them. They're light, quicker, and action-oriented and don't have the pretensions that a lot of adult fantasy fiction has.

The book is sectioned by type of monsters: Creepy Crawler, Flying Fiends, Viperous Villains, Sneaky Shapeshifters, Gruesome Goblinoids, Mammoth Monsters, Unsightly Undead, Outworldly Outsiders, and Awful Aberrations. Fans of Dungeons & Dragons will recognize all of these monsters, some of which will not be common to many people. There's the terrible Bulette which bursts forth from underground to grab its prey. The Yuan-Ti is a race of half human and half snake creatures which are all evil. The Behir is a dragon-like creature that has a dozen legs and can breath out lightning bolts!

The Goblinoid section introduces us to goblins, Hobgoblins and Bugbears, while the mammoth monsters section covers Trolls, Giants, Ettins, and Ogres. Each listing provides a table of that monsters characteristics including their height, weight, habitat, society, diet, language, attack methods, and best defense. Find out the difference between a ghoul and a zombie, or between a Frost Giant and a Fire Giant. Along the way there are little notes on the pages written by the mage Zendric (One of the main characters in the Knights of the Silver series) recording his own remarks and observations. The illustrations in the book are simply gorgeous and produced by the same artists who do the work on the other Mirrorstone books.

This is a book that kids will really love. Who doesn't like monsters? But I think even old-time fans of D&D will enjoy looking through its pages to remind them of RPG days gone by. A lot of Fun! Look for the companion book, A Practical Guide to Dragons.

REVIEWED BY TIM JANSON