Rainbow The Books

In this excellent, epistolary novel, Alex and Rosie are kept apart by circumstances both within and without their control. The only reason I'm giving this book four stars rather than five is that one of the "reasons" keeping them apart was clearly a plot contrivance meant to add another 100 pages to the book, when it was an easily solvable "problem" in real life.

My favorite character in the whole story was the solid, reliable, no-nonsense Ruby, who calls it as she sees it and is correct from the get-go in that Alex and Rosie are mad for each other and just have to face that for themselves.

A friend of mine said a couple years ago that "love leads us down strange pathways." This immensely entertaining novel is an apt demonstration of that belief.

I am 52 yrs old and I still relisten to this audio.(about 12 times so far) Its so easy to follow while in the car travelling because anyone who sits in the car can pick up the thread of the story without me having to go back to the beginning.

I felt relief to disappointment, laughter to sadness. The story carried me along so easily. I could really relate to Rosie Dunn. What a woman.

Defintely one of my favourites.

It was a wonderful book with one of a kind form of writing. COmpulsively readable. Will have no regrets of reading it.

The whole book is in letter form, I love that! I am sick to death of reading boring descritions of the environment or food or characters that add nothing to the story anyway.

A great light read, I'd recommend it.

THIS BOOK IS THE SAME AS ROSSIE DUNNE AND LOVE, ROSIE!!! They need to stop publishing this book under different names- it's annoying!

Once again, Dirk Wyle has accomplished the feat of incorporating his specialized technological expertise into a mystery novel that is interesting, well-paced, and entertaining. We follow protagonist Ben Candide as he unravels the puzzle, piece by piece, until the perpetrators of the murder and their motivation are finally revealed. My interest in the story was piqued at the beginning and continued throughout. I therefore highly recommend this novel.

Dirk Wyle seems to know more about science and bio-tech thrillers than Robin Cook or Michael Palmer. This is a novel for intelligent readers with a science background. The novel provides a 7-course dinner in Miami corruption,cancer cures, and an engaging hero who bikes his way through appointments and thinks a $1,000 suit is expensive. A winner.

Dirk Wyle carefully mixes his reservoir of scientific knowledge with the intrigue and suspense of great stories. Ben Candidi has become an old friend. We look forward to joining him in future, exciting forensic adventures.

You don't need to know beans about biotechnology to enjoy this fast-paced romp through the shady side of science in Miami's backyard. The author did all the hard work and then made it easy for readers like me, who care more about the story than the scientific details, but still want a sense of authenticity in those details.

Best of all is the hero in the story, Ben Candidi. He's fresh and convincing and altogether the kind of guy who you KNOW knows a lot more than you do, but would still make terrific company around the dinner table.

Bottom line? It's comforting to know that not every Florida mystery needs to have an edge of hysteria in it to give readers bang for their buck. How refreshing!

Dirk Wyle follows up his 1998 Best First Mystery Pharmacology is Murder with Biotechnology Is Murder. With his more than 30 year experience in Biomedical Science and his considerable knowledge in the areas of psychology, business, science, and writing, he is a sure winner. His character Ben Candidi is just finishing his Ph.D., but Ben packs more punch per square inch than most veteran detectives.

A pharmacology student and Mensa activist, Ben Candidi is tapped for a 4-day consulting job, guaranteed to generate $24,000 to check scientific claims by a company called BIOTECH. Ben quickly learns that: there is a legitimate product that can shrink tumors in rats, but it has not been tested in humans. The group that Ben is supposed to work with function on a "need to know" basis only, and communicate little. Ben's predecessor disappeared, and no one is talking. When Ben tries to communicate with the inventor of the product, Dr. Moon, he is met with an uncooperative, paranoid little man who refuses to give out information:

"What was I to make of this posturing? It was straight out of a B-grade karate flick. He was treating me like an intruder who had pissed on the floor of his "dojo." Is this the way he had treated my predecessor, Dr. Yang? Had he killed him with a sucker chop to the neck? Was he fermenting Yang's flesh in the back room? The thought must have made me smile again, since Dr. Moon's eyes were now flashing angry."

Mr. Wyle knows his stuff in the biotechnology area, and he has Ben take the reader though an incredibly intricate maze of information in a straightforward manner. Ben is a delightful character, being all too human for his amazing intellectual capacity. We see graphic images spilling out of Ben's narration, and can't wait to turn the page to see what else this scientific deathtrap has in store.

Dirk Wyle has written a timely plot with larger than life characters with which the reader has an immediate affinity. Ben Candidi is the young Jack Ryan of the biotechnological world. He is drawn into the clutches of industrial pirates from every direction and still manages to entertain.

Shelley Glodowski, Reviewer

This is one of the best kid's picture books ever - my children loved all of Joyce's books - but Bob, Santa Calls and Meet the Robinsons are their favorites - even now at ages 18 and 22, they both agree that Bob Rocks! We have now bought William Joyce's books for the next generation of kids in our family.

The book Dinosaur Bob is a great book for many reasons. It is a great book because it is funny. I think it is funny because it is about a family on vacation and they stumble upon a dinosaur and the parents actually say the family can keep the dinosaur as a pet. They name the dinosaur Bob. When the family gets back home everything is going well until Bob becomes too wild and the police are going to send them back to the Safari where he came from. Then their dad has an idea to get him back and everyone is happy again. Dinosaur Bob is great book to read because you might like dinosaurs and wish you had one of your own. I would recommend this book to any age because I am a fifth grader and I love this book and you will too.

I can't say enough good about WIlliam Joyce. He's one of my two or three favorite illustraters. His drawings are so detailed that you can almost see individual leaves in his plants and bushes. Besides, his unbelievable technical ability, he also is extremely inventive. On one page in this book, the dinosaur and his friends aren't shown except in their shadows and like in all his books, the colors seem almost too bright to be real.

Both story and illustrations are absolutely first-rate. My children had borrowed the original edition from the library several times so when I found this edition I bought it immediately. It's been a family favorite for several years now. Buy it and you too can go through your days humming "The Ballad of Dinosaur Bob."

...Dinosaur Bob is one of those children's books you just read over and over to your kids. It is funny from start to finish, with Bob the Dino and his family the Lazardos. My boys loved it as kids and will pass it down to theirs.

What an amazing and touching story! Even though I am not Jewish, I cannot help but love Patricia Polacco's stories of the Jewish faith and culture. What is most striking about this book is the comparison and contrast to African-American culture. Of course, first and foremost this is a story about friendship between a lonely old woman, a little boy, and a tailless cat. It's absolutely delightful.

What a sweet story of connection. My 4 yo liked it a lot, and i was moved to tears. Lots to the story.

What a beautiful story to show children that, despite our differences, i.e. age, race, family background, we still have some many important things in common. Characters have wit, charm and integrity. Story is very moving and good for all ages.

This is one of the best children's books I have ever read. In fact, it is one of the most beautiful (in language and illustrations) books I have read--period. Patricia Polacco is a master at bringing diverse, meaningful relationships to life. Every sensitive, mature parent should buy this book for his/her child!

This is the story of a loving friendship between an elderly Jewish lady from Poland named Mrs. Katz, and an African-American child named Larnel. Mrs. Katz lives alone in her apartment and doesn't have anyone to visit her. (It's not stated in the book, but, since this appears to be a predominantly African-American inner city neighborhood, one wonders if she was left behind by the Jewish community when the more affluent members moved to the suburbs? In real life it has happened...) Larnel's mother stops by to visit her every other day or so, and brings Larnel with her.

One day, Larnel gets the idea to give Mrs. Katz a kitten from the litter that was born in the basement of his apartment building. (Get the pun -- Katz/cats? Actually, the name "Katz" has nothing to do with "cats," but it's cute anyway.) Mrs. Katz names the kitten Tush, which is Yiddish for "bottom," because it has no tail. Larnel agrees to help her care for Tush, and from this sharing, a lifelong friendship grows.

The story is well-written, the characters are well-developed and "real." The illustrations are vibrant, beautifully done, and ethnically accurate. Well, almost. There are a couple Jewish bloopers. For one thing, the menorah sitting by Mrs. Katz's window only has seven branches. A Hanukkah menorah has nine -- eight for the eight days plus an extra for the "servant" candle. The seven-branched menorah mentioned in the Bible was specifically for the Jerusalem Temple, and is not usually found in the home. Since Hanukkah was mentioned in the story, I have to assume that this was supposed to be a Hanukkah menorah.

The second blooper is the scene in the bakery. Mrs. Katz is shopping for PASSOVER -- a time when no leaven is to be found anywhere in a Jewish home. It is not just a matter of eating matzoh. The entire house is cleaned of anything even resembling leaven, and even owning leavened products is forbidden. That being the case, why is she shopping for her Passover feast in a bakery, of all places? She is clearly pointing at a cake or some rolls, and these would NOT be served on Passover! So nu, maybe she's a Reform Jew and not so strict? But in that case, why is that very Hasidic-looking gentleman in the corner shopping there? Surely HE would not serve bread for Passover! (...)

These are relatively minor quibbles, given the overall good quality of the book. But when it comes to children's books, I insist on total accuracy with regard to Judaism, because these are the images that will stick in the mind for years to come. Granted, this is not a "Jewish" book per se, it's a multicultural book -- which is all the more reason to pay more attention to the Jewish details, lest the reader(s) be misled. For the bloopers I'm docking it a star, but it's still a great story and I highly recommend it to both Jews and gentiles.

My children love this one so much they wore it out and we had to buy a second copy...fun to look at right before bed especially with a flashlight, which makes the colors really jump out at you. Starts all kinds of conversations about the ocean.

Like "Moon Dance" which we also own for our daughter this book is so full of vibrant sparkly color which keeps our 10 month olds attention and she can't wait to turn the page to see what's next. Much like "Moon Dance" this book has more of a story to tell. This is one of those books she likes read to her at least 6 times before she pushes it away. Awesome illustrations and a must have for your child's library!! =)

I have absolutely wonderful memories of reading this book to my daughter when she was little. It lasted longer than you would expect with a two year old because of the excellent quality and construction. An absolute favorite in our house, and now I love to give it as a gift!

I purchased this book for my 19 month old son. I was expecting that the "sparkle" would be something different than it actually is. Areas of the illustrations are cut out and replaced with shiny, colored material. The recessed area is quite a bit lower than the printed illustrations making the sea animals more difficult to identify. I bought this book because my son loves fish. He always points and makes a "fishy kissy" sound whenever he sees one, but when I showed him the book I had to point out the fish to him and even then he didn't seem to recognize them. When we got to the back cover (which you can see when you "search inside" on amazon) he became very excited and pointed to the killer whales. If this book were available without the "sparkle" I would trade my Sparkle Book for it in an instant. The sparkle detracts from the beautiful illustrations.

Special note for Lassen and publisher: please make an edition of this book without the "sparkle." The artwork sparkles on its own, without the need for shiny paper.

Masterfully illustrated and well written. The illustrations keep both the parent and child (7 months) in awe. Only negative is it could have larger type and simpler wording.

Reviewed by Madeline (age 7) and Sophia (age 5.5) McElroy for Reader Views (7/08)

Madeline: The story is about a girl name Genevieve who has white and gray sheep. It was raining really hard one day so she decided to tickle the clouds to get them moving and make the rain stop. Sadly, the rainbow came along and Genevieve wants to cheer him up. She tries to make him happy by showing him all the great things in the world, like the things under the sea and in the jungle. This made him cry tears of joy -- this was my favorite part of the story because, when the rainbow cries, his tears land on the sheep and make them colorful and pretty!

"Rainbow Sheep" is a very good book. I really like the sheep the author sent with the book. At the end of the story the author shows you how to make your own sheep, like the ones in the story and the one she sent to me. I can't wait to make some more friends for my sheep!

Sophia: My favorite part of the book is when Genevieve is telling the rainbow about things under the sea. There is a picture of a mermaid and fish that is really neat. I love my sheep that came with the book - he is so cute! It made me laugh when Genevieve was tickling the clouds to make the rain stop. This story is happy and sad, mostly happy. I think this is a good book - I like it a lot. It is fun to read the story in "Rainbow Sheep" and play with my new sheep at the same time.

Featuring eleven wonderful "fiber art" illustrations (photographs of three-dimensional artworks sculpted from colored wool), Rainbow Sheep is a charming, flat-spined picturebook about a little shepherdess who cheers up a sad rainbow by telling him funny stories. When the rainbow's colors return along with its joy, its tears of happiness turn the shepherdess' flock into "rainbow sheep". A delightful story for young readers ages 4-10, Rainbow Sheep includes a brief glossary and instructions for basic felting and fiber art, so that children can partake in the joy of crafting things with wool for themselves. "Most craft stores don't stock wool roving or felting supplies, but there are many stores on the Internet for spinners and fiber artists. If you live in a rural area, you might find roving and felting supplies at local sheep farms. Stores that specialize in spinning will have roving and possibly felting needles too."

Genevieve is a shepherdess who keeps her sheep out on a flowered hillside overlooking a green forest with a gleaming ocean in the distance. The sheep include Gertie the trickster, Martha the good mother, Betty who jumps, and Tessa with the temper. One day, after a whole week of rain, when the sheep are grey and dirty brown instead of white, the rainbow appears, but it is very sad because it is lonely and bored. However, Genevieve has a big imagination, so she begins to tell the rainbow funny stories. Will she be able to make him happy?

Author Kim Chatel was born in Canada and now lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, daughter, and an assortment of animals. In addition to being a writer, she is also a photographer and a fiber artist. Rainbow Sheep has nine full-page fiber art illustrations that are warm and soft. Children will enjoy them. It also includes four full pages of "Felting for Fun" with instructions on how to make your own "rainbow sheep." Thus, the book gives two ways for parents to interact with their children. They can both read and craft together. I found this cute book really enjoyable and highly recommend it to parents with young children.
REVIEWED BY: Wayne S. Walker, Book Reviewer

Kim's book Rainbow Sheep is charming. It has the magic of a rainbow, wrapped in imaginative illustrations and woven together in a wonderful story. I love this book and I'm a big fan of her writing.

Rainbow Sheep is an original, sweet story about a little shepherdess called Genevieve and her flock of sheep.

Genevieve is troubled because it has rained so much lately that the sky is always grey. When she tries to get the attention of the rainbow, she sees that its colors have faded and that it is sad. It has lost its will to live and love, its passion for beauty and life. Only by regaining hapiness will the rainbow shine again in all its glory. But how will Geneive bring joy back into the rainbow's life? You'll have to read the story to find out, and also to find out how the little sheep end up being as brightly colored as the rainbow.

I found this to be an usual story with surrealist elements. Chatel's language is lyrical at times, blending beautifully with the soft fantasy elements of the tale. The story also has the tone and cadence of a legend. Another aspect I found most original is that instead of illustrations, Chatel uses sculpted wool to create the artwork. This technique is known as needle felting.

I found myself engaged all through the book not only with the story, but also with the interesting wool figures. The colorful little sheep will be loved by children and the underwater scenes are especially bright and lovely.

Rainbow Sheep is a great way to introduce kids to this new craft. At the end of the book, you'll find descriptions, demostrations, and a glossary on needle felting. This is a children's picture book that will be enjoyed by adults and children alike, and one that will make a valuable addition to any library or school bookshelf.

--Mayra Calvani, Midwest Book Review

Hey, wouldn't it be funny if you saw an alligator wearing shoes who talks? You should read Alligator Shoes by Arthur Dorros. This is a silly story about Alvin the Alligator who tries on a lot of different shoes. This is a funny book that will make you laugh!

This is a funny story about an alligator. You have never seen an alligator like this before! The pictures and story are fantastic. If you like to use your imagination, buy this book! It is an awesome book that young children will love to read!

Alligator Shoes is very interesting. We liked when the lady picked up Alvin's feet and thought they were shoes. It is a funny book. It is a cool for 1st and 2nd graders to read.

Alligator Shoes is a funny book written on the kindergarten level. Older children will also enjoy this book because Alvin is funny. It was funny when the lady fainted in the shoe store. It was also funny watching Alvin try on all those shoes, especially the basketball shoes. The illustrations were good and the ending was terrific.

Miss Chamberlain's summer enrichment class thought "Alligator Shoes" was a very funny book. We especially like when the alligator gets locked in the shoe store and tries on all the shoes. We laughed outloud at all the funny shoes he tried on becasue alligators don't really wear shoes. Check this book out for a funny time.

Exposes those who do not live in the islands, both young and old,to the customs and colorful surroundings of the Caribbean. The music is a toe tapping, finger snapping passage through the delightful illustrations. The wife ordered a book for herself and plays the CD while driving to and from work!

I originally learned about this CD and activity book when it was used by my son's teacher as part of his sing-along time at school. I couldn't help but notice how engaged my son was in the activities. I fell in love with so many of the songs that I bought a copy for us to have at home! It's a favorite gift I give to kids 3 and up. Even my 10-year old neices love it.

The coloring book part is best for the older kids.

Carribean Colors of the Rainbow combines music, educational informational, and creative opportunities for children. This combination has resulted in a unique and exceptional entertainment and learning product. Children are provided an occassion to have fun, be exposed to cultural diversity, learn, and express their own creativity -- all without redundancy and with nonstop stimulation. Hats off to a wonderful and long awaited contribution to child (and adult) entertainment and learning.

This is the perfect gift: kids love it and so do their parents! Great book & music for kids and cool tunes for Mom & Dad (or people like me without kids). Can't go wrong with this one.

This book is a fresh look at the daily things children encounter in the Caribbean. The tunes are varied - and never dull. It is hard to listen and NOT tap your feet or clap your hands and sing along - the words are right there for you! I've used it with my Kindergarteners, first grade, second grade, third grade and sixth grade...I'm a substitute teacher. All age levels loved it for different reasons. The sixth graders liked the "baracuda and his big sharp teeth". The older children enjoyed coloring the pictures as the songs played while the little ones loved Imelda and all her shoes. Lots of conversation on this one!
I think this is the best thing that's happened to us in the Caribbean in a long time. We didn't have music depicting our life and our childrens' world until now. Thank you Dee and Rachel.

I really enjoyed this book and felt like I was there with the author. I read it and immediately re-read it. It provided information to me regarding my spritiaul path in this lifetime. We have to cut through the crust of life to find our true path in life. We have to know and believe in our feelings, and trust our feelings in our spirit.

Reading this book, especially the passage, "When something is shown to you, the universe opens up . . ." it reminded me of William Blake's, "To see the world in a grain of sand; and a heaven in a wild flower; hold infinity in the palm of your hand; and eternity in an hour." The author must have had a direct experience with something of the heavens, and how furtunate we all are that she returned to tell it.

Outspoken and direct, this book is a must read for anyone needing a complacency check. It challenges us to re-examine our own spiritual journey in a new light. Well done!

I had the privilege to attend a spellbinding reading of this work by the author at Golden Braid Bookstore in her hometown of Salt Lake City about a year ago. Everyone there was capativated by her enormous spiritual presence. Her book, a succinct, creatively-written version of her extensive dissertation work, is so visual that the reader feels as though he/she is along for the journey.

Agreed. The naysayer's clearly did not read the book at all! How do I know this? Dr. McWhorter clearly discusses the critical, patriarchal views in Chapter 7 entitled "Fear is the Real Satan". Interesting that it was male energy who submitted unaccountable negative reviews that clearly gave themselves away as not having read her brilliant work at all. I, for one, am anxiously looking forward to the day that Dr. McWhorter writes and publishes her next thought-provoking, insightful book.

What do you do when your mother is found, alone, with the bloody remains of a corpse and won't tell you or any one else what happened? Dem Bones Revenge, Kris Neri's new hilarious look at murder, mayhem, mystery and parents, mystery writer Tracy Eaton, whose mother, Martha is a famous film star accused of murder, must defend her mother. Never mind that her mother doesn't want to be defended and impedes Tracy's efforts at every turn. Add to that trying to meet a publishing deadline, dealing with a double-dealing editor, a father that can't or won't be found, and decades old scandals and you have a story that is will have you laughing out loud, squealing with delight when you solve the murder, only to turn the page and find out you are wrong and feeling very good that Martha isn't your mother. And the more Tracy digs into the past, the more she realizes that she really doesn't want to do this as she finds herself suspecting everyone from her dad to her own husband. A book that will make you very grateful for your mother's idiosyncrasies, because whatever they are, they can't be this bad.

Kris Neri garnered spectacular success with her first Tracy Eaton mystery, Revenge Of The Gypsy Queen. Nominated for Anthony, Macavity and Agatha awards for Best First Novel, it was apparent that Kris Neri was an up and comer. Kris had published numerous short stories of the mystery genre in magazines and is currently at work on Tracy's next adventure: Revenge For Old Times Sake.

Picture a "Postcards from the Edge" type of relationship between mother and daughter. Mother is a combination of Elizabeth Taylor and Debbie Reynolds. Tracy is more of a combination of Calamity Jane and Princess Leia. Throw in Tracy's husband, who could be a mix of Harrison Ford and Bruce Willis in a suit. But Tracy is a struggling writer about to be cut off by her publisher. She has two days to "fix" her latest novel, and suddenly Mother is the prime suspect in the murder of Vince Sperry. Did Martha Collins commit murder, or did she just stumble into the thick of things? Did she want to save her mother? From the start, Neri sets up a hilarious dialogue between Tracy and Martha:

"Mother sidled close to my ear. `There's a telephone number everyone in Beverly Hills is talking about. You order a servant you can keep forever for little more than a few years' salary. I heard about it from Rico, my hairdresser. As I reeled away from her into a pile of skiwear, I shook my head. `Please tell me I'm adopted.'"

Needless to say, Dem Bones Revenge is a hilarious mystery because it so closely resembles the real deal between mothers and daughters. Tracy's character struggles with her desire to euphemistically murder her mother while trying to save her. Martha Collins is the stereotypical aging actress who can't quite get over her case of the pampered movie star blues. The plot pulls the reader from one near-miss to another as Tracy stubbornly peels away the layers of facade, pulls her husband Drew into the act, and saves Martha from herself.

Neri's characters are unique, fresh, and yet somehow are people we all know and love. She knows her territory, being a Southern Californian, which gives the plot a unique perspective.

Shelley Glodowski, Reviewer

I found the book a little hard to follow. When the murderer was revealed, I didn't really even remember who he/she was and didn't much care. I guess maybe the setting wasn't something I could relate to. The "smart aleck" tone turns me off too.

Tracy's life is in an uproar. Her publisher has just called to say that they are dropping her mystery series unless she drastically changes her latest book, the advance for which has already been spent. The contractor shows up two days early to enlarge her closets. Her husband is panicked because he's starting the biggest case in his legal career that morning. And that's all before her mother, movie star Martha Collins, calls to say she's been arrested for murder. What a way to start a Monday.

To Tracy's frustration, Martha doesn't seem interested in proving her innocence, so, despite promises to the contrary, Tracy begins to investigate. With Uncle Philly along to help, she starts finding connections and clues that lead back 30 years. But what do they all mean? And is Martha really innocent?

As you can probably guess, this book is loads of fun with hilarious goings on all over the place. Tracy's sarcastic narration also adds to the humor level. The plot itself twists every which way. I hadn't read it for a couple years and was just as confused as the first time, even if I did remember the ultimate ending. And the characters are well developed and pull you further into the story.

Anyone looking for a fun, lighthearted mystery need look no further then this series. Buy it today for a romp on the wild and fun side of murder.

Tracy Eaton was the author of the "Tessa Graham Mystery Series". At that point in time her house was like a pig sty (due to a small redecoration project), her publisher had a lot of changes to be made to the latest book (to be completed within three days), and her husband was stressed out from trying to make partner in the law firm. When Tracy believed it could get NO worse, her mother called!

Martha Collins had been a Hollywood goddess for what seemed like forever. Yet she still looked wonderful and made people notice her. She found Vince Sperry's body, called the police, and became the number one suspect! No matter how hard Tracy tried to clear her mother of the charges, her mother kept blocking her from doing so. Tracy kept wondering just WHAT was a daughter to do in a time like that and just WHY had she not been an orphan?

***** An excellent "who-dunnit" mystery that kept me guessing right up until the end! Tossed with bits of humor that I could not help but enjoy. This is one I definitely did not want to end! Luckily for me, this is a series of mysteries that began with "Revenge Of The Gypsy Queen" and will continue. I find myself eagerly looking forward to the next mystery in Tracy Eaton's bizarre world! Highly recommended for all mystery fans! *****