Reds Books

I read the Mr Galliano's Circus books over and over as a child (they were my favourite Enid Blyton series along with the Faraway Tree) and recently tracked down some second hand copies on ebay to read to my daughter. She was equally fascinated with the stories which are told from the point of view of Jimmy an English boy who joins the circus with his family. I recently read a biography of Enid Blyton which said she originally conceived wrote a version of this book as an adult book but noone would publish it so she subseqently rewrote it as a children's book. i think this is evident in the fact that the adult characters are much more developed in this book than in other Enid Blyton books and there are plenty of allusions to adult-type concerns (eg, Jimmy's father's unemployment and the family's poverty etc).

As a child in Guyana, Enid Blyton was a staple on my reading list. I remember, fondly, days curled up in a corner with Mr. Twiddle or Mr. Meddle, Mr. Pinkwhistle, The Secret Seven, Famous Five... the list can go on. I loved Enid Blyton. Reading Enid Blyton books stimulated my imagination and took me on countless journeys to far-away, magical places. I highly recommend Enid Blyton books as required reading for any child who enjoys the written word. This author is, in my humble opinion, the BEST CHILDREN'S WRITER OF ALL TIME.

A favourite of mine for many years, this, the first of Enid Blyton's Circus series deserves to go back into print! Adventure, danger, a cast of fun characters, friendship and the realisation of that dream we've all had at one time, of running away to join the circus!

It's sad this book is out-of-print. Of all books, Enid Blyton loved to write about her circus series. Jimmy Brown is an everyday boy, going to school, etc. UNTIL Dad becomes carpenter for big-shot Galliano's Circus. Mum worries that this isn't the right thing for Jimmy, but somehow the two convince her it is. Jimmy has already gotten to know the circus folk - Jeminma the silly monkey, Lilliput, a small thing of a man, and my favorite - the curly-haired, temperamental Lotta. And so what could go wrong? This series just tells you all the things that go on in a circus when it's not playing. A must-read to circus lovers or - Enid Blyton lovers!

Mr. George is a gray squirrel who lives in a beautiful park. When he finds an attractive doll hat made of bright red felt, Mr. George decides that he could use it to gather seeds and nuts. He is thrilled to discover that the hat fits him perfectly, and his animal friends agree that it enhances his appearance. After wearing the hat all spring, this kind and generous squirrel gives it to a tiny bird who needs a nest.

Unfortunately, this beautifully illustrated story lacked a competent editor. The text is marred by this grammatical error: "Then Mr. George thought, "Maybe it's a groundhog's hat." But no, what would a groundhog do with a hat? It wouldn't fit THEIR large round head and the groundhog would surely get it dirty going underground." (Emphasis mine.)

I hope this error is corrected in a subsequent printing!

Steven Heigh knits a sweet story focusing on the theme of generosity.
His principal character is a squirrel named Mr. George.
The setting is a quiet park, wherein to his delight, he finds a doll's red hat. He contemplates its many
different uses- should he give it to the rabbit with big ears, to the groundhog or to the chipmunk?

Upon seeing his reflection in a stream of water, he discovers that he can use it
himself! To his delight, all the animals of the park admire him in his red hat!
However, even if Mr. George loves his newfound fame, his heart goes to a
pregnant sparrow that needs the red hat to nurture her brood. With goodness in
his heart Mr. George joyfully presents The Red Hat to her and her babies. As a
result, his neighbors love him even more for his generosity and compassion.

This is a perfect book for children aged 2-8, who have encountered difficulty
learning the concept of sharing. Mr. George's kindness is a excellent example that
will certainly open up their hearts.

Heigh's other talent as an illustrator is just as good as his clear and concise
writing. His illustrations painted in acrylics are tidy, neat and lively. He uses primary
colors to underline the tranquil effects of nature. The red hat in a harmonious
contrast with all the greens of the peaceful park. One can see Mr. Heigh's
love for nature and the outdoors, and I particularly liked the scene on the cover of
the book. On another page, Mr. Heigh wittily strikes Mr. George as Rodin's "The
Thinker".

Children and parents will enjoy reading the serene Mr. George and The Red Hat.
They will undoubtedly recognize all the squirrels in their neighborhood park as
Mr. George! As well, they will readily comprehend the concept of compassion.

The book design by KRBY Creations elevates the end product beyond the ordinary.

It is no wonder that Mr. George and the Red Hat was an award finalist for the
Book of the Year by ForeWord Magazine.

Lily Azerad-Goldman, Artist, Writer, Reviewer for Bookpleasures

and Mom agrees!

Mr. George and the Red hat is a beautiful book! The illustrations are delightful. You really can imagine yourself among the sun-dappled trees in the park. The scenery is touched with light and soft detail. The colors are rich and warm. You can see the texture of the canvas in the pictures.

The story is equally charming. Mr. George is the neighborhood squirrel. Maybe he lives in your park. One day he finds a red felt doll hat. He imagines which animal it belongs to, a chipmunk perhaps? He finally decides the hat is perfect for him and for helping him collect nuts. The other park animals admire Mr. George and his wonderful hat. In a generous act of kindness, he offers his hat to a young mother bird that needs a home for her babies. It's a perfect new home!

You will just have to wonder if the squirrel you see in the park is Mr. George the generous squirrel.

This is a beautifully illustrated children's book, destined to be a classic. Every child should have a copy in their "library". Terrific for the classroom also. The story is also beautifully written.

This book is wonderful! I thoroughly enjoyed reading it-- could barely put it down! Having always lived in SC, even though not during the times that this book was written, I could visualize it all. The small town that I grew up in, still has similarities to what is in this book (the closeness of the community for one, and characteristics of some of the people in the book who give you a good chuckle). You won't regret reading this one!

I couldn't put this book down until it was finished. From the first page, I was hooked. Each character was portrayed respectfully and lovingly. This is a book that will make you laugh out loud and cry. If you grew up in the South, you will think these people were your neighbors. If you didn't, be prepared to enjoy a wonderful glimpse into what life was like. This book gives life to the stark headlines of race riots and grinding poverty -- and dignity in the midst of these circumstances. You come away knowing that as long as there are people like Mr. Red and his family, there will be reason to hope and believe in our future.

If you think you are only going to read a book of memories and memoirs of a daughter honoring her father, you will be in for a pleasant surprise. Behind the stories, often humorous in nature and told in a deft, succient style, a tapestry is woven that shows 2 distinctive types of societies that co-existed during a turbulent time in our nations history. The book reveals the compassion of a white man who makes a conscious decision to make his living among the poor black in the Deep South and, instead of taking advantage of ignorance and poverty, tries to make a difference in the lives of those less fortunate. Showing her skill as an excellent storyteller, one can be drawn into the book and, without realizing it, forget the author is in reality an adult and instead see life through the eyes of a child. The reader old enough to remember life in the 50's and 60's will take a trip down memory lane and will no doubt remember things long forgotten as story after story is told of life in the segregated South. Between the stories of desperation and destitution among a down-trodden class of people, small slices of domestic life creep into the read. These slices illuminate laughter and hope, as well as showing a michevious streak in "Mr. Red" no doubt carried over from chilhood. This allows the reader to know enjoyment in life can be achieved no matter what circumstances in which one may find themself. The author also gives great honor to her mother during the course of time that certainly gives credence to the old adage, "Behind every successful man there is a good woman". Read, reminisce, and relive life in a simpler time.

I would highly recommend this book.

It is a wonderful social commentary deftly handling the turbulent social issues in our nation and specifically in the deep south from before WWII through the turmoil of the 60's, 70's and into the early 80's.

The author has a knack for description that allows you to feel like you are there looking at things through her eyes. A humorous and insightful look at a time that was --- when you could still seal a contract with a handshake and yet there were dark threads of social turmoil woven into the tapestry of the times.

The author does a superb job of relating events of the time through the eyes of a child tempered by the knowledge and experience of an adult. This wonderful ability allows her to touch on subjects like segregation, religion, homelessness, and poverty with the innocence of a child while at the same time allowing the reader to see what was going on behind the scenes. It leaves you with a feeling of wishing for the more simple life style of the times and yet wondering how we survived all of the social upheaval and does it all in a way that leaves a smile on your lips.

It is hard to say enough good things about this book. You will not be disappointed.

Written by Rebecca Rudner, My Grandma Lives At The Airport is a delightful children's picturebook about keeping in touch with family when they live a long way apart. Illustrated by Leroy Morvant with simplified yet vivid color artwork, My Grandma Lives At The Airport is the tale of Shelby, a young girl who always meets her grandmother at the airport and so concludes that grandma lives there, offers an eye-opening look for young readers at the value of family bonds even across great distances.

I keep a copy of this book on my coffee table. It is the first thing my 21/2 yo grandaughter heads for when she visits. I have to stop everything and read it to her. She loves the colors and the illustrations and has to name every object on each page. Now she know the states her Grandma (me) is always flying off to.

Looking forward to Ms. Rudner's next book.

After reading this delightful children's book, we immediately removed the included map, and posted it on my son's wall. Next to go up were pictures of all our relatives. The book turned out to be a geography lesson for my child as well as fine reading and entertainment. It was especially fun pulling out some of our family pictures to put on the map. My son felt closer to our family just having them up on his wall. Being a family that is stretched across the U.S.A. and even beyond, we sometimes feel quite seperated from the rest of our family. This book certainly helps my son feel a little closer to the rest of his family, and is a treat to read. The illustrations are very cute, and are a surce of entertainment in their own right.

In an age where extended family is often separated by great distances, author Rebecca Rudner successfully helps to strengthen these families, despite the geographical distances that keep them apart, in her new book, My Grandma Lives at the Airport. As a mother of two whose extended family is dispersed throughout these United States, I am thrilled to have discovered a book that will help my five year old understand not only where her grandma and grandpa live, but where her aunts and uncles and cousins live, as well.

My Grandma Lives at the Airport is about a little girl named Shelby who is convinced that her grandmother lives at the airport. After all, this is where Shelby and her mother always go to get Grandma. Shelby's mother explains to her that, although Grandma does indeed come to visit from the airport, that she certainly does not live there. Shelby and her mother talk about where Grandma lives and how Grandma flies on a plane in order to visit with Shelby and her family. Shelby's final moment of clarity comes when Grandma gives her a very special map to which she affixes pictures of Shelby's aunts and uncles and grandmas and grandpas.

My Grandma Lives at the Airport will no doubt appeal to millions of families who are separated by great distances. It certainly appeals to mine! The author (who is a grandmother and a child psychologist) shows young children and their parents how easy it can be to overcome distances and create a strong sense of extended family, wherever they may be. The book also includes a bright, colorful tear-out map that children can use to locate their own distant family members. It is truly a treasure. My daughter thoroughly enjoyed finding pictures of family members and taping them to her map. It was a wonderful family project. The map is kept in her room and she say's "Good morning" and "Good night" daily to each family member represented. This book a truly a treasure!

This book is a valuable resource for students of Eastern European History. Adam Broner's first person narrative skillfully connects the author's personal story with the larger events surrounding his life. The wide scope and long time period provide a neutral perspective and a greater understanding of the events. Broner's personal stories draw the reader into history and bring it to life in a new way. The book would easily fit into a curriculum covering World War II, Communism, Eastern Block History, Anti-Semitism, and particularly Poland. This remarkable biography can be enjoyed by anyone, but it will be especially appreciated by all scholars of history.

This man's story has touched this woman's heart. It is a simple, easy to read, straightforward, historical and personal account of the human and his indomitable spirit. This eye-opening account leaves me with a lifetime education. I am humbled by this man's love for his faith, family and country.

A fine book about the history of these trying times reported by a person that lived the story. It reflects great memory and great research. It should be read by all students now and in the future interested in this period of world history.

Adam Broner's book is a well-written, very readable one person's story of the most important event of the 20th century, World War II. It is a remarkable, I would even say unique story. At that turbulent time, most people let themselves be pushed where the changing fates of war were throwing them. Not so the young Adam Broner. He repeatedly made his own decisions, sometimes risky but right and courageous. The most important of these was to desert the "working battalions" in Siberia, and to join the army fighting the Nazis. It may sound strange, but Adam Broner's story is also unique because it tells the plain truth. He has not adapted his narrative to the now prevalent ideas. Broner simply tells us how it was. A good book. Richard Fenigsen, M.D., Waltham, Massachusetts.

This book tells us about the tragedy related to Napoleon's great failure of invasion to Russia and destruction of his grand army by Russian's "General Winter".

de Segur joined Napoleon's army on the Russian campaign. This book is a first-hand account of how 800,000 troops entered Russia and only 80,000 returned - with hardly a single battle. A chilling, compelling read.

Of particular interest (to me) is that this boo contains a reference to a young soldir named "Tzinski," who gloriously...drowned while crossing a river. Sigh.

Apart from that, it's a wonderful book. I bought it for research and wound up reading it over for sheer fun.

I haven't read many books about Napoleon's invasion of Russia 1812 but I found this book to be an enjoyable read. Segur provides an intimate view of the challenges that Napoleon faced during the autumn of 1812. Segur's description of the retreat from Moscow and ensuing massacre is vivid enough to allow the reader to gain a sense of the dread, fear and utter panic that the soldiers endured as they fled the relentless attacks of the Tartar cavalry.

I bought this book for my 7 year old son. He is a nature fanatic and this book has been used multiple times a day for a year now and is still in excellent condition. This book is very clearly written with nice pictures. It provides information but not too much for young children. I would recommend it for a general overview of animals.

Written with the collaborations of capable advisors, this is the book, which any kid who wants to journey into the animal kingdom would appreciate.
Essential for both primary and secondary school children, the coverage of this book is good: just as its details are moderate. It is colourful, well-illustrated, and embraced a wide variety of species.
In addition to its complementary cladograms, this "National Geographic Animal Encyclopedia" included habitat details of each animal; as well as their simplified taxonomies. It is a carefully arranged atlas, whose outlook is educative. A good insight into the Kingdom Animalia!

From aardvark to zebra this volume is an excellent introduction into the world of birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians, fish, insects,and other invertebrates. It is informative, concisely written,and beautifully illustrated for the 8 to 13 year old child. Consultants for each animal classification are among Britain's and America's top scientists and teachers. In all, it's just what you'd expect from the National Geographic Society

My son received this as a present when he was 4 1/2, since then my son knows more animals and animal facts that I can even keep track of. He know what part of the world they are from, if the animals live in fresh water or salt water, etc. He loves this book, takes it everywhere he goes and I buy it for every birthday party we go to. You can't beat this book.

Are you one of those people who hates crowded, commercialized destinations? My idea of a vacation is NOT fighting traffic and waiting in lines and seeing row upon row of tacky giftshops that are all the same.

If you want to get off the beaten track a bit (but not totally away from civilization), this is the perfect book to help you plan your family vacation! It lists 77 towns - the maps are great of course, the pictures are captivating, and they tell you what's so great about the town, where to stay, where to eat, and even where to shop, if you're so inclined.

I can speak for only two of the destinations listed in the book, but both of them are fantastic. We've been to Ephraim, Wisconsin (in Door County) twice now and we're going back too! The other town we've been to is Ouray, Colorado. Even though we were just passing through there, and only got to stop for lunch, I can see where this town is a great destination all its own.

Get this book, pick a location, and pack up the car and you'll have a great vacation!

Happy traveling!

Escape for a Season or So

Every so often someone comes along who tells me that if they won "the Lottery" one of the things they would like to do is travel. Well, I would, too, except that I want to
do more than just pay a visit, I want to stay a while... perhaps a season or so.

This book just whets my appetitie for such travel. I have been to a number of the towns in this book. Just for one example, Eureka Springs, Arkansas, is as good as it gets. If you visit Eureka Springs in the Autumn, the trees of the Ozarks are gorgeous. Coming in from the west, you might even see a cloud in the one of the valleys below. You'll probably pass by Thorncrown Chapel which is one like no other. Once in Eureka you'll find the Eureka Springs and North Arkansas Railway and the only church in the world through which you will enter through the bell tower, St Elizabeth's. Ripley's Believe It or Not once mentioned this story. You'll want to stay for more than a visit
to Eureka Springs because nearby is the Pea Ridge Civil War Battlefield just to mention one.

This book is about places like this one from one coast to the other. I have visited some of them and they are all just as fascinating. I wish that I could see them all.

For anyone who enjoys the out-of-the-way small towns and villages, this guide book is a must. It is so well-written that the unique feeling you get about each place compells you to make an actual visit there. A perfect example is the story about Cutchogue, Long Island, New York. After reading so much about the movie stars, the Clintons and other glitterati in the Hamptons on the South Fork of L.I., I was utterly amazed that there is such a small undisturbed rural paradise (at least until this Guide was published)on the North Fork across Great Peconic Bay. The wineries, farm stands, historic sites and great seafood restaurants made our brief weekend visit a true delight. The Guide gave just enough data to locate Cutchogue and its environs to make the drive easy. The Cutchogue residents we encountered were amazingly friendly and helpful in giving directions to a few haunts of the locals that made this a definite "come again" destination. I trust the other places listed in the Guide are equally as wonderful as the one we experienced.

This was one of our "most valuable" books when we took our year long adventure around the USA. The towns they describe are really worth exploring -- they are the way towns used to be in this country. We came back from our adventure and wrote "Live Your Road Trip Dream" to help other road trippers actually get move from the dreaming to the doing for their trip of a lifetime.

Once I began the first page of Josie Martin's Never Tell Your Name, I was unable to put the book down until the very last page. This early autobiography of a very small girl, with its vivid recall of details of French resistance against German occupation during World War II, of resolve against all odds, of unconditional love and sacrifice, will leave the reader with a new and better understanding of what it meant to be Jewish in the Europe of the second world war. These memories, retold through the eyes, thoughts and words of a four-year old child, are compelling, harrowing, poignant and inspiring.

When I learned of Josie Levy Martin's experience as a child during WWII I had to read her written account of it in her book, "Never tell Your Name." I was unable to put the book down, reading it from cover to cover in one sitting. The style in which she chose to portray her experience, that as seen through the eyes of a young child, as well as the painfully poignant content of her story left me greatly moved.
My own experience as a slightly older child during WWII, adopted in infancy by a generous and loving Roman Catholic family, contrasted greatly with that of Josie during the same period. Shortly following the end of WWII I read a book entitled "Lest We Forget." It provided a detailed account of the Holocaust, complete with many photographs of what the liberating soldiers found in the concentration camps where many Jews of all ages were systematically murdered. Obviously horrifying in its details, reading Josie's book records another kind of suffering inflicted on Jewish victims by the Nazis and their collaborators. Through Josie's courageous account of what she and her parents experienced, we have been provided with another compelling version of "Lest We Forget."

If Josie ever gets to read these reviews on her brilliant book, I would like to tell her that I am the only sister and only sibling of the late Dr Michael Jospe who played a large part in helping Josie understand the survivors guilt she found so difficult to manage. She speaks so beautifully of him in this book. Michael passed away suddenly on July 4th 2000, and perhaps it is fitting that he left us on the day of American Independence. We live in Johannesburg, South Africa - Michael was born in South Africa and emigrated to the US in the late 1960s. This is the second time I am ordering Josie's book to give to a friend who comes from a similar background to ours. It helps me to remember what he meant to everyone, not only as a psychologist, but as a friend. He is deeply and sadly missed.

Josie Levy Martin wrote this memoir in the third person, "The child Josie," not referring to herself directly as the protagonist. The memories floating up she experienced during her tender years must have been too painful to face. How can a little girl at age four understand, that from one day to the next she must not speak of her parents, she must never mention her own name, she must never say anything that might give away her Jewish heritage. Josie was terrified, and that fear is palpable on every page. The book has been written with courage and with the author's wounded heart. There was the trauma of separation from her parents as well as other traumas suffered. Because of her age Josie did not understand any of this, making what was happening to her worse. This affected Josie as it would have other children in similar circumstances, and settled deep in their psyche and often haunted them for the rest of their lives. Add guilt to this. When statistics became known, Josie's mother told her, you have to be grateful, you were one out of ten Jewish children who survived. This produced a "survivors" guilt experienced by many Jews who did not perish in the Holocaust. Then add to this a newly aquired "Catholic" guilt. (e.g. Frank McCourt's Angela's Ashes) This new religion at first confused the young Jewish child, but Josie was a good little girl who tried to blend in and conformed. She was instinctively grateful and drawn to the kind nun who took it upon herself to hide her in the convent during the German occupation, placing her own life in grave danger should her action have been discovered by the Nazis. Josie sadly never had the chance to see the kind nun, Soeur St. Cybard, again. By the time Josie Levy traveled back to Lesterps, France, the nun had died. But with this loving and elegaic memoir, Josie has sat a fitting monument to Soeur St. Cybard and to those who helped the Jewish population in France during the dark times of Hitler's occupation.
I write this review from the perspective of a German woman who lived in Berlin as a child during those years, and who has wrestled with the question of the collective guilt I have felt. The question of, "Do I, as a former German child have a right to recall my own memories concerning the horrors of war, when we have caused so much suffering for others?"
I urge you to read Josie Levy Martin's memoir, you will not read of dramatic horrors, but of a tearing apart of families, and a gentle suffering that would haunt the traumatized child for years to come, and this memoir would add to your understanding of human kindness and human suffering.

This was my first E.W. Kenyan book and I have read almost all of them after reading this one. As simple as the new birth in Christ is to receive, the understanding of the realities of being a new creation contain a wealth of revelation. This book, as with all of Kenyan's books, contains a wealth of scripture to substantiate who we are in Christ, what being born again means positionally and vitally, and what that position in Christ allows us to realistically see ourselves as. If we don't understand our position in Christ we cannot have the faith God requires us to have to "reward those who diligently seek him". God Bless

We are NEW CREATIONS in Christ!

This was one of Kenyon's discoveries. Old things have passed away, all things are now new. He will really show you your new power and possibilities in this book.

Kenyon says, "I wish that it could be like this: that when you pick up the Word it will mean that God is present with you and that his Word is His attitude toward you now." He later points out, "You have passed out of the realm of liability into God's assets" (p. 10, 96)

Kenyon reveals who we really are. We are not "denominational" people, we are God's sons and daughters! That's why on our site we pay tribute to Kenyon as a true "Christian Superhero!"

This book will turn you on and set you on fire. Get it!

Outside of the bible, this may be the best book written. I definitely place it in the top 3 with ease. This book really is annointed and will bring many blessings. All of Kenyon's material I've read has been excellent -- Have 7 of his books.

This book gets into as its titled our 'New Creation" You will understand how God actually sees you. You'll understand your rights in Christ. You will have a deeper understanding of what Jesus has done for us. All this will strengthen your faith. You will want to read this book many times and some sections you will literally wear out from reading. This book is deep, but yet well written and easy to absorb.

The Holy Spirit will reaveal great truths from annointed material from E.W. Kenyon, along with others such as Smith Wigglesworth, another favorite of mine. If your a first time purchaser I would suggest this book or "Two Kinds Of Faith" His books are all 5 stars, in my opinion those are the two best. That being said, you still need to fullfill your needs and search reviews on some of His other books, as the topic may be more for you.

This is a fabulous unfolding of who a person becomes at the point of accepting Christ as their Savior. It biblically breaks down the "new creation" process and through the Word of God shows you what that means and how it was appropriated. You clearly see your new identity and you get a clear picture of not only what God sees and thinks about you, you also get biblical proof that those thoughts are indeed factual. If you struggle with guilt or condemnation or at times think that things are just "too good to be true" you must read this book and realize it is very true.It is impossible to rise to your true stature and destiny if you first don't know or even understand what it all entails. This book points you in the right direction. This is not for the religious traditionalists...but rather for the hungry ones who want more.