Reds Books

This book about a Minerva Louise adventure was a first for my five year old son and me, and he has never laughed harder at a story. The illustrations are simple and humorous, and the story about Minerva Louise's creative misperceptions is hilarious. I've ordered a bunch of these for gifts for friends and family!

This book about a Minerva Louise adventure was a first for my five year old son and me, and he has never laughed harder at a story. The illustrations are simple and humorous, and the story about Minerva Louise's creative misperceptions is hilarious. I've ordered a bunch of these for gifts for friends and family!

When I read the original tale of "Minerva Louise" by Janet Stoeke I was charmed. It's rare that an author packs so much great storytelling punch in such a little package. So when I discovered that Minerva Louise, the extraordinarily curious chicken, had further adventures to her name, I immediately located "Minerva Louise and the Red Truck". Just as great as its predecessor, this tale tells the story of a curious member of the poultry family and her attempts to make sense of the world around her.

Minerva Louise (who is prone to loving things) loves her farm's red truck. A playful foul, she likes to dress up in the abandoned bandanas she finds in the back and create tea parties out of tools and flowerpots. One day, while playing, the truck jerks to life and Minerva finds herself driving about. While out she translates the things she sees into farm-based items. A backyard swimming pool is a lake. Golfers are farmers hard at work in their fields. Best of all, a church (to a chicken's eye) is nothing more than a, "silly barn wearing a hat!". In a nice section of the book Minerva spies a construction site and decides that it must be a farm for other trucks. Hither and yon are baby trucks and big strong ones as well. By the end of the day she's happy with what she has seen, but she's glad that the red truck has returned back to her home. That is, until she sees a bright and shiny fire engine!

Minerva is the Amelia Bedelia of the farm world. It's sweet to see how everything fits into her perceptions and misconceptions. Kids reading her books can recognize where she's wrong and feel superior that they know more than this adventurous chicklet. For my own part, I was happy that the illustrations of the little heroine show her joy and contentment so clearly. She's just so darn perky and pleased with everything she sees that it's a joy to watch her. This particular book combines farm life with construction sites. For those kids who are really into trucks and trailers, this might be an ideal storytime reading selection. It's difficult not to love the plucky (ha ha!) Minerva Louise so definitely take the time to check her out. If you've never seen a chicken beam with contentment, this should be the book for you.

What a blessing! I am such a fan of Jerry Cook. He always tells it how it is. This book is a long over-due message to all churchs for today. I hope many will read it and carry the book in their hearts as they go into their worlds each week.

This is an incredible book based on the book of Ephesians. We don't have to make it hard anymore - Christ made it simple. We serve and love and He does the rest. Need to fine tune your daily walk? This is a great read - don't miss it! Our community group is studying it and it is changing the way we view our world and our purpose.

If you liked Jerry's book, "Love, Acceptance & Forgiveness," you will absolutely love this one! It powerfully describes how Christians can bring the love of Christ to the real world, in our existing lives while we're going about the normal routine of our day. It's continuing in Christ's model - not getting people to church, but meeting them in everyday life, not trying to convert them, just loving them in a very natural way that fits with who I am. This book has changed the way I approach my day, and everyone around me. Finally, someone has cut through the religious barriers to what our true mission is and how we can accomplish it in real life.

Luke awakens from a near fatal bout with meningitis to find that his senses are profoundly altered. Mondays are red to him, music has smells, and he sees wasps in his sister's hair. It's a condition called synesthesia, thoroughly explained at the end.

Luke is also followed in his mind by the character Dreeg, an evil force that wants him to do things he finds very hard to resist in his weakened state. Dreeg wants him to play increasingly dangerous tricks on his sister Laura, but Luke fights against it. He also begins to see the ethereal Seraphina, who is like a good witch and who appears when he is at his lowest point. Suddenly, he is able to sense that Laura is in real danger and that no else can help her except him.

Nicola Morgan's first novel is an intricate psychological suspense story. Readers will be drawn into the sensory world Luke lives in through powerful language and imagery. They will be drawn in so thoroughly that it is at times difficult to determine who other characters are, real or imagined, and what is actually happening.

Definitely a mind trip, MONDAYS ARE RED is a great book for discussion.

--- Reviewed by Amy Alessio

Morgan combines elements of horror and poetry in this tale of one boy's strange experience with synesthesia. After waking up in a hospital and learning that he has suffered a bout of meningitis, Luke Patterson quickly discovers that his life has taken a dramatic and confusing turn. With the help of a newfound imaginary friend named Dreeg whose form changes depending on Luke's feelings toward him, Luke learns that all of his senses are strangely blended. ("The fact that I tasted cinnamon when I looked at her and that every now and then butterflies flittered from her eyes was something I had come to expect by now from my muddled senses.") With this new realization comes the power to change situations by thinking about them, and with that power, a new sense of freedom. Luke now adds a new talent to his long-time passion for running and athletics training-the talent to write astonishingly beautiful and eerie poems and stories. Luke learns the dangers of his new powers just in time to prevent catastrophe in this hallucinogenic tale that is sure to please lovers of language and ignite new ways of thinking about ordinary sensations.

The Book I am doing a review on is, "Mondays Are Red", by Nicola Morgan. This is a story about a fourteen-year-old boy named Luke. Luke wakes up in the hospital with Synthesia (shifting of the senses). He finds out that he almost died from Meningitis. With Synthesia Luke now experiences a world he's never known. When he thinks of days of the weeks, he associates them with color, music with taste, feelings have smells and words have texture. The setting for the book takes place in modern day California. This book follows Luke as he realizes he has power and is faced with a decision to change the world. I absolutely loved this book, and highly recommend it. The author has a gift for bringing out the emotion of his characters.

We found this to be an excellent handbook. There were handy maps of each region and fairly comprehensive reviews of things to do both in the major destinations and off the beaten track. For example, on our visit to the Waitomo region we noticed a few nature sites noted on our driving map withoout explanation. Checked the location in the Moon Handbook and discovered memorable side trips we would not have taken otherwise.

This book is great for backpackers and students. It is also helpful members of Hostelling International and VIP backpackers. It explains the cheapest way to travel and the must sees in New Zealand

A must for traveling and truly enjoying the people and countryside. Details of out-of-the-way places as well as the city life. Able to get around without driving (on the wrong side of the road). Will long remember all of the friendly people and the cleanliness of cities and countryside.

This is one of the best series that I have ever read. It is a must see but beware, once you pick it up you will not want to put it down.

The best part of this story moves along faster in this book than the first 2 in this series, but not so fast that you're left wondering what happened. Thorliff continues to work for Elizabeth's father at the newspaper as Elizabeth goes to medical school, and when tragedy strikes Blessing, Thorliff goes home to help and eventually convinces Elizabeth to come when a doctor is needed desparately.

I noticed a couple of earlier reviews disliked the idea of Elizabeth and Thorliff being a couple, but it wasn't unexpected - the story in Book 1 allows readers to get to know Elizabeth pretty well before she ever lays eyes on Thorliff, so it's obvious she was introduced to us for a reason. I'm sorry things didn't go well with Anji, but at least Thorliff was spared from being in a "love triangle" with both women.

My only complaint about this book is that there isn't a 4th in the series - I would love to see Thorliff start a newspaper while Elizabeth sets up a medical practice in Blessing. (Of course one can imagine their own ending but I hate loose ends in a story)

This is a fabulous ending to the triology on Thorliff. Although I might have been rooting for another ending (Anji, why'd you marry that other guy!) this one still won me over. The book made me cry, laugh and share it with all my friends! I can't wait to go back to Blessing later, I have completely fallen in love with all the characters.

As a major collector of Mt Dew bottles and items, I was glad to see such a comprehensive account of the Mt Dew soft drink. Most of this history has been unknown until now. Dick has gone to great lengths to research and interview those who were involved with the formulation of this brand. The many pictures and personal accounts add to the overall enjoyment and add great interest to the reader. All three of Dick's Mt Dew books are a must have for anyone interested in Mt Dew or the post WWII development of the soft drink industry in general.

This is a fascinating story, especially for those of us that live in the East Tennessee & Western North Carolina area. This book leaves no stone unturned in the search for the origin of what is now one of the most populat beverages in the U.S. Before Coke & Pepsi controlled most of the soft drink market, there were several regional bottlers in this area. This book is a great history lesson, as it brings you back to the time when drinks came in a bottle that you returned to the store, where there was often a cooler filled with ice cold water & the drinks were hung by their neck and you had to rearrange some of them to get to the flavor you wanted. Excellently researched, this is a fun read for just about anyone. It'll tickle your innards!

WOW !!! This book was long overdue. What a fascinating story of America's
third best selling soft drink. The book calls the story "a Hatfield and
McCoy feud of the braggin' rights to Mountain Dew" and now I understand
exactly what they mean. This could easily be the basis for "Oh Brother How Art Thou II".

A true story where the main characters were hard working, hard drinking bottlers ... but they are also some of the quirkiest, funniest hillbillies I've ever met.

The book is an extremely interesting read whether you care about Mountain Dew or not. I would recommend it to anyone. The story, Mountain Dew, could easily pass as one of the most entertaining case studies I've read. The book is very well researched, well documented and includes great old B/W pictures from the early years of bottling.

Oh yeah ... I also wanted to know more about how Pepsi markets Mountain Dew today. And I did. I learned all about Code Red, Livewire, Amp etc ... I even learned what happened to Mountain Dew Code Blue.

Overall, a great read !!!

The Munched-Up Flower Garden is a humorous story about Liz,a little girl who grows beautiful flowers. She's hoping to win a blue ribbon for the best flower garden, but much to her dismay, another little girl, Sallie, comes by to brag about winning the blue ribbon the last four years. To make matters worse, a goat destroys Liz's garden. A twist to the ending keeping children turning the pages. This book extols the virtues of hard work in a fun-filled adventure that's sure to please. Richly-colored illustrations add to the delicious flavor of the book

What a great book! It's a charming story, well-illustrated, and it's impossible not to fall in love with young Lizzie the aspiring gardener. Her voice is really done well. Nancy Kelly Allen is really onto something with this book. Children will love it. I'm rating it 5 stars.

Thanks for a fun read.
-Jay

A Troublesome Creek Kids Story: The Munched-Up Flower Garden by Nancy Kelly Allen and featuring illustrations by K. Michael Crawford is the lively story of Liz Reilly and her seemingly endless attempts to build up an award winning garden for the Troublesome Creek Picnic. Carrying young readers through the tale of Lizzie and her young friends and rivals, The Munched-Up Flower Garden follows the young girl with her many efforts to maintain her garden despite relentless annoyances from goats, chickens, neighbors, and the evil Sallie Young. Original and entertaining, and available for school and community libraries in a hardcover edition (1933176-040, $16.95), The Munched-Up Flower Garden is very highly recommended as an inspiring example of persistence, bravery, and spirit for all young readers.

This is the first compilation of Paul Dini's MUTANT, TEXAS comic stories. The star is Ida Red, a winsome yet spunky orphaned Texas gal who discovers amazing powers lurking just beneath her supposedly "normal" exterior. J. Bone's artwork has the timeless look of classic cartoons and the amusing supporting cast of talking armadillos, comical Texas politicians and villainous coyotes make this series a winner. I can't wait for more!

The creative genius behind BATMAN THE ANIMATED SERIES, JINGLE BELLE and writer of the current hit ABC series LOST delivers his most imaginative work to date. Set in a marvelous, mystical corner of the southwest, MUTANT, TEXAS chronicles the adventures of Ida Red, a young cowgirl blessed with amazing powers. When her humanlike animal and plant friends are kidnapped and sold as freaks, it's up to Ida to assume the role of Sheriff and track down the villain varmints. Think Buck Rogers meets Roy Rogers with a big helping of Dale Evans thrown in, too. J. Bone's illustrations perfectly match the wit and whimsy in Dini's script. Bone's Ida Red is the consumate cowgirl, brave and strong of course, but playful and prone to the occassional moments of doubt that every young heroine must (and does) overcome. The chapter where Ida faces down an angry jaguar and tames it like a bucking bronco is a tall tales scene that would do old Pecos Bill proud. MUTANT, TEXAS is a delight for all ages. Kids will love Ida and her talking animal friends (Rolly the armadillo in particular is a hoot) and adults will enjoy the sly humor found in Dini and Bone's western wonderland.

I like Ida because she is fun and is a good role model for girls. I am tired of wonder woman. It was good to read about someone who is around my age and could maybe be my friend someday. It makes me also think I am a hero too.

These are classic tales narrated by a talented storyteller who playfully engages her listeners with great vocal character variations whether they are hearing them for the first time or the fifty-first. The stories are well written, wonderfully performed, and reflect important life lessons and values--a wonderful experience to share with your children (and grandchildren) again and again!

A wonderful new approach to old favorite stories we all remember! The velvety soft voice of the narrator artfully mimics numerous characters that are easily reconizable from eachother. These narratives will impart many life lessons to your children while sparking their imaginations.

This wonderful CD brings to life three terrific children's stories. I enjoyed them myself and can see easily how young children will be captivated by the expressive and warm voice of the narrator. Identifying each character was effortless because of the versatility of voice. I'd recommend this engaging CD to anyone with young children.

Cell 7 is getting prepared for the first round of the Chunin Exam to become journeymen ninja but first things first. Rock Lee challenges Sasuke to a one on one match before the test even starts! Naruto and company are a little intimidated by the assemblage of ninja at the Exam since a lot of them are not rookies like their team. Naruto almost wets himself when he finds out the first round of the Exam is a written test. We all know and even HE knows he's not exactly the brightest lightbulb in the room. There are 10 questions with a value of 1 point each with the total points of each team being the combined score of all three members. What makes it a bit tricky is that the ninja are not told what score it takes to pass. If any team member gets caught cheating, 2 points will be deducted from each member. If you lose all 10 points you fail and will be asked to leave. Sakura has no problem with the questions since she is the smartest on her team but Naruto and Sasuke are going to have to figure out some way to get the answers from other examinees without getting nabbed.

The reader is caught just as much off-guard as Naruto's team when you find out that the first item of business for the Chunin exam is a 10 question written test. I was expecting some sort of slam bang tournament in which fighters duke it out. What Kishimoto is able to do in Volume 5 is to give a hint of each ninja's powers without giving too much away as they use their various abilities to cheat without catching the eye of any of the proctors. Well, actually, some do get caught, but nobody worthwhile. Kishimoto also introduces two important relationships. The first is that between Sakura and Yamanaka Ino, who appear to be rivals for the affections of Sasuke (even though he hasn't shown interest in either). The second is that between Naruto and Hyuga Hinata, a shy girl that Naruto thinks is a freak, but she has an unuttered crush on him. Great character designs, art, and writing.

Nothing is more Japanese than the written exam. High school students usually don't get graded on daily work, but instead can study all year for a single test that is close to 100% of their grade. If you fail it, then try again next year.

In "Naruto 5," all the genin (jr. ninja) who hope to advance to chunin (journeyman) must sit a written exam. The catch is, each team passes or fails as a team, using their combined score. If Naruto fails, then Sakura and Sasuke go down too. Naruto's only hope is to cheat, but anyone getting caught cheating is immediately failed, along with his team. A great story, showing Naruto's unique psychological strengths in a tense situation.

Of course, Viz does a great job with this book as with all the Naruto series. My only complaint is that the entire series is in black and white, and the colored parts of the series are also rendered in black and white. I wish they would get as close as possible to the Japanese original, including the colored sections.

Ever taken a test and tried to cheat?It is caught once and your out right?In this book,they can get caught three times and you fail your entire cell.That's right.The name of the game is cheating. Luckily,almost everyone has some ninjutsu in there arsenal.All except for Naruto.Hurry up and cheat dunce or you'll fail!Hey what's with the last question?