Characters Books

Several years ago, I read a review essay on Defoe's book which startled me... apparently it was considered to be the powerful and influential "Christian Classic" of its day. I read "Robinson Crusoe" as a youth in the standard abridged form. I didn't, of course, realize that the abridgement involved the removal of all the philisophical and theological reflection of the protagonist.
This is, as it was at its original printing, a serious book for adults.
this is not a book about mere "survival." It is a man searching for the meaning in his life before God, who has allowed him to live when the entire crew accompanying him has perished in a storm. Though I do not share the heavy predestinarian bent of the theology, I fully respect the honesty of (Defoe's) reflection through Crusoe. this is a spiritual journey from which we may larn much.
This is serious reading of the very best type. Rewarding to the end. In an earlier time (and not much earlier), you would not have been considered to be either educated or cultured without reading this book.
Please, read and enjoy.
Rich Moore

If you're interested in a good (and cheap) critical edition of Gulliver's travels, I strongly recommend the Norton Critical edition. I ordered it by Amazon and my copy was received in a couple of weeks

After reading Glyn Williams' trenchant 'The Prize Of All The Oceans' I had an overwhelming desire to read this classic once again. I first read it when I was a mere 10 year old and it completely mesmerized me; I find that it still held the same power over me thirty years later. It is difficult to put this tale down once the title character becomes a castaway on the "island of despair" (as Crusoe refers to it) and he begins the battle against the odds to survive. Facing extreme tropical heat, torrential storms, a dreadful loneliness and the struggle to master some of the simplest of skills we take for granted Crusoe wages his one-man crusade for survival. Beginning his desolate existence steeped in woeful self-pity he slowly realizes through a series of trying circumstances, devotional reading of the Bible and finally relief from his isolated state that the experience proves to be one of reverie. In the process Crusoe becomes quite possibly the most inspirational figure to spring forth from the pages of literature.

Though it is annually listed by literature scholars as one of the 100 finest works of fiction, today primarily adolescents read Defoe's enduring tale as part of their required reading for school; very few others rarely bother with this nearly three century old tale. 'Robinson Crusoe' it seems is a classic awaiting a renaissance of rediscovery by adults who regularly read for either leisure or as a part of continuing education. While the novel's approach to morality may seem a bit old fashioned by today's contemporary standards, the character's awakening to wisdom, inner strength and faith will inspire any reader of any age. Crusoe's ability to steel himself against the onslaught of natural elements, his own self doubts and finally a band of savages who discover his "island empire" should win over even the most jaded of us. This Norton Critical Edition is the perfect package to gain a deep appreciation for this masterpiece of the English language. So do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of this book today and transport yourself back to your youth and also to a time long past. It's a journey you won't regret taking.

Unfortunately, this book suffered the fate of many other masterpieces: be classified in the "children" bookshelf. That guarantees most editions will be abridged, censored, and forgotten, since kids today read very little and waste their time playing with horrendous japanese toys. Enough lecturing. This is a book about a man who, yes, goes through many adventures, and in the way finds himself. This is not the story of a man who goes through pleasant experiences, enjoying adventure. He suffers very much finding himself alone for many years, having to survive by himself in the midst of a desert island. The book is narrated in the first person, so it's a long monologue by a truly lonely man. His reflections are deep and moving. It's good that this is a complete and unabridged edition, since the first part is usually severed from the rest, which is a pity because it puts the whole story in context. This is a fun but also an interesting reading.

This is a simple, beautifully written story of a young man who rejects the advice of his father and pursues a life at sea. His fate, of course, is to dwell alone for many years on an isolated island. The main point, however, is his slow realization that, in finding God and religion, his "cup is not half empty but half full". This is NOT a childs book and should be read by those in their 30's and above...otherwise the message may be lost on youth.

My 21-month old son absolutely loves the book!We found it at the public library and had to renew it TWICE before I decided to buy it! He can "read" it mostly by himself, and he enjoys touching each page because they all have a different effects (scalloped edges for flapping, a little hole for pecking, etc).

This book is fun to read. Each page describes the mother bird on her journey to gather food for her chicks. We bounce as we read "hop, hop, hop on the wire" and flap our wings as she flies over the field, etc. The illustrations are beautiful and I don't think we will tier of this book any time soon!

This has been one of our favorites for a long time. It's fun to follow the cute little red tailed mouse as it scurries over the chair, table, shoe, box etc (all objects have very clever and interesting contours) . The last page when the mouse quickly hides in the hole leaves my toddler in giggles, begging for an encore :).

My 9 month old daughter absolutely loves this book and it has been one of her favorites since she was 6 months old. She loves to follow and point out the mouse on each page. I highly recommend this book for babies and toddlers.

The excitement starts on the very first page of this board book with illustrated flaps (smaller pages illustrated on both sides) between each full size board book page.

"Hurry, mouse! Run..."

(Look to the right and there's a flap showing the mouse scampering over a chair)

"over the chair,"

(Turn the flap, and there's a two=page spread of the mouse climbing up a table)

"across the table,"

And so on. I wondered if the mouse was the chaser or the chasee. He runs down the table (Horacek conveys movement through the mouse's outstretched paws and limbs, and a big trailing tail), and into a box of cookies! On this spread, Horacek gets a 3-D effect through the cut-outs in the pictured box, revealing something almost black on the next page.

That "something" is the mouse's hole, again cut-out for a sensation of depth. Good thing, too, because when you turn the page, there's a BIG black cat with green eyes, and a hungry look, just outside the mouse hole. Through the cut-out mousehole, we now see the little mouse safely inside. IT's almost magical--on one page the mouse is outside his hole, and on the next the mouse is inside! Couple the special effects (i.e., the flaps, the cut-outs) with Horacek's simple but revealing sentences, bright colors and patterns, and familiar objects (cookies!) and you've got yourself a treat for your infant or young toddler!

After reading "Running on Empty" by Arron Chambers my first thought was "this is the next Max Lucado." Arron's insights into the gospel of John are creative and original. That's saying a lot as not many of us take the time to think new thoughts, but Arron is obviously using the old noggin. His ability to weave personal experience, historical and contemporary anecdote, as well as humor into his narrative means that Arron entertains as he instructs. This medicine goes down like the proverbial "spoon full of sugar." I was challenged to "get a life" (in a good way) and sensed some of the 21 "Elements" of life illuminated in the book filling empty places in my inner being. My wife read the book and then insisted that I buy her a copy and get Arron to autograph it. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to top off their life with an extra measure of fullness!

Arron Chambers (Running on Empty)Life lesson's to refuel your faith.This is a very easy book to read and understand,with Arron's down to earth,every day situations that have happened to all of us .With his own unique style of tieing these situations to the 21 chapters of the book of John to help us understand and apply them to our lives today. This Book is truly a must read book for all christians.

This is a book every serious Christian disciple should read. The title resonates in our souls for there is not one of us who cannot immediately identify with what it feels like to be "Running on Empty". Arron Chambers breathes new life into our hearts through his messages that bring to light new perspectives on each of the 21 chapters of the Gospel of John. Do not read this book unless you really want your walk with the Lord to be transformed. I would also caution anyone who reads this book not to read from cover to cover in one sitting. Study it, digest it and ponder it. Each chapter has simple daily life illustrations declaring the truth of God's Word. God's Word is the fuel we need but many of us are looking in other places. Arron giftedly guides us through the thorny places with some very challenging exercises and extended study to help us live the life that Christ wants us to live as His disciples. As you dive into the Bible through Arron's helpful lense (this book) you will experience a new dimension of spiritual growth. You will experience Arron's excitement and passion for the Lord's transforming power to work in our lives. Arron, in the end, challenges us to get up from our comfortable couches, leave the locker room and be courageous. We must read this book to refuel our own lives, to live as Christ's true disciples and to bring The Light and The Truth and His Love to others.

A whimsical, witty, and thought-provoking book based upon the Gospel of John. The author uses touching contemporary situations to illustrate and highlight deep spiritual truths. It is a good study guide for small groups as questions & directives for action are provided for each of the 21 chapters. Individuals will find it a fine source for inspiration. All in all it is a practical and challenging book. It is a good read!

This is the perfect book for those of you who are really want to get closer to God, but don't really know how. Arron relates the book of John in such a way that you get a much clearer understanding of the book, plus he gives clear examples of events in his own life that we can relate to and exercises for each of us to use to continue our journey to that closer walk with Christ. He writes in such a way that you enjoy the humor, but you realize that everything he says has true meaning and he brings your focus back to what you need to do. The exercises are very helpful. It is a great book and I recommend it to everyone.

What a way to forget the outside world and enter the charming world of Horace Rumbole, barrister. I enjoy his droll humor and uncanny way of seeing things not on the surface to defend his client.

One may not always agree with Rumphole, or She Who Must Be Obeyed, but these compilations of short stories are great as a fun read on a recent period in English history and law that one can readily identify with if you don't lead an insular life (that grey area above the U.S. is Canada, and the grey are below it is Mexico on the TV weather maps).

We love the Rumpole books. My husband and I have read all the Omnibus books. We've never watched the series, so we have our own images of all the main characters: Rumpole, The Bull, "She Who Must Be Obeyed." Good stories...fun characters. Good threading of plot and characters through all the stories. Love it!

I certainly don't need to review "Rumpole of the Bailey." You know all about it. So, I'll just mention that he's especially good company when you fly. You can read a well-crafted story in what, 30 minutes? Ideal for airports and airplanes. Do this, sit for an hour, do that, sit for another hour, etc.

Horace Rumpole presents himself as just an Old Bailey hack doing run-of-the-mill burglary defenses and the odd car-heist case. In reality he defends the best in the Anglo-American legal traditions against modern forces (for example, the presumption of innocence) - and this was written 20+ years ago!

Rumpole is the lovable defender of the average man and foe to all stick-in-the-muds. His motto "Never plead guilty." It could just as well be comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable. Hilarious, warm, human, touching, self-effacing and ever-ready to pierce the pompous gasbag - that's Rumpole of the Bailey. Start with the First Rumpole Omnibus and work your way through the rest.

Guaranteed to tickle your funny bone and warm your heart.

We don't expect anything less than top notch from Eleanor Taylor Bland and she hasn't let us down!

"Bland tightens the suspense with realistic details and subplot twists before wrapping the narrative up in a satisfying solution."

"The story is particularly engaging for its character and situations, but Bland doesn't scrimp on suspense, building through tragedy, wasted lives and hope to a breath-catching climax. A well-written standout series."

"Bland has succeeded here in producing her most sophisticated, complex, and successful work yet ... the unexpected denouement is as satisfying as it is surprising, giving Marti new evidence as to the quality of her parenting. With this compelling page-turner, Bland firmly establishes her credentials as one of today's most talented mystery writers."

He comes into your home, goes through your things and plots your family's death. Yet detective Marti MacAlister is totally oblivious to this evil presence in her own home. Will her blindness and that of her friend Sharon cost them their lives and that of their family?

In this sixth case of the Marti MacAlister series we find the detective consumed by the murder of a woman and the disappearance of her snitch's best friend. Marti's room mate is consumed by her inability to say no to "Mr Wonderful" thus compromising her self esteem and neglecting the children. Throw in a kid trying to become a gang member, a flasher and people who refuse to report what they see and you have quite a mess going on the job.

This is an intriguing story as we see the intertwining of Marti's personal life with that of her job. We see the budding sexuality of her daughter and the courageness of Ben, her fiance. Marti's consuming time on the job interferes with what is so plainly before her as she begins a new step in her life. Follow her along this track of evil. See if she awakes before it is too late.

This fifth and best of the Rachel Gold mysteries starts with a deception, ends with a surprise and in between involves our heroine in myriad plot twists surrounding a most unusual profit scheme and a most unusual murder. Rachel, spunky and vulnerable, a Jewish attorney with a nose for detection, works her way through all the puzzles most satisfyingly and even ends up close friends with one who started out as an enemy. Rachel is a delight as she peels the layers of the puzzle like a rose and at the end this reader is left with only one question: When will we see the sixth Rachel Gold book?

Rachel gold gets better in every novel. This one is a thoroughly entertaining piece of fiction with an unusual and quite exciting plot.

The characters are very well drawn and I'm really looking forward to the next novel by mr. Kahn.

This fifth and best of the Rachel Gold mysteries starts with a deception, ends with a surprise and in between involves our heroine in myriad plot twists surrounding a most unusual profit scheme and a most unusual murder. Rachel, spunky and vulnerable, a Jewish attorney with a nose for detection, works her way through all the puzzles most satisfyingly and even ends up close friends with one who started out as an enemy. Rachel is a delight as she peels the layers of the puzzle like a rose and at the end this reader is left with only one question: When will we see the sixth Rachel Gold book?

This fifth and best of the Rachel Gold mysteries starts with a deception, ends with a surprise and in between involves our heroine in myriad plot twists surrounding a most unusual profit scheme and a most unusual murder. Rachel, spunky and vulnerable, a Jewish attorney with a nose for detection, works her way through all the puzzles most satisfyingly and even ends up close friends with one who started out as an enemy. Rachel is a delight as she peels the layers of the puzzle like a rose and at the end this reader is left with only one question: When will we see the sixth Rachel Gold book?

The fifth in a great series of mysteries. Rachel is a brilliant, beautiful, crime-solving attorney with an appealing cast of confidants. These books should be far more popular.

In this, the twelfth book of the Richard Bolitho series, Bolitho has risen to the rank of Commodore and is dispatched to the Mediteranean to try and figure out what the French navy is up to. England's Admiralty is rivetted on this question as the deployment of the whole British Fleet depends on the answer to that question. So, who better to send than ... Nelson! Oh, but there is a problem you see. Nelson just lost his arm in an engagement and is still recovering. Hmmm... Who is the next most trustworthy commander on the seas ... Aha! Richard Bolitho!

Bolitho assumes command of a squadron that is surprisingly populated by most all of the characters that have survived the previous eleven novels. The Captains of the 74 gun ship of the line are Thomas Herrick (Bolitho's closes friend), Charles Farquhar (who was a Lieutenant under Bolitho), Charles Probyn (served as a Lieutenant senior to Bolitho), Inch (was a midshipman in one of Bolitho's ships), etc. In addition, Adam Pascoe, Bolitho's nephew is on the flagship serving as a Lieutenant. I suppose the British navy of that time was quite closely knit, and perhaps it was not surprising to have all the senior officers having served with one another in the past, but it seemed too convenient and pat to me.

Bolitho starts on his mission and almost immediately finds out that his real struggle will be the petty jealousies and serious disruptions caused by the relationships of his subordinates to each other. As the book narrative continues, most of the senior commanders make decisions that affect the outcomes of complete naval battles based purely on how they view their colleagues and what possibilities for advancement these actions might have on their careers. This is quite different than Richard Bolitho's own experiences as a Captain of his ship and he is quite taken back by it. In addition, some of these officers have reached the end of their abilities and may even be cracking under the strains of command - even some who are quite close to Bolitho which makes it trebly difficult for the Commodore.

As far as naval action goes, there is something going on non-stop. From cutting out expeditions, to shore attacks, to handling storms, to pitched battles among large ships, they are all there. Bolitho is not handling the individual ship but is trying to focus on the strategic direction he's been given as well as rule his unruly crew and that provides its own set of challenges to our hero. He comes through it with flying colors even though he tries to do a bit too much fighting in the front lines to what one would expect of senior officers. Of course, this is noted across the squadron and appreciated by the typical seaman who responds by putting out much more than is expected of them including doing some very outrageous actions which change the course of battles. (The subtheme of having the officers treat the men decently so they do better is a general one in this whole series)

As Bolitho figures out what the French intentions are, he immediately moves to counter them. So, one of the subplots in this story is how Bolitho's actions changed the course of history. As the book progresses, you read about what he is doing and at the end realize that one reason why Nelson was able to win the decisive Battle of the Nile and thereby change the course of world history was because Bolitho and his small squadron took risks and gave their blood and lives for England.

With so much going on and so much happening in the book, it was also nice to see how well written the book is. Although there is much technical jargon associated with the art of sailing ships in the late 18th century, that same jargon is a key element of the story and adds, rather than distracts, from the pleasure of it. the characters that are regulars in these books continue to develop - sometimes in surprising ways. Since this book is happening almost completely at sea with the British Navy, it is not surprising that there are not many elements of sexual relationships (with the exception of Bolitho's recent escapades in London) or romantic involvement. Therefore it is kind of jarring when the author introduces a woman to Herrick who falls in love with Herrick after speaking with him for one hour (ONE hour!). This has been a significant failing of many of these books in that the man - woman relationships are being portrayed in a completely unrealistic manner. But, never mind, these are minor matters for this kind of book.

A further disappointment for me was that Bolitho and Nelson manage to be at the same place and time for only the second time in this series in this book. According to the Epilogue, Bolitho and his squadron fought in the Battle of the Nile. That is glossed over in a few paragraphs and then Bolitho is sent back to Gibraltar and England. Since the last two books were all gearing up to this point in history, it was kind of deflating to not have at least a complete chapter devoted to that famous battle. I suppose that since Bolitho and his mates are all fictional, it was kind of difficult to place him in any kind of context that made sense in a famous battle like this one. It also brings to mind a question: How will Bolitho participate in the Battle of Trafalgar?

The series continues with plenty of action and suspense. The Bolitho novels have given me an insight into Enlish as well as nautical history that I never learned in school.

This is one of the most heart-wrenching books in the series, no longer just action stories but studies in personality. It is intensely personal amidst the usual carnage. It's fascinating to watch Bolitho struggle with his promotion to Commodore and his new, enforced aloofness from shipboard affairs and his officers. Bolitho's typical concern for his crew is now extended to an entire squadron of some 2000 men, their faces no longer known but their fates wracking poor Bolitho. Particularly affecting is his struggle to contend with the failing nerve of his closest friend and protegé, flag captain Herrick, who has been with him from early days. The waters of personality move into the deeps as Bolitho rises in rank and others reach their limits. Bolitho suffers a relapse of the malarial fever at a critical junction in the cruise from Gibralter to Egypt, and rivalries among his subordinates come to the fore. Just another source of the immense tension Kent builds in this novel of the desperate British attempt to fathom Napoleon's intent for his vast Mediterranean fleet buildup. Kent again avoids including Bolitho in one of the great historical fleet actions, this time at Aboukir Bay. While he does give Bolitho a role in directing the French into a weaker position, and does explain the battle's great importance, that climactic battle passes much too remotely and quickly to satisfy.

The suspense in this series is partly the eventual goal and task set to Bolitho and mostly how Bolitho is ever going to solve impossible tactical situations at sea. The usual solution he proposes is a surprise maneuver, but what form will it take this time? Like many of Kent's book titles, "Signal - Close Action!" is a stirring phrase but barely hints at the situations and solutions to be found within. Conversely, his chapter titles too often prefigure the event. As usual it's easy to spot who will be "good" officers and who "bad," so thorough are the differences, but Kent does provide one surprising development. As always, it is absolutely vital to pay closest attention to the sailing directions (wind, tack, etc.) if you want to visualize the sea maneuvers, because Kent won't tell us in lubber's terms. The cover bears an excellent wrap-around picture, "ripped from the living text."

If you loved Forester's "Hornblower" series, as I did, then you will also appreciate Alexander Kent's "Richard Bolitho" tales. You do not get the sense that they are derivative of Forester's work, for they stand on their own original merit. The action flows nonstop and logically with hardly a calm or doldrum. The author clearly understands the complexities of handling and fighting a ship under sail. He doesn't just use nautical terminology and commands as colorful filler- he uses them accurately as a fundamental part of the narrative. In fact, as a secondary feature, these books are a decent primer on 18th century seamanship.

As much as the author excels at technical accuracy, his character development and knowledge of human nature is even stronger. He shows that the politics, gameplaying, and back-stabbing aboard a warship can be every bit as complex as that in a Turkish harem. Yet, there is the underlying sense of the imperative of setting a positive example as an officer, of showing your people that you can truly LEAD as well as you can simply COMMAND their daily lives.

In this volume Bolitho has been promoted to Commodore and given command of a squadron (three seventy-fours, a thirty-two gun frigate, and a sloop of war.) He takes command with orders to find out what Napoleon is up to in the Mediterrean- and then to handle it as best he sees fit. As the majority of the British fleet is tied up on blockade duty in the Atlantic, he will be the sole projection of British naval might this side of Gibraltar. The details of commanding an entire task force instead of a single vessel, as in the earlier volumes, is fascinating in and of itself. Ultimately, Bolitho finds that he must place his command between the Nile and an entire French fleet....

The Pokemon Sinnoh Handbook was released to give information about the Pokemon that are part of Pokemon: Diamond and Pearl. The first page of the book explains why the book was written. The second page explains what the reader will find on the page for each Pokemon (the Pokemon's name, what species it is, a pronunciation guide for the Pokemon's name, its possible moves, what Pokemon type it is, its height and weight, its evolution chain, and interesting facts about the Pokemon. Five Pokemon (Abra, Blissey, Cleffa, Golduck, and Seaking) also have a special "Remember When..." box included in their entries for trivia from the TV series. There is also an introduction to the Sinnoh region, which explains how a trainer starts out in the region.

After all of the pages about the Pokemon, there is an appendix titled, "Ash & Friends," which gives brief biographies for Ash, Brock, and Dawn; included on each trainer's page are pictures of which Pokemon they have. At the very back of the book is a fold-out poster with all the Pokemon featured in the book.

I did find a couple of errors in the book. Blissey's height is included, but the weight was left off. Also, Cherubi's Solarbeam attack is listed twice under its possible moves.

From the design of the book, as well as the way the book is written, it's obvious that children are the target audience. However, there is valuable information included, so adults shouldn't shy away from purchasing the Pokemon Sinnoh Handbook.

My 8 year old loves this book. It has all his favorite characters, the pictures are big and detailed so he enjoys drawing them on paper as well. A+

My 7 y.o. daughter caught the Pokemon craze from her 15 y.o. brother who has loved those pocket monsters since he was very little. This book was read cover to cover within the first day and it is taken along on doctor visits & car trips to pass the time - great selection!

Meant as a Christmas gift, this book was intercepted by my two boys, who absolutely loved the artwork and creature descriptions.

Well worthwhile for any Pokemon fan.

I ordered this book for my 6-year-old son who is really into Pokemon at the moment. He absolutely loves this book.

The book features many of the most popular Pokemon, gives a brief summary of their abilities and even states their height, weight and possible moves.

What's best about this book for me as a mother is that my son, a first-grader, practices his reading without me asking him too, because he is so fascinated by all the informative stats about all his favorite Pokemon. And the book does actually use some big words that he would not encounter in the typical first-grader reading books.

I can recommend this book to any Pokemon fan or parent thereof!

Don't walk, run. Go buy the first of this series, and then the second, and then the third. But read them slowly, not only for the richness of the content, but because you will only get one chance to read them for the first time. The entire "House of Niccolo"series is unique and priceless and should be read by anyone who loves historical novels. .

In this sequel, we see our hero, Claes or Nicholas, thrown into the complex situation in the middle east. Will the Sultan take over Trebizond where he has been sent as consul for Florence? If anyone can find succes in such a venture, Nicholas is the person, and he does. He succeeds not only in his trading, he saves his people from the Turks and also his step-daughter, Catherine.

Once again, the author has written a masterpiece. We are thrown from Florence to the middle east with all its complexities, but all the time we are rooting for our hero and he makes us proud!

And to think I still have more books to enjoy! I can't wait...

This is the second book in the House of Niccolo series, and sees our hero Nicholas journeying to the fabled city of Trebizond, the last outpost of the Byzantium empire.

Nicholas has become an influential trader and has the backing of the Medici. The Charetty company is becoming increasingly powerful, and Nicholas sees opportunities for trading with the East. As we travel with him we are treated to a first class ride through Renaissance trade, politics, espionage and intrigue.

The affairs of Nicholas are never straightforward and as he continues to grow more powerful he attracts more enemies. This is both a wonderful adventure story and a beautifully drawn fiction in an historical setting.

'Let all stand still, for the master of the house has come'

Highly recommended to those who love intricately plotted historical fiction and especially to those with an interest in this period of history.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

That was my reaction after reading this superb sequel to Niccolo Rising. Dunnett's blend of intricate plotting and historical depth is amazing. Here she concentrates on the little known period immediately after the conquest of Constantinople, when the Byzantine empire struggled to survive in a corner of the Black Sea. Their allies are possible more dangerous than their enemies, making a perfect setting for Niccolo's games. This past spring we were able to visit Trabzond as part of a 5 week trip to Turkey, and while the modern town is rather dreary, Dunnett's descriptions of past glories were still fresh in my mind. I'm finishing book 5 now, Unicorn Hunt, and she continues to capture the essence of each country that Niccolo explores. Her descriptions of Cairo can serve as a guide for modern travelers.

Reading this book is like taking a magic carpet to a mystical place. Ms. Dunnett has the knack of taking her readers to whatever era and place in the world she chooses. In this book our Niccolo has matured somewhat but he still has some hard lessons to learn about how lonely it is to be a leader. He also has to learn that a true leader leads without his employees or friends knowing that that is what he's doing. In fact, these books of Niccolo could be used for demonstrating leadership. I'm surprised that no corporate videos have been made from them. This is a good book even though Niccolo fails to fascinate as much as Lymond does, but I don't think there ever can be another Lymond. I don't find the characters as likeable in this series for one, and Catherine is certainly no Philippa (at least not yet), but there is high adventure, intrigue and enough court gossip to keep anyone interested in the politics of the 15 century.

I didn't know the Strego Nona series was being read as part of the early grade school cirriculum when I purchased them for my 3 year old. When I found out, I was concerned that the book would be too complex to be enjoyed by a toddler. My daughter unexpectedly fell in love with the characters. The illustrations are "old worldly" and adorable. She giggles when Big Anthony is naughty and doesn't listen to the baker and Strega Nona (his employers at different times). My daughter always says Big Anthony needs a time out so he will listen. I'm not sure if she understands that the heroes in this book and the original are intentionally smart independent women, but I'm glad to have her exposed to that concept. Greatly entertaining with subtle morality. Highly recommended!

I just returned from reading this to a classroom of 2nd graders (basically, 7 and 8 year-olds).

This book seemed to be at just the right level for these kids. Most of them understood how Strega Nona and Bambolona tricked Big Anthony, but a couple didn't seem to. This, to me, is an example of how one book can provide opportunities to test a child's power of perception or provide him or her a new way to look at things. Nice.

As a read-aloud, the book is just about the right length (maybe a tiny bit long), and there are several opportunities to use character voices, making it a lot of fun and captivating. Many of the pages contain small-ish pictures, so it is not ideal for holding up and showing to a class unless you can sit very close to them. This book would be even better for a child in your lap or as a bedtime story, where a child can look at (for example) the dichotomy between the results of Bambolona's use of magic and Big Anthony's sad attempts, even while you're still reading the words (a great example here where the pictures contain more story than the words).

Something that places this book above many shorter or "younger" picture books is that the storyline include a minor subplot (Big Anthony, feeling slighted by Strega Nona, goes to work for the baker, who, since Bambolona has left, needs an assistant). It works without taking up too much space and detracting from the main storyline. Plus, the book contains a small amount of Italian (always translated immediately).

So... creative, funny, and provides learning opportunities (did I mention that Big Anthony learns a lesson in it as well?). How can you go wrong?

In Strega Nona's Magic Lessons we once again join Strega Nona as she teaches Bambalona and a surprising new student Antonia (Big Anthony in disguise) to be Strega too. Bambalona learns well while Antonia struggles and gets it all wrong (humorous and expected, given Big Anthony's past with Strega Nona). When the day comes that Strega Nona gives Bambalona her spell book to study and tells Antonia that she's not ready yet, well, Big Anthony can't accept that and sneaks out in the middle of the night to get the book....and that's when he does it again, he messes with Strega Nona's magic and turns her into a frog. Both he and Bambalona are horrified and worried that they'll never get her back. As usual its love, honesty, integrity and a little forgiveness that wins the day. Another fine addition to the Strega Nona series! Readers will love this fun and silly look at what makes the world go `round. I give it five stars, I love the charming and timeless quality of the stories and illustrations (which are simple yet have a strong old world flavor that is ever so appealing).

The three main characters in this book are Bambolona, Strega Nona, Bid Anthony, and Antonia. The story starts off with Bambolona having to work at her father's bakery. She always had to wake up before the sun rise and was sick and tired of it. She told her father that she had too much to do and that she could use some help. Her father just told her to get up earlier. Bambolona has enough with working athe the bakery, so she decides that she is going to go see Strega Nona, so she can learn how to do magic.
Strega Nona is overjoyed to have Bambolona learn magic. Big Anthony, who works around the yard outside and around the house, wanted to learn magic too. Strega Nona says no to him. Big anthony gets upset and decides to go work at the bakery. the baker fires him because he eats the food and doesn't do what he is told. he decides to go back to Strega Nona's house.
When Strega Nona answers the door, a girl is standing there and is named Antonia. Strega Nona is happy that she is there and will teach her magic too. Bambolona does a great job and Antonia doesn't do anything right. Strega Nona thinks that Bambolona is ready for harder magic. Antonia thinks she is too, eventhough Strega Nona says no.
Antonia decides to steal Bambolona's book of hard spells. The next day, she tries to turn an iron kettle into gold. She ends up turning Strega Nona into a toad. She didn't know what to do, so she decides to ask Bambolona for help. She says she can't help her.
Will Strega Nona ever become human again, or will she stay a toad forever? Read the book to find out. I enjoyed this book because my parents use to read it to me all the time when I was younger.

As a wiccan, it's important to me to show my daughter positive examples of witches in stories and through my own actions...her auntie sends her Strega Nona books for every special occasion and she LOVES them! She's still too young to understand much of what goes on, but she loves it when my husband or I change voices to give life to certain characters (she loves my husband's Big Anthony voice) and at 1 year knows already which one in the pictures in front of her is Big Anthony, which one is Strega Nona and now which one is Bambolona! BIG Bravo to Tomie de Paola for showing folks out there that witches can be good and wise...and fun!