Fiction Books

I love this one! Spirited soulmates, linked by the topaz stone!! Must have in your collection.

Again, I enjoyed and was entertained and educated reading the going ons of Dix Wildhorse, Katherine, Bart(her father), and the entire cast of characters.

Bart was a character. He gave his 29 years old daughter up for marriage to Wildhorse without her consent or knowledge for a debt. I learned much about what was going on with the black folks, particularly the ones living in Indian Territory.

I recommend this book.

Beverly Jenkins is awesome. Not only are her love scenes hot but you are given a wealth of historical knowledge regarding the reconstruction and subsequent jim crow period in our history. She is able to make you proud of our contributions and especially proud of our black men and the way they treat their families and women. She is great and the stories have plots that hold your interest and keep you wanting more.

Topaz is a must read. I am a new Beverly Jenkins reader amd since reading Topaz, I have read two more books that have ties to Topaz. I wondered what happened to two of the characters in the book and low and behold.....I found my answer. If you like to read about life in the 1800's with the mail order brides........this book will not disappoint you. I plan to read every available book written by Ms. Jenkins.

I always shy away from historical romance because I thought they were boring. But boy was I wrong. This book was better than most contemporary novels. I loved Kate. She is a strong black woman who speaks her mind but there is also an innocence about her. Dixon was the best; he's sexy, compassionate and a REAL man. Can somebody say Amen! This is a true romance story that will melt your heart. The history is an added bonus. I'm still trying to catch my breath.

My son and I love all of Janell Cannon's books. They're beautifully illustrated and generally have some wonderful lessons in them as well.

Beautifully written and illustrated book for children of all ages with a wonderful message.

I bought this book for my four year old daughter. She loves it and wants me to read it to her over and over. She loves the story and the colors in the book. I love the educational and fun value that the book provides. I would highly recommend the book to other parents.

My 7 1/2 yr old 2nd grade daughter & I read Stellaluna off her summer reading list. I had heard of/seen this book around, but it had never grabbed me. I was quite surprized at the fabulous illustrations, the story that draws you in, & the author's ability to make a bat lovable. I was eager to read Verdi, expecting the same experience. I thought the story was OK & the illustrations beautiful, but the story itself lacked depth to me. The young whippersnapper & wise old sage qualities hit me as being more relevant to an adult reader. Children can not adequately appreciate the age contrast, & how quickly time passes, & how we all become more boring & old than our young minds thought we would. Curiously, my daughter liked Verdi as well, if not better than Stellaluna. To each his own - read & see what you think.

This is a wonderfully written story of a young python, a young yellow python, who does not want to grow old a boring like the adult green pythons he see around him. The art work in this slender book is absolutely breath taking. The artist has blended his colors perfectly and created life like studies of these wonderful snakes but not life like situations as far as the snake world goes. This is the charm of the story. Few, if any, want to actually grow older and kids in particular do not want to do and act as "boring" adults. This tale lets the child know that we all can keep our child like wonder and love of fun into our adult years. I read this one to the second and third graders and they catch the meaning of the story quite well with a bit of prompting. They love the pictures, in particular the ones where the author has made the snakes rather hard to spot. I also not that this is one of the more popular books chosen by the children when they have their "read alone time." An endorsement of a children by children is as about as good as it gets. I must say though, adults will enjoy reading this with the children also which I feel is important as kids can sort of sense when your heart is not really in the reading. Recommend this one highly. Very much recommend you add this one to your child's collection or to your school library.

I enjoyed this book. It's about the Animorphs' discovery of a chat-site about Yeerks. I thought that it was an okay book, but they don't seem to mention the people in the chat-site anywhere else in the series (I'd have thought that a whole site full of Yeerk-aware people would be a major thing, but that's just my opinion), so if you are just looking for important books in the series, you can skip this one.

The book does not have enough adventure for it to be a good book. It should have fighting against the Yeeks. I think that if there was more adventure, and it had more Controllers it would be alot better.

In this book, Jake discovers a web site about Yeerks. He shows it to the others and they see the chat room. They decide to pay a visit to Web Access America (not AOL, A reader from U S A). They go to the airport because WAA is too far to fly in bird morph. There they fight over wether to morph flies on a United or Northwest plane (they choose United). Marco eats some shareholder's first class lunch and Jake (?) wonders if there will be an in-flight movie, and Marco (?) says not a movie, the flight's 1 1/2 hours long, more like an in-flight cartoon! Tobias in fly morph is funny. When there in the WAA building, Jake, in tiger morph, Rachael, in Grizzly morph, Cassie, in wolf morph, and Tobias, in his natraul form (hawk), mop the floor. An employee says there crazy, why are they mopping the carpet? Ax and Marco sneak in to the computers (everyones distracted) and find out who MegMom, Fitey777, and Gump (screen names from the chatroom) really are. It turns out Fitey777 is Joe Bob Fenistre is the CEO of WAA. Jake gets a rhino morph and They go to Joe Bob Fenistre's house. I'll leave it at that

Jake has made an amazing discovery: a web site about the Yeerks. Should the Animorphs investigate? If they do, they might walk right into a trap. And if they don't, they'll never know if they're fighting their enemies alone.

Jake and the gang go on a yeerk web page track down fenstre. the find out the the yeerk in side him is a twin of the yeerk in visser three thats why he ordered his men to shoot a the birds (rachel an Ax in bird morph) because visser three is the only controller that has the morphing abillity

A friend of mine gave me this book because my fiancee is a member of the St. Andrews' Society in Philadelphia and she thought the setting would be of interest to him. I picked up "When Europa Rode the Bull" walking out the door to take a plane to San Francisco. I'm glad I did.
This is a big book--more than 600 pages but a real "page turner," making its length irrelevant. I became quickly absorbed in the story of Annie, the weight of Andrew's "responsibilities," and university life in the magical Scottish town of St. Andrews. Berot's sequel, "The Rape of Europe" is on my Christmas wish list. Nice job, Barbara. I hope to meet you someday!

Loved both her books, and am waiting for the third one. I would like to read Barbara Berot enery day for the rest of my life.

I really can't believe how glowing all of the reviews of this book are. I found this book to be predictable and trite, with plot lines that are ridiculously overused (lovers separated by wealth/family and letters that are never received - but are discovered years later???).

I also did not like the characters much at all. Annie is not a great heroine; she is a serial cheater and home-wrecker. Also, she leaves her son indefinitely to "find herself" - I don't think this is OK in any circumstance. Her only "bright" spot was her relationship with Tom Keegan.

The only thing that I agree with in the other reviews is that I've become more curious about St. Andrews.

"When Europe Rode the Bull" is an amazing story. It is written by Barbara Berot and I was extremely impressed to find out this is her first novel. This is the most engaging book I've ever read and you can literally lose yourself in it. I have read other reviews and other readers have said they were tempted to take off a day of work to read this book, it was that good! I totally agree and could not put it down for a second. And the best part is, there is a sequel! I ordered it the day I finished reading "Europa." It is also an amazing read. I would HIGHLY recommend both of Barbara Berot's books and I have a feeling she is going to go on to become very famous!

I really enjoyed reading this book...great characters and exciting to the end. Looking forward to the next one.

The Little House series are great read aloud books.

Our daughter is five and this series is perfectly age appropriate, even though an older child would enjoy them equally as well. For younger ones (three or so), there is a great picture book series called "My first little house books," or something like that. One of these is a story based of a chapter in this book and is called "Christmas in the Big Woods."

These CD's are great for long trips in the car. The narrator's voice is wonderful. The adults will find themselves enjoying listening themselves.

"One the Banks of Plum Creek" is the best of the series. It is the one where Mary and Laura go to school and where the character of Nellie Olson is introduced. Her brand of spoiled rotten meanness is nothing short of tantalizing to a five year old. Also, there are the wonderful Christmas chapters.

Just excellent, all around. I highly recommend the books to read alound and the CD's.

Whether you have read the Little House books or have never heard of them, this book on tape is wonderful for everyone from small children to adults. The narrator who reads it does an amazing job of capturing the childhood wonderment and emotions Laura was trying to convey. It is also so interesting to hear the way families lived back in the 1800's. I could listen to this book on tape over and over again.

Book review
I did my report on the book called On the Banks of Plum Creek.
The author of this novel is Laura Ingalls Wilders. It is also historical fiction.
This story is about a family that is very close. There is baby Carrie the littlest, the middle child was Laura but her nick name was Little Half Pint, and the oldest is named Mary. Mary was such a little lady she always did what her mother told her to do. But Laura was the rebel in the family she was always getting dirty or getting into trouble. But Carrie is too little to have a background. Pa traded his horses and bunny for a dugout from Mr. Nelson. There was a creek close to the house and they played there often but they must never go into the deep waters with out Pa or Ma (Laura learned that lesson fast).
I loved this book because I love the time period it was set in and I have read many stories by the same author like Little House in the Big Woods. It would suit some one who loves Family stories and the time period and his farm world it is more like a fun book to read but it is Historical fiction as well.

Laura Ingalls is now eight-years-old, her sister Mary is nine, and Carrie is still just a tiny tot. While they are all still quite young, they are expected to help out with the chores around the house - from sweeping to dusting, cooking and setting the table. But this year, the girls are in a strange new place. Looking to settle in an area where a school and church are close by, and the Ingalls' have a chance to grow a wonderful crop that will provide quite a profit, the family heads to Walnut Grove, Minnesota. Traveling by covered wagon, the family, along with all of their belongings, travels all the way through Indian Territory, across Kansas, Missouri, and Iowa, stopping at their destination in Minnesota. There, they are surrounded by Norwegian's who speak very little English. However, they are good neighbors who assist them in times of trouble. Trading their horses for a home located under the ground, Laura's family begins to call Minnesota their home. And, before long, Pa has built a lovely home by the banks of Plum Creek. He believes that his wheat crop will provide enough funds to pay off their debts when the time comes. But when locusts invade in cloud-like swarms, eating everything in their sight, the family must endure hardships that were unexpected.

But things are not all bad. Having never attended school before, Laura and Mary are finally near enough a schoolhouse where they can attend daily lessons that help them develop reading, writing, and arithmetic skills. It is at this particular school where the two older Ingalls girls are exposed to children - both male and female - who are close to their age. Some of whom title Mary and Laura "country girls." But the label does not affect how the two sisters view themselves, or their family; and only gives them the courage to befriend various girls who love to spend time with them. It is at school, however, that Laura encounters the spoiled, yet oh-so-pretty, Nellie Oleson, who goes out of her way to give both Laura and Mary a hard time. But Laura isn't having any of it, and resolves to get even with the vicious Nellie, even if it upsets her Ma and Pa. Luckily, with Ms. Beadle - the schoolteacher - around, Laura and Mary have the confidence to stand up for themselves, and receive the education that their Ma always wanted them to have; while getting the socialization they deserve. But even attending school doesn't excuse them from having to assist their family when the going gets tough.

Up until last year, I had been a diehard fan of the LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE TV series, but had never had the opportunity to delve into the wonderful tales told by Laura Ingalls Wilder herself. Upon reading the introduction novel, LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE, I quickly fell in love with the Ingalls family all over again; and, since then, they have taken up residence in my heart, and kept me fascinated with the various adventures they experienced throughout their lives. Laura is such a lively, brave, fun-loving character; whose ambition, kindness, and, oft-times, naughtiness, make her appealing from start to finish. Her relationship with her family is hard to resist, as she manages to please and displease them on a daily basis, all to the jovial laughter of her father. I believe that Pa (Charles) is one of the most important characters in the series, as he is such a kind, loyal man; who rarely scolds, and spends his downtime entertaining his family with music from his fiddle, and stories that leave you chuckling. The family, as a whole, are the type of people you would absolutely love to have the chance to know. They are kind to strangers, helpful to neighbors, and both Ma and Pa are two of the most selfless people in literature. The information regarding Rocky Mountain locusts was both interesting, and frightening; but truly provides a wonderful history lesson for the young reader. While the introduction of the devilish Nellie Oleson provides quite a bit of humor, as she and Laura trade insults with one another at almost every meeting between the two. Ingalls did a marvelous job of penning such a cheerful addition to the series; and, thus far, ON THE BANKS OF PLUM CREEK has become my favorite LITTLE HOUSE book yet. A can't-miss addition to the series!

Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer

ON THE BANKS OF PLUM CREEK -- Who could forget the plague of grasshoppers, or spoiled Nellie's encounter with the crab, or Pa's sojourn in the blizzard, among other adventures?

We -- my three homeschooled grandchildren and I -- are going through the Laura Ingalls Wilder series of books for the second time. We read them aloud during story time, and love every minute. These are books written about an American pioneer family in the 1800s with a strong moral compass. In an unsentimental style, the author writes simply of the day-to-day life she experienced firsthand growing up. As the title of this review suggests, a central theme, not only of this book, but the entire series, is that "Pa loves Ma, and Ma loves Pa, and all's right with the world," including in the face of all kinds of adversity and opportunity alike.

I enrich this time for my grandchildren by stopping occasionally to explain and discuss what we are reading about, be it an unusual word usage, a custom no longer practiced, how to do something by hand, historical facts... We have even stopped to do some research and measure out the height of a bear. Our family tradition is that the eldest grandchild (now 11) reads the last page of these books. Otherwise, I usually do the reading. We also try to get started right away on the next book in the series, the same day as we finish the one before, so as not to lose our momentum.

After going through the series the first time, we discovered (almost by accident at the local library) several other series of books, written by other authors, about Laura's great-grandmother Martha in Scotland, her grandmother Charlotte in Boston, and her mother Caroline in Wisconsin, so we decided to start over with the first of those books and carry on through. There is also a series about Laura's daughter Rose which we have not gotten to yet.

Reading through the other series in order has been time well invested. Like Laura, we have strong family roots in Scotland. We have four generations of our family living within close proximity, so my grandchildren know my father, their beloved great-grandfather, quite well, and this series helps them gain a feel of family and historical continuity, generation to generation. (Check for related book series under: Martha Years, Charlotte Years, Caroline Years, Rose Years).

I am investing in and building our own set of all these books in hardcover, having told my grandchildren that I plan to be around to read them to *their* grandchildren!

As soon as I picked up the book and started reading; I could not set it down again...literally. If not for work, I would've finished it within one day. Great plot, typical fantasy plot; however because I enjoy reading fantasy alot, the twist at the end was a little predictable; but a very engaging storyline nonetheless. Loved the imagery the author was able to instill throughout the book - especially the fight between Chayne and Alyx written in a third persons perspective. I thought it was really clever and was really able to picture the whole fight in my mind as I was reading.

Great character development for all characters that allows you to really identify with their ongoing emotions and inner conflicts. Only character that I thought deserved more in this department is Jhonia; throughout the book I felt that I did not know enough about him and did not "feel" sympathetic or otherwise to the events surrounding him. If a little more time was spent developing Jhonia, I would have definately given this book the full 5 stars.

All in all, a great book that kept me on the edge of my seat. Just can't wait for the rest of the story to be revealed especially if they're all going to be like the first.

A GREAT beginning to and epic series!!! the detail in the fights are awesome and Joe doesn't hold anything back when it comes to describing a gruesome scene of fury. Alyx (the duel wielding figure on the cover) is a force to be dealt with, as he masters his enemies with cold steel!

A long time reader of fantasy novels, this one was a refreshing change! The twists left me stunned and curious what would happen next. The first few chapters were simplistic in nature outlining the lives of each character. By the end of the book the characters have gained real depth and I can't wait to see how the trilogy ends. It is one of the few books that I can't seem to put down!

The book was interesting and original. The characters were well developed and the plot was easy to follow. As I approached the conclusion of this book, it left me looking forward to the sequel. A must read for those interested in fantasy genre.

I get the impression that most of the people who reviewed this book are the author's friends. I am not enjoying this book at all and doubt that I will finish it. The idea behind the novel is good, but the descriptive material about the setting is poor, the reasons for the development of relationships among the characters poorly demonstrated, and the dialogue between them is even worse.

I read this book in high school...late 70's/early 80's. I see it's been rereleased. I loved it then and recently came across it while sorting through memorabilia so read it again and still love it. A truly timeless story that any girl who remembers the social and academinc pressures of high school can relate to. A must read!!!

I have read and re-read this book, along with the subsequent ones in the series (Snowy, Henrietta Snow, and recently The Husband's Bench) and never tire of them. I grew up in the 70's, but the town where I went to high school was very much a "small town", and was the town where my mother had grown up, gone to high school and yes, been a cheerleader in the 50's. Like Snowy, my childhood home now houses a business, our high school hangout was demolished, a new high school was built, and on and on. The characters in these books are so real that I always find myself loathe to finish the book and have to leave them. Snowy, Tom, Bev, Puddles, Charl, Darl, Dudley.... I feel like all of them are my friends. I cannot recommend this book, or the rest of the series highly enough.

My aunt lent me a copy of this book when I was about 15 years old. The Cheerleader came out before I was born and 2 of my aunts loved the story, so they felt sharing it with me was appropriate. I in turn passed it on to my friends and a revival of Snowy, Tom, Puddles and Bev began. Imagine the thrill of seeing a sequel 20 years later..Snowy! And then the books that followed "the gang". I haven't enjoyed this author's other stories (outside of the "Snowy") ones nearly as much as this, but once you read The Cheerleader, be sure to follow up with the rest of them!

Every once in a while a novel comes along that for some reason never seems to become a huge bestseller or make its author famous and renowned, but that is so note-perfect that the few who read it gobble it up like an addictive drug, pass it on to their friends (who never return the copy lent to them) and never forget it. THE CHEERLEADER is just such a novel. It captures right down to the smallest detail the way life was for an ambitious high-school girl growing up in a small town in New Hampshire in the 1950s. By doing so, it becomes a novel with which any woman (American, anyway) of any era can identify. Snowy's world, her parents, her school, her friends, her teachers, her hopes and her dreams are all drawn here with a truth that is almost painful. Once you read it, it stays with you forever...and you want more stories about her, which the author has supplied, thanks to fan demand, in the form thus far of SNOWY, HENRIETTA SNOW and, now, THE HUSBAND BENCH (which focuses on the life of Snowy's friend Bev, and which I have already pre-ordered). The book I can compare this to most is Betty Smith's A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN--another example of a novel that hits a timeless chord with its readers yet, thanks to some strange quirk of fate, has failed to make its author as well known as she should be. If you've read TREE and haven't read THE CHEERLEADER and its sequels, do yourself a favor and start now. If you haven't read any of these books, what are you waiting for? Pull up a chair, a glass of your favorite beverage and lose yourself in the worlds of Francie and Snowy. It'll be some of the best reading time you've ever spent. Warning, though: don't lend out your copy of THE CHEERLEADER to anyone; chances are you won't get it back!

I first read this when I was 16, in the 1970s. I don't know how MacDougall got a drug-addled, school-vandalizing little punker to identify with a straight-A, student council member, 1950s cheerleader, but instead of resenting Snowy, I loved her and cared what happened to her. MacDougall does a fantastic job of giving the physical details of a 1950s adolescence: the smell of Noxzema and Cashmere Bouquet, the revolving fads of ice-cream bucket purses and turned-up collars. Maybe that's why I understood, even though my fads involved satin windbreakers, purple concert kits, and patchwork jeans: like Snowy, I simultaneously wanted to fit in with the crowd and to remain my own person. Ironically, by using the tiniest specifics of a mid-twentieth-century high school experience, MacDougall has given us a world and a character that readers from any era will somehow find recognizable.

The Complete Chronicles of Narnia CD Box Set was an outstanding purchase. Not only are the books well read by famous voices, but they are accurate to a word. I've heard all but the last two and will share them with my 7 year old granddaughter when I'm done to introduce her to C.S. Lewis. My only disappointment was that I could not load them on to my computer to put them on my ipod for my walks, but I listen from my CD player in the house and enjoy every moment. I highly recommend the attractive and well done set. It does include some illustrations in case you do not have the books in your library.

I have to agree with a previous review, this is a FANTASTIC Audio production. The actors reading the books do a superb job: to the point that at times I don't believe it is the same person reading the different parts. They put such enthusiasm and character in to the voices and the readings that it makes the book come alive. Also a previous review recommended a different order in the reading of the books and I have to agree that the following order worked well for me.
1. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
2. Prince Caspian
3. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (Lewis planned on stopping the series here, but apparently it took on a life of its own)
4. The Silver Chair (Actually written after, but published before "The Horse and His Boy")
5. The Horse and his Boy
6. The Magician's Nephew (Could be read first but I am glad I read (The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe) first.
7. The Last Battle.
Note: I bought this series for my grand children and I have really enjoyed each and every book.

We had seen the movies and heard of the series but never read them. We decided to purchase the complete seris on CD for a trip and they are awesome. I recommend these books for anyone wanting a good family friendly story. These were never boring and they are filled with good lessons; but not preachy.

The Complete Chronicles of Narnia is a wonderful addition to any family's entertainment collection. Even the boxes and discs are beautifully illustrated. More importantly, each of the seven novels is masterfully read by a talented actor who breathes life into the stories and characters. We listened to several books while moving across country and it certainly helped the miles go by!

A favorite series since I was young, but seems to get better with age! I find the lessons and characters erupting --like magic-- into my own life. Though generally considered Christian-based, it stands alone.

The performances are all wonderful, but Kenneth Branagh is truly inspired in "The Magician's Nephew". He is a brilliant (as the Brits would say) story teller. It makes me laugh out loud just to think of his voices for the talking animals (the bulldog, she elephant, leopard...)

This book is excellent! I read it in 1998 and just re-read it in July '05. It never ceases to amaze me at the way the author portrayed Adrena Reynolds. Poor soul of a girl who actually get hers in the end even though she really had no control over her early childhood. This book creates a great discussion about what goes around comes around!

As I read this debut novel (published in 1998) by Bernadette Connor it dawned on me about half way through that not since I ran across Henry Van Dyke's novel BLOOD OF STRAWBERRIES way back in 1969 had I read a novel by an African American writer who says practically nothing about race or racism. Occasionally the author describes a character's skin tone-- Adrena Reynolds, for example, is described as a "milk chocolate beauty"-- but that's about the extent of any reference to color. Furthermore, I do not believe we are ever told where the action takes place although it appears to be in a major metropolitan northern city. What we do have, however, is a story that often almost tells itself, taking on a life of its own. Part romance, part mystery, DAMAGED is about Adrena Reynolds who suffers horrendous sexual abuse at the hands of her awful parents but who finds much love through her psychiatrist Dr. Vivian Matthews and the doctor's family.

Ms. Connor is a tremendous storyteller and is at her best when she shows readers rather than tells them what is happening or what to think about what is happening. Occasionally she gilds the lily with phrases like "silent stillness." But she more than compensates for such with appropriately descriptive language. For example, Vivian sees herself when she is suffering from depression as having fallen into a hole "filled with different shades of black." At one point Adrena says that she and Vivian are in the same boat and offers her one of her oars. One character is described as pretty "but there's no one home." When Vivian muses over the difficulty she is having with her husband, Ms. Connor says in perfect prose: "Simply said, Vivian missed her marriage."

Simply put-- to borrow a phrase from the author-- you will care desperately for Adrena and you hope against hope that her life will turn out well. Ms. Connor's themes are serious: the irreparable harm that parents inflict on their innocent children, the fragileness of life, the importance of love even when it is not enough.

DAMAGED is certainly an impressive first novel.

This was a great book. You should definitely get this one. I've shared it with many people and now that I have it back, will reread it.

This book was off the hook. I couldn't and wouldn't put it down. I would recommend this book to all my avid readers.

Author Bernadette Y. Connor spins a thought-provoking tale of abuse, survival, redemption, and the need for forgiveness in her novel Damaged! The novel centers around the relationship of teenager Adrena Reynolds and her psychiatrist Vivian Matthews. As a child, Adrena was raped and beaten by her violent father while her drug addicted mother sat by and watched. After being rescued from her abusive home, the girl is assigned to Dr. Matthews for treatment and placed in foster care. But Dr. Matthews' inexperience in her position is evident, as she allows herself to become overly attached emotionally to her young charge, and Adrena's own sociopathic tendencies readily become evident as she manipulates her relationship with Matthews like some emotional vampire.

Connor has a wonderful eye for detail and a gift for providing the reader with a strong sense of place. Her descriptions of sessions between Matthews and Adrena almost leave the reader feeling as if she as broken some doctor-patient privilege, the detail is so clear. And the heart-wrenching scene involving the actual assault on Adrena was so intense I had to put the book down and collect my thoughts before continuing.

The true power of this novel is hampered, however, by the authors tendency to overly explain to the reader what they should be feeling. She often makes statements of the obvious that take away from the story. There are times when I almost felt as if the writer was making excuses for Dr. Matthew's inability to handle her patient. There is also a tendency to dictate events, as opposed to allowing them to blossom on their own. This is particularly true at the beginning of the novel, when we are given a laudry list of crimes committed by Adrena against her foster parents, including two arsons, and attempts to poison her foster family members.

Because of this, Adrena comes across more as a sociopath than a sympathetic character. Instead of slowly descending into a madness that culminates in a final act of aggression, Adrena's pattern of behavior makes the ending almost anticlimactic. After seeing the troubled youth commit so many atrocities, the ending doesn't carry the punch it otherwise could.

Overall, however, the book is well worth the read. Connor writes with an exciting energy that delivers a moving psychological drama that is sure to captivate the reader.

My 18 month old son loves this book! He watched me do the movements as I read it and now he does them on his own when I read the book! Very cute and interactive.

In this book, various animals and children move parts of their body and encourage other children to do so.

Eric Carle is truly a master of this kind of text. Each spread follows the same repetitive structure - "I'm a $ANIMAL and I can $VERB my $BODYPART - can you? I can do it!" - which makes it very suitable both for young children learning to speak and older children figuring out how to read.

The only part I don't like is at the end, when the little boy says to his parrot (in a neat turnaround) "I am I, and I can wiggle my toe". It doesn't sound very idiomatic to me - I would say, in normal speech "I am me", or perhaps (in the form followed in the rest of the book) "I am a child" or "I am a person" or "I am a human".

This book is also, obviously good to encourage kids to move during a rainy-day storytime, or to let them move if they always are fidgeting during storytime.

This is an excellent, fun book. My 2yr 7 month daughter mimics each of the animals. Its a lot of interactive fun!

My little boy started doing all the motions at about 10 months and now loves to read this book by himself, all the motions are great for learning body parts and animals.

We LOVE this book, we play out the little roles of each animal and along with it learn the parts of the body and the movements. We have a lot of fun with this and laugh every time we read it together.