Awards Books

Such an amazing book!He pierces the heart of his subject matter to whittle it down to it's most important truth. Resonant poems full of history and painful truths. I can't believe I waited so long to find this book.

We were lucky enough to have this amazing poet visit our class today. He happened to go the same school as us, Lakeview Academy in Gainesville. He is an amazing poet and doesn't care about making poetry the traditional way, he writes what he feels. This is evident in how many of his poems do not rhyme, but he feels his words. He is underrated as a writer and I hope soon people will become more affiliated with this wonderful writer.

A stunning book. Our children will be studying Patrick Phillips in some future edition of the Norton Anthology, and footnotes and professors will explain the references to photographs of people lost in the World Trade Center or the loss of farms to make Lake Lanier. But everyone will see for themselves, without need for explanation, what family and place were like at a specific time and that time's place in eternity.

Chattahoochee is an impressive compilation of verse by poetry award winner Patrick Phillips who is currently a Henry Mitchell MacCracken Fellow at New York University. This is poetry that is spare, sophisticated, and above all, memorable. The Flood: Two-thirds of earth, and most of us, is water./Come life, come death's black, fathomless water.//At the mirror I try to picture the soul./I raise my cupped hands, full of water.//And think of my birth: the scalpel, my mother's/skin parting like a sea of red water.//In the dream of the flood I'm always the one/looking back, turning into a pillar of water.//I drag a stick through my reflection: there lies/another, whose name is written in water.

My five star rating comes with a single caveat: I don't believe this book, or any discussion of slavery, is appropriate for fourth graders, as has been suggested. This is a really well-done book, but despite the fact that it is a picture book, I feel it is better suited to grades 6-8, perhaps the occasional mature 5th grader. The topic is a painful one, especially if you are talking to large numbers of African-American children whose far-back families may well have lived in the quarters (kids like my history students). The thing I love about this book is that it doesn't try to present the slaves as essentially happy and festive, which is how they were depicted when I was growing up in the '60s. Instead, it is understood that they endure their position only because it is strategically the wrong moment to rise up and resist; you don't get the feeling these folks would really mind seeing the owners drop dead in their Christmas feast, but it isn't possible to make that happen right now, so they make the best of a bad situation, but only for the moment. The cluelessness of the white owners is beautifully rendered. That said, if you are shopping for a Christmas book to read with your young child at Christmas time to get that glowing, good-all-over feeling, this isn't the book you are looking for. Save this one for a serious discussion of slavery and the American Civil War.

This book describes the customs, recipes, poems, and songs used to celebrate Christmas in the big plantation houses and in the slave quarters just before the Civil War. I was filled with great trepidation after seeing the cover of this book. It was a relief to me to find that, fortunately, the text was respectful and historically accurate. But observe, as I did, this cover. We know, after reading the book, that this picture symbolizes the rare moment when the slaves were invited into the "Big House", or home of the white slave owners, to view the Christmas trimming. Yet it cuts too closely to the ancient inaccurate image of plantation owners and their "happy" slaves (ala Gone With the Wind) for the casual person browsing this cover. The back cover does little to alleviate this fear, showing a scene of black children skipping merrily with a white child. Inside, however, the authors deal deftly with the subject. Making it very very clear that certain positive traits exhibited by the slave owners during Christmas towards their slaves were the exception and not the rule, the book gives carefully annotated scenes from the lives of white plantation owners and slaves. The pictures accompanying the text are, most times, beautifully presented. There is a shot of a bonfire that is one of the most impressive drawings I've ever seen of fire. Unfortunately, some of the models for these pictures undoubtedly suffered from hair circa 1994, since it is obviously permed to perfection in a couple scenes. Please note that the authors have a keen sense of irony that plays well. After hearing the slaves sing a song that is code for someone escaping to freedom, the plantation owner's daughter writes in her diary that the day has ended with, "the sweet sound of a happy, contented slave singing a carol". This point is not elaborated on, and is exquisite in its simplicity. The endnotes found in the back of the book, annotated per page, are excellently done. This book is a valuable part of any collection, and would read best to children a little older. Kids who read this book on their own may not catch all the references and points that the book brings up. This would pair well with Mildred Taylor's "The Well", as a before and after to the Civil War.

This beautifully illustrated Christmas story explains the origins of many African-American Christmas traditions.

This is quite a fascinating book. Like another reviewer here, when I received this work I groaned inwardly, particularly when I noted the cover. I should have listened to the old saying "never judge a book by it's cover." This hold very true with this work. The book is the story of and a comparison of Christmas in the old south and how the folks in the "Big House" celebrated in contrast with the folks in the slave quarters. I found this work to bee extremely historically accurate. Social issues are meet head on with little or no surgar coating. The art work in this book is worth many more times the price of the book. It is truely well done. The only critical thing I might have to say here is that everything was depicted as rather clean and neat, a little too perfect. This includes the white owners living quarters and dress along with those of the slave. Things just were not that nice in those days. Other than that, I felt this was a very, very good work. I did enjoy the various recipes, discriptions of customs and songs. All in all, recommend this one highly.

Don Waters is a brilliant talent and gift to all who read his work. I recommend this collection to anyone who wishes to read clever thoughtful words that shine on the dark side.

I don't have time to write a long review so I'll just say this: it's brilliant work. Each story makes you wish there was a full length novel to accompany it.

Winner of the 2007 Iowa Short Fiction Award, "Desert Gothic" by Don Waters is a collection of superbly written short stories set against the desert backgrounds of Nevada and Arizona. The characters are memorable, the plots imaginatively original, the language beautifully rendered, and the cumulative effect clearly documenting Waters as a master storyteller. The individual stories comprising this outstanding and very highly recommended anthology include: What to Do with the Dead; Sheets; Mr. Epstein and the Dealer; Dan Buck; Mineral and Steel; Blood Management; Holiday at the Shamrock; The Bulls at San Luis; Little Sins; and Mormon in Heat. "Desert Gothic" is a welcome and impressive addition to personal, academic, and community library Contemporary American Literature collections and supplemental reading lists.

I'm like Sam Stone of Indiana, another Amazon reviewer, who doesn't havce time to write a long review, but unlike Sam Stone, I'm just as glad there wasn't a novel to go with every one of these brilliant stories. I like some things short and concentrated.

Don Waters brings a refreshing moist breeze to the parched desert lands on which his characters crawl, like wounded scorpions, to a death predestined, nearly animating their paltry lives through clever plotting and some racy, colloquial dialogue. His sense of "scene" is just about perfect, and whenever you fear that he's allowing the tail of his shaggy dogs to wag the story, he brings it back to line with a sharp tug on the leash, often by pulling one more unexpected twist out of the character's copious prior lives--for it seems everyone comes to the desert to hide out, or die, whatever comes first and hurts the most.

Dan Buck is a obsessed, world famous athlete on the model of Lance Armstrong (except a runner), a man who pushes himself through his own version of Extreme Vanity. His first person narration eschews any trace of humility in his escalating war with his body and in the forbidden love he feels for another, perhaps less neurotic, Slavic runner, Vitus the Czech. It's sort of a Brokeback Mountain means Lawrence of Arabia approach, and it works with this material, since Dan Buck doesn't spare us any of the details of his celebrated life and Waters gets down every physical detail of his collapse, after what I imagine was some prodigious research effortlessly sifted into the character, like silk into water.

It's hard to find a decent human being among them, but Waters harbors a battered affection for them all, one he works hard to share with readers. One poor slob gets suckered into being a mule for seniors, smuggling their expensive medicines in from Mexico, bringing in more and more each time, a modernday Raoul Wallenberg with a streak of heroism in him that proves there's an exception to every rule. (In a parodic mirror of this story, another of Waters' protagonists, Geoff, makes money "scooting kids to proms." A cop pulls him over, notes that his DL has expired. "Yeah," Geoff replies, glumly. "By six years," the cop continues.) Good and bad shepherds, all stumble towards a distant star--perhaps only a neon simulacrum hung atop a casino.

The bleached out sinners of DESERT GOTHIC are a breed of their own, and while readers might do well to apply ten coats of moral sunscreen on all exposed areas of their skin, they will be glad they went down in Don Waters' fiery furnace. You'll be able to tell us desert rats, we've got the wild eyes and the weary, chafed wobble of the survivor.

This is a wonderful and entertaining science fiction read that will be appealing to all ages. The story moves quickly and is a perfect read-aloud selection for a classroom setting. I loved the premise of the story, travel through a wormhole, and how our planet Earth and the alien planet were slightly similar but had distinct characteristics. Well done!!

I would definitely buy this book as a gift for any girls I know. It's a great read - interesting and suspenseful. The plot follows a really creative adventure, with unexpected twists and exciting confrontations. But the highlight of the book is its protagonist, a 16-year-old girl. She's smart and headstrong, and a little bit naive. Her growth, as she begins to understand how to handle responsibility, is just as engaging as the adventurous plot. Perhaps best of all is that the adults in her life take her seriously, a fact that all young readers will appreciate.

A well-written and absorbing novel that is especially appropriate for an adolescent/young teen audience, though enjoyable for adults as well. Carefully crafted characters take the reader on an intergalactic rescue mission set in 2064. In addition to space travel and worm hole theory, the book touches on larger themes of civil liberties, political oppression and even genetic cloning! A fast-paced, engaging book - hopefully not the last from Judith Joy!

A wonderful, imaginative work of science fiction, which will appeal to a wide age-range - probably aimed at the middle-school set, but enjoyable for upper elementary ages as well as teens and adults. I particularly enjoyed the creative imagery (the amphibious but human-like aliens, the floating vendor stalls in a watery world)and the attention to futuristic details. I also appreciated the subtly implied messages on the topics of freedom vs tyranny, civil liberties and "human" dignity. A very entertaining read, with some good observations on human nature and contemporary society, as well as fun speculations on future worlds!

An educational book about dragonflies, Eliza and the Dragonfly is a well-crafted children's book. The story teaches the reader about the life cycle of the dragonfly from nymph to adult. It also introduces them to the occupation of entomologist. At the back of the book is additional information on dragonflies as well as resources to learn more about them. Eliza and the Dragonfly is a recommended and educational read for young children.

I read this book to my son's first grade class and became the most popular "mom reader" around. For a group of mostly city kids who don't generally think about squishing around in the muck on purpose, this sweet, smart story opened the children's minds to the wonder and beauty of nature, and gave us all some gross (and cool!) things to ponder. The author did a wonderful job of telling a simple yet poignant story about growing up, learning from the world around us, and sharing our love and knowledge with family and friends. The illustrations are equally amazing. And the kids and I loved learning all the names of the different types of dragonflies at the end. This book makes me want to be the kind of mom who isn't afraid of anything gross!

I can't say enough good things about this book. The story is compelling and well written. The information is factually correct and presented at just the right level for precocious preschoolers and young school-age children. And the art is absolutely stunning. I wish there were more children's books like this on the market--books that are able to combine good storytelling with interesting and accurate information. This is the stuff that makes kids want to read learn. I'm going to buy it for the library at my daughters' school and for everyone I know with a child between the ages of 4 and 8.

Magnificent! This book makes you want to get out, muck around in a pond, ask questions about the wonder of life and go "wow?" The story of a little girl that follows the transformation of a nymph into a dragonfly is not only a metaphor for her own growing up, but it is a wonderful demonstration of the natural curiosity we need to cultivate in children. Eliza learns about dragonflies, nymphs and the importance of asking questions. Philosopher Abraham Heschel wrote that "under the running sea of our theories and scientific explanations lies the aboriginal abyss of radical amazement." Author Susie Caldwell Rinehart found a way of keeping that amazement alive and making it accessible to children. The illustrations in the book are works of art. There is hardly any white space in the book as page after page come alive with color. I liked the additional information, list of further readings, and web sources at the end of the book for curious little explorers. A great book. Every child should have an "Aunt Doris" who responds with a "magnificent!" to the creatures that make most of us go "eeeww."

Despite its setup as a reference book, this is one you'll want to read cover-to-cover. The author gives the lowdown on all the movie awards, information about who was nominated and who won, and who he THINKS should have won. It's witty and entertaining!

I loved Gebert's Golden Armchair reviews and the speculation on who should have won! The intrigue and the behind-the-scenes knowledge is invaluable.

For those of us who are movie lovers, we know we have found someone else who must be, to the max! I enjoyed the inside scoop on the awards, particularly the politics of the Academy Awards and I find this a great reference book to seek out good movies I may have missed. I loved the wit of his own reviews and wished there was more of his keen insight. Hope there will be another book soon.

This is an excellent resource for finding great movies to watch. I especially like the year by year listings of the highest grossing films. I'm hoping an updated version (with pictures) will come out.

Note: I offended an immature person by giving negative reviews to books attempting to "prove the Book of Mormon." Rather than answer my criticisms, that person gives my reviews negative votes. Oh, well.

Your "helpful" votes are appreciated, and please remember that a short review (recommendation in this case) is good if it leads you to a great book.

I own this edition, and I would highly recommend it. I agree with the other reviewers. This is a must-have book for anyone with an interest in art.

My copy is from 1997. That edition (p. 112) contains the most wonderful scene of two children and a dog running up a hill with a beautiful valley in the background. It's from the cover of the "Saturday Evening Post" of May, 1960. Done in light greens and yellows, this painting is very evocative of an innocent youthful world.

I wish that painting had been larger. If someone knows where I could obtain a copy, please leave a message here.

"Famous American Illustrators" is full of large-format pictures that give the reader an appreciation for the talent and imagination that has gone into these paintings. What a wonderful world these artists created.

Thanks, and you will enjoy this book. Highly recommended.

The Walt Reed book referred to by the other reviewers contains many more artists, but it has far smaller reproductions because there is so much packed in. By contrast the present book has some magnificent large and colourful illustrations that allow the reader to gain a better appreciation of each of the artists. The colour balance is wonderful (unlike some art books) and the selection of illustrators is great.

Books on illustrators, from the golden age to the present, with their vast sample illustrations are in constant demand these days due to titles going throught out-of-print listings. One excellent reference source-The Illustrator in America:1880- 1980 by Walt Reed contains hundreds of works by illustrators from the late 19th century to the 1980's. The book unfortunately, is now out-of-print. Now, a new recent addition has been published-Famous American Illustrators. The various listings and samples of illustrators from the book are all elected members of the American Society of Illustrators. The book is an excellent supplement for Walt Reed's title where the readers can view more samples of each of the illustrators' unique styles.

The book is an excellent supplement to one of the title by WaltReed-The Illustrators in America: 1880 to 1980. The book containnumerous sample illustrations by elected members of the American Society of Illustrators.

I checked out this book from the library, and my 10 year old son and I read it before my 8 year old daughter (the intended audience) got her hands on it. All 3 of us enjoyed it. Before she got finished with it, my daughter was asking if there were more of them. We will be waiting anxiously for a new one. I'd recommend it for any reader who gets bogged down with chapter books, but even chapter book readers will enjoy it. I compare it to our son's delight with the Captain Underpants graphic novels. Easy to read and funny!

My 5 year old is on her third time through this book. She has enjoyed looking at the pictures on her own and having the book read to her twice while she helps with some of the smaller words. It has been a great way to get her involved in reading. She can't wait for the next Fashion Kitty book to come out!

I purchased this book for my 8 year old daughter. Getting her to read can sometimes be a chore so I was thrilled when I showed her this book and she could not put it down. It's funny for children and adults. She was chuckling to herself as she read. It's great because the language is not too easy but there are pictures to break things up for her. One of the biggest adjustments for emergent readers is the lack of pictures and getting used to that concept. I wish there were more of these books to buy and can't wait for another installment.

Take a trip back in time with me to the halcyon days of 2005. A time when graphic novels for children were hardly as commonplace as they are today. Ah '05. Whatta year. I remember it well. At the time, I was searching in vain for above par graphic novels for kids to add to my very short list of library-worthy titles. There really wasn't much out there, but one name kept coming up over and over again. Something called "Fashion Kitty". Being the kind of girl that I am, I took one look at the book's sparkly cover, preference for all things pink, and use of the word "fashion" in the title, and promptly never thought of the book again. Until now. Recently my library purchased a large swath of graphic novels for young `uns and there, perched cheerily at the top of the pile, was Charise Mericle Harper's creation. I circled it warily and thought it might be safe to just flip through idly and call it a day. Flipping, however, began and ended on page three where I read the following line: "The FIRST reason the Kittie family is unusual is that a cat having a mouse for a pet is similar to a human having a chocolate cake for a pet." This sentence is immediately followed by the image of a boy leading a pink frosting-laden chocolate cake by a leash as he murmurs to it, "I love you, but I wish I could eat you!" I was hooked. I showed the book to my least graphic-novel-lovin' colleague. She was hooked. Even if you are no fan of fashion, kitties, or even comics in general, "Fashion Kitty", has the power to win over even the toughest of critics. Is it girly? Or lordy, yes. Is it fun? You bet your sweet bippy.

Right off the bat there are three things you need to know about the Kittie family. First of all, they own a pet mouse. Second, daughters Kiki and Lana get to pick out all their own clothes. Third, "The Kittie family knows the secret identity of Fashion Kitty." Fashion Kitty, as it happens, was born out of a potentially tragic accident involving a birthday wish, a rickety shelf, and some fashion magazines. From out of that toxic threesome emerged none other than Fashion Kitty herself with such super-powered elements as the "Tail of comfort", "Supersonic feet" and a brain that can "mix and match hundreds of outfits in a second". Thus, mild-mannered Kiki Kittie is now Fashion Kitty when she detects that someone is moving towards a fashion disaster. Take, for example, poor Mary Jane who was about to believe popular and cruel Priscilla Persian that everyone the next day would be wearing polka-dotted shorts over their pants. In the end, Kiki has a new lot (and outfit) in life, Mary Jane is redeemed, and Priscilla Persian gets what's coming to her.

Obviously the first thing people are going to say when they see "Fashion Kitty" is, "Boy, that looks a lot like the `Babymouse' books, doesn't it?" We're living in such a graphic novel-starved world that when two books involve a palette of pinks alongside an anthropomorphized heroine, we immediately equate the one with the other. "Babymouse", I should point out, is very different from her feline brethren. Where "Fashion Kitty" involves an actual superhero, the closest "Babymouse" ever gets to hero-dom is in her dreams. "Fashion Kitty" is wish-fulfillment and "Babymouse" is far more realistic. That doesn't make "Kitty" any less fun to read, however. I mean, Harper's sense of humor is really the book's saving grace. It would be remarkably simple to create a vapid fashion-entranced graphic novel for little girls without a drop of humor or sense of its own innate silliness. Harper's title, however, never takes its subject matter seriously. We're talking flying fashion-conscious cats here, people. So when Harper includes a montage of some boys who don't give "two hoots" about what they wear, you know it's gonna be good. I was also rather charmed by young Lana Kittie, who is the antithesis of her older sister's good sense. Lana is only four, so if she wants to wear stocking around her next, underpants on the outside of her pants, or three skirts in a row she's perfectly entitled to do so and it doesn't matter a jot.

Oddly enough, in spite of its September 2005 publication date, you won't be seeing the sequel to this book (entitled, "Fashion Kitty Verses the Fashion Queen") until May 2007. Most peculiar. Random House has been churning out the "Babymouse" books at least every 6 months. I wonder if Hyperion will try to follow suit when they see how profitable such a series might be. If you haven't yet found yourself with a copy of "Fashion Kitty" on hand, definitely consider giving it a glance. A fun GN and a rollicking good time.

I grew up reading the Famous Five in Denmark. My classmates and I would fight over them in the library. I used to hole up in my room with the Famous Five and wishing I was part of their adventures! I had every one of the books but unfortunately they were given away when I left home. I'm now in the process of collecting them all again.

I read all of Enid Blyton's books as an American child living in Pakiston in the late 1960's. I loved every one of them. I am now trying to find another children's series by Blyton called, "Mallory Towers" a schoolgirl series. There were six books in the series. END

I am german and have read probably all Enid Blyton Books around, they are very popular in germany. My favorite serises of hers was the five friends, it is about friendship, it is mystery, it is catching and it makes you want to read..like all of her books this one is a great present for any occassion and a TUMBS UP! I wish more of her works were available in the United States.

I have read most all of Enid Blyton's books, esply her adventure series of Famous Five, The Five Find-Outers and dog, and also her three boarding school series. Most children outside the US read a lot of her work. Her work is not only creative, thus appealing to children, but it establishes fundmental concepts of right and wrong, and a simple code of ethics. Some would call it old-fasioned, maybe. But in this world of violence, Ms Blytons books are a breath of fresh air. Wish they were available in the US!

I recently bought the HCSB and I am delighted with the translation. It is more literal than the NIV (New International Version) and more accurate, and yet it is more readable than the NASB (New American Standard). I liked this translation also because it is based on the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia 5th edition (Hebrew OT) and the United Bible Societies' Greek New Testament 4th edition (Greek NT). The 100 scholars who translated this version are evangelical scholars who obviously have a high regard for Scripture and hold to the inerrancy of Scripture. I liked how the HCSB translated certain passages. I am relieved that translations of passages such of Dan. 7:13 are not so gender inclusive that it missed out on the whole Messianic reference (HCSB "One like a Son of Man" not like NRSV "one like a human being"). Another notable translation is Phil. 2: 6 ("did not regard equality with God as something to take advantage of"). I also liked how it translated 1 John 2:2 ("propitiation" instead of "expiation" for reference to Christ's atonement). A curious note in the O.T. is that sometimes the translators translate God's name as Yahweh and most other times it leaves it as LORD and GOD in capitals (e.g. Ps. 81:10; Ps. 83: 18).

This is the most cost effective edition of this translation (the Gift & Award Bible) since it costs only $5, which is much less expensive than comparative Gift & Award equivalents for the NIV and NASB. I have purchased many of these Gift and Award HCSBs to give out to friends -- it is even less expensive than some New Testament versions. This Gift & Award edition is much less expensive than the red-letter text edition of the HCSB. If you want to purchase a less expensive edition of the HCSB just to read it and try it out, the Gift & Award is the way to go.

I highly recommend this translation! It is a worthy addition to the plethora of Bible translations out there. I would also highly recommend the English Standard Version as well (which is more expensive than the HCSB). If you like a low-cost Bible which is accurate and readable, try out the HCSB! Like the English Standard Version, it is a nice cross between the NIV and NASB.

This HCB is a unique, essentially literal translation. The rendering is almost the same as the ESV/NASB. This particular one is a smaller size and of imitation leather, with paperback pages.

The outstanding features are the Red Letter Edition to Christ's words, as well as the lay out of important quotations from the Old Testament etc. The early Church hymn of Philippians 2 is also presented in a stanza form, as are many other helpful tidbits. Therein the wording helpfully reads: 'the emptying of Christ..' The maps are in color and their is a helpful addition of theologia at the back: an abbreviated dictionary, concordance and other study helps.

'Whatever He tears down cannot be rebuilt,
whoever He imprisons cannot be released.' Job 12:14

The rendering of He and His favorably appears with a capital H !
I have one mainly for the translation benefit is brings, as it is
clear and true to the original text.

First, it goes without saying this is an excellent value. It provides a great opportunity to check out this new translation.

The HCSB is one of only two new translations that I like (the other being the ESV). The only thing I don't like is its tendency to be a little too conversational at times.

On the other hand, the translators seem to place a high priority on accuracy (my one problem with the NIV, at times).

Bottom line: get a copy of the ESV and a copy of the HCSB and you'll have two great alternatives to the NIV (for those times when you want a change of pace).

From what I have read so far, the HCSB seems to be a good translation. I would recommend it for someone looking for the accuracy of the NASB, but readability of the NIV.

This particular book is basically a paperback Bible with an imitation leather cover. The pages are made of the same paper as paperback books. This is the only paperback Bible I've ever seen with red-lettering. Just like other paperback Bibles, there is no book marker.

This would be a great Bible for a new Christian, for a confirmation or Sunday School gift, for a "first" Bible, for handing out to evangelize, or to just check out the HCSB translation (like what I'm doing with it). It isn't as nice as more expensive Bibles, however, considering that it only costs $5, it is a very nice Bible for the money.