Interactive Books

Great book for the "Business of Podcasting"! I like the clear layout with tips and reviews at the end of each chapter. I would also recommend the
Podcasting For Dummies and Podcast Solutions if you want core books and are just starting with the plan of a business podcast show. The one thing they left out mentioning is WaveLab Essential 6 with build in Podcasting for about $99.00 on Amazon. I use it for all my audio production including my podcast and love it!

I liked this book a lot. It is very well outlined. And it is very well written. I found it to be an easy read. But not a particularly quick read since it is pretty thick in page count and page size. The book is broken into four parts and 16 chapters:

I. Podcasting overview: Understanding the medium and its impact on business (Chapters 1-3)
II. Podcasting fundamentals: Planning and development (Chapters 4-6)
III. Producing the podcast: Production, delivery and legal issues (Chapters 7-10)
IV. Podcast distribution: Marketing, measuring and monetizing (Chapters 11-16)

Social media and Web 2.0 is comprised of a few tools that people and businesses can use to be a part of that community. The main one is blogging. And podcasting is a natural extension of blogging. What is said and has been written about blogging can also be said and written about podcasting. And this book does just that. Some people read books to get their information. Others listen to the radio or watch TV. I suspect many more listen to the radio and watch TV than read books.

Currently many more people taking part in Social Media and Web 2.0 are blogging than podcasting. But that statistic very well may change. And by reading this book one will probably understand and realize why. And even better, one will learn how to get involved in podcasting.

This book is specifically written for a business audience. It focuses on how businesses can incorporate podcasting into their marketing mix. It covers planning, content creation, legal considerations, branding, marketing, advertising, monetization, and much more.

I liked the chapter summaries at the end of each chapter called "Lessons Learned." They made it easy to get an overview of the book before I read it page to page. My favorite chapter was the seventh. It went into "Podcast Production." It got into sufficient detail and specifics that I pretty much saw what was involved in creating audio and/or video files. Emphasis was more on audio files.

The bottom line is that businesses should understand the power of podcasting and how to use it in their marketing mix. Podcasting can significantly improve a company's communications efforts with its customers, prospects, and the media. 5 stars!

As a podcasting and new media consultant, I've read just about every podcasting book out there (and authored one myself). This book is now at the top of the short list of books that every business podcaster (or podcaster with business aspirations) needs to read. The authors know there stuff and have done their research. I'll be referring again and again to the case studies and ideas shared in this book.

This book stands head and shoulders above all other podcasting books for teaching you how to make podcasting a go within the enterprise. I haven't read another book that addresses so many of the concerns that businesses have when they want to start podcasting. The other two that I have read focus on the independent podcaster and the issues that they encounter with a small focus on business interests.

What makes this book stand out so much for me is that it is written at a technical level that anyone can understand regardless of their role within a business. Every idiosyncratic element of taking a podcast from the planning stages production, copyright, distribution with rss, ROI and podcasting's role in integrated marketing is addressed in full.

Businesses and "internal champions", as they are called in the book, tasked with creating a new or social media presence through podcasting should pick up a copy. Podcast consultants, you too could learn a thing or two from this book. I did.

Many thanks to the authors!

Great practical and valuable information on dealing with challenging behaviors in a positive way. I would definitely recommend this for every parent's bookshelf and teachers as well. Another book I recently read,
Bully-Proofing Children: A Practical, Hands-On Guide to Stop Bullying- don't get misled by the title- is all about parenting and teaching in a positive way to empower children...the best way to avoid raising bullies or victims. Scripts,lessons, techniques, and stories to teach deal with important issues of setting limits, building self-esteem, managing anger,expressing feelings and conflict resolution. Children learn cooperation, getting along and kindness thru detailed lesson plans laid out in the book. Highly recommended.

This is written as a text book but it is readable and practical and it is perfect for parents. Reading it is much like sitting down with a friend and talking about real day-to-day problems babies, toddlers and young children have as they learn to cope with their feelings and to comply with parents' rules for safe, responsible behavior.

The book has simple, practical lists of things to do when toddlers bite, preschoolers fight and school-aged children pick up bad words. It gives help on potty training, sleep problems and thumb-sucking. An in depth index makes it easy to find topics.

You will want to order a second copy to lend to friends so they don't take yours!!

This is one of the best books that I have ever read. I am a 2nd year Early Childhood Education student and my brilliant professor suggested that we read this book for his class "Child Profile." So many teachers struggle with challenging behaviour and this book describes positive techniques to use with children of all ages. Behaviour guidance is about helping children develop self-control, it's not about pleasing the teacher. Every teacher should read this book!!

This is one of the best books that I have ever read. I am a 2nd year Early Childhood Education student and my brilliant professor suggested that we read this book for his class "Child Guidance." So many teachers struggle with challenging behaviour and this book describes positive techniques to use with children of all ages. Behaviour guidance is about helping children develop self-control, it's not about pleasing the teacher. Every teacher should read this book!!

Puzzle Mountain, like the other puzzle books by Susannah Leigh, tells an adventure story while encorporating mazes, puzzles, seek and find, and a number of other interactive games that are suitable for kids ages 3 and up.

In this story, Poppy Pickaxe and her puppy Bernard set out to become the first to climb to the top of Puzzle Mountain. There are hidden pictures to find on each page of their journey.

My son is only 3, so some of these puzzles are a little too old for him. But we read this together at bed time and have a lot of fun. This is a great book to grow into, and you can read it over and over and spot something new each time.

I love to give these puzzle book series as gifts or favors for kids parties.

This book provides many hours of entertainment and is just great fun for the child, the friends, siblings and the parents! Everybody will enjoy these books. Puzzle Mountain is about " Poppy Pickaxe and her puppy Bernard " She is trying to climb to the top of the mountain where the rare " Yodel flower ` is. " Basil " Collects rare mountain flowers and you must spot him on each double page. " Mountain Monster" lives on Puzzle Mountain and you must also spot him on each double page. He is a strange, furry blue creature. Then in each of the double pages in these wonderful illustrations you need to find prizes for the sports day winners that consists of prize badge, hiking boot, cowbell, toboggan trophy and many more objects. You don't know what page which object is on so you must remember these objects (or look back in the first couple pictures until you get it narrowed down) this adventure takes you to find which path, find the missing skaters, which skier in which chair. My favorite was the toboggan race and finding the route (a fun maze!) Each set of double pictures also has a puzzle, full of mazes, searches, matching, and spotting. This really was a lot of fun.

I like this book because it was fun to look around and explore. I like looking for the prizes on every page the best. I like looking out for the bad guy Basil and beating him to the top of the mountain and looking for the blue mountain monster...

One of the best of a great series for early readers with fun puzzles. The main character explores a complex world, in this case an alpine mountain complete with ski slopes, skating rinks, and even a mountain monster. My 6 yr old son loved to scan the visual puzzles -- similar to "Where's Waldo" -- but I liked the parts where he had to calculate how to spend money to buy dog treats at the mountain bakery. He devoured the whole series, but a few favorites stand out including this one, Puzzle Planet, Puzzle Jungle. We want more!

C'est un trés bon ouvrage sur le sujet. Il fournit de bonnes pistes concernant la gestion des buffers de reception et la synchro des medias. Rien que pour cela le livre est incontournable.
Olivier Rassemusse

Perkins offers us a deep explanation of how RTP can handle real time audio and, more importantly, video across a standard Internet connection. RTP has now been around for some 10 years, and has been extensively built out, based on practical feedback from its earlier usages.

As you might expect, much of the text concerns the packet formats used in RTP. There are subsidiary protocols within RTP, like its control protocol. Naturally, these are explained, as they are a necessary part of the overall RTP.

Some chapters delve into specific timing issues. One, called lip synchronisation, refers to the difficulty of synchronising the audio and video portions of a video signal. Other chapters discuss how to conceal lost video packets. Error concealment is a very practical necessity in this field.

The author is an expert in RTP/RTCP area, and this book is a must-have reference if you are working on this area or interested in . inlcuding VoIP/Videoconferencing, Streaming. The book presents the all technical aspects of RTP/RTCP precisely and correctly.

Colin Perkins is obviously well regarded in the area of RTP with many papers and research to his credit. This book is a very thorough and readable text on RTP. All aspects of RTP are covered in sufficient depth. The only thing that would have improved it would have been access to code. At various sections in the book he refers to an RTP stack that he has written. If this were made available as part of the book it would have been a killer combination.

If I lost this book, I'd buy another one!

I bought this book based on Amazon reviews for a first birthday. My grandson absolutely loved the book and was intrigued by the dog's disappearing, the bunnies popping up, and the duck's wings expanding. However, the pop-ups should be heavier cardboard. It wasn't long before Scruff, bunnies, and bubbles started to be ripped from the book. However, my grandson then invented a new game---sticking Scruff back into the pictures. I would have been willing to pay a little more for a more durable book.

My 19 month old son LOVES this book! I purchased it after reading such glowing reviews and noticed his great interest in doggies in our neighborhood. It is so enticing for him to see Scruff duck behind the animals as you open the pages but sometimes tries to grab him and I've had to tape him back twice. A simple task given the joy it brings to my son. He also likes the "moo", "nibble", and "baa" the animals say and finding the ball and mouse on each page. The large illustrations and cute theme of needing a bath ending with a good doggie in the bath makes me think this is a great toddler book.

My two daughters always loved lift-the-flap books, esp. Maisy books. But as they get older, finding the same old things behind the same old flaps gets boring. This book's flaps feature a disappearing dog. As you open the flaps first you don't see him, then you do, and then you don't again, as the dog slips behind a cow or under the window. Adds novelty enough to keep 5-year old "big sister" entertained as well. (Plus Mommy and Daddy.)

Nice text, as well...fun and easy for toddlers/pre-schoolers to "read along" with.

It's time for Scruffs bath. The water is ready but where is Scruff?

You get to follow his tracks through the pages as Scruff tries to hide somewhere on the farm.

As asked in the book "Has anybody here seen my dog, Scruff?" The answer "Baa-no, oink-no, nibble-no, moo-no, quack-no, squeak-no, Cock-a-doodle-do-no"

So where do we find Scruff? If only my dog would do what he did!

As far as pop-ups go, the pages are sturdy. The author understands children and little fingers as the popups are activated by turning rather then pulling strips.

Well, I would like to collet a set of the lone wolf series but I lack of Book 5,16,17,18,19,20. If anyone willing to sell PLEASE contant me at Epyon_13@yahoo.com.sg. Thank you

I've always enjoyed the Lone Wolf adventure book series. I own may, and am hoping to get a set to play the whole game from start to finish. If you have any doubles, or just plain don't want any, please e-mail me at Julius_98_98@yahoo.com thank you for your time to read my review.

"Shadow on the Sand," is a fun adventure overall. There are some exciting fight sequences and your adventure will take you from horseback, to ships, to flying in the air. This book should not be missed if you are a fan of Lone Wolf.

My only complaint about this book is the advertised "Super Edition: Including Two Adventures" on the cover of the book. There are "two adventures" in this book, but they are both considerably short. I remember getting to the end of the first adventure and thinking, "that's it? That's the end of the first adventure? How disappointing, I barely did anything." Up until now, every Lone Wolf book has had 350 numbered sections. This book has 400, and each adventure has 200 numbered sections. Therefore, each adventure is 150 numbered sections shorter than all the other adventures. It is noticeable, too, because each adventure is short and there is not a lot of freedom and choices to make.

While this book may be a "Super Edition," I think that had this been a "Super Edition: One 400 sections adventure!" would've been much better. This book still is fun, and necessary to read to finish off the first series. After this book is the Magnakai series, which is unbelievably fun!

Finally, Joe Dever has authorized the free distribution and licensing of his Lone Wolf series which are available online. This resource has the unabridged editions which makes it great. I will not give out the URL as part of the reviewers agreement but with a little searching you should be able to find it. However, I still prefer to read the paperback versions instead of an online version.

In Shadow on the Sand, YOU are Lone Wolf, and are adventuring to promote peace with the new Zakhan, namely Zakhan Kimah, but arrive in his town only to find that he is sided with the darklord Haakon! You must avoid capture or escape capture, depending how good you are, venture to the long-lost Tomb of the Majhan, resting place of the famed Book of the Magnakai! But don't expect a simple archeological dig and discovery, as the evil Haakon has plans for it, and you as well! Recover the great Magnakai artifact, and cause the downfall of the evil darklord!

My three year old granddaughter can participate in the action in this great story of Jesus feeding the crowds with fish and loaves of bread. The repetitive nature makes it easy to learn. A real crowd pleaser!

This book is one of a series of similar action/rhyme stories. New Day has a great product perfect for teaching your small kids about Bible stories or for Sunday School class fun time.

The crowds gather around Jesus to hear his teaching. Illustrator, Chris Saunderson, has captured the feeling of the people in their facial expressions. As the morning wears on and moves into the late afternoon, there is a rumble of stomachs as the people become hungry. A young boy gives his food, five rolls and two fish. Jesus offers thanks for the food. As he breaks the bread and gives out the fish there is enough for everyone and twelve basketfuls left over left over. Stephanie Jeffs shares the story and action suggestions in ways that will the child remember sitting on the grass hearing Jesus, his prayer of thanksgiving and the miracle of feeding the crowds. Young readers and their parents will all feel that they have shared a picnic with Jesus and His followers.
Reviewed by Richard R. Blake, a Christian Education Consultant

used this for entertainment. It kept them occupied for hours. There was laughter all around the room

My son laughed when he saw the bread in this book - he said it looked like chocolate chip cookies and fish! But it didn't matter, he loved this telling of the New Testament story of Jesus, his "posse", and the dilemma of feeding a hoard of new followers. This is a great title to pull out preThanksgiving or other food-oriented holiday. Terrifically illustrated by Chris Saunderson.

Honk! Honk! This is another great book by award winning author David Macaulay.

Ever thought what would have happened if...? This is one of those stories - only better - because David goes into overdrive telling his hilarious story about how one action by one person changes the days and lives of many others. As is David's trademark, they story is of course very funny. It starts oh so innocently! Albert and his horse June are going to the market. On the way Albert cuts a line that is obstructing his way on the road. Well, that's when suddenly all mayhem let's loose and the day will take an unexpected and turbulent turn for various people and pets from then on. David takes us places where usually only kids can take you with their fantastic imagination - and it is a fantastic joyride all the way to the end. Surprise and laughter brought to life by brilliant illustrations of funny characters and animals.

If you like this one, be sure to check out his other great kid stories like "Angelo" and "Black and White".

The book Shortcut provides an exciting, humourous read for both children and adults. Seemingly unrelated events contained within nine short chapters are shown to affect each others outcomes. Even after 3 readings of Shortcut with my 5 year old son, we continue to joyfully discover the connections between events. Shortcut is a fun book for an inquisitive child and the reader.

I have been reading this book aloud to small groups of children for about three years. And every time I pull it out, I discover yet another clue, hiding in plain sight in the illustrations. The story starts deceptively simple: Arnold and his horse June take their melons to market. But soon, more characters enter, and my young audience (and older listeners) is challenged to keep them all straight. Because the actions of one, always have consequences for someone else. (Is this life, or what?) But you have to look closely at the pictures, because most of the real story is there. (And seeing June, with her horse shoes off, her feet up, and her mane in curlers, is priceless) ENJOY.

Following up his success with the eclectic and Caldecott award winning, "Black and White", from 1990, author David Macaulay decided to write another multiple narrative infused picture book. If you've read "Black and White", you may remember how this kind of story works. Characters from different tales affect one another's lives and the reader has the joy of seeing how an action on the part of one person creates chaos or delight on the parts of others. The result is a meticulously crafted series of delicate vignettes, perfectly suited for the child reader. This is basically the equivalent of picture book jazz. And it works.

There are eight major players in this tale (two of whom are non-human) and Macaulay has presented a helpful chart of each and every one at the beginning of the book. When it begins, an older gentleman named Albert is going with his horse June to the town for market day. On the way there, and unbeknownst to him, he inadvertently affects every other character's life. Because of Albert, Professor Tweet loses control of his hot air balloon and unwittingly saves Clarinda's escaped cockatoo. Because of June, Patty must search for her pet pig Pearl. Then there are the stories of the Sybil (a dead ringer for the little old lady from Pasadena) and Bob, the unwitting deep sea diver.

Even as I looked through the pictures a third and fourth time, I still was able to locate clever little thoughts and details that I hadn't noticed before. The narrative in this story jumps between each character rapidly, sometimes double backing to clarify a situation or storyline. Probably this book will do best with those kids that are endowed with a little bit of patience. I can see this story striking some as being incredibly frustrating. After all, if you don't realize that each story is affected by every other story, a first read through is going to strike the child reader as disjointed and awkward. If they manage to grab ahold of the tale and get into it, however, they'll be enjoying a whole new kind of picture book. This is the kind of book that will prepare its younger readers for future books with eclectic narratives. For the kid that's still reading picture books but has a mind that likes clever details and stories, this might just be the perfect choice.

The hardcover version of this book which includes the CD-ROM with all of the simulations is no longer in print. Check out the book's website at http://www.ruph.cornell.edu/sss/sss.html and you should be able to download the computer simulations for free (at least as of February 2004.) This paperback book is a very helpful companion to these programs and includes lots of useful exercises as well as concise summaries of the basic concepts of solid state physics without getting lost in mathematical derivations like most textbooks seem to do.

The hardcover version of this book which includes the CD-ROM with all of the simulations is no longer in print. Check out the book's website at http://www.ruph.cornell.edu/sss/sss.html and you should be able to download the computer simulations for free (at least as of February 2004.) The paperback book is a very helpful companion to these programs and includes lots of useful exercises as well as concise summaries of the basic concepts of solid state physics without getting lost in mathematical derivations like most textbooks seem to do.

This is an excellent collection of solid state physics computer simulations that I recommend highly.

This is not a review. In case anyone misses it the CD with the simulations is only available with the hard cover version of this book. Be aware of this when you make a choice to buy the book.

I have a small collection of his books all are winners. And if you like his try Matthew Van Fleet...another stellar childrens writer!

You read, "Who's that scratching to get out?" Then you pull the page out and out comes an alligator. Everything from a chick to a platypus is hatching in this book. The illustrations are delightful and complement the simple text. I highly recommend it to parents of young children and teachers. I used it with my kindergarten class when I taught a unit on animals that hatch from eggs. The children loved it and so did their teacher. Mr. Reasoner has a winner here! Only suggestion I might have is you might want to reinforce the top and bottom of the pages where they pull out. The children can get enthusiastic and pull too hard and pull the book apart.

This is a delightful preschool children's book that is part of a series of sliding surprise books. It is "hands-on" in two different ways. The first has the child sliding the page out to see what's inside. The second is that it lends itself very nicely to teaching children Sign Language due to it's simplistic and repetitious vocabulary. I use this book to expand language skills in preschool children who have language delays as well as children whose language is normal developing. The children love the drawings, anticipating the surprise and being able to "read" the book with me. The entire series of books should be in every preschool library!

My daughter received this book as a gift and she loved it so much, I went to amazon.com the next week and bought three more Reasoner books like it. I particularly like "Who's Mommy is This?" Eliza is 18 months now, and still loves the "sliding surprises."