Young Americans Books

This anthology of poetry includes a variety of haiku poems by Jack Prelutsky. The poems share a common theme of creatures including both animals and insects. An index at the back of the book details each creature's name.

This book was extremely interesting to me because I enjoy writing Haiku, but I know it is often disliked by young students because it is often quite symbolic in nature. In contrast, Prelutsky's collection is somehow insightful enough to keep adults intrigued, yet simple enough for children to enjoy. I think Prelutsky's work in this collection might inspire some young writers to try Haiku poetry.

In the classroom, I might use this book as a morning mystery reading...reading one poem aloud each day and encouraging students to guess the animal being represented. Then I would reveal the animal at the end of the day. I would also encourage students to find the patterns in the words and attempt to write their own animal Haikus.

This is a collection of haiku poems. There are 17 in all. Each poems is about a different animal. Paired with the poem is a picture of the animal the poems is about.

The book was a great introduction for young students on the haiku style poem.

This would make a great book for teachers to use in the classroom during a poetry unit.

For years and years now a curse has been floating over Jack Prelutsky's head. The curse reads, and I am quoting here, "Thou shalt make no silly poem books without being compared, first and foremost, to Shel Silverstein at all times". Mr. Prelutsky has labored under this curse for years, finding his own way to express himself but undoubtedly gritting his teeth whenever someone, however innocently, says, "It's good. But I think I like 'Where the Sidewalk Ends' better". View now Jack Prelutsky's greatest hour. In this, quite possibly the best book of haiku for children, he has teamed with remarkable watercolor artist Ted Rand to bring us one of the most beautiful, most well-written, and most deeply moving books of poetry to hit the market in a long long time. I don't usually bite my cheek in frustration when a book is not awarded a Caldecott Honor after publication, but I do so now (painfully) in spades.

The book contains seventeen sweet and simple haikus. The titular poem reads, "If not for the cat / And the scarcity of cheese / I could be content". This sort of sets the tone for the rest of the book. For once, Prelutsky isn't afraid to bring out the big guns. He throws out large words that kids will learn simply by reading the poems in the context in which they occur. Says a jellyfish of deep blue, "Boneless, translucent / We undulate, undulate, / Gelatinously". The humor of these poems is of a slower sweeter nature than you'll find in books like, "Baby Uggs Are Hatching". A particularly Yoda-like sloth comments with baby on its chest, "I am slow I am / Slowest of the slow I am / In my tree I am". I better stop copying down these poems word for word, but you get the idea. They're all remarkably well-written and some carry a slight philosophical bent. Of these, the sweetest and most meaningful comes from the surprising source of a mother kangaroo and her joey.

The pictures? The pictures are breathtaking. It's no wonder that the image of a hummingbird sipping nectar was taken as the cover of the New York Public Libraries Best Children's Books of 2004. Using a mix of sumi brush drawings in India ink, traditional watercolors, chalk, spatter (no idea), and printmaking techniques on BOTH rag stock watercolor paper and rice paper ... well let's just say a lot of work has gone down here. I could literally flip through this book all day just staring at the images. Whether it's a small delicate white moth nearing a homey if dangerous candle flame or a sweet playful otter cracking red spiky urchins on its tummy, Rand has given us a book that is truly worth reading.

At a certain time of year teachers will enter my library and ask for recommendations of haiku for their children. Before, my suggestions were always half-hearted well-I-heard-this-was-goods. Now I have a book to be excited about. Even if you don't particularly like haiku as a form (like myself) you will adore this book. It brings out the best in its author, its illustrator, and the style itself. One of the few must-purchase picture books currently in stores.

A visual feast.
A literary delight.
(You'll feel for the mouse.)

Haiku is simple enough in theory: it's three lines, each with five syllables, seven and then five again. Here, poet Prelutsky and illustrator Rand show how the simple can be made sublime in the hands of true masters.

A third-grade friend, having looked at the book and heard the 'rules' of Haiku, immediately composed a poem to her pet hamster:

We scurry like mice.
We run from nighttime to dawn.
We are soft and cute.

(I'd mention that my friends are now e-mailing each other in Haiku, but if you hadn't read the book, you wouldn't understand...)

This book is a treasure for children of all ages.

And would someone PLEASE get that poor mouse some cheese!

This book surprised me because i personally know the author and his family. I didnt know he had it in him. The storyline is very good and the plot has such unique twists and turns, it blows away all the other books ive read. The character development is great and the area the story is weaved upon is very unique, but yet is not completely far-fetched. For all you Sci-Fi fans, this author is on his way up, and this book is a must have.

This book is a great read. The characters are very easy to relate to. The story moves very fast and you do not want to put it down. The art work helps the reader to see what in fact is going on in the story. I enjoyed every chapter. I hope you enjoy the book as much as I have.

The Infinite Odyssey is just a blast to read and when I found out the author was a teenage boy I was so pleasantly surprised. What's in the water lately that 2 teenage boys (Chris Paolini that wrote Eragon and Jay Dingler that wrote Infinite Odyssey) can put out such refreshing reads in a genre that's been around for awhile. Infinite Odyssey has lots of cool gadgets, bad meanies and a smart-alecky heroine named Tabitha that keeps you rooting for the good guys to triumph in this traveling in far off galaxies space epic. An added bonus are the multiple lush color illustrations seeded throughout the book showcasing the aliens and major characters as well as exotic foreign planets that are imaginatively created. I look forward to seeing what else the author comes out with in the future, this kid is the real deal.

This book is a suprisingly good and fast paced read. The book has rich and endearing characters. I couldn't believe it, but the lead character Aktar, is a giant regal bird, it's soo cool. The Sci-fi inventions are awesome. And in the back of the book there is even a glossary with definations and more info on the wild and new lands, tech toys and creatures. Even better a smashing good ending, really surprising, couldn't of quessed the ending , just like Agatha Christie. So I don't want to spoil it for you, but lets just say,it all makes sense in the end. I actually know the Author and this is the real deal. First Chris Paloni, now Jay Dingler. The future is now, finally some Science Fiction from an Author under 50 or who isn't dead.

Isabel Allende by Mary Main is a most interesting book. Ms. Allende has lived a fascinating life and triumphed over adversity. What makes this book so special is its balance between talking about Allende's work, and the telling of her life story. The author's tone is informative, interesting and compelling. This book would be an excellent choice for anyone- adult or child- interested in learning more about Isabel Allende.
I highly recommend it.

Mary Main knows how to tell a story-an especially valuable gift when it comes to writing biography. The author captures the spirit of Isabel Allende, from her early years in Peru and Chile to her life in America. And along the way, she shows us what it is like to create a great novel and how it is possible to overcome suffering and live with grace. This is a compelling and stunning book, one that's guaranteed to intrigue young readers.

This biography is easy to read and very interesting. Allende has led an unusual life battled by political conflicts, and personal growth. I think anyone would find her life story of interest even if you are not a fan of her books. I read the book in a few hours, it is fast paced and easy. Good for kids and will keep an adult's interest as well.

Isabel Allende was born in 1942, in Lima, Peru, and lived in many countries, until becoming a permanent resident and citizen of the United States. After twenty years as a journalist, Isabel became an award-winning author of children's fiction, memoirs, short stories, and novels that run the gamut from enchantment to tragedy.

A stanch feminist viewpoint and intimate family bond became Allende's inspiration for writing. Tragic events such as the sickness of her adored grandfather and a coma that imprisoned her beloved daughter stirred Isabel to write daily about her life and family. Isabel's boundless enthusiasm is evident in the magic of her writing.

With skill and candor, biographer Mary Main portrays Allende as a passionate woman, loving mother, and gifted author. This biography entices the reader to explore the books of Isabel Allende.

the book was good it was kinda like the movie all about the
benjamins you know what im sayin mooney money bling bling

I rated this book five stars.
Why?
I enjoyed reading about how
they all felt about each other.
What I really liked was they finally
got record deal.
The character I liked the most was Chanel
because she was the nice and pretty type.
So that's why I rated this book five stars.

Of all the books I've read I have to say this is the best. The series alone is great! In this book Galleria tries to be the leader of the group and bosses them around. So Chanel tells her it's not happening. (But I like the old Aqua and Angie better, They are featured in the series 1-4)

Well I am a big fan of all types of books and when I first sawthe Cheetah Girls book I had to get it (the first edition). I am inlove with them! They are so adorable. Although, it took me awhile for me to understand what they were saying. This book is recomended for kids age 8 & up. Anyone can enjoy this book. If you want to be a star or don't think you can make it just read this (and other books) to let you know you can.

Jack's New Power is great. The best chapter is at the end when he goes to the cock fight and loses a piece of money. Even though his sister is annoying, she ends up being right. I felt bad for Jack, kind of, at the end. He's off to Florida and he doesn't know what that is going to be like.
The funniest part was when he is totally purple and is trying to hide that fact by running around the neighborhood at night when it is dark. Even though he doesn't want to see anyone, someone else is running at night too. He ends up being his friend.

I loved this Book about Jack and his Memoirs. I read it in One week!!!!

i know this is a kids book, and i read it a few years ago, but every once in a while i get it out and read it from cover to cover again. every time i read this book i get inspired about life. does that seem a little drastic? i love this book. it's like my security blanket. read this book!

What a truly great book. I read this when I was in 4th grade.It has a beautiful mix of comedy and just plain interesting writing.It's the best book that I've ever read in my entire life. I also own my own copy of it. I would automatically recommend this book to anyone who wants a good laugh. This is a great book for all ages. I would also like to recommend "Heads Or Tails" which is also in the same series. I am also currently reading the third book in the series, "Jack's Black Book". It's great. Everyone should go out and buy copies of all three books and read them.

What a story line! Every child as well as adult should read this story. All of Havill's books are so well illustrated, and Jamaica's Blue Marker is one of the top ones. The example given can be played out in every classroom in America. I want to give Havill books as gifts from now on!

It was just right for my six-year-old to read it to herself -- and she carried it around with her until she had finished it!

Children can easily relate to Jamaica's feelings and may learn that sometimes people seem to be mean when really their feelings are just hurt.

This book is a good one to read to pre-schoolers and kindergarteners to help explore the feelings they have when they either meet someone like Russell or, at times, actually find themselves acting like Russell. Hey, we all do it now and then.

Jamaica finds herself having to share her markers with Russell, who is neither well-behaved nor particularly adept at being prepared for class - he never has his supplies with him, and Jamaica pays the price by having to share her markers. She pays a heavier price when the picture she draws gets scribbled on by the dreadful Russell.

When she tells her father of the day's events, he acknowledges her hurt feelings at havbing her work ruined, and then springs a surprise on her - Russell is moving away, do you suppose his feelings are a little mixed up right now?

Jamaica remains angry over the incident, to the extent that she won't join the class in making "Goodbye" cards to Russell; seeing how Russell behaves in the school yard at recess, one can find it difficult to blame her.

The end of the story finds Jamaica empathizing, finally, with Russell. This is truly the moment of self-awareness and the moment when most children become cognizant of their own actions on others; by placing herself in Russell's shoes, just for a fleeting moment, Jamaica understands, or more importantly TRIES to understand, what has made Russell act this way recently.

Again, sharing this book with the younger children opens up a museum of opportunities to see if we can learn from each other. Pat yourself on the back if you purchase this book.

X. J. and Dorothy Kennedy have compiled a wonderful poetry resource that anyone who wishes to share poetry with children would find useful. Although the "Afterword for Adults" states that the book is "addressed directly to children from eight to twelve," (157) it is very conducive to teaching various aspects and uses of poetry with examples and commentary from the authors. Originally published in 1982, this edition has been revised and updated with contemporary authors and selections that can get students even more excited about today's poetry.

The contents of the book are organized into categories:
1- What do poems do?
2- What's inside a poem?
3- Special kinds of poetry
4- Do it yourself
Each category then has sub-categories with poems listed by themes. These would be particularly useful for teachers or students looking for a poem that has a certain topic, evokes specific feelings, or is constructed in a specific form (such as haiku or limerick). The book does not simply present poems in an organized fashion, however, but the Kennedys also provide background information, insight, and ideas to ponder inter-mingled with the poetry examples. The narrative text serves as a guide to young readers who might wish to know more about the background of poetry and delve deeper into the meaning, structure, and purpose.

The "Afterword for Adults" section at the end explains why the book was written, how to encourage children to like poetry, suggestions for helping kids write their own poetry, and ideas for those who work with groups of children, such as teachers and librarians. The Kennedys offer many suggestions for not only activities to use that utilize poems, but also how to best prepare yourself and your environment for sharing poetry with children. Other useful tools are: Index of Authors, Index of Titles, Index of First Lines, and Acknowledgements citing the original source for each poem. All in all, there are179 poems included that will spark a child's imagination and help in fostering a love and appreciation for poetry.

As a teacher- I found this book to an incredible assest to have in the clasroom. This is a very exemplary eclectic collection. It contains a wide variety of poem forms, styles, and authors. Usefully organized into category chapters, it easy to find a poem relating to a topic. The book is organized into useful sections that have equally as useful subcategories. These divisions make it easy to use these poems during a unit on poetry. The wide variety of types of poems in the book also is useful to assimilate these poems into the curriculum, either as a transitional piece or within a topic discussion. The students LOVE hearing these poems!

This anthology is a terrific mix of styles, subjects, and moods. Most of them I would not necessarily call "children's poetry" in that they are not obviously written by an adult trying to be clever in the way that a child would find clever. Instead, they are genuine expressions of truth, both the day-to-day variety and the larger truths we all understand, even before we're able to articulate our experiences. Robert Frost's "Canis Major," Gwendolyn Brooks' "Narcissa," and "The Eagle," by Tennyson are some of my favorites. There as also some wonderful rhythmic poems that are especially pleasurable for the pulse and the sounds of the words: Eve Merriman's "Windshield Wiper," and "The Pickety Fence" by David McCord are great fun.
This is a must-have anthology for elementary teachers, parents, or anyone who loves the sound and feel of poetry.

Kennedy informs students about the purposes for poetry by the categories he's formed. The selections are appropriate for elementary school children and is an instructive collection for serious poetry reading for kids 7-13.

Kennedy's collection is accessible, informative and a pleasure to read and mull over.

I owned this book for three years, and after only recently picking it up to read it, I realized what I was missing out on during that time. This is a fresh and descriptive analysis of the young Virginia generation before, during, and after the war. As one who has read dozens of books on the Civil War, it was this one more than any other that best explains how and why Virginians formed their fundamental opinions of their native state, the Southern region, and Northern industrialism during the antebellum period. Through their viewpoint that Virginia's reputation and standing in the Union was diminished during the period prior to the war, it becomes clear that the war gave these young Virginians an opportunity to improve the status of their commonwealth while cementing their place among men in their state. Though one often gets the perception through Carmichael's writing that these were overzealous, egotistical young men, their conduct in the war brings to fruition their importance in the New South.

Carmichael's writing is interesting and well-detailed with a wide variety of excellent material from both primary and secondary sources. His inclusion of statistics on the members of the last generation provides ample insight into the professions, religious affiliation, and other important data on the members of the last generation. Even more than "For Cause and Comrades" by James McPherson, this book will expose why a reluctant Virginia joined the Confederacy and explains clearly how the young Virginia generation almost pushed the South to ultimate victory.

Like most readers of history, the significant figures of the Civil War have taken on almost mythic proportions. Some times they seem almost to be gods stepped down from Mt. Olympus. In The Last Generation, Peter Carmichael manages to shed new light onto the lives, interests, and beliefs of many of the young Virginians that were so caught up in the cause of the day and in the process makes them human once more.

I found The Last Generation to be full of information that is new...at least to me. I've done my share of reading about the major characters involved in the Civil War, on both sides. Yet Carmichael seems to provide the reader with new insights on almost every page.

I also found the tables in the appendix to be full of useful and eye opening facts. Trust me, they're worth the time it takes to study them. Finally, I spent more time than usual studying the notes provided by Carmichael, a compliment of the first order.

For the casual or serious Civil War buff, The Last Generation will be a memorable read.

In his book, "The Last Generation," Peter Carmichael explores the psyche, values, goals and visions of the young caucasian men of Virginia who came into adulthood just as our nation descended into the Civil War. Born to privilege in the 1830s and early 1840s, these men were in colleges and schools across Virginia and the nation when the crisis of secession reached its apex in 1860 and 1861. Once the war started, they served as junior officers in the Army of Northern Virginia, leading their peers into combat and fighting alongside them.

The book is a generational study and an examination of Confederate nationalism in the young Virginians. Carmichael first takes us through the 1850s, a time when young Virginians worried about the future of their state and their place in it. They watched as the North increasingly distanced itself from Virginia through industrialization and internal improvements. They feared that Virginia, the home state of four of the first five U.S. presidents, was becoming moribund under the leadership of its elders, "old fogies" who lived on past glories of events such as the American Revolution and who encouraged unthinking opposition to change even at the expense of educational and economic reform.

At the same time, the young Virginians had to find a way to reconcile slavery, the system upon which they depended for their wealth and social standing, with the free labor system of the North. Some of the strongest points in Carmichael's book delineate how these men did just this. Their belief that slavery was sanctioned by the Bible as necessary because God had created races to be inherently unequal, coupled with their belief that Southerners were God's chosen people, sustained many young soldiers throughout the war. Even as it became clear in 1864 and 1865 that the war would be lost, Carmichael cites examples that show these men could not distinguish between their religious beliefs and political nationalism. To the end, many young Virginians believed that God would not allow the North to be victorious. Young Virginians sincerely believed that theirs was a unique Christian society trying to survive in a godless world. The book is careful to point out that young Virginians gave considerable thought to secession and do not fit the traditional stereotype of secondary scholars who say young Southerners were drawn to the flame of secession like boys playing with fire.

The book looks at the leadership style of young Virginians once the war started. Examples are cited of how they maintained order and discipline in the ranks, what they thought of battle and death, and how they maintained their morale through defeats. Some colorful anecdotes are also included in "The Last Generation": Jeb Stuart's thoughts on women while he was a cadet in West Point, NY; the president of Washington College and his comical attempt to control the secession frenzy sweeping his campus; the notion of body building by young Virginians in college as a way to "muscularize" and "masculinize" their Christianity.

In the final chapter of the book, Carmichael examines the fate of various members of the Last Generation who managed to survive the war. He explains how they adjusted to Reconstruction. The romanticized, "Moonlight and Magnolias" view of some ex-Confederates is contrasted with those who wished Virginia to take a new role of leadership and have the economy of the state resemble more closely that of the North.

This book contributes greatly to the discussion of why some Southerners fought the war- a question which will probably always be debated. Through diligent research and thorough explanation, Carmichael presents a new picture of a generation of Southerners of the Civil War era. His book takes into account many factors that made "The Last Generation" distinct from their Northern counterparts and from the older Virginians who preceded them. It is an important book on dispelling stereotypes of the young Confederates and in understanding the complexity of the South as a whole.

In this fascinating book, author and historian Professor Peter S. Carmichael takes a generational look a particular group of American men who fought in the Civil War, selecting 121 men who had been born in Virginia between 1830 and 1842. These men were mostly highly educated, from the slave holding class, and formed the junior officer core of the Virginia military units. These men were part of the last generation to grow up in Virginia with slavery, and the story of their journey of life is one little studied, until now.

As a fan of the works of Messrs Strauss and Howe ("Generations" and "The Fourth Turning"), I was intrigued to see another book that looked at American history with an eye to generations. The book is eminently readable, and is quite fascinating. The author does an excellent job of telling the story of the "last generation," bringing them and their experiences alive. I was interested to watch the "last generation" move through the 1850s fostering a inter-generational conflict, assume capable and pragmatic managerial control of the armies their elders led, and then move into leadership positions after the War.

In relation to the Strauss and Howe generational theory, this book focuses on a part of the Gilded Generation. Overall, I thought that the book complemented it very well, showing that side of the generation that lost the war.

So, let me just say that this is a fascinating look at a generation that lived during a fascinating time in American history, one that will captivate anyone who is interested in generations, the American Civil War, or just plain history. I loved this book and highly recommend it to you.

This is the finest coming of age novel in the known and unknown universe. It has everything..philosophy, memoirs of a world gone by, lots of quirkiness, and a great sense of heart. The best thing of all..is to have a copy of the 1936 edition. The yellowed pages of the edition are a perfect touch for a book written about time gone by.GREAT

Our hero has everything - intelligence, beauty, wealth, education, wisdom, steadfastness, imagination, an athlete's grace and strength - but somehow that is not enough and this is the story of his unfolding consciousness and gradual recognition of fatal spiritual strengths and weaknesses. This sounds very dull, but one is wonderfully swept along from an overprotected childhood in New England, to his father's yacht and to English student life at Oxford. Oliver cannot be called a wit, a social lion or a womanizer; but he admires those who are, and two of his close friends are merry, sophisticated men of the world. A thoughtful, well-endowed young man with time on his hands, he seeks the meaning of life from a certain distance, and we explore this theme with him from many fascinating angles. He does suffer. His father considers him weak and indecisive and his mother thinks him heartless and inconsiderate; he fights to gain his independence from them both and succeeds. He despairs and agonizes over his course of action, scrutinizes his motives for hypocrisy, dishonesty and self-delusion. Aesthetic beauty, ethics, the spiritual life and poetry are centrally recurring themes. Love also is explored. Our poor hero who has everything turns out to be the most awkward, ungainly, pathetic wooer imaginable. But Oliver is worth it all, and you emerge heartened and profoundly enriched by having known him and survived the various turns of his exacting life.

One of the finest books of the 20th century, The Last Puritan was a sensation when published in the 1930's. It tells the triumph and tragedy of Oliver Alden, a youth born into a strict, "Progressive" Unitarian family in late 19th Century Boston. As his life progesses, he struggles to reconcile the harsh idealism in which he was raised with the beautifully chaotic nature of the real world. This conflict gives Santayana the ability to discuss God, love, morality, politics and the permanence of human nature all without ever losing sight of one man's heroic and tragic attempt to find his place in a world not meant for him. The Last Puritan remains the only book that has ever driven me to tears, and the only novel that has ever truly changed my life. If you've ever counted yourself a "lost soul" in the world, this book will hit home like nothing you've ever read.

THE LAST PURITAN is a sort of education of Oliver Alden. The atmosphere of the work is that of a Henry James novel. Initially the chief subject is Nathaniel Alden. Unitarianism has replaced prayers at breakfast with wholesome food. The book is cool and funny. Nathaniel Alden is an awful snob and is supernaturally quiet and unengaged. He has vowed to abstain from carriage travel and so must walk. He lives in Boston in the Back Bay.

His younger brother Peter is being sent to camp in the west prior to beginning preparation for Harvard at Exeter. The camp life in Wyoming is to Peter a godsend after living under the dictates of Nathaniel. Genuine cowboys would sometimes ride into the camp. Peter grows up to attend Harvard and to acquire a medical degree. He never practices medicine. His son Oliver is born. His wife is from Great Falls, Connecticut. Oliver manages to escape almost all the ills of childhood. He has a foreign governess, a German woman.

While boating with his father, Oliver is given THE LEAVES OF GRASSS to read. Oliver and his father visit an old kinsman, Caleb Wetherbee. During the winter Caleb resides on Mount Vernon Street on Beacon Hill. He is a cripple and has adopted the Catholic religion and has become highly knowledgeable about European matters. He invites Oliver to to participate in his Sunday evening parties when Oliver attends Harvard. Observers find Caleb's deep religious interests to be a clear case of sublimation.

Olivers's mother is apt to take no notice of genius or style, she is concerned with social propriety. Oliver, invited by his father to spend a year abroad, makes a decision to stay at his day school in Connecticut and live with his mother for the final year before college. He also decides that Williams College is good enough for him. He fears that universities are filled with snobs. Football more than anything else restores Oliver's conventional tone after spending time with his father and his father's companion Jim.

Oliver does spend the summer with his father and learns that his will has been ripped up and that the older man fears he is dying. Oliver promises Jim he will take care of him notwithstanding the fact that some of Jim's conduct shocks him. Oliver learns to punt. He meets his cousin Mario at Eton. Mario's grandmother is Peter Alden's sister. Oliver and Peter are detained at Eton when Peter falls ill. Peter is pleased to see that his son is so wide awake intellectually. Oliver feels a need to justify his natural sympathies theoretically. Peter dies.

Two years later Mario and Oliver see each other in Manhattan and in Cambridge. Both of the cousins are attending Harvard. Oliver, spending three years at Williams, suffers a football injury and decides to rededicate himself to his studies in the wider academic setting of Harvard. Oliver never flinches in his determination to pursue higher things. At Harvard through chance Oliver occupies the room occupied previously by Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Santayana himself is a character in this tale, a member of the philosophy department at Harvard. Oliver joins in the fighting of World War I. He is described as an ascetic without faith. When Oliver dies, Mario is the executor of Oliver's will. Mario tells the supposed biographer of Oliver in the epilogue that he idealizes Oliver and makes him too complex.

The book is very satisfying. It raises issues that are still pertinent. It is scarcely dated at all.

This is my new all-time favorite book. I bought it and finished it that week. It starts out like, 'I'm Jubilee. I'm not a stripper. My parents are in jail over a ceramic holiday village' and just gets better and better. I usually read books that are relatable (Real word?) but this is... out there. I mean, I wish I had the lovey-dovey part, but it's not often you have to walk a few miles in a storm, racing to bring Twister to a Waffle House...
Overall, I give this 5 stars, at least. Its cute, lol-funny, and romantic. SO PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE FOR ME BUY IT AND READ IT AND ENJOY IT AND BE COOL.

I'm a sucker for romance any time of the year, but something about the holiday season makes me want to curl up in a nice blanket, drink hot chocolate, and read love stories. LET IT SNOW is the perfect holiday read.

Maureen Johnson starts things off with THE JUBILEE EXPRESS, in which Jubliee (no, not a stripper, but named for a piece in her mother's collection of the Flobie Santa Village) finds herself stranded on a train in Gracetown in a huge snowstorm. A trip to the Waffle House introduces her to Stuart and friendship, or maybe something more, starts to form.

In A CHEERTASTIC CHRISTMAS MIRACLE, author John Green hilariously describes the mission of three friends to get to the Waffle House where a group of cheerleaders are stranded and wanting to play Twister.

And Lauren Myracle's THE PATRON SAINT OF PIGS shows that lost love can be found again with the help of Starbucks, angels, and even a pig.

Each story stands well on its own, but it was nice to have a common thread throughout. I loved how the authors found ways to connect all three stories. Characters you meet in the beginning show up later on, and places like Starbucks and the Waffle House are important to all three tales. The only thing I didn't like was that they were all short stories - I could have kept reading about each of the characters!

LET IT SNOW is a great, warm, fuzzy read for the holidays, so grab some hot chocolate and curl up because you won't want to stop reading until you're finished and happily sighing.

Reviewed by: Sarah Bean the Green Bean Teen Queen

Jubilee's Christmas Eve is ruined when her parents are put in jail and she is unable to see her perfect boyfriend. After her train wrecks and she is stranded at a Waffle House with 14 cheerleaders, she opts for the lesser of two evils and follows a charming, yet heart-broken, boy home.
Tobin, JP and the Duke find themselves in a race to the Waffle House with Twister before the dastardly Retson twins can spoil their plans. Little does Tobin know, what surprise awaits him when he arrives.
Poor Andie is mourning her loss of her caring boyfriend when an unexpected angel gets her to change her perspective on life.

These three tales were absolutely amazing. I finished this book in 2 days and was very, very happy with it. They had me laughing out loud at some parts, and the stories were intertwined in a way I didn't expect.

It's Christmas Eve, and one of the biggest storms in memory has hit, isolating tiny Gracetown, Virginia. For Jubilee, Tobin, and Addie the storm will bring them together in the most unconventional of ways. Jubilee, on her way to Florida, is stranded outside of Gracetown when her train gets stuck in the snow. Rather than endure Christmas Eve night on the train with a mass of perky cheerleaders, she ventures out and heads to the nearby Waffle House, where she encounters Stuart, who is still nursing a broken heart.

Tobin and his friends JP and the Duke are enjoying their Christmas Eve holed up at Tobin's house and watching a James Bond movie marathon when they are enticed out into the night to the local Waffle House. What should be a twenty minute drive on a clear night turns into a crazy race to get there before the intimidating Reston twins...but when they get there things don't go quite how they planned.

For Addie, the holidays have been filled with misery since she and her boyfriend Jeb broke up. But this year she'll gain some perspective (and possibly more) during one very long and very snowy shift at Starbucks the day after Christmas.

All three stories are cleverly woven together, along with each author's inimitable style and brand of humor. The wholly unique, ironic, witty, intelligent, and heartfelt plots that Myracle, Johnson, and Green have become well known for is strongly present in Let It Snow. The varying and colorful characters are authentic and highly realistic, allowing for the book to appeal to a wide range of reader interests. The dialogue, the jokes, the slang, and actions are all pitch perfect to this generation, and wildly appealing, even as they push the limits of reality. But even so, most readers will be more than willing to hold on tight and enjoy the ride as this sweet and sarcastically funny holiday read unravels.

I picked up Let it Snow, expecting to read it leisurely as the holidays approached. I imagined reading a few pages here and there throughout the month of November, perhaps finishing it over Christmas break, just in time to break out those reindeer socks with the holes I've been wearing since I was ten and refuse to throw away. Instead, I found myself sucked into a charming, engaging web of a story, only to emerge 14 hours later wanting more.

As a fan of all of the author's independent works, I was pleased to find that each author's voice remained just as unique and bold as in their other works, yet all three worked together seamlessly to tell a larger story. The vividness of the characters is such that they stick with you long after you put the book down. (Okay, I say "long after" but seeing as I finished it about 4 hours ago, I really just mean "stick with you for at least four hours and probably longer" after finishing the book. The point is that you'll find no one-dimensional characters here.) I feel sort of scarily like I grew up alongside Tobin, Addie and Stuart, or have been best friends with Jubilee ever since we both missed the bus on the first day of middle school.

The story is simple, but also marvelously complex, tackling such important existential questions as "What course of action should one take when fourteen cheerleaders are locked in a Waffle House in a small town in Virginia during the worst snow storm in fifty years?" Yes, people fall in love- there is romance and heartbreak and lots of dumping and break ups (or at least a couple); but I promise Let it Snow is not one of those Made-for-TV movies that air way too many times on the Hallmark channel during the month of December in which someone learns to believe in the Christmas spirit and Santa Claus brings everyone presents at the end.

No, Let it Snow doesn't tie a nice little red bow on its romance. The character's relationships feel raw, real and honest. They warm your heart and sort of make you want to be in love. (So much so that I had to actually remind myself that, oh yeah, I was already in love.) Don't worry. If you don't have your own love story to tell this Christmas, after finishing this book, you'll probably want to start taking it out for coffee and to your mother's Christmas Eve smorgasbord. Maybe the two of you will even frolic in the snow? Okay, so I don't actually recommend that, since it's a paperback and ice is usually wet and "wet" and "paperback" is usually a bad combination.

My point is, that you should read this book. You should read this no matter how old you are, or where you live, or what time of year it is or whether or not you like Christmas. You should read this if you want to be entertained, moved, made to think.

Do something nice for yourself this Christmas (Or Halloween, even) and read Let it Snow.