Young Americans Books

I thought this book was stupid, but i've read it twice. Sofia manages to capture Antonio's heart and also his best friends. I won't tell you the ending, but it was sad and happy at the same time. I liked it but as i said it was kinda dumb.

This book was ok but not as good as some of the other American Dreams. It was pretty good though. It is about Sofia, a Spanish-Californian girl living in the 1840s.

HIS BOOK WAS REALLY GOOD AND GOT ME INTO IT. THE TRAGEDY OF HER FATHER DIEING AND LOSING HER MONEY TO HER FATHERS LIEING BUSINESS PARTNER AND HER DICISION TO SEPERATE HERSELF FROM THE ONE MAN SHE REALLY LOVES IS SO TOUCHING SO TRUE SO LIFELIKE. THEN THE JOYS OF STARTING HER OWN SCHOOL ANDTHE RODEO AND FINALLY MEETING UP WITH HER LOVER . THIS WAS AN EXCUISITE BOOK AND I HOPE ALL OF YOU WILL TAKE THE TIME TO READ IT.

I have read other books in the American Dreams collection, but this would have to be one of my favorites. Sofia DuFay is in love with a man that loves her back, but do to his snobby family, she knows there love wasnt meant to be. So she decides to forget him, but through time she realizes she cant. Do to an unforuantate(sp??) tragedy, she is left broke and decides to start a new life. All the time she still thinks of the young man and there forbidden romance. I dont want to tell the ending, so I will keep quiet, BUT THIS BOOK IS ONE YOU CANT PUT DOWN!!!

I saw this at a school book sale while I was pregnant with our last child. We ended up buying a second because we wore the cassette out. This refers to the book and cassette combination.
With our new (13 years old now!) baby, it became a part of our evening routines, the stories read, the songs listened to, and it was peaceful.
I still recall how it started: a soft wind blowing through the breeze, and a lovely voice soeaking quietly "It's bedime now. You've played hard today and I know you must be tired ...".
It was a point of amusement that we figured if we ever accidentally put the tape in the car and played it we would fall asleep at the wheel within 20 seconds (grin)
Truly, I most highly recommend this, and the memories will last a lifetime.
A kindred Mom, soon to be a Grandmother! ~Mariance

I bought this set for my first grandchild twelve years ago and it was loved by all of my grandchildren, as well as my daughters.
The music, the lyrics and the illustrations are so beautiful. Definitely first class. Would love to see a new release of this.

I bought this set for my first grandchild twelve years ago and it was loved by all of my grandchildren, as well as my daughters.
The music, the lyrics and the illustrations are so beautiful. Definitely first class. Would love to see a new release of this.

This is the most beautiful, enchanting tape of lullabies I have ever heard. Lois Duncan (yes, of I Know What You Did Last Summer fame) wrote the exquisite lyrics for the tape that accompanies this book when her grandchild was born. Her daughter is actually the singer. I have never found a collection of lullabies to equal this one.

Right when you start feeling nauseous from all the sugar-coated sentimentalism in the world, or cynical from the overbearing and stolid commercialism in many publications today, a book like "Songs of Myself" comes along and reminds you that yes, there are real people out there, with real problems, and learning real life lessons.

I picked up this collection of short memoirs on assignment for a college course in memoir writing, believing it to be another boring textbook. Instead, I found myself reading long into the night, unable to put it down, gripped with the reality of these stories.

The writers in "Episodes From the Edge of Adulthood" cannot be called children but are not your stereotypical teenagers. They are unique individuals with intense emotions. Whether they're dealing with unexpected early pregnancy, death of loved ones, life-threatening situations, or simply the first time living away from home, these writers tell their stories succinctly and with raw emotion. True, the writing is at times amaturish, but it is really the stories that grip you, that make you laugh out loud or literally cry in sympathy, pain, or horror. The fact that they really happened is what gives them their power.

I would strongly recommend this for any student of memoir looking for examples of their peers. I would also recommend this collection of stories for any teenager, or even adult, who desires to walk a while in the shoes of another - to realize the deep emotions of someone on the Edge of Adulthood.

Very insightful. This collection showed almost brutal honesty. A worthwhile read for all.

Each memoir lends a different voice to the song of these student's lives. I learned so much about myself by reading about how each person bravely faced what could have destroyed them,but instead made them stronger in spirit. I was honored to have my painting in the book.

I submitted a the only painting that was published in the book(it opens the section on pregnancy) and i was honored to have my work surrounded by such honest and heartwrenching memories of my those in my generation. This book is truly unique in that it tells the story of people just reaching the threshold of adulthood, and how they reached that point.

The author, who was born in Great Britain, trained in the medical field, and has lived long in the United States, is especially qualified to write this story, which is based in Wales and has a physician as a major charactor. Tim Bruce, a young man in the Pacific Northwest, overhears his father mentioning Gwyneth, a girl in Wales whom he knew during World War II. Already planning a European backpack trip, he decides to investigate this woman. Entering her town in Wales. he finds her. She is about 15 years older than he, and is the most beautiful woman he has ever seen. Her husband is the local doctor, Rhys, and they invite Tim for the night. Gwyneth seems bored, and she paints for recreation, but allows no one to see her work, which later turns out to be repeated portraits of Tim's father. Rhys is a wonderful man, and, learning that Tim plans to attend medical school, invites him on house calls. When Tim suffers a bad ankle sprain, he treats him and prescribes a period of rest, and a halt to his travel plans. Tim is particularly taken with observing a home delivery, and with an old man with arthritis and heart disease. Tim admires Rhys, but during one of his absences, Tim is overwhelmed by love of Gwyneth and they have sex, impregnating her. After Tim leaves, Gwyneth reveals her pregnancy to Rhys, and explains the whole story, how much Tim reminded her of his father at the same age. The doctor's reaction is one of forgiveness. This man loves everybody, including Tim! He is well portrayed, and is my favorite character.
This is a truly lovely story, very well told by a superb writer.

This is a fine read on many counts. The suspenseful story of two men, a father and son, who fall in love with the same woman nearly a quarter-century apart, is told with intelligence and understanding. The relationship of young Tim Bruce to his own father, and to Dr. Rhys Edwards, husband of the beautiful Gwyneth, constitutes a fine, low-keyed but effective, treatment of the eternal and inevitable struggles between fathers and sons.
The characters are real human beings who come to realize the need to deal with their own strengths and weaknesses, and those of others as well.
The author's voice is quiet but compelling, evoking the Welsh countryside with stunning clarity. It's like watching a movie. Similarly well executed are the moods of the two wartimes which make up the book: World War II and Vietnam.
Both the author's medical training and her long years of residence in both Great Britain and the United States are put to good use in depicting critical scenes and attitudes of characters. Given the present debate over the propriety of our actions in Iraq, anyone who believes we are justified in occupying that country, and that the inhabitants are pleased to have us there, would do well to take note of the reaction of the British to the presence of American troops during the Second World War.
Altogether, a thoroughly professional novel of the upside and downside of love, as seen through the tragic and foolish filter of war.

I found this book to be very well written. Mary Morgan obviously knew her subject well. Once started, the novel was hard to put down. There was a certain suspense until the very end.

Both my husband and I LOVED this book, wondering why on earth it hasn't hit the best-seller lists; we found it far more compelling than any current or recent best-sellers. This intelligent novel captured me on the first page and never let go with its compelling, oh-so human story. Mary Morgan's writing creates profound visual images of people and places-you feel as if you're right there, feeling and sympathizing with the emotions of the characters. We highly recommend this beautiful story.

This book was reccommended to me by my friend , a nephew of Floyd Martinez, and I can't thank him enough for it. This book deals with Flavio growing up in the small village with his family and how he deals with all the changes that come into his small village, like electricity, the sawmill and the de-ruralization of his new Mexico village. This book is a great read for children and adults alike. The book painted such a wonderful image in my mind and it is one that I'm sure I will read over and over again. I'm only hoping that others will also read and enjoy it, and maybe even take EL Grandes advice to heart.

Flavio's story about growing up in New Mexico is funny andpoignant. As he describes childhood concerns such as family, friends,and school, the reader enters a world that is regrettably gone forever. It will make you laugh and cry. The awards that have been given this novel are well deserved! I am looking forward to another Floyd Martinez novel.

This is a great story of my family's upbringing in the small northern New Mexico town that they were raised in (the names have been changed to protect the innocent...lol). Mr. Martinez is my uncle and a wonderful writer it turns out. This is a wonderful story of his young life.

The book is set in a small village in Northern New Mexico where a young (adol.) Hispanic boy is torn between the lure of modern U.S. life and deep hispanic cultural values held by El Grande, his mountain man grandfather. It is rich in cultural conflict, adventure and at times very funny. Book is intended for young adults, but has much for everyone. Some spanish phrases but readily discernable from context. Has wide appeal regardless of culture/nationality. Book is readily available (not back ordered) from Arte Publico,1-800 633-ARTE, ISBN:1-55885-198-4, 192 pages

"Standing in the Light: A Lakota Way of Seeing" is a print version of conversations between R.D. Theisz, a college professor, and Severt Young Bear, a Lakota singer, historian, and cultural traditionalist. "Standing in the Light" is a cornucopia of cultural information about the Lakota people. The book begins with a discussion about Severt Young Bear's relatives and ancestors, followed by a very brief history of the Sioux people. Unfortunately, the book went to press about the time Severt Young Bear died, in 1993.

"Standing in the Light" has four parts. The first section deals with names in Indian culture. According to Severt, names are of central importance in Lakota culture. Young Bear explains how the people received their names and what names mean in Lakota (his own Lakota name is Hehaka Luzahan, or Swift Elk). Agency officials anglicized Lakota names in the 1880's for a census on the reservation and then applied these names to descendents in perpetuity. This bothers Severt because it means descendents in his family do not earn their name, an important part of the Lakota life process. "Young Bear" comes from Severt's grandfather, who received the name to reflect his accomplishments in battle; he was a fearless warrior who fought like a bear when cornered. The name "Severt" comes from his father's war experience, when Severt's father befriended a Swede and promised the man to name his son after him.

The second part of the book discusses oral traditions in Lakota culture. There are some great stories in this section, like the story about Sio Paha (translated as the Medicine Hill). This place received the name Medicine Hill because in prereservation days it was the site of a test between powerful medicine men. The medicine men would practice their magic on each other in order to discover who had the most powerful medicine. Whenever a man was felled by magic, he was out of the contest. Severt discusses one contest where a heyoka (a sacred clown, or someone whose role in the tribe was to make fun of everyone else) won by practicing medicine he learned from the bumblebee. There are more stories in this section, all of which are fascinating and informative.

The third section covers Severt's career as a musician and his days as a member of the Porcupine Singers, a Lakota drum group who toured powwows and other important Indian gatherings. There are all types of songs in the Lakota world, from honoring songs to dancing and social songs. Many of the social songs helped Indians get together back in the days when the government frowned on Indian gatherings. The Rabbit dance is a good example of a social song. Rabbit songs are quite simple lyrically, but young people used to gather in someone's house to dance to these songs. Of course, all these musical gatherings required musicians, and this is where Severt brings in the importance of the drum and its role in creating and expressing the music. He also discusses how life on the road for the successful Indian musician is just as stressful as it is for any type of musician: egos get large, cars break down, and arguments over money usually ensue.

The final section of the book is Severt's examination of what is wrong with Lakota society. Young Bear turns out to be quite conservative as he discusses the problems of the reservation world. His arguments for a return to personal responsibility, a healthy diet, respect for the elders, and responsible childrearing not only have lessons for Lakotas, but also are important for all cultures. Severt's involvement in the American Indian Movement (AIM) and its stand at Wounded Knee in the 1970's, covered in some depth in the book, further highlights his concern for cultural issues.

At the end of the book, Severt sums up his reasons for agreeing to create this book. Severt believes every powwow or gathering of Indians has four circles. The first circle is the one in which Indians are dancing and taking part in their culture. As the circles move outwards, one finds Indians who are not as aware of the cultural activities going on in the first circle. The last circle, the circle on the farthest reaches of the gathering, holds the lost Indians, those who are afraid of learning about their culture and so lose themselves in drugs, loose sex, or alcohol. Severt wants to bring all of the other circles into the first circle, into the "light," so all the Lakotas may partake in their culture.

"Standing in the Light" is a powerful statement. For those who wish to learn about Indian culture, look no further than this book. I am surprised there are not more reviews of this amazing survey of Lakota cultural ideas.

There is a joke that one often hears when traveling within Native circles. The joke asks what is the average size of a Native Family? The answer is five, a father, a mother, a son and daughter and one anthropologist. It has been written that Native Americans are the most studied but least understood people on the Earth. Native author Michael Dorris states this thought in a more direct way. He writes that Native Americans are the most lied about people on the face of the planet. Much of this discontent with the written record about Native Peoples is due to the fact that much of this record has been recorded by Non-Native people and thus passed through a cultural filter that distorts the reality of Native experience and tradition. "Standing in the Light, a Lakota Way of Seeing," is a collaborative effort by the authors Severt Young Bear Sr. and Dr. Ronnie Theisz to record an account of the world view of the Lakota people that was written from the viewpoint and understanding of a person that has lived his life within the traditional culture of the Lakota People. Severt Young Bear Sr. was born on the Pine Ridge Reservation in 1934 and lived his life in the traditional community of Porcupine, SD. In his life he was a rancher, a ranger, a tribal councilman, a singer with and drum keeper of the acclaimed Porcupine Singers that appeared in the movies "Dances With Wolves, " and "Thunderheart," an instructor at Oglala Lakota College, and founder of International Brotherhood Days, a cross cultural forum that is held the second week of July each year at the Young Bear dance grounds just outside Porcupine, SD.. This book is a rare look from the inside of Lakota culture from one that lived within that context. The work touches on the past of the Lakota People, and focusses on the importance of traditions of the culture to the survival and identity of the Lakota Nation. As a self-styled student of Lakota culture I value this book as one of the most relavant books in my collection. Highly recommended. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Beyond feathers and bells, "Standing in the Light" gives non-Native people a glimpse some of the real culture and values of the Lakota people. What values are held in high esteem, and how do they work in the everyday life of the people, are just a few of the answers given. Long overdue for those seeking to learn the culture beyond the feathers and bells of a Powwow.

I am enchanted with this book, one of the most exquisite books I have seen in a long time. The Lakota way is a simple but universal way of living. It is a book I want to share with many.
I was blessed to share so many lakota traditions and even though I don't practice those traditions any more I have them in my heart.
This book just brought so many memories.

Now we know why Tiger Woods is such a winner--he believes that everyone can make a difference in the world, and this book shows how. Written by his dad (and clearly his best friend), this book has great ideas for kids/teens about how to get involved, make friends, be a team player, get along with parents, and be a bigger, better person. We especially liked the entries that addressed dealing with bullies and racism, and how to be a good winner and loser. Positive role models are so rare for kids, especially from the sports world. Tiger is a real treasure, and so is this book--it will be our #1 gift to give this year!

Earl and Tiger Woods team up in this book to provide great advice for children on how to make the most of their lives. The book begins with an introduction by Tiger that talks about the importance of being a role model, and describes his Dad as his. From his Father, he learned to "share and care." He challenges young readers. "With your help, I believe that we can make a difference in the lives of others across the world. I challenge you to join me."

The rest of the book contains advice by Earl for young people, the same advice that he gave Tiger. At the end of many sections, Tiger adds a quote that endorses and amplifies how he internalized these messages. Although explicitly aimed at youngsters, this book is equally valuable as role model information for parents, especially Fathers.

The key message is that good habits make for a better life. The book has about 70 brief essays that detail these good habits. Space limitations here prevent listing them all, but I thought they were all well worth articulating. Here are 19 of my favorite sections:

Follow your passion, not the pack.

Did you help someone today?

Unload your past mistakes.

Shut down the jerk who teases you.

You can pick your friends, but not your brothers and sisters.

You are a leader.

You have to start somewhere.

Notice the kid everyone ignores.

Respect your body.

Take responsibility for yourself.

Complaining is for cowards.

Are you listening?

Say hello.

What are you proud of today?

Keep promises.

Say you're sorry.

Say thank you.

Ask others about themselves.

Read newspapers.

Tiger Woods fans will revel in some of the stories in the book. One of my favorites is about Tiger when he was five. Earl and Tiger were watching a news program, and a story came on about children starving during the famine and civil war in Ethiopia. Earl told Tiger that a friend of Earl's was going to Ethiopia to help. Without another word, Tiger went into his room and brought back some of his cherished gold coins he collected and asked his father to send them to help the children in Ethiopia. Any parent would be proud to have such a child, even if he couldn't play golf!

Tiger's great golf ability is handled well in the book. Earl and Tiger make it clear that how well you hit the ball doesn't matter, it's what kind of person you are that counts. This message comes through loud and clear, and should help steer some young people away from the frivolous lives that many professional athletes live.

You will be proud of the Woods family as you read this book. It will reaffirm your faith in humanity and in positive role models. It is a truly heartwarming book in every way.

After you have shared this book with young people and begun to model your actions on Earl, think about how else you could be a good role model. What is your special gift that can inspire others to become a role model? Let me repeat Tiger's words here. "With your help, I believe we can make a difference in the lives of others across the world."

Love being a role model!

Parents and their children will love this great book where Earl Woods challenges young people to make a difference in their lives. As the father of champion golfer Eldrick "Tiger" Woods, Earl Woods shares his motivational philosophy of life for building character. He gives young people good solid advice in dealing with life's obstacles and coming out a winner.

Earl Woods lays down those old fashioned values of honesty, courage, integrity, respect and others that are essential in living in today's world. Each section begins with a question or comment that Earl explains and later has Tiger share his own thoughts about the subject. Thus you have a beautiful combination of father and son encouraging young people to achieve excellence in their lives. It is moving to read Tiger's sharing of his relationship with his father.

Get this book as a gift for that special young person in your life. Use it as a resource in motivating your students and raising your children to become responsible men and women. Our children are precious jewels. They will make a difference in this world.

I read the book and am planning to buy three more copies, one for our church library and one for my two oldest grandchildren. Children who are looking for a hero can trust that this book will be an inspirtation to them. The principles used by the Woods family while raising Tiger Woods are extremely admirable for people of all ages. It is easy reading and gives positive ideas on how to live our lives.

We had to make a cover for the book and write a little thing on the back for school before we read the book. And none of us got to see the real cover except for the teachers pet. Then we read it. The only problem was that we could only read two chapters a week and them we had to write a journal entry. But I liked the book all the same.

An excellent story about a group of families traveling for new opportunities in San Bernardino, California. Told through the eyes of 14 year old Luann, it gives a detailed description of the hardships encountered by just about all pioneers, from famine, greedy travelers, sickness and the long hard winters. An excellent story for ages 8-?. I also recommend the sequel, "The Valley in between" which continues the family saga, as seen through Luann's sister, Ellie.

I read straight along a crooked road in 8th grade, it was the best book i ever read. I also went out and read the sequal. I'm a little upset that they have stopped publishing this book, cuz that means that you can not buy it anywhere.

This book is excellent. I've been reading it to my fourth graders since Marilyn Cram Donohue came to speak at our school during Children's Book Week. It is based on real events, and gives students a real feel for what it was like to make the difficult journey across America. We always enjoy the fact that they settle in San Bernardino, which is next to where my students live. This book has so many authentic details as well as romance, heartbreak, and a sense of adventure. It is always a favorite with my students!

This beautifully written gem should be required reading for anyone who feels they understand the Holocaust. Ursula Duba is brutally honest in her portrayal of "civilized" behavior in difficult circumstances. This book will take your conscience on a difficult trip by showing us that we are all responsible for protesting injustices in the world around us.

This book belongs on the same shelf as Art Spiegelman's Pulitzer Prize-winning "Maus: A Survivor's Tale" and "Schindler's List." Duba really gets inside her characters -- victims, perpetrators and those in-between. Her poems will leave lasting impressions and have readers returning to the pages many times.

In reading Duba's book, my first inclination was to be suspect of this German gentile who had the audacity to portray the Jewish experience of the Holocaust, but as I read the sequence of story poems that, like blocks, built a picture of the complex, multi-layered experience of all the participants, I began to soften and ultimately came over to join her in viewing the experience from her vantage point. Duba is brutally honest with herself, requiring me too, to examine my prejudices and stererotypes. Her courage to face herself and to face up to others gave me the encouragement to examine my experience, to face down some of my haunting demons and the manadate to speak out. - Second generation Holocaust survivo

TALES FROM A CHILD OF THE ENEMY by Ursula Duba compels us to realize that the past is a state of mind. She carries us back into her childhood in post-war Germany, and then quietly returns us to the present. There, through our own time, Duba again carries us back, this time further and deeper and into the psyches of those who were witness to the inhumanity of the Third Reich. We realize that the events of another time and another place envelop and profoundly affect the way our present is seen and tolerated by certain individuals, people whom we might very easily know. We come to realize that their struggle, their understanding, and their insights can have profound influence on the world around us. That this is true, especially for those of us who presumed that our realtionship to the events of WWII and the Holocaust were non-existent or at least, very distant, is stunning. We are inescapably drawn into Duba's mind and heart by the deceptively conversational tone of her poems, by her easy description of events and issues which so quickly become as familiar to us as the events in our own lives. The lives of others and the "then" which has impacted so strongly upon them today, becomes a part of our own lives, our own now

The poems scattered across the pages of this volume are rich in their simplicity and openness. They aren't polluted by the pretense of professionalism or the so-called "wisdom" of age.

Truly delightful book for adults and children alike.

Thie poems in this book are sometimes translucent, often remarkable and easy to read, and frequently wisdom-bullets that pierce the heart.

There is more sweet wisdom here in single poems than one often finds in the dense works of the professional poet.

A definite must-have book.

Sandy Lyne's compilation of student poetry is wonderful in displaying the uninhibited candor and emotion of school age children. I'm doubtless a bit biased as a poem I wrote while in school is included in the book. Sandy visited for several weeks and encouraged us to be open in expressing ourselves, making each student know that they had "the soul of a poet". It was a memorable experience for me, and I'm grateful to be included in this delightful collection.

I found this from NPR's Sunday Edition interview with the compiler, Sandy Lyne. What motivated me to get this book was the haunting eloquence of observations of their (children grades 3-12) lives. I was not disappointed. The book is divided into the following chapters: Angels in Bloom, Poems about Childhood; My Place, Poems about Home & Family; Black & Blue, Poems about Challenges; Then You're a Leaf, Poems about Nature & Beauty; Holding Hands, Poems about Friendship & Love; The Secret Kingdom, Poems about Solitude & Spirit. The book's title is taken from a poem by an eighth grade boy titled, "Rainshowers." "Rainshowers last forever, seconds at a time, and almost like a poem which is long at heart." This is a great sample of the treasures of heartsongs and lifesongs that you find in this book. Submitted by Mark Hashizume