Planet Parent Books

When Megan's mom finds a boyfriend, Megan gets really upset because she wants her mom and her dad to be together again. When Megan meets her soon to be stepsister, Megan hates her automaticaly. At the end of the story Ariel and Megan become stepsisters and are friends-for-life!!!!!!!!

Ashley C.

I could not put the book down becuase the movie was so exciting. They were very active and funny, especially when Zopeut blew up the other aliens!

A single mom is looking for a man to date so that her kids can have a stepdad. Then there's this one guy that is also looking for a woman to date so that he can marry her and so that his daughter can have a stepmother also. This one day they were at a store and all of a sudden they had bumped in to each other and from there they had fallen in love at the first time that they had seen each other. The lady and her kids had invited them to lunch. The family of three was staring at them, and then this one girl that has the brother and the mother was showing them around the house. Her mother had told them to eat and the girl who has the father was floating above the grass and the family was really looking at her then the guy and the little brother were all ready to eat and they were all drooling all over the place.

The lady that has the two kids and one of the kids thinks that the guy and his daughter are weird and that time that the family is weird but his daughter has been floating and there was a trail behind her. Then the girl that asked if they were from a different planet.

The other thing that the kids didn't like about the weird family was that they act differently then the people that they know.

I would recommend this book to other people because it is a cool story -- kind of weird, tho!

At first I saw the movie, and it was... well... O.K. But then I went To the School librarry, and I saw the book! I read the summery on the back and it sounded great! Boy was I ever right, It was great! No not great EXCELLENT!!!! I read the whole thing in about 4-5 days! And let me tell you, it was way better than the movie!Imean, and they ended differently to! In the book there is this boy who realy likes Arial and she hates him! but in the movie...well...the boy that likes Arial ends up being her boy friend! And then they do a big slopy kiss... and ... well you know!

I saw the movie on the Disney Channel and taped it because i LOVED it so much. The movie is about a 14 year old girl named Megan LArson who loves windsurfing and a boy named Cutter. Then Ariel Cola comes into the picture. She is blonde and pretty, but does not understand " this strange place called Earth". While her father, Cosmo Cola is enjoying earth life, Ariel longs to be a bubble once again, and be Sueza of Circalon, with her beloved Phinool by her side. But things go haywire and Kathy LArson and Cosmo Cola fall in love, putting Megan's and Ariel's lives into one chaotic ride. The girls soon decide that the only thing to do is to break up their parents, and when plan after plan don't work to split up the parental units, Megan and Ariel began to like each other. To complicate things even further, when the horrible Emperor from Circalon comes to freeze Cosmo, his son Phinool finds himself falling for Megan, and Cutter finds himself falling for Ariel. This is a must see movie for kids and grownups alike. Please see this if you get a chance!

I both collect meteorites and give talks about them throughout the U.S. I am always looking for good books on meteorites that I can recommend to those who attend my presentations. Norton's books, as well as McSween's, are the best. It's chock full of very interesting information that has been abstracted from research journals and put into language that non-specialists can understand. It's by no means a beginners book, but one that you'd want to read after the more superficial ones.

The main theme is, of course, identifying the parent planets and asteroids for the classifications of meteorite. McSween provides his readers with the most up-to-date information, by 1999 standards, and when there is no agreement, he offers us his best opinion.

The book is organized by first providing a good overview of meteoronics in general. Then he addresses chondrites in Chapter 2, followed by a chapter related to possible parent bodies for the chondrites discussed. Ch 4 and 5 do the same for achondrites, and Chs 6 and 7 for Irons and Stony-Irons. The final two chapters get into subjects such as the geography of teh asteroidal belt and Kirkwood gaps, resonance, fractionations, and so forth -- this is the discussion that will interest those who have been involved with meteors for awhile.

I highly recommend the book and hope that he updates it in the near future. It has a 1999 date -- 8 years ago from this review. I'd love to read a third edition.

I'm a geologist who loves to find good summaries of geology / planetary science topics, and "Meteorites and their Parent Planets" is one of the best I've found. While I've always been more interested in "geometric" topics like structural geology, McSween's book made geochemistry and cosmochemistry come alive like I'd never imagined. He weaves a fascinating tale of the amazing deductions that have been made from analyses of meteorites. "Compositional" sciences like petrology and geochemistry used to make my eyes glaze over, but now I think that if I had it to do over again, I might go into geochemistry or meteoritics! I look forward to reading McSween's other books.

Really a MUST-have for the serious meteorite collector. Lots of scientifical informations, but very readable.

Informative reading and great photos. This book makes a great addition to your meteorite book library.

I think that this book is very well written and easy for the beginner to understand. Lots of great information.

Barbara Kerley's GREETINGS FROM PLANET EARTH is set in 1977 and tells of Theo and his class who are creating a greeting to be carried into space from Earth. In the course of composing a letter which will address the wider questions of who humans are, Theo must confront his own identity - including family secrets - in this story of war's aftermath and the meaning of humanity.

It's 1977 and twelve-year-old Theo is obsessed with space. So he's excited when his science teacher, Mr. Meyer, tells the class that the Voyager probes will "each...carry a golden record: a message, in pictures and sounds, from Earth to any aliens out there in space." Mr. Meyer charges the class to bring in one picture and one minute of sound conveying "what they thought was most important about Earth."

Without getting into what an amazing teacher Mr. Meyer is, let me tell you that this project gets Theo thinking. And he has quite a bit to figure out. You see, Theo's father never came home from the Vietnam War and Theo's mother doesn't want to talk about it. In fact, she tears up whenever Theo asks a question. Fortunately, Theo's grandmother, JeeBee, recognizes that Theo wants answers and helps him by talking about Theo's father and sharing his letters from Vietnam.

As Theo searches for the answer to what is most important about Earth, he becomes more and more frustrated because he doesn't know what's most important about himself and his family. He finds out his mother has hidden all his father's letters to her and to Theo and his sister. JeeBee knows the answers, but she's still not to the end of the story. Theo's frustration boils to such a point that he destroys his airplane and spacecraft model collection.

Barbara Kerley skillfully weaves Theo's thoughts about space and space craft, told in first person, with Theo's story, told in third. Theo is a compelling character, thoughtful and bright, and we sympathize with his search for answers. The ending is a complete surprise, yet utterly plausible.

The parallels between 1977 and 2007 are difficult to ignore, as is the thematic role of secrets in the novel. Secrets, no matter how well meaning, damage a family and a community. And they're particularly dangerous for a child like Theo. As Mr. Meyer tells him, "I've met a lot of people in my life, Theo. People who truly examine things--examine themselves, even. And people who don't. I see it in school all the time--the kids who memorize for the test and the kids who really want to understand." Theo wants to understand, even if it is more difficult.

"Greetings from Planet Earth" is highly recommended for children ages nine to fourteen. It's the perfect Middle School novel--ideally suited for kids who are just beginning to question everything themselves.

Theo is seeking the meaning of life on Earth when his birthday arrives and his unspoken questions about his dad once again erupt inside of him. For each year on Theo's birthday, "JeeBee" (his paternal grandmother, Bernadette) gives him a model rocket or plane that is meant to be from his father. Theo and his dad built the first one together when Theo was five, shortly before his dad departed for Vietnam. The models all hang on Theo's ceiling. However, nobody in the family really talks about his dad, the dad who never came home:

"Talking about it would be against the rules. Mom had never told Theo what the rules were, but he'd figured them out. Number One: If you pretend everything is fine, then everything is fine. And Number Two: Don't talk about Dad. Ever. 'It's like JeeBee wants me to remember him' -- he glanced at the red birthday card lying on his desk -- but my mom doesn't.' "

But this is the year when Theo will begin outgrowing his previous coping mechanisms and will find himself taking a giant leap in order to learn about his dad and what really happened to him. As we read about Theo's quest and his family's dysfunction, we see how, years after the monthly body count ends, the effects of war continue to reverberate through the families of soldiers.

If you had one minute of sound and one picture to describe the very best thing about being a human on Earth, what would you do? That's Theo's assignment, and he has two weeks to figure it out.

It's 1977 and the Voyager Probes are due to launch soon. They will be the most extensive space exploration mission yet. Aboard one of the probes is a golden record, full of sounds from earth, that will be broadcast into space, intended as a greeting toward alien life.

At first Theo thinks the assignment will be simple. The more he thinks about it, the harder it becomes. He has some great ideas, but nothing seems quite good enough. How do you describe the very best thing about humans in one minute? Should it be something we've created? Should it avoid mention of anything bad? Who are we?

One question leads to the next, and the biggest ones start to come from outside of school. Who is Theo's father, really? What happened to him in Vietnam? Why can't they talk about him? Does keeping a secret hurt someone or protect them?

This is a story about much more than just space exploration, although I did learn quite a bit more about that than I ever did in a class. This is a story about exploring you family and yourself. It's about asking hard questions, even when you're not sure you want to know the answer. It's also about forgiveness and strength and understanding. All of these are ideas that transcend time, making GREETINGS FROM PLANET EARTH a great book to have now or ten years from now, and just as good for adults as it is for kids.

Reviewed by: Carrie Spellman

This book is full of interesting tips to keep peace in the household. It teaches young teens how to deal with and keep peace with their parents. This book is great if you're a teen and are having trouble keeping peace with your parents. I rate this book an A+++!

This was one of the best books by Monica Hughes has ever written! I love the way she carries the story, much like her other books! I couldn;t stop reading once I started it! For any of you that hears about this-read it! It will me nost definately worh it!

WOW! what a book this is for aspiring and experienced observers! I'm in awe. Dr. Jenniskens' new book is so chock-full of information it will take years to soak it all in. He has done a masterful job of explaining everything that goes into the generation of comet dust trails and the resultant meteor showers they spawn. That -- plus a comprehensive listing of EVERY expected meteor outburst (and their expected ZHRs!) for the next fifty years! Not just the main showers like the Leonids and Perseids, but all minor showers as well.
I'm absolutely astounded by the enormous amount of work that must have gone into creating this book! It is simply an amazing work that should be in every library and on every meteor enthusiast's shelf -- because you'll be going back to it again and again for the rest of your life!

(Note: This is probably not the right meteor book for youngsters just getting to know this wonderful science and hobby, however. The charts, graphs, and mathematics are a little overwhelming for beginners.)

Pete Bias (author of Meteors and Meteor Showers, an Amateur's Guide to Meteors)

This book was really great- funny, gritty, and moving. The psychology of the characters is very real- when Charlotte's father's "manhood" is undermined, he takes out his anger on the only people he has power over- his own family. The children in this book are portrayed as wise, imaginative individuals.This book should be read by people of all ages.

This book should be required reading, forget all that other mushy stuff. This is the real deal! Great read, funny and down to earth. My babe is 14 months now and I still pick it up now and again just for a giggle. This should be given at every baby shower!

I loved Planet Parenthood! I recently gave a copy to my brother and his wife, who just had their first baby, and after taking a look inside, I couldn't resist reading it myself cover to cover. It was a terrific read -- I laughed my hiney off, and it seemed really wise and true, to boot. I've already seen bro and sis-in-law grappling with some of the issues mentioned, and I think the book will be a big help to them in putting it all into perspective and getting a good laugh, even in their sleep-depreived state (excellent therapy for stress). I was a fan of Tilsner's earlier book, 29 and Counting, and she's done it again!

OK, so I'm not a parent yet. But, I have about six girlfriends who've either given birth in the past year or who are almost due. I got this book to give as gifts (I'm a fan of Julie Tilsner's first book "29 and Counting") and couldn't put it down! So funny, and so right-on for what my girlfriends-turned-mothers were going through during their first year of motherhood. It almost makes me want to join the planet. (Almost!)

This book has some good advice to offer, and some funny moments. But overall, I did not enjoy this book very much, probably because I do not fit in with the target audience this book is written for...although I never planned it this way, I ended up being one of the crunchy moms the author makes fun of. I bought the book when I was still pregnant, and by the time I read it our son was several months old I was already happily halfway down the granola path, and I couldn't relate to the book enough to think it was very funny or helpful. The author's one-sided dismissal of certain parenting choices is depressing and discouraging. That's too bad because there is so much that is funny about parenting to write about without making fun of the way other people do things. I would say to read it if you want, and get a laugh out of whatever you find funny, and learn from whatever you find helpful, but if you want to exclusively breastfeed, use cloth diapers, or anything else this book is a bit down on, keep an open mind don't let this book discourage you.

This is the most depressing book I've ever had the misfortune to read. That's sad because I loved "29 and Counting." I expected great things from this author, but she really missed the mark.

Tilsner's "tongue-in-cheek" style is condescending. She definitely presents a true picture of the trials of parenthood, but they're not balanced with any of the joys. Basically you come away from the book thinking that when your baby comes your life is going to be over and the rest of the world (friends, parents, the author!) are going to be laughing at your naiveté.

I'm not blind enough to think that our lives aren't going to change dramatically and in innumerable ways when our child comes, but that's what we signed on for. We're looking forward to the "insanity" because it's all part of what we signed on for. I guess if you weren't planning on having a child or you're so set in your lifestyle that you can't accomodate change, then she's probably right. Everything's going to feel like your world is coming apart and your life is ruined.

But I think it's a real disservice to parents-to-be to paint such a bleak picture. Sure, it's done with humor, but to me, that makes it all the more unsettling. What expecting parent wants to feel like they're going to be the butt of some cosmic joke?

...

After reading other reviews I have to defend Shannon Olson's writing and her character. Some reviewers thought Shanny, the main character, had no reason for being depressed. I did not know someone coming from a rich family with an education could not be depressed. I believe depression has no boundaries. Others thought it was difficult to follow. If I can't follow the story I usually blame myself not the author. I loved the great read that it was.

...or at the very least that she wasn't writing about me. My mom first read this book when I was in college - she told me about it and said it reminded her of me. I said, mom, I'm not in my late 20's. Ha - like that made a difference, and as years go by I identify even more. I LOVE this book, it is so honest and true, and funny and wonderful. This book has made me laigh so hard that I snorted and cry through half a box of tissues. I have this book earmarked, highlighted and underlined and won't even lend it to anyone - I'll just buy them one or make them go out and by it themselves, because my copy is precious. From her quirky, smart, but depressive self, to her adorable mother who, although wonderful, can drive her up the wall, to her ex-boyfriends and her dysfunctional realtionships, to her career and education which can be confusing and frustrating, to her ongoing depression, sometimes debilitating, and to her honest and slowly productive but snarky relationship with her therapist - this book is just the best. And that's a good place to begin.

Shannon Olson's autobiographical novel is a sided-splitting yet tender story of a Gen X daughter who, a supposedly mature 30-year-old, returns home to live with mom and dad because she can't handle her finances, her job, her relationships, in fact most of her life, and who wants others "to take care of her" while she hides from life by living through the "Love Boat" or engaging in other distractions. Her relationship with her mother Flo is beautifully crafted, and reflects a dominating narcissistic mother figure who the daughter "Shanny" attempts to emulate, but usually fails. The book, broken into bite-sized snippets from Shanny's life, is a must-read for every Gen Xer, every parent of a Gen Xer or those who just want a very funny, very real story about human life, love and frailty.

This book is awesome and funny. She really relates to single and taken women. Her mother is a hoot, and really gives the book a lot of personality. If you read this book, you are going to want to read her following book
"Children of god go bowling"
She plays a great character in this book, and an even better one in the other book.
Happy reading

When I went into the public library, I didn't expect to find such a hip, funny, familiar book. I really love how personal Shannon gets in this book. She's honest, funny, and has some very legitimate life struggles. Whether you are 18 or 38 you can appreciate what she has to say. I often laugh out loud because she is just that funny... or has a knack with wording her ideas. Anyways, get this book and you might be pleasantly surprised. Especially if you like authors like Amy Rosenthal. =]