Stations Books

From Space To Earth: The Story Of Solar Electricity surveys the fascinating evolution of photovoltaics from its problematic and controversial nineteenth century beginnings to its outstanding technological success in the space program, to the indispensable and versatile role as a power source for contemporary daily life. More than the story of a technology, From Space To Earth is also a chronicle of the individuals who, for the most part unrecognized in the history of science) persevered, took chances, bucked authority, innovated, invented, and crusaded to provide humanity with an infallible power source in the form of solar cells and the safe, clean, renewable energy they provide for everything from satellite communication systems to hot water heaters for the home. Informative and thoroughly "reader friendly", John Perlin's From Space To Earth is highly recommended reading and an important addition to any academic or public library history of science collection.

Have you ever asked yourself "Who discovered the photovoltaic effect?". Or maybe you are interested in knowing how the PV industry started and who were the early PV pioneers. Well, look no further, because all of this information and much more make up From Space To Earth: The Story of Solar Electricity by John Perlin.

Several years after writing his first book on solar energy, Mr. Perlin uses From Space to Earth to reflect on the challeges the PV industry and it's early pioneers faced in developing, implementing and introducing a new technology to the World. Personal interviews and historical information are utilized to relay the story of PV technology and the people who helped turn it into a thriving industry that helps to meet the electrical needs of people around the globe.

The future of the PV industy is also addressed and the author expresses his opinions on what the future should hold for photovoltaics. From his support for Building Intergrated Photovoltaics (BI-PV) and distributed generation, to the easy to understand reviews of advances in solar-electric cell and module production, the author provides up to date information on where the industry stands and where it is heading.

I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the application of solar-electricity or solar energy in general.

Finally, here is a book about an environmental topic that isn't depressing. In fact, it's so uplifting that you may find yourself pumping your arm and cheering. Perlin keeps it light on the solid-state physics and instead chronicles the social, economical, and political issues surrounding the application of photovoltaics. He explains advances in technology clearly and with no jargon. This book should be highly enjoyable even for those who flunked P-chem.

Full Service's characters feel real. The interactions feel like they matter. There is a plot arc but it doesn't dominate the book - instead the book unfolds a particular summer, a particular lens on how it goes in a small white town and the larger world. This particular lens has a lot to do with sexuality and making sense of the world. There are a couple subtle gay characters but the focus is on heterosexuality - and this is one of the few teen books I've read where the women and girls are just as lusty as the men and boys and aren't made to suffer G-d's wrath for it. This is one of the books where each character is rounded with a virtue and a problem. It reminded me of "Our Town" but less feeling of allegory and more the feeling you could know people like these.

In the summer of 1965, shy Paul Sutton, at the urging of his mother, takes a job at the local Shell gas station in the tourist town of Hawk Bend, Minnesota. Paul is a bit apprehensive about his new summer occupation, but nonetheless leaves the shadow of his family's religious farming community and goes to "meet the public." Paul's stint as a full-service gas attendant quickly becomes anything but a simple summer job.

First, there's Kirk, the angry gas station manager whose frequent "service calls" and narrow-minded opinions soon get him in more trouble than he can handle. Then there's Harry, a kind, older gentlemen who's still trying to escape his gangster past. And beautiful Peggy, whose torrid love triangle between her controlling boyfriend Stephen and dark-haired Dale --- Peggy's on-the-side lover who's headed for Vietnam --- snags Paul into its tangled web.

Along with the great expectations of his community's fundamentalist ministers, the family of hippies visiting Hawk Bend on their way to San Francisco, and the various tourists who pass through Shell Station, Paul finds himself dealing with the prospect of a new independent life or continuing to lead the odd quiet farm life in which he grew up.

FULL SERVICE is about a young man's rite of passage as the world he lives in is undergoing its tumultuous own coming of age. It's a strangely compelling, nostalgic novel that may make readers notice how much the world has changed and how they themselves may have changed as well.

--- Reviewed by Sarah Sawtelle ([...])

" 'No, no, no,' she said impatiently, wiping her hands and turning down her radio, 'a real summer job--full-time. One where you could meet the public.'
"I glanced quickly through the screen door. 'What about Father?'
" 'I'll talk with him.'
"I shrugged. 'Yeah, well, what about the others?'
" 'For once let's not worry about the others,' she said. She turned back to her dishes, and her hands again moved into the soapy water as quick as trout among stones.
" 'The others' takes some explaining. We were a Midwestern family long on religion. Not Lutheran, but sort of. Not Mennonite, but kind of. Not Amish, but a little bit. Not Quaker, but a good part. It was a Christian nondenominational faith, a phrase mystifying to my few school friends who were not in it ('Come on, Sutton, how can a church have no name?'). Farmwork was communal. My family shared the larger machinery--baler, grain combine, corn picker, silo-filling equipment--with several other families in the Faith. Planting, haying, threshing, silo filling, corn picking were done on an orderly circuit: VandenEides, Grundlags, Sorheims, Suttons (that was us), and so on. Unlike the Mennonites in Canada or the Amish in central Minnesota, each family owned its own farm, but the focus was on shared work, worship, and fitting in with the others."

It's 1965, and Paul Sutton has spent his first nearly-sixteen years pretty-well sheltered by life on the farm, and living among those families of the Faith. Tumultuous events elsewhere--the Civil Rights Movement, the War--seem like they're taking place in another world as heard through Paul's mom's little transistor radio. But Paul's life is about to get shaken up in a big way thanks to one of his mom's infamous "plans":

" 'All right. I'm listening,' my father said, though he really wasn't.

" 'First, Paul finds a job--a real job, one where he can meet the public--and then we hire someone to take up the slack here at home,' she said.
"My father reached for the bread He began to butter a piece. The silence went on. Finally he said, 'First, I don't know that Paul necessarily wants to work in town. Second, who could we find to take his place? There are no hired men anymore. But third, none of it really matters, because there aren't any jobs in Hawk Bend for farm kids. Town kids have them all.'
"There was silence. I looked down at my food.
" 'It must be nice to be right all the time,' my mother said.
"I sucked in a breath and held it."

"Well, I try my best
To be just like I am,
But everybody wants you
To be just like them."
--Minnesota native, Bob Dylan (1965), "Maggie's Farm"

Thirty or forty pages into reading FULL SERVICE, I found myself thinking back to such wonderful children's books as BECAUSE OF WINN-DIXIE, A YEAR DOWN YONDER, and THE CANNING SEASON. These thoughts did not spring from any belief that Will Weaver's new book is the appropriate next read for the elementary school fans of those award-winning titles.

In fact, FULL SERVICE is a real sex, drugs, rock & roll, told-in-the-first-person, oft-rude, coming-of-age, YA novel that takes place back in '65.

But what Kate DiCamillo, Richard Peck, and Polly Horvath did so well with those books was to create unforgettable, multigenerational, ensemble casts of characters. And in FULL SERVICE, Will Weaver accomplishes this so exquisitely that I could easily imagine him writing another book about any one of, perhaps, a dozen different members of "the public" with whom Paul Sutton comes in contact as the result of landing a job at the Shell service station in downtown Hawk Bend, Minnesota (population 1,750) over that summer that he turns sixteen.

That list of characters begins with Paul's coworkers, Kirk and Bud. Kirk's the former high school jock with a wife, kids, and a rather healthy number of bad habits, as Paul quickly learns when he takes over manning the pumps at that full-service Shell station and starts meeting "the public."

"I met a local housewife with blonde hair piled high and sprayed in place. She seemed annoyed that I came out to wait on her, and she asked for fifty cents' worth of gas. She kept looking toward the office, the back room. 'Isn't Kirk on today?' she finally asked.
" 'Kirk is engaged by a service call.'
" 'I'll bet he is,' she said.
" 'Is there anything Bud or I might help you with?' I asked.
"She gave me a long look. 'Bud--it'd be a cold day in hell. And you--not for a couple of years.'
"My ears reddened like train semaphores.
"Unless you know furnaces, that is,' she said, raising one eyebrow at me.
" 'No, ma'am,' I stammered.
" 'There's the main boiler and then there's the pilot light,' she said, gesturing, drawing a circle with her hands.
"I nodded.
" 'Oh, you do know furnaces after all?'
" 'Well, kind of--I mean I know what a pilot light is,' I stammered. " 'Good. Good. A lot of men go through life never understanding the difference between a pilot light and the main boiler. My first husband, Bill, he never knew where to look. Matter of fact, he couldn't even find the basement.' "

Other notable characters include the "hired hands" Paul's mom succeeds in locating and "The Workers" who are supposed to be assisting Paul in preparation for his transformation into a grown member of their religious community.

Then those distant world events make their presence felt in Hawk Bend in the guise of a family passing through town in their VW bus on their way to joining the antiwar efforts in Berkeley, and a barber in town who lost his son in the Korean "conflict."

Through it all, Paul has to figure out where he stands in regards to his beliefs, his religion, and those world events, and how he fits into "the public."

In the long run, one of the characters we see through Paul's eyes who really surprised me is his father. The author sets him up as a rigid man of strict habit who strongly adheres to the rules of his religion, but, in contrast to stereotypes, Paul's father ends up as the rare character who really understands what being a Christian is all about.

As with Will Weaver's previous book, CLAWS, this is not only a book that I'm anxious to recommend, it is also a book about which I'm anxious to sit down with a bunch of teens and have long discussions.

You know what? My daughter, 23 months, LOVES this book. Gargoyle (or rather, "ga-goyle") has become one of her favorite words. She asks for this book by name frequently, and excitedly points out gargoyles she sees on local buildings in Chicago. This is a pleasant change of pace from the usual childhood fare.

"Gargoyles: Monsters in Stone" is a fine educational book by young readers. Jennifer Dussling's text is accompanied by Peter Church's charming full-color illustrations. Together, these collaborators explain the story behind the stone gargoyles that can be seen high up on many buildings.

The book explains the practical function of the gargoyles (to drain water from buildings). The book also explains how a stone carver creates a gargoyle, and illustrates various types of gargoyles. The illustrations are particularly pleasing, as are the Celtic-looking design borders that are used on the pages. A must-have for kids with an interest in the topic.

Children will walk away from this easy reader with a wealth of knowledge about gargoyles! The illustrations complement the rich and accessible text by giving a medieval feel! A great read aloud! A great independent read!

This book truely is an encyclopedia of great ideas to use in the classroom. It is laid out in a very reader friendly format, listing ages, materials needed, and related books and songs. It has an extensive table of contents with clear headings. I can see myself using this throughout the years.

great resource book for cirlce time ideas. lots of fun activities for preschoolers!

This book is full of new, interesting and original tips and ideas that are VERY EASY to use in any teacher's class. It enables the teacher with many resorses to use during circle time without having to bother about looking for extraordinary material; in fact most of the activities won't require any material at all. The classroom resourses will work for any kind of classroom regardeless of size, age (3-6) or even subject.

A captivating story, with a little bit of "where's waldo" thrown in. After the pigs escape, the children can carefully look at the picture and find the missing pigs hiding or dressed up. "There's one right there!" my preschool class shouts. This book is always a fun one to read.

This book is first-rate in entertaining children 3-8. Children will enjoy following the story of Bert & Ethel, who raise some very intelligent pigs and decide it's time to sell them at the market in the morning. The pigs overhear this, and the trouble--or the fun--begins. The smart pigs escape, using clever disguises borrowed from local townspeople, and are missing untill the end of the story.

The illustrations are great and the story moves along smoothly. Your children will really like this one!

Get ready to be taken for a hilarious ride by a passel of precocious pigs! Farmers Bert and Ethel decide to take a break from growing turnips to try their hand at pigs. It's time to load up their lard and take them to market, but these savvy swine have other ideas. Our feckless farmers are unaware that their cargo has disappeared until it's too late, but you won't be if you pay attention to the pictures. Christelow combines unassuming text with not-so-unassuming illustrations in this porcine plot that is sure to tickle your spareribs and convince you that these pigs are smarter than your average root vegetable. Recommended reading for preschoolers on up, The Great Pig Escape is sure to make you chuckle if not bust your chops laughing.

I think the book From the mixed up files of Mrs.Basil E Fankweiler is a great book to read! I like it because Claudia makes me fell that I'm a kid living in a meusaem !Just like Jamie and her.When you buy it your not wasting your money.Angel is a satue that Micle Angeloe.

I think the book From the mixed up files of Mrs.Basil E Fankweiler is a great book to read! I like it because Claudia makes me fell that I'm a kid living in a meusaem !Just like Jamie and her.When you buy it your not wasting your money.Angel is a satue that Micle Angeloe.

I absolutely adore this book. I read it 25 years ago when I was in the fourth grade, and I just recently read it again - and it never lost its adventure, its character, or its enticing quality. Claudia is just as endearing to my outer adult as she continues to be to my inner child...I still couldn't put the book down!

I used this book with my four year old grandson who wanted to make puppets. For those who are not artists this is a perfect book. We had a wonderful time making about seven of the various puppets and then putting on our own show. We will probably do this again another time as it is easy and inexpensive.

This was definitely worth my money! The puppets are ADORABLE! I use them in so many ways. For example, after reading Harry the Dirty Dog, my students and I made the dog puppet. Students could make dirty Harry or clean Harry. We used the print-outs as templates; we traced them onto different colors of construction paper and felt. So many creative ideas!

My students are the best reviewers and they just love making the puppets. The instructions are simple and easy to follow. I highly recommend this book.

This book arrived in a timely fashion and it much better condition than I thought. Thank you so much!

This is a hands-on book. I wasn't trained to teach comprehension, but with tools like this book, it is much easier.

If you read aloud to your class, you must read this book! This books brings to our attention the during reading strategies that we do automatically and demonstrates how to teach them to our students. Appropriate for any grade level.

The book is wonderful and I am very happy with my purchase. I am a homeschooling mother and wanted something to make our bible lessons at home more interesting. This book did it. Each chapter starts with a bible story and the next several pages are full of crafts, skits, songs and puzzles that all relate to the bible story read at the beginning. The pages are all black and white and very easy to reproduce. I just toss it in the copier and make as many copies as I need.

I've used this material with great success for the past year in our children's church program with children from ages 5-11. Its been great! It has a basic Bible story with excellent craft illustrations. It is highly adaptable for different groups of children. Its been easy to teach and prepare as well as inexpensive. The kids have really enjoyed it and we plan to do the entire series. The only requirement is access to a good copy machine.

I have been using the Instant Bible lessons for several weeks at home. I find that the activities are very simple and they don't require a lot of materials....the kids really enjoy them and they can read the stories with ease. These lessons go to the basics of the Bible so that children can have fun while they learn about God's Word!

Millions of immigrants traveled by sea to America in search of a better life than the one they left behind in their old country. They were escaping from poverty, famine, persecution, and conscription. They sought jobs, freedom, and adventure. In Island of Hope, Island of Tears by David M. Brownstone, Irene M. Franck, and Douglass Brownstone, the history of Ellis Island comes to life through stories told by immigrants and the workers in their own words. This book explores the reasons why people left their home countries and the special role that Ellis Island played in their journey. The authors attempt to answer many questions that surround the peak years of immigration. They approach the subject with facts and personal anecdotes from interviews with people who passed through Ellis Island. The results present a surprising variation in the recounting of tales. No two immigrants recollect an identical experience, even in the same family. Why did they leave? Stella Jedryka left Poland in fear of the Russian soldiers. "We couldn't stand the Russian people-soldiers. We were running away from them" (28). What countries did they come from? "I was born in what is now Czechoslovakia-it was Bohemia in those days" (34) stated Charles Bartunek about the area near Prague in 1913. What did they expect to find? Esther Almgren from Sweden said, "I figured you're going to be picking gold out of the mountains, everybody thought America had no work..." (102). Was America what they had hoped for? "Between 1908 and 1923, fifty or more people returned for every one hundred immigrants that arrived for many nationalities..." (57/58). Some people left in search of adventure and some out of fear. Most were in third-class steerage accommodations and were seasick after they left they port. Still others loved the trip and the food, mostly pickled herring. Some hauled prized possessions with them, like feather beds, while others wore only the clothes on their backs. Many came bearing gifts for relatives in the United States, anything from sausage to whiskey. There were immigrants who stole across guarded borders at night and a few who went in better accommodations on first or second class. Travelers were often promised a short comfortable trip by shipping lines but often found themselves for "two to four weeks in an unseaworthy bucket" (117). Teenagers fared the best, having an optimistic outlook and fewer family responsibilities to harden them, but the newcomers represented all ages. If you are one of the four out of ten Americans who can trace their family back to Ellis Island, you will enjoy this book and perhaps find a story that sounds like your own heritage. Brownstone and Franck illustrate the rough beginning for these important Americans who took risks and paved the way for many of us who enjoy our lives today.

This is the best historical accounting of immigration to the United States. For those Americans who feel victimized by whatever issues that afflict them and by not feeling that they are in the land of opportunity and freedom, they can try and immigrate to another country... Mexico, China, Canada, Africa and see what golden opportunities are available to immigrants. The Great Immigration between the late 1800's and the early 1900's brought people who wanted a better life without persecution and ultimately death by the Germans and the Russians who were not necessarily of Jewish descent. The immigrants went to great hardship and loss to come to our great country and work for a better life and live in our land of "milk and honey."

I loved this book and would highly recommend it as required reading for all high school students, college students and ALL Americans.

The period from roughly 1880 to 1925 witnessed the greatest movement of people from one continent to another. Millions upon millions, mostly from Russia and southern and eastern Europe hoped to make a new beginning in the only country that held out that hope: America. And millions of them entered the United States through Ellis Island. There have been hundreds of books on this subject but few very recount the exact words of those who experienced this exodus. "Island of Hope, Island of Tears"
by David M. Brownstone is one of the few to use these primary resources. Much of the material has been seen before, scattered across the pages of other books about the great immigration experience, but I can't think of any one book that put all of it together in one place.

Part of what's unique about this book is its candor in revealing how many immigrants were mortally disappointed by the promise of America which never materialized. Another distinguishing feature is the presentation of just about every reason that these people fled their homes and what they expected to find here. Their responses are just as varied as the numbers of small towns from which they'd left. Lastly, of course, is the lucid descriptions of what these people endured during their voyages and the frightful experience and suspense that awaited them at Ellis Island, that old munitions dump by the Statue of Liberty.

This is an endearing while also harsh look at an episode in American--and world--history that will doubtfully ever happen again.